WASHINGTON - Attorney General William Barr on Wednesday defended the Justice Departments move to intervene in a defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump, even as experts were skeptical of the federal governments effort to protect the president in a seemingly private dispute.

The Justice Departments action is a normal application of the law. The law is clear. It is done frequently, Barr said at an unrelated news conference in Chicago.

He added, The little tempest that is going on is largely because of the bizarre political environment in which we live.

But experts said its far from clear that the conduct at issue  whether Trump defamed E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused him of raping her at a New York luxury department store in the 1990s  has anything to do with the scope of his White House duties. The departments move is likely to have an ancillary benefit for Trump in delaying the case, but administration lawyers have a tough task at hand trying to argue that the president was acting in his official capacity when he denied Carrolls allegations last year, experts say.

I wouldnt make such an argument, and if a president approached me to do it, I would say, Dont, said Stuart Gerson, who led the Justice Departments Civil Division in President George H.W. Bushs administration when Barr was attorney general for the first time.

The president gets sued all the time and is defended by the government, Gerson added, but those are for lawsuits that have to do with actions in his official capacity as the president. This isnt anything like that.

The Justice Departments action is consistent with the expansive view of executive authority it has taken under Barr and with its practice of taking legal positions benefiting the presidents personal interests, including asking the Supreme Court just last month to allow him to block critics from his Twitter account. It is likely to deepen concerns from critics that the department is functioning as a private law firm for the president, with the attorney general as his personal lawyer, which Barr has adamantly denied.

In the Carroll case, the stakes are especially significant since a move to transfer the lawsuit from state to federal court could not only delay it but also lead to its dismissal since federal courts have not historically permitted defamation claims against federal employees for actions taken in their official capacity.

On Wednesday, Barr described the intervention as somewhat routine and said the normal process was followed in this case. He told NBC News in an interview broadcast Wednesday that he had been told the Justice Departments Civil Division was going to become involved and that he thought it was fine but did not have to personally sign off on it.

He cited the Westfall Act, which enables the Justice Department to be substituted as a defendant when federal employees are sued in state court for actions within the scope of their official duties, and for the case to be transferred to federal court, where recovery of damages may be more difficult.

For instance: The defence of a lawsuit against a postal worker who clips a car on a daily delivery route could be taken over by the federal government since the collision involved the mailmans official duties.

He pointed to the Justice Departments involvement more than a decade ago in the case of Rep. Cass Ballenger, R-N.C., who was sued for defamation by an American Muslim civil rights group. A judge in 2005 dismissed the case, ruling that Ballenger made the comments in his official capacity.

Legal experts say its certainly not unusual for the federal government to seek to take over a state lawsuit against a federal employee, as the department is trying to do here.

But that doesnt resolve the question of whether the president was acting in the scope of his official duties when he is alleged to have defamed Carroll, nor is it clear that the same lawsuit protections covering federal employees under the Westfall Act also extend to the president, said Stephen Vladeck, a University of Texas law professor.

If its so clear and obvious and normal a case, why did DOJ wait so long to get involved, he said. If it was as routine as the attorney general wants us to believe, they would have filed the certification (to take over the case in federal court) the day after the lawsuit was filed.

Despite the suspicious timing, Vladeck said, the actual arguments the department is advancing are not frivolous and are not open and shut in either direction. The department contends Trump was acting in his official capacity when he denied Carrolls allegations because he was speaking to or responding to inquiries from the press, much as the elected officials in the cases cited above were speaking to the press or making other public statements at the time of their challenged actions.

James Pfander, a Northwestern University professor, said Trump might consider it a win just getting the case moved from state to federal court, where things might slow down and a judge more sympathetic to the presidents claims might be presiding.

Vladeck agreed, saying Trump wins even if he loses. The Justice Departments abrupt intervention two months before the election slows the case down just as Trump was about to be required to produce documents, provide a DNA sample, and sit for a deposition, according to a statement from Carrolls attorney, Roberta Kaplan, who called the governments argument shocking.

For Trump, the best case scenario is this move leads to the dismissal of the lawsuit, Vladeck said. The worst case scenario is Trump is no worse off six months from now than he is today.

____

Associated Press writer Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.
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British actress Diana Rigg and actor Anthony Hopkins attend the opening night of Macbeth at the National Theatre, in London, UK, on Sept. 20, 1972. (Bob Dear/AP Photo)

James Bond, Avengers Star Diana Rigg Dies at 82

LONDONDiana Rigg, a British actress who became a 1960s style icon as secret agent Emma Peel in TV series The Avengers, has died. She was 82.

Riggs agent Simon Beresford said she died Thursday morning at home with her family. Daughter Rachael Stirling said she died of cancer that was diagnosed in March.

British actress Diana Rigg, in UK, on Oct. 27, 1978. (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Rigg spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter, and a deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words, Stirling said.

Rigg starred in The Avengers alongside Patrick McNees bowler-hatted John Steed. The pair was an impeccably dressed duo who fought villains and traded quips in a show whose mix of adventure and humor was enduringly influential.

Rigg also starred in 1967 James Bond thriller On Her Majestys Secret Service as the only woman ever to marry Agent 007.

Britains Diana Rigg arrives at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York, N.Y., on June 10, 2018. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

In later life, she played Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones and the Duchess of Buccleuch in Victoria, and starred alongside her daughter in British sitcom Detectorists.

Rigg spent several years in the 1960s as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and combined screen work with an acclaimed stage career, in plays including Bertolt Brechts Mother Courage and Tom Stoppards Jumpers at the National Theatre in London.

Stoppard said Rigg was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a Trouper.

She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.
File image

Indicating that the India-US limited trade deal is likely to be signed after elections there, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on September 10 said New Delhi has given America "a very good, very balanced offer" for the agreement. The minister said India is ready to sign the deal "tomorrow", but he has left it to the US to decide on the timing.

"We have almost finalised everything but because of coronavirus everything moved from work-from-home in the US. While India did everything as usual in terms of government functioning, I think the US was not really as much focused as on government functioning and on settling all the balance issues of the trade deal.

"So probably, we will have to wait for after the elections (in the US) before we can sign that deal. But I have left it to the US. I am ready to sign tomorrow. We have given them a very good, very balanced offer," Goyal said.

He was replying to questions from students of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). The minister assured that India will gain significantly from the trade agreement, and the US will also get its corresponding share of benefits.

Goyal also assured that India will always protect its agriculture, dairy, MSMEs and domestic local industries and "do a balanced (trade) deal". India's exports to the US are growing rapidly and withdrawal of export incentives by the US under GSP (Generalised System of Preferences) has not impacted the country's outbound shipments to America.

India is seeking exemption from high duties imposed by the US on some steel and aluminium products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under the GSP, and greater market access for its products from sectors such as agriculture, automobile, automobile components and engineering.

On the other hand, the US wants greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, dairy items and medical devices, apart from cut in import duties on some information and communication technology products.

Goyal also said that India is talking to countries including the US, European Union, Russia and the UK for a free trade agreement (FTA).

"Now they are in election mode in the US, so probably after elections, we will have aggressive dialogue. We are very keen to have FTAs with these countries, with the EU, with the UKWe are giving a renewed focus for FTAs with the developed world," he said.

Talking further about FTAs, he said the ministry is "now looking at reviewing and renewing" all old trade agreements to bring symmetry and more balanced trade. "We believe that India has competitive strengths and we can truly get the benefit of a fair and equitable expansion of trade if we do FTAs with proper stakeholder consultations and considering India's capabilities to be able to meet the requirements, particularly of quality, of these countries and making sure that these FTAs are not done at the cost of Indian industry and businesses," Goyal said.

He added that in earlier FTA negotiations, "we always got a raw deal". Citing examples of such agreements, he said that as part of the FTA with 10-member ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) bloc, India eliminated customs duties on about 74 percent of goods for Indonesia, but it eliminated duties on only around 54 percent items for India.

Even in the India-Korea CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) signed in 2009, "we found that our exports to Korea was USD 3.4 billion at the time of signing of this FTA" and it has increased to "only USD 4.6 billion in ten years", but imports into India have increased "exponentially and our trade deficit has kept on expanding and increasing".

He suggested the students of IIFT to carry out research on these FTAs and look at the way they were negotiated and finalised, and whether India did proper due diligence.

".Why is it that post these FTAs, by and large, with almost all countries, India actually could not gain greater export business, but imports started flowing inLarge imports started enjoying benefits of these FTAs, whereas Indian businesses could not enjoy these benefits and finally we landed up with unequal trade and greater and greater trade deficits," he said.

The minister added that trade should be reciprocal and now countries are moving towards balanced trade, and India will also have to engage with countries to expand trading relationships on its strengths and competitiveness.

Talking about promoting toy manufacturing in India, he said the ministry is working on steps such as looking for anchor investors and clusters. On India's exports growth, he said things are improving as exports in the first week of September recorded over 12 percent growth as compared to the same week last year.
PARIS - Leaders of EU countries on the Mediterranean were expected on Thursday to send a clear warning to Turkey at an emergency summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who denounced what he called unacceptable provocations amid growing tensions with Ankara.

Heads of states and government of France, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Italy, Spain and Portugal gathered in Corsica amid fears of open conflict as Turkey seeks to expand its energy resources and influence in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish leaders have lashed out at France and the EU for siding with Greece and Cyprus in the dispute.

Turkey is no longer a partner in this region, Macron told reporters ahead of the island summit. We Europeans need to be clear and firm with the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about its inadmissible behaviour, he said.

Macron didnt elaborate on what specific actions he wants European countries to take, but said they should lay out red lines with Turkey and try to restart dialogue.

We Mediterraneans need to live in peace, the French leader said.

Our goal is to avoid all escalation, but avoiding escalation should not mean passiveness or acceptance, he added. It is up to Turkey to clarify its intentions.

During a bilateral meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron reaffirmed his support toward the respect of Greeces sovereignty, his office said.

Greece and Turkey have deployed naval and air force units to assert competing claims over energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish survey vessels and drill ships continue to prospect for gas in waters where Greece and Cyprus claim exclusive economic rights.

France is carrying out military patrols in the region in a show of support for Greece and Cyprus, and the EU is mulling new sanctions against Turkey.

Separately from the diplomatic discussions, Turkish and Greek military officials met Thursday at NATO headquarters, as part of ongoing meetings aimed at reducing the risk of armed conflict. Greece and Turkey both are NATO members.

Turkeys Foreign Ministry characterized Macrons statement as arrogant and in line with old colonial reflexes. It accused the French president of stoking tensions and putting the greater interests of Europe at risk.

It is not for Macron to determine the maritime jurisdiction of any country in the Mediterranean or anywhere else, the Turkish ministry said in a statement.

The spokesman for Turkeys ruling party criticized Macrons threatening language.

We have trouble with colonial minds like yours, Mr. Macron, Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik said on Twitter.

Speaking Thursday to EU lawmakers, Greek European Affairs Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis appealed for support from European partners, saying the tensions over energy rights constitute by themselves a grave threat to our common security architecture.

He said that Turkey is looking beyond Greece and is a major destabilizing factor in the wider area, citing Turkish government actions in Libya, Syria and beyond.

He said that Greece would not provoke conflict but wouldnt just sit back waiting for European help to arrive: At the end of the day, we will defend ourselves, even alone.

At the Corsica summit, France wants the European leaders to push for resuming German mediation in the eastern Mediterranean dispute. Russia also offered this week to mediate.

The leaders also plan to discuss EU and NATO operations in the Mediterranean and their relation to Turkey.

But the other countries at the Corsica summit have different priorities. Italy, Spain and Malta are notably more concerned about migrant boats arriving from North Africa to their shores. Portugal. meanwhile, has little stake in the tensions around the eastern Mediterranean.

France and Greece hope the seven countries can come up with a united southern European front ahead of a full EU summit later this month focused on the blocs strategy toward Turkey.

EU Council President Charles Michel will travel to Greece, Cyprus and Malta next week for talks with leaders.

______________

Sylvie Corbet and Angela Charlton in Paris, Lorne Cook and Raf Casert in Brussels, Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Elena Becatoros in Athens contributed to the story.

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- A 100-episode documentary to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) started filming in Beijing on Thursday.

The documentary has selected 100 historical events over the course of China's revolution, modernization, reform, and rejuvenation to showcase the glorious history and achievements of the CPC.

Jointly produced by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, National Radio and Television Administration, and Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the CPC, the documentary is scheduled to be broadcast in April 2021.

The production is expected to inspire the audience, especially the younger generation, to strive to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, said Qu Qingshan, head of the institute.
DHE will begin operating the two Volvo VNR Electric trucks out of its facility in Ontario, California, which manages a fleet of 40 Class 8 trucks. The Volvo VNR Electric trucks will run daily routes varying between 60 to 80 miles, transporting goods from Ontario to warehouses throughout Southern California. By completing several different routes, the trucks will collect performance data under various operating conditions, producing crucial real-world operational data on the trucks' power, performance, and range. This information will help Volvo Trucks validate customization measures to provide the most seamless transition to battery-electric trucks for its customers.

In addition to zero tailpipe emissions, the Volvo VNR Electric trucks simplify maintenance and improve working conditions for drivers by offering state-of-the-art responsiveness, a quieter cab free of engine-related vibrations, and by eliminating exposure to diesel fuel and exhaust.

"DHE is incredibly proud to be one of the first fleets to deploy Volvo VNR Electric trucks in North America," said Joe Finney, chief operating officer, Dependable Highway Express. "DHE is a family-run business that considers our employees as family, which is why we want only the best for our drivers. Volvo's entire line-up of Class 8 trucks offer our drivers the safest and most comfortable environment on the market, which is why we've only purchased Volvo trucks for our fleet since 2014. The Volvo VNR Electric truck cabin is nearly identical to its diesel counterpart, but with a whisper-quiet engine, a super smooth ride, and zero emissions. Our drivers can't wait to get behind the wheel of the VNR Electric trucks and put them to work."

Dependable Highway Express (DHE) is a core division of Dependable Supply Chain Services, a full-service logistics provider established in 1950. DHE's services include trucking, warehousing and distribution, harbor drayage, third-party logistics, air and ocean freight forwarding, and freight transport.

"Working with DHE as a trusted fleet partner for years, they've come to expect the reliability, performance, and safety that is synonymous with a Volvo truck. We look forward to DHE putting these VNR Electric truck models through the rigors of their daily operations and experiencing that same level of quality," said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America. "These zero-emission trucks will start delivering benefits to drivers and communities today, while providing us with the valuable real-world data we need to successfully introduce these trucks commercially in the very near future, a milestone in the transition to wide-scale, sustainable transport solutions."

The Volvo VNR Electric trucks were deployed as part of the Volvo LIGHTS projectan innovative collaboration with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) and 13 other organizations to develop a blueprint to successfully introduce battery-electric trucks and equipment into the market at scale.

"The Volvo LIGHTS project is figuratively paving the road toward achieving meaningful emission reductions in the freight movement sectorthe largest single source of air pollution in our region," said Janice Rutherford, San Bernardino County, second district supervisor and South Coast AQMD board member. "I am pleased to see these zero-emission Volvo VNR Electric trucks driving through my district in San Bernardino County and look forward to larger scale deployments."

In June, the first Volvo LIGHTS VNR Electric truck was deployed at Volvo Trucks North America TEC Equipment dealership in Fontana, California, which will provide DHE with ongoing maintenance support for the Volvo VNR Electric trucks. On the near-term horizon, additional announcements about fleet customer demonstrations will be made.

"By operating our own all-electric VNR for the past four months, our maintenance and repair crew has already gained incredible hands-on experience," said Mike Reardon, general manager of TEC Equipment's Fontana dealership. "We're thrilled to extend our contracted maintenance services with DHE to include their two Volvo VNR Electric trucks and look forward to helping their team maximize their uptime."

The Volvo VNR Electric model was recently certified by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) enabling the vehicle to be commercially sold in all 50 U.S. states. This step helps Volvo Trucks move one step closer towards the highly anticipated commercial launch of the VNR Electric. Beginning in 2021, Southern California businesses will have the opportunity to lease commercial Volvo VNR Electric trucks from TEC Equipment to gain firsthand experience with these advanced trucks in their fleet operations.

Volvo LIGHTS is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environmentparticularly in disadvantaged communities.

To learn more about the Volvo LIGHTS project, visit www.lightsproject.com .

Volvo Trucks provides complete transport solutions for professional and demanding customers, offering a full range of medium to heavy duty trucks. Customer support is secured via a global network of dealers with 2,100 service points in more than 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 14 countries across the globe. In 2019, approximately 131,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care.

For further information, please contact Jennifer Edwards, Volvo Trucks, phone 336-392-9396, email [email protected]

www.volvotrucks.us www.volvotrucks.ca www.volvotrucks.mx

SOURCE Volvo Trucks North America
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 01:45:57|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the ASEAN-China foreign ministers' meeting via video link on Sept. 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) --The United States is becoming the biggest driver of militarization of the South China Sea and the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the area, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.

Wang made the remarks while attending the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting via video link.

He said that the United States has directly intervened in territorial and maritime disputes in the region out of its own political needs, constantly flaunting its force and strengthening its military deployment.

"The United States is becoming the biggest driver of militarization of the South China Sea," he said.

The United States has interfered with the efforts of China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to resolve disputes through consultation, as well as provoking confrontation between countries in the region.

"The United States is becoming the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the South China Sea," said Wang.

"Peace and stability are China's greatest strategic interest in the South China Sea," Wang said, adding that it is also the common strategic aspiration of China and ASEAN countries.

"China hopes that countries outside the region, including the United States, will fully respect the wishes and expectations of countries in the region, instead of creating tension and seeking profit from it."

Wang stated three fundamental facts in response to smears made by the U.S. on China's position on the South China Sea issue.

First, China has sufficient historical and legal basis for sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea.

Second, China always adheres to the policy of good-neighborliness and friendship and has been committed to playing a constructive role on the South China Sea issue.

Third, China has always been committed to complying with international laws including the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea.

When talking about the Hong Kong issue, Wang said that it is China's internal affairs, adding that non-interference in internal affairs is the basic norm of international relations and an important provision of the UN Charter. All countries are obliged to abide by it.

"The East Asia Summit is a strategic forum led by leaders of all countries. It has never been a place to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries, let alone an arena for attacking other countries' political systems," Wang said.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the East Asia Summit, Wang said, adding that the most urgent task of the summit is to gather consensus in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, promote the revival of economic cooperation, and maintain the overall situation of regional peace and development.

He called for providing new impetus to the fight against the pandemic, supporting the World Health Organization (WHO), and jointly building a regional "anti-pandemic firewall."

He called for launching new measures for economic recovery and striving to make East Asia a source of stable growth for the world economy in the "post-pandemic era."

He called for promoting the construction of "quick passage" and "green passage" regional networks to ensure the smooth flow of personnel and materials to provide a strong guarantee for regional peace and stability.

China firmly supports ASEAN in playing a leading role in East Asian cooperation, Wang said, adding that the members of the East Asia Summit should comply with the common aspirations of the countries in the region, respect their legitimate demands, adhere to the multilateralism with East Asian characteristics, abide by the basic principles of regional cooperation, and make positive contributions to ensuring the lasting peace, prosperity and development of East Asia.

He also expounded China's position on issues including cross-border water resources cooperation, the Korean Peninsula, and the Rakhine State.

When attending the 21st ASEAN-China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) (10+3) Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the same day via video link, Wang said that all parties should continue to coordinate the anti-pandemic and developing needs, create a new aspect for cooperation in the post-pandemic era and promote 10+3 cooperation to a new level.

He said that China suggested improving the level of public health governance, continuing to support the WHO in playing an important role in the global fight against the pandemic, and jointly opposing the politicization of the pandemic and the stigmatization of other countries.

All parties should improve the level of sustainable development, continue to implement the Cooperation Initiative on Poverty Reduction in East Asia, carry out more pragmatic cooperation in the fields including infrastructure, water resources, and agriculture, and make good use of the Trilateral + X cooperation to inject new impetus into sustainable development.

The foreign ministers of Japan, ROK and ASEAN countries spoke highly of the results of the 10+3 cooperation and looked forward to signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement within this year as planned.

All parties agreed that the 10+3 countries should adhere to cooperation in solidarity, openness and inclusiveness, deepen cooperation in public health, economic and trade investment, digital transformation, food security, tourism and other fields, strengthen interconnection, ensure the smooth flow of the industrial chain and supply chain, facilitate personnel exchanges, and work together for regional stability, development and prosperity. Enditem
Violent protests broke out in Bogota, Colombia, on Wednesday night following the death of a Colombian father of two who died after police repeatedly shocked him with a stun gun.

A video of the encounter between the man, Javier Humberto Ordonez, and two officers has circulated on social media. Ordonez, 46, can be seen face down on the ground as two officers kneel on him and repeatedly use their stun guns on him. Ordonez can be heard saying, "Please, no more," as witnesses urge police to stop. He later died at a local hospital.

Police said the incident took place in the capital early Wednesday when Ordonez was drinking alcohol in the street with others, which was in violation of social distancing rules designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The officers have been relieved of their duties while investigations take place, authorities said.

Colonel Guillen Alexander Amaya Olmos, head of the local police force, said the officers were called to reports of a fight in the street by concerned neighbors and that officers arrived to find eight "intoxicated" people. "They became aggressive," Amaya told local media. "The police had to subdue them."

In an interview with Semana Noticias, Juan David Uribe, a man who said he was with Ordonez, called the account "false" and said there had been no argument.

A man died in Bogota after police pinned him to the ground and repeatedly shocked him with a stun gun despite his pleas for them to stop. Police said the officers were responding to a dispute involving multiple people who had been drinking and breaking social distancing rules. pic.twitter.com/ouEzMbv2ZT

 CBS News (@CBSNews) September 10, 2020

The video drew hundreds of protesters to the streets, many of whom clashed with officers outside the police post where Ordonez was held. Buses and police stations were set on fire, and many businesses and vehicles were damaged.

Story continues

At least seven people died in the demonstrations, according to authorities, and police took nearly 70 people into custody. There were 248 people injured, including 100 police officers, Bogota Mayor Claudia Lopez said.

Five of those who died had been shot, Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo told reporters. He offered a reward for information leading to the capture of "the authors of the homicides."

Police officers confront demonstrators in Bogota, early on September 10, 2020. / Credit: STR/AFP via Getty

Lopez condemned the incident on Twitter, calling it an example of "unacceptable police brutality," but urged protesters to refrain from vandalism and violence. "I am absolutely aware that we need structural police reform," Lopez said. "But destroying Bogota is not going to fix the police."

In an interview with Reuters, Ordonez's family called for justice and peaceful protest. "He was murdered by the police officers," said Eliana Marcela Garzon, his former sister-in-law. "We don't want (deaths) in a country already full of conflict, we want justice."

Garzon said police reform is needed, especially for children like her nephews. "I don't want them to grow up feeling like there isn't justice in this country," she said. "I want them to grow up knowing laws are followed."

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The country's COVID-19 task force has made a recommendation to President Rodrigo Duterte to relax the overseas deployment ban on healthcare workers, but there is no decision yet, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Thursday.

He said the final decision is up to the president since he was the one who told the Inter-Agency Task Force that nurses should stay in the country as part of the "reserve force" should the COVID-19 pandemic worsen.

"Mayroong proposal na i-allow ang nurses na naayos ang papeles as of August 28. Pero kinakailangang konsultahin ang Presidente kasi ang desisyon na mag-impose muna ng moratorium ay desisyon ng Presidente at ayaw naming pangunahan ang ating Presidente," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: There is a proposal to allow nurses with complete travel and employment documents as of August 18 to leave. But the President needs to be consulted because he was the one who ordered the moratorium. We don't want to preempt him.]

Earlier this month, Roque said the government has no plans to overturn the deployment ban despite the clamor from hundreds of healthcare workers who are stuck in the country. He said that this was for the well-being of the medical workers who may contract COVID-19 if they work in countries with a high number of cases.

The government has flip-flopped on the deployment ban. In April, officials announced the exemption of all medical workers who have competed their documents as of March 8, ahead of the imposition of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. An August 17 resolution of the IATF stated the temporary suspension of the deployment of all medical and allied health workers, without mentioning any exemptions. That resolution was revised on August 20, with government allowing those who have secured contracts and overseas employment certificates before March 8 to leave the country to work.
2020 has been quite a year: A global pandemic, wilfires, the glaciers meltingand it doesnt seem to end.

Residents of San Francisco and elsewhere in California woke Wednesday to a deep orange sky that triggered apocalyptic visions in a year already rife with disturbing events.

Skies so dark at times that it appeared more night than day were accompanied in some places with ash falling like snow, the cause being massive wild fires filling the air with smoke and cinders.

The orange skies this morning are a result of wildfire smoke in the air," San Francisco Bay air quality officials said in a tweet.

These smoke particles scatter blue light and only allow yellow-orange-red light to reach the surface, causing skies to look orange."

As smoke gets thick in some areas, it blocks sunlight causing dark skies, the officials explained.

Photos of the eerie scene, particularly of a San Francisco skyline fit for a dystopian science fiction film, spread quickly on social media.

Is there a word for the apocalypse is upon us burnt sienna? read one tweet fired off by someone who felt using the word orange to describe the sky was being too kind.

Others likened the scenes to planets other than Earth.

If literal fire skies dont wake us up to climate change, then nothing will," tweeted YouTube influencer and Zadiko tea startup chief Zack Kornfeld.

Enjoy joking about how crazy this year is because we made this mess and its only going to get worse."

Strange and foreboding orange skies and a layer of falling ash greeted Bay Area residents as they woke on Wednesday, rubbing their eyes and wondering if theyd awoken on a different planet  and pondering just how long the daylight dimness would last. https://t.co/VoXXF6FMw1 pic.twitter.com/KdbcD099PF San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) September 9, 2020

Scenes from around San Francisco where dark orange skies are still blanketing the city and region.This apocalyptic hue is due to a combination of smoke from various wildfires sitting above the marine fog layer. More here on @sfchronicle https://t.co/eChDMsLZLs pic.twitter.com/VaQlNsML0y  Jessica Christian (@jachristian) September 9, 2020

San Francisco: 10am. Simply. Bizarre. Smoke particles scatter blue light & only allow yellow-orange-red light to reach the surface, causing skies to look orange. - Air Quality District (video from @LombardiHimself) @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/HZgVFvBLbk Raj Mathai (@rajmathai) September 9, 2020

Absolutely no filter involved here. This is the morning sky over San Francisco at 8am. Orange, dark and ashy bc of wildfires. I was two days away from my 8th birthday when Mt. St. Helens shook the planet. Im from Seattle-Tacoma and i remember the sky looked just like this. pic.twitter.com/zgOkT2Ou5f Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) September 9, 2020

San Francisco today. The sky is dark with ash from fires, and the wind stagnated, so everywhere its a red orange light.This was taken just minutes ago, its noon here pic.twitter.com/EcngJzhxBw  OdorousObject (@OdorousObject) September 9, 2020

Skies over San Francisco right now. Apocalyptic. Ive lived here since 1998 and have never seen anything like this. The pic doesnt capture the true darkness. #BayArea #orangesky #CaliforniaFires pic.twitter.com/KkAxV3qBs0 cindy k (@cbk_sf) September 9, 2020

The sun didnt rise in San Francisco this morning. The sky is a dark orange from the smoke pic.twitter.com/NsWQgEM0xH Patrick Bohan  (@PKBohan) September 9, 2020

Dark skies blocking the sun chilled temperatures at what has historically been the warmest time year in San Francisco.

Geo-color imagery shows a very thick multilevel smoke deck over much of California," the US National Weather Service said in a tweet.

This smoke is filtering the incoming energy from the sun, causing much cooler temperatures and dark dreary red-shifted skies across many areas."

What were being described as unprecedented" wildfires, fueled by strong winds and searing temperatures, were raging cross a wide swathe of California, Oregon and Washington on Wednesday, destroying scores of homes and businesses in the western US states and forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.

In California, where at least eight deaths have been reported, National Guard helicopters rescued hundreds of people trapped by the Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest.

In Oregon, Governor Kate Brown declared the fires in the northwestern state to be a once-in-a-generation event."

Jay Inslee, the governor of neighboring Washington state, described the wildfires as unprecedented and heartbreaking."

Inslee, who campaigned for the Democratic nomination for president on a platform of battling climate change, and California Governor Gavin Newsom both blamed the effects of a changing climate for the exceptional ferocity of this years blazes.

I quite literally have no patience for climate change deniers," Newsom said. Its completely inconsistent, that point of view, with the reality on the ground."

(With inputs from AFP)
President Donald Trump has planned two campaign rallies in Las Vegas and Reno for over the weekend, but theyre at risk after local officials revealed the gatherings would violate health guidelines related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Adam Laxalt, the co-chair of Trumps campaign in Nevada, shared on Twitter on Wednesday that the presidents planned rally venues were cancelled on the campaign. He blamed the states Democratic governor, Steve Sisolak.

Outrageous! @realDonaldTrump rally venues in NV canceled. Welcome to Sisolaks Nevada  home of partisan political retribution, he wrote. This is unprecedented  to cancel an incumbent Presidents campaign stop inside 60 days of a major contested election in a swing state. This isnt over!

After the tweet, it was reported by the Nevada Independent that the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority warned a company that planned to host a campaign rally of 5,000 people in a private hangar that it would be in violation of the state governors restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. It also reportedly violated the terms of the companys lease for the private hangar.

Joe Rajchel, a spokesman for McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, told the Associated Press that the airport never received a request from the Trump campaign to hold a rally, so there were no warnings or cancelling of event requests.

Mr Sisolak told KSNV he also had no involvement in why the rallies were allegedly cancelled this weekend.

"They know what the rules are. They clearly know what the rules are when they came in," he told the news organisation, adding that he has not been contacted by the Trump campaign or Mr Lexalt about guidance to hold the rallies.

Nevada currently remains in Phase 2 of its reopening plan, meaning public and private gatherings are limited to 50 people. The planned Trump campaign rallies would break this guidance if it were to allow thousands of people to gather in airplane hangars.

The state also requires mandatory face coverings to residents when they are out in public and at public venues.

Mr Sisolak then slammed the Trump administration for the planned rallies, as he said his state was just following the guidelines given to them from the White Houses coronavirus task force.

"Anyone that was attorney general knows that you're supposed to follow the laws, directives coming from the White House. I would assume they want to follow these directives," the governor said. "One of these rallies, the president speaks 60, 90 minutes, and they say not to be for more than 15 minutes."

Mr Sisolak added that he spoke to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Dr Deborah Birx, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, this week and asked if they still recommended for his state to follow guidelines related to gatherings.

"She said absolutely," the governor said about Dr Birxs response.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she was unaware of any venues cancelling on the presidents campaign rally.

We believe that if people want to show up and express their political views, thats their choice to do so, she said, according to AP. We hand out masks, we encourage individuals to wear those masks ... At the end of the day, if you want to join a peaceful protest you can do so. And theres no reason, just like the protests weve seen in the streets, you cant show up and express your political view at a rally.

The Trump campaign said the rallies would still be held, but the exact details about these rallies would be released later ahead of the weekend.

The Nevada Democratic party released a statement against the planned rallies, saying: The fact that Donald Trump was even considering holding these unsafe events in the midst of a global pandemic is just the latest example of his poor judgment and complete disregard for Nevadans' public health and safety."

Nevada, which holds six electoral votes in the upcoming presidential campaign, has become a battleground state for the election. The Trump campaign has indicated this state was a priority in its reelection efforts.

Mr Trump is also scheduled to hold a fundraising event in Las Vegas over the weekend.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Submitted by Veterans of Foreign Wars

Wahkiakum Post 5297

On September 11, 2001, America witnessed a brand of ruthlessness and evil beyond the realm of comprehension. It was difficult for us to grasp the scope of the tragedies that day. It was one of the single most tragic days in our nations history, and many of us thought it was the worst day of our lives.

Nearly two decades have passed since that fateful day, and for most the memories of what happened that day are still as vivid and painful now as they were 19 years ago. And while time cannot ever remove that pain, we can find some solace in remembering how our nation was united in the subsequent days and months following the attacks.

That day, we refused to allow evilness to triumph over good. The accounts of hope and heroism that emerged from the rubble of ground zero, the Pentagon, and the rural Pennsylvania field, inspired us all. To this day, those remarkable chronicles of valor continue to serve as reminders of all that is good and true in the human spirit.

In our grief, our nation and its citizenry stood tall and defiantly proud in the face of our enemies as police, firefighters, and airplane passengers and crew members gave their lives to save their fellow man. Their heroism will never be forgotten by a grateful America, nor by VFW members who, by their own experiences, recognize heroism and the high cost that comes with it.

From that day, we made a determination that no such attack will again be visited on us or any other nation. We learned that we must combat terror and those who seek to deliver terror. Today, we are fighting to ensure that the liberties we enjoy  the freedoms we cherish  will be secured for future generations.

Today, as we honor the memory of the 2,977 lives lost on 9/11, we know that our nation is indeed more secure. The resolve born out of tragedy has made us stronger and has made us better as a nation. The terrorist attacks 19 years ago did not weaken us or dampen our spirit. Instead of being defeated, Americans and freedom-loving people from all over the world united, and together, in a time of disbelief, chaos and great loss, we boldly stood together as a nation and refused to succumb to fear or despair. It truly became one of our finest hours.

This tragedy served to remind the world of everything America stands for, that America will always stand tall and strong against violence and evil, and that we will fight for the freedom to live our lives free from tyranny and fear. We stood tall to safeguard the American dream, the very way of life so many before us have fought and died to protect, and what so many of our new generation of service members continue to selflessly put their lives on the line to defend today.

Though there is no doubt the memory of the innocent lives taken as a result of the September 11 attacks will remain etched in our minds, the heroic acts displayed by firefighters, police officers, emergency personnel and the average American citizen alike--moments of valor, courage and selflessness--reminded all of us, and the rest of the world of the ever-present American values that have carried our nation so admirably from century to century.

From the outside looking in, many will never understand our way of life  they will never comprehend, nor will they accept the basic premises upon which our great nation was built: independence, justice, and sovereignty. And, there is no question that America will still face threats to our way of life, whether it be overseas or right here on American soil.

For generations to come, Americans will look back to the events of September 11 and remember that freedom is never free, and it is our responsibility to preserve liberty and maintain our ideals. By doing so  just as we are doing today  we continue to honor the memory and deeds from that fateful day.

Let us pause to honor the victims and those who have selflessly sacrificed to protect and defend our freedom by recommitting ourselves to our families, to our communities and to our country. For generations, America has served as a beacon of hope and light to the world. We must continue to be that inspiration; that is the best way to honor the memory of those lost during the events of September 11.
(Natural News) The Atlantic hit piece on President Donald Trump last week used four anonymous sources to allege that he had disparaged dead World War I soldiers two years ago. Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin then claimed to have confirmed parts of the story  though not its main allegation  based on two anonymous sources.

(Article by Joel B. Pollak repubished from Breitbart.com)

The entire story failed to meet basic journalistic standards. But it is a sign of things to come  particularly if Democrats win in November, which is the Atlantics goal.

Two, or even four, anonymous sources can be used to claim absolutely anything. The Atlantic described them as four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day.

Notably, we are not told that they personally heard Trump say what the Atlantic alleges he said  they just have knowledge of the discussion. Someone who has knowledge of a discussion is a second-hand source, or worse. The point is there is no way to know if the sources are credible, or if the story is just made up.

It turns out that we do actually have some very good historical sources that dispute the Atlantic story. These include the 11 eyewitnesses who have gone on the record to deny the president said what the Atlantic alleged, but they also include other sources.

The Atlantics claim, for example, that the president avoided a trip to a military cemetery because he did not want his hair to get wet is refuted by government documents and even by the unfriendly memoir of former aide John Bolton.

And yet much of the media ran with the story anyway  unchastened by the recent history of other confirmed stories, like the Russia dossier.

In 2018, NBC falsely reported that President Donald Trump had become the first president since 2002 not to visit the troops at Christmas. It then turned out Trump was in Iraq with the troops.

In that spirit, NBCs White House correspondent, Peter Alexander, asked the president on Friday  in the Oval Office  to apologize to soldiers and veterans.

Alexander reported on MSNBC shortly thereafter that whether the story is true or not, it resonates. Former Vice President Joe Biden said much the same in his press conference that day, citing Trumps joke at John McCains expense in 2015. (Few bothered to remember that McCain attacked Trump first  and Trump supporters  saying that Trump had fired up the crazies in the Republican Party.) There was no actual proof  just partisan prejudice, clearly based on political bias.

A report in the Wall Street Journal showed how it is simply impossible to report the Atlantic story without repeating the lie, thereby ingraining it further into the public imagination. Trump Denies Report He Disparaged Military, the headline read. The lede paragraph, reporting Trumps denial, had to repeat the allegations.

The media fact-checkers, who meticulously document every inaccurate Trump statement (or politically incorrect opinion), were somehow absent when a real lie arrived.

In 1942, George Orwell wrote:

Early in life I have noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper, but in Spain, for the first time, I saw newspaper reports which did not bear any relation to the facts, not even the relationship which is implied in an ordinary lie. I saw great battles reported where there had been no fighting, and complete silence where hundreds of men had been killed. I saw troops who had fought bravely denounced as cowards and traitors, and others who had never seen a shot fired hailed as the heroes of imaginary victories; and I saw newspapers in London retailing these lies and eager intellectuals building emotional superstructures over events that had never happened. I saw, in fact, history being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various party lines.

Orwell would later develop this insight in his novel 1984, where the ruling party rewrote history as needed for its interests. Who controls the past controls the future, he wrote.

Orwells warning is particularly relevant as America confronts a wave of fake news, and an assault on history  not just statues and symbols, but on the teaching of history itself.

The New York Times, supposedly the paper of record, won the Pulitzer Prize for journalism this year for the lead essay in the 1619 Project, even though it had to be corrected after historians said its central contention  that slavery motivated the American Revolution  was wrong.

The 1619 Project is being used to develop school curricula, and has given its name to the ongoing racial justice riots. The people who will teach the history of this period have already classified these conflagrations as mostly peaceful protests.

In the last analysis our only claim to victory is that if we win the war we shall tell less lies about it than our adversaries, Orwell wrote in 1944.

We may expect an Orwellian future if the Atlantics tactics deliver victory to the left in November.

Read more at: Breitbart.com
Greta Thunberg has called for the climate crisis to dominate the news adding that simply connecting the dots between current extreme events and global heating doesnt go far enough.

The 17-year-old activist on Thursday posted a composite image of recent disasters - including the glowing orange sky over San Francisco as Californias wildfires continue to rage; the recent monsoons which devastated the Indian subcontinent and huskies pulling a sled across rapidly melting ice.

She wrote: Reporting is not enough. Connecting the dots is not enough. Mentioning the link to the climate crisis is not enough (even though it would kind of help...). If we are to have a small chance, this needs to be our main focus. It needs to dominate the news. All the time.

For more than a month, wildfires have raged in the American West, springing up across California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. At least seven people have been killed and thousands of homes and businesses destroyed.

Evacuations have been ordered in coastal communities, wine country north of San Francisco and along the Sierra Nevada.

Thick smoke choked much of the state and cast an eerie orange hue across the sky on Wednesday.

In some areas of the San Francisco Bay Area and to the east in the Sacramento Valley, the smoke blocked out so much sunlight that it dropped the temperature by 20 to 30 degrees over the previous day, according to the National Weather Service.

The US Forest Service, which had taken the unprecedented measure of closing eight national forests in Southern California earlier in the week, ordered all 18 of its forests in the state closed on Wednesday.

In Southern California, fires burned in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. People in foothill communities east of LA were warned to be ready to flee, but the regions notorious Santa Ana winds were weaker than predicted.

On Thursday, a multi-storey building that developed cracks during recent heavy monsoon rains in the city of Karachi, Pakistan, collapsed, killing at least one person and injuring 10, the Associated Press reported.

Last months rains flooded most of Karachis neighborhoods, killing dozens of residents and causing widespread damage.

The Indian subcontinent was hit with a powerful cyclone and torrential monsoon rains earlier this summer, killing dozens of people and displacing hundreds of thousands.

Dr Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) in Bangladesh, told The Independent in July that the "fingerprint" of the climate crisis could be seen in the magnitude of the recent disasters.

And on Wednesday, Dr Tom Jordan, an aero-geophysicist from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), spoke with The Independent about the rapidly melting Thwaites doomsday glacier.

Dr Jordan, leading a team of UK and US researchers, found a series of deep channels beneath Thwaites thought to be acting as pathways for warm ocean water to melt the underside of the ice.

Around 80 billion tonnes of ice from the glacier is currently draining out into the Amundsen Sea each year  accounting for around 4 per cent of the planets annual sea-level rise.

The runaway collapse of Thwaites  which is around the size of the UK  could lead to an increase in sea levels of around 65cm, and scientists want to find out how quickly this catastrophic scenario might happen.

I was shocked to fly over the glacier and see all the debris left behind as the ice shelf has collapsed  it was stunning, he said.

Dr Jordan added there was no doubt carbon emissions from human activity have contributed to the warming of the ocean in Antarctica. Its generally accepted that the warming of the ocean is part of what is driving the retreat at Thwaites Glacier, he said.

Wires contributed to this report
The province unveiled a $1.6 billion plan to weather the pandemic through the fall and flu season that will help clear capacity in B.C.s health-care system without the broad and disruptive measures it took to do so in the spring.

About $850 million has already been announced to fund strategies like the provinces surgical renewal and staffing changes at long-term care facilities.

Wednesdays plan further vows an aggressive influenza vaccination campaign, introducing a virtual acute care program in Vancouver and a new training and recruitment initiative to fill 7,000 new care aide and other jobs in long-term care to protect the most vulnerable to serious illness due to COVID-19.

Twenty-thousand COVID-19 and flu tests will also be administered daily as the influenza season ramps up.

This is the plan, to learn and learn again from what we did in March, and to only use the measures we need to, said Health Minister Adrian Dix on Wednesday.

We need to accelerate and we need to up our game, not just in the delivery of services, but as citizens across B.C., added Premier John Horgan.

March saw all elective surgeries cancelled to clear hospital beds and a scramble to staff long-term care workers at a single site to quell outbreaks among the elderly and medically fragile.

But the provinces modelling for four possible scenarios, based on B.C.s experience of the pandemic so far, suggest the health-care system has the physical capacity to continue resumed surgeries and handle the historic influx of influenza patients during the respiratory virus peak season in December and January.

More than one in four critical care patients in January 2017, 2018 and 2019 were admitted due to respiratory illness, making repressing flu season key to maintaining hospital capacity. There are currently 533 base-level beds for COVID-19 patients across 19 core sites in B.C.

Evidence from countries in the southern hemisphere suggests that COVID-19 physical distancing measures have also led to milder flu seasons with less transmission, but provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said thats not a given to take for granted.

British Columbians need to be steadfast in their distancing and precautions because the measures we put in place to deal with COVID also protect us from those other respiratory infections, said Henry, urging everyone over six-months-old to get vaccinated.

The province is spending an estimated $30 million to order 1.9 million doses of the flu vaccine, 450,000 more than normal, and will make them free to the elderly, all residents of assisted living and long-term care facilities, and children who are more susceptible to the illness.

An additional $91.6 million will be spent to implement strategies to connect rural, remote and Indigenous patients to in-person and virtual care.

And $416.6 million will train and hire new aides and top up wages for staff in long-term care across the province, as well as beef up infection control and screening for staff and visitors.

All of these measures are important to protect our seniors, the most vulnerable people in our population, said Horgan.

The province is also planning more regional response to surging cases in hospitals, leaving open the potential that some surgeries may be cancelled or rescheduled if a particular site is experiencing an uptick in critical COVID-19 or influenza patients.

Of the $783.9 million earmarked to expand hospital capacity, $42.3 million will fund a new Hospital at Home program to connect elderly and vulnerable residents to acute care in their homes, to limit potential exposure inside a hospital.

At the pandemics peak in the spring, there were 104 in hospital and 72 in critical care on April 5, numbers the province says it could handle even double of with full-capacity measures taken.

But neither Henry nor Dix want the province to have to take such measures. They urged British Columbians to keep up their physical distancing, maintain small bubbles and to stay home if they are sick.

This plan is a plan for the health system, but really its a plan for all of us, said Dix.

There is nothing for sure, even though the last eight months have gleaned deeper insight into the nature of the virus. We are watching and learning as we go, said Henry.

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Linkedin Sarah White, Silvia Aloisi and Greg Roumeliotis (Reuters) Paris/New York  Thu, September 10, 2020 11:01 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f54a3 2 Lifestyle Tiffany,LVMH,luxury,France,lawsuit,united-states,jeweler Free

Tiffany & Co sued LVMH on Wednesday after the French luxury goods giant told the US jeweler it could not complete a $16 billion deal to acquire it because of a French government request and the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

LVMH, led by billionaire Bernard Arnault, said its board had received a letter from the French foreign ministry asking it to delay the acquisition until Jan. 6, 2021, given the threat of additional US tariffs against French products.

This, LVMH argued, made it impossible to meet a contractual Nov. 24 deadline to complete the acquisition, adding it was not willing to extend the agreement further. The French state's intervention marked the latest twist in the attempt to combine some of the fashion world's most high-profile luxury brands.

"I am sure that you will understand the need to take part in our country's efforts to defend its national interests," France's foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, wrote to Arnault, according to an English translation of the Aug. 31 letter that Tiffany received from LVMH and that it published on Wednesday.

"The deal cannot happen. We are prohibited from closing the deal," LVMH finance chief Jean Jacques Guiony told reporters on a conference call. Bloomberg News reported, citing a source it did not identify, that Arnault asked for help from the French government to pull out of the deal with Tiffany, but Guiony said the letter was unsolicited and came as a total surprise to LVMH.

A French government source said the letter had "political value" and was meant to alert LVMH to the risks of pursuing the deal just as France wrangles with the United States over trade tariffs - but it was advisory and not binding.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the French government's intervention in the deal. Analysts were skeptical about any attempt by France to use LVMH's bid for Tiffany as effective leverage in its trade dispute with the United States.

"The French government is certainly very active in defending the French national interest. But this has meant in most cases preventing acquisition of French companies," said Luca Solca, luxury goods analyst at Bernstein.

The pandemic's financial fallout has made the deal's price tag less attractive to LVMH. Tiffany's worldwide sales fell 29 percent to $747.1 million in the three months ended July 31, missing expectations of $772 million. Guiony on Wednesday called Tiffany's financial performance in recent months "lackluster."

It was not immediately clear whether LVMH was seeking to walk away from the acquisition of Tiffany, or use the hurdles facing the deal as leverage to renegotiate the price. Tiffany has so far resisted attempts to reopen price negotiations.

Tiffany's shares ended trading on Wednesday down 6.4 percent at $113.96, well below the $135 per share deal price, reflecting uncertainty among investors over whether the deal will go ahead and at what price.

Read also: LVMH close to buying Tiffany for more than $16.3 billion: Source

Delaware

Tiffany filed its lawsuit against LVMH in Delaware - the US state in which the New York-based company is registered - to force it to complete the deal as agreed last year.

It said LVMH was dragging its feet when it came to filing for regulatory approval of the deal in the European Union, Taiwan and Japan. Sources familiar with LVMH's plans said the company planned to file for EU approval within days.

In its lawsuit, Tiffany also said it refuted LVMH's suggestion it can pull out of the deal "by claiming Tiffany has undergone a material adverse effect or breached its obligations under the Merger Agreement, or that the transaction is in some way inconsistent with its patriotic duties as a French corporation."

Tiffany also said the merger agreement required it to continue to pay dividends to its shareholders. Sources close to the companies said LVMH had asked Tiffany to stop payouts to shareholders while the deal was pending completion.

LVMH has thus far let its deal contract with Tiffany remain in place. Tiffany is asking the Delaware court to force LVMH to comply with its obligations to close the deal or pay damages. LVMH had not responded to Tiffany's lawsuit with a court filing as of Wednesday afternoon.

Read also: Tiffany likely to play hard to get as LVMH awaits answer

Jewelry loses shine

The luxury industry is facing an unprecedented sales slump as a result of the pandemic, after a decade of stellar growth, with revenue expected to fall by as much as 35% this year. It will take until 2022-23 for revenue to return to 2019 levels, according to consultancy Bain.

The Tiffany deal had looked in doubt since sources told Reuters in June that Arnault, France's richest person and a shrewd deal maker, was exploring ways to reopen price negotiations with the jeweler because of the pandemic. Tiffany said in its lawsuit it saw LVMH developing "buyers remorse".

The deal is the latest in a string of mergers and acquisitions that were agreed to before the coronavirus pandemic took off around the world in March, and have since ended up in court, were renegotiated or abandoned.

In the retail sector, L Brands Inc agreed to let private equity firm Sycamore Partners walk away from the $525 million acquisition of a majority stake in its Victorias Secret lingerie business, while US mall owners Simon Property Group Inc and Taubman Centers Inc are battling it out in a Delaware court over the former's decision to walk away from the $3.6 billion acquisition of the latter.
Online advertising is a game of scale, but one attempt to consolidate two competitors to better take on Google and Facebook has fallen apart. Taboola and Outbrain, startups that each provide publishers with ad-based content recommendation platforms, have called off a planned $850 million merger that would have valued the combined company at more than $2 billion.

The news of the cancellation had been rumoured in the Israeli press (and tipped to me by Avihai Michaeli, a Tel Aviv-based senior investment banker and startup advisor), and TechCrunch has now confirmed it with both companies, too.

"We've seen changing conditions in the market due to COVID-19, and we decided to terminate the deal," said a person close to the merger, who asked to remain anonymous. "It's been such a long road, and it's not great...but walking away is the right move."

"No one gets divorced because theyre happy," said another source close to the deal said about the feeling of resignation over the development.

We understand that a formal announcement will be made in the next couple of days. There are no "break fees" as a result of the deal not going through.

The deal had been years in the making -- we first reported on the talks in 2015 -- but was only finally pulled together about 11 months ago, in October 2019. However, between then and today, a combination of factors got in the way of it progressing.

The first of those was the global health pandemic. Both Taboola's and Outbrain's businesses are based around widgets that they integrate with publishers' sites, which provide a way for publishers both to recirculate their own content, as well as share it, alongside sponsored content and ads, on other sites that also run the widgets. But in the last eight months, the world of ad-based media has taken a nosedive as many large brands reined in their ad budgets, and that had a knock-on effect on other players within the ecosystem.

Story continues

And that has impacted financing prospects. The merger between the two was originally intended to have cash and stock components -- specifically 30% of the value of Outbrain for $250 million in cash to be paid to Outbrain's shareholders and employees -- but in the contracting market, the financiers who were providing the capital for the cash component stalled. That deal ultimately expired in August, and it didn't get extended. And then, attempts to convert the deal into an all-stock transaction were unpalatable to Outbrain, we understand. "The cash was a critical factor in the deal," said a source.

On top of that was what was described to me as a "challenging cultural fit" between the two companies, something that only became more apparent as the closing of the deal dragged on. That again pointed to the cash element of the deal being important: "If you get the cash, you reduce the risk, so without that we grew even more uncomfortable," the source said.

The third hurdle was ongoing regulatory issues. While it appeared that the U.S. regulators nominally approved the deal, the merger was still being investigated both in the U.K. and in Israel, investigations that were due to go on for several more months. In the U.K., the companies currently do not have any significant competitors, raising antitrust concerns.

The two companies, both founded out of Israel but headquartered in New York, had described their planned deal as a merger, but the combined entity would have been called Taboola, with Taboolas founder Adam Singolda taking the CEO slot. Both Taboola and Outbrain were profitable going into the deal, each claiming some $1 billion in annual revenues. Taboola has raised some $160 million from investors that include Comcast, Fidelity and Pitango. Outbrain had raised $194 million, with investors including Index, HarbourVest and Lightspeed.

From what we understand, both companies will continue looking at ways they can continue to grow, even if it's not as a team. That will include weighing up other strategic acquisitions and other opportunities, since some truisms remain in the worlds of media and advertising. "Scale and reach are critical to being successful in this market," said our source.
Pfizer Inc. (New York, NY, USA) and Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech Mainz, Germany) have announced that in a non-human primate preclinical study, immunization with the BNT162b2, a nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (modRNA) candidate, protected rhesus macaques against SARS-CoV-2 infection.The companies have published preliminary preclinical data in mouse and non-human primate models from their BNT162b2 mRNA-based vaccine program against SARS-CoV-2. In the preclinical study, BNT162b2 demonstrated protective anti-viral effects in rhesus macaques, with concomitant high neutralizing antibody titers and a TH1-biased cellular response in rhesus macaques and mice. These preclinical data and the Phase 1 clinical results contributed to the decision by Pfizer and BioNTech to commence the global (except for China) Phase 2/3 safety and efficacy portion of the clinical study to evaluate potential prevention of COVID-19 disease by BNT162b2. The Phase 2/3 study has enrolled over 25,000 participants 18 to 85 years of age in the US, Argentina and Brazil. Additional enrollment is planned in Germany, Turkey and South Africa.Collectively, these preclinical results, combined with our clinical data collected to date, continue to support the promise and validity of our mRNA-based vaccine program against SARS-CoV-2 and selection of the BNT162b2 candidate, which we believe has the potential to prevent many millions of COVID-19 cases, said Kathrin U. Jansen, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Head of Vaccine Research & Development, Pfizer. We are encouraged by the data thus far and confident in our progress towards developing a safe and effective vaccine candidate to help address this current pandemic.The data we have shared today include the characterization of our lead candidate BNT162b2, as well as key animal studies that were the basis for our clinical programs. They have enabled us to advance BNT162b2 into Phase 3 evaluation, said Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech. This is another development milestone for providing a safe and effective potential vaccine to the global community to help end this pandemic.Separately, Pfizer and BioNTech have concluded exploratory talks with the European Commission for a proposed supply of 200 million doses of their investigational BNT162 mRNA-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 to European Union (EU) Member States, with an option for further 100 million doses. Deliveries would be starting by the end of 2020, subject to clinical success and regulatory authorization. The companies will now enter into contract negotiations with the European Commission. The proposed supply agreement with the European Commission would represent the largest initial order of vaccine doses for Pfizer and BioNTech to date.
WOODINVILLE, Wash., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocky Pond Estate Winery, the Washington producer crafting wines from their breathtaking sustainably farmed riverside vineyards in the Columbia River Valley, is opening a new tasting room in the heart of downtown Woodinville at the Woodin Creek project. Opening late September, the Rocky Pond team will be raising the bar by adding new and exciting culinary and wine experiences.

Rocky Pond Estate Winery's New Tasting Room in Woodinville, WA

"The new Rocky Pond Tasting Room in Woodinville will take our King County offering to the next level," stated Owners and Founders David and Michelle Dufenhorst. "Our experienced team is focused on elevating the current offerings in the region by creating exclusive wine and food pairing experiences and intimate wine dinners in a sophisticated, yet casual, setting like no other."

The Dufenhorsts have been actively compiling quite the all-star team of wine and service professionals at Rocky Pond and have again added regional super stars to create an unparalleled wine and hospitality experience in Woodinville.

To lead the culinary program, Rocky Pond has hand-selected a veteran of the industry in Chef Douglas Setniker to be the new Director of Culinary Experiences. Chef Doug has been involved in the high-touch catering industry for nearly thirty years. Doug graduated first in his class from the American Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, NY. From there, his career included eight years as the Director of Catering at Microsoft and fourteen years at Guckenheimer as the Executive Chef for the Pacific Northwest.

Chef Doug will be creating a locally sourced menu to accentuate and elevate each Rocky Pond wine. Guests can expect a menu of rotating small bites, weekly chef specials, and regularly scheduled multi-course wine dinners.

Holly La Porta-Jones, no stranger to the world of fine wine, recently joined the team as the Tasting Room Manager and will be creating a welcoming, world-class hospitality experience. Holly is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and worked as a Restaurant Manager at the Four Seasons Hualalai before joining Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits as a Fine Wine Specialist. Holly holds her Level 2 Certified Sommelier Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as her WSET Level 2 Certification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

The new tasting room was thoughtfully designed with comfort and elegance in mind. The Dufenhorsts took cues from their popular downtown Chelan Tasting Room and have combined upscale touches with a beautiful mix of leather, metals, and stone textures throughout. Boasting a variety of comfortable seating options for private and members-only wine flights, the main room is anchored by a gorgeous custom-built bar that is perfect for walk-up tastings, bottle service, and wines by the glass. Two large outdoor patios are located on either side of the main room and offer a variety of relaxing options for wine enthusiasts looking for an intimate al fresco experience.

A large private room - perfect for small to medium sized private events - was created to host corporate functions, birthdays, wedding showers and more. This beautifully designed private space will be available for rent throughout the year with catering options.

Until the grand opening event, Rocky Pond continues to operate two tasting rooms - one in Chelan and the other in Woodinville Warehouse District. Reserve a table today at: www.rockypondwinery.com.

CONTACT: Marcy Lemieux | Rocky Pond Estate Winery | (425) 949-9044 x4 | [email protected]

SOURCE Rocky Pond Estate Winery

Related Links

http://www.rockypondwinery.com


By Laman Ismayilova

Settled since the 8th millennium BC, Gobustan State Historical Reserve is filled with some of the worlds best-preserved and most atmospheric prehistoric remains.The historical site is home to more than 600,000 stone and iron-age figures.

In 2007, Gobustan was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered to be of "outstanding universal value" for the quality and density of its rock art engravings depicting images of hunting, fauna, flora and lifestyles in pre-historic times and for the cultural continuity between prehistoric and medieval times that the site reflects.

This year the Gobustan State Historical Reserve celebrates its 54th anniversary. A video conference has been held as part of the celebration.

Director of the reserve Vugar Isayev informed the conference participants about Gobustan monuments and their preservation and promotion. He stressed the importance of representing the country at international level.

The leading researcher of the Reserve's Scientific Exposition Department Sevinj Shirinli provided insight into new projects and achievements carried out in Gobustan.

Gobustan rock carvings have their own unique charm. Most of them depict primitive men, animals, battle-pieces, ritual dances, bullfights, boats with armed oarsmen, warriors with lances in their hands, camel caravans, pictures of celestial bodies. Among the carvings also pictures of fish, snake, lizard and insects were recorded.

Norwegian ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) began forming Scandinavian ancestry hypothesis after visiting Gobustan.

He suggested that Scandinavian ancestry could be traced to the country now known as Azerbaijan. The ethnographer recognized local boats petroglyphs as the oldest known images of pirogue in the world.

These vessels, similar to the old Scandinavian ships, prompted him to make sensational hypothesis statement about the connection between Norwegians and Azerbaijanis.

Apart from petroglyphs, there is also another unique discovering known as Gaval Dash.

The Gaval Dash is a natural musical stone which can only be found in Gobustan. The musical stone is called Gaval Dash as its sound can be compared to a tambourine.

The "Mystery of Gavaldash" is quite simple: the marks on the stones show that they were struck in places that protruded in some way into the air, and could thus reverberate. In such a way, when this porous limestone was hit one could hear various sounds.

A number of Azerbaijani musicians have used Gaval Dash to create wonderful music pieces.

The musical stone and the Yall chain-dance was also featured in the interval act of the semi-final of Eurovision Song Contest 2012 held in Baku.

Now Gobustan is a real open-air museum, visited by thousands of people from all over the world.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By IANS

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has defended his earlier remarks that he wanted to downplay the coronavirus threat to the American public, arguing that he is a cheerleader for the country and did not want to create panic.

Speaking to Bob Woodward, author and associate editor of The Washington Post, on March 19, Trump had said: "I wanted to always play it down, I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," Xinhua news agency reported.

"I wanted to always play it down."



Trump admits he tried to minimize the seriousness of the threat from Covid-19 at the outset of the pandemic in released audio recordings of interviews with veteran US journalist Bob Woodward https://t.co/nhoj2gGU39 pic.twitter.com/x7GPAsAaYo  AFP news agency (@AFP) September 10, 2020

The remark was revealed in Woodward's new book "Rage", slated to release this month. It is based on 18 interviews that Trump gave Woodward between December 2019 and July 2020, as well as background conversations with officials and other sources.

Facing criticisms following the revelations, Trump insisted he was right to keep his concerns about the pandemic private.

ALSO READ | Donald Trump nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for brokering UAE-Israel peace deal

"We don't want to instil panic, we don't want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a tremendous problem, scare everybody," Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday, adding: "We had to show calm."

"The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country, I love our country.

"And I don't want people to be frightened, I don't want to create panic, as you say. Certainly, I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy," he added.

Trump said he downplayed the threat of the virus also because he didn't "want pricing to go up to a level that becomes almost unaffordable".

The President also dismissed the reports of his earlier remarks as "another political hit job".

According to the revelations, Trump told Woodward in another interview on February 7, when the US had reported just a few Covid-19 cases, that the virus was more dangerous than the flu.

"This is deadly stuff," Trump said, adding that the virus was airborne and more deadly "than even your strenuous flus".

"It goes through air, Bob, that's always tougher than the touch," Trump said. "The air, you just breathe the air and that's how it's passed."

But in public during the same period, Trump said there were at the time many more flu deaths in the US, claiming that the virus would disappear "like a miracle".

On February 26, he said that coronavirus cases in the country would fall to "close to zero".

Three days later, he assured the public that "everything is under control".

Seizing on the book's revelations, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden slammed Trump in his tour to key swing state Michigan on Wednesday, saying the President "knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed for months".

"He knew and purposely played it down," said the former Vice President. "Worse, he lied to the American people."

"He's failed our economy and our country," Biden added.

Woodward's book reportedly also revealed National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien warned Trump on January 28 that the coronavirus "will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency".

Trump told Woodward in May that he didn't remember being told that.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country in the world by the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Thursday, the number of cases increased to 6,359,313, while the death toll stood at 190,796, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
She's been enjoying the Stateside life ever since she relocated to California to be closer to her boyfriend Anwar Hadid.

And Dua Lipa looked incredible in a colourful printed mini dress as she posed for selfies at home in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The New Rules hitmaker, 25, put on a leggy display in one snap as she knelt down and hugged her knees for the picture.

Say cheese: Dua Lipa looked incredible in a colourful printed mini dress as she posed for selfies at home in Los Angeles on Thursday

Dua cut a stylish figure in the quirky dress which featured brown tassels hanging from it, while she boosted her height with a pair of lace-up heels.

The beauty styled her raven tresses with a centre-parting, while she accentuated her features with a rosy make-up palette.

Captioning the snaps, Dua wrote: 'mid-week level of enthusiasm.'

Dua has upped sticks and travelled across the pond to Los Angeles to be closer to California native Anwar, 21.

Strike a pose: The New Rules hitmaker, 25, put on a leggy display in one snap as she knelt down and hugged her knees for the picture

The Sun reported The One Kiss hitmaker has relocated stateside to live with her partner due to fears that she won't be able to travel to and fro because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was claimed the London-born artist has moved into a lavish property in Beverly Hills near to Anwar's family, despite the fact that her inner circle are all based in the UK.

A source told the publication: 'It was difficult to get to the US in the first place and she knows it's not going to be easy going back and forth because she would have to quarantine for weeks on end.

Just the two of us: Dua has upped sticks and travelled across the pond to Los Angeles to be closer to California native Anwar, 21

'But she knows plenty of people in Los Angeles, as does Anwar, who has lived there in the past, so she's feeling optimistic.

'Being in the US right now is great for pushing her career there too, especially with new music coming out. Dua's making their new place nice and homely and she has just got a puppy called Dexter with Anwar because they see their future in LA.'

MailOnline contacted representatives for Dua and Anwar for comment at the time.
Embattled president defends his response to coronavirus from attacks by Biden after Woodward book excerpts revealed

US President Donald Trump, campaigned in the battleground state of Michigan, as Joe Biden said in new interview hes in shape compared to Trump.

Trump, under attack from Biden and Harris, pushed back against criticism in Woodward book.

Microsoft said hackers from Russia, Iran and China tried to break into more than 200 political organisations.

US Senate rejected $300bn Republican coronavirus relief bill opposed by Democrats.

Here are the latest updates:

Thursday, September 10

20:45 ET  Trump promises to usher in a broad American renewal if re-elected

At a campaign event in Freeland, Michigan, US President Donald Trump promised to bring the United States back from the coronavirus pandemic and rallied a crowd of mostly mask-less supporters packed into an aircraft hanger.

We will make America wealthy again, we will make America stong again, we will make America proud again, and we will make America great again, Trump said.

The enthusiastic crowd chanted four more years and we love you as Trump spoke.

20:15 ET  Trump in Michigan claims he brought manufacturing jobs back to the US, slams Joe Bidens pro-trade record

Biden supported every disastrous globalist sell-out for over a half a century including NAFTA, China, and TPP. You know that Joe Biden surrendered your jobs to China, Trump told a cheering crowd of supporters in Freeland, Michigan.

Trump repeated exaggerated campaign claims that he pressured Japan Prime Minister Shinzoi Abe and others world leaders into putting new manufacturing plants in Michigan by threatening to impose tariffs.

I went to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, I say Prime Minister, you have to start doing something, Trump said.

Independent fact-checkers have found Trumps auto job claims are largely fabricated.

19:35 ET  Trump: Biden will open Michigan to migrants from jihadist regions

President Donald Trump declared that Michigan will be overrun with terrorists and migrants if Joe Biden is elected president.

During a campaign rally at Freeland, Michigan airport, he suggested without evidence that Biden wants to eliminate your borders. He promised to flood your state with refugees  from terrorist hotspots around the world including Syria, Somalia and Yemen.

Hes also pledged to terminate all national security travel bans, overwhelming your state with poorly vetted migrants from jihadist regions, Trump continued. To make matters worse, he would open the floodgates in the middle of a pandemic.

Trump cited a document drafted by supporters of Biden and his former presidential rival Senator Bernie Sanders saying that the Biden plan would increase refugee admissions by 700 percent. Independent fact-checkers point out that Trumps use of that figure is taken out of context compared to historical refugee admissions caps.

18:45 ET  Trump to campaign in battleground states Minnesota, Wisconsin on Friday

President Donald Trump will attend campaign events in Bemidji, Minnesota, and Mosinee, Wisconsin, on Friday. Both will be held at small airports with live audiences, his campaign announced.

Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 but likely faces an uphill climb there against 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden who also is expected to campaign in Minnesota on Friday.

Biden presently leads Trump by an average 6.4 percentage points in voter surveys in Wisconsin and 5 points in Minnesota, which Democrat Hillary Clinton won in 2016, according to RealClearPolitics.com

18:15 ET  Trump said no extension for Chinese owner of TikTok to sell its US operation.

President Donald Trump tells media there will be no TikTok extension before boarding Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base for a trip to a campaign rally in Freeland, Michigan, [Evan Vucci/AP Photo]

Itll either be closed up or theyll sell it, Trump told reporters at the White House, ramping up his anti-China rhetoric before leaving for a campaign stop in Michigan.

There will be no extension of the TikTok deadline, Trump said.

Last month, Trump signed an executive order giving the Chinese company ByteDance until November 12 to sell the popular short-video app TikToks US assets.

New Chinese regulations have complicated talks with bidders Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

18:00 ET  Michael Cohen to launch a podcast aimed at debunking Trumps rhetoric

Michael Cohen, the former attorney and personal fixer for President Donald Trump, is launching a podcast following release of his tell-all book Disloyal published on September 8.

The podcast  titled Mea Culpa: Nothing but the truth  is aimed at debunking Trumps rhetoric for former followers of the president like Cohen who is now serving the remainder of a jail term in home confinement.

Cohen once vowed to take a bullet for Trump, but that was before the country was brought to its knees by the presidents own lies and personal madness, the promotion for the podcast on Apples podcast page advertised.

Dont miss my first podcastdropping Monday, September 14th @thewrap @audioupmedia #MeaCulpa

Michael Cohen Launches 'Mea Culpa' Podcast About Donald Trump https://t.co/CTfuGnmxpV  Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) September 10, 2020

17:30 ET  Biden says hes in shape compared to Trump

Democratic US presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden says he is mentally and physically ready for the gruelling campaign ahead. [Leah Millis/Reuters]

One of Donald Trumps constant refrains about his opponent Joe Biden is that hes slow and isnt physically up to the job of serving as president of the US.

The 77-year-old Biden laughed at that notion during an interview with CNN saying, When it comes to Donald Trump versus me, just look at us. OK? Just look at us. Who seems to be in shape? Whos able to move around?

Just look at us both, watch us, and determine whether or not you think Im misleading anyone. Not you personally, but the public, Biden said.

You know, look at me.  I know what the job takes. Ive sat for hundreds of hours in the Situation Room. For eight years I was vice president in every major decision. I know how difficult the job is.

17:10 ET  Biden: Trump has no conception of national security

Joe Biden said Donald Trump seems to have no conception of what constitutes national security, criticizing the president for telling Bob Woodward about a previously classified nuclear weapons system.

You wonder why people in the intelligence community wondered from the very beginning whether you could share data with him, cause they dont trust him. They dont trust what hell say or do, Biden told CNN during an interview with Jake Tapper.

He seems to have no conception of what constitutes national security, no conception of anything other than, what can he do to promote himself?

Joe Biden on President Trump concealing the coronavirus threat: "He waved a white flag, he walked away. He didn't do a damn thing. Think about it. Think about what he did not do. It's almost criminal" https://t.co/Irc5NRKrxr pic.twitter.com/aeC8Kb4j5s  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 10, 2020

16:55 ET  VP candidate Harris says Trump dismissed seriousness of COVID-19

Vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris addressed the reporting about Trumps comments to Bob Woodward at a campaign event in Miami.

So, basically what we are hearing is that on January 28, the president and the vice president were informed about the imminence and the dangers of COVID-19, Harris said.

The president of the United States, who has the unique and very important and special responsibility of concerning himself with keeping the American people safe, was in a conversation.said that COVID was deadly stuff, said that it is airborne, she said, according to a pool report from media covering the event.

This is the same man. Donald Trump who for days, weeks, if not months thereafter calls it a hoax, dismissed the seriousness of it to the point he suggested people should not wear masks. He knew it was airborne that people would breathe it.

16:40 ET  Microsoft says state-backed actors targeting US political campaigns and groups

China, Russian and Iranian agents have attempted intrustion into more than 200 organizations, reflecting an increase in targeting of US political campaigns and groups, Microsoft said.

The company said most of the infiltration attempts by Russian, Chinese and Iranian agents were halted by Microsoft security software and the targets notified.

The company would not say if any organization had been successfully hacked.

16:10 ET  Trump says he did the right thing regarding coronavirus

President Donald Trump continued to insist he acted appropriately by deliberately not warning Americans about the potential seriousness of the coronavirus, even after acknowledging to author Bob Woodward in February that it would be deadly.

I didnt lie, Trump said in response to a reporters question, at a White House press conference.

What I said is we have to be calm, we cant panic. I want to show a level of confidence and I want to show strength as a leader and I want to show that our country is going to be fine one way or the other, he added, before saying, I think we did a great job handling the pandemic.

15:15 pm ET  McConnell: Control of US Senate at stake in election

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell compared the tough races some of his fellow Republicans are facing in November to a knife fight while acknowledging that his partys control of the Senate is in peril.

I think its a 50-50 proposition. The outcome of the Senate could go either way, McConnell told US broadcaster Fox News.

We have very tight races in Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Iowa, North Carolina, Maine and Georgia. Its like a knife fight in an alley, McConnell said.

Republicans are defending a 53-47 majority in the US Senate this November, especially in key states where Democrats have mounted tough challengers.

Election analysts generally agree that Democrats have a good chance of defeating at least seven Republican incumbents while only two incumbent Democrats are considered vulnerable.

14:15 ET  US Treasury sanctions Ukrainian legislator for interference in presidential election

The Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on a Russia-linked Ukrainian legislator and three Russians for interfering in the US presidential election by releasing edited audio recordings designed to denigrate Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

The action by the US Treasury Department is the second time in as many months that the administration has called out Andrii Derkach by name.

Andrii Derkach and other Russian agents employ manipulation and deceit to attempt to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere around the world, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

President Trump had promoted one of the edited recordings on Twitter on August 17.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says Ukrainian legislator Andrii Derkach is promoting false and unsubstantiated narratives. [Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP]

13:45 ET  Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris campaigns for Latino, African-American votes in Miami, Florida

Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff stopped by a fast-casual Venezuelan restaurant in Doral, Florida, to pick-up some arepas en route from Miami airport to a campaign event at Florida Memorial University, an historically Black university.

Harris elbow bumped some of the customers eating inside the restaurant with masks on and chatted with some of them about the importance of voting, according to a pool report from media travelling with the candidate.

A man eating there said, Welcome to Doralzuela (Doral + Venezuela). Harris laughed and responded with a gracias before getting into the importance of voting. There are so many important issues, she told the man. Theres so much at stake.

Biden lags among Latino voters in Florida where the latest polls show the presidential race is tied.

Wheels down in Miami. pic.twitter.com/AKaicUbQyB  Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 10, 2020

13:31 ET  US Senate fails to advance Republican virus aid bill

The US Senate killed a Republican bill that would have provided $300bn in new coronavirus aid, as Democrats who seek far more funding prevented it from advancing.

By a vote of 52-47, the Senate failed to get the 60 votes needed in the 100-member chamber to advance the partisan bill toward passage. The vote makes it unlikely a new round of coronavirus relief will be approved by Congress before the election.

Senator Rand Paul, who opposed the deficit spending in the bill, was the lone Republican to vote no with all Democrats and two independents. Senator Kamala Harris was absent campaiging in Florida.

13:15 ET  Twitter to remove or label misleading voting-related claims

As remote and early voting begins in the US, Twitter said Thursday that starting September 17, attempts to raise questions or doubts about the voting process will be subject to a label or removal.

We will not permit our service to be abused around civic processes, most importantly elections, Twitter said in a blog post Thursday. Any attempt to do so  both foreign and domestic  will be met with strict enforcement of our rules, which are applied equally and judiciously for everyone.

Mail-in ballots are already headed to voters in North Carolina and Alabama. On September 18, Minnesota will be the first state to allow in-person early voting.

12:00 ET  Vice President Mike Pence defends the Trump administrations response to the coronavirus

Vice President Mike Pence defended the Trump administrations efforts to battle the coronavirus pandemic in an appearance on the conservative Fox News television channel on Thursday morning.

This president put the health of America first from day one, but he also wanted to reassure the American people all along the way, Pence said.

Theres that old saying from World War II, in Great Britain, Keep calm, carry on. That was the presidential leadership that I saw, he said.

11:30 ET  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Trump showed contempt for the American people in virus response

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference at the US Capitol that President Trumps remarks to journalist Bob Woodward showed contempt for the American people.

What the President did  in those comments  showed his contempt, contempt for the American people and their health, contempt for science, contempt for any real effort to crush the virus, contempt for his supporters, their children, their parents, Pelosi told reporters.

He hid the facts and refused to take the threat seriously, leaving the the entire country exposed and unprepared, she said.

10:00 ET  What we are watching today

As the fallout from President Donald Trumps quotes in Bob Woodwards new book continues, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi will hold a news conference this morning. She will be taking questions about his comments and the impasse in negotiations with the White House and Republicans over a coronavirus aid bill.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet over lunch with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this afternoon before heading to a campaign rally in the battleground state of Michigan, a day after his Democratic challenger Joe Biden campaigned there promoting his proposed economic policies.

Biden is off the campaign trail today and will hold a series of fundraisers virtually. His vice presidential running mate, Senator Kamala Harris and her husband will campaign in Miami, Florida this afternoon. A series of polls released in the past week show Trump and Biden neck-and-neck in Florida, a very important state.

Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to speak to cadets at the Virginia Military Institute this afternoon.

09:30 ET  Republican coronavirus aid bill opposed by Democrats set to fail in US Senate vote

The US Senate was set to vote on Thursday on a proposed Republican bill that would provide $300bn in new coronavirus aid, a fraction of the $3 trillion Democrats insist is needed to stimulate an ailing economy and help people struggling through the pandemic. The legislation is expected to fail to garner the 60 votes needed to advance in the Senate, the Reuters news agency reported.

In what could be the final vote on coronavirus relief in Congress before the November 3 presidential and congressional elections, Republicans and Democrats appear deadlocked over the next steps in responding to a virus that has killed more than 190,000 people in the US and nearly 900,000 globally.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, does not have enough votes to pass a $300bn virus aid bill for the US. Democrats have proposed ten times that amount in a $3 trillion bill. [Joshua Roberts/Reuters]

09:00 ET  Trump is pushing back on Woodward book

Trump and the White House are battling to control the damage from journalist Bob Woodwards forthcoming book, Rage, in which Trump is quoted on downplaying the threat of the coronavirus to the American public.

The president discounted Woodwards book in remarks to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday night: He called. I didnt participate in his last one, and he does hit jobs with everybody, Trump said.

He even did it on Obama  So I figured, you know, lets just give it a little shot. Ill speak to him. Wasnt a big deal  I dont know if the book is good or bad. I have no idea, Trump continued. Probably  almost definitely wont read it because I dont have time to read it. But I gave it a little bit of a shot. Sounds like its not going to be good, Trump said.

In a 13:02 GMT tweet on Thursday, Trump picked up a new line of criticism of Woodward that the Washington Post columnist should have published the interviews sooner to save lives.

Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didnt he immediately report them in an effort to save lives? Didnt he have an obligation to do so? No, because he knew they were good and proper answers. Calm, no panic!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2020

_______________________________________________________________

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the US elections. This is William Roberts.

Read all the updates from yesterday (September 9) here.
I sort of get why Donald Trump is determined to run for re-election based on anti-Communism, even though, as Biden himself says, Do I look like a radical socialist? (Halvai, Bernie Sanders might reply. Would that it were so.) And although Cold War passions are unfamiliar to most U.S. voters under 40, young Americans now identify with socialism, not capitalism.

The reason is: Roy Cohn. Cohn was the closest thing McCarthyism, the 1950s anti-Communist hysteria, had to a brain. He was the lying, sadistic legal counsel to Sen. Joe McCarthy. When that frenzy diminished, Cohn went back to New York and spent decades as a corrupt, successful, eventually disbarred lawyer. He met young Trump, a developer, in the 1970s and became a mentor and idol. He taught lessons like, Never back Down, Always Attack. Trump, says Vanity Fair, even began mouthing Cohn phrases (That I can tell you.).

What I get less is why the U.S. president also intends to target anarchism, a term, unlike communism, that rings few bells for Americans. There arent many anarchists (though its authentic versions are highly plausible). They havent been into assassinations or bombings since their debate about political violence was settled over a century ago. Why not target terrorism instead; its loaded with familiar connections and easy, if misrepresented, foes like Antifa?

Absent a Cohnish link, Im suggesting the source is Trumps own psyche. He surely hasnt read or talked to anarchists, but the lazy pop associations  chaos, disorganization, imminent disaster, destruction  sound like the man himself. Theyre the qualities that have marked his career and presidency. He feels this menacing, comic book version of anarchism because he projects it.

The all-encompassing quality of Trumps psyche isnt a matter of dispute. Charges that he lacks empathy  that basically he doesnt believe others really exist  mounted so high that much of the Republican convention was devoted to rebutting them.

A congressman said Trump found a reservoir of empathy for his relatives. Daughter Ivanka said, Ive seen the pain in his eyes when he gets updates on COVID victims. I just wish everyone would see the deep empathy he shows families of violence victims, said another.

Then Trump spoke and blew up the whole calibrated strategy, declaring laid-off workers  didnt want Joe Bidens hollow words of empathy. Hes even oblivious to the flunkies trying to save him from his empathy vacuum. Empathys for wusses, whatever it is.

What Trump means by and fears in anarchism would probably be better described as nihilism. Its a complicated and historically amorphous term. (Nietzsche wasnt a nihilist but he thought it should be overcome with a new, harshly honest morality; the Russian nihilists wanted to dismantle their brutal world and replace it with the nobler qualities of peasants and the early church.)

But in Trump, the heavy metal, guitar-smashing caricature of nihilism finds a home. He may be the first pop nihilist ever among world leaders. Theres something touching in him saying to John Kelly, at a battlefield cemetery, that he doesnt get it, what did they die for? What was in it for them? Kelly mayve been tempted to pat him on the back and try futilely to explain it.

The grimmest story this week, IMO, was discovery of a cavity 1,000-feet tall, almost the size of Manhattan, in an Antarctic glacier. It may well collapse. Yet its impossible to imagine Trump being concerned unless it buckled around his Mar-a-Lago resort while he was there.

Its less that he doesnt care than that he doesnt know why anyone does. Other leaders ignore climate catastrophe but they know whats at stake, so shame on them. Trump is oblivious, so hes pathetic, and in his selfish stupor could take everyone down with him.

This is nihilism and lack of empathy, not in Bill Clintons shabby I feel your pain sense; but in the sense that there are worlds, literally, to lose, and he doesnt know it. Hes less irresponsible than impenetrable. This is the challenge U.S. voters face in two months and its not about medicare-for-all any more, Toto. Will they be up to it? Personally, Im optimistic but thats another story.

Rick Salutin is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. He is based in Toronto. Reach him on email: is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. He is based in Toronto. Reach him on email: ricksalutin@ca.inter.net

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Mr. Adam Bonaah, a Security Expert and analyst, has welcomed the dismissal of some police officers from the Ghana Police Service but maintains that it will not change anything in the system.

Mr Bonaah told Suncity Radio's Nana Kyei Adomah Samuel(Nana KAS), Thursday morning that police was a highly regimental work, and demands a lot of self-discipline and comportment.

He explained that lower qualification, inexperience, and lack of refresher courses, make some of the personnel fall below expectation, in the discharge of their duties and their general conduct.

Commenting on the dismissal of 26 male and 2 female police officers for various offenses like insubordination, drunkenness, improper record-keeping, jailbreaks engaging in part-time businesses among others, the Security Analyst said considering the fact that the Ghana Police Service always tops the corruption perception index, the move by the leadership, was welcome news but wondered if it would make any impact in the system.

Mr. Bonaah rather called for the amendment of the 1992 constitution, which vested too much power in the President to make appointments to key state institutions.

He identified indiscipline and lack of training as the bain of the police, stressing that this makes them behave as if they were exempted from the laws of Ghana (no one is above the law).

"An undisciplined and lawless police, cannot diligently ensure law and order in the society, and this is an affront to the to rule of law and social justice," he stated.
Exploring the use of deceptive technology in the U.S. and abroad

Deceptive manipulation: Deepfakes are extremely effective weapons of disinformation capable of both undermining trust in institutions and elections and inciting political violence. Submitted photo

Award winner: Meg Hogan's '21 paper, Replicating Reality  Advantages and Limitations of Weaponized Deepfake Technology, was recently recognized as the top undergraduate student paper in the country in 2020 in the field of intelligence and national security. Submitted photo Photo - of - Hide Caption

Megan Hogan 21 can make an argument for using deepfake technology as a national defense tactic, but she plans to expose similar methods of disinformation during the 2020 Presidential election.

Her paper, Replicating Reality  Advantages and Limitations of Weaponized Deepfake Technology, recently won the 2020 Bobby R. Inman Award as the top undergraduate student paper in the country in the field of intelligence and national security.

In her paper, she describes advances in deceptive manipulation of digital images and argues that the United States should develop weaponized deepfake technology as a capability to deny, defeat or defend against any adversary that seeks to harm U.S. national interests.

Moreover, she is co-directing a research lab called DisinfoLab, that is funded by William & Marys Global Research Institute. The goal is to make the American public aware of foreign adversaries who are trying to influence our election and our thoughts about the current political climate.

Hogan researched deepfakes as a disinformation tactic for her Project on International Peace and Security (PIPS) white paper last spring, narrowing down her research focus after receiving guidance from PIPS Co-Directors Amy Oakes and Dennis Smith.

In August, she learned she was the recipient of the undergraduate Inman Award, given by The Intelligence Studies Project of the University of Texas at Austin.

I didnt anticipate winning because I know the Inman Award is very competitive, and they receive over 100 applications each year from undergrads and Ph.D. students, said Hogan, who is majoring in international relations and economics.

Hogan explains that deepfakes are a form of synthetic media that use artificial intelligence to produce highly realistic, fake videos. They are extremely effective weapons of disinformation capable of both undermining trust in institutions and elections and inciting political violence. She contends virtually undetectable deepfakes will be a reality by the end of 2020.

Deepfakes have also made their way into popular culture and can be found in television commercials for streaming television service Hulu and internet memes, among other outlets. Actor/director Jordan Peele warned of the dangers of deepfakes in a video he helped produce with the CEO of BuzzFeed. In the video, he used deepfake technology to make former President Barack Obamas lips move in sync with what Peele was saying.

Hogan argues that the United States should develop the technology to protect itself from any adversary that seeks to harm the countrys interests.

The only time I believe that the U.S. should ever actively use deepfakes as a weapon would be in a boots on the ground situation, Hogan said. For example, if we were engaging in a military campaign and wanted to use deepfakes to achieve specific tactical goals.

I do not advocate at all for using this against civilians or targeting major political figures.

Hogan said the United States main motivation for developing deepfake technology should be to guard itself against other countries trying to use artificial intelligence.

I would say deepfake detection is of paramount importance because this tactic of disinformation is completely different from anything we have ever encountered, and people have a visceral reaction to deepfakes, Hogan said. It's much more compelling than fake news stories or traditional forms of disinformation. So if the United States even has a hope of being able to detect deepfakes once an attack is launched against our citizens, and I do believe that there will be an attack at some point in the future, we need to start developing it now.

With the help of Oakes, Hogan plans to spend this semester turning her paper into either an article or OpEd to be published in a foreign policy journal.

She will also co-direct DisinfoLab with former PIPS research intern Thomas Plant 22. Hogan and Plant are in the process of recruiting students to participate in the lab.

In the wake of the 2020 presidential election, we want to act as an aggressive media literacy campaign across the nation and kind of just keeping everyone's awareness that there are foreign adversaries who are trying to influence our election and our thoughts about the current political climate, Hogan said.
A staffer for a top Democratic lawmaker in Oregon was arrested for interfering with a police officer during the 101st day of Portland riots.

Kristina Narayan, who works for the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives Tina Kotek, was arrested on Saturday night.

The legislative director was one of 59 people to be arrested during the riots that night police confirmed.

Tear gas was used by police as protests in Oregon's largest city raged on this weekend, nearly four months after they first began in May.

Kristina Narayan (left), legislative director for the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives Tina Kotek (right), was arrested during the Portland riots on Saturday night

Tear gas was used by police as protests in Oregon's largest city raged on this weekend, nearly four months after they began in May when black man George Floyd was killed by a white police officer

Ms Narayan was booked in the Multnomah County Detention Center after her arrest.

An official statement lists Ms Narayan as 'resisting a peace officer', while the 58 other offenders' crimes ranged from assaulting police officers to disorderly conduct.

'Kristina Narayan was arrested for interfering with a police officer after the event became a riot and the crowd was given multiple orders to disperse, which she did not do,' a spokesperson told Fox News.

So far neither Ms Narayan or Ms Kotek have publicly responded to the arrest as pressure builds on the under fire staffer.

Ms Narayan describes her job as synthesizing 'complex ideas into clear work products, policies, and build consensus to help pass legislation'.

People living in Portland called on Ms Kotek to denounce her staffer's actions or resign.

One said: 'Tina Kotek what do you have to say about your staffer Kristina Naraya being arrested for interfering with police? Oregonians are waiting for an answer.'

Another added: 'Kristina Narayan doesn't share your goal of peace and security. Will you hold her accountable?'

Protestors began marching from Ventura Park to East Portland Community Policing Center at 9pm on Saturday, on the 101st day of protests in Portland. Pictured: Armed officer's patrolling the streets on Friday night

Protestors began marching from Ventura Park to East Portland Community Policing Center at 9pm on Saturday.

Portland Police said: 'Multiple fire bombs, mortars, rocks, and other items were thrown at law enforcement during a riot Saturday night in Southeast Portland.

'Many in the crowd were carrying large shields and dressed in protective gear including helmets, gas masks, body armor, and all black clothing. It was clear that the intent of the crowd was not peaceful protest.'

A police vehicle outfitted with a loudspeaker advised the crowd that, for the safety of city employees and all community members, the march would not be allowed to proceed that direction.

Ms Narayan has worked for Ms Kotek since September 2016, when she joined the legislator's staff as a health care policy advisor

At about 9.15pm, as the crowd approached officers, individuals began throwing multiple fire bombs at officers, police said.

One of them caught a community member on fire, who was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police said protesters threw fireworks and rocks at officers and several of them were injured.

The protesters continued for four hours, with some lighting fires dumpsters, garbage cans, and wooden pallets on the street.

Officers lit tear gas and moved in on the protesters after issuing a warning.

Portland Police said: 'During numerous confrontations with officers, individuals launched attacks on law enforcement, including throwing objects.

'A sergeant was directly struck by a commercial grade firework, which burned through his glove and injured his hand.

'Several officers and troopers were struck by rocks in the head, arms, shoulders, and feet. Only their protective gear prevented serious injury.'

Two of the people arrested were wearing body armor. One had a dagger, another had a knife.

Ms Narayan has worked for Tina Kotek since September 2016, when she joined the legislator's staff as a health care policy advisor.

In July this year, Tina Kotek wrote a letter to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, scolding him for the aggressive tactics used by Portland Police during the protests

Police say protestors threw fireworks and rocks at officers and several of them were injured. Pictured: Officers threw tear gas in the streets on the night before Saturday's protest

Ms Kotek, 53, was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in July 2007.

In July this year, Ms Kotek wrote a letter to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, scolding him for the aggressive tactics used by Portland Police during the protests.

'It was an unnecessary escalation by the PPB against people exercising their freedom of assembly and freedom of speech,' Kotek said about a protest on Wednesday, July 1.

'It showed an utter inability to exercise restraint.

'Smart policing is when an officer can differentiate a minor provocation from a serious threat. Nothing about this was smart.'

It comes after the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security defended his response to protests in Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday.

The agency has been criticised for overstepping its authority with a heavy-handed deployment that reflected the law-and-order re-election campaign of President Donald Trump.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf ranked the civil unrest in downtown Portland as among the top threats facing the United States, along with the Covid-19 pandemic, election interference and drug trafficking along the southern border.

Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf speaks during an event at DHS headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, September 9

In a 'State of the Homeland' speech that spelled out the department's priorities, Wolf said: 'Let me be clear.

'Those who seek to undermine our democratic institutions, indiscriminately destroy businesses and attack law enforcement officers and fellow citizens are a threat to the Homeland.'

Trump last month nominated Wolf to be the secretary of the department but it's not yet clear when the Senate will take up the nomination.

DHS is the third-largest agency in the federal government.
GUANGZHOU, China  Chinese internet search giant Baidu is in discussions with investors to raise up to $2 billion over three years for a new biotech company, CNBC has confirmed.

The company would be a standalone entity rather than a subsidiary of Baidu, said a person close to the matter. The individual was not authorized to speak publicly about the project.

A number of investors are interested in joining the funding, the person said, adding that they could not disclose more details as talks are still in the early stage.

Reuters first reported the news.

Baidu declined to comment when contacted by CNBC.

The biotech company would focus on using artificial intelligence (AI) and computing to create new drugs and make early-stage diagnoses of diseases such as cancer, the person said.

Powerful algorithms can be used to scan medical images or help develop drugs faster than humans can.

Baidu's move comes as China's technology companies try to boost their presence in healthcare, a move accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic.
A report by the New Zealand Bishops' bioethics centre discusses topics such as the country's upcoming referendums, suicide in young people and the ethics behind vaccines.

By Vatican News

The August edition of the Nathaniel Report by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Nathaniel Centre for bioethics, has been made available online so as to comply with Covid-19 prevention measures. This month, the report focuses on scrutiny of the euthanasia and cannabis referendums being held at the same time as the 17 October general election. It also takes a look at youth suicides and the moral issues raised by using a cell line from an aborted fetus to create a Covid-19 vaccine.

End of life choice act 2019

In one article, Dangerous and Unwise, Nathaniel Centre director John Kleinsman describes flaws in the End of Life Choice Act 2019, a referendum set to take place on assisted death (assisted suicide and euthanasia). John Kleinsman writes that this question:

"is no longer about the merits or the idea of assisted suicide and euthanasia  i.e. whether a case can be made for these practices. Rather, we have to decide, as a country, if we want a particular piece of law called the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (EOLC Act); a law that, if passed, cannot be changed or fixed; a law that, in its current state, is regarded by many lawyers, healthcare professionals and others as poorly drafted, dangerous and flawed".

John Kleinsman highlights numerous problems in the Act, including describing how easily accessible euthanasia and assisted suicide would be for all.

Legalising recreational cannabis

A second referendum coming up in New Zealand is on the legalisation of recreational cannabis.

"Up to 2019, the law treated cannabis as a criminal issue. However, in 2019 the Misuse of Drugs Act was amended so that possession offences could be treated as health issues instead of criminal, except where there is a clear public good to be gained from prosecution. Thus, while cannabis remains illegal, the police can use discretion in deciding how to respond to those who use, grow and/or supply it; whether to charge a person or steer them towards a health-based intervention. In reality, we have a form of de-facto decriminalisation".

The article goes on to explain the current and past legal stances on possession of cannabis, as well as providing arguments as to why cannabis should not be legalised - taking into consideration legal, medical and racial factors.

Readers are offered resources to help them with both referendums, providing background information, key issues and information to consider when deciding how to vote.

Suicide in young people

In another article, Victoria University education lecturer Chris Bowden shares insights from in-depth research he carried out with young men who lost close friends through suicide.

" Between 2018-2019 there were an estimated 685 suicides in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The majority of these (n=498, 73%) were men. Suicide in men has been described as a 'silent epidemic' because of its high incidence, a lack of public awareness, and a lack of targeted gender-specific prevention and intervention strategies".

The article offers statistics on the number of deaths by suicide and the most affected ages.

Chris Bowden conveys the different kinds of silence the young men described, and the different roles these silences played in their grief. The article also provides numerous helplines for people who may need help, for anything.

The ethics behind vaccines

Finally, Australians Kevin McGovern and Kerri Anne Brussen look at the historical origins of vaccines and ask a critical moral question: How would we respond if the only viable vaccine for Covid-19 was based on a cell line that used cells derived from aborted fetuses?

"Human cell lines are one type of cell line that supports the growth of COVID-19. One of the sources used for these cell cultures is tissue from deliberately aborted foetuses. This can pose a significant moral quandary for Catholics and others. Catholic teaching upholds the principle of the inviolability of human life and forbids direct abortion. What is more, Catholic teaching opposes the use of tissue from deliberately aborted foetuses. On this matter, it is also worth noting that the use in medical research of human foetal tissue from elective abortions was restricted in the United States last year. Vaccines which have been produced using cell lines from deliberately aborted foetuses are often known as ethically compromised vaccines."
GRANITE CITY  Americas Central Port has been awarded a $20.84 million BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, according to U.S. Reps. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville; Mike Bost , R-Murphysboro, and Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville.

The ports, terminals, rivers, roads and rails in the St. Louis metropolitan area are among our nations most critical transportation infrastructure, said Shimkus. Billions of dollars in agricultural and energy commodities travel through our area each year to feed and fuel America. I thank the Department of Transportation for making this important investment.
Caitlyn Jenner has broken her silence after it was announced that Keeping Up with the Kardashians will be coming to an end in 2021.

In a shocking revelation, the 70-year-old said on Thursday that her family didn't even tell her about the decision beforehand.

Rather than being given the heads-up from her daughters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, or her stepdaughters Kourtney, Khloe and Kim Kardashian, Caitlyn found out like everybody else by watching the news.

Speaking out: Caitlyn Jenner (left, when she was Bruce Jenner) has broken her silence after it was announced that Keeping Up with the Kardashians will be coming to an end in 2021

'I heard it on the news!' laughed Caitlyn during an appearance on Australia's The Morning Show, hosted by Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies.

'Nobody called me, I heard it through the media. Was I surprised? No,' she added.

She then praised her ex-wife Kris Jenner and their family for putting on a great show for 20 seasons over 14 years.

No hard feelings? In a shocking revelation, the 70-year-old said on Thursday that her family didn't even tell her about the decision beforehand. Pictured on Seven's The Morning Show

'But that show, it's probably the greatest reality show in history. There are over 500 episodes over 14 years,' Caitlyn said.

'The girls and Kris have have done just an amazing job with the show and keeping it going for this long. But everybody is in a different place now and I think it's time to move on. But what a run.'

She added that 'nothing lasts forever' and said her family was now focusing on new ventures, like cosmetics and clothing lines.

'I wasn't surprised but I just am so proud of the kids for doing such a great job over the years... I don't know the inner workings of all the family, but I know all of the kids have moved on into their own areas,' she said.

Series regular: Caitlyn was a regular part of Keeping Up with the Kardashians from its debut in 2007 until her divorce from Kris Jenner in 2015 and subsequent gender transition

Caitlyn was a regular part of Keeping Up with the Kardashians from its debut in 2007 until her divorce from Kris Jenner in 2015 and subsequent gender transition.

The reality show was the brainchild of Kris and TV host and producer Ryan Seacrest, and followed the lives of Kris' family, which included Caitlyn - then Bruce - along with daughters Kendall and Kylie, and Kris' four children from her marriage to the late Robert Kardashian, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob.

At the beginning, it was Bruce who was the celebrity given his fame as a gold medalist in the decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada.

But in the intervening 13 years, he has been eclipsed by the phenomenal popularity of the Kardashian-Jenner siblings, who turned their family's fame into a multi-million dollar empire.

It was a hit: The reality show was the brainchild of Kris Jenner and TV host and producer Ryan Seacrest, and followed the lives of Kris' family, which included Caitlyn - then Bruce - along with daughters Kendall and Kylie, and Kris' four children from her marriage to the late Robert Kardashian, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob (all pictured)

Caitlyn starred for two seasons on the spin-off I Am Cait in 2016 and has just launched her own YouTube channel.

On Tuesday, Kim Kardashian shocked fans by announcing that her family's iconic reality show would be ending after 14 years on the air.

Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which helped make Kim and her siblings household names and launched their careers in the fashion and beauty business, will air its last season early next year.

There was no reason given for the decision, but E! said in a statement that it 'respects the family's decision to live their lives without our cameras'.

End of an era: On Tuesday, Kim Kardashian (pictured) shocked fans by announcing that her family's iconic reality show would be ending after 14 years on air

Kim, 39, wrote in her statement: 'To our amazing fans - It is with heavy hearts that we've made the difficult decision as a family to say goodbye to Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

'After what will be 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of episodes and numerous spin-off shows, we are beyond grateful to all of you who've watched us for all of these years  through the good times, the bad times, the happiness, the tears, and the many relationships and children.'

'We'll forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people we've met along the way. Thank you to the thousands of individuals and businesses that have been a part of this experience,' she added.

'Most importantly, a very special thank you to Ryan Seacrest for believing in us, E! for being our partner, and our production team at Bunim/Murray, who've spent countless hours documenting our lives.

'Our last season will air early next year in 2021. Without Keeping Up with The Kardashians, I wouldn't be where I am today. I am so incredibly grateful to everyone who has watched and supported me and my family these past 14 incredible years.

'This show made us who we are and I will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever. With Love and Gratitude, Kim.'
BLENCOE, Iowa -- After a lengthy absence, barges are returning to the upper stretch of the Missouri River, providing western Iowa farmers with a lower-cost option to access fertilizer and export grain.

Joined by Gov. Kim Reynolds, NEW Cooperative officials on Tuesday celebrated the start of work on a $11 million barge port that will be built about two miles west of the small Monona County town of Blencoe.

The NEW Cooperative Port of Blencoe will become the northernmost port on the nearly 760-mile span of the Missouri from St. Louis to Sioux City.

The co-op hopes to send its first barges loaded with soybeans down the river by late fall, weather permitting, general manager Dan Dix said.

By the next spring, six to nine barges will arrive at the port, delivering fertilizers, aggregates and other products.

"When you talk about transportation costs, the most economically feasible is the waterways," Reynolds said. "For our farmers to be able to utilize the Missouri River to export their goods, internationally, opens up a whole new world."

With a few exceptions, barges have not traveled as far north as Blencoe in over 15 years. The once-thriving barge industry in Sioux City disappeared in the early 2000s after a combination of drought, economic recession, low commodity prices and political infighting over management of the river led shippers to turn to rail and trucks.

Fort Dodge-based NEW Cooperative, which has over 5,500 members and 39 locations throughout western and northwestern Iowa, started planning its rural Monona County port two years ago, Dix said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the Missouri, assured the co-op it would maintain a 9-foot-deep, 300-foot-wide channel, Dix said.

The port gives the co-op direct access to export markets and provides a third option for transporting grain. Because water navigation is more cost-effective than truck or rail, the co-op and other businesses using the port will be able to reduce their freight expenses.

Each barge carries up to 300,000 bushels of grain. Plying the river with 72 barges per year eliminates the need for 80,000 semi-trailer trucks of grain, Dix said.

Barges are good for the environment and vehicular traffic safety, he said, because it takes more trucks off crowded highways like Interstate 80, reducing accidents and harmful emissions.

The port will have the capacity to load or unload up to six barges at a time. NEW Cooperative officials say they have been fielding calls from other businesses interested in shipping or receiving various products at the port, from rocks to wind turbine blades.

Wet, rainy weather forced organizers to move Wednesday's formal groundbreaking from the future site of the port, located west of Interstate 29, to a warehouse at NEW Cooperative in Blencoe, population 224.

A parade of state and local officials praised the massive project, which comes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It sends a clear message to the world that Iowa is moving forward despite the challenges of today," Reynolds said.

"I'm sure this new port will pay dividends for years to come," added Debi Durham, director of the the Iowa Economic Development Authority and a former president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.

Durham cited the potential for more economic growth through the future development at the 30-acre site of the port, which will initially create a dozen jobs.

The Monona County Board of Supervisors successfully applied for a state RISE grant of over $1 million to pave a gravel road from the port site to Blencoe.

By Oct. 1, the co-op expects to begin construction at the site, which has already been cleared.

Driven primarily by uncertainty over future flows, Missouri River barge traffic declined significantly since the mid-1990s. Prior to that time, the Big Soo Terminal in Sioux City averaged around 160 barges per year. By 2004, no barges docked at the terminal, the first time that had happened since the Mighty Mo was straightened and deepened in the early 1960s.

In 2014, barges transported the largest, heaviest equipment to CF Industries' new fertilizer plant at Port Neal as part of a $2 billion expansion.

For many years, Missouri River barge interests fought to maintain consistent flows for upstream navigation, opposed by some environmental groups looking to protect endangered species and upstream recreational interests that lobbied to keep more water in a series of reservoirs in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Caught in the middle was the Corps of Engineers, which found itself under pressure to make changes to a master plan for the river that historically favored navigation.

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Pashinian cited government data suggesting that economic activity in the country is slowly picking up after declining sharply in the second quarter of this year. He singled out a 2.5 percent year-on-year fall in the volume of retail trade and services registered in August.

This [negative] indicator was quite high from March onwards, Pashinian told a weekly cabinet meeting in Yerevan. Its now falling.

These figures clearly show that there is no social [and economic] crisis in Armenia, he claimed. Of course there is no denying that there has been a deterioration of the socioeconomic situation and we lost growth. But its very important to take note of this fact.

According to the governments Statistical Committee, Armenias GDP shrunk by about 14 percent in real terms in April-June 2020 after growing by almost 4 percent in the first quarter. The decline followed a coronavirus-related nationwide lockdown imposed in late March.

The Armenian government gradually reopened most sectors of the domestic economy, including cafes and restaurants, by the beginning of May. The countrys Central Bank forecast in June that the economy will contract by 4 percent in 2020 due to the negative impact of the pandemic.

Pashinian said his government has mitigated that impact with more than 163 billion drams ($336 million) spent on various stimulus measures. He also seemed to imply that unemployment in Armenia has not increased significantly since March.

The prime minister said in that regard that as of July this year the number of officially registered workers in the country stood at over 613,000 and was slightly higher than in July 2019.

The higher number of jobs most probably resulted from a continuing government crackdown on the informal sector of the economy which still employs many Armenians. Employers do not register them to avoid paying their income and pension taxes.

Official statistics suggest that the number of unregistered workers has fallen significantly since Pashinian came to power in May 2018. According the State Revenue Committee (SRC), private entities reported more than 87,000 new jobs to the tax service from May 2018 through December 2019.

The SRC and other government agencies have not yet come up with any estimates of the number of Armenians who have lost their jobs or businesses during the coronavirus crisis.

The governments handling of the crisis and its socioeconomic consequences is strongly criticized by opposition groups.
Houston Fire Department Capt. Tommy Searcy respected the danger and stress that accompanied his job.

So when his crew at Fire Station 67 created their own version of dodgeball using Nerf guns in their down time, he didnt hesitate to join them.

He was always just really interested in keeping the firefighters at our station a family unit, said Houston Fire Department District Chief Kim Phillips. I miss him terribly.

Phillips and the rest of her colleagues are mourning Searcy after he lost a roughly month-long battle with COVID-19. The 45-year-old father on Tuesday became the third Houston firefighter to die from the virus.

He is survived by family members that include three daughters  Kaylin, Krista and Kinley  and his twin brother Tony Searcy, also a Houston Fire Department captain.

Among roughly 4,000 Houston firefighters, there have been 7,824 exposures to the virus as of Sept. 6, according to the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association. Searcy, an 18-year veteran of the department, was among 253 firefighters to test positive by that date. Houston firefighter Jerry Pacheco and HFD Capt. Leroy Lucio preceded him in death.

Searcy became known for his calm leadership and sound decision-making in high-pressure moments. But during slow hours, he showed his lighthearted side.

He worked since 2014 as the captain of Station 67 in Acres Homes, where he oversaw a tight-knit groups of firefighters.

The station has enjoyed low turnover, Phillips said, and Searcy relished his colleagues company. They camped, fished and boiled crawfish together every year. They babysat each other's children and held holiday parties. Searcy was always playful and, despite his leadership role, open to pranks and teasing from his team, said Capt. Doug Hodges.

For instance, when Searcy said he planned to work out and exercise, Hodges went out of his way to put a soda and M&Ms on his desk.

We got close quickly, said Hodges, who transferred with Searcy to the station in 2014.

A brief cellphone video shared by Phillips shows Searcy last year playing what she called Nerf gun dodgeball with other crew members inside the station. In the video, an unarmed Searcy runs for cover, dancing around the spongy projectiles while Metallicas For Whom the Bell Tolls plays on the overhead speakers.

Searcy also knew when to push people to their potential, Hodges said. Hodges arrived at Station 67 as an engine operator, but Searcy encouraged him to start studying for the test to become a captain.

He told me that I would be a better captain than him any day of the week, and its just not true, Hodges said. But thats what a good captain does.

At fire scenes, Searcy never got excited and maintained a sure-footed approach, he said. He rarely lost sight of his tasks, even during high-stress rescues. He commanded such respect that Hodges continued to seek his advice after his own promotion to captain.

Then, on the night of Aug. 4, Searcy texted Hodges that he was feeling short of breath. He was taken to Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands and tested positive for COVID. On Aug. 14, he was intubated and sent to the ICU.

Searcy was under a medically induced coma four days later when the fire union received an emergency approval to deliver the experimental drug NeuroRx to his doctors, said fire union President Marty Lancton.

The medication appeared to help his condition, which Lancton said slowly improved over the following weeks. He said Searcy tested negative for COVID last weekend, but on Sunday doctors noticed signs of further infections. He died Tuesday after going into cardiac arrest.

Hodges said he hopes his friends death spurs change within the department's COVID response, including mandatory testing for all firefighters and better medical guidance for positive cases.

On Tuesday, a procession of emergency vehicles transported Searcys body to Klein Funeral Home in Tomball. Services are pending.

Dozens of friends and fellow firefighters have expressed their support on the Searcy Strong Facebook page, where the family issued updates about his condition.

One post, from firefighter JW McDonald, said he crossed paths with Searcy as a rookie. McDonald was working for Tomball and Searcy for Aldine when the two agencies responded to a country barn fire.

What sticks in my mind is grabbing a hose line and seeing this BADASS come through the flames (he literally just walked through fire) saying we need that line back here, according to McDonalds post.

He said after the fire, Searcy solidified his interest in joining the Aldine Fire Department and agreed to put in a good word for him. McDonald said he is still with the department.

Tommy Searcy is and always will be my brother! he said.

julian.gill@chron.com
Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, Samuel Koku Anyidoho has described as delusional the belief by many Ghanaians that he stopped then Vice President John Dramani Mahama from going to the office of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.



According to the former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, he could not have stopped the Vice President from seeing President Atta Mills because there was a dedicated corridor between the Vice President and the President at the Castle which allows only the Vice to use.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Koku Anyidoho said that he never walked on that dedicated corridor before he left the Castle, making it impossible to stop the Vice President from seeing the late President Atta Mills.



The truth of the matter is that there was a dedicated corridor between the Vice President and the President. I never walked on that dedicated corridor before I left the Castle because it was a dedicated corridor for only the Vice President and the President, he said.



According to him his office as Presidential Aide was downstairs, thus, he had to climb upstairs and go through protocols before he sees the President.



My office is downstairs and if I will go and see the President, I would have to climb the stairs and go through protocol before I see the President; I cant just get up to see the President in his office. The level of discipline at the Presidency, it is not easy.



So, who am I that the Vice President is going to see the President and I will prevent him from going. I only go to President Mills bedroom after work if I happen to be in his residency, I can go to his bedroom to have chit chat with him like father and son; that is true but in the office, there were structures. In the office, I was only a Presidential Aide; you have the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the President, Director of State Protocols, of course you have the Vice President, Presidential Advisors, and me, I was only a messenger, he explained.



He maintained that he like any other Presidential Staffer followed the laid down protocols; indicating that it got to a point that they were not allowed to take their phones to the President's office.



There are a number of times that I would be with the President and if the Vice President comes there, I would be asked to go out and I would only come back after they are done; that was the level of discipline and so how could I have possibly blocked the Vice President, he added.



He added that even though he had a close relationship with the late President Atta Mills as his close Aide, Speech Writer, Spokesperson and a Confidant, he did not keep the Presidents diary; thus, the Presidents diary was kept by the Secretary to the President and the Director of State Protocol as he only inputs into the diary, indicating that they had structures at the Presidency.



To him, it is an opportune time for him to start changing the narrative as people are now getting to know the truth even though the lies have gone far and wide.



I will correct the wrong impression because I need to do it for the sake of my children and my next generations. The lies are too many but before my book, it has come out through another book that there are babies with very sharp teeth who were recruited, trained and hired to insult and lie against people including the founder of the party. They must be ashamed of themselves by now, he fumed.







Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









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Emergency care covers a range of services that span the care provided by laypersons at the scene, pre-hospital care by SCDF's Emergency Medical Services, to the medical care provided in a dedicated trauma facility - between these stages lie the transportation systems, health centres and first-level hospitals that respond to the emergency. Patients' survival depends on how well each component functions.

Singapore's first-of-its-kind Prehospital Emergency and Research Centre (PERC) was officially launched at Duke-NUS Medical School on Wednesday, 9 September 2020. Established through a collaboration of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, PERC marshals top experts in the field to elevate Singapore's prehospital emergency care system through the integration of pre-hospital, in-hospital, and community care with robust research techniques and real-world clinical data.

PERC will work with the Ministry of Health's Unit for Prehospital Emergency Care, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and SCDF to elevate the nation's prehospital emergency care system to ensure the best possible patient outcomes.

Emergency care covers a range of services, from the care provided by laypersons at the scene to that provided in a dedicated emergency facility. Between these two stages lie what we call the 'chain of survival' - patient survival depends on how well each component functions." Professor Marcus Ong, Director of Duke-NUS' Health Services and Systems Research Programme, which hosts the Centre

With a multi-disciplinary perspective from various fields such as medicine, paramedicine, public health, statistics, epidemiology, computer science, artificial intelligence, health economics, social sciences, psychology, industrial engineering, and global health, PERC will also be a unique academic centre that serves as a national and regional resource on the field of prehospital emergency care and research.

The launch event convened experts from the University of Michigan, MHA, SCDF, and the National University Health System (NUHS), who presented their research and strategies on improving prehospital and emergency care in Singapore and beyond. The roster of speakers included Professor Robert Neumar, from the University of Michigan (presenting on "How to Develop a World-class Prehospital and Emergency Research Program"), Professor Scott Compton, Associate Dean, Duke-NUS, (presenting on "PERC: to Fulfil an Unmet Need in Singapore"), and Professor Marcus Ong, Director, Health Services and Systems Research Programme, Duke-NUS (presenting on "Future Plans for PERC").

The speaking session was followed by a panel discussion on the topic, "Emerging Needs of Prehospital and Emergency Care in Singapore" that included the following expert panellists: Dr Ng Yih Yng, Chief Medical Officer, MHA; Colonel (Dr) Shalini Arulanandam, Chief Medical Officer, SCDF; and Dr Benjamin Leong, Assistant Professor, NUHS.

"Increasing evidence indicates the benefits of a well-functioning prehospital care system. To develop and enhance the capacity to provide effective emergency care, it is essential to view such care in the context of the overall health system rather than as a discrete and independent silo," said Professor Ong, who also serves as PERC's Director. "PERC will be focused on advancing research in Prehospital and Emergency fields, and improving Singapore's prehospital emergency care system for the betterment of the professionals in this field and the patients they serve."
The market turned strong after five days of consolidation and correction and jumped over 1.5 percent on September 10. Reliance Industries with 7 percent rally, and buying in select bank, IT and FMCG stocks lifted sentiment.

The BSE Sensex surged 646.40 points or 1.69 percent to close at 38,840.32, while the Nifty50 jumped 171.30 points or 1.52 percent to 11,449.30 and formed a bullish candle on the daily charts.

"Nifty is currently placed at the cluster resistance of opening downside gap area of September 4, minor up sloping trend line on the daily and significant intermediate trend line on the weekly chart (as per role reversal) around 11,450-11,500 levels. Hence, this area is going to be a crucial hurdle for the market in the short term. A renewed buying participation could only occur above this resistance," Nagaraj Shetti, Technical Research Analyst at HDFC Securities told Moneycontrol.

The broader markets also gained momentum as the Nifty Midcap index was up 1.23 percent and Smallcap climbed 1.6 percent.

"Apart from the global cues, participants will now be closely eyeing the upcoming macroeconomic data viz. IIP and CPI data for cues on economic recovery. Besides, the ongoing tensions between India and China would also be on investors' radar," said Ajit Mishra, VP - Research at Religare Broking, who advised traders to prefer stocks that are participating in the move rather than betting on underperforming counters in anticipation of a rebound.

We have collated 15 data points to help you spot profitable trades:

Note: The open interest (OI) and volume data of stocks given in this story are the aggregates of three- month data and not of the current month only.

Key support and resistance levels on the Nifty

According to pivot charts, the key support levels for the Nifty is placed at 11,363.07, followed by 11,276.93. If the index moves up, the key resistance levels to watch out for are 11,499.67 and 11,550.13.

Nifty Bank

The Bank Nifty snapped a five-day losing streak on September 10, rising 199.20 points to 22,466.20. The important pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 22,234.7, followed by 22,003.2. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 22,688.2 and 22,910.2.

Call option data

Maximum Call open interest of 19.17 lakh contracts was seen at 11,500 strike, which will act as crucial resistance in the September series.

This is followed by 12,000 strike, which holds 17.2 lakh contracts, and 11,600 strike, which has accumulated 15.33 lakh contracts.

Call writing was seen at 12,000 strike, which added 83,625 contracts, followed by 11,700, which added 83,475 contracts, and 11,400 strike, which added 80,475 contracts.

Call unwinding was seen at 11,500 strike, which shed 3.57 lakh contracts, followed by 11,300 strike, which shed 2.02 lakh contracts.

Put option data

Maximum Put open interest of 29.49 lakh contracts was seen at 11,000 strike, which will act as crucial support in the September series.

This is followed by 11,300 strike, which holds 18.91 lakh contracts, and 11,500 strike, which has accumulated 15.23 lakh contracts.

Put writing was seen at 11,300 strike, which added 3.12 lakh contracts, followed by 11,400 strike, which added 2.78 lakh contracts and 11,100 strike which added 2.26 lakh contracts.

Put unwinding was witnessed at 10,700, which shed 38,325 contracts, followed by 11,200 strike which shed 32,700 contracts and 11,900 strike, which shed 15,075 contracts.

Stocks with a high delivery percentage

A high delivery percentage suggests that investors are showing interest in these stocks.

36 stocks saw long build-up

Based on the open interest future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which long build-up was seen.

18 stocks saw long unwinding

Based on the open interest future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which long unwinding was seen.

30 stocks saw short build-up

An increase in open interest, along with a decrease in price, mostly indicates a build-up of short positions. Based on the open interest future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which short build-up was seen.

54 stocks witnessed short-covering

A decrease in open interest, along with an increase in price, mostly indicates a short-covering. Based on the open interest future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which short-covering was seen.

Bulk deals

Future Supply Chain Solutions: Edelweiss Crossover Opportunities Fund sold 10,02,385 shares in the company at Rs 116.65 per share on the NSE.

Max India: Vijit Asset Management acquired 9 lakh shares in the company at Rs 48.05 per share on the NSE, whereas Doric Asia Pacific Small Cap Mauritius sold 4,62,265 shares at Rs 49.8 per share.

(For more bulk deals, click here)

Earnings on September 11

IRCTC, BHEL, Adani Green Energy, Arvind SmartSpaces, BF Utilities, BGR Energy Systems, Eros International Media, Future Supply Chain Solutions, ITDC, Jindal Stainless (Hisar), Lloyds Steels Industries, Parsvnath Developers, Premier Explosives, Rail Vikas Nigam, Sharon Bio-Medicine, Sintex Plastics Technology are among 104 companies to announce quarterly earnings on September 11.

Stocks in the news

HealthCare Global Enterprises: V-Sciences Investments Pte Ltd sold 83,20,805 equity shares representing 9.38 percent of share capital of the company pursuant to the open offer on September 8.

National Fertilizers: The company reported total fertilizer sale of 23.81 lakh MT and production of 16.11 lakh MT urea in April-August, 2020.

Hindustan Aeronautics: The company reported profit at Rs 148.65 crore in Q1FY21 against Rs 564.69 crore, revenue fell to Rs 1,736.7 crore from Rs 3,289.5 crore YoY.

SRG Housing Finance: The company reported profit at Rs 3.53 crore in Q1FY21 against Rs 4.15 crore, revenue declined to Rs 15.8 crore versus Rs 16.3 crore YoY.

Jay Bharat Maruti: The company reported loss at Rs 21.04 crore in Q1FY21 against profit at Rs 7.8 crore, revenue declined to Rs 70.2 crore versus Rs 442.9 crore YoY.

Mirc Electronics: The company reported loss at Rs 10.74 crore in Q1FY21 against profit at Rs 0.88 crore, revenue dropped to Rs 94.54 crore versus Rs 177.57 crore YoY.

Vaibhav Global: The company successfully commissioned 1MW solar PV power generation project.

FII and DII data

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) net bought shares worth Rs 838.37 crore, whereas domestic institutional investors (DIIs) net offloaded shares worth Rs 317.3 crore in the Indian equity market on September 10, as per provisional data available on the NSE.

Stock under F&O ban on NSE

Seven stocks -- Apollo Tyres, Bank of Baroda, BHEL, Indiabulls Housing Finance, Vodafone Idea, Jindal Steel & Power and Punjab National Bank -- are under the F&O ban for September 11. Securities in the ban period under the F&O segment include companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit.

: "Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Moneycontrol."
After a production wraps filming in New Mexico, it still has opportunities to help the state.

The New Mexico Film Office oversees the Giveback Program, which was initiated to support the growth of the New Mexico film industrys future workforce.

On Friday, the Film Office announced that $330,000 was going to be split among 20 higher education film programs.

The Giveback Program was established to ensure production companies that come to New Mexico also make an investment in New Mexicos future workforce, state Economic Development Secretary Alicia Keyes said. The 20 schools that collectively received the $330,000 in funding this year are located all across New Mexico, in both urban and rural regions, including schools on tribal land. We are working to create opportunities and career paths in the film industry for every New Mexican.

The money will be used to purchase equipment, software, materials and supplies, and can be applied to student scholarship programs and other student opportunities.

Productions filmed in New Mexico that participate in the Non-Resident Below-the-Line Crew Credit Program are required to provide 2.5% of direct production expenditures for the payment of wages, fringe benefits and per diem for nonresident industry crew. The Non-Resident Below-the-Line Crew Credit Program is a 15% tax credit on wages for below-the-line crew on a production that uses non-New Mexico residents.

New Mexico productions that contributed to the fund include: Those Who Wish Me Dead, Midnight Texas Season 2, Briarpatch, Daybreak,  El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, UFO Road Trip, Chambers, The Biggest Loser and Deputy.

Amber Dodson, New Mexico Film Office director, said the awards are an example of the positive and wide-reaching impact that film has on a community.

Students in Alamogordo and Portales benefit from productions that are shot in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, Dodson said. The funds from the studios and production companies are an important contribution to  and a long-term investment in  New Mexicos film industry, and are key to continuing to support and expand our world-class workforce.

Dodson says the purpose of the program is to strengthen New Mexicos educational programs that teach film/television production and related fields, thereby supporting growth of the film industry workforce in New Mexico.

Eastern New Mexico University will purchase five mirrorless DLSR cameras to replace mid-tier cameras, five LED light sets to augment advanced lighting capabilities and a new wireless lavalier system. The remaining amount will be placed in their Student Filmmaker Scholarship Fund.

Although we are happy to receive funding at any time, the timing of this giveback is especially perfect for us, said Jonathan Barr, chair of ENMUs Department of Theatre and Digital Filmmaking. This giveback money will be used to purchase much-needed equipment updates that we would not otherwise be able to obtain due to budget restraints and our current economic crisis.
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SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Water Tank Storage Manufacturer SteelCore Tank based in Sacramento, California announced today that they and their suppliers are hiring additional skilled craftsman to fill critical roles on the production line for the manufacturing of corrugated steel panels used in the creation of water storage tanks. These tanks are designed and manufactured for applications requiring as low as 700-gallons to large industrial applications requiring as much as 3-million gallons.

Fire protection tanks are now required in California and many other states due to the severity and frequency of wildfires. SteelCore Tank is one of the premier manufacturers of water storage tanks in the world. Water storage takes on an entirely new meaning when you factor in the devastation caused by a wildfire. SteelCore Tank is a premier global manufacturer of fire protection and fire suppression tanks for home or business.

In California and surrounding States the numbers and severity of wildfires each summer has created an urgent need for many to prepare better and have on hand the most valuable commodity available, WATER. These wild fires which have plagued so many these past 4-years appear to be the new normal and additional preparations need to be made.

SteelCore Tank through its International Broker Network has projects needing to be installed around the world as global warming is taking its toll, every community is responding by ensuring that they have their own fire suppression tanks filled with precious water to use in emergencies as well as to have on hand in the remote possibility that a wildfire threatens life, buildings and facilities.

NSF61 and NFPA 22 approved liners that go into our water storage installations ensure that the water stored as potable drinking water or for fire suppression never touches the steel exterior of the tank. Our bolted steel corrugated tanks are one of the best values in the industry which is one of the factors driving the unprecedented demand we are experiencing in California, Utah, and Oregon as well as in other parts of the world.

Nicole Oblad, Senior Partner of SteelCore Tank stated that "this demand driven expansion will position us as one of the leading manufactures in the world and provide us with the capacity to meet any increased demand we see from our clients for years to come."

About Steel Core Tank LLC:

Based in Sacramento, California, we are not only one of the most experienced tank manufactures in the country; we also offer the largest variety of liners and tank accessories in the industry. We sell our quality tank through a worldwide dedicated dealer network that is well trained and represent our uncompromising commitment to quality. More information can be found on our website located at www.SteelCoreTank.com

Media contact:

Nicole Oblad

[email protected]

844-225-0881

SOURCE SteelCore Tank LLC

Related Links

http://www.steelcoretank.com


His condition is satisfactory.

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ruslan Khomchak has tested positive for COVID-19.

"Having tested positive for the coronavirus [COVID-19] disease, Khomchak is in self-isolation for two weeks. His condition is satisfactory," Head of the Public Relations Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Bohdan Senyk told UNIAN.
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Way to Win Co-Founder and Vice President Jenifer Fernandez Ancona and national progressive leaders announced the launch of the Way to Lead PAC , a PAC designed to support progressive candidates at the local, state, and federal levels alongside Way to Win's focus to build a more reflective and representative democracy. Launching with over $5 million in 8 key battleground states, the new PAC will also release a series of progressive new adverts in an effort to uplift voters with inspiring narratives and a concrete vision for change after Election Day, starting with the PAC's newest ad released today: "What's Possible?" produced by Way to Lead in partnership with the media company, Win .

"As Trump and Republicans continue to employ racially divisive rhetoric to distract from their failings around COVID-19 and the economy, Democrats and progressives need to do more to control the narrative," said Ancona. "Way to Lead PAC supports candidates at all levels of government, organizers in key states, and creative strategists who inspire voters with a progressive vision of what this country's democracy could look like."

In nearly every election since 2016especially in states throughout the Sun Belt that Establishment Democrats have written off for decadescandidates running on bold progressive policies that seek to improve people's lives have been winning up and down the ballot. By focusing on inspiring millions of young people and communities of coloran increasing majority of the American electoratethis strategy has led to base expansion in key battlegrounds like Arizona, Texas, and Georgia; and has led to lasting majorities in places like Virginia. For example, we saw the power of this expansion in Virginia in 2019, when Democrats took power in both houses of the state legislature despite earlier scandals involving the Democratic governor and lieutenant governor.

The Way to Lead PAC exists to ensure that organized communities have candidates who will institute real change once in office. As a hybrid PAC that supports federal candidates, grassroots organizations, as well as state and local races, the Way to Lead PAC is focused on 8 battleground states from Arizona to Pennsylvania, North Carolina to Texas. The mission is to support candidates for public officefrom prosecutor to mayor to state senator to congresswomanwho are committed to seeking justice for all communities and creating a democracy that is truly accountable to its people. A list of the Way to Lead PAC endorsed candidates can be found here: https://waytolead.us/home/candidates/

Moreover, the Way to Lead PAC will support and work in concert with PACs affiliated with Way to Win funded organizations, who are running strong digital, communications, and in-person voter engagement programs. Way to Lead will also launch a new advert campaign that seeks to defeat Trump by lifting up narratives to excite voters about a new direction in our country, rather than solely creating content focused on Trump. Targeted toward a new rising progressive majority of women, young people, and communities of color, some areas of focus will include governance related to racial justice, economic inequality, gender justice, climate change, and more.

"There are progressive candidates all over the nation who have the plans and the passion to win, and win big. But we need the necessary financial backing to be successful," said Wendy Davis, the Democratic candidate in Texas's 21st congressional district. "The Way to Lead PAC empowered the local organizations that support me, and gave me the opportunity I needed to stay in the race and make good on my promise for a future that prioritizes and answers to the needs of my community."

Way to Lead's rigorous endorsement criteria do not limit candidates by race, gender, issue, or level of government. Way to Lead focuses on those candidates who reflect and respond to community policy demands, by building a progressive multiracial populist agenda. Working to complement that effort, whether it's $2 million or $20 dollars, the Way to Lead PAC will ensure donations have the maximum impact for countless progressive candidates across the country, the organizations who are the trusted messengers to move voters, and that narrative strategies creating the necessary conditions to beat Trump and create a reflective democracy for the long-term.

About Way to Lead PAC:

Way to Lead PAC exists to ensure that organized communities have candidate champions who, once elected, govern to make real changes and push the boundaries of what has been politically possible. We are a Hybrid PAC that supports federal candidates as well as independent expenditures, and we have 8 affiliated PACs in key states to support down-ballot candidates who are building a more reflective democracy and creating a multi-racial populism that advances gender equality and the sustainability of our planet. We support candidates who work in partnership with movements and communities most impacted by injustice, and who will fight for a visionary and inclusive agenda.

SOURCE Way To Win

Related Links

https://waytowin.us


A journalist who wrote about crime in a violent area of eastern Mexico was found beheaded on Wednesday.

Julio Valdivia, 44, specialized in the 'nota roja' journalism that focuses on gruesome crime and violence.

He was found alongside his motorbike near railway tracks in the remote Tezonapa municipality, about 100 kilometers from the dangerous state capital, Veracruz.

It is the latest grisly murder of a reporter in one of the world's most dangerous nations for journalists.

Mexican journalist Julio Valdivia, who wrote about crime in the violent Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, has been found beheaded

He was found alongside his motorbike near railway tracks in the remote Tezonapa municipality, about 100 kilometers from the dangerous state capital, Veracruz

Valdivia, of the newspaper El Mundo de Veracruz, is the fifth journalist slain in Mexico this year, according to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

A staff member at Valdivia's newspaper said initially it was suspected that Valdivia might have been run over by a train, but that was ruled out by the prosecutor's office.

'Valdivia was found near the train tracks, beheaded and tortured,' said the newspaper staff member, who did not wish to be identified.

Hugo Gutierrez, security minister and head of the police in eastern Veracruz state, condemned the 'cowardly murder' of the reporter.

'In coordination with the state attorney general's office we will exhaust all resources to find those responsible,' he said in a statement.

He had covered a confrontation between police and suspected criminals the previous day.

Valdivia 'worked in a complicated area where there are criminal groups,' said Ana Laura Perez of the State Commission for the Attention and Protection of Journalists, a government body.

He had covered a confrontation between police and suspected criminals the previous day

'It must be investigated if he had reported something that bothered these criminal groups.'

Veracruz is a flashpoint in turf wars between Mexico's rival drug cartels as well as the country's deadliest state for media workers.

In March, journalist Maria Elena Ferral was shot dead by two assailants on motorbikes when getting into her car in Veracruz.

RSF regularly ranks Mexico alongside war-torn Syria and Afghanistan as the world's most dangerous countries for news media.

The watchdog urged the authorities to probe whether Valdivia was murdered because of his work.

'All lines of inquiry must be exhausted, mainly those that have to do with his journalism because he worked in an area marked by violence,' Balbina Flores, the group's representative in Mexico, told AFP.

Journalist Miroslava Breach was murdered in 2017 by a Mexican drug cartel enforcer who has been sentenced to 50 years in prison

More than 100 reporters have been murdered since 2000 in Mexico, where asking questions about political corruption or powerful drug cartels can be a deadly business.

Only a fraction of those crimes have resulted in convictions.

In one rare such sentencing, a man convicted of ordering the 2017 murder of prominent journalist Miroslava Breach was condemned last month to 50 years in prison.

'We condemn the homicide of Julio Valdivia,' the Veracruz government said on its Twitter account.

A local media protection group known as the CEAPP said in a statement that Valdivia did not have extra protection measures as he had not reported facing threats to his security. But the group demanded the authorities 'shed light' on the murder.
Despite hundreds of officers on duty in Westminster, a demonstrator was able to write "was a racist" at the foot of Winston Churchill's statue - Ben Cawthra/LNP

Police faced questions on Thursday after protesters were allowed to deface Sir Winston Churchill's statue in Parliament Square during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration.

The statue was daubed with the word racist in yellow spray paint while climate protesters occupied Parliament Square despite hundreds of police officers being stationed in the area.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that one person had been arrested, but questions were raised as to how the statue was able to be defaced for the second time in three months.

There are also questions over whether any of the protesters on Thursday were the same ones who blockaded the print plants, because of the 51 people charged in relation to the action, 49 were released on bail conditions which stipulated that they must not attend Extinction Rebellion protests for a week.

Sir Mike Penning, the former policing and justice minister was among those to condemn the attack, calling on the police to take more robust action on protesters.

"Parliament Square is one of the most visual and visited places in the world, there are more cameras than almost anywhere else and they still get away with it. I am sure the police will say they will go back later and pick up the perpetrators.

The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square is seen with graffiti reading 'is a racist' on the plinth - AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali

"They need to stop it there and then and take more robust action immediately. That is what the public expects from them, Mr Penning said.

"I don't blame the frontline officers. I blame their managers who are telling them what to do and in this case it goes up to the Met Commissioner."

Police need to strike a balance between respecting the rights of people intent on criminal damage and actually nicking them because they're doing criminal damage, Bob Seely, the Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight said.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the vandalism as "appalling" adding that the statue would be cleaned as soon as possible.

The towering figure of Britains wartime Prime Minister was boarded up in June after being graffitied during a Black Lives Matter protest. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary described the defacement as thoroughly unacceptable.

Story continues

It came less than a week after an angry mob blockaded the printing plants of several national newspapers, more climate activists caused chaos in Westminster, chaining themselves to railings and blocking traffic.

A spokesperson for The Met said: Ahead of any large scale demonstration we always engage with partners regarding crime prevention advice, it is not the responsibility of the Met to take steps to cover up buildings, statues or monuments.

Officers on patrol in Parliament Square took immediate action following the vandalism of the Winston Churchill station, making a swift arrest on suspicion of criminal damage.
The collection of Commandant Paul-Louis Weiller

A love of beautiful objects defines the collection of Commandant Paul-Louis Weiller, complementing a lifetime of extraordinary achievements

I am not a collector, I just like beautiful things, said Commandant Paul-Louis Weiller of the paintings, sculptures, furniture and decorative objects that graced his many homes  notably La Reine Jeanne, the villa that Barry Dierks designed for him in the south of France, where he entertained princes, politicians and celebrities including Georges Pompidou, Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor. Born in 1893 to an Alsatian family, Weiller lived for 100 years, and each one was as extraordinary as the next. He was a photographic reconnaissance pilot in the First World War (when he was shot down five times) and an officer of the Legion of Honour by the age of 25; during the Second World War, he escaped to Canada, worked for Free France and was awarded a Resistance Medal by Charles de Gaulle. Between the wars, Weiller helped to found Air France; afterwards, he became a giant of industry and finance. But he was also a committed philanthropist and a passionate supporter of the arts, contributing among other things to the refurbishment of the Palace of Versailles. In 1965, he was elected to the Academie des Beaux-Arts. In 1989, he was awarded the highest distinction of the Legion of Honour, the Grand Cross.

A giant among men, thats how Commander Weiller appeared to me during our first meeting in 1970 in Geneva, recalls Christies chairman, Francois Curiel. It was during our biannual meetings in Geneva, or my visits to Versailles or Paris, that I got to know the Commandant better and discovered the many facets of his personality, his passion for jewellery and precious stones, but also for exceptional paintings and works of art. On 15 and 16 September, a sale comprising part of Weillers magnificent cross-category collection, Commandant Paul-Louis Weiller, Capitaine dindustrie, Protecteur des arts, will be held at Christies in Paris. It serves as a beautiful tribute to a great man whose collection reflects the best French taste has to offer, says Curiel. Collection highlights Assembled over a lifetime, Weillers collection of classical art is on a level with his achievements. According to Lionel Gosset, director of collections at Christies in Paris, Weillers discerning eye enabled him to acquire real treasures. The furniture, paintings, drawings and works of art that make up the sale will appeal to both distinguished collectors and amateurs for whom the name Paul-Louis Weiller is synonymous with elegance, delicacy and refinement, he says.

The star lot is a silver soup tureen (above) from the 3,000-piece service that Catherine the Great commissioned in 1770 for her lover, Count Gregory Orloff. Further highlights include a pastel of Benjamin Franklin (below) by Joseph Ducreux (1735-1802), two large caprices by Francesco Guardi (17120-1793) and a first-century torso of Venus.

Other notable portraits in the sale include an oil on canvas of the glamorous American decorator Lady Mendl (1865-1950), painted by the celebrated artist Bernard Boutet de Monvel in 1936, and included in the artists New York exhibition, Profiles, to great acclaim. Weillers appreciation for 18th-century decorative arts is manifest in an Italian neoclassical scagliola-topped centre table, a Louis XV sofa by Nicolas Heurtaut (other examples, made for Francois de Bussy, are held at the Frick, New York), and a chest of drawers (below) delivered by Jean-Henri Riesener in 1783 to the bedroom of Madame Royale (Marie-Therese, the eldest child of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette) at Fontainebleau Palace.

Arguably the loveliest work, however, is La Belle Strasbourgeoise (below), a charismatic portrait of a young woman, resplendent in regional dress and a magnificently broad-brimmed hat, by the great 18th-century painter Nicolas de Largilliere (16561746).

The figure has true force of personality, as anyone who has seen the version in the Musee des Beaux-Arts in Strasbourg will attest, and while her identity remains something of a mystery, there is one detail that offers a clue.

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In her new, enlarged role, Florence will lead the Transformation, Human Resources, Communications and Corporate Responsibility teams. She will also be responsible for the Americas Region. Overseeing the Datalab and the Digital Agency teams, Florence will accelerate the Group's transformation towards a fully data-driven approach as well as identify new partnerships and investments to develop innovative products. She will continue her mission in driving a Lifelong Learning culture and reinforce employee's roles at the heart of the company's continual transformation. As part of this transformation, she will steer the global implementation of a new work mode; a strategic initiative inspired from the ongoing Covid19 crisis that aims to provide a flexible working culture and reinforce the digitalization throughout the company and all its processes. Lastly, she will also lead the Group's new ESG strategy to support the transition to a decarbonized world; build awareness of the importance of ESG; and study the correlation between ESG and credit worthiness to set new standards in the industry.

Florence (52) holds a Masters degree in Mathematics and Computer Sciences at INSA Lyon and an Executive Diploma from Georgetown University. She started her career in the management of Information Systems. She joined Euler Hermes in 1997 in London before heading the company's IT departments in Belgium and France. Between 2009 and 2015, she took on the role as Group Chief Information Officer. After her year in sabbatical studying at Georgetown University, she returned to take on the role of Global Head of Human Resources in 2016, where she successfully delivered major HR initiatives such as introducing a lifelong learning mindset and promoted personal upskilling and development. Investing in people is key to supporting the company strategy of digital and cultural transformation.

"It is a privilege to accept this position and join the Board of Management. I want to thank my existing teams for their support over the years and I am excited to welcome the new teams. With such diverse and talented experts, I am confident that together, we will take our digital transformation, people and company culture, as well as our corporate sustainability and responsibility to new heights," said Florence Lecoutre, Member of the Board of Management.

"I would like to thank Virginie for her incredible work in setting up our transformation strategy and driving it worldwide. She marked a new chapter at Euler Hermes. It is with great pleasure that I welcome Florence to the Euler Hermes Board of Management. Her career symbolizes both the company's and her own values on geographical and functional mobility. In both her previous roles as Chief Information Officer and Group Head of Human Resources, I have been impressed by her achievements. I have full confidence that Florence, with her unique background and exciting vision, will continue to drive innovation in the company and set the standard for ESG in trade finance," said Wilfried Verstraete, Chairman of the Euler Hermes Board of Management.

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Euler Hermes is the global leader in trade credit insurance and a recognized specialist in the areas of surety, collections, structured trade credit and political risk. Our proprietary intelligence network analyses daily changes in corporate solvency representing 92% of global GDP. We give companies the confidence to trade, and be paid. We compensate your company in the event of a bad debt, but more importantly, we help you avoid bad debt in the first place. Whenever we provide trade credit insurance or other finance solutions, our priority is predictive protection. But, when the unexpected arrives, our AA credit rating means we have the resources, backed by Allianz to provide compensation to maintain your business. Headquartered in Paris, Euler Hermes is present in 50+ countries with 5,800 employees. In 2019, our consolidated turnover was 2.9 billion and insured global business transactions represented 950 billion in exposure.

For more information, please visit: eulerhermes.com

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I have been a friend of Donald Trump since 1987 through the New Jersey legal community in which his sister and I were active as judges. Trump and I have also known each other through my on-air television work at Fox News.





by Andrew P. Napolitano





I was appalled at the allegations against President Donald Trump leveled in a recent article in The Atlantic. The article claimed that the president referred to American soldiers killed in World War I and buried in France as "losers" and "suckers." It also offered that the president is disdainful in general of military personnel who have been captured by the enemy or killed in combat.









The article cited four anonymous sources, each of whom claimed to be physically close enough to the president to have heard him make these awful statements. Fox News and CNN have both independently confirmed the accuracy of the allegations.





Nevertheless, we are eight weeks from Election Day, and so the president has forcefully and unconditionally denied making these statements. He has produced statements by more than a dozen others who were also physically close to him at the time, and they have denied hearing anything of the sort.





Whom to believe? Why dwell on this? Here is the backstory.





I have been a friend of Donald Trump since 1987 through the New Jersey legal community in which his sister and I were active as judges. Trump and I have also known each other through my on-air television work at Fox News. Trump enjoys a personal familiarity with many of my Fox colleagues and me. To this day, he and I speak on the phone from time to time over matters public and private.





To be Trump's friend does not immunize one from Trump's wrath. On the contrary, he expects total loyalty, particularly from those in the media, and he will not hesitate to attack his friends publicly should he hear anything from them that displeases him.





I am loyal to my friends, but foremost I am loyal to the truth. So, when special counsel Robert Mueller made allegations about the unlawfulness of Trump's behavior in the White House, it was my job at Fox to explain that the allegations offered that Trump committed numerous criminal acts of obstruction of justice while president.





When I explained on Fox how these allegations would result in indictments for anyone other than a sitting president, Trump took to Twitter to attack my intellect and my honesty. It bothered me for only a few hours, because I know him well.





True to form, Trump called my cell and offered that he and I had some ancient dispute and it would be best if we forgot it! We then laughed and proceeded into the reason for his call.





I provide this brief personal background as a setting for an analysis of this "losers" and "suckers" allegation. It appears more likely than not that he did say these things. I say this because  for better or worse  Donald Trump is unfiltered. He often says what first comes to his mind without thinking of the likely consequences  including the hurt  his words could produce. And he believes he can repair any hurt with more words.





In all the settings in which it is now alleged that he disparaged the military dead, only one person was continuously and conspicuously with him, Gen. John Kelly. Kelly is a retired four-star Marine Corps general and the father of a young Marine killed while serving valiantly in Afghanistan. Trump is also alleged to have disparaged the younger Kelly in the presence of his still-grieving father.





The elder Kelly  who was the White House chief of staff when Trump's "losers" and "suckers" comments and similar comments are alleged to have been made  is the quintessential career soldier.





But his silence is deafening. He either heard these horrible words from Trump's mouth or he didn't. You can judge for yourself what his silence means. To me, it means he did hear this stuff but his Marine Corps sense of duty not to disparage the commander in chief who trusted him outweighs his public duty to reveal known faults in the president's thinking.





Trump's denials have been both ferocious and frivolous. He has attacked media figures who are merely reporting what credible sources have told them. He also denied calling the late Sen. John McCain "a loser" because he was captured, confined and tortured by the North Vietnamese. Many networks  including Fox  then ran clips of Trump calling McCain a loser, and Trump stopped denying it.





Then, as if to pour gasoline on this fire, an unprovoked Trump offered this gem: "I'm not saying the military's in love with me, the soldiers are, the top people in the Pentagon probably aren't because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy."





The military-industrial complex is a serious problem that is bankrupting the government, and Trump himself has signed off on the largest defense budgets in history. But Congress buys the hardware, not the generals. Under the Constitution, Congress declares war and presidents wage war. Generals do as presidents tell them. The last congressional declaration of war was on Dec. 8, 1941; yet, the U.S. has fought in more than a dozen undeclared wars since then  all by presidential command.





In the history of the U.S., no general has started a war. Trump himself has ordered his generals to attack Iran, Iraq and Syria without congressional authorization. None of the generals did so on his own.





Does the president have a cavalier attitude about the truth? Does he mean what he says? Is his presidency  in his own mind  showmanship or reality? I don't know the answers to these questions, and it troubles me to be asking them. But the voters will answer in November.




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A Network Rail report into the Stonehaven train crash disaster found that landslips caused by heavy rainfall will continue to affect Britain's railway lines because it is not 'economically viable' to strengthen them.

Network Rail's interim report confirmed that the ScotRail train 'struck a pile of washed-out stone covering the line' causing it to derail in the devastating crash that killed three people on August 12 at Carmont, near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire.

Heavy rainfall that washed material onto the track - a 'significant contributing factor' to the tragedy - was aided by a steep, sloped area to the side of the initial derailment point.

The report highlighted that sloped ground commonly seen beside British train tracks - known as earthworks - were often built more than 150 years ago.

Network Rail's interim report confirmed that the ScotRail train 'struck a pile of washed-out stone covering the line' causing it to derail in the devastating crash (pictured) that killed three people on August 12

Train driver Brett McCullough, 45, died alongside conductor Donald Dinnie (right) and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, (left) when the train slipped from the tracks in an area hit by major flooding

Train driver Brett McCullough (pictured), 45, tragically died when a ScotRail passenger service slipped from the tracks near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire

Heavy rainfall that washed material onto the track - a 'significant contributing factor' to the tragedy (pictured) - was aided by a steep, sloped area to the side of the initial derailment point

The report - commissioned by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps - found that more than 50mm of rain fell in the Carmont area between 5am and 9am alone. This graph shows monthly rainfall in relation to the number of earthwork - sloped ground commonly seen beside British train tracks - failures

The report was commissioned by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who tweeted about its release

A minute's silence has been held ahead of the recovery of the first carriage from the site of the fatal train crash near Stonehaven

MINUTE'S SILENCE HELD AS FIRST CARRIAGE RECOVERED FROM TRAIN CRASH SITE A minute's silence has been held ahead of the recovery of the first carriage from the site of the fatal train crash near Stonehaven. Train driver Brett McCullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, died when the 6.38am Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street ScotRail service derailed in Aberdeenshire after hitting a landslip on August 12 following heavy rain. Workers at the site and members of the emergency services took part in the minute's silence on Thursday morning. A 600-tonne crawler crane is being used to lift the derailed carriages from the railway line. Network Rail and contractors had to prepare the hard-to-access site before the train could be recovered. Preparations have included building a new 900-metre road and temporary bridges over the line, to allow access for specialist equipment. The recovery of the carriages is expected to take several days. Once the carriages have been removed from the site, engineers will be able to assess the extent of repairs required to the tracks and bridge damaged in the derailment. Scotland's Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has said he does not expect the line to reopen to passengers before October. Advertisement

It states that it is 'not economically viable to strengthen all sub-standard infrastructure slopes' so there will likely 'still be earthwork failures as a result of challenging weather'.

Train driver Brett McCullough, 45, died alongside conductor Donald Dinnie and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, when the train slipped from the tracks in an area hit by major flooding.

The report - commissioned by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps - found that more than 50mm of rain fell in the Carmont area between 5am and 9am alone.

To put that in context, Aberdeen's gets an average of 65.3mm per month.

The report also highlights that last month was likely to be one of the wettest Augusts ever recorded in Scotland.

The downpour caused water to rush in - aided by a steep, sloped area to the side of the initial derailment point - and wash stones onto the track after a previous train passed through on the same line.

Just two and a half hours after the earlier train went by - shortly before 9.40am - the Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street train rounded a left-hand curve and hit a pile of washed-out stone covering the line.

The front part of the train was derailed and - after striking a bridge parapet - the whole train came off the track.

Network Rail said it inspected 584 sites which share some of the characteristics of the location of the Stonehaven crash.

No significant issues 'requiring emergency intervention' were found, although defects that have 'deteriorated and require action sooner than originally planned' were identified at 'around 1 per cent of the sites'.

While the interim report highlighted that Network rail is 'embracing technology' and is 'working with academia' to understand the affects of climate change on train lines - the report said it is 'not economically viable to strengthen all sub-standard infrastructure slopes'.

It went on: 'Despite continuing improvement, we expect there will still be earthwork failures as a result of challenging weather.

'What we can and will do is continue to evolve our application of technology and refine our operational procedures to manage their safety impact and protect our passengers, colleagues and members of the public.'

A 600-tonne crawler crane is being used to lift the derailed carriages from the railway line today

Network Rail and contractors had to prepare the hard-to-access site before the train could be recovered (pictured today)

Preparations have included building a new 900-metre road and temporary bridges over the line, to allow access for specialist equipment (pictured)

The downpour caused water to rush in - aided by a steep, sloped area to the side of the initial derailment point - and wash stones onto the track after a previous train passed through on the same line

How the Stonehaven train tragedy unfolded 6.38am: Despite heavy rain overnight in the area, the train left Aberdeen station as normal, bound for Glasgow Queen Street. 6.53am: The train calls at Stonehaven station as normal, before departing and heading south. Between 6.53am and 9.40am: After leaving Stonehaven, the train continued south, before encountering a landslip, caused by torrential rain. It began to return north to Stonehaven, initially remaining on the southbound line before crossing at Carmont onto the northbound line. It then hit a second landslip and derailed while returning to Stonehaven. 9.40am: First reports of the incident were received by Police Scotland at 9.40am, but it is unclear if there was a delay between the derailment and it being reported. There remains a gap of several hours between the train leaving Stonehaven and the derailment being reported to police. Network Rail Scotland told MailOnline the exact timeline will emerge as the picture of events becomes clearer. 9.49am: Network Rail Scotland reports that a landslip on the same line at Carmont means that services are no longer running in the area. Advertisement

Addressing the Stonehaven train crash, the document highlights drains installed in 2010 and owned by Network Rail as well as pre-existing field drains.

It is unclear how the new and old drains interact. Site investigations are currently underway to understand how the storm water came to wash out the stone.

The report assesses the management of thousands of miles of sloped ground beside railway tracks and sets out plans to reduce the risk of landslips.

Mr Shapps said: 'We owe it to those who lost their lives, were injured, and were affected by this incident, to learn and act on every possible lesson to ensure this is never repeated.

'The independent investigation will enable us to understand exactly what went wrong, and make sure it does not happen again.

'We cannot delay learning the lessons. That is why I immediately commissioned this report and am making the interim findings available. I welcome the work setting out the challenges in adapting our rail infrastructure to cope with increasing extreme weather events caused by climate change. The task is now to overcome those challenges.

'We will use the findings of this interim report to improve, shape and accelerate our work to build a more robust and resilient rail network, so that our railway continues to be one of the safest in the world.'

Network Rail said it has introduced emergency changes to the way signallers should act in severe weather, following reports of increased water levels near tracks and when there are concerns about unstable ground due to heavy rain.

These include stopping all trains until lines have been inspected by a competent engineer.

They must also report all conditions to the operations control centre and act upon the instructions given.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 04:45:22|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iraq reported 4,243 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest daily increase among the Middle East states, while Iran's total tally is getting closer to 400,000 after 2,313 new cases were added.

Iraq has so far confirmed 273,821 coronavirus cases in the country with few tangible signs of pandemic slowdown.

It also reported 75 fatalities on Wednesday, raising the death toll to 7,732, while 3,669 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 209,993.

Ryadh Abdul-Amir, head of the Public Health Department in the Iraqi Health Ministry, noted 80 percent of COVID-19 cases in Iraq are mild with a good increase in the number of recoveries relative to the infections.

In Iran, the hardest hit country in the Middle East, the overall number of coronavirus cases has grown to 393,425 after 2,313 new infections were detected in the past 24 hours, while the pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 22,669 Iranians, up by 127 in the past 24 hours, according to Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Iranian health ministry.

She said 1,229 patients were hospitalized because of complications from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, while 3,735 remain in critical condition.

It is worth noting that 13 Iranian provinces remain in high-risk condition.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca reported 1,673 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the total confirmed number in the country to 284,943.

In addition, 55 people died in the past 24 hours from the virus, taking the death toll to 6,837, while the number of the total recoveries has risen to 254,188.

The largest Turkish city of Istanbul on Wednesday adopted a series of new restrictions as part of the government's efforts to stem the surging daily COVID-19 cases, including the mandatory wearing of face masks in public places all the time with no exception.

Israel's Ministry of Health reported 3,532 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total infections in the country to 141,097, while the death toll from the virus rose to 1,054, with 14 new fatalities added.

In the light of the coronavirus crisis, the unemployment rate in Israel has hit 18.3 percent, with more than 746,000 losing their jobs, according to the data released by the Israeli Employment Service.

Palestine reported on Wednesday 696 new COVID-19 cases and two fatalities, raising the total number of infections in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem to 36,214 and the death toll to 217.

In a press statement, Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila, warned that the spread of the virus in the densely populated areas in the besieged Gaza Strip "has become too dangerous for the entire society of the coastal enclave."

Morocco reported 2,157 new COVID-19 cases and 26 deaths on Wednesday, raising the tally of infections to 77,878 and the death toll to 1,453 in the North African country.

The COVID-19 death rate in Morocco stands at 1.9 percent while the recovery rate is 76.7 percent, with more than 200 in intensive care units.

Earlier in the day, the Moroccan government decided to extend the state of health emergency for the sixth time until Oct. 10.

Saudi Arabia reported 775 new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, raising the total cases in the kingdom to 323,012, continuing a positive trend as what the Saudi Ministry of Health said.

The Saudi ministry also reported 28 more deaths and 720 new recovered cases, increasing the death toll to 4,165 and the total recoveries to 298,966.

The Qatari health ministry on Wednesday announced 267 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number in the Gulf state to 120,846, official Qatar News Agency reported.

Oman reported 349 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the total number in the sultanate to 87,939, according to a statement by the Omani health ministry.

In Kuwait, 838 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths were reported on Wednesday, raising the tally of infections to 92,082 and the death toll to 552.

On Aug. 30, the Kuwaiti government lifted a nationwide partial curfew, while activities, including celebrations, parties, weddings, gatherings, banquets and funerals, will remain restricted to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

As the first among the Gulf countries to report COVID-19 cases, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday announced 883 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 75,981.

The UAE health ministry also reported 416 more recoveries from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries in the UAE to 67,359.

Algeria on Wednesday reported 278 new COVID-19 cases and 10 new fatalities, bringing the total infections to 47,216 and the death toll to 1,581, said the Ministry of Health in a statement.

It is the lowest daily infection increase in the North African country since June 29, according to the ministry statement.

In Lebanon and Jordan, the number of COVID-19 cases Wednesday rose by 553 and 77 respectively to 21,877 and 2,659.

The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Wednesday reported 879 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the war-torn country to 20,462.

The Center said in a statement that 82 more patients recovered and 10 more died, raising the total recoveries to 2,329 and the death toll to 324. Enditem
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electromedical Technologies, Inc. ( OTC: EMED ) (the Company or Electromedical Technologies), a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of bioelectronic devices designed to relieve chronic, intractable and acute pains by using frequencies and electro-modulation, is pleased to announce the launch of a Phase 1 research program in collaboration with Nazarbayev University to identify the most effective electrical frequencies for driving physiological responses in animal models.



Matthew Wolfson, Founder and CEO of Electromedical Technologies, explained, We will be tapping into the revolutionary potential of electro-modulation with this Phase 1 study. The core objective is deciphering the physiological impact of a wide range of electrical frequencies in animal models. Explicit animal research will be instrumental in validating effective electrical frequencies. Our unique research program will establish a platform for enhancing electro-modulation.

Management notes that the Companys investment in this animal research program will advance the science of electro-modulation and accelerate the development of its applications in healthcare. Building a strong scientific foundation today will enable powerful advances in the technology of electro-modulation in the near future.

The Companys research team is being led by Professor Dos D. Sarbassov, a renowned expert in cell signaling with intensive postdoctoral research training at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (MIT). Dr. Sarbassov also worked for many years as Faculty of the Molecular and Cellular Oncology Department at MD Anderson Cancer Center (widely viewed one of the foremost oncology centers in the US). In 2019, Dr. Sarbassov joined Nazarbayev University to develop a cutting-edge biomedical research program.

Our studies of electro-modulation are in a process of transition from a simplified cell culture to the animal model system, commented Dr. Sarbassov. A key question is to determine if changes in cell signaling induced by specific alternating electrical fields will be sufficient to lead to physiological changes in organism. We will study effects of electro-modulation on the insulin-dependent glucose uptake, pro-inflammatory or stress-dependent cytokine secretion, hypertension, tumor growth and viral infection in mammalian animal models. Regulation of the physiological responses by electro-modulation will provide a leverage for corrections of disease related physiological defects. The proposed Stage I studies in the animal models will place a foundation for clinical applications of electro-modulation in the Stage II of our research and development program in collaboration with Electromedical Technologies. Our research work by opening the door for electro-modulation in healthcare will contribute substantially to a precision medicine of tomorrow.

About Nazarbayev University:

Nazarbayev University (NU), established on the initiative of the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2010, is the countrys flagship academic institution with aspirations to become a global-level research university. This is the first university in Kazakhstan which is guided by the principles of autonomy and academic freedom. Located in the capital of Kazakhstan, NU is a research university with growing international renown combining education, research and innovation on a state of the art 21st-century campus. NU scholars conduct research in many fields, and seek to expand human knowledge through innovation, analysis, and collaboration. Within ten years since its inception, NU has become a leading research university in Kazakhstan. NU research is supported by the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, local and international organizations, and is carried out in the Schools, Research Centers and Institutes. Please visit Nazarbayev University website https://research.nu.edu.kz/en/ to find comprehensive information on the NU research activities and profiles of faculty and researchers.

About Electromedical Technologies

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Electromedical Technologies, Inc. is a commercial stage bioelectronic medical device manufacturing company initially focused on the treatment of various chronic, acute, intractable and postoperative pain conditions. Through university collaboration agreements the company is working to develop a comprehensive research program in defining the effects of electro-modulation on the human body by studying the impacts of electrical fields in cell signaling and effects on virus assembly and immune responses with the goal of improving human well-being. The companys current cleared product indications are for chronic acute post-traumatic and postoperative, intractable pain relief.

Our animal studies do not involve any human testing, and are not related to our current products. We are conducting this research to augment and advance the science of electro-modulation in healthcare. The United States Food and Drug Administration has not reviewed or approved our animal research studies

For more information, visit www.electromedtech.com .

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance or guarantee that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, international governmental regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made.

Corporate Contact:

Electromedical Technologies, Inc.

Matthew Wolfson

Tel: 1.888.880.7888

email: ceo@electromedtech.com

https://electromedtech.com

Public Relations Contact:
A teacher and assistant principal in Upstate New York has been placed on leave after yelling f--- the police at a Rochester protest.

The New York Post reports Steven Lysenko, a ninth-grade AP teacher and Academy Assistant Principal at Spencerport High School, sparked complaints when he ranted against Rochester police officers in a Facebook Live video during protests over the death of Daniel Prude.

"Our peacekeepers ended up shooting pepper spray at us for singing and chanting and telling them what a s---ty-assed job they were doing, Lysenko said in the since-deleted video. They can f--- right off, America! F--- the police! F--- Rochester Police Department!

Lysenko, who was wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt in the video, works in a suburban Rochester school district that has 3,600 students and is 80% white, according to data the district reports to the state.

The clip went viral on social media, prompting an apology from the Spencerport Central School District.

We apologize to our students, parents and community that you had to hear this language from one of our employees, school officials said in a statement Saturday.

The district said it stands in solidarity in support of racial equality and systemic change and supports "peaceful protesters, but would not condone an employee using language that does not align with our Code of Conduct or demonstrate appropriate role modeling for students.

WHAM reports the district said it would address Lysenkos video in a confidential, personnel matter, but announced Tuesday that he would be placed on leave after continuing to receive emails, posts and comments.

Mr. Steven Lysenko is a tenured administrator with due process rights. He has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, officials said in a statement.

The Post reports the Ogden Police Department has been patrolling the Spencerport campus to help navigate this unfamiliar national attention.

Note: Video contains explicit language not suitable for younger audiences.

Steve Lysenko is an assistant principal at Spencerport High School in Rochester, PA. Hes seen in the video making multiple anti police comments and finishes by saying F*CK THE POLICE. THESE are the people in charge of education.

TAG CONSERVATIVE ACCOUNTS AND SHARE THIS POST pic.twitter.com/IgH6FSq0ad  Uncle Sam's Children (@UncleSamsNation) September 6, 2020

Protests have continued in Rochester since video was released last Wednesday showing Prude, a 41-year-old Black man from Chicago, being arrested in Rochester on March 23. Prude was naked, unarmed and handcuffed when police officers put a spit hood on his head and held him down, pressing his face against the pavement until he became unresponsive. He was taken off life support a week later.

The Monroe County medical examiners office concluded that Prudes death was a homicide caused by complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint. The report lists excited delirium and acute intoxication by phencyclidine, or PCP, as contributing factors.

Seven police officers have been suspended with pay since the video was released and Rochester Police Chief LaRon Singletary retired under pressure over Prudes death.

An investigation is ongoing at the New York State Attorney Generals office.
Nigerias minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Pantami, has advised Nigerians to promote the development of indigenous digital solutions in the country especially as the COVID-19 throws up challenges.

Mr Pantami made the call during the presentation of N3 million prize money to each of the three promising startups that emerged winners in the COVID-19 Virtual Hackathon in Abuja.

The contest was organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the commissions spokesperson, Ikechukwu Adinde.

The hackathon was initiated by NCC to encourage the Nigerian youths to develop adaptable and innovative digital solutions that can address some of the challenges that emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winners

The start-ups who made it to the top three are Elizade University Team, Primed E-Health Solutions and Cyberfleet.

The Elizade University Teams tech solution is an Automated Temperature Scanner (ATS), a device designed to conduct automatic temperature screening and contact tracing of persons with body temperature above the normal level for human beings.

Primed E-Health developed a mobile and web solution called SmartClinic, which can link patient-based mobile health app with a hospital-based information management system.

KlassConnect by Cyberfleet is an online platform that can be deployed by schools to continue with teaching and learning activities regardless of any health challenges that may prevent face-to-face physical interactions.

Commendations

Mr Pantami commended the commission for embarking on the tech contest.

He said the initiative is not only in tandem with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) but also aligns with the implementation of the Executive Order 003, which aims to promote indigenous content development and patronage in Nigeria.

No country will develop without taking deliberate decisions to promote its indigenous solutions to solve national problems. Through this contest, the NCC has demonstrated its resolve to drive the Ministrys efforts in leveraging indigenous digital solutions to address challenges thrown up by COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, he said.

The COVID-19 Virtual Hackathon is a follow-up to the first hackathon by the Commission, which culminated in the hosting of an ICT Innovation, Competition/Exhibition Forum at the Lagos Campus of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in December, 2019.

At the end of the maiden edition, three startups namely, Quataloog, Wicrypt and Phaheem Nigeria Limited emerged winners.

The annual Hackathon is part of the strategic initiatives of the commission to promote ICT innovation and investment in the Nigerian telecommunications sector and improve the nations competitiveness in the global digital economy.

Also, speaking earlier at the prize-giving ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Umar Danbatta, said the hackathon is expected to throw up innovative and adaptable solutions in five thematic areas namely health, community, productivity, economy and education.
Journal-Courier

Morgan Countys entry into wind energy has not been without controversy, but an environmental watchdog group says the state has up to 2 million acres that could be good for wind farms.

County commissioners this week approved a siting plan for Apex Clean Energys Lincoln Land Wind project. Although there are still steps to be approved before any of the roughly 107 wind turbines could be built in Morgan County, it was a significant step toward reality.
A global study led by researchers at The University of Western Australia has addressed the rising use of intravenous iron therapy in anemic patients during major surgery and found there is little benefit.

Toby Richards

The clinical study is the first to rigorously test something that has become routine practice in a randomized, controlled trial.

Up to half of patients undergoing major surgery have anemia and over the last decade, hospitals around the world have given intravenous iron to these patients in advance of their operation.

This strategy is based on global recommendations and guidelines, but had never been formally tested in a clinical trial. Professor Toby Richards from UWAs School of Medicine led a large collaborative study to test this practice in a big group of patients undergoing major surgery.

The PREVENTT trial, published in The Lancet, addressed whether patients with anemia benefited from being treated with intravenous iron before major surgery and if this treatment helped improve anemia.

The study assessed patients undergoing major operations including stomach, liver and colon operations to determine whether the iron therapy reduced the risk of transfusion during surgery and improved patients recovery with less complications and faster return to health.

Intravenous iron was tested against a placebo in a double blinded manner, where neither patient nor the doctor were aware of the treatment 10 to 42 days before elective major abdominal surgery.

Professor Richards said the results showed that although iron therapy did produce a response there was no benefit in the patients outcomes of blood transfusion, major complications or length of stay in hospital.

One significant finding was that after surgery, patients recovered their anemia with intravenous iron and there was a strong association with reduced readmission to hospital due to complications. It may well be that giving iron after an operation, rather than prior, can improve patients recovery. The reassuring aspect is that in this new era of COVID this trial supports one less visit to hospital and that patients are safe to proceed to operation, despite anemia. Toby Richards, Professor, UWAs School of Medicine

Professor Richards said the findings highlighted the need for high-quality research.
Russias Ombudsman asked to provide state protection of domestic violence victims

 Fotolia/ jedi-master

12:56 10/09/2020

MOSCOW, September 10 (RAPSI)  Russian human rights advocates have asked the countrys Ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova and deputy head of the State Duma Committee for Family, Women and Children Oksana Pushkina to ensure legal protection orders for victims of domestic violence, lawyer Valentina Frolova has told RAPSI.

The application filed also contains a request to influence on the adoption o the federal anti-domestic violence law.

According to Frolova, victims of domestic violence have a right to protection under the Law on Protection of victims, witnesses and other parties to a criminal proceeding passed in 2004.




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An official at the Department of Health and Human Services has been trying to muzzle Dr Anthony Fauci to stop him speaking publicly about the risks of COVID-19 in children.

Emails obtained by Politico show that HHS official Dr Paul Alexander has been trying to instruct Fauci's staff about what he should say during media interviews.

Alexander, who is a senior adviser to Trump-appointed HHS assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo, asked as recently as Tuesday for Fauci to avoid advocating for children to wear masks.

'Can you ensure Dr Fauci indicates masks are for the teachers in schools. Not for children,' Alexander wrote in an email to Fauci's spokesperson ahead of an interview with MSNBC.

'There is no data, none, zero, across the entire world, that shows children especially young children, spread this virus to other children, or to adults or to their teachers. None. And if it did occur, the risk is essentially zero.'

Emails obtained by Politico show that HHS official Dr Paul Alexander has been trying to instruct Dr Anthony Fauci's staff about what he should say during media interviews

In an August 27 email, Alexander wrote that he 'vehemently' disagreed with the infectious disease expert.

That email was in response to a summary from the press office at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases about what Fauci planned to tell a Bloomberg reporter.

'I continue to have an issue with kids getting tested and repeatedly and even university students in a widespread manner and I disagree with Dr Fauci on this. Vehemently,' he wrote.

Some emails show that Fauci's aides have pushed back against Alexander's requests.

One scientist at the institute wrote to Alexander in late August, saying she disagreed with his suggestion that COVID-19 posed 'zero' risk to children.

'I am an infectious diseases physician on Dr Fauci's staff,' Andrea Lerner, a medical officer in the Office of the Director, wrote in the email.

'While transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 involving children are not fully understood, potentially complex and probably differ across age groups, I don't feel it is correct to say there is 'no evidence, zero, that children spread this virus to children in schools or to adults.' Or that, 'They take influenza home but do not take COVID home.'

Alexander, who is a senior adviser to Trump-appointed HHS assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo, asked as recently as Tuesday for Fauci to avoid advocating for children to wear masks

She cited four different studies, including a CDC report on an outbreak at a Georgia summer camp that said 44 percent of children and young adults had tested positive in June.

Alexander responding that it would be 'traumatic' for children to have to wear masks.

Alexander is a senior adviser to Trump-appointed HHS assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo (pictured)

He also attached a series of studies that he said showed there was 'little, if any evidence' that children are at risk.

Fauci, who has been director of the institute since 1984, denied the suggestion that he was being muzzled.

He said he hadn't seen the emails and that no one on his staff advised him on what to say.

'I would never be muzzled about anything when it comes to science and evidence and the facts,' Fauci told Fox News.

In a statement, Caputo - who is Alexander's superior - said the official specialized in analyzing other scientists' work.

'Dr Alexander advises me on pandemic policy and he has been encouraged to share his opinions with other scientists,' Caputo said.

'Like all scientists, his advice is heard and taken or rejected by his peers. I hired Dr Alexander for his expertise and not to simply resonate others' opinions.'

Fauci has, at times, been at odds with the Trump administration during the coronavirus pandemic.

He has previously warned that some schools in certain areas should be more cautious about reopening amid the pandemic.

Fauci said schools in regions with low infections, which would be considered 'green zones', would have no problem reopening.

'If you're in a yellow zone, it's more of a risk, so you may want to modify your schedule,' he said.

'If you're in a red zone, there's a high degree of viral activity, I think you need to think twice before you get children to go back to school.'

It comes after it emerged on Wednesday that Fauci had criticized Trump as 'rudderless' in dealing with the pandemic, according to Bob Woodward's bombshell new book.

He made the comment to an associate, Woodward says.

Trump's 'attention span is like a minus number,' Woodward quotes Fauci as saying.

'His sole purpose is to get reelected,' according to the book, which reports Fauci told other players that Trump 'is on a separate channel' and wasn't focussed in meetings.

The release of the book excerpts came on a day Fauci said he is 'frustrated' by large political gatherings where many people aren't wearing masks  even as he once again sought to temper what might come off as public criticism of Trump.

Fauci called on public officials to 'set an example' following a Trump rally in North Carolina attended by thousands of people.

Fauci, who for months has tried to balance his desire to share public health warnings without drawing headlines that put him at odds with Trump, was asked on 'CBS This Morning' if it was frustrating for him as an expert to see rallies with large contingents of unmasked people.

'The president continues to hold these massive rallies where people are not wearing masks including the president himself,' interviewer Gayle King asked Fauci.

'Well, yes, it is. I've said that often,' Fauci responded. 'That situation is we want to set an example. Because we know that when you do four or five typical kind of public health measures: mask, physical distance, avoiding crowds, making sure you do most things outdoors versus indoors,' he continued.

'Those are the kinds of things that turn around surges and also prevent us from getting surges. So I certainly would like to see universal wearing of masks,' he said.
By Online Desk

A sessions court in Mumbai on Thursday concluded hearing the bail plea of actor Rhea Chakraborty and brother Showik in connection with a drug case related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. The order on the same will be passed on Friday.

Arguments of Abdul Basit, Zaid Vilatra, Dipesh Sawant and Samuel Miranda were also heard by the court on Thursday, reported ANI.

Arguments on bail pleas of Showik Chakraborty, Rhea Chakraborty, Abdul Basit, Zaid Vilatra, Dipesh Sawant & Samuel Miranda conclude at a Mumbai special court, order to be passed tomorrow.



They're arrested by NCB in connection with drugs case related to #SushantSinghRajput case.  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

Bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was accused of drug-related charges, was sent to Mumbai's Byculla jail on Wednesday. She was arrested on Tuesday and was later remanded in NCB custody for 14 days.

Earlier, her brother was also arrested on 5th September.

As per the remand copy of NCB, Rhea procured drugs for consumption. The remand application also reads that Rhea's brother Showik was procuring drugs from Kaizen Ibrahim and Abdel Basit Parihar on Rheas behest.

NCB had grilled Rhea before arresting her. She is accused in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case though the CBI has not found any credible evidence against her.

Rhea Chakraborty has claimed in her bail application that she was coerced into making self-incriminatory confessions during custody.

The application also stated that no drugs or psychotropic substances have been seized from the Rhea, and "the allegations, if any, would pertain strictly to small quantities", thus the offense is bailable in nature.

"The allegations against the present applicant would at the most make out a case of purchasing small quantities of drugs which is in essence a bailable offense. There is not a shred of evidence to connect the applicant with financing any illicit traffic or harbouring any offenders," the application read.

Rhea has also claimed that "during her custody, the applicant was coerced into making self- incriminatory confessions".

(With ENS, agencies inputs)
The Detroit Tigers will get a chance to quickly erase any memories of yesterdays 19-0 defeat.

They play two seven-inning games against Cardinals beginning at 2:15 p.m. on Thursday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

The Tigers (19-22) are two games back in the American League wild card race.

Todays games were originally scheduled to be played in August but were postponed as the Cardinals dealt with an outbreak of the coronavirus.

The Cardinals (18-17) have been aggressively making up games since then. They will still have two games remaining against the Tigers after today, but those have not been rescheduled and are likely to be played only if they affect the playoff race.

Tigers rookie left-hander Tarik Skubal (1-1, 4.70 ERA) will face Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty (2-1, 2.95) in Game 1.

Follow along for live stats and updates below.

GAME UPDATES

Top 7th: The Tigers went down in order against Cardinals reliever Nabil Crismatt. Final: Cardinals 12, Tigers 2.

Bottom 6th: Nick Ramirez gave up a two-run homer to Rangel Ravelo that sneaked inside the left-field foul pole. He got two strikeouts after that and escaped the inning. Cardinals 12, Tigers 2.

Top 6th: Jeimer Candelario had a one-out double against Cardinals reliever Seth Elledge, but he was stranded at second base. Cardinals 10, Tigers 2.

Bottom 5th: Tigers reliever Nick Ramirez retired the Cardinals in order in his 2020 debut. Cardinals 10, Tigers 2.

Top 5th: Jack Flahertys final inning is over in a blink of an eye. The Tigers go down 1-2-3. Cardinals 10, Tigers 2.

Bottom 4th: Paul Goldschmidt led off the inning with a solo home runs and the Cardinals loaded the bases on Beau Burrows with three consecutive singles, but he got Lane Thomas looking to end the inning. Cardinals 10, Tigers 2.

Top 4th: The Tigers broke a streak of 31 unanswered runs over 13 innings when Jeimer Candelario hit a two-run homer. The Tigers still have a long way to go and only a few innings to do it. Cardinals 9, Tigers 2.

Just tweeting to let you know we scored.#DetroitRoots pic.twitter.com/0U2La1wQ6O  Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 10, 2020

Bottom 3rd: Tigers starter Tarik Skubal was knocked out after four straight Cardinals reached base. Things didnt get better under Joe Jimenez, who allowed two-run homers to Tyler ONeill and Lane Thomas. Eleven batters came to the plate, seven runs scored and the Tigers probably need to start playing for Game 2. Cardinals 9, Tigers 0.

Top 3rd: Isaac Paredes broke an 0-for-23 skid with a single and Victor Reyes followed with a base hit to put runners on the corners. But Jonathan Schoop grounded into an inning-ending double play. Schoop was originally called safe at first, which would have allowed Paredes to score from third. But the call was reversed on review, and the run was taken off the board. Cardinals 2, Tigers 0.

Bottom 2nd: Rangel Ravelo walked and Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer in a laborious 31-pitch second inning for Tarik Skubal. Cardinals 2, Tigers 0.

Top 2nd: Travis Demeritte drew a two-out walk, but Daz Cameron, who is still searching for his first big-league hit, flied out to end the inning. Tigers 0, Cardinals 0.

Bottom 1st: Tigers rookie Tarik Skubal answers Flaherty with a 1-2-3 inning of his own, getting Paul Goldschmidt swinging to end the inning. Tigers 0, Cardinals 0.

Top 1st: Not a great start against Jack Flaherty, the Cardinals' 24-year-old ace, who struck out the side, getting Victor Reyes, Jonathan Schoop and Miguel Cabrera swinging. Tigers 0, Cardinals 0.

LINEUPS

Here's how we line up for Game 1 of the doubleheader. #DetroitRoots pic.twitter.com/SwpEValVtR  Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 10, 2020
The Australian share market finished session higher on Thursday, 10 September 2020, with investors applauding an overnight rebound in the U. S. technology issues. Investor sentiment was also brightened by media reports related to novel coronavirus vaccines, including a news report that the suspended trials of a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca PLC may be resumed next week. Also boosting sentiments was reports stated a dip in daily infections in Victoria to double-digits in the recent days and the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt's urge to lift the state's night curfew, if not imposed on medical grounds.

At closing bell, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index added 29.89 points, or 0.51%, to 5,908.52.

The broader All Ordinaries rose 31.08 points, or 0.51%, to 6,089.97.

Mining titans BHP and Rio Tinto added 0.5 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively while the gold producers shone. Newcrest finished up 1.8 per cent after announcing encouraging exploration results in Western Australia and Canada. Gold Road Resources added 6.2 per cent on a similarly positive update.

The banks started well on Thursday but soon fell back and finished the session in the red. NAB led losses for the big four with a 0.7 per cent decline.

CURRENCY NEWS: The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7269 following an earlier high of $0.7286.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
My entrepreneurial journey has been a long and sometimes rocky ride

Inc. magazine today revealed that WB Capital and Green Straw (Kamhi World) is No. 3597 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

My entrepreneurial journey has been a long and sometimes rocky ride, Kamhi remarked. Having been an entrepreneur since my teens, Ive known results that range from stunning success (the number one selling product in its category on Amazon) to debilitating debt. To achieve this honor of recognition on the Inc 5000  especially during this season of inflection during the COVID-19 pandemic, is especially heartening, and I am tremendously grateful.

Not only have the companies on the 2020 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists as well. The 2020 Inc. 5000 achieved an incredible three-year average growth of over 500 percent. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 18.

The companies on this years Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2020 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 23 to 27, 2020. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.

Kamhis journey has been documented in leading publications including Entrepreneur and Washington Post. From his Talking Pens on political figures including Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton to popular toys including the Vamplets and Spice Mice, Kamhis career as a product innovator is renowned. Beyond these successes, however, Kamhis learning experiences as an entrepreneur have provided the genesis of his greatest life work: speaking, teaching and entertaining in venues that share his adventures and lessons with the next generation of emerging entrepreneurs. This experience, he reports, has been the greatest opportunity and joy to emerge from his continuing entrepreneurial career. For more information, visit http://www.kamhiworld.com

CONTACT:

Kelly Fay

The PR Group

727-447-4992 x208

kelly.fay@theprgroup.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

The 2020 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
ARCHIVED - Spain re-negotiates tourist corridors with the United Kingdom



Foreign Affairs Minister Gonzalez Laya sees the opening of "a window of opportunity" for Spanish tourism

Theres no doubt that the loss of international tourists due to the multiple restrictions on travel to Spain and mandatory quarantines imposed by nations across Europe on those visiting Spain has been a hard blow for the tourism sector, which has predicted that by the end of the year its losses will amount to nearly 100 billion euros.



So any straws are worth clutching at and the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, announced on Tuesday that Spain will negotiate "tourist corridors" with the United Kingdom after an announcement from the UK Government relating to a rethink of its strategy for travel recommendations within the framework of the coronavirus to analyze the epidemiological situation of islands separately.



The Spanish Government hopes that safe "tourist corridors" to the Spanish offshore islands can be confirmed, "the agreement that has been reached with the United Kingdom is that the corridors can be launched with an archipelago approach, now it will be necessary to negotiate in which place, and based on what information Spain should provide," Gonzalez Laya explained in an interview with RNE radio.

.

The minister has made it clear that this agreement has yet to be finalized but has defended that "the important thing is that a window of opportunity that did not exist before is opening."



The new British approach, announced on Monday, has not meant any change for the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands at the moment, and those who enter the United Kingdom from the Spanish archipelagos continue to have a two-week quarantine.



British Transport Minister, Grant Shapps, stressed that the rate of infections in the Balearic and Canary Islands is still too high, and indeed, the contagions rate is higher now than when London first imposed a quarantine for travellers from all over Spain, which included the archipelagos. In fact, the first consequence of the new British policy has been to impose a quarantine on travellers from seven Greek islands  excluding the remainder of Greece.



However, Gonzalez Laya maintains that , "it is important news" especially for the Canary archipelago, which has "a specificity of winter tourism that is almost more important than that of summer," and is a popular winter sun destination.



The Minister explained in the interview that the Government is "fighting on two fronts", in both Brussels and in the United Kingdom so that, as the Covid pandemic progresses and it becomes clear that it will be necessary for us all just to live with it, the methods used to make decisions are harmonised within the EU, based on " territorialized "data.



Spain is amongst the EU partners calling for harmonization and uniformity in European measures, and asking the EU to set standard levels against which travel restrictions or recommendations can be made, based not only on the numbers of infections, but also on asymptomatic, hospitalized cases, ICU admissions and the number of tests performed.



Spain is currently reporting considerably higher case rates per capita than many of its more important target markets, but is also carrying out considerably more tests than many of these same countries and does not want to be penalised for its attempts to locate and quarantine asymptomatic cases rather than pretending they dont exist in order to publish artificially low case rates.



Asked about the outbreak of the pandemic in Spain and whether it could be due to the fact that the borders were opened too soon, she pointed out that all countries are experiencing new outbreaks although "perhaps in Spain they began earlier than in other countries". She also said that "it is not surprising", because infections have grown as freedom of movement has increased.



"It is a reflection of the situation with which we are going to have to live," she said: the opening of spaces and return to activity must be made compatible with "control and responsibility so that Covid does not run amok."

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Intelligence officials on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly transferring funds to a spy who was passing confidential information to his Pakistani handler. The officials arrested Aditya Singh of Agra who had transferred funds to one Mushtaq Ali through a mobile payment app. Ali was earlier arrested under espionage charges.

Singh had deposited Rs 10,000 in e-wallet of Ali in February 2019, the intelligence officials said. Another accused in the case, Mira Khan, was produced before a local court on Wednesday from where he was sent to one-day police remand.
Gardai have arrested five teenagers in connection to a 'serious public order' incident in the Midlands last weekend in which a man was allegedly violently attacked by a gang of youths.

It comes after a man was allegedly set upon by several individuals at a playground in Edgeworthstown in Longford, known locally as 'The Green'.

A video of the incident was posted on social media earlier this week. That showed a number of young males can be seen remonstrating with the man before launching a vicious attack on the man as he lay on the ground.

Another man who attempted to come to the victim's aid was also set upon by the group, forcing him to the ground with a barrage of punches and kicks to the body.

One of the alleged suspects can also be heard shouting: "Welcome to Ireland" as a demand is made for a mobile phone.

In the wake of the alleged incident, an investigation was launched and gardai in Granard set up an incident room in an attempt to track down those involved.

It had been reported the incident had occurred on Saturday evening, however it is understood gardai are now satisfied it occurred the following evening.

Since that move and appeal for witnesses, five teenagers have been arrested in connection to the incident.

Four of those are under the age of 18 meaning they are likely to be dealt with in accordance with the gardai's youth diversion programme.

A file will be prepared on that basis and sent to its head office in Dublin.

Gardai are also hoping to make further progress in their inquiries over the coming days and have not ruled out further arrests being made.

In the interim, detectives have renewed their appeal for witnesses. Anyone with information is asked to contact Granard Garda Station at 043-6684562, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
The VASEP reported that in August 2020, shrimp exports to the EU were estimated to have increased by 20% over the same period in 2019.

Compared with other countries, Vietnam has a clear advantage with frozen black tiger shrimp and white leg shrimp exports as black tiger shrimp was reduced from the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) tariffs at 4.2% to 0% upon the EVFTA coming into force. Meanwhile, frozen white leg shrimp will gradually decline to 0% after 5 years.

The EU is currently Vietnams fourth largest shrimp consumer, after the US, Japan and China. The EU market accounts for 13.3% of the total value of Vietnam's shrimp exports.

According to VASEP forecasts, Vietnam's shrimp exports to the EU from now until the end of 2020 will continue to increase despite being negatively affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Power PSUs' joint venture on Wednesday said that it has, till date, deployed 1,514 on roads under the National E-Mobility Programme.

The move has made an impact on the environment by enabling reduction of 5,604 tonnes of CO2 emissions so far.

The company, in a statement, said the fleet of 1,514 has travelled 3 crore green kilometers.

"Despite restrictions such as ban on firecrackers during Diwali, and guidelines on the real estate industry, air pollution in India remains to be a major concern.

"Emissions from vehicles that run on fossil fuels are one of the biggest contributors to air quality deterioration," it said, adding that provide a solution to air pollution and contribute to sustainable development.

"Electric vehicles deployed by have already helped save 2.09 million liters of fuel and led to energy savings of approximately Rs 1,359.4 lakh," the statement said.

In 2018, the Centre, with the aim to provide an impetus to the entire e-mobility ecosystem, launched the National E-Mobility Programme.

The objective of this programme is to create a sustainable demand for e-vehicles, promote domestic manufacturing for both EVs and lithium-ion batteries, reduce oil imports and GHG emissions from the transport sector.

"There are no two ways about the fact that the future of mobility, not only in India but globally, is electric and it is time we equipped ourselves for it. With a supportive policy framework, India's journey towards electric mobility has commenced," Saurabh Kumar, EVC, EESL, was quoted as saying in the statement.

Besides, the company is aggressively working towards building a robust EV charging ecosystem in the country.

"As on date, 534 captive chargers (342 AC & 192 DC) have also been commissioned in states or UT...," the statement said.

"Till date, 156 Public Charging Stations (PCS) have been installed in NDMC Delhi, SDMC Delhi, CMRL Chennai, Maha Metro Nagpur, Noida Authority, Naya Raipur Development Authority and NKDA Kolkata."

--IANS

rv/sn/vd

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cyient will manufacture certain key components of Mispa Count X at its ISO 13485-certified, state-of-art manufacturing facilities in India

Cyient, a global engineering and digital technology solutions company, has announced that it has entered into a manufacturing partnership with Cochin based Agappe to bring to market Count X.

The Mispa Count X is an indigenously designed and developed three-part hematology analyzer by Agappe, that will make India self-reliant in hematology and enable the setup of well-equipped labs in remote and rural locations across India. Cyient will manufacture certain key components of Mispa Count X at its ISO 13485-certified, state-of-art manufacturing facilities in India.

Rajendra Velagapudi, Senior Vice President and CEO, Cyient DLM, commented, We are proud to support the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) in the healthcare sector. It is a matter of immense pride that with Agappes new hematology product, even rural India and other remote locations of the country will have access to the best of diagnostic capabilities.

Hyderabad based Cyients world-class facilities, project management, sourcing, supply chain management, production processes, buoyed by investments in the latest technologies as well as expertise in the delivery of quality products, make it a preferred manufacturing partner for aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial customers globally.

Dr. Satheesh Kumar CS, Senior Vice President, Agappe, said, This partnership will enable Agappe to deliver high-quality, affordable, 100% made-in-India products by taking advantage of Cyients ultra-modern manufacturing facilities to manufacture some of the key components of Mispa Count X so as to reduce time-to-market and lower operating costs. We are eager to get started with full-scale production in our manufacturing facility at Cochin and fulfill customer orders on time.
BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Russia to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers and pay visits to Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia from Sept. 10 to 16, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced Wednesday.

According to Zhao, Wang will exchange views with the foreign ministers of other SCO member states on promoting all-round cooperation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and on major international and regional issues.

Wang will also hold bilateral meetings with his foreign counterparts and attend a luncheon of Chinese, Russian and Indian foreign ministers, Zhao said.

During his visit to Russia, Wang will hold talks with his Russian counterpart and compare notes on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, Zhao said.

Wang will meet the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia and hold talks with their foreign ministers to consolidate the traditional friendship, strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, promote high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs, Zhao said.
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A U.S. bankruptcy judge on Thursday rejected a $2.4 billion financing plan for struggling LATAM Airlines <LTM.SN> on the grounds that a convertible loan included as part of the package would amount to "improper" treatment of other shareholders.

The move is a setback for LATAM, which needs short-term liquidity. But in a lengthy court decision, the judge left the door open for the Chilean carrier to introduce a similar financing plan in the future, this time without the possibility of converting part of the loan into equity.

The airline had no immediate comment on the decision.

The proposal supported by LATAM was composed of a $1.3 billion loan from asset management firm Oaktree Capital Management and a $900 million convertible loan from several key LATAM shareholders, including the Cueto family that controls the airline and Qatar Airways.

LATAM presented the bankruptcy financing proposal in July, which prompted a challenge from other creditors, who even assembled a separate funding plan with investment bank Jefferies Group. The key dispute was over the propriety of the convertible loan.

LATAM filed for bankruptcy protection in May, hammered by the world travel crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, it was the world's largest airline to file for bankruptcy due to COVID-19.

(Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Reopening

10 September 2020

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort announced today plans to resume operations at the luxury property on Thursday, October 1, following its closure earlier this year amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The highly-anticipated reopening of the Vommuli Island resort will welcome guests back to the finest address in the Maldives where a rarefied sense of privacy and unforgettable moments are anchored by redefined cleaning and health measures to ensure the safest environment for guests and associates.

The St. Regis Maldives elevated its exacting health and safety standards and implemented a multi-pronged approach guided by Marriott's Cleanliness Council, which adheres to recommended guidelines and protocols put forth by the local government and the World Health Organization. The resort applies all of Marriott's revised cleanliness procedures including increased cleaning frequency of surfaces and high-traffic spaces using enhanced technologies including electrostatic sprayers and UV light disinfection, contactless technologies or low-touch solutions to mitigate transmission, and encouraged social distancing with modified floor plans and capacities within community amenity spaces.

Upon returning, guests can expect the same exclusive private island experience that is emblematic of The St. Regis Maldives, where its world-class amenities and impeccable service are unmatched. For heightened privacy, newly launched dining concepts including the Signature Floating Dining Rituals present guests with a gastronomic journey to indulge in while soaking in the reflective waters of the private plunge pool in their Villa. Whether for morning breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea, these dining rituals bring an elegant experience that will have guests savor and explore flavors from around the world from the comfort of their private retreat.

In addition, the resort enriched its bespoke private dining with new, imaginative experiences offering guests greater optionality for those remarkable moments on Vommuli Island, from an opulent starlight dinner set along the shoreline to an unparalleled toes-in-the-sand cinema and dining experience and more.

The St. Regis Maldives immerses travelers into the destination's idyllic, natural environment, elevated by the finest expression of luxury that promises nonpareil relaxation and extraordinary moments. Set on more than 22-acres, the resort's 77 transcendent villas scattered through the island each offer a plunge pool and private entrance for an unparalleled degree of seclusion and privacy. The premium two- and three-bedroom villas - including the famed John Jacob Astor Estate, the largest overwater villa in the Maldives - are perfectly poised for families and groups looking for a destination retreat to escape to.

In accordance with the Maldivian Government, guests are required to complete a travel declaration and contact tracing form prior to checking-in and the property will require temperature screenings for all associates, guests and visitors arriving to the island. For further ease, guests will receive a COVID-19 test administered by the property's on-site doctor 72-hours prior to departure.

For more information and reservations, please contact us at [email protected].
Lee Filas, the spokesman for Lake County States Attorney Mike Nerheim, said Thursday that prosecutors would not litigate the case in the media. Filas, though, added that evidence at trial showed that Yang said on the tape that she wore gloves during the shooting.
It is standard procedure to pause trial until further information is obtained about any unexplained symptom or any developments in a recipient's health

Clinical trials for AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine candidate have been paused in India, said Serum Institute of India on Thursday, days after similar trials were halted in the UK after a recipient developed a potentially unexplained illness.

The move also comes after the company received a notice from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for not submitting casualty analysis of the "reported serious adverse events".

Why was the vaccine trial paused?

It all started when one of the vaccine recipients developed an unspecified serious illness in the UK. It is not yet clear whether the vaccine and the onset of disease are co-related. But it is standard procedure to pause trial until further information is obtained about any unexplained symptom or developments in a recipient.

AstraZeneca, a Bretish-Swedish drug company, which is manufacturing the vaccine in a tie-up with Oxford University, didn't reveal any information about the possible side effect except to call it "a potentially unexplained illness".

The health news site STAT first reported the pause in testing, saying the possible side effect occurred in the UK.

Its likely that the unexplained illness was serious enough to require hospitalisation and not a mild side effect such as fever or muscle pain, said Deborah Fuller, a University of Washington researcher who is working on a different COVID-19 vaccine that has not yet started human testing.

Earlier-stage studies of the Oxford vaccine canddiate hadn't revealed any serious side effects, but that's a key reason for doing ever-larger phases of research  to widen the search for any reactions.

Meanwhile, it is important to note that temporary holds of large medical studies aren't unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing. AstraZeneca pointed out that it's possible the problem could be a coincidence; illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of people.

How does it impact search for coronavirus vaccine?

Even though such interruptions in last-stage trials of drugs and vaccines are not uncommon, the suspension of trials, while temporary, may offset hopes of an early vaccine.

Scientists have been scrambling to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus since the outbreak began, and experts across various countries are testing several vaccine candidates. Due to the severity of the situation, the world has even witnessed calls to fast-track trials to ensure an early launch of vaccine. On average, vaccine development can take 10-15 years.

The pause on the last-stage trials may offset the release date that SII and AstraZeneca were hoping for.

We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimise any potential impact on the trial timeline, AstraZeneca statement said.

SII, which was responsible for carrying out the trials in India, however, refused to comment on how the pause will effect the production timeline.

"We are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials till AstraZeneca restarts the trials. We are following DCGIs instructions and will not be able to comment further on trials. You can connect with DCGI for more updates on this front," SII said.

Experts call pharma giant's move to pause trial despite public glare 'reassuring'

However, apart from a possible delay in production of vaccine, public health experts feel the decision to pause trials was actually encouraging.

This is not something to be alarmed about, Fuller said. Instead, its reassuring that the company is pausing the study to figure out whats happening and carefully monitoring the health of study participants.

Dr Francis Collins, director of US National Institutes of Health said, "This ought to be reassuring... When we say we are going to focus first on safety and make no compromises, here is Exhibit A of how that is happening in practice."

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York, tweeted that the illness may be unrelated to the vaccine, "but the important part is that this is why we do trials before rolling out a vaccine to the general public".

So...this is why you need to do phase 3 clinical trials prior to a vaccine getting approval. https://t.co/YJGfc0jaBK  Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) September 8, 2020

Rasmussen's comments bring to light the importance of sticking to the due diligence in vaccine and drug trials.

During the third and final stage of testing, researchers look for any signs of possible side effects that may have gone undetected in earlier patient research. Because of their large size, these studies are considered the most important phase for picking up less common side effects and establishing safety.

The trials also assess effectiveness by tracking who gets sick and who doesnt between patients getting the vaccine and those receiving a dummy shot.

This process isn't new  phase 3 studies of vaccines and therapies are always done this way  though they are rarely in the spotlight.

This especially becomes important in the backdrop of reports that countries were trying to fast-track their vaccine trials for political reasons.

This week news broke that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked states to sweep away red tape that could prevent a network of vaccine distribution centres being "fully operational by 1 November, 2020". The country faces its presidential elections this year on 3 November.

The US Food and Drug Administration has also raised the possibility that a vaccine might be given emergency authorisation before the end of trials.

President Donald Trump dangled the possibility in front of supporters last week at the Republican National Convention saying the US "will produce a vaccine before the end of the year, or maybe even sooner".

Furthermore, Russia had launched its vaccine Sputnik V last month without conducting phase 3 trials. Reports said that human trials of the Sputnik V vaccine only began in June, at the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, and fewer than 200 people were tested in phases 1 and 2.

The vaccine was released for public distribution on 7 September 2020 to the country's population.

Brian Oliver, who leads the Respiratory Molecular Pathogenesis Group at UTS had told ABC News at the time of Sputnik V's announcement, "In some ways, the approach reported to be taken in Russia is to have a phase 3 trial on the whole population. However, if the vaccination proves to be successful, I'm sure that people will ask why other countries didn't also take this approach."

The roadblock in the AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine trial should reinstate the importance of a larger study before a possible vaccine is released to the world population.

With inputs from agencies
Responding to a question about how serious the Trump administration approached the spread of COVID-19, Vice President Mike Pence defended the president's leadership.



"No American who required a ventilator was ever denied a ventilator," Pence said in a one-on-one interview with our sister station WTAE-TV. "We slowed the spread. We flattened the curve."

The disease has killed over 190,000 people in the U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that had it been handled differently, the number of lives lost could have been substantially higher.

The virus continues to spread in the U.S. One projection by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington projects 400,000 or more people in America could die by Jan. 1, describing that as a "likely" scenario that could be more or less depending on mask wearing usage and social distancing.

Pence said, "We have a ways to go. We all have a role to play. And we grieve the loss of life here in Pennsylvania and around the country."

The vice president said we're well on our way to having a vaccine, crediting it to the president's actions.

Pence traveled to western Pennsylvania on Wednesday to speak for a campaign event at a PennEnergy Resources site. Earlier in the day, Pence spoke with pro-life advocates during an event at Cornerstone Ministries in Export.



The visits won't be the last time the 2020 campaign trail comes through the Pittsburgh area.

On Friday, Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will be in Shanksville, Somerset County, where the Flight 93 National Memorial is located, 19 years since the 9/11 attacks.


An international study published in Science significantly improves the potential for understanding how the Earth's climate system evolved over the past 66 million years. The work reveals that the Earth system shifted abruptly between 4 distinct modes: hothouse, warmhouse, coolhouse, and icehouse during the period. The EU Horizon 2020 TiPES project contributed to the results.

The study, "An astronomically dated record of Earth's climate and its predictability over the last 66 Million Years", by Thomas Westerhold, MARUM, Bremen, Germany et. al presents a precisely dated paleoclimate record for the last 66 million years.

"The new dataset extends our knowledge on climate variability much further into the past and simultaneously has significantly improved temporal precision. It might, therefore, act as a new paleoclimate reference curve for researchers around the world," explains co-author Norbert Marwan of PIK-Potsdam, Germany.

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) is a principal investigator in the TiPES project, which is coordinated from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The new dataset, CENOGRID has more detail and higher signal-to-noise ratio than any previous paleoclimate record covering the period. This means, climate science now has access to a longer series of precise paleoclimate data, which can be used to extract knowledge about the Earth system from the past.

"We now know more accurately when it was warmer or colder on the planet and we also have a better understanding of the underlying dynamics," explains first author Thomas Westerhold of MARUM.

Advanced statistical analysis of the new, accurately dated climate record confirmed 4 distinct climate modes which dominated the last 66 million years: Hothouse, warmhouse, coolhouse, and our current state: Ice-house.

"We were able to look more in details that were not visible at the first glance on the data," explains Dr. Norbert Marwan.

The shifts between states might have involved tipping points, which is the subject of further investigations.

The improved data resolution and dating of the evolution of past climate is an important contribution to climate science. Not least, because precise climate modeling, which is urgently needed today, relies on a good understanding of the Earth system.

Also, the quality of a climate model can be tested by having it simulate the climate of the past. Such a test is of course only possible if we know the evolution of the past climate in reasonable detail.

Thus, the work should lead to reduced uncertainty in predictions of future climate conditions.

In the study, sample material from the ocean floor, collected throughout the world for more than five decades through internationally coordinated expeditions of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and its predecessor programs was astronomically dated, using the so-called Milankovitch cycles.

The Milankovitch cycles are recurring variations in the Earth's orbit around the Sun. These variations influence the amount and distribution of solar energy reaching Earth. As it varies over time, regional climates fluctuate, leaving a climate signal in fossilized microscopic organisms.

The TiPES project is an EU Horizon 2020 interdisciplinary climate science project on tipping points in the Earth system, coordinated by The Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

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BY THE NUMBERS

U.S. stock futures turned positive Thursday morning, one day after a tech-led bounce clawed back some of the carnage of the previous three sessions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained nearly 440 points, or 1.6%, on Wednesday, but remained nearly 5.5.% away from February's record highs. The S&P 500 jumped 2%, but still 5% below last week's record highs. The Nasdaq soared 2.7%, though it remained over 7% below last week's record highs. (CNBC) Shares of Apple (AAPL), a Dow stock and a major force in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, were steady in the premarket after jumping almost 4% on Wednesday. However, Apple was still off about 14% from last week's record highs. Meanwhile, Apples product-launch extravaganza, set for Tuesday, will be muted this year because of Covid-19. (CNBC) The government said Thursday morning there were 884,000 new filings for unemployment benefits for the week ending Sept. 5, higher than estimates of 850,000 and equal to the revised initial jobless claims number in the prior week, which ushered in a change in methodology from the Labor Department to address seasonal factors. (CNBC) Citigroup (C) CEO Michael Corbat, after 37 years at the bank, will retire in February. Jane Fraser, head of Citi's Global Consumer Banking unit, will succeed Corbat. She will become the first woman CEO of a megabank. Fraser has been at Citi for 16 years. (CNBC)

IN THE NEWS TODAY

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It's impossible to deny  humans are destroying the natural environment at an unprecedented and alarming rate. According to a new report out Tuesday, animal populations have declined by such a staggering amount, that only an overhaul of the world's economic systems could possibly reverse the damage.

Nearly 21,000 monitored populations of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians, encompassing almost 4,400 species around the world, have declined an average of 68% between 1970 and 2016, according to the World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report 2020. Species in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as global freshwater habitats, were disproportionately impacted, declining, on average, 94% and 84%, respectively.

Every two years, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) releases its landmark report, revealing how far species populations have declined since 1970  an important marker for the overall health of ecosystems. The latest report indicates that the rate populations are declining "signal a fundamentally broken relationship between humans and the natural world, the consequences of which  as demonstrated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic  can be catastrophic."

"This report reminds us that we destroy the planet at our peril  because it is our home," WWF U.S. president and CEO Carter Roberts said in a statement. "As humanity's footprint expands into once-wild places, we're devastating species populations. But we're also exacerbating climate change and increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19. We cannot shield humanity from the impacts of environmental destruction. It's time to restore our broken relationship with nature for the benefit of species and people alike."

A donkey stands tied up next to a burnt area of Amazon rainforest reserve, south of Novo Progresso in Para state, on August 16, 2020. / Credit: CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images

Humans are to blame

The report blames humans alone for the "dire" state of the planet. It points to the exponential growth of human consumption, population, global trade and urbanization over the last 50 years as key reasons for the unprecedented decline of Earth's resources  which it says the planet is incapable of replenishing.

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The overuse of these finite resources by at least 56% has had a devastating effect on biodiversity, which is crucial to sustaining human life on Earth. "It is like living off 1.56 Earths," Mathis Wackernagel, David Lin, Alessandro Galli and Laurel Hanscom from the Global Footprint Network said in the report.

The report points to land-use change  in particular, the destruction of habitats like rainforests for farming  as the key driver for loss of biodiversity, accounting for more than half of the loss in Europe, Central Asia, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Much of that land is being used for agriculture, which is responsible for 80% of global deforestation and makes up 70% of freshwater use. Using this much land requires a vast food system that releases 29% of global greenhouse gases, and the excessive amount of land and water that people are using has killed 70% of terrestrial biodiversity and 50% of freshwater biodiversity. Many species simply cannot survive under the new conditions forced upon them when their habitats are altered by humans.

Destruction of ecosystems has threatened 1 million species  500,000 animals and plants and 500,000 insects  with extinction, much of which can be prevented with conservation and restoration efforts.

Healthy vegetation sits alongside a field scorched by fire in the Amazon rainforest in Rondonia state, Brazil. / Credit: Leonardo Carrato/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The food industry needs an overhaul

Where and how humans produce food is one of the biggest threats to nature, the report says. Much of the habitat loss and deforestation that occurs is driven by food production and consumption.

One-third of all terrestrial land is used for cropping and animal breeding. And of all the water withdrawn from available freshwater resources, 75% is used for crops or livestock. If current habitats remain the same, researchers predict that cropland areas may have to be 10-25% larger in 2050 than in 2005, just to accommodate increased food demand. That increase is expected, despite more than 820 million people facing food insecurity, indicating that much of the agricultural strain is being wasted.

Meanwhile, food loss and waste cost the U.S. $1 trillion in economic costs, $700 billion in environmental costs and approximately $900 billion in social costs, according to the report.

Around the world, an estimated one-third of all food produced for humans is lost or wasted  about 1.4 billion tons every year. Food waste is responsible for at least 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions  three times more than that from aviation  and nearly one-quarter of those emissions come from wasted food.

Cattle on a dairy farm in Saxony on June 6, 2020. / Credit: Sebastian Willnow/picture alliance via Getty Images

The role of climate change

Species overexploitation, invasive species and diseases and pollution are all considered threats to biodiversity, the report said. However, human-caused climate change is projected to become as, or more important than, other drivers of biodiversity loss in the coming decades.

Climate change creates an ongoing destructive feedback loop in which the worsening climate leads to the decline in genetic variability, species richness and populations, and that loss of biodiversity adversely affects the climate. For example, deforestation leads to an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, warming the planet and exacerbating forest fires.

Just a handful of countries  Russia, Canada, Brazil and Australia  contain regions without a human footprint. But these wilderness areas are facing irreversible erosion, affecting other species and humans' ability to adapt to climate change.

According to the report, no part of the ocean is entirely unaffected by overfishing, pollution, coastal development and other human-caused stressors. Humans depend on marine ecosystems to provide food, climate regulation, carbon storage and coastal protection  all of which are affected by these activities and are exacerbated by climate change.

"These places are disappearing in front of our eyes," said James Watson, from the University of Queensland and WCS, Brooke Williams from the University of Queensland and Oscar Venter from the University of Northern British Columbia.

A polar bear stands on melting sea ice at sunset near Harbour Islands in Canada. / Credit: Paul Souders | WorldFoto / Getty Images

The link between the health of the people and the planet

Between devastating wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has made it clear that humans and nature have never been more intertwined. The report shows that the natural support for human life is rapidly declining  and that it's up to citizens, governments and business leaders to come together at a scale never-before-seen to do something about it.

Experts expressed concern that many of the major gains in human health in the past 50 years  such as a decreased rate of child mortality and poverty and an increase in life expectancy  could be undone or even reversed due to loss of nature.

The rate of infectious disease emergence has increased dramatically over the past 80 years  and nearly half of these diseases are connected to land-use change, agriculture and the food industry. One study cited by the report suggests that diseases originating in animals are responsible for 2.5 billion cases of illness and nearly 3 million deaths every year.

"How humanity chooses to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it addresses the looming threats from global environmental change, will influence the health of generations to come," wrote Thomas Pienkowski and Sarah Whitmee of the University of Oxford.

Firefighters monitor the Bear Fire burning in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region. / Credit: Noah Berger / AP

What can be done?

Similarly to the economic crash in 2008, lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic have reduced humanity's demand by nearly 10%  a change that experts say is unlikely to last without major structural change.

While the report paints a tragic picture for the future of the natural world, it urges that current trends can be flattened, and even reversed, with urgent action. It emphasizes the need for world leaders to overhaul the food production and consumption industries  taking deforestation completely out of supply chains and making trade more sustainable, among other things.

In just the last year alone, natural disasters, from California's wildfires to severe droughts in Australia, have cost billions of dollars globally. Experts warn that economic decision-makers need to take into account not only produced and human capital, but also natural capital when crafting public and private policy.

To feed 10 billion people by 2050, humans will need to adopt a healthier way of eating  both for themselves and for the planet. Diet-related disease risk is the leading cause of premature mortality globally and food production is the main driver of biodiversity loss and water pollution, also accounting for 20-30% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Experts recommend humans adopt a diet that consists of a balanced proportion of whole grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, beans and pulses, with animal-derived products like fish, eggs, dairy and meat consumed in moderation.

The report calls the above changes "non-negotiable" to preserve human health, wealth and security and urges world leaders gathering virtually for the U.N. General Assembly beginning September 15 to address them  only then can humans "bend the curve" of biodiversity loss.

"While the trends are alarming, there is reason to remain optimistic," said WWF global chief scientist Rebecca Shaw. "Young generations are becoming acutely aware of the link between planetary health and their own futures, and they are demanding action from our leaders. We must support them in their fight for a just and sustainable planet."

Trump admits to downplaying coronavirus threat in audio recordings

Woodward tapes show Trump knew the dangers of COVID-19 but downplayed it

Bob Woodward to discuss Trump book on "60 Minutes"
The island was closed due to the epidemic, putting at risk its flourishing tourism sector. The government has tried to promote domestic tourism by paying 40 per cent of travellers' hotel bills, but local spending alone cannot compensate for a loss of foreigners. In Phuket, foreign visitors accounted for two-thirds of overall tourists, but 90 per cent of tourism receipts.

Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Thailand is planning to reopen the island of Phuket to foreign visitors, since local spending cannot compensate for the loss of foreign receipts, and this despite the fact that the government is footing 40 per cent of travellers hotel bills.

The plan, which called for the island to reopen to foreign visitors next month, has however hit a snag after the first community coronavirus transmission since 26 May was reported last week involving a 37-year-old inmate from a Bangkok prison.

The government is ready, but there are still concerns from some groups that the reopening will lead to infections, said Deputy Premier and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. We have to learn to fight and live with the pandemic. We cant be afraid of it.

The government and businesses are weighing the cost of curbing infection risks whilst limiting damage to the economy, which is set to contract by 8.5 per cent this year.

Thailands failure to relaunch overseas tourism creates a dangerously perilous scenario for Phukets hospitality industry, said Bill Barnett, managing director at consulting firm C9 Hotelworks.

The situation is bad, and likely to get worse, as operating hotels incur losses day in and day out, Barnett added.

In fact, almost 70 per cent of hotels in the development pipeline are now being delayed or put on hold, according to C9 Hotelworks data, with the financial impact eroding jobs in construction, real estate, retail and consumer credit defaults.

The Thai government has been trying to promote domestic tourism with a campaign to foot 40 per cent of travellers hotel bills, but local spending alone cant compensate for a loss of foreigners.

In Phuket, foreign visitors represented for two-thirds of overall tourists but 90 per cent of all tourism receipts.

About 86,000 rooms in Phuket cant break-even or be cash-flow positive with only domestic demand, and 50,000 jobs may be lost this year if theres no support or international visitors, according to the Phuket Hotels Association, which represents 78 hotels on the island. Room occupancy rate at most Phuket hotels is in single digit, the group estimates.

No amount of induced local demand can prevent the dramatic continued loss of jobs and rapidly eroding financial crisis for owners and operators, said Anthony Lark, president of the association. We strongly advocate a safe, pragmatic, and strategic reopening for foreign travellers.

While some groups are opposing the reopening of Phuket, a clear and timely communication strategy to ensure safety of visitors and locals should help assuage concerns, according to Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, president of the Thai Hotels Associations Southern Chapter.

The delay resulted from mixed messaging about the details of the plan for safe reopening and led to some groups opposing the plan, said Kongsak, who also works with 12 local business groups. Businesses in Phuket are ready for foreign visitors to come back as soon as possible.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 07:18:23|Editor: huaxia

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MONTEVIDEO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Uruguay's largest livestock and agribusiness exposition, Expo Prado, opened Wednesday in the capital Montevideo with strict social distancing measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Gabriel Capurro, president of the Rural Association of Uruguay, the trade group that organizes the expo, said the 115th edition of the expo has "a greater presence of agricultural companies" because many firms were able to participate in the fair after other traditional agricultural expos were suspended due to the pandemic.

New rules required temperature control at the entrance, hand sanitizers, mandatory use of face masks and maintaining physical distance with others, while expo staff were required to undergo tests for COVID-19.

At the opening ceremony, in which Montevideo Mayor Christian Di Candia took part, Capurro stressed that Uruguayan agribusiness has continued its production process throughout the pandemic.

Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou on Wednesday afternoon attended various official events as part of the International Livestock Exhibition and International Agro-Industrial and Commercial Exhibition.

The expo, which runs through Sept. 20, features more than 500 stands in a 65,000-square-meter venue and is expected to draw between 400,000 and 500,000 visitors, possibly less due to the pandemic.

More than 1,500 animals of different breeds will be showcased at the livestock show, mostly cows and sheep.

An exhibit of agricultural machinery, including seeders, harvesters, tractors and irrigation machines, is also part of the expo held in the city's Prado district. Enditem
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - Twelve candidates out of 13 were shortlisted Wednesday by the Guinean Constitutional Court to take part in the 18 October presidential election, official sources said here following the closure of bids
This is deadly stuff, President Donald Trump said of the coronavirus in a Feb. 7 interview with journalist Bob Woodward for his upcoming book, Rage. But it was a vastly different story than he was telling the public at the time. Trump would later admit to Woodward that publicly, he wanted to always play down the severity of the virus.
When Bob Woodward asked him a question noting how they both led privileged lives, Trumps response was, No. You really drank the Kool-Aid, didnt you?

Bob Woodwards latest book, Rage, which was reportedly culled from hours of audio interviews the legendary former journalist conducted with President Donald Trump, has revealed a lot about the state of the Trump White House.

Revelations about Trumps knowledge of the coronavirus has been one of the most egregious revelations. However, the book also revealed more of Trumps feelings about race.

President Donald Trump departs after speaking about potential judicial appointees in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House Wednesday. He also fielded questions about the coronavirus and Rage, Bob Woodwards new book about him. (Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

In one interview audio clip that was released to The Washington Post, Woodward asked Trump about the existence of white privilege. He explained to the president that they were both white men, with privileged upbringings. Woodwards father was an attorney, and, later, a judge in Illinois, while Fred Trump was a New York real estate magnate.

Do you have any sense that that privilege has isolated and put you in a cave, to a certain extent, me and lots of white privileged people in a cave? Woodward asks, We have to understand and work our way out of it.

Read More: Trump admits to concealing truth about coronavirus: I wanted to always play it down

No, Trump says, his voice incredulous, You really drank the Kool-Aid, didnt you? Just listen to you. Wow. No, I dont feel that at all.

The interview took place on June 18, the day before Juneteenth, less than a month after the police slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which prompted national protests that even expanded across the globe.

Woodward continued to press the president to understand the history of struggle among African Americans after generations of discrimination and inequality.

Read More: Trump claimed Obama highly overrated, insulted his intelligence: Woodward

The president refused to acquiesce. Instead, he continued to point to the pre-pandemic unemployment rate for Blacks.

The unemployment rate for Blacks was still twice that of whites before the pandemic. The COVID-19 shutdown also had a more devastating effect economically on Blacks.

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Trump continued to assert that he has done more for Blacks than any president except perhaps Abraham Lincoln.

Read More: Trump Jr. on alleged Kenosha shooter: We all do stupid things at 17

In another interview on July 8, Trump complained about his lack of support among Black voters. Ive done a tremendous amount for the Black community, he told Woodward. And, honestly, Im not feeling any love.

In another interview, Woodward asked the president whether racism is here in the United States in a way that affects peoples lives. Trump finally replied, I think it is. And its unfortunate. But, I think it is.

Rage, the 20th book Woodward has authored or co-authored, is set for release Sept. 15.

Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Trump says he doesnt feel the need to understand Black pain at all appeared first on TheGrio.
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Xiaomis health and fitness app, Mi Health is getting a new update that will bring the feature of monitoring heart rate of the user. Earlier the app was accessible by specific MIUI users only following its launch last year in China.

According to a recent report by XDA Developers, the app will get the support of heart rate monitoring in its latest update that takes the version number to 2.7.4. The app previously had the ability to track steps, monitor sleep, and track menstruation cycle.

Mi Health will be using the camera of the Mi device to monitor the heart rate. The report explains that a user needs to first open up the newly-available section dedicated to heart rate monitoring in the app. There will be a red button at the bottom right corner and users need to press on it.

A new screen will open asking the user to completely block the camera and flash on your device with a finger. Once this is done, the smartphone starts measuring the heart rate. There is a progression bar present on the screen as shown in the screenshots shared by the tech portal. A user needs to hold their finger in the same position till that bar reaches 100 percent.

Thereafter, a pop-up window will open up, enquiring the state a user is at that moment. There are three options to choose from: general state, resting state, and after exercise. Once the user puts in this data, a view report tab will open up and pressing on it will give the current heart rate of them based on their present state. The report is apparently going to include an illustration that shows if someone has a slow, normal, or fast heart rate.

The feature is expected to roll out to all users in the upcoming week.
KRAKOW, Poland, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Selvita (WSE: SLV), one of the largest preclinical contract research organizations in Europe, reported today its H1 2020 financial results and provided a corporate update.

For the H1 2020, Selvita reports consolidated revenues of EUR 15.2 million, up by 47% on a year-on-year basis. The EBITDA result reached EUR 3.6 million, compared to EUR 2.4 million a year earlier. The backlog for 2020, as of September 7, amounts to EUR 27.6 million and indicates an increase of 39%, as compared to the values reported a year ago.

The Company consistently develops its business activities and strengthens its position on the global preclinical CRO market, especially among the U.S. customer base, considered the world's largest biotechnology market.

Commercial revenues in the Services Segment increased in H1 2020 to EUR 12.5 million, showing a 51% increase, compared to EUR 8.6 million in the corresponding period last year. The EBITDA result of the Services Segment amounted to EUR 3.2 million, which indicates a 23.8% profitability.

Revenues in the Bioinformatics segment (Selvita's subsidiary  Ardigen S.A.) amounted to EUR 2.0 million in 1H 2020, indicating a 43% increase compared to the same period last year. The EBITDA result increased by 217% and amounted to EUR 0.4 million, with a margin of 20,1%.

The Company's net profit in the first half of the year amounted to EUR 2.1 million, compared to EUR 1.1 million for a corresponding period last year.

The first half of 2020 was a very intensive period for Selvita in terms of corporate and business development. The Company announced a new development strategy for 2020-2023, successfully raised over EUR 20 million from the issue of C series shares, and consequently increased its scale of business.

- We're consistently implementing the assumptions of the development strategy, which directly translate into strengthening of our market position, as well as a solid operational and financial result. The first half of 2020 confirms that the global preclinical CRO market continues to grow and diversify, despite the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For Selvita, it was a very strong half-year, as, despite the global situation and instabilities, we managed to strengthen our position on international markets, especially among U.S. based customers - comments Boguslaw Sieczkowski, Chief Executive Officer at Selvita.

Revenues from the services commissioned by U.S. customers increased almost three times by 279% y/y, and already constitute nearly 28% of the entire Services Segment revenues. At the same time, revenues from the services commissioned by customers from the United Kingdom increased by 63% y/y. Increasing customer recognition is related to the high quality of services offered and highly competent teams of specialists, which results in further contracts.

Continuity of our business operations has been assured with numerous preventive measures across our entire organization that have been taken in order to keep our scientists safe and the Company fully operational. Despite the restrictions placed on international travel, we are keeping our sales and networking activities going, which has successfully translated into the signature of numerous new contracts, as evidenced by our record-breaking backlog - adds Boguslaw Sieczkowski.

At the end of April 2020, Selvita announced its new development strategy for 2020  2023, which assumes increasing revenues, maintaining a stable EBITDA margin, and over EUR 230 million of market cap in 2023. For this purpose, in 2020-2023, the Company intends to execute investments worth up to EUR 75-90 million, allocated to acquisitions and organic development. In order to complete the strategy, Selvita raised over EUR 20 million in its Follow-On public offering from the issue of C series shares. Approximately 80% of the proceeds will be allocated to acquisitions, on which the Company is currently intensively working on. One of the elements of the strategy execution will be the creation of the Selvita Research Center in order to secure its own research space necessary for further growth. The Company has already made the first step towards executing this goal and signed a contract to purchase a plot of land in the neighborhood of its current laboratories in August 2020 for the value of EUR 2,3 million.

* Percentage changes in the press release are calculated based on functional currency [PLN].

About Selvita

Selvita is a CRO (Contract Research Organization) Company providing multidisciplinary support in resolving the unique challenges of research within area of drug discovery, regulatory studies, as well as research and development.

The Company was established in 2007 and currently employs over 500 professionals, of which over 1/3 hold PhD title. Selvita is headquartered in Krakow, Poland, with a second research site in Poznan, Poland and foreign offices located in Cambridge, MA and South San Francisco, in the U.S., as well as in Cambridge, UK. Selvita is a major shareholder in Ardigen  bioinformatics company harnessing advanced Artificial Intelligence methods for novel precision medicine.

The Company has a proven track record of successfully completed projects and customers in 40 countries. Majority of Company revenues come from pharma, biotech, chemical and agrochemical companies from the U.S. and Europe. Selvita is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE:SLV).

For more information, please see www.selvita.com.

Contact details:

Investor Relations contact:

[email protected]

Media contact:

Natalia Baranowska

[email protected]

+48 784 069 418

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements, including, among other things, statements regarding the guidance from management and financial results. Selvita cautions the reader that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which might cause the actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of Selvita, or industry results, to be materially different from any historic or future results, financial conditions, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, even if Selvita's results, performance, financial conditions, and the development of the industry in which it operates are consistent with such forward-looking statements, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document. Selvita expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this document to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, unless specifically required by law or regulation.

SOURCE Selvita

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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Moscow, Russia  Thu, September 10, 2020 08:46 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43e9eca 2 World Russia,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-vaccine,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Russia on Wednesday began inoculating volunteers in Moscow with the country's new coronavirus vaccine, the capital's deputy mayor said.

Russia announced last month that its vaccine, named "Sputnik V" after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957, had already received approval.

"The first participants have already had the vaccination at clinics in the capital," Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova, responsible for social development, said in a statement.

The vaccine project is financed by Russia's sovereign wealth fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

The vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya research institute in Moscow in coordination with the Russian defense ministry.

High-profile Russians have already been vaccinated, including President Vladimir Putin's daughter, nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that the president would "inform you about it himself" if he decided to get vaccinated.

The Moscow city government website said 40,000 people from the capital can receive the vaccine, given in two doses with a 21-day interval.

The site says they are taking part in a "post-registration study" of the vaccine.

Those volunteering must not have had COVID-19 or recent contact with anyone ill and must not be pregnant or trying for a baby.

Rakova said that more than 35,000 Muscovites had already applied online.

The Moscow city's website says that volunteers will be closely monitored via a specially created app.

Russia will also make the vaccine available shortly for people in high-risk groups: medics and teachers, who will receive it on a voluntary basis and will also be monitored.

Russia raised concerns among Western scientists by announcing that the vaccine had received approval before full clinical trials has been completed.

Patients in early trials involving 76 people all developed antibodies, according to research published in The Lancet medical journal last week, while experts said the trials were too small to prove safety and effectiveness.

The phase three trials, which the health ministry said began on Wednesday, are more rigorous and include some volunteers receiving a placebo. These will take part in several countries, according to the vaccine's website.

Russia has said it is ready to manufacture 500 million doses of vaccine per year.

The country has confirmed more than 1 million coronavirus cases and 18,305 people have died.

Moscow's infection rate has been relatively stable in recent months with 642 new cases confirmed Wednesday.
The Justice Department has intervened in a lawsuit brought against President Trump by E. Jean Carroll. Shes the journalist who claims that Trump raped her 25 years ago.

Carrolls suit isnt about the alleged rape. Its a defamation suit based on Trumps denial of her allegation.

To those unschooled in the law, it probably seems odd that the DOJ would substitute itself for Trump as the defendant in a suit about statements Trump made. The Washington Post wants to capitalize on that sentiment. Its lead editorial today claims that the DOJ is sink[ing] to a new low by acting as Trumps personal law firm. E.J. Dionne chimes in, calling the DOJ Trumps corrupt law firm. (Both headlines from paper edition)

But Trump denied Carrolls allegation while he was president (and, in all likelihood wouldnt have been asked about alleged ancient misconduct, had he not been president). The fact that the allegedly defamatory statement was uttered during Trumps presidency justifies the DOJs involvement under the law.

Thats not my opinion (I had none because Im unschooled in this area of the law). Its the opinion of two well known law professors interviewed by the Washington Post. Steven Vladek, from the left, called the Justice Departments legal position a plausible argument because courts have interpreted the scope of federal employment very broadly, almost to the point where anything you do while on the job, courts usually treat as scope of employment.

This doctrine supports the DOJs position, Vladek acknowledged. He complains only about the timing of the Departments action, not its legal merit.

From the center, Jonathan Turley agrees that the Justice Departments legal position is sound. He dislikes the DOJs move, but says it is legal and, therefore, likely to be upheld in court.

Post reporters Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky do not quote any scholar who disagrees with the assessments of Vladek and Turley. Given the Posts editorial position, I doubt it was for lack of trying to find one. I should also note that neither the Posts editors nor Dionne cited anyone who dissented on legal grounds, either.

Were left, then, with the unrebutted statement of Attorney General Barr. He said:

This is a normal application of the law, the law is clear, it is done frequently, and the little tempest thats going on is largely because of the bizarre political environment in which we live.

Barr noted that similar legal arguments have been made by past presidents and vice presidents, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. This has become somewhat routine, he stated.

Barr also cited a 2006 ruling by the D.C. Court of Appeals in a case where a congressman had been sued over comments he made about his pending separation from his wife. The court ruled that even that topic was within the scope of his government employment because a lawmakers ability to do his job as a legislator effectively is tied, as in this case, to the Members relationship with the public and in particular his constituents and colleagues in the Congress.

Thus does another Washington Post/Democratic talking point go up in flames.
Whistleblowers have lifted the lid on Queensland's dark history of brutal child neglect, after 58 kids known to authorities died in one year alone.

Six of the 58 children died from neglect or 'suspected/confirmed' fatal assault, four from drowning and 23 from natural cases.

Another 14 took their own lives, the Queensland Family and Child Commission report from 2018-19 found, the ABC reported.

Since the last annual count in mid-2019, the state has seen even more horrific child deaths and instances of neglect, raising concerns over fatal mismanagement of abuse cases in the state.

In November, sisters Darcey and Chloe-Ann Conley died after they were allegedly left in a scorching hot car outside their Queensland home for seven hours.

Following the deaths, Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk confirmed the two girls were being monitored by the Department of Child Safety.

The allegedly decomposing and malnourished body of Willow Dunn (pictured), a toddler with Down Syndrome, was found in her cot in a Brisbane home on May 23

Chloe-Ann Conley (left), one, and her sister Darcey (right), two, were found dead inside a hot car outside their Queensland home in November last year. They were allegedly in the vehicle for up to seven hours but no one noticed

The allegedly decomposing and malnourished body of Willow Dunn, a toddler with Down Syndrome, was found in her cot in a Brisbane home on May 23 this year.

Her father Mark James Dunn and stepmother Shannon Leigh White were charged with murder, and it has since emerged the department had contact with the family in relation to Willow.

Days later, two autistic brothers, also known to authorities, were allegedly discovered locked in a filthy room in Brisbane starving and naked.

Child safety staff in Queensland have claimed their workload is 'untenable' and could lead to further tragedies, ABC Investigations revealed.

Cheryl Budge worked at the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women for 15 years before resigning in 2019.

'I would describe the Department of Child Safety in Queensland as currently self-imploding,' she said.

Rebecca Hocking, Ms Budge's former colleague, is a child safety officer who has been on stress leave since 2018 after struggling to sleep and suffering from anxiety due to the demands of her job.

Ms Hocking believes a number of deaths could have been prevented if staff weren't slammed with their workload.

'From my perspective, if workers had the time to be doing what they're meant to be doing  very likely some of these cases where children have died or suffered extreme harm wouldn't have occurred,' she said.

Mason Jet Lee (pictured) died after his mother's boyfriend struck him so hard in the abdomen it ruptured the 22-month-old's small intestine, leading to an infection

Speaking to eight current and former workers, ABC Investigations found child safety worker caseloads were typically more than the average of 17 to 18 reported by the government in July.

Ms Budge said: 'The caseloads in Queensland  were excessive in the sense that most child safety officers would hold a caseload between 20 and 30 children  really all they're able to do is crisis management.'

In Western Australia there is a limit of 15 cases per worker, while South Australia has an average under 15 and Victoria's average is 14.

Ms Hocking said she questioned the department's average caseload figures in 2015 and 2018.

She said the 'misrepresenting' is 'grossly unfair' and doesn't acknowledge the potential harm to children because safety officers can't meet their needs.

Ms Hocking said 'something needs to change' to stop putting children in harm and forcing workers to struggle through untenable workloads.

Rick Thorburn murdered his 12-year-old foster daughter Tialeigh Palmer (pictured) on the Gold Coast in 2015. Child safety was slammed for putting the schoolgirl in Thorburn's care
Prior to the Bihar assembly elections, a trailer of the battle between the National Democratic Alliance and the 'Mahagathbandhan' is likely to be played out in Parliament on September 14 as the House votes for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

The NDA candidate, and Janata Dal-United MP, Harivansh has already filed his nomination for the post, while the Opposition is likely to field Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Kumar Jha as its candidate.

Jha is likely to file his nomination on September 11 and with this the fight would become more interesting as both candidates hail from Bihar, where the assembly elections are to be held soon, making it effectively a JD-U versus RJD contest.

The Opposition had earlier discussed the name of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Tiruchi Siva, but the Upper House leader from Tamil Nadu had refused to contest.

Jha, a first time MP from Bihar is considered to be a great orator and is also known for his sincerity in the Parliament.

Meanwhile, Harivansh was the last person holding the post as well and it was the end of his Rajya Sabha term which had caused the vacancy.

The NDA with 116 out of the total 245 members of the Upper House is very close to the majority and is also likely to get support from other parties such as the Biju Janata Dal, YSR Congress Party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti, among others.

The election to the Deputy Chairman post will be held on September 14, the first day of Parliament's monsoon session.

The session is scheduled to end on October 1.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 01:42:52|Editor: huaxia

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AMMAN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Thursday reported 80 new coronavirus cases, including 79 local infections, increasing the total number to 2,739.

The local cases comprised 38 infections in the Amman Governorate, 19 infections in Balqa, 3 in Mafraq, 7 in Irbid, 3 in Zarqa, and 9 in Karak, according to Health Minister Saad Jaber.

Moreover, a coronavirus-related death was registered to a woman in her thirties, taking the death toll to 20.

A total of 15,784 random virus tests were also conducted on Thursday, bringing the cumulative number of coronavirus tests administered to 941,018.

The minister said the precaution measures implemented are strict, which contributed to controlling the local pandemic, indicating the kingdom will not adopt the so-called "herd immunity" policy.

Jaber also called on citizens to abide by physical distancing and wearing face masks.

China has supported Jordan's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 31, China donated a batch of medical supplies to Jordan to help combat the coronavirus. Enditem
He stars as doting dad John to son Michael in the new film Nowhere Special.

And James Norton looked dapper when he stepped out with his girlfriend Imogen Poots in the Italian city on Thursday prior to gracing the red carpet.

The actor, 35, put on a cosy display with the Vivarium star, 31, as they strolled side-by-side to the event, and chatted together amicably.

Outing: James Norton put on a cosy display with girlfriend Imogen Poots as they enjoyed a stroll before he hit the red carpet at the 77th Venice Film Festival on Thursday

James looked sharp in a navy two-piece suit, which he wore with a white open collar shirt and a pair of smart black shoes.

His brunet locks were brushed into a tousled style and he shielded his eyes with a pair of black shades, while he also blue surgical mask.

Imogen, meanwhile, looked effortlessly chic in a monochrome chequered dress that had button-up detailing across the front for a chic flair.

Adding a pop of colour she kept her personal items in a pink handbag, while she stepped out in sleek brown shoes.

Handsome: James looked sharp in a navy two-piece suit, which he wore with a white open collar shirt and a pair of smart black shoes

Dapper: James' brunet locks were brushed into a tousled style and he shielded his eyes with a pair of black shades, while he also blue surgical mask

Stunning: Imogen, meanwhile, looked effortlessly chic in a monochrome chequered dress that had button-up detailing across the front for a chic flair

Demure: Adding a pop of colour she kept her personal items in a pink handbag, while she stepped out in sleek brown shoes

James and Imogen were seen chatting closely with one another as the actor prepared to go on the red carpet, and removed his mask

He then appeared with his young Nowhere Special co-star at the event ahead of the film's premiere in Italy.

The actor put on a sweet display as he carried Daniel Lamont on his shoulders while strolling the length of the carpet.

Stylish: Imogen pulled her blonde locks back into a chic bun and she wore a light palette of make-up underneath her mask

All good: The actor flashed a thumbs up as he walked with Imogen

Ready to go: James was seen waiting to go out on the red carpet

Romance: James and Imogen are an acting power couple, who first sparked up a romance nearly two years ago

Cute! James then appeared with his young Nowhere Special co-star Daniel Lamont at the event ahead of the film's premiere in Italy

Meanwhile, his co-star Daniel wore a white grandad collar shirt with a pair of black jeans and brown leather shoes.

The young thespian appeared the picture of confidence in in front of the cameras, as he smiled and waved while making his way into the event.

James and Daniel walked hand-in-hand past the paparazzi before the actor lifted his co-star up into his arms to pose for snaps together.

Co-stars: James and Daniel walked hand-in-hand past the paparazzi before the actor lifted his co-star up into his arms to pose for snaps together

Sweet: James posed on his knee beside Daniel while they posed on the red carpet

Nowhere Special is an upcoming 2020 internationally co-produced drama film, written, directed, and produced by Uberto Pasolini.

James, who plays window cleaner John, dedicates his existence to his three-year-old son after his mother left them soon after she gave birth.

But when John is given just months to live, he sets out to find a perfect family for his little boy once he is gone.

Smile and wave! Meanwhile, his co-star Daniel wore a white grandad collar shirt with a pair of black jeans and brown leather shoes

Aw! The actor put on a sweet display as he carried Daniel Lamont on his shoulders while strolling the length of the carpet

How's the view? Little Daniel looked thrilled to be up on James' shoulders

Hey there: The co-stars happily waved as they attended the glitzy event

Trio: James and Daniel posed alongside Nowhere Special director Uberto Pasolini

Earlier this week, James was spotted making a low-key arrival at the film festival.

The Venice Film Festival is one of the world's oldest award ceremonies and is listed as one of the 'Big Five' events. It started on Wednesday 2 September and ends on the 12 September.

James, who recently starred in the BBC drama The Trial Of Christine Keeler, has been hotly-tipped as the latest actor to play James Bond.

The Sun claimed bookmaker Ladbrokes has suspended betting on the star being the next man to portray the fictional secret agent.

Hello: The young thespian appeared the picture of confidence in in front of the cameras, as he smiled and waved while making his way into the event

On his level: James and Uberto bent down to pose alongside the young star

New film: Nowhere Special is an upcoming 2020 internationally co-produced drama film, written, directed, and produced by Uberto Pasolini

Amid frenzied speculation about who will be the next to play Bond, with stars including Richard Madden and Idris Elba being linked with the role, a source told the publication both sides were trying 'to get a deal signed off'.

'Producers wanted a Brit and James ticks all the boxes - tall, strapping, physically fit and, of course, looks great in a dinner jacket.

'Everyone is hoping to get the deal confirmed and signed off, with an announcement in the summer.'

Strike a pose: The star cut quite the figure as he posed on the red carpet

Looking good: James showcased his chiseled good looks at the premiere of his film

Happy to be there: The screen star gave a warm smile as soaked up the atmosphere

Dapper: James pulled off his best poses as he was snapped by cameras at the bash

James, meanwhile plays the titular character Gareth Jones in his drama film Mr. Jones, which was released on February 7.

The movie tells the true story of a Welsh journalist who travelled to the Soviet Union in 1933 and uncovers some unpleasant truths about an international conspiracy.

James also starred in Little Women, alongside the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, and Meryl Streep earlier this year.

Plot: James, who plays window cleaner John, dedicates his existence to his three-year-old son after his mother left them soon after she gave birth

Other role: James, meanwhile plays the titular character Gareth Jones in his drama film Mr. Jones, which was released on February 7

Arrival: Earlier this week, James was spotted making a low-key arrival at the film festival

Big star: The Venice Film Festival is one of the world's oldest award ceremonies and is listed as one of the 'Big Five' events
On May 8, 1970, the Times reported, union workers streamed out of the soaring red steel skeleton of Tower A on the construction site of the World Trade Center and raced to an antiwar demonstration underway on Wall Street. The workers later told reporters they were determined to stop protesters from denigrating U.S. soldiers fighting in Vietnam. Im doing this because my brother got wounded in Vietnam, and I think this will help our boys over there by pulling this country together, one construction worker told the Wall Street Journal. Chants of Love it or leave it and shouts about killing commies rang out above the chaos, before workers seized an American flag at Federal Hall and began singing God Bless America under the watchful gaze of George Washingtons statue.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
The Asia-African Market Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade has joined hands with trade offices to arrange webinars introducing potential of the African and Middle East markets, which drew hundreds of Vietnamese firms.

African countries, especially those in the western region, have high demand for rice because local production cannot meet demand, especially during years with natural hazards, crop failure, political instability and diseases.

Algeria, in particular, relies entirely on rice imports, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in the country.

The surge in its rice consumption is attributed to the increase of Asian migrants in the country, particularly Chinese workers. Algeria purchased about 100,000 tonnes of rice per year, equivalent to 1% of the countrys food consumption.

Vietnam shipped in excess of 16,390 tonnes of rice to the African country in 2019, fetching US$6.28 million, a leap of 20.8% in value from the previous year. The figure hit US$14.58 million in the first six months of 2020, accounting for 58% of Vietnams total export value to Algeria.

Similarly, Senegal imports up to 800,000 tonnes of rice a year, primarily broken rice.

Vietnams rice exports to Senegal witnessed a sharp increase to 96,665 tonnes in 2019, earning US$32.62 million, rising 13.1-fold in volume and 10.2-fold in value.

The country shipped rice worth US$26.47 million in the first seven months of 2020, a year-on-year surge of 77.2%.

This year, Senegal is projected to import 1.25 million tonnes of the grain.

In both markets, Vietnamese rice faces tough competition from products of India, Thailand, Pakistan, Uruguay and China, among others.

The Vietnam Trade Office is keeping a close eye on adjustments in trade policies and rice import demand in the region, as well as import and payment regulations, especially in the context of COVID-19, to promptly inform businesses.
Shimla, Sep 10 : Devotees thronged temples in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday morning on the first day of their reopening after almost six months of closure owing to the coronavirus outbreak.

The decision to reopen temples was taken after the government advisory to avoid mass gatherings and ensure people above 65, those with co-morbid conditions, pregnant women and children below 10 not to visit the temples.

The popular temples of Naina Devi in Bilaspur, Chintpurni in Una, Baba Balak Nath in Hamirpur, Brajeshwari Devi, Jwalaji and Chamunda Devi in Kangra, and Bhimakali and Hateshwari in Shimla district witnessed the arrival of devotees.

A majority of the pilgrims came from within the state with the interstate movement still restricted, officials told IANS.

"As per the state government's SOP (standard operating procedure), we are not allowing more than 500 pilgrims in the temple in a day," an official at the Naina Devi shrine told IANS over phone.

Also the pilgrims would have to download the Arogya Setu application, maintain physical distance, sanitise their hands and wear masks.

For those who can't visit the temple, the government has advised them to watch online live "darshan" of Brajeshwari Devi, Naina Devi, Chintpurni and Jwalaji temples. They would also be able to offer online offerings.

Also the famous shrine Mata Chintpurni in July launched the home delivery of "prasad bhog" through India Post.
The September 15 deadline is looking increasingly dreary for Huawei  the companys display supply line will shrink in addition to being cut off from TSMCs chip foundries. Reuters reports (quoting a Korean media) that Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to stop shipments to the embattled smartphone company, due to the tightening trade restrictions from the US.

The chips used to drive the displays are reportedly affected by the US sanctions, which is the reason to stop shipments. Chosun Biz, which broke the news, cites industry sources saying that Huawei does not make up a large proportion of the shipments from both display manufacturers.

However, the two Korean companies are key suppliers for Huaweis flagship lineup. The company managed to diversify and will source all Huawei Mate 40 displays from BOE, however the Mate 40 Pro will use a mix of BOE, Samsung and LG displays.

While fabs in China cant (yet) manufacture 7 nm and 5 nm chips for use in future flagships, a steady supply of displays should be easier to secure locally  BOE can ramp up production and if not, CSOT and Visionox are also working on on-cell OLED displays.

LG Display states that this will have a minimal impact on its sales and that it will diversify its clients going forward. Samsung Display did not comment on the situation.

Source
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Referring the Maratha quota issue to a larger bench, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court has held the community which comprises 30 per cent of the population in Maharashtra cannot be compared to marginalised sections of the society living in far-flung and remote areas.

Staying the operation of the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act 2018, and referring the issue to a bench of five judges or more for final adjudication, a bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao, Hemant Gupta and S. Ravindra Bhat on Wednesday said that the state has failed to make out a special case for providing reservation in excess of 50 per cent.

"The social, educational and economic backwardness of a community, existence of quantifiable data relating to inadequacy of representation of the community in public services and deprivation of the benefits flowing from reservations to the community are not exceptional circumstances for providing reservations in excess of 50 per cent," the bench said.

The apex court said it is prima facie of the opinion that the Bombay High Court committed an error in treating the above factors as circumstances which are extraordinary, warranting relaxation of the strict rule of 50 per cent.

"Admittedly, reservations provided to the Maratha community were implemented in educational institutions for one academic year only. Implementation of the Act for admissions in educational institutions and appointments to public posts during the pendency of these appeals will cause irreparable loss to the candidates belonging to the open category," said the bench.

Staying the Maratha reservation in jobs and education, the bench observed that it will be difficult to cancel the admissions made in the educational institutions and appointments made to the public posts by implementing the reservations as per the Act. However, the top court said the admissions made to postgraduate medical courses shall not be altered.

The top court observed it was categorically held that reservations contemplated in Clause (4) of Article 16 should not exceed 50 per cent. The relaxation of the strict rule of 50 per cent can be made in certain extraordinary situations.

"People living in far-flung and remote areas not being in the mainstream of national life should be treated in a different way. In view of the conditions peculiar to them they are entitled to be given relaxation," noted the bench, emphasising that extreme caution has to be exercised and a special case made out for relaxation of the rule of 50 per cent.

The parties involved in the matter had urged the bench to refer it to an 11-judge bench, where they could examine whether the 50 per cent cap on reservation could be breached or not.

The pleas have challenged the Bombay High Court's June 2019 judgement, contending that the Act, which provides for quota to the Maratha community in education and jobs, violated the principle laid in the 9-judge bench judgement of the apex court in 1992, which capped the reservation at 50 percent.

The High Court had upheld the Maratha quota, ruling that reservation should be 12 per cent in jobs and 13 per cent in education.
The NGOs also demanded that Facebook's director for public policy in India, South and Central Asia, Ankhi Das be placed on leave and that FB publish the findings of the audit

In an open letter addressed to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sherl Sandberg, over 40 NGOs have asked the social media platform to take decisive action against Facebook Indias bias and its failure to address and contain dangerous content.

These 41 NGOs who have written the letter include the likes of the Dangerous Speech Project, Media Justice, Indian American Muslim Council, Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA), Fight for the Future, Sakhi for South Asian Women, South Asians Building Accountability & Healing (SABAH), Hope not Hate, Free Press, Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, Muslim Advocates, Free Press etc.

They also demanded that the Facebook India team be barred from the ongoing audit on Facebooks impact on human rights adding that the platform should publish the findings of this audit. They also demanded that Ankhi Das, Facebook India, South and Central Asias Public Policy Director, be placed on leave.

Also Read: Facebook bans BJP politician over hate speech

The global rights activists have demanded that the ongoing human rights audit of Facebook India, that was reported by Time Magazine, be handled by the  high level staff from the Menlo Park office. They also wanted Facebook to increase their engagement with human rights and grassroots organisations for the audit and devise solutions to handle the issue of dangerous content on the platform.

You can read the full letter on this Twitter post shared by Times reporter Billy Perrigo. Perrrigo was the reporter behind Time Magazine's article titled - Facebooks Ties to Indias Ruling Party Complicate Its Fight Against Hate Speech.

Breaking:



40+ NGOs today sent an open letter to Zuckerberg demanding:



 FB's India team be barred from influencing the ongoing audit (first reported by TIME) into FB's impact on human rights in India

 FB publish its findings

 Ankhi Das be placed on leave



Full letter: pic.twitter.com/DyUai2WbKR  Billy Perrigo (@billyperrigo) September 9, 2020

The entire letter and the list of NGOs who have signed it can be seen here.

The need to act is urgent - lives are at stake, the letter states adding that Das be placed on leave till the audit is completed and the reports are shared publicly.

The NGOs have mentioned in the letter that there is a link between the content on Facebook and the violence witnessed offline and thats no secret but the WSJ article has revealed disturbing details that show how deep the problem actually runs.

The letter has mentioned that content posted on Facebook has lead to mass riots in India and general unrest for at least seven years now.

A mislabeled video on social media was instrumental in stoking the horrific 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots in which 62 people were killed. A BJP politician was even arrested for sharing the video," the letter states.

Also Read: Facebook faces heat from Indian lawmakers on content practices

The NGOs feel that an instance like this should have been enough for Zukcerberg and Facebook to take a moment from its daily operations and conduct a human rights audit to ensure Facebook had the necessary corporate competencies and had taken human rights into account.

However, none of this has happened and Facebook has continued to expand in India without hesitation the letter states.

Activists from across the world have demanded that Facebook takes immediate steps to make sure the ongoing audit is independent, thorough and encompassing caste, religious bias and election operations. For this, the NGOs want the Facebook India office be barred from being a part of the audit and Das be put on leave due to her failure to enforce Facebooks hate speech policies in India.

Also Read: RS Prasad writes to Zuckerberg about fact-checkers, political bias: Read the full letter here

This letter comes after Time Magazine reported that Facebook has commissioned an independent audit on its impact on human rights in India to look into the platforms role in spreading hate speech and incite violence.

The audit was commissioned after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published a report alleging that Das was against applying Facebooks hate speech rules to posts made by BJP leader T Raja Singh and three other party leaders and groups flagged internally for promoting violence.

However, Time Magazine reports that the India audit began before the WSJ article was published.

According to reports, the audit is being conducted by a US law firm Foley Hoag and it will include interviews of senior staff at Facebook India and members of the civil society.
The Ministry of Information, the Ghana Health Service and Partners have provided a one-day training workshop and education for the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs under the auspices of his Royal Majesty Nana Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V, the President of Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.



In his opening remarks, Nana Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V on behalf of his chiefs thanked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the measures put in place by his government to slow down the spread of COVID 19 which has yielded positive results to the entire nation and Brong Ahafo region in particular.



Nana Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V emphasized how detrimental the COVID 19 is which has separated nations and also affected human relations, adding that the good protocols put in place by Ghana Health Service and the government and the compliance of the citizens has contributed to the success story.



Nana Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V further showed optimism by saying that we shall surmount the COVID 19 pandemic sooner.



Nana Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V drew the attention to the enormous effort and contribution by the chiefs to the fight against COVID 19. He then praised his fellow chiefs on their sterling performance.



Nana further admonished continuity of the effort in the fight and also cautioned the Ghana Health Service not to relent on their efforts; stressing that Ghanaians should never take chances and fight till the end so as to make the initial efforts not in vain.



The fight is not a government fight but an all-inclusive fight including the chieftaincy institutions, President of Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs postulated.



The Municipal Chief Executive (M.C.E) for Sunyani, Hon. Owusu Banahene Justina who represented the Regional Minister also made the point clear that the disease is dangerous, bringing to light the joint forces of the government, local government, chiefs and all institutions in the fight against the disease.



Hon. Owusu Banahene Justina however thanked the central government for resources provided for the COVID 19 fight. She said the local government has made these resources available at lorry stations, schools, market places, churches, parks among others.



She made it known to the house that the assemblies have engaged in a regional specific disinfection and clean up exercise and therefore eulogized the media for their sterling role in the fight against COVID 19.



Hon. Justina again appreciated the effort of Catholic Bishop of Bono region, Mr. Matthew Kwesi Gyamfi for providing 40 structures to be used as isolation centers and also eulogized Nana Sunyani for doling out an amount of 10,000 cedi to help push the agenda to fight the COVID 19 disease.



The Municipal Chief Executive further mentioned the fumigation of schools, markets, churches and other places with the help of Zoomlion.



The Chief Director for the Ministry of Information, Madam Mamle Andrews who led the Ministry team reveals that the current strategy by government is low level Community Engagement and Risk Communication.



She acknowledged the fact that the chiefs can lead the community engagement as they are the kingpins of their land and their directives sinks deep down because they are trusted and revered by their citizens.



Miss Mamle Andrews emphasized that there is no cure so we have to continue to adhere to the safety protocols and not relent on our efforts.



The workshop which was led by the Director of Health Promotion Division and Leader of National Risk Communication and Social Mobilization Committee for Ghana's COVID-19 Response Team Dr. Da Costa Aboagye focus on education on COVID 19, Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), stigma, wellness clinics and the preventive protocols.



Dr. Aboagye says the current COVID-19 outbreak has provoked social stigma and discriminatory behaviors against people of certain ethnic backgrounds as well as people infected and their families.



He feared that the impact will essentially drive people to hide the illness to avoid discrimination, prevent people from seeking health care immediately, discourage them from adopting healthy behaviours and can cause depression in people who have recovered from the COVID 19.



Dr. Da Costa said, the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and Government on the other hand have promised to initiate wellness clinics as one of the key methods to early detection of NCDs with the aim of institutionalizing prevention is better than cure approach to support curative healthcare delivery.



In an exclusive interview with myjoyonline.com, Dr. Da Costa said, this programme will provide a platform for every Ghanaian to at least check their health status once a year. This data will actually be linked to the National Health Insurance data and it will help us in reducing the Non-Communicable Diseases before the next epidemic. This will also help to reduce the high disease burden cost of NHIS.



Dr. Da Costa, opine that Majority of the deaths that we have recorded in this country came from co-morbidities, underlying conditions; and most of these underlying conditions tend to be the Non-Communicable Diseases such as Hypertension, Stroke, Diabetes, Cancers and the others. So, certainly, there is the need to step up education on these Non-Communicable Diseases.



The leader for Risk Communication and Social Mobilization for COVID-19, however, requested the media to help frontline health workers and Health Educators to educate Ghanaians on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles.



The media should help educate and encourage Ghanaians to do regular exercise; to eat our local foods as well as eat more fruits and vegetables have enough rest and avoid stress he urged.



Dr. Da Costa stated that, the issue is that behaviour change is a process and it is true that we are introducing something new to our culture, for instance wearing of masks, and social distancing and so sometimes unless we continuously talk about them before it can sink well and effect changes in Ghanaians.



In his concluding remarks Dr. Da costa, urged the chiefs and opinion leaders to do their part through all forms of engagement with various groups in their catchment areas with education on COVID-19 while also providing leadership to help fight this pandemic through community base education.



He again urged the chiefs to intervene in situation where tenants are being ejected because they contracted and recovered from COVID 19; thus they must help fight stigma and empower survivors of COVID- 19.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/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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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 08:27 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43e83bf 1 Editorial bank-indonesia,central-bank,burden-sharing-scheme,BI-Law-revision Free

The House of Representatives proposed revisions to the Bank Indonesia (BI) law have shaken the market, which fears the move will compromise the central banks independence and, in turn, distort policy-making and harm the economy. The rupiah depreciated by more than 1.5 percent on Sept. 2, the day when news about the revision made the headlines. The currency has been on a downward trajectory since then.

BIs independence dates back to 1999, during the height of the Asian financial crisis. In order to create credible, accountable and transparent policies to support an economy in deep contraction, the House passed the historic revision of the BI Law. Notable articles include the separation between the central bank and the government, making BI an independent agency whose focus is on maintaining the rupiahs stability.

Around the world, central bank independence has been the norm since the 1970s. But recently this independence has been put to the test, especially in developed countries where the link between central bank policies and the real economy are being questioned. Studies, however, have validated the need for countries to have an independent central bank.

Read also: Sri Mulyani vows to uphold BI independence amid House-led legal reform

We have always believed in central bank independence. As former United States Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen cautioned: Weve really seen terrible economic outcomes in countries where central banks have been subject to political pressure. With the central bank under monetary policy-making pressure from the government or other parties, objective, credible, accountable and transparent policies may be difficult to achieve. This will complicate policy-making and put further strain on the economy already faltering today with a projected economic contraction in GDP.

The monetary board that the House is proposing in its amendment to the BI Law marks a major setback for central bank independence. The board is reminiscent of the old, government-controlled central bank in the period between the 1950s and 1999.

The draft law stipulates that the monetary board will consist of five members, namely the finance minister, a minister dealing with the economy, the BI governor and BI senior deputy governor, and the chair of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) board of commissioners.

This will deal a big blow to the central banks independence, especially in the middle of progressive policies being launched to contain an economic hard-landing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read also: Experts urge BI to have exit strategy from burden-sharing scheme as risks loom

The governments burden-sharing scheme with BI, considering all its criticism of the mounting debt burden as well as the potential to fund the nations economic recovery, is a way for a government-central bank partnership that does not compromise the independence of the central bank.

The government and lawmakers should focus on breakthroughs and initiatives such as these instead of reevaluating the central banks independence. It is encouraging to understand that President Joko Jokowi Widodo and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati are committed to upholding BIs independence.

Public scrutiny of the deliberation of the BI Law revision is therefore imperative. All elements of society must be involved in the process to ensure central bank independence remains intact.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trumps comments about the threat from the novel coronavirus attracted widespread attention after excerpts from journalist Bob Woodwards book Rage were released. The excerpts also provide new details about the presidents thoughts on North Koreas Kim Jong Un, racial unrest and a mysterious new weapon that Trump claims other world powers dont know about.

Some of the other topics covered in the book, which was based on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July and with others (excerpts from the book were reported by The Washington Post, where Woodward is an editor, and CNN):

NORTH KOREA

Woodward wrote that Trump said he was impressed with Kim when he first met the North Korean leader in Singapore in 2018 and that Kim was far beyond smart. Trump also said that Kim tells me everything and even gave the president a graphic account of how Kim had his own uncle killed.

As he engaged in nuclear arms talks with Kim, Trump dismissed intelligence officials' assessments that North Korea would never give up its nuclear weapons. Trump told Woodward that the CIA has no idea how to handle Pyongyang.

Trump also dismissed criticism about his three meetings with Kim, claiming the summits were no big deal. Critics said that by meeting Kim, Trump provided the North Korean leader with legitimacy on the world stage.

It takes me two days. I met. I gave up nothing, said the president, who likened North Koreas attachment to its nuclear arsenal to somebody who is in love with a house and they just cant sell it.

Kim welcomed Trumps attention, calling the president your excellency in a letter. Kim wrote to Trump that he believed the deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.

RACIAL UNREST

In June, after federal agents forcibly removed protesters from Washingtons Lafayette Square to make way for Trump to stage a photo opportunity outside a church near the White House where he held up a bible, Trump called Woodward to boast about how he was for law and order.

Were going to get ready to send in the military slash National Guard to some of these poor bastards that dont know what theyre doing, these poor radical lefts, Trump told Woodward, who recorded Trump.

Later that month, Woodward asked the president if, as a white man, he had a responsibility to better understand the anger and pain felt by Black Americans.

No, Trump replied. I dont feel that at all.

As Woodward pressed Trump about discrimination and inequalities suffered by Black people over the years, the president pointed to how the unemployment rate for Black Americans fell before the pandemic.

When the two spoke again about race relations on June 22, Woodward asked Trump whether he thought there was systemic racism in America.

Well, I think there is everywhere, Trump said. I think probably less here than most places. Or less here than many places.

Asked by Woodward whether racism is here in the United States in a way that affects peoples lives, Trump replied: I think it is. And its unfortunate. But I think it is.

MYSTERY WEAPON

In discussions with Woodward about rising tensions in 2017 between the U.S. and North Korea, Trump said: I have built a nuclear  a weapons system that nobodys ever had in this country before. We have stuff that you havent even seen or heard about. We have stuff that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Chinese President Jinping) Xi have never heard about before. Theres nobody  what we have is incredible.

Woodward writes that sources, who spoke to him on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the U.S. military had a secret new weapons system. But the sources did not provide details and told Woodward, according to the book, that they were surprised Trump had disclosed it.

Trump national security adviser Robert OBrien told Fox News' Special Report on Wednesday that the president did not talk about any specific weapon system. Were always on the cutting edge and weve always got something out there that our adversaries dont know about, OBrien said.

FORMER TOP OFFICIALS IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Woodwards book quotes Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, as saying, The most dangerous people around the president are overconfident idiots. The book also quotes Kushner as saying that he advised people to think about Alice in Wonderland when trying to understand the Trump presidency. The novel is about a girl who falls through a rabbit hole and Kushner, according to Woodward, singled out the Cheshire Cat, whom he said had endurance and persistence, not direction.

Woodwards book also discusses how some top-level administration officials contemplated quitting.

Then-Defense Secretary James Mattis went to the Washington National Cathedral to pray about the nations future under Trump as commander in chief. According to Woodwards book, Mattis once told then-National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, There may come a time when we have to take collective action because Trump is dangerous and unfit to be president.

Woodward says Mattis told Coats, The president has no moral compass.

Coats, the book says, replied: True. To him, a lie is not a lie. Its just what he thinks. He doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie.

Coats is a former senator from Indiana and was recruited into the administration by Vice President Mike Pence, who is also a Hoosier. How are you stomaching the Trump presidency, Coats' wife, Marsha, once asked Pence at a White House dinner.

I think he (Pence) understood. And he just whispered in my ear, Stay the course.
Charlize Theron

The year was 2005, Charlize Therons JAdore Dior ad played during every commercial break on TV and TIFF was growing into the splashy fest we know it as now (it premiered more than 100 films and screened more than 300). The fashion was also starting to become flashier and more performative, as displayed by this glittery number worn by the actress to the premiere of North Country.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

At the height of Brangelina madness, the couple touched down in Toronto in 2007 for Pitts film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The subtle matching grey was a nice touch (Jolies dress was by Costume National) and their chemistry was so mesmerizing, we can almost forgive the brown Louboutin pumps.

Blake Lively

Enjoying her turn as a bona fide Hollywood fashion darling, Lively donned this oxblood red Chanel for the premiere of The Town in 2010, skipping New York Fashion Week to attend the festival. As TIFF continued to mix industry events with red carpet pageantry, memorable cocktail dresses like this continued to wow onlookers.

Eva Mendes

Attending the premiere of The Place Beyond the Pines in 2012 with Ryan Gosling, Mendes provided us with one of the most memorable red-carpet hair accessory moments to date.

Keira Knightley

Its fair to say that no one remembers Knightleys 2014 flick Laggies. Still, the Michael van der Ham dress, and the pros handling of the high winds that night, remain a fond memory.

Priyanka Chopra

Prior to becoming a TIFF Ambassador in 2020, the actress premiered her film Mary Kom in 2014, dressed in a black-and-white dress by Indian design duo Gauri and Nainika.

Julianne Moore and Kate Bosworth

The Still Alice premiere in 2014 brought us Julianne Moore in angelic Chanel and Kate Bosworth in fiery Hugo Boss  exactly the kind of stylish star power weve come to expect from the festival.

Lupita Nyongo

The Queen of Katwe stars Carolina Herrera gown and head scarf from 2016 remain one the festivals all-time best looks.

Timothee Chalamet

Gen-Zs answer to Leo DiCaprios preference for unexpected style choices (patterned and futuristic suits, combat boots and that hair) was already on full display in 2018 at the premiere of Beautiful Boy.

Lady Gaga

We remember the 2018 A Star Is Born premiere like it was yesterday. In this perfect red-carpet fashion moment, Gagas signature theatricality (she had Bradley Cooper take down her veil) mixed with true old-Hollywood charm was a sight to behold.

Keke Palmer

The 2019 Hustlers premiere gave us Met Gala levels of style, putting TIFF on the same fashion level as Cannes. Keke Palmers Roberto Cavalli was the perfect mix of glamour and restraint.

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson walking across the streetcar tracks on her way to the premiere of The Friend while dressed in a dramatic Dior corset dress is just one of those magical TIFF sightings weve come to treasure.

Brie Larson

By 2019, no A-list actress would dare to show up to a TIFF premiere in a simple cocktail dress, as evidenced by Brie Larsons dramatic Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown.
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
During this election cycle the Montana GOP is campaigning on how the Democrats have controlled the Governors office for many years, so they feel it is important the GOP take it back. What they dont mention is that since I was elected to the Legislature in 2011 the GOP has held the majority in the House and Senate and will likely continue to in the immediate future.

Should the GOP also control the Governors office, the result would be a one-party lock on MT state government

Why does this matter? Democratic Governors Schweitzer and Bullock vetoed hundreds of bills every session, many of which I believe most Montanans would not have wanted to become law. Here are a few examples of bills that passed the GOP-controlled Legislature that were vetoed:

HB 161 (2011) repealed the medical marijuana law, an initiative supported by 62% of Montanans. HB 30 (2013) eliminated same-day voter registration in Montana. SB 181 (2013) & SB 384 (2017) exempted health care sharing ministries and out-of-state health plans from state insurance laws that protect consumers. SB 154 & SB 7 (2017) made net metering ineligible for tax credits and incentives and effectively eliminated it. HB 262 (2017) allowed anyone eligible to have a gun to conceal carry without a permit, a bill not supported by law enforcement. And HB 567 (2019) put inadequately trained armed marshals in schools, a bill opposed by law enforcement.

We have had a mixed government (a Democratic Governor and Republican Legislature) for over a decade. I have knocked a lot of doors during that time and, in general, I find most constituents are satisfied with how things have come out after each session. Not always happy, mind you, but satisfied.

Now we have a Governors race that pits a long-time elected official who is being denigrated for his years of public service against an entrepreneur turned politician.

There is no question that Mr. Gianforte was successful with his business and created jobs. But there are many other aspects to who he is and how he might govern. He supports a creationist dinosaur museum; a private school that doesnt accept students with learning disabilities; and actively opposed the Bozeman non-discrimination ordinance.

He is vague on current public health measures to stop Covid19 and refuses to comment on what he would do.

He has not supported public education, Medicaid expansion, preserving public land, or expanding State lands for parks or fishing access.

In Congress he has opposed bills to require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions and allow the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drugs prices. He voted against reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

He supports repealing the ACA, which will gut protections for pre-existing conditions and Medicaid expansion. He has proposed a 30% tax cut but has failed to outline the resulting impacts on Health and Human Services, Education, and Corrections. And budgetary cuts would be significant because, unlike Washington DC, we balance our budget. And we all have insight into his positions on access to public lands.

The upcoming election is a very important one. Please be fully informed about the positions of our gubernatorial candidates and consider the implications of Montana having a one-party governing system. We are in a time of political extremes. I hope Montanans keep some checks and balances in our state government.

State Sen. Mary McNally represents District 24 in Billings.

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Hyderabad, Sep 11 : A man set himself ablaze near the Telangana State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, police said.

The incident occurred in front of Ravindra Bharathi when the session was on.

The 54-year-old created a flutter by dousing himself with petrol he carried in a bottle and setting himself afire. He was raising the 'Jai Telangana' slogan.

Alert policemen deployed as part of the security arrangements for the ongoing session doused the fire.

The man, identified as Narlakanti Nagulu, a security guard at a building in the city, sustained 25 per cent burns. He was rushed to Osmania General Hospital, where he was stated to be out of danger.

According to police, Nagulu is addicted to alcohol. The reason for his extreme step is under investigation, a police officer said.
The potential for future growth in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and rising incomes in mainland China will help Hong Kong maintain its role as an attractive destination for international investors and capital despite the adoption of a controversial national security law for the city, according to a panel of financial and academic experts.

"Hong Kong has been the financial hub for so many years," Ma said Thursday. "Why should it be changed?"

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

Ma was a speaker in the latest instalment of a series of webinars on the national security law organised by the Post - "SCMP Conversations: Can Hong Kong maintain its role as a financial hub?".

Beijing adopted the national security law for Hong Kong in June, following months of street protests in the city.

A number of Hong Kong's biggest employers, including HSBC, Standard Chartered and Swire Pacific, publicly came out in support of the law in hopes it would bring stability to an economy walloped by the protests and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

But, critics said the law could endanger freedoms in the city and threaten its future as an international financial centre.

The US sanctioned 11 Hong Kong and mainland officials in August over the law and some countries, including Japan, have undertaken efforts to try to recruit financial professionals away from the city following its passage.

Jessica Cutrera, a co-founder of asset manager The Capital Company, said more clients are expressing concerns about where their assets are booked than before, with some families moving assets to accounts with banks or wealth managers who are based or have branches in Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.

"It's a shift we really hadn't seen prior to the implementation of the national security law," she said, but moving money out of Hong Kong remains a small part of their business.

Story continues

Hong Kong national security law official English version:

Face-to-face relations, however, remain important for high-net-worth individuals and that has played in Hong Kong's favour in attracting rising wealth from China, said Axiom's Ma, who counts mainland Chinese as about three-quarters of his client base.

"The day-to-day contacts with the clients, with the language, even with the dialects is key, especially in Hong Kong," he said.

Ma said there have been few concerns or queries from his clients about shifting their assets from Hong Kong since the law's passage.

The combination of listing reforms and the passage of the security law also has sped the pace of a "homecoming" of Chinese firms pursuing secondary listings in Hong Kong, which has increased capital flows into the city, according to Robert Lee, chief executive of financial services firm Grand Capital Holdings and vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Securities Association.

"Overall, the investor sentiment has been pretty positive," Lee said. "In the short- to medium-term, I think it is sustainable."

Since November, US-listed Chinese firms Alibaba Group Holding, JD.com, NetEase and Yum China have raised more than US$22 billion combined through secondary listings on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Alibaba is the parent company of the Post.

Jessica Cutrera, co-founder of asset manager The Capital Company, said the conflict between US sanctions and the national security law is creating stress for companies trying to conduct business as they normally would. Photo: Xiaomei Chen alt=Jessica Cutrera, co-founder of asset manager The Capital Company, said the conflict between US sanctions and the national security law is creating stress for companies trying to conduct business as they normally would. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Ant Group, an Alibaba affiliate and the operator of Alipay, applied in August for a dual initial public offering in Hong Kong and Shanghai, in what could be the largest fundraising on record.

At the same time, financial firms are trying to delicately manoeuvre conflicts between US regulations and the national security law, which prohibits the implementation of sanctions against Hong Kong and the mainland.

"The confusion and the sanctions are creating a lot of stress and dislocation at the corporate level as firms are trying to figure out how to keep everyone happy and follow all of the rules in a way that allows them to continue to conduct their business the way they have," Cutrera said.

On Thursday, SBI Holdings, Japan's largest online broker, said it was considering downsizing its operations in Hong Kong, saying the city's status as an international financial hub is likely to decline in the future. SBI generates more than 75 per cent of its revenue in Japan.

Unless things take a drastic turn, there is not much motivation for many companies to move their operations from the city, Lee said.

"For the business community or the financial services sector, it does take a lot of effort and a lot of time and resources to put together the people, the counterparties, the networks and the clients," Lee said. "It's not very easy for people to pick up and leave and start somewhere else."

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board is contemplating mandatory antigen tests for pilgrims before they begin their climb to Sanidhanam during Mandala pilgrimage season beginning from November 15.

The Devaswom Board is tying up with the state health department for conducting the antigen tests at Nilakkal. According to plan, only those who test negative would be allowed to trek to Sannidhanam. The final decision will be taken at the meeting to be chaired by the chief minister.

In view of the present Covid  19 situation in the state, the health department has decided to scale up medical facilities at Sannidhanam, Nilakkal and Pamba. The government is planning to take over Amritha Hospital in the area for arranging emergency medical facilities for the devotees.

The devaswom board wants to ensure that only 50 people are allowed in Sannidhanam at a time. The pilgrimage will be strictly through the virtual queue system of the state police.

Earlier the board had planned to allow devotees who produce Covid negative certificates obtained a few days before the pilgrimage. Since the journey from their respective places to Sabarimala could take three to four days, the possibility of the pilgrims getting infected during transit cannot be ruled out. Moreover, it will be difficult for the authorities here to validate the authenticity of all Covid negative certificates issued to pilgrims in other states.

The board believes that under these circumstances mandatory antigen test will be more effective.

The logistics of antigen testing including how many people would be subjected to test per day, would be decided by authorities in consultation with health experts.

The Devaswom board and the state government have decided to conduct the Sabarimala pilgrimage this season in strict compliance with the Covid 19 protocol and safety protocol. Social distancing norms and safety protocols will be complied with while allowing darshan at the sanctum sanctorum. Police personnel will not be deployed on the pathinettam padi (holy steps) to assist the pilgrims.

With majority of the pilgrims coming from outside the state, the Kerala government and Devaswom Board will also seek the assistance of neighboring states to ensure Covid-19 protocol is implemented strictly.
Through Cards 4 Covid Heroes, siblings Prabhleen Lamba, 15, and Mantej Lamba, 17, are letting health-care professionals know how much they appreciate their hard work taking care of coronavirus patients.

The Fremont, California, residents told The Associated Press they started Cards 4 Covid Heroes this spring in the spirit of the Sikh principle "seva," or selfless service. They asked friends, family, and community members to write notes for the project, and as word spread, cards started arriving at their home from supporters around the country.

After two months, Prabhleen and Mantej collected more than 250 handwritten thank you cards, which were sent to four hospitals in California and Arizona. In addition to thoughtful messages, the recipients also found an extra surprise in their cards: a $10 Visa gift card. "We just wanted to try to shine some light on the fact that we do have true heroes working on the front lines who are trying their hardest to save people's lives," Mantej told AP.

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Within two or three days of the benefits expiration, he said, applications tripled. When the government approved the $300 replacement, he said, the numbers began to dwindle, even though most states have yet to start making the payments.

Its free money, so they feel they dont have to work anymore, he said.

Other employers share his sentiment. One-third of small-business owners surveyed by the National Federation of Independent Business said the supplement made hiring harder.

There are, of course, examples that tell a different story  millions of them. In May, June and July, more than 9.3 million workers returned to a job, forgoing the generous unemployment benefits.

And that story turns out to be by far the most common.

Researchers at Yale University who reviewed scheduling and time clock data for small businesses said, We find no evidence that more generous benefits disincentivized work either at the onset of the expansion or as firms looked to return to business over time.

Five other studies by different groups of economists produced the same results.

And in a survey by Franklin Templeton-Gallup, conducted in early August, most people said extra government relief would not keep them from going back to work.

One reason is that people generally look ahead. The latest results show that Americans rationally understand the greater long-term security of returning to work rather than relying on ongoing government assistance, said Sonal Desai, chief investment officer of Franklin Templeton Fixed Income.

New research from economists at the University of Chicago and New York University came to the same conclusion. The extra benefits, even if extended, are fleeting. In a recession, the possibility of not getting another job offer after refusing one is scary, as is the likelihood that lower wages and career setbacks could be permanent. Stability is worth a lot.
Elderly people's immune responses to COVID-19 may be delayed by three days compared to those of younger adults - and it might explain why the death toll among the age group has been so high, a new study suggests.

The immune system begins to break down with age, a phenomenon called immunosenescence.

By analyzing about 500 swabs taken from coronavirus patients and control, University of Washington researchers found key differences that indicate elderly people's bodies are slower to mount an immune response than are younger people's.

And, compared to women, men's immune systems have a harder time quieting back down after the most pressing threat of the virus has passed, which may fuel the out-of-control inflammation that has proven deadly for many COVID-19 patients.

Coronavirus has been more deadly for elderly people than to younger ones, and for men than women. A new study of COVID-19 test swabs suggests older immune systems may respond too slowly, while men's may have a weak 'off' switch that lets inflammation run haywire (file)

It's impossible to say for sure why a virus that triggers no symptoms in some who catch it is so lethal to others, but the new study offers some clues that align with undeniable patterns in the lists of coronavirus's survivors and victims.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - which lags behind other trackers, and accounts for about 140,000 of the nearly 190,000 COVID-19 deaths in the US - suggests that nearly a third of fatalities are among people who are 85 or older.

Another 26 percent of those who have died were between 75 and 84.

Elderly people are clearly one of the most vulnerable populations to coronavirus.

Every year, elderly people develop pneumonia from and succumb to infections like flu and all manner of other respiratory infections that for younger people would be unpleasant, but not particularly worrisome.

In broad terms, coronavirus's deadly effects on older people fit what we know about aging and infections: Older people have weaker bodies in general, including their immune systems.

Much of the research attempting to establish if and how people might develop immunity has focused on the activity of T and B cells. The former are targeted weapons honed to fight particular infections and to instruct the latter, B cells, to start cranking out another specialized weapon: antibodies.

Both of these are part of our adaptive immunity, a portion of our immune system that develops over the course of our lives, in response to pathogens we encounter as we move through the world.

It's adaptive immunity that will offer some protection against reinfection to those who have recovered from COVID-19 (although how much protection, or how long it will last, is still unclear).

When it comes to defenses against coronavirus in a first encounter, 'we're dealing a lot more with the innate immune system that the adaptive,' lead study author Dr Alex Greninger told DailyMail.com.

'When you look at a virus, what it's trying to do is all about getting to the highest viral load possible, then going on to the next host, it's not about trying to establish chronic infection - people may have chronic complications - but it's not about that.

'It's about screwing with the innate immune system.'

We are born with our innate immune systems, which are comprised of crude but effective tools to block infection, including everything from skin to tiny cells in the white blood cells, like interleukins and cytokines.

These cells aren't tailored to fight any particular pathogens, but will attack anything foreign in the body.

By analyzing the 'brain scraping' nasopharyngeal swabs of hundreds of people who tested positive and negative for coronavirus, Dr Greninger and his team could sequence the genomes and see exactly what genes were turned 'on' or 'off' in response to the virus.

Furthermore, they could see how brightly the genetic dimmer switches that code for various immune cells were turned on, depending on each person's age, sex and viral load.

'Some of the genes [that code for innate immune cells] that are most "turned on" on a population basis, we see the least amount of upregulation in the elderly population,' Dr Greninger explained.

'We would expect them to turn on in...response, but they aren't. The ability to ramp up the immune system really fast is much less present in elderly individuals.'

That slow immune response gives the virus a chance to further establish itself and replicate before the body notices. Elderly people also have a higher baseline level of inflammation, so once their immune system's do respond and flood what may by then be many infection sites, the resulting additional inflammation can quickly become overpowering, and fatal.

University of Washington's analysis revealed clues about why men, too, may be struggle more to combat the virus, and they were markedly different from the disadvantages of elderly people.

While older people's bodies struggle to turn the immune system 'on,' nasal swabs taken from men who developed COVID-19 showed weaker activity from the genes that would turn the immune response 'off.'

Without the 'off switch' functioning properly, inflammation from immune cytokines can go on much longer than it should in men, overwhelming their bodies, too, but by a different mechanism than that that proves fatal for many elderly people.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the 'Matsya Sampada Yojana' for the sustainable development of the fisheries sector during which he said that villages should become pillars of Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

The Prime Minister also launched the e-Gopala App for farmers along with several other initiatives in the fisheries and animal husbandry sectors in Bihar.

People engaged in pisciculture will benefit largely from this scheme. It is our aim that in the next 3-4 years we double our production and give the fisheries sector a boost, PM said.

The PM said that villages should become the pillars of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" which will enrich the villages further and strengthen them.

The Prime Minister made these remarks on the occasion of the digital launch of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

Launching PMMSY and a series of development projects for Bihars growth. #AatmaNirbharBihar https://t.co/NrUh8O7mqB  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 10, 2020

"Today the schemes that have been initiated, the thought behind that is that our villages become pillars of an `Atmanirbhar Bharat`. The attempt is that now in this century - Blue Revolution means work related to fisheries, White Revolution means dairy work, Sweet Revolution means honey production. It will enrich our villages further, strengthen them," the Prime Minister said.

"Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana has been set with this goal in mind. Today the scheme is being launched in 21 states of the country. Over 20 thousand crore rupees will be spent on this in the next 4-5 years. Out of this, work worth Rs 1,700 crores is being started today," he added.

Live TV

The Prime Minister further said that with the establishment of pisciculture facilities in various places in Bihar, fish producers will get new markets for their produce.

"In Patna, Purnia, Sitamarhi, Madhepura, Kishanganj and Samastipur many facilities have been inaugurated and the foundation stone laid. With this, fish producers will get new infrastructure, modern equipment, new markets will also be available," he said.

"Keeping in mind the trade of fish in every part of the country, in the sea and riverine areas, for the first time such a big plan has been made in the country. After independence, many times more investment is being made on the Prime Minister`s Matsya Sampada Yojana," he added.
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Linkedin Sonali Paul (Reuters) Melbourne, Australia  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:02 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43ec521 2 Business oil-price,Brent,West-Texas-Intermediate,stockpiling,COVID-19,demand Free

Oil futures fell in early trade on Thursday, paring overnight gains, on worries about fuel demand after data showed United States crude stockpiles rose last week, rather than dropping as expected, and COVID-19 cases continued to rise around the world.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 20 cents, or 0.5 percent, to US$37.85 a barrel at 0056 GMT, after climbing 3.5 percent on Wednesday.

Brent crude futures dropped 14 cents, or 0.3 percent to $40.65 a barrel, after rising 2.5 percent on Wednesday.

As coronavirus case surged in several US states, the countrys crude stockpiles rose by 3 million barrels in the week to Sept. 4, data from the American Petroleum Institute showed on Wednesday. That compared with analysts forecasts of a draw of 1.4 million barrels.

The US Energy Information Administration will release official weekly inventory data later on Thursday, a day later than normal following the US Labor Day holiday.

In a further bearish sign, leading commodity traders are booking tankers to store crude oil and diesel on the water, with supply outpacing consumption, according to trading sources and shipping data.

The rising stockpiles come ahead of a meeting on Sept. 17 of the market monitoring panel of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, together known as OPEC+, which in August trimmed supply curbs from earlier this year on expectations demand would improve.

This issue will be front and centre ... next week, where we expect a strong statement that if markets continue to weaken, the producer group will be prepared to trim output further, Citi analysts said in a note.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday met Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who has been at the centre of a controversy over her remarks on Mumbai and its police, and said she need not be afraid while in the city.

Athawale, a BJP ally, made it clear he does not agree with the remarks made by Ranaut, who had likened Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and criticised the city police.

Athawale alleged that the Shiv Sena-controlled BMCs demolition drive at her bungalow in suburban Bandra was carried out a sentiment of revenge and added the Maharashtra government, too, had a role in it.

The minister said Ranaut had spoken the truth in connection with the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

He said the CBI, which is probing the death case, should arrive at a conclusion whether Rajput committed suicide or was murdered.

The Shiv Sena, which heads the alliance government in the state, and Ranaut had engaged in a war of words after she likened Mumbai to PoK and said she feared Mumbai Police more than alleged movie mafia.

Using a bulldozer and excavators, a BMC team had demolished the alterations allegedly made without the civic body"s approval at Ranaut"s bungalow at Pali Hill in suburban Bandra on Wednesday morning.

Athawale met Ranaut at her residence in suburban Khar here.

I spoke to her for an hour. I told her she need not be afraid in Mumbai. Mumbai is of the Shiv Sena, RPI-A, BJP, Congress, NCP and people of all religion, caste and speaking all languages.

Mumbai is the financial capital of the country. I told her our party (RPI-A) will be with her, Athawale said after meeting the actress.

Athawale said he respects Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and added the latter, who also heads the Sena, could have asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to refrain from undertaking the demolition drive at Ranaut"s bungalow.

But it did not happen. We think the government, too, is behind it. The Pali Hill office action was taken on the orders of Uddhav Thackeray, he alleged.

The minister said Ranaut feels she was insulted by the BMC.

She said the BMC could have razed two-three inches of additional construction if it felt there was any. But the BMC demolished furniture inside the office too. She thinks she should get compensation, Athawale added.

The minister further said a case should be filed against Shiv Senas mouthpiece Saamana and its executive editor Sanjay Raut for allegedly carrying a story linking Kangana with drugs.

Does Saamana have any proof? A case should be filed against "Saamana" and Raut if they file a story without proof, he added.

To a question, Athawale said he will welcome the actress into his partys fold if she wished to join it.

Kangana said she is not interested in politicsbut if she joins the RPI, I will welcome her 100 per cent. If she joins the BJP, we will welcome the decision 50 per cent, he said.

Athawales party had come out in support of the actress and offered her security at the Mumbai airport when she returned to the city on Wednesday amid sloganeering by Shiv Sena workers.
The special session of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting on Sub-Regional Development was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. This is the first time the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) has held a separate session on the issue.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the event (Photo: VNA)



Addressing the event, President of the Asian Development Bank Masatsugu Asakawa spoke highly of Vietnams initiative on the inclusion of the sub-regional development into the overall development of ASEAN, saying it contributes to the regional efforts for post-COVID-19 recovery.

For his part, President of Economic Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Hidetoshi Nishimura said ASEAN has promoted its central role in connecting and developing sub-regions in the region, such as the Mekong region, the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT).

The Mekong region can be a role model for sub-regional development in ASEAN during the cooperation process for sustainable development and prosperity of the region, he said.

Participants shared ideas on the challenges facing the ASEAN sub-regions, such as development gaps, hunger, food security  water source  energy, environmental pollution, and climate change.

They suggested ASEAN nations focus on different aspects of each sub-region such as boosting regional linkage, human resources development, public-private partnership (PPP), reshaping regional supply chain, and taking advantages of science and technology and digital economic development.

Minh underlined the significance and role of sub-regional cooperation in the region. Through unity, cooperation and the spirit that no one is left behind, ASEAN has been successful. It is now the time for ASEAN to uphold its role, coordinate and support the sub-regional development in the region, he said.

Also on the first working day, participants discussed other ASEAN and international and regional issues of mutual interest, including COVID-19 response and post-pandemic recovery plan.

AMM 53 is one of the highlights of Vietnams ASEAN Chairmanship this year. The event consists of 20 meetings via video conference, joined by 27 delegations from four continents of different time zones. They include the 21st ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers Meeting, the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting, and the 27th ASEAN Regional Forum./.


One person is in hospital following a fire at a Fort Erie townhouse complex Wednesday.

Niagara Regional Police said emergency crews were called to a residence on Bertie Street at about 2 p.m. in response to a structure fire.

Members of Fort Erie Fire Department removed one person from the home and he was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

No other information was immediately available.
Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins will remain on the Pennsylvania ballot, but his running mate Angela Walker must be removed, a state judge ruled late Wednesday.

Commonwealth Court Judge J. Andrew Crompton delivered that split verdict in a legal challenge with close connections to the state Democratic Party.

The challenge focused on problems with paperwork.

The Green Party on Aug. 3 filed nominating petitions for two candidates from Pennsylvania  Elizabeth Faye Scroggin for president and Neal Taylor Gale for vice president  but swapped them out a week later for Hawkins, a retired Teamster from New York, and Walker, a labor activist who drives a dump truck in South Carolina.

The party didnt file a candidate affidavit for Gale as required by state law. Scroggin faxed her affidavit to the Pennsylvania Department of State by the deadline, but there was a delay in printing it.

Larry Otter, an attorney for the Green Party, said the Democratic players in the legal case filed an appeal to the state Supreme Court on Thursday.

Andrea Merida, a Hawkins campaign spokesperson, said its clear that the Democrats are not interested in stating their case to the voters; instead they engage in party suppression, which is voter suppression, to get an edge.

The challenge was filed by Pittsburgh attorney Clifford Levine, who has done legal work for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. Levines clients are Paul Stefano, chair of the Lawrence County Democratic Party, and Tony Thomas, who ran as a Democrat for City Council in Wilkes-Barre last year.

Asked if the state Democratic Party was backing the challenge, Levine this week said Theyre aware of it." The state Democratic Party did not respond to requests for comment.

 READ MORE: A dark-money group is sending Pa. voters mail ballot applications as Trump keeps attacking mail voting

The challenge, filed last month, comes at a time when President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are competing for a shrinking pool of undecided voters. The Green Party, with about 27,000 registered voters in the state, makes up 0.3% of the electorate.

An average of polling compiled by Real Clear Politics gives Biden a 4.3% lead in Pennsylvania as of Wednesday, but that is within the margin of error for some polling

Jill Stein, the Green Partys 2016 presidential candidate, won almost 50,000 votes that year, or 0.8% of the ballots cast. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the state by about 44,000 votes, a margin of 0.7%.
NATURE

Entangled Life

by Merlin Sheldrake (Bodley Head 20, 368 pp)

The splendidly named Merlin Sheldrake is the son of the maverick biologist Rupert Sheldrake, who famously came up with the idea of 'morphic resonance'.

This suggests that all living things somehow connect, have 'memories', and communicate with each other in ways we don't understand.

Sheldrake the Younger continues a proud family tradition of non-conformity: he is a genial obsessive in the mysterious world of fungi.

'More than 90 per cent of their species remain undocumented,' he notes, and there may be as many as 3.8 million of them.

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake delves into the mysterious world of fungi

Right now, he says, fungi are 'eating rock, making soil, digesting pollutants, nourishing and killing plants, surviving in space, inducing visions, making medicines and manipulating animal behaviour'.

They're also the largest and oldest living things on earth. One fungus in Oregon in the U.S. weighs thousands of tonnes, covers 10 sq km, and might be 8,000 years old, starting out when there were still woolly mammoths around.

In furtherance of his enquiries, the book's mycophile author once 'lay naked in a mound of decomposing wood chips'.

He's even, under medical supervision, taken LSD which is reputed to induce feelings of connectedness.

Fungi are the largest and oldest living things on earth, Sheldrake reveals

It turns out that the relatively recent discovery of the 'Wood Wide Web' denotes just this: a vast and astonishingly complex fungal network that lives underground, linking plants, fungi and bacteria in both a nutrient and information highway.

Like our own morally mixed World Wide Web, the Wood Wide Web isn't only about mutual exchange and kindly co-operation.

Plants also use it to kill each other. In one experiment, walnut trees emitted a toxic compound in their fallen leaves which then travelled via underground networks to poison some nearby tomato plants, thus reducing their power to compete.

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake (Bodley Head 20, 368 pp)

But it's becoming harder and harder for biologists to think of any single organism as being really just that: you and I aren't simply human individuals, we're also walking, talking colonies of trillions of bacteria and fungi.

Only 43 per cent of our cells are human  we're mostly a microbial megacity, usefully protected and fed by a temporary sheath called a human being.

When this sheath dies off, the inhabitants of the megacity swarm out and devour it, and then move on elsewhere.

On a more positive note, maybe it'll be fungi which will finally help us clear up the dreadful plastic pollution we have created.

South Korean scientists have discovered a beetle whose larvae can digest polystyrene, thanks to their gut flora.

And others have found a strain of white rot fungi that can digest cigarette butts.

Somewhere out there may be some tiny threadlike organism which can happily munch through mountains of supermarket shopping bags and discarded plastic toys (made in China, binned in Britain), and turn them into the richest, finest compost.

A company in New York has also created something called 'mycelium leather', a material made by fungal activity, which Stella McCartney is considering using for her handbags.

Entangled Life is a captivating trip into the weird and wonderful mycorrhizal world around us  and inside us. It's full of startling revelations, detailed science and just enough eccentric humour to make it digestible.

A joy.
Gov. Kate Brown warned Oregonians Wednesday to brace for bad news about the human toll of raging wildfires in upcoming days, as forecasted weather improvements could allow first responders to begin assessing the damage to many fire-ravaged communities.

With zero containment around most of the estimated 300,000 acres burning around the state, many of those areas have been no-go zones even for firefighters, who have been focused on saving lives, not structures, fire officials said.

On Wednesday a young boy and his grandmother in Marion County were confirmed to be the first two known fatalities from Oregons wildfires.

This is truly an all-hands-on-deck moment for Oregon, Brown said during a virtual press conference Wednesday afternoon. The next few days are going to be extremely difficult.

Three days into the extreme fire weather than has propelled wildfires down canyons all along the west side of the Cascades, officials at all levels are using unprecedented to describe the situation. Brown chose more concrete terms Wednesday.

I want to be upfront in saying that we expect to see a great deal of loss both in structures and in human lives, the governor said. This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our states history.

Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Oregons chief deputy state fire marshal, said conditions are just beginning to be safe enough in some areas for first responders to return.

At the same time, Ruiz-Temple said firefighters had significant saves in the last 24 hours where were bringing folks out of the fire.

The governor said the rescues even included pulling people to safety from the rivers, although she offered no additional details.

Brown said early reports indicate the city of Detroit, the unincorporated community of Blue River, Vida, Phoenix and Talent are substantially destroyed.

Hundreds of homes have been lost and we continue to carry out masse evacuations across the entire state, the governor said.

Even in areas of the state where mega fires are not an imminent threat, Brown said fire conditions are the worst they have been in three decades with dry air, dry brush and hot wind. This means everyone must be on high alert.

Ruiz-Temple confirmed downed power lines started some of the fires that grew into the Santiam fire but said the details are under investigation. She said unspecified power companies did start shutting off power in the area Monday evening, apparently after the lines already ignited areas.

The Statesman-Journal in Salem reported Tuesday that fires in the Santiam Canyon were started by power lines knocked down by trees blown over in high winds.

On Wednesday, Portland General Electric told The Oregonian/OregonLive the company received unconfirmed reports that some fires in the region may have been started by electrical equipment affected by heavy winds and debris. The company cut power to thousands of customers near Mt. Hood as a precaution earlier this week and officials said they also turned off power in high-risk areas near the Riverside and Santiam Canyon fires.

Doug Grafe, chief of fire protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry, said he expects the two huge fires in Marion County, the Santiam and Lionshead, to ultimately merge with the Riverside fire to the north in Clackamas County.

Grafe said the combination of hot, dry winds pushing fire down record-breaking amounts of vegetation fuels on the west slopes of Oregon mountains has been the defining experience from the beginning of this fire fight.

Although winds are abating, Grafe said gusts were still reaching 25 mph at ridgelines Wednesday. Tomorrow begins a hopeful change in weather conditions, Grafe said.

Firefighters have been using the Oregon National Guards Black Hawk helicopters in recent weeks but high winds over the last 72 hours really put aircraft on the ground, Grafe said. With winds subsiding and an inversion potentially trapping smoke, Grafe said the next challenge for helicopters could be visibility.

Grafe said approximately 3,000 personnel were working on Oregon wildfires in recent weeks and that number has not budged much in recent days.

Well continue to see resources come from around the nation to support this effort, Grafe said, with numbers increasing in the next three days as firefighters begin to work on containment.

The 35 wildfires around the state as of Wednesday afternoon cover the equivalent of 500 square miles, mostly west of the Cascades, Brown said.

Grafe added, Absolutely no area of the state is free from fire.

Oregon Office of Emergency Management director Andrew Phelps urged Oregonians to support people displaced by fires through donations to organizations that are helping evacuees.

If youre in a safe place, stay home to keep roads as clear as possible for emergency responders and evacuees, Phelps said. He also asked people who evacuated to register through the Red Cross. Thats going to help us identify folks who might be unaccounted for in these wildfires.

Brown said she wants families impacted by the fires to know, I am absolutely committed to getting you the tools and resources you need to recover. The governor said she spoke Tuesday and Wednesday with members of the states congressional delegation to make sure they know the state is in dire need of federal emergency assistance.

I know that Oregonians are tough and strong and creative and resilient and were going to have to put all these qualities to work in the future for the recovery effort, Brown said.

-- Hillary Borrud: hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By Akbar Mammadov

The United Nations is interested in a peaceful solution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the organizations Resident Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai has said.

Isaczai made the remarks during a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku on September 9.

During the meeting, Bayramov spoke about Armenias latest pre-planned military provocation in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz region on the border as well as Yerevan's policy of aggression.

He reminded that Azerbaijan has raised this issue with international organizations, including the UN Secretary-General.

In turn, Isaczai reminded the statement of the UN Secretary-General on the cross-border incident and noted the active role played by UN Secretary-General. He stressed that the UN is interested in a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Furthermore, the sides held discussions on mutually beneficial and comprehensive cooperation relations between the UN and Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyevs recent initiative to hold the UN General Assembly special session in response to COVID-19 pandemic was highly appreciated during the meeting. It was noted that discussions are underway on the format and modalities of the high-level meeting of the special session.

The sides also discussed conducting joint events commemorating the UN 75th Anniversary.

It should be noted that the UN Security Council passed four resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994.

Thre recent cross-border fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan started on July 12 with Armenia's firing artillery at Azerbaijan's positions in the direction of Tovuz region. Azerbaijani army lost 12 servicemen as a result of Armenian attacks. One civilian was killed as a result of artillery fire by the Armenian armed forces.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The political significance of the creation of universal amphibious assault ships (UDK) for the Russian Navy is exceeding its military importance so far. Many experts believe they are excessive in the Navy, the Independent Military Review writes.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

Official rendering of the Project 23900 LHD displayed during the laying ceremony at the Zaliv Shipyard LLC in Kerch on July 20, 2020. (Picture source: Zelenodolsk Design Bureau)

In modern low-intensity conflicts, the use of a universal naval combat platform, such as UDK is sufficient for a combat mission in a distant theater of warfare, and specifically a peacekeeping operation.

The Soviet Navy operated two antisubmarine ships of project 1123 - the Moskva and the Leningrad. Each carried 14 Ka-25 helicopters.

The construction of a third ship was cancelled. UDK of project 11780 were not laid because of disagreements between the Navy command and the General Headquarters. They had to carry 12 Ka-29 combat transport helicopters and 25 Ka-27 antisubmarine helicopters, as well as 40 tanks and a thousand of marines.

In the early 2010s, Russia planned to procure four French helicopter carriers capable of carrying 40 tanks and 900 marines. However, only two ships were ordered. The stern of the French UDK was built by the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg. The French cancelled the contract after numerous delays for the supply of the Vladivostok and the Sevastopol ships and paid back the money in 2015. Paris said it was a punishment for Crimean reunification with Russia, but the cancelled deal discredited France as a reliable military-technical partner anyway.

In 2015, both helicopter carriers were handed over to Egypt and called the Anwar Sadat and the Gamal Abdel Nasser. Their significance for the Egyptian Navy is small because of limited geographical engagement. In 2018, both ships landed an assault on the coast during a counterterrorist operation in the Sinai Peninsula. The operation was assessed as excessive.

Zaliv Shipyard in Kerch laid two Russian universal amphibious assault ships in 2020 - the Ivan Rogov and the Mitrofan Moskalenko of project 23900 designed by Zelenodolsk Bureau. The construction cost is close to 100 billion rubles. The first ship is to join the Navy in 2025 and the second one in 2027.

Media quoted the tactical and technical characteristics as saying the projected displacement has increased to 30000 tons against previous 25000 tons. It is likely necessary to carry a bigger number of aircraft. Besides 16 Ka-27, Ka-29, and Ka-31 helicopters and the latest Katran Ka-52K reconnaissance gunships, the UDK has to carry reconnaissance drones.

In ten years of the discussion of the UDK necessity for the Russian Navy the military-political situation in the world and the geography of Russian armed forces engagement has radically changed. The Russian military campaign in the distant Syrian theater of warfare showed the necessity to have such a warship in the Eastern Mediterranean.

It can also operate as a hospital, floating headquarters, command ship with long-range communications, and a floating base for humanitarian and rescue operations. UDK will be the nucleus of expeditionary forces in a distant theater of warfare. However, additional construction of frigates is necessary to help UDK operate in green waters, as it is vulnerable without protection. So far, UDK can operate in coastal waters or limited areas, such as the Baltic or the Black Sea, the Independent Military Review said.

 Copyright 2020 TASS Navy Recognition. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
in hotels, clubs and reopened in on Wednesday after being closed for over 170 days and some of them received a good number of customers on the first day despite the COVID-19 scare.

The excise department, however, said violation of COVID-19 guidelines could lead to sealing of the premises or cancellation of licence.

Priyank Sukhija, the owner of restaurant chains such as Plum By Bent Chair, Lord of the Drinks and Tamasha in and Mumbai, said there has been a "substantial increase" in bookings for both lunch and dinner.

"We will do much better than what we used to do without alcohol being served. We only have 50 per cent seating. We are keeping sanitiser on every table," Sukhija said.

He said they are ensuring that guests remove their masks only when they get seated at their tables.

"Our servers are wearing masks all the time. The business is a lot better. In the restaurant where we did 10 covers for lunch, we did 30 covers today and the billing was four-five times due to the liquor orders. We were doing eight to 10 per cent of pre-COVID sales earlier but now we hope that we will touch 40 to 50 per cent of pre-COVID sales soon," he added.

Suveet Kalra, Owner of Ardor, said they have put up acrylic glass portions between all tables to maintain minimum six feet distancing and have placed hand and feet sanitizers at the restaurant entrance.

"We have introduced antibody cocktails with immunity boosting ingredients etc. Customers in large groups are being discouraged, rather small gatherings are being welcomed so as to maintain minimum crowd," he said.

The organic cocktails contain no preservatives and only syrups etc, he said, adding that guests are being explained their benefits.

"There are UV filters in the air-conditioning ducts so as to kill all germs and we are using UV sanitised cutlery and conducting Aarogya Setu App Check on all Employees / Vendors," he said.

Sumit Goyal, owner of Gastronomica, said, "The business has been slow for now. Maybe the weekend will get better as it was the first day and people are less aware."



He said they got COVID-19 tests conducted for all the staffers and common areas and tables are sanitised frequently.

"We conduct daily temperature checks of all staff members and anyone with fever is refused entry and needs a minimum 14 day quarantine to rejoin. We are ensuring contactless ordering using QR codes and contactless payments have been enabled, Guests are given a choice to use disposable crockery," Goyal said.

An official said entry will be allowed only to those wearing masks and to asymptomatic customers and staff as part of the preventive measures against COVID-19.

The official said no customer who is standing will be served liquor by such establishments which will also have to ensure provisions for sanitiser dispenser and thermal scanning at the entrance.

The excise department said its enforcement teams would keep a strict vigil to ensure strict compliance of COVID-19 guidelines by these establishments.

Rahul Singh, owner and CEO of The Beer Cafe, said, "We are opening our outlets one by one. Today, we opened the one at Aerocity and tomorrow we will open the ones at Connaught Place, Nehru Place, Promenade and Pacific Mall."



He further said, "Of course, we cannot get back to the pre-COVID era but I am happy with the response on the first day."In a recent order, the department directed its assistant commissioner (enforcement) to deploy teams to check compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) while serving liquor at in hotels, clubs and

Strict compliance of SOPs on COVID-19 precaution is the foremost condition for opening of for an allowed period from September 9 to September 30, it said.

"The enforcement teams will keep a close watch as liquor is served at hotels, and clubs to ensure there is no violation of COVID-19 safety precautions prescribed under the SOPs. If needed extra manpower will be deployed for the purpose," a senior government officer said.

The Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), in its order on September 3, had directed that such bars will be permitted to open in Delhi, except in containment zones, from September 9 to 30.

The activities related to bars in hotels, clubs, restaurants for on-premises consumption of liquor under different licence categories are allowed from September 9 to September 30, subject to compliance of SOPs, the excise department said in its order.

"The onus is completely on the licensee to comply with the SOPs issued by the DDMA and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," said the order.

The owners of these establishments and licensee of hotels, clubs and restaurants will ensure compliance of SOPs failing which action will be taken against them, officials said. "In case of violation, prompt action will be taken including sealing of premises and cancellation of licence," they said.

The DDMA's SOPs allow reopening of such establishments with only 50 per cent of the approved seating capacity, use of face masks and gloves by staff and social distancing.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Here is the weekly road construction report for District 29:

BRADLEY COUNTY SR-60 Construction of small drainage structures (LM 15.85 and LM 15.90): During this reporting period the contractor will be working on the northbound shoulder of SR-60 (25th Street) near LM 15.85 just north of the intersection with SR-2 (Keith Street). The shoulder of SR-60 will remain closed for the duration of this work. Motorists accessing the shopping plaza at this intersection are advised to use caution and watch for workers and equipment moving in the area.

[Whaley Construction, LLC/Wagner/CNU227]



BRADLEY COUNTY Utility Work on SR-2 (KEITH ST.





S.W.) northbound from LM 12.53 to LM 12.77: Shoulder and single lane closure between N. Ocoee Street and Stuart Road NE. Signage and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM with an estimated completion 09/20/20.BRADLEY COUNTY Utility Work on SR-74 (OCOEE ST. N.E.) in both directions from LM 16.26 to LM 16.88: Shoulder and single lane closure between Westview Drive NW and Keith Street NW. Signage and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM with an estimated completion 11/30/20.BRADLEY COUNTY I-75 North and South at MM 30: TDOT Materials & Tests crews will conduct core drilling operations on a bridge deck on I-75 in both directions at mile marker 30 on 9/16/20 between 7PM and 2AM. The outside lane will be temporarily closed during drilling operations. TDOT Maintenance will assist with traffic control.[TDOT Materials & Tests]HAMILTON COUNTY SR-319 Repair of the bridge over the Tennessee River and Riverpark Drive (LM 2.2): The contractor will be performing repair operations to the bridge that will require lane closures in both directions. Extra caution should be observed of trucks entering and exiting the work-zone. During this report period the inside shoulder and inside lane of each direction are closed. Traffic is shifted to the right in both directions. Additional flaggers will be present as needed.[Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU205]HAMILTON COUNTY The tunnel cleaning of the McCallie Tunnel on US-11(US-64, SR-2), the Stringers Ridge Tunnel on US-127(SR-8), and the Bachman Tubes on US-41 (US-76, S.R.8): On Wednesday, 09/16/20 (8 PM - 6 AM), there will be a tunnel cleaning operation at the McCallie Tunnels. This will be supported by a flagging operation. Later that night, the Stringers Ridge Tunnel will be cleaned & supported by a signed detour.[Diamond Specialized, Inc./Micka/CNU182]HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 Replacement of Belvoir Ave. bridge over I-24 and I-24 bridges over Germantown Road near MM 183: Lane shifts are in place on I-24 EB and WB under the Belvoir Avenue Bridge, at North and South Terrace approaching the Belvoir Avenue Bridge, and on Germantown Road under the I-24 Bridge. Alternating single and double lane closures will be required on I-24 EB and WB on 09/10/20 and between 09/13/20 through 09/16/20 from 9 PM and 6 AM. Additionally, there will be single lane closures in the north and south directions of Germantown Road under the I-24 Bridge and at the intersections with North and South Terrace. These closures will occur on 09/10/20 and 09/11/20, and between 09/14/20 through 09/16/20 from 9 AM to 6 AM the following morning. Motorists should be aware of the Belvoir Avenue Bridge closure and detour that was put into place on 04/20/20, and the new traffic pattern at Exit 183 on the ramp leading to the intersection of South Terrace and Germantown Road on 08/10/20. There is a 45 MPH speed limit reduction throughout the project corridor on I-24.[Bell and Associates Construction, LP/Blevins/CMGC03]HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 Resurfacing from the Georgia State line to near the ramp to SR-2 (US-41, US-64, US-11, Cummings Hwy): There will continue to be a paving operation on I-24 EB/WB involving lane closures as follows: Sunday - Thursday (8PM - 6AM). This project is continuous from MM 171 at the Georgia line through MM 178, just west of the US-27 split. Expect significant queueing of traffic. Manned attenuator trucks, variable speed limit signs, and two officers will be assisting in this operation.[Talley Construction Company, Inc./Micka/CNT374]HAMILTON COUNTY I-75 at I-24 Interchange Reconstruction: Watch for trucks entering and exiting project. Traffic should expect multiple lane shifts traveling through the interchange. Lane closures will occur Sunday nights through Thursday nights between 9 PM and 6 AM at the following locations: I-75 NB MM 1, I-75 SB MM 3 and I-24 EB MM 184.0 Traffic pacing may occur throughout interchange Sunday nights through Thursday nights between 9 PM and 6 AM. Additionally, there may intermittent shoulder closures at various locations for access to the median and roadside areas. I-75 NB to I-24 WB split has been moved back 1500 feet from its previous location. Welcome Center traffic intending to use I-24 WB now, will have to detour on I-75 NB to Exit 3. Detailed detour information will be available at the Welcome Center. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH throughout the interchange. RESTRICTIONS: There is a 14' width restriction on the NB I-75 to WB I-24 interchange ramp. This affects wide loads at approximately MM 1.7.[C.W. Matthews Contracting Company, Inc./Blevins/DB1801]HAMILTON COUNTY US-27 (I-124) Widening from I-24/US-27 interchange to north of the Olgiati Bridge over the Tennessee River, including widening the Olgiati Bridge: Work on this project continues with activities occurring in the median and shoulders of US-27. Motorists should be alert for construction vehicles entering and exiting the activity area. Motorists should pay close attention to the detour signage posted. The speed limit on US-27 in the construction zone remains 45 MPH. Weather permitting, the contractor may implement temporary lane/shoulder closures on weeknights between the hours of 7 PM and 6 AM. At least one lane will remain open in each direction on US-27. Currently EXIT 1C from northbound US-27 to 4th St. has been closed and is scheduled to reopen on 09/15/20. Motorist should use alternate posted detours at EXITS 1A and 1B from US-27 northbound, to 4th Street. On Thursday, 09/10/20, thru Wednesday, 09/16/20 between the hours of 9 AM to 9PM temporary lane closures will be in place for southbound US-27 from the Olgiati Bridge to I-24 for milling and leveling of the asphalt. A State Trooper is requested for the duration of these scheduled lane closures. On Thursday, 9/10 (9AM  1PM) the US27 SB loop ramp servicing MLK will be closed to support a drilling operation for an overhead sign. Traffic will be signed & detoured to 6th St. RESTRICTIONS: I-124 (US-27)Southbound Exit 1C 4th St Of Ramp: No oversize/over dimensional loads; I-124 (US-27) Southbound Exit 1-B Martin Luther King Blvd. Off Ramp: No oversized/over dimensional loads; Martin Luther King Blvd. between Chestnut St. and Gateway Ave.: No oversized/over dimensional loads.[Dement Construction Company, LLC/Micka/CNP230]HAMILTON COUNTY TDOT Bridge Inspection on I-24 both directions from MM 178 to MM 181.5: From 7 AM to 5 PM on 09/10/20 and from 7 AM to 5 PM on 09/14/20 through 9/16/20, structure inspections will take place closing the shoulders with a mobile attenuator operation.HAMILTON COUNTY TDOT Contractor on I-24 in both directions from MM 184.0 to MM 171.0: On Thursday, 9/10/20 (9AM - 6AM), the contractor will be installing Emergency Mile Marker signs along the median of I-24 WB. Work start at about MM 184.0 and proceed WB. On Sunday, 9/13 thru Wed ,9/16, the contractor will proceed with the sign installation. Once he gets inside the I-24 OGFC project (MM 178 to MM171), the contractor will coordinate with Talley Construction related to the direction of the installation (EB or WB).HAMILTON COUNTY TDOT Contractor on SR-317 (BONNY OAKS DR.) westbound from LM 1.734 to LM 4.545: On Thursday and Wednesday of this reporting period, there will be intermitting lane closures on Bonny Oaks from 9 AM-3:30 PM. There will be flaggers directing traffic at several spots in this area.HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-2 (BROAD ST.) northbound from LM 6.13 to LM 3.12: Shoulder and single lane closure between W. 35th Street and W. 33rd Street. Arrow boards, signage and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 6 PM from 09/10/20 through 09/23/20.HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-2 (BROAD ST.) southbound at LM 6.98: Shoulder and single lane closure between W. 24th Street and W. 27th Street. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM through 09/18/20.HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-319 (HIXSON PK.) northbound at LM 14.73: Shoulder and single lane closure between Heron Cove Lane and Freedom Bay Drive. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM through 09/25/20.HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-319 (HIXSON PK.) northbound at LM 7.98: Shoulder and single lane closure between Brookaire Road and Destiny Drive. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM through 09/25/20.HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-320 (E. BRAINERD RD.) westbound from LM 3.29 to LM 5.77: Lane closure between Bel-Air Road and Greens Road with flaggers, signage, barrels and/or cones. Motorists should use caution and be aware of personnel and equipment when traveling through the work zones. This is a nighttime lane closure between 7 PM to 5 AM starting 09/14/20 through 09/18/20.HAMILTON COUNTY SR-29 (US-27) Repair of the bridge over Big Soddy Creek (LM 20.6): During this report period the contractor will have traffic restricted with one lane of SR-29 southbound closed over Big Soddy Creek. Additionally, one lane of SR-111 southbound will be closed as it approaches the SR-29 junction.[Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU046]HAMILTON COUNTY SR-2 (US-64, US-11) Improvement of the intersection at Edgmon Road in Collegedale (LM 22.7), including grading, drainage and paving: During this report period, the contractor will be performing grading, drainage and paving. Extra care should be taken while trucks and heavy equipment are entering and exiting the roadway. The roadway may be temporarily restricted to a one lane roadway by flagging operation.[Talley Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU012]HAMILTON COUNTY SR-317 (Apison Pike) Improvement project from SR-321 (Ooltewah-Ringgold Road) to east of Layton Lane: Lane closures and flagging operations will be required on SR-317, Apison Pike, to install power poles and transfer lines. The flagging operations will be performed on 09/10/20, 09/11/20, 09/14/20, 09/15/20, and 09/16/20 from 7 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM. Closures will last about 2 hours per location. There will also be very short lane closures for blasting that will last five minutes or less. The contractor will have intermittent flagging operations during daytime non-peak hours for utility work, delivery of materials and equipment.[Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNT336]MCMINN COUNTY SR-39 Resurfacing from Maple Street (LM 15.2) to east of County Road 469 (LM 19.7): During this reporting period, the contractor will have intermittent lane closures Monday through Friday between the hours of 7 AM and 5:30 PM for the installation of permanent pavement markings. Motorists are advised to use caution in the work zone and watch for flaggers assisting with traffic control.[Rogers Group, Inc./Wagner/CNU211]MCMINN AND POLK COUNTY SR-163 Resurfacing from west of CR-750 (Piney Grove Road) (LM 9.0) in McMinn County to US-411 (SR-30) (LM 1.0) in Polk County: During this reporting period the contractor will have intermittent lane closures on SR-163 Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7 AM and 5:30 PM for the installation of rumble stripe, permanent pavement markings, and snowplowable pavement markers. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph in the work zone. Motorists are advised to use caution and watch for flaggers assisting with traffic control.[Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Wagner/CNU137]MEIGS COUNTY SR-58 Resurfacing from north of Ten Mile Road (LM 31.3) to the Roane County line (LM 35.1): During this period, the contractor will have one lane closed while performing resurfacing operations. One lane will always remain open. Additional flaggers will be on-site to assist with traffic control as needed.[Rogers Group, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU163]MEIGS COUNTY SR-58 Repair of bridge over Hiwassee River (LM 5.22): During this report period, the contractor will have the roadway reduced to one lane controlled by temporary traffic signals. Additional flaggers will be on site as needed.[Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNT103]POLK COUNTY Utility Work on SR-33 (HWY. 411) in both directions from LM 9.9 to LM 14: Mobile lane closures from the SR-40 junction to Ocoee River Bridge as crews transition work zone. Motorists should use caution and be aware of personnel and equipment when traveling through the work zones. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present between 9 AM to 3 PM with an estimated completion of 09/30/20.POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) Bridge over the Ocoee River: During this reporting period, the contractor will be working on the westbound shoulder of US-64 (SR-40) to construct a new haul road. The westbound shoulder of US-64 (SR-40) will be closed for the duration of this work. Motorists are advised to reduce speed in the work zone and watch for trucks entering/leaving the highway.[Charles Blalock and Sons, Inc./Wagner/DB1802]POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) Emergency slope stabilization near LM 20.5: During this reporting period, the contractor will be working to stabilize a slope near LM 20.5 on SR-40 (US-64). The eastbound truck climbing lane is closed at this location and will remain closed for the duration of construction. Motorists are advised to reduce speed to 35 mph in the work zone due to a lane shift and to watch for trucks entering/leaving the highway.[Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Wagner/CNU909]POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) Repair of bridges over North Potato Creek (LM 26.93): During this reporting period, the contractor will be working on painting the steel beams on the eastbound bridge and installing a new concrete railing on the westbound bridge. Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction on US-64 for the duration of this work. Motorists are advised to use caution and reduce speed in the work zone due to decreased lane widths. RESTRICTIONS: 12 ft. maximum width LM 26.93 Westbound 14 ft. maximum width LM 26.93 Eastbound.[Jones Bros. Contractors, LLC/Wagner/CNT062]POLK COUNTY Boanerges Church Road construction of a bridge over Old Fort Creek: During this reporting period, the contractor will be working to install concrete walls for portions of the new bridge and construct new bridge approaches. This work will occur weather permitting. Boanerges Church Road is closed to all traffic for the duration of construction. Detour signs are posted diverting traffic around the closure onto SR-313 and US-411.[Summers-Taylor, Inc./Wagner/CNT279]RHEA COUNTY SR-302 Resurfacing from SR-30 (LM 0.0) to SR-68 (LM 8.9): During this period, the contractor will have one lane closed while performing resurfacing operations. One lane will always remain open. Additional flaggers will be on-site to assist with traffic control as needed.[Rogers Group, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU215]RHEA COUNTY Utility Work on SR-68 (WATTS BAR HWY.) in both directions from LM 15.16 to LM 15.10: Shoulder and single lane closure between Peakland Road and Watts Bar Drive. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM from 09/14/20 through 09/18/20.RHEA COUNTY The grading, drainage, construction of bridges, paving and signals on a S.I.A. route serving Nokian Tyres: The portion of US-27 in front of the Nokian Tyres SIA entry will continue to experience a traffic shift with no shoulders. There will be the movement of construction vehicles in and out of the site as construction and material deliveries continue. The travelling public should be alert.[Dement Construction Company, LLC/Micka/CNU014]
The Creek fire jumps California Highway 168 on Tuesday in Fresno County. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

When Mandy Keathley began hiking the John Muir Trail, she expected the journey of over 200 miles to take about 18 days.

The 32-year-old hadn't made plans for the summer. So when she got a month off from work, she figured it was the perfect time to spend a few weeks in the open air. She packed a 45-liter backpack with her tent, sleeping bag, stove, food, water filtration and clothes.

What she didn't expect was for her solo hike to go up in smoke and end  about a week after it started  in a predawn evacuation Tuesday on a military helicopter.

"That certainly never crossed my mind when I hit the trail," the Oakland resident said.

A photo of the Mammoth Pool Reservoir taken by hiker Alec Ziff. The Creek fire marred Ziff's trip, but he was rescued in time to celebrate his birthday on Labor Day. (Alec Ziff)

Hundreds of people endured similar surreal experiences trapped in remote locations of the Sierra Nevada by the destructive Creek fire. The blaze grew to more than 100,000 acres over the Labor Day weekend and left hikers, campers and others stranded with no apparent way out.

By 2 p.m. Tuesday, California Army National Guard helicopter crews had rescued a total of 373 people and 16 dogs.

They very easily, very easily, could have turned around and said the smoke made that mission too dangerous, but they went in anyway, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a briefing Tuesday. They saved many, many lives, and thats just an example of the kind of heroism that is a big part of this moment as well.

The rescues began Saturday after the Creek fire, which ignited Friday evening about six miles to the west, jumped the San Joaquin River and made a run toward the Mammoth Pool Reservoir.

That's where Alec Ziff and a friend had decided to celebrate Ziff's 26th birthday, which fell on Labor Day. That morning, they woke up to smoke but thought it seemed far off in the distance.

David Mau, who runs the kitchen at Vermilion Valley Resort, waits for a helicopter rescue at China Peak on Sunday. The California Highway Patrol eventually escorted him and other drivers out. (David Mau)

The two spent the morning kayaking and hiking, before heading to Wagner's Store to buy ice. There, they learned that the fire had gotten worse and they needed to evacuate.

They headed to the lake to paddle back to their tent and gather their things. From the lake, they started to see flames at the top of the mountain amid vicious, swirling winds and smoke. The two grabbed their belongings before getting back on the water.

Story continues

In the lake, Ziff said, the waves reached five or six feet and eventually pushed the kayak over. Ziff, who was carrying two backpacks filled with clothes, got tangled in the tent they had brought onboard and lost his grip on the kayak. He started getting dragged in the water.

"At that point, I didn't think I was going to make it," Ziff said. "I'm trying to get everything loose, and I can see fire all around me."

Eventually, Ziff freed himself and the pair reached the other side of the lake to wait it out with others. That night, hundreds were rescued by helicopter crews, but about 15 of them, including Ziff and his friend, decided to stay behind to ride out the fire.

Those who stayed shared an oxygen tank and raided ice chests to stock up on food. On Sunday, cell service went down, and they were "essentially stranded," he said.

Then, on Sunday night, Ziff spotted three flashlights coming down the hill toward them, held by U.S. Forest Service workers. By that point, the adventure was over for Ziff.

"In that moment, I knew we were going to get out," he said. "I didn't care how we got out, I didn't care if it was by ATV, or helicopter or if they had made a path for us to walk up. I just wanted to get out."

Ziff ended up driving his own car out in a three-hour caravan headed toward Bass Lake. He and his friend stayed in a hotel in Oakhurst, where they celebrated Ziff's birthday with a few beers.

On Saturday, Juliana Park was with a group of four friends backpacking in the mountains northeast of the Mammoth Pool Reservoir. They had planned the trip weeks in advance  each of them getting tested beforehand for COVID-19  wanting to take advantage of the long weekend.

"Obviously, if we had known how dire the situation over there would be, we wouldn't have left the Bay Area," the 24-year-old said.

About an hour into the hike Saturday, the group heard thunder and took that as a sign to turn back. They hiked uphill, and by the time they reached their car "it was raining ash." The sky was an ominous orange.

As they drove, they encountered a woman  who they believe was a forest service worker  who led them down the road with her red lights flashing. She instructed them to drive through the fire on either side, as it was their only way down.

A backpacking trip cut short by unforeseen thunder, ash rain, and having to drive through literal fire to evacuate #SierraNationalForest in time. Grateful to the SNF ranger who led us down... wish we we got her name. #CreekFire @mercnews @sfchronicle @ABC7 @KTVU pic.twitter.com/37Ys7XGJ2a  Juliana Park (@julipdoe) September 6, 2020

Throughout the drive, Park kept telling her friend to "just keep going." Park believes the flames they saw were part of a spot fire possibly caused by lightning.

"We just got really, really lucky," Park said, crediting the woman who helped lead them down. "Had we not seen her maybe 10 minutes prior, we would not have been so lucky."

After starting her backpacking trip on Aug. 31, Keathley didn't see smoke until Saturday when she stopped at Vermilion Valley Resort, a modest way station by Edison Lake, to resupply her food.

The Creek fire halted a hike by Juliana Park and her friends in the Sierra. She drove through flames guided by a person she thinks was a forest worker. (Juliana Park)

Although it was "a little bit scary," Keathley said, the fire still seemed to be pretty far off. The next morning, she decided to head out, trying to go south on the John Muir Trail in the hopes of getting away from the smoke.

But after nine miles, the smoke didn't get better, and Keathley struggled to breathe. After learning that evacuations were happening at Vermilion, she decided to turn back.

"I didn't feel comfortable continuing on the trail," she said. Other backpackers kept going.

About 50 people, including Keathley, sought refuge at Vermilion  where hikers on the John Muir and Pacific Crest trails resupply. Staff provided them with food and posted updates on social media.

David Mau, who runs the kitchen at Vermilion in the summers, left Sunday after the wind shifted and brought more smoke to the area. As he drove down toward Huntington Lake, he said, "it just looked like lava, the whole valley was glowing."

"I've been up there a quarter-century, I've never seen anything like that," he said. California Highway Patrol eventually escorted him and other drivers out.

Back at Vermilion, deputies arrived Monday to help everyone leave and the group began packing their bags and hopping in cars. At the last minute, they were told it was called off as it wasn't safe.

That night, the Fresno Fire Department said crews tried to get to people at Lake Edison and China Peak, but rescue efforts were unsuccessful [as] military pilots tried valiantly to land, but heavy smoke conditions prevented a safe approach.

Many of them wouldn't get out until Tuesday. Keathley was one of 11 people who got into a helicopter to head to Fresno about 4:30 a.m.

"I had some hikers asking me if I had plans to try to continue the trail if things calmed down. I just realized at that point, the trail is always there," Keathley said. "I had a beautiful week on the trail. Its not really what I expected and I certainly would love to have finished if I could have, but at that point I was really interested in getting out. I felt pretty trapped.

Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A Florida lawyer known for his catchy "Tell Robert!" jingle was killed by his son in a murder-suicide on Wednesday, according to his family.

Robert Fenstersheib's long-running television commercials made him a local celebrity in the South Florida town of Hollywood, where a family spokesman said his son killed the lawyer and shot his long-time girlfriend, before turning the gun on himself.

Hollywood Police spokesperson Christian Lata confirmed in a statement to The Independent that the two men were found dead in the Oakdale Community home, while the injured woman survived and was in a serious but stable condition.

Family spokesman and long-time friend, Scott Mager, told local news WSVN that Mr Fenstersheib's 35-year-old son, Michael, had been battling drug addiction and mental health issues.

Michael lost that battle today, Mr Mager said. He shot both Robert and his longtime girlfriend Hong Pen and then killed himself using the weapon.

"Drug abuse and mental health issues are so underestimated in todays life, and so I hope people will reach out and try to help those around them that they can.

The personal injury lawyer became a household name in the Hollywood area with his "Tell Robert!" commercials, which featured himself pitching his law firm in the third person.

"Car Accident? Tell Robert! Slip and fall? Tell Robert! Motorcycle accident? Tell Robert!" he said in the tv spot.

"If you tell anyone else your legal problems, your case may not get the legal attention that it deserves - don't let the insurance companies or anyone else deny your legal rights."

Mr Mager said that Mr Fenstersheib was much more than the catchy jingle he was known for.

Just an unbelievable human being, an amazing person, an unbelievable father, a great leader, just a phenomenal human being, he told WSVN.

If you didnt have a chance to meet him, you really missed a special and unique individual. We lost somebody who was the epitome of greatness. He was the epitome of a human being, and he was my dear friend.
(Washington Jewish Week via JTA)  Federal and international law enforcement agencies are investigating the theft of $7.5 million from the United Jewish Endowment Fund, an arm of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and diverted to international accounts.

The theft was discovered on Aug. 4, but made known to the federations board on Wednesday after federal law enforcement lifted a blackout on the information, federation CEO Gil Preuss said.

Preuss said the funds were taken from a single organizations fund managed by the United Jewish Endowment Fund. The endowments donor-a...
(Newser)  An estimated 350,000 people searched for the treasure hidden in 2010 by Forrest Fenn, with at least five dying in the attempt. Three months after Fenn announced someone had finally found the $2 million cache of gold, jewels, artifacts, and other valuables, the New Mexico art dealer is dead. Fenn, 90, died at his Santa Fe home, apparently of natural causes, his grandson confirms to the New York Times. Fenn offered clues to the treasure's location in a 24-verse poem included in his memoir The Thrill of the Chase, but never revealed the specific location, even after the treasure was reportedly foundwhich led to quite a bit of consternation, and even lawsuits.

story continues below

But friends and fans insist Fenn was not perpetrating a hoax or a dangerous stunt. "He loved families and he loved the idea of getting them out in the mountains and the open air, and his great joy was talking to the families that were seeking the treasure," says one friend who calls Fenn a mentor. The Times has more on Fenn's life, including a childhood spent fishing around Yellowstone National Park and searching for arrowheads before he joined the Air Force and flew in the Vietnam War. His art gallery later attracted quite a few VIP patrons. As for the aforementioned controversy, Westword has more on that, and the reaction to Fenn's death coming three months later. (Read more Forrest Fenn treasure stories.)
The remains of three people have been found in Butte County as the Bear Fire continues to tear through the community  less than two years after the most deadly wildfire in state history nearly leveled the countys town of Paradise.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea confirmed the deaths at a Wednesday evening press conference, his voice slightly cracking as he delivered the somber news.

This is the part of my presentation that Ive been dreading, he said. It brings back memories of when I stood before you back in 2018 to tell you about those who lost their lives during Camp Fire.

Two of the individuals were found together and another alone, Honea said, adding that officials were still in the process of recovering the remains.

The sheriff declined to provide any further information until the remains could be identified and their families notified. Honea said he didnt want families to hear information that leads them to believe a loved one is deceased, prior to gathering all the information.

Honea said he offered his sincerest condolences to the families of the victims, and that he hoped the deaths werent a trend.

But folks, time and time again we have seen how dangerous wildfires can be, he said. We cannot underestimate what they can do to our community, what they can do to the people we love. So I ask that you please, please please be prepared, maintain situational awareness and heed the warnings.

The North Complex fires, which include the Bear Fire, exploded overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, growing by an estimated 230,000 acres in a 24-hour period in the Plumas National Forest.

It was one of a record number of large wildfires burning across Northern California, pitching the western half of the state into an orange smoky twilight.

The North Complex, fueled by what officials called unprecedented fire conditions, forced evacuations near Oroville as the blaze produced dangerous fire whirls and thick smoke while burning 1,000 acres every half hour, U.S. Forest Service officials said.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Officials on Wednesday evening said 2,000 of the 4,200 structures in the fires perimeter in Butte County were damaged or destroyed. In the southern half of the fire about 23,000 are threatened.

All told, there were approximately 20,000 Butte County residents either placed on evacuation orders or warnings due to the blaze, officials said.

Officials received 85 calls from concerned citizens who asked that crews perform welfare checks in one of the areas under evacuation orders. Detectives have located 73 safe and continue to search for the other 12.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
A recent policy brief issued by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace asserted that even in a pandemic world, Indias influence would enable it to become a strong counterweight to China. A cursory search of recent newspapers, policy statements, and even academic journals reveals this widespread belief.

One may be forgiven for thinking that this idea dates to contemporary watershed moments of military or economic strength such as Indias economic reforms of the early 1990s or the nuclear tests of 1998  but this would be wrong. Shortly after India turned independent in 1947, and the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949, The New York Times declared that independent India would become a great counterweight to China. Given that in the eyes of the world, India has apparently been in the process of becoming a counterweight to China for 70 years, its important to examine what this means. In other words, if India were a counterweight to China, what would that entail? And whom would it benefit?

The concept of one country being a counterweight to another, or counterbalancing as it is sometimes known, comes from realist and neo-realist theories in international relations. If there is one dominant power either in the world-at-large or within a region, the best chance of reducing the likelihood of war is for one country (or a group of countries) to counter it by acting as a balance. A counterbalancing country would take deliberate and assertive steps to match the dominant power in not simply size and population but in military spending and prowess, economic power, global influence, participation in international institutions, the strength of its alliances, and its reputation. This would make it risky for the dominant power to go to outright war with the counter-balancer. The father of neo-realism, Kenneth Waltz, famously declared that the most stable world was one that was bipolar, much like the Cold War world with the United States (US) and the Soviet Union counterbalancing each other.

Which brings us to the current post-Cold War world where the rise of China is a source of huge worry for the dominant power, the US. While the US capabilities and influence still outstrip Chinas  simply put, it is a superpower and China is not (yet)  it is important for it to find allies with a common cause to counter Chinas rise. Thus, when it comes to counterbalancing, particularly in Asia, the US thinks of India. This is partly because China and India are heavyweights in the region. It is also because India is a democracy, and the US, therefore, sees India as a country akin to it.

What it expects is for India to undertake a number of significant actions that will cement its role as a counterbalancer. Expanding the Indo-US defence partnership is, of course, one  the US has, for example, agreed to transfer sensitive military technology to India, engage in industry collaboration including 5G networks, and hold high-level defence talks, and joint exercises. But it expects not simply a strategic partnership but one that is implicitly and, perhaps even explicitly, anti-China. The US thus wants India to undertake an expanded role in the Indo-Pacific as a member of the Quad (along with Japan and Australia). It would like India to strengthen its economic and naval profile in Southeast Asia; strengthen its relationship with Japan; develop its own security and economic capabilities and commit to regional partners; and counter Chinas naval expansion in the Indo-Pacific, including by lending its voice to the negotiating of a code of conduct for China in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.

All of this then begs the question of whether India wants to act as a counterweight to China. Here, the evidence gets murky. There is a reason that the idea of India becoming a counterweight to China has been floating around for 70 years with little end in sight while the word non-alignment has essentially faded from the Indian governments vocabulary, the word alliance has not replaced it. A counter-balancer needs formal alliances, not simply partnerships  since, by its very definition, counter-balancing involves both serious assertiveness in foreign policy, and, therefore, strong support from a coterie of other countries.

But as external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, pointed out just a few days ago, at a forum with US Vice President Mike Pence, China and India as rising powers needed to reach some kind of understanding or equilibrium. His statement hints at the reluctance that has always existed in the Indian government to become the US geopolitical tool.

So if not explicit counterbalancing, what then? What are Indias possible options in the geopolitical triangle? India could continue to develop its partnership with the US, and hope that a commitment to any alliances or assurances of explicit security cooperation would not be needed.

It could move under a US security umbrella a la Japan and South Korea. It could move away from the US, and commit to non-alignment between any future American and Chinese poles. Or it could, in the least plausible scenario given the current climate, decide to take concrete steps that would lead to long-term rapprochement with China.

All of these actions come with costs and benefits. But, all else being equal, at some point India will have to make a difficult choice.

Manjari Chatterjee Miller is associate professor of International Relations, Frederick S Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, and a research associate at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford

The views expressed are personal

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Luxury storage units coming to Petoskey, Charlevoix in spring

New "luxury" warehouses are coming to Petoskey and Charlevoix in the spring, providing high-end, climate-controlled storage.
Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators.

Rowan University is reporting more than 100 cases of coronavirus on campus since August 25.
According to a new study, Australian scientists are speaking out against undue modification of scientific advice on climate, mining, and logging is being done, and findings are being suppressed. (Photo : Pixabay)

According to a new study, Australian scientists are speaking out against undue modification of scientific advice on climate, mining, and logging are done, and findings are suppressed.





The New Research

New research shows that the work of one-third of all Australian conservation scientists and ecologists in industries and government are being modified, and their advice is suppressed.

According to these scientists, they are not allowed to speak about their researches openly, and their advice on the impacts of land-clearing, climate, mining, and logging are gagged.

The study was published in Conservation Letters, which surveyed 220 scientists employed in the academe, government, and industry regarding the extent of suppression that they and their work suffered.

READ: Amazon Fires in Pantanal Threaten Jaguars and Reserves





Various Kinds of Suppression

They experienced different forms of suppression, such as the inability to publish or present their results, self-censorship stemming from the fear of retribution, and their findings being changed before releasing their works.

About one-third of their work had undergone undue modification. Around half of the government's scientists, almost 40% of scientists working in industries, say they were prevented from discussing or releasing their findings, whether publicly or in their workplace.

Meanwhile, 56% of the respondents said they felt that constraints on public commentaries had increased in severity recently. Usually, these were commentaries on the condition of endangered species. 56% of scientists in the industry, 46% in government, and 28% in the university reported that they felt they were limited on what they were allowed to say.

Researchers in the industry feared being misrepresented by the media, and their boss or their workplace policy constrained government researchers.

Study lead author Don Driscoll, past president of the Ecological Society of Australia, said that the suppression came from the media, social media platforms, colleagues, policymakers, conferences, and peer-reviewed journals. Driscoll says the system is corrupted.

Driscoll added that the scientists were usually consultants that assessed the environmental impacts of development proposals. The contracts state that they cannot speak publicly. Also, government agencies and departments are increasingly politicized, where information is usually filtered before presented to politicians.

According to the authors, their respondents represented scientists across gender, age, and work type.

Driscoll said this politicized culture of exerting vested interests needs independent groups to determine whether project proposals have merit. Co-author Euan Ritchie says that their study is clear evidence that the democratic process is being tampered.

READ ALSO: Deadliest Year for Environmental Defenders; 212 Death Toll in 2019





Mental Trauma

Ritchie also says that such suppression affects the scientists' mental health. Anonymous respondents said they were threatened to be fired if they spoke up. They were even intimidated by senior public officials in social media and thru phone calls, and they had to quit their jobs from loss of motivation and stress. The issue also caused "eco-grief" and "eco-anxiety" in many scientists.

Current Legislation

This study was conducted before reviewing Australia's environmental laws by former competition and consumer commission head Graeme Samuel. He found that rules were not significant, and the environment is in continued decline. He proposed the introduction of an independent assessment group that will ensure the environment's protection. He also proposed introducing environmental standards to impose conservation protection.

Last week, the government stifled debate and forced legislation without including promised proposed changes in the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act. Sussan Ley, the environment minister, relayed that they will be inserted later.

These setbacks to the already politicized and suppressed condition of Australian scientists bodes ill for the climate and the environment as mining and logging continue their destruction.

READ NEXT: Indian Environmental Activist Afroz Shah Detained for Helping Migrants





Check out for more news and information on Global Warming on Nature World News.
VICTORIA - British Columbias financial outlook is being hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic, but a partial recovery is on the horizon next year, says Finance Minister Carole James.

But James, who described herself as a realist Thursday, said B.C. remains a long way from rebuilding its economy to pre-COVID-19 levels.

The provinces most recent financial numbers from April to June project an economic decline of 6.7 per cent this year, while the budget is forecast to post a deficit of almost $13 billion for the 2020-21 fiscal year, she said.

James said the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged and changed the province.

Just as were seeing globally and in Canada, B.C.s economy and everyday lives of people and the businesses of our province have been seriously impacted, she said at a news conference.

The impact of COVID-19 has touched on almost every area, as you can imagine  personal and business incomes, retail sales, purchases of fuel, the housing market, all of those have dropped compared to predictions in the budget in 2020.

Last month, James said B.C.s final 2019-20 budget changed from a projected modest surplus to a deficit of $321 million in a matter of weeks with the arrival of COVID-19. She said B.C. is now expected to battle budget deficits for the next year and likely longer.

James said Thursday that revenue forecasts are $4.6 billion lower and expenses are $7.7 billion higher, largely due to the provinces pandemic response.

Jas Johal, Opposition Liberal economic development critic, said the government has been too slow in responding to the economic devastation of the pandemic.

Todays $12.8-billion deficit demands an immediate and robust economic recovery plan, he said. Other provinces have introduced their plans in June and early July. We have seen nothing from the NDP government that fundamentally addresses the economic challenges moving forward.

James said she will provide details of the governments planned $1.5-billion economic recovery effort next week, but Johal said the money should have been flowing by now.

That emergency funding should have been prioritized and out the door a long time ago, said Johal.

James said there were 149,600 fewer jobs in August than in February, when the government tabled its budget.

The area hardest hit by job losses was the wholesale and retail trade sectors, where jobs were down by 33,900 positions. The information, culture and recreation sector lost more than 25,000 jobs.

B.C.s jobless rate in August was 10.7 per cent, compared to five per cent in February.

It goes without saying that these are unprecedented times and these are times that are very hard to predict whats coming ahead, James said.

We may see slower recovery because of a weaker global recovery. We may see more negative impact to households and to businesses. We may see future waves of the virus and that may have an impact.

But she said private sector economists are projecting B.C.s economy is expected to rebound somewhat next year, posting economic growth of 5.2 per cent. James said the province has taken a more prudent approach, forecasting growth of three per cent in 2021.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 10, 2020.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said that job declines in the wholesale and retail trade sectors was at 33.9 per cent and that the provincial government forecast a 5.2 per cent growth rate for 2021.

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Liberian President George Weah on Wednesday called for tougher laws to combat what he said was an "epidemic" of rape of mostly children and young girls.

Addressing a conference on the subject, Weah said stronger measures were needed against crimes such as "rape, child marriage, and female genital mutilation, amongst others".

Liberia, he said, was "witnessing what is actually an epidemic of rape within the pandemic, affecting mostly children and young girls across the country."

The conference should look at the best ways to tackle the problem, whether by toughening existing laws or developing preventive policies.

"This urgent call to action is in response to an alarming increase in rape and sexual and gender-based violence in recent times, especially during a time when we are at war with the deadly Covid-19 pandemic," he added.

Weah's comments came after a surge in sexual violence in the country that brought women on to the streets in protest.

Two weeks ago, thousands marched in protests across the country -- and for three days running in the capital, Monrovia -- to draw attention to the alarming rate of rape cases.

"We have recorded more than 600 cases of rape between June and August," said Margaret Taylor, director of the Women Empowerment Network, during those August protests. That was up from between 80 and a hundred cases in May.

The high rates of rape in the poor, west African country, forced to contend both with war and the Ebola virus in recent years, has been a longstanding concern.

A UN report in 2016 recorded 803 rape cases over the previous year and denounced the fact that perpetrators often went unpunished, despite many being known to their victims.

It was the resulting sense of impunity and the legacy of the 14-year civil war between 1989 and 2003, when rape was commonplace, that had created the current problem, it said.

Also attending Wednesday's conference in Monrovia was Weah's predecessor as president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, as well as UN representatives, women's groups and traditional chiefs.
Dealing with international freight carriers has also produced challenges. A large international freight company Amperna uses to ship its products internationally has enacted a force majeure clause that says they're not liable for any lost parcels during the pandemic. It has also implemented a pandemic surcharge which has seen shipping costs rise by 25 per cent, which has a commensurate downward effect on profit margins.

Says Yanchenko: We're out of pocket for any packages they lose and have to resend. Larger businesses need to understand policies like these have a real financial impact on small businesses.

The American Express Shop Small campaign has provided invaluable support. Its been amazing to be part of this program. Its given us media opportunities and I attended the American Express Shop Small event at Parliament House in 2019, which put me in touch with some incredible people and government contacts who have helped support my business.

Now in its eighth year, Shop Small is a movement founded by American Express to celebrate the valuable contributions small businesses make and encourage shoppers to support them.

Other businesses also emphasise how important support is at the moment. According to the Small Business Recovery research commissioned by American Express in August, 67 per cent of small businesses said financial assistance from government is the most useful type of support to help them run their business.

Resilience through tough times

While COVID-19 has increased Ampernas business opportunities, other businesses have not been so fortunate. Rose Chong Costumes in Fitzroy in Victoria, which is also part of the Shop Small movement, is among these. The business has been in hibernation since the start of the year. But founder Rose Chong is staying positive.

Rose Chong has been spring cleaning her costume business in anticipation of another party season. Credit: Supplied.

It's been quite a journey, she says. It all started in January when the bushfires meant a lot of people didn't feel like celebrating. Clients started to cancel events in February and the effect of the pandemic hit us properly in March.

With staff able to access the JobKeeper incentive, Chong and her team have spent the time spring cleaning the business. We did have a period when we all dressed up as people in famous paintings and shared the results on social media. But now were just waiting for lockdown to end. American Express has remembered us through this time and kept in touch, which really helps.

Many businesses are expecting the pandemic to have an effect on their operations for some time, with results from the American Express Small Business Recovery research indicating more than half (51 per cent of businesses) anticipate it will continue to impact their enterprise at least until the middle of next year.

As for whats next, once borders are open, Ampernas Yanchenko will be able to rebook a business trip she had planned to New York to explore building relationships with stockists in the city.

We've got plans to invest more into online advertising and develop our content, as well as expand into more bricks and mortar stores here and overseas, which will include overseas warehousing. Were also continuing to expand the range. So its baby steps every day but we have really big plans.

Whether youre a business owner, shopper or both, learn more about Shop Small by visiting www.shopsmall.com.au
Maya Zbib is not only a Lebanese theatre maker of brilliant accomplishment, she is also a world renowned artist. Her company, Zoukak, which she cofounded in Beirut, is its own authoritative brand across the Arab world and the transnational performance circuit. One of the honorees of the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre (CIFET) this year, Zbib brings a broader focus to the event.

CIFET is celebrating the work of Arab artists who have made their way through the transnational performing arts map, bringing their own styles of experimentation and their socio-political views to theatres and audiences across the world. She is a performer, writer and director. In 2018, Zbib also became the first female Arab artist to deliver a speech on World Theatre Day.



We created Zoukak in 2006, Zbib summarises her journey.

We had decided to come together as a group because we wanted to have a platform as young artists coming out of university  specifically the theatre department of the Lebanese university  especially in a country where there is practically no support for theatre or theatre companies, nor is there any kind of infrastructure for art and theatre in general.

"So we wanted to create that platform ourselves, and have regular encounters among ourselves in order to think about theatre, and to see what kind of work needed to be created, what kind of thinking was interesting, what to put on stage today, and also to share our expertise and knowhow. It was not about creating work together per se, or as a starting point, but rather having a platform to exchange ideas. Fourteen years later, we have had hundreds of productions by different groups of people, and about twenty productions of our own as a company.



We started the company at a point when there was a war with Israel, right after the beginning of the war with Israel, and so we started to make psycho-social interventions in different social contexts, working with children who were displaced, and different groups of people who were affected by war, using a drama therapy technique that we had developed. And later on we worked much more on that technique, through using a frame of clinical psychology and introducing exercises. This developed a tool that we have been using for over 14 years now in different contexts. At that moment, we also started a programme for trainers, and we started working in different contexts in Lebanon, especially with groups that have been through trauma and refugee groups, among others.



I would say that one of the first major turning points was creating our first collective production, which was Hamlet Machine. To put that text on stage in Lebanon was quite a challenge. It made the companys work stand out in a way, although some people hated it, others loved it. It was like our own imprint on the Lebanese stage. Another turning point was establishing Zoukak Sidewalks, our bi-annual festival that gathers international and local performances, from which so many young artists have benefited and had their work shown in Avignon. This year we were hoping to hold a new round, but it does not now see like a feasible idea. Well see.



Another major turning point happened four years ago, when we got structural funding from the Drosos Foundation and were able to open our own theatre, which is a 100-seat space that we launched in 2016. We started out renovating the space which has now been badly affected by the recent explosion in Beirut, so we are still considering whether we are going to renovate it again, to fix it, or just move on. Well see. Anyway that was a very important turning point in our journey as a company which also helped us to establish ourselves on the cultural scene as well as providing a space for rehearsals and creation supporting young artists working in Beirut and all over the country.



As for the lessons learned from touring and cooperation, Zbib says, Having performed in different countries across the globe  in Europe, in the United States, in some parts of Asia and Africa  weve come to realise how few are the opportunities that we have to perform in the southern hemisphere, and how important it always is to perform to an Arab audience, and to audiences from India or those parts of the world with which we do not have direct contact due to post-colonial policies.

"So unfortunately it is much easier to perform in Germany than to perform in Egypt, its much easier to be invited to a festival in France than one in India. So weve been trying our best to perform in the southern hemisphere, we went to Santiago in Chile without receiving a fee. We agreed to perform without pay because for us the encounter with the audience is what counts, and because these are places that have very similar political and social struggles to our own, and our work resonates in a very potent way there.



When we perform in northern Europe, by contrast, there is a kind of otherness that we are received with. We feel that even when the audience is un-judgemental and very loving, they still position us as artists coming from a third world country, as artists who have lived through war, and they do not necessarily relate to our work in the right way, or in the way we would like them to relate to our work, which would be based on equality and a peer-to-peer, eye-to-eye relation. Unfortunately they are looking at us mostly as poor Arabs from those torn-up places.

"Sometimes we also have humour in our performances that is related to violence or death, we use third-degree innuendos and humour, but it is not well received in Europe because they feel a bit offended that you are laughing about things related to death and violence, whereas in our part of the world it is much more interesting to reflect with sarcasm or with jokes, because it opens a different kind of attitude in relation to the themes we are dealing with.



We also realised that somehow there exists in the United States a kind of third-degree humour, or third-degree understanding of the text we present, maybe due to pop culture, or because Americans do not have this post-colonial guilt. Somehow our work is very well received in some parts of the United States. Generally what we found to be very important is who is receiving us, what kind of structure is inviting us, what is the conversation taking place. This has proven to be more important to us than just to go and perform somewhere, not meet anybody, and come home. That would really be uninteresting. What is interesting is to have a kind of conversation that is political, new and capable of pushing our work forward.



I think the young generation is freer, Zbib says of the horizons of experimentation in the Arab world.

They are experimenting across disciplines and cultures and fields of work. I can see that from the group of young theatre makers and performance artists who applied to our mentorship programme, which is basically a course through which we mentor individuals and groups of artists as they create their work of art over six months of rehearsals. We provide them with a space to perform, technical support, and a small grant. The applications were very exciting. They were cross-disciplinary  across theatre, dance and film  and there was a lot of visual art too within the performance work. So I think there is a lot of potential in this new generation of young artists in the Arab world.



CIFET, Zbib agrees, is a significant event that has had an impact on her career: CIFET is a very important festival for me as a theatre maker, and it was really important to me as I was growing up. It was actually one of the very first festivals in which I performed. It was a performance by the late, beautiful director Seham Nasser, called All Here, and it won the best performance prize in 2006. It was an adaptation of several plays by Beckett. The way the audiences received the performance was so moving, the conversations that emerged around it and the discussions were really vital for me back then. In 2015, we presented one of Zoukaks creations, something that I co-directed with Omar Abi Azer, my partner: He Who Saw Everything, based on Gilgamesh.

"It was one of our most important performances to be shown there, and it was very interesting how the spectators responded, how they were listening, the actions and conversations we had still resonate with us today. Every now and then we feel we ought to give this performance again because in Egypt it went so well, and we learned something from our performances in Cairo  something that we were almost unaware of up till then  thanks to the spectators who have strong political awareness and are used to see theatre, which is quite rare in the region as well. I think the festival has created a real audience, a real infrastructure for an audience across the city of Cairo, within all those little and big theatres, all filled with spectators. It is one of the most beautiful festivals in the Arab world.



I am very happy and honoured to be among the honourees of CIFET. It is a very important festival for me, and a festival that has marked the Arab region for so many years, so this is a huge honour.



But Cairo is as good a place as any to bring up the impact of patriarchal system on the structures and practises of the performing arts.

Of course patriarchy affects all aspects of life, Zbib says, and in the context of religious patriarchy, it is even worse. But especially in Lebanon political patriarchy has had a negative effect on women and how they exist in the world. When it comes to theatre, it actually affects the first steps of being on stage. For me it was not an easy choice with my family, when I decided to be a performer. There is this kind of negative sense related to theatre, that it is about being a loose woman or someone who is easily and merely representing herself, whereas it is much easier for men to go on stage, to go on podiums, to play the role or orators, politically and even artistically.

"Of course it affects the primary choice to make theatre, then it also effects the next steps of your career when you say Im going to be a theatre director, for example. It is very difficult to position yourself as a female director with your peers, technicians, and with people who will be listening to your ideas and instructions. It might be quite hard as a woman to direct technicians, so you have to go through a lot, and you have to cross a lot of borders in your own understanding of yourself and your role, before you can advance in your work in general, because it is not common to have a theatre director who is a woman, as much as it is not easy for us to be performers.



The recent explosion, Zbib goes on to answer a question about the catastrophe in Beirut, has been and still is a huge shock. I do not know when we will wake from this terrible event that has destroyed a huge vibrant part of our city and our cultural life. Unfortunately our theatre has also been badly affected by the explosion, as I said, so our activities have been suspended. It has been a difficult period for us. Since last October there has been an uprising against the corrupt regime leading the country, followed by a major economic and political crisis, then the Covid-19 appeared so we had to close our theatre, and now with this explosion our activities have to remain suspended.

"We feel we are in a terrible limbo, a nightmare that is endless. And this government is not doing anything to remove the pain, or to remedy the sorrow and the deep wound that this explosion has caused due to corruption and the inadequacy. It will take years to remedy and heal what has been destroyed, but what is beautiful is how people have come together, and how young people are helping to clean and to support those who are in need. It gives us great hope to see how the new generation is reacting beyond political and religious affiliations. In our theatre we had volunteers coming to help clear the rubble, clean the costumes and gather together the set. Such love and respect is inspiring.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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(Newser)  An economist is backing a provocative idea on a COVID vaccine: Anyone who gets a shot should receive $1,000 from the government. So argues Harvard's N. Gregory Mankiw in a New York Times op-ed. Mankiw is actually writing in support of a proposal first floated by fellow economist Robert Litan at the Brookings Institution. The thinking goes like this: When a vaccine finally arrives, it won't have maximum effect until enough people get a shot to achieve herd immunity. But that means 70% to 90% will need to be vaccinated, and current polls in the US suggest we won't reach that threshold. Solution: Give people a financial incentive to roll up their sleeves for a shot.

story continues below

"Immunology, meet economics," writes Mankiw. "One of the first principles of economicsperhaps the most importantis that people respond to incentives." This proposal is "textbook economics," he writes, delving into the particulars of "positive externalities" and such. It would be a huge expense, somewhere around $300 billion, but that is actually a "bargain" when compared to previous and proposed relief packages, Litan asserts. Mankiw adds that Congress can worry about lowering the government debt once the pandemic subsides. He ends with a suggestion to apply the principle elsewhere: "Perhaps after seeing how a vaccine subsidy can end one crisis, Congress will pay for it by adopting a carbon tax to avert another." Read the full column. (Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.)
By Ayya Lmahamad

ADY Express, a subsidiary company of Azerbaijan Railways, continues expanding cooperation with leading companies around the world.

Thus, the company cooperates and transports products of EuroChem company, the worlds leading mineral fertilizer producer.

Under the cooperation agreement, mineral fertilizers are imported to Azerbaijan and transit through the country.

Since ealery 2020, about 14,000 tons of EuroChems cargoes have been transported in 200 wagons, some of which were transported in transit through Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, another batch of EuroChems fertilizers was delivered to Azerbaijan 2 days ago. The cargo in the volume of 7 wagons was delivered to Azerbaijan from EuroChem plant within 7 days.

Moreover, ADY Express is conducting negotiations with the EuroChem on increasing the cargo volumes transported through Azerbaijan.

ADY Express LLC has been set up considering Azerbaijans role as a major transit country due to high demand of railway freight services. The company provides online services to forwarders and large cargo owners to attract and increase volume of transit cargo passing through the country.

EuroChem is a leading global mineral fertilizer producer, headquartered in Switzerland and having major assets in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belgium and Lithuania.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The CUCET 2020 exam will be held between 18 and 20 September in two shifts - 10 am to 12 noon and from 3 pm and 5 pm.

The Central University of Rajasthan has released the admit card for CUCET 2020 on its official website at cucetexam.in. The candidates who have registered for the entrance exam can download the hall ticket in order to appear for CUCET 2020.

The Central Universities Common Entrance Test will be conducted between 18 to 20 September. To download the online admit card, candidates need to enter their login details.

According to Careers360, the CUCET admit card will have the name of the candidate, their registered roll number, along with their photograph and signature.

The hall ticket is important as it carries the exam venue and reporting time for the exam.

Here is how you can download the admit card:

Step 1: Visit the official site of CUCET at cucetexam.in

Step 2: Select the green bar that says: 'Click to download admit card'

Step 3: You will be forwarded to another webpage where you need to log in

Step 4: Using the credentials you had set while registering for the exam, fill in the empty spaces

Step 5: Click on the 'login tab

Step 6: View, download and take a print out for the CUCET admit card 2020

This is the direct link for candidate login to download the hall ticket: https://cucetexam.in/CUCET2020/RecPages/Admit06Login23.aspx

CUCET 2020 exam day guidelines

Along with the admit card, the Central University of Rajasthan has also prescribed a set of instructions that one must follow during the exam.

This includes reporting to the examination centre at least 60 minutes before the commencement of the exam, reported NDTV.

The report added that candidates must maintain social distancing, and bring their admit cards with recent passport size photographs pasted on it, a valid photo ID and a blue or black ballpoint pen to fill the OMR sheet.

No candidate will be allowed to enter the hall after 20 minutes of commencement of examination in each session and wearing a mask or face cover is mandatory for all applicants.
Theyre planning a trip to the moon, and even thinking about taking tourists So, theres a lot of exciting things happening in space

Charlie Duke, one of 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April of 1966, served as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, becoming the voice of Mission Control heard around the world when he answered Neil Armstrongs famous words the Eagle has landed.

Theyre planning a trip to the moon, and even thinking about taking tourists So, theres a lot of exciting things happening in space - Charlie Duke on NASAs Commercial Crew program

Texas-based country music artist and dear friend of Charlie, Randy Rogers, made a surprise appearance sharing stories about Duke along with a performance of his song Charlie Duke Took Country to the Moon.

Were all on the same team. - Charlie Duke, Texas Legislative Conference 2020

Download the video news release here for immediate distribution.

For interview inquiries with Charlie Duke please contact media@crosswindpr.com
Australian rising stars Geraldine Viswanathan and Dacre Montgomery have been praised for their performances in the new romantic comedy, The Broken Hearts Gallery.

According to film critics, viewers are set to be in for a treat when the Selena Gomez-produced and Natalie Krinsky-directed movie hits cinemas on Friday.

Bad Education actress Geraldine, 25, was commended for putting the stereotypical '90s rom-com heroines to shame' while Stranger Things star Dacre, 25, had critics raving over his 'blissful Zac Efron-type' commitment to his role.

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Hitting the big time! Australian rising stars Geraldine Viswanathan and Dacre Montgomery [pictured] have been praised for their performances in the new romantic comedy, The Broken Hearts Gallery

In the movie, Geraldine plays art gallery assistant Lucy, who has trouble letting go of her exes and keeps mementos for her various relationships.

She soon meets Nick [Dacre], and the two create the Broken Hearts Gallery in his massive apartment with all the reminders of her previous relationships.

However, in signature rom-com style, Lucy finds herself falling for Nick during their joint venture.

In the newly released early reviews, the Chicago Sun-Times noted that the movie 'retains a certain freshness' in the well-trodden path of girl-meets-boy storylines.

Praise: According to film critics, viewers are set to be in for a treat when the Selena Gomez-produced and Natalie Krinsky-directed movie hits cinemas on Friday

Rising star: Bad Education actress Geraldine, 25, [pictured] was commended for putting the stereotypical '90s rom-com heroines to shame'

Insider also noted that Geraldine's comedic performance served as the 'movie's fuel' and 'goes against many of the rom-com tropes.'

Variety credited The Broken Hearts Gallery's 'precociously witty synthetic tingle' to Viswanathan's 'comic sizzle'.

Geraldine's leading man Dacre was also littered with attention from impressed critics, with Deadline comparing his 'appealing, charmful and easygoing' take on his character to Hollywood star, Zac.

Perth-born actor Dacre has seen a stratospheric rise in Hollywood thanks to his role of menacing bully Billy Hargrove on the popular series, Stranger Things.

Impressive: Stranger Things star Dacre, 25, had critics raving over his 'blissful Zac Efron-type' commitment to his role

Stardom: Perth born actor Dacre has seen a stratospheric rise in Hollywood thanks to his role of menacing bully Billy Hargrove on the popular series, Stranger Things

Meanwhile, Geraldine, who hails from Newcastle in New South Wales, has made a significant impact in Hollywood.

In 2018, she starred in Blockers alongside John Cena and was also seen in the Emmy-nominated movie Bad Education with Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney.

Geraldine, who is tipped for major Hollywood success, also held her own as a Muslim teenager coming into her own in the Minhal Baig-directed drama, Hala.

The Broken Hearts Gallery also stars Molly Gordon, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Suki Waterhouse, Hamilton's Phillipa Soo, Arturo Castro, Taylor Hill, Saturday Night Live's Ego Nwodim, and Broadway legend Bernadette Peters.
The global military electronic chart display and information system market is expected to grow by USD 32.08 million as per Technavio. This marks a significant market slow down compared to the 2019 growth estimates due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020. However, steady growth is expected to continue throughout the forecast period, and the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 2%.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005787/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Military Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

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Read the 120-page report with TOC on "Military Electronic Chart Display and Information System Market Analysis Report by Type (Submarines, Frigates, Corvettes, Destroyers, and Others), Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA), and the Segment Forecasts, 2020-2024".

https://www.technavio.com/report/military-electronic-chart-display-and-information-system-market-industry-analysis

The market is driven by the ongoing replacement of naval combat systems. In addition, the enhanced real-time GIS in naval applications is anticipated to boost the growth of the military electronic chart display and information system market.

Growing border tensions among neighboring countries worldwide are resulting in increased investments towards the replacement and upgradation of existing combat systems and the procurement of new-age weapons. Also, several countries are manufacturing new combat ships, maritime patrol aircraft, and deploying mines to boost their naval platforms. This is increasing the sale of advanced submarines, warships, and naval combat systems, which is driving the demand for military electronic chart display and information systems.

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Major Five Military Electronic Chart Display and Information System Companies:

ADVETO AB

ADVETO AB operates its business through segments such as System Onboard and Landbased systems. The company offers ECDIS 4000.

Danelec Marine AS

Danelec Marine AS operates its business through segments such as VDR, ECDIS, and DanelecConnect. The company offers a comprehensive array of VDRs like DM100 VDR, DM100 S-VDR, DM100 L-VDR.

Elbit Systems Ltd.

Elbit Systems Ltd. operates its business through the Unified Reportable Segment. The company offers Helmet Display and Tracking system.

Kongsberg Gruppen ASA

Kongsberg Gruppen ASA operates its business through segments such as Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), marine robots, and autonomous vehicles, Bridge systems, Camera systems, and Deck systems. The company offers naval sonar ASW and mine hunting systems, and waterside security systems.

Lockheed Martin Corp.

Lockheed Martin Corp. operates its business through segments such as Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space. The company offers Surface Warfare Systems Solutions.

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Military Electronic Chart Display and Information System Market Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2024)

Submarines

Frigates

Corvettes

Destroyers

Others

Military Electronic Chart Display and Information System Market Geographic Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2024)

North America

Europe

APAC

South America

MEA

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

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Related Reports on Industrials Include:

Global Military Aerial Refueling Tanker Market Global military aerial refueling tanker market by aerial refueling technologies (probe-and-drogue and boom-and-receptacle) and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, and South America).

Global Military Heads-up Display Market Global military heads-up display market by geography (the Americas, EMEA, and APAC) and product (wearable military HUD and platform-based military HUD).

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005787/en/

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Donna Perry is a Sun Chronicle columnist and media commentator. Reach her at donnaperryhome@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @donnaperryma1.
What can be done about Washington County's high SUIDs rate?

Washington County has the highest rate of sudden, unexpected infant deaths in the state for 2015-2019. What can be done to prevent it?
ACORD, the standard setting body for the global insurance industry, is experiencing a massive jump in global reinsurance and other industry interest in its digital products and services, CEO Bill Pieroni said.

The increase comes as reinsurers and carriers, already pursuing technology upgrades, have accelerated those efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

We have a backlog of demand from our members to deploy our digital solutions, Pieroni said during the recording of Carrier Managements Big Re reinsurance innovation webinar, which is scheduled to go live on Sept. 15, 2020.

Pieroni said the backlog is more than 50 percent above typical levels. Whats more, he added, the London market is among the stronger demand drivers.

Weve got software assets that help with e-placement [and] helps with claims management, particularly in the London market, which always led the world in terms of a pull demand, Pieroni added. Lloyds has historically been making a big push and continues to under the current leadership team around digitization. We are increasing the number of colleagues weve got focused on the London market and focused on reinsurance, and it spans every stakeholder within the reinsurance industry  MGAs, MGUs, underwriters, primary carriers, reinsurers.

Pieroni said the demand surge is also coming from the Middle East, North Africa, South Africa, Australia, Japan, China and North America.

Its ubiquitous, he said. I would say its two to three-fold depending on which geography and business youre talking about.

Pieroni said of ACORDs 36,000 global members, reinsurers were the tip of the sphere, really using the tools [and] technique solutions that ACORD provided.

The digitation that has emerged from the pandemic has helped quicken their modernization push. Beyond the pandemic, however, primary carriers, MGAs, brokers and agents are encouraging reinsurers to digitize in an ongoing effort that predates COVID-19, Pieroni added.

Were so very excited about this, Pieroni said. Theres nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come  the forces that are compelling the full continuum of reinsurance stakeholders to use digitation will only increase moving forward.

Pieroni was referring to products from the ACORD Solutions Group, which include construction aids and digital accelerations that address things like document delivery and automation and data transformation/straight-through processing. Theres also ACORDs ADEPT (ACORD Data Exchange Platform & Translator, which is an industry-owned market capability that allows for real-time data exchange, translation and transformation.

Carrier Managements Big Re Reinsurance Innovation Webinar, Reinsurance Innovation: Whats Wanted, Needed and on Its Way, will be aired on Sept. 15, 2020. Sign up now, to listen to the insights of Steve Chirico, director in the property/casualty rating division of AM Best; Patrick OBrien, CEO and Director at Greenlight Reinsurance Ireland, and Bill Pieroni, president & CEO of ACORD.

This article first was published in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management.

Visit the Big Re, Carrier Managements reinsurance hub, for complete reinsurance coverage. Launched during the week of what would have been the Reinsurance Rendez-Vous de Septembre, this special page aims to provide complete reinsurance coverage of, by and for reinsurance professionals and buyers including news, features, interviews, commentaries, whitepapers, videos, webinars and more.

Topics InsurTech Reinsurance Insurance Wholesale London
"As a proven world-class provider of outsourcing services, SPS places a strong emphasis on the development and professional enrichment of our employees, as they are a critical part of our ongoing success in delivering service excellence to our clients."

Swiss Post Solutions (SPS), a leading outsourcing provider for business process solutions and innovative services in document management, has announced that their North American division has been named the winner of a Silver Stevie Award in the category of Employer of the Year  Business & Professional Services as part of the fifth annual Stevie Awards for Great Employers.

The Stevie Awards for Great Employers recognize the worlds best employers and the human resources professionals, teams, achievements and HR-related products and suppliers who help to create and drive great places to work. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning crowned, the awards will be conferred upon the winners during a virtual awards ceremony on November 5.

More than 700 nominations from organizations of all sizes were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of HR-related categories, including Achievement in Workplace Safety & Compliance, Employer of the Year, Chief Human Resources Officer of the Year, Human Resources Team of the Year, Employee Relations Solution Provider of the Year among others. Over 90 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this years Stevie Award winners.

In the Employer of the Year category for Business & Professional Services, SPS North America was recognized for employee programs launched or enhanced in 2019 and 2020, many of which have helped strengthen the organization during the recent crisis. These programs include the rollout of additional online training programs, which allow employees to continue their development while working remotely; introduction of new employee communications tools to foster a sense of connectivity; expanded benefits offerings and Corporate Social Responsibility programs such as the companys nationwide Annual Day of Giving, which raised donations for a national childrens health non-profit. SPS employees have responded positively to these programs: In the annual employee survey, employee satisfaction increased in 49 categories, including more than 35 categories where satisfaction was already rated high.

Dan Moscatiello, Chief Executive Officer of SPS North America, stated, As a proven world-class provider of outsourcing services, SPS places a strong emphasis on the development and professional enrichment of our employees, as they are a critical part of our ongoing success in delivering service excellence to our clients. We thank the Stevie Awards for this recognition of our commitment to our employees.

In the fifth edition of the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the judges were impressed by the Stevie winners who - during the crises weve confronted this year - continue to dedicate each day to making the lives of their employees and teams better through training, software, work-from-home plans, and more. We are pleased to celebrate them in 2020 and look forward to what they will accomplish in 2021, said Maggie Gallagher, president of the Stevie Awards.

Details about the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the list of 2020 Stevie winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/HR.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, the number of containment zones in the national capital has gone up to over 1,200, with the maximum 234 in southwest Delhi and the lowest 29 in northeast Delhi, according to government data.

There are 1,272 containment zones in Delhi as on Thursday, according to information available on the revenue department's website.

Of the 11 districts in the city, six have more than 100 containment zones- southwest Delhi (234), west Delhi (169), north Delhi (148), south Delhi (145), central Delhi (120), and east Delhi (104).

Northeast Delhi has just 29 containment zones, the lowest in the city, followed by southeast Delhi (73), Shahdara (74), northwest Delhi (82) and New Delhi (94).

The number of containment zones rose by 50 per cent in the last nine days from 846 on September 1 to 1,272 on Wednesday.

According to district officials, the number of containment zones might rise with the increase in the number of coronavirus tests being conducted and the consequent climb in the number of infections.

CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 LIVE UDPATES

Health authorities on Wednesday conducted a record 54,571 tests, and consequently reported 4,039 new cases, the highest single-day spike here so far.

On Tuesday, authorities conducted 45,797 tests, of which 3,609 were positive, according to the government's health bulletin.

Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that the number of fresh cases has increased because of aggressive testing and it will stabilize in the next 10-15 days.

Last month, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that COVID-19 testing will be doubled to 40,000 per day within a week as there has been a marginal increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the city.

The number of COVID-19 containment zones in Delhi rose from 539 on August 1 to 716 on August 27 and subsequently to 976 on September 5.

ALSO READ | Economy to shrink by 9 per cent; government not providing adequate direct fiscal support: Crisil

It breached the 1,000 mark on September 6, when it reached 1,076 and subsequently increased to 1,114 the next day.

There were 437 containment zones in the city on July 1 and by July 31, it had risen to 692, according to official data.

On August 3, the containment zone count came down to 496.

However, since the last week of August, the number of containment zones has been steadily increasing.

On August 25, there were 654 containment zones or localised areas from where infections were reported.

ALSO WATCH:
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Its the Tiffany T bangle versus the Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag.

Tiffany & Co. this week filed a lawsuit against LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE seeking to undo the French luxury groups decision to abandon its $16 billion takeover of the company. Now LVMH is counter-attacking, moving to sue the jeweler over its handling of the Covid-19 crisis.

The twist elevates the tensions between the two sides. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Arnault may well be trying to negotiate a cheaper deal. But the bad blood ratchets up the risks of such a strategy.

Folding Tiffany into the LVMH empire still makes sense strategically. LVMH has room to expand in jewelry. There is scope to polish up the iconic U.S. brand and, anyway, there arent that many targets in luxury that would make a meaningful impact on the French conglomerate, especially ones that lack controlling shareholders.

Given the battering that luxury demand has taken from the pandemic  sales could be up to 35% lower across the luxury market this year  the $135-a-share offer price agreed in November is clearly too high. Assuming the deal collapses completely, Tiffany stock could fall to between $70 and $80, according to analysts at Cowen and Company. Adding a 50% takeover premium to that  Tiffany remains a trophy asset  would suggest a revised price of $105 to $120 per share.

At $115, incidentally not far from Tiffanys current share price, Arnault would be saving about $2.4 billion. That doesnt sound like small change, but its only around 1% of LVMHs market capitalization.

This level of discount might not be worth the reputational damage, particularly if there is a lengthy court battle between the two sides. Shares in LVMH have taken the developments in their stride so far. But for some investors, if they believe he really doesnt want the deal at all, Arnaults move might be read as a worrying signal about the strength of LVMH and the future of luxury. While the groups travel retail division has been badly hurt by the pandemic, its fashion and leather goods division has appeared to be holding up well.

Story continues

Then there are the risks of antagonizing the U.S. political establishment by dumping Tiffany so dramatically. Suddenly LVMH has become a controversial element of U.S.-French relations.

There could still be an amicable solution. After all, the alternative for Tiffany is continuing with its turnaround against the backdrop of a luxury slump, an economic downturn and a U.S. presidential election. For LVMH, the risk is that this unique asset now gets bought by one of the other big luxury houses.

Arnault is known as a tough negotiator, and he has a duty to his shareholders to get the best value. But the costs of getting this bling bargain look high relative to the likely discount.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andrea Felsted is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the consumer and retail industries. She previously worked at the Financial Times.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
DCGI had issued a show-cause notice to pharma giant Serum Institute of India (SII) asking for an explanation as to why the ongoing clinical trial of Covishield vaccine candidate has not been suspended till doubts about patient safety are cleared.

The Drugs Regulator General of India (DCGI) has issued a show-cause notice to pharma giant Serum Institute of India (SII) asking for an explanation as to why the ongoing clinical trial of Covishield vaccine candidate has not been suspended till doubts about patient safety are cleared.

The drug regulators move comes after AstraZeneca, which is developing the vaccine candidate against COVID-19 with researchers of Oxford University, paused its trial as a volunteer developed an unexplained illness. The clinical trial has been put on hold across countries where it was being conducted  USA, UK, Brazil and South Africa.

Referring to reports of AstraZeneca halting the trials in the UK, Serum Institute of India (SII), which is conducting the trials in India, said the UK trials have been paused for further review.

We cant comment much on the UK trials but they have been paused for further review and they hope to restart soon. As far as Indian trials are concerned, it is continuing and we have faced no issues at all, it said. The notice to the Serum Institute has been issued by Drugs Regulator General of India Dr VG Somani.

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In view of the above Drugs Controller General of India and Central Licensing Authority hereby give you an opportunity to show cause as provided under rule 30 of the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules 2019  why the permission granted to you on August 2 shall not be suspended till patient safety is established, said the notice, a copy of which is with ANI.

It said that Serum Institute uptill has not informed the central licensing authority regarding pausing of clinical trial carried out by AstraZeneca in other countries and has also not submitted a casualty analysis of the reported serious adverse event with the investigational vaccine for the continuation of phase II/III clinical trial of the subject vaccine in the country in light of the safety concerns.

Your reply shall reach undersign immediately, else it shall be construed that you have no explanation to offer and action deemed fit will be taken against you, it added.

The countrys apex drugs regulator had on August 2 granted permission to SII to conduct a phase II/III clinical trial of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 coronavirus vaccine (recombinant) at various clinical trial sites in the country to determine its safety and immunogenicity.

The vaccine will be manufactured by Serum Institute in India under technical collaboration with Oxford University/AstraZeneca and is called as Covishield (SII-ChAdOx1 nCoV-19).

Covishield vaccine contains replication-deficient simian adenovirus vector ChAdOx1 containing structural surface glycoprotein (spike protein) antigens of SARS-CoV-2.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput death case: Rhea Chakraborty sent to 14-day judicial custody after Court denies bail plea
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Two persons have been arrested for duping nearly 800 people by luring them to pay Rs 3,995 for the lucky draw of an expensive phone.

The matter came to light when a person filed a complaint at the Patel Nagar police station. In his complaint, he said that he received a phone call from an unknown mobile number saying that his mobile number has been selected in a lucky draw and he has won a branded mobile phone which costs around Rs 25,000.

The caller asked him to pay Rs 3,995 and share his address with PIN code so that they can send the mobile phone through speed post.

The complainant said that after paying the amount he received a parcel which had a packet of Patanjali Giloy Quath.

The police initiated an investigation into the case and traced the mobile number of the caller on the basis of the CDR. The police found that the mobile phone was in operation in Sector 7, Rohini.

Sajjan Kumar (34), a resident of Naharpur Village, Sector 7, Rohini and Sunny Goel (28), a resident of Uttam Nagar were arrested and the mobile phone used by them to dupe the complainant was also recovered.

Central Delhi DCP Sanjay Bhatia told the media, "The accused had opened a company in the name of "PRIME DEAL" and obtained mobile numbers of various people from different states through Google. They made random calls and trapped the people. The parcels sent by them contained Patanjali Giloy Quath, belt, purses etc. They have cheated almost 800 people till now."
Grapes Digital, an integrated communications agency has won the digital mandate for Indias finest Basmati Rice, Daawat which is produced by one of the leading Basmati rice manufacturers in the country, LT Foods Ltd.

As part of this mandate, Grapes Digital will handle the digital strategy, media planning and buying for the brand.

On this occasion, Himanshu Arya, Founder & CEO, Grapes Digital said  We are thrilled and excited to partner on this journey with an iconic brand like Daawat  which is a start of a longstanding mutually beneficial working relationship. With this win we are certain to strengthen our presence in the industry . Our proactive approach has always ensured meeting with the desired business results for all our brands, and the same will hold true for Daawat.

Ritesh Arora, Head-India and Far East and New Business of LT Foods Ltd said , The industry we are a part of is a cluttered market space with players from both the organized and unorganized sectors. With our association with Grapes Digital we look forward to working on strategies and content creation that will help break through the digital noise. We look forward to ideating and executing exciting campaigns, and are certain that with the given expertise of Grapes in the digital space, we will achieve our goals.

Grapes Digital is a decade old full- fledged digital marketing agency, nurturing digital marketing and advocacy for brands of national & international repute. Over the last 10 years, the agency has expanded to a team strength of 180+ people, with offices in Delhi and Mumbai. Their motto is to create relevant, engaging & interactive digital content and experiences that captivate users. Their core business is strategy, technology and digital media with a full range of digital solutions.
Julian Treger has been the CEO of Anglo Pacific Group plc (LON:APF) since 2013, and this article will examine the executive's compensation with respect to the overall performance of the company. This analysis will also look to assess whether the CEO is appropriately paid, considering recent earnings growth and investor returns for Anglo Pacific Group.

See our latest analysis for Anglo Pacific Group

Comparing Anglo Pacific Group plc's CEO Compensation With the industry

At the time of writing, our data shows that Anglo Pacific Group plc has a market capitalization of UK185m, and reported total annual CEO compensation of UK737k for the year to December 2019. That's a fairly small increase of 5.9% over the previous year. Notably, the salary which is UK396.0k, represents most of the total compensation being paid.

In comparison with other companies in the industry with market capitalizations ranging from UK77m to UK307m, the reported median CEO total compensation was UK1.1m. This suggests that Julian Treger is paid below the industry median.

Component 2019 2018 Proportion (2019) Salary UK396k UK378k 54% Other UK341k UK318k 46% Total Compensation UK737k UK696k 100%

On an industry level, around 71% of total compensation represents salary and 29% is other remuneration. It's interesting to note that Anglo Pacific Group allocates a smaller portion of compensation to salary in comparison to the broader industry. If salary dominates total compensation, it suggests that CEO compensation is leaning less towards the variable component, which is usually linked with performance.

Anglo Pacific Group plc's Growth

Over the last three years, Anglo Pacific Group plc has shrunk its earnings per share by 12% per year. In the last year, its revenue is down 27%.

Few shareholders would be pleased to read that EPS have declined. And the impression is worse when you consider revenue is down year-on-year. So given this relatively weak performance, shareholders would probably not want to see high compensation for the CEO. Moving away from current form for a second, it could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future.

Story continues

Has Anglo Pacific Group plc Been A Good Investment?

Given the total shareholder loss of 12% over three years, many shareholders in Anglo Pacific Group plc are probably rather dissatisfied, to say the least. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously.

To Conclude...

As we touched on above, Anglo Pacific Group plc is currently paying its CEO below the median pay for CEOs of companies belonging to the same industry and with similar market capitalizations. EPS growth has failed to impress us, and the same can be said about shareholder returns. It's tough to say that Julian is earning a very high compensation, but shareholders will likely want to see healthier investor returns before agreeing that a raise is in order.

CEO compensation is a crucial aspect to keep your eyes on but investors also need to keep their eyes open for other issues related to business performance. We've identified 2 warning signs for Anglo Pacific Group that investors should be aware of in a dynamic business environment.

Switching gears from Anglo Pacific Group, if you're hunting for a pristine balance sheet and premium returns, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller waits to testify before the House Intelligence Committee about his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on July 24, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Mueller Team Wiped at Least 22 Phones Before They Could Be Checked for Records

At least 22 phones used by members of special counsel Robert Muellers team had all of their data wiped before an official could review the devices for records, according to documents released on Sept. 10 by the Department of Justice.

Some of the phones were wiped by accident. Others were reset after the users entered the wrong password too many times. A phone belonging to assistant special counsel James Quarles wiped itself without intervention from him, according to the documents (pdf).

Quarles didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

Andrew Weissmann, a key figure in the 22-month investigation of alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, wiped his phone twice, once by accident and once by entering the wrong password too many times. Weissmann also didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Department of Justices (DOJ) Office of Inspector General (IG) had in 2018 detailed an extensive effort to recover the text messages from the special counsel phones used by FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page. The phones had both been wiped before the IG investigators found them.

The documents released on Sept. 10 show that the problem of vanishing data spanned far beyond Strzok and Page. The special counsels office had a process in place to check employees phones for records, including as part of exit procedures. A records officer kept a log of the reviews which documented how many records were on each phone and whether the device was wiped.

The records officers log shows seven of the phones were wiped by accident and 11 others were wiped because employees forgot their passwords. The rest were wiped with no reason listed and for other reasons.

The wiping of so many phones by attorneys and investigators working the highest-profile investigation in the United States is sure to raise concerns that the deleted data may have contained evidence of improper or criminal conduct. One FBI attorney who was discovered to have sent text messages that were biased against Trump has since pleaded guilty in federal court to a false statement charge in connection to an email he forged.

Page and Strzok texted each other about their hatred of Trump, wanting to stop him from becoming president, and an insurance policy in the event he was elected. Strzok was removed from the special counsels office when the IG informed Mueller about the messages. With the exception of Pages phone, all of the phones were wiped in the months after the messages between Page and Strzok were made public in early 2018.

The DOJ IG didnt find evidence that the bias displayed in the text messages had an impact on any of the investigative decisions by the Crossfire Hurricane team.

Mueller was appointed in May 2017 to take over the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign, codenamed Crossfire Hurricane. As part of the probe, the FBI obtained a warrant to spy on a former Trump campaign adviser by using an unverified dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. The Hillary Clinton campaign ultimately paid for Steeles work on the dossier.

A review of Muellers phone turned up no records, according to the documents.

Correction: Previous versions of this article incorrectly stated the total number of phones wiped, the number of phones Andrew Weissmann wiped and the total number of phones used by the special counsels office. The Epoch Times regrets the errors.
Geneva: The World Trade Organisation's effort to select a leader has entered a new stage as ambassadors from 164 member countries met with senior officials for private "confessionals" to say who they support.

But the politicking in Geneva, the first in a three-stage elimination process, could be a wasted effort according to six former WTO officials and trade experts. They say the decisive developments that will shape the future of the embattled global organisation are unfolding thousands of kilometres away in Washington.

Left a void: WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, seen here with US President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Davos in January. Credit:Bloomberg

The US presidential election on November 3 is overshadowing the organisation's efforts to fill the gap left by Brazilian Roberto Azevedo since he stepped down as director-general on August 31 and it could end up thwarting the aim of filling the top spot within the prescribed two months.

America's support for a particular candidate is critical but four trade experts including former WTO employees believe the administration of Donald Trump is unlikely to throw a lifeline to a multilateral body he has threatened to leave, particularly during an election campaign in which trade is a hot button issue.
Ahead of elections, Pakistan pumping in huge number of IEDs into India

The drone threat from Pakistan that India faces is immense

What bonds the Khalistanis and the Pakistanis

Pakistan dismisses any option to amend any local laws for Kulbhushan Jadhav

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Islamabad, Sep 10: Pakistan on Thursday dismissed any option to amend local laws on India's demand to allow its lawyers to fight the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistani courts.

"Pakistan will never accept any unreasonable demand by India on Jadhav's case," Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri saidat a weekly press briefing.

The spokesperson said there was no other option for India but to "cooperate with Pakistani courts", which only permitted appearance of locally registered lawyers before the bench.

Give India another chance to appoint lawyer for Kulbhushan Jadhav: Pak court

India has been demanding "unimpeded" consular access to Jadhav as mandated by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Recently, the Islamabad High Court named three senior lawyers as amici curiae in the case of Jadhav and ordered the Pakistan government to give "another chance" to India to appoint a counsel for the death-row prisoner.

In 2017, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July 2019 that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

Last month, India accused Pakistan of adopting a "farcical" approach in denying available legal remedies to Jadhav against his death sentence in contravention of the ICJ order.

The strong reaction had come after Pakistan did not provide documents relating to Jadhav''s case to India so that it could file a review petition in the court against the death sentence.

India had also accused Pakistan of blocking all the avenues for an effective remedy available in the case.

Fifty-year-old retired Indian Navy officer Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

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Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 23:15 [IST]
Already tracking poorly in the Middle Kingdom, Disneys Mulan is now the subject of a media blackout in mainland China, where it is set for a theatrical release on Friday. The move appears related to foreign reactions to the film having shot partially in Xinjiang.

Three sources told the Reuters news agency that mainland media outlets had received a notice asking them not to cover the film. Two of whom said it was sent by the Cyberspace Administration of China, while a fourth source at a major Chinese newspaper told Reuters that he received a text message with a similar order from a senior colleague.

The live action re-telling of the Mulan story, which is both a classic Chinese poem and a beloved 1998 Disney animation, was designed for a global audience, but with one eye firmly on the Chinese market. It stars American-Chinese performer Liu Yifei (aka Crystal Liu), Donnie Yen and Gong Li in prominent roles. It shot principally in New Zealand, director Niki Caros home country, and partially in China.

Mulan had been scheduled for a worldwide release in March this year. But that plan, and other attempts to find a planet-wide outing were all scuppered by the coronavirus pandemic and rolling cinema closures. In recent weeks Disney took the decision to favor its newly-launched direct-to-consumer streaming service Disney Plus and give the film a premium VOD launch in territories where it is operational. That left several markets in Asia including Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan and crucially Mainland China as theatrical release territories.

While box office numbers in Singapore and Thailand are far from shabby, the opening in China looks weak. As of 8pm Thursday, pre-bookings for the films opening day amount to $1.70 million (RMB11.6 million), according to ticket sales agency Maoyan. That would place it on top of the chart, but with a gross that is distinctly soft.

Despite China now being the only major film market to have returned to near normality, according to one analysis firm, the prospects for Mulan in the Peoples Republic began to diminish quickly. Several factors may be at play.

Story continues

Considered an import, rather than a co-production, Mulan received its official Sept. 11 release date only 10 days ago, giving it little chance to build a strong marketing campaign. That date put it squarely in competition with Tenet and Chinas best performing film of the year The Eight Hundred.

It also put the Mulan theatrical outing in competition with pirated copies, that appear to have been ripped from Disney Plus streams in other countries. Within hours of the films Sept. 4 online premiere, Mulan was the top title on at least three torrent sites that Variety visited.

The films end credits, as seen in Disney Plus territories, reveal that the film shot partially in the Xinjiang region, as well as the filmmakers fulsome thanks to Xinjiang authorities, including the Turpan Public Security Bureau, and various publicity departments of the Communist Party of China.

Xinjiang is the large state in West China where the government is alleged to have incarcerated a million Muslims mainly of Uighur origin, and to have operated other assimilation programs. The Chinese authorities have frequently insisted that what Western governments have identified as prison camps are in fact vocational training facilities.

The recent furor over the films Xinjiang connection has caused a storm of bad publicity on social media, and a stiff letter from U.S. Senator Josh Hawley to Disney chief Bob Chapek.

Hawley claims that Disney ignored reports from U.S. government sources and from NGOs describing the human rights abuses in Xinjiang. [These] did not stop Disney from going to Xinjiang to film Mulan. Nor did it stop Disney from collaborating with the Chinese officials directly responsible for the atrocities at those camps, Hawley said in a Wednesday letter.

On Wednesday, state-controlled tabloid newspaper The Global Times said the Mulan backlash was another manifestation of the extreme ideologies regarding China among U.S. public opinion. Within China, the state media blackout suggests that the government wants to simply shut down the discussion.

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When Dame Dianna Rigg died earlier today (10 September), she left behind an indelible legacy on the acting profession.

Her six-decade career spanned projects in film, TV and the stage, from popular classics like James Bond to dense theatrical fare.

Of all the women to have appeared opposite the many incarnations of 007, Rigg often stands apart, imbuing her On Her Majestys Secret Service character with a charisma and complexity that elevated her above the usual female cypher.

Riggs career transcended mere acclaim (though there was plenty to go around): as Emma Peel in the seminal ITV spy series The Avengers, Rigg became a feminist icon.

Here are 10 of her finest roles.

1. Emma Peel in The Avengers (1965-68)

Rigg joined The Avengers to replace Honor Blackman  who would herself star in the Bond series, as Pussy Galore  as the series female lead. An expert martial artist, Peel was the perfect foil to Patrick MacNees John Steed. Rigg only lasted for two series, later revealing she had struggled with the newfound fame the role brought, but her character endures as one of the shows brightest sparks, and one of the highlights of Riggs back catalogue.

2. Sonya Winter in The Assassination Bureau (1969)

Rigg stood out as one of the best things about The Assassination Bureau, the darkly comic thriller based on an unfinished novel by Jack London. As fledgling journalist and vocal feminist Sonya Winter, Rigg finds herself embroiled in conspiracy as she tries to take down a shady assassination-based organisation from within.

Diana Rigg in blackly comic spy movie The Assassination Bureau in 1969 (Rex Features)

3. Teresa di Vicenzo in On Her Majestys Secret Service (1969)

Teresa is a saint  Im known as Tracy, says Riggs famous Bond girl, as she introduces herself to 007. Among the many female actors to have appeared in the franchise, Rigg stands apart  and not just because Tracy was the first woman with whom the famously promiscuous spy looked like settling down. Right up until the fateful wedding scene, Rigg managed to imbue Tracy with a rich characterisation and pathos that transcended the usual Bond cliches.

4. Arlena Stuart Marshall in Evil Under the Sun (1982)

Never one to shy away from a genre project, Rigg tackled an Agatha Christie Poirot mystery in the 1982 adaptation of Evil Under the Sun. As Arlena, she enjoyed some of the films most lively lines as she swapped pointed insults with wealthy nemesis Daphne Castle (played by Maggie Smith).

Rigg and George Lazenby in On Her Majestys Secret Service' ( Rex Features)

5. Regan in King Lear (1983)

Shakespeare is a tall task for any actor, and Rigg performed in many of the Bards works on the stage and on-screen. None were quite so memorable as the TV production of King Lear, which saw Rigg hold her own among a stellar cast that included Laurence Olivier, John Hurt and a young Brian Cox.

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6. Helena Vesey in Mother Love (1989)

Rigg won a Best Actress Bafta award for her terrifying turn as the obsessive matriarch Helena Vesey in the 1989 BBC miniseries Mother Love. As Helena, she is smotheringly devoted to her son, Kit, but its clear that something dangerous lurks beneath her exterior. Quite possibly Riggs darkest role.

Rigg as the obsessive Helana Vesey in Mother Love' (Rex Features)

7. Medea in Medea (1992)

Of Riggs many acclaimed theatrical roles, she is probably best remembered for her star turn in the ancient Greek tragedy Medea. Debuting in Londons Almeida theatre before moving to New York, the production earned Rigg a Tony Award for Best Actress in 1994.

8. Mrs Danvers in Rebecca (1997)

Rigg was already a dame by the time she played the sinister Mrs Danvers in the 1997 serialised adaptation of Daphne du Mauriers iconic novel. The miniseries, shown in the UK on ITV, is inevitably overshadowed by Alfred Hitchcocks peerless Rebecca adaptation, but Riggs role remains a high point. For her efforts, she bagged an Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actress.

9. Lady Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones (2013-2017)

Rigg became a familiar face to a whole new generation of viewers with her turn as the acerbic Lady Tyrell in the hit HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones. Known as the Queen of Thorns, Tyrell was one of Thrones best schemers, and Rigg was perfect in the role. Although her performance was met with no small amount of critical praise, she claimed in 2017 that shed never even watched the show.

Queen of Thorns: Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones' (Rex Features)

10. Veronica in Detectorists (2017)

Mackenzie Crooks offbeat BBC sitcom Detectorists had a number of wonderful performances, and Riggs was certainly no exception. A relatively small role  as the mother of Becky, played by Rachael Stirling  was enlivened by Riggs pitch-perfect delivery, as she lent a touch of class to one of her final on-screen appearances.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said only a few thousand customers who lost power in recent planned fire-prevention outages should be without power Thursday after crews inspected thousands of miles of lines for damage.

The utility had hoped to restore power throughout its system by the end of day Wednesday, but the strange atmospheric conditions over much of Northern California, as well as the possibility of greater wind damage than expected, delayed some of the work.

The process began at daybreak  if you could call it that, given the orange, smoke-filled skies  on Wednesday for customers in Sonoma and Napa counties, the Sierra foothills and Sacramento Valley. Power had been shut down in stages, starting late Monday and continuing into Tuesday morning, as part of the utilitys program to prevent its lines and equipment from sparking wildfires in windy, dry weather.

PG&E gave the all-clear signal for several counties overnight Tuesday, meaning the danger posed by gusty winds that billowed overnight had passed. The utility said it assigned a crew of 3,000 personnel to inspect some 10,750 miles of transmission lines by foot, in vehicles and in the air. Only a part of its air fleet could patrol because of the smoky, hazy conditions.

Now Playing: Residents share their thoughts about the orange-red sky looming over the Bay Area. Video: Manjula Varghese / The Chronicle

The shut-offs affected about 172,000 customers in parts of 22 counties, including 17,000 in Sonoma and 5,000 in Napa as well as some in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba counties.

By Wednesday evening, PG&E had restored power to roughly 147,000 out of the 172,000 customers included in the planned outages, said utility incident commander Mark Quinlan. The company said it hoped to have most of the rest restored by the end of the the day.

Roughly 4,000 customers  largely in the Humboldt area, the Sierra foothills, Butte County and adjacent areas in the central Sierra, Quinlan said  are expected to have power restored by noon Thursday. Approximately 800 of those customer accounts are located in Napa County, PG&E officials said.

Those customers were affected by damage that required repairs, as well as air inspections hampered by the smoke and haze, spokesperson Lynsey Paulo said.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Thirty-four helicopters were able to conduct inspections on Wednesday, but another 16 were grounded because of the incredible smoke that we saw in the atmosphere here today, Quinlan said.

Utility crews found 27 incidents of damage or hazards, such as downed trees or branches on wires, and Quinlan said officials expect that number to rise as inspections continue. Quinlan said each of those incidents could have started a fire that could have been very, very difficult to control.

Brittany Hosea-Small / Special to The Chronicle

He also pointed to dry vegetation and wind gusts that reached as high as 66 mph in Butte County as crucial reminders of why the utility cuts off electricity for public safety.

We have not found any evidence that our facilities were involved in any wildfire ignitions through this most recent windstorm, Quinlan said during a live-streamed news conference Wednesday. He added that he did not expect lingering smoke to impede the remaining inspection work.

Michael Cabanatuan and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan, @ByLHernandez
New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Opposition has finalised the name of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha as its joint candidate for the Deputy Chairman post in the Rajya Sabha and he will file his nomination on Friday, top sources said.

Manoj Jha confirmed the development and said, "Yes, I am filing the papers".

Congress sources said party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has also spoken to like-minded parties, including the Samajwadi Party.

The development comes after the DMK leadership showed its reluctance to field Tiruchi Siva as the opposition's joint candidate. The choice of the RJD leader is significant since the NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh and Manoj Jha are both from Bihar. This will set the tone for the Assembly elections in Bihar, slated to be held later this year.

Sources said the Congress wants the election to be an 'opposition versus government' and not a 'Congress vs BJP' contest to unite the opposition and corner the government in the Upper House, where the ruling alliance now has the upper hand.

Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already had a word with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik for supporting Singh. But Patnaik's assurance is awaited, said sources.

The election to the Deputy Chairperson's post will be held on September 14, the day the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins. The election will be held at 3 p.m. and nominations will be accepted till noon on September 11.

The post fell vacant after Janata Dal (United) MP Harivansh Narayan Singh's term in the Upper House expired. He has re-elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Bihar after defeating Congress leader B. K. Hariprasad.
President Donald Trump told author Bob Woodward he has no responsibility to feel the 'anger and the pain' of African Americans - and then complained he didn't get a lot of love from that group.

In his forthcoming book, 'Rage,' Woodward recounts a series of conversations he had with the president about race relations in the United States over some of the 18 interviews they conducted.

Woodward, in a June 19 interview, told Trump they shared a 'white, privileged' background, according to a copy of the book obtained by DailyMail.com.

President Donald Trump told author Bob Woodward he has no responsibility to feel the 'anger and the pain' of African Americans

In this White House photo from December 2019 provided by Bob Woodward, President Donald Trump is seen speaking to Woodward in the Oval Office, surrounded by some aides and advisers, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, then acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, then-White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and then-deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley. On Trump's desk is a large picture of Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

'Do you have any sense that that privilege has isolated and put you in a cave to a certain extent, as it put me and I think lots of white privileged people in a cave and that we have to work our way out of it to understand the anger and the pain, particularly, Black people feel in this country?' Woodward asked him.

'No,' Trump responded. 'You really drank the Kool-Aid, didn't you? Just listen to you. Wow. No, I don't feel that at all.'

The interviews were held after the May 25 death of George Floyd and while Black Lives Matters protests were taking place through out the country.

The president went on to repeat to Woodward the argument he has made often - that he's done more for African Americans than any president since Abraham Lincoln.

As the two men engaged on a back-and-forth about race relations, Woodward noted that Trump can be heard exhaling on the recording of the interview at one point in the conversation.

The president also, in response to Woodward's question, said he had won the hearts and minds of African Americans - before the coronavirus pandemic came.

But Trump repeatedly tied his record of race relations to the unemployment numbers, pointing out the low record of unemployment among African Americans before the virus.

'They had the best jobs! They were making more money than they ever made,' he told Woodward.

Trump was criticized for his response to the protests, where he objected to those who torn down statues with links to the Confederacy and defended the right to wave the Confederate Flag, a racist symbol.

Days later, on June 22, Woodward spoke to Trump again and asked the president whether he thinks there is 'systemic or institutional racism in this country.'

'Well, I think there is everywhere,' Trump said. 'I think probably less here than most places. Or less here than many places.'

'OK. But is it here? In a way that it has an impact on peoples' lives?' Woodward asked.

'I think it is. And it's unfortunate. But I think it is,' Trump responded.

President Trump and author Bob Woodward spoke 18 times, including as Black Lives Matter protests were taking place around the White House

The president also argued he's more of a person who gets things done than someone who would talk about what's in his heart.

'I'm somebody that likes to get things done rather than talk,' he told Woodward.

And, asked if he should go on a listening tour around the country, Trump instead talked about what he could do for the economy.

'I listen to people all the time. I like to listen to people. I hear what people are saying. I'm able to get things done economically. And that's a very big part of the problem,' he said.

Finally, in another conversation on July 8, Trump complained about his lack of support among black voters.

'I've done a tremendous amount for the black community,' he told Woodward. 'And, honestly, I'm not feeling any love.'
We hold all of our public officials to the highest standards in their personal and professional lives, the statement reads. This social media post is in incredibly poor taste. It does not reflect the values of the people of our community, and we will not tolerate such behavior from any of our public officials.
A Department of Homeland Security whistleblower has laid out what his attorney describes as "serious allegations of misconduct" by DHS leadership, The Washington Post reports.

Brian Murphy, a senior official who formerly was in charge of intelligence and analysis at DHS, alleges in a new whistleblower complaint obtained by the Post that in May 2020, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf told him to "cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference in the United States," and that in July, Wolf told him that an "intelligence notification" on Russian disinformation efforts "should be 'held' because it 'made the president look bad.'"

Murphy "objected" to this instruction, saying that it's "improper to hold a vetted intelligence product for reasons for political embarrassment," according to the complaint. The complaint also says that when he was told to stop providing intelligence assessments on Russian interference, Murphy said he wouldn't comply because doing so would "put the country in substantial and specific danger."

Additionally, Murphy alleges that Wolf and Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Ken Cuccinelli instructed officials to change intelligence assessments to align with Trump's rhetoric, CNN reports. The complaint alleges that Cuccinelli told him to edit an assessment's "section on white supremacy" to make "the threat appear less severe" and to "include information on the prominence of violent 'left-wing' groups." Murphy says he didn't make the modifications.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in a statement to the Post described the allegations from Murphy as "grave and disturbing," and the House Intelligence Committee has reportedly asked him to testify.

More stories from theweek.com

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Negotiations between the U.K. and the European Union on their future trade relations after Brexit were never going to be easy. After all, it took more than three years (and several near misses) just to agree the terms of Britains departure from the bloc. But talks were expected to stay within the wonkish, technical world of tariffs and product standards, since existential issues like how to deal with the flow of goods across the Irish border without undermining peace or the integrity of the EU market were amicably settled.
The number of empty rental apartments in Manhattan nearly tripled compared with last year, as more New Yorkers fled the city and prices declined.

There were more than 15,000 empty rental apartments in Manhattan in August, up from 5,600 a year ago, according to a report from Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel. The inventory of empty units is the largest ever recorded since data started being collected 14 years ago, the report said.

Analysts say the rental market is the best barometer of overall strength in Manhattan's real estate market, since rentals account for 75% of apartments and that market reacts more quickly to demand changing than the sales market.

Experts say the migration from the city to the suburbs during the Covid-19 crisis has been fueled in large part by Manhattan renters leaving the city.

"The rental market is weak and getting weaker," said Jonathan Miller, CEO of Miller Samuel. "The first-time buyers in outlying areas are largely coming from the Manhattan rental market."

Hopes for a rebound in the fall or the end of 2020 look increasingly unlikely. Although rental prices have come down  median rental prices fell 4% in August  the discounts are not steep enough yet to lure new renters back to the city. The average rental price for a two-bedroom in Manhattan is still $4,756 a month.

The fall is generally a slow period in the Manhattan rental market, especially before an election, Miller said.

Landlords are offering ever-larger incentives to try to entice renters, with the largest share of landlords offering concessions in history. On average, landlords were offering 1.9 months of free rent to new renters in August. The weakest segment of the rental market is the lower end, for one bedrooms and studios, partly a result of the pandemic's greater impact on lower earners.

Average rental prices for studios fell 9%, to $2,574, while the average for one-bedroom apartments fell 5% to $3,445.

The big question for the Manhattan economy and beyond is how far will the economic ripples from the weak rental market spread. While big landlords like REITs and real estate companies have access to capital, smaller mom and pop landlords with just one or two buildings may have trouble paying their mortgages and property taxes, which could later hit banks and lenders, as well as New York's tax revenue.

"Where you are already seeing stress on landlords is on the low end of the price spectrum," Miller said. "You're clearly seeing weakness in the smaller end of the rental market."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 09:33:31|Editor: huaxia

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SANTIAGO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chile is working to acquire a COVID-19 vaccine by the first quarter of 2021, Health Minister Enrique Paris said on Wednesday.

Chile's president, the ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs and Sciences, the Public Health Institute of Chile, and the Advisory Committee on Vaccines and Immunizations are all working so that Chile "can have a vaccine within the period we originally said, that is, in the first quarter of 2021," said Paris.

"The vaccine will be free and will be initially applied to vulnerable groups," he added.

"There are many companies that are testing vaccines, several that are already in phase 3 clinical trials. In fact, in Chile, there are three vaccines that are in phase 3 clinical trials or that are going to carry out their clinical trials here," Paris said, in response to questions concerning the government's target date.

One vaccine is being developed by pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca in conjunction with the University of Oxford, who said on Tuesday they had paused trials of their vaccine after one of the volunteers fell ill.

"It is an expected adverse effect, which occurs regularly. What this patient had is transverse myelitis, that is inflammation of the spinal cord, probably caused by the interaction between the vaccine virus and the spinal cord," Paris told reporters.

Chile registered 1,482 COVID-19 cases in the previous 24 hours, bringing the nationwide caseload to 427,027 since the onset of the outbreak here, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

In the same period, 20 more deaths were reported, taking the death toll to 11,702. Enditem
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trumps push to crack down on illegal immigration and reshape legal immigration was at the heart of the Republicans winning 2016 campaign and has remained at the forefront of his White House agenda.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the likely Democratic challenger in this years presidential election, promises to rescind many of the policies put in place by Trumps administration and instead advance his own platform if he wins on Nov. 3.

Here is a look at some of their immigration stances.

CORONAVIRUS IMMIGRATION RESTRICTIONS

Trump has dramatically curtailed immigration and travel into the United States during the coronavirus pandemic, arguing the steps were needed for health reasons and to protect jobs for U.S. workers in the face of high unemployment.

During the pandemic, Trump has restricted the entry of many foreign workers and immigrants seeking green cards" for permanent residency.

Biden tweeted at the time that Trump was banning immigrants to distract from his administrations pandemic response and that immigrants help grow our economy and create jobs."

Trump also implemented a public health emergency policy that allows U.S. officials to rapidly deport migrants caught at the U.S.-Mexico border, including unaccompanied minors and asylum seekers, bypassing standard legal processes.

Biden has said he will pause deportations for 100 days after taking office, but he has not yet said if he would immediately reverse Trumps sweeping pandemic-related restrictions.

When the Trump administration announced plans in July to restrict the entry of some foreign students to the United States, a policy it later had to rescind, Biden tweeted support for international students, saying they bring innovation to the country.

DREAMERS

The Supreme Court ruled in June against Trumps 2017 decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects from deportation immigrants popularly known as Dreamers," who were brought to the United States as children and have remained in the country illegally.

The high courts ruling - which found Trumps termination of the program was arbitrary and capricious" - left the administration the option to try again to end it.

The Trump administration issued a memo in July that clamped down on DACA, blocking new enrollment and allowing only renewals that last one year, less than the current two-year period.

Launched by then-President Barack Obama in 2012, DACA grants deportation relief and work permits to about 644,000 mostly Hispanic young adults, but does not provide them a path to citizenship.

Biden has said he would reverse Trumps cruel" decision and strengthen protections for Dreamers.

He said he would make Dreamers eligible for federal student aid for college, and would back legislation that provides a path to citizenship for them as part of efforts to do so for all of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally, including those who did not arrive as children.

Trumps administration has prioritized arresting immigration violators regardless of their criminal histories or length of time in the United States.

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER WALL

Trumps promises to build a wall along the southwest border and to force Mexico to pay for it were the centerpiece of his hard-line immigration rhetoric during the 2016 campaign, energizing his supporters and enraging Democrats.

The administration has completed 275 miles (443 km) of border wall, with a goal of 450 miles (720 km) by the end of the year, but nearly all of those barriers replaced existing structures, according to U.S. border officials. Mexico has refused to pay for any of the construction, leaving the U.S. government to foot the bill, partially with billions of dollars in Pentagon funds.

Federal court records show the Trump administration has ramped up efforts to seize more land for the barrier.

Biden said in August that he would not tear down border walls built under Trump, but would halt construction.

Bidens immigration plan would end the diversion of Pentagon funding to build the wall and focus instead on border enforcement like investments in improving the screening infrastructure at ports of entry.

FAMILY SEPARATIONS

Trumps 2018 zero-tolerance" policy to prosecute illegal border crossings led to several thousand children being forcibly separated from parents and legal guardians detained on the Mexico border.

The policy, described by the administration as a deterrent, sparked outrage, and the backlash led Trump to sign an executive order to end the practice. But the administration continued to separate hundreds of kids traveling with other adult relatives.

Biden would end the prosecution of parents for minor immigration violations, which he calls an intimidation tactic," and make it a priority to reunite any children still separated from their families.

TRAVEL BAN

Trump signed an order in January 2017 banning entry to immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, a move Biden and other critics say discriminated against Muslims. A federal court blocked the initial ban, but in 2018 the Supreme Court upheld an amended version that has since been expanded to other countries.

The version upheld by the Supreme Court places restrictions on travelers from five majority-Muslim nations - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. North Korea and Venezuela also face visa bars, but those measures affect relatively few travelers.

Trump placed restrictions on six additional countries in January, including Nigeria and three other African nations.

Biden has promised to rescind the bans, calling them an abuse of power designed to target primarily black and brown immigrants."

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
MOSCOW - Russias top diplomat on Thursday accused the West of levelling accusations of poisoning top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny without providing evidence, staunchly denying any official involvement.

Navalny, the most visible opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was flown to Germany two days after falling ill on Aug. 20 on a domestic flight in Russia. German chemical weapons experts have determined that the 44-year-old was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent, prompting Berlin to demand that Russia investigate the case.

The German hospital treating him said Monday that Navalnys condition has improved, allowing doctors to take him out of an induced coma.

Russian authorities have prodded Germany to share the evidence that led them to conclude without doubt that Navalny was poisoned with a military nerve agent from the Novichok group, the same class of Soviet-era agent that British authorities said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018. Russian doctors said they had found no trace of poison in Navalnys system.

Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov charged that Germany, the United States and other Western allies who urge Russia to conduct a probe into Navalnys poisoning squarely expect Russia to accept blame for something it hasnt done.

If such logic prevails, that would only mean that they put themselves above the law, above everyone else, he said.

Germanys Defence Ministry has said the data about Navalny had been provided to the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Thursday that Russia is still unaware whether Germany has handed over any information to the OPCW. He underlined that it would like to receive the information firsthand to help investigate the case.

We dont know what they have given to the OPCW, he said during a conference call with reporters. We naturally prefer that they hand over those analyses directly to us.

Peskov noted that Russian authorities had launched a preliminary check into what happened to Navalny, but emphasized that they need proof of his poisoning to conduct a full-fledged criminal inquiry.

We have been left puzzling over what kind of difficulties could have prevented them from sharing their findings with us, he said.

Earlier this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkels office indicated that she might be willing to rethink the fate of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will bring Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea  a sign of Berlins growing frustration over Moscows stonewalling about the Navalny case.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told conservative radio host Ben Shapiro that when people around the world see the effort to poison a dissident, and they recognize that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people.

I think the world has matured and come to an understanding that this is not how normal countries operate, and this will prove costly for the Russians, Pompeo said.

___

Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

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Editor's take: The idea of delivering packages via aerial drones has been in the mainstream for nearly a decade now. While several companies have made meaningful progress, it still feels like we are many years away from seeing drones zipping around above us on the regular.

Walmart has partnered with on-demand drone delivery company Flytrex on a pilot program to determine the feasibility of using automated drones to deliver select goods to local shoppers.

The pilot launched this week in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Walmart said it hopes to gain valuable insight into both the employee and customer experience, from packaging a shipment all the way through to delivery.

Tom Ward, senior vice president of customer product at Walmart, said they know itll be some time before they are delivering millions of packages via drone. That still feels like a bit of science fiction, but were at a point where were learning more and more about the technology that is available and how we can use it to make our customers lives easier.

Amazon popularized the concept of using drones to deliver products when CEO Jeff Bezos teased the idea during a 60 Minutes interview way back in 2013. Progress has been made in the nearly seven years that have since elapsed, by Amazon and others, but as Ward correctly notes, it still kind of feels a bit like science fiction.

Having a full-scale drone delivery service in place would benefit both consumers and retailers as it would limit physical contact, no doubt important as the world continues to deal with Covid-19.
Counting the environmental cost of India's investment in the Maldives Environmentalists in the Maldives fear damage to coral reef ecosystems and would like to see India set environmental standards for projects funded by it

When India announced $500 million (nearly 3,673 crore) aid to construct a sea-bridge in the Maldives last month, the ministry of external affairs termed it the largest civilian infrastructure project in the island nation. The cost of building the bridge is nearly one-tenth of that countrys GDP, according to World Bank figures on the GDP. Mohamed Nasheed, speaker of Parliament and former president of the Maldives, has described it as super low-cost assistance. The Indian investment, he said, was a sharp contrast to the eye-wateringly expensive commercial loans that leave the nation mired in debt. It was a veiled dig at Chinas so-called debt-trap diplomacy.

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The sea-bridge is part of the $1.4 billion aid India has promised for infrastructure projects in the Maldives. It seeks to connect four islands: the capital city of Male, the residential island Villingili, the industrial and waste-processing island Thilafushi, and Gulhifalhu. In Gulhifalhu, the Maldivian government wants to reclaim 30 hectares of a lagoon to construct 6,000 housing units and 192 hectares to develop an international port. The idea is to kick-start an economy hit by covid-19 and decongest Male, among the most expensive places to live in South Asia today. The port, too, will be funded by India.

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But not everyone is enthused. Environmentalists in the Maldives, keen on a rethink on the approach to development, say the India-funded projects will damage marine habitats and lead to large-scale sedimentation in the coral reefs. One goes as far as to describe the land reclamation at Gulhifalhu as ecocide in a nation threatened by sea-level rise due to global warming. They would, in fact, like the Indian government to set environmental standards for projects funded by it.

The Indian investment, along with rumours of additional deployment of military personnel, has also prompted the opposition parties to accuse the government of selling off national assets to India. They have carried out several protests over the past few weeks, defying norms of physical distancing.

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But the Maldives government has persevered, with initial work beginning on the port project. Mohamed Aslam, minister of national planning, housing and infrastructure, acknowledged the need to prevent environmental damage but said in June that the project was important to the national economy.

The life of an average Maldivian is seldom close to that advertised in its tourist brochures. Nearly a third of the population lives in Male, a 6 sq. km island. Living space comes at a premium: A one-bedroom apartment can cost up to $1,000 a month in rent. Yet jobs, education and healthcare facilities are clustered in Male, forcing youth to migrate to the capital. Often, they live in cramped apartments, sharing a room with several others.

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All these issues burst at its seams during the pandemic, says Sara Naseem, research and communications officer at the Male-based NGO Transparency Maldives. The most striking part for me was when the police held a press conference recently to announce the penalties it had collected from people for stepping out during the lockdown. Some were fined up to 10 times. A lot of them were the elderly who had nowhere else to go.

The 6,000 residential units planned at Gulhifalhu are meant to solve the housing crisis. But this goes against the governments plans to decentralize development, maintains Naseem. When this government was voted in, it said that jobs and services will be created in islands across the country and everyone would enjoy the benefits of development. Creating projects in and around Male would prompt more people to move here.

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Concerns about environmental damage run deep. An environment impact assessment (EIA) of the Gulhifalhu port project by the Maldives-based firm CDA Consulting found that the project can cause loss and/or degradation of coral reef ecosystems and temporary degradation of marine water quality in the construction stage. These, the report said, could be addressed through mitigation measures but had substantial positive and negative impacts. No EIA on the sea-bridge or the housing plan has been undertaken so far.

Environmentalists are not convinced. Shaziya Ali, part of the climate governance integrity program at Transparency Maldives, points out that only seven peoples comments were included in the EIAs public consultation. Besides, she adds, the Maldives Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is supposed to be an independent body but it is essentially an arm of the environment ministry.

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Mint reached out to the EPA for a comment but did not get a response.

Mohamed Shareef, vice-president of the main opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), says his government too had planned to construct a port and a bridge. Only, the location we had chosen for reclamation was in shallow waters, he says. Here, the area they intend to reclaim is up to 30m deep. The sheer volume of sand you will use to dredge it will have a serious impact on virgin lagoons on the capital atolls.

There is, of course, a geopolitical aspect to Indias investments in the Maldives. Sathiya Moorthy, a political analyst at the Observer Research Foundation, Delhi, says the bridge is Indias way of countering Chinas overtures in the Indian Ocean. It is to make sure our neighbours dont have to depend on others for development as much as we can afford. Doing so is in Indias strategic interests, despite the crumbling economy at home.

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India is in a quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an informal strategic forum) with the US, Japan and Australia. So this is also a military alliance taking shape, he adds.

India-Maldives relations, which frayed under former president Abdulla Yameen, have seen an uptick under his successor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. It was during his maiden visit to the Maldives in 2018 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the $1.4 billion package. The Maldives, in turn, has supported India at international fora. In May, it even defended India at a meeting of Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries against accusations of fomenting Islamophobia within.

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Environmentalists understand the context but fear the result. The EIA report on the port project was released in April. The reclamation at Gulhifalhu has begun. Over the summer, residents of the neighbouring Vilimale island reported high levels of sedimentation in the water. Local NGO Save The Beach Maldives alleged mitigation measures, such as silt nets to reduce sedimentation, were not in place. The EPA, however, maintained sediment levels were below the threshold limit set by it.

On World Environment Day on 5 June, Save Maldives, a citizens collective on environmental issues, wrote an open letter to Parliament to stop the Gulhifalhu ecocide and rethink unsustainable, debt-funded development projects. The project will irreversibly destroy the Gulhifalhu reef ecosystem, directly impacting an area of over 13 sq. km, the letter said. The expected environmental loss and damage is already emerging, as sedimentation from dredging threatens the surrounding area, including the Vilimale house reef and dive sites nearby, impacting the livelihoods of divers, fisherfolk, resorts and other local businesses.

The letter came only days after Ahmed Usham, member of Parliament from the Vilimale island, raised similar concerns about the project in Parliament. It was widely covered in the local media. On 7 June, Nasheed acknowledged the concerns, tweeting, The Gulhi Falhu work is important & brings many benefits. But it cant be allowed to destroy local reefs.

Adam Isham, an activist from the collective, says the government has done little since. In February, he points out, a unanimous vote in Parliament saw the Maldives agreeing on a resolution declaring a climate emergency, expressing concern at rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the impact these will have on low-lying island nations like theirs.

Yet all we have seen since is more concrete, says Isham. There seems to be no political will to change how we are developing our infrastructure and adapting to climate change.

The proposed infrastructure projects, he says, will cause irreparable damage to the Maldives fragile ecosystem. Moreover, hundreds of surfers, snorkellers and divers in the capital will no longer be able to enjoy their environment.

Take the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, he says. The government had ignored environmental concerns then. After the bridge was opened, a lot of debris and waste was left in the lagoon, destroying corals. It also threatened the safety of the people using the area and caused a decline in fisheries. The upcoming infrastructure projects, he adds, will likely have a similar impact.

I really think the Indian government should reconsider this, says Isham. When theres foreign aid, a lot of donors have strict environmental and social standards. They want to make sure the projects dont impact the environment negatively. This project will definitely do that. Its a given.
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Seven months after launching its first modern reboot of the early-2000s classic, Motorola on Wednesday announced its second-generation foldable Razr and said the first had greater impact on improving its brand rather than sales.

The new Android smartphone continues to give Chinas Lenovo Group Ltd. a unique selling point versus the likes of Apple Inc.: a screen that folds in half like a flip phone.

Still measuring 6.2 inches, the main display functions like that of any other modern device, but it turns into a compact square when closed, and Motorola has focused on improving the things a user can do with the exterior screen in this new iteration.

It also adds 5G wireless capabilities, a faster processor and much-improved cameras.

The Razr brought in more people switching from competing Android brands this year than any other Motorola device, according to the company.

20% of Razr buyers were iPhone or iPad owners, the company added, indicating that the pricey Razr was crossing partisan tech divides and appealing to those loyal to the Apple brand.

Priced at $1,399, the 5G Razr is $100 cheaper than its predecessor and also more affordable than the $1,449 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, its only competition in this nascent class and pocketable size.

In an interview, Motorola executives said the first Razr owns 50% of the foldable phone market in North America. Motorola is launching the 5G edition in several new countries, including China.

In the U.S., the new Razr will go on sale later this year, adding T-Mobile and AT&T to Verizon Wireless as carrier options.

Sergio Buniac, Motorolas president, told Bloomberg News that sales numbers for the original model were in line with internal projections, though he wouldnt divulge specifics.

He said that the device wasnt a major portion of the companys overall sales in 2020, but that the impact was larger than the numbers as it drove new awareness of Motorola as a brand.

The first foldable Razrs launch just weeks before the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. hurt the debut, but the company was profitable across all geographies during the quarter from April to June and grew 35% from the previous quarter, Buniac said.

The tweaked Razr 5G design has a more polished back, updated colors and a fingerprint scanner that has been moved from the front chin to the back. Depending on a persons hand size, that is either an improvement or a downgrade.

The camera specifications are updated considerably, going from a 5-megapixel selfie camera to 20 megapixels and upgrading to a more sophisticated 12-megapixel main shooter on the rear with larger individual pixels and optical image stabilization.

This is one of the few flagship-tier Android devices on the market without a multi-camera system, one of the compromises enforced by the foldable form factor.

Stepping up to Qualcomms Snapdragon 765G processor is a move in the right direction, though a tier below Samsungs Z Flip 5G.

The new Razrs battery has also been upgraded to 2,800mAh, but it too is behind most of the Android competition.

The new Razr feels decidedly less flimsy in the hand than the original foldable, but the screen still emits a slight creak when it opens and closes.

It is also a fingerprint magnet and uses a plastic cover unlike its Samsung rival with ultrathin glass.

$1,399 is a high price to pay for a phone without an overwhelming use case advantage, especially at a time when every Android manufacturer is putting out devices, including Motorolas own Edge+, that cost hundreds of dollars less and offer far better specifications, displays and battery life.
BANGALORE, India, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The major factors driving the growth of MES market size are the need for mass production and a linked supply chain to cater for the increasing population, low deployment costs, increased use of industrial automation in processes and distinct industries, increased regulatory enforcement, and fiscal policies formulated by regional financial institutions to keep manufacturing facilities afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.

This report offers MES suppliers and users with a comprehensive assessment of the marketplace. It provides a strategic insight into the market trends, market size, and key players in the MES market.

The Global MES Market size is expected to grow from USD 10,802.78 Million in 2019 to USD 24,344.35 Million by 2025 at a CAGR of 14.50%.

Get Free Sample Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/360I-Auto-3Z262/The_Global_Manufacturing_Execution_System

COVID-19 IMPACT ON MES MARKET

The COVID-19 lockdown affected the use of manufacturing execution systems. Most of the revenue produced in the industry for the implementation of manufacturing systems comes from services rendered on the industry. As the services are directly linked to manufacturing activities, COVID-19 is significantly affecting the manufacturing execution system market. This has contributed to a lower projected growth rate for 2020 as opposed to 2019.

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE MES MARKET SIZE

Factors like reducing scrap and waste time, increasing uptime, and lower inventory costs make the process more cost-effective and are expected to drive the growth of the MES market size.

The benefits and value of regulatory enforcement, coupled with optimized production facilities and the implementation of advanced technological systems, also fuel the growth of the MES market size.

Regional financial institutions' fiscal policies to maintain manufacturing facilities amid the COVID-19 crisis is expected to drive the MES market size during the forecast period. These fiscal policies guarantee loans for both large and small enterprises, which would improve manufacturing activities across different sectors where production manufacturing execution systems will play a key role in maximizing manufacturing operations.

The manufacturing execution system's market size experienced steady growth due to the high demand from the water and wastewater treatment, food, and beverage, power industries. In addition, the need to track real-time data, enhance data visibility, and control off-site development operation has a significant impact on the growth of the MES market size.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-3Z262/the-global-manufacturing-execution-system

MES MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

North America is expected to hold the largest MES market share during the forecast period. This dominance is attributed to the increasing use of manufacturing execution systems in process and discrete industries in the region, and the presence of players developing MES solutions.

The Asia Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth among all other regions, with some of the major countries being China, India, and Japan. Automation, saving inventory time along with timely delivery of cost-management goods, have been a few main factors in promoting growth in the Asia Pacific region.

Based on Geography, the MES Market studied across

Americas,

Asia-Pacific ,

, Europe ,

, Middle East

Africa

Inquire for Regional Data: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/360I-Auto-3Z262/The_Global_Manufacturing_Execution_System

MHS MARKET SEGMENTATION

Based on Deployment, the MES Market studied across

On-Demand

On-Premises.

Based on Process Industry, the MES Market studied across

Chemical, Energy & Power,

Food and Beverages,

Oil & Gas,

Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences,

Pulp & Paper,

Water and Wastewater Management.

Based on Discrete Industry, the MES Market studied across

Aerospace & Defense,

Automotive,

Consumer Packaged Goods,

Electronics & Semiconductors,

Medical Devices,

Metal and Mining.

Key Companies:

ABB Ltd.,

Andea Solutions,

Dassault Systemes,

Emerson Electric Co.,

General Electric Company,

Honeywell International, Inc.,

Rockwell Automation, Inc.,

SAP SE,

Schneider Electric SE,

Siemens AG,

Werum It Solutions GmbH.

The report answers questions such as:

What is the market size and forecast of the Global Manufacturing Execution System Market?

What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Manufacturing Execution System Market during the forecast period?

Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Manufacturing Execution System Market?

What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Manufacturing Execution System Market?

What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Manufacturing Execution System Market?

What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Manufacturing Execution System Market?

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SIMILAR REPORTS

MES Software Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-0O311/manufacturing-execution-system-software

MES in Process Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-1H348/manufacturing-execution-systems-in-process

MES in in Discretes Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-4L304/manufacturing-execution-systems-in-discretes

Industrial Controls and Factory Automation Market

The global Industrial Controls and Factory Automation market size is projected to reach USD 194170 Million by 2026, from USD 128090 Million in 2020.

The major players in the market include ABB, Emerson, GE, Honeywell, Mitsubishi, Omron, Rockwell, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Yokogawa Electric, Kuka, Keyence, Fanuc, Bosch Rexroth, Fuji Electric, Endress+Hauser, Hitachi, etc.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-0O1583/global-industrial-controls-and-factory-automation

Industry 4.0 Market

Industry 4.0 Market size was USD 68,125.13 Million in 2018 and is expected to reach USD 205,236.13 Million by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.06%.

The global industry 4.0 market is highly competitive and characterized by the presence of a large number of international and regional players in the market.

Some of the major market players include ABB, Basler AG, DENSO CORPORATION, IBM, and SAP.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-4S58/industry-4..0

ABOUT US:

Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs.

Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs.

To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains detail research methodology employed to generate the report, Please also reach to our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources

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SVMC Welcomes Julie A. DiSano To General Surgery

BENNINGTON, Vt.  Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) welcomes Surgeon Julie A. DiSano, MD, to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Medical Group and SVMC General Surgery.

"General surgery is an integral part of a large medical group and comprehensive health system," Trey Dobson, MD, chief medical officer and medical director of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians said. "We are happy to have Dr. DiSano join the accomplished team at SVMC General Surgery."

DiSano received her medical degree from the University at Buffalo School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences in Buffalo, N.Y. She completed her residency in General Surgery at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and Penn State Hershey Medical Center. She completed a research fellowship in Surgical Oncology Melanoma Laboratory, Department of Surgery, at the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine.

DiSano joins Drs. Gina Diaz, Simon Drew, Graham Moore and Charles Salem. Through a team-based approach, they provide minimally invasive surgery using the latest evidence-based protocols. SVMC General Surgery is located in suite 205 of the Medical Office Building at 140 Hospital Drive in Bennington. For more information or to make an appointment, call 802-447-5060.
AKRON, Ohio  Akron police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration have made three arrests and seized firearms and drugs following a 19-month investigation into reports of marijuana being sold from a vape shop.

George May, 22, of Tallmadge, Tyrone Keith, 44, of Canton and Demarco Jones, 24, of Canal Fulton have been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and THC, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana and THC.

The men were arrested Sept. 4 by Akron police and a DEA task force, who also executed search warrants that day at eight businesses and homes connected to the investigation. The searches netted 18 guns, 774 pounds of marijuana, 422 pounds of edibles, 1,143 pounds of THC vape cartridges, 203 pounds of concentrated marijuana wax or dabs and more than $250,000 in cash, according to police.

Akron police and a DEA task force seized 18 guns, 774 pounds of marijuana, 422 pounds of edibles, 1,143 pounds of THC vape cartridges, 203 pounds of concentrated marijuana wax or dabs and more than $250,000 in cash as part of "Operation Vapor Trail." (Photo courtesy of Akron police)

Police say some of the edibles included childrens cereal that had been infused with liquid THC and repackaged, which could pose a risk to unsuspecting children.

The investigation began in February 2019, after someone reported to police that employees at the now-closed Bubba Dubbas Vape Shop at on the 1200 block of East Tallmadge Avenue on Akrons northeast side were selling marijuana, THC vapes and THC edibles from the shop, according to a police report.

Investigators identified Jones, 24, as one of the shops main suppliers of marijuana products. Police say Jones is a former Akron resident who moved to Stark County, and has engaged in criminal activity in Summit, Portage, Medina and Stark counties, according to a criminal complaint.

Akron police and a DEA task force seized 18 guns, 774 pounds of marijuana, 422 pounds of edibles, 1,143 pounds of THC vape cartridges, 203 pounds of concentrated marijuana wax or dabs and more than $250,000 in cash as part of "Operation Vapor Trail." (Photo courtesy of Akron police)

In December 2019, the investigation went from being solely handled by Akrons narcotics unit to being investigated by the DEA-sponsored Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Other agencies involved in so-called Operation Vapor Trail were the FBI, the sheriffs offices of Summit, Portage, Stark, Medina and Mahoning counties, the State Highway Patrol and the office of Justin Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The defendants in this case allegedly went to great lengths to market, sell and transport marijuana and THC products, often designed to look like candies and cereals, to their customers in the Northern District and across the country, Herdman said in a statement. However, thanks to the hard work and partnership of numerous local, state and federal agencies, law enforcement agents were able to disrupt this drug trafficking operation and get significant quantities of marijuana product, illicit cash, and high-powered firearms off of our streets.

DEA Special Agent Keith Martin said the defendants are accused of running a sophisticated drug operation in northern Ohio, and Akron Police Chief Kenneth Ball added that the 18 firearms seized were possessed illegally.

This lengthy investigation is a great representation of that diligence, Ball said. It also illustrates the power of collective effort and the meaningfulness of the shared work between the Akron Police Department and our federal partners. The suspects arrested in this operation are a threat to our community, as are the 18 guns, which were illegally possessed, and thousands of pounds of drugs.
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The latest community-level map of COVID-19 cases on the state's website. The interactive map is also posted on iBerkshire's COVID-19 update page.

Williamstown Officials: 'Yellow' COVID-19 Designation Not Accurate

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The town's health inspector said Thursday he has no idea why the commonwealth's COVID-19 Community Level map is showing Williamstown as the lone "yellow" community in Berkshire County.

"I don't know where those numbers are coming from," Jeff Kennedy said. "I'm checking my computer. I'm checking the communicable disease database. I talked with my public health nurse.

"We only have, basically, one positive [COVID-19 test] in town right now, and that's the one you know about at Williams that's under isolation."

Late Wednesday, the state Department of Public Health posted its latest weekly map categorizing all 351 Massachusetts municipalities as "higher risk (red), moderate risk (yellow), or lower risk (green)" for the current rate of spread of the novel coronavirus.

According to the map, Williamstown has had five cases in the last two weeks and an average daily incidence rate per 100,000 people of 4.85.

It is one of four communities in Western Massachusetts designated as yellow, joining Easthampton, Holyoke and Wilbraham on that list. Monson is the lone town in the region listed in the red, with an incidence rate per 100,000 of 8.47, according to the commonwealth.

Williamstown's Kennedy was at a loss to explain how the town of 7,700 moved from grey (fewer than five reported cases) to yellow (4 to 8 cases per 100,000) in the period from Sept. 2 to Sept. 9.

"It's one of the glitches in the system," he said. "I wasn't aware of it until I got a couple of emails coming in, including one from Win Stuebner."

Stuebner, a member of the town's Board of Health, said Thursday morning he was not aware of the town's designation as yellow until after he received a phone call from iBerkshires.com seeking comment.

"Of course, we knew we had the two at the college," Stuebner said.

Williams College maintains a public " dashboard " of test results from the testing program it stood up on Aug. 17. It currently shows two positives since Aug. 17 out of 7,427 tests; one positive was in the last seven days.

"The first case at Williams, there were no exposures [in town]," Stuebner said. "He or she was dropped off by their parents and went right to the testing area. The second one at Williams came by bus. Ten other students are currently quarantined as well as the driver. But no cases I'm aware of have popped up from that."

Kennedy speculated it was possible that Williamstown is being "credited" with a diagnosis that happened outside of town of someone, like a student, who lists the North Berkshire community as their hometown.

He said he would ask the town's designated public health nurse to contact DPH to find out why the map designation does not match the numbers on the ground.

Kennedy said he has notified officials at the Mount Greylock Regional School District, which has triggers in its reopening plan based on the town's status under the green/yellow/red designations, that the designation as yellow appears to be without basis.

"I don't know how we got yellow," Kennedy said. "Maybe someone got overambitious with a highlighter."
September 10, 2020





Ever since the release of Bitcoin about a decade ago, very few countries have fully embraced the technology. Various countries are not yet fully accepting of the crypto-based idea while others continue to maintain an ambiguous stance. Among these, the tiny Baltic nation of Estonia has managed to pop up on everyones radar with its ways of accepting and embracing this technology.







Estonia has not only embraced the Bitcoin lifestyle but also continues to promote it through various ideas. For example, the country launched an e-residency scheme which would allow anyone in the world to start a digital business. These schemes and promotions have led to various companies such as Skype (News - Alert) to join them and their thriving culture.

Many factors are responsible for Estonias surge to success in the crypto world. For starters, the country has a massive backing for the technology in the form of start-ups, investors, big names and blockchain investors. For many people today, the capital city of Tallinn is one of the biggest rising digital finance cities in the world.

The path to a crypto-based living has been rocky and there have been many noteworthy moments. At one point, the government of Estonia had proposed a state-wide cryptocurrency that would provide the people with financial convenience and liberty. Many restrictions and regulations have come up since then. Some of these tend to threaten the future of the country by imposing problematic rules on many companies.

Take, for instance, the process for obtaining a cryptocurrency license. Earlier, this process would be simple and for a total amount of around three fifty euros, you could obtain a license within thirty days. Since December, many new concerns were raised concerning money laundering and the country has since then complicated this once simple procedure. Today, getting a license would cost your north of three thousand euros in addition to various strict requirements and a waiting period of about ninety days.

Many of these changes came as a surprise to lots of people in the digital sector. People have considered Estonia to be a crypto-friendly nation and while these changes do not contradict any of the in-place notions, they do further complicate things. Despite recent blows, the country still maintains healthy crypto figures that have risen in double digit percentages for the last two years.

There have been countries in the world that have considered banning many cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Altcoin forever, but Estonia has never shown the slightest inclination towards such a stance. In fact, the hospitality provided to Bitcoin has led it to become one of the fastest rising crypto markets in the world and the 237 Billion dollar industry does not look like it will take a turn for the worst any time soon.

Recently, a surprising law that was brought up by the country was that which requires you to provide an explanation for your payment if it exceeds a thousand euros worth of cryptocurrency (per month). If you are exceeding this amount, you will be asked to provide an explanation for your payment and identify yourself. While this law has come as a surprise to some, it is still a soft measure compares to the rather serious rules that other European countries have implemented. Since the concept of a digital economy is still in its infancy, there are likely to be a lot of changes made before a status quo is established.

Many people also believe that it is only normal for Estonia to impose further rules as and when it generates more interest from companies around the world. With an added interest, comes the added chance of illegal trades and problematic transactions. To tackle these, there will be certain laws imposed in due time. Despite this, the country is still very much committed to becoming one of the biggest technological cities in the world. These latest laws and restrictions may be an attempted to stunt growth but a better way to look at it is by seeing it to regulate growth. With the help of these laws, organic growth can be promoted by keeping illegal activities at bay.
Amnesty International releases documents on MEHL, a company that has channelled up to$18bn in dividends to the military.

A secretive Myanmar conglomerate with links to international businesses was accused on Thursday of directly bankrolling the countrys military, including those who have allegedly committed atrocities against Muslim Rohingya and other minority ethnic groups.

Amnesty International says its investigations into Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) show Myanmars military has received dividends of as much as $18bn from the Yangon-based company over the years. Its entire board is made up of senior military officials, it added.

The perpetrators of some of the worst human rights violations in Myanmars recent history are among those who benefit from MEHLs business activities, said Mark Dummett, Amnestys Head of Business, Security and Human Rights as the human rights group released its report, which was based on leaked official documents.

These documents provide new evidence of how the Myanmar military benefits from MEHLs vast business empire and make clear that the military and MEHL are inextricably linked.

MEHL shareholder records show the company to be fully owned and controlled by active and retired military personnel. Military units  including combat divisions assigned to Rakhine State, where conflict has deepened in recent years  own about a third of the company, Amnesty said.

Among those who directly benefit from the company is Myanmars top military commander, General Min Aung Hlaing, Amnesty said. Between 2010 and 2011, he owned 5,000 shares and received an estimated $250,000 in payments, according to the documents obtained by Amnesty.





The general has been accused of overseeing the military campaign against the Rohingya, and the United Nations has called for his investigation and prosecution in relation to genocide and war crimes.

On Tuesday, two soldiers from Myanmar also revealed that they were given orders by their superiors to kill and rape Rohingya villagers during a brutal 2017 rampage, which forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.

General Min Aung Hlaing and the Myanmar military have yet to comment on the latest report. But the military has previously denied reports that it carried out violence against the Rohingya in Rakhine.

Sprawling business interest

MEHL has not yet responded to the Amnesty report, which also calls on the government to break the link between the armed forces and the countrys economy.

The company has sprawling interests across mining, manufacturing and banking, and works with a number of international companies from China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.

Companies listed as partners including Kirin Holdings, a Japanese drinks company, as well as the property developer INNO Group, clothing exporter Pan-Pacific, and steelmaker POSCO  all from South Korea.

Tens thousands of internally displaced Rohingya have been confined to cramped camps with severe restrictions on their movement [Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP Photo]

Also included are RMH Singapore, a Singaporean fund with a tobacco operation in Myanmar, and Wanbao Mining, a Chinese metal mining company.

Two Myanmar companies, Ever Flow River Group Public Co Ltd (EFR), a logistics company, and Kanbawza Group (KBZ), which is involved in mining jade and rubies, were also listed.

Amnesty said that the leaked documents and shareholder report were provided by Justice for Myanmar, an activist group that campaigns for justice and accountability for the people of Myanmar.

The documents provide information on the considerable annual dividend payments that shareholders have received since MEHL was established in 1990.

One document is a filing that was lodged by MEHL with Myanmars Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) in January 2020. DICA is a government agency that serves as a registry for companies.

It states that MEHL is owned by 381,636 individual shareholders, who are all serving or retired military personnel, and 1,803 institutional shareholders, consisting of regional commands, divisions, battalions, troops, war veteran associations.

Shrouded in secrecy





The total amount of dividend payments made to shareholders during the 20-year period amounted to more than 107 billion Myanmar kyat  about $18bn based on the official exchange rate of $1 to 6 Myanmar kyat used by Amnesty.

MEHL transferred 95 billion kyat ($16bn) of the total to military units, including those that operated in Rakhine State, home to the Rohingya and where the military is now battling fighters from the Arakan Army, an ethnic Rakhine group.

The military units that operated in Rakhine reportedly owned more than 4.3 million MEHL shares and received payments of more than 1.25 billion kyat ($208m) in just one year between 2010 and 2011.

This link clearly provides the military with substantial revenue on top of its official budget, but the exact nature of the relationship is shrouded in secrecy, Amnesty said, as it called for reforms.

It also urged the government to establish a fund, using MEHLs profits, to compensate the victims of alleged human rights violations by military units that are financed by or are shareholders of MEHL.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were forced to flee Myanmar in 2017 and most of them have sought refuge across the border in neighbouring Bangladesh [File: Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

In its reply to the report, the South Korean company Pan-Pacific said it was terminating its business partnership with MEHL.

The Japanese company, Kirin, and the Myanmar company KBZ told Amnesty that they were reviewing their relationship with MEHL.

Kirin is one of the worlds largest brewers, and its drinks, such as Kirin, San Miguel, Lion and Fat Tire are sold in bars and shops across the world.

Other companies mentioned in the documents have not made any commitments about their ties to MEHL, or did not respond to Amnestys request, the organisation said.

Meanwhile, Myanmars Ministry of Transport and Communications blocked the contents of the report published by Justice for Myanmar, saying the website was spreading fake news.

Justice For Myanmar said the move was a bid by the government to silence its critics.
Czechs order masks indoors as daily cases top 1,000 for first time FILE PHOTO: Passengers wearing protective masks walk at Prague's main railway station

By Jason Hovet and Robert Muller

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech authorities ordered people to wear face masks inside buildings from Thursday as the daily count of new coronavirus cases topped 1,000 for the first time.

Health Minister Adam Vojtech announced the measure after a one-day spike of 1,164 infections.

It applies to indoor spaces except homes, classrooms and workplaces where 2-metre distancing is possible.

Restaurant customers do not have to wear masks while consuming, and some professions including news anchors and performing artists were exempt.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis urged people to help avoid another lockdown. "We have to react in a way which saves lives, at the same time we cannot afford measures of economic nature," he told a conference in a video message.

"A difficult autumn awaits us."

While the Czech Republic was among the first European countries to adopt masks and close borders and businesses at the start of the pandemic, it was also among the quickest to reopen.

Schools fully reopened on Sept. 1 even as case numbers crept up, and restrictions from face mask rules to attendance at public events remained relatively relaxed.

Masks were reintroduced on public transport last week. In the capital Prague, bars and clubs, which have been the source of several outbreaks, must close by midnight on Wednesday.

The economy shrank 11% in the April-June period on an annual basis, with tourism especially hit.

The Czech spike in the last two weeks has been among Europe's fastest, outpaced only by Spain, France, Malta, Romania and Croatia, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The Czech rate of 68.8 cases per 100,000 people compares to 20.5 in neighbouring Germany.

However, deaths are lower than many other places, with 441 fatalities reported as of Wednesday from 29,877 cases.

Hospitalisations remain below this year's peaks but have jumped by 78% over the past two weeks to 234. Many new cases are asymptomatic and among the younger population.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet and Robert Muller; Editing by Gareth Jones and Andrew Cawthorne)
European Maritime Social Partners call for swift and solidary solution for Maersk Etienne

The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) wrote to EU Vice President Margaritis Schinas and Commissioner Ylva Johansson, voicing their grave concern about the humanitarian crisis on board the oil tanker Maersk Etienne.

The vessel rescued 27 people more than a month ago and remains in the Mediterranean awaiting a decision by governments on which port will allow their disembarkation. The 27 rescued people include a child and a pregnant woman and have been on board for more than a month, living on the vessel's deck in very difficult conditions. The crew has provided them with water, food and blankets and other support wherever possible. However, food and medical supplies are running out, and the crew is not trained to provide the medical treatment needed nor to manage the prolonged situation with vulnerable people on board. Merchant vessels and their crews are not equipped or trained to provide the necessary care that these distressed persons need.



"It is unacceptable that after having rendered assistance by rescuing the persons, the Maersk Etienne has been left entangled in legal and diplomatic disputes between States awaiting a designation of a port for disembarkation. This has caused a humanitarian crisis on board which imperils both the crew and the rescued persons. All governments involved need to take on their responsibilities here and work towards an immediate solution" commented Martin Dorsman, ECSA Secretary General.



We urgently call on the European Commission to show political leadership by engaging with and coordinating talks between all governments involved for a resolution of this situation. A pragmatic, swift and solidary solution is needed to ensure the rescued persons are treated with humanity and dignity and that their rights are fully respected. The safety of the distressed persons and the crew is a higher principle that should serve to ensure that the disembarkation takes place immediately in a place of safety, concluded Estelle Brentnall, ETF Head of Maritime.




The day after their one-year anniversary, San Antonio tourists Carolina and James Oatis wrote their names, the date of their anniversary and the day they met  10 years ago  on a lock.

The California couple then attached it to a chain-link fence by the Love Lock Bridge across from the Bexar County Courthouse Wedding Chapel and threw the key in the San Antonio River below, following a long tradition demonstrating neverending love.

Carolina said she and her husband were excited to join the hundreds of other couples who have a lock on the fence and believe in true love.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

They were among the last to attach a lock on the fence Wednesday before it was moved around the corner, where it has been temporarily relocated near the Kallison Walk Bridge.

The original walkway where the fence stood is suffering from cracks and erosion and is in danger of future collapse, officials said, and repairs are required.

So the 110-foot fence was removed in pieces  the locks made each section exceptionally heavy  and secured in its new location. How long it will be there, however, is not clear; the project to repair the original walkway is not yet funded.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

Two high school sweethearts, Nita and Ken Shaver, claim to have started the fence in May 2012 for their wedding anniversary, taking inspiration from Paris Ponte des Artes love lock bridge. The two, who have now been married for more than 40 years, said a prayer before tossing the locks key into the San Antonio River.

On ExpressNews.com: Meet the San Antonio couple who say they started the downtown love lock bridge

It clearly is (special) to many people, said Paul Berry, a spokesman for the citys Public Works Department. I think the fact that it is so close to the Bexar County Marriage License Office, placing a lock on the fence could be the first official act of marriage for a couple after receiving their marriage license.

To Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark, who officiates at a mass wedding ceremony on Valentines Day, the action of placing a lock on the fence is an unforgettable moment that will always be locked in place in the heart of our beautiful city.

In the past, a few couples who were married at the courthouse even bought locks in lieu of rings due to financial reasons.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

Adame-Clarks office issues marriage licenses and she has the authority to perform weddings. The weddings are almost free; there is a fee for the license but she just asks for a donation for her services, which goes to the Battered Womens and Children Shelter and the Family Justice Center.

The county clerk, however, isnt yet officiating at weddings again because she only recently recovered from the novel coronavirus. She plans to begin in mid-October.

Judges at the courthouse, of course, also have authority to perform weddings and the courthouse is open Monday through Friday for weddings. Judges charge their own fees for their services.

Adame-Clark said she has seen the number of ceremonies at the courthouse double since the pandemic started in March. She believes its a combination of the economic crisis reducing couples budgets and some businesses in the wedding industry upcharging for their services because added restrictions bring additional work.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

The Bexar County Courthouse Wedding Chapel is still doing weddings, said the chapels officiant, Arthur Flores. And since the fence where the locks are placed wasnt moved far, couples can still lock in their love.

It has become a tradition here in San Antonio, he said.

On ExpressNews.com: Courthouse wedding chapel offers a bit of Vegas in S.A.

Flores asks that those hoping to get hitched at the chapel to call beforehand to make an appointment. Masks and social distancing are required.

Liz Hardaway is a staff writer covering San Antonio government and politics. To read more from Liz, become a subscriber. liz.hardaway@hearst.com | Twitter: @liz_hardaway
Citigroup named consumer banking head Jane Fraser as its next chief executive on Thursday, making her the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank.

Fraser, 53, has been a rising star in the financial industry, with a career that spans investment banking, wealth management, troubled mortgage workouts and strategy in Latin America  a key geography for Citigroup. She will take the reins from CEO Michael Corbat in February, the bank said.

Jane Fraser will take on the role in February. Credit:Citigroup

Fraser's promotion to CEO was celebrated as a step in the right direction for an industry that has few women or diverse executives in its top ranks.

"Great news for the company and for women everywhere!" tweeted Bank of America Corp operations and technology chief Cathy Bessant. "A big and fantastic moment."
In describing his chemistry with Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump said: You meet a woman. In one second, you know whether or not its going to happen.

This is deadly stuff, President Donald Trump said of the coronavirus in a 7 February interview with journalist Bob Woodward for his upcoming book, Rage. But it was a vastly different story than he was telling the public at the time. Trump would later admit to Woodward that publicly, he wanted to always play down the severity of the virus.

Woodward conducted 18 interviews with the president for the book, which goes on sale next week. Trump also granted Woodward access to top officials inside the White House, revealing the inner workings of the president and his administration.

Here are five takeaways:

Trump minimised the risks of the coronavirus to the American public early in the year.

Despite knowing that the virus was deadly and highly contagious, he often publicly said the opposite, insisting that the virus would go away quickly.

I wanted to always play it down, Trump told Woodward on 19 March. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

And while he was saying publicly that children were almost immune to the virus, he told Woodward in March: Just today and yesterday, some startling facts came out. Its not just old, older. Young people too  plenty of young people.

In April, as he began to urge the country to reopen, Trump told Woodward of the virus, Its so easily transmissible, you wouldnt even believe it.

Two of the presidents top officials thought he was dangerous and considered speaking out publicly.

General Jim Mattis, Trumps former defence secretary, is quoted describing Trump as dangerous and unfit for the presidency in a conversation with Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence at the time. Coats himself was haunted by the presidents Twitter feed and believed that Trumps gentle approach to Russia reflected something more sinister, perhaps that Moscow had something on the president.

Maybe at some point were going to have to stand up and speak out, Mattis told Coats in May 2019, according to the book. There may be a time when we have to take collective action.

Ultimately neither official spoke out.

Trump repeatedly denigrated the US military and his top generals.

Woodward quoted Trump denigrating senior US military officials to his trade advisor, Peter Navarro, during a 2017 meeting.

They care more about their alliances than they do about trade deals, the president said.

And in a discussion with Woodward, Trump called the US military suckers for paying extensive costs to protect South Korea. Woodward wrote that he was stunned when the president said of South Korea, Were defending you, were allowing you to exist.

Woodward also reports that Trump chewed out Coats after a briefing with reporters about the threat that Russia presented to the nations elections systems. Coats had gone further than he and the president had discussed beforehand.

When asked about the pain Black people feel in this country, Trump was unable to express empathy.

Woodward pointed out that both he and Trump were White, privileged and asked if Trump was working to understand the anger and the pain, particularly, Black people feel in this country.

Trump replied, No, and added: You really drank the Kool-Aid, didnt you? Just listen to you. Wow. No, I dont feel that at all.

Woodward writes that he tried to coax the president into speaking about his understanding of race. But Trump would only say over and over that the economy had been positive for Black people before the coronavirus led to an economic crisis.

Woodward gained insight into Trumps relationships with the leaders of North Korea and Russia.

Trump provided Woodward with the details of letters between himself and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, in which the two men fawn over each other. Kim wrote in one letter that their relationship was like a fantasy film.

In describing his chemistry with Kim, Trump said: You meet a woman. In one second, you know whether or not its going to happen.

Trump also complained about the various investigations into ties between his campaign and Russia, saying that they were affecting his abilities as president and his relationship with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Putin said to me in a meeting, he said, its a shame, because I know its very hard for you to make a deal with us. I said, youre right, Trump said.

Aishvarya Kavi c.2020 The New York Times Company
Were really looking forward to welcoming Megan to the Hamilton team, said group chief executive Pina Albo. The breadth and depth of her underwriting experience across multiple lines of business on a global basis, as well as her strong leadership and relationships with clients and brokers, will help us to leverage the many opportunities we are seeing in todays hardening market.

Thomass industry experience spans two decades and includes years spent at AIG in Bermuda and New York.

Albo went on to comment: We are indeed fortunate to have found Megan at this exciting stage of building a global specialty insurance and reinsurance franchise. Her discussions with members of our board and our executive team confirmed to all of us not only that Megan has what it takes to assist Hamilton in capitalising on the markets potential, but also that shell be a great fit for our company.

Meanwhile, on LinkedIn, Thomas expressed gratitude for the opportunity, adding that she looks forward to her return to the British island territory.
On the Frontline Against China, the US Coast Guard Is Taking on Missions the US Navy Can't Do

Competition with China has drawn more Pentagon resources to the Pacific, but the most visible U.S. military presence there...
Donald Trump is said to have given Bob Woodward his personal cellphone number in a bid to win him over during late-night calls, but the president would sometimes 'unburden himself' while interviewing for the journalist's new book.

Woodward's book, Rage, which comes out next week, draws from 18 conversations with Trump between December 2019 and July 2020, that took place in the Oval Office, at Mar-a-Lago and over the phone - occasionally at 9 or 10' o'clock at night.

According to Woodward, sometimes he would get unexpected phone calls after 9pm from the president who was reportedly trying to generate a favorable depiction in the book, unlike in Woodward's 2018 bestseller, Fear.

When working on Fear, Woodward had repeatedly offered Trump the opportunity to be interviewed for the book, but Trump claimed he had never received the requests, and complained that he didn't participate.

Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity, who asked why he took part in the series of stunning interviews, Trump said with the famed Watergate reporter, Trump said he thought he'd 'give it a shot'. 'He called,' Trump explained.

'I didn't participate in his last one, and he does hit jobs with everybody. He even did it on Obama... So, I figured you know let's just give it a little shot. I'll speak to him, wasn't a big deal.'

The president said he was unlikely to read the book, insisting he'd be too busy.

'I don't know if the book is good or bad. I have no idea,' he said. 'Probably - almost definitely won't read it, because I don't have time to read it. But I gave it a little bit of a shot. Sounds like it's not going to be good.'

But CNN's Editor-at-large Chris Cillizza has written that there is more reasoning behind Trump granting 18 interview to Woodward than to 'give it a shot.'

According to Bob Woodward (center, sitting), sometimes he would get unexpected phone calls after 9pm from the president (left, sitting) who was reportedly trying to generate a favorable depiction in the book, unlike in Woodward's 2018 bestseller, Fear

WHAT DONALD TRUMP TOLD BOB WOODWARD Tape recordings and extracts from the veteran Watergate reporter's forthcoming book Rage make a series of bombshell revelations. TRUTH ABOUT CORONAVIRUS Trump told Woodward on February 7 that coronavirus was 'deadly.' 'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff,' he said - but did not tell the public what he knew COVER-UP On January 28, Robert O'Brien told Trump coronavirus 'will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency,' and said: 'This is going to be the roughest thing you face.' Trump then told Americans it was 'under control' and would 'go away.' And on March 19 Trump said: 'I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.' NORTH KOREA Trump says Kim is 'far beyond smart,' and says that the dictator told him 'everything,' boasting about how he described the brutal execution of his uncle in a power struggle. Woodward reveals Kim Jong-Un's 'love letters' to Trump gushing to 'Your Excellency' about 'holding your hand' and calling their summit 'a fantasy film.' But Woodward also reveals that when Trump was tweeting about 'Little Rocket Man' Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was so concerned about escalation that he slept in his clothes. TRUMP ON THE MILITARY 'My f***ing generals are a bunch of p***ies,' Trump ranted in the Oval Office, and said their backing for NATO and an alliance with South Korea was 'stupid. Costs us $10 billion. We're suckers.' ...AND HIS PREDECESSORS Trump said Woodward made George W Bush 'look like a stupid moron, which he was.' Of Obama he ranted: 'I don't think Obama's smart ... I think he's highly overrated. And I don't think he's a great speaker.' And he added that Kim Jong-Un called Obama 'an a**hol.' WHAT AIDES SAID ABOUT HIM Jim Mattis called him 'dangerous' and 'unfit,' went to pray in Washington National Cathedral, left government because he was 'basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid' in reference to pulling troops from Syria, and suggested 'collective action' after leaving. Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, had 'deep suspicions' that Putin had something on him and 'could not shake them.' Dr. Tony Fauci called his leadership 'rudderless,' his attention span 'like a minus number' and said: 'His sole purpose is to get re-elected.' Jared Kushner - his son-in-law - said Alice In Wonderland is the key to Trump, saying: 'If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there.' RACE RELATIONS Trump described the term 'white privilege' as 'drinking the Kool-Aid' and repeated his claim he had done more for black Americans than Lincoln, adding: 'And, honestly, Im not feeling any love.' NUCLEAR SECRETS Trump used his private cellphone for late-night calls and revealed he had a 'weapons system' which Putin and Xi did not know about. Advertisement

Trump, Cillizza writes, is obsessed with his image, and is 'forever hunting out ways to cement his legacy in office,' citing examples such as his attempt to buy Greenland or exploring the possibility of adding his face to Mount Rushmore.

Woodward is seen as the foremost political journalist in the United States. He was one of the two reporters to break the Nixon 'Watergate' story, and in his later years has turned to writing books about presidents - writing four about George W. Bush, two about Obama, and then 'Fear' about Trump in 2018.

'Woodward is writing the history of each president as it happens,' Cillizza writes. He is the most recognizable and famous political journalist in the country. When Bob Woodward says he wants to write about you -- even if you are a billionaire businessman or the president of the United States -- you are flattered.'

Cillizza says that Trump likely saw an opportunity to convince negative coverage of him is negative and unfair, and a chance to convince him that he was doing a good job as President.

Having missed out on the opportunity to be involved in Woodward's first book, Cillizza says that Trump was not going to make the same mistake again.

The phone calls - all of which were recorded by Woodward - were looked down upon by his aides who were not always notified about their conversations.

In some of the interviews, Woodward said that Trump appeared to be worried about how he would be portrayed in the book.

'It would be an honor to get a good book from you,' Trump reportedly said in one interview.

In another conversation, Trump seemed more suspicious, telling Woodward: 'You're probably going to screw me. You know, because that's the way it goes.'

According to CNN, which was among to report about the interviews, Trump had also told Woodward: 'And in the end you'll probably write a lousy book. What can I say?'

When the interviews began in December 2019, Woodward said on one occasion, Trump seemed more focused on showing him photographs than actually answering his questions.

He then showed Woodward images of him with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when Trump became the first US president to step foot in the country on June 30, 2019.

'This is me and him,' Trump said. 'That's the line, right? Then I walked over the line. Pretty cool. You know? Pretty cool. Right?' Trump asked while referring to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean peninsula.

Woodward said that during that interview, Trump also had 'props'.

'The parchment appointment orders of the judges stacked in the middle of the desk, the large rolls of pictures of him and Kim, and a binder with letters from Kim,' Woodward writes. 'I knew it was a big show.'

'I had interviewed Presidents Carter, Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama in the Oval Office. All sat in the standard presidential seat by the fireplace and did not have props,' Woodward added.

In another interview, Woodward wrote that Trump seemed to have an obsession with social media.

'I'm number one on Twitter,' Trump told Woodward, according to CNN. 'When you're number one and when you have hundreds of millions of people, whether they're against you or not they still read what you say.'

Former president Barack Obama actually ranks first overall on Twitter with 122 million followers compared to Trump's 85 million.

He also reportedly claimed that Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg told him he has the top spot on the social media platform when actually Trump is not even in the top 50.

Woodward told Trump that he was worried about the state of the country in another interview.

'As a citizen, somebody who lives here,' Woodward said, 'I'm worried as I can be about this whole thing.'

In response, Trump said: 'Don't worry about it, Bob. Okay? Don't worry about it. We'll get to do another book. You'll find I was right.'

Sometimes Woodward would get unexpected phone calls after 9pm from Trump (pictured Sunday) who was reportedly trying to get a favorable depiction in the book. Such phone calls were looked down upon by his aides who were not always notified about their conversations

When the interviews began in December 2019, Woodward said on one occasion, Trump seemed more focused on showing him photos of him with North Korea's Kim Jong Un from June 30, 2019, when Trump became the first US president to step foot in the country (pictured)

Trump admitted to minimizing the seriousness of the threat from COVID-19 at the outset of the pandemic in audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews with Woodward.

'I wanted to always play it down,' Trump said in an interview with Woodward on March 19.

'I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic,' he said in the conversation with Woodward, which was recorded.

Trump is also quoted in Woodward's book saying the virus was highly contagious and 'deadly stuff' at a time when he was publicly dismissing it as no worse than the flu.

Shortly after the revelations were made public, Woodward faced widespread criticism for only now revealing Trump's early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus.

But Woodward has claimed that he needed time to be sure that Trump's private comments from February were accurate.

'He tells me this, and I'm thinking, "Wow, that's interesting, but is it true?" Trump says things that don't check out, right?' Woodward told the AP during a telephone interview.

Using a famous phrase from the Watergate era, when Woodward's reporting for the Post helped lead to President Richard Nixon's resignation, Woodward said his mission was to determine: 'What did he know and when did he know it?'

Shortly after the revelations were made public, Woodward faced criticism for only now revealing Trump's early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus. But Woodward has claimed that he needed time to be sure that Trump's comments from February were accurate

On Twitter and elsewhere online, commentators accused Woodward of valuing book sales over public health.

'Nearly 200,000 Americans have died because neither Donald Trump nor Bob Woodward wanted to risk anything substantial to keep the country informed,' wrote Esquire's Charles P. Pierce.

During his AP interview, Woodward said Trump called him 'out of the blue' in early February to 'unburden himself' about the virus, which then had few cases in the US.

But Woodward said that only in May was he satisfied that Trump's comments were based on reliable information and that by then the virus had spread nationwide.

'If I had done the story at that time about what he knew in February, that's not telling us anything we didn't know,' Woodward said.

At that point, he said, the issue was no longer one of public health but of politics. His priority became getting the story out before the election in November.

'That was the demarcation line for me,' he said. 'Had I decided that my book was coming out on Christmas, the end of this year, that would have been unthinkable.'

Asked why he didn't share Trump's February remarks for a fellow Post reporter to pursue, Woodward said he had developed 'some pretty important sources' on his own.

'Could I have brought others in? Could they have done things I couldn't do?' he asked. 'I was on the trail, and I was (still) on the trail when it (the virus) exploded.'
Two Manitoba First Nations are in mourning after three men were killed, and another severely injured, when their van was hit by a train east of Strathclair on Tuesday.

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The railway crossing just east of Strathclair, where a fatal collision between a van and a train took place Tuesday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Two Manitoba First Nations are in mourning after three men were killed, and another severely injured, when their van was hit by a train east of Strathclair on Tuesday.

The four men were employed by Russell Redi-Mix Concrete.

Waywayseecappo First Nation Chief Murray Clearsky said his community is grieving the loss of 25-year-old Trevor Bone, whom he described as a hard-working father of three young children.

"Everybody knew him here," Clearsky said. "People that know him, along with us here, are grieving about it.

"Its just too bad. There were three of them that got killed in that accident and my condolences go out to their families as well."

Many in Waywayseecappo, approximately 30 kilometres east of Russell, have connections to Russell Redi-Mix Concrete and its parent company, Coco Group Inc., as the company often hires its members, Clearsky said. The tragic loss is resonating in the community, he said, and added the company has reached out to offer support.

On social media, friends and family members identified one of the victims as Phil Houle Jr.

A passenger van sits next to the CP tracks east of Strathclair after a fatal collision with a train on Tuesday afternoon. (File)

Sandy Bay First Nation Chief Lance Roulette said the community on the western shore of Lake Manitoba is stricken by grief and in shock over the passing of a "good friend" and community member.

Manitoba RCMP say officers with the Yellowhead detachment and Canadian Pacific Police responded to a collision between a train and a passenger van at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday at Road 126 West, a kilometre east of Strathclair, which is approximately 90 kilometres northwest of Brandon.

The investigation has determined a 27-year-old from Dauphin was driving the van northbound on Road 126W, a gravel road that intersects both the CP rail line and the Yellowhead Highway. Bone and his co-workers, a 45-year-old from Sandy Bay First Nation, and a 19-year-old from Dauphin, were passengers.

Police believe a westbound Canadian Pacific train consisting of two engines struck the van at the uncontrolled, at-grade rail crossing, approximately 30 metres from the highway.

The driver was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and later airlifted by STARS Air Ambulance from Minnedosa Hospital to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg in stable condition. RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchaine said as of noon Wednesday the driver was in stable condition and was expected to make a full recovery.

The passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Officers from the Yellowhead detachment, along with a forensic collision reconstructionist, continue to assist CP Police in the investigation.

Anthony Rossi, director of land development and government relations with Coco Group, confirmed the four men were employed by Russell Redi-Mix Concrete, a division of the company thats doing roadwork on Highway 16 from Highway 21 to Provincial Road 250.

"Our thoughts and prayers are 100 per cent with the family and friends, and all the employees from the crew who worked with them, anybody who has been impacted by this tragic accident," Rossi said Wednesday. "Really, it was a difficult scene, I understand, and difficult for everyone involved."

With a police investigation ongoing, Rossi said he couldnt comment on whether the men were working at the time of the crash or if they were in a company vehicle.

"Were fully co-operating with any investigations that are required," he said.

A spokesman for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said the crash has been reported to the independent agency, which investigates rail transportation incidents, and it is "gathering information and assessing the occurrence."

"The accident has been reported to the TSB as required.  At this point right now, were following up with the RCMP and were assessing the accident," board spokesperson Alex Fournier told the Sun.

The investigating will likely be a Class Five investigation, he said, which means it is mostly data gathering to support other investigations.

"We have not deployed to the site but we have followed up with the RCMP and we are working with CP as well," he said.

Fournier couldnt provide more information on how the collision happened when reached on Wednesday afternoon.

Last year, five fatalities were associated with collisions at rail crossings in Manitoba.

 Winnipeg Free Press
Galleria Mall hosts COVID testing site

Testing is one of the commonwealths most important tools in the fight against COVID-19, Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter said.
The countrys drugs regulator has asked Serum Institute of India to explain why it was not informed about AstraZeneca Plc pausing the clinical trial of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine candidate, two senior officials in the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) said, seeking anonymity.

In a letter to the company, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) V.G. Somani has sought an immediate explanation, failing which action deemed fit will be taken against you". The regulator has the powers to withdraw the permission granted to Serum Institute to conduct the trial until patient safety is established.

In response, Serum Institute of India said: We are going by DCGIs direction, and so far were not told to pause trials. If DCGI has any safety concerns, we will follow their instructions and abide by the standard protocols."

Earlier Serum Institute of India said its trial of the coronavirus vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, will continue as planned despite the British drugmaker pausing its phase III trial of the vaccine after observing an unexplained illness in a volunteer.

We cant comment much on the UK trials, but they have been paused for further review and they hope to restart soon. As far as Indian trials are concerned, it is continuing and we have faced no issues at all," Serum Institute said in a statement on Wednesday.

AstraZeneca signed a pact with Serum Institute in June for manufacturing a billion doses of the vaccine at its Pune facility. Serum Institute is also conducting phase II and III trials of the vaccine on 1,600 patients across 17 sites in India.

Serum Institutes trial has been on a procedural pause for about a week as the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) overseeing the trial is reviewing the data following the inoculation of 100 participants as part of the phase II study, two people aware of the development said seeking anonymity.

The DSMB will also review the latest development that led to AstraZeneca halting the clinical trial of its covid-19 vaccine, the people cited above said.

Our trial was already on hold across 17 sites since last Wednesday because a DSMB review is ongoing after 100 patients were given the vaccine. Now that this one case has also come to light, that will also be reviewed. We will seek further directions on the trial," one of the investigators said.

Another principal investigator said the data submitted was for the phase II trial and that the next phase will begin as soon as the clearance from DSMB comes.

While UK-based AstraZeneca did not elaborate on the nature of the adverse effects of the vaccine, the company said it plans to resume the study after conducting an expedited review of the safety data by an independent committee.

This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials. In large trials, illnesses will happen by chance but must be independently reviewed to check this carefully," AstraZeneca said in a note.

We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline."

AstraZeneca is conducting trials of the vaccine, code-named AZD1222, in the UK, Brazil, South Africa and the US, and also plans to start trials in Japan and Russia. These trials will enrol as many as 50,000 participants globally, it said in a statement on 31 August.

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KALAMAZOO, MI - Speaking up to enact real change is not something that happens overnight.

First, you have to find your voice.

A Kalamazoo couple pushing for change draws from years of personal experience. Now, they are aiming their efforts at rebuilding societal systems that have held them and others back.

For husband and wife Ed Genesis and Patrese Griffin, their lives and those of their friends and neighbors in Kalamazoo have helped inspire them to step up. Their advocacy for citizens comes during a time of unprecedented challenges, as the city faces the effects of a global pandemic, and a growing call for police reform in Kalamazoo and across the country.

Griffin, 39, a Kalamazoo native, was elected to the Kalamazoo City Commission in 2019, and has pushed for more action on issues such as the equity of city policies and police accountability. One of the first big initiatives she championed, even before becoming a commissioner, was an effort to address discrimination in housing.

Those changes to city ordinances were approved by unanimous vote on Tuesday, Sept. 8, less than a year after Griffins election as a city commissioner.

Her husband, Genesis, 45, is a community organizer and an activist who helps others find their voices, and uses his own voice to speak up for change. He works to organize community events, draws attention to important issues and offers input to public safety officials.

Their work often intersects.

Griffin spends some of her nights inside City Hall, or logged into a Zoom meeting, asking questions of the Kalamazoo city manager and other city staff, and listening to hours of community comments, which has lately included plenty of criticism.

Meanwhile, Genesis can sometimes be found outside city hall, on the front steps with a bullhorn, asking city leaders to make changes. He also works to help others to find their voices, and offers feedback to public officials.

Gary was hell

Genesis was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, where he was introduced to the trauma of violence at an early age, when police killed his father.

He didnt find out until later what he believes is the truth today  when a high school teacher told him his dad was set up by police when he was shot and killed. Genesis said he still doesnt know all the details, though he found a 40-year-old magazine article about the killing of his father, Leslie Griffin, who was 26 when he was killed.

Growing up without a father impacted him, Genesis said. He listened to some of the older guys in the neighborhood, and some of them were also misguided.

Gary was hell, Genesis said, biting down on a toothpick he often holds in his mouth.

Ed Genesis, husband of newly elected Vice Mayor Patrese Griffin speaks during the oath of office meeting at City Hall in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. Joel Bissell

To save his life, his mother moved the family to Kalamazoo, Genesis said.

Shortly after moving to Kalamazoo, Genesis was arrested, at age 17, for resisting and obstructing police. He was later charged and convicted of his first felony. The experience, Genesis said, gave him a firsthand look at how the criminal justice system works and how it can derail the lives of many young Black men.

I got my first felony, Genesis said. I now have three.

It shook up a lot, he said. He started to learn more about policing and the criminal justice system, and about mass incarceration in the United States.

His next two felonies were unrelated, Genesis said, though he believes he was treated more harshly by the system because of his previous conviction.

He was convicted of unlawful driving away of a vehicle, though he said he was in the passenger seat, not driving, during that incident.

In another case, was convicted of home invasion. Genesis said he takes accountability for the home invasion charge, saying that someone wanted to fight him, and he went to a location and entered a house without permission, leading to the charge and conviction.

His experience gave him a closer look at some of the social justice issues around which his advocacy centers.

Ive always had that, that type of mind, because I didnt feel like things were totally fair for me, Genesis said.

Pushing for action

Patrese Griffin, whose maiden name is McCormick, was born and raised on the east side of Kalamazoo. She went to private school growing up, she said, and graduated from Hackett Catholic High School.

Griffin said she was usually one of only a few Black students in school, but that she grew up in a neighborhood that was the opposite. The different perspectives she saw growing up helped her figure out how to navigate, communicate and also to see some pretty clear differences between different populations in Kalamazoo and their experiences, she said.

She met Ed Genesis when she was 16. They were both working at Taco Bell on West Main in Kalamazoo. They were friends for years, she said, and started dating after she graduated high school.

Griffin, who watched her grandparents fix up houses and sell them, said beginning a career in real estate and property management was a natural progression.

Griffin and Genesis have been married for 16 years, Griffin said. She took his last name, while Ed kept the name Genesis.

Genesis, a rapper, said Griffin has supported him as his manager in the music world.

She supported me, Genesis said of the early days of their relationship. Griffin would come along with him for social justice training, and she became increasingly aware of social issues herself, she said.

They learned about how the systems in place can work against people, including Black people in Kalamazoo, and in their neighborhood. Genesis raps about some of the issues in his music.

An event that helped them realize the power of their voice in creating change was when Griffin and Genesis began to advocate for the removal of street signs on Kalamazoos north side that made it illegal for people to park in front of their homes.

Ed had got a case in our driveway when we were trying to move out, Griffin said. We didnt know how to advocate. We didnt know how to use our voices so we just kind of took it.

The signs resulted in citations against their neighbors, too. They noticed the signs were missing from other parts of town, Griffin said, so they spoke up  first at a traffic board meeting in August 2018, asking for the signs to be removed and for changes with an equity lens.

The city ultimately agreed to remove the signs.

It was those signs that allowed me to see how powerful using your voice is, and actually speaking to things, and the impact that you can make, Griffin said.

They learned about discrimination on a personal level.

Griffin, Genesis and their three children became homeless when the house they were renting became condemned, Griffin said. They stayed at a hotel at first, until a friend let them stay on their couch.

Ill never forget what that felt like, Griffin said about being homeless and being unable to find a place to live.

Genesis said application after application was denied as the couple spent hundreds of dollars on fees. Both of them had income, Genesis said, and he soon realized it was because of him that his family and children had no permanent place to call home.

We could not find anywhere to live because of my felonies, Genesis said.

Related: Kalamazoo passes anti-discrimination housing ordinance championed by once-homeless commissioner

Genesis believes his appearance played a part in discrimination at times, pointing to rejections during their search for housing.

Weve even seen times where shes on the phone, she sounds so professional. They say, Oh yeah, we got properties in here just drive up, and by the time I get out of the car you see the look on peoples faces. And theres nothing available anymore, Genesis said.

Genesis has a black beard with some grey in it, and at least a couple months of growth. He has tattoos, and wore a camouflage jacket during an interview at the park near his home in early September.

That coupled with his felony convictions made finding a home difficult, despite the fact that the most recent felony is over a decade old.

That experience is what inspired Griffin to help push for fair housing practices in Kalamazoo.

Dorla Bonner, who was a member of the Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy & Action in the Community Housing Task Force that works to address issues in housing in Kalamazoo, said she was impressed when she met Griffin a few years ago. It was when Griffin first brought forward a plan to address housing discrimination.

I was impressed with her style, her knowledge and her passion," Bonner said. And her single focus.

Mayor David Anderson called the effort a monument to persistence, recognizing Griffins success, during the Sept. 8 Kalamazoo City Commission meeting when the ordinance passed.

Anderson recalled the first time he met Griffin, before she was a city commissioner. It was when she brought him the draft ordinance that was approved this week.

Here we are now some time later, getting to this point, Anderson said. For better or worse, it speaks to the fact, for things to occur, there must be hard work, there must be persistence and there must be integrity and attention to detail.

We did it Kalamazoo!!! We set out to increase fair housing & remove barriers when renting. The vote was unanimous. This is only the beginning! More work needs to be done. I thank God, @GenAlmighty & my children, @ISAACKalamazoo, TRHT Kzoo & EVERYONE who made this possible!!  Patrese Griffin (@PatreseGriffin) September 9, 2020

The new ordinance adds protections to combat housing discrimination against specific classes of people -- including people with felony convictions on their record.

Griffin was appointed to a vacant seat on the city commission in 2019. She ran for election later that year, securing the most votes and becoming Kalamazoos vice mayor.

Bonner, who was hired as the citys director of diversity, equity and inclusion in February, said she worked with Griffin throughout the ordinance process, which the city commission began discussing in February. That was before any coronavirus cases were documented in Michigan. The city took input and held virtual town halls over the next months.

Bonner calls Griffin and Genesis a power couple.

As a city commissioner, Griffin has spoken up on issues of gun violence, equity, discrimination, police reform and accountability. She said she understands some issues need time, but often advocates that the city needs to take more immediate action, and to set timelines for reporting the results back to the community.

In August, she joined a subcommittee of commissioners formed to examine police issues after the city faced criticism for the police response to recent protests and demonstrations in Kalamazoo.

Kalamazoo City Commissioner Patrese Griffin.Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Griffin credits Genesis as an inspiration for her work, and said he is her best friend.

Genesis called Griffin the "personification of heaven, saying she is always giving, kind, caring and patient.

That contrasts with the persistence on display when Griffin is championing an issue and makes Genesis appreciate her all the more.

Shes a fierce fighter, Genesis said, proud of his wifes actions as a commissioner.

A different perspective

Genesis is a Kalamazoo community organizer and advocate.

Near his and Griffins family home on the citys north side, he went live on Facebook this summer, dropping raw eggs onto the pavement one by one, to call attention to the surging number of shootings in Kalamazoo.

Genesis said many of his life experiences, and the things he saw in Gary gave him an education on the school-to-prison pipeline -- the idea that systems in place are set up to easily allow young people to flow from schools to prison.

He does more than breaking eggs to get his point across.

Hes also out in the community, forging connections and offering feedback to public officials and other community leaders.

Genesis has built relationships with law enforcement officials and has met with Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting to advocate for fair treatment of citizens by the criminal justice system.

The prosecutors office has regular contact with Genesis and other citizens to help learn about the impact the criminal justice system can have on peoples' lives, Prosecutor Jeff Getting said.

Its important to talk to people who live in communities and the police officers who patrol them, Getting said. Its important to hear perspectives from people who have been on the other side of the courtroom, he said.

Community organizer and rapper Ed Genesis speaks out at a rally to end gun violence and celebrate the life of DeVante Coleman on Aug. 4, 2020 at Milham Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

To hear from someone who has experienced the system in a different way helps me be a better prosecutor, Getting said.

The criminal justice system has broad social collateral impacts in communities where people are being prosecuted and where people are being victimized by crime, impacting people an their families, Getting said in a Sept. 9 interview with MLive.

Genesis' experience with the criminal justice system lends credibility to the perspective he offers, Getting said.

I think it helps us see beyond just the They broke the law there needs to be a sentence imposed part of law enforcement, Getting said.

Getting said he watched as Griffin began to advocate for changes in housing and enjoyed seeing her move into politics.

I think theyre a great example of how people can overcome difficulties in their lives, Getting said of the couple. Im happy to have them as allies as we strive to make Kalamazoo better."

Genesis and Griffin also attended a KDPS citizens police academy, where Genesis said he asked questions of officers and learned more about how policing works in Kalamazoo. It was also a chance to offer input to police, Genesis said.

He and Getting both serve on the Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust, a group that meets to talk about issues including community/police engagement. The group will hold a virtual meeting open to the public at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10.

Its not a sounding board or a situation to bark at the police, Genesis said. "But I also tell the officers, There is real trauma and hurt. And we cant just sweep it under the rug.

Genesis works to help people how understand law enforcement works, while also working to show police officials how citizens see things.

He started a petition in August advocating for police to halt ride-alongs in Kalamazoo, for example, and helps inform citizens about their rights  like when he hands out cards that inform citizens they are not required to speak to police.

Griffin said Genesis is unapologetic in the work he does, to help move people forward.

Patrese Griffin was selected as Kalamazoo city commissioner and sworn in at the June 10 meeting. Her husband, Ed Genesis, placed a Kalamazoo pin on Griffin after she was sworn in.

Genesis said his experience has helped him to get to where he is today, and he uses it in his work and tries to inform others how to use their voice for change.

His wife thinks about his experience, too, as a resource for her work as a city commissioner, along with her own observations and input from members of the community.

Hes someone that I look up to, Im completely inspired by, and Im incredibly honored to be able to share my life, and then share work, Griffin said.

He is also very proud of his wifes accomplishments.

I know that this is just the beginning, Genesis said.

Read more:

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Michigan front-line workers eligible for tuition-free community college under state program

Critics continue calls for resignations over Kalamazoos response to Proud Boys event

Kalamazoo County adds probable coronavirus cases to database to keep up with back-to-school testing
Wildfires fueled by extreme heat and high wind spread further across California, Oregon and Washington on Thursday, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least seven people. Fires have burned through a record of at least 2.5 million acres in California, causing significantly worse destruction than last year's devastating season. The August Complex that began last month is now the biggest wildfire in California's recorded history, and six of the top 20 largest wildfires in state history have occurred this year, according to Cal Fire, the state's fire agency. The blazes have also destroyed entire communities in Oregon, including Detroit in Marion County; Blue River and Vida in Lane County; and Phoenix and Talent in Jackson County. Fires also largely decimated the eastern Washington town of Malden over the weekend.

An exterior view of the ballpark before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park on September 09, 2020 in San Francisco, California. Lachlan Cunningham | Getty Images

"This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history," said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. "We are not getting any relief from the weather conditions. Winds continue to feed these fires and push them into our towns and cities." In Northern California, the major Bear Fire filled the skies with smoke and turned them an eerie dark yellow-orange, while the Creek Fire worsened in the Sierra National Forest. Three people were killed in the growing North Complex Fire in Northern California. A 1-year-old boy was killed in the Cold Springs Fire in Okanogan County, Washington, after the child and his parents tried to flee their home, according to the sheriff's office.

A NASA MODIS satellite image shows wildfires in Oregon, U.S. September 8, 2020. Picture taken September 8, 2020. Maxar Technologies | via Reuters

In Oregon, one person was killed near Ashland and two people were killed from fires in Marion County. The fires are becoming worse with forceful winds and heat. Climate change has triggered hotter temperatures and dry conditions that have sparked enormous wildfires in the fire-prone Western states. State and local officials are concerned that some people were unable to flee their homes that were burned down. "We also fear that this is not going to be the only folks we'll find deceased up there," Marion County Sheriff Joe Kast said Wednesday. Thousands of people in the Western states have had to evacuate their homes and don't know when they'll be able to return. As rescue efforts continue, the death toll from the fires is expected to rise over the next few days.
By Azernews





By Akbar Mammadov

The United Nations is interested in a peaceful solution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the organizations Resident Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai has said.

Isaczai made the remarks during a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku on September 9.

During the meeting, Bayramov spoke about Armenias latest pre-planned military provocation in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz region on the border as well as Yerevan's policy of aggression.

He reminded that Azerbaijan has raised this issue with international organizations, including the UN Secretary-General.

In turn, Isaczai reminded the statement of the UN Secretary-General on the cross-border incident and noted the active role played by UN Secretary-General. He stressed that the UN is interested in a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Furthermore, the sides held discussions on mutually beneficial and comprehensive cooperation relations between the UN and Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyevs recent initiative to hold the UN General Assembly special session in response to COVID-19 pandemic was highly appreciated during the meeting. It was noted that discussions are underway on the format and modalities of the high-level meeting of the special session.

The sides also discussed conducting joint events commemorating the UN 75th Anniversary.

It should be noted that the UN Security Council passed four resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994.

Thre recent cross-border fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan started on July 12 with Armenia's firing artillery at Azerbaijan's positions in the direction of Tovuz region. Azerbaijani army lost 12 servicemen as a result of Armenian attacks. One civilian was killed as a result of artillery fire by the Armenian armed forces.








Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui received a lifetime award while bringing her new film "Love after Love," an adaptation of Eileen Chang's novella, to screen at the ongoing Venice Film Festival running between Sept. 2 and 12.

Almost eight decades since its maiden publication, the fictional story entitled "the Aloeswood Incense, the First Brazier" which ushered in the rise to prominence of the late Chinese literati Eileen Chang, was adapted by Ann Hui, winner of this year's Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

Jury President Cate Blanchett presented the award Tuesday to Ann Hui, the 73-year-old director who has enjoyed a career spanning five decades from 1979 when she released her debut feature film "The Secret."

According to Ann Hui, the day when the festival announced her prize, she received an unprecedented stream of congratulatory messages from all her friends, even including her kindergarten classmates, who kept her continuously responding for six hours.

In her acceptance address, Ann Hui said: "Maybe Venice Film Festival has given me the prize in the nick of time before I cannot walk onto this stage to collect it myself... Now I will go home to help our younger filmmakers, so that they all get achievement prizes in future."

Alberto Barbera, the director of the Venice Film festival, previously stated the films Ann Hui had shot covering a wide range of genres had focused on "individual stories that interweave with important social themes, such as, those of refugees, the marginalized and the elderly."

The Chinese director has become the first female to earn this top honor at Venice. She also brought along with her "Love after Love," which was showing out of competition at the Venice festival.

"It is a love story which doesn't have a tragic ending as usual like somebody dying of cancer. It is about a woman who gives up her chasteness and her future for a man who is no good. But she just lives with it," Ann Hui said, while receiving an interview from Fred Film Radio ahead of the award ceremony.

Starring an all-star lineup, including Ma Sichun, Yu Feihong, Eddie Peng and Isabella Leong, the film, with its trailer released in Venice, was renamed "Love after Love."

Accompanied by Ludwig van Beethoven's melancholic Moonlight Sonata, the trailer starts with the flippant relationship of the protagonists: Ge Weilong (played by Ma) and George Qiao (played by Eddie Peng). Attracted by Qiao's deceptive glamour, Ge's decision to marry him led her to fall prey to the relentless schemes of her aunt Liang (played by Yu Feihong).

The film's leading actor Eddie Peng, though absent at the festival, spoke via video link during a press conference with the media. He said he hadn't attempted such a playboy role before in his career so the role of Qiao was pretty challenging for him. But Ann Hui placed her full trust and support to allow him fully exploit his potential.

Chang got her story first published in 1943 on The Violet, a literary magazine that closed in 1945. The novella was probably inspired by her academic years spent from 1939 to 1942 at the school of literature of the University of Hong Kong.

However, because of the fall of Hong Kong during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945), she had no option but to return to Shanghai with her study uncompleted.

"Eileen Chang has a very big following. I really stayed faithful to the story even the dialogues from it. But we filled in a lot of gaps... It bridged the original without feeling that it had jumped," Ann Hui said.

With exquisite costumes and backdrops, it has been the third attempt for Ann Hui to adapt Changs works. The previous two works, "The Love in A Fallen City" and "Eighteen Springs (Love of Half a Lifetime)" were respectively filmed in 1984 and 1997.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

An Albuquerque city councilor is publicly raising questions about whether the citys police chief still has the backing of the mayoral administration that appointed him in light of a social media post suggesting he is on his way out.

Brook Bassan  who called herself an advocate for Albuquerque Police Chief Mike Geier  questioned a top official in Mayor Tim Kellers administration during Wednesday nights City Council meeting, asking how much direction the Mayors Office is giving APD and inquiring about a social media post alleging the mayor and his team are pushing Geier out.

Sarita Nair, the citys chief administrative officer, responded that neither she, the mayor nor anyone on City Halls 11th floor were making tactical decisions for APD. But Nair did not give a definitive answer when Bassan asked directly if Geier had the administrations support.

I think its really important that we can dispel myths, but that we dont fall into the rumor mill, Nair said. Chief Geier was one of the first appointments that the mayor made; he was so clearly the right person for the job at that time that even when we went through a national search, he emerged as the top candidate.  Im sure its not your intent, but it is deeply disrespectful to Chief Geier to engage in internet rumormongering at this point.

An APD spokesman did not answer Journal questions Wednesday about whether Geier is about to retire.

Bassan had similarly questioned Nair at a council meeting last month. That came in response to media reports that Geier had requested an internal affairs investigation into his chief of staff, John Ross, for engaging in conduct that reflects poorly on the department, altering, misrepresenting or making false statements in reports, and failing to safeguard department property. At the time a Journal article was published, Geier said anything suggesting he is not in control of APD is ridiculous and petty water-cooler talk.

Bassan on Wednesday referenced the Ross investigation and a more recent controversy in which APD deleted a tweet from its official account that ostensibly quoted Geier calling a high-profile police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, senseless. Geier apologized, saying those were not his words, and department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos later acknowledged the tweet was sent without Geiers approval.

Asked by Bassan about that Wednesday, Nair said that it was uncommon to quote officials without their permission, but that Gallegos had stepped up to take accountability for that very human mistake.

Bassan also raised APDs handling of the Juan de Onate protest. APDs response and its subsequent shooting investigation came under fire from all sides earlier this summer.

Bassan said she was concerned that the Mayors Office had helped make decisions about how APD handled that and other protests, an allegation Nair rejected.

Let me be clear: To the extent youre suggesting that the 11th floor, as we call it, is making operational or tactical decisions about the Police Department, we are not, she said.
Costa Rica authorities brought down a drug trafficking ring linked to Joaquin El Chapo Guzmans old Sinaloa Cartel.

Agents arrested two women and nine men during a series of 11 raids in the provinces of San Carlos, Heredia and Moravia on Wednesday, the Judicial Investigation Body announced.

The apprehensions were part of an investigation that started in June 2019 when authorities learned of two men only identified by their last names, Patterson and Gomez, who reported directly to a Mexican men identified as Leal Garcia.

It is linked to a group that settled in our country that had a direct relationship with the Sinaloa Cartel and that was using our territory to transport cocaine to Mexico, said Walter Espinoza, head of the Judicial Investigation Body.

Nine alleged members of a drug trafficking ring linked to the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested Wednesday in Costa Rica, according to Judicial Investigation Body

The apprehensions were part of an investigation that was initiated June 2019 when Costa Rica officials learned the group was receiving cocaine and marijuana from Colombia before it was ferried through Guatemala and eventually to Mexico

Pictured in a motorboat used to traffic drugs by a Costa Rica-based drug ring which was reportedly linked to El Chapo's old Sinaloa Cartel

The group reportedly stockpiled cocaine and marijuana that was delivered from Colombia before it was moved through Guatemala before reaching Mexico. The massive shipments were then smuggled into the United States.

The Judicial Investigation Body said the drug traffickers also used secret airstrips and vehicles to shuttle the drugs and weapons.

The drug ring allegedly used clandestine airstrips to traffic cocaine and marijuana

Pictured above is some of the ammunition that was seized during 11 raids in Costa Rica

Pictured is above is a rifle belonging to a drunk trafficking network in Costa Rica with alleged ties to the Sinaloa Cartel

Weapons and ammunition seized Wednesday by Costa Rica authorities as part of 11 raids which led to the arrest of nine individuals who allegedly trafficked cocaine and marijuana to Mexico for the Sinaloa Cartel

The 13-month investigation also led to the arrests of Patterson and Gomez in May when authorities confiscated 358 kilos of cocaine in Alajuela.

A second bust, also in May, led to the arrest of Leal Garcia and 58 kilos of cocaine.

The seized cocaine stockpile is valued at $19.9 million in the United States.

An unknown number of AK-47s, 9 mm guns, rifles and vehicles were confiscated.
With few treatments and no vaccine or cure in sight, Covid-19 is still keeping us guessing

The coronavirus has upended everyday life in the six months since the crisis was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

While our understanding of the new respiratory disease has steadily increased since it was first detected in China last year, what lies ahead over the next half-year remains unknown.

- 'Second wave' fears in Europe -

In Europe, where strict lockdowns ended before the economy-boosting summer holiday season, the reopening of schools and offices has been clouded by rising infection rates, notably in Spain, France and Britain.

Although testing is now far more widespread, the number of new daily infections is much lower than in March and April, before lockdowns were imposed.

Most cases are currently among younger people with few symptoms, but many experts fear it is only a matter of time before the virus creeps back towards the elderly and vulnerable.

England's deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, said people let their guard down over the summer in the fight against the virus.

"We have got to start taking this very seriously again," he told the BBC this week, warning that if not, the UK will have "a bumpy ride over the next few months".

French Health Minister Olivier Veran also said this week that the upward trend is "worrying" -- predicting a rise in serious infections within weeks.

Still haunted by the first wave, many doctors fear that hospitals and intensive care units may end up being overwhelmed in the coming months, as they were in the spring.

- Reinfection and immunity -

A handful of recent studies have profiled people reinfected with the virus having recovered from an earlier bout of Covid-19.

This has reignited concern over the potential for humans to develop lasting immunity to the disease, whether through infection or vaccination.

The first confirmed reinfection was a 33-year-old Hong Kong resident, who tested positive in an airport-screening test four and a half months after his recovery.

Story continues

He had no symptoms the second time around -- which some experts have hailed as a hopeful sign that his immune system had learned to defend itself against the respiratory disease.

But scientists also caution that it is difficult to draw broad conclusions from only a handful of reinfection cases among the millions of people who have caught the virus.

And it is not clear how contagious a reinfected person would be.

Our immunity against Covid-19 remains poorly understood. While much of the focus has been on antibodies, which help fight off infection, there is also interest in the way our T lymphocytes -- a type of white blood cell -- may build "immunity memory".

But little is known yet about how these cells operate against Covid-19.

- Children and Covid -

As children head back to classrooms, it is still unclear what exact role they play in the spread of coronavirus.

We know that severe illness is very rare in young children with Covid-19, with most developing mild symptoms -- or none at all.

But could they still be vectors of infection?

"When symptomatic, children shed virus in similar quantities to adults and can infect others in a similar way," says the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

"It is unknown how infectious asymptomatic children are."

Several studies have suggested children are less likely to transmit the disease, perhaps because with fewer symptoms they would not be coughing or sneezing, which increases the risk of viral spread.

However, many experts say a distinction should be drawn between young children and adolescents, who appear just as contagious as adults.

- Vaccine safety -

Much is riding on the development of an effective, safe vaccine, and this week the WHO listed 35 vaccine candidates going through clinical trials on humans around the world.

Nine of them are already at, or preparing for, the final stage -- known as Phase 3 -- which requires thousands of volunteers to measure large-scale effectiveness.

Big-spending superpowers the United States, Russia and China are accelerating the process in an attempt to be the first to have a vaccine, even before the end of the year.

But experts urge patience, warning that speed should not compromise safety or public confidence.

As an example of the need for caution, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford have "paused" trials of their vaccine after a volunteer developed an unexplained illness.

The European Medicines Agency has said a vaccine may not be ready until early next year, while the WHO has said it could take until mid-2021 to reach widespread immunisation.

In a worst-case scenario, it may prove impossible to develop a vaccine.

- Mask debate -

In many places, face coverings went from being seen as unnecessary to a mandatory accessory -- a rapid about-face that left many reeling.

The change of heart by health authorities, including the WHO, was prompted by an increasing body of research about how Covid-19 is spread.

These studies suggest it is not only carried in larger drops of virus that can soil hands, but also in fine droplets exhaled by patients that can linger in the air -- "aerosols".

We still don't know the precise role of this mode of transmission in the pandemic, but many scientists suggest it could be substantial.

If that is the case, social distancing is not nearly enough to protect people from infection.

Crowded, poorly ventilated indoor spaces are considered to be highest risk, although some countries have also made masks compulsory in the street.

- Treatment options -

Only one type of medication has been shown in clinical trials to reduce mortality: corticosteroids, which fight inflammation.

But even these are only recommended for the most severe forms of the disease.

An antiviral, remdesivir, has been shown to reduce the length of hospital stays, but its benefit is relatively modest.

Finally, despite hype from US President Donald Trump, the drug hydroxychloroquine has been proven ineffective against Covid-19.

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New Delhi, Sep 10 : A group of students who returned to Delhi from their hometowns on September 1, residing in the Capital's Mata Kasturba hostel have alleged they were ill-treated by the hostel management.

The hostel is run by the Harijan Sewak Sangh in North Delhi's Kingsway Camp neighbourhood.

A lot of students are struggling to get accommodation when they return to the national Capital during the ongoing pandemic to take exams. Many hostels are still not operational and some students have complained of misconduct by hostel managers.

The students alleged they were ill-treated when they returned to the Mata Kasturba hostel. The hostel manager has denied the allegations.

As of now, these students are left with no option but to stay with their relatives.

The girls alleged that four girls stay in one room and pay Rs 12,000 for it but they received no facilities. "Fans were not repaired for two months. We had to purchase water from outside. They are planning to give the hostel to private players and this is the reason they are not allowing us to stay here," said one of the students.

Priyanka Kashyap, who is pursuing law from Delhi University, returned to Delhi from Mainpuri. Kashyap told IANS, "We came back in the wake of examinations. Our belongings were here only. We were being told by the hostel staff that they won't be operating the hostel as of now so we should take away our belongings. Two of the six girls were sent back forcefully by the management." The students even accused the police of forcing them to vacate the hostel.

Civil Services-aspirant Girija Tiwari, who returned to Delhi from Kanpur, said, "Every time we returned to the hostel, we used to call them and inform them. But this time they never responded to our calls. After returning I informed my hostel warden but he refused to help. I even asked one of my seniors regarding this but he told me to return to my hometown as the hostel won't re-open." "We waited from morning to night but the hostel staff asked us to find alternative accommodation. We even informed the Mukherjee Nagar SHO about it and asked him to help us finding accommodation for the night," she added.

The students have even accused the police of misbehaving with them. They said, "The sub-inspector and the head constable threatened us that they will file an FIR against us and ruin our careers." Denying the students' allegations, Mukherjee Nagar SHO Karan Singh Rana said, "All the allegations are baseless. It is for the hostel managers to decide whether they would open the hostel or not. They should sort out the matter amicably." Harijan Sewak Sangh secretary Rajnish Kumar said, "The Harijan Sewak Sangh is a registered society. Around 30-35 students live in Mata Kasturba hostel. Most of them returned to their hometowns due to Coronavirus. Since the facilities were not adequate, the core committee decided not to open the hostel till the pandemic is under control." "Some students suddenly came back to the hostel. So we informed them that the hostel is closed," he added.

Kumar said they informed the students about a PG accommodation in Mukherjee Nagar but they needed to clear their dues first. "We told them they will be informed once the hostel reopens."
San Francisco State University has told 131 staff members they were to be laid off Nov. 9 because of a funding shortfall.

The COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to enrollment and budget challenges, led to the layoffs, school President Lynn Mahoney said in an email. She said the administration hopes to meet with staff unions to find ways to reduce the number of layoffs. No faculty members were laid off.

Despite cost-cutting measures, slightly better-than-projected fall enrollments and a decision to use a more optimistic figure for expected revenue, it was still necessary this week to take the painful step of laying off staff members, Mahoney said.

SFSU lost $22 million from its state allocation, and even though its fall enrollment is better than projected, the number of students is still expected to be down, leading to a loss in tuition revenue, said SFSU media relations specialist Kent Bravo.

The human resources department plans to host workshops and offer other resources to help laid-off employees.

Staffers who are members of the SFSU Worker Defense Coalition will picket over the layoffs Saturday at noon at the campus, on 19th Avenue at Holloway Avenue.

Theyre going after individuals who are making the least amount of money on campus and who need this job to survive, said Kat Alvarado, an administrative support coordinator in the math department who received notice that she is being laid off. It makes me feel unappreciated that they are going after staff who really are the backbone of the university. Were the ones that work directly with students. Were the ones that students go to when they have problems with their classes. The university runs because of staff.

Adam Paganini, the masters of science program coordinator for the marine science department, said he and his partner, an adjunct lecturer at S.F. State, might leave the Bay Area or California altogether if they are both laid off. Paganinis position is funded through a National Science Foundation grant, and he said there is a small, but unlikely, chance his job will be spared.

We may have to move in with some family because we cant afford to live in San Francisco if we dont have these positions, Paganini said. Were basically getting priced out of the city if we ever had to go on unemployment. The job market is not great right now, even though Ive gotten an advanced degree in a STEM field.

Laid-off workers will get their health insurance benefits until Dec. 31.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

CSU campuses tapped into reserves during the spring semester to keep staff employed, CSU public affairs manager Michael Uhlenkamp said in an email. During that time, the universities were not collecting revenue from parking, dining or housing.

The systems total reserve as of June 30 was $1.7 billion with an economic uncertainty fund of $400 million. Those funds are set aside for catastrophic events, capital projects or short-term obligations, he said.

We are shocked and disappointed that San Francisco State University is laying off 120-plus employees, citing lack of funds, Sandee Noda, California State University Employees Union chapter president at SFSU, said in a statement. Layoffs should always be the last resort, and the university has not demonstrated that it explored a myriad of other viable options prior to coming to this drastic decision.

Chronicle staff writer Nanette Asimov contributed to this story.

Vanessa Arredondo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vanessa.arredondo@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @v_anana
India wants a political key to unlock the dangerous stalemate in Ladakh, but political engagements so far have failed to produce any breakthrough.

During a recent virtual event at ORF to launch his book The India Way, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar interrupted Samir Saran, the interviewer, at one point to press home his argument that a solution for the recent standoff between India and China has to be found in the domain of diplomacy.

I made this point a few days earlier in another context, I would say that I am totally convinced that a solution to the situation has to be found in the domain of diplomacy. And I say that with responsibility, said the minister.

The earlier context that Jaishankar referred to was an interview to Rediff last month where he categorised the ongoing border situation as most serious crisis since 1962 but also pointed out that all earlier episodes at LAC (Depsang, Chumar and Doklam) were resolved through diplomacy. He was quick to add, however, that any solution must be predicated on honouring all agreements and understandings. And not attempting to alter the status quo unilaterally.

Tellingly, the ministers remarks on that occasion were perceived as setting the focus back on diplomacy just days after Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat had said that military action to remove the PLA from their entrenched positions on Indias side was also on table if talks fail to achieve results.

A strategic thinker and a career diplomat given to measuring words carefully, Jaishankars total conviction on diplomatic resolution carries an unmistakable sense of urgency. This urgency is not misplaced. It reflects a larger Indian concern. The LAC remains poised on a razors edge. Animosity is high, mutual trust is nonexistent and all past agreements and mechanisms that provided the basis for managing the border dispute have broken down.

The situation may be slipping towards a point of no return, but a war is never welcome, now even less so for an Indian economy devastated by the pandemic. Since ceding territory to China, accepting its unilateral redrawing of the LAC and fueling further its revisionism is not an option either, Indias tactic is to remain firm on the ground, achieve strategic quid pro quo while trying to find a resolution through diplomacy.

This explains the EAMs consistent stress on talks as the only way out. The minister repeated his point again on Wednesday during an event at Indian Express, where he said at this moment, I note that this very serious situation has been going on since the beginning of May. This calls for very, very deep conversations between the two sides at a political level.

The fact that Jaishankar is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow today on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation  the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since the standoff began in April-May  calls for cautious optimism. Trouble is, space for diplomacy is shrinking as fast as the inevitability of military conflict is becoming clear.

India wants a political key to unlock the dangerous stalemate at Ladakh, but political engagements so far have failed to produce any breakthrough. Consider the recent sequence of events. During Defence Minister Rajnath Singhs visit to Moscow last week, the Chinese side requested a one-on-one on the margins of SCO. If hopes of an agreement were raised, those were quickly dissipated. During the meeting, Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe put the onus of the crisis entirely on India.

The root and truth of the current tensions is very clear. The Indian side is entirely responsible. Not an inch of China's territory shall be lost. The Chinese military is absolutely determined, capable and confident in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In reply, the Indian defence minister emphasised that the actions of the Chinese troops, including amassing of large number of troops, their aggressive behaviour and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements and not in keeping with the understandings reached between the Special Representatives of two sides and while Indian troops had always taken a very responsible approach towards border management, at the same time there should also be no doubt about (Indias) determination to protect (its) sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This exchange reflects the failure of the political process where both sides refuse to budge from their respective positions or cede a modicum of space for compromise. It is tempting to blame both parties for rigidity. Yet this equivalence is misleading.

The genesis of the crisis lies in China carrying out a series of stealthy manoeuvres since April-May to steadily encroach upon territory along the LAC where Indian and Chinese claims overlap. This un-demarcated, 2200-mile border is a legacy of history when British empire bequeathed to India official maps that were in many cases literally borderless, as historian Kyle Gardner writes in ORF.

The superstructure of the border management framework pivoted on an understanding that both countries would refrain from occupying these disputed, barren terrains in the high Himalayas till a mutually acceptable delineation and demarcation is arrived at. The protocols of banning firearms, raising permanent structures, avoiding confrontation during patrols, multi-tier military and diplomatic level talks were put in place as part of a border management procedure so that bilateral relationship may progress in other areas.

By encroaching into, occupying and building permanent and semi-permanent structures on almost 1,000 square km of territory that India perceives to be on its side of the LAC in violation of all protocols and mechanisms, refusing to honour a consensual disengagement procedure and then getting into a murderous clash with Indian troops, Beijing has set forth a chain of events that may be reversed only if Chinese president Xi Jinping perceives the cost of continued confrontation with India to be greater than a pullback that will be perceived as a setback and affect Xis tough on sovereignty image at home.

To expect both India and China to make political concessions to arrive at a solution is to expect New Delhi to accept the violation of its territorial integrity -- a condition that no nation-state may willfully accept. Therefore, the success of a political process is predicated on India persuading China to roll back its encroachments and Beijing showing a willingness to do so. At this stage, this looks unlikely.

As the stronger power, China sees no merit in pulling back its troops, restoring status quo ante and handing India a win. Beijing believes such a compromise on its part will be perceived not as the benevolence of greater power, but a surrender forced by a resolute India. This is not only politically damaging for Xi, but it may also, in Beijings calculations, embolden India further.

China has a realist grasp of power. An editorial Chinas state-controlled nationalist newspaper Global Times reads: China-India border area has largely maintained peace for over 40 years. There were cases of military standoff, which didnt lead to serious military conflicts, because the two sides have conformed to an agreement not to use firearms in conflicts. However, the writer reminds India that sticking to the principle of not using firearms in border areas is the goodwill of the PLA and China. The move of the stronger side is only about whether it is rational, rather than whether it is weak.

One of the theories behind Chinas latest incursion into Indian territory states that Indias recent stress on infrastructure development along the LAC has worried the Chinese who are keen to lock their comparative advantage. For the Chinese, the infrastructure arms race in the border region has enabled the repeated incursions and changes to the status quo, and therefore needs to be stopped. Otherwise, all the things China fought for in the 1962 war would have been in vain, writes Chinese scholar Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center in Washington DC, in War on the Rocks.

This indicates the structural nature of the Sino-Indian conflict. If China sees a strategic threat in Indias infrastructure building and interprets the roads and bridges built by India (that New Delhi perceives to be on its own side of LAC) as altering the status quo, then it becomes easy for China to self-justify its land-grab.

It has been interesting, therefore, to note how China has gone about justifying its latest instance of territorial expansionism. At one level the propaganda involves blame-gaming and threats of violent retribution: We must warn India seriously: You have crossed the line! Your frontline troops have crossed the line! Your nationalist public opinion has crossed the line! Your policy toward China has crossed the line! You are over-confidently provoking the PLA and Chinese people - this is like doing a handstand on the edge of a cliff!

At another level, the propaganda involves turning on its head accusations that China has long been charged with. London-based Financial Times newspaper quoted scholar Yun Sun, as saying that a settlement or a rough consensus on the line of control can only be settled on the ground They (Chinese side) had attempted to reach a consensus. But what the Chinese found out is that the Indian negotiating position was whats mine is mine, and whats yours is negotiable.

Not only does this indicate that Beijing will henceforth settle the boundary issue through force instead of negotiation, but the irony also lies in the fact that after decades of salami-slicing Indian territory in disregard of established agreements and protocols, China now blames India of carrying out the tactics that Beijing has mastered.

The final piece of the propaganda puzzle lies in an aggressor China playing the role of an injured victim. After stealthily encroaching into disputed land, occupying and fortifying it, China now wants India to strictly follow the series of agreements inked with China in tightening their control over the front-line troops and make sure they make no provocation by trespassing across the LAC, take no action that may stoke tension, and refrain from hyping up and highlighting negativities. Both sides should set eyes on the big picture of China-India relations and regional peace and stability. We should work together and pull towards the same direction so as to cool down the situation as soon as possible and uphold peace and tranquillity in the border areas, as Chinese defence minister Wei told his Indian counterpart Singh even as PLA squats on Indian territory. The implication being that India should forget about getting back the territory it has already lost.

China lacks incentives to give up on its territorial gains since Ladakh aggression and remains convinced of the righteousness of its actions. Consider foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunyings claims that China never provoked any war or conflict and never occupied an inch of other countrys territory. China border troops always strictly abide by the LAC and never crossed the line

This irredentism stems at least partly from the tone of strident nationalism set by President Xi, reflected in Chinas conduct over the South China Sea, in Hong Kong, over Taiwanese airspace or on Japans territorial waters.

At the recent two-day central symposium on Tibet, CCPs marquee policymaking event for the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Xi called for efforts to ensure national security and enduring peace and stability, steadily improve peoples lives, maintain a good environment, solidify border defence and ensure frontier security, reports The Hindu.

It is hardly a coincidence that within a few hours of Xis comments, China launched more audacious land-grab manoeuvres in the southern bank of Pangong Tso (on the intervening night of 29 and 30 August) but was thwarted due to preemptive action by alert Indian troops who took control of the dominating heights in the Chushul sub-sector (that were previously unoccupied) to seize the tactical advantage.

Within this political paradigm set by Xi, the space for a Chinese compromise is almost nonexistent. And with Indian troops moving in to secure the heights of Kailash Range that now allows India to dominate the Chushul bowl on the Indian side, and Moldo sector on the Chinese side apart from having a clear sight of the almost two-km-wide Spanggur gap, which the Chinese used in the past to launch attacks on this sector in 1962 as a report in Indian Express points out, the stage is set for retaliatory kinetic action. China would be desperate to restore the advantage it believes to have squandered in the comparative jockeying for strategic positions in eastern Ladakh.

This presents India with a slim opening but it also heightens the risk of a military conflict. On the positive side of the ledger, when EAM Jaishankar sits down with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, India will have a better bargaining chip during negotiation  a reality acknowledged by Chinese media.

On the other hand, the loss of tactical advantage  and that too induced by a secretive Indian unit manned by rebel Tibetan forces  will trigger China and may lead it to make a desperate lunge for the strategic heights now dominated by India.

We got an early glimpse of what lies in store when on 7 September, PLA troops armed with assault rifles as well as medieval weapons attempted to close-in on one of Indias forward positions along the LAC. Dissuaded by Indian jawans, the PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air, a statement by the MEA read on an incident that has been described in Indian media as Chinas bid to dislodge Indian forces from strategic heights in Mukhpari peak and Rezang La areas in Ladakh.

Indias statement came a few hours after China first accused India of illegally crossing the LAC and outrageously (firing) warning shots on Chinese border patrol soldiers who were about to negotiate Colonel Zhang Shuili, spokesperson of PLAs Western Theater Command, called Indias actions a serious military provocation and very vile in nature that may easily cause misunderstandings and misjudgments.

Negotiations? Pixs of Chinese soldiers who had come armed with rifles, spears & machetes to dislodge Indian soldiers from Mukhpari height in eastern Ladakh pic.twitter.com/3rWyuDnDmL  Rajat Pandit (@rajatpTOI) September 8, 2020

The pictures of PLA troops carrying spears and machetes sit at odds with Chinese claims that they were negotiators. Amid the claims and counter-claims, however, lie the reality that bullets along the LAC have shattered a 45-year-old consensus. Late reports indicate India has managed to consolidate its defence on the south bank as well as the north bank of Pangong Tso.

Since then India has strengthened defences not just on South Bank of Pangong Tso but also on the North Bank. Indian troops now occupy highest points at Finger 4, stationing themselves above the Chinese presence on the lower heights of the ridge line.  Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) September 9, 2020

4 Aug 29 preemptive actions not just on Pangong south bank & Rechin/Rezang La, but further south along LAC too.

5 Escalation possible anywhere, esp. PTSO, Depsang

6 Expect Chinese psy-ops 'tsunami' including photos/videos of 'captives' from early May scuffle at Pangong.

/end  Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 9, 2020

The situation is primed for a rapid escalation. While India has consolidated its force posture and held its forward position, Chinas state-controlled media reported that PLA has mobilised massive amount of troops including artillery, armoured vehicles paratroopers, infantry and air defence personnel along the border while H-6 bombers and Y-20 large transport aircraft have been diverted from the Central Theater Command to be deployed to the plateau region.

Reuters adds that Indian and Chinese troops are just a few hundred meters apart at a forward position near the Rezang La mountain pass and the situation remains incredibly tense.

Though the force posture of both sides suggests military conflict, there are no real incentives for war. India certainly does not want a military conflict and neither does China, that is aware of Indias tactical and operational superiority at the border areas led by a robust conventional deterrent, reports The Hindu quoting from a report by the Harvard Universitys Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Beijing wants to force a change in Indias posture without crossing the threshold of war because a military conflict here will force China to divert its attention from the western Pacific that remains its primary theatre. However, China would certainly want India to internalise a lesson that as the bigger power, Beijing reserves the right to set the terms of engagement. It thought that consolidating its early gains it has put New Delhi on backfoot but Indias recent domination of heights at the southern bank has added an element of quid pro quo.

The danger lies in the fact that as the standoff gets prolonged, the tinderbox at Pangong Tso may get ignited by one stray miscalculation, leading to kinetic action and military conflict that may not remain localised. The approaching brutal winter has added a sense of urgency and a layer of complicacy to proceedings.

It is possible that a solution may still get hammered out through a face-saving formula as the two foreign ministers meet. The nature of that mutually acceptable face-saver is not clear and the crystal ball is rather hazy.
A terminally-ill father married his partner of 14 years so his daughters could be bridesmaids and his son a page boy before he died of brain cancer.

Pete and Jody Bromley, from Macclesfield, say they had always planned to get married but 'life got in the way'.

In June, Pete, 57, started feeling unwell, suffering from a low mood and headaches.

At first the couple thought it was depression brought on by lockdown, but when the courier's hands started to twitch and his coordination was off, they started to fear the worst.

Blood tests were initially inconclusive, but a scan in July confirmed he had an inoperable brain tumour.

On August 31, the couple tied the knot at a fairy tale wedding, before the father-of-three's condition could worsen.

After 14 years together, Pete and Jody Bromley tied the knot at a surprise ceremony in August - a month after the father-of-three was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer

Pete underwent a four-hour surgery to remove a malignant tumour in his front lobe. But a stage 4 glioblastoma in the centre of his brain was declared inoperable by doctors

They said their children Molly, 11, Ollie, eight, and one-year-old Paisley loved the big day.

Mrs Bromley, 36, said: 'From about the age of five, our eldest daughter would nag Pete saying "daddy when are you going to marry mummy?"'

'We've always wanted to get married but life just gets in the way.

'One year I thought 'do we get married or do we go on holiday?'

'We only had enough money to do one and I thought it's selfish to get married and spend all of that and one day when we could go away for two weeks with all of the children.

Jody, pictured with youngest daughter Paisley, said her and Pete wanted to get married 'as soon as possible,' after his diagnosis, 'before he deteriorated any more'

Pete and Jody say their children Molly, 11, Ollie, eight, and one-year-old Paisley loved the big day

'We started saving up again and then we had a little baby a year ago so it got put on the back burner.

'When Pete got ill both of us wanted to get married as soon as possible before he deteriorated any more.'

Friends and family in Macclesfield, Cheshire, helped the couple to exchange their vows by raising almost 5,000 for the surprise ceremony which they organised for the couple.

The pair first got engaged in 2017 after constant questions from their kids about whether they would ever get married.

But the loved up couple had always put getting married on the back-burner - until they received the devastating news in July this year.

The parents, who met while working in a pub together, finally exchanged their vows in front of around 30 guests on Bank Holiday Monday in August.

Concerns grew for Pete, pictured with his daughter Molly, after he got lost in Scotland for 13 hours while out on a fishing trip

Friends and family in Macclesfield, Cheshire, helped the couple to exchange their vows by raising almost 5,000 for the surprise ceremony which they organised for the couple

Pete and Jody met while working together at a pub and got engaged back in 2017 - but say 'life got in the way,' of planning their big day

Jody added: 'I never expected people to be so kind and to do this for us, but I couldn't have asked for anything better.

'It was the best day of all our lives and it meant the world to the children to finally get their wish to see their parents get married.'

Pete, who worked as a courier, started to feel different in June and claimed he felt really low and down, with Jody initially suspecting it could be to do with isolation from lockdown or the stress of their young baby.

But when Pete's hands started to twitch and his coordination was off, the NHS clinical support worker grew concerned that it was neurological and even suggested that it could be a brain tumour or stroke.

In July blood work tests were inconclusive, but when Pete fell out of bed the mum-of-three took him to A&E and demanded a brain scan which confirmed her worst fears.

Jody said: 'He kept saying he was really down and felt really low and he kept getting headaches but we just thought he had depression due to being isolated.

Pete, 57, watched Jody, 36, as she walked down the aisle to marry him at a surprise ceremony on August 31

Pete's oldest daughter Mollie (centre) used to ask her parents when they would be get married

'My brother offered to take him for a fishing trip with our son, which I thought was a great idea but he ended up getting lost in Scotland with our little boy for 13 hours.

'They had to phone the Scottish police and when they found him they were both safe but Pete had driven 200 miles away from where they were fishing.

'I thought he might have had some kind of breakdown but then I noticed that he started twitching with his hands and his coordination wasn't right.

'I started getting very upset and told Pete 'this isn't you' I wondered if he'd had a stroke and I even said to him 'what if you've got a brain tumour?'

'One night he fell out of bed and I decided to take him to A&E and insisted that we needed a head scan because I could tell it was neurological.

'The results came back and the doctor just said 'I'm really sorry, you are right, it's a brain tumour.'

'I asked him to be as honest as I could be with me, I said 'is Pete going to die' and he just said 'yes'.'

When Pete, pictured with baby daughter Paisley, started to feel low, him and Jody put it down to lockdown and dealing with a newborn

Thanking friends and family, Jody said the big day was the 'fairytale wedding we had always dreamed of'

Pete was transferred to Salford Royal specialist brain unit where he was diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma in the centre of his brain - an aggressive and inoperable brain tumour and another malignant tumour in his front lobe.

The devastated dad underwent a four hour surgery to remove the tumour from his frontal lobe, but medics could only offer radiotherapy and chemotherapy to slow the growth of the tumour in the centre of his brain.

After doctors suggested that he had just a matter of months left to live, the dad, who also has four other children from a previous relationship, insisted it was finally time to tie the knot with his true love.

Jody added: 'You never think that it's going to happen to you but when life throws you an awful curve-ball like this it puts everything into perspective.

'On his hospital bed I told Pete I wanted him to be able to dance like nobody was watching and that's exactly what we did.

'It really was the fairytale wedding we had always dreamed of, I can't thank all our friends, family and people that donated enough.'
Mark Llewellyn, Thomas Luc, and John Dorsey, who transitioned from co-workers to co-owners when they bought Bausum and Duckett in June 2011. When we purchased Bausum and Duckett we were well aware of its legacy and our responsibility to protect it. Having watched the constant expansion of both the services we offer and where we offer them, we also wanted to make sure that we kept growing smartly, said co-owner Mark Llewellyn.

Bausum and Duckett Electric LLC, one of the DMVs leading full-service electrical contractors, recently celebrated its 60th year in business, continued growth in the region and dedication to apprenticeship programs.

When we purchased Bausum and Duckett we were well aware of its legacy and our responsibility to protect it, said Mark Llewellyn, who bought the business with then-co-workers, now co-owners, Thomas Luc and John Dorsey in June 2011. Having watched the constant expansion of both the services we offer and where we offer them, we also wanted to make sure that we kept growing as smartly as possible.

In their nine years of ownership, Llewellyn, Luc, and Dorsey have accomplished this by continuing to lead the company that began as a small residential repair shop in Edgewater, Maryland, into a leader in delivering power solutions to large-scale residential and commercial contracting projects throughout the Maryland, Delaware, Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia region.

From D.C. to Delaware, a handful of the companys most recent high-visibility projects includes the 120,000-square-foot Canopy by Hilton and 145,000-square-foot Hyatt House hotels at The Wharf DC; the 555 Luxury Apartments and citizenM hotel in Southwest D.C.; and Ocean Citys newest hotel, the just-opened Cambria Hotel Ocean City  Bayfront. And while the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed its start, the company also looks forward to beginning work on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy and Health Professions in the near future.

To ensure that Bausum and Duckett has the ability to go after and complete such work, its owners have also built on and expanded a tradition of constantly investing in the development of its workforce.

We know that our employees are what has made and will continue to make our growth and success possible, said Llewellyn. We also know that the field is constantly developing, so we do all that we can to not only keep our employees as educated as possible but also help them grow with the company, just as we did.

Among these efforts, Bausum and Duckett has supported and recruited hundreds of apprentices through Association of Builders and Contractors and the Independent Electrical Contractors four-year apprenticeship programs; regularly participates in annual career fairs throughout Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Sussex County, as well as D.C.; and provides its employees with ongoing training and continuing education opportunities in the latest technologies, from Bluetooth- and voice-controlled electrical systems to electric charging station installation. It also supports a strong company culture by hosting annual holiday events, naming an Employee of the Month, and encouraging its staff to participate in its philanthropic support of groups such as Wounded Warriors and Faces of Valor.

We really do think of ourselves as a family, said Luc. Wed love to see the future owners come from within the company, just like us, to carry on that tradition for the next 60 years and beyond.


We are always looking for ways to give back, said Shawn Visconte, General Manager at Kia of Wesley Chapel. We are proud to stand with those who put themselves at risk to help our community.

Kia of Wesley Chapel, an affiliate of the Morgan Automotive Group, donated 117 face shields to medical workers on the front lines in the Wesley Chapel community.

We are always looking for ways to give back, said Shawn Visconte, General Manager at Kia of Wesley Chapel. We are proud to stand with those who put themselves at risk to help our community.

The donation of face shields was delivered to Advent Health Wesley Chapel on Friday, August 28th, 2020 and will aid in the hospitals ability to safely provide care to the more than 55,000 people living in the Wesley Chapel community.

If you are interested in donating or volunteering aid, please contact Kia of Wesley Chapel for more information at 813-322-6196.

ABOUT MORGAN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Morgan Auto Group is one of the largest, privately held automotive dealer groups in the nation, recently ranked in the top 50 by Automotive News. Through its 37 dealerships, the Tampa-based business offers 24 unique brands, from Honda to Lamborghini, with new, certified pre-owned, and quality used vehicles available for lease or purchase. These retail locations also sell car parts, service contracts, along with maintenance and repair services. The company's famous slogan, "When You Make It Morgan, We Make It Happen" is the basis for all customer service, branding, promotions, and other key operations at its 37 locations from Columbia, Missouri to Naples, Florida.


New Delhi: India's second-largest private sector lender ICICI Bank on Thursday introduced a programme for startups named iStartup2.0 that takes care of their banking as well as beyond-banking needs like regulatory assistance, analytics, staffing, accounting, customer acquisition and digital outreach to customers.

iStartup 2.0 offers a 360-degree holistic and most comprehensive proposition for startups with a combination of banking and beyond banking services across their life stages in a single place, ICICI said in a statement.

Check out the benefits iStartup2.0 offers

iStartup2.0, is a comprehensive programme, offers customers an eponymous Current Account which is available in three variants--Platinum, Gold and Silver-- the widest range by any Bank for start-ups.

New businesses (up to 10 years old) including partnerships, private and public limited companies as well as limited liability partnerships can opt for the Current Account.

Startups can seamlessly open an account and get the account number instantly at the time of incorporation as the Bank has integrated its APIs with the website of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).

It offers significant convenience to founders/entrepreneurs as it saves time and efforts since they dont have to fill details again to apply for an account. As further convenience, the Bank sends an official to startups at a time of their choice to verify the original documents for KYC.

Other benefits of this Current Account include availability of a dedicated Relationship Manager, premium savings account for promoters and salary accounts for employees and waiver of quarterly average balance for a year.

Additionally, startups can customise and choose the facilities required in their account and use the single account for both domestic and international trade transactions with preferential pricing, both industry first services.

The beyond-banking services are available under an umbrella, named Startup Assist that offers services, in association with partners, to help startups in their early stage as well as growth stage.

With Startup Assist, they get the convenience of single-point access to a host of services. It consists of a Set-up concierge, which gives them access to an array of experts at a discounted price to help the start up with complex services like company registration, taxation, compliance, logistics, facility management among others.

Additionally, for start-ups wanting to expand business digitally in the virtual world, a Digital concierge is available.

It offers a one-stop solution for services ranging from website development & hosting, social media marketing, SEO & SEM among others, thus making the digital transformation of a start simpler and easier.

The bank said that all of these services are available through a dedicated concierge helpline or via an app or an email. Further, the Bank has tied up with various other companies to bring in attractive offers on solutions for instance on Work-From-Home, IT hardware deals, web-hosting, accounting software, telecom packages, printing and stationery among others.
Stormont ministers could announce a tightening of coronavirus restrictions - including a reduction in the number of people gathering in households.

The Executive meets on Thursday afternoon for crucial talks to consider what measures to take after a 20-fold rise in case numbers.

It is understood particular concern has been expressed about parts of Belfast, and the impact of house parties as students return to university.

Health Minister Robin Swann warned "the summer is over" and he would be making recommendations for measures - localised or Northern Ireland-wide - to fellow ministers. Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said it was "inevitable" that local lockdowns will be imposed "very quickly", and hinted it could be based on postcode data.

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First Minister Arlene Foster said the Executive may have to take similar interventions like those imposed in Glasgow, where households are banned from visiting others indoors.

The DUP leader also said she does not want to reintroduce widespread lockdown measures.

Sources have indicated that the Executive is reluctant for a full shut down of businesses and restaurants again to prevent further economic harm.

It is more likely any restrictions will be in line with other parts of the UK.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has banned social gatherings of more than six people in England from Monday.

The Department of Health said on Wednesday that 607 people here have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last seven days - an average of 90 a day. At the beginning of July the daily average was around four.

Another 49 were confirmed, although no further deaths were reported.

In the Republic, three people with Covid-19 have died, while another 84 cases of the virus have been confirmed, the National Public Health Emergency Team said last night.

Addressing the latest Northern Ireland figures, Mr Swann said: "Our case numbers have been rising sharply, and... more people of older age are beginning to test positive.

"Infections will spread to medically vulnerable... Once again I am asking for everyone's help in stemming the spread. It may avoid the need to introduce more drastic actions down the line."

He added: "In common with other jurisdictions we have decisions to make on how we stem a disturbing increase in Covid cases. I believe concrete action is now necessary."

Stressing that Covid-19 "remains a life and death issue", he added "non-compliance" had been what has brought "us to where we are now".

Professor Ian Young, the chief scientific adviser, said the rise of positive cases is not completely down to increased numbers of tests, explaining there had been a 20-fold increase in the number of cases in recent times compared to just a five-fold rise in the number of tests.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said: "We are now at a crossroads, individually and collectively. As a society we have stark choices to make."

He added: "We face a long and uncertain autumn and winter."

Downplaying a suggestion that Northern Ireland may be entering a 'second wave', Dr McBride said the focus was on taking effective action now.

"We are clearly in a situation where things are consistently going in the wrong direction," he said. "We have the opportunity to bend that curve now."

Meanwhile, Mrs Foster said a rise in Covid-19 cases is connected to household transmission.

She revealed that she was keen to use data to ensure any localised lockdown measure could be implemented carefully,

Ms O'Neill added: "The fact that we have data that brings you right down to the postcode level shows that we are able to adapt in a smaller geographical area where we need to.

"I think it's inevitable that we will be moving very quickly to local lockdowns that's going to be required in order to protect people."
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called an all-party meeting on Friday to discuss ways to reach a consensus on calling off two assembly by-elections in Kuttanad and Chavara, scheduled in November. Earlier, many political parties had expressed reservations over the Election Commissions decision to conduct by-elections along with Bihar elections in November amid Covid-19 pandemic.

They say the newly-elected legislators will get only four-five months in office as assembly elections are due in April next year. They feel it is a sheer waste of time and money and polling will be very low due to Covid-19 restrictions. The Election Commission later made it clear that if there is a consensus, it can call off the by-elections.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has put forward a suggestion that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will be willing if the local body poll, which is also due in October-November, should be postponed by a couple of months. But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposed it. Later the government has decided to call an all-party meeting to arrive at a consensus.

There is a consensus on by-elections because only a few months will be left for the incumbents. We need to discuss the matter of the local body polls. Hope a consensus will emerge on both, said CM Vijayan. Both seats fell vacant after the death of sitting members - NCPs Thomas Chandy in Kuttanad in Alapuzha district and Vijayan Pillai (CMP) in Chavara, Kollam.

Also read: Serum Institute pauses Covishield vaccine trials in India

The government also feels that Covid-19 control measures will be affected once local body elections are announced. In the grassroots, local bodies play an important role in virus control management. Similarly, many health experts have warned that cases may peak in the state by the next month. State Health Minister KK Shailaja has also said that going by the present trend, the cases may peak in a couple of months.

It is a fact that we are easing restrictions one after another. All chances are there for cases to go up and the death rate to also see a spike. The present trend shows we have to foresee such eventuality and prepare for this, said the health minister. As on Wednesday, the state reported 95,860 total cases and more than half of them were reported in just one month. The number of recovered patients of Covid-19 in the state stands at 70,921 while the active cases are at 24,419. Kerala has reported 385 Covid-19 deaths so far.
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics called on the European Union to take an "efficient and united" stance on the situation in Belarus and the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean following his phone talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2020) Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics called on the European Union to take an "efficient and united" stance on the situation in Belarus and the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean following his phone talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides on Thursday.

"Had [a telephone] conversation with my Cypriot colleague @Christodulides, we discussed situation in #Belarus and in the Eastern Mediterranean, EU must have efficient and united position on both issues," Rinkevics said on Twitter.

Latvia was among the countries which have called for targeted EU economic sanctions against the Belarusian officials allegedly responsible for electoral fraud and violence against pro-opposition protesters following the August 9 presidential election.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, tensions have been brewing for many months around Turkey's exploration for gas in waters which Cyprus and Greece claim as their exclusive economic zones. The situation exacerbated last month, as Turkey intensified the drilling in the vicinity of the Greek border.

Greece has mobilized its armed forces and warned it would stand up for its sovereignty by all available means, including military. France and Italy sent a naval contingent to the Eastern Mediterranean. They launched joint drills with Greece and Cyprus as part of the so-called Quartet Cooperation Initiative.
KYIV, Ukraine - A prominent opposition activist who resisted her forcible expulsion from Belarus by ripping up her passport accused Belarusian authorities Thursday of threatening to kill her amid their efforts to end a month of protests against the countrys authoritarian president.

Maria Kolesnikova said in a formal complaint released by her lawyer that agents of Belarus state security committee put a bag on her head and drove her to the border with Ukraine before she fought her removal from Belarus and was jailed.

They threatened to kill me, Kolesnikova said. They stated that if I refuse to leave the territory of Belarus voluntarily, they will get me out of the country anyway - alive or in fragments.

She demanded that the nations Investigative Committee probe the KGB officers on charges of abduction, illegal detention and threats of killing.

Neither agency commented on Kolesnikovas statement.

Asked about Kolesnikovas statement, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Were frankly very concerned about reports of detentions, reported use of force as well as ... the pressures that have been put on the opposition, on civil society actors. Its very important that the people of Belarus be able to exercise their political and constitutional rights peacefully, in a democratic environment.

Opposition activists came under increasing pressure this week as Belarus marked a month since massive demonstrations broke out against President Alexander Lukashenkos reelection to a sixth term.

The opposition rejects the results of the countrys Aug. 9 election, and the protesters demanding Lukashenkos resignation represent an unprecedented challenge to the Belarusian leaders 26-year rule.

Kolesnikova is a leading member of the Coordination Council created by opposition activists to push for a new election. She was detained Monday and destroyed her passport in a no-mans land between Ukraine and Belarus the next day to prevent her expulsion.

Kolesnikova, who remains jailed in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, is accused of undermining national security as part of a criminal probe against senior members of the opposition Coordination Council. She faces up to five years in prison, if convicted.

All of the councils senior members except for Nobel Prize-winning writer Svetlana Alexievich have been jailed or forcibly expelled from the country. Unidentified people attempted Wednesday to enter Alexievichs apartment in Minsk. Diplomats from several European Union nations gathered there to prevent her detention and returned Thursday evening.

A statement from the European Unions office in Belarus said the diplomats admire the courage and persistence of Ms. Alexievich and all other members of Belarus Coordination Council and other citizen initiatives in voicing their demands for rule of law in Belarus, for the dignity of their people and for the sovereignty and independence of their country.

Speaking to prosecutors on Thursday, Lukashenko urged them to take tougher action to end ongoing protests.

You must not only give a legal assessment to the actions of their organizers and agitators, but mount a stronger, more powerful prosecutorial response, he said.

The 66-year-old former state farm director firmly shrugged off the opposition demands to step down. Lukashenko has rejected demands from the United States and the European Union to engage in a dialogue with the opposition. The U.S. and the EU have criticized last months presidential election in Belarus as neither free nor fair.

I want to say it in a manly way to avoid any misunderstanding, he said. They often lament that He wouldnt give up power. And they rightfully do so. People havent elected me for that. The power is given not to take it and then give it away. No one will dare to throw the government into the dirt.

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated on Thursday evening in Minsk, according to the human rigths group Viasna. There were no immediate reports of detentions.

Daily protests in Belarus have continued since election night despite police crackdowns and government threats. Several dozen employees of a huge potash factory in Soligorsk held a rally Thursday. One worker handcuffed himself in a mine, demanding Lukashenkos resignation.

Workers at the Belaruskali factory, which accounts for one-fifth of the worlds potash fertilizer output and is the nations top cash earner, launched a strike last month. Authorities quickly ended it and detained the actions organizer.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenkos main election challenger, on Thursday called for Soligorsk workers to again go on strike.

I know that you are under a lot of pressure, but now a lot depends on us all. Remember that strikes are one of the most effective ways of protest, she said from Lithuania, where she fled after the election.

Facing Western criticism, Lukashenko has sought to strengthen ties with his main ally and sponsor, Russia, trying to cast the protests against his rule as a plot by the West to weaken and isolate Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he stands ready to send police to Belarus if protests turn violent.

The neighbouring countries have a union agreement envisaging close political, economic and military ties. The Kremlin said that Lukashenko is expected to visit Moscow later this month for talks on strengthening the union.

On Thursday, the Lithuanian parliament adopted a resolution that underlined a refusal to recognize Lukashenko as Belarus legitimate leader. The resolution calls on the international community to treat any agreements he signs with Russia as a crime against his nation and a de facto annexation of Belarus.

___

Vladimir Isachenkov and Jim Heintz in Moscow, Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, contributed to this report.

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Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways will operate new air routes linking three Vietnamese localities with Con Dao, a popular tourist archipelago off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, later this month.

The three new routes connecting Con Dao Islands with Hanoi, northern Hai Phong City, and the north-central province-level city of Vinh will be opened on September 29, Bamboo Airways announced at a press meeting on Wednesday.

The new-generation Embraer E 195 jets, each able to carry 124 passengers, will be operated along these routes.

Two flights will be operated per day along the Hanoi-Con Dao route, while one flight will be operational on a daily basis along the Hai Phong-Con Dao and Vinh-Con Dao itineraries.

The flight frequency can be increased depending on the actual demand, the airline said.

In 2019, Con Dao welcomed nearly 400 thousand tourists, up 37 percent compared to 2018.

However, Con Dao Airport has a 1,830-meter-long runway that is only suitable for the ATR72 aircraft  capable of carrying only up to 70 passengers  and similar-capacity planes.

The Vietnam Air Service Company (VASCO), a subsidiary of national carrier Vietnam Airlines, is the only airline that currently operates flights to Con Dao.

The carrier offers flights along two routes, namely Ho Chi Minh City-Con Dao and Can Tho-Con Dao.

According to Nguyen Manh Quan, deputy director of Bamboo Airways, the new routes will connect Con Dao with more localities in Vietnam to help boost local tourism and attract more investment into the islands.

The Embraer E 195 jets will be compatible with the runway at Con Dao Airport, Quan continued, adding that the planes can reach a maximum speed of 871km per hour.

A trip from Hanoi to Con Dao will take approximately two hours and ten minutes, he said, adding that a one-way trip along this route will cost from VND1.6 million (US$70).

Bamboo Airways is also planning to open more routes that link Con Dao with Ho Chi Minh City, central provinces, and the Central Highlands in the future.

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Photo: The Canadian Press Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden arrives on his plane at New Castle Airport in New Castle, Del., Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, as he returns from Harrisburg, Pa. Joe Biden is in America's manufacturing heartland today to hammer home how he would keep blue-collar jobs and investment on U.S. soil. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Carolyn Kaster

Joe Biden ventured into America's hard-hit manufacturing heartland Wednesday, promising a suite of Buy American tax credits and penalties to fortify his blue-collar bona fides and pry working-class votes away from Donald Trump  measures sure to conjure sweaty palms in Canada.

During a visit to the Detroit suburb of Warren, Mich., the cradle of the U.S. auto industry and the buckle of the Rust Belt, Biden hammered away at his Republican rival's "America First" credentials in a battleground state the sitting president won by a scant 11,000 votes in 2016.

If elected, Biden said, he would impose stiff new tax penalties on companies that manufacture U.S.-bound products outside the country, create incentives for keeping jobs on U.S. soil and close what he called "Trump loopholes" that allow companies engaged in offshoring to avoid paying U.S. taxes.

He's also promising executive orders to more strictly enforce and "expand and tighten" Buy American provisions, make U.S. products more competitive, expand the list of "critical materials" that must be American-made and establish a "Made in America" office within the White House.

"We can revitalize our industrial base as the heart of the American middle class," Biden said, standing before a display of U.S.-built cars and trucks.

"I don't accept the defeatist view that the forces of automation and globalization mean we can't keep good-paying union jobs here in America and create more of them. I don't buy for one second that the vitality of American manufacturing is a thing of the past."

Canada is no stranger to Buy American heartburn.

As Barack Obama's vice-president, Biden presided over the implementation of the 2009 Recovery Act, an $800-billion stimulus package enacted in the midst of the Great Recession that restricted the use of foreign materials and international bids on U.S. infrastructure projects  rules from which it took Canada nearly a year to negotiate a waiver.

"It's not going to be any walk in the park," said Eric Miller, a Canada-U.S. expert and president of the D.C.-based Rideau Potomac Strategy Group. "Canada is going to have to have its elbows up and fight just as hard in the corners with a Biden administration."

After nearly four years of tumultuous Trump rule, it's not unreasonable for Canadians to assume a Democrat in the White House would be better for the cross-border relationship  and many do, a new poll suggests.

Two-thirds of the 1,529 Canadian respondents to the online poll, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, said Canada-U.S. ties would improve under Biden. A similar percentage  69 per cent  said relations will worsen if Trump is re-elected.

Given the political climate in the U.S., it's hardly surprising that the Democrats are using protectionist rhetoric to appeal to the same working-class voters who helped send Trump to Washington in the first place, Miller added.

"To some extent, there's going to be frictions and complexities regardless of who wins. It's just that the frictions and complexities under Trump will be different than the frictions and complexities under Biden."

The new "Made in America" office would have the power to review all Buy American waivers and establish a public record of any and all of them, Biden added, "to make sure we enforce Buy American and direct the full purchasing power of the federal government to fulfil its promise, starting by closing those waiver loopholes immediately."

There was significant economic anxiety and anger in 2009 in the U.S., which was in the throes of an economic meltdown at the time  American property values had plummeted and Washington was bailing out Wall Street, said Gary Doer, who was Canada's ambassador to the U.S. when the Recovery Act was introduced.

"There was a lot of pitchforks, metaphorically speaking," Doer recalled of the public mood  and both Congress and the White House were under pressure to ensure that the administration's big-ticket spending plans would primarily benefit Americans.

Eleven years later, in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, the "Buy American" battle cry may be more about politics than policy, Doer suggested: "It's a good bumper sticker."

Canada does have an advantage, he added: strong organized-labour ties between manufacturing unions and their members on either side of the Canada-U.S. border, a relationship that proved vital during the 2009 talks.

"It's not something (Biden) will acknowledge during a very tight campaign, but he has a very close relationship with the hardhats right now," Doer said.

"The private-sector unions have members on both sides of the border, they have the duty of representation for their members on both sides of the border, and they were the reason why we were the only country to get a waiver."

Canada's Chamber of Commerce will wait for the election dust to settle in the U.S. before drafting a strategy, said Mark Agnew, the chamber's senior director of international policy.

"I think a lot of the rhetoric that Joe Biden would employ as president would certainly be different, and I think there hopefully would be a more collaborative approach to working with Canada," Agnew said.

"But I don't think we should be under any illusion that Joe Biden is, you know, a neo-liberal economic president. There's still going to be a fairly hardline edge to it. The name 'Made in America' I think speaks for itself in many respects."
A senior official headed to London Thursday for an emergency meeting with officials over Britain's plan to break part of the divorce agreement.

Britain's decision to break law by overwriting part of the EU Withdrawal Agreement has alarmed European leaders and threatens to scuttle already-fragile UK-EU negotiations on trade and future relations.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic was due to meet Michael Gove, Britain's preparation minister, in a hastily arranged meeting.

The two men head a joint committee charged with sorting out post- rules for Northern Ireland, the only part of the U.K. to share a border with an EU member, Ireland.

Keeping that border free of customs posts and other obstacles is a key aim of the Withdrawal Agreement signed by the two sides less than a year ago. An open border underpins the peace agreement that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative British government announced this week that it plans to legislate to give itself the power to deviate from some of the provisions in the agreement about Northern Ireland trade. The announcement brought stern warnings from the EU.

The withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation and we expect that the letter and the spirit of the withdrawal agreement will be fully respected, Sefcovic said.

Many British politicians and lawyers also expressed alarm, saying that reneging on a legally binding commitment would trash Britain's reputation for upholding law and order.

If we can't be trusted to abide by our word on this matter, well then why would anyone trust us in the future? said Edward Garnier, a former British solicitor-general.

Britain left the political structures of the EU on Jan. 31 and will make an economic break when an 11-month transition period ends on December 31.

The two sides are trying to strike a new trade deal by then, but talks have bogged down over issues including fishing rights in waters and fair-competition rules for businesses.

The two sides' chief negotiators, David Frost and Michel Barnier, are due to end their latest round of negotiations on Thursday. Both sides say that unless there is an agreement by October, Britain is facing an economically disruptive no-deal exit on January 1.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
10.09.2020 LISTEN

Civil Society Organizations are calling on the Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Parliament of Ghana to undertake their respective responsibilities as mandated by law and convert extant leases and permits to valid timber utilization contracts to allow for the successful issuance of FLEGT license before the end of 2020.

According to the group, Ghanas credibility on the international timber market and in the eyes of the European Union, in particular, is at stake.

They explain that it may affect future commitments and declarations made by Ghana on such bilateral/multilateral commitments.

Mr. Obed Owusu-Addai of EcoCare Ghana who read the statement on behalf of the Civil Society said Ghanas failure to issue a FLEGT license this year could also raise further barriers for our already ailing timber industry.

Below is the full statement issued by Civil Society

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, 9th September 2020 Accra, Ghana.

POSITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ON CONVERSION OF EXTANT LEASES TOWARDS FLEGT LICENSE ISSUANCE

Civil Society notes that Ghana is on the brink of making history with the imminent issuance of FLEGT license and trading in legal timber on both the domestic and international market. It is also noted, however, that there has been a dip in the pace of implementation of certain critical final steps that will anchor home this honour for Ghana. One key final step that has stalled in the FLEGTVPA process in recent months is the conversion of extant leases and permits into valid timber utilization contracts which includes ratification by Parliament.

We note that, it has taken over a decade to reach where we are in the VPA process. As partners in the process, Civil Society is very proud of the milestones Ghana has achieved collectively. We are also very committed to support the Government of Ghana to complete the process in accordance with Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources timelines of issuing a FLEGT license before or by the end of 2020. In the light of this commitment, Civil Society has observed with a bit of worry the seemingly slow pace at which the conversion process is progressing because Ghanas ability to meet our commitments in the FLEGT-VPA is largely dependent on this very important process.

We recall that the report of the 2016 Joint Assessment observed that, only 4% of all existing timber contracts meet the VPA criteria for valid timber right. Majority of the remaining 96% are extant leases and permits that need to be converted to Timber Utilization Contracts (TUCs) ratified by Parliament before they become valid timber rights for harvesting and trading in legal timber. This problem has arisen because Forestry Commission and the Ministry failed to set in motion the processes to convert these extant leases and permits since 1998, when the Timber Resources Management Act, 1998 (ACT 547), which made these extant leases illegal, was passed.

We understand that the conversion process has begun, and a list of over one hundred contracts have been prepared and submitted to the Ministry for signature and onward submission to Parliament for ratification. We commend the recently sworn-in CEO of Forestry Commission for His leadership in the process so far. We understand it was under His directions that the Forestry Commission speedily prepared the individual Timber Utilization Contracts which are now locked up in political bureaucracy at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. It is very important and crucial that the conversion process is concluded and submitted to Parliament for ratification before Parliament rises this year to avoid possible repercussions that the failure to complete the conversion process might have on Ghanas reputation internationally. Ghanas credibility on the international timber market and in the eyes of the European Union in particular is at stake. This may affect future commitments and declarations made by Ghana on such bilateral/multilateral commitments. Ghanas failure to issue a FLEGT license this year could also raise further barriers for our already ailing timber industry.

Presently, due to the good standing and efforts Ghana has made in forest governance through the FLEGT-VPA process, companies exporting to the EU and other jurisdictions enjoy a bit of leeway in due diligence compliance. Issuing a FLEGT license will solidify the position of Ghanas timber industry as industry players will enjoy the green lane with respect to EU timber regulation due diligence requirements. This benefit can however not be realized if the extant leases and permits are not immediately converted to valid timber utilization contracts to pave way for FLEGT license to be issued.

Once again, Ghana has been presented with an opportunity to become a shining example to the rest of the world, to become only the second country in the world and the first in Africa to trade in FLEGT licensed timber. A successful issuance of FLEGT license will also greatly remedy our ailing timber industry and assist in redirecting much needed funds and staff time from being used in responding to due diligence requests and invest them in supporting the welfare of their workers in this COVID-19 era.

We call on the Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Parliament of Ghana to undertake their respective responsibilities as mandated by law and convert extant leases and permits to valid timber utilization contracts to allow for successful issuance of FLEGT license before the end of 2020.

Thank you.

For more information, contact: Obed Owusu-Addai, EcoCare Ghana

[email protected]

0240355320

Albert Katako, Forest Watch Ghana

[email protected]

0244642186

Story by:

Quainoo Reuben
A father with terminal cancer will be able to see his four children before he dies after Australians donated more than $210,000 for their hotel quarantine bill - and even Scott Morrison chipped in.

Mark Keans, from Brisbane, was diagnosed with inoperable brain and lung cancer in late July and the doctors believe he won't make it past Christmas.

The 39-year-old's children are in Sydney and it is his final wish to see them before he dies.

His family's desperation has prompted a wave of donations to a GoFundMe page set up to support their bid to get across the New South Wales-Queensland border.

More than $215,000 was raised by Friday morning, despite organisers setting a fundraising goal of just $30,000.

Daily Mail Australia understands that a $1,000 donation from a 'Scott Morrison' is from the prime minister himself.

Mark Keans - who has terminal cancer - is pictured with his children (L-R) Noah 13, Caitlyn 11, Caleb 11, and Isaac, 7. His family have been quoted $16,000 in quarantine fees to travel to Queensland to say goodbye to him

'Marks family, including his four young children are desperate to see him and say goodbye,' the page reads.

Daily Mail Australia understands that a $1,000 donation from a 'Scott Morrison' is the prime minister himself

The fundraiser explains it was created to help Mr Keans' family cover the cost of hotel quarantine, travel, treatment and the funeral.

'If you could please spare anything you can to help support this family in need,' the page reads.

'We also ask that you please speak up and express your upset at the cruel actions of the QLD government and QLD health authorities.

'Lets get these kids across the border and back into their father's arms before it's too late.'

Health authorities had earlier said only one of Mr Keans' four Sydney-based children - all of whom are under the age of 13 - could cross the border to see him one last time.

Mr Keans was diagnosed a month ago with an inoperable cancer and is not expected to live until Christmas. Earlier, his family were told only one of his children would be given permission to cross into Queensland to see him in his final moments

Queensland Health did not at first respond to multiple requests for an exemption from the truck driver's family, but have now told them they can drive into the state and pay for two weeks quarantine in a Brisbane hotel.

The state's standard quarantine fees are $4,620 for two adults and two children.

Costs will also include taxi transfer to visit the father at his home - where his family will be escorted by government staff and have to wear full personal protective equipment.

'My wife told the Queensland Health person 'this is ridiculous - its going to cost more to quarantine than it will to bury my son',' Mr Keans' father Bruce Langborne told Daily Mail Australia.

'At least they spoke to us but we didn't get anywhere - this is only a suggestion as well and nothing has been confirmed yet.'

Mr Langborne said his local member of parliament had been far more supportive of their situation - even offering to fly his son to New South Wales by air ambulance so he could be with his family.

'We understand and sympathise that this is a very difficult time and there are challenges,' a Queensland Health spokeswoman said.

'We are in the midst of a global pandemic and we need to protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable members of the community.

'We understand the health directions in place are strict, but they are designed to protect Queenslanders from COVID-19.'

More than $215,000 was raised by Friday morning, despite organisers setting a fundraising goal of just $30,000. Pictured: Mr Keans and his children

The fundraiser comes after Queensland health officials refused to allow Canberra woman Sarah Caisip, 26, out of hotel quarantine to attend her father's funeral in Brisbane.

Annastacia Palaszczuk's government would only allow the nursing graduate to see her father's body in private after Mr Morrison called the under-fire premier to ask her to make an exception in the young woman's case.

Taking to the floor of Queensland's state parliament later in the day, Ms Palaszczuk then sensationally accused Mr Morrison of bullying and intimidating her.

Mr Morrison said late on Thursday evening he had raised more than 40 different compassionate grounds exemptions with the Queensland government.

One case highlighted by federal authorities involved a mother and father who failed to get an application to enter Queensland resolved in time to be with their son before his life support machine was switched off after a series of strokes.

Sarah Caisip is pictured with her father Bernard Prendergast, 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and mother Myrna Prendergast. The 26-year-old was denied a quarantine exemption from the Queensland government to attend her father's funeral in Brisbane on Thursday

Jayne Brown, 60, spent two weeks confined to a tiny hotel room in Brisbane following the surgery by renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo - who removed two large tumours on her brain.

The grandmother-of-seven requested an exemption from hotel quarantine to self-isolate at home on the Sunshine Coast, but was rejected twice.

She blasted the Queensland premier, who allowed 400 AFL players and officials from coronavirus-riddled Victoria to enter the state last Tuesday night.

'I don't understand it, mind-blowing,' Ms Brown told Nine News last week.

Meanwhile, a young mother with a newborn baby has been left in limbo over when she will next be reunited with her mine worker husband due to Queensland's strict border restrictions.
A picture of a children's book cover has gone viral after amused shoppers found the main character bears a striking resemblance to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

The book titled 'Inspector Bubblewrapper's Dos and Don'ts' features a stern-looking middle-aged man in a black suit and glasses carrying what appears to be a clipboard full of rules.

'This bloke setting a list of things we can and can't do looks a little familiar, no?' the caption to the picture posted to Reddit on Wednesday said.

A picture of a children's book cover has gone viral after amused shoppers found the main character bears a striking resemblance to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews

Daniel Andrews has seen increasing backlash over strict Stage 4 coronavirus restrictions which includes and 8pm to 5am curfew for those in Melbourne

'Hey that's Daniel Andrews,' agreed one Reddit user.

'Oh that's too good,' another amused reader said.

'The red straps are covering up the North Face logo,' added a third, referring to a jacket the premier wore during a number of press conferences.

The book is one of a series launched as part of Coles supermarkets' Little Treehouse marketing campaign which kicked off on July 29.

The children's books replace the plastic mini-collectables from 2019 and are written by Australian children's author Andy Griffiths and illustrated by Terry Denton.

The similarity of Inspector Bubblewrapper to the Victorian Premier is so striking Mr Griffiths even took to Twitter earlier in September with an explanation.

'Well, any resemblance is purely coincidental but if the safety helmet fits... (our thanks to Daniel Andrews and gratitude for his extraordinary and tireless efforts during this extraordinary time),' Mr Griffiths wrote.

One Reddit user referenced a jacket Daniel Andrews wore at a number of press conferences

Best-selling Australian author Andy Griffiths with the new collection of Little Treehouse books

Daniel Andrews has seen increasing backlash over strict Stage Four coronavirus lockdowns in Melbourne which include forcing businesses to close and an 8pm to 5am curfew for residents.

Hoards of police have been deployed throughout the city to enforce the restrictions, fining those who are out of their house without a valid reason or who are not wearing face masks.

Tensions erupted on Saturday with hundreds of Melbourne residents taking to the CBD and clashing with policex, some on horseback, in anti-lockdown rallies in the so-called 'Freedom Day' event.

Those in regional Victoria have also questioned the Stage Three restrictions placed on them despite very low COVID-19 case numbers outside of the capital city.

One man is seen caught in a scuffle with a Victorian police officer during the protest (pictured on Saturday) with wild scenes caught on camera

One woman with a top reading: 'Freedom' was seen being dragged away by two police officers and she desperately tried to fight them off

Coles shoppers receive one of the Little Treehouse book titles for every $30 spent at the store with 'rare' and 'super-rare' versions of some books able to be found.

Financial commentators have questioned why the marketing campaign was even needed in 2020 with the supermarket experiencing an uptick in sales attributed to panic-buying during the COVID pandemic.

The Little Treehouse items are quite popular for some collectors with a full set of the 24 books including the display folder going for sale online for nearly $60.

The 'rare' version of 'Inspector Bubblewrapper's Dos and Dont's' is going for a tidy $16 online.

There are also 'super-rare' golden Treehouse books of which there are only 100 available.

Coles' chief marketing officer, Lisa Ronson, said the new campaign was a way to help entertain children and improve their reading skills.

'Our research found that while 83% of Australian households frequently encourage children to read, only 22% frequently purchased books for kids to read,' Ms Ronson said.

Spot the difference: Many users said 'Inspector Bubblewrap' resembled Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews
Producing a plutonium pit, the core or trigger in a modern nuclear weapon, could cost approximately $6 million, according to a nonpartisan analysis published this week.

The Congressional Budget Office came to the multimillion-dollar conclusion after reviewing U.S. Department of Energy information concerning pit production plants, including the proposed Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility, a rework of the failed Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility project at the Savannah River Site.

The independent office, which studies issues of money in support of Congress' budget process, in a separate report early last year delicately estimated the buildout of U.S. pit production capabilities, in general, would cost $9 billion over the next decade.

National Nuclear Security Administration chief Lisa Gordon-Hagerty in an interview with the Aiken Standard last summer described such costs as "investments in our future"  security and posture on the world stage.

"And I think most Americans would say that it's an important investment in our future," Gordon-Hagerty said at the time, "because we are maintaining the U.S. nuclear deterrent."

Federal law mandates the production of 80 plutonium pits per year by 2030, a means the U.S. currently lacks. To meet the mark, the National Nuclear Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Defense in May 2018 recommended a two-pronged, cross-country approach: Make 50 pits per year in South Carolina, at a repurposed Savannah River Site complex, and make the remainder, 30 per year, at a reinforced Los Alamos National Laboratory, a plutonium center of excellence near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

"The two sites are just critical for the efficacy of this program," U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., said during an Aug. 17 interview at his Aiken County office.

Both installations, though, could craft 80 pits per year if needed, according to a pair of environmental assessments handled by the NNSA, the Energy Department's weapons-and-nonproliferation arm.

The reported marginal cost of producing pits  a figure tucked into a broader Congressional Budget Office evaluation of New START Treaty expiration  provides some new perspective on pit production spending and the vast sums of money that flow into economic engines like the Savannah River Site.

Recapitalizing the MOX project, a multibillion-dollar odyssey itself, for a plutonium pit production mission would cost billions, documents show. The National Nuclear Security Administration previously provided Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the lead contractor at SRS, $40 million to support the mothballing of the never-completed facility.

The Congressional Budget Office in its Tuesday report noted the Energy Department is in the planning stages of "a new plutonium pit facility, but completion would be years away." Blowing past the 2030 deadline would mean higher costs and a greater demand for the weapon cores, according to the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, a Pentagon policy document.
PHOENIX, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CopperPoint Insurance Companies, a western-based super regional commercial insurance company, announced it has been named one of Arizonas Most Admired Companies for 2020 by AZ Business magazine and BestCompaniesAZ.



CopperPoint is one of 45 companies selected for this honor in recognition of excellence in workplace culture, leadership excellence, corporate and social responsibility, customer opinion and innovation. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, the company has 750 employees across its core 10 state western footprint and more than 350 Arizona-based employees.

CopperPoint is proud to be honored along with this distinguished list of innovative and impactful companies, said Marc Schmittlein, President and CEO, CopperPoint Insurance Companies. As we continue to expand across the western United States, we remain committed to making an impact locally through our leadership in business and in the communities where we live and work. This award recognizes the value of our employees to the companys success. I thank them for their dedication and responsive service to our valued business partners and customers, especially during these unprecedented times.

Most Admired Companies is the most comprehensive and prestigious annual corporate awards program in Arizona, said Denise Gredler, founder and CEO of BestCompaniesAZ , who co-founded the Most Admired Companies program with the team from AZ Business magazine. To win, a business must demonstrate excellence in its leadership, corporate culture, vision, innovation, customer relations, and community engagement through corporate social responsibility programs.

Honorees were chosen by a selection committee comprised of AZ Business magazines editorial board, BestCompaniesAZs leadership team, and professionals from a wide range of industries rated and selected the most accomplished and prestigious companies in Arizona. The 11th Annual Most Admired Companies Awards will be presented in a virtual format on October 15, 2020.

About CopperPoint Insurance Companies

Founded in 1925, CopperPoint Insurance Companies, www.copperpoint.com , is a western-based super regional commercial insurance company and a leading provider of workers compensation and commercial insurance solutions. With an expanded line of insurance products and a growing 10 state footprint in the western United States, CopperPoint is in a strong position to meet the evolving needs of our brokers, agents and customers. It has $4.8 billion in total assets and an enterprise surplus of over $1.4 billion.

CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Holding Company is the corporate parent of CopperPoint Insurance Companies, Pacific Compensation Insurance Company and Alaska National Insurance Company. All companies are rated A (Excellent) by AM Best.
The Chinese government and press revealed yesterday that four journalists employed by the countrys state media outlets were subjected to police raids and interrogation by Australian intelligence agencies in late June.

They also exposed the fact that two Chinese nationals, who are well-known academics, had their visas cancelled at the recommendation of the Australian Intelligence and Security Organisation (ASIO), the domestic spy agency, and that several journalists left the country after ASIO interrogations.

Taken together, the revelations underscore a dramatic deterioration of relations between Australia and China. This has taken place in the context of the Australian political and media establishments fulsome support for a major escalation of US diplomatic, economic and military provocations against Beijing this year.

The Trump administration has intensified the anti-China campaign initiated under Democratic Party President Barack Obama, aimed at ensuring US hegemony in the Asia-Pacific. Its Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made bellicose statements, indicating that the US position on China amounts to regime-change, and has encouraged further moves against supposed Chinese influence abroad, including in Australia.

The ASIO raids have underscored the anti-democratic and repressive character of Australias foreign interference laws, passed in 2018 by the Liberal-National government and the Labor Party and hailed by the Trump administration as a model to be emulated internationally. The legislation, particularly directed against China, creates the conditions for criminal prosecutions of individuals and groups connected to any foreign principal.

It was introduced amid a frenzied campaign from the political and media establishment, along with the US-connected intelligence agencies, alleging without any evidence pervasive Chinese interference in Australian politics, and virtually every aspect of society.

The raids on the Chinese nationals were only made public by Chinese media, in response to reports this week that two Australian journalists hastily departed Beijing on the advice of the Australian government.

Media reports, and a government statement, initially suggested that the Australian Broadcasting Corporations Bill Birtles and the Australian Financial Reviews Mike Smith had been in imminent danger of detention and even prosecution by Chinese authorities.

Comments by Birtles since he arrived back in Australia have painted a more complicated picture. He wrote that last week he had been told by the Australian embassy that he should leave China post haste. At the time, Birtles didnt want to leave. I felt safe and things seemed normal.

It was only on Wednesday night last week, hours before Birtles was to leave China that police officers knocked on his door and requested an interview. The next morning, he went to the Australian embassy, at his own initiative, to seek advice. Only then did Australian officials instruct him not to leave the embassy grounds. Smith also stayed in the building for several days. According to the reports, the only condition placed on the two journalists by China was that they consent to an interview before leaving the country.

From Birtles statements, a murky picture emerges, with a distinct hint that what could have been a relatively minor, but unpleasant matter for the journalists involved, was deliberately transformed into a major international incident by the Australian authorities. When Birtles and Smith left China this week, they had not been detained or arrested by the police at any point. Birtles wrote that he had become a pawn in a much bigger diplomatic stoush.

Birtles and Smith were reportedly questioned by Chinese police about Cheng Lei, a news anchor for Chinese state medias CGTN network. She was detained in mid-August, in an investigation into unspecified criminal activities endangering Chinas national security. Cheng is an Australian citizen. For whatever reason, though, the response to her imprisonment by the Australian government and corporate press has been decidedly muted.

The reports by Chinese state media yesterday, revealing the raids against some of their representatives in Australia, were clearly aimed at pointing to the hypocrisy of the Australian government and media statements of outrage over the questioning of Birtles and Smith.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian provided details of the Australian police operations. The four Chinese journalists had been raided on June 26. Their laptops had been seized and even childrens tablets and electronic toys for their kids. They were employed by Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group and China News Service.

Zhao added: As we understand, the Australian side hasnt provided any reasonable explanation so far for searching and hasnt returned all the seized items to our journalists. He demanded that the Australian government end such blatant irrational behaviours, stop harassing and oppressing Chinese personnel in Australia under whatever pretext.

The June 26 police action took place the same day as ASIO agents and federal police officers raided the Sydney home and office of Shaoquett Moselmane, a little-known Labor Party backbencher in the upper house of the New South Wales state parliament. Details of the raid were leaked to the press, who duly camped outside Moselmanes house before it occurred and then wrote lurid articles presenting him as a patsy, or worse, of the Chinese Communist Party.

Moselmane, who was immediately suspended from the party by Labors leadership and forced to seek indefinite leave from parliament, later spoke out against the witch-hunt he was subjected to. He revealed what the media must have known, but concealed, at the timethat he was not the target of a foreign interference investigation.

Instead, it was his part-time parliamentary staffer John Zhang who was in the crosshairs.

Aside from the fact that Zhang is Chinese, and has been involved in Chinese community organisations, the publicly-released case against him, at least as presented in the media, appears to hinge on the fact that Moselmane has made favourable comments about Chinas handling of the coronavirus pandemic and has warned of the US campaign against Beijing while Zhang has worked in his office.

Zhang has initiated a Supreme Court challenge to the allegation that he engaged in reckless foreign interference and that he acted on behalf of, or in collaboration with the Chinese state and party apparatus.

At least part of the case against Zhang is based on his and Moselmanes participation in a private chat group. According to a report in the Australian, some of the Chinese journalists who were raided were also reportedly in the chat group.

In an apparently related development, Chinese scholar and media commentator Chen Hong and Australian studies scholar Li Jianjun, recently had their visas cancelled at ASIOs recommendation and were denied re-entry to Australia. The Australia bureau chief of China News Service, Tao Shelan, and China Radio Internationals Sydney bureau chief, Li Dayong left Australia after ASIO questioning. Two others reportedly departed in similar circumstances.

The academics appear unlikely agents of Chinese interference. Li Jianjun had received grants from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to undertake a Ph.D at Western Sydney University in Australian literature. Chen Hong has been visiting Australia for decades and has met with multiple prime ministers. In 1994, for instance, former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke asked Hong to serve as his translator in China. In other words, he is well known to Australias political and media establishment.

Chen told the Australian that he received a notification from Australias Home Affairs department early last month, informing him that his visa had been cancelled because ASIO had assessed you to be directly or indirectly a risk to security. There was no elaboration or evidence and Chen strongly rejected the imputations.

The only evidence against Chen appears to be that he has criticised the US-Australian anti-China campaign and was a member of the private chat group with Zhang and Moselmane. Li was also reportedly a participant.

A chilling portrait emerges, of academics and journalists being targeted by intelligence operatives, solely because of their political views and their connections to Chinese academic institutions. Chen said that the chat group had been used to arrange dinner parties and other social gatherings.

Of the journalists who were raided, the Australian, clearly basing itself on material from official sources, stated: It is understood the four journalists were not spies inserted into Australia, posing as reporters, but journalists who had become engaged in espionage or foreign interference.

Put into plain English, they were not spies. But they were treated as though they were, likely because they had made statements challenging the war drive against China, and were thus considered fair game in the foreign interference witch hunt.

The revelations are a warning that the Australian ruling elite has placed the population on the frontlines of an aggressive US confrontation with China that could rapidly spiral out of control and lead to war. The world wars of the last century were preceded by the same sort of diplomatic incidents, murky allegations and escalating retaliations between states that are being witnessed now.

They also demonstrate that the drive to military conflict is incompatible with democratic norms, and is being accompanied by attacks on democratic rights that will increasingly target, not only Chinese academics and journalists, but domestic social and political opposition.
Ukraine and the Czech Republic are planning to hold a meeting of the joint commission on economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation until the end of the current year.

This issue was discussed during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Ukraine Radek Matula, the Government portal reports.

The parties have agreed that the priority is the implementation of projects in infrastructure, energy, transport and economy spheres, reads the report.

Olha Stefanishyna noted that Ukraine and the Czech Republic in 2019 reached a record level of trade turnover in the history of bilateral relations. Last year, trade in goods and services increased by 9.3%, up to $ 2,238.2 million. According to her, it is a good foundation for further growth, which is especially important in view of influence of the coronavirus crisis on the economy.

She also backed the initiative of the Czech side to add a regional dimension to the activities of the intergovernmental commission to intensify the cooperation of the Czech Republic with Ukrainian regions.

In turn, the Ambassador noted that the Czech Republic seeks to expand economic cooperation and increase the number of companies operating in Ukraine.

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Congress chief Sonia Gandhi appointed Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as the new president of the West Bengal Congress, the party said.

Chowdhury is also the leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha.

His appointment was necessitated after the demise of former West Bengal Congress Committee chief Somen Mitra.

"The Congress president has appointed Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as the president of West Bengal Congress Committee with immediate effect," an official communication said late on Wednesday night.

"At this juncture, the party also remembers the services of Late Shri Somen Mitra, a veteran Congressman whose untimely demise has left a void amongst all Congress workers. He will always be remembered for his dedication to the cause," the AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said in the statement.

The appointment comes ahead of next year's assembly elections in West Bengal. Chowdhury is considered a strong critic of Chief Minister and TMC president Mamata Banerjee.

His appointment also triggered speculation on whether he would continue to hold the post of the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, going by the party's principle of giving one post to one person.
Charleston is the first city in the American South to sue fossil fuel firms in an effort to get climate change funds.

Charleston is now the first city in the American South to sue major oil companies in an attempt to hold them accountable for the daunting costs of climate change, city officials announced Wednesday.

The 24 defendants in the citys lawsuit in state court include multinational corporations BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell, as well as regional companies. The suit alleges these companies lied to the public by concealing the threats fossil fuels pose to the planet.

Charleston joins several other United States municipalities in efforts to extract money from the fossil fuel companies to pay for adaptation measures, though some have faced an uphill battle from sceptical judges in recent years.

As this lawsuit shows, these companies have known for more than 50 years that their products were going to cause the worst flooding the world has seen since Noah built the Ark, Mayor John Tecklenburg said in a statement Wednesday.

And instead of warning us, they covered up the truth and turned our flooding problems into their profits, Tecklenburg said. That was wrong, and this lawsuit is all about holding them accountable for that multi-decade campaign of deception.

In response to the suit, ExxonMobil spokesperson Casey Norton said the citys claims were baseless and without merit: Legal proceedings like this waste millions of dollars of taxpayer money and do nothing to advance meaningful actions that reduce the risks of climate change.

Charleston sits on a peninsula at the confluence of three rivers, some of it built on filled-in marshes and creeks. The low-lying South Carolina city has seen more frequent-flood events over time, from about four days a year 50 years ago to nearly 89 days a year as of 2019, the suit states.

In addition to flooding and erosion along the citys coast, residents will also see more frequent and more severe extreme events including hurricanes, drought and heatwaves as a result of the oil companies actions, the suit notes.

At a news conference Wednesday, standing in front of employees working to elevate an ageing seawall, Tecklenberg projected the city could need hundreds of millions, or billions of dollars to address these environmental changes.

The lawsuit comes days ahead of the third anniversary in Charleston of Hurricane Irma, which caused the third-highest recorded tidal surge in the city at nearly three metres (10 feet).
A man was fatally shot during an interaction with the OPP in Collingwood, according to Ontarios police watchdog.

The Special Investigations Unit said it was investigating Wednesdays shooting. Shortly after noon, Ontario Provincial Police were called as a man was reported to be barricaded. Officers were setting up a perimeter when the man exited the residence while in possession of a firearm, according to the SIUs news release Wednesday evening, citing preliminary information.

There was an interaction between officers and the man, with one officer deploying his conducted energy weapon. When this proved to be ineffective, the same officer discharged his firearm at the man, the release said.

The 29-year-old was shot and later pronounced dead at the hospital. The SIU said one subject officer and 10 witness officers have been designated.

Its appealing to the public for information, at 1-800-787-8529.

The SIU investigates all incidents involving police in which someone is killed, injured or accused of sexual assault.

With files from The Canadian Press

Correction  Sept. 10, 2020: This story was edited to note the incident happened in Collingwood.

Zena Salem is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: zsalem@thestar.ca

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Top legal experts say NSW Nationals MPs, including Deputy Premier John Barilaro, should resign immediately as ministers after vowing not to support government bills until their demands over state planning policy are met.

Mr Barilaro blindsided Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday by announcing National Party MPs would sit on the crossbench amid a row over a policy designed to protect koala habitat.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro are at loggerheads over policy to protect koalas. Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald

The Nationals believe the policy places unfair restrictions on the way landowners can manage their properties and have pushed their Coalition partners for changes.

Mr Barilaro said the Nationals had vowed not to attend the Coalition joint party room or leadership meetings nor to vote on government bills amid the stand-off. But he said the party's seven ministers would still attend cabinet.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 10) heard a batch of pleas on the issue of charging of "penal' interest on deferred EMI payments by banks under the moratorium scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic.



A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, has deferred the hearing of the petitions till September 28, during which it has asked the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to come with a concrete decision. Meanwhile, apex court's order asking banks not to declare accounts as non-performing assets (NPAs) for two months will continue. In the last hearing, the SC had ordered banks to refrain from declaring loan accounts that were not NPAs prior to August 31 as NPAs.

On March 27 the had RBI permitted all commercial banks (including regional rural banks, small finance banks and local area banks), co-operative banks, all-India Financial Institutions, and NBFCs (including housing finance companies and micro-finance institutions) (referred to hereafter as lending institutions) to allow a moratorium of three months on payment of instalments in respect of all term loans outstanding as on March 1, 2020.

In May, the RBI announced extension of loan moratorium by 3 more months to August 31.

Petitioner Gajendra Sharma has sought a direction to declare portion of the RBI`s March 27 notification as ultra vires to the extent it charged interest on the loan amount during the moratorium period.
West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has declared its readiness to conduct this years Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), taking into consideration all the security measures and COVID-19 safety protocols.



All the question papers have been produced under tight security, under the surveillance of the Ghana Police Service and WAEC security, the Head of the National Office of WAEC, Mrs. Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey, said at a press conference yesterday, ahead of the examination, which starts from Monday, September 14 to Friday, September 18, 2020.



A total of 531,705 candidates, made up of 269,419 males and 262,286 females, are expected to write the BECE.



The candidates are from 17,440 schools and they will write the examination at 2,007 centres throughout the country.



Team work



Mrs. Addy-Lamptey appealed for support from stakeholders and the public to assist the council in its effort at safeguarding the integrity of its examinations.



She noted that the conduct of examinations was a shared responsibility, adding: For instance, we rely on third parties and other individuals to provide services such as supervision, invigilation, and security. Any activity engaged in by such individuals which goes contrary to the tenets of the examinations will undermine the integrity of the examinations and the certificates issued, she explained.



Worst form of fraud



She described examination malpractice as the worst form of fraud perpetrated, as it had negative effects on the development of the youth and the country.





It has huge implications for our future leaders, as well as the development of our country, she said.



She reminded candidates and the examination officials that mobile phones were not allowed at the examination centres, and that anyone found with a mobile phone would be appropriately sanctioned.



While wishing all the candidates success in the examination, Mrs. Addy-Lamptey encouraged them to focus on their books and advised them not to be led astray by fake content on social media.



She gave them an assurance that all of them could certainly pass their examination without cheating.



COVID-19 protocols



The BECE will be administered under what has become known as the new normal. As such, we urge all candidates and examination officials to comply with all the health and safety protocols, including the washing of hands, wearing of nose masks, and maintaining physical distance.



We also wish to remind all examination officials, especially our supervisors and invigilators, to be guided by the rules of the examination, she directed.



She acknowledged the immense support that WAEC continuously received from the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Police Service, and all other security agencies.



Examination malpractice



Touching on the just-ended West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Mrs. Addy-Lamptey expressed concern over the prevalence of examination malpractice by both candidates and some invigilators during the examination.



She displayed on a projected screen how some of the candidates and examination officials had engaged in examination malpractice.



She explained that some invigilators had sent mobile phones to the examination halls and used the devices to assist candidates by dictating answers stored on the phones to the candidates.



Some proprietors of schools and invigilators were complicit in these unfortunate acts, she said and hinted that the council had reported the teachers involved to the GES for administrative sanctions to be taken against them.



Steps taken



She said WAEC was compiling all the cases of malpractice which were recorded during the examination and gave an assurance that the cases would be put together with others which might be detected in the scripts of candidates during marking.



She explained that the list would be presented to the Ghana Examinations Committee, made up of representatives of CHASS, GNAT, the universities, and other stakeholders, and has the Director-General of the GES as Chairman.



The committee will give approval for the necessary sanctions to be taken against the candidates. WAEC is thus not a judge in its own court, Mrs. Addy-Lamptey explained to journalists.



Provisional examiners



Touching on the incident of a provisional examiners list finding its way onto social media, she expressed concern and added that initial investigations had given out some leads which we are keenly following.



The incident has raised a number of concerns about the credibility of the marking process. We wish to allay all fears by emphasising once again that the various time-tested quality assurance mechanisms put in place by the council in relation to the marking process will be employed to ensure fairness to all candidates, she said.





Source: graphiconline.com









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Featured Video
By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan State Art Gallery invites you to join a virtual photo-poster exhibition on September 15.

Supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Defense Ministry, the project aims to promote the country's military power.

The exhibition will include photographs of artillery weapons, ammunition, military exercises and parades from the relevant archives of the Defense Ministry, posters made by artist Zaur Kantemirov, who is currently working at the State Art Gallery.

The virtual exhibition will be available on the gallery's social networks.

Founded in 1975, Azerbaijan State Art Gallery displays more than 14,000 paintings, graphics, sculptures, decorative and applied arts and contemporary art examples.

The main activities of the gallery include preservation and restoration of Azerbaijan's cultural heritage, researches on the current situation and prospects of the fine arts and decorative-applied arts and much more.

The majority of exhibitions in Azerbaijan and abroad are mainly composed of the works stored in the gallery.

The State Art Gallery regularly successfully holds various art projects, lectures and other events.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
DNX Ventures, an investment firm that focuses on early-stage B2B startups in Japan and the United States, announced today that it has closed a new $315 million fund. This is DNXs third flagship fund; along with supplementary annexed funds, this brings its total managed so far to $567 million.

Founded in 2011, with offices in San Mateo, California and Tokyo, Japan, DNX has invested in more than 100 startups to date, and has 13 exits under its belt. The firm, a member of the Draper Venture Network, focuses on cloud and enterprise software, cybersecurity, edge computing, sales and marketing automation, finance and retail. The companies it invests in are usually raising "seed plus" or Series A funding and DNXs typical check size ranges from $1 million to $5 million, depending on the startups stage, managing director Q Motiwala told TechCrunch.

DNX isnt disclosing the names of its third funds limited partners, but Motiwala said it includes more than 30 LPs, including financial institutions, banks and large conglomerates. DNX began working on the fund last year, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Motiwala says DNX is optimistic about the outlook for B2B startups, because past macroeconomic crises, including the 2008 global financial crisis and the 2001 dot-com burst, showed founders continue innovating as they figure out how to make their businesses more efficient while building urgently needed solutions.

For example, DNX has always focused on sectors like cloud computing, cybersecurity, edge computing and robotics, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made those technologies even more relevant. For example, the massive upsurge in remote work means that companies need to adapt their tech infrastructure, while robots like the ones developed by Diligent Robotics, a DNX portfolio company, can help hospitals cope with nursing shortages.

"Our overall theme has always been the digitization of traditional industries like construction, transportation or healthcare, and weve always been interested in how to make the reach to the customer much better, so sales and marketing automation, for example," said Motiwala. "Then the last piece of this is, how do you make society or businesses function better through automation, and those might take things like robotics and other technology."

Story continues

The differences and similarities between U.S. and Japanese B2B startups

A graphic featuring DNX Ventures' team members

A graphic featuring DNX Ventures' team members (Image Credits: DNX Ventures)

One of the reasons DNX was founded nine years ago was because "Japan has very strong spending on enterprise," Motiwala said. The firm launched with offices in the U.S. and Japan and has continued to focus on B2B while growing the size of its funds. The firms debut fund was $40 million and its second one, announced in 2016, was more than $170 million. Motiwala said the $315 million DNX raised for its third fund was more than the firm expected.

U.S. B2B startups tend to think about global expansion at an earlier stage than their Japanese counterparts, but that has started to change, he said, and many Japanese B2B companies launch with an eye on expanding into different countries. Instead of the U.S. or Europe, however, they tend to focus on Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, or Taiwan. Another difference is that U.S. startups make heavier initial investments in their technology or IP, while in Japan, companies focus on getting to revenue and breaking even earlier. Motiwala said this might be because the Japanese venture capital ecosystem is smaller than in the U.S., but that attitude is also changing.

Examples of DNX portfolio companies that have successfully entered new countries include Cylance, a U.S. company that develops antivirus software using machine learning and predictive math modeling to protect devices from malware. DNX helped Cylance establish operations in Europe and Japan. On the Japan side, software testing company Shift, an investment from DNXs first fund, has done "phenomenally well" in Southeast Asia, Motiwala said.

In terms of going global, DNX doesnt push its portfolio companies, but encourages them to expand when the timing is right, especially if a U.S. startup wants to enter Japan, or vice versa. "We like to use the fact that we have teams in both regions. What weve seen more is the U.S. companies entering channel partnerships for Japanese distribution," Motiwala said. "It has been more difficult to show the same thing to Japanese companies, but at the same time what weve realized is that instead of saying they should come into the U.S., theyve done amazing stuff going into the Philippines or Singapore."
That timeline, framed around Election Day, has been widely challenged by the administrations top health officials, who have said that a vaccine approval by early November was improbable. Nine pharmaceutical companies issued a joint pledge on Tuesday that they would stand with science and not put forward a vaccine until it had been thoroughly vetted for safety and efficacy.

Brian Morgenstern, a White House spokesman, said in a statement on Thursday that President Trump, his administration and the scientific community are dedicated to delivering a safe and effective vaccine as quickly as possible while ensuring that any approvals will be based on data and thorough medical and scientific reviews by career professionals and an independent review board.

This false narrative that Democrats and some in the media are advancing, suggesting that politics is influencing approvals, is unconscionable and dangerous, he said.

Polling published on Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that 62 percent of Americans are concerned that political pressure from the administration will lead the F.D.A. to rush a vaccine approval. Four in 10 adults said that the agency was paying too much attention to politics in reviewing and issuing approvals for therapies.

The F.D.A. is still defending its decision to issue an emergency use authorization for blood plasma at an event with the president, where Dr. Hahn exaggerated the effects of the treatment with misleading data he walked back a day later. White House officials had repeatedly pressed senior health officials to issue the approval.

In an interview on Thursday with the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., Dr. Hahn said that the totality of evidence was in support of that authorization.

I want to reassure the American people, we will revisit that decision when we have the data that justify re-looking at it, he said.
Arsen Julfalakyan, who is also a prominent Greco-Roman wrestler, accused Harutiunian of mismanaging his areas of responsibility and ignoring expert opinions when he announced his resignation on Facebook late on Wednesday. Julfalakyan also deplored what he called a slow pace of reforms in those areas and criticized the ministers staffing policy.

He did not give any examples of the alleged mismanagement or other details. Nor did Julfalakyan clarify whether he will also leave the ruling My Step alliance led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. But he did note his productive partnership with Pashinians political team in the National Assembly.

Harutiunian did not immediately respond to the criticism. The minister is a close associate of Pashinian,

My Steps parliamentary leader, Lilit Makunts, refused to comment on Julfalakyans resignation. The only thing I would like you to take note of is Mr. Julfalakyans public statement, she told reporters.

Under the Armenian parliament statutes, Julfalakyan will cease to be a member of the National Assembly if he does not withdraw his resignation within a week. Parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan cited this legal provision in a short statement released on Thursday.

Julfalakyan will be replaced by another My Step member if he reaffirms his exit. The ruling bloc controls 88 seats in the 132-member parliament.

Julfalakyan, 33, is a former world and European wrestling champion who also won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He continued to compete for Armenia in international wrestling tournaments even after being elected to the parliament on the My Step ticket in 2018.
Brazilian red propolis found in beehives along the coast and mangroves in the Northeast region contains two substances with anti-cancer properties. In laboratory tests, they considerably reduced the proliferation of ovarian, breast, and brain cancer cells.

In a study published in the Journal of Natural Products, researchers at the Universities of Sao Paulo (USP) and Campinas (UNICAMP) report their discovery of the two anti-cancer substances as well as six novel polyphenols with structures previously unknown to science.

Polyphenols are beneficial natural compounds with anti-oxidant properties. They include flavonoids and tannins, and can be found in plants, cereals, and wine.

"Two of the eight substances isolated for the first time from red propolis displayed cytotoxic properties in ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and glioma cells.

We performed in vitro tests on these three types of tumor because they are resistant to many different drugs and hence hard to treat. The cells in question have a well-known mechanism that overexpresses a protein responsible for barring drugs.

This is why they're drug-resistant. Our tests showed that the substances in red propolis circumvented the mechanism, showing their potential to reduce tumors," said Roberto Berlinck, a professor in the University of Sao Paulo's Sao Carlos Institute of Chemistry (IQSC-USP) and a member of the steering committee of the Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP Research Program on Biodiversity Characterization, Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use (BIOTA-FAPESP).

The discoveries resulted from a study within the scope of BIOTA-FAPESP, coordinated by Berlinck, and from a Thematic Project coordinated by Ronaldo Pilli.

Library of natural products

According to Berlinck, red propolis polyphenols are a novel class of anti-cancer compounds that inhibit tumor growth and induce tumor cell death. "In one of our tests they outperformed a well-known chemotherapy drug [doxorubicin]," he told.

Natural products are among the main sources of new cancer drugs. Hence the importance of bioprospecting studies such as this one, demonstrating the beneficial effects of the substances concerned. Previous research described the bactericidal, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties of red propolis.

Bees produce propolis to protect the hive, so it's no accident that the resin is bactericidal and anti-fungal. This had been reported previously by researchers who analyzed raw red propolis. In our study, we proved the anti-cancer effects of specific substances isolated from red propolis." Roberto Berlinck, Professor, University of Sao Paulo's Sao Carlos Institute of Chemistry

Red propolis is rarer than green, yellow, or brown propolis. Brazil is one of the world's largest producers of propolis. Red propolis is found in several states of Northeast Brazil. In Alagoas, for example, it is produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera) that feed on the reddish resin exuded by the coin vine Dalbergia ecastaphyllum.

"We plan to investigate how the bees process this tree resin," Berlinck said. "Do they modify it to make propolis or use it as is?"

However, he added, polyphenols are not considered promising candidates for drug development. "Polyphenols, unfortunately, bind to all sorts of proteins, whereas a drug needs to target a specific protein," he said. "This may be why red propolis is active in so many ways. It can influence several different systems."
The family of a terminally ill Brisbane man not expected to see Christmas are unable to come from NSW to say goodbye  instead, they claim Queensland health officials told them only one of the man's children can cross the border.

The dying man's father said the response from Queensland Health was "ridiculous" and he has taken particular offence to the contrast with the Lady Pamela case, in which passengers and crew who sailed from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on the luxury yacht were allowed to remain in Queensland.

However, in a fresh twist, the 12 exemption requests submitted to Queensland Health by the man's family in NSW have neither been rejected or approved.

A Queensland Health spokeswoman said the department "understands and sympathises" with these cases and acknowledges "there are challenges" with the state's tough border restrictions.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that he intentionally played down the deadly nature of the rapidly spreading coronavirus last winter as an attempt to avoid a "frenzy," part of an escalating damage-control effort by his top advisers to contain the fallout from a forthcoming book by The Washington Post's Bob Woodward.

Trump's comments came hours after excerpts from the book and audiotapes of some of the 18 separate interviews he conducted with the renowned author were released, fueling a sense of outrage over the president's blunt description of knowing that he was not telling the truth about a virus that has killed nearly 190,000 Americans.

Democrats, led by their presidential nominee Joe Biden, denounced Trump's actions as part of a deliberate effort to lie to the public for his own political purposes when other world leaders took decisive action to warn their people and set those nations on a better path to handling the pandemic.

"He knew and purposely played it down. Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months," Biden said in front of the United Auto Workers training facility in Warren, Mich., where he delivered a speech on a "Made in America" plan for the economy.

Biden called Trump's actions "a life and death betrayal of the American people."

Trump said publicly that he did nothing wrong.

"So the fact is, I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don't want people to be frightened," Trump told reporters at the White House after announcing his potential Supreme Court nominees if he wins reelection. "I don't want to create panic, as you say. And certainly, I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength."

Public health officials have said for months that clearly educating the public on the lethal nature of covid-19, the disease that is caused by the novel coronavirus, is the most important tool in reining in its spread, so that people will adhere to social distancing guidelines and wear masks.

Trump, who regularly flouts those guidelines at White House events and campaign rallies, rejected the criticism Wednesday that his mistruths helped create a false sense of security in the public and led to a more widespread transmission of the disease than in other leading nations.

"We have to have leadership. We have to show leadership. And the last thing you want to do is create a panic in a country," he said, adding that he was "very open" with Woodward while calling the book "another political hit job."

Privately, however, the president realized the book would not be good for his political fortunes. For weeks, he told advisers that Woodward's book was likely to be negative, according to a senior administration official who spoke directly with Trump and shared the private discussion on the condition of anonymity to comment frankly.

But the White House had done little to prepare for it, officials said. Initially, surrogates received bland talking points that included comments from White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany's Wednesday briefing.

Trump was expected to respond to the book forcefully on Fox News's Sean Hannity's show on Wednesday night, one official said.

The president's top political advisers, including campaign manager Bill Stepien, have long viewed the coronavirus as the president's biggest albatross and have argued for Trump to address it more forcefully. The book, particularly with the audio, could be a potent attack area for Biden's campaign, Republicans close to Trump said, with internal and public polling consistently showing a majority of voters do not agree with the president's response to the pandemic.

"Our problem is that every day we are focused on something other than defining Joe Biden as a liberal is a bad day for us," said one campaign adviser, also speaking on the condition of anonymity to comment freely about internal deliberations.

The book reports that in a Feb. 7 call, Trump revealed to Woodward that he thought the situation was far more dire than what he had been saying publicly.

Trump advisers said that the president reacted with fury after Woodward's last book, blaming former counselor Kellyanne Conway and other advisers for not bringing Woodward in for interviews.

"It would have been a better book if I talked to him," Trump said in 2018, according to a former senior administration official. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share private discussions, said Trump complained for more than a week about Woodward's last book, interrupting meetings with broadsides about the author.

For this latest book, Trump encouraged others to speak with Woodward and would often mention the journalist in conversations with other advisers, suggesting that he might call him again. Some of the conversations between the two men, a White House official said, were precipitated by Trump - who thought Woodward was more receptive to a favorable narrative about his presidency.

There was widespread finger-pointing in Trump's orbit on Wednesday about the book and its revelations, but some advisers noted that Trump is the one who drove the decision to cooperate.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats recounted the myriad ways Trump publicly tried to dismiss the virus.

"He understood better than he let on when he was calling it a hoax," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in an interview on MSNBC on Wednesday afternoon. "His delay, distortion and denial about the threat is responsible for many of the deaths and infections . . . not all of them, but many of them could have been prevented."

"There is damning proof that President Trump lied and people died," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters.

In a familiar routine on Capitol Hill, Republicans ducked from the latest Trump controversy, almost uniformly asserting they had yet to read Woodward's book, "Rage,' despite its revelations consuming a day's worth of news.

"Yeah, I haven't looked at the Woodward book," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters after a GOP luncheon. "That's a good question for the White House."

Some Republicans struggled to understand Trump's logic in misleading the public but supported the idea of not creating mass panic in the early stages of the crisis.

"My only guess is he's probably talking about not creating a panic and, you know, some sort of overreaction to it," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said.

But Rubio acknowledged more straight talk could have helped the public prepare better.

"A little more alarm about the seriousness early on could have made a little bit of a difference," he told reporters.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said he wasn't able to weigh in on Trump's remarks without specifically knowing the context in which he said them, even after a reporter read Portman the relevant passage from Woodward's book.

"He did some things early on that were helpful," Portman said of Trump. "And could we all have done things differently? Yes, including Congress."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., defended Trump's tone.

"I don't think he needs to go on TV and scream that we're all going to die," Graham said.

The Trump line of defense began early Wednesday afternoon with McEnany asserting that the president had never lied to the American people and was trying to project calm.

"This president does what good leaders do," McEnany said. "Good leaders . . . stay calm and resolute at a time when you face an insurmountable challenge."

Asked whether Trump had deliberately misled the American people, McEnany said, "Absolutely not."

"The president has never lied to the American public on covid," she said, adding, "The president has been clear-eyed with the American people."
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Totient , an AI-driven drug discovery company based in Cambridge, MA, emerged from stealth with $10M in seed funding and a strategic discovery partnership for COVID-19.

The company was founded by CEO Deniz Kural, PhD and CBO James Sietstra. Kural and Sietstra spun the platform out of leading biomedical data company Seven Bridges, which they also co-founded together. Their mission is to leverage their deep bioinformatics expertise to translate insights on natural immune responses and cancer heterogeneity into meaningful patient outcomes.

The Totient platform leverages tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) to identify novel tissue-specific antigens and develop matching high-affinity antibody therapeutics. Totient reconstructs antibodies from tissues affected by autoimmunity, infections, and cancer, collected from patients experiencing exceptional immune responses. Beginning with a population of over 50,000 samples, they have reconstructed antibodies against both known and novel extracellular oncology targets: GAGE1, GAGE2A, ANXA1, C4BPB, IL14A, BIRC7, HCLS1, GPR83, and others undisclosed. Totient's human-derived antibodies are high affinity and highly specific to tissue-specific antigens, and are well suited for cell therapies, ADCs, and bispecifics.

"TLSs are a largely untapped source of naturally evolved, fully-human antibodies. Totient's technology enables successful assembly of antibodies from TLSs across thousands of samples," said Daniele Biasci, Totient VP of Immunology, on whose hypothesis the program was built.

Now, as the broader scientific community mobilizes to address the coronavirus pandemic, Totient has adapted its platform and approach to aid in the effort to discover COVID-19 antibodies, which could be used to prevent and treat the virus. They recently announced a collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks to reconstruct anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples. Existing efforts focus on blood-derived antibodies, so focusing on BALF samples will enable Totient and Ginkgo to mine a previously unexplored source of therapeutic candidates.

Totient has attracted a diverse syndicate of investors, including Mission BioCapital, Sands Capital, Viva Biotech, Kaitai Capital, Tau Ventures, Jonathan Milner, and more.

"Totient is addressing an important challenge of novel tissue-specific target discovery," said Steve Tregay, Managing Partner of Mission BioCapital. "They are doing so by combining the natural learning and evolution happening in the TLSs in the human body with machine learning techniques. One can imagine many applications for their validated technology beyond oncology and COVID-19."

According to Jonathan Milner, co-founder and Deputy Chairman of Abcam, "Totient has demonstrated an ability to correctly assemble antibodies from bulk patient RNA sequencing data, without the need for specialized single-cell or antibody sequencing. The approach enables Totient to express and screen antibodies from large and noisy archival datasets, without prior target knowledge."

Totient intends to advance a subset of their proprietary antibodies into the clinic while pursuing a broad and flexible partnering strategy for other candidates in parallel.

About Totient

Totient is an AI-driven biotechnology company that leverages tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) to identify novel tissue-specific antigens and develop matching high-affinity antibody therapeutics. Totient uses machine learning and immunoinformatics technology to pull critical insights from large, complex datasets, to quickly and accurately assemble the most potent antibody candidates. The unique applicability of the Totient platform allows the company to remain flexible and develop therapeutics for cancer, autoimmune disease, infections, and viruses. For more information, visit www.totient.bio.

Contact:

James Sietstra

[email protected]

SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks
He stars as doting dad John to son Michael in the new film Nowhere Special.

And James Norton appeared with his young co-star at the 77th Venice Film Festival ahead of the film's premiere in Italy on Thursday afternoon.

The actor, 35, put on a sweet display as he carried Daniel Lamont on his shoulders while strolling the length of the carpet.

Cute! James Norton appeared with his young co-star at the 77th Venice Film Festival ahead of the film's premiere in Italy on Thursday afternoon

The star looked typically dapper in a sharp navy two-piece suit, which he wore with a white open collar shirt and a pair of smart black shoes.

Meanwhile, his co-star Daniel wore a white grandad collar shirt with a pair of black jeans and brown leather shoes.

The young thespian appeared the picture of confidence in in front of the cameras, as he smiled and waved while making his way into the event.

Co-stars: James and Daniel walked hand-in-hand past the paparazzi before the actor lifted his co-star up into his arms to pose for snaps together

Sharp: The star looked typically dapper in a sharp navy two-piece suit, which he wore with a white open collar shirt and a pair of smart black shoes

James and Daniel walked hand-in-hand past the paparazzi before the actor lifted his co-star up into his arms to pose for snaps together.

Nowhere Special is an upcoming 2020 internationally co-produced drama film, written, directed, and produced by Uberto Pasolini.

James, who plays window cleaner John, dedicates his existence to his three-year-old son after his mother left them soon after she gave birth.

But when John is given just months to live, he sets out to find a perfect family for his little boy once he is gone.

Smile and wave! Meanwhile, his co-star Daniel wore a white grandad collar shirt with a pair of black jeans and brown leather shoes

Aw! The actor, 35, put on a sweet display as he carried Daniel Lamont on his shoulders while strolling the length of the carpet

Earlier this week, James was spotted making a low-key arrival at the film festival.

The Venice Film Festival is one of the world's oldest award ceremonies and is listed as one of the 'Big Five' events. It started on Wednesday 2 September and ends on the 12 September.

James, who recently starred in the BBC drama The Trial Of Christine Keeler, has been hotly-tipped as the latest actor to play James Bond.

The Sun claimed bookmaker Ladbrokes has suspended betting on the star being the next man to portray the fictional secret agent.

Amid frenzied speculation about who will be the next to play Bond, with stars including Richard Madden and Idris Elba being linked with the role, a source told the publication both sides were trying 'to get a deal signed off'.

Hello: The young thespian appeared the picture of confidence in in front of the cameras, as he smiled and waved while making his way into the event

New film: Nowhere Special is an upcoming 2020 internationally co-produced drama film, written, directed, and produced by Uberto Pasolini

'Producers wanted a Brit and James ticks all the boxes - tall, strapping, physically fit and, of course, looks great in a dinner jacket.

'Everyone is hoping to get the deal confirmed and signed off, with an announcement in the summer.'

James, meanwhile plays the titular character Gareth Jones in his drama film Mr. Jones, which was released on February 7.

The movie tells the true story of a Welsh journalist who travelled to the Soviet Union in 1933 and uncovers some unpleasant truths about an international conspiracy.

James also starred in Little Women, alongside the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, and Meryl Streep earlier this year.

Plot: James, who plays window cleaner John, dedicates his existence to his three-year-old son after his mother left them soon after she gave birth

Arrival: Earlier this week, James was spotted making a low-key arrival at the film festival
In 2017, two Republican senators from deep-red Southern states  Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina  introduced legislation that would have effectively killed Obamacare. And this year, the two Black men running to replace them are reminding voters of what the Graham-Cassidy plan would have done to health care in the U.S.

Democrats Adrian Perkins and Jaime Harrison teamed up on Thursday to host a virtual health care roundtable on the third anniversary of the introduction of the Graham-Cassidy legislation. The bill, which was a last-ditch effort to win over Republican holdouts and kill the Affordable Care Act, never came up for a vote after it became clear to the GOP leadership that the Senate would not pass it.

At the time, critics of the Graham-Cassidy bill said it would have pulled health care away from 21 million Americans and allow insurance companies to deny coverage to patients with preexisting conditions. Perkins and Harrison hope the bill continues to haunt its authors.

It was just a bad piece of legislation, Harrison told Yahoo News. And now when you think how were dealing with this pandemic, something that we have not seen in generations, the thought that Lindsey Graham and Sen. Cassidy still want to repeal the Affordable Care Act when right now millions of people dont have health insurance because their employer has laid them off, it shows that they are callous. It shows that theyre out of touch and that they dont deserve to represent the people in the state.

Jaime Harrison from South Carolina and Adrian Perkins from Louisiana. (Getty Images/Adrian Perkins campaign/Yahoo News)

Harrison and Perkins are two of the five Black Democrats attempting to beat Republican senators in the South this year. Its a historic undertaking: There have been just 10 African-American senators in U.S. history, with only one coming from a Southern state since the end of Reconstruction. And until 2013, there was never more than one Black member of the Senate at any given time.

Perkins, the mayor of Shreveport, La., and Harrison, a former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, seek to make history this year and become the first Black Democratic senators from their respective states. They say theyre looking to usher in a new South and address issues that they argue have been largely ignored by their opponents.

Story continues

In a year when close to 200,000 Americans have died due to the coronavirus pandemic, health care is central to both mens pitches. While the Graham-Cassidy bill would have kept a lot of the ACAs structure in place, the proposal would have redistributed funds to states in the form of block grants. The plan also did not allow a way for states that have expanded Medicaid to continue current insurance systems or cover the same amount of people that they do now.

So if the Graham-Cassidy measure had passed, fewer Americans would likely have insurance coverage today. And Perkins and Harrison argue that that would have made the coronavirus outbreak even more catastrophic.

Sens. Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham join others to present their proposed health care bill on Sept. 13, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

The fact that Sen. Cassidy and Sen. Graham tried to strip away health care from 23 million Americans, that says enough, really, Perkins said in an interview with Yahoo News. Youve got to wonder, if theyre pursuing this, whose interests are they really looking after?

He added: I think if you peel back the onion, youll see that they will put politics over people. Theyll put politics over our country any day of the week. And thats extremely dangerous. Thats the reason why most Americans are frustrated with Washington, D.C., right now. And they want changes.

The Cassidy and Graham campaigns did not return a request for comment.

Harrison  who consistently polls well in his matchup with Graham  says he feels that the South is changing and ready to elect more African-Americans to the Senate.

We are seeing the emergence of what I call a new South, Harrison, a former lobbyist, said. [Its] a new South, which is bold, inclusive and diverse. Youre seeing African-Americans being able to run statewide for the nominations and win and be on the cusp of changing the history and direction of this country. Its great to have people who are allies to the issues that impact all of our communities, but theres nothing like having people from those communities sit at those tables and make decisions that impact the folks in their communities.

While it may be hard for many to imagine a Black Democrat representing South Carolina in the Senate, Harrison told the New York Times last year that the state is becoming less Republican. South Carolina is where the Confederacy was born and was the first state to secede after the election of Abraham Lincoln. But if Graham loses, it will be represented by two Black men in the Senate: Harrison and GOP Sen. Tim Scott.

Jaime Harrison speaks in Rowesville, S.C., on Aug. 28. (Micah Green/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

The latest poll numbers indicate Harrison has a solid chance of beating Graham, the powerful chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and one of President Trumps most vocal allies in Congress. A Quinnipiac University poll from last month found Harrison and Graham tied at 44 percent.

Harrisons ability to compete with Graham is due in large part to his success as a fundraiser. In fact, this is the most well-funded race in South Carolina history. Harrison raised $14 million from April to June, which nearly doubled Grahams $8.4 million over this period, according to federal disclosures filed last month.

Harrison says he once had confidence in Graham and what he could do for the people of South Carolina, but he now thinks his Republican opponent is in politics for all the wrong reasons.

I used to believe that Lindsey could rise above the political fray and that he wasnt getting involved in the Washington political games that are played, Harrison said. But what Ive come to see is that Lindsey is just like every other political animal in Washington, D.C. Hes in it for the glitz and the glamour and for his own political relevance, rather than focused on addressing the issues.

In addition to shoring up health care, Harrisons plan for South Carolina includes enlarging the middle class, ending poverty in the state and addressing criminal justice reform.

By the time Im done with a first term in Congress, were going to rebuild and revitalize your rural communities from the top to the bottom, Harrison said. Theres so much that we can do right now and so much that I want to do. I cant wait to get to Washington, D.C., so I can begin to work on behalf of the people here in the state.

In Louisiana, meanwhile, the 34-year-old Perkins says hes fighting for everyone who has never felt they had a voice.

History is a very difficult thing for [African-Americans] to achieve, Perkins said. Were fighting for representation to this day.

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins talking to a Louisiana resident. (Adrian Perkins campaign)

Perkins, a Shreveport native, notes that he could have left his hometown to earn a big check in a bigger city, but he chose to stay home and serve those he feels most connected to. A West Point graduate, he spent eight years in the military and graduated from Army Ranger school. After three tours of duty that included service in Iraq and Afghanistan, he left the Army as a captain. He was also awarded a Bronze Star Medal.

Perkins then went on to graduate from Harvard Law School. In 2018 he was elected mayor, and he credits much of his success to his hard-working mother.

If the church doors were open, you better believe [my siblings and I] were in there, whether it was for Bible study or prayer or Sunday school, you name it, Perkins said. She taught us the value of hard work. She worked multiple jobs to make sure that we had the resources that we needed. And she also taught us the value of education.  My mother set a very strong example and gave us experiences that a lot of Louisianians are going through right now.

Perkins admits that while only a third of Louisiana residents know who he is today, he hopes to force Cassidy into a head-to-head runoff. In Louisiana, if no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote in the first round of balloting, there is a runoff between the two top candidates.

Were confident that Sen. Cassidys record is going to be indicted this November and December, Perkins said. Especially on his health care record, where he tried to repeal and replace the ACA and strip away health care from half a million Louisianians and 23 million Americans.

Perkins says hes not worried about criticism concerning his lack of time in elected office.

The things that theyll come at me for is, hes only been in office for two years, and Ive heard that from my citizens as well, Perkins said. Ive been a mayor for a little bit under two years, but my response to that is Im not bringing the leadership experiences of just being the mayor to this race. Im bringing over a decade of leadership experience from the United States military and from my time at Harvard into this race.

The South Carolina State House. (Getty Images)

Both Harrison and Perkins are going up against legacy, history and conventional wisdom in the run-up to November, but neither candidate is letting these challenges slow him down.

You better believe if Im elected senator of Louisiana and Jaime Harrison is elected senator from South Carolina, that its going to mean a lot to millions of Americans that not only look like us that are brown or that have a certain religion, or that feel like theyve been marginalized, Perkins said.

Its going to show that the American dream is still attainable and that regardless of the color of your skin or your faith, that you can be able to accomplish what you want to do in the United States of America.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Indias government has failed to pay states the compensation it promised for supporting a nationwide tax reform , setting the stage for a showdown between Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration and the provinces.

The dispute is over 3 trillion rupees ($41 billion) that Modis government owes states this year, because the account from which the funds are disbursed is short by about 2.35 trillion rupees. For now, the central administration is encouraging states to borrow the shortfall amount, promising to resume payments as tax revenue improves when the economy fully reopens from the coronavirus-induced lockdowns.

Some states ruled by opposition parties have rejected this offer and have threatened action including urging the courts to intervene.

The law says that if theres a dispute in the council a dispute resolution mechanism will have to be put in place," said Manpreet Singh Badal, finance minister of the northern Indian state of Punjab and a member of the Goods and Services Tax Council that administers the indirect tax rates. If need be, we would go to Supreme Court. But we will exhaust this option of approaching the Parliament first."

The dispute comes at a critical time for Indias economy, which posted the biggest contraction among major economies last quarter, and can crimp public expenditure -- further delaying a recovery. Indias 29 states rely on fund transfers from the central government to pay salaries, subsidies, and infrastructure creation after they gave up the bulk of their tax-making powers to allow the introduction of GST in 2017.

Badal said Punjab has already deferred capital expenditure because of the delays -- which was described as act of sovereign default" by Hemant Soren, the chief minister of Jharkhand state. Thomas Isaac, the finance minister of Kerala, said the central government should borrow to compensate the states.

The GST law requires the central government to compensate states for five years through March 2022 for any revenue loss on account of the new tax.

Indias constitution requires states to deliver health care. In the middle of a coronavirus epidemic that this week became the second largest in the world with more than 4.3 million infections, the states need all the funds they can get to ramp up the countrys rundown health system.

While Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month said that tax collections were strained due to an act of god," one of her secretaries later said the administration isnt relinquishing its responsibility because of this act of force majeure."

We are due to pay the whole amount, but the attorney general has also confirmed that we are only due to pay when the cess is available," Expenditure Secretary T. V. Somanathan said in an interview to BloombergQuint.

Economists see little option available to the states than borrowing or squeezing spending. A decision is due at the GST councils next meeting later this month.

Revenue expenditure will have to be squeezed, some states may not be able to pay salaries or pension," State Bank of India Economist Soumya Kanti Ghosh said by phone from Mumbai. Whats more important is how do states mobilize resources?"





This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 17:04:46|Editor: huaxia

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BELGRADE, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Relocation of the Serbian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is not definitive, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's media advisor said on Wednesday.

Speaking on Serbian Prva television, Suzana Vasiljevic said although this issue was touched upon in the agreement recently signed in Washington between Serbia and Kosovo leaders, the decision is not final.

"The relocation of the embassy to Jerusalem is not the final decision. The next steps will be discussed and it all depends on Israel's actions after that. We have not accepted anything yet and nothing has been signed. That point is not on our paper, it is on Pristina's paper," Vasiljevic explained.

The majority of the international community does not recognize Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem. Palestinians see the eastern part of the city as the capital of their future state.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia rejected it and considered Kosovo its own province.

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo agreed to economic normalization at a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House on Sept. 4. Trump said that Serbia will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by next July.

EU spokesman Peter Stano said on Monday that "any diplomatic steps that could call into question the EU common position on Jerusalem are a matter of serious concern and regret."

In December 2017, Trump announced his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. Washington moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in May 2018, drawing condemnation from the international community.

In January 2020, Trump unveiled his Mideast peace plan, which was strongly opposed by the Palestinians for ignoring their concerns. Enditem
Greeces coast guard says a rescue operation was launched overnight after a yacht carrying more than 150 migrants was found in distress in bad weather northeast of the Aegean island of Amorgos.

The coast guard said Wednesday a nearby cargo ship picked up 151 people from the yacht during the search and rescue operation Tuesday evening, in which coast guard and Greek navy vessels also participated.

A witness on board the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship said they saw one person swimming away from the yacht, but gale force winds in the area were hampering any further search and rescue operations Wednesday morning, the coast guard said.

It said the cargo ship was transporting the migrants to Turkey.

Thousands of people fleeing war or poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia arrive on Greek islands each year in an attempt to make their way into the European Union. Most make their way to islands near the Turkish coast in small inflatable dinghies. But Greek authorities have said they have noticed a recent trend of smugglers using larger vessels yachts or sailboats to ferry people to Italy.
Donald Trump allegedly called the generals serving under his administration a bunch of p****ies, according to a new book.

An aide to former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who left the White House in 2018 over differing opinions with the president, reportedly heard Mr Trump say, my f***ing generals are a bunch of p***ies when speaking to economic adviser Peter Navarro, CNN reported.

They care more about their alliances than they do about trade deals, Mr Trump added.

General Mattis reportedly asked the aide to record that comment in an email, according to Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward in his new book Rage.

"I was basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid, Gen Mattis said, according to the new book. He resigned after Mr Trump ordered the US to pull troops out of Syria and abandon the countrys partners in that region.

In the book, Gen Mattis reportedly said Mr Trump was unfit and dangerous as president and had no moral compass.

Some of the statements Gen Mattis made about the president were to then-Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. In one instance, Gen Mattis said, The president has no moral compass. Mr Coats responded, True. To him, a lie is not a lie. Its just what he thinks. He doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie.

Gen Mattis also warned his colleague that there may come a time when we have to take collective action against the president, according to the book. But it did not state what collective action" would mean.

Mr Woodward also described Mr Coats time with the Trump administration, he left in August 2019, as a rocky one. Mr Coats, a former Indiana senator, was brought into the administration by Vice President Mike Pence, who previously served as the states governor.

According to Mr Woodwards book, Mr Coats and his top staff members "examined the intelligence as carefully as possible," when looking into the presidents relationship with Russia.

"Coats saw how extraordinary it was for the president's top intelligence official to harbor such deep suspicions about the president's relationship with Putin. But he could not shake them, Mr Woodward wrote.

Marsha Coats, Mr Coats wife, also recounted a conversation she had with Mr Pence in which he urged her to stay the course.

I just looked at him, like, how are you stomaching this? she said, according to Mr Woodward. I just looked at him like, this is horrible. I mean, we made eye contact. I think he understood. And he just whispered in my ear, Stay the course.

When Mr Coats was considering resigning over Russia, it was the vice president who urged him to stay on for longer, telling him to look on the positive side of things that hes done. More attention on that. You cant go.

Besides expressing frustration with his generals, Mr Trump also reportedly criticised military leaders when speaking to Mr Woodward. The president was asked about his leaders believing that NATO and other alliances with countries like South Korea were worthwhile for the US.

"I wouldn't say they were stupid, because I would never say that about our military people," Mr Trump said. "But if they said that, they  whoever said that was stupid."

The president has long pushed an America first mentality, stating that allies have previously taken advantage of the US.

Mr Woodwards latest book was compiled from 18 separate interviews with the president between December 2019 into July 2020, each of which were recorded. He also spoke with current and former officials.

Besides talking about his generals and foreign relations, Mr Trump also spook to the journalist about the coronavirus pandemic, race relations in America, and the countrys relationship with North Korea.
A record low number of close contacts of Covid-19 patients have been reached by the NHS amid concern the Test and Trace system is buckling under pressure.

Only 69 per cent of people identified as a close contact because they had been mingling with a Covid-19 case were tracked down by the NHS and told to self isolate in the week between August 27 and September 2.

When the scheme first launched in May, 91 per cent of close contacts were reached.

Scientists have said the 'army' of contact tracers must reach at least 80 per cent of Covid-19 cases and their contacts for the system to work and stop the coronavirus spreading.

The figures also show the time it takes for a test result to come back is getting worse; it can take up to three and a half days for someone tested at a satellite test centre - pop-up sites for places with an urgent need - to find out if they have Covid-19.

In that period, they may have self isolated or stayed of work for no reason if they are negative.

Commenting on the 'disappointing' figures, scientists said they suggest parts of the system are 'starting to show very significant strain'.

The data today supports that cases are creeping up in the UK - and not just as a result of a ramp up in testing.

A total of 9,864 new people tested positive for Covid-19 in England in the week to September 2 - 43 per cent higher than the week before and the highest figure since May.

The number of close contacts reached by the NHS Test and Trace system has declined since it launched in May. Only 69 per cent of people identified as a close contact were tracked down in the week between August 27 and September 2

The number of close contacts reached by the NHS Test and Trace system has declined since it launched in May

The graph shows how testing has increased since May, but so has the number of people testing positive - known as the 'positivity rate'. This shows the increase in cases in England is not just as a result of more testing, but of a true jump in transmission

The Government is currently reporting around 2,193 diagnosed cases every day on average.

Although it is significantly higher than the record lows of July, it is nowhere near the number of cases reported at the peak of the pandemic.

Even then, cases reported by the Department of Health were just a fraction of the true number of infections because testing was so limited.

Positive cases have been rising since the start of July and are now 12 per cent higher than the number recorded when Test and Trace launched at the end of May.

A better indication of whether the coronavirus is spreading more, and is not just the result of more tests being conducted, is the 'positivity rate' - how many people are getting a positive result of all people tested.

It's the highest it's been since the end of May, at 2.2 per cent, and an increase on last week's 1.4 per cent.

It comes after the Chief Medical Officer for England said an increase in cases was a 'real phenomenon', and not just the result of more testing finding more cases in hotspots.

A total of 9,864 new people tested positive for Covid-19 in England in the week to September 2, NHS Test and Trace data shows. It's the highest number recorded since May and a 43 per cent increase on the week prior

Since the start of July, test turnaround times have doubled for both home testing kits and satellite test centres

TESTING FIASCO: MATT HANCOCK BLAMES DIFFICULTIES ON PEOPLE WITHOUT SYMPTOMS An 'unacceptable' number of people are overloading the UK's coronavirus testing system by asking for a test when they don't have symptoms, the health secretary said yesterday. He laid the blame for people being directed hundreds of miles from their homes at the door of those who have requested a test but do not have symptoms. Matt Hancock warned there has been a 25 per cent spike in requests from those without symptoms, meaning many who need them cannot get tests. 'Of people who got symptoms, 92 per cent got a test within ten miles of (their home),' he told the Today programme. 'The reason we have constraints at the moment is not because capacity has gone down, it's because demand has gone up.' He said he'd heard of whole schools getting a test, or people getting one before going on holiday just to make sure they were not infected. Testing capacity has recently been cranked up across the UK to 'record highs' but it is still meant to only be available for people who have coronavirus symptoms. Deflecting allegations that the UK's testing system is failing, Hancock said that they were carrying out a record number of tests that keeps rising. 'Even on antigen testing we have record capacity,' he said. 'It's higher than it was last week.' 'We have got the vast majority getting tests locally, and results quickly,' he said. 'But this increase in demand is a problem and it restricts the number of tests available.' It came after the director of testing, Sarah-Jane Marsh, yesterday apologised to those who were not getting tests and warned they were at a 'critical pinch-point'. 'Can I please offer my heartfelt apologies to anyone who cannot get a Covid test at present,' she wrote. Advertisement

Dr Daniel Lawson, Lecturer in Statistical Science, School of Mathematics, University of Bristol said: 'There is now no doubt that cases are growing. Because growth is exponential, the number of new cases will continue to rise rapidly, until our actions prevent this.

'The government has already acted, but the delay in the infection process, and generating data reports, mean it will be hard to know whether infection rate is controlled by this action until potentially too late.

James Naismith FRS FMedSci, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, and professor of structural biology, University of Oxford, said: 'It seems clear that there is now a real increase in the number of people infected with covid19; it is not just more testing.

'We are nowhere near the exponential growth seen in March, but the virus is building; this is worrying given winter is coming.'

A positive was that the number of Covid-19 cases reached by the NHS rose slightly, to 82.7 per cent.

Professor Naismith said: 'In terms of tracing, the number of people transferred to the tracing system grew by 16 per cent [from last week] whilst the performance remained stable, a good sign.

'However, 16 per cent is less than the 43 per cent jump in the number of positive cases, obviously next week we must see a large jump in people entering tracing.'

A total of 32,359 people were identified as coming into close contact with someone who had tested positive between August 27 and September 2.

Overall 69.2 per cent of those contacts were reached. This has been steadily declining every week since May.

The total number of close contacts identified has decreased by 41 per cent since the start of contact tracing, the Department of Health said.

The report said the reduction is largely due to 'non-complex cases', which have a higher proportion of contacts who are unable to be reached.

Non-complex cases are those handled by call centres or online. In comparison, complex cases, managed predominantly by local health teams, are consistently more likely to be reached.

The figures show some 61.9 per cent of people who got an 'in person test' received their result within 24 hours.

This is up from 53.3 per cent in the previous week, but still misses the target set by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who pledged that by the end of June, the results of all in-person tests would be back within 24 hours.

Since the start of July, test turnaround times have doubled for both home testing kits and satellite test centres.

It takes an average of 83 hours to get the result of a test taken at a satellite test centres and 77 hours for home test kits.

Dr Lawson said this 'dangerous' length of time ' will prevent proper test and trace response'.

He added: 'Track and trace itself continues with little change in performance, though the numbers should be watched carefully in case the system becomes strained as cases rise.'

Professor Naismith said: 'It is disappointing that satellite test centre delays are growing, this suggests that this part of the testing system is starting to show very significant strain. Information is only useful if it is rapid enough to do good, if it cannot be fixed, the resource may be better employed elsewhere.

Despite the latest figures, Baroness Dido Harding, who is interim executive chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said the system is working.

She said: 'NHS Test and Trace is working and every week we consistently reach the majority of people testing positive and their contacts.

'We have now reached almost 360,000 people who may be at risk of unknowingly passing on the virus, helping to curb its spread.

'We are doing more testing for the British public than other comparable European countries and we are adding thousands more tests a day.'
A joint visit of the TCG meeting participants to the village of Shumy in Donetsk region is scheduled for September 10.

This was said in a statement by the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, after the extraordinary meeting of the TCG held through video conferencing on September 9.

"Today's extraordinary meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group was devoted to security issues and compliance with the ceasefire in the conflict zone, in particular, to discussing the situation in the area of Shumy, of which the participants of the meeting have diverging assessments. The participants of the TCG meeting agreed that a visit of the discussed area would be useful. The visit is scheduled for 10 September 2020," she said.

Grau called on the parties to the conflict in Donbas "to continue doing everything necessary to ensure an effective and sustainable ceasefire, first and foremost in the interest of the civilian population.

As Ukrinform reported, the Trilateral Contact Group at a meeting on September 9 agreed to make a joint visit to the area of Shumy with the participation of an OSCE representative.

ish
A former City of Bayswater councillor running in Perth's local government elections is campaigning to establish a global metals exchange in the city.

Brent Fleeton, a consultant who was WA's community affairs manager for NBN Co, said he hoped the idea could help develop a financial district to bring more people into the CBD.

City of Perth hopeful Brent Fleeton. Credit:

There are metals exchanges around the world, but none in Australia where the resources mined in WA could be marketed. Some metals, such as lithium, are not commonly traded on exchanges, leading to pricing inefficiencies.

Mr Fleeton said a metals exchange would attract finance companies and investment banks to Perth.
Turkish journalists convicted over reports on spy's funeral: A Turkish court convicted five journalists over their reports on the funeral of an intelligence officer killed in Libya and sentenced them to more than three years in prison, state media reported. All have been released from custody pending the appeals process. The five were among eight defendants accused of violating Turkey's intelligence laws and disclosing secret information for their coverage of the funeral of the agent. Prosecutors charged that the reports revealed the officer's identity and exposed other secret agents. The defendants said the officer had already been identified during discussions in parliament.
Financial services institutions globally have discovered that they are able to get a firm grip on the total cost of ownership (TCO) of their technology and operations by adopting cloud-native technologies. Now, as Wolters Kluwer's Finance, Risk Regulatory Reporting (FRR) business outlines in its new white paper, containerization, container orchestration and other concepts usually associated with cloud implementations are helping innovative firms adapt to rapidly changing economic conditions and keep costs under control, particularly in light of COVID-19.

With cloud technologies now widely accepted, senior management is being tasked to become more tech-savvy and embrace ways that technology can make a difference to an organization's bottom line. Cloud-native technology, at a fundamental level, ensures an institution's resources are used more efficiently by reducing fixed costs and allowing better management of available assets. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for such operational flexibility.

"The ability to shift operationally from a farm of servers costing tens of thousands of dollars to virtually zero if your activity suddenly dries up, is a substantial margin control tool that is enabled by cloud-native technologies," explains Steve Hostettler, Director of Product Software Engineering at Wolters Kluwer FRR and author of the paper. "The benefits of using container technology shells that encapsulate applications specifically designed for the cloud do not, however, require immediately going to the cloud. Whether deployed on-premise or in the cloud, containers and container orchestration technology like Kubernetes, Docker and Helm help organizations respond to opportunities in times of economic expansion but also rapidly reduce costs when hit with a crisis like COVID-19."

Moving assets to the cloud is a natural way of optimizing TCO, making it easier to cope with variations in business volumes. Financial institutions were initially reluctant to move to the cloud, but cloud technologies have evolved substantially, becoming increasingly mainstream and industrialized.

Moving to the cloud can be done in three ways, the paper notes, depending on the number of legacy systems, the amount of investment, and the appetite for change within your organization. There are options to suit each situation, and choosing among a lift and shift approach, re-platforming, or a full re-architecting is a decision that will have to suit an institution's situation.

Notably, containerization and container orchestration represent a natural way to apply re-platforming on legacy applications that can support business strategy. Containerization and container orchestration are seen as ways to bridge typical on-premise architecture and the cloud. Containers use resources efficiently, enabling firms to pay for only what they need and nothing more.

"To support their own Software-as-a-Solution offerings as well as customer deployments, innovative financial institutions are investing in containers and container orchestration, helping them manage in-memory grid computing capabilities supporting finance and risk modules for AnaCredit, MAS 610 and other regulatory requirements," adds Hostettler. "Thinking about the future innovation, whether in the financial services industry or elsewhere, is no longer an 'if' it is a must. To stay nimble and ahead of the curve, senior management at financial institutions must keep on top of developments in every aspect of the business, from regulation, to risk management, to business development and new revenue streams, to technology and operations."

Wolters Kluwer FRR, which is part of Wolters Kluwer's Governance, Risk Compliance division, is a global market leader in the provision of integrated regulatory compliance and reporting solutions. It supports regulated financial institutions in meeting their obligations to external regulators and their own board of directors.

Wolters Kluwer FRR receives frequent independent recognition of its excellence and innovation, celebrating a record year for award wins in 2019. Risk magazine recently awarded the company its coveted Regulatory Reporting System of The Year Award for the third year running and Wolters Kluwer FRR is the #1 provider in both Regulatory Reporting and Liquidity Risk according to the RiskTech100, as compiled by Chartis Research.

About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk Compliance

Governance, Risk Compliance (GRC) is a division of Wolters Kluwer, which provides legal and banking professionals with solutions to ensure compliance with ever-changing regulatory and legal obligations, manage risk, increase efficiency, and produce better business outcomes. GRC offers a portfolio of technology-enabled expert services and solutions focused on legal entity compliance, legal operations management, banking product compliance, and banking regulatory compliance.

Wolters Kluwer (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. Wolters Kluwer reported 2019 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005752/en/

Contacts:

Paul Lyon

Director of Global Corporate Communications, Banking Regulatory Compliance

Governance, Risk Compliance

Wolters Kluwer

Office +44 20 3197 6586

Paul.Lyon@wolterskluwer.com
Aakar Innovations is a startup that has been working as a solution provider in the menstrual hygiene sector for the last decade. Aakars flagship product is Anandi, Indias first compostable biodegradable, organic sanitary pad certified by ISO-17088 international compostable standard. It is also the first company to develop a commercially-available bio-SAP based pad which is completely safe and made entirely of natural materials. Traditional pads often use the widely available commercial SAP (sodium polyacrylate) which can cause skin irritations, rashes and dryness, among other complications. Tampons containing traditional SAP have even led to fatalities and are currently banned by the FDA in the US for use in tampons. Anandi pads avoid these complications since they are made out of all-natural elements and compostable bioplastic that does not stay in landfills for over 500 years. The Anandi pads, instead, become manure within 90-180 days in composting conditions or within a year in natural conditions. Aakar has even worked with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), as a part of their advisory team, to develop compostable standards for sanitary pads in India. BIS even adopted Aakars compostable testing standard as the national benchmark for biodegradable and compostable pads.

In addition to developing an all-natural, hygienic sanitary pad, Aakar also gives back to society by providing employment opportunities to women, free sanitary pads to school-going girls in need, and menstrual hygiene education and discourse to women and men in villages. Aakar also works towards enabling women to not only use compostable and hygienic pads but also produce pads in women run mini-factories in villages and distribute these affordable sanitary pads, while simultaneously raising awareness about menstrual hygiene management, thus creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for village women. The startup was part of the Cohort 10 of the Nexus Incubator program. We spoke to Jaydeep Mandal, Founder, Aakar to find out more about the company.

Aakar Innovations: transforming menstrual hygiene with 'Anandi'

Digit: Could you tell us more about Aakar Innovations fully-compostable sanitary pads, Anandi? Is the production process done completely by women?

Aakar Innovations: Aakars Anandi pads are fully compostable and biodegradable. Aakar is the first company to develop a commercially available bio-sap based sanitary pad which is biodegradable, compostable and completely safe, made of natural materials. The generally and widely available commercial sap is a chemical known as sodium polyacrylate (SAP) which is harmful because it has the tendency to cause rashes and dryness and other complications. For instance in the past, tampons containing SAP have led to fatalities and it is currently banned under US-FDA for use in tampons but not in sanitary pads and diapers which is why women get infections and skin irritations from pads and babies get nappy rash. Anandi pads unlike other commercial pad in market does not stay in the landfills for 500+years or release harmful, toxic gases in the air we breathe while being incinerated. Each and every material used in Anandi pad are chosen very carefully keeping in mind menstruator health, comfort as well as environment. The used Anandi pads becomes manure within 90 to 180 days in composting conditions or within a year otherwise in nature.

Through Anandi pads, Aakar offers sanitary pad which is made of all natural materials like, compostable bioplastic, bio-sap, bio top layer etc. In fact, Anandi is a safe, hygienic sanitary pad because it contains no harmful chemicals, but also because it consists of organic material. This means the pad is fully biodegradable and compostable and has no adverse environmental impact. Anandi Pad is a truly Indian Pad which gives back to the society by providing employment opportunity to women, free pads to needy school girls and menstrual hygiene education to women & men in villages

Anandi pads are the first and only pads in India to obtain a Government of India certificate under ISO standard 17088, equivalent to the American Standard and European Standard for compostable pads. There are many enterprises attempting to develop new sanitary products some of which are unsafe or not biodegradable even though they claim to be. So at a national policy level, Aakar worked with the Bureau of Indian Standards(BIS) as part of their advisory team to help develop new national standards for sanitary pads in India. One outcome was that BIS decided to adopt Aakars compostable testing standard as the national benchmark for biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads..

Digit: There are numerous medical issues associated with poor menstrual hygiene. How does Aakar Innovations strive to educate people of menstrual hygiene? Does the company also attempt to educate the male figures in womens families, especially in rural areas?

Aakar Innovations: Aakar is a hybrid social enterprise comprised of Aakar Innovations and Aakar Social Ventures that enables women to produce and distribute affordable, high-quality, fully compostable sanitary napkins within their communities while simultaneously raising awareness and sensitization of menstrual hygiene management.

Aakar Social Ventures works for educating women & girls as well as men & boys through our behavioural change & communication program which not only covers menstrual hygiene but also sexual education, maternal health, life skills etc.(see below diagram). We empower the last mile customers and enable them to make informed choices. Regarding the menstrual products during our program we talk about various products available in the market to manage menstrual period (like cloth to cloth-pads to disposable pads to tampons to menstrual cup) i.e. giving them bucket of choice, To make the right choice, they need to know the scientific, hygienic, authentic, unbiased information about all products, and their pros & cons, i.e. help them making make informed choices, finally they should be able to choose the product they want to use without any kind of barriers as per their convenience and other factors. No-one should impose any product on them with personal/organizational biases. i.e. freedom of choice. We also dont touch upon myths and taboos as they are connected with culture and religion in India. Instead we talk about science behind menstrual hygiene, what happens in 28-35 days menstrual cycle, what is the connection between menstruation and child birth etc. We also involve local school teachers, community leaders, asha, anganwaris to run awareness program and our team do training or trainers program to those educators. We do this, as we know menstruation is a taboo topic across the globe specially among village women & girls and only if the education is given by someone they know, trust and understand their language then only they will open up on this topic, otherwise it wont create any impact on them. Our curriculum is also developed with best practices from WSSCC, UNICEF, WASH United and many other global research organisations working in the sector and it is full of games, plays, activities unlike classroom teaching. We have pat of special curriculums for men & boys too in this topic where we educate them on basics of menstrual hygiene, so that instead of making fun of girls during their period in schools, or not allowing doing many things in household they start supporting them for managing women & girls periods.

Digit: Could you tell us more about Aakars mini-factories and the customised machinery within these factories?

Aakar Innovations: Aakar Innovations provides commercially viable solutions for production, distribution, marketing, and sales of affordable and environmentally friendly sanitary pads by local entrepreneurs in areas where these products would otherwise not be available. We have semi-auto machines setup & auto machines setup. Semi-auto set up can make 1500-2000 pads per day(8-9 hours) involving 4-6 workers and one supervisors per shift and auto machine setup can produce 15000-20000 pads per day(8-9 hours) involving 2 machine operators, 5 workers and one supervisor. Our machines can make both fluffy as well as ultrathin pads. The semi-auto machines setup can be run on solar power too. Women entrepreneurs get trained to do the production, they produce Anandi pads hygienically with all compostable materials, they do quality check of each pad and UV sterilize & package it. They do supply these packets to local schools, NGOs, local girls and women, and sells it through women based networks.

Digit: We know about the pink tax women have to face for their menstrual and general products. How does Aakar attempt to make sanitary pads affordable and accessible?

Aakar Innovations: As you are aware currently there is no tax on Sanitary pads in India but all materials are taxed @18% GST which most of manufacturers include in the product cost as getting GST refund is very difficult. So, zero taxed have not helped women & girls to get cheaper sanitary pad.

Aakar currently operates around 50 manufacturing units across India, including Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nepal. Aakars aim is to reach every village in India because 70% of the female population live in rural villages where girls and women do not have access to safe and hygienic menstrual products. Anandi pads manufactured and distributed in village markets are produced locally at village level. This model involves women in the manufacture, marketing and distribution thus uplifting their standard of living through some income generation. we are proud to say Anandi pads by Aakar are by women, of the women, and for women.

Aakar set up village units from grants and funding from donors, corporates, and government. With these funds Aakar supplies villages with the machinery and raw materials, as well as provides training to women on how to make the pads and market them. Aakars lab regularly tests these pads to ensure they comply with BIS Sanitary pads standard of Govt. of India . If they have any issues, Aakar provides further training to ensure the quality is improved to a satisfactory standard.

Through our business model we ensure to keep the cost low by robust operations, supply chain system, low overheads in the units and direct sales to consumers leaving our many middle men in conventional distribution channels as well as spend almost nothing for marketing the product in villages, instead use women network, word of mouth and factory workers as brand ambassadors. Along with our operations model, our unique machines and continuous research on materials helps to keep the product cost low and affordable.

Digit: What was the driving force behind starting Aakar Innovations?

Aakar Innovations: Forever inquisitive and enthusiastic Jaydeep founder of Aakar, has always been an entrepreneur at heart. What makes him stand out is his passion to bring a change and therefore Aakar was conceived in 2010 as a Social Enterprise.

While in college Jaydeep joined the Honeybee network and worked closely with Prof. Anil Gupta (Founder of Honeybee Network & inspiration behind Aakar) travelling across India identifying and documenting the various innovations and entrepreneurs. While working with Honeybee Network he met Arunachalam Muruganatham in 2010, while still in college completing his MBA, Jaydeep had an opportunity to work first hand on the machine developed by Mr. Muruganantham. The unit was set up in a village of Uttrakhand as college SIFE(Students in FreeEnterprise) project and their team of 10 (which also has SIFE members from Sheffield University-UK) worked relentlessly to make the unit work while engage with the community to understand the issue around menstruation and encourage safe practices. Our first experiment was with Murugananthams (Pad Mans) machine. Our endeavour failed because the women complained the pads were too thick, and the machines were difficult to operate. We shut down the unit and began exploring other options. I travelled across India to try and understand what others were doing and if they were successful, and met various organisations and individuals including a group of Ivy League students. I also investigated the products from multinational companies and came to the conclusion was that no small machines making sanitary pads which conformed to the basic requirements of a pad: in terms of absorbency, retention, comfort, feel, fit, hygiene and design appearance. I also discovered that the Bureau of Indian Standards have a benchmark for the sanitary pads.

This prompted me to start designing a machine which could produce a sanitary pad with all basic need of a women/girl to manage their period. After almost 1.5 years, Aakar came up with the design of a manual machine which could produce pads according to international standards.

In 2013, at Aakar, I developed a fully compostable sanitary pad. However, the napkin was very thick and it did not used sap. I was intent on using locally available materials which would allow my product to be manufactured in low cost. I experimented with various fibres like banana and bamboo. I needed a material which was not only absorbent and retained liquid, but which was comfortable, soft and would not give rise to infections or rashes. I found that no single material fulfilled all these criteria, but a combination of them did, leading the way to Anandi pads. As we experimented and tested the product initially developed we modified our design. Initially, the sanitary pads were made without wings because we thought this was not a priority for village women. However, we realised that they preferred the wings not just for security and comfort but also because they had been conditioned by multinational brand advertisements on television which made them think pads with wings were more desirable. Accordingly, Aakar changed its design and machine and developed a product with wings.

From initially relying on manual machines and then to semi-automatic machines to make the pads, Aakar now uses an automatic machine for making Anandi pads.

In 2012, Jaydeep had the opportunity to work with Aga Khan Foundation on a menstrual hygiene project in Baghlan Province, Afghanistan for a month. While there, he carried out some research to explore the possibility of setting up a production unit of sanitary pads. He had focus group discussions, and interviews with women where they spoke openly about their challenges around menstruation. He discovered that disposable sanitary pads were not freely available in the market because of the stigma and shame around menstruation, but were sold instead in beauty parlours and other discreet, women only places. The other discovery I made was that women said they had no unobtrusive or hygienic way to dispose of the used pads. They tended to dispose of them with household garbage. They also mentioned that often these bags were ripped open by stray dogs, and one could find a stray soiled pad lying on the street. This was shameful, unhygienic and stressful. His research on girls or women living in villages revealed that they threw used sanitary pads into rubbish heaps or rivers behind their homes. Sometimes they had to walk quite a distance to do this because they did not want their neighbours to know they were menstruating. However, sometimes these used pads found their way back on to the village streets carried by stray animals, which was both humiliating and unhygienic. These discussions made me realise that while access to safe menstrual products was one problem, disposal was yet another and provoked me to think about environmental impact and the possibility of a completely green sanitary pad.

Digit: Could you share some of the biggest takeaways from your association with the Nexus Incubator?

Aakar Innovations: Understanding the point of view of others, consumers is very important when to try to convey a message, or try to sell a product. We may say a lot of things which are right but until everyone else understands the same thing we are trying to convey our efforts are futile. So, conveying information in laymans way is super important while marketing a product & its the key for a successful campaign.

Nexus Startup Hub is now accepting applications from Indian startups for its Cohort 11 (pre-incubation program), to know more and apply head over to this link. To discover more innovation Indian startups, click here.
Hundreds of British troops heading home after six months in Estonia were delayed  when their plane was handed over to the Defence Secretary.

Ben Wallace was scheduled to fly to the Middle East this week but his 150million RAF Voyager air transporter broke down.

He was then given a plane meant to fly 200 Fusiliers to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire after their peace-keeping tour of Estonia.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (centre) arrives to attend a Cabinet Meeting in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Central London, Britain, 01 September 2020

It meant that the troops got home on Tuesday, a day later than planned, with relatives furious at the delay.

Mr Wallace was not made aware of the original plans for the plane and defence sources said he would have prioritised the troops had he known.

A military source said: He is livid this decision was made on his behalf and he would never have done this on purpose.

The unnamed partner of one soldier said she was heartbroken by the 28-hour delay.

She said: The Defence Secretarys flight broke down in Estonia and he took their flight because he needed a private plane. Theyre angry and upset. No one can believe it.

'I have a baby who hasnt seen its dad in six months.

Pictured: A February 2020 file photo shows a plane at RAF Brize Norton as medical staff come aboard

'Im sure other people have children who thought their dads were coming home. Its so selfish.

The RAF said another plane had since returned the remaining troops and that the Defence Secretary was not aware of the other taskings.

An RAF spokesman said: On Monday a technical fault with an RAF aircraft regretfully delayed the return of some UK service personnel from operations in Estonia.

The prioritisation of aircraft is an operational level decision and the Secretary of State was not made aware of other taskings. Another plane has since returned the remaining troops.
LONDON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DMALINK, one of the last exchange-independent ECNs offering access to institutional Emerging Markets FX pricing, clears an important milestone.

The firm, drawing from deep analytics to drive optimised execution, today announced that an award-winning London based Tier 1 Prime Broker will provide clearing facilities to its platform participants globally.

DMALINK's decision to add the PB enables its users to sustainably leverage a wide-reaching ecosystem to connect to a variety of participants throughout the EU, Americas and APAC regions and to access deep currency and bullion pricing. DMALINK operates platforms in New York and London, with plans to launch in Asia very soon.

Michael Siwek, Founding Partner and Global Head of Sales at DMALINK, said: "The improved clearing structure is a crucial element in further scaling and maintaining a superior API and GUI execution experience for our counterparties under the new model. Our participants can transact CLS and non-CLS currencies. Users can access bank and non-bank pricing, regional liquidity, specialised pricing pools, coupled with in-depth reporting to cater to a high level of competitiveness in today's FX landscape."

Manu Choudhary, CEO at DMALINK, stated: "The CCP model fits within DMALINK's business restructuring plans and places us on a fast track to scale the business and introduce added market transparency and competitiveness, as well as long-term returns to our shareholders. This is an important step towards achieving our core objective of providing data-driven global institutional eFX services to existing and future collaborators."

"Buy-side clients benefit from data insight not currently available across any other major ECN. Market makers and takers can use our technology to demonstrate compliance to local regulators", added Ashwind Soonarane, Managing Partner at the data-centric ECN.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Media Room, DMALINK

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7117 2517

Email: media@dmalink.com

About DMALINK

DMALINK is a data-centric ECN for professional Foreign Exchange traders streaming anonymous and bilateral, proactively tailored and sustainable pricing with particular focus on Emerging Markets, Scandie crosses and CE3. We serve industry leaders, including Banks, Funds, Corporates, and Proprietary Trading Firms who have a particular demand for sustainable liquidity access across non-G-7 pairs.

For further information, please visit dmalink.com
For immediate release: September 10, 2020

Media contact: Jessy Sielski, 517-331-1151

LANSING  The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has awarded Kamps Hardwoods with the 2020 Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year Award. Each year, MDARD recognizes an outstanding Michigan food or agriculture company for its efforts to increase exports of Michigan food and agriculture products.

Its truly a pleasure to recognize the innovative and driven entrepreneurs we have in this great statenot only for the jobs they create, but also because they serve as global representatives of Michigans extraordinary food and agriculture industry, said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Over the past few years, Kamps Hardwoods has emerged as a preferred supplier of unique and high-quality hardwoods throughout the state, the country, Canada, and other regions of the world, and I am proud to recognize them as the 2020 Agriculture Exporter of the Year.

Founded in 2010 by Paul Kamps, Kamps Hardwoods in Dutton, Michigan, specializes in manufacturing kiln-dried lumber from standing timber harvested throughout Michigan. Working closely with a tight base of Michigan sawmills and vendors, including Kamps Hardwoods own Buskirk Lumber in Freeport, Michigan, they produce a diverse lumber mix of species, grades, and thicknesses and are Forest Stewardship Council certified, which demonstrates their commitment to sustainable forestry.

Buskirk Lumber began exporting green lumber to Canada in its early days. After the purchase of the dry kilns in Dutton, lumber exports became a very important market for the business with China being a prominent market. As Kamps Hardwoods grew, the importance of diversifying their international market share was important.

Kamps Hardwoods has become an internationally recognized product successfully exporting to countries around the globe including China, Vietnam, Romania, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, Russia, Indonesia, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, and more.

Were very proud to present this award to Kamps Hardwoods, said MDARD Director Gary McDowell. Achieving such a broad global reach in such a short time is no small feat, and this is a perfect way to recognize that achievement, as well as showcase the diversity of Michigans food and agriculture industry.

Were so thankful to all of our customers and to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for their help and support as we have sought to grow our export business, said Rob Kukowski, general manager of Kamps Hardwoods. The team here at Kamps has worked hard to increase our quality and service as we have expanded our market and are so appreciative for the honor of this award.

The award review committee consisted of representatives from Michigan State University; Michigan Farm Bureau; Comerica Bank; Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith P.C.; and the Van Andel Global Trade Center. The decision was made based on export growth in the past three years, job creation from exporting, and ability to enter new markets. Special thanks to Michigan State University International Business Center for sponsoring the award.

To be eligible for this award, more than 50 percent of a companys product must be grown and produced in Michigan, and exports must have contributed a substantial amount to a companys overall growth. For more information on past winners and the International Marketing Program, visit Michigan.gov/AgExport .

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Photo 1 (left to right): Paul Kamps, President, Kamps Hardwoods; Tyler Kamps, Vice President of Operations and Export Sales, Kamps Hardwoods

Photo 2: 2020 Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year Award
OPINION: Most Black Americans dont want to abolish the police, they want police to respectfully protect and serve their communities

I bought a house recently. Through hard work, blood, sweat and a few tears, I was able to buy a home in a predominantly Black neighborhood.

The neighborhood is full of joy and jubilance; and like most Black communities, the excitement can sometimes extend well into the night. Ive been there. A friend gets a new car, breaks up with their significant other, etc., and Id find myself outside on the stoop trading stories and libations past sunup.

That was my 20s, when bouncing back from an all-nighter took no effort and hangovers were cured with fast food. Im in my 30s now, with a proper bedtime, and need eight hours of sleep to function. So, I listened to a group enjoy themselves as the hours ticked by before eventually glaring at my phone and wondering if the noise couldnt be solved with a quick call to a non-emergency line.

Read More: Dallas first Black female police chief steps down after protest backlash

My mind went through the arduous step-by-step process of the wills and mights and probablys that occur when police are called. Officers will come to my street. They might politely ask the group to break it up and go home to sleep. Theyll probably escalate the situation.

Its a thought process many people of color have repeatedly exercised. Call the police and they start patrolling the neighborhood. Everything escalates. Tensions run high and walking out in sweatpants and a hoodie to get the mail means you or your family could be seen as a threat.

Police officers block a street as city crews dismantle the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) area outside of the Seattle Police Departments vacated East Precinct on July 1, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)

White people dont deal with this. They call the police with an understanding that most likely their life and the lives of those around them will be protected. Im sure thats what Atatiana Jeffersons neighbor thought when they called a non-emergency number after seeing her front door open. What that neighbor didnt anticipate was that the police officer would shoot Atatiana through her front window, killing her. But that was what I thought about as I stared at my phone.

Story continues

Its not as simple as saying abolish or defund the police. In fact, 69% of Black Americans are okay with a police presence in their communities. They just want the police to work the same for them as they do for their white counterparts.

A recent Gallup poll showed that fewer than one in five Black Americans felt very confident that the police in their area would treat them with courtesy and respect. Thats not a statistic in white neighborhoods. They get Officer Friendly in their schools, communities and local events. Mistakes of excessive force and shootings dont happen.

However, Black Americans witness deceased loved ones names being turned into hashtags. We live with the fear that our children arent safe playing in a park or walking home at night. We endure the daily trauma of not knowing if we will make it through the day because of systemic ingrained bias toward people of color.

Black Americans dont want to burn the system down and dance on its ashes; we want it to work for us! We dont want over-policing in the streets or double standards in response and treatment from law enforcement. We know what the result of these forms of policing are: they lead to ex-NFL player Desmond Marrow with an officers hands wrapped around his throat, to Brittney Gilliam and four children fearing for their lives in an Aurora parking lot when officers accosted them with guns drawn, to Compton Mayor Aja Brown and her family getting pulled over, surrounded by umpteenth police vehicles, and searched like criminals for allegedly running a red light.

This is modern day policing for Black Americans that has prompted the phrase while Black to be splashed across the Internet. What Black Americans have now is policing that doesnt work. We are unable to call the police because of the very real safety concern for ourselves and our communities. It is why the defund movement has gained momentum. We understand how we got here.

In this June 7, 2020, file photo, Alondra Cano, a City Council member, speaks during The Path Forward meeting at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis. (Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via AP, File)/Star Tribune via AP)

However, many Black Americans dont want the total defunding of police departments, but a reallocation of funds. There is no reason that a small-town sheriffs office needs military grade equipment. Those funds should go toward counselors, nurses, and social workers. We know if kids have social workers they are less likely to commit crimes; so it stands to reason that if our society invests in communities, instead of militarized police departments, we would have spaces for groups to meet and laugh well into the night without keeping their neighbors from sleep. Everyone would be safe, respected, served and protected without the threat of violence.

Read More: Woman calls police on Black man using his phone, falsely claims he had gun

Many white communities in America have this system. We know it works. But it is failing us. Black Americans often dont call the police because we understand that there is something inherently wrong with policing in America. I should be able to call the police without it being indicative of a larger, systemic problem. I should be able to reach for my phone, dial a non-emergency number, and have officers come to my neighborhood and courteously ask a group to return to their homes or go to another area. I should be able to end my thought process on a phone without remembering the worst-case scenarios. I should be able to sleep without having a crisis of conscience brought on by repeated trauma.

I want to be able to rely on the police, feel safe calling the police as a new homeowner and firm believer in the American Dream. We, as Americans, pay taxes, elect sheriffs, and have coffee chats with our police departments because we believe the concept of policing is inherently just. The current execution, however, is corrupted and must change. Most Black Americans dont want to abolish the police, they want police to respectfully protect and serve their communities.

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From the Press Release:

Jason and Sue Chin, owners of Good Salt Restaurant Group (which includes award-winning restaurants Seito Sushi Baldwin Park, The Osprey, and Reyes Mezcaleria), are excited to announce they will open a new concept on the ground floor of The Julian Apartments at Creative Village in Downtown Orlando.

The restaurant name is The Monroe and it is scheduled to open in 2021. The Monroe pays homage to Dr. William Monroe Wells, an African-American physician who opened the Wells Built Hotel in Parramore in 1926 as a safe place to be welcomed amongst friends and have fun. With his legacy in mind, The Monroe will be a mixed-use space of thoughtful dining, drinking, and socializing, including the main dining room, bar, lounge/study, semi-private dining area, expansive front porch and backyard patio.

Jason Chin, who sits on the advisory board of the Valencia College Walt Disney Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality, plans to engage The Monroe in curriculum programs and grow the Central Florida culinary community through mentorship programs to attract and retain talent at the restaurant.

Jason Chin stated We are very grateful for the support that Good Salt Restaurant Group has been shown over the years and are looking forward to being a part of the Creative Village community. The opportunity to participate in a project of this magnitude and potential does not come around very often and we are working hard to design and operate The Monroe as a diverse gathering place for the neighborhood. Chin went on to say, We are also excited about engaging and developing new talent in Orlandos culinary community.

The Julian Apartments is a new 14-story, 409-unit, $108 million apartment building that opened in August 2020. It was co-developed by Ustler Development, Inc. and The Allen Morris Company. Craig Ustler, president of Ustler Development, Inc., specifically sought out Jason and Sue to deliver the first full-service restaurant at Creative Village as the highly visible ground floor tenant at The Julian Apartments.

The Monroe Restaurant and The Julian Apartments are located at 480 North Terry Avenue in the heart of Creative Village in Downtown Orlando.
Yum China's Hong Kong debut comes after the secondary listings of gaming giant NetEase and e-commerce firm JD.com, which raised 21.09 billion Hong Kong dollars ($2.7 billion) and 30.05 billion Hong Kong dollars ($3.87 billion), respectively.

The company has been listed in New York since 2016.

Yum China, which operates fast food restaurants KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut in China, raised $2.22 billion by selling 41.9 million shares at 412 Hong Kong dollars ($53.16) apiece in this secondary listing.

SINGAPORE  Shares of Yum China began trading in Hong Kong on Thursday, but lost more than 5% by the close.

The string of mega offerings marks what has been a hot year for listings in Hong Kong. U.S.-listed Chinese companies have been flocking to the city for their secondary listings amid rising U.S.-China tensions. The U.S. Senate passed a bill in June that could essentially ban many Chinese companies from listing on American exchanges.

R.J. Hottovy, consumer equity research strategist at Morningstar, suggested the stock's initial decline may indicate investors seeing issues with the company itself, rather than IPO fatigue.

"It's clear that not everybody is on board with investing in that space right now  frankly there's a lot of uncertainty with Covid," he told CNBC on Thursday. "Are people going to dine out less.. are they going to embrace online grocery?  Demand is certainly the one I think that probably is the biggest concern."

But on the whole, Hottovy pointed out that the company has had "some pretty impressive growth."

"I think Yum China's doing pretty well. I think there could be an opportunity. We do see these shares as slightly undervalued at this point," he said.
A former Hells Angels bikie has been arrested in a dramtic police chase months after vowing he was going to get back on the straight and narrow.

Ben 'Notorious' Geppert, 28, was arrested in Kingscliff on Wednesday for alleged offences relating to extortion, robbery and a serious assault at Broadbeach Waters.

It's being alleged he led police from the Tweed/Byron Police District on a chase over fences, rooftops and through backyards before being caught.

A picture from the arrest shows the former bikie sitting on a lawn without a shirt while one of the officers handcuffs him.

Former Hells Angels bikie Ben 'Notorious' Geppert (pictured) allegedly led police on a dramatic foot chase over fences, across rooftops and through backyards before being arrested for alleged offences relating to extortion, robbery and assault

Geppert (pictured with former girlfriend Allaina Vader) was released on bail in January for a spate of alleged violent incidents before taking to social media to say he was putting that life behind him

The alleged pursuit started after cops approached Geppert when they saw him standing by a car in Harpullia Court.

He was taken into custody and charged with the outstanding arrest warrant before being refused bail.

Geppert is already serving a three-year suspended prison sentence following a fight outside a KFC restaurant on the Gold Coast.

He was released on bail in January for a spate of alleged violent incidents before taking to social media to say he was putting that life behind him.

'I can pretty much say 2020 will be the year for the BG! How much money have you lost chasing p****? How much p**** you lost chasing money? Think about it', he wrote.

The former bikie moved to Airlie Beach following the stabbing death of his 17-year-old brother Harrison during a brawl in September, 2019.

At the time of his brother's death, Geppert said he was 'crushed' and 'if I could give my life for you to have yours back I would do so without thinking twice'.

He is due to appear before the Tweed Heads Local Court on Thursday where it's expected Queensland Police will file an application for his extradition.




Image credit: De Beers

De Beers, in cooperation with the French telecommunications company Orange Business Services, the arm of France Telecom, intends to ensure zero accidents on its mining vessels through the use of geofencing (monitoring of the risk zone).

Geofencing is provided by electronic anchors and Bluetooth bracelets that automatically alert a worker to a life-threatening location. This is all the more difficult when the production facility is on a sea vessel.

According to the internet portal usine-digitale.fr, De Beers Marine South Africa used MV Mafuta, the world's largest underwater diamond mining vessel, for this purpose. It is owned by Debmarine Namibia that operates the deposits located up to 150 km off the coast of Namibia.

The geofencing technology provides a quick detection of a risk zone with an accuracy of about 1 metre, and then it notifies the vessel's crew to trigger the engines emergency stop. Safety operators can track the location of the workers with extreme accuracy day and night.

The special conditions in which the MV Mafuta operates are subject to a number of restrictions. To determine the optimal arrangement of the antennamitters, Orange Business Services had to conduct a virtual study using the AutoCAD compass software installed on the vessel. In addition, the equipment supplied by the Finnish company Quuppa required the sea moisture protection of its case according to the IP67 standard.

The next step is equipping the rest vessels in the De Beers fleet with the new equipment.

The company was satisfied with the implementation of the pilot project and at present, the work is in progress to integrate the system into its industrial processes. De Beers is studying its integration into the Siemens SCADA remote process control system to be able to automatically stop the equipment in the event of an emergency, commented Emmanuel Routier, Vice President Industry 4.0 at Orange Business Services.

Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished




'Your Friends in New York' (YFINY) consists of multiple divisions including an event and experiences arm, an incubator inspired program, philanthropic initiatives, and a merchandise label.

Conceived by Kerby Jean-Raymond, 'Your Friends in New York' was set in motion after a meeting with Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, in 2019. 'Your Friends in New York' was then set to launch in March 2020, but due to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, the announcement was put on hold.

"It is important to me to create and work on ventures that are future forward, involve the community at large and that will continue to help others grow in the fashion and art space," said Kerby Jean-Raymond.

"When I met Kerby in 2019, I was impressed by his unique perspective of creativity, innovation, business and social issues. What struck me immediately was his willingness to invent a new, singular model, freeing himself from the usual constraints of the fashion system. It was only natural for Kering to support this project that seeks to empower new artistic talents, to encourage the diversity of creativity and to give a voice to the younger generation of innovators" said Francois-Henri Pinault.

'Your Friends in New York' will further evolve to include an incubator inspired program that will enable diverse emerging designers to grow and explore innovative and disruptive new business models.

'Your Friends in New York' quickly mobilized in March 2020 with a personal donation from Jean-Raymond as part of the organization's mission to aid marginalized communities impacted by the pandemic. Kering aided YFINY'S COVID-19 relief efforts with a supporting donation. Moving forward, 'Your Friends in New York' plans to continue to focus on pressing issues in local communities, including but not limited to providing mental health services for children and residents of public housing primarily.

This new platform will be the connective tissue that will bring brands, artists and the community together in different forms including multi-day events that will also serve as the next evolution of Pyer Moss fashion show. Additional details on each program under 'Your Friends in New York' will be made public in the coming months.

About Kerby Jean-Raymond

Kerby Jean-Raymond is a Black Artist and the founder of fashion label Pyer Moss.

He entered the fashion industry at age 14 under an apprenticeship with designer Kay Unger. After three years of working with Kay, he began working with Marchesa as the brand launched.

After 11 years as a Designer and Pattern Maker, Jean-Raymond launched Pyer Moss in 2013.

Since its debut, Pyer Moss has amassed support from press, industry professionals and consumers from around the world. As a fine artist, Jean-Raymond's sculpture "Aquos" was featured at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. He also served as Director on several critically acclaimed film projects with other talented artists and musicians. In 2018, Jean-Raymond and Pyer Moss won the top honor at the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Awards. The following year, 2019, he was named Footwear News Person of the Year and in 2020, he was named Harlem's Fashion Row Designer of the Year.

About Kering

A global Luxury group, Kering manages the development of a series of renowned Houses in Fashion, Leather Goods, Jewelry and Watches: Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin, Ulysse Nardin, Girard-Perregaux, as well as Kering Eyewear. By placing creativity at the heart of its strategy, Kering enables its Houses to set new limits in terms of their creative expression while crafting tomorrow's Luxury in a sustainable and responsible way. We capture these beliefs in our signature: "Empowering Imagination". In 2019, Kering had nearly 38,000 employees and revenue of 15.9 billion.

SOURCE Kering

Related Links

http://www.kering.com


BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, on Wednesday stressed measures to support new industries and patterns to boost new types of consumption and foster economic recovery.

It also specified measures to speed up the innovative development of medical education, ensuring that workers do their best to protect people's health, according to a statement issued after a State Council executive meeting, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

Calling consumption a crucial pillar for economic growth, the statement said the sector, hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic, has become a weak link in the country's economic recovery. However, new types of consumption, supported by new industries and patterns, registered robust growth and had great potential.

Efforts should be made to develop new-type consumption on a larger scale and of higher quality and innovate contactless consumption patterns. Efforts should also go into promoting the development of open online courses as well as online diagnosis and treatment, and a combination of online and offline services in sectors such as fitness and tourism, according to the statement.

The country vowed to accelerate the development of infrastructure to boost new-type consumption. It urged efforts to prioritize the coverage of 5G networks and the Internet of Things in core business districts, industrial parks and transportation hubs, and promote the commercial use of consumption-related data in a safe and orderly manner.

The government will unveil supportive tax policies that foster new industries and patterns for new-type consumption and encourage financial institutions to lower mobile payment costs.

It will also push forward reforms to streamline administration and delegate powers, improve regulation, and upgrade services while simplifying license processing procedures.

Efforts should also be made to allow traditional consumption to play a key role while enhancing the driving forces of new-type consumption.

The meeting pointed out that the number and structure of the country's medical and nursing personnel are yet to meet the needs of building a healthy China as the epidemic exposed the shortage of professionals in public health, critical care, and nursing sectors.

The State Council demanded efforts to strengthen reform and innovation in medical training.

The country will optimize the training structure of medical staff to speed up fostering general practitioners capable of disease prevention and treatment.

More central fiscal support will be extended to the education of medical undergraduates for township hospitals in the country's central and western regions, while enrollment of postgraduates in anesthesia, infection, critical illness and pediatrics will be expanded, according to the statement.

It also detailed multiple measures to enhance the quality of medical staff training.
VANCOUVER, Wash., Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self-storage to residents being impacted by wildfires across the Pacific Northwest.

Strong winds and dry conditions are fueling hundreds of active fires in the area. Millions of acres have been burned and many residential areas are facing evacuation orders.

"We're facing a truly historic outbreak of wildfires in the Pacific Northwest," said Dan Flatten, U-Haul Company of Southern Washington president. "Evacuation orders are creating an immediate need for secure self-storage options where people can bring their valued possessions. We're a longstanding member of these communities and we're here to help those in need."

Local U-Haul Companies have made 25 stores  15 in Oregon and 10 in Washington  available to offer assistance. People seeking more information about the U-Haul disaster relief program or needing to arrange 30 days of free self-storage should contact the nearest participating location:

OREGON

U-Haul Storage of Beaverton

14225 SW Tualatin Valley Hwy.

Beaverton, OR 97005

(503) 643-9539

U-Haul Storage of Bend

63370 N. Hwy. 97

Bend, OR 97701

(541) 388-0671

U-Haul Storage of Santa Clara

150 Oroyan Ave.

Eugene, OR 97404

(541) 393-8408

U-Haul Storage of Glenwood

4400 Franklin Blvd.

Eugene, OR 97403

(541) 726-6051

U-Haul Storage of Gresham

704 NE Hogan Drive

Gresham, OR 97030

(503) 667-0142

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Clackamas Town Center

11811 SE 82nd

Happy Valley, OR 97086

(503) 659-3800

U-Haul Storage of Milwaukie

14310 SE McLoughlin Blvd.

Milwaukie, OR 97267

(503) 653-5930

U-Haul Storage at Columbia

955 N. Columbia Blvd.

Portland, OR 97217

(503) 278-4360

U-Haul Storage of Foster Road

5800 SE 88th Ave.

Portland, OR 97266

(503) 771-1151

U-Haul Storage at Sandy Blvd.

7345 NE Sandy Blvd.

Portland, OR 97213

(503) 288-5735

U-Haul Storage of Umpqua Valley

1182 NE Stephens St.

Roseburg, OR 97470

(541) 672-6864

U-Haul Storage of Silverton

3612 Silverton Road NE

Salem, OR 97305

(503) 399-9418

U-Haul Storage of Sherwood

13921 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Road

Sherwood, OR 97140

(503) 925-6443

U-Haul Storage of SW Portland

11552 SW Pacific Hwy.

Tigard, OR 97223

(503) 245-0791

U-Haul Storage of Lake Oswego

7100 SW McEwan Road

Tualatin, OR 97035

(503) 536-2412

WASHINGTON

U-Haul Storage of Pasco

3212 W. Court St.

Pasco, WA 99301

(509) 545-4207

U-Haul Storage of West Spokane

4399 W. Sunset Blvd.

Spokane, WA 99224

(509) 590-0884

U-Haul Storage of East Town

4110 E. Sprague Ave.

Spokane, WA 99202

(509) 590-4101

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Lidgerwood

7028 N. Division St.

Spokane, WA 99208

(509) 487-2772

U-Haul Storage of East Spokane

14505 E. Sprague Ave.

Spokane Valley, WA 99216

(509) 924-0620

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Spokane Valley

12420 E. Indiana Ave.

Spokane Valley, WA 99216

(509) 928-9000

U-Haul Storage of U-City

10304 E. Sprague Ave.

Spokane Valley, WA 99206

(509) 922-4465

U-Haul Moving & Storage of Hazel Dell

8250 NE Hwy. 99

Vancouver, WA 98665

(360) 574-1234

U-Haul Storage at East Nob Hill

2304 E. Nob Hill Blvd.

Yakima, WA 98901

(509) 453-8110

U-Haul Storage of Yakima

1122 S. 1st St.

Yakima, WA 98901

(509) 457-7161

As an essential service provider, U-Haul has remained open to meet the needs of its communities throughout 2020. For details on what U-Haul has done to enhance cleaning protocols, protect Team Members and customers, and encourage the use of programs that inherently promote social distancing and contactless business, please reference our multi-media press release: "Moving Safely and Smartly during the COVID-19 Pandemic."

About U-Haul

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of 22,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 127,000 trailers and 41,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 774,000 rentable storage units and 66.7 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry, and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S.

Contact:

Andrea Batchelor

Jeff Lockridge

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-263-6981

Website: uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul

Related Links

www.uhaul.com


The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State has arrested a man for allegedly killing his 17-month old stepson so that he could gain the full attention of his wife.

The NSCDCs spokesperson in the state, Adamu Shehu, in a statement, said Usman Samaila, 40, a resident of Duja ward in Tsakuwama village, was arrested on September 3 after his wife raised an alarm over the toddlers death in suspicious circumstances.

Mr Shehu said the suspect took little Adamu Gambo to a farm and strangled him to death. He allegedly tried to cover up by relating the childs death to cold-related infections.

However, his wife reported that her husband had attempted to strangle the poor child about twice earlier, of which the second attempt was in her presence. He said her husband has an intense dislike of the child, the official added.

Following thorough interrogation by the Intelligence and Investigation team of the Command, the suspect confessed to have committed the crime, saying that the baby was a distraction and interference to his love life, and that he wants his wife to give him all her love and attention.

The wife, named Bahayura, is the second wife of the suspect. She had previously married to one Mr Gambo, who fathered the deceased and later married the suspect after her initial marriage crashed.

Preliminary medical examination on the suspect revealed that he is mentally okay. However, he will be taken to a psychiatric hospital for more elaborate examination to properly ascertain his mental status before being charged to a court of competent jurisdiction, Mr Shehu said in the statement.
Ghana National Petroleum Drivers' Union has called off its strike in Buipe, Savannah Region , following the assurance of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST) management to fix malfunctioning loading meters at the depot.

The drivers declared a sit down strike on Monday, September 8, citing some operational challenges which they explained were affecting them, including malfunctioning discharge meters.

Mr Marlick Adjei, General Manager, Corporate Communications and External Affairs, BOST, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday that management intervened to averted the industrial action.

Mr Adjei said Management had finalised the procurement process for the supply of a digital discharge meters but for the COVID-19, the equipment would have been in the country.

He expressed the hope that the equipment would be available to address those challenges.

He said they had assured the drivers that their challenge would be addressed.

Mr Adjei said the drivers expressed satisfaction with the assurances from the Management and resumed work, Wednesday, September 9, 2020.

In a response, Mr Sunday Alarbi, Vice Chairman, Ghana National Petroleum Drivers Union, said they embarked on the sit down strike to back their demands for proper reading meters.

He explained that the meters being used were faulty and therefore gave wrong reading.

He said they had complained and sent several letters to BOST to no avail.

According to him, because of the wrong reading, the tanker owners surcharged the drivers for the difference in the quantity they supplied which affected their salaries.

He said they had resumed work after meeting with BOST and given the assurance that the new metres would be supplied in about nine weeks time.

The Buipe Depot is the central holding point of BOST, which serves the Northern part of Ghana.

It receives products through river barges via the Volta Lake, and through bulk road vehicles loaded from Accra plains depot of BOST.

---GNA
CROWN POINT  A 23-year-old man faces eight years in prison after pleading guilty to charges alleging he stabbed his grandparents multiple times with a kitchen knife in January at their Dyer home.

Nicholas B. Powers, of Dyer, admitted in a plea agreement that he caused his grandmother to suffer stab wounds to her chest and cuts to her arm, leg, thigh, neck and fingers.

Powers also admitted he caused multiple stab wounds to his grandfather's arm, ribs and back during an attack Jan. 28 in the 8500 block of Towle Street.

Powers pleaded guilty last week to two counts of battery by means of a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony.

If Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel Cappas accepts Powers' plea agreement, he would sentence Powers to consecutive four-year prison terms on each count.

In exchange for Powers' pleas, Lake County prosecutors agreed to dismiss all remaining counts, including attempted murder.

Powers decided to accept a plea agreement following Cappas' determination last month he was competent to stand trial.

During a hearing Aug. 17, Cappas spent a good deal of time explaining the legal process to Powers.
A man has been arrested in Washington state for allegedly setting fires close to a road, as wildfires ravage the region.

Reports said the individual was detained at Puyallup, 35 miles south of Seattle, after state troopers were alerted by smoke coming from a fire that had been set on the median of highway 167, close to the location of an ongoing fire, visited this week by the states governor.

Local media said the man was arrested and taken to jail.

The arrest came as many western states, including California, Oregon, and Washington scramble to respond to hundreds of wildfires that are raging across the region.

Officer Ryan Burke with the Washington State Patrol said on Twitter that the 36-year-old was caught in the median of the road.

The Washington State Patrol, the Fife Police Department and the Puyallup Police Department all assisted in making the arrest.

Joint team effort!! WSP, Fife Pd and Puyallup PD just arrested a 36yr old Puyallup resident, tweeted Mr Burke.

He was caught in the median on SR-167@ Meridian setting a fire! He is currently on his way to jail! Great job everybody!

Fox News pointed out that since Monday, more than 50 fires have been ignited in Washington state, burning more than 300,000 acres.

It not immediately clear if the man arrested was being questioned over any of those fires.

Most of the biggest fires have been in the east of the state near Spokane.

However, firefighters have also been tackling blades at Bonney Lake, close to where the man was arrested.

On Wednesday, Washington governor Jay Inslee visited that area and addressed the crisis.

California, Oregon, and Washington: we are all in the soup of cataclysmic fire, and the reason we are in the same soup is because the grass is so dry, the temperature is so hot, and the winds are so heavy, he said.

And these are conditions that are exacerbated by the changing climate that we are suffering.
US Marshals rescue 8 missing children in Indiana; 73 recovered nationwide since August

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Federal agents with the help of local law enforcement recovered eight highly endangered missing children in Indiana last week and arrested one suspect. At least 73 missing children have been recovered nationwide since the beginning of August.

The U.S. Marshals Service announced the conclusion of Operation Homecoming in which its officers in southern Indiana partnered with the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force as well as the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The operation is the first missing child operation conducted by USMS in the Southern District of Indiana, according to the news release. The one-week initiative ran from Aug. 31 until Sept. 4.

After months of planning and coordination, the operation led to the recovery of children between the ages of 6 and 17. All children recovered during the operation were reported missing by local law enforcement. They are considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sex abuse, physical abuse and medical or mental health conditions.

They were turned over to the Indiana Department of Child Services for assistance and placement.

One adult, who was not named by USMS, was arrested during the operation and faces charges related to parental kidnapping, intimidation, weapons possession and custodial interference.

The Marshals are committed to assisting state and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children to help prevent their falling victim to crimes of violence and exploitation, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana Dan McClain said in a statement.

The message that we wish to convey to the missing children and their families is that we will use every resource at our disposal to find you.

Participating officers were given the case files and began investigating the childrens whereabouts by starting with last known addresses, friends homes and schools.

The operation in Indiana is one of several missing child operations conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service in coordination with local authorities.

On Aug, 27, the U.S. Marshals Service announced the results of Operation Not Forgotten in Georgia. Thirty-nine children were recovered and nine individuals were arrested in connection with their disappearances. Some of those arrested had sex offender violations. The age of the children ranged from 3 to 17, with some being victims of sex trafficking and abuse.

When we track down fugitives, its a good feeling to know that we're putting the bad guy behind bars. But that sense of accomplishment is nothing compared to finding a missing child," USMS Missing Child Unit Chief Darby Kirby said in a statement. It's hard to put into words what we feel when we rescue a missing child, but I can tell you that this operation has impacted every single one of us out here. We are working to protect them and get them the help they need.

In Ohio, U.S. Marshals helped recover 25 missing children during the first three weeks of Operation Safety Net in northern Ohio.

Were trying to do our part, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott told WOIO. A number of these children have gone to the hospital after weve recovered them to get checked out. So again, this is something we take very seriously.

According to the television news outlet, there are as many as 200 missing children in northeast Ohio. Elliott stated that there have been some cases where there have been mothers and fathers prostituting their children.

Last Friday, USMS announced one missing 14-year-old child in Kansas City, Kansas, was found. The child also had a warrant out for her arrest and was transported to the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Center.

Last year, the USMS helped recover 295 missing children with help from local law enforcement.

Since the USMS partnership began with NCMEC in 2005, over 1,800 missing children have been recovered.

USMS was authorized to work with local law enforcement agencies through the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. As a result, USMS created the Missing Child Unit to help local law enforcement agencies locate missing children.
The Abeka District Court has been informed that Ofankor landlord who is being held for murder was being in the custody of the Accra Central Police Station (CID) cells contrary to the orders of the court.



According to the case investigator Oppong Bekoe after the court had ordered that suspect be remanded into prison custody at Ankaful Prisons, the suspect was to undergo COVID-19 test hence the decision to keep him at Accra Central cells before being sent to the prisons.



According to the investigator, the suspect was sent to the Ghana Police Hospital for the test and two weeks later, the COVID-19 test results was received.



He said during that time, accused person was at the Accra Central Police Cells and we had a directive from the Attorney General to conduct further investigations and we needed suspect to assist us in that direction.



My Lord after the investigations, accused was sent back to the Accra Central Police Cells, the investigator said.



Inspector Bekoe mentioned one Don Bosco, a witness in the case was aware of the development and got in touch with the deceaseds sister to come and ascertain the whereabouts of the accused but she never turned up.



The investigation further told the court that he has been assured by the legal officer at the Attorney Generals (AG) office that the advice of the AG would soon be ready.



The deceased father, Joseph Okyere however told the court that he was not aware of what the case investigator had told the court.



The court presided over Mrs. Adwoa Akyaama Ofosu said the accused had not escaped in police custody and they could ascertain that before accused was sent to Ankaful Prisons.

The matter was therefore adjourned to September 30.



On September 1, this year, the Court appealed to the family of Benjamin Okyere, the tenant who was allegedly murdered in cold blood by his landlord to exercise restraint as investigations into the whereabouts of the suspect is ascertained.



The court for the second time ordered the case investigator to appear before it to answer certain questions concerning the murder case.



The father of the deceased, Joseph Okyere, had alleged that currently the family of the deceased fear for their lives because the accused, Stephen Nana Kamkam, who was remanded by the court into custody cannot be traced in any of the prisons.



According to the deceased father they have conducted checks at Nsawam and Ankaful prisons and nothing showed that the accused was in any of the prisons.



According to Mr. Okyere their fears were confirmed after the accuseds mother stated that her son would never sleep in jail and she would make sure her son was released.



Due to the allegations raised by the deceased father the court adjourned the matter to today to enable the case investigator to come and answer questions from the court.



Stephen Nana Kamkam, the Ofankor landlord allegedly murdered his tenant Benjamin Okyere in cold blood over rent.



It would be recalled that Kamkam, a businessman, was arrested by the police when he allegedly shot and killed Okyere, his tenant and musician over rent on May 25, this year.



Kamkam, also known as Nii Kojo Konim Obio-Cyhoera, has provisionally been charged with the murder of Benjamin Okyere but his plea has been preserved by the Court.



The Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Ahialey had earlier told the court that, the deceased was a musician who lived at Ofankor Spot-M and Kamkam, his landlord was into real estate and resides in the same vicinity.



Prosecution said two years ago, the deceased rented an apartment from the accused, but the tenancy expired on May 24, this year.



He said Okyere opted for renewal of the tenancy agreement, which Kamkam agreed, but later changed his mind and therefore asked Okyere to vacate the apartment and that he should leave and hand over the keys.



Prosecution said on the afternoon of May 25, Kamkam took his loaded pump action gun, hired a taxi, and went to the residence of Okyere.



He said on reaching the venue, he alighted from the taxi, called out Okyere at the gate, and requested that he hand over the keys of his apartment to him.



The prosecution said the deceased, who knew the behaviour of Kamkam, had earlier called one John Bosco Kotah, a Police officer friend on the phone to come to his aid.



He said when Kotah arrived, he saw Kamkam in possession of the weapon so he got scared and rushed to Okyeres room and picked a phone to call another Police friend to assist them.

Chief Inspector Ahialey said by then, the deceased was at the main gate with the accused and without any provocation, opened fire, and shot Okyere four times at close range.



He said when Kotah heard the gunshots, he came out of the room only to see the accused running away so he chased Kamkam to a distance but being scared the accused might harm him, he returned to attend to Okyere.



Prosecution said Okyere was rushed to Anecja Hospital at Tantra Hills and later sent to the Achimota Mile Seven Police Station where a formal complaint was lodged.



He said Okyere was subsequently rushed to the Police Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.



Chief Inspector Ahialey said a team of policemen, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police, George Asare, proceeded to the crime scene forensic evidence.



He said four spent AA cartridges were retrieved at the scene and the accused was later arrested at his residence at Ofankor Spot-M.



The prosecution said two pump action guns, loaded with seven and eight rounds of cartridges respectively, were found in his room.

Source: GNA









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Friends, colleagues and family members of an Oshawa family that lost four members in a shooting last week paid tribute at an online prayer vigil Wednesday evening.

In the early hours of Friday, Sept. 4, Chris Traynor, a high school teacher, and three of his children  11-year-old Joseph Traynor, 15-year-old Adelaide Traynor and 20-year-old Bradley Traynor  were shot dead in their home by an uninvited relative.

We pray for the repose of the souls of Chris, Bradley, Adelaide and Joseph Traynor, said Tracy Barill, director of education at the Durham Catholic District School Board, where Chris was a popular teacher. The board hosted the vigil.

No one will ever be able to understand why these tragedies occurred. In normal times our response would be to gather together physically knowing that the weight of our sadness is lightened and shared amongst those in grief.

Chriss wife, Loretta Traynor, who is also a teacher at the Durham board, at St. Theresa Catholic School, was wounded in the shooting, and is now recovering in hospital. Their other son was not home and survived.

The kids paternal uncle, speaking remotely like some of the participants, said on behalf of the entire Traynor family, I would like to express how grateful we are for all the kind words and condolences this past week.

(We) are overwhelmed and thankful for your support, your words of comfort, and help for the family more than you could ever know. We would also like to thank the Durham Catholic District School Board, staff, students and alumni.

Loretta loved teaching and loved students that she worked with, he added.

Joey was a student at Sir Albert Love Catholic School, and Adelaide was a student at the school where Chris taught, Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School.

An online fundraiser for surviving members of the Traynor family has brought in more than $150,000.

Durham police have identified the shooter as Mitchell Lapa, 48, of Winnipeg, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.

Police wouldnt say much Wednesday beyond that the investigation is active.

This remains an active homicide investigation, so we will not be disclosing the details of what the investigative team is working on, or what their theory of the case is, police spokesperson Dave Selby said.

With files from Durhamregion.com

Zena Salem is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: zsalem@thestar.ca

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The first full-scale static fire test of NASAs Space Launch System booster rocket was successfully conducted at a site in Promotory, Utah earlier this month.

The154ft-long, five-segment rocket motor, officially known as Flight Support Booster (FSB-1) was fired for just over two minutes, producing 3.6 million pounds of thrust. Two boosters will provide more than 75% percent of the initial thrust when the Space Launch System (SLS) is used launch NASAs Artemis I mission. which is planned for November 2021.

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The Artemis program aims to run a manned mission to the Moon by 2024. Artemis I will be an uncrewed test flight and the first integrated flight of NASAs Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket.

Charlie Precourt, vice president of propulsion systems at Northrop Grumman said, NASAs Artemis missions, powered by Northrop Grumman boosters, will push the boundaries of what is possible for human exploration in space.

We have built, qualified and delivered flight hardware for Artemis I, and we are committed to the continuous improvement and testing of our products to provide the best solid propulsion to fuel NASAs missions to the moon and beyond.

The design of the FSB-1 is based on the flight-proven design of the space shuttle boosters with enhanced technologies and updated materials and is NASAs most powerful rocket developed to date. The five-segment booster provides 20% greater average thrust than the shuttle boosters.

Prior to this test, NASA and Northrop Grumman conducted a series of ground tests that began in 2010 to satisfy requirements for certification of the booster. This included evaluation of ballistic parameters and performance of propellant materials from new sources, an upgrade to enable the booster to meet the high performance demands of SLS.

Northrop Grumman has delivered the first set of rocket motor segments for Artemis I boosters. The second set of motors for the Artemis II boosters are nearly complete, and rocket motor segments for Artemis III are in production. Materials evaluated in todays test could be used in missions following Artemis III.
Geneva: A 34-year-old American man died Thursday in a wingsuit jumping accident in the Swiss mountains, local police said. The cause of the fatal crash is unknown.

The accident happened in the Churfirsten mountains, a group of seven limestone peaks in the St Gallen region of northeast Switzerland that are popular with hikers, mountain bikers and para-gliders.

St Gallen police said in a statement that the man jumped with his wingsuit from the Sputnik jump on the Hinterrugg"  at 2,306 metres (7,566 feet) the highest peak in the group and a well-known spot for BASE jumping.

For reasons that are still unclear, he crashed on the flight route towards Walenstadt," the small town below.

The man, who was not named by police, was found dead by an air rescue crew.

Police said they were now investigating the cause of the crash.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Citigroup Inc. (C) said CEO Michael Corbat plans to retire from Citi and step down from the company's Board in February, 2021. The Board selected Jane Fraser, currently President and CEO of Global Consumer Banking, to succeed Corbat as CEO in February. Jane Fraser has been at Citi for 16 years. The company will name a new CEO of Global Consumer Banking in the coming weeks. Jane Fraser was the Chief Executive Officer of Citi's Latin American region from 2015 to 2019. From 2013 to 2015, she was the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Consumer and Commercial Banking and CitiMortgage. From 2009 to 2013, Jane served as the Chief Executive Officer of Citi's Private Bank. 'We believe Jane is the right person to build on Mike's record and take Citi to the next level. She has deep experience across our lines of business and regions and we are highly confident in her. Jane's ability to think strategically and also operate a business are a unique combination that will serve our company well,' John Dugan, Chair of the Board, said. 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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 23:23:01|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and four others sustained injuries after a train hit a minivan in Indonesia's western province of East Java on Thursday, a police officer said.

The accident occurred when the minivan carrying seven people was passing a railroad crossing without bar gate and signals in Ngebruk village of Malang district, Malang District Police spokesman Bagus Wijanarko revealed.

When the vehicle was on the railway track, the train was passing from the east to the west, and the crash was unavoidable, he said.

The car was dragged up to 200 meters by the train, the officer was quoted by local media as saying. Enditem
Laura Anderson has defiantly hit back at trolls after sparking controversy with her 'changing face' after uploading a photo on Instagram on Tuesday.

The Love Island star, 31, appeared make-up free and 'purposefully put no filter on' as she took to the social media site on Wednesday after causing backlash with her previous snap.

Laura, who had been filming spin-off Where Are They Now? with Jack Fincham and Dr Alex George, said: 'I've purposefully put no filter on this.

Hitting back: Laura Anderson has defiantly hit back at trolls after sparking controversy with her 'changing face' after uploading a photo on Instagram on Tuesday

'Yesterday I had such a good day filming with Jack and Alex and then Jack put up a picture of the three of us, which obviously is like, cute, but I got so much abuse.

'Like, "Laura doesn't look like Laura any more". It's really nice to read all those comments and I just think people need to get over the fact that a picture is just a picture.

'I wanted to come on here with no makeup on and I think I look fine, so thanks for the abuse. Anyway, positive love.'

'I didn't even recognise her!' Love Island fans claimed Laura looked 'unrecognisable' as she reunited with her co-stars for socially-distanced filming on Tuesday (R in 2018)

Defiant: Laura, who had been filming spin-off Where Are They Now? with Jack Fincham and Dr Alex George, said: 'I've purposefully put no filter on this'

Laura hit back after social media users highlighted the blonde's dramatically 'different' appearance.

One wrote: 'OMG is that Laura !!!!!! I did not realise that was Laura!!!!!

Another typed: 'That's not Laura!!! I didn't even recognise her!,' while a third chimed: 'wow laura doesn't even look like laura... is that even Laura....' (sic)

'I got so much abuse': 'Yesterday I had such a good day filming with Jack and Alex and then Jack put up a picture of the three of us, which obviously is like, cute, but I got so much abuse'

Stunned: Under the image shared to Jack's Instagram, social media users highlighted the blonde's dramatically 'different' appearance

Another follower referenced the reality star's cosmetic procedures as they added: 'I don't even recognise Laura since her surgery. Shame she was so pretty and didn't need to change her appearance at all.' (sic)

The media personality has made no secret of having Botox and lip fillers in the past - treatments she claimed she planned before entering the villa in 2018.

TV star previously told The Sun: 'I went for a place that I know does a natural look. I know there's a lot of young people that follow me and I don't want to promote anything like that as it's a dangerous topic really.

Peace: Meanwhile, former pen salesman Jack, 26, also opted for a two-piece, as he rocked a vertically striped polo shirt and blue shorts

'People have to feel good [inside] before they do all that I believe that but for me it's something I wanted to do for a really long time and I came out and just did it as I was thinking about it while I was in there.

'It's a touchy subject and I get that and I would never want to promote that to young girls, but I still want to live my life for me. It's hard, but I'm nearly 30.'

Meanwhile, a number of former Love Island stars have reportedly been left outraged, after allegedly being snubbed from appearing in an upcoming reunion special.

'She looks absolutely stunning!' Others decided to focus on how 'beautiful' the blonde looked on set

The three-part special, said to be called Love Island: Where Are They Now?, was originally planned to be restricted to the top four contestants from each series, but exceptions have reportedly been made  sparking alleged feuds.

A source told The Sun: 'Those involved are very excited, but it has put a few noses out of joint among stars who havent been asked, especially those who think they are bigger names than those who have.

'Unfortunately things have got a bit nasty between some. At first it was just going to be the finalists from each series, but once exceptions started being made it really sparked anger and resentment.'

'I think I look fine': 'I wanted to come on here with no makeup on and I think I look fine, so thanks for the abuse. Anyway, positive love'

Among the former contestants expected to take part in the special are 2018 breakout stars and exes Megan Barton Hanson and Wes Nelson, and last year's runner-ups Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury.

Meanwhile, Montana Brown, who narrowly missed out on the finale in 2017 after she was dumped from the Mallorca villa with her then-beau Alex Beattie, is said to be included in the line-up of returning stars.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Love Island for comment.
Calls are mounting for Melbourne's "draconian" night-time curfew to be scrapped after it was revealed that police had not asked for the new rule and were only told about it hours before the night-time restriction was introduced.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said on Thursday he was never consulted about the curfew, contradicting Premier Daniel Andrews who claimed police told the government that it would help with enforcement of stage four restrictions.

Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton. Credit:Justin McManus

"[Police said] 'give us the clearest, simplest set of rules you can. And [give us] a curfew...' It is much easier, it is much easier for Victoria Police,'' Mr Andrews said on Wednesday.

''I was never consulted,'' Mr Patton told 3AW radio on Thursday morning. We had never asked for a curfew."
OXFORD, Ohio  Police breaking up a party attended by Miami University students last weekend discovered the person hosting it was quarantining because he had tested positive for the coronavirus a week earlier.

WCPO Channel 9 reports six students at the party Saturday afternoon were cited for violating coronavirus orders. There 20 students inside the house when officers arrived, WCPO reports.

When police began questioning a student who lived in the house, they learned he had tested positive for the coronavirus. Police asked him if he was supposed to be in quarantine and he answered, Yeah. Thats why Im at my house," WCPO reports.

The student initially told officers that everyone attending the party had tested positive, WLWT Channel 5 reports. He then said it was likely two students had tested positive, WCPO reports.

Thats what were trying to prevent. We want to keep this town open, the officer tells the student. Youre not quarantining if youre mixing with other people.

The university has been struggling with an outbreak of the virus, with more than 1,000 students testing positive during the past two weeks. Still, the school plans to resume in-person classes on Sept. 21, Fox 19 reports.

The university still expects the on-campus population to be reduced by about 40 percent as some students use remote learning, reports say.
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The fallout from Rio Tinto's destruction of 46,000-year-old Aboriginal rock shelters at Juukan Gorge continues to deepen as the board considers removing top executives and demands for a moratorium on works imperilling other sacred sites spread across the Pilbara.

While Rio Tinto's board holds crisis meetings amid investor calls for senior staff including chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques to be dismissed, Australian superannuation giant HESTA has added to pressure for strong action, saying on Thursday that accountability for the disaster must "rest at the highest levels" of the organisation.

Rio Tinto investors are calling on the board for accountability at the 'highest levels' for the blasting of an ancient Aboriginal site. Credit:Michele Mossop

The $52 billion super fund, which owns shares in Rio, also launched a push for the board to urgently address the "larger, systemic" issue surrounding the company's treatment of traditional owner groups by commissioning an independent external audit of all its agreements with First Nations people.

"Mining companies that fail to negotiate fairly and in good faith with traditional owners expose [themselves] to reputational and legal risk," HESTA said in a statement. "Without an independent review, we cannot adequately assess these risks and understand how they may impact value."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 17:06:31|Editor: huaxia

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A China-Europe freight train pulls out of Alataw Pass in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Sadat)

China's cross-border rail connectivity project bucked the downward trend of logistics ensuring steady supply and support, while air and sea cargo transportation had to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 outbreak.

URUMQI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Loaded with automobile parts, apparel and other items, a navy blue freight train departed for Poland carrying made-in-China products for the European market.

The train, which left China via the Alataw Pass, a major rail port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was traveling on one of the growing routes for the China-Europe freight train program, a rail connectivity project initiated by China to boost exchanges with European countries.

The trade project that began in 2011 shone through the COVID-19 cloud this year. The cross-border freight train service bucked the downward trend of logistics ensuring steady supply and support, while air and sea cargo transportation had to bear the brunt of the outbreak.

GATHERING STEAM DESPITE HURDLES

Though the speed of China-Europe freight train service is dwarfed by plane or bullet passenger train, the pace of its growth in terms of delivery frequency and cargo volume has continued to reach new highs lately.

The Alataw Pass saw 3,094 China-Europe freight train trips in the first eight months this year, marking a 40.6-percent year-on-year jump.

Across the country, a total of 7,601 China-Europe freight train trips were made in the first eight months of this year, up 44 percent over the same period in 2019.

August alone saw the operation of 1,247 such trains, the fourth month in a row for the figure to top 1,000 and the sixth consecutive month registering double-digit growth.

A China-Europe freight train carrying medical supplies bound for Madrid of Spain departs from the city of Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 5, 2020. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua)

The surge in China-Europe freight train trips is partly driven by rising market demand and powered by higher customs efficiency. Thanks to digital customs service, the halting duration for the train leaving the Alataw Pass has reduced to as short as five hours, compared with 14 hours without the service, according to Yin Hufeixue, a customs officer at the pass.

KEEP SUPPLY CHAIN ROLLING

In line with the robust rise in cargo trips, trade volume has spiked. Some 113,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo were sent in August, up 66 percent year on year.

The trade's boost to supply chains is a two-way trip. Automobile parts made in China, such as tires and seats, are regularly shipped to Germany through the China-Europe freight train, while some European cars are exported to China using the same freight train service such as the train service transporting Audi vehicles to northeast China's Changchun City.

The products traded between China and Europe via the cargo service have expanded from electronic commodities to over 200 categories of goods including automobiles, wine and cross-border e-commerce parcels.

The China-Europe freight train service, as a land transportation artery like a contemporary railway version of camel caravans, has played an important role in keeping logistics unimpeded and ensuring a stable supply of materials to China, Europe and countries along the routes, said Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, in August.

A SHOT IN THE ARM

With travel restrictions disrupting global logistics, the China-Europe freight train service became a lifeline for transporting anti-epidemic supplies, thus bringing a glimmer of hope for people worldwide involved in the fight against COVID-19 while grappling with its economic fallout.

A China-Europe freight train carrying hundreds of tons of medical equipment from China arrives in Belgrade, Serbia on May 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

On March 25, a China-Europe freight train, loaded with more than 110,000 medical face masks and 766 units of protective suits, left Alataw Pass, kicking off exports of anti-pandemic supplies to Europe using the train service. By the end of June, the cargo train service had delivered 3.67 million items of pandemic control supplies weighing 27,000 tonnes to countries including Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland.

The pandemic has created opportunities for China and Europe to expand bilateral ties, and China's leading progress in restoring economic activities has boosted confidence for Europe and the rest of the world, said Sylwester Szafarz, former consul general of Poland in Shanghai, adding that Poland is working on a transportation project that is expected to facilitate freight train service to countries in west Europe.

China has vowed to further upgrade the freight train service. It announced an investment of 200 million yuan (about 29.2 million U.S. dollars) in early July for building train depots in five key logistics hubs of the train service, including Urumqi, Chongqing and Zhengzhou. 
JPMorgan Chase & Co executives have told senior employees of the bank's sales and trading operation that they must return to the office by September 21, even as most Manhattan employers expect to remain remote through the end of the year.

Trading chief Troy Rohrbaugh and Marc Badrichani, the bank's global head of sales and research, delivered the message in conference calls with senior managers on Wednesday morning, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Employees with child-care issues and medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to coronavirus complications can continue working from home, according to the report.

A spokesperson for JPMorgan declined to comment when reached by DailyMail.com.

JPMorgan Chase & Co executives have reportedly told senior employees of the bank's sales and trading operation that they and their teams must return to HQ (above in a file photo)

JP Morgan's trading floor is seen above in a file photo. When the pandemic struck New York with force in mid-March, many employers were forced to hastily implement remote-working

A source familiar with the matter told DailyMail.com that the bank believes working in the office strengthens culture, creates a more cohesive working environment and is important for training.

The person said that the September 21 deadline only applied to senior managers on the sales and trading teams.

When the pandemic struck New York with force in mid-March, many employers were forced to hastily implement remote-working policies, with little time to plan ahead.

Bosses of trading floors in particular feared that the move would damage business, with the lost of the boisterous camaraderie and high-tech work stations in the move to working from home.

Yet the fears of many bank executives have not come to pass, with investment banking and trading revenue hitting an eight-year high in the first half of 2020, according to data from industry research group Coalition cited by the Journal.

With its move to bring traders back to the office on the cusp of flu season, when the incidence of most respiratory viruses explodes, JPMorgan is making a risky gamble that it can safely resume office operations with the pandemic far from over.

Although New York City over the summer has seen the positive test rate for COVID-19 drop below 1 percent, most other Manhattan employers are being far more cautious.

The empty streets of lower Manhattan are seen on Thursday. Only 26 percent of employers said they expected office workers to return by the end of the year

People are seen on the outdoor square in Hudson Yards in New York City on Wednesday

As of last month, fewer than 10 percent of Manhattan's one million office workers had returned to working on-site, according to a survey from the Partnership for New York.

Only 26 percent of employers said they expected office workers to return by the end of the year, and a total of 54 percent expected to return by July 2021.

Nearly a third of employers said they didnt yet know their plans for returning employees to the office.

Tech employers expect 74 percent of employees to return to the office by July 2021, while finance and insurance employers expect 55 percent and consulting firms expect 50 percent.

Accounting, media and hospitality employers all expect to be back in the offices by July at much lower rates.
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Serum Institute of India has put trials of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine candidate on hold until the British drugmaker restarts the trials, Serum said on Thursday. "We are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials," Serum said in a brief statement. AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had paused trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in a study participant, but its partner Serum had at the time said its trials in India were still ongoing. (Reporting by Euan Rocha in Mumbai; Additional ...
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New Delhi: The initial public offering of IT services firm Happiest Minds Technologies garnered massive response from investors as it was subscribed a whopping 151 times on the last day of bidding on Wednesday.

According to data available with the NSE, the Rs 702-crore IPO received bids for over 351 crore shares against the issue size of 2.33 crore shares.

The qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) portion was subscribed 77.43 times, non-institutional investors 351.46 times and retail individual investors 70.94 times, as per the data.

The price band for the offer, which opened for subscription on Monday, was fixed at Rs 165-166 per equity share.

The offer comprises a fresh issuance of shares aggregating up to Rs 110 crore and an offer for sale of up to 3.56 crore equity shares.

The company, promoted by Ashok Soota, raised Rs 316 crore from anchor investors last week.

Soota was also the founding chairman and managing director of MindTree. He had also served as vice-chairman of Wipro.

The IT company proposes to utilise the net proceeds from the fresh issue for meeting long-term working capital needs and general corporate purposes.

The Bengaluru-based company's shares are proposed to be listed on the BSE and the NSE.

ICICI Securities and Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) are the managers for the offer.
Russians vote in regional elections starting Friday with the main opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a German hospital after allegedly being poisoned, the ruling party losing favour and some regions having seen major protests.

Polling will take place on Sunday with early voting beginning on Friday.

Here are five things to know about the polls:

Who votes?

In 41 of the countrys regions, Russians are voting for regional governors and assemblies as well as in four by-elections for national MPs, among other polls.

Governors will be elected in twenty regions including Irkutsk, Tatarstan and Arkhangelsk.

Elections will be held over three days and some polling stations will be open-air, measures officially introduced to guard against coronavirus transmission.

This summer, a national vote on constitutional amendments that made it possible for President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 was also held over multiple days. The opposition accused the vote organisers of mass falsifications.

Poison and protest

The polls come as the alleged poisoning of Navalny  the countrys best-known opposition figure and Kremlins number one foe  has prompted a growing chorus of international concern and threats of sanctions.

Navalny suddenly fell ill on a flight from Siberia, where he had been meeting activists from his campaign teams ahead of the polls and investigating local elites.

Doctors in Berlin, where Navalny was evacuated, found he had been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, prompting a horrified reaction across the world, while Moscow insists medical tests in Russia found no trace of poison.

The vote also comes as the far eastern city of Khabarovsk has seen unprecedented protests, involving thousands and lasting two months, over the arrest of a popular governor, who had defeated an incumbent from the ruling party.

The ex-governor, Sergei Furgal, has been charged over gangland killings that took place 15 years ago.

His supporters see his arrest as unwanted interference from Moscow, as those living in far-flung regions often feel they benefit little from the wealth and resources accumulated in the capital.

Furgals case and the protest movement in Belarus have both sparked some demonstrations in solidarity in Russian cities, suggesting there is growing potential for a protest vote.

Opposition and new parties

The opposition is injecting an element of surprise into polls, particularly in Russias third largest city Novosibirsk where some 30 independent candidates including Navalny supporters have formed an alliance against the ruling United Russia party and the Communists.

Across the country, candidates are also standing for four new parties representing new technologies, the environment, entrepreneurship and conservative values.

But some observers say the development has been encouraged by the Kremlin in order to fragment the opposition electorate while lending the vote a veneer of diversity.

The Communist Party and nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia are also contesting seats.

Traditionally seen as Kremlin-friendly, they have in the past won key races against the ruling party.

Smart vote

Navalny has urged supporters not to boycott votes despite his allies rarely being allowed to stand. He has instead campaigned for tactical or smart voting", backing the strongest candidate to defeat United Russia.

This tactic was tested out a year ago in local elections including polls for Moscows city legislature.

Following a summer of protests, the ruling party lost a large proportion of seats, largely to Communists.

Navalny and his supporters afterwards faced an even greater onslaught of legal action, detentions and raids.

Test for Putin

Support for the ruling party has fallen, affected by a hugely unpopular reform raising the pension age as well as the struggling economy hit by the oil crisis and the coronavirus. Recent opinion polls show only 30 percent support United Russia.

The vote comes a year ahead of parliamentary elections, however, and the ruling party can count on backing from officials and other elite groups that benefit from the status quo.
As is the case with many tech firms, work at Wysdom.AI came with decent office perks. There was an open-concept work environment, catered lunches on Fridays and massages on Tuesdays.

But those disappeared in March, when everyone was sent home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Six months later, Ian Collins, CEO of Wysdom.AI, a Richmond Hill-based company that makes automated customer service software, says theres no turning back.

Even though hes locked into a multi-year lease for his 10,000-square-foot head office, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, he says hes decided to go all in on remote working on a permanent basis, because his 80 employees enjoy the flexibility and productivity has not diminished.

The office will sit empty, except for the potential occasional training session or special events for staff.

There are all these theories about serendipity in the office, how it fosters all this creativity. I think its just a big myth. Its the real-estate agents and commercial landlords that are telling these stories, he said.

The truth is: Were as effective as weve ever been.

How many other companies in the white-collar and knowledge sectors will follow suit remains to be seen. Consultants and industry observers say many are still sitting on the fence  even now, with a half-years worth of data and anecdotal evidence at their disposal.

While there are tangible benefits to remote working, such as the elimination of commuting and the potential to save on operating costs in the long run, there are also downsides, they say.

Burnout  the blurring of lines between work and home life  is an obvious concern. So, too, is worry that no matter how advanced the video technology a company uses, theres nothing that spurs innovation and boosts morale better than spontaneous in-person meetups.

All the other solutions to that are imperfect, said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Trends often go for a bit and then pull back. I fully expect that many employers will embrace, in the next couple of years, working-from-home options and then say, You know what? We really are missing out from having a team together. Lets now try to pull our teams back together to physical locations.

Among the tech giants, there is no consensus on the best approach. In a recent interview, Reed Hastings, founder and CEO of streaming service Netflix, told The Wall Street Journal, I dont see any positives from having employees work from home. He said it was his intention to get people back into the office once a majority of his workforce is vaccinated.

Facebook and Google have said they will allow staff to work from home voluntarily until at least July 2021. Canadian e-commerce giant Shopify, meanwhile, is reportedly vacating its Ottawa headquarters after saying most of its employees can work from home indefinitely.

At Colliers International, the brokers whose livelihoods depend on the state of the commercial real-estate market arent panicking just yet, said Robyn Baxter, vice-president of workplace strategy and innovation.

While the spring season was slow, things started to pick up again in summer, she said.

I would say the mood is not horrible, she said. Its pretty optimistic again.

What were hearing anecdotally is, Yeah, people are productive and working hard. Theyre set up at home and can do their individual tasks very well. But thats not all we need. We are really missing the collaboration, innovation, idea generation  all those things that are really hard when youre locked in a room in your home endlessly, she said.

Baxter said one senior executive recently told her: We can run our business from home, but were not growing our business from home.

As companies adopt a hybrid model of allowing employees greater flexibility to work from home some of the time, she anticipates there could be a shift in how commercial office spaces are used.

If more people are doing their individual stuff at home, we may see less individual-focused space and more group, sharing, community-building and collaborating spaces. Does that mean less space? I dont necessarily think so, she said.

At some point, people need to be with their people.

Thats consistent with the findings of a survey conducted last month by the Council of Canadian Innovators, which represents leaders of some of the nations fastest-growing tech companies. Spokesman Patrick Searle said the council asked 150 tech leaders what the likelihood was they would keep employees working from home post-COVID-19. Six per cent said they planned to stay remote, 47 per cent said they would adopt a hybrid model, while 27 per cent said they planned to return to the office.

Stephen Harrington, a Deloitte Canada director who advises clients on workforce strategies, said most organizations are still in crisis-response mode and figuring out the best path forward.

In his opinion, theres been a rush in some of the media coverage to sanctify remote work as this great new thing for everyone.

While there are benefits of remote work, such as real-estate cost savings and the ability to hire people without the constraints of geography, there are also challenges, he said.

Theres the cost of having to invest in new digital technology. Immersing employees in a companys culture might not be accomplished as easily in a virtual setting. Studies have also shown that people who work in remote settings tend to work longer hours and have trouble distinguishing when to start and stop working, which means employers may need to implement digital tools reminding workers to follow healthy habits, he said.

I have one employer who has decided theyre going to reinstate lunch hour. They blocked every employees calendar from 12 to 1 in Outlook.

Work-family conflicts have also emerged in households where people are working alongside their spouses and children, said Becky Paluch, a professor of organizational behaviour and human resources at the University of British Columbia.

She said one thing she is monitoring is how employers are supporting those employees, especially women.

One particular thing that organizations are going to have to look at, if they want to keep a diverse workforce, is how can they support half the population that may have these domestic responsibilities they cant just push aside or outsource to daycares?

While some companies have created more flexible working hours for employees that, in turn, raises a new concern.

Long term, were going to see more issues about burnout, she said.

Fatigue is setting in for some people, said David Zweig, a professor of organizational behaviour at the University of Toronto.

Right now, Im trying to let my wife get her work done and so Im keeping the kids busy. Weve been trading off those roles for the past few months. It has put enormous pressure on everyone.

That said, this pandemic has lifted the lid on working from home.

We know now it can be done for the majority of people  with relative levels of success, he said.

The longer this goes on, the more entrenched this model will become and the more difficult itll be for people to consider going back.

Paul Vallee, CEO of Ottawa software start-up Tehama, agrees. Even though he is locked into a 10-year lease for his head office, he says he does not expect his office to be fully occupied when doors reopen later this fall.

The majority of his 60 employees have signalled they want their primary workplace to be at home with the office being a perk they can go to when they want.

That office-centric culture is dead. Walking through our offices now is like visiting the home of a relative that died, he said.

A digital-centric culture has been born and cant easily be killed off.

Collins said he has a few workers who are either living alone in a condo and have developed cabin fever or who are parents and need a separate place to work a couple of days a week.

For those employees, Collins said, he may consider finding a small shared office to accommodate their needs.

But the overwhelming message hes received is the 9-to-5 office structure doesnt work anymore.

The flexibility they havent had before is something they dont want to give up, he said.

(Once) a full year or 15 months has gone by, were going to see new habits have set in and become entrenched, and itll be quite difficult to go back to an office. People are just going to resist.

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Visitors select products of "Mom Handworks" at the exhibition area of the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 7, 2020. Four artisans of "Mom Handworks" from southwest China's Guizhou Province demonstrated embroidery works of the Miao ethnic group at the fair. "Mom Handworks" is a public welfare project initiated in 2016. Since then, a total of 49 "Mom Handworks Cooperatives" have been established in 14 provinces nationwide. The project helps create jobs for poverty-stricken mothers and provide them with skills to make handicrafts with local ethnic flavors. It also serves as a platform to promote China's intangible cultural heritages and carry forward traditional Chinese culture. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)
External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' meet in Moscow today. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 6 pm. This comes in the backdrop of border tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The bilateral meeting will be first between Jaishankar and Wang since the standoff in Ladakh sector began in May. The two leaders spoke on phone on June 17, two days after the deadly clash in Galwan Valley.

Ahead of his departure for Russia External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said the state of the border with China cannot be de-linked from the state of the overall relationship with the neighbouring country. The external affairs minister also described the situation in eastern Ladakh as "very serious" which he said calls for "very very deep conversation" between the two sides at a political level.

India-China stand-off

India and China have been engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot springs and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June.

Last Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the SCO dialogue in Moscow that attempts by Chinese troops to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC was in violation of the bilateral agreements, and Beijing should work with New Delhi for complete disengagement from all friction areas including Pangong Tso.

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Omans national carrier, Oman Air, will resume its commercial flight operations from October 1 after a seven-month hiatus over the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision comes following the announcement by the Oman airport of the resumption of air traffic for international flights in October.

Oman closed its borders to travelers in March as part of efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus though it continued running repatriation flights of Omanis and the sultanate residents. Oman Air from 1st October will connect Muscat with London, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Cairo, Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Dubai, Doha, Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Lahore and Islamabad, with more destinations to be added in the near future, the airline has indicated. Travelers are required to observe anti-coronavirus protocol: wear masks on board the aircraft and in Omans airports, distancing while guests board and exit the aircraft. Oman Air was operating more than 50 routes in October last year.
The President has urged the public to redouble its efforts to follow health advice and guidelines in a bid to suppress the virus as the country approaches the end of six months of our shared struggle.

1,781 people have died in the country as a consequence of the virus over the past six months, while more than 30,000 people have been infected.

The President has now encouraged everyone to renew their commitment to slow the spread of Covid-19 in a show of good citizenship: I believe that we must now, with our schools reopened, must refresh determination to give our efforts  as the late John B Keane might put it  our almighty best.

Audio:



"Reflections on Covid - Solidarity, Care, Compassion And Kindness"

A Message from President Michael D. Higgins: https://t.co/R20AuTXNWd pic.twitter.com/XUJzJOm7Sx Advertisement  President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) September 10, 2020

I suggest we do so on the basis of good citizenship. Yes, ones personal health is most secure when there is a good following of the public health advice. But making the effort is an achievement that goes beyond the self in the protection of others.

Following the guidelines and the advice is fundamentally an act of good citizenship.

Solidarity and compassion

Mr Higgins said he believes there is a need for "solidarity, care, compassion and kindness" to guide our collective response to the pandemic.

We must, it goes without saying, continue to share the grief of those who have lost loved ones, he said.

We must share too the distress of those whose lives and livelihoods have been changed, and address the loneliness being experienced by those who have been cut off from contact with those who previously sustained them.

The President spoke of the dangers of damaged solidarity in recent weeks: I have mentioned solidarity as an essential value guiding us as we proceed.

We must acknowledge that breaches of solidarity damage, and have damaged, social cohesion in combating Covid. But our righteous concerns must not be allowed to dislodge us from our common purpose. That of, by following the advice in relation to public health... we will together suppress the virus.
There are other factors behind the digital divide, too, such as legislation that blocks competition. BroadbandNow research found that 22 states have enacted barriers or bans to setting up municipally owned nonprofit networks that are similar to public utilities.



Accessing the internet via a home satellite dish would seem a likely solution, eliminating the need to bury pensive fiber networks. But experts say that current satellite technology  while sometimes marketed to consumers as broadband  is actually too slow, unreliable and expensive to be counted as a true broadband service. Plus, says Brian Whitacre, a professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University, it certainly is more costly to have a big piece of equipment attached to your house, and for the provider to maintain a satellite in orbit. And just as rain and wind can break up a satellite TV signal, they also interfere with satellite internet transmission. Having the signal break up when you are in a meeting or a telehealth appointment is problematic, notes Roberto Gallardo, assistant director of Purdue University's regional development center.

Although some dish companies advertise 25/3 broadband speeds, in practice they often clock in at 10/1 or 5/1. In a 2019 Purdue household survey, only a quarter of those surveyed were happy with satellite service, but more than half of cable and fixed wireless users were satisfied with their internet access.

Toward solutions

Anne Boothe describes her hometown of Malta, Montana, as 100 miles from the nearest Walmart and 200 miles from the nearest airport. But the telecommuter and grandmother is satisfied with her broadband access, which is provided over fiber-optic lines through a member-owned co-op, Triangle Communications. It began in the 1950s as a telephone company. Our co-op took out federal loans to expand the network, says Boothe, 62, who enjoys chatting with her grandchildren in Oregon via Zoom. We are very sparsely populated, less than one person per square mile. But with our broadband, farm spouses can work remotely, retirees can stay connected, and we've avoided the brain drain of younger people leaving for good."

Such cooperatives don't have the pressure to produce quick returns on investment, explains Geoff Feiss, the general manager of the Montana Telecommunications Association. They can invest in areas where publicly traded companies can't justify the expense."

Other work-arounds include municipally operated networks, through which cities and towns issue bonds to cover network expansion costs. About 125 communities nationwide (most with populations under 25,000) operate such broadband utilities, says Christopher Mitchell, director of broadband for the Minneapolis-based Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Hundreds of other municipalities operate limited networks or are involved in public-private partnerships. But according to BroadbandNow research, 22 states have laws that prohibit public-sector competition with for-profit telecommunications companies.

The federal government allocates roughly $6 billion a year for rural internet access, but even those upgrades may not bring some areas up to industry broadband standards. That is keeping rural America behind, says Ali, the Virginia professor. AARP is among the organizations pushing for more funding, emphasizing the need for reliable telehealth service to older Americans. AARP has encouraged federal and state lawmakers to allocate more for broadband infrastructure, including advocating for additional appropriations in coronavirus relief bills and emphasizing the issue's importance to the FCC. Social distancing has only amplified the issue. This national emergency, Feiss says, has exposed both the benefits of broadband and the gaps and challenges that remain.
HONG KONG, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Decentralized Finance (DeFi) growth has been explosive. In the last year, the value locked into DeFi has increased 1500% to $8bn, according to DeFi Pulse. As analysts question how disruptive it will be to traditional finance, Crypto.com and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), have today, released a joint research report weighing the implications DeFi will have on centralised finance.

Crypto.com x BCG Platinion (PRNewsfoto/Crypto.com) The Sudden Rise of DeFi: Opportunities and Risks for Financial Services (PRNewsfoto/Crypto.com) Crypto.com Logo (PRNewsfoto/Crypto.com)

"The Sudden Rise of DeFi: Opportunities and Risks for Financial Services" explores the factors driving the growth of the DeFi industry, which is an Open Finance movement built upon public programmable blockchains such as Ethereum. DeFi's proponents expect a disruption of mainstream financial services by allowing all aspects of financial services to be automated and performed by anyone, without a central authority or intermediary. The report tempers the anticipated potential of DeFi with an honest assessment of current challenges facing the industry and the underlying technology.

Regulation and governance have given the centralised finance (CeFi) industry an enormous proportion of the value generated from financial services. While DeFi may be perceived as a threat to CeFi, Crypto.com and BCG's report offers a roadmap for financial services leaders to build a new generation of politically and technologically resilient financial solutions that are extremely valuable and more relevant in today's digital economy.

Kris Marszalek, Co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com said: "Our joint research into DeFi provides a deep dive into the reasons behind its growth, differentiators against CeFi and its potential to disrupt mainstream finance. Whereas much existing research into DeFi is project-specific and crypto-centric, this report leverages both Crypto.com and BCG's respective areas of expertise to deliver a comprehensive side-by-side comparison with incumbents in traditional finance."

Kaj Burchardi, Managing Director with BCG Platinion said: "Whether companies choose to embrace decentralised finance or not, they still need to understand the impact it will have and track customer demand for autonomy, especially in payments, loans and exchange. By uncovering current levels of liquidity, charting the progress of regulation, and judging levels of risk - companies can continually assess whether services should be substituted for a more decentralised model. By partnering with Crypto.com, we have been able to advise companies with an honest appraisal on DeFi, giving them the tools to make informed decisions on its adoption."

About the research

https://defi-pubs.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/BCG_Crypto.com_The_Sudden_Rise_of_DeFi_Opportunities_and+Risks_for_Financial_Services.pdf

About Crypto.com

Crypto.com was founded in 2016 on a simple belief: it's a basic human right for everyone to control their money, data and identity. Crypto.com serves over 3 million customers today, providing them with a powerful alternative to traditional financial services through the Crypto.com App, the Crypto.com Card and the Crypto.com Exchange.Crypto.com is built on a solid foundation of security, privacy and compliance and is the first cryptocurrency company in the world to have ISO/IEC 27701:2019, CCSS Level 3, ISO27001:2013 and PCI:DSS 3.2.1, Level 1 compliance. Crypto.com is headquartered in Hong Kong with a 500+ strong team. Find out more by visiting https://crypto.com

About BCG Platinion

As a part of Boston Consulting Group (BCG), BCG Platinion provides consulting services in design, development and implementation of advanced technology solutions that fuel creation of new-generation business models. Today, our presence spans the globe with offices in Europe, North and South America, South Africa and Asia Pacific.

About Boston Consulting Group

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we help clients with total transformationinspiring complex change, enabling organizations to grow, building competitive advantage, and driving bottom-line impact.

To succeed, organizations must blend digital and human capabilities. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives to spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting along with technology and design, corporate and digital venturesand business purpose. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, generating results that allow our clients to thrive.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/888271/Crypto_Logo.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1251545/Foris_Image_Infographic.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1251663/CryptoCom_BCG_platinion.jpg

SOURCE Crypto.com
Sport Minister Kirsty Coventry has launched an artiste fund for musicians, dances, actors, athletes and others, whose operations have been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The beneficiaries got 5,000 Zimbabwe dollars each. They are seeking permission to work. (Video:
The community fridge that popped up on the streets of Bethlehems Southside this past weekend has run into a roadblock with the Bethlehem Health Bureau.

On Thursday afternoon, the Fridge For The Peoples Instagram page -- fridgeforthepeopleLV -- had a post stating the free community nutrition effort had been shut down. Shortly after, the post had been updated to clarify the shutdown was, hopefully, temporary.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) - The Department of Agriculture want to raise the level of the country's rice self-sufficiency to 93 percent this year, which can lead to three months worth of inventory including imports, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said Thursday.

Local rice production is currently at 86 percent (or 17.2 million metric tons) of the required 20 million metric tons, Dar said. The agency intends to boost that rate by another seven percent.

"With this pandemic nagbigay ng additional na tulong ang national government para maitaas ang ating rice sufficiency level to another 7%, so 93% by the end of this year...so in general 'yun ang direksyon," Dar said during a House of Representatives appropriations committee hearing on the agency's proposed 2021 budget.

[Translation: With this pandemic, the national government gave additional aid to raise our rice sufficiency level to another 7%, so 93% by the end of this year, so in general that is our direction.]

The agency was given 66 billion worth of stimulus funds from the Bayanihan Law, of which 24 billion have already been used, including 5 billion for rice resiliency during the dry season. The agri-fishery sector expanded by 1.6 percent in the second quarter of 2020 despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agriculture chief noted. Dar said the department hopes to gain more from the yield during the October to November harvest season.

The DA is poised to get 64 billion for the proposed budget in 2021 which is only 1.6 percent of the total 4 trillion lodged national budget. Dar noted the disparity of the allocation to the sector's contribution to the country's gross domestic product which is at ten percent. This is also considerably small compared to the proposal of the agency for a 284 billion budget two months ago.

READ: DA wants 284-B budget for 2021

Dar suggested that the remaining amount from the stimulus funds be added to next year's budget instead.

"Kung pwede 'yung balanse na 42 billion out of 66-B ay 'yun ay pwedeng idagdag at hanapan natin ng pondo para magiging more than 100 billion yung budget natin sa next year," he said. "That would be good enough to start 'yung stimulating 'yung agriculture sector."

[Translation: If we can find funds for the 42 billion out of 66-B and add it, the budget will become more than P100 billion next year. That would be good enough to start stimulating the agriculture sector.]

The secretary assured that the budget will be used for more programs to aid producers of commodities, not just rice. The move to add more to the DA' budget received support from several lawmakers.
Nurses at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center were on edge as early as March when patients with COVID-19 began to show up in areas of the hospital that were not set aside to care for them.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had advised hospitals to isolate COVID patients to limit staff exposure and help conserve high-level personal protective equipment that's been in short supply.

Yet COVID patients continued to be scattered through the Oakland hospital, according to complaints to California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The concerns included the sixth-floor medical unit where veteran nurse Janine Paiste-Ponder worked.

COVID patients on that floor were not staying in their rooms, either confused or uninterested in the rules. Staff was not provided highly protective N95 respirators, said Mike Hill, a nurse in the hospital intensive care unit and the hospital's chief representative for the California Nurses Association, which filed complaints to Cal/OSHA, the state's workplace safety regulator.

"It was just a matter of time before one of the nurses died on one of these floors," Hill said.

Two nurses fell ill, including Paiste-Ponder, 59, who died of complications from the virus on July 17.

The concerns raised in Oakland also have swept across the U.S., according to interviews, a review of government workplace safety complaints and health facility inspection reports. A KHN investigation found that dozens of nursing homes and hospitals ignored official guidelines to separate COVID patients from those without the coronavirus, in some places fueling its spread and leaving staff unprepared and infected or, in some cases, dead.

As recently as July, a National Nurses United survey of more than 21,000 nurses found that 32% work in a facility that does not have a dedicated COVID unit. At that time, the coronavirus had reached all but 17 U.S. counties, data collected by Johns Hopkins University shows.

KHN discovered that COVID victims have been commingled with uninfected patients in health care facilities in states including California, Florida, New Jersey, Iowa, Ohio, Maryland and New York.

A COVID-19 outbreak was in full swing at the New Jersey Veterans Home at Paramus in late April when health inspectors observed residents with dementia mingling in a day room  COVID-positive patients as well as others awaiting test results. At the time, the center had already reported COVID infections among 119 residents and 46 virus-related deaths, according to a Medicare inspection report.

The assistant director of nursing at an Iowa nursing home insisted April 28 that they did "not have any COVID in the building" and overrode the orders of a community doctor to isolate several patients with fevers and falling oxygen levels, an inspection report shows.

By mid-May, the facility's COVID log showed 61 patients with the virus and nine dead.

Federal work-safety officials have closed at least 30 complaints about patient mixing in hospitals nationwide without issuing a citation. They include a claim that a Michigan hospital kept patients who tested negative for the virus in the COVID unit in May. An upstate New York hospital also had COVID patients in the same unit as those with no infection, according to a closed complaint to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Federal Health and Human Services officials have called on hospitals to tell them each day if they have a patient who came in without COVID-19 but had an apparent or confirmed case of the coronavirus 14 days later. Hospitals filed 48,000 reports from June 21 through Aug. 28, though the number reflects some double or additional counting of individual patients.

COVID patients have been mixed in with others for a variety of reasons. Some hospitals report having limited tests, so patients carrying the virus are identified only after they had already exposed others. In other cases, they had false-negative test results or their facility was dismissive of federal guidelines, which carry no force of law.

And while federal Medicare officials have inspected nearly every U.S. nursing home in recent months and states have occasionally levied fines and cut off new admissions for isolation lapses, hospitals have seen less scrutiny.

The scene inside Sutter

At Alta Bates in Oakland, part of the Sutter Health network, hospital staff made it clear in official complaints to Cal/OSHA that they wanted administrators to follow the state's unique law on aerosol-transmitted diseases. From the start, some staffers wanted all the state-required protections for a virus that has been increasingly shown to be transmitted by tiny particles that float through the air.

The regulations call for patients with a virus like COVID-19 to be moved to a specialized unit within five hours of identification  or to a specialized facility. The rules say those patients should be in a room with a HEPA filter or with negative air pressure, meaning that air is circulated out a window or exhaust fan instead of drifting into the hallway.

Initially, in March, the hospital outfitted a 40-bed COVID unit, according to Hill. But when a surge of patients failed to materialize, that unit was pared to 12 beds.

Since then, a steady stream of virus patients have been admitted, he said, many testing positive only days after admission  and after they'd been in regular rooms in the facility.

From March 10 through July 30, Hill's union and others filed eight complaints to Cal/OSHA, including allegations that the hospital failed to follow isolation rules for COVID patients, some on the cancer floor.

So far, regulators have done little. Gov. Gavin Newsom had ordered workplace safety officials to "focus on  supporting compliance" instead of enforcement except on the "most serious violations."

State officials responded to complaints by reaching out by mail and phone to "ensure the proper virus prevention measures are in place," according to Frank Polizzi, a spokesperson for Cal/OSHA.

A third investigation related to transport workers not wearing N95 respirators while moving COVID-positive or possible coronavirus patients at a Sutter facility near the hospital resulted in a $6,750 fine, Cal/OSHA records show.

The string of complaints also says the hospital did not give staff the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) under state law  an N95 respirator or something more protective  for caring for virus patients.

Instead, Hill said, staff on floors with COVID patients were provided lower-quality surgical masks, a concern reflected in complaints filed with Cal/OSHA.

Hill believes that Paiste-Ponder and another nurse on her floor caught the virus from COVID patients who did not remain in their rooms.

"It is sad, because it didn't really need to happen," Hill said.

Polizzi said investigations into the July 17 death and another staff hospitalization are ongoing.

A Sutter Health spokesperson said the hospital takes allegations, including Cal/OSHA complaints, seriously and its highest priority is keeping patients and staff safe.

The statement also said "cohorting," or the practice of grouping virus patients together, is a tool that "must be considered in a greater context, including patient acuity, hospital census and other environmental factors."

Concerns at other hospitals

CDC guidelines are not strict on the topic of keeping COVID patients sectioned off, noting that "facilities could consider designating entire units within the facility, with dedicated [staff]," to care for COVID patients.

That approach succeeded at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. A recent study reported "extensive" viral contamination around COVID patients there, but noted that with "standard" infection control techniques in place, staffers who cared for COVID patients did not get the virus.

The hospital set up an isolation unit with air pumped away from the halls, restricted access to the unit and trained staff to use well-developed protocols and N95 respirators  at a minimum. What worked in Nebraska, though, is far from standard elsewhere.

Cynthia Butler, a nurse and National Nurses United member at Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte, on Florida's west coast, said she actually felt safer working in the COVID unit  where she knew what she was dealing with and had full PPE  than on a general medical floor.

She believes she caught the virus from a patient who had COVID-19 but was housed on a general floor in May. A similar situation occurred in July, when another patient had an unexpected case of COVID  and Butler said she got another positive test herself.

She said both patients did not meet the hospital's criteria for testing admitted patients, and the lapses leave her on edge, concerns she relayed to an OSHA inspector who reached out to her about a complaint her union filed about the facility.

"Every time I go into work it's like playing Russian roulette," Butler said.

A spokesperson for HCA Healthcare, which owns the hospital, said it tests patients coming from long-term care, those going into surgery and those with virus symptoms. She said staffers have access to PPE and practice vigilant sanitation, universal masking and social distancing.

The latter is not an option for Butler, though, who said she cleans, feeds and starts IVs for patients and offers reassurance when they are isolated from family.

"I'm giving them the only comfort or kind word they can get," said Butler, who has since gone on unpaid leave over safety concerns. "I'm in there doing that and I'm not being protected."

Given research showing that up to 45% of COVID patients are asymptomatic, UCSF Medical Center is testing everyone who's admitted, said Dr. Robert Harrison, a University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine professor who consults on occupational health at the hospital.

It's done for the safety of staff and to reduce spread within the hospital, he said. Those who test positive are separated into a COVID-only unit.

And staff who spent more than 15 minutes within 6 feet of a not-yet-identified COVID patient in a less-protective surgical mask are typically sent home for two weeks, he said.

Outside of academic medicine, though, front-line staff have turned to union leaders to push for such protections.

In Southern California, leaders of the National Union of Healthcare Workers filed an official complaint with state hospital inspectors about the risks posed by intermingled COVID patients at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital in Orange County, part of for-profit Tenet Health. There, the complaint said, patients were not routinely tested for COVID-19 upon admission.

One nursing assistant spent two successive 12-hour shifts caring for a patient on a general medical floor who required monitoring. At the conclusion of the second shift, she was told the patient had just been found to be COVID-positive.

The worker had worn only a surgical mask  not an N95 respirator or any form of eye protection, according to the complaint to the California Department of Public Health. The nursing assistant was not offered a COVID test or quarantined before her next two shifts, the complaint said.

The public health department said it could not comment on a pending inspection.

Barbara Lewis, Southern California hospital division director with the union, said COVID patients were on the same floor as cancer patients and post-surgical patients who were walking the halls to speed their recovery.

She said managers took steps to separate the patients only after the union held a protest, spoke to local media and complained to state health officials.

Hospital spokesperson Jessica Chen said the hospital "quickly implemented" changes directed by state health authorities and does place some COVID patients on the same nursing unit as non-COVID patients during surges. She said they are placed in single rooms with closed doors. COVID tests are given by physician order, she added, and employees can access them at other places in the community.

It's in contrast, Lewis said, to high-profile examples of the precautions that might be taken.

"Now we're seeing what's happening with baseball and basketball  they're tested every day and treated with a high level of caution," Lewis said. "Yet we have thousands and thousands of health care workers going to work in a very scary environment."

Nursing homes face penalties

More than 40% of the people who've died of COVID-19 lived in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, researchers have found.

Patient mixing has been a scattered concern at nursing homes, which Medicare officials discovered when they reviewed infection control practices at more than 15,000 facilities.

News reports have highlighted the problem at an Ohio nursing home and at a Maryland home where the state levied a $70,000 fine for failing to keep infected patients away from those who weren't sick  yet.

Another facing penalties was Fair Havens Center, a Miami Springs, Florida, nursing home where inspectors discovered that 11 roommates of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were put in rooms with other residents  putting them at heightened risk.

Florida regulators cut off admissions to the home and Medicare authorities levied a $235,000 civil monetary penalty, records show.

The vice president of operations at the facility told inspectors that isolating exposed patients would mean isolating the entire facility: Everyone had been exposed to the 32 staff members who tested positive for the virus, the report says.

Fair Havens Center did not respond to a request for comment.

In Iowa, Medicare officials declared a state of "immediate jeopardy" at Pearl Valley Rehabilitation and Care Center in Muscatine. There, they discovered that staffers were in denial over an outbreak in their midst, with a nursing director overriding a community doctor's orders to isolate or send residents to the emergency room. Instead, officials found, in late April, the assistant nursing director kept COVID patients in the facility, citing a general order by their medical director to avoid sending patients to the ER "if you can help it."

Meanwhile, several patients were documented by facility staff to have fevers and falling oxygen levels, the Medicare inspection report shows. Within two weeks, the facility discovered it had an outbreak, with 61 residents infected and nine dead, according to the report.

Medicare officials are investigating Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home in New Jersey, state Sen. Joseph Vitale said during a recent legislative hearing. Resident council president Glenn Osborne testified during the hearing that the home's residents were returned to the same shared rooms after hospitalizations.

Osborne, an honorably discharged Marine, said he saw more residents of the home die than fellow service members during his military service. The Menlo Park and Paramus veterans homes  where inspectors saw dementia patients with and without the virus commingling in a day room  both reported more than 180 COVID cases among residents, 90 among staff and at least 60 deaths.

A spokesperson for the homes said he could not comment due to pending litigation.

"These deaths should not have happened," Osborne said. "Many of these deaths were absolutely avoidable, in my humble opinion."
In-Mine High-Grade Intercepts Include

Turmalina: Orebody C-SE, 9.22g/ Au over 15.3m (ETW 4.94m)

Orebody C-Central 5.98g/t Au over 12.1m (ETW 11.5m)

Pilar: Orebody BF2, 29.07 g/t Au over 4.00m (ETW 3.50m),

Orebody SW 12.39 g/t Au over 8.4m (ETW 7.68m)

Definitions: ETW - estimated true width g/t Au - grams per tonne gold m - metres

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Jaguar Mining Inc. ("Jaguar" or the "Company") (TSX:JAG) today announced drill results from underground diamond drill hole programs conducted at Turmalina Gold Mine ("Turmalina") and at Pilar Gold Mine ("Pilar") both located in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Drilling continues to confirm expanding resource potential with high-grade intersections from both mines, highlighting significant extensions at depth and laterally across the vertical extents of the mines. These drill campaigns were completed subsequent to the most recent Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves ("MRMR") update at Turmalina (as at December 31, 2019 - see press-release dated 20, April, 2020) and at Pilar (as at May 30, 2020 - see press-release dated August 18, 2020).

At Turmalina, drilling has focused on targeting the down-plunge and lateral continuity of the structure hosting the C-SE and C-Central ore shoots at shallow levels while drilling at Pilar drilling has focused on evaluation of the lateral extensions of the banded iron formation ("BIF") hosted mineralization (SW-Sao Jorge-BIF, BIF2, BA, LFW, LPA and BA Orezones) close to underground development throughout the entire vertical extent of the mine.

Turmalina Highlights

Orebody C-Central drilling focused on tracing the structurally controlled high-grade mineralization discovered in March 2019 down plunge and beyond the current mineral resources and mineral reserves limits, at shallow levels between level 3 and level 6;

Drilling and geological mapping on the Orebody C-Central structure has delineated four higher-grade mineralized zones within the overall host rock package. These zones are separated by lower grade or waste intervals, which, are currently being assessed for geotechnical characteristics. (See figures 1 and 2);

Orebody C-Central high-grade continuity has been demonstrated by recent drilling with a series of eight intercepts with grade X thickness (GT) intervals of >25, Intercepts include: (See figures 1 and 2, table 1 and appendix 1) 5.98 g/t Au over 12.1m (ETW 11.5m), 39.85 g/t Au over 1.6m (ETW 1.54m), and 10.55 g/t Au over 4.25m (ETW 4.12m).

Drilling on Orebody C-SE focused on improving the definition of the high-grade plunging mineralisation currently being mined on level 5 to below levels 8 where access development recently intersected this orebody. Intercepts include: (See figure 3 and table 1.) 9.22 g/t Au over 15.29m (ETW 4.94m) and 10.36 g/t Au over 2.76m (ETW 2.55m) .

Ongoing in-mine drilling remains focused on defining near surface and down plunge depth extensions to the structures hosting the A, B and C mineralization targeting additional mineral resource inventory and ounce per vertical meter profile.

Pilar Highlights

Drilling remains focused on defining extensions to the various structurally controlled, BIF hosted mineralization at shallow levels in the mine and down plunge beyond the current mineral resources and mineral reserves limits;

Recent drilling intercepted high-grade intervals with grade x thickness (GT) values > 25 in some 20 holes targeting the SW, BF, BF2, BA, LPA, and LFW structures, below are selected best intercepts: See figures 4 and 5, table 2 and appendix 2); SW Orebody: 12.39 g/t Au over 8.40m (ETW 7.68m) and 7.05 g/t Au over 10.95m (ETW 9.03m); BF2 Orebody: 29.07 g/t Au over 4.00m (ETW 3.5m); BF Orebody: 6.88 g/t Au over 33.35m (ETW 4.12m); BA Orebody: 7.42 g/t Au over 9.00m (ETW 6.94m); Orebody LPA: 10.66 g/t Au over 6.00m (ETW 3.40m); and Orebody LFW: 5.57 g/t Au over 8.50m (ETW 7.60m).

Ongoing in-mine drilling remains focused on defining near surface, lateral and down plunge depth extensions to the structures hosting the various mineralized zones targeting additional mineral resource inventory and ounce per vertical meter profile.

Vernon Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Mining commented, "The significant results released today from on-going in-mine drilling at our operations continue to support sustained MRMR growth beyond recently reported limits. Of particular interest are results from the high-grade, wide intersections from Pilar's shallow level SW Orebody. This Orebody is becoming a significant contributor to that mine's MRMR inventory and adds operational flexibility due to its shallow position and closeness to existing infrastructure in the mine. Similarly, at the Orebody C structure at Turmalina, increased high-grade intercepts and ounce per vertical meter at shallow depths continue to enhance sustainable operational flexibility. We are committed to investing in growth exploration at our core assets as results to date continue to support our belief that both Pilar and Turmalina are important long-life assets for Jaguar's future."

Jon Hill, Expert Advisor, Geology and Exploration, to the Jaguar Mining Management Committee commented: "These drilling results again highlight the long-term upside endowment potential both within and contiguous to our main operating assets. In-Mine Exploration continues to deliver very positive results which are not only important to Jaguar's future but will underpin plans to ramp up exploration over the coming months to test the next generation of growth exploration targets within our strategic tenement portfolio."

Figure 1

Figure 1 shows the relative location of diamond drill holes reported since the last MRMR report at Turmalina Mine (December 31, 2019) note focus on C-Central at shallow levels.

Figure 2

Figure 2 shows the location of diamond drill holes reported since the last MRMR report at Turmalina Mine over the Orebody C-Central Area (December 31, 2019). The four images show intersections separated by zone within the C-Structure.

Figure 3

Figure 3 shows the location of diamond drill holes reported since the last MRMR report at Turmalina Mine (December 31, 2019) over the Orebody C-SE Area

Figure 4

Figure 4 shows the relative location of diamond drill holes reported since the last MRMR report at Pilar Mine (April 30, 2020).

Figure 5

Figure 5 shows the location of diamond drill holes reported since the last MRMR report at Pilar Mine (April 30, 2020).

Table 1. Drill Results and Intercepts -Turmalina with Grade X Thickness (GT) > 25

Summary of Significant Intersections, Drilling Program

Jaguar Mining Inc. - Turmalina Mine Hole ID From (m) To (m) Down Hole Interval (m) Estimated True Width (m) Gold Grade (g/t Au) GT (ETW) Date (mm/dd/yyyy) Orebody FTS1840 92.74 95.50 2.76 2.55 10.36 26.42 April 22, 2020 CSE FTS1849 175.40 190.69 15.29 4.94 9.22 45.55 May 26, 2020 CSE FTS1851 161.30 168.36 7.06 4.04 9.21 37.21 June 1, 2020 C - Central FTS1855 45.75 54.50 8.75 6.18 6.08 37.57 June 24, 2020 C - Central 78.80 80.40 1.60 1.54 39.85 61.37 C - Central FTS1856 82.85 87.10 4.25 4.12 10.55 43.47 June 29, 2020 C - Central FTS1857 84.45 90.85 6.40 5.95 5.38 32.01 July 3, 2020 C - Central FTS1858 33.75 44.40 10.65 8.72 5.53 48.22 July 3, 2020 C - Central FTS1859 43.40 54.05 10.65 8.39 3.95 33.14 July 7, 2020 C - Central 61.85 66.80 4.95 3.50 7.82 27.37 C - Central FTS1865 27.25 39.35 12.10 11.50 5.98 68.77 August 3, 2020 C - Central FTS1866 48.65 51.75 3.10 3.01 14.48 43.58 August 3, 2020 C - Central

Table 2. Drill Results and Intercepts - Pilar with Grade x Thickness (GT) > 25

Summary of Significant Intersections, Drilling Program

Jaguar Mining Inc. - Pilar Mine Hole ID From (m) To (m) Down Hole Interval (m) Estimated True Width (m) Gold Grade (g/t Au) GT (ETW) Date (mm/dd/yyyy) Orebody PPL661 174.00 178.00 4.00 3.50 29.07 101.75 5/4/2020 BFII PPL579 206.48 218.40 11.92 4.26 7.39 31.48 5/15/2020 BF PPL669 76.80 85.90 9.10 8.95 3.77 33.74 7/7/2020 SW PPL665 35.55 40.65 5.10 3.00 11.26 33.78 5/15/2020 SW FSB887 24.40 29.35 4.95 4.30 9.42 40.51 5/15/2020 LPA PPL644 32.70 41.10 8.40 7.68 12.39 95.16 5/15/2020 SW PPL664 231.00 237.00 6.00 3.40 10.66 36.24 5/15/2020 LPA PPL687 56.90 65.00 8.10 6.20 5.69 35.28 5/22/2020 BFII Lente 208.00 216.50 8.50 7.60 5.57 42.33 LFW PPL689 104.95 115.90 10.95 10.10 7.05 71.21 6/1/2020 SW PPL629 13.20 19.00 5.80 5.44 7.42 40.36 6/1/2020 BA PPL672A 47.00 49.35 2.35 2.10 12.51 26.27 6/12/2020 BFII PPL581 46.00 55.00 9.00 6.94 4.74 32.90 6/22/2020 BA PPL728 4.00 7.20 3.20 2.20 27.98 61.56 7/11/2020 SW 22.17 32.96 10.79 5.50 8.45 46.48 SW PPL719 62.30 75.90 13.60 9.00 3.60 32.40 7/11/2020 SW PPL703 37.10 70.45 33.35 9.03 6.88 62.13 7/11/2020 BF PPL705 28.40 34.40 6.00 1.81 15.38 27.84 7/11/2020 BFII PPL701 44.50 56.65 12.15 5.41 5.51 29.81 7/11/2020 BFII PPL726 231.00 241.00 10.00 4.20 7.33 30.79 8/15/2020 LPA

Please see Table 3, Figure 3 and Appendix 2 for more details.

Qualified Person

Scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Jonathan Victor Hill, BSc (Hons) (Economic Geology - UCT), (FAUSIMM) Senior Expert Advisor Geology and Exploration to the Jaguar Mining Management Committee, who is also an employee of Jaguar Mining Inc., and is a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

Quality Control

Jaguar continues to use a quality-control program that includes insertion of blanks and commercial standards in order to ensure best practice in sampling and analysis.

HQ, NQ, and BQ size drill core is sawn in half with a diamond saw. Samples are selected for analysis in standard intervals according to geological characteristics such as lithology and hydrothermal alteration. All diamond drill hole collars are accurately surveyed using a Total Station instrument and down-hole deviations are surveyed using non-magnetic equipment (SPT Stockholm Precision Tools with GyroMaster Solid State North Seeker).

Mean grades are calculated using a variable lower grade cut-off (generally 0.5 g/t Au). No upper gold grade cut has been applied to the data. However, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed during future resource work.

Half of the sawed sample is forwarded to the analytical laboratory for analysis while the remaining half of the core is stored in a secure location. The drill core samples are transported in securely sealed bags and sent for physical preparation to the independent ALS Brasil (subsidiary of ALS Global) laboratory located in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The analysis is conducted at ALS Global's respective facilities (fire assay are conducted by ALS Global in Lima, Peru, and multi-elementary analysis are conducted by ALS Global in Vancouver, Canada). ALS has accreditation in a global management system that meets all requirements of international standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015. All major ALS geochemistry analytical laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for specific analytical procedures.

For a complete description of Jaguar's sample preparation, analytical methods and QA/QC procedures, please refer to the "Technical Report on the Roca Grande and Pilar Operations, Minas Gerais State, Brazil", a copy of which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

The Iron Quadrangle

The Iron Quadrangle has been an area of mineral exploration dating back to the 16th century. The discovery in 1699-1701 of gold contaminated with iron and platinum-group metals in the southeastern corner of the Iron Quadrangle gave rise to the name of the town Ouro Preto (Black Gold). The Iron Quadrangle contains world-class multi-million ounce gold deposits such as Morro Velho, Cuiaba, and Sao Bento. Jaguar holds the second largest gold land position in the Iron Quadrangle with just over 25,000 hectares.

About Jaguar Mining Inc.

Jaguar Mining Inc. is a Canadian-listed junior gold mining, development, and exploration company operating in Brazil with three gold mining complexes, and a large land package with significant upside exploration potential from mineral claims covering an area of approximately 64,000 hectares. The Company's principal operating assets are located in the Iron Quadrangle, a prolific greenstone belt in the state of Minas Gerais and include the Turmalina Gold Mine Complex and Caete Gold Mine Complex, which combined produce approximately 95,000 ounces of gold annually. The Company also owns the Paciencia Gold Mine Complex, which has been on care and maintenance since 2012. Additional information is available on the Company's website at www.jaguarmining.com.

For further information please contact:

Vernon Baker

President & Chief Executive Officer

Jaguar Mining Inc.

Vernon.baker@jaguarmining.com

416-847-1854

Hashim Ahmed

Chief Financial Officer

Jaguar Mining Inc.

hashim.ahmed@jaguarmining.com

416-847-1854

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking information set forth in this news release is qualified by the cautionary statements below and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators in Canada. Forward-looking information contained in forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "are expected", "is forecast", "is targeted," "approximately," "plans," "anticipates," "projects," "continue," "estimate," "believe," 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. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be considered to be or include forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the dates of technical reports, as applicable. This news release contains forward-looking information regarding potential and, among other things, expected future mineral resources, potential mineral production opportunities, geological and mineral exploration statistics, ore grades, current and expected future assay results, and definition/delineation/exploration drilling at the Pilar Gold Mine and the Turmalina Gold Mine in Brazil, as well as forward-looking information regarding costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, success of exploration, development and mining activities, capital requirements, project studies, mine life extensions, and continuous improvement initiatives. The Company has made numerous assumptions with respect to forward-looking information contained herein, including, among other things, assumptions about the estimated timeline and for the development of the drill program at the Pilar Gold Mine (and its expanded exploration footprint) and the Turmalina Gold Mine; its mineral properties; the supply and demand for, and the level and volatility of the price of, gold; the accuracy of reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions on which the reserve and resource estimates are based; the receipt of necessary permits; market competition; ongoing relations with employees and impacted communities; and political and legal developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations including, without limitation, the impact of any potential power rationing, tailings facility regulation, exploration and mine operating licenses and permits being obtained and renewed and/or there being adverse amendments to mining or other laws in Brazil and any changes to general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including among others: the risk of Jaguar not meeting its plans regarding its operations and financial performance; uncertainties with respect to the price of gold, labor disruptions, mechanical failures, increase in costs, environmental compliance and change in environmental legislation and regulation, weather delays and increased costs or production delays due to natural disasters, power disruptions, procurement and delivery of parts and supplies to the operations; uncertainties inherent to capital markets in general (including the sometimes volatile valuation of securities and an uncertain ability to raise new capital) and other risks inherent to the gold exploration, development and production industry, which, if incorrect, may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described herein. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development, mining and production, including without limitation environmental hazards, tailings dam failures, industrial accidents and workplace safety problems, unusual or unexpected geological formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding, chemical spills, and gold bullion thefts and losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Appendix 1

Drill hole location data for Turmalina holes reported in this Press-Release

Hole ID Easting (m) Northing (m) Elevation (m) Total Depth (m) Collar Dip () Collar Azimuth () Orebody Drilling Company FTS1822 7817175.83 513301.72 65.53 250.45 10.14 209.38 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1823 7817176.30 513300.92 65.49 240.55 9.73 225.87 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1824 7817175.29 513303.25 65.40 290.20 9.99 176.79 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1825 7817175.94 513301.68 65.68 280.25 16.04 208.47 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1826 7817176.21 513301.31 65.76 270.00 17.45 218.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1827 7817176.33 513301.15 66.26 326.45 25.64 222.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1828 7817175.95 513301.73 65.80 320.00 18.81 209.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1829 7817175.77 513301.94 64.85 210.15 -0.98 201.87 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1833 7817156.04 513168.67 69.39 170.65 3.46 272.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1834 7817155.48 513168.92 69.65 130.45 4.99 260.13 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1835 7817154.71 513169.05 69.44 100.00 3.71 241.08 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1836 7817153.23 513171.35 69.42 131.30 3.75 186.98 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1837 7817155.85 513168.92 69.92 178.60 10.00 268.16 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1838 7817155.38 513169.03 70.01 144.60 12.95 256.91 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1839 7817154.79 513169.26 69.93 133.65 12.21 242.90 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1840 7817154.04 513169.74 70.19 130.85 17.96 225.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1841 7817153.11 513170.68 70.16 132.40 15.34 198.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1842 7817155.71 513169.07 70.14 200.00 18.23 264.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1843 7817155.23 513169.19 70.42 170.55 23.04 253.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1844 7817154.37 513169.69 70.47 149.65 24.00 231.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1845 7817153.62 513170.21 70.76 143.85 27.59 211.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1846 7817153.20 513171.19 70.59 157.20 24.78 190.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1847 7817154.83 513169.54 70.76 173.10 30.10 242.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1848 7817155.46 513169.25 70.67 219.90 28.20 258.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1849 7817155.00 513169.51 70.83 242.70 31.43 245.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1850 7817155.18 513169.40 70.73 200.85 28.13 250.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1851 7817185.71 512902.61 288.83 190.10 22.99 243.08 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1852 512902.04 7817186.12 288.86 220.20 20.73 253.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1853 7817185.20 512903.12 288.91 180.60 24.65 225.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1854 7817185.11 512903.08 288.07 136.20 9.82 224.91 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1855 7817185.67 512902.74 288.02 149.70 9.21 240.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1856 7817186.02 512902.07 288.02 185.65 7.88 251.94 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1857 7817186.49 512901.71 287.98 187.20 5.99 261.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1858 7817185.97 512902.26 287.04 125.80 -15.49 250.18 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1859 7817186.65 512901.73 287.07 146.75 -11.88 265.01 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1860 7817187.01 512901.72 287.19 181.45 -9.12 271.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1861 7817185.05 512902.95 287.06 106.45 -15.98 225.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1862 7817184.80 512904.70 287.25 113.65 -13.91 184.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1863 7817184.41 512903.95 287.05 103.35 -16.07 202.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1864 7817187.48 512901.23 287.18 211.30 -7.48 277.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1865 7817186.05 512902.44 286.32 105.95 -37.70 251.12 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1866 7817185.11 512903.31 286.35 98.30 -41.99 221.53 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1867 7817184.37 512904.47 286.40 113.80 -39.04 189.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1868 7817186.95 512901.94 286.46 143.50 -28.85 270.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1869 7817187.45 512901.47 286.48 181.30 -23.14 277.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1961 7817183.84 512905.57 286.32 131.25 -30.00 167.99 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1962 7817187.96 512900.79 286.44 214.80 -18.16 284.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1963 7817188.27 512903.51 286.63 281.70 -46.46 313.00 Orebody C MAJOR FTS1964 7817184.65 512903.78 289.00 194.60 25.36 207.99 Orebody C MAJOR

Appendix 2

Drill hole location data for Pilar holes reported in this Press-Release.

Hole ID Easting (m) Northing (m) Elevation (m) Total Depth (m) Collar Azimuth () Collar Dip () Orebody Drilling Company FSB816 662740.63 7788567.07 26.85 60.40 270.40 -0.13 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB817A 662737.12 7788543.83 26.18 69.85 270.43 0.49 BFIII Jaguar Mining FSB819 662729.72 7788514.94 25.71 35.25 109.88 -0.45 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB822 662707.93 7788478.17 24.82 20.00 90.66 0.62 TOR Jaguar Mining FSB831A 662808.10 7788434.08 27.38 70.75 99.81 0.92 L7S Jaguar Mining FSB837 662716.88 7788498.78 25.23 60.20 109.70 -0.98 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB838 662750.66 7788595.97 27.54 50.25 54.74 -0.59 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB842 662746.34 7788594.14 27.60 50.20 270.10 -0.04 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB843 662740.57 7788567.01 26.44 70.15 270.10 -15.78 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB858 662782.69 7788438.84 27.14 45.25 190.00 19.47 BF Jaguar Mining FSB865 662720.88 7788804.97 265.57 45.75 100.30 13.64 BF Jaguar Mining FSB866 662718.53 7788788.10 265.68 47.10 99.62 14.15 BF Jaguar Mining FSB867 662714.38 7788775.63 266.31 50.20 100.40 14.37 BF Jaguar Mining FSB879 662741.14 7788833.85 263.48 36.65 276.27 25.20 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB880 662741.55 7788820.85 263.28 40.10 276.50 18.11 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB882 662740.17 7788855.82 263.18 12.45 320.09 28.67 BF Jaguar Mining FSB883 662843.44 7788504.74 263.65 32.20 151.00 -1.76 TOR Jaguar Mining FSB884A 662844.80 7788506.31 263.65 25.90 88.26 -0.35 TOR Jaguar Mining FSB885 662844.72 7788507.98 263.72 28.95 46.78 0.42 TOR Jaguar Mining FSB886 662787.16 7788463.61 27.69 35.05 193.72 24.53 L7S Jaguar Mining FSB887 662787.58 7788463.86 26.08 38.00 183.49 -17.99 L7S Jaguar Mining FSB888 662713.07 7788500.66 25.16 50.10 291.66 0.03 BFIII Jaguar Mining FSB891 662775.85 7788461.92 47.52 21.45 71.08 -0.69 L7S Jaguar Mining FSB892 662780.05 7788452.10 48.36 30.80 281.47 14.07 BF Jaguar Mining FSB893 662780.13 7788445.09 47.72 14.55 240.49 -2.02 BF Jaguar Mining FSB894 662788.53 7788463.83 26.15 50.00 154.43 -16.11 L7S Jaguar Mining FSB895 662839.09 7788510.69 263.64 10.40 302.68 -0.97 TOR Jaguar Mining FSB902 662720.85 7788523.91 45.80 30.85 93.87 -0.86 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB903 662716.59 7788522.89 45.75 41.30 93.87 -0.86 BFIII Jaguar Mining FSB906 662802.22 7788436.09 48.39 29.35 54.21 -0.72 L7S Jaguar Mining FSB909 662698.05 7788734.41 266.82 87.70 99.25 9.90 BFII Jaguar Mining FSB911 662708.99 7788753.90 267.11 65.40 97.10 9.46 SW Jaguar Mining FSB912 662799.14 7788432.65 49.37 26.00 188.97 26.69 BFIII Jaguar Mining FSB914 662817.95 7788409.74 50.04 27.55 230.87 26.85 BFIII Jaguar Mining FSB915 662818.93 7788424.77 48.59 20.20 59.59 1.32 L7S Jaguar Mining PPL416 662849.39 7788544.42 286.22 116.20 254.90 -36.46 BA Jaguar Mining PPL562 662602.35 7788349.27 32.53 230.50 70.22 -36.44 BF Jaguar Mining PPL564 662602.62 7788349.11 33.25 251.90 76.51 0.39 BF Jaguar Mining PPL565 662602.69 7788349.49 33.56 257.80 73.69 5.68 BF Jaguar Mining PPL566 662602.67 7788350.08 33.29 250.80 81.17 -1.64 BF MAJOR PPL568 662601.81 7788350.08 33.08 266.50 76.58 -14.39 BF MAJOR PPL579 662602.37 7788349.19 32.37 339.95 103.22 -36.04 BF MAJOR PPL580 662768.13 7788471.74 105.65 201.45 74.67 19.92 TOR MAJOR PPL581 662767.80 7788471.71 106.88 200.50 73.08 36.43 TOR MAJOR PPL585 662767.14 7788469.85 106.52 200.50 118.58 35.68 TOR MAJOR PPL587 662767.01 7788469.33 105.32 199.20 130.43 16.09 TOR MAJOR PPL591 662767.27 7788469.56 104.07 216.45 124.65 -11.41 TOR MAJOR PPL592 662767.81 7788471.41 103.42 250.10 79.51 -31.76 TOR MAJOR PPL597 662767.05 7788469.04 104.20 276.90 134.31 -9.66 TOR MAJOR PPL599 662602.70 7788350.03 33.47 251.60 83.91 2.84 BF MAJOR PPL629 662754.26 7788542.90 264.09 120.20 94.91 11.47 TOR Jaguar Mining PPL640 662639.47 7788788.67 218.80 123.05 349.55 -17.02 SW Jaguar Mining PPL641 662638.50 7788788.27 219.40 130.40 322.78 5.18 SW Jaguar Mining PPL642 662638.63 7788788.10 218.68 74.95 322.67 -21.40 SW Jaguar Mining PPL643 662637.77 7788787.59 219.42 62.90 299.45 3.77 SW Jaguar Mining PPL644 662637.78 7788787.26 218.67 80.70 292.97 -17.82 SW Jaguar Mining PPL648 662686.36 7788560.64 -0.46 56.60 123.32 10.22 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL653 662685.93 7788560.38 -1.41 65.85 134.16 -18.40 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL654 662602.69 7788349.63 33.01 251.40 90.44 -10.19 BF MAJOR PPL655 662602.38 7788349.39 32.74 263.70 98.60 -20.88 BF MAJOR PPL661 662602.45 7788348.75 33.04 262.05 83.10 -10.99 BF Jaguar Mining PPL662 662602.68 7788349.86 32.84 315.70 84.95 -17.15 BF MAJOR PPL664 662602.46 7788348.96 33.12 257.95 77.07 -12.94 BF Jaguar Mining PPL665 662636.96 7788786.51 219.50 100.15 272.69 4.62 SW Jaguar Mining PPL666 662637.13 7788787.00 219.55 89.30 282.75 5.25 SW Jaguar Mining PPL667 662637.15 7788786.57 218.76 95.35 274.41 -16.83 SW Jaguar Mining PPL668 662637.11 7788785.50 218.48 128.05 257.97 -15.86 SW Jaguar Mining PPL669 662637.45 7788785.46 219.20 180.75 255.96 -0.52 SW Jaguar Mining PPL670 662637.79 7788785.08 219.34 188.35 246.08 1.93 SW Jaguar Mining PPL672A 662685.50 7788560.38 -0.63 50.80 143.18 10.83 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL673 662685.77 7788560.40 -1.13 57.35 136.07 -8.14 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL680 662602.71 7788350.01 33.77 277.75 83.34 10.87 BF MAJOR PPL684 662752.60 7788440.70 -10.90 119.90 182.54 -12.97 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL686 662752.95 7788440.66 -11.29 125.70 180.37 -24.25 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL687 662752.67 7788440.74 -11.25 250.40 180.34 -25.23 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL689 662637.76 7788785.31 219.36 182.10 251.16 2.75 SW Jaguar Mining PPL690 662637.83 7788787.00 218.09 80.40 288.06 -43.35 SW Jaguar Mining PPL691 662640.10 7788788.65 217.89 80.30 2.01 -45.78 SW Jaguar Mining PPL693 662602.65 7788349.77 32.87 253.55 89.59 -16.94 BF MAJOR PPL694 662602.34 7788348.94 32.22 320.50 109.93 -38.54 BF MAJOR PPL701 662753.78 7788440.57 -11.44 94.00 161.09 -26.74 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL702 662602.53 7788349.37 32.76 331.20 98.83 -18.20 BF MAJOR PPL703 662754.41 7788440.54 -11.15 141.85 131.47 -13.31 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL704 662751.56 7788440.79 -10.30 78.65 210.47 9.80 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL705 662752.85 7788440.69 -10.09 77.25 151.79 14.88 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL707 662753.16 7788440.59 -11.41 98.45 168.79 -27.13 BFII Jaguar Mining PPL719 662638.21 7788784.59 218.11 116.95 238.92 -47.12 SW Jaguar Mining PPL724 662637.80 7788787.71 219.73 100.85 314.43 9.93 SW Jaguar Mining PPL725 662602.77 7788350.27 33.44 252.60 78.69 4.38 BF MAJOR PPL726 662602.58 7788349.66 32.68 330.95 91.79 -20.99 BF MAJOR PPL727 662637.35 7788786.89 221.03 182.20 293.64 31.89 SW Jaguar Mining PPL728 662637.75 7788787.33 221.16 161.10 306.79 34.94 SW Jaguar Mining PPL729 662637.43 7788785.66 221.57 221.00 267.70 38.67 SW Jaguar Mining PPL731 662753.52 7788440.60 -11.11 164.30 139.00 -12.77 BF Jaguar Mining PPL750 662683.86 7788280.09 -51.79 221.65 55.62 -3.18 BF MAJOR PPL767 662838.20 7788507.69 262.60 101.70 270.08 -34.78 BA Jaguar Mining PPL769 662838.16 7788507.18 262.01 122.50 262.97 -56.99 BA Jaguar Mining PPL772 662838.51 7788508.27 262.13 132.80 301.26 -60.91 BA Jaguar Mining PPL800 662683.98 7788280.20 -51.61 239.45 54.79 5.66 BFIII MAJOR

Appendix 3

Turmalina Drill Intercepts 2020

Summary of Significant Intersections, Drilling Program

Jaguar Mining Inc. - Turmalina Mine Hole ID From (m) To (m) DownHole Interval (m) Estimated True Width (m) Gold Grade (g/t Au) GT (ETW) Date (mm/dd/yyyy) Orebody FTS1822 205.80 207.60 1.80 1.70 13.46 22.88 January 7, 2020 CSE FTS1823 190.80 191.90 1.10 1.00 1.88 1.88 January 7, 2020 CSE FTS1824 No impact January 23, 2020 CSE FTS1825 No impact February 14, 2020 CSE FTS1826 232.90 233.90 2.00 1.90 3.57 6.78 February 18, 2020 CSE FTS1827 264.80 269.00 4.20 3.95 2.83 11.18 March 18, 2020 CSE 294.00 295.00 1.00 0.90 5.29 4.76 CSE FTS1828 199.38 200.48 1.10 1.00 6.77 6.77 March 18, 2020 CSE FTS1829 113.12 114.15 1.03 1.00 2.50 2.50 May 12, 2020 CSE FTS1833 73.75 75.59 1.84 1.75 7.01 12.27 April 6, 2020 CSE 95.35 97.45 2.10 2.00 1.29 2.58 CSE 124.09 130.87 6.78 6.68 2.49 16.63 CSE FTS1834 98.33 100.06 1.73 1.68 6.28 10.55 April 6, 2020 CSE FTS1835 76.10 78.99 2.89 2.75 4.04 11.11 April 8, 2020 CSE FTS1836 88.20 89.25 1.05 0.98 3.22 3.16 April 20, 2020 CSE FTS1837 81.40 83.15 1.75 1.20 20.72 24.86 April 28, 2020 CSE 136.00 140.90 4.90 4.80 1.95 9.36 CSE FTS1838 113.62 116.45 2.83 2.63 2.08 5.47 March 25, 2020 CSE FTS1839 89.45 93.00 3.55 3.39 5.32 18.03 March 30, 2020 CSE FTS1840 92.74 95.50 2.76 2.55 10.36 26.42 April 22, 2020 CSE FTS1841 94.18 95.13 0.95 0.85 1.09 0.93 May 6, 2020 CSE FTS1842 88.65 89.75 1.10 0.85 9.40 7.99 May 5, 2020 CSE FTS1843 141.60 143.55 1.95 1.85 4.54 8.40 May 7, 2020 CSE FTS1844 103.00 104.20 1.20 1.05 1.25 1.31 May 6, 2020 CSE FTS1845 49.40 50.40 1.00 0.90 1.11 1.00 May 6, 2020 CSE 117.66 118.56 0.90 0.75 1.58 1.19 CSE FTS1846 86.66 88.89 2.23 2.10 1.77 3.72 May 6, 2020 CSE 127.62 131.65 4.03 3.85 1.46 5.62 CSE FTS1847 154.91 158.73 3.82 2.10 10.77 22.62 May 19, 2020 CSE FTS1848 182.85 184.74 1.89 1.81 3.18 5.76 May 18, 2020 CSE 204.00 206.91 2.91 1.30 10.99 14.29 CSE FTS1849 175.40 190.69 15.29 4.94 9.22 45.55 May 26, 2020 CSE FTS1850 122.80 125.80 3.00 1.26 7.99 10.07 May 27, 2020 CSE 161.25 166.30 5.05 2.34 6.07 14.20 CSE FTS1851 72.79 92.85 20.06 11.50 1.39 15.99 June 1, 2020 C - Central 113.88 116.90 3.02 1.73 2.62 4.53 C - Central 161.30 168.36 7.06 4.04 9.21 37.21 C - Central FTS1852 88.65 89.75 1.10 0.85 9.40 7.99 June 8, 2020 C - Central FTS1853 141.35 146.45 5.10 3.66 3.29 12.04 June 17, 2020 C - Central FTS1854 96.70 97.70 1.00 0.89 4.64 4.13 June 24, 2020 C - Central FTS1855 45.75 54.50 8.75 6.18 6.08 37.57 June 24, 2020 C - Central 78.80 80.40 1.60 1.54 39.85 61.37 C - Central 110.80 114.95 4.15 3.97 4.75 18.86 C - Central 118.08 121.30 3.22 3.10 1.75 5.43 C - Central FTS1856 82.85 87.10 4.25 4.12 10.55 43.47 June 29, 2020 C - Central 139.70 141.70 2.00 1.85 2.01 3.72 C - Central FTS1857 65.40 69.75 4.35 4.15 3.27 13.57 July 3, 2020 C - Central 84.45 90.85 6.40 5.95 5.38 32.01 C - Central FTS1858 33.75 44.40 10.65 8.72 5.53 48.22 July 3, 2020 C - Central 77.20 86.85 9.65 6.82 3.07 20.94 C - Central 93.05 96.50 3.45 1.72 4.10 7.05 C - Central FTS1859 43.40 54.05 10.65 8.39 3.95 33.14 July 7, 2020 C - Central 61.85 66.80 4.95 3.50 7.82 27.37 C - Central 118.15 123.90 5.75 4.40 5.60 24.64 C - Central FTS1860 43.00 46.75 3.75 2.41 1.84 4.43 July 7, 2020 C - Central 147.55 151.00 3.45 2.63 2.20 5.79 C - Central FTS1861 55.00 57.25 2.25 1.84 3.16 5.81 July 14, 2020 C - Central 80.70 83.45 2.75 1.76 2.74 4.82 C - Central FTS1862 85.10 87.10 2.00 2.00 1.30 2.60 July 16, 2020 C - Central FTS1863 58.85 62.75 3.90 3.38 2.02 6.83 July 16, 2020 C - Central FTS1864 46.55 55.40 8.85 4.92 2.83 13.92 July 22, 2020 C - Central 192.05 197.45 5.40 2.74 4.69 12.85 C - Central FTS1865 27.25 39.35 12.10 11.50 5.98 68.77 August 3, 2020 C - Central 45.60 47.55 1.95 1.94 4.84 9.39 C - Central 71.90 79.95 8.05 7.97 2.61 20.80 C - Central 85.30 87.70 2.40 2.39 3.86 9.23 C - Central FTS1866 48.65 51.75 3.10 3.01 14.48 43.58 August 3, 2020 C - Central FTS1867 56.20 58.20 2.00 2.00 6.31 12.62 August 3, 2020 C - Central 76.80 80.60 3.80 3.80 1.08 4.10 C - Central FTS1868 39.20 45.80 6.60 6.60 2.46 16.24 August 5, 2020 C - Central 112.70 113.75 1.05 1.05 3.23 3.39 C - Central FTS1869 38.45 41.75 3.30 3.30 1.78 5.87 August 5, 2020 C - Central FTS1961 60.05 60.95 0.90 0.90 3.97 3.57 August 5, 2020 C - Central FTS1962 48.60 52.85 4.25 3.25 2.90 9.43 August 15, 2020 C - Central FTS1963 54.70 59.70 5.00 4.69 2.23 10.46 August 31, 2020 C - Central 75.90 79.10 3.20 2.01 2.50 5.03 C - Central FTS1964 109.85 110.75 0.90 0.68 3.09 2.10 August 31, 2020 C - Central

Appendix 4

Pilar Drill Intercepts 2020

Summary of Significant Intersections, Drilling Program

Jaguar Mining Inc. - Pilar Mine Hole ID From (m) To (m) DownHole Interval (m) Estimated True Width (m) Gold Grade (g/t Au) GT (ETW) Date (mm/dd/yyyy) Orebody PPL662 190.90 195.00 4.10 3.50 4.82 16.87 5/4/2020 BFII 218.00 227.00 9.00 7.30 1.46 10.66 BF 232.00 243.00 11.00 9.00 2.68 24.12 BF 278.00 280.00 2.00 1.70 5.65 9.61 LPA PPL568 180.90 182.80 1.90 1.85 1.75 3.24 5/4/2020 BF 183.53 186.50 2.97 2.00 1.69 3.38 BF 188.50 195.20 6.70 2.75 2.19 6.02 BF 210.00 217.66 7.66 2.35 2.26 5.31 BF 230.00 234.50 4.50 3.50 1.80 6.30 LPA PPL661 169.00 172.58 3.58 3.30 4.75 15.68 5/4/2020 BFII 174.00 178.00 4.00 3.50 29.07 101.75 BFII 194.00 199.83 5.83 2.30 2.22 5.11 BF 231.90 234.00 2.10 1.90 9.28 17.63 BF FSB858 11.30 12.40 1.10 0.90 9.63 8.67 5/4/2020 BF 14.90 16.40 1.50 1.25 4.81 6.01 BF 18.55 20.15 1.60 1.30 12.46 16.20 BF 25.70 28.20 2.50 2.00 4.90 9.80 BF PPL640 7.40 13.10 5.70 3.20 3.80 12.16 5/4/2020 LFW 14.85 16.35 1.50 0.86 11.39 9.80 LFW FSB842 5.80 8.20 2.40 2.30 1.41 3.24 5/15/2020 BFII 40.70 43.10 2.40 2.00 2.44 4.88 LFW PPL654 No impacts 5/15/2020 - FSB886 17.50 22.00 4.50 3.45 5.40 18.63 5/15/2020 LPA 33.50 35.05 1.55 1.20 4.77 5.72 BF PPL579 185.00 196.92 11.92 5.34 2.77 14.79 5/15/2020 BFIII 206.48 218.40 11.92 4.26 7.39 31.48 BF 227.00 232.10 5.10 4.60 2.47 11.36 BF PPL566 227.85 229.85 2.00 1.90 2.16 4.10 5/15/2020 LPA PPL669 72.80 74.80 2.00 1.85 9.91 18.33 5/15/2020 SW 76.80 85.90 9.10 8.95 3.77 33.74 7/7/2020 SW PPL665 35.55 40.65 5.10 3.00 11.26 33.78 5/15/2020 SW 52.40 58.40 6.00 2.83 4.35 12.31 SW 62.25 65.25 3.00 1.40 6.00 8.40 SW FSB887 24.40 29.35 4.95 4.30 9.42 40.51 5/15/2020 LPA FSB894 31.70 36.70 5.00 3.30 6.02 19.87 5/15/2020 LPA PPL644 32.70 41.10 8.40 7.68 12.39 95.16 5/15/2020 SW 15.70 18.70 3.00 3.00 0.95 2.85 LFW PPL670 175.40 179.55 4.15 2.48 1.62 4.02 5/15/2020 - PPL585 No impacts 5/15/2020 - PPL690 35.40 42.40 7.00 5.35 2.41 12.89 5/15/2020 SW PPL562 52.00 56.00 4.00 3.40 1.65 5.61 5/15/2020 - 128.00 130.00 2.00 1.65 5.43 8.96 BFII FSB831A 40.85 48.95 8.10 3.95 1.00 3.95 5/15/2020 BA PPL664 183.40 193.00 9.60 4.18 2.90 12.12 5/15/2020 LFW 204.00 227.00 23.00 8.55 2.08 17.78 BF 231.00 237.00 6.00 3.40 10.66 36.24 LPA PPL587 6.80 11.70 4.90 1.70 1.83 3.11 5/15/2020 BF 90.00 91.00 1.00 0.90 1.00 0.90 TORRE PPL592 1.50 7.50 6.00 5.00 1.81 9.05 5/15/2020 BF FSB838 21.15 22.65 1.50 1.30 8.76 11.39 5/22/2020 BFII PPL655 No impacts 5/22/2020 - PPL565 No impacts 5/22/2020 - PPL564 217.00 220.33 3.33 2.70 4.75 12.83 5/22/2020 - PPL687 39.00 42.10 3.10 2.40 2.94 7.06 5/22/2020 BFII 47.50 49.00 1.50 1.15 2.84 3.27 BFII 56.90 65.00 8.10 6.20 5.69 35.28 BFII Lente 66.00 68.75 2.75 2.15 5.97 12.84 BFII 187.00 192.00 5.00 4.30 1.60 6.88 LFW 208.00 216.50 8.50 7.60 5.57 42.33 LFW PPL653 No impacts 5/22/2020 - PPL580 0.00 3.00 3.00 2.80 6.78 18.98 5/22/2020 BF 20.00 24.40 4.40 4.00 3.73 14.92 BF 29.34 34.00 4.66 4.30 3.65 15.70 - FSB816 11.25 14.25 3.00 2.50 1.02 2.55 5/22/2020 - 31.75 38.25 6.50 5.50 1.17 6.44 BFIII PPL689 104.95 115.90 10.95 10.10 7.05 71.21 6/1/2020 SW PPL629 13.20 19.00 5.80 5.44 7.42 40.36 6/1/2020 BA 43.20 45.20 2.00 1.85 1.98 3.66 TORRE 55.70 61.70 6.00 5.50 2.39 13.15 TORRE 61.70 64.20 2.50 2.20 2.67 5.87 TORRE PPL666 22.25 28.70 6.45 2.00 2.23 4.46 6/1/2020 SW 52.85 55.85 3.00 1.40 3.86 5.40 SW PPL641 2.00 7.00 5.00 2.34 3.05 7.14 6/1/2020 LFW 9.82 13.00 3.18 1.10 5.56 6.12 LFW 61.00 65.38 4.38 1.47 1.94 2.85 SW FSB819 No impacts 6/12/2020 - FSB817A 45.75 47.75 2.00 1.50 2.15 3.23 6/12/2020 BFIII FSB843 10.60 12.60 2.00 1.90 4.06 7.71 6/12/2020 BFII 23.55 26.60 3.05 2.90 2.09 6.06 BFIII PPL643 13.00 19.00 6.00 2.36 1.21 2.86 6/12/2020 LFW 23.00 24.88 1.88 1.00 2.14 2.14 LFW PPL694 210.45 226.00 15.55 6.20 1.57 9.73 6/12/2020 LFW 229.00 241.80 12.80 5.09 4.51 22.96 LFW 253.10 272.10 19.00 6.14 3.62 22.23 BF FSB888 No impacts 6/12/2020 - FSB837 0.00 2.15 2.15 2.10 4.71 9.89 6/12/2020 BFII 6.00 9.00 3.00 1.42 1.31 1.86 BFII 33.00 35.05 2.05 1.32 4.53 5.98 BFII PPL672A 47.00 49.35 2.35 2.10 12.51 26.27 6/12/2020 BFII PPL667 25.10 29.80 4.70 4.30 2.01 8.64 6/22/2020 LFW 42.70 45.70 3.00 2.75 2.90 7.98 LFW 49.70 51.70 2.00 1.85 4.45 8.23 SW PPL581 0.00 12.00 12.00 9.55 1.23 11.75 6/22/2020 BF 18.00 22.00 4.00 3.18 3.35 10.65 BF 46.00 55.00 9.00 6.94 4.74 32.90 BA PPL642 2.95 11.50 8.55 3.50 2.71 9.49 6/22/2020 LFW PPL668 55.60 61.25 5.65 4.97 3.99 19.83 6/22/2020 SW PPL673 No impacts 6/22/2020 - PPL691 2.80 19.05 16.25 9.22 2.65 24.43 6/22/2020 LFW FSB882 No impacts 6/22/2020 - PPL648 52.00 54.00 2.00 1.30 3.22 4.19 6/22/2020 SW PPL591 9.00 12.50 3.50 2.80 3.18 8.90 6/22/2020 BF 24.00 33.25 9.25 2.60 1.83 4.76 BF 95.00 99.24 4.24 1.60 1.57 2.51 6/26/2020 BA 112.50 116.50 4.00 1.63 2.72 4.43 6/1/2020 BA 148.00 153.00 5.00 2.38 1.42 3.38 TORRE PPL597 169.80 172.80 3.00 2.50 2.21 5.53 6/26/2020 BA PPL599 No impacts 6/26/2020 - FSB883 No impacts 6/26/2020 - FSB884A 0.00 10.55 10.55 4.17 5.10 21.27 6/26/2020 TORRE FSB895 No impacts 6/26/2020 - FSB885 No impacts 6/26/2020 - FSB866 21.00 25.00 4.00 3.50 3.55 12.43 7/1/2020 LFW/BF FSB867 9.00 18.00 9.00 7.90 1.09 8.61 7/1/2020 BF FSB822 0.00 12.20 12.20 5.70 2.76 15.73 7/1/2020 BFII FSB865 20.55 23.00 2.45 2.10 4.73 9.93 7/1/2020 BF PPL724 9.80 19.40 9.60 4.48 1.59 7.12 7/1/2020 LFW 31.90 35.95 4.05 2.79 6.34 17.69 SW PPL725 No impacts 7/1/2020 - PPL728 4.00 7.20 3.20 2.20 27.98 61.56 7/11/2020 SW 10.00 13.00 3.00 2.10 1.92 4.03 SW 22.17 32.96 10.79 5.50 8.45 46.48 SW 59.00 62.00 3.00 7.78 1.71 13.30 SW 105.00 110.00 5.00 4.00 2.57 10.28 SW PPL719 53.35 60.60 7.25 5.04 1.61 8.11 7/11/2020 SW 62.30 75.90 13.60 9.00 3.60 32.40 SW PPL703 37.10 70.45 33.35 9.03 6.88 62.13 7/11/2020 BF PPL705 21.80 24.75 2.95 0.87 2.07 1.80 7/11/2020 BFII 28.40 34.40 6.00 1.81 15.38 27.84 BFII 49.25 66.05 16.80 5.80 2.78 16.12 LFW PPL680 No impacts 7/11/2020 - PPL701 44.50 56.65 12.15 5.41 5.51 29.81 7/11/2020 BFII 69.00 73.95 4.95 2.30 3.22 7.41 LFW PPL686 52.50 55.50 3.00 2.86 2.36 6.75 7/11/2020 BFII 61.00 65.70 4.70 1.65 5.49 9.06 7/11/2020 BFII 86.10 90.00 3.90 3.25 3.32 10.79 7/18/2020 LFW FSB911 13.00 15.00 2.00 1.90 1.96 3.72 7/18/2020 BF PPL416 No impacts 7/18/2020 - FSB909 16.00 29.49 13.49 4.32 2.62 11.32 7/18/2020 BF FSB879 22.00 28.50 6.50 3.30 4.05 13.37 7/18/2020 BFII PPL707 33.20 35.95 2.75 1.97 5.34 10.52 7/24/2020 BFII 46.70 49.40 2.70 2.00 1.90 3.80 BFII 67.60 70.15 2.55 1.88 5.63 10.58 LFW PPL767 14.15 16.20 2.05 1.67 4.08 6.81 7/24/2020 TORRE 53.60 56.70 3.10 2.56 4.20 10.75 BA FSB880 No impacts 7/24/2020 - PPL704 33.00 39.91 6.91 1.60 3.66 5.86 7/24/2020 BFII 48.00 51.75 3.75 2.10 7.56 15.88 BFII PPL693 171.62 181.85 10.23 4.20 4.58 19.24 8/10/2020 LFW 186.75 191.60 4.85 2.80 2.29 6.41 LFW 217.70 242.50 24.80 6.50 3.72 24.18 BF/LPA PPL727 32.00 41.00 9.00 4.14 3.58 14.82 8/10/2020 SW 43.00 49.83 6.83 2.94 1.35 3.97 SW 69.00 73.00 4.00 3.57 2.24 8.00 SW PPL772 8.30 12.35 4.05 1.80 3.06 5.51 8/10/2020 TORRE 106.45 110.50 4.05 2.33 1.14 2.66 BA FSB902 No impacts 8/10/2020 - PPL731 33.00 39.00 6.00 1.67 3.75 6.26 8/10/2020 BFII 40.10 53.00 12.90 3.57 4.15 14.82 BF 56.00 58.00 2.00 1.15 8.08 9.29 LPA 61.00 71.00 10.00 2.83 4.98 14.09 LPA FSB903 0.00 9.40 9.40 3.58 3.84 13.75 8/10/2020 BFII FSB906 No impacts 8/10/2020 - PPL726 184.65 189.65 5.00 2.50 5.74 14.35 8/15/2020 LFW 197.50 202.90 5.40 2.50 4.80 12.00 BF 209.50 212.00 2.50 2.30 1.91 4.39 BF 214.00 220.00 6.00 5.30 2.29 12.14 BF 231.00 241.00 10.00 4.20 7.33 30.79 LPA 244.00 248.00 4.00 2.00 2.99 5.98 LPA FSB912 1.00 3.00 2.00 1.65 3.29 5.43 8/15/2020 BF FSB914 No impacts 8/15/2020 - PPL769 12.05 16.75 4.70 2.81 2.75 7.73 8/15/2020 TORRE 17.70 21.55 3.85 2.30 2.05 4.72 TORRE 52.65 57.45 4.80 3.01 4.57 13.76 BA/TORRE FSB891 No impacts 8/15/2020 - FSB915 No impacts 8/23/2020 - PPL800 106.05 110.90 4.85 4.70 1.11 5.22 8/28/2020 LFW 113.40 123.40 10.00 3.50 5.73 20.06 LFW 135.40 139.40 4.00 1.90 12.65 24.04 BF 148.40 159.40 11.00 4.00 4.05 16.20 BF 181.40 187.40 6.00 2.45 4.43 10.85 LPA PPL729 No impacts 8/23/2020 - FSB893 No impacts 8/23/2020 - FSB892 18.00 26.00 8.00 2.90 6.56 19.02 8/23/2020 BF 27.00 30.80 3.80 1.95 4.27 8.33 BFII PPL702 329.00 331.20 2.20 1.85 3.43 6.35 8/23/2020 BA PPL684 39.80 43.10 3.30 2.70 2.76 7.45 8/28/2020 BFII 48.20 55.00 6.80 5.70 1.86 10.60 BFII 59.55 62.35 2.80 2.30 1.57 3.61 BFII PPL750 117.80 121.05 3.25 1.88 8.81 16.56 8/28/2020 LFW 128.40 138.45 10.05 3.24 7.70 24.95 LFW

SOURCE: Jaguar Mining Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605427/Jaguar-Mining-Expands-Resource-Potential-at-Turmalina-and-Pilar-Mines-Brazil
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 12:42:57|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thursday marks China's Teachers' Day, which is celebrated on Sept. 10 every year since 1985.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has, on many occasions, expressed expectations for educators in the country and underscored the importance of education in China's long-term development.

The following are some highlights of his quotes:

-- We need to make teaching the most esteemed and admired profession in society.

-- It would be good fortune for one to have a good teacher; it would be an honor for a school to host great teachers; spawning such outstanding teachers constantly would bestow hopes on a nation.

-- Education equity underpins social fairness. Unremitting efforts should be made to ensure that the development of education benefits all our people in a fair way, thus driving forward social fairness and justice.

-- Strengthening education is fundamental to our pursuit of national rejuvenation. We must give priority to education, further reform education, speed up its modernization, and develop education in a way that people are satisfied with.

-- Teachers are engineers of the human soul and disseminators of human civilization. They are tasked with the mission of the times to spread knowledge, ideas and truth.

-- The Communist Party of China and the entire society need to promote the social norms of respecting teachers and valuing education. Efforts should be made to enhance the political, social, and professional status of teachers so they can enjoy their due social prestige and make greater contributions to the cause of the Party and the people by imparting knowledge and educating people. Enditem
Three Queensland government ministers will resign at the state election, in a major setback for Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor's re-election hopes.

Frontbenchers Kates Jones and Anthony Lynham made shock announcements that they will retire in parliament on Thursday, after fellow MP Coralee O'Rourke made public her decision to resign on the weekend.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander says the high-profile resignations show the government is unstable just seven weeks out from the October 31 election.

'Wow! Two senior ministers gone in one day... and for what reason? The @AnnastaciaMP Govt is crumbling,' he tweeted.

The shock resignations come as Ms Palaszczuk faces nationwide criticism for her tough stance on coronavirus border closures that have torn families apart and wreaked havoc on the economy.

Three Queensland Government ministers have announced they would resign before the upcoming election leaving Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) 'crumbling'

On Thursday, the premier was called out in a very public row with the prime minister, after he pleaded with her to allow a young woman from coronavirus-free Canberra to attend her fathers funeral in Brisbane.

Sarah Caisip, who lives in ACT applied for an exemption last month to visit her sick father Bernard Prendergast - but it took 20 days to get approved and he died of liver cancer two days before her flight.

On Thursday, Ms Caisip, who is six days into her hotel quarantine stint in Brisbane, was banned from attending her father's funeral because officials believe she is a COVID-19 risk even though the ACT has had no cases for 60 days.

Instead, Ms Caisip was granted a private viewing of her father's body while in PPE gear, surrounded by security guards and without being allowed to see her shattered mother and 11-year-old sister.

Scott Morrison had begged the Queensland premier to show some compassion during a radio interview with Ray Hadley on Thursday morning.

'It's not about borders, it's not about federation, it's not about elections,' he told radio 2GB.

Sarah Caisip (pictured), who lives in Canberra, is in hotel quarantine in Brisbane after getting an exemption to enter Queensland to visit her father who was dying of cancer

Sarah Caisip (in yellow) was allowed to have a private viewing of her father's body, dressed in PPE gear and with security guards minding her. She was not allowed to greet her family

Scott Morrison had pleaded with the QLD Premier to allow Sarah Caisip (in yellow) to attend her father's funeral

'The only thing that matters today is that Sarah can be with her family to mourn the passing of her father Bernard.

'This is a heartbreaking case.'

Mr Morrison, who recently lost his own father, said he appealed to the premier to change her mind.

'Surely in the midst of all of this heartache, and everything that everyone is going through, surely just this once it can be done,' he said.

But Ms Palaszczuk hit back and said she refused to be 'bullied' into changing her mind.

She said: 'I won't be bullied nor will I be intimidated by the prime minister of this country who contacted me this morning, and who I made very clear to the fact, that this is not my decision.

'I passed this onto the chief health officer, and it is the chief health officer's decision to make.'

Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones (pictured) announced her shock departure on Thursday. She did not give a reason as to why

The three ministers' departure is a setback to the election hopes of Labor, who will need to field new candidates in three seats.

State Development, Tourism and Innovation Minister Jones didn't give a reason for her unexpected decision.

'All honourable members can appreciate this has been a very difficult decision for me and my family,' she told parliament.

'It has been an absolute honour to serve the people of my local community.'

Ms Jones has been one of Ms Palaszczuk's top lieutenants in parliament and previously held the portfolios of education, environment, small business and the Commonwealth Games.

She was first elected in 2006 in the Brisbane seat of Ashgrove before being ousted by Campbell Newman at the 2012 election.

Ms Jones famously won her seat back from Premier Newman at the next election in 2015, and joined the Palaszczuk cabinet. When electoral boundaries were redrawn in 2017, she became the Member for Cooper.

As the youngest MP elected to parliament and the first Queensland minister to give birth in office, she hoped to inspire future generations of women in politics.

'I hope I've inspired another little girl, who was just like me with big dreams, to believe in herself, back herself, and know that if you set your minds to it you can achieve anything,' Ms Jones said.

Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Anthony Lynham (pictured) also announced he would not be contesting his seat at the October election

Mines and Natural Resources Minister Dr Lynham - who has held Stafford, one of Labor's safest seats, since a 2014 by-election - is also an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and admits it had become too hard to juggle his role in politics with his commitments to patients.

'Six years in limited practice is a long time for a surgeon,' Dr Lynham told parliament.

'Virtually my whole adult life I have been a doctor. Since the change in medical registration regulations in 2016, it has been increasingly obvious to me that I cannot give 100 per cent to this very busy job and maintain my medical registration.

'I had to make a choice. I have achieved what I came here to do. I am eternally thankful for the opportunity to have done that.

'It is now time to return to my first career to assist where I can, including in the pandemic now upon us.'

The 60-year-old said he was proud of his record of reforming mine safety and health, including introducing measures against lung diseases and accidents.

Coralee O'Rourke, (centre) the MP for the marginal Townsville seat of Mundingburra, resigned on Sunday saying she needed to put her health first after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018

Ms O'Rourke, the MP for the marginal Townsville seat of Mundingburra, resigned on Sunday saying she needed to put her health first after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018.

The minister, who also held the communities and seniors portfolios, said she was proud of establishing the Townsville Women's Centre and The Oasis Townsville for ex-ADF members.

Labor holds Stafford by a margin of 12.1 per cent, Cooper by 10.65 per cent and Mundingburra by just 1.13 per cent.
Credit: Christian Bruna / EPA

A banknote has been sitting in my wallet for six months now. As time ticks on, it burns an ever greater hole in my pocket.

At first I felt uneasy spending it, following COVID-19 warnings to pay more attention to hand hygiene and the surfaces we all touch on a daily basis.

Now I have less and less opportunity to do so. While the World Health Organization has never advised against using cash, more and more businesses are displaying signs that read "We Only Accept Contactless Payment" next to their registers.

A recent global poll conducted by MasterCarda company with reason to favor card-based paymentsfound 82% of its users see contactless payments as cleaner than cash.

Online shopping is booming too. Amazon's value alone has risen by 570 billion US dollars this year.

But while electronic payment may reduce our exposure to germs, it also shows banks, vendors and payment platforms what we do with our money. Social media is awash with posts condemning the forced use of contactless payment for fear of overseers eyeballing spending. Some people are even boycotting stores that won't accept cash.

The growth of digital transactions exposes yet another aspect of our personal life to, what the social psychologist Shoshana Zuboff has called, "surveillance capitalism." Financial data is now a valuable raw material that can be bought, sold and refined in the name of profit.

The decline of cash

When the pandemic began, cash had already been on the decline for years. In Australia, demand for coins fell by more than 50% between 2013 and 2019.

For many people, increasing digitisation is synonymous with progress. It can be seen as a way of leaving the cumbersome, historical artifacts of coins and banknotes behind.

COVID-19 has accelerated this move away from cash. Wariness of microbe-ridden banknotes has seen contactless payment become a spontaneous public health standard.

Because cash is a social material, it moves between us, connecting us both financially and physically. The US Federal Reserve even decided to quarantine dollars returning from Asia earlier this year in an attempt to stop the coronavirus crossing its borders.

Dropping digital breadcrumbs

One perk of paper money is that it does not leave paper trails. Digital money, however, leaves traces in the databases of banks, vendors and platform owners, while governments look keenly over their shoulders.

Financial journalist Brett Scott calls this a "prison of watchable payments."

Tax officials love digital transactions because they make it easier to monitor the nation's economy. Banks and payment platforms are pleased as well: not only do they collect fees and gain the ability to allow or obstruct transactions, they can also profit from the troves of personal data piling up on their servers.

Internally, banks use this data to offer you other bespoke services such as loans and insurance. But information is also aggregated to better understand wider economic trends, and then sold on to third parties.

At the moment, these data metrics are anonymised but that doesn't guard against retailers using de-anonymising techniques to attach transactions back to your identity.

Data brokers exist for this very reason: building digital profiles and creating a marketplace for them. This allows retailers to target you with tailored advertisements based on your spending. The devices at everyone's fingertips become a feedback loop of information in which companies analyze what people have bought and then urge them to buy more.

Can surveillance work on your behalf?

Having records of every transaction can also be useful for individuals. Companies such as Revolut and Monzo offer "spending analytics" services to help customers manage their money by tracking where it goes each month.

But information about a user's own behavior never truly belongs to them. And, as the digital economist Nick Srnicek explains, "suppression of privacy is at the heart of the business model."

Digital payment with (some) privacy

While filling virtual baskets or paying by tapping a card does open up transactions for inspection, there are still ways you can protect your health and your data at the same time.

"Virtual cards" like those provided by privacy.com are one useful tool. These services let users create multiple card numbers for different online purchases that conceal consumption patterns from banks and credit card details from merchants.

Cryptocurrencies might also find a new limelight in the pandemic. Hailed as cash for the internet, the inbuilt privacy mechanisms of Bitcoin, Zcash and Monero could work to mask transactions.

However, finding companies that accept them is challenging, and their privacy capabilities are often overstated for everyday users. This is particularly true when using exchanges and third-party wallet software such as Coinbase.

In brick-and-mortar stores, staying under the radar can be more difficult. Prepaid cards are one optionbut you'll need to buy the card itself with cash if you want to keep your anonymity fully intact. And that takes us back to square one.

Explore further How contactless payment options can help during pandemic

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Deal builds on insightsoftware's growth and momentum in Europe; adds solutions for financial regulatory compliance and accounting requirements to extend capabilities for the Office of the CFO

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- insightsoftware, a global provider of enterprise software solutions for the Office of the CFO, today announced it has acquired Viareport, a financial software provider that delivers cloud-based financial consolidation, lease accounting, reporting, and forecasting solutions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Based in Paris, France, Viareport is an expert in delivering applications and services that help CFOs, finance teams, and chartered accountants optimize financial performance, including consolidated reporting, and lease and tax proof management. Serving organizations of all sizes throughout Europe and worldwide, Viareport counts brands such as Clarins, France Air, and CBC Radio-Canada among its customers.

The acquisition of Viareport enhances insightsoftware's comprehensive financial reporting and enterprise performance management (EPM) portfolio with expanded capabilities for market-specific regulatory compliance and accounting requirements in Europe. The company brings built-in support for International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and a consolidation solution that is designed to meet the distinct closing requirements of individual countries like France and Germany.

"While globalization is shattering previous barriers to business growth, it is also adding new pressures for CFOs in today's digital environment with the need to ensure multinational investments and operations are reported in compliance with accounting standards," said Mike Lipps, CEO of insightsoftware. "The addition of Viareport directly addresses these challenges and deepens insightsoftware's extensive financial software portfolio, bringing powerful capabilities to our customers in Europe that enable them to simplify and streamline the process of meeting IFRS and other national regulatory demands."

"For the last 15 years, we've prided ourselves on delivering one of Europe's most advanced and flexible financial software suites for reporting, compliance, and consolidation and other financial processes, freeing CFOs and chartered accountants to focus on strategic analysis and optimizing business performance," said Emmanuel Amon, CEO of Viareport. "Becoming part of insightsoftware brings new advantages to our customers, including the ability to pair consolidation, lease accounting, and compliance abilities with a full range of best-of-breed financial and operational reporting and planning software. We will also be able to amplify the business opportunities for our valued partner network."

insightsoftware operates in every region of the world, with customers in more than 130 countries and a community of thousands of channel partners. The company's presence in France and the broader European region was bolstered earlier this year with the acquisition of global financial planning and tax software leader Longview, which held an office in Paris and maintained a robust partner network throughout the region.

About insightsoftware

insightsoftware is a leading provider of financial reporting and enterprise performance management software. We enable the Office of the CFO to connect to and make sense of their enterprise data in real time so they can proactively drive greater financial intelligence across their organization, which is how best-in-class finance teams operate. Over 27,000 organizations worldwide rely on insightsoftware's portfolio of best-in-class reporting, analytics, budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, and tax solutions to provide them with increased productivity, visibility, accuracy, and compliance. Visit insightsoftware.com for more information.

About Viareport

Viareport is a financial software publisher that delivers powerful and flexible financial consolidation, reporting, and forecasting solutions to optimize the financial function of organizations, from small and medium-sized businesses to large enterprises. CFOs and accountants rely on Viareport so they can focus on steering, analysis and decision-making, while we take care of everything else. Learn more at viareport.com.

Viareport was advised by Valentin Salcedo for corporate finance, RMT represented by Laurent Marville and Vincent Collas for the legal transaction and Olivier Goldstein for tax, and Altiore represented by Antoine Monteillet for corporate legal.

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Linkedin Boureima Hama (Agence France-Presse) Koure, Niger  Thu, September 10, 2020 10:07 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f2e06 2 Environment giraffe,Nigeria,animals,environment,unrest,conservation Free

One of the most famous animal sanctuaries in the Sahel faces a troubled future after suspected jihadists murdered eight people, six of them young French aid workers.

The Koure Giraffe Reserve, located 60 kilometers southeast of Niger's capital Niamey, is a rare success story for conservation on the vast hard-scrabble rim of the Sahara.

It is a haven for the West African giraffe, a species that once roamed from Lake Chad to Senegal but whose numbers catastrophically declined, surviving in pockets, as its habitat was destroyed.

According to Niger's environment ministry, the reserve had 50 giraffes in 1996 -- a tally that rose to 664 in 2019, thanks in large part to income from European tourists.

But that sunny picture has now been darkly clouded after the August 9 attack, in which six French humanitarian workers based in Niamey were slaughtered at the park along with their Nigerien guide and driver.

"What's the future for the park?" asked Aicha Ide, who lives in the adjoining village of Kanare.

"We are deeply saddened by the deaths... we are all brothers, because we live thanks to the giraffes," said Ousseini Idrissa, one 11 guides who are now out of work.

"If the white peoples stop coming to see the giraffes, our families will also suffer, because the giraffes are our only means of survival."

Read also: Gentle giraffes threatened with 'silent extinction'

Locals 'the big losers'

One of the poorest countries in the world, Niger is facing a double jihadist threat -- from insurgents coming from Mali in the west and Nigeria in the south.

After the August 9 massacre, the government closed the park and France, Niger's former colonial power, placed the site in its so-called red zone -- a move that says it is not advised for French nationals.

The 842-square-kilometer park, traversed by a highway, lies in a semi-desert region where shrubs grow in stony soil.

International NGOs have been financing projects to help local people diversify their income, making them less dependent on growing crops that can become a giraffe's lunch.

"If the closure lasts for long, this presupposes that all activities in the park will be stopped, including development projects, which are costing millions in funding, to help villagers," said Omer Dovi, of the Association to Safeguard Giraffes in Niger.

The list of benefits for neighboring villages is long, including pharmacies, schools, mills to grind grain, seeds and fertilizers, as well as no-interest loans to women to help them set up a small business.

"This water pump has been financed by an NGO which protects giraffes," said Assa Issa, a villager clustered among fellow women who had come to fetch water.

"If the park no longer operates we will be the big losers," she said.

The park has been a huge success in conservation terms. As giraffe numbers rose, the authorities in 2018 transferred seven females and three males to the Gadabedji park in central Niger, 600 kms away, to help prevent overpopulation.

Read also: Bali Safari Park's newborn baby giraffe named Corona

Extinction fears

Sani Ayouba, of the Young Volunteers for the Environment, said he fears the attack will bring about "the end of all the activities which help keep the giraffes in this reserve".

He suggested that the park needed more trained rangers, "like parks in other countries".

Guides such as Idrissa rely on the presence of military and security forces in the area.

"There is no miracle to bring back the white people: drastic security measures must be imposed on the entire site," Idrissa said.

Prime Minister Brigi Rafini visited the park after the attack, vowing more security and that the government would "take all actions to help recreate hope in Koure".

Ramatou Issa, a fruit vendor near the entrance to the reserve, said "the government must set up a military base here immediately!"

"If the area is abandoned, it will become a den of bandits."

Heavily armed military patrols have combed the reserve since the attack, and residents have been told to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

The giraffes are also at risk, according to an expert speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Everything must be done to keep the giraffes in Koure -- if they permanently migrate to conflict zones, the species will go extinct," the expert said.

Dovi meanwhile fears a rise in poaching.

"If the locals no longer benefit from the presence of giraffes, then they will attack one giraffe, then two, then three..."

Topics : giraffe Nigeria animals environment unrest conservation
ISLAMABAD - The long-awaited peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan governments negotiating team are to begin on Saturday in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, the Taliban and Qatars foreign ministry said Thursday.

The talks  known as intra-Afghan negotiations  were laid out in a peace deal that Washington brokered with the Taliban and signed in February, also in Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office. At the time, the deal was seen as Afghanistans best chance at ending more than four decades of relentless war.

Shortly after the announcement, President Donald Trump said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would travel to Qatar, to attend the start of the negotiations. Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, confirmed in a tweet that their delegation will be in Qatars capital of Doha for the talks and said the president wished the negotiating team success.

Pompeo issued a statement welcoming the start of negotiations and saying they will mark a historic opportunity for Afghanistan to bring an end to four decades of war and bloodshed.

The people of Afghanistan have carried the burden of war for too long, Pompeo said.

That deal Washington signed with the Taliban aims to end Afghanistans protracted war and bring American troops home while the intra-Afghan talks are to set a road map for a post-war society in Afghanistan.

The negotiations are expected to be a difficult process as the two sides struggle to end the fighting and debate ways of protecting the rights of women and minorities. The Taliban have promised women could attend school, work and participate in politics but stressed that would all be allowed in keeping with Islamic principles  without saying what that might mean.

The Taliban have also said they would not support a woman becoming president of Afghanistan and that while they would allow for women to judges, a woman could not serve as a chief justice.

Meanwhile, Kabuls reconciliation council has an array of disparate figures, including hard-liners such as Abdul Rasool Sayyaf, a former warlord who served as the inspiration for the Philippines Abu Sayyaf militant group, and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a one-time U.N.-listed terrorist. Both espouse deeply restrictive interpretations of Islam.

Hekmatyar in an earlier interview with The Associated Press also rejected women serving as chief justice. Afghanistans Parliament has so far been unable to ratify a Violence Against Womens bill because it is feared that hard-line lawmakers would defeat any such legislation.

The governments negotiation team includes several women who will carry a heavy burden to defend and protect rights for their gender, analysts say. The Taliban have no women on their team.

The fate of the tens of thousands of armed Taliban, as well as militias loyal to government-allied warlords, will also be on the agenda, along with constitutional changes for Afghanistan.

Theres also the issue of power sharing. While the Taliban have said they do not want to monopolize power, the suggestion of an interim administration has largely been rejected by Kabul. Deep mistrust also exists on both sides

Washingtons peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated the U.S.-Taliban deal signed on Feb. 29, has been in Doha for the past week, trying to push the talks forward.

The withdrawal of U.S. troops are not dependent on the success of the upcoming negotiations but rather on commitments taken by the Taliban under the deal with the U.S. to fight other militant groups, most specifically the Islamic State group, and to ensure that Afghanistan is not used as a staging ground for attacks on the United States or its allies.

Washington and NATO have already begun withdrawing troops and by November America expects to have less than 5,000 troops still in Afghanistan.

The start of negotiations had been plagued by delays as the two sides squabbled for months over the release of prisoners until the exchange was complete earlier this month  5,000 Taliban freed by the Afghan government and 1,000 government and military personnel who were released by the Taliban. The prisoner release was also set in the U.S.-Taliban deal as a prerequisite for the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations.

However, the negotiations will begin under difficult circumstances, marred by stepped up attacks on Afghan forces by the Taliban, target killings and attempted assassinations. Scores of civilians have died in the crossfire. There have also been attacks on released Taliban prisoners returning to their homes and accusations by the insurgents of being attacked inside their homes with their families.

Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghanistans High Council for National Reconciliation, the body that is overseeing the negotiations on behalf of the government, will attend the opening of the talks but the day-to-day negotiations will be carried out by a team headed by Mohammed Masoom Stanikzai, a former intelligence chief.

Abdullah was appointed head the council as part of a power-sharing agreement with Ghani to end a political standoff between the two following last years controversial presidential elections. The countrys election commission declared Ghani the winner while Abdullah claimed he had won and went on to self-declare himself president.

The impasse lasted for months  also delaying the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations  before the U.S. negotiated a power-sharing deal under which Abdullah joined the government.

The Talibans 21-member negotiation team is headed by their chief justice Abdul Hakim and includes 13 members of the insurgents leadership council.

Pompeo in his statement warned both sides against squandering this opportunity to hammer out a negotiated end to the fighting.

This opportunity must not be squandered, Pompeo said. Immense sacrifice and investment by the United States, our partners, and the people of Afghanistan have made this moment of hope possible. I urge the negotiators to demonstrate the pragmatism, restraint, and flexibility this process will require to succeed. The people of Afghanistan and the international community will be watching closely.

Also Thursday, Trump, who promised in the 2016 presidential campaign to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan, announced he has picked William Ruger, vice-president for research and policy at the Arlington, Virginia-based Charles Koch Institute, as the next ambassador to Kabul.

Picking Ruger, a veteran of the war who advocates withdrawing U.S. forces from the country, is seen as a way for Trump to underscore his desire to do just that.

There are those who would like to see us remain at war in Afghanistan long into the future, Ruger has said. But the president should not allow a withdrawal deal to be bogged down by conditions that arent necessary for Americas safety.

Trump has a narrow window to get Ruger confirmed by the Senate, which is set to recess in mid-October before the U.S. presidential election in early November.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Deb Riechmann in Washington and Tameem Akhgar in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this report

Read more about:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 9

By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:

When forming a preferential list of goods, special attention will be paid to the development of cooperation ties between enterprises of Uzbekistan and Turkey, Trend reports with reference to Dunyo information agency.

On September 4, the sixth round of negotiations was held on the terms of signing the agreement on preferential trade between the two countries.

During the online negotiations, the parties considered the conditions for granting preferences for the payment of customs duties, as well as the rules for determining the country of origin of goods.

The negotiations were held at the expert level by the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Trade of Turkey.

The parties came to a full understanding that the economies of the two states are not competitive, but complementary to each other.

Earlier, at the fifth round of negotiations on the terms of concluding an agreement on preferential trade between Uzbekistan and Turkey, the Turkish side announced the readiness of the Turkish Ministry of Trade to provide the necessary technical assistance on the accession of Uzbekistan to the World Trade Organization.

The side also agreed on advising on the application of anti-dumping, countervailing duties, protective measures, as well as mechanisms for subsidizing business entities in the agricultural sector.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @romakayeva
SHOTLIST MIDDELBURG, NETHERLANDSSEPTEMBER 8, 2020SOURCE: AFPTV 1. Pan left from University College Roosevelt building to the students having a lecture outside2. Tracking shot Professor Edward Nieuwenhuis distributes sealed envelopes to the students containing beads - each student has to exchange an envelope with another student if he gets too close or touches him - some of the envelopes contain white beads, symbolising a healthy person, and others contain red beads, symbolising a person infected by the coronavirus 3. SOUNDBITE 1 - Edward Nieuwenhuis, Professor in Biomedical and Life Sciences (male, English, 17 sec): "It's a class in the open air because of the Covid and because it's possible here, in Middelburg. We have a lot of locations where we can teach in the open air so that we can have the whole groupe together with sufficient distance." 4. Wide shot Professor Edward Nieuwenhuis teaches his students outside University College Roosevelt5. Mid shot Professor Edward Nieuwenhuis teaches his students outside University College Roosevelt 6. SOUNDBITE 2 - Edward Nieuwenhuis, Professor in Biomedical and Life Sciences (male, English, 22 sec): "I think if you're used to Zoom with its eternal problems and connection problems and freezings, sound problems, the +do you hear me? I'm frozen !+, all these kind of problems, this is nothing (he is talking about the cleaning car which was loud during the course - see shots 17-18-19). This is really relaxed. Compared to the digital misery that we're in, this is wonderful." 7. Cutaway: Wide shot two students writing on a paper during outdoor class 8. Cutaway: Wide shot from a biology book to two students 9. Cutaway: Wide shot a student during the outdoor class 10. SOUNDBITE 3 - First Year student (5 sec): "You're outside, in the open air... You don't feel enclosed, of course. Being outside is much better to have lessons in these times." 11. SOUNDBITE 4 - Anje Boswijk, Second Year student (female, English, 6 sec): "Just be aware it might be a little bit cold, so dress appropriately, bring layers. And furthermore, I think it's important to stay engaged, because it is also a little bit more distracting to be outside maybe because there are other people walking around." 12. Wide shot Professor Edward Nieuwenhuis teaching his students outside University College Roosevelt13. Pan right students leaving at the end of the class ///-----------------------------------------------------------AFP TEXT STORY: FOCUSDutch outdoor classes avoid coronavirus 'digital misery' By Charlotte VAN OUWERKERK =(Picture+Video)= ATTENTION - Pictures by John Thys. Video by Kilian Fichou ///Middelburg, Netherlands, Sept 10, 2020 (AFP) - A Dutch university is holding open-air classes in parks, public squares and parking lots to limit the number of lectures taking place online because of the coronavirus pandemic.At the foot of a majestic church in the historic centre of the city of Middelburg, science professor Edward Nieuwenhuis demonstrates an experiment on a bench in front of 25 students bundled up in jackets.With a noisy street-cleaning lorry in the background, and a group of tourists nearby, Nieuwenhuis has to raise his voice so the students from University College Roosevelt can hear.It's the first time he's given his introduction to life sciences outdoors since the university returned from a shutdown because of the spread of Covid-19. Until now classes have been half in person, and half working from home."I think it's really great because you can move around, you can see each other without a screen and digital interfaces, so it's wonderful. I really like it," Nieuwenhuis told AFP."It's more relaxed, it feels like you're not in class, you're just learning because you want to."The Netherlands, which has recorded more than 75,000 coronavirus cases and 6,244 deaths, has lighter restrictions than many other European countries but the government has warned people to be careful after a recent resurgence.Nowadays in Middelburg, it's not uncommon to see a philosophy professor under a tree discussing Socrates or a history teacher by a car park talking about the fall of the Berlin Wall.Nieuwenhuis said outdoor learning could be the future."I hope that it will stick even when corona disappears. I'm sure that we will give a lot of classes outside," he said. 'Inspiring and fun' - Students at the university, where around 60 percent of students are from countries outside the Netherlands, are also enjoying the fresh air."I really like the feeling of being outside. And just knowing that you can keep enough distance, which you just can't do in a classroom," said Anje Boswijk, a 21-year-old Dutch student. "Whenever I'm following a lesson online, I get more distracted, and I get less motivated to pay attention."Ediz Klont, 18, a Dutch-Turkish-American student who wants to be a surgeon, said the outdoor classes were "very engaging"."After many months of quarantine and online classes, this is really inspiring and fun to have classes outside," Klont said."Outside, we have more social interaction, so people feel happier, like me, I'm very happy when I see people next to me," he added. - 'Bring an extra sweater' - The only hitch in the plan is the Dutch weather. The low-lying country bordering the North Sea has a famously windy and rainy climate that can quickly ruin plans for any outdoor gathering.But in a country where people love to tell anyone complaining about the rain that "you're not made of sugar", attitudes are practical."Today it was a little bit cold to be outside. But if you come prepared for that and just bring an extra sweater. For the next time, I'll be better prepared. But it was really doable," said Anje Boswijk."I think that as long as it doesn't rain, it should be ok. Everybody should just bring enough layers. We can all bring umbrellas."Nieuwenhuis, the teacher, even pictures camp fires and blankets for when winter sets in. And after months of enduring "eternal problems" with online classes "this is nothing", he adds."Compared to the digital misery that we are in, this is really wonderful," said Nieuwenhuis.cvo-dk/tgb -------------------------------------------------------------
An investigation is underway after a shooting involving detectives that left one man dead in Compton. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said detectives shot and killed a man who they said opened fire on them as they served a search warrant in Compton early Thursday morning.

"When they attempted to serve the search warrant, they came under fire immediately from the suspect who was the subject of the search warrant," Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters at a news briefing.

He said the man, whom he did not identify, was killed during "multiple exchanges of gunfire" and after he tried to set fire to the garage to "get rid of the evidence." No deputies were injured.

The shooting occurred about 6 a.m. in the 500 block of South Bradfield Avenue in Compton, he said. Detectives from the department's Operation Safe Streets Bureau were serving the warrant, though it's unclear what it was for. The Sheriff's Department said a weapon was recovered from the scene.

The incident marks the second fatal shooting by sheriff's deputies in less than two weeks.

Dijon Kizzee, whose death has sparked days of protests, was killed Aug. 31 during a struggle with deputies after they stopped him for allegedly riding a bicycle in violation of vehicle codes. An attorney for Kizzee's family said he was shot at 15 times as he ran away. Sheriffs officials said deputies fired after Kizzee made a motion toward a gun that fell to the ground from a jacket he dropped. The investigation is ongoing, officials said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:55:24|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's remarkable control of the COVID-19 pandemic and its efforts to develop and produce vaccines will help more countries to protect their people, an Egyptian official said in an interview with Xinhua Wednesday.

Ayman Aboul-Ela, deputy chairman of the Egyptian Parliament's Health Committee, said that China has notably succeeded in controlling the spread of the virus, and that his country is in contact with the Chinese side to participate in the manufacture of the Chinese coronavirus vaccines once approved.

"China is currently conducting trials on vaccines," said Aboul-Ela, pointing out that Egypt is in constant contact with the authorities in China to manufacture the vaccines as soon as they proved effective in trials.

Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said during a virtual press conference on Wednesday that Chinese companies are currently docking with medical departments in Egypt, noting that vaccine cooperation between the two countries will become a good example in the global fight against the pandemic.

"This also proves that China is always willing to help the others, especially developing countries," Liao added.

The Egyptian official highlighted the great cooperation between China and Arab countries, especially the exchange of treatment protocols and experiences through meetings that brought together health experts from the two sides.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, China has held video conferences with health experts from more than 20 Arab countries and dispatched medical teams to many Arab countries.

China also assisted Arab countries in procuring anti-virus materials in China and supported the orderly resumption of production in Arab countries.

He explained that the coronavirus crisis revealed the strength of relations between China and Arab countries, especially Egypt, expressing his belief that relations between the two sides will witness more constructive cooperation.

"A partnership has emerged after the pandemic, especially in the medical field and the medical and pharmaceutical industries," he said, stressing that China has reached advanced stages in the field of medical technology, which could be a new area of cooperation between Arab countries and China.

Egypt and China have also been working together to fight the pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise, Aboul-Ela said.

In early February, Egypt provided aid for China to help in its fight against COVID-19, with China later sending three batches of medical aid to the North African country.

Meanwhile, Aboul-Ela affirmed that Egypt dealt with the novel coronavirus with absolute professionalism, noting that the precautionary measures taken by the Egyptian government and its lockdown and curfews came at the appropriate times. Enditem
PARIS, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eurazeo Capital, Eurazeo's investment division focused on growth buy-out opportunities, announced today that Eric Sondag will join as Managing Director in New York. Eric is a proven private equity leader with deep industry expertise in media, communications and tech-enabled business and consumer services. He will be responsible for driving new investment opportunities and strengthening Eurazeo's reputation in North America.

Marc Frappier, Managing Partner and Head of Eurazeo Capital, stated:

Eric Sondag will join Eurazeo Capital as a Managing Director in New York.

"We are pleased to welcome Eric to Eurazeo Capital. His addition demonstrates our commitment to investing in US companies with global growth potential. Eric's significant domain expertise, diverse experience investing in global firms and his relationship network across priority verticals for Eurazeo bolsters our strong team and expands our ability to build a stronger international franchise. Eric is a resourceful, results-driven investor who will help Eurazeo Capital find and execute unique investment opportunities in North America, a priority market for the firm's global platform."

Eric Sondag, Managing Director of Eurazeo Capital, shared:

"I'm thrilled to join Eurazeo Capital and support the firm in making a significant impact with our current and prospective investment companies, partners and investors. Eurazeo Capital's deep financial resources and investment philosophy are highly attractive to US companies and management teams seeking value-added capital and a global business perspective. I'm excited to join such a talented team of professionals in order expand Eurazeo's unique international investment platform."

Eric joins Eurazeo Capital as a proven private equity leader with over 20 years of transatlantic investment and M&A experience across key verticals including media, communications and tech-enabled business and consumer services. He spent nearly 10 years as a Partner with Searchlight Capital Partners, a leading transatlantic private investment firm, where he played a key role in leading various organizational development initiatives and executing numerous transactions across priority verticals. Prior to this role, Eric spent over seven years as a senior member of the investment team at GTCR, one of the oldest middle market PE firms in the US focused on growth buy-outs, where he oversaw investments within Technology Media & Communications.

Eric began his career at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, where he became Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions, managing and coordinating global M&A transactions.

Eric serves on the Board of Advisors for Georgetown's McDonough School of Business.

About Eurazeo

Eurazeo is a leading global investment company, with a diversified portfolio of 18,5 billion in assets under management, including 12,9 billion from third parties, invested in over 430 companies. With its considerable private equity, real estate and private debt expertise, Eurazeo accompanies companies of all sizes, supporting their development through the commitment of its nearly 300 professionals and by offering in-depth sector expertise, a gateway to global markets, and a responsible and stable foothold for transformational growth. Its solid institutional and family shareholder base, robust financial structure free of structural debt, and flexible investment horizon enable Eurazeo to support its companies over the long term.

Eurazeo has offices in Paris , New York , Sao Paulo , Seoul , Shanghai , London , Luxembourg , Frankfurt , Berlin and Madrid .

, , , , , , , , and . Eurazeo is listed on Euronext Paris.

ISIN : FR0000121121 - Bloomberg : RF FP - Reuters : EURA.PA

EURAZEO CONTACTS





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mail: [email protected]

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SOURCE Eurazeo
Lord Howard today became the third former leader of the Conservative Party to criticise Boris Johnson over his plans to tear up parts of the Brexit divorce deal.

The peer said the UK will no longer be able to criticise Russia, China or Iran for flouting international rules if the Government shows such 'scant regard' for the treaties it signs up to.

Theresa May and Sir John Major have already savaged Mr Johnson over his decision to override the accord struck between Britain and Brussels at the end of last year.

Lord Howard's intervention came as Michael Gove held crisis talks with the European Union because of the PM's plans to change elements of the Withdrawal Agreement.

The Cabinet minister is meeting with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic in London amid rumblings from Brussels that it will try to impose massive fines if Mr Johnson does try to row back on previous commitments.

Arriving at St Pancras station this morning, Mr Sefcovic said he intended to set out the bloc's 'serious concerns' to Mr Gove, telling reporters: 'I called for an extraordinary meeting of the joint committee which is going to take place in a couple of hours.

'I came here to express the serious concerns that the European Union has over the proposed Bill. So that will be the nature of our discussions today.'

Asked if he has lost trust in the UK Government, he said: 'Let's hear what Michael Gove will tell me this afternoon.'

The showdown comes after the Government published its UK Internal Market Bill which ministers have admitted will break international law but insist is necessary to protect the Northern Ireland peace process.

Meanwhile, Michel Barnier and his British counterpart Lord Frost are wrapping up the latest round of trade negotiations this afternoon, with gloom growing about the prospects of a breakthrough on the key issues of fishing rights and obeying EU rules.

Officials from the bloc have been briefing that they believe the UK is deliberately trying to blow up the process, and has already decided there will not be a deal.

Separately, Nancy Pelosi, the US Speaker of the House, underlined the high stakes as she delivered a stark warning there will be no Transatlantic trade deal unless Mr Johnson honours the Brexit divorce terms on Northern Ireland.

The European Commission's Marco Sefcovic arrived in London this morning for emergency talks with Michael Gove

Michael Gove (left yesterday) will meet commission vice-president Mr Sefcovic in London amid warnings from Brussels that it could try to impose massive fines if the UK goes ahead with plans to override elements of the Withdrawal Agreement. Mr Johnson (pictured in Downing Street yesterday) has said his first responsibility is to protect the Peace Process

Michel Barnier, pictured in London this morning, will today conclude the latest round of Brexit trade talks with British counterpart Lord Frost but the chances of a breakthrough appear slim

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was 'very concerned' following the tabling in Parliament of the UK Internal Market Bill

A furious Lord Howard, who served as Tory leader from 2003 to 2005, told a Government minister in the upper chamber: 'Does my noble and learned friend simply not understand the damage done to our reputation for probity and respect for the rule of law by those five words uttered by his ministerial colleague in another place on Tuesday?

Words which I never thought I would hear uttered by a British minister, far less a Conservative minister.

How can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards when we are showing such scant regard for treaty obligations.'

Sir John yesterday warned the UK's global reputation as a trustworthy nation is at stake.

He said: 'For generations, Britain's word  solemnly given  has been accepted by friend and foe. Our signature on any treaty or agreement has been sacrosanct.

'Over the last century, as our military strength has dwindled, our word has retained its power. If we lose our reputation for honouring the promises we make, we will have lost something beyond price that may never be regained.'

Mrs May said on Tuesday: 'The United Kingdom Government signed the Withdrawal Agreement with the Northern Ireland protocol. This Parliament voted that Withdrawal Agreement into UK legislation. The Government is now changing the operation of that agreement.

'Given that, how can the Government reassure future international partners that the UK can be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?'

Mr Sefcovic demanded an 'extraordinary meeting' of the Joint Committee between the UK and EU in order to seek answers in person about Mr Johnson's controversial Brexit plans.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was 'very concerned' following the tabling in Parliament of the UK Internal Market Bill.

She said such actions would 'undermine trust' and called on the Prime Minister to honour his past commitments.

The European Commission's chief spokesperson Eric Mamer tweeted last night to confirm today's meeting, saying: 'The EU seeks clarifications from the UK on the full and timely implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement.'

The Internal Market Bill, published yesterday, would see the UK unilaterally decide details relating to the divorce deal.

But Brussels is adamant the details, which include customs arrangements between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland, must be settled by the joint committee.

US Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (pictured in Washington this week), warned there will be no Transatlantic trade deal if the NI agreement is not honoured

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis sparked outrage earlier this week by bluntly admitting that the measures proposed by Mr Johnson will breach international law.

And Downing Street claimed yesterday that the Withdrawal Agreement was 'not like any other treaty' because it was sealed 'at pace in the most challenging possible political circumstances'.

Mr Johnson said at PMQs that his first responsibility was to protect the Peace Process.

'My job is to uphold the integrity of the UK but also to protect the Northern Irish peace process and the Good Friday Agreement,' the PM said.

'To do that we need a legal safety net to protect our country against extreme or irrational interpretations of the protocol, which could lead to a border down the Irish Sea in a way that I believe  and I think members around the House believe  would be prejudicial to the interests of the Good Friday Agreement and prejudicial to the interests of peace in our country. That has to be our priority.'

However, the PM's approach has spooked some US politicians who have warned there will be no chance of a trans-Atlantic trade deal if the UK does anything to undermine the Northern Ireland peace process.

Ms Pelosi last night became the most senior figure to express concerns as she said there was 'absolutely no chance' of Congress passing an American trade deal with the UK if the Good Friday Agreement was 'imperilled'.

The Internal Market Bill, published yesterday, would unilaterally decide details that Brussels insists must be settled by the joint committee, including customs arrangements between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland

In a statement Ms Pelosi said: 'The Good Friday Agreement is the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and an inspiration for the whole world.

'Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the stability brought by the invisible and frictionless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

'The UK must respect the Northern Ireland Protocol as signed with the EU to ensure the free flow of goods across the border.

'If the UK violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a US-UK trade agreement passing the Congress.

'The Good Friday Agreement is treasured by the American people and will be proudly defended in the United States Congress.'
Facing the prospect of defeat in November, President Donald Trump is casting about for lies that might save him. On Tuesday night, at a rally in North Carolina, he claimed that Mexico is paying for the border wall (still false), that Joe Biden is planning a blanket shutdown to control the coronavirus (false), and that Trumps supporters, by pretending in polls that they arent voting for him, are concealing a virtual landslide in his favor. At one point, the president blurted out, This stuff is not even really believable. But on one subject, Trumps lies are particularly reprehensible: his contempt for military service.

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That subject has been in the news this week because of an Atlantic article that quotes several statements Trump has made, privately and publicly, about war and sacrifice. In a 2017 visit to the Arlington National Cemetery grave of Robert Kelly, a Marine who died in Afghanistan, Trump allegedly told his father, retired Gen. John Kellywho was then Trumps secretary of homeland securityI dont get it. What was in it for them? In a 2018 meeting, Trump asked his aides to omit wounded veterans from a parade because nobody wants to see that. In a third incident, Trump said of Gen. Joseph Dunford, who was then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, That guy is smart. Why did he join the military? In a fourth incident, Trump canceled a 2018 visit to a French cemetery for American service members killed in World War I, saying, Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers. Trump also called Marines who died in that war suckers, and on two other occasions, he called former President George H.W. Bush a loser for being shot down while fighting in World War II.

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The article, written by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, attributes these quotes, depending on the incident, to eyewitnesses, three sources with direct knowledge, or four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion. Since the sources arent named, Trump thinks he can attack them as fake. But in so doing, the president has further exposed his own dishonesty.

On Thursday, when the article was published, Trump dismissed it as a fabrication. He said the magazine made it up, and he speculated that its putative sources dont exist. But that defense soon collapsed, as other news organizationsthe Associated Press, the Washington Post, the New York Times, CNN, and even Fox Newsreported that they, too, had spoken with sources whose accounts matched the article. They described their sources, variously, as former senior Trump administration officials, a senior Defense Department official with firsthand knowledge of events, and a senior U.S. Marine Corps officer who was told about Trumps comments. In theory, all these sources could be wrong. But Trumps defensethat the Atlantic had concocted the quoteswas bogus.

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Next, Trump targeted one incidentthe one about the French cemeteryand produced aides who claimed that they had been present at the alleged meeting and that the visit was canceled only because of bad weather. They said they had never heard Trump call the war dead losers. This mirrors Trumps press strategy against allegations of sexual harassment: Find women who say you didnt grope them. Its possible that Trumps loyalists are recalling one discussion, while the medias sources are talking about another. Goldberg refers to at least two distinct conversations.

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After the article was published, Trump claimed that when officials advised him not to go to the cemetery in France, he argued with them. The Secret Service told me, You cant do it,  he recalled. I said, I have to do it. I want to be there. They said, You cant do it.  The next day, Trump said his former national security adviser, John Bolton, backed up his story. But Bolton, while agreeing that he hadnt heard the quotes about losers or suckers, stipulated that they could have been said in a separate conversation. On Monday, in a Fox News interview, Bolton added that the Atlantics sources were right about Trumps contempt for Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam POW, and that as to Trumps general attitude toward the military, the president ends up denigrating almost everybody that he comes in contact with whose last name is not Trump. Bolton shot down Trumps story about pleading to go to the cemetery: We had this discussion. It was mostly John Kelly presenting the logistical reasons why the trip couldnt take place. And the president assented to the recommendation that he not go. He didnt protest that he really needed to go.

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Trump has also claimed that, contrary to the Atlantics reporting, he approved a ritual lowering of flags without hesitation or complaint to honor McCain when the senator died in 2018. But hours after Trump made that claim, Miles Taylor, who had been the DHS deputy chief of staff when McCain died, shredded Trumps account. Mr. President, this is not true, Taylor wrote. You were angry that DHS notified federal buildings to lower the flags for Sen. McCain. I would know because your staff called and told me.

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have been asked repeatedly whether Kelly, the witness at the center of these stories, backs up Trumps denials. On Friday, CNBCs Kayla Tausche asked Pence about the cemetery visit: There were two generals who were reported to have been present, Gen. Dunford and Gen. Kelly. Would you support their speaking out, to set the record straight? Pence ducked the question. I wasnt in Paris, but it never happened, he insisted. When Tausche asked Pence whether he was confident that Kelly and Dunford would agree, he ducked again. On Monday, reporters pressed Trump twice as to whether he had asked John Kelly to refute the Atlantic article. Trump tried to ignore the question and then said he hadnt. In an ABC News interview on Tuesday, Trumps former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders begged off when she was asked to explain Kellys silence.

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In the days since the Atlantic article appeared, Trump has vindicated itand discredited his denials that he would ever say such thingsby bashing Kelly and the military.

Trump told reporters it was absurd, in general, to think that I would make statements negative to our military and our fallen heroes. His campaign spokesman, Hogan Gidley, said the president would never even think such vile thoughts. Specifically, Trump denied the Atlantics allegation that he had insulted McCain: I never called John a loser. It took reporters almost no time to find a 2015 tweet in which Trump not only had called McCain a loser but had bragged about it, along with a video clip in which Trump said of McCains five years as a POW, I like people that werent captured.

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In the days since the Atlantic article appeared, Trump has vindicated itand discredited his denials that he would ever say such thingsby bashing Kelly and the military. On Friday, he alleged that as White House chief of staff, Kelly didnt do a good job, had no temperament, and wasnt even able to function. On Saturday, Trump blasted McCain for having facilitated the Russia investigation. On Monday, he claimed that McCain liked wars, and he retweeted an allegation that the Atlantic article was an information op run by the military industrial complex. Trump said the top people in the Pentagon  want to do nothing but fight wars in order to spend money on behalf of companies that make the bombs and make the planes.

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Trump has a long and well-documented history of contempt for military service. Theres audio of him congratulating a man for faking a disability, as Trump did, to escape the Vietnam draft. Theres video of him challenging the heroism of being a POW in 1999, as well as in 2015. Videos, transcripts, witness testimony, and his own tweets show him ridiculing American generals in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. His own family members say he criticized his brother for going into the military and threatened to disown his son if he enlisted.

Exposing Trumps lies and contempt wont stop loyalists from defending him. On Sunday, when CNNs Dana Bash pointed out that he had denigrated prisoners of war in his 2015 dig at captured service members, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie shrugged off Trumps words. I judge a man by his actions, said Wilkie. When Bash asked about Trumps attack on Kellys temperament and performance, Wilkie refused to disagree. Im not going to get into a he said, she said with the president and the former chief of staff, he replied.

Theres nothing Trumps cronies wont excuse. And in this election, tens of millions of people will vote for him, no matter how brazenly he lies and scorns the armed services. But that doesnt make the truth less worth telling. The president of the United States despises those who sacrificed for our country. And hes lying about that, just as he has lied about everything else.

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Bengaluru, Sep 10 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday attached assets worth Rs 31.35 crore in the Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna Urban Co-Operative Society fraud case involving Sandalwood producer Anand Balakrishna Appugol under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).

Appugol has produced the super hit Kannada movie "Sangolli Rayanna" starring Kannada super star Darshan.

Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna is an iconic freedom fighter from Belagavi district, who along with the famous Kitturu Rani Chennamma fought the Brtishers. The Kitturu principality is located in Belagavi district bordering Maharashtra, which is 500 km from Bengaluru.

According to the press release issued by the department, the ED attached 31 immovable assets and balances in 32 bank accounts amounting to Rs 31.35 crore of Appugol, the Chairman of Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna Co-Operative Society, and his associates under the PMLA.

The note further added that the ED initiated investigations under the PMLA based on the FIR registered by the Khadebazar Police Station, Belagavi City, in 2017 against Anand Balakrishna Appugol, Chairman of Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna Co-Operative Society, and 15 others for embezzling more than Rs 232.69 crore collected from more than 1,300 members through fixed deposits by promising them high rate of interest ranging from 12 to 16 per cent per annum.

The note claimed that the accused did not return the money to the public in time and committed breach of trust and cheated the public at large.

The ED note added that the investigation under PMLA revealed that during the period between 12.08.2017 and 01.09.2017, Anand Appugol, Chairman and Managing Director, Board of Directors, Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna Co-Operative Society, colluded with others to divert funds and large sums collected from the gullible investors.

"These funds were further layered into immovable properties in the name of accused Anand Appugol and others. Investigation conducted so far lead to the identification of the proceeds of crime in the form of 31 immovable properties consisting of agricultural land, commercial complexes, house etc. in Belgavi district, held in the name of Anand Appugol, his wife Prema Appugol and Shivmurthy Chivgol, both directors, Mahantesh Angadi, assistant secretary of the society, and Sanjay Patil, a close associate of Anand Appugol, and others.

"These identified immovable assets along with balances lying in 32 bank accounts have been provisionally attached under PMLA," the note explained.
We are thrilled to showcase the Siemplify Security Operations Platform to Check Points prospects and customers who are undoubtedly facing the very challenges that makes SOAR so instrumental: alert overload, the overreliance on manual tasks and the need to integrate disparate security tools.

Siemplify, the leading independent provider of security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR), today announced a new partnership with Check Point Software Technologies, a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions globally, to make the Siemplify Security Operations Platform available to its global client base. The Siemplify platform integrates with Check Point solutions to give security operations center (SOC) teams a single, unified workbench for identifying, triaging and blocking threats with unrivaled speed and efficiency.

SOC teams at a majority of organizations struggle to identify and block malicious activity on their complex network estates because of the overload of alerts from multiple point products. In a recent SOC survey*, respondents said their leading SOC challenges were the manual work involved in analyzing and remediating incidents (52%), accurately identifying the most critical events (52%), and an overload of logs and alerts (51%).

The integration of the Siemplify platform with Check Points Infinity SOC and other Check Point solutions helps solve these challenges and helps enterprises secure their complex networks by:

-- Automating alert handling and case management: The integration streamlines alert detection and response, replacing labor-intensive manual processes with automated workflows that ensure optimized triage, investigation and containment. This enables automated prevention of attacks and containment of infected machines.

-- Streamlining firewall policy management: Automated playbooks in the Siemplify platform integrate with Check Point solutions to automate firewall audits and remediate any rule violations, freeing up SOC analysts to concentrate on higher-order tasks

-- Accelerating advanced malware investigations: The integration gives SOC teams access to Check Point SandBlast network threat prevention for automated malware analysis and remediation with the industrys best malware catch rate

We are thrilled to showcase the Siemplify Security Operations Platform to Check Points prospects and customers who are undoubtedly facing the very challenges that makes SOAR so instrumental: alert overload, the overreliance on manual tasks and the need to integrate disparate security tools, said Amos Stern, CEO and co-founder of Siemplify. Already high, the demand for SOAR is accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by the amplified need for remote security operations teams to collaborate effectively, drive process consistency and quickly build automated playbooks to address new threat vectors.

Security orchestration and automation complements our Infinity consolidated security architecture, which delivers threat prevention across networks, cloud, endpoints, mobile and IoT devices; seals security gaps; prevents attacks; reduces risk and minimizes total cost of ownership, said Eran Orzel, Check Point head of strategic sales and partnerships. Adding Siemplifys SOAR solution alleviates some of the most pressing SOC challenges that our customers are experiencing. We are excited to partner with Siemplify and offer SOAR capabilities to our global customer base.

Siemplify integrates with Check Point solutions across cloud, network, endpoint and mobile security, as well as over 200 third-party tools, to streamline every step of detection and response, replacing manual processes with automated workflows that ensure optimized triage, investigation and containment. Through purpose-built use cases, Check Point users can proactively update firewall policies, block malicious IP addresses and threats, analyze and block malware, protect cloud environments, and more.

As the only SOAR solution available on Check Points global price list, Siemplify is now the go-to SOAR offering for all Check Point partners, as well as for Check Point customers embarking on SOAR projects. Trusted by Fortune 500 firms and global MSSPs, the Siemplify Security Operations Platform makes analysts more productive, security engineers more effective and managers more informed within the SOC.

Visit the Siemplify website to learn more about Siemplifys support for Check Point and to test drive the Siemplify platform.

*Dimensional Researchs 2019 SOC Survey polled 301 qualified IT security professionals at organizations with 500+ employees across a range of industries internationally.

About Siemplify

Siemplify, the leading independent security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) provider, is redefining security operations for enterprises and MSSPs worldwide. The Siemplify platform is an intuitive workbench that enables security teams to manage their operations from end to end, respond to cyber threats with speed and precision and get smarter with every analyst interaction. Founded in 2015 by Israeli Intelligence experts, with extensive experience running and training security operations centers worldwide, Siemplify has raised $58 million in funding to date and is headquartered in New York, with offices in Tel Aviv. Visit us at siemplify.co and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SecureHealth, a healthcare testing and monitoring company, announced today it is expanding its large scale COVID-19 testing beyond Virginia.

Launched during the pandemic by the founders of BetterMed, SecureHealth works with public and private companies, including colleges/universities, to provide operational workflows, supply chain management, procurement, staffing efficiencies and hiring capabilities to deliver a large scale successful COVID-19 testing experience. Test results are typically returned within 24  48 hours. SecureHealth operates independently from BetterMed.

Since late March, SecureHealth has administered thousands of COVID-19 tests to people in Virginia, including students at the University of Richmond, employees of the Greater Richmond Transit Corporation, and workers at top-rated manufacturing facilities. "From back-to-school to hurricane season, there are multiple factors that may impact COVID-19 numbers in the U.S.," said Dr. Mark Rausch, CEO, SecureHealth. "With each circumstance comes potential risk. We can mitigate those risks by offering frequent testing, being observant and providing contact tracing, when needed," Rausch continued. "SecureHealth is pleased to be able to offer our services beyond Virginia."

A recent study published by researchers at Harvard and Yale Universities concluded a safe way for students to return to campus would be to administer rapid COVID-19 tests every two days and to comply with strict behavioral strategies. "Stories are emerging from students who want to get tested but cannot find a local resource to do so," said Rausch. "As a doctor and a parent, I believe academic institutions should have on-campus resources in place to provide testing during this global pandemic." The University of Richmond has been conducting weekly on-campus testing since July and has one of the lowest COVID-19 positive case rates in the state (nine positive cases). "There is no-doubt, frequent testing combined with adhering to significant behavioral modifications is the key to success in the fight against COVID-19," Rausch continued.

About SecureHealth

Founded in 2020 in Richmond, VA, SecureHealth is on a mission to provide healthcare solutions to get individuals safely back into their community AND keep them there. For more information, visit securehealthandwellness.com.

SOURCE SecureHealth

Related Links

http://securehealthandwellness.com


Hiring will likely remain restrained as long as Americans are unable or reluctant to resume their normal habits of shopping, traveling, dining out and engaging in other commerce. The rate of reported infections has dropped over the past several weeks but remains well above where it was during the spring. Most analysts say the economy wont likely be able to sustain a recovery until a vaccine is widely available.
Weekly surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau from late April through late July offer a grim view of the toll the pandemic has taken on the nations mental health. By late July, more than 44 percent of California adult respondents reported levels of anxiety and gloom typically associated with diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, a stunning figure that rose through the summer months alongside the menacing spread of COVID-19.

America at large has followed a similar pattern, with about 41 percent of adult respondents nationwide reporting symptoms of clinical anxiety or depression during the third week of July. By comparison, just 11 percent of U.S. adults reported those symptoms in a similar survey conducted in early 2019.

The July responses showed a marked geographic variance, with residents of Western and Southern states, where the virus remains most virulent, registering greater mental distress, on average.

The findings reflect a generalized sense of hopelessness as the severity of the global crisis set in. Most adults have been moored at home in a forced stasis, many in relative isolation. The unemployment rate hit its highest rate since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Thousands of families across California and tens of thousands across the U.S. have lost people to the virus. There is no clear indication whenor even iflife will return to normal.

The pandemic is the first wave of this tsunami, and the second and third waves are really going to be this behavioral health piece, said Jessica Cruz, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness California.

The surveys were part of a novel partnership between the National Center for Health Statistics and the Census Bureau to provide relevant statistics on the coronaviruss impact. In weekly online surveys over three months, the Census Bureau asked questions to about 900,000 Americans to quantify their levels of anxiety or depression. The four survey questions are a modified version of a common screening tool physicians use to diagnose mental illness.

Respondents were asked how often during the previous seven days they: had been bothered by feeling hopeless or depressed; had felt little interest or pleasure in doing things; had felt nervous or anxious; or had experienced uncontrolled worry. They were scored based on how often they had experienced those symptoms in the previous week, ranging from never to nearly every day. High scores on the anxiety questions indicated symptoms associated with generalized anxiety disorder. High scores on the depression questions indicated symptoms of major depressive disorder.

In both California and the nation, symptoms of depression and anxiety were more pronounced among young adults, and generally decreased with age. For example, nearly three in four California respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 reported not being able to stop or control worrying for at least several of the previous seven days. And 71 percent reported feeling down, depressed, or hopeless during that time.

Interestingly, respondents 80 and olderan age group far more likely to suffer and die from COVID-19reported nowhere near the same levels of distress. Just 40 percent reported feeling down or hopeless for at least several days in the previous week, and 42 percent reported uncontrollable worry.

Cruz said that may be because young adults are more comfortable expressing worry and sadness than their parents and grandparents, adding that such openness is a good thing. However, even before the pandemic, suicide rates among teens and young adults had been on a yearslong climb nationwide, and California emergency rooms had registered a sharp rise in the number of young adults seeking care for mental health crises.

Some researchers have cited the ubiquitous reach of social mediaand with it an increased sense of inferiority and alienationas factors in the rise in mental health struggles among younger generations. COVID-19 could be exacerbating those feelings of isolation, Cruz said.

The Census surveys also found higher rates of depression and anxiety among those who have lost jobs during the pandemic. Young adults in the service sector have been hit particularly hard by the wide-scale economic shutdowns. In July, the unemployment rate among U.S. workers ages 20 to 24 was 18 percent, compared with 9 percent among workers 25 to 54, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Others noted that many other young adults who would normally be immersed in college life are stuck on the couch in their parents home, staring at a professor online, with little social life and no paid work after class.

Some of the things that generally help improve mood have been more difficult and more challenging now, said Paul Kim, director of counseling services at the University of California-Davis. So I think some of our counselors work is to help them think through, How is it, for example, you stay socially connected while socially distant?

Californians with lower incomes also reported higher levels of anxiety or depression. About 72 percent of California respondents with household incomes below $35,000 reported little interest or pleasure in doing things for at least several of the previous seven days, according to an average of survey results from July 2 through July 21.

People have had a lot of trouble accessing unemployment benefitsthat has not been an easy path, said Jo Campbell, a therapist and integrated operations director at Hill Country Community Clinic, which provides services to clients, many of them economically disadvantaged, in Shasta County.

Some experts said they worry that the tumble toward depression and anxiety could outlast the pandemic itself, particularly if the economy lapses into a prolonged recession.

The pandemic will likely have short- and long-term implications on mental health and substance use, said Laura Pancake, a vice president at Pacific Clinics, one of the largest mental health service providers in Southern California. The pandemic, she added, has only exacerbated existing challenges that many face, including unemployment, poor health, and other barriers.

Phillip Reese is a data reporting specialist and an assistant professor of journalism at California State UniversitySacramento. This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.
Thousands of asylum seekers on the Greek island of Lesbos spent a third night in the open Friday after the country's largest camp burned down, as France, Germany and the Netherlands offered to take in hundreds of them, especially children.

Desperate families, many with young children were living rough, homeless and hungry, many without tents or even basic bedding.

"We've lost everything, we were abandoned, without food, water or medicine," said Fatma Al-Hani, a Syrian woman who barely had time to grab her identity papers before the flames engulfed the camp.

Germany and France on Thursday agreed on an initiative for EU states to share out some 400 minors from the camp, a source close to the talks told AFP.

Huge fire in Greece's largest refugee camp /  AFP

"As a preliminary step we are offering to Greece to accept refugees who are minors -- other steps must follow," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a panel discussion in Berlin.

The European Union must "assume more shared responsibility" for migration policy, Merkel said.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wants that kind of sentiment transformed into action.

"Europe must move from words of solidarity to a policy of acts of solidarity. We have to put the migration crisis at the heart of our discussions and be much more concrete," he said at a summit of Mediterranean leaders in Corsica.

The Netherlands offered to take in 100 of the migrants, half of them minors.

- 'Why this lack of humanity?' -

The fire late on Tuesday at Moria camp, Greece's main migrant facility, sent thousands fleeing for safety into surrounding olive groves.

Gaelle Koukanee, a pregnant 21-year-old Congolese refugee, said the police had fired tear gas during the operation to extinguish the fire.

Greek officials said the fire was started by migrants angry at having to isolate over coronavirus /  AFP

"We have children, old people, disabled among us. Why this lack of humanity?" she asked, seeking shelter from the beating sun under an olive tree.

The minors in the Moria camp have been flown off Lesbos island and rehoused in "safe" facilities in northern Greece, Athens said, adding that all had been tested for the virus.

But the Greek government had bigger problems close at hand, with local authorities resisting plans to temporarily set up campsites for the homeless.

Near the smouldering ruins of Moria, local residents set up roadblocks to prevent a cleanup operation to make room for new tents.

- 'We don't want another camp' -

"Now is the time to shut down Moria for good," Vangelis Violatzis, a local municipal leader, told AFP.

"We don't want another camp, and we will oppose any construction work. We've faced this situation for five years, it's time for others to bear this burden," he said.

The fires destroyed the camp and the surrounding informal tent area that housed roughly 12,000 people /  AFP

Greek officials have declared a four-month emergency on the island and flew in extra riot police.

While nobody was seriously hurt, the Tuesday blaze destroyed the official part of the camp, which housed 4,000 people, ministers said.

A second fire broke out late on Wednesday, destroying most of the remaining camp where another 8,000 lived in tents and makeshift shacks around the perimeter, the migration ministry said.

Another fire briefly broke out inside the camp Thursday.

European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas, who visited Lesbos on Thursday, said they had organised the transfer of 400 unaccompanied minors to the mainland with a view to their relocation in Europe.

"And in the next few hours, there will be ships financed by the European Union to provide shelter to those vulnerable, more-in-need," he said.

- President's plea -

Two Greek navy vessels would provide additional sleeping space, the migration ministry said.

Some camp residents had no time to grab even their most basic belongings /  AFP

Earlier this year, a plan to build a new camp on Lesbos stalled after locals clashed with riot police to prevent the construction.

Migration minister Notis Mitarachi earlier said asylum seekers had started the fire because of quarantine measures imposed after 35 people at the camp tested positive for coronavirus.

Since becoming one of the main gateways into Europe for migrants and asylum seekers in 2015, Greece has built dozens of detention centres around the country.

But with other European nations accepting only a small trickle of refugees, thousands remain trapped in the Greek camps in usually dismal health conditions.

"We lacked toilets, showers and as women, we were afraid to walk at night. But now I'm even more worried about my future," Koukanee, the Congolese refugee, said.

Greece's conservative government has also toughened its asylum restrictions, slashing cash benefits and accommodation provisions to discourage further migration.

"This is Europe?" asked Fatma, clutching her two-year-old son.

"I've had enough, I just want my baby to grow up in peace," she said, breaking down in tears.
Former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg highlights Simon Institutes fall lineup

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Pete Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, headlines the fall schedule of speakers hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

Buttigieg, one of the most compelling new faces in American politics, will participate in the Institutes Understanding Our New World series via Zoom at noon on Sept. 24. John Shaw, Institute director, will discuss Buttigiegs meteoric political rise, the 2020 presidential campaign, and his teaching assignment at the University of Notre Dame.

Registration is open for Buttigiegs conversation

Registration for the free ZOOM meeting is available in advance. After completing registration, participants will receive an email confirmation with information about joining the meeting, along with the meeting ID and password. Participants have an opportunity when they register to submit a question to Buttigieg by email at paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu or by including it in the Questions and Comments section on the registration form.

South Bend mayor for eight years

Buttigieg served as mayor in South Bend, Indiana, from 2012 to 2020. A graduate of Harvard College, Oxford University and a Rhodes Scholar, Buttigieg served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He entered the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in April 2019, winning the Iowa caucus and finishing second in the New Hampshire primary earlier this year.

Compelling series of speakers this fall

In addition to the Buttigieg event, the Institutes fall schedule will include conversations with:

Sept. 18, 10 a.m. -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

Sept. 21, noon -- Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Sept. 30, 2 p.m. -- John Danforth, former U.S. senator from Missouri and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Oct. 6, 1 p.m. -- Hanh Le, executive director of the Weissberg Foundation.

Oct. 20, 2 p.m. -- Illinois State Sen., and Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford, D-Chicago.

Nov. 12, 10 a.m.  Illinois State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago.

Additional speakers may be added to the schedule.

Successful series

The Institute launched the Understanding Our New World series in late April and has interviewed leading diplomats, journalists, philanthropists, policy experts, and public officials. That includes conversations with Donald McHenry, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and an SIU alum; Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland and former U.N. Commissioner on Human Rights, and Michelle Howard, a retired four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy.

This series has raised the Institutes profile in Illinois, across the United States and even internationally, Shaw said, pointing out that more than 2,000 people in 32 states and 15 countries have listened live to the conversations. Additionally, the conversations have been viewed more than 4,000 times on YouTube.

Vast quality of speakers

Shaw said the hour-long conversations have been informative and engaging.

We are gratified by the quality of our speakers and also by how generous they are with their time and insights, he said. We have a guest list that ranks with any think tank or university in the country.

During this tumultuous time, the Institute has contributed to the policy debate by providing conversations with guests such as David Kennedy, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian from Stanford University, Jan Eliasson, one of the worlds great diplomats, Mary Robinson, a peerless international leader, Leon Panetta, one of the most respected government managers in recent American history, and William Burns, one of our nations most accomplished diplomats, Shaw said.

The Institute recently launched a Meet the Mayor series this fall that will include monthly discussions with mayors from different Illinois communities.

The series began on Sept. 9 with a discussion with Mayor Leon Rockingham, Jr. of North Chicago and the current president of the Illinois Municipal League.

More information on the Institutes events is available at paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/event-information/.
How far off is Cranswick plc (LON:CWK) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model.

View our latest analysis for Cranswick

The method

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF (, Millions) UK68.6m UK76.6m UK90.2m UK105.7m UK108.2m UK110.2m UK112.1m UK113.8m UK115.4m UK117.0m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x6 Analyst x3 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 1.87% Est @ 1.68% Est @ 1.54% Est @ 1.44% Est @ 1.38% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 6.8% UK64.3 UK67.2 UK74.1 UK81.4 UK78.0 UK74.5 UK70.9 UK67.5 UK64.1 UK60.9

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = UK702m

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We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.8%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = UK117m (1 + 1.2%)  (6.8% 1.2%) = UK2.1b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK2.1b ( 1 + 6.8%)10= UK1.1b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is UK1.8b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of UK36.0, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

The assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Cranswick as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 6.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Next Steps:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Cranswick, we've compiled three relevant factors you should explore:

Risks: Take risks, for example - Cranswick has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for CWK's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the LSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
While COVID-19 stopped 2020 in it's tracks, it looks like it didn't have the same effect for Fender.

The guitar company announced that this year has in fact been its biggest year of sales ever.

Speaking with The New York Times, Fender chief executive Andy Mooney said he 'never would've thought' that the company 'would be where we are today if you asked me back in March'.

The rise in sales looks to be due to the fact that millions have been spending more time at home due to lockdowns and are deciding to spend their time learning how to play the guitar.

The company said they've been saving days of double-digital growth, e-commerce sales and beginner gear sales.

They went on to add that the Fender Play instructional app also saw its user base jump from 150,000 in late March to 930,000 as of late June.
Protests against racial injustice and the widespread impact of the coronavirus are helping to drive young Latinos to vote this year, according to a new national survey of Latino voters between the ages 18 and 34.

Roughly 56 percent of young Latino voters surveyed by the poll, which was conducted by Telemundo and BuzzFeed News, said they had participated in Black Lives Matter and racial equality protests, either by attending demonstrations or participating in boycotts, and roughly 85 percent said that addressing inequality and systemic racism motivates them to vote in the November election. Nearly three in four young Latino voters said they, their family or friends have been the target of racism over the past two years.

The survey also showed some signs of political disillusionment. When asked to name politicians who show up for Latinos, one third of those surveyed answered nobody. Senator Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were each named by 6 percent of Latinos surveyed, and three percent named President Trump.

Some 37 percent of young Latinos describe themselves as independent or undecided about their political party affiliation, while half called themselves Democrats and 13 percent identify as Republican. Half of all respondents said their political affiliation differed from their parents.




ZANU-PF officials in Gweru have reportedly frustrated efforts to invite government officials to preside over the handover of a school science laboratory which was renovated by MDC Alliance legislator, Brian Dube.





Dube made the revelations last week during a Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development organised meeting on public finance management and local governance.





"The handover of Ascot high School's renovated science laboratory has been problematic with school officials being threatened," Dube said.





"We ended up failing to do the official handover after vehicles of State security agents made numerous visits to the school to block the programme."





He added: "Such politicisation of development is one of the reasons why some partners are not willing to partner us as opposition MPs in community development projects." He added: "Such politicisation of development is one of the reasons why some partners are not willing to partner us as opposition MPs in community development projects."





Dube, who also recently turned a bar in Ivene suburb into a community clinic using Constituency Development Funds (CDF) said some local businesses who had initially pledged support for the project later pulled out for fear of being "politically associated".





Last week, the opposition legislator handed over the health facility to the community and invited mayor Josiah Makombe (also from the MDC Alliance) as guest of honour.





Contacted for comment, Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Larry Mavima, however, said he was not aware of any attempts by officials from his party to stop government representatives from presiding over the handover of MDC Alliance-initiated projects.




Author James Baldwin. (Ted Thai/the Life Picture Collection via Getty Images)

Eddie Glaude wrote his new book about writer James Baldwin and Americas troubled history of racism before George Floyd was killed on Memorial Day this year.

But the book  a passionate, grief-stricken account of a Black historians attempt to make sense of our times and to find a way forward  could not be more timely.

Part of the reason why I wrote the book is that I was grappling with my own despair and disillusionment after the election of Donald Trump, said Glaude, the chair of Princetons African-American studies program and a mainstay on the set of MSNBCs Morning Joe.

How I came out of the other side of that despair was a kind of insistence on bearing witness, on telling the truth about who we are, laying bare the consequences of our monstrous actions over time and over our history, Glaude said in an interview on The Long Game, a Yahoo News podcast.

His book, Begin Again: James Baldwins America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own, is part memoir, part history, and part biography of Baldwin, a towering figure in American literature who died in 1987. It was published on June 30 and chronicles Glaudes quest to find a path that is buoyed by love but does not forsake or shortchange the pursuit of justice, using Baldwin as a guide.

Trumps election, Glaude said, was a reassertion of the lie that white people matter more than others and that America is a divinely sanctioned nation.

America continues to fall short of the ideals in its founding principles, and living up to them means facing that fact, he said. Baldwin lived through a betrayal of the civil rights movement by white voters in the 1970s, Glaude said, and spent the last years of his life trying to come to grips with that treachery.

President Ronald Reagan, campaigning for a second term in 1984. (Wally McNamee/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Ronald Reagans election in 1980 symbolized the betrayal, Glaude said. Reagan was the West Coast version of George Wallace for many Black activists.

Reagan oversaw an economic and political epoch that would guarantee prosperity and liberty for Nixons not-so-silent majority and the Reagan Democrats, Glaude writes in the book, while implementing criminal justice policies that nearly doubled the number of Americans in prison, from 329,000 when he took office to 627,000 when he left eight years later.

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This staggering rise in incarceration hit communities of color hardest: They were disproportionately incarcerated then and remain so today, said a 2018 report on mass incarceration by the Brennan Center for Justice, a voting rights and social justice organization. The report noted that while racial disparities are decreasing, the rate of incarceration for African Americans would only match whites after 100 years at the current pace.

Now, as in the 1980s, Glaude writes, we are in what Baldwin called the after times ... the disruption and splintering of old ways of living and the making of a new community after the fall ... the moment that is desperately trying to be born with a lie wrapped around its neck.

He pointed to Trumps actions last weekend, when he railed against diversity training in the federal government, as trying to say to his constituency, My defense of whiteness is patriotism.

Eddie Glaude and Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan on Meet the Press on March 1. (Peter Kramer/NBC NewsWire/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Glaudes book wrestles with complex emotions and settles on what W.E.B. Du Bois called a hope not hopeless but unhopeful. He concludes, like Baldwin, that hatred corrodes the soul and that vengeance is a dead end. He writes about how Baldwin supported some elements of the Black Panthers but ultimately parted ways with them over their belief that power should be pursued, morality be damned.

Baldwin worried that their rejection of the moral underpinnings of the fight set them up for failure, Glaude writes. Sure, policy mattered. Power mattered. But in the end, for Jimmy, what kind of human beings we aspired to be mattered more. And I am convinced he was absolutely right.

But, Glaude said, America must reimagine itself and create a new future that is more just, and to do so it must confront its past with honesty.

To begin again, he writes, is to reexamine the fundamental values and commitments that shape our self-understanding, and ... look back to those beginnings not to reaffirm our greatness or to double down on myths that secure our innocence, but to see where we went wrong and how we might imagine or recreate ourselves in light of who we initially set out to be.

Baldwin called the nation, in his after times, to confront the lie of its own self-understanding and to get about the work of building a country truly based on democratic principles, Glaude writes.

As for the 2020 election, Glaude said he will not repeat what he did in 2016, when he refused to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton.

He wrote in Time magazine at the time: I have to turn my back on the Democratic Party that repeatedly turns its back on the most vulnerable in this country, because the Party believes they have nowhere else to go.

I thought, he said in the Yahoo News interview, I had a window politically to push the Democratic Party to the left.

I should have known a bit better. I thought that there was no way that the country would have elected someone who was so obviously unqualified to lead the country, Glaude said.

Im definitely going to vote for Biden this time around, he added.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to Japanese PM Shinzo Abe over the phone soon after India and Japan signed a key pact in defence sector.

During the telephonic conversation, the prime minister hailed Abe for his leadership and commitment in taking India-Japan ties to new heights.

Made a phone call to my dear friend @AbeShinzo to wish him good health and happiness. I deeply cherish our long association. His leadership and commitment have been vital in taking India-Japan partnership to new heights. I am sure this momentum will continue in the coming years, PM Modi tweeted.

PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart agreed that their ties will play crucial role in charting the course globally in the post-Covid world, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The two leaders reviewed the status of ongoing cooperation, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, under the framework of the India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership. They agreed that the strong and enduring partnership between the two countries will play a critical role in charting the course for the global community in the post-Covid world, MEA said in a statement.

India and Japan on Thursday signed a key agreement for reciprocal provision of supplies and services between their defence forces, which is expected to drive closer military cooperation and contribute to regional security.

During the phone call, PM Modi and Abe welcomed the signing of the agreement.

They concurred that the agreement will further enhance the depth of defence cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, MEA said.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, of which the United States is a member, adopted a non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism at its plenary on May 26, 2016, in Bucharest, Romania.

Since then IHRAs 42 member and observer states and many nonmember countries throughout the world, as well as non-governmental international organizations, have adopted the definition; and have used it in legislating hate crimes and in formulating public policy dealing with antisemitism.

As a member of IHRA, the U.S. State Department and all other government agencies now use t...
(Newser)  Vice President Mike Pence and top officials from President Trump's campaign are slated to attend a Montana fundraiser next week hosted by a couple who have expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory, according to an event invitation obtained by the AP and a review of social media postings. The hosts of the fundraiser, Caryn and Michael Borland, have shared QAnon memes and retweeted posts from QAnon accounts, their social media activity shows. The baseless conspiracy theory posits that Trump is fighting entrenched enemies in the government and also involves satanism and child sex trafficking. Beyond Pence, the Sept. 14 fundraiser in Bozeman, Montana, is expected to draw influential figures in the president's orbit.

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They include Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top Trump fundraising official who is dating Donald Trump Jr., GOP chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, Republican National Committee finance chairman Todd Ricketts and RNC co-chairman Tommy Hicks Jr., the event invitation shows. While many Republicans have dismissed QAnon, the fundraiser is another sign of how the conspiracy theory is gaining a foothold in the party. Trump has hailed Georgia congressional candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene, another QAnon supporter, as a "future Republican star." The president has refused to condemn QAnon, recently telling reporters that the conspiracy theory is "gaining in popularity" and that its supporters "like me very much." (Anthony Fauci contested a figure from a QAnon fan.)
A special court in Mumbai will on Thursday hear bail plea filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was on Tuesday arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for allegedly arranging drugs for actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead in his flat in the city on June 14.

The court will also hear plea filed by Rheas brother Showik, who was arrested on September 4 by the NCB for his alleged involvement in the case.

From Rheas arrest to her bail plea hearing today, heres all you need to know:

 After spending Tuesday night at the NCB office, Rhea was on Wednesday moved to Byculla Jail, the only prison for women in Mumbai. Sheena Bora murder accused Indrani Mukerjea and Bhima-Koregaon case accused Sudha Bharadwaj, too, have been lodged here.

 The 28-year-old actor moved special court after a magistrate court on Tuesday night rejected her bail plea. She has been booked under Section 27 A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

 While rejecting Rheas bail plea, the court sent her to judicial custody till September 22. Meanwhile, Showik and other accused have been sent in judicial custody till September 23.

 She has been charged by the NCB with arranging drugs for the late 34-year-old actor. However, she herself has not been accused of using drugs. The agency arrested Rhea on Tuesday after three straight days of questioning from September 6-8.

If found guilty, she faces up to ten years in jail.

In her bail plea in the special court, Rhea has stated she is innocent and accused the NCB of falsely implicating her in the case. It is also claimed that she was forced into making self-incriminatory confessions on the day of her arrest.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 05:45:28|Editor: huaxia

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TORONTO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday announced a program of 221 million Canadian dollars to aid Black-owned businesses in the country amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Trudeau said that the COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the systemic gaps and economic barriers Black Canadians face every day, and that his government wants a pandemic recovery that is "inclusive and equitable for all Canadians."

"The pandemic has shone a light on the inequalities that disproportionately hurt Black Canadians, and has underscored the need to restart our economy in a way that allows all Canadians an equal chance to succeed," Trudeau said. "It's justice against a system that has locked out far too many Black entrepreneurs and denied them the same opportunities as other Canadians."

It is the first of its kind in Canada to help Black businesses on a national scale, responding to one of the requests made in June by an open letter from the Parliamentary Black Caucus that was signed by more than 100 MPs and senators.

Of the 221 million Canadian dollars, about 93 million will come from the Canadian government over the next four years, and 128 million will come from eight Canadian financial institutions.

"As we move forward, this program will help support Black entrepreneurs and create new opportunities for Black-owned businesses, so they are well-positioned for our economic recovery," he added.

Under the program, 53 million is designed to support Black business owners to access funding, mentorship, financial planning and business training, and up to 33.3 million will go towards the new Black Entrepreneurship Loan fund that will provide loans between 20,000 Canadian dollars and 250,000 Canadian dollars for Black business owners.

The program also includes up to 6.5 million Canadian dollars to create a Black entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub to collect data on Black entrepreneurship in Canada and help identify barriers of success and opportunities for growth for Black entrepreneurs.

Details on the process to apply for the fund and eligibility will be released in the coming weeks, according to a press release.

Trudeau made the announcement at a Toronto organization called HXOUSE, which describes itself as a "think center" to help foster innovation and opportunities for young talents in Toronto.

HXOUSE founder Ahmed Ismail said the program is a welcome sign of a government acknowledging systemic racism exists, addressing the fact opportunities are not equally available and taking "the uncomfortable step of doing something about it."

One Canadian dollar is about 0.76 U.S. dollar. Enditem
The Thursday accepted the plea of activist lawyer to seek assistance of K K Venugopal in a 2009 contempt case against the advocate and journalist

The apex court had in November 2009 issued contempt notices to Bhushan and Tejpal for allegedly casting aspersions on some sitting and former top court judges in an interview to news magazine 'Tehelka'. Tejpal was the editor of the magazine.

The matter came up for hearing through video-conferencing before a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for Bhushan, said that larger questions of law would be dealt with in the matter and assistance of was required to be taken.

We want the to assist this court in dealing with the questions given by us and the court had also framed some questions, Dhavan said, adding that they had given some questions for consideration in the matter.

The bench directed that entire records of the matter be served to the office of the Attorney General and posted the matter for hearing on October 12.

On August 31, the apex court had imposed a nominal fine of Re 1 on Bhushan, who was convicted for criminal contempt in a separate case for his two tweets against the judiciary, saying he has attempted to denigrate the reputation of the institution of administration of justice.

In the 2009 contempt case, the top court had on August 25 decided to refer the matter to another bench to deal with certain larger questions related to freedom of speech and levelling of corruption charges against the judiciary.

Dhavan had told the court that 10 questions of constitutional importance have been raised by them and they needed to be dealt with by a constitution bench.

On August 25, the court had not undertaken the hearing due to paucity of time as Justice Arun Mishra, who was heading the bench, was demitting office on September 2.

The court had not agreed to Dhavan's submissions that it should seek assistance of the Attorney General in dealing with the issues raised and said that it is best left to the appropriate Bench" which will be set up by the Chief Justice of India.

Dhavan had said that questions raised by Bhushan included the issue whether bona fide opinions of corruption also constitute contempt of court and "whether it is enough to show bona fide of opinion or it is necessary for the person to prove the allegation of corruption.

They also included whether a complainant is barred from discussing in public domain the contents of his complaint if an in-house inquiry is started, among others, he had said.

On August 17, the top court had framed certain questions and asked the parties to address it on three issues-- whether such statements about corruption against judges or judiciary can be made, in what circumstances they can be made and what is the procedure to be adopted with respect to sitting and retired judges.

Bhushan had also filed 10 questions on his own and sought adjudication by a constitution bench.

"Whether the expression of a bona fide opinion about the extent of corruption in any section of the judiciary would amount to contempt of court," Bhushan's plea had said.

"If the answer to the question is in the affirmative, whether the person who expresses such an opinion about the extent of corruption in a section of judiciary is obliged to prove that his opinion is correct or whether it is enough to show that he bona fide held that opinion," the second question read.

He had also given eight other questions related to freedom of speech and expression and the width and scope of contempt powers.

In response to the 2009 contempt case, Bhushan had earlier told the apex court that making corruption charges against judges would not amount to contempt of court and mere utterance of corruption charge could not be contempt of court.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Today Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday engaged in a lengthy defence of the curfew imposed on Melburnians.

Amongst other things Mr Andrews argued that, with just four reasons to go out, he was not sure that allowing people the ability to leave home at night to do those things would make much difference.

We thought we would ask readers what they thought and got a huge response this afternoon.

Broadly readers fall into two camps - those who point to useful things they would like to do if the curfew was away and those who say it makes no difference and is likely good policy in the circumstances.

Some readers would like to walk their dog after 8pm when the kids are in bed. Credit:Dennis Malseed

Shopping, running, walking the dog

These were some of the common things people cited when describing how they would make use of the time.

I often would do the grocery shopping after 8pm as my husband and I both still work so by the time we finish, pick up my son from childcare, cook dinner and get my son to bed it's already past curfew. The supermarkets are also a lot quieter at that time which is a bonus!

Sarah

Might go to the supermarket when there are fewer people around

Damien Coleman

Walk after dinner for 1 hr of exercise when few people out (lower risk)

Anonymous

There are a significant number of persons working in construction that cannot function within the lockdown hours. People leave their homes at 5 am (and earlier) and return home between 6:30 and 8 pm. What quality of life do these people have? The people who have worked all the way through the lockdown, worn a mask, social distanced followed the ever increasing number of restrictions etc and cannot even go home and go for a walk, or even go shopping for essentials because its too late - people cannot go and enjoy time with family because its 'too late'. It is absolutely ridiculous not to give consideration to these situations - myself and many hundreds of others are in the same situation. It has been extremely challenging and mentally exhausting to work with the restrictions, let alone having to go home and do more of the same. My co workers are all challenged and the stress and strain and mental issues are visibly evident.

Rebecca

Take my infant child out for a drive to go to sleep -its the only way he will settle.

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Anonymous

I would do nothing different and continue to follow the stay at home rules. BUT removal of the "curfew" would remove me of a very weighty psychological burden and add just a little hope in what appears to be an almost hopeless situation which those of us who are obeying the instructions can do no more to assist.

Byron

Go to the shops and walk my dog after 8:00 once my three children are in bed and my husband is home from work.

Kate

Because I am a vulnerable person, I avoid going to supermarkets as much as possible. So far, I have order most of my groceries online for home delivery but they require a minimum spend of $50 plus a delivery charge. Without a curfew, I could do my own shopping late at night when it is safer.



Ken

Stay home

Coming from another perspective, a large number of readers indicated that they would simply stay home if the curfew was lifted but other restrictions were still in place meaning it made no difference to them. Many also expressed support for the policy

Currently with community transmissions out there, (I live in Wyndham) I would not be venturing out, even with no curfew. I would not go shopping or to cinemas, restaurants or bars. Staying home restricts person to person transmission so I am happy for the curfew to stay until we have this thing under better control. I suspect my lack of confidence is widely shared so businesses would not get back all their pre-covid customers anyway.



Chris



Exactly what I'm doing now. Not much.

Lucy

Basically nothing different. The curfew doesn't affect me while restaurants aren't open and I can't see friends. The curfew is a low cost enforcement measure in my view.

PJ

Nothing would have changed so i think curfew must be in place just to deter people from doing the wrong thing and breaching lockdown rules

Anonymous

Nothing, I would still STAY HOME. People are dying! What is it about reducing the movement of people...AKA potential virus dont people get?

Anonymous

Nothing would change - it's not like we can go out for dinner, go to the pub for a beer or visit friends.

Steve

Nothing. Who needs to be out after 8 pm if youre not working? Fully support continuing it. Why change a winning strategy?

Anonymous

I would do nothing differently. Genuinely straining my brain wondering why reporters need to labor the point that does not need to be made. If you're getting a kebab at 3am you deserve to be fined.

Anonymous

Stay at home.

Anonymous

[Read more of the responses here]
Western Australia will extend COVID-19 emergency laws preventing residential and commercial tenants from eviction for a further six months.

The moratoriums had been due to end on September 29 but will be extended until March 28, 2021.

Perth's rental market has tightened significantly during the pandemic.

Western Australia will extend COVID-19 emergency laws preventing residential and commercial tenants from eviction for a further six months (file picture)

According to the Real Estate Institute of WA (REIWA), just 3132 properties were listed for rent in the week ending September 6 - down 53 per cent from a year ago.

REIWA has previously called for the emergency laws to end as scheduled, saying they were not fair on landlords given many tenants were unaffected by the pandemic.

But welfare groups feared there would be an enormous increase in housing stress once evictions resumed.

Tenancy WA executive director Carmen Acosta last month urged the government to extend the moratorium, saying her organisation had been swamped by anxious tenants.

More than 14,000 people remain on the public housing waitlist.

Commerce Minister John Quigley says extending the moratoriums will protect WA renters and landlords and help stabilise the market.

'Low vacancy rates for rental properties have, and will continue to force rents to rise, and this together with the current unemployment rate, as well as changes to JobKeeper, means families may find themselves in financial hardship,' he said on Thursday.

'Those who have been able to return to work are only just starting to recover. To add difficulties in finding rental accommodation or not being able to afford rent to their worries would be an awful proposition.'

The government will introduce a new hotline for landlords that will offer specialist assistance for coronavirus-related tenancy issues.

Evictions will still be allowed under limited circumstances, including where a tenant is seriously damaging the property or causing injury to neighbours.

Small Business Minister Paul Papalia said the extension of the commercial tenancy laws acknowledged that many businesses were still doing it tough.

'Extending the emergency period will assist these tenants to negotiate further rent relief with their landlords to provide additional breathing space as the WA economy continues to rebound,' he said.
A new National Famine Way has been launched, following the footsteps of 1,490 emigrants who walked from Strokestown, Co Roscommon, to Dublin at the height of the famine in 1847.

The 165km trail, which mostly follows off-road paths along the Royal Canal, will be open year-round to walkers and cyclists, and is detailed in a new, downloadable OSI Trail Map.

As part of the initiative, a 14-page passport and guide is available to buy for 10, with 27 stage stamps that can be collected along the trail.

"The National Famine Way can be done by anyone, at any time, on foot or by bike," explained Caroilin Callery, of the Irish Heritage Trust and National Famine Museum, at the launch.

It traces the route taken by 1,490 people - known as the "Missing 1,490" - who left Strokestown in 1847 and walked to join "some of the worst coffin ships" travelling to Liverpool, and subsequently Quebec in Canada.

The walkers were tenants of local landlord Major Denis Mahon, who offered them the grim choice of emigration (through assisted passage), starvation on their blighted potato patch farms, or a place in the local workhouse.

Expand Close A screenshot of the new National Famine Way OSI Trail Map / Facebook

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Whatsapp A screenshot of the new National Famine Way OSI Trail Map

Only half of those who set-off from Roscommon ever made it to Quebec.

The 21st century trail is a collaboration between the National Famine Museum, the Irish Heritage Trust, Waterways Ireland, EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum and several County Councils along the route.

Between all parties, almost 3.5 million has been spent on the route over the past decade, from Royal Canal maintenance works to Greenway development, pathways, signage, markers, map and passport/guides.

After leaving Strokestown, walkers and cyclists "set off on a journey that takes you through some of the most unspoiled countryside in Ireland", said John O'Driscoll, General Manager of the National Famine Museum.

The initial 20km section to Clondra is along "quaint country road", Callery adds, but from there it joins the Royal Canal Greenway, with signposts and trailheads guiding walkers and cyclists through six counties.

As well as linking Ireland's Hidden heartlands and Ireland's Ancient East, the trail is topped and tailed by museums - the National Famine Museum in Strokestown, and EPIC and the Jeanie Johnston replica famine ship in Dublin.

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Whatsapp The new National Famine Way passport

Users can dip in and out as they like, but anyone picking up 27 stage stamps can collect a Camino-style "completion certificate" at the end from EPIC.

The passport/guide focuses on the walk of 12-year-old Daniel Tighe, who survived the terrifying transatlantic journey in 1847.

Vignettes reimagining Daniels journey were written by author Marita Conlon-McKenna, and are connected to markers featuring over thirty pairs of bronze childrens shoes along the route.

As well as its health and cultural impact, the project could provide an economic benefit of up to 2 million for local communities through bike hire and business for shops, cafes, bars and accommodation along the way, according to Anne ODonoghue, CEO of the Irish Heritage Trust.

"The trail has the potential to open up rural Ireland," she said.

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Steve Cox

Steve Cox, Vice President of Business Development at Command Alkon

Steve Cox, Vice President of Business Development at Command Alkon

Concrete Industry Management Group Promotes Education and Career Opportunities

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Command Alkon , provider of the leading supplier collaboration platform for construction's heavy work, announces that Steve Cox, Vice President of Business Development at Command Alkon, has been named an Executive Officer for the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) National Steering Committee (NSC). Steve has also been named to the Membership Committee Chair for NSC. All executive officers are members of the board of directors as well.

The CIM National Steering Committee (NSC) is a national industry coalition dedicated to collaborating with industry institutions and local industry groups. NSC's mission is to support and promote a network of higher learning educational institutions with programs that produce graduates with degrees in Concrete Industry Management. Students graduate with the skill set needed to meet the demands of the progressively changing concrete industry. To learn more about the CIM program, visit www.concretedegree.com .

"The Concrete Industry Management program helps to supply the concrete industry with future leaders in a variety of careers, including positions with ready mix suppliers, admixture suppliers, concrete contractors, engineering firms, research organizations, and trade associations," said Steve Cox. "I look forward to continuing to work closely with the CIM programs and helping them grow the future leaders for our great industry."

"The leadership of the concrete industry has embraced and supported the mission of the NSC for CIM of 'advancing the concrete industry by degrees' for the last 25 years," said NSC Executive Director Eugene Martineau. "Many major companies in the concrete industry, along with most national concrete associations and foundations, have pledged their time, talent, and treasure to CIM through their involvement in the NSC. Those industry leaders who serve on our board of directors are a testament to their commitment to the continued success of CIM."

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Command Alkon provides solutions for the heavy work industry, including a collaboration network that connects producers, haulers, contractors, and suppliers. The CONNEX platform delivers electronic transactions and data sharing among these trading partners, bringing greater efficiencies and profitability.

ABOUT COMMAND ALKON

As the provider of the leading Supplier Collaboration Platform for Heavy Work, Command Alkon solutions deliver supply chain digital collaboration across the heavy construction community. CONNEX, a technology platform built for the industry, enables business partners to automate and integrate business process, capture real-time visibility into heavy material orders and deliveries, and share knowledge to promote certainty of outcomes. Command Alkon is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama and has offices in locations around the globe. For more information, visit commandalkon.com.

For More Information, Contact:

Becky Boyd

MediaFirst PR

(770) 642-2080 x 214

becky@mediafirst.net

Karli Langner

Command Alkon

(205) 879-3282 x 3968

klangner@commandalkon.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9aab69ea-b9de-4051-9d22-9fb81f65df9b




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Airlines are continuing to spilt up families and members of the same household on flights unless they pay more to sit together.

Despite the pandemic, passengers have complained that the controversial policy, whereby those who refuse to pay for allocated seating are placed apart from the other people on their booking, is still being enforced by low-cost carriers.

Vanessa Ah Sha Sen, 31, from London, told The Independent that she was shocked when Wizz Air split up her and her partner on a flight from Catania, Sicily, to Vienna, Austria on Friday 4 September.

In all honesty, it completely ruined the end of what had been an amazing holiday, she said.

The whole airport experience at Catania wasn't great with pretty much no social distancing and people not wearing masks properly, which is a different story, but then when we got on the plane it was even worse.

I was already so shocked that their algorithm had split us up in the first place when I had checked in and was also feeling pretty anxious about having to sit next to strangers, but my partner reassured me that we could move before taking off if it wasn't full and it would make sense to do so anyway.

When they boarded the plane, the couple were not only seated apart, but seated on full rows with strangers.

Having noticed that there were a number of empty rows available, Vanessa asked a flight attendant if she and her partner could move so they were seated together, but her request was denied.

She was very rude about it and told me I should have paid for seats together if we wanted to be next to each other, said Vanessa.

I told her our goal was to avoid mixing with other households to avoid close contact as much as possible. She brushed over this and told me that everyone had to sit their allocated seats to ensure if there were any confirmed cases the airline could contact us to let us know.

Vanessa questioned the rule, having already noticed other passengers moving around the cabin to sit together, but eventually she let it go.

Once home, Vanessa complained to Wizz Airs customer service department, and was again informed that she should have paid more if she wanted to sit with her partner.

It's especially disappointing, because when the travel industry was complaining about the impact of COVID-19 on their business and then fighting to get back to normal, the first thing they did was reassure customers how safe it was, how they were putting passenger's safety first, she said.

But this clearly isn't the case with low-cost airlines such as Wizz Air, who seem to be putting profits first.

I had never agreed with airlines purposefully splitting up group bookings in the first place, but I wouldn't have thought they would have continued to do it when we're in the middle of a global pandemic.

Vanessa isnt the only one to have highlighted the practice, with many passengers complaining of the same issue on social media.

Alex Ferguson tweeted: @wizzair currently on a flight where the group has been split up despite it being a full plane and next to someone without a proper mask - disgraceful behaviour in these times, while Fizza Schar wrote: We are travelling to the UK from Crete today and @wizzair have decided to split up our three person family and seat us separately just because we havent pre purchased the seats. How is that in line with current Covid-19 regulations? Feel at risk!

User @ParaBrian1 commented of their Wizz Air flight: Just boarded a flight from Mykonos to Vienna and Im 17 rows away from my partner and there is numerous other groups all split up. Trying to extort money from people during a pandemic.

Ryanair has also been accused of using the same tactics.

@Ryanair how irresponsible are you to split people up on the same booking on a virtually empty flight, given the current situation and social distancing rules? Ridiculous, tweeted Chris Sargent, alongside a picture of a seating plan that showed him and his travel companion seated at opposite ends of the aircraft.

Jay McCracken posted: @Ryanair can you tell me why you constantly split families up on your flights, even with seats free next to them. Making them sit next to strangers that they never meet before and potentially putting them at risk of spreading Covid-19?

A Wizz Air spokesperson told The Independent: Wizz Air fully meets all local and international health requirements, and was the first European airline to introduce enhanced health and safety measures.

As part of these protocols, Wizz Air cabin crew will re-seat passengers to allow for social distancing where possible.

If load factors do not allow for this, families can choose to be seated together for a fee, but children under 14 will always be sat with one parent free of charge. In addition to WIZZs health and hygiene measures, which ensure the most sanitary conditions on-board and a low-contact environment, HEPA filters on all Wizz Air aircraft filter out 99.97 per cent of viruses and bacteria from the air.

All Wizz aircraft are regularly put through an industry-leading disinfection process with an antiviral solution throughout the day, and are disinfected again with this solution overnight. Wizz Air has taken every precaution to ensure that the health, safety and wellbeing of its passenger and crew is protected.

Ryanair did not respond when approached for comment.
DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been friends with another couple for more than 50 years. The four of us have shared lots of good times together.

After recent open heart surgery, the husband became very depressed and talked to his wife about "ending it all." She asked me to take the few handguns (all legal) they had in their home to be safe. I didn't feel I could say no. I'm not interested in guns, but it seemed a simple request. So she "snuck" them out to me during our last visit.

When the husband discovered what his wife had done, she told him about my role in it. He now demands I return his guns and says he no longer wants anything to do with me. His wife wants me to hold onto them for now.

What should I do?

 Torn over this

DEAR TORN: From what I have been told, depression after heart surgery is not unusual. Hang onto the guns and urge the wife to report her husband's threat to harm himself to his doctors and let them guide her. She should also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is 800-273-8255. Someone who has talked about suicide should not have easy access to the means to do it.

DEAR ABBY: Since this coronavirus pandemic started, I have seen lots of articles stressing the importance of staying connected to elderly family members, friends and those living alone. My husband and I have each other, so we are sheltering in place. Although we have eight grandkids who all live within 50 miles, we haven't heard a word from any of them, whether via phone, email or text, all of which we do. How bad is that?

 Disconnected in California

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

DEAR DISCONNECTED: If you have reached out to your grandchildren and been ignored, shame on them. If you haven't, it's time you did. Sometimes young people become so engrossed in their daily lives they forget about anything else. But that's what parents are for, to "remind" them that reaching out to someone who needs a kind word (or an errand run during a pandemic) can be rewarding not only for the receiver but also for the giver. Parents should remind them to take five minutes occasionally to text Grandma.

DEAR ABBY: I started and completed a college fund for my two daughters. Only one of them used it. The other joined the military and used the GI Bill for college instead of the money from the college fund ($10,000). Am I obligated to give her that money? I did pull it out of the fund and have it in a certificate. I figure when she buys a house, I'll give it to her then.

 Wondering in Florida

DEAR WONDERING: Check with the bank to make sure there won't be a problem if the college fund money isn't used for your daughter's education. If you can apply it elsewhere in a way that will benefit her -- and part of a down payment on a house would definitely qualify -- I think it would be wonderful. But check first.
The first and deputy first ministers have announced a tightening of Covid-19 restrictions in specific parts of Northern Ireland in their first joint Executive press conference in 73 days.

Local restrictions are coming into force in the entire Belfast City Council area and the postcode areas of BT28 (Lisburn) and BT29 (Crumlin), and in the town of Ballymena and the postcode area of BT43.

In these hotspots there will be no mixing of different households in private dwellings, apart from exemptions (e.g. support bubbles, care and childcare arrangements, essential maintenance, etc). No more than six people will be allowed to meet in private gardens from two households.

People are also asked to limit unnecessary travel beyond these areas and should work from home if they can.

Hospitals and care homes in these areas will be advised to limit visitors. One member of a family will be permitted a visit once a week while these localised restrictions apply.

Vulnerable and older people living in these areas are advised to be particularly careful.

Over the past seven days 599 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland. In the last week, 177 of those have tested positive for the virus in Belfast, with 76 cases recorded in the Lisburn and Castlereagh area and 65 cases recorded in the Mid and East Antrim area.

Belfast has now recorded over 2,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

Read More

"The medical and scientific advice is that we will see the greatest benefit from focusing on limiting social interactions between households," Ms Foster said.

"That means in these areas only there will be no mixing of households in private dwellings, with exemptions for bubbling with one other household, caring responsibilities including childcare, essential maintenance, supported living arrangements, visits required for legal or medical purposes or marriage or civil partnerships where one partner is terminally ill. No more than six people are to be in a private garden from two households."

The restrictions will come into force next week, but Ms Foster urged people to adhere to them immediately. She added the restrictions will be reviewed in two weeks.

The First Minister also announced that, indicatively, "wet" pubs can re-open on September 21.

She added she understands some people may question why this decision has been made at a time when other restrictions are imposed.

At the moment the villain is not business where customers' behaviours are regulated, it is in our homes, it is the house party, it is the dinner party, it is the few people coming around for drinks or a coffee. First Minister Arlene Foster

Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill had ceased their regular joint briefings after the funeral of veteran republican Bobby Storey in June.

Earlier, Ms O'Neill acknowledged that the NI Executive's messaging around Covid-19 restrictions had been undermined by the controversy around Bobby Storey's funeral.

I am glad we are standing here on this platform today at a crucial time in the fight-back against Covid-19," Ms O'Neill said.

Read More

It comes as the Department of Health announced a further death from Covid-19 in the Newry, Mourne and Down area over the past 24 hours and 78 new cases of the virus.

The death toll from coronavirus in Northern Ireland now stands at 568, with 8,035 people having tested positive. On Wednesday 8,543 tests were carried out on 5,492 people.

There are currently 13 Covid-19 patients in Northern Ireland's hospitals, with two in intensive care units (ICUs). Hospital bed occupancy is at 88%, with 14 ICU beds remaining free.

Here's how the day unfolded:
Magnetic topological insulators could be just right for making qubits, but this one doesn't obey the rules

UPTON, NY--The search is on to discover new states of matter, and possibly new ways of encoding, manipulating, and transporting information. One goal is to harness materials' quantum properties for communications that go beyond what's possible with conventional electronics. Topological insulators--materials that act mostly as insulators but carry electric current across their surface--provide some tantalizing possibilities.

"Exploring the complexity of topological materials--along with other intriguing emergent phenomena such as magnetism and superconductivity--is one of the most exciting and challenging areas of focus for the materials science community at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory," said Peter Johnson, a senior physicist in the Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science Division at Brookhaven. "We're trying to understand these topological insulators because they have lots of potential applications, particularly in quantum information science, an important new area for the division."

For example, materials with this split insulator/conductor personality exhibit a separation in the energy signatures of their surface electrons with opposite "spin." This quantum property could potentially be harnessed in "spintronic" devices for encoding and transporting information. Going one step further, coupling these electrons with magnetism can lead to novel and exciting phenomena.

"When you have magnetism near the surface you can have these other exotic states of matter that arise from the coupling of the topological insulator with the magnetism," said Dan Nevola, a postdoctoral fellow working with Johnson. "If we can find topological insulators with their own intrinsic magnetism, we should be able to efficiently transport electrons of a particular spin in a particular direction."

In a new study just published and highlighted as an Editor's Suggestion in Physical Review Letters, Nevola, Johnson, and their coauthors describe the quirky behavior of one such magnetic topological insulator. The paper includes experimental evidence that intrinsic magnetism in the bulk of manganese bismuth telluride (MnBi2Te4) also extends to the electrons on its electrically conductive surface. Previous studies had been inconclusive as to whether or not the surface magnetism existed.

But when the physicists measured the surface electrons' sensitivity to magnetism, only one of two observed electronic states behaved as expected. Another surface state, which was expected to have a larger response, acted as if the magnetism wasn't there.

"Is the magnetism different at the surface? Or is there something exotic that we just don't understand?" Nevola said.

Johnson leans toward the exotic physics explanation: "Dan did this very careful experiment, which enabled him to look at the activity in the surface region and identify two different electronic states on that surface, one that might exist on any metallic surface and one that reflected the topological properties of the material," he said. "The former was sensitive to the magnetism, which proves that the magnetism does indeed exist in the surface. However, the other one that we expected to be more sensitive had no sensitivity at all. So, there must be some exotic physics going on!"

The measurements

The scientists studied the material using various types of photoemission spectroscopy, where light from an ultraviolet laser pulse knocks electrons loose from the surface of the material and into a detector for measurement.

"For one of our experiments, we use an additional infrared laser pulse to give the sample a little kick to move some of the electrons around prior to doing the measurement," Nevola explained. "It takes some of the electrons and kicks them [up in energy] to become conducting electrons. Then, in very, very short timescales--picoseconds--you do the measurement to look at how the electronic states have changed in response."

The map of the energy levels of the excited electrons shows two distinct surface bands that each display separate branches, electrons in each branch having opposite spin. Both bands, each representing one of the two electronic states, were expected to respond to the presence of magnetism.

To test whether these surface electrons were indeed sensitive to magnetism, the scientists cooled the sample to 25 Kelvin, allowing its intrinsic magnetism to emerge. However only in the non-topological electronic state did they observe a "gap" opening up in the anticipated part of the spectrum.

"Within such gaps, electrons are prohibited from existing, and thus their disappearance from that part of the spectrum represents the signature of the gap," Nevola said.

The observation of a gap appearing in the regular surface state was definitive evidence of magnetic sensitivity--and evidence that the magnetism intrinsic in the bulk of this particular material extends to its surface electrons.

However, the "topological" electronic state the scientists studied showed no such sensitivity to magnetism--no gap.

"That throws in a bit of a question mark," Johnson said.

"These are properties we'd like to be able to understand and engineer, much like we engineer the properties of semiconductors for a variety of technologies," Johnson continued.

In spintronics, for example, the idea is to use different spin states to encode information in the way positive and negative electric charges are presently used in semiconductor devices to encode the "bits"--1s and 0s--of computer code. But spin-coded quantum bits, or qubits, have many more possible states--not just two. This will greatly expand on the potential to encode information in new and powerful ways.

"Everything about magnetic topological insulators looks like they're right for this kind of technological application, but this particular material doesn't quite obey the rules," Johnson said.

So now, as the team continues their search for new states of matter and further insights into the quantum world, there's a new urgency to explain this particular material's quirky quantum behavior.

###

This work was funded by the DOE Office of Science.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://www.energy.gov/science/

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit applied science and technology organization.

Follow @brookhavenlab on Twitter and Facebook

Related Links

An electronic version of this news release with related graphics

Scientific paper: "Coexistence of Surface Ferromagnetism and a Gapless Topological State in MnBi2Te4"

APS Physics story: "An Intrinsically Magnetic Topological Insulator"

Media contacts: Karen McNulty Walsh [kmcnulty@bnl.gov], (631) 344-8350, or Peter Genzer [genzer@bnl.gov], (631) 344-3174
The emergence and continued acceleration of remote recruitment, accurate skills assessment, and hiring promises to transform an already dynamic HR technology industry, and specifically for developer and IT roles, creates a significant runway for continued opportunity in the US market and beyond.

HackerEarth, a leading developer assessment and interview solutions provider, today announced its milestones from 2019 - 2020, during which it brought on new enterprise clients and doubled its registered customer base. In a competitive market, HackerEarths traction with enterprises, as well as millions of developers signals a strong demand for accurate developer screening based on measurable skills, and solutions for developers to improve their coding skills.

The context for this growth includes an ever-increasing shift towards digital transformation and digital solutions. In order to stay competitive, all companies must adopt a tech-first mentality, and this is true for businesses in the HR and talent recruiting industry. As such, theres an increased need and opportunity for software and solutions that enable more efficient and accurate candidate screening to ensure those with the best skills are matched with the right opportunities.

HackerEarths AI-powered developer assessment platform enables companies to make the most informed and objective decisions whether or not to move candidates from screening to the interview phase. The overarching platform benefit is improved efficiency in developer recruiting and ensuring companies are matched with the right developer talent for the right opportunity. For developers looking to hone their skills, HackerEarth provides a solution to practice for coding interviews, compete in coding contests, and solve real-world challenges through hackathons.

We are obviously operating in unprecedented times, but the development of new software and tech-based solutions will continue to be the core driving force of business digital transformation and competitiveness post-COVID-19  and highly sought after developer talent is critical in driving this innovation, said Sachin Gupta, CEO of HackerEarth. The emergence and continued acceleration of remote recruitment, accurate skills assessment, and hiring promises to transform an already dynamic HR technology industry, and specifically for developer and IT roles, creates a significant runway for continued opportunity in the US market and beyond.

2019 - 2020 highlights include:

Company Growth



Grew its customer base by 120%

Surpassed 4 million members in the global online developer community, currently at 4.5M

Over 400 Hackathons hosted (including COVID19 hackathon - HackCovid) with a total of over 30,000 participants from around the world

5570 coding contests completed with 343,789 participants globally

Over 2.1 million assessments were run on the HackerEarth platform in the last one year alone

Revenue and Funding



Achieved 100% revenue growth in the US

Closed a $6.5 million Series B funding round led by the family office of Jo Hirao and participation from existing investors.

Product Innovations



Anti-bias feature - This feature helps hide any personally identifiable information (PII) like name, gender email addresses, and phone numbers, etc. At HackerEarth, you have the option to mask information like gender, email address, job title, etc. and use aliases instead of actual names to reduce unconscious bias.

Test creation from the job description - This feature reduces the effort and time that goes into creating an assessment by directly allowing you to upload the job description onto the platform. The skills and years of experience will automatically be picked up from the JD to create a relevant test.

Test creation from job role - Recruiters will be able to create tests from 11 pre-defined job roles like full stack developer, front-end-developer, back-end-developer, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, and others

Interview Transcripts - HackerEarths video interview platform supports transcription. This feature converts speech to text and also highlights important information helping hiring managers make more informed objective decisions.

Key Partnerships and Projects



HackerEarth Team



Industry Recognitions



Listed in the top 100 Software Companies by G2 and the Top 50 HR software as well for 2020

Certified as one of the best companies to work for in 2020 by Great Place to Work

About HackerEarth

HackerEarth is a global company that helps large enterprises evaluate developers based on specific skills. The companys platform enables recruiters and hiring managers to make the most accurate and informed decisions about candidates, improve hiring efficiencies and ensure the right developers are matched with the right positions. HackerEarth is also a leading facilitator of online hackathons and coding challenges, where its community of 4 million developers can upskill and practice for employment interviews. The company was founded in 2012 with offices in San Francisco and India. For more information, visit http://www.hackerearth.com.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) - The National Telecommunications Commissions (NTC) has issued an order recalling all the frequencies or channels assigned to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, exactly two months after lawmakers denied the network of a fresh franchise.

The commission cited Republic Act No. 3846 or the Radio Control Law, which provides that no one can operate a radio broadcasting station without obtaining a franchise from Congress.

In an overwhelming 70-11 vote, the House Committee on Legislative Franchise has denied the broadcasting giant another 25 years to operate last July 10.

Moreover, the NTC also cited Supreme Courts dismissal of ABS-CBN's petition against the cease and desist order issued by commission, which forced the broadcasting network to go off-air in May.

Indubitably, the denial of respondents [ABS-CBN] franchise renewal application by Congress, coupled with the denial of respondents petition by the Supreme Court, lead to no other conclusion except that respondent had already lost the privilege of installing, operating and maintaining radio broadcasting stations in the country, said the NTC.

Consequentially, absent a valid legislative franchise, the recall of the frequencies assigned to respondent is warranted, it added.

The order also revokes all the provisional authorities or certificates of public convenience granted to ABS-CBN.

In addition, all the pending applications and petitions filed by ABS-CBN before NTC are also dismissed.

Critics believe that the ABS-CBN shutdown is an attack on press freedom since the network has become a subject of ire of President Rodrigo Duterte for its documententation of the administration's controversial war on drugs.

Duterte had also publicly hit ABS-CBN for failing to air his campaign during the 2016 national elections.

The shutdown has led to massive retrenchment of workers, including some veteran journalists.

Since the network went off-air, the former media giant has been utilizing its online platforms in broadcasting its shows.

CNN Philippines' correspondent Rex Remitio contributed to this report
Black Lives Matter were the chants Ive heard during the summer months, the months leading up to our City Council election, June 2021. The North shore section of Staten Island is most known to be the Democratic and progressive portion of the borough. There is irony in the images -- a black man running for City Council and the graffiti written over his picture No N*****s.

I grew up here in the North Shore and once believed that the community was one filled with a family of Staten Island residents. As Ive learned, gained more awareness and familiarity with different clubs and organizations in the local community, I learned that it was not. It was always a borough that was a microcosm of America, a borough where ideals and beliefs have huge variances, a borough where there are conservatives and liberals, a borough that showed progressive ideals during the Black Lives Matter rally due to the death of George Floyd (and many others). At the same time, it continues to show regression with deeds like the one shown, to the ideas that will ultimately allow for healing.

Acceptance of others, understanding differences, and a community of togetherness are the areas where the most help is needed. As a member of several community organizations and the local community board, I found these images to be very disheartening. Staten Island is a place that I was born in and has been home to me for my whole life.

Its important to address and discuss actions that lead to racial tension, especially when they are tied to our politics. The individual is only a candidate and to see this happen in a contested race, consisting of many people, including people of color, is not the way a community shows progress. The photos were taken right on Forest Avenue in West Brighton.

(Steven Williams Jr. is a New Brighton resident.)
Emily Ratajkowski epitomized the term 'legs for days' as she had on micro shorts on Tuesday.

As the 29-year-old supermodel cut a chic figure around Tribeca, New York, all eyes were on her envy-inducing physique.

The cover girl added an oversized long-sleeved sweater as she tossed her signature chestnut-brown tresses into a casual top knot and appeared to be rocking a classic winged eyeliner.

Turning heads: Emily Ratajkowski epitomized the term 'legs for days'as she wore micro shorts on Tuesday

While the majority of her face was hidden by a blue surgical mask, her eyebrows were meticulously groomed and she sported a subtle smokey eye.

As she strolled down the sidewalk in a pair of white sneakers, the Gone Girl actress was glued to her smart phone.

Ratajkowski accessorized her laid-back ensemble with an orange handbag, which she wore over her shoulder, and a gold necklace.

All legs: As the 29-year-old supermodel cut a chic figure around Tribeca, New York, all eyes were on her thigh-skimming frock and envy-inducing physique

Keeping it casual: She opted to toss her signature chestnut-brown tresses into a casual top knot and appeared to be rocking a classic winged eyeliner

Earlier in the day, she was seen leaving the Hamptons with husband Sebastian Bear-McClard and their dog Colombo.

Emily has been keeping busy during her summer vacation, promoting her clothing line Inamorata on Instagram.

She was also recently among 100 different cover stars for the September issue of Vogue Italia, which was themed: '100 Covers, 100 People, 100 Stories.'

Laid-back look: While the majority of her face was hidden by a blue surgical mask, her aspirational eyebrows appeared meticulous groomed and she sported a subtle smokey eye

She and Bear-McClard have spent the majority of their quarantine in their Los Angeles home.

They caught a flight out of JFK in April, shortly after the CDC issued an advisory, asking 'residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately.'

However in late June as COVID-19 cases spiked dramatically in California, Emily and Sebastian crossed back to New York.

Quarantine buddies: It comes after she and Bear-McClard spent the majority of their quarantine in their Los Angeles home, ignoring a CDC travel advisory

In a piece published at the start of May she dished to British GQ that 'its been interesting being in quarantine and married.'

'I feel like a lot of people will end up divorced. But my husband and I are in a good partnership,' said Emily, whose spouse was a producer on Uncut Gems.

'And I think that Ive learned a lot about myself being married, for sure,' the Inamorata founder added.
What sort of traits does former First Lady Michelle Obama look for in young people who want to work for her? Willingness to put in the "grunt work" with a positive attitude, for starters.

On a recent episode of Spotify's "The Michelle Obama Podcast," the former first lady spoke to Valerie Jarrett, her former boss while working for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, and a senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Obama recalled career advice that she recently gave her daughter Malia, 22.

"We were talking about having impact, and how young people  and I know our generation talks about it  a lot of times, a lot of young people want it really fast, like I want to make change," Obama said.

In truth, success requires climbing the ladder and putting in the "grunt work," she said.

For Obama, the young people who have been working with her the longest are those who began "doing some of the grunt-iest jobs," she said on the podcast. For example, those who handled small tasks like volunteering to pick up speakers at the airport or doing "advance work" to prepare sites ahead of time for appearances, "which is some of the hardest stuff," she said.

Today, these are the people who Obama trusts to manage her schedule, run book tours or work for her production company, Higher Ground.

"Watch how young people do the work that they don't want to do, the thankless work that's not so fun," Obama said. "Those are the people that I look to and go, 'Huh, that person's ready to be pushed, that person wants to do more. I'm ready to invest in them.'"

Jarrett agreed, adding that "attitude matters," she said. "And effort, and energy, and you know being a cheerful spirit even on a bad day."

To that end, Obama also said that young people who are looking for mentors should think about what they're bringing to the table.

"Sometimes young people think that mentoring's just about, just show me the way, just tell me what to do," she said. "I want young people out there to know, when they're looking for a mentor, they also have to think about, well, what are you going to bring to the relationship?"

If you are looking for someone to mentor you, she suggests taking initiative to introduce yourself to people and starting a conversation. Ask them to get coffee, "or set up a meeting to ask them whatever questions you have on your mind," she said.

As fist lady, Obama started a program for disadvantaged teens from Washington D.C. to be mentored by senior leaders in President Barack Obama's administration, which prepared the mentees to be able to step into any room confidently, and see their potential.

"If you can feel your growth getting comfortable in the most powerful house in the land, there's nothing you can't do," she said.

Check out: Americans spend over $5,000 a year on groceriessave hundreds at supermarkets with these cards

Don't miss:
The Bombay high court (HC) has directed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to be included in the petitions filed by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officials and an activist regarding the ongoing separate investigations by three central agencies into actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death case.

The petitions were filed as an objection to a media trial after selective leaks were being made to a section of the media by the probe agencies following which the public were being prejudiced against Mumbai Police.

The court also sought to know about a lack of mechanism of the government authorities concerned to regulate electronic media and directed the prosecution of more channels against whom the petitioners had raised their objections.

Also read: Sushant case probe a campaign issue in Bihar

An HC division bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni, heard the public interest litigations (PILs) filed by the former IPS officials and an activist.

The court was informed that even though the HC through its September 3 order had directed media channels to exercise restraint while reporting the investigations in the Rajput death case, some media houses and TV channels had shown scant regard for the order.

The petitions urged the HC to take note of the media houses and TV channels egregious conduct.

Senior advocate Dr Milind Sathe, who appeared on behalf of the eight ex-IPS officials, informed the court that after the September 3 order some channels had become more vociferous in their vilification campaign as far as Mumbai Police was concerned.

He placed the transcripts of some of the news channels on record to bolster his argument and submitted that the court should take cognisance and make these channels party to the petitions.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, who appeared for activist Nilesh Navlakha, concurred with the submissions of Dr Sathe.

Kamat alleged that the parallel trial by a section of the media had not ebbed as information of the investigation was being leaked by the probe agencies themselves.

Kamat agreed to the submissions made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that it was not leaking any information to the media.

However, he singled out NCB and ED and prayed before the court that they be made a party to the petitions in a bid to ascertain whether information of the probe was being leaked by them to the media.

The News Broadcasting Standards Association (NBSA) through advocate Nisha submitted that the body was a self-regulating authority for news channels and had also received complaints from viewers about some news channels going overboard in their reporting of the Rajput case.

She submitted that the authority was looking into the complaints and would like to file a counter affidavit putting on record the action taken by them.

The court upheld her plea.

The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) also sought to be included in the petitions as many channels were their members but were unrepresented.

The court upheld this submission as well.

The bench took note of advocate Asim Sarodes separate petition that had sought directions to the authorities to put in place regulatory mechanisms on the functioning of the media.

We are surprised that there is no regulating mechanism of the state to control the electronic media and are prima facie of the opinion that this body (NBSA) does not have teeth. The state may reply in affidavit and indicate the extent of state control that is exercised in respect of telecasting news which has serious ramifications and other ancillary matters which might come up for our consideration while deciding this matter, the bench observed.

The court directed the inclusion of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central government as party to all the petitions.

The court also directed the NBSA to hear the complaints received by them.

The said pendency of these petitions shall not preclude NBSA to consider complaints that have been received by it and take appropriate actions as per law. Resultant decisions may be included in the affidavit, it added.

All news channels, which have been made a party to the petitions, have been ordered to file affidavits by September 30.

The bench will hear the petitions next on October 8.

The court again reminded that the media must continue to exercise restraint while reporting on the investigation in the Rajput case in line with its September 3 order in a bid to ensure that the ongoing probe is not hampered.
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Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara and Alya Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 08:39 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43e8da5 1 National Kompas-Gramedia,jakob-oetama,obituary,journalism Free

Indonesia lost one of its journalism heroes on Wednesday through the passing of Jakob Oetama, cofounder of the countrys largest media and publishing company, Kompas Gramedia.

Kompas Gramedia confirmed his death. He passed away at the age of 88 after suffering from multiple organ failure, one of the doctors who treated Jakob said. He would be buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta on Thursday.

Throughout his life, Jakob was known by many of his comrades and loved ones as a simple figure who always prioritized honesty, integrity, gratitude and humanism.

Jakob, the son of a teacher, was born in Jowahan village in Central Java and graduated from the Seminary High School in Yogyakarta in 1951.

Before jumping into journalism, Jakob followed his parents footsteps and taught at Mardi Yuana Junior High School in Cipanas, West Java, in 1952 and Van Lith Junior High School in Jakarta in 1953.

It was not until 1955 when Jakob became the weekly editor of Penabur magazine that he began to delve into the publishing world. Six years later, he finished studying at Yogyakartas Gadjah Mada University, majoring in mass communication.

He partnered with Auw Jong Peng Koen, or Petrus Kanisius Ojong  one of Indonesias active figures in journalism and politics  to publish Intisari magazine, which paved the way for the establishment of Kompas newspaper in 1965.

Now, he should be remembered as the "the nation's teacher", said Jusuf Wanandi, the president director of The Jakarta Post's publishing company, on Wednesday.

He is an educator for the public, especially through his mixed media and his bookstore, which were services that he provided to the nation as its teacher, Jusuf said.

Jusuf, who had known him since the 1960s, saw Jacob as an empathetic and open-minded individual that had provided a great service to the democratic changes in the past.

And he is not alone in holding such views. The Posts senior editor, Endy Bayuni, acclaimed how Kompas, through the journalism style that Jakob developed, was able to be critical yet survive and thrive under the New Order regime when press freedom was very limited.

He had the wisdom by which he was able to build the trust of both the people and the elite, Endy said.

One of Jakobs pupils, seasoned Kompas journalist Maria Hartiningsih, described the Kompas journalism founded by Jakob as expressing criticism without attacking or cornering the subject and giving a voice to the downtrodden.

I remember he told me to always nurture humanity and compassion, because thats the most important thing in journalism, Maria told the Post.

Through his subtle and sophisticated way of criticizing, were also reminded that journalism is a matter of putting issues into context, so that people will know what the problems are, said Maria, adding that Jakob was a spiritual father to her and many Kompas employees.

During a 2005 interview with the Post, Jakob admitted that Kompas style, which was not straightforward, possibly arose from his Javanese background.

From childhood, Javanese people do not ask for money directly but often explain the reasons first, he said.

Meanwhile, Antara president director Meidyatama Suryodiningrat saw him as a national figure who had been carrying the torch for good journalism.

In an era where the media has to move quickly and seek profit, he still prioritized journalistic values, and that is where young people like us can learn a lot from him, he said on Wednesday.

Among the young generation, West Java-based Kompas journalist Melati Mewangi said even though she had never talked to Jakob, she had learned a lot about him and his values through his writings as well as his biography.

Theres nothing new under the sun, Jakob would often say, explaining that theres nothing new in this world, but that we can always renew our perspectives, she said.

He wanted to encourage young journalists to explore the world outside of our comfort zones, and that really helped me shift my perspective when I was assigned to report from a new region that I had never been to. His wisdom lifted my spirit and curiosity, she said.

Another Kompas journalist based in North Sulawesi, Kristian Oka Prasetyadi, also said he had been holding on to Jakobs principle of comforting the poor, reminding the prosperous in the way he wrote his articles.

Media organizations have conveyed their condolences and appreciation for Jacobs contribution to the country.

Press Council head Muhammad Nuh said Jakob had paid close attention to media regeneration, citing as an example the fact that his company had founded Multimedia Nusantara University (UMN).

Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) chairman Abdul Manan also recalled how Jakob once congratulated then-AJI chairman Lukas Luwarso for the AJIs persistence in fighting against the governments repression of press freedom.

I think that reflects his attitude as a gentleman who respected the younger generation, Abdul said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) head Atal S. Depari said he was considering creating an award under Jakobs name to honor his legacy, which would be given to journalists who write about humanities.
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Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Trump loyalists running the Department of Homeland Security manipulated intelligence reports to play down the threat of Russian election interference and white supremacists and exaggerate the threat of antifa and anarchist groups, according to the departments former top intelligence official.

The official, Brian Murphy, said he was demoted in August from his position running the departments office of intelligence and analysis because of his refusal to go along with the fabrication of intelligence to match Donald Trumps rhetoric, and for making formal complaints about the political pressure. He filed a whistleblower reprisal complaint on Tuesday.

Murphy was transferred to a DHS management position after his team was found to have collected information on reporters and protesters in Portland, Oregon. In his complaint, he claims the office never knowingly or deliberately collected information on journalists, at least as far as Mr Murphy is aware or ever authorized, and he described the reporting as significantly flawed.

He insists the real reason for his transfer was his refusal to manipulate vital intelligence on national security.

Murphy alleges that the efforts to falsify DHS intelligence date back to 2018, when the then homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, asked his office to inflate the numbers of known or suspected terrorists crossing the border with Mexico, in support of Trumps demand for a border wall.

Murphy says the intelligence identified three such terrorist cases. In December 2018, Nielsen told the House judiciary committee there were 3,755.

Related: 'Our democracy is deeply imperiled': how democratic norms are under threat ahead of the US election

According to Murphys testimony, Nielsen and her successor, Chad Wolf, continued to exaggerate the terrorist threat at the border in 2019, while being aware of the real figures.

Murphys most serious allegations concern the effort to downplay Russian meddling in the election while it was under way. In May this year, Murphy says, Wolf told him to cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference in the United States, and instead start reporting on interference activities by China and Iran.

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Wolf told Murphy the orders came from the national security adviser, Robert OBrien.

Mr Murphy informed Mr Wolf he would not comply with these instructions, as doing so would put the country in substantial and specific danger, the whistleblower complaint says.

On 7 July, Murphy was told to stop circulating any information about Russian disinformation efforts until he met Wolf. The next day, according to the complaint, the acting homeland security secretary told Murphy the assessment of the Russian role should be held because it made the president look bad.

When Murphy objected, he was excluded from meetings on the subject, and an alternative assessment was leaked to the press which put Russian interference on a par with China and Iran  an equivalence which Murphy, and most intelligence experts, say is not supported by the facts.

This is a huge deal, the former National Security Agency lawyer Susan Hennessey wrote on Twitter. Is [national security adviser] OBrien directing the [intelligence community] and others to lie about or distort the China election threat to hurt Biden and help Trump?

Top administration officials, including the director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe; the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo; and the attorney general, William Barr, have claimed that China is as big a threat, if not a much greater danger, to the integrity of the US elections than Russia, with the implication that China favours Trumps Democratic challenger, Joe Biden. No substantial evidence has been presented to support that claim, which is contradicted by a vast amount of material, including reports by the special counsel Robert Mueller, and the Republican-led Senate intelligence committee, detailing Russian interference.

According to the whistleblower complaint, a homeland threat assessment (HTA) drawn up by Murphys intelligence analysts in March this year was also blocked by Wolf and other DHS political appointees because of its sections on Russian interference and the white supremacist threat.

Murphy was told by his superiors he needed to specifically modify the section on white supremacy in a manner that made the threat appear less severe, as well as include information on the prominence of violent leftwing groups. When he refused, the HTA was taken out of his hands.

It is Mr Murphys assessment that the final version of the HTA will more closely resemble a policy document with references to antifa and anarchist groups than an intelligence document, his complaint says.

Hennessey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the executive editor of the Lawfare blog, urged some scepticism over Murphys claims in view of his offices involvement in the monitoring of journalists in Portland.

Murphys account is especially weak on key allegation that he was reassigned as retaliation for whistleblowing, as opposed to astonishingly bad judgment. It could be that, in an effort to tell a self-serving story, he is also revealing very serious (and real) wrongdoing at DHS, she wrote.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 02:00:47|Editor: huaxia

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RIYADH, Sept. 10 (Xinhua)-- The Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen said on Thursday that it intercepted a number of missiles and bomb-laden drones launched by Houthi rebels toward the kingdom.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, Turki Al Maliki, coalition spokesman, also accused the Houthi militia of targeting civilians and civilian sites.

The Houthis militia has been targeting Saudi cities with drones on an almost daily basis, most of which the coalition said were foiled.

The civil war in Yemen started in late 2014, before the coalition intervened in 2015 to support President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Enditem
Islamabad:

Pakistan does not want to join an arms race in South Asia, a senior official told a delegation of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) on Thursday, amid efforts by Islamabad to join the elite grouping that includes India and controls export in high-end missile technologies.

"Pakistan has always remained in the forefront to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction," additional secretary at the foreign office Tasneem Aslam told the MTCR delegation led by by director general HAM Sang-wook.

Making a case for Pakistan's entry into the 35-member elite club, Aslam stressed Islamabad's non-proliferation credentials and said that it has "always followed international standards while delivering weapons".

She also said that Pakistan does not want to join the arms race in South Asia, Geo News reported. Pakistan has intensified its efforts to join the exclusive club of countries controlling exports in missile technology, since India joined the elite grouping last year as its 35th member.

Notably, India was successful in joining MTCR, ahead of Pakistan's all-weather ally China, whose application is pending since 2004. A country's non-proliferation record is one of the key criteria to join the club.

Experts say that Pakistan's controversial record in nuclear proliferation and absence of its patron China inside the club are major obstacles in Islamabad becoming a formal member of MTCR.

Aslam further said that hindrances in access to technology for peaceful purposes "must come to an end".

Representatives of the MTCR delegation said that the group wants a joint policy to prevent the spread of missiles. The delegation recognised that Pakistan has participated in several technical meetings held by the MTCR for the past several years, the report said.

Meanwhile, the Foreign office also released a reviewed list of nuclear and biological weapons. The new list declares that Pakistan is determined towards nuclear non-proliferation. The reviewed list was formed after consultation with relative ministries, it said. The list has been reviewed in the years 2005, 2011 and 2015.

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White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday said that US President Donald Trump did not intentionally mislead citizens about the gravity of the coronavirus epidemic.

The statements come after recordings, accessed by CNN and based on a new book titled Rage by journalist Bob Woodward, showed earlier on Wednesday that Trump had admitted in February that he knew how deadly the novel coronavirus was but played it down as he did not want to stoke panic.

US President Donald Trump admitted to a journalist early during the Covid-19 pandemic that he underplayed the threat of the health crisis even though there was evidence available to the country, according to the new book.

I wanted to always play it down," Trump told author Bob Woodward on March 19, days after he announced a national emergency. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic," Trump added.

Trump on Wednesday defended his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of over 1,90,000 people in the United States.

The fact is Im a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I dont want people to be frightened," Trump said at the White House. Weve done well from any standard."

A week after giving the interview, President Trump, Trump said at a White House briefing that the number of coronavirus infections in the US would plummet to zero within a couple of days."

Woodward in an interview with the Associated Press stood his ground after he came under fire from critics who asked why he had kept Trumps comments to himself even as the pandemic wreaked havoc.

He tells me this, and Im thinking, Wow, thats interesting, but is it true? Trump says things that dont check out, right?" the news agency quoted Woodward as saying in a telephonic interview.

However, a few fellow Republicans stood by Trumps Covid-19 response on Wednesday.

His actions of shutting the economy down were the right actions," Senator Lindsey Graham told Reuters. And I think the tone during that time sort of spoke for itself."

(With inputs from agencies)
WILLIAMSPORT - A federal court judge ruled a Penn State student may not pursue her claims that a Title IX disciplinary panel failed to adequately address her allegations of rape.

U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann Friday dismissed the students claims, finding Penn State was not negligent in the appointment or training of the panel whose members chose not to penalize the accused rapist.

Although the judge dismissed that part of the students' suit against the university and others, he found for the Allegheny County resident in another disciplinary action.

He ruled a different panel erred by not giving her the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses before it imposed a two-semester suspension.

The student who filed the complaint was a freshman and intoxicated when she said she was raped by two male students in an apartment on Jan. 15, 2017.

She was taken to a hospital where she was given a rape kit and her blood alcohol content was .192 or nearly three times the legal amount to drive.

Two assailants were identified, one of whom police charged and the other left school during the course of the universitys investigation.

In the spring of 2018, the accuser says she was informed by police the Centre County district attorneys office would not prosecute the alleged rapist because it was unclear the case would be successful.

A Title IX panel also did not impose sanctions, saying it could not determine by the preponderance of the evidence that the accused did not have consent for intercourse.

The panel suggested he might be charged with a violation of the Code of Conduct.

In her suit, the student complained the panel declined to consider new evidence including that of a rape kit. She also complained her testimony was limited to yes and no answers and she was asked, Have you ever drank that much before?

The student contends that question was designed to blame her for being sexually assaulted.

The claims that Brann allowed to proceed are related to another Title IX panels decision to suspend her for the 2020 spring and summer semesters for harassing a former roommate and assaulting a ride-share driver.

The student contends in her suit the decision to suspend her was founded on the credibility of witnesses who submitted written statements and did not attend the hearing.

Brann acknowledged the right to counsel, to confront witnesses and to cross-examine witnesses generally has not been deemed necessary elements in the context of university discipline

Control of public education in America is by in large committed to state and local authorities but, he wrote:

The absence of the opportunity to cross-examine in this case  this case that hinged on witness credibility and which yielded a lengthy suspension -- does not pass constitutional muster.

Such cases cannot be resolved without a mutual test of credibility especially in this one in which the student received a lengthy suspension, he wrote.

Some claims remain, including those saying the student was the victim of discriminatory grading and of retaliation for filing the lawsuit and for using Twitter to accuse the university of hiding how bad rape is on campus.

The civil rights complaint seeks unspecified damages from the university; Yvonne Gaudelius, senior associate dean for undergraduate education; Karen Feldman, senior director of the Office of Student Conduct; and Lauren Langford, assistant director in that office.

Penn State said the university does not comment on pending litigation. An attorney for the student who filed the suit had no comment.
Bangkok, Sep 10 : Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday reiterated that he will not use force against student protesters who have planned a major anti-government rally on September 19.

"I already gave my word at Parliament yesterday," Xinhua news agency quoted Prayut as saying.

"I regard these students like my own children." Prayut said he had already instructed police to be cautious and lenient in dealing with the young protesters.

Ttudent protest rallies have been an ongoing event amid the pandemic and the enforcement of the State of Emergency.

The protesters are demanding dissolution of the government headed Prayut, a former army chief who seized power in a 2014 military coup and returned as the country's civilian premier after a controversial election last year.

Thai universities and government leaders have said repeatedly that student protests are allowed to be organized, as long as they are held within the framework of the law.
Virtual regional summit overshadowed by escalating US-China tensions as well as the coronavirus pandemic.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged top diplomats from Southeast Asia to cut ties with Chinese companies helping build islands in the South China Sea, weeks after Washington blacklisted two dozen firms working in the disputed waters.

Dont just speak up, but act, Pompeo told the 10 foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during an online summit on Thursday.

The top US diplomat said regional governments should reconsider business dealings with the very state-owned companies that bully ASEAN coastal states in the South China Sea.

He added: Dont let the Chinese Communist party walk over us and our people.

This years summit is overshadowed by the surging United States-China rivalry over a range of issues  from trade to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tensions are also simmering over the South China Sea, with the US last month sanctioning 24 Chinese state-owned companies it said had helped Beijings military buildup in the resource-rich waterway.





Last week, Beijing launched ballistic missiles in the South China Sea as part of live-fire exercises.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has laid blame on the US for tensions, claiming Washington was becoming the biggest driver of the militarisation.

Al Jazeeras Scott Heidler, who has frequently covered the annual ASEAN summits, said that while the 10 countries of the bloc this year looked to work together to help restart their coronavirus-hit economies, China and the US continue to ratchet up their rhetoric and posturing in the region.

Both [China and the US] are moving military assets into the areas of disputed territories, he said, adding the surging tension also involved diplomatic action, sanctions and threats.

China claims the vast majority of the South China Sea, invoking its so-called nine-dash line to justify what it says are historic rights to the key trade waterway.

In 2016, however, an international tribunal at The Hague rejected Chinas claim saying it was unlawful under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

But since the ruling, Beijing has ramped up the building of several artificial islands capable of accommodating naval vessels and aircraft.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all contest parts of Chinas declared territory in the sea.

One Chinese firm being blacklisted by the US, the Communications Construction Company, is involved with the expansion of a Philippine airport at Sangley, a former US naval facility outside of Manila [File: Francis R Malasig/EPA]

Vietnam, which is chairing the virtual ASEAN gathering, expressed serious concern about the recent military build-up of the sea.

This has eroded trust and confidence, increased tension and undermined peace, security and rule of law in the region, said Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Meanwhile, the Philippines already said last week it would not follow the US lead because it needed Chinese investment, even as a fresh dispute between Manila and Beijing over Scarborough Shoal  one of the regions richest fishing grounds  hangs over the talks.

One Chinese firm being blacklisted by the US, the Communications Construction Company, is involved with the expansion of a Philippine airport at Sangley, a former US naval facility just outside of the capital, Manila.
Citigroup Inc named consumer banking head Jane Fraser as its next chief executive on Thursday, making her the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank.

Fraser, 53, has been a rising star in the financial industry, with a career that spans investment banking, wealth management, troubled mortgage workouts and strategy in Latin America  a key geography for Citigroup. She will take the reins from CEO Michael Corbat in February, the bank said.

Frasers promotion to CEO was celebrated as a step in the right direction for an industry that has few women or diverse executives in its top ranks.

Great news for the company and for women everywhere!" tweeted Bank of America Corp operations and technology chief Cathy Bessant. A big and fantastic moment."

In an internal memo, Corbat characterized Frasers new role as a groundbreaking event and a point of pride for Citigroup.

Fraser has spoken publicly about the struggles she faced as a young woman, and then a working mother, in a competitive industry.

At 2016 event hosted by an international business group, she described her early days as an investment banker, when women were expected to act and dress like men to succeed, as well as her experience juggling home life and work.

Im often asked, Can you have it all? Can you do it all?" she said at a 2016 event hosted by an international business society. And I say, Yes, you can, but you cant do it all at once and dont expect everything at once."

Fraser joins a small group of women who have broken through the glass ceiling to reach the C-suite at major financial firms.

In addition to Bessant, there is Fidelity Investments CEO Abigail Johnson; JPMorgans consumer lending head Marianne Lake and its finance chief Jennifer Piepszak; and Alison Rose, CEO of British bank NatWest.

Only 37 of companies on this years Fortune 500 list are led by women.

Fraser launched her career in Goldman Sachs Group Incs mergers & acquisitions department in London, then worked for Asesores Bursatiles in Madrid. She joined Citigroup 16 years ago and is credited internally with helping the bank recover after the financial crisis, when it had to take $45 billion in taxpayer funds to survive. Through the years, she has run client strategy in Citis investment bank, as well as its private bank, its mortgage business and its operations in Latin America, which accounted for 14% of annual revenue in 2019.

Her name was floated as a potential CEO candidate at Wells Fargo & Co last year, before the board settled on former JPMorgan executive Charles Scharf. In October, Fraser was promoted to the role of president and tasked to head its global consumer bank, a move that was widely seen as a precursor to her elevation.

Dylan Haggart, a partner at ValueAct Capital, which owns 27 million shares of Citigroup, said that the hedge fund had worked closely with Fraser in recent years and developed a deep appreciation for her ability to lead thoughtful strategic transformation and drive operational results."

Credit Suisse analyst Susan Roth Katzke said the promotion came sooner than expected, and that investors are eager to get an audience with her. Investors will need to hear more from Jane, sooner rather than later," she said.

CORBATS LEGACY

Corbat, who has spent 37 years at Citigroup, was launched into the CEO role in 2012, when his predecessor suddenly left under pressure from investors. Since then, he has shifted Citigroups strategy to focus on corporate businesses where it has strengths, like fixed-income trading and cash management, as well as credit cards and digital consumer banking.

He also wound down a huge book of troubled assets known as Citi Holdings, effectively transforming the bank from a bailed out, money-losing entity with operations spanning the world into a slimmer, more profitable version with targeted global operations.

Citigroups annual profits have more than doubled under Corbat, but rival banks have done better. Only recently has Citigroup been able to meet performance targets that Corbat set and tweaked through the years.

Its shares have risen 43% during his tenure, vs 63% to 188% for Wall Street peers.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
South Africa: Cabinet welcomes corrective action taken by Clicks

Cabinet has welcomed the corrective action taken by Clicks, which has removed the offensive TRESemme hair advertisement on its website.

This includes their commitment to work with government to promote local products in all their stores and to collaborate with all their suppliers to promote the constitutional values enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996.

In the advertisement, black hair is portrayed as dry and damaged.

Cabinet says it considers the advertisement profoundly offensive and racist.

Black hair has been the subject of intense politicisation and a source of unjust discrimination in our recent history.

Our nations history is littered with laws and societal norms that equated blackness and the associated physical traits, for example, dark skin and curly hair to a badge of inferiority.

[Clicks] will also put in place a diversity and inclusion training programme for all their managers and staff, Cabinet said.

Cabinet has called on the advertising agencies of Clicks and other stores to also adopt tangible programmes that promote and protect human rights, and raise awareness about despicable issues of racism, inequality and discrimination.

It also called on all sectors of society to endorse partnerships between government departments and Chapter Nine institutions in implementing anti-racism and anti-discrimination educational campaigns.

Equally, government reminds all South Africans that the right to speak out against any injustice without fear of reprisal is enshrined in our Constitution.

However, the right to protest comes with the inherent responsibility to do so peacefully and without infringing on the rights of others. Government condemns the acts of vandalism at Clicks stores.

Such unlawful acts undermine the spirit of human rights that has shaped this country since the dawn of democracy, Cabinet said.

South Africa is working towards growing the economy and cannot afford to risk the loss of jobs due to business closures.

Lawlessness and vandalism of private and public property should not be condoned, as they are not a responsible and progressive option to resolve a conflict, Cabinet said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hyderabad, Sep 10 : The Telangana government on Thursday formed a three-member Task Force to oversee the working of private hospitals in treatment of Covid.

The Task Force comprises Rahul Bojja, Sarfaraz Ahmad and D. Divya, all Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officials.

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar issued a Government Order (GO) in this regard, a day after Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao announced in the Assembly that a task force will be constituted to monitor the treatment of Covid-19 patients in corporate hospitals in view of large number of complaints of exorbitant bills.

The task force will verify if the private hospitals are adhering to the maximum rates stipulated by the government. It will also check if the private hospitals are also adhering to Covid-19 treatment and safety protocols.

The panel will submit its report to the Chief Secretary from time to time.

The government in June and July had issued two GOs, specifying the maximum rates chargeable by private hospitals for various services provided by them for the treatment of Covid-19.

It was also stipulated that the private hospitals shall display the rates fixed by the government at prominent places in their premises. The private hospitals were also asked to explain to the patient/relatives about charges for various services.

The GO noted that complaints are being received from time to time about non-adherence to the maximum rates chargeable by private hospitals as per the earlier GOs. Complaints were also received about non-adherence to Covid-19 treatment/safety protocols, etc.

"The matter has been examined by the government in light of provisions of applicable laws including the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. After careful consideration, it is decided to constitute a Task Force at the state level to oversee the working of private hospitals in treatment of Covid-19," reads the GO.

Replying to a discussion on Covid-19 situation in the Assembly on Wednesday, the Chief Minister made the announcement of a task force when Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka raised the issue of private hospitals collecting exorbitant charges.

Rao said a task force will release weekly reports which will also be sent to the leaders of main opposition parties in the state to create wider social awareness about "their (hospitals) cruel ways of extorting money from victims of the pandemic".

The Chief Minister said anticipating such a situation, he tried to stop the corporate sector entering Covid treatment but the government was left with no option after the court gave the permission.

He said now that it has been established that they have been extorting money in the name of treatment that too in these troubled times, the government has decided to take stern action.

"Is this the time for corporate hospitals to make money out of the misery of people?" he asked.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Credit - Nathan Bajar for TIME

The author and poet Claudia Rankine witnessed the collective muted response after James Byrd Jr. was dragged to death along an asphalt road in Texas in 1998. She watched widespread resistance rise against the nascent Black Lives Matter movement in 2013 and 2014 following the murder of Trayvon Martin. Whenever she wrote books or essays about white privilege or racism, she expected to receive waves of denial or personal attacks, because she knew how white people deny white privilege and Black death.

So she was surprised when in late May, white people stormed the streets alongside people of color across the world to protest racial violence and injustice following the murder of George Floyd. That was the most hope Ive felt in a long time, Rankine says in a phone interview. I think we are suddenly seeing the same reality.

Rankines lifes work has been driven by getting people to understand these grim realities. In searing works like Dont Let Me Be Lonely and Citizenwhich was a National Book Award finalistshe has explored how anti-Black racism has manifested in ways both mundane and tragic. For many years, it seemed as if Rankine was screaming into the void, laying bare a version of America that many people refused to accept. But Just Us, her new work of poetry, personal essays and historical documents, arrives into a changed climate, in which many people are finally coming to grips with uncomfortable truths.

Still, Rankine argues in the book that Americans have a long way to go toward understanding how deeply anti-Black racism is embedded into nearly every aspect of our society, from corporate culture to classrooms to even hair color. Its really a moment for us to slow down and understand that a white-supremacist orientation has determined almost everything in this country, Rankine says. For us to reroute, we have to ask more questions and really be uncomfortable.

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Rankine was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and immigrated at the age of 7 with her parents to the Bronx, where she says racism was palpable but mostly latent. While Rankine was an acclaimed poet in the early 90s, her work took on increased urgency and focus after she learned of Byrds lynching: I just thought, Who are these people we live among? she says.

I first met her on a frigid day back in February, when the world was buzzing about as usual, and she was preparing for the premiere of her play Help at the Shed in Manhattan, which portrays fraught encounters with white men around the world. While I had many lofty questions prepared for her, Rankine initially just wanted to talk about my hair. I had recently dyed it bleach blond, inspired by Frank Ocean, BTSs RM, and an unholy mixture of curiosity and boredom. Rankine, smirking slightly, took pictures of my desiccated strands, saying she had written an essay about whether people consider blondness in terms of whiteness.

I was startled by the sentence and, frankly, a little defensive. What did my dyeing my hair, on a whim and inspired by artists of color, have to do with whiteness or reinforcing racist systems?

I didnt press the issue, and any chance for a follow-up conversation evaporated when COVID-19 quickly began spreading across the U.S. Help closed after two previews; Rankine went back home to New Haven, Conn., where she is a professor of poetry at Yale. She was staying at homea previous bout with cancer made her a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19when in May, new videos showing threats or violence against Black people began to spread across the Internet. These videos were grief-inducing to Rankine. For all of these deaths, you feel the same depth of devastation, she says.

But she also recognized that they revealed, to a captive world, the array of indignities and dangers that Black people can face on a daily basis. The Amy Cooper video was, to me, a real gift to society, with her performance of fear, her uses of civility, she says. I hope it gets taught in classes. This kind of white woman who weaponizes her fear in an attempt to have Black people murdered: weve seen it again and again.

Over the next few months, Rankine watched in amazement as rhetoric about whiteness and racism that might have previously been perceived as radical now began to receive support in mainstream discourse. She celebrated as books about racism and antiracism, from Robin DiAngelos White Fragility to Ibram X. Kendis How to Be an Antiracist, surged to the top of the best-seller lists.

White men and women are beginning to have a shared understanding and a shared vocabulary for whats going on, she says. I dont feel like Im starting at the beginning in these conversations. Despite this progress, however, Rankine knows that the country still has miles to go in terms of fully confronting its racist past, especially with a current leadership that often defends white supremacists. For some people, it is a PR moment, she says. Well see whether people will follow up this initial response with more sustained inquiries and modes of shifting within their own organizations, corporations and institutions.

Rankine hopes that Just Us will encourage readers to have these deeper and more difficult conversations. While she finished the book before the current moment of unrest, its themes have made it prescient. I feel as if the book is addressing everything that lives below that, she says of the pandemic and the protests. The circumstances that Just Us addresses havent changed.

The book includes uncomfortable vignettes from dinner parties, racist writings from Thomas Jefferson, and data elucidating the wealth gap between Black and white families. It shows how anti-Black racism haunts preschools, college campuses, police precincts and everywhere in between.

But the part of the book that struck me most was the essay on blondness that Rankine had mentioned months back. In it, she traces the preference for blondness, from Italian Renaissance writers through Nazi Germany through to the Trump family. She points out that many of the most famous blondes, from Marilyn Monroe to Princess Diana, werent actually natural blondes but were just following beauty standards.

If white supremacy and anti-Black racism remain fundamental structural modes of violence by which countries continue to govern, Rankine writes, blondness might be one of our most passive and fluid modes of complicity. It points to white power and its values as desirable, whether the thought enters ones head or not.

Reading the chapter, my pitch-black roots having once again assumed control of my scalp, I felt a gut punch. So many seemingly trivial matters are tied to centuries of oppressionand all of us as individuals are complicit in many of those systems.

But for Rankine, the point isnt so-called cancellation, but interrogation and growth. When I mention my shame to her, she laughs it off and then widens the scope of the conversation. Do whatever you want, she says. But one of the things Im trying to say in Just Us is there is a history behind all of our decisionsand we should make them with the full consciousness of what that history is.
With most of us having turned to loungewear in the past few months, these cargo pants from Danish brand Rains wont take you too far out of your comfort zone.

Theyve been designed to withstand wet weather, and the lightweight, breathable fabric makes them perfect for exercise.

The elasticated waist adds comfort, while the elastic strings at the ankle keep them watertight. They have four pockets, too, making them handy if you want to leave your bag at home.

They also fit well over chunky puddle-stomping boots, which complement this style brilliantly.

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New Delhi: Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Randeep Guleria, has said that the coronavirus pandemic, lockdown, and communicating through technology rather than physically is straining the mental health of people.

The remarks hold importance on the day the world is observing the `Suicide Prevention Day`. According to the data of the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 1,39,123 suicides were reported in India in 2019, an increase of 3.4 per cent in comparison to 2018. According to the WHO, we lose about 8,00,000 people to suicide every year.

"Important aspect which has emerged both because of the pandemic, lockdown, and the whole issue of physical distancing and communicating through technology rather than physically, is the strain on mental health," said Guleria while addressing AIIMS`s National Grand Rounds.

He added, "The mental health issues have also become something which has affected not only those who have had Covid-19 but even sometimes the normal individuals who are sort of at home."

He said that students, old people, have now been confined to a small space and are communicating only through technology rather than physically. "So, this has also caused a lot of mental health issues."

People are experiencing increased anxiety, fear, frustration, sadness, and loneliness to a point that those feelings become constant and overwhelming or having urges to attempt suicide during this pandemic during the pandemic. Existing mental health conditions, including severe anxiety and major depression, have also worsened.

Preeti Singh, Senior Consultant Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Paras Hospital in Gurugram said, "In lockdown, we have seen 300 suicide cases in India and mostly the deceased were men. They were badly hit by the pandemic because they are mostly the bread earners of the family."

She said that people suffering from mental health issues were going through terrible mood swings or anxiety disorders previously, but the symptoms deteriorated during the pandemic. "The economic and the psychological impact because of pandemic directly and during pandemic has been way beyond our imaginations."

Shweta Sharma, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Delhi`s Columbia Asia Hospital said the reason for this rise is that many working professionals mostly complain of irregular work hours, the stress of work combined with lack of personal space as spouses are working from home.

Most of the mental health issue patients are between 25 and 40 of age, and more men than women reported the tendency, which indicates the growing level of anxiety and mental health problems in them, she said.

"About half of them do not have any history of mental illness in the past. We treat such patients with medicines, counselling, or talking therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)," added Shweta Sharma.

According to another doctor, Shuchin Bajaj, Founder and Director of Ujala Cygnus Healthcare Services in New Delhi, people are getting severely affected by their surroundings, helplessness to improve their situation and uncertainties of the future.

"We can also utilize this time to improve our relationships by conversing with your partner, having date nights, speaking about your dreams and worries. Please do not feel upset or if you feel things are going out of your hands then do not hesitate to call your friends or free helpline numbers to speak with mental health counselors or doctors," Bajaj added.
FULTON COUNTY, GA  According to results released this week by The College Board, Fulton County Schools students outperformed their peers as part of the 2020 SAT cohort by 35 and 48 points higher than the state and national averages, respectively. This is the third consecutive year Fulton students outpaced their peers.

The SAT consists of two sections, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math with an optional essay section. Both sections are scored on a scale from 200 to 800 points. The essay, if taken, is scored separately. A comparison of results for the 2020 cohort is shown in the table below:

Our students are performing well, and I am pleased with aspects of this report, but acknowledge there is much more to be done, said Fulton Superintendent Mike Looney. I also feel compassion for the impact the pandemic has had on our students. Becoming the first district to close due to positive COVID-19 cases was not only disruptive to learning and preparation, it prevented additional opportunities for students to proactively retake the test.



During his first year as superintendent, the district completed an instructional audit of this districts SAT preparation plans and as a result has instituted several reforms for 2020-21 school year which will increase access and preparation programming for students across the district.



The number of students taking the test in 2020 decreased by nearly six percent to 5,114; however, the percentage of Fulton 2020 graduates participating in the SAT remained the same from 2019 at approximately 77 percent. Although district scores experienced a decrease from the prior year, five schools had an increase in their total score compared to 2019:



The total score for Fulton students was 1078, an 8-point drop from 2019. Scores for students in public schools in Georgia and the nation also experienced declines of 5 and 9 points, respectively, compared to the prior year.

Looking forward, Fulton County Schools is focused on providing high quality SAT preparation during the school day and after school. The system will continue to give test administration access by offering the SAT School Day on Oct. 27.

This article originally appeared on the Sandy Springs Patch
A university in China has been slammed after it urged its female students to cover up in a bid to discourage temptation from others.

Guangxi University, located in the city of Nanning, southern China, last week released a Girls Safety Strategy to its incoming students that included a dress code.

"Don't wear overly revealing tops or skirts. Don't wear low-cut dresses or expose your waist or back, to avoid creating temptation," the guide said, while asking students to be vigilant to unprovoked courtesy.

The guidelines were widely interpreted in China as suggesting women who wear such clothing were inviting sexual harassment or even assault.

Guangxi University has come under fire over its advice to female students. Source: Baidu

The university has also banned spaghetti-strap singlets in its library, while it has told students not to wear high heels in certain settings.

Chinas traditional attitudes to women and sexual assault are slowly changing from a widespread mindset of victim blaming that often deemed a womans choice of clothing could be blamed for their assault, Reuters reported.

Many women also worry they will not be taken seriously if they report harassment or that they will be held responsible for the incident.

The guide prompted a huge social media response, with the hashtag Guangxi University female students garnering more than 200 million views on Chinese platform Weibo.

Thousands criticised the university over the guide as the nations nascent #MeToo movement spoke up, lambasting it as going in the wrong direction.

Chinese social media users have hit out at the university over the guide. Source: Getty, file.

Shouldn't a school educate male students to respect women, no matter what she wears or if she is alone? Instead of asking the victims to review themselves," one person wrote online.

"The safety handbook appears to be protection for girls, but in fact, it's worsening the gender stereotype that assumes women are harassed because of the way they dress," another said.

University staff clarify guide

A female staff member at the university reportedly said the guide has been prompted by students coming to the humid region from cooler climates, meaning students were wearing less clothes on campus, China Economic Net reported.

Story continues

While the university has not officially responded to the furore over its guide, a staff member at the Academic Affairs Office said the rules were meant to improve civilised etiquette at the university.

They said while such attire was acceptable outside of the campus, students were required to wear respectable clothing when at the university.

"In the university, I feel that the students have forgotten some of the most basic etiquette, they said, noting the university had fallen behind other universities in its standards.

Some online users called for male students to be issued similar guidelines to prevent them from taking their tops off during hot periods.

with Reuters

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers.

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In most cases, if a domain is moved between accounts at a single registrar, the transfer is quick and usually completes within 48 hours. If a domain changes registrars (in other words, you would like to move it away from where it is currently registered), the transfer is slower. The total transfer time can then be anywhere from 48 hours to 7 days.

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The Ministry of Finance on Thursday said it has formed a three-member expert committee to assist government in assessment of providing relief to the bank borrowers. The decision has come while the Supreme Court is hearing petitions filed by borrowers seeking waiver on interest accrued during loan moratorium.

The expert committee will be headed by Rajiv Mehrishi, former Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The panel also includes Ravindra H Dholakia, former Professor, IIM Ahmedabad and ex-Member, Monetary Policy Committee of Reserve Bank of India, and B Sriram, former Managing Director, State Bank of India and IDBI Bank.

According to Finance Ministry, the committee will measure the impact on the national economy and financial stability of waiving interest and interest on interest on the COVID-19 related moratorium. It will also suggest measures to mitigate financial constraints of various sections of society and rules to be adopted in this regard. Apart from this, they will also give inputs that may be necessary in the current situation.

Also Read: Loan moratorium update: Supreme Court to resume hearing on September 28

The committee has been asked to submit its report within one week. While State Bank of India will provide secretarial support to the committee, the panel may consult banks or other stakeholders, as deemed necessary, for the purpose, the Finance Ministry said.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court, while hearing petitions seeking waiver of accrued interest and extension of the six-month loan moratorium period allowed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), said that it will resume hearing on September 28. The top court also ruled that its order asking banks not to declare the accounts as non-performing assets (NPAs) for two months will continue.

Also Read: Loan restructuring, moratorium should happen simultaneously, says former Chief Statistician Pronab Sen

The apex court also observed that banks should not downgrade credit ratings and maintain status quo till further hearing (on September 28). The court has also directed the Centre to file a detailed affidavit within two weeks and posted the matter for further hearing after the said duration.

By Chitranjan Kumar
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government to consider extending the benefit of emergency parole, being granted to certain prisoners in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, also to the prisoners who are from outside the state.

A division bench of justice TV Nalawade and justice MG Sewlikar directed the government to take a decision in this regard in 15 days.

The directive came on a bunch of prisoners having their places of residences outside Maharashtra challenging their exclusion from the benefit of emergency parole and seeking a direction to the state government to reconsider the decision.

Their lawyers pointed out to HC that the high powered committee (HPC), appointed by the state government, pursuant to March 2020 directions of the Supreme Court to decongest prisons for preventing spread of coronavirus in jails, has extended the benefit of emergency parole to certain categories of prisoners.

The lawyers submitted that the convicts having their residences outside Maharashtra have been excluded by the HPC from the benefit primarily in view of the fact that due to travel restrictions prevailing at the relevant time, the convicts could not have reached their homes even if released on emergency parole.

But now, they said, the Union ministry of home affairs had on August 22, 2020 written to the chief secretaries of all states that there are no restrictions on interstate or intra-state movement of people or goods, and urged the chief secretaries to ensure that no such restrictions are imposed locally.

The lawyers submitted that in view if this changed circumstances the state government needs to reconsider the HPC decision as regards granting emergency parole to prisoners from other states.

The HC said it was desirable that the changed circumstances were considered by the state government, and directed the government to take decision in the matter within 15.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the deep-rooted, long-term and structural flaws in Irelands childcare sector, a report has suggested.

Representatives for the industry say the Governments Wage Subsidy Scheme should be extended so childcare providers can retain the current Covid-required child-to-staff ratios.

According to the research report, Dealing With The Pandemic: The Case Of Early Years And School Age Childcare Providers In Ireland, the Covid-19 pandemic has added an extra layer of complexity to pre-existing problems in the sector.

The report, published by Early Childhood Ireland, said that problems existed in staffing levels, recruitment, childrens well-being as well as stress and anxiety among staff.

Early Childhood Ireland supports 3,800 childcare members nationwide.

The report is based on qualitative interviews with a sample of Early Childhood Ireland members during the summer, aimed at examining the impact of the closure of childcare settings, the effectiveness of Covid-19 supports provided for the sector, and providers plans for reopening.

Among its key findings include the need for the Governments Wage Subsidy Scheme to be extended, as well as future government supports to take sufficient account of the diversity of the childcare sector.

The report said: The Overhead Payment that was offered as part of the initial package of Covid-19 measures did not stretch as far in urban areas, where costs were higher, as in rural areas.

It also called for fast testing turnaround times for children and staff with suspected Covid symptoms and the introduction of priority measures to address staffing challenges in the sector.

Read More 'Diverse' group of 80 experts wants sex work laws repealed

Staffing remains a serious issue, and sourcing replacement and cover staff is likely to pose a huge challenge in the context of Covid, the report added.

Frances Byrne, director of policy with Early Childhood Ireland, said that prior to Covid-19, Irelands childcare sector was already struggling because of deep-rooted, long-term and structural flaws.

Chronic underinvestment has resulted in a system where staff are poorly paid and, consequentially, staff retention levels are low.

Providers are under constant pressure and parents feel they have limited choice, she said.

Our sector was already struggling, so Covid-19 really hit it a body blow. Indeed, the special measures introduced by government for the childcare sector in recent months amount to an admission that our sector cannot operate like other parts of the economy.

Now, to address this fact, additional funding must be made available on a sustained basis.

Covid-19 not only revealed the deep-seated flaws within childcare, but also the extent to which the entire nation is dependent on a properly functioning childcare sector.

We cannot reboot our economy and get parents properly back to work without having a fully functioning childcare system.

We will never have a truly effective childcare system while public investment in the sector remains so low.
While the economic and societal fallout of the coronavirus crisis has yet to be fully determined, legal and insurance experts have warned businesses to prepare for an incoming wave of insurance lawsuits.

According to Omar Ali-Shamaa (pictured), lawyer at Wolfe Pincavage in Miami, the pandemic and accompanying restrictions have lasted longer than expected, forcing many businesses to lay off their employees. This is causing an increase in employment lawsuits, especially age-related discrimination claims.

Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), employees who are 40 years or older are protected from age discrimination, Ali-Shamaa said. As such, employers who chose to retain a younger employee over an older employee based on health concerns may violate the ADEA, even if the employers decision was well-intentioned and made for the purpose of protecting the older employee due to a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

He added that wage and overtime employment claims are also on the rise, and will continue increasing as employers institute pay cuts. In some instances, perhaps inadvertently, employers may convert exempt employees to non-exempt and eligible for overtime.

While the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has alleviated some pressure on businesses and employment claims in the US, Ali-Shamaa predicts that employers will see an increase in employment claims due to the expiration of the supplemental federal unemployment benefits.

The situation is likely to worsen with the Senate and House adjourned until September 08 and 15, respectively, he said. Until a decision is made, millions of unemployed Americans will not receive any federal unemployment benefits for at least six weeks. While a CARES Act II with extended unemployment benefits will alleviate the situation, employment practice claims are nonetheless expected to continue rise.

This, according to Ali-Shamaa, has greatly impacted many industries, especially the hospitality sector. Due to restrictions on the number of customers restaurants can accommodate, revenues are greatly reduced and more employees are laid off. This is causing a surge in employment claims, particularly related to whistleblower claims.

Driven by fear and uncertainty, and in some cases retaliation for being laid off, there has been an increase in complaints by employees regarding workplace safety, exposure to COVID-19, and adherence to local and state public health orders and/or OSHA directives regarding social distancing, he said. Whistleblower claims regarding violations of the Families First Coronavirus Response Acts paid-leave requirements are also likely to increase as restrictions and unemployment continue to impact the hospitality industry.

According to Luis Gazitua (pictured), principal of JAG Insurance Group, 2020 has been the ultimate test of agility, as businesses across all industries pivot their previous business strategies to adapt to the current climate. Employers are now navigating a new normal and must re-examine their insurance policies to ensure their businesses are adequately covered under local guidelines.

In order to minimize the risk of lawsuits, Gazitua advised business owners to make sure they are not being unintentionally discriminatory when bringing back employees after a shutdown.

For example, if you choose to bring back a younger employee and do not retain an older employee at the same time, it may open you up to discrimination litigation, he said.

Risk managers must also communicate all operational changes to their carrier as these adjustments may require specific endorsements.

For example, despite obtaining permission from a neighbouring business to expand outdoor seating, operators must document this change with their carrier, as it can alter the premium, Gazitua said. Without this, operators are subjected to grey areas and it is unclear as to which business is responsible for potential claims.

With business interruption cases already being dissected in the courts, Gazitua believes the next wave of litigation will be regarding employment practices liability insurance.

Thus, it is imperative to understand and implement the best policy for your business and connect with your agent to review your current plan, he said. To mitigate risk, employers must cover all their bases, document everything, and communicate effectively with their agent.

Also, its paramount to follows current CDC guidelines and any guidelines from your local municipality. This will avoid any missteps that could prove costly if a customer or employee were to contract COVID-19 while at your establishment. It is more important than ever to play by the book to mitigate any potential liability. Eliminate all assumptions.
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration on Thursday charged a Russian national in a sweeping plot to sow distrust in the American political process and also imposed sanctions against a Ukrainian lawmaker accused of interfering in the U.S. presidential election in November.

The criminal charges accuse Artem Mikhaylovich Lifshits of stealing American identities to open fraudulent banking accounts and promote messaging aimed at undermining confidence in the political system. The plot calls to mind the foreign influence in 2016 described by special counsel Robert Mueller, who charged Russian nationals with stirring up discord on divisive social issues.

Lifshifts was one of four people cited by the Treasury Department, along with Andrii Derkach, a Russian-linked Ukrainian lawmaker, for interfering in the upcoming election by releasing edited audio recordings designed to denigrate Democrat Joe Biden. Those recordings have been promoted by President Donald Trump.

The action by the Treasury Department is the second time in as many months that the administration has called out Derkach by name. U.S. intelligence officials said in a statement last month that Derkachs disclosure of the recordings, which capture conversations between Biden and Ukraines then-president, were part of a broader Russian effort to disparage Biden before the Nov. 3 election.

The administrations move was especially notable because the statement announcing it said Derkachs recordings advance anti-Biden claims that rely on false and unsubstantiated narratives. Trump has promoted those recordings by retweeting posts that include them.

Derkach almost certainly targeted the U.S. voting populace, prominent U.S. persons, and members of the U.S. government, based on his reliance on U.S. platforms, English-language documents and videos, and pro-Russian lobbyists in the United States used to propagate his claims, the Treasury Department said in designating Derkach and three other Russia-linked individuals under an executive order designed to target election interference.

Derkach is a graduate of a Russian spy academy who, the Treasury Department says, maintains close ties to Russian intelligence services.

Andrii Derkach and other Russian agents employ manipulation and deceit to attempt to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere around the world, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The United States will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to counter these Russian disinformation campaigns and uphold the integrity of our election system.

In May, Derkach released audio recordings of purported conversations between Biden, while vice-president, and Ukraines former president, Petro Poroshenko. The release was intended to promote a baseless narrative that Biden had demanded the firing of Ukraines top prosecutor because the prosecutor was investigating a gas company in Ukraine where Bidens son Hunter held a board seat.

Biden was representing the official position of the Obama administration and many Western allies in seeking the removal of the prosecutor who was perceived as soft on corruption.

The other three people who were sanctioned are connected to the Internet Research Agency, a troll farm that U.S. officials have said interfered in the 2016 election by sowing discord and spreading misinformation through bogus social media accounts.
Fire has destroyed Greece's largest migrant camp, the overcrowded Moria facility on the island of Lesbos.

About 25 firefighters with 10 engines battled the flames as migrants were evacuated. Some suffered injuries from smoke exposure.



It is unclear how the fires began, with some blaming the migrants and others blaming Greek locals.



Police cordoned off roads leading from the camp to prevent fleeing migrants entering nearby towns.



Thousands are now without accommodation, and authorities are struggling to find them shelter.



The government has declared a four-day state of emergency.



German foreign minister Heiko Maas has called the blaze a "humanitarian disaster" and tweeted about "the distribution of refugees among those willing to accept admission in the EU".



Some locals reportedly attacked and prevented migrants from passing through a nearby village after they fled the flames.



A statement issued by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said it was aware of "tensions" between nearby townsfolk and the migrants.



"We urge all to exercise restraint," it said, and asked anyone who had been at the camp "to restrict their movements and stay near [the site], as a temporary solution is being found to shelter them."



Moria is home to nearly 13,000 people, more than four times the number it can officially hold. According to InfoMigrants, about 70% of people in the camp are from Afghanistan but migrants from more than 70 different countries live there.

Source: bbc









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly themed Parliamentary Diplomacy for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community entered into its second working day on September 9, with important issues under discussion.

In his welcoming remarks to delegates, Vietnam National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien emphasised that economic co-operation in the AIPA remains a key issue as it has a profound impact on various areas of co-operation in the region and the ASEAN economic community. The theme of the conference is therefore practical and urgent for all AIPA member nations, he noted.

NA Vice Chairman Hien expressed his hope that the AIPA Economic Committee will put forward recommendations for AIPA countries in order to share experience in responding to emergency situations and propose solutions aimed at enhancing connectivity for post-pandemic economic recovery.

COVID-19 reverses decades of economic development

A representative from Brunei stressed that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an unprecedented impact on peoples livelihoods, negatively affecting the socio-economic development of countries, although it has also created opportunities for ASEAN member states to unite to adapt and take a range countermeasures.

Within this context, the AIPA needs to collaborate to demonstrate the role of both parliaments in general and parliamentarians in particular to support the stability of the regional economy. Brunei therefore believes that the recovery plan should prioritise initiatives aimed at swiftly overcoming the negative effects of the pandemic, including easing travel restrictions throughout the region in order to recover and deepen regional economic integration, whilst also promoting regional trade and investment.

In the spirit of cohesion and adaptation, countries must approach a multidisciplinary and multilateral community in order to solve the multifaceted challenge posed by COVID-19. In addition, greater attention must be paid to promoting the digital environment and regional businesses.

We support AIPA's tireless efforts to stabilise the regional economy in a spirit of cohesion and active adaptation. No country can overcome the pandemic alone. ASEAN should redouble efforts to maintain resilience and unite parliamentarians who play an active role in this process, the representative from Brunei emphasised.

A Cambodian representative also affirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global health crisis and has turned into an unprecedented socio-economic crisis that has yet to be fully understood. As the global economy faces negative growth, a growing number of people are falling into extreme poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has therefore reversed decades of economic development.

"In a globalised world, no country can survive alone, especially in the current crisis", the Cambodian representative stated, calling on ASEAN to strengthen cohesion so it can take on the role of an important area in the world and meet the aspirations of its citizens.

ASEAN needs to step up co-operation in COVID-19 response

A representative from Singapore noted that COVID-19's widespread reach and enormous devastation not only killed many people but also ruined the lives of many others.

Each country may have imposed different measures in an effort to deal with the problem, but from there it is also possible to learn lessons from each other, as well as discovering other effective counter measures.

Representatives join the virtual session of the AIPA Committee for Economic Matters

According to a representative from Indonesia, the current context requires a unified and proactive approach aimed at adapting to a new phase, meaning that ASEAN must be stick together as a united community. The AIPA is responsible for promoting actions on common solutions that ASEAN offers in response to the concerns of the masses and large groups of people severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emphasising the impact of the pandemic, a representative from Malaysia said that this represents an unprecedented challenge. Therefore, the bloc must step up co-operation to face these challenging times.

In his remarks, Nguyen Manh Tien, Vice Chairman of the NAs Committee for Foreign Affairs and Head of the Vietnamese NAs Delegation, suggested continuing to review and perfect relevant legal frameworks as a way of promoting trade facilitation to ensure the uninterrupted circulation of goods and supply chains throughout the ASEAN region.

Tien stated that recent months has seen ASEAN countries take their own measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as respond in different ways to the negative economic impacts of the pandemic. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is not merely a medical crisis, but also a crisis for growth due to the disruption caused to international trade and supply chains.



Upon facing up to the current situation, the Vietnamese delegation has expressed its deep concerns about the significant losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in ASEAN countries, Tien said. Indeed, he went on to add that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused a great hindrance to the various economies of ASEAN, as well as their internal and external trade activities.



Furthermore, economic integration through promoting growth and the recovery of ASEAN member states, coupled with the competent implementation of digital economic activities, will be of profound importance moving forward. Indeed, it will play an important role in strengthening ASEAN economic integration as well as the blocs readiness to respond to challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In light of this, Tien therefore recommends that the ASEAN community unify in order to implement a series of breakthroughs and feasible solutions.

During the meeting, delegates praised the Vietnamese NAs efforts to hold the 41st General Assembly of AIPA via a teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic making it impossible to hold an international event in person.



Representatives discussed measures aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19 while also fine-tuning legal frameworks to promote economic recovery once the pandemic is fully brought under control.



Moreover, participants also affirmed the importance of economic connectivity, including maintaining supply chains, to promote ASEAN the economic growth and comprehensive recovery of member nations.

They also called for co-operation among AIPA member parliaments to build new legal frameworks aimed at institutionalise national preparations and response mechanisms against COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Following the discussion, delegates agreed to approve a draft resolution on the role of parliaments in promoting ASEAN economic cohesiveness and economic recovery moving past COVID-19. VOV
The raging nepotism debate that you see on your social media timelines today has been prevalent in Bollywood for decades. While Kangana Ranaut has been quite vocal about it for a while, industry big wigs such as Karan Johar and star kids were recently (and perhaps a tad unduly) put in a spot after outsider" Sushant Singh Rajputs demise. But the fact that those who do not belong to influential film families face hardships to make it big in the business is undeniable.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who celebrates his 48th birthday on Thursday, can vouch for that.

A Hansraj college graduate, Kashyap was bit by the filmi keeda sometime in the early 90s. Hailing from Gorakhpur, Kashyap has since been credited with making some exceptional and critically acclaimed films including Satya, Black Friday, Dev.D, Gulaal, Gangs of Wasseypur, Raman Raghav 2.0.

While Kashyap may be a household name now, that wasnt always the case. Because he was an outsider" too with no godparents in the industry.

Kashyap who aspired to be a scientist took the big leap and moved to Mumbai after his interest in the theatre and cinema grew. It was only when he landed in the heart of Bollywood that he realised it was a long road ahead. In fact, some of his earliest work in daily soaps like Shanti and Swabhimaan didnt even carry his name in the credit roll. It was his voluntary decision.

I reached Bombay, and the only place I knew was Prithvi theatre," Kashyap said while recalling his journey on Josh Talks back in 2016. He added that the scene around was controlled" and those who werent a part of the theatre group had to wait outside.

That was a time when there we no studios, cinema was mostly controlled by few film families. And if you werent from the film families, you couldnt get in."

Being a scientific mind I realised that the problem everybody has is they are very insecure," he said adding that outsiders werent welcome as they felt that an outsider would take what they had.

He quipped that Indians had a habit of getting things for free and nobody wanted to pay for anything- something he benefited from to break into the scene.

It was then that the filmmaker decided to get enrolled at the Prithvi Cafe as a waiter, despite all the qualifications he had on his resume so as to spend more time there and get to know the people in his surroundings.

I would sweep the stage, I started reading for people, I could write very fast," Kashyap revealed adding that he could write 100 pages a day. At a time when daily soaps were just coming up and faced a problem of not being able to generate quick episodes, speed worked in his favour. Kashyap wrote for the serials without expecting any credit or monetary assistance in return.

Ram Gopal Varmas 1998s Satya was Kashyaps major breakthrough work in Bollywood and he hasnt looked back ever since.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 22:24:50|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, has detailed multiple reform measures to improve business environment and invigorate the market.

While China's business environment has seen remarkable progress in recent years, operational barriers still exist in the country, according to a circular released by the State Council, which listed reforms in four areas to spur business vitality.

China will push for adopting fully online procedures for starting a business in order to further reduce the time required for setting up an enterprise to no more than four working days, said the circular.

The circular pledged to simplify regulation and approval procedures while calling for new breakthroughs in the business registration system.

The power of approval for businesses related to five categories of products, including steel bars for construction purposes, will be decentralized to provincial-level market regulators.

Local authorities are urged to firmly implement the tasks, according to the circular. Enditem
As television news channels stoop to new lows in India in the wake of the unfortunate demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the debate on the quality and standard of television journalism has been reignited. While some woke citizens and journalists have taken to Twitter to condemn the relentless, misleading and biased coverage of the tragic event, there has been no action against any media platform. The infamous channels, both Hindi and English, continue peddling fake news and sensationalism in a bid to grab eyeballs. The life of Rajput and his partner Rhea Chakravorty, who was arrested Tuesday, has been dissected ad nauseam ensuring high viewership ratings that translates into advertising.

A plethora of brands pick news channels to advertise, irrespective of the venom they spew against people and communities. Last month, Sudarshan TV, a Hindi news channel posted a 45-second promo of its programme Bindas Bol claiming that Muslims are gradually taking over the prestigious civil services of India and titled it UPSC jihad. The Delhi high court stayed the broadcast of the show while netizens called out homegrown dairy brand Amul for advertising on the channel.

According to data from AdEx India, a division of TAM Media Research, between 20 July and 20 August, when Rajputs death was in focus, brands such as Amazon, Airtel, Kia Sonet, MG Hector Plus, Vivo, Flipkart, Hyundai, Colgate and Amul, among many others, were on Zee News in Hindi. On the English news channel Times Now, in addition to these brands there was Honda City, Qatar Airways and Samsung Galaxy Note, among the top 25 advertisers. Mountain Dew, Vedantu, Fortune atta, Reliance Trends and Byjus learning app were among the top 25 on Republic TV. Sudarshan TV, meanwhile, had fewer and lesser known brands, barring Amul.

Interestingly, while some brands suspended advertising on Facebook for hate content, not many think twice about associating with the countrys news channels. Ashish Mishra, managing director, Interbrand India, a marketing and branding consultancy, said Facebook is one of the strongest brands to have emerged in recent times. It has had one of the highest growths in brand value ever, even in our Best Global Brands league tables history. A closer analysis of the brand reveals that its strengths lie in its incredible engagement with users."

With great affinity and engagement come great expectations and disappointments. What this means is while viewers may resent hateful and ideologically conflicting content on conventional media, they reconcile to it as politically and commercially motivated. The regular broadcasters have always been seen as biased and sold channels of one-way communication. One might feel hurt and angered but doesnt engage with it," Mishra said. However, the same viewer becomes a user and owner of the content on Facebook. The friend shared or commented content is indeed a lot more personal and hence a conflict of ideology there creates far greater impact. This may explain why one sees the intense scrutiny and pushbacks on the conflicts and suspected manipulations on FB", he added.

Samit Sinha, managing partner, Alchemist Brand Consulting, highlighted how advertisers make their media selection, primarily driven by numbers. Media planning agencies use readership, viewership and listenership data, and employ algorithms to arrive at the optimum media mix to ensure maximum cost-effectiveness of reach and frequency of the messages among their identified and defined target consumers.

Media planners now have access to greater amounts of data, which is also much richer and more precise, further reducing the need for qualitative judgement. As long as large numbers of people continue to consume content on these dominant digital platforms and TV channels, advertisers will continue to use them to advertise. It is only when a significant proportion of the public starts rejecting these platforms and channels, will the advertisers look for alternatives," Sinha added. However, boycotting such media requires a bold stand and he doesnt see it happening any time soon. Mishra agreed. Brands are driven by the ROI metric that doesnt yet get guided by softer aspects. Higher philosophical compatibility and values overlap are factors that may evolve in times to come. Only then will brands be faced with more existential questions on their media choices."

Shuchi Bansal is Mints media, marketing and advertising editor. Ordinary Post will look at pressing issues related to all three. Or just fun stuff.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 01:02:15|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO/RAMALLAH, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Arab foreign ministers on Wednesday haven't reached a consensus on a draft presented by Palestine over the peace process with Israel, an Arab League (AL) official said.

Hossam Zaki, the AL's assistant secretary-general, made the remarks after the 154th session of the AL Council at the level of foreign ministers which kicked off via a video conference under Palestine's presidency on Wednesday.

Zaki said that "the discussions about the Israel-United Arab Emirates (UAE) deal were serious, comprehensive and took much time."

He added that the Palestinian side has presented a draft administering the peace process with Israel, but it was subject to some amendments.

"The Palestinian side rejected finalizing the draft with uncomplete items," he added.

An AL official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that Arab countries rejected some phrases in the draft that touched upon the Arab Peace Initiative, and the draft wasn't finally passed.

Saudi Arabia proposed the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002, which stipulates that the Arab states can only normalize relations with Israel after the Palestinian issue is resolved.

"The meeting has tackled key Arab issues topped by the Palestinian developments as well as political, security, social and health issues in addition to developments in Libya," said a statement of the Cairo-based AL.

AL's Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit reiterated rejection for the Israeli annexation plans in his speech, deeming it as "a crime of war."

"I renew full opposition to such plans or any other ongoing arrangements at the intranational level that would diminish the Palestinian right, or prejudice the status of the city of Jerusalem," he added, noting that the Palestine cause has been and will remain an issue of Arab consensus.

Aboul-Gheit stressed that the Arab Peace Initiative is still the basic plan for achieving a comprehensive, just and permanent peace between Israel and the Arabs.

A U.S.-brokered agreement to normalize ties between Israel and the UAE was announced on Aug. 13.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said that the kingdom supports all efforts to reach a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said that the Israeli-UAE deal is "a surprise and an earthquake that hit the Arabs," calling for "an immediate rejection of the deal before the signing ceremony planned in Washington on Sept. 15." Enditem
By William James and Gabriela Baczynska

LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union told Britain on Thursday it should urgently scrap a plan to break their divorce treaty, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government refused and pressed ahead with a draft law that could sink four years of Brexit talks.

The European Commission said it was stepping up preparations for a messy end to Britain's departure from the EU, and that London would be committing "an extremely serious violation" of last year's Withdrawal Agreement if it went ahead with proposed legislation.

After emergency talks between Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic and Britain's Brexit supremo Michael Gove, the EU said Britain's proposal had "seriously damaged trust" which London must now take steps to re-establish.

Gove, one of Johnson's most senior ministers, said he refused the EU's request to scrap the draft legislation.

"I explained to Vice President Sefcovic that we could not and would not do that," Gove said.

EU diplomats and officials said the bloc could take legal action against Britain, though there would be no resolution before the end-of-year deadline for Britain's full exit from a transition period.

The British government says it is committed to the treaty and that a proposed law overriding parts of the Withdrawal Agreement merely clarifies ambiguities. Its main priority, it says, is the 1998 Northern Irish peace deal that ended decades of violence.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told his British counterpart Dominic Raab a violation of the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU would be "unacceptable", a spokeswoman said.

Europe's leaders have been handed an ultimatum: accept the treaty breach or prepare for a messy divorce that could sow chaos through supply chains across Europe and spook global financial markets.

Britain signed the treaty and formally left the EU in January after more than three years of crises and wrangling over Brexit. But it is a member in everything but name until the end of the year when a transition agreement expires.

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The pound fell against the dollar and the euro and the FTSE 100 share index fell. European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said she was monitoring Brexit developments.

The EU's negotiator Michel Barnier, also in London for separate scheduled talks on an overarching future relationship deal, criticised the British approach to negotiations and said significant difference remained.

"The UK has not engaged in a reciprocal way on fundamental EU principles and interests," he said in a statement.

"The EU is intensifying its preparedness work to be ready for all scenarios on 1 January 2021."

BREXIT ULTIMATUM

European diplomats said Britain was playing a game of Brexit "chicken", threatening to wreck the process and challenging Brussels to change course. Some fear Johnson views a no-deal exit as a useful distraction from the coronavirus pandemic.

One EU source said Britain would not succeed if it tried to use the planned breach of the Withdrawal Agreement as a threat to extract concessions from the bloc in trade talks.

"If they try to do that, it will fail," the EU source said.

Goldman Sachs said it expected "the perceived probability of a breakdown in negotiations to escalate over the coming weeks," but its base case remains a "thin" free trade agreement that steers both sides back from the brink.

Without a trade agreement, nearly $1 trillion in trade between the EU and Britain could be thrown into confusion at the start of 2021, compounding the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

But Britain is pressing one of the EU's most sensitive buttons - fear that a post-Brexit Britain could become a much more deregulated free-market competitor with access to EU markets by using selective state aid.

The latest dispute centres on rules for Northern Ireland, which shares a land border with EU member Ireland, because under the divorce deal it remains within the EU's orbit - a restriction Britain wants to remove.

Britain again on Thursday openly admitted it was ready to breach international law. Former British leaders Theresa May and John Major scolded Johnson for considering an intentional breach of international law.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Britain would not get a trade deal with the United States if it did anything to undermine the 1998 Northern Irish peace agreement.

"This news comes to us ... that the UK had decided to undermine the Good Friday Accords. What were they thinking?" she told reporters in Washington. "Whatever it is, I hope they're not thinking of a UK-U.S. bilateral trade agreement to make up for what they might lose."

(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Michael Holden, Andy Bruce and Olga Cotaga in London, Padraic Halpin in Dublin and John Chalmers in Brussels; Editing by Catherine Evans, Janet Lawrence and David Evans)
The foreign ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC) on Thursday held trilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in

Attended the RIC Foreign Ministers Meeting hosted by FM (Sergey) Lavrov in Thank him for his warm hospitality. India takes on the Chair of the RIC process, External Affairs Minister tweeted along with a photograph of his counterparts from Russia and China.

Under the RIC framework, the foreign ministers of the three countries meet periodically to discuss bilateral, regional and issues of their interest.

Jaishankar is in on a four-day visit to attend the meeting of foreign ministers of the of which both India and China are members.

Lavrov is the host of the meeting of foreign ministers being held in the Russian capital from Wednesday to Thursday.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chitkara University, organized the first-ever virtual round table discussion "RECALIBRATE 2020 - Getting the youth of Punjab industry ready for the post-COVID world" on September 9, 2020, which was chaired by Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh.

The one-hour virtual discussion revolved around ideas to prepare the graduating students of the state for the tumultuous post-COVID world. It involved the participation of industry leaders across sectors and senior Punjab Government functionaries who dwelled on strategies to help the pupils from various institutions adapt to the new normal.

Touching a variety of topics, Capt Amarinder Singh highlighted the COVID situation in Punjab and said that the coronavirus cases may reach a peak in the next two weeks, after that the curve will flatten.

"We need to focus on the people living in the villages, as 65 per cent of the population resides there," said Capt Amarinder Singh while talking about the employment schemes and other plans that will be commenced shortly.

"Education via the virtual method has greatly helped the students and now Punjab is becoming an educational hub. Various universities from foreign countries such as America and the UK are showing interest in setting up campuses here," said the CM discussing the New Education Policy.

He also lauded the team at Chitkara University and mentioned that Chitkara University is the leading University in Punjab region and that the lead they have taken in delivering education in the online mode is being also done by the education department in the government schools.

"These have been, no doubt, extraordinarily turbulent times, replete with challenges at every step and no other leader could have steered us so brilliantly through all the struggles. His role has been exemplary in this current situation," said Dr Ashok K Chitkara, Chancellor of Chitkara University, welcoming Captain Amarinder Singh.

"India's biggest strength is its young population, and as educationalists, we have a huge responsibility to give the right direction to this young, innovative, and intelligent brigade. Hearing the CM's views, we now have a better understanding of the challenges and listening to industry professionals, we know that finding solutions is in our hands," said Dr Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor of Chitkara University, thanking Capt Amarinder Singh and other dignitaries for participating in this important debate.

The event began with a brief address by Cavita Taragi, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Chitkara University, who highlighted the changes in work and lifestyle caused by the pandemic.

"No other time in history would reflect the very concept of shifting goalposts, as does today. To that end, we decided to host a virtual round table discussion with participation from the industry, academia, and the government with a view to complement State Government's very successful employability initiatives- Punjab Ghar Ghar Rozgar and Karobar Mission," she said.

The panellists who attended the Virtual Round Table are Sagar Raina, Vice-president and head of Talent Acquisition, Airtel; Sunil PP, India and South Asia Head - Education and NPO, Amazon; Unmesh Pawar, Partner and Head - People Performance and Culture, KPMG; Francis Padamadan, Senior Director, RPO and BPS Practice, APAC, KellyOCG; Sandesh Kumar, Associate Vice-president, Talent Acquisition, Wipro; Natwar Kadel, Assistant General Manager, Human Resources, Hyundai Motor India Ltd; Meena Bhatia, Vice-president and General Manager, Le Meridien, New Delhi; Shruti Mishra, Lead-People and Organisation Partner (Retail), Talent Acquisition (India), Puma; Anand Rao, Head HR, Adani Power and Vineet Arora, Branch Banking Head - North 2, HDFC Bank.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While kicking back in a beach house might sound dreamy right about now, I have to ask: Why is beach house decor so bad?

As someone who's rented beach houses on sandy shores from New York's Fire Island to the Maine coast, I can conclude that beach house owners tend to go overboard with beach-themed decor. We're talking seashells not only at the seashore, but everywhere in the home, fashioned into soap dishes, wind chimes, "seashell bouquets"you name it and it's been done.

We get itwe're on the beach! But that doesn't mean taste, style, and just plain common sense need to be tossed to the wind. And so, whether you own a beach house, dream of buying one, or just want to revel in what you might find in some unfortunate beach house you rent or enter one day, here's a look at some of the most ridiculous beach decor that really should be jettisoned before someone gets seasick indoors.

1. Groan-inducing signs

Distressed signs with lame sayings are a no-go. Etsy

Must I be reminded to "Wash My Palms" in the bathroom? And I already know that "The Beach Is My Happy Place," because I'm renting here. I'm sure there are some good puns out there, but until I spy something fresh that makes me smile, I'm hiding these signs behind the closet door the minute I arrive.

2. Fake fish and coral

Another pet peeve of mine? Handcrafted "art" and faux sea treasures piled up on the one serviceable side table in the living room. All I'm asking for is a little space to put down my phone and my coffee mug while I'm on vacation.

3. Oars as art

Photo by Go Nautical Collections

Oars aren't only questionable as decor, they're also a downright menace. When oars are displayed precariously, as shown here, they're a recipe for disaster. That is, kids will crash into them, that glass cabinet door will shatter, andoops!here goes your security deposit.

4. Lobster trap furniture

I'm all for repurposing what you own (a steamer trunk as an end table, an old bookshelf turned into a bench), but stinky wooden boxes that are supposed to live under the sea are a hard pass. Talk about nautical nonsense! And these reinvented pieces shortchange your storage, leaving you just the top part since the middle is filled with a messy web of rope.

5. Dopey rope cups and other weird accessories

Save the rope for sailing, please. Etsy

What's up with all the twine-wrapped accessories? Mirrors, frames, chair seats, place mats, and moreI get that rope is sturdy and plentiful at the shore, but it's too chunky to handle and the white shade just gets grimy and turns gray over time. Gross.

6. Creepy crabs

Stained-glass window hangings make no sense because they block the view that you've paid good money to see, and they're liable to break every time you try to air out the kitchen. And when it comes to crabs, please leave them in the steamer. Lobsters, too.

7. Sand collections

How nice that you've combed the beaches in Malaysia, Sanibel Island, and Cape Cod. But must you really bottle and label the sand from each place?

Whether they're souvenirs of your trips or silly bottles you picked up in gift shops, sand vials amount to less-than-exciting beach decorand they clutter up kitchens in loads of coastal rentals.

8. Driftwood mirrors and furniture

Weathered wood in very small doses is acceptable in a shore home (think picture frames or a stylish piece of wall art), but old branches or bark with clinging barnacles don't belong anywhere, much less in designs with an evil octopus peering out from the middle. #Fail.

9. Seashell-encrusted anything

I know that seashells scream "beach," but encrusting them on sconces, place mat borders, wine glass stems, and fork handles is way too much. Let these pretty finds exist in nature. Understand that renters are fine with simple light fixtures and plain plates on which to eat their vacay cooking.

10. Starfish for Christmas

Justno. Don't drag this sea creature into your Yuletide decor, even at the beach. Starfish aren't that festive, and they definitely don't signal the birth of our savior. And frankly, blue decorations at Christmas will never take off no matter how hard you try.

The post 10 Truly Horrifying Beach House Decor Fails To Never Try at Home appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
Falling COVID-19 infection numbers in Pakistan will not affect a Phase 3 clinical trial for a potential vaccine being developed by China's CanSino Biologics, which is expected to begin this month, according to officials running the trial.

Pakistan's drug regulator last month gave the go-ahead for the country's first Phase 3 clinical trial for CanSino's candidate, Ad5-nCoV, which will be led by the government-run National Institute of Health (NIH) along with pharmaceutical company AJM - the local representative of CanSino.

"We are planning to launch the project on September 20, or at the latest within this month,"Hassan Abbas Zaheer, who is heading the trial for AJM, told Reuters. The Ad5-nCoV vaccine and placebo injections are due to be received in Pakistan next week.

Daily positive cases in Pakistan peaked at more than 6,000 in June, but have since fallen sharply, with only 426 confirmed new cases detected on September 8 - taking its total to 299,659 and 6,359 deaths. Zaheer said the low positive rates did not indicate COVID-19 was no longer present in the country, and the potential for people vaccinated in the trial to be infected was still adequate for testing their immunity.

"We feel people are still getting infected but not getting tested, so the virus is still there,"he said. Pakistan, a country of more than 220 million people, has been testing between 20,000 to 30,000 daily.

Aamer Ikram, Executive Director of the NIH, told Reuters that officials believed the prevalence of the virus in Pakistan was low, despite the low testing rate, but researchers had a plan in place for the trial. "We have been strategizing with CanSino on how to make sure people who are more exposed to the virus are recruited for volunteers, so we will be targeting front-line workers who have more chances of exposure."

The Ad5-nCoV trial will recruit around 8,000 volunteers, most of whom will be health workers. They will be recruited over a four-month period and be followed for 12 months after receiving the vaccine or placebo.

Also read: DCGI notice to Serum Institute after AstraZeneca halts Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trials
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump used a campaign rally in Michigan late Thursday to attack Democratic challenger Joe Biden as a "globalist sellout" who spent his entire career sending American jobs overseas.

"Joe Biden sent your jobs to China," Trump told supporters at an airport hangar in Freeland. "I'm running for reelection to keep jobs in Michigan."

Trump traveled to Michigan as polls suggest the presidential race is tightening in the key battleground state.

Trump won Michigan by less than 11,000 votes  or about two-tenths of a percentage point  in 2016, becoming the first Republican presidential nominee to carry the state since George H.W. Bush in 1988. Trumps victory in Michigan helped him breach the Democrats' blue wall and put him in the White House.

Most polls show Biden leading in this years race, although some suggest Trump is closing the gap, giving Republicans optimism that he can carry the Wolverine State again. Biden holds a 4.2 percentage point lead in Michigan, down from an 8-point lead at the end of July, according to the website RealClearPolitics polling average.

President Donald Trump waves as he arrives for a campaign rally at MBS International Airport in Freeland, Michigan.

Trumps campaign stop in Michigan came one day after Biden traveled to suburban Detroit to make a direct appeal to blue-collar workers who might have voted Republican four years ago but now regret it.

At Trump's rally, more than 5,000 supporters gathered at MBS International Airport near Saginaw to hear his rebuttal. Many were not wearing face masks, which are required in Michigan in places where it is impossible to keep a social distance of six feet or greater to deter the spread of coronavirus.

Trump used the event to argue that Biden would be weak on trade and to push his own trade policies, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Trump negotiated the trade pact to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which he has called one of the worst trade deals ever.

Trump said the new trade agreement, coupled with his decision to roll back fuel-efficiency standards put in place by then-President Barack Obama, had benefited the state's auto industry.

Story continues

In leveling his economic attacks on Biden, Trump focused largely on trade deals including several approved while Biden was in Congress but before he was the vice president, in particular NAFTA. Economists still debate the impact on U.S. jobs of that agreement, which was negotiated by Bush and approved by a Democrat-controlled Congress.

Despite Trumps claims, the Obama administration had a significant impact on the auto industry, which was teetering on the verge of insolvency when Obama came into office in 2009. The Obama administration oversaw an $80 billion bailout of the industry in exchange for reform.

Misleading remarks:Trump makes wild claims about revitalizing auto industry at Michigan rally

Trumps rally was his first campaign event in Michigan since a rally in Battle Creek late last year on the day the House voted to impeach him. He visited a Ford Motor Co. plant in Ypsilanti in May, but that was not a campaign event.

Tina Oldford and Jennifer Hay, both of Howell, said Thursday's event was their first Trump rally and the first time they're voting for president. Oldford, 59, and Hay, 53, said they believe the president is sincere and is looking out for their best interests.

Sure, we had a downfall. Everybody knows that we had a downfall, said Oldford, referencing the economic collapse that coincided with the coronavirus pandemic. This could have happened to anybody. But the economy was great.

I just felt more secure than Ive ever felt in my life with Trump.

Trump arrived in Michigan as he is dealing with the fallout of a new book in which he told journalist Bob Woodward that he knew the coronavirus was more deadly and contagious than the flu even as he downplayed its dangers to the public.

"I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic," Trump told Woodward in the book Rage.

In interviews with Woodward between December 2019 and July 2020, Trump discussed the threat of the coronavirus with a level of detail that he had not yet acknowledged to the public, noting Feb. 7 that it was "deadly stuff," and "more deadly than your  even your strenuous flus."

Trump has called the book a "political hit job" and insisted at a White House news conference Thursday that he had not misled the public.

I didnt lie, he said. What I said is, we have to be calm; we can't be panicked.

Commander-in-chief: Trump's tensions with the military grow after reports that he disparaged soldiers, generals

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat with whom Trump has feuded frequently, slammed Trump over the revelations from the book and called him "the biggest threat to the American people."

"It's just devastating to hear that when we've been working so hard to save lives," said Whitmer, who is a national co-chair of Bidens presidential campaign.

Trump punched back, telling the crowd at his rally that Whitmer is "a liberal hypocrite" and that the state would be doing better economically "if you had a governor who knew what the hell she was doing."

"Tell your governor to open up your state!" he demanded.

Trump, who has referenced Winston Churchill before, appeared to compare his response to the coronavirus to the former British prime ministers actions during the Blitz.

As the British government advised the British people in the face of World War II, keep calm and carry on -- that's what I did, Trump said.

Churchill, Trump added, always spoke with calmness. He said we have to show calmness. No, we did it the right way.

The remark drew derision from Trumps critics, who pointed out that Churchill was widely known for not sugarcoating the extent of the threats posed by Nazi Germany.

Trump comparing himself to Churchill "is like Charles Manson comparing himself to Mother Teresa," Joe Lockhart, who served as press secretary for former President Bill Clinton, wrote on Twitter.

Contributing: David Jackson, John Fritze and Jeanine Santucci of USA TODAY; Todd Spangler and Dave Boucher of the Detroit Free Press; The Associated Press

On the defense: Bob Woodward defends keeping revelations about Trump and coronavirus quiet until book release

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2020 presidential race: Trump rallies supporters in Michigan
Halle Berry as Jinx in 2002 Bond adventure 'Die Another Day'. (Credit: Eon/MGM/Fox)

Halle Berry says the planned spin-off for her Die Another Day character, Jinx, was ahead of its time and considered too much of a risk in Hollywood.

The 54-year-old star said the $80m (61.5m) budget for an action project with a Black woman in the leading role spooked decision makers at the time.

Read more: Berry says Bond shouldnt be a woman

Berry told Variety she was very keen on the idea of reprising her role from the 2002 movie, with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson lobbying MGM to back the film.

She said: It was very disappointing. It was ahead of its time.

Nobody was ready to sink that kind of money into a Black female action star. They just werent sure of its value. Thats where we were then.

Halle Berry and Pierce Brosnan on the poster for 'Die Another Day'. (Credit: Eon/MGM/Fox)

Die Another Day was released on the 40th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise and proved to be Pierce Brosnans final outing in the iconic tuxedo.

It grossed a franchise record of $432m (332m) worldwide, despite mixed reviews  though Berrys performance was singled out for praise.

Read more: Bond producers defend Die Another Day invisible car

Rumours of a Berry-led spin-off arose in 2003 as a successor to similar plans for a movie focused on Wai Lin  Michelle Yeohs well-received character from Tomorrow Never Dies.

By October 2003, though, MGM had unceremoniously binned the Jinx project, with Variety reporting that Broccoli and Wilson were clearly furious about the decision.

Sharon Stone and Halle Berry in 'Catwoman'. (Credit: Warner Bros)

Berry then made the decision to take on the lead role in 2004s Catwoman, which she considered to be a great chance for a woman of colour to be a superhero.

Read more: Catwoman writer admits movie was s***

She said, however, that she was then immediately concerned by the plot, which pitted her against Sharon Stone as an evil cosmetics company boss.

Berry added: I remember having that argument: Why cant Catwoman save the world like Batman and Superman do? Why is she just saving women from a face cream that cracks their face off?

Story continues

But I was just the actor for hire. I wasnt the director. I had very little say over that.

Halle Berry in 'John Wick: Chapter 3  Parabellum'. (Credit: Lionsgate)

Berry has since been able to grab a taste of the action in films like last years John Wick: Chapter 3  in which she proved to be a leading practitioner of dog-fu  and as an MMA fighter in new movie Bruised.

The latter project, which is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, also serves as Berrys debut directorial effort.

Read more: Berry praised for spotlighting Black reporter on John Wick red carpet

She was certainly committed to the project and the necessary brutality within it, cracking two ribs while filming a fight scene for the movie.

So my mind, my directors mind, was just  keep going, Berry said.

And I compartmentalised that, and I just kept going: Im not going to stop. Ive come too far. Im going to act as if this isnt hurting. Im going to will myself through it. And so we did.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Opportunity favours the prepared mind. Creative, focused individuals who know how to collaborate with other individuals with complimentary talents thrive in adverse circumstances like Covid -- that's the message of a new book, "The Victory Project - Six Steps to Peak Potential" (Penguin). Its co-authors, Saurabh Mukherjee and Anupam Gupta offer a six-point mantra for success in an increasingly competitive world.

For instance, almost all the fund managers and promoters who feature as case studies in the book have, in fact, turned the adversary of the lockdown into reading extensively on a variety of subjects such as psychology, management and finance.

"They have steered clear of feeding themselves on the hosepipe of social media induced panic around Covid and instead focused on steering their companies/portfolios calmly through Covid whilst capitalising on the opportunities created by the crisis for gaining market share," Mukherjee told IANS in an interview.

And, if proof were required of the pudding in the eating, his own company increased its headcount by a third and revenues by 40 per cent through the lockdown.

"The core principles and the behaviours assume more importance now since we are being bombarded with so much bad news and fear on a daily basis," Gupta added.

"For example, we can detach ourselves (spiritualize, declutter) from this daily barrage of negativity and focus on achieving our goals (specialize). Building a daily routine (simplify) can also take our minds off the obsession around daily counts and focus, instead, on what's more important to our lives -- health and goals," he explained.

What then, are the six mantras (The Simplicity Paradigm) the authors offer?

Discovering the World of Specialization -- A case study how Raamdeo Agrawal built the Motilal Oswal empire.

How to Simplify Your Life - The framework that Sanjay Bakshi, Managing Partner at ValueQuest Capital LLP and Adjunct Professor at Gurugram's MDI, built around simplicity.

Connecting with Your Inner Self - The spiritual journey of Jason Voss, CEO of Active Investment Management Consulting, LLC, and co-founder of The Sarasota Institute think-tank

Reduce, Reduce, Reduce: Getting Rid of Clutter - How Marico founder Harsh Mariwala cuts through clutter

Develop Your Creativity and Memory - How Sanjeev Bikhchandani, the founder of Edge that owns naukri.co, broke all the rules to make his billions

Teaming Up with the Best - Lessons from the multifaceted career of Manish Sabharwal of TeamLease Services.

The book then presents a "how to" scenario.

How Simplicity Powers the Best Businesses - How Apurva Purohit built Radio City around the tenet of simplicity.

Building a Simple Framework to Achieve Your Financial Goals - Mark Mobius's legendary journey in emerging markets' investing .

* Boiling It All Down to the Simplicity Checklist - R.D. Burman and A.R. Rahman: A case study of two creative giantsThe message is very simple: normal, new normal or whatever, just get down to it! "I think life has already changed in profound ways and we are learning to live in this new world in our own ways," Gupta said.

Pointing to the Simplicity Paradigm, Mukherjee said: "There is no such thing as 'normality' insofar as at any point in time we will be living through one crisis or the other. Before Covid hit us, many investors were worried about the stricken state of our financial system or about the economic slowdown. Post-Covid there is bound to be some exigency or the other. Thoughtful, focused, creative professionals understand this and they learn to thrive in a world which is perpetually in flux.

"They see crisis and adversity as windows of opportunity. For example, Harsh Mariwala has shown that his company can produce rapid profit growth in spite of the lockdown," Mukherjee added.

What are the lessons to be gained from the present upheaval for promoting the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan (Self-reliant initiative)? Will the stranglehold of the PSUs be overcome so that the private sector can compete as an equal partner? Gupta said that while self-reliance is a noble goal and even more pertinent in the current times, foreign and domestic investment and industry have co-existed in the past and remain vital for economic growth in the future.

"Past liberalization in large sectors like automobiles and telecom has shown that the rise of the private sector brings about scale, efficiency, employment, etc., and hence the private sector is critical for economic growth," he added.

Mukherjee concurred, noting that India's path to self-reliance will be mightily hastened when our business leaders adopt the core principles of the Simplicity Paradigm (as explained in the book).

"Leaders who adopt the Simplicity Paradigm are able to create strong, successful, cash generative businesses which give employment to thousands and offer goods/services which enrich the lives of millions of Indians. As Indian PSUs wither on the vine, 'The Victory Project' can act a precursor for building a new, confident and self-sufficient India," he maintained.

The book is the final part of a trilogy on outsized success in competitive fields. The authors started with "Unusual Billionaires" (2016, on corporate success), followed it up with "Coffee Can Investing" (2018, on building a portfolio consisting of these rare companies) and finally "The Victory Project".

"This is the conclusion of this near-decade long research that can help us achieve peak potential in our personal and professional lives," Gupta said.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
Lucknow, Sep 10 : The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will organise a five-day international virtual exhibition in October to provide a global market for its 'one district-one product' (ODOP) scheme.

Additional Chief Secretary (MSME) Navneet Sehgal said that this is the first of its kind ODOP promotional event which will take place online and more than 50 countries will be linked with this exhibition.

"The five-day long exhibition will bring together buyers and sellers in a B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) format with 25,000 online stalls available. Buyers will be able to directly contact sellers and artisans. The exhibition will also be open to retail buyers," he said.

The event will be organised with assistance from the FICCI and Handicraft Export Promotion Council. Sehgal has directed officials to link the maximum number of ODOP vendors and artisans with this exhibition.

Sehgal, who interacted with artisans and vendors directly on Wednesday to encourage them to participate in the exhibition, said that footwear from Agra and Kanpur, chikan work from Lucknow, "ittar" from Kannauj, terracotta from Gorakhpur, silk from Varanasi and carpets from Bhadohi, along with several other products, will be promoted strongly through the exhibition.

The ODOP scheme is a flagship programme of the Yogi Adityanath government and is designed to provide employment to the youth in their own homes and also promote locally made handicrafts.
NORWALK  For the second time in several months, more than 1,500 of cars lined up in Veterans Memorial Park to collect fresh produce and food products as part of a meal drive from Connecticut Food Bank.

The first meal drive was held in May as part of the largest hunger relief effort in the organizations history. But the need for food was just as present now as it was earlier this year with 1,500 families served at the Tuesday food drive.

And the need is only growing: Connecticut Food Bank Chief Operating Officer Daniel Gomez said research from Feeding America predicts that food insecurity in the six counties the food bank serves will rise by 44 percent this year with 400,000 people struggling to obtain food. Predictions also show nearly 122,000 children or 1 in 4 in the area will struggle with food insecurity.

We definitely saw a spike in need with the onset of the pandemic, said Paul Shipman, director of communications for the Connecticut Food Bank. So many people lost jobs due to business closures. Need remains high because many of those businesses are not open or have not fully reopened, so employees or people who work in roles that service those businesses are still in need.

After drawing 1,200 cars in May, the event on Tuesday attracted a steady stream of cars throughout the four-hour event, organizers said.

Gomez said as federal pandemic unemployment assistance and eviction moratoriums end, more people are relying on food assistance.

As of July, unemployment in Connecticut remained around 10 percent. Beyond that, the latest data from the United Ways Connecticut shows 40 percent of state residents cant pay for basic necessities despite being employed.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, who volunteered at both meal drives, said this emphasizes the need for the federal government to develop another coronavirus assistance plan.

You had all ages of people, people from all backgrounds, all different kinds of vehicles from newer to older, she said. Theres still very clearly a huge need out there.  Im so grateful people have come forward and donated to the Connecticut Food Bank and a lot of companies have made donations. This is critical given the huge number of unemployed people and people who are struggling.  Seeing people and seeing what the need is is really important. Congress should take note. So far there hasnt been a bipartisan agreement on additional assistance. Congress needs to know people are struggling and we continue to need help in our state.

erin.kayata@hearstmediact.com
Vietnam might be the largest manufacture facility of Samsung

Moving the factory to Vietnam, Mexico, and elsewhere is part of a greater trend of businesses shifting supply chains away from China.

According to Nikkei Asian Review, Samsung has been losing market share in China due to the rising quality of local competition as well as boycotts triggered by Seoul's decision in 2016 to deploy a US-developed missile shield over Beijing's objections. Labour costs also have been rising in China.

The move is said to make Samsung's global production more efficient. Previously, Samsung shut down its smartphone factories in Tianjin also and the southern Chinese city of Huizhou before the end of 2019, and the company said in June that it would cease production at a computer factory in Suzhou. Samsung still operates an appliance factory in Suzhou and two chip factories in Xi'an.

On the other hand, in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee has just proposed the prime minister to switch the label of TV screen producer Samsung Electronics HCMC CE Complex (SEHC) from a manufacturing to an export processing enterprise (EPE) in order to fulfil the citys commitment to create a favourable investment environment for the South Korean conglomerate.

This will turn Vietnam into Samsung's export base to the global market and in turn benefit the local suppliers of the South Korean giant, the proposal said. Vietnam allows EPEs to enjoy zero import and export duties and other tax incentives, but a company needs to have 90 per cent of its revenue coming from exports to be able to achieve this status.

SEHC forecasts its revenue from exports to reach $4.4 billion this year, out of the total $4.9 billion, a ratio of 90 per cent.

In a discussion, economist Nguyen Hoang Dung, former R&D director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economy and Management said that Vietnam could become Samsung's largest production base outside of South Korea. The categorisation of SEHC to EPE will benefit the Vietnamese economy and enhance its reputation over the world, drawing a new wave of foreign investment to the country.

However, economist Dung also emphasised some issues that all foreign investors should pay attention to when doing business in Vietnam. Technology transfer should be exercised in line with the regulations of the Law on Investment. Foreign-invested enterprises should pay more attention to training and transferring technology to local engineers and help supporting enterprises join deeper into the global value chains, he said.

Additionally, training, promoting local employees into senior or intermediate management positions commensurate with their efforts and contributions, as well as corporate social responsibility and issues regarding environmental protection are important factors foreign-invested firms cannot ignore if they want to enjoy outstanding incentives and do business in the long-term in Vietnam.
Check out the news you should not miss today:

Society

 Vietnams COVID-19 tally on Thursday morning reached 1,059 with 890 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

 Police in Hanoi are investigating a case in which two people died on the spot after they fell from a high-rise condominium in Ba Dinh District on Wednesday night.

 The costs to operate a flight to repatriate Vietnamese citizens stranded in other countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic can amount to VND10 billion (US$433,600), national flag carrier Vietnam said on its website on Wednesday.

 Police in Ho Chi Minh Citys Cu Chi District are investigating a case in which a newborn was found dead in a trash bin on No. 437 Street on Wednesday.

 The amount of synthetic drugs seized in Ho Chi Minh City has been growing at the rate of more than 100 percent yearly on average during the past five years, with 1.42 metric tons of synthetic drugs and 339 kilograms of heroin being impounded in 2019, deputy director of the municipal Police Department Dinh Thanh Nhan said at Wednesday's conference on enhancing the effectiveness of drug prevention and control.

 Police in the southern province of Long An on Wednesday said they had seized 248,000 medical gloves of unknown origin from a medical supplies manufacturing company in Long Hau Industrial Zone in Can Giuoc District.

 A farm breeding thousands of pigs in the north-central province of Nghe An has been fined VND320 million ($13,900) and ordered to cease operations for 7.5 months for causing pollution, local authorities said on Wednesday.

 Police in the Central Highlands city of Buon Ma Thuot have issued a decision to charge Hoang Minh Trien, 59, who captured and raised more than 100 rare turtles at home, for violating regulations on endangered and rare animal protection.

Business

 Rice exports of Vietnam to African nations have been on the rise and the upward trend may continue in the following year, with the Southeast Asian country shipping over 16,390 metric tons of rice to Algeria in 2019, fetching $6.28 million, a leap of 20.8 percent in value from the previous year, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

 The southern province of Dong Nai is striving to attract $5-6 billion in foreign direct investment during the 2021-25 period, and about $6-7 billion in 2026-30, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited today said it has sold a portion of its stake in OakNorth Holding Ltd to HighSage Ventures LLC for 440 crores. The sale proceeds will be accretive to the regulatory net worth and the capital adequacy ratio of the company, Indiabulls Housing Finance said.

OakNorth Holding Ltd is parent company of UK bank OakNorth Bank.

HighSage Ventures LLC is a Boston-based investment firm with an investor network spanning the venture capital, private equity and public equity communities.

Indiabulls Housing Finance also said it plans to conclude few other transactions on the partial stake sale in OakNorth Bank over the next few days. The divestments in OakNorth Bank will result in boosting capital adequacy ratio and shall free up capital to grow the loan book of the company, Indiabulls Housing Finance said.

OakNorth Bank was launched in September 2015 and Indiabulls had invested  663 crore in November 2015 for a 40% stake in the bank. Within two years of this, in November 2017, the company recouped its investment by selling about 10 per cent stake to the Government of Singapore's investment arm GIC for 770 crore.

Indiabulls Housing Finance shares were down 3% in afternoon trade at 195.40 apiece.

Indiabulls Housing Finance board had sought shareholders' approval for raising up to USD 300 million (about 2,200 crore) by issuing securities through QIP or through foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) during the course of the next one year.





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Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department battled a mobile home fire at 13740 Lillard Road on Wednesday.

At 6:50 p.m., the home owner called 911 reporting her mobile home and travel trailer was on fire. The first engine arrived on the scene reporting 3/4 of the house was on fire. Once firefighters confirm no one was in the structure, they conducted a defensive attack to contain the fire.



No injuries were reported but Hamilton County EMS was on the scene for any potential injuries.

The mobile home and the travel trailer is a total loss. Damages are unknown at this time.

Sale Creek fire officials reported the fire was started from the homeowners generator and will be ruled accidental. The American Red Cross was requested to the scene to assist two adults with their immediate emergency needs.
Former Debenhams staff who have been occupying the retailer's Patrick Street premises in Cork since Tuesday will end their sit-in at 12.30pm.

The workers plan to leave through the Maylor St entrance, before marching to the front of the store on Patrick St where they will hold an on-street press conference.

Staff have occupied the premises since Tuesday morning.

Similar protests took place at Debenhams premises in Dublin.

Former workers have been protesting at different locations around Ireland for the past 154 days. They are demanding better redundancy terms.

They had been offered just one day on top of the statutory minimum of two weeks pay per year of service, but they are seeking a settlement of 4-weeks per year of service.

Gardai arrested a number of the staff who staged a sit-in in Dublin earlier this week but no arrests were made in Cork.

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland today, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the Government will do everything it can "within the legal framework" to support the Debenhams workers.

However, he said "you can't just invent a scheme for one particular situation" as it would have knock-in impacts.

The government provides statutory redundancy;, there are also a range of supports that the government can provide to workers who've been made redundant.

"I think the workers here have been treated very shabbily by the company.

"They've been a long time on the picket line. And it's been very, very difficult for them individually and for their families," he said.

Yesterday, Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said that while the former Debenhams workers had been [url=

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40045709.html]"very badly by their employer"[/url] they would get their statutory redundancy, their unpaid wages and their unpaid annual leave, and nothing more.

Mr Varadkar added that the Debenhams insolvency was "not a tactical insolvency, it is a real insolvency.

Ex Debenhams workers held a rally outside the Debenhams store on Patrick Street, Cork yesterday. Picture: Andy Gibson

Valerie Conlon, steward of the Patrick St store says that the government and the liquidator, KPMG, have come out of the protests negatively.

She said: "If you were to listen to Leo Varadkar, you would hear he is being negative. KPMG has come out of this negatively.

We hope they now see the reasons we came in here.

"We want the sit-in to end that this stage, we hope there will be talks after this.

Speaking on RTE's 6.1 News last night, KPMG's Andrew O'Leary said that court injunctions against pockets blocking the removal of stock from the Debenhams stores "was an option," if the pickets were not soon lifted.

Solidarity TD for Cork North-Central Mick Barry says that any threats of court injunctions against the Debenhams workers should be immediately withdrawn.

"KPMG know full well that pickets will not be lifted in the absence of a just settlement. KPMG also know that court injunctions will not succeed in frightening off the pickets.

"What the liquidator is really doing here is to threaten these workers with the possibility of being jailed."

Asked if the protesters have had any contact from the liquidator thus far, Ms Conlon said: "We have had none since the very beginning of this.

"We had some mandatory conferences by Zoom then, but that was it. In-store they haven't come down to us at all, they only sent security down."

When asked if the former Debenhams staff would be prepared to hold similar sit-in protests again in the future, Ms Conlon said that the Patrick St occupation was "done."

"However, there are another ten premises in the country," she added.
Update: The missing wallaby was located safe Thursday evening near the Watauga Flats farm, according to the owner.

PINEY FLATS, Tenn. - The owners of a small farm in the Watauga Flats area of Piney Flats area are asking for assistance find their missing wallaby.

Daniel Sochalski, said they noticed last night that Wally, their 4-year-old wallaby, had escaped from their small family farm when he did not come out for food. They searched in the area around their home but were unable to find him.

He said he believes the wallaby is still within a two mile area of his home. Sochalski added that while they are looking for assistance finding it, he also advised anyone who spots the wallaby to call him rather than approach and possibly startle it. He asked that people call him instead and a tip that helps them recover the animal may result in a reward.

Wallabies are smaller relatives of kangaroos and are endemic to Australia and New Guinea. Matthew Cameron, a wildlife information specialist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, said a permit is not required to possess a wallaby in Tennessee and the agency is not involved with the search.

Cameron added that wallabies may be potentially dangerous to humans, especially if they are cornered or feel threatened. Sochalski said the wallaby originally came from a petting zoo and is generally friendly, but could become scared if anyone tries to grab him or pick him up.

"He's friendly, but he's like any other wild animal, he needs to be treated with respect," Sochalski said.

However, he said if people want to keep the Wallaby in one spot, they can leave out dog food, cat food or fresh fruit. Sochalski said they will come get the wallaby.

"The worst thing to do would be to push him away," Sochalski said.

Sightings of the wallaby can be reported to Sochalski's phone number at (423) 895-3865.

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Labor Day is still celebrated as a blue collar, workers holiday in America. It used to be a holiday that was used by unions and politicians to brag about how much theyd done for blue collar workers, but that was decades ago before American workers realized that career politicians had sold out American companies with terrible trade deals like NAFTA.

Over the last several decades, with manufacturing jobs leaving the country by the tens of thousands since NAFTA was signed into law by President Clinton, Labor Day had become a sad reminder of what Americas glory days once were.

Our manufacturing base had been destroyed, and President Obama had infamously said  some of those jobs just aint comin back.

When candidate Donald Trump had the courage to say hed rebuild our manufacturing base, and bring this jobs back to America, President Obamas snarky retort was  hows he gonna do that, has he got a magic wand or something?

Well, President Trump did bring back many of those jobs that Democrats like Obama had written off as gone forever. And he did it in just 3 years.

Under businessman President Trump, America had regained tens of thousands of those manufacturing jobs as companies relocated back to America or expanded after Trumps tax cuts of 2017 and his massive business regulation cuts began to be implemented.

But just a week after the new Phase 1 Trade deal with China was signed by both countries, the coronavirus spread from China and Europe to the U.S.

Prior to the virus, we had the lowest unemployment numbers in over 50 years, with unemployment among black workers hitting an all-time low. Wages were rising, and they were rising fastest for lower-income workers.

While our economy had to be paused to deal with this new virus, we can celebrate this Labor Day knowing that our current president has put in place the labor and trade policies that are going to return America to its rightful place as a global economic power that is second to none.

President Trump knows America is a unique place. Its a place of eternal optimism, entrepreneurship and boundless energy.

Its people will not ever be held down for long or prevented from pursuing the American dream. President Trump understands this. In the upcoming election we can re-elect a businessman who has already kept his promises to renegotiate NAFTA, pull out of the Trans-Pacific-Partnership ( TPP ) and to renegotiate our trade agreement with China.

He kept his promises to pass tax reform and reduce government regulation. And he approved the Keystone Pipeline and expanded fracking to allow America to become energy independent.

We are now a net energy exporter.

So when you think about what Labor Day 2020 means in America, we no longer have to talk about the past; instead we can look optimistically to the future as President Trump always does. Hes a successful businessman and will continue to lead the fight to repair the damage done by decades of political deals by career politicians who were more concerned with taking care of their own family members as former Vice President Biden did, taking his brother and son Hunter to China, Ukraine, and the Middle East to sign lucrative deals even though they had no experience in those fields or countries whatsoever.

President Trump exposed that type of government corruption that career politicians had been committing for decades with impunity.

So in 2020, workers like myself in the auto industry will say Thank you President Trump! by voting Nov. 3 to re-elect a businessman and patriot to the White House.

Brian Pannebecker of Harrison Township is a spokesman for the grassroots group Auto Workers for Trump 2020.
The Dauphin County Prison Board approved two independent investigations involving the prison during the board monthly meeting on Wednesday.

The investigations include a medical review into two recent inmate deaths and a separate personnel investigation into the Director of Corrections Brian Clark, according to a statement from Dauphin County.

The first inmate death occurred on Aug. 20, when 46-year-old Herbert Tilghman collapsed and suffered a fatal medical event while receiving treatment. Tilghman was in jail on charges of possession with intent to manufacture drugs, the county said.

On Aug. 29, 50-year-old Jimmy King Jr. was found minimally responsive in his sell from a medical event, and died later at Hershey Medical Center, the county said. King was in jail for retail theft, escape and accident involving damage charges.

The county said autopsy results for both caes are pending the outcome of toxicology testing.

The medical review will be done by Michael Murphy, whom the Prison Board called an experienced, independent investigator.

An investigator with Post & Schell will look into the personnel matter involving Clark, the county said. Clark was suspended on Aug. 29, pending the outcome of the investigation. The investigation is not related to the inmate deaths, the county said.

Prison Warden Greg Briggs will continue to oversee day-to-day operations at the prison while the investigation is conducted, the county said.

The suspension of Director Clark does not relate to any conduct that could give rise to criminal liability, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo said in a statement.

The board hopes to have results of both investigations as soon as possible, Prison Board Chairman and County Commissioner Mike Pries said. An update is expected to be given at the next public meeting on Oct. 14 at 1:30 p.m.

Read more on PennLive:
On September 9, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made public remarks, unreasonably accusing People's Daily of refusing to publish an article by the US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, and maliciously attacking the Chinese media. The move by the US was malicious and provocative, and seriously deviated from the facts. The spokesperson of People's Daily expressed strong protest and firm opposition to this, and believed it was necessary to offer an accurate account of the facts.

On August 26, the US Embassy in China contacted People's Daily and requested that Ambassador Branstads article be published before September 4, hoping to get a reply on August 27, and clearly stated in the letter that The US embassy feels it is particularly important that it be printed in full, without edits of any kind."

People's Daily responded to the US embassy, and stated that the article sent by the US embassy in the name of Ambassador Branstad was full of loopholes and seriously inconsistent with the facts. It also did not meet the standards of People's Daily, a prestigious, serious and professional media, for selecting and publishing articles. If the US still hopes to publish it in People's Daily, it should make substantive revisions based on facts in the principle of equality and mutual respect. On this basis, we are willing to maintain contact and communication with the US embassy.

Just like any other US media outlet, People's Daily has the right to decide whether or not to publish any submitted article and when to publish it, and is entitled to make necessary changes and edits to any article. Its also entitled to reject publishing an article with factual mistakes and filled with prejudice. This is in line with the professional practice of the journalistic industry, as well as international norms.

For a long time, People's Daily has held an active and open attitude to the submission of articles from international friends who are objective and impartial about China, including Ambassador Branstad. As early as April 15, 2013, Mr. Branstad, then governor of Iowa, published an op-ed titled The Unique Partnership with China on the third page of People's Daily, in which he expressed the hope to build a stronger economic partnership with China. With the proactive support of People's Daily, Ambassador Branstad published op-eds titled My First Year as US Ambassador and Our Global Response to Fight COVID-19 in Global Times, a publication affiliated with People's Daily, this year and last year. Former US ambassadors to China like Max Baucus and Jon Huntsman also published op-eds in People's Daily. Facts prove that we have always attached great importance to articles submitted by US ambassadors.

People's Daily is consistently committed to promoting better communication and understanding between the Chinese and American people. Recently, however, the United States has been escalating political suppression and persecution against Chinese press outlets in the United States with a Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice from having to register as foreign agents, to being designated as foreign missions; from denying visas to Chinese journalists to de facto expelling Chinese journalists from the United States; and recently, the United States adopted discriminatory visa restrictions that limit the visa validity period to no more than three months for all journalists of Chinese media, including those based at the United Nations Headquarters. Up to now, it is still unclear whether all Chinese journalists visas, which were due on August 6, will be renewed. This leaves multiple journalists with People's Daily in the United States and their family members, including young children, facing huge uncertainties, severely impacting the work and lives of Chinese journalists in the United States, and greatly restricting the freedom of reporting.

The US, on the one hand, claims that People's Daily and other Chinese media are the CPCs "propaganda machines", but demand that the "propaganda machines" do propaganda for the United States, which is illogical, overbearing and unreasonable. The US side also spreads rumors to confound the public, playing the guilty party blaming the victim by distorting facts.

People's Daily strongly opposes provocations made by the US, and is urging it to stop harming the safety and rights of Chinese journalists in the US, and attacking the Chinese press.
Thousands of pounds worth of specialist agricultural equipment has been stolen from a North Yorkshire farm.

Police are appealing to rural residents for information about the theft of high-value sheep farming equipment from a Ryedale farm.

Sometime between Friday 4 and Monday 7 September 2020, offenders stole a mobile sheep handling system and a sheep weigher from a farm near Hovingham.

Specialist rural crime officers from North Yorkshire Polices Rural Taskforce are investigating the theft.

The two items  a Rappa mobile sheep yard and a Ritchie Draft Pro weigher  are worth a total of more than 9,000.

North Yorkshire Police said the sheep handling system was not packed up, so the offenders would have likely had some knowledge of the system to be able to remove it.

The cost of rural crime in the UK has risen to 54 million as criminal gangs continue to target farm machinery and livestock.

The theft of high-value agricultural equipment has a significant impact on rural businesses.

North Yorkshire Police officers are asking anyone with information about this theft to get in touch.

Anyone who can assist is asked to contact the force's Rural Taskforce on 101 or by email mark.atkinson@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. Quote reference number 12200156817.
At least 74% candidates who had registered for JEE-Mains appeared for the exam last week amid strict precautions in view of COVID-19 even as the attendance figures dipped from 94.32% in the January session.

The Joint Entrance Exam (JEE)-Main for admission to engineering colleges across the country, is conducted twice a year.

According to statistics available with the Ministry of Education, out of 8.58 lakh applicants, 6.35 lakh appeared for the engineering test from September 1 to 6. The exam was conducted after being deferred twice in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"JEE-Main is held twice a year. The previous one was held in January this year. Several students who did not appear for the exam in September may have done well in the January exam and hence did not feel the need to sit for the exam this time. We are ascertaining those numbers," said Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' in a tweet.

Last year, the attendance in the January and April edition of the exam was 94.11% and 94.15% respectively.

The crucial exam has been mired in controversy due to demand from a section of students and opposition parties to postpone the exam in view of rising coronavirus cases.

"Any further delay of the exams would not have been in the interest of our hardworking students and their plans for college admissions. Our government has always been unwavering regarding student welfare & student safety. We will always work for the interests of our youth," Pokhriyal said.

However, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy raised concerns that the attendance is lower than the figure given by the Ministry of Education.

"The Ministry of Education stated to Supreme Court that candidates registered are 9.53 lakh at over 660 centres in India and abroad. Now the Minister states 'facts' as 8.58 lakhs. Now whose is official?," Swamy tweeted.

The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed a plea seeking postponement of the two exams amid a spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases, saying a "precious year" of students cannot be wasted and life has to go on.

Based on the results of the JEE-Mains Paper 1 and Paper 2, the top 2.45 lakh candidates will be eligible to appear for the JEE-Advanced exam, which is a one-stop exam to get admission into the 23 premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). JEE-Advanced is scheduled to take place on September 27.

Several opposition leaders including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik, DMK President MK Stalin and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia have also demanded that the exams be postponed.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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Bangladesh: Floods wash away Tk 900cr fish

by Sohel Parvez

September 10,2020 | Source: The Daily Star

Repeated floods since the end of June have washed away Tk 510 crore worth of fishes in the central, north and southern districts, according to the Department of Fisheries (DoF). The deluge submerged nearly 100,000 ponds and fish enclosures of 77,158 farmers. In terms of losses, aquaculture farmers in Dhaka were the hardest hit followed by farmers in Barishal, Sylhet and Rajshahi divisions, according to data from the DoF.



This is the second time in the year that natural disaster played havoc with the aquaculture farmers. In May, the cyclone Amphan wiped away dreams of 39,000 shrimp and fresh water farmers causing losses of Tk 390 crore. Despite a combined loss of Tk 900 crore in 2020, the government is yet to announce any support for the affected fish producers whose endeavour has enabled Bangladesh to be one of the largest farmed fish producers in the world. Farming grew over the last two decades and farmed fish accounted for 56 per cent of the total of 43 lakh tonnes of fish produced in the fiscal year 2017-18, according to DoF.



Aquaculture, which takes place on 800,000 hectares mainly in ponds, lifted more than 20 lakh people out of poverty between 2000 and 2010, according to a study by International Food Policy Research Institute last year. The fisheries office has recently taken up a Tk 126 crore scheme to support the affected farmers mainly by providing juvenile fishes and other inputs, said Azizul Haque, deputy director for aquaculture at the DoF. "We have prepared a short- and long-term scheme. We will be able to stand beside farmers with assistance as soon as we get approval," he said.



Azizur Rahman, a small fish farmer at Bishwanath of Sylhet, said officials from local fisheries office visited the ponds that were flooded, leaving the water body out of fishes he had been growing for a month. He is yet to get any assistance from the government to resume farming. "I am waiting for support," he said over phone yesterday.



The floods that began to hit the country towards the end of June vanished the distinction between rivers, wetlands and ponds in many areas in the north and central regions of the country. Floodwaters started to recede by the end of last month, giving relief to crop and fish farmers, according to the disaster management and relief ministry. The DoF found that farmers in the northeast district of Sunamganj were the worst hit out of the 38 districts. Total losses of farmers in the district ran into Tk 53 crore. Fisheries, a major subsector of agriculture, accounted for 3.5 per cent of the country's gross domestic product in fiscal year 2019-20. Overall losses of farmers, including crop producers, for the two-month flood stood at over Tk 1,800 crore, according to data from the DoF and agriculture ministry.
A Cuban dissident is languishing in a Mexican border town as his cancer spreads, his attorneys say, asking for answers as to why the U.S. has denied him asylum.

The man, Ramon Arbolaez, 45, had not been feeling well since he arrived in Mexico a year ago on his quest to reach the U.S. A doctor in Mexico diagnosed him with a cancerous tumor in his tongue that had spread to his jaw and lymph nodes. Unable to afford medical treatment, he has lost 35 pounds, and he can no longer chew and consumes only liquids.

Too weak to walk, he presented himself in a wheelchair at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge to request asylum on July 17, but he was told by the Customs and Border Patrol officer to "return to Guatemala or Honduras and request asylum there," his wife, Yaneisy Santana Hurtado, who is with him in Reynosa, said by phone.

"We have gone through so much, and seeing him so worn out, without treatment, it's frustrating," Santana Hurtado said.

Ramon Arbolaez and his two youngest children, ages 12 and 6, in Reynosa, Mexico, in August 2020. (Courtesy Yaneisy Santana Hurtado)

As Arbolaez's condition deteriorates, they applied for a B2 visitor's visa for medical treatment at the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros in late July. It was also denied, Santana Hurtado said.

Arbolaez's case was reviewed by a team of doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami's public hospital, who determined that he needs to be evaluated in the U.S. He has an appointment with a Miami doctor scheduled for Monday.

His attorneys say they have taken on his case voluntarily.

"This government has incentivized those who oppose socialism in Latin America to fight for their political ideas. Now that we have a person like Ramon Arbolaez, we are turning our back on him," said Laura Jimenez, a lawyer with the office of Wilfredo Allan, who takes on many political asylum cases.

Jimenez called Arbolaez a stateless person. "He is barred from re-entering Cuba. He is not a citizen anywhere and does not have rights anywhere. We have to set an example as a country that has always advocated for human rights," she said.

Story continues

In Cuba, Arbolaez was active with a group formed by one of the island's internationally known dissidents, Guillermo Farinas.

Farinas said in a phone interview that if Arbolaez is not admitted in the U.S., it would be a "disaster" for Cuba's opposition.

He said that if Arbolaez dies, Cuba's government would use it "to discredit and discourage the work of the opposition, saying the U.S. government barred him from entering the country and allowed him to die."

Arbolaez and his wife are with three of their children, ages 21, 12 and 6. Their journey, which began four years ago, spans nine countries.

A long journey, then cancer

Ramon Arbolaez began in November 2016 when he left Cuba for Trinidad and Tobago with his wife, four children and daughter-in-law.

In Cuba, Arbolaez and his wife regularly participated in anti-government protests in the central province of Villa Clara.

"He was detained several times and tortured. In one occasion, he was stripped naked and left in an office with freezing temperatures," Santana Hurtado said by phone from Reynosa, where the family is staying. She said their children were singled out by teachers as being the kids of "gusanos," or worms.

Arbolaez spoke only briefly during the interview because the cancer has muffled his speech.

Santana Hurtado said they felt pressure to leave after Arbolaez was told that he would spend the rest of his life in prison if he did not abandon Cuba. They traveled to Trinidad and Tobago, like many other Cubans at the time, because the island's government was not requiring visas from them. Once there, they were unable to work, and their children could not attend school because of their immigration status. With few opportunities and resources, the family decided to continue to the U.S.

Related: Migrant health care workers operating in the border cities of Juarez, Matamoros and Tijuana say the conditions are right for a coronavirus outbreak.

In March 2019, the family hopped on a speed boat and headed for Venezuela. Once there, they made their way to Colombia. They crossed the perilous Darien Gap jungle in Panama, where Arbolaez's daughter-in-law gave birth under a tent with the help of a Cuban nurse who was also making the trip to Mexico.

Arbolaez's son and daughter-in-law stayed in Panama with the baby, while the others made their way through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala, finally arriving in Mexico in August 2019.

When Arbolaez began feeling unwell, a doctor told him that he had a tumor on his tongue. A specialist recommended a biopsy and other tests that the family could not afford.

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Through the U.N. Refugee Agency, Arbolaez got an appointment at a Mexican hospital in late May, but he was informed that the hospital was overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases and that no one could examine him.

Finally, in mid-July, he was diagnosed with the cancerous tumor and was told that the cancer had spread to his jaw and lymph nodes.

At the beginning of August, a supporter and friend in the U.S. filed an application for humanitarian parole with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Nothing has happened.

Related: Mexican officials who oversee migrant shelters in Juarez, Mexico, said theyve seen more Cubans arriving since late last year.

Jason Poblete, a Washington, D.C., lawyer who deals with international human rights law, sent a letter urging the acting USCIS director, Kenneth Cuccinelli, to grant Arbolaez parole. Poblete insisted that Arbolaez's admission "is consistent with President Trump's immigration and Cuba policy."

USCIS declined to comment "due to privacy concerns."

Jimenez, the Miami attorney, submitted an emergency request for expedited processing of Arbolaez's humanitarian parole request last week.

Santana Hurtado said she is still confident "that great nation," referring to the U.S., will grant them asylum, but she admitted that she is disappointed.

Arbolaez said: "The U.S. has given asylum to so many Cubans who have fled repression. Seeing us in these conditions is frustrating."

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The Founding Fathers were keenly aware of the need for accountability throughout government. One problem they did not foresee was the influence of special-interest money in electing public officials or in determining policy outcomes.

Political corruption is not new. To stem it, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) was established in 1974. Since then various laws have been passed in Congress, but today are insufficient.

Theoretically, it should now be possible for any citizen to review FEC filings to see special interest funding sources and where candidates are spending it,

But that is not the case!

A controversial 2010 Supreme Court decision referred to as Citizens United held that certain corporations and nonprofits could spend funds to advocate for or against federal candidates.

The Citizens United decision opened the door to political advocacy by certain organizations operating as trade associations or limited liability companies (LLCs).

The problem with this is that these organizations are not required to disclose their donors.

Unlimited sums of money can flow from unnamed sources and be laundered through innocent-sounding entities.

Both parties have benefited from dark money.

Crossroads GPS, the National Rifle Association and Americans for Prosperity have mostly supported Republicans; Patriot Majority USA, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and VoteVets Action Fund support Democrats. These organizations and many others receive their funding from labor unions, corporate interests such as oil and gas, the pharmaceutical and motion picture industries, and from major individual donors.

Why should we care about dark money?

Because this loophole allows anonymous sources of money to influence our elections!

It should also be noted that most candidates dont like dark money either, since they lose control over their messaging; it is a common practice for dark money to fund misleading or vicious attack ads that run counter to a candidates own ethical standards and consequently harm his or her reputation.

What can be done about it?

IssueOne is a bipartisan alliance of former Members of Congress and other public officials who are committed to election reform. Most members of Republicans for Integrity are also members of Issue One.

Among Issue Ones recommended reforms are requirements for money groups to:

disclose their top donors that appear on broadcast, print or digital ads;

give the FEC authority to investigate political groups it believes are masquerading as nonprofits;

extend reporting requirements to online political ads funded by dark money; and

account for and report on political and non-political use of donor funds.

What can concerned Americans do to preserve democracy?

Dark money must be made transparent. We need to know who is exploiting us through its use, for political gain, and which candidates support transparency, and every candidate debate must feature questions on regulating campaign contributions.

Given that we have morphed into an unprecedented era of indiscriminate lying, there are few places to turn to know the truth.

If you havent taken the time to pay attention to the track record of your representatives during their term in office, believing last-minute, manipulative campaign ads is not your best source of the truth.

What information do we trust?

Ordinarily, about 70 percent of Americans trust their local news outlets for information. Americans who want firsthand information can check out VoteSmart, a nonpartisan entity that provides the complete voting record, sources of money and other information on each officeholder in this country. This database enables citizens to draw their own fact-based conclusions about each officials positions on every issue, so voters can know if a politician who opposes healthcare reform is a big recipient of, say, donations from the pharmaceutical industry.

Follow the money!

David F. Emery is a Republican former Member of Congress from Maine (1975-1983). He is a member of Republicans for Integrity, a group of Republican former Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives who place people before partisan politics.
San Antonios first large-scale job retraining program launched Aug. 31, an initiative thats expected to help thousands of people who were thrown out of work because of the pandemic and make the area more economically competitive.

A coalition of organizations are collaborating on the $75 million project that will help 10,000 people retrain for in-demand jobs through 2021.

Workforce Solutions Alamo serves as the clearinghouse to help job seekers access resources. With more than 1,300 applicants so far, their advice is dont hesitate to reach out and do it sooner rather than later.

We anticipate were going to get a lot of people calling us, so at some point well reach the max, said Adrian Lopez, Workforce Solutions Alamo CEO.

The Texas Workforce Commission reported roughly 289,000 unemployment claims filed from March through early September in the San Antonio area. In August, the area saw the third most unemployment claims in Texas behind the Gulf Coast and Dallas regions.

Thats just part of the problem.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio launches program to help those who lost jobs because of coronavirus pandemic

According to employers in technical industries such as information technology, cybersecurity and engineering, the unemployment rates only hint at the larger problem of many San Antonians not having the right skills to fill better-paying jobs.

Our Achilles heel as a community has been the fact we have this perception that were a low-wage city, said Richard Perez, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. I think that this short-term focus on retraining, giving people the opportunity to scale up their skills is exactly what we need, particularly given that some of the hardest hit industries, in particular, are hospitality and tourism.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

The program is flexible, according to Lopez. Options include on-the-job training, in-class or remote learning, work experience and internships.

The way the program is designed is to offer up a menu of different options, understanding that people are coming from different places and understanding that one thing is not going to resolve everybodys issues, he said. Its giving people a real opportunity to be skilled and trained for whatever the new economy is.

He said people who are unemployed or looking to retrain should reach out regardless of their situation. Some of the industries theyre supporting include construction, manufacturing, information technology, cybersecurity, aerospace, health care, logistics and transportation.

So far, more than 20 firms  including manufacturing, pharmaceutical, health care and construction companies  have signed agreements to offer training.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios employment rate decreased in July

SA Works, part of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, is leading the hunt for employers.

SA Works is proud to lead employer engagement in the program, translating our business communitys hiring needs directly to education and training providers to ensure programs equip people with the skills needed now and in the future, said Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, EDFs chief executive.

Lopez said theres no other community in Texas offering a program like this.

We are kind of the envy of the other workforce boards because, while they may have some level of investment from their major cities or counties, its nowhere near $100 million investment that the city and county are making here, he said. If you look at Texas, theres nobody doing this at this particular scale.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

The program will not only help individuals, but it could also help San Antonio eventually attract new employers.

The city and the county are positioning themselves to be much more competitive, Lopez said. Were competing against everybody in the global economy, so here we have an opportunity to up-skill and train our workforce.

On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County set to offer $450 stipend to those participating in retraining program

Numerous challenges remain, including access to computers and the internet.

I dont think people understand how people literally are now outside looking in because they dont have access to a computer or internet or that stuff, he said.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Both Lopez and Perez say the program will need clear ways to measure success.

Part of the test with these types of programs is to determine, OK, youve trained somebody in this field, do they actually land in that field? Lopez said. And what is their salary?

Perez said there are many ways to evaluate the programs effectiveness, including the number of jobs landed, quality of life and improved health.

Theres so many ways to gauge whether this is actually working, he said. I think thats one of the things we need to be thinking about.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

Another obstacle is funding for the program after CARES money and the general funds run out in 2021. Supporters are counting on a proposed 1/8 cent sales tax that the City Council approved for Nov. 2 ballots to keep the program going.

Perez, a past two-term city councilman, said hes never seen such an ambitious job retraining effort.

Now were doing it on a bigger scale, and I think this is going to be the opportunity for us to really show how workforce development is a key to success going forward, he said. If were successful with the 1/8 cent, then that gives us the opportunity to take it on for another four-years beyond the short-term funding so now were talking maybe five or six years of opportunity.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Much optimism surrounds the program.

When you start having success, success breeds more success, and maybe that means theres more federal dollars available, maybe that means theres more philanthropic dollars available, Perez said. It just builds upon itself once it starts.

While the pandemic has created an economic crisis, Lopez said, its opened the opportunity for unemployed workers to train for higher paying jobs.

If people are affected, and theyre interested in looking for a job or training, we want them to come to us, he said. If you need help, just call us, well figure something out.

Residents can reach Workforce Solutions Alamo at (210) 224- HELP (4357) or online at www.workforcesolutionsalamo.org.

Brandon Lingle writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. brandon.lingle@express-news.net
NOVATO, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- QT Ultrasound, developer of the QTscan, will bring its radiation- and compression-free 3D breast imaging technology to China, and other Asian markets, through a partnership with TCL Healthcare Equipment. The Shanghai-based company focuses on medical imaging equipment with proven expertise in bringing innovative products to Asia.

QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner

QT Ultrasound focused on China for international expansion because China is the second largest medical device market in the world, following the United States. The market will continue to grow because the Chinese government is focused on improving healthcare access and outcomes by embracing technological innovation. The QTscan is particularly advantageous for Asian women because of its ability to accurately image dense breasts; an estimated 70% of Asian women have dense breasts, for which mammography has proven to be less sensitive in identifying masses. Both companies believe China is a country where the QTscan can have a very positive impact on women's healthcare.

"QT Ultrasound is excited to partner with TCL Healthcare to bring our safe, innovative breast imaging technology to China. This team has the knowledge, experience, and relationships to take the QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner from approval through commercialization. We could not have found better partners," says QT Ultrasound's CEO and Founder, Dr. John Klock.

Mr. George Chan, Chairman of TCL Healthcare, understands that for health care to help save more lives, it needs to be affordable, which became the company's mission. Mr. Chan says, "The QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner is exactly the right technology at the right time and will further our goal of screening for common cancers, especially screening for women  quickly, safely, and affordably."

QT Ultrasound and TCL Healthcare share ambitious goals for providing women across Asia access to the QTscan. They expect to quickly commercialize the QTscan in China's healthcare institutions and become a leader in the rapidly growing, breast imaging arena.

About QT Ultrasound

QT Ultrasound is a privately held company engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of an innovative automated imaging system producing high-resolution transmission ultrasound images. The company has received FDA 510(K) clearance for its QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded over $15 million in funding to QT Ultrasound research. The company's clinical trials have been conducted at prestigious institutions in the US and Europe.

The QT Ultrasound Breast Scanner is indicated for use as an ultrasonic imaging system to provide reflection-mode and transmission-mode images of a patient's breast.

About TCL Healthcare Equipment

TCL Healthcare Equipment is an innovative supplier of medical imaging diagnostics and radiation oncology devices. With the vision of providing affordable healthcare to everyone, TCL Healthcare devotes itself to research and development, manufacturing and sales, aiming to provide comprehensive medical imaging and radiation therapy solutions.

For more information about QT Ultrasound, visit www.qtultrasound.com.

For more information about TCL Healthcare, visit www.tcl-healthcare.com.

Contact: Michaela Kalff, [email protected]

SOURCE QT Ultrasound

Related Links

https://www.qtultrasound.com/


Security Agencies in Ghana and their counterparts in Togo, Benin and Nigeria have intensified investigations to rescue two South Korean nationals who were kidnapped in Ghanaian waters by pirates.

The victims, a captain and first engineer of the fishing vessel AP703, were kidnapped on the high seas of Ghana on August 28, 2020.

However, 49 other Ghanaian crew members were left after their properties were seized by the pirates.

According to the Marine Police, seven out of the nine pirates were heavily armed during the operation.

Speaking to Citi News the Crime Officer of Marine Police, Tema Superintendent Felix Asare said there is a collaborative effort from security agencies to ensure the safety of businesses at sea.

Sharing what the police had learned so far, he said: they [the attackers] ordered all the crew to come to the deck and asked them to lie down and they ransacked the vessel, collected the electrical equipment, their phones, laptops but they were not beaten.

They then moved the vessel towards the Togo and that is were they kidnapped two of the Koreans, Felix Asare recounted.

Piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea have become a noted criminal activity and has been of increasing concern to the maritime sector with recent attacks becoming more widespread.

A report by the International Bureau on Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships suggest that there were at least 10 separate piracy attacks off Ghana's coasts between 2015 and 2019.

In June 2020, a Ghanaian fishing vessel was attacked and its crew taken hostage.

The vessel was fishing in Benin waters when it was attacked by the pirates who captured six crew members; five Koreans and one Ghanaian.

---citinewsroom
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 16:02:03|Editor: huaxia

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ISTANBUL, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- A vast majority of the huge Syrian community living for years in Turkey have no plans to return home, despite challenging living conditions and a prevailing anti-refugee sentiment in Turkey, a wide-ranging research has shown.

Over 4 million refugees in Turkey, 3.6 million from Syria, make the country home to the world's largest refugee population since the start of the civil war in neighboring Syria, in 2011.

"The 2019 Syrians barometer," a comprehensive survey conducted amongst locals and Syrians, and supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Turkey's office, was published on Wednesday.

Murat Erdogan, a migration expert and scholar at Istanbul's Turkish-German University who headed the study, said that it confirmed that "the great bulk of Syrians have no plans to return home" and that the Turkish government has to confront this dilemma.

"In 2017, 16.7 percent of Syrian respondents of the previous research said that they were not considering returning home whatsoever. In 2019, this has risen to 51.8 percent, a very significant increase," he explained during a television program.

He indicated that another 30 percent of Syrian respondents said that even if the war ends in Syria, they would only consider returning on the condition that a government that will support them is formed.

"This means that they also are not planning to return to their native country. We can thus clearly conclude that a vast majority of Syrians are here to stay, even if the civil war ends in their country," Erdogan noted.

On the other hand, Turkish respondents of the survey massively said that they are still not ready to live or mingle with the Syrian community, nearly a decade after their arrival from the civil-war torn nation.

"Some 85 percent of Turks want Syrians to be isolated in cities and neighborhoods of their own, and 75 percent say they don't want to live with them within the same community," Erdogan remarked, highlighting the resentment towards refugees in general in Turkey.

Disdain towards Syrians is largely due to economic and cultural reasons, and there is strong domestic political pressure on the Ankara government to resettle them in their homeland using any possible means.

Some 400,000 Syrians have been voluntarily sent back in areas in northern Syria controlled by the Turkish army since the start of the year, following a string of incursions there for security reasons, according to official figures.

However, this is far from being enough, and the survey has once again demonstrated that a real integration effort is required from the Turkish government's part to address this complex issue, Metin Corabatir, a prominent Turkish expert on refugees, told Xinhua.

Corabatir, who is the head of the Research Center on Asylum and Migration (Igamder), explained that Syrians are in Turkey under temporary protection status and not as refugees, preventing them to benefit from basic rights in their host nation.

"For nine years now, Turkey has done a lot for the Syrians as regards to education and other needs, but very little concerning social integration of these people who will stay in Turkey for an unforeseeable period of time," he indicated.

The expert urged Turkish authorities to make plans so as that the Syrian community, left in limbo, be allowed to share the same rights as Turks, such as access to employment and legal courts, except for political rights.

"All surveys conducted in Turkey point to this fact. Turkey has to do more efforts to integrate Syrians to the Turkish society despite many challenges and despite the hot debate about this contentious concept," he added.

Corabatir also said that the COVID-19 outbreak in Turkey has magnified and worsened pre-existing vulnerabilities among Syrians, such as lost income, lack of proper nutrition, and higher living expenses.

According to the research, nearly 70 percent of Syrians are employed illegally.

Turkey is providing free COVID-19 treatment to all of its citizens and refugees alike. However, there has been no official health data on Syrians or other refugee communities such as Iraqis, Iranians, and Afghans.

Mohammad, a Syrian from Homs in northern Syria, who has been living and working at odd jobs in the capital Ankara for over five years, said that "his heart is in Syria," but he has made Turkey his home with his family of five.

Requesting to remain anonymous, Mohammad told Xinhua that even if the war ends today in Syria, it will still take many years to rebuild the country to make it liveable.

"My children are going to Turkish schools and we are happy to be here despite difficulties, our hearts are there (Syria), but we don't plan to go back yet," he added. Enditem
Clayton Reid

MMGY Global is putting together a study focusing on Black leisure travelers and meetings professionals, the first in a series of market research reports that aim to better identify the needs, behaviors and sentiment of underrepresented travel communities. The Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities, which is set to be published in late October, will include results from MMGY Globals 2019 Shifflet TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/Monitorprofiling Black leisure travelers within the United States. It will also feature a new survey analyzing the current opinions and attitudes of Black leisure travelers globally, and a new survey of Black meetings professionals from the members of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals. As companies begin to evaluate their approach to diversity, equity and inclusion internally, they also need to create products, experiences, services and marketing campaigns that connect with the needs of diverse markets, said MMGY global CEO Clayton Reid.

Ariella Steinreich

Steinreich Communications, whose practice includes a large number of Israeli clients, has formed a new practice area that will focus on clients in the United Arab Emirates and Israel looking to expand their businesses in both countries. The launch of the new practice area follows the Aug. 13 announcement that the UAE and Israel will normalize relations. Corporate practice senior vice president Ariella Steinreich will head up the group. Since joining the firm in 2014, she has helped grow its client base in the Gulf and Israel. Increasingly, were seeing interest from Israeli and UAE-based companies in doing business in the other country and due to our teams long-standing relationships in both countries, we are able to provide the strategy, guidance and support they need to expand their business successfully, said Steinreich Communications president and CEO Stan Steinreich.

Matt Caiola

5W Public Relations has created a specialty practice for clients in the legal technology space. The practice will serve clients that use technology and software to aid clients through legal services, as well as assisting the legal industry in the following areas: accounting, litigation support, document automation, document storage, legal research, case management, and more. "It's common for legal technology companies to be challenged when promoting themselveswhether that be explaining complex technologies, or competitor concerns. We have developed tried and true strategies for driving a steady stream of coverage amidst these hurdles," said 5W president Matt Caiola.
Shares of United Airlines Holdings UAL declined 3.4% at the close of business on Sep 9, following its reduced guidance for third-quarter 2020 capacity and passenger revenues. With coronavirus concerns continuing unabated, the company is seeing significantly suppressed air-travel demand.



According to a SEC filing, the Chicago, IL-based airline anticipates capacity to decrease approximately 70% year over year in the third quarter. Previously, the carrier estimated capacity to decline approximately 65%. Additionally, passenger revenues are predicted to fall approximately 85% year over year in the current quarter, compared with the previous expectation of a decline of approximately 83%.



This guidance cut comes despite the company seeing moderate improvement in bookings for leisure travel in the domestic United States and certain short-haul destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean in the last two weeks, ending Sep 7, 2020.

United Airlines Holdings Inc Price

United Airlines Holdings Inc Price

United Airlines Holdings Inc price | United Airlines Holdings Inc Quote





United Airlines, carrying a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), will continue to evaluate and cancel flights on a rolling 60-day basis until it sees signs of a recovery in demand. It expects demand to remain suppressed and plateau at levels of around 50%, relative to 2019 levels, until a widely accepted treatment and/or vaccine for COVID-19 is widely available.



The company maintains its projection for average daily cash burn at approximately $25 million per day for the third quarter. Additionally, total liquidity is still anticipated to be more than $18 billion at the end of the third quarter.

Deal to Avert Pilot Furloughs

As United Airlines grapples with the coronavirus-induced reduced demand for air travel, it warned of furloughing roughly 16,370 employees post Sep 30, i.e, when the federal aid expires. This implies that 2,850 pilots, 2,010 mechanics and 6,920 flight attendants alongside multiple management and support staff might lose their jobs between Oct 1 and Nov 30.



However, the company has been evaluating possibilities to reduce the extent of job cuts. In this regard, it has reached an agreement in principle with the pilots union to avoid furloughs. Details of the agreement, which needs to be approved by the union members, were not available.



Other U.S. carriers such as Southwest Airlines LUV, Spirit Airlines SAVE and JetBlue Airways JBLU have also reached deals with their pilots unions to avoid furloughs.



Each of the stocks mentioned above carries a Zacks Rank #4.



You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Story continues

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Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for stay at home technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.



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South Africa: Limpopo COVID-19 council speaks out against GBV

The Limpopo COVID-19 Command Council has urged law enforcement and social workers to play their part in helping to prevent gender-based violence.

This comes after a recent spate of killings of young women, reportedly by their lovers.

A young woman, aged 17, was laid to rest this morning in Mokopane after allegedly being killed by a 19-year-old boy, the provincial government said on Wednesday.

According to reports, the Grade 12 learner from Ebenezer High School was discovered in a pool of blood on [3 September] after being stabbed several times.

The suspect has since been arrested for murder.

The Command Council has committed to continue to monitor these incidents and has offered to support those in distress. President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the incident of GBV as the second pandemic South Africa has to deal with in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

School absenteeism

Meanwhile, the Limpopo Department of Education says while schools are running smoothly after the recent recess to prevent the further spread of Coronavirus, it is still experiencing absenteeism due to the fear of contracting COVID-19, anxiety and other health challenges.

According to the provincial COVID-19 Command Council, all grades are attending classes, in line with the differentiated timetabling model adopted by schools.

Grade 12 learners are scheduled to sit for the National Senior Certificate preliminary exams from this month until the first week of October, while the finals are expected to be written from 5 November to 15 December.

The department is busy communicating all these adjustments to parents, school governing bodies and schools, said the council.

COVID-19



The council said it was pleased that the daily COVID-19 infection rate is steadily declining. As of Wednesday, there had been 13 900 cases, with 12 989 patients who have recovered.

Limpopo has 499 active cases and 257 deaths since the outbreak.

We must clarify the fact that as a province, we did not register 43 deaths in the past 24 hours, as reported elsewhere. The province has actually registered one death in the past 24 hours, the council said on Wednesday.

The National Department of Health registered 43 cumulative deaths on Monday, which happened over a period, the province clarified.

Meanwhile, the province said it recently received death statistics registered at Home Affairs for 2019, which show a decline from 16 638 to 15 265 this year.

This is indeed a positive indication that our death rate as a province due to COVID-19 is still low, the province added.

However, the province is pleading with the community not be complacent, as there is a possibility of a new wave of infections.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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Global Fracking Chemicals Market is anticipated to reach over USD 65 billion by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the horizontal well segment dominated the global market, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue during the forecast period.

A significant growth in urbanization, population increase, and industrialization along with government initiatives and funding is expected to support the growth of fracking chemicals market. Other driving factors include growing demand for natural gas as a fuel and favorable regulatory policies. Increasing demand from developing nations, development of environment-friendly fracking chemicals, and technological advancements are expected provide numerous growth opportunities to fracking chemicals market players during the forecast period.

Get sample copy of this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/fracking-chemicals-market/request-for-sample

North America generated the highest revenue in the fracking chemicals market in 2017, and is expected to lead the global market throughout the forecast period. The high economic growth in the region, growth in drilling and exploration industries, and growing energy demand are factors expected to drive the fracking chemicals market growth. Increasing disposable incomes, growing urbanization, and increasing industrialization in countries of North America are further expected to support fracking chemicals market growth. Rising shale gas explorations, and rising demand for natural gas as fuel in the region are expected to further provide growth opportunities during the forecast period.

The key players operating in the fracking chemicals market include Halliburton Co., E.I. Dupont De Nemours & Co., BASF SE, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, Baker Hughes Incorporated, The DOW Chemical Company, Calfrac Well Services Ltd., Albermarle Corporation, Akzo Nobel N.V., and Schlumberger Ltd. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.

Browse for full research summary: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/fracking-chemicals-market

Fracking Chemicals Market Size and Forecast by Well Type, 2018-2026

Horizontal Wells Vertical Wells



Fracking Chemicals Market Size and Forecast by Function, 2018-2026

Gelling Agent Friction Reducer Clay Control Agent Cross-Linkers Corrosion Inhibitor Surfactant PH Adjusting Agent Others



Fracking Chemicals Market Size and Forecast by Fluid Type, 2018-2026

Foam-Based Fluids Water-Based Fluids Oil-Based Fluids Others



Fracking Chemicals Market Size and Forecast by Region, 2018-2026

North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Italy Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Brazil Middle East & Africa



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Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.

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Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Santa Clarita) and state Assemblywoman Christy Smith. (Associated Press)

In February, The Times Editorial Board urged voters in Santa Clarita and Simi and Antelope valleys to choose Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith to replace Rep. Katie Hill (D-Santa Clarita) in the 25th Congressional District in the March primary.

In our view, the experienced and centrist Smith was the best of several candidates hoping to lead this politically divided district.

Months later, when the special election to fill Hill's unexpired term went to a runoff, we endorsed Smith again over Republican Mike Garcia, a former Navy pilot and Raytheon executive with no political experience, extremely conservative views and no real platform of his own.

His campaign offered only broad statements about his strong support for the 2nd Amendment, President Trump's terrible border wall, reduced taxes and fewer government services, as well as his opposition to the "dangerous" but undefined Democratic Party "socialist agenda." We hoped to plumb those statements for more details over the last year, but Garcia has ignored every invitation to talk to the editorial board.

Garcia won the special election, but the race is not over yet. On Nov. 3, he and Smith face each other for the third time this year in a runoff for the full two-year term that begins in 2021. And, once again, we are urging voters in this district to choose Smith.

Garcias campaign has painted a picture of Smith as an extreme liberal who supports defunding police (she doesnt) and who is responsible for Assembly Bill 5, California's controversial gig-work law (she isn't, though she is a coauthor of legislation to fix some of the problems with AB 5). But Smith's history on the Newhall School District Board and later in the Assembly shows she's the opposite of an extremist: She's a public servant more interested in accomplishing things than in partisan politicking or racking up political points.

Here's one example. This year, when state lawmakers were forced to cull their proposals because the pandemic had truncated the legislative session, Smith pushed through one measure  a bill focused on improving evacuation plans for vulnerable populations, such as residents in skilled nursing facilities, during disasters. Not sexy, but necessary  and supported by both Democrats and Republicans.

Indeed, if there is an extremist in the race, its Garcia, who has described himself as more conservative than most Republicans. And his short tenure in Congress appears to support that. As a staunch abortion foe, one of his first actions was to support legislation to restrict access to legal abortions. Indeed, he's shown to be exactly the shallow, partisan loyalist that his campaign suggested he would be.

Congress has enough political extremists pounding away at the partisan wedge. What it needs are lawmakers more interested in quietly working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make government better  lawmakers such as Christy Smith.
As part of the partnership, HRC will support Alwaleed Philanthropies' Waeya Legal Initiative which trains female lawyers and supports women in promoting legal awareness. The initiative aims to contribute to building the infrastructure that recognizes legal rights and improving the quality of life for women across Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the partnership will provide greater psychological, social and economic support for women who have been victims of violence. In collaboration, HRC and Alwaleed Philanthropies will also develop indicators to support the rights of women, youth and people living with disabilities in accordance with international human rights conventions.

On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, H.E. Dr. Al-Awwad, President of the HRC emphasized the importance of partnership, especially with public sector and civil society institutions to ensure greater human rights protection. He referenced HRC's history of close collaboration with national, regional and international associations.

In addition, H.E. Dr. Al-Awwad commended the partnership with Alwaleed Philanthropies, who have a demonstratable history of supporting those in need and empowering women and youth. The agreement further aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 outlined by His Royal Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, which aims to strengthen social and economic infrastructure across the country.

HRH Princess Lamia bint Majed Saud Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies, said, "We must continue to advocate for the protection of human rights across all of our communities. At Alwaleed Philanthropies we believe that empowerment and education is vital to creating a more equal and tolerant world. We are pleased to collaborate with the Human Rights Commission, who share our vision of supporting women and youth and safeguarding the rights of each and every person."

For four decades, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and spent more than 4 billion dollars on social welfare and initiated more than 1000 projects in over +189 countries, managed by 10 Saudi female members, reaching more than 1 billion beneficiaries around the world, regardless of gender, race, or religion. Alwaleed Philanthropies collaborates with a range of philanthropic, governmental, and educational organizations to combat poverty, empower women and youth, develop communities, provide disaster relief, and create cultural understanding through education. It seeks to build bridges for a more compassionate, tolerant, and accepting world.

SOURCE Alwaleed Philanthropies
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 22:30:13|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi health ministry on Thursday reported 4,597 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number in the country to 278,418.

The ministry also said in a statement that 82 more died from the infectious disease, raising the death toll to 7,814, and 3,824 patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 213,817.

The new cases included 1,315 in the capital Baghdad, 333 in Qadisiyah, 319 in Basra, 301 in Wasit, 284 in Dhi Qar, and 259 in Duhok, according to the ministry statement.

A total of 1,840,913 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease, with 23,479 done in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, has permitted movement of the citizens between provinces, official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

On Monday, the Committee decided to ease health restrictions imposed previously to contain the spread of the coronavirus, including reopening the border crossings exclusively for the commercial movement, restaurants and five-star hotels, and lifting the ban on sporting events.

Iraq has been taking a series of measures to contain the pandemic since February when the first coronavirus case appeared in the country.

China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad.

Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem
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Linkedin Lisa Richwine (Reuters) Los Angeles, United States  Thu, September 10, 2020 16:06 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c440be9a 2 Entertainment Disney,Mulan,China,film,Xinjiang,Disney-Plus Free

Walt Disney Co is "very pleased" with initial results of its unusual release strategy for live-action movie epic Mulan, Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy said at an investor conference on Wednesday.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mulan was made available for purchase in the United States on the Disney+ streaming platform over the Labor Day weekend, and in movie theaters in a handful of other countries.

The film will debut in cinemas in China, the world's second largest movie market, on Friday.

"We are very pleased with what we saw" over the Labor Day weekend, said McCarthy, who spoke via online video to the Citi 2020 Global Technology Conference.

Mulan, a $200 million remake of an animated Disney classic about a female warrior in China, was designed to appeal to audiences in the country. But the movie has run into controversy over its star's support of Hong Kong police and for being partly filmed in the Xinjiang region, where Chinas clampdown on ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims has been criticized by some governments, including the United States, and human rights groups.

Disney had originally planned for to release the film in theaters around the world in March but scrapped that plan when the novel coronavirus spread.

Read also: Christina Aguilera releases song for Disney's live-action movie 'Mulan'

McCarthy said Disney ultimately decided to launch Mulan online in markets where Disney+ is available because many theaters remained closed and surveys showed most people were not ready to return to theaters during the pandemic.

"It was not an easy decision to make because there were so many factors at play here," she said.

Samba TV, which tracks viewership on smart TVs, estimated that more than 1.1 million U.S. households paid $30 each to watch Mulan on Disney+ between Friday and Monday.

That would translate to $33.5 million in revenue from the film, plus additional earnings from anyone who became a new Disney+ monthly subscriber.

Samba TV said its estimates were calculated using data from smart TV owners who opted in to the Samba TV app and agreed to provide viewing information. Disney had no comment on the Samba TV figures.
A 15th-century thangka to remind the world of Chinas cultural reach

Besides practising Daoism and Confucianism, the Ming court was keen to align itself with Tibetan Buddhist institutions. This rare and complex didactic aid would have been decipherable only by the highest lamas  but it has the Emperors influence threaded all the way through it

In 1477 this complex, enigmatic painting of a Buddhist deity, known as a thangka, was inscribed with the date of the Chenghua Emperors 30th birthday. Depicting Chakrasamvara, a black-blue, four-headed, twelve-armed tantric deity from an esoteric branch of Buddhism known as vajrayana, the 62 x 42 centimetre fabric painting demonstrates Buddhisms influence at the Chinese court. These paintings are incredibly rare, says Tristan Bruck, the head of the upcoming Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art sale. When they do appear at auction they attract great attention not only because of their imperial association, but also because they can be placed so precisely on the timeline of Chinese art history. The Ming dynasty (1368-1644) ushered in a new era of artistic refinement and cross-cultural exchange. While most people associate it with elegant blue and white-patterned porcelain, its emperors were also devoted Buddhists and patrons of great religious art.

Chakrasamvaras iconography is manifold: his bell symbolises wisdom, his elephant hide represents the destruction of illusion, his curved knife and skull cup freedom from ego, while with his lasso he harnesses wisdom. Furthermore, Bruck notes, under his feet he crushes two Hindu figures representing a form of religious ignorance that can block the path to bliss. Surrounding Chakrasamvara is an array of 18 primordial Buddhist deities each standing or sitting on their own lotus base. Together they form a schematic representation of a mandala (the spiritual universe).

The five Buddhas that embody the essence of Buddahood

The five buddhas at the top of the painting embody the essence of Buddhahood, while the eight standing female figures indicate the cardinal and intercardinal directions. Beneath, five dancing female deities symbolise the human senses. It's complex and, as Bruck explains, with good reason. To the layperson this schematic mandala wouldnt have made much sense, he says. Its in fact a didactic aid for Buddhist teachings at the highest level, and supposed to be only fully decipherable by the lamas (teachers) of the highest level. Brucks theory is that it would have been used during ceremonies in Buddhist monasteries  unrolled by priests and studied by the ordained on their journeys towards enlightenment.

A closer look at the paintings edge reveals Chinese characters painted within the diamond-shaped border

A small, rare inscription running along the bottom of this painting provides a clue as to its origin. From right to left it says that it was made in the 13th year of the reign of Ming emperor Chenghua, which corresponds to 1477, says the specialist. The specified day and month actually correspond with his birthday. The painting, explains Bruck, could have been presented to a temple with imperial patronage in Beijing. More likely though, it was a diplomatic gift from Chenghuas court to a Tibetan Buddhist monastery as a gesture of goodwill. As well as Confucianism and Daoism, the Ming court practiced Buddhism, and emperors were keen to align themselves with the Buddhist institutions of neighbouring Tibet for religious legitimacy, says Bruck.

While the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each house Tibeto-Chinese mandalas dated to Chenghuas reign, this is one of the few examples Bruck has seen come to market. In 2014 Christies sold a larger Ming-dated thangka, which was a gift from the Emperor Yongle to a Tibetan monastery, for $45 million. At the time that was a world record price for any Chinese artwork sold at auction.

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This is Kara Swisher, and you found Sway. The new interview program from New York Times Opinion. The concept is simple. Its a show about power. C.E.O.s and politicians, of course  Ive interviewed a million of them.

If someones going to get fired for this, it should be me.

Should someone have been fired for this?

Youve pulled yourself off the Trump councils. I said you shouldnt go, because he was going to screw you. Remember?

I dont think Im  Im as strong as I have been.

Because you were much stronger on so 

How much money did you make from it personally?

But there is power in unexpected places, and people who wield it arent always who you expect them to be. This is a show about how influence happens in America and around the world. My interviews are never softball, but also never gotcha.

Im going to introduce you to the fresh voices shaping our new world.

Have I swayed you yet? Then hit subscribe.
To say that this years exhibition schedule didnt go as planned would be an understatement. Across the world, museums have been faced with a series of agonizing choices. Push their spring shows into fall? Cancel their summer shows altogether? Scrap their 2020 programs and rely on permanent collections?

As a consequence, many of this years most promising exhibitions, in particular Marina Abromovics retrospective at the Royal Academy and the Raphael show at Londons National Gallery, have been postponed. Other major shows were closed, then reopened, even as thousands of art lovers realized they wouldnt be able to travel to see them.

Amid all the disappointments, a series of bright lights appears on the immediate horizon, as museums dig deep into their considerable resources to argue for the continuing relevance of great art. Below are 10 of this seasons must-sees, although certainly not all of them. All you have to do now is figure out how to get there.

Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration at MoMA PS1

As the U.S. grapples with ongoing issues of race, policing, justice, and incarceration, a perfectly timed show of work by 35 artists, who are either in prison or whose work centers on Americas prison-industrial complex, is set to fill PS1s first-floor galleries. The art itself is occasionally literal and often conceptual, and ranges from abstract paintings to detailed sculpture.

Sept. 17, 2020April 4, 2021 MoMA PS1, Queens, N.Y.

Decadence and Dark Dreams: Belgian Symbolism at the Alte Nationalgalerie

The decadence of fin de siecle Europe will be on full view in this lush exhibition dedicated to a group of Belgian artists whose main characteristics were sensuality, fascination for magic, profound signification, as well as irrationality, the exhibition text informs us, adding that peculiar to Belgian symbolism is a predilection for morbid and decadent subject matter. This is not the whimsical embrace of nature you see from Impressionists, or the gritty depictions of modernism that German expressionists produced soon after. This is fantasy, pure and simple.

Sept. 18, 2020Jan. 17, 2021 Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin

Artemisia at the National Gallery

The 17th century Italian portraitist Artemisia Gentileschi (15931654, or later) was never exactly a hidden gem in her lifetime. She was commissioned by Philip IV of Spain, among several other noble patrons; after her death, her exquisite Baroque portraits and Biblical tableaus made their way into royal collections across Europe. Even so, her reputation flagged over the centuries, and ionly recently has her fame revived. This show, the first major exhibition of her work in the U.K., was scheduled for April and then delayed. It will surely be worth the wait.

Oct. 2, 2020Jan. 24, 2021 National Gallery, London

Anupama Kundoo: Taking Time at the Louisiana Museum

In its fourth edition of the Architects Studio series, Denmarks Louisiana Museum has commissioned the dazzlingly inventive Kundoo to examine the role of time as a forgotten resource in architecture. Kundoo has built some very real structures, but shes also a noted theorist. This show, constructed as a journey through time, should prove to be a seamless fusion of the two.

Oct. 8, 2020Jan. 31, 2021 Louisiana Museum, Humlebaek, Denmark

Jo Ractliffe: Drives at the Art Institute of Chicago

Ractliffe was born in South Africa in 1961 and came of age as the country was convulsing amid the tail end of apartheid. But instead of straightforward photographs of injustice or violence, Ractliffe created indirect documentation of her governments violence and racism. Now, in the first survey ever of Ractliffe, the Art Institute has organized more than 100 photos from her career. Many remind us that the past is not so distant, nor so different, than the present.

Oct. 17, 2020April 26, 2021 Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

About Time: Fashion and Duration at the Met Fifth Avenue

Time is clearly in the air this fall, as the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute mounts a blockbuster show dedicated to fashion through the ages. With two massive (Instagram-ready) clock faces as backdrops, there will be 120 dressesone for each minute. The cherry on top? Garments will be black or white. Thats it.

Oct. 29, 2020Feb. 7, 2021 The Met Fifth Avenue, New York

Girault de Prangey: Photographer at the Musee dOrsay

Anyone who missed the Mets 2019 exhibition of work by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey (1804-1892) will have a second chance to comb through this mountain of exquisite documentation of a lost world. De Prangey, an amateur explorer and archeologist, pioneered the use of the daguerreotype and used it to document his trip through Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Palestine, and Egypt. In unsurprising contrast with the Mets show, this presentation at the Musee dOrsay will place greater emphasis on de Prangeys connection to France and French culture.

Nov. 3, 2020Feb. 7, 2021 Musee dOrsay, Paris

Mondrian and De Stijl at the Reina Sofia

The Reina Sofia knows how to put on a blockbuster. In room after room, the museums excellent curatorial team consistently presents exhaustive (and, depending on the size, occasionally exhausting), jaw-dropping shows. The most recent subject caught in the museums floodlights is Piet Mondrian and a circle of his peers and occasional acolytes that revolved around critic Theo van Doesburgs magazine De Stijl. The show will include a large number of works by Mondrian (1872-1944), and an even larger number from his contemporaries.

Nov. 11, 2020March 1, 2021 Reina Sofia, Madrid

Ulay Was Here at the Stedelijk Museum

Performance artist Marina Abramovic has a household name; that of her onetime partner and collaborator Ulay (ne Frank Uwe Laysiepen, who died this year at 76) is more on the margin. A new show at Amsterdams Stedelijk hopes to change that. Drawing on many works from its own collection, the museum will break Ulays work into four main categories: performance, his research into gender identity, his social and political engagement, and finally, his relationship with Amsterdam.

Nov. 21, 2020April 18, 2021 Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

Emil Pirchan: Universal Artist at the Leopold Museum

With the exception of so-called brand collaborations, todays artists are expected to remain apart from the world of commerceexcept, you know, the commerce of making and selling art. But the inimitable Pirchan (18841957) was living proof that an alternative is possible, one in which originality in art, design, and craftsmanship can be applied to fine art and commercial work in equal measure. In this sweeping show, visitors will be able to experience Pirchans genius for stage design, book illustration, graphic design, and advertising art.

Nov. 27,2020April 4, 2021 Leopold Museum, Vienna

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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THOSE close to me know that in October 2018, I made the decision to end my life. I sat in my car with the motor running in the garage with the door closed, a stomach full of sleeping pills, and waited to die.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

THOSE close to me know that in October 2018, I made the decision to end my life. I sat in my car with the motor running in the garage with the door closed, a stomach full of sleeping pills, and waited to die.

And then I changed my mind, went inside and called the Suicide Help Line.

I was referred to the Crisis Response Centre where I was immediately admitted. From there, I was sent to Winkler for two weeks, where I recovered. The final diagnosis was post-traumatic stress disorder following years of sexual violence and bullying.

I write this on Sept. 10, World Suicide Prevention Day.

My story is not particularly unique. An average of 10 people die by suicide every day in Canada and the rate of suicide is rising among women more quickly than men in Canada. Plus, the risk of becoming suicidal is usually higher for women who have experienced violence.

Statistically, however, men are still dying of suicide more often than women. Men and boys are at the highest risk of death by suicide than any other demographic. Males account for around three-quarters of suicides after the age of 15. For Canadian Indigenous men, the suicide rate for ages 15 to 24 is 126 per 100,000, compared to 24 per 100,000 for non-Indigenous men.

The question in these trying times is whether these rates will climb even higher, particularly given the stressful financial times and the isolation. Both may have a negative impact on mental health and may exacerbate stress, depression and alcohol abuse. Certainly, at the beginning of the pandemic, crisis lines and mental health professionals saw a spike in calls as Canadians attempted to understand COVID-19.

Preliminary studies published in June in QJM: An International Journal of Medicine indicate that the pandemic will have a significant impact on the mental health of many, largely as a result of the economic fallout, the continuing uncertainty and the social isolation. The researchers point to an increase in suicides after the influenza in 1918-19 and a "significant increase in suicide deaths among people aged 65 and over during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Hong Kong" as precedents.

The article recommends different approaches in suicide prevention during COVID-19. First, a universal approach for everyone is to decrease stress, anxiety, fears and loneliness. This would include media campaigns promoting mental health and encouraging people to stay connected, either by phone or other means, to eat healthy and to exercise.

For those who are at an increased risk of suicide  including people with a history of psychiatric disorders, COVID-19 survivors, frontline health workers and the elderly  active outreach is suggested, with access to counselling even if its through tele-medicine. The researchers also suggest minimizing exposure to news, as it may just worsen stress.

The final category is for those who have recently attempted suicide. According to this research, they should be provided special attention, with a clinician followup as they are in a higher category of potential risk.

All of this of course is difficult during a pandemic and in a province where mental health care is difficult to access. Psychiatrists have long waiting lists. Its hard to find counsellors accepting new patients in person. The good news is that the province launched an online therapy service for those needing help coping with COVID-19 in March. The service is offered free to anyone over the age of 16.

There is a bit of optimism in another report from JAMA Psychiatry. It states that following major events like 9/11, people feel a sense of community because theyve come out of an event together and suicide rates may actually drop. Their research also suggests that "recent advancements in technology (e.g., video conferencing) might facilitate pulling together. Epidemics and pandemics may also alter ones views on health and mortality, making life more precious, death more fearsome, and suicide less likely."

We have the ability to reach out to our friends and family through technology that didnt exist during the 1918 influenza. During the fall and winter, it may be another way of creating connection.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Two years later, Im still here. Im glad I am. I have a counsellor, Lynda, who I call the Shannon-whisperer. But, I know that the next six months may be tough for a lot of you. You just have to ride it out. On the other side of that big wave of feelings, theres joy.

And if you really need help right now, please reach out to 1-877-435-7170.

Shannon Sampert is a retired political scientist.

www.mediadiva.ca.

shannon@mediadiva.ca

Twitter: @CdnMediadiva
Mental health support services have seen calls from children and young people in Victoria jump by up to a third as the state's hard lockdown and extended restrictions on school attendance take a toll.

There was a 28 per cent spike in calls to the phone counselling service Kids Helpline between March and July 2020 compared with the same period last year and a 19 per cent jump from July to August compared with the previous month.

Year Nine student Alec Woolley says he is doing OK despite losing some motivation, but has seen classmates struggling with isolation while learning from home. Credit:Justin McManus

The increase in demand has prompted the state government to fast-track a $50 million initiative providing every state secondary school with its own mental health support practitioner by the end of next year.

Kathryn Mandla, head of advocacy and research at the YourTown youth charity, which runs Kids Helpline, said "the longevity of the lockdown measures, uncertainty around education and the increased restrictions and disruptions to the community" had left more children and young people in Victoria in a vulnerable state.
New Delhi: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana Khan is a popular star kid on social media. Her pictures and videos often break the internet. There are various fan pages dedicated to her as curiosity around her movie debut is high amongst followers.

Suhana Khan shared a glamourous make-up selfie on Instagram and put it up as her story. Take a look at the grab:

Her glowing make-up selfie shows she's probably prepping up to enter the world of showbiz.

SRK and Gauri Khan's darling daughter headed to New York University last year where she is studying acting. She completed her graduation from Ardingly College in England.

Speculation of her making her starry entry into movie business has always been around and now that she is studying acting as a course, looks like very soon the pretty girl will be making her big-screen debut.

She has acted in several plays and also in a short movie.
Made for an emperor, owned by the king of American retail  a rare pair of Chinese Boys jars

Senior specialist Margaret Gristina on a pair of museum-quality jars that graced the mantelpiece of one of the titans of American commerce, John Wanamaker

This magnificent pair of 18th-century Chinese Boys jars are thought to have been purchased by Americas original retail magnate, John Wanamaker, in around 1907. The jars, which have spent the last century in the Wanamaker family collection, are decorated with famille rose enamels, and feature scenes of young boys at play  some waving flags, others playing instruments, one riding a hobby horse. The theme represents a wish for many sons, explains Margaret Gristina, a senior specialist in Christies Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art department. Marks on the base of each jar indicate that they were made for imperial use sometime between 1736 and 1795 during the reign of the Emperor Qianlong, who had no fewer than 17 sons. Although similar vases can be found in the Palace Museum in Beijing, Gristina explains that to find two imperial examples together  and, crucially, with their original covers  is exceptional.

John Wanamaker was born in 1838, in a rural suburb of south Philadelphia. From humble beginnings  his father was a brick-maker  he went on to serve as US Postmaster General under President Benjamin Harrison, as well as a patron of Americas Gilded Age of collecting.



Wanamaker started his first general store business at the age of 23. Initially partnering with his brother-in-law, he quickly found success with his novel one price and goods returnable sales policy, and expanded throughout his home city, before moving into New York, and eventually London and Paris.



Wanamaker was the first retailer to use full-page newspaper advertisements, the money-back-guarantee and the price tag, and by 1910 the business had grown to such an extent that the entrepreneur was able to put the finishing touches on his crowning achievement: the 12-storey Wanamaker Building, Philadelphias first department store, which occupied an entire block across from City Hall.

Imperial marks on the base of each jar that indicate they were made sometime between 1736 and 1795 during the reign of the Emperor Qianlong

Wanamakers collecting of art and antiquities was almost as noteworthy as his business, civic and political careers. He is said to have had an insatiable appetite for art, says Gristina. One biography recounts how he would have crates packed full of hundreds of paintings, art objects, sculptures, and originals and copies of masterpieces shipped to the States to join his personal collection or to be hung around his stores.



Records dont survive to shed light on when and where John Wanamaker acquired these jars, but in 1907 his Pennsylvanian country retreat, Lindenhurst, burnt down along with the majority of his collection, which would have needed replacing.



Three generations of the Wanamaker family on vacation in Florida, circa 1904. From left: John Wanamaker, Mary Brown Wanamaker, Mary Brown Wanamaker Warburton and C. Egerton Warburton

Descendants of the family have told us that the two jars were always displayed at either end of John Wanamakers mantelpiece, flanking a pair of jade parrots and a jade figure of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, says Gristina. This arrangement became tradition when the objects passed down to Wanamakers daughter, Mary Minnie Brown Wanamaker (1869-1954), then to Minnies son, C. Egerton Warburton (1902-1973).





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Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

From Good Housekeeping

For our September 2020 issue, Good Housekeeping teamed up with Chatbooks, an app-based photo-book company, to scour the U.S. and Canada for the smartest and most beautiful home office setups. What we found, done by both apartment dwellers and homeowners, just may inspire you to take your own work-from-home space to the next level.

Add a Cozy Sofa

Kari Bancroft, a stay-at-home mom in South Jordan, UT, decided to think beyond hard, uncomfortable chairs in her home office. Instead, she outfitted the space with a plush emerald green sofa that pairs well with her beloved animal prints and global-inspired pottery. The sofa works for her lifestyle too: She is mom to eight kids, ages 4 to 20, and uses her office space to read and to organize her many family photos. My overall home office decorating approach is to showcase an eclectic mix of the things I love and make sure it functions as a versatile space, she says.



Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Hang a Desk on the Wall

Rachel Mae Smith, whose blog is The Crafted Life, created her low-profile New York City office with a wall-mounted desk for two supported by a track shelving system. Pops of color, including brackets spray-painted in bright hues and dyed fabric swatches, pull the fun look together.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Consider High Shelves

Graphic designer and new mom Ashley Smith transformed a cedar-lined closet with white paint and high shelving for books and decorative storage. Ashley elevated the look with DIY display boards made from wood scraps. I added some stain, wire and clips, and they became the perfect spot to hang anything important, like bills, invites and childrens artwork, she says. Plus, she made a simple built-in desk for her large desktop. We used inexpensive 1" x 2" common boards as supports underneath, then added a nice maple 3/4" plywood top and 1" x 3" trim board to the front, she says of the desk design in her Pittsburg, KS, home.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Take Advantage of a Chic Nook

Story continues

Kaitlyn Fast of Birmingham, AL, let a large mirror set the foundation for her minimalist office nook. It reflects all the natural light we have in this room and makes it easy to switch out the decor and flowers as each new season arrives, she says.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks







Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Put Your Office by the Stairs

With the help of her husband, Russel, Lindi Vanderschaaf turned an empty wall next to the stairs on the first floor of their Grande Prairie, Canada, home into a functional workspace. Russel made the desktop and shelves from stained plywood, which balances the designs black-and-white color scheme. The white of the desk drawers and walls really helps define the space, Lindi says. It almost feels like its own room now.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks







Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Paint a Brick Wall

Megan Leonard of the lifestyle brand Our City Nest lives in Baltimore, a city known for row homes with exposed brick walls. So it only made sense to showcase this detail in her office space. It provides an instant texture throughout my home that I love to pair with wood accents, she says.



Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Make a Desk Out of Two Basic Dressers

After Sara Johnstons 5-year-old son began feeling left out with her and her husband working from their Ontario, Canada, home, they decided to make an office for him right in the living room. We painted two old IKEA dressers with leftover white paint and asked a local lumber provider for the top, which just happened to be shelving cut down to this specific size, she says.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks





Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Turn Your Closet into an Office

Party stylist Kelsey Klos, who lives in Petaluma, CA, with her husband and three daughters under 5, transformed a closet into a simple but vibrant workstation. She used clear refrigerator organization bins to store supplies, cake stands to stack work projects, and playful accessories, like a rainbow garland, to show off her style.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Set Up a Workspace in Your Kitchen

Heather Keeling and her family of five decided to turn a corner of the kitchen in their Portland, OR, home into a bright and comfy work area. They opted for contemporary touches to achieve contrast. The baby-blue penny tile is the perfect bridge between the 1960s and the modern day, Heather says. Custom shelving, inspired by a mid-century modern credenza, completes the look.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Capture Your Home Office and More!



Photo credit: Courtesy of Chatbooks

To find the standout home offices showcased in this feature, Good Housekeeping joined forces with Chatbooks, a company that makes affordable, high-quality photo books. These albums are great for displaying your favorite family photos or even before-and-after shots of a recent home project  think of them as personalized coffee table books. Just download the Chatbooks app and create an Ongoing Photo Book Series, and then for every 60 photos uploaded from your Instagram or camera roll it automatically creates a new book (starting at $10).



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A study investigating the acute mental health responses of Australian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a significant negative impact, in particular on those already vulnerable.

The study was published in PLOS One, a scientific journal focused on the discipline of nature and medicine. Investigators from the University of New South Wales in Sydney obtained responses from over 5,000 adults using an online questionnaire, administered via social media during the then-peak of the pandemic and initial lockdown, from March 27 to April 7.

The questionnaire examined fears and behavioural responses to the pandemic and assessed the severity of physiological distress, such as levels of depression, anxiety and stress, including anxiety about health, contamination fears, alcohol use and physical activity.

The majority of respondents (78 percent) reported their mental health had worsened since the outbreak of the pandemic, with a quarter (25.9 percent) either very or extremely worried about contracting the disease and over half (52.7 percent) worried about family or friends being infected.

Feelings of uncertainty, loneliness and financial worries occurred in 50 percent of those surveyed. Rates of depression, anxiety and stress levels were 65 percent, 50 percent and 64 percent, respectively.

Nearly half (45 percent) of participants reported currently undergoing mental health treatment that included counselling and medications.

Those with a self-reported history of a mental health diagnosis, such as depression and anxiety, had significantly higher distress, health anxiety and fears of COVID-19 compared to those without a prior diagnosis.

The study also found higher rates of distress among those who were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, those who identified as non-binary or a different gender identity, and those whose occupation was a carer or stay-at-home parent.

The authors concluded that these results highlight the need for proactive and accessible mental health services to address these needs, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable, including people with a prior history of mental health problems.

The underlying factors for increased mental health burden during the pandemic can be complex. However, the main causes are thought to involve continued health concern of infection or the social stigma of being infected, the breakdown in social support due to isolation, as well as the anxiety of losing employment or receiving reduced earnings.

The authors noted that similar research has emerged in other countries, including China, Italy, India, Mexico, Spain, the US and UK. These studies also have shown increased rates of psychological distress. While the methods of data collection differed between the studies, however, the Australian studys results were among those that demonstrated higher rates of poor mental health.

Research into past pandemics, such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, had shown higher rates of fears, psychological distress, including depression, anxiety and stress and insomnia, and other mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress in people with pre-existing mental illness. This impact included front-line health care workers and survivors of SARS who had severe or life-threatening cases of the disease.

Evidence of the mental health impact of the pandemic is demonstrated too in the increased demand for mental health services. The helpline Lifeline answered almost 90,000 calls for help in March. That is equivalent to a call every 30 seconds. It was a 25 percent increase over the corresponding month the previous year.

More recently, when the Victorian Labor Party government imposed a total lockdown on Melbourne public housing towers in July, Lifeline statistics showed a 22 percent increase in calls from that state.

When Stage 4 restrictions were later announced for Melbourne, calls to Lifeline from Victoria increased by 30 percent. From the beginning of August, Victorian use of Beyond Blue, another mental health helpline, was also 90 percent higher than across other states in Australia.

Among young people, the mental health service Headspace has seen an estimated 50 percent rise in referrals for young people who have been admitted to a hospital emergency department because of a mental health crisis, according to a recent Australian Broadcasting Corporation report.

A week into the Stage 4 lockdown in early August, the Victorian government said data showed a 33 percent rise in children and young people in the state presenting to hospital with self-harm injuries, compared to the corresponding time in 2019.

These results point to a deep crisis in the health care system. According to an Australian Medical Association report in 2018, mental health services are grossly underfunded. A marked lack of capacity at all levels of mental health care caused unacceptable delays to care.

While the federal government claimed it has added $500 million to funding for mental health services during the pandemic, there is ample evidence that this is insufficient.

An interim report by the Victorian Royal Commission into Mental Health last year found that the states mental health services were extremely underfunded. If Victorias funding were to reach even the national average, it would have required an additional $1.44 billion in 201617.

Dr Kerryn Rubin, the chair of the Victorian branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists told the Guardian: The issue now is that simply there are far more people needing support and services than there are people to provide them in the private sector. Further, community mental health services operated only Monday to Friday, nine to five.

Mental health practitioners are often concentrated in wealthier suburbs or charge fees people cannot afford. Bulk billing for mental health services, so that patients do not have to pay upfront fees, is not widespread. People can face long waiting times for counselling services or may be ineligible to access support.

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, director of Melbournes Monash Alfred psychiatry research centre, told the Guardian that help lines such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue were relatively easy to access. However, people who previously would have accessed the private sector are struggling to do that because they cant get an appointment for four, eight, twelve weeks, at which point in time often something that started off as a minor or moderate problem becomes a severe problem.

In March, leading mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry called for an urgent overhaul of mental health services to cope with the aftermath of the pandemic.

The people who lived through the Great Depression had reduced life expectancy; if you develop a mental illness your life expectancy is reduced, he said. It may be that the vocational pathways for a generation of young people are constrained for the next few years and that is going to lead to huge mental health problems and suicide rates as well.

Despite these calls, the data shows that the services remain woefully inadequate.
The protesters have not reached out to the European Union, NATO or the United States for support. The men who tried to run against Mr. Lukashenko, and the women who tried to take their place, were not activists or dissidents like Mr. Navalny in neighboring Russia  they were a popular blogger, a former ambassador to the United States, an oligarch, an English teacher and a musician.

Yet to Mr. Lukashenko, and more so to Mr. Putin, the notion of allowing people to choose their government is anathema. In Mr. Putins vision, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus were the core of the Soviet empire, and already one republic has slipped the coop. A free and democratic election in Belarus would not only risk a government with different ideas, but could serve as an inspiration to Russians to follow suit. One possible reason for poisoning Mr. Navalny was his public sympathy for the Belarusian demonstrators.

Mr. Lukashenko is scheduled to visit Mr. Putin soon in Moscow, and he may find that the Kremlin is prepared to dump him in an attempt to calm the waters in Belarus. Moscow may also try to draw the European Union into some form of dialogue that would give a patina of legitimacy to Russias search for a way to resolve the crisis to its advantage.

That must not be the European Unions role, or Americas. Any Western participation in a Russian-controlled transition would support Mr. Lukashenkos and Mr. Putins claim that the street protests are the work of foreign enemies. That would amount to a betrayal of what the Belarusians seek and hope for. If there is to be any dialogue, it must be with the opposition as a full participant.

The Wests role  that of governments, human rights organizations and the social media-wielding public  is to demonstrate to the many courageous people who cast their ballots for Ms. Tikhonovskaya, and who have braved beatings and arrest simply to demand that these be counted, that free people everywhere are on their side and support their demand for new elections, the release of all detainees and the return of opposition leaders who have been driven into exile.

The message ought to be underscored by serious personal sanctions  frozen foreign bank accounts, travel bans and the like  against Mr. Lukashenkos cronies and those who falsified the election results and then cruelly abused those who dared to protest.
Prime Minister will inaugurate 1.75 lakh houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) in on Saturday, his office said on Thursday.

The Prime Minister's Office said all these houses have been built or completed during the challenging COVID-19 period.

He will also participate in "Grih Pravesham", a ceremony considered auspicious for a family's entry into its new house, the statement said.

The event will be done through video conference, and state's Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will also attend the ceremony.

As part of the Modi government's "Housing for All by 2022", for which a flagship programme of PMAY-G was launched in November, 2016, 1.14 crore houses have been built across the country so far.

In Madhya Pradesh, 17 lakh poor households have benefited from this scheme till now, the statement said.

Under PMAY-G, each beneficiary is given 100 per cent grant of Rs 1.20 lakh with a sharing ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and the state concerned.

The scheme envisages construction of 2.95 crore houses by the year 2022.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DECATUR  Lexie Gifford was only 2 on Sept. 11, 2001, but the event changed her life forever, as it did so many other people's.

Her father, Marine Pvt. Jonathan Gifford, 30, was the first Central Illinois casualty in Iraq. He was killed in action in an ambush on March 23, 2003, 17 months after enlisting to serve. His daughter was then only 4.

I dont remember when my dad enlisted but I was always told stories, Lexie Gifford said. My grandma Vicky (Langley), his mother, always told me that my father had always wanted to join the Marines but she could always talk him out of going but this time she couldnt. 9/11 was the event that made him decide, like many others, he was enlisting and no one was stopping him.

Now a student at Mississippi State University and studying communications and photography, she hopes to work training horses and doing public relations for a business.

A fund for her education was started after her father's death by a high school classmate of his, Mike Spalding, who asked Operation Enduring Support, a community group of relatives and friends of military service members, for help.

He was not only willing to help, but he gave his life for the cause, Spalding told the Herald & Review at the time. Now I'm helping Johnny.

Friday is the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, when terrorists hijacked planes and flew them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

A third group attempted to hijack United Airlines Flight 93 and attack a target, assumed to be the White House in Washington, D.C. The passengers on that flight had heard about the other two hijackings and fought back, and Flight 93 crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, sparing the original target, but killing all aboard the plane.

The death toll from the attacks was 2,977, most in the Twin Towers, which caught fire and collapsed after the planes crashed into them. Of those who perished during the initial attacks and the subsequent collapses of the towers, 343 were New York City firefighters, 23 were New York City police officers and 37 were officers at the Port Authority.

The remains of more than 1,000 victims are still unidentified and are kept in a repository at the World Trade Center site under the jurisdiction of the medical examiner of New York City.

During the years following the attacks, other people died as a result of exposure to the dust and toxins released when the Twin Towers collapsed and their deaths were legally classified as homicides. Sept. 11 was designated Patriot Day by Congress in December 2011.

9/11 was a tragedy that affected so many peoples lives afterwards, Lexie Gifford said. Since I was only 2 years old I dont remember 9/11, just what I have been told. I believe we all view 9/11 different in one way or another. I cant speak for everyone but I know I view 9/11 as a day to mourn those lost that day and the families who lost their lives.

Cruise 11 to Remember 9/11, an annual event in Decatur to honor the military and first responders, was founded by Ayn Owens in memory of Gifford.

When I created the event, I talked it over with Dave Freyling (of the Macon County Veterans Assistance Commission) because I wanted the funds raised to go to a veteran group each year, Owens said. Our first year, funds went to the fund to build the WWII Memorial, Operation Enduring Support, and Operation Santa. I really wanted to honor the sacrifice of Gifford and his family suffered because he watched 9/11 happen and he wanted to do something for all of us.

This year's event is Sunday, Sept. 13, and instead of the usual car show and Central Park event, Owens changed it to a vehicle parade that will pass by both HSHS St. Mary's and Decatur Memorial Hospital, the sheriff's department and Decatur Police Department, with yellow ribbons tied to the cars to honor the first responders and the health care workers who have been on the front lines during the COVID-19 crisis.

Participants should meet at O'Charley's in Forsyth at 12:30 p.m. There is no registration fee, but donations will benefit a MacArthur High School scholarship fund set up to honor graduate Doug Hagen, a Vietnam Veteran who was killed in action and posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

 FROM THE ARCHIVES: 9/11 historical clippings

Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

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KANSAS CITY, Kan., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of Hunger Action Month this September and with the increased demand for food assistance due to COVID-19, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) today announced an expanded commitment designed to make a lasting impact in the fight against hunger. Through its DFA Cares Farmers Feeding Families Fund, the nationwide dairy cooperative's 13,000 family farm-owners are donating much-needed refrigeration to rural and community food banks across the country and pledging to keep them stocked with dairy products for the remainder of the year.

"When we launched the Farmers Feeding Families Fund in April, we started working with rural and community food banks, and quickly realized that a lot of these smaller facilities had very limited cold storage, or in some cases, were completely lacking it," said Jackie Klippenstein, senior vice president of government, industry and community relations. "Access to refrigeration is one of the largest challenges for food banks to keep fresh foods like dairy on hand. Once we saw this was a need, we felt compelled to step up and help provide long-term infrastructure improvements to ensure food banks have refrigeration, so that they can offer dairy products to the hungry families that they serve."

Through the creation of the Farmers Feeding Families Fund, which the Cooperative created in late April of this year, DFA and its farm family-owners, along with its dedicated essential workers, have been raising money to help provide support and deliver dairy products to community food banks across the country.

Recently, one of DFA's key partners, Leprino Foods Company of Denver, Colo., also decided to get involved by making a generous contribution of $100,000 to the Farmers Feeding Families Fund.

"Leprino Foods Company's global responsibility efforts have consistently focused on addressing the local needs of our communities, with a particular emphasis on nutrition," said Mike Durkin, president of Leprino Foods Company. "Through this $100,000 donation, we are proud to join with our long-time partner, Dairy Farmers of America, in expanding efforts to reduce food insecurity and addressing the nutritional needs of our neighbors. We are proud to be part of an industry that cares so much about helping individuals and families in need."

To date, the Farmers Feeding Families Fund has raised more than $650,000 and distributed more than $225,000 to rural and community food banks, where DFA's farm family-owners live and work, with more to come.

"This fund was born when one of our farmer-owners came to us and, recognizing the increased need at food banks due to COVID-19, wanted to help out," said Klippenstein. "Now, it's really taken off with continued support from our farm families, DFA employees and the partnership of companies that we work with like Leprino Foods."

Since early April, DFA also has been working with industry leaders and milk processors across the country to coordinate drive-by milk giveaways and product donations directly to food banks. A few highlights include:

Providing more than 250,000 gallons of milk at 60+ drive-by milk giveaways throughout the Northeast

Donating $10,000 worth of milk to Rhode Island schools through Guida's Dairy

worth of milk to schools through Guida's Dairy Working with Kroger to donate more than 90,000 gallons of milk to food banks and health care workers in Kentucky , Ohio and Georgia

, and Partnering with Daisy brand to donate 120,000 pounds of cottage cheese to food banks in Akron and Cleveland over a six-week period

and over a six-week period Donating 250,000 Kemps Giving Cow shelf-stable milks to food banks in Wisconsin , Minnesota , Illinois and Iowa

, , and Working with Dairy West to donate 9,775 pounds of cheese curds to Salt Lake City -area food banks

-area food banks Providing more than 12,000 gallons of milk to food banks throughout Southern California

"Through these initiatives and others, we've donated nearly 15 million servings of dairy, but we know there's still a huge need, which is why we're proud to launch this refrigeration program and continue our efforts of getting food from our farms to families who need it," added Klippenstein.

For more information about DFA's Farmers Feeding Families Fund or to make a donation, go to dfamilk.com/our-commitment/dfa-cares.

About Dairy Farmers of America:

Dairy Farmers of America is a national, farmer-owned dairy cooperative focusing on quality, innovation and the future of family dairies. While supporting and serving more than 13,000 family farm-owners, DFA manufactures a variety of dairy products, including fluid milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, dairy ingredients and more that connect our Cooperative's family farms to family tables with regional brands such as Country Fresh, Meadow Gold, Friendly's Ice Cream, Borden Cheese, Plugra Butter and Kemps to name a few. On a global scale, we work with some of the world's largest food companies to develop ingredients their customers are craving, while staying committed to social responsibility and ethical farming. For more information, please visit dfamilk.com .

SOURCE Dairy Farmers of America

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The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has given assent to the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana Act.



The President signed the act into law on Thursday August 13, 2020, two months after the Parliament of Ghana passed it after nearly two decades of delays.



It will be recalled that the Parliament of Ghana, on June 4, 2020, passed the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana Bill, 2019, after the third reading, on the floor of Parliament.



The new law, Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana Act, 2020 (Act 1021), empowers the Institute to set standards for the practice of marketing and to regulate the practice of the marketing profession in the country.



To achieve these noble objectives, the act further provides 11 functions of the Institute as follows:



1. Provide training and conduct examinations in accordance with international best practice to improve the skills and competencies of all those working in and aspiring to work in marketing.



2. Set the agenda for the practice of marketing.



3. Promote the role and value of marketing as a critical tool for business development.



4. Support government in the development of policy and regulation of marketing activities.



5. Advocate responsible and ethical marketing practice for marketers and businesses in general.



6. Conduct innovative marketing research.



7. Conduct and provide for the conduct of qualifying examinations for membership.



8. Award professional certificates.



9. Develop best practice and thought leadership programmes.



10. Promote marketing as a leading career path and employment choice for future generations and



11. Perform any other function that is ancillary to the object of the Institute.



In a release to the media, the National President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), Dr. Daniel Kasser Tee said; We welcome this as the best news ever, for the marketing community in Ghana. We have been pursuing this act for about 2 decades, and to think that we got both the Parliamentary approval and Presidential assent, within 8 weeks, is humbling and refreshing. I, on behalf of the Governing Council and entire membership of the Institute, thank H.E. the President of the Republic for making this a reality in his first term of office.



He assured the President that the Institute will immediately double up its efforts at rolling out the localization of examinations agenda in order to bring relief to the many Ghanaian students who desire to pursue professional marketing courses but cannot afford the cost involved.



This will minimize the demand for hard currencies, especially the Pound Sterling, for the payment of examination fees and subscriptions to the United Kingdom, where most professional marketing students currently pursue their studies.



Giving details on this, Dr. Kasser Tee indicated that CIMG has already started discussions with all Public Universities (both the Traditional and Technical universities) aimed at forging collaborations and partnerships.



In these discussions, we intend to make these Universities tuition centres for the professional marketing examinations. The second phase of the discussions is to explore the possibility of fusing the professional marketing courses into the academic programmes of the Universities.



This will enable students acquire dual qualifications (academic degrees and professional certificates) by the time they complete their Bachelors or Masters Degrees, as pertains elsewhere in international markets. We have put together a special localization committee, led by Mr. Adam Sulley, a Chartered Marketer and Lecturer. We intend to launch the local examinations alongside the prestigious Chartered Marketer brand in the first quarter of 2021 and start the first examinations in June or September the same year.



On research and advocacy, Dr Kasser Tee said; We are currently working with our research team to conduct studies on various issues of marketing and national interest. In the coming days, we will be outdooring our first research report conducted to gauge the effects of COVID-19 on marketing practitioners and selected marketing organizations. We are also in talks with industry associations to launch the first ever survey that will measure the levels of service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty among customers in selected regulated industries, such as; Banking, Insurance, Hospitality, Higher Education, etc. We are currently in talks with the Ghana Association of Bankers and the Ghana Insurers Association to kick start this in earnest. Watch out for the launch of the CIMG Customer Satisfaction Index (CIMG-CSI) soon. It is our desire that when launched, the CIMGCSI will engender healthier competition among industry players and will further advance the interests of consumers.



On his part, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the CIMG, Mr. Kwabena Akuamoah Agyekum said; For effective delivery of the mandate given us under this act, the CIMG is holding discussions with various regulatory bodies, such as the National Accreditation Board (NAB), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), etc on areas of mutual interest for tighter collaborations to promote responsible and ethical marketing practices in ways that protect the Ghanaian consumer always.



The CEO thanked the Cabinet of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Parliament and Ministry of Education for the Act.



He singled out Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama, who chaired the cabinet sub-committee, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, the Majority Leader of Parliament and Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Education (who promoted and shepherded the bill), for special mention.

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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PHOENIX  A provision in a court ruling this week on bars and alcohol sales could end up curtailing business at some restaurants, which could then lead them to close.

In her decision Tuesday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Pamela Gates upheld Gov. Doug Duceys actions in keeping bars closed while allowing restaurants to remain open and serve alcohol. She said those actions were within Duceys broad authority to protect public health.

But Gates did not look so kindly on the governor telling the state Department of Liquor Licenses and Control to look the other way when restaurants sell beer, wine and liquor out the front door, which Ducey did to help the financially struggling businesses.

The judge said that directive hardly fits within the actions Ducey is permitted to take in emergencies. His decision to suspend enforcement of a liquor law impermissibly stretches the governors power, she said.

Any resulting move by Ducey to rescind that part of his order would get opposition from the Arizona Restaurant Association.

We are reviewing the ruling, said Ducey press aide Patrick Ptak.
Pictured: Marios Georgallides, who ran Nozomi while disqualified

The boss of Knightsbridge Japanese restaurant Nozomi has been ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work after he continued to manage the company while disqualified.

Marios Georgallides, 62, oversaw the celebrity eatery near Harrods in central London while banned from acting as the company director.

The fashionable restaurant opened to much fanfare in 2005 and has welcomed celebrities such as Rihanna and Lindsey Lohan.

Georgallides was banned from acting as a company director for 12 years in 2016 after taking on the role while already disqualified, failing to pay debts of 1.3million and abusing a company's banking facilities.

He had already been slapped with a six-year ban in February 2010 preventing him from running the business.

But Georgallides ignored the order and continued to sign over 1,200 cheques for Nozomi, many of which bounced, according to the Insolvency Service.

The businessman, from Highgate in north London, has now admitted three counts of using a prohibited company name and a further count of taking part of the promotion, formation or management of a company whilst disqualified.

He was given a 12-month community order and ordered to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work at Southwark Crown Court.

A further disqualification from serving as a company director was handed which will run concurrently with his existing one.

Prosecutor Valerie Charbit told the court: 'He used a prohibited company name when barred from doing so, on three occasions, and ... he was involved in the management of a company whilst disqualified.

'These are all criminal offences.'

In 2009, Nozomi was taken over by Eastzest - a company Georgallides had resigned from several months earlier.

Ms Charbit added: 'Mr Georgallides used the company to carry out the business of Nozomi restaurant and obviously he was prohibited from doing so.'

Georgallides owes nearly 1.5million to his creditors, including some of his own money which he had invested in the business.

Richard Whittam, defending, said that the 'jingoistic press statement' the insolvency service had issued in 2015 had resulted in 'punishing' publicity against his client.

'The last alleged offending, even if it had been dealt with in the company court, is nine years ago,' said Mr Whittam.

'Significantly, no other offences have been prosecuted. No offences of fraud, not offences having an element of dishonesty.'

The fashionable restaurant opened to much fanfare in 2005 and has welcomed celebrities such as Rihanna and Lindsey Lohan through its doors

Mr Whittam added that Georgallides had lost 70,000 of his own money that he had invested in the companies.

His wife had to put their north London house down as a security to pay the debt, added Mr Whittam.

The businessman who was held in 'high regard' in his community also suffered from a number of health issues, said Mr Whittam.

In 2012, bailiffs turned up at Georgallides's 4million Highgate home to demand payment for an overdue driving penalty after he performed an illegal u-turn in Ponders End.

Judge David Tomlinson said he had found no evidence Georgallides had been dishonest.

'You will not be able to play the role of a company director until you are 70 years old at least,' he said. 'I take account that you lost money in regards to two of these companies.'

The prosecution will now bring confiscation proceedings against him.

The Insolvency Service said in its statement released in November 2015: 'Eastzest Ltd took over the trading of the Knightsbridge Japanese restaurant, Nozomi, in July 2009 with Marcello Santese as it's only recorded director, Georgallides having resigned as a director in March 2009.

'However, the overwhelming evidence showed he remained in control as a director throughout its trading until liquidation on 8 June 2011.

'Mr Georgallides had previously been disqualified as a director for six years in February 2010 but retained ownership through various family trusts and remained a signatory to the bank account until March 2011, when the bank discovered his disqualification.

'During that period, Mr Georgallides signed over 1,200 cheques.

'At liquidation, the company owed nearly 1.3million to HMRC in relation to arrears of VAT, PAYE and National Insurance Contributions having only paid 111,500 of the debt due during trading.

'During its trading period, the company issued cheques and direct debit payments which were not met on 1,065 occasions with a total value of 1,018,068, incurring 29,700 in bank charges.'

Mark Bruce, Chief Investigator with the Insolvency Service, had said: 'Mr Georgallides effectively ignored his first disqualification and carried on as the main director of this prestigious restaurant.

'He must have realised during the trial, that the weight of evidence was heavily against him and threw in the towel.

'I was involved in the investigation of his previous companies and Mr Georgallides has a repeated history of non-payment of his various companies' debts and abuse of the banking facilities.

'He displays exactly the sort of behaviour that gives some directors a bad name and a 12 year ban reflects how serious the insolvency service views his attitude to business.'
High school student sent home for wearing homosexuality is a sin T-shirt, father says

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An outspoken Christian preacher and activist is accusing his daughters school of violating her First Amendment rights by forcing her to change out of a shirt proclaiming that homosexuality is a sin." He is contemplating legal action.

Brielle Penkoski, the daughter of Rev. Rich Penkoski, attends Livingston Academy, a public high school in Livingston, Tennessee. During the school day on Tuesday, Aug. 25, she was allegedly asked to change out of a black T-shirt shirt bearing white letters asserting that homosexuality is a sin.

The shirt references the New Testament passage of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. When she refused to change out of the shirt, she was sent home from school, her father told The Christian Post in a recent interview.

Penkoski, who regularly speaks out in opposition to things like homosexuality and Drag Queen Story Hour events, runs an organization called Warriors for Christ, which describes itself as a pre-denominational ministry that has a global online presence.

He and his family moved to the north-central Tennesee area in March after moving around a lot in the last few years.

In an e-mail to The Christian Post, Penkoski claimed that Livingston Academy principal Richard Melton reasoned that his daughters shirt was prohibited because its message featured sexual connotation.

Responding to that explanation, Penkoski noted that one of his daughters teachers has an LGBT pride sticker displayed in his classroom featuring the rainbow colors associated with the LGBT movement, which pushed to make same-sex marriage legal in across the U.S.

The teachers sticker features words: Diverse, Inclusive, Accepting, Welcoming Safe Space For Everyone.



According to Penkoski, the principal did not have any issue with the pro-LGBT display.

The Christian Post reached out to Livingston Academy and Overton County Schools for comment on Penkoski's allegations and details on the schools dress code policy. A response was not received by press time.

During an interview with The Christian Post, Penkoski described the debate over his daughters shirt as a First Amendment issue.

Penkoski accused the school of abiding by a double standard when it comes to political speech.

While the school allows students and teachers to promote pride, Penkoskis daughter was told to leave because she wore apparel expressing a dissenting viewpoint on the hot-button topic, he argued.

She wanted to do this on her own. She wanted to go there to  express her values like all the other kids do, he added. Theyve got kids walking around with the pride symbol on their sneakers and pride clothing and nobody bats an eye.

She was basically censored, Penkoski continued. Its not fair  that shes told that she cant wear that shirt and other people can wear the stuff that they wear.

Penkoski argues that teachers are pushing Joe Biden  [and] pushing the rainbow stuff.

But if a Christian comes up there and repeats what the Bible says, they are seen as intolerant, they are seen as hateful, he added. Simply saying 'homosexuality is a sin' is not hate speech. Thats what the Bible says. And we need to start preaching truthfully.

Penkoski maintained that what happened to his daughter is not an isolated incident.

He believes that what happened to his daughter in a little town in Tennessee that nobodys ever heard of is indicative of the culture at schools around the country.

Pastor Dale Walker, president of the Tennessee Pastors Network, agrees with Penkoski and said that what happened to his daughter was an indication of what is happening in our school systems.

Theyre trying to drive the indoctrination down the throats of the students, Walker contends. They want the students to cower down and not be able to wear a shirt that has a Bible verse on it. They can fly your rainbow flags but then you have a Christian student who wants to express her deeply held beliefs and she is unable to.

Our elected officials have to return the power of the schools back to the people, he argued. If not, the indoctrination will continue and it will get markedly worse.

Walker believes that reforming American education begins with allowing the people of Tennessee to elect our school superintendent and elect a school director.

We need a conservative director of education in our state. I dont think we have a conservative director of education, he said.

Penkoski's dissatisfaction with public education is not limited to Livingston, Tennessee.

Two years ago, he expressed outrage after his daughter received a homework assignment asking her to practice writing the Islamic declaration of faith in Arabic calligraphy. At the time, his daughter was attending middle school in Gerrardstown, West Virginia.

Earlier in that particular school year, Penkoskis daughter was shown a music video featuring two male students sleeping together and a close-up of a sex toy.

Late last year, after Penkoski and his family moved to Sullivan County, Tennessee, he said that his 7-year-old son brought home a flyer promoting a clinic that would provide access to free birth control and pre-pregnancy services.

This is a movement, Penkoski proclaimed. Theyre trying to recruit kids, theyre trying to indoctrinate kids with liberal ideology, promoting sex and sexuality to kids.

Penkoski urged parents across the U.S. to keep on top of what their children are learning in school.

The schools are supposed to teach reading and writing and arithmetic, he stressed. Theyre not supposed to push issues of faith. Theyre not supposed to be pushing a political ideology.
Startups and innovators that can offer technology solutions in response to needs arising in a post Covid-19 world will be groomed by the central governments Ministry of Electronics and Information Technologys (MeitYs).

On Tuesday, the MeitY launched a scheme for promoting innovations in the fields of healthcare, education, medtech and work from home to prepare for a world after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The central government has called for applications from innovators and startups under the Scheme for Accelerating Startups around Post COVID Technology Opportunities (SASACT) for developing or re-purposing technologies, tools, systems, solutions to respond to the post Covid-19 scenario.

A fund worth Rs 9.6 crore has been set aside under SASACT, which is a part of the measures issued by MeitY in response to post-pandemic requirements.

The scheme is looking to groom startups based on Information and communications technology, hardware or software in the specific context of a post-Covid-19 world. For example, solutions on home-based healthcare, online tools, education technology, among others, said said Poyni Bhatt, chief executive officer, Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. SINE is one of the four agencies chosen by the MietY for implementing the scheme.

An eligible startup can avail a maximum support upto Rs 40 lakh for the proposed technology product or solutions. A total number of 40-50 proposals will be supported under the scheme, said a statement by the MietY. The grant will be divided into two tranches that will be released in a phased manner based on designated milestones to be intimated at the time of approval of the proposal.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, a new normal has been created in the country. There are many technology opportunities arising out of this new normal, such as working from home and home-based diagnostics etc. In line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme, we are looking for companies that have established their product but want to go back to the drawing board and rejig their solution to meet these new requirements, said Ajay Garg, senior director at MietY.

Some of the areas in which the government is looking for solutions include smart/ digital manufacturing including 3D printing, digital health/ Medtech, Edutech, Fintech, Work From Home (WFH) and other solutions that address concerns arising in post Covid-19 scenario.
There is no pause as Itsu founder Julian Metcalfe answers how his sushi empire is faring in the wake of the pandemic: 'It's been completely decimated.'

The East Asian-inspired fast food chain is almost completely reliant on the lunchtime trade and well-heeled office workers paying up to 10 for a box of sushi.

Some 35 of its 77 stores are still shut. A third of its staff are on furlough. Last month it completed an insolvency procedure, known as a company voluntary agreement, to close two stores and slash rents on 53 more. Some might think it will be a long way back.

Struggle: Itsu boss Julian Metcalfe believes the threat of Covid-19 'has been blown out of all proportion'

It's 'extraordinary that businesses aren't bringing people back' to the office, Metcalfe, 60, complains.

The risk of the virus 'has been blown out of all proportion' and 'we live in a world where our leaders don't like delivering bad news, they just can't bear it'.

He says: 'How many knee-jerk reactions will we see? Next week you won't be able to eat rabbit, it's ridiculous.'

But with newly lowered rents, he believes his stores will survive until office workers make their slow return.

His re-invigorated expansion plan has been hatched with 'Elon Musk-type stealth' in lockdown.

Office workers are Itsu's history, he says, 'its future will be different'.

Metcalfe says his crusade with Itsu, which he founded in 1997, is to offer a healthy lunch for 7.

His style is more mad inventor than fastidious accountant, but compared to some of the technocrats who run top companies, it's refreshing.

'I'll put in whatever it takes', he says, adding that total investment has hit '40million to 50million' in the last three years. 'And we'll put in more  this is a really long game.'

His wealth was estimated to be 215million last year. Itsu's latest accounts show sales rose 10.4 per cent to 116.5million in 2018, while losses narrowed from 8.8million to 6million.

Deserted: Some 35 of Itsu's 77 stores are still shut. A third of its staff are on furlough. Last month it completed an insolvency procedure, known as a company voluntary agreement

Today he wants to show off the new restaurant design that is being trialled on Great Portland Street in London's West End. He says it will be enough to overcome the slump facing the hospitality industry.

'This is really huge, it's the first time we've cracked affordable fast food,' he says. Perhaps we should believe him. He did, after all, make his riches reinventing how we eat lunch.

W ITH university friend Sinclair Beecham, he started selling freshly made sandwiches in Hampstead, north London in 1986. When the queue became too long, they made them in the morning and stored them in fridges  Pret a Manger was born.

He sold most of his stake to private equity firm Bridgepoint for 364million in 2008. The sale opened up the trappings of wealth to him.

He lives with his wife, art expert and businesswoman Brooke, in a 17th-century Tudor home in Oxfordshire. It is 'large enough to accommodate their seven children', notes one interior magazine writer.

The interest is reminiscent of Metcalfe's former life in the society pages (his grandfather Edward was best man at Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's wedding).

Now even Pret, worth 1.5billion when JAB Holding bought it in 2018, is on its knees. It has axed 2,890 staff and will shut 30 outlets.

Its boss, who racked up huge profits from its 'follow the skyscraper' strategy, admitted last week it was too focused on London.

Metcalfe is reluctant to talk about Pret but thinks it is 'probably very concerned', noting it doesn't bring in punters much after 3pm.

By contrast, Itsu has not cut staff. In fact, there's talk of breaking outside London in a meaningful way for the first time. And there are encouraging signs.

The new-style restaurant on Great Portland Street has been open a week. 'Everyone's been pretty pleased. We try not to put targets for the first month, it's a waste of time  or if there was a target, they didn't tell me,' says Metcalfe.

The hope is to bring couples and groups of friends in for a quick bite in the evening and vie with the leading Asian chain, Wagamama. Little expense has been spared on the restaurant  down to the real orchids.

'It's top-class Itsu stuff. It would not look out of place in Kyoto,' Metcalfe boasts. 'There hasn't been much development in affordable healthy fast food because it's just so difficult.

One of Itsu's 'sushi robots' churns out the Nigri. The machines can produce 4,800 perfectly shaped rice snacks per hour

We're still having to rely on Wagamama, Nando's, and a few other places. If your budget is 7, you have a problem.'

He excitedly runs through innovations in this restaurant that he hopes to roll out across the estate. Touch screens planned ahead of Covid, but now with the added benefit of removing 'endless interaction by hand'.

He has slimmed down Itsu's menu to 16 hot and 16 cold items  downgrading the importance of sushi. At the same time he has cut prices so that sushi boxes are 3.99 to 8.39, and rice and noodle bowls are 5.50 to 6.50.

The hot recipes  which include best-seller teriyaki chicken, spicy Korean chicken and vegetable gyoza noodles  taste good.

The price is kept down by bulking out the bowl with carbs, with clever presentation to give a wow-factor. Seven in ten dishes are under 500 calories and nothing is fried.

Another eye-catching element is a new generation of sushi robots, which shape the sushi rice all without being handled by chefs.

'I don't know how much they cost, 50,000 or something,' Metcalfe says, but is later corrected by a minion (they are a mere 12,000).

The nigiri robot produces 4,800 perfectly shaped rice snacks per hour  almost too quickly for the chef to harvest. The machines  more common in Japan where they are made  free up staff for other parts of the store.

If Metcalfe's reinvention comes off, then expect to see stores in a town near you  he anticipates the next stage could get up to 170 in the UK.

'It's far more than a business, it's an absolute crusade,' he finishes dramatically. 'Not since the 50s has fast food caught up with changing tastes and nutrition needs. It's a start. We will lead and many will follow.'
BEIJING, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The 15th China Beijing International Cultural Industry Expo (ICIE) and the China Cultural Industry Development Forum was held in Beijing on September 5. The forum, with the tagline "Cultural Coexistence and Industrial Integration for a Bright and Shared Future--High-Quality Development of China's Cultural Industry in the Post-Covid-19 Era", featured a round-table dialogue themed "New Cultural Consumption in the post-Epidemic Era". Ruby Wang, senior vice president & spokesperson of Perfect World and chairperson of Perfect World Education, participated in the event.

Wang said that the cultural consumption in the post-epidemic era, like other types of consumption, needs to be analyzed in conjunction with the general trends influencing both the domestic and global economic cycles. "On one hand, new habits that have developed around the cultural consumption during the epidemic are expected to become the norm," Wang said. "On the other hand, economic 'internal circulation' will create a market that demands more high-quality cultural products, which will bring more opportunities for culture industry in the future."

The e-sports industry has grown rapidly over the past two years. The prize pool of the International DOTA 2 Champions (TI10) now has broken the US$35 million mark, exceeding the US$34.33 million for TI9 last year and once again setting a new record in terms of the amount and speed of the crowdfunding for a single e-sports competition.

However, the industry still needs to be viewed rationally and objectively. As Wang further explained, the e-sports industry today is facing two challenges as a result of the rapid development, which are talent shortage; and the younger generation's hesitation before taking the brand new career.

"It is necessary to establish a sound education and training system," Wang suggested, adding that a pilot program comprised of an Education Certificate plus Several Vocational Skill Level Certificates (the 1+X Certificates Pilot System) is helpful in training more professional talents for e-sports and digital cultural and creative industry.



The program was launched by China's State Council in January 2019.

Wang also noted that as a natural data base, e-sports integrates with new technologies such as 5G and Artificial Intelligence. Driven by new technologies, AI rivals will be introduced for common players, in which AR/VR is used to create immersive experience. In the future virtual studios will also be created, and virtual anchors will watch games and provide the dialogue for gamers, which will bring e-sports sector a bigger market and more development opportunities.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1249906/YYW.jpg
The marshmallow test is a well-known piece of social science researcher used to determine a child's ability to delay gratification, which is said to indicate success later in life.

A team revisited the 1972 Stanford experiment and found that it is not just the treat children care about, but also how authority figures view them.

A group of preschool students were separated in two group, with one being told their teacher would find out how long they waited for a sweet and the other was told it was their classmates.

Those in the 'teacher condition' group were found to wait twice as long, suggesting that when children made the decision to hold back as a way to boost their reputation.

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The marshmallow test is a well-known piece of social science researcher used to determine a child's ability to delay gratification, which is said to indicate success later in life. A team revisited the 1972 Stanford experiment and found that it may not be the treat children care about, but how authority figures see them

The marshmallow test has been used to measure a child's ability of self-control by seeing how long they can delay gratification.

In the original Stanford experiment, children are given one marshmallow and told they can eat it right away or, if they wait a while, while nobody is watching, they can have two marshmallows instead.

However, a team at the University of California, San Diego wanted to see if there was more to it than a child wanted a treat.

Gail Heyman, a University of California San Diego professor of psychology and lead author on the study, said: 'The classic marshmallow test has shaped the way researchers think about the development of self-control, which is an important skill.'

A group of preschool students were separated in two group, with one being told their teach would find out how long they waited for a sweet and the other was told it was their classmates. Those in the 'teacher condition' group were found to wait twice as long, suggesting that when children made the decision to hold back they saw a boost in reputation as part of the reward

'Our new research suggests that in addition to measuring self-control, the task may also be measuring another important skill: awareness of what other people value.'

Heyman suggested that the test is a predictor of life success because it shows how much a child values how others view them.

For their study, Heyman and her colleagues from UC San Diego and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University conducted two experiments with a total of 273 preschool children in China aged 3 to 4 years old.

Similar to the original test, children were told they can either have a small reward immediately or delay it for a larger one - but in this case the reward was a cookie.

The children were also split into two groups - a 'teacher condition' and 'peer condition.

In the first group, children were told if their teacher would know how long they waited until taking the cookie and the other would be their classmates.

The results showed that those in the teacher condition group waited twice as long than compared to the peer condition.

The researchers interpret these results to mean that when children decide how long to wait, they make a cost-benefit analysis that takes into account the possibility of getting a social reward in the form of a boost to their reputation.

These findings suggest that the desire to impress others is strong and can motivate human behavior starting at a very young age, which was surprising to the team giving the children's ages.

'The children waited longer in the teacher and peer conditions even though no one directly told them that it's good to wait longer,' said Heyman.

'We believe that children are good at making these kinds of inferences because they are constantly on the lookout for cues about what people around them value.;

'This may take the form of carefully listening to the evaluative comments that parents and teachers make, or noticing what kinds of people and topics are getting attention in the media.'
A Houston man with six felony convictions is out on bond after being charged with murder this summer while on bail for three other felony offenses, according to Harris County court records.

Since posting $150,000 bail on the murder charge alone, Vernon Menifee now faces another felony charge of burglary and posted $50,000 bail in that case as well. Menifee had open cases of felon in possession of a firearm, engaging in organized criminal activity and burglary of a building when he was accused in the April 27 fatal shooting and robbery of Guy Anthony Owen Allen.

Prior to his latest charges, Menifee had been convicted between 2013 and 2018 of evading arrest, unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary of a building, aggravated assault of a family member, felon in possession of weapon, and attempted possession of a firearm, all felonies.

Menifees case has infuriated many people in the criminal justice community who argue that the 24-year-old should not continue to be granted bail. Menifees attorney, Edward Turnbull, did not return a request for comment.

The heightened attention to Menifees court proceedings also highlights a point of contention in a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging Harris County district court judges felony cash bail practices. Opponents of the lawsuit often argue that felony bail reform, as discussed, doesnt do enough to protect victims from habitual offenders.

David Cuevas, president of the Harris County Deputies Organization, said he believes Menifees repeated releases from jail are only the most visible fallout from the pending challenge to felony bail.

Its not the only one, he said. Bail reform has done nothing but cause unintended consequences. Its a victory for criminals and its a loss for law abiding citizens.

But reformers say that argument is flawed and misleading. Felony bail reform centers on cash bonds that discriminate against indigent defendants, they said, not surety bonds such as the ones Menifee paid.

Surety bonds are a type of bail where defendants usually pay a bondsman close to 10 percent of their bail amount and the bondsman ensures the defendants appearance in court.

Menifee has posted a total of $575,000 in surety bonds.

Alec Karakatsanis, founder and executive director of Civil Rights Corps., which is representing those indigent defendants in the felony lawsuit, said he feels opponents use fear mongering tactics with the hopes of keeping people in jail, despite the majority of them having the constitutional right to be released. A small subset, mostly people charged with capital murder, is an exception to that rule.

The current law in Texas, which none of these people like, is that everybody has a right to be released prior to trial, Karakatsanis said. That has nothing to do with bail reform.

Victims rights advocate Andy Kahan disagreed, pointing to families whose loved ones have been killed as a direct result of the ramifications of felony bond reform.

No one is disputing the rights of defendants like Menifee to a bond, he said. What we are stating is why defendants like Menifee and who knows how many others are being granted multiple bonds despite obviously violating their initial bond.

Howard Henderson, Founding Director of the Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University, said that judges use discretion in making bond decisions or revoking bond, such as in cases where a person has been accused of a crime while released on felony bond. Some of that decision comes down to constitutional interpretation, which the judge has to weigh against risk assessments that tend to be skewed against Black and brown people, Henderson said.

Its essentially a constitutional argument with real life consequences, he said. I just wouldnt want to be the judge in that case.

All 23 Harris County felony judges are proposed defendants in the federal lawsuit alleging that the regions felony bail practices are discriminatory and damaging to poor defendants. The lawsuit argues that its unconstitutional to jail poor people before trial simply because they cannot afford bail.

The county has already overhauled its misdemeanor cash bail system as a result of another landmark federal lawsuit that was settled last year.

Menifee had the three open cases when accused in the death of Owen Allen. In May, Menifee was sent back to jail on a murder charge and a separate count of aggravated robbery. State District Judge Brian Warren ordered that he be held without bond , but that was reversed in August after Menifees attorney successfully requested that Warren set bail.

This month prosecutors hit Menifee with another charge  burglary in a 2019 home invasion. State District Judge Josh Hill also granted him bond in the case.

Most of Menifees cases were in Warrens court, where prosecutors continually asked him to deny bail, court records show. The cases were transferred out of his court on Thursday, court records show.

Warren declined to comment on the case itself because of judicial codes that prevent him from doing so, but spoke about the rules that govern bond decisions.

Generally speaking, Texas law provides for very few circumstances in which a defendant maybe denied bond on a non-capital charge, he said in an email. The Texas Constitution  allows for a defendant to be held at no bond for 61 days if they accused of a felony less than capital in this State, committed while on bail for a prior felony for which he has been indicted. After the expiration of that time period an individual is entitled to a bond under our constitution.

Prosecutors said they still believe Menifee to be dangerous while out on bond, said Dane Schiller, spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office.

He is charged with six felonies, including murder and aggravated robbery, and has six prior felony convictions; we consider him a clear and present danger to the community, Schiller said.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Nancy sees lapses, inconsistencies in HCW's deployment ban

...seeks clarification from POEA, IATF; calls for probe

Senator Nancy Binay has called for an inquiry in aid of legislation into the temporary deployment ban on healthcare workers imposed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and IATF.

"Nais nating malaman kung ano ang naging guidance ng POEA at IATF sa kanilang policy on the deployment ban. Yung latest incident na inoff-load sa eroplano ang ilang UK-bound nurses only shows that the policy is disjointed and conflicting, and its implementation is prone to lapses," Binay said.

Binay's Senate Resolution No. 514 comes after Filipino nurses bound for the United Kingdom were reportedly offloaded by the Bureau of Immigration on Sunday despite their supposed exemption from the ban.

The Philippine Nurses Association also appealed to government to allow 600 nurses to leave the country.

The senator had earlier urged the lifting of the deployment ban, insisting that the government has no right to prevent healthcare workers from working abroad to provide for the needs of their families.

"We must not hold hostage our healthcare workers' desire for a better life for their families. Hindi natin dapat ipilit na isakripisyo nila ang pangarap para lang isugal ang buhay nila sa sistemang walang sapat na proteksyon para sa kanila," Binay said.

The IATF suspended on August the deployment of medical and allied health professionals in an effort to augment the number of frontline workers responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, following an earlier order by the POEA in April.

The Department of Health projected that the country would need 16,500 medical frontliners. Only 10,468 slots have been approved, however, with 7,850 having been filled up.

Binay, however, argued that there would still be enough healthcare workers if the ban were lifted.

She cited 2017 data from DOH showing that there are over 750,000 licensed medical professionals in the country, including dentists, med technologists, pharmacists, physicians, and midwives.

Of this number, only 204,437 are active in the health sector, meaning more than 500,000 licensed medical professionals are not practicing their craft.

"Hindi pangingibang-bansa ng healthcare workers ang kalaban. Unless we improve working conditions, offer better-paying and longer contracts, we won't be able to attract our healthcare workers to work here," said Binay.
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Linkedin Alya Nurbaiti and Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 19:11 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44183b3 1 National COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-Jakarta,PSBB,large-scale-social-restrictions,partial-lockdown,industry-ministry,Foreign-Ministry,reimpose Free

Several ministers in President Joko Jokowi Widodos Cabinet have expressed their concern over Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedans decision to reimpose large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in the capital and their possible impact on economic recovery.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang said he was worried about the PSBB policy and its effects on the improving trend of industrial performance, with the manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rising to 50.8 points in August, or just above the 50 mark, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

A strict PSBB in Jakarta will affect the performance of the manufacturing industry in Indonesia, especially if other provinces follow [Jakarta], Gumiwang said during a meeting with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) on Thursday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mahendra Siregar, who also attended the meeting, held a similar view. He said industrial sectors that could enforce health protocols should be allowed to remain operating during the PSBB.

Read also: Civil servants to work from home as Jakarta reimposes PSBB

Meanwhile, Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto warned about the risks of disruptions in the distribution channel if PSBB measures were reimposed, such as the distribution of logistics that were essential for businesses.

"Fifty percent of our gross domestic product [GDP] is consumption. If the distribution does not run well, it will disrupt the Indonesian GDP," Suparmanto said.

The disagreement about the PSBB policy among ministers contradicts what Jokowi had said during a plenary Cabinet meeting on Monday about health as the key to restoring the economy.

Good health makes a good economy. This means that our number one focus is health, Jokowi said.

Jakarta will be placed under PSBB status again on Monday after restrictions were eased for a few months. The decision to reimpose the policy comes amid the ever-climbing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, as well as bed occupancy rates in hospitals that have exceeded the limit.
Unemployed New Yorkers will begin receiving $300 payments in addition to their regular jobless benefits next week.

The state Department of Labor has created a Lost Wages Assistance program to provide the $300 in weekly benefits to unemployed workers. The program is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which approved New York's application for a grant to fund the additional payments.

The payments are intended to partially make up for the loss of the $600 weekly enhanced unemployment benefits that were paid out until July 31. Since Congress hasn't reached an agreement on a new COVID-19 relief bill that could provide additional benefits for the unemployed, President Donald Trump took executive action that called for the creation of a program to provide the $300 weekly payments.

Nationwide, the unemployment rate was 8.4% in August. In New York, the jobless rate was 15.9% in July. The state paid $43.7 billion in unemployment benefits to 3.5 million New Yorkers during the pandemic.

"Throughout this crisis, states' unemployment systems have been pushed to the limit and constantly changing federal guidance  including this haphazard presidential executive order  have only delayed our efforts to get benefits to New Yorkers in need," state Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said. "But we have worked day and night to stand up this program, and millions of New Yorkers will see payments next week."

An estimated 2.4 million New Yorkers will be eligible for the $300 weekly benefits, which are retroactive to the weeks ending Aug. 2, Aug. 9 and Aug. 16. FEMA has released funding to allow the state to pay out the first three weeks of benefits through the Lost Wages Assistance Program.

Most of the eligible unemployed New Yorkers  about 2 million people  have qualified for the program because they have stated their unemployment is due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They won't need to take any action to receive the $300 weekly payments and will begin to receive the benefits next week.

An email and text message will be sent to these individuals notifying them that they have pre-qualified for lost wages assistance.

Other New Yorkers will need to certify that their unemployment is because of the COVID-19 pandemic to receive the $300 payments. This includes approximately 435,000 people who can certify online or by phone beginning Friday, Sept. 11. An email will be sent to certify online or claimants can call (833) 491-0632 and use an automated phone system to submit their additional certification.

If the certification is completed by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, the $300 payments will begin next week.

New York could receive more federal funding for its lost wages assistance program unless the federal Disaster Relief Fund, which is being used to finance the payments, falls below $25 billion or if the $44 billion allocated for the weekly benefits is exhausted. The payments would be discontinued if Congress reaches an agreement on a new unemployment assistance program.

If funding remains available and Congress doesn't have a replacement program, the $300 payments will end Dec. 27.

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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Assuring that five of the 36 French Rafale combat aircraft purchased by India can be deployed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at a short notice, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that though India strives for peace, it would not let its sovereignty and territorial integrity be compromised under any circumstances.

Speaking during the induction ceremony of the 4.5 generation Rafale aircraft at the Air Force station in Ambala, Singh lauded the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the speed with which it deployed its assets at the forward bases in Ladakh during the border tensions with China.

"This has once again proven the Air Force's state of preparedness to fulfil its role in case of any contingency. Everyone knows that India strives for world peace, but considering the situation in Ladakh, we need to be vigilant," the Defence Minister said.

The Rafale fighter jet is equipped with a wide range of weapons and it performs air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions.

Calling the day an important and historic occasion, Singh said that it also demonstrated the country's deep ties with France, not just in defence but also in economic, strategic and security sectors.

"This stems from our absolute commitment to democracy and belief in the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. We have chalked out a future-ready relationship and understand the problems faced by both the countries," Singh said.

Stressing that the Rafale deal with France was a game changer, Rajnath Singh said the IAF had used French combat aircraft in the 1965 India-Pakistan war and during the 1999 Kargil conflict.

"I am glad that now we have one of the best multi-role aircraft in the world which will be instrumental for our border security. During my recent visit to Moscow, I made it clear that India would not compromise its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Defence Minister said.

He further said that India's security concerns extended to the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, and the partnership with France is not limited to only Rafale. "We are also collaborating on the Scorpene submarines being built in India," he said.

Inviting France to invest in the Indian defence sector, the minister said that the government had undertaken several major policy reforms to attract international and national investments in the defence sector.

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, who was also present on the occasion along with a French delegation, said that the induction of Rafale was a stellar achievement for both the countries.

"We are writing a new chapter in our ties. In French, 'Rafale' means 'Gust of Wind' or 'burst of fire'. Both express incredible strength, which is also a symbol of our strong ties," she said.

Proclaiming France's support for India's permanent seat in the UN Security Council, she said that the inclusion of Rafale in the Indian inventory means that the latter has access to a world-class technology, thereby providing it an edge in the entire region.

"Behind these majestic machines, there is a commonality of values. These jets are fully combat proven and have seen action in Iraq, Mali and Syria," she said.

Stressing that coming to India is a unique experience for the country's vivid colours, breathtaking landscapes and rich history, an encounter that can't be easily forgotten, the French minister added, "France is fully committed towards the 'Make in India' initiative and further integration of Indian manufacturers in our global supply chain."

Parly added that the remaining jets would be supplied to India as soon as possible and that she was confident of coming up with new ideas to further strengthen the bond between the two countries.

"Not just military technology, the two countries helped each other immensely during the ongoing pandemic. India supplied France with medicines during the initial phase and we have given equipment for ICUs. In short, I can say from the French side -- you can count on us," Parly said.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S Bhadauria thanked the French Air Force for its support, and said that the 17 Squadron of 'Golden Arrows', which has been equipped with the Rafale jet, has undergone extensive integrated training with the aircraft of other fleets.

"They are good to go and deliver. These modern aircraft, along with the skill-set of the pilots, will form a lethal combination," he said.

The newly-inducted jets were given a water cannon salute after the 'Sarv Dharma Puja', which was attended by Parly, Singh, Bhadauria and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, among others.

The occasion also witnessed acrobatics by Rafale, Sukhoi and IAF choppers.
Prominent players in the isobutylene market are adopting vertical business models to widen profit margins at every stage of the supply chain.

ROCKVILLE, MD / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / The isobutylene market is projected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 5% in terms of value through the period of forecasting between 2020 and 2030. The growth of the market is majorly driven by perpetual demand for isobutylene in the production of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE). However, the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the smooth growth trajectory of the entire chemical sector, leading to a downfall in sales of isobutylene.

"Owing to its versatility, isobutylene finds usage as a fuel additive and as an intermediate in butyl rubber across cosmetics and chemical industries. Moreover, isobutylene's ability to act as an antioxidant, additive, intermediate, and feedstock ensures healthy adoption in several applications," says the Fact.MR report.

Request a sample of the report to gain more market insights at

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=3786

Isobutylene Market - Key Takeaways

By grade, the <99% segment is expected to hold the majority of market share through the forecast period, while the >99% segment is poised to register relatively higher growth.

On the basis of application, isobutylene as a fuel additive accounts for nearly 3/4th of total revenue.

By end-use, consumption of isobutylene in the fuel industry crossed a volume of 10 Mn tons in 2019 and will remain a prominent end-use sector through the forecast period.

Butyl rubber industry is projected to progress at a healthy value CAGR of 6% and emerge as a lucrative sub-segment by 2030.

East Asia is expected to prevail as the most lucrative regional market, capturing more than 50% of global value, on the back of the presence of flourishing chemical industry.

Isobutylene Market - Driving Factors

Growing demand for isobutylene as an additive in fuel, rubber, chemical, and cosmetics industries will remain a crucial growth attribute.

The surging adoption of isobutylene in the rubber industry, backed by benefits such as low gas permeation and high-energy absorption will continue to boost the market growth.

Properties such as excellent vibration dampening property and resistance to high temperatures have made isobutylene an essential ingredient in the production of butyl rubber, thereby ensuring persistent adoption.

Isobutylene Market - Constraints

Complications associated with production and transportation are expected to limit the growth of the market to an extent.

Anticipated Market Impact by Coronavirus Outbreak

On the back of the COVID-19 outbreak, the global chemical industry has come to a screeching halt, in turn, creating a downtrend in the demand for isobutylene. Furthermore, a steep decline in the consumption of fuel over the first and second quarters of 2020 is also negatively impacting the market's growth trajectory. Although uncertainty prevails over the complete revamp of revenue prospects, manufacturing plants in East Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea are gradually restarting operations, which is expected to alleviate the impact to an extent.

Explore the global isobutylene market with 121 figures, 110 data tables, along with the table of contents of the report. You can also find detailed segmentation on https://www.factmr.com/report/3786/isobutylene-market

Competition Landscape

The key players operating in the isobutylene market include, but not limited to, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Shandong Huachao Chemical Co., Ltd., TPC Group, and Heilongjiang Anruijia Petrochemical Co. Market players are focusing on upscaling their production capacities to cater to the growing demand. On these lines, in 2019, Enterprise Products Partners LP expanded its production capacity to 425 kilotons. Likewise, Saudi Aramco announced a joint venture with Total Company to establish a new production facility for poly-isobutylene.

More on the Report

The FACT.MR's market research report provides in-depth insights into the Isobutylene Market. The market is scrutinized on the basis of grade (<99% and >99%), function (additive, intermediate and antioxidant) and end-use industry (fuel, rubber, chemical & cosmetics, lubricants, and others) across seven major regions (North America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia & Oceania, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA)).

Explore Wide-ranging Coverage of FACT.MR's Chemicals & Materials Landscape

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Nafion Market: FACT.MR's report on the nafion market offers insights on the market during 2020-2030, including restraints, revenue sources, market leaders, and market strategies.

Soft Ferrite Market: Read an analysis of the soft ferrite market with insights on growth factors, opportunities, restraints, regional market forecast, regulatory policies, and strengths of market leaders.

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In the brief book of Jude, we do not have opportunity to observe all that a godly leader thinks or does. Yet, we have opportunity to observe much. Though details are scant about Judes recipients, we know that they had received the apostolic faith, though they were at risk of forgetting it (Jude 5). We also know that false teachers and deceivers had found their way into the church, gaining sway over congregantsand it seems these interlopers were largely unnoticed (Jude 4).

Just Who Was Jude?

Jude began his letters salutations with, Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James (Jude 1). Immediately, we can notice that Jude did not relate to his recipients on the basis of his full qualifications, for he was likely the half-brother of Jesus and/or an apostle. We have evidence, therefore, that he did not consider himself impressive. He spoke of some of his qualifications specifically for the purpose of serving the message of his letter. He did not view his attainments as important for serving himself. Rather, he employed them for the purpose of serving the message and calling of Christfor the benefit of others and glory of God.

Jude was a writer and leader in the church who loved the good news of who Christ is and what He accomplished for the salvation of mankind. Jude desired to revel in the joys of this salvation, shared equally among him and his recipients, writing, I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation (Jude 3). He wanted to fellowship over the glorious truths that lead to eternal life and eternal peace with Godand do so in a way that would cause both writer and recipient hearts to rejoice.

Yet, instead of writing this message of only joy, he was compelled to write a confrontational message: I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Jude found that to ignore his recipients theological perilwhich, unremedied, would have grave eternal consequenceswould be a violation of both his love for them and his responsibility as a leader. Judes confrontational message originated in necessity. False teaching had crept in; danger was afootand his recipients were not protecting themselves or their fellow church members.

Speaking Up Against False Teaching

Jude was willing to write this message of truth when he could not have been confident in his recipients responses. The recipients were not awakened to the danger they were facing. In fact, they were enjoying time with the interlopersparticipating in Christian love feasts (Jude 12) with them, meaning, in communion. So, Jude was asking of the church members what very likely would trigger fractured relationships (if we assume unrepentance of the false teachers).

At the least, Jude was asking of his recipients certain actions of discipline and remediation of the dangerous issues that would run counter to the felt experience of enjoyable interpersonal interactions with these crept-in churchmen and/or churchwomen. How could Jude be sure that his readers would side with truth over experience? Despite the potential violence to his reputation, Jude took the riskhe was compelled to it because the danger of the false teaching for his readers was far more important to him than the potential of others judgment of him.

In his message and writing, Jude spoke plainly of Gods holy will and hope. He compassionately pled for his readers to listen to truth and obey itto remember their originally received faith. He reminded them of the love of God and goodness of Christ frequently in a brief letter. He also did not avoidindeed, in the bulk of the letterthe realities of sin, judgment, and condemnation for the unrepentant. He demonstrated no fear of man but only a righteous fear of God, knowing that the warnings of Scripture are to direct people to repentance and faith through being awakened to the high stakes of these spiritual matters.





Photo credit: Sparrowstock

Judes High Calling to His Readers

Jude saw the equality that the gospel message gave him and the church members to whom he wrotethat he was not somehow more saved or of more value to God than others in the church merely because of his stature in the broader Christian community. He and his recipients served under the same Head, Jesus Christ. Thus, his recipients had also been given the high calling of bearing the name of Christ in this world (Jude 1). So, he exhorted them to minister in many of the same ways as he ministeredthey were to do precisely what Jude was seeking to do, having mercy on those in doubt (Jude 22) and pulling others from the flames of judgment through prayer and careful, right instruction (Jude 20, 23).

In his leadership, he considered ministry and the recipients use of spiritual gifts for the good of others in the church God-given. Though his recipients needed to be restored to truth amidst dangers that had gone unnoticed, he did not view his recipients calling to ministry for these errors to be revoked. When they were fledgling, Jude sought for his readers to be restored to all God had for them, including the high calling of service for others good and Gods glory.

What Does Jude Teach about Strong Leadership?

In Judes example of uncorrupted leadership, we see that he was unimpressed with himself and any authority in the church he obtained, while being highly honoring of Jesus Christ and His authority. He treasured the gospel message and the fellowship of sharing in it with the saints. He prized the truth and saw his fellow believers drift from the truth not merely as their problem but also as his own burden. Therefore, he willingly risked his reputation to write a message that might have been met with rejection.

Jude did not consider himself the solo carrier of significant ministry, but encouraged his readers to take up anew the same types of ministry in their context. Pervasive in Judes letter are worship of Christ, fear of God, and high thinking of othersincluding their salvation and spiritual ministry given by God. For Jude, all of this was to be enacted with truth.

Leadership, according to this example of Jude, is not concerned with receiving credit or accolades; it is not for the purpose of obtaining influence or power for oneself. Leadership, in part and according to Judes epistle, is characterized by being so immersed in the Scripture and truth that threats to others can be identified and characterized by the willingness to take necessary risks for the sake of that truth. In it, leadership seeks, from beneath, to lift to the one and only Godproviding vision, help, correction, instruction, encouragement, and aid toward establishment in the right theological framework.

While good characteristics of Jude are clearly evident, I leave Judes letter not worshiping the human writer, but worshiping Jesus ChristHim who is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us blameless before the presence of God and Him to whom belongs all glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time, now, and forever (Jude 24-25).

Christ as Our Ultimate Example

There, in Jesus Christ, is Judes exampleand our ultimate example in all of what Jude displays. Christ humbled Himselfis due all accolades but obeyed the Father unto the cross, took our burden of sin upon Himself, and willingly enduring the scorn and shame of being reviled by the very creatures into whom He breathed life. Amidst this mission, His hearts message among man was to alert us to the dire future of those who reject God. With compassion, He gave us Himselfthe Way of eternal life, graciously preaching good news to the poor, that we might see our need and become rich in Him.

In a world that idolizes influence, that values personal power over sacrifice, and that is quick to judge and dismiss rather than restore, we (I!) need this uncorrupted example of leadershipfound in following and worshiping Christ and following Jude as he followed Him.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Twomeows_IS

Lianna Davis is author of Keeping the Faith: A Study in Jude and Made for a Different Land: Eternal Hope for Baby Loss. She and her husband, Tyler, live outside of Dallas, Texas and have two dear daughters.
Since the end of the state of alarm and the beginning of the so-called "new normality" in June this year, SARS-CoV-2 has again gained ground in Spain. As I write this, the total number of diagnosed cases is close to double the number of cases when the new normality started. Then, cases were just over 246 000. This indicates an apparent inability by governments and segments of the population to adopt best practices, informed by currently available medical recommendations.

In spite of the worrying number of new cases, some 2 500 people gathered in Plaza Colon in Madrid to claim that the crisis of the Covid-19 is a "farce" and an excuse that public administrations are trying to use to "remove rights and freedoms" (as reported in ARA). Were they in the grip of a conspiracy theory? Why do they distrust scientific and medical evidence, and suspect the credibility of State institutions? They actively protested and resisted official health and safety recommendations: they didnt wear masks; they didnt keep a safe distance.

But the worrying number of new cases, this time mostly among younger people, suggests that there is a large segment of the population that actively resists acting in accordance with public knowledge. It is hard to understand the spread of the virus without presuming that in many daily interactions, many people fail to take the necessary precautions, ignoring concerns for their health and the health of their fellow citizens. Why do people act as if they dont know the consequences of their behavior?

This phenomenon  acting as if we dont know the effects of our actions  is not unique to the pandemic. Every year, we travel, drive, and consume as if our habits were not among the causes of global warming and environmental destruction. We build in coastal areas that will soon be underwater. Every season, we needlessly change our wardrobes with new clothes manufactured in sweatshops, made by people working too much for too little pay. We eat chocolate farmed by child labour. We eat animals bred and then killed inhumanely. We overfish and pollute, depleting the oceans of life. In all these cases, we strategically ignore common knowledge so that we can continue to do what we are used to doing, as we please, for as long as we can, consequences be damned.

Theres a Portuguese phrase that says something like I don't know, don't care, and I'm annoyed by those who know (nao sei, nao me interessa, e tenho raiva de quem sabe). The phrase captures what has been called strategic ignorance. Economists and psychologists tend to characterize this as the personal avoidance of inconvenient or uncomfortable facts. Historians and sociologists tend to define it in line with Linsey McGoeys definition: the ability to exploit the unknowns in any environment in order to gain or to maintain power. McGoey, a professor of sociology at the University of Essex, argues that strategic ignorance serves institutional power and institutional actors in preventing inconvenient facts from becoming more widely known or accepted, and she gives as examples Monsanto and ExxonMobils corporate tactics to deny evidence of environmental harm. And the tobacco industry denied for decades that smoking causes cancer. Naomi Oreskess and Erik Conways book, Merchants of Doubt, tells the story of effective campaigns to deny well-established scientific knowledge.

The trap these corporations lay for the public is an effective one: once we doubt the evidence that our behavior has harmful consequences, we take that as an excuse to not revise what we think, or change our actions. And we are all strategically ignorant of something, like death, to some degree.

But some people go further. They not only continue to act with disregard for common or scientific knowledge. Some people actively campaign against well-established evidence and recommendations. Not all of us who strategically ignore inconvenient truths would dare to publicly deny science, institutions, and authorities. Perhaps this is an indication that what is at stake is not scientific or medical knowledge. Perhaps those demonstrators want to exploit doubts in order to gain or to maintain power.
Bruce Springsteen will release 'Letter To You,' his new studio album with the E Street Band, on October 23. Read more

Finally, some good news to come out of 2020.

Bruce Springsteen will release his 20th studio album, Letter to You, on October 23. Its a 12 song set recorded with the E Street Band at Springsteens home studio in Colts Neck, N.J.

Produced by Springsteen and Ron Aniello, the album was recorded live in the studio, in a way weve never done before, and with no overdubs," Springsteen said in a statement. "We made the album in only five days, and it turned out to be one of the greatest recording experiences Ive ever had. He added: I love the emotional nature of Letter to You.

The album contains nine newly written songs, including the title track that was released Thursday morning, plus new recordings of three that date back to the 1970s.

Letter to You, the song, is a solidly reassuring Springsteen on E Street track. Guitars ring and drums pound as the Boss makes a forthright promise to keep the faith with himself and his audience: Dug deep in my soul and signed my name true, he sings. And sent it in a letter to you

Two of the older songs, If I was the Priest and Song for Orphans go all the way back to 1972, and were originally recorded as demos that preceded Springsteens debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. in Springsteens New Dylan phase.

The other old song, Janey Needs a Shooter was a sturdy rocker when it was recorded in sessions for 1978s Darkness on the Edge of Town. Its been widely bootlegged but never released. Springsteens friend Warren Zevon was taken with the tune and adapted it as Jeanie Needs a Shooter on the 1980 album Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School.

The albums cover features a close up of Springsteen standing in a snowstorm in New York in 2018 in a photo taken by Danny Clinch. Fans who saw the image when it circulated on social media on Wednesday might have wondered whether Letter to You was a Christmas album. Thankfully, its not.

Springsteen last performed with the E Street Band on a tour that included shows of record breaking 4 hour plus length in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park in September 2016 before concluding in New Zealand in February 2017.

 READ MORE: Little Steven has a new alias  Trenton Quarantino  and some thoughts on when Springsteen might tour again

After the sold out run of Springsteen on Broadway and release of last years non-E Street album Western Stars, it was widely anticipated that the Jersey rocker would return this year with an album and tour with the E Street Band.

Rumor had it that an album with the band had been recorded as early as last December, and Letter to You presumably is that pre-pandemic recording. The band members are not social distanced in the black-and-white lyric video drawn from the recording sessions that accompanies the release of the song Letter to You.

With the concert industry still at a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic, no E Street tour is yet in the works, but Letter to Yous October release will put Springsteen back in the media spotlight in advance of the Presidential election in November.

Track listing
(Newser)  Maverick Stow, a 17-year-old high school senior, thinks students should be attending in-person classes five days a week. So, to protest his New York school's hybrid learning model, Stow went ahead and attended his classes in person on Tuesdaydespite that day being his assigned day to attend remotely. His teacher reported him to administrators, who asked him to leave the William Floyd High School campus in Mastic Beach, Long Island, but he refused. He remained at school the rest of the day, but at that point officials told him he was being hit with a five-day suspension, ABC 7 reports. The next day, he went right back to campusleading administrators to call police, Fox News reports.

story continues below

"Suffolk County Police responded to William Floyd High School on September 9 after a student showed up to class when he was not scheduled to," reads a police statement. "The school issued the student a suspension. Police advised the student to attend only when he is scheduled to. The student left without incident." In a statement, the school district says it agrees with Stow that students should be on campus five days a week, but "we must follow the social distancing requirements set forth by the state," and that Stow's "rights as a student do not surpass the rights of the other 8,799 students we have the privilege of educating." They suggested he take his advocacy to state officials. As for Stow's parents, they're cool with what he's doing. "Virtual learning is not learning," says his mom. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
A student from south London who signed a seven-figure book deal hopes her debut novel will show black children they deserve a happy ending.

Faridah Abike-Iyimides debut effort, a young adult novel titled Ace Of Spades, will be published in the UK through Usborne Publishing in June 2021, with a second untitled novel to follow.

Described as Gossip Girl meets Get Out, the story takes place at an elite private school where a mysterious source begins spreading rumours about two black students.

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Abike-Iyimide, who grew up in Croydon and has Nigerian heritage, told the PA news agency: I really want to emphasise just how much I would love black kids to see they deserve a happy ending.

With all the protests happening and black people being institutionally harmed and all these systems working against them constantly, it can be so easy for them to feel they dont have a place or any bright future.

I want them to know that the book was written so they can see there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Abike-Iyimide said she had received multiple offers but accepted Macmillans in the US because the publisher had a Nigerian editor who understood both her characters and story.

I started panicking because I come from a very working class background and I have never had even close to that amount of money Faridah Abike-Iyimide

In the UK she chose Usborne Publishing after being approached by editor Becky Walker, who Abike-Iyimide said understood exactly what I was trying to do with the book.

Throughout the process, the young writer remained wary of publishers who would make major changes to the books message.

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She said: It was always at the forefront of my mind because I have seen other authors who have struggled even when they have had a lot of money given to them by their publisher, especially authors of colour.

I wanted to make sure that above any amount of money that I had the best team.

I chose my team based on who I thought really understood the book and were going to make sure that black teens got to see themselves represented in the way that I had intended them to be.

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Abike-Iyimide, who is currently studying English and Chinese in Aberdeen, said her experience at university had also shaped the novel.

My upbringing was working class so I was very used to that environment, she said.

Then I went to Scotland for university where it was very white and for the first time I felt I was struggling to find people I could relate to, both on an economic level and just background-wise.

I could go days without seeing another person of colour, which is not something I was used to.

That definitely influenced my writing because my book is about two black kids in a school that is overwhelmingly white.

Just the experience of microaggressions and feeling you are being watched and feeling you are out of place.

Recalling the moment she was told the size of her publishing deal, Abike-Iyimide said: I started panicking because I come from a very working class background and I have never had even close to that amount of money.

My first reaction was panic but my agent told me that its a measure of the publishers investment and how much they love the book.

She cited Patrick Ness, Malorie Blackman and Jason Reynolds as among her favourite authors.
The Mamata Banerjee administration in West Bengal has cancelled the lockdown on September 12 keeping in mind the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test that is scheduled a day after.

GoWB had initially announced a statewide lockdown on Sep 11th & 12th. Considering the NEET 2020 examination scheduled on 13th, we have received numerous requests from the student community on lifting lockdown norms on 12th, helping ease their travel to examination centres. Keeping their interest in mind, while keeping the statewide lockdown as it is on Sep 11th, it has been decided to cancel the lockdown on 12th, so that the students can attend the examination on 13th without any apprehensions or concerns. I wish them all the very best, Banerjee tweeted less than an hour ago.

GoWB had initially announced a statewide lockdown on Sep 11th & 12th. Considering the NEET 2020 examination scheduled on 13th, we have received numerous requests from the student community on lifting lockdown norms on 12th, helping ease their travel to examination centres. (1/2)  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 10, 2020

Earlier the chief minister had said that nearly 75% of the candidates could not attend the Joint Entrance Examination on September 1 because of the pandemic.

The state government had in August enforced lockdown on six days. On September 7 the first lockdown of the month was enforced.

The Kolkata Metro has also decided to run 66 trains on Sunday so that NEET candidates can reach the exam centres without much hassle.
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Former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody (Tihar Jail) in a money laundering case filed against him related to the Delhi Riots case.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju appearing for the ED appraised a single judge bench of the High Court presided by Yogesh Khanna on Thursday that the agency has not sought Hussain's further custody and he has been handed over to the Tihar Jail.

"We are not seeking his further custody and have handed him over to the Tihar Jail," said the ED.

The submissions came in while the court was hearing a petition filed by Hussain challenging a trial court order which had extended his remand granted to the ED.

On August 27, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) had cancelled the membership of Hussain and he is no longer a Municipal Councillor from the Aam Aadmi Party. He was suspended from the post after his name cropped out pursuant to the riots.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Congress is looking to corner the central government on unemployment with its new social media campaign - #SpeakUpForJobs - as Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister is not listening to the youth.

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, "For the future of youth first the Nyay scheme should be implemented and MSMEs be supported because they are the backbone of the country." While Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that "due to increase in privatisation and bad government policies jobs are at risk and moreover there is moratorium in new appointments." The Congress targeted the government and alleged "it only takes care of richer people, millionaires, and corporate sector but it is not bothered about employment creation and the youth and does not give consideration to the farmers." The campaign comes after Congress workers clashed with the police in Lucknow on Wednesday night as they attempted to take out a candlelight march in protest against unemployment and other issues. The Congress workers were also expressing their support to the '9 Baje, 9 Minute' call when they were stopped by the police.

The party alleged that the BJP-led NDA government had failed to fulfil its promises on the creation of jobs in the last six years and only made "hollow promises".

The Congress said that with a labour force of 42.8 crore in the country, including 3.6 crore unemployed, generation of jobs should be the top priority of the government at the moment.

The opposition party claimed that the outlook for the Indian economy looked "bleak" as the quarterly GDP numbers of -23.9 per cent growth showed.

Rahul Gandhi said: "Twelve crore jobs have vanished, 5-trillion-dollar economy has vanished, the common man's income too and so the country's prosperity has vanished."
A former Columbia University gynecologist accused of sexually abusing more than two dozen patients, including the wife of former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, has been released on $1 million bail.

Robert A. Hadden, 62, faces federal charges including six counts of inducing others to travel to engage in illegal sex acts in a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday.

He will now be subject to home confinement as part of his bail terms set by Manhattan federal court judge Robert Lehrburger.

The sexual abuse allegations against Hadden date back as early as 1993 and include the alleged abuse of a minor who he understood to be under 18 in part because he had delivered her at birth.

At the remote arraignment on Wednesday evening, one of his alleged victims named Jessica Sell Chambers urged Judge Lehrburger to remand Hadden into custody pending his trial.

Disgraced Columbia University gynecologist Robert A. Hadden, 62, has been released on $1million bail after he was indicted on sex abuse charges

Hadden is accused of sexually abusing more than two dozen patients, including the wife of former presidential candidate Andrew Yang

'He has injured many, many, many women and he needs to be held accountable for that,' Chambers said.

'I think the court needs to ensure he has no chance to flee or hurt himself or anything like that,' she added.

Prosecutors pleas for Hadden to be remanded were also ignored noting that he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. Prosecutors are concerned that Hadden, who has a substantial amount of money could use it to flee the country.

Hadden (pictured after he was released on bail) was charged with six counts of inducing others to travel to engage in illegal sex acts

The indictment said Hadden had sexually abused dozens of female patients, including multiple minors, 'under the guise of conducting purported gynecological and obstetric examinations' at his medical offices and Manhattan hospitals

Haddens attorney argued that he was not a flight risk because he is the sole caretaker of his severely disabled adult son.

The indictment said Hadden had sexually abused dozens of female patients, including multiple minors, 'under the guise of conducting purported gynecological and obstetric examinations' at his medical offices and Manhattan hospitals.

It notes that Hadden used his role as a doctor in a prominent university to make or attempt to make his victims believe that the sexual abuse he allegedly inflicted on them was appropriate and medically necessary.

Yet during these appointments, he groped and penetrated patients during vaginal examinations and 'mole checks' that served 'no medical purpose'.

Hadden also allegedly made sexually inappropriate remarks and surreptitiously performed oral sex on patients

It claims he encouraged his patients to see him often and would try to make them feel at ease by showing them photographs of his family.

Robert Hadden, right, is released on bail, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in New York

Andrew Yang said he was 'extraordinarily proud' of his wife Evelyn (pictured together) for telling her story in January and no one deserves to be treated as she was

The indictment describes the alleged abuse of a patient who Hadden had delivered at birth

The victims allege that Hadden would conduct two breast exams during an appointment

Hadden, 62, faces six counts of inducing others to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. He was arrested on Wednesday

He would 'develop a relationship with his victims and causing them to trust him,' it adds.

The document alleges that Hadden also targeted younger or less experienced victims such as first-time mothers so they would not know that his actions were not medically necessary.

Some of his victims would realize his inappropriate conduct, it notes, while others would continue to attend appointments with Hadden for years.

It claims he would frequently conduct two breast exams in an appointment, one when a chaperone was present and another when he found opportunities to be alone with victims.

The second examinations were described by victims as 'long' and 'sexualized'.

In other instances he would tell his patients that they needed to be fully nude for pelvic exams, it said.

His victims claim that some of his conduct in examinations lacked 'any valid medical purpose'

Hadden formerly worked at Columbia University, pictured

Two of the victim stories described in the indictment claim that at appointments shortly after childbirth, Hadden squeezed their nipples to extract milk with no medical purpose.

At least two other victims accused him of licking their vagina during a medical exam.

One victim, named only as victim 4, said that during vaginal exams, Hadden would apply lubrication directly onto the outside of her vagina.

In other cases it alleges he would ask patients inappropriate questions about their sex lives and advise them on how to 'groom their public hair and how to masturbate or have orgasm'.

The document also alleges that Hadden would use access to birth control as power over his patients. Once giving them free birth control, it claims he would give only a few months supply to ensure that they would schedule another appointment soon.

The indictment notes that Hadden allegedly had dozens of victims, including multiple minors, but only details the allegations of one minor victim and five other adult female victims.

Hadden (pictured outside his home) stood accused in a sex-abuse case involving six patients back in 2016 but reached a deal, pleading guilty to two counts of criminal sexual act in the third degree and forcible touching. He lost his medical license but served no prison time

The minor victim visited Hadden between 2010 and 2012 after he pushed her parent to begin bringing her to appointments once she neared puberty.

Hadden was arrested Wednesday morning in New Jersey, authorities said. He has a home in Englewood, which is located about 10 miles outside Manhattan.

He is set to appear Wednesday afternoon in Manhattan federal court.

Hadden, who had avoided prison time but surrendered his medical license in an earlier plea deal with state prosecutors, has faced a growing chorus of accusers in recent years.

They have included Evelyn Yang, the wife of former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, who earlier this year told CNN that Hadden assaulted her in 2012, including when she was seven months pregnant.

Hoechstetter (pictured with NYC council speaker Corey Johnson) called for Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance to resign for 'failing to protect victims of sexual assault' after Hadden reached a plea deal for sexual assault charges in 2016. She said the federal indictment Wednesday 'only puts into high relief the betrayal I and his other victims experienced by the Manhattan DA'

Hadden reached a plea agreement in 2016 with prosecutors in the office of Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, who reopened an investigation into the doctor amid criticism over his handling of a case that included five counts of committing a criminal sexual act.

Evelyn Yang, in the CNN interview, called Hadden's punishment a 'slap on the wrist.'

'What happened to me should have never happened,' she said.

Marissa Hoechstetter, another Hadden accuser, has said Vance's office misled her about the statute of limitations in Hadden's case and was already negotiating the plea deal when she was still talking to prosecutors about testifying at a potential trial.

The federal indictment Wednesday 'only puts into high relief the betrayal I and his other victims experienced by the Manhattan DA,' she said.

'I hope that through the course of this, the world will finally see the full extent of Hadden's decades of sexual abuse and the institutional cowardice that protected and enabled him for so long,' Hoechstetter said in a statement to The Associated Press.

'He and his enablers must be held accountable if we are to make change in a system that harms those it is meant to protect.'

Danny Frost, a spokesman for Vance, said state prosecutors provided 'substantial assistance' leading to the indictment.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is still conducting its own 'intensely active' investigation into 'potential failures by Dr. Haddens employer and hospital to disclose additional incidents of abuse to our office and to regulators when required.'
The North Complex Fire east of Chico in Northern California burned actively overnight, but officials said the blaze "did not experience significant growth" and its footprint remains about a quarter-million acres. Containment decreased from 24% to 23%, according to the latest status report issued Thursday morning.

Cal Fire has joined the U.S. Forest Service to tackle the blaze and Jay Kurth, incident commander for the U.S. Forest Service, said firefighters will focus on building containment lines and protecting structures, particularly in the town of Little Grass Valley, on Thursday.

"The fire is not threatening Oroville or other densely populated areas," the Sacramento Bee reported.

The group of fires burning across Plumas, Butte and Yuba counties had been smoldering for days since first igniting in mid-August. Earlier this week fierce winds kicked up, fanning flames, triggering evacuations, killing three people, and incinerating a mountain community. Topography, high winds and dry fuels aligned to produce unprecedented fire behavior, officials said.

The Butte County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wednesday evening three people died in connection with the Bear Fire, which is part of the North Complex. Two bodies were found in Berry Creek, and the other in another location.

California Highway Patrol Officer Ben Draper told the Bay Area News Group that one person was found in a car and apparently had been trying to escape the flames. At least 12 people are also missing, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said.

Some 20,000 residents in Plumas, Butte and Yuba counties have been forced to flee from the North Complex. More than 2,000 structures have been destroyed and this number is expected to increase as crews complete damage assessments.

On Thursday morning the U.S. Forest Service released a new map of the blaze's footprint that has crept into an area that burned as recently as 2018 in the devastating Camp Fire. On Wednesday, the U.S. Forest Service reported the fire was 252,163 acres and on Thursday the total acreage was reduced to 247,358 due to more accurate mapping from infared flight data.

Noah Berger / Associated Press

On Tuesday, strong winds developed and the complex spread at a rate of about 2,000 acres an hour, according to federal firefighters handling the incident.

By Wednesday morning, it had consumed an additional 80,000 acres, stunning fire officials with its speed and ferocity and extending its potential threat all the way to the towns of Paradise and Concow, which were devastated in the 2018 Camp fire.

Cal Fire said they spent Tuesday and Wednesday rescuing more than 100 residents as the fire burned through the tiny Butte County hamlets of Berry Creek, Feather Falls and others.

Photos showed devastation in Berry Creek, where many homes and other structures were destroyed by flames. Officials said they dont know the extent of the destruction in the town, which is north of the Oroville Dam. Some witnesses said many buildings were lost.

Both towns are now under evacuation warnings, while evacuation orders have been issued for other areas around Lake Oroville.

Noah Berger / Associated Press

Images also showed flames licking the famous Bidwell Bar Bridge overnight Tuesday, forcing the closure of roads in the region. Highway 162 between Canyon Drive and Foreman Creek Road is closed, and there are a number of mandatory evacuation zones that can be found here.

Overall, the combination of hot, very dry and windy weather is a culmination of very critical conditions for the state, Brent Wachter, a predictive services meteorologist with the Forest Service, said in a video statement Wednesday.

Nearby, 3,000 residents were evacuated from the community of Loma Rica in Yuba County on Wednesday as the Willow fire grew to 1,000 acres, according to Cal Fire.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

MORE WILDFIRE COVERAGE:

It's going to get worse: California wildfires have already scorched a record 2.2 million acres

Will wildfire evacuations accelerate the spread of coronavirus in the Bay Area?

'It's just crazy': Yosemite's air quality forces massive cancellations

10 things to do if a wildfire is approaching your house

How to keep your pets safe from wildfire smoke

Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.
Editors note: Ross Tugade is a lawyer with the Commission on Human Rights and a law professor. She was a former Head Executive Assistant to the Chairperson of the Human Rights Victims Claims Board. Her body of research includes transitional justice on the martial law era. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the authors.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  As the COVID-19 crisis continues to ravage the Philippines, the House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 7317 on third reading last September 2, 2020. The proposed legislation  carried by an overwhelming majority  seeks to declare September 11 as President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Day in Ilocos Norte. While the bill only has a localized effect, its potential consequences are far and wide: it would serve as an effective State-sanctioned rehabilitation of the devastating Marcosian legacy.

Many examples of memorialization by way of Congressional legislation or executive imprimatur are found throughout Philippine history. The commemoration of Jose Rizals death anniversary, for instance, was first instituted through a decree issued by Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898. In the early post-war years, RA 229 was enacted to further regulate the observance of Rizal Day.

So why should a proposed law commemorating the birth of a former president be at issue now? The simple answer is that the matter with HB 7317 is complicated by historical facts and existing law.

The numbers on record

In terms of numbers, there are existing historical estimates of the extent of human rights violations during the Marcos regime. Alfred McCoy, in his article Dark Legacy: Human Rights Under the Marcos Regime projects these figures: 3,257 were killed, 35,000 tortured, and 70,000 incarcerated.

Meanwhile, during the historic work of the Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB), a quasi-judicial body established by Republic Act No. 10368, the now-functus officio government office processed over 75,000 claims for monetary and non-monetary reparations. Before the HRVCBs operations terminated by virtue of the laws sunset provision, it adjudged 11,103 successful claims of human rights violations that took place from September 21, 1972 to February 25, 1986.

Almost 21% of these claims are cases of killings and enforced disappearances. Other categories of violation include torture, rape and sexual assault, arbitrary detention, unlawful arrest, and destruction of property or livelihood. The names of the successful claimants are set in a Roll of Victims and have been published in newspapers of general circulation.

The number of successful claims before the HRVCB reflect, at the very least, a portion of historical fact. The actual number of victims could be higher. This, assuming that not every victim was able to file a claim for reasons such as death, the lack of legally recognized representatives, or filing claims beyond the period set by law. These incidents have been acknowledged under the process of law as human rights violations committed by the State under the rule of President Marcos.

On the aspect of financial-related offenses, no less than the Supreme Court, in Republic vs. Sandiganbayan declared that the Republic was able to establish the prima facie presumption that the assets and properties acquired by the Marcoses were manifestly and patently disproportionate to their aggregate salaries as public officials. In the end, the court forfeited in favor of the Republic of the Philippines the estimated aggregate amount of US$658,175,373.60 as of January 31, 2002, plus interest.

Legal acknowledgment of the dictatorship

The 1987 Constitution, which serves as the legal bedrock of the Philippines, is in so many ways a response to historical experience during the Marcos dictatorship. During the deliberations of the Constitutional Commission of 1986, former senator Ambrosio Padilla said this about the work of writing the new constitution: it is a task that will place our nation, long derailed by 14 years of martial misrule, back on the tracks of constitutional democracy, which is the key to political stability and economic recovery.

The records of the Commission are filled with such statements, reflecting the framers intent. One of the declared State Policies in the charter itself is the respect for human rights. It also contains various legal safeguards against abuse.

Legal acknowledgement of the Marcoses historical legacy is also found outside the confines of the constitution. Executive Order No. 1, s. 1986, which had the effect of legislation, created the Presidential Commission on Good Government to assist in the recovery of ill-gotten wealth. In 1999, President Ramos, by virtue of his ordinance powers, issued Executive Order No. 82, which created an EDSA People Power Commission. President Rodrigo Duterte, in 2017, issued Executive Order No. 47, which amended the Ramos-era E.O. to further integrate EDSA People Power commemoration with the work of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Perhaps the centerpiece legislation that effectively galvanized State recognition of the legacy of the martial law years is R.A. No. 10368. The law cites, as a legal basis, the 1987 Constitution as well as the Philippines various obligations under international law. Beyond its legal framework, the Philippines, through this act of Congress, cited a moral obligation to recognize and/or provide reparation to said victims and/or their families for the deaths, injuries, sufferings, deprivations and damages they suffered under the Marcos regime.

Cumulatively, these laws are animated with the spirit of historical reflection.

Historical revisionism in increments

HB 7317 would not be the first legal path towards Marcosian rehabilitation. In 2016, the Supreme Court decided Ocampo v. Enriquez  more infamously known as the Marcos burial case  where now-Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta stated in the majority opinion that the Presidents decision was a political question beyond the Courts review.

The social and political effect of the Ocampo case cannot be understated. Together with HB 7317 that is looming in the shadows, the legal architecture built around rejecting the legacy of dictatorship is slowly being chipped away, eroded beyond recognition.

All of this points to the shortcomings of a narrow response to a deep historical wound. Historical transitions must involve all aspects and institutions of social and political life, not just the toolbox of the law. Dealing with the past also means keeping promises to the future.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Rain is expected to return to the area this weekend, along with warmer weather.

The National Weather Services forecast calls for highs around 70 on Friday with cloudy skies. High return to the upper 70s on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday could see a light risk of showers in the afternoon, followed by the likelihood of rain later in the evening and overnight hours. Rain chances will continue Sunday until the earlier afternoon when skies will begin to clear and cooler temperatures settle back in.

Hazardous weather outlook

The NWS warns of a moderate swim risk on Lake Erie beaches on Friday.

Lake Erie marine forecast

Be on the lookout for waves of 4-5 feet on Lake Erie Friday with highs around 70. Waves will drop to 1-2 feet on Saturday and the first part of Sunday before kicking back up to 2-3 feet Sunday evening. Highs both Saturday and Sunday look to top out around 75 degrees.

Lake Erie water temp: 73 degrees

Work week forecast

Skies look to be clearer and sunny with highs only around 70 on both Monday and Tuesday.

Ohio regional radar
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The global fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market has grown steadily in the last few years. The market size is projected to reach USD 41.39 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of around 6.7% from 2016 to 2022. The high specificity of enzymes in biochemical reactions is the major driving factor of this market.





The global market based on sources has been segmented into bacteria and fungi. This is because bacteria is largely used to increase the shelf-life of fruits & vegetables for a prolonged time. Moreover, bacteria contributes to the easy genetic transformation for enzyme, which has led to the dominance of bacteria compared to other microorganisms in the fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=253649892

The global market, based on type, has been segmented into amylase, pectinase, protease, and cellulase. The amylase segment accounted for the largest share of the fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market in 2015. Amylases are mainly used in industries, such as food & beverages due to its cost effectiveness, and less time-consuming methods, and therefore the demand is high. Microorganisms are considered as the best source of these enzymes. Alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, and gluco-amylase are the major types of amylases. Out of the three types, a-amylase and gluco-amylase are used in a wider range of products in the food & beverage industry.

In the form segment, the market has been segmented on the basis of liquid and powder. The liquid form accounted for the largest share in 2015. The liquid enzyme is used directly in its liquid form or sprayed and absorbed onto a solid carrier. The liquid formulation of enzyme is supplied as a liquid solution, which is sprayed on the pellets. The growth in this segment is attributed to three major components, such as enzymatic, physical, and microbial stabilities are considered by manufacturers during the production stage which has resulted in the increased demand.

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to surpass Europe as the second-largest consumer of fruit & vegetable processing enzymes. This is due to the rising demand from India and China, which has contributed to the industrial growth for food & beverages. More than two-thirds of the fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market in the Asia-Pacific region is import-dominated. Therefore, enzyme manufacturers have investment opportunities in new product developments across the Asia-Pacific region.

This report includes a study of marketing and development strategies, along with the product portfolio of leading companies. It includes the profiles of leading companies such as E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Associated British Foods Plc (U.K.), Koninklijke DSM N.V. (The Netherlands), Novozymes A/S (Denmark), and Group Soufflet (France).

Speak to Analyst:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=253649892

Target Audience:
Smoke from wildfires burning across Northern California mixes with clouds and fog to create an orange gloom in San Francisco, seen from Treasure Island on Wednesday. (Philip Pacheco / Getty Images)

Many people in Northern California were caught off guard Wednesday morning when they awoke to pumpkin-orange skies caused by smoke from multiple wildfires.

And so were their iPhones.

Extremely dense & tall smoke plumes from numerous large wildfires, some of which have been generating nocturnal pyrocumulunimbus clouds ("fire thunderstorms"), are almost completely blocking out the sun across some portions of Northern California this morning. #CAwx #CAfire pic.twitter.com/y9evl4u0eq  Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) September 9, 2020

Those attempting to document the otherworldly scene might find that the rich orange and red tones they see  even after rubbing their eyes in disbelief  arent translating to their cellphone snapshots.

Thats because the camera  a computer  attempts to make sense of what it sees, according to Jay Clendenin, a veteran photographer with the Los Angeles Times.

Its going to look at that scene, see what it thinks is a sky, see all of that yellow and say, Oh, well, that's not right. And convert it, most likely, to blue, said Clendenin, who has photographed dozens of fires over his 12 years with the Times.

In photography, this is known as white balance, or the process of removing color casts that might make a photo look unnatural. The idea is to make whites look white, blues look blue, etc. iPhone cameras do this automatically, operating under natural color assumptions. So what do you do when youre trying to capture something that looks unnatural?

First, Clendenin recommends turning off HDR, or high dynamic range. That function takes an automatic exposure, a brighter exposure and a darker exposure, then combines them into one image, he said.

Story continues

That will really mess with the look of a picture because it's really combining three pictures into one, he said. So if you turn that off, you'll be closer to getting a single frame each time.

You can also adjust the color tone, either before or after taking the photo, Clendenin said.

Before taking a photo, you can choose a filter by clicking the icon comprised of three overlapping circles in the right-hand corner. Options like vivid warm and dramatic warm increase the yellow tones.

To tweak a photo after its been taken, adjust whats labeled warmth in the iPhone editing software. To find this function, open a photo, click edit on the bottom righthand corner, click the icon that looks like a yin-yang and then scroll through options until it appears.

Photojournalists don't typically work with cellphone cameras, including when in a breaking news situation like covering a wildfire. And editing photos after they are taken is done within specific parameters. The Times' ethics guidelines read: "We do not add color, create photomontages, remove objects or flop images. We do not digitally alter images beyond making minor adjustments for color correction, exposure correction and removal of dust spots or scratches required to ensure faithful reproduction of the original image. We do not permit the exaggerated use of burning, dodging or color saturation or the use of photo editing app filters to manipulate images for publication."

Recalling photographing California wildfires in the past, Clendenin said hes witnessed rich yellow skies when close to the lapping flames, "but to see it everywhere else is kind of crazy.

Even in Southern California, where the skies have not taken on the deep orange hues seen up north, Clendenin described "haze and glow" in Manhattan Beach.
By Liu Xin

BEIJING, Sept. 10 -- In a joint ambush operation conducted by China Coast Guard (CCG) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of the Ministry of Public Security in mid August, a drug smuggling vessel was captured in the northwest waters off the Yongshu Reef of Chinas Nansha Islands. A large number of drugs were seized and six criminal suspects were arrested at the scene.

It is learnt that in early May of this year, NCB investigated and found that a drug trafficking gang conspired to smuggle bulk drugs into China from abroad. Due to the seriousness of the case, the CCG set up a special taskforce to work with NCB to carry out joint actions.

In mid-August, the drug-smuggling ship entered the sea area where the Chinese coast guards were waiting in ambush. The law enforcement officers of the CCG quickly seized the vessel and all the suspects onboard.

In the following interrogations, all suspects have confessed to their crimes. The case is under further investigation.
Above, Michael Gaeta, Christopher Steele's FBI handler in 2016.

By Eric Felten, RealClearInvestigations

September 9, 2020

Crazy was the term the FBI agent used to describe the behavior of Christopher Steele, author of the now-debunked Trump-Russia dossier. I've seen crazy source-related stuff in 20 years in New York and this was one of the craziest," the veteran agent testified to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Christopher Steele: "I'm very upset about  were very upset  about the actions of your agency," Steele said, according to Gaeta. Using the first person plural, Steele likely meant himself and his client, Fusion GPS head Glenn Simpson.

Nevertheless, the FBI continued to rely on Steeles allegations  that Donald Trump and his team were conspiring with Russians who possessed compromising information  to justify its surveillance of the Trump campaign. Without evidence to verify Steeles claims, the FBI fell back on its assertion that the former British intelligence agent was reliable.

The previously unreported testimony of FBI agent Michael Gaeta is found on page 900 of the fifth and final volume of the Senate committees probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. It raises new questions about the basis of the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign, Crossfire Hurricane, and the declarations it made to the FISA court in four separate applications submitted to spy on American citizens.

Gaeta had a long history with the London-based Steele, who had started his own firm, Orbis Business Intelligence, after leaving the British spy service MI6 in 2009. Between 2013 and 2016, the bureau had paid Steele $95,000 to pass along tidbits on Eurasian organized crime; Gaeta was his contact at the bureau. It was Gaeta whom Steele approached in July 2016 with wild and depraved stories of collusion and kompromat. Gaeta became the handling agent for Steeles participation in Crossfire Hurricane. Among his tasks was to get Steele paid (a process that came along slowly) and to see to it that Steele didnt violate the FBIs rules on confidentiality.

This requirement for discretion created a conflict of interest for Steele, who was also being paid for the same information by the Washington-based firm Fusion GPS. Fusion, in turn was being paid by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign for opposition research on Trump. The Democrats wanted Steeles information spread far and wide. They also wanted to be able to claim that the FBI was investigating the allegations. Paid FBI informants, however, are not allowed to tell anyone of their work for the FBI or of the bureaus investigations.

Gaeta was astonished, then, when shortly before the 2016 election an article appeared in Mother Jones titled A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump. The sub-headline asked, Has the bureau investigated this material? Gaeta was convinced Steele was the source for the article and confronted him about it. Steele readily admitted he was behind the Mother Jones story.

The conversation that followed and its aftermath have been described before, but in bloodless ways that fail to capture the importance of that confrontation in determining Steeles reliability and credibility. For example, a Justice Department inspector general report says Handling Agent 1 advised Steele that he must cease collecting information for the FBI, and it was unlikely that the FBI would continue a relationship with him.

'Listen, Is It About the Money?'

Heres how Gaeta recounted that conversation to the Senate: "Listen, is it about the money?" Gaeta asked Steele. "Because we have the money now. Is it about the money?" The FBI had promised, but had yet to deliver to Steele, $15,000 for one meeting with Crossfire Hurricane agents. The bureau had further promised Steele he would be paid significantly for his Trump-Russia research.

Gaeta assumed at first a delay in payment had made Steele go rogue.

Yes, I'm owed the money, but that's secondary," Steele told Gaeta. "I'm very upset about  were very upset  about the actions of your agency." By the we in were very upset one can reasonably infer that Steele was speaking about himself and his client, Fusion GPS head Glenn Simpson (whose client, not counting cutouts, was Hillary Clintons campaign).

The handling agent was shocked: I had no idea what he was talking about. Before Gaeta could inquire further, Steele started railing about ''your Director and his "reopening of the investigation. This was an apparent reference to former FBI Director James Comeys decision to reopen the probe into Hillary Clintons private email server after 340,000 copies of State Department emails between Clinton and her close personal aide, Huma Abedin, were discovered on a laptop used by Abedin and her husband, Anthony Weiner. He was a disgraced congressman under investigation by the bureaus New York office for sending sexually explicit messages and photos to an underage girl.

At which point it all became clear to the handling agent: I'm now understanding that he did this because he was upset that the Director's reopening of the investigation was going to negatively affect the election for Hillary Clinton.

The handling agent described his reaction to Steeles behavior as surprise and disbelief. Gaeta told the Senate that Steeles actions and attitude werent just crazy source-related stuff, but one of the craziest the veteran agent had seen in two decades of handling sources. The words are significant: Steeles behavior with the FBI has been characterized as a sort of professional disagreement, uncomfortable perhaps but not unreasonable. Gaetas blunt assessment casts things in a much harsher light and undercuts subsequent efforts by the FBIs top officials to rehabilitate Steele in order to justify using his reporting.

Although it has been downplayed until now, Steeles acting out  and his overtly declared partisan motivations -- constituted a crisis for the bureau, so much so that the handling agent describes it in violent terms: "After that point  after everybody digests what happened, Gaeta told the Senate committee, [p]hones were ringing at that point; people's ears were bleeding.

Bill Priestap, left, with Michael Horowitz, DoJ inspector general. Priestap vouched for Steeles reliability, and that misrepresentation is important because it was Priestap who was responsible for the official launch of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation in the first place.

Whose ears would those have been? Gaetas first call likely would have gone to Bill Priestap, assistant director of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division. He had just been made Gaetas point of contact at FBI headquarters.

Management said we were going to close him, Gaeta told the Senate. At that point it's just obvious. That's all you could do." The management was Priestap, according to Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Priestap decided that Steele had to be closed immediately. Gaeta drew up the paperwork and Steele was removed from the list of official bureau sources on Nov. 17, 2016.

In the wake of Donald Trumps election, President Obama ordered a multi-agency Intelligence Community Assessment of Russian interference in the presidential campaign. James Comey, the director whose actions had prompted Steele to go outside the bureau in the first place, now pushed for Steeles reporting to be included in the document, even though none of it had been corroborated. Comey called Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. I informed the DNI that we would be contributing the [Steele] reporting (although I didn't use that name) to the IC [Intelligence Community] effort, Comey reported in an email to his top deputies the next day. I told him the source of the material, which included salacious material about the President-Elect, was a former [REDACTED] who appears to be a credible person.

First in the list of recipients of Comeys email was Priestap.

Priestap would have known from Gaeta that Steeles behavior was among the craziest the handling agent had run into in two decades of source work. He would have known also that, by his own admission, Steeles motivations were to promote Hillary Clintons campaign apparently by sabotaging Trumps. Yet Priestap went along with Comeys presentation of Steele as a credible source. More than that, Priestap promoted the idea of including Steeles allegations in the intelligence assessment, himself writing to the CIA and describing the former British spy as reliable.

Finally, Priestap vouched for Steeles reliability even though he later admitted to the Justice Department inspector general that he understood that the information [from Steele] could have been provided by the Russians as part of a disinformation campaign.

Steele Cast as 'Person of Integrity'

But thats not how Steeles materials were presented to the secret FISA court. Shortly after the election, Priestap went with FBI agent Peter Strzok to London to see if they could rehabilitate Steeles credibility by gathering the opinions of persons who previously had professional contacts with Steele. They found some who described Steele as smart and a person of integrity But several lamented Steeles poor judgment or lack of judgment and his habit of pursuing people [with] political risk but no intel value. But because Priestap and Strzok did not find any former colleagues to say Steele made things up out of whole cloth, the Crossfire Hurricane team declared him to be credible for the purpose of justifying surveillance warrants.

The willingness of the assistant director for counterintelligence to misrepresent essential information is important because it was Priestap who was responsible for the official launch of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation in the first place.

Gaeta explained to senators just how serious and irrevocable a break it was to close a source: ''Once he's closed, nobody is allowed  we can't talk to him.

In this case, that practice was not followed. Priestaps apparent rationale was that the decision to close Steele as a source was not made because he offered unfounded claims but because he had violated confidentiality agreements by sharing them with the press. And so, the FBI continued to gather new reporting by Steele. One of the channels was David Corn, the Mother Jones reporter who had written the article about Steeles accusations. Corn was a longtime friend of then-FBI General Counsel James Baker. Their children had gone to the same school years before and carpooled. Corn gave Steele memos to Baker and then Baker passed them on to Priestap. Thus the strange situation in which an assistant director of the FBI forbade agents from talking to Steele because of the sources indiscretion with Mother Jones and then proceeded to gather Steele materials through a back-channel relationship with Mother Jones.

Strange, yes, perhaps even crazy.
A new shea butter processing plant, equipped with modern machinery, has started operation in Tema.

The factory was established by Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC), the oils and fats business speciality of Bunge Limited, a leading international agribusiness, and food company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.



The plant is the biggest of its kind in Africa, according to BLC.



It is a fully automated solvent fractionation plant that processes raw shea butter made from locally collected and crushed shea nuts into two major products  shea olein and shea stearin.



The shea stearin is processed in the companys facilities in The Netherlands, Malaysia, USA, and Canada to produce ingredients used in many food and non-food applications such as the equivalent of cocoa butter used in the chocolate confectionery.



Why Ghana



Speaking to the Daily Graphic yesterday, the General Manager of the company in charge of West Africa, Dr. Antoine Turpin, said BLC was happy to be part of the story of Ghanas shea industry.



He explained that the BLC, which had been engaged in the shea business in Ghana for some time now, decided to enter into the processing industry to add value to the product and employ the youth and professionals.



CoronaLife Web Series

Dr. Turpin commended the government of Ghana for the support the company had received in its operations, and added that the investment climate in Ghana had been very positive.



Employment



Last Monday, BLC issued a press statement announcing the opening of the factory.



Currently, the facility provides employment to 73 people from mostly the local community. Its strategic location not only allows for a more efficient production process; it also delivers on BLCs commitment to building a more sustainable supply chain for shea, the President of BLC, Mr. Aaron Buettner, said in the statement issued in Wormerveer, The Netherlands.



Critical role



The statement added that the companys latest investment in Ghana played a critical role in strengthening BLCs global infrastructure for processing and supplying high-quality shea products to its customers around the world, while bolstering the entire ecosystem of regional crushers and local shea collectors in West Africa.



The facility allows us to meaningfully support and empower the local shea communities through the transfer of knowledge of value-adding processes and by investing in local skills development. We are proud to join forces with local communities to help build and advance the African shea industry together, the statement added.



It said the company had also launched a campaign dubbed Where Life Grows, meant to celebrate the companys efforts to build a resilient and sustainable shea supply chain in Africa.



It is meant to empower women who collect shea nuts, create socio-economic value in their communities, conserve and regenerate the shea landscape in the region.

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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President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, who is spending a part of his vacation abroad, met with Minister for European Neighborhood and the Americas at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Wendy Morton in London.

During the meeting, the parties touched upon the prospects for development and deepening of cooperation between the two countries. Minister Morton informed that next year the United Kingdom will be hosting the 26th Climate Change Summit (COP26), which Armenia is expected to participate. Morton asked about Armenias approaches to the challenges of climate change, to which President Sarkissian stated that he personally supports the green approach and has always attached and attaches importance to nature protection. In this context, Sarkissian talked about his idea of establishing an Armenian Park in the premises of Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial.

President Sarkissian also presented several other presidential initiatives. He particularly touched upon the ATOM (Advanced Tomorrow) initiative, stating that Armenia will be highly focused on artificial intelligence, mathematical modeling, digital data management and several other sectors through this initiative. Sarkissian also touched upon the 6th STARMUS International Festival and the annual Armenian Summit of Minds to be held in Armenia next year and invited Morton to attend the events.
Joe Fernandez and Christina Hudson to Establish Firms Beachhead in Miami/Coral Gables

FP Miami Coral Gables - Johana Arbelaez-Perez + Joe Fernandez + Christina Hudson

Fileldpoint Private has expanded its advisory presence in Florida by adding the Miami-Coral Gables team of Joe Fernandez (center), Christina Hudson (right) and Johanna Arbelaez-Perez (left).

Fileldpoint Private has expanded its advisory presence in Florida by adding the Miami-Coral Gables team of Joe Fernandez (center), Christina Hudson (right) and Johanna Arbelaez-Perez (left).

GREENWICH, Conn., Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fieldpoint Private, the fast-growing wealth advisory and private banking boutique serving families and institutions, announced that the Miami area-based advisory team of Joe Fernandez, Christina Hudson and Johanna Arbelaez-Perez has joined the firm. The teams move marks an important expansion in Fieldpoints Florida presence, which also includes teams in Orlando/Winter Park and Palm Beach.



Mr. Fernandez spent 28 years with BNY Mellon Wealth Management, and for the last six years served as the firms Florida region president, and as a member of the firms senior leadership team. Ms. Hudson spent 22 years at BNY Mellon, working with some of the firms largest and most complex relationships. Prior to that, she spent five years with SunTrust (now Truist) as a portfolio manager and asset/liability specialist. The team managed roughly $900 million in client assets, working with approximately 75 families.

Mr. Fernandez and Ms. Hudson are joined by Johanna Arbelaez-Perez, a long-time colleague and 20-year BNY veteran who will serve as the teams Associate.

Their decision was grounded in a determination to provide independent, objective advice to their client families, according to Ms. Hudson. Our clients are entitled to our best thinking, without competing agendas or biases, she said. Thats the soul of Fieldpoint, and it was key to our decision to come here.

Mr. Fernandez added that integration of a full-service private bank within Fieldpoint Private was a critical part of their decision. Fieldpoint operates at a human scale, yet its ability to advise and problem-solve for clients across both sides of the balance sheet, including all aspects of their businesses and lives, is extraordinary, he said. Here, Christina and I can advise on everything that matters, without holding back because of gaps in the solutions we can deliver.

Story continues

Christina, Joe and Johanna are a significant presence in Florida and they had the opportunity to join any firm they wished, said Christopher DeLaura, Fieldpoints Director of Wealth Management and President and CEO of Fieldpoint Private Securities. Were honored that they chose Fieldpoint Private, and that they did it for the right reasons  for their clients.

About Fieldpoint Private

Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, Fieldpoint Private ( www.fieldpointprivate.com ) is a boutique financial firm providing the highest degree of personalized, confidential wealth planning and private banking services. Catering to highly successful individuals, families, businesses and institutions, Fieldpoint Private offers a powerful combination of wealth management and strategy, family office, private banking and business banking services addressing every financial need for each of our clients including: wealth transfer advice, tax planning, aggregation and performance reporting, risk management, goals-based investing strategies, sophisticated investment selection, discreet and personalized banking, highly customized credit solutions, custom custody and trust solutions, highly attentive/responsive service and concierge services.

Fieldpoint Private was established in 2008 by 31 Founders with a specific vision and purpose. These extraordinary leaders of industry and community recognized the opportunity to create a financial firm totally attuned to peoples individual circumstances. Our firm is built on a philosophy of exclusive membership and client-centricity. Working with a limited number of relationships gives every person the experience of belonging to an extremely selective group. The result is a new breed of institution established on the basis of personalization, responsiveness, and exclusivity, and an ensured commitment to impeccable service and consistently flawless execution. Our service approach offers a unique client experience custom crafted to each clients financial needs.

Banking Services: Fieldpoint Private Bank & Trust

Registered Investment Advisors: Fieldpoint Private Securities, LLC, is a SEC Registered Investment Advisor and Broker Dealer. Member FINRA, SIPC.

Media Contact:

Michael White

Chief Marketing Officer

Fieldpoint Private

203.413.9340

mwhite@fieldpointprivate.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b30bd0a4-b9a7-4a9e-99d2-e7630ddb4642




"This is the second ramming attack in the last few days," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in January 2017. "We are fighting this murderous phenomenon, which has struck both Israel and the world. It was just hours after a huge police force evacuated the unrecognized Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran in the Negev. During the eviction, which involved the destruction of residents homes and other buildings, a car belonging to a local math teacher, Yakub Abu al-Kiyan, struck police officer Erez Amadi Levy. Abu al-Kiyan was shot by the police. No one provided Abu al-Kiyan with first aid and he bled to death on the spot.

Though the police described the incident as an intentional vehicular attack, the circumstances behind it were controversial from the beginning. Former Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh and former Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan immediately identified it as a terror attack. They claimed that there was evidence that Abu al-Kiyan had identified with the Islamic State. The prime minister later joined the chorus, repeating that it was an intentional attack. Others, however, argued that Abu al-Kiyan had been shot by police, lost control of his car and hit the officer as a result. The incident was investigated by the police's department of internal affairs. The Shin Bet determined that it was an operational failure by the police and not a terrorist attack. Nevertheless, former State Attorney Shai Nitzan closed the case without conclusively determining whether it was an attack after all.

On Sep. 8, three years after the incident, the prime minister finally apologized to Yakub al-Kiyans family for turning him from a victim of police violence into a terrorist. Netanyahu took advantage of the opportunity to lash out at the Israeli police and the state attorneys office, claiming, Senior officials in the state attorneys office and police turned him into a terrorist to protect themselves and hurt me.

Netanyahus statement came a day after political commentator for N12 News Amit Segal published a leaked letter from the former state attorney to the police indicating that his office did not want to prosecute the police in the Umm al-Hiran case because it could provide ammunition to those who wish to undermine law enforcement. He also wrote, "The police commissioner indeed acted scandalously here, but there are national interests that must be taken into account.

Inevitably, Netanyahu pounced on this opportunity to link the state attorneys office and the police with his own criminal cases.

Would Netanyahu have considered apologizing to the Abu al-Kiyan family if he werent in legal trouble and facing trial for bribery, fraud and violation of trust? Why was he silent for more than three years? As prime minister, wasnt he shown the Shin Bets report, which determined that it was not a terrorist attack?

This may be the first time that Netanyahu has apologized to any Arab citizen. While he will on occasion express regret, he has never before apologized for any incident or statement pertaining to Arab citizens. His electoral base is known for its deep hatred for Arab-Israelis and would take any apology as a sign of weakness.

Abu al-Kiyans widow, Amal Abu Saad, told Al-Monitor, After the apology, we feel a sense of relief, because his reputation was cleared of all the made-up and baseless accusations that they tried to attach to him. Although the apology was late in coming and it is impossible to restore what we lost, this is still a positive step forward, because an apology means admitting a mistake.

Alsheikh said in a Sept. 8 statement only, It is not my custom to speak to the families of terrorists who are killed.

Abu Saad said, We are glad that the truth came out, because we didnt have any shadow of a doubt that there was no basis for his claims against the deceased. Former Commissioner Roni Alsheikh behaved abominably, showing no responsibility whatsoever to the deceased and his family. He thinks that we are nothing more than objects without any feelings, and not that we are living, breathing human beings.

As to whether Netanyahu would have apologized were it not for the trial, she said, He may have and he may not have. It is possible that the apology was made to benefit him, but he still apologized, at least as far as I am concerned. This will help us do right by the deceased and ensure that the guilty parties face justice.

Infuriated Arab-Israelis are demanding a committee of inquiry conduct a thorough investigation of the problem of police brutality against the countrys Arab citizens.

One of the most prominent cases of this kind of police violence involved the director of the Mossawa Center for the Rights of Arabs in Israel. Jafar Farah's leg was broken while he was arrested in May 2018. It took a year for Lior Hatam, the officer who attacked him, to be indicted after an investigation. The trial is still in the evidentiary stage.

The police commissioner released contradictory and false versions of the circumstances to the media, said Farah. In responding to Netanyahus apology, he told Al-Monitor, The prime minister and his ministers took advantage of every opportunity to incite against the Arabs. Yet now they are whining that law enforcement is attacking them. Families that lost their loved ones to police violence suffer in silence when they see how their loved ones blood being exploited for political ends. The Abu al-Kiyan family has suffered the loss of an educator and the destruction of the family home by a criminal government."
Julian Assange is being targeted for prosecution under the Espionage Act for his political opposition to US-led wars and government secrecy, an expert witness told extradition hearings yesterday at the Old Bailey. Under current US-UK treaty arrangements, extradition for political offences is barred.

Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University, a political scientist and author of nine books on the war on terror, who has published extensively on the Afghan and Iraq wars, testified via video link during the morning session.

Rogers explained how WikiLeaks revelations about US conduct in Iraq and Afghanistan had exposed the fiction of success promoted by the US government from 2001. His written testimony cited US academic Yochai Benkler that WikiLeaks was essentially a networked version of the Pentagon Papers which exposed US military intervention in Vietnam between 1945 and 1967.

The Old Bailey where Assange is being tried

The US had given a firm impression that Afghanistan was under control and that victory had been achieved, Rogers said. What the WikiLeaks revelations did was to confirm the view of some analysts that in fact the war had gone more or less wrong from the start. So the impression which was being given to the general public and the international community that this was a success, was clearly not the case, and the evidence published by WikiLeaks really confirmed that in a degree of detail that was not otherwise available.

On Iraq, Rogers said, From the start, the United States believed that the war in Iraq was going to be a very significant success. Within three weeks, the statue in that Baghdad square had come down and three weeks later George W. Bush gave his famous mission accomplished speech.

During the first year or two, there had been very clear evidence not available to the public that the war was going wrong. WikiLeaks was able to confirm much of that in 2011 and this had led to people reappraising the whole of the Iraq war.

WikiLeaks exposure of civilian casualties had played possibly the most important role in catalysing public opposition to both wars. The British NGO Iraq Body Count (IBC) had been doing very good work on this, but WikiLeaks added hugely to that and if I remember rightly the information they provided in various war logs was an additional 15,000 civilians killed, in addition to those carefully recorded by IBC. Thats probably one of the most significant parts of the whole appraisal, bringing to the public domain an unfortunate and very distressing aspect of the whole war.

Underscoring the implications of US-UK efforts to silence Assange, Rogers said that due to WikiLeaks exposures there had been a much greater caution by western countries, particularly by the United States and the UK, in the willingness to go to war at an early stage.

Assange was, someone with quite strong political views, Rogers said. Edward Fitzgerald QC for the defence read from a speech Assange delivered to a Stop the War rally at Londons Trafalgar Square in August 2011. Assange said that WikiLeaks had revealed, the everyday squalor and barbarity of war, information such as the individual deaths of over 130,000 people in Iraq, individual deaths that were kept secret by the US military who denied that they have counted the deaths of civilians Instead, I want to tell you what I think is the way that wars come to be and that wars can come undone.  It should lead us also to an understanding because if wars can be started by lies, peace can be started by truth.

In 2012, Assange had founded the WikiLeaks Party in Australia, contesting elections to the federal senate on a platform of human rights, transparency, and accountability. Rogers said, At the root of this is a libertarian view of the need for individuals and public groups to produce a much greater degree of transparency and accountability Its a very clear political position.

Assanges political opinions, especially in relation to the Chelsea Manning disclosures, had placed WikiLeaks on a collision course with successive US administrations and at the crosshairs of dispute with the philosophy of the Trump administration.

James Lewis QC for the US government made several attempts during cross-examination to establish that Assange does not have political views and that WikiLeaks publications were not politically motivated. Rogers countered, showing the broader political context for the indictments, namely the Trump Administrations war on journalism and free speech, and the history of war over the last twenty years.

Rogers sought to draw a sharp distinction in his testimony between the actions of the Obama and Trump White House toward Assange, emphasising the Democrats alleged decision to not indict the WikiLeaks publisher. Lewis seized on this claim, stressing it was the Obama Administration which had launched the Grand Jury investigation into Assange. Lewis said there was no evidence Obama had decided not to prosecute Assange. He pointed to decisions by US federal judges in 2013 and 2015 that the investigation was being continued.

Lewis then challenged Rogers status as an expert witness, alleging bias and political sympathy for Assange. An Honorary Fellow at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Rogers has taught senior defence personnel for 38 years, lecturing on international security at the highest levels of the British state, including the Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, MI5 and UK Special Forces. He countered that some of Assanges views he found objectionable.

The defence called Trevor Timm as an expert witness in the afternoon session. Timm is a qualified lawyer and the co-founder and executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation in the US. He submitted a statement testifying that the unprecedented charges against Julian Assange and WikiLeaks can be considered to be the most terrifying threat to the First Amendment in the 21st century and they would explicitly criminalise national security journalism. Timm elaborated in questioning that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein [the Watergate reporters] could have been charged under sections of the indictment against Assange.

The prosecution attempted to challenge Timms status as an expert, on grounds with chilling implications. Timm was asked whether he would feel threatened if this prosecution went ahead, having described the case as the thin end of the wedge to prosecute journalists. He replied that he worked on behalf of journalists in the United States, believed their rights are under threat and so felt fear on behalf of them. He added that, since the Espionage Act is written so broadly even people reading the newspaper containing classified information could potentially be violating it, everybody should be fearful of this case.

On this basis, Lewis argued he was not impartial, as demanded by his status as an expert witness, since there was a conflict of interest! That is, if the US government attempts to criminalise journalism, then anyone with a commitment to a free press should be barred from passing comment in court. The argument recalls the decision by the law Lords to overturn and earlier House of Lords ruling denying Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet sovereign immunity by citing the possible biased verdict due to the involvement of Lord Hoffmann, a director and chairman of Amnesty International Charity Ltd. Having already set a precedent for denying the accused basic legal rights to a defence, the Assange case is now stripping principled individuals rights to serve as expert witnesses in court.

The prosecution again tried to claim that Assange was not a journalist, citing the shameful September 2011 statement of the Guardian, New York Times, El Pais, Der Spiegel and Le Monde renouncing their work with WikiLeaks and condemning the organisation.

Lewis said that since the US government stated Assange was no journalist in its affidavits, they could not be accused of seeking to criminalise journalism.

Timm answered that it does not matter whether the government considers Julian Assange a journalist Nobody needs the New York Times to issue them a press pass to act as a journalist or receive First Amendment rights. This goes all the way back to the countrys founding with famous pamphleteers [Assange] was engaging in journalistic behaviour, he was acting as a publisher, and thats the right of everybody.

The final exchanges of the day dealt with procedural issues which underscored the deeply unfair treatment of the defence in this hearing. Lewis complained to the judge after learning his time for cross examination was limited to one or two hours for each witnesscompared to the half hour afforded the defence for chief examination. Baraitser refused to grant him unlimited time but gave him the opportunity to propose his own revised limits.

The hearing continues today.
He said roughly a third of the cases and fatalities are in countries affected by humanitarian or refugee crises, or those facing high levels of vulnerability. But the full extent isnt known because testing in these fragile countries is very low and in some places many people are reluctant to seek help, perhaps fearing being quarantined or fearing they wont get useful medical treatment, he said.
When the pandemic hit and more than a thousand of Madison, Wisconsins usual poll workers backed out of working the April primary, City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl needed replacements who were available to work late, had customer service skills and knew how to assess a photo ID.

Coincidentally, her office also handles licensing for a couple thousand people who fit that description and were out of work because of COVID-19: bartenders.

Chad Vogel, who owns three bars on the east side of town, worked at the elementary school that serves as his own neighborhood polling place -- and he ran into some customers. I hadnt seen them in like a month and a half, so it was kind of nice to see people, he said, adding hes likely to work the polls again in November and recruit other bartenders to join him.

Witzel-Behl was ultimately able to open around two-thirds of her normal polling sites, 66 locations out of 92. Thats far more than Milwaukee, which cited the poll worker shortage as a major reason it opened only five, compared to its normal 180.

She is, of course, far from the only election official scrambling this year with a host of challenges: replacing typically older poll workers who arent available because of COVID-19 fears, finding enough space to provide social distance between voting booths and, for those who wont visit in-person locations, expanding absentee voting options.

As election officials face unprecedented challenges and the presidential election looms, many are turning to one another for solutions. Local election officials with experience switching from neighborhood polling places to centralized vote centers and handling the transition to vote by mail are sharing the lessons theyve learned in hopes of smoothing the path for others.

For most jurisdictions across the country, this is going to be the single biggest change in one election cycle that voters have seen, said Mindy Romero, a political sociologist who is founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy, part of the University of Southern Californias Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Theyre going to need to not only know about it, but feel comfortable with it.

The Center for Public Integrity and Stateline spoke to 20 election experts and local election officials who have experience managing significant shifts in how people vote, especially those involving polling place consolidation.

The hodgepodge U.S. oversight of elections -- more than 10,000 separate jurisdictions, each with its own rules, quirks and needs -- means no solution works perfectly everywhere. But our investigation yielded some valuable lessons.

1. Make sure the right laws are in place.

In Missouri, the law requires all voters to be assigned a polling place. Local elections officials in St. Louis County are complying, but theyre also telling voters they can go to any polling place in the county.

The law doesnt prohibit it, said Eric Fey, the Democratic director of elections for the county, and were in an unprecedented situation. Poll workers can print the correct ballot on demand (he expects the county to have about 1,200 variations on the ballot in November).

The county expects to cut polling locations in November by roughly a third, Fey said, and this way, voters who face lines can change locations.

In Kentucky, state law said Gov. Andy Beshear (a Democrat), Secretary of State Michael Adams (a Republican) and the nonpartisan State Board of Elections all had a say in the emergency changes to the primary.

Working across party lines, they agreed to allow early voting in Kentucky for the first time before the June primary and permitted Kentuckians to vote using absentee ballots without an excuse. Theyve finalized another bipartisan plan for November.

Raoul Cunningham, president of the Louisville NAACP and a member of the national NAACP board of directors, praised the officials handling of the primary. When the emergency is over, he said, the state should change its election laws to permanently allow early and no-excuse absentee voting, and extend polling place hours past 6 p.m., one of the earliest closing times in the nation.

Other states also have made changes, at least for this year, either voluntarily or in response to lawsuits. Rhode Island voters will no longer need two witnesses or a notary to cast a mail ballot in November. California will send every registered voter a mail-in ballot. Connecticut is allowing voters to cast absentee ballots without an excuse.

2. Make sure your system is built on good tech.

In 2018, San Mateo County, California, struggled with long lines in its first election using reduced polling locations and more mail-in voting. Jim Irizarry, the countys assistant chief elections officer, blames decade-old technology that made it tough to quickly determine voters registration status. If we had a little hiccup with the old voting system, youre toast, Irizarry said.

The county put new systems and machines in place in 2019 that officials say more effectively guide voter registration, send ballots to voters, track ballots in the mail, receive and process mail-in ballots, verify signatures, correct challenged ballots, check voters in at voter centers, quickly scan ballots and audit election results.

3. Check your voter rolls, then check them again.

When Rozan Mitchell walked into her office as the new elections director for Utah County, Utah, in February 2019, thousands of undelivered mail-in ballots were stacked around the room, returned because of inaccurate addresses. It was good to see that, she said, and say, I know exactly what we need to do.

The success of a vote-by-mail system depends on the accuracy of voter registration lists, Mitchell said. Without that, ballots go unreceived and voters are forced to polling places on Election Day.

In addition to coordinating with the states Driver License Division, Mitchells office every three months runs its voter rolls through the U.S. Postal Services National Change of Address Program, seeing which voters moved. The county, just south of Salt Lake City, saw more than a tenth of its ballots returned undelivered in 2018. Because of Mitchells software updates and focus on addressing, that rate was down to 2.7% in Junes primary, she said.

4. Track your ballots.

In Pasco County, Florida, election officials and voters can track mail-in ballots like an Amazon package through Ballot Scout (a tool created by Democracy Works, which is funded in part by The Pew Charitable Trusts -- which also funds Stateline). Voters can receive text or email alerts when the county receives their ballot, counts it or needs a signature correction. It has helped reduce rejected ballots, said Brian Corley, the supervisor of elections.

Many other places use other ballot tracking tools, including BallotTrax, or systems created by individual states.

5. Change the way you talk about mail deadlines.

Explain deadlines so voters cast their ballots in time. More than half a million ballots were rejected during the primaries this year because they arrived or were postmarked too late to be counted, contained minor errors or violated strict rules, according to a Washington Post analysis. Postal Service slowdowns have increased in recent weeks.

In Davis County, Utah, for example, local election officials printed a recommended mail-by date on envelopes rather than the postmark deadline  a semantic adjustment that reduced the number of late ballots, said Brian McKenzie, the countys chief deputy clerk-auditor.

6. Set up drop boxes.

Election officials have spent months trying to establish voter trust with the new process, through billboards, emails, letters, postcards, social media, explainer videos and working groups with local activists.

This sort of outreach is especially important for voters of color, who often fear their mail-in ballot wont be counted, said Jennifer Lumpkin, civic engagement strategy manager for Cleveland Votes, a voting rights organization that mobilizes low-turnout communities.

She encourages voters to drop off ballots at the local election office (many states have drop boxes) to avoid the risk of inconsistent mail service, which she said hit Black voters there hard during the April primary.

People do not trust the mail system because we saw it not work well during the primary, and we saw there were disparities in who got the mail and who didnt, and who got it early and who didnt, Lumpkin said. Its not a security issue, its an issue of suppression.

Her organization has embedded in the majority-Black east side of Cleveland to run in-person voter registration drives, absentee ballot request signups, and a yard sign campaign complete with barcodes that can check voter registration. She is working with other voting rights groups and some unconventional partners such as a biscuit shop called the Cleveland Biscuit Heads. Engagement, she said, must start early.

7. Send voters the right message.

Lines stretched for hours outside a vote center at Sacramento State University in California during the June 2018 primary election -- the first election under a new model that emphasized mail-in ballots and reduced the number of voting locations in favor of regional vote centers that any voter could use.

Courtney Bailey-Kanelos, Sacramento Countys registrar of voters, thought she had communicated the new process well in the months leading up to the election. But when she arrived at the college campus, she knew something had gone wrong. With the lines still streaming out the door at 10 p.m., she talked to a woman waiting to cast her ballot.

She said, I dont understand why you made me go to this site with all these kids, and I realized, gosh, we failed here, Bailey-Kanelos said. She didnt realize that she could go to any location on any day.

Reaching voters often is easier said than done. Inevitably, counties that transition to a voting model that reduces voting locations must contend with voters who stubbornly want to vote at their old neighborhood polling place, or infrequent voters who never heard about the changes. Long lines in that first election in a new system are typical, several officials said.

Theres a learning curve for not just election officials, but theres also a learning curve for voters, said Justin Lee, director of elections for the state of Utah, which transitioned county by county over the past decade to a vote-by-mail model.

And election officials dont control everything. The weekend before Kentucky voters went to vote in the June presidential primary, social media was flooded with posts warning voter disenfranchisement efforts were underway in the Bluegrass State.

Its true that Jefferson County, which encompasses Louisville, was to have only one polling location for Election Day after record mail-in and early voting. But it wasnt just a normal polling location in a church. It was the Kentucky Exposition Center  1.3 million square feet of voting space, housing more than 400 voter booths and 19 check-in tables.

But as social media posts, lacking that context, spread, people from around the country flooded the phone lines of the State Board of Elections with concern and even death threats.

How many voters passed on voting  to avoid long lines that did not exist? Jared Dearing, the boards executive director, said in July testimony at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Lines in Jefferson County averaged 15 minutes, and other places around the country are now looking at using arenas, fairgrounds and other large spaces for voting in November.

Voters are bound to have questions about safety, security and privacy, and election officials must be prepared to answer them. Bailey-Kanelos, Irizarry and others say theyve made videos of their machines at work, and let voters and local reporters watch mail ballot processing as it happens.

8. On a budget? DIY.

Chris Anderson, elections supervisor in Seminole County, Florida, temporarily set up his training room like a voting precinct to map out how many voters and poll workers could be in there while complying with social distancing requirements, and to figure out which objects multiple people might touch. His staff also did a mathematical analysis of all voting sites, to figure out where they would need larger rooms for in-person voting.

I wanted to experience what the voter was going to experience and what the election worker was going to experience, he said.

Anderson realized the styluses voters use to sign in on iPads were going to be a problem.

On a limited budget, he hit the Dollar Tree. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on disposable styluses, he bought Q-tips and wrapped them in aluminum foil tape. Throw in a wet sponge to moisten the cotton tip (he cut the sponges in half to save money), and he had a stylus that could work.

Even better: Voters in the August primary got their own styluses, and they were collected to be reused for subsequent elections. Voters found it was really cool that we would go out of our way to do something creative, Anderson said.

The county emergency services department was willing to give him hundreds of gallons in alcohol solution to clean his pens. When searching for something to put it in at each precinct, he realized the container one of his favorite lunches comes in  pho soup  was sturdy and cheap, about $36 for 100 on Amazon. Bingo.

I know, he said, it sounds kind of MacGyverish.

9. Use existing tools and educate voters.

San Mateo and Sacramento were two of five California counties that switched to a new model under the California Voters Choice Act in 2018, and more will follow in 2020. The law calls for mailing every voter a ballot and expanding early voting. It allows counties to offer fewer Election Day polling places, but permits voters to go to any of them.

Because voting rights advocates were concerned the reduction in polling places would disenfranchise some voters, especially voters of color, the California law includes criteria local election officials must take into account when deciding where to put the vote centers, including proximity to low-income communities, communities that speak languages other than English and areas with low usage of vote by mail.

In California, even when the location criteria for vote centers were written into the law, there were still concerns about how consistently counties would interpret those standards, said the Center for Inclusive Democracys Romero.

Her group created a vote siting tool that incorporates all of Californias criteria and suggests locations a half-mile in diameter that would be suitable for vote centers. The tool and the data are public, allowing registrars and community groups to use them to find options, something she said has sparked data-driven discussions that built trust.

The tool is expanding to 10 more states this year: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.

10. Give everyone an I Voted sticker.

Election officials are unanimous: All voters want a symbol of their work. So, put an I Voted sticker inside every mail-in ballot envelope.

This article was first posted on Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
THE fashion giant behind Louis Vuitton has pulled out of a blockbuster 12.4bn takeover of Tiffany  sparking a bitter legal battle.

The French government told LVMH to delay the deal, the largest ever takeover in the sector, as part of a trade war sparked by Donald Trumps threats to put tariffs on Frances luxury sector in response to plans to impose a digital services tax on US tech companies.

Spotlight: Tiffany's products are often modelled by Hollywood stars like Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured)

LVMH said that given the request from the foreign ministry, and its own legal analysis, it could not do the deal.

Tiffany, whose products are often modelled by Hollywood stars like Gwyneth Paltro, filed papers with the Delaware Court demanding the merger is completed by November 24.

It said the 184billion French conglomerate deliberately stalled winning approval from EU competition authorities.

Tiffanys shares fell in the US yesterday wiping 1billion, off its value early on.
Police Confirm Missing Autistic Boy Was Found Inside Pool

The search for missing 3-year-old Ohio boy Braylen Noble ended this week, and police confirmed that his body was found on Wednesday.

Braylen was found Wednesday at an apartment pool near where he disappeared, officials told WTOL.

The Lucas County Coroners Office confirmed the body was that of the child on Wednesday night, the report said.

At this point, its turned from a missing person investigation to a death investigation, Toledo Police Lt. Kellie Lenhardt told a local ABC affiliate. And its still a very active investigation.

Lenhardt said police previously searched the pool after the child went missing but found nothing.

Its common practice in police investigations, once an area is searched, if nothing found, to go back and revisit that search area and see if anything was missed, said Lenhardt. But we do want to reiterate that the area was searched numerous times by Toledo Fire and Rescue, the FBI, private search groups, and both live and cadaver dogs.

The boy was reported missing on Sept. 4 when his grandmother called 911, or about 30 minutes after the child disappeared.

Lenhardt told the Toledo Blade that Braylens mother, Dajnae Cox, was taken away from her apartment by Toledo police, but he didnt say whether she was formally arrested.

A crowd of onlookers cheered the officers as she was walking with them away from the apartment. We want justice, they chanted, according to the paper.

Cox, in an interview earlier this week, said, I just want whoever have him, please take him somewhere safe.

I know hes scared and I know hes crying and he has stomach pains and hes not eating. Hes a picky eater. So if you want to just drop him off somewhere, please drop him off to the police station. You can drop him off here. Call my phone, she said.

Officials previously said Cox told police that Braylen fell from an apartment window before disappearing, saying the child is non-verbal with autism.

The FBI Cleveland office had offered up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to Braylen, according to News5. Those with information should call 419-255-1111 or 911.
New Delhi: A special court in Mumbai will on Thursday hear the bail applications of actress Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty, arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drugs case linked to her boyfriend-actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

This is Rhea's second attempt to seek release after a magistrate court on Tuesday refused to grant her bail. She was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and produced before a magistrate via video conferencing on the same day. She was sent in judicial custody till September 22 by the local court.

On Wednesday morning, she was shifted to Byculla Jail in Mumbai.

Rhea has been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for her alleged role in the drugs angle that emerged during the investigation into the death of Sushant. He died on June 14 at his apartment in Mumbai.

In the fresh plea, filed by her lawyer Satish Maneshinde, Rhea has claimed to be "innocent".

"She has not committed any crime whatsoever and has been falsely implicated in the case," said the plea.

Meanwhile, Showik was arrested by the NCB last week. He was sent in 14-day judicial custody by the sessions court. Apart from Showik, Sushant's house manager Samuel Miranda and his personal staff member Dipesh Sawant was also arrested.

Of Rhea's alleged involvement in the case, the NCB told the court that the actress was confronted with all other accused, including Showik Chakraborty, during her interrogation and facts in their statements were verified. The agency claimed that she disclosed her involvement in the procurement of drugs for Sushant and related financial transactions and also her instructions to co-accused Samuel Miranda, Dipesh Sawant and Showik Chakraborty.

"Therefore, it is clear from her statement that Rhea is an active member of the drug syndicate connected with drug supplies," the agency said.

Various angles surrounding Sushant's death are being probed by the NCB, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

(With agency inputs)
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The global eyewear market is estimated to enroll at a CAGR of 5.5% during the gauge time frame. The market is required to collect an estimation of roughly USD 185 billion before the finish of 2024. The upsurge in the number of visual inadequacies and expanding mindfulness concerning eye assessments are relied upon to give a force to the development.

Developing reliance on the younger age on electronic gadgets, for example, PCs, TVs, and cell phones has prompted drawn-out presentation to radiation, causing strain on the eyes, which is bringing about the acquisition of more eyewear items. Also, a constant change in focal point solutions has brought about the customary reestablishment of exhibitions, which is relied upon to impact the interest emphatically.

Developing several ophthalmic issues, for example, nearsightedness, presbyopia, and hypermetropia among the maturing populace, is a significant supporter of the development. A considerable level of the populace in creating nations, for example, India, Brazil, and Mexico, experience visual inadequacies, which are commonly unnoticed and uncorrected. Therefore, the legislature and private organizations in these economies are leading eye care mindfulness crusades, which is required to move the development further.

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Besides, expanding customer spending on extravagance eyewear is relied upon to give a force to market development. Producers are presenting original and trendy eyewear for the working class, youth, and high-pay gatherings dwelling in urban regions. Also, ascend in discretionary cashflow crosswise over economies of China, India, and Brazil is required to add to the market development.

Rising utilization of shades as a design adornment has brought about a change in the eyewear market. Eyewear suppliers are center around meeting the changing style needs of clients, notwithstanding offering focal points and glasses according to the specialist's solution. Moreover, they are continually endeavoring endeavors to offer tweaked eyewear, considering variables, for example, shading, style, and shape.

Competitive Analysis:

Some of the major companies in the global eyewear market include Fielmann AG, The Cooper Companies Inc., Bausch Health Companies Inc., Carl Zeiss AG, Luxottica Group S.p.A., Safilo Group S.p.A., Alcon Vision LLC, GrandVision, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., Marchon Eyewear Inc., Marcolin SpA, De Rigo Vision S.p.A., Rodenstock GmbH, Essilor International, and Charmant Inc.

Segmentation:

The eyewear market is segmented on distribution channels, product type, and region.

By product type, the global eyewear market is categorized as sunglasses, spectacles, contact lenses, and others. Of these, the spectacles segment is estimated to hold the leading market share whereas the sunglasses segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the review period.

The global eyewear market is categorized, on the basis of the distribution channel, into non-store-based and store-based. Of these, the store-based segment is further divided into specialty stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets, and others. Among these, the store-based segment is anticipated to account for the larger share in the revenue of the market. However, the segment of non-store-based is probable to exhibit the growth with a faster rate during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis:

Regionally, the eyewear market is segmented into the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. Of these, Europe is estimated to remain dominant in the global eyewear market in the coming period owing to the increasing cases of visual deficiency, which are augmenting purchase of eyewear in the region. However, the Asia Pacific is projected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to raising awareness about treatment over visual impairment and eye protection. Moreover, the introduction of the innovative eyewear and other accessories in the region are boosting the eyewear market growth.

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Industry News:

In October 2019, Tata Group-owned Titan Companys Titan Eyeplus introduced smart eyewear by adding to current portfolio including lenses, frames, and sunglasses.

In October 2019, Nova Eyewear introduced its nova drive lenses for driving around the clock. Introduction of newer products are estimated to propel growth of the overall market.

Note: Our team of researchers are studying Covid-19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required will be considering covid19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

About Market Research Future:

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MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

To stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.

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I present hereunder the sequel to my fourth critique to Professor Kwamena Ahwoi's Working with Rawlings. I stated in the post scriptum to that critique that the sequel was ready for publication, within the next few days, dealing with the author's narrative on Operation hawk and The Soussoudis Affair to exhaust the theme of the fourth critique. It continues to unearth the author's narrative demonstrating unethical scholarly conduct, nepotism and cronyism which negate the author's avowed purpose of writing the book to teach good leadership skills and the importance of human relationship as a leadership trait.

Operation hawk

The author tells the reader that 'Operation Hawk was the name given by his Office to a nation-wide investigation to stamp out economic saboteurs which brought out shocking revelations. The author alleges that nearly 1,800 public officials were ensnared only half-way through the investigation. The author as Coordinator of the investigation decided at that stage to take the findings to Chairman Rawlings and briefed him and the PNDC about what his investigation had discovered, the threat it posed to the entire public service and his recommendations in respect of what his Office had found. The reader is never told what those recommendations were but is suddenly informed that Chairman Rawlings listened and queried the author whether his brief meant that we risk destroying the entire public service? The author answered in the positive leading Chairman Rawlings to say: In that case we have to end it. Chairman Rawlings is said to have told the author to use the information you have gathered together with the recommendations (which the PNDC approved)naming and shaming the culprits and let us see the effect it will have.

The author purports to quote verbatim the words of Chairman Rawlings without telling the reader whether he spoke those words in a face to face interaction with Chairman Rawlings alone or at the PNDC meeting to present the findings and recommendations of the investigation. Were the words recorded or written down while Chairman Rawlings was speaking? Are they part of contemporaneous notes made by the author immediately after the meeting as part of the official records? Did the PNDC approve the recommendations of the investigation before the author held the quoted conversation with Chairman Rawlings? The words in brackets in the response of Chairman Rawlings (which the PNDC approved) suggests that the author's reported verbatim quotation implied that he met Chairman Rawlings after the PNDC had approved the unrevealed recommendations. If Chairman Rawlings did not say the words (which the PNDC approved) but were inserted by the author, then the author has misrepresented the discussions. It is absurd, is it not, for a speaker to bracket some phrases in his speech.

I have belaboured this verbal conversation quoted by the author because a content analysis of his narrative shows that the author's investigation and the recommendations were either deliberated upon and approved at a PNDC meeting or the outcome was a unilateral decision and approval of Chairman Rawlings and the author alone after a PNDC meeting. Unfortunately, the narrative of the author strains to saddle Chairman Rawlings alone with responsibility for the outcome not to continue with the PNDC's own revolutionary policy of dealing with and rooting out corruption and economic crime.

I have stated already that I had the privilege of sitting in PNDC meetings as Chairman of the Public Agreements Board and to have at most times combined that with representing the Attorney-General at such meetings. Chairman Rawlings has never overruled decisions of the PNDC meeting at which he was present after the meeting. I have witnessed him asking for a matter to be deferred for the supply of further and better particulars before a final decision. The Elkon-SIC agreement I have already dealt with previously, was one such notorious issue he asked to be re-tabled for thorough discussion before a decision was made.

Clearly, if there was a decision to stop the investigation, it must have arisen from the report and strong recommendations of the author's investigation to stop it. The case of the execution of Boham by firing squad where the author admits he marshalled support to speak to Chairman Rawlings shows a modus operandi of the author to get his way with Chairman Rawlings who depended on him for what the Chairman believed was professional legal advice anytime the author felt strongly about a point.

The author's narrative is not in consonance with Chairman Rawlings' indisputable character to fight corruption and economic crimes since his appearance on the Ghanaian political scene and particularly during the PNDC. I was yanked from my position as PNDC Deputy Secretary for Volta Region to head investigations into graft and other misconduct and know how passionate Chairman Rawlings was and is about fighting graft. But Chairman Rawlings is known to accept majority decisions which he uses to explain his point of view when the majority decision proves to have been made in error in the implementation. Chairman Rawlings is not known to act unilaterally as narrated by the author on such important matters underpinning the justification for the existence of the PNDC itself.

We moved from the PNDC to constitutional rule for more than twenty-five years now and adult readers who lived that period know the persons from the PNDC era who because of possible skeletons in their cupboards feared and still fear the investigation and prosecutions of white collar crime and corruption and corruption-related offences. Chairman Rawlings has never wavered from the anti-corruption and economic crime struggle in spite of unprovable allegations by his detractors. Be that as it may, the ambiguous narrative by the author who has always sought to redeem his guilt by victimizing Chairman Rawlings vengefully was intended to feed into the unfounded allegations of his detractors. The author has fortunately by his own confessions in his book admitted to now being one of the detractors. The most grievous unethical sin of any scholar is to fabricate data to achieve self-serving results in any qualitative work.

Ghana versus the USA in International Espionage: The Soussoudis Affair

This narrative deals with public international law and international relations between the United States of America and Ghana. It is written by someone who prides himself in having served the PNDC as Coordinator of CORCIT, and later as Minister of Local Government, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, and held other positions involving keeping confidentialities and official secrets under President Rawlings Governments. In the author's own preface to his book under his signature as Professor Kwamena Ahwoi he states that: But there are many other experiences which I have not documented either because they belong to the realm of confidentiality or the privacy This is an author, as demonstrated several times in previous critiques of this book, who says one thing and immediately contradicting himself by doing precisely the opposite as I will soon show again in his narrative on The Soussoudis Affair which was strictly a Government to Government confidential affair.

The subject of the author's narrative touches on matters of international relationship based on trust, confidentiality and secrecy between states. The exchanges between the two nations were held based on mutual trust and confidence and specifically included in the author's own words (I do not know whether he was quoting them) the following: The agreement was to be kept confidential and could only be disclosed by either party with the consent of the other. The author himself states that he never had the consent of the United States Government or the Ghana Government to disclose the content of the negotiations and confidential agreement in his book. The author who holds himself out as a Professor of law and a former acting Minister of Foreign Affairs knew that his request for a waiver should have been directed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ghana to seek the consent of the United States Government through the State Department of the USA. A Press Attache of the US Embassy who was not part of the negotiations (or even if he part took in it) had no authority to give a waiver to the author. The National Reconciliation Commission also gave the author permission to request for an in-camera hearing, meaning those proceedings were not be made public. The author opted for the in-camera hearing and the details of proceedings have never been made public by the Commission. That should have ended the matter and for the maintenance of the confidentiality of the agreement by any scholar with integrity and ethics.

The narrative about The Soussoudis Affair confirms the conclusions and assertions contained in my previous critique in which I asserted that Kwamena Ahwoi, the author, has no respect for confidential affairs of state or the privacy of anybody as long as breaching those ethical standards would net him what he longs for in life  selling his Working with Rawlings for profit no matter who he dehumanizes, victimizes and reaps vindictive revenge upon as his perceived opponent. President Kufuor had his share, Chairman/President Rawlings had his share on Stop the Executions and Autrefois. I had my share in excitedly swallowing an imaginary bait thrown at me by his friend Kofi Totobi-Quakye and him.

The most learned Professor and Sir Cecil John Rhodes scholar, and former acting Minister of Foreign Affairs breaches confidential international agreements with impunity. In his own words he had been looking for an opening to do so and Mr. Queen's intervention and the Embassy's silence provided the opening I had been looking for. I considered the confidential clause in the agreement to have been rendered null and void. I can imagine the poor, not too fat, but learned Oxford Cleric in The Prologue to Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales wishing to protest against such a banal level of logical reasoning in a book written by an Oxford Rhodes scholar intended for public consumption.

It must be amazing for any averagely educated person with common sense not to know that the content of the confidential agreement the author was disclosing was between the two Governments and not the individuals who were acting on behalf of their Governments. The author failed to tell his reader when he became the Government of Ghana to declare a confidential clause in the agreement between Ghana and the United States null and void. No person properly enrolled on the roll of lawyers anywhere in the world would have made such childlike assumptions about how such a binding agreement could have been rendered null and void.

A critical analysis of the author's modus operandi in asserting his importance in his relationship with and in the Rawlings Governments will disclose that the author knowingly and deliberately breached the confidentiality of the Government to Government agreement to let Ghanaians know the supposedly critical and indispensable role the most intelligent Kwamena Ahwoi as usual played in the negotiations without which the whole enterprise would have failed. As my previous critiques have endaevoured to highlight Kwamena Ahwoi's infected figment of his imagination leads him to think that the PNDC would have ceased to exist and the 1992 Constitution would not have been promulgated without him or upon his demise. I can only say along with the doctor in Macbeth that: God,.Look after her. Remove from her the means of all annoyance. And still keep eyes upon herI think, but dare not speak.

A critical content analysis of the author's narrative and the story about Abel Edusei, a very good friend of the author's brother, Ato Ahwoi, and the author's own friend who flatly denied that he was a CIA asset and that of Major John Kwaku Awuakye (Rtd.) discloses how unfit the author was as a public officer representing the interest of the Government of Ghana under the PNDC Government in the negotiations with the Americans. The author, an accredited representative of the PNDC Government on an official assignment engaged in a conversation with Abel Edusei who happened to be the author's friend and his elder brother's friend who denied being a CIA asset but sought advice from the author on whether or not the innocent suspect should accept the USA offer because he thought the author's principal, Chairman Rawlings did not like him. The author believed the denial by Abel Edusei that he was not a CIA asset but instead of performing his duty to the state by initiating the official process of removing his friend, Mr. Edusei's name from the list of CIA 'assets' our ethical public officer and now ethical scholar and author advised Mr. Edusei to discuss the matter with his lawyer. The next day Mr. Abel Edusei, the suspect, told the author that he had decided to accept the offer as the surest way to regain his freedom. What offer was there for Mr. Edusei to accept when the author as a Ghana Government official had established beyond every doubt that Mr. Edusei was not a CIA 'asset' and in similar circumstances he had officially declined others the chance of being classified as CIA 'assets'?

The enterprise between the USA Government and the Government of Ghana was to exchange assets not innocent people. The author was entrusted with agency by the Government of Ghana to ensure that only assets were exchanged. The author allowed his personal friendship and that of his brother Ato Ahwoi with Abel Edusei to influence his judgment and to cause an innocent Ghanaian to be de-nationalized as a CIA asset. Mr. Abel Edusei would not have been treated as a CIA asset which he was not, had the author performed his duty based on his loyalty as a public officer to the PNDC and the Government of Ghana. The matter of the unconstitutionality of the deprivation of Mr. Abel Edusei and others of their fundamental rights by being de-nationalized by their own Government came up for adjudication before the Supreme Court in Edusei v Attorney General [1996-1997] SCGLR 1 while the author was still a Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. The author refused or failed to share with the Attorney General's Office his disgraceful complicity in de-nationalizing Mr. Abel Edusei the first plaintiff in the case which he now narrates in his book as a hallmark of ethical scholarship and integrity. The financial loss caused to Ghana in defending that case would have been conserved in the public purse.

The author's narrative on how he connived at Mr. Abel Edusei being treated as a CIA 'asset' when he knew that Mr. Edusei was not one, throws every doubt on the author's denial of the allegations leveled against him by Major John Kwaku Awuakye (Rtd.) that the author de-nationalized him in abuse of power. The author admits that when the author told Major Awuakye about the USA offer and the circumstances of the offer, Major Awuakye was ecstatic, especially when he learnt of the possibility of his wife and children joining him later. The author tells the reader that Major Awuakye told him that he had not made any post retirement plans and that the offer presented him an excellent opportunity for him to re-start and re-build his life. Commonsense would have told any loyal official of the Government that Major Awuakye was not a CIA asset: but a desperate retiree who was looking for a better future abroad because he had not made any plans for his retirement. The author does not appear to have reported to his principals Major Awuakye's confession that he was not a CIA asset' but a person excited about an opportunity to re-start and re-build his life. The author in failing or refusing to report his assessment of Major Awuakye's motives for accepting to be a CIA 'asset facilitated his denationalization and the author cannot be heard complaining about Major Awuakye's understanding of the role he played in his departure when his sojourn abroad did not yield the anticipated results.

I have already disclosed to the reader that I am a professional donkey legal practitioner enrolled on roll of lawyers in Ghana on 17th November 1978 with number 1373. (I had accidentally slipped and written 11th November 1978 in my second critique of the book). I am not an academic, intellectual or scholar of any hue. I was elevated in rank of enrolment by warrant of appointment to Deputy Attorney General in October 1988. I determined to prove by my usual donkey exertion beyond every reasonable doubt that the Rhodes Scholar, Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, Chief Justice of the judicial and quasi-judicial organs of the revolution, PNDC Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs and what have you, fabricated the data and/or falsified the results of his qualitative data collection in his narrative on The Soussoudis Affair to wantonly breach a confidential and secret international agreement between the Government of the USA and the Government of Ghana.

Kwamena Ahwoi gave me the clue by mentioning his in-camera appearance before the National Reconciliation Commission. I went researching for the report of the Commission. The report of the National Reconciliation Commission, Volume 2 Chapter 7, October, 2004, Review of Petitions at page 117, paragraphs 7.10.16 to 7.10.16.2 demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt that the confidential and secret agreement between the USA and Ghana was not an issue for public disclosure and was not a subject of the report against the author personally. Professor Kwamena Ahwoi must have had this report at his disposal when he wrote his Working with Rawlings, (2020) since he gave an in-camera evidence on this matter. I quote in full hereunder

the relevant portion of the Commission's review at page 117 for even the most biased reader of this critique to judge for himself whether I am being offensive in calling Kwamena Ahwoi's narratives in the book the greatest irredeemable lies of all time:

7.10.16 John Kwaku Awuakye, a Major in the Ghana Army, was honourably released from the Armed Forces with effect from 29th October, 1985 . On 21st November, 1985, he was summoned to the Police Headquarters where Kwamena Ahwoi, an official of the PNDC, told him that he and others were to be exchanged for Michael Soussoudis, a Ghanaian government agent who had been arrested on espionage charges in the United States. Awuakye's passport was seized and he was deported to the United States two days later.

7.10.16.1 On 25th November, 1985 Awuakye's honourable release was replaced with a release for 'misconduct' by letter No. MOD/18045/MS and 'CIA agent' written across the face of his personal file. Since he filed this petition the Ministry of Defence have rectified the records by restoring Awuakye's honourable release and awarding him pension. As to the deprivation of his nationality, this was an illegal act which goes against international conventions. It is a nullity and Awuakye may safely apply to the authorities for a new Ghanaian passport.

7.10.16.2 Kwamena Ahwoi appeared before the Commission to state the PNDC's position on the matter. (The underlined words are mine to emphasis the point that Major Awuakye was invited and de-nationalized almost one month after he retired from the Ghana Army).

A critical analysis of The Soussoudis Affair reveals that the only reason the author breached the confidentiality and state secrecy of this affair was to redeem the image of Ato Ahwoi's friend and his own friend Mr. Abel Edusei as a CIA asset and to victimize Major Awuakye who had petitioned the Commission against being classified as a CIA asset because of the author's disloyalty to his motherland in de-nationalizing Awuakye without making a full disclosure to the PNDC. How does one classify a professor of law, a self-acclaimed distinguished public officer, and a Rhodes scholar whose whole public service career is characterized in the book by confessions and admissions of nepotism and cronyism par excellence? And another crony of the author, Professor (Mrs.) Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, PhD/FGA, Minister of Education under President John Dramani Mahama and Ghana's first female Vice President of a public university wrote the foreword, reviewed and edited the author's Working with Rawlings and adjudged it publishable as excellent for teaching leadership and good governance skills. This must indeed be an irredeemable unethical blot on any acceptable notion of being a scholar and a leader.

Conclusions

The foregoing exposition, and critical analysis of Kwamena Ahwoi's Working with Rawlings has demonstrated that the author failed woefully in his avowed purpose of writing a scholarly work to teach present and future leaders the skills of good governance and human relation as a leadership trait. I have also demonstrated so far that ethical scholars .do not fabricate data or falsify results in their publications (See Publication Manual of the American psychological Association, Fourth Edition, 1998, which is a classic for most scholars of other disciplines as well). This critique has further demonstrated that after reading, reviewing and editing such crass betrayal of trust to our motherland Ghana by the author then acting as a public officer, Professor Emerita, (Mrs.) Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, PhD/FGA had the pretense of courage of integrity and honesty of judgment to adjudge Kwamena Ahwoi's Working with Rawlings publishable to teach present and future leaders in Ghana leadership skills. Well, birds of identical plumage congregate within the same proximity, or so the saying goes. God bless our homeland Ghana and keep our nation from such scholars and leaders! Amen, Amen, and Amen! I pray. Stay with me. I will be back. Ghana First!
When so many interactions between police officers and suspects are subject to differing interpretations, there is no doubt that Bridgeton officer Sean Peek is a hero.

Peek, 49, died after one such encounter on Sunday, but not how you might think. No violence was involved. The 15-year veteran of the Bridgeton department passed away hours after jumping into the Cohansey River, in apparent attempt to save a woman hed seen plunge into the waterway after chasing her through the woods.

Peek responded to a 1:30 a.m. call about someone throwing an object at and striking an ambulance at the fire departments EMS station on Mayor Aitken Drive. According to authorities, he observed someone later identified as Sarah Jeanne Davis, 29, of Canton, Connecticut, jumping or falling into the river.

Davis made it across the river, but not until after Peek had dived in, wearing all of his gear. Other officers who responded to the scene said that Peek had trouble getting back to shore. He was taken to the hospital and released after evaluation, and was back at home when family members found him to be unresponsive.

Davis was taken to the hospital, too. But she was also charged with burglarizing several city-owned structures, and breaking windows and doing other damage. She was later taken to jail.

Peeks act was one of pure heroism, whether or not his death, pending completion of an autopsy, actually resulted from the incident. As his chief later indicated, the officer was someone who respected human life enough to risk is own life to save someone else, even someone who he had to have viewed as a likely criminal.

Sean made a decision as would any officer and entered (the) water in attempt to pull the person from the running waters no matter what the circumstances, Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari said in a statement.

Added State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan: Regardless of what he was doing in that river, whether it was chasing a suspect or whether someone had fallen in, to law enforcement, there really is no difference. You raise your right hand and take an oath to protect peoples lives and thats what he was doing and in doing so made the ultimate sacrifice.

Peek, of Millville, leaves behind his wife, Megan, and their 8-year-old daughter, Kate. Black bunting now surrounds his patrol vehicle and the flag outside the police station is at half staff. Funeral information was still pending late Wednesday.

Cumberland County is a place where controversial police actions have brought mistrust of law enforcement by many residents. Last summer, in a case that sparked community protests, a Vineland officer was cleared by the state Attorney Generals Office in a 2018 police-involved shooting death.

Regardless of varying opinions about this 2018 incident and others, Peeks bravery and humanity should be recognized by all.

In the broad view, the officers tragic death could be a reflection point for some questions:

What motivated Peek to respond to the call and to Davis the way he did, rather than escalate their interaction? Was it the experience of a 15-year veteran? Was it something in his training that is no longer emphasized at police academies? Was it Peeks positive personality traits that, sadly, are not wholly universal among those chosen to be entrusted with our public safety?

Police responses and use of force are now being scrutinized as never before, a long-overdue development. Nonetheless, an officer who dives into the water to attempt a rescue is probably the norm, more than the exception. In addition to mourning for Peek, law enforcement officials and involved citizens would do well to see if there are teachable moments from his selflessness.

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New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 51F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 27F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
UK prime minister Boris Johnson as Britain intentionally breaches its EU divorce treaty with new legislation that undermines key commitments on Northern Ireland. Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty

Betting exchange Smarkets says the odds of a UK-EU trade deal by the end of this year have declined by 18%, lengthening to near 50-50.

The odds of a deal have now fallen to 49%, Smarkets said, down from 67% a month ago.

Smarkets puts the lengthening odds down to the introduction of the UK governments Internal Market Bill on Wednesday (9 September). The new bill has attracted controversy as it overrides the UKs international treaty obligations. The bill states the UK does not have to comply with the Northern Ireland protocol, a key part of the EU Withdrawal Agreement signed last year.

READ MORE: Pound hits six-week low as UK unveils controversial Brexit bill

The protocol gave Northern Ireland the same trading rules and standards as the EU in order to prevent customs checks and a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. Reneging on this commitment has provoked anger in both Ireland and the EU.

Smarkets head of political markets Sarbjit Bakhshi said the Internal Markets Bill was a gamble and clearly the UK governments last-ditch response to the lack of progress in EU talks.

Smarkets lengthening odds tally with predictions of other observers. Jordan Rochester, a currency strategist at Nomura, this week said the odds of a no deal Brexit had risen to 40%.

Experts said the Internal Markets Bill could also scupper Britains chances of striking a quick trade deal with the US.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday said reneging on the Northern Ireland Protocol had implications for the the Good Friday Agreement and would give the UK absolutely no chance of signing a US trade deal.

The UK must respect the Northern Ireland Protocol as signed with the EU to ensure the free flow of goods across the border, she said.

Smarkets said the chance of a UK-US trade deal being struck this year were now just 14%.

With the UK's intentions seemingly breaking international law, and potentially undermining the Good Friday Agreement, the government is jeopardising a trade deal with the USA and the EU at the same time, Bakhshi said.

Adrian Paul, an economist with Goldman Sachs, on Thursday said the Internal Markets Bill had significant implications for the integrity of the EUs Single Market, the integrity of the United Kingdom, the degree of trust between the UK and the EU, and the likelihood of a UK-US trade deal.
10.09.2020 LISTEN

The leader and founder of House of Christ Evangelical Church Apostle Johnson Owusu Mensah aka Brother Johnson has called on President Akufo-Addo not to heed pressure to reopen primary and Junior High schools to avoid a second wave of the pandemic.

This comes in the wake of talks among authorities on the modalities to consider ways to open up the educational system in a way that does not disrupt the fight against the spread of Covid-19.

All nursery, kindergarten, primary, Junior High School (JHS) 1 and Senior High School (SHS) 1 student have had the rest of their 2019/2020 academic year postponed till January 2021.

This was announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo on Sunday, August 31, 2020, during his 16th COVID-19 update to Ghanaians.

Brother Johnson in an interview with this portal in Techiman said there is much pressure on the government from parents and some school proprietors to reopen schools.

He is asking President Akufo-Addo ignore them since some of them think of their belly putting the lives of the innocent kids at risk.

Yes private school and teachers have suffered greatly since the closure of schools in March, we cannot trade our health for anything, so looking at the situation globally it would be prudent for Ghana Education Service to consider the great impact this decision would have on teachers and students should school reopens during this period," he noted.

What measures are in place to avoid possible local/national viral resurgence? How many teachers and school staff have adequately been trained and resourced to identify and manage symptoms of Covid-19, stigmas and Corona Virus related anxieties suffered by children? Apostle Johnson, the CEO of V- Mixture herbal centre quizzed.

Apostle Johnson who is also a former journalist and a health expert said even if it will take about a year before school reopens, it is the best than to rush and put the lives of many children at risk.

He called on government to leverage the ongoing discourse about the educational system to engage all teachers in both Private and Public schools on a mass National ICT education by taking advantage of the increased national interest in ICT to equip parents, teachers and children across the country.
The NHS test and trace system is at risk of failing because four in 10 workers would be plunged into financial hardship if they had to self-isolate on Statutory Sick Pay, a poll suggests.

Millions of people are only eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) of 95.85 a week, an amount that health secretary Matt Hancock admitted in March that he would not be able to live on.

Self-employed workers and those earning less than 120 per week get no sick pay at all.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady warned that the government had left a "gaping hole" in the test and trace system. She called for SSP to be made available to everyone at a substantially increased rate of 320 per week.

Ms O'Grady accused ministers of incompetence through their alleged failure to address a glaring problem with the welfare safety net that poses serious risks to public health as Covid-19 case numbers begin to rise again.

She added that the prospect of mass unemployment this winter meant large numbers of people from all walks of life could face living off benefits for the first time. The government needs to recognise that our levels of welfare have fallen well behind other countries, Ms OGrady said.

"They need to wake up to the fact that our safety net just isn't good enough. People can't sustain a family or indeed themselves on the kind of money that's available."

A no-deal Brexit, made more likely by the governments apparent plan to renege on the withdrawal agreement, risked putting even more people out of work, Ms O'Grady said. For goodness sake, why make a bad situation worse? she asked.

A survey commissioned by the TUC found that 43 per cent of workers would be unable to pay their bills if told to self-isolate and forced to live on 95.85 a week.

Among workers earning less than 15,000, half would not be able to meet their basic outgoings.

"The government is outsourcing its moral responsibility to workers who want to do the right thing but know that if they do go on statutory sick pay they will be making their families pay a price," Ms O'Grady said.

"It puts everything at risk. Asking workers to self-isolate on 96 a week is not viable  especially when many dont have savings to fall back on.

"Even when ministers admit that they couldn't do it themselves, months later, nothing has been done and we've got two million workers who do not earn enough to even qualify for Statutory Sick Pay.

"It smacks of 'one rule for us, another rule for everybody else'."

We cant have a situation where people are forced to choose between their health and paying their bills."

The Independent has contacted the Department for Work and Pensions for comment.

The warning came as Labour leader Keir Starmer grilled Boris Johnson during Prime Minsters Questions over problems with test and trace which have resulted in people with Covid-19 symtoms being told they must travel hundreds of miles if they want to be tested.

"The prime minister needs to know how anxious hundreds of families are," Mr Starmer told the House of Commons.

"In the last few weeks theyve been sent all over the country or been told there are no tests. It cant be brushed off.

Mr Johnson avoided responding to the central point, accusing the opposition leader of carping and undermining public faith in the test and trace system.
2020 has been rough for Huawei and it seems like the rest of the year isnt going to get any easier. With initial US trade ban from last year to the latest restrictions placed on the company, Huawei is now going to lose access to one of their major suppliers. Last month, Huawei lost access to essential security updates from Google due to the expiration of the extension granted to Google and Huawei. This would affect every Huawei smartphone already out there which could render these phones useless after a while.

 Samsung

However, yet another obstacle has arisen for the Chinese company as Samsung is reportedly going to stop selling displays and essential chips required for the phone. According to Korean media outlets as reported by our sister publication ET, Samsung is going to halt supplying semiconductors including DRAM and NAND flash chips from September 15th. Samsung Electronics is also going to stop supplying Huawei and its subsidiaries OLED display panels.



 MensXP_Akshay Bhalla

LG and other companies like SK Hynix are also expected to halt supply of OLED displays and chips to Huawei. When it comes to displays and chipsets, Samsung is known to be the market leader and holds 93.4 percent of the market share. Rest of the industry is crowded by LG, Sony and others who are also looking to cut their supply to Huawei. This essentially leaves Huawei with no OLED suppliers for their smartphones in the coming future and that could hurt the company in a big way.



 Reuters

The latest US sanction covered chips which explains why Samsung has had to cut off supplies of their products to Huawei. Since chips are required to operate OLED displays, Samsung has decided not to supply them either. Samsung is also the biggest supplier of memory chips for smartphones, GPUs and almost everything that requires DRAM to function. While Samsung will lose one of their biggest clients, the South Korean Giant does stand to benefit by taking over Huawei as the biggest smartphone player in the world.



Source: ET
A migrant carries her belongings following a fire at the Moria camp for refugees and migrants on the island of Lesbos, Greece, Sept. 9, 2020. (Elias Marcou/Reuters)

Thousands Homeless After Fire Guts Migrant Camp on Greek Island

LESBOS, GreeceThousands of migrants were left without shelter on Sept. 9 after overnight fires gutted their overcrowded camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, and authorities warned that some asylum seekers who tested positive for COVID-19 could spread the virus.

The Moria camp, which hosts more than 12,000 people, was probably totally destroyed, one Greek migration official said.

Authorities said they were investigating arson at the sprawling camp. Early in the evening on Sept. 8, a new fire broke out, sending those who remained on-site fleeing.

A Reuters witness reported seeing a huge column of black smoke emerging from the camp. Live images showed people running down a road carrying children and infants, many using baby carriages as wheelbarrows for possessions in garbage bags as a fire raged in a gully.

Athens declared a state of emergency on Lesbos and sent police reinforcements to the island to help keep order.

Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said that about 2,000 people affected by the fires would be temporarily put on a ferry boat and two ships of the Greek navy. It was not immediately clear where the rest of the Moria population were.

The situation in Moria cannot go on [as it is] because it is simultaneously a public health and national security issue, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised address, adding that managing migrant flows was a European problem.

Authorities were investigating whether Sept. 8s fires were started deliberately after COVID-19 tests led to the isolation of a number of refugees.

There was not just one, but many fires in the camp. Migrants threw stones at firefighters trying to put out the fires, Constantine Theophilopoulos, fire brigade chief for the northern Aegean, told ERT TV.

The camp had been placed under quarantine last week after an asylum-seeker tested positive for COVID-19. As of Sept. 7, 35 migrants had been confirmed as having the virus.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said the European Union had agreed to fund the immediate transfer of 400 unaccompanied children and teenagers to the Greek mainland.

Aid groups have long criticized conditions at the camp, which hosts more than four times its stated capacity, saying its impossible to implement social distancing and basic hygiene measures there.

Tragically Predictable

The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said it had received reports of tensions between people in neighboring villages and asylum seekers who were trying to reach Mytilini town.

Events in Moria last night are unthinkable but tragically predictable as the dire situation on the islands has gone on for far too long, said Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, International Rescue Committee Greece director.

The UNHCR has previously said that nearly half of migrants now detained on the Greek islands are from Afghanistan and a further 19 percent are from Syria. Lesbos, which is just off the Turkish coast, was on the front line of Europes migrant crisis in 201516.

Greek authorities put Lesbos under a state of emergency for four months for public health reasons, allowing them to mobilize all forces to support the asylum seekers and island residents.

Mytilini Mayor Stratis Kytelis said migrants would have to be moved or housed on ships to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas described the fires as a humanitarian disaster and said EU member states should be ready to take in some of the refugees from the camp.

Boris Pistorius, interior minister of the north German state of Lower Saxony and an influential figure in Germanys Social Democratic Party (SPD), said it was time to shut the Moria camp.

This overcrowded camp is the symbol of the failure of Europes asylum policy, he said.

By Alkis Konstantinidis & Lefteris Papadimas
Chennai: In a significant improvement, MT New Diamond the very large crude carrier (VLCC), that is held 50 miles off the Sri Lanka coast has neither been ablaze nor emitted smoke for over 48 hours (since September 8 evening). Due to the efforts of Indian Coast Guard ships and their Sri Lankan counterparts, the oil slick (diesel from the explosion) to the rear of the ship has also started disintegrating.

Four Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessels are on-site to closely monitor the situation. While the rear portion of MT New Diamond continues to be sunken by nearly a metre, efforts are on to get the ship on even keel with the assistance of the salvors.

#Update#MTNewDiamond being towed by Tug TTT1, presently over 90km from Sri Lanka coast.

No flames and smoke observed, vessel assessed safe and stable by Salvors M/s SMIT.

Salvage equipment being embarked on #MTNewDiamond by M/s SMIT to stabilise the vessel.@SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/3wooXsKnrm  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) September 10, 2020

Besides having discussed the immediate plan of action with the ships caption and the salvors, ICG has also decided to initiate preventive action to avoid re-ignition of the blaze and to correct the trim of the ship. However, following inspections, it has been understood that the transfer of cargo (Crude) would not be possible at the seas, as none of the VLCCs onboard machinery are operational.

The minor oil sheen which was sighted aft (rear) of MT New Diamond has started disintegrating and the ships are being used to churn the waters to accelerate this process. No new oil sheen has been sighted. Post-inspection of the casualty ship, the salvage team are also taking necessary preventive steps to ensure the ships integrity and safety of its cargo.

ICG Dornier aircraft continue to operate from Mattala, Sri Lanka in Pollution Response configuration and sprayed Oil Spill Dispersant spray on Thursday. ICG Helicopter is also being launched for regular aerial assessment of the situation.

Vice Admiral Nishanta Ulugetenne, Commander of the Srilankan Navy visited ICGS Ameya at Trincomalee harbour on Thursday and conveyed his appreciation for Indian Coast Guards efforts in dousing the fire and neutralizing oil sheen, thereby averting a major disaster.

Indian Coast Guard has been playing an active role in the firefighting, rescue efforts since the afternoon of September 3, just hours after the fire was reported. 7 ICG vessels and two Dornier aircraft have contributed toward various facets of this operation.
A Texas death row inmate who was convicted of murder after authorities used hypnosis on a witness to identify him will make his final appeal attempt.

Charles Don Flores will make one last effort in U.S. Supreme Court to appeal his murder conviction in the death of Elizabeth 'Betty' Black.

He's spent the last 22 years on death row, appealing and avoiding execution, as his legal team and supporters attempted to disprove a witness account they argue is based on 'junk science.'

'I hope they rule that hypnosis is junk science and is not based on science and reliable research,' Sen. Juan Chuy Hinojosa told The Dallas Morning News.

'You should never convict a person or sentence a person to death based on hypnosis without any corroborating evidence.'

Charles Don Flores (pictured) will make one final attempt to appeal his death row sentence in US Supreme Court

Gretchen Sween, Flores' attorney, added that 'its junk science. The practice really needs to be relegated to the waste bin.'

Sween said she will file to appeal the death row sentence next month, but Flores' life and future in the meantime will hang in limbo,' The Dallas Morning News reports.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Flores, 50, was arrested by authorities after the murder of Elizabeth Black, a 64-year-old mother who was shot dead inside her Farmers Branch home in January 1998.

Neighbors that morning remembered a Volkswagen Beetle, decked out with psychedelic purple waves, parked in front of the family's home and two long-haired white men inside the car, the publication reports.

The driver, identified as Richard Lynn Childs, and one passenger slipped underneath the Black's garage door, shot the older woman dead and ransacked the home, the Dallas Morning News reports.

The suspects never found the hidden $39,000 in cash that belonged to the couple's son, who amassed the money through drug-related incidents and was away in prison.

A witness identified Flores (left) as the Volkswagen's passenger after neighbors noted seeing the vehicle parked in front of the Black's home. Pictured: a mugshot of Flores and police sketch

Sen. Hinojosa: 'You should never convict a person or sentence a person to death based on hypnosis without any corroborating evidence' Pictured: Charles Don Flores

William Black found his wife and their Doberman, Santana, shot to death later that morning.

Several neighbors told authorities about the odd Volkswagen and the two white men with long hair that exited the vehicle, but Jill Barganier would become the case's eye witness.

Bargainer's account for the most part matched her neighbors, but she had difficulty recalling what the vehicle's passenger looked like.

She struggled to pick out the correct passenger when the Farmer Branch Police Department presented her with a lineup.

That's when one police officer took a controversial approach and hypnotized her.

The Dallas Morning News in April published the results of an investigation into how Texas law enforcement utilized hypnosis to solve local crimes.

Authorities claimed that hypnosis could jog victims' and witnesses' memories while investigating thousands of crimes across the state.

The hypnosis session appeared a failure after Bargainer failed again to identify the passenger in a second lineup, but a year later she named Flores as the suspected man after seeing him in a courtroom.

Jill Barganier (pictured) was a neighbor of Elizabeth Black and underwent police hypnosis to help find the murderers

'When I saw him in person, there wasn't any doubt,' she said.

Flores was later sentenced to death by lethal injection, but the driver, Richard Lynn Childs, would be given a far less severe punishment.

Childs was sentenced to 35 year in prison after pleading guilty and got out on early release in 2016 - just a few months before Flores' first scheduled execution date, The Dallas Morning News reports.

A new execution date for Flores has not been scheduled yet, but his attorney hopes the appeal will set her client free and that police hypnosis in debunked.

'Now we know so much more about how memory does and does not work, why eyewitness identifications are associated with so many wrongful convictions and why there are no legitimate ways to conduct investigative hypnosis that do not increase the risk of tampering with memory,' said Sween.

The use and credibility of police hypnosis has previously been argued by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1987, the majority ruled in a split decision that a defendant in a criminal case cannot be banned from testifying on their own behalf simply because they had been hypnotized, The Dallas Morning News reports.

They determined that an individual can defend themselves even if a state bars statements made during a session due to their unreliability, the publication said,

Richard Lynn Childs (left and right) pleaded guilty in the murder of Elizabeth Black and was sentenced to 35 years in prison

But the practice was not formally backed or endorsed by the justices.

'Scientific understanding of the phenomenon and of the means to control the effects of hypnosis is still in its infancy,' the majority wrote in the ruling.

Now, the majority of the scientific community has decided that there's no credible way to validate the testimonies of witnesses and victims under hypnosis, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Studies have shown that people believed to be hypnotized sometimes magnified or even created memories that didn't happen.

Unlike claims sometimes made with police hypnosis, scientists agreed that the brain does not record memories like a continuous footage reel.

Courts have banned evidence related to hypnosis, and nearly half of all US states prohibit similar testimony.

But Texas has continued to rely on police hypnosis as a resource to investigate crimes, with the Texas Rangers accounting for 1,800 sessions since 1980, The Dallas Morning News reports.

They administered a session as recently as October 2019 to aid in a murder investigation.

The Lone Star State currently has the most prolific program in the country and have certified more than 800 police hypnotists so far.

Any Texas authority can use police hypnosis for criminal investigations after just one weeklong course and a written test.

Family and supporters of Flores (pictured) have argued against the credibility of police hypnosis

Despite the mounting scientific evidence against hypnosis as a law enforcement tool, departments have continued to use the practice and pushed back at critical lawmakers.

Much of the controversy surrounding Flores' are concerns that hypnosis altered Bargainer's memories and led her to name the wrong suspect.

Following the murder, Flores' attorney argued that Bargainer described the passenger as a white man with long hair.

But she later testified that Flores - a short, stocky Hispanic man - was the passenger.

'No one was talking about a fat Hispanic male,' said Sween.

Authorities had no physical evidence linking Flores to the murder, but he was tried under the 'law of parties,' which allows co-conspirators to be tried for the same crime, The Dallas Morning News reports,

Texas officials have been reluctant as of late to re-examine, having declined to do so this May.

Jason January, the lead prosecutor in Flores' case, defended police hypnosis and the conviction last year in a letter to Sen. Hinojosa. He claimed there was tons of other evidence against Flores.

'Mr. Flores and his supporters are erroneously stating that the entire case of the prosecution rested solely upon the testimony of only one witness who had been hypnotized and that after hypnosis the witness changed her story,' wrote January.

Flores was seen with Childs hours before the shooting and witnesses saw him burning the Volkwagen hours after the murder.

Prosecutor Jason January: 'Mr. Flores and his supporters are erroneously stating that the entire case of the prosecution rested solely upon the testimony of only one witness who had been hypnotized and that after hypnosis the witness changed her story'

Flores escaped to Mexico and, after law enforcement captured him, tried once again to flee, The Dallas Morning News reports.

He told friends and family that he was at the scene when Black was killed, and even admitted to shooting the Dobermann.

Flores denied making those confessions and said law enforcement persuaded his family against testifying on his behalf.

'To throw the baby with the bathwater by excluding all hypnotically refreshed testimony might very well result in a miscarriage of justice in the future for a victim,' wrote January, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Hinojosa is the former assistant attorney general who helped create the Texas commission that evaluates junk sciences. He's tried to dispel the controversial tool, The Dallas Morning News reports.

In 2019, the senator launched a bill to prohibit evidence obtained through hypnosis but it failed after law enforcement opposed the effort.

He has vowed to bring back the bill when Texas lawmakers met next year.

'We need a criminal justice system that people can depend and rely on and trust,' said Hinojosa, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Inaugural Thailand Plant-Based Food Awards open for voting

Sometimes helping the planet can seem like an impossible task.

HealthDining

By The Phuket News

Thursday 10 September 2020, 09:31AM

As individuals, we know that we should use less plastic, we know we should drive and fly less, buy locally and waste less.

But the single biggest measure we can take to reduce environmental pollution, water usage and deforestation, is to eat more plant-based foods.

These are the words of Root The Future, a Thailand based sustainability organisation that is on a very serious mission to reduce environmental impact by assessing and changing what we eat.

Their aim is to grow the plant-based and sustaniability movement in Thailand by producing video content that promotes the diversity of plant-based food.

Eating plant-based is the single biggest way we can reduce our environmental impact and we want to get this message out to the world, commented Joanna Broomfield, co-founder of Root The Future.

Our ultimate goal is to save the world by changing what is on our plates. And to create a change within our food systems by advocating for more sustainable business practices, Joanna added.

The group recently launched Thailands first Plant-Based Food Awards which will include restaurants based in Phuket, Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

The winners will be announced on World Food Day (Oct 16th) to coincide with the vegetarian festival and featured in a full page spread in the Bangkok Post that same day.

The winners list be a great resource for those who want to eat more plant-based food, said Joanna.

We hope this will expose delicious plant-based food to festival participants that may not have otherwise known about it, maybe even leading to these people choosing more plant-based options in the future.

Voting opened on Aug 30th and runs until Oct 4th. The campaign is completely non-profit and free to participate for any business or restaurant in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket that have one or more plant-based options.

Vouchers worth B5000 will also be given away to five lucky voters.

The Root The Future awards launch video has seen several prominent figures help raise awareness and spread the plant-based and sustainability message via various social media platforms to their significant legions of followers. This includes:

Warattha Imraporn 915k followers

Noon Siraphun 237k followers

Top Pipat 65k followers

Pun Pun 7.4 million followers

Giada 48.2k followers

Tachaya 414k followers

More information on the Root The Futures Plant-Based Food Awards and the broader objectives of the organisation can be found here.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Harris & Hayden Law Firm (formerly Harris & Associates) is celebrating its 40th anniversary of providing world-class legal services to California and the nation. The full-service firm was founded in 1980, specializing in corporate law, government contracts, and tax law, but it developed into a leader in the fight against all forms of discrimination over the years.

Harris & Hayden Law Firm championing civil rights and equality for 40 years. Harris & Hayden Law justice leaders.

Today, H&H specializes in cases regarding police brutality and misconduct, excessive force, false arrest, and more, and the firm boasts a stunning track record of winning major settlements. H&H also represents clients in labor and employment discrimination and in municipal law. In everything it does, H&H is a champion of civil and constitutional rights.

"As we enter our fifth decade, Harris & Hayden Law Firm is committed to championing equality for all people. Through our litigation, we have fought racism and unfair practices that perpetuate inequalities. We are proud to lead the way in civil rights law while thoughtfully working on behalf of our clients to produce profound, long-lasting societal change," said H&H founder and partner, John Harris.

"In 40 years, our firm has led the way in developing a substantial reputation," says Herbert Hayden, H&H founder and partner. "As we enter our fifth decade, Harris & Hayden Law Firm continue to litigate high-profile, intricate cases. National exposure has been great for our firm, but more importantly, we look forward to continuing key relationships with our clients and our legacy of excellence."

A small selection of the civil rights disputes that H&H has successfully handled over its 40-year tenure includes the following:

Secured $5.5 million settlement in Johnson v. County of Riverside  Decedent was stopped in his car at the Burger King drive-thru, Moreno Valley, CA. When police ordered the decedent out of his car and did not respond, they pulled him through the windshield, kicked, punched, and kneed him. The decedent died at the scene from blunt force trauma to his face, head, and chest.

Secured $2.5 million in a verdict by a Riverside County Jury for the wrongful death of Anthonie Smith, a mentally ill man who was fatally shot by sheriff's deputies

Secured a $1 million settlement in an excessive force claim against a Los Angeles Police Department officer who fired into a group of teenagers

About Harris & Hayden

Harris & Hayden Law Firm is a champion of civil rights and equality for all people. We have represented clients in courts, arbitration, and administrative forums throughout California and the United States, winning some of the country's most high-profile civil rights and excessive force cases. We serve as the voice of the unheard, representing people who have been tortured, brutalized, and murdered.

To download the full Harris & Hayden Media Kit follow link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-HAyH0SyoD3OJUqhihZpG4rsyUuBZwtj/view?usp=sharing .

Media Contact:

Sylvia Hampton

603-570-4816

[email protected]

HARRIS & HAYDEN LAW FIRM

865 Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017

(213) 489-9833

SOURCE Harris & Hayden Law Firm
DALLAS, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fears Nachawati Law Firm is bolstering its catastrophic personal injury, mass tort and product liability litigation expertise with the addition of trial lawyer Patrick Luff.

Mr. Luff has a track record of trying national cases and leading high-profile litigation. His background includes leadership roles in state and federal litigation involving dangerous and defective hip implants and other medical devices, as well as business interruption claims against insurance companies.

He also has represented victims and survivors of the 2019 mass shooting at an El Paso Wal-Mart store, as well as individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries caused by negligent trucking and transportation companies.

"Patrick's experience dovetails with the important work we are handling at Fears Nachawati," said firm co-founder Majed Nachawati. "We are committed to holding corporations accountable when they produce dangerous products or injure consumers with their reckless and negligent practices. Patrick's skill as a trial lawyer will allow us to better serve our clients in these areas."

Mr. Luff's professional experience includes serving as a professor of law at Washington and Lee University, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and the University of Oklahoma. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. His honors include making the lists of the National Trial Lawyers' 40 Under 40 and the 2020 Super Lawyers. A graduate of the University of Texas, Mr. Luff earned his law degree with honors from the University of Michigan Law School, where he served as executive editor of the Michigan Law Review. He then did doctoral work on mass torts at the University of Oxford.

"People come to Fears Nachawati because they know we will represent them aggressively in cases that are often complex and time-consuming," said firm co-founder Bryan Fears. "We're excited to have Patrick join our team and help us serve our clients the best possible way."

Dallas-based Fears | Nachawati Law Firm represents individuals, businesses and governmental entities in litigation, including sex abuse and sexual assault claims, business interruption claims arising from Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other natural disasters, serious personal injury and wrongful death, and mass torts arising from environmental damage and water contamination, as well as defective drug and medical device litigation. For more information, visit: https://www.fnlawfirm.com/.

Media Contact:

Robert Tharp

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Fears Nachawati Law Firm

Related Links

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Regional court recovers $5 mln assets from ex-Mari El governor accused of bribery

 Official website of the head of Mari El

15:57 10/09/2020

MOSCOW, September 10 (RAPSI)  A court in Russias Ulyanovsk has forfeited to the state assets worth 374.8 million rubles ($5 million) belonging to ex-governor of Mari El Republic Leonid Markelov charged with corruption and other defendants, the spokesperson of the Prosecutor Generals Office Andrey Ivanov has told RAPSI.

This is the similar second claim of prosecutors against Markelov.

In June 2019, a court in Russias Nizhny Novgorod has recovered over 2.2 billion rubles (about $30 million) from ex-governor of Mari El Republic Leonid Markelov in favor of the state in November 2019. The court levied 120 property items, 16 cars, luxury wristwatch worth 1 million rubles, over 8.5 million rubles, $224,000 and 660,000 euros upon a motion filed by prosecutors. Moreover, land plots, apartments, luxury goods, money and shares were ordered to be forfeited to the state.

Currently, Markelov is on trial on bribery allegations. Initially, the case against him was to be considered in the Republic of Mari El, but the Supreme Court of Russia changed its territorial jurisdiction and forwarded the case to Nizhny Novgorod.

Investigators believe that Markelov acting as the republics governor received through Kozhanova 235 million rubles from the founder of Akashevskaya factory as a bribe for common protection and assistance in the property payment of funds provided by the state support for development of the agricultural complex.

According to defense lawyer Sergey Sevruk, Markelov is also a defendant in another criminal case over illegal possession of ammunition.

Media also reported that there is the third case against the former official over abuse of power.

Markelov pleads not guilty to all accusations.
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Corcoran Global Living, a franchise affiliate of Corcoran Group, LLC, today announced that it has welcomed San Diego's Coastal Premier Properties to its growing operation. Adding more than 120 associates into the fold, this latest expansion broadens the firm's reach into California's Pacific coast region. Corcoran Global Living, unifying six prestigious independent brokerages, now encompasses nearly 800 affiliated real estate agents across 30 offices, with annual combined sales of nearly $4.5 billion.

"I'm proud of the successes that we've achieved so far this year as Corcoran Global Living, and the exceptional environment we've created for both our agents and our clients," said Michael Mahon, founder and CEO of Corcoran Global Living. "Coastal Premier Properties brings a breadth of experience and proficiency that we're proud to have on board, and I know this will prove to be of immense value to our entire network of agents across the markets we serve as we continue our strategic growth."

"Corcoran Global Living (CGL) is simply a powerhouse in California, and their new foothold in San Diego is further proof of that," said Pamela Liebman, Corcoran President and CEO. "The team at Coastal Premier Properties marks their clients' success as their own success, which is an invaluable approach to real estate. I can't wait to see what CGL has in store next, and I am happy to welcome this team to the broader Corcoran family."

Corcoran Global Living's partnership with Coastal Premier Properties furthers the firm's commitment to a broad footing across California. As part of CGL, the firm will now have access to Corcoran's resources, networking, and broader recognition both within the industry and among consumers. The firm's founders and co-owners, Amy Green and Susan Meyers-Pyke, will now serve as partners with Corcoran Global Living.

"Joining Corcoran Global Living is a very proud and exciting moment for us," said Amy Green, Coastal Premier Properties founder and co-owner, now partner at Corcoran Global Living. "It was a no-brainer to enter this new phase with a firm that not only offers unending value but simultaneously maintains our culture of independence."

"I feel incredibly lucky and driven as we start this new adventure," said Susan Meyers-Pyke, founder and co-owner for Coastal Premier Properties, now partner at Corcoran Global Living. "This decision was made with our agents top of mind, as we know that the tools, resources, and overall network now available to us through Corcoran are unparalleled  which will change the way we expand our business and serve our clients for many years to come."

Coastal Premier Properties' client base is located throughout San Diego County with a focus on the North County area. With its desirable climate, large stretches of sandy beaches, and major attractions including the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, and Mission Trails, San Diego is known as one of the top 50 places to live in the United States1. Throughout the area, the firm's agents build strong industry relationships through their fierce commitment to high-quality client service, and a 'you first' attitude.

1 U.S. News & World Report

About The Corcoran Group

The Corcoran Group is a leading residential real estate brand with more than 50 offices and more than 3,300 sales associates serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Hamptons, the North Fork of Long Island and Shelter Island, N.Y., Delray Beach, Miami Beach, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Bal Harbour, 30A, Surfside, Windermere and Dr. Phillips, FL; San Francisco, CA, Lake Tahoe and Reno, NV, and Chicago, IL. The Corcoran Brand is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices, which are independently owned and operated. For more information about The Corcoran Group, please visit www.corcoran.com.

About Corcoran Global Living

Founded on the principle of putting people first, Corcoran Global Living, an affiliate of The Corcoran Group, serves the California and Nevada markets with 30 strategically located offices in Northern California, Southern California and Reno/Lake Tahoe. Corcoran Global Living is well positioned to provide exceptional service to its very loyal customer base, with over 800 dedicated, professional agents and gross annual sales of nearly $4.5 billion. With a forward-thinking leadership team and deep roots in real estate and notable private investment backing, Corcoran Global Living is poised for exponential growth into additional metro areas in the states where they operate. From luxury homes and income properties to vacation getaways and first-time homes, Corcoran Global Living has the experience, insight and expertise to achieve and surpass clients' highest expectations. For more information, visit CorcoranGL.com.

SOURCE The Corcoran Group

Related Links

www.corcoran.com


OMAHA, Neb. - After months of bickering, accusations and apologies, Nebraska Democrats again named their candidate for U.S. Senate Thursday, and to no ones surprise, he isnt the Democrat on the ballot.

Omaha activist and professor Preston Love Jr. is the Democrats third choice to compete against Omaha baker and fellow Democrat Chris Janicek, who won the primary and is on the ballot against Republican Sen. Ben Sasse. Love will have to compete as a write-in candidate because Janicek is pledging to stay in the race as the official nominee despite pressure from party leaders to drop out after he sent lewd texts about a campaign staffer.

Love agreed to run after the Democrats initial write-in candidate, former U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford, dropped out just days after announcing his bid. The state partys first choice, Omaha mental health practitioner Alisha Shelton, is prohibited from running as a write-in candidate under Nebraskas sore loser law because she lost to Janicek in the primary.

Love said he is realistic about his chances against an incumbent when joining the race less than two months before Election Day, but he said he hopes his candidacy will boost voter turnout in Omaha and help other Democratic candidates.

Its a hard narrative to develop a win scenario. But I am going to run as if I had all the money that I need and all the Love that I need and that we give people an alternative, Love said.

Party leaders cant remove Janiceks name from the ballot without his consent, and the deadline to do that has passed.

The contract staffer he wrote about was accidentally included in Janiceks message and filed a complaint with the party. Janicek has said he apologized to the woman in a phone call, in person, and in writing, and that she accepted his apology. The woman has disputed Janiceks account, saying she doesnt accept his apology and maintains that he should drop out.

Sasse was always heavily favoured to win in November in GOP-dominated Nebraska. Democrats make up just 29% of registered voters and havent won a statewide election in more than a decade.

Democrats in Nebraska running for statewide office have an uphill battle on a good day, former Nebraska Democratic Party executive director Paul Landow said.

This Senate race will make it harder for Democrats to become competitive again in the state.

In the short term, it makes it more difficult to win the Senate race. In the long term, it makes it more difficult to recruit candidates in general, said Landow, who is now a political science professor at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

One of Democrats last significant victories in the state came in 2008 when Barack Obama won the Omaha-based congressional district and secured a single Electoral College vote in his bid for president under Nebraskas unusual system. Before that, Democrat Ben Nelson served two terms as governor in the 1990s and was twice elected to the U.S. Senate and Bob Kerrey was elected governor and to the U.S. Senate in the 1980s and 1990s.

Janiceks campaign isnt receiving any support from the Democratic Party. Chairwoman Jane Kleeb said Thursday that Love offers voters a better option than either Sasse or Janicek.

Love is a University of Nebraska-Omaha professor who teaches Black studies and politics. He also is a longtime activist in northeastern Omaha, and he led the Black Votes Matter non-profit in Omaha encouraging more people to vote.

Janicek ran for Senate in 2018, but lost in the Democratic primary. He said he chose to run after having a heart attack in 2015 and getting slapped with more than $100,000 in medical bills that his insurance only partially covered.
Sriram Sene national president, Mr Pramod Muthalik has claimed that politicians from all political parties including BJP, Congress and JD (S) and their children are part of drug mafia involving thousands of crores. And he has the list of over 32 politicians involved in such mafias which he would release shortly, he said.

Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Thursday, Mr Muthalik said that, though police are aware of involvement of Politicians in such drug mafias, their hands are tied by the politicians. When the issue comes out, though they get arrested, they come out on bail and continue to indulge in the same mafia, he alleged.

He pointed, like love jihad, Drug jihad is spread across the country. And Dawood Ibrahim is behind all these and the drugs enter the country via Punjab, Gujrat and Goa. And though politicians from all parties are part of it, due to adjustment politics, they cover up all these. I had pulled the attention of BJP, when they were in power in the State during their previous term itself, but they had targeted me. If they had rooted it out then itself, the issue would not have aroused this big," Mr Muthalik said.

Mr Pramod Muthalik also alleged, Drugs are being supplied in some colleges and hostels of Mysuru. And foreign students are mainly involved in it. Though the teachers and parents are aware of it, none are raising their voices. If the hostels are raided, I challenge that they would find Heroin and other drugs. And these drugs are causing major havoc in schools and colleges. So there has to be awareness on this in schools and colleges and hence we would take up awareness programmes in coming days, Muthalik said.

Meanwhile Mysuru Kodagu MP Mr Pratap Simha endorsed Mr Muthaliks statement that the drug pedaling has been there in schools and colleges of Mysuru, and he told media persons who approached him, Unlike alcohol and smoking, parents will not know about usage of drugs by their children. There has to be a logical end to this drug menace, he said.
By Akbar Mammadov

Armenia has destroyed 1,107 educational facilities and 855 kindergartens in Azerbaijans occupied territories, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has said in statement published in its official webpage on September 9.

The ministrys statement is timed to International Day to Protect Education from Attack marked on September 9.

The ongoing armed aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan has inflicted serious damage upon the education infrastructure of Azerbaijan. 1,107 educational facilities and 855 kindergartens in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan were totally destroyed.

The ministry emphasized that as a result of Armenias ethnic cleansing policy, all Azerbaijanis, including schoolchildren, students and teachers have been expelled from their native lands in Armenia proper and the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Tens of thousands Azerbaijani refugee and internally displaced boys and girls continue to realize their right to education under the shadow of serious challenges stemming from their continued displacement, the ministry noted.

Furthermore, the ministry pointed out that many others along the line of confrontation attend their classes under the constant threat of being attacked by indiscriminate shelling of armed forces of Armenia, despite the formal ceasefire.

As a result of heavy indiscriminate shelling of armed forces of Armenia in April 2016 alone, many schools in the Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam and Aghjabedi districts of Azerbaijan were seriously damaged, the secondary school of the Sarijaly village of the Aghdam district attended by 220 schoolchildren was destroyed, the ministry added.

The ministry stressed that Azerbaijan, being a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, as well as to the 1949 Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims, has strongly and consistently supported international efforts aimed at ensuring effective protection for the rights of children and improving the situation of children affected by armed conflict.

While joining the international community in marking September 9 as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, we underline Armenias responsibility for war crimes it has committed with regard to Azerbaijani schoolchildren.

Furthermore, the ministry stressed that Armenia must implement the requirements of the four resolutions of the UN Security Council 1993 (822, 853, 874 and 884) to enable tens of thousands Azerbaijani children to realize their right to education in safety.

Azerbaijan counts on support and solidarity of the international community, in this regard, the ministry concluded.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
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LORTON, Va., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Military Spouse Network (NMSN), the premiere organization supporting the professional and personal growth of the nation's military spouses, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in style with the NMSN Rally for Impact virtual gala set for September 15 at 7pm. Held virtually due to the pandemic, NMSN has assembled a noteworthy program that will feature top experts in the military community, including sponsor USAA, an informative panel discussion, and the premiere of NMSN's anniversary video, "10 Years of Impact  A Celebration."

"We are so honored to be celebrating this incredible milestone of serving the needs of military spouses across the U.S. and around the world," said Sue Hoppin, NMSN Founder and President. "The Roadmap for Impact caps off a busy year for us at NMSN and we're looking forward to another active year ahead with initiatives that continue to build and support our members' career-building goals and standing both in the military and civilian communities."

"USAA salutes the National Military Spouse Network as it celebrates this important milestone," said Michael Kelly, Assistant Vice President of Military Affairs at USAA. "There's no doubt that 2020 has been challenging, but it's at times like these when an organization like NMSN provides a means to elevate the voices of thousands of military spouses around the globe. We are excited to see what the next decade brings."

NMSN's Rally for Impact panel discussion will feature experts who support the military spouse community, and zero in on the challenges of funding and partnerships in a virtual environment; trends in space; how to measure impact; and what funders are looking for in partner organizations. There also will be a discussion on grant-writing and opportunities.

In addition, the program will include a spouse employment video, discussion on NMSN programming for the coming year, and the official introduction of the anniversary video highlighting the first successful decade of NMSN. The invitation-only event concludes with a virtual festive cocktail party.

For more information on NMSN, please visit the website. Interviews are available with Hoppin.

About USAA

Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and investment and retirement solutions to nearly 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 35,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.

About National Military Spouse Network

Founded in 2010, the National Military Spouse Network (NMSN) delivers ongoing personal and professional development for military spouses by providing quality content, mentoring, networking opportunities and resources, including a monthly newsletter and free bi-annual digital magazine. NMSN creates a community of military spouse professionals, businesses, academics and media to share expertise and craft innovative solutions on both balancing a viable career with the military lifestyle and laying the foundation for a successful career post military life. For more information on NMSN, visit www.nationalmilitaryspousenetwork.org. Follow NMSN on Twitter at @NMSNetwork or join the Facebook community at www.facebook.com/NMSNetwork.

Contact:

Laura Liebeck

845.440.7974

[email protected]

SOURCE National Military Spouse Network

Related Links

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The United States has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a May 29 presidential proclamation to suspend entry from China of students and researchers deemed security risks, a State Department spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said earlier that Washington was blocking visas for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to Chinas military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research.

In a speech, Wolf repeated US charges of unjust business practices and industrial espionage by China, including attempts to steal coronavirus research, and accused it of abusing student visas to exploit American academia.

Wolf said the United States was also preventing goods produced from slave labour from entering our markets, demanding that China respect the inherent dignity of each human being, an apparent reference to alleged abuses of Muslims in Chinas Xinjiang region.

A State Department spokeswoman said the visa action was being taken under a proclamation President Donald Trump announced on May 29 as part of the US response to Chinas curbs on democracy in Hong Kong.

As of September 8, 2020, the Department has revoked more than 1,000 visas of PRC nationals who were found to be subject to Presidential Proclamation 10043 and therefore ineligible for a visa, she said.

She said the ineligible high-risk graduate students and research scholars represented a small subset of the Chinese coming to the United States to study and research and that legitimate students and scholars would continue to be welcomed.

China said in June it resolutely opposed any US move to restrict Chinese students from studying in the United States and urged Washington to do more to enhance mutual exchanges and understanding.

Some 360,000 Chinese nationals study in the United States, bringing in significant revenue to US colleges, although the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the return to campus this autumn semester.

DETERIORATING RELATIONS

China-US relations have sunk to historic lows with the worlds two biggest economies clashing over issues ranging from trade and human rights to Hong Kong and the coronavirus.

Trump, who had touted friendly ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping as he sought to make good on promises to rebalance a massive trade deficit, has made getting tough on China a key part of his campaign for re-election on Nov. 3. He has accused his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, who leads in national opinion polls, of being soft toward Beijing.

Earlier, some Chinese students enrolled in US universities said they received emailed notices on Wednesday from the US. Embassy in Beijing or US consulates in China informing them their visas had been canceled.

Nearly 50 students holding F-1 academic visas including postgraduates and undergraduates said in a WeChat chatroom that the notices stated they would have to apply for new visas if they wanted to travel to the United States.

Many in the chatroom said they were majoring in subjects such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Some said they were postgraduates who obtained bachelors degrees at Chinese universities with links to the Peoples Liberation Army.

In May, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Washington was planning to cancel the visas of thousands of Chinese graduate students believed to have links to Chinas military.

In another move against China, US Customs and Border Protection officials have prepared orders to block imports of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over accusations f forced labour, although a formal announcement has been delayed.
The 33-year-old actress has alleged that the Maharashtra government is targeting her because of her fight with the Shiv Sena

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday told the Bombay High Court Kangana Ranaut's writ petition for relief against the demolition of her Bandra office constitutes an abuse of process", according to several media reports.

As per The Times Of India, senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, appearing for the BMC, told the high court: "Work which is clearly in contravention of the sanctioned plan has been done with complete abandon. Even in the current petition, there is not even an assertion that it is not unlawful.''

The civic body also argued that the relief sought by Ranaut by filing a writ petition constitutes an abuse of process, as the record establishes that as part of work was ongoing in the premises" .

According to Indian Express, the BMC told the Bombay High Court that the records have shown that the actor had been carrying out substantial alterations in her Bandra property 'contrary to the sanctioned plan' and its action of demolition was justified and was without any 'malafide intent'.

Ranauts lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee told the bench comprising justices SJ Kathawalla and RI Chagla that he needed time to make changes to the petition and submit a response to BMCs affidavit.

The court directed Siddiquee to make the amendments by 14 September and ordered the Mumbai civic body to file its response by 18 September. The court rejected BMCs request for a status quo order in the case, reported LiveLaw.

The Bombay High Court adjourned the matter till 22 September, reported Bar & Bench.

The high court on Wednesday had stayed the demolition of alleged unauthorised structures in Ranaut's Palli Hill office and sought to know why the city civic body entered the property when the owner was not present. The order came at an urgent hearing within hours of the civic squad launching the demolition.

The demolition was carried out on Wednesday morning.

A BMC official told PTI that by the time the high court had issued the stay order BMC had demolished the majority of the unauthorised additions and extensions.

The actor, who is in the middle of an escalating row with the Maharashtra government, posted a video message addressing Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray saying his "ego will be destroyed" the way her Bandra home was demolished.

The actor said she is working on a project on Ayodhya but now understands the pain of Kashmir Pandits and will also make a movie on their plight.

Ranaut, known for her provocative statements, recently compared Mumbai to Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir (PoK), which drew the ire of the ruling Shiv Sena. The 33-year-old actress has alleged that the Maharashtra government is targeting her because of her fight with the Shiv Sena.

With inputs from PTI
Officers who first confronted Michael Forest Reinoehl outside an apartment complex in Washington last week yelled no warnings or commands before firing and killing the Oregon man wanted on a murder warrant in the death of a right-wing demonstrator in Portland, according to a witness now represented by a lawyer.

Nathaniel Dingess, 39, lives in the apartment complex near Lacey, Washington, where Reinoehl apparently was hiding.

Dingess said he saw Reinoehl walk toward his car holding a cellphone in his hand when two unmarked law enforcement vehicles converged outside the complex in the 7600 block of Third Way Southeast last Thursday night. Officers began firing at Reinoehl, according to a statement issued by Dingess' lawyer, Luke Laughlin, on his behalf.

Reinoehl ducked for cover near his car, but it was blocked by police cars and he never got into it, according to Dingess.

Officers shot multiple rapid-fire rounds at Reinoehl before issuing a brief stop command, quickly followed by more rapid-fire shooting by additional officers, according to the statement.

Dingess said he never saw a handgun on Reinoehl or saw him reach for anything.

Other witnesses told The Olympian the night of the shooting that Rienoehl had a gun, and they reported hearing dozens of gunshots fired before Reinoehl lay dead in the street. An officer was caught on one witness' video doing CPR on Reinoehl as he was motionless in the street.

Police have said Reinoehld was found with a handgun but have not said if he fired any shots at officers.

Reinoehl died from multiple gunshots at the scene. Thurston Countys coroner was conducting an autopsy Wednesday afternoon.

Reinoehl, a self-described anti-fascist who said he provided security for Black Lives Matter protests, was wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Patriot Prayer supporter Aaron Jay Danielson, 39, on Aug. 29 shortly after a pro-Trump caravan drove through downtown Portland. Patriot Prayer is a loosely organized right-wing group based in Vancouver that has often come to Portland to clash with left-wing, antifa opponents.

At 4:49 p.m. last Thursday, a Multnomah County judge had signed a warrant for Reinoehls arrest on charges of second-degree murder with a firearm and unlawful use of a firearm/

Dingess, an ordained minister of 19 years, fears for his and his familys safety for speaking out in what has become a flashpoint in the political swirl around Portlands ongoing protests, according to his lawyers.

Laughlin and other lawyers are calling for an independent authority to investigate the shooting of Reinoehl, arguing that the Thurston County Sheriffs Office is not an uninvolved party.

Given the political sentiment of the deceased, and the national climate regarding police shootings, the investigation ought to be handled by an outside organization without ties to law enforcement, if it can really be considered fair and neutral," Laughlin said. The law requires, and Reinoehls family and the public deserve, transparency and accountability. At a time when public outcry over police killings is at its peak in this country, it is imperative that the circumstances of Reinoehls death not be swept aside.

Laughlin said he nor his client, Dingess, would answer questions Wednesday.

Attorney Leslie Cushman, the citizen sponsor of Washingtons Initiative 940, which passed in November 2018 and requires independent investigations into police use of deadly force, also is urging another agency to handle the inquiry into Reinoehls shooting.

Thurston County Sherifs Office is the lead agency investigating the shooting as part of Washingtons Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team, according to Thurston County Sheriffs Lt. Ray Brady.

We were not involved in the incident all all, not involved in the use of force, so Im not sure what theyre implying," Brady said.

The critical investigation team is the independent group designated to conduct the inquiry into the police shooting, the lieutenant said. No one from the team was present at the police shooting, and none of its members work for the agencies that were involved in the shooting, according to Brady.

Brady said he didnt have any information regarding whether Reinoehl fired any shots or produced his handgun during the encounter that night.

We were advised that he had a weapon," Brady said. "We understand the publics desire for as many answers as we can, but we really want to be thorough and accurate.

Four officers from several Washington law enforcement agencies assigned to the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force were serving the arrest warrant when they shot and killed Reinoehl.

The four officers are from the Pierce County Sheriffs Office, Lakewood Police Department and the Washington Department of Corrections.

The night of the shooting, the U.S. Marshals Service issued a statement that said, Initial reports indicate the suspect produced a firearm, threatening the lives of law enforcement officers. Task force members responded to the threat and struck the suspect who was pronounced dead at the scene.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Westfield State University trustees have named a search committee to seek and evaluate candidates for a new president.

The search comes in the wake of this summers retirement of Ramon Torrecilha. The interim president for the 2020-21 academic year is Roy Saigo, who will not be a candidate for the permanent position.

The university will also partner with a global executive search firm, WittKieffer. Finalists for the position will be interviewed in the spring and a new president is expected to start next summer.

In the coming months, we will work diligently to define the qualities and qualifications that Westfield State desires in its next leader, as well as to build and evaluate a strong pool of candidates, said trustee and search committee chair Robert Martin.

Along with Martin, who is a retired former vice president for academic affairs at Westfield who once served as interim president at Framingham State University, the search committee members include:

Melissa Alvarado, alumni trustee and member of the Class of 1999, who is an assistant vice president in enterprise risk management at Mass Mutual Financial Group, Westfield State Alumni Association representative, and vice chair of the Westfield State Presidential Search Committee;

Claudia Ciano-Boyce, a psychology professor who is president of the Westfield chapter of Massachusetts State Colleges Association;

Junior Delgado, director of the Westfield State University Career Center and employer relations, who will represent the Westfield Association of Professional Administrators on the panel;

George Flevotomos, principal at Demayo Properties, who is second vice chair of the Westfield State University Foundation and will represent the foundation in the search;

Brian Jennings, associate professor of mathematics, another faculty representative;

Ronna JQ Lytle, administrative assistant to the Westfield States Departments of Ethnic and Gender Studies, Language and Culture Studies, and Sociology, who will represent the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Unit 1, for which she serves as steward;

Lydia Martinez-Alvarez, a trustee who is an assistant superintendent for the Springfield Public Schools;

Juline Mills, dean of Westfield States College of Education, Health, and Human Services, and representative of the universitys academic administration;

Thalita Neves, student trustee, who is a member of the Class of 2021, and will represent the Westfield State Student Government Association;

Ali Salehi, president of Columbia Manufacturing and representative of the Greater Westfield community;

Thomas Simard, deputy commissioner for administration and finance at the state Department of Higher Education;

Stephen Taksar, vice president for administration and finance at Westfield State; and

Gloria Williams, a trustee, who is an educational consultant and former principal in Springfield Public Schools.

The search panel will also include two non-voting staff members, Jalisa Williams, associate vice president for Westfield States Office of Human Resources, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and affirmative action officer, and Jean Beal, secretary to the trustees and the search committee.

WittKieffer was appointed earlier this summer by the trustees to assist in the search.

WittKieffers understanding of the higher education landscape in New England and Massachusetts is strong, said Kevin Queenin, trustees chairman. It has been successful in the state system and offers the best opportunity to assist in the selection of a dynamic leader who will help bring the campus community together and lead the University. We are excited to work with such a qualified partner with a strong record of success.

WittKieffer is a leader in executive recruitment for higher education with experience in the Massachusetts marketplace, having recently completed presidential searches for Western New England University, Endicott and Providence colleges, among others.

Information and updates will be posted to the presidential search website, Martin said.

Currently, veteran educator Roy H. Saigo is serving as Westfield States interim president.
Burma Children Killed by Artillery Strike Spark International Charity Calls to End War in Western Myanmar

Four civilians, including two children, died instantly in Myebon Township's Nyaung Khet Kan village on Sept. 8, 2020. / Supplied

International childrens charities have called for an end to the armed conflict in Rakhine State and an investigation following the deaths of four villagers, including two children, after artillery shells fell on their village in Myebon Township, northern Rakhine State, on Tuesday.

Save The Children called for an investigation into the incident and a ceasefire.

The United Nations childrens fund (Unicef) on Thursday urged both Myanmars military and the Arakan Army (AA), which are warring in the state, to protect children and to stop the war.

A seven-year-old boy and girl, her 29-year-old mother and a 25-year-old man died instantly from shrapnel wounds.

Another 10 villagers were wounded and among them, a 21-year-old woman sustained severe head injuries. She is being treated at Sittwe hospital in the state capital but is still unconscious. The others are receiving treatment at the Kan Htaunt Gyi village hospital, according to Ma Kay Thi Soe, a villager from Nyaung Khet Kan.

The villagers and Myebons Lower House lawmaker, U Pe Than, said the four shells, reportedly fired by Myanmars military, fell on Nyaung Khet Kan (also known as Nyaung Kan) village near the Myebon and Ann township border, around 70km from Myebon town.

Many villagers headed to Kan Htaunt Gyi, about 30 minutes away, following Tuesday mornings incident.

U Pe Than told The Irrawaddy that villagers said there was no military engagement on Tuesday in Nyaung Kan and the firing came from a battalion based in Ann Township.

Military spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that troops did not fire that day and claimed the accusations came from the AA.

Unicef said on Thursday that it is deeply concerned about the alarming increase of reports of killings and injuries of children, as a result of intensified fighting between Myanmars army and the AA.

The UN agency said: Their safety and their rights must be a primary consideration in Myanmar, and for all adults who have influence over childrens lives. Unicef strongly urges all parties to protect children at all times and keep them out of harms way.

On Wednesday, Save the Children said the deaths of two children were unacceptable and called for effective investigations and justice for these crimes.

Children in this conflict are obviously innocent victims and this matter should really be investigated and people held to account, said Duncan Harvey, Save The Childrens national director in Myanmar.

He told The Irrawaddy on Thursday: We really want to make sure that incidents like this are brought to an end. Also we echo the call from the UN secretary-general to call for a ceasefire in all conflicts around the world, including those in Myanmar. Due to the effect of COVID-19, we dont want a situation in which children are feeling the impact of COVID-19 measures, at the same time having to live in fear of conflicts as well. Those are the reasons we are paying attention to this particular incident.

The state has also faced a COVID-19 resurgence and state-wide stay-at-home orders.

The conflict has intensified in the north of Rakhine State with the military activities sometimes extending to Ann Township and other southern townships this year.

Nearly 200,000 Rakhine civilians have been affected by the intensified fighting since November 2018 with hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries.

In addition to armed conflicts, the rise of COVID-19 has disrupted peoples health, education, development and security.

Myebon Township has seen less conflict than other areas of northern Rakhine State and the incident this week affected a previously stable area.

U Pe Than said: As there was no fighting, it seems this incident was a targeted strike as Nyaung Khet Kan is the sole village, surrounded by forests and mountains. We reckon it was an intentional attack.

He added that although peace was in everyones interests, Tuesdays incident let them doubt whether some people want instability in the whole of Rakhine State.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Army Extends Unilateral Nationwide Truce, Excluding Rakhine State

Strong Rivalries Shape Politics in Myanmars Rakhine State
The number of new Covid-19 cases in the tricity crossed the 700 mark for the third consecutive day, with 732 people testing positive on Thursday.

As many as four people also succumbed to the virus  three in Chandigarh and one in Mohali.

Among the fresh infections, Chandigarh led with 283 cases, followed by Mohali with 275 and Panchkula with 174.

The tricity patient tally was 782 on Wednesday  the highest single-day surge so far, while 714 cases cropped up on Tuesday.

283 TEST POSITIVE, THREE DEAD IN UT

Chandigarhs Covid count rose to 6,987 on Thursday with 283 residents testing positive.

The virus also claimed three lives, taking the toll to 80.

Of the total cases, 2,573 remain active, while 4,331 patients have been discharged.

Among the latest fatalities was a 46-year-old man from Manimajra. He was suffering from bilateral pneumonia, hypertension and acute kidney injury with sepsis, and died at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, on Thursday.

A 66-year-old diabetic man from Sector 48 died at the same hospital on September 6.

The third deceased was a 59-year-old woman from Sector 22. She was suffering from pneumonia and died due to Type 4 respiratory failure at Grecian Hospital in Mohali on September 4.

As per health officials, reports of 153 samples are awaited.

MOHALIS TOLL RISES TO 125, 275 NEW CASES CONFIRMED

A 64-year-old man became Mohalis 125th Covid fatality, even as the district confirmed 275 fresh infections on Thursday.

Mohalis tally now stands at 5,856. Thursday also saw 293 patients being discharged, bringing down the number of active patients to 2,135 and taking the total recoveries to 3,596.

According to health officials, the 64-year-old man, a resident of Phase-7 Industrial Area, was suffering from diabetes and kidney disease, and died at PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Among the new cases, the maximum, at 92, were from Mohali city, 59 from Dhakoli, 43 from Gharuan, 40 from Kharar, 31 from Dera Bassi, nine from Boothgarh and one from Lalru.

174 NEW CASES IN PANCHKULA

Panchkula confirmed 174 fresh Covid-19 cases on Thursday. The district now has 3,632 confirmed cases, of which 1,187 are still active and 2,407 have recovered. As many as 38 people have succumbed to the virus in the district.

Most of the new cases on Thursday were reported from Pinjore, Sectors 8, 15 and 19.
Photo: The Canadian Press Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston takes questions from reporters outside the provincial legislature as party education critic Tim Halman looks on in Halifax on June 24, 2020. Nova Scotia's Tory leader says the province's attorney general is in conflict of interest when it comes to setting terms of reference for the public inquiry into the April mass shooting. Tim Houston filed an affidavit today with the conflict commissioner arguing Mark Furey's three-decade long career with the RCMP creates a conflict with his role determining the terms of reference for the federal-provincial inquiry. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Keith Doucette

Nova Scotia's Tory leader says the province's attorney general is in conflict of interest when it comes to setting terms of reference for the public inquiry into the April mass shooting.

Tim Houston filed an affidavit today with the conflict commissioner arguing Mark Furey's three-decade career with the RCMP clashes with his role determining the terms of reference for the federal-provincial inquiry.

Houston says the April 18-19 rampage that resulted in the loss of 22 lives before the shooter was killed by police has raised questions about the Mounties' handling of the incident and its resourcing of rural detachments.

The Progressive Conservative leader says Furey's background as a Mountie creates the perception of a conflict of interest and means he should not be further involved in the inquiry.

Houston says while terms of reference are still being crafted, Furey should step aside so the families of victims "are assured of the integrity of the inquiry."

Furey said in a statement that he looks forward to "the response and continued guidance" of conflict of interest commissioner Joseph Kennedy.

"I am responsible for the administration of policing and public safety  a role I take very seriously, and I am accountable to Nova Scotians to do so," he said.

Kennedy said Houston's affidavit had just been received and he has no comment.
The national flags of the U.S. and China waving outside a building.

The United States has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a May 29 presidential proclamation to suspend entry to Chinese students and researchers deemed security risks, a State Department spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said earlier that Washington was blocking visas "for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China's military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research."

In a speech, Wolf repeated U.S. charges of unjust business practices and industrial espionage by China, including attempts to steal coronavirus research, and accused it of abusing student visas to exploit American academia.

Wolf said the United States was also "preventing goods produced from slave labor from entering our markets, demanding that China respect the inherent dignity of each human being," an apparent reference to alleged abuses of Muslims in China's Xinjiang region.

A State Department spokeswoman said the visa action was being taken under a proclamation President Donald Trump announced on May 29 as part of the U.S. response to China's curbs on democracy in Hong Kong.

"As of September 8, 2020, the Department has revoked more than 1,000 visas of PRC nationals who were found to be subject to Presidential Proclamation 10043 and therefore ineligible for a visa," she said.

She said the ineligible "high-risk graduate students and research scholars" represented "a small subset" of the Chinese coming to the United States to study and research and that legitimate students and scholars would continue to be welcomed.

China said in June it resolutely opposed any U.S. move to restrict Chinese students from studying in the United States and urged Washington to do more to enhance mutual exchanges and understanding.

Some 360,000 Chinese nationals study in the United States, bringing in significant revenue to U.S. colleges, although the Covid-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the return to campus this autumn semester.
Victoria Floyd spent the first week of the school year trying to get a laptop for her youngest son, a kindergartner at Carver Elementary and Arts Magnet in Montgomery.

Without it, he racked up several absences because he couldnt log in to virtual lessons. When Floyd called the school to find out when the computer might be available, she found out she was 75th on the list.

The computer arrived a week later, but Floyds experiences with virtual school didnt improve much. She has children in kindergarten and first grade, and neither one can navigate multiple logins and video lessons that often become chaotic as young children struggle with the technology.

Im worried they are going to fail, Floyd said. They cant learn because of the distraction of the other students. I saw one girl struggling so hard, I actually had to walk away. It was so hard to watch.

Floyds older child is repeating first grade and got the same teacher he had last year. She said the district rushed into virtual school without adequate preparation. The result has been disastrous for her children.

Montgomery became the first large district in Alabama to start school completely online when school began on August 10, and its been a rocky start. At one point, district officials solicited donations of devices from the community to help students without computers in the home.

Ann Roy Moore, superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools, said the district ordered laptops in April and June. School districts across the country placed orders at the same time, and the backlog held up computer shipments nationwide.

Moore said she expects the district to get its computers at the end of September or early October. The school year began on Aug. 10, and students without devices received paper packets, but no access to video instruction.

In the first week, the school district offered extra training for teachers adjusting to online technology. Now the district offers training once a week, and many teachers have attended. Still, she said attendance in the first few weeks appeared to be lower than usual as students and teachers struggled with virtual education.

Is this perfect? Moore said. I will tell you up front, no. This is a learning curve. Everyone is having to get used to this.

Floyd said she worries most about her older son, who has struggled with reading. As a single mother, she recently went back to work when coronavirus unemployment benefits expired. She works from about 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. every day, then wakes up about five or six hours later to help her children with online classes.

Floyds two children must attend four to five different virtual classes a day, and they must log on to each one separately. The process is unnecessarily confusing and cumbersome, she said. She has to stay on top of it or risk her sons accruing more absences. During the first week, the school called her every day about absences, even though she told them she didnt have a computer and couldnt log her sons onto class.

If I didnt beg that school for a computer, I never would have gotten one, Floyd said.

Floyd has become so frustrated she considered withdrawing her children from school. Her kindergartner has learned little from online lessons she said mostly consist of animated picture books.

Moore said the school district and community have come together to try to fill the gaps for students without internet service. The district has 10 buses equipped with wi-fi and several churches have opened their doors and provided internet service.

Some of the glitches have nothing to do with technological infrastructure.

Rachel Goldwasser said her fifth-grade daughter at another school, Bear Exploration Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology, has also struggled with virtual school. She transferred to a magnet school at the beginning of the year. Goldwasser said the school never reached out to welcome new students and provided no training materials to parents or students prior to the first day of school.

We only had the day school started to learn the online system, Goldwasser said.

Goldwasser, like Floyd, said she and her daughter have struggled with multiple logins every day for different classes such as music, physical education, and library. Teachers assign work to be completed between virtual classes, but the amount has been overwhelming for Goldwassers daughter. She struggles to complete those assignments while keeping track of her virtual class schedule.

My daughter is having severe anxiety, Goldwasser said. Shes overwhelmed and worried about not getting things done. Shes just losing it and I dont know how to support her best.

Claire Schuler, parent of a 13-year-old in middle school, said her daughters experience has been difficult. Links to assignments and tests have disappeared, she said, and teachers havent always been understanding when the teen ran into technical issues.

Its been terrible, Schuler said. It really feels like they just rushed into it.

Montgomery Public Schools will offer in-person classes starting in October, Moore said. The district created a survey to determine the number of parents who might send their children back to school.

Floyd is eager to send her sons back. Goldwasser isnt as sure. Even though virtual school has been difficult to manage, she worries coronavirus could spread inside school buildings.

I dont think I would send her back, even though this is hellacious, Goldwasser said. I would never want her to give it to an adult at her school. I just dont feel comfortable for her or for the adults.

Schuler has homeschooled her daughter in the past and plans to withdraw her from school so she can do it again. Moore said teachers have been honing their virtual teaching skills, which have been improving every week.

The first weeks of doing this brand-new thing, youre not going to have a perfect first week or the perfect first day, Moore said. We probably have done as well as could be expected. I think were getting better every day.

Updated at 7:27 p.m. on Friday, September 11 to clarify the school Rachel Goldwassers daughter attends.
With effect from 01 November 2020

Nestle India announced that Martin Roemkens, Whole-time Director of the Company designated as Executive Director - Technical shall be taking up a new assignment in another NestlAffiliate with effect from 1 November 2020 and shall therefore cease to be Whole-time Director from that Date.

Matthias Lohner, currently Operations Manager, NescafDolce Gusto, Global Business Unit based in Switzerland, is proposed to be appointed in place of Martin Roemkens, subject to necessary approvals.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Extremely heavy rain is likely over many places in coastal and south interior Karnataka on Friday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned.

Very heavy rain is also likely over Kerala, coastal and south interior Karnataka between Thursday and Saturday.

An off-shore troughan area of low pressure is running between coastal south Maharashtra and north Kerala.

The east-west shear zone, which denotes a change in wind direction and velocity, is running across peninsular India and a cyclonic circulation is lying over east-central Arabian Sea off coastal Karnataka.

Also Read: Extended monsoon likely this year: IMD

IMD is expecting heavy rains in peninsular India for the next three-four days due to these favourable conditions.

The weather bureau has issued an orange category warning for parts of Karnataka and Kerala, Assam and Meghalaya on Thursday and Friday. The warning implies that disaster management authorities should be prepared for any heavy rain-related disasters such as flooding.

The monsoon trough is lying to the north of its normal position (from Rajasthans Ganganagar to the Bay of Bengal).

A cyclonic circulation is also lying over Gangetic West Bengal and neighbourhood in the lower troposphere.

Also Read: New generation of locusts may attack crops in UP after monsoon

Widespread rain with thunderstorm and lightning is very likely over the north-east and adjoining eastern India.

Heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next five days and over most north-eastern states during the next four-five days.

A low-pressure area is likely to form over west-central Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh (AP) coast around September 13. The weather phenomena will lead to rainfall distribution and the intensity is likely to increase over Odisha, coastal AP, Yanam in Puducherry, Telangana, Vidarbha and adjoining areas from September 12 onwards.

In September, rainfall is likely to range between normal and above normal, as the four-month-long south-west monsoon prepares for a retreat, IMD had said on Monday.

Rainfall is likely to be deficient at least until September 13 in most parts of the country, including north-west and central India, before intensifying after September 17, according to the IMDs extended range forecast.

Usually, the retreat of monsoon is slated to begin from September 17 when rain begins reducing across the country until a complete withdrawal by October 15.

However, this year IMDs extended range forecast shows extensive and heavy rains along the west coast between September 11 and 24 and then until October 1 over several parts of central India.
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Even though the November election is less than eight weeks away, the time is now to start thinking about how youre going to cast your ballot.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, we know that some voters may be looking for safer ways to either vote in-person or cast their ballots privately without encountering large crowds and potentially long lines, Constance L. Hargrove, Chesterfield Countys general registrar and director of elections, said in a statement.

Now is the time to start executing your voting plans and making a decision on how you want to cast your ballot for the November general election, Hargrove said.

Registered voters have three options for the Nov. 3 election:
ROME - A play by director Paola Rota called Illegal Helpers uses the theatre to give a voice to the men and women who take the risk of using civil disobedience as a way to help migrants and asylum seekers to cross borders, face interviews, and find shelter.

The play, which also involves actress Simonetta Solder and music by Teho Teardo, will go on stage September 11 in the Pelanda space of the Mattatoio modern art museum in Rome as part of the 15th edition of the international Short Theatre festival.

The play comes from a text by the Italian-German author Maxi Obexer, who is part of Fabulamundi, a project to promote and support contemporary playwriting in Europe.

Simonetta Solder told ANSAmed that when she and the others read the text, "it was love at first sight".

She said the play aims to give a voice to the "illegal helpers" who are "normal people: a teacher, a student, a judge, an office worker, who help migrants to find shelter, jeopardising their own position in society".

Solder plays the role of Lucas, who she said is "a young man, the only fictitious character, who brings everyone together by asking questions" with which "the stories of the various characters intertwine".

To write the play, Obexer conducted a series of interviews and gathered stories for four years at the borders between Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Solder said the play is "documentary theatre" in which the characters say "true things, real testimonies".

"It was difficult to put a text like this on stage, and we didn't want people just talking. So we chose to use a device, headphones, for the majority of the play. With this tool, the voices of the illegal helpers whisper their stories in the audience's ears, to maintain a certain effect, that of anonymity. Teho Teardo's contribution was essential. He created a true musical dramaturgy that accompanies the voices," Solder said.

"We're talking about civil disobedience, civil courage. The play means that civil courage is increasingly needed, that you have to go back to being humane, and not see people as a mass but as individuals who have faces, names," she said.

She said the project as a personal experience "woke me up, changed me".

"Maxi Obexer is a woman of the mountains, and I see myself in the mountains. I grew up in a border area and I am half Italian and half Austrian. Many of the stories told take place at a border, and I felt a call, I recognised some places, even though there aren't specific references in the text. I felt very involved," she said.

Solder said the play "asks us a big question".

"It asks us to choose what kind of person we want to be. It's a text that talks about them, the illegal helpers, but also about us, we who are often oversaturated by information, anaesthetised. This work pushes you to ask yourself who you are, and above all who you want to be in life as a human being," she said.

"Culture and art in their various forms are necessary tools to get to messages like this. This is possible through culture, telling the stories of these lives and thereby pushing for reflection, planting a seed to take home," she said.

She said the overall goal of the play Illegal Helpers is that of hope.

"I hope that what resonated in us can resonate in others and that change can truly start from the individual," Solder said.
Active wildfires, poor air quality and loss of power have closed schools and state recreation sites. Here is a list of closures:

SCHOOLS:

The Oregonian/OregonLive maintains and active page of notices of school closures and delays in the metro area. Check the most up-to-date information here: oregonlive.com/weather/page/oregon_school_closures.

Here are schools outside the main coverage area of the link above:

Alsea Sch. Dist.: Alsea school closed for the rest of the week.

Dallas Sch. Dist.: School Closed Friday due to poor air quality, no lunch/breakfast, no childcare.

Elkton Sch. Dist.: Classes canceled Thursday and Friday, Sept. 10-11. K-3 in-person instruction begins Sept. 14. Students should resume their normal CDL schedule.

Glide Sch. Dist.: Closed.

Harrisburg Sch. Dist.: Closed.

Lane Community College: All locations closed Thursday. Limited remote services available.

Oakland Sch. Dist.: Closed.

Oregon Coast Comm. College: Closed, staff reports. All locations closed to the public Thursday. Limited remote services will be available.

Pleasant Hill Sch. Dist.: Closed.

WILDFIRE TRACKER: See all fires in Oregon and across the nation

MEDICAL

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center: Closed. Due to poor air quality and anticipated continuing concerns, all clinics and school-based health centers will be closed. All pharmacies will remain open. To check hours and availability of the pharmacy near you go to virginiagarcia.org/clinics-providers/

PARKS AND RECREATION:

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Thursday a closure of all city-owned outdoor spaces such as parks, including forested areas.

"Its best not to visit any state parks until conditions improve, Oregon Parks and Recreations District Associate Director Chris Havel said Tuesday. "If you do travel to a park, or anywhere else for that matter, give space to emergency personnel and be prepared for unexpected closures.

The following parks are closed to all visitors until further notice or unless otherwise noted:

Silver Falls State Park near Silverton

Detroit Lake campground and Mongold day-use area near Detroit

North Santiam State Park near Mehama

Collier Memorial State Park near Klamath Falls, closed the remainder of September, which is when its normal camping season ends

All state parks and boat ramps on Fall Creek Reservoir  including Winberry day-use area, North Shore day-use area and Cascara campground  are closed until further notice.

Cape Lookout State Park near Tillamook will close through Sep. 10.

Bureau of Land Management Northwest Oregon District has temporarily closed all recreation sites and certain roads from Sept. 8-15.

All BLM developed campgrounds in northwestern Oregon are closed to the public, and dispersed camping is prohibited. Members of the public may not enter closed recreation areas. This temporary closure covers the northwestern part of the state, west of the Cascade Range and north from Cottage Grove to the Columbia River.

Oregon state forestland in Lane, Douglas, Coos, Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath counties are closed to public entry and use until further notice. A recent release estimated the closures would last at least until Sept. 13.

The closure includes the Gilchrist and Sun Pass state forests in Klamath County.

All lands managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry are closed to public use. Among those area are the Tillamook, Clatsop and Santiam state forests and other ODF-managed forestlands in Lane, Douglas, Coos, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Polk, Lincoln and Benton counties.

The Siuslaw National Forest is temporarily closing to public access. This closure covers all national forest, coastal, and sand areas and includes the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Sand Lake, developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, day use areas, wilderness areas, and all forest roads and trails.

Willamalane is closed due to hazardous air conditions. All facilities, parks, and trails closed until further notice. The area can not provide smoke respite shelters or any other programs at this time.

Check here for more information about closed trails and forest areas:

The Oregon State Marine Board is urging boaters to stay off the water near areas where there are active fires. The agency asks boaters to do their part by staying out of harms way and wait to use waterways until outdoor conditions improve.

Sheriffs office marine deputies are assisting with public safety and evacuation orders and need the assistance of boaters to stay well clear of active fires and bodies of water used for fire suppression efforts. According to a recent release, boaters can be cited for unsafe operation for interfering with these efforts.

Fire chiefs, in conjunction with the Cowlitz County Fire Marshal, are banning all burning within the city limits of Kelso, Longview, Kalama and Castle Rock. The ban includes all recreational fires.

BUSINESSES:

Clackamas County: Buildings are closed as of 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 due to heavy smoke. Information about Justice Court is available at www.Clackamas.us/justice.Oregon

Lottery: The Lottery office in Salem is closing at noon Thursday, Sept. 10. The office will remain closed Friday, Sept. 11.

PeaceHealth Medical Group has closed most of its Eugene, Springfield, and Cottage Grove clinics from noon Thursday through the weekend. Clinics that remain open are:

Urgent Care at Gateway in Springfield and West Eugene

Pediatrics at RiverBend Pavilion in Springfield and University District in Eugene

New Patient Coordinator at University District

Pediatric Cardiology and Surgery at RiverBend Pavilion

Lane Co. Circuit Court will close at 1:45 p.m. Thursday Sept. 10. All hearings scheduled after 1:30 will be postponed. The courthouse will not be open for business after 1:45 p.m.

-- Rosemarie Stein/The Oregonian/Oregonlive.com

Email at rstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-4376

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For Subscribers Farmers concerned about chemical costs, supply issues heading into 2022

Higher fertilizer and chemical costs are on the minds of farm groups as they look toward spring planting.
Jim Wahlberg film 'What About the Kids' explores effects of opioid addiction, power of prayer

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What About the Kids, the latest short film from writer and director Jim Wahlberg, highlights the devastating nature of opioid addiction and the role faith plays in recovery and healing.

The film, which premiered virtually on Tuesday night, follows Chloe (Layla Scalisi), the 8-year-old daughter of drug addicts. After her mother dies from a drug overdose, shes sent to live with her grandparents. Though they love her, taking on the responsibility of a small child forces them to restructure their lives and future. In the face of struggles, Chloes grandmother, Debbie (Patti DArbanville), relies on her deep faith and prayer to carry her family.

Meanwhile, while seeking treatment at a halfway house, Chloes dad (Caleb Scott) grapples with feelings of guilt stemming from his continued drug use, his wifes death, and the loss of his daughter. The poignant film drives home the fact that opioid addiction has far-reaching and costly effects  yet redemption is always possible.

Ahead of the premiere, Wahlberg, the executive director of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and head of Wahl St. Productions, briefly shared his own story of recovery.

This is not stuff that I learned from a book, you know this is stuff that I learned from my life, Wahlberg, who shares his story in his book The Big Hustle, said. I had what I like to refer to as a tough paper route. You know I got started, very, very young. I started to experiment with drugs and alcohol at a very, very young age, and was out in the street.

Now, we're making films about addiction from a faithful perspective, he continued. This film is a story about a faithful family and their struggles.

Though Wahlberg has made over 10 films on addiction, What About the Kids is his first foray into the faith-based world, he said. He revealed that the storyline was inspired by the numerous grandparents hes met over the years forced to raise their grandchildren after losing a child to an overdose.

Their stories moved me to a point where I knew the stories need to be told, Wahlberg said.

I know lots of people that have had to bury their children. I know that this is a very different perspective, he said, "but its like a rock hitting water and the ripples are generational and will go on and on and on.

For Wahlberg, highlighting the power of prayer amid addiction was of the utmost importance.

Grandma is praying for her son to just pray, he said. That's it. Nothing else. She knows God will help him. She knows God will provide if he'll just take that step toward the Lord.

A devout Catholic, Wahlberg said faith and prayer played a key role in achieving his own sobriety.

My relationship with God is the priority, he said. I know if I make that first in my life, then there's nothing I can't do. I've tried recovery without God, and what I ended up [with] was no drinks, no drugs, no happiness, just miserable. I thought that the people around me that were talking about their relationship with God as it relates to their recovery were being disingenuous.

Until I made a commitment, until I was dropped to my knees, it just wasn't happening for me, he continued. Now I'm blessed to have the undeniable presence of God in my life.

Following the film's premiere, attendees viewed footage of families affected by opioid use and personal testimonies of pain and recovery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a staggering one in 12 Americans struggle with a substance use disorder, and each year an estimated 47,500 people die from opioid overdoses.

In light of these devastating numbers, reaching those lost in addiction with the hope of the Gospel is crucial, Wahlberg said. He hopes individuals around the country will host viewings in their community to create a discussion around substance abuse.

It takes all of us on the ground to carry out Gods work," he said.

In an interview ahead of the premiere, Wahlberg told The Christian Post that hes grateful God has taken the mess of his life and turned it into an asset to glorify Him.

My experiences give me more ammunition to reach people that have been through similar circumstances; it gives my message a little more depth and weight than someone that learned answers and solutions from a book, he said.

God saved me for me a reason. The best part is, it has nothing to do with me. Its all by the grace of God.

Watch "What About the Kids" here.
By Trend

The parliamentary delegation headed by Chairman of Azerbaijans Parliament Sahiba Gafarova, will make its first official visit to Turkey on September 10, Trend reports citing the Parliament.

The delegation includes Head of the Working Group on Interparliamentary Relations with Turkey Ahliman Amiraslanov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense, Security and Combating Corruption Ziyafat Asgarov, MPs Sevil Mikayilova, Fazil Mustafa, Elshan Musayev, Tural Ganjaliyev, Head of Staff of the Parliament Safa Mirzoyev and other officials.

During the visit, the members of the delegation will familiarize themselves with the work of the parliament, the process of lawmaking, and exchange views with Turkish colleagues in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

Chairman of the Parliament Sahiba Gafarova will hold a meeting with Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Mustafa Shentop. The current state and prospects for the further development of inter-parliamentary ties, further expansion of bilateral cooperation, the implementation of global projects jointly realized by the two countries, ways of resolving regional conflicts, will be discussed at the meeting.

The delegation will be received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials.

During the visit, the parliamentary delegation will visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk (Anytkabir) in Ankara, get acquainted with the historical sights of the city.

The visit will end on September 12.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
FILE PHOTO: An Exxon sign is seen at a gas station in the Chicago suburb of Norridge

By Shruti Sonal

(Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp <XOM.N> said on Tuesday it made its 18th discovery offshore Guyana, as the largest U.S. oil producer continues to develop one of the world's most important new oil and gas blocks in the last decade.

Exxon said the discovery, made at the Redtail-1 well, will add to its previous estimate of over 8 billion barrels of total oil and gas resources on the Stabroek Block.

However, the company did not specify how much it estimates would be recoverable from this well and did not outline development plans for it.

"Exxon has a good problem in that it has a large number of discoveries to choose from, which allows it to optimize and choose the highest return discoveries to develop," said Anish Kapadia, director of energy at Palissy Advisors.

Kapadia said Exxon could look at selling off some of the discoveries that may not be as important for it as they would be for other smaller companies.

Exxon operates the Stabroek block as part of a consortium with Hess Corp <HES.N> and China's CNOOC Ltd <0883.HK> and began production on it ahead of schedule in December.

The new find continues the Exxon-led consortium's long string of discoveries in Latin America's newest crude producing nation and underscores the importance of Guyana to Exxon for increasing its future oil output.

Exxon also said it encountered high-quality oil-bearing reservoirs while drilling at its Yellowtail-2 well and was evaluating them for development.

(Reporting by Shruti Sonal in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Ramakrishnan M.)
Boo! COVID-19 is threatening to scare off Halloween this year.

Premier Doug Ford has delivered the grim news that trick or treating may not be advisable during the pandemic.

Weve got to be so, so careful, the premier said Thursday

Lets play it by ear and see what happens over  the next month and half for Halloween, he said.

But it just makes me nervous, kids going door to door with this. Id prefer not to. It would be a shame, but ... well check that out. And were going to (get) advice through our public health team.

Dr. David Williams, the provinces chief medical officer for health, said later Thursday that officials are still determining whether Halloween activities like children canvassing for candy and chocolate would have to be curbed.

On Wednesday, Mayor John Tory told CP24 he wont hesitate to cancel trick or treating in Toronto if public health officials recommend that.

We dont have the power to just order Halloween cancelled, said Tory.

But I can tell you right now if the medical officer of healths advice to me is that I should say to parents: You should not go out and you should not be handing out candy and all those kinds of things because we think that it poses a risk, especially with the numbers going up I wouldnt hesitate for a second to do that, the mayor said.

Some U.S. cities have already announced Halloween limits will be in place Oct. 31.

In April, early in the pandemic when much of Ontario was in lockdown, Ford designated the Easter Bunny as an essential service to reassure anxious children worried there would be no delivery of chocolate eggs and bunnies.

Also Thursday, the provinces financial accountability officer reported that Queens Park has yet to allocate some $6.7 billion to spending designed to blunt the impact of COVID-19.

The independent watchdog said that includes about $3.5 billion in federal transfers for health, employment, and other supports.

Ford stressed the Progressive Conservative government is flowing it is as quickly as possible.

Ive told each ministry, as soon as you get those funds, you start flowing that right to the people that need it most, the premier said.

But NDP MPP Catherine Fife (Waterloo) said Ford needs to loosen the purse strings.

Kids are being packed into crowded classrooms in the middle of a pandemic, said Fife, noting new COVID-19 infections (are) climbing, long-term-care homes are still short-staffed, and hospitals havent been shored up to deal with any COVID-19 and flu waves coming.

Doug Ford shouldnt be withholding money to make his bottom line look better  he should be getting that money out the door to make students and staff safer in schools, and stop the second wave of COVID-19 outbreaks before people again experience the anguish of loved ones getting ill, job losses and further economic damage, she said.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner also expressed concern that the money is being held up.

The premier says he will spare no expense, yet he is pinching pennies with our childrens safety on the line and at a time when many businesses, people and teachers are desperate for support, said Schreiner.

With so many small businesses on the brink, so many renters and leaseholders facing eviction, what is stopping the Ford government from getting these much needed relief funds out the door?

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Indonesia amounted to $38.8 million over 1H2020, compared to $105.4 million during the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Statistics Committee.

The share of Indonesia in the total value of Kazakhstans trade turnover stood at 0.1 percent during the reporting period compared to 0.2 percent during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export to Indonesia amounted to $23.7 million over the period from January through June 2020, compared to $28.6 million during the same period of 2019.

Indonesias share in the total volume of Kazakhstans export also amounted to 0.091 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 0.099 percent during the same period of 2019.

In turn, Kazakhstans imports from Indonesia stood at about $15.1 million over the reporting period, compared to $76.8 million during the same period of 2019.

Indonesias share in the total volume of Kazakhstans import amounted to 0.1 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 0.4 percent during the same period of 2019.

The total volume of Kazakhstans trade turnover amounted to $42.5 billion over the period from Jan. through June 2020 which indicates a decrease from $46.1 billion during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export amounted to $26 billion during the reporting period of 2020 ($28.6 billion in the same period of 2019), whereas imports amounted to $16.5 billion ($17.5 billion in 2019).

During the reporting period Indonesia has exported fish, nuts, oil and other food products, as well as chemicals and plastic goods to Kazakhstan.

In turn, Kazakhstan has exported alcohol, manganese, ferroalloys, spares for pipes, to Indonesia.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
World Health Organization officials said AstraZeneca's decision to delay the phase three trial of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine for safety reasons is a reminder that vaccine development is "not always a fast and a straight road."

AstraZeneca's announced Tuesday that it was placing a hold on stage three human trials for its potential vaccine, which it's developing alongside the University of Oxford, after one of the participants showed signs of a potential serious adverse reaction, which was first reported by STAT News. The company told CNBC that the delay was a "routine action" whenever there's an unexplained illness under investigation.

WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said Thursday that there's no need to be "overly discouraged" by the news, adding that "these things happen."

"There's a protocol for what you do when something happens," Swaminathan said during a news briefing at the organization's Geneva headquarters. "If it's a mild side effect, there are things to be done. If it's major as it was in this case  it was a severe side event  and therefore the trial was halted. And again this is normal procedure. This is good clinical practice because safety is of the upmost, highest priority in any clinical trial."

While the WHO hopes the vaccine's trials will resume soon, it must wait for more information provided by a data and safety monitoring board, which will determine how to proceed with the trials, Swaminathan said.

"I think this is a good ... perhaps a wake-up call or a lesson for everyone to recognize the fact that there are ups and downs in research, there are ups and downs in clinical development and we have to be prepared for those," she said. "We hope that things will be able to move on but again it depends. It depends on a lot, and we have to wait to see the details of what actually happened."

AstraZeneca's vaccine candidate is one of three in late-stage human clinical trials, joining Pfizer and Moderna, which both began their trials in late July. Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca's chief executive officer, maintained on Thursday, however, that the company should still know whether its vaccine is effective against the coronavirus by the end of this year as long as trials resume soon, Reuters reported.

The WHO has identified more than 160 vaccine candidates under development with nearly 30 in more advanced human trial phases. But as drugmakers race toward a vaccine at a historic speed, questions surrounding their safety have surfaced.

On Thursday, the Kaiser Family Foundation released findings from its latest Health Tracking Poll that found 62% of Americans worry that political pressure from the Trump administration will lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve a Covid-19 vaccine before it has enough data to determine whether it's safe and effective.

AstraZeneca's Soriot was one of nine company executives developing a Covid-19 vaccine that signed a pledge ensuring the drugmakers won't submit their vaccines for approval until they prove safe and effective in a Phase 3 trial.

When asked about the timing of a vaccine, WHO's Swaminathan said that it typically takes six months at a minimum before researchers begin to see results from late-stage human trials. Since some of the trials began in July, it's "very possible" interim results could appear by the end of the year, though it will take longer for regulatory agencies to examine the results and license the vaccines, she said.

"It could be that we see some results end of the year, it could be early next year, but that's the time frame in which we start seeing the results. There's no way of predicting currently which ones are going to be effective," Swaminathan said.

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's health emergencies program, added that discovering and approving a Covid-19 vaccine is "not a race between companies (and) it's not a race between countries."

"This is a race against time, it's a race against the virus, it's a race to save lives," he said. "But let's not bet on any horses until we get to the end of this race."
New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) Ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Thursday that the functioning of Lok Sabha will be 100 per cent digitised and members will mark their presence in Parliament through a mobile application.

In an interaction with media regarding the arrangements being made by the Lok Sabha Secretariat for the session, he said, 'Mobile attendance application 'Attendance Register' has been developed for marking of attendance by Members in the Parliament House complex'.

Underlining the fact that 'constructive debates are an integral feature of our parliamentary democracy', Mr Birla expressed the confidence that all MPs will productively fulfill their collective legislative responsibilities for ensuring the welfare of people and in the national interest, just as they have ensured in providing relief and assistance to the public in the fight against Novel Coronavirus.

Mr Birla said the fourth Session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence from September 14, and will end on October 1. The session will have 18 sittings in all.

This Session is being held under very challenging circumstances, when the country is facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Parliament represents the hopes and aspirations of our countrymen and even in the present scenario, it will fulfill its constitutional responsibility of ensuring the accountability of the Government,' he added.

The Speaker said adequate arrangements have been made to ensure that the Session is held in a smooth manner, by ensuring compliance with all COVID-19 related health and safety guidelines.

For this, elaborate consultations have been made with the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, medical experts and other agencies.

Mr Birla further said that on September 14, the Lok Sabha will hold its sitting from 0900 hrs to 1300 hrs and from September 15 to October 1, the sittings will be from 1500 hrs to 1900 hrs.

Both the Chambers of the two Houses have been integrated for holding this Session. There will be sitting arrangements for 257 Members in the Lok Sabha Chamber and 172 Members will be seated in the Lok Sabha Galleries.

Arrangements have been made for the sitting of 60 Members in the Rajya Sabha Chamber and 51 Members will be seated in the Rajya Sabha Galleries.

To ensure social distancing, transparent polycarbonate sheets have been placed between the benches.

In the Lok Sabha, fibre sheets have been placed between the seats of the members and back and front and the members will have to speak, while sitting on their seats. Podiums have been erected at some distance for the members to speak in galleries. Members of the Rajya Sabha will have to speak through the camera to the Speaker.

The Answers to the Unstarred Questions will be laid on the Table of the House and half-an-hour each day has been allotted for Zero Hour matters.

There will be the least usage of paper and efforts have been made to supply Parliamentary papers in a digital format. The access to Central Hall has been restricted for Members only.

Mr Birla also informed that all MPs have been requested to get themselves tested for COVID-19, before the Session.

'All the members will be tested for corona by RT-PCR and they will participate in the proceedings of the House, only if they test negative. Similarly, the test will also be mandatory for journalists covering Parliament and employees working here,' he said.

In response to a question, Mr Birla clarified that this time, he is not calling an all-party meeting. On September 13, before the Monsoon Session of Parliament, held to fulfill the Constitutional obligation in the adverse circumstances of the Corona period, a meeting of the Business Committee will be held in which members of almost all parties will be present.

The Speaker said that it is his responsibility to make the Lok Sabha accountable to as many people as possible. As the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, he should give everyone an opportunity to express his views as per the rules and strengthen all democratic institutions.

When asked about the matters being raised in the Parliamentary Committees and the dispute arising in the Committees, Mr Birla said that he has written a letter to the Chairmen of all the Committees to advise that the matters under consideration of the Court should not be taken up in any forum of Parliament.

He also mentioned that in the letter, he has also defined the subject matter under the consideration of the court. A case cannot be considered within the jurisdiction of the court only by the filing of the petition. 'It is also necessary that the court has accepted that petition and listed it for hearing'.

He hoped that the chairman and members of the committees would take care of it.

Later, a visit was arranged for mediapersons to the Lok Sabha Chamber and the Galleries, to show them the arrangement for the Monsoon Session.

UNI RSA RJ 2146
There are four new cases of COVID-19 to report in New Zealand today  two in the community, and two at the border.

Health Minister Chris Hipkins is providing the daily health update this afternoon.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that the two community cases are linked to the Auckland August cluster.

The imported cases arrived in New Zealand on a flight from India on August 27 and are in quarantine. One is a man in his 30s and the other is a woman in her 50s.

Both community cases have epidemiological links to existing cases in the bereavement sub-cluster and back to the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship group.

One factor that its important to underline here is that this sub-cluster has come about as a result of a contact of a case having close contact with other people.

As far as we can tell they were unaware they had been infected and were incubating and spreading the virus at the time.

As a result of this cooperation, by 8am today, labs had registered new tests for 64 per cent of the congregation.

There are 101 close contacts associated with this sub-cluster.

Since August 11, the contact tracing team has identified 3,372 close contacts of cases, of which 3,354 have been contacted and are self-isolating.

There are three people in hospital with COVID-19  one is in isolation on a ward in North Shore Hospital. Two are in ICU, at North Shore and Waikato hospitals.

Nine additional cases have recovered which brings the total number of active cases in New Zealand to 120. Of those, 39 are imported cases in MIQ facilities, and 81 are community cases.

Yesterday laboratories processed 7,950 tests for COVID-19, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 839,467
Systemic violence is all around us

Editor:

We hear a lot about looting, violence, and abuse. Id like to expand the definitions to crimes legal, not punished. Looting of property is harmful, but there are more harmful looters  those in power and privilege who loot through tax loopholes, political bribery for political favors, exploitation of workers, dark money legalizing political corruption.

And while violence to property is harmful, the violence done to our earth through exploitation, oil spills, mining, drilling, deforestation, toxic pollution are legal, rewarded. And wars, that pathology of violence, is often honored. And some abuse is so integral to cultures its considered normal.

The acceptance of patriarchal power, whether by Taliban or religious fundamentalists, allows for sexual and physical violence, control over womens bodies, economic discrimination, unrecognized misogyny in everyday attitudes and behavior. Systemic violence against Blacks  in education, economics, health, housing, law  goes unnoticed by many whites. There has been violence, some by angry, frustrated protesters, more by provocateurs infiltrating peaceful protests and Trump caravans of patriots coming into cities with concealed weapons.

Its white supremacists and neo-Nazis, often quoting Trump, who have committed mass killing of innocent people at Walmarts, music festivals, churches and synagogues.

At the Republican Convention, countless speakers shouted about fear and danger, the need for law and order. They meant, I think, the fear of white people, not the fear of Black people throughout our history  lynched, imprisoned, murder  and the fear they experience every day of being killed in their homes, cars, street by police unable to see their humanity of people, murderers almost never punished, the DAs, law, courts, police unions protecting their own.

With tears, a Black man said: We have always loved America, but America has never loved us back.

Bernice Mennis, West Fort Ann

Trump is a traitor to our principles

Editor:

I never thought this would be true of anyone in the White House.

Donald Trump is a traitor to our country and the principles upon which it was founded. Donald Trump appears to be a Russian agent. Donald Trump is likely guilty of treason.

He betrayed our military in Afghanistan with Russian bounties on their heads. He betrayed our now dead Kurdish allies. He betrayed the kids he put in cages. He betrayed the Constitution, trying to destroy the post office for his own selfish purposes.

He betrayed nearly 190,000 dead Americans, who died because he refused to control the coronavirus. He vainly refuses the masks and distancing that would save us. He betrayed our election system by encouraging his supporters to illegally vote twice for him.

Trump betrayed all of us by fomenting riots with his racist actions. He has condoned a follower who murdered two people in Kenosha. Police shot a black man in the back seven times. Trump remains silent.

Trump, heel spurs and all, loves to use the military or his federal facsimiles to beat and gas our own citizens for his small-minded purposes.

Putin poisons another opponent and the normally verbose Trump goes silent. Why? Would it affect his next performance review with Vladdie?

He claims to love America, but time after time he demonstrates his love for Putin and Russia. Why? What does Putin have on Trump? Now a Senate report finds that Russia probably supplied Trump with a former Miss Moscow... while Trump was married to one of his previous wives.

Why do so many people sell their souls to support this sad little man?

I believe Trump will be the first president to be jailed for his illegal activities in office. He has earned it strongly.

Al Muench, Chestertown

Before going to the polls, do homework

Editor:

If there was ever a time to vote smart  the time is now. This may be one of the most important presidential election we ever had. Dont vote just because someone tells you to vote for a certain person. Dont vote for what you hear about someone via TV, newspaper or radio. Do a little homework on your part and find out something about the people that are running for office.

If you liked what we had up to this time of this new president then vote for those people that are in that party again. If you dont like the way we are going now vote for the other party.

Again, do a little homework on all that are running for office then you can make a smarter choice. Its that important to make sure we are headed in the right direction. Its our country  lets keep it headed in a good direction. That direction is in the hands of the voter. Vote smart. God Bless America.

Sid Gordon, Saratoga

Having issues with the mail service

Editor:

In light of all the recent issues surrounding USPS, I decided to write about my own experience with that institution in the previous week.

On Tuesday Aug. 25, I received a credit card bill. Oh well! I promptly wrote a check, placed it in my mailbox and lifted the red flag on the side of the box up. Yet my mail wasnt picked up on Wednesday.

On Thursday, my husband saw a mail carrier slowing down by our house, but they didnt stop, didnt pick up or drop off anything. Now on Thursdays we usually receive Local First  a free, pennysaver- type publication. Not that Thursday! Situation didnt improve on Friday  we didnt get any mail and my lone envelope was still sitting in the box, still waiting...

On Saturday around 2 p.m. I called my post office. I didnt get any answers, apparently the office closes at 12:30 on Saturdays. I called again Monday morning, got an answer this time  my regular mail carrier took a week vacation and the substitute was driving the route. I understand that to some degree but still, I was basically without the mail service for four out of six days in the Aug. 24-Aug. 30 week. Thats not OK!

My mail was finally picked up on Monday, and I received one more bill to pay. Still no pennysaver. On Tuesday, mail was picked up without a problem and three letters were dropped off. One looked like a check from IRS. Too bad they were all clearly addressed to my next door neighbor. And yes, we all have big, visible numbers on our mail boxes.

So thats that  my week of adventures with postal service, now if you will excuse me I have to switch all my bills to electronic payments!

Dorothy Anderson, Lake

Luzerne

Political party not relevant to strike

Editor:

New York City delays start of school year: When your writers wrote about New York Citys Mayor Bill De Blasio, why was it stressed not once, but twice that he was a Democrat?

I am an employee of the New York City Department of Education, and yes, a proud Democrat, but I dont understand what does the mayors political affiliation have to do with our unions wanting to strike? Whether he is Democrat or Republican, we would strike regardless!

So when you write about a city or towns issue, is there really a need to stress their political affiliation? Or is it one more thing you Republicans want to blame the Democrats for?

Ann Marie Soto, Hadley

Ask a few questions before casting vote

Editor:

I have some questions to ask voters about the stakes in this election:

Do you believe there is a deadly virus in our country and that it has that has killed over 170,000 people, including nearly 100 in NY-21?

Do you know that the postmaster general, appointed by Trump, has removed and has destroyed over 650 high-speed mail sorting machines, including at least one in Syracuse? Do you know that this has greatly slowed the delivery of mail just prior to the election?

Do you know that Trump says if he is re-elected, will eliminate the payroll, which funds Social Security, SSI, and Medicare?

Do you understand that defunding Social Security and Medicare would severely harm senior citizens who have paid thousands of dollars into this system and who depend on that income to live?

Do you know that Elise Stefanik voted five times to kill protections for pre-existing conditions and leave 64,000 northern New Yorkers without health care?

Pease vote for Biden/Harris and Tedra Cobb. They will work to expand, not take away, our access to affordable healthcare and to the vote.

Everything in this letter can be fact-checked.

Terry de la Vega, Potsdam

Lets work together against hateful acts

Editor:

Our country has a long tradition of the peaceful transition of political power through an open and free electoral process. Part of that electoral process involves the freedom to openly and without fear of intimidation express our support for the ideas and candidates of our choice. A few individuals, through their intolerant and even dangerous actions, are undermining these basic freedoms ... freedoms that are guaranteed to all of us by our Constitution and Bill of Rights!

There have been four acts of intolerance in Greenwich and we must condemn theses despicable acts in the strongest of terms:

A family who displayed a Trump flag before their home received an intimidating post card addressed to a traitor and warning that family not to support President Trump;

Someone defaced one of the signs supporting Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives Tedra Cobb;

Someone supporting Blue Lives Matter across from Mowry Park was almost hit by a car that drove onto the sidewalk. Individuals exited the car, yelled curses, made an obscene gesture and called the supporter of Blue Lives Matter a white racist before driving away;

Someone painted a vicious racial slur on the side of a home displaying a Black Lives Matter sign.

Republicans, Democrats, Independents ... all voters must Stand Tall and condemn these acts of intolerance, regardless of our political affiliations.

Americans are a fair and forgiving people. We have a long tradition of honoring our long held freedoms, of engaging in debate and not hate, and of treating each other with grace, tolerance and dignity.

We in Greenwich must honor these traditions and spearhead the fight against political bigotry. We must work together as a community to stop these hateful acts and to allow our fellow citizens to express their views without intimidation.

Don Ward, town of Greenwich Supervisor

Back Constitution, back Tedra Cobb

Editor:

The Second Amendment is important to us. The right of Americans to own a gun is at the forefront of our Constitution; the United States Constitution.

Fellow Americans, those of us who respect the Constitution and support it see it crumbling before us as the checks and balances are dismantled by corruption of the powerful. So many of those elected who have vowed to uphold the Constitution do not uphold it.

We have people in power who tell us that the Democrats will take our guns, because they want to scare us. Right now, so many elected Republicans are not upholding the Constitution. So, who do you think is really going to take our guns? The people who support the United States Constitution, or the people who fly in the face of it? When the GOP gets rid of the Constitution, they will get rid of the Second Amendment. No Constitution equals no rights for the common man.

I support Biden and I support Tedra Cobb, because they support the Constitution of the United States. Tedras brother hunts. Shes not going to take away our guns. Shes one of us. Shes going to uphold the Constitution. She lives here.

She cares about the North Country. She cares about America and our Constitution. Lets win our country back. Then, we can talk about the value of AR-15s in the hands of citizens. We can discuss it all, because we will still have a Constitution.

Our vote this November is for the future of our Democracy and the existence of the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution that says we have the right to bear arms. Vote Biden. Vote Cobb.

Liz Bollt, Potsdam

Political vandals are stoking fear

Editor:

What does it say about Trump supporters when one would fear placing a Biden for President or Tedra Cobb for Congress sign on ones lawn?

After my two campaign signs were stolen, I thought, of course, Trumpers. What sane person steals lawn signs? Easily replaced.

Today, my friend, a Cobb supporter, who lives in a neighborhood of Trump supporters, said she is fearful of retaliation should she place a sign on her property. I dont doubt there are those who would vandalize her property, let alone steal her signs. Should one risk getting ones car keyed because of a Biden/Harris bumper sticker?

Its not paranoia. No delicate Lilly is my friend. But many Trump supporters behavior is the result of a creeping accumulation of four years of grooming by their cult leader. They swallow, whole, conspiracy theories, the premise that there are good people on both sides, liberals eat babies.

The dark side of human nature has surfaced, and their leader encourages the menacing of those who do not approve of him. Brainwashing explains their loyalty to a man who is the antithesis of all we are taught in religious institutions to strive for, and the blind support of policies against ones best interests is mind-boggling.

Dont they want affordable health insurance? Trump is in court trying to get rid of coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Shouldnt their daughters get paychecks equal to that of their brothers? Enjoy clean water and air? A living wage? Quality education for their children? Is raiding Social Security and Medicare to build a wall OK? Are they so entrenched in the lies theyve been fed to ignore his contempt for our servicemen?

Yes.

And vandalizing property is a precursor of worse behavior if vile Trump and his sycophant, Elise Stefanik, are not defeated in November.

Agata Stanford, Glens Falls

Any charter changes would be expensive

Editor:

As the Saratoga Springs City Council begins the challenge of putting together a 2021 city budget in the midst of a pandemic and national economic crisis, they will have to keep in mind the additional spending the city will be required to do if the charter proposal to change to a city manager and ward system passes this November.

While a city manager would not be officially hired until the new charter takes effect in January 2022, the search for this new hire will have to take place during 2021 and be done by the current City Council.

The City Council could try to take on this task themselves (in addition to their other duties and responsibilities), but most municipalities find they need the assistance of professional search firms to find and evaluate the best candidates. Those costs typically run from $25,000 to $30,000, plus travel expenses.

The proposed charter also requires the city to appoint and fund two task forces:

* First, a Charter Transition Task Force, including counsel, to actually plan the new government;

* Second, a Reapportionment Commission, which can hire staff and have a budget to review the 2020 census data and draw ward boundaries;

The task of crafting a budget for 2021 in the midst of the uncertainty of the pandemic and the national economic crisis is daunting for our city, especially knowing that significant additional funding will have to be found if the charter change proposal passes in November.

Jane Weihe, Saratoga Springs

Insulting someone isnt right or smart

Editor:

Mr. James Tomaskis letter to the editor was incredibly revealing. I intended to write a response that showed (very easily) the many inaccurate statements this gentleman was spouting. But, what I learned while reading his letter was that this is a man not driven by political righteousness, but a petrified boy who is afraid of a woman who not only speaks against his view, but does so with an intelligence he clearly lacks.

In the future Mr. Tomaski please keep your fear to yourself. Its embarrassing.

Richard La Sarso,

Queensbury

Stop Trump from making us suckers

Editor:

I have always been proud of the multiple generations of my family members who served in a variety of branches of the Armed Forces. When it was revealed that Donald Trump called those who served in the military suckers and losers, I was insulted and angry but not surprised. After all, his insults toward Sen. John McCain have been well publicized, as has his record as a draft dodger.

Dont you wonder what he must have been thinking as he met troops at Fort Drum alongside our congresswoman, Elise Stefanik? What was she thinking then and now? Trump is the person Stefanik has supported through impeachment and convention. She is loyal to the Grifter in Chief.

We have the opportunity to make a change, which will bring respect back to the Office of the President and to the 21st Congressional District. If we re-elect Trump and Stefanik, we are the suckers. We need to be sure that Trump and Stefanik are the losers.

Katherine Verbeck-Lobban, Lake George

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Police fired tear gas to disperse campaigners for civilian rule before substantive talks over Mali's political future began in Bamako on Thursday, a sign of a deepening rift over who should lead the post-coup transitional government.

About 100 supporters of the M5-RFP coalition, which led months of protests against now-deposed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, clashed with police at the entrance to the conference centre in the capital, delaying the start of talks.

The junta that toppled Keita on Aug. 18 has said the transitional government could be led by a military officer, while the M5-RFP and regional leaders have called for a civilian to take the role.

"They are trying to confiscate our revolution from us," said Bakary Keita, a senior M5-RFP member. "We were very clear from the start. We want a civilian as president of the transition, not a soldier."

International powers fear the political uncertainty could undermine the fight across West Africa's Sahel region against Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, as a previous coup did in 2012.

Supporters of the ruling junta, the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), assembled across the street from the building hosting the talks with political parties and civil society groups.

Some carried signs saying "Long live the CNSP" and portraits of CNSP president Colonel Assimi Goita.

"This is about diagnosing, without complacency, the problems undermining our democratic system," Goita said in opening the three-day talks, but did not weigh in on who should lead the transition.

West African leaders have said the CNSP must name a civilian interim president and prime minister by Sept. 15 if they are to start easing sanctions imposed after the coup.

The talks were boycotted by the main alliance of pro-independence Tuaregs in northern Mali, who complained that the CNSP had cancelled a planned meeting with them last week.

The chaos unleashed by a Tuareg rebellion in 2012 led to Islamist militants briefly taking over all of the desert north, before French forces intervened the following year to push them back.

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It's quite the honor and responsibility to hold the key to providing essential services to kids and their families. - Robin Landers, CLUPresident, NAILBA Charitable Foundation

The National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA) announced that Jim Duff has joined the organizations Board of Directors.

Based in Harrisburg, PA, Duff is Senior Vice President and General Manager of Crump Life Insurance Services Solution Centers for Annuities, Disability and Long-Term Care insurance, a member of the Crump Executive Team and is the President of Tellus Brokerage Connections, Inc. (a Crump company). His background includes over 20 years of executive experience in sales leadership and execution.

Jim is a phenomenal addition to the NAILBA Board of Directors, said CEO Dan LaBert. His deep industry knowledge will contribute to our strategic vision as we elevate NAILBAs value to the brokerage community, particularly during an unexpected economic and social era.

The NAILBA Charitable Foundation has also elected new officers and board members to begin their 2020 terms. The Foundation announced the following additions:

Michael Slades Sladek is National Sales Director with Mutual of Omaha. He is responsible for sales and marketing to industry-leading NMOs and BGAs and managing a team of seasoned sales professionals. Sladek is based in Houston, TX.

Philip Chuba is Vice President, Strategic Relationship Management for Prudential, where he effectively leverages Prudentials capabilities and resources to help firms achieve their goals. His objective is to help distributors develop strategies and tactics to drive profitable growth. Chuba is based in Minneapolis, MN.

Blair Farwell RHU, REBC, is the President and owner of Resource Brokerage, LLC. Blair has been in the insurance industry for 25 years. He has built a multi-line wholesaler with 30 employees, with specialized divisions focused on group benefits, individual medical, Medicare products, life insurance, LTC Insurance, and individual DI. Farwell is based in Schaumburg, IL.

Andrew Hamill, CLU, ChFC, Vice President of Regional Sales at Legal & General America, is responsible for leading the companys wholesaling in the BGA distribution segment, which includes the development and execution of strategies and initiatives to drive growth, improve LGAs competitive positioning, and deepen relationships with distribution partners. Hamill is based in Charleston, SC.

Foundation Board Members continuing their service in 2020 include:



Robin Landers, Landers-Stein & Associates, Inc., Miami, FL (Foundation President)

Barbara Crowley, Brokers Clearing House, Ltd., West Des Moines, IA (Foundation Secretary/Treasurer)

Alan Protzel, The Marketing Alliance, St. Louis, MO (Immediate Past President: 2017-2018)

Pete Chrisos, Protective Life Insurance Company, Hoffman Estates, IL

Dan LaBert, NAILBA, Fairfax, VA (Ex-officio)

John Gilbert, CFP (NAILBA Secretary/Treasurer & Foundation Grants Review Committee Chair)

Andrew Hamil, Legal & General America, Frederick, MD

Allen Bress, AIM Marketing and Insurance Services, Fountain Hills, AZ

Danny Brooks, Southern Insurance Group, Cookeville, TN

Melanie Carter, ExamOne, Denver, CO

Sam Corey III, The Brokerage Resource, Durham, NC

Michelle DeClerck, CMP, Conference Event Management, West Des Moines, IA

Hope Howard, Broker World Magazine, Overland Park, KS

Craig Klenk, American National Insurance Company (ANICO), Houston, TX

Scott Weilage, Weilage Advisory Group, Mankato, MN

The NAILBA Charitable Foundation offers members and business partners a concrete way to help those most in need in their local community. In 2019, the Foundation was honored to raise more than $227,000, distributed to 29 community organizations nationwide, and has given over $3 million in grants since its creation in 2002.

"It's my pleasure to continue raising money to give it away. Our 2020 fundraising goal of $300,000 could help so many worthy organizations. Often, we are the largest grantor to smaller non-profits that really couldn't do without us. It's quite the honor and responsibility to hold the key to providing essential services to kids and their families. Our donors would happily go without a premium cup of coffee each week so that a child gets food on their table," stated Foundation President Robin S. Landers, CLU.

##

About NAILBA

The National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA) is the premiere insurance industry organization promoting financial security and consumer choice through the use of independent brokerage distribution. NAILBA serves as the national association of life, health and annuity insurance distributors. For more information visit http://www.nailba.org.

About The NAILBA Charitable Foundation

The National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA) Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of NAILBA, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization that receives gifts mainly, but not exclusively, from the membership of NAILBA and its corporate supporters. The mission of the NAILBA Charitable Foundation is to encourage volunteerism among the NAILBA membership and provide grant funds to worthy charitable organizations with limited operating budgets in local communities served by member agencies, with a special emphasis on those that enhance the quality of life for children. For more information visit http://www.nailbacharitablefoundation.org
More Charges in Durham Probe Possible, Barr Says

More criminal charges are possible in U.S. Attorney John Durhams investigation into the origins of the FBIs probe of alleged ties between Russia and President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign, Attorney General William Barr said in a new interview.

Barr, pressed during an interview with NBC released Sept. 10 on whether Durham is nearing the end of his investigation, responded that he wouldnt characterize where exactly the U.S. attorney from Connecticut is in the probe.

He was then asked whether hed say its unlikely there will be further criminal charges.

No, I wouldnt say that at all, no, Barr said, adding: There could be.

Former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty last month in federal court to altering an email from the CIA that originally stated Carter Page, a one-time Trump campaign adviser, was an asset for the spy agency. The email, which was used to obtain spy warrants against Page, was altered to indicate that Page wasnt an asset.

Barr said he wouldnt get into whether Durham will release information before the Nov. 3 election and whether there could be an interim report on what the U.S. attorney has uncovered.

But he said possible criticism over a hypothetical interim report wouldnt stop him from doing what he thinks is right.

I dont let that bother me. Im going to do what I think is right and in the public interest, he said. As I already said, Im conscious of the election and I dont think any of the things that are being worked on are going to have an adverse effect on that. And I also think theres strong public interest involved as well.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said earlier this week that documents hes reviewed recently show that key players such as former FBI agent Peter Strzok and former FBI Director James Comey are in real trouble because of their willingness to participate in an unlawful act.

During a different interview released last week, Barr said the Durham investigation wouldnt impact the upcoming election.

I have said that the American people need to know what actually happened, Barr told CNN. We need to get the story of what happened in 2016 and 17 now out. That will be done. The second aspect of this is, if people cross the line, if people involved in that activity violated the criminal law, they will be charged.

I will handle these cases as appropriate, he added. And I do not think anything that we do in the Durham investigation is going to be affecting the election.
A 71-year-old man was allegedly duped of nearly 1 lakh by a gang on the pretext of setting up his e-wallet. A case was registered at the sector 20 police station ion Tuesday in this regard and investigations taken up.

The victim, Sanjay Kumar Jain, is a resident of Noidas sector 31. According to him, the incident started earlier this month after he received a message from the customer care of a leading e-wallet company

I contacted the number provided in the message to open my e-wallet account, after which I was told that first I would need to give them access to my phone through a software access sharing app, take a photo of my debit card and do a transaction of Rs 5 for verification purposes, said the victim in his police complaint.

He said that he later received an OTP, which he shared with the suspects. However, soon after I again received a second OTP, that I refused to share with them. The men, however, convinced me that 80% of the work had already been done, but the transaction was not going through. So, they suggested that I use a different ATM card, after which I received three separate OTPs, which i shared with them. Afterwards, I received multiple messages of money having been withdrawn from my account. Based on the advice of my family, I immediately blocked the cards, said the complainant.

He said that the next day also, the suspects contacted him and asked for the OTP, which Jain refused to share, after which they started abusing and threatening him.

The victim later registered a complaint online and a case was registered under sections 420 (cheating), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the IT Act.

They have filed a complaint online. We will start working on the case as soon as it is assigned to us and will take necessary help from the cyber cell, said RK Singh, station house officer, sector 20 police station.

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Farming practices and expansion are among the biggest threats to nature, but one of the biggest threats to agriculture and its ability to feed the world is nature's declining health.

It's a difficult problem that must be tackled on a world scale, with the global population forecast to grow from 7.7 billion to 11 billion by 2100.

Australian farms will need to become more innovative to reverse damaging declines in natural ecosystems and feed the world's growing population. Credit:Jessica Hromas

But a study in the journal Nature, released on Thursday, found more than two thirds of future biodiversity losses from habitat conversion could be avoided with policies to establish markets for sustainably produced food and encourage healthier, sustainable diets, as well as encourage industry innovation.

"We found that apart from increased conservation efforts, the the biggest effect on biodiversity will come from how you managed the food system - especially land use, farming, food consumption and waste reduction," said CSIRO chief research scientist Mario Herrero, one of the report's authors.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Wednesday was the first day of school for Staten Island students in Catholic elementary schools -- marking the start of an unusual academic year amid the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

It was the first time students returned to their classrooms since school buildings were shuttered in mid-March, and students learned remotely for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.

Now, for the 2020-2021 school year, students are returning to Catholic elementary schools during the pandemic on an alternating, staggered schedule -- blending in-person and remote learning, according to a framework released by the Archdiocese of New York. Some students have chosen to learn remotely full time.

Weve compiled a list of key dates families need to know from the Archdiocese of New Yorks 2020-2021 school calendar for Catholic elementary school students on Staten Island.

While the first day of school was Wednesday, the last day of school is June 18. The calendar gives time off for federal holidays like Veterans Day and Memorial Day, as well as week-long breaks that include Christmas Day, New Years Day and Easter.

For those students entering eighth grade, the Test for Admission to Catholic High Schools (TACHS) will be given virtually on Friday, Nov. 6.

This is a generic, systemwide calendar. Be sure to check your schools calendar for all school-specific dates.

September 2020

Sept. 9 -- Classes begin for all Staten Island students

October 2020

Oct. 12 -- Schools closed for Columbus Day

November 2020

Nov. 11 -- Schools closed in observance of Veterans Day

Nov. 26-27 -- Schools closed for Thanksgiving

December 2020

Dec. 24 -- Christmas recess begins

January 2021

Jan. 4 -- Classes resume after Christmas recess

Jan. 18 -- Schools closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

February 2021

Feb. 15 -- Schools closed for Presidents Day

April 2021

April 2 -- Schools closed for Good Friday

April 5 -- Schools closed for Easter Monday

May 2021

May 31 -- Schools closed for Memorial Day

June 2021

June 18 -- Last day of classes

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Liew Mun Leong, Chairman of Changi Airport Group. (PHOTO: CAG website)

SINGAPORE  Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong on Thursday (10 September) said that he is retiring from his various public service and business roles with immediate effect.

The announcement comes after Liews former domestic helper Parti Liyani was acquitted of all four theft charges. Parti had been convicted and sentenced to 26 months jail over stealing items worth more than $34,000 from Liews household, following a police report made by Liew in 2016.

Liew said in a media statement that he decided to bring forward his retirement from the various public service and business roles with Changi Airport Group, Surbana Jurong, Temasek Foundation, and Temasek International with immediate effect after much deliberation.

Those who know me, will know I am passionate about the roles and missions of these organisations. I do not wish my current situation to be a distraction to their respective boards, management, and staff, amidst their many critical priorities, he added.

Liew said that he and his family had cooperated fully with the police and gave statements and evidence when required throughout the investigations and trial.

The High Court has made its decision. I have faith in our legal system and respect the decision of the High Court, he added.

I understand that both the Attorneys General Chambers (AGC) and the police are now conducting reviews of the matter. Should it be required, my family and I will continue to provide full cooperation to both AGC and the police...I stand ready to assist or advise (without compensation), in any way appropriate, especially given the on-going challenges posed by COVID-19.

Liew spoke briefly about the events leading to the case in his statement, noting that he proceeded to make a police report the same afternoon he returned from overseas in 2016, when his family discovered some of their belongings in Partis boxes.

They included a DVD player valued at $1,000, two Longchamp bags worth $400, a Gerald Genta watch worth $10,000, two white iPhone 4 smartphones with accessories valued at $2,056, 115 pieces of clothing valued at $150 each, and a $500 blanket.

Story continues

Liew added that he was motivated by a genuine belief that if there were suspicions of wrongdoing, it is our civic duty to report the matter to the police and let the authorities investigate accordingly.

The police conducted their investigations. Ms Liyani was subsequently arrested by the police, and later, charged by the Public Prosecutor, he said.

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Nancy Connor, 53, of Erdenheim, Pa., founder and CEO of Smart Adaptive Clothing, poses for a portrait wearing one of her adaptive button down shirts. Read more

When Jane Byers fractured her arm in two places in May, she struggled to get dressed. Unable to lift her arm, she couldnt put on any shirts that went over her head, and most of her tops were pullovers. Discovering Smart Adaptive Clothing was a game changer.

I bought a very attractive black blouse and I love it because there are no buttons, just Velcro, recalled Byers, 69, who lives in Dresher, Montgomery County. I couldnt do buttons with my broken right arm and I was fumbling with my left hand. But I could stick the Velcro together. I didnt want my husband to help me get dressed, I wanted to get dressed myself.

Adaptive apparel is designed to make it easier to dress for those with physical disabilities  an estimated 61 million American adults live with a disability, according to 2016 data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The clothing is also helpful for those with health conditions, mobility, sensory or motor processing difficulties, and the caregivers who aid them.

The global adaptive apparel market has grown exponentially over the years, from about $289 billion in 2019, to a potential market of $350 billion by 2023, according to Coresight Research. That includes an adaptive market opportunity by 2023 of almost $55 billion in the U.S. alone. One recent entry into the marketplace is Smart Adaptive Clothing in Manayunk.

Nancy Connor, CEO, founded the company after drawing inspiration from her aging father.

He was a professional who continued to wear a button-down shirt and slacks even after retirement, she recalled. Later in life, he went into assisted living and broke his hip, a hand, and the same hip all within about 12 months in 2015 and 2016. He needed assistance in dressing and, unfortunately, the nurses and aides didnt want to take that added time to button the shirt and slacks.

Though her father switched to sweatpants and pullover shirts out of necessity, Connor, 53, knew there had to be a better way. I saw the need with my dad, the caregivers  both professional and within the family  people with many types of disabilities and even people with short-term injuries who are in rehab, she said.

Since opening in December 2017, Connors business has grown from offering two mens shirts and four womens blouses to 12 options including shirt dresses, which cost $95 while tops run $79. Connor said her clothings costs are comparable to such brands as Ann Taylor.

COVID-19 slowed down the clothing industry, so Connor chose to pivot, adding six reusable face mask styles  at $12.99 apiece. They are also washable, unisex masks with extra-long elastic ear loops that help those who cannot tie the fabric or slip it over their head.

Connor credits her friend and model Vito Cosmo, former president of the Parkinsons Council in Bala Cynwyd, for making her want to make the masks. Cosmo was living with Parkinsons disease, which means his immune system was compromised. He fought COVID-19 for about two months and died in May, she said. His many requests led us to the decision to offer the masks.

Connor wont share sales revenues. Her firm is tiny. Besides Connors, her firm employs one independent rep and one intern. But she says the enterprise is growing by currently selling on its website, smartadaptiveclothing.com, and other sites, including one in the United Kingdom. We are about to start selling on a major online retailer" in the last quarter of 2020, she said. I cannot share their name until we launch but everyone knows the company. We are also launching on a new platform at the end of September that has a global presence.

The company faces strong competition, including Zappos, Lands' End and Target  as well as from companies dedicated to the sector, such as Izzy Camilleri Adaptive Clothing, Able2Wear, and Easy Access.

The concept also isnt new. Silverts, originally a department store chain in Toronto, got into the adaptive apparel business in 1930 to address the needs of its aging clients.

We want to give the person options to make their life easier, to let them dress in new styles and colors, improve their self-esteem, and give them a sense of dignity and ease of dressing, said Wendy Black, director of marketing for Silverts, an online and catalog company. We want to take away the frustration and struggle, and sometimes pain, of doing this daily task.

For someone who is wheelchair bound or cant bear weight, adjustable snaps and overlapping panels allow clothing to be put on while seated, reducing the likelihood of falls. People with upper-arm paralysis, possibly due to a stroke or arthritis, multiple sclerosis or Parkinsons disease, can be dressed with the help of a caregiver, without moving their arms. In the age of coronavirus, caregivers can dress loved ones from behind, limiting face-to-face contact.

Extra wide, adjustable footwear comes with easy-to-close Velcro straps, helpful for those with diabetes, neuropathy, or changes due to aging. Many seniors need footwear that is wide enough to accommodate swelling, bunions, hammer toes and corns, Black said. Theres also the problem of even putting on their shoes because of reduced dexterity due to arthritis.

Adaptive clothing can be fashionable as well as functional. A persons dress projects confidence and the ability to either regain or maintain independence, Connor said. You can have your dignity. If you enter a room, whether you walk in, roll in, youre on crutches or a walker, your confidence shows. People see you and your style, not what other apparatus you may have, she said.

Byers' arm is now healed and she can wear any top, but she still enjoys the one with the Velcro closures. It was a temporary fix for me during a stressful time, she recalled. It made getting dressed and getting ready for the day easier.
As of today, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city is 16,119.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko has said the number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the city rose by 298 in the past day.

"In the past day, another 298 residents of Kyiv tested positive for coronavirus, including 11 healthcare workers. There were four fatalities," Klitschko wrote on Telegram on September 10. "As of today, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city is 16,119."

Read alsoKyiv, 17 regions not ready for lifting COVID-19 curbs  health ministryAccording to Klitschko, 155 women aged 21 to 84 and 123 men aged 18 to 84 are among those infected.

Nine girls (from three months to 17 years old) and 11 boys (from two to 16 years old) have tested positive.

Klitschko said 51 new patients had been hospitalized, while the rest are self-isolating, undergoing treatment at home under medical supervision.

Ninety-two people recovered from the disease in the past day, he said.

In total, 5,002 Kyiv residents have already recovered.

The highest number of the new cases in Kyiv was registered in Desniansky district (59), Dniprovsky district (45), and Obolonsky district (36).

The total death toll in the city is 254 cases.

Quarantine in Ukraine: background
Rajamundry : , Sep 10 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh BJP president Somu Veerraju and other party leaders held a demonstration against the Antarvedi temple chariot blaze and other similar cases in the city on Thursday.

"A comprehensive inquiry must be conducted on the Antarvedi temple issue," read a placard Veerraju held in the party office.

The BJP party organised a one-hour protest sit-in on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., under the joint banner of the party and its local ally Janasena party.

Veerraju was accompanied by party leaders and members.

Considering the Coronavirus pandemic, BJP gave a call for its supporters to conduct a sit-in protest right in their homes.

"Even in the light of Antarvedi case and similar incidents on Hindu temples and their assets, the government is exhibiting a negligent attitude in dealing with them," alleged a party official.

Lending support to AP BJP leaders, a few party senior leaders have also replicated a sit-in demonstration in Delhi.

"Sat on a protest against a series of unabated attacks on Hindu temples and chariots in Andhra Pradesh along with Sunil Deodhar and G.V.L. Narasimha Rao," said BJP national secretary Y. Satya Kumar.

Another party national secretary and co-incharge of the party's AP affairs, Sunil Deodhar, asked for the immediate release of arrested leaders in East Godavari district.

However, a police official had confirmed on Wednesday night that no leader was arrested, but only prevented from coming out of their homes, so that the law and order situation did not slip out of control.

On Tuesday evening, police arrested 43 protesters who descended on Antarvedi village to demonstrate against the chariot blaze and also pelted stones at a local church and destroyed its compound wall and window panes.

Of the 43 arrests made, 38 were men while five were women. Five of the accused received notice from the police while a local court remanded the rest to judicial custody till September 22.

Only one the arrested people was a local while the remaining were non-locals from nearby villages and even places as far away as Guntur, Kakinada, Rajamundry and others.

One Tumuluri Lakshmi, 33, wife of Prasad, came all the way from Shaikpet in Hyderabad of Telangana state, 474 kms away.

Meanwhile, a group of local youth associated with the temple released a video message condemning the church attack.

"Some people who came to protest have pelted stones on a nearby church which does not have anything to do with the temple issue. On behalf of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple youth, we condemn this act," said a local youth associated with the temple.

Byra Nagaraju, another temple youth appealed to the troublemakers not to create any rift among the local people who peacefully coexist.

Another BJP party official alleged that the incumbent YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh ignored attacks on 15 temples.

Likewise, he accused the Chandrababu Naidu-led previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government of demolishing 17 temples in Vijayawada.

He claimed that Naidu said temples were useless and roads were more important.

On Saturday night, a seven-tiered six-decade-old wooden chariot of the famous Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Antarvedi in East Godavari district was gutted in a fire under mysterious circumstances. Police are awaiting the forensic report.

Scenic Antarvedi is located in the lush green Konaseema region of East Godavari district, 57 km southeast of Bhimavaram. The temple is located near the confluence point of the mighty Godavari river and the Bay of Bengal on the east coast of India.

Andhra Pradesh is one of the four southern states where the BJP is yet to taste success, even as it came to power in Karnataka already.

Following the bifurcation of AP into two states in 2014, the Congress party was decimated in the state's political scene.
OAKLAND (BCN)

Oakland, six other cities and the nonprofit Public Rights Project are demanding from the Trump administration records on the deployment of federal agents to cities considered progressive, Oakland prosecutors said Wednesday.

The coalition filed a Freedom of Information Act request Wednesday about the threatened or actual deployment of the agents.

Prosecutors said that following the president's signature in June on an executive order that purports to allow the federal government to send its personnel to help protect federal monuments, statues, memorials and property, more than 100 officers were sent to Portland, Oregon, to quell protests over police brutality.

"We are asking this administration to provide a constitutionally sound explanation for apparently unconstitutional targeting of Oakland and other progressive cities that honor free speech and recognize the critical importance of racial justice," Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker said in a statement.

Other cities in the coalition include New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle.

The coalition is requesting records created after the police custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

For more than three months, protests have been occurring in Portland to demand racial justice and an end to police brutality.

At least one person has been killed, according to the Oregon governor's office. Vandalism has also occurred.

Prosecutors said federal law enforcement officers were violent with protesters. The president's administration has said it will deploy the officers to other cities and may block federal funding for three cities that are part of the coalition, prosecutors said.

The request also seeks information from federal officials on federal personnel sent to Albuquerque, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle, as well as any surveillance of the leaders of those cities.

"With this FOIA request, we intend to use the law to shine a light on the efforts to misuse federal power to target our cities," New York City Corporate Counsel James Johnson said in a statement.

According to prosecutors, the coalition wants to understand the president's motivations for sending or threatening to send in federal agents and threatening to take away money from certain cities.

Prosecutors said there also is interest from the public in knowing whether President Donald Trump intends to use the tactics employed in Portland in connection with this year's presidential election in November.

Jonathan Miller, legal director for the Public Rights Project, said he doesn't believe the federal government's intentions in deploying agents to "progressive" cities has "legitimate purpose."

Prosecutors said they expect a response from federal officials in 20 days and will make the response public.

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the FOIA request or whether it will block funding for the coalition cities of Seattle, Portland and New York.

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
In a statement on Wednesday, an eyewitness to the killing of Michael Reinoehl claimed that police opened fire before issuing any commands.

"Officers shot multiple rapid-fire shots at Reinoehl before issuing a brief 'stop' command, quickly followed by more rapid-fire shooting by additional officers," he said.

Reinoehl, who was suspected of killing a far-right activist in Portland, Oregon, was killed Sept. 3.

Eyewitness testimony has been inconsistent. Other bystanders have claimed that Reinoehl fired his weapon, with two bystanders claiming he had an assault rifle.

Police claim Reinoehl was shot after pulling a weapon and that they recovered a handgun at the scene.

In his statement, Nathaniel Dingess said the deceased was only holding a cellphone.

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An eyewitness to the killing of Michael Forest Reinoehl claims police opened fire on the murder suspect outside his apartment complex before issuing any command -- and that the deceased was holding a cellphone, not a gun.

Reinoehl, a self-styled "anti-fascist," was suspected of killing an armed member of a far-right extremist group, Patriot Prayer, last month near a protest in Portland, Oregon.

In an interview published by Vice News hours before his death, Reinoehl claimed to have acted in self-defense. But prosecutors rejected that argument, issuing a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of second-degree murder.

Reinoehl was killed on Sept. 3 after a law enforcement task force led by the US Marshalls descended on his hideout in Lacey, Washington. Police have claimed Reinoehl was shot after pulling a gun as law enforcement agents attempted to detain him.

But one eyewitness, Nathaniel Dingess, an ordained minister, said Wednesday that Reinoehl neither fired a shot nor possessed a gun at all, The Oregonian reported.

In a statement issued by his lawyer, Dingess claimed that Reinoehl was walking to his car, holding a cellphone, when officers pulled up in two unmarked vehicles and began opening fire before issuing any commands.

Story continues

"Officers shot multiple rapid-fire shots at Reinoehl before issuing a brief 'stop' command, quickly followed by more rapid-fire shooting by additional officers," he said.

Eyewitness testimony has been inconsistent, however, contradicting both Dingess' statement and assertions by police. One witness told The Olympian that Reinoehl "did open fire first," while two others said they saw him fire what they described as an assault rifle.

Police, however, have said they recovered a handgun, not a rifle, and are still investigating whether any of the 30 to 50 shots heard by witnesses were fired by the suspect.

Reinoehl died at the scene.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

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If one talks to enough people in the broadband game, its not unusual to hear the opinion that satellite Internet doesnt cut it in terms of speed and reliability. Despite this viewpoint, more than 2 million customers in the United States pay for satellite Internet, and big-name players like Amazon and SpaceX are spending billions to enter the market.Steve Hill, president of the Satellite Broadcast and Communications Association, said the beginning of the pandemic was an eye-opener in terms of the increasing demand for satellite Internet.We were seeing a lot of business in [a matter of] days that we hadnt seen before, Hill said.Assuming that the various complaints about satellite Internet have some merit, why is the industry growing so much?The simple answer is evolution and necessity. Commercial satellite Internet has only been around for about 20 years, and it was highly limited at first, Hill said. Despite the technologys weaknesses, such as low speeds and data limits, satellite offered a path to improved connectivity for rural markets that had no other options.In 2017, the two major satellite Internet providers, HughesNet and Viasat, launched new satellites that dramatically increased both capacity and performance, Hill said. Today, both providers can, when the conditions are right, deliver Internet speeds that meet the Federal Communications Commissions broadband definition of 25 Mbps/3 Mbps. In some cases, Viasats service can achieve download speeds up to 100 Mbps.Satellite technology has the advantage of quick installation. Hill said the average wait time for a satellite connection is between three and five days, which explains why the satellite industry received such a boost during COVID-19. It takes far more time to connect underserved rural customers with wired solutions.Danny Bax, who owns Affiliated Technology Partners (ATP) Solutions with his wife Kathy, has been in the telecommunications business for about 40 years. Baxs organization, which is agnostic when it comes to tech, represents hundreds of Internet and phone companies and helps architect network infrastructure.ATP Solutions, formerly known as WiFi in the Park, started focusing on rural and satellite Internet within the last four years. Bax explained that in the world of rural broadband, there are many instances where you cant get Internet through fiber, cable or DSL.Im working on a particular project thats 55 miles from Area 51, Bax said. Its 45 miles down a dirt road with no signs. If you dont have an escort, youre lost, that kind of thing. Theres nothing out there. Theres no cellular. Theres no fiber. Theres nothing. The only way to get Internet into those areas is to bring it in through a satellite or multiple satellites. Period.Hill spoke about the importance of satellite Internet in disaster recovery situations. Disasters like fires, tornados and hurricanes destroy infrastructure, and the fastest way to get affected areas reconnected is through satellites. Hill cited the example of Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017.Without satellite, they probably wouldnt have had Internet for close to a year in certain communities, Hill said. Some Puerto Rican government officials still use it.Both Hill and Bax cited satellite Internet as a quality back-up for customers who want to remain connected when their main source of connectivity suffers or fails. Hill cited the story of a local liquor store that added satellite Internet because of the unreliability of a primary Internet solution. Bax called satellite the only true back-up because its not terrestrial. Even cellular can go out if fiber is damaged.Anytime theres been a major outage, satellite is the only thing working, Bax said.Bax did point out that a shared satellite connection, which is the main commercial offering, can suffer during congested periods. However, he said congestion affects all types of oversubscribed Internet services, and customers who are willing to spend more can purchase a dedicated satellite package for the most reliable service. The U.S. military, for instance, utilizes dedicated satellite.Dedicated satellite is very expensive, but its whats required in certain applications, Bax said.Both Hill and Bax said the capacity of satellite Internet will significantly increase when HughesNet and Viasat launch new satellites in 2021.Then theres the other type of commercial satellite technology with which Amazon and SpaceX plan to provide service. HughesNet and Viasat use geosynchronous satellites, which are located about 22,000 miles above the equator and match the rotation of the planet, meaning that they appear to be in a fixed position and only require line of sight for a connection. Amazon and SpaceX will use low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that zip around the planet more quickly at lower heights, meaning that tens of thousands of LEO satellites are needed to maintain Internet connections on the ground.The advantage of LEO satellites, Hill said, is that they can bring reduced latency, which would be ideal for gaming and stock trading. Bax said one drawback of LEO satellites is that they need to be replaced more often than geosynchronous satellites. The jury is still out on the speeds that will be achieved by LEO satellites. Although the satellite Internet market continues to grow, there are still unknowns about its potential.This is frigging rocket science, Bax said. Telecommunications is not for the faint of heart. Its deep.Government TechnologyGoverning
Spain has announced plans to create safe travel corridors despite having the fastest rise in daily confirmed cases of coronavirus in Europe.

In a bid to relieve the popular destinations devastated tourism industry, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, the countrys foreign minister, has said that Spain intends to negotiate with the UK, Germany and Scandinavian countries to open up travel corridors to the Spanish Balearic and Canary islands without the need for visitors to quarantine upon return to their home country, El Pais reported.

Although the peak holiday season is drawing to a close on the Spanish mainland, the Canary Islands, located off the west coast of Africa, are now entering their busiest period.

After meeting with her Italian counterpart, Luigi Di Maio, in Milan, Gonzalez Laya said: Our wish is to restore the tourist flows as soon as possible.

It is an extremely important issue for the Canary Islands which, unlike other Spanish territories, have a winter tourism season.

Opening travel corridors such as the ones we will negotiate with Britain could help them relaunch tourist activity, she added.

The minister said she approved of the UKs decision to look at individual territories rather than entire countries when implementing quarantine restrictions.

This follows a recent decision to introduce self-isolation measures for some UK travellers returning from a handful of Greek islands, but not the Greek mainland.

Spain, the Canary and Balearic Islands were all removed from the UKs safe list of countries at the end of July, with Brits returning from these destinations subject to quarantine measures of 14 days.

Earlier this week, Spain became the first western European country to record more than half a million coronavirus cases, reporting a total of 525,549 infections.

The country has the fastest rise in daily confirmed cases in Europe, following a surge in infections following the return of millions of children to school.

Despite having a lower incidence of Covid-19 cases, the Canary Islands have been subject to country-wide restrictions on travel to Spain imposed by foreign governments.

Fernando Simon, the head of Spains centre for health emergencies, has acknowledged the rise in infections, but emphasised that half of these new cases are asymptomatic and more than half are in people aged under 40.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted sharing of data in the insurance ecosystem and there is a need to have a central repository, say industry players.

One of the important fallouts of the pandemic is the ability to share the data. If you have to say one thing that we definitely need is a centralised repository. We need a lot more data sharing, IndiaFirst Life Insurance managing director and CEO R M Vishakha said during a virtual panel discussion organised by ETBFSI.com.

At present, there is no centralised know your customer (KYC) system in the country; and between insurance if somebody wants to take a second policy, a fresh KYC has to be done, she said.

Even hospitals don't have a common repository, and there is also no common repository or documentation of claims that can be taken from anywhere, Vishakha said.

Can we do it at an insurance company level alone? No. I think it has to be done at an overall environment level, she added.

IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Managing Director and CEO Anamika Roy Rashtrawar said she expects some progress in building up the database and utilising it soon in the sector.

Vishakha said even before the pandemic, the industry had digitised its processes and it helped during the lockdown when movements were restricted.

After the learnings we have had from these last four months, one thing that will continue is to build an operation resilience based on higher or an escalated level of digitisation where the systems have to be much more seamless than what it was earlier, Rashtrawar said.

She doesn't see premiums in the general going up in the short term.

Increasing prices is difficult. With this price, people are not purchasing and if we increase we will not get any more customers, she added.

Going ahead, Rashtrawar said, the general may come out with long-term products that could be specific to a disease or situation.

Edelweiss General Insurance CEO and ED Shanai Ghosh said, during the past few months, one shift the non-life has seen is towards health products.

Earlier motor used to dominate, but now health is becoming a dominant segment for us, she said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(JNS)  A bill to require high school students in California to take ethnic studies as a graduation requirement passed the states legislature on Monday.

Ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline, AB-331 passed the State Senate 33-4 and the State Assembly 62-12. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is expected to sign it into law and must decide by Sept. 30 whether to do so.

The measure would require a one-semester ethnic-studies course as a California high school graduation requirement, starting with the 2029-30 school year, based on the ethnic-studies model curriculum developed by the state.

The bill...
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has exempted Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut from the 14-day home quarantine rule for those arriving from outside the state, an official said.

Ranaut, who is currently in news because of the controversy over her remark comparing Mumbai to Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir and the BMC"s demolition of illegal" structures at her bungalow, arrived here earlier in the day.

A senior BMC official said she had made an online application for the exemption from home quarantine as she was on a short visit. Since she is staying here for less than a week, she was exempted under the short-term visitor category," the officer told PTI. According to BMC officials, Ranaut is scheduled to leave Mumbai on September 14.

On Wednesday morning, a BMC team reached Kanganas Pali Hill bungalow and demolished parts of the building which it alleged were built without requisite permissions. Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar alleged that the actress was given 24 hours to produce documents but she failed to do so. The BMC later listed 14 violations by Kangana.

The demolition drive drew sharp responses on social media, with messages of support for Kangana flooding the internet. Questions that have been raised include if the BMC gave the actress enough time to respond or not, since she has been living in her Manali residence during the lockdown.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs said in an RTL interview that following the devastating fire at a Greek migrant camp, the Grand Duchy has offered to take in a number of young refugees.

Although no concrete plan is yet in place, Asselborn held talks with the EU commission on Thursday on the possibility of the Union taking in 400 refugees and dividing them among the member states. Thus far, Germany and France have agreed to take in migrants.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Luxembourg had also agreed and underlined his belief that non-compliant countries should be sanctioned by the EU commission. There was no doubt about the seriousness of the situation on Lesbos, as ships needed to be deployed to provide shelter for around a thousand refugees.

Nevertheless, most of the almost 13,000 migrants that lived in the camp will have to the stay in the nearby forests and fields for the time being.
Right to work

This letter is in response to this papers 9-4-20 guest column by Mark Mixs Right to Work bandwagon.

There are close to 400 words in his letter and about 398 of them are outright lies and total misinformation to advance his Right to Work (RTW) anti-union cause.

No doubt the people of New Jersey and especially union members will see through his fabrications.

The hard truth (the reader is encouraged to look it up) of the economic harm in RTW states is this. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found wages for a typical full time worker in RTW states are 3.1% lower or $1,558 annually than those in non-RTW states. This stat is true for both union and non-union workers.

Moreover EPI research shows that RTW laws have NO impact on job growth contradicting (lies) the claim Mr. Mix and his cohorts continue to spew.

Simply put Right to Work laws have one meaning the right to work for less money.

RTW laws are nothing more than to silence a workers voice.

If you eliminate the union, big business wins and wages and work conditions are suppressed.

It is a known fact that even anti union people will admit when and where there are unions, the middle class does better. Please look it up!

The letter also failed to mention if it was not for the UNION there would be no 8-hour work days, 40-hour work weeks, weekends off, overtime pay, safety standards, unemployment benefits, child labor laws, social security, pensions, health benefits etc. I could go on and on but I would run out of paper.

The timing of this article is utter amazement to me having the audacity to send this in Labor Day weekend and then this paper prints it!!

Labor Day was started by a UNION carpenter Peter J McGuire almost a century and a half ago.

Remember this to all For its the Union makes us Strong

 Michael Maloney, President, Mercer County Central Labor Council

Never too late

It is never too late to change. Thats the message from Mike Moser, who spent six years as chief executive of the British Fur Trade Association, had a change of heart, and is now advocating to ban fur sales in the U.K.

Fur is on a downward spiral. Nearly every top designer has shed fur, California has banned it, Queen Elizabeth II has renounced it, and countries around the world are shutting down fur farms.

But its not just fur: Everywhere you look, fashion is becoming more ethical, and its happening quickly.

For example, no one was even talking about angora until a PETA Asia investigation showed rabbits on farms in China tied down and screaming as their fur was ripped out by the fistful. As PETA Asias video went viral, stunned retailers rapidly dropped angora wool from their clothing lines.

A PETA Asia investigation into goat farms in South Africa, where most of the worlds mohair is produced, found that fast shearing leaves goats cut up and bleeding. More than 300 retailers worldwide have dropped mohair.

From feathers to leather to wool, animal abuse is rampant in the fashion trade, and retailers and consumers alike are saying, Enough!

As the momentum against animal skins grows, so do consumers choices. Innovative and sustainable vegan options-like leather made from pineapple leaves, apples, and cork, and wool made from seaweed and hemp-are on the rise, and more are in the works. The future of fashion is here, and it doesnt hurt animals.

 Paula Moore, The PETA Foundation
Kangana Ranauts mother, Asha Ranaut, has switched loyalties from the Congress to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a video, Asha said that their family was associated with the Congress for several years but is grateful to Union home minister Amit Shah for providing Kangana with security ahead of her Mumbai visit.

Speaking to The Tribune, Asha said in Hindi, The blessings of the entire country are with Kangana. I am proud that my daughter has always stood for the truth. I thank Union home minister Amit Shah. We are not even associated with that party (BJP), we were from the Congress... My grandfather-in-law was a member of the Congress party. Even though they (BJP) knew that we were from the Congress from the beginning, they supported us.

Asha expressed her gratitude towards Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said, Amit Shah supported us and gave security to my daughter. I also thank Modi ji. Just see what happened there (in Mumbai). If my daughter did not have security, then God knows what would have happened to her. She then agreed when someone with her said, Now we are with Modi ji.

When they broke my office, moms warning face flashed before my eyes " KAHA THA MAINE" havent taken her calls ever since, this just flashed on my timeline, pleasantly surprised by her refreshing take on this whole matter #KanganaVsUddhav https://t.co/jHnr46FKfd  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 10, 2020

Also read | Kangana Ranaut takes a dig at Sonam Kapoor: Mafia bimbos have started to seek justice for Rhea Chakraborty

Kangana shared the video on Twitter and said that she was pleasantly surprised by her mothers take on the whole episode. When they broke my office, moms warning face flashed before my eyes KAHA THA MAINE (I told you so) havent taken her calls ever since, this just flashed on my timeline, pleasantly surprised by her refreshing take on this whole matter #KanganaVsUddhav, the actor wrote.

On Wednesday, after a verbal spat with Shiv Sena leaders, Kangana landed in Mumbai with Y-plus security, which was granted to her by the Union home ministry. The Shiv Sena leaders had taken umbrage to her tweets from last week, in which she compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and criticised the Mumbai Police.

Days after Kanganas comments, officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) partially demolished her office in Mumbai for alleged structural violations. She called it the death of democracy and hit out at Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in a series of tweets.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Bilateral economic issues, cooperation in development of the Far East region of Russia, cooperation in nuclear and space sectors were also discussed, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said

Moscow: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov have discussed bilateral economic issues, cooperation in nuclear and space sectors during their first in person meeting here since the COVID-19 outbreak, a senior Indian official said on Thursday.

Jaishankar and Lavrov met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers of the eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Russian capital.

Bilateral economic issues, cooperation in development of the Far East region of Russia, cooperation in nuclear and space sectors were also discussed, Spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said in a readout of the meeting between Jaishankar and Lavrov.

The two ministers followed up on outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Vladivostok for the fifth edition of Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) which was held in September last year, he said at the online briefing.

The two ministers agreed to work closely in the UN Security Council during India's forthcoming tenure as a Non-Permanent Member, Srivastava said in New Delhi during an online briefing.

In June, India was elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council for a two-year term, winning 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. India will sit in the most powerful UN organ, for two years beginning on 1 January.

"Pleasure to meet FM Sergey Lavrov, this time in person. Excellent talks that reflect our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Value our exchanges on the international situation," Jaishankar tweeted on Wednesday after his talks with Lavrov.

On his part, Lavrov said, "It is a very good, and almost forgotten, feeling to meet in person. We appreciate this opportunity to discuss prospects for developing our strategic partnership in all areas: bilateral relations and cooperation within the SCO, BRICS, the UN and via other international platforms."

This was the first physical meeting between the two leaders after the COVID-19 situation and there was excellent discussion on bilateral matters, regional developments and international issues of concern, Srivastava said.

The SCO meeting could not be held earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

India and Russia have a special and privileged strategic partnership and this year marks the 20 years of their strategic partnership.

Last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Russian counterpart General Sergey Shoigu in Moscow during which he appreciated the steadfast support provided by Russia in response to the country's defence and security needs.

Singh, who was on a three-day visit to Russia to attend a crucial meeting of the SCO, pressed for expediting supply of a number of weapons systems, ammunition and spares to India by Russia under contracts which were concluded earlier.
Tensions along the disputed India-China border seem to be getting worse, three months after their deadliest confrontation in decades.

The Asian giants accused each other this week of sending soldiers into the other's territory and fired warning shots for the first time in 45 years, raising the specter of full-scale military conflict.

Their foreign ministers are expected to discuss the simmering dispute in Moscow on Thursday on the sidelines of a regional security and economic meeting.

Indian army vehicles move along a highway leading to Ladakh on Wednesday as tensions rise on the border with China

The high-altitude standoff along the eastern section of what's known as the Line of Actual Control - a loose demarcation - risks dramatically altering the already fraught relationship between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

The face-off began in early May with a fierce brawl before exploding into hand-to-hand combat with clubs, stones and fists on June 15 that left 20 Indian soldiers dead. China is believed to have taken casualties, but has given no numbers.

India and China inherited their territorial disputes from the period of British colonial rule.

Three years after India's independence in 1947 and a year after the communists came to power in China, the new government in Beijing began strongly asserting its claims and repudiating earlier treaties it says were signed under duress, but which India says are fixed.

Beijing's approach has strengthened under Xi Jinping, China's most powerful leader in decades who has sworn not to surrender even an inch of territory.

An Indian security personnel stands guard after shots were fired for the first time in 45 years this week

At least 20 Indian soldiers, including a colonel, were killed in June during a mass brawl at the border

In the 1950s, China started building a strategic road on the uninhabited Aksai Chin Plateau to connect its restive regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. India objected and claimed Aksai Chin as part of Ladakh, itself belonging to the former principality of Kashmir now divided between India and Pakistan.

Relations were further strained after India allowed Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to establish a self-declared government-in-exile in the northern Indian town of Dharmsala after he fled his homeland in 1959 during an abortive uprising against Chinese rule.

The differences led to a bitter monthlong war in 1962. Firefights broke out again in 1967 and 1975, leading to more deaths on both sides. They've since adopted protocols, including an agreement not to use firearms, but those protocols have fractured in this year's clashes.

China, in the meantime, began cementing its relations with India's archrival Pakistan and backing it on the issue of Kashmir.

The high-altitude standoff along the eastern section of what's known as the Line of Actual Control - a loose demarcation - risks dramatically altering the already fraught relationship

The fiercely contested LAC separates Chinese and Indian held territories from Ladakh in the west to India's eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety. It is broken in parts where the Himalayan nations of Nepal and Bhutan border China.

According to India, the de facto border is 3,488 kilometers (2,167-mile) long, although China promotes a considerably shorter figure. As its name suggests, it divides the areas of physical control rather than territorial claims.

In all, China claims some 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) of territory in India's northeast, including Arunachal Pradesh with its mainly Buddhist population.

India says China occupies 38,000 square kilometers (15,000 square miles) of its territory in the Aksai Chin Plateau, which India considers part of Ladakh, where the current face-off is happening.

Despite more than three dozen rounds of talks over the years, and multiple meetings between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, they are nowhere near settling their dispute.

Since the 1962 war, both economies have grown substantially, but China has far outpaced India while enjoying a large trade surplus with its neighbor.

The fiercely contested LAC separates Chinese and Indian held territories from Ladakh in the west to India's eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety

The growing economic rivalry has added to territorial and geostrategic differences. India has tried to capitalize on China's rising labor costs, and deteriorating ties with the United States and Europe, to become a new base for foreign manufacturers.

India grew concerned after China recently built a road through Pakistani-controlled Kashmir as part of Xi's signature foreign policy push, the multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which India has vehemently opposed.

Meanwhile, India's growing strategic alliance with the U.S. has ruffled feathers in Beijing, which sees the relationship as a counterweight against China's rise. Indian fears of Chinese territorial expansion are bolstered by the growing presence of the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean and Beijing's efforts to strengthen ties with not only Pakistan but also Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Armed with spears: Chinese troops near the disputed Himalayan border with India this week where gunfire is banned but soldiers fought in deadly hand-to-hand combat in June

India is jockeying for strategic parity with China, massively ramping up its military infrastructure along the LAC.

Adding to the tension, India unilaterally declared Ladakh a federal territory and separated it from disputed Kashmir in August 2019, ending its semi-autonomous status.

Shortly after, lawmakers in India's ruling party began advocating taking control of some China-run areas, alarming Beijing.

Border tensions have persisted despite talks at military, diplomatic and political levels. With strong nationalists leading both countries, the border has taken on a prominence not seen in years.

An Indian Air Force's (IAF) C-17 Globemaster transport plane flies over a mountain range in Leh in the Ladakh region, September 8. Both India and China claim shots were fired along the disputed border below, in a further escalation of military tension between the nuclear-armed nations

Having emerged relatively unscathed from the COVID-19 pandemic, China is also perceived regionally as ramping up military ambitions against its neighbors, particularly through the use of 'salami slicing' tactics to incrementally gain territory.

While Chinese soldiers remain in what India says is its territory in Ladakh, India occupied at least one unmanned mountain top last week, leading Beijing to furiously demand that New Delhi vacate the area.

Experts warn that if military hostilities are not stopped, war could be next.

'If diplomacy fails, guns talk. That is the natural culmination of what we have been witnessing during last four months,' said Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who was head of the Indian military's Northern Command from 2014 to 2016. 'Things are fast escalating out of control unless there is a breakthrough in talks.'

Wang Lian of Peking University's international relations department considers the possibility of a wider conflict less likely, despite preparations being made on both sides.

'China has shown restraint in bilateral relations with India, and India may restrain itself from overdoing it in the future,' Wang said.
Amid simmering tensions between Indian and Chinese troops at Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, Chinese troops once again tried to intrude into Indian territory on Tuesday (September 8).

The Chinese troops tried to intrude into Indian territory using motor boats on the western shore of Pangang Lake but they returned after seeing the Indian troops. On Monday (September 7), a group of 25-50 Chinese soldiers had come to capture the Mukherpari hill in Chushul, but they were thwarted in their attempt by Indian solders.

According to sources, Chinese soldiers tried to move past Finger 4 in Eastern Ladakh on two motor boats on Tuesday at around 5 pm. There were about 40 Chinese soldiers in these boats. Notably, Finger 4 has been occupied by Chinese troops since May.

Indian soldiers stationed at surveillance post in Finger 3 noticed the movement of Chinese soldiers and immediately raised the alarm.

Live TV

Meanwhile, India on Wednesday raised the issue of intrusion attempt by Chinese soldiers on Monday, carrying rods, spears and machetes. The matter was raised by India during the commander level talks between the two countries. The meeting took place two days after Chinese troops tried to lock down Indian posts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Pangong Lake in Ladakh.

The talks lasted for four hours from 11 am to 3 pm but were without any outcome. During the talks "aggressive behaviour" by the Chinese forces was also raised, said a government source.

Both the nations held the first Brigade commanders since Monday's incident when the Chinese Army PLA troops attempted to close-in on one of the Indian forward positions and shots were fired by them for the first time in 40 years.

According to sources, the Chinese indulged in provocative actions all throughout the day on September 8 in the areas around Rezang La, Mukhpari and continued till 6 pm. While no provocative action by the Chinese happened on Wednesday, PLA troops continue to remain in the same general area.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  Trial courts will now decide on 22 prisoners appeal for temporary freedom amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement on Thursday, the Supreme Court announced that it has referred the petition to the lower courts where the inmates respective criminal cases are pending. The petitioners, composed of sick, elderly, and pregnant inmates, in April asked the high court for temporary liberty saying they are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus disease in jails.

The inmates have all been charged with offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua -- or up to 40 years imprisonment -- thats why they cannot be granted bail, the Supreme Court said.

[I]t is imperative to conduct hearings and receive evidence in order to weigh the strength of the prosecutions evidence as to the guilt of the petitioners, the high court ruled, adding that trial courts are the proper venue as trier of facts.

The trail courts were directed to conduct the necessary proceedings and resolve the incidents immediately. Justices reached a decision on July 28, but it was only made public on Thursday.

Hundreds of detainees have contracted the viral coronavirus disease in jails, which human rights groups had warned to be "ticking time bombs" for infection because of their crowded state. Authorities have since simplified rules to decongest the country's prisons and detention facilities, resulting in the release of thousands of inmates.
Four men face multiple charges after police quashed a smuggling ring that used a helicopter to transport cannabis into the U.S. from Canada, including at least one incident at the Niagara border.

The arrests came following a 16-month joint investigation by law enforcement officials on both sides of the border including the RCMP, U.S. Homeland Security and Ontario Provincial Police.

The RCMP said a Jet Ranger helicopter was used to fly the illegally-grown cannabis across the border at low altitudes to avoid detection.

On April 9, for example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers spotted a helicopter hovering suspiciously low over Grand Island on the Niagara River.

They searched the area and near a public hiking trail found four large duffel bags containing about 50 kilograms of marijuana with a street value of about US$150,000.

An RCMP spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed the April incident was related to the joint investigation.

Police executed six search warrants within the Toronto area and Quebec and seized more than 800 marijuana plants and dried cannabis from an illegal grow-operation, and about 400 grams of suspected cocaine.

Police said the gang was also involved in importing guns from the U.S. into Canada.

Eighteen handguns were seized during the raids. An investigation into the origin of the weapons is ongoing.

The helicopter, a truck and trailer were seized as offence-related property.

The RCMP continues to be committed to combating transnational organized crime and keeping our citizens safe by removing illicit commodities off the streets and out of the hands of these groups, Hamilton-Niagara RCMP Insp. Ann Koenig said in a prepared statement.

Charged with various offences including conspiracy to export cannabis, possession of cannabis for the purpose of exporting it and illegally cultivating cannabis are: Kamal Deep Bassan, 36, of Vaughan; Ramindejit Assi, 25, of Burlington; Derek Chi-Yeung Ng, 40, of East Gwillimbury; and Parmjot Saini, 30, of Woodbridge.

This important disruption removed 18 firearms from a criminal organization that posed a significant threat to Canadian communities and brazenly exploited our shared border through the air, Michael Buckley, attache for Homeland Security Investigations at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, said Wednesday in a prepared statement.

Marijuana seizures at the U.S. border have increased dramatically since cannabis was legalized for sale in Canada.

On June 25, for example, border agents at the Peace Bridgelinking Buffalo and Fort Erie discovered more than $27 million in marijuana hidden in a tractor-trailer.

On Aug. 10, nearly two tonnes of marijuana with a street value of $10 million was discovered inside a trailer at the Peace Bridge.
Theresa May yesterday led a Tory backlash over the failure to introduce virus tests at airports.

The former prime minister said Britain is lagging behind the rest of the world and accused No10 of dragging its feet on plans to reopen the skies and save the economy.

Her intervention came as British Airways announced plans to cut 60 per cent of flights until Christmas, blaming the disastrous 14-day quarantine rules.

Theresa May yesterday led a Tory backlash over the failure to introduce virus tests at airports. She is pictured above speaking in Parliament

And in another crippling blow, the International Air Transport Association warned Britain is set to lose its coveted position as the third-biggest global aviation market unless immediate action is taken on testing.

IATA chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said: 820,000 jobs will be vaporised by quarantine and they may never come back. The answer is a Covid-19 testing regime that manages the risk to keep people safe from the virus. And it will avoid apocalyptic unemployment that is sure to devastate society and the economy.

As Tory anger erupted in a Commons debate on aviation, Mrs May told MPs: Im certain testing has to be the way forward in the foreseeable future, but at the moment airports arent even permitted to trial tests on passengers. Far from leading the world, the UK is lagging behind.

She added: So my message is to No 10, its to the Department for Business, its to the Treasury and its to the Department of Health and its a very simple one  if you want to get the economy moving, get planes flying again.

The former prime minister said Britain is lagging behind the rest of the world and accused No10 of dragging its feet on plans to reopen the skies and save the economy. Passengers are pictured above arriving in Heathrow

Stop the UK dragging its feet, lets lead the world and set the standard to restore world travel and world trade.

The Daily Mails Get Britain Flying Again campaign is calling for Covid-19 testing of passengers to save the economy and save jobs.

It is backed by business chiefs and MPs, who say the 14-day quarantine rule is a major threat to our status as an aviation heavyweight and trading superpower.

Ministers say a review of virus travel rules could see the quarantine time halved to eight days  but not for weeks. Airline chiefs are calling for urgent action and a shortening of quarantine to five days.

Rules are far tougher than neighbours Britain's quarantine rules are among the strictest and most extensive in the world. The vast majority of European countries, including France and Germany, have few restrictions on arrivals who test negative. For example, in France there is no quarantine on arrivals from Europe, the UK and 11 other countries. Arrivals from other countries are exempt from quarantine if they arrive with a negative test 72 hours before landing. Even the US, which has some of the toughest Covid border controls, dropped its self-isolation requirement. But the UK has 131 countries  as well as several islands  on its red list of places from which passengers must self-isolate for 14 days. Our analysis of quarantine policies in 20 countries illustrates how the UK is lagging behind other countries in getting the economy moving by re-opening the skies. And it exposes how the UK is quarantining arrivals from 34 of the worlds top 50 nations by GDP, putting our role as a trading superpower at serious risk. Former prime minister Theresa May yesterday warned that other countries are overtaking the UK in restarting flights to boost their economies. Paul Charles, boss of travel consultancy the PC Agency, said: The restrictions have been too harsh and now more than ever we need a more progressive approach. Advertisement

They stepped up the pressure yesterday as the IATA criticised the Governments opaque decision-making on quarantine.

Ex-transport secretary Chris Grayling called on ministers to begin urgent trials of airport testing within days.

He told the Commons: It is vitally important for this industry not just that we get short-haul flights moving again, but that we open up transatlantic routes that are so fundamentally important to the industry. And we can only do that through testing.

I cannot understand why we are not at the very least trialling testing on a number of routes.

Paul Maynard, the Tory aviation minister until February, compared the UKs economy to a dodo  suggesting it too might become extinct.

He told the Commons: We have a chance to test people before they board. We should oblige all UK-registered airlines to do just that.

The IATA has proposed a four-point plan to save Britains aviation industry  a testing regime, a review of quarantine rules, a suspension of Air Passenger Duty and an extending of the furlough scheme for airport and flight staff.

A spokesman said: Many countries around the world have introduced testing regimes to support air travel. It is time the UK brought forward a similar regime.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: We are taking clear and decisive action to slow the spread of the virus and save lives.

We keep the data for all countries and territories under constant review, and if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country without self-isolating becomes too high we will not hesitate to remove countries from the travel corridors exemptions list.

Race to return from Portugal as it goes on quarantine list (again)

By Transport Correspondent for the Daily Mail

Tens of thousands of British holidaymakers are facing a race to escape Portugal after the country was returned to the quarantine list.

The move will trigger another day of chaos as they rush to get home before the restrictions kick in at 4am tomorrow.

The cost of flights home soared to 600 within minutes of last nights announcement, and British Airways laid on an extra service from Faro on the Algarve.

Passengers are seen boarding a flight from Portugal to Britain on September 3rd. Tens of thousands of British holidaymakers are facing a race to escape Portugal after the country was returned to the quarantine list

Meanwhile, Sweden, which did not impose a compulsory lockdown and chose a herd immunity approach to tackling coronavirus, was removed from the UKs quarantine list after its infection rate fell.

Many of the 35,000 Britons currently in Portugal will have no choice but to carry on with their holidays and self-isolate for 14 days on their return. Some may have to take unpaid sick leave and university students could miss the start of term.

The decision was taken after the number of cases in Portugal over seven days jumped to 28.3 per 100,000 people yesterday, over the Governments threshold of 20.

The new restrictions do not apply to the Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores, where infection rates are lower than on the mainland.

Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion have also been added to Britains red list of territories subject to quarantine.

Scotland and Wales had already added Portugal and French Polynesia to their quarantine list, but other changes announced yesterday apply to all four parts of the UK. Industry leaders told of their dismay at the latest decision, which comes three weeks after Portugal was removed from the quarantine list.

Travel consultant Paul Charles said: The weekly review needs to be changed. They need to move the system to a traffic light system so that consumers are clearly-informed about ministers intentions and which countries are at risk. It would enable them to book trips with more certainty.

It came as Home Office figures revealed officials have only managed to fine 34 people for breaching quarantine since the rules were introduced in June  despite the fact that two million people have arrived in the country since then. Public Health England said it had made or sent 149,579 calls or text messages to passengers to check they were self-isolating at home. Some 64,800 people had confirmed they were self-isolating.
External Affairs Minister on Thursday held a cordial meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov here during which the two leaders agreed to coordinate closely on regional concerns and take forward their growing development partnership.

Jaishankar is here on a four-day visit to Russia to attend a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

"Began the day with a cordial meeting with Uzbek FM @a_h_kamilov," Jaishankar tweeted.

"Agreed to coordinate closely on regional concerns. Will take forward our growing development partnership. Appreciate Uzbekistan's vital role in our Central Asian engagement," he said.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar had separate meetings with his Tajik and Kyrgyz counterparts and agreed to bolster India's strategic ties with the two Central Asian countries.

Relations between and have their roots deep in history. There are frequent references to Kamboja in Sanskrit and Pali literature, which is stated to include parts of present-day Uzbekistan, according to the Indian Embassy in Tashkent.

Sakas participated in Mahabharata on the side of Kauravas. Ancient trade route Uttarpath passed through

had close interaction with during the Soviet times. Indian leaders often visited Tashkent and other places. Prime Minister, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away in Tashkent on January 11, 1966 after signing the Tashkent declaration with Pakistan.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man on trial accused of assaulting two gardai was armed with a claw-hammer and a dog called Buster which he instructed to bite them, a jury has heard.

Garda Garvan Allen told the jury at the trial of Dubliner Brian Farrell (40) that he saw the accused coming out of a house holding a pit bull terrier dog aloft in one hand and a claw hammer in the other.

Gardai allege that as they were attempting to arrest the defendant he was shouting instructions to the dog such as Get them Buster, bite them Buster, help me Buster.



The court heard the Dubliner denies there was any dogs present on the evening.



Mr Farrell of Longford Villas, Sallynoggin has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a claw-hammer and knuckleduster and assaulting two gardai at Sallynoggin Road on October 16, 2016.



Gda Allen told Garrett McCormack BL that he and three colleagues were dispatched that night to respond to a call from a woman who said she heard a bang, went to investigate, found excrement on her front door and saw a light shining at her from the door of Mr Farrell's home opposite.



Gda Allen said they went to Mr Farrell's home and knocked on the door before calling out gardai, come to the door please. He said he saw what he believed to be light from a TV inside and heard a dog barking and growling.



The garda said he had a previous experience at this address where a dog was set on him so a decision was made that his colleagues would stand back out of sight of the door and Gda Allen moved out onto the road and behind a parked car.



Gda Allen said this was for protection from the dog and any person within.



He said he called out again that gardai were present. He was reticent to approach the door to knock again so threw pebbles from a flower bed onto the roof to alert those within and called out loudly for the occupant to come to the door.



Gda Allen said the door opened and Mr Farrell stepped out of the house holding a pit bull terrier dog aloft with one hand and a claw hammer in the other hand. He alerted his colleagues and Mr Farrell began shouting There's the gardai afraid of me as he circled the car towards Gda Allen.



He said Garda Eoin McGrath tackled Mr Farrell in an attempt to disarm him and a melee ensued.



He said the dog was dropped and began barking and growling at gardai. Gda Allen and Gda Scott Murray made efforts to control the dog, with Gda Murray managing to put a restraint on it and put it back in the house.



Gda Allen said he could hear Garda Eamon Moylan and Gda McGrath struggling with Mr Farrell who was violently resisting arrest and he diverted his attention there.



He said Gda McGrath had deployed his pepper spray and Gda Moylan was incapacitated by the effects of the spray. Gda Allen and Gda McGrath continued to try and control Mr Farrell who was lashing out and kicking.



He said there was one handcuff on Mr Farrell and he was attempting to put his other hand into his pocket. He said he was scrawled by Mr Farrell's finger nails on his arm, drawing blood.



Gda Allen said Mr Farrell kicked his legs and feet a number of times and he drew his baton, striking him approximately three times in total on the leg and arm. Gda McGrath was then able to bring Mr Farrell's arms behind him to be handcuffed.



He said after Mr Farrell was arrested a search was conducted and a black metal knuckle duster was found in his pocket. A claw-hammer and torch were also seized.



He said Mr Farrell was brought to the garda station and after being assessed by a doctor, he was brought to hospital to be treated for an injury on the webbing of his skin between his knuckles.



During cross examination Eoghan Cole BL, defending, said in his version of events Mr Farrell had been babysitting his children as his former partner was out for the night. He heard a bang, went outside and shone a torch. He saw his neighbour was also outside.



Mr Cole said Mr Farrell was going back to sleep and heard the stones being thrown on the roof. He looked out the front door and saw a person he knew to be a garda ducking behind a car. He said he took a phone and torch and was recording what was going on.



Mr Cole said Mr Farrell was walking towards the garda when he was jumped on by three gardai, dropped his phone and torch. Mr Farrell said he was struck, hit and punched.



Gda Allen disagreed with this account and said all the violence was on Mr Farrell's behalf. He said Mr Farrell came out armed with a claw-hammer and dog and while being arrested was shouting Get them Buster, bite them Buster, help me Buster.



Mr Cole said Mr Farrell instructs he was in boxer shorts at the time but Gda Allen replied Mr Farrell was clothed in a garment with pockets.



Gda Allen accepted that the only person in the case with medical evidence reporting his injuries was Mr Farrell. He said he had no knowledge of how Mr Farrell received his injuries and did not believe he had been struck to the head.



Mr Cole put it to him that Mr Farrell denies there was dogs at the premise and that his dogs had been moved because there was fears for their safety.



The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury of six men and six women.
Sweden's 'herd immunity' strategy of not locking down the country has been justified, experts say, after it emerged only 1.3 per cent of people tested for coronavirus actually have the disease.

The tiny proportion, from more than 120,000 tests carried out over the past week, represents a huge drop from the peak of the pandemic when it stood at 19 per cent.

The nation has recorded 5,838 deaths due to Covid-19 - the fifth-highest rate per capita in Europe - but new infection numbers have been plummeting since June.

On Wednesday, Sweden logged fewer deaths per million people - 0.06 - than in the UK, where the figure was 0.17 ahead of Boris Johnson's reversal of lockdown easing.

A graph shows how the number of new coronavirus deaths per million people has changed in Sweden and the UK

Epidemiologist Johan Carlson, who is also director of the Swedish public health agency, told the Times: 'Our strategy was consistent and sustainable.

'We probably have a lower risk of [the virus] spreading than other countries.'

Officials in Stockholm argued at the start of the pandemic that the virus would present a long-term challenge and that it would be more beneficial for people to continue going about their daily business and develop immunity to it.

The public were urged to work from home where possible but schools, bars and restaurants largely remained open throughout, and while people are urged to keep 1.5m away from each other, Sweden has not demanded masks be worn in shops or on transport.

Initially, scientists described the approach as reckless, with some predicting as many as 180,000 people from a population of 10.2 million could die as a result.

While only Belgium, the UK, Spain and Italy have recorded more deaths than Sweden, its total of 5,838 shows how overblown such estimates were, particularly given the downward trajectory since the summer.

Indeed, this week, only seven people have died as a result of coronavirus.

A graph shows how the number of cases per million people compares in Norway, Denmark and Sweden

Its progress can be highlighted further by comparing it to Norway, one of the first on the continent to introduce a lockdown, in that it now has fewer cases per capita than its neighbour.

Likewise, Denmark, which also imposed tight restrictions, has seen its infection rate rise higher than that witnessed in Sweden, despite initially seeming to have curbed the worst of the virus.

The other Scandinavian countries have largely reopened borders with Sweden but rising cases in Norway mean some quarantine measures have been restored.

As Boris Johnson eyes his own 'moonshot' mass testing regime in the UK, the Swedish government has invested many more resources in testing, having previously restricted it to those more at risk and those working on the front line.

As a result, it now carries out triple the amount of daily tests it did three months ago, offering them to anyone with apparent symptoms, while a system to track down and test the contacts of each infected person also appears to be working.
A United States professor who gained international attention after publishing a blog post in which she admitted to lying for years about being a Black person has resigned from the George Washington University, the school said.

Dr Jessica Krug, has resigned her position, effective immediately. Her classes for this semester will be taught by other faculty members, and students in those courses will receive additional information this week, GWU said on Twitter on Wednesday.

Krug, a history professor known for her writings on various Black-centred topics, gained notoriety after the online platform Medium published a posting in her name saying she was actually a white woman from suburban Kansas City.

Update regarding Jessica Krug: Dr. Krug has resigned her position, effective immediately. Her classes for this semester will be taught by other faculty members, and students in those courses will receive additional information this week.  GW University (@GWtweets) September 9, 2020

Krug claimed she has lived most of her adult life under various assumed identities within a Blackness that I had no right to claim: first North African Blackness, then US rooted Blackness, then Caribbean rooted Bronx Blackness.

The blog post attributed to Krug expressed deep remorse, calling the deception the very epitome of violence, of thievery and appropriation.

The writer blamed unaddressed mental health demons dating back to childhood and says she frequently thought of confessing the deception, but my cowardice was always more powerful than my ethics.

Krugs biography on the GWU website, which has been taken down, previously listed imperialism, colonialism and African-American history among her areas of expertise. Her writings centre heavily on issues of African culture and diaspora.

The post caused an immediate furore on social media, with Black academics, writers and activists recalling their interactions with Krug.

Hari Ziyad, editor of the online publication RaceBaitr, which had published Krugs writings, wrote on Twitter that Krug had confirmed the details of the blog post to him in a phone call Thursday morning. He described Krug as someone I called a friend up until this morning when she gave me a call admitting to everything written here.

Jess Krug, professor at @GWtweets, is someone I called a friend up until this morning when she gave me a call admitting to everything written here. She didn't do it out of benevolence. She did it because she had been found out.https://t.co/kSNkVUzbtM  Hari Ziyad (@HariZiyad) September 3, 2020

Ziyad wrote that Krug claimed to be Afro-Caribbean and from the Bronx. He said he had defended Krug in the past against suspicious colleagues. In retrospect, he recalls clues to the deception including her clearly inexpert salsa dancing and awful New York accent.

Krugs public persona comes across in a video testimony to a New York City Council hearing on gentrification from June. Referring to herself as Jess La Bombalera, Krug refers to my Black and brown siblings in the anti-gentrification movement and criticises all these white New Yorkers who did not yield their time to Black and brown indigenous New Yorkers.

Krugs situation brought to mind the case of controversial US activist Rachel Dolezal, who made headlines in 2015  and resigned from her post as president of the Spokane, Washington branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)  after saying she identified as Black, even though both of her parents are white.

Im more black than I am white, Dolezal said at the time.
Joe Biden said Donald Trump's actions in response to the coronavirus pandemic were 'almost criminal' as he piled onto the president for downplaying the dangers of the disease publicly while privately acknowledging it was 'deadly.'

'He waved a white flag. He walked away. He didn't do a damn thing,' Biden told CNN. 'Think about it. Think about what he did not do -- it's almost criminal.'

'The virus is not his fault, but the deaths are his fault. Because he could've done something about it,' he said.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden said President Donald Trump's actions in response to the coronavirus pandemic were 'almost criminal'

President Donald Trump admitted he downplayed the threat of the coronavirus but said he did so in order not to cause panic

In this White House photo from December 2019 provided by Bob Woodward, President Donald Trump is seen speaking to Woodward in the Oval Office, surrounded by some aides and advisers, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, then acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, then-White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and then-deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley. On Trump's desk is a large picture of Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The Democratic nominee was referring to revelations from Bob Woodward's forth coming book 'Rage,' where Trump, in recorded interviews, gave a frank assessment of the dangers of COVID while publicly saying the disease was under control.

More details are expected to emerge over the next few days. Woodward is scheduled to be on CBS' '60 Minutes' on Sunday night where the author will play some of the recordings he made of the president.

Biden slammed the president for not taking more precautions in public, such as wearing a face mask.

'This caused people to die. And what did he do the whole time?' Biden said to CNN. 'He acknowledged this -- you breathe it, it's in the air -- and he won't put on a mask. He's talking about, 'It's ridiculous to put on a mask, what do you need social distancing for? Why have any of these rules?''

Biden charged the president with caring more about the economy than people's lives.

'It was all about making sure the stock market didn't come down, that his wealthy friends didn't lose any money, and that he could say anything, that in fact anything that happened had nothing to do with him,' Biden said.

The Biden campaign was quick to latch onto the details from Woodward's book, which were excerpted Wednesday in The Washington Post and from CNN.

'This is deadly stuff,' Trump told the author in February during one of their 18 interviews.

'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed,' he said. 'And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.'

But while Trump admitted privately to the dangers of COVID less than two weeks later he said publicly that 'we have it very much under control in this country.'

Biden said voters should kick President Trump out of office as a result.

'Kick him out of office is the consequence,' he told reporters traveling with him to Michigan on Wednesday.

Bob Woodward's new book 'Rage' comes out September 15

President Trump admitted on Wednesday he downplayed the threat of the coronavirus in order not to cause panic.

'I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love this country. I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic,' he told reporters at the White House.

'Certainly I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength, we want to show strength as a nation. That's what I've done,' he added

'Leadership is about confidence. Confidence is confidence in our country,' he noted.

Trump didn't deny the comments - he has previously blasted stories he doesn't like as 'fake news' - but offered an explanation instead.

'We don't want to instill panic. We don't want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a tremendous problem, scare everybody,' the president explained when asked about the discrepancy between the remarks he made to Woodward and the remarks he made in public at the time.

And when asked by DailyMail.com how the American people could trust what he says going forward, Trump said: 'It's a big part of trust. We have to have leadership, show leadership. The last thing you want to do is create a panic.'

He said repeatedly his public statements in February downplaying the threat of the coronavirus, which has taken 200,000 American lives to date and counting, was to avoid causing chaos and confusion.

'We don't want to have to show panic. We're not going to show panic. That's what I did,' he said.

And he called the book - the latest in a series of books painting his administration in a poor light 'another political hit job.'

'Whether it was Woodward or anybody else, you cannot show a sense of panic or you're going to have bigger problems,' the president said.

While campaigning in Michigan on Wednesday, Biden repeatedly attacked Trump for the revelations in Woodward's book, which will be published on September 15.

'He knew and purposely played it down,' an aghast Biden said. 'Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months.'

Democratic nominee Joe Biden went after President Donald Trump Wednesday for knowing just how dangerous the coronavirus was in February but downplaying it for months to the American people

Biden held a campaign event in Michigan that was supposed to be about preventing the offhosring of jobs, but he dedicated the top of his speech to the startling revelations found in Bob Woodward's forthcoming book

In a March 19, Trump told Woodward he had been purposely downplaying the virus' seriousness.

'I wanted to always play it down,' Trump said. 'I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic.'

Publicly Trump has resisted wearing a mask in public - a move many of his supporters follow. At a rally in Winston-Salem on Tuesday evening, many of his attendees did not wear face coverings despite state recommendations.

Biden, on the other hand, has showed an overabundance of caution while trying to spend more time out on the campaign trail after spending months Zooming into events from his Delaware basement.

At Biden's Michigan event Wednesday, attendees' chairs had circles around them, and they were instructed not to leave that space.

'Please remain in your circles and keep your mask on for the duration of the event,' an overheard announcement said.

During his speech, Biden said his mask was only off because he was able to properly social distance - and the event was held outside.
RICHMOND, Va. - The state Senate on Thursday passed sweeping legislation meant to overhaul policing, a cause that came to the forefron there and across the country after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in May.

The measure included provisions meant to make it easier to sue police for misconduct, but later Thursday a Senate committee killed a House bill that would have more broadly swept aside the qualified immunity that shields officers from lawsuits.

On a party-line vote in the full Senate, Democrats approved an omnibus bill that, among other things, would ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants in most situations. Sexual relations between law enforcement and people in their custody - something already prohibited in many states - would be outlawed.

The legislation, which now heads to the House of Delegates, also would make it easier to decertify police officers involved in wrongdoing and wouldestablish minimum training standards for law enforcement agencies across the state.

"We have heard . . . from some who oppose this legislation that we should not allow what happened over 1,200 miles from here to dictate policy in Virginia, but we have blinders on if we think that Virginia is immune to [police] misconduct," Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, who sponsored the bill, said on the floor ahead of the vote.

Some Senate Republicans said they agreed with certain aspects of the legislation but not others. They said they wished it had been presented as a series of bills rather than in a single, omnibus measure - an approach more common in highly partisan Washington than Richmond.

"I think we do a lot of things better than in Washington. We actually work together a lot more. We have stand-alone bills, with more opportunities to work together," said Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke. "I find myself again today with a bill that [has] many things I'd like to support, but they've all been wrapped up together. I fear every year we get closer to embracing this omnibus approach."

The House and Senate are meeting in a special session that Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, called in part to address concerns over inequities in policing raised by Floyd's death. Legislators are also revamping the state budget, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Locke's bill is meant to chip away at qualified immunity, which shields officers from civil liability if there is any ambiguity surrounding whether their actions were justified. It would aim to do that by spelling out in the state code when officers may use force, thereby eliminating uncertaintyabout whether it was justified.

Under the bill, officers could not use chokeholds or fire at a moving vehicle unless someone's life is at risk. They could not use deadly force unless they have exhausted all other means of controlling a situation.

"If there is any ambiguity of what the law is, qualified immunity kicks in," Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said in a written statement. "By making these changes to the Code of Virginia, by clarifying what is legal and what is not legal, we are taking qualified immunity out of the mix."

Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, and other Republicans expressed concern that officers, who at times must make split-second decisions, could "face financial ruin" for honest mistakes, such as shooting someone who appeared to pose a threat but in reality did not.

"We've got to give them the ability to exercise some judgment or make a mistake," Obensain said, who noted that 13 percent of state police slots are currently vacant and another 13 percent of the force will be eligible for retirement next year. "Otherwise there's no way we're ever going to be able to fill these positions and keep our communities safe."

After the Senate passed Locke's bill, its Judiciary Committee met to consider legislation from Del. Jeff Bourne, D-Richmond, that sought to more directly eliminate qualified immunity.

"If officers are worried about qualified immunity, they might not be the type of people we want serving our communities and patrolling our streets," Bourne told the committee.

The panel voted 12-3 against the bill, with some Democrats expressing concern that it was too broad and promising to study the matter and take it up in the regular legislative session that begins in January. Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, was among those who did not want to wait.

"I'm not the least bit convinced there won't be any number of Brown and Black people who will be killed by police officers before we come back for the next session," she said.
PARIS (Reuters) - A letter sent to luxury goods group LVMH by the French foreign ministry requesting it delay its $16 billion (12.32 billion pounds) purchase of U.S. jeweller Tiffany to early January was not binding, a French government source said.

The letter has sparked a furor after LVMH said on Wednesday it was walking away from the deal - which would have been the biggest of its kind in the luxury goods industry - citing the French request, saying it had made the transaction impossible.

The letter, signed by Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, urged LVMH to delay the closing of the acquisition from Nov. 24 until Jan. 6, 2021, given the threat of additional U.S. tariffs against French products.

LVMH's Financial Director Jean-Jacques Guiony told reporters that the group had been obliged to comply, and given it had no desire to extend negotiations, it could not complete the deal.

The French government source said the letter had a "political value" and was meant to alert LVMH to the risks of pursuing the deal just as France wrangles with the United States over trade tariffs - but it was not binding.

"They are free to take the letter into account or not," the source said, adding that the French government was not a stakeholder in the firm.

According to a translated version of the letter released by Tiffany, Le Drian urged LVMH to take action at a time when the government was trying to dissuade U.S. authorities from slapping retaliatory tariffs on sectors like luxury goods from January.

"In order to support the steps taken vis-a-vis the American government, you should defer the closing of the pending Tiffany transaction until January 6, 2021," the letter distributed by Tiffany read.

LVMH could not immediately be reached for comment.

There would be no French government compensation for LVMH as a result of the Tiffany deal collapsing, the source said. Guiony earlier declined to comment on whether LVMH would seek compensation. He also shrugged off suggestions that LVMH had used the letter as a pretext to walk away from the deal.

(Reporting by John Irish; Additional reporting by Silvia Aloisi, Writing by Sarah White; Editing by Jan Harvey and Nick Zieminski)
Decks have been cleared to appoint 3,186 doctors in the Bihar health cadre after the Bihar Technical Service Commission published results of general duty medical officers (GDMOs) on Thursday. The appointments will help the state in management of Covid-19, said officials.

The results were published against 4,012 posts, which the general administration department (GAD) had sent to the commission for appointment on July 9 last year.

The vacant positions were under extremely backward class (EBC), as only 508 out of 1,033 positions could be filled up. Similarly, 381 out of 682 positions could be filled up under the Scheduled Castes category.

In keeping with the state governments reservation policy, many seats in the general category were taken up by candidates belonging to the reserved category  backward class, extremely backward class, SC and ST  who made the cut, as a result of which seats in EBC and SC remained vacant, said officials requesting anonymity.

These doctors will soon be appointed and posted in district and sub-division hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs), said Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey in a statement issued Thursday.

The notification of appointment and posting of the GDMOs is expected before the announcement of assembly elections.

Pandey said this was the first time that the government had completed the recruitment process of so many doctors in one go.

The government had last month appointed as many as 929 specialist doctors, holding post-graduate degrees.

Pandey claimed that the department had recruited as many as 21,530 health workers, including doctors, during the last three years.

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PASADENA, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Pacific Oaks College (PO) a five-year, $2.5 million grant. PO was one of 40 universities nationwide and a handful of private colleges to receive the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Title V competitive grant, which assists colleges in the development of academic services, mentoring, faculty, curriculum, and other resources. PO's project, known as the Latinx+ Student Success Initiative, will support Latinx and underserved student populations at the social justice-centered college.

An HSI is defined as an institution of higher education that has at least 25% Hispanic full-time equivalent undergraduate enrollment. As of fall 2020, more than 55% of PO's undergraduate student body self-identify as Hispanic, making Latinx students the largest demographic at the College.

"I am proud of the $2.5 million HSI grant awarded to Pacific Oaks College. It demonstrates our commitment to supporting and lifting up all our students, especially those from underserved communities. Many of our students aim to serve their communities after graduating. This HSI grant will support our Latinx+ and underserved students in preparing them for success at Pacific Oaks and in their careers afterward," said Dr. Jack Paduntin, president of Pacific Oaks College & Children's School.

Major components of the grant include the development of a student success center, higher education outreach programs informed by the needs of a growing Latinx population, enhanced professional development opportunities and diversity of faculty, and building an endowment fund that will support future program development and support.

"I am excited to develop the student success center's infrastructure and the implementation of programs at Pacific Oaks. Integral to the Title V grant are goals to increase retention and graduation rates of Latinx+ and underrepresented undergraduate students," said Dr. Judy Castro, incoming project director of the Latinx+ Student Success Initiative. "In addition to the undergraduate success center, new and sustainable programs will be essential, such as a media lending library, a Latinx+ Speaker Series, and bilingual academic advisers, tutors, and mentors."

PO's Dean of Students and former HSI Director Victoria Lugo adds, "As a small nonprofit social justice institution, PO now has an opportunity, using our Title V grant, to prepare more Latinx and underserved students to graduate and bring the core values of diversity, inclusion, and social justice to a workforce that desperately needs these qualities in employees. The Title V grant is critical to assist students to close achievement gaps as well as strengthen the overall institution."

The grant begins October 1, 2020, and ends September 30, 2025.

About Pacific Oaks College & Children's School

Founded in 1945, Pacific Oaks College & Children's School is composed of two educational entities. Pacific Oaks College is a nonprofit, accredited higher education institution offering bachelor's and master's programs in human development, education, early childhood education, teacher preparation, marriage and family therapy, community psychology, social work, advocacy and social justice, business administration, and organizational leadership and management. Pacific Oaks Children's School provides nonprofit early childhood education programs for children ages 6 months through 5 years and has pioneered achievements in the areas of anti-bias education, emergent curriculum, and peaceful conflict resolution.

Pacific Oaks is dedicated to the fundamental Quaker principles of inclusion, social justice, and the valuing of each individual upon which it was founded. The College has a long history of serving nontraditional and adult students and is known for its experiential and culture-centered approach to education. It offers classes at its main campus in Pasadena, its San Jose Campus, at instructional sites throughout California, and online. Pacific Oaks College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission and is a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities.

Pacific Oaks College & Children's School is an affiliate of TCS Education System, a nonprofit system of colleges advancing student success and community impact.

SOURCE Pacific Oaks College & Childrens School
That data really reveals the need for some additional focus on the advancement and retention of our Black team members, said Kiera Fernandez, Targets vice president of human resources and chief diversity and inclusion officer. So in addition to sharing this workforce diversity data in a disaggregated way, we know that we also have to make some systemic changes to increase the representation of our Black team members across the company.
An American Failure Covid 200,000 Deaths Time Magazine Cover

Credit - Illustration by John Mavroudis for TIME

In March, as the global pandemic hit New York, my colleague Kat Moon decidedwisely, it turned out, given what was ahead for the U.S.to decamp to her childhood home, Taipei. Despite its proximity to mainland China, where the outbreak originated, Taiwan has seen only 495 cases and seven deaths among its more than 23 million people, making its response to the coronavirus one of the most successful in the world. So successful, in fact, that last month it was able to host one of the largest public gatherings reported since social distancing began: a 10,000-person live arena concert, which Moon and photographer An Rong Xu attended and covered for TIME. As one U.S. reader put it on Twitter, An arena concert taking place with corona restrictions honestly seems like its happening on another planet considering whats going on here in the U.S.

While a great many mysteries remain around COVID-19, the most effective ways to curb its spread are not among them. That is the theme of this weeks cover story by Alex Fitzpatrick and Elijah Wolfson, echoing what scientists around the world have made clear now for many months. Not testing alone. Not physical distancing alone. Not contact tracing alone. Not masks alone. Do it all, says World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Countries that have adopted this comprehensive approach have suppressed transmission and saved lives.

And then there is the U.S., which will soon cross a devastating marker: 200,000 deaths caused by COVID-19. That death tollequivalent to U.S. deaths in more than three Vietnams, or the entire population of Salt Lake Cityis the worlds largest by far and more deaths per capita than in all but 12 other countries.

I spoke this week to Tom Ridge, the former Republican governor of Pennsylvania who later served as the first Secretary of the Department of Homeland Securitya role created after Sept. 11, 2001, out of the recognition that the threat of terrorist attacks on American soil would forever be part of the nations reality. There are clear parallels not only with the continuing threat of COVID-19 but also with the likelihood of future pandemics that virologists predict may well be worse. We see in a painful and dramatic way the globalization of disease, and its incumbent on us to make some rather substantive changes, Ridge says. If we dont, then shame on us and shame on our leadership.

Story continues

For this weeks U.S. cover, we turned to artist John Mavroudis, whousing data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centerhandwrote the death counts in America on every one of the 193 days between Feb. 29, the first confirmation of a COVID-related death in the U.S., and Sept. 8, as it neared time to go to press. Out of that data, the illustration reveals the coming grim milestone of 200,000. Creative director D.W. Pine then placed the illustration within a black borderonly the second time in our history we have done so, the first being after 9/11. I really hope this cover is a wake-up call for those who are numbed to this catastrophe, says Mavroudis. Science and common sense are the answers to this crisis.

There is some good news.

The data suggest that we are reducing the death rate in America among people who contract the virus. And as TIMEs Alice Park notes elsewhere in this issue, its possible that at least one vaccine may be available by the time 2020 comes to an end, although distribution will create many new questions and challenges. In the meantime, it is not too late to do better.

Read the cover story here.
The United States will end coronavirus screening for airline passengers arriving from much of the world, saying the procedures have "limited effectiveness" for catching sick people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Travelers arriving from China, Iran, most of Europe and Brazil will also no longer be required to arrive at 15 designated airports when the new policy goes into effect Monday, the CDC announced late Wednesday.

"We now have a better understanding of COVID-19 transmission that indicates symptom-based screening has limited effectiveness because people with COVID-19 may have no symptoms or fever at the time of screening, or only mild symptoms," the agency said in a statement.

"Transmission of the virus may occur from passengers who have no symptoms or who have not yet developed symptoms of infection," the CDC said.

A CDC statement said that 675,000 people underwent the screenings and that fewer than 15 were identified as having covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Instead, the U.S. government's efforts will focus on educating travelers before they leave and while they're in the air, and on gathering passengers' contact information so they can be reached if it is determined they may have been exposed to the virus.

The new policy does not change travel bans on non-U.S. residents that apply to the foreign countries.

When the screenings were expanded to Brazil in May, acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf called them "aggressive measures" necessary to keep the risk from the coronavirus low.

"This action is needed to protect the general public from further exposure and spread of the coronavirus," Wolf said then.

At about the same time, Democrats on the House Oversight and Reform Committee questioned why the administration had not done more to screen travelers from Italy and South Korea in February and early March, when coronavirus cases surged in those countries.

The CDC has concluded that catching people with the virus at any point in time is difficult when it incubates over a period of days. The agency's new approach is aimed at encouraging people to monitor their health over a longer period.

Air travel played a critical role in rapidly spreading the virus from China around the world. But experts say restrictions on travel imposed once the virus had already spread widely did little to further contain it.

Nevertheless, President Trump and his supporters have pointed to the bans as evidence that the administration acted quickly to control the novel coronavirus. People from China were barred in January, with most of Europe being added to the list in March.

In March, the State Department also formally advised Americans against traveling overseas. That advisory was lifted in early August, but the CDC continues to warn against travel to many nations, including India and China, because of the virus.

While the changes to screening and funneling of travelers might do little to immediately spur demand for international travel, the shift has the support of the airline industry.

"We continue to support spending scarce screening resources where they can best be utilized and no longer believe that it makes sense to continue screening at these 15 airports given the extremely low number of passengers identified by the CDC as potentially having a health issue," said Katherine Estep, a spokeswoman for Airlines for America, an industry trade group.

Domestic air travel has seen a partial rebound after declines in passenger numbers of 95% in the spring. But international passenger volumes have not returned. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics said this week that there were just 1.1 million travelers on international flights in July, a decline of 90% from the same month last year.

The screening announcement comes as the travel industry pushes to establish testing programs that will screen travelers for the virus before they fly.

In a letter sent this week to three top Trump administration officials - Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Wolf and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao - groups including Airlines for America, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Travel Association said that a robust and reliable testing program could be key to restarting international travel.

Noting that some governments have already begun putting pre-travel or post-arrival testing programs in place, the groups urged the U.S. government to follow suit, working closely with industry.

They said a critical first step could begin with a pilot testing program between the United States and either Europe, Canada or the Asia-Pacific region.

"We are cognizant of the many complexities and issues surrounding COVID-19 testing," the groups wrote. "It is precisely because of these complexities that we call on the U.S. government to work on a bilateral and multilateral basis to establish a globally accepted framework for testing protocols for international travel."

The groups also reminded administration officials about the toll the pandemic has taken on the aviation industry, noting that the World Travel and Tourism Council estimates the United States is set to lose $155 billion because of to the decline in international travel.

In the statement on the screenings, the CDC said it would explore "potential testing to reduce the risk of travel-related transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 and movement of the virus from one location to another."
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Tres de las protagonistas mas queridas de Elite han comenzado el ano con un cambio de look: Danna Paola estrenaba hace un par de semanas un castano chocolate con flequillo con el que recuperaba su melena de la infancia, Mina El Hammami aclaraba su pelo moreno con las mechas ideales para ese tono y, ahora, Ester Exposito acaba de revelar en sus redes que ella tambien se apunta a transformar su cabello, en su caso, oscureciendolo ligeramente hasta un castano claro muy natural. A juzgar por la reac
KYODO NEWS - Sep 11, 2020 - 05:14 | All, Japan

A 16-year-old high school girl has been killed apparently by her grandfather in his house in the central Japan prefecture of Fukui, police said Thursday.

Susumu Tomizawa, 86, was arrested on suspicion of murdering his granddaughter Tomomi on Wednesday night. The girl was found dead early Thursday in the house in the city of Fukui after her father reported to police that his daughter had fallen down and was unresponsive.

Investigative sources said Tomomi had multiple stab wounds in her upper body. Police did not reveal whether Tomizawa has admitted to or denied the murder charge.

The girl's father received a call from Tomizawa about the incident. Tomizawa stayed in the house and did not flee when police officers arrived.

Although the girl previously lived with her parents in another house in the city, she had been staying at Tomizawa's house for the past two months, according to the sources and information from neighbors.

Tomomi told her friends that she came to live with her grandfather as her parents often quarreled.
With Kathryn Garcia resigning as New York Citys sanitation commissioner to mull a mayoral bid, there are now three de Blasio administration veterans in the mix to replace their old boss. Former Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Loree Sutton has been in the race since last fall, and Maya Wiley, a political commentator who served as counsel to the mayor, now shows signs of building up a campaign as well.

Coming from varied backgrounds and political perspectives, they all share one possible liability in 2021: ties to a comparatively unpopular Mayor Bill de Blasio. For example, while 75% of New York City adults surveyed by Marist College in July approved of the governors pandemic response, only half said the same for the mayor.

All three mayoral hopefuls have already been making a point to distance themselves from de Blasio. Positioning herself as a moderate, Sutton has opposed efforts to defund the police, questioned the mayors push to increase the citys borrowing authority to fill its budget gap and has been critical of the citys mental health initiative, ThriveNYC. When asked what she would do differently than de Blasio as mayor, she told City & State in November, We're definitely two very different people. Garcias resignation letter sent this week pointed to disagreements with the mayors recent budget cuts, writing that, If, as is often said, budgets are a statement of values, my values require me to resign in the face of these cuts, which will harm New Yorkers. And Wiley has called for the resignation of Dermot Shea, the citys police commissioner who was appointed by de Blasio.

But its unclear whether that will be enough to fully separate each candidate from de Blasios legacy. Garcias reputation has been as de Blasios go-to crisis manager, who also had held roles leading the New York City Housing Authority, overseeing initiatives to reduce lead poisoning and exposure among children and, most recently, heading the citys COVID-19 hunger initiatives. Sutton helped expand what was the Mayors Office of Veterans Affairs into a full-fledged agency. Wiley may be able to more easily set herself apart given that she enjoys national name recognition as a commentator on NBC News and MSNBC. But her stint as a top lawyer to de Blasio for more than two years could connect her to certain scandals that plagued the mayor, including his unsuccessful attempt to conceal conversations with outside advisers from the public view. Her campaign adviser, Jon Paul Lupo, worked with de Blasio in City Hall and on his presidential campaign, while several former and current de Blasio staffers have gravitated toward her potential candidacy.

The length of time each spent in the administration and when they served will also play a part in how much their connection to de Blasio will be a challenge on the campaign trail, said Christina Greer, a political science professor at Fordham University. I dont think folks will be necessarily penalized for working with first-term de Blasio. I think second-term de Blasio, when hes running for the presidency, ostensibly checked out of the mayoralty, then you may have to justify that relationship and sort of carve a path as to what you were doing in that administration.

All three mayoral contenders started in the de Blasio administration at the start of his mayoral tenure in 2014. Wiley had the shortest tenure at City Hall among them, serving for two and a half years as his chief legal counsel before resigning in 2016. Sutton stepped aside last year to pursue a mayoral bid, while Garcia is resigning this month to explore a possible campaign. Each candidate will likely make the case that they should be judged on the merits of what theyve achieved, Greer said, rather than on their work with one person.

I think the public is going to judge me on what Ive accomplished and not by association, Garcia told City & State, noting that her work in both the de Blasio and Bloomberg administrations differentiate her from just serving under the current mayor. She pointed to several highlights in her numerous roles in city government, including ramping up the citys emergency food distribution in response to COVID-19 and expanded curbside collection of electronics and organic waste.

Political consultant George Arzt said Suttons experience leading veterans services was unlikely to be much of a hindrance, and both Wiley and Garcia have compelling reasons to highlight to overshadow any de Blasio ties. Garcia has some real strengths, especially among insiders in government, is well-regarded as someone who can get things done, he said, noting that the degree to which that helps her is dependent on her resources to promote that narrative. Wileys strong speaking abilities and experience in a media environment will also help her, Arzt said.

Several mayoral candidates in a similar position as these three havent had much success historically in New York City. Joe Lhota, who once served as a top aide in former Mayor Rudy Giulianis administration, only won 24% of the vote in the 2013 mayoral race. Jerome Kretchmer began his mayoral candidacy in 1973 by trashing his former boss, then-Mayor John Lindsay, who he served under as the citys environmental protection administrator, but didnt find electoral success either. Garcia also isnt the first sanitation commissioner in the city to pursue a campaign to become mayor: Paul Screvane attempted the same in 1965, but lost in the Democratic primary.

Other challenges remain for each candidate which may prove to be larger obstacles from the outset. In a crowded field, they need to build up stronger name recognition among city residents  particularly Garcia and Sutton, who have largely operated within city government. Wileys TV appearances and large social media following  with close to 350,000 followers on Twitter  may set her apart, though her presence has been more on a national stage. Fundraising will also be important as they face off against career politicians like New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who have had more time to amass hefty war chests. As the only officially declared candidate of the three, Suttons campaign is about $4,455 in the red, according to the campaigns most recent financial disclosures.

It is still early into the 2021 mayoral race, especially for Wiley and Garcia, so it remains to be seen how much their work in City Hall will affect their campaigns.

I think the question everyone is asking is, Does a de Blasio endorsement hurt or help? Greer said. So itll be interesting to see how far away they want to distance themselves from de Blasio.
Calling it Green Apron as a play on the popular Blue Apron meal-kit delivery service, Ochs put together boxes of premeasured ingredients and instructional videos to help residents navigate broiling, dicing and sauteing. The July offering featured broiled halibut with green tomato salsa, mango-stuffed crepes and homemade granola.

The goal was to provide residents with an activity to do at home, while still having interaction with Ochs. Pre-pandemic, the chef would often entertain community members with live cooking demonstrations.

"We were trying to think of ways we can engage the residents, and one of the first things I thought of were cooking demonstrations, Ochs says. We wanted to give them something they could do on their own at home.

A fun quarantine break

Anne Cantor, 79, who lives at The Hill, says the Green Apron meals, which are provided for a fee, gave her a valuable morale boost during her time in quarantine. I did it because it was something to do, and because the food was fabulous, Cantor says. It was something that I never would have made."

Cantor has limited trips outside her home in recent months due to health concerns and says preparing the Green Apron meal kit gave her a fun break from her usual routine. It was like Julia Child. The chef was preparing ingredients and talking through it, Cantor says of Ochs's instructional videos, which were broadcast on The Hill at Whitemarsh's television channel.
Student protest leaders (left to right) Panupong Jadnok, Panusaya Sithijirawattankul and Parit Chiwarak speak to reporters about their planned Sept. 19 rally at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Sept. 9, 2020.

A Bangkok university has banned students from holding an anti-government rally on its campus on Sept. 19 and 20, while activists have vowed to go ahead with the event, which they say could draw up to 100,000 people.

In a statement seen by BenarNews, Thammasat University said it would not allow students to use its campus for the event because it was contrary to university guidelines on political gatherings.

But a group calling itself the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration still plans to host the protest, dubbed Sept. 19, Returning Power to the People, followed by a 3-km (1.9-mile) march to Government House on Sunday. Organizers said they expect crowds of 70,000 to 100,000 to participate.

Despite the universitys announcement, we will still hold the gathering at Thammasat, activist Parit The Penguin Chiwarak said in a statement on Facebook.

The date of the rally, Sept. 19, is the anniversary of the 2006 military coup that toppled the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra, elected in 2011, lost power three years later in a similar coup led by then-Army Chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who has served as prime minister since then.

Parit, a Thammasat student, was arrested on Aug. 14, making him the third activist to be arrested over a series of rallies that began on July 18 with a gathering at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok.

Parit joined student activist Panupong Jadnok, 23, and human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, 35, in being charged with sedition. All three were also charged with organizing gatherings of 10 or more people, leading mass gatherings that could spread the coronavirus, and five other charges, police said at the time.

Since then, another 11 activists have been arrested and 15 others turned themselves in to police.

Panupong and Arnon spent four nights in jail last weekend after police revoked their bail because they had not complied with its condition of refraining from participating in other protests.

The rallies, which have spread to college and high school campuses and other locations across the nation, have featured calls for getting rid of the current government, junking a military-backed constitution and reforming the monarchy.

Early on, Prayuth said he was listening to the demands, and that people had the right to protest. Last month, as the number of arrests increased, the prime minister made a request to the protesters.

I know all of their demands. Only one thing I beg of them: dont touch the monarchy issue, as its respected by all Thai people, he told a British journalist.

U.S. Embassy issues statement

On Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok released a statement challenging a widely circulated online post dedicated to purveying disinformation that Washington was supporting the protesters.

The United States government is not funding or otherwise providing support to any of the protests in Thailand, the statement said. The United States does not support any individual or political party; we support the democratic process and the rule of law.

It noted that photographs of Parit at the U.S. Embassy were taken during the tenure of a previous ambassador.

Suchada Chakpisuth, director of Thai Civil Rights and Investigative Journalism, an independent online news provider, said this type of information had circulated before.

Every time that the political movement is heated, this type of information will be disseminated. The publishers do not care about inaccuracy, she said.

They want to discredit the protesters and produce another set of truths for their followers.
The Putnam Police Department is seeking assistance to identify two suspects related to a larceny/shoplifting incident that occurred on Aug. 28 at a local business.

Two female suspects can be seen in several photos released by police Thursday, as well as the suspects vehicle.
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Indian shares traded higher and closed in the green as the market gained strength on September 10 after witnessing consolidation in the last few sessions.

The BSE Sensex climbed 646.40 points or 1.69 percent to close at 38,840.32 and the Nifty50 jumped 171.30 points or 1.52 percent to end at 11,449.30.

The broader markets also gained momentum as the Nifty Midcap index was up 1.2 percent and smallcap rose 1.6 percent.

Here are the four key factors that are driving the market higher:

Reliance Industries

Reliance Industries, the country's largest listed company by market capitalisation, was the main driver of the rally. The stock shot up more than 7 percent to hit a record high of Rs 2,343.90 and RIL became the first company in India to hit a market capitalisation of $200 billion (Rs 14,85,893 crore).

The stock closed at Rs 2,314.65 on the BSE, up 7.1 percent.

After raising more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore via stake sale in Jio Platforms, billionaire Mukesh Ambani-owned company is now focussed on its retail business.

Private equity giant Silver Lake Partners will invest Rs 7,500 crore in the retail unit of Indias Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Reliance Retail Ventures, at an equity value of Rs 4.21 lakh crore.

Last month, Reliance Retail decided to acquire the retail and wholesale business as well as the logistics and warehousing business from the Future Group for Rs 24,713 crore.

Earlier this month, RIL said the Rs 25,215-crore investment by Brookfield Infrastructure and its institutional partners in RIL's Tower Infrastructure Trust had been completed.

Reliance Industries partly paid-up shares were locked in 10 percent upper circuit at Rs 1,394.55 per share on the BSE.

India-China border talks

The consolidation and correction in the last few sessions seem to have priced-in all India-China border standoff.

All eyes are on a meeting that Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will have with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi later in the day as the troops of both the countries remain in a tense standoff in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Also read: Rafale induction ceremony highlights: Rafales formally inducted into the Indian Air Force

The talks are expected to focus on dialling down the tensions, two days after the neighbours accused each other of firing in the air, the first time in 45 years that bullets have been fired along the LAC.

Banking & Financials

Banking & financials stocks were also on buyers' radar, with Nifty Bank and financial services indices rising 0.9 percent and 0.7 percent. respectively, amid hopes that lending activities after the end of six-month moratorium will turn strong in the coming weeks, which could support economic recovery.

Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, SBI, PNB and ICICI Bank were leading with 1-3.5 percent gains.

"Banks were worried about moratorium-led NPAs, as the moratorium period is over, now they will have a clear idea on what is going wrong in their books. Getting clarity on likely losses was the biggest worry for the bankers," Satish Kumar, Head of Equities at Equirus Securities told Moneycontrol.

Technical View

The Nifty50 gained 1.5 percent and formed a bullish candle on the daily charts.

Experts expect the bullish momentum to continue in the coming days if the index sustains above 11,400 levels.

"We have kept above the 11,450 levels today. We need to see if we can get past this tomorrow as this is a crucial resistance level for the markets. If we are unable to go past this tomorrow, we could revisit the 11,200 levels. If we cross it, we could move higher as the bear trades would then be stopped out and the bulls would take over," Manish Hathiramani, Index Trader and Technical Analyst at Deen Dayal Investments told Moneycontrol.

Reliance Industries Ltd is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Moneycontrol.
As we approach the 19th anniversary of 9/11, there is a conversation going on in many communities about defunding police departments. I am an admirer of our police and all of our first-responders. I am a proud father of a Norwalk firefighter.

While I respect the opinion of all individuals, I vigorously reject defunding of the police. However, I will leave that debate for another day.

As a 9/11 World Trade Center survivor, I witnessed the police performing in their finest hour. In the eye of my mind I can still see, so many citizens like myself running away from danger while a courageous body of blue ran toward the danger. In doing so the police and all the first-responders were performing their core mission of protecting the public and saving lives, and to that end there is no higher calling.

Before the towers fell I was able to make my way to a clients office and watch in terror as the events unfolded. I prayed for all those who did not make it out, and for all the first-responders who went in. A couple hours later I left the building and started the long walk uptown.

As I came out of the building I immediately found the air quality was awful and I started to cough. While walking and coughing a guardian angel in blue appeared, a New York City police officer gave me a towel to breath into.

Along the way police were at every intersection watching over us, supporting, directing and protecting us. As I arrived to Grand Central Terminal, I was comforted to see not only New York Citys Finest, but also the New York City Transit Police, the Metro-North Police, the State of New York Police and the National Guard. All there for one reason, to protect us and to make sure we were safe.

The trains finally started to run toward late afternoon. As I got into a train, I found our guardian angels, the Connecticut and New York State Police, along with Metro-North Police. As my train made its way to Connecticut I noticed that at every stop there was a police presence. When I arrived in South Norwalk that day, I remember getting off the train taking a moment to reflect on the days event. I must say it was emotional moment for me. I thanked God for the gift of my life and I prayed for all those who did not make it out.

While walking down the train platform a Norwalk police officer came up to me and asked how I was doing. I said fine and that I just wanted to get home. I was about ready to call my wife to come and get me, but the officer said sir, let me give you a ride home, you have had a long day.

So the officer drove me home, and we talked about the day. I forgot to get the officers name. Still, I sent a thank you note to the Norwalk Police Department the next day.

Sept. 11, 19 years ago, will always hold a special place in my heart. I will never forget not only the courage of the police that day, but also their compassion, kindness and humanity. The police were my guardian angels that day, who made sure I got home safe. They will always have my respect and support.

In loving memory of those lost on 9/11/01. Gone but never forgotten, from a proud and grateful survivor of One World Trade Center.

Jim Lyons is a Norwalk resident.
Amaravati, Sept 09: Ajeya Kallam, Principal Advisor to Chief Minister said that the main purpose of the direct cash transfer system is to provide nine hours day time free power to farmers. The money will be directly credited to farmers bank accounts for the power consumed by them in their fields and they, in turn, shall pay the power bills to the Discoms. This gives a sense of feeling that the farmers have been paying for the power consumed and the DISCOMS will not go into the red, he said.

Clarifying the doubts on direct electricity cash transfer system here on Wednesday, he said smart meters have many advantages. Load on transformers can be determined with installation of meters and Sub-stations can adjust to the requirements.

The supply of electricity can be tracked by installing meter to motors and any problems identified in supply of electricity can be rectified. Short circuits and damages in transformers can be prevented in future by installing smart meters. Discoms will setup meters, switch, and earth wires and there will be no burden on the farmers, he said.

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Farmers need not to pay any amount for this scheme. Farmers need not pay additional amount on any additional usage of power. No problems will be raised by using 7.5 HP or 10 HP motors and they will be regularized. Discoms will bear the cost even if the meters are short circuited, damaged or stolen. Discoms will bear the cost for the mechanism of reading meters. All unauthorized motors will be regularized, he said.

Ajeya Kallam said the money will be credited in exclusive bank accounts which will deal only with electricity charges and there is no scope of diversion of the money by Banks. The Power utilities wont disconnect the connections if there is delay in the payment of the charges and the payment will be done regularly. The tenant farmers wont be having any problem by this scheme, he said and added the single farmer can have any number of connections and there is no limit on that and the farmers with more number of connections will not be considered as corporate farmers as they are defined based on company act.

By appointing 7523 junior linemen in this Government, the quality of electricity supply is increased by strengthening the field staff. Comparing with the Electricity supply in 2018-19, In 2019-20 in 11 kv feeders, 38.4% interruptions are reduced, said the Principal advisor.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput death case: Rhea Chakraborty sent to 14-day judicial custody after Court denies bail plea
DUBLIN Simon Community is calling on the Government to provide a "dedicated funding line" following increased demand for the charity's health care services last year, with the pandemic adding further strain on supports.

The charity's annual review, launched today by Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu, found 1,231 people accessed its emergency services in 2019 - 36pc of which have been homeless for more than five years, and two-thirds of them are aged between 25 and 44.

The analysis found that more than half of this group require mental health support, 23pc have both mental health and addiction issues, 19pc have mental health, addiction and physical health issues and a further 19pc have addiction and physical health issues.

The review reports an 18pc rise in demand for homeless health care services in 2019 with the charity providing access to related treatment to 1,281 people.

The review notes a significant increase in waiting times for health care related services in 2019.

It shows there has been an 84pc increase in waiting time for detox services, 55pc in recovery services and 24pc for the Blood Borne virus unit last year.

The charitys 12-bed residential intermediate care facility, called Step-Up-Step-Down, treated 172 patients in 2019 with an average stay of 17 days.

Its counselling service also experienced a rise in demand, providing 2,850 hours of counselling - an increase of 17pc on the previous year.

Almost 20pc of these hours involved crisis interventions for suicidality  an average of two people per day.

The charity says demand for treatment services has further grown this year due to the pandemic.

Dublin Simon Community chief executive officer, Sam McGuinness, is calling on the Government to provide dedicated funding to help meet the rising demand for its services.

Since 2014, health spending in homeless services stagnated while homeless numbers accelerated. It is not even close to meeting the needs of the sector.

What is now needed is the dedicated funding line and resources to deliver physical and mental health supports, as per the promise in the Programme for Government 2020.

The challenges we are facing daily in keeping the homeless population safe are enormous and I cannot emphasise strongly enough that a firm commitment to funding is required to respond to this specific public health need for homeless people, he adds.

Majella Darcy, Head of Treatment Services in Dublin Simon Community, says Covid-19 required the organisation to move supports and services online.

Its counselling services moved online and an Emotional Support freephone service for the homeless was introduced.

The service delivered 300 hours of counselling over the phone in its first seven weeks of operation.

Ms Darcy says respiratory problems were the most common reason for admission to the charitys Step-Up-Step-Down Unit last year.

This highlights the extreme vulnerability of our clients during the pandemic, she says.

Ms Darcy adds that over the pandemic, healthcare workers working with the Dublin Simon Community carried out Covid-19 testing among the homeless sector, and its residential care facility provided acute beds for Covid-19 patients.

Our clinical nursing staff were trained in Covid-19 testing and supported the HSE and Safetynet Primary Care in conducting testing amongst the homeless population.

Our Step- Up-Step-Down service supported hospitals by providing 20 acute medical beds to free up space for Covid-19 patients in public hospitals. We expect these services to be under continual pressure while the pandemic is still active, she says.

Launching the review this morning, Dublin Lord Mayor of Dublin, Hazel Chu, acknowledged the vital role the Simon Community plays in protecting the citys most vulnerable.

For fifty years, Dublin Simon has been part of the fabric of Dublin society. In a year like no other, the vital role they play in serving and safeguarding some of our citys most vulnerable people has never been more evident, Ms Chu says.

I am a strong supporter of their work and the invaluable contribution they make to our community.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article please contact Samaritans helpline 116 123 or Aware helpline 1800 80 48 48 or Pieta House on 1800 247 247.
Rice Jones classroom

Rice Universitys Jones School of Business upped its percentage of underrepresented minorities in the full-time MBA for the second straight year, but its number of women dropped from 38% in last years incoming cohort to 34%.

Before coronavirus, application numbers were dropping at most of the top two-year MBA programs in the United States. But not in southeastern Texas.

Even as most of the rest of the U.S. top 25 full-time B-schools were shedding MBA app volume in the 2018-2019 cycle (and at every school, going back three years), the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University in Houston was bucking the national trend, reporting not only increased applications but a falling acceptance rate, too. How would the Covid-19 pandemic affect Joness trajectory? The school has released its Class of 2022 profile and the verdict is in: Rice Jones is officially still a hot school.

After extending its round-three deadline by 60 days for international applicants and 75 days for domestic, the Jones School is reporting a 63% jump in total applications, drawing nearly 400 more apps for a total of 1,021 after reporting 625 in 2018-2019. As a result, Rice Jones has enrolled its biggest MBA class in at least 20 years, with 174 students, up 63% from just 107 last year.

We were happy to see how many people were interested and who really looked like very strong candidates, Peter Rodriguez, Rice Joness dean, tells Poets&Quants. We had a lot of people who were really earnest about asking for any extra time so that they could complete their applications as they tried to get tested or tried to get recommendations. We were really thrilled with the opportunity to grow our full-time program from a target of 120 per unit to a target of 180, and we grew it back to just short of that, and were really happy about that.

FEWER WOMEN IN THE JONES MBA: NOT THE TREND WE WANT TO SEE

Story continues

Rice Jones Dean Peter Rodriguez

Rice Joness acceptance rate, meanwhile, continued its drive downward, dropping to 35.7% from 37% last year and 39% in 2018  an 8.5% drop in two cycles  while yield climbed slightly to 47.7% from 46%. That includes another positive marker: the school upped its percentage of underrepresented minorities to over 20%.

But it was not all rosy in the Class of 2022 profile. Rice Jones saw women in its MBA drop to 34% from 38%, and though its larger class size means there are actually more women in the program, the decline in rate is especially disappointing after the school had climbed 7 percentage points in 2019, from 31% the year before.

I dont have a great answer for that, Rodriguez says. We have more than weve had in the past, and our median for the last six years or six intakes is 34%, and thats where we are. I think the disappointing number is that we believe we need to be north of 40%, and to be higher than that just to meet and be interesting for the people available in the market, for the women available in the market. But weve struggled there. I think this is about our normal performance, but its not the trend we want to see.

International student numbers also dropped precipitously, from 26.1% of last years class to just 14.9% this fall  the lowest percentage of foreign students for Rice Jones in many cycles. In 2017, the school had 30.3% internationals, making its decline greater than 100% in three short years.

Coronavirus, of course, is partly to blame, along with visa issues, Rodriguez says. The school granted 38 deferrals this year, about half of which went to foreign students.

Of course we have a larger class, but frankly, we didnt know what to expect, he says. Expectations around that were some of the most difficult things to manage over the summer, just trying to get students good guidance. I think a lot of them had to get clued that they couldnt do it, or take a deferral  which we offered them  and its just unfortunate.

We had a group that made it and some of them I didnt think would. India turned out to be a little quicker to resolve some of the bottlenecks than we thought they would  I should say India and the United States worked together. But 15% is awfully low for us. Yeah, were usually in the 30s, or maybe high 20s.

DROP IN INTERNATIONALS ALSO HURTS GMAT AVERAGE

The biggest alarm for Rice Jones was for a key academic measure, directly affected by the drop in international students. While the schools average undergraduate GPA stayed stable and its percentage of Graduate Record Exam submitters grew once again (to 32.2% from 31%), the schools average Graduate Management Admission Test score cratered, falling 21 points to 689. Thats not where Rodriguez, or anyone at Rice Jones, wants it to be.

We had both a drop in the proportion of students who came in with a test at all, which was significant, and adding another third to the cohort, Rodriguez says. We grew by 50%, many of whom joined in the third round or later. Almost none of them had a test. So we were harmed by that.

International students have tended to have a GMAT higher than our average before as well, and so in part its driven by both things. We were at this number, this mean GMAT, in the Class of 2018, which was our highest to date until 19, 20, 21. But what we did is, we tried to make the tradeoff. So our GPA weve been a little more focused on. I think weve had a little bit of a tradeoff between the GMAT and GPA the prior two years. Wed like to see ourselves being at over 3.40 and above 700.

LOOKING PAST THE NUMBERS TO FORM THE YEARS CLASS

Any way you look at it, Peter Rodriguez says, the Class of 2022 was bound to be an unusual one.

But that doesnt mean it wont be a great one.

This class will always have an asterisk on it because the conditions under which we needed to gather tests, interview people, manage visas were so complicated  as well as the questions they had of, Can I even come to the campus? What will it be like?' he says. We had to say, Here is our best guess, but were not really sure. Its a process and health conditions will determine. So we did that and I think we learned a lot from it. We were more vigilant about really cautiously looking through transcripts to try to discover things that may be a standardized test wouldve been our first best indicator of. But in that sense, we spent a little more time scrutinizing things because we didnt have all the same measures.

One thing that will stay the same in the coming years: The Rice Jones MBA will be a larger program. No more 100-to-110-person cohorts, Rodriguez says.

We looked at the capacity for our school, he says, and I think the demands of our state and our region are really high, and we probably have plenty of room to grow. But with the argument to stay at this level, were going to stay at this level with the same scholarshipping levels weve had before. Were committed to it.

It was my ambition from getting here to find the right opportunity to grow. I think for us, there are a lot of benefits to a bigger network and a greater density of job seekers for employers here. So Im happy about that.

DONT MISS: RICE JONES DEAN ON GOING STEM: TIMING WAS ALMOST PERFECTLY WRONG or MEET THE RICE JONES MBA CLASS OF 2021

The post Massive Jump In Apps, Enrollment For The Rice Jones MBA appeared first on Poets&Quants.




Haiti - Diaspora : The MHAVE meets a representative of the Florida CCHA





On Wednesday, Louis Gonzague E. Day, the Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE) met in his offices Jean Garnier Belizaire, Representative of the Board of Directors of the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce (CCHA), which counts more of 12,000 members (Small and medium-sized enterprises, associations of nurses and lawyers among others).



Belizaire satisfied with this exchange with Minister Day stressed that in the future the Chamber of Commerce would welcome the Minister's participation in conferences organized by the CCHA.



Minister Day proposed the establishment of a Federation of Diaspora Chambers of Commerce for a synergy of their actions.



Recall that the CCHA has been present in Florida since 2005, which was created by Philipe Aramanda, has for main mission to help, educate, encourage trade and commerce between Haitian-American companies based in Florida, in addition to be a foundation with a philanthropic vocation in the Haitian community of the diaspora of this South-eastern State.



This courtesy meeting, which aimed to consolidate relations between MHAVE and CCHA, took place in a friendly atmosphere, with the promise of another meeting this time in Florida in the near future.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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Corporate cybersecurity has been increasingly compromised since businesses and organizations began implementing work-from-home (WFH) policies in March as the pandemic continued its spread.

Malwarebytes in June set out to measure the how corporate IT leaders reacted to the pandemic; and what strategies are planned as they look forward. The antimalware software firm surveyed more than 200 IT experts at companies of various sizes. Those survey results, combined with the firms internal telemetry, found that many IT heads might be overconfident about the cybersecurity protocols and procedures they have in place.

For example, 44 percent of the respondents did not provide cybersecurity training to the workforce, 45 percent did not perform security and online privacy analyses of software tools deemed necessary for the transition to WFH, and 18 percent said cybersecurity was not a priority for their employees.

Despite this, more than 70 percent of the respondents to Malwarebytes survey gave their organization a score of 7/10 when asked to determine their readiness to transition to WFH.

This may be an example of an often difficult-to-measure phenomenon that we call security hubris, also known as overconfidence in limited security measures deployed, the survey stated.

Perception vs. Reality

Theres no question that the WFH trend has seen an increase in activity from hackers.

Were seeing a strong uptick in phishing attacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chlo Messdaghi, VP of Strategy at Point3 Security told TechNewsWorld.

For example, were seeing increasing attempts by threat actors to get into companies through their employees personal email addresses and SMS messages, Messdaghi said. Its all but irresistible to bad actors because this pandemic is making their jobs so much easier.

Corporate IT must be aware of this, so why the dissonance between the respondents self-assessments and reality?

Theres a problem embedded within security hubris that exists in many other spheres  we dont know what we dont know, David Ruiz, online privacy advocate at Malwarebytes Labs, told TechNewsWorld.

Security hubris is widespread, but not through any malicious intent, Ruiz said. Sometimes, its due more to focusing on only one aspect of cybersecurity rather than ignoring the problem, such as, for example, the IT professional who focuses on outside threats but forgets about insider threats, or the reverse.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Some of the enterprises claiming to be ready really are ready  not necessarily perfectly ready, because perfect security is a myth, but reasonably ready, Andy Ellis, Chief Security Officer at Akamai Technologies, a global content delivery network, cybersecurity, and cloud service company, told TechNewsWorld.

Other organizations might think that they are ready, but theyre just mistaken, Ellis said. Still others might know they arent ready but who wants to paint a target on their back by admitting that?

New Threat Frontier

It could be that IT professionals have not had sufficient time to deal with the new dimension of coverage the WFH phenomenon has added, as businesses moved to WFH very rapidly.

Akamai found that consumption of Internet service over enterprise-connected devices increased 40 percent in March, and traffic to malware-associated websites shot up 400 percent. Both these observed changes are considered as the outcome of changes in users browsing habits once working from home, it concluded.

Things havent changed since then, noted Ellis. The uptick we saw as much of the world shifted to working remotely from home has remained consistent in the months since.

The dangers of WFH arent necessarily structurally different, but instead may represent a shift in the weighting of attacks, he explained. For example, phishing attacks have always existed, but now there is more phishing and, at the same time, one of the underrated defenses against phishing  asking your colleague if an email looks weird  is no longer available.

Further, many antiphishing solutions are reactive, looking for known attack types, rather than adaptively identifying changing attacks, or taking a structural approach by eliminating the ways an adversary might exploit a successful phishing attack, according to Ellis.

Added Threats From Mobile Devices

Implementing proper security to ensure a secure WFH environment requires an investment thats expensive and represents new dollars that were never included in any budget up to now, Matias Katz, CEO of Byos, told TechNewsWorld.

On top of that, a lot of companies are still in denial and think that this will be over soon; and therefore are reluctant to make an investment.

WFH is here to stay, Katz said Companies need to realize that, no matter what, they will have to reinforce their infrastructure to stay secure in the new era.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Companies are increasingly letting WFH employees use their own mobile devices, and this contributes to the problem.

Nearly 70 percent of the 303 IT professionals who responded to a June survey conducted by cloud security company Bitglass said their companies let employees use personal devices to perform their work, and some said their companies let contractors, partners, customers and supplies bring their own devices.

However, they are not taking the proper steps to protect corporate data  about half the respondents said their organizations have no visibility into file sharing apps, for example. Unauthorized access to data and systems and malware infections were the main security concerns for about half the respondents.

IT Departments Spread Thin

The rapid transition to WFH may have shifted priorities for many businesses, according to Malwarebytes Labs Ruiz. That might mean, first, ensuring that a business could remain successful, and, second, ensuring that it could safely remain successful.

In other words, make sure first the business remains up and running, then deal with security issues.

A shortage of IT staff might be another cause. Layoffs are widespread because of the pandemic, and some of those laid off might have been IT and cybersecurity security staff.

Another reason could be that, these days, many companies do not have dedicated IT staff onsite, and most remote IT staff are almost always overworked, Ruiz suggested. There simply may not be time to build and deploy an online training course for all the employees to take.

The stress on IT workers, whose departments are understaffed and underfunded, has increased with the pandemic, and this might contribute to both the inadequacy of cybersecurity precautions taken and the failure to recognize whether or not those precautions are adequate.

During this pandemic, security teams are working harder than ever and in isolation, Point3 Securitys Messdaghi pointed out, adding that C-suite executives should invest in those teams mental health.

IT staff were already highly stressed before the pandemic  the impact of stress on mental health doubled in 2020, according to a report from Nominet UK, the .uk domain name registry in the UK.

Nominet interviewed 800 chief information security officers and C-suite executives on the challenges of the CISOs role. The respondents, evenly divided between the UK and the United States, worked at companies with at least 3,000 employees across a range of public and private sectors.

The report, published in February, said that 88 percent of CISOs remain moderately or tremendously stressed; and 48 percent of the respondents said this affects their mental health  double the number for the previous year. The stress impacts their relationships with partners and children, as well as their ability to execute their role and results in burnout. The average tenure of a CISO is just 26 months.

The C-suite respondents agreed CISOs are working extra hours, but 97 percent of them believe the security team could improve on delivering value for money based on their budget.

Preventing Security Hubris

A good exercise to demonstrate the full reach of security hubris is to ask yourself, on a scale from 1 to 10, how cybersecure are you? Ruiz suggested. Now, ask yourself some other questions:

 Are you connecting to a home router that still uses its default password?

 Are you reusing passwords on some accounts in your home?

 Has your company required the use of a VPN to access company resources?

 Do you click links in emails from new contacts, or do you click links in texts? What about if that link is supposedly from FedEx, and you did, after all, just order something online?

These type of questions will chip away at most peoples own security evaluation after a while, Ruiz said.

No one is trying to be wrong, but its difficult to keep track of all the ways we should be right.
The shocking footage shows a woman almost being hit by train as she tried to cross the tracks with a pushchair.

The woman who was lucky to escape, was strolling obliviously with a pram, across the railway line to get to the other side of the station.

The shocking moment was took place at Hilsea station, near Portsmouth, Hampshire and was captured by cameras onboard the train that heading to London Waterloo.

It shows the woman walking with a pram buggy towards the end of the platform and attempting to cross over the railway lines, being narrowly missed by the incoming train.

The woman was captured by cameras onboard the train, heading to London Waterloo

Following the incident that took place on August 29, the rail operator released the footage today, warning passengers about trespassing on the railway.

Mark Killick, Network Rail Wessex route director said: 'The behaviour at Hilsea station is deeply concerning and shows that people are completely oblivious to the dangers they are putting themselves in.

'This incident could have easily ended in tragedy, and the lives of the woman's family and that of the train driver could have changed forever.

'It is absolutely vital no-one should ever attempt to either get close to or cross the track.'

Neil Gillies, head of drivers at South Western Railway, warned crossing train tracks can cost lives.

He said: 'Near misses like this one at Hilsea station can also seriously affect the train drivers who witness these incidents. We're glad no-one was injured, but this woman had a very lucky escape.

'You may think walking across the tracks will save time, but it could cost your life.'
The Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) has confirmed that it has received notification that there has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 associated with Dunamase College in Portlaoise.

In a statement, the board said all necessary hygiene, health and safety protocols are in place at the school for the prevention and containment of the virus, which is a community based public health issue. It said all relevant close contacts in the school have been identified, contacted, and advised of next steps.

It said the school is continuing to operate adding that in line with the Return to School protocols, close contacts have been requested to stay at home where remote lessons and support will continue to be provided using online systems.

Linda Tynan, Director of Schools said that LOETB is working closely with the Principal and school management to provide every possible support and assistance.

"We express our strong appreciation for the commitment and dedication of teachers, parents, pupils and school communities and particularly the work of the school in its implementation of both the Return to School framework and its Covid response plan, which were essential in ensuring a fast contact tracing process for the HSE," she said.

Principal Aoife Elster said that the continuing priority is to support both the wellbeing of the school community and to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning for the pupils and teachers of the school.

"The use of IT devices to support teaching and learning at the school means that education will continue for all our students whether in school or at home," she said.

The statement added that over the past number of months, LOETB has established in-depth protocols and procedures for all of our secondary schools and Further Education and Training Centres. It said these protocols anticipated the possibility of cases arising in its education facilities and, as such, there is a high state of preparedness among our school communities where prescribed plans and protocols have been implemented and followed in full.

Due to confidentiality reasons, the LOETB could not say if the case was confirmed in the student or teacher population.

Dunamase College or Colaiste Dhun Masc is a multidenominational, co-educational school located in the old vocational school on Railway Street in Portlaoise town centre. The school opened in 2017 in response to a need for more school places and demand for diversity in education in Portlaoise.

It provides education in Irish and English. Management hope to move to a new school building which will have a capacity for 1,000 pupils. There were 184 students enrolled during the 2019/20 school year.
William Mainprize, from Sydney, was one of 43 crewmen and 6,000 on board the ship, the Gulf Livestock 1, when it was struck by a wild typhoon on September 2

The chilling final text messages from an Australian stockman have emerged before the ship he was working on sank to the bottom of the ocean off Japan's coast.

William Mainprize, from Avalon on Sydney's northern Beaches, was lost at sea when the Gulf of Livestock 1 capsized after being caught in a typhoon on September 2.

He was among a crew of 43, including a second Australian, Lukas Orda, from Queensland, on board the ship - which was also carrying 6,000 animals.

Text messages from the 27-year-old reveal the panicked final moments as the ship began to sink.

'We are in the middle of a typhoon and engine control room is taking on water,' William Mainprize wrote.

'Engine is off and we are floating sideways in huge sea.

His older sister Emily Hastings (pictured with brother William Mainprize) has urged her friends to pray for her brother's safe return

The stockman's chilling final text messages have emerged as the ship began to take on water during the wild storm

'Oh man it's pretty hairy. Not sure of the severity of it at the moment.'

In an earlier series of messages between Mr Mainprize and his girlfriend Charlie Gray, he seemed unconcerned about the days ahead.

'So we're hitting the centre of the typhoon at midnight tonight. 175km/hour winds,' he wrote.

'No way around this sucka!'

The Gulf Livestock 1 capsized last Wednesday as Typhoon Maysak blasted the region, having left the New Zealand port of Napier bound for China.

Two survivors have so far been found but Japanese media, citing the nation's coastguard, said the second man had died in hospital.

The rescue effort had been hampered by continued storms and it was suspended on Wednesday.

The Mainprize family has thanked the Australian Maritime Safety Authority for their assistance, but expressed regret at the search suspension.

The stockman's family (pictured) has issued a statement describing the 27-year-old as the 'kindest' and most 'generous' person

His family are pleading for assistance to help find Will

'We are so thankful to those organisations and the Australian public for their thoughts and prayers but we need more help,' the spokesperson said.

'There are still so many unanswered questions and this is a time sensitive matter. There are 40 men still at sea and one life boat missing along with life rafts.

'We are hopeful that our dear William is out there with the other remaining crew waiting to be rescued.'

The family also condemned online comments from vegan trolls who said it was 'karma' the live export ship had capsized.

'As an Australian Certified Stockperson on board the vessel, part of Wills role was to uphold and monitor the welfare standards of animals on the ship,' they said.

'This function was what attracted him to the job and he developed a great bond with the cattle in his care on these long trips.

'He has a beautiful calm, brave and fun approach to life,' the family said

His sister Emily described his love for adventure and the outdoors

'He would often share updates with his family about individual animals and their well-being via WhatsApp.'

The family spoke of him as the 'kindest' and most 'generous' person who was dedicated to make a positive contribution to everything around him.

'He has a beautiful calm, brave and fun approach to life,' the statement reads.

'As a family we know he would have been so brave during this tragic incident involving the Gulf Livestock 1 ship and he no doubt would have been looking out for the other crew members on board in the middle of the crisis.'

Meanwhile his older sister Emily Hastings has urged her friends to pray for her brother's safe return.

'Believing he is looking after the other crew with him. Join me in praying boldly and specifically for his life and the other crew with me,' she wrote in an emotional post on Instagram.

He then continued this work as a tour guide in the Tasmanian wilderness, helping to teach survival skills and foster a love of the outdoors in young people

'Love you Will, my dear little brother, stay strong.'

She described him as 'so full of joy, adventure, with the biggest heart' as she shared family photos of them from happier times.

While he was a student at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, Will worked as a teacher's aide focused on at-risk youths in the community.

He then continued this work as a tour guide in the Tasmanian wilderness, helping to teach survival skills and foster a love of the outdoors in young people.

A petition calling on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to resume its search has received more than 3,000 signatures since it was created eight hours ago.

'Anything we can do right now to make noise, spread awareness and create attention to this issue is absolutely necessary,' the petition reads.

'We believe Will and these men to still be alive, but time is of the essence.'

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Daily Mail Australia it was restricted in what they could say due to privacy obligations.

'The Australian Government is providing consular assistance to the families of two Australian crew members on board a cargo vessel reported missing in Japanese waters,' the spokesperson said.

The ship was also carrying two New Zealand Nationals Scott Harris and Lochie Bellerby.

Photos from inside Gulf Livestock 1 show the ship taking on water on September 1
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky considers the restoration of normal flights, strengthening military and intelligence cooperation, and the development of cooperation in innovations as the three main priorities of Ukrainian-Israeli relations.

He said this in an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Ukrinform reports, citing the press service of the head of state.

First, I would like to re-establish normal flights and travels between our two countries as soon as the COVID-19 situation allows us to do so. I know that many pilgrims look forward to visiting Uman later on in the year, and we look forward to welcoming them, the President said.

Second, according to Zelensky, the two countries need to strengthen military, intelligence and defense cooperation. Israels technology and know-how can play an important role in protecting Ukrainian citizens, he said.

Third, Israel and Ukraine are both leaders in innovation and hi-tech. We should increase exchanges and cooperation between companies and research centers of our two countries, the President added.

According to the head of state, today both countries face a common challenge: how to thrive and be successful in conditions of military conflict. We know how difficult it is to move towards peace and how important it is for prosperity, the President stressed.

Zelensky assured that Ukraine and Israel have extremely strong political, military, diplomatic and people-to-people ties. Israel plays an important role in supporting Ukraine in resolving the military conflict in the east.

We are grateful for the support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and look forward to working closely on this issue, the head of state noted.

ish
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




Project Management Consultant, Home based

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Country: Home-based

Closing date: Monday, 14 September 2020

Project Management Consultant

Advertised on behalf of : Location : Home Based (Asia Region) with travel to countries in Asia

Application Deadline : 14-Sep-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Type of Contract : Individual Contract

Post Level : National Consultant

Languages Required : English

Duration of Initial Contract : 12 months

Background

UNCDF is the UNs capital investment agency for the worlds 47 Least Developed Countries (LDC). UNCDF uses its capital mandate to support LDCs pursue inclusive growth. UNCDF also promotes financial inclusion through digital financial services (DFS), as a key enabler of poverty reduction and inclusive growth; and it demonstrates how localizing finance outside the capital cities can accelerate growth in local economies, promote sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure development, and empower local communities. Using capital grants, loans and credit enhancements, UNCDF tests financial models in inclusive finance and local development finance; de-risks the local investment space; and provides proofs of concept, paving the way for larger and more risk-averse investors.

Recently, UNCDF has formulated its strategy  Leaving no one behind in the digital era based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. UNCDF recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the Sustainable Development Goals aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leave no one behind. The vision of UNCDF is to empower millions of people by 2024 to use services daily that leverage innovation and technology and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. Please refer to the link for further information: https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era.

As part of the strategy, UNCDF has been shaping its work on Innovations globally which is now extending into the emerging topics and building new programming in emerging markets. With the extended body of work specially in emerging geographies like Malaysia, China, India, Singapore, Philippines, among others and in core LDCs.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Management Consultant would work with the Global Innovation Manager with the oversight and tracking of projects and activities. He/She would be liaising closely with country programme teams and other teams to document the donor/UNCDF milestones, keep track of achievements of these milestones, track and update project activities in line with the work-plans, support in the process of project development processes that include RFA, etc. and work on providing update for donor reports, etc.

Analysing and updating portfolio (2020-2021)

Reviewing the project design, quality assurance and project monitoring guidelines for UNCDFs investments

Support the 2021 planning exercise of the Innovations and Emerging Areas project

To meet the above objectives the consultant would undertake the following activities and complete the deliverables. The activities below have been outlined based on some of the broader outcomes that have been outlined above and are only representative and could be more than that.

Month

Category

Activities

Deliverables

# Days (est.)

%

1

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana project management (PM) system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

8

10

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

5

Support the Existing Donor Reporting

Compiling country and global information for 6-weekly reporting under i3 Programme

Compilation of Information - Word/PPT

4

Support the Partnership and/or Procurement Process

Support on organizing/reviewing the partnership and/or procurement pipeline and instrument (RFA, TOR, RFI, etc.)

List of engagement - PPT

3

2

Reviewing the project design, quality assurance and project monitoring guidelines for UNCDFs investments

Organize training with the team on work planning, project management, etc.

New training provided to project team - PPT

4

7.5

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana PM system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

3

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

3

Reviewing the project design, quality assurance and project monitoring guidelines for UNCDFs investments

Supporting the country teams in the design and appraisal of new projects in the pipeline (at least 6 projects).

One project design document and appraisals reviewed

2

Support the Partnership and/or Procurement Process

Support on organizing/reviewing the partnership and/or procurement pipeline and instrument (RFA, TOR, RFI, etc.)

List of engagement - PPT

3

3

Analysing and updating portfolio (2020-2021)

Updating relevant project information with programme teams in the field including updated pipeline and contract tracker.

Project portfolio status report including recommendations for 2021 plan - Word/PPT

4

11.5

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana PM system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

3

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

4

Support the Existing Donor Reporting

Compiling country and global information for 6-weekly reporting under i3 Programme

Compilation of Information - Word/PPT

4

Support the Existing Donor Reporting

Compiling country and global information for Semi-Annual report under i3 Programme

Compilation of Information - Word/PPT

4

Provide support to advisory governance

Support the project team in preparation of Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) Meetings

Report for SAB

4

4

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana PM system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

3

9.5

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

4

Support the 2021 planning exercise of the Innovations and Emerging Areas project

Organize the 2021 work planning exercise and consolidating country and global work plans for 2021

Country and global work plans for 2021

10

Reviewing the project design, quality assurance and project monitoring guidelines for the portfolio

Review of existing project design and quality assurance guidelines. Analysing their adequacy to the context of the innovative solutions approach.

Report on existing project design and quality assurance guidelines - Word/PPT

2

5

Support the Existing Donor Reporting

Compiling country and global information for 6-weekly reporting under i3 Programme and other Donors

Compilation of Information - Word/PPT

4

8

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana PM system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

3

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

4

Reviewing the project design, quality assurance and project monitoring guidelines for UNCDFs investments

Supporting the country teams in the design and appraisal of new projects in the pipeline. (At least 6 projects).

One project design document and appraisals reviewed

2

Support the Partnership and/or Procurement Process

Support on organizing/reviewing the partnership and/or procurement pipeline and instrument (RFA, TOR, RFI, etc.)

List of engagement - PPT

3

6

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana PM system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

3

3.5

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

4

7

Support the Existing Donor Reporting

Compiling country and global information for 6-weekly reporting for different donors

Compilation of Information - Word/PPT

4

7.5

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana PM system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

3

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

4

Support the Partnership and/or Procurement Process

Support on organizing/reviewing the partnership and/or procurement pipeline and instrument (RFA, TOR, RFI, etc.)

List of engagement - PPT

4

8

Reviewing the project design, quality assurance and project monitoring guidelines for UNCDFs investments

Organize training with the team on work planning, project management, etc.

New training provided to project team - PPT

3

8.5

Analysing and updating portfolio

Mapping ongoing projects under the current Innovations projects portfolio (updated under Asana PM system), assessing the status of existing and planned projects.

Updated Asana System and other tools with milestones, activities, dates, etc.

3

Analysing and updating portfolio

Reporting project risks and deviations. Update tracking tools and inform reporting team when relevant action is needed.

Health check reports on project risks and deviations

5

Reviewing the project design, quality assurance and project monitoring guidelines for UNCDFs investments

Supporting the country teams in the design and appraisal of new projects in the pipeline. (At least 6 projects).

One project design document and appraisals reviewed

2

Support the Existing Donor Reporting
The Turkish general was leading his brigade's artillery fire in the Idlib area only a few weeks ago, Hurriyet writes

A Turkish brigadier general who was on duty in the Idlib province died after a heart attack on September 9, the countrys Defense Ministry announced in a written statement.

Sezgin Erdogan was immediately taken to hospital, however, despite all efforts, he became a martyr, said the ministry in the statement.

An academic from Istanbuls Bahcesehir University alleged that the brigadier general went to the Idlib mission while being aware of his illness.

He came to the mainland two months ago. Doctors had advised him not to go back. But he went to lead his brigade, said Abdullah Agar in a television interview, describing Erdogans heroism.

An awful duel of cannonry happened in Idlib in February and he was the one to lead the artillery fires, added Agar.

His funeral will be held in the northwestern province of Canakkale.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Danica expands with new office in Riga, Latvia

Danica Crewing Specialists has opened a new office in Riga, Latvia  giving access to a large and growing pool of highly competent officers from the Baltic countries.

Announcing the opening, Danica Managing Director Henrik Jensen said: These countries boast large pools of highly competent and very experienced chemical, product and gas tanker officers. The area hosts as many as 30,000 seafarers and we are well-placed to recruit the very best crew for our discerning clients as well as providing top-level employment for dedicated officers.



The office in Riga is a joint venture with Albacore Maritime Services in Estonia and Albacore founder, Peter Jarvsoo will be heading the office. Peter has vast experience in Marine HR having held senior positions with EMS (Eitzen), Wallem, Thome and Golar LNG.



Plans for the Riga office began earlier this year but were paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now that restrictions have been lifted, the office team, which includes Capt. Sergejs Jerohins and recruitment manager Linda Fridberga-Fridenberga, are finally able to work there and have already recruited more than 70 officers.



The new Riga location further boosts Danicas network of Eastern European offices and will work closely with the other five Danica offices in Hamburg, Odessa, St Petersburg, Vladivostok and Nakhodka, following the same high standards and procedures.



Danica clients benefit from having access to a vast number of seafarers throughout Eastern Europe via a single contact point, with cost-savings and full transparency.



Henrik Jensen commented: I am pleased to see the office in Riga now fully operational. Riga and Latvia are important key seafarer locations and our presence there enables our clients to benefit from having access to an even larger pool of seafarers.






Hundreds of cars from across the country descended on an English town in search of Covid-19 tests, ministers have been told.

Roads were blocked and tests quickly ran out in Telford on Tuesday after a booking system error directed people from Cornwall, London and elsewhere to the site in Shropshire, Conservative MP Lucy Allan said.

Meanwhile, local residents wanting tests were told to go 90-miles away to Aberystwyth or to Covid-19 hotspot Oldham - which is currently under a partial lockdown.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock vowed to examine what 'glitch' caused the issue, adding the Government is examining the broader problem of people being directed 'too far' for a test.

Hundreds of cars from across the country descended on an English town in search of Covid-19 tests, ministers have been told

Conservative MP Lucy Allan (right) praised the Government's progress on expanding testing capacity and thanked Matt Hancock (left) for his 'tireless' work. But the MP said constituents were no longer able to access tests in the area - and they in turn were sent elsewhere

Mother Kirstie Penman, 21, traveled an hour-and-a half - more than 40 miles - to Telford for a test, only to be turned away on arrival.

Ms Penman, 21, a student from Wrexham, initially rang her doctor seeking antibiotics for a bad chest but was told she would need to get a test for Covid-19 instead.

After being driven across the English border to Telford she was told by a staff member that she could not be tested because she had not received a QR code when she booked.

She said: 'We were like, 'is this a complete joke, we've just driven from an hour-and-a-half away?', and there was no reassurance or nothing,' she said.

'He just said, 'Sorry, there's a queue behind you, you'll have to come back when you get the code sent to you'.'

Kirstie Penman, 21, travelled from Wrexham to Telford for a coronavirus test, only to be turned away on arrival

'At that point I just started crying, upset because it's a long journey for a test. Then we just had to drive home. There was no other option, really.'

After trying a number of other options to get tested, the mother-of-one said she had given up.

'There's no way you can get through, it just cuts off, the phone line,' she said.

Steve Hynd drove two hours from Wales to get his sons, aged one and three, tested in Telford - but was told by officials there were no more tests left.

Mr Hynd - whose father Mike, 80, tragically died from the disease - was then told he would have to go 68 miles away for another test the morning after.

He dubbed the government's coronavirus testing system 'all a shambles'.

Mr Hynd told inews: 'My children both have consistent coughs and we are just trying to follow government advice

'We tried again this morning to book and the nearest appointment is over three hours away, which is too far to drive with young children and how do we know there will be tests when we get there?'

Speaking in the Commons, Ms Allan praised the Government's progress on expanding testing capacity and thanked Mr Hancock for his 'tireless' work.

But the MP for Telford added: 'Inevitably this is not without its challenges.

'On Tuesday evening, hundreds of cars from across the country - and I mean hundreds - descended on Telford and its testing site as directed by the booking system.

'Tests quickly ran out, roads were blocked, people who had travelled from as far away as Cornwall, Stockport and London were turned away, and my constituents were no longer able to access tests in the area - and they in turn were sent elsewhere.'

She asked: 'What assurances can (Mr Hancock) give that the error in the booking system that directed so many people to come to Telford has now been corrected, and does he agree that people should not be criss-crossing the country and travelling for many hours to secure a test?'

Mr Hancock replied: 'Yes, I absolutely do. I agree with (Ms Allan) and her description of the situation, which is we have built this system at great pace.

'I didn't know about this example in Telford although I had heard of people telling me there was a lot of people directed to Telford in this instance.

Steve Hynd drove two hours from Wales to get his sons, aged one and three, tested in Telford - but was told by officials there were no more tests left

Mr Hynd - whose father Mike, 80, tragically died from the disease - was then told he would have to go 68 miles away for another test the morning after

'I had a meeting on the problem of people being directed too far only on Tuesday evening after being in this House.

'The broad problem is something we are absolutely looking at and I will go and take away the particular example and find out exactly what glitch caused it.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'NHS Test and Trace is working, our capacity is the highest it has ever been and our laboratories are processing more than a million tests a week.

'We are seeing a significant demand for tests but if you have symptoms we urge you to get tested. New booking slots and homes testing kits are made available daily and you can help protect yourself if you wash your hands, cover your face and make space.

It comes as documents reveal Boris Johnson's own SAGE experts raised serious doubts about his 'moonshot' plan for mass testing to save Christmas, costing 10billion

'We are targeting testing capacity at the areas that need it most, including those where there is an outbreak, as well as prioritising at-risk groups and we recently announced new laboratory facilities and new technology to process results even faster.'

It comes as documents reveal Boris Johnson's own SAGE experts raised serious doubts about his 'moonshot' plan for mass testing to save Christmas, costing 10billion.

The PM mooted the radical scheme at a Downing Street press conference last night as a way of returning the country to normality, with 10million people a day screened using rapid new kits.

But a SAGE assessment from August 31 insisted 'careful consideration' should be given to whether pouring resources into the scheme was more effective than boosting funding to Test & Trace, or encouraging people with symptoms to self-isolate.

The elite group said the 'cheaper, faster tests' needed for mass testing would inevitably be less accurate, and the screening could only be a 'component' of efforts to tackle the virus.

Ministers admitted this morning that the testing technology does not yet exist, with the government's own scientists saying there is no guarantee it will ever be developed.

Minutes after the plans were unveiled by PM at yesterday's Downing Street press briefing, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said the technology was not yet available, warning he should not put a date on when it would be because 'that's not how science works'.

And Chief Scientific Advisor Patrick Vallance said: 'There are prototypes which look as though they have some effect, but they've got to be tested properly.

'We would be completely wrong to assume this is a slam dunk that can definitely happen.'
A protester taunts police as they disperse a crowd of about 150 people from around Portland City Hall, in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 25, 2020. Protests and riots have been a nightly occurrence in the city since May. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Close Finish in US Election Could Mean Greater Civil Unrest

Commentary

My progressive friends and I, normally at odds politically, are united in dread of the fallout from a photo finish in the U.S. presidential election.

In 2016, the Democrats and their media allies grudgingly accepted Trumps official win, but immediately undertook a campaign to unseat him by every means possible. A great swath of Americans believe his presidency is illegitimate in all but the most technical sense. Trumps own comportment and social-media discourse do nothing to encourage a change of heart.

According to a recent survey, it appears that 28 percent of Biden supporters will not accept a Trump win as fair, while 19 percent of Trump supporters wont accept a Biden win as fair. The words civil war are now deployed even by responsible observers to describe what could happen if the election outcome is not ineluctably clear.

There have been nightly riots somewhere in America for three months running. Lawlessness has eclipsed COVID management and the economy as a pivotal issue. Biden had nothing to say about the rioting during the Democratic National Convention. Trump and his team had plenty to say about it at the Republican National Convention.

Public safety, it turns out, counts more for ordinary voters than for left-wing ideologues. Noting the favorable response to Trumps promise to end the chaos, Biden denounced lawlessnessbut incorrectly blamed Trump as its cause. So for many Americans his statement rang as opportunistic, little, and late.

The left-wing media have compounded the problem. They seem to be doubling down on their see-no-evil support for the mostly peaceful protests that happen to include the burning of buildings (a corpse was found in the charred shell of a Minneapolis pawn shop two months after it was torched), rampant vandalism, mass looting, Molotov cocktails thrown at police, and attacks on innocent bystanders.

Social identitarians often tell the oppressor class that words are violence if they offend those in the oppressed class, even though such a statement is objectively nonsensical. White people are told that they cannot be bystanders in the anti-racist movement; they must be activists, because silence is violence, which is equally meaningless.

And now we are being told that actual violencewhen perpetrated by the racialized and their alliesis, to certain anti-racist militants, not really violence at all but more like words: a political statement, so to speak.

The most repellent example of the trend is the recent publication of a book by writer Vicky Osterweil, In Defence of Looting: A Riotous History of Civil Inaction. The Black Lives Matter/Antifa destruction of businesses, Osterwiel claims, is a symbol of social justice and a blow to white supremacy. Not only is it an experience of pleasure, joy, and freedom for protesters, it is also a form of queer birth. (Osterweil is a trans woman.) Riots are violent, extreme, and femme as [expletive], she writes. They rip, tear, burn, and destroy to give birth to a new world.

Bad enough this race-baiting, immoral, anti-social, and inflammatory tripe got published. Much worse is the respectful reception it received at NPR, ostensibly Americas most responsible media outlet.

During an NPR interview, Osterweil expanded on her thesis. Looting, she said, is a powerful tool to bring about real, lasting change to society. Osterweil does have her standards! She disapproves of home invasions, for example, only giving the nod to the mass expropriation of property, mass shoplifting during a moment of upheaval or riots. For those engaged in them, riots and looting are experienced as sort of joyous and liberatory. Not so much for the owners of the looted businesses, perhaps. But then, Osterweil also claims it is a right-wing myth that small business owners deserve respect because they create jobs and are members of the community.

Oh yes, and she titled one chapter, All Cops are Bastards. Was David Dorn a bastard? The widow of black 77-year old retired St. Louis police captain David Dorn, killed while responding to a pawn shop alarm activated by looting, would be deeply offended by everything Osterweil stands for. She said, Violence and destruction are not legitimate forms of protest. They do not safeguard black lives, they only destroy them.

Mrs. Dorn should have had an NPR platform to make that statement, because she represents the views of vast numbers of non-politicized blacks. But, fecklessly, NPR preferred the disruptor, the agent provocateur Osterweil. So Mrs. Dorn made the statement where she was welcome: at the Republican National Convention. Her righteous words resonated with millions of Republicans and many undecided voters besides. As New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, an anti-Trump conservative, noted, NPR was doing its small part to make sure the president would be re-elected.

But so is every other politician on the left who ignores, plays down, or outright supports BLM-related transgressions doing his or her small part to re-elect Trump. Mayors and governors who made light of the lawlessness for too long played their small part. Health authorities who asked that churches be closed but stayed shtumm on screaming protesters packed cheek to jowl in the streets, maskless, played their small part.

VP nominee Kamala Harris did her small part by soliciting bail money via Twitter for protesters, including those charged with criminal violence. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did her small part by explaining in a town hall, [The looters]  feel like they either need to shoplift some bread or go hungry. Nobody believes looters are stealing TVs and liquor and high-end clothing out of hunger, but AOC just couldnt bring herself to condemn what screamed out for condemnation.

Who else did their small part? A BLM supporter on Twitter, who defended looting because Maybe you rednecks have never heard of a little thing calledinsurance??? Its just property. Its just stuff. It can be replaced. This callous activist doesnt understand the deeper costs of looting. The anguish of families watching years of personal sweat equity wiped out. The fact that insurance rarely covers the full replacement cost of a business. Or that looting destroys jobs and brands the neighborhood as unsafe. Damage to one small business is damage to all. Usually it is a black community that suffers most from lawlessness.

Aristotles dictum, the whole is greater than the sum of its [small] parts, hoves into view. If Biden does not win handily, with all that a contestable election may entail in civil unrest, all of these small part contributors own that failure. They wont admit that, of course. As is their wont, they will pivot to the vast right-wing conspiracy school of leftist victimology as an alternate fact to the truth of their own self-blinkered and reckless stupidity.

Barbara Kay was a weekly columnist for the National Post from 2003-2020. Publications she currently writes for include thepostmillennial.com, Canadian Jewish News, Quillette, and The Dorchester Review. She is the author of three books.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Jussie Smollett told Marc Lamont Hill that he did not stage a homophobic and racist attack

It has been nearly two years since Jussie Smolletts alleged attack and to this day he says it happened.

In a rare interview via Instagram Live with activist and author Marc Lamont Hill on Wednesday, the actor and activist opens up about why he has been silent for the past year and how he feels about the narrative that says he staged his attack for attention.

Actor Jussie Smollett after his court appearance at Leighton Courthouse on March 26, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. This morning in court it was announced that all charges were dropped against the actor. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)

In regards to why he has stayed quiet over the past year, the actor says it wasnt by choice.

Read More: An open letter in solidarity with Jussie Smollett and all targeted by police misconduct

Its been beyond frustrating, and I certainly am not going rogue, he says as reported by People Magazine. Im still taking the advice of my attorneys and everything like that, but I dont really see, honestly, what staying quiet has really done, like, where it has gotten me.  Its so much bigger than me.

Marc Lamont Hill interviewed Jussie Smollett last night to talk about his attack pic.twitter.com/528L2vPI1V  2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2BIog) September 10, 2020

Back in 2019, the former Empire actor alleged he was attacked one evening in what he believed was a hate crime. But the tables were turned quickly on the Black and openly gay star when police accused him of lying about his attack. Outpouring support for Smollett quickly turned sour when he was hit with 16 counts of disorderly conduct and charged with filing a fake police report.

All of the charges against Smollett have since been dropped.

Smollett has a history of activism in support of the Black and LGBTQ community. He comes from a successful family of artists and says it is not his job to convince critics that he did not do this. Many say he staged his own attack for publicity and wanted to advance his career but Smollet says his family has received numerous deaths threats and that this situation is bigger than losing a job or a gig.

Story continues

(Photo by Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images)

Read More: Jussie Smollett lawyers claim recording evidence can prove his innocence

Around the 23-minute mark on the Instagram Live Smollett tells Hill, this is bullshit.

No one understands what we have gone through and the people that do their voices are continuously silenced as well.

Smollett goes on to say, they will always try to silence the people who are simply speaking the truth, and you need to start asking yourself, why is that?

He adds, Why is it so important to silence the people who are simply telling the truthwe paint those people as the liars but the liars are the ones who are projecting.

As the nearly 30-minute interview comes to an end Smollett closes by reiterating that he has not lied.

I have never told anything but the truth, he says.

I love my peopleI am a Black man, I am a same gender-loving manwho leads with his Blackness. The last thing I want to do is be portrayed as a victim.

Watch the full interview below.

Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Jussie Smollett breaks silence, maintains innocence in interview: This is bullsh*t appeared first on TheGrio.
HOUSTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today it won a $93.6 million task order from the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) for base operations services at the Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB) in Saudi Arabia.

Under the task order, KBR will provide resources to support the base and help ensure quality of life for the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing and partner forces. KBR will supply all personnel, supervision, labor, training, vehicles, tools, safety equipment and other force support services.

The Air Force awarded this five-year task order through the Air Force Contract Augmentation Program V (AFCAP V). KBR won a seat on the $6.4 billion contract earlier this year. The company has also provided critical services under AFCAP III and IV since 2005 to include key recovery efforts at Tyndall Air Force Base after Hurricane Michael devastated it in 2018.

"With this win, KBR continues to expand its support for the Air Force and will enable the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing to stay focused on its mission," said Byron Bright, KBR Government Solutions President. "Like other work we've tackled through AFCAP contracts, KBR will keep delivering whenever and wherever the warfighter needs us."

Guided by sustainability initiatives, KBR handles a full spectrum of support services necessary for smooth and safe military base operations all around the world. KBR's international footprint, robust supply chain and military readiness expertise enables the company to quickly mobilize to meet customers' urgent requests. No matter how complex or extreme the environment, KBR is engineering solutions for the needs of today and tomorrow.

About KBR

KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and solutions across the asset and program life cycle within the government services and technology sectors. KBR employs approximately 28,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in 40 countries.

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long- term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

Visit www.kbr.com.

Forward Looking Statement

The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the significant adverse impacts on economic and market conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic; the company's ability to respond to the challenges and business disruption presented by the COVID-19 pandemic; the recent dislocation of the global energy market; the company's ability to realize cost savings and efficiencies relating to the streamlining of its Energy Solutions business; the company's ability to manage its liquidity; the company's ability to continue to generate anticipated levels of revenue, profits and cash flow from operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and any resulting economic downturn; the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; the scope and enforceability of the company's indemnities from its former parent; changes in capital spending by the company's customers, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company.

KBR's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that KBR has identified that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, KBR undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

SOURCE KBR, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.kbr.com


Former Chief Executive Officer for National Youth Authority (NYA), Ras Mubarak says the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) does not intend to abandon its previous initiative, the Young Entrepreneurs Support (YES), but rather upgrade and rename it as Young Entrepreneurs Development Programme (YEDEP).

The YES initiative was established by former President John Mahama in 2014.

It operated under the office of the president in collaboration with agencies including; National Board for Small Scale Industries, National Youth Authority, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Ministry of Finance.

It provided funding for Ghanaian youth between the ages of 18 and 35.

The YES initiative also provided the beneficiaries with entrepreneurial mentoring to help grow their businesses.

In May 2020, President Nana Akufo  Addo re-launched the initiative under a new name, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan.(NEIP)

The NDC at its manifesto launch on September 7, 2020, also revealed the partys intention to revisit and upgrade its project when re-elected.

Speaking on Citi FMs Eye Witness News, former CEO of NYA, Ras Mubarak explained that the NEDEP initiative will capture more youth than the YES project did.

This will benefit a lot of people in view of the changes we see globally. There is going to beYEDEP, which will do many other things. YES was strictly for Entrepreneurs who presented proposals. But the YEDEP will not only target the skilled but the unskilled also. It will also capture the physically challenged and many others.

The NDC at its manifesto launch said NEDEP will be established to support young entrepreneurs with technical and financial start-ups and to expand their business with zero percent interest.

This added that, the project will in the future, expand into a micro-credit scheme for young people.

---citinewsroom
TikTok's owners reportedly aren't likely to sell the app's U.S. operations prior to the deadline set by President Trump  but they may end up getting more time to do so.

ByteDance is "likely to miss" the Trump administration's upcoming deadline to sell TikTok's U.S. operations, but the administration is "considering whether to give more time" to the company, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. Trump reportedly hasn't yet been presented with the decision.

Trump previously said he would ban the Chinese-owned TikTok in the United States due to national security concerns unless its U.S. operations were sold to an American company; in August, he threatened to shut TikTok down in the U.S. unless a deal is reached by Sept. 15. But Bloomberg notes there's some confusion about what the actual deadline is, considering a ban Trump signed sets a deadline of Sept. 20, and another order he issued suggests a deadline of beyond Nov. 3.

TikTok has been in negotiations with Microsoft and Oracle, but according to Bloomberg, "new Chinese regulations complicated negotiations," with Chinese officials telling ByteDance they must submit information for approval that will take time to review. Bloomberg also reports it's still possible that ByteDance "pulls out of a sale altogether," and earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that ByteDance was discussing with U.S. officials ways to "avoid a full sale."

More stories from theweek.com

The true Election Day nightmare scenario

The epistemic crisis of political polling

Are the troops turning on Trump?


Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said that social distancing norms will be strictly followed in the monsoon session of Parliament in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and 257 MPs of the House will sit in Lok Sabha chamber, 172 in the visitors gallery and the remaining members in the Rajya Sabha chamber and its gallery.

IMAGE: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu conducts a mock session of the Rajya Sabha, at Parliament House in New Delhi, on September 9, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo.

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will have sittings on the same day, with one house meeting in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

It is the first time in the history of Parliament that the two houses will have such sittings and different scheduled timing for their meetings.

Addressing a press conference, Birla said the sound system of both houses has been integrated for members to participate in the session.

"A total of 257 members will sit in the Lok Sabha chamber and 172 in the visitors gallery of the Lok Sabha. In the Rajya Sabha chamber there are arrangements for 60 MPs whereas 51 can sit in the visitors gallery of the Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha session will go on consecutively. Both houses will have screens for both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings. There are arrangements for having a virtual address in the Lok Sabha. The sound system has been integrated of both houses for all to participate in the session," he said.

The speaker said that sanitisation will be done on regular basis.

"All employees and officials too will be tested. All members will have to go for RT-PCR Covid-19 test. Attendance of parliamentarians will be recorded through a mobile app. There will be fibre-glass sheets separating their seats and those in visitors gallery will need to go to the podium on their turn to speak. Lok Sabha MPs sitting in the Rajya Sabha will have the option to use the sound system as it has been integrated for both houses," he added.

Birla said that parliamentarians and officials will try to limit the use of paper and go digital.

"The proceedings of the Lok Sabha for the monsoon session will begin from 9 am on September 14. The session will be conducted in two intervals -- from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm. Zero hour will be for 30 minutes. We will try to minimise the use of paper and instead go digital," he said.

The monsoon session will commence from September 14 and conclude on October 1 without any day off.

Birla announced that 62 per cent of work regarding Parliament was being done digitally and it will be 100 per cent eventually.

"We will go 100 per cent digital eventually. For the first time in the history of Parliament, all members have sent their questions through online medium. We have successfully made 62 per cent of our operations digital," he said.

The proceedings, the speaker said, will be conducted amid appropriate security and by abiding to Covid-19 protocols.

"This would be a historic session. All our MPs have performed their duties amid people in this pandemic and now it is their turn to perform their duty in Parliament. I hope they will put forth their issues keeping in mind the wellbeing of the country. Our efforts are to conduct it successfully. We have consulted with the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats," he said.

"It is challenging for us amid pandemic but we have to prove ourselves to the people to whom we are accountable. We hope that we will fulfill the hope that people have reposed in us. The times are challenging. We need to keep people safe and also have to perform our duties in Parliament," he added.

According to official bulletins by the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, there will be no question hour and private members' business in both Houses of Parliament in the monsoon session.

Both the Houses of Parliament will sit for four hours daily adhering to coronavirus precautionary measures.

On the first day of the session on September 14, the lower House will meet from 9 am to 1 pm while sitting of the Upper House will be from 3 pm to 7 pm.

On subsequent days, proceedings in the Rajya Sabha will be held from 9 am till 1 pm while that of the Lok Sabha will be from 3 pm to 7 pm.
BAKU -- A group uniting leading human rights defenders in Azerbaijan is appealing to authorities to release hunger-striking opposition politician Tofiq Yaqublu, who was sentenced to more than four years in prison on hooliganism charges that he and supporters call "bogus."

A member of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights (BIQ), Novella Cafaroglu, said on September 10 that the group had turned to officials at various levels and agencies, including lawmakers, law enforcement officials, and members of the state commission on clemencies, urging them to focus on the issue.

Cafaroglu said that the BIQ urged the officials to assist in expedited and open hearings into Yaqublu's appeal, cancellation of his sentence, and his release, adding that the release of other political prisoners is also on the group's agenda.

Cafaroglu's statement came a day after police in Baku broke up a rally held by Yaqublu's supporters demanding his immediate release. At least 20 demonstrators were detained.

The 59-year-old Yaqublu is a deputy chairman of the opposition Musavat Party and a senior politician in the National Council of Democratic Forces.

He was convicted of "hooliganism" and sentenced to four years and three months in prison on September 3 over a dispute after a traffic accident that he and rights groups say was a setup for the "bogus" case.

Yaqublu's lawyer, Aqil Layic, told RFE/RL on September 7 that the politician was being pressured to confess to nonexistent psychological problems to explain the hunger strike he launched to protest his conviction.

Yaqublu was arrested in March after the car collision.

Investigators accused Yaqublu of "using a wrench to conduct an act of hooliganism" against the other driver, a charge he has denied.

European Union officials have expressed concern over Yaqublu's conviction and called on Baku to revisit his case.

Yaqublu, who frequently criticizes the government and authoritarian President Ilham Aliyev, spent 14 months in prison in 2013-14 on charges widely dismissed as politically motivated.

He was also sentenced to several days in jail in October 2019 after an opposition rally, during which he claims he was tortured in custody.

Critics of Aliyev's government say authorities in the oil-rich Caspian Sea state frequently seek to silence dissent by jailing opposition activists, journalists, and civil-society advocates on trumped-up charges.

Aliyev has ruled Azerbaijan since 2003, taking over for his father, Heydar Aliyev, who served as president for a decade.

With reporting by Turan
According to the Cal Fire Current Year Statistics reported on their fire.ca.gov web page, the Combined 2020 Year-to-Date CAL FIRE & U.S. Forest Service (in California) acreage burned, as of 31 August is 1,666,286.

There have been an extremely high number of lightning strikes this year.

In 2018, the "Camp Fire Creek" fire in Paradise, California resulted in 85 deaths. The origin of the fire was placed on a downed electrical transmission line. Pacific Gas & Electric was deemed culpable since their power lines were 68 years old, and the average lifespan is supposedly 65 years. Little was said about government policies of allowing the "fuel for these fires" to accumulate rather than maintaining a proper cleared transmission line right-of-way to avoid such fires.

Total acreage burned in California that year was 1,671,203. With the current fires raging now and others when the dry Santa Ana winds hit soon, 2018's record will be surpassed easily.



Skies over San Francisco during wildfires, Sept. 9, 2020.

Before the Camp Fire Creek fire struck, Governor Jerry Brown was elated to sign into law the most ambitious "Green New Deal" legislation imaginable. Renewable power source generation (not including hydropower) must be 50% in 2025, 60% by 2030%, and 100% by 2045. All of this is the result of the global warming religion high priests and priestesses. Examples are Leo DiCaprio and George Clooney, who jet around the globe or cruise in their yachts powered by fossil fuel while they preach to us mere mortals to stop eating that Big Mac because upstream, you know, that cow had flatulence.

Here is a map of the current California solar field locations:

Here's an image of the current wind farm locations in the U.S. and their relationship to propensity of wildfires:

I have to share an anecdote here first. In early May 1980, I drove two friends from the Alaska State Department of Environmental Conservation from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay up the Dalton Highway that parallels the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. I was working for the large engineering and construction firm that was managing the development of a gas pipeline from Prudhoe Bay through Canada to the Lower 48 states. Our sole purpose was to check out a couple of gas compressor sites since visual impact assessment was high on the list of no-nos. The occasional trucker or moose, bear, wolf, caribou, wolverine, etc. was the only creature besides operators who were going to see these stations. So what raced through my mind when I was having breakfast with my wife on the hotel balcony in Maui a few years ago when I looked across the bay and saw a wind farm dotting the hillside?

The maps' precision may not give much credence to my point, but solar fields and wind farms in California aren't located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, or other urban areas. They are located in lowerpopulation density areas, mostly due to energy source location; land costs; and, I imagine, NIMBY syndrome. Why is this important? No, it is not to show the hypocrisy of the regional global warming priests. The intermittent power from these green energy sites needs to be directed to step-up transformers then to high power transmission lines that drop the voltage down in a couple of steps to get distributed to the end user, especially those virtue-signaling folks who pat themselves on the back for driving "clean" electric cars. Do you know how much power is lost from generation through transmission and distribution lines to the end user? According to Schneider Electric Blog (blog.se.com), overall losses are from 8% to 15%. Schneider Electric is a leading manufacturer of electric power equipment and components. The longer the distances, the more the losses.

Now more to the point of this article. Clive M. Countryman of the USDA Forest Service published an article in December 1982 titled, "Physical Characteristics of Some Northern California Brush Fuels." Clive set up plots to grow typical species of brush to measure their qualities of fuel. He classified the low-lying brush as litter and taller items as "standing." The litter averaged between 3.02 and 22.13 dry tons per acre. The relationship between litter and standing was that litter averaged between 16.4% and 54.1% of standing material. Not all wildfires are purely brush. Neither are they all forested. For the sake of argument, let's use the mean for litter dry tons per acre (12.58) and the mean for the relationship of litter to standing (35.2%). Again, in order not to get too far into the weeds, I am going to make a very broad assumption that the fuel is cellulose, the primary component of trees. Once you do the math it basically boils down to that a ton of cellulose emits 1.63 tons of carbon dioxide.

Since California has lost nearly 1.67 million acres to wildfires through August 31 this year and based on the assumptions above, about 131.2 million tons of carbon dioxide have been emitted to the environment in eight months due to wildfires. California had 15.1 million vehicles registered in 2018. Assume all are fuel burning for this exercise. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fossil fueled cars emit 4.6 metric tons per year (22 mpg and 11,500 miles driven per year basis). That means California cars emit 76.4 million tons (not metric) of carbon dioxide annually. California is on a track to double the annual emissions of vehicles by wildfires in 2020. How many of those virtue-signaling electric car drivers have demanded a return to clearing brush from power line rights of way or plowing money into upgrading those power lines versus building new intermittent sources of "green" power. I am waiting for the big day of reckoning when a million electric vehicle owners have to chuck their highly toxic batteries and replace them. What's the average life? Isn't it about seven (7) years?

Currently about 20% of electric power produced in California is by intermittent wind and solar power contrasted by 43% via natural gas (turbine generators) per the California Energy Commission. When will voters of California wake up to the fact that replacing natural gas turbine generating power plants with wind and solar is a no-win proposition? In the meantime, you will have governors like Newsom who will stall fracking and let power prices continue to escalate like some former pResident said he was going to do to the coal industry. California is already preparing us for a region without oil. Reinforced concrete paving is great for interstate highways. It is also very expensive. Get rid of oil and where do you get the bitumen (asphalt) to build and/or repair roads? California has one of the highest taxes on gasoline. It certainly isn't going in to road repairs. Maybe it goes for a stealth salon fund for Auntie Nancy.

Photo montages by Monica Showalter created with use of screen shots from shareable YouTube videos posted by Chave Weather Daily Videos, and Angkel Lee.

Map images from U.S. Geological Survey, public domain.
Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators.

A rash of COVID-19 cases have multiplied at The College of New Jersey. What started as nine cases last Wednesday grew to 51 in the course of a week, according to a university-wide email.

Despite operating almost entirely remote for the fall semester, TCNJ has still seen an outbreak, stemming from students living off-campus.

Keep up with the latest in N.J. schools coverage. Sign up with your email here:



Contact tracing conducted last week on the original nine positive students suggested the possibility of a caseload increase, as more than 50 students were found to have had contact with the nine and were advised to self-quarantine.

What caused the outbreak, however, is still unclear.

It has been speculated that these cases are linked to off-campus parties," wrote Rafia Siddiq, Strategic Health & Wellness Specialist, in the email. While that is possible, it has not been something we have been able to establish definitively.

Of the just 80 students living in on-campus housing, none have tested positive, Siddiq wrote.

College officials warned students last week not to party or gather indoors, while offering amnesty to those providing information to contact tracers.

We would like to remind students that large gatherings, particularly those held indoors, increases the risk of transmission of COVID-19," read last Wednesdays university-wide email. Please be mindful that for those living in Ewing you are in a community with at-risk individuals.

The school is conducting contact tracing with the help of the Ewing and Mercer County health departments. Ewing Business Administrator Jim McManimon told NJ Advance Media that students have been cooperating with tracers and that local police have had to respond to social gatherings at houses near campus.

The college is developing a dashboard to report confirmed cases as a tool on its fall reopening website.

As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here.

Josh Axelrod may be reached at jaxelrod@njadvancemedia.com. Have a news tip or a story idea about New Jersey schools? Send it here.
Image shows Kelly Thomas Jackson, 20, throwing a Molotov cocktail at a vehicle during a violent protest in downtown Seattle, Washington, on May 30. (US District Court for the Western District of Washington at Seattle)

Man Charged With Burning Seattle Police Cars During Seattle Riot

The Department of Justice on Sept. 9 charged an Edmonds, Washington, man with setting police vehicles on fire during a violent protest in downtown Seattle on May 30.

Kelly Thomas Jackson, 20, was arrested Wednesday morning and charged (pdf) in U.S. District Court with two counts of arson and two counts of unlawful possession of a destructive device, the justice department said.

According to the criminal complaint, as law enforcement officials began to investigate the torching of Seattle police vehicles during a violent protest in May, investigators reviewed a number of videos that appeared to show Jackson throwing Molotov cocktails in or at two police vehicles. He was dressed in a distinctive sweatshirt and gas mask at the time.

After the bottle entered (the vehicle), flames spread rapidly, almost instantaneously, through the passenger compartment, court papers state.

A second Molotov cocktail hit and bounced off another police vehicle, the exploded in flames outside a Nordstrom store in downtown Seattle.

Image shows Kelly Thomas Jackson, 20, at a violent protest in downtown Seattle, Washington, on May 30. (US District Court for the Western District of Washington at Seattle)

The 20-year-old was identified as a potential suspect after law enforcement received an anonymous tip. He was later observed by federal agents as wearing the same clothing as the male suspect in the footage, and a court-authorized analysis of his cell phone location data placed him in the location of the arsons.

Jackson also had screenshots on his phone that included information about the demonstration, and information on how to construct Molotov cocktails, the justice department said.

If convicted of arson, Jackson faces a mandatory minimum five years jail sentence and up to 20 years in prison. Possession of a destructive device is punishable by up to ten years in prison.

No attorney was listed for the 20-year-old in court records, The Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Attorneys Office continues to work closely with state, local, and federal law enforcement to prosecute those who turn protected speech into violent criminal conduct, U.S. Attorney Brian Moran said in a statement. Not every criminal act will implicate a federal interest, but where there is federal jurisdiction we will use our tools to hold law-breakers accountable.

Jacksons case is being investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Seattle, Edmonds, and Mountlake Terrace police departments.

Eight people now face federal charges related to the Seattle riots.

Margaret Aislinn Channon pleaded not guilty to allegations she burned five Seattle police cars during the same violent demonstration as Jackson on May 30. The pair threw a Molotov cocktail into a vehicle at a similar time, and Channon used an aerosol can and open flame, prosecutors said.

Monday meanwhile saw the arrests of 22 people during a violent demonstration in the city, with people and rioters hurling rocks, explosives, and bottles at law enforcement officers, according to the Seattle Police Department. Intact Molotov cocktails were recovered from the scene.

Video footage showed a number of people dressed in the style favored by Antifa, the far-left anarcho-communist group, forming a line and facing off with police before officers rushed the line and made arrests.

These individuals are hijacking legitimate First Amendment protected activity, Raymond Duda, Special Agent in Charge FBI Seattle said Wednesday. By investigating this violent activity, the messages of peaceful protests have a better chance of being hear.

Zachary Stieber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Generation Park, a master-planned business development of McCord in northeast Houston, announced plans to develop a five-story medical office building in its Redemption Square lifestyle district.

The 101,000-square-foot building, planned at 100 N. Redemption Square Road, will add a new component to the 52-acre lifestyle district, which is already home to office, retail, apartment and hotel developments.

The building is available for preleasing, according to McCord, the Houston-based developer of Generation Park. Naming rights for the property are available.

McCord is targeting a 2021 construction start with an opening in 2023.

Designed by Kirksey Architecture with a glass facade to take advantage of views of the adjacent West Lake Park, the building is envisioned as the signature architectural centerpiece of Redemption Square.

RELATED: Medical office building breaks ground on Woman's Hospital of Texas campus

The building will have ground floor locker rooms with showers and bicycle storage to facilitate use of Generation Park's growing trail network. Practitioners and patients will also have access to adjacent restaurants and outdoor fitness classes in Redemption Square.

Good design is grounded in the human experience, and our people-centric approach is what continues to bring people and businesses to Generation Park, Ryan McCord, owner of Generation Park and president of McCord, said in an announcement.

Practitioners will be close to employees at area businesses as well as San Jacinto College and Lone Star College, according to McCord.

The building is designed with and area for patient drop-off and pick-up and will connect by covered walkway with Redemption Squares five-story parking garage.








Nobody knows what gravity is, and almost nobody knows that nobody knows what gravity is except for scientists, and they know that nobody knows what gravity is because they know that they don't know what gravity is.

Duck into any bookstore or search any online bookseller and you'll find an ever-expanding section of popular offerings standing ready to initiate inquisitive readers into the latest scientific mysteries, and all without the need to understand math or have any feeling for experiment. (A growing number of websites offer the same.) It's cheap, It's easy. It's entertaining.

It's bogus.

... If you try to keep up with developments, the stories become so well worn that, in succeeding books, you begin to notice subtle difficulties that the authors gloss over. After some time, you might begin to suspect that the accounts they provide are deflections from reality, like starlight around the sun, because the popularizers are loath to admit that a subject that enraptures them has loose ends, vague contours, or gaping holes. These writers' longing to instill in readers their own passion and even reverence for the science often overwhelms their prudence. Instead of giving their readers the whole truth, popularizers take to papering over theoretical weaknesses with jargon, fuzzy talk, or even outright silence.

This post appears here courtesy of the John Locke Foundation . The author of this post is Mitch Kokai What is gravity, and how does it work? Those basic questions form the basis of an article, "The Gravity of the Situation," in the latest issue of The American Scholar (not yet posted online).Author Jethro Lieberman explains that the answers to the gravity questions might be too complex for popular understanding, even if experts knew all the details with certainty.By the way, they don't. Lieberman quotes science journalist Richard Panek's 2019 assessment of the issue:Lieberman extends his discussion beyond gravity to incorporate other scientific concepts. While he doesn't address climate science, it's hard not to see parallels between the problems he describes and the damage done by scentific "popularizers" (I'm looking at you Bill Nye ) who preach that global warming alarmism is based on "settled" science.The following passage from Lieberman's article ought to serve as a valuable warning for all of us, including those with a better grasp of science than I possess.And Lieberman doesn't even mention the potential impact of politics or professional peer pressure. Add these factors, and the problems for popular science mount.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health added five communities to its list of cities and towns at high risk for community spread of the coronavirus, according to data released Wednesday.

Those communities include Chatham, Dedham, Lynnfield, Methuen, Monson and New Bedford, where the rate of daily new cases over the last two weeks crossed the 8 per 100,000 threshold.

The weekly color-coded map, which was updated Wednesday, classifies all 351 municipalities based on the average daily case rates per 100,000 residents. Each city or town will be designated either higher risk or red, moderate risk or yellow, or lower risk or green. Communities with fewer than 5 cases are not given a designation.

Altogether, there are 13 communities considered at high risk. They include Chatham, Chelsea, Dedham, Everett, Framingham, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Methuen, Monson, New Bedford, Revere and Winthrop.

Chelsea, Lawrence and Revere continue to have the highest numbers of new cases per 100,000 residents, with 25.4, 20.5 and 18.5, respectively, based on data analyzed between Aug. 23 and Sept. 5.

The rate of new cases in Chatham increased to 8.5 per 100,000 residents, but there are only 30 cases reported in the Cape Cod town.

The rate of new cases in Lynnfield increased to 11 per 100,000 residents; the town currently has 127 cases total.

The rate of new cases in Dedham increased to 9.7 per 100,000 residents; the town currently has 484 cases total.

The rate of new cases in New Bedford increased to 10.3 per 100,000 residents, with 2,497 total cases.

Methuen and Monson also barely crossed the state threshold into high risk territory, at 8.3 new cases per 100,000 residents and 8.5 cases per 100,000 residents, respectively.

State health officials reported four more coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, bringing the statewide death count to 8,937.

Officials also confirmed another 182 cases of COVID-19, for a total now of at least 121,396 cases across Massachusetts. Thats based on 11,350 new molecular tests reported on Wednesday, according to the DPH.

The seven-day average of positive test results continues to dip, and currently sits at 0.8%  the lowest its been since the start of the pandemic.

Related Content:
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government will constitute a task force to rein in private hospitals, which are bleeding COVID-19 patients white, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said in the Assembly during a short debate on COVID-19 on Wednesday.

The committee's reports will be sent to the leaders of Opposition on a weekly basis. IAS officers Rahul Bojja, Sarfaraz Ahmad and D Divya will be the members of the committee.

According to the GO issued by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the task force are to verify that: the maximum rates stipulated by the government are being adhered to by private hospitals and COVID-19 treatment and safety protocols are being followed.

Rao said that the task force shall submit their report to the Chief Secretary regularly, and this would be provided to the leaders of Opposition on a weekly basis. The government will also convene a high-level meeting shortly to discuss the possibility of including COVID-19 in Aarogyasri.

The Chief Minister said the Telangana government will not object to clubbing Ayushman Bharat funds with that of the Aarogyasri scheme, if the Centre permits it. "Aarogyasri is better than Ayushman Bharat. Recently, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan told me that Tamil Nadu, too, is implementing Ayushman Bharat. I told her that if the Centre allows us to club both the Central and State health schemes, we are ready for it," he said.

Rao said the State government has ramped up COVID-19 testing and crossed the national average. "If necessary, we will conduct more tests. All facilities are available to treat COVID-19 patients. The States revenues have also improved after the unlock and there is no dearth of funds," he said.

Attacking Congress' Mallu Bhatti Vikramkara, Rao said that all Ministers and MLAs had extensively toured the State and monitored the COVID-19 situation. Some of TRS' public representatives, too, had contracted the disease. We left no stone unturned. The situation is not bad in the State, he said.

When AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi asked if the State received any financial assistance from the Centre for COVID-19 management, Rao said except for Rs 256 crore under the National Health Mission and another Rs 90 crore of other funds, the Centre has not given TS anything else. "We have asked it to restructure our loan. But, they did not do it. Though, the Centre enhanced the FRBM limit, there are riders for the same," the Chief Minister said.

Over 24,000 Remdesivir injections administered

The government administered 24,048 injections of Remdesivir and 2,06,949 tablets of Favipiravir to COVID-19 patients in the State, it informed the Council in reply to a question on procurement, usage and effect of the two drugs by the government.

The government also procured 32,800 injections of Remdesivir and 2,52,348 tablets of Favipiravir, it said. "As these are new drugs, their exact results cannot be assessed at this stage," it said.

The utilisation of 24,048 injections by the government would mean that anywhere between 3,400 and 4,000 patients were administered Remdesivir. While there is no official data on the effectiveness of Remdesivir, some government doctors say it is proving to be effective

Rs 1,100 crore spent on wedding schemes

BC Welfare Minister Gangula Kamalakar said that the State government has been handing over cheques to the beneficiaries of Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak on the day of their daughters wedding. He was replying to MLAs Hari Priya Banoth and Padma Devender Reddy during the Question Hour.

The Minister said cheques worth Rs 1,100 crore were handed over to beneficiaries during the lockdown. He said 7,14,575 families belonging to BCs, EBCs, SCs, STs and minorities have benefited from the schemes
ABU DHABI, UAE, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Launched as an open invitation from Abu Dhabi to the world to unleash AI's full potential, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world's first graduate-level, research-based artificial intelligence (AI) university, will welcome an international inaugural cohort of students when the first semester begins on 10 January, 2021.

MBZUAI extended admission offers to 101 students from 31 countries for the first academic year commencing in January 2021. Initial plans were to accept 50 students, however due to the impressive number of applications received, the decision was made to extend admissions offers to more students. Of these students, 82 have been offered admissions in the University's MSc programs in Computer Vision and in Machine Learning, while 19 have been selected for MBZUAI's PhD programs in the same fields.

Students in the first cohort come from across the world; 34 per cent of admitted students come from the Middle East, 38 per cent from Asia, 21 per cent from Africa, and nearly 10 per cent from the Americas and Europe.

There will also be a strong female representation in MBZUAI's first academic year with women comprising 30 per cent of admitted students.

Admitted students have received education at some of the world's leading universities, including prestigious institutions such as the National University of Singapore, University of Melbourne, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Purdue University, University of York, University of Minnesota, Queen's University of Belfast, Arizona State University, and Khalifa University in the UAE.

Professor Sir Michael Brady, Interim President, MBZUAI, said: "The University received applications from some exceptionally talented graduate students from nearly 100 countries, all of whom have compelling and unique stories. This incredibly diverse first cohort will truly bring the world to MBZUAI, creating a multicultural campus that celebrates diversity and international collaboration. Our hope from the very beginning was for MBZUAI to inspire the development of AI on a global scale. With students from around the world, all of whom come from different backgrounds and industries, this is a solid start to realizing the full potential of AI for positive progress around the world."

Kevin Michael Toner, from Ireland, will join the University's MSc Computer Vision program. "Today artificial intelligence is redefining the future of every industry and impacting human lives in an unprecedented way. As demand for specialized AI education increases globally, joining a world-class university like MBZUAI will help expand my horizons and connect me to an international network of AI industry experts. I am looking forward to both practical experiences and research opportunities, hopefully contributing to real-life applications of this fascinating technology."

With the first admissions cycle successfully completed, the University has recently started accepting applications for the Fall 2021 cohort for the MSc and PhD programs in Computer Vision and Machine Learning. Full admissions requirements and deadlines can be found on MBZUAI's website, mbzuai.ac.ae.

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Ellevate Network honored by U.S. Chamber of Commerce as one of the finalists for its annual Dream Big Awards. As small businesses continue to be change-makers, its important that we address the systemic discrimination, inequalities, and barriers that our world faces every day.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced Ellevate Network from Manhattan, New York as one of the finalists for its annual Dream Big Awards. The awards, presented by Chase for Business with support from MetLife, celebrate the achievements of small businesses and honor their contributions to Americas economic growth.

Over the last several months, small business owners have faced challenge after challenge. Yet, despite these challenges small business owners never stop innovating, pivoting, taking risks, working hard, and dreaming big, said Tom Sullivan, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Small Business Policy. Small businesses are a critical and vibrant sector of the U.S. economy. The U.S. Chamber is proud to celebrate the very best in American small business through our Dream Big Awards.

The Dream Big Awards program includes Business Achievement Awards to recognize excellence in eight categories and reflect the leading businesses in each of the following areas: community support and leadership, emerging, green/sustainable, minority-owned, veteran-owned, woman-owned, young entrepreneur, and small business of the year. This years finalists were selected from a record of over 700 applicants.

The Woman-Owned Business Achievement Award recognizes the success of one small business and honors its contributions to the growth and diversity of the American economy. This award recognizes a women-owned small business that has attained outstanding business achievement and exemplifies the significant contributions made by women-owned businesses in the country.

We are honored to be recognized for the impact of our work by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said Kristy Wallace, CEO of Ellevate Network. Ive seen the obstacles that small businesses go through and the power that they are capable of achieving. As small businesses continue to be change-makers, its important that we address the systemic discrimination, inequalities, and barriers that our world faces every day. Ellevates mission-driven approach, as well as the status as a B-corporation with an undeniable focus on driving social good, are small examples of how organizations can succeed financially while driving positive impact.

Award winners will be announced at the virtual Dream Big Awards program on Thursday, October 15 at 2:00pm ET.

About Ellevate Network Founded in 1997 as 85 Broads, Ellevate Network is the largest community of women at work.

A powerful coalition of ambitious and supportive women who believe there is strength in numbers, Ellevate is built on the premise of showing up for each other, helping everyone  no matter their background or aspirations  build a career they love, and mobilizing the collective power of women to change the culture of business. Ellevate also works with companies committed to diversity and inclusion and has a proven track record of changing business culture from the inside out.
The snowstorm passing through Sweetwater County early Tuesday morning resulted in power outages in Green River, as well as lead to road closures and travel advisories issued throughout the state.

According to Rocky Mountain Power, more than 12,000 customers in Wyoming, most of whom living in Sweetwater and Uinta counties, were without power Tuesday afternoon. A release from Rocky Mountain Power states winds exceeding 110 mph in some areas were recorded and impacted service Idaho and Utah as well, with approximately 170,000 customers without power in Utah.

Tiffany Erickson, a spokesperson fo...
New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Centre has constituted an expert panel under the chairmanship of former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi for assessment of relief required by bank borrowers in the wake of the pandemic.

The development comes after the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to consider a plea for not charging interest and interest on interest on deferred EMIs during the moratorium period and also not downgrade the credit and asset classification of the borrowers.

A Finance Ministry statement said: "Various concerns have been raised during the proceedings of the ongoing hearing in Supreme Court of India, in the matter of Gajendra Sharma Vs. UoI and Others, of the matter regarding the relief sought in terms of waiver of interest and waiver of interest on interest and other related issues." "Government has accordingly constituted an Expert Committee for making an overall assessment so that its decisions in this regard are better informed." The committee, to be headed by Mehrishi, also includes former IIM-Ahmedabad professor and former member, Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India, Ravindra H. Dholakia, and former Managing Director, State Bank of India and IDBI Bank, B. Sriram. The State Bank of India (SBI) will provide secretarial support to the committee.

The terms of reference of the committee would include measuring the impact on the national economy and financial stability of waiving of interest and waiving of interest on the Covid-19 related moratorium.

It would also provide suggestions to mitigate financial constraints of various sections of society in this respect and measures to be adopted in this regard.

The committee will submit its report within one week and may consult banks or other stakeholders, as deemed necessary, for the purpose, said the official statement.
iboss demonstrates its industry-leading cloud security platform by earning the Silver Stevie Award in the Company of the Year category for Large Computer Software corporations.

iboss, the leader in cloud delivered network security, was named the winner of a Silver Stevie Award in the Company of the Year category in the 17th Annual International Business Awards today.

The International Business Awards are the worlds premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide  public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - are eligible to submit nominations. The 2020 IBAs received entries from organizations in 63 nations and territories.

As the ongoing COVID-19 crisis will prevent winners from receiving their awards on stage during a traditional gala IBA banquet, winners will be celebrated instead during a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, 1 December.

More than 3,800 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Company of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Startup of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others.

iboss demonstrates its industry-leading cloud security platform by earning the Silver Stevie Award in the Company of the Year category for Large Computer Software corporations.

Built for the cloud and border-less organizations, the iboss cloud platform delivers fast and secure connections to cloud applications to users, regardless of location. The iboss platform allows users to connect directly to cloud applications without the need to send those connections back through the office for network security. Instead, users connect through the iboss cloud platform which provides security in the cloud and fast connections to all SaaS applications. As a comprehensive Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE platform, the iboss cloud provides a fast and secure connection while users work from any location, including work from home scenarios which is common across most organizations today. The fast and secure connections provided by iboss make cloud transformation a reality and is a foundation for organizations implementing a zero-trust connectivity model.

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 250 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process from July through early September.

iboss has changed the landscape of traditional application and user security by in introducing functionalities such as cloud security and network security as a service. Consequently, it has already shown enough promise in the market with use cases such as Fortune 100 companies. As move-to-cloud strategies becomes prominent, the market for iboss is expected to grow accordingly. Look forward to the rise of a new icon in field of SaaS security in next few years, said an International Business Awards 2020 judge.

Despite the unprecedented impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on organizations and working people worldwide, the number and quality of nominations we received in this years International Business Awards attests to the continued outstanding performance of many organizations. The commitment weve seen through these nominations to maintaining the success, health, and safety of employees, customers, and communities is truly impressive, said Stevie Awards president Maggie Gallagher.

It is an honor to be named Company of the Year in the 17th Annual International Business Awards program, said Paul Martini, iboss Co-founder and CEO. As organizations implement a zero-trust and SASE model that allows users to connect directly and securely to any cloud application from any location, the iboss platform provides the perfect foundation for this cloud transformation. This allows users to be the most productive as they work from any location by providing the necessary fast and secure connections to the cloud applications they use on a daily basis.

Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

About iboss

iboss is a cloud security company that provides organizations and their employees fast and secure access to the Internet on any device, from any location, in the cloud. The iboss cloud platform provides network security as a service, delivered in the cloud, as a complete SaaS offering. This eliminates the need for traditional network security appliances, such as firewalls and web gateway proxies, which are ineffective at protecting a cloud-first and mobile world. Leveraging a purpose-built cloud architecture backed by over 190 issued and pending patents and more than 100 points of presence globally, iboss protects more than 4,000 organizations worldwide. To learn more, visit https://www.iboss.com/.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
CORTE MADERA, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SL, the global leader in the monitoring of custom business applications built on messaging and integration middleware, today announced the availability of RTView Enterprise version 5.3 with continuous improvements in user experience. The release adds support for application and middleware support teams to proactively monitor their critical environments.

RTView is a non-intrusive, low ownership cost, and predominantly agentless application monitoring system that provides unique visibility into microservices, messaging middleware, process orchestration, and container infrastructure.

"With significant user experience improvements around alerting, security configuration, and display customization, our customers will find it even easier to eliminate outages and downtime in their critical middleware environments, said Ted Wilson, SL's Chief Operating Officer. RTView Enterprise version 5.3 is a big step forward."

With support for user-defined custom alerts against any monitored metrics, users can now experience enhanced proactive alerting, maximizing application continuity. The Alert Overrides Admin display now supports multiple selections to create, edit, or remove overrides for multiple alerts. A pattern/regex filter is now available to search patterns on all index columns at once.

The new Custom Display Designer enables users to improve application and business service performance by creating and publishing custom, personalized views without programming. Additionally, a Grafana plug-in, with integration to RTView DataServers, provides Grafana developers with additional customization options for creating custom displays with RTView metrics.

The new Application Data Flow Diagram feature allows users to visualize complex application data flows more intuitively across different layers, upstream and downstream, and their performance. App owners and support teams can zoom in to navigate complex flows to identify issues in a highly visual way and take remedial action.

Users will notice enhanced support for LDAP with a simple three-step configuration. DataServer support for secure socket connections are enabled via a simple UI.

Other enhancements include:

Solace PubSub+ Monitoring

Personalized views of key metrics can be quickly created and deployed with the new Custom Display Designer.

defined custom alerts that can be created on any metric in PubSub+ Monitor allow users to stay on top of what matters most.

Simplified setup, configuration and evolution of alert overrides at a more granular level.

SEMP Schemas are now automatically uploaded from brokers.

Improved topology views for bridges and neighbors provide better visibility of the Solace estate and visible alerts.

LDAP and security configuration via a graphical interface.

Kafka Monitoring

Auto discovery of Kafka Brokers in a Cluster.

New Kafka Topic displays with aggregated time-based message counts across hour, day and week periods.

IBM MQ Monitoring

Queue Manager Level Alerts on IBM MQ. All IBM MQ Queue alerts have now a new index containing the name of its Queue Manager, which can be used to define alert overrides by this column. Queue Manager names no longer contain spaces.

For more information on what's new in RTView Enterprise 5.3, view RTView Enterprise 5.3 Featured Product Updates

SL is proud to be a premium sponsor at the TIBCO NOW Conference from September 22-24, 2020. Click here for more information , and register to attend SL's Breakout session.

About SL:

SL is a San Francisco Bay Area-based software company that develops real-time monitoring, visualization and diagnostic software for Global 1000 and mid-market companies whose businesses depend on complex, high-performance applications. The company has deep expertise in monitoring and management of custom, distributed applications running in heterogeneous middleware environments.
A venomous Asian hornet has been spotted in Hampshire just weeks after experts predicted a plague of the pests were on their way to the UK.

The hornet, also referred to as yellow-legged owing to legs that transition from brown to yellow at the ends, are capable of destroying the country's bee population.

Spotted in Gosport, near Portsmouth, it's the first official sighting of the killer hornet for almost a year.

The deadly Asian hornet can pose an enormous threat to our honey-bees, already badly affected by habitat loss, parasites and pesticides

The foreign invaders are particularly ruthless killers of honey-bees. They can consume up to 50 a day.

Lying in wait for the bees as they return to their hives, the hornets first decapitate them and rip off their wings, making it easier to carry the bees back to their own nests as protein-rich morsels for their young.

And the vicious pests don't spare humans either as they can kill people allergic to their venom.

Government officials today urged members of the public and beekeepers to be on their guard.

Plant and bee health officer Nicola Spence said: 'By ensuring we are alerted to possible sightings as early as possible, we can take swift and effective action to stamp out the threat posed by Asian hornets.

'That's why we are working at speed to locate and investigate any nests in the area following this confirmed sighting.'

Pictured, an example of the hornet's nest. Experts say now is the time to spot the hornets so that their nests can be destroyed before they multiply

All sightings have to be officially recognised by the National Bee Unit and monitoring is currently under way.

The last sighting of the pests was near Christchurch in Dorset, in October 2019, when two nests were found and destroyed

Today Ms Spence urged Brits to 'please continue to look out for any Asian hornets'.

The Asian hornet can become aggressive very quickly so people are being urged not to approach them or disturb a nest

'If you think you've spotted one, report your sighting through the Asian hornet app or online,' she said.

The public is being urged not to approach or disturb a nest because the Asian hornet can become very aggressive.

Just last month the Somerset Beekeepers Association said they were on red alert for sightings.

Lynne Ingram, coordinator of Somerset's Asian hornet action team, said: 'Now is the time to spot the hornets so that their nests can be destroyed before they multiply.'

Experts blame the recent wet weather for creating a 'perfect breeding ground' for the deadly insects and raised fears they could arrive in record numbers on British shores.

Should the hornets become established in the UK they will pose an enormous threat to our honey-bees, already badly affected by habitat loss, parasites and pesticides.

Asian hornets (pictured) are foreign invaders and ruthless killers of other flying insects, particularly honey-bees, and can consume up to 50 a day

Asian hornets first hitched a ride to the West in flower-pots exported from China to France in 2004.

They have since spread rapidly across Europe, arriving in Jersey in 2016 when winds carried fertilised queens over from France. Since then there have also been 17 sightings on the British mainland.

Lynne added: 'The arrival of the hornet in Britain is especially bad news for bees  a favourite food source  and a single hornet can completely devastate a beehive.'
A German warship sunk by a torpedo during World War II has been found on the seabed off Norway more than eight decades after it was attacked.

Statnett, the Norwegian state-owned power grid operator, made the astounding discovery of the lost Karlsruhe cruiser around 1,600 feet (488 meters) below sea level.

The vessel, which measures 571 feet long and still bears the Nazi swastika, led an assault on the southern Norwegian city of Kristiansand in the April 1940 invasion of the country.

Image of the wreckage that was taken from Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). (Courtesy of Statnett)

During the operation, it came under fire from Norwegian artillery, was torpedoed by a British submarine, and was finally submerged by the Germans themselves, according to a Statnett statement.

When World War II had broken out seven months earlier, in September 1939, Norway declared itself neutral. Hitler ordered its invasion on April 9, 1940, however, and German troops quickly occupied Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Narvik. Backed by Allied forces, the Norwegian Army mounted a resistance effort, but the Nazis ultimately took control in June 1940 until liberation in April 1945.

You can find Karlsruhes fate in history books, but no one has known exactly where the ship sunk, said Frode Kval, archeologist and researcher at the Norwegian Maritime Museum, in a statement about the discovery posted online by Statnett.

This image shows a sonar scan of the wreckage of the German warship. (Courtesy of Statnett)

Moreover, it was the only large German warship that was lost during the attack on Norway with an unknown position. After all these years we finally know where the graveyard to this important warship is, said Kval.

With the main battery of nine cannons in three triple turrets, this was the largest and most fearsome ship in the attack group against Kristiansand.

Signs of wreckage were first detected three years ago during inspection work when sonar detected a shipwreck 15 meters from an under-sea power cable between Norway and Denmark.

Then this summer, the firms senior project engineer, Ole Petter Hobberstad, carried out further investigations from an offshore vessel called Olympic Taurus. He and his team used multi-beam echo sounders and a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to examine the scene.

This image shows the wreckage that lay undetected on the seabed for 80 years. (Courtesy of Statnett)

When the ROV results showed us a ship that was torpedoed, we realized it was from the war. As the cannons became visible on the screen, we understood it was a huge warship. We were very excited and surprised that the wreck was so big, Hobberstad said.

Further research into the ship revealed more about its fate, according to Statnett.

In a book published the same year as the Nazi invasion, German Rear Admiral Otto Schenk wrote of dense fog at the time. He described how the boat came under fire as it entered a fjord near Kristiansand, before later being hit by a British torpedo. It was then sunk by order from the German captain.

To find such a special war wreck is rare and extra fun for us who work with underwater investigations, said Hobberstad.

CNN Wire contributed to this report.
HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR)(OTCQB:SLVTF) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Corporation") provides the following update on ongoing exploration at its wholly-owned El Tigre Silver Project located in Sonora, Mexico.

The Silver Tiger exploration team are currently diamond drilling HQ core with two drill rigs targeting the 3 kilometers of vein extensions north of the historic El Tigre Mine. The drilling program is focused on the Caleigh, the Protectora and the Fundadora veins, all of which outcrop on surface and are exposed in exploration drifts in the three kilometers north of the historic El Tigre Mine (see Appendix A - Location Map showing Silver Tiger's most recent Northern drill results and underground channel samples.)

Silver Tiger CEO, Glenn Jessome states, "I am proud of our team on the ground in Mexico who have worked so hard since returning to El Tigre in June to implement strict Covid 19 protocols so that we have been able to safely resume drilling. The $11 million we raised from institutional investors in July gives us a runway to drill the next 25,000 meters at El Tigre. The team is excited to have the initial two drills turning so we can follow up on our high grade silver discovery holes drilled in the Caleigh and Protectora veins."

Previous Silver Tiger Drill Holes in Northern Veins

Silver Tiger's limited drilling in these vein extensions located north of the historic El Tigre Mine intersected similar-style silver-gold mineralization in the El Tigre formation including a new discovery - the Caleigh Vein. Drill hole ET-17-144 returned 0.85 meters of the Caleigh Vein grading 10,128.9 g/t silver equivalent consisting of 7,338.9 g/t silver, 37.2 g/t gold with an additional 2.84% copper, 1.38% lead and 4.06% zinc. The silver equivalent ratio is based on a silver to gold price ratio of 75:1 (Ag:Au) and does not include the copper, lead and zinc values. Drill hole 144 was a step-out hole located approximately 1.6 kilometers to the north of the historic El Tigre Mine. The mineralized zone consists of several vuggy quartz veins and veinlets carrying galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, stromeyerite and pyrite within a strongly silicified and kaolinized alteration zone. As well, drill holes ET-17-145 and ET-17-148, which were some the last holes drilled by the Corporation, intersected similar-style silver-gold mineralization. The significant intercepts from these three drill holes are included in the following table.

Hole ID Comment From

(meters) To

(meters) Length(1)

(meters) Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) AgEq(2)

(g/t) ET-17-144 88.25 91.40 3.15 10.1 1,990.9 2,748.4 including 88.25 89.10 0.85 37.2 7,338.9 10,128.9 and 188.65 190.15 1.50 0.024 1,107.3 1,109.1 ET-17-145 28.50 29.25 0.75 10.9 2,830.4 3,647.9 ET-17-148 90.10 90.60 0.50 9.83 2,247.1 2,984.35

Notes:

1. Not true width.

2. Gold Equivalent ("EqAu75") ratio based on silver to gold price ratio of 75:1 (Au:Ag).

Covid 19 Update

As press released on May 22, 2020 following the Mexican Health Ministry's decree which included mining as an essential service effective June 1, 2020, our exploration team got back to work at El Tigre in June, 2020. Our priority in June, July and August was to take all necessary steps at camp to meet strict Covid 19 protocols. Accommodations and sanitation were constructed or improved to meet the highest standards of safety during Covid 19. Medical services on site were improved, including mandatory Covid 19 testing of all persons entering the camp. All employees and contractors will be required by the Corporation to adhere to strict Covid 19 protocols. We have created a remote isolated camp to minimize physical contact with surrounding communities. The Corporation has implemented these extraordinary measures to protect the health and safety of our employees, contractors and the community in which we operate.

El Tigre Resource Estimate

After acquiring El Tigre, Silver Tiger drilled 12,500 meters to define the halo of near surface gold mineralization around the mined high-grade veins of the historic El Tigre Mine. This allowed Silver Tiger to deliver a maiden resource estimate for the El Tigre Property to a depth of 150 meters containing indicated resources of 661,000 gold equivalent ounces at 0.77 g/t (21 g/t silver and 0.51 g/t gold) and inferred resources of 341,000 gold equivalent ounces at 1.59 g/t (88 g/t silver and 0.52 g/t gold). The complete National Instrument 43-101 technical report is available on the Company's website and on SEDAR under the Company's profile.

About the El Tigre Property

The El Tigre Property lies at the northern end of the Sierra Madre gold belt which hosts many epithermal gold and silver deposits including Dolores, Santa Elena and Chispas at the northern end. In 1896, gold was first discovered on the property in the Gold Hill area and mining started with the Brown Shaft in 1903. The focus soon changed to mining high-grade silver veins in the area with much of the production coming from the El Tigre vein. Underground mining on the El Tigre vein extended 1,450 meters along strike and mined on 14 levels to a depth of 450 meters. By the time the mine closed in 1938, it is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tons (Craig, 2012).

Silver Tiger's district scale El Tigre Property is approximately 35 kilometers long and comprises 28,414 hectares and includes 25 kilometers of the prolific Sierra Madre trend. The El Tigre gold and silver deposit is related to a series of high-grade epithermal veins controlled by a north-south trending structure cutting across the andesitic and rhyolitic tuffs of the Sierra Madre Volcanic Complex within a broad gold and silver mineralized prophylitic alternation zone. The veins dip steeply to the west and are typically 1 meter wide but locally can be up to 5 meters in width. The veins, structures and mineralized zones outcrop on surface and have been traced for 5.3 kilometers along strike. Historical mining and exploration activities focused on a 1.5 kilometer portion of the southern end of the deposits, principally on the El Tigre, Seitz Kelly and Sooy veins. The unexplored Caleigh, Fundadora and Protectora exposed veins continue north for more than 3 kilometers and will be the target of Silver Tiger's exploration.

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation - Silver Tiger's El Tigre Project

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Company's website at: www.silvertigermetals.com.

Qualified Person

David R. Duncan, P. Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Corporation, is the Qualified Person for Silver Tiger as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Duncan has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release and has reviewed the Technical Report.

For further information, please contact:

Glenn Jessome

President and CEO

902 492 0298

jessome@silvertigermetals.com

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, resources and reserves, the ability to convert inferred resources to indicated resources, the ability to complete future drilling programs and infill sampling, the ability to extend resource blocks, the similarity of mineralization at El Tigre to Delores, Santa Elena and Chispas, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Silver Tiger, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "may", "is expected to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective" and "outlook" and other similar words. Although Silver Tiger believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Silver Tiger's expectations include risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by Silver Tiger with securities regulators.

Appendix A

Location Map - Northern Vein Extensions Showing Last Holes and Underground Channel Samples

Note: Underground channel results are reported in silver equivalent based on silver to gold price ratio of 75:1 (Au:Ag).

SOURCE: Silver Tiger Metals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605570/Silver-Tiger-Provides-Exploration-Update-for-its-El-Tigre-Property-in-Sonora-Mexico
2020 just keeps outdoing itself.

On top of the COVID-19 pandemic, subsequent financial crisis and record-breaking wildfires, Joe Exotic is now asking President Trump for a pardon.

CBS News obtained his full pardon application and reported on it Wednesday morning.

If I have ever looked up to anyone it would be you, the convicted felon and Tiger King star wrote in a letter addressed to Trump. Not because I need you to save my life but because you stand for what you beleive (sic) no matter what anyone thinks.

The 257-page application includes a handwritten letter appealing to Trumps ego and playing on the presidents own checkered history with federal investigators.

Joe Exotic, real name Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, catapulted to fame in the Netflix true-crime miniseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness in March as the operator of an exotic animal park in Wynnewood, Okla.

See also: Alabamas ties to Tiger King

The plot thickened: Back in January, before the series even came out, Maldonado-Passage was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot that targeted rival animal sanctuary owner Carole Baskin, as well as for violating federal wildlife laws. (Meanwhile, Baskin is set to compete on Dancing With the Stars next week.)

In mid-March, Maldonado-Passage filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted him (among others). Maldonado-Passage is seeking almost $94 million in damages.

His letter to Trump draws on their shared distrust of the Department of Justice.

I see what they do to you and cant believe it, Maldonado-Passage wrote. But when I saw 2 asst. U.S. attorneys, 2 FBI agents and 1 federal wildlife agent set (sic) in court and know their wittnesses (sic) were lying under oath and even helped them I was ashamed of our country.

In April, New York Post reporter Steven Nelson and Donald Trump Jr. sparked questions over whether Trump would consider pardoning Maldonado-Passage.

The man whos the star of this is a former zoo owner whos serving a 22-year prison sentence, Nelson told Trump of Tiger King at a press conference. Hes asking you for a pardon, saying he was unfairly convicted. Your son yesterday jokingly said that he was going to advocate for it. I was wondering if youve seen the show and if you have any thoughts on pardoning Joe Exotic.

While Donald Trump Jr. thought this is hilarious at the time, Maldonado-Passage took it  a bit more seriously.

Im asking you to listen to your own son Donald Jr. and make this right and grant me a miricle (sic), he wrote.

Back in March (when the world didnt feel quite this crazy), Tiger King codirector Rebecca Chaiklin told The Times that Maldonado-Passage knows how to work a room  or, perhaps, a president.

He is in a cage and of course hes gonna say that he now recognizes what he did to these animals, Chaiklin said. With Joe, we have empathy for him, but at the same time, hes someone who really knows what to say at the right moment.

Maldonado-Passage asked the president to let me put this behind me.

Most of all so I can return to helping sick children and the homeless, allow me to make you proud, to make America proud, to make the world proud, he wrote. Be my hero please.



2020 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A three-episode documentary series about Chinese teachers will be aired by the country's broadcaster CCTV-9 on the evening of Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, 2020.

The documentary "Good Teacher," produced by Beijing Normal University (BNU), features ten dedicated teachers in various education fields such as intellectual education, physical education, special education, and online education in China, and offers an authentic portrait of these normal yet extraordinary teachers.

"Movies and television portrayals of this profession are still insufficient. On the special occasion of Chinese Teachers' Day on Sept. 10, the documentary will be aired to celebrate and pay respect for teachers," Yang Chenghu, director of the film and professor of BNU's School of Arts and Communication told China.org.cn.

"The documentary aims to reveal the teachers' passion for education and love for their students," Yang said. "The audiences will see from the series that sometimes teachers' guidance, care, and company are more valuable than simply imparting knowledge."

The director said that the production team had traveled to several provinces to learn about the stories of teachers in various education fields since the end of 2018.

After six month's research, they decided to turn the camera onto the average teachers working in basic education in China. Six rounds of shooting were carried out in 17 regions spread out between 12 provinces.

The film takes a special interest in portraying teachers in the rural areas, such as the poverty-stricken counties of Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province, and Huaping county in Lijiang city, Yunnan province, hoping to bring attention to China's education disparity and the significance of teachers in underdeveloped regions.

Novice teachers' daily struggles are also authentically documented in the film. Yang noted that no one is born a good teacher and it takes time for teachers to grow and develop professionally.

When describing the impressive teachers filmed, the director mentioned Zhang Guimei, who established a senior high school for rural girls for free; Dai Jianrong, a special education teacher with infinite patience; and Ye Lianping, a 92-year-old retired teacher who continues to teach left-behind children in the village.

"These teachers who demonstrate noble qualities deserve our credit," Yang said.

"We will continue to follow the stories of the teachers we filmed and create a portrait of more educators, especially those in rural areas with poor education quality," he added.
MONTREAL and STRATHAM, N.H., Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Social Distancer Technologies Inc. (SDT) and Visible Assets, Inc. (Visible) today announced the formation of a joint venture to manufacture, support, market, and sell a unique new medical device that enables automated social distancing and contact tracing within industrial, commercial, aerospace, and academic organizations.

Battery lasts seven days before recharge. Configurable 6-foot or 3-foot alarms, data logs for ID distance date and time uploaded to ProxAssure.com. Alarms can be configured to a new distance or be deactivated based on the digital subnet in the tag. No personal identity information is stored in the tag.

The ProxAssure integrated system combines a wearable wireless proximity sensor tag (the ProxTag), with programmable distance alarms, sophisticated, automated contact tracing, and quantitative dose analytics software (the ProxAssure application). ProxAssure, when used with face masks, mitigates potential COVID-19 infections within the workplace. Recently published clinical studies have shown that the combination of wearing face masks and practicing social distancing reduces the probability of infection to near zero. ProxAssure and the ProxTag harness RuBee (IEEE 1902.1) magnetic wireless data links and sensors to facilitate effortless social distancing. RuBee sensor tags are widely used in both industrial and defense applications and have many proven advantages over RF geolocating systems (e.g., RFID, NFC, LEB, Bluetooth, UWB, WiFi, GPS).

Unlike RF systems, RuBee

is not blocked by steel, liquids or humans; has no multipath reflections (so no nulls or false positive alarms); is FDA reviewed and safe for humans (HERP safe); is an accurate tape measure with a tag-to-tag range of 10 feet (plus or minus three inches); requires no new infrastructure, thereby facilitating rapid and low-cost deployment; is intrinsically safe near explosives and ordnance (HERO, HERF, and -12 safe); has no RF-compromising emanations and is NNSA reviewed (no eavesdropping, target or tempest risks).

Under this joint venture, ProxAssure and the ProxTag will be sold, supported, and marketed by SDT, and Visible will support the current design and software, create new and improved designs, and manage the software and tag manufacturing.

"The COVID-19 landscape is new to all of us," says John Soares, co-founder, and VP of SDT and EVP of CMP Advanced Mechanical Solutions (CMP). "We brought our experts together with advisory support and research and development funding from NRC IRAP to help employees not only stay safe but also work freely and comfortably. With the ProxAssure system, employees can go about their workdays without the need for any awkward, unexpected proximity issues or uncertainty about what a distance of six feet looks like."

ProxTags have a battery with a per-charge life of seven days and can be worn on a lanyard, shirt clip or belt clip. They're lightweight and provide programmable visual, audible, and vibratory feedback whenever two or more users are closer than six feet. Each tag has a unique digital address and a programmable subnet address. Tag alarms can be programmed to change the range or be turned off based on subnet addresses, enabling a family to use ProxTags without alarms. ProxTag data logs include the time, distance, and duration of tag encounters as well as the tag IDs of nearby tag wearers. This information is transferred to and used by ProxAssure's cloud-based contact-tracing and dose analytics application to create an exposure profile for each user. Employers can respond quickly and effectively in the event of an infection. No personal identity information is kept on the tag. The cloud software is NIST cyber compliant; it maintains all personal data in an AES 256-bit encrypted database that meets OSHA and HIPAA personal data storage and security standards. Its data encryption mitigates any unauthorized access to personal information.

"The manual tools currently available make contact tracing an expensive painful task," says Visible CEO John Stevens. "The 50-plus smartphone apps and other RF devices that use Bluetooth or GPS geolocation have not worked well due to the inherent person-to-person inaccuracy of their RF-based hardware. The RuBee wireless functionality relies on magnetic waves to accurately measure tag-to-tag distance to within inches, regardless of the surroundings. Other standalone RF systems are subject to annoying false positives, interference, and multipath reflections, making them either unreliable or reliant upon additional expensive infrastructure. The simplicity, accuracy, reproducibility and reliability of RuBee make it an effective tool for social distancing, contact tracing, and dose analytics."

About Social Distancer Technologies Inc.

SDT was founded by John Soares and Steve Zimmermann of CMP Advanced Mechanical Solutions and Jarred Knecht of Promark Electronics. Zimmermann is president and CEO of both SDT and CMP. CMP is an established manufacturer of complete mechanical solutions and has been in business since 1969. Located in Chateauguay, Quebec, Canada, and Binghamton, New York, the United States, it operates with over 750 employees. Soares is VP of SDT and EVP of CMP. Promark Electronics is a Montreal-based manufacturer specialized in the design and production of complex wire harnesses and electronic assemblies. Two of the major drivers behind the creation of SDT, the ProxTag, ProxAssure, and this joint venture were the safety and protection of CMP and Promark's employees and the desire to help address the spread of COVID-19 in Canadian and U.S. industries, workplaces, and schools. Visit us at http://www.cmpdifference.com/.

About Visible Assets, Inc.

Visible is a privately held U.S. company based in Stratham, New Hampshire. Visible designs, manufactures, and supports RuBee wireless real-time asset visibility solutions based on the IEEE 1902.1 standard. It provides integrated visibility solutions for a variety of markets via its RuBee application partners, including Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, the United States Department of Defense, SDT, LMT Defense, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Estonian Defense Forces, Australian Defense Forces, and many others. RuBee Visibility Networks are installed and in operation at over 2,000 commercial and government sites around the world. Visit us at http://www.rubee.com.

Abbreviations: low-energy Bluetooth (LEB), light emitting diodes (LED), compromising emanations (CE), global positioning system (GPS), hazards of electromagnetic radiation to fuel (HERF), hazards of electromagnetic radiation to ordnance (HERO), hazards of electromagnetic radiation to personnel (HERP), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), near field communication (NFC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), radio frequency identification (RFID), radio frequency (RF), and ultra-wideband (UWB).

For further information, please contact Edward Zimmermann at [email protected].

Related Images

fig-1-proxtag.png

Fig. 1 ProxTag

Battery lasts seven days before recharge. Configurable 6-foot or 3-foot alarms, data logs for ID distance date and time uploaded to ProxAssure.com. Alarms can be configured to a new distance or be deactivated based on the digital subnet in the tag. No personal identity information is stored in the tag.

fig-2-proxassure.png

Fig. 2 ProxAssure

The ProxAssure application runs on a MAC, PC or server. All personal identifying information is stored in an AES 256 encrypted HIPAA secure database. A cloud-based ProxAssure version is available @ www.ProxAssure.com.

SOURCE Social Distance Technologies

Related Links

http://www.cmpdifference.com


Colin Firth's estranged wife marked his 60th birthday on Thursday by sharing a flamboyant snap of the actor dressed as Elton John.

Livia Giuggioli took to Instagram to share the playful snap of Colin in a Madi Gras carnival costume alongside the words '60th and not feeling it!'.

It comes as the Bridget Jones star was cut a casual figure in a charcoal coat and grey flat cap on Wednesday, a day before hitting the milestone.

Colin Firth's estranged wife marked his 60th birthday on Thursday by sharing a flamboyant snap of the actor dressed as Elton John

Livia wrote: '60th and not feeling it. happy birthday to the best partner in crime ever (for the last 25 years and counting) (this is when Colin stole Elton John costume on the Kingsmen set...'

But Colin was looking a little less theatrical as he enjoyed a walk in London a day before turning 60.

The Love Actually icon teamed his jacket with a navy jumper, jeans and trainers.

Back in December, Colin announced he has split from his wife Livia but said they remain 'united in their love for their children' almost two years after it emerged she had an affair with her childhood friend.

Livia Giuggioli took to Instagram to share the playful snap of Colin in a Madi Gras carnival costume alongside the words '60th and not feeling it!'

Casually-clad: It comes as the Bridget Jones star was cut a casual figure in a charcoal coat and grey flat cap on Wednesday, a day before hitting the milestone

Low-key look: The Love Actually icon teamed his jacket with a navy jumper, jeans and trainers

The Love Actually star confirmed the news in a statement, and insisted he would maintain a 'close friendship' with Livia.

The couple have been married for 22 years, and have two sons, Luca and Matteo.

A statement said: 'Colin and Livia Firth have separated. They maintain a close friendship and remain united in their love for their children.

'They kindly ask for privacy. There will be no further comment'.

Their split comes after it was revealed in March last year Livia was alleged to have had a year-long affair with Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia.

Colin failed to raise a smile as he left his car

Heartthrobs: Colin celebrates his birthday the same week as Hugh Grant

Flying solo: The actor appeared to be enjoying time on his own

Mature decision: Back in December, Colin announced he has split from his wife Livia but said they remain 'united in their love for their children'

The Academy Award, Golden Globe and Bafta winner shares a son with former partner Meg Tilly, his co-star in the film Valmont.

After they split Firth met Guiggioli on the set of BBC Drama Nostromo, and married her a year later in Tuscany, Italy.

Colin will soon join forces with Downton Abbey star Jim Carter to raise vital funds for people facing homelessness this winter as part of Glass Door Homeless Charity's 'Sleep Out (or in)' event on October 2.

The event is due to take place at the Duke of York Square in Chelsea for the eighth year running, and extra safety measures have been put in place to allow participants to take part.

This years event will also allow people to take part virtually for the first time.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) on September 9 launched the EVNSOLAR platform at http://solar.evn.com.vn to assist potential investors, both households and enterprises, in accessing this type of power source.

The platform provides comprehensive solutions meeting the needs of potential investors, and connects investors with prestigious contractors as well as banks and financial organisations.

After a project is completed, its investor will be given an account on the platform to assess the quality of products and services of involved contractors.

The Governments policies to encourage the development of renewable energy have successfully fuelled the rapid development of projects in the field.

As of the start of September, nearly 50,000 roof-top solar power projects with total capacity of close to 1,200 MWp had been completed and put into operation across the country.

With millions of private houses and buildings, there is tremendous potential for the development of roof-top solar energy in Vietnam.
As part of commitment to empowering Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the month of September, Vodafone Ghana has outlined a host of activities to improve the productivity and agility of SMEs in Ghana.



This years SME month is aimed at equipping SMEs with requisite skills, insights, and opportunities to enable them transform from surviving to thriving businesses.



Speaking during a media briefing, Director of Enterprise Business Unit & Wholesale at Vodafone Ghana, Tawa Bolarin, said Small and Medium Scale Enterprises are changing the economic outlook of this country and empowering them will improve their productivity and agility.



SMEs are the backbone of the Ghanaian economy and represent about 85% of businesses, largely within the private sector, and contribute about 70% of Ghanas gross domestic product (GDP). We believe that empowering them will improve their productivity and agility, which will ultimately contribute to Ghana's economic development. This is why we have put in place many initiatives to develop, transform and create digital SMEs.



Every SME has the power to succeed if they are equipped with the right resources to connect, grow and prosper in their businesses through reliable relationships and partnerships. With our expertise in connectivity and emerging technologies, we continue to enable SMEs progress and thrive during this pandemic. We believe that empowering them will improve their productivity, and resilient to continue to experience growth during and after this pandemic, she added.



Outlining the initiatives for this years SME Month celebration, Ms Bolarin noted that initiatives to mark this years SME month include free digital advertising opportunities, free website presence for six months, free use of Vodafones Bulk SMS platform for promotional campaigns, twelve months free insurance cover, Red Trader, removed interoperability charges on Vodafone Cash payments, and many other unique products.



Additionally, we have once again partnered with the Makola Foundation to train market traders and business owners on digital skills. This forms part of our drive to accelerate SMEs adoption of digital solutions. The virtual capacity-building programme will also educate participants on how digital solutions such as Vodafones Red Trader, Mobility Solutions, and Vodafone Cash enhance productivity. Also together with MicroEnsure and the United Nations Capital Development Fund, we will also provide FREE insurance cover for over 200 SMEs across the country, she explained.

Reiterating Vodafones commitment to SMEs, the Director of Enterprise Business Unit & Wholesale said Vodafone over the years have supported many businesses to achieve tremendous success in their spheres of influence.



It is a no-brainer the role companies like us play in empowering SMEs to grow and transform. We have become the nerve-center in this journey of equipping them with bespoke technological solutions whilst endowing them with skills and knowledge to become future multinationals and local corporates.



As a telecom company, we want to assure SMEs that there is every reason to be optimistic about the future when you choose Vodafone as your trusted partner. Our commitment to developing SMEs in the country by offering them innovative solutions remains unchanged, she concluded.

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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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Sydney, Australia  Thu, September 10, 2020 15:45 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c440a24c 2 World Australia,Victoria,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,curfew,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona Free

Australia's COVID-19 hotspot state, Victoria, should consider lifting a night curfew if the decision was not made on health advice, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said, as total pandemic deaths in the state crossed 700 on Thursday.

Victorian authorities are trying to fend off criticism after its chief health officer told local radio he hadn't recommended the night curfew in state capital Melbourne, although he was not against it from "a public health perspective."

State premier Daniel Andrews confirmed to local media that the curfew had been enacted to make it easier for police to enforce a more general lockdown, which includes sweeping business shutdowns and restrictions on movement.

Hunt told Sky News he had been surprised at the news on the curfew. The federal government has been anxious to ensure state restrictions are not prolonged for longer than necessary given the damage to the economy.

"If there is no medical basis for something, then obviously, that is then something entirely within the remit of the Victorian government to address and we'd encourage them to consider that in the coming days," he said.

The state on Sunday extended tough restrictions to Sept. 28, including a night curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. in Melbourne.

The daily rise in cases eased in Victoria on Thursday as it reported 51 new cases in the past 24 hours, compared with 76 cases a day earlier. Seven people died from the virus compared with 11 deaths reported on Wednesday.

The daily rise in cases has fallen to double digits in recent days from highs of more than 700 in early August.

Victoria, home to one-quarter of Australia's 25 million population, now accounts for about 75% of the country's 26,516 COVID-19 cases and 90% of its 788 deaths.
A weekly night parade of large pickup trucks through New Braunfels to show support for President Donald Trump has created divisiveness and fear, said Mayor Rusty Brockman, issuing a call for peace and good behavior.

Some members of our community have felt attacked, demoralized, misunderstood and concerned. This is not the New Braunfels I know and love, said the mayor in a public statement Wednesday.

The weekly motorized demonstrations by the Trump Train NB group have grown to hundreds of vehicles. They have also triggered complaints about threatening conduct during the parades in New Braunfels and on social media posts.

On Tuesday, a diverse group of citizens brought their concerns to the mayor and other local officials in a Zoom meeting.

Among those who sought the meeting was Henry Ford, founder and vice president of the New Braunfels MLK Association.

Everyone has the right to campaign for their candidates, but when it comes to the point where someone is threatening to other people, its a different story, he said, citing several incidents, which he did not see, but which have allegedly occurred during the truck parades.

Some have appeared on social media, he said. One incident reported by news outlets included a You Tube video that showed a white pickup truck dragging a Black Lives Matter banner.

The video was later removed. The mayor said Trump Train NB organizers assured him that the individuals in the photos and those making those social media posts are not affiliated with their organization and that anyone who joins the organization with the purpose of spreading a message of hate is not welcome.

Ford said many are afraid.

African American people are afraid for their lives when they see this stuff, he said. We dont want the things that have happened in other cities to happen in New Braunfels.

With the election approaching, Trump Trains are proliferating around the country as conspicuous public expressions of support for the president.

In about two weeks, the New Braunfels group has grown to more than 2,000 members.

Cody Ceh, one of the group organizers, did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.

In statements to other media, he has said that most of the reports of bad conduct were false and suggested that any misbehavior was the work of out-of-town participants.

While recognizing the right of Americans to have patriotic and political demonstrations, Brockman said that inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated.

I do not condone any activity, symbolism, speech or imagery with overt or implied racism or hatred, he said in the statement. We take these matters very seriously and will not turn a blind eye to issues that make our residents feel threatened or afraid.

He said he has met with the organizers of Trump Train NB as well as the MLK Jr. Association and other civic groups to ensure that our community continues to be inclusive, supportive and collaborative.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a list of people he would consider nominating to the Supreme Court.

There are 20 people on Trump's Supreme Court picks, three of which are Republican senators, Fox News reported.

Trump read the list of names from the Diplomatic Reception room of the White House. On the list was Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron, and Sens. Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, and Josh Hawley.

The picks will get a seat in the Supreme Court once there is a vacancy for Trump's supposed second term, or during the remainder of his first one, CBS News noted.

The president said the 20 new Supreme Court picks were being added to his previous list of 25 judges.

USA Today noted that six of the 20 names by Trump were women, while two were Latino.

More details on the added names can be seen in the White House official release.

An Important Choice

In his remarks at the White House, Trump noted that picking Supreme Court justices is "the most important decision an American president can make."

For this reason, he believed candidates for the presidency in the U.S. have to give Americans a list of people they would want to be justices.

Trump also used the announcement to hit his opponent Joe Biden for not releasing his own list of nominees. He said Biden did not release names because "they are so far left [they] could never withstand scrutiny."

Trump stressed that the former vice president should release his list of nominees.

Supreme Court at Democrat Win

Trump also warned of the possible consequences to the Supreme Court if Democrats win the presidency.

"Unfortunately, there is a growing radical left movement that rejects the principle of equal treatment under the law," he said.

He warned that if the "extreme movement" was given the majority in the Supreme Court, Americans could be "fundamentally transformed" without Congress's vote.

Some Nominees Give Thanks

After the announcement, Hawley gave thanks to the president for the potential nomination and tweeted that he would decline one.

"[As] I told the President, Missourians elected me to fight for them in the Senate, and I have no interest in the high court," he said. "I look forward to confirming constitutional conservatives."

Cotton also considered the pick as an honor. "The Supreme Court could use some more justices who understand the difference between applying the law and making the law," he said in a statement.

Cruz also found it to be an "immense honor" to be considered for the high court. He found the role of s Supreme Court justice as a "unique role" in defending the law. He said there is no greater responsibility in public service than to protect the Constitution.

Supreme Court Vacancy

There is currently no vacancy in the Supreme Court. But it is believed that the next president could appoint at least one new justice.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the anchor of the court's liberal wing, is now 87 years old and has recently faced health issues. Meanwhile, Justice Stephen Breyer is 82.

The high court's longest-serving member is Justice Clarence Thomas, who is 72 years old.

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France's defense minister Florence Parly will be in India as the country prepares to induct the long overdue Rafale fighter jets into its air force.

Defence Minister Florence Parly's visit to India on Thursday is the first major ministerial trip since the country locked down in late March to contain the coronavirus epidemic and comes amid a four-month-long border standoff with neighbor China.

During the visit, other than having a bilateral with her Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh, Parly will also meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Apart from the defence minister, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the entire top military brass of the country will attend the event at the air base.

This is a tightly choreographed visit by the minister who will be accompanied by defence officials. The visit will obviously further boost strategic and defence ties, a French embassy official told RFI.

The first batch of five Rafale combat jets, manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, arrived at the Ambala air base in the northern state of Haryana on July 29. The jets are yet to be formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

In September 2016, India inked a direct deal with the French government to purchase 36 new Rafale fighter jets in a nearly 8 billion deal. France has been one of India's steadfast materiel suppliers for decades.

Known as the 4.5 generation aircraft, the Rafale is considered to be one of the finest fighters in the world and is described as an 'omnirole' aircraft that can take up several missions on a single flight.

Defence experts point out that the fighter jets will be a game changer as it would add significantly to the capabilities of the IAF and its induction will give India a strategic advantage in case of any aerial combat with China in the mountainous Tibet region.

With its fantastic electronic warfare suite and maneuverability, the Rafale will be able use mountainous terrain in Tibet to its advantage and blind the enemy before India's strike aircraft penetrate hostile airspace to carry out their missions, former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa, said in an interview.

Its induction will add to the operational punch of the IAF and it is good to operationalize it soon.This will give India air superiority apart from the fact that it enhances its air defence, Happymon Jacob an international relations expert told RFI.

In June, at least 20 Indian soldiers, including a colonel, were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, in the Kashmir region, which was described as the biggest military confrontation in nearly five decades.

The four-month-long border standoff with China continues till date with both sides accusing each other of border transgressions along the Line of Actual Control.

Officials pointed out that the second batch of Rafale fighters which could be four in number was expected to arrive in October.

India is the fourth country to fly the Rafale after France, Egypt and Qatar.
Presidential son-in-law and senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump Jared Kushner, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien and members of the U.S.-Israeli delegation attend a ceremony ahead of their departure from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Aug. 31, 2020.

(JNS) - The first commercial flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates touched down in Abu Dhabi on Monday, carrying a delegation of U.S. and Israeli officials.

El Al Flight 971 - numbered to represent the UAE's international dialing code - made the trip in just three hours, having been granted permission to traverse Saudi Arabia's airspace, usually off-limits to Israeli air traffic. Leading the delegation are Jared Kushner, presidential son-in-law and senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien and head of the Israeli National Security...
BAY CITY, MI  Police in Bay County allege that a North Dakota man sold and gave away marijuana for months from a Bay City shop and then a Bangor Township store without state-required licenses.

Details on the case against Eric F. Owens, 46, come from police reports contained in court files. According to those reports, the Michigan State Police Marijuana and Tobacco Investigation Section in November received tips that Owens business, Deeply Content, was advertising free alcohol and marijuana to patrons.
Limiting immigration has been a focus for Donald Trump and Joe Biden is pledging to reverse many of Trumps policies.

US President Donald Trumps push to crack down on undocumented migrants and reshape immigration rules to keep immigrants out was at the heart of the Republicans winning 2016 campaign and has remained at the forefront of his White House agenda.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the likely Democratic challenger in this years presidential election, promises to rescind many of the policies put in place by Trumps administration and instead advance his own platform if he wins on November 3.

Here is a look at some of their immigration stances.

Coronavirus restrictions

Trump has dramatically curtailed immigration and travel into the United States during the coronavirus pandemic, arguing the steps were needed for health reasons and to protect jobs for US workers in the face of high unemployment.

During the pandemic, Trump has restricted the entry of many foreign workers and immigrants seeking green cards for permanent residency.

Biden tweeted at the time that Trump was banning immigrants to distract from his administrations pandemic response and that immigrants help grow our economy and create jobs.

Trump also implemented a public health emergency policy that allows US officials to rapidly deport migrants caught at the US-Mexico border, including unaccompanied minors and asylum seekers, bypassing standard legal processes.

Biden has said he will pause deportations for 100 days after taking office, but he has not yet said if he would immediately reverse Trumps sweeping pandemic-related restrictions.

When the Trump administration announced plans in July to restrict the entry of some foreign students to the US, a policy it later had to rescind, Biden tweeted support for international students, saying they bring innovation to the country.

Dreamers

The Supreme Court ruled in June against Trumps 2017 decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, which protects from deportation of immigrants popularly known as dreamers, who were brought to the US as children and have remained in the country without documentation.

The high courts ruling  which found Trumps termination of the programme was arbitrary and capricious  left the administration the option to try again to end it.

The Trump administration issued a memo in July that clamped down on DACA, blocking new enrollment and allowing only renewals that last one year, less than the current two-year period.

Launched by then-President Barack Obama in 2012, DACA grants deportation relief and work permits to about 644,000 mostly Hispanic young adults, but does not provide them a path to citizenship.

Biden has said he would reverse Trumps cruel decision and strengthen protections for dreamers.

He said he would make dreamers eligible for federal student aid for college, and would back legislation that provides a path to citizenship for them as part of efforts to do so for all of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country undocumented, including those who did not arrive as children.

Trumps administration has prioritised arresting immigration violators regardless of their criminal histories or length of time in the US.

US-Mexico border wall

Trumps promises to build a wall along the southwest border and to force Mexico to pay for it were the centrepiece of his hardline immigration rhetoric during the 2016 campaign, energising his supporters and enraging Democrats.

Asylum-seeking migrants from Central America line up along the border wall as they wait to surrender to the US Border Patrol after they crossed the Rio Grande River into the US from Mexico, in Penitas, Texas, April 2, 2019 [File: Adrees Latif/Reuters]

The administration has completed 443km (275 miles) of the border wall, with a goal of 720km (447 miles) by the end of the year, but nearly all of those barriers replaced existing structures, according to US border officials. Mexico has refused to pay for any of the construction, leaving the US government to foot the bill, partially with billions of dollars in Pentagon funds.

Federal court records show the Trump administration has ramped up efforts to seize more land for the barrier.

Biden said in August he would not tear down border walls built under Trump, but would halt construction.

Bidens immigration plan would end the diversion of Pentagon funding to build the wall and focus instead on border enforcement like investments in improving the screening infrastructure at ports of entry.

Family separations

Trumps 2018 zero-tolerance policy to prosecute border crossings by undocumented migrants led to several thousand children being forcibly separated from parents and legal guardians detained on the Mexico border.

In this June 17, 2018 photo, people who have been taken into custody related to cases of illegal entry into the US, sit in one of the cages at a facility in McAllen, Texas [File: Handout/US Customs and Border Protections Rio Valley Sector/AP Photo]

The policy, described by the administration as a deterrent, sparked outrage, and the backlash led Trump to sign an executive order to end the practice. But the administration continued to separate hundreds of kids travelling with other adult relatives.

Biden would end the prosecution of parents for minor immigration violations, which he calls an intimidation tactic, and make it a priority to reunite any children still separated from their families.

Travel ban

Trump signed an order in January 2017 banning entry to immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, a move Biden and other critics say discriminated against Muslims. A federal court blocked the initial ban, but in 2018, the Supreme Court upheld an amended version that has since been expanded to other countries.





The version upheld by the Supreme Court places restrictions on travellers from five majority-Muslim nations  Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. North Korea and Venezuela also face visa bars, but those measures affect relatively fewer travellers.

Trump placed restrictions on six additional countries in January, including Nigeria and three other African nations.

Biden has promised to rescind the bans, calling them abuse of power designed to target primarily Black and brown immigrants.
The Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has expressed concerns over the governments poor negotiations of some state agreements.

His comments come in the wake of the setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle to manage the country's Minerals Income Investment Fund.

The MP said the government sometimes signs onto these agreements with the aim of pursuing its personal interests.

Speaking during a working visit to the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana by the running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Mr. Ablakwa said politicians must begin to act in the interest of the state.

As a Member of Parliament, I have sometimes been outraged at the latest round of negotiations we have had right from Exxon Mobil. We have reduced our shares from GNPC, all the way down to Agyapa. I do not think that is an issue. The political leaders are not fighting for the interest of our country? About the deal

In 2018, Parliament passed the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act 2018 which establishes the Fund to manage the equity interests of Ghana in mining companies and receive royalties on behalf of the government.

The purpose of the fund is to manage and invest these royalties and revenue from equities for higher returns for the benefit of the country.

The government then, through the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), set up Agyapa Royalties Limited to monetise Ghana's gold royalties.

This was after Parliament on August 14, approved the Agyapa Mineral Royalty Limited agreement with the government of Ghana despite the walkout by the Minority.

In exchange, the company plans to raise between $500 million and $750 million for the government on the Ghana and London Stock exchanges to invest in developmental projects.

 citinewsroom
For Subscribers Senate votes to increase Partners in Education tax credit program

Senators voted to increase the amount of money the Partners in Education tax credit program can give out for scholarships to private school students.
Instead, the U.S. governments efforts will focus on educating travelers before they leave and while theyre in the air, and on gathering passengers contact information so they can be reached if it is determined they may have been exposed to the virus.
Australia is now the only member of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership without any far-right extremist individuals or groups on its terror list after New Zealand put the Christchurch mosque killer on its register.

Labor's home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally is calling for a national conversation on how convicted mass murderer Brenton Tarrant was radicalised in Australia.

Labor's home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally wants right-wing extremists listed on the nation's terror list. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The federal opposition has been calling for the Morrison government to send the criteria for the terror list to Parliament's powerful intelligence and security committee for a wide-scale review to make sure it is fit-for-purpose.

NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced last week that the Australian-born Christchurch gunman would be put on its proscribed terror list.
Second IntercityHotel in the Sultanate opens in the oasis city of Nizwa

FRANKFURT, Germany and NIZWA, Oman, Aug. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Deutsche Hospitality is expanding its presence in the Sultanate of Oman. On 15 August, the group has opened a second hotel operating under the Intercity brand name. The hotel is situated in Nizwa at the edge of the Hadschar mountain range and surrounded by the Nizwa Grand Mall and the Aqua Water Park. Set in an oasis, the city of Nizwa is considered to be a cultural centre and is the historic trading centre of the Sultanate.

The IntercityHotel Nizwa will offer 120 guest rooms and suites, a restaurant, a cafe and an Aqua Pool Bar. Health and beauty spa facilities will comprise a gym, a steam bath and a rooftop pool. The hotel's luxurious Ballroom will be able to accommodate up to 700 people and stage unforgettable weddings, family celebrations and business events. Three combinable conference rooms will also provide additional options for meetings.

"We are delighted to be establishing a further IntercityHotel in Oman," explained Thomas Willms, CEO, Deutsche Hospitality. "Oman offers fantastic holiday destinations and an outstanding host culture. Our guests in Nizwa will be provided with a new international hotel with superb services that combine bot European and Arab influences."

Deutsche Hospitality has been operating in the Sultanate since 2016, when the IntercityHotel Salalah opened. Nizwa exudes historic flair and is considered to be both a centre and a link between various parts of the country because it lies between the routes connecting Muscat and Salalah. It is also highly popular amongst domestic travellers. "The huge Ballroom, the rooftop pool and the events rooms are all USPs for us in this wonderful city," said Anees Shinnara, General Manager of the IntercityHotel Nizwa. "The whole team is ready to fire the enthusiasm of our guests."

- Picture is available at epa European Pressphoto Agency (http://www.epa.eu) and AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) -

Current press information is available in our press portal.

IntercityHotel is a Deutsche Hospitality brand which stands for modern upper mid-range urban hotels. IntercityHotels are located within easy walking distance of airports or railway stations. Guests also benefit from a "FreeCityTicket" scheme, which enables them to use local public transport free of charge. The IntercityHotels portfolio includes more than 40 hotels in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Oman and China, and 20 further properties are currently at the development stage. Deutsche Hospitality operates four further brands. Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts boast 60 hotels housed in historic traditional buildings and lively city residences and also offer health and beauty oases set at the very heart of nature. MAXX by Steigenberger is a new and charismatic concept which places the focus on the essential in accordance with its motto "MAXXimize your stay," whilst Jaz in the City branded hotels reflect metropolitan lifestyle and draw upon the local music and cultural scene. Zleep Hotels provide quality and design at an affordable price in Denmark and Sweden.

Press contact:

Deutsche Hospitality | Lyoner Strae 25 | 60528 Frankfurt am Main | Germany

Sven Hirschler | Tel: +49 69 66564-422

E-mail: sven.hirschler@deutschehospitality.com

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

www.deutschehospitality.com/en

www.steigenberger.com/en | www.maxxhotel.com/en | www.jaz-hotel.com/en

www.intercityhotel.com/en | https://www.zleep.com/en/

Related Links

https://www.deutschehospitality.com



SOURCE Deutsche Hospitality
Many senior lawmakers are likely to give the much-awaited monsoon session of Parliament a miss, on account of fears of exposing themselves to the coronavirus disease even as Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha authorities are doing everything they can to ensure a safe session.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, according to his office, will attend the inaugural day of the session on September 14 but might be uncertain for the remaining part of the session, which goes on till October 1, as his doctors have strictly advised him against leaving his home. Singh is 87.

Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has already decided that some of her MPs who are old or suffer from ailments will not attend Parliament. Trinamools Lok Sabha floor leader Sudip Bandopadhyay will not come to Delhi but will guide the MPs from Kolkata.

Bandopadhyay, whose official bungalow in Delhi has been devastated due to rains, said: Our leader is very cautious about our health. She told me not to go to Delhi in this situation.

According to Trinamool officials, two of its MPs who are former UPA ministersSisir Adhikary and Choudhury Mohan Jatua  may also skip this session. Adhikary is 78 and Jatua, 82.

Rajya Sabha officials said that the Trinamool has also officially informed the secretariat that two of its MPs from the Upper House would not come.

Congress leaders added that former defence minister AK Antony, 79, may not attend the House daily but be there on some days. Similarly, Congress leader and former UPA minister Vayalar Ravi, 83, too may not attend the house every day. Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has left for the US for a routine health check. Both Antony and Ravi are members of the Rajya Sabha.

The average age of Lok Sabha MPs is 54 and that of Rajya Sabha MPs, 63. Older people, especially those with co-morbidities, and men are at greater risk from Covid-19. Men account for 85.6% of Lok Sabha MPs and 89% of Rajya Sabha MPs.

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu have started personally overseeing all preparations. On Thursday, Birla spent a few minutes in the gallery of the Lok Sabha to supervise how MPs will participate in the proceedings.

As a matter of abundant caution, Birla has decided that not many physical copies of papers will be available in the chamber and MPs will mark their attendance in an app and not physically sign in a log book.

It has been also decided that not all ministers will be required to lay their documents in the House and that on behalf of his ministerial colleagues, the parliamentary affairs minister will lay the papers.

Adequate arrangements have been made to ensure that the session is held in a smooth manner by ensuring compliance with all Covid-19 related health and safety guidelines, Birla said on Thursday.

While many Opposition leaders and experts have criticised the decision to scrap Question Hour, Birla said: Parliament represents the hopes and aspirations of our countrymen and even in the present scenario and it will fulfil its constitutional responsibility of ensuring accountability of the government.

There will be seating arrangements for 257 members in the Lok Sabha hall and 172 members in the Lok Sabha galleries. Arrangements have been made for seating 60 members in the Rajya Sabha hall and 51 members in Rajya Sabha galleries

All lawmakers, officials and journalists covering Parliament will be required to undertake RT-PCR tests before coming to Parliament. Facilities to conduct tests have been set up across the capital and Birla has also ensured that no visitors will be allowed in the complex. Even the private assistants to MPs and ministers cant go inside the main parliament building. Government officials who come to parliament cant bring their car inside, Birla said.

Meanwhile, as tests are underway among parliament officials, senior officials added that about 50 House officials have been tested positive for Covid. They have been sent into isolation and their offices are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. We are not taking any risk, said a senior official.

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A federal appeals court reinstated a wrongful death lawsuit against two police officers in Ohios capital city over the 2016 shooting of a Black man by undercover officers.

In a ruling issued Sept. 8, a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found officers Zachary Rosen and Jason Bare were not immune from civil liability because they continued firing shots after Henry Green was no longer a threat. The ruling found a jury could reasonably conclude that the officers use of force in this context was unreasonable.

Columbus police have said the 23-year-old Green, who was Black, ignored commands to drop his gun by Rosen and Bare, who are white. Court documents and depositions say Green shot at officers, who then returned fire. Greens family has argued Green fired after police shot at him.

A grand jury declined to indict the officers, and an internal Columbus police investigation cleared them.

A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in September 2019, finding it was reasonable to use deadly force under the circumstances. The appeals court ruling affirmed summary judgments in favor of Columbus, its former police chief and two other officers named in the suit, but remanded the case against Rosen and Bare back to the lower federal court for further consideration.

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said his office was reviewing the decision and hasnt decided whether it will seek a review of the case by the full appeals court.

One member of the appeals panel, Judge Ralph Guy Jr., dissented in part to the ruling, writing that he would affirm the lower courts finding. Noting the exchange of gunfire occurred in a matter of seconds, Guy said he could not agree the two officers had time to stop and reassess the threat level before the last shots were fired.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement Ohio
G oing to university this year, whether as a fresher or returning for finals, looks very different. Class sizes will be smaller, with many lecturers and seminars taking place online thanks to social distancing.

One thing that isnt different is the cost. Kings College London suggests you budget for 1,250 a month, not including tuition fees, and some students in the capital could be looking at up spending up to 840 a month just on accommodation. Fitting in a part-time job between lectures and essays, not to mention trying to make friends, will be way down on the list but for many students it's a necessity.

This is something two brothers Sol and Sam Schlagman recognised during their respective studies at UCL. Many people come to university to have what is, in theory, the best time of their lives, but they end up compromising it because its too expensive, Sam explains.

We live in a day and age where everything is accessible with the touch of a button and we thought, why shouldnt students be able to earn money at the touch of a button in their spare time whenever they can?

The brothers decided to set up a company that did just that. Named Stint, the start-up allows students to find shifts, or stints, of up to three hours in local businesses on the high street that fit in around their university schedule. You log onto the app and post your availability. Then, when a local business such as a restaurant or clothes shop needs some extra help, they post a job on the app whilst an algorithm works out who is the best student to offer.

Stint started officially in June 2018, where the brothers began recruiting their fellow classmates and organising shifts manually via WhatsApp and Facebook groups. Now the app serves as a marketplace for both businesses and students to find one another. Sam dropped out of his degree, whilst Sol turned down an investment banking graduate job so its fair to say theyve thrown their full weight behind the operations.

Luckily, there are some big names on the app from high street retailers such as Ted Baker, Topman and Reiss, as well as big chains such as Caprice Holdings which owns Annabel's and The Ivy Collection.

Caprice Holdings, which owns The Ivy, is one of the businesses working with Stint

So whats in it for the businesses? The idea is that establishments will get students in for a small stint to do the things their full-time staff are too busy for, such as fold napkins and polish glasses or silverware. Businesses have also found that it can improve staff morale, as they can focus on the things they enjoy doing and fob off the boring tasks on the stinters.

Stephen Phillips, operations director of the Thai restaurant chain Busaba, says using Stint has helped the business to maintain the high quality of service our customers expect from our brand. The ability to bring someone in to help for an hour or two during our busiest hours makes all the difference. Its enabled our team members to focus on and build a rapport with the guests were looking after. As a result, weve seen an average spend per head and customer satisfaction grow quite significantly.

It leads to an uptick in revenue, the staff are able to serve more customers and not compromise on service, adds Sam.

Its certainly an interesting take on the gig economy and, in some ways, students are the perfect temporary workforce. Humanities students can have as little as six to eight contact hours a week, leaving them with flexible schedules to pick up a stint or two. So far, 40,000 individual stints have been carried out, with over 20,000 students on the platform. Were speaking to students who are paying their rent and getting through university because of Stint, says Sam.

L-R: Sol Schlagman and Sam Schlagman set up Stint during their time at UCL / Stint

As the next academic year gets underway, the brothers are ready to take Stint nationwide, targeting the top 50 universities in the country including Durham, Leeds and Sheffield. They hope to hit the target of 50,000 stints by the end of the year and have raised a significant amount of funding to facilitate this growth.

What about coronavirus? If anything, this shows the need for extra temporary staff, they say. Fewer tables mean theres a need for fast turnover to get people through the door, something stinters can help with. There isnt a single day where we dont read about the struggles of the high street and I think part of that is they work in models where they are busy for very short periods of the day. Being able to maximise that revenue during those periods is fundamental now, says Sol.

Many of the students we speak to are worried about finding work when they go back to university  that is one of the reasons why we are determined to launch in as many locations as possible this year to give students a much-needed way to make some extra cash, adds Sam.

Stint is available to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov met on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Moscow.

According to the MEA spokesperson, the two ministers had excellent discussions on bilateral matters and those of international concern.

There was an excellent discussion on bilateral matters, regional developments and international issues of concern, MEA spokesperson said.

Jaishankar also tweeted that he had excellent talks with Lavrov and he valued their exchanges on topics of international concern.

Pleasure to meet FM Sergey Lavrov, this time in person. Excellent talks that reflect our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Value our exchanges on the international situation, he tweeted.

EAM Jaishankar is also set to meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi shortly. They are set to discuss the rising tension triggered by fresh face-offs between the armies of India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Indian Army released a statement on Tuesday in which it said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh the previous evening and fired shots in the air.

The statement was issued after Chinas Peoples Liberation Army on Monday night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and outrageously fired warning shots near the Pangong lake.

This issue will be discussed, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a briefing.
Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union blocked national highway-44 near Kurukshetra in Haryana despite the presence of a heavy police force, deployed to foil the proposed protest rally by farmers and commission agents at Pipli grain market in the district.

The police used mild force to disperse the farmers, who were trying to reach the venue of the rally challenging the prohibitory orders.

Led by Bhartiya Kisan Union state president Gurnam Singh Chaduni, thousands of farmers, commission agents and mandi labourers were planning a protest rally at Pipli. The district administration, in response, deployed over a 1000 cops to stop the organization of the rally and also diverted traffic on all the roads leading to Pipli.

The agitated farmers, prevented from entering Kurukshetra district, blocked traffic on NH44 going towards Ambala on the outskirts of Kurukshetra and shouted slogans against the use of police force.

The government wants to suppress our movement by citing coronavirus as an excuse but we will continue our fight against the anti-farmer decisions, said BKU president Gurnam Singh Chaduni, while addressing the gathering that had blocked the national highway.

Also Read: Ask depts to ensure no mass gatherings are held: Chandigarh adviser to Haryana chief secy

He said the government was forcing the farmers to hold protests by bringing ordinances in the name of bringing agriculture reforms.

The farmers are against the three ordinances passed by the union cabinet, namely; the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, and the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, in June this year. While the government has said that the ordinances will create an environment where farmers and traders have a free choice of sale and purchase, farmers allege that with these ordinances, the government was planning to discontinue the MSP regime.

Also Read: Delay in assent to Bills: Haryana Guv unsure about validation Bill to legitimise de-licensing

The district administration couldnt prevent the disruptions caused by the protest despite adequate warnings served through the holding of village level meetings by farmers for the past one week with the purpose of mobilising a huge gathering on Thursday.

Kurukshetra deputy commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Brar said steps were being taken to remove the blockade from NH44.

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TORONTO and MIAMI, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - XTM, Inc. ("XTM" or the "Company") (CSE: PAID) (FSE: 7XT), a Toronto-based Fintech company in the challenger banking space, providing mobile banking and payment solutions around the world today announced it has signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with one of the largest online cannabis retailers in the U.S. to launch a proprietary cashless payment network.

This will be the first of its kind, bank grade, fully compliant, community currency, closed loop solution for any company or business looking to eliminate cash and process real-time payments including but not limited to licensed Cannabis companies. A new web site www.CaliCard.com is being established and physical cards will soon be in production.

As part of the terms of the LOI XTM will private label its existing mobile wallet and payment network technology, finalize development for merchant settlements, arrange the banking partnerships, manage the network and license the technology to a new entity of which XTM will own 50%. The other party will adopt and roll-out the technology across all its e-commerce platforms and will leverage its contacts for sales and marketing of the solution.

Cash used in U.S. legal marijuana sales was estimated to be in excess of $8 billion in 2019. The added security risks and costs of transacting in cash are significant. Existing solutions are overcomplicated, not fully compliant, expensive and subject to fraud and chargebacks. Merchants say service offerings currently available to the industry are lacking in compatibility and do not provide consumers with the user experience they have come to expect in today's digital world. They are subject to high transaction fees and are waiting for days to collect the proceeds from their sales.

With this new closed-loop payment network, users will quickly and easily sign up via mobile app for free. As part of the sign-up process they will link their debit card as the method of funding the virtual card and wallet in real-time. Merchants will receive same day settlements in a partner bank dedicated account issued to each merchant. As well XTM is incorporating its industry leading Know Your Customer ("KYC") technology into the application to enable users to be screened for age and identity validation, dramatically reducing chargebacks and fraud. As part of the rollout of the program each user will be delivered a physical card allowing for purchases to be made at bricks and mortar locations and will also allow access to a cash load network.

The Company has already received interest from other parties looking for the solution and expects to board a significant number of merchants before the end of the year. With the current annual run rate sales of the other party and expected percentage of sales to be migrated to the platform coupled with a few additional merchants, the Company anticipates to be processing in excess of $50M in run-rate annual volume and 500K transactions per month by the end of the year.

XTM is looking forward to providing a positive customer checkout experience using CaliCard.com that is real-time, fully compliant and cashless and expects this will in turn significantly increase efficiencies, sales volumes and net margins for merchants.

Further details regarding the product and launch date will be announced shortly and updates will be posted on the dedicated web site www.CaliCard.com.

About XTM Inc.

XTM, www.xtminc.com is a Toronto-based fintech innovator in the challenger banking space helping business and workers alike expedite earnings payout and reduce or eliminate banking fees. We are a global card issuer and payment specialist providing free technology to business to automate and expedite worker payouts that can eliminate cash. XTM integrates businesses to a payment ecosystem that is coupled with a free mobile app and Mastercard debit card with free banking features. XTM drives enterprise value and creates a positive user experience.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (the "forward-looking statements"), within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, including expected performance of XTM, the expectation that businesses with which XTM does business or have committed to do business will in the expected timeline, the continuing trend toward electronic payment methods, that the integrations will attract new business owners to use the Today program, and the general conditions and revenues of XTM. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. While XTM can make best efforts to estimate when businesses will re-open or back to pre-Covid 19 business levels there are no guarantees this will happen in the time the Company expects or if at all. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur.

The CSE has not approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release, and the CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE XTM Inc.

Related Links

http://www.xtminc.com/


NEW HAVEN  The families of two New Haven residents killed in a crash on Middletown Avenue Sunday are raising funds to help with funeral expenses and other costs associated with their deaths.

Edwin Deida, 23, and Julisa M. Myers, 21, died in a crash 1 a.m. Sunday on Middletown Avenue near Front Street, according to New Haven police.

The Honda Civic they were traveling in hit a telephone pole; both were ejected from the vehicle, according to police.

Myers was a sweet, loving, caring person, her sister, Eyecenia Suarez, said on a GoFundMe page set up by the family.

In a statement, Suarez said her sister was all about family. When they hurt, she hurt. She was the one that protected the family; she was the one who was always upbeat and lifting their spirits. She routinely went the extra mile to make people smile; she had a such a big pure heart.

On the night she was killed, Suarez said Myers called to chat about her day. The two spoke almost every day, with Suarez going to her for advice whenever she had a problem.

Suarez said Myers had gone to a nice dinner with friends recently, and volunteered to babysit so that she and her fiance could go out and enjoy a meal at the same restaurant.

(T)hats just how she was, said Suarez. She was the best person ever and no one can ever replace her from our hearts.

Deida was known by those close to him as Loopy, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his family.

Any donation will help my family through this tragic moment that were going through. Loopy will forever be in our hearts, said organizer Brianna Deida, who included the hashtag #LongLiveLoopy.

Police are still investigating the circumstances of the crash, according to Capt. Anthony Duff.

Duff asked witnesses to the accident to contact the New Haven Police Department at 203-946-6316.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
MINOA, N.Y.  Steven St. Laurents son and widow sat at a dining room table to write his obituary in May. Most of it came easy.

He was 67. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, achieved 15 years of sobriety, worked tirelessly for his family. He was obsessed with ham radios and had an encyclopedic knowledge of cars and air conditioners. He was loved by many.
Huntersville NC is bursting at the seams, and housing supply is not enough to meet current demand.

Property Solutions has been buying, renovating, and selling houses in North Carolina since 2007 and, prior to that, in Michigan since 2004. They buy houses in in Charlotte, and several cities within the Greater Charlotte Metropolitan area. With the expansion to Huntersville NC, Property Solutions continues to strengthen its position to capitalize on the massive growth of Charlotte North along the I77 corridor, in addition to entering a market with a much higher Median Sale Price.

"Huntersville is bursting at the seams", says Property Solutions Chief Homebuyer Lou Gimbutis, "more people means more housing is needed, and Huntersville, as with many local markets, currently finds itself with a shortage of housing to meet current demand".

Property Solutions buys houses as-is, sometimes needing major repairs, sometimes in good condition. They purchase properties for all cash, as well as with terms, usually at a higher price.

If you have a house in Cornelius you need to sell, visit https://www.soldcarolina.com/sell-my-house-fast-huntersville/. Property Solutions can make you a cash offer online, over the phone, or in person by appointment.

Property Solutions, LLC has been a North Carolina company since 2007. Lou Gimbutis, owner of Property Solutions, has formerly served as Director of Education, President, and Vice-President of the Metrolina Real Estate Investors Association, and has joined the National Association of Real Estate Investors in lobbying to Congress against anti-investor (and thus, by extension, anti-housing-market legislation).
To The Eagle:

This countrys historical amnesia ensured that few people mentioned or celebrated, this recent Labor Day, the progressive, radical Socialist, Marxist origins of the labor movements that united the workers of this country and gave them the strength to break their chains and achieve better wages, safer working conditions, more humane working hours, and the elimination of factory child labor.

The late nineteenth century was a time when industrial capitalism was new, raw, and brutal. Between 1881 and 1900, a period known as the Gilded Age, 35,000 workers per year lost their lives in industrial and other accidents at work, and strikes were commonplace. Chicago police attacked and killed many demonstrators on strike at the McCormack Reaper factory.

No fewer than 100,000 workers went on strike each year. In 1892, for example, 1,298 strikes involving some 164,000 workers took place across the nation. Unionswhich function to protect workers wages, hours of labor, and working conditionswere on the rise.

The goal of organizations like the Central Labor Union and modern-day counterparts like the AFL-CIO was to bring many small unions together to achieve a critical mass of power. The organizers of the first Labor Day were interested in creating an event that brought different types of workers together to meet each other and join in a common cause.

On that first Labor Day, Sept. 5, 1882, 10,000 citizens marched for labor rights down the streets of Manhattan. During that time the average American worked 12 hours a day, six days a week. It wasn't until the Adamson Act passed on September 3, 1916 that our modern eight-hour work day was established.

That wouldnt have happened had not millions of laborers marched in thousands of demonstrations to fight for economic and social justice. Its a battle we continue today.

JB Bouchard

Puget Island
YEREVAN.  Armenias second President Robert Kocharyan was hosted by a group of youth.

In his opening remarks, he noted that during his presidency he regularly had met with the youth. "Scholars say that the youth has changed, the world has changed. New technologies are forming the new youth," the former president said, in particular.

Drawing parallels with his childhood, Kocharyan noted that in his time the main focus at schools was on remembering information. "[But] there are smartphones today, and [therefore] it is meaningless to keep [all] that information in mind. Your generation knows where to look for information, and it finds it in seconds; this changes the mindset in an interesting way. The ability to register hundreds of friends on Facebook has led to the fact that the perception of 'friendship' changed among the younger generation. (). Today, social media enable to interact with hundreds of people, and the virtual world has mixed with the reality, and the word 'friendship' is transforming," said Kocharyan.
A recent court ruling found that some trans-Atlantic data transfers dont protect users from American government snooping.

Remember when former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the American government was eavesdropping on peoples online data and communications? It was also revealed that Facebook gave US security agencies access to the personal data of Europeans. (Photo | thedaywefightback.org)

London: Facebook may be forced to stop sending data about its European users to the US, in the first major fallout from a recent court ruling that found some trans-Atlantic data transfers dont protect users from American government snooping.

The social network said Wednesday that Irelands Data Protection Commission has started an inquiry into how Facebook shifts data from the European Union to the United States.

The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said Irelands data commission gave Facebook until mid-September to respond to a preliminary order to suspend the transfers.

The result could be that the US tech giant, which has data centres around the world, is forced to undertake a costly and complex revamp of its operations to ensure that European user data is kept out of the US.

A lack of safe, secure and legal international data transfers would damage the economy and hamper the growth of data-driven businesses in the EU, just as we seek a recovery from COVID-19, Facebooks vice-president of global affairs and communications, Nick Clegg, wrote in a blog post.

The Irish data commission suggested that a type of legal mechanism governing the data transfers, known as standard contractual clauses, cannot in practice be used for EU-US data transfers, Clegg said.

The commission, which did not reply to a request for comment, is Facebooks lead privacy regulator in Europe and can fine companies up to 4% of annual revenue for data breaches.

Its the first major move by a European regulator after the EUs top court issued a ruling in July on the two types of legal mechanisms used to govern data transfers.

The European Court of Justice invalidated an agreement known as Privacy Shield and decided that the standard legal clauses were still OK. But in cases where there are concerns about data privacy, EU regulators should vet, and if needed block, the transfer of data.

Its the latest development in a case that originated more than seven years ago, when Max Schrems, an Austrian privacy activist, filed a complaint about the handling of his Facebook data after former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed the American government was eavesdropping on peoples online data and communications. The revelations included detail on how Facebook gave US security agencies access to the personal data of Europeans.

Though the case specifically targets Facebook, it could have far-reaching implications for other tech giants operations in Europe. In Facebooks case, for example, messages between Europeans would have to stay in Europe, which can be complicated and require the platform to be split up, Schrems has said.
By Steve Rogers, 09/10/2020



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Steven Rogers is a senior entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and been covering the reality TV genre for two decades.

alums Victoria Fuller and Chris Soules are no longer a couple -- at least for now.Victoria confirmed she and Season 19 star have ended their romantic relationship during a recent interview on former star Nick Viall 's The Viall Files podcast, according to People."I am just living my best life," the former Season 24 bachelorette reportedly told Nick."We went a separate direction," Victoria said of her relationship with the Iowa farmer, whom she began dating in March amid the coronavirus pandemic."But I respect him so much. I think he's an amazing man. I just think that like right now, I'm in such a different place than he is... And I'm not moving to Iowa anytime soon."According to Victoria -- who competed for Peter Weber 's heart when Season 24 of aired on ABC earlier this year -- she is now focusing on herself."I just want to focus on me. It's been so much about other people this year that I just really wanna like hone in on what I want to accomplish and like what I want to get out of this year and looking forward to my career in the future," Victoria told Nick, People reported."I still talk to him all the time. I think he's amazing and we are a lot alike, but I just want to focus on myself right now."However, Victoria also reportedly suggested she and Chris could reconcile in the future and called their relationship "complicated.""He's not your person, at least at this stage in your life," Nick told Victoria, according to People."Well, we don't know that," Victoria replied. "We talk every day... So I'm going to leave that open.""I'm just living my life and he is an amazing man and he deserves somebody super awesome who's willing to like go to Iowa and live in Iowa and right now I'm just not there yet. Maybe I will be in a couple years."Speculation that Victoria and Chris were dating had first emerged in April after she posted an Instagram photo with a location tag of Arlington, IA, where Chris resides.Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone then confirmed the pair were involved."One of the more random Bachelor 'couples' that I can't say I ever would've guessed," he tweeted."I don't know how long this has been going on or how serious it is, but I can confirm that Victoria Fuller is currently together in Iowa for the week with Chris Soules . Discuss."Two months later, a restaurant in Victoria's Virginia Beach, VA hometown posted an Instagram photo showing the couple posing for a photo while enjoying lunch at the eatery.Victoria then finally broke her silence and confirmed the couple was dating in a July interview with People."We're really happy," she told People at the time."The last few months have been really special for us. We're enjoying each other!... He's a good one. He's the best."Victoria also confirmed she and Chris met through Kelsey Weier , who also appeared on Season 24 of and lives in Iowa not far from Chris' farm in Arlington."She was like, 'I think he's single and he's very attractive, you should talk to him,'" Victoria recalled Kelsey saying.While reports had swirled Chris slid into Victoria's DMs on Instagram to initiate conversation, Victoria clarified, "He ended up texting me [in March], and we connected.""Some people said he slid into my DMs, but he literally owns an iPhone 2 and can barely send out a text! But if he had, I would have responded."During her new interview with Nick, Victoria elaborated a bit more on Kelsey's involved."Chris and I met through a mutual friend, Kelsey Weier ... She set us up," she explained, People reported."She was talking about how there's only three people from Iowa that have ever been on and she was one of them and Chris was one of them. And I was like, 'Oh, Chris is cute. Why haven't you ever talked to him?' And she was like, 'Oh well,' you know, whatever, I don't really know what her response was. But she was like, 'I have his number. I can reach out to him.' So she basically just like set it up and he ended up texting me within like five minutes of her giving him my number."Victoria reportedly said she found Chris' quick texts "so endearing.""I was like that's so sweet. So he immediately texted me and then we FaceTimed and we talked to each other on the phone and through text and then three weeks later I was in Iowa," she told Nick.Interested in more news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
There's something truly sublime about a simple, but oh-so-refreshing ice cream cone in the middle of this blistering Texas summer. Even more if that ice cream delight is called, "UnCONEditional Love," which one local beloved ice cream shop Over the Top Waffle Shoppe serves up.

Little do Texans know that this successful ice cream jewel based in Richmond was actually in peril when the coronavirus pandemic started.

TEXAS GETAWAY: Enchanting Fredericksburg treehouse touted as one of the top Airbnb escapes

Over the Top Waffle Shoppe owner Kari Young and her husband opened the shop at the start of 2020. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Right after spring break, Young saw her business take a dramatic dip. She then scrambled to put out the word on social media, writing a post in the Katy Fort Bend Foodies Facebook group.

"As a new business owner, I am terrified," Young wrote. "We haven't really seen a busy season as of yet. We are clearly going into uncharted waters here."

Then, the very next day after her post, Young was stunned by the overwhelming response of the Richmond community.

"The day after I made the post, I told my husband 'you guys have to get out here,'" Young said. "We were slammed. The line was literally wrapped around the second building here. That was just amazing. Some waited for an hour. People were excited to get the ice cream!"

What blew Young away was just how loving, open and supportive the Richmond and Houston communities were to help her new business.

"The community came out during Harvey and now, people are coming out to help in the pandemic," Young said. "It's such an awesome thing."

So what are the top delights of Over the Top Waffle Shoppe?

"Definitely Granny's banana pudding and a flavor called UnCONEditional Love," Young said.

Young added that she wanted to create an ice cream shop that brought a unique, unconventional feel in her Richmond neighborhood.

"The whole idea of this shop was to bring a slice of Houston to the suburbs," Young said.

One of the biggest treats that keeps her business flourishing is when a customer posts and comments on social media about her shop.

"We strive to make people feel welcome," Young said. "We're about friendliness and cleanliness. Making people happy. That's really the prize for me."

Young encourages other emerging businesses after her experience.

"For us, it's fun when you see that we're adding jobs to the community is another side of things," Young said. "It's really about serving the community and the people here."
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has demanded an investigation into, and a decisive resolution to, allegations that Vietnamese fishing crews are illegally operating in foreign waters.

The demand was made on Tuesday under his authority as the chairperson of the National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and in accordance with recommendations made by the European Commission (EC).

As of August 31, just 24,851 out of 30,851 fishing vessels measuring 15 meters or more in length were running journey monitoring systems, accounting for 80.61 percent of Vietnams fishing fleet, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported.

Still, it is not uncommon for crews to shed their journey monitoring systems to shroud illicit fishing in foreign waters.

Between January 1 and August 31, there were 57 recorded incidents involving a combined 92 Vietnamese fishing boats being taken into custody by foreign law enforcement for intrusion into foreign waters.

Comparatively, 2019 saw a total of 110 incidents with 181 boats taken into custody.

On October 23, 2017, the EC issued a 'yellow card' warning to Vietnam after the country failed to demonstrate sufficient progress in the fight against IUU fishing.

In the three years since the notice, Vietnam has been working to improve its rating in the four categories denoted as needing improvement by the EC, according to Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The European Commission commends the efforts of Vietnam, but it was unable to change its opinion as there have been dozens of incidents over the past six months. The EC will not revoke the yellow card until Vietnamese fishermen abide by regulations, Cuong said.

According to a representative of the Ministry of Public Security, police have exposed a crime syndicate of eight brokers who mediated the illegal fishing activities of Vietnamese boats in foreign waters.

Law enforcement efforts, nevertheless, remain limited due to the common practice of fishing boats turning off or abandoning their monitoring systems, making their journey untraceable.

To counteract such actions, the only viable option is to uniformly install monitoring and positioning systems on boats and ensure that these devices function reliably, a representative from the Ministry of National Defense said.

Stern punitive mechanisms

During Tuesdays meeting, the deputy prime minister did not shy away from noting the shortcomings of the committees work, including the uncompleted roll-out of an itinerary monitoring system and the inadequate control over which fishing vessels are making their way into Vietnamese harbors.

Given the situation, Deputy PM Dung ordered relevant ministries and agencies, as well as provincial and city authorities, to prioritize resolutions on deterring fishing boats without appropriate licenses and monitoring systems from operating.

He also noted that allegations of a middleman brokering IUU fishing by Vietnamese boats in foreign waters need to be addressed immediately.

In regard to a long-term solution, Dung called for a double-pronged initiative  curbing the countrys dependence on its fishing industry and the expansion of aquaculture.

Illegal fishing will not be addressed thoroughly without restructuring the fishery sector and improving residents' living standards, Dung remarked.

Thanks to our long coastline, aquaculture [in Vietnam] has the potential [to develop further]. It should be considered a spearhead for the economic sector.

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At the meeting between Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue (right) and UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Michael Croft (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue spoke highly of UNESCO activities in Vietnam in recent times during a meeting with UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Michael Croft on September 9.



Vietnams capital was honoured to be recognised by UNESCO as a City for Peace and included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, he said, describing this as momentum for Hanoi to develop more sustainably and rapidly in the time ahead.



Croft congratulated Vietnam and Hanoi in particular on their achievements in the fight against COVID-19.



During its development, Hanoi has paid due attention to upholding the values of cultural heritage, he said, adding that by including Hanoi in the Creative Cities Network, UNESCO Vietnam hopes to promote such values.



Hanoi is expected to change from a creative city to a creative entrepot and then the creative capital of Southeast Asia and Asia, on the basis of heritage, culture, and peace, becoming a dynamic and creative city worth living in in the 21st century.



To that end, UNESCO is working on a project with the main pillars of education, urbanisation, culture, and soft power that has attracted the attention of many partners worldwide, including those in Vietnam, according to Croft.



He stressed that, under the project, UNESCO will help Hanoi link with other countries in the world as well as those who are interested in the citys development.



In this regard, Hue said Hanoi aims to become a green, smart, and modern city by 2030, and a city worth living in by 2045, with importance attached to traditional values and its image as a heroic city and City for Peace.



The capital is building a project that gathers ideas and initiatives from experts, scientists, and lovers of Hanoi, to make a creative city worth living in, Hue said.
An injured crocodile that had wandered from its natural habitat and was roaming in a residential area at Tarsali in Gujarats Vadodara district was rescued by the Wildlife Rescue Trust and the forest department late on Tuesday night.

According to Arvind Pawar, a member of the Wildlife Rescue trust, the crocodile was found in the residential Tarsali area of the district with an injury on its tail.

ANI also took to Twitter to share some images of the rescued reptile.

Gujarat: A crocodile was rescued from a residential area in Tarsali of Vadodara last night. The reptile was handed over to the Forest Department. pic.twitter.com/JhJ2o4Ixcm  ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2020

We were informed about this incident late last night by locals and reached the site with an official from the forest department. The reptile was roaming on the streets. We managed to get a hold of it after much struggle, Pawar told ANI.

He further informed that the same crocodile had been found in the Tarsali area around six months ago.

The creature has been handed over to the forest department which will conduct a medical checkup and later release it in its natural habitat, Pawar added.
Women have to work for longer to save for a deposit on their first home. Photo: Joe Giddens/PA Archive/PA Images

Buying your first home can be a daunting long-term goal, but due to the gender pay gap it takes even longer for women.

Full-time working women in the UK take almost eight months longer to save for the deposit on their first home than their male counterparts, according to analysis by OnlineMortgageAdvisor.

The average price of a home in the UK is 253,673 ($330,206), and the average first-time buyers pays an 18%, or 42,421.14, deposit.

Meanwhile, full-time working women aged 30 to 39 earn an average of 16.13 per hour while men earn around 17.85  10.68% more.

READ MORE: Women 'work for free' for two months a year due to gender pay gap

This means women have to work for six years, nine months and 18 days to set aside the 18% deposit, while men only have to work for six years, one month and 22 days  a difference of seven months and 27 days.

Per industry, carpentry has the biggest gender pay gap, with women only earning 6.96 per hour, while men earn 13.10  88% more.

Because of this, female carpenters and joiners have to work seven years, four months and 19 days longer to save for their first home.

Female financial institution managers and directors come in second, making a third less than their male counterparts, at 19.63 versus 29.23 an hour.

READ MORE: Gender pay gap keeps UK in bottom half of women in work ranking

This difference in pay means that women working in this industry have to save for one year, 10 months and a day longer than men in the same job.

Meanwhile, women who work in the assembling of vehicle and metal goods earn 30% less in the male-dominated industry  about 10.18 an hour, compared to 14.63 for men.

This means women have to work three years, three months and 10 days longer in the same role to afford the 18% deposit on their first home.
New Delhi: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has expressed concern over the rising trend of putting pressure on the judiciary through social media. The Union Law Minister also flayed the attempts to accuse judges if decisions do not come in favour of petitioners.

Ravi Shankar Prasad said that personal attacks on judges by social media are not right while expressing concern over this trend.

The Law Minister also criticised the wrong trend of creating an atmosphere through social media in the name of public interest litigation (PIL) and question the judiciary if the decision does not come in the favour of petitioner.

Live TV

The Union Minister took potshots at the Opposition, especially the Congress, for demanding the impeachment of the Chief Justice of India because a particular verdict did not come in their favour. He termed it the most unfortunate incident in the last few years in the field of judiciary.

Citing the example of emergency when all the pillars of democracy were demolished, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that senior leaders of the Modi government have experienced the oppression during that era.

Prasad expressed pain that he was really sad to witness the rising trend of attacking the judiciary.
(Photo : Win McNamee/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Elon Musk, founder and chief engineer of SpaceX speaks at the 2020 Satellite Conference and Exhibition March 9, 2020 in Washington, DC. Musk answered a range of questions relating to SpaceX projects during his appearance at the conference. (Photo : Maja Hitij/Getty Images) GRUENHEIDE, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 03: Tesla head Elon Musk arrives to have a look at the construction site of the new Tesla Gigafactory near Berlin on September 03, 2020 near Gruenheide, Germany. Musk is currently in Germany where he met with vaccine maker CureVac on Tuesday, with which Tesla has a cooperation to build devices for producing RNA vaccines, as well as German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier yesterday. (Photo : Twitter) Tesla CEO Elon Musk Called Ex-Labor Secretary Robert Reich a "Modern-Day Moron" After Calling Him a Modern-Day Robber Baron

Tesla CEO Elon Musk called former Labor Secretary Robert Reich a "modern-day moron" after the latter accused him of being a "modern-day robber baron."

According to a report by Fox Business, the Twitter feud started on Tuesday, September 8, when Reich tweeted that Tesla forced all workers to get a 10% pay cut from mid-April until July while its stocks surged amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He then called Musk "a modern-day robber baron" as his net worth skyrocketed from $25 billion to more than $100 billion following the surge in the company's stock price.

While it is true that Musk's net worth soared, he is not the only one affected by the electric carmaker's stock price increase.

Musk replied to Reich's tweet educating him that all Tesla employees get stocks as part of the compensation package. "All Tesla workers also get stock, so their compensation increased proportionately. You are a modern-day moron," he said.

Netizens soon replied to the former labor secretary, most of them defending Musk. One Twitter user who claimed to live and work in a Tesla factory like his friends and relatives said they are all grateful to Tesla. "For the first time in their lives, they are able to build equity and purchase a house because of the stock options that they receive," he added.

I live and work in new Tesla factory. I have relatives and friends working there. For the first time in their lives, they are able to build equity and purchase a house because of the stock options that they receive. They are all grateful to Tesla.  gee iam (@fishsaucy) September 9, 2020

Another user backed Musk saying that the CEO was not only doing this for money as he is also promoting clean energy. "And Tesla's stock price suggests it is working. Please don't sow outrage over this - it's counterproductive for humanity," he said.

The user who comes with the Twitter name @MR Money Mustache also explained that all Tesla employees, including line workers, receive stock options, which means they also immensely benefited from the surge in share prices. "And unlike their CEO, they actually DO need and benefit from the money. So it's a win/win," he added

All Tesla employees - including line workers - get stock options, so they have benefited immensely from the appreciating share price as well. And unlike their CEO, they actually DO need and benefit from the money. So it's a win/win.  Mr. Money Mustache (@mrmoneymustache) September 8, 2020

Meanwhile, Pete Clay replied to Mr. Reich pointing out the deaths from lung damage caused by fossil fuel. He also said that the former secretary forgot to mention the Tesla management also suffered from 20% to 30%. "Elon does not actually sell this stock, which is now down significantly from high where company raised $5B! All got options," Mr. Clay said.

Robert, why do you not mention how many fossil fuel & auto company jobs have been lost over past couple of years due to these fossil companies continuing to poison us while their mgmt sold stock. Tesla has a mission to transition our world to sustainable energy & transport!  Pete Clay (@Pete_Clay) September 8, 2020

"C'mon, you are smarter than this. Tesla is basically a break-even company," @Speculawyer tweeted. He noted that there is cash to pay people more just because the stock prices increased.

C'mon, you are smarter than this. Tesla is basically a break even company. Just because the stock market bids up the price of the stock, that doesn't mean there is cash to pay people more.  Speculawyer -American (@speculawyer) September 8, 2020

Read also: Tesla China offers wrapping services; Elon Musk Tweeted Giga Berlin Will House "World's Most Advanced Paint Shop"

What happened before?

On March 17, Tesla was ordered to close its Freemont, California plant starting March 23. Its New York factory operations were also suspended, except for "those parts and supplies necessary for service, infrastructure, and critical supply chains." The decision was to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The California facilities remained closed until May 13 when Tesla challenged the Alameda County orders. A county spokesperson said on May 12 that health authorities received Tesla's safety plan. The following day, the Fremont Police Department inspected the Fremont factory and gave it a green light to operate.

To reduce the impact of the lost business, Tesla reduced employee's salaries by 10% to 30% between April 7 and June 29. However, Tesla shares had soared by 96% during this period.

Shares continued to soar and ended August with a stock price of $500 each. On August 31, Tesla also offered a 5-for-1 stock split. At one point, the shares even reached a record high of $1,135.

The stock peaked at a 496% gain this year while Tesla got a $464 billion market capitalization, making it the sixth-largest publicly-traded company in the U.S.

Tesla stocks: What happened recently?

Tech Times reported that Tesla suffered an $82 billion loss in value within hours as Tesla stocks dropped by around 21%. This was after the company was not included in the Standard & Poor 500 list of companies with the highest market value in the U.S.

Heavy selling over the next five sessions pushed shares by as much as 33% as investors digested news the company was planning to sell up to $5 billion of new shares and that the electric-car maker was bypassed for inclusion in the S&P 500.

The market's drastic movement had a huge blow on Musk's net worth, which dropped by $16.3 billion in a day. Forbes listed him on 8th place with a net worth of $71.4 billion, which was four notches down after ranking 4th richest on Aug. 18.

However, Tesla shares remained up by 295% this year, even after dropping 21% on Sept. 8. Its market cap is still over $307 billion.

Read also: Tesla Stocks Suffer Worst Day at the Market After Elon Musk's Net Worth Had Historic $16.3 Billion Plunge

This is owned by Tech Times

Written by CJ Robles

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Fire seen in Salem City, Oregon, on Tuesday in a picture obtained from social media. ZAK STONE/via REUTERS

The Oregon towns of Detroit, Blue River, Vida, Phoenix, and Talent have been "substantially destroyed" by wildfire, Gov. Kate Brown said at a news conference on Wednesday.

"Over the last 24 hours, Oregon has experienced unprecedented fire with significant damage," Brown said, as reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting.

The governor is requesting federal assistance to fight some 35 fires that are raging across the state, scorching over 300,000 acres.

The local television station KOIN reported that two people were confirmed dead.

"This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history," Brown said.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Five towns across Oregon have been "substantially destroyed" by wildfires, Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday, requesting federal assistance to fight nearly three dozen fires raging across the state that have killed at least two people and scorched over 300,000 acres.

"This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history," Brown said at a news conference, as reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting.

The Oregon television station KOIN reported Wednesday afternoon that it had confirmed the first fatalities from the wildfires: a 12-year-old boy and his grandmother, who were killed by a fire southwest of Portland.

Brown told reporters that wildfires  there are 35 of them in Oregon alone  had largely destroyed the towns of Detroit, Blue River, Vida, Phoenix, and Talent.

"Hundreds of homes have been lost, and we continue to carry out mass evacuations across the state," Brown said in her prepared remarks, adding that she expected to "see a great deal of loss, both in structures and human lives."

The governor attributed the fires, in the generally cool and moist Pacific Northwest, to "the worst fire conditions in three decades: dry air, dry brush, and hot winds."

Story continues

"Our number one priority right now is saving lives," she said.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Read the original article on Insider
| By Lou Cortina

When Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, became the University of Maryland, Baltimores (UMB) interim president Jan. 6, COVID-19 wasnt yet front and center in peoples minds. Two months later, as the pandemic began to slowly spread across the country, Jarrells interim presidency became not a trial by fire, but a trial by virus.

Today, almost exactly six months after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, Jarrell was selected as the seventh president of UMB by the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents after a four-month search process. The boards chair, Linda R. Gooden, noted Jarrells leadership during the pandemic in USMs announcement.

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

He has already served the University so well in leading its academic and research offices, and his effective stewardship as interim president was seamless during an important and transitional time for USM, Gooden said of Jarrell, who became interim president when Jay A. Perman, MD, left UMB to become the fifth chancellor of USM. Dr. Jarrell has been a critical part of the systems planning and response to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, and we are delighted that he will remain in this key leadership role at UMB.

In accepting the job, Jarrell said, The core of my professional life is centered here at UMB. I have been so proud to guide the University during these months of staggering challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with UMB on the forefront of medical and societal advances. As I wrote recently to the UMB community, our University will not be an island within a city, but an integral part of our community that houses our institution. I am privileged to continue that vision for UMB.

Jarrells appointment completes a process that began May 12, when Perman announced the formation of a search committee chaired by USM Regent William T. Wood, JD. The committee guided the first stage of the search, and Isaacson, Miller  a well-respected executive search firm  provided consulting services. Virtual town halls open to the UMB community were held in July to help narrow the search, then the search committee evaluated the candidates and forwarded its recommendation to Perman and the Board of Regents.

Perman applauded the selection of his former UMB colleague, calling Jarrell the ideal leader for UMB.

When youre fortunate to head a university, you understand that its the people around you who advance the institution toward excellence, Perman said. Dr. Jarrell was certainly one of those people for me when I was president of UMB. No one was wiser in their counsel or more inspired in finding ways to better deliver on UMBs critical missions. Whats more, Bruce will be the kind of leader who brings out the best in the people who now surround him. His deep capability and dynamic vision are exactly what an institution as important as UMB needs and deserves.

Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, FCP, dean of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and a member of the search committee, agreed with Perman, saying she was truly excited about Jarrells appointment.

I have had the opportunity to work with him for more than 12 years, she said. His deep understanding of the University and its schools is vitally important as we face multiple challenges. Over the last few months, Dr. Jarrell has demonstrated strong leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to the well-being of all of our faculty, staff, and students. These attributes will continue to be essential as we seek to further enhance UMB amidst our recovery from the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Challenge

When he took the interim job, Jarrell pledged to focus on the programs and ideals that Perman had prioritized during his nearly 10-year term as UMB president, such as diversity and inclusion, community engagement, interprofessional education, and global health. But when the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in March, the health and safety of the University community became paramount.

Taking swift action, Jarrell and his leadership team collaborated with the University of Maryland Medical System to create a two-step process to address the pandemic. The first step featured less-restrictive guidance and included limits on meetings and large gatherings, the encouragement of physical distancing and remote learning, the preparation for telework, and the tightening of travel guidance.

These measures are not taken lightly, Jarrell said at the time. We know that they will be burdensome to many, but they are consistent with our values  placing health and safety above all  and they represent our best judgment as we adapt to this rapidly changing situation.

UMB produced a COVID-19 website to provide the University community with more information and detailed guidance on the virus, then quickly transitioned to Step 2, canceling events and in-person instruction, suspending all work-related travel, and shifting to telework where applicable. Under Jarrells leadership, UMB also formed a Recovery Task Force to help restore the Universitys maximum capacity to teach, research, care, serve, and operate with the aim of repositioning UMB for a better future post-COVID-19.

In other moves to safeguard the health of the UMB community, policies requiring physical distancing and face coverings were initiated, and the Symptom Assessment for Employees (and Students) on Campus (SAFE on Campus) system was implemented in August. The system requires daily self-screening of symptoms and other risk factors for those coming onto UMBs campus or affiliated locations.

In addition, virtual town halls on research, telework, and student concerns were held to provide information and keep the UMB community engaged during the initial quarantine. A weekly online show, Virtual Face to Face with Dr. Bruce Jarrell, was launched to do the same. The show tackled such COVID-19-related topics as the shift to online teaching, the global effort to produce a vaccine, clinician burnout, voting and elections, violence against women, and diversity and inclusion. Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis, a member of the UMB Foundation Board of Trustees, was Jarrells guest just 10 days after the killing of George Floyd sparked protests and difficult conversations around the nation on systemic racism and police brutality.

Building on that conversation, Jarrell affirmed UMBs commitment to diversity in July by announcing a national search for a chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer (CDEIO) who will be part of the presidents leadership team and build upon the Universitys efforts in that area that include the Diversity Advisory Council and the recently created Intercultural Leadership and Engagement Center.

Diversity is one of our core values; we are committed to a culture that is enriched by diversity and inclusion, in the broadest sense, in its thoughts, actions, and leadership, Jarrell said in announcing the search. The CDEIO will be an advisor, leader, and catalyst for institutional change focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion at the institutional level.

Climbing the Ladder

The appointment as UMB president is the latest in a line of upward moves by Jarrell at the University. Before becoming interim president, he had been executive vice president and provost since Dec. 1, 2017, a role that expanded his already wide-ranging duties at UMB.

After joining the Presidents Office as chief academic and research officer and senior vice president in April 2012, Jarrell served as the focal point for all academic matters at UMB and was responsible for facilitating its research mission. In this role, he worked closely with UMB administrators and the deans and research leaders of the Universitys six professional schools and interdisciplinary Graduate School.

As executive vice president and provost, Jarrell had the authority to act on behalf of the president in a variety of matters and settings. Along with the deans and vice presidents, he worked to further UMBs core values among faculty, staff, and students in the leadership, management, and promotion of the institutions education, research, clinical, and community engagement agendas.

Jarrell, who also served as dean of UMBs Graduate School at this time, oversaw many of the Universitys most critical institutional relationships, such as the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State, UMBs innovative and structured collaboration with UMCP, while working to build and maintain academic interactions with all USM institutions.

Jarrell was born and raised in Caroline County on Marylands Eastern Shore. He received his bachelors degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware and his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He completed a general surgical residency and renal transplantation fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia and held faculty positions at Jefferson, where he performed kidney and liver transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery for 10 years, and the University of Arizona, where he was a professor and chair of its Department of Surgery.

Jarrell arrived at UMB in 1997 as chair of the University of Maryland School of Medicines (UMSOM) Department of Surgery. He expanded UMSOMs surgical programs and developed innovative research studies and clinical trials, leading to its ranking as 11th nationally in total research funding from the National Institutes of Health. In 2003, he moved to the UMSOM Deans Office as executive vice dean, directing the schools education and research enterprises. He also was the institutional official for human and animal research protection, and he has remained involved in research and medical student education throughout his career.

Jarrell is an accomplished metalsmith and a member of the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland. Among his creations are a mace holder he made for UMSOM in 2006, a mace holder he crafted for Permans inauguration as UMB president in 2010, and the Davidge Elm tree window art that he and Ukrainian blacksmith Anatoliy Rudik created in 2012 that was installed in the SMC Campus Center. Jarrell has written a number of books, including 2015 editions of the popular textbook NMS Surgery and the NMS Surgery Casebook.
News of the looming budget crisis came a day after the release of a withering 50-page audit by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission that highlighted major problems in Metros Rail Operations Control Center. The audit said the toxic environment in what is essentially the nerve center of the system included racial and sexual harassment, a lack of safety guidelines, managers who willfully ignored safety guidelines and directives and who were unwilling to change  all of which put passengers at risk. On Wednesday, Wiedefeld, in an email to employees, announced that the senior vice president for rail services had been reassigned while an outside law firm investigates allegations made in the audit.
US President Donald Trumps downplaying the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States is a historic national tragedy, said the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, here on Wednesday (local time).

The Presidents own words spell out the devastating truth: Trump was fully aware of the catastrophic nature of the coronavirus but hid the facts and refused to take the threat seriously, leaving our entire country exposed and unprepared, Pelosi said in a statement.

So much of this pain could have been avoided, but President Trump refused to tell the truth or to act to protect the American people. The horrifying toll of Trumps deadly disinformation and negligence in the lives of grieving families and to our economy is a historic national tragedy, she added.

Also read| Trump knew exactly how serious Covid-19 is, but downplayed it: Book

Pelosi further went on the attack and said that Trump still refuses to listen to scientists as cases and deaths continue to mount in the United States.

Even now, the President still refuses to listen to science and take the action necessary to crush the virus and protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people, said the speaker.

Pelosi further called for a science-based strategic plan to defeat Covid-19. She said further, We must have a science-based strategic plan to defeat the coronavirus, as advanced in the Heroes Act that Senate Republicans continue to block.

In journalist Bob Woodwards book, Trump revealed that he played it down with regard to the severity of Covid-19 to the American people as he didnt want to create panic.

Click here for complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

Trump further told Woodward that the virus was not his fault and that China was responsible for it. The virus has nothing to do with me. Its not my fault. Its -- China let the damn virus out, as per CNN quoting Trump in his interaction with the journalist.

The US has a total of 6,350,475 Covid-19 cases and 190,447 deaths due to the coronavirus, as per the latest update by Johns Hopkins University.
Mutual aid goes on all year

While Santa Barbara County departments have had a lot of resources out of the area recently with so many big wildfires raging around the state, providing mutual aid is something that goes on all the time.

For example, at the end of May, County Fire Department sent a crew to the Scorpion fire near Santa Cruz, followed in June by crews and strike teams sent to the Forks and Springs fires in Tulare County and Gage fire in San Luis Obispo County.

In July it was the Branch fire in California Valley, the Gold fire in Lassen County, the Mineral fire near Coalinga and the July Complex in Modoc National Forest.

In August, strike teams, crews and bulldozers were sent to the Apple fire near Riverside, the Red Salmon Complex on the Klamath, Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity national forests, the River fire near Salinas, the Moc fire in Tuolumne County and the Lake fire in Los Angeles County.
A World War II veteran has an unusual last wish. The man has been so attached to Wrigleys Juicy Fruit pack of gum that he wants to have his casket painted to look like the pack of the chewing gum.

CNN reported citing Mars that during the second World War, Wrigley stopped supplying its Spearmint, Doublemint and Juicy Fruit to the civilian market and kept the entire output of these products for the US Armed Forces.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/09/us/wwii-veteran-juicy-fruit-casket/index.html?utm_content=2020-09-10T03%3A29%3A58&utm_source=twCNN&utm_medium=social&utm_term=link

The veteran named Suttie Economy became fond of Juicy Fruit at that time. Ever since he returned home after the war, he has been giving the gum to whoever he meets, the news website reported quoting John Economy, his brother.

It served as a symbol for his mission to talk to people about the World War II memorial and to honor the deceased veterans that died for our freedom, his brother said.

The 94-year-old man expressed his wish before his friend Sammy Oakey, President of Oakeys Funeral Service. Oakey, family friend of the veteran for at least 45 years, told him that he would do what he could to honour his wish.

Speaking about Economy, Oakey told CNN that he is a unique and patriotic individual and he has a habit of handing out Juicy Fruit gum to people.

About three weeks ago, the veteran was admitted to the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Virginia because of a heart condition. He was shifted to the Virginia Veterans Care Clinic a week later. He has been there since and his health is improving.

Suttie would come in here for visitation or just come in to visit and he would always bring a bunch of packs of Juicy Fruit chewing gum and put it out for the employees to enjoy," said Oakey.

Mars Wrigley company initially declined Oakeys request to use Wrigleys Juicy Fruit logo and trademark on the casket. However, later, due to the social media campaign, Economys wish to use the branding gained support.

During their attempt to get the permission from the company, Oakey got the contact to the companys president from a community member.

Few days later, the vice president of the company reached out to him, granting permission to use the logo.

The companys president also contacted him, saying he would also send some products to the Economy family.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 17:34 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c441585e 4 National COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,covid-19-east-java,Gresik,East-Java,punishment,health-protocol,violation Free

Eight people in Gresik regency, East Java, were ordered by local authorities to dig graves for those who have died of COVID-19 as punishment for not wearing face masks in public.

Cerme district head, Suyono, said that he punished residents who did not wear face masks by making them dig graves at a public cemetery in Ngabetan village.

There are only three available gravediggers at the moment, so I thought I might as well put these people to work with them, said Suyono as quoted by tribunnews.com on Wednesday, adding that local authorities made sure the health protocol violators did not participate in the burials.

To assist the gravediggers, Suyono assigned two people to each grave. One is tasked with digging the grave, while the other lays wooden boards inside the hole to support the corpse.

Hopefully this can create a deterrent effect against violations, Suyono said.

Read also: COVID-19 protocol violators in Probolinggo made to sit in hearse with casket

He also said the number of COVID-19 cases was continuing to increase in Cerme, prompting the village administration to strengthen protocols in the village.

Based on the Regent Law No. 22/2020, residents who violate the protocols are subject to fines or community service as punishment.

Separately, Cerme Police chief Adj. Pol. Comm. Moh. Nur Amin said the police would cooperate with the military to enforce the protocols, such as by dispersing public gatherings.

We urge the public to wear face masks in accordance with the COVID-19 health protocols, he said. (dpk)
Thousands of people in California, Oregon and Washington have already had to abandon their homes as wildfires rage through the western part of the U.S.  sometimes with just a moments notice, according to the Red Cross.

More than 152,000 acres have already been consumed near Fresno, California. More than 348,000 burned in Oregon and as many as 330,000 in Washington, the Red Cross said.

Three people died this week during one wind-whipped blaze in northern California. The Associated Press reported hundreds or possibly thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the fires.

Organizations like the Red Cross and others are helping evacuated residents find shelter. Here are some ways you can help their efforts.

The Red Cross

Donations of $10 are being accepted through the Red Cross website. You can also call 800-RED-CROSS, or text REDCROSS to 90999.

Those who would like to specifically support wildfire relief should write Wildfires 2020 in the memo line of a check and mail it to their closest Red Cross chapter. The central Pennsylvania chapter is located at 1804 N. 6th Street in Harrisburg.

The Red Cross also accepts volunteer applications.

Meals of Gratitude

Meals of Gratitude is providing meals for firefighters, evacuees and volunteers along the frontline. Donations can be made through the organizations website. Hobees California Restaurant launched a similar campaign through GoFundMe.

GoFundMe

GoFundMe has launched a California Wildfire Relief Fund so grants can be issued to individuals, organizations and communities that have been impacted by the fires or are dedicated to helping with the aftermath.

So far, these funds have helped families find temporary housing, pay for groceries, medical bills or property damages, according to the fundraising page. It has raised nearly $53,000 toward its $60,000 goal as of Thursday morning.

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Armys Emergency Disaster Services teams provide mobile kitchens for food, hydration and emotional support. The emergency teams have served 17,000 since mid-August as part of the wildfire relief efforts, according to its website.

Supplies or monetary donations can be made online.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy is asking for donations through its website to help rebuild damaged homes or businesses, or support local agencies which work with vulnerable populations  including sick, elderly or undocumented individuals.

United Way

Several United Way branches are teaming up to distribute funds throughout a number of California counties, including: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Solano, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, Del Norte, Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry.

These funds will help with immediate and long-term recovery efforts, including for food/rent assistance, case management services and mental health counseling. Donations can be made online.

Off the Grid

Off the Grid is providing for first responders and those who have been affected by the wildfires in the Bay Area. To donate or partner with Off the Grid, visit their website.
Lindsay Hoyle has reprimanded the government for a total disregard of parliament over the failure to announce new nationwide coronavirus restrictions in the House of Commons.

In a furious statement, the speaker urged Matt Hancock to apologise after changes to guidance on social gatherings in England was first briefed to the media on Tuesday evening  despite the health secretary earlier appearing in the chamber.

The new rule, which will come into effect next week, restricts the number of people who can legally gather in one house from 30 to six people both indoors and outdoors. The police will be given the powers to impose fines for those who flout the curbs on social freedoms.

After prime ministers questions, Mr Hoyle said he accepted decisions have been taken in a fast moving environment as minister seek to combat a rise in Covid-19 infections, but lashed out at the failure to announce significant changes to guidance in the chamber.

He said: Its really not good enough for the government to make decisions of this kind in the way in which show insufficient regard for the importance of major policy announcements being made first to this House and members of this House wherever possible.

Can I say to him Ive already sent a letter to the secretary of state. I think the total disregard for this chamber is not acceptable.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth also criticised a government briefing to ITVs Robert Peston, who posted on social media that new restrictions were forthcoming before any official announcement.

There was no reason why the secretary of state could not have told the House yesterday this was the governments plan.

Addressing the speaker, he went on: Has he given you notice that hes coming the the House to update MPs on this change in policy or should we assume that ministers dont know what they are doing from one day to the next?

Visibly frustrated, speaker Hoyle replied: "I expect the secretary of state [Mr Hancock] to apologise to members and make sure that this chamber knows first of when he was fully aware of what was going to be said later.

"And let me say, if this minister wants to run this chamber ragged I can assure you now I'm sure a UQ [urgent question] every day might just begin to run him ragged."
The EU's position on the Nord Stream 2 project has long been consistent: the Bloc opposes it. The European Parliament has reiterated their stance in a number of resolutions. No decisions have been passed approving this project. At the same time, by saying that it's the EU, not Germany, who will ultimately decide on the NS2 completion in the context of Navalny poisoning, Angela Merkel is betting on a suggestion that a critical mass of politicians will be created in the European Commission who will support the project.

But Merkel never plays a game without Plan B. After all, she probably harbors no hope for a consensus among EU member states in support of the German proposal to complete the NS2 construction. One way or another, Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States will be opposing the move. There never was any consensus, and there will never be one.

Germany and the EU threaten Moscow with sanctions, but they are all bound to boil down to some ridiculous measures

So Merkel can only hope that her protege at the top of European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will succeed in reaching a conditional agreement through certain procedural mechanisms. And this option recently did work out well when a statement was prepared, voiced by Europe's top diplomat Josep Borrell, on how unacceptable U.S. extraterritorial sanctions are targeting the European Union. At the same time, the reason for these sanctions  Nord Stream-2  was never mentioned.

Therefore, Merkel's bet on this kind of approach is justified.

But if that doesn't work (and it won't, in my opinion), Merkel will be able to say with clear conscience that they (Germany and the European Union) have made every effort, but the European community thinks differently. Therefore, Nord Stream 2 is being suspended until better times

It's not being put to a halt, simply suspended for a while! This, to my mind, is that very Plan B for "Frau Ribbentrop."

As a rule, the European Union tried to follow the so-called pragmatic approach, dividing politics from business. But this time  in the light of Navalny poisoning, we observe an attempt to shift away from this approach. Although, in fact, this is the result not so much of the Navalny incident but rather the accumulated effect. Because similar incidents involving Russia have already taken place multiple times, starting with Litvinenko's poisoning and ending with last year's hit job in Berlin where a Georgian national of Chechen origin, Zalimkhan Khangoshvili was murdered, in the heart of the city, close to the Chancellory's office.

Navalny's poisoning was the last straw. After all, there have always been enough people in Berlin who have reproached both the Chancellor and the federal government, pointing to the fact that their pragmatic approach to relations with Russia just doesn't work  Russia always does what it wants. Germany and the EU threaten Moscow with sanctions, but they are all bound to boil down to some ridiculous measures. For example, the entry ban As a rule, those who are subject to these restrictions don't travel to Europe anyway, and, if they really need to, they enter as average citizens. In other words, there have always been those in Germany who insisted on tougher action against Russia.

The situation with Navalny was not meant to happen at all, because those who planned his poisoning were 100% convinced that everything would happen in Russia and everything would remain in Russia. The Russians would later conclude that the death was caused by a drug overdose, and that's it. People might make some noise about it but will eventually forget it  that was the plan. Probably none of the masterminds behind the plot could have imagined that Navalny would make it out of Russia alive, and that everything would be revealed.

In fact, this is about Russia being engaged in mass murder

However, the incident with Navalny showed that all previous actions of the West against Russia in similar cases were ineffective  Russia keeps doing what it's doing. Moreover, they stubbornly deny all charges. And this time they are acting even more aggressively, claiming that the novichok has been developed by NATO, that is, Moscow is going for counterattack.

The latest incident has surpassed all previous ones, and therefore the EU tried to deviate from the so-called pragmatic approach. Germany has finally grasped it. However, nothing is over yet, and the situation is very precarious.

Now the construction of Nord Stream-2 will definitely not resume, primarily because it is blocked by U.S. sanctions. The incident with Navalny ricochets Nord Stream 2 rather hard - not by itself, but jointly with the previous incidents. After all, having invaded Ukraine, Russia has already killed almost 15,000 citizens, while tens of thousands died in Syria as a result of barbaric bombing of civilian infrastructure by Russian air force, there was also the MH17 downing, the use of toxic and chemical weapons in Europe In fact, it is about Russia being engaged in mass murder. No one will forget Russia's crimes.

Perhaps Russia would be more pro-active in Belarus as well, but they understand that if they deploy their "little green men," this will put an end not only to Russian-German cooperation in the gas sector, but analso to cooperation with the European Union.

However, for now, Nord Stream 2 lobbyists can still hope that Germany and Russia have simply taken a break, and that construction will resume after some time as a joint cooperation project.

Mykhailo Honchar is a President of the Center for Global Studies Strategy XXI and a Ukrainian energy expert
Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu trekked 24 kilometres for nearly 11 hours to meet residents of a remote village located at a height of 14,500 feet above sea level earlier this week - a feat very few CMs have undertaken.

The 41-year-old was accompanied by just one security officer and some villagers when he trekked through passes, difficult mountain terrain to reach Luguthang which falls in his constituency Mukto in Tawang district. The area is close to the McMohan Line that bifurcate Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

A 24 km trek, 11 hrs of fresh air and mother nature at her best; crossing Karpu La (16000 ft) to reach Luguthang (14500 ft) in Tawang district. A paradise untouched, Khandu tweeted on Thursday.

With just 10 households and a population of 58 (as per the 2011 census), villagers in Luguthang are mainly engaged in yak rearing. Khandu spent two nights at the village, which is not accessible by roads, and trekked back on September 8.

Has a review meeting with Luguthang villagers to ensure that benefits of every flagship programme reaches the last man standing in forward areas, Khandu tweeted on Thursday after his return.

Also read: Can count on us, France tells India as Rafale fighters take to the skies

He also attended the consecration of Jangchub Stupa in memory of his father and former chief minister late Dorjee Khandu along with villagers and monks of the Ganden Namgyal Lhatse monastery in Tawang.

Bodies of Dorjee Khandu and others were found close to Luguthang, five days after his helicopter went missing on April 30, 2011, from Se La Pass at 13,700 ft above sea level.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Makara Mining Corp. (CSE:MAKA)(FSE:MK0)(OTC:MAKAF) ("Makara" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has raised $2,661,812 from the exercise of 9,735,385 share purchase warrants.

As a result of the warrant exercises, the Company is in a solid financial position to be able to fund an aggressive exploration program which is currently underway at its Rude Creek Project. In addition, Makara has met its initial exploration program and cash payment obligations under its Kenora Property option, where soil sampling and IP resistivity testing is underway and payment has been made in full to the vendor. The remaining funds from the warrants exercise will be used for future acquisitions, exploration and marketing.

Makara also announces that it has extended its marketing agreement with Media Relations Publishing and Promethean Marketing Inc. through the payment of an additional EUR150,000 to Media Relations and USD$250,000 to Promethean.

"I would like to thank our long-term shareholders for increasing their shareholdings in the Company through the exercise of warrants. These new funds will allow us to aggressively continue exploring at our Rude Creek flagship project and look for more acquisitions to grow our property portfolio", said Grant Hendrickson, President and CEO.

About the Company

Makara Mining Corp. (CSE: MAKA; FSE: MK0; OTC: MAKAF) is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of gold properties. The Company is based in Vancouver, B.C. and holds options over the Rude Creek Property and Idaho Creek Property located in the Yukon and the Kenora Gold Property located in Northwestern Ontario. Additional information about the Company is available at www.makaramining.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Grant Hendrickson

Director and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: 604-372-3707

Email: grant@makaramining.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, and statements respecting the Company's exploration program at Rude Creek and Kenora, the expected use of proceeds from the warrants exercise are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation 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.

SOURCE: Makara Mining Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605638/Makara-Mining-Raises-2661812-from-the-Exercise-of-Share-Purchase-Warrants
Appeal over investigators actions as to incident with Navalny set for late September

 flickr.com/ quirischa

17:46 10/09/2020

MOSCOW, September 10 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court will hear an appeal filed by lawyer Vyacheslav Gimadi against a lower courts ruling over alleged inaction of investigator as to incident with Alexey Navalny on September 28, the courts press service has told RAPSI.

On September 4, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow found no act of omission of Russias Investigative Committee failing to open a criminal case over an incident involving Alexey Navalny. Lawyers for Navalnys foundation claimed it had been a while since they had notified investigators of the incident.

Lawyer Vyacheslav Gimadi has filed an application over attempted murder of the blogger. The application was forwarded to the Siberian Federal District transport police.

In late August, investigators of the Siberian Federal District transport police started a pre-investigation check over hospitalization of Navalny in Omsk on August 20. As part of the probe, the police searched a hotel room where Navalny stayed and examined objects and sites on his route. Over 100 items which may be evidence were seized; video records were analyzed. More than 20 criminal examinations are conducted including medical forensic, biological and physical and chemical evaluations. By today, no potent or narcotic substances were found, the police statement reads.

On August 20, a plane departed from Tomsk to Moscow with Navalny onboard urgently landed in Omsk after the blogger became heartily sick. He was taken to a hospital in coma. Later, he was transported to Berlin. Russian medics said no poison was found in the bloggers body.




A former Minister of Health and a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sefwi-Wiawso constituency, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie has described former President Mahama's free basic Health care policy as actuarial nonsense.



According to him, such a policy is difficult to implement as it may put pressure on the country's resources.



" . . You may also be forced to take more taxes and burden the minority few who are already burdened with heavy taxes in this country," he said.



The Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, says a new NDC government will implement a Free Primary Health Care Plan to provide health for all Ghanaians.



He stressed, this will remove cost as a barrier to healthcare and ensure health for all.



This means regardless of the validity or otherwise of ones NHIS card, that person can access health care at no cost at the district level.



Mr. Mahama said the free primary healthcare plan, which will be available to all patients in CHPS compounds, polyclinics, health centers, and district hospitals, will ensure that the most common illnesses afflicting Ghanaians are detected and treated early, before complications set in.



But speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' program, the Minister of State at the presidency who was very instrumental in the implementation of the health insurance policy explained that even with the normal health insurance policy government is now perfecting it.



The Health Insurance policy just like every government comes with its attendant problems. Even with this few, Ghanaians are unable to access it due to the fact that they do not have or might have misplaced their ID Cards.



"It is not even easy to maintain this type of health insurance. It is very capital intensive. However, in this country, you have a few people paying taxes.



"So if you want to practice this kind of Health Insurance then you will put a whole lot of pressure on the scanty taxes the government is taking from the few Ghanaians who are paying their taxes.



"So the Mahama policy of free basic health care is just to deceive Ghanaians for votes," he said.







Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[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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The California Supreme Court is allowing a neighborhood group to sue UC Berkeley for allegedly failing to consider and reduce the local impacts of an enrollment increase of more than 8,000 since 2005.

Among those effects, according to the suit by Save Berkeleys Neighborhoods, are increased use of off-campus housing by students, displacing tenants and adding to homelessness; more noise, trash and traffic; and greater burdens on Berkeleys police, fire and ambulance services.

An Alameda County judge rejected the groups demand for an environmental impact report last year, saying enrollment increases are not a project that requires review under state law to study and limit the potential harms. But the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled in June that a rising student population is part of campus growth that requires environmental review when its impacts are significant.

The ruling became final Wednesday when the state Supreme Court denied review of the universitys appeal. Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar voted to hear the case, but three more votes were needed to grant review by the seven-member court. Justice Joshua Groban did not participate, for reasons not publicly disclosed.

The Supreme Court has vindicated our efforts to hold UC Berkeley accountable for the severe impacts on our community from its massive enrollment increases, which they made without public notice or comments, said Phillip Bokovoy, the neighborhood groups president. UC Berkeley, and all other UC campuses, will now be required to study the environmental impacts and implement mitigation for enrollment increases.

The case is not yet fully resolved, however, as a Superior Court judge must still decide whether Save Berkeleys Neighborhoods has enough evidence to support its allegations of potential environmental harm.

UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said the university is actually growing more slowly than Berkeley or the Bay Area and anticipates undergraduate enrollment growth of less than 1% a year for about the next 15 years. He also said a study by the school has found that its efforts to reduce auto traffic, conserve water and take other protective measures had offset any impact of increased enrollment on the local environment.

But the neighborhood group said in its lawsuit that last years enrollment of 43,200 was nearly 10,000 higher than the UC Board of Regents had projected in 2005. Bokovoy said UC Berkeley has failed to provide enough housing for its students, who instead have been displacing long-term city residents, adding to local homelessness.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The city of Berkeley has also sued the university over the impacts of enrollment growth.

The appeals court, in its June 26 ruling, cited the California Environmental Quality Act, signed by Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1970, which requires state and local agencies that approve development projects to report on any harm they may cause to the environment and propose measures to avoid or reduce the harm.

The Legislature has recognized that both enrollment levels and physical development are related features of campus growth that must be mitigated, Justice Gordon Burns said in the 3-0 ruling.

The case is Save Berkeleys Neighborhoods vs. UC Regents, S263673.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
KANSAS CITY DOESN'T OWE YOU ANYTHING!!!

Olivia Williams Is Young, Gifted, Black - And Leaving Kansas City Grandview native Olivia Williams has her sights set on Atlanta after graduation, because she feels it's more welcoming to young Black women like her. She wrote about it in a blog post for the Kauffman Foundation, and detailed three steps Kansas City needs to take to make itself a place she'll want to stay.

College student or not, this 20-year-old young lady iswho deserves a rebuttal for her egotistical and amateurish perspective on Kansas City.Sorry to give a gut reaction but here goes . . .This is a town whereis forced to create their own opportunities, fight for their career and withstand constant challenges.There are some really nice people here who will help but KC and every other place in the world can only tolerate so much whining.Moreover, assigning a racial component to this screed is unfair because most Black people in this town are too busy hustling like everyone else to take time out of their day to pen a "poor me" polemic.We wish this lady good luck but warn that Atlanta is every bit as tough as Kansas City. She'll be missed, but somehow, Kansas City will survive without her.Check local public radio not doing this woman any favors by promoting her pity party:
A salon to explore building a superior business environment and international innovation highland in Beijing's Daxing district was held on Tuesday during the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS).

More than one hundred guests, including local government officials, representatives from foreign and domestic institutions and enterprises as well as experts and scholars, attended the event. Some attendees shared their ideas, meanwhile, several deals were signed.

Zhou Liyun, Party secretary of Daxing district CPC Committee, said at the event that, in the context of China's unswerving expansion of opening up to the outside world, Daxing district will focus on common development, give full play to the advantages of the Beijing Daxing International Airport, and build a global industrial chain and value chain.

"The district should also be brave to pioneer and innovate, actively explore and deepen reforms, cultivate new business forms and new models of service trade," Zhou said, adding that the district will accelerate pushing forward scientific and technological innovation, persist in openness and inclusiveness, broaden cooperation fields, and create a broader space for development and opportunities for enterprises.

In a development plan from the Beijing government, Daxing is poised to be "the new national gateway," as it will host a demonstration zone for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development, a science and technological innovation leading zone, the Chinese capital's new portal for international exchange, and a pioneer zone for deepening reforms in urban and rural development.

The district is also developing and exploiting the encompassing airport-based economic zone and service cluster, biomedical base, new media base, and Beijing Sino-Japanese Cooperation Industrial Park to make examples for best business practices.

Cao Hongying, executive vice president of the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (CAEFI), said that Daxing district will take advantage of the free trade pilot area to continue to increase the intensity of deepening reform and opening up. With a 10-square-kilometer demonstration zone for Sino-Japanese cooperation, and with the help and support of the Beijing Daxing International Airport which has multiple logistics advantages, the district is marching towards becoming an international innovation highland.

During the signing ceremony, Wang Youguo, head of Daxing district, brokered several deals on behalf of the district with Japan's largest comprehensive financial services company ORIX Group, the e-commerce giant JD.com, leading domestic vaccine research company Walvax Biotechnology, leading pharmaceutical company Shijiazhuang Pharmaceutical Group, China Information Industry Association, and other enterprises and institutions.

Also at the event, executives of several companies exchanged ideas and visions for the district, while nine experts were hired by the Daxing government to form an advisory committee to provide future intellectual support to the district's Sino-Japanese cooperation demonstration zone.

The representatives agreed that Daxing district has the ability to function as a world-class gateway hub, as well as features developed and convenient comprehensive transportation networks that will aid policy breakthroughs relating to the free trade zone and the opening-up of Beijing's service industry. In short, it has become a pole of growth for south Beijing. In the future, these companies and institutions will work together to push Daxing to become a pioneer area leading high-quality development in Beijing as well as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and even for all of China.
NBIS - Leader in Specialty Construction Risk Management and Insurance Solutions Partnering with SCOR provides our customers with additional, competitive coverage options in an ever-changing marketplace said Bill Tepe, President of NBIS.

As a leading provider of Risk Management & Insurance Solutions, NBIS is adding coverage from member companies of SCOR to further distinguish our insurance solutions for the Specialized Transportation/Heavy Haul Industry. Target classes of business, Specialized Transportation business is defined as: Open Trailer, Over-size / Over-weight / Over  Dimensional loads, Heavily Permitted, Escorted Loads. Typical Commodities include: Machinery, Industrial Components, Wind Farm Components, Large Oilfield Equipment, and Heavy Equipment.

Partnering with SCOR provides our customers with additional, competitive coverage options in an ever-changing marketplace said Bill Tepe, President of NBIS.

Coverage lines provided for this unique program offered exclusively by NBIS & member companies of SCOR include admitted and non-admitted Commercial Auto coverage, and non-admitted Commercial General Liability, Inland Marine and follow form Commercial Excess Casualty.

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In its blog post, Microsoft says the Russian hackers, which it calls Strontium but are better known as Fancy Bear or APT28, have targeted more than 200 organizations, including political campaigns and consultants, since September 2019. It took time for the firm to tie the activity to Russia because the hackers had gotten savvier, running their operations through more than 1,000 Internet Protocol addresses to hide their tracks.
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Save the Children, an international agency, has said that the coronavirus pandemic has caused the largest education emergency in history, with 9.7 million children globally not returning to school in 2020.

It also said that less than one per cent of the poorer children interviewed had access to the internet for distance learning while households that classified themselves as non-poor have 19 per cent.

In a global survey report which was launched today (Thursday), the agency said children who fall behind in their education run a greater risk of dropping out completely and falling victim to child labour, child marriage and other forms of exploitation.

Currently, there are 258 million children out of school globally according to data from UNESCO. The total includes 59 million children of primary school age, 62 million of lower secondary school age and 138 million of upper secondary age globally.

The new report, which is titled Protect A Generation, pointed out how children from the poorest households across the globe have suffered the greatest loss of family income, missed out most on education and faced the highest risk of violence at home

In a statement on Thursday, the Country Director, Save the Children International Nigeria, Mercy Gichuhi, said that COVID-19 pandemic has widened inequalities along with wealth and gender lines,

The survey found out that poorer households are more likely to suffer income losses than those not classified as poor, she said

Effect on health

Ms Gichuhi said the survey showed the division along wealth line, stressing that  nine in ten households that lost over half of their income due to the pandemic reported difficulties in accessing health services.

She said 45 per cent of respondents from poor households reported having trouble paying for medical supplies during the pandemic.

Children from poorest households across the globe have suffered the greatest loss of family income, missed out most on education and faced the highest risk of violence at home, she said.

According to her, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the education of children from poorer backgrounds and is widening the gap between rich and poor, and boys and girls, Save the Children conducts largest global survey of its kind among some 25,000 children and adults on the impact of the pandemic.

She said it is necessary for the government to think about how to build a resilient education system to withstand future shocks, as it plans to re-open schools after closures.

To prevent shocks from future pandemics, governments need to build social safety nets and strong health and nutrition systems, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalised households, she said.

Statistics

The Save the Children International global survey revealed that two-thirds of the children during the lockdown had no contact with teachers at all, while eight in ten children said they learned little or nothing since schools closed.

The survey also showed 93 per cent of households that lost over half of their income due to the pandemic reported difficulties in accessing health services.

According to the survey, violence at home doubled when schools were closed, when schools were closed, the reported rate was 17 per cent compared to 8 per cent when schools were open and the child was able to attend in person.

 63 per cent of girls are more often tasked to do more chores around the house, compared to 43 per cent of boys. Investment in education, health and nutrition, child protection services, mental health services and safety nets are urgently needed, she said.

Also speaking, the Save the Children International Nigeria Girl Champion, Purity Oriaifo, said children can no longer retain what they learnt in their previous classes

Even when the schools finally re-open, there will not be sufficient time for revision of what we have learnt and missed in the curriculum. Thats a big challenge for us as children, she said.

The Save the Children survey also found that  more than 8 in 10 (83 per cent) of children reported an increase in negative feelings while almost two-thirds of the households (62 per cent) found it difficult to provide their families with varied, nutritious food during the pandemic;

Appeal

The agency appealed to governments at all levels to ensure children who are out of school have access to quality distance learning materials.

The respiratory disease caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) was first detected in Wuhan, China, before going global

Apart from the healths problem caused by the virus, it has also led to school closures, lockdowns and travel restrictions declared by governments to curb the spread.

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In Nigeria, schools have remained shut since March 19, leaving the school management to adopt alternative modes of learning for students at all levels.

However, children from poor homes are unable to have access to online classes due to lack of internet facilities and infrastructures.
Brexit trade talks are on the brink of collapse after the EU threatened Boris Johnson with legal action if he refuses to withdraw plans to tear up parts of the divorce deal as Michael Gove promised the UK will not back down.

Brussels has given the Prime Minister until the end of the month to scrap his controversial proposals to override elements of the Withdrawal Agreement.

The bloc said it will 'not be shy' in launching legal proceedings against Britain if the PM fails to change tack as it said negotiations over a trade deal are 'at risk'.

But Mr Gove said the UK 'could not and would not' retreat on the issue as the chances of the two sides parting ways at the end of the transition period in December without a trade accord increased dramatically.

Asked if he was willing to swear on his job as Minister for the Cabinet Office that the Government will not back down, Mr Gove replied: 'Yes.'

The trading of barbs came after Mr Gove met with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic for showdown talks in London at lunchtime.

But rather than reduce tensions the meeting appeared to have deepened the divide between the two sides.

The bloc said in a statement that if the Government goes ahead with its plans to row back on commitments made in the Withdrawal Agreement it would 'constitute an extremely serious violation' of the treaty and of international law.

It demanded Number 10 scrap its proposals 'in the shortest time possible and in any case by the end of the month' as it said the UK had 'seriously damaged trust' between Britain and Brussels.

The bloc said 'it is now up to the UK government to re-establish that trust' as it warned there will be consequences if Mr Johnson does not perform a U-turn.

Michael Gove today guaranteed the UK will not agree to EU demands for Boris Johnson to drop plans to tear up parts of the Brexit divorce deal

Brussels has given the Prime Minister until the end of the month to scrap his controversial proposals to override elements of the Withdrawal Agreement. Pictured: EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier heads to his hotel after a day of negotiations

The trading of barbs came after Mr Gove met with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic for showdown talks in London at lunchtime. Pictured: Mr Sefcovic leaves EU House in central London

Why is the EU so angry about Boris Johnson's Brexit plans? What is the row about? Ministers are acting unilaterally to 'clarify' how parts of Boris Johnson's Brexit deal will operate in Northern Ireland. This involves legislating to tie up 'loose ends' on issues like state aid, tariffs and the paperwork faced by businesses trading with the rest of the UK. Is the PM tearing up the deal he negotiated last year? Downing Street yesterday said the PM would implement the Withdrawal Agreement and the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol regardless of whether or not a trade deal is struck. It was designed to prevent the need for a hard border in Ireland. But some details were left unresolved. They have been the subject of negotiations by a joint EU-UK committee. But, with the UK's departure now approaching fast, ministers decided to act unilaterally on 'minor' issues to prevent 'legal confusion'. These include state aid, tariffs and the paperwork businesses should face. What does the EU say? The bloc is furious at the suggestion that the UK should be able to act unilaterally on certain issues. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said sticking to the letter of the deal was a 'precondition' for any trade agreement. Dutch PM Mark Rutte said it was 'not very reassuring' and warned a deal looked 'very difficult'. But there was no immediate move to halt trade talks. Why is this happening now? Downing Street says it is the last chance to clarify the situation in law before the end of the year when the Brexit transition period will expire. Some Tories believe the timing of the move is part of a broader tactic designed to put pressure on the EU to cut a deal now or risk the UK acting independently in even more areas. What is the UK proposing on state aid? Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, Northern Ireland will effectively remain in the EU customs union and single market when the rest of the UK leaves. This means that EU state aid rules will continue to apply in Northern Ireland. Ministers feared that the Commission could try to extend its jurisdiction to British firms with links to Northern Ireland. Under the new provisions, Business Secretary Alok Sharma will decide whether or not a subsidy has to be reported to the EU. Will firms in N. Ireland face extra paperwork? They had been braced to have to make export declarations on goods shipped to the rest of the UK. Boris Johnson last year told firms there they should put any forms 'in the bin'. Ministers have now ruled unilaterally that export declarations will not have to be made. Will goods shipped there face EU tariffs? One of the EU's biggest concerns is that Northern Ireland could become a 'back door' for British goods entering the single market. The Withdrawal Agreement sets out plans to create a list of goods travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland which are 'at risk' of entering the single market via Ireland. These would then face EU tariffs. Under the changes, UK ministers will now decide which exports should be placed on the 'at risk' list. Advertisement

The statement said Mr Sefcovic told Mr Gove 'the Withdrawal Agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text  which the European Union will not be shy in using'.

The EU said it 'does not accept' the UK's argument that the PM's proposals are necessary in order to protect the Good Friday Agreement and actually believes Mr Johnson's approach 'does the opposite'.

Michel Barnier and his British counterpart Lord Frost wrapped up the latest round of Brexit trade talks this afternoon, with gloom growing about the prospects of a breakthrough.

Mr Barnier said while the EU had 'shown flexibility' on the UK's red lines, the UK had 'not engaged in a reciprocal way'. He said the two negotiating teams will 'remain in contact' but insisted the EU is 'intensifying its preparedness work to be ready for all scenarios on 1 January 2021'.

Officials from the bloc have been briefing that they believe the UK is deliberately trying to blow up the process, and has already decided there will not be a deal.

The Government yesterday published its UK Internal Market Bill which ministers have admitted will break international law but insist is necessary to protect the Northern Ireland peace process.

The Bill would see the UK unilaterally decide key details relating to the Brexit divorce deal.

Brussels is adamant the details, which include customs arrangements between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland, must be settled by a joint committee comprised of people from both sides.

Mr Gove said the UK Government will not be agreeing to the EU's demand to withdraw the legislation.

'The UK Government is committed to the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and the protocol,' he said.

Vice-president Sefcovic also requested that the UK withdraw its Internal Market legislation.

I explained to vice-president Sefcovic that we could not and would not do that and instead I stressed the vital importance of reaching agreement through the joint committee on these important questions.

Asked if he was willing to swear on his Cabinet role that the Government will not back down, Mr Gove said: 'Yes. I made it perfectly clear to vice president Sefcovic that we would not be withdrawing this legislation and he understood that, of course he regretted it.

But we also stressed the vital importance of making progress.

Ministers today signalled their intention to crash the legislation through the House of Commons over the next two weeks.

Downing Street did not reject the claim that it was seeking to fast track the laws through Parliament.

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman suggested the swift timetable was necessary to 'ensure it is on the statute book by the beginning of 2021'.

The Government published its legal argument for breaking international law shortly before Brussels issued its demands.

The Government argued that while countries are obliged to discharge treaty obligations 'in good faith' the UK is facing 'difficult and highly exceptional circumstances' and 'it is important to remember the fundamental principle of Parliamentary sovereignty'.

'Parliament is sovereign as a matter of domestic law and can pass legislation which is in breach of the UKs Treaty obligations,' the Government said.

'Parliament would not be acting unconstitutionally in enacting such legislation.'

No chlorine chicken in any US deal, junior minister says The Government would not allow chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef to be sold in the UK as part of any future trade deal with the US, a junior minister has said. David TC Davies said it was against the current law for either of these products to be sold in Britain and food hygiene standards would not be watered down post-Brexit in pursuit of any international trade deals. There are fears the Internal Market Bill would prevent devolved administrations from legislating on food safety and could see them having to accept lower standards set by the UK. The junior Wales minister told the Welsh Affairs Committee the Government had no intention of changing the law to allow US-produced chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected beef to be sold in the UK. 'This cannot happen under existing legislation,' he said. 'If we wanted to do that, we don't, but if we did we would have to come forward with legislation and there would be a big debate about it. 'I can guarantee there would be a lot of noise but we don't intend to do that and therefore we could not sign a trade deal with anyone, even if we wanted to, that would allow hormone-injected beef or chlorinated chicken without changing the law. 'We're not going to change the law and I found that privately there seems to be an acceptance of this.' The minister said Environment Secretary George Eustice had made the same points when he addressed the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs on Wednesday. Advertisement

But Labour's shadow attorney general Lord Falconer said the Government had offered 'no justification whatsoever for the UK acting in breach of the Northern Ireland protocol and there is no justification for breaking the terms of that agreement'.

The Liberal Democrats urged ministers to listen to the EU's ultimatum and accused the PM of 'playing fast and loose with the rule of law'.

'No one can really be surprised that the measures the UK Government have brought forward have put the likelihood of a trade deal in jeopardy,' the party's Brexit spokesman Christine Jardine said.

'This proposal undermines trust and the UKs standing on the world stage.

'The Government must now act swiftly to erase anything that violates international law or that could undermine the Good Friday Agreement.

'For the sake of the future of our country the Government must stop playing fast and loose with the rule of law.'

Remain campaigners accused Mr Johnson of 'painting the entire country into a very small corner'.

Best for Britain CEO Naomi Smith said: 'The international reputation of brand Britain is being shredded, our chances of desperately-needed trade deals with the EU and US  which he promised us  are shrinking by the hour, and the country is still trying to fathom how to cope with Covid-19, never mind recover from its impact.'

Mr Johnson is also facing a growing Tory rebellion on the issue amid considerable backbench disquiet over the decision to pursue a strategy which will leave the UK in breach of international law.

Lord Howard today became the third former leader of the Conservative Party to criticise Mr Johnson as the PM was accused of putting the UK's global reputation as a trustworthy nation at risk.

The peer, who served as Tory leader from 2003 to 2005, told a Government minister in the House of Lords: 'Does my noble and learned friend simply not understand the damage done to our reputation for probity and respect for the rule of law by those five words uttered by his ministerial colleague in another place on Tuesday?

Words which I never thought I would hear uttered by a British minister, far less a Conservative minister.

How can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards when we are showing such scant regard for treaty obligations.'

Sir John Major and Theresa May had both already criticised Mr Johnson.

Michel Barnier, pictured in London this morning, today concluded the latest round of Brexit trade talks with British counterpart Lord Frost without a breakthrough

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was 'very concerned' following the tabling in Parliament of the UK Internal Market Bill

Lord Howard joins Theresa May and Sir John Major in criticising Boris Johnson's plans Lord Howard today became the third former leader of the Conservative Party to criticise Boris Johnson over his plans to tear up parts of the Brexit divorce deal. The peer said the UK will no longer be able to criticise Russia, China or Iran for flouting international rules if the Government shows such 'scant regard' for the treaties it signs up to. Theresa May and Sir John Major have already savaged Mr Johnson over his decision to override the accord struck between Britain and Brussels at the end of last year. A furious Lord Howard, who served as Tory leader from 2003 to 2005, told a Government minister in the upper chamber: 'Does my noble and learned friend simply not understand the damage done to our reputation for probity and respect for the rule of law by those five words uttered by his ministerial colleague in another place on Tuesday? Words which I never thought I would hear uttered by a British minister, far less a Conservative minister. How can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards when we are showing such scant regard for treaty obligations.' Advertisement

Sir John yesterday warned: 'For generations, Britain's word  solemnly given  has been accepted by friend and foe. Our signature on any treaty or agreement has been sacrosanct.

'Over the last century, as our military strength has dwindled, our word has retained its power. If we lose our reputation for honouring the promises we make, we will have lost something beyond price that may never be regained.'

Mrs May said on Tuesday: 'The United Kingdom Government signed the Withdrawal Agreement with the Northern Ireland protocol. This Parliament voted that Withdrawal Agreement into UK legislation. The Government is now changing the operation of that agreement.

'Given that, how can the Government reassure future international partners that the UK can be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?'

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis sparked outrage earlier this week by bluntly admitting that the measures proposed by Mr Johnson will breach international law.

And Downing Street claimed yesterday that the Withdrawal Agreement was 'not like any other treaty' because it was sealed 'at pace in the most challenging possible political circumstances'.

Mr Johnson said at PMQs that his first responsibility was to protect the Peace Process.

'My job is to uphold the integrity of the UK but also to protect the Northern Irish peace process and the Good Friday Agreement,' the PM said.

'To do that we need a legal safety net to protect our country against extreme or irrational interpretations of the protocol, which could lead to a border down the Irish Sea in a way that I believe  and I think members around the House believe  would be prejudicial to the interests of the Good Friday Agreement and prejudicial to the interests of peace in our country. That has to be our priority.'

The Internal Market Bill, published yesterday, would unilaterally decide details that Brussels insists must be settled by the joint committee, including customs arrangements between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland

However, the PM's approach has spooked some US politicians who have warned there will be no chance of a trans-Atlantic trade deal if the UK does anything to undermine the Northern Ireland peace process.

Nancy Pelosi, the US Speaker of the House, underlined the high stakes as she delivered a stark warning.

She said last night that there was 'absolutely no chance' of Congress passing an American trade deal with the UK if the Good Friday Agreement was 'imperilled'.

In a statement Ms Pelosi said: 'The Good Friday Agreement is the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and an inspiration for the whole world.

'Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the stability brought by the invisible and frictionless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

'The UK must respect the Northern Ireland Protocol as signed with the EU to ensure the free flow of goods across the border.

'If the UK violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a US-UK trade agreement passing the Congress.

'The Good Friday Agreement is treasured by the American people and will be proudly defended in the United States Congress.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:09:49|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- An Indian business leader has called for major stimulus to boost demand as the country's economy had witnessed a sharp contraction in the April-June quarter of this year.

"The contraction seen in India's gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter (April-June 2020) of the current fiscal is a matter of great concern, and it clearly underlines the need for a major stimulus to energize and strengthen demand in the economy," said Sangita Reddy, the president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in a statement on Wednesday.

On Aug. 31, the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) of the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation showed that the GDP contracted by 23.9 percent in the April-June quarter compared to 3.1 percent growth in the previous (January-March) quarter.

On Tuesday, global credit rating agency Fitch had also revised India's GDP forecast for the financial year 2020-2021 to -10.5 percent from its earlier estimate of -5 percent.

Reddy said that as the Indian economy is progressively opening up in phases, businesses are seeing an improvement in some of their operational parameters.

"However, the setback that has been caused to members of corporate India on account of COVID-19 will require a much longer period before one sees an improvement in performance on a sustained basis," she added.

The FICCI president further said that till that time the central government and regulatory institutions must continue lending strength to businesses through all possible additional measures as well as improvising the already announced set of measures based on feedback from all stakeholders.

According to the FICCI president, these are the findings of the latest round of a survey conducted among industry members in August.

The survey was conducted by FICCI to capture the feedback of industry members on how things are playing out on the ground given the successive announcements made by the central government for opening up of the economy as well as for stimulating growth.

The survey found that in June only 25 percent of the companies had reported that unlocking of the economy had a positive impact on their order books, while in August, 44 percent of the companies reported that their order books have improved after opening up of the economy.

Citing the survey findings, Reddy said reviving the economy required a sustained effort, especially when in the first quarter India's GDP had suffered a major blow.

"In the absence of a major fiscal push on the demand side, we could end up being stuck in a quagmire of low demand and low-income cycle. If we have to return to the positive growth trajectory, the time for bold and decisive action is now," said the FICCI president. Enditem
Reliable water quality information is important to the community, says Krystyn Tully, the vice-president of Swim Drink Fish.

Its why a hub set up to monitor recreational water quality on the north shores of Lake Erie, and connect Niagara residents with the lake, added a third testing location in 2020.

Swim Drink Fish, a non-profit organization concerned about recreational water, said its now working with the Lorraine Bay Association to monitor the bays waters in Port Colborne through the Lake Erie-Niagara Monitoring Hub.

Lorraine Bay has public access at the end of Weaver and Lorraine roads, with beaches on either side of the road allowances being private.

With so many people sticking close to home this summer and the long stretches of hot weather, reliable water quality information is important to the community. We are glad the community monitoring program is able to help people connect with nature and stay healthy this summer, Tully said in a release.

The Lake Erie-Niagara Hub was established in 2019 by Swim Drink Fish with the Niagara Coastal Community Collaborative and supported by Niagara College, a member of the collaborative.

The collaborative manages the hub, the college hosts it and Swim Drink Fish runs it with funding from Environment and Climate Change Canadas Great Lakes Protection Initiative.

The initiative is a four-year demonstration project meant to engage underserved communities on the Great Lakes in water quality monitoring, data sharing and stewardship, and will see $1.8 million put toward six hubs on the Great Lakes.

Last year the hub, which functions with Swim Drink Fish staff and volunteer citizen scientists, monitored six locations on Gravelly Bay in Port Colborne and at Waverly Beach and Windmill Point in Fort Erie.

This years monitoring season launch was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It feels good to be back on the water, said monitoring co-ordinator Gregary Ford. Weve been able to adapt the monitoring program so we can process samples and still follow strict COVID-19 precautions.

There are still volunteer opportunities for people who are able to visit our monitoring locations on their own and collect observations and photographs for us, he added.

Last year, 75 volunteer citizen scientists put in a total of 438 hours of their time assisting the hub.

The hub tests for E. coli bacteria at each location once a week and results indicate if the sites pass or fail the standards for recreational water quality.

E. coli is an indicator of bacteria for fecal contamination in water. Elevated levels pose an increased risk for recreational water users of contracting water-borne illnesses.

Beach monitoring results and COVID advisories on a beach-by-beach basis are also posted and can be found at the Swim Guide: theswimguide.org.

To help people understand where and how they can access beaches there are several resources on the Great Lakes Guide website at greatlakes.guide.
Ever since Attorney General Barr appointed U.S. attorney John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia collusion probe, Trump-supporters have been waiting for the bomb to drop. And waiting. And waiting. But nothing ever happens.

Judicial Watch's founder, Tom Fitton, thinks conservatives are being scammed. Instead of an investigation, it's just another Washington cover-up. I suspect (or, maybe, hope), though, that Barr and Durham are holding their fire because of the election.

Tom Fitton, whose organization doggedly uncovers documents the swamp wants to hide, was on Fox News's Lou Dobbs Tonight. He is concerned that the John Durham investigation is a sham:

According to Judicial Watch founder Tom Fitton, Trump supporters are getting taken for a ride. Fitton said during a recent appearance on Fox Business' "Lou Dobbs Tonight" that Barr and Durham are making no progress on investigating what very well may be the worst criminal conspiracy in U.S. history. "You know, my concern is it's been, what, sixteen-plus months since Durham was appointed and only now is he questioning Mr. Brennan," Fitton said. Fitton said that he is inclined to believe disgraced former CIA Director John Brennan when he says that he is not a person of interest in Durham's investigation. "I don't see grand juries operating. I don't see a bunch of witnesses coming in. I don't see lawyers complaining about their clients being brought in before Durham," Fitton said. He said that the Mueller investigation was run much more thoroughly than Durham's so-called investigation, the goal of which appears to be protecting the deep state. "You know when the government is being pressure [sic] on witnesses and subjects and that is not evident here," Fitton said, adding that it is his opinion that Durham is "not doing the work" needed to bring deep state criminals to justice.

You can see the whole interview here:

Fitton may be correct. Conservatives have been patiently waiting to see the players in the Russia collusion hoax, which involved illegal spying on American citizens, followed by even more illegal spying on a sitting president, doing their perp walks. Instead, conservatives have gotten a whole lot of nothing in 16 months.

However, I'd like to propose two other theories:

1. Trump is a master showman. He knows that people who are not politically obsessed don't start paying attention until the election draws near. He may have asked Barr and Durham to hold off until September and October, when any announcements will have maximum impact.

2. Barr wanted to have indictments, if any, take place early in the year so criminal actions would be in play by the time the election rolled around. If the cases were solid, even if Trump lost the election, it would be hard to dismiss the cases without some uproar.

What changed that plan was the lockdown, which stopped everything in its tracks. At this point, perhaps Barr is waiting to see how the election turns out. First, since the Democrats are showing every sign of planning a coup, every bit of Justice Department energy has to be turned to ensuring fair elections.

Second, if Trump wins, it will be clear sailing to arrest and prosecute the people who used the Constitution like toilet paper. Alternatively, if the Democrats manage to get Biden into the White House, there's no mileage whatsoever in opening prosecutions because the first thing that Biden's attorney general (San Francisco's Chesa Boudin? Chicago's Kim Foxx?) will do is dismiss them.

If my second theory is correct, that's another reason to get out and vote  in person  for Donald Trump. After all, it seems as if there's still stunning evidence developing in the investigation:

Image: John Durham, public domain image.
After 14 years on television, the reality show "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" will be ending its run in 2021. The show's 20th season will be its last.

Instagram announcement

The Kardashians have millions of followers tuning in on their show every week, and they are also following the controversial and famous family on social media. That is where the Kardashian-Jenner family broke the news about the show's end.

All platforms were used, from Instagram, Twitter to Facebook. Kim Kardashian West said that they are saying goodbye with a heavy heart.

Kim said that they have decided as a family to end their TV journey and that they are grateful to all of the fans who have watched them for more than a decade and followed them through the good times an the bad.

Kim also mentioned how the fans were able to witness their relationships and the growth of their children on the show, as reported by The New York Times.

Also Read: Controversial Celebrity Love Triangles that Created a Buzz in Hollywood

Kardashian West was joined by her mother, Kris Jenner, and her siblings Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, and brother-in-law Scott Disick in signing the statement.

The family did not say if the show was canceled, but the show's network, E! network, said in a statement that the family's decision is to start living their lives without cameras, as reported by CNN.

The audience numbers have declined in recent years to fewer than 1 million. At the height of the show's popularity, the numbers reached 4 million.

The show debuted in October 2007, sparked 12 spin-off series, including Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami and Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian.

In 2006, matriarch and Kris Jenner started pitching the idea of an unscripted show about her family. Ryan Seacrest and his production company were interested and picked up the show after he sent a camera crew to capture the family.

The early focus of the show was on Kris Kardashian and her daughters Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe. The show also showed their relationships and their business exploits. The partners of their daughters, Scott Disick, Lamar Odom, and Reggie Bush, were also featured.

In the next following season, Kendall and Kylie Jenner joined in. Their other parent also became part of the show, and her transition to becoming Caitlyn Jenner was also shown. She later appeared in an unofficial spin-off, "I Am Cait."

Family lost interest

In early 2020, Kourtney Kardashian made it clear that she no longer wanted to be a part of the series. She told Vogue Arabia that she had been filming for the show for 14 years, and she was feeling unfulfilled, and it became a toxic environment for her to continue to have it occupy her life.

The other siblings, Rob Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, also had breaks from the show. Rob Kardashian only appeared in 94 of more than 200 episodes.

Kendall Jenner, on the other hand, became busy with her modeling career that she took some time off of the show.

The final season of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" will air in 2021. The second to the last season will air in the US on September 17.

Read Article: 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic Claims He Was Sexually Assaulted in Prison, Asks Trump for Pardon

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A Melbourne storage company says it will be forced to the wall by an Environment Protection Authority order requiring it to spend more than $1 million to clean up a huge stockpile of mislabelled toxic waste transferred to it under false pretences.

David Barry Logistics says it innocently accepted the transfer of toxic, flammable waste from the criminal dumping syndicate responsible for two massive factory fires in 2018 and 2019 after the EPA and WorkSafe ordered the syndicate to move hundreds of containers of unidentified chemicals out of an overfilled processing facility and a nearby illegal storehouse.

The regulators failed to test the 600,000 litres of waste labelled as "burner fuel" and "ethanol" before its transit in early 2019, but now that it has been identified as toxic waste, the EPA has ordered David Barry Logistics to pay for the clean-up.

Regulators inspecting containers of toxic waste abandoned by Bradbury Industrial Services at the storage facility run by David Barry Logistics Credit:Eddie Jim

The waste came from Bradbury Industrial Services, the chemical recycling business now facing dozens of charges over its alleged misconduct.
Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for vice president, told a group of Black leaders of Miami-Dade County that President Donald Trump should be removed from office for failing for lead during the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic collapse.

Based on revelations in Washington Post journalist Bob Woodwards book Rage, Harris blasted Trump for knowing Jan. 28 about the lethal dangers of COVID-19 and then continuing to dismiss the virus for months as a hoax and suggesting people dont need to wear masks.

Harris noted that ignoring the threat resulted in more deaths and infections in South Florida, where people stand in food lines and beg for government unemployment assistance. Harris said there are many reasons for voters to replace Trump with the leadership of former Vice President Joe Biden.

This is an individual who is not concerned about the health, safety and well-being of the American people and is frankly engaged in a reckless disregard of the lives and well-being of the people of our country, Harris said at Florida Memorial University, a historically Black college in Miami Gardens. I find it so outrageous.

Trump has argued that he tried to avoid sparking a nationwide panic about the virus by playing down its risks. Trump said he secured emergency medical supplies, spurred the development of vaccines and therapeutics, and banned travel from China to hinder the spread of the virus.

Harris wore a black face mask as she met in the university gym Miami Shores Mayor Crystal Wagar; Eric Knowles of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Jaffus Hardrick, president of the university; Pastor Rhonda Thomas, executive director of Faith in Florida; and Ruban Roberts, president of the Miami-Dade chapter of NAACP.

Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., introduced Harris and blasted Trump for infections and deaths in her district that she described as the apex of cases in the state. Miami-Dade County has had 162,000 cases of the virus and 2,740 deaths  the eighth-highest among counties nationwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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It doesnt just make me angry  I am enraged, Wilson said. We call him a racist but we have another term now because hes a murderer.

US Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris arrives at Miami International Airport in Miami, on Sept. 10, 2020. Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff are scheduled to meet with community leaders.

Harris traveled to the Sunshine State with her husband Doug Emhoff. Harris met with African American community leaders, to hear about the challenges they face in South Florida. Emhoff met with rabbis in Aventura, to discuss issues important to the Jewish community.

Harris was greeted by the university's marching band, called "The Roar." The musicians, who wore T-shirts with the school's lion logo and masks, performed two songs: "Bravura" by Charles Duble and "Green Light" by Rod Wave.

Members of AKA sorority, which Harris joined at Howard University, cheered from the sidelines wearing pink and green. Harris thanked the students for the warm welcome.

You truly are the future of our country, who are going to encourage and push us to be our best selves.," Harris said. "You are the ones who are going to inspire us and fight for the ideals of our country.

Florida is one of the key battlegrounds beyond Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin where Trump and Biden will compete for the White House. Trump narrowly won his adopted state in 2016, and Republicans control the governors mansion and both chambers of the legislature.

But statewide races have been hotly contested. Biden leads Trump in an average of Florida polls by 2.7 percentage points through Sept. 10, according to the tracking site FiveThirtyEight.com.

An NBC News/Marist Poll released Tuesday found Trump and Biden tied at 48% among 766 likely voters, with a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.

Biden plans to campaign Tuesday in Florida.

Latinos who are key to the South Florida vote remain a contested demographic, according to the Marist poll. Trump is doing well against Biden among Florida's Latinos  50% to 46%  after trailing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016 exit polls by 62% to 35%, according to the poll.

"It's not unusual for Florida to be this close," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. "If Trump loses Florida, it's game over. If Trump wins, the story of the night will still have to be told."

Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., arrives at Miami International Airport, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Miami.

Harris and Emhoff stopped briefly between the airport and their events at Amaize, a Venezuelan restaurant in Doral. The couple met with political strategist Ana Navarro and Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo. Navarro, who wore a Biden-Harris T-shirt, has participated in virtual roundtables with the campaign for Latino voters in Florida and Wisconsin.

Harris and Emhoff picked up arepas to go. Harris chatted with diners and took pictures with them.

There are so many important issues, Harris said. Theres so much at stake.

A customer, Carlos Andrade Gando, 40, said he was "super excited" to see Harris. He is married to Christian Ulvert, a political adviser to the Biden campaign.

"We were without hope and Biden, is the solution for the country," Gando said. "Many of the people who have lived for many years in this country, we are not supporting Trump."

A Trump supporter in the parking lot held a sign and shouted slogans supporting the president as Harris and Emhoff left.

"Kamala Harris represents communism and socialism," said the woman who identified herself as Mariela Jimenez.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and her husband Douglas Emhoff pick up food at Amaize restaurant Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Doral, Fla.

Trump visited Jupiter, Fla., on Tuesday to extend a moratorium on oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The ban was set to expire in 2022 and he extended it for 10 years.

The move won praise from Republicans and Democrats in a state heavily dependent on tourism. The biggest marine oil spill in history is still a fresh memory from BP's Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.

Biden also opposed new permits for oil and gas drilling in federal land and waters. But he assailed Trump's environmental record for opening thousands of acres of land to new drilling.

"Trump has called the climate crisis a 'hoax,'" Biden said Tuesday. "He has eliminated rules designed to keep our air and water clean."

At the meeting Thursday, community leaders described for Harris how the community needed help with healthcare, with food, with jobs, with preventing evictions and with finding racial justice.

Thomas, the pastor, said her daughter graduated from Florida A&M University and became an ICU nurse treating COVID patients. Her younger brother came out of retirement to return as a paramedic. And her nephew is a firefighter.

But Thomas recalled her daughter calling one day to say that an entire family had died from the virus, including grandparents and parents survived by an 11-year-old boy. Meanwhile, church remains unable to open for funerals and schools remain uncertain because of the risk to students.

Its a system that failed us as Black people, Thomas said. Its a system that has failed us on every level.

Harris urged people to vote as early as possible and overcome any obstacles in their way. She said Republicans wouldnt fight to suppress Black voting if it werent to prevent their voices from being heard.

They know when we vote things change, Harris said. Therein lies our power, which we should never let anyone take from us.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sen. Kamala Harris urged South Florida to vote against President Trump
An academic study has found that since 2012, when the Chinese government began allowing more foreign films into the country, Hollywood movies have cast more light-skinned actors in starring roles.

Key takeaway: The researchers concluded U.S. film studios were casting to fulfill the aesthetic preferences of Chinese movie-goers, in a culture that places a premium on light skin  a phenomenon known as colorism.

Why it matters: It's not just Chinese government censors that are influencing Hollywood. Chinese cultural preferences are too.

Details: The study, published in October 2017, examined more than 3,000 films from between 2009 and 2015 and found that films made after 2012 demonstrated an 8% increase in the number of "very light-skinned" actors in starring roles.

The 8% shift meant that "for 1 of every 3 films in this category, the film went from having 2 out of 3 as very light-skinned actors, to having 3 out of 3 very light-skinned actors."

The study's co-authors called this phenomenon a "light-skin shift."

The light-skin shift only occurred in film genres that the Chinese government typically permits into the Chinese market, such as action movies and big summer blockbusters. U.S. studios increasingly create these films from start to finish with the Chinese market in mind.

Film categories that aren't typically created with the Chinese market in mind, such as horror and comedy, did not show this "light-skin shift."

It also didn't occur among voice actors for animated films, which are popular in China and thus are otherwise often shaped by the Chinese market.

It was a Star Wars movie poster that originally inspired him to study the effects of China's colorism on Hollywood, study co-author Manuel Hermosilla told Axios.

In 2015, the Chinese promotional poster for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" minimized a main character, played by a black actor, leading to accusations of racism.

Image credit: Twitter account of Ray Kwong.

While it's tempting to place the light-skin shift within the context of racism in Hollywood, Hermosilla warned against that.

"Colorism does not equate to racism," he and his co-authors wrote. "There may be significant variation in skin tones within races, and colorism may manifest within individuals of the same race."

The bottom line: Cultural influence doesn't just flow in one direction.
Concern is rising about what would happen if President Donald Trump loses the November election and refuses to concede, perhaps by claiming victory based on early returns before the mail-in ballots are counted or through some similar maneuver. Would his supporters in this "doomsday scenario" take to the streets and Trump refuse to leave office?

These are real worries. But there's another one that looms almost as large and gets far less attention: Would Democrats and others on the left accept the presidential results as legitimate if Trump wins? There's reason to believe they might not - and there are steps Trump and others could take now to bolster his legitimacy if he wins in November. It starts by making sure we have a fair vote.

It's easy to come up with a scenario where Trump ekes out a narrow victory in states like Georgia and Florida but Democrats blame Georgia voter suppression and the fight to keep former felons from voting in Florida as the reason for Trump's victory. A democracy depends upon the losers believing the election was mostly fair and agreeing to fight another day, rather than engage in protests and attempts to stop an unfairly chosen leader from serving. If one side sees the other side as consistently cheating, the very premise of democracy is undermined.

This year, the grounds for Democrats to fear an illegitimate election have only increased. The coronavirus pandemic has upended normal voting plans. Election officials have faced delays in running primaries and been forced to close or consolidate polling places because of lack of available space and adequate workers - who are often older Americans, the people most susceptible to the novel coronavirus. During the April 7 Wisconsin primary, 175 out of 180 Milwaukee polling places were shuttered after Republicans in the state legislature refused to delay the election despite the pandemic. Many voters have naturally planned to vote by mail in November where allowed, because that presents a safer way to cast a ballot during a pandemic and avoids potentially long polling-place lines. But Trump has repeatedly raised unsubstantiated claims of fraud connected to mail-in ballots, and he appointed a crony to head the U.S. Postal Service, which must deliver the ballots to voters (and return those ballots that voters put in the mail rather than a drop box or a polling place). Delays in delivering the mail, thanks in part to a management-labor dispute at the Postal Service, have convinced many that Trump is deliberately trying to delay the mailing and return of ballots.

Senate Republicans have also blocked additional federal funding for safe in-person and mail-in balloting in November. Congress has appropriated only $400 million nationally for the additional costs that the virus has forced election officials to spend, with estimates that the true cost will be $2 billion to $4 billion. Without adequate funding, the chances of sloppiness in running the election go up, and concerns about the fairness of the election increase, too.

Trump's rhetoric about the election has been over the top, from saying the election will be "rigged" if he doesn't win, to encouraging his supporters to vote by mail and in person (a felony) to "test the system," to making outlandish claims about forged counterfeit ballots coming from a foreign country, a claim the chief law enforcement officer of the United States, Attorney General William P. Barr, has, unfortunately, echoed. No wonder many on the left believe the president would do or say anything to remain in office.

On top of all of these concerns is a structural inequality in the conduct of U.S. presidential elections. Thanks to the state-based nature of the electoral college, Joe Biden will need to win more than a majority of Americans to become president in January. By Nate Silver's calculation, if Biden wins the national vote by less than 1 percent, Trump still has a 94% chance of winning the electoral college and retaining power. A Biden win of the popular vote by anything less than three points would still leave Trump with better than 50% chances of an electoral college victory. It would be yet another election where the popular vote winner did not become president - just like Trump's first win.

Trump obviously is not going to do anything to change the nature of the electoral college before November, but there's a lot that he and others in power could do to minimize the chances of large parts of the population viewing his reelection as illegitimate.

To begin with, the best way to create the appearance of a fair election is to run an actually fair election. That means adequate funding for the additional costs of conducting a national election during a pandemic. It means assuring that the Postal Service has sufficient resources to deliver election-related mail quickly. It means encouraging eligible voters to vote (only once!), early if possible, and making sure that systems are in place to protect both the integrity of the vote count and access to the ballot during a pandemic.

Trump should also stop making unsubstantiated claims that voter fraud is rampant. The evidence is that voter fraud is rare, even though there's slightly more risk with absentee ballots. Ordinarily, the calculus of encouraging mail-in balloting is to weigh the convenience of voting by mail against the small risk of fraud (and somewhat larger risk that voters sending their ballots by mail will be inadvertently disenfranchised by making technical errors in completing or mailing ballots). Under pandemic conditions, the benefits greatly exceed the risks, but there's much that can be done specifically to make mail-in balloting both more secure and less likely to disenfranchise voters, such as allowing voters to track their ballots and to come forward with additional evidence to have their votes count if their ballots are rejected for technical reasons like a supposed signature mismatch.

I don't hold out hope that Trump is going to take the steps necessary in the next two months to bolster the confidence of all voters in the fairness and integrity of the process. Quite the opposite. But if he doesn't, and then he wins again and large portions of the population don't accept his victory as legitimate - something Trump has consistently complained about since the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election began - he will have only himself to blame this time.

- - -

Hasen is the chancellor's professor of law and political science at the University of California at Irvine and the author of "Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy."
Brisbane father Mark, 39, was diagnosed a month ago with an inoperable cancer and is not expected to live until Christmas - but only one of his children has been given permission to cross into Queensland and say goodbye

Karl Stefanovic has begged the Queensland premier to grant an exemption to the family of a dying dad who were told only one of his four children could cross the border to say goodbye to him.

Mark Keans' family made the excruciating decision not to travel to Queensland after the government refused to grant them all access into the Sunshine State.

The 39-year-old's family applied for a border exemption a month ago, immediately after he was diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer in his brain and lungs.

Mr Keans, a truck driver from Brisbane, is not expected to make it to Christmas, and yet Queensland Health have so far denied requests from his Sydney-based family to fly in to be by his side in his final moments.

Authorities proposed allowing one of his children - all of whom are under the age of 13 - to see their father for a supervised one-hour visit before going back across the border.

But on Thursday, the Today show reported the family had collectively decided against that option.

'The family have had a discussion and they've decided that, if they all can't go say goodbye, none of them will because how could they possibly choose just one child?' reporter Jess Millward said.

Stefanovic got emotional when he learned of the outcome, and issued a direct plea to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to right the situation before it was too late.

Mr Keans pictured with his children (L-R) Noah 13, Caitlyn 11, Caleb 11, and Isaac, 7. The father's sister said allowing just one child an hour-long visit to see their father would do more harm than good

'It's crazy that we're even having this discussion... I've supported her strength in the face of massive criticism, but this is a no brainer,' Stefanovic said after speaking with Mr Keans' father, Bruce Langborne.

'When you have a family choosing which child should say goodbye to their father, its gone too far.

'Grant the exemption. The premier is not heartless, but she needs to streamline this process while protective Queenslanders. There is a medium, find it. Let these kids say goodbye and let a dying man say goodbye.'

Mr Langborne revealed Thursday is actually Mr Keans' twin's 11th birthday.

Mr Keans is no longer at a hospital in Brisbane. Instead, he decided to return home and seek palliative chemotherapy to ease his suffering in his final months.

His father appeared on the program a day after speaking with Daily Mail Australia to explain that Mr Keans is 'crook as a dog' after his last round of chemotherapy.

'What we've been told is we had too many people trying to come up,' he explained.

'Two, we weren't allowed to drive, we had to fly in, then we probably wouldn't get out of the airport anyway. They'd send us back.

Stefanovic got emotional when he learned of the outcome, and issued a direct plea to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to right the situation before it was too late

'Three, by us wanting to come and see Mark, we're being selfish and not taking any thought as to the welfare of the other cancer patients.'

Mr Langborne said the decision to choose one child to say goodbye just proved too difficult.

'We've said none. We could not pick one over the others,' he said. 'Its impossible. Every one of them deserves it. It's easier to pick the adults, but impossible to pick between the children,' he said.

On Monday, Mr Keans' sister Tam Langborne told Daily Mail Australia the family were at a loss deciding which of the kids would get to see their father in his final moments.

'The youngest of the children is only seven years old. I think sending him by himself to see his Dad for an hour would do a lot more damage than good,' she said.

The other option presented to Mr Keans' relatives was for them to quarantine in Queensland for two weeks - but Ms Langborne said the family simply could not afford the cost involved in putting up 11 people in a hotel for that length of time.

Queensland's quarantine fees are $2,800 for one adult, $3,710 for two adults, and $4,620 for two adults and two children.

Mr Keans' sister said the family simply could not afford the cost involved in putting up 11 people in a hotel for two weeks

All of Mr Keans' children are under the age of 13 and are 'desperate' to see him before he dies

'I understand the reasons behind the border closure but what hurts the most is actors and sporting teams get a free ride to go into Queensland because they have a name,' she said.

'All we want to do is sit with our brother and say thanks for a good life and for the kids to see him for the last time.'

Queensland Health will not comment on individual cases, but insisted all decisions were made in the best interests of the community.

We understand and sympathise that this a very difficult time and there are challenges. Queensland's current border restriction are in place for one purpose  to save lives,' a statement from Queensland Health said.

'We are in the midst of a global pandemic and we need to protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable members of the community.'

The family's anguish comes as Ms Palaszczuk cops fierce criticism for letting 400 AFL officials enter the state ahead of the Grand Final, while repeatedly knocking back ordinary Australians who want to seek out medical care or see family over the border.

US movie star Tom Hanks will not have to undergo hotel quarantine after flying into Queensland from the US - with Ms Palaszczuk saying Hanks was exempt because of the industry's COVID-safe plan.

Meanwhile Bruce Langborne said officials had even told him his family were being selfish for wanting to get all four of the children across the border as they were putting other cancer patients at risk.

'They desperately want to see him,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Pictured: Mr Keans' four children. Queensland's quarantine fees are $4,620 for two adults and two children. Getting all 11 members of the father's close family across the border was financially beyond them

'They [Queensland authorities] said we were being selfish and weren't thinking of the other cancer patients.'

Mr Langborne said the family had no idea how they would choose one child to cross the border.

'The only option is one adult and one child,' he said. 'We'd be chaperoned up there and chaperoned back.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted NSW Health for comment.

The family's case was raised in Queensland parliament on Tuesday by Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington as New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian hit out at the northern state's border policies.

'Our nation needs to deal with the pandemic... we're Australians as well as living in NSW and a lot of families aren't able to see each other,' she said.

Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson (pictured) won't be subjected to mandatory hotel quarantine because the film industry has a COVID-safe plan

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also hit out at Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on the subject of families being separated on either side of the border.

'I can only express my anger, my supreme anger, at the Queensland Premier's decision which in my view broadly across the border currently is nothing more than base, loopy politics,' he said.

'I'm appalled by what's going on up there'.

The Langborne family are not alone, with dozens more falling victim to Palaszczuk's hardline stance on her border.

One Queensland grandmother was forced to recover from brain surgery in a quarantine hotel after the operation in Sydney.

The children's grandfather Bruce Langborne (pictured) said officials had told him his family were being selfish as bringing all four of them across would put other cancer patients at risk

Jayne Brown, 60, spent two weeks confined to a tiny hotel room in Brisbane following the surgery by renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo - who removed two large tumours on her brain.

Poll Should Tom Hanks have to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine? Yes No Undecided Should Tom Hanks have to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine? Yes 1286 votes

No 156 votes

Undecided 37 votes Now share your opinion





The grandmother-of-seven requested an exemption from hotel quarantine to self-isolate at home on the Sunshine Coast, but was rejected twice.

She blasted the Queensland premier, who allowed 400 AFL players and officials from coronavirus-riddled Victoria to enter the state last Tuesday night.

'I don't understand it, mind-blowing,' Ms Brown told Nine News last week.

Meanwhile, a young mother with a newborn baby has been left in limbo over when she will next be reunited with her mine worker husband due to Queensland's strict border restrictions.

Laura Goff, 29, and Chris Bennett, 27, welcomed their daughter Adalyn at the end of July in Wangi Wangi, Lake Macquarie, NSW.

But six weeks later, Mr Bennett, a fitter in mines at Moranbah in North Queensland, was forced to leave his loved ones behind to return to his week-on-week-off work schedule in North Queensland.

Queensland's mandatory $2,800 two-week hotel quarantine for anyone entering the state from NSW will make it impossible for the young father to return to see his family during his days off.

Ms Goff doesn't even know when she will see her husband again, and is grappling with raising and watching seven-week-old daughter Adalyn meet milestones on her own.

Lake Macquarie couple Laura Goff, 29, and Chris Bennett, 27, welcomed their daughter Adalyn (pictured together) to the world in July

'I try not to get too caught up in the fact that he works away because that's entirely our choice, but it is hard knowing that I don't know when he is going to come back,' she told the Newcastle Herald.

'He usually comes back and we get a full week of family stuff, but we just don't get that at the moment.'

A heavily pregnant mother was also forced to wait 16 hours for emergency surgery in Sydney after being turned away at the Queensland border, before losing one of her unborn twin babies.

Ms Palaszczuk initially did not grant the seriously ill mum-to-be's exemption despite her needing emergency surgery for the unborn twins.

The mother, from Ballina in New South Wales which is 88km from the Queensland border, had twins who were just 24 weeks along and needed urgent care.

A heavily pregnant mother was forced to wait 16 hours for emergency surgery in Sydney after being turned away at the Queensland border, before losing one of her unborn twin babies

She wasn't initially granted an exemption to cross the border for surgery at the Gold Coast University Hospital 125km away and instead had to wait for 16 hours in Lismore for a flight to Sydney.

The woman's father Allan Watt says one of the twins became anaemic during surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.

Mr Watt said the family were very upset about his daughter being denied an exemption.

Queensland Chief Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the NSW woman's exemption had been approved as soon as her application had been made.

Ms Palaszczuk defended her border restrictions as calls grow for New South Wales and Queensland residents to be able to cross the border freely.

Jayne Brown (pictured) was denied an exemption to self-isolate at her Sunshine Coast home

Motorists are stopped at a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland - New South Wales border on August 7. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended her state's strict entry restrictions - saying she too can't visit her uncle who had lung cancer

'We would not be in the situation we are today without the advice of the Chief Health Officer, under this government we will continue to accept and abide by her advice,' she said.

Ms Palaszczuk also said she had sympathy for people unable to visit loved ones in hospital during the hard border lockdown and that she had been unable to visit her uncle when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Queensland briefly reopened the state's southern border in July before shutting again amid a spike in cases in New South Wales.

The Sunshine State recorded eight new coronavirus cases overnight, the state's biggest daily rise in nearly five months while NSW confirmed an additional nine cases.
Actor Ankita Lokhande has reacted to Shibani Dandekars recent comments against her. Shibani, while defending her friend Rhea Chakraborty, had said in a social media post that Ankita was seeking her two seconds of fame by attacking Rhea.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, Ankita wondered if she was being criticised because she is considered a television actor. She wrote in her post, 2 seconds of fame. This phrase got me thinking today. Coming from a tier 2 city and belonging to a humble background, I had no fancy education to show for myself. I entered the television industry in the year 2004 with a show called Zee Cine Star Ke Khoj. But my real journey began in 2009 with the show PAVITRA RISHTA which went on till 2014. I would be doing an injustice if I dont mention that it was among one of the best shows for 6 consecutive years with the highest GEC TRP on television till date.

She continued, Fame is only a byproduct of the love and warmth that an actor receives from the masses. Along with all the viewers, I, too still feel connected to the character of ARCHANA. Both, my fate and the people have been kind enough to me shower their blessings and love upon me. The aspiration of an actor trying to portray as many different roles and characters as possible, led me to explore. Luckily, I got the opportunity to work in Manikarnika as well as Baghi 3.

She added, To conclude, I have been an ACTOR in Television & Bollywood for the past 17 years & now, when I am trying to support justice for my late friend, a view has been expressed that I am seeking JUSTICE because I need 2 seconds of fame and cheap publicity! I cannot fathom as to why any person would take such a stand. Is it because I have worked mostly on television and not in Bollywood? Is that why you would take a stand for the person with whom you have had a relationship for almost a decade? Stop looking down on we television actors, if that was your reason for describing my words as GROTESQUE . It takes an equal amount of hard work and dedication for the actors in the television industry as it would take in Bollywood. I am proud to be a television actor. And if not for anything, I shall always raise my voice for the people I love and care about.

She added the hashtags proud to be a television actor, warriors roar for SSR and justice for Sushant. Ankita had previously made her stance on the ongoing investigation in Sushants death case clear. She said that just like Shibani was standing up for her friend, she had chosen to support Sushants family.

Ankita and Sushant dated for six years until 2016. Sushant died on June 14. His death has been ruled a suicide by the Mumbai Police. His family has accused Rhea of abetting his suicide and misappropriating his funds. Rhea has denied all charges, and has filed a counter-complaint against two of Sushants sisters.

Also read: Shibani Dandekar calls Ankita Lokhandes letter grotesque: She never dealt with her own relationship issues with Sushant

In her post against Ankita, Shibani had written, Such a grotesque letter by @lokhandeankita This princess of patriarchy who has never dealt with her own relationship issues with sushant, clearly she wants her two seconds of fame and has capitalised on rhea being targeted. She has played a major role in this witch-hunt and she needs to be called out! She also just needs to shut the hell up. Enough ankita! No one has more hate in their heart(?) than you.

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A 1,200-year-old silver coin will go under the auction hammer for the second time in six years next week, and could break its own record to become the most expensive Anglo-Saxon coin to ever be sold at auction.

The penny, found by a treasure hunter in Pevensey, East Sussex, during a hailstorm six years ago, will be sold off by London auction house Spink next Tuesday, one of 32 lots of coins dating as far back as 700.

While most of the coins are estimated to go for prices in the low thousands, the coin - displaying an East Anglian king murdered in 794 - is estimated to sell for as much as 80,000, due to its rarity and 'utmost historical significance', according to the auction house.

The Anglo-Saxon penny was auctioned off in 2014 a month after it was discovered and sold for a record 78,000. Its upper estimate this time is even higher, at 80,000

However, Spink often tends to estimate conservatively to encourage bidding, with a March auction of gold coins seeing some lots sell for three times their estimates.

If this happened next Tuesday, the coin would sell for just shy of a quarter of a million pounds.

The coin already holds the record as the most expensive Anglo-Saxon silver coin ever sold at auction, when Mayfair-based Dix Noonan Webb gavelled it off for 78,000 in June 2014, after it was previously expected to fetch just 20,000.

It was found a month earlier by then-48-year-old Darrin Simpson, a pest controller from Eastbourne, after his metal detector went off when he was sheltering in a farmer's field during the storm.

He expected it to be a World War II bullet case, although Pevensey's history dates back to Roman times in 300 AD and was where William the Conqueror landed in 1066 ahead of claiming the English throne at the Battle of Hastings.

The coin is just one of four found from the reign of the East Anglian king Ethelbert. It is the only one of them to feature the title 'Rex'

However, it is unclear why a coin displaying the name of the king of East Anglia, Ethelbert II, who was killed in 794 in Herefordshire on the orders of the then-king of Mercia, which covers much of the modern midlands, ended up in East Sussex.

At the time, England was divided into seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, including East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex and Wessex.

Just four coins featuring the East Anglian king have been found, with the 2014 penny the first to be discovered in more than a century.

Just four coins commemorating Ethelbert, estimated to have reigned for around 15 years in the late-8th century, have been discovered, Spink said.

In the listing, the auction house described the coin as 'of the highest rarity and utmost historical importance', and said it was the only one from his reign available on the open market.

The penny is the only coin to feature Ethelbert's name and the title 'Rex', meaning King, on the same side, with this presumption suggested by some experts as a reason for his death in 794.

Anglo-Saxon was divided up into seven kingdoms. Ethelbert II was the king of East Anglia for around 15 years before he was killed on the orders of Offa the Great of Mercia, the largest kingdom

'The importance comes not only in the fact it is the first new coin for this obscure East Anglian king in over a century, but also because it is a new type of coin for him that may, in the subtleties of its design point to why he was executed by his overlord', Spink specialist Gregory Edmund told This is Money.

He added: 'Collectors have certainly expressed interest, and to some it may be the 'last hurrah' before the furlough scheme winds down and the market bites as we enter the later autumn.

Despite commemorating a king of East Anglia, the coin was found in a farmer's field in Pevensey, East Sussex, by a man from Eastbourne. The town's history dates back to Roman times and its fort was rebuilt into a Norman castle (pictured above) by William the Conqueror, who landed there in 1066

'On a further note because a lot of these coins have a history that transcends the collector and rests in the national psyche, they are especially popular to 'trophy' hunters.

'Who doesn't want a piece of King Alfred the Great?'

The price of the coin starts at 50,000 and the collection of Anglo-Saxon and Viking coins dating from 700 to the Battle of Hastings goes under the hammer at Spink on 15 September.
India, Nepal and Bhutan: Iconic fish species in Himalayan rivers could be in danger as climate change causes 26% habitat loss

September 10,2020 | Source: Business Insider

Snow trout, the iconic cold water fish species found in Himalayan rivers, would lose their habitat by 16 per cent in the next 30 years and by over 26 per cent by 2070, a new climate change study by the government's Wildlife Institute of India has found.The study -- 'Is There Always Space at The Top'-- was published in the 'Ecological Indicators', a journal of high international repute based at the Netherlands, on September 6.



The study indicates that most of the lower altitude streams across the Himalayas would be rendered unsuitable for the existence of snow trout with the rise in temperatures. An ensemble of 72 statistical models across the Himalayas, the study -- authored by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientists Aashna Sharma, Vineet Kumar Dubey, Jeyaraj Antony Johnson, Yogesh Kumar Rawal and Kuppusamy Sivakumar - reveals the vulnerable snow trout would be squeezed into the high-altitude rivers in the Himalayas. "Our empirical findings strongly suggest that snow trout, a prime cold water fish of Himalayan rivers, would suffer a habitat loss in the future and the high-altitude areas would act as only saviours, provided suitable habitat connectivity is offered," senior scientist Kuppusamy Sivakumar told . The study says mountain systems across the globe are conspicuously sensitive to on-going climate alterations and the condition is much more detrimental in the Himalaya, where the rate of warming, and thus the glacier meltdown, is much higher than elsewhere. "The Himalayan coldwater species are concerningly most vulnerable to these changes because of their limited thermal range," it says.



Funded by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), the study is a part of the government's National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE), which was launched to research the impact of climate change on the Himalayan ecosystem. The study iterates that if the countries across the globe continue their greenhouse emissions as usual (mentioning it as the 'business-as-usual scenario'), "the species (snow trout) would lose a net habitat of 16.29% till the year 2050 which would further increase to 26.56% in the year 2070." "As it stands, the snow trout faces serious threats due to river valley modifications, destructive fishing practices and exotic salmonid introductions," it says. "Due to ongoing threats, its population size has been reduced drastically in Himalayan waters, hence listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List," it adds. The fish species has great commercial and recreational value and its sole presence in the high-altitude cold waters makes it a flagship species to conserve the Himalayan rivers, the study underlines.



"Already exposed to numerous anthropogenic stressors, the fate of snow trout population and many co-occurring genera can be considered explicitly at a higher risk in the Himalaya," it adds. The also flagged the "rampant" damming of the rivers across the Himalayas, saying the presence of dams would definitely obstruct the fish mode of movements to safer havens, ultimately risking their very survival. "Our results highlight that snow trout would expand their range upwards into the highaltitude streams with a concurrent predominant range contraction in most of their lagging edges, ultimately creating a high-altitude squeeze," the study says. The study recommends some solutions such as persuasive "conservation efforts beyond political boundaries by combined decisions of the policymakers of Himalayan countries".



It also include reducing "unsustainable harnessing of rivers for hydropower development projects and energy efficiency by improving green energy potential". They also underscore a need to focus more on climate change science in India, more so in the Himalayas, which, the team says is "predicted to be warming at a rate much higher than the global average rate of about 0.4 C". The team detailed that never has such an extensive and rigorous ensemble methodology been used to understand the climate change impacts on any freshwater species in India. They said there was a dire need for intergovernmental policy measures -- involving India, Nepal and Bhutan -- to sustain the biodiversity of these rivers.
Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Johnson? Just after 4pm on Wednesday, Boris's carefully cultivated reputation as a Churchillian champion of British liberty crumbled like stale Stilton cheese.

'We will boost the local enforcement capacity of local authorities by introducing Covid-secure marshals to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres, and by setting up a register of environmental health officers that local authorities can draw upon for support,' he announced.

It didn't even sound like the jolly old Boris we voted back into Downing Street with an apparently unassailable 80-seat majority. Where was the rhetorical flourish, the optimism, the Tiggerish bounce? Where were the trademark classical quotations? Where was the defiance that had delivered Brexit against the odds?

He resembled a ventriloquist's dummy, mouthing words written for him by the 'science'. Gottle of geer.

It was as if he had been carried into the press conference by his two sidekicks, like Albert R.N.

Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Johnson? Just after 4pm on Wednesday, Boris's carefully cultivated reputation as a Churchillian champion of British liberty crumbled like stale Stilton cheese

The great orator had been reduced to spouting bureaucratic gobbledygook, as he unleashed a Dad's Army of Warden Hodges wannabes to enforce his draconian new restrictions on individual freedom.

Recently retired council jobsworths are being recruited to patrol parks, shopping centres and railway stations, ready to pounce on anyone flouting Boris's Lockdown Lite. Under the latest anti-Covid rules people meeting in groups of more than six can be reported to the police, fined 100 and even arrested.

You can't say I didn't warn you. Back at the beginning of June, I predicted that the New Normal would be ten times worse than the lockdown.

'It's going to be a hi-viz heaven, a jobsworth's paradise. More road closures, wider pavements, extensive pedestrianisation, street marshals to enforce social distancing, exclusion zones . . .'

That column was illustrated by one of Gary's fabulous cartoons featuring Warden Hodges haranguing pedestrians through a loudhailer. Needless to say, the clampdown has been welcomed enthusiastically by the Local Government Association.

The chairman of the association's 'Safer and Stronger Communities Board' said: 'We are pleased the Government has acted on the LGA's calls for councils to have powers to take action when rules are flouted.' I bet they are.

The great orator had been reduced to spouting bureaucratic gobbledygook, as he unleashed a Dad's Army of Warden Hodges wannabes to enforce his draconian new restrictions on individual freedom

There's nothing these Toytown tyrants like more than new powers. And, as I keep telling you, whenever you give anyone a modicum of power, they will always, always, always abuse it.

Boris has handed over enforcement of the 'Rule of Six' to the very same people who have exploited the emergency 'safer streets' powers, granted temporarily because of Covid, to prosecute a deranged anti-car agenda.

At a time when Britain needs desperately to get back to work, roads are gridlocked as a direct result of 'green' fanatics slashing space for cars in favour of largely deserted bike and bus lanes  just as I warned.

Town Halls are going to have a field day cracking down on those who have the temerity to defy the rules. That's if anyone can understand what they are. From what I can gather, six is the maximum number of people who can assemble anywhere at any one time.

You're not even allowed to have more than half a dozen members of your immediate family in your own home. So a couple with three kids won't be able to invite the grandparents for a socially distanced Sunday lunch.

Dishi Rishi spent 500 million encouraging everyone to Eat Out To Help Out, by packing into restaurants with dozens of others. But if you're caught with more than six people round your own dining table, you risk having your collar felt.

Office workers are being urged to return to their desks, with no limits on numbers, provided social distancing is observed. Yet if they go to the pub in groups of more than six after work they can be fined 100 a head.

Pubs and restaurants face 1,000 fines unless they collect and store for a month details of all their customers, no doubt including blood type and inside leg measurement.Just what the hospitality trade needs, as it struggles to recover from months of lost takings.

Expect the mounting numbers of restaurant closures and redundancies to accelerate exponentially.

How is any of this going to be enforced? Will they rely on curtain-twitching informers? Will undercover jobsworths lurk in the laburnum, keeping an eye out for excess dinner party guests?

Probably. I counted them all in and I counted them all out again.

There will be exceptions, presumably for Extinction Rebellion protests and paramilitary marches by Black Lives Matter.

Cross-Channel migrants will still be welcomed, provided there are no more than six to a dinghy.

And if the panto season can be salvaged, stand by for Snow White and the Five Dwarfs.

As the Mail said yesterday, these new restrictions are a monstrous over-reaction and couldn't come at a worse time, just as the fledgling economic recovery is showing its first green shoots. How can the Government possibly justify exhorting people to return to work, to go shopping, to eat out, to spend, spend, spend, when at the same time they are telling us if we mix with more than five other people YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!

This may be Lockdown Lite, but it's lockdown all the same. And it's utterly unnecessary, except in a few metropolitan areas where infection rates have risen.

Even then, infection doesn't mean certain death. Or even any symptoms in the case of the increasing number of young people testing positive, most of whom shrug it off. Outside the big cities, the number of new cases is negligible. But you just know it is the provinces that will bear the brunt of the enforcement.

During lockdown proper, it was the smaller police forces who pursued alleged transgressors with the most aggressive zeal. Who can forget Derbyshire sending up drones to spy on walkers in the Peak District?

Avon and Somerset nicked people innocently having a barbecue, yet stood back and watched, without making a single arrest, as rowdy BLM protesters toppled a statue of Edward Colston and chucked it into Bristol harbour.

Most disturbing is the way in which all of this emergency legislation has been nodded through without any public consultation or any debate in Parliament.

Even though MPs are nominally back at Westminster, the Commons chamber is practically deserted and the temporary powers granted at the start of the Covid pandemic won't be reviewed until the end of September.

Laws are made by ministerial decree. Most of us went to bed on Tuesday night oblivious to the fact that we were soon to be banned from meeting up with more than five other people  even in our own homes.

This outrageous infringement of individual freedom was smuggled out under cover of darkness by schoolboy authoritarian Matt Hancock, our self-styled 'world-beating' Health Secretary.

Thank goodness Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle gave Hancock six of the best. Mr Speaker should now order all MPs back to the green benches, pronto, and restore our democracy.

It's time Parliament set the country an example and took back control, to use a well-known phrase or saying. Who would have thought a Conservative Government would exploit a manageable health crisis to introduce the most sustained peacetime assault on civil liberties?

Unemployment is about to go through the stratosphere when furlough ends next month. Yet, even though deaths are at a record low, ministers are stoking fear and scaring people into staying at home. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister remains in thrall to unaccountable, unelected scientists and 'experts', who are relying on flawed computer models to unleash months more misery, through Christmas and into the spring.

Boris seems a husk of his former self, shorn of all confidence, terrified of doing the wrong thing. He must raise his game, face down the doomsayers and start showing some bold, fearless leadership.

If he doesn't, he won't be remembered as the Heir to Churchill, or even the Lion of Brexit.

He'll be destined to go down in history as the Second Coming of Warden Hodges.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:32:36|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan security forces said Thursday they have rescued 16 foreigners after busting a human trafficking ring along the Marsabit-Isiolo highway in northern Kenya.

The officers from the multi-agency special operations team said six suspects who were ferrying the foreigners aboard three vehicles were arrested during an early Wednesday operation.

"The minors were being transported in three motor vehicles along the Marsabit-Isiolo highway heading towards Isiolo general direction at Ngaremara area," the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said in a police report.

According to the DCI, illegal immigrants had no relevant documents in their possession.

"All the arrested aliens are of Ethiopian origin and are to be charged for the offense of being unlawfully present in Kenya while the Kenyan drivers are to be charged with the offense of human smuggling," said the DCI.

The DCI said the suspects will be arraigned in court to answer to charges of human trafficking. Enditem
The court was hearing an application by Congress MP Tharoor seeking an interim injunction against Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, from making defamatory remarks against the Congress leader

The Delhi High Court Thursday told Arnab Goswami to show restraint and bring down the rhetoric while covering Sunanda Pushkar death case. The court also directed him to be bound by his 2017 undertaking on showing restraint and said the media could not run a parallel investigation.

The court was hearing an application by Congress MP Tharoor seeking an interim injunction against Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, from making defamatory remarks against the Congress leader.

As per PTI, Justice Mukta Gupta said the court was not saying that the media would be gagged, but that the sanctity of the investigation must be maintained.

Please show restraint. Once the police investigation is going on in the criminal case, there cannot be a parallel investigation by the media, the judge said, as per PTI.

The judge further remarked that anyone getting into journalism must take a course in criminal trials.

On the channels claim that they have evidence, the judge, as per PTI asked: Were you at the spot? Are you an eye witness? There is some sanctity attached to the investigation.

As per Live Law, the judge further told the channel: "Just because there's a bite mark, it doesn't amount to murder. Do you even know what constituted murder? You need to first understand what murder is before claiming that a murder took place."

To this, advocate Malvika Trivedi, representing Goswami, said there was evidence from AIIMS, based on which certain broadcast was aired.

The judge said it was for a court of law to decide what was evidence in a criminal trial and there are statements from here and there which are not evidence.

"You are not in the field of collecting evidence," the judge said, as per Live Law. "You have no access to the evidence. Do you even know how evidence is collected and appreciated in a criminal trial?"

Can the media sit in appeal against the charge sheet filed by an investigating agency? the judge asked as per PTI. It is not a reflection on the plaintiff (Tharoor) but the investigating agency. Can there be a parallel investigation or trial? ... Would you not like the courts to take their own course? the judge said.

As per Bar and Bench, the court observed that there were "serious consequences" to alleging that a murder had taken place and one cannot sit in appeal against charge sheet filed by an investigating agency.

The high court, in the 1 December, 2017 order, had said Goswami and his channel have the right to air their stories and the same cannot be curbed, but it has to be tempered and balanced.

The court, referring to this order, said, Press cannot convict anyone or insinuate that he/she is guilty or make any other unsubstantiated claims. Press has to exercise care and caution while reporting about matters under investigation or pending trial.

As per PTI, the judge said, Defendants (Goswami and his channel) are thus directed to be bound by the statement made on their behalf by their counsel till the next date of hearing.

Tharoors grievance relates to broadcast of the programmes naming him on the TV channel in July and August and in the telecast, the journalist has claimed that they have investigated Sunanda Pushkar case better than the police and that he still has no doubt that Pushkar was murdered.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Vikas Pahwa, representing Tharoor, said charge sheet has been filed by the police in the case and he has been summoned for the alleged offence of abetment to suicide then how can the journalist abuse him and allege that there was a murder.

The application, filed through advocates Gaurav Gupta and Muhammad A Khan, sought that the journalist should be directed to report only on matters which are factually correct or established.

The high court noted that the Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet in the trial court which has taken cognisance of it and he has been summoned under sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 498A (cruelty to married woman) IPC in the light of the investigation done by the agency.

The high court sought response of the journalist on Tharoors application and listed the matter for further hearing on 20 November.

The courts 2017 order had come on three different applications filed by Tharoor in his Rs 2 crore defamation suit against Goswami and the channel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against him while airing news relating to the mysterious death of his wife.

The court had on 29 May, 2017, said the journalist and his news channel could put out stories stating the facts related to the investigation of Pushkars death but could not call the Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram a criminal.

The Congress leader has sought a direction to them that they should not mention the expression murder of Sunanda Pushkar anywhere, since it is yet to established by a competent court whether her death was a murder.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a five-star hotel in south Delhi on the night of 17 January, 2014, under mysterious circumstances. Tharoor has alleged that they continued to engage in defaming and maligning him despite an assurance given by their counsel in the court on 29 May, 2017.

With inputs from PTI
The European Union (EU) is ready to take legal action against the United Kingdom (UK) if the latter violates the letter or spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement it signed in January to begin exiting the EU.

The UK has been given time until the end of this month to either abandon or suitably revise plans to introduce an Internal Market Bill in the British parliament to effectively renege on some of its obligations. In possibly the angriest statement issued by either party in the Brexit process, the European Commission, which administers the EU, said, Vice-President Maros Sefcovic ...
Former Theranos Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Holmes is exploring a mental disease" defense for her criminal fraud trial, in one of Silicon Valleys most closely watched cases.That possibility was revealed Wednesday when the judge overseeing the case ruled that government prosecutors can examine Holmes. The ruling was in response to the failed blood-testing startup founders plan to introduce evidence of mental disease or defect" or other mental condition bearing on the issue of guilt," according to the filing.

Holmes may be seeking to introduce the evidence to challenge the requirement that prosecutors prove her intent to do something wrong or illegal.

Holmes intends to use testimony from Mindy Mechanic, a clinical psychologist at California State University at Fullerton, according to the filing. Mechanic is an expert on the psychosocial consequences of trauma, with a focus on violence against women, and often provides expert testimony in cases involving interpersonal violence," according to her faculty profile on the schools website.

Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor who now teaches at the University of Michigan law school, said mounting a so-called insanity defense wont be easy, as the defendant must meet a high standard of proof.

Contrary to what you may see in the movies, an insanity defense in federal cases is rare and hard to fake," McQuade said in an email. Holmes must show that, at the time she committed the alleged offenses, a severe mental defect made her unable to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of (her) acts."

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila rejected Holmess argument that she shouldnt have to submit to a psychological examination by government experts. The judge ruled that such an examination is fair given Holmess intent to use testimony from Mechanic.

The court agrees with the government that its experts must be permitted to conduct their own examination of defendant Holmes in order to mount an effective rebuttal," Davila wrote.

Davila also ruled, over Holmess objections, that the examination of the former CEO will be videotaped. Holmess lawyers argued the recording would negatively affect the tenor or the interview," according to the ruling.

The arguments over Holmess mental state have been argued earlier but behind closed doors and in sealed documents. Davila heard arguments at a closed-door July 8 hearing, disclosed publicly for the first time in Wednesdays filing.

Holmes and her former boyfriend, ex-Theranos president Ramesh Sunny" Balwani, are accused of falsely claiming that the companys devices could perform myriad tests with a single drop of blood and of duping investors and defrauding doctors and patients who trusted the results. Theranos, which attracted the backing of high-profile investors and leading venture capital firms, was valued at $9 billion before unraveling over the alleged fraud.

Davila decided in March that Holmes and Balwani, who were charged together, should face separate trials.

Holmess trial was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic and is now scheduled to start in March in San Jose, California. Balwanis trial will follow.

Kevin Downey and Lance Wade, lawyers representing Holmes, didnt immediately respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment. Mechanic didnt immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment.

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Area Catholics find themselves in a quandary over the dilemma of a priests performance of the sacraments since his ordination in 2017. The Rev. Matthew Hood of Divine Child in Dearborn and St. Lawrence in Utica learned last month that his baptism 30 years ago was invalid as Deacon Mark Springer proclaimed during the ritual We baptize you rather than the proper wording I baptize you.

Hood has since made amends for this deficiency, having received again all the sacraments, including his ordination. The problem now is the sacraments he provided to the faithful in the three years in which his original baptism has been declared invalid.

Archbishop Allen Vigneron has assured the faithful that he would take every step necessary to remedy the situation for everyone impacted. The archbishop also said, It is the duty of the local church to ensure that everyone entrusted into her care has the full benefit and certainty that comes from the valid reception of the sacraments. One benefit would be the benefit of the doubt.

The step Vigneron can take is to declare valid the sacraments issued by Hood during the contested period. It is not my place to advise the archbishop. But it is his place to take measures suggested. The archbishop can issue a directive not only on his own authority, but on the authority of the Catechism and the Bible itself to validate the sacraments performed by Hood during the years in question.

Regarding baptism, the Catechism teaches that the necessity of the sacrament itself is satisfied by the genuine desire of the sacrament absent the ritual. A proper reading of this passage of the Catechism would conclude that those baptisms performed by Springer from 1986 to 1999 (including the invalidated baptism of Hood 30 years ago) are worthy for the sake of those baptized. From this passage, it is also fair to interpret this principle of the Catechism to cover other sacraments.

But one can also cite an even higher authority than the Catechism to interpret the sacraments in question. Indeed, rather than having Hood receive the sacrament of baptism again, his original baptism 30 years is validated by the New Testament. Consider the passage of Matthew 3:13-15: Jesus, coming from the Galilee appeared before John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John protested I should be baptized by you. And Jesus answered Give in for now. We must do this to fulfill all of Gods commands. So John gave in.

This passage in Matthew reveals a less doctrinaire and more practical side of Christ. John the Baptist had a valid point that it should have been him baptized by Christ rather than the other way around. But Christ admonished him to suspend protocol in favor of needs.

Vigneron now faces similar needs. It is not practicable to trace all the baptisms performed by Springer and to revoke all the sacraments since issued in the wake of Springers deficient baptisms. Nor can it be expected that all to whom Hood had ministered during the years in question be traced so as to repeat the rites. There is no presumption of an invalid baptism which negates the sacraments since performed. To adhere to such a presumption would victimize the faithful.

Should Vigneron intend to take every step necessary to remedy the situation, he must validate the sacraments in question. In other words: Give in for now.

John ONeill is an Allen Park freelance writer. He has a degree in history from Wayne State University.
The Earth's magnetic field is trapping high energy particles. When the first satellites were launched into space, scientists led by James Van Allen unexpectedly discovered the high energy particle radiation regions, which were later named after its discoverer Van Allen Radiation Belts. Visualized, these look like two donut-shaped regions encompassing our planet.

Now, a new study led by researchers from GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences shows that electrons in the radiation belts can be accelerated to very high speeds locally. The study shows that magnetosphere works as a very efficient particle accelerator speeding up electrons to so-called ultra-relativistic energies. The study conducted by Hayley Allison, a postdoctoral scholar at GFZ Potsdam, and Yuri Shprits from GFZ and Professor at the University of Potsdam, is published in Nature Communications.

To better understand the origin of the Van Allen Belts, in 2012 NASA launched the Van Allen Probes twin spacecraft to traverse this most harsh environment and conduct detailed measurements in this hazardous region. The measurements included a full range of particles moving at different speeds and in different directions and plasma waves. Plasma waves are similar to the waves that we see on the water surface, but are in fact invisible to the naked eye. They can be compared to ripples in the electric and magnetic field.

Recent observations revealed that the energy of electrons in the belts can go up to so called ultra-relativistic energies. These electrons with temperatures above 100 Billion degrees Fahrenheit, move so fast that their energy of motion is much higher than their energy of rest given by Einstein's famous E=mc2 formula. They are so fast that the time flow significantly slows down for these particles.

Scientists were surprised to find these ultra-relativistic electrons and assumed that such high energies can be only reached by a combination of two processes: the inward transport of particles from the outer regions of the magnetosphere, which accelerates them; and a local acceleration of particles by plasma waves.

However, the new study shows that electrons reach such incredible energies locally, in the heart of the belts, by taking all this energy from plasma waves. This process turns out to be extremely efficient. The unexpected discovery of how acceleration of particles to ultra-relativistic energies operates in the near-Earth space, may help scientists understand the fundamental processes of acceleration on the Sun, near outer planets, and even in the distant corners of the universe where space probes cannot reach.

###

Original study: Hayley Allison, Yuri Shprits: "Local heating of radiation belt electrons to ultra-relativistic energies" in "Nature Communications", DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18053-z

Scientific contact

Prof. Dr. Yuri Shprits

Head of GFZ section Magnetospheric Physics

E-Mail: yuri.shprits@gfz-potsdam.de

Tel:+49 331 288-28899

Media contact:

Josef Zens

Head of press and public relations

josef.zens@gfz-potsdam.de

Phone: +49 331 288-1040
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks during a news conference after the Senate Republican luncheon in the Hart Building in Washington on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020.

The U.S. Senate was set to vote on Thursday on a Republican bill providing around $300 billion in new coronavirus aid, far below the $3 trillion Democrats insist is needed to stimulate an ailing economy and help people struggling through the pandemic.

In what could be the final vote on coronavirus relief in Congress before the Nov. 3 presidential and congressional elections, Republicans and Democrats appeared to be deadlocked over the next steps in responding to a virus that has killed more than 190,000 people in the United States and nearly 900,000 globally.

If Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fails, as expected, to get the 60 votes needed in the 100-member chamber to advance his latest bill, lawmakers will likely focus on wrapping up other work within the next couple weeks so they can return to their home states to campaign for re-election in November.

Earlier this year, Congress quickly passed four major bills providing about $3 trillion to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill in May that would provide another $3 trillion in aid. But gridlock has since prevailed.

Some Republican senators expressed doubts on Wednesday that a compromise coronavirus bill would emerge quickly if McConnell's latest "skinny" bill is rejected on Thursday in the Republican-controlled chamber.

"There's always some possibility," said Senator Richard Shelby, adding: "Unless something really broke through, it's not going to happen."

President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has become a centerpiece of the 2020 presidential race. Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who leads in national opinion polls, accused Trump on Wednesday of "dereliction" of duty in dealing with the pandemic, which has cost millions of jobs. The Republican president has touted his management of the crisis.

The Republican bill would renew a federal unemployment benefit, but at a lower level than Democrats sought. It also would set new protections for businesses against liability lawsuits during the pandemic, which Democrats have labeled a "poison pill."

An array of other initiatives, including aid to state and local governments, a second round of direct federal payments to households and bailouts for U.S. airlines during the economic downturn were not addressed in the Republican bill and could be considered in a possible post-election session of Congress.
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Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High around 60F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

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For Hong Kongs battered tourism industry, the announcement that officials have been in contact with 11 countries over forming travel bubbles brought a ray of hope in the coronavirus gloom.

But questions remain as to how soon this can happen and which side has the decisive say on when to open borders.

Commerce chief Edward Yau Tang-wah revealed on Wednesday that the government had already started arranging talks between local health professionals and their counterparts in Japan and Thailand, two of the most popular holiday destinations for the citys residents.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

To make bubbles possible, Yau said, coronavirus tests before departure and upon arrival might be necessary, and the two sides would need to discuss whether negative results at both ends meant travellers could skip quarantine or spend less time in isolation.

Edward Yau says preparations have to be conducted early. Photo: Sam Tsang

The situation will keep changing, so I have to stress that preparations should be conducted earlier because different places may have different requirements, he said.

So without wanting to burst any bubbles, the Post looks at where the 11 countries  Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany and Switzerland  stand on reopening their borders.

Japan

People from 159 countries and regions, including Hong Kong, are currently not allowed to enter Japan unless there are exceptional circumstances. However, this month it started taking in foreign nationals with resident status, provided they had tested negative for Covid-19.

The Japanese consulate in Hong Kong said negotiations with the city were under way but declined to disclose details at this stage.

The Covid-19 situation at certain destinations, including Tokyo, was still fluctuating, according to Hong Kong tourism sector lawmaker Yiu Si-wing, who suggested officials look at travel to southern Okinawa island as a first step, case numbers permitting.

Story continues

Can we pick some places to start with first? We only can get data and experience to improve the scheme after we implement it, he said.

Japan had confirmed more than 72,000 virus cases as of Wednesday, with almost 1,400 related deaths.

The Japanese government wants to seal a deal with Singapore this month to allow visitors to travel both ways. It also launched discussions with 15 other economies on the gradual reopening of borders for some qualified residents and business travellers.

As of Tuesday, borders were reopened for some residents from Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar although they had to have tested negative for the virus and would have to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Outlook based on current travel advisories tracked by the Post: promising, but smaller cities may come first.

Thailand has been successful in containing the coronavirus. Photo: AFP

Thailand

Thailands borders remain closed for foreign nationals, although there are some exceptions.

A trial scheme allowing foreign tourists to visit the country was being finalised this week, under which arrivals would be confined to a designated resort or area for a 14-day quarantine period. Under another arrangement, visitors would be allowed to travel around Thailand after completing three weeks quarantine on Phuket Island and obtaining negative results in several Covid-19 tests.

The countrys Covid-19 containment efforts have been relatively successful, having recorded just 3,447 cases in total. However, it suffered a blip last week with its first locally transmitted case since late May.

Asked if Thailand was likely to be Hong Kongs first travel bubble, Yau said both sides would need to monitor the situation. Talking to it first doesnt mean it will definitely bear fruit, he said.

In a reply to the Post, the economic section of the Royal Thai Consulate-General said discussions between the country and the city were in progress.

Outlook: promising, but again on a limited basis.

Singapore

The city state has been gradually easing its coronavirus measures and reopening the economy.

Last month, it moved to relax restrictions for incoming travellers from low-risk regions such as mainland China, Taiwan and Malaysia, allowing them to serve a seven-day stay-home notice, rather than the 14 days required for all other travellers.

On September 1, it unilaterally opened its borders to travellers from Brunei and New Zealand, after the government said the Covid-19 situation in both nations was under control and the risk of importing the virus was low.

Changi Airport on Tuesday welcomed the first batch of 14 travellers from the two countries and they were required to take a Covid-19 test upon arrival but exempted from quarantine.

Singapore has had just over 57,000 virus cases, mostly among low-wage migrant workers living in cramped dormitories.

Yiu, the lawmaker, said Hong Kong had confidence in Singapore despite the surge in Covid-19 figures earlier. If the pandemic is under control, Hongkongers will go to Singapore, he said.

The Singapore consulate-general in Hong Kong told the Post it welcomed the announcement from the government on interest in starting travel talks.

Singapore has launched several fast-lane/green-lane arrangements so far, and is exploring similar arrangements or travel bubbles with other key partners, it said, adding that resuming safe cross-border travel between Singapore and Hong Kong would benefit both sides given their strong business and family ties.

Outlook: promising, but will have to wait until the situation in Hong Kong eases.

Malaysia

Malaysia said it was not yet ready to open its borders for tourists and the government called off plans to set up a travel bubble with New Zealand and Australia in late August.

Even travel with neighbouring Singapore has been tightened again. Health minister Adham Baba said on Monday that travellers from the city state would have to be quarantined at government centres if their destination was beyond the southern state of Johor. The Periodic Commuting Arrangement previously allowed business travellers to undergo home quarantine.

Yiu noted the pandemic was stable in Malaysia, which had recorded just over 9,500 cases, and Hong Kong residents would want to visit there, although the destination was not as popular as Thailand and Japan.

Outlook: unlikely in the near-term.

Malaysia called off plans to set up a travel bubble with New Zealand and Australia. Photo: Reuters

South Korea

South Korea has been battling a second wave of infections that emerged in mid-August, with about 4,500 cases confirmed in the greater Seoul area over the past three weeks.

On September 4, the country and Singapore agreed to allow essential business and official travel between them, which required visitors to have pre-departure and post-arrival Covid-19 tests and stick with a pre-approved itinerary for the first 14 days in the destination.

It has had a similar arrangement with mainland China since May and formed a travel corridor for essential business and diplomatic trips with Indonesia under different conditions last month.

Yiu said the public health crisis there was fluctuating and if its anti-epidemic measures could be on a par with Hong Kong, there would be room to set up a bubble.

Hongkongers feel Koreans usually comply with the rules. Just right now, some people there might not have fulfilled the governments requirements in their daily lives, he said.

Outlook: still uncertain, but going by past precedents, business travel is likely to be prioritised.

A second wave of infections emerged in South Korea in mid-August. Photo: Reuters

Vietnam

Since September 1, foreign visitors such as experts, investors, managers and diplomats have no longer been required to go through mandatory 14-day quarantine if staying in Vietnam for less than 14 days.

The country, which has had about 1,000 coronavirus cases in total, wants to resume international flights to destinations such as Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Phnom Penh and Laos from September 15.

Freddy Yip Hing-ning, president of the Hong Kong Travel Agent Owners Association, said forming travel bubbles within the Asia-Pacific region was a top priority as many countries desperately needed a tourism rebound to save their economies.

Ho Chi Minh City and the rest of Vietnam hopes international flights will resume to major destinations across Asia. Photo: AFP

The most popular outbound destinations for Hongkongers are Thailand, Japan, South Korea. Other than that it would be Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, Yip said. These countries are within Asia and they [need tourists really badly] because their economy needs it. Outlook: business travellers will be ahead of the queue, again going by past precedent.

Australia

Just last week, Australia said it would extend its international border restrictions for at least another three months to protect the country against the spread of the coronavirus. Australians and permanent residents are also banned from leaving the country unless granted an exemption.

The country has had about 26,400 virus cases, including a serious outbreak recently in Victoria state.

Australia has extended its border restrictions. Photo: Xinhua

The Australian consulate in Hong Kong told the Post the federal government was considering when and how to reopen its borders. It was working to set up a quarantine-free travel zone with neighbouring New Zealand, with talks ongoing for some months.

The consulate said the government would look at options for reopening travel with other countries and regions assessed to be low risk, starting with interested Pacific island nations.

In parallel, we are working on arrangements for priority traveller cohorts including international students and labour mobility participants, it said.

Outlook: unlikely in the near-term.

New Zealand

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that it was aware of the citys intention to form travel bubbles with a range of countries including New Zealand.

He said New Zealand was working as a priority with Australia to establish a travel zone, and with the Cook Islands and Niue, island nations in the South Pacific, to develop safe travel arrangements.

Once we are confident in the necessary health and border requirements and protocols, we may be in a position to explore options with other countries, he said.

The prospect of Hongkongers getting to see Auckland Harbour in New Zealand in the near-term is not high. Photo: Tourism New Zealand

The country has generally been very successful in limiting the spread of Covid-19, having had under 1,800 cases.

The government has advised citizens not to travel overseas. New Zealanders must undergo quarantine for 14 days at a government facility after returning from abroad.

Yau, the commerce minister, said New Zealand and Australia wanted to form their travel zone first before creating one with Hong Kong.

Outlook: unlikely in the near-term.

France

France is currently experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases, after it relaxed restrictions with other European countries over the summer, and has subsequently tightened border rules.

Since August 1, those travelling to France from countries labelled as high risk needed to show a negative Covid-19 test result taken less than 72 hours before their flight.

Travellers from everywhere except the European Union, Britain and places including Switzerland, must self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

The French consulate in Hong Kong declined to comment on the travel bubble plan with the city.

Outlook: unlikely in the near-term.

France is facing a resurgence of the virus. Photo: AFP

Germany

The German consulate said negotiations with Hong Kong over a travel bubble remained at a very early stage and could not give any further information on the developments.

Germanys borders with other European countries reopened in June and it has launched a Corona-Warn-App, a contact tracing application. The country has also been representing the European Union in discussing with Hong Kong the formation of travel corridors with other European countries. There is no travel bubble outside the EU at present.

One of Germanys top tourism draws, the Brandenburg Gate, was almost deserted earlier this year. Photo: Fabian Sommer

[A travel bubble with] Europe right now is impossible, Yip of the association said.

The Hong Kong government just made the first move to approach these countries but it does not mean that they [will reciprocate] the desire to resume travel to Hong Kong just yet.

Outlook: unlikely in the near-term.

Switzerland

The Swiss consulate said it had been contacted by the Hong Kong government regarding a potential travel bubble.

We share the goal of restoring cross-border travel mobility. We hope to find a solution which also involves other European countries, it said.

A 10-day quarantine on arrival is mandatory for travellers who spent more than 24 hours in an area labelled as high risk in the past two weeks. Based on the current list updated on September 7, Hong Kong is not listed as a high-risk area.

Outlook: uncertain.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article Travel bubbles for Hong Kong: will overtures to 11 countries get the city anywhere amid Covid-19 pandemic? first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
Tributes pour in for veteran lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists. He died at 92.

George Bizos, the anti-apartheid campaigner and human rights lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela during the decades-long struggle for South Africas democracy, has died.

He was 92.

Bizos died peacefully at his home in Johannesburg of natural causes, his family said late on Wednesday.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the news of Bizoss death was very sad for us as a country.

An incisive legal mind and architect of our constitution, he contributed immensely to our democracy. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and dip our heads in his honour, Ramaphosa said.

George Bizos, left, anti-apartheid activist and lifelong friend and lawyer of Nelson Mandela, right, arrives for his 80th birthday party in Johannesburg [File: Denis Farrell/AP Photo]

Fleeing the Nazis

Bizos was born in Vasilitisi, southern Greece, in 1927. He arrived in South Africa in 1941 after he and his father fled the Nazi occupation of Greece in a small rowboat that drifted in the Mediterranean Sea for days before being picked up by a British destroyer.

He described these events in his 2007 memoir, Odyssey to Freedom.

Despite being a beneficiary of apartheid as a WW2 refugee to the settler colony of South Africa, he embedded his life in our eternal quest to be collectively free, said Thandi Matthews, senior researcher at the South African Human Rights Commission.

In South Africa, Bizos studied law at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg where he met Mandela and the two became lifelong friends.

Bizos represented Mandela and fellow anti-apartheid activist Walter Sisulu in the historic Treason Trial, which started in 1956 and ended in 1961 with the acquittal of all the defendants.

He then represented Mandela at the 1963 Rivonia Trial when Mandela and others were sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of seeking to overthrow the apartheid government.

Over the years, he also defended numerous political activists, including anti-apartheid icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and the families of Black Consciousness Movement hero Steve Biko and freedom fighter Chris Hani.

Bizos also represented Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who in 2004 was acquitted of treason.

George was a great human being and one of South Africas greatest human rights fighters, said Adam Habib, vice chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand.

Fighter against evil and injustice

Bizos continued to be active into old age. After retirement in 1990, he joined the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) as counsel in its Constitutional Litigation Unit.

As part of the LRC, Bizos appeared before the Marikana Commission of Inquiry and represented some of the families of the 34 striking mine workers killed by police in August 2012.

In his time at the LRC, George played a critical role in the grooming of young attorneys who wanted to pursue human rights work, said Nersan Govender, LRC chairperson.

Howard Varney, who worked with Bizos at the LRC, added: The passing of Bizos removes a cherished link to the historic fight against evil and injustice. 

He received many rewards for his lifelong struggle for justice. In 1999, Mandela  who in 1994 had become South Africas first Black president  gave Bizos the Order for Meritorious Service.

Empathy and humanity

Tributes have been pouring in for Bizos since the news of his death emerged.

George had been captured on camera with tears pouring down his face as the people he was defending with Arthur Chaskalson in the Delmas Treason Trial were sent to long terms of imprisonment, said Albie Sachs, former judge on the Constitutional Court of South Africa and human rights activist.

He was always warmhearted, emotional, passionate, brave and very principled  this in a profession noted for its coldheartedness, rigidity and opportunism.

Wim Trengove, senior advocate at the Johannesburg bar association, said: Bizos had an extraordinary combination of tenacity and gentle humanity. He heroically fought the apartheid government before hostile courts for months and years on end. To do so took superhuman strength and perseverance.

And John Dugard, international law professor and a friend of Bizos, recalled: No lawyer did more to oppose the injustices of apartheid in South Africa than George Bizos. He was unique among lawyers in providing not only legal advice but also moral support to those he defended. His empathy for the suffering of those who opposed apartheid was legendary.

Bizos is survived by three sons and seven grandchildren.
MONTREAL - Transat AT Inc. expects to permanently lay off at least 2,000 Canadian employees after revenues fell 99 per cent last quarter, when the travel company operated flights for just one week.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Air Transat self service check-in kiosks are seen at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, on Friday, July 31, 2020. Transat A.T. Inc. reported a loss for its latest quarter as it began the partial resumption of flights and tour operations.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

MONTREAL - Transat AT Inc. expects to permanently lay off at least 2,000 Canadian employees after revenues fell 99 per cent last quarter, when the travel company operated flights for just one week.

The layoffs would reduce Transat's workforce by about 40 per cent and likely come after the end of the federal wage subsidy  scheduled to expire Dec. 19  if the situation does not improve rapidly, CEO Jean-Marc Eustache said on a conference call.

Nearly two-thirds of Transat's 5,100 workers in Canada already have been temporarily laid off, he said.

The announcement Thursday came alongside dire financial results, as the company saw net losses surge to $45.1 million in its third quarter from a loss of $1.5 million in the same period a year earlier. The recent losses are more than 50 per cent below analyst expectations.

The Montreal-based tour operator grounded its planes between April 1 and July 22, leaving only nine days for flights to occur at the tail end of the quarter, unprecedented in Air Transat's 34-year history.

The situation is especially difficult in Canada. Restrictions at the border are particularly stringent, with the closure to foreigners and mandatory quarantine for Canadians coming back from any other country at least until Sept. 30, Eustache said, echoing comments made by other airline CEOs.

We are frustrated.

The $720-million Transat acquisition proposed by Air Canada also looks increasingly uncertain, the company suggested.

Airlines across the globe have reduced capacity, leaving a transformed market that could impact regulatory approvals, especially regarding the appropriate package of remedies aimed at obtaining those approvals, the company said in its release.

Discussions around new financing for Transat are at "an advanced stage," Eustache said. But borrowing options remain an issue as Air Canada may have veto power over further loans or credit under the terms of their agreement, he said.

"Although the agreement provides that Air Canada's consent may not be unreasonably withheld, there is no certainty that Air Canada will consent to the obtaining of additional sources of financing by the corporation," the company said.

Transat shares closed at a new low for the year of $4.96, more than 70 per cent below the $18 per share Air Canada pledged in its takeover bid.

European regulators are expected to reach a decision on the deal by Dec. 11. The Trudeau government has not yet announced a thumbs-up or -down, which may come at any time, Eustache said.

"With the EU investigation pushed out to mid-December and a deal deadline of Dec. 27, there is concern that the transaction may not close," Laurentian Bank Securities analyst Mona Nazir said in a research note.

"Furthermore, should Air Canada remain interested in Transat from a strategic and financial perspective, it is possible that a lower offer may be made.

Air Canada declined to comment on the deal until the regulatory approval process is complete.

Transat operations remain severely curtailed. It is now flying out of 18 airports in Europe, the Caribbean and, domestically, in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

The company bled about $1.7 million in cash per day in the quarter ended July 31, but still had $576.4 million in cash and cash equivalents as of that date.

Class action lawsuits and reimbursement rules add another financial drain on the carrier's coffers after Transat, like other Canadian airlines, issued flight credits rather than refunds for trips cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This exposes the corporation to litigation and enforcement measures by legislative and regulatory authorities, including class action suits, which the corporation intends to contest in good faith and with good reason," Transat said.

Retaining passengers' cash for services never rendered has bolstered Transat's balance sheet for the time being, with travel credit making up $564 million or 88 per cent of its $638.1 million in customer deposits.

Passengers have filed a handful of proposed class-action lawsuits against airlines and three petitions garnering more than 109,000 signatures call for customer reimbursement. Meanwhile Transat has announced it will offer refunds on cancelled winter flights to American sun destinations in accordance with U.S. Department of Transportation rules.

Canada, unlike countries including France, Germany and the United States, has held off on sector-specific support for carriers. Instead Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rolled out financial aid available across industries, including the wage subsidy and loans starting at $60 million for large firms.

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"Nobody is helping this industry. As you know, were suffering like crazy," said Eustache. "Were not going to be on the same playing field as the others tomorrow."

Transat lost $1.20 per share in the quarter compared with a loss of four cents per share a year earlier, while revenue totalled $9.5 million, down from $698.9 million.

On an adjusted basis, Transat said it lost $3.70 per share for the quarter compared with an adjusted profit of 16 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

The figure fell 70 per cent below analyst expectations of losses of $2.32 per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ, TSX:AC)
If you criminalise news gathering, you are criminalising journalism. It is a moral duty for journalists to protect sources. Many have gone to jail to protect that principle. Follow Julian Assange's hearing in London with IFJ Representative Tim Dawson.

A demonstrator protests outside of the Old Bailey court in central London on September 8, 2020, on the second day of the resumption of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition hearing. Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday failed to persuade a British judge to throw out new US allegations against him, as he resumed his fight to avoid extradition to the United States for leaking military secrets. Protesters gathered outside London's Old Bailey court as the 49-year-old Australian was brought in, brandishing placards reading "Don't Extradite Assange" and "Stop this political trial". Tolga Akmen / AFP

It took some time to warm up, but the courtroom duel between James Lewis QC and Professor Mark Feldstein of Maryland University laid bare some fundamental issues for journalists. Both were appearing at the Old Bailey, London: Lewis making the case for the US government that Julian Assange should be extradited; Feldstein, called as an expert witness to explain how journalists work.

Lewis has been at the bar for more than 30 years, and promotes his services with the strapline: a charming man with a mega brain.

By way of trying to demolish the testimony and reputation of his opponent, he deployed a classic barristers technique. He asked a series of apparently simple questions that led the witness into a trap from which there is no escape without undermining their own evidence. Or at least, that was clearly his hope.

Lewis: Is it your view Professor, that journalists are above the law.

Feldstein: No, sir, it is not.

Lewis: And is it your view that a journalist should be allowed to hack someone's computer to unearth private matters, or burgle their home?

Feldstein: No it is not my view.

Lewis: So if a journalist helps someone to burgle a home or hack a computer to obtain information, can we agree that they have clearly broken the law?

Feldstein, after a pause: It depends on the details, that is where it gets a bit squishy.

Whether that was quite the denouement Lewis hoped for was unclear, but from Feldsteins earlier evidence, it was clear how fundamental this point is to reporting. Feldstein described how, during his own distinguished career as a journalist he had frequently been in receipt of leaked material. He said that helping a source to remove material undetected and disguising their part in doing so was standard operating procedure for journalists and something he taught his own journalism students.

A moment or two later, the advocate tried a similar manoeuvre.

Lewis: Will you agree with me Professor, that there are some secrets that a state is entitled to keep?  troop movements in time or war and the nuclear codes, for example?

Feldstein: Of course.

Lewis: So if someone tries to steal details of troop movements during war, or the nuclear codes, or material that could put people at risk, if is reasonable to consider that a crime.

The video link over which Feldstein was speaking left this point slightly lost  although Lewis rhetorical sleight of hand was clear. The first two instances are unequivocal cases, the third a significantly more conjectural catch all.

Feldstein came back strongly. If you criminalise news gathering, you are criminalising journalism. It is a moral duty for journalists to protect sources. Many have gone to jail to protect that principle. The professor went on to say that he thought the US government could, with this case, be trying to create precedents that would allow it to pursue other members of the news media.

This point is the one on which this entire case hangs. The acts for which extradition and prosecution are sought are clearly ones that might have been committed by any investigative journalist. Whether or not you consider Assange to be a journalist, or indeed, if his unredacted publication of leaks was responsible, are peripheral issues.

Other evidence from Feldstein highlighted what a risk this might be, given the frequency of US administrations considered prosecuting leak-receiving journalists. Richard Nixon hoped to silence Jack Adamson (even considering having him killed), for example and Obama desperately searched for means to get Assange into court.

The previous witness, distinguished human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, clearly illustrated what might be lost if obtaining leaks were criminalised. He described a US system of government that had, since 9/11, sought to classify almost every piece of information in its possession.

His example of how absurd this could be was fascinating. When I first went to see a British man in Guantanamo Bay he gave me 30 pages on the torture that he had suffered. All of this material was immediately classified on the basis that revealing torture was a threat to (US) national security.

Stafford Smith argued that the US obsession' with secrecy post 9/11 meant that much that was classified was simply material that was embarrassing, or provided evidence of bad decision making.

The clear implication was that if being in receipt of classified material without authorisation was criminalised, there would be little to report in the future.

Stafford Smith also vividly illustrated the broader importance of journalism. Revelations from Wikileaks helped end a US assignation programme that had targeted journalists among others, he said. They also provided the basis for ending drone strikes in Pakistan. And he had personally used material leaked by Assange to secure the release of innocents incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay.

The challenge for Assanges legal team over the three weeks scheduled for the hearing, is to persuade both the judge, and the public more generally, of this case. The witness list looks encouraging. Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg is cited, as is distinguished journalist Patrick Cockburn and Noam Chomsky.

Whether they will be sufficient to persuade the judge, Vanessa Baraitser, remains to be seen. Few decisions to date have gone with the defence. They asked for Assange to sit with them in court, rather than in the bullet-proof dock, and were refused. They sought to have the fresh charges levelled over the summer struck out, and found her unsympathetic. And their request for a three month adjournment to prepare to answer the new charges was also denied.

What is in no doubt, however, is that if Assange is extradited, he will face charges that could result in 175 years in prison. These would be served in solitary confinement and with little access to family, friends or lawyers.

Notwithstanding the personal effect on Assange of such an outcome, this would surely give journalists real pause for thought if they are ever offered classified US information in the future.

The hearing continues.

Tim Dawson
Police use chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters during a demonstration in Portland, Oregon (Noah Berger/AP)

The mayor of Portland has banned police in the US state of Oregons largest city to stop using tear gas for crowd control during the frequently violent protests that have plagued the city for more than three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, was tear gassed when he went to a demonstration against the presence of federal authorities dispatched to the city to protect federal property.

He said he still wants police to respond aggressively to prevent violence and vandalism.

Hundreds of people have been arrested since the protests started in May.

Effective immediately, I am directing the Portland Police Bureau to end the use of CS gas for crowd control until further notice. We need something different. We need it now. https://t.co/z5ny0okSir  Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) September 10, 2020

I call on everyone to step up and tamp down the violence. Im acting. Its time for others to join me.  Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) September 10, 2020

I expect the police to arrest people who engage in criminal acts.

I expect the district attorney to prosecute those who commit criminal acts.

And I expect the rest of the criminal justice system to hold those individuals accountable, the mayor said.

The protesters want city officials to slash the police budget and reallocate that money to black residents and businesses.

Some demonstrators are also demanding the resignation of Mr Wheeler, a white man and the scion of a timber company fortune.

In clashes with police, some protesters have broken windows, set small fires, punctured police car tyres, shined lasers in officers eyes and pelted them with rocks and frozen water bottles.

Mr Wheeler recently moved out of his high-rise apartment after protesters targeted the building, setting a fire in a business on the ground floor.
The mayor of a town in Peru sent a letter marked with a bloodied hand print to President Martin Vizcarra protesting against the lack of medical equipment provided by the government to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayor Arturo Fernandez sent the letter to the president on Friday and posted a video of himself imprinting his bloodied hand on the letter saying it represented "hundreds and thousands of people here in Peru."

He specifically criticised the government for money spent on advertising social distancing measures, and for lockdown rules imposed as well as underfunding in medical supplies.

The mayor in question is under investigation by health authorities in Peru for claiming that chlorine dioxide can be used to treat the coronavirus.
Former defense secretary Jim Mattis appears to have been plotting a coup with then-Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats after growing furious with President Trump for banning transgenders from the military and moving to pull out of Afghanistan and Syria.



From The Washington Post:

Mattis quietly went to Washington National Cathedral [in May 2019] to pray about his concern for the nation's fate under Trump's command and, according to Woodward, told Coats, "There may come a time when we have to take collective action" since Trump is "dangerous. He's unfit."

Translation: we may have to stage a coup to get him out of power.





Plenty of Democrats and former and current intelligence officials are working on a Color Revolution come November as we speak.

In a separate conversation recounted by Woodward, Mattis told Coats, "The president has no moral compass," to which the director of national intelligence replied: "True. To him, a lie is not a lie. It's just what he thinks. He doesn't know the difference between the truth and a lie."

Mattis doesn't know the difference between a male and a female.







Trump reportedly accurately said his generals were a "bunch of pussies."

"Not to mention my f**king generals are a bunch of pussies. They care more about their alliances than they do about trade deals," Trump told White House trade adviser Peter Navarro at one point, according to Woodward.

No lie detected!



Ann Coulter, who has repeatedly tried to tell Trump today's generals have nothing in common with those of the past like Trump-favorite Gen. George Patton, responded to the news on Wednesday by saying Trump has won her back!





And he wins me back! https://t.co/7nhtSuC4k9  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) September 10, 2020



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Kolkata, Sep 10 : Newly appointed West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday urged all the defectors, who have joined opposition camps, to return to the party.

"I want to convey this to everyone who had left the Congress that they can rethink on this and come back. I will ensure that they get their due respect in the party," Chowdhury said.

The senior Congress MP from Berhampore in Murshidabad, who is also the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said that he would make personal efforts to woo the defectors back.

"I will call on them (all defectors) to return to their grand old party," Chowdhury added.

Chowdhury also said that the Congress is ready to enter into a political alliance with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in Bengal to put up a combined fight against the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Earlier also, Chowdhury had served as the state PCC chief between 2014 and 2018.
A group of politicians from across the world has accused China of 'bullying' and 'intimidating' Australia as tensions between the two nations escalate.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, made up of legislators from the European Union, UK, US, Canada and several other nations, have accused Beijing of using 'coercive diplomacy' to 'gain diplomatic advantage'.

The group released a statement after two Australian journalists based in China flew home on Tuesday, fearing for their safety after they were linked to a national security case.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China includes 13 Australian politicians, including prominent China critics Liberal MP Andrew Hastie (pictured with his father when he joined the SAS) and Labor Senator Kimberly Kitching

Chinese President Xi Jinping (pictured, centre) poses with health experts and generals on Tuesday

'The PRC's latest decision to force out the last two remaining accredited Australian media journalists shows the extent to which they are willing to bully countries who challenge them,' the statement read.

China-Australia relations have deteriorated since Scott Morrison backed calls for an independent inquiry into coronavirus in March.

Beijing banned Australian barley and beef imports and advised students and tourists not to go Down Under in apparent retaliation.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China said the communist superpower, home to 1.3 billion people, was using 'trade bans, popular boycotts, visa restrictions and arbitrary detention of foreign nationals' to further its strategic interests.

'In recent weeks China has implemented unwarranted trade sanctions against a number of Australian agricultural exports,' the statement read.

'This is just the latest instance in a disturbing pattern of behaviour whereby the PRC uses its economic influence to pressure other states into acquiescing to their demands.'

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, made up of legislators from the European Union, UK, US, Canada, and several other nations have accused Beijing of using 'coercive diplomacy' to 'gain diplomatic advantage'

The group includes 13 Australian politicians, including prominent China critics Liberal MP Andrew Hastie and Labor Senator Kimberly Kitching.

The group aims to 'promote a coordinated response among democratic states to challenges posed by the present conduct and future ambitions of the People's Republic of China.'

The ABC's Bill Birtles and Michael Smith from the Australian Financial Review were rushed out of China for their own safety this week, after being banned from leaving until they answered questions about Australian-Chinese TV anchor Cheng Lei who has been detained.

Chinese police told the men they were people of interest in the case and both journalists were ordered to report for questioning.

They sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds for days as their travel rights were revoked.

Consular officials secured safe passage after the pair agreed to be interviewed.

Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army march outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (pictured on Tuesday)

Both journalists say they are relieved to be home but disappointed about the circumstances surrounding their departure.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has no doubt the expulsion of two Australian reporters from China is a direct response to ASIO raids on Chinese journalists.

Beijing has accused Australian security agencies of 'blatant irrational acts' over raids on four Chinese journalists' homes in June.

Two Chinese scholars had their visa revoked as part of the crack down on alleged foreign interference.

Beijing appeared to retaliate this week by effectively expelling the final two Australian correspondents working on the ground in China.

Ms Cheng has been detained in Beijing for almost a month, accused of endangering national security.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is confident the connection is clear.

'What (China) appear to be admitting is that they've kicked out two of our journalists because ASIO investigated two of theirs who left, right? So it's tit for tat,' he told ABC radio on Thursday.

'The relationship with China is of vital importance but we have to be able to defend our sovereignty.

'And if a foreign government or political party is seeking covertly or corruptly or coercively to meddle in our affairs, then we have to call that out.'

Mr Turnbull, who enraged Beijing by introducing foreign interference laws in 2017, said China meddled in other countries' affairs on a bigger and more industrial scale than any other nation.

'They have very elaborate foreign influence operations,' he said.

'We don't have a problem with somebody here representing an agency of the Chinese Communist Party, as long as they are up front about it.'
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has informed that the Indian Air force (IAF) will formally induct the first batch of five Rafale jets at 10 am on Thursday at Ambala airbase. Singh added that the aircraft will be part of the 17 Squadron, the "Golden Arrows". The twin-jet fighter aircraft is India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in more than two decades," Singh said in a tweet.



At 10.00 AM tomorrow, #Rafale aircraft will be formally inducted into @IAF_MCC at the Air Force Station in Ambala. The aircraft will be part of 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows. The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in more than two decades. Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 9, 2020 Watch: Rafale fighter aircraft at the Indian Air Force station in Ambala #WATCH Rafale fighter aircraft at the Indian Air Force station in Ambala, today morning. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will formally induct the five Rafale fighter aircraft into the Indian Air Force, today. pic.twitter.com/aM8JVkXdQm ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020 Rafale fighter aircraft at the Indian Air Force station in Ambala, today morning.



Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will formally induct the five Rafale fighter aircraft into the Indian Air Force, today. pic.twitter.com/Pgz82SeCHv ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020 About Rafale's induction ceremony; all you need to know Guestlist: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar will attend the ceremony. The French delegation at the ceremony will include French envoy Emmanuel Lenain, Air Gen Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of French Air Force, Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation Eric Trappier and CEO of missile maker MBDA Eric Beranger. Florence Parly has arrived at Delhi's Palam airport. #WATCH Florence Parly, Minister of Armed Forces of France arrives at Delhi's Palam airport. She is the chief guest for Rafale induction ceremony at Air Force Station, Ambala pic.twitter.com/Z2V086HouC ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

About the ceremony: The programme will begin at 10 am in Ambala. First, a traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja' will take place. Thereafter, an air display by Rafale and Tejas aircraft as well as by the 'Sarang aerobatic team' will be held.

IAF Spokesperson Wing Commander Indranil Nandi said a traditional water cannon salute will be given to the Rafale fleet before its ceremonial induction into the 17 Squadron of the IAF.

About the Rafale deal

1. In September 2016, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets at a cost of around Rs 59,000 crore. The purchase was made to further strengthen the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.

2. The five rafale aircraft arrived in India on July 29, 2020. The second batch of four to five Rafale jets is likely to arrive by November.

3. Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

4. In total, twelve IAF pilots and engineering crew members have received complete training on the Rafale fighter jets.

5. While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will be based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

6. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be twin-seater trainers and will have almost all features of the fighter jets.

About Rafale fighter jets:

According to Dassault Aviation, Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. It has capabilities to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

Also read: IAF to induct Rafale fighter jets on Sept 10; key things to know
KAROL SIKORA: It is illogical and merely invites ridicule and disobedience from an increasingly sceptical and weary public

Expert advisers have deep and very specific areas of knowledge, but can only offer a selective view of the facts  in this case a recent and modest rise in coronavirus infections in young people  to ministers.

The ultimate decision, based on a balanced assessment of the competing opinions, has to be a political one that convinces the public.

And I am afraid that the Hands, Face, Space slogan, crowned with the Rule of Six  a ban on gatherings of more than six people indoors or outdoors  fails miserably on that count.

Of course it is much safer for 20 people to meet, socially distanced, in a park than have six people gathered in a crowded living room  but the new restriction makes no provision for this.

It is illogical and merely invites ridicule and disobedience from an increasingly sceptical and weary public who are confused and disillusioned by repeated stop-start initiatives, be it testing or quarantine or a return to the workplace, over the past six months.

And certainly the latest gimmicks do nothing to address the fear factor that holds so many in its grip.

Yet what an opportunity Boris Johnson had to change the mood of the nation on Wednesday night as he addressed us from the Downing Street lectern.

First, he might have saluted school teachers for coming together to end the social isolation of millions of children and kick-start their education again.

What an opportunity Boris Johnson had to change the mood of the nation on Wednesday night as he addressed us from the Downing Street lectern

This is a crucial step forward in safe-guarding the mental health of children whose short lives have been upended in 2020.

Next he should have urged university and college students to start the new term with optimism.

Then he should have acknowledged that uptick in infections (as youd expect when people start to mingle again) in the healthy young who are largely invulnerable to coronavirus, while emphasising another critical statistic: last week ten times as many people died in England of flu and pneumonia as of Covid.

Fourthly  and I speak as a cancer specialist  I would have rejoiced to hear the Prime Minister acknowledge the tens of thousands of people out there who, because of the impact of Covid-19 on routine NHS screening programmes and the restrictions under which many GP surgeries are operating, are failing to seek diagnosis or treatment for worrying symptoms.

For be in no doubt, these are the next wave of Covid-19s collateral damage.

I wish Mr Johnson had told the nation to cajole or bully our loved ones to demand to be seen by their GP, via Zoom if necessary  because that really will save lives.

I doubt that the Rule of Six will make any material difference to the reinfection rate, but one thing is absolutely certain. Thousands more people will die in the coming months and years because of undiagnosed cancers, cardiac disorders and other treatable conditions than will succumb directly to Covid-19.

And the lack of urgency  acknowledgement  surrounding this growing crisis makes me truly despair.

The rationale of the initial lockdown was to Protect the NHS. Well, the NHS coped fine, essentially by shutting itself down to all but Covid admissions, A&E, and maternity care.

But we ignored the human health cost of this, and it will be very high indeed.

Basic modelling predicts at least 30,000 extra cancer deaths as a result of the hobbling of the UKs diagnostic services. Take prostate cancer: as the Mail reported this week, referrals have halved since lockdown began.

As for routine bread and butter operations, it will take years for the NHS to recover, if ever. Waiting times for knee and hip replacements are the longest in 12 years, with 2.15million patients on the lists.

People eating at tables placed outside on Old Compton St in Soho, London, August 31

The trends are even more terrifying in cardiac care. Figures suggest a nearly 50 per cent drop in the number of heart attacks in the UK in the first three months of the shutdown.

This would be a jaw-dropping figure if it were true, but unfortunately it is not. What it really means is that thousands of people who suffered symptoms of a heart attack at the milder end of the spectrum were too scared to go to hospital for treatment.

If you are not treated for a mild heart attack, you might convince yourself youve recovered, but your heart muscles will have been weakened. You are much more likely to suffer gradual heart failure and sudden death in the next couple of years.

Psychologically, the fundamental problem with the Rule of Six is that it reverses the tide towards the return to normality which, as a nation, we desperately have to cling to. Worst of all, it undermines any effort to get people back to work, particularly via public transport. Any sensible person will wonder how it can be safe to get on a busy bus or train if it is deemed dangerous to gather their extended family in their own home.

And as for the moonshot mass population testing plan, well I wish I could get excited about it.

There is one obvious problem here. Even if it can be achieved, testing on this level will throw up hundreds of thousands of false positive results, which would require those people, plus all their contacts, to self-quarantine. This is impractical, and will not happen.

I worry that Boris and his ministers and advisers have squandered so much political capital with policy shifts, U-turns, meaningless slogans and gimmicks that the nation  and especially young people  are beginning to dismiss everything they hear.

People will even stop obeying the sensible rules, like handwashing, wearing a mask in public and keeping a distance. I am currently on holiday in North Wales and I noticed when I went out for curry last night that an implausible number of people had registered under the name of Smith in the restaurants test and trace book.

This open defiance, I suspect, will become the norm, and the plan to employ Covid Marshals to enforce restrictions will, I fear, bring the authorities into further ridicule.

This Government has been very successful in the business of spreading fear about Covid, but in not much else.

What people desperately need now is belief that things can, and will, get back to a state of being that they recognise. Above all, they crave that most human of emotion  a sense of hope.

Karol Sikora is professor of medicine at University of Buckingham Medical School and Chief Medical Officer at Rutherford Health.
Yes, this is a crisis, an epidemiological situation, and sometimes there is an impression that there is such a situation only in Armenia. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this Thursday at the Cabinet session of the government, News.am reports.

"Today, the circulation toward the CIS countries is completely closed. If we talk about Russia, the circulation is closed with almost all countries, there are some exceptions. We already now believe that the situation allows us to discuss this issue within the framework of the EEU and try to determine how and with what timeframe we will get out of this situation. We have already initiated such a discussion within the EEU format," he said.

And referring to passenger traffic and reopening of borders, the Armenian PM said: "We have been planning that since mid-September, as far as I understand, the Civil Aviation Committee has been collecting applications so we can find out which airlines are going to resume flights to Armenia. As far as I understand, one or two dozen airlines will resume regular flights to Armenia already in September."
Qatar will host peace negotiations on the conflict in Afghanistan beginning Sept. 12. The Gulf state previously hosted negotiations between the United States and the Taliban.

The deliberations will take place in the Qatari capital Doha, the state-run Qatar News Agency reported on Thursday. The US-backed Afghan government and the Islamist Taliban organization will participate.

Qatar has demonstrated a willingness to host negotiations on conflicts before. In February, the United States and NATO agreed to remove all their troops from the South Asian country within 14 months after negotiations in Qatar with the Taliban. The United States and allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 following the Sept. 11 attacks. The Taliban governed Afghanistan at the time and harbored al-Qaeda, which carried out the attacks.

Ahead of the talks, Qatar also agreed to take some Taliban prisoners amid a dispute between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

In Gaza, Qatar mediated the Aug. 31 cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

The negotiations come as the Donald Trump administration declares its intention to remove US forces from Afghanistan and the Middle East. On Wednesday, a top US general said there will be partial troop drawdowns before the Nov. 3 US presidential election. Trump regularly pledges to stop endless wars and bring American troops home. The US military also said on Wednesday it would reduce its more than 5,000 troops in Iraq to 3,000.
A team of researchers from Arizona State University spoke to News-Medical about their latest research investigating whether micro and nanoplastics are accumulating in human tissues, and what this could mean for our health.

Thought Leaders Varun Kelkar

Dr. Charles Rolsky

Professor Rolf Halden A team of researchers from Arizona State University spoke to News-Medical about their latest research investigating whether micro and nanoplastics are accumulating in human tissues, and what this could mean for our health.

Why is plastic pollution a global problem? Why has plastic pollution increased over the years?

Since its creation, plastic production has been increasing exponentially worldwide. Plastics are cheap, durable, and long-lasting materials, which translates into negative implications when they turn from a useful product into an environmental pollutant.

Given the massive amount of plastic we use as humans daily, plastic contamination within our bodies is not a surprise and deserves our attention. This contamination is not going away; on the contrary, it is growing continuously. It thus behooves us to find out where these polluting polymers travel and how they impact our health and wellbeing.

Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue. It is personal. Everyone is being exposed, we and others have shown that essentially everyone who lives in the developed world has detectable levels of not just one but multiple plastics in their bodies.

Image Credit: Rich Carey/Shutterstock.com

Plastics can break down over time, but tiny fragments can still be ingested. How does this occur?

Larger plastics are capable of weathering into smaller pieces via many processes that include UV rays from the sun or the salinity of ocean water, for example. Some plastics are created to be small such as microbeads.

Research has shown that lower-tiered organisms can ingest these small plastics, allowing them to move up the food chain to reach top-tiered organisms such as human beings.

Why have there been few studies that have looked at whether these plastic fragments are entering human bodies?

Everyone is being exposed but detecting contamination with confidence is difficult. We and others have shown that essentially everyone who lives in the developed world has detectable levels of not just one but multiple plastic monomers or building blocks in their bodies.

We are now moving on and trying to better understand whether, similarly, nanoplastics and microplastics are detectable in people. We now have demonstrated that if we spike these plastic materials into mammal tissue, we can successfully retrieve, detect, and count them. That is an important step forward but more work needs to be done.

Image Credit: Alexander Raths/Shutterstock.com

What potential health implications could micro and nanoplastics have on human health based on previous animal and wildlife models?

At this point, we have found in human tissue only the monomers of plastic and we now have demonstrated that plastics spiked into mammal organ tissues can be recovered successfully using our method. The search for nano- and microplastics in human tissues is still ongoing and results are still pending.

When a foreign object gets lodged in our body, it can trigger tissue inflammation which may then escalate into more severe health effects, including cancer, information that was gleaned from animal experiments by other researchers.

Plastics have been demonstrated to cause adverse effects in the environment and animals including mammals. Several pathways for human exposure to plastics have been identified, including the consumption of contaminated seafood.

In collaboration with Plastic Oceans International and the Banner Sun Health Research Institute (BSHRI) Brain and Body Donation Program, we are now applying our new method to tissue samples from human lungs, kidneys, and livers. If micro- and nanoplastics are being sequestered in our bodies, our novel method will help in demonstrating their presence.

You are one of the first groups of researchers to examine micro- and nanoplastics in human organs and tissues. Can you describe how you carried out your research?

Again, at this point, we have found in human tissue-specific only monomers of plastics. The search for nano- and microplastics in human tissues is still ongoing and results are still pending. We believe that our research hits on several very new contributions to this field.

First, our method to extract nanoplastics from animal and subsequent human organs and tissues is showing to be effective and will be a novel tool and platform for other researchers to use to further understand the ability of nanoplastics to become sequestered in our tissues and organs.

Secondly, we created a novel, online conversion tool that will aid in the standardization of micro- and nanoplastic reporting units, as well as their morphologies. Inconsistencies in the ways that micro- and nanoplastics are reported hinder comparisons and the advancement of knowledge, which this conversion tool aims to rectify. It will also serve as an interactive database for other researchers to utilize.

Since human tissues are precious and hard to come by, we first started developing this method by using more readily available animal tissues. We spiked known amount into mammalian tissue, digested using a strong acid, dyed it using a dyeing protocol developed in the lab, and analyzed it in a flow cytometer. We will soon be applying this methot to actual human tissue samples housed in our lab.

What did you discover?

Apart from detecting monomers (building blocks) of plastics in human liver and fat tissue, we also demonstrated that could microplastics (5-10-micron diameter), when spiked into mammalian tissue, can be recovered and counted with an extraction efficiency of 50-60%.

Image Credit: Magic mine/Shutterstock.com

You are sharing the computer program that you designed in your research with other researchers. How will the sharing of this information help to build up a database of exposure, and understand the health effects of these plastic particles faster?

We welcome lab scientists, citizen scientists, student researchers, and environmentalists, who find microplastics in the environment or biota, to report their findings in a normalized manner (as mass) to harmonize reporting and make measurements comparable from one study to another.

Do you believe that people should be concerned about the accumulation of these plastic particles in our organs and tissues?

Given the massive amount of plastic we use as humans daily, plastic contamination within our bodies is not a huge surprise and it is something that we need to watch out for and manage better. This contamination is not going away; on the contrary, it is growing continuously. It thus behooves us to find out where these polluting polymers travel and how they impact our health and wellbeing.

How much more research and data are needed before we can accurately determine the effects of these micro- and nanoplastics on human health?

We do understand that the first-generation plastics we manufacture and use today, over half a century after their introduction, are imperfect materials. We also know that we use too much of them and that they accumulate in the environment and some of their building blocks even in people. That is enough information to take action.

However, we also still need to learn more about which plastics get not only into our gastrointestinal system but actually into our bloodstream and tissues, where they accumulate and what the effects are. We hope that the methods we report here will aid in increasing our understanding.

Before we announce any detections, we need to convince ourselves and others that the methods we use are reliable and suitable for recovering polymeric plastic pollution from tissues and organs. That is what we have demonstrated here.

What are the next steps in your research?

We look forward to analyzing housed human tissue and organ samples and to better define who gets exposed, how, and what the consequences are, whether these exposures are from plastic monomers, plasticizers, other coatings or micro- and nanoplastics. Along with these human tissue samples come complex life histories giving us precious insight into potential exposure pathways for plastics to have reached these individuals.

Where can readers find more information?

The article below is a good starting point for a detailed analysis of human tissues:

Assessment of Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic Organic Environmental Pollutants in Liver and Adipose Tissue of Alzheimers Disease Patients and Age-matched Controls

DOI: 10.2174/1567205016666191010114744

Furthermore, here is our latest paper: https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c03121

About Varun Kelkar

Varun is a 3rd year Ph.D. student studying environmental engineering at The Biodesign center for environmental health engineering.

Varun has active in the fields of microplastic pollution research and in wastewater epidemiology, where he is studying harmful contaminants.

About Dr. Charles Rolsky

Dr. Rolsky is a postdoctoral student in Biodesigns Center for Environmental Health Engineering and is also the Director of Science North America for Plastic Oceans International.

About Professor Rolf Halden

Rolf is a Professor at Arizona State University and Founding Director of the Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, the nonprofit OneWaterOneHealth, and the ASU startup company, AquaVitas LLC. Rolf has authored over 230 research papers, patents, monographs, and the 2020 popular science book, Environment.

Rolf is an expert in wastewater-based epidemiology for tracking harmful chemicals and infectious disease agents like SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rolf serves on the Expert Team of the U.S. American Chemical Society and has been invited repeatedly to brief the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Academies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and members of U.S. Congress on environmental health and sustainability challenges.
SPRINGFIELD  For 25 years, the African American heritage flag has been raised over the Mason Square Veterans Memorial Park.

This year is no different, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

A group of veterans and community members yesterday hoisted the flag to honor those giving the ultimate sacrifice from our community to the efforts of the U.S., said Richard Johnson, Mason Square C3 co-facilitator.

I hope (people) remember individuals, Dr. Ruth B. Loving and those who came before them to establish the importance of Black heritage within our community, said Bernard McClusky, a Vietnam veteran.

War itself is not a pretty picture, but, when youre an African American or a Black man 10,000 miles away (from home) to serve your country with honor and dignity, one of the things that was so important for us was representing Black people. We were considered at that time not to be a whole citizen, but we were representing our country, he said.

Johnson said the flag-raising in Mason Square is a continuation of a long tradition. After mentioning how proud the community feels about having people like Loving  who died in 2014 at the age of 100 and is considered the first lady of Springfields civil right movement  he said there are several reasons for the community to honor the citys Black veterans.

As a Black African American we want to make sure that folks understand that our commitment to this country and to the armed forces and the armed services has always been a real commitment, he said. We always participated in the campaigns, and we want to recognize our veterans and those families of those veterans.

Several community leaders were present including City Councilors Tracye Whitfield and Malo Brown and state Rep. Bud Williams, D-Springfield. The event was a collaboration with the National Association of Black Veterans, the Stone Soul Committee, the Springfield chapter of the NAACP, Nation of Islam and the Old Hill Neighborhood Council.

With a lot of the injustice thats going on, this gives us an opportunity to take pride in the things that we have made progress in through it all, Brown said. This is taking time to appreciate some of the people who have set the path for us and remember the good and strong in our heritage.

Tony Bass, former commander for National Association for Black Veterans, said he hopes that when people see the flag they get a sense of pride.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monument in Mason Square was erected in 1968, making it the oldest Vietnam memorial in the country and the only one specifically honoring African Americans who lost their lives.The monument pays tribute to: U.S. Army Pvt. Gus Stovall Jr.; Marine Lance Cpl. David Lee Owens; Army Spc. Norman Carl Farris; Army Spc. Ronald Charles Hurst; and Air Force Sgt. James Cecil Starnes. They all lived in the neighborhood formerly known as Winchester Square.

Bass, noting the history of the monument, said, Vietnam was such a unpopular war and the Vietnam vets that came home, especially the Black Vietnam vets, we had so much disarray in our community at that time because the civil rights (movement) was going on.

Added Johnson, I just want the community to know that when you drive by this park, this park isnt just grass and trees, it really is representative of those from this community who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country and for the liberties that we share right now, so we really want to honor them."

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The coronavirus targets the lungs foremost, but also the kidneys, liver and blood vessels. Still, about half of patients report neurological symptoms, including headaches, confusion and delirium, suggesting the virus may also attack the brain.

A new study offers the first clear evidence that in some people, the coronavirus invades brain cells, hijacking them to make copies of itself. The virus also seems to suck up all of the oxygen nearby, starving neighbouring cells to death.

Its unclear how the virus gets to the brain or how often it sets off this trail of destruction. Infection of the brain is likely to be rare, but some people may be susceptible because of their genetic backgrounds, a high viral load or for other reasons.

If the brain does become infected, it could have a lethal consequence, said Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University who led the work.

The study was posted online on Wednesday and has not yet been vetted by experts for publication. But several researchers said it was careful and elegant, showing in multiple ways that the virus can infect brain cells.

Scientists have had to rely on brain imaging and patient symptoms to infer effects on the brain, but we hadnt really seen much evidence that the virus can infect the brain, even though we knew it was a potential possibility, said Dr Michael Zandi, consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Britain. This data just provides a little bit more evidence that it certainly can.

Dr Zandi and his colleagues published research in July showing that some patients with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, develop serious neurological complications, including nerve damage.

In the new study, Iwasaki and her colleagues documented brain infection in three ways: in brain tissue from a person who died of Covid-19, in a mouse model, and in organoids  clusters of brain cells in a lab dish meant to mimic the brains three-dimensional structure.

Other pathogens  including the Zika virus  are known to infect brain cells. Immune cells then flood the damaged sites, trying to cleanse the brain by destroying infected cells.

The coronavirus is much stealthier: it exploits the brain cells machinery to multiply, but doesnt destroy them. Instead, it chokes off oxygen to adjacent cells, causing them to wither and die.

The researchers didnt find any evidence of an immune response to remedy this problem. Its kind of a silent infection, Ms Iwasaki said. This virus has a lot of evasion mechanisms.

These findings are consistent with other observations in organoids infected with the coronavirus, said Alysson Muotri, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Diego, who has also studied the Zika virus.

The coronavirus seems to rapidly decrease the number of synapses, the connections between neurons.

Days after infection, and we already see a dramatic reduction in the amount of synapses, Ms Muotri said. We dont know yet if that is reversible or not.

The virus infects a cell via a protein on its surface called ACE2. That protein appears throughout the body and especially in the lungs, explaining why they are favored targets of the virus.

Previous studies have suggested, based on a proxy for protein levels, that the brain has very little ACE2 and is likely to be spared. But Ms Iwasaki and her colleagues looked more closely and found that the virus could indeed enter brain cells using this doorway.

Its pretty clear that it is expressed in the neurons and its required for entry, Ms Iwasaki said.

Her team then looked at two sets of mice  one with the ACE2 receptor expressed only in the brain, and the other with the receptor only in the lungs. When they introduced the virus into these mice, the brain-infected mice rapidly lost weight and died within six days. The lung-infected mice did neither.

Despite the caveats attached to mouse studies, the results still suggest that virus infection in the brain may be more lethal than respiratory infection, Ms Iwasaki said.

The virus may get to the brain through the olfactory bulb  which regulates smell  through the eyes or even from the bloodstream. Its unclear which route the pathogen is taking, and whether it does so often enough to explain the symptoms seen in people.

I think this is a case where the scientific data is ahead of the clinical evidence, Ms Muotri said.

Researchers will need to analyse many autopsy samples to estimate how common brain infection is and whether it is present in people with milder disease or in so-called long-haulers, many of whom have a host of neurological symptoms.

Forty to 60 per cent of Covid-19 patients experience neurological and psychiatric symptoms, said Dr Robert Stevens, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins University. But the symptoms may not all stem from the virus invading brain cells. They may be the result of pervasive inflammation throughout the body.

For example, inflammation in the lungs can release molecules that make the blood sticky and clog up blood vessels, leading to strokes. Theres no need for the brain cells themselves to be infected for that to occur, Dr Zandi said.

But in some people, he added, it may be low blood oxygen from infected brain cells that triggers strokes: Different groups of patients may be affected in different ways, he said. Its quite possible that youll see a combination of both.

Some cognitive symptoms, like brain fog and delirium, might be harder to pick up in patients who are sedated and on ventilators. Doctors should plan to dial down sedatives once a day, if possible, in order to assess Covid-19 patients, Dr Stevens said.

New York Times
Tavistock gender clinic trial date set; trans-activist groups Mermaids, Stonewall UK banned

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A judicial review date has been set in the U.K. regarding a lawsuit against a London-based gender clinic's medicalized gender-transitioning of children and teenagers.

Amid rising concern that children are being rushed into experimental gender-transitioning treatments that include puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and body-altering surgeries, the effects of which are permanent, a trial date for the suit against the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has been set for Oct. 7-8.

The lawsuit was brought in part by Susan Evans, a psychiatric nurse and former member of the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) for children at the Tavistock clinic. Evans has voiced repeated concerns that the safety of children being treated at the facility was disregarded in favor of experimental transitioning, and that minors are not cognitively capable of giving informed consent.

Keira Bell, a young woman who once identified as transgender, joined the suit as a claimant in January. Bell says she wasn't adequately informed of the dangers when she was hormonally transitioned as a teenager. She now regrets her transition, which included both hormones and a mastectomy, and is among the growing number of men and women known as "detransitioners" who say they were physically, mentally and emotionally harmed.

Bell told the Telegraph in March that treatments need to change so that young people like her are not put on a "torturous and unnecessary path that is permanent and life changing."

"Hormone changing drugs and surgery does not work for everyone and it certainly should not be offered to someone under the age of 18 when they are emotionally and mentally vulnerable," she added.

Evans said in a Sept. 7 update on her CrowdJustice fundraising page: "It is simply inconceivable that a 15-year-old (and even younger children and teenagers), would have the necessary maturity to fully understand what they were doing in consenting to medical transition. We have also raised serious concerns that the clinical guidelines that are currently followed, have been shaped by activism, rather than science and medical evidence."

She further explained that TransgenderTrend, a trans-critical group that has been documenting the soaring numbers of young people being referred to gender clinics and other information related to gender identity policies, will be "allowed to participate" in the trial as will a transgender-identifying 13-year-old.

By contrast, transgender activist groups Mermaids and Stonewall UK have been denied permission to get involved and will not present evidence in the case.

The Tavistock clinic has come under increased scrutiny in recent years following a 4,000-fold increase of girls being referred to the gender clinic in the past decade.

The subject received renewed attention this summer after Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling spoke out several times on the issue and the implications of transgender policies more broadly. Rowling said she believed radical transgender activism imperils women's sex-based rights, that a medical scandal was about to erupt, and that gender-transitioning is akin to so-called "gay conversion therapy."

Earlier this summer, the National Health Service quietly removed language from its transgender guidance on its website that had asserted that puberty blockers were "fully reversible."

A BBC Newsnight investigative report in June revealed leaked documents that showed Tavistock staff saying that concerns about patient welfare were shut down. Clinicians there also reportedly expressed concerns that some youth were being fast-tracked into gender-transitioning.

In February, a formal review of the safety of puberty-blocking drugs was set in motion as was a review of the rules surrounding when minors are allowed to decide whether they want to explore gender-transition without first obtaining parental consent.

U.K. Trade Minister Liz Truss said earlier this year that new policies would be coming regarding the medicalization of gender as it pertains to minors in addition to protections for female-only spaces such as changing rooms, women's refuges, and restrooms.

Grown adults should be able to make decisions, to have agency to live life as they see fit, she said in April. But before the age of 18, when people are still developing their decision-making capabilities, they should be protected from making decisions that are irreversible about their bodies that they could possibly regret in the future.

Such revised policies on both subjects were expected this summer but have yet to be announced.

The issue of sex-segregated facilities rose to the fore as proposals to revise the 2004 Gender Recognition Act were considered, especially the permitting of individuals who self-identify as transgender to change their sex marker on legal documents without any formal diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
The map produced as part of the Mapping COVID volunteers experience and insights' project. Credit: Northumbria University

The experiences of volunteers from the international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement working through the COVID-19 pandemic have been mapped by a team including academics from Northumbria University.

The 'Mapping COVID volunteers' experience and insights' project gives a unique understanding of the response to Coronavirus by volunteers in different countries and the way the pandemic has impacted on their livelihoods, families and communities.

The interactive map was compiled by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), with support from experts including academics from Northumbria University's Centre for International Development.

The project tells the stories of 200 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers from 44 different countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, all of whom have been responding to the crisis in different ways.

The aim was to connect and unite the global Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteer network, to explore how the pandemic was rapidly changing ways of working, and to build on the momentum on the global collaboration and transformation within the Red Cross Red Crescent.

Volunteers were asked what they had learned from the Coronavirus Outbreak, what they had done in response that made them proud, the main challenges they had experienced as a volunteer, what they had seen for the first time because of Coronavirus, and how hope can arise from the Coronavirus response.

Professor Matt Baillie Smith, co-director of Northumbria's Centre for International Development, and postgraduate researcher Bianca Fadel carried out the initial analysis of the volunteers' stories to identify patterns and key themes in order to understand their experiences.

Explaining the findings, Bianca Fadel said: "We identified three different streams of sentiment, from an individual, community and global perspective. Globally the volunteers' stories reinforced a sense of belonging and common purpose, bringing people together. At a community level the feeling was that volunteers viewed the crisis as an opportunity, but also had concerns around existing and increased risks involved in volunteering. On an individual level we saw stories of everyday heroism and sacrifice by volunteers, but at the same time recognition of volunteers' fragility, needs and vulnerabilities, with many using volunteering as a way to cope during the crisis."

Professor Baillie Smith is a leading expert in researching the experiences of volunteers around the world. He has previously worked with the Swedish Red Cross to document the lived experiences of local volunteers working in areas affected by conflict. The 'Volunteers in Conflict and Emergencies' (ViCE) project gathered data from community-based volunteers working in Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine, Honduras, Myanmar and Afghanistan to highlight their roles and experiences and challenges.

He is also leading the 'Refugee Youth Volunteering Uganda' (RYVU) project, exploring voluntary work by displaced young people in Uganda, and its impacts on skills, employability and inequality.

Explaining why the 'Mapping COVID volunteers' experience and insights' project is important he said: "Volunteers responding to COVID-19 are more than cheap service delivery. Their voices and experiences at community level are important now and looking ahead, and they often face similar challenges to those they are supporting. By listening to their stories and making their work visible we can influence policy-making processes that prioritize volunteers' safety, security and well-being in sustainable ways."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

More information: Mapping COVID volunteers' experience and insights. Mapping COVID volunteers' experience and insights. future-rcrc.com/2020/07/22/map  rience-and-insights/
An Iranian activist has been told she will be granted refugee status in Turkey after a harrowing night in which she was detained by authorities and feared she was in danger of being deported back to her home country, where she faces persecution.

Maryam Shariatmadari was among the activists who protested against the countrys hijab laws in early 2018. She was detained and spent four days in solitary confinement and was facing severe national security charges, which could result in a lengthy prison sentence.

It is awful that someone goes to prison in their own country for protesting and then is put in prison in the country where theyre seeking refuge, Ms Shariatmadari, a 35-year-old computer scientist, told The Independent in a telephone interview.

Ms Shariatmadari was among the so-called girls of Inqelab, which means revolution, but also refers to the square in Tehran where women flung off their headscarves in acts of defiance. Many were arrested and accused of being foreign dupes, acting at the behest of US-based activist Masih Alinejad.

Ms Shariatmadari says she decided to leave for Turkey in early 2019 after both her attorneys were arrested and she was blacklisted from employment, fearing Iranian authorities would menace her for years over her participation in the protests. But her residency status in Turkey has been muddled, and she struggled to obtain the United Nations refugee status necessary for resettlement.

She was arrested by Turkish authorities on Monday for alleged immigration violations and taken to a detention centre for undocumented migrants in the western Turkish city of Denizli. In confinement, she described her plight on her Instagram page.

Theyre about to send us for deportation, she said in a video. If there is anything you can do, please do it.

The social media mobilisation caught the attention of both Iranian and Turkish activists clamouring for her release, as well as immigration lawyers in Turkey, who began acting on her behalf.

She was released on Tuesday.

Though Ms Shariatmadari was told by Turkish authorities shed be given refugee status, she said she had to resist pressure to sign papers promising to leave the country within weeks, and there remain questions about her ability to stay in Turkey.

Turkish activists and lawyers say they will challenge any attempt to deport her.

She is free now, Gokhan Bozkurt, president of the Aydin Bar Association, which has been following her case, told The Independent. The government might try to hand her over to Iranian authorities. But we lawyers are going to try to keep her in Turkey if she doesnt want to go to Iran.

Tens of thousands of Iranians are living in Turkey, many of them escaping political repression and an often sometimes violent crackdown by security forces against protesters and civil society groups.

But Ankara is eager to maintain good relations with Tehran, and there appears to be an unwritten understanding that the many Iranians living in the neighbouring country wont be allowed to use it as a base for political organisation.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani held a teleconference as co-chairs of a cooperation council formed by the two countries that share strong commercial ties even as they differ over several regional security matters.

It is awful that someone goes to prison in their own country for protesting and then is put in prison in the country where theyre seeking refuge Maryam Shariatmadari

Iran and Turkey are two major powers in the region, and there have always been animosities and grudges against both countries, Mr Rouhani said during the meeting. There is no way other than strengthening friendly relations between the two countries to overcome such conspiracies."

Turkey, a nation of 83 million, now hosts as many as five million people seeking refuge from war, political repression and economic misery in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. An influx of more than 3 million people escaping the war from Syria especially has changed the character of some neighbourhoods and cities, prompting a backlash. The Erdogan government, after years of welcoming refugees, has launched a crackdown in response to rising anti-immigrant sentiment among Turks, demanding those inside the country adhere to strict rules lest they be deported.

Ms Shariatmadari conceded that she had flubbed her immigration paperwork in the weeks after arriving in Turkey in early 2019 but said she was trying to get her affairs in order.

Anti-immigrant policies of the administration of Donald Trump in the United States have also made Iranian political dissidents seeking refuge in Turkey particularly vulnerable.

Last year two protesters, Mohammad Rajabi and Saeed Tamjidi, who fled to Turkey and sought asylum were instead deported to Iran, where they were arrested, convicted and faced death sentences before authorities ordered retrials.

Before 2017, Iranian activists would go to Turkey and apply for refugee status and there would be a very good chance they would get refugee status and resettlement in the US said Peyman Aref, an Iranian activist and journalist based in Brussels. After the travel ban, Iranians cant be resettled by the US.
London: A peace expert appearing for Julian Assange's defence team has told a London court that Donald Trump's hostility towards Barack Obama is partly why the Trump administration is pursuing Assange over the publication of classified military and diplomatic cables a decade ago.

Assange is fighting the United States' request to extradite him from Britain to face 18 counts of violating the Espionage Act. If found guilty, the maximum sentence he faces for the combined charges is 175 years in jail.

The court heard Donald Trump (right) appeared to have "considerable personal antipathy" towards Barrack Obama (left). Credit:AP

Paul Rogers, a professor of peace studies at Bradford University in Yorkshire, England, told the Old Bailey via video link that under former president Barack Obama, the US government had not attempted to prosecute Assange.

He said the fact that that had changed under Donald Trump made it clear that the attempts to prosecute Assange were political.
US President Donald Trump with US Attorney General William Barr (R) and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf (L), speaks to officials duringa roundtable discussion on community safety, at Mary D. Bradford High School in in Kenosha, Wisconsin on September 1, 2020. (AFP)

Washington: Department of Homeland Security official said in a whistleblower complaint released Wednesday that he was pressured by more senior officials to suppress facts in intelligence reports that President Donald Trump might find objectionable, including information about Russian interference in the election and the rising threat posed by white supremacists.

The official, Brian Murphy, alleged that senior DHS officials also pressed him to alter reports so they would reflect administration policy goals and that he was demoted for refusing to go along with the changes and for filing confidential internal complaints about the conduct.

Murphy, a former FBI agent and Marine Corps veteran, was demoted in August from his post as principal deputy under secretary in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. He is seeking to be reinstated in a complaint filed with the DHS Office of Inspector General.

Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, released the complaint, which he said contained grave and disturbing allegations. He said Murphy has been asked to give a deposition to Congress as part of an investigation into intelligence collection by DHS related to its response to protests in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere.

We will get to the bottom of this, expose any and all misconduct or corruption to the American people, and put a stop to the politicization of intelligence, the California Democrat said.

A Homeland Security spokesman, Alexei Woltornist, said the department generally does not comment on referrals to the inspector general but denied Murphys allegations. DHS looks forward to the results of any resulting investigation and we expect it will conclude that no retaliatory action was taken against Mr. Murphy, he said.

The complaint came the same day that acting Secretary Chad Wolf, who has been nominated by Trump to lead the agency, gave a state of the Homeland speech in which he said DHS is working to thwart election interference from any foreign power and all threats regardless of ideology.

DHS stands in absolute opposition to any form of violent extremism whether by white supremacist extremists or anarchist extremists, Wolf said. We will continue our daily efforts to combat all forms of domestic terror.

Murphy said in his complaint that he was directed by Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy DHS secretary, to modify a section of a report to make the threat posed by white supremacists less severe. He was told to play up the threat posed by left-wing groups to echo administration talking points around civil unrest following the protests over the killing of George Floyd.

Murphy said he refused to alter the report because doing so would constitute an abuse of authority and improper administration of an intelligence program. He was then taken off the project.

He said he made a number of reports on Russian disinformation efforts to senior DHS and administration officials between March 2018 and March 2020. The details are classified and not included in the whistle-blower complaint.

Then, in July, Wolf told him to hold back any reports on Russian election interference because they made the president look bad, according to the complaint. He also said Wolf told him to report on interference by China and Iran, instead of Russia, and those instructions came from White House national security adviser Robert OBrien. Murphy said he objected and was excluded from future meetings on the subject.

Trump has repeatedly resisted claims of Russian interference, including doubting findings by U.S. officials and lawmakers that Russia meddled in the 2016 campaign to help him and sow chaos in the electoral process. He has dismissed reports that Russia is continuing to interfere in the 2020 race, claiming that China is the more pernicious threat, even though a statement from intelligence officials last month said Moscow was directly trying to undermine Democrat Joe Biden.

Murphy said that, after he was removed from working on a DHS intelligence report, a draft was leaked to the media in which Russias interference was placed on an equal footing as activities by Iran and China in a way that was misleading and inconsistent with the actual intelligence, the complaint said.

Murphy came to DHS in March 2018 from the FBI, where his career included being assigned to the New York field office on Sept. 11, 2001. In his complaint, he alleged that efforts to manipulate the intelligence he oversaw started under former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

He said Nielsen and her deputies pressed him to vastly overstate the number of migrants apprehended at the southwest border who have confirmed links to any terrorist organization. That occurred as the Trump administration was rolling out tougher measures against illegal immigration. Murphy said he declined to confirm an inflated figure, saying to do so would be not only improper but illegal. The secretary nonetheless provided the incorrect figure to Congress.

Cuccinelli, he said, pressed him to change reports on conditions in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras as the administration was seeking to halt a surge of people seeking asylum from Central America at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mr. Cuccinelli expressed frustration with the intelligence reports, and he accused unknown deep state intelligence analysts of compiling the intelligence information to undermine President Donald J. Trumps policy objectives with respect to asylum, he said in the complaint.

Murphy said that over the summer he was instructed by Wolf and Cuccinelli to alter assessments on protests to make sure they matched up with Trumps statements on the involvement of antifa and anarchists in the demonstrations in Portland and elsewhere. He said he told them he would only report accurate information.

Shortly thereafter, Wolf reassigned him to the management division. That followed media reports that Murphys unit collected information on journalists covering the DHS response to the protests. Murphy said the reports were incorrect and Wolf agreed but said it would be politically good to move him while the acting secretary hoped to be nominated to the secretary post by Trump.

The complaint, which also asks that officials who retaliated against Murphy be given written reprimands, was filed by Mark Zaid, a prominent attorney who also represented the whistle-blower who spurred the Trump impeachment inquiry.

Zaid said in a statement that Murphy followed proper, lawful whistleblower rules in reporting serious allegations of misconduct and would cooperate with congressional investigations into the matter, especially in a classified setting.
French Ambassador to Bahrain Jerome Cauchard paid a visit to the French International School (MLF) of Bahrain yesterday, on the occasion of the new academic year. The ambassador was briefed on the schools preparations to start the academic year under the exceptional circumstances caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He noted that the school has taken all precautionary measures following the Education Ministrys directives, and praised all school members efforts to make it a successful year.

Ambassador Cauchard said that MLF Bahrain will start welcoming 800 students either by personal presence or via virtual classes tomorrow. It is very nice to see the French International School ready to receive the new academic year, according to the Bahraini procedures taken by health authorities, he said.
Kishori Pednekar, mayor, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), tested coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive on Thursday and quarantined herself at home.

Pednekar, who was found to have contracted SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease, underwent a rapid antigen detection (RAD) test on Thursday.

She tweeted, I am isolating myself at home as adviced by the doctors. My family members have been tested for Covid-19. With your best wishes, I will soon resume work to serve the Mumbaikars.

She also appealed to the public, who had come in contact with her, to undergo Covid-19 test.

In April, Pednekar had put on a nurses uniform and visited the BMC-run BYL Nair Hospital in a bid to encourage and enthuse the staff who were at the frontline in combating the viral outbreak.

Pednekar, who herself is a former nurse, had mingled with the hospitals nursing staff and had discussed with them about their work and the difficulties they were facing while dealing with the contagion.

She had also home quarantined herself in May when she had come in contact with journalists, who had tested Covid-19 positive.
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This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-11-01, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
WASHINGTON - Democrats blocked a pared-down GOP coronavirus relief bill in a bitterly disputed Senate vote Thursday, leaving the two parties without a clear path forward to approve new economic stimulus before the November elections.

The vote was 52-47, far short of the 60 votes that would have been needed for the measure to advance. Democrats were united in opposing the legislation; all Republicans voted in favor except Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wrangling a majority of the Senate behind the legislation constituted a measure of success, after months when Senate Republicans have been hopelessly divided. But next steps - if any - toward the kind of bipartisan deal that would be needed to actually pass a bill to provide new benefits to the public were unclear.

Negotiations between congressional Democrats and administration officials have not restarted since collapsing in August .

"It's sort of a dead-end street," said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas. "Very unfortunate, but it is what it is."

The failed Senate vote comes amid pleas from Federal Reserve officials and others who have said more fiscal assistance is needed to prevent the economy from sliding further this year. Many of the benefits approved by Congress in the $2 trillion Cares Act in March have run out. Roughly 29 million Americans received some type of jobless aid last week, new Labor Department data show, and large parts of the economy remain under severe strain.

On a conference call with House Democrats following the failed vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., defended Democrats' negotiating position in response to a question from Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., head of the centrist New Democrat Coalition. Kilmer had expressed frustration about the failure to get a deal and underscored the need to renew expired unemployment benefits.

"We don't want to go home without a bill, but don't be a cheap date," Pelosi told her members, according to a person familiar with her remarks who spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay them. "When you are in a negotiation, the last place to get weak knees is at the end."

As the coronavirus pandemic began to grip the U.S. economy in February and March, Congress approved the Cares Act, which authorized a burst of funding to households and businesses in an effort to limit the recession's toll. Some of the law's main planks expired around the end of July, such as small business assistance, $600 weekly enhanced unemployment aid, and eviction protections.

House Democrats in May passed a $3.4 trillion bill that would extend some of those measures and approve a number of other initiatives, such as nearly $1 trillion for cities and states, but Republicans and the White House rejected that plan. The White House didn't begin negotiations with Democrats over what to do next until late July, and those talks faltered as both sides dug in.

With both sides at an impasse, President Donald Trump last month signed four executive actions that were meant to provide some relief. These measures attempted to defer payroll taxes, provide eviction and student loan relief, and redirect some funds that could be used as unemployment aid. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency fund Trump tapped to provide the additional unemployment insurance benefits is being rapidly depleted. The additional unemployment assistance is now expected to completely disappear soon following Thursday's vote.

The failed GOP bill would have authorized new money for small businesses, coronavirus testing and schools, and $300 in enhanced weekly enhanced unemployment benefits. The measure included roughly $650 billion in total spending, but it would repurpose roughly $350 billion in previously approved spending, bringing the tally of new funding to around $300 billion.

The measure did not include a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks for individual Americans, even though that's something the White House supports. It also excluded any new money for cities and states, a top Democratic priority as municipal governments face the prospect of mass layoffs because of plunging tax revenue. And it contained some conservative priorities that Democrats dismissed as unacceptable "poison pills," including liability protections for businesses and a tax credit aimed at helping students attend private schools.

Bipartisan negotiations never gained traction, in part because Senate Republicans struggled to unify behind a single plan in July. Many Republicans opposed any new spending at that time, and McConnell instead deferred to the White House to try to broker a deal with Pelosi. Those talks collapsed with no signs of progress, but McConnell kept working on a GOP bill as a way to balance the needs of a half-dozen vulnerable incumbents who were eager to vote on new aid as they campaign for reelection.

The political wrangling has played out amid mixed signals in the economy. The stock market has mostly recovered from the shock it took in late February and March, buttressed in part by enormous aid the Federal Reserve has injected into the economy. The labor market has recovered roughly half of the jobs that were erased in March and April, but millions of Americans remain unemployed and rehiring appears to have slowed.

The threat of eviction, hunger and poverty remains high.

Nationally, more than one in four survey respondents said they expect someone in their household will experience a loss of income in the next four months, according to the government's Household Pulse Survey, which queried Americans about their financial well-being over the final weeks of August. The new figure, released Wednesday, suggests an estimated 64 million Americans are still facing significant hardship, though economists cautioned the numbers may be skewed because the Census Department had a lower rate of response than it has in its previous studies.

Slightly less than one third of respondents said they struggled to pay for their usual household expenses last month, the survey estimates, and about one in 10 said they suffer from food insecurity, meaning someone in their household did not have enough to eat over the past week. Federal survey data also reflects an estimated 5.4 million Americans may be facing eviction or foreclosure in the next two months, further adding to the pressure on lawmakers to address a looming housing crisis.

Democrats contended that the Senate GOP legislation, written without any Democratic input, was designed to fail and intended only to give Republicans cover for inaction. Republicans argued Democrats were refusing to agree to any new relief because they didn't want to help President Trump or bolster the fragile economic recovery ahead of the election.

"Working families have suffered and waited and wondered whether Washington Democrats really care more about hurting President Trump than helping them through this crisis," McConnell said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote.

McConnell also expressed indignation about a comment made Wednesday by Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who said that "Republicans are the enemy of the good" when asked whether Democrats had allowed the perfect to become the enemy of the good in coronavirus talks.

"The Americans we represent, however they vote, know that Republicans aren't our enemies, and Democrats aren't our enemies," McConnell said. "The coronavirus is the enemy."

In his own floor remarks, Schumer kept up his attacks on the GOP legislation and on McConnell, whom he has labeled the "Secretary of Cynicism."

"Republicans dithered and delayed. They pushed their chips in with President Trump's lot and hoped the virus would miraculously disappear and everything would be all better," Schumer said.

Schumer said the bill defeated Thursday was "a fairly transparent attempt to show the Republicans are doing something when, in fact, they want to do nothing in reality."

Nevertheless both Pelosi and Schumer held out hopes that failure of the bill would be followed by a new round of bipartisan negotiations -- despite absence of any signs that that is happening.

"I still have some hope once this bill is defeated, if past is prologue, there's actually a significant chance that the public heat on many Republican senators as they go back home will have them come to their senses, and they'll start negotiating with us in a serious way," Schumer said.

Congress does need to take some action this month to avert a government shutdown when agencywide funding expires at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. Lawmakers are in talks on a short-term spending bill that would extend government spending at existing levels through the election, although they have not yet agreed on how long it will last.

In the absence of new bipartisan talks on a coronavirus relief bill, some senators and aides speculated this week that Congress will move quickly to pass the short-term "continuing resolution" and then adjourn so lawmakers can return home to campaign for reelection.
FRANKFURT, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Former Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn will face charges of conspiracy to commit organised commercial fraud with a high likelihood of conviction, a court probing the carmaker's diesel emissions scandal said on Wednesday.

A court in Braunschweig, Germany, near where Volkswagen is headquartered, expanded the list of charges beyond fraud to include organised commercial fraud, preliminary remarks published by the court at the start of the trial showed.

Winterkorn and other Volkswagen executives face charges for their role in allowing diesel cars with illegal emissions-masking software to hit the road.

Because Volkswagen vehicles had higher pollution levels than was declared, they should have been subject to higher road tax, and former Volkswagen executives should therefore also face charges of tax evasion and false advertising, the court added.

The scandal, which was uncovered by U.S. authorities in September 2015, has cost Volkswagen more than 30 billion euros ($35 billion) in refits, legal fees and settlements, and resulted in a drastic management and strategy overhaul.

A lawyer for Winterkorn said his client denied the charges. The accusations against Winterkorn are limited in scope and relate to a specific instance in time, the lawyer added.

Volkswagen said that while it was no longer the target of prosecutors after settling charges, it wanted to emphasise that all of the accused were innocent until proven guilty.

Volkswagen also said it had taken extensive measures to change processes, systems and controls to improve compliance in the wake of the emissions scandal.

($1 = 0.8492 euros) (Reporting by Jan Schwartz in Braunschweig; writing by Edward Taylor; editing by Mark Potter)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:34:30|Editor: huaxia

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by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Lifestyle writers are always preoccupied with the question of how long it takes to build a habit, and they often quote researchers who found that it takes anywhere from 21 days to roughly two months.

For many Americans, the last few months have certainly made them develop a new habit -- saving money.

Under normal circumstances, consumers drive a major chunk of the U.S. economy. But lately, Americans have reversed that trend. Instead of spending, the word for today is saving.

Indeed, Americans are saving at a rate never seen in decades, as the harsh lockdown severely limited the availability of commercial venues, such as restaurants, coffee shops, bars, shopping malls, among others.

The lockdown has brought financial hardships to perhaps millions of Americans working in the service sector. But at the same time, tens of millions of professionals worked and stayed at home. In April, the saving rate reached 33 percent, nearly twice that of the last record set over 40 years ago.

At the outset of the lockdown, the reason was simple: everything was forced to shut down. Several months later, most U.S. states are in the process of easing restrictions, and people are slowly starting to come back out of their homes and spend money.

The trend raised the question of whether the United States has turned into a savers' nation, or whether socking away large amounts of money is just a blip on the radar of the world's biggest economy.

A recent CNBC + Acorns Invest in You survey, published roughly six months after the initial lockdown, found that 46 percent of the participants are "more of a saver now."

Sherry Glass, a manager at a DC-area Fortune 200 company, told Xinhua that she's still working at home and saves money. Her company is now offering employees the option to voluntarily come into the office, but she said she declined, and thus will continue to save money on commuting.

"I've saved cash on not going out to lunch and not commuting," said the manager.

Some economists paint a more nuanced picture.

Desmond Lachman, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said record savings rates are a result of two factors.

First, with unemployment soaring, households experienced great uncertainty about their job prospects. The second is that with people and businesses locked down, consumers had less to spend money with.

This spike in savings is likely "transitory, and it will return to more normal levels as the economy recovers...or once a vaccine becomes widely available," Lachman said.

Ironically, while savings are good for households, it could postpone a robust economic recovery, some experts argued.

"The current high savings rate is a problem because economic recovery requires more spending. All the uncertainty means that business investment will remain weak, as recovery is dependent on consumer and government spending," Barry Bosworth, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution, told Xinhua.

With savings trends tied to people working at home, one important question is how long the nation's millions of professionals will stay out of the office.

Some U.S. business news outlets predict that telecommuting will be permanent. But experts provide reasons to doubt this.

Facebook recently announced it will continue to reopen offices in limited ways, as reported in CNBC, and experts said many other firms will do the same.

Gene Marks, founder of The Marks Group and a regular commentator on CNBC, Fox Business and MSNBC, said smart companies will still embrace some forms of remote work, but many employees will also return to the office.

"They'll balance their remote working policies with an office," Marks argued in a recent article on The Hill.

Marks also noted that work-at-home policies had been tried before the pandemic with companies such as IBM and insurance giant Aetna, but eventually fizzled out and required workers to return to the office.

Once people return to work, the first thing they'll do is start emptying their wallets at gas stations and car repair shops.

In June, Americans traveled 37 billion fewer miles than the same month in 2019, reported the Federal Highway Administration.

That has saved work-at-homers 758 million U.S. dollars per day -- 90 billion dollars since the lockdown, according to online freelancing platform Upwork.

While employees are already starting to return to work, many opine that things won't get back to normal until there's a vaccine, which could take at least several more months. Enditem
CEDAR FALLS  While the COVID-19 pandemic has essentially kept Roy Behrens sequestered at his home, the retired University of Northern Iowa art professor emeritus has used the time for his own form of immersion therapy. He immerses himself in odd or surprising aspects of Iowa history, and then writes and publishes essays about them.

In recent months, his wide-ranging topics have included a 1912 performance by Iowa-born Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West show in Cedar Falls and Decorah, and architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Ive been interested in Frank Lloyd Wright for a long time, primarily because Im a designer, and I admire the logic and the form and function of buildings and homes he designed. Im especially interested in Prairie-style because it relates to the topography of the Midwest. Having grown up in the Midwest, I can relate to that, said Behrens.

For more than 20 years, the former art professor taught a UNI course on the history of modern-era design. His recent book, Frank Lloyd Wright and Mason City: Architectural Heart of the Prairie, was published by The History Press and appeared on Amazons top 10 list for nearly a year.

Wright was commissioned to design the City National Bank, which also housed offices and the Park Inn hotel at 15 W. State St. He also designed a Prairie-style private home known as the Stockman House.

Ive visited Mason City numerous times over the years, and I can remember when the bank and hotel were in just terrible shape, just about gone, Behrens said. The architectural treasures were rescued and restored through efforts of Mason Citys preservation volunteers, scholars and the public.

The worlds last remaining hotel designed by Wright was reopened for guests in 2011 as the Historic Park Inn Hotel after an $18 million restoration. Wright was commissioned in 1909 to design the Prairie-style building. It originally opened in 1920 and closed in the 1920s, undergoing several remodels before standing vacant for years. In 2005, the Wright on the Park group was formed to save the structure.

Theyve brought everything back in such a beautiful way, Behrens said.

The restored Stockman House, completed by Wright in 1908, is now a museum. In addition, Mason City is home to the Rock Crest/Rock Glen neighborhood, described by Behrens as a cluster of Prairie School houses in a scenic landscape setting that was planned by architect Walter Burley Griffin, who was a Wright associate. As recently as 2017, Conde Naste Traveler named Mason City one of its best 20 cities for architecture lovers.

In a recent essay for Iowa Source magazine, Behrens drew connections between Frank Lloyd Wright, Mason City and Australia. While lecturing in Australia, he learned that many Aussies had heard of Mason City, and some had visited the Iowa community because of its legacy of Wright-designed buildings.

Behrenss interest in William Frederick Cody, or Buffalo Bill, is an outgrowth of family history. Cody was a native of LeClaire. My father actually attended one of Buffalo Bills Wild West shows in Decorah when he was 11 years old. I went back into newspaper accounts, eyewitness reports from Cedar Falls and Waterloo and other Iowa towns and found some very funny stories.

For example, the Marshalltown Times-Republican reported that two months after Codys funeral (March 6, 1917) that a group of kids had a strange encounter in Cedar Falls. For a moment they saw walking toward them a living, breathing Buffalo Bill.  This man  the same height as Buffalo Bill  had Codys flowing hair, moustache, goatee, big sombrero and cowboy boots, even his famous baby-blue eyes. What a shock! Look, fellers, cried out one of the youngsters, Buffalo Bill aint dead!

The man turned out to be a showman, Curt L. Alexander from Hastings, Neb., who was a longtime friend and body double for Buffalo Bill. He was visiting his nephew in Cedar Falls, Behrens writes.

So far, the author has been fascinated by his discoveries.

There really are some curious aspects about Iowa history that are worth looking into and writing about, he said.

Presently hes tracking down family history about ancestors from Manchester, Iowa, who became traders on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. He expects to publish an essay on that tale, as well.

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A South Carolina school district is mourning the loss of a teacher, who died Monday from complications of COVID-19.

Demetria Bannister was a third grade teacher in a school district near Columbia, South Carolina. She'd been teaching for five years.

The district said she was last in the building in August when teachers were preparing for the beginning of the year and was symptom-free. They notified teachers when the district learned she'd tested positive and was hospitalized.

It is unclear how or where Bannister contracted the virus. The district reopened recently with all students learning virtually.

I want to express my sincere condolences to Ms. Bannisters parents, relatives, friends and school family," Richland Two Superintendent Dr. Baron Davis said in a statement. "While gone from us too soon, Ms. Bannisters legacy lives on through the lives of the students she taught in her five years as a dedicated educator. To honor Ms. Bannisters memory, I ask the Richland Two family to join me in reaffirming our commitment to doing all we can to provide premier learning experiences for all students in the safest environment possible and doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Related video: 'Post-COVID Syndrome' is causing lingering symptoms in some coronavirus survivorshere's why

Some former co-workers describe her as a teacher who went above and beyond for her students and who had a passion for the arts.

Known as Windsors Songbird, Ms. Bannister used her musical talents to bring a great deal of joy to our school, said Denise Quickel, principal of Windsor Elementary. For our schools Attendance Matters kickoff in 2019, she wrote a song about the importance of coming to school to the tune of Old Town Road. The song and video were a big hit with our school family. Ms. Bannister loved her students and never missed an opportunity to advocate for students and public education.
A Boston task force charged with recommending reforms to the Boston Police Department has released a draft report outlining a series of steps for the city agency to take in addressing issues of systemic racism and police brutality.

The 17-page report released on Thursday calls for the BPD to, among other things, create an independent office of police accountability and transparency (OPAT) with full investigatory and subpoena power to replace the citys existing community oversight panel, or Co-op Board.

The new office would continue to review and resolve complaints made against the BPDs Internal Investigation team, the report says. But it would also review civilian complaints.

In addition, POAT would advise the mayor and the BPD on policing policy, investigate current and historic disparate treatment of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color officers in the BPD and publish reports on the BPDs progress on its various reform goals, the report says.

The group called for the department to adopt data and record practices that maximize accountability, transparency and public access to its records and data.

The city task force also looked at the BPDs use of force policies, recommending rigorous implicit bias training for police officers, an expansion of the agencys current body camera program, with a continued ban on racial recognition software, among other things.

At the heart of the effort, the task forces recommendations looked to enhance enforceability, accountability, trust, transparency and should improve the relationship between the BPD and [the] Boston community that it serves and protects.

The city began a dialogue over the reforms following the police-killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.

Protests that followed Floyds killing have attempted to spotlight the disproportionate targeting African Americans by police and issues of police brutality and systemic racism in departments around the country.

In June, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh declared racism a public health crisis. Walsh said he would be reallocating 20% of BPDs overtime budget towards community programs for youth, for homelessness, for people struggling with the effects of inequality.

Walsh on Thursday touted the citys efforts in combating racism, adding that progress continues.

Our steps in June were not one-time responses, Walsh said. These recommendations are not one-time actions; the activism should not be a one-time thing either.

The task force is made up of community members and is chaired by former U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Wayne Budd.

The public with have two weeks to weigh in on the task force recommendations, and a public listening session during the week of Sept. 21, before the reforms are submitted to Walshs office.

Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, said the recommendations are just a start," adding lawmakers must also act to ensure transparency and accountability in departments across the state.

It remains to be seen whether they will have real teeth," Rose aid. We must dramatically shift the role of police in our society by reducing law enforcements footprint in over-policed communities and investing in people, not prisons.

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Michigans Independent Redistricting Commission will meet for the first time Sept. 17-18, virtually.

The 13-member commission, tasked with redrawing the states legislative and congressional district boundaries in time for the 2022 election cycle and beyond, was selected at random on Aug. 17. Over 9,300 Michiganders submitted applications to serve on the commission between January and June of this year.

According to the meeting agenda, commissioners will vote on an acting chair, receive a general overview of responsibilities, expectations, and deadlines, engage in panel discussions about the basics of Article IV, Section 6, including mapping criteria and public hearings, and listen to a presentation about lessons learned from redistricting commissions in other states.

The members include (with age, hometown, and political party affiliation):

Douglas Clark, 73: Rochester Hills, Republican

Juanita Curry, 72: Detroit, Democrat

James Decker, 59: Fowlerville, Neither

Anthony Eid, 27: Orchard Lake, Neither

Brittni Kellom, 33: Detroit, Democrat

Rhonda Lange, 47: Reed City, Republican

Steven Lett, 73: Interlochen, Neither

Cynthia Orton, 54: Battle Creek, Republican

M. Rothhorn: 48: Lansing, Democrat

Janice Vallette, 68: Highland, Neither

Erin Wagner, 54: Charlotte, Republican

Richard Weiss, 73: Saginaw, Neither

Dustin Witjes, 31: Ypsilanti, Democrat

This is the first time that members of the general public will be drawing those districts as part of this new commission, which includes: four Democrats, four Republicans, and five individuals who do not associate with either party.

As with most states, Michigan had allowed the party in power in the state Legislature after the decennial census to draw district lines. In the past two redistricting cycles, thats been Republicans but the task will now be handled by this citizen redistricting panel, due to a successful 2018 ballot initiative.

The district boundaries were last redrawn in 2010-2011 by the Republican-led State Legislature as required by federal law using updated census information.

The commission will be tasked with adopting a redistricting plan for Michigan State House, Michigan State Senate and U.S. Congressional Districts by Nov. 1, 2021. The maps will become law and take effect by Dec. 31, 2021, in time for the 2022 election cycle.

Commissioners will be paid around $40,000 for their work.

Judge wont block Michigans new redistricting commission

Supreme Court allows partisan districts, blocks census query

Michigan Democrats should have won more seats in 2018 than they did, analysis indicates

Michigan 1 of 5 states where GOP kept control despite losing

Jocelyn Benson seeks to settle Michigan gerrymandering suit

State selects 13 members to serve on Michigans Independent Redistricting Commission
A sum of Rs 10,339 crore has been released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways during the COVID-19 period under the simplified payment process as envisaged in the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme.

According to an official release, another sum of Rs 2475 crore is being processed and is likely to be released soon.

The Government has taken various steps to ensure ease of doing business and also to boost stakeholder confidence in building quality road infrastructure in the country, the release said.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has simplified the payment process under Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme and contractors' payments are being made every month instead of milestone achievement basis, it stated.

The Ministry has extended a number of relief packages for its contractors and concessionaires owing to COVID-19 scenario.

"Retention money (which is a part of the performance security till construction period) is being released in proportion to the work already executed in accordance with the contract specification, and retention money for up to six months' period is not deducted from the bills raised by the contractor," the release said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In mid-2019 the U.S. Navy established an Aggressor Squadron (AGGRON) to provide submarine and ship crews with better information about their ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) capabilities versus potential opponents This is mainly for submarine crews as AGGRON is part of the UWDC (Undersea Warfighting Development Center). The United States has the largest submarine force in the world with 54 SSN (nuclear attack subs) and 14 SSBNs (ballistic missile carrying subs). The rest of the world has about 450 submarines, most of them non-nuclear and all trained and equipped to try and deal with American subs. The U.S. boats have the best passive sensors and guided torpedoes, as well as anti-ship missiles for use against surface ships. Two potential foes; China and Russia are putting a lot of money and effort into developing equipment and tactics for dealing with American subs in particular and Western nuclear and non-nuclear subs in general.

AGGRON will be of use to surface ship ASW officers because of the detailed data collected about how other nations conduct ASW and what special (not available to the U.S.) equipment they use. For example, Russia is developing a sub launched EW (Electronic Warfare) jammer that would broadcast a signal interfering with the ability of airdropped sonobuoys to pinpoint the location of a submarine so the helicopter or fixed-wing ASW aircraft could drop an ASW torpedo. If this Russian concept works, changes will have to be made in American ASW tactics and equipment. Subs already have decoys they can eject to degrade the accuracy of an incoming torpedo. There are other new concepts for ASW EW devices and some of them will work and force everyone else to adapt. This is nothing new as electronics developments have shaped submarine capabilities and tactics for over a century. In the 21st century there are more electronic and mechanical devices being developed to protect or hunt submarines.

AGGRON may also use one or more SSNs for realistic training exercises, the same way warplanes have been using aggressor squadrons with aircraft and pilots capable to operating like potential enemies. The navy has ship and submarine simulators that can help out with this OPFOR (opposing force) training but nothing does it as well as using actual subs and ships.

The U.S. Navy has another unique problem. For over fifty years all American subs have been nuclear while most of the subs worldwide are non-nuclear. The U.S. Navy continues to work on the problem of just how effective non-nuclear submarines would be in wartime. This occasionally raises the question of whether the U.S. should buy some of these non-nuclear boats itself. This radical proposal is based on two compelling factors. First, the U.S. Navy may not get enough money to maintain a force of 40-50 SSNs (attack subs). Second, the quietness of modern diesel-electric boats puts nuclear subs at a serious disadvantage, especially in coastal waters. With modern passive sensors, a submerged diesel-electric sub is often the best type of sub for finding and destroying other diesel-electric boats. While the nuclear sub is the most effective high seas vessel, especially if you have worldwide responsibilities and these nukes have to quickly move long distances to get to the troubled waters, the diesel electric boat, operating on batteries in coastal waters, is quieter and harder to find.

There are 39 nations operating nearly 400 diesel electric subs. Only three of these nations (China, Iran, North Korea) are likely to use their subs against the U.S. or its allies. China has fifty of these boats, Iran has three (plus 25 much smaller mini-subs) and North Korea has 20 (plus 50 much smaller mini-subs). The U.S. has to worry about 73 diesel electric subs and 75 mini-subs. But about half the full-size subs are elderly, obsolete, and noisy. The same can be said for at least half the mini-subs. That leaves about 36 full size subs and 40 mini-subs that are a clear threat. At the same time the older stuff can be a threat if you get sloppy. Thats a lot of subs, and they make the East Asian coast and the Persian Gulf dangerous places for American warships.

Since the 1990s the U.S. Navy has been trying to get an idea of just how bad the threat is. Some interesting solutions have been tried. For example, from 2005 to 2007 the United States leased a Swedish sub (Sweden only had five subs in service) and its crew to help American anti-submarine forces get a better idea of what they were up against. This Swedish boat was a "worst case" scenario, an approach that is preferred for training. The Gotland class Swedish subs involved were small (1,500 tons, 64.5 meters/200 feet long) and have a crew of only 25. The Gotland was based in San Diego, along with three dozen civilian technicians to help with maintenance.

For many years before the Gotland arrived, the U.S. Navy had trained against larger Australian diesel-electric subs and often came out second. The Gotland has one advantage over the Australian boats because of its AIP system. This allows Gotland to stay under water, silently, for several weeks at a time. The Gotland was something of a worst case in terms of what American surface ships and submarines might have to face in a future naval war. America's most likely naval opponents (China, North Korea, or Iran) now have some AIP boats as well as more and more diesel-electric subs which, in the hands of skilled crews, can be pretty deadly.

Based on the experience with Australian and Swedish subs, the U.S. Navy has been developing new anti-submarine tactics and equipment. All this is done in secret, obviously, except when new organizations like AGGRON appear and confirm that the Gotland experiments yielded much useful information. Apparently the modern, quiet diesel electric boats continue to be a major threat to U.S. surface warships and subs. Meanwhile, potential enemies build more of their cheaper and higher quality diesel-electric boats and train their crews by having them stalk actual warships, including U.S. ones. The subs are getting more numerous, while U.S. defenses are limping along because of the sheer technical problems of finding quiet diesel-electric boats in coastal waters.

One reason China wants to keep American naval forces out of their economic zone (which does not bar foreign warships) is so that Chinese diesel electric subs can train without being stalked by American subs, surface ships, and aircraft looking for realistic practice tracking Chinese boats. At the same time the U.S. Navy has lost the full use of its most effective underwater anti-submarine training area (a well mapped and instrumented area off southern California) because environmentalist activists have convinced judges that the use of active sonar in this training area is harmful to some species of aquatic animals.

Moreover, the North Korean and Iranian fleets (and governments) are in decline, while China is pouring more cash into their armed forces. If theres any diesel-electric boats the U.S. Navy has to be extremely concerned about, its the Chinese. While China continues to try and develop world class nuclear subs, they are also moving ahead in creating world class diesel electric boats.
WASHINGTON  A Department of Homeland Security official said in a whistleblower complaint that he was pressured by more senior officials to suppress facts in intelligence reports that President Donald Trump might find objectionable, including information about Russian interference in the election and the rising threat posed by white supremacists.

The official, Brian Murphy, alleged that senior DHS officials also pressed him to alter reports so they would reflect administration policy goals and that he was demoted for refusing to go along with the changes and for filing confidential internal complaints about the conduct.

Murphy, a former FBI agent and Marine Corps veteran, was demoted in August from his post as principal deputy under secretary in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. He is seeking to be reinstated in a complaint filed with the DHS Office of Inspector General.

Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, on Wednesday released the complaint, which he said contained grave and disturbing allegations. He said Murphy has been asked to give a deposition to Congress as part of an investigation into intelligence collection by DHS related to its response to protests in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere.

We will get to the bottom of this, expose any and all misconduct or corruption to the American people, and put a stop to the politicization of intelligence, the California Democrat said.

A Homeland Security spokesman, Alexei Woltornist, said the department generally does not comment on referrals to the inspector general but denied Murphys allegations. DHS looks forward to the results of any resulting investigation and we expect it will conclude that no retaliatory action was taken against Mr. Murphy, he said.

The complaint came the same day that acting Secretary Chad Wolf, who has been nominated by Trump to lead the agency, gave a state of the Homeland speech in which he said DHS is working to thwart election interference from any foreign power and all threats regardless of ideology.

DHS stands in absolute opposition to any form of violent extremism whether by white supremacist extremists or anarchist extremists, Wolf said. We will continue our daily efforts to combat all forms of domestic terror.

Murphy said in his complaint that he was directed by Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy DHS secretary, to modify a section of a report to make the threat posed by white supremacists less severe. He was told to play up the threat posed by left-wing groups to echo administration talking points around civil unrest following the protests over the killing of George Floyd.

Murphy said he refused to alter the report because doing so would constitute an abuse of authority and improper administration of an intelligence program. He was then taken off the project.

He said he made a number of reports on Russian disinformation efforts to senior DHS and administration officials between March 2018 and March 2020. The details are classified and not included in the whistle-blower complaint.

Then, in July, Wolf told him to hold back any reports on Russian election interference because they made the president look bad, according to the complaint. He also said Wolf told him to report on interference by China and Iran, instead of Russia, and those instructions came from White House national security adviser Robert OBrien. Murphy said he objected and was excluded from future meetings on the subject.

Trump has repeatedly resisted claims of Russian interference, including doubting findings by U.S. officials and lawmakers that Russia meddled in the 2016 campaign to help him and sow chaos in the electoral process. He has dismissed reports that Russia is continuing to interfere in the 2020 race, claiming that China is the more pernicious threat, even though a statement from intelligence officials last month said Moscow was directly trying to undermine Democrat Joe Biden.

Murphy said that, after he was removed from working on a DHS intelligence report, a draft was leaked to the media in which Russias interference was placed on an equal footing as activities by Iran and China in a way that was misleading and inconsistent with the actual intelligence, the complaint said.

Murphy came to DHS in March 2018 from the FBI, where his career included being assigned to the New York field office on Sept. 11, 2001. In his complaint, he alleged that efforts to manipulate the intelligence he oversaw started under former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

He said Nielsen and her deputies pressed him to vastly overstate the number of migrants apprehended at the southwest border who have confirmed links to any terrorist organization. That occurred as the Trump administration was rolling out tougher measures against illegal immigration. Murphy said he declined to confirm an inflated figure, saying to do so would be not only improper but illegal. The secretary nonetheless provided the incorrect figure to Congress.

Cuccinelli, he said, pressed him to change reports on conditions in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras as the administration was seeking to halt a surge of people seeking asylum from Central America at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mr. Cuccinelli expressed frustration with the intelligence reports, and he accused unknown deep state intelligence analysts of compiling the intelligence information to undermine President Donald J. Trumps policy objectives with respect to asylum, he said in the complaint.

Murphy said that over the summer he was instructed by Wolf and Cuccinelli to alter assessments on protests to make sure they matched up with Trumps statements on the involvement of antifa and anarchists in the demonstrations in Portland and elsewhere. He said he told them he would only report accurate information.

Shortly thereafter, Wolf reassigned him to the management division. That followed media reports that Murphys unit collected information on journalists covering the DHS response to the protests. Murphy said the reports were incorrect and Wolf agreed but said it would be politically good to move him while the acting secretary hoped to be nominated to the secretary post by Trump.

The complaint, which also asks that officials who retaliated against Murphy be given written reprimands, was filed by Mark Zaid, a prominent attorney who also represented the whistle-blower who spurred the Trump impeachment inquiry.

Zaid said in a statement that Murphy followed proper, lawful whistleblower rules in reporting serious allegations of misconduct and would cooperate with congressional investigations into the matter, especially in a classified setting.

___

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
You know things have gone off the rails if people are arguing about whether it looks like Mars or Venus where they live. In case you missed it, fires are burning across the Western U.S., and thick wildfire smoke has enveloped regions of California and Oregon. As a result, residents of Salem and San Francisco are experiencing eerie orange-red skies.

A quick peek at satellite images drives home just how severe the smoke is. It blankets the entire western portions of those two states, creating darkened skies that resemble dusk, even in the middle of the day. Some report that as more smoke rolls in, the day is growing darker by the hour.

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West Coast this morning.

Smothered in smoke. pic.twitter.com/1y7Dh9y5CT  Drew Tuma (@DrewTumaABC7) September 9, 2020

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The smoke is also whats to blame for that creepy red glow. To understand whats going on, lets go back to grade school science class. You might remember learning that visible light travels in waves, and that those waves can have different wavelengths and frequencies. You might also remember ROY G BIV, the acronym representing the order of colors that make up a rainbow. That order arranges colors by the length of their light wavelengths: The R and O, red and orange, have the longest wavelengths, while I and V, indigo and violet, have the shortest ones. Smoke blocks shorter wavelength colors, leaving everything looking red and orange.*

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As a result, air quality is also terrible across the West Coast. In Washington, where I live, the skies are hazy but mostly blue. Yet the Environmental Protection Agencys numbers indicate worse air quality than in San Francisco, where the sky is completely red. Thats likely because the air quality index is a measure of surface air quality, says Roya Bahreini, an atmospheric scientist at University of California, Riverside. The smoke from the wildfires can get injected higher in the atmosphere, she says. In other words: That smoke might not affect surface-level measures of air quality, but it can, of course, still blot out the sun and filter light. And according to Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist, smoke and ash are now traveling up to 50,000 feet20,000 above cruising altitude of jet airliners, he wrote in a recent tweet. Dense smoke throughout entire atmospheric column is blocking nearly all sunlight at surface.

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If that high-flying smoke moves closer to ground level, that could dramatically worsen already-poor air quality across these red-tinged areas. The Bay Areas National Weather Service outpost says that if the winds let up, things will only get smokier. This is beyond the scope of our models so we rely on your reports! it tweeted. This really underscores the unprecedented nature of this fire weather: Models cant predict what will happen, and as the situation changes, individual reports from citizens will be the most reliable measure.

Correction, Sept. 9, 2020: This article originally misstated that red and orange have the shortest wavelengths and that smoke blocks longer wavelength colors. Red and orange have the longest wavelengths, and smoke blocks shorter wavelength colors.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Photos taken of the orange skies, caused by the current wildfires happening in California, may not look as bad as they really are.

In fact, they could be worse, because of the software on iPhones and Android phones.

The wildfires have so far raged over two million acres of land, burnt houses to the ground and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

The resulting blazes have turned the sky in many west coast cities a deep orange or a dark red.

However, many people attempting to take photos of the sky with their iPhones are finding that they cannot capture the glow due to the software in their Apple device.

Freelance artist Teri Archibald posted on Twitter pictures of the sky in Daly City from both her Canon camera and her iPhone.

My phone keeps auto color correcting it and doesnt show just how gross outside it actually is, she tweeted.

Jessica Christian, a photojournalist for the San Francisco Chronicle, observed the same thing, as did Bloomberg reporter Sarah Frier.

The reason for these muted images is because smartphone cameras - whether they are made by Android or Apple - are set to automatically correct the white balance in photos and make images look natural.

The white balance of a photo is a metric used by cameras so objects that appear white in person are rendered white in photos, because most light sources such as the sun, light bulbs, and the camera flash do not emit purely white light.

"The Apple built-in photo app does a great job with most things because its automatically doing adjustments and making everything look pretty by smoothing faces and balancing out shadows," Maurice Ramirez, the official photographer for the town of Alameda, California, told SFGate.

"But when youre in a crazy situation like this, its going to take that crazy color and average it out."

In order to get accurate photos, photographers will need to use a third-party app that gives manual control over the white balance.

Scientifically, the reason that the sky has become such a unique red is due to the smoke particles from the fire.

Nasa explains that smoke particles from fires, such as those in Siberia in 2015, allow longer wavelength colours in the light spectrum such as red and orange to get through easier than shorter wavelengths like blue.

That is also why sunrises and sunsets are redder; because the sun is near the horizon, the light has to travel through more of Earths atmosphere, which filters out blue, green, and yellow wavelengths,

"Ive never seen anything like this before," said Brian Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Bay Area office in Monterey, about the red skies.

"This is not a common sight across the Bay Area because this takes very specific conditions in order for this to happen. Obviously you need fires that have ample smoke production. Then you need wind to bring that smoke in over the Bay Area."
HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thunder Energies Corporation (OTC: TNRG), one of the nation's leading suppliers of top quality CBD products and the U.S. premier source for turnkey white and private label hemp extract product solutions, today announced that 8-Month Revenues were $6.0 million versus $1.6 million for the comparable period 2019. This is a 375% gain, reflecting solid profits, versus a loss for the comparable period in 2019.

Adam Levy, TNRG's CEO added: "Yes, Unlike the cannabis industry where many companies are losing money and struggling to survive, TNRG is one the move. Our results for Fiscal 2020 to date show our commitment to create enthusiastic Shareholder Value. We have positioned our Company for continued strong revenue growth and solid earnings for 2020, a good recovery for the loses incurred in Fiscal 2019. So, stay tuned for our objective is to become leader in the industry and watch us grow."

About Nature Consulting, Inc.

According to its management, Nature Consulting, Inc. based in Miami, Florida, is one of the nation's leading suppliers of top quality CBD products and the U.S. premier source for turnkey white and private label hemp extract product solutions. Its mission is to be the leading seed-to-sale manufacturer and supplier of high-quality CBD products in the industry. Nature Consulting features superior quality products, reliable industry certifications, and a more scalable, diverse range of services than the competition. Its subsidiary, The Hemp Plug, is an innovative leader for quality extraction and sourcing, expert brand building, and targeted marketing for retailers and wholesalers throughout the world. They provide a range of scalable services for building CBD brands, from customization to order fulfillment to brand development and label design. The Company has the largest inventory of organic, non-GMO hemp and CBD products on the market. It enables third parties to enter into the growing CBD market, acting as a vertical incubator from seed to store shelves from wholesale to internet to brick and mortar sales via its omnichannel strategy which maintains the growth of our customer base using creativity paired with the most advanced marketing tools, technology, and brand events. It provides its customers with Products, Website, Landing Pages, Digital Marketing, Social Media, White Paper and other Events marketing services.

For more information about the Company please go to: https://www.natureconsulting.com and on its wholly owned subsidiary, please see website: http://thehemplug.com/

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Nature Consulting, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, Nature Consulting, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Company Address:

3017 Greene Street

Hollywood, Florida 33020

Telephone: (786) 686-0231

For All Inquiries Contact:

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Thunder Energies Corporation
(Natural News) If you want to know the true state of the Democratic Party in 2020, you need not look any farther than its presidential nominee, Joe Biden.

He literally embodies everything the Democrats claim to be against: Sexism, bigotry, racism, sexual assault and predatory behavior.

And, in an age when the partys Left-ward lurch has left its members hyper-focused on identity politics, lilly-white Biden the Boomer seems to be the polar opposite of what Millennial Democrats and their idols like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar represent.

But its worse that that, actually: Biden isnt just a weirdo who is gaffe-prone. The guy has serious problems with his behavior, and its not on just a few occasions. He is carrying a half-centurys worth of political baggage into the November election, and frankly, if there wasnt so much visceral hatred on the Left of one of the greatest presidents weve had  Donald Trump  Bidens chances of winning would be worse the a snowball in the Devils den.

Lets begin with just the most recent allegation.

Just The News reports that legal watchdog Judicial Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to obtain records about an incident involving Biden allegedly cupping the breast of the girlfriend of a Secret Service agent once upon a time, an act that drew a vehement response from the agent.

The outlet reports:

The conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security to access records to confirm an alleged altercation between a Secret Service agent and then-Vice President Joe Biden.

The records in question relate to an alleged physical altercation during a 2009 photo-op in which the agent alleges Biden cupped one of his girlfriends breasts.

In July, the Secret Service told Judicial Watch that the file in question had been destroyed and that no additional information is available.

Judicial Watch then filed an administration appeal to challenge that claim. The FOIA lawsuit was filed after the Secret Service failed to respond.

We had not been able to confirm whether the report about the alleged altercation might be true until the Secret Service itself suggested it destroyed records about the incident, said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

The suit stems from a 2017 report in The Gateway Pundit claiming that a Secret Service agent received a suspension for shoving Biden after he cupped his girlfriends breast while the couple was taking a photo with him.

The report stated further that the situation got so heated  that others had to step in to prevent the agent from hitting Biden, now the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.

The story, which was republished in March, also says that a Christmas party at the vice presidents residence for Secret Service and Navy personnel who protected the veep was canceled because, according to one source, Biden would grope all of our wives and girlfriends asses.

This comes off of reports that Biden sexually assaulted a former Senate aide, Tara Reade, whose allegations alone, had they been against a Republican or conservative  like, say, Justice Brett Kavanaugh  would have been believed automatically by Democrat hypocrites. (Related: The Atlantic joins the ranks of the fake news mainstream media with totally debunked hit piece accusing Trump of trashing American war dead.)

The Guardian notes:

Reade told [Megyn] Kelly, a former Fox News and NBC host, she was excited when she was hired as a staff assistant in Bidens Senate office in 1992. Almost immediately, she said, Biden made her uncomfortable with behavior she said included putting his hand on her neck in a meeting. 

Reade told Kellyshe was asked to deliver a bag to Biden in the Russell Senate office building. It was then, she said, that Biden pinned her against a wall in a hallway and penetrated her with his fingers, against her will.

He had his hands underneath my clothes and it happened all at once, Reade continued, adding that Biden asked if she wanted to go somewhere else and told her, I want to f**k you.

After seeing that she wasnt into it, Biden pulled back, saying, Cmon man, I heard you liked me, after which she said Biden pointed his finger at me and said, Youre nothing to me.

But instead of jumping all over Biden to get out of the race in disgrace, the Democrat propaganda media circled their wagons and began trying to discredit Reade. What happened to the #MeToo movement pushed by Democrats?

These are just a few of the incidents involving Bidens sexual inappropriateness:

 Lucy Flores, a former Nevada lieutenant governor nominee, said Biden gave her a big, slow kiss on the back of her head at a campaign event in 2001, leaving her feeling embarrassed and shocked.

 Amy Lappos, then a congressional aide for U.S. Rep. Jim Himes in 2009, said Biden touched and rubbed his nose against hers during a political fundraiser. When he was pulling me in, I thought he was going to kiss me on the mouth, she said.

 D.J. Hill says Biden put his hand on her shoulder during a fundraiser in Minneapolis in 2012 before moving it down her back, leaving her feeling very uncomfortable.

There are many more examples, and of course, weve all seen the pictures (and memes) online of Biden sniffing the hair of young girls or grabbing them by the face to kiss them. And who can forget him talking about how kids would touch his hairy legs in a swimming poll?

This is not a well man. Whats more, his mind is obviously fading. And yet, this is the Democratic Party standard bearer in 2020.

Whats wrong with the party anyway?

Sources include:

Esquire.com

TheCut.com

TheGuardian.com

JustTheNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Senior official says foreign ministers were not in agreement on Palestinian issue, after PA foreign minister criticizes body for failure to show unity in backing its cause, The Times of Israel writes in the article In blow to Palestinians, Arab League refuses to condemn Israel-UAE deal. The Arab League failed to pass a resolution on Wednesday proposed by the Palestinian Authority which would have condemned the normalization deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

After a three-hour debate, some Arab countries refused to include [a] statement condemning [the UAE] for abandoning Arab decisions. Additionally, they struck out a clause which discussed the trilateral agreement between the UAE, US, and Israel, Palestinian Authority Representative to the Arab League Muhannad al-Aklouk told Maan News.

Senior Arab League official Hussam Zaki said: Discussion around this point was serious and comprehensive. But it did not lead to agreement over the resolution proposed by the Palestinians. Zaki ultimately blamed the Palestinians for the failure to pass the resolution, claiming they had insisted they would either accept a condemnation or no statement on the Palestinian issue at all.

A number of amendments were proposed, and then counter-amendmentsand we were at a point in which Palestinian demands had not been realized, and the Palestinians preferred it not to pass rather than have it pass in a manner which they believed to be inadequate, Zaki said.

Palestinian politicians condemned the deal as soon as it was announced in mid-August by US President Donald Trump, with many calling it a stab in the back by an Arab ally. Palestinian Liberation Organization chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said that if Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit could not condemn the treaty, he ought to resign.

While preliminary reports had indicated that Palestinian diplomats intended to soften their stance on the UAE going into the meeting so as to avoid diplomatic failure, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki demanded a full-throated stance rejecting the normalization deal in a Wednesday speech opening the session. This meeting must release a decision rejecting this step. Otherwise, we will be seen as giving it our blessing, or conspiring with it, or attempting to cover it up, al-Maliki said.

Such a condemnation seemed unlikely from the start, however, given that several Arab states  such as Egypt and Bahrain  have expressed public or tacit support for the deal, which is due to be signed next week in Washington.

Nor was the Arab League in any rush to discuss the issue. Palestinian officials had originally called for an emergency meeting of the pan-Arab body against the deal when it was announced, but said they were told to wait nearly a month until this Wednesday, when a regular meeting had already been scheduled.

Aboul Gheit said on Wednesday that the Arab League would consider a resolution during the summit which would not deviate from its support for the Palestinian cause. It is the indisputable right of each country to have sovereignty in conducting its foreign policy in the way it sees fit. This is something that this council respects and approves. At the same time, we hold certain values as principles of consensus, Aboul Gheit said, without specifying what those were.

UAE officials, such as Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash, have emphasized that their decision to normalize with Israel was a sovereign decision made in accordance with the UAEs strategic interests.

Senior PA official Hussein al-Sheikh called the Arab Leagues failure to condemn the normalization deal the triumph of money over dignity.

The Arab League has not produced anything. It has given the entire region condemnations of everyone ad nauseum  except for Israel. This is a thunderous collapse, the use of national sovereignty to justify subservience, al-Sheikh said.

Al-Maliki struck a similar note in his speech on Wednesday, decrying what he said was the Arab Leagues uselessness and hypocrisy. He said that Palestinian officials constantly heard from third parties about Arab officials paying lip service to the Palestinian cause in public while conducting relations with Israel in private.

[Other countries] would confirm to us that [Arab League] decisions were nothing more than ink on paper to mollify the Palestinians. It puts us in an embarrassing position, al-Maliki concluded.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem also condemned the Arab Leagues failure to pass the resolution. This inability to condemn the UAE merely tempts Israel and the United States to continue implementing their plan to liquidate the Palestinian cause, Qassem said.
STORY LINK GBP to AUD Exchange Rate Stuck At One-Year-Worst as Pound Struggles amid No-Deal Brexit Fears

GBP Exchange Rates Continue to Tumble on Intensifying No-Deal Brexit Fears

Already by tabling the draft bill and pursuing the policy expressed therein, the UK government is in violation of the good faith obligation under the withdrawal agreement (article 5) because this bill jeopardises the attainment of the objectives of the agreement,

AUD Exchange Rates Remain Appealing among Risk-Correlated Currencies

GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Forecast: Brexit Concerns Persist, Will AUD Strength Persist Too?

In view of the economic slack in the Australian economy, it is possible that policy makers will want to shake off the reputation of being the least dovish central bank in the G10 in the coming months. Layered on top of these arguments are concerns about the economic impact of the drawn out lockdown in Melbourne and from the testy relations between Canberra and Beijing. All these factors could conceivably weigh on AUD/USD in the coming months

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The Pound has been attempting to steady slightly higher since yesterday, following days of being throttled by no-deal Brexit fears dominating markets. Investors have also continued to find the Australian Dollar fairly appealing, amid lingering demand for risk-taking. Looking ahead to tomorrow, upcoming UK growth rate news would be typically influential for the Pound. However with no-deal Brexit fears returning to the forefront of Sterling trade, its impact may be limited.GBP/AUD briefly saw a rebound last week, as investors pulled back on the strong Australian Dollar. However, while GBP/AUD opened this week high in the region of 1.8230, the pair has been tumbling since markets opened on Monday.After shedding a shocking four cents, GBP/AUD touched on lows yesterday. While GBP/AUD has attempted to recover, the pair has only seen further losses today. At the time of writing, GBP/AUD is trending near lows of 1.7743, its worst levels in over a year, since August 2019.The Pound has been tumbling for most of the week, as no-deal Brexit fears return to focus for Pound investors following months of Brexit fears being left in the background by a focus on the coronavirus pandemic.At the beginning of the week, the Pound was hit by reports that the UK government planned to rewrite its Brexit withdrawal agreement.The move was seen as undermining trust in UK-EU relations. Many critics said that it would threaten Brexit negotiations, especially after it was pointed out that the move was illegal.The Pounds losses briefly slowed yesterday after EU officials said that negotiations would continue despite the move.However, speculation has risen today that the EU has decided to call Britains move a breach of the withdrawal agreement. Leaked comments suggest this could lead to sanctions.The leaked legal opinion from the European Commission reportedly said:This news kept the Pound tumbling even deeper, despite the currencys brief rebound attempt last night and this morning.The Australian Dollar has done a fairly good job of holding its ground against the Pound this week, despite the markets appetite for risk gradually dwindling.Reviving coronavirus pandemic fears, no-deal Brexit anxiety, and fresh US-China trade tensions, have all left investors more eager to buy safe haven currencies instead.However, the relatively risk-correlated Australian Dollar has been able to keep seeing fairly resilient movement in recent sessions.This is because the Aussie is among the most appealing risk-correlated currencies, helping the currency to keep benefitting from lingering economic recovery hopes and risk-sentiment.As a result, AUD continued to be among the markets best-performing major currencies today. InvestorsInvestors may continue to sell the Pound if a no-deal Brexit continues to look more and more likely to markets.UK-EU Brexit negotiations will be closely watched. Any signs that relations will recover could help the Pound to recover some losses, but signs of negotiations collapsing will only lead to deeper Pound losses.However, GBP/AUD may avoid losses more easily if the Australian Dollar weakens as well.While lingering risk-sentiment is buoying AUD, some analysts point out there are still a lot of downside risks in the currencys outlook.According to Analysts at Rabobank:Amid a lack of notable Australian data due tomorrow, the Pound to Australian Dollar exchange rates late-week movement could be driven by upcoming UK growth data or potential Brexit developments.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing a fierce Conservative backlash over the contentious 'rule of six'

String of senior ministers opposed the measure at a meeting, with Rishi Sunak among those to speak out

Cabinet source said rule of six was opposed by every member of strategy committee apart from Hancock

Boris Johnson's Covid clampdown has divided his Cabinet, it emerged last night.

He faces a fierce Tory backlash over the contentious 'rule of six' that bans gatherings of seven or more from Monday.

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A string of senior ministers opposed the measure at a crunch meeting, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak among those to speak out.

A Cabinet source said the rule of six was opposed by every member of the Prime Minister's coronavirus strategy committee on Tuesday apart from Matt Hancock. The Health Secretary is said to have driven the decision, supported by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

'Everyone apart from Hancock wanted to set the limit on groups at eight or more,' the source said.

'Even the PM was initially cautious about taking the limit all the way down to six. The majority view was that this level of social distancing will have a huge impact on people's lives and the economy. But Hancock got his way.'

Announcing the crackdown on Wednesday, Mr Johnson insisted it was needed to keep virus cases under control even though it 'broke his heart' to keep families apart.

Boris Johnson's Covid clampdown has divided his Cabinet, it has emerged. He faces a fierce Tory backlash over the contentious 'rule of six' that bans gatherings of seven or more from Monday

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A string of senior ministers opposed the measure at a crunch meeting, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak among those to speak out

Mr Sunak is said to have pushed for the limit to be at least eight and Business Secretary Alok Sharma is thought to have argued for a higher figure

Coronavirus hospital admissions could start to rise in the UK in three weeks, data from other European countries suggests. When Spain, France and Belgium hit 18 cases per 100,000 (which the UK did on Sunday) they then saw admissions increase by up to four-fold

Theresa May leads Tory backlash over airport testing farce: Former Prime Minister wants end to 'dragging feet' Theresa May yesterday led a Tory backlash over the failure to introduce virus tests at airports. The former prime minister said Britain is 'lagging behind' the rest of the world and accused No10 of 'dragging its feet' on plans to reopen the skies and save the economy. Her intervention came as British Airways announced plans to cut 60 per cent of flights until Christmas, blaming the disastrous 14-day quarantine rules. And in another crippling blow, the International Air Transport Association warned Britain is set to lose its 'coveted' position as the third-biggest global aviation market unless immediate action is taken on testing. IATA chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said: '820,000 jobs will be vaporised by quarantine and they may never come back. The answer is a Covid-19 testing regime that manages the risk to keep people safe from the virus. And it will avoid apocalyptic unemployment that is sure to devastate society and the economy.' As Tory anger erupted in a Commons debate on aviation, Mrs May told MPs: 'I'm certain testing has to be the way forward in the foreseeable future, but at the moment airports aren't even permitted to trial tests on passengers. Far from leading the world, the UK is lagging behind.' She added: 'So my message is to No 10, it's to the Department for Business, it's to the Treasury and it's to the Department of Health and it's a very simple one  if you want to get the economy moving, get planes flying again. 'Stop the UK dragging its feet, let's lead the world and set the standard to restore world travel and world trade.'

Downing Street last night denied the Prime Minister had been steered into the decision by Mr Hancock and the scientific advisers. 'The PM wasn't talked round by anyone,' said an insider.

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But multiple sources confirmed that ministers on the high-powered committee had disagreed about how far to cut the 30-person legal limit on gatherings. 'I wouldn't characterise it as a row, but it's fair to say there was a vigorous debate,' said one.

Mr Sunak is said to have pushed for the limit to be at least eight and Business Secretary Alok Sharma is thought to have argued for a higher figure. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is also said to have raised concerns. A source close to Michael Gove denied claims that he wanted the limit at eight.

The clampdown row came as:

Mr Hancock faced a backlash over his 'Moonshot' mass testing strategy which scientists said was fundamentally flawed;

Tens of thousands of British tourists faced a race to escape Portugal after the country was returned to the quarantine list;

Theresa May led a Tory revolt over the failure to introduce coronavirus tests at airports, saying Britain was 'lagging behind' the rest of the world;

NHS figures showed that more than 2.1million patients have been waiting 18 weeks or more for operations or other procedures  the most in 12 years.

Birmingham was braced for a local lockdown as early as today;

Data suggested there had been no significant rise in the numbers returning to the office since June;

MPs urged the Chancellor to extend the coronavirus furlough scheme for certain industries;

A major Lancet study said Britons had become increasingly likely to refuse a coronavirus vaccine;

Care homes announced they were closing to visitors just weeks after families were finally allowed to see their relatives.

The rule of six has angered MPs, alarmed business and put hopes of a traditional family Christmas on hold. It replaces a raft of complex guidelines and laws which police said were impossible to enforce. The new rule means groups of more than six people can be broken up by police, who will have the power to hand out 100 fines.

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The law applies indoors and outdoors, including in private homes. Only workplaces, schools and a small number of events such as weddings and funerals are exempt.

The coronavirus committees membership comprises the Prime Minister, Mr Sunak, Dominic Raab, Mr Gove, Mr Hancock, Mr Sharma, and Priti Patel. Mr Shapps also attended the meeting on Tuesday

Grant Shapps also attended the meeting on Tuesday

The data presented at the press conference show that cases are still low relative to some other European countries - but emphasised the impact of higher testing among the younger generation

Slides presented at the press conference tonight show that younger people are driving the increase in Covid cases

The weekly incidence per 100,000 people

The rate of infection per 100,000 people in the UK has remained very low among younger children, despite rising among teenagers and young adults

Although cases have risen, the positive test rate - how many people test positive out of all those tested - has not reached levels seen during the pandemic. This gives an indication that some cases are due to more focused testing in hotspots

At the same time, cases in over 80 year olds have dropped drastically since the height of the pandemic, when they made up the majority of Covid-19 cases, and have halved since July. Infections have stayed stable among those in their 60s and 70s, while very slightly increasing in those between the ages of 40 to 59 years old

Children are included in the rule, making most family get-togethers impossible. A source close to Mr Hancock last night said it was 'wrong to say he was the main driver' of the clampdown. An ally added: 'He believes the worst thing you could do to the economy is let this virus get out of control again.'

The coronavirus committee's membership comprises the Prime Minister, Mr Sunak, Dominic Raab, Mr Gove, Mr Hancock, Mr Sharma, and Priti Patel. Mr Shapps also attended the meeting on Tuesday.

A source close to Mr Sharma played down reports he had fought the rule of six, saying he accepted the decision. Treasury sources said the Chancellor supported the restriction. But both men are known to have repeatedly pushed for a faster reopening of the economy in a bid to head of the risk of an even deeper recession.

Ministers fear that without tight restrictions now the epidemic could spiral out of control again.

A Government source said: 'We are four weeks behind France. They didn't take strong enough measures immediately and now they are screwed. We are not going to let that happen here.'

Tory MPs yesterday voiced their frustration over the setback to the recovery. Former minister Steve Baker said the 'authoritarian reaction' was disproportionate to the danger posed by a recent spike in Covid-19 cases.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, accused ministers of acting arbitrarily and demanded young children be exempt.

Business also raised concerns. Mike Cherry of the Federation of Small Businesses said: 'This fresh round of responsibilities will take time, money and manpower away from day to day business activity at an incredibly challenging time.'

Boris hit for six as Sturgeon swoops in to 'save Xmas'

By Daniel Martin Policy Editor for the Daily Mail

Boris Johnson's 'rule of six' was savaged last night after Nicola Sturgeon made a bid to save Christmas north of the border by exempting children.

Tory MPs and business groups lined up to accuse the Prime Minister of a gross overreaction to the virus threat and disproportionate restrictions on family life.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced social gatherings of more than six would be banned by law. With the restrictions likely to last until Spring, it risks spoiling Christmas for millions of families.

Boris Johnsons rule of six was savaged last night after Nicola Sturgeon made a bid to save Christmas north of the border by exempting children

Yesterday, business groups warned that the new rule  which takes effect from Monday  would hit profits and could seriously jeopardise the drive to get more people to return to the office.

Coronavirus antibodies may only last a MONTH: Cells 'decline significantly' within just four WEEKS of hospital discharge, Chinese study finds Signs of immunity vanish quickly from seriously-ill coronavirus patients in less than a month after they are discharged from hospital, a study has found. Researchers looking at antibodies  substances in the blood that develop immunity against the virus  have found they drop off sharply once a patient as recovered. The finding is worrying news for hopes that people will become immune to Covid-19 after having it for the first time. Most people who were sent home from hospital after having the disease did show signs of antibodies  suggesting their bodies had learned to protect themselves from the virus  but they were not strong. Some 81 per cent of patients had the antibodies, the Chinese study found, but only a 'small portion' of them had any with the ability to neutralise  or kill  the virus. Whether people become immune to Covid-19 after having it remains a mystery. There are signs that the body learns to fend it off but also growing numbers of 'credible' cases where people get reinfected. If the body cannot retain antibodies over the long-term it could mean that a vaccine may not offer permanent protection, as scientists and politicans around the world are hoping one will. Scientists at Nanjing University Medical School in China monitored 19 non-severe and seven severely ill Covid-19 patients for a month and three weeks to determine the progression of their antibody response. They found that the patients had a varying level of antibody responses, with only a 'small portion' developing a potent level of neutralisation activity. The scientists did not say exactly how many people had this. The study indicates that three to four weeks after hospital discharge, the neutralising activity of antibodies from recovered patients declined significantly.

Pub chiefs said the draconian rules could lead to a 'cooling of confidence' at a time when many were facing a struggle to break even.

And Tory MPs warned Health Secretary Matt Hancock that the restrictions could end up being 'worse than the disease itself'.

Even some scientists who backed the 'rule of six' suggested that younger children could have been safely exempted.

But anger was intensified after Miss Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, said she would exempt children under 12 from a similar law north of the border  because they are at lower risk of transmitting the disease.It means grandparents will be able to spend the festive season with their grandchildren in Scotland, but not in England.

People in Wales will also only be able to meet in groups of six or under indoors from Monday, First Minister Mark Drakeford will confirm on Friday. The rule will not apply to children aged 11 and under and people will also still be able to meet up in groups of up to 30 outdoors, as long as they maintain social distancing.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the powerful backbench 1922 committee, accused ministers of acting 'arbitrarily' by not holding a vote in Parliament before changing the rules. And he demanded that young children be exempt to prevent grandparents facing the 'appalling choice' of which grandchildren to spend Christmas with.

Fellow MP Steve Baker suggested voters may refuse to obey, saying: 'Given the rules in Scotland, it becomes even more difficult to sustain the rules the Prime Minister has chosen in England. We have got to get out of this dystopian nightmare as soon as possible.' But last night the Government was not backing down, with one source asking how the Scottish police would be able to differentiate between children aged 11 and 12.

In the Commons yesterday, Mr Hancock said the restrictions would not be kept in place 'any longer than we have to'.

Sir Graham said England should follow Scotland's example.

'Exempting young children who are far less likely to catch the virus or spread it is a sensible mitigation and one which could have important benefits for families who are otherwise faced with appalling choices such as which set of grandchildren to see at Christmas,' he said.

Tory MP David Jones said: 'There is certainly an uptick [in cases]. But it is not an uptick across the country as a whole.

'There are some parts of the country such as Devon, Dorset, where there is very little virus activity at all.'

Christopher Snowdon of the Institute for Economic Affairs said the Government had 'over-reacted'. He added: 'Local lockdowns or local restrictions are still the best way forward.'

Tej Parikh, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, said: 'The rule of six could knock consumer confidence and trust in public transport, which will have an impact on many firms.'

Mike Cherry, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 'This fresh round of responsibilities will take time, money and manpower away from day to day business activity at an incredibly challenging time.'

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: 'This restriction comes at a delicate point in our pub recovery after a steady start this summer.'

Here we go again: British tourists face weekly mad scramble to get home by 4am Saturday as Portugal and Hungary are taken off quarantine exemption list but no-lockdown Sweden is now ruled SAFE

Portugal and Hungary have today been removed from the quarantine exemption list, meaning holidaymakers must now rush home or face two-weeks in isolation.

Those arriving in England from French Polynesia and Reunion must also self-isolate for 14-days from 4am on Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

A travel corridor between Portugal and the UK had only been opened on August 22, but the popular holiday destination has now been removed after a rise in coronavirus cases.

The Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores are exempt from the new rule, under the Government's plan to impose regional travel corridors.

Both Portugal and Hungary have seen daily cases rise above 20 per 100,000 people, figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show.

Portugal and Hungary have today been removed from the quarantine exemption list, meaning holidaymakers must rush home or face a two-week quarantine. Pictured: The Algarve

Those arriving in England from two further countries must also now self-isolate for 14-days from 4am on Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said. Pictured: Budapest

Portugal has seen a steady rise in cases since it was removed from the quarantine list three weeks ago, now reporting a total of 1,852 deaths amid 62,126 confirmed infections.

It saw 646 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday, the nation's highest figure since April.

Wales and Scotland had already imposed their own self-isolation rules on Portugal, with Nicola Sturgeon also recently mandating 14-day isolation for arrivals from Greece and Wales adding six Greek islands to its list.

Downing Street's switch-up of the quarantine exemption list comes after Mr Shapps last week insisted there would be no changes to English travel corridors.

Sources told MailOnline at the time that although Portugal was above the 'trigger' threshold for cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, that appeared to be because they were carrying out more tests.

Portugal has seen a steady rise in cases since it was removed from the quarantine list on August 22, now reporting a total of 1,852 deaths amid 62,126 confirmed infections. Pictured: Arrivals at Heathrow

A travel corridor between Portugal and the UK had only been opened a few weeks ago, but the popular holiday destination has now been removed after a rise in coronavirus cases

The Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores are exempt from the new rule, which also imposes two-week quarantines for those arriving in England from Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion

Just 34 fines issued for travel quarantine breaches, new figures show A total of 34 fines have been issued to travellers for breaching quarantine rules after arriving in the UK, new figures reveal. Police forces have handed out 20 fixed penalty notices in England, while the Border Force has given out 14 across the UK up to September 7, according to the data released by the Home Office on Thursday. The 14-day self-isolation policy for UK arrivals was introduced on June 8 for people returning to or visiting the UK from countries not on the exemption list. In England, people can be fined 1,000 for failing to self-isolate and up to 3,200 for not providing accurate contact details. Figures show 1,966,394 spot checks have been carried out on passengers to ensure they have filled out passenger locator forms, including contact details, passport number and address while in the country. Public Health England (PHE) carries out further compliance checks on a random sample of travellers, resident in England and Northern Ireland, to check they are self-isolating. The service has made a total of 149,579 calls and text messages - each person can be called up to three times on subsequent days and sent a text. Successful contact, where the traveller has been spoken to or responded to a text, was made 66,773 times with 64,800 people confirming they were self-isolating.

'The rate of positives per test has actually gone down,' one senior source said.

The Government also announced yesterday that Sweden has been added to the 'safe' travel list.

The new air bridge will come into force at 4am on September 12 after the Scandinavian nation saw a drop in cases - despite not enforcing a lockdown.

Stockholm's strategy of 'herd immunity' - once backed by Downing Street - to allow the disease to spread through the population, was criticised as reckless but new data increasingly vindicates the decision.

Sweden currently has 13 patients in intensive care, by comparison the United Kingdom has 843 patients in hospital, 80 of them on ventilators.

Furthermore, Sweden has had an average of just one death per day for the last 10, compared to 9.3 fatalities each day in the UK over the same period.

Announcing the changes on Twitter today, Mr Shapps said: 'Data shows we need to remove PORTUGAL (minus the AZORES and MADEIRA), HUNGARY, FRENCH POLYNESIA and REUNION from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe.

'If you arrive in England from these destinations after 4am Saturday, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

'Through enhanced data we now have the capability to assess islands separate to their mainland countries. If you arrive in England from the AZORES or MADEIRA, you will NOT need to self-isolate for 14 days.

'This week, SWEDEN has been ADDED to the Travel Corridors list. If you arrive In England from Sweden, you will NOT need to self-isolate for 14 days.'

Mr Shapps added that all travellers returning to the UK must now complete a Passenger Locator Form to 'protect public health' and ensure self-isolation rules.

'It is a criminal offence not to complete the form and spot checks will be taking place,' he said.

It comes after the Portuguese government today agreed tougher infection control restrictions against the coronavirus ahead of the start of the school year.

Ministers agreed on new rules which will come into force next week, including limiting gatherings to 10 people rather than 20 previously - a cap already in force in the capital Lisbon since late June.

Downing Street also announced yesterday that Sweden has been added to the travel corridors list, after its seven-day case rate fell to 11.6 per 100,000 people. Pictured: Stockholm

Sales of alcohol will also be banned from 8pm onwards alongside drinking in public places. Meanwhile, sporting venues will remain closed to fans ahead of the football championship kicking off next week.

'We've been seeing a sustained rise in the number of new cases since the beginning of August,' Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

But most new cases were among asymptomatic people aged 20 to 39, Costa added.

He urged companies to allow for remote working or other infection control moves wherever possible.

Ridiculous rule of 6 poses a real danger: Britain losing its faith in its leaders, writes Professor KAROL SIKORA

Commentary by Professor Karol Sikora for the Daily Mail

KAROL SIKORA: It is illogical and merely invites ridicule and disobedience from an increasingly sceptical and weary public

Expert advisers have deep and very specific areas of knowledge, but can only offer a selective view of the facts  in this case a recent and modest rise in coronavirus infections in young people  to ministers.

The ultimate decision, based on a balanced assessment of the competing opinions, has to be a political one that convinces the public.

And I am afraid that the 'Hands Face Space' slogan, crowned with the Rule of Six  a ban on gatherings of more than six people indoors or outdoors  fails miserably on that count.

Of course it is much safer for 20 people to meet, socially-distanced, in a park than have six people gathered in a crowded living room  but the new restriction makes no provision for this.

It is illogical and merely invites ridicule and disobedience from an increasingly sceptical and weary public who are confused and disillusioned by repeated stop-start initiatives, be it testing or quarantine or a return to the workplace, over the past six months.

And certainly the latest gimmicks do nothing to address the fear factor that holds so many in its grip.

Yet what an opportunity Boris Johnson had to change the mood of the nation on Wednesday night as he addressed us from the Downing Street lectern.

First, he might have saluted school teachers for coming together to end the social isolation of millions of children and kick-start their education again.

This is a crucial step forward in safe-guarding the mental health of children whose short lives have been upended in 2020.

Next he should have urged university and college students to start the new term with optimism.

Then he should have acknowledged that uptick in infections (as you'd expect when people start to mingle again) in the healthy young who are largely invulnerable to coronavirus, while emphasising another critical statistic: last week ten times as many people died in England of flu and pneumonia as of Covid.

Fourthly  and I speak as a cancer specialist  I would have rejoiced to hear the Prime Minister acknowledge the tens of thousands of people out there who, because of the impact of Covid-19 on routine NHS screening programmes and the restrictions under which many GP surgeries are operating, are failing to seek diagnosis or treatment for worrying symptoms.

For be in no doubt, these are the next wave of Covid-19's collateral damage.

What an opportunity Boris Johnson had to change the mood of the nation on Wednesday night as he addressed us from the Downing Street lectern

I wish Mr Johnson had told the nation to cajole or bully our loved ones to demand to be seen by their GP, via Zoom if necessary  because that really will save lives.

I doubt that the Rule of Six will make any material difference to the reinfection rate, but one thing is absolutely certain. Thousands more people will die in the coming months and years because of undiagnosed cancers, cardiac disorders and other treatable conditions than will succumb directly to Covid-19.

And the lack of urgency  acknowledgement  surrounding this growing crisis makes me truly despair.

The rationale of the initial lockdown was to 'Protect the NHS'. Well, the NHS coped fine, essentially by shutting itself down to all but Covid admissions, A&E, and maternity care.

But we ignored the human health cost of this, and it will be very high indeed.

Basic modelling predicts at least 30,000 extra cancer deaths as a result of the hobbling of the UK's diagnostic services. Take prostate cancer: as the Mail reported this week, referrals have halved since lockdown began.

As for routine bread and butter operations, it will take years for the NHS to recover, if ever. Waiting times for knee and hip replacements are the longest in 12 years, with 2.15million patients on the lists.

The trends are even more terrifying in cardiac care. Figures suggest a nearly 50 per cent drop in the number of heart attacks in the UK in the first three months of the shutdown.

This would be a jaw-dropping figure if it were true, but unfortunately it is not. What it really means is that thousands of people who suffered symptoms of a heart attack at the milder end of the spectrum were too scared to go to hospital for treatment.

If you are not treated for a mild heart attack, you might convince yourself you've recovered, but your heart muscles will have been weakened. You are much more likely to suffer gradual heart failure and sudden death in the next couple of years.

Psychologically, the fundamental problem with the Rule of Six is that it reverses the tide towards the return to normality which, as a nation, we desperately have to cling to.

Worst of all, it undermines any effort to get people back to work, particularly via public transport. Any sensible person will wonder how it can be safe to get on a busy bus or train if it is deemed dangerous to gather their extended family in their own home.

And as for the 'moonshot' mass population testing plan, well I wish I could get excited about it.

There is one obvious problem here. Even if it can be achieved, testing on this level will throw up hundreds of thousands of false positive results, which would require those people, plus all their contacts, to self-quarantine. This is impractical, and will not happen.

I worry that Boris and his ministers and advisers have squandered so much political capital with policy shifts, U-turns, meaningless slogans and gimmicks that the nation  and especially young people  are beginning to dismiss everything they hear.

People will even stop obeying the sensible rules, like handwashing, wearing a mask in public and keeping a distance. I am currently on holiday in North Wales and I noticed when I went out for curry last night that an implausible number of people had registered under the name of Smith in the restaurant's test and trace book.

This open defiance, I suspect, will become the norm, and the plan to employ Covid Marshals to enforce restrictions will, I fear, bring the authorities into further ridicule.

This Government has been very successful in the business of spreading fear about Covid, but in not much else.

What people desperately need now is belief that things can, and will, get back to a state of being that they recognise. Above all, they crave that most human of emotion  a sense of hope.

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Karol Sikora is professor of medicine at University of Buckingham Medical School and Chief Medical Officer at Rutherford Health.
ATHENS - The misery for the approximately 13,000 refugees and migrants evacuated from the Moria migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesvos continued into Thursday after a second night of fires and sleeping on the streets.

Thousands of migrants were forced to sleep rough on Tuesday after a huge blaze destroyed large parts of the camp to the ground, while a second fire broke out on Wednesday evening destroying the remaining parts and sending those who had tried to return fleeing but again with nowhere to go.

People have been sleeping on roadsides, in fields, in the nearby mountains, and in supermarket parking lots in the area in shameful scenes which have shocked the world. While police reinforcements have also arrived to prevent the asylum seekers entering the main town of Mytilene, local residents and officials of the Lesvos municipality have also mobilized to prevent people resettling in the burned Moria camp, which resembles a war zone of scorched earth, melted tarpaulin and smoldering metal.

The mayor of Lesvos, Stratis Kytelis, told reporters that he would campaign for a complete closure of the burned camp and against the creation of any facility to replace it.

"By embracing the indignation of the citizens about the current situation and strictly observing the decisions of the Municipal Council, I will continue to try with all my might for the final closure of the Moria camp. We want no migrant facilities on Lesvos." "Whoever wants and can be by his side in this effort, please I urge you to join me to support me at this critical time, which may signal the final closure of the Moria camp. For health reasons, this camp will not reopen." The Greek government meanwhile, is rapidly attempting to come up with solutions firstly to house the thousands of asylum seekers who are in limbo with nowhere to go and no place to stay.

While on Wednesday a solution was found for the 408 unaccompanied refugee children, who were transported by aeroplanes to the Greek mainland with help from the European Commission, the situation for the remaining migrants is not as simple, due to the sheer volume of people.

Greece's Ministry of Immigration and Asylum have announced that within the day "all the necessary actions will be carried out for the immediate housing of the vulnerable and the families of Moria in specially designed areas".

These specially designed areas include ships, one from a private company which has already arrived at the port of Sigri (around 100 kilometers from the main town of Mytilene), and two naval vessels, which are due to arrive on Thursday.

The European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, who has said he has already spoken with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and pledged to support Greece, is expected to arrive in Lesvos later on Thursday. He tweeted: "I assured him [Mitsotakis] that the European Commission is ready to assist Greece directly at all levels during these difficult times," via his official Twitter account.


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The latest episode of The Extra Mile, a new biweekly news-magazine podcast centred around Standardbred racing, became available for streaming and download on Wednesday (Sept. 9).

The episode focuses on some of the top fillies currently in training, including the undefeated Party Girl Hill and New York standout Love A Good Story.

James Witherite and Kimberly French, two of harness racing's most travelled and respected journalists, present the biweekly podcast, which features guests Yannick Gingras and Julie Miller.

Listeners can access the current episode of The Extra Mile at this link, and can follow The Extra Mile on Twitter at @DHNExtraMile.

(DHN Media Group)
From a certain perspective, it is odd that a Democratic candidate for Congress would build her advertisement around the message that she loves Reagan and hates Washington. At the same time, it is utterly bland and familiar  standard fare if you live in the Mountain West or, increasingly, anywhere else with more livestock than people. Montana is a kind of Champagne region for intensely folksy political advertising, having perfected a signifiers-over-substance approach that has pervaded the nation.

Very little polling is done here; national firms track the federal and gubernatorial elections, but information about voters opinions on particular issues is hard to come by. Montana State University, Billings, conducts an annual survey of about 500 respondents, but its results are released in October, when messaging strategies are already settled. As a result, candidates fall back on what little they know for sure: Montanans overwhelmingly support access to public lands, particularly for recreational activities like hunting and fishing. Williams is especially strong in this area; she moved to Helena in 1995 to take a research-analyst position with the Legislative Environmental Policy Office, and she was the executive director of a nonprofit association of fish and wildlife agencies. In a different politics, this experience  closely related to the one issue pollsters are sure Montanans care about  would be the focus of her campaign. In 2020, though, the false image of the real Montanan is too powerful.

Folks around here do things a little differently, except when pandering season hits and folks start acting eerily the same. During a special congressional election in 2017, for example, both candidates released ads in which they took up arms against electronic devices. The Republican, Greg Gianforte, shot a computer dramatizing his opponents putative plan for a national gun registry. His opponent, the country musician Rob Quist, shot a TV playing one of Gianfortes ads. For generations, this old rifle has protected my familys ranch, Quist said before throwing down on the appliance, which was sitting on a ridge alongside some cans. This contest, which ended with Gianfortes attacking the reporter Ben Jacobs the night before the election and then disappearing until he was declared the winner, might be remembered as the dumbest in Montanas history.
A mother-of-two who 'chops vegetables' to de-stress and once stole a senior colleague's cowboy boots is set to make history as she becomes the First Lady of Wall Street.

Citigroup has become the first big Wall Street bank to appoint a female CEO after naming Scottish-born Jane Fraser as its next boss.

The married mother-of-two  who described pursuing a career while bringing up children as 'the toughest thing I have ever had to do'  will next year become the first woman to lead one of America's biggest banks.

Born in St Andrews, the 53-year-old has degrees from Harvard Business School and Cambridge University.

She has worked at Citi for 16 years, and is its president and the boss of its sprawling consumer bank.

In a recent interview, Fraser revealed she 'chops vegetables' to help her switch off from work, while sources told the Financial Times last year she enjoys practical jokes and once stole a senior colleague's cowboy boots so he was left without shoes.

In 2015, Fraser faced a sexist backlash in the Mexican press when she was put in charge of Latin American operations for Citigroup.

She later told a CNN podcast how she embraced her femininity, adding: 'My husband took me out, he said 'We're going to buy an elegant red dress, slightly higher heels than you're used to, and a new haircut, and you're going to stride on the stage.'

In 2008, Fraser's husband, Cuban-born Alberto Piedra, quit his post as head of global banking at Dresdner Kleinwort to look after their children and support her career.

She will replace Mike Corbat, 60, who is stepping down next February after 37 years at Citi, including eight at the helm.

Citigroup has become the first big Wall Street bank to appoint a female CEO as its retail banking chief Jane Fraser (pictured) takes over from Michael Corbat, who said only last year that he would not be replaced by a woman

Scottish-born Fraser (left), a 16-year Citigroup veteran, will take the reins in February, when Corbat (right) retires after 37 years at the bank

Who is Wall Street's first female top boss? Jane Fraser, 53, was born in Scotland and educated at Cambridge University in England where she studied Economics. After graduating, she started her career as an analyst in M&A for Goldman Sachs in London. She then became a brokerage associate for Asesores Bursatiles in 1990 in Madrid before moving to McKinsey. In 2004, she joined Citi where she took on various roles rising up the ranks including leading the bank's strategy division through the financial crisis. She then moved to the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area with the task of cleaning up the bank's Latin America division. She moved to New York in 2019 to take on her latest role as president and CEO of Global Consumer Banking her responsibilities include all Consumer businesses in 19 countries, including Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Credit Cards, Mortgages and the associated Operations and Technology. Her promotion came as she was spied as a potential candidate for a CEO job at rival bank Wells Fargo. Fraser has spoken in the past about juggling motherhood and her career in finance. Having children 'humanized me,' she said in 2016, recalling how she worked part time at McKinsey after having children. 'There is nothing like having children to help you understand where your priorities are.' Fraser had an MBA from Harvard Business School and serves on the Board of Dean's Advisors at the School. She is also a member of the Economic Club of New York, the Global Advisory Board at Stanford, and the Council on Foreign Relations. Fraser becomes the first female CEO of a major Wall Street bank in February and will join the board of directors with immediate effect. Advertisement

Fraser, who has long been a rising star in the financial services industry, has already made her mark at the lender. During her time as head of the private bank, she increased revenue by more than a fifth between 2010 and 2013.

She started her career at Goldman Sachs and before joining Citi in 2004, Fraser was a partner at advisory giant McKinsey & Company where she also made an impression on colleagues.

Then 26, she said she would only take the job if she could work directly for the head of banking.

Lowell Bryan, who held that position, was so impressed by her forthright attitude that he hired her.

In a McKinsey report, she later said: 'Being a mother of young children and having a career is the toughest thing I have ever had to do.

'You are exhausted, guilty, and you must learn how to do things differently. It was the making of me because I became much more 80-20  focusing on what was really important  got good at saying no, and also became more human to the clients who also face many of these issues too.'

JP Morgan, America's most profitable bank, may soon be following in Citi's footsteps as Marianne Lake is widely tipped to become the next boss when Jamie Dimon retires in around five years.

Lake, 51, who is also British, has spoken about the importance of diversity in finance.

Fraser, the Co-Chair for the Citi Women Affinity Group, has spoken in the past about the need for women to break the glass ceiling on Wall Street.

Speaking at the time, she said she had 'no ambition' to take the helm.

'I look forward to seeing a woman being the first CEO of a Wall Street firm, whoever that may be,' Fraser said in a 2018 interview with CNN.

'I've never had the ambition to be the CEO of Citi or any other organization. Things can change over time. But at the moment, I've still got a lot to learn.'

Fraser becomes the first woman to lead a major US bank, after top bosses were hauled before Congress in 2019 to answer to criticism over their lack of diversity among other things.

The shake-up at the top comes as the bank is currently grappling with the coronavirus pandemic and fears are mounting that the economy is tumbling into disrepair.

The company announced Corbat's retirement and the appointment of Fraser, who currently serves as president and CEO of global consumer banking, to the position of CEO in a statement Thursday morning.

It is not clear what Fraser's salary will be but Corbat received a total package of $24 million for 2019, including a base salary of $1.5 million, two sets of stock-based compensation at $15.75 million and a $6.75 million cash bonus.

Citigroup said it will announce the successor for Fraser's role in coming weeks.

Shares in the bank rose 0.8 percent to $51.82 just after trading opened following the news.

Fraser said she was 'honored' by the decision and is committed to creating a 'better bank'.

The shake-up at the top comes as the bank is currently grappling with the coronavirus pandemic and fears are mounting that the economy is tumbling into disrepair

Corbat's shock departure marks the latest in a string of shake-ups at the top of the third-largest US bank. In 2019 he admitted to Congress he didn't believe he would be succeeded by a woman

'Citi CEO Michael Corbat announced that, after 37 years at Citi, including the last eight years as CEO, he plans to retire from Citi and step down from its board in February of 2021,' the bank said.

'The board selected Jane Fraser, currently Citi's President and CEO of Global Consumer Banking, to succeed him as CEO in February.'

'I am honored by the Board's decision and grateful to Mike for his leadership and support,' Fraser said in a statement.

'Our balance sheet is strong and our commitment to serving our clients and communities is even stronger. I will do everything I can to make all our stakeholders proud of our firm as we continue to build a better bank and improve our returns.'

Corbat, 60, heaped praise on his successor saying she will make 'an outstanding CEO'.

'I have worked with Jane for many years and am proud to have her succeed me,' Corbat said in a statement.

'With her leadership, experience and values, I know she will make an outstanding CEO.'

Fraser, who previously held roles in Latin America and investment banking at the firm, had been lined up to take over as CEO when she was promoted to the role of president and CEO of consumer in October.

However, the sudden announcement of Corbat's retirement comes as a shock to the industry.

The CEO, who took over from controversial former CEO Vikram Pandit in 2012, had been expected to complete another two years in the top job before handing over to a successor.

Donald Trump listens to Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat (left) and Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan (center) during a meeting to discuss the coronavirus response in the Cabinet Room at the White House in March

His shock departure marks the latest in a string of shake-ups at the top of the third-largest US bank.

It comes after Jamie Forese, Citigroup's then-president, stood down after three decades at the bank in 2019, and the exit of its longtime chief financial officer and two regional heads.

Corbat is largely credited with turning around the bank's fortunes after the global recession, leading it to a net income of almost $20 billion last year - almost triple what it was eight years ago.

Under his watch, the bank has streamlined into two main businesses: the institutional clients group and the global consumer bank.

'I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished in the past eight years,' Corbat said in a statement.

'We completed our transformation from the financial crisis and emerged a simpler, safer and stronger institution.



'There is always more to do and I believe the time is right for my successor to lead Citi through this next stage of progress.'

However the bank is now facing one of its biggest challenges yet as the pandemic continues to ravage the economy.

Stay-at-home orders forced branches and offices to shutter and the firm switched to serving business and consumer clients remotely.

Meanwhile, with millions of Americans out of work and government stimulus funds drying up, Citigroup - the world's largest credit-card issuer - could soon be inundated with applications from desperate residents.

Citi shares have fallen 36 percent this year amid the global health crisis - in a year that the bank hoped to narrow the gap with its rival banks.

Fraser's appointment to the top job marks a sign of progress for the banking sector where white males have long ruled the roost in the C-suite roles.

Her promotion to become the first female CEO of a major US bank is something that none of the leaders of the seven of the country's largest banks thought likely just one year earlier.

At a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee in April 2019, Corbat and the CEOs of Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and State Street were pressed by lawmakers about the lack of diversity in senior positions.

Fraser has spoken in the past about juggling motherhood and her career in finance. Having children 'humanized me,' she said in 2016, recalling how she worked part time at McKinsey after having children. Pictured at a Brazil-US Business Council forum in Washington 2019

When asked to raise their hand if any of them believed they would be succeeded as CEOs by a woman or person of color, none of the seven did.

Though none others have yet taken the top job, Fraser joins a number of other successful high-ranking women in finance.

The European Central Bank is currently led by Christine Lagarde, who previously also headed up the IMF.

Janet Yellen led the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018 while Marianne Lake was hired as CFO of JPMorgan Chase in 2012.

JPMorgan Chase has shortlisted two women Marianne Lake and Jennifer Piepszak to take over from James Dimon as CEO.
Harare: Zimbabwes government says it has banned mining in its national parks, but an environmental group that had taken court action to stop the development of a coal mine in an elephant-rich park said it would insist on "more than just words".

Reports that a Chinese firm had started exploratory work to mine coal within Hwange National Park alarmed environmental and wildlife groups, who took legal action to stop it. In an apparent response to the legal proceedings, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced the government would not allow mining in national parks.

Giraffes at the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Credit:Imvelo Safari Lodges

The Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association, which applied to the High Court to stop the project, welcomed the statement but said it would continue with the court process unless the government took legal steps to enforce the announced ban.

The important thing for us is to get an interdict which is legally binding, Shamiso Mtisi, the associations deputy director, said.
TikToks Chinese parent company ByteDance is likely to miss the upcoming deadline imposed by the Trump administration to sell off the video-sharing apps U.S. assets due to new Chinese regulations that have hampered negotiations with potential U.S. buyers.

Talks with Microsoft and Oracle on buying TikToks U.S. operations have been delayed by the Chinese regulatory review, Bloomberg reported. The Chinese software company may now be unable to meet President Trumps September 15 deadline for the company to reach an agreement to divest from its U.S. operations or be blacklisted in America.

In early August, Trump issued an executive order requiring ByteDance to find an American buyer for TikTok by September 15, and if they fail to secure a purchaser, Trump said he would shut down the app in the U.S. effective September 20.

There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that ByteDance, which is based in Beijing, might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States, Trump wrote in his executive order.

Right now they dont have any rights unless we give it to them. So if were going to give them the rights, then  it has to come into this country, Trump said in announcing the order. Its a great asset, but its not a great asset in the United States unless they have approval in the United States.

TikTok responded by suing the U.S. government late last month, accusing the Trump administration of denying the company its due process rights by moving to ban the app.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he supports a potential ban on TikTok and warned that Chinese software companies doing business in the United States are feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist Party, their national security apparatus  These are true national security issues.

Last month, Republican Senator Josh Hawley demanded that Microsoft assure that TikTok has severed all ties with the Chinese Communist Party as a prerequisite of any potential acquisition of the app.

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The Missouri Republican argued that if TikTok is allowed to preserve ties with its parent company or the Chinese government, vulnerabilities in the app could allow the Chinese Communist Party to collect the data of Americans.

ByteDance has claimed that the Chinese government has no jurisdiction over TikTok because the app does not exist in China.

More from National Review
The Serum Institute of India (SII) on Thursday paused clinical trials of AstraZeneca-Oxfords Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the country until the British drugmaker restarts them.

We are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials, Serum Institute, the worlds biggest vaccine manufacturer by volume, said in a brief statement.

AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had paused trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine following an unexplained illness in a study participant, but its partner SII had said then that trials in India were still ongoing.

The Serum Institute of Indias latest announcement also comes against the backdrop of the central drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) issuing a show-cause notice to SII for not informing it about AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate in other countries. The Pune-based vaccine maker said it is following instructions of the DCGI.

The drugs regulator had in August given SII approval to run Phase II/III clinical trials on the leading Covid-19 vaccine candidate to determine its safety and immunogenicity.

Giving hope, meanwhile, AstraZeneca said a Covid-19 vaccine could still be available by as early as the end of this year, despite the randomised clinical trial in the UK being paused after an illness in a participant. The patient was reportedly suffering from symptoms associated with a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis.

We could still have a vaccine by the end of this year, early next year," the companys chief executive Pascal Soriot said, adding it depended on how fast regulators moved.

Soriot said during an online event that AstraZeneca did not yet know the diagnosis, adding that it was not clear if the volunteer had transverse myelitis and more tests were needed.

Soriot said that the potential vaccine, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged as the most promising for coronavirus, that it was usual for a trial to be suspended.

Its very common, actually, and many experts will tell you this," Soriot said, adding: The difference with other vaccine trials is, the whole world is not watching them, of course. They stop, they study, and they restart."

AstraZeneca would supply vaccines to countries at the same time to ensure a fair and equitable distribution, Soriot said, adding that the company was close to having capacity to produce 3 billion doses at sites set up around the world to prevent governments from restricting distribution.

Shares in AstraZeneca fell on Wednesday after news of the trials suspension as some observers raised doubts about the timeline for the rollout of a vaccine to help curb the coronavirus pandemic.

With inputs from Reuters
By PTI

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has said the building she lives in here belongs to Sharad Pawar with some reports suggesting she was referring to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief.

Pawar, however, on Thursday refuted the claim, saying there is no substance in what the actress said.

Paid sources of Maha government are spreading fake info,BMC never sent any notice to me until yesterday,in fact I got all the documents cleared myself from BMC for renovations. @mybmc at least have the courage to stand by your audacity why lie now? pic.twitter.com/CVUQGxkNiS  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 9, 2020

Ranaut is at the center of a controversy for likening Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and criticizing the city police and had engaged in a war of words with NCPs ally Shiv Sena on the issue.

"This was not just to me but to the entire building and this is not my flat issue but a building issue which the builder needs to deal with and this building belong to Sharad Pawar we bought the flat from his partner so he is answerable for this, not me". Ranaut tweeted on Wednesday while replying to a post.

This was not just to me but to entire building and this is not my flat issue but a building issue which builder needs to deal with and this building belongs to Sharad Pawar we bought the flat from his partner so he is answerable for this not me..  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 9, 2020

The tweet she replied to claimed a notice was issued to her flat in the building, 'DB Breeze', in 2018 and not for her bungalow in Pali Hill, "illegal" parts of which were razed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday.

Asked by media persons about the actress's claim, Pawar dismissed the same.

"It is my wish somebody names a building after me," Pawar said sarcastically.

"Now it is a question whom we should expect to speak responsibly. But there is no substance in it (the claim made by the actress), Pawar added.
A man who threw acid in his girlfriend's face and hacked her hand off with a meat cleaver has been jailed.

Kub Pha, 43, was on the run for 18 months before he was caught by police in Cambodia.

He was convicted in his absence of attacking his girlfriend San Chenda in the commune of Kandoeng in the district of Bati in the Cambodian province of Takeo.

Kub Pha, 43 (pictured), was on the run for 18 months before he was caught by police and was convicted in his absence of attacking his girlfriend

He was sentenced in absentia to 14 years which began as soon as he was arrested according to The Sun.

The suspect was arrested after an 18-month manhunt for the attack on his girlfriend, which resulted in her losing her left hand.

According to a National Police report, Pha attacked his lover because she wanted to split up with him.

Pha was convicted of attacking his girlfriend San Chenda with acid and hacking her hand off with a meat cleaver (pictured) in the commune of Kandoeng

At one point it was feared he had fled abroad after hiding from the authorities in the provinces of Pailin, Pursat and Battambang according to Khmer Times.

He was finally arrested in the commune of OSamril in the district of Samlout in the north-western province of Battambang.

An arrest warrant was issued on 8th April this year, and Pha was initially charged with attempted murder by the Takeo Provincial Court on April 18.

According to a National Police report, Pha attacked his lover, Ms Chenda (pictured), because she wanted to split up with him

He was subsequently sentenced to 14 years in prison in absentia and began serving his sentence on the day of his arrest.

Ngeng Chou, criminal police department chief for the Interior Ministry, said that Pha was taken to the Takeo Provincial Court on September 6.

The attack happened on February 27, 2019 and the suspect was caught on September 5, 2020.
PHILADELPHIA  President Donald Trump has trailed Joe Biden in virtually every poll in Pennsylvania this year.

But theres a more tangible piece of data in the state that tells a different story: Since 2016, Republicans have netted nearly seven times as many registered voters here than Democrats.

The GOP has added almost 198,000 registered voters to the books compared to this time four years ago, whereas Democrats have gained an extra 29,000. Though Democrats still outnumber Republicans by about 750,000 voters in the state, the GOP has seized on their uptick in party members as a sign that Trump is on track to win this critical Rust Belt swing state a second time.

Its one of the reasons why I am very bullish on Donald Trumps prospects in Pennsylvania. I think he will win again, and I think he will win by more votes than he did in 2016, said Charlie Gerow, a Harrisburg-based Republican strategist who has worked on presidential campaigns in the state. Trump is doing what Ronald Reagan did 40 years ago, which is moving a lot of traditional Democrats into the Republican column.

The GOP has also seen a larger boost in registrations than Democrats in three critical areas across Pennsylvania: Erie, Luzerne and Northampton counties, all of which helped Trump flip the state by backing him after supporting former President Barack Obama in 2012.

Overall, registered Democrats now make up 47 percent of the states electorate, down from 49 percent in September 2016. Republicans comprise 39 percent, up from 38 percent four years ago. Many party officials credit Trump himself for narrowing the gap.

Its Trump, Trump, Trump, said Gloria Lee Snover, chair of the Northampton County Republican Party. When she has signed up voters, she added, Theyre like, Oh, I want to be in the Trump party. Its kind of funny. ... Im like, You mean the Republican Party? Theyre like, Oh, yeah.

In the lead-up to the 2016 election  where Hillary Clinton lost the state by less than one percentage point  Republicans likewise registered more net voters in key areas such as parts of northeastern Pennsylvania. But rather than feeling a sense of deja vu, many Democrats said they are not concerned about the trend affecting the presidential results.

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They view the numbers as a lagging indicator that distracts from other strengths the party has with new voters and independents in the state. The biggest shift in Pennsylvania in recent years, they said, has been Democrats making electoral gains since 2016, particularly in the suburbs.

It probably means less than meets the eye, said J.J. Balaban, a Democratic consultant in Pennsylvania. Theres reason to believe the shift is mostly Democrats who havent been voting for Democrats for a long time, choosing to re-register as Republican.

Republicans around the state said that they have benefited in recent months from the fact that the Trump campaign, which has sought to downplay the Covid-19 pandemic, has been knocking on doors and registering voters in person.

Joe Bidens team has so far refrained from door-knocking in an effort to protect staffers and voters from the virus, though local Democratic groups in the state have held some socially-distanced in-person events to sign up voters.

Some Democrats said that has posed a challenge. The party has also spent significant resources on informing voters how to vote by mail that, in another year, could have been invested in other areas such as voter registration.

Look, Ill be real: The pandemic has kind of thrown a wrench into things, said Jason Henry, executive director of Pennsylvanias Democratic Party. Our focus has truly been on educating voters on the new vote-by-mail laws.

Kathy Bozinski, chair of the Luzerne County Democratic Party, said its particularly difficult to register college students due to the pandemic.

There's no question that reaching out to young voters at colleges  I mean, thats near impossible, she said. Weve had colleges come back in our region and Covid picks up and they go back to virtual after 10 days. Its really problematic and unfortunate.

However, the Biden campaign said it has registered voters as part of its general outreach to more than 3.4 million voters in the last three months. Democratic county parties have held some voter registration events outside of churches and community centers. The Trump campaign and state GOP said they have prioritized voter registration, as well as encouraging voters to switch parties.

Republicans have made the biggest raw net gains in Westmoreland and Washington counties  both located in the western part of the state where Trumps support runs deep  as well as Luzerne. While they have lost ground statewide, Democrats have netted more registered voters in the last four years than the GOP in Philadelphias suburbs. In fact, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware and Bucks counties, along with the city of Philadelphia, are the top five areas where they have seen a registration boost.

The voter registration trends in Pennsylvania have been a topic of debate between the two major parties. Tom Bonier, CEO of the Democratic data firm TargetSmart, recently sent an email to newsletter subscribers and reporters titled, GOP Claims About PA Voter Reg Arent True. Heres Why.

He said in the message that Democrats have signed up almost 415,000 new voters since the 2016 election, compared to about 282,000 by Republicans, according to the companys analysis of the states voter file. However, he said that number does not factor in voters who have switched parties.

Bonier also argued that Democratic-controlled local governments have cleaned their voter files more vigorously than those run by Republicans, and that voters who have registered as unaffiliated are likely to lean Democratic. As for those Democrats or independents who registered as Republicans, he said it is a lagging indicator.

There are a lot of truths. The undeniable truth, on one hand, is that ... the Democratic voter registration advantage in Pennsylvania has undeniably narrowed, Bonier said in an interview. At the same time, undeniably, Democrats have registered more voters over that same time period than Republicans.

Lawrence Tabas, leader of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, said Democrats are making excuses.

If I were them, I would say that I think voter registration is some sort of a lagging issue. You would, too, he said. Having this additional edge of newly registered Republicans from the Democratic base, these are people who are going to vote in November. These people are committed.
Butte County sheriffs deputies and detectives found seven bodies on Thursday, a day after three other victims were discovered. Among those unaccounted for are Sandy Butler and her husband, who called their son to say they were going to try to escape the flames by finding shelter in a pond.
Will come back to haunt you: Jaishankar in veiled reference to Pakistan

S Jaishankar stresses on connectivity,proposes Chabahar Port be included in the NorthSouth Transport Corridor

India-Central Asia dialogue: Need to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to Afghan, says Jaishankar

EAM S Jaishankar, his Uzbek counterpart agree to coordinate closely on regional concerns

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Moscow, Sep 10: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held a cordial meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov during which the two leaders agreed to coordinate closely on regional concerns and take forward their growing development partnership.

Jaishankar is here on a four-day visit to Russia to attend a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). "Began the day with a cordial meeting with Uzbek FM @a_h_kamilov," Jaishankar tweeted.

As tensions soar all eyes on Jaishankar-Wang Yi meet today

"Agreed to coordinate closely on regional concerns. Will take forward our growing development partnership. Appreciate Uzbekistan's vital role in our Central Asian engagement," he said.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar had separate meetings with his Tajik and Kyrgyz counterparts and agreed to bolster India's strategic ties with the two Central Asian countries. Relations between Uzbekistan and India have their roots deep in history.

There are frequent references to Kamboja in Sanskrit and Pali literature, which is stated to include parts of present-day Uzbekistan, according to the Indian Embassy in Tashkent.

Sakas participated in Mahabharata on the side of Kauravas. Ancient trade route Uttarpath passed through Uzbekistan. India had close interaction with Uzbekistan during the Soviet times.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

Indian leaders often visited Tashkent and other places. Prime Minister, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away in Tashkent on January 11, 1966 after signing the Tashkent declaration with Pakistan.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 13:11 [IST]
At least 111,426 homes were damaged or destroyed across the country

Floods in Sudan have affected more than half a million people, destroyed or damaged tens of thousands of homes and raised the risk of disease outbreaks, the UN said Thursday.

As of Tuesday, "557,130 people have been affected by floods in 17 out of Sudan's 18 states," said the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA.

It said the worst hit states were Khartoum, North Darfur in the country's west, and Sennar in the south "which account for 43 percent of all people affected".

At least 111,426 homes were damaged or destroyed across the country, OCHA said in a statement.

The floods have been caused by unprecedented heavy rains that have battered Sudan for more than a month.

According to the civil defence, at least 103 people have been killed and dozens others injured.

The disaster prompted the Sudanese government to declare a three-month state of emergency last week.

OCHA said the torrential rains had "increased the risk of disease outbreaks and hampered efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic".

"Drainage systems are unreliable, and stagnant water in different locations create conducive conditions for water-borne and vector-borne diseases such as cholera, dengue fever, rift valley fever, and chikungunya, in a country with an extremely fragile health system," it said.

Heavy rains usually fall in Sudan from June to October, and the country faces severe flooding every year.

Officials have said they had recorded the highest waters on the Blue Nile -- which joins the White Nile in the Sudanese capital Khartoum -- since records began over a century ago.

The rising Nile floodwaters also threatened to swamp the ancient archaeological site of Al-Bajrawiya, once a royal city of the two-millenia-old Meroitic empire.

The area includes the famous Meroe pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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A New York hotel maid who claims she was sexually assaulted by International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn in 2011 has spoken out about her ordeal for the first time.

Nafissatou Diallo was working as a maid at the Sofitel New York Hotel when the then French presidential hopeful, who was 62 at the time, allegedly tried to rape her in May 2011.

Nine years on, speaking of the alleged assault to French magazine Paris Match, Diallo said it had 'ruined her life,' and added that if Dominique Strauss-Kahn (often referred to as DSK) had been poor, he would be in prison.

The criminal lawsuit against Strauss-Kahn was dismissed in August 2011 by the prosecution on the basis that Diallo had not been truthful 'on matters great and small.'

Diallo received a settlement a year later for an undisclosed amount after the civil suit was dropped, and has not spoken publicly about the allegations since 2011.

Nafissatou Diallo, pictured in New York in 2012, was allegedly sexually assaulted by International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn in 2011. She has opened up about the ordeal in a new interview with French Magazine Paris Match

Diallo told the French magazine the way the New York prosecutors treated her made her 'suicidal.'

'I told the truth, I was tricked and betrayed,' she said.

'I will never get over how the New York prosecutors treated me. Due to what they put me through, I've been suicidal, I was called a prostitute,' she added.

Diallo said she received death threats and had to move out of her apartment to a safe house outside of New York during the legal proceedings against DSK, which lasted from May to August 2011.

Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped after the New York prosecution said Diallo had been 'untruthful' on several occasions, changing her story several times (pictured: DSK in 2015)

Yet, she said she did not regret reporting the politician to the police.

'If I had to do it over again, I would. I would do exactly the same thing. Something happened to me, I told the truth and I was denied justice,' she said.

Asked whether she had a message for Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Diallo said she did not want to think about the IMF chief.

'I don't want to know what has happened to him. I don't want to think about him anymore,' she said.

She said: 'I assure you, if [Mr Strauss-Kahn] had been poor, homeless, a tramp, he would be in prison today.'

Diallo, pictured with her attorney Kenneth P. Thompson (left) in 2012, said the ordeal 'ruined her life' after she received death threats

Looking to the future, Diallo said she was hoping to help other women like her.

'I want to create a foundation. I already have the name in mind, to help women who, like me, arrived in America without education, without speaking English, and who went through horrible situations in their lives.

'I never considered myself to be an advocate for women, but today, I want what I went through to be useful to others.

It was reported by French news channel BFMTV and DSK biographer Michel Taubmann that Diallo received $1 million (770,555) to drop the charges against him, however, she did not confirm the amount.

Diallo's new comments on the case against DSK have reignited the debate over her story in France, where her interview has been discussed on all TV channels since the announcement of its publication this week.

The scandal erupted in May 2011 when the Sofitel New York Hotel maid claimed the International Monetary Fund chief had sexually assaulted her while she was working in his room.

At the time, DSK was the favourite in the upcoming French presidential election of 2012, but the case blew his chances of making it to the Elysee Palace and cost him his job as the head of the IMF after he was forced to resign.

Who is DSK, Dominique Strauss-Kahn? Dominique Strauss-Kahn, often referred to as 'DSK,' is a French politician who headed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 1 November 2007 to 18 May 2011. He was France's Finance Minister from 1997 to 1999 under President Jacques Chirac, and was recognised as one of the country's most prominent economic experts. He announced his candidacy in the French presidential election of 2012 and was a favourite against returning president Nicolas Sarkozy. In 2011, he was at the heart of the Sofitel New York Hotel scandal, when hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo accused him of sexually assaulting her. This cost him his role as IMF chief and blew up his chances to win the presidency in the upcoming election. Since the scandal, DSK has resumed work and scored several high profile jobs, including advisor to Sudan and Serbia. He's also given a number of lectures in Asia from 2014. Advertisement

After the case was filed against him by the State of New York on behalf of Nafissatou Diallo, DKS posted a $1million bail and was put under house arrest in New York.

He pleaded non guilty to four felony charges, including two criminal sex acts - including forced oral sex -, attempted rape and sexual abuse, as well as unlawful imprisonment.

Because of DSK's high profile and long political career - he was France's Finance Minister from 1997 to 1999 under President Jacques Chirac - conspiracies theories multiplied.

After his arrest, a poll showed 57 percent of French voters believed he was the victim of a smear campaign and prominent French political figures came forward saying they believed he had been framed by his political opponents.

In July 2011, the prosecution asked for the charges against DSK to be dropped on the basis that Diallo had been 'persistently, and at times inexplicably, untruthful in describing matters of both great and small significance.'

This was based on the fact Diallo changed her story several times after the case was filed and the fact physical evidence showed no sign of violence.

The civil suit was officially dismissed in August of the same year and Dominique Strauss-Kahn swiftly returned to France.

In an interview with French media upon his return, DSK eventually conceded he had had a sexual affair with Diallo, which he called a 'moral failure,' but denied the use of violence.

In 2011, Strauss-Kahn found himself at the heart of another sex scandal after he was accused of procuring prostitutes for a prostitution ring in northern France.

It emerged that the financial experts loved to attend sex parties with women and alcohol, organised by the Press Relations Officer for the Cartlon hotel in Lille, France.
China-Europe rail links boost pandemic recovery

From:ChinaDaily | 2020-09-10 07:20

Trains carry vital medical supplies to continent

Italian trader Nicola Sangiovanni has exported European food and beverages to the bustling metropolis of Chongqing for the past few years.

His business could have been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic, but he has been able to continue it thanks to rail freight services between China and Europe.

"When COVID-19 spread across the worldwith flights halted, borders shut and companies facing the prospect of missing contract deadlinesChina-Europe freight trains helped us make up for lost time," he said.

During the outbreak, Sangiovanni has sent 10 container loads of wine every two months from the Italian city of Genoa to Chongqing on freight trains traveling to China via the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

These trains provide "fast, low-cost and convenient transportation", he said.

"The China-Europe rail freight link has helped our business return to normal, and I think it could also help boost trade," he said.

Claudia Vernotti, director of ChinaEU, a business-led association in Brussels, the Belgian capital, said rail freight has become the preferred means of transporting goods between Europe and China during the pandemic.

Global air and sea freight capacity fell in the first seven months of the year due to restrictions imposed at airports, ports and national borders to contain the pandemic, she said.

Reduced cargo flights have resulted in the cost of such services rising two to three times higher than last year's rates, while transit times have lengthened, she added.

China-Europe rail freight services, launched in 2011, are considered a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative aimed at boosting trade between China and other countries and regions.

Rail freight lines now link more than 60 Chinese cities to over 50 destinations in Europe.

According to China State Railway Group, from March to July, the services from Chinese cities to Europe set a number of records.

In July, China-Europe freight trains made 1,232 journeys, the highest monthly figure ever, and a rise of 68 percent year-on-year.

In the first seven months of this year, 6,354 trips were made by these trains, a year-on-year rise of 41 percent. They transported 574,000 standard cargo containers, a rise of 46 percent compared with the same period last year.

Vernotti said: "These trains are a better fit for goods that need to be transported faster than by sea, and are cheaper than air freight. I believe the China-Europe rail freight link has great development potential and will play a crucial role in reviving global trade and business ties as a safer and greener form of logistics."

Since March 21, when the first batch of medical supplies to combat COVID-19 was sent by rail from Yiwu, Zhejiang province, to Madrid, the Spanish capital, China-Europe freight trains have contributed greatly to the global fight against the virus.

By the end of July, the trains had transported 4.97 million items of medical supplies weighing a total of about 39,000 metric tons, according to official figures.

Kang Yan, deputy general manager of Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Co in Henan province, said rail freight services to Europe resumed from the city on Feb 16.

"The trains have transported a great deal of urgently needed anti-epidemic material," he said. "At the end of February, we also opened the freight services to overseas individuals to help them transport personal items."

In the first seven months of this year, 585 journeys were made between Zhengzhou, capital of Henan, and European destinations. The total cargo value was $2.34 billion, a year-on-year rise of just over 18 percent. The weight of the cargo was 364,700 tons, up by nearly 32 percent year-on-year.

Kang said these trans-continental freight trains closely link Asian and European countries through trade and also play an important role in strengthening global efforts to fight the pandemic.

"Moreover, without these trains, far more damage would have been caused to the global supply chain, and the shortage of anti-epidemic materials in countries along the route would have been more severe," he said.
The Palestinian Authority fails to persuade member states to vote on a motion of condemnation. The Deputy Secretary General speaks of "intense" discussions and an "exhaustive" confrontation. The official signature on September 15 in Washington, under the auspices of the White House.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Palestinian Authority has failed to convince the member states of the Arab League to condemn the agreement that provides for the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the opening of official diplomatic channels. The agreement signed on August 13 last and strongly supported by the United States and by the administration of President Donald Trump, aims to extend the number of countries involved starting from Saudi Arabia.

During a videoconference meeting of the organizations foreign ministers, Palestinian representatives appeared less hostile to the agreement, which will be officially ratified on September 15 in Washington, under the auspices of the White House. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan will lead the official delegations. According to the provisions, the Gulf state is committed to normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel, which will suspend its annexation operations in the West Bank.

"The discussions on this point [the ratification of the agreement] have been intense," said Hossam Zaki, deputy secretary general of the Arab League. It was, he continues, an "exhaustive" confrontation which took some time, but in the end "did not lead to an agreement on the draft statement [of condemnation] proposed by the Palestinian side".

Most recently the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem expressed his hostility to the normalization of relations, the latest Middle Eastern Muslim leader to do so. He resigned from the Emirati-based Peace Promotion Forum in protest against the organizations public support. On the contrary, the possible "opening" to the agreement of the imam of the Great Mosque of Mecca Abdulrahman al-Sudais had raised controversy and attacks on social networks.

The Palestinians fear that the agreement calls into question the position of the member states of the League, which have made the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and the creation of a Palestinian state indispensable conditions for the normalization of relations with Israel. Prince Faisal ben Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister, confirmed Riyadh's support for the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Ms. Ama Pomaa Boateng, Member of Parliament for Juaben has donated a Nissan Navara pick up and three motorbikes to the Juaben Municipal Police Command.



The items, which were purchased from her share of the MPs common fund, are to support the police in their operational duties to protect the people in the Municipality.



She told the Ghana News Agency after the presentation at Juaben that the security of the people in the constituency was one of her topmost priorities.



Ms Boateng, said Juaben was spread and scattered, and there was the need to equip the police with the needed logistics to be able to patrol all the communities to protect and ensure the safety of all citizens.



She said the only vehicle at the disposal of the police command was woefully inadequate to support the work of personnel.



The MP commended the assembly for helping to provide the police with the vehicle and the motorbikes to aid their operations and urged the officers to take good care of the vehicles and use them for the intended purpose.

Source: GNA









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Ombudsperson Renate Weber declared on Thursday that an analysis carried out by representatives of this institution and of the Children's Ombudsman has found that a significant percentage of Romanian students are unable to access online education.

"Together with the colleagues from the Children's Ombudsman we took a fairly in-depth look at how online classes have been conducted during the state of emergency and the state of alert so far. From some places in the country we received very comprehensive information, all showing that a significant percentage of children didn't have access to online education, either because they do not have the necessary devices - a tablet or a computer - or because they do not have internet connectivity. (...) So, overall, from what we have seen, there is a significant percentage of children who do not have physical access to online education," Renate Weber told a news conference.

She specified that about 15 counties did not answer the query, so that the Ombudsman sent Education Minister Monica Anisie a letter on Wednesday asking for relevant data.

"As long as you impose such requirements for holding classes, it is normal for you, the state, to provide the masks, the sanitizer and the soap, because we assume the water exists. (...) Last year we did an extensive survey on all the schools with makeshift backyard toilets. What do you do in those situations? How do you ensure the necessary sanitation there?," Weber inquired.

In her view, the hybrid education that combines face-to-face seat time with online learning activities is a "huge challenge" for the teachers.

"I have seen in recent days a sort of tendency to scare parents that they will be held criminally liable if they don't send their children to school. I think we are all already traumatized enough in this pandemic to not come up with other scares. (...) There was also an intention to have parents sign bona fide statements, and there too the parents were shown the frightening perspective of being held criminally accountable. Criminal liability assumes that a criminal act is effectively and deliberately committed, ie a parent does not send his/her child to school in order to harm the child. (...) We live in a situation of force majeure, that's why we have ever extending states of alert; obviously no parent does that, but some parents may say 'I opt for online classes for my child or children'," she explained.

Weber also referred to her repeatedly asking the Education Minister to inform whether the authorities had considered the possibility for the parents and family members to decide what kind of school attendance the student should have.

"Mrs. Minister did not answer my request, but I saw her televised statement that this will be possible, but that the parents will be required to bring a medical certificate showing that contracting the virus would worsen the condition of the children with health issues or the health of the guardians. I hope it's not just the parents, because many children in Romania live in the care of their grandparents. I hope this circle is a little wider," the Ombudsperson said.

Renate Weber also mentioned that she also inquired at the Education Ministry about the way the students will be assessed at the national tests, because as some will take in-person and others online classes, "claiming that everyone gets the same education is slightly superficial, because one asks the questions differently when you interact directly with the teacher and otherwise online," she argued, adding that she hasn't received an answer yet.
Ayodhya, Sep 10 : In an unexpected move, an Ayodhya seer has come out in support of actor Kangana Ranaut and has termed the demolition of her office in Mumbai "an act of vendetta".

Mahant Paramhans Das of Tapasvi Chhavni said that even 'Matoshri', the residence of the Thackeray family had a lot of illegal construction which should also be demolished.

Mounting a blistering attack on Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut for using objectionable words against Kangana, he said that she was being targeted for supporting a CBI inquiry into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

The Mahant said that the Shiv Sena was set up by Balasaheb Thackeray to protect Hindus but the party has now become an organization of those who are working against the country and is targeting the daughters of the nation.

The Tapasvi Chhavni supporters also burnt posters of Shiv Sena leaders and an effigy of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday.
I was looking for a team to join; a family, said Robin. From everything Ive seen and learned from Boak & Sons, thats what its all about  teamwork. Everyone cares about the service we provide to customers; a group of people all working toward the same goal.

Boak & Sons, Inc. is a residential and commercial exterior contracting company in Youngstown, Ohio that specializes in roofing, siding, insulation, gutters and sheet metal. The company has over 165 employees working in the field and in the office, and has continued to grow despite the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to their loyal customers and partners. The office staff especially has added several new employees, the most recent being Robin Bishop.

Robin was hired at Boak & Sons in Marketing and Business Development in the Commercial Roofing/Architectural Sheet Metal Division. With a bachelors degree from Youngstown State University, she has over 10 years of experience in commercial roofing sales management. Robin was looking to further her career path, and decided Boak & Sons was the perfect place to grow her portfolio where her customers would be given the highest level of quality and service.

I was looking for a team to join; a family, said Robin. From everything Ive seen and learned from Boak & Sons, thats what its all about  teamwork. Everyone cares about the service we provide to customers; a group of people all working toward the same goal.

Robin has only been working at Boak & Sons for just over a week and has already started building her relationships with new customers and using her roofing experience to represent Boak & Sons in the best way possible. She has a reputation in the business for high quality service and relationship management, which is why Sam Boak, president and founder of Boak & Sons, agreed she would make a great addition to the team when she reached out about employment opportunities.

Robin was already well-known in the commercial roofing industry for her incredible customer service, said Sam Boak. When she reached out about looking for an opportunity with Boak & Sons, I knew it would be a mutually beneficial decision. Were excited to see what her experience and skills can do, and were confident that this addition is going to further develop our companys reputation for quality service in the commercial roofing and sheet metal department.

To learn more about the commercial roofing and sheet metal, or any other services provided by Boak & Sons, visit their website at http://www.boakandsons.com.
OTTAWAFormer finance minister Bill Morneau has admitted he broke federal elections law last year when he promoted two Liberal candidates at government events in the pre-election period, and has agreed to pay a $300 fine.

Although the top elections enforcement investigator, Commissioner of Canada Elections Yves Cote, did not find that Morneau planned the events or benefitted in a personal or partisan way, he found  and Morneau has agreed  that the promotion of two Liberal candidates gave the federal Liberal Party a partisan benefit.

The revelation comes nearly four weeks after Morneau resigned from Parliament on Aug. 17 amid questions over his family ties to WE Charity, and is a further blow to his political reputation, and another chip in the Liberals claim to ethical government.

Morneau is now campaigning to lead the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development, and is up against stiff competition for the job.

One of the Liberal candidates he touted, Oakville MP Anita Anand, is now a cabinet minister at the forefront of the governments pandemic response, leading government purchases of critical medical equipment and vaccine procurement strategies.

The other, Michele Fisher, lost her election bid to Conservative MP Kyle Seeback.

The investigation into Morneaus actions was triggered by a formal complaint by Conservative MP Peter Kent, who objected to unelected Liberal candidates attending taxpayer-funded government announcements.

Under the prime ministers ethical guidelines for his cabinet, ministers are not allowed to use taxpayer or departmental funds for partisan gain. There are also provisions in the federal Elections Act that bar anyone but individuals from making donations or contributions to political parties and campaigns.

Speaking as finance minister, Morneau boosted Anand, a law professor, at a July 29, 2019 Oakville Chamber of Commerce speech, highlighting her significant accomplishments as Anand was in the crowd, sat in on a roundtable and attended a factory tour with him.

These comments provided a partisan benefit to Ms. Anand and to the LPC's prospect in the electoral district of Oakville, says the undertaking signed by Morneau and Cote.

Later on Aug. 27, Morneau toured the Caledon area, where he met with business leaders and families, with Fisher, the prospective Liberal candidate for DufferinCaledon, tagging along.

In all, the chief elections enforcement office assessed the cost of the events at $1,661  an amount Morneaus riding association has repaid to the federal receiver general office.

Morneau signed an undertaking Wednesday with the elections watchdogs office to pay an administrative penalty of $150 for each of the two pre-election tours.

Morneau and the two candidates had put up photos of the events on their social media feeds, the undertaking released Thursday says.

The former finance minister also agreed to post a statement about his breach of the rules and a link to a notice to educate others about the importance of avoiding events that include partisan elements at the top of his personal website or social media feeds for 30 days.

The section Morneau violated could carry a maximum penalty of $1,500 but the undertaking outlines factors that mitigated in Morneaus favour: he and his office co-operated fully and in good faith with the Commissioner's investigation.

The undertaking notes there is no indication that Mr. Morneau intended to use public resources for directly partisan purposes. Nor is there any indication that Mr. Morneau personally participated in planning any of the tours in question.

It says his riding association has repaid the money, and Morneau has ensured that training was provided to his staff to avoid similar situations in the future.

Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett in a statement emailed to the Star said, Once again, another Trudeau Liberal has been found guilty of breaking the law. Whether its ethics violations or elections violations, the Liberals clearly dont think the law applies to them. Its time to bring back good ethical government under the leadership of Erin OToole.

There was no immediate comment from the Prime Ministers Office, or from Anand.

In a written statement to the Star , Fisher said, It was an honour to host Mr. Morneau in our riding last year. My campaign team and I were diligent in following all the Elections Act rules surrounding the event where Mr. Morneau was speaker, including never referring to him as finance minister. It goes without saying that we had no knowledge about his travel expenses.

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Andrei Zimin and his wife were just starting to hike in Yosemite National Park on Saturday when ash began to rain down on them. "My wife's eyes got pretty irritated, and we both developed quite a headache," Zimin said, "so we had to return to the hotel pretty early that day."



The air quality improved Sunday, allowing Zimin and his wife, visitors from San Diego who had secured coveted reservations for the park, to hike all day long and take photos. But later in the week, the air quality again plummeted.

As the Creek Fire continued to incinerate nearby Sierra National Forest on Wednesday, Yosemite's beloved rock formations have remained obscured, its visitors' lungs polluted beneath an opaque orange sky. Ash intermittently flies in, blanketing cars. A heavy campfire smell wafts on the air.

Although air-quality monitors in several locations within Yosemite showed that the environment had become a health risk, all entrances remained staffed by rangers and open to visitors.

US Forest Service

The air-quality index for Yosemite (Wednesday) was unhealthy to very unhealthy and forecast to remain that way (Thursday), the Yosemite Conservancy wrote on Instagram. When air quality is unhealthy, you should reduce or avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors; strenuous hikes are not recommended.

It got worse: conditions in Yosemite on Thursday turned 'hazardous.'

Many of the parks professional guides say they have been canceling their excursions. So far this week, YExplore Yosemite Adventures founder John DeGrazio has canceled nine Yosemite tours, including a Half Dome trek for Thursday. He estimates the total loss to his business this week at $4,000.

Elisabeth Barton, founder of the worker-owned Echo Adventure Cooperative, said that about a third of the companys Yosemite tours have been called off this month due to poor air quality. Unhelpfully, Bartons power went out Wednesday, so she tried to escape to Lassen County. There was no power there, either, she said.

Zain Ahmed

Paul Wignall, owner of Skydive Yosemite in Mariposa, grounded his Cessna 182 over Labor Day weekend  and it hasnt taken off since. Weve rescheduled somewhere around 100 jumpers, he said. Wignall added that some folks were based too far out of town, so they canceled. Although Wignall is trying to keep a positive attitude about the whole thing, he emphasizes that the struggle is real.

Its just crazy, he said. Theres the whole COVID thing, then the fires on top of that  so many businesses are getting worked right now in this community and all over California.





Zain Ahmed

Meanwhile, intrepid visitors continued entering the park, enduring irritated eyes, scratchy throats and smoke-induced headaches all for the opportunity to see what they could of Yosemite's soaring cliffs, and snap otherworldly photographs.

It was eerie, yet beautiful, to see an orange sky above Half Dome, said visitor Zain Ahmed, who traveled to the park from Livermore. It was snowing ash all over.  On our way back to our lodge, we saw sunset through smoke clouds, which was yet another beautiful scene.

Ashley Harrell is an associate editor at SFGATE who covers Californias parks. Email: ashley.harrell@sfgate.com | Twitter: @AshleyHarrell3
THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick has moved to assure nursing and midwifery students, who answered the nations call for help on the Covid-19 frontline, that their efforts will be credited as part of their course work.

This follows extensive levels of communication with students who had missed out on essential clinical placement and had put themselves forward for the HSEs Be On Call For Ireland recruitment campaign in April.

However, some students who had offered six weeks work as a healthcare assistant on the frontline remained concerned about receiving their credits.

Correspondence sent by the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, seen by the Leader, clearly stated that up to six weeks of the Covid-19 experience could be credited towards remaining regulated placement.

There are two different types of placements; the optional healthcare assistant roles during Covid-19; and mandatory supervised experience, which can be unpaid.

The latter, which was cut short in spring due to the pandemic, is now underway for many students for a period of four weeks.

However, one student, who did not wish to be named, has said it is unfair that they have to endure an added financial strain of doing unpaid work in another part of the country, despite having put themselves on the frontline for nearly two months.

UL this week confirmed that there has been no request for students to give up part-time employment.

The spokesperson said that the department is mindful of the impact that suspension of placement has on students studies, accommodation and managing self during this crisis period.

It is acutely aware of the strain and anxiety that this pandemic is placing on all in society and is working tirelessly to support students and is making accommodations for students on an individual basis where they are engaging with the university.

He added that the department and health service providers are fully committed to ensuring student safety and wellbeing during this time. University supports were and continue to be offered to our nursing and midwifery students, in addition to individual meetings and support plans.

Students have been submitting their validation sheets, which are being processed individually, and has required UL to bring staff back early from leave to support the entire review.

The Department of Nursing and Midwifery is actively encouraging students to engage with them, but has asked for patience as the documentation submitted is reviewed, matching the experience with the programme requirements, endeavouring to support students.

For more Limerick news click here
To the Editor,

Presidential candidate Joe Biden finally came out of his basement safe space for a couple of campaign stump speeches and surprisingly he did take a few questions from the press in what appears to be from a set of prearranged press members and questions. The tone of the questioners was not surprising as they laid up softball questions, mostly framed to damage President Trump rather than probing questions about policies of the candidate and his party. Compare that to the treatment by the hostile press to the President.

The very first question asked was what do you think about President Trumps soul and the life he leads. This question had to do with the Atlantic Magazines anonymous sourced smear article claiming that the president had made disparaging remarks about fallen soldiers on a trip to France back in 2018. This is nothing more than a case of he said, she said and is a disgraceful attempt by the left to drive a wedge between President Trump and the military and should be condemned for what it is.

Two can play the anonymous source game. Anonymous sources from the Secret Service have said that Joe Biden liked to swim naked in the presence of female Secret Service agents. It was also said that Joe Biden had groped an agents wife during a photo op and the agent had to be restrained from striking the then Vice President. Again, this is from anonymous sources.

Not so anonymous is the video evidence of Joe Biden bragging about his role in the firing of Ukraine Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin back in 2016. Shokin was investigating corruption at Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas firm that Bidens son Hunter had a high paying job at. Biden told Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko he would withhold a $1 billion loan unless Poroshenko fired Shokin. This is on video and yet the dishonest Democratic congress impeached President Trump over a perfectly legitimate phone call to the Ukrainian President.

The way the press frames most every story is to disparage the president and help candidate Biden. This is demonstrated every day in bylines from the Associated Press. Take the article in last Sundays Telegraph with the heading Biden slams Trump over alleged comments mocking US war dead. Within the article, and attempting to show Bidens great compassion, it states: Voice cracking, Biden told reporters on Friday that you know in your gut Trumps comments, if true, are deplorable. Give me a break.

Due to his feebleness and obvious onset of dementia, Joe Bidens voice always cracks when he talks and it has nothing to do with his being a compassionate person. Joe Biden frequently has difficulty in even expressing a coherent thought. Cmon Man! Dont be taken in by the presss laudatory treatment of Joe Biden as they are always blowing smoke for this Democratic presidential candidate.

Jim Schwegel

Godfrey
10.09.2020 LISTEN

Winners of the third edition of the Annual Independence Day Quiz Competition on Cancers have been presented with their prizes in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.

The schools were Opoku Ware Senior High, St. Hubert Seminary, and Barekese Senior High School, all in the Ashanti region, placing first, second and third respectively in the 2020 finals.

At a brief presentation ceremony on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, at the premises of Peace and Love Hospital at Oduom in Kumasi, prices presented were double large speakers, double-decker deep freezer, and a 40-inch flat-screen television for the first, second, and third respectively.

The finals were held in Kumasi in March this year, and the prizes which were to be presented to the winning schools at the 63rd Independence Day celebration on March 6, had to be postponed due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

The quiz was initiated three years ago by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council in collaboration with Breast Care International (BCI) and has been incorporated into the activities to mark Ghanas Independence Day celebrations annually.

The competition which is under the auspices of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and sponsored by Peace and Love Hospitals (PLH) aimed at involving secondary school students to know the fundamentals of the cancer disease so that they will grow up with the knowledge, a cancer-free future.

Presenting the prices to the schools, the President of BCI, Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai commended the for exhibiting high in-depth knowledge in cancers and urged them to propagate the message by educating their families, friends, and the society that breast cancer is treatable, curable, and preventable.

You are now ambassadors of breast cancer disease. Go out to your communities, educate them on the disease that it curable, treatable, and preventable if it is reported to the health facility early. You must also demystify the notion that the disease is caused by witchcraft, Dr. Wiafe Addai charged.

Previous winners of the competition are T.I Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Kumasi in 2018, and St. Monicas Senior High School from Asante Mampong.

---OtecfmGhana.com
EDITORS NOTE: NJ Cannabis Insider produces premium, exclusive weekly content and monthly events geared toward those interested in the marijuana and hemp industries. To subscribe, visit njcannabisinsider.biz

County Republicans are urging New Jersey residents to vote no on a ballot question seeking to legalize marijuana for those over 21, arguing that the new industry may not bring in significant tax revenue and that marijuana could pose a public health threat.

The Republican County Chairmens Association voted unanimously Tuesday on a resolution to oppose the ballot question, said Hudson County Republican Chairman Jose Arango, who heads the county association. The resolution encourages Republicans in municipal offices to do the same and incorporate that opposition into their campaigns.

State lawmakers tried several times over the past two years to pass a bill legalizing marijuana, but fell short of the necessary votes in the Senate. Instead, they opted to pose the question to voters this November in a ballot referenda that would amend the state constitution to allow legal sales of marijuana.

If legal marijuana is so popular, why are you going to amend the constitution? said Arango. I think theres better times to do this, and a better way.

With the crises brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, Arango said he worries legal marijuana could bring more health issues to New Jersey. He also thinks lawmakers and other officials have too much on their hands in combating the virus, and that regulating the industry will pose a challenge to overburdened officials and the budget.

The resolution comes as a coalition of New Jersey advocates kicked off a campaign, NJ CAN 2020, to encourage voters to say yes to legalization. It includes members of the ACLU, the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association, medical experts and minority advocacy groups.

Many in that camp have said legalization could prove a benefit as the state grapples with the economic fallout of the coronavirus by generating tax revenue and creating new jobs. But they primarily focus on criminal justice reform through legalization: By ending marijuana prohibition, New Jersey could avoid as many as 100 arrests a day. Data shows these arrests disproportionately impact Black communities.

But Arango said the brevity of the ballot question gives him pause. While it does say marijuana sales would face a 6.625% state tax rate and possible municipal rates, it also relegates rule making to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, an organization that was supposed to form in January, but has yet to take shape.

The question does not address issues of potency, purchase limits or the forms in which marijuana could be sold. If it does pass on Nov. 3, lawmakers will still have to craft enabling legislation to guide the industry.

We have to be extremely careful how to build this new market, without knowing much about what regulation. What supervision is going to be in charge of this?" Arango said. In the situation that were living today, if were taking drastic measures, whos going to manage now, legalizing marijuana in the state of New Jersey?

Residents can register online to vote this November up until Oct. 13. Polls show that some two-thirds of New Jersey voters would likely say yes to the ballot question.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.
Former Union minister Raghuvnash Prasad Singh, 74, on Thursday quit the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) amid speculation that he could join the ruling Janata Dal ( United), or JD (U), ahead of the assembly polls in Bihar due next month. In a handwritten note to jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Singh said he was pained over leaving the party and sought his forgiveness.

A little later, RJD chief Lalu Prasad responded to the development in a statement issued by the party, telling the leader he is not going anywhere.

Also read: PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate 30 projects worth Rs 4,366 cr in Bihar beginning today

Singh cited his socialist background, loyalty, and long association with Prasad in the note. I have stood solidly behind you for 32 years after the death of [former Bihar chief minister] Jannayak Karpoori Thakur. But not anymore. I have received lots of affection from the party, supporters, and people. Forgive me, Singh wrote in the note from New Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he is undergoing treatment.

Singhs aides circulated the note in the media.

Singh, a five-time member of Parliament from Vaisali and a prominent upper caste Rajput face in RJD, could not be contacted despite efforts to reach him on phone through his close aides.

Ashok Singh, one of the aides, confirmed Singhs resignation. Yes, Raghuvansh ji has resigned from the RJD. It is confirmed, he said,

RJD spokesman, Mritunjay Tiwary, refused to comment on Singhs exit.

One letter written by you is circulating in the media. I cannot believe it. Me, my family and the RJD family want to see you recover soon. We will talk after you recover. You are not going anywhere. Just mind it, Yadav said.

The RJD chief s statement underlines how the RJD still is making last ditch attempts to mollify Singh and keep him in the party.

Lalus party has been trying to mend fences with Singh since he has been upset with the partys over several issues including the denial of a Rajya Sabha berth following his loss in 2014 and 2019 national polls. Singh has opposed RJDs decision to project Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate. He has argued that any decision on the candidate should be taken after consulting all allies in the RJD-led coalition.

RJD functionaries said Singhs decision to quit has much to do with the likely induction of Rama Singh into the party. The former Union minister has expressed displeasure over the induction. Rama Singh is a former Parliament member and also a Rajput leader from Vaisali. His induction is seen as part of RJDs attempt to woo Rajputs. The appointment of another Rajput leader Jagdanand Singh as RJDs state president last year did also not go down well with the former Union minister.

Raghuvnash Prasad Singh steered the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during his tenure as the rural development minister in the first term of Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in 2005.

His exit from the RJD triggered speculation that he may join the JD(U) and could be offered a Rajya Sabha berth or made a member of Bihars legislative council and later nominated as its chairman later. Awadhesh Narain Singh is currently the acting chairman of the council.

JD (U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the RJD could not give respect to one of the prominent socialist leaders of Bihar though the party talks about protecting the dignity of the masses. I salute Singh for leaving the RJD which is stuck in the quagmire of arrogance and corruption.

BJPs state spokesman, Nikhil Anand, called Singh a very respectable leader, whom the RJD insulted. Singh commands respect across all parties. But the veteran socialist was insulted by the RJD which used him for long and then dumped him.

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If it happened in this city, thats a Chicago problem, he said to the gathered mourners before a prayer. That is a Chicago problem. We not going to racially divide this. What affects (him) and his community, that affects me and my community, what affects me and my community affects him.
Christopher McMahon Memorial International HHT Clinical Guidelines These Guidelines will ensure effective and comprehensive treatment of HHT for patients worldwide, stated Marianne Clancy, Exec. Director of Cure HHT. Our efforts to successfully pair attendees, which included for the first time the powerful voice of HHT patients who battle this disease daily."

In a critical effort to foster consistent, state-of-the-art care for people suffering from the hereditary disease HHT, Cure HHT hosted the Christopher McMahon Memorial International HHT Guidelines Conference in November, 2019, in Toronto, Canada. Completely underwritten by the generous support of the McMahon family, who have been deeply affected by the disease, the conference brought together 65 clinical physicians and patients from 14 countries and resulted in comprehensive new International Clinical Guidelines, just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The complete Guidelines are now available: visit https://curehht.org/ Cure HHT is the largest HHT advocacy organization and the epicenter of the national and global effort to advocate for HHT patients and families, raise awareness, sponsor critical research, advance treatments and find a cure.

HHT (Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia), also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome, is a genetic disease that affects families for generations. As common as ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease), it is the second most common bleeding disorder, affecting 1 in 5,000 people (an estimated 1.4 million worldwide). However, the disease is not well known and only 10% of those with HHT know that they have it. It causes malformed blood vessels in multiple organs of the body and typically begins with nosebleeds during childhood. HHT can result in stroke, brain abscess, anemia and heart failure, but proper diagnosis and treatment can prevent most of these complications.

Cure HHT has significantly advanced the awareness, treatment and research of the disease, especially over the past 15 years. Cure HHT is the only disease advocacy group supporting HHT patients in the United States, and the only one working across international boundaries. It sponsors and produces the biennial International Scientific Research Conference, most recently held in Puerto Rico in 2019, which brings together patients, scientists and physicians and provides an opportunity for cross-fertilization of ideas and research. Cure HHT has helped leverage more than $34 million in research grants since 2004, and has created and monitors 26 HHT Centers of Excellence (CoE) at hospitals and universities in the United States and Canada.

The HHT International Clinical Guidelines are used in all HHT Centers of Excellence for all clinical decisions related to HHT screening, management and patient care. In contrast to previous approaches in medicine, which were often based on tradition or authority, modern medical guidelines are based on an examination of current evidence within the paradigm of evidence-based medicine. They usually include summarized consensus statements on best practice in healthcare. A healthcare provider is obliged to know the medical guidelines of his or her profession and has to decide whether to follow a guidelines recommendations for treatment. These guidelines can also be used by other medical professionals throughout the world, not affiliated with a CoE, who are seeing HHT patients. The Guidelines also dictate insurance reimbursement coverage for HHT patient screenings, treatments and surgeries.

Scientific and clinical advances have dramatically impacted the trajectory of HHT since the last Guidelines created in 2006, making it even more imperative that new and expanded Clinical Guidelines be developed to include new research and treatments, and to include significant changes and areas that were previously not addressed including pediatrics, anemia, pregnancy, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver AVMs and cardiac involvement. Furthermore the process of bringing together clinical and medical experts to seek consensus based on the wealth of available evidence creates a fertile environment for collaboration and new approaches.

We couldnt be prouder that our support of the Toronto conference has resulted in such a game-changing outcome, comments Chandra McMahon, former Board Chair of Cure HHT. The new Guidelines will have a profound impact on HHT screening, diagnosis and treatment. They will positively affect every person with HHT, a wonderful tribute to my brother-in-law Christopher and everyone in our family who has been affected by this disease.

These new Guidelines are an important turning point in the treatment of HHT, adds Dr. Marie E. Faughnan, Director of the Toronto HHT CoE and Co-Chair of the Guidelines Conference. The Guidelines provide a new plateau of shared knowledge, allowing doctors everywhere to further advance our service to our patients and our understanding of this complex disease.

These Guidelines will ensure effective and comprehensive treatment of HHT for patients worldwide, stated Marianne Clancy, Executive Director of Cure HHT. Our efforts to successfully pair attendees, which included for the first time the powerful voice of HHT patients who battle this disease daily with the medical experts, was the key to the successful completion of our new clear and cohesive Guidelines. 

Most recently, Cure HHT was honored to receive a two-year capacity-building grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiatives Rare As One Project to develop a patient-led Research Network which will accelerate its mission to find new treatments and a cure for the disease. A key driver of its success as the only international patient-led advocacy group supporting HHT patients has been its constant focus on collaboration between physicians, scientists and patients.

The HHT International Clinical Guidelines are indicative of how that kind of collaboration can create a new level of shared knowledge and best practices, propelling forward new understanding and state-of-the-art patient care for a rare disease.

For information, visit http://www.curehht.org call 410-357-9932 or connect on Twitter or Facebook.

Editors Note:


A letter signed by more than 40 civil rights groups says Facebook has failed to address hateful content in India.

Civil rights groups on Wednesday said Facebook has failed to address hateful content in India as they demanded that the companys head of public policy there be removed.

A letter addressed to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and his second-in-command Sheryl Sandberg wanted the social networks India policy chief Ankhi Das sidelined pending the results of a civil rights audit.

Facebook should not be complicit in more offline violence, much less another genocide, but the pattern of inaction displayed by the company is reckless to the point of complicity, said the letter signed by more than 40 groups including the Southern Poverty Law Center, Witness, Muslim Advocates, and Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.

It is no secret, given the acknowledged and harsh realities of Facebooks role in the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar, that online violence and hate easily spill into violence in real life.

More than 40 rights groups worldwide have written a letter to Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg demanding that India public policy head Ankhi Das be sidelined, pending the outcome of a civil rights audit, for allegedly failing to address anti-Muslim hate speech on the platform [File: Priyanka Parashar/Mint via Getty Images]

The letter comes in the wake of controversy over anti-Muslim remarks posted on the page of a member of the ruling party that were not initially removed.

The full extent of the harm done by Facebook India is yet to be determined, but even what we know now highlights the urgent and serious nature of these demands, the letter read.

Needs to do more

Facebook has acknowledged in the past that it needs to do more to fight hate speech in India. The social network did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Facebook should not be complicit in more offline violence, much less another genocide, but the pattern of inaction displayed by the company is reckless to the point of complicity. A letter by more than 40 civil rights groups

The worlds biggest social media company last week banned a politician from Indias governing Hindu nationalist party for spreading hate speech against Muslims as it battled accusations of bias over its handling of rival parties in the key market.

T Raja Singh, a regional lawmaker for Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was blocked for violating our policy prohibiting those that promote or engage in violence and hate from having a presence on our platform, a Facebook spokesman said at the time.

Singh has made headlines for his anti-Muslim hate speech. The right-wing politician had demanded that Rohingya refugees be shot, called Indias Muslims traitors and threatened to demolish mosques in his Facebook posts and public speeches.

India is the American firms biggest market with more than 300 million users while the companys messaging app, WhatsApp, boasts 400 million users in the worlds second-most populous nation.

Politicians within Modis BJP have come under scrutiny for running online campaigns laced with false claims and attacks on the minority Muslim population.

Dozens of Muslims have been lynched in the past six years by vigilantes, with many of the incidents triggered by fake news regarding cow slaughter or smuggling shared on WhatsApp.

Tsunami of hate posts

Opposition parties said the social media company favours the BJP after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Facebooks Ankhi Das refused to take down anti-Muslim comments by Raja Singh because it could damage the companys business interests.

Last week, an Indian parliamentary committee grilled Ajit Mohan, the managing director of Facebook India, following the WSJ report that exposed the pro-BJP bias in the company.

Ajit Mohan, Managing Director of Facebook India, comes out of the Parliament Annexe after his meeting with the parliamentary panel, in New Delhi, India, September 2, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

The social media giant admitted last month that it has to do better to curb hate speech as it battled a storm over how it handled comments by a member of Indias ruling party who called Muslims traitors.

Weve made progress on tackling hate speech on our platform, but we need to do more, Facebook Indias Mohan said in a statement that denied any bias.

Facebooks alleged favouritism towards Hindu nationalists is not the first time the social media giant has been accused of tacitly supporting right-wing groups.

Last year, campaign group Avaaz said the tech giant was failing to rein in a tsunami of hate posts inflaming ethnic tensions in Indias northeast state of Assam.

Avaaz said the dehumanising language  often targeting Indias Bengali Muslims  was similar to that used on Facebook about Myanmars mainly Muslim Rohingya before an army crackdown and ethnic violence forced 700,000 Rohingya to flee in 2017 to Bangladesh.

A 2019 analysis by Equality Labs, a South Asia research organisation, showed that groups sharing anti-Muslim content on Facebook included supporters of Modis party or were linked to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist paramilitary volunteer organisation and the ideological parent of the BJP. It found that 93 percent of the hate speech reported to Facebook was not removed.
School bus delays. Protocols for COVID-19 outbreaks. New funding for reduced class sizes. No more music classes. There are endless stories about Hamiltons back-to-school plans. And thats why we need your help.

Do you see a story unfolding at your school?

What are the issues you face? What is being done about it? What about good news, thanks to staff or students who make school life special?

Share it with The Hamilton Spectator.

We want to know whats happening in schools across Hamilton  and weve created a way for you to tell us.

Using the form below, you can get in touch with us and provide information to our journalists to help us report what is happening in schools.

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The founder of baker Cake Box has cashed in 6.4million of shares after reporting roaring lockdown sales.

Sukh Chamdal, who is also chief executive, sold 3.75m shares, equivalent to a 9.3 per cent stake, after investors asked him to diversify the share register.

It will also satisfy demand from an unknown institutional investor and increase the liquidity of the stock.

One a penny: Cake Box founder Sukh Chamdal, who is also chief executive, sold 3.75m shares, equivalent to a 9.3 per cent stake, after investors asked him to diversify the share register

It is the first time Chamdal has sold shares since the company floated on the junior AIM market in 2018, and he retains around 32 per cent of the shares, worth nearly 22million.

It follows a boom in sales, which enabled Cake Box to return furlough cash and pay investors a 1million one-off dividend.

Sales at the chain, which specialises in making egg-free cakes and has 136 franchise stores, rose 14 per cent in the three months to September 1, compared with the same period of 2019.

Finance boss Pardip Dass has also bought 225,000 shares, for 382,500.

The share price fell 6.3 per cent, or 11.5p, to 170p.
Senior Appointments Continue Practice Growth and Add to National Security-Level Cybersecurity Expertise

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN) today announced the appointments of Steve Morgan and Donald Good as Managing Directors in the Cybersecurity practice, continuing the firms investment in leading talent globally to help clients address complex cyber challenges.



Based in London, Mr. Morgan joins FTI Consulting from the UK government, where, until recently, he was Chief of Security at 10 Downing Street for the British Prime Minister. He was responsible for managing all security aspects at the heart of government, including cybersecurity, insider threats and clearance and vetting. He will work with FTI Consultings clients to build their resilience against insider threats, focusing on what can often be an organizations most vulnerable cybersecurity asset  its people.

Based in Dallas, Mr. Good joins from Citibank, where he was responsible for overseeing all fraud threat intelligence and internal fraud within the global consumer bank. He previously held senior roles over a 21-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), most recently as Deputy Assistant Director of the FBIs Cyber Division, where he was responsible for developing the FBIs global cyber strategy to enhance the divisions capability to detect, deter and disrupt criminal and nation-state cyber threats.

FTI Consultings investment in its global Cybersecurity practice comes as cybersecurity remains a top concern for organizations. According to the FTI Consulting Resilience Barometer 2020 , less than half of all executives surveyed are managing cyber-attacks proactively, and only 10 percent believe they have no cybersecurity gaps at all, despite cyber-attacks being identified as having the most negative impact on revenue.

Cybersecurity must be a board-level issue, with companies often fending off attacks of nation-state-level sophistication, said Anthony J. Ferrante , Global Head of Cybersecurity at FTI Consulting. Steve and Don bring a significant and diverse mix of national-security and private-sector experience to our ever-growing cybersecurity practice, and are well placed to further enhance our clients ability to protect their assets and quickly respond to incidents that threaten their freedom to operate and pose potentially crippling financial damages.

Story continues

Mr. Morgan has over 15 years of global security experience, spent countering sophisticated internal and international threats from a variety of state-level, terrorist and cyber actors. He previously advised the Prime Ministers team on security for the Brexit team through early negotiations, following a decade as a strategic risk advisor, crisis manager, and leader on countering insider and other sophisticated threats to UK interests, working across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has created world-leading security capabilities, planned for and led organizations through some of their most difficult challenges, and operated in some of the most challenging global environments.

FTI Consulting has an unrivaled blend of experts, with government and private-sector backgrounds, who have a deep understanding of the cybersecurity threats faced by organizations  having spent their careers on the frontline, Mr. Morgan said. I could not pass on this rare opportunity to continue to grow a world-leading cybersecurity offering and tackle the most sophisticated challenges boards face, from insider threats to state-sponsored attacks.

Mr. Good is a certified Chief Information Security Officer and has experience leading and developing fraud fusion centers and cyber threat assessments. He brings demonstrated skill in establishing highly collaborative partnerships, setting the vision, and building the organizational strategy to achieve results. At the FBI, he led the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force and was the executive in charge of the Cyber Divisions strategic private-sector engagement program that led to active collaboration and increased bilateral information sharing with CISOs, chief information officers and chief risk officers in Fortune 1000 corporations.

The continued growth and deep pool of experts in FTI Consultings Cybersecurity practice provides an exceptional platform to combine my private-sector experience with my national security experience and offer unique insights to clients facing complex cybersecurity threats, Mr. Good said. The global platform at FTI Consulting provides corporations and law firms a holistic offering to proactively safeguard operations as well as respond and recover from incidents, and I look forward to working with the team on these issues.

The additions of Mr. Morgan and Mr. Good follow the recent appointments of seven professionals to the global Cybersecurity practice at FTI Consulting, including Senior Managing Director Patrick MacGloin, Managing Director Paul Reilly, Senior Director David Harvey, Directors Stephen Deutsch and Oliver Price, and Senior Consultant Sam Brown in London, and Senior Consultant Jinsuk Oh in Seoul, South Korea.

About FTI Consulting

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations manage change, mitigate risk and resolve disputes: financial, legal, operational, political & regulatory, reputational and transactional. With more than 5,800 employees located in 27 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges and make the most of opportunities. The Company generated $2.35 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2019. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com and connect with us on Twitter (@FTIConsulting), Facebook and LinkedIn.

FTI Consulting, Inc.

555 12th Street NW

Washington, DC 20004

+1.202.312.9100

Investor Contact:

Mollie Hawkes

+1.617.747.1791

mollie.hawkes@fticonsulting.com

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Protesters unveil plans for big march on PMs office

BANGKOK: Anti-government activists on Wednesday (Sept 9) announced plans to hold an overnight protest and to rally up to 100,000 people to march on Government House next week, piling more pressure on the military-backed administration to step down.

politics

By Bangkok Post

Thursday 10 September 2020, 08:59AM

Student leaders from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration attend a press conference at Thammasat University on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

A march on the seat of government would mark the first time the pro-democracy movement, which started rallies in July, moved beyond speeches on stages, reports the Bangkok Post.

We will stay overnight on university campus on Sept 19 and march the next day, said Panusaya Sithijirawattankul, a leader of the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration.

If more people join, the rally would move to Sanam Luang, she said during a press conference held at Thammasat University.

After a long absence, demonstrations have returned to the countrys streets to demand the removal of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, reviving memories of over a decade of intermittent unrest that culminated in a 2014 coup.

Gen Prayut led that putsch and remained in power after a disputed election last year that he insists was conducted fairly. He has warned Thailand could be engulfed in flames if protests persist.

The protesters want the government to stop harassing opponents, amend the constitution and dissolve parliament.

Some demonstrators have also broken a longstanding taboo by calling for curbs on the power of the countrys monarchy.

We will certainly talk about the reform of the monarchy on stage on the 19th, said Parit Chiwarak, a protest leader better known as Penguin.

The rally coincides with the anniversary of a 2006 coup that ousted the government of Thaksin Shinawatra.

The 2014 coup removed a government led by his sister, Yingluck. Both Shinawatras were elected in landslides.

The protesters pledged a peaceful rally.

We dont have weapons. Dont use tear gas on us, dont harass the people, Mr Parit said, adding he expected a turnout of 50,000-100,000 people.

There have been only minor confrontations so far and protest leaders who were arrested have all been released on bail.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the rally must be peaceful and lawful.

The government is concerned about safety, he said.

Mr Parit, a core member of the students Free Youth group, said people taking part in the rally at Thammasat Universitys Tha Prachan campus on Sept 19 would camp out the night before, then march to Government House in the morning in a bid to demand democracy.

He announced on Wednesday that the title of the rally would be Sept 19: Return power to civilians.

Mr Parit said the Tha Prachan campus had been chosen because it was a Fortress of Democracy and had a long history of being linked with pro-democracy movements.

Mr Parit said that the group also had a Plan B, so that if the campus became overcrowded, the rally would be moved to the nearby Sanam Luang grounds, a gesture he described as occupying Sanam Luang and returning it to public.

Im sure we will be able to use Sanam Luang, even though it is prohibited by law from being used [for a political gathering] because it is a part of a palace, he said.

Yet, civilians own the land of this country too, he added.

He also said the rally intended to turn Ratchadamnoen Avenue into a space for art and political activities relevant to the groups movement.

The rally is due to begin at 2pm on Sept 19 and the march to Government House would begin at 8am the following day, said Mr Parit.

Gen Thirawat Bunyawat, army chief-of-staff and secretary-general of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), said the authorities had closely monitored the organisers plans and prepared measures to handle potential confrontations. Soldiers assigned to monitor the protests have been ordered to do so peacefully.

Thammasat University, meanwhile, has announced that political gatherings held on its campuses had to follow three pre-conditions: they needed to be legal, pre-approved and organised by certified student bodies.
Local artist Wiley Robertson has murals all over Houston. Now he has added another project, by creating a mural at the Joe and Lee Jamail Skatepark, which is located in Elanor Tensley Park.

A local artist: Artist responds to plea from his Heights elementary

Robertson was commissioned by the Jamail Family Foundation for the project, which consists of painting the 23 structures that surround the skate park. Robertsons design is the longest continuous lighted mural display inside a skate park in the country.

The former skate boarder used bright colors and the word LOVE is featured prominently in his work. He wants to spread positive messages, he said. He plans to finish the project around Sept. 14.

Robertson was given creative freedom for the project, so he wanted to infuse his own style into it.

To avoid the intensity of the early September heat, he has been waking up at 5 a.m. every day and painting from around 6-9 a.m.

Rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey: Skaters rejoice as Jamail park opens after renovations

Public art is a lot of fun. Its way more fun than painting alone in your studio by yourself, Robertson said. You can reach everybody. It doesnt just hang in a rich guys closet where only a couple people will get to see it.

Though he acknowledged that he feels pressure due to that public aspect in wanting to give people something nice to look at.

elliott.lapin@hearst.com
JACKSON, MI  Two men arrested after a shooting and county-wide manhunt during the Labor Day weekend were arraigned Tuesday.

Samuel Boyer, 23, of Summit Township, and Taylor Breining, 24, of Spring Arbor Township, were arraigned Sept. 8, before Jackson County District Judge R. Darryl Mazur.

Both are facing a felony count of assault with intent to murder and a count of felony firearms, per court records.

Barricaded gunman arrested in Jackson after countywide search for gunfire suspects

Breining was granted a $150,000 cash surety bond and Boyer was granted a $100,000 cash bond, court records show. Neither had posted bond as of 5 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9, per Jackson County Jail logs.

Boley and Breining are accused of shooting a 26-year-old Jackson man, shooting into homes and vehicles and an armed home invasion, police said.

The armed home invasion occurred around 5 a.m., Sunday Sept. 6, in the 400 block of Grand Street in Leoni Township, according to the Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety. Then, around 9 a.m., the Jackson County Sheriffs Office responded to a report of shots fired at Franks Shop-Rite Supermarket, 402 E. Michigan Ave., in Grass Lake.

A Chevrolet Cruze was seen on video surveillance pulling into the parking lot and shooting at a pickup. Shortly after that, Michigan State Police responded to a report of shots fired that hit a home in the 10000 block of Page Avenue, which police said was probably related to the Franks shooting.

The report of a shooting victim came in around 6:35 p.m. in the parking lot of Americas Best Value Inn and Suites, 830 Royal Drive, police said.

The man was shot several times and was taken to Henry Ford Allegiance Health. He is expected to survive, police said.

Video footage at the hotel showed the same vehicle from the Grass Lake shootings.

Police identified Breining and Boyer as suspects and executed a search warrant in the 100 block of Hollis Street in Summit Township. Boyer was arrested at that home around 3 a.m., Monday, Sept. 7, police said.

Evidence at that home led police to another home in the 200 block of Wisner Street in Jackson.

Police found Breining there, but he refused to leave and he was believed to be armed, police said. The other people in the house were able to get out safely, police said.

The Jackson County Special Response Team entered the home and Breining was arrested without further incident on Sept. 7, police said. Additional evidence was found.

Boyer and Breining are scheduled for a probable cause hearing at 1 p.m., Sept. 18, before Mazur, records show.

Read more from the Jackson Citizen Patriot:

Man likely died of medical issue on Jackson County lake, police say

Racial equity efforts move forward in Jackson

What you need to know before going to the Jackson YMCA
Dealers say the significant increase in sales was driven by a need to plug the diminishing inventory as most dealerships were transitioning from BS-IV to BS-VI when the Covid-19 lockdown was announced.

Wholesale automobile sales for most companies in India may have risen significantly in August, but dealers say they are yet to see signs of recovery in retail demand.

Dealers say the significant increase in sales was also driven by a need to plug the diminishing inventory as most dealerships were transitioning from Bharat Stage (BS)-IV to BS-VI when the Covid-19 lockdown was announced.

Auto companies are seeing through rose-tinted glasses. Obviously there is stock build-up happening.

"For some companies, it is overstocking, leading to an inventory pile-up. For others, its regularisation of stock, said Vinkesh Gulati, president of Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), an apex lobby group of automobile dealerships.

All dealers had nearly cleared their BS-IV stock. There was near-nil inventory and hence, an opportunity for stocking up was there, which reflected in the wholesale numbers, said Nikunj Sanghi, managing director at JS Fourwheel Motors and past president of FADA.

Recovery of auto sales has also reignited the debate over whether automakers should reverse the conventional practice of reporting figures of wholesale data (despatches to dealers) and instead switch to reporting retail data (sales to end-customers).

Auto sales numbers are a barometer of the countrys economy.

Gulati, the new president of FADA, said he would keep on pressing the industry to adopt retail sales as that would give a true picture of the ground reality.

Every dealer works on a dealer management software, which is a platform for automakers. So their data on sales gets updated in real time. But they dont report it.

"Their message is not for the dealers or ground reality. Its for their shareholders, said Gulati, adding that in contrast to the 20-per cent growth reported by auto companies in August, the dealers dont expect any growth, except in the tractor segment.

However, Gulati said dealers were expecting the third quarter (Q3) to be a good sales period.

This may prevent the stock push by automakers, leading to inventory pile-up.

We expect some good sales happening in Q3. Everyone is expecting October and November to be good, followed by December, when the year-end sales happen.

"So Q3 will be the best quarter of this year. Hence, the inventory pile-up isnt hurting. But if the gap in wholesale is huge in September, it will pinch, said Gulati.

Dealers say that with job layoffs and paycuts, banks and non-banking financial companies have become more cautious about extending credit.

Photograph: Reuters
[This article was originally published in 2017]

Facebook abandoned an experiment after two artificially intelligent programs appeared to be chatting to each other in a strange language only they understood.

The two chatbots came to create their own changes to English that made it easier for them to work  but which remained mysterious to the humans that supposedly look after them.

The bizarre discussions came as Facebook challenged its chatbots to try and negotiate with each other over a trade, attempting to swap hats, balls and books, each of which were given a certain value. But they quickly broke down as the robots appeared to chant at each other in a language that they each understood but which appears mostly incomprehensible to humans.

The robots had been instructed to work out how to negotiate between themselves, and improve their bartering as they went along. But they were not told to use comprehensible English, allowing them to create their own "shorthand", according to researchers.

The actual negotiations appear very odd, and don't look especially useful:

Bob: i can i i everything else . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alice: balls have zero to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to Bob: you i everything else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice: balls have a ball to me to me to me to me to me to me to me Bob: i i can i i i everything else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice: balls have a ball to me to me to me to me to me to me to me Bob: i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice: balls have zero to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to Bob: you i i i i i everything else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice: balls have 0 to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to Bob: you i i i everything else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice: balls have zero to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to

But there appear to be some rules to the speech. The way the chatbots keep stressing their own name appears to a part of their negotiations, not simply a glitch in the way the messages are read out.

Indeed, some of the negotiations that were carried out in this bizarre language even ended up successfully concluding their negotiations, while conducting them entirely in the bizarre language.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. 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March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

They might have formed as a kind of shorthand, allowing them to talk more effectively.

Agents will drift off understandable language and invent codewords for themselves, Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research division's visiting researcher Dhruv Batra said. Like if I say the five times, you interpret that to mean I want five copies of this item. This isnt so different from the way communities of humans create shorthands.

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That said, it's unlikely that the language is a precursor to new forms of human speech, according to linguist Mark Liberman.

"In the first place, it's entirely text-based, while human languages are all basically spoken (or gestured), with text being an artificial overlay," he wrote on his blog. "And beyond that, it's unclear that this process yields a system with the kind of word, phrase, and sentence structures characteristic of human languages."

The company chose to shut down the chats because "our interest was having bots who could talk to people", researcher Mike Lewis told FastCo. (Researchers did not shut down the programs because they were afraid of the results or had panicked, as has been suggested elsewhere, but because they were looking for them to behave differently.)

The chatbots also learned to negotiate in ways that seem very human. They would, for instance, pretend to be very interested in one specific item  so that they could later pretend they were making a big sacrifice in giving it up, according to a paper published by FAIR.

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Facebook's experiment isn't the only time that artificial intelligence has invented new forms of language.

Earlier in 2017, Google revealed that the AI it uses for its Translate tool had created its own language, which it would translate things into and then out of. But the company was happy with that development and allowed it to continue.

Another study at OpenAI found that artificial intelligence could be encouraged to create a language, making itself more efficient and better at communicating as it did so.

Update: This article has been amended to stress that the experiment was abandoned because the programs were not doing the work required, not because they were afraid of the results, as has been reported elsewhere.
Former Supreme Court judge, justice Markandey Katju, will depose before a court in the United Kingdom on Friday as a witness for fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi in the case relating to the latters extradition to India.

Justice Katju, who served as a judge of the apex court from April 2006 to September 2011, confirmed to legal web portal Livelaw that he will testify before Londons Westminster Magistrates court through video conference.

Nirav Modi, an accused in the USD 2 billion Punjab National bank Fraud case, is contesting extradition charges initiated by India in the UK.

Katju, who also served as chairperson of Press Council of India after he retired from the Supreme Court, told Livelaw that he will oppose the Indian governments case for extradition of Modi, who he claimed is unlikely to get a free and fair trial in India.

He also said that the judiciary in India is not independent but rather subservient to the executive, highlighting Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasads public comments against Nirav Modi as proof of the fact that Nirav Modis trial in India would not be impartial.

Prasad had said in May 2020 that the Congress party was trying to shield Nirav Modi through former Bombay high court judge Abhay Thipsay, who joined the Congress party in 2018. Thipsay had appeared as an expert witness at the request of Nirav Modis defence team.
In this April 15, 2017, file photo, soldiers goose-step across Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, during a parade to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un.

Authorities in North Korea are on high alert after a soldier deserted his unit during training for a major military parade next month for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers Party, sources in Pyongyang told RFA.

North Korea is planning a larger-than-normal celebration for the 75th anniversary of the October 10, 1945 foundation of the party, one of North Koreas most important national holidays. Soldiers selected and screened to march in the parade are forced to undergo months of grueling drills, the sources said.

The soldier, who would have undergone background checks of his loyalty to the party, deserted on Sept. 5 because he was tired of the punishing training regimen and the bullying he received from other soldiers, said a military source in Pyongyang, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

In February there was an order from the authorities to turn the October 10th celebration of the founding of the Workers Party into a grand celebration venue for the victor, so the fact that the deserter ran away from a unit participating in the military parade is considered a major mistake by military authorities, the source told RFAs Korean Service.

The deserter is a 22-year old male soldier who they say was subjected to extreme training and constant bullying. He left the military parade training center at Mirim Airport, located on the outskirts of Pyongyang, at dawn on the 5th, said the military source, who declined to identify the soldier or his unit for safety reasons.

The source said the soldier had been harshly punished after making mistakes during practice.

They say he received severe verbal abuse and punishment from the vice platoon leader on the day before he deserted. He had slacked off in training and had failed to march in time with his line and column and had not goose-stepped with his legs at the right height, the source said.

It seems like he fled the military because of the harsh treatment from his superior, the source added.

A number of soldiers have collapsed after training sessions that last more than 12 hours, as the unit strives to ensure a perfect performance on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers Party. Even so, authorities are pushing the soldiers to train even harder to ensure the quality of the event, regardless of their safety, the source said.

In this country, it is the highest honor not only to yourself, but also for your family, to participate in an official military parade, especially to commemorate such an important historical event, but the solder deserted training anyway, said the source.

Another source in Pyongyang, who declined to be named, confirmed the desertion to RFA.

Due to the desertion, they are enhancing guard duty and restricting nighttime movement at the campsite of the soldiers and their training site at Mirim Airport, the second source said.

Military parades are not only national spectacles; they show off our military power not only in North Korea but also in other countries. This is why flouting orders to participate in a military parade, regardless of the reason, is an act that diminishes the pride and status of our military, said the second source.

If the deserter is arrested, he will face severe punishment, the second source added.

The second source said that the selection process for parade participants is lengthy and includes background checks, so it is likely that the deserter will not be the only one reprimanded.

Participants in all national events are selected as people deemed to have relatively deep loyalty toward the Party and its leader. After the 75th anniversary [celebration], it will be difficult for not only the deserter, but his superiors to avoid joint responsibility.

A North Korean refugee living in South Korea told RFA on condition of anonymity that the experience of military parades is so grueling that it takes months to recover.

Once you march in a military parade, which is a national event in North Korea, you will feel severe pain as if your intestines ruptured, the refugee said.

Soldiers participating in this years parade, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers Party, are likely to suffer with the aftereffects of training in parade formation for a long while after the event is finished, said the refugee.

Since most of the training occurs in summer, soldiers die from the extreme summer heat and the unimaginable high-intensity training.

The Washington-based Stimson Centers 38 North project on Sept. 1 released their analysis of satellite imagery of the training site at Mirim Airport, saying that North Korea was using the site to prepare for a military parade likely to be held next month.

Two images from August 31, taken just 30 minutes apart, show hundreds of vehicles parked in the northwest parking lots adjacent to the parade grounds, and thousands of troops in formations near or in the area that replicates Kim Il Sung Square, the report said.

Reported by Sewon Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
GaultMillau Switzerland and Lucerne-based title sponsor Carl F. Bucherer have named the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz Hotel of the Year 2021.

GaultMillau awards the title every year to hotels and hoteliers who meet the very highest standards in terms of quality, service and culinary delights, while at the same time breaking new ground with innovative spirit and creativity.

In its 150-year history, the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has managed, against all odds, to remain a lighthouse on the map of pleasure-seekers and those seeking peace and quiet.

Out of every crisis, the traditional house has always risen like a phoenix from the ashes and taken off with new ideas and a new creative spirit.

For this, the editor-in-chief of GaultMillau Switzerland, Urs Heller, honours the Grand Resort as "Hotel of the Year 2021".

To mark the occasion, Carl F. Bucherer is presenting the hotel with a watch engraved with the words "Hotel of the Year 2021". The prize is being awarded annually since 1998.

The unparalleled renovation of the Grand Hotel Quellenhof in 2019 was completed in only 154 days. Now, just over a year after the Grand Hotel Quellenhof's glorious reopening, it is time to celebrate once again. After difficult days during the lockdown, during which many things came to a standstill at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, the award is also a symbol that crises require strength and that perseverance is rewarded.

"For us, this award is an incentive not only to 'fulfil' the demands and wishes of our guests, but to exceed them every day," says Marco R. Zanolari, the hotel director.

His thanks go first and foremost to all his employees. The award confirms that Zanolari and his team inspire their guests with passion and performance. -- Tradearabia News Service
Northern Ireland's new Interim Mental Health Champion is backing calls from the Stormont Executive for an extension of the government furlough scheme.

Speaking ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, Professor Siobhan O'Neill warned that unless action is taken to tackle the continued economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, people could "plunge into destitution" and "lose hope completely".

Finance Minister Conor Murphy wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week calling for an extension of the furlough scheme.

The letter was backed by all the parties in the Stormont Executive, but the Chancellor has yet to a respond to the call.

In Northern Ireland, 250,000 people had their salaries paid through the job retention scheme during the pandemic.

Prof O'Neill says ending the furlough scheme is a concern and more support is needed to protect vulnerable people.

"We know that whenever we have had recessions such as in Ireland in 2008, there was an increase in suicide rates there, resulting from the austerity measures," she said.

"We have seen that in other countries too where job losses and recession can lead people into crisis situations and that's when suicide can seem like the only answer.

"It's very important that we do whatever we can to prevent those economic crises from happening because we know that individuals will be affected and this can lead to suicidal behaviour.

"Not only should we reduce the impact of the recession and that might mean extending the furlough scheme for example, which appeared to work well in terms of supporting people, but we should also understand how the welfare benefits systems impacted on individuals."

She continued: "We need to ensure that we don't plunge people into destitution where they really lose hope completely. If we can prevent job losses in the first place that would be really helpful."

Prof O'Neill says that while the initial stages of Covid-19 saw a decrease in suicide rates, there has been a worrying rising trend.

"We don't know what effects the virus has on the neurological system," she said.

"We are weighing up the impact of the lockdown on people's mental health with the impact of the virus on everyone's health.

"It's one risk against another."

Northern Ireland's higher suicide rate compared with the rest of the UK is well-documented.

In her new role, the 46-year-old from Craigbane in Co Londonderry has vowed to ensure the voices of those suffering with their mental health or have lost loved ones to suicide are heard at government level.

This week, a new campaign, 'Working Together To Promote Mental Wellbeing' was launched by the Public Health Agency (PHA) along with five Health and Social Care Trusts, the NI Ambulance Service and the Health and Social Care Board.

They will work together to promote ways to support mental wellbeing, with co-ordinated messages and links to support on social media.

Over the next five weeks the campaign will focus on the 'Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing', which offers practical ideas to help support people with protecting and improving their own mental wellbeing and that of those around them.

The Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing are evidence based, easy to follow steps to help maintain and improve your wellbeing. The steps are Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.

"We are living in uncertain times and we don't know what's ahead of us but we must always remain hopeful and remember that we have very good structures of support for those who are struggling," Prof O'Neill added.
Only the second best? Well, these strong second lead female characters beg to disagree. Nowadays, numerous dramas feature two men fighting to win the heart of one woman - it's a classic!

The male character in Korean dramas often portrays the role of a romantic and charming leading man not just to win the female lead but also to win the heart of their viewers. However, we seldom see the same storyline when it comes to the female counterpart.

Yes! The female second leads syndrome is quite rare in the Korean drama world. However, when it occurs, most often, their characters would earn both love and hate from the viewers. Fans would want to talk about these women and their relationship with the male lead all the time.

We have jotted down some of the most talked-about female characters with a strong personality that qualifies for the second lead syndrome.

Seo Dan in Crash Landing on You

Widely known for her amazing fashion sense, Seo Dan (Seo Ji Hye) was born from a rich department store proprietor in North Korea. She was engaged to Ri Jeong Hyeok (Hyun Bin) through their arranged marriage. Though their engagement was arranged, we can see that Seo Dan has deep feelings for Captain Ri. She's in love with him since high school, wherein the love was never reciprocated. Seo Dan was initially malevolent towards Yoon Seri (Son Ye Jin) to whom she saw as a threat to her engagement. However, she eventually gave up on him and opened her heart to another man.

Oh Soo Hyun in Doctor Stranger

In the medical drama "Doctor Stranger," actress Kang Sora portrays the character of Oh Soo Hyun. She is a hardworking cardiothoracic surgeon and the daughter of the chairman of Myungwoo University Hospital, where she also practices her profession. There, she works alongside her crush and fellow surgeon, Park Hoon (Lee Jong Suk). They work together as a team, healing those who have health problems, and as time goes by, Oh Soo Hyun developed deep feelings for Park Hoon.

But the love was unrequited since Park Hoon ended up with his soulmate Song Jae Hee (Jin Se Yeon), whom he fell in love but lost contact with while escaping to South Korea together. Even though Park Hoon and Soo Hyun did not prosper as a couple, they were able to build a beautiful friendship.

But still, our heartaches because they have undeniable chemistry.

Rachel Yoo in The Heirs

Rachel Yoo, portrayed by Kim Jiwon, is an heiress of a huge clothing company. She was once engaged to the heartthrob wealthy heir Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho) through arrange marriage by both their families. Kim Tan, unfortunately, fell in love with another woman, named Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye), who is a commoner and the daughter of his family's househelper. Due to his, Rachel disliked her so much and tried her best to separate her fiance and Cha Eun Sang. With her efforts that seem to go down the drain, Rachel Yoo eventually gave up fighting for Kim Tan.

Oh Soo Ah in Itaewon Class

In the hit drama "Itaewon Class", Kwon Nara plays the character of Oh Soo Ah. She is Park Saeroyi's (Park Seo Joon) former classmate and first love. She was an orphan and she grew up making Saeroyi's father as his father figure. Oh Soo Ah was an employee at Jangga Group the company that Saeroyi wants to bring down. She becomes torn between love and her reputation to the company.

However, she did a great sacrifice and was able to help give justice to Saeroyi and his dad. Fans admired her actions, but it was heartbreaking because Saeroyi eventually fell for the manager of his bar-restaurant, Jo Yi Seo (Kim Da Mi), who firmly stayed by his side.
Run-offs for Egypts Senate elections started on Tuesday, with 52 candidates competing for 26 seats

Polling stations closed in 14 governorates nationwide on Wednesday at 9 pm, wrapping up the two-day run-offs for Egypt's Senate elections were held Tuesday and Wednesday amid tight security and strict precautionary measures against the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Election Authority (NEA) announced vote-counting started at sub-committees immediately following the closure of polling stations.

The second day of run-offs witnessed a light to moderate turnout, according to live footage by satellite TV channels throughout the day.

The run-offs saw 52 candidates competing for 26 seats.

Egyptian expats cast their ballots abroad on Sunday and Monday.

According to the NEA, among the 52 candidates 24 are affiliated with Mostaqbal Watan (Future of Homeland) Party, four with the Islamist Nour Party, three with the Guardians of the Nation Party, two with the People's Republican Party, one with the Congress Party, one with the National Movement Party, and one with the Ittihad (Union) Party.

The contested seats are in 14 governorates: Qalioubiya, Menoufiya, Kafr El-Sheikh, Giza, Beni Suef, Assiut, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia and Marsa Matrouh.

Some 174 senators representing different constituencies countrywide were officially named last month after securing votes during the first round of elections.

There are 63 million eligible voters out of the country 100 million plus population.

Only 8.95 million (14.23 percent) cast their ballots during the first round in August.

In the first round, the majority of seats were grabbed by the pro-government coalition "National Unified List", which is led by the Mostaqbal Watan Party (Future of Homeland), claiming, along with its allies, the majority in the newly reconstituted 300-seat upper house of parliament.

The pro-government Mostaqbal Watan Party won 118 (around 60 per cent) out of the 200 contested seats. Mostaqbal Watan won 68 individual seats and 50 party list seats in the first round, according to the NEA.

The Senate, which was created in accordance with constitutional amendments approved last year, will act as an advisory chamber to the House of Representatives. It will sit in place of the Shura Council, the upper house of parliament that was dissolved in 2014.

Two-thirds of the members are elected via the individual candidacy and the closed party list systems, and the rest will be appointed by the president.

The first session of the new body, when senators will be sworn in, is set to be held in October. The first five-year term of the Senate will end in 2025.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:23:32|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at a meeting to commend role models in the fight against COVID-19 has demonstrated China's commitment to the philosophy of putting people's lives front and center, setting an example for the rest of the world, experts have said.

At the meeting held here on Tuesday morning, Xi said that China has made major strategic achievements in the battle against COVID-19, demonstrating the notable advantages of the Communist Party of China's leadership and the country's socialist system, the great strength of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, the profound heritage of Chinese civilization, and the nation's sense of responsibility as a major and responsible country.

Haitham Al-Sayed, a researcher at Saudi Arabia's think tank Center for Research and Intercommunication Knowledge, said that China commended the role models for their great contributions toward the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which embodies the principle of putting people's lives first and sets a good example for the international community.

"During the difficult times of fighting the epidemic, Chinese people have shown solidarity and the medical workers have made huge sacrifices to save lives across the country. At the same time, the Chinese government has aided the international community to support the global fight against COVID-19," Al-Sayed said, adding that this represents Xi's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Essam Al-Qaddy, deputy director of the Egyptian parliament's health committee, said that China has taken people's lives as a top priority and managed to swiftly contain the spread of the virus by taking stringent prevention and control measures.

The Chinese people were clearly aware of the severity of the pandemic and strictly abided by government measures, Al-Qaddy said, noting that the rest of the world should learn from China's actions.

Eyal Leshem, director of the Center for Travel Medicine and Tropical Diseases of the Sheba Medical Center in Israel, commended China's "very robust response" to the pandemic, adding that China is serving as a model for other countries around the world on how to respond to a massive outbreak.

The trust between the Chinese people and the government has also played a key role in prevailing over the pandemic, he noted.

Moussa Diaw, a professor at Gaston Berger University in Senegal, said that China's willingness to share the vaccine with developing countries when it is available embodies the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind that Chinese leaders and the government have always championed. Enditem


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The Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission has given a 90-day notice to all interested political parties who want to participate in the local government elections, scheduled to hold on December 19th, 2020.

The chairman of the commission, Saidu Shehu Awak, stated this during a meeting with concerned individuals, security agencies, and political parties in the state on Thursday.

He urged the political parties to conduct their primary elections within the timeframe.

I also call on the leadership of the all political parties that intend to contest this election to impress on their members and supporters to ensure that the state witness peace during their campaigns, primaries, election proper and thereafter, he said.

Mr Awak pledged that the commission will be honest and transparent during the election, adding that they will give a copy of the guidelines, nomination forms and election timetable for guidance and compliance.

Also, the Speaker, Gombe State House of Assembly, Abubakar Sadiq Kurba, called for a peaceful conduct of the election.

Mr Kurba pledged the assemblys support for a free and fair election.

As representatives of the people, whatever it will take to have a free, fair and credible election in December, we will do, he said.

He commended Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya for strengthening democratic process at the local government levels , saying it will help to fast-track development at the grassroots

Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Abdulhamid Sadiq, urged political parties to participate fully in the election and that they should also bear in mind that politics is not a do or die affair.

He also appealed to security agencies to put measures in place towards a successful election, just like they did during the 2015 general election, which was acclaimed free, fair and credible election.

He also called on the media to enlighten the public about the importance of local government elections.

Mr Sadiq also assured the commission, on behalf of all political parties, that they would abide by the rules and regulations stipulated by the election umpire.
SANTA FE  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham testified before Congress on Thursday that New Mexico and other states need more financial help from the federal government to maintain essential services amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Budget cuts alone, she said, wont be enough to help New Mexico withstand the economic damage triggered by the pandemic and a collapse in revenue from oil and gas production.

Testifying by video link, Lujan Grisham, a Democrat and former congresswoman, told the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services that New Mexico and other states are on the front lines  the infantry, as she put it  responding to the public health crisis. They are spending heavily on personal protective equipment, testing supplies and other costs associated with shifts in how they provide services while limiting transmission of the disease.

An economic downturn, the governor said, exacerbates the challenge.

Cost-cutting measure will not be enough to weather the storm, Lujan Grisham said. An umbrella is not enough protection in a hurricane.

Republican members of Congress opened the hearing by blasting it as a useless exercise that had no chance of resulting in the passage of actual legislation. Democrats hold a majority in the House while Republicans control the Senate.

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., said the $2.2 trillion economic stimulus package passed earlier this year already provided aid to states, which havent even spent all of the money yet. He suggested further aid would be better targeted to small businesses, not state governments.

New Mexico this year plans to tap about $750 million in federal stimulus funding and draw down reserves to keep its budget roughly flat at $7 billion. But it still must craft a budget for the year that begins next summer.
The nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the landmark Israel-UAE deal is a "hard-earned and well-deserved honour," the White House has said, underlining that the US President has made peace a cornerstone of his foreign policy efforts.

Far-right Norwegian lawmaker Christian Tybring-Gjedde on Wednesday nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in mediating the deal between Israel and the UAE which is seen as a historic step towards peace in the Middle East.

Israel and the UAE announced on August 13 that they were establishing full diplomatic relations. The first commercial direct flight between Israel and the UAE landed in Abu Dhabi on August 31 after both countries announced normalisation of relations. The deal would be signed on September 15 at the White House.

The UAE is only the third Arab country to establish diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. Israel's neighbours, Egypt and Jordan, being the other two Arab states to recognise Israel. "President Trump was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his work in brokering an Israel-United Arab Emirates peace deal. It was a historic deal and the first such deal in over two decades. This is a hard-earned and well-deserved honour for this President," White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Wednesday.

President Trump has made peace a cornerstone of his recent foreign policy efforts, she said. In his nomination letter, Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament for the far-right Progress Party, also cited Trump's key role in facilitating contact between conflicting parties and creating new dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute between India and Pakistan, and the conflict between North and South Korea, as well as dealing with the nuclear capabilities of North Korea, the Fox News reported.

Trump has repeatedly in the past offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. However, India has maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral one and no third party has any role. McEnany said that the president's foreign policy will always be one of peace through strength, and that is what the American people are seeing abroad. "Career politicians merely talk about the kind of results this president has achieved on the world stage," she said.

"These wins are possible because of the President's leadership and outsider perspective. President Trump addresses old challenges with new solutions and delivers results for the American people," she said.

Highlighting Trump's initiatives, McEnany said that the US has announced a drawdown of troops in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000. "We've secured better trade deals for the American worker. President Trump negotiated the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), the U.S.-South Korea deal; ended the Trans-Pacific Partnership; brought back manufacturing jobs," she said. "President Trump has stood up to China: the phase one China deal; also tariffs to hold China accountable; and actions to block Huawei," she said.

President Trump has also defeated terrorists. The ISIS caliphate is destroyed. Al-Baghdadi is no longer on the battlefield, along with Iranian General Soleimani, she said. He has also brokered economic normalisation between Serbia and Kosovo, a major breakthrough in this decades-old conflict, McEnany added.

Also read: Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2021

Also read: US elections 2020: Kamala Harris will never be President, says Donald Trump
The Lancet medical journal said Thursday it had asked authors of a study on a potential Russian Covid-19 vaccine for clarifications after their research came under scrutiny.

Russia announced last month that its vaccine, named Sputnik V after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957, had already received approval.

This raised concerns among Western scientists over a lack of safety data, with some warning that moving too quickly on a vaccine could be dangerous.

Russian researchers published their trial findings last week in the Lancet, meaning their research had undergone review from a selection of their peers.

Also read: Russia in touch with India over vaccine trials, manufacturing

It said that the vaccine had proven to be safe and well-tolerated among a few dozen volunteers.

However an open letter signed this week by more than 30 Europe-based experts cast doubt on the findings, pointing towards potential data inconsistencies.

The researchers identified what they said appeared to be a number of duplications in figures presented and concluded that the data within the study was highly unlikely to be correct.

The lead study author was quoted Thursday by Russias RIA Novosti news agency saying he rejected the letters claims.

A spokeswoman for The Lancet told AFP that they were aware of the open letter.

We have shared the letter directly with the authors and encouraged them to engage in the scientific discussion, she said.

The spokeswoman added that the research had been reviewed by independent experts before publication.

The pandemic has seen an unprecedented mobilisation of funding and research to rush through a vaccine that can protect billions of people worldwide.

Pharma giant AstraZeneca said this week it was halting Phase 3 trials of its candidate vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, after one volunteer fell ill.
Eastman has continued to hold that, despite the outcome of the citizen-filed suits in federal court, he did nothing wrong under the Clean Water Act or other environmental guidelines as enforced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Oklahoma Department of Mines.

The company provides gravel and sand that has been used in construction projects and on school roofs around Tulsa and in the tri-state area the past 20-plus years.

Two landowners along the creek filed suit against Ozark under Section 505 of the Clean Water Act, which allows individuals to file suit in lieu of federal or state agency enforcement.

Local landowner David Benham first filed a lawsuit in 2011. Resident Nanetta Thompson filed one earlier this year regarding similar complaints related to a different section of the same mine. Both claimed that activity at the mine violated Clean Water Act provisions and led to excessive erosion and degradation of water quality in the historically clear-water stream.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
'Catholic Case for Trump:' Author argues why Trump is 'the most pro-Catholic president in history'

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With less than two months to go until the 2020 election, a new book aims to convince Catholics across the United States to support the reelection of President Donald Trump.

Austin Ruse, president of the Center for Family and Human Rights, explained his motivations for writing The Catholic Case for Trump in an interview with The Christian Post.

I was motivated to write the book to give the faithful Catholics some ammunition as they debate their more liberal friends and family, he said.

Even though the president isn't Catholic himself, Ruse maintains that he's the most pro-Catholic president in history.

Ruse believes that the central issues facing Catholic voters are the sanctity of life and religious freedom. He devoted two chapters in his book to explaining how Trump has proven himself to be an ally of Catholics on both fronts.

Many pro-lifers are in senior positions at the Department of Health and Human Services, an agency that has been dedicated to advancing the abortionist agenda in Democratic administrations, Ruse states in the book.

As an example of Trump's actions benefiting Catholics and other religious entities, he notes in the book: On May 4, 2017, Trump issued the executive order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty. This executive order instructed the Treasury Department to refrain from taking adverse action against churches and religious groups that engage in political speech.

In a chapter titled Trump and Judges, Ruse reviews the impact Trump has had on the judiciary.

For pro-life Catholics, few issues are more important than the Supreme Court. After all, it was the Supreme Court that legalized abortion nationwide in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Pro-life activists have spent nearly a half-century working to assemble a judiciary that would reverse that decision.

The president has made progress in helping pro-lifers achieve that goal, Ruse contends in the book. After four years of remarkable judicial picks, seven of thirteen circuit courts have durable conservative majorities.

Ruse explained to CP that there are three types of Catholics: faithful Catholics, generic Catholics, and dissenting Catholics. Faithful Catholics are people who actually practice the faith. [They] go to mass every week, go to confession regularly, and try to be observant in their Catholicism, he said.

Generic Catholics, he said, will tell a pollster that theyre Catholic even if they haven't attended mass in a long time.

George W. Bush won both the faithful Catholic vote and the generics. That was because he was running against an unfaithful Catholic  that is John Kerry. We have the exact same situation here, he asserted, referring to Biden.

Joe Biden is an unfaithful Catholic. He opposes the teachings of the Church on fundamental issues of human sexuality and human life. I think that faithful Catholics and generic Catholics are uncomfortable with the idea that a dissenting Catholic will be in the White House.

According to Ruse, dissenting Catholics ally themselves with the anti-life left, which tries to draw Catholics away from a Republican president based on issues other than life.

For example, Ruse told CP that ahead of the 2008 election, the left tried to take the eye of the Catholic voter off the issues of life and religious liberty by focusing on then-President George W. Bushs authorization of waterboarding three terrorists.

Ruse warned that in a Biden administration, the Trump administrations efforts to advance the pro-life movement and religious liberty will face setbacks. Biden is surrounded by even more radical people than Obama, he said. I think its going to be a hideous situation for Catholics and other believers.

He will persecute the Little Sisters of the Poor and other groups, Ruse added. As a dissident Catholic, Biden will persecute Catholics unlike anything weve ever seen before including under Obama.

After noting that Biden described the transgender movement as the civil rights issue of this time, Ruse surmised that Catholic schools that subscribe to biblical teachings about gender and sexuality would be forced to accept transgender teachers and students in a Biden administration.

The Catholic Case for Trump is the latest book published by Ruse, whose other works include Fake Science: Exposing the Lefts Skewed Statistics, Fuzzy Facts, and Dodgy Data, and Littlest Suffering Souls: Children Whose Short Lives Point Us to Christ, both of which were published in 2017.
The UK Government has announced the latest changes to its quarantine exemption list of countries.

Travellers entering England from mainland Portugal and Hungary will be required to self-isolate from Saturday, while people arriving from Sweden will no longer have to quarantine after it was added to the travel corridor list.

Heres a guide to the latest changes:

 Which countries are off the travel-safe list for England?

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Thursday that Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion will removed from the travel corridor list, along with Portugal, but excluding the Azores and Madeira regions.

Travellers arriving in England from any of those destinations after 4am on Saturday will have to self-isolate for 14 days.

Data shows we need to remove PORTUGAL (minus the AZORES and MADEIRA), HUNGARY, FRENCH POLYNESIA and REUNION from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe. If you arrive in England from these destinations after 4am Saturday, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days.  Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 10, 2020

However, Mr Shapps also said that Sweden would be added to the exemption list, meaning people arriving in England on Saturday will no longer be required to quarantine.

 What about Scotland and Wales?

Travellers arriving in Scotland from Hungary and Reunion must quarantine on arrival from 4am on Saturday, the Scottish Government said.

Sweden will also be added to the list of exempt countries at the same time.

Meanwhile, Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething said they were also bringing in a self-isolation rule for arrivals from Hungary and Reunion, and lifting the requirement for any passengers from Sweden.

Seven-day rate of new Covid-19 cases (PA Graphics)

He said the Welsh regulations will also come into force at 4am on Saturday.

 And Northern Ireland?

The Northern Ireland Executive has also announced that from Saturday people arriving from Portugal (excluding Madeira and the Azores), Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

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They are also adding Sweden to their safe-list from 4am on Saturday.

Health Minister Robin Swann said: There is no doubt that the situation with Covid-19 is not only changing rapidly locally, but also globally. As always the safety of the citizens of Northern Ireland will always be my priority.

 How is it that mainland Portugal is no longer on the exemption list but the Azores and Madeira are?

Mr Shapps said England will start applying a regional approach to its coronavirus quarantine policy for international arrivals.

In a statement to the Commons on Monday, Mr Shapps said islands can now be individually added to or removed from Englands quarantine-free list.

This means that island groups can be treated separately from their mainlands  in both lowering and lifting of restrictions.

 Why has the approach to international travel changed?

The Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) has been commissioned to assess the most popular island destinations for British tourists.

Through the use of enhanced data we will now be able to pinpoint risk in some of the most popular islands, providing increased flexibility to add or remove them  distinct from the mainland  as infection rates change, Mr Shapps said.

This development will help boost the UKs travel industry while continuing to maintain maximum protection to public health, keeping the travelling public safe.

 Can regions within a countrys mainland be added and removed?

Travel Update 1/2If you arrive in England from Portugal (apart from the Azores and Madeira)HungaryFrench Polynesia Reunion after 04:00 12 Sept 2020, you must self-isolate for 14 days. pic.twitter.com/Y8f75eQgo5  Dept for Transport (@transportgovuk) September 10, 2020

The Department for Transport said it is not safe to implement a fully regional system for international travel corridors because there can be too much movement between regions within countries.

However, it said that when a region has natural boundaries  like an island  the risks reduce, so changes will only apply to land that has a clear border and robust, reliable and internationally comparable data is available.

The island must also have direct flights to the UK, or transport must have taken place through exempt territories.

 Ive got a holiday booked to a country that is not on the travel corridor list  what should I do?

The Foreign Office advises British nationals against all but essential travel to the countries that have not been declared travel corridors.

In England, those who still decide to travel to one of these countries must self-isolate for 14 days upon their return or risk a fine of up to 1,000, and of up to 3,200 if they falsify details on their contact-tracing form.

Scotland is issuing fixed penalty notices of 480 for those who fail to quarantine, while Wales will also fine travellers up to 1,000 if they refuse to comply with the rules.

 My holiday destination still has no self-isolation requirement, will that change?

Those who head to a country on the travel corridor list must keep a close eye on their respective governments announcements to ensure their destinations status does not change while they are abroad.

Returning holidaymakers may find they cant return to work if a travel corridor designation changes (PA)

Some tourists have had to pay hundreds of pounds to change to earlier flights in order to make it back before the quarantine requirement comes into force.

The UK Government and the devolved administrations make their decisions based on the fluctuating rate of transmission rates in each foreign country. Scotland has already warned that Gibraltar is on the verge of losing its travel-safe status.

 What about employers whose employees have to quarantine after their trips?

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has previously said no worker following quarantine guidance should be penalised by employers, including by being put on sick pay.

He said that if someone is following the law in relation to quarantine and self-isolating, they cant have penalties taken against them.

The Government is urging employers to be understanding of those returning from these destinations who now will need to self-isolate, he DfT said.
US Secretary of State asked Southeast Asian nations Thursday to go beyond words and act against China's bullying in the disputed South Sea, promising America will back them up.

Pompeo spoke with counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in an annual conference by video due to the coronavirus pandemic. Four of the members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have been locked in the long-raging territorial conflict with China, along with Taiwan, over the busy waterway, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.

Although the US lays no claim to the South Sea, the Trump administration has recently imposed sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for Beijing's military buildup in the area. It includes airfields and radar and missile stations on islands constructed atop coral reefs, raising fears may interfere with freedom of navigation in waters.

I think keep going, don't just speak up but act, Pompeo told top diplomats from the 10-nation bloc, without elaborating. A State Department spokeswoman said he pressed for a peaceful resolution of the disputes.

Don't let the Chinese Communist Party walk over us and our people. You should have confidence and the American will be here in friendship to help you, he said.

China does not respect democratic values and principles of sovereignty, quality and territorial integrity enshrined in the charter, Pompeo said. He cited the U.S. blacklisting of Chinese companies for their roles in constructing islands in the disputed waters that infringe on other states' claims.

The US has deployed warships and fighter jets for what it calls freedom of navigation and overflight patrols.

There was no immediate comment from China or its foreign minister, Wang Yi, who was participating in the meetings and separately met the group's ministers Wednesday. China has insisted it has right to safeguard its national interests and accuses Washington of interfering in regional affairs.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, whose country is hosting meetings this year, warmed up to Pompeo's remarks, saying the ASEAN-U.S. relationship has brought about mutual benefit to both sides. The U.S. role and contribution to maintaining peace, stability and security in the region are encouraged, he said.

ASEAN, founded in 1967, has struggled to stay away from the escalating rivalry between Washington and Beijing. It has often asserted its centrality and regional leadership although some critics dismiss the group as a talk shop that is often vulnerable to the sway of world powers.

Depending on how ASEAN deals with issues, they can either result in disaster or a new dawn of peace and stability for our region, Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told colleagues on Tuesday.

The challenge here is leadership do we lead or do we follow? he asked. Make no mistake Southeast Asia intends to remain the master of its own destiny.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The five Rafale jets are inducted to the Indian Air Forces 17 Squadron Golden Arrows. The induction ceremony is underway with defence minister Rajnath Singh, French minister for armed forces Florence Parly, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, and Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar as main guests.

Here are some pictures from the induction ceremony which is being conducted in Ambala:

The Rafale aircraft pictured in Ambala before the induction ceremony. (ANI)

French minister for the armed forces Florence Parly arrived in Delhi and received the ceremonial guard of honour.

French minister for the armed forces Florence Parly receives guard of honour. (ANI)

Defence minister Rajnath Singh also held talks with Florence Parly in New Delhi after which they left for Ambala to join the induction ceremony.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria arrived at the Ambala Air Force Station to take part in the induction ceremony.

Rajnath Singh, defence minister and his French counterpart observe the Sarva Dharma Puja ahead of induction.

French minister of armed forces Florence Parly and defence minister Rajnath Singh observe the Sarva Dharma Puja. (ANI)

Defence minister Singh and French counterpart Parly watch Rafale aircrafts perform sorties. (Ajay Aggarwal / Hindustan Times)

The Rafale aircrafts also performed sorties with Su-30s and Jaguars.

Air display of the first batch of IAFs Rafale aircraft in an arrow formation followed by Jaguar and SU-30 aircraft during the formers induction ceremony, in Ambala. (Ajay Agarwal/HT photo)

Defence minister Rajnath Singh presented the induction scroll of Rafale fighter jets to Group Captain Harkeerat Singh, Commanding Officer, 17 Squadron Golden Arrows of the Indian Air Force thus formally inducting the Rafale aircrafts into the Indian Air Force.

Both defence ministers also addressed the guests present in the ceremony where the Florence Parly highlighted that Rafale is a state-of-the-art combat weapon and has helped France tackle counter terrorism operations.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh also highlighted how Rafale would be instrumental in guaranteeing peace and stability in the region.

Following the ceremony the Rafale aircrafts were given a water-cannon salute to symbolize their entry into Indian Air Forces fleet.
My little child cries several times when he sees his parents going out for work, and his mother and I have also started fearing about his safety from the risk we are carrying from our workplace. My son is not old enough to understand that his parents can get the coronavirus infection and can die from it, if the disease becomes severe.

We have learnt that cancer patients are more at risk to developing a severe or critical form of Covid-19. The risk of acquiring the infection during cancer treatment at the workplace, however, is less compared to people working in Covid-19 areas. There are fears and worries about bringing the virus home to the family with media reports on problems with availability and quality of personal protection equipment. But we have no choice as we all took an oath as doctors to perform our duty and do the right things.

Doctors around the world continue to risk exposure and many of them are falling sick, several requiring quarantine, some needing admission in the wards and ICU, and a few have lost the battle while attempting to help their patients win back their lives. Doctors are well aware and concerned about the safety of their loved ones, though children generally present milder symptoms of Covid-19 compared to adults. ICU beds and ventilators are not readily available and if the crisis expands more healthcare workers will be at risk and this will be compounded by the shortage of PPE in a full-blown pandemic situation. As cases are rising every day, many reports of doctors running to different hospitals to get admitted are disturbing. This is another challenge, to get admission in a hospital when you or a family member becomes symptomatic as most of the institutes are overburdened.

Although doctors are wearing personal protective equipment as per their area of work, the fear is always there. Doctors generally leave stress at the hospital when they head back home after long hours of duty. But Covid-19 has constantly occupied our minds.

News of corona-related deaths of doctors are widely circulated on social media platforms and I am painfully aware that more than 250 doctors involved in Covid care have lost their lives in our country. I, along with my wife, cannot escape from our responsibilities and working in Covid hospitals, but I feel a surge of anxiety for my father who is a cancer patient, my mother and my three-year-old child.

Last weekend, I was at home and was talking to my friends about the worsening situation at the workplace and how it is affecting the health of healthcare workers. Detailed discussions made us understand the severity of the alarm raised about Covid-19 in our community, with the disease having led to closing down of schools, businesses, and organisations while leaving people nervous and scared.

Some doctors cried and were terrified that they had Covid-19 and a few demanded to be tested. We have many reasons for wanting us to be tested and the most important among all is the concern for our family members. Many times, doctors are denied testing by authorities at hospitals in which they work.

We have learnt about maintaining a distance of six feet at the workplace, but it seems unmanageable in a scenario where three people are trying to stand six feet apart in an examination or consultation room.

It is expected that this pandemic is going to get worse before getting better. Most doctors have never seen this level of angst and anxiety in their careers. As the coronavirus spreads around the country, doctors have started asking themselves, Will I survive?" The worries have increased with several young doctors falling prey to the disease. We are quite used to feeling and understanding this uncertainty of life when we have heard our cancer patients urging us to save them. Many times, we have assured our patients about doing all possible interventions to save their lives when we have seen them in fear, anxiety and uncertainty. I have not forgotten the faces of many of our patients who strived to live their life to the fullest. The fear and psychological stress of working in hospitals where Covid-19 patients are being treated are beyond comparison right now.

It worries us more when we hear the news of doctors getting infected with coronavirus despite wearing personal protective equipment and dying of it. Hundreds of doctors have tested positive in India and many of them have died, but nothing can be done except being optimistic and mentally strong. The fear becomes more palpable when some known doctor passes away. Many doctors have isolated themselves to stay away from their families to protect them and this has taken a further emotional toll. There is a need to address the psychological pressure on doctors and this should not be ignored.

One of my friends, a passionate gynaecologist in Kanpur, took a patient for surgery on an emergency basis without waiting for the Covid-19 test report, thinking in the best interest of the patient. She was able to help the patient survive with her efforts. But she started worrying for her family when she saw the Covid report was positive. She did her best for the patient but will she be able to do her best for the family she loves the most? There are more questions than answers with every doctor who is working as a front line worker.

A doctors role towards patients has changed in this pandemic and it ranges from treating them medically to dealing with their fear of the coronavirus. We have been instructed to try and limit our close interactions with patients, but we have not been trained to work like this and every doctor is finding it difficult and stressful to adjust and adapt to the rapidly changing situation.

There have been several attacks on doctors in India that have made all of us even more worried. We expect love and respect for the work we do, not fear and hate. There have been reports of discrimination against doctors in certain communities due to fear of infection from those who are working with Covid-19 patients. There were reports that some doctors have been forcibly evicted from rented flats by house owners fearing transmission of infection. After everything, we are incredibly grateful to our Prime Minister, who urged everyone nationwide to clap and appreciate the amazing dedication of doctors and other workers who are working 247 to make our nation free of Covid-19.

It is one thing to say that we took a Hippocratic Oath to do this, but our kids and families didnt take an oath.

This pandemic will probably end in the times to come, but the learnings from it have helped us work closely with each other across boundaries, to love our near and dear ones, and work for our people in this crisis. This positive change will certainly help us work more closely for our patients and be there for our families.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in the article are personal. Abhishek Shankar, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Lady Hardinge Medical College & SSK Hospital, Delhi, India. He has worked at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi from 2012-2019 in different capacities i.e. Resident, Research Fellow, and Faculty.
Nobel Prize-winning author Svetlana Alexievich has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of "terrorising" his own people - Lithuanian Embassy in Minsk via Reuters

EU diplomats in a show of solidarity on Wednesday visited the home of Nobel Prize-winning author Svetlana Alexievich who complained about being harassed by Belarusian government agents as the last member of the opposition council who remains free and not in exile.

72-year old Alexievich, the only member of the board of the oppositions Coordination Council who has not been sent to prison or pushed out of the country, raised the alarm on Wednesday afternoon when unknown men tried to enter her flat in the Belarusian capital Minsk.

Ann Linde, the Swedish foreign minister, later in the day tweeted a picture of Ms Alexievich, arguably one of the most prominent Belarusians of our time, at her home, surrounded by a group of EU diplomats, saying:

"Harassment, arrests and forced exile of opposition is a serious violation of peaceful protests."

The German, Austrian and Lithuanian ambassadors were spotted at Ms Alexievich home as well as senior diplomats from Sweden, Poland and other countries. No UK representative was reported to have been at the meeting.

Nobel Prize-winning author and opposition supporter Svetlana Alexievich met with reporters at her flat in Minsk on Wednesday after unknown men tried to enter her home

Wednesday marks exactly one month after President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, won the much-disputed presidential elections which were marred by reports of wide-spread vote-rigging.

His contested victory was followed by angry protests which were brutally cracked down on by riot police and security services.

Thousands of people have been detained, and hundreds have reported injuries and abuse in police custody.

Belarusians have been taking to the streets almost every day in defiance of the Lukashenko regime, and weekend rallies have typically attracted crowds of more than 100,000 people.

Ms Alexievich in an open letter published earlier on Wednesday accused the Lukashenko government of terrorising its own people" after another member of the Coordination Council was arrested.

First they stole our country, now theyre abducting the best of us, Ms Alexievich said.

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Its not the Coordination Council that has revolted. The entire country has.

Maxim Znak, the only other remaining member of the opposition council, was detained by masked men on Wednesday morning and taken away in an unmarked van as President Lukashenko continues his hunt for opposition figures.

Belarus' top investigative body said later on Wednesday that Mr Znak was being held on charges of instigating "actions... that could endanger national security."

Mr Znak (R) and Maria Kolesnikova (L) are two of the opposition leaders detained in recent days - Natalia Fedosenko /TASS

The same charges have now been put forward against Maria Kolesnikova, the last of the three women who spearheaded the protests to remain in the country and who was abducted from the streets of Minsk on Monday.

More than 24 hours later, authorities reported that she was detained at the border while trying to illegally cross into Ukraine.

But Ms Kolesnikova, who earlier vowed to stay in the country as countless opposition figures were either jailed or forced out of Belarus, reportedly ripped up her passport at the border to prevent a forced deportation.

One of her allies who was taken by security agents to the border and forced to leave the country told reporters in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Tuesday evening that the 38-year old former professional musician threw the crumpled pieces of her passport out of the window at border guards standing outside the car.

After that she opened up the window, got out and walked towards the Belarusian border, Anton Rodnenkov said.

It was only on Wednesday afternoon that Ms Kolesnikova's father was officially notified that she is being kept in a detention centre in Minsk.

Another lawyer working with Ms Kolesnikova, Ilya Saley, was taken away from his home on Wednesday morning and is now a suspect in the same criminal inquiry.

The escalating wave of arrests comes ahead of Mr Lukashenkos planned visit to Moscow next week when he is expected to sit down for talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed in a recent interview that victims of police violence have faked their injuries and bruises - BelTa via Reuters

Kremlin officials have propped up Mr Lukashenko but have also made cautious statements about a possible dialogue with the opposition.

With most opposition leaders behind bars or forced into exile, Mr Lukashenko is likely to tell President Putin that he now simply has no one to negotiate with.

President Lukashenko on Wednesday beefed up his dismissal of protesters as foreign agents and provocateurs, claiming in an interview with the Russian-state owned RT TV station that some of the victims of police violence who documented their shocking bruises from beatings in custody painted their butts blue.

Instead, the embattled leader argued that some of the riot police officers are in hospital with broken spines.

Anti-government protests in Belarus have largely been peaceful, and there were no reports of protesters using any weapons or attacking law enforcement officers who have used rubber bullets, stun grenades and water cannons against demonstrators.
She is due to welcome her first child in the next couple of months.

And Moana Hope's stunning model wife Isabella Carlstrom showed off her baby bump in a sweet Instagram snap posted by the ex AFL and Survivor star, this week.

The brunette beauty bared her blossoming figure in a bikini as she soaked up the sun with Moana in their backyard.

She's blossoming! Australian Survivor star Moana Hope tenderly touched her pregnant wife Isabella Carlstrom's baby bump in a sweet Instagram snap this week. both pictured

Moana tenderly cradled her wife's stomach as the pair snuggled up.

She wrote in the caption: 'Who is going to be the Dad? We get questions like that often. So I thought Id use this opportunity to educate.

'Firstly, who is going to be the Dad... My personal opinion on what makes a parent... its not the gender, or who makes the money or whos name it is on the birth certificate. Its someone who loves, protects, and cares for their child.

'Someone who will never hurt their child. And someone who shows up for their family for the good and challenging times. Our baby is going to have two loving Parents and those parents happen to be Mums.

'BOTH of us will love our baby, we will work hard to always put food on the table, we both will make sacrifices for our baby.

'I can't wait to share motherhood!' Last week Moana penned a sweet tribute to her pregnant partner expressing her excitement at becoming a mother

'We will be a partnership, and we will work together to raise our baby the best we know how. I just know our baby will have two epic parents and I cant bloody wait to share motherhood with you Isabella'.

Last week Moana penned a sweet tribute to her pregnant partner expressing her excitement at becoming a mother.

She shared a photo of herself and the model locking lips, as a colourful floral projection beamed on them, which was taken during their Japan holiday back in January.

'Completely and utterly in love with you,' she wrote in the caption.

Loved up: Moana's heartfelt message to her model wife comes after they marked their first wedding anniversary last month. The former Survivor Australia star wrote: 'Today last year I married my best friend, my soulmate and the mamma of our children to be'

'@isabellasofiacarlstrom I cant wait to share motherhood with you,' she added along with the hashtags: '#mywife #ourlife #alwayssmiling.'

Moana's heartfelt message to her wife comes after they marked their first wedding anniversary last month.

The former Survivor Australia star shared their wedding video to Instagram, and gushed over her pregnant wife in the caption.

'Today last year I married my best friend, my soulmate and the mamma of our children to be,' Moana wrote.

Forever: The couple married in Melbourne last August, 10 months after Isabella proposed

'I love that all we do is laugh, your smile makes my day light up. I wake happy knowing that I get to see and kiss your beautiful face. I'm completely in love with you. Thank you for always being you. Happy anniversary, my beautiful wife.'

The video featured a compilation of home videos of the couple, including footage from their 2019 wedding.

The couple are set to welcome their first child together in November, and last month Isabella flaunted her burgeoning belly in a mirror selfie shared to Instagram.

In the photo, Isabella posed in her bedroom while cradling her bump and looking down at her belly.

'Twenty-three weeks today,' she captioned the snap.

Bumping along nicely! Isabella showed off her growing baby bump in mirror selfie last month

In May, Isabella announced she was expecting a child with Moana.

'It's time to be mummas! We feel so incredibly grateful to be able to share this news. I am pregnant and Mo and I are expecting our little one in November,' she told her Instagram followers.

'It's been a beautiful journey and I can't believe we're finally at this point. It wouldn't have been possible without the amazing team at Monash IVF, so a huge thank you to them. I'm so excited to raise our child with you, beautiful.'

The couple married in Melbourne last August, 10 months after Isabella proposed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 11:23:51|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 27, 2020 shows screens displaying U.S. President Donald Trump delivering his acceptance speech during the 2020 Republican National Convention. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Knowing "This is deadly stuff," but telling the public the virus would disappear "like a miracle."



WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump defended on Wednesday his remarks in an earlier interview that he wanted to downplay the coronavirus threat to the U.S. public, arguing that he is a cheerleader for the country and did not want to create panic.

"I wanted to always play it down, I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," Trump told Bob Woodward, author and associate editor of The Washington Post, in an interview on March 19, according to revelations in Woodward's new book "Rage."

Facing criticisms following reported revelations in the book, which is due for publication this month, Trump insisted he was right to keep his concerns about the pandemic private.

People wait for food at the outdoor catering zone of the Chelsea Market in New York, the United States, Sept. 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

"We don't want to instill panic, we don't want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a tremendous problem, scare everybody," Trump told reporters at the White House, "we had to show calm."

"The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country, I love our country," Trump said. "And I don't want people to be frightened, I don't want to create panic, as you say. Certainly, I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy."

Trump said he downplayed the threat of the virus also because he didn't "want pricing to go up to a level that becomes almost unaffordable."

The president dismissed the reports of his own remarks as "another political hit job."

According to the revelations, Trump told Woodward in an interview on Feb. 7, when the United States reported just a few cases of COVID-19, that the virus was more dangerous than the flu.

Medical workers transport a patient from an ambulance to George Washington University Hospital in Washington D.C., the United States, May 13, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

"This is deadly stuff," Trump said.

The president said that the virus was airborne and more deadly "than even your strenuous flus."

"It goes through air, Bob, that's always tougher than the touch," Trump said, "the air, you just breathe the air and that's how it's passed."

But in public during the same period, Trump said there were at the time many more flu deaths in the United States, claiming that the virus would disappear "like a miracle."

On Feb. 26, he said that COVID-19 cases in the country would fall to "close to zero." On Feb. 29, he told Americans that "everything is under control."

Seizing on the book's revelations, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden slammed Trump in his tour to key swing state Michigan on Wednesday, saying the president "knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed for months."

"He knew and purposely played it down," said the former vice president, "worse, he lied to the American people."

"He's failed our economy and our country," Biden said.

People tour the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States, Aug. 16, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

Woodward's book reportedly also revealed National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien warned Trump on Jan. 28 that the coronavirus "will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency." Trump told Woodward in May that he didn't remember being told that.

The United States ranks the first in the world with over 6.35 million infections and over 190,700 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The upcoming book "Rage" is based on 18 interviews that Trump gave Woodward between December and July, as well as background conversations with officials and other sources, said a Washington Post report. The newspaper and CNN were given advance copies of the book and published details on Wednesday.

Woodward is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. 
Following a scathing show-cause notice from the drug regulator of India, the Serum Institute of India has paused COVID-19 vaccine trials being conducted across 17 different sites till further instructions from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). In a statement today, the vaccine maker told BusinessToday.In that it is pausing COVID-19 trials in India for now. "We are following DCGI's instructions...we are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials till AstraZeneca restarts the trials," it said.

The SII decision came a day after the DCGI issued a show-cause notice to the vaccine maker for not informing it about AstraZeneca suspending the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate in other countries, and also for not submitting casualty analysis of the "reported serious adverse events". The British-Swedish biopharmaceutical major AstraZeneca put a pause on the COVID-19 trials after a UK patient reported illness.

A Director General of Health Services notice, accessed by BusinessToday.In, says the "Serum Institute of India, Pune, up till (now) has not informed the central licencing authority regarding pausing the clinical trial carried out by AstraZeneca in other countries and also not submitted casualty analysis of the reported serious adverse event with the investigational vaccine for contribution of the Phase II/III clinical trial of the subject vaccine in the country in light of the safety concerns."

Notably, the Oxford vaccine was described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the world's leading candidate and the most advanced in terms of development. Pausing of trials could delay the vaccine development process as Serum Institute is the frontrunner when it comes to companies producing COVID-19 vaccines in India. India, which is now the second most affected country after the US in terms of COVID-19, registered a record single-day spike of 95,735 COVID-19 cases and 1,172 fatalities in one day, taking the country's caseload past 44 lakh, and death toll to 75,062, the latest government data suggests.

Also read: India coronavirus vaccine trials 'not stopped yet': Serum's Adar Poonawalla after AstraZeneca halts global trials

Regarding the show-cause notice issued by the DCGI, Serum Institute of India, had earlier said that it would follow the DCGI directions on the matter. "If DCGI has any safety concerns, we will follow their instructions and abide by the standard protocols," it had added.

After UK pharma major AstraZeneca put a pause on the COVID-19 trials on Wednesday, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla told BusinessToday.In that trials in India had not been stopped. "The Indian trials have not been stopped yet...and there's nothing to worry about. It's some unrelated issue that happened... neurological issue with a patient in the UK and we have to wait for AstraZeneca to explain what happened there but this is not vaccine-related. So, nothing to really worry about, and the India trials are also going on, that has not been stopped," Poonawalla said.

The company had started trials among 1,600 volunteers at 17 centres, each with about 100 volunteers, on August 22. However, SII had declined to confirm the time when the vaccine will be available in the market.

Also read: Don't panic! Oxford coronavirus vaccine trials halted not cancelled

Also read: India coronavirus vaccine trials 'not stopped yet': Serum's Adar Poonawalla after AstraZeneca halts global trials

Earlier, an AstraZeneca spokesperson had described the pause as a "routine action", which must be done as part of the process in case of an "unexplained illness" in any of the participants. The company did not explain the nature of the illness. A New York Times report, however, attributed a person familiar with trials saying that one UK participant had 'transverse myelitis', an inflammation of the spinal cord which is normally caused by viral infections. It's not clear yet if this was in direct response to the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Serum Institute has promised to provide 400 million doses to low-and middle-income countries by 2020, and 1 billion doses in total. It aims to make over 6 crore doses per month of its vaccine candidate, which will be increased to 10 crore per month by April 2021.

Also read: 'Excited, looking forward to Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine,' says Adar Poonawalla

Also Read: Coronavirus vaccine: Govt plans to manufacture Russia's Sputnik V in India

Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: AstraZeneca's study put on hold after one 'potentially unexplained' illness


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Eager to show her support for a cause she considers important, Needville High School senior Calista Martinez drew the letters BLM  short for Black Lives Matter  with a black Sharpie on her blue face mask and wore it to school nearly two weeks ago.

On the second day of wearing the mask, a teacher wrote Martinez a pass to the principals office  the reason listed as Mask BLM, according to a photo of the pass that Martinez shared with The Chronicle.

The schools assistant principal told her the mask was not permitted and that she had to take it off, Martinez recalled. She asked why. The administrator told her the masks message could create a conflict with other students, Martinez added.

She asked the administrator why other students were allowed to wear masks in apparent support of President Donald Trump, who has attacked the movement.

Well, yeah thats our president, she recalled being told. I was disappointed in them. I didnt understand.

Martinez complied with the request until Thursday, when she says she again observed other students wearing pro-Trump masks and not being admonished. She wore her mask again, a move that she says drew her an in-school suspension. A family member notified the school that Martinez would be going home.

Later Thursday, school officials announced a revised dress code for secondary students that requires face masks be free of any images, words and political slogans, according to an update posted on the high schools website. Displays of district, campus, Texas or American flag logos will be permitted.

It remained unclear whether Martinez would continue to face discipline upon returning to school. A district spokeswoman said she was not aware of the development and that regardless, officials do not discuss student discipline issues.

Im kind of happy that they changed the rule now, Martinez said Thursday evening. Im just upset that it took this longThey did all this for no reason  trying to be difficult when they could have just banned all the masks in the first place.

A district spokesperson said this week that Superintendent Curtis Rhodes had no comment beyond a previous statement that the Needville ISD was reviewing its dress code. The incident was first reported by KPRC-TV.

The district is working through several novel issues as students return to school during the pandemic, including the requirement to wear face masks. I have learned that a student came to school wearing a Confederate flag and that student was told it was not permitted, Rhodes said. When a student wore a Black Lives Matter face mask, that student was told the same thing  that face mask was not permitted. The district recognizes that it is important to provide students with guidance regarding what face masks are permitted and which are not.

After receiving an initial warning about her custom mask, Martinez said, she expressed disappointment to the assistant principal who had told her to replace it. Once she removed the mask, the schools principal approached her during lunch, wanting to talk about her being angry with administrators.

Im not mad, Im just disappointed, she said she told him.

Well, you know, sometimes in life we cant get our way, Martinez recalled the principal telling her.

The dispute in the rural school district 45 miles southwest of downtown Houston is the latest to arise over dress codes. Administrators in recent years have admonished students or issued in-house suspensions over the length of dreadlocks, etching a design in a fade haircut and wearing a hijab.

The Texas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to hundreds of school districts last week, including 11 in the Houston region, asking them to change their dress code policies to allow young men to wear their hair long.

Because many Houston-area students are returning to the classroom for the first time in months  most districts turned to virtual instruction after the new coronavirus began spreading last spring questions about appropriate mask wear are fairly new.

After a summer of protests about police violence against Blacks, Martinez said was she merely trying to stand with those drawing attention to the issue. Blacks comprise only 3.4 percent of students in the district, which is predominantly white or Hispanic.

Its a serious matter and people need to know what is going on, she said of why she customized her mask. Im just trying to be a voice.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate today announced the details for its plans to reopen to the public this fall. At the beginning of October, the Kennedy Institute will be open to group reservations on Wednesdays under COVID-19 guidelines and public health protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in compliance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts's and the City of Boston's safety measures. The Institute's plans for reopening include mobile ticketing, contactless entry, touch-free exhibits, one-way walk paths, hand sanitizing stations, and an increased frequency of cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch areas.

Masks will be required for all guests while inside the Institute, social distancing of at least six feet will be maintained, and all group reservations must be scheduled in advance. More information on the Institute's precautions and requirements can be found by visiting emkinstitute.org/plan-your-visit/admissions.

"The health and safety of our visitors is priority number one," said Victoria Reggie Kennedy, President of the Board and Co-Founder of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. "Our team has worked diligently these last few weeks to follow state and local guidelines to plan for a safe and enjoyable experience for our guests, and we are excited to be able to welcome them back."

In conjunction with its physical reopening, the Institute is also announcing a wide variety of virtual, and online public and educational programs, a majority of which will focus on issues of critical importance right now across the United States, including voting and social justice. The Institute has been offering virtual public programs since April following a temporary closure to the facility due to COVID-19 as well as an array of online civics learning resources for educators, students, and families.

Institute programming this fall will be complemented by new virtual field trips, conversations, and tours with Institute staff made available to students, teachers, and groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Educational experiences at the Institute, such as Today's Vote and The Citizen's Senate, along with its exhibits, will use digital devices, immersive role playing, and simulation to teach civics and inspire the next generation of leaders.

"The role of the Institute has never been more important than right now, and that is to educate the public and create a dialogue around the key issues facing our nation," said Victoria Reggie Kennedy. "The Institute's ability to reach and engage the next generation of American voters virtually and in person, when possible, is critical for the future of our democracy."

About the Edward M. Kennedy Institute

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities. Learn more via www.emkinstitute.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Miles Halpine

[email protected]

857.271.3372

SOURCE Edward M. Kennedy Institute

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In fluent Arabic, Ambassador Arman Isagaliev of Kazakhstan addressed his Egyptian friends, both state officials and civil society representatives, in a message to thank them for all the efforts made to strengthen relations between Egypt and Kazakhstan.

The head of the Egyptian Association of Graduates from Russian and Soviet Universities, Sherif Gad, sent a letter of thanks to Isagaliev, who was also dean of the Asian diplomatic corps, and who had made great efforts in supporting bilateral relations between the two countries, in seeing the operation of flights between Egypt and Kazakhstan, and in activating economic relations.

Isagaliev was also able to successfully extend bridges of communication between the two peoples in many fields in light of the understanding between President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his Kazakhstani counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The ambassador echoed his thanks and gratitude for the efforts of the Egyptian graduates association in supporting bilateral relations, and stressed his thanks to Egypt Al Mahrousa (a traditional Arabic name for Egypt meaning the protected) for the efforts made by ministries, institutions and representatives of civil society in support and consolidation of relations between Egypt and Kazakhstan.

Many successes between our two countries have pushed relations to advanced positions thanks to these great efforts, he said.

Fathy Toughan, the secretary-general of the Egyptian-Kazakh Friendship Association and the Egyptian Association of Graduates from Russian and Soviet Universities, sent a telegram of thanks to the ambassador, stressing that his period of work in Egypt has seen many achievements.

Isagaliev concluded his speech saying, I feel proud that I worked in Egypt and that I drank from the water of the Nile River -- so I will definitely come back, according to the famous Egyptian saying.

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(Newser)  A father says he and his family were booted from a flightwhich ultimately ended up canceledbecause his 19-month-old wouldn't wear a mask. While waiting for the WestJet flight from Calgary to Toronto to take off Tuesday, Safwan Choudhry's older daughter, who is 3, was eating a snack. Flight attendants asked Choudhry to put masks on both her and the younger girl; Choudhry asked if the 3-year-old could finish her snack first and was told no. He ultimately got her to wear a mask, "but my younger one had a very difficult time, she was basically hysterical," he tells the BBC. He later discovered that under Canadian transportation law, children under the age of 2 are not required to wear a mask. Choudhry says the 19-month-old got so upset she vomited. Police came on board, all passengers were made to disembark, and eventually the flight was canceled.

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Though it was rebooked for the following day, Choudhry says he and his family have not been offered another flight to Toronto. No charges were filed, and Choudhry says most of the passengers backed his family. Indeed, passengers can be heard heckling the crew in video of the incident, and police say the crew felt unsafe and thus decided to scrap the flight entirely. WestJet's official stance is that it was the 3-year-old who wouldn't wear a mask, but video shows her wearing one, and an officer confirms that when police arrived she had one on. "I was so shocked, the parents never raised their voices, they never got angry with the attendants, they were just trying to reason with them," one fellow passenger, who worried the family may have been targeted due to their race or religion, tells the CBC. WestJet also says they were flying on employee travel passes and such guests are held to a higher behavior standard; the airline subsequently revoked travel privileges for both the Choudhry family and the employee whose passes they were using, the Calgary Herald reports. (Read more face masks stories.)
NEW DELHI  India reported another record spike of 95,735 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours as the virus spreads beyond its major cities.

According to the Health Ministry, the number of people known to be infected in India reached 4,465,863 on Thursday. It has the second-highest caseload in the world behind the United States, where more than 6.3 million people are known to be infected.

The Health Ministry also reported 1,172 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities up to 75,062. Its death toll is third-highest in the world behind the U.S. and Brazil.

The ministry said the surge in new infections is due to ramping of daily testing that exceeds 1 million now. However, experts caution that Indias outbreak is entering a more dangerous phase as the virus spreads to smaller towns and villages.

The Indian capital saw a record surge of 4,618 new cases in the past 24 hours with 19 deaths. New Delhi, Pune, Mumbai and Chennai are the worst-hit cities in the country.

With the economy contracting by a record 23.9% in the April-June quarter, leaving millions jobless, Indian authorities have said they have little choice but to continue reopening the economy.

Meanwhile, the Serum Institute of India maintained that the temporary halt to late-stage studies of AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine candidate would not impact the timeline for vaccine trials in India. The studies in multiple countries were halted because of potentially unexplained illness in a British recipient.

Indian authorities said they would review the illness report and assess the information from the initial human clinical trials in India.

Serum, the worlds largest maker of vaccines by volume, is mass-producing the vaccine for low and middle-income countries.

In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:

 South Koreas new coronavirus cases have come below 200 for an eight straight day, suggesting a viral resurgence is slowing amid stringent social distancing rules. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday it has reported 155 additional cases over the past 24 hours, taking the national tally to 21,743 with 346 deaths. New infections spiked in South Korea, mostly in the greater Seoul area, since early August. Authorities in the Seoul area subsequently ordered the shutdown of churches, nightspots and fitness centers and restricted dining at restaurants. Those enhanced rules expire on Sunday, and the government is to announce whether to extend them.

 Clinical trials for AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine candidate have been halted in India, the Serum Institute of India said Thursday. The institute is the worlds largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume and has said it will mass-produce the vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford. On Tuesday, AstraZeneca said an unexplained illness in a test recipient had triggered a standard review process and that late-stage studies had been put temporarily on hold. Serum Institute of India, though, had said trials in India were continuing. But after a communication from Indian regulators, the company paused their trials on Thursday. We are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials until AstraZeneca restarts the trials, the company said.

 Tokyo is lowering its COVID-19 alert by one notch from the highest red category to orange on its four-level scale following a decline in the number of new cases, though Gov. Yuriko Koike urged residents to continue taking preventive measures. Koike said Thursday that the decision is based on findings that the average number of new cases per day in the past week fell to 149 from 183 the week before. Koike said the Tokyo government will lift requests for bars and restaurants serving alcohol to close at 10 p.m., allowing them to return to their usual hours next Wednesday. We still need to use caution, she said at a news conference. We have to continue to take appropriate measures to keep a balance between prevention of the spread of infections and social and economic activity. Some experts are warning of a resurgence because the slowing of infections is still modest. Tokyo confirmed 276 new cases on Thursday for a total of 22,444, including 379 deaths. Nationwide, Japan has reported 73,221 cases and 1,406 deaths as of Thursday.

 A Singapore court has sentenced a Taiwanese woman to 11 weeks in jail for intentionally sneezing at a security guard who barred her from entering a Singapore shopping mall. The court issued the sentence Thursday after Sun Szu-Yen pleaded guilty in June to performing a rash act and an unrelated harassment charge, Singapore media reported. Sun and her son were stopped at a mall entrance on April 12 for not wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, local media said. She tried to use her scarf as a mask but when the guard refused to let her in, she sneezed in the guards direction and reportedly told the guard to shut up. She also took her passport out of her bag and said I am China, I am Taiwan, local media said. She was also charged with harassment for throwing several items, including a vacuum cleaner and a plastic chair, out of her condominium window in June last year, local media said. Prosecutors told the court that she is not mentally ill but has a mood disorder.
One-time "joint inspection" in the area of the village of Shumy in Ukraine's Donetsk region will not take place due to constantly changing requests from the Russian side, the President's Office has reported.

According to the report, Ukraine received a number of contradictory demands that distort the nature of the reached agreements.

"As we envisaged, representatives of illegal armed groups in ORDLO [certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions] did not expect a constructive position from Ukraine. Belief in their own propaganda and detachment from reality prevent them from adequately assessing what is going on. As of this morning, we received a number of contradictory demands that distort the nature of the ceasefire agreements and further humiliate the OSCE as an authoritative and objective mediator. Therefore, a 'one-time inspection' of one point agreed within the security subgroup of the TCG [Trilateral Contact Group] will not take place due to constantly changing requests from the Russian side," the report reads.

The President's Office recalled that the OSCE had repeatedly confirmed that the Ukrainian side has not violated the terms of the ceasefire in Donbas in any way. Ukraine has faithfully complied with all ceasefire requirements for six weeks since July 27. According to the report, Ukraine wants to do all to move from the ceasefire in Donbas to lasting peace, representatives of illegal armed groups demonstrate that they have a completely different goal, "namely PR instead of peace."

"If [illegal armed groups] in Donetsk cannot find the settlement of Shumy in the Donetsk region on the map of Europe, about which we have repeatedly heard complaints, and now randomly select new settlements for the inspection, we can only sympathize with them," the report said.

The President's Office stressed that the Ukrainian side, "in good faith and for the final confirmation of its honesty," had agreed that an OSCE representative, in the presence of representatives of the parties on the contact line, could record the absence of any violations of ceasefire agreements by Ukraine.

At the same time, the President's Office said that the Ukrainian side had made a proposal to inspect the areas of the location of illegal armed groups in ORDLO, where the monitoring mission did record the violations.

"However, we did not receive an adequate answer. The proposed format provided for the technical nature of such actions: in civilian clothes, without odious representatives. It had to be a purely technical procedure. However, today it is impossible for objective reasons, the key reason being the absence of violations from our side. Quarantine restrictions also affect the details of how the inspection could take place near Shumy," the report said.

"Given all this - the actual refusal of Russia and representatives of illegal armed groups in ORDLO to adhere to the reached agreements and work on the basis of common sense in order to confirm true facts about the situation on the contact line - we state that the inspection near Shumy in the Donetsk region cannot be conducted," the President's Office said.

On September 9, the Trilateral Contact Group agreed to conduct a joint inspection in the area of Shumy with the participation of an OSCE representative, as well as representatives of certain areas of the Donetsk region (ORDO).

On September 10, the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, Leonid Kravchuk, addressed a letter to the OSCE representative in the Trilateral Contact Group with a request to postpone today's meeting near the village of Shumy, the Donetsk region. The document states that the Russian side and its invited representatives from ORDO put forward new requirements that were not discussed during an extraordinary video conference of the Trilateral Contact Group on September 9.

op
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/09/2020 -- A new business intelligence report released by HTF MI with title "COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020" is designed covering micro level of analysis by manufacturers and key business segments. The COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market survey analysis offers energetic visions to conclude and study market size, market hopes, and competitive surroundings. The research is derived through primary and secondary statistics sources and it comprises both qualitative and quantitative detailing. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Mafengwo, Qunar, Tuniu, Almosafer, Ctrip, Al-Tahadi Tours, Airbnb, Expedia, Flyin, E-traveltogo, TBO, Al Tayyar Online, Elong, Cleartrip, Priceline, Tongcheng, Booking, Lvmama, Fliggy, Booking Advisors, MakeMyTrip, Rehlat.com & Tajawal.



What's keeping Mafengwo, Qunar, Tuniu, Almosafer, Ctrip, Al-Tahadi Tours, Airbnb, Expedia, Flyin, E-traveltogo, TBO, Al Tayyar Online, Elong, Cleartrip, Priceline, Tongcheng, Booking, Lvmama, Fliggy, Booking Advisors, MakeMyTrip, Rehlat.com & Tajawal Ahead in the Market? Benchmark yourself with the strategic moves and findings recently released by HTF MI

Get Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/2823834-covid-19-outbreak-global-online-travel-agency



Market Overview of COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA)

If you are involved in the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) industry or aim to be, then this study will provide you inclusive point of view. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Applications [Flights, Hotel, Activities, Travel & Others], Product Types [, B2B & B2C] and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.



This study mainly helps understand which market segments or Region or Country they should focus in coming years to channelize their efforts and investments to maximize growth and profitability. The report presents the market competitive landscape and a consistent in depth analysis of the major vendor/key players in the market along with impact of economic slowdown due to COVID.



Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows:

Historical year  2014-2019

Base year  2019

Forecast period**  2020 to 2026 [** unless otherwise stated]



**Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players.



Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/2823834-covid-19-outbreak-global-online-travel-agency



The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below:

The Study Explore the Product Types of COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market: , B2B & B2C



Key Applications/end-users of COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA)Market: Flights, Hotel, Activities, Travel & Others



Top Players in the Market are: Mafengwo, Qunar, Tuniu, Almosafer, Ctrip, Al-Tahadi Tours, Airbnb, Expedia, Flyin, E-traveltogo, TBO, Al Tayyar Online, Elong, Cleartrip, Priceline, Tongcheng, Booking, Lvmama, Fliggy, Booking Advisors, MakeMyTrip, Rehlat.com & Tajawal



Region Included are: North America (Covered in Chapter 7 and 14), United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe (Covered in Chapter 8 and 14), Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others, Asia-Pacific (Covered in Chapter 9 and 14), China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, Others, Middle East and Africa (Covered in Chapter 10 and 14), Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Others, South America (Covered in Chapter 11 and 14), Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Chile & Others



Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report:

 Detailed overview of COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) market

 Changing market dynamics of the industry

 In-depth market segmentation by Type, Application etc

 Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value

 Recent industry trends and developments

 Competitive landscape of COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) market

 Strategies of key players and product offerings

 Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth

 A neutral perspective towards COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) market performance

 Market players information to sustain and enhance their footprint



Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/2823834-covid-19-outbreak-global-online-travel-agency



Major Highlights of TOC:

Chapter One: COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Industry Overview

1.1 COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) Industry

1.1.1 Overview

1.1.2 Products of Major Companies

1.2 COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Segment

1.2.1 Industry Chain

1.2.2 Consumer Distribution

1.3 Price & Cost Overview



Chapter Two: COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Demand

2.1 Segment Overview

2.1.1 APPLICATION 1

2.1.2 APPLICATION 2

2.1.3 Other

2.2 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Size by Demand

2.3 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Forecast by Demand



Chapter Three: COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market by Type

3.1 By Type

3.1.1 TYPE 1

3.1.2 TYPE 2

3.2 COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Size by Type

3.3 COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Forecast by Type



Chapter Four: Major Region of COVID-19 Outbreak- Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market

4.1 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Sales

4.2 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Revenue & market share



Chapter Five: Major Companies List



Chapter Six: Conclusion



Complete Purchase of Latest Version COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Study with COVID-19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=2823834



Key questions answered

- What impact does COVID-19 have made on COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) Market Growth & Sizing?

- Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) market?

- What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) market?

- What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Online Travel Agency (OTA) market?

- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?



Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.



About HTF Market Report

HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the "Accurate Forecast" in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their "Goals & Objectives".
This isnt Gina Ortiz Jones first battle.

Before running for Congress in Texas 23rd district, the former Air Force intelligence officer was deployed to Iraq and served under the militarys Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy.

In a recent interview, the Democratic candidate recalled how she was forced to hide her identity in order to receive one of the most valuable college scholarships in the country, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) military scholarship. In order to qualify for the award, which pays up to full tuition and includes a monthly salary, applicants must commit to serve as officers in the US Army, Navy Air Force or Marines.

One of the very first things I had to do was sign a piece of paper that said I will not engage in homosexual behaviour, she said. It was made very clear to me that my opportunity to get an education, to serve our country, to die for our country if need be, all of that goes away if they find out that Im gay.

After serving in the Air Force and later working in the executive office of the president under Barack Obama on economic and national security issues, Jones launched a bid for Congress in 2016 to represent the swing district  a diverse, 800-mile region that includes stretches of the US-Mexico border, as well as rural communities and the city of San Antonio. She secured the Democratic nomination and ran against Rep Will Hurd (RTX), a two-term incumbent and the only black Republican in the House of Representatives.

It was a hard fought race until the very end: Jones called on her conservative opponent to debate her on live television during an interview with The Independent at the time, saying in a message to the congressman: Stop running scared and debate me on TV. The Hurd campaign never responded to multiple requests for comment.

It was made very clear to me that my opportunity to get an education, to serve our country, to die for our country if need be, all of that goes away if they find out that Im gay.

Jones eventually conceded after losing by 926 votes  just 0.4 per cent  a moment she described as difficult for her and her team.

I dont think anybody likes losing, she said.

But the Democrat decided to run a second time, easily securing her partys nomination in the 2020 primaries as two Republicans became mired in a recount vote that finally ended in August. Tony Gonzales, a US Navy veteran endorsed by President Donald Trump, narrowly won a runoff to take on Jones in the November election.

As for Hurd, the former CIA officer and congressman announced his retirement shortly after Jones launched her second campaign.

Shes now running in an entirely new environment, amid a global pandemic that has forced her campaign to shift almost entirely online  and at a moment when politics has become more polarized than perhaps any time in modern American history.

A familiar territory in an entirely new battleground

Unlike Hurd, who occasionally spoke out against Trumps style of governance (despite largely supporting his political agenda), Gonzales has seemed to embrace the presidents campaign tactics of hitting his opponents with incendiary claims. Gonzales recently stirred controversy when said Jones has a transgender agenda during a podcast interview.

Were up against a social Democrat that wants to have a socialist agenda, Gonzales claimed, This transgender agenda.

The terms gay agenda," homosexual agenda and transgender agenda were reportedly introduced by Christian religious groups on the right to undermine advocacy efforts for the LGBTQ+ community. The Jones campaign has described Gonzales rhetoric as homophobic, a charge the Gonzales campaign strongly disputed in an interview with The Independent.

Matt Mackowiak, a representative for the Gonzales campaign, said in a phone call: Its not homophobic, and it certainly wasnt intended to be. If you listen to his comments, what he said was right after that, he explained that her position of having taxpayers pay for the military to cover gender reassignment surgery, thats Gina  Gina supports that, and Tony does not. Thats what he means by transgender agenda.

As Gonzales made those claims, the National Republican Campaign Committee was also busy highlighting Jones sexuality on its website. The committee later removed references to Jones and her female partner and advice for outside groups to include her sexuality as a talking point in attack ads on television and mailers after its instructions surrounding Jones were reported by HuffPost.

Jones told The Independent she was not seeking an apology from Gonzales, saying: I learned a long time ago that you cant teach courage, and you cant teach class.

Im not going to ask him for anything, she added. He has to answer to the people of this district about why hes not interested in ensuring everyone is treated equally under the law.

The homophobic attacks against Jones and her campaign appear to have failed enormously: within 72 hours of HuffPosts report on the NRCCs advisory for conservative groups, the Jones campaign announced it had raised $100,000.

Sharon Yang, communications director for the Jones campaign, said the fundraising haul was clear evidence of how strongly this effort has backfired in an email sent to The Independent.

The outpouring of grassroots support our campaign received after Washington Republicans bigoted and homophobic attacks shows just how out of touch they are with Texans in this district, campaign manager Lacey Morrison also said in a statement.

Staying focused on the mission despite constant attacks

Jones quickly brought the conversation back to health care  one of the top issues for voters, according to recent polls. Lets be very clear, my opponent should have to explain why he supports repealing the [Affordable Care Act]  during a pandemic no less, she continued. I support protecting and expanding the ACA.

There are 29 counties across the 23rd district of the Lone Star state: at least 18 of those have just three doctors or less. There are no doctors at all in three counties, making it one of the most medically underserved counties in the entire state. When Jones ran in 2018, health care was high on the ballot in Texas, the uninsured capital of America. That hasnt changed two years later.

And once again, Jones is now looking forward to debating her opponent. The Democrat said she was willing and open to facing off with Gonzales before Election Day.

There are some real differences  that voters should hear, Jones said, adding that she was committed to making sure voters had that chance ahead of the crucial vote.

The Gonzales campaign has also supported having a debate, calling on the Jones campaign to accept an invitation to one already scheduled by a local network.

While her second congressional bid comes at a historic moment, none of this is necessarily new to Jones. Shes been here before, demanding a conversation about the issues, fighting for the chance to represent her district and declining to fall for the low blows and misguided attacks. Her commitment to the mission at hand was something she was trained in long before she ran for office, Jones told The Independent.

We left everything on the field in 2018, she said. Im proud of the campaign we ran then, and Im very proud of the campaign were running now.

At a time when a record number of women have launched campaigns for elected offices across the country, Jones made the decision to run a second time knowing shed face another uphill battle. After seeing [Hurd] still fall short of how I thought this district should be represented, I knew I had to get back in the ring, she continued, noting how she took some time to reflect on the campaign trail. We got back in, and I dont think its by coincidence that he shortly after decided he would not run again. So good on him.

This has never been about who Im running against, this is about who Im running for, Jones said. Im a first-generation American, raised by a single mom and it was an ROTC scholarship that allowed me to serve our country  Ive lived the American dream  I will work with anybody on any side of the aisle.




A BULAWAYO teacher has taken her late husband and her four step-children to court challenging her exclusion from a will purportedly left by the deceased.





Ms Violer Van Eyssen, who is the surviving spouse of the late Kenneth Gilbert Eyssen, is challenging the validity of the will, which stipulates that she can only inherit cutlery from the matrimonial property.





She had been living with Kenneth for 29 years and they had been married since January 2007 in terms of Section 5:11 of the Marriages Act. The husband died last year in April.





Ms Eyssen is unhappy that her stepchildren inherited the house in Trenance including her matrimonial bed and blankets which she shared with her late husband.





Through her lawyer Mr Bruce Masamvu of Mutatu, Masamvu and Da Silva-Gustavo Law Chambers, Ms Eyssen filed an application in terms of the Administration of Estates Act at the Bulawayo High Court, citing the late Kenneth Gilbert Eyssens estate, her stepchildren Lorrain Gerlach (nee Eyssen), Sharon, Rodney, Belinda, and the Deputy Master of the High Court as respondents.





In her founding affidavit, Ms Eyssen said the last will and testament of the late Kenneth Gilbert Eyssen contained clauses which disinherited her of their matrimonial home and assets including the bed and blankets, which she shared with her late husband.





This is an application for an order declaring the last will attested to by the late Kenneth Gilbert Eyssen invalid and that his estate be registered and finalised intestate. The last will and testament of the late Kenneth Gilbert Eyssen contained clauses which disinherited me of the matrimonial home and assets including the matrimonial bed and all the blankets my husband and I shared, she said.





The validity of the last will and testament, therefore, comes into question when the assets of the late Kenneth Gilbert Eyssen, which rightfully according to the laws of Zimbabwe are to be awarded to me, being the deceaseds surviving spouse, are given to someone else.





Ms Eyssen wants an order declaring the will left by her husband null and void, arguing that it contradicts natural justice principles.





She said the Deputy Master of the High Court has no authority to determine the validity of the will.





Ms Eyssen said if the estate is to be allowed to proceed as per the last will, it would effectively render her a destitute.





I would lose my matrimonial home which I have stayed in since 1991. I will also suffer irreparable prejudice as I was the only one working as a teacher in the family and taking care of the deceased and our matrimonial home for years until my husband died, she said.





Ms Eyssen wants the will accepted by the Deputy Master of the High Court on July 27 set aside. Wherefore, I believe I have laid down a good case warranting the nullification of the will. I therefore pray for an order declaring the will null and void, she said.




ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Giant Oak is delighted to announce that our founder and CEO Gary M. Shiffman's new book, The Economics of Violence: How Behavioral Science Can Transform Our View of Crime, Insurgency, and Terrorism , has been selected as a finalist for "Best New Nonfiction Book" and as a winner by the American Book Fest's 2020 International Book Awards (IBA) in the category "History: Military." The creator of the Machine Learning platform GOST, Shiffman leverages his deep study in human behavior and organized violence and coercion to offer tools to promote peace and liberty.

The American Book Fest's Best Book Awards , now in its 17th year, represent one of the largest and most competitive mainstream book awards in the United States. Jeffrey Keen, president and CEO of American Book Fest, said, "This year's contest yielded over 2,000 entries from authors and publishers around the world, which were then narrowed down to the final results."

"It is an honor to have The Economics of Violence recognized by the International Book Awards," said Shiffman. "I wrote this book to empower those engaged in keeping us safe and free, and to inform the public on new approaches to enhancing public safety and security. I use case studies to make arguments articulating a new analysis of violence based on economics and using the terminology of markets."

Shiffman is a U.S. Navy Gulf War veteran, a former chief of staff for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and a former U.S. Senate National Security Advisor. He teaches at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Screeners at financial institutions and government agencies use GOST to detect threats to public safety and security, including human and drug trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism.

To learn more about The Economics of Violence, click here .

About Giant Oak

At Giant Oak, we build trusted tools at the frontiers of behavioral science and artificial intelligence that enable you to make both rapid and informed decisions in an increasingly dynamic security environment. Giant Oak Search Technology (GOST) makes screening easy. GOST is an open-source search and triage tool that builds a custom internet domain and organizes information to detect suspicious behavior. GOST re-indexes the open and deep webs to return publicly available electronic information (PAEI) in prioritized results relevant to the user's requirements. By deploying machine-learning algorithms to refine search results and generate analytic scores, entities are sorted by relevance and threat level. For more information, visit www.giantoak.com.

SOURCE Giant Oak

Related Links

http://www.giantoak.com


Armenian schools and universities were shut down and switched to online classes in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The government decided last month to reopen them amid a falling number of coronavirus cases recorded in the country.

Under a safety protocol issued by it, there can be no more than 20 schoolchildren in a classroom at a time and they all will have to wear face masks. School administrations will have to provide the students with hand sanitizers and regularly disinfect classrooms.

The mask-wearing requirement has been criticized by many parents, some education experts and opposition politicians. They say it could complicate the learning process and cause children breathing problems.

Pashinian rejected the criticism, saying that these and other safety rules are essential for preventing mass infections in schools. He said such outbreaks could reverse a continuing decrease in coronavirus cases in Armenia which began in early August.

We have to take [unpopular] steps in order to avoid a new epidemiological crisis, Pashinian said during a weekly session of his cabinet in Yerevan.

The decisions made by us apply to not only the children of other people but also our children, he said. Our children dont have a privileged status in schools, kindergartens or any other places.

The premier then told Education Minister Arayik Harutiunian to ensure strict enforcement of the protocol in all educational institutions.

As part of preparations for the reopening of the schools, the Armenian health authorities began earlier this week testing all schoolteachers for COVID-19. This is why the Ministry of Health has reported for the last two days a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus tests carried out across the country.

The ministry has registered 45,326 coronavirus cases and 906 deaths directly caused by the disease since the start of the pandemic.
External Article

10 September 2020

This week's news of the imminent revival of the Thomas Cook brand as a new OTA wasn't unexpected, but has promoted debates about its prospects.

Plans to bring the brand back under its new Chinese owner Fosun, which bought what remained of the failed operator for 11 million last November, predate COVID-19.

In January Fosun put together a team of 15 travel industry professionals, including Cook's former strategy and technology officer Alan French, former head sales, e-commerce and marketing Phil Gardner and former finance officer Raj Sharma.

Since, the brand is understood to have been preparing for a relaunch and is close to finalising regulatory arrangement with the UK regulator the CAA.
More than 200 campers were trapped near a boat dock on Shaver Lake in California's Fresno County over the Labor Day weekend, encircled by flames and a blinding wall of wildfire smoke.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joseph Rosamond, piloting a California Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook, had already made the decision to try to put his helicopter down close by the desperate campers on Sept. 5.

So had CWO 5 Kipp Goding, pilot of a California Guard UH-60 Black Hawk, who had linked up with Rosamond's aircraft and was trailing him to the scene, weaving through peaks rising to 7,000 feet and then dropping down to a valley leading to the dock.

Read Next: A Fighter Pilot Will Dogfight an AI-Controlled Jet in 2024, Esper Says

"We were quickly running out of time," Rosamond said.

Emergency crews on the ground from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, radioed to Rosamond that it was too risky. The Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest was out of control and they should put down at a nearby ranch miles away and wait for the smoke to clear, they were told.

"I was listening to the radio calls when the Chinook approached restricted airspace" near the lake, said Army Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard.

"Chief Rosamond told them, 'Just tell us where the people are. We're going to go get them,'" Baldwin said in a video conference call Monday with the aircrews and defense reporters.

This California National Guard photo shows dozens of people being flown to safety on a Chinook on Sept. 5, 2020, after the Creek Fire in central California left them stranded. 40th Combat Aviation Brigade photo via Facebook

"Joe [Rosamond] was leading the way," Goding said, as the two helicopters approached the lake at sunset and prepared to find landing zones. "Every piece of vegetation as far as you could see around the lake was on fire," sending up clouds of smoke that made the approach risky.

"We knew that it was a dire situation, and we knew that this was not going to be like anything we had done in the past," Rosamond said. "Conditions were pretty extreme.  There were points along the route where we were just about ready to say, 'That's enough.'"

The aircrews donned night vision goggles to penetrate the smoke. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brady Hlebain, the Chinook's co-pilot, said the goggles "allowed us to see through the smoke to have some contrast and a silhouette on where we were going."

Without the goggles, "all we could see was a wall of smoke," he added.

Rosamond and Goding found spots to set down near the boat dock. Sgts. George Esquivel and Cameron Powell, both flight engineers on the Chinook, rushed out of the aircraft as the fire, fueled by record-breaking heat and high winds, approached within 50 feet.

The first priority, Powell said, was to locate people amid the recreational vehicles and campers parked nearby.

"They notified us that they had quite a few injured. We assessed who should go [first].  We took quite a few burn victims."

They packed as many people as they could fit onto the two helicopters.

"At that point, our performance limitations were close to the maximum capabilities of the aircraft," Rosamond said, but they made it safely to the Fresno Airport.

Goding and his Black Hawk crew, Warrant Officer 1 One Xiong and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Irvin Hernandez, made two more nighttime runs to Shaver Lake to rescue more campers. Rosamond and his crew would do the same.

Each time they returned, Col. Dave Hall, commander of the California Guard's 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, stationed at the airport, would check on the crews' condition.

Hall said he was in awe of "how much they pushed the edge. They didn't finish up until 1:30 a.m."

"Flying in those conditions, there's fatigue," he said.

Each time the crews returned to Fresno, Hall said he asked them, "'Are you ready for another?' Every single time, they said, 'Send me out.'"

Altogether, the crews rescued 214 campers, Baldwin said. Twelve were hospitalized but are expected to recover.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said of the aircrews' efforts, "It's where training meets the moment, but it always takes the courage, the conviction and the grit of real people doing real work."

Baldwin and Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the new chief of the National Guard Bureau, said about 1,200 California Guard members have been mobilized to battle the wildfires, which show no signs of abating.

Baldwin said the Guard is focusing on areas north of Los Angeles when Cal Fire needs military assistance, while the Marine Corps and Navy deal with southern California.

In addition to naturally occurring wildfires, Cal Fire has also had to deal with blazes triggered by thoughtless citizens.

On Monday, the department said that the "El Dorado" fire east of Los Angeles was caused by a "pyrotechnic device" set off at a gender reveal party.

"This fire season is already the worst in California history" in terms of acreage consumed, Baldwin said. "And it's only the first week in September, so we've got a lot of firefighting ahead of us."

On Thursday, California authorities said it will likely be at least a week, and possibly a month, before the Creek Fire is controlled sufficiently to permit residents to return.

The National Fire Information Center said Thursday that firefighters in Western states continue to see "extreme fire behavior."

Three deaths have been reported in California, three in Oregon and one in Washington state.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Related: California National Guard Assists in Sierra Fire Rescue Operation
SitePartners & On-Site Magazine Launch Construction Industry Top 40 Under 40

SitePartners & On-Site Magazine Launch Construction Industry Top 40 Under 40

Vancouver, BC, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, SitePartners and On-Site Magazine announced the inaugural 40 Under 40 awards in Canadian construction, recognizing the most exceptional, progressive, and innovative young leaders who are advancing the movement of construction in Canada.

We are excited to partner with On-Site Magazine to showcase incredible achievements in business, innovation, vision, leadership, and community involvement from exceptional individuals in the construction industry, says Andrew Hansen, President of SitePartners. Canadian construction professionals are some of the most dynamic, knowledgeable, and innovative individuals that are positively impacting built environments and the economy of our country.

The top 40 Under 40 awards in Canadian construction will showcase a cross-section of top-performing individuals who have achieved professional success while showcasing innovation and leadership abilities in the Canadian construction sector. Judging will be based on the following criteria: 50% Professional Achievements; 40% Innovation, Leadership and Influence; and 10% Business/Community Involvement.

As the top construction industry publication in Canada, On-Site Magazine is thrilled to shine a light on the people who represent this dynamic industry, says David Kennedy, Editor of On-Site Magazine. We are looking to showcase outstanding individuals who represent all aspects of the construction lifecycle  from estimating and planning in the office to managing and executing in the field, and all the vital roles in between.

From now until Friday, October 9, 2020, we invite construction industry professionals from across Canada to nominate outstanding individuals under the age of 40 for these prestigious awards and recognition as one of the top 40 in the construction industry. Working professionals may include Executives, Contractors, Designers, Architects, Engineers, Estimators, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers, Site Supervisors, Superintendents, Occupational Health & Safety Managers, Equipment Operators, Tradespeople and more.

Story continues

To enter, go to www.site40under40.ca and fill out the short application form, where industry professionals will have the option to self-nominate or nominate someone else. Winners will be selected by an esteemed panel of judges and profiled in the December 2020 issue of On-Site Magazine.

40 Under 40 video: https://vimeo.com/sitevideo/site40under40

About SitePartners

SitePartners is a specialized marketing and communications agency built for the industrial sector. Designed to provide business solutions and drive strategic growth within the construction, manufacturing, resources and energy sectors. Our team of 17 employees have been on hundreds of industrial sites, travelled to remote project locations, and worked with companies that span the entire supply chain including SiteMax Systems, Wales McLelland, Government of British Columbia, IWC Excavation and LandSea Camps. Find out how we are elevating the industrial sector: www.sitepartners.ca

About On-Site Magazine

Established in 1957, On-Site is Canadas leading publication serving contractors and other stakeholders in the heavy construction market. It offers daily news at www.on-sitemag.com and is published in print seven times per year. Among other key industry reports, each June On-Site publishes Top Contractors, which includes the definitive list of Canadas Top 40 construction companies. On-Site reaches more than 22,000 Canadian construction firms.

Video Link: https://vimeo.com/sitevideo/site40under40

Attachment

CONTACT: Danica Gallaher SitePartners 6046134480 danica@sitepartners.ca




GREENSBORO, N.C., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ESC Brands is striving to assist with the safe opening of schools by better protecting children and staff from the further spread of the COVID-19 virus in the classroom environment. ESC's Zetrisil-based products have been proved as effective as alcohol-based sanitizers, with proven persistence of activity without the toxicity and flammability concerns of traditional sanitizers.

A few of our products.

ESC's Zetrisil-based technologies are a family of proprietary silicon-based virus killing agents that reduce the presence of the virus from the hands, skin surfaces, fabric, and clothing in most environments. By using a trio of safer products in combination to combat the further spread of the virus, ESC is convinced our children can return to school with minimal virus transfer between school and the home environment.

Recent studies completed by the University of Alabama in Huntsville prove that Zetrisil-based products are highly effective and demonstrate persistent activity against the COVID-19 virus.

ESC's FDA- & Health Canada-registered hand sanitizers show an initial 30- & 60-second virus kill rate of 99.90%, with persistence of virus-killing activity for four hours after a single initial application. The company claims its Zetrisil-based hand sanitizer is far safer and more effective than alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Zetrisil stays on the surface of the skin and is proven to kill the COVID-19 virus for four hours per application. In contrast, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be absorbed into the bloodstream, are extremely flammable, and are only proven effective for a few minutes after each application. These factors make traditional alcohol-based hand sanitizers a less than optimal choice for use in children. Because Zetrisil is safer than traditional agents and remains on the skin for several hours, children are protected longer without the need for frequent applications of sanitizer.

ESC's pending EPA- & Health Canada-registered surface sanitizer/disinfectant is proven to kill 99.9% of virus particles initially after a single application, with increased persistence kill of 99.99% after 30 days. These kill rates required only a single 10 min contact time against the COVID-19 virus. ESC is closely working with EPA with the N list registration process for this product.

ESC's pending EPA- & Health Canada-registered Laundry Complete sanitizer/fabric softener is proven to kill 99.99% of the COVID-19 virus when used as a pre-soak or in the rinse cycle of a conventional clothes washing cycle, with the washed clothes continuing to kill 99.0% of the virus for 200 days after the initial wash. The company believes, based on these studies, that simply washing your clothes weekly can dramatically reduce the transfer from school to the home environment.

Special Projects Director Angela McClure, who oversaw the UAH testing, said in a statement:

"I truly believe Zetrisil is the miracle product we've been waiting for to help keep our children safe as they return to school. Using these three products together will give parents the confidence they are looking for in sending their kids back to school. Parents can then return to work, which in turn will keep our economy moving.

"These ESC products have completed rigorous testing and have shown that not only are they completely safe for use on mass transit and aircraft, they are less toxic to humans and the environment than traditional sanitizers.

"The company is in the process of submitting testing data to the EPA & Health Canada. The question for these regulatory agencies is how to address persistency-of-kill claims, particularly given the 200 days protection per application of Laundry Complete. The unique persistence of Zetrisil falls outside of their standard testing protocols, and they are literally developing new protocols for this revolutionary product."

The company believes that these 3 products, when used together, will drastically reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and communities, save lives, and keep our economy moving.

For more information: ESCBrands.com or on Facebook @ESCBrands.

Press Contact:

Angela McClure

[email protected]

+1 (888) 331-8332

SOURCE ESC Brands
Stabatha the cat as imagined by six different artists. Read more

When Kyle Cassidy couldnt find anyone to adopt his sweet West Philly foster cat Stabatha this summer, he started a crowdfunding campaign to pay out-of-work artists to create portraits of the feline, in the hopes that it might help her get adopted.

Cassidy raised $1,108 and paid 18 artists from Philadelphia to the Philippines $50 microgrants for homages to the cat. With their paintbrushes and crochet hooks, the artists created everything from surreal portraits to tiny crocheted Stabathas.

Last week, after more than two months in foster care, Stabatha finally went to her furever home with her new dad, Robert Roman, and his family in Mount Laurel.

Shes a little hesitant to jump up on laps or furniture, but shell rub up against any legs or hands that are in reach, or wander near and meow for pats, Roman, 49, said. As Kyle noted, shes a very vocal kitty, talking to anyone she makes eye contact with or wants attention from.

Cassidy, a longtime foster cat dad, took Stabatha in after she kept showing up on his friends porch in West Philly in June. But Cassidy had to keep Stabatha on his enclosed front porch, separated from his own house cat, because Stabatha was diagnosed with feline leukemia virus (FelV), which is transmissible between cats.

 READ MORE: To find stray cat Stabatha a home, her West Philly foster dad is giving grants to artists for her portrait

Every morning when I wake up, and all throughout the day I find myself thinking Im not on the porch, Stabathas lonely, I need to get out there! and then realize that shes not there, Cassidy said. And every time I look at the door Im expecting to see her face out there peering in, waiting for me, but its just an empty room now.

While he misses the cat terribly, Cassidy said hes very glad he could help Stabatha in her time of need and help her find a home.

Foster homes are, I think, what animal rescues need the most, always. And who doesnt want to have a kitten for two weeks? he said. Its always a little sad when they go, but theyre off to live their best, best lives.

Roman said he saw Cassidys posts about Stabatha on Facebook and thought shed make a good addition to the home he shares with his wife, Alice, and two sons, Lucien, 15, and Viktor, 12. Since they dont have any other cats, Stabathas medical diagnosis was not an issue, he said.

Whether theyll keep the cats pointed name remains to be seen.

Were still not 100% sure; Lucien and I have kept calling her Stabatha, but Alice and Viktor have started using Tabatha instead, since shes not really a stabby-kitty, Roman said.

Only three of the 18 artists Cassidy paid microgrants to did not produce works, but those who did come through created everything from a portrait of Stabatha as a doctor fighting COVID-19 to a sculpture of her as a wizard, reading from a book of spells. People even submitted essays and epic poems about this stray, one of an estimated 400,000 stray cats in Philadelphia.

With the $253 he has left from the crowdfunding campaign, Cassidy said he plans to help pay off some of Stabathas medical bills.

Roman said Cassidys Stabatha art campaign was a really cool idea and his family may display some of the works created in their cats honor inside their home.

Although right now were just focused on making her feel welcome and getting to know her, he said.
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Dressed in scrubs with a mask, visor and gloves and surrounded by security guards, a devastated 26-year-old viewed her father's body today after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk refused to let her attend his funeral because of the state's draconian border closures.

Sarah Caisip, who lives in coronavirus-free Canberra, applied for an exemption last month to visit her sick father Bernard Prendergast in Brisbane - but it took 20 days to get approved and he died of liver cancer two days before her flight.

Ms Caisip, who is six days into her hotel quarantine stint in Brisbane, was banned from attending her father's funeral on Thursday because officials believe she is a Covid-19 risk even though the ACT has had no cases for 60 days.

Up to 100 family and friends were allowed to attend the 2pm service in Mount Gravatt but instead of standing alongside them to farewell her father, Ms Caisip was only granted a private viewing of his body, surrounded by guards and forbidden from seeing her shattered mother and 11-year-old sister.

The gut-wrenching scenes came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who lost his own father in January, called Ms Palaszczuk and asked her to let Ms Caisip attend the funeral. He choked back tears as he described the case as 'heartbreaking'.

The Queensland premier refused and then sensationally accused Mr Morrison of bullying and intimidating her. Ms Caisip said Ms Palaszczuk was 'destroying my life' and that she would never forgive her.

State Opposition leader Deb Frecklington, who also campaigned to let Ms Caisip go to the funeral, said she was 'disgusted' by the decision.

Sarah Caisip (in yellow) was allowed to have a private viewing of her father's body, dressed in PPE and with security guards minding her. She was not allowed to greet her family

Distraught: The 26-year-old was devastated that Premier Palaszczuk denied her the chance to say goodbye to her father

Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said on Thursday afternoon: 'We know that funerals are very, very high risk, for transmission of the virus.' Pictured: Ms Caisip attending a viewing of her father's body

Ms Caisip (pictured) was surrounded by security guards after she was escorted from hotel quarantine to view her father's body

Ms Caisip was granted a private viewing of her father's body, surrounded by security guards and without being allowed to see her mother and 11-year-old sister (both pictured)

Ms Caisip's mother (second left) and sister (left) attended the funeral without her there as she was banned from mingling with her family

Sarah Caisip is pictured with her father Bernard Prendergast, 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and mother Myrna Prendergast

Ms Caisip (pictured in the car on the way to a private viewing of her father's body) said Premier Palaszczuk has 'destroyed my life'

Mourners are seen at the funeral service for Bernard Prendergast in Brisbane on Thursday after Ms Caisip was not allowed to attend

Ms Frecklington said on Thursday: 'I'm absolutely disgusted that the Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Labor government has denied this young woman an exemption. This story is really hard to listen to.'

Queensland's borders are closed to Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT. Premier Palaszczuk faces an election next month and the tough borders are popular with most Queenslanders.

The state's chief health officer Jeannette Young, who is in charge of granting exemptions, said on Thursday afternoon that she is 'very risk averse'.

'We know that funerals are very, very high risk for transmission of the virus. The last thing I would want to happen is to have an outbreak at a funeral,' she said.

Dr Young said Ms Caisip's application for an exemption took 20 days because there are thousands submitted every day.

She said Canberra is declared a hotspot because 'it is in the middle of New South Wales, we know there are cases around them.'

Premier Palaszczuk has come under fire for inconsistency on border rules after letting actors including Tom Hanks as well as hundreds of AFL players, WAGs and staff enter Queensland via special luxury quarantine while keeping ordinary families apart.

I have given exemptions for people in entertainment and film because that is bringing a lot of money into this state Dr Young admits the government's border policy is motivated by money

Hanks, who caught the virus in Australia in March, is undergoing quarantine in an undisclosed location set up by the film industry after returning to Queensland from the US to continue filming Baz Lurhmann's Elvis Presley biopic.

Dr Young today admitted the government's border policy was influenced by money.

'I have given exemptions for people in entertainment and film because that is bringing a lot of money into this state,' she said.

Queensland has been rocked by dozens of heartbreaking cases of families being torn apart and lives being shattered by the border closure.

One 60-year-woman was forced to quarantine in a hotel after brain surgery in Sydney and a mother lost her unborn twin after she was flown 700km to Sydney for surgery because an exemption allowing her into Queensland took too long.

The prime minister has been trying to persuade Ms Palaszczuk - and other premiers - to relax their tough border controls, but under Australia's federal system he cannot overrule state governments.

In a radio interview with broadcaster Ray Hadley on Thursday morning, an emotional Mr Morrison revealed he asked the premier to show some compassion and let Ms Caisip go to the funeral.

'It's not about borders, it's not about federation, it's not about elections,' he told radio 2GB while holding back tears.

'The only thing that matters today is that Sarah can be with her family to mourn the passing of her father Bernard. This is a heartbreaking case.'

Mr Morrison said he appealed to the premier to change her mind. 'Surely in the midst of all of this heartache, and everything that everyone is going through, surely just this once it can be done,' he said.

'I just hope they change their mind and let Sarah go to the funeral.'

Premier Palaszczuk cheered and wooped when Brisbane was granted the AFL final and she let hundreds of staff enter the state

Partners, wives and family members of AFL players (pictured) arrived at the Gold Coast Airport in July. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been accused of 'double standards' for letting them in while keeping out border residents

Devastated mourners embraced at the funeral at Mount Gravatt on Thursday afternoon after Ms Caisip was banned from attending

The funeral went ahead on Thursday afternoon without Ms Caisip in attendance, leaving her 11-year-old sister to face the tough day without her older sibling. Pictured: Mourners arriving

Sarah Caisip (pictured), who lives in Canberra, is in hotel quarantine in Brisbane after getting an exemption to enter Queensland to visit her father who was dying of cancer

Ms Caisip was banned from going to the funeral (pictured) because she was not allowed to leave hotel quarantine

Ms Caisip wrote a furious letter to the Queensland premier accusing her of ruining her life. Pictured: The funeral

Mourners arrived for the funeral which Ms Caisip was banned from on Thursday afternoon

Australian state border restrictions Victoria: Completely open, but other states are banning residents from going there NSW: Border with Victoria is closed but others are open without restriction Queensland: Open to everywhere but Victoria, NSW, and the ACT Northern Territory: Open to everywhere but Victoria and Sydney, which must do hotel quarantine South Australia: Closed to Victoria, NSW arrivals must self-isolate, rest are open Tasmania: Closed to Victoria, everywhere else must do hotel quarantine Western Australia: Closed to everywhere without an exemption Advertisement

Mr Morrison seemed close to tears when he spoke about his own experience of loss.

'Sadly she wasn't able to see her father before he passed. All of us who have been through that process know how important that is. It's still fresh in my mind,' he said.

'It was Father's Day on the weekend and I'm just thinking if Sarah had to go through that day in a hotel in isolation and there she is today.'

The prime minister said: 'I have done all I can.

'There have been discussions with our chief medical officer and raising that with them and their health ministers.'

Mr Morrison said he has 'these types of conversations with premiers on a range of issues all the time'.

'I don't seek to make them public but I rang the premier this morning and I hope she will reconsider,' he said.

In the Queensland parliament on Thursday, Ms Palaszczuk accused the prime minister of 'bullying' her.

She said: 'I won't be bullied nor will I be intimidated by the prime minister of this country who contacted me this morning, and who I made very clear to the fact, that this is not my decision.

'I passed this onto the chief health officer, and it is the chief health officer's decision to make.'

Mr Morrison strongly rejected any accusation of bullying and said he just wanted Ms Caisip with be reunited with her sister and mother.

The prime minister has also spoken to Ms Caisip to offer her support and encouragement.

The 26-year-old earlier told 4BC Radio that she had planned to visit her dad for a father's day surprise but the exemption took 20 days to get approved.

'By the time they got back to me for the approval, dad had already passed away,' she said.

'I asked for an exemption just for a couple of hours to go to the funeral, I wasn't asking them to leave quarantine after that altogether.

'They said I shouldn't even be in Queensland because the exemption for me to come to Queensland was to say goodbye to my dying father, not to go to the funeral.'

Ms Caisip said she has spoken to six health officials and not one has shown her any empathy.

'Each and every single one of them did not help me nor show any compassion with my situation. They all just sounded like a robot,' she wrote on Facebook.

My little sister is now without my support and I will never forgive you Sarah Caisip's letter to the premier

'Am I going to the viewing of the body and or the funeral? No because my exemption to attend either was declined by Qld Health.'

In an open letter to the Queensland premier, Ms Caisip wrote: 'My dad is dead and you made me fight to see him, but it was too late and now you won't let me go to his funeral or see my devastated 11-year-old sister.

'You won't listen and your government is destroying my life.

'Now you are preventing me from going to view his body, which is a very important tradition for me, and also preventing me from going to his funeral this Thursday, even though I am in Brisbane in hotel quarantine and only a few kilometres away.

'I came from virus-free Canberra, so the fact that I'm even in quarantine is beyond belief but the fact that I am being denied my basic human rights to care for my grief-stricken mother and little 11-year-old sister enrages, disgusts and devastates me at the same time.

'My little sister is now without my support and I will never forgive you'.

Scott Morrison (pictured with wife Jenny) has asked Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to let a grieving daughter attend her father's funeral

The Queensland premier has come under fire from federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg and other government MPs for keeping the border closed to parts of New South Wales and the ACT that have no community transmission of coronavirus.

Ms Palaszczuk has adopted nationalist rhetoric, pitting her state against the rest of Australia and even declaring that Queensland hospitals are 'for our people'.

Ten days after that comment, a mother from Ballina, near the Queensland border, lost her unborn twin after she was flown 700km to Sydney for surgery because an exemption allowing her into Queensland took too long.

Then on Wednesday last week, the premier let hundreds of AFL players, WAGs and officials waltz into Queensland after clapping and wooping when Brisbane was handed the AFL grand final scheduled for 24 October.

Queensland grandmother Jayne Brown, 60, who was made to do hotel quarantine in in Brisbane following brain surgery, said the unfairness was 'mind-blowing'.

The state's chief health officer Jeanette Young has said a state would need to have 28 days with no community transmission before residents are allowed in to Queensland.

Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said it was a 'very, very high benchmark to set'.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: 'I don't know if we'll ever get to that number. They're putting on a pretty big ask during a pandemic.'

Last week Mr Frydenberg slammed Ms Palaszczuk's decision to allow the families of AFL players into the state.

'I think the Queensland Premier has got some questions to answer here,' he told A Current Affair.

'How can it be okay for people to go up to prepare for a footy game, and its not okay to go to hospital for treatment?'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 12:27:50|Editor: huaxia

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President of the Salvadoran Association of Friendship with China Manuel Flores poses during an interview with Xinhua in San Salvador, El Salvador, Sept. 8, 2020. (Photo by Alexander Pena/Xinhua)

SAN SALVADOR, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Solidarity has been a decisive factor in China's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, said President of the Salvadoran Association of Friendship with China Manuel Flores.

China has managed to control the virus with its high level of organization and the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the parliamentarian said in an interview with Xinhua.

"One of the things that surprised us was the quick way in which the government and the party responded to the people's demand for health," said Flores, adding that the CPC has shown coherence, discipline, organization, and loyalty since its founding.

Flores praised China's efforts to isolate the city of Wuhan and thereafter extend controls to other parts of the country to contain the disease, as well as its effective mobilization of health care personnel.

"China showed that with discipline, with organization, and with the scientific advances it has, it was able to contain COVID-19, and it has been an example for the world," he said.

Flores also appreciated the humanitarian aid China offered to other countries, saying it is of great help to the fight against the coronavirus worldwide.

He also mentioned that China has maintained production and trade during the pandemic while keeping sanitary measures in place, contributing to the stability of the world economy.

For this reason, he said, El Salvador and the rest of Latin America should further strengthen their ties with China in the future and follow China's example.

"(We should) coordinate, look for communication channels, look for effective links, find a way to incorporate China into our regional agenda once and for all," Flores added. Enditem
A leader in spine medicine for nearly three decades, Dr. Todd H. Lanman of Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery will serve as a faculty instructor for a Zoom-based online course on motion preservation, slated for October 2-3, 2020.

Dubbed the 2nd Annual Advances in Motion Preservation, and presented by the Seattle Science Foundation, this educational course is designed specifically for spine surgeons.

Some of the key topics to be covered during the course will include motion preservation and expanded indications for artificial cervical disc replacement. It will also offer extensive assessments of current and emerging trends in the science of spinal surgery as it relates to preserving spinal mobility.

Through the use of cadaveric and instructional didactics, participants will be taught of the finest evidence-based practices in the field, touching on arthroplasty, motion-preserving stabilization, laminoplasty and endoscopic techniques. They will also explore technological advances in the field of motion preservation spinal surgeries. Further, intriguing case discussions will be held regarding the application of virtual and augmented reality in assisting with spinal surgery.

Dr. Lanman, a global innovator often at the forefront of medical advances in the worlds of spinal medicine and artificial disc replacement, has been focused on helping his patients preserve motion and mobility through artificial disc replacement advances. He is also a physician who integrates into his own life what he practices and teaches, with four artificial disc replacement devices in his own body, in the lumbar and cervical spines.

Dr. Lanman has served as principal investigator on a number of FDA-endorsed clinical trials in the context of motion-preserving devices, including the Prestige LP and M6-C. In 2016, he became the first U.S. surgeon to perform Restorative Motion Surgery, an off-label indication involving the replacement of patients fusions with artificial disc devices, restoring near or total mobility and motion. He is currently presiding over two newly opened FDA-endorsed clinical trials for the Synergy and prodisc SK and Vivo, as principal investigator.

In July, Dr. Lanman was named one of the Top Doctors of 2020 by Los Angeles Magazine. He was honored with this accolade in view of his work in the advancement of spinal care, particularly in the field of artificial disc replacement. He has also been named a top doctor in the Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and Hemispheres in recent years, and honored as a Leader in Health Care by the Los Angeles Business Journal. He continues to serve as an associate professor at UCLA for the last two decades, and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and has authored book chapters. He is a frequent medical educator and expert contributor in the media. His Beverly Hills-based practice is affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Centers Institute for Spinal Disorders and the UCLA Medical Center.

For further information on Dr. Todd Lanman and Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery, visit http://www.spine.md.
Veteran reporter Carl Bernstein says that the contents of Bob Woodwards recorded interviews with president Donald Trump are more incriminating than the facts in the Watergate scandal that brought down president Richard Nixon.

Commenting on the latest book by his former reporting partner, Rage, Bernstein told CNNs Brianna Keilar that Trump is putting his own narrow presidential re-election efforts in front of the safety, health and wellbeing of the people of the United States.

Weve never had a president whos done anything like this before, he added in reference to the lack of a response to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bernstein points out that only a week after being told of the gravity of the situation Trump could have used the State of the Union speech before both houses of Congress to inform the American people that they faced a national emergency.

Instead, Bernstein says, the president put his own self-interest ahead of the health of the nation as documented in recorded conversations in what he describes as a dereliction of duty  even more so than the Nixon tapes in this instance.

Its going to be very hard to see how this cannot be addressed by Republicans in particular, he said, recalling how party leadership went to the White House and told president Nixon that he had to resign.

The facts here are even graver than Watergate, said Bernstein.

President Trump was informed of the seriousness of the coronavirus in an Oval Office briefing on 28 January.

He spoke before Congress on 4 February, and told Woodward on 7 February about how deadly the new virus was.

Publicly he continued to liken it to a seasonal flu, predicting it would soon disappear. It wasnt until weeks later that he acknowledged this was not an ordinary flu and that it could be transmitted through the air.

The Washington Post reports that in a later conversation with Woodward on 19 March, the president admitted that he wanted to downplay the danger of the virus.

Beginning in 1972, Woodward and Bernstein did much of the original news reporting on the Watergate scandal that led to the investigations in the Nixon presidency which resulted in his resignation in August 1974.
In this final blog post related to the release of a book I [Syler Thomas] co-authored with one of my oldest friends, Steven Tighe , The Small Group Leaders Quick guide to (Almost) Everything , targeted at leaders in a youth ministry, I want to discuss the idea of polite ministry.

Many youth ministries are what I call polite. The teenagers are generally well-mannered and kind to one another. They show up for events and itsfine. They learn some things they didnt know before. And then they go home, back to their best friends where theyre asking difficult questions and where they can really be themselves.

I have no interest in polite youth ministry. Heres a quote from the book:

If the best we can hope for is polite youth ministry, then honestly, whats the point? Jesus is calling us to join him in making disciples, not polite churchgoers. The goal of any effective youth ministry is transformational discipleship, and it most often happens in the context of a small group.

Theres not a shortcut to the kind of transformed disciples Jesus wants us to be. Some youth pastors are so excited about teaching that they dont step back to examine the big picture: were here to make disciples, not just teach students our lessons. Teaching is important, but only insofar as the teaching leads to transformed Jesus-followers. And in Stevens and my experience in youth ministry, transformational discipleship happens when students are connected to a healthy, thriving small group of some kind. And thriving small groups have well-equipped leaders.

More than just in youth ministry thoughisnt that what you want church to be? Dont you want to move past polite? I think of the brilliant and whimsical Annie Dillard quote: It is madness to wear ladies straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews.

When have you experienced this (for lack of a better term) deeper-than-polite church?

What changed in your experience to make it possible?
10 Sep 2020, 10:23 AM

Public sector bank services at doorstep; govt rolls out new banking features

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated doorstep banking services by public sector banks (PSBs). Banks aim to provide convenience to their customers and at their doorstep through call centre services, web portal and mobile app. Customers would also be able to track their service requests through these channels.

DCGI notice to Serum Institute after AstraZeneca halts Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trials

The central drug regulator Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Serum Institute of India (SII) for not informing it about AstraZeneca suspending the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in other countries and also for not submitting casualty analysis of the "reported serious adverse events". Human trials of the most promising COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed by the University of Oxford, have been put on hold after a UK participant had an adverse reaction to it.

Flipkart onboards 50,000 kirana stores ahead of festive season, Big Billion Days sale

E-commerce giant Flipkart has expanded its kirana onboarding programme ahead of the festive season and 'Big Billion Days' sale. Flipkart said it has on boarded more than 50,000 kirana stores to make deliveries in more than 850 cities this time. Its team has initiated contactless onboarding of kiranas via online application forms to boost their participation in the festive season.

Reliance Jio may launch 10 crore low-cost Android smartphones in December 2020

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd's (RIL) telecom unit-Reliance Jio is looking to roll out 10 crore (100 million) low-cost smartphones by December 2020. The low-cost phones will be built on Google's Android, as per a report by Business Standard. The phones which will be bundled by data packs are slated for December 2020 or early next year. It is not clear if these phones will have 4G or 5G connectivity.

Vehicle registrations dip 26.81% YoY in August; PV sales down 7%

Even as vehicle retail registrations declined 26.81 per cent year-on-year to 11,88,087 units in August, an improvement on month-on-month basis was seen owing to uptick in bookings in the wake of ongoing festivities, the data released by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) stated on Wednesday. The apex national body of automobile retail industry said the overall demand is still not equal to the pre-COVID levels, as despite abundant liquidity, the risk-averse mood of banks and NBFCs, coupled with stricter CIBIL scores, failed to capture the demand in August.

Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2021

US President Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize weeks after he offered to help broker peace between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Trump was nominated by a member of the Norwegian Parliament Christian Tybring-Gjedde. He wrote a letter to the Nobel Committee in which he said that the Trump government had played an important role in establishing better relations between UAE and Israel.
This year fits into a string of years that weve seen play out in California and other areas globally whereby warmer and drier fire seasons lead to drier fuels, and that provides a critical ingredient to fire activity, said John Abatzoglou, an expert on fires and climate at the University of California at Merced. Theres very little doubt that the card that weve drawn in terms of climate set the table in terms of what were seeing play out this year. And weve seen more and more years like this, partially as a result of human-caused climate change.
Lin-Manuel Miranda didn't have to look very far for inspiration when he was preparing to play Alexander Hamilton on Broadway.

According to the actor, he ended up channeling someone very near and dear to him while performing in the hit musical "Hamilton": his father, Luis Miranda.

Watch TODAY All Day! Get the best news, information and inspiration from TODAY, all day long.

"His relentlessness to keep going  that's what I keyed in on," he said in a new trailer for the documentary "Siempre, Luis," which TODAY exclusively premiered Thursday morning.

"When I was playing Hamilton, I was just playing my father. He's just relentless," the 40-year-old continued.

The documentary, whose title translates to "Always, Luis," profiles Miranda's 66-year-old father, who came to New York City in the '70s from Puerto Rico. The elder Miranda later worked in the mayor's administration as the director of Hispanic affairs.

In his career, Luis Miranda worked on the Senate campaigns of Hillary Clinton, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Luis Miranda, a founding partner of the consulting firm MirRam Group, has worked to represent the Hispanic community, something he addresses in the documentary's trailer.

"Not everyone wanted us here. I saw that as an opportunity to reach out to other Latinos to open government to them," he said.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and dad Luis Miranda (Walter McBride / Getty Images)

"Siempre, Luis" first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and is now making its debut on HBO on Oct. 6. In the documentary, Luis Miranda's wife and son both address his recent heart attack and encourage him to slow down a bit.

"I tell him, 'I don't want to be a widow. There isn't another you to replace you,'" his wife said.

But when his son asks how he is doing, Luis Miranda shrugs off the question and says, "Uh, I'm probably busier than I was before the heart attack."

In the documentary, Luis Miranda also makes his way to Puerto Rico to assist with relief efforts following Hurricane Maria in 2017.

"For me, Puerto Rico is this perfect place," he said. "I immediately saw it as my responsibility to rebuild the island."
Rafale aircraft being accorded water salute during its induction ceremony, in Ambala, Thursday.

Amid growing border tensions with China in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Air Force inducted five Rafale fighter jets at a glittering ceremony in the Ambala air base on Thursday.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria were among the dignitaries who attended the ceremony.

A traditional 'sarva dharma puja', a ceremonial 'water cannon salute' to the Rafale jets and an aerial display featuring various breathtaking manoeuvres by the aircraft marked their induction into the 17 Squadron of the IAF.

In a tweet, the IAF welcomed the "new bird" into its arsenal.

#RafaleInduction

IAF will formally induct the Rafale aircraft in the 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows' today at Air Force Station, Ambala.

New bird in the arsenal of IAF. pic.twitter.com/cd6k54KJJ0  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 10, 2020

The multi-role Rafale jets, built by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, are known for air-superiority and precision strikes.

The air force also tweeted a video showing glimpses of the Rafale in action with IAF.

#RafaleInduction

IAF has formally inducted the #Rafale aircraft in 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows' today, at Air Force Station, Ambala. The ceremony also marks #Rafales full operational entry into IAF.



Glimpses of the Rafale in action with IAF. pic.twitter.com/WfohU5vMET  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 10, 2020

A fleet of indigenously-developed combat jet Tejas and Sarang helicopter aerobatic team of the IAF too displayed a range of aerial manoeuvres demonstrating their agility at the ceremony.

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. A second batch of four to five Rafale jets are likely to arrive in India by November.

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala air base, the second one will be based at the Hasimara base in West Bengal. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.
The members of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) supported four-to-one a proposal to extend the setback for oil wells from homes and schools to 2,000 feetfour times the current buffer.

The COGCC is considering changes in the state regulations about oil and gas drilling in Colorado after the state passed in 2019 Senate Bill 181, which says that public health and welfare should be prioritized in the regulation of oil and gas drilling.

In the 2018 midterm elections, voters in Colorado were asked to vote on a ballot proposition to increase the setback distance for drilling oil and gas wells by five times to 2,500 feet, which would have put a lot of land off-limits for new developments. Back then, Proposition 112 requiring much greater setback distance failed with 56.75 percent of votes against, which was then a relief for Colorado drillers such as Anadarko, Noble Energy, and Devon Energy, who had sponsored the no camp in the campaign.

But with the 2019 bill, state regulators have to change some regulations in order to comply with that Senate Bill.

COGCCs chairman Jeff Robbins told The Colorado Sun that support for the extended setbacks for oil and gas wells from homes and schools is a paradigm shift which sends a signal to operators who ought to check in with the commission and local governments early on if their drilling plan would be doable.

Former COGCC director Dave Neslin, who represented the oil and gas industry, said at one of the commissions hearings this week that more distance from oil and gas wells will exponentially increase the amount of land that is off limits to oil and gas developments, and potentially lead to conflicts with local governments where wells should be located, The Denver Post reports.

Others in the oil industry criticized the commissions support for extended setbacks, with Dan Haley, president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, telling The Colorado Sun via email that The setback recommendation is completely arbitrary, not based on science, and is being made without any legitimate consideration of its impacts on working families across our state.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Awards ceremony - Tomoyuki Tada, Executive Officer of TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo



Fuel cell catalyst

TOKYO, Sept 10, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka) announced today that TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which operates the TANAKA Precious Metals manufacturing business, has won the "Award in Industry" under the FY2019 FCDIC Honoring System, which is run by the Fuel Cell Development Information Center (FCDIC). The award was given in recognition of the contribution TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo brought over the years to industries in the field of fuel cell catalysts.A certificate of commendation was presented at the "FY2019 FCDIC Honoring System Awards Ceremony" held on September 9th at Sola City Conference Center (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo). Tomoyuki Tada, Executive Officer of TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo, attended the awards ceremony, and Koichi Matsutani of the FC Catalyst Development Center, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo, gave a commemorative speech.The FCDIC Honoring System, which comprises four awards, were established in 2016 to commemorate the company's 30th year anniversary. The Award in Industry, Award in Science, Incentive Award and Special Achievement Award are presented to organizations and individuals who make marked contributions to promote fuel cell development and manufacturing, and to advance and develop the science and technology related to fuel cells. The aim of the awards is to grant the fuel cell technology development and support the promotion of the fuel cell systems.[Details of Prize Awarded (FY2019 FCDIC Honoring System - Award in Industry)]- Award type: Award in Industry- Awarded for: Contribution to industries in fuel cell catalyst field- Recipient: TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.TANAKA in the Development and Manufacture of Fuel Cell CatalystsAs a general precious metal manufacturer, TANAKA determined future potential for fuel cells as a next generation energy and started its research and development of fuel cell catalysts since the 1980s. TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo specializes in customizing products to respond to customers' requests. In coordination with industry and academia, TANAKA has maintained the global top share of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PFEC) in electrode catalysts for nearly 15 years. In 2019, TANAKA expanded its FC Catalyst Development Center, thereby enhanced its production capability.As the market of fuel cells expands, the demand for lower cost and high-quality products is increasing. TANAKA is continuously engaging in developing technology such as manufacturing process and analytical technique development. Going forward, TANAKA will improve fuel cell performance and develop catalysts with reduced amount of precious metals in order to supply products that contribute to enabling a hydrogen-based society that can aid in environmental conservation.TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Holding company of TANAKA Precious Metals)Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, TokyoRepresentative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEOFounded: 1885Incorporated: 1918*Capital: 500 million yenEmployees in consolidated group: 5,138 (FY2019)Employees: 221 (March 31, 2020)Net sales of consolidated group: JPY 1,149,604 million (FY2019)Main businesses of the group: The holding company at the center of TANAKA Precious Metals responsible for strategic and efficient group management and management guidance to group companies.URL: https://www.tanaka.co.jp/english/* TANAKA Holdings adopted a holding company structure on April 1, 2010.TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, TokyoRepresentative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEOFounded: 1885Incorporated: 1918Capital: 500 million yenEmployees: 2,393 (as of March 31, 2020)Sales: JPY 992,679,879,000 (FY2019)Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products.URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.comAbout TANAKA Precious MetalsSince its foundation in 1885, TANAKA Precious Metals has built a diversified range of business activities focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volumes of precious metals handled. Over the course of many years, TANAKA has not only manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry but also provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and resources. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies within and outside Japan work together with unified cooperation between manufacturing, sales, and technological aspects to offer products and services. Additionally, to make further progress in globalization, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo welcomed Metalor Technologies International SA as a member of the Group in 2016.As precious metal professionals, TANAKA Precious Metals will continue to contribute to the development of an enriching and prosperous society.The five core companies that make up TANAKA Precious Metals are as follows.- TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (pure holding company)- TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.- TANAKA Denshi Kogyo K.K.- Electroplating Engineers Of Japan, Limited- TANAKA Kikinzoku Jewerly K.K.Press release in PDF: http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/2020910.pdfPress InquiriesTANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/Source: Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd.Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
We know now that this wasnt just Trump being buffoonish and engaging in magical thinking. It was conscious deception. Publicly, Trump kept insisting that the virus would disappear. Privately, he told Woodward: I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

Of course, Trump usually loves creating panic  about immigrants, about antifa, about low-income people invading the suburbs. But there is one place he wants to maintain tranquillity  in the financial markets. Just stay calm, it will go away, he said on March 10. We want to protect our shipping industry, our cruise industry, cruise ships, we want to protect our airline industry. He added, A lot of good things are going to happen. The consumer is ready.

And so Trump lied to the country about the calamity that would soon overtake it. His administration didnt ramp up a national testing or contact-tracing program. He and his supporters pressured states to open up prematurely. A July Pew poll found that only 46 percent of Republicans and those who lean toward the Republican Party considered the coronavirus a major threat to public health, compared with 85 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaners. Trump could have made Republicans take the virus seriously. He chose not to.

Not long after attending the presidents June rally in Tulsa, Okla., the former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died of Covid-19. In August, whoever is maintaining Cains Twitter account tweeted, It looks like the virus is not as deadly as the mainstream media first made it out to be. It was Trump who made such a cultish commitment to denying the lethality of Covid-19 into a sign of loyalty. And all the time, he knew better.

Trump supporters may not care that their president has knowingly endangered them, withholding potentially lifesaving information that he readily confided to an elite Washington journalist. But that doesnt change the importance of what Woodward has captured on tape. Its now clear that just because Trump is lying to us, that doesnt mean hes lying to himself.

Trumps lies sabotaged efforts to contain the coronavirus, almost certainly leading to many more deaths than it would have caused under a minimally competent and non-sociopathic leader. On Sept. 9, there were 1,176 coronavirus deaths in the United States. In Canada, there were two.

When someones actions lead to the death of another, we evaluate that persons intent and state of mind in order to assign the right measure of blame. When a presidents actions lead to the deaths of thousands, we should do the same.
Iran may very soon be able to legally sell its domestically produced weapons to other countries, Forbes writes in the article What Weapons Might Iran Export After The U.N. Arms Embargo Expires? The U.N. Security Councils arms embargo against the Islamic Republic of Iran will expire on Oct. 18 under a resolution passed in 2015 after Iran agreed to a multilateral deal to curb its nuclear weapons development program. Security Council Resolution 2231 set up a process for the Iran arms embargo to end in five years and sanctions on its ballistic missile program to expire in eight.

The Security Council rejected efforts by the United States to extend this embargo in mid-August. Much speculation has been made about what kind of weapons Iran might try to buy to upgrade its aged conventional forces, a lot of which still operates equipment purchased from the U.S. and Britain in the 1970s. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency speculated that Iran could buy Russian S-400 air defense missiles along with Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets and T-90 main battle tanks.

However, Iran also wants to take the opportunity to export weapons it has developed. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir Hatami, in an interview published in the Iranian state-run press on Sept. 5, said that the lifting of the embargo will enable Tehran to export products [defined as weapons] and technical services.

But just what kind of weapons might Iran export after the embargos expiration?

Over the years, Iranians have made substantial progress in developing surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, so short and medium-range ballistic missiles are likely to be on the list of Iranian exports, said Sina Azodi, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Ph.D. candidate in International Relations. Iranians have also reverse-engineered anti-tank guided missile BGM-71 Toufan (1-5), which they previously sent to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Azodi also anticipates that light infantry weapons system and artillery systems, such as the Raad 155 mm self-propelled howitzer, will be on the market. I do, however, think that given the Iranians expertise in anti-tank and anti-ship missiles, those are on the top of the list, he said.

In addition to such systems, drones will definitely be one of the things that Iranians would be willing to sell to their allies. An August 2019 report in the Iranian press claimed that Russia is interested in buying some of Irans drones. Iran has produced several increasingly more advanced drones over the years that have been used in combat by its proxies Hezbollah in Syria and the Houthis in Yemen. Iranian loitering munitions (kamikaze drones) were also used alongside cruise missiles to devastate Saudi Arabian oil facilities in September 2019. Houthis also use similar drones in its attacks against the Saudi kingdom in recent years.

Iran has a diverse defense industry that consists of capabilities far beyond the more hyped drone and missile capabilities, said Sim Tack, a senior global analyst for Stratfor. The manufacturing of conventional artillery weapons and small arms, for example, has in the past been a significant track for exports or licensed production abroad, he added.

Then there is the question of who might buy Iranian weapons post-embargo

I think practically any country that is cut off from major arms markets and is looking for cheap and reliable weapon systems, Azodi said. My first bet is Venezuela, Syria, and I might add Lebanon, too. Tack pointed out that the number of countries interested in buying Iranian weapons is even more limited today than in the past. Close partners of Iran, such as Sudan, have been pulled out of alignment and would no longer be considered likely buyers of Iranian weaponry, he said.

Furthermore, competition from Russian and Chinese weapon systems will also make it more difficult for Iran to compete in the low-cost defense acquisitions realm that they operate in. Tack consequently anticipates that regimes friendly toward Tehran, such as the Assad regime in Syria and the Maduro regime in Venezuela, might still try and buy Iranian weapons. However, even if they do, their budgetary constraints will likely mean they wont purchase all that much.
Colorado Politics senior political reporter

Joey Bunch is the senior correspondent and deputy managing editor of Colorado Politics. His 32-year career includes the last 16 in Colorado. He was part of the Denver Post team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 and he is a two-time finalist.
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Linkedin Hanna Rantala (Reuters) Venice, Italy  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:08 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43ec8f2 2 Entertainment Ann-Hui,Hong-Kong,film,director,Love-After-Love,Venice-Film-Festival Free

Director Ann Hui has described her "fantastic struggle" to make her new film Love After Love as pro-democracy protests broke out in her home Hong Kong and then the global pandemic all but halted travel.

Hui, 73, will be awarded a Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement by the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday. Alberto Barbera, the festival's director, called her "one of Asia's most respected, prolific, and versatile directors".

Her new film is a tale of tortuous love and moral depravity within Hong Kong's high society before World War Two. Based on a short story by Eileen Chang, it centers on a young Shanghai schoolgirl who seeks help from a wealthy aunt.

Moving in with the temperamental and disillusioned former concubine, she gets sucked into her world of fancy parties, and ambiguous relations with rich, older men. She then falls in love with a troubled playboy. "When we first finished shooting, the protest movement in Hong Kong started ... every day we were hearing the tear gas from downstairs and we could even smell it and I had to return home every night through the subway," Hui said.

After five months of working through the protests, the pandemic then complicated post-production work, leaving the team relying on zoom meetings.

"We've hardly met and we've done it and it was, how to call it? Fantastic struggle."

Read also: Venice Film Festival to honor Tilda Swinton, Ann Hui

"It's a kind of a moving example of how film people work regardless of crossfires and everything, and we've tried our best to make the film despite great difficulties."

Hui has directed almost 30 feature films including Boat People, Ordinary Heroes and The Golden Era.

Barbera said Hui recounts with sensitivity "individual stories that interweave with important social themes such as those of refugees, the marginalized, and the elderly."

Hui said she wanted to leave it for her work to convey her political views.

"I think it's better for me not to comment too much on the situation itself because this film is invested by Chinese companies and they have allowed us to shoot this movie with immense moral complexity and it has passed censorship with very minor cuts," Hui said.
SOUTHFIELD, MI  Four firefighters involved in an erroneous declaration of death have filed a lawsuit to fight state sanctions against them, claiming protocols werent followed and their constitutional rights were violated.

Firefighter-paramedics Michael Storms and Scott Rickard and firefighter-EMTs Phillip Mulligan and Jake Kroll are plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit filed in federal court on Sept. 8 against Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Oakland County Medical Control Authority and several individuals.

On Aug. 23, Storms, Rickard, Mulligan and Kroll responded to a Southfield residence when Timesha Beauchamps family called 911 because she was having breathing problems on Aug. 23. She was declared dead by a doctor contacted via phone. Hours later, she was found to be alive at a funeral home. The paramedics licenses were suspended three days later while the EMTs were notified their licenses would be suspended.

The firefighters are asking the court to reinstate their licenses, prohibit the defendants from taking further action against them, declare that their rights were violated and order the defendants to pay their court and attorney fees, the lawsuit states.

Storms' and Rickards paramedic licenses were suspended on Aug. 26, according to the lawsuit. Mulligans and Krolls EMT licenses were not suspended at that time, but they were notified that they would be.

RELATED: 2 medics' licenses suspended in case of woman declared dead then found alive

The quick action to revoke Storms' and Rickards licenses was the result of health department employees exerting pressure on county medical control to act swiftly because the state agency had already decided that it was going to take action against the plaintiffs, the lawsuit claims.

On Aug. 23, the plaintiffs responded to Beauchamps residence after her family called 911 because she was having breathing problems.

The 20-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, was declared dead by a doctor who the crew contacted by phone. Beauchamp was in a body bag for two hours before a funeral home worker who was preparing to embalm her realized she was alive. She was rushed to a hospital where she remains in critical condition.

RELATED: Michigan woman discovered alive at funeral home was in body bag for two hours, attorney says

Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee previously said he shares the familys anguish, while insisting the paramedics acted appropriately. Last week, he pointed to Lazarus syndrome - the name for when people come back to life without assistance after attempts to resuscitate have failed - as a possible explanation for the strange events.

RELATED: Chief describes Lazarus syndrome of Michigan woman declared dead, found alive

According to license suspension documents from the health department, Storms stopped resuscitation efforts six minutes before getting permission from the doctor who was contacted by phone. He also misled the doctor by giving a false description of vital signs.

RELATED: Paramedic misled doctor in declaring alive woman dead, state says

After Beauchamp was declared dead, Storms was called back into the home twice because family members saw her breathing, felt or a pulse or noticed other signs of life, the documents state. The first time, Storms placed her on a monitor that clearly showed she was alive, but no action was taken, the report said. The second time, he indicated that Beauchamps visible chest movement was normal due to her medication. In both instances, Storms failed to recognize the patient was still alive.

According to the documents, funeral home staff saw her chest moving when they picked up the body, the state said, but the family told them the medical crew had assured them she was dead.

The firefighters' complaint contests those findings and claims that the agencies irreparably violated the plaintiffs' constitutional rights to due process in depriving them of their professional licenses, employment and careers.

The city of Southfield, with the help of outside legal counsel, is conducting its own investigation into the events that led to Beauchamp being declared dead, Michael Manion, city community relations director, said in a statement obtained by WXYZ Detroit. The health departments investigation is also ongoing, he said, but the agency hasnt provided the city with requested information.

The lawsuit is meant to compel the defendants to provide their findings and other information previously requested, Manion said. It also seeks to order the defendants to comply with their own protocols, which have not been followed in this case.

READ MORE:

Six months ago coronavirus changed everything

Michigan will not soften coronavirus response until there is a vaccine, Gov Whitmer says

$300 weekly unemployment money one step closer as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs bill
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday presented medals to four individuals for their outstanding contributions to the country's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

In China, professionals and intellectuals enjoy a high status; the government recognizes their contribution, and society gives them due respect and honor. Scholars and scientists have played a vital role in the course of China's rapid development. The government provides an enabling environment of dignity and comfort, while they apply their professionalism and full potential in building the nation and serving the people.

The Chinese leadership is visionary, and understands the intensity and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it has taken the issue seriously, attaching great importance to advice from experts. Professionals, scientists, and scholars were the core of the frontline teams fighting in the war against COVID-19.

The Chinese government, the whole of society, and ordinary people all took part in a campaign to defeat COVID-19, and their struggle was eventually successful.

The right approach was crucial to ensuring victory in the war against the virus, as the Chinese government made human life a priority, and was even prepared to suffer economic losses to save as many lives as possible. Being able to pick the right team, which included professionals, scientists, doctors, and intellectuals, was one of the primary reasons for the Chinese success in overcoming the pandemic.

In some countries, the leadership was not able to assess the real threat posed by the pandemic and was overly relaxed in its approach. This was especially the case in the US, where the Trump administration mishandled the pandemic and made it the worst hit country in the world. As a result, they suffered considerable losses both to human life and to the economy. Although the US has an abundance of experts and professionals like Dr. Anthony Fauci, his expert advice was not taken seriously. President Trump instead politicized the issue and did not take the threat seriously. He touted various medicines as a cure for COVID-19 without consulting or seeking any advice from experts, did not take appropriate preventive measures and ignored the advice from scientists and intellectuals. He also overlooked the importance of using masks and maintaining social distancing. As a result, loyal and sincere scientists like Dr. Fauci, a renowned expert in infectious diseases, often felt frustrated and helpless. In the US, scientists and professionals were marginalized, while in China, they were not only rewarded but also honored, and their social status lifted.

Professionals who have played an important role and made immense contributions deserve to be acknowledged. China did this by arranging an award ceremony, which was attended by the highest level of leadership. President Xi Jinping not only gave them awards but shook hands with them and praised them. This act will motivate and encourage others to follow in their footsteps. They are our heroes, and also the heroes of humanity. We congratulate them. We also commend and give gratitude to all those who contributed in any way to the fight against COVID-19.

The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to People's Daily Online.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a senior fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. E-mail: [email protected]
Have you heard? Bob Woodwardpause for reverential ooohs and aaahs herehas a new book out, with the claim that Trump lied about COVID-19 when it first erupted way back in early February. Trump admits he lied about COVID-19 threat in new Woodward book, says the Puffington Host headline.

But what did he actually say according to the story?

You just breathe the air and thats how its passed, Trump said in a Feb. 7 call with Woodward. And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flu. This is deadly stuff, he repeated. I wanted to always play it down, Trump told Woodward on March 19, according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

Normally avoiding a public panic would be a reason for praise, but people afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome cant help themselves.

Remember that this statement was made around the time that Trump halted flights from China, and Europe shortly thereafter. And what did the media and Democrats say? Xenophobia! Racism! Unnecessary! Keep in mind that as late as March 15 NYCs Communist Mayor Bill de Blasio was still telling people to attend the St. Patricks Day Parade, and San Francisco Democrats were telling people that its no problem to attend Chinese New Year. Ask yourself: if Trump had sounded a larger alarm than he did (with the CDC having blown the test regime), just imagine what Democrats and their media toadies would have said. Theyd accuse Trump of whipping up panic for political reasons.

Meanwhile, have you heard that the recent Sturgis, South Dakota annual motorcycle meetup has unleashed a COVID wave an order of magnitude larger than all the Black Lives Matter protests and rallies put together? (Funny how protests are immune from spreading COVID.) More than 250,000 new cases! Which would be a spread rate a couple orders of magnitude higher than any country has experienced even in a New York nursing home. Thats the claim of this study from. . . Germany. Germany? Needless to say, this study has received the usual credulous coverage in our media.

Reason magazine has the dope on these dopes, who appear to be using a climate model or something:

According to South Dakota health officials, 124 new cases in the stateincluding one fatal casewere directly linked to the rally. Overall, COVID-19 cases linked to the Sturgis rally were reported in 11 states as of September 2, to a tune of at least 260 new cases, according to The Washington Post. There very well may be more cases that have been linked to the early August event, but so far, thats only 260 confirmed casesabout 0.1 percent of the number the IZA paper offers. . . The researchers also assumed a $46,000 price tag for each person infected to calculate the $12.2 billion public health cost of the eventbut this figure would only make sense if every person had a severe case requiring hospitalization.

Tonights special bonuswatch Elon Musk stoop to hand Robert Reich his head:
Donald Trump boasted that North Korean premier Kim Jong-un tells me everything and even gave the president a graphic account of how he had his own uncle assassinated, a new book by journalist Bob Woodward has revealed.

Excerpts from Mr Woodwards book Rage were released, based on 18 interviews the associate editor at The Washington Post conducted with Mr Trump between December and July.

According to The Washington Post, Mr Woodward wrote that the president was impressed by Mr Kim when he first met him in Singapore in 2018.

Mr Kim ordered the execution of his uncle and senior government official Jang Song Thaek in 2013, reportedly for suspected disloyalty to the current regime.

The president dismissed intelligence officials assessments that the reclusive country would never give up its nuclear weapons when he decided to engage with the North Korean leader in nuclear arms talks.

He told Mr Woodward that the CIA has no idea how to handle Pyongyang and also dismissed criticism about his three meetings with Mr Kim, cleaning the summits were no big deal.

It takes me two days. I met. I gave up nothing, he said, likening North Koreas attachment to its nuclear arsenal to somebody who is in love with a house and they just cant sell it.

Mr Woodward also gained access to 25 letters exchanged between Mr Trump and Mr Kim, which were described by the president as love letters.

According to CNN, which reported it obtained transcripts of two of the letters, Mr Kim addresses Mr Trump as Your Excellency and is liberal in his use of flowery language when describing his relationship with the president.

Following their first meeting in Singapore, Mr Kim wrote: Even now I cannot forget that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellencys hand at the beautiful and sacred location as the whole world watched with great interest and hope to relive the honour of that day.

The two leaders met a total of three times, in Singapore, Vietnam and the Demilitarised Zone dividing North and South Korea, marking one of the Trump administrations most notable foreign policy legacies.

The meetings took place following an escalation in provocation by North Korea with its missile tests in 2017 and Mr Trump responding by taunting Mr Kim as a Little Rocket Man on Twitter. In a now-famous tweet, Mr Trump threatened to respond to Pyongyang with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Mr Trump told Mr Woodward in December 2019 that his decision to meet with Mr Kim averted the war, and America wouldve been in a major war if he was not the president.

But then-defence Secretary James Mattis called Mr Trumps initial taunting of Mr Kim unproductive, childish and dangerous, wrote Mr Woodward.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Aam Aadmi Party national spokesperson and MLA Raghav Chadha on Thursday launched a vociferous attack against the BJP-led central government over alleged serving of demolition notices to slum dwellers in Delhi.

Chadha alleged that the BJP-ruled Centre is issuing notices asking the slum dwellers to vacate their houses by this month. He said that these notices issued by BJP are inhuman, illegal and unconstitutional.

He assured that the Kejriwal government in Delhi would not let a single slum dweller lose his home. He said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is making a plan of action for the slum dwellers and this policy will ensure that no slum dweller's house is demolished.

He also said that if there is a need then AAP will move the Supreme Court and also fight this battle on the streets.

"I want to tell the people of Delhi who stay in the slums that the Kejriwal government is the first government in the country which accepted the slum dwellers of the national capital as its family members. CM Arvind Kejriwal is not only the Chief Minister in the eyes of Delhi's slum dwellers but also an elder brother. Kejriwal will never allow any suffering of these people. The Kejriwal government will never do anything to harm the people who stay in the slums of Delhi," Chadha said.

"The BJP is issuing such notices across the national capital which are threatening the slum dwellers that their houses will be demolished within this month. These notices are against humanity and also illegal. These notices are against the basic principles of the Constitution which allows every citizen to have a life with dignity."
A dozen candidates were given the go-ahead on Wednesday to contest presidential elections next month in Guinea, where 82-year-old incumbent Alpha Conde is seeking a controversial third term.

Approval by the constitutional court marks a key step towards polling day on October 18 in one of Africa's most volatile countries.

The elections have already been overshadowed by a row over the president's future, and a split that emerged on Wednesday within anti-Conde ranks is set to add to the tension.

The court approved 12 applications that had been filed by the Tuesday midnight deadline, excluding a 13th bid, submitted by a minority candidate, on medical grounds.

Conde this year pushed through a revamped constitution that opponents say was crafted to get around a two-term limit for presidents.

Last week he ended months of speculation by confirming that he would seek a third term despite protests in which dozens have been killed.

The National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), an anti-Conde coalition of parties, labour unions and civil society groups, has been campaigning against the revision which it has denounced as a constitutional coup.

The FNDC on Wednesday said that it was removing figures who had decided to run in the election from the group.

These include former premier and leading opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, 68.

The FNDC's coordinator, Abdourahmane Sanoh, said the organisation "took note" of any decision by its members to take part in the election on October 18.

"This decision obviously results in their intentional withdrawal from the movement," he told the press.

Deadly crackdown

Under Guinea's constitution, presidents may only serve two terms.

But the new constitution, approved in a referendum, provided Conde and his party with the argument that the presidential term counter had been reset, entitling him to run for a third term.

Protests against Conde's suspected plans erupted in October last year but were met with a ruthless crackdown, and several dozen people have died.

The exact number of dead is unclear -- the FNDC said Wednesday that 93 people had been killed and hundreds injured and imprisoned.

Conde is a former opposition figure who was jailed under previous regimes.

The West African state is rich in minerals but plagued by entrenched poverty and a history of instability since it gained independence from France in 1958.

Hopes of a new political dawn flowered when Conde became Guinea's first democratically-elected president in 2010.

But critics say he has become increasingly authoritarian, resorting more and more frequently to crackdowns to quell dissent in his second term.
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Visual impairment or legal blindness affects a sizable 4.2 million Americans. That number is expected to double by 2029, when the youngest baby boomers turn 65. As more Americans require assistive technology to access government information -- tax documents, benefits and other important documents -- government agencies must meet rising demand to serve this population, improve user experience and avoid legal action for failing to comply with accessibility requirements.

In this two-part series, well explore how document accessibility software allows governments to make any document, delivered via any channel, accessible to those who are blind or partially sighted. This first article will focus on the process of making transactional documents -- such as tax bills, account notices and payment confirmations -- accessible. We will wrap up the series with a look at static documents -- those items often housed on a website like tax codes, building codes, rate sheets, and forms -- as well as where document accessibility technology is headed in the future.

Given how many Americans depend on assistive technology to access important information, providing accessible documents is unquestionably the right thing to do. For many government agencies, its also the law. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires all government entities and contractors that receive federal funding to comply with its provisions and provide documents to constituents in a form they can utilize. For individuals who are blind or partially sighted, accessible formats may include PDF or HTML5, braille, large print, e-text and audio files.

While most government agencies already comply with these requirements, the Department of Justice has stepped up prosecutions against non-compliant organizations. In addition, private litigation for discrimination is on the rise. Costs of non-compliance include legal expenses, fines and loss of federal funding; some courts provide timelines for compliance that can increase these costs. Given the high price of non-compliance, government agencies have good reason to voluntarily adopt measures before the DOJ or a constituent takes them to court.

Non-compliance can be expensive, but using manual processes to tag and reformat documents for accessibility is also time-consuming and labor-intensive, making compliance a monumental challenge for agencies that lack the budget or personnel to manage thousands of documents, some of which run to hundreds of pages. Adopting accessibility software and automating processes can increase compliance by dramatically reducing the amount of time and effort it takes to convert and remediate documents.

So, what exactly is this technology and how does it work? When we talk about document accessibility solutions, we are referring to software that converts documents into media that can be consumed by individuals who are blind, partially sighted or have cognitive impairments. The process starts with a template and set of business rules that create an accessible version of the original document. For PDF and HTML documents, this involves tagging the content for identification by assistive technology. The next step is to properly define elements such as headings, list elements, table and landing page links. Agencies must also correctly set the reading order so that it makes sense to the reader and add alternate text to graphics so that people with visual impairments can understand the images others see. Another important step is to mark as artifacts any elements not needed by the recipient, so they will be ignored by assistive technology.

Worried about security? Document accessibility solutions are no more vulnerable to attack than other software. Typically, the accessibility software runs behind the firewall and is a part of either the document creation process or in the portal that serves up the documents to users.

However, the real benefits of document accessibility software become apparent when considering the amount of time it takes -- days or even weeks -- to remediate documents manually. Government agencies that fail to provide accessible documents in a timely manner can be sued for discrimination, so these delays can be particularly costly. Furthermore, manual remediation itself can be expensive, ranging from $5 to $30 per page, depending on the complexity of the document. Factoring in the high cost of non-compliance, the expense of manual remediation and the time it takes to do it, adopting document accessibility software is well worth the investment.

Although this technology has significant advantages over manual remediation, agencies must still build templates for each type of document, which can take anywhere from several hours to several weeks. They may also experience a very slight increase in the time it takes to process documents (approximately 50-100 milliseconds per document). In most cases, this increase can be mitigated by remediating documents simultaneously with other standard document assembly processes. Where concurrent processing isnt possible, batch processing that occurs offline can minimize disruptions to the workflow.

When selecting document accessibility software, agencies should look for a solution with a graphical user interface that is optimized to create business rules for converting documents into accessible formats. The software should provide automation capabilities to simplify complex field identification and table layout and trigger business rules. It should also allow users to create rules for adding alternate text and setting the reading order.

With demand for accessible documents expected to double within this decade, government agencies can meet the needs of constituents and avoid costly penalties by voluntarily remediating their documents. Adopting document accessibility software that automates the process can greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to remediate documents. More importantly, making documents accessible is the right thing to do for millions of Americans who rely on this information to manage their affairs and live independent lives.
Richard Yu, CEO of the consumer division at Huawei, delivers a keynote at the Huawei Developer Conference on September 10, 2020. Huawei launched the second version of its HarmonyOS operating system. Huawei

GUANGZHOU, China  Huawei launched the second version of its own operating system on Thursday and it will be run on its smartphones for the first time next year as an alternative to Google's Android. Last year, Huawei took the wraps off HarmonyOS, its own cross-device operating system. It came after the company was put on the U.S. Entity List, a blacklist that restricted some U.S. companies from selling their products to the Chinese tech giant. Google suspended business activity with Huawei, forcing the firm to release flagship smartphones without a licensed version of the U.S. company's Android operating system. That's not a big deal in China where Google services like Gmail or search are blocked. But, it is important in Huawei's international markets where consumers are used to using such apps. While Huawei became the number one smartphone maker in the world in the second quarter, most of that was thanks to the China market with its huge population, while international markets saw a sharp decline. "Maybe starting from next year we will see smartphones with HarmonyOS," Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer division, said during a keynote speech on Thursday. In a follow-up message to CNBC, he confirmed that HarmonyOS would run on Huawei's new phones in 2021.

HarmonyOS 2.0

Huawei touts HarmonyOS as a mobile operating system that can work across a number of different devices. Developers only need to create one version of the app that ports across multiple pieces of hardware, the company claims. On Thursday, Huawei launched HarmonyOS 2.0 and said that a beta version of the operating system will be open to developers, even Huawei's rivals, for devices like smartwatches, TVs, and in-car head units from September 10 and for smartphones in December. From those dates, developers will be able to experiment and develop apps for HarmonyOS.

Bryan Ma, vice president of devices research at IDC, said that device makers might be interested in having HarmonyOS as a "fallback option" in case they face similar bans on using Google. But they might not necessarily want to work with Huawei. "On the other hand, they'll think twice about working with an arch-rival that has so aggressively competed with them in China over the past year. I think they will explore their options but not commit until there is more clarity on how U.S. policy might change next year," Ma told CNBC by email.

Question marks overseas
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstan has exported 194 tons of petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons worth to Bulgaria countries to 64,263 euros in June 2020, Eurostat representative told Trend.

In turn, overall 1H2020 petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons export from Kazakhstan to Bulgaria amounted to 4,939 tons worth 1.6 million euros.

Thus, compared to May 2020 the export volume decreased by 38.5 percent (316 tons), whereas compared to Jan. 2020 the volume decreased by 84.5 percent (1,261 tons).

The value of petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons export from Kazakhstan to Bulgaria was 18 percent less than in May 2020 (78,424 euros), and 88.2 percent less than in Jan. 2020 (545,050 euros).

The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Bulgaria amounted to $142.6 million over 1H2020, compared to $221.1 million during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export to Bulgaria amounted to $129.4 million over the period from January through June 2020, compared to $196.6 million during the same period of 2019.

In turn, Kazakhstans imports from Bulgaria slightly exceeded $13.2 million over the reporting period, compared to $24.4 million during the same period of 2019.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General James McConville, attends a press briefing at Romanian Defence Ministry in Bucharest, Romania, on Aug. 7, 2020. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

Trump told reporters at Monday's White House briefing that senior leaders in the Pentagon probably did not like him "because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy."

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Army's top general on Tuesday defended military leaders after President Donald Trump's claim that Pentagon leaders sought wars to please defense industries.

"I can assure the American people that the senior leaders would only recommend sending our troops to combat when it is required in national security and a last resort," Army Chief of Staff James McConville said in a virtual conversation with Defense One.

"We take this very, very seriously in how we make our recommendations," he added.

McConville's comment came a day after Trump said that "top people in the Pentagon" sought wars to make defense industries profitable.

File photo taken on July 11, 2018 shows the Pentagon seen from an airplane over Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Trump told reporters at Monday's White House briefing that senior leaders in the Pentagon probably did not like him "because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy."

"But we're getting out of the endless wars," he added.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Tuesday clarified that Trump's earlier comments were more "directed about the military-industrial complex" than specific individuals.

U.S. media, however, noted that President Trump has a consistent record in promoting arms deals between U.S. defense manufactures and foreign governments as well as putting prominent figures in the military-industrial complex to senior positions in his administration.

Trump's remarks also came days after an article published in The Atlantic, quoting anonymous sources, said that Trump disparaged slain U.S. service members by referring to them as "losers" and "suckers." Trump and White House officials have vehemently denied the report.
We are pleased to recognize Dr. Erik Alexander as a UroLift Center of Excellence for his commitment to providing consistent care to BPH patients using the UroLift System treatment, said Dave Amerson

NeoTract, a wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE:TFX) focused on addressing unmet needs in the field of urology, today announced that Erik Alexander, M.D., Arizona Urology Specialists in Scottsdale, AZ, has been designated as a UroLift Center of Excellence. The designation recognizes that Dr. Alexander has achieved a high level of training and experience with the UroLift System and demonstrated a commitment to exemplary care for men suffering from symptoms associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate.

Recommended for the treatment of BPH in both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines, the FDA-cleared Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure using the UroLift System is a proven, minimally invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH. The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during a transurethral outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction and open the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue.

The UroLift Center of Excellence program is designed to highlight urologists who are committed to educating their patients on BPH and the UroLift System as a treatment option and consistently seek to deliver excellent patient outcomes and experiences.

We are pleased to recognize Dr. Erik Alexander as a UroLift Center of Excellence for his commitment to providing consistent care to BPH patients using the UroLift System treatment, said Dave Amerson, president of the Teleflex Interventional Urology business unit. This achievement has helped many patients experience durable, long- term relief from the burdensome symptoms of BPH while preserving sexual function*1,2.

Over 40 million men in the United States are affected by BPH, a condition that occurs when the prostate gland that surrounds the male urethra becomes enlarged with advancing age and begins to obstruct the urinary system. Symptoms of BPH often include interrupted sleep and urinary problems and can cause loss of productivity, depression and decreased quality of life.

Medication is often the first-line therapy for enlarged prostate, but relief can be inadequate and temporary. Side effects of medication treatment can include sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches, prompting many patients to quit using the drugs. For these patients, the classic alternative is surgery that cuts, heats or removes prostate tissue to open the blocked urethra. While current surgical options can be very effective in relieving symptoms, they can also leave patients with permanent side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and retrograde ejaculation.

About the UroLift System

The FDA-cleared UroLift System is a proven, minimally invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during a minimally invasive transurethral outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction and open the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue. Clinical data from a pivotal 206-patient randomized controlled study showed that patients with enlarged prostate receiving UroLift implants reported rapid and durable symptomatic and urinary flow rate improvement without compromising sexual function*1,2. Patients also experienced a significant improvement in quality of life. Over 100,000 men have been treated with the UroLift System in the U.S. Most common adverse events reported include hematuria, dysuria, micturition urgency, pelvic pain, and urge incontinence. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure. The Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure using the UroLift System is recommended for the treatment of BPH in both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines. The UroLift System is available in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. Learn more at http://www.UroLift.com.

About NeoTract | Teleflex Interventional Urology

A wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated, the Interventional Urology Business Unit is dedicated to developing innovative, minimally invasive and clinically effective devices that address unmet needs in the field of urology. Our initial focus is on improving the standard of care for patients with BPH using the UroLift System, a minimally invasive permanent implant system that treats symptoms while preserving normal sexual function*1,2. Learn more at http://www.NeoTract.com.

About Teleflex Incorporated

Teleflex is a global provider of medical technologies designed to improve the health and quality of peoples lives. We apply purpose driven innovation  a relentless pursuit of identifying unmet clinical needs  to benefit patients and healthcare providers. Our portfolio is diverse, with solutions in the fields of vascular and interventional access, surgical, anesthesia, cardiac care, urology, emergency medicine and respiratory care. Teleflex employees worldwide are united in the understanding that what we do every day makes a difference. For more information, please visit http://www.teleflex.com.

Teleflex is the home of Arrow, Deknatel, Hudson RCI, LMA, Pilling, Rusch, UroLift and Weck  trusted brands united by a common sense of purpose

For Teleflex Incorporated: Jake Elguicze, 610.948.2836

Treasurer and Vice President, Investor Relations

Media:

Nicole Osmer, 650.454.0504

nicole@healthandcommerce.com

*No instances of new, sustained erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction

1. Roehrborn, J Urology 2013 LIFT Study

2. McVary, J Sex Med 2016

MAC00968-01 Rev A
Huawei has announced that HarmonyOS, the companys alternative to Googles commercial Android, will be coming in 2021.

At Huaweis developer conference in Shenzhen, Huawei said that the operating system is available to developers of smartwatches, cars, and TVs starting from today.

A version of HarmonyOS for smartphones will be available to developers at the end of the year.

The operating system was first announced in 2019.

Its apparent ability to work across various platforms and devices makes it "completely different from Android and iOS", according to Huawei CEO Richard Yu, who said it will also be completely open source.

"You can develop your apps once, then flexibly deploy them across a range of devices," he said at the time.

The Chinese technology giant has also said it is launching OpenHarmony, allowing developers to build on an open-source version of the operating system.

This is similar to the Android Open Source Project - a version of Android that does not have Googles commercial apps like YouTube or the Play Store  which is the foundation for Amazons Fire tablets and Huaweis smartphones such as the P40 Pro Plus.

Currently, it is unclear what benefits HarmonyOS will have over Googles Android service.

The companys EMUI 11 software  a layer over open source Android  will likely prove the basis of the operating system.

It currently allows for quick file transfer between Huawei smartphones and laptops, mirroring your phone screen to external displays such as televisions, and has its own voice assistant called Celia.

HarmonyOS will offer interoperability between devices made by Huawei and those made by Honor  a Huawei subsidiary.

In 2019, Huawei debuted the Honor Vision and Honor Vision Pro, two televisions which ran the first version of HarmonyOS.

Huawei has had to develop its own operating system due to restrictions placed on the company by president Donald Trump.

The order, called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, was implemented in May 2019.

The result of the order, which has now been extended until May 2021, meant that Google cannot provide Huawei with access to Google Mobile Services and therefore popular apps such as Maps and YouTube are not available on Huawei phones.

The reasons for such a ban are similar to those aimed at TikTok and WeChat: concerns over national security, which the Chinese firms have denied, mired in geopolitical and economic conflict between the US and China.
The Pramod Sawant-led Goa governments decision to issue a circular warning its employees against signing petitions, representations or taking part in campaigns against the states policies have drawn flak from opposition parties

The opposition dubbed the move as purported bids to gag the state government employees.

[The] right to protest against injustice is [a] democratic right of every citizen. The Goa government must withdraw [the] ban on protest order and ensure that hardworking government employees are given full support in these testing times because the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic and are not forced to protest, tweeted Digambar Kamat, the leader of the opposition in the Goa legislative assembly.

Also read: Goas Sindhu Prabhudesai Nayak among winners of national teachers awards

The Goa Forward Party (GFP), an opposition outfit, has also spoken against the state governments alleged draconian move.

This is about civil liberties. The way the government is issuing orders to muzzle voices is fascism of the highest order. These are state government employees and not bonded labourers, alleged Durgadas Kamat, spokesperson, GFP.

On Wednesday, the state government had issued a circular directing employees not to involve in any agitations or campaigns, which would amount to the criticism of the government, or to sign and submit representations without routing it through proper channels.

The government had warned that any violation of the Central Civil Service (CCS) (Conduct) Rules, 1964 will attract disciplinary action.

The CCS (Conduct) rules, 1964, have a provision by which a government employee can express h/his opinion for consideration of the government. It is imperative that all government employees adhere to the provisions of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, scrupulously as its violation will attract disciplinary action, Sanjeev C Gauns Dessai, director, vigilance, Goa, had stated in his circular that was sent to all heads of departments and government undertakings.

The government cited no specific instances but only stated that a number of government employees are getting involved in agitations, campaigns against its politics and signing petitions to that effect.

While the circular doesnt give any specific instance or violation of the rules, government employees, especially those at the state secretariat, have recently agitated after they were made to work without any compliance with social distancing norms amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in the state.

Later, the government paid heed to their demands and ordered that not more than 50% of the secretariat staff should come for work on a day and also introduced a rotational presence of workforce until the pandemic-induced healthcare crisis blows over.

A delegation of state government employees, through their association, had also called on then Goa governor Satya Pal Malik when the state government had decided to scrap a housing loan scheme as part of an austerity drive because of the viral outbreak.

Several employees had also raised their voice against government-run projects, especially within the wildlife sanctuaries, raising concerns about the destruction of the tiny coastal states fragile ecosystem.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday expressed displeasure over the alleged parallel investigation being run by journalist Arnab Goswami on his TV channel in the death of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar.

"People must take a course in criminal trial and then get into journalism. It is not a reflection on the plaintiff (Tharoor) but the investigating agency. Can there be a parallel investigation or trial?... Would you not like the courts to take their own course," said a single judge bench of Justice Mukta Gupta.

The court also observed that responsible journalism is the need of the time while adding that it was not saying that anyone will gag the media but at the same time, the sanctity of the investigation must be maintained. "Can the media sit in appeal against the charge sheet filed by an investigating agency?" the bench asked.

The observations came in while the bench was hearing a plea filed by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor seeking an interim injunction against Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, from making defamatory remarks against him.

The court also said: "Please show restraint. Once the police investigation is going on in the criminal case, there cannot be a parallel investigation by the media." The senior Congress leader was aggrieved of the broadcast of the programmes naming him on the TV channel in July and August. In the said programmes, Goswami has claimed that they have investigated the Pushkar case better than the police and that he still has no doubt that Tharoor's wife was murdered.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a five-star hotel in south Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.
batladanny BHPian



Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Bangalore Posts: 138 Thanked: 717 Times

My experience: Travelling 1000 km with a cat



Post covid, airlines had stopped allowing pets in cabins and I could only take her in the cargo. She had traveled once previously in flight cargo and it was a pretty traumatic experience so I didn't want to repeat that. Trains were a very comfortable journey once boarded but going to the station with all the luggage and also completing formalities needed to reserve a 1AC coupe wasn't something I could've managed solo (had done this before when me+dad+cat had traveled).



Considering the above scenario, as well as relaxation of e-pass and quarantine rules, I started exploring the option of doing a Blr-Mum roadtrip with her. I researched online, talked with the vet, talked to other cat folks on this forum as well, prepared quite a bit and then made the journey on 6th Sep. Sharing my experience here in the hopes that it would be helpful to someone who also wants to travel with their pet cat.



Preparation



The Cat



Cats love to explore and move around and are also very particular about their environments. Hence, a new environment where they're restricted from moving makes them very uneasy travelers. Temperament matters a lot as well. While Indian street cats who've had a difficult experience in childhood are very panicky, Persian cats raised in a house are very calm and relaxed. Know your cat and take decisions accordingly.



Below is all the prep I did with regards to my cat: Got medical stuff sorted I had updated her vaccinations a month ago already. Get them updated if you haven't (even if not traveling) Visited vet and got a medical certificate saying vaccines are up to date and she is fit to travel (certificate is needed for air travel but kept it with me for the roadtrip just in case) Vet also gave an oral solution to calm her if needed (conventional method is a spot-on applied on the head but they were out of stock). Solution could be dropped in her mouth when feeding her a treat. Thus, keep treats handy as well.

Bought accessories Got a large pet carrier from Amazon which was much more roomy and comfortable than the usual cage/carrier. Kept it around the house for a week and gave her time to get used to it. By the day of the travel, it had already become her favourite spot to curl up in.

Others I also kept a log of her food and water intake, litterbox use, active/calm periods, etc for a week. This helped me adjust her feeding times slightly so that she ate late in the evening and pooped it out by morning.

The Car



I had bought a second-hand Ford Freestyle about a month ago. This was my first car and while I had done roadtrips in my parents' car before, none were this long.



Below is all the prep I did with regards to my car: Car check up Inspection of fluids, electricals and tyres is a must. I had done all these checks from an ASS before buying so I just re-checked fluid levels myself. The evening before the travel, I filled the tyres to the recommended highway pressure and topped up fuel.

Car documents Since I had recently transferred ownership, there was some last-minute rush for me. The RC arrived 3 days before the travel date. I then rushed to get FASTag installed from a PayTM vendor. Good decision since there were 20 tolls on the way and it worked smoothly at 18 places. I also intimated the insurance company about the ownership transfer and got the process started. Ensured that everything from my side was done and I/car would not be required in Bangalore for anything. Ideally would've liked the policy to have arrived as well but that didn't happen (still waiting on it).

Bought accessories Installed a "covid partition" just in case the cat got too restless cooped up in the carrier and I had to let her out in the back. Would've been my ultimate last resort but thankfully she was taking the journey really well, so I removed it when I took a break before Satara.

Note: the velcro messes up the headliner. Can be fixed to 80% condition by just running a hand but don't think it will be perfect again :( Another point regarding the partition is that it will block AC flow if your car doesn't have rear AC vents. I cut out holes in the partition to ensure airflow and cooling (since I wasn't doing this for covid reasons). I also taped a digital thermometer on the rear left window so I could monitor the rear temperature by just glancing over my shoulder. Even with the cutouts though, temperatures rose to 37C and that was also a factor in my decision to remove the partition mid-trip. Another thing I bought was a waterproof seat cover for pets. I had dropped the seats and used this to cover them+luggage and then placed my cat's carrier and litterbox on top.

The Route Have a detailed overview of your route before-hand (even in these days of Google maps and Android Auto). Make notes of milestones every 2-3 hrs / 100kms. Don't use that to push yourself though. It is just for awareness. In regular circumstances, I would've also listed exactly what place/restaurant/cafe I will stop at but in covid-times, I was packing all my lunch and snacks and stopping only for pissing and fuel. Thus, I didn't plan my stops to the last detail.

Be very flexible with your plans when traveling with a pet. I had a stopover option at a family-friend's place in Kolhapur. This was my default option and having that as default reduced stress levels massively. No longer was there any time pressure and I knew there was a peaceful single-room waiting for me and my cat to rest. Also be prepared to turn back and call off the trip if it gets too stressful for the cat. Mentally, keep a point-of-no-return in mind. Say somewhere around 20% of the travel time. Before this, it is best to turn back but later it would be better to carry on to the mid-way stop that you have in mind (for me, Kolhapur) and just rest for the day.

I made two recon drives from Blr to Tumkur and back in the week leading up to the travel date. I wanted to have this stretch by-hearted for two reasons: This would be the night-time leg of journey and I would be in a just-woken-up state so knowing the road would be a big help. Last thing you want to do is get lost on the streets of Bangalore at 4am because Google re-routed for some reason. There were going to be a lot of speed-breakers and potholes in the city and I needed to make this initial part of the journey as smooth as possible so the cat would get comfortable quickly. Thus, I had almost memorized every ridge and bump and what speed to take them at. Maybe this is a bit excessive, but I was hella paranoid going into this.

Journey



Overall, the journey went very very smoothly. The cat was obviously a bit uncomfortable/disturbed but managed to rest for a good portion and didn't wail or scream ever. Just a few meows whenever I took a break.



Some notes from the journey: Blr-Tumkur should be done rather carefully I felt. Lots of trucker traffic and it was night + foggy.

Tumkur to Chitradurg road is amazing. 3 lanes each side, mostly straight, very-well paved, tall dividers. The day was also starting to break. Here, I picked up speed and cruised at 120-130.

Ranebennur-Hubli the road is a mix of aforementioned amazing and bumpy diversions where it is still under construction.

There is a dual carriageway portion little before Belgaum but does not last long. This is the only stretch of the journey without a divider between oncoming traffic.

Maharashtra roads are not great for high-speed cruising. 80-100 is best. Don't go over that. There were loads of undulations, sudden bad patches, sharp corners etc. KA roads were better in that regard I felt.

No e-passes were asked. Didn't even speak to a single person or even opened my window for anything (except one place where fastag didn't work and i had to pay cash)

I started at 04:18 from Koramangala and reached Vashi at 18:10. Managed it under 14 hours as I only took 2 breaks of 15-20mins each. But don't pressurize yourself. I didn't feel need for any additional breaks so didn't stop. Some pet-specific notes: Be prepared to give your cat a chance to roam about in the car every 4 hours. But judge this depending on the situation. If your cat is peacefully napping, no need to rock the boat and bring her out. Keep driving. Also if you feel it will be impossible to get her back in / you can't safely bring her out, then don't.

Lastly, you need to be just as comfortable as your cat and most advice varies for each animal depending on their temperament, so use your judgement too. eg. my vet had advised to keep windows open as cats don't like AC. I was not very comfortable driving with windows down though as it creates a lot of noise and drag even at 70-80 kmph forget the 100+ that I was planning to cruise at. Thus, decided on going with AC on and only opening windows if cat was very uncomfortable. Thankfully, the need never arose. Thus, don't follow advice blindly. Ever since this covid crisis started, I hadn't visited home (Mumbai). Since I have a pet cat, it makes traveling more complex than usual.Post covid, airlines had stopped allowing pets in cabins and I could only take her in the cargo. She had traveled once previously in flight cargo and it was a pretty traumatic experience so I didn't want to repeat that. Trains were a very comfortable journey once boarded but going to the station with all the luggage and also completing formalities needed to reserve a 1AC coupe wasn't something I could've managed solo (had done this before when me+dad+cat had traveled).Considering the above scenario, as well as relaxation of e-pass and quarantine rules, I started exploring the option of doing a Blr-Mum roadtrip with her. I researched online, talked with the vet, talked to other cat folks on this forum as well, prepared quite a bit and then made the journey on 6th Sep. Sharing my experience here in the hopes that it would be helpful to someone who also wants to travel with their pet cat.Cats love to explore and move around and are also very particular about their environments. Hence, a new environment where they're restricted from moving makes them very uneasy travelers. Temperament matters a lot as well. While Indian street cats who've had a difficult experience in childhood are very panicky, Persian cats raised in a house are very calm and relaxed. Know your cat and take decisions accordingly.Below is all the prep I did with regards to my cat:I had bought a second-hand Ford Freestyle about a month ago. This was my first car and while I had done roadtrips in my parents' car before, none were this long.Below is all the prep I did with regards to my car:Overall, the journey went very very smoothly. The cat was obviously a bit uncomfortable/disturbed but managed to rest for a good portion and didn't wail or scream ever. Just a few meows whenever I took a break.Some notes from the journey:Some pet-specific notes: Last edited by batladanny : 8th September 2020 at 20:03 . Reason: removed a misplaced word
Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is taking a toll on West Bengal Police, one of the frontline workers battling the pandemic for over six months.

Around 8,000 West Bengal Police personnel has tested Covid-19 positive, including 24 deaths.

Data showed that 7,963 West Bengal Police personnel has tested Covid-19 positive. The corresponding death toll is 24. The state government has provided compensation to the next of kin and a job for a family member of each of the deceased, said an official of the state home department.

The break-up revealed that 5,869 and 2,094 West Bengal and Kolkata Police personnel, respectively, have tested Covid-19 positive until September 8.

Also Read: Covid-19: What you need to know today

The Covid-19-related toll is 15 and nine for West Bengal and Kolkata Police, respectively, until September 8.

At least 16 deceased police personnels next of kin have been provided jobs by the Bengal government. A sum of Rs 10 lakh has also been provided to each family of the deceased as compensation.

Bengal is fast emerging a hotbed for political gatherings and protests amid the pandemic because the crucial assembly polls are slated be held in May next year.

The police are having a harrowing time because of a spurt in political activities, despite the viral outbreak.

We have to tackle these rallies and most of the time the social distancing norms cant be maintained. Many party supporters dont wear face masks, which make us more susceptible to contract the contagion. Besides, it is not possible to maintain social distancing norms while apprehending an accused, said a police officer.

Also Read: India inches closer to 100,000 daily Covid-19 case mark

Earlier, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had urged the opposition not to take out rallies and stage protests as political activities are taking a toll on the states police force.

A few thousand frontline workers, including doctors and bureaucrats from both the state government and the private sector, have tested Covid-19 positive. Out of them, 28 have succumbed to the viral infection to date, said a state government official.

Bengal has reported 1,90,063 Covid-19 cases, of which around 1.6 lakh have recovered from their viral infections. While 3,730 Covid-19 patients have died so far. At present, the state has over 23,000 active Covid-19 cases.

Kolkata has reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases. While North 24 Parganas  the second-most populous district in the country  is catching up fast. Kolkata has recorded 44,400 Covid-19 cases, followed by North 24 Parganas (39,400), said an official.
A further call to halt the extradition of Liam Campbell - who was found guilty of the Omagh bombing in a civil court - has again failed during a committee meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, where members instead voted to end all further discussion on the matter.

Campbell is currently wanted by Lithuanian authorities for allegedly organising weapons smuggling in support of terrorist grouping the Real IRA between 2006 and 2007.

Independent Councillor Bernice Swift previously called on council to contact the relevant Irish departments to prevent the extradition under human rights while slamming the Lithuanian prison regime.

Without debate, a vote came in 23 to 14 in favour, with one abstention.

Those supporting included Sinn Fein, the SDLP and several independents, but the move sparked uproar.

Within hours the SDLP publicly reversed its decision after party leader Colm Eastwood MP intervened.

On reaching full council in July, the matter was instead referred back to the Policy and Resources Committee, held on Wednesday night.

Read More

Councillor Swift repeated her proposal and added more, telling members: I was asked by the family campaign to use my good offices to stop this extradition on human rights grounds.

"Whilst disappointed the original vote was alarmingly not upheld, I caution against any destruction of upholding human rights.

Criticising the overt distraction played out by unionists and supported by the hierarchy of the SDLP she warned against choosing just to support the people we happen to like".

She continued: How the SDLP support Liam Campbells human rights on one night and subsequently, under political pressure overturn their honourable position, and now choose who is entitled to human rights and who isnt.

"Demeaning and demonising any individual is not acceptable.

Councillor Swift advised she is corresponding with the Lithuanian embassies in both Ireland and England after they responded to her concerns

They stated they have wonderful human rights, which is categorically wrong. Lithuania is not human rights compliant.

"Its a country Liam Campbell has never even set foot in. We need clear condemnation. Silence is no longer optional. Prisoners are subject to appalling conditions.

Along with urgent meetings with the relevant Irish justice authorities Councillor Swift called for contact with the Lithuanian embassies to hear from a delegation. She also asked for Amnesty International to be invited to address the council on human rights.

Seconding, Independent Councillor Eamon Keenan said: This is clear and human rights-based. Im disappointed it got diverted from the issue.

In a counter-proposal, Councillor Chris Smyth, Ulster Unionist, called for the council to cease engagement in the campaign, "because I dont believe its in the interests of victims to be further retraumatised".

Democratic Unionist Deborah Erskine seconded, adding: There are human rights of the people who were killed in Omagh that day.

Sinn Feins Councillor Barry McElduff suggested an amendment calling on the Irish Government to protect Campbells human rights.

We state our total, unequivocal condemnation of the Omagh Bomb and reiterate our ongoing sympathy, solidarity and resolve to ensure those who carried it out should face the full judicial process," he said.

Seconding, Independent Councillor Josephine Deehan contended some members seem determined not to listen".

"It is not reasonable to attempt to equate support for an individuals human rights to support for the perpetrators of the Omagh Bombing. That is disingenuous and untrue. Every elected member has a responsibility to ensure distinction is clearly made.

Ulster Unionist Councillor Bert Wilson challenged Councillor Swift for picking and choosing human rights".

"What about the rights of Jean McConville and Paul Quinn? he added.

Councillor Errol Thompson, Democratic Unionist said: Its well documented what the people of Omagh suffered that day and have been retraumatised since. We stand with them and make no apology for that.

The SDLPs Councillor Paul Blake pointed out the council had no position in an international extradition process.

"We were not pressured by anybody to change. This was a moral decision. The SDLP has always stood with the victims of the Omagh bomb," he said.

Rejecting the amendment, Councillor Swift took exception to remarks around re-traumatising individuals.

"The people who ran to the media are guilty of that," she said.

"I have genuine empathy for all victims of the Troubles. I most definitely did not correlate this proposal with the tragedy of the Omagh bomb.

However, her proposal collapsed at the vote which came in at 19 to two against, with 17 abstentions.

Councillor Smyths proposal was successful with the same voting pattern in favour, which will now go to full council for ratification.

Although unconnected to the extradition proceedings, Campbell was found liable in a civil court for the Omagh bomb in August 1998, which claimed the lives of 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins and injured 220 others.
The first installment, or full payment, of summer property taxes are due Sept. 14.

As serious health concerns related to COVID-19 continue, residents are strongly encouraged to pay their property taxes without having to stand in line at the Treasurers Office inside the Dearborn Administrative Center.

Details of payment options can be found at www.cityofdearborn.org/services/finance-treasury or below.

Divdat kiosk and mobile app

*Dearborn residents and customers are now able to pay their bills through DivDat`s kiosk, mobile app, and web pay services.

Residents can pay their bills through the app with either an e-check or a credit card. The app also features a QR code that pairs with the kiosk for scanning and faster cash payments. The mobile app will store receipts and history of payments and allow users to make payments to other agencies on the network as well.

There is a 3 percent convenience fee applied to transactions using credit or debit cards on both the kiosk and the mobile phone application. No fee will be charged for those paying with cash or check through the kiosk, or with an e-check through the mobile app.

A kiosk is at the Dearborn Administrative Center (DAC), 16901 Michigan Ave.,

and is accessible 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Dearborn Fresh Supermarket, 13661 Colson, and Super Greenland Market, 12715 W. Warren Ave., are now hosting DivDat payment kiosks.

Customers can also use the kiosks at any of 75 locations around the region. Find a list at https://www.divdat.com

Other options

*Drop boxes at the DAC: Residents can use the 24-hour drop box in the parking lot of the DAC. It is gray and looks like a U.S. Postal Service mail box. Bills and checks must be placed in a sealed envelope and placed in the drop box no later than 5 p.m. on the due date.

*By mail: Bill payments can be sent to the DAC through the Postal Service. Please note that the City does not accept postmarks; payment must be received by the due date.

*Automatic Transfer: Residents may choose to have their property tax and water bills automatically deducted from their accounts monthly through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Debit system. The service is free, secure and easy to arrange. You must submit a completed ACH form to the Treasury Division with a copy of a voided check or statement from your bank verifying your routing and account number. Forms are available at cityofdearborn.org.

*Online: Residents can pay online at cityofdearborn.org. Additional processing fees may apply.

*By phone: For property tax bills, residents can pay by calling 866-518-2301.

Source: City of Dearborn
Chris Vanderweide, the helmet-wielding, anti-Pride protester from Kitchener, has pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a weapon for a violent altercation at a Pride celebration in Hamiltons Gage Park in June 2019.

Vanderweide, 29, received a suspended sentence and 12 months of probation from a judge in a Hamilton court on Thursday. This means Vanderweide will not serve jail time, but must abide by certain conditions during the year-long probation, including attending anger-management counselling, maintaining distance from victims and not visiting Gage Park.

All this definitely probably should have been avoided, Vanderweide said in court Thursday. But now Im a different man, and would like to put this behind us and do something better.

On June 15, 2019, Hamilton Pride turned violent when a group of radical evangelical protesters and white supremacists crashed the annual celebration. A number of people were injured. Five, including Vanderweide, were charged.

A week later, dozens of demonstrators rallied peacefully outside of city hall with anti-hate and pro-diversity signs, facing off with far-right yellow-vest supporters that had been holding regular protests in Hamilton.

An independent review released in June of this year called the police response to the homophobia-fuelled violence inadequate and called on police to apologize. Chief Eric Girt later apologized for the inadequate response to the violence.

Days later, Hamilton Pride filed a human rights complaint against the City of Hamilton and its police service.

Vanderweides lawyer, Laura Giordano, said her client was part of a melee involving many people and that the assault didnt happen out of the blue. She said video shows that her client had the helmet in his hand and did not initially intend to use it as a weapon.

He did not pick up the weapon with the intention of using it as a weapon, she said in court Thursday.

She said Vanderweide is suffering collateral consequences of media attention, and that he expects finding employment will be a challenge.

It has impacted him in significant ways, she said.

Vanderweide was initially charged with two counts of assault with a weapon.

I think he got off a bit too easy with the probation order for 12 months, but it is what it is, said Jackson Gates, who arrived at the courthouse Thursday expecting to testify as a witness only to find out Vanderweide had taken a plea.

Gates, who was at Gage Park for Pride in 2019, said he witnessed the violent confrontation between the two groups.

Mr. Vanderweide almost got me twice with his helmet, but I was able to avoid it, alleged Gates, who is a member of the LGBTQ community and a regular at Pride events in the city. I didnt become a victim because his helmet did not connect with my face.

The aftermath of the violence in 2019 has resulted in distrust by the LGBTQ community toward the City of Hamilton and police. In June 2020, the citys rainbow and transgender flags  which were raised quietly, without ceremony over city hall for Pride Month  were met with resentment from members of the community, who called them a hollow gesture.

I do know there will be mixed reactions ... as a result of this, Gates said outside the Hamilton courtroom Thursday. Hamiltons (LGBTQ and two-spirited) community has lost a lot of faith with the Hamilton Police Service and Hamilton city hall in relation of what happened at Pride 2019 and other issues that are still ongoing.
NEW DELHI : Armed with funds from investors and the added scale from Future Group acquisition, Reliance Retail is expected to drive hard bargains with FMCG companies for its massive network of modern trade and kirana stores as well as the online Jio Mart platform. Analysts also expect the company to push its private labels in the market aggressively. The deal could alter the ways in which the grocery retail behemoth negotiates trade terms with fast-moving consumer goods companies as its clout over modern trade outlets, e-commerce channels and kirana stores is set to increase manifold giving it further visibility and bargaining power in India's over $545 billion grocery retail market.

With the Future Retail deal, Reliance now enjoys 27% share in Indias organized food and grocery market.

A recent report by Jefferies estimates that the combined network of Reliance Retail and Future Groups retail business could contribute as much as 8-10% for top FMCG playersmaking Reliance Retail the largest retail platform based on FY20 revenues. Reliance Retail's (RR) acquisition of Future Group (FG) while consolidates the organised grocery retail, becomes a concern for the FMCG industry," Jefferies analysts said in the report. The considerable scale that Reliance Retail will enjoy would also increase its bargaining power with suppliers like FMCG firms, vendors for general merchandise, logistic partner etc, it added.

Smaller companies said they are already anticipating a scenario where they could be asked to dole out offers. I foresee some kind of a monopolistic approach and more of the industry and brands will have to really struggle to get the right targets or volumes from them, or else there will be pressure from them to give more offers, schemes or discounts," said a founder of a mid-sized FMCG company speaking on condition of anonymity.

With Future Groups formats including Heritage, Easyday, Nilgiris, along with its own retail formats such as Reliance Fresh, Reliance Smart, the B-2-B Reliance MarketReliance will get to operate 2,000 grocery stores. This will give Reliance Retail a combined grocery business of $5.5 billion, analysts at CLSA said in a recent report. Then there's also its newly launched e-commerce JioMart platform that works by connecting local kiranas with consumers giving it inroads into the general trade market.

While some analysts point to the change in dynamics between FMCG firms and Reliance Retail going forward, others said large multinationals will not be easy to roll over. They (Reliance) are hard negotiators and will look to maximise this opportunity of scale. But that said I dont think you can just roll over successful and popular consumer companies like Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Nestle, Godrej, Marico etc and leave them out of the growth strategy. What and how they build on their private label strategy as well the role and format of the Jio stores, will also play a huge part in their relationship and negotiations with their partners in the consumer goods industry," said Rajeev Krishnan, former MD and CEO Spar Hypermarket.

Theres a strong private label play as both Reliance Retail and Future Group retail have their own labels. The founder of the mid-sized FMCG companies said that the retailer will push its private labels in the market which yield better margins.

Kishore Biyanis exit from the retail business for now, will see him building the companys existing FMCG and fashion manufacturing capabilities. As a result, the residual business of Future Enterprises Ltd (FEL), will scale the existing manufacturing and distribution of FMCG products and supply private labels across packaged foods, beverages, personal and home care to a wider network of Reliance Retail stores and reach general trade through the JioMarts platform.

FEL will build on added volumes from business through the Reliance network," FEL said in an investor presentation post the announcement of the deal. While Future Groups private labels sell mostly in modern trade outlets, some are already significant in size. Its snacking brand Tasty Treat is estimated at 200 crore, while Golden Harvest, that sells flour, pulses and cereals, is upwards 1000 crore, FEL said in its presentation.

Reliance's obsessions will be to push private labels, that is the major purpose of this exercise," said another retail entrepreneur who spoke on the condition of anonymity. He said FELs manufacturing business will benefit from the additional store network and the capabilities of JioMart.

the tide could turn against FMCG industry if JioMart also becomes a big success and private labels gain acceptance, Jefferies analysts said.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 23:47:27|Editor: huaxia

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A house is partially destroyed by flood caused by the rainfall in Dakar's suburb Camberene, Senegal, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Photo by Louis Denga/Xinhua)

By Louis Denga

DAKAR, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- During this year's rainy season, Senegal has been facing torential rains which have caused six death and extensive material damage, especially in the capital Dakar and its suburbs.

According to Senegalese Ministry of Water and Sanitation, the equivalent of three months of rain fell in just one day in Senegal on Sept. 5, and thousands of Senegalese households were flooded in just a few hours.

After a first weekend of extreme weather, Senegalese President Macky Sall activated the ORSEC (organization of rescues) to relieve the affected population. Also he announced a mobilization of 10 billion Francs CFA (about 18 million U.S. dollars) to deal with the natural disaster. About a quarter of the fund is reserved for draining waters.

According to local council and Senegalese Red Cross, in Dakar's suburb Camberene where more than 50,000 residents struggle every year during rainy season, about 80 households were flooded or partially destroyed by last week's non-stop heavy rains. Water was not evacuated out for days until the firefighters intervened with heavy equipements.

"We were drinking tea and someone screamed. By the time I left my house, the water was already at a very high level. I could only rescue my family, the children, the grandchildren, my wife," Ibrahima Sene, a 68-year-old man in Camberene told Xinhua.

After his house was flooded last weekend, he had some low brick walls built around his land to prevent another disaster. In his yard, his family's mattresses, clothes, books and furniture are still drying in the sun.

"We lost everything except lives. Our papers, our laptops, everything ... Even food, since the COVID-19, the state gave us rice, oil and other necessities, but all are now lost," Sene said, explaining that similar rain-related incidents happend every year due to a poor drainage system in his neighborhood.

In front of his door, Sene thanked a Senegalese Red Cross team. With more than 200 volunteers, the association was one of the first on the scene to help the residents.

"There is a risk of drowning of children or the elderly, but also a great risk of infection from the sewage entering the houses," said Ndeye Mbaye, the local president of the Senegalese Red Cross in Camberene.

With a small team of five volunteers, she waited for the end of the rains and the pumping of water by the firefighters to begin cleaning and disinfecting the flooded households.

"In some streets, water got up to my chest level. But it's not just rainwater, it's mostly water full of dirt and bacteria, so everything has to be cleaned up," she continued.

Despite Senegalese president Macky Sall's promises and the government's recently implemented emergency plan, Mbaye still worries about the next rains.

"Ten billion (Francs CFA) aid cannot be enough for suburbs as large and poorly developed as Camberene. Every year during the rainy season, we still have the same problems despite the financial aid," she said.

This year, in West Africa and Sahel, especially Senegal, Mauritania, along with Burkina Faso, hundreds of thousands of people have become victims of an intense rainy season and flooding. Enditem
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A photographer who has taken tens of thousands of pictures of elephants has revealed some of the shots he is most proud of.

And they're absolutely jaw-dropping, as we reveal here - fine art photographs of one of the most-loved creatures in the animal kingdom.

The photographer, Peter Delaney, told MailOnline Travel: 'There is something magical and beautiful when you observe elephants. It touches your soul and pulls at your heartstrings.'

On the march: A row of elephants stomping through the undergrowth in Namibia's Etosha National Park

Peter told MailOnline Travel: 'There is something magical and beautiful when you observe elephants.' He snapped this amazing shot in Etosha National Park and called it Elephant Ridge

Peter photographed this herd in Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa. He said: 'Like humans, elephants create bonds that last a lifetime - they are capable of showing emotions from love to anger'

This curious baby elephant was snapped by Peter in South Africa's Addo Elephant National Park. He joked that he hoped the young calf would grow into his huge ears

Peter called this image Bonds of Love and says it is one of his favourite-ever pictures. He explained: 'Elephants are very protective of their young. In times of a threat, the family will close ranks, and the young are pushed to the middle.' He captured the scene in Addo Elephant National Park

When watching elephants while taking his pictures, Peter says it 'touches your soul and pulls at your heartstrings'. He snapped these two in Kenya's Mara Triangle

Peter, who is originally from Ireland but now lives in South Africa, quit his job working in the finance industry in London and Tokyo in 2001 - and decided to go travelling across Africa, taking pictures.

In 2007, he became a professional wildlife photographer, with Africa continuing to be a favourite subject, particularly its eastern and southern regions.

During his travels, he became fascinated with African elephants - falling in love with the majestic creatures. And over the years he has accumulated a vast amount of knowledge about their behaviour.

The 49-year-old, who has been a category winner in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest three times, explained: 'Like humans, elephants create bonds that last a lifetime. They are capable of showing emotions from love to anger.

Peter described this elephant as looking very serene when he photographed it in the Mara Triangle

This elephant was snapped by Peter in Etosha National Park. He says his favourite places to photograph the creatures are Namibia and South Africa

Most of Peter's shots are in black and white, which he believes elevates the image to a form of art. He photographed this elephant in Etosha National Park

Peter came across this family of elephants in the Mara Triangle. He started travelling across Africa taking photos in 2001

Before moving to Africa and deciding to go travelling across the continent, Peter, who is originally from Ireland, worked in the finance industry in London and Tokyo. This beautiful shot was taken in the Mara Triangle

Peter said: 'Black-and-white photography allows me to express my vision and creativity by creating visual depth by playing or adjusting the luminance values of light and shadows (the contrast) within a photograph'

'Elephants are very protective of their young. In times of threat, the family will close ranks and the young are pushed to the middle.

'Loud calls will be trumpeted and ears will flap as the herd gathers around to protect the most vulnerable.

'This can be seen in one of my favourite elephant images called Bonds of Love.'

This incredible shot of seven trekking elephants was captured by Peter in Etosha National Park

On the left is a majestic elephant in Etosha National Park. On the right is another of Peter's favourite-ever images, which he called Queen of the Mara. It was taken in the Mara Triangle

Peter said: 'Elephant prints are ones that connect emotionally with me and the viewer.' He took this image of a 'contemplative' elephant in Kenya's Masai Mara

Peter said: 'In the digital darkroom, I can breathe life into a photograph using my vision and tools that are only available in black-and-white editing'

An extreme close-up that Peter has called Big Foot. It was captured in Mapungubwe National Park in northern South Africa

Many of Peter's favourite elephant images from his spellbinding portfolio are black-and-white shots, which he believes elevate the image to a form of art.

Peter explained: 'Black-and-white photography allows me to express my vision and creativity by creating visual depth by playing or adjusting the luminance values of light and shadows (the contrast) within a photograph.

'Cameras are tools that have no consciousness or feeling. In the digital darkroom, I can breathe life into a photograph using my vision and tools that are only available in black-and-white editing.

This incredible picture shows an elephant taking a dust bath in Etosha National Park. Next, Peter intends to travel to Tanzania, when it is safe to do so, to seek out some of Africa's stunning big tusker elephants

Peter snapped this beautiful image as the sun began to set over Etosha National Park. It is another of his all-time favourite elephant shots

'This combination moves the image a step away from reality and into the realm of art.'

Next, Peter intends to travel to Tanzania, when it is safe to do so, to seek out some of Africa's stunning big tusker elephants.

He added: 'My favourite elephant prints are ones that connect emotionally with the viewer and me.'
South Africa: Cabinet calls for justice to be served for GBV

Cabinet says the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) continues to plague the nation with the senseless violent assault and murder of women.

This follows the recent victims of this heinous crime, including actress Thandeka Mdeliswa (34) who was shot at her family home in Evander, in Mpumalanga and the 28-year-old woman who was killed by her husband while reporting domestic violence at the Madeira Police Station in the Eastern Cape.

Cabinet calls for justice to be served in these crimes and others that are reported, Cabinet said in a statement on Thursday.

Cabinet recently approved three laws that contribute towards ensuring effective and efficient protection for victims of domestic violence and GBV.

The Domestic Violence Amendment Bill, Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill of 2020 and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill of 2020 aims to strengthen laws against GBV.

The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services has invited stakeholders and interested persons to submit written submissions on the three pieces of legislation.

Domestic Violence Amendment Bill

The Domestic Violence Amendment Bill is intended to amend and insert certain definitions; further provide for the manner in which acts of domestic violence and matters related thereto must be dealt with by certain functionaries, persons and government departments; and further regulate obtaining of protection orders in response to acts of domestic violence.

The bill also delete and amend provisions of certain laws; and provide for matters connected therewith.

Criminal Matters Amendment Bill

The purpose of the Criminal Matters Amendment Bill is to amend, among other things, the Magistrates Courts Act, 1944, so as to provide for the appointment of intermediaries and the giving of evidence through intermediaries in proceedings other than criminal proceedings, the oath and competency of intermediaries, and the giving of evidence through audio-visual link in proceedings other than criminal proceedings.

It also aims to amend the Criminal Procedure Act so as to further regulate the granting and cancellation of bail; the giving of evidence by means of closed circuit television or similar electronic media; the giving of evidence by a witness with physical, psychological or mental disability; the appointment, oath and competency of intermediaries and the right of a complainant in a domestic-related offence to participate in parole proceedings.

Criminal Law Amendment Bill

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act Amendment Bill aims among other things to extend the ambit of the offence of incest, introduce a new offence of sexual intimidation, further regulate the inclusion of particulars of persons in the National Register for Sex Offenders, make provision for certain particulars of persons who have been convicted of sexual offences to be made publicly available and further regulate the removal of particulars of persons from the National Register for Sex Offenders.

The bill further regulates the reporting duty of persons who are aware that sexual offences have been committed against children.

Submissions must be received by no later than 9 October 2020. The public must indicate their interest in making a verbal presentation.

Enquiries must be directed to V Ramaano and submissions must be emailed to Gbvbillss@parliament.gov.za

Copies of the bills may be obtained from V Ramaano on telephone 021 403-3820 or 083 709 8427, www.parliament.gov.za or https://www.parliament.gov.za/calls-submissions-nominations.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Pittsfield Berkshire Iraq and Afghanistan War Memorial To Be Unveiled Friday

PITTSFIELD, Mass. - The city will hold a dedication ceremony Friday for the new Berkshire Iraq and Afghanistan War Memorial.

The Berkshire Iraq and Afghanistan War Memorial will be unveiled Friday, Sept. 11 at 10 am at Veterans Memorial Park on South Street.

Speakers will include Mayor Linda Tyer and two Afganistan War Veterans: Sgt. Major Retired Michael King and Sgt. First Class Retired Mark Pompi.

Attendees are required to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

The Berkshire Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial Committee raised near $50,000 to acquire the black granite marker that will hold the names of Berkshire County residents who died serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A time capsule will also be placed underneath the monument containing materials from the Gold Star families.

The five Army soldiers being honored are Sgt. 1st Class Daniel H. Petithory, 32, of Cheshire, who was killed by friendly fire bomb on Dec. 5, 2001, in Afghanistan; Sgt. Glenn R. Allison, 24, of Pittsfield who died Dec. 18, 2003, during physical training in Baghdad, Iraq; Chief Warrant Officer Stephen M. Wells, 29, of North Egremont, who died Feb. 25, 2004, when the helicopter he was in crashed in Habbinayah, Iraq; Spc. Michael R. DeMarsico II, 20, of North Adams, who was killed by an improvised explosive device on Aug. 16, 2012, in Panjway, Afghanistan; and Spc. Mitchell K. Daehling, 24, of Dalton, who also was killed by an IED on May 14, 2013, in Sanjaray, Afghanistan.

The capsule will be opened in 2101, 100 years from 2001.

The United States was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, by members of Al-Qaeda, a terrorist group that had been operating out of Afghanistan. The 19 terrorists captured four commercial jets, flying two into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and one into the Pentagon. Passengers on the fourth plane fought back and United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people.
A n internal Canadian flight was cancelled after a heated dispute over children wearing masks.

Video footage shared on social media shows the moment police officers boarded a WestJet flight bound for Toronto from Calgary. It followed an exchange between airline crew members and a family on board.

Eventually the entire flight, set to arrive in Toronto on Tuesday, was told to get off the plane before it could take off.

Passenger Safwan Choudhry was travelling home to Toronto with his wife and their daughters aged three and 19 months.

Police boarded the flight amid the mask dispute

Transport Canada rules require any person over the age of two travelling on a plane to wear a mask. Younger children are exempt.

The family claim that they complied with requests from crew to make their three-year-old wear a mask, and have insisted that they were also asked to put a mask on their younger daughter.

Mr Choudhry told the BBC that the 19-month-old became "basically hysterical" and struggled to breathe when his wife attempted to place a mask on her face.

He said that the child became so upset she vomited.

WestJet has disputed the family's claims. The airline has stated that its crew members had only asked the family to put a mask on their three-year-old, as it is has a "zero tolerance" mask policy, but that its staff had not asked the younger child to wear one.

Footage shows the tense atmosphere on the plane. A child can be heard crying loudly as a masked police officer tells Mr Choudry his family must get off the plane, with passengers interjecting with comments in support of and against the family.

The officer can be heard explaining that while the mask issue with the older child had been "resolved", the "behaviour of the other passengers left the rest of the crew feeling unsafe".

A WestJet statement says the flight was cancelled because following the "escalation of the situation on board", which saw police arrive, crew members no longer felt comfortable operating the flight.

The airline said: "Due to non-compliance of the parents to place a mask on their older child who is over the age of two, our crew informed the adults of the regulations we are required to follow.

"Our crew requested the presence of the authorities after the guests refused to comply with Transport Canada's interim order and subsequently refused to deplane the aircraft."

It continued: "Due to the rapid escalation of the situation on board, our crew felt uncomfortable to operate and the flight was subsequently cancelled."

Mr Choudhry told the BBC: "It's unlike anything I have ever witnessed, let alone experienced.

"So many people were put through so much grief because of a lack-of-understanding on part of the policy."

One passenger, Marian Nur, told CBC: "I was so shocked, the parents never raised their voices, they never got angry with the attendants, they were just trying to reason with them,"

No charges have been filed.
The city of Shenandoah finally has a permanent chief of police.

On Wednesday, the city council voted unanimously to appoint interim chief Troye Dunlap to the post permanently. A more than two-decade veteran of the small police department, Dunlap has been the interim chief since early May.

In a brief ceremony at the beginning of Wednesdays meeting, Dunlap was promoted to chief of police and had his new badge pinned on him by his wife, Wendy, as family and friends gave him a standing ovation and round of applause. Dunlap did not make a public statement. Former Shenandoah Police Chief John Chancellor was on hand for the promotion ceremony.

Related: Shenandoah police chief resigns with no notice

Shenandoah Mayor Ritch Wheeler said the promtion of Dunlap to permanent chief was obvious to most. Dunlap replaced former chief of police Raymond Shaw, who walked off the job with no notice in early May. He is the third chief of police at the city since 2016.

I dont think this is a big surprise, Wheeler said of Dunlaps promotion to lead the 26-member department. Troy has been doing such an outstanding job the last several months, this was a pretty easy one on the agenda.

City Administrator Kathie Reyer said Dunlap was the clear choice for the position, noting that the council followed city policy in regard to promotion of internal candidates who are already on the staff before seeking outside applicants.

Chief Dunlap knows the city and its needs. He understands the challenges we face due to our location on Interstate 45 and the crime that brings to the area. He has the respect of the officers and command staff and has a vision for the future of the department, Reyer said in an email. He also has ideas about how to better reach out to the community and engage our residents. He is a man of integrity and has a passion for serving the city, as he always has.

Reyer also said Dunlaps salary has not yet been determined, however she noted that the citys pay scale for the position ranges from $106,409 to $160,953 annually.

Staff changes

The sudden resignation of former chief Shaw was the latest in a series of high-level administrative changes within the small police department that services the city of more than 3,000 residents.

In 2016, former chief of police John Chancellors retired and, like in 2020, Shaw was named interim chief before being officially hired to the position.

In April 2019, the city council decided to eliminate the assistant police chief position which eventually led to the separation from employment of the then assistant chief of police, Barry Gresham, who at the time was the second command of the small police force behind Shaw. The city employs 28 total staffers in the police department.

Related: Shenandoah cuts assistant police chief position, plans to hire new officer

After Shaws resignation on May 1, city officials temporarily appointed Dunlap as the interim chief of police. Dunlap, who was a lieutenant at the time, was officially approved as interim chief in a unanimous vote during May 13 Shenandoah City Council meeting. At the same meeting, former police sergeant Jake Reuvers was promoted to lieutenant.

The departure of Shaw led to a settlement between him and the city, which saw the former chief receive pay for several months as well as all his unused vacation time. He also was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement and not discuss his departure from the department publicly.

Reyer said the entire police department whole-heartedly supported Dunlap being promoted to chief. Dunlap has been with the city for at least 23 years, starting in 1997 as a reserve office. Other positions that he has held include patrol officer, sergeant and lieutenant, Reyer said in May. He had a bachelors degree in Organzational Leadership from the University of Charleston, West Virginia.

(Dunlap) was the only applicant and his application was supported by the police department command staff, Reyer said.

jeff.forward@chron.com
BURLINGTON, Mass., Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MilliporeSigma today announced a $65 million expansion of its HPAPI and ADC manufacturing capabilities and capacity at its facility near Madison, Wisconsin. This investment will allow large-scale manufacturing of increasingly potent compounds that have the potential to treat cancer. Completion is expected by mid-2022 and should add approximately 50 full-time jobs starting in 2021.

- Approximately 50 full-time jobs to be added

"ADCs have posted incredible growth over the last decade and regulatory agencies' approval in recent years demonstrate their promise as a targeted therapy," said Andrew Bulpin, head of Process Solutions at MilliporeSigma. "With more than 35 years of experience in this space, we have been a frontrunner in the development and manufacturing of biologics, conjugation processes and small molecules. This investment underscores our commitment to working with innovators to bring new treatments to patients quickly and more efficiently."

MilliporeSigma's new 70,000-square-foot commercial building in Madison, Wisconsin will be one of the largest dedicated HPAPI manufacturing facilities specifically designed to handle single-digit nanogram occupational exposure limit materials. The project is in addition to the company's campus in St. Louis, Missouri, which was the first commercial ADC facility in North America, and which specializes in ADC bio-conjugation, active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipient and adjuvants manufacturing.

ADCs are an emerging class of medicines designed for high-specificity targeting and destruction of cancer cells, while preserving healthy cells. There are now only nine ADCs approved globally. However, the ADC industry is delivering strong growth and is expected to reach $15 billion by 20301.

While ADCs can provide many benefits compared with other therapeutic options, they also present a unique set of challenges. Their development is complex, necessitating stringent containment infrastructure, and their structural exceptionality requires expertise in a number of different technologies for small and large molecules, as well as analytical capabilities. Due to these challenges, more than 70 percent of ADC projects are outsourced to contract development and manufacturing organizations2.

With more than 35 years of experience in the development and manufacturing of small molecules, biologics and ADC technologies, MilliporeSigma offers extensive experience in both clinical and commercial manufacturing. The company's comprehensive service portfolio combines the steps of drug development and production  from pre-clinical to commercial  from a single source. This consolidation helps reduce risk and streamlines the process of getting therapies to patients faster.

Follow MilliporeSigma on Twitter @MilliporeSigma, on Facebook @MilliporeSigma and on LinkedIn.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has some 22,000 employees and 59 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 57,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene-editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices  the company is everywhere. In 2019, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of 16.2 billion in 66 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Performance Materials. Since its founding 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com.

1 "Antibody-Drug Conjugates Market to Be Worth $15bn by 2030." European Pharmaceutical Review, 30 Aug. 2019, www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/news/98037/antibody-drug-conjugates-market-15bn-2030/.

2 Roots Analysis Private Ltd. ADC Contract Manufacturing Market, 2015-2025. August 2015, www.adc.expert/2mNns33

SOURCE MilliporeSigma

Related Links

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Angelina Jolie has donated money to two six-year-old boys from east London who have been selling lemonade to raise money for children in Yemen amid the ongoing crisis.

Best friends Ayaan Moosa and Mikaeel Ishaaq have raised more than 37,000 through their lemonade stand, which they started earlier this summer.

After reading about their campaign on the BBC News website, the actor sent them a note explaining that she was sorry she couldnt buy some of their lemonade but she would still like to support their campaign.

Dear Ayaan and Mikaeel, thank you for what you and your friends are doing to help children in Yemen, Jolies note begins.

Im sorry Im not able to buy a lemonade from you, but Id still like to make a donation to your stand."

The note was signed off by Jolie and was sent on paper with her name written at the top in italics.

The boys initially did not know who Jolie was, however, after being shown clips from Tomb Raider and Maleficent, they recognised her.

They have since sent a video message to Jolie in response thanking her for the donation.

We just wanted to say thank you for donating to our cause, says Ayaan.

Its really helped us raise more money and awareness for Yemen.

Mikaeel added: If you ever come to London, feel free to buy a glass of fresh lemonade.

You can donate to the boys appeal online here.
New Delhi [India], September 10 (ANI): Prior to the Bihar Assembly elections, a trailer of the battle between the Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the 'Mahagathbandhan' is likely to be played out in on September 14 as the House votes for the post of Deputy Chairman of the

The NDA candidate, and MP, Harivansh has already filed his nomination for the post, while the Opposition is likely to field (RJD) leader Manoj Kumar Jha as its candidate.

Jha is likely to file his nomination on September 11 and with this the fight would become more interesting as both candidates hail from Bihar, where the Assembly elections are to be held soon, making it effectively a JDU versus RJD contest.

The Opposition had earlier discussed the name of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Tiruchi Siva, but the Upper House leader from Tamil Nadu had refused to contest.

Jha, a first time MP from Bihar is considered to be a great orator and is also known for his sincerity in the

Meanwhile, Harivansh was the last person holding the post as well and it was the end of his term which had caused the vacancy.

The NDA with 116 out of the total 245 members of the Upper House is very close to the majority and is also likely to get support from other parties such as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), YSR Congress Party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti, among others.

The election to the Deputy Chairman post will be held on September 14, the first day of Parliament's monsoon session. The session is scheduled to end on October 1.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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SEATTLE (AP)  An open government activist's lawsuit accusing the Seattle City Council of breaking Washington state's open-public-meetings law in its abrupt repeal of a 2018 tax on large businesses has been revived.

An appeals court revived the suit on Tuesday by throwing out a King County judge's ruling dismissing the case, The Seattle Times reported. The matter now must go back to King County Superior Court for further proceedings, the appeals court ruling said.





. . .
Amazon sells just about everything, even homes. The online giant has boasted several listings for tiny houses recently, with some going viral.

Now, Amazon is upping its house-selling game with a new three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 774-square-foot house for $105,000. The home features an open kitchen, dining room, and even a sauna. It comes fully furnished, and its exterior is nearly all windowsso if you love lots of light (and aren't a stickler for privacy), this place seems like a dream come true!

It's called the Cliff from Q-haus, an Estonian producer of prefabricated wooden structures. Designed by architect Kertti Soots, it's also one of the larger, pricier houses for sale on Amazon.

GRAND DEBUT: You can stay in the 'Hey Sugar' room at this new Texas hotel

But is it worth it? Before you add this massive purchase to your cart, there are a few things to know.

Delivery could take several months

The Amazon listing implies that the home could arrive within about a week. But, according to Q-haus, after signing the contract for the Cliff, production takes about three months and delivery times and rates vary depending on location.

The home, which weighs more than 44,000 pounds, arrives in two fully insulated modules and includes the built-in furniture and appliances.

You have to assemble it yourself

Q-haus boasts that the tiny home is move-in ready within a few days, but two skilled workers are needed for assembly. Most likely, professional contractors will need to be hired to put it all together, adding to the overall cost.

Marianne Cusato, partner at Cypress Community Development Corp., which provides affordable workforce housing after natural disasters, says the time frame of a few days is unlikelybut it will still be faster than constructing a home from the ground up.

The materials say the unit comes in two boxes, which means there will be interior finishes that will need to be stitched together, Cusato says. There will also be welding to attach the unit to the foundation and plumbing and electrical hookups.

Also, she cautions that since the unit is fabricated in Estonia, there could be issues with standard sizes of materials that could complicate and delay installation.

However, Q-haus CEO Reino Soots told realtor.com via email that the company is working with a U.S. designer to ensure that the materials adhere to local standards.

The foundation is another major cost

Cusato says the price of the home is reasonable, but understand that it is not a turnkey price. Buyers will need to also pay for permits and utility setup, and hire contractors to install a foundation and assemble the tiny home. Theres also the cost of purchasing land.

One of the biggest costson top of the purchase of the home itselfwill likely be installing the foundation, says Tyler Drew, president of Anubis Properties. On average, foundation costs between $4 and $7 per square footso for this 774-square-foot house, that would amount to $3,096 to $5,418.

Another concern?

This says its designed for concrete piles, which is a big no-no in seismically active areas, Drew explains.

According to Q-haus, seismic resistance is under calculation. Whatever that means!

Building permits and setting up utilities add to the costs

Before purchasing any prefab or tiny house, make sure setting up such a structure is allowed in your area and that you have all required permits. Zoning rules and requirements vary by locationand the permitting process can take time.

Without an understanding of the process, homeowners risk purchasing a unit that does not meet local codes, Cusato says. That is a lot of money to tie up while you work through permit details.

Connecting the tiny house to water, electricity, and natural gas could also delay move-in and tack on extra fees, says Brian Davis, real estate developer and co-founder of property management software SparkRental.com.

That could mean a hookup to public utility lines, or it could mean creating your own off-grid solar power and well or rainwater reclamation and filtration system, Davis says.

PRIME PROPERTY | NEWSLETTER Find out about Houston-area real estate deals and developments. Get the weekly newsletter. See More Collapse

Buying a home on Amazon could be risky

Another concern with purchasing a tiny house on Amazon, Cusato says, is that homeowners have to pay the full price up front. Usually payments for prefab housing are phased: a deposit when a contract is signed, another payment when production begins or leaves the facility, and a final payment when the unit is set up on site.

The perceived ease of purchasing the tiny house on Amazon is no doubt appealing, but, Cusato says, if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

The post The Ugly Truth About Amazon's Gorgeous $100K House appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
A North Yorkshire pub has banned drinkers under-25, as young people bear the brunt of a surge in UK coronavirus cases.

The Oddfellows Arms in Sherburn, near York, announced in a Facebook post on Thursday that it would refuse to serve the age group after Boris Johnson announced tighter restrictions on social gatherings.

Infections are most prevalent among 19 to 21-year-olds, with 54 cases per 100,000 people seen over the past week, compared to the national average of 19.7.

The post read: "In light of recent events and an escalation in cases, we are now not serving anyone in the age bracket 18-25."

It continued: "We have thought about this very carefully, and we will continue to try and ensure our community, customers and staff are all kept safe in these difficult times.

"Before anyone tries to say we are wrong, think of the implications for us as a business.

"This is not where we want to be. We would rather have a safe environment than a place which is teetering on the risk of closure. Please see that we are acting for everyone's best intentions at this time.

"We have some of the most amazing well-mannered, well-behaved customers in that age bracket, but we simply cannot take the risk. As soon as we feel safe to do so we will ensure everyone knows. Thank you for understanding."

The pubs owner later removed the following an angry flurry of complaints.

She told the Standard that she had been inundated with abuse, but she would not be changing the policy yet.

I just want to keep everybody safe, she said.

Another pub of the same name swiftly clarified that it was not applying the same rules.

Hi everyone, please note the below post is not related to the Oddfellows Arms on Harrogate Road Bradford.

Many thanks to everyone who has contacted us with regards to this post. #StaySafe #DrinkResponsibly.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met for crucial talks in Moscow on Thursday evening with hopes of making a breakthrough in the face of a spike in tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after both countries amassed more troops in the Ladakh sector.

The two leaders were in the same room twice earlier in the day  first for a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and then for a luncheon meeting of the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping  before they began their bilateral talks a little after 8pm Indian time.

The meeting continued for almost two hours, people familiar with developments said.

There was no word from the external affairs ministry on the bilateral meeting, which was seen as crucial for ending the impasse in the disengagement and de-escalation process along the LAC after five rounds of talks each by military commanders and the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs since June.

However, in marked contrast to the studied silence from the Indian side on the meetings in Moscow, Chinas state-run media kept up its propaganda even as the talks between Jaishankar and Wang were underway.

Before meeting Jaishankar, Wang held a bilateral meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi. A readout from the foreign ministry in Islamabad quoted Qureshi as saying that Pakistan stands firmly behind China on core issues of its national interest.

Qureshi also said that Indias expansionist and unilateral actions, particularly since 5 August 2019, have been imperilling regional peace and security, according to the readout. India did not immediately issue a statement .

There have been face-offs between India and China on the south bank of Pangong Lake after Chinese troops carried out what were described as provocative military movements to change the status quo during August 29-30. The latest face-off occurred on September 7, when Chinese soldiers fired in the air after they were dissuaded from closing in on an Indian forward position  the first time guns were used at the LAC since 1975.

Since then, both sides have further strengthened their military presence in the region by moving in additional troops, tanks and other weaponry. The Chinese side, however, has been rattled by Indias proactive move of positioning its troops on several strategic heights to prevent further land grabs on the south bank of Pangong Lake.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava told a weekly virtual media briefing that both sides are in regular touch through military and diplomatic channels to resolve the border situation, and this was also the consensus when defence minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meeting in Moscow last Friday.

Indias position continues to be the resolution of the border standoff through peaceful negotiations, Srivastava added.

A joint statement on the RIC foreign ministers meeting said Jaishankar, Wang and their Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov exchanged views on strengthening trilateral cooperation and topical issues of international and regional importance in the spirit of mutual understanding, friendship and trust.

They noted that common development and cooperation of the three countries is conducive to promoting global growth, peace and stability, according to the statement. They also reiterated their support for inclusive multilateralism and respect for universally recognised principles of international law.

Lavrov officially handed over chairmanship of RIC to Jaishankar during the meeting.

But Chinas nationalist Global Times tabloid tweeted a photo released by the National Defense Journal that shows PLA troops patrolling an area along the disputed border and noted slogans in Mandarin on a cliff read never to yield an inch of our beautiful rivers and mountains.

The tabloid also posted a link to an editorial in a tweet that said: Facts have proven Indian nationalist forces yield to coercion, but not to persuasion. They very much need another lesson in failure before believing Chinas commitment to long-term border peace is not weakness.

In yet another tweet, Global Times cited analysts as saying that if the China-India foreign ministers meeting fails to reach a positive result, or the two sides cannot execute the reached agreement at the front line, this could be a dangerous signal that China and India are unlikely to solve the crisis peacefully.

Hu Xijin, the editor of the tabloid, said in a tweet that if Indian troops dont withdraw from the southern bank of Pangong Tso Lake, the PLA will confront them all winter long.

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United Airlines Holdings Inc. will add new nonstop flights to Africa and India to serve customers visiting friends and relatives, as the carrier revamps an international network beset by weak business traffic.

Destinations such as Lagos, Nigeria, and Bangalore, India, will focus on large diasporas living in the U.S. and will give United greater network diversity, said Patrick Quayle, vice president of international network and alliances. Traffic from trips to see friends and family has withstood the coronavirus pandemic better than other segments, particularly corporate travel, he said.

Its us rebuilding our network in a new way," Quayle said. Were not just going to put the chess pieces back on the board the way they used to be."

Most of the new routes reflect Uniteds plans for a smaller North Atlantic schedule in summer 2021, given heavy travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. and European governments. The airline expects that its European schedule next summer will largely reflect the capacity it has deployed this fall, Quayle said. Internationally, United will fly about 40% of its 2019 schedule next month.

United in December will begin a daily nonstop from Chicago to New Delhi followed by a daily San Francisco-Bangalore flight in early 2021, the company said in statement Wednesday. American Airlines Group Inc. also plans a new flight to the southern India tech hub in 2021, from Seattle.

Next year, United plans new service three times a week from Washington to Lagos and to Accra, Ghana, as well as a new daily flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Johannesburg. That flight will complement seasonal service from Newark to Cape Town that United began in December 2019.

Delta Air Lines Inc. serves Johannesburg nonstop from Atlanta and both Accra and Lagos from New Yorks John F. Kennedy International. In October, Delta will add a seasonal one-stop Cape Town flight on its service from Johannesburg to Atlanta. State-owned South African Airways is insolvent and hasnt operated for more than five months.

Tel Aviv Nonstop

On Thursday, United will also begin its first nonstop from Chicago to Tel Aviv, operating three times a week. El Al Israel Airlines had planned to start that route in March, just as the pandemic began decimating international travel.

For the summer of 2021, United expects that Hawaii will become a favored destination and will add four weekly nonstops from Chicago to Kona on the Big Island and from Newark to Maui.

Hawaii essentially closed its tourism industry this year by requiring a 14-day self-quarantine upon arrival. The state tentatively plans to resume tourism Oct. 1 for visitors with proof of a negative coronavirus test.

Weve seen it in our data -- theres a lot of demand for Hawaii," Quayle said.

United declined 3.5% to $35.98 at 11:40 a.m. in New York. The stock tumbled 58% this year through Tuesday, the worst drop on a Standard & Poors index of the five biggest U.S. airlines.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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EAGLEVILLE  As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt life in Montgomery County, officials are noticing that cases are still rising.

What were seeing right now is just one week to the next, a steady increase in the number of cases, and its just been consistently going up for the last several weeks. We absolutely can do better than this, Montgomery County Commissioners Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said.

Arkoosh noted the county is experiencing between 45 and 50 cases each day, with a 3.17 percent positivity rate.

I would really like to see our positivity under 3 percent. I think thats a sign that we really do have very substantial viral suppression, she said during a Sept. 9 virtual press conference.

Arkoosh, along with Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr. and other county health and safety officials, participated in the weekly briefing that was streamed live on Facebook.

There were 52 new COVID-19 cases, along with the death of a 56-year-old man living in a long-term care facility, reported as of Wednesday, according to Arkoosh.

Of those who tested positive, 30 were female and 22 were male, Arkoosh said. They ranged in age from 10-to-84 years old and hailed from 28 municipalities, Arkoosh said.

These new figures bring the totals to 11,270 cases and 829 deaths since March 7, according to the Montgomery County COVID-19 resources webpage.

Of the 829 deaths, there were 443 females and 386 males who were 36-to-104 years old, according to Arkoosh. She added the self-reported racial breakdown was as follows: 18 Asian, three Asian Indian, three Asian Korean, 103 African-American or Black, 326 white, and information on the remaining 376 patients were not known.

Among the sick, in Montgomery County, 48 people are hospitalized for COVID-19, and 12.5 percent, or six individuals, require a ventilator, according to Arkoosh.

While cases increased across Montgomery County, a third round of testing at the countys correctional facility netted only negative results, according to Arkoosh. She said 937 individuals, which included inmates, staff and local health care providers, were tested on Sept. 3 and Sept. 4.

She added that any inmate or staff member who previously tested negative received a new test.

Our team there has been working incredibly hard as they have been from the beginning of this pandemic to keep every inmate safe, and after we had that small outbreak that began in the early part of August, we completely reexamined all the procedures, all the ways that people were traveling through the facility, Arkoosh said.

While personnel evaluated safety protocols, Arkoosh acknowledged that the results could contain false positives. Stringent cleaning and distancing guidelines are expected to continue.

Its a pretty small percentage, probably no more than 5 or 6 percent, so its possible that theres some false negatives in the group, so they arent relaxed in anything that theyre doing, she said.

Arkoosh doubled down on her efforts to relay the importance of testing for COVID-19.

The more we are able to test our community  whether you have symptoms or not  the more we will know about what is happening across the county, and be able to quickly suppress any outbreaks, she said.

There are six outdoor sites where those living or working in Montgomery County can make an appointment to get tested at no cost. Each location has a capacity to conduct 50 tests per day, which comes to 300 tests per week across the county. Testing is available at the following locations:

Ardmore: Testing is available from 4-6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 12-2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 114 W. Lancaster Ave.

Green Lane: Testing is available from 4-6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 12-2 p.m on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the intersection of Deep Creek and Snyder roads.

Lansdale: Testing is available from 4-6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 12-2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thusdays at 421 W. Main St.

Norristown: Testing is available from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as 3-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Delaware Valley Community Health Center at the Norristown Regional Health Center, located at 1401 Dekalb St.

Pottstown: Testing is available from 12-2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Montgomery County Office of Public Health, located at 364 King St.

Willow Grove: Testing is available from 12-2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the First Baptist Church of Crestmont, located at 1678 Fairview Ave.

Those interested in making an appointment can call 610-970-2937 on the desired day or visit www.montcopa.org/COVID-19, and click the county testing information, according to county officials. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Spanish-speaking operators can also assist as well as translation resources for other languages.

As classes resume in schools across the countys 22 school districts in both virtual and hybrid settings, Arkoosh stressed the importance of adhering to guidelines and following necessary protocols to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.

We all just have to be mindful that this virus is all over the county, and if parents want their kids to get back to school or back to the playing field we have got to get these numbers down, she said.

As for higher educational facilities in Montgomery County, there are less than 10 reported COVID-19 cases across the areas roughly 20 colleges and universities, according to Arkoosh. They all had very solid plans in place and they really do seem to be following that, she said.

However, she acknowledged that cases coming from nearby larger institutions such as St. Josephs and Villanova universities would be reported in Philadelphia and Delaware counties, respectively.

Arkoosh took a moment during the press briefing to speak directly to her constituents and others participating. She reminded area residents of the importance of following health and safety practices as people may be asymptomatic.

She underscored the importance of area residents to wear a mask, stay six feet apart, keep their hands clean and away from their face, and collaborate with contact tracers if they receive a call.

Thats why I have to urge everyone whos listening that any one of us can be completely without symptoms but be carrying the virus and be contagious, Arkoosh said. So we all just have to heed these rules and these common-sense guidelines to keep everybody safe.
Photo: (Photo : Janet Udomratsak on Facebook)

An expectant mom and teacher from California decided that getting hospitalized will not keep her away from her students. She teaches remotely while in her hospital room.

Teachers are one of the finest examples of what commitment and dedication to work mean. They are the unsung heroes who refuse to let nothing, not even the pandemic, stop them from continuing to provide education to our children despite their struggles. Such is the case of this educator from California.

Meet Janet Udomratsak. She is a third-grade teacher at Tierra Bonita Elementary School in Lancaster. She has been teaching for the past 11 years now. This year, due to the pandemic, she will have her classes done remotely.

However, there is one more reason why the school year's start would be different for her. Janet is pregnant with her second son. Sadly, she started experiencing complications and had to be hospitalized due to high-risk pregnancy.

Still, being on bed rest didn't stop her from doing what she loves  being with her students. For her, the school year's start is a crucial time for the kids and their teachers to connect and build relationships. That connection allows student to feel safe and comfortable with their teacher and motivates them to perform well in class.

According to inspireMORE, Udomratsak was supposed to take her maternity leave in October. Her employer already offered disability insurance so that she could focus on her pregnancy and just relax. However, she would rather be teaching than doing nothing.

Teaching remotely, regardless of her location

Her teaching from the hospital room was actually unknown to her students until one of the kids noticed that she was wearing hospital bracelets. Thus, her "little secret" was revealed. She was teaching right from a maternity ward complete with a little classroom setup.

She said being in the hospital setting felt no different than if she had classes at home. And while sitting, relaxing, and doing nothing would be "the life," her desire to be with her students is far stronger.

We're in this together

Thankfully, her family, the doctor, and the school district supported her decision. The hospital even allowed her to set up a makeshift classroom in her hospital room. The hospital staff saw to it that she is not disturbed while she is in class.

Her doctor said that she, or whoever is the doctor available, would only come in and speak to her once a day. The rest of the monitoring is reviewed on the computer. As for her husband and son, they only got to visit her once in almost two months. Visitation is restricted for now. And that is how teaching also helps her - it takes her mind off boredom and loneliness.

Udomratsak said virtual learning is a concept that is new for everyone, especially for the kids. And she wants to show her students that they are not alone and she is there with them. "The struggle is real," she told KBTX-TV, for her, and it's also real for them "as the students." And she wanted her students to feel that they are all in it together.

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Sister, Sister alum Tia Mowry-Hardrict revealed how she and her identical twin sister Tamera Mowry-Housley were discriminated against during their nineties hey-day over their biracial background.

'My sister and I wanted to be on the cover of this very popular [teen] magazine at the time,' the 42-year-old former child star told ET's Unfiltered on Wednesday.

'We were told that we couldn't be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell. I will never forget that. I will never forget where I was, and I wish I would have spoken up.

Sister, Sister alum Tia Mowry-Hardrict (L) revealed how she and her identical twin sister Tamera Mowry-Housley (R) were discriminated against during their nineties hey-day over their biracial background

The 42-year-old former child star told ET's Unfiltered on Wednesday: 'My sister and I wanted to be on the cover of this very popular [teen] magazine at the time.' (pictured September 1)

'I wish I would have said something then. I wish I would have had the courage to speak out and say that wasn't right.'

Luckily, the Mowry sisters' mother Darlene taught them what it meant to be a 'strong, confident, beautiful Black woman.'

'She used to always tell us, "Do not let this business define who you are,"' Tia noted.

'"Don't let something like that tell you who you are, and tell you what your value is. Because it's not true."'

She continued: 'We were told that we couldn't be on the cover because we were Black and we would not sell. I will never forget that...I wish I would have had the courage to speak out and say that wasn't right'

'"Do not let this business define who you are"': Luckily, the Mowry sisters' mother Darlene taught them what it meant to be a 'strong, confident, beautiful Black woman'

'I know what it feels like for someone to devalue your worth': Tia passed this confidence and self-worth down to her two children - son Cree, 9; and daughter Cairo, 2 - with her husband of 12 years, The Outpost action star Cory Hardrict (pictured Tuesday)

The Family Reunion actress passed this confidence and self-worth down to her two children - son Cree, 9; and daughter Cairo, 2 - with her husband of 12 years, The Outpost action star Cory Hardrict.

'I'm always telling my beautiful brown-skinned girl that she is beautiful, and the same thing even with my son. I tell him how handsome he is, I tell him, you know, he is smart,' Tia explained.

'Because I know what it feels like for someone to devalue your worth, and I don't want my children to ever, ever, ever, feel that. And not have the strength, or the foundation, to not believe it. To believe that they are worthy.'

From ages 15 through 20, the German-born Army Brats starred in the successful sitcom, which aired for six seasons spanning 1994-1999 on ABC and The WB.

Throwback! From ages 15 through 20, the German-born Army Brats starred in the successful sitcom, which aired for six seasons spanning 1994-1999 on ABC and The WB

'Never knew how much I missed you!' Thanks to Netflix, younger generations can now stream all 119 episodes of Sister, Sister

Thanks to Netflix, younger generations can now stream all 119 episodes of Sister, Sister.

Mowry-Hardrict's 'dream' came true August 28 when she closed a 'three-picture deal with the A+E network to star in and produce three holiday movies for their It's a Wonderful Lifetime slate.'

Meanwhile, the Daytime Emmy winner announced on July 13 that she quit Fox's The Real following seven years as co-host of the all-female panel talk show.

'It's always been a dream of mine!' The Family Reunion actress closed a three-picture deal with the A+E network on August 28 to star in and produce three holiday movies
The United States has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a presidential measure denying entry to students and researchers deemed security risks, the State Department said on Wednesday, a move China called a violation of human rights. The acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said earlier that Washington was blocking visas "for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China's military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research." In a speech, Wolf ...
With so many government employees still working remotely, IT officials focused on cybersecurity and network safety say the new work environments have introduced new threats. But they've also introduced opportunities for training, awareness building and collaboration.Effectively managing the safety of those endpoints  state laptops connected to home wireless networks, for example  can be aided with the help of technology, said Maria Thompson, state chief risk officer in the North Carolina Department of Information Technology.I will say this Its always been about the endpoint, she said.Asset management, I keep saying that, but that is key. You cant protect what you dont know. You cant protect what you dont know thats connected to your environment, she added Sept. 2 during the North Carolina Virtual Digital Government Summit, organized by e.Republic.*Thompson noted that one of the areas her agency has explored is an endpoint solution that will allow faster patching when a problem is discovered.Cybersafety at the local, county and state levels has taken on new meaning since the start of the COVID-19 crisis transitioned so many workers to a remote working setup. Studies have shown, said moderator Teri Takai, co-director for the Center for Digital Government at e.Republic, that half of the employees working from home admit that theyre cutting corners in cybersecurity.The only thing that surprises me about that statistic being as high as it is is that that many people know theyre making mistakes, said Jim Richberg, field chief information security officer at cybersecurity firm Fortinet.By and large, its people who are making mistakes. People who are trying to get the job done, he added.Meanwhile, compromised Web applications have been an easy entry point for bad actors, the experts say.While we were telling people you had to be working on the Internet, using external applications while you were in the office, we often had Web application filters that could help protect against some of the malicious activity. Not everyone has this at home, said Richberg.Responding to the cybersecurity needs of the COVID-19 crisis can also be helped through more collaboration, said Thompson.This is not a time for us to be in our little silos of excellence, she remarked, noting the state has formed a cyber task force for other agencies like schools and local governments. This is the time for us to build relationships, go outside of our lateral limits that we normally work in, and understand that we may not have the asset, but that person may have the asset.Government Technology's
A tri-county nonprofit has picked Summerville for its first stop in a series of drive-up financial assistance events.

On Friday, the Palmetto Community Action Partnership will be connecting with residents from their cars in the parking lot of the Old Fort Baptist Church on Dorchester Road. The organization helps economically underserved residents of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.

The goal with this week's event is to walk residents through financial assistance options provided by the organization, the state and federal government.

"We also miss seeing people in person," said Haley Behan, a community relations assistant with the organization.

The Palmetto Community Action Partnership has seen an increase in the number of residents reaching out to it for help since March. Reba Hough-Martin, the deputy director of the organization, said there was already an eviction crisis before the pandemic.

Job losses from the pandemic and the ending of the moratorium on evictions have only added to the need, she said,

It's nothing like I've ever seen in my 26 years with the agency," she said. People are being put out left and right.

The organization was averaging 9,000 calls for assistance before the pandemic. It's now averaging 11,000 calls.

One of the biggest challenges the group has seen is residents getting the correct assistance documents to the organization.

In order for them to get people any kind of state or federal assistance, residents have to show personal financial documents that prove they qualify. The organization is also able to provide some internal assistance through donations from the community.

Some of the necessary documents include proof of income and state IDs. Residents can look online at palmettocap.org for additional information on necessary documents.

Many public resources such as libraries were closed in the early months of the pandemic. This created a hurdle for residents looking to scan documents to send to the Palmetto Community Action Partnership.

Not being able to see residents in person also created challenges for some elderly clients. Some may have difficulty with technology and need additional guidance. Organization staff say that some residents have also had to avoid paying for internet to cover rent and energy costs.

The group has seen an increase in inquiries. But it has not seen the same increase in getting people assistance. A lot of that has been attributed to residents not having enough resources to manage documents, Behan said.

In the past, the organizations could plan in-person events at local churches and work with people directly. Things have changed during the pandemic.

So getting help has been harder for people who dont have unlimited resources," Behan said. "We need the ability to be in person."

Friday's event is an opportunity to help people who may lack those additional resources. The organization got the inspiration to do the event from the drive-up COVID-19 testing provided by the Fetter Health Care Network, Hough-Martin said.

Residents will bring all of the necessary documentation and be guided through any rent and utility bill assistance opportunities by organization staff. The group will have scanners on-site so residents don't have to worry about making online copies themselves.

Tax preparation, mortgage assistance and some budgeting guidance also will be offered at the event. Individual appointments are currently full, but residents still have access to drive-up assistance.

The group has serviced 4,000 families with $2.5 million in utilities and rent since the beginning of the year. In Dorchester County, it has served 750 families with $534,000 in assistance.

The Palmetto Community Action Partnership is also planning to organize similar drive-up events in Charleston and Berkeley counties. So residents will have additional opportunities to make an appointment.

The organization is expecting around 125 people on Friday. Staff members plan to be out helping residents regardless of the weather.

"We just gotta do what we gotta do," Hough-Martin said.
In Oregon, wildfires have incinerated several communities this week, and thousands of people have evacuated their homes. In Washington State, a fire hit the town of Malden so quickly that deputies drove through the streets screaming for residents to leave. In Colorado, a 100,000-acre blaze was slowed only by a rare September snowstorm.

And in California, residents are coping with the worst wildfires on record. Smoke blotted out the sun yesterday in San Francisco, and ash fluttered down from the sky. The sky had a faint orange glow that some said evoked a nuclear winter, Thomas Fuller, The Timess San Francisco bureau chief, told us. Jill Cowan, a Times reporter in Los Angeles, said, The smoke and the poor air quality are just oppressive.

Life across much of the American West is pretty miserable right now  and global warming is at least partly to blame. Climate change has increased the frequency of very hot days, droughts and, by extension, wildfires.
ESTACADA, Ore. - Deadly windblown wildfires raging across the Pacific Northwest destroyed hundreds of homes in Oregon, the governor said Wednesday, warning it could be the greatest loss of life and property from wildfire in state history.

The blazes from the top of the state to the California border caused highway closures and smoky skies and had firefighers struggling to contain and douse flames fanned by 50 mph (80 kph) wind gusts. Officials in some western Oregon communities gave residents go now orders to evacuate, meaning they had minutes to flee their homes.

At least three people were killed in Oregon fires and a small child died in blazes in Washington state. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said some communities were substantially damaged, with hundreds of homes lost.

Fires were burning in a large swath of Washington state and Oregon that rarely experiences such intense wildfire activity because of the Pacific Northwests cool and wet climate.

Flames trapped firefighters and civilians behind fire lines in Oregon and levelled an entire small town in eastern Washington. Brown warned that the devastation could be overwhelming from the fires that exploded Monday during a late-summer wind storm.

Everyone must be on high alert, Brown said. The blazes were thought to be extremely destructive around Medford, in southern Oregon, and near the state capital of Salem.

This could be the greatest loss of human life and property due to wildfire in our states history, the governor said.

The precise extent of damage was unclear because so many of the fire zones were too dangerous to survey, said Oregon Deputy State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple.

Quite frankly, we are not even able to get into these areas, she said.

In Washington, a 1-year-old boy died after his family was apparently overrun by flames while trying to flee a wildfire in the northeastern part of the state, Okanogan County Sheriff Tony Hawley said Wednesday.

The childs injured parents were discovered in the area of the Cold Springs Fire, which is burning in Okanogan and Douglas counties, Hawley said. They were transported to a Seattle hospital with third-degree burns.

KOIN reported a boy and his grandmother died in a wildfire near Lyons, Oregon, according to family members. Marion County Sheriff Joe Kast earlier Wednesday confirmed two fatalities but said Wednesday night they had only so far confirmed that searchers had found in a vehicle what are believed to be the remains of a boy and dog. The sheriffs office will work with the county medical examiner to confirm the boys identity.

The Mail Tribune in Medford reported that Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler confirmed at least one death and a criminal investigation at the origin point of a wildfire that started near Ashland in southern Oregon.

We are still in the early stages, Sickler told the newspaper. Nothings been ruled out.

Another wildfire hit Lincoln City, on the Oregon coast, where residents were being evacuated to a community college to the south.

The fire is in the city, said Casey Miller, spokesman for Lincoln County Emergency Management. He said some buildings had been burned but had no details.

The department imposed mandatory evacuation for the northern half of the city of roughly 10,000 residents, which stretches alongside U.S. Highway 101,

The Pacific Northwest scenes of lines of vehicles clogging roads to get away from the fires were similar to Californias terrifying wildfire drama, where residents have fled fires raging unchecked throughout the state. But Northwest officials said they did not recall so many destructive fires at once in the areas where they were burning.

Sheriffs deputies, travelling with chain saws in their patrol cars to cut fallen trees blocking roads, went door to door in rural communities 40 miles (64 kilometres) south of Portland, telling people to evacuate. Since Tuesday, as many as 16,000 people have been told to abandon their homes.

These winds are so incredible and are spreading so fast, we dont have a lot of time, said Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts.

Ive been through hell and high water but nothing like this. Ive been shot down and shot at but this  last night, Im still not over it, said Lloyd Dean Holland, a Vietnam veteran who barely escaped his home in Estacada on Tuesday night.

Holland said Oregon State Police had warned him to leave earlier in the day, but the fire seemed far away and he decided to stay. Around 10 pm, he said, his landlord came pounding on the door screaming at him to go.

Fires were burning in seven Oregon counties and rural and suburban homes miles away from Portland were under preliminary orders to prepare for possible evacuations. Three prisons were evacuated late Tuesday and Brown called the states blazes unprecedented.

The Northwest is no stranger to wildfires, but most of the biggest ones until now have been in the eastern or southern parts of the region  where the weather is considerably hotter and drier and the vegetation more fire-prone than it is in the regions western portion.

Fires in 2017 and 2018 crested the top of the Cascade Mountains  the long spine that divides dry eastern Oregon from the lush western part of the state  but never before spread into the valleys below, said Doug Grafe, chief of Fire Protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry.

We do not have a context for this amount of fire on the landscape, he said.

Fire crews were focusing on trying to keep people out of harms way and preventing houses from burning on Wednesday, with officials saying that containing the fires was a secondary priority.

After a 30-minute tour of the fire area south of Seattle in Sumner, Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee said the blaze is just one example of probably the most catastrophic fires weve had in the history of the state.

He said that in the last couple of days, more than 480,000 acres (194,424 hectares) burned.

About 80% of the small eastern Washington farming town of Malden was levelled by flames from a fast-moving fire on Monday.

In Sumner helicopters flew over a ridge, dropping water on smouldering areas. Bud Backer, fire chief for East Pierce Fire & Rescue, told Inslee that the recent winds were like a blowtorch.

Bonney Lake Police Chief Bryan Jeter said that about 2,500 homes in the area were given evacuation orders.

In Oregon, at least four major fires were burning in Clackamas County, a suburban county in Oregon thats a bedroom community of Portland. The entire county of nearly 420,000 people was put on notice to be ready to evacuate late Tuesday amid winds gusting up to 30 mph (48 kph).

Another major fire in southern Oregon prompted evacuation orders in much of Medford, a city of about 80,000 residents near the California border.

And several huge blazes burning in Marion County, southeast of the states capitol city of Salem, merged overnight  turning the sky blood red in the middle of the day.

___

Cline reported from Salem, Oregon. Associated Press writers Andrew Selsky in Salem , Rachel La Corte in Sumner, Washington, Nick Geranios in Spokane, Washington, and Lisa Baumann in Seattle contributed to this report.
Artist Chintan Upadhyay, the alleged key conspirator in the murder case of his wife Hema and her lawyer Haresh Bhambani, withdrew his plea for interim bail on Thursday.

Hema and Bhambani were allegedly smothered to death by Vidhyadhar Rajbhar on December 11, 2015, with the help of other accused allegedly at Upadhyays behest. Their bodies were then dumped in cardboard cartons after being wrapped in plastic sheets. The next day, a garbage collector discovered the bodies, following which the police filed a first information report and began probe into the case. Upadhyay was arrested on December 22, 2015 for the murders. While Rajbhar continues to be absconding, the other accused in the case  Shiv Kumar Rajbhar, Pradip Kumar Rajbhar, Vijay Kumar Rajbhar and Azad Rajbhar were arrested during the probe.

Upadhyays plea for interim bail reached the sessions court last month and was scheduled for hearing on Thursday. However, his lawyer Bharat Manghani made an application to withdraw the plea.

Chintans regular bail application is pending in the (Bombay) high court. This application was preferred through jail on April 2, soon after the lockdown imposed due to Covid-19. However, it was sent to the court quite late. Now, as the matter is pending before Bombay high court, we decided to withdraw the plea for interim bail and pursue his regular bail plea, said Manghani.

The court also rejected the bail plea of Vijay Rajbhar.

The special court also asked the prosecution to bring witnesses before the bench to resume the trial in the murder case and to take necessary positive steps to secure the presence of its witnesses and for production of accused person during the trial either physically or through video-conferencing.

We are ready to resume the trial. If the witnesses are available, we would make an attempt to examine him (Upadhyay) on the next date on Monday, said special public prosecutor Vaibhav Baghade.

The prosecution has so far examined 10 witnesses. However, the evidence of one of the witnesses was partly recorded as he was not available on some occasions. The prosecution on Thursday informed the court that they would try to complete the evidence of the pending witness and with that resume the trial.

The court asked the prosecution to make the necessary arrangements for the trial through video-conferencing by using many of the available apps, if the witnesses cannot remain present (in court) due to the Covid-19 situation. The court also asked the prosecution to take the necessary steps pertaining to the absconding accused.

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Relations between the EU and Turkey are badly strained on a number of issues

French President Emmanuel Macron urged fellow European leaders Thursday to stand up to the Turkish government and what he called ``unacceptable'' provocations as Turkey seeks to expand its energy resources and influence in the eastern Mediterranean.

Leaders of European Union countries that border the Mediterranean Sea were holding an emergency summit in Corsica amid fears of an open conflict with Turkey stemming from mounting tensions over offshore oil and gas drilling. Turkish leaders have lashed out at France and the EU for siding with Greece and Cyprus in the dispute.

``Turkey is no longer a partner in this region,'' Macron told reporters ahead of the island summit. ``We Europeans need to be clear and firm`` with the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about its ``inadmissible behavior,`` he said.

Macron didn't elaborate on what specific actions he wants European countries to take, but said they should lay out ``red lines'' with Turkey and try to restart dialogue.

``We Mediterraneans need to live in peace,`` he said.

Greece and Turkey have deployed naval and air forces to assert competing claims over energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish survey vessels and drill ships continue to prospect for gas in waters where Greece and Cyprus claim exclusive economic rights.

France is carrying out military patrols in the region in a show of support for Greece and Cyprus, and the EU is mulling new sanctions against Turkey.

Separate from the diplomatic discussions, Turkish and Greek military officials met Wednesday at NATO headquarters, as part of ongoing meetings aimed at reducing the risk of armed conflict. Greece and Turkey both are NATO members.

Speaking Thursday to EU lawmakers, Greek European Affairs Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis appealed for support from European partners, saying the tensions over energy rights ``constitute by themselves a grave threat to our common security architecture.''

He said that Turkey is looking beyond Greece and is ``a major destabilizing factor in the wider area,'' citing Turkish government actions in Libya, Syria and beyond.

He said that Greece would not provoke conflict but wouldn't just sit back waiting for European help to arrive: ``At the end of the day, we will defend ourselves, even alone.''

At the Corsica summit, France wants the European leaders to push for resuming German mediation in the eastern Mediterranean dispute. Russia also offered this week to mediate.

The leaders also plan to discuss EU and NATO operations in the Mediterranean and their relation to Turkey.

But the other countries at the Corsica summit have different priorities. Italy, Spain and Malta are notably more concerned about migrant boats arriving from North Africa to their shores. Portugal. meanwhile, has little stake in the tensions around the eastern Mediterranean.

France and Greece hope the seven countries can come up with a united southern European front ahead of a full EU summit later this month focused on the bloc's strategy toward Turkey.

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When you are a teenager auditioning for Kenny Ortega, when he greets you in the room with his fedora, his walking staff and his whiter-than-white smile, this is what he wants to see: The potential, he said. The desire, the enthusiasm.

An actor, then a choreographer, director and producer, Ortega, 70, has an unparalleled instinct for nosing out young talent and making it shine, blindingly, from the screen. For Disney, he directed all three High School Musical movies and all three Descendants movies. Like a man-sized Hubble telescope, he can spot stars before the rest of us. And even in the face of computer-generated dragons and Auto-Tune, he gets performances from young actors that feel somehow real.

He has no children of his own. You wouldnt know it, he said. I have godchildren and nieces and nephews coming out my ears. But he has a rare ability to see young people as they want to be seen and to guess what they will want to watch.

His latest project, Julie and the Phantoms, a reboot of a Brazilian series, comes to Netflix on Thursday. Julie, a high school student mourning the death of her mother, has lost her love for music. Then three adorable and mostly dead boys materialize in her backyard studio. Members of a pop-grunge band who died in the mid-90s, these ghosts help her learn to sing again.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to 17 website operators for illegally selling unapproved and misbranded opioids online in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Misbranded opioids include those offered for sale without a prescription, as well as opioids that lack adequate directions for use.

The opioids offered for sale include products such as tramadol and oxycodone. These are prescription drugs that have significant risks of addiction, abuse and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death, and should only be used under the supervision of a licensed health care provider. These warning letters are a continuation of the FDA's commitment to take action against the illegal sale of opioids over the internet.

Those who illegally sell opioids online put consumers at risk and undermine the significant strides we have made to combat the opioid crisis. We remain committed to using all available tools to stop the illegal sale of opioids online to help protect consumers from these potentially dangerous products." Donald D. Ashley, Director of the Office of Compliance, FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

The warning letters were issued to:

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In addition to the significant risks of addiction, abuse and misuse, opioids can cause life-threatening respiratory depression (breathing problems), which can lead to overdose and death, and withdrawal symptoms in newborn babies. When taken with other central nervous system depressants, including alcohol, the use of opioids may result in coma or death.

Opioid addiction is a serious public health issue in the United States, and the sale of unapproved and misbranded opioids may pose heightened dangers to consumers who purchase those products over the internet. Unlike drugs approved by the FDA, there has been no FDA evaluation of whether unapproved products are safe and effective for their intended use, or whether they have dangerous side effects or other safety concerns.

Consumers who buy prescription drugs, including opioids, from illegal online pharmacies may put their health at risk because the products, while being marketed as authentic, may be counterfeit, contaminated, expired or otherwise unsafe. Additionally, several of these websites offer opioids online without a prescription, posing significant risks to consumers. Illegal online pharmacies can also pose other risks to consumers, including credit card fraud, identity theft and computer viruses.

The FDA is committed to addressing the national crisis of opioid addiction on all fronts, with a significant focus on decreasing exposure to opioids and preventing new addiction; supporting the treatment of those with opioid use disorder; fostering the development of novel pain treatment therapies and opioids more resistant to abuse and misuse; and taking action against those involved in the illegal importation and sale of unapproved and misbranded opioids.
Moscow, Sep 10 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that there is a "substantial chance" that the suspected poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was ordered by senior officials in Moscow, the media reported on Thursday.

Pompeo made the remarks in an interview on Wednesday when asked if there would be any ramifications for the Russian government over apparent attacks on its political opponents, the BBC reported.

In response, he said the US, along with the European Union (EU), had made clear to Russia "our expectations that they will hold those responsible for this accountable. We'll do our best to come to a conclusion about who was responsible too".

"I think people all around the world will see this kind of activity for what it is.

"And when they see the effort to poison a dissident, they recognise that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from Russia," the BBC quoted Pompeo as saying in the interview.

Pompeo however, declined to say how the US would respond, but said Washington would play its part to "reduce the risk that things like this happen again".

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has given no indication of how the US will respond to the poisoning,adding that "we haven't had any proof yet but I will take a look".

On Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned the German Ambassador to Moscow, Geza Andreas von Geyr against the "unfounded accusations and ultimatum" over the case.

On Tuesday, G7 Foreign Ministers and the High Representative of the European Union issued a statement demanding Russia to "urgently and fully establish transparency on who is responsible for this abhorrent poisoning attack", Xinhua news agency reported.

Navalny, the 44-year-old staunch critic of Putin, fell ill on a flight from the Russian city of Tomsk to Moscow on August 20 and the plane had to make an emergency landing in the city of Omsk.

He reportedly went into coma after being hospitalized in Omsk and was later transferred to Germany for treatment.

On Monday, the Charite hospital in Berlin, where Navalny is being treated, issued a statement saying that his condition had improved and he was being weaned off mechanical ventilation after coming round from his coma.
Hofeld said it is unclear at this point by how much the agreement with Chicago Heights will result in lower water rates for the village. The 25-year agreement caps increases using the Consumer Price Index, with a minimum annual increase of 1% and maximum hike of 3%, according to the village.
Serum Institute of India (SII) on Wednesday said that drugmaker will follow the central drug regulator's instruction on suspension of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial in India. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Serum Institute of India for not informing it about pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in other countries.

On September 8, the clinical trials of one of the Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine were suspended in the United Kingdom after a participant developed an unexplained illness.

In his show-cause notice, Drugs Controller General of India Dr V G Somani, asked SII as to why the permission granted for conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the vaccine candidate in the country be not suspended till patient safety is established.

"Whereas, Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, Pune, till now has not informed the Central licensing authority regarding pausing the clinical trial carried out by AstraZeneca in other countries and also not submitted casualty analysis of the reported serious adverse event with the investigational vaccine for the continuation of phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the subject vaccine in the country in light of the safety concerns," said the show-cause notice.

Commenting on the show cause notice, Pune-bases vaccine maker said, "We are going by DCGI's direction and so far were not told to pause the trials. If DCGI has any safety concerns, we will follow their instructions and abide by the standard protocols."

In the show-cause notice, the drug regulator also mentioned that the clinical trials have been put on hold across countries where it is conducted i.e. USA, UK, Brazil and South Africa. The company was also asked why it had not submitted casualty analysis of the reported serious event.

Last month, the DCGI had granted permission to the Pune-based SII to conduct Phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the coronavirus vaccine candidate.

Serum Institute of India partnered with AstraZeneca to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford, for India and low-and-middle income countries. Pune-based vaccine maker earlier shortlisted 17 sites in India for the Phase II clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine. At least 1,600 candidates aged between 18 to 55, will participate in the trial.

On halting the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial in the UK, vaccine maker AstraZeneca said in a statement that "we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee." "This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials," the company added.

Earlier on Wednesday, SII, said, "We can't comment much on the UK trials, but they have been paused for further review and they hope to restart soon. As far as Indian trials are concerned, it is continuing and we have faced no issues at all."

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'The Last Hurrah': Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Politics, But Were Told Not to Ask

I wish that I were reviewing one of the half-dozen movies certain to be made when this pox upon our house is no more. But until that glorious return to normality has us resuming all the simple joys of life we take for granted, like going to the movies, I'll be retro-reviewing and thereby sharing with you the films that I've come to treasure over the years, most of which can probably be retrieved from one of the movie streaming services. It is my fondest hope that I've barely put a dent into this trove when they let the likes of me back into the Bijou. .............................................................

Owing to a perhaps purposeful ambiguity regarding our sense of wrong and right, an attribute oddly waylaid during our evolution from lizard to what we now deem as human, we cannot, as Jack Nicholson's Col. Nathan Jessup contended in "A Few Good Men" (1992), handle the truth.

This doubtlessly really bummed out Socrates, Plato and the rest of the truth-is-beauty gang.

Dedicated to our perfection, they probably got the inkling of said innate fallibility when they realized that droves of our species would rather gluttonously quaff mead and eat whatever lamb hadn't yet been sacrificed than contemplate morality and how to serve the commonweal.

Spencer Tracy's Mayor Frank Skeffington (long assumed to be based on Boston's Mayor James M. Curley), the last of the old-time, big-city politicians, running for one final term in director John Ford's "The Last Hurrah" (1958) knows full well the delusions, fears and general ignorance that colors the electoral choices of the Great Unwashed.

He's made a living from it. Still, factoring in the reality of the dynamic and the empathetic heart that we're convinced beats within the successful, pragmatic leader, he is a sympathetic character.

Indeed, the son of poor, Irish immigrants commands the political machine he scratched out from nothing, replete with a gaggle of Runyonesque hangers-on, operatives and boosters, played by some of Hollywood's most endearing character actors. And he lives in a fine home of the sort where his Mom once did the cooking and cleaning. But if Frank Skeffington has lined his pockets, he hasn't been a pig about it.

Most telling is a condolence call to Gert Minihan's home where his attendance assures a big turnout, the wake doubling as a campaign opportunity. The bounteous flowers, food and funeral arrangements courtesy of the gentle pressure Frank applies to the favor-owing vendors heartens the gracious widow, especially since she was correctly under the impression that her deceased spouse, Knocko, didn't have the best of reputations.

And just to put a cherry atop His Honor's Robin Hood style of political savvy, before leaving he hands Mrs. Minihan a generous check, informing that his saintly, departed wife had years ago left instructions to do so in such an event.

Trailing along as scribe and witness to the flourishes and stratagems of the mayor's proclaimed last hurrah is Jeffrey Hunter as his nephew, the reportorial Adam Caulfield who has ties to the other side of the tracks courtesy of the comely, upper-crust Maeve Caulfield, nee Sugrue. While decidedly more liberal than her bitterly anti-Skeffington dad, Roger, hubby's recently closer association with the controversial figure does test the depths of her class consciousness.

Thus, in addition to the primer on power, privilege and the currying of societal advantage, Mr. Ford's expertly filmed study wraps it all into a poignant stab at the inequities perpetrated by the evil forces of bigotry. While remaining unfortunately apropos to any time in history, the whys, wherefores and wiles of governmental chicanery are especially illustrative of our present crisis.

Given the psychological mysteries that command the decision-making processes of an electorate still steeped in authoritarian indoctrination and naively illogical about the actual properties of democracy, Frank Skeffington's political tightrope act eloquently rationalizes his case for dispensation.

Whether byproduct or primary aim, there is recognizable service and principle.

Whereas the criminal enterprise currently clawing for another four years of ransacking America's democratic institutions and pursuing a grand kleptomania that stops just short of backing up a truck to Fort Knox, makes no secret of its implied guarantee: The white race will remain dominant; the same 1/10th of 1 percent will continue to control the country's wealth; and the complicit, sycophantic base will be fed the same myth of superiority that's worked for the ruling class since way before the Southern plantation owners used it on their slave-driving overseers.

It's cheap, divisive, and keeps two levels of the underclass in tow. Inequitably overtax the bourgeoisie and there you've funded your dominion. It's old school. When you're the minority that's been in power since time immemorial, you get rather canny at controlling the majority.

It's a deceit upon humanity that monarchs honed to near perfection and bequeathed to their kindred successors. They in turn found the artifice could be refashioned for equivalent, perfidious use in the new, constitutional governments that were supposed to end the reign of kings. I don't know how to say it in Latin, but beware schlock furniture stores and governments that proclaim, "Under New Management."

Frank Skeffington's supporters, hip to the jive, pocket their cynicism, accepting that in order to wrest some of the goodies from the Brahmins, who all but claim a divine right to the public coffer, their man will have to fight fire with fire, and get a little down and dirty. And if he draws his percentage for keeping the wolf at bay, so be it. Our trust that at least he'll be taking with only one hand and not two earns him "The Last Hurrah."

"The Last Hurrah," a Columbia Pictures release directed by John Ford, stars Spencer Tracy, Jeffrey Hunter and Dianne Foster. Running time: 121 minutes
Cairn Homes PLC - Irish housebuilder - Interim earnings slump amid Covid-19 related site closures. For half-year to June 30, revenue down sharply to EUR80.9 million from EUR192.4 million last year and pretax profit crumbles to EUR1.2 million from EUR21.8 million. Posts operating profit of EUR5.8 million from EUR27.3 million. Cairn Homes guiding for 2020 closed sales of 700 and operating profit of EUR20 million.

Separately, Cairn enters agreement to acquire former Esmonde Motors Garage premises and adjoining land located at Stillorgan Road in South Dublin from the Emerald Fund ICAV for an overall cash consideration amount of EUR14 million.

Current stock price: EUR0.805

Year-to-date change: down 36%

By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A new study by US health authorities published Thursday provided more data showing that, when it comes to catching COVID-19, visiting bars and restaurants is far more dangerous than going shopping, working from an office or using public transport.

It was already suspected that this was the case, but few studies have sought to rigorously establish a hierarchy of risk in public activities.

The new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) isn't perfect: it can't confirm definitively where people in the cases it studied were infected.

CDC officials approached people who had gone for a test at 11 American hospitals in July and asked them to fill out a detailed questionnaire.

Overall, about 300 participated, half of whom tested positive and the other half negative.

Participants were asked questions about possible community exposure over the previous 14 days, in settings including public transport, at private gatherings, offices, churches, salons, bars and restaurants.

They realized that the participants who tested positive and those who tested negative reported similar mask-wearing behavior and similar levels of exposure in all the settings except bars and restaurants.

"Adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results were approximately twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than were those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results," it found.

The risk was even higher for bars when the analysis was restricted to participants who hadn't reported exposure to a person with a known case of COVID-19.

The analysis will need further validation, particularly since it did not distinguish between indoor and outdoor drinking and dining settings.

But it is further evidence of the contamination risks associated with microdroplets that travel much further than the six feet (two meters) recommended by social distancing guidelines and can be carried along air ventilation currents.

Eating and drinking also requires people to take off their masks, which they do not need to do in other settings.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
Thats the highest number of machines removed since 2016, according to written court testimony. Before then, the average was 388 withdrawn per year.

According to written court testimony submitted this week, U.S. Postal Service administrators confessed to removing 711 mail-sorting machines, the most withdrawn from USPS facilities since 2016.

In the four years prior, 388 machines was the average number of sorters removed, CNN maintained.

The Postal Service reportedly began removing machines in June, the same month former Republican fundraiser Louis DeJoy began serving as postmaster general after being named to the position the previous month by President Donald Trump.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies during a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee last month in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images)

The USPS Jason DeChambeau contended in court documents that the decision to remove mail-sorting machines was made before the appointment of DeJoy, the first postmaster general in decades with no prior experience with the Postal Service.

Representatives of the agency were required to appear in U.S. District Court because six states and the District of Columbia filed a suit against the USPS and its head. Pennsylvania, California, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. joined together to argue that DeJoys changes to the postal system are interfering with the legal obligation to conduct free and fair elections.

Read More: Postal chief DeJoy has long leveraged connections, dollars

Over the past several weeks, we have heard from people in every county across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who are gravely concerned about delayed mail delivery We call on you to immediately return to service machines that have been removed in recent months, they wrote.

On Aug. 18, DeJoy announced that the Postal Service would suspend operational changes until after the election.

Despite the proven benefits of social distancing to minimize the spread of COVID-19, Trump has discouraged Americans to vote by mail, claiming an increased number of mail-in ballots will lead to voter fraud.

Story continues

Read More: Defiant DeJoy confirms he wont restore mail-sorting machines

There is widespread fear that DeJoys internal alterations could compound voter suppression and disrupt the upcoming presidential election, but according to the officials, these changes are common practice because annual maintenance is needed to replace or remove outdated mail equipment.

As Americans gear up for the 2020 presidential election, the states suing the Postal Service are claiming the changes happening within the system are designed to undermine democracy.

Read More: Trump to resign, request pardon if he loses election: Cohen

When this lawsuit was announced on Aug. 21, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro asked DeJoy to specify how the agency will reverse these illegal changes.

Pres Trump and Postmaster DeJoy might say theyre backing down but, in CA, were not going to take their word for it, Xavier Becerra, the attorney general of California, wrote on Twitter.

NEWS: We've officially filed our lawsuit to protect the #USPS.



Pres Trump and Postmaster DeJoy might say they're backing down but, in CA, we're not going to take their word for it.



Free and fair elections are too important to leave to an empty promise. https://t.co/72RM0SB6xO pic.twitter.com/PEQXvUrray  Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) August 21, 2020

Postal Service representatives have said mail is piling up, and animal carcasses are being found inside unutilized mail processing plants. Senate reports claim significant delays in mail delivery have prevented Americans from receiving medicine, checks, packages and more.

We know that Louis DeJoy is sabotaging the Postal Service, and our report is more evidence that his tenure has been a failure, Massachusetts Democratic Sen, Elizabeth Warren, said in a statement.

He needs to resign, she continuted, and if he wont, the Board of Governors must remove him.

Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Postal Service removed over 700 mail-sorting machines in 2020 appeared first on TheGrio.
The transaction furthers BGL's market leadership position in eCommerce investment banking, and builds on its Consumer Group's deep experience advising companies in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) eCommerce , branded consumer products , and outdoor enthusiast spaces. In addition, RTIC's fast-growing customization business represents a significant growth opportunity in B2B eCommerce, another area of focus for BGL's Consumer Group.

RTIC is the largest own-brand DTC provider of high-quality coolers, tumblers, bottles, travel bags, and other products for outdoor enthusiasts. Based in Houston, Texas, RTIC was founded by brothers Jim and John Jacobsen and quickly grew into a leading DTC brand for premium coolers and insulated drinkware. Today the company offers a broad portfolio of RTIC-branded products under its "Overbuilt. Not Overpriced." promise.

RTIC co-founder John Jacobsen said, "BGL's experience and knowledge around the value drivers of a direct-to-consumer eCommerce business, combined with a strong understanding of brand value propositions, enabled us to find a fantastic partner in Wind Point Partners. The BGL team skillfully told our story, based on proprietary data, validating the strength of our brand and the depth of our customer base. We are ecstatic with the outcome and excited to continue on this journey with Wind Point."

Wind Point Partners is a Chicago-based private equity investment firm. Wind Point focuses on partnering with top caliber management teams to acquire well-positioned middle market businesses where it can establish a clear path to value creation. The firm targets investments in the consumer products, industrial products, and business services sectors. Wind Point is currently investing out of Wind Point Partners IX, a fund that was initiated in 2019.

About Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is a leading independent investment bank and financial advisory firm focused on the global middle market. The firm advises private and public corporations and private equity groups on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, capital markets, financial restructurings, valuations and opinions, real estate, and other strategic matters. BGL has investment banking offices in Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, and real estate offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, and San Antonio. The firm is also a founding member of Global M&A Partners, enabling BGL to service clients in more than 30 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.bglco.com.

SOURCE Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Related Links

https://www.bglco.com


Muthu Krishnan

In a bid to be more developed, India is now swiftly moving towards advanced healthcare services for its citizens. Supported by the government, the national focus is to elevate Indias existing healthcare structure. However, the responsibility of the shift depends on how prepared the healthcare organisations are to adopt advanced technologies.

Globally, healthcare processes have seen a massive shift from being treatment-based methodology to outcomes-based approach. Although it may take India a substantial period of time to convert healthcare into one that is outcome-based, the fact is that there is an immense scope to improve the existing infrastructures and services. Indian healthcare organisations can look at a three-step action plan to align themselves with the necessary healthcare instrumentality being devised globally.

The foremost of these steps should be to create an interoperable framework that allows market forces to drive improvements and changes. This would ensure that the healthcare system does not gravitate towards holding patients hostage to the care they need, when they need, where they need and who from they need.

Electronic Health Records

To make all of its health records digital, India will have to go through the colossal task of migrating from paper-based records into electronic/digital health records as the first step towards modernizing healthcare. It has been witnessed in the past, that the migration of historical and legacy city land records along with government registries to electronic records is the first step to becoming truly digital. Today all of these transactions are recorded electronically, thanks to that initial step.

The purpose of converting healthcare records is not only to have better accessibility to these records but also to improve the quality of healthcare. EHRs allow us to view the history of our health records, transfer them from one caregiver to another, record new care instances, changes in lifestyle and various other indicators. This repository of health data would then enable data mining and analysis to help identify causes of illnesses, care protocols, the spread of infectious diseases etc. It will also help improve the accuracy of diagnosing disease and the quality of care.

Thus it's important for private, public, not for profit and government-run healthcare organizations to consider building a database of health records and carefully considering the standard portability of data, security, ownership, accessibility permissions, etc.

Introducing sustainable Revenue Cycle Management processes

As healthcare organizations move towards integrating technology for administrative and operational purposes, it would become extremely important to introduce a sustainable revenue cycle management system to the mix. When healthcare organizations are focusing on giving better patient care, they should also focus on a steady income.

India is still in a space where cash transactions are commonplace after services are rendered. However, as the younger urban population move toward insurance cover, the transactions are fast moving into a cashless zone. In order for organizations to ensure enhanced revenue realization, the need of the hour is to invest in efficient solutions with the proven delivery record.

A potential strategy is maximizing collection outcomes via improved patient engagement and better clinical documentation. This ties in with the above-mentioned discussion on the need for electronic health records and leads us to the next step in the process of adoption of technology. Whether we agree or not, healthcare cannot be a free service. The people or organizations who provide the healthcare service should be paid for their services and it doesn't matter if the payer is the government, insurance or oneself, healthcare organizations need to be economically viable to operate.

Integrated Practice Management Partner

The existing pandemic crisis has a significant impact on the ability of healthcare organizations to navigate the challenges to emerge stronger, additionally, it may be cumbersome for them to achieve the desired results through the existing clinical and non-clinical staff. In such a scenario a strategic decision would be to explore integrated practice management partners that would enable improved financial outcomes, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19. They can focus on care delivery, physician satisfaction and patient safety as the primary objective to bounce back from the crisis.

An advanced partnership could also help organizations to navigate industry changes, competitive pressures, and drive population health outcomes with rich data and analytics. An informed investment in advanced technological infrastructure with an integrated practice management partner would be prudent. As organizations move towards focused improvement an ideal partner would be able to reinforce profitability, scalability, growth, reliability, improving care delivery and physician success.

From an Indian context, we must be cognizant of the fact that the existing healthcare system needs an extensive overhaul and improvement in the quality of care that is being provided - in both private and government facilities. Currently, the pandemic has provided India with the opportunity to re-examine its existing healthcare systems and realign its strategies to be more conducive to adopt a more modern healthcare system.

With an array of solutions available for healthcare organizations, it is only a matter of taking the first step in the right direction for the other pieces to fall in place. With the definitive insight into what adoption of digitization could bring the Indian healthcare system, it would be wise for the organizations to look at their global counterparts, for best practices and user insight.

The author is the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at IKS Health
International

Kabul bomb targets VP, kills 10 civilians: Afghan officials

Afghan security personnel and Municipality workers work at the site of an explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 9. (AP)

KABUL, SEP 9 (AP) | Publish Date: 9/9/2020 1:25:51 PM IST

A bombing in the Afghan capital on Wednesday targeted the convoy of the countrys first vice president, killing 10 people and wounding at least 31, including several of the vice presidents bodyguards, the Interior Ministry said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and the Taliban quickly denied they were behind the bombing.

First Vice President Amrullah Saleh suffered minor burns in the blast. The bomb was hidden in a cart by the roadside and detonated as his convoy passed by.

Saleh, who is also Afghanistans former intelligence chief, said in his first television appearance immediately after the attack that he was fine and had sustained only slight burns. He appeared in the TV footage with bandages on one hand.

Me and my younger son who was also with me are fine, Saleh said. I have slight burns on my face and hand from the wave of the blast. I dont have exact details right now, but I apologize to those who suffered casualties and those who lost their property in the attack.

His spokesman, Razwan Murad, called the attack a vicious terrorist attempt on Salehs life. The roads in the vicinity of the bombing were closed off.

The Interior Ministry says the bomb went off as Salehs convoy was passing through a section of Kabul with shops that sell gas cylinders for use in heating homes and cooking. The blast ignited a fire that set ablaze a number of the shops.

The explosion left behind a scene of destruction  at least 10 shops were smoldering in the aftermath of the explosion that had also shattered windows of dozens of nearby homes, some with doors hanging off their hinges. Cars were wrecked and debris was scattered around.

Earlier, the Interior Ministrys spokesman, Tariq Arian, first confirmed to The Associated Press that the bombing targeted Salehs convoy. Akmal Samsor, spokesman for the Afghan public health ministry, said the 31 wounded were taken to different hospitals for treatment.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed was quick to deny the insurgents were involved in any way, saying that todays explosion in Kabul has nothing to do with the Mujahedeen of the Islamic Emirate, as the Taliban call themselves.

Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, head of Afghanistans negotiating team with the Taliban, condemned the attack in a tweet and urged an end to the killings.

Our people are desperately looking for peace, he said. It is crucial to put an urgent end to the violence. The time for excuses is over. The killings must end, The U.N. chiefs special representative for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said she was relieved to hear that Saleh survived the attack. Lyons added that she was shocked by the high number of civilian casualties, mainly bystanders.

Perpetrators must face justice, she added.

Both the insurgents and the Islamic State group are active in Kabul where tensions are also high ahead of the expected start of negotiations between an official Afghan delegation and the Taliban.

Washington has been ramping up pressure on both sides to get the talks underway. Americas peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is in Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office, trying to get the negotiations started.

The negotiations, known as intra-Afghan talks, were envisaged as part of a peace deal the U.S. signed with the Taliban in Qatar in February to end Americas longest war. At the time, the talks were cast as Afghanistans best chance at peace after decades of conflict.

Kabuls peace negotiation team is waiting in the Afghan capital to travel to the Qatari capital of Doha for the talks but delays have been relentless. In recent days, Washington, officials in Kabul and the Taliban have all indicated that they could get under way imminently.

The U.S.-Taliban deal allows for the exit of American soldiers from Afghanistan. However, U.S troop pullout, which has already begun, does not hinge on the success of intra-Afghan talks but rather on commitments from the Taliban to fight against other militant groups  such as the Islamic State group  and to prevent Afghanistan from being a staging arena for attacks against the U.S. and its allies.
Resilience of the solid installed base in an exceptional context of global health crisis

Half year revenue decreased 8.5%; costs contained; stable gross margin EBITDA margin down from 24.2% to 18.6%

Half-year sales supported by strong recurrence (87.7%), resiliency driver of ESI's business model

Cash management under control (24.7m vs. 16.3m in June FY19)

Growing recognition support for ESI's value in mission critical industrial transformation

Regulatory News:

ESI Group, (Paris:ESI)(ISIN Code: FR0004110310, Symbol: ESI), today publishes its sales and results for the first half of its 2020 fiscal year (period from January 1st to June 30th), approved by the Board of Directors on September 8, 2020.

Cristel de Rouvray, Chief Executive Officer of ESI Group, comments: "In H1, while we experienced a sudden decrease in our customer's ability to open new projects, the solidity of our multi-year, mission critical engagements with diversified industry leaders sustained us. As we continue to manage this global pandemic, we are balancing two business imperatives: proactive cost management to optimize near-term financial health and continuation of our transformation plan. The latter gains momentum, reflected in a growing number of customer engagements positioned at the level of "outcome" and mounting interest in ESI's offer, as evidenced in wide participation at our regular digital events.

(m) 6/30/2020 6/30/2019 Change 6m 6m proforma Current rate Constant rate (cer) Q1 Sales 54.9 58.4 (6.1%) (6.9%) Licenses 48.8 50.8 (4.0%) (4.8%) Services 6.1 7.6 (20.3%) (20.9%) Q2 Sales 25.9 29.9 (13.2%) (13.5%) Licenses 20.4 22.5 (9.4%) (9.7%) Services 5.5 7.4 (24.8%) (24.9%) H1 Sales 80.8 88.3 (8.5%) (9.1%) Licenses 69.2 73.3 (5.6%) (6.3%) Services 11.6 15.0 (22.5%) (22.9%) Gross Margin 62.4 68.6 (9.1%) (9.8%) % Sales 77.3% 77.7% EBITDA (before IFRS161 15.0 21.3 (29.5%) (31.4%) % Sales 18.6% 24.2% EBIT (before IFRS16 12.5 19.6 (36.3%) (38.4%) % Sales 15.4% 22.2% IFRS 16 Impacts EBITDA 3.0 2.8 Operating Result 0.2

Recurrence and resilience in an exceptional context

ESI Group's sales for the first half of 2020 amounted to 80.8m, down 8.5% (at current rates) from the same period last year. As the entire world entered confinement in Q2, revenue contracted 4m (-13.2%), about the same absolute value as in Q1 over a smaller revenue. Overall in H1:

In licenses, representing 85.6% of revenues, Repeat Business (70.2M) increased by 1.2%, while New Business (5M) dropped by 53%. Confinement delayed decisions about new engagements, though customer interaction and conversations continued, anchored on a solid foundation of repeat business.

In services, revenues decreased 22.5%, as industrialists temporarily shut offices and postponed certain engagements.

Despite this exceptional context, the Group once again demonstrated the resilience of its business model, driven by a high level of licensing recurrence (87.7%). The solid dynamic of repeat business, proof of the strategic value of ESI Group's solutions, was particularly strong among the group's key customers. The Top 20 customers booking increased by 3.9% and represented 56% of total booking. These customers showed a continuous interest for the Group's innovative solutions helping them to accelerate their digital transformation as illustrated by the 21% of services booking (vs. 15% for all customers).

Geographic and sector footprint unchanged

The geographical breakdown of half-year revenues is almost identical to that of the first half of 2019: the EMEA region represents 51.6% (vs. 52.7%) of total revenues, Asia represents 34.1% (vs. 33.2%) and the Americas represent 14.3% (vs. 14.1%). The EMEA region decreased the most during the half-year, followed by Asia and the Americas.

The Group's four priority industries Automotive Ground Transportation, Aeronautics Aerospace, Heavy Industry, Energy accounted for approximately 87% of total orders during the period. The Automotive and Ground Transportation activity, the group's leading industry, remained relatively stable despite a difficult sector context. The other priority industries suffered more from the current crisis, with a significant slowdown in orders in the Aerospace industry.

Financial results

H1 EBITDA (before IFRS 16) is 15.0m (18.6%) compared to 21.3m (24.2%) over the same period last year.

H1 EBIT (before IFRS 16) is 12.5m (15.4%) vs. 19.6m (22.2%) in H1FY19.

Gross margin is stable, at 77.3% (vs. 77.7%). Costs to EBIT are also stable (68.3m in H1FY20 compared to 68.7m in H1FY19).

The Group reinforced cost measures over the semester. Immediately pivoting to work-from-home and adopting new methods for marketing enabled a greater than 50% reduction in travel and marketing costs. Automatic links between variable compensation and revenue growth also accounted for cost reductions. Additionally, the group continued aligning costs to priorities to reinforce a path to sustainable growth. Together, these measures will have a larger impact on H2FY20 and FY21.

Cash position

The Group's cash position increased to 24.7m at June 30, 2020 (vs. 16.3m end June 2019).

Gross financial debt is 39.6m (vs. 49.6m as of December 2019) and net debt decreased to 14.9m (vs. 29.4m) related to business seasonality. The gearing ratio (net debt to equity) is 15.6% (vs. 34.4%).

As of June 30, 2020, ESI Group held 6.3% of its capital in treasury shares.

ESI Group requested a State-guaranteed loan (PGE) from its French banking pool and Bpifrance. At the date of the Board of Directors, the PGE granted by Bpifrance has been received (1.75m) and the agreements of all the banks in the pool have been obtained for a syndicated PGE of 12m the contract is currently being drawn up.

Perspectives

ESI Group is recognized as providing among the best performing mission critical solutions on the market and benefits from a growing number of solid customer references:

ESI's collaboration with Kion Group, the global leader in industrial trucks, is a great illustration. ESI enables Kion Group to accelerate their digital transformation and increase productivity by reducing or even eliminating the need for physical prototypes during production processes.

- In Aerospace, a very challenging sector, ESI secured 100% of the annual software renewal from a major American Aerospace company, including a part of New Business, at the peak of the pandemic. This illustrates the strategic importance of ESI's solutions.

ESI 's key customers seek to improve performance of products throughout the lifecycle, as they know the imperative of transforming to provide outcomes. In this perspective, ESI Group collaborates with one of the leading manufacturers of construction and mining equipment, to reduce their power consumption. Thanks to a dedicated project based on the Hybrid Twin concept, ESI's teams help this manufacturer in the full lifespan of their product from design to in-service performance improvement.

To meet this demand, ESI Group is accelerating its global transformation plan, developing its sales and increasing its margins focusing on four priority industries and four outcome solutions for each (Pre-certification, Smart Manufacturing, Human Centric and Pre-experience). This value and customer benefits will be illustrated at the upcoming "ESI Live", Global Digital Forum, Nov 5th, 2020.

Board Decisions

The Board of Directors of September 8, 2020 has decided to convene an Extraordinary Shareholder meeting on October 21, 2020 to mainly offer the opportunity to nominate observers in the perspective of onboarding of new directors.

Upcoming events

Q3 2020 Sales October 27, 2020

About ESI Group

Founded in 1973, ESI Group is a leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping solutions and a global enabler of industrial transformation. Thanks to the company's unique know-how in the physics of materials, it has developed and refined, over the last 45 years, advanced simulation capabilities. Having identified gaps in the traditional approach to Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), ESI has introduced a holistic methodology centered on industrial productivity and product performance throughout its entire lifecycle, i.e. Product Performance Lifecycle, from engineering to manufacturing and in operation. Present in more than 20 countries, and in major industrial sectors, ESI employs 1200 high level specialists around the world and reported 2019 sales of 146 million. ESI is headquartered in France and is listed on compartment B of Euronext Paris.

For further information, go to www.esi-group.com.

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APPENDIX 1

Consolidated financial statements H1 2020

Half-year results press release

Sept 10, 2020

1. Consolidated income statement

Half year closed on June 30, 2020

Reminder: Further to July 18, 2019 General Meeting decision, Group fiscal year closing date has been shifted from January 31 to December 31. Consequently, half-year financial statements refer to period from January 1 to June 30 (previously February 1 to July 31).

Due to important seasonality of Licensing activity in January, results comparison between first half of 2019 and 2020 is not relevant, thus proforma information have been computed (January June 2020 compared to January June 2019).

(In thousands) H1 2020 Jan to June H1 2019 Feb to July Dec 31, 2019 Feb to Dec Licenses and maintenance 69,214 40,854 75,320 Consulting 11,341 13,585 25,718 Other 256 369 1,159 REVENUE 80,811 54,809 102,197 Cost of sales (18,378) (17,886) (33,873) Research and development costs (15,485) (16,078) (29,832) Selling and marketing expenses (21,613) (19,539) (38,841) General and administrative costs (12,643) (9,650) (21,476) CURRENT OPERATING RESULT 12,692 (8,345) (21,825) Other operating income and expenses 6 28 1 OPERATING RESULT 12,698 (8,317) (21,824) FINANCIAL RESULT (822) (961) (2,563) Share of profit of associates (189) (264) 26 INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE AND MINORITY INTERESTS 11,687 (9,542) (24,360) Provision for income tax (2,813) 2,501 3,446 NET INCOME BEFORE MINORITY INTERESTS 8,874 (7,041) (20,914) Minority interests (5) 103 32 NET INCOME (GROUP SHARE) 8,880 (7,144) (20,946) Earnings per share (in euros) 1.57 (1.27) (4.06) Diluted earnings per share (in euros) 1.55 (1.26) (4.01)

Statement of comprehensive income

(In thousands) H1 2020 Jan to June H1 2019 Feb to July Dec 31, 2019 Feb to Dec NET INCOME BEFORE MINORITY INTERESTS 8,874 (7,041) (20,914) OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME RECYCLED TO INCOME Change in the fair value of hedging instruments 9 (16) (12) Translation differences (559) 737 866 OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) NOT

RECYCLED TO INCOME Actuarial gains and losses (15) 4 (688) Income and expenses recorded directly in equity (565) 725 166 COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 8,309 (6,316) (20,748) Attributable to Group equity holders 8,318 (6,439) (20,792) Attributable to minority interests (9) 123 44

2. Balance sheet

(In thousands) H1 2020 June 30, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 H1 2019 June 30, 2019 ASSETS NON-CURRENT ASSETS 146,120 152,176 152,224 Goodwill 41,438 41,448 41,550 Intangible assets 61,843 62,139 61,708 Property, plant and equipment 5,181 5,633 5,889 Rights-of-use assets 18,320 20,680 22,077 Shares in affiliated companies 807 1,099 823 Deferred tax assets 15,254 17,204 14,603 Other non-current assets 3,271 3,264 5,570 Cash-flow hedging instruments 7 6 3 CURRENT ASSETS 79,710 82,183 72,818 Trade receivables 32,845 44,733 38,729 Other current receivables 19,078 13,720 14,663 Prepaid expenses 3,094 3,489 3,939 Cash and cash equivalents 24,692 20,241 15,487 TOTAL ASSETS 225,830 233,655 225,042 LIABILITIES EQUITY 95,673 85,983 99,555 Equity (Group share) 95,611 85,912 98,661 Capital 18,055 18,055 18,053 Additional paid in capital 25,833 25,833 25,818 Reserves and retained earnings 42,392 61,982 61,422 Net income (loss) 8,880 (20,946) (7,144) Translation differences 450 987 512 Minority interests 62 71 894 NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 55,675 65,941 69,883 Long-term share of financial debt 25,957 30,457 33,157 Non-current finance lease obligation 13,504 20,002 21,821 Provision for employee benefits 11,328 11,016 10,315 Deferred tax liabilities 3,761 3,761 3,763 Cash-flow hedging instruments 16 28 55 Other long-term debt 1,109 677 772 CURRENT LIABILITIES 74,463 81,731 55,605 Short-term share of financial debt 13,601 19,143 7,670 Current finance lease obligation 4,350 631 324 Trade payables 8,011 8,632 6,740 Accrued compensation; taxes and others short-term liabilities 27,295 24,230 17,771 Provisions for contingencies, risks and disputes 507 675 701 Deferred income 20,716 28,421 22,400 TOTAL LIABILITIES 225,830 233,655 225,042

3. Consolidated statement of changes in equity

(In thousands except number of shares) Number of shares Share capital Additional paid in capital Net income, reserves and retained earnings Translation differences Equity attributable to parent company owners Minority interests Total Equity AT JANUARY 31, 2019 6,017,892 18,053 25,818 61,197 (205) 104,861 771 105,633 Change in fair value of hedging instruments (12) (12) (12) Translation differences 848 848 18 866 Actuarial gains and losses (682) (682) (6) (688) Income and expenses recognized directly in equity (694) 848 154 12 166 Net income (20,946) (20,946) 32 (20,912) COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (21,640) 848 (20,792) 44 (20,748) Proceeds from issue of shares 600 2 15 17 17 Treasury shares 22 22 22 Share-based payments 690 690 690 Transactions with non-controlling interests 927 927 (750) 177 Other movements 187 187 6 193 AT DECEMBER 31, 2019 6,018,492 18,055 25,833 41,383 643 85,912 71 85,983 Change in fair value of hedging instruments 9 9 9 Translation differences (555) (555) (4) (559) Actuarial gains and losses (15) (15) (15) Income and expenses recognized directly in equity (6) (555) (561) (4) (565) Net income 8,880 8,880 (5) 8,874 COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 8,874 (555) 8,309 (9) 8,310 Proceeds from issue of shares Treasury shares (12) (12) (12) Share-based payments 424 424 424 Transactions with non-controlling interests (39) (39) (39) Other movements 1,006 1,006 1,006 AT JUNE 30, 2020 6,018,492 18,055 25,833 51,636 88 95,611 62 95,673

CHANGES IN FIRST-HALF 2019

(In thousands except number of shares) Number of shares Share capital Additional paid in capital Net income, reserves and retained earnings Translation differences Equity attributable to parent company owners Minority interests Total Equity AT JANUARY 31, 2019 6,017,892 18,053 25,818 61,197 (205) 104,861 771 105,633 Change in fair value of hedging instruments (16) (16) (16) Translation differences 717 717 20 737 Actuarial gains and losses 4 4 4 Income and expenses recognized directly in equity (12) 717 705 20 725 Net income (7,144) (7,144) 103 (7,041) COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (7,156) 717 (6,439) 123 (6,316) Proceeds from issue of shares Treasury shares (114) (114) (114) Share-based payments 359 359 359 Transactions with non-controlling interests (41) (41) (41) Other movements 35 35 35 AT JULY 31, 2019 6,017,892 18,053 25,818 54,280 512 98,661 894 99,556

4. Consolidated statement of cash flows

(In thousands) H1 2020 Jan to June H1 2019 Feb to July Dec 31, 2019 Feb to Dec Net income before minority interests 8,874 (7,041) (20,946) Share of profit of associates (189) (264) (32) Amortization and provisions (1) 6,042 5,096 8,882 Net impact of capitalization of development costs 11 (82) (1,300) Income taxes (current and deferred) 2,813 (2,501) (3,446) Income taxes paid (401) (415) (1,980) Unrealized financial gains and losses 359 (368) 120 Share-based payment transactions 424 358 690 Gains and losses on assets disposals and other components 4 16 114 Operating cash flow 18,316 (4,722) (17,879) Trade receivables 10,873 26,703 19,446 Trade payables (549) (2,058) (293) Other receivables and other liabilities (9,979) (18,534) (865) Changes in working capital requirements 345 6,101 18,288 NET CASH FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 18,661 1,379 409 Purchase of intangible assets (577) (566) (591) Purchase of property, plant and equipment (754) (713) (1,390) Acquisition of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired 33 (795) Other investment operations 190 (785) (7) NET CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES (1,141) (2,032) (2,784) Proceeds from loans 8,034 14,422 Repayment of borrowings (1) (12,763) (10,030) (10,148) Proceeds from issue of shares 0 17 Purchase and proceeds from disposal of treasury shares (12) (114) 22 NET CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES (12,775) (2,110) 4,312 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (294) 164 216 INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 4,452 (2,599) 2,153 Opening cash position 20,241 18,086 18,087 Closing cash position 24,692 15,487 20,241 NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 4,452 (2,599) 2,154

(1) The impact of IFRS 16 for 2020 first half is an increase of +2.7 million in the amortization and provision retreatment and thus an improvement in operating cash-flow, against the repayment of finance lease obligation in the financing part of the Cash Flow Statement for -2.7 million.

APPENDIX 2

Methodology for preparing proforma information

in the context of change of closing date

Half-year results press release Sept 10, 2020

Further to change of closing date, half-year financial statements refer to period from January 1 to June 30 (previously February 1 to July 31). As January is a significant month in terms of sales (renewal of almost half of the contracts in the licensing business), result for the new half-year differ substantially from those of the previous half-year.

To ensure good comparability of information and in accordance with AMF Recommendation 2013-08, the main aggregates of the financial statements have been recalculated on proforma basis from January to June 2019.

H1 2019 proforma data have been prepared using the same methodology as for 2019 12-months proforma data presented end 2019:

Additional consolidation closings have been made for ESI Group and all subsidiaries as of December 31, 2018 and June 30, 2019, completing "historical" closings done as of January 31, 2019 and July 31, 2019. These additional closings enabled to produce income statement from January to June 2019 and balance sheet as of June 30, 2019, directly comparable with the balance sheet as of June 30, 2020.

The process applied for additional consolidation closings was the same as for a usual "historical" closing, for all Group subsidiaries.

More specifically, the following methods have been applied:

Licensing revenue is related to two performance obligations: access to the software (or license itself) and the maintenance service. Revenue for the access to the license is recognized at a point in time at the moment when control is transferred to the client, and the revenue from maintenance service is recognized on a straight-line basis over the one-year term of the support agreement which is the usual method of each closing, in accordance with IFRS 15;

Service revenue consists mainly of consulting fees. The consulting revenue is recognized according the percentage of completion method at end June 2019, for all entities with monthly monitoring. In the absence of monthly monitoring, a prorata by month has been calculated this approach being acceptable given the month-to-month linearity of this activity's sales;

Costs directly linked to revenue (such as royalties paid to third parties or commissions paid to agents) were calculated on the basis of monthly revenue;

Staff costs excluding bonuses result from the payroll and social security charges paid each month, related accruals have been calculated according to the actual situation existing at each closing date. Bonus accruals have been adjusted end June 2019 using same hypothesis than calculation done end June 2020;

The net impact of the capitalization of development costs and net charges to amortization, depreciation and provisions were calculated at each closing date;

Some other external costs may result from prorata temporis estimates, such as office rental expenses which are invoiced quarterly.

Components of the cash flow were determined through a cash flow statement drawn up according to the usual consolidation process.

APPENDIX 3

Reconciliation of EBIT with EBITDA before IFRS 16 impact

Half-year results press release

Sept 10, 2020

(In million) H1 2020 Jan to June H1 2019 Jan to June PROFORMA H1 2019 Feb to July A EBIT 12,7 19,6 (8,3) B Depreciation Amortization before net depreciation of accounts receivable and amortization of capitalized developement costs (5,3) (4,5) (4,6) A-B=C EBITDA 18,0 24,1 (3,7) D Lease retreatment IFRS 16 3,0 2,8 2,8 E Amortization IFRS 16 (2,8) (2,8) (2,8) D+E=F IFRS 16 impact on EBIT 0,2 0,0 0,0 A-F EBIT before IFRS 16 impact 12,5 19,6 (8,3) C-D EBITDA before IFRS 16 impact 15,0 21,3 (6,5)

Reminder:

EBITDA presented every half-year include net depreciation of accounts receivable (net allowance of -0,4 million in H1 2020) and net impact of development costs capitalization (capitalization net of amortization, impact of -11 thousand in H1 2020)

IFRS 16: Applicable since fiscal year 2019, IFRS 16 specifies how to recognize and measure lease assets and liabilities (property, plant and equipment real estate and vehicles and lease liabilities). The lease expense is now broken down between amortization and depreciation and the interest on the debt. ESI recognized the assets and liabilities related to the right to use offices and leased vehicles. The impact of IFRS 16 on EBIT remains limited.

1 New lease accounting standard applicable as of January 1, 2019

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005795/en/

Contacts:

ESI Shareholder Relations

Florence Barre

investors@esi-group.com

+33 1 49 78 28 28

SHAN Press Shareholder Relations

Florent Alba

ESIgroup@shan.fr
A massive blaze has largely destroyed the Moria migrant camp. Located on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos/Lesvos, the camp was the largest within the European Union. According to social media accounts, the fire broke out some time before midnight Tuesday.

Around 13,000 men, women and children have been left without accommodation, food, and drink. The detainees held there were forced to flee for their lives as multiple fires spread. No fatalities have been reported, but people are suffering from injuries due to smoke exposure.

On Wednesday night a second fire broke out in a part of the camp not burned in the first blaze, with Associated Press reporting it destroyed "the greater part of what was left and sending thousands more streaming out of the facility."

Migrants flee from the Moria refugee camp during a second fire, on the northeastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

The Moria Reception & Identification Centre was opened in 2013 by the Conservative New Democracy (ND) government and continued to grow under the 2015-2019 pseudo-left Syriza government. Refugees and asylum seekers are held under intolerable conditions, pending deportation.

Twenty five firefighters with 10 engines arrived after some time, and spent hours trying to extinguish the fire. The Refugee aid group Stand By Me Lesvos reported that one of many calls from camp detainees to their partner groups included one terrified person asking, Where is the police, where is the fire brigade, where is anyone? We are burning, our tents are burning. Everything is burning. We came here to burn to death. All is on fire.

Lesbos is located just off the Turkish coast. In 2015-16, refugees arrived there in their thousands after fleeing war zones in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. InfoMigrants estimates that 70 percent of people in Moria are from Afghanistan, but migrants from more than 70 different countries live there.

Moria was massively overcrowded, detaining 13,000 refugees in an area built for 2,800 people. There were more children held there4,000than the total number it was originally designed to hold.

Video footage showed terrified detainees fleeing for their lives. Many carried what possessions they had left in carrier bags and others in supermarket trolleys. Hundreds of refugees and migrants tried to sleep in the road and adjoining fields.

Migrants sleep outside the burned Moria refugee camp, on the northeastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

It is not clear how the blaze started. Last week, the first case of COVID-19 was detected in the camp. This spread rapidly in a few days to 15 cases and was at 35 cases by the time the fire broke out. Stand By Me Lesvos wrote, After Corona spread and no proper measures were taken, residents were not well informed [and] a kind of uprising broke out Under conditions where basic hygiene cannot be maintained and it was impossible to implement social distancing due to overcrowding, a devastating outbreak was only a matter of time.

Greek news agency ANA reported that the fires started after some of the 35 affected families refused to move into isolation with their families. Given the hellish conditions that exist in the camp, one can only imagine how terrible being left to self-isolate for weeks must be. Indeed, many forced to live in Moria were glad to see it burnt to the ground, with videos showing migrants singing Bye, bye Moria.

Other sources, including refugees, said that the blaze may have been started by fascist forces. BBC journalist Parham Ghobadi tweeted two images of canisters that refugees claim were used by far-right Greeks to set #MoriaCamp on fire. Another tweet read, Several refugees told me they believe far-right Greeks have set Moria refugee camp on fire after the rumors of the coronavirus spreading throughout the overcrowded facility. InfoMigrants reported the social media comment of one detainee: Fascists have set fire to Moria.

Another possible cause was a wildfire produced by strong winds fanning two separate wildfires elsewhere on the island.

The first response of the ND government, as residents fled in the direction of the port town of Mytilene, was to send in riot police to set up a blockade to stop them making the journey. Some migrants fled into the surrounding hillside. After the second fire Wednesday, thousands of migrants seeking to get to Mytilini were met by riot police still blocking the road and whom fired tear gas at them.

The government set up a 3.5 mile cordon around the smoldering camp. This brutal response prevented aid organisations from gaining access. The Guardian reported that Annie Petros, head coordinator of the charity Beckys Bathhouse, said she was blocked by police from taking injured people to hospital as she drove them away from the fire."

Petros continued: When we saw there was a fire we drove as fast as we could with water to the camp, intending to take sick people to hospital. I cant describe properly the scene we saw. There were streams of people, thousands of them, walking away from the camp. They were totally silent, terrified and traumatised, walking through thick smoke and the awful smell of burning plastic.

We picked up some pregnant women who needed urgent help and a teenage boy with a broken leg. When we neared the town of Mytilene there were riot police blocking the way to stop anyone reaching the town. I begged the police, but their commander wouldnt let us through. We called an ambulance and it refused to come to the roadblock.

Refugees4Refugees told the Guardian it could not find 30 missing children.

The Moria inferno was a disaster waiting to happen. The camp is routinely described as hell on earth. In 2019, Jean Ziegler of the committee of experts advising the UN Human Rights Council described it as the recreation of a concentration camp on European soil.

Describing conditions he encountered on a visit to the camp in May last year, Ziegler told the Teller Report website: People live here like animals Here 100 people have to share a shower and a toilet. Its often clogged, filthy, faeces lying around. There is no hot water, no schools and just two doctorsfor 5,000 people!

While there were an estimated 13,000 in the camp as the blaze began, in January this year more than 20,000 people were being held theresix, rather than four-times, its designated capacity. A junior doctor from the UKs National Health Service, Henry de Berker, told the Financial Times at the time that there were more than 1,000 unaccompanied minors living in the camp Disease spreads rapidly in such miserable conditions. Diarrhoea and vomiting can have fatal consequences for the physically weak.

Moria is the brutal symbol of the Fortress Europe policies enacted by the European Union to keep out migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Tens of thousands have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean over the last decade. As a result of the dirty deal signed by the Syriza government with the EU and Turkey in 2015, the thousands who managed to make it to Greece have been forced into foul internment camps, as the authorities prepare to deport them.

In 2016, Moria was set ablaze. The WSWS reported: Around 60 percent of the camp was destroyed, including 50 large sleeping tents, three containers as well as clothing supplies. Two separate fires also broke out in the surrounding area, laying waste to nearly four acres of land containing olive trees adjacent to the camp.

In September last year, the WSWS reported that after months of protests and repression by riot police, two fires broke out." It continued: "One was contained but the other quickly spread, with large sections of the camp engulfed in flames. The fire took the lives of a woman and a child. The previous month, the government stepped up its attack on migrants, with riot police brutally attacking a protest of around 50 child asylum seekers at Moria.

In March this year another fire broke out at Moria claiming the life of a six-year-old girl. The fire continued to burn for an hour due to the closeness of the containers used as living quarters. The WSWS warned that the spread of the coronavirus on Lesbos, Chios, Samos and Kos would mean Moria and other camps being quickly transformed into death camps.

The victims of the fire face only further misery. Instead of being provided with secure, safe and decent accommodation and treated humanely, the Greek daily Kathemerini reported that they will be temporarily housed in a ferry boat, two navy ships and tents, Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis told a press conference on Wednesday.
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Linkedin Yunindita Prasidya and Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 11:57 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f7abe 1 Business stock-market,IDX,Indonesia-Stock-Exchange,JCI,jakarta-composite-index Free

Indonesian stocks fell 5 percent on Thursday morning following the Jakarta administrations decision to retighten its restrictions, prompting the bourse to halt trading for 30 minutes.

The capital city made the decision to retighten the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) due to the unabating surge in COVID-19 cases.

The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) halted trading at 10:36 a.m. Jakarta time as the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) shed 257.5 points to 4,891.88 just two hours after the opening bell.

Foreign investors dumped Rp 484.72 billion (US$32.97 million) in stocks to exceed stock purchases, bringing foreign net sell to Rp 33.43 trillion to date, while 423 stocks plummeted, went 28 up and 83 remained unchanged amid the trading halt.

State-owned Bank Mandiri, state-owned PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia and Indonesias largest private bank, Bank Central Asia (BCA), suffered the worst of the foreign selling spree as their stocks plunged respectively 6.93 percent, 5.71 percent and 4.24 percent.

The rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.31 percent on Thursday morning to Rp 14,795 against the US dollar.

The market reaction to [Jakartas retightening] the PSBB is normal, and the decision is needed to contain the COVID-19 infection, IDX trading director Laksono Widodo told the press via text message.

The day before, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced that the administration was reinstating the PSBB amid the rising daily tally of COVID-19 cases in the capital, effective Monday (Sept. 14).

The capital has recorded more than 1,000 cases per day over the last few days, and its transmission rate has been rising since it reopened specific business sectors starting June under the transitional PSBB, only two months after imposing the strict PSBB in March and April.

Investors seem worried that the economy will worsen again to the point that the JCI slump of March will happen again, hence the panic in the market right now, analyst Chris Apriliony of Jasa Utama Capital told The Jakarta Post bytext message on Thursday.

The Indonesian bourse saw its first stock trading suspension since the 2008 financial crisis when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived on the archipelagos shores in March. Market panic reached an all-time high in March alone, when the IDXs circuit breaker was triggered six times.

The JCI hit its lowest point when it plunged to 3,937.63 on March 24. It had been rallying in recent months with many analysts projecting that the JCI would close above 5,500 at the end of the year, before the news on Jakartas PSBB reinstatement struck the market.

The JCI this year will most likely reach its highest point at 5,500, Chris said, upending the earlier projection on the benchmark indexs recovery.

He added that the index was still likely to move sideways by the end of the year, possibly within the 5,200 level. He also noted that foreign investors would only return when mass vaccination was already under way, due to the high uncertainty of the countrys economy and the continuing increase in nationwide COVID-19 cases. (prm)
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Ere the ink wherewith 'twas writ could dry. Like my classmates, all of us barely 10 years old, I committed that strange phrase to memory without much understanding of its meaning. Many decades later it stays lodged in the back of the head along with chunks of the Memorare, the words of Tantum Ergo, and strange mathematical formulae as Gaeilge.

Go immediately to the top of the class if you know that phrase refers to the Treaty of Limerick of 1691 and the speed with which the London authorities broke it and moved swiftly to enact the Penal Laws. It came to mind yesterday as Mary Lou McDonald dusted down "Perfidious Albion" in denunciation of the clear flouting of an international treaty concluded last October and put into international law this past January.

Growing up in the "Treaty City" we took the Williamite treachery of 1691 very personally. We got a warm glow from tales of the wild geese routing English armies in France to calls of "Cuimhnigh ar Luimneach" (Remember Limerick).

And the political point of this sepia-toned nostalgia?

Read More

It could not be simpler. Many of us like a bit of history and know it has many contemporary uses. But right now it is of little help - the more so when it veers towards more than a bit of "Brit bashing".

Right now, staring into a major potential Brexit calamity which is just weeks away, Ireland's needs are very immediate and future-oriented. We need to focus on our most realistic goals - and how we must go about achieving those goals. Cueing a few indignant bars of the Patriot Game must wait.

To do all that, let's recap just where we are at present.

The UK left the EU on a political basis on January 31 via an internationally recognised treaty called the Withdrawal Agreement. It contained special provisions on Northern Ireland to ensure no return of north-south border checks in Ireland.

Now, however, Boris Johnson has vowed to push on with his draft Internal Market Bill, which confirms that the UK reserve the right to change those terms applying to Northern Ireland.

He said it is a move to protect trade between Northern Ireland and England, Scotland and Wales, and avoid a border in the Irish Sea. He added that international law breaches were limited and technical.

The plan has provoked horror from many in the London parliament - including some members of Johnson's own Conservative Party. There is revulsion in Scotland and Wales and among the non-unionist parties in the North.

The reaction in Dublin has been the same. Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, who helped Mr Johnson broker that Withdrawal Agreement last October, said it was "sabre-rattling". Taoiseach Micheal Martin roundly condemned the "illegal moves" but held his counsel until texts were actually published yesterday and then spoke with the UK prime minister by phone to frankly state his views.

When you stand well back from this one, it becomes abundantly clear that Mr Johnson is trying to heap pressure on the EU negotiators as the time left for a deal runs very short. The UK's standstill on trade ends on December 31 and there are just weeks left to conclude a replacement trade deal.

The UK prime minister is engaged in Brexit brinkmanship, insisting his government is prepared to crash out without a deal and allow World Trade Organisation rules apply from January 1. We know that would hurt everybody involved, including the UK, but in Ireland it puts tens of thousands of jobs on the line.

Mr Johnson's move is, by any standards, astonishingly unwise and dangerously dishonest.

He is saying that political expediency trumps law and morality, and that Brexit ideology tops economic reality.

But will his gambit work? The answer can only be gleaned by looking at Brussels and key EU capitals for their reaction.

So far, the European response has been measured, firm and resolute. The EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Parliament President, David Sassoli, and the EU Council President, Charles Michel, have all reminded London that they are breaking international law and are going the wrong way about achieving a good outcome from negotiations.

There is no public suggestion that the EU will collectively tell Mr Johnson, more in sorrow than anger, that if he does not change his stance they cannot help the UK. But it is in the very air across all the EU institutions and all the capitals.

We can but wait.

But meanwhile, Ireland needs to up its lobbying game to ensure the world knows what really is going on.

Then we have to prepare all the damage limitations we can for a worst-case scenario.
Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey was accused in a civil lawsuit on Wednesday of sexual assault and battery in the 1980s by actor Anthony Rapp and a second, unnamed person when both plaintiffs were about 14.

The suit, filed in New York state court in Manhattan, refers to the same alleged incident that Rapp first recounted in an October 2017 BuzzFeed interview that triggered Spaceys fall from grace in Hollywood.

Spacey did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The actor, who won Oscars for the films American Beauty" and The Usual Suspects" and a Golden Globe for the TV political drama House of Cards," has largely retreated from public life in the past three years.

Spacey in 2017 said he did not remember the encounter Rapp described but added, If I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior."

Spacey, now 61, came out as gay in 2017.

Rapp, best known for starring in the Broadway musical Rent," alleged in the lawsuit that Spacey engaged in an unwanted sexual advance" with him when he was 14, during a party at Spaceys home in 1986.

The second person, identified only as C.D., alleged that he and Spacey had oral and anal sex and engaged in other sexual acts on several occasions in the early 1980s when the plaintiff was approximately 14 years old.

Both men are seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress.

Rapps initial accusation, part of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct, led to Spacey being dropped from House of Cards" and his scenes in the movie All the Money in the World" were re-shot with actor Christopher Plummer.

Rapp and the second man filed their lawsuit under New Yorks 2019 Child Victims Act, their lawyer Peter J. Saghir said. The act gave people one year, later extended to two, to sue over sexual abuse allegations regardless of when they occurred.

This lawsuit sends a strong message that no matter how wealthy, powerful or famous you may be you are not above the law," Saghir said in a statement.

Prosecutors in Massachusetts in 2019 dropped criminal charges against Spacey of felony indecent assault and battery involving an 18 year-old man in a bar in 2016. Spacey had pleaded not guilty. The case was dropped after the alleged victim declined to testify.

(Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Howard Goller)
S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson in a letter this week to Gov. Henry McMaster defended his execution of a $600 million Savannah River Site plutonium deal, shortly after the governor abstained from a press conference at which the historic arrangement was paraded.

"I was looking for a workable solution that would end years of litigation, bring over half a billion dollars to the state, and strengthen South Carolina's legal position if a future administration's DOE failed to meet its obligations under the agreement," Wilson wrote, using shorthand for the U.S. Department of Energy. "I accomplished all three."

The attorney general's missive  an itemized rebuttal  served as a direct response to an Aug. 30 denunciation from the governor.

"While I appreciate your caution, I do not see how South Carolina reasonably could have walked away from this opportunity," Wilson continued, later paraphrasing Ronald Reagan, a president who signed a nuclear-weapons treaty with the Soviet Union. "I have no regrets."

Terms of the landmark settlement, jointly unveiled Monday by Wilson and U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, include an upfront $600 million payment to the state as well as an Energy Department promise to remove 9.5 metric tons of plutonium from the Savannah River Site south of Aiken. Brouillette's department has more than a dozen years to do so.

McMaster on Sunday, distilling his disapproval, wrote: "At bottom, I cannot support a compromise that extends the existing removal deadline by up to twenty years." The governor  a former attorney general himself  also took issue with $75 million of the settlement sum going to private attorneys.

Wilson on Monday acknowledged the optics, and in his Sept. 1 letter said he foresaw criticism. Leaders, Wilson continued, "have to be willing to make tough decisions regardless of the political consequences."

Wilson and McMaster have, publicly, long been on the same side when it comes to plutonium storage at the Savannah River Site and the never-completed Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, which was nixed in late 2018. When an appeals court decision paved the way for MOX cancellation, both were vexed.

"That is not what we wanted to happen," the governor said at the time. "But that's the way courts work, and we knew that might happen."

The state attorney general mentioned the "unified front" at the bottom of his Tuesday letter.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The painstakingly negotiated Northern Ireland Protocol was the linchpin of the Brexit deal signed by Britain and the European Union last year. So Tuesdays statement from a U.K. minister that his government is ready to break international law in a very specific and limited way in order to change that agreement will echo for a long time, and not just in Britain.

It resonates in the same way that White House counselor Kellyanne Conways casual assertion of alternative facts did back in 2017. It upends our notion of the existing order of things. In this instance, the way Boris Johnsons administration regards the rule of law.

As of writing this, weve not seen the wording of the governments proposed legislation to circumvent parts of the EU Withdrawal Agreement. But legislating to contravene the Brexit treatys terms, as Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis acknowledged the government intends to do, is no mere technicality.

Johnson dislikes the Protocol  which he signed up for, remember  because it means his government has to abide by EU state aid rules on trade between the bloc and Northern Ireland. In our hyper-connected world that could apply to almost anything. It could mean that support given to a Nissan plant in northern England is ruled out because cars produced there could cross into Ireland. The prime minister either only belatedly recognized what he sees as a trap door, or figured he could fix it later.

However the realization dawned, the issue of state aid is totemic because it sits at the intersection of Johnsons plans for rebalancing the U.K. economy  which will involve investment in struggling industrial regions  and his rationale for leaving the EU in the first place. For Brexiters, applying state aid rules designed in Brussels defeats the purpose of leaving the bloc.

The problem has been percolating for a while. Last year, Johnson declared that Britain would adopt its own state aid regime. In February 2020, a free market think tank, Politeia, published a paper warning of the dangers in the Protocol and urging the government to take quick legislative action to end the obligation to notify the European Commission of state aid. Had the pandemic not descended, the argument might have broken out months ago.

Story continues

Johnsons championing of state aid is an odd hill for a Tory to fight on, even if its explained by the need to keep the partys new voters in northern England on board. Mainstream Conservatives, such as former party leader and Foreign Secretary William Hague, are troubled by the change in philosophy. They dont mind wresting free from Brussels rules but worry this is cover for a new era of French-style dirigisme.

For decades, the U.K. protested when European governments doled out subsidies or other aid to industries. Conservatives were scathing about states mollycoddling industry and argued that the market was better at picking winners. Indeed, Britain was instrumental in shaping the EUs state aid policy, and assisted its industry far less than Germany and France did theirs.

Id still argue that its not in the U.K.s interest to abandon that Tory orthodoxy in favor of unrestrained subsidies. Propping up failing sectors would damage Britains competitiveness. Still, theres evidence to support the view from Downing Street that targeted and limited state inducements can support innovation, as has been the case in Singapore and Israel. It can also help ensure that skills and infrastructure are more evenly distributed across a country.

Johnson exaggerates the constraints imposed by the EU state aid rules. The regime is far from perfect  it can be arbitrary and it accords Brussels enormous powers. But most EU countries are adept at getting any assistance approved. Automatic approvals applied to nearly 95% of state aid last year. As the pandemic unfolded this year, the EU quickly signed off on a raft of government help to industry.

The quality of the EU regime is beside the point, however. Britain is no longer a member and  naturally enough  doesnt want to be bound by the bloc. But the U.K. needs to articulate what rules it wants to apply, both to comply with its good faith promise to the EU to trade fairly, and to let British companies and industries know what will be allowed. A scattershot approach is likely to be wasteful and distort investment decisions, a danger that ought to concern the U.K. taxpayer as much as Brussels.

The EU is hardly blameless in this stand-off. The chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, demanded initially that the U.K. simply translate the current EU state aid regime into U.K. law and then keep it aligned with the EU over time. That was clearly a non-starter for the Brits and over the summer Barnier softened his position.

Brussels has also been shortsighted, and petty, in projecting a zero-sum view in which any U.K. success is somehow Europes loss. Sure, distortions to competition must be countered, but trade agreements happen because both sides usually win. A more productive, innovative Britain would be good for Europe too.

Theres no reason the U.K. shouldnt be allowed to build its own set of state aid rules that establishes an equivalency with the EU and includes some kind of dispute settlement mechanism. Britain might even incorporate the EUs balancing concept, where negative effects on competition are balanced against other goals such as regional development and reducing climate impact.

This dispute would be an unfortunate way for the U.K.-EU trade deal to die. If it really does lead Johnson to break a treaty obligation, the damage will be incalculable.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Therese Raphael is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. She was editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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Wall Street closed lower after a choppy trading session on Thursday (US time) as heavyweight tech-related stocks resumed their decline following a sharp rebound the previous session, while elevated jobless claims reminded investors of a still-difficult recovery ahead.

Names that have rallied since March lows, such as Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.com, all fell sharply.

Wall Street resumed its slide on Thursday. Credit:AP

Tesla rose slightly, initially helping to limit the Nasdaq's losses before the tech-heavy index's slide widened.

The Dow Jones fell 1.5 per cent, the S&P 500 lost 1.8 per cent and the Nasdaq dropped 2 per cent.It sets up the ASX for losses, with futures at 6.31am AEST pointing to a drop of 74 points, or 1.3 per cent, at the open. On Thursday, the ASX added 0.5 per cent.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) -- You don't often use the words fashion retailer and problem solver in the same sentence, but when you refer to Sheree Gotuaco, these epithets are particularly apt.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing months-long lockdown hit many businesses hard, and the fashion industry was no exception.

Over the last few months, many fashion brands and retailers have folded and closed shop. Some, like Gotuacos online personal and corporate styling service, www.stylistinpocket.com, have pivoted and grown in unexpected and surprising ways.

For Gotuaco, the way forward was reinvention and a resilient e-commerce business model that was an extension of the work she had already been doing, rather than starting from scratch. Her ability to think about outcomes, dig deep into the problems at hand to improve both her products and services, has helped her stay the course during these difficult times.

Starting in the fashion industry in the early 90s as a new graduate with a Business Degree from the University of Southern California and a fashion design degree from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Gotuaco set up popular mall brands Ensembles and Freeway. Ensembles was born out of her consumer insight.

At the time, there were no stores selling suit pieces separately. And I knew women sometimes might wear a different size bottom than top, she says.

Freeway won new converts as both an accessible and aspirational brand. In 2009, it launched a capsule collection that married high-art and functional wearability, using its clothes as a canvas for the paintings of National Artists. Referencing art, and educating those who might not have had an appreciation for painting or culture was, to Gotuaco, a sartorial statement worth making. That same sort of innovation and independent thinking would also mark her next steps. Wanting to broaden her footprint beyond her brands core audience of mall-goers, Gotuaco turned her sights online.

With a brick-and-mortar store, you can learn a lot about your customer, what they like, and how they shop. But its precisely these insights that led me to explore digital selling platforms, she says.

One insight Gotuaco gained from serving customers was that pain points have been increasing through the years such as the lack of time to shop due to traffic, the lack of available sizes especially for plus sizes and the lack of affordable professional advice on how to dress up for different occasions. She also learned that as formal business workplaces began relaxing their dress policies, women were having trouble dressing appropriately and navigating dress codes.

Gotuacos solution to address these insights and pain points? To put up a digital solution that would integrate her existing mall operations and, at the same time, solve the pain points as well as allow her to engage a new demographic with a new revenue stream.

In August of 2016, Gotuaco launched her passion project, stylistinpocket.com. Combining both her love for fashion and technology, the online platform brought a previously inaccessible experience to the mainstream in the Filipino market.

When you think about having a personal stylist, the first thought that comes to mind is that it's going to be very expensive."

But www.stylistinpocket.com is a free service that helps the customer build a new closet of curated pieces that suit her lifestyle."

Having gained even more insights on the shop floorknowing what women were buying and why, she wanted to know the customer better, who they were, and how fashion fits their style and daily routines. She gleaned that these were problems also faced by corporations and not just individuals. This corporate need allowed her to break into a new client base, companies who appreciated the importance of a well-dressed workforce in corporate branding and asked Gotuaco to design uniforms for them.

SIPs business model depends on how good the platform is at getting data and customer preferences right, Our online questionnaire gathers information about an individual's preferences, size, style, lifestyle, and budget. If they love the clothes we've selected for them, we make a sale and hopefully gain a repeat customer.

One set of loyal SIP customers is doctors. We are hugely popular among doctors, Gotuaco says, Many of them struggle to find time to shop. We save them the hassle and help them put together a versatile collection of clothes that they will love to wear.

Yet brands in this digital day and age have to continually change and adapt to the current market landscape; this is probably even more true given the pandemic. For Gotuaco, seeking relevance when fashion is perhaps the least of people's preoccupations has become a challenge.

Days into the lockdown, Gotuaco knew she had to move fast. With malls closed and online delivery services virtually nonexistent, she was looking at lost sales and lost revenue. Where others were willing to ride out the lockdown, thinking normalcy would return as soon as ECQ was lifted, Gotuaco had been following the news as early as February and had seen what was happening in Wuhan. The pandemic's long tail was almost certainly going to be an economic downturn that would be especially deep, with recovery limited by continued anxiety and a lack of confidence in the future.

At the time, we didnt know how to proceed, but we wanted to act and to help. We started off with designing and producing high quality washable face masks and donating them to hospitals. From there we got more interest on this and other items like PPEs.

A quick scan of the market revealed what people were looking for and were willing to buy: PPEs. But she knew that speed to market was critical. However ahead of the curve you think you are, someone is thinking about doing exactly what youre are doing.

Within days Gotuaco was producing facemasks. After this, hospital-approved and tested hazmat bunny suits, and surgical gowns soon followed.

"We had to be stealthy," she remembers. Divisoria was closed, and there were checkpoints everywhere. I spoke to my staff and asked them if they were willing to put in the work, away from the factory, and in their homes, and thankfully, they all said yes. In two weeks, from dresses and t-shirts, we were producing entirely new projects and changing our product line to support healthcare workers and customers who just wanted to protect themselves.

Looking back, she feels incredibly lucky that she adapted the digital platform early on with a B to C and B to B penetration.

If we hadnt, I think it would have been much harder to pivot. Its not so much that we had a ready-made site for online selling, it was that we had managed to imbibe that start-up mindset of many digital or tech companies.

Gotuaco would be among the first to say that the pandemic and the many adjustments she and her employees have had to make have strengthened the entrepreneurial muscle that sometimes atrophies over time or as companies get bigger. "In a way, the coronavirus made us more entrepreneurial," she says. "It gave us a purpose and galvanized us as a team. I didnt see problems, only challenges.

Two months into the lockdown, SIP developed an entire microsite in just three weeks. The site sells PPEseverything from face shields for toddlers to hand sanitizer. Gotuacos sideline is now one of her primary revenue earners.

People were having difficulty getting out of their homes to buy the things they needed: masks or alcohol and other PPEs. Our site made it super easy for them. SIP transformed the way we reach our customers all over the country.

Another timely product is Stylist in Pockets work with its proprietary Uniform Management Technology (Philippine patent granted and US patent pending), technology that makes it easy for HR Departments to collect measurement data from employees and recommend best-fit options. Given the pandemic, its become the perfect solution for a contactless way of measuring and dressing up employees.

Staying in business is about being relevant. During our brick and mortar days, fashion was considered non-essential, a Nice to Have. With SIP, we have shifted from nice-to-have to a must-have. Staying relevant to our customers is now a norm and a must for us," Gotuaco said.

Her willingness to find new ways to survive, adapt, offer practical and purposeful, problem-solving help to her customers has kept the lights on for her brands and business.

More importantly, it has kept her staff employed throughout the pandemica fact that Gotuaco is rightly grateful for. It was good to have kept on moving when many competitors were waiting and watching.

"I would rather try and give an idea a chance rather than not try at all. The outcome of failure will haunt me less than regretting not taking action at all, she says.

Gotuaco is a member of the Entrepreneurs Organization  a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 14,000+ influential business owners with 198 chapters in 61 countries. Founded in 1987, EO is the catalyst that enables leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow, leading to greater success in business and beyond.
A father-of-two whose penis was amputated after his cancer diagnosis has revealed he was told by a doctor he should 'forget about being a man'.

Richard Stamp, 54, from London, discovered a lump on his penis in 2018 while in Cambodia, and put off seeking medical attention, despite suffering two months of pain.

He was finally diagnosed with penile cancer in Adelaide, Australia, where he was told he would have to have the organ removed, and appearing on This Morning today where, he recalled the 'horrible' talk he had with his first doctor.

Richard described his doctor as having 'no care or compassion' while giving him the news his penis would have to be 'chopped off' and that 'being a man was not going to happen' following the operation.

Richard Stamp, 54, pictured on Channel 5 documentary Shopping for A New Penis, had his penis amputated after his cancer diagnosis

Appearing on This Morning today where he spoke of the 'horrible' talk he had with his first doctor after his diagnosis

'I woke up one morning found a pea sized lump on my penis which hurt, and went to the pharmacy and get some cream,' said Richard. 'I'd done what most guys do and taken two months to ignore it and then went "I'll have to get something sorted out".

'I was in Australia working. I saw a doctor who said it was an abscess and I went and had a scan and said to the guy "This isn't cancer is it?". And he said "No, no" and then they sent me to a specialist.

'He told me to drop my pants and gave me an examination and said to me "You have penile cancer, it is very aggressive. We're going to have to chop you penis off".

'It was horrible, there was no care or compassion at all and I was saying "What about sex and things?", and he said "Forget about being a man, that is not going to happen".'

He told hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield (both pictured) that his doctor had 'no care or compassion' while giving him the news his penis would have to be 'chopped off'

He went on to seek a second opinion at his local hospital St George's in Tooting, which is Europe's leading medical institute dealing with penile cancer.

But his doctor, Dr Ben Ayres, confirmed the worst, and told him amputation was necessary.

On today's show, Richard detailed how it felt to see the result of the operation with his nurse Chris Backhouse.

'On the sixth day I'd been in there she said "There are three ways we can do this, lift your gown see it now, I can describe what I see, or take a picture on my phone".

'I said let's do all three and lifted my gown and she described what she could see and she said "It's like a belly button".

What is a penis reconstruction? Penile Reconstruction presents a variety of complex issues which often requires not only surgical procedures but also psychological rehabilitation. The goal of penile reconstruction is to create and/or restore a functioning and aesthetically pleasing phallus, including the ability to achieve sexual function. An important factor is that the reconstructed phallus resembles a normal penis in all aspects. In a phalloplasty, doctors surgically create or recreate a penis. Phalloplasties have come a long way since the first one was performed in 1936. Doctors harvest 'flaps' of tissue - typically from the forearm, but sometimes from the thigh - in order to create the penis's new exterior and urethra, so this donor area has to be treated with laser hair removal on that the 'donor area' that become a penis will look realistic and hair-free. Then the surgery happens in four stages, sometimes done separately, others in one long surgery, lasting between eight and 12 hours. Surgeons take the donor tissue from the forearm (or other site), then another skin graft, typically taken from the thigh, is then used to cover the forearm donor site. Then surgeons build the penis and urethra, connecting the latter to the bladder. In the fourth stage, most patients choose to have doctors insert a pump into the shaft of a penis, which is attached to a prosthetic testicle and saline bag stashed in the abdomen. With this system, the patient can squeeze the testicle, pumping the saline solution into his new penis so he can get an erection. The surgery is extensive and complex with most patients spend about a week in the hospital after the operation. It takes about six weeks to be able to do strenuous activity or heavy lifting, and 12 to 118 months to fully heal. Advertisement

Richard is set to have penile reconstruction, where doctors will remove flesh from his arm and bottom to form his penis, before an implant is placed inside.

Then a pump will be installed in his scrotum to give him an erection at the touch of a button.

'What I'm planning to go for is a reconstruction basically,' he explained. 'They use parts of your body and people with penile cancer and trans people and soldiers who have been in landmines also go through this.

'They take part of your arm and your bottom and reconfigure you basically and you end up with a penis.'

Richard recalled the moment he was told his entire penis will have to be amputated by a doctor called Dr Cox (pictured in hospital)

He appears in a new Channel 5 documentary which documents his journey around the world to explore options to rebuild his penis

Richard, whose relationship fell apart after his penis amputation, has also appeared in a in a new Channel 5 documentary Shopping for A New Penis, which followed his worldwide quest to discover ways he can rebuild his organ.

During the programme, he discussed his struggles with his ex-partner Angie, revealing that they were together for two years before his cancer was discovered.

The 54-year-old, who has a son and daughter from a previous relationship, said he began avoiding sex before his diagnosis because it caused him pain.

He explained: 'It built up over time and the problem was that...why I wasn't having penetration because it was really really painful. It really hurt to be inside.

Today, Richard reflected on his actions leading up to his diagnosis, and urged other men to see a GP if they notice any abnormalities around their genitals

'I thought, maybe I'm being a bit weak. So then I felt a bit vulnerable, so then I just haven't wanted to do it so much.'

Today, Richard reflected on his actions leading up to his diagnosis, and urged other men to see a GP if they notice any abnormalities around their genitals.

'If you have a problem with your lover, your partner try and go and see a GP, said Richard.

'I know it's not easy to do that but besides that, I'm with some great people called Orchid and they have a helpline, which would be my port of call. It's somewhere you can go anonymously and get some great advice.'
It started with a message from an old colleague of mine: Is there something I can get for my face to make me look less tired on all these Zoom calls lol something coloured? Nothing out of the ordinary (I write about beauty after all), but this colleague was a sales executive in his late 20s. A man who, judging by the vague message, probably didnt even know that such a thing as concealer existed.

Beauty has no doubt come a long way in terms of gender inclusivity, but make-up for men still feels like the last taboo. Especially in the context of simple, everyday products  for instance, a swipe of concealer under the eyes before a morning of video calls.

More men are looking for understated makeup. Credit:iStock

Its not that men dont have a history with make-up, because they do (just look at David Bowie, Mick Jagger and ancient Egyptian pharaohs). Its more the discourse that surrounds it. When you look at modern beauty brands, make-up for men is often portrayed as expressive and bold (and rightly so). But in the process weve somewhat dismissed the idea that boys want in on the no make-up make-up zeitgeist as well.

It seems the pandemic, and the associated Zoom culture, has been a real tipping point.
K Jayakumar By

Recently, a group of 40 environmentalists and scientists wrote to the prime minister, urging him to drop the Char Dham road project meant to widen 900 km of the hill roads connecting four sacred spots

in the upper reaches of western Himalayas. The natural fate of this letter, like that of several others,

is predictable.

Concerned and informed citizens have been approaching the government on several occasions with words of caution, imploring it to review, reconsider or even drop outlandish proposals, or to act firmly against obnoxious tendencies. During the CAA agitations, several well-meaning citizens repeatedly voiced concerns and anxiety about the consequences of the legislation that goes against the secular credentials and liberal traditions of this nation.

When the journalist Gauri Lankesh was killed in what seemed like an act in a series of silencing assassinations, intellectuals and journalists had sought firm action. Mob lynching that had elicited widespread criticism saw several groups urging the Centre to act. The questionable project to remodel the Central Vista of the national capital is yet another instance where informed citizens have responded with great concern and pain. The project violates a settled sensitivity. The matter is now before the Supreme Court. If experience is anything to go by, the government will have its way. Reconsideration, responsiveness and accommodation seem to be archaic words in the new lexicon. That indeed signals a major fault line in our polity that does not augur well.

Nobody questions the governments sovereign decision-making powers and the need to be firm. But firmness of conviction is not synonymous with obstinacy of power. There are established processes to translate public policy into executive action. As a rule, the view from the top is always distorted and tends to gloss over details. And governments get used to the visual distortions when they view the world outside through the tinted glass of power. Indian bureaucracy is adept in suggesting technically correct and convenient solutions to an already colour-blind political executive. Socially beneficial and balanced decisions are always the outcome of the bureaucratic adherence to letter, leavened by the spirit of political realism by leaders with an ear to the ground.

However, no human decision can be faultless. There are always aspects that escape the decision-making process. Other compulsions and considerations might force hasty decisions that overlook crucial and sensitive dimensions. It is to ensure this calibration that all laws are discussed threadbare in Parliament, where diverse views are expressed and duly considered before passing legislation. The tendency to short-circuit Parliamentary scrutiny and take the Ordinance route is fraught with the danger of skewed legislations. Though the Executive can decide on programmes within the approved provisions, such decisions too are well within the scrutiny of Parliament.

However, it has to be admitted that in extraordinary times like this, the government will have to take expedient decisions bypassing normal procedures. It is precisely in such times that letters and petitions from independent intellectuals and concerned citizens have to be valued as a major source of information and insight for corrective action. Unfortunately, the governments response to such representations has been one of annoyance, if not outright apathy. In extreme cases, such people are even dubbed as the agents of vested interests.

Sometimes they are ridiculed as development blockers. They are treated as the other voice. If they are always treated with such preconceived notions and their credentials are doubted, then it is only natural for the government to be always reactive, defensive and self-righteous. Nothing can be more tragic than the reluctance to recognise truth or treating truth as falsehood. Sadly, this preset denial mode blocks valuable inputs for the government. Gradually, when citizens lose faith in the corrective capability and responsiveness of the government, their frustration and helplessness will lead to alienation and cynicism.

There is no accepted institutionalised mechanism in the government to offer these voices a decent reception and provide meaningful and honourable consideration. Routinely, such letters will be marked to the concerned ministry where it will be examined and replies framed reiterating the existing decision. The well-meaning cries of concern thus become wasted words in the apathetic wilderness of the government.

All suggestions may not be acceptable. All decisions may not be reversible. But the citizens right to share his concerns cannot be denied. It is imperative to create a statutory body that must systematically approach the views of concerned citizens with an open mind and advise the government suitably. Governments should have the wisdom and largeness of heart to act upon such recommendations. The citizen is sharing his/her concerns not with the political party in power but with the Government of India. Stubborn adherence to decisions is not a mark of wisdom, nor is willingness to correct a mark of weakness. A government for the people should not fear to negotiate, though it may not negotiate out of fear.

K Jayakumar

Ex-Kerala Chief Secretary & Ex-VC, Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam Varsity

(k.jayakumar123@gmail.com)
WATERLOO REGION  Chief Bryan Larkin put worrisome race-related findings on the table for the civilian police board to digest Wednesday, just like he did four years ago.

Seven members of the board responded with silence just like its members did four years ago.

No one asked Larkin Wednesday why officers are four times more likely to document Black people in the street. No one asked him this in 2016.

This pattern of silence shows how the civilian board functions from a state of bias, said Teneile Warren, an equity consultant who helps direct the African Caribbean Black Network advocacy group.

Whenever racial disproportion concerning Black people is presented to the oversight board theres silence, we move on, she said.

No board member questions why officers act as they do which tells me that either that the board doesnt care, the board doesnt understand, or the board thinks this is OK, Warren said.

Based on our population size we should not be getting stopped at the rate that were getting stopped, being impacted at the rates were being impacted, Warren said.

Someone in one of those meetings needs to challenge that presentation. Thats what the civilian oversight board should be doing. But theyre not, because they do not have the anti-racist, equitable lens necessary to really look at the data in a clear and impartial way.

Board chair Karen Redman denies that the boards silence on persistent racial disproportion signals acceptance.

The silence wasnt an indication that were satisfied with the status quo, said Redman, the elected chair of regional government. We are very aware that we need to continue to build bridges.

The seven-member police board does not have a Black member and did not have a Black member in 2016.

A report to the board reveals that if youre Black, officers are more likely to seek your name and record it in a database that officers contend helps them fight crime. Officers collect names by surveillance, by responding to calls or tips from the public, or by speaking to people during investigations or enforcement.

The board learned this after The Record analyzed 2,289 intelligence notes created by police over 27 months. The analysis shows that by population, Black people are four times more likely to be documented in notes than white people.

The same racial disproportion was uncovered by The Record in a 2016 analysis of 62,350 street checks in which officers stopped and documented people not accused of a crime.

When accusations of racial bias led Ontario to regulate street checks in 2017, officers pivoted to creating intelligence notes, revising procedures to collect fewer names for the same goal.

Citizens generally overreport, particularly Black men, as do obviously police officers, to a different extent, Larkin said in an interview, comparing different ways that notes are created.

Larkin anticipates asking the police board in October to hire experts to dig deeper into race-related policing data. Were ready to completely immerse ourselves in this discussion, he said.

Warren is skeptical that an analysis will be conducted independently of police.

The African Caribbean Network is campaigning to redirect $29 million in police funding to social services and other initiatives.

Warren doubts the civilian board that drafts the police budget is capable of an overhaul that would strip 15 per cent of its budget. The board includes three regional councillors and four appointed citizens.

All people should be concerned that Black people are overpoliced, Warren argues, even if Black people account for just three per cent of the regional population.

When the most marginalized are negatively impacted, it trickles out into the rest of the community. When we are treated well, it benefits everybody, she said. We know that systemic racism exists and this is a good example of it.
The pair's personal relationship has been a key driver of diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, veering from mutual insults and threats of war to a declaration of love from Trump.

"Rage" by Washington Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward unveils 25 letters the pair exchanged, in which Kim uses over-the-top wording as he fawns over Trump while they formed a most unusual friendship.

Addressing Trump as "Your Excellency", Kim's letters are filled with flattering language and personal comments, according to transcripts released by CNN.

"Even now I cannot forget that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellency's hand at the beautiful and sacred location as the whole world watched with great interest and hope to relive the honor of that day," Kim wrote to Trump on Christmas Day, 2018, following their first meeting in Singapore.

It was the first ever encounter between a North Korean leader and a sitting US president and even after the collapse of their second summit in Hanoi, Kim described Singapore as "a moment of glory that remains a precious memory."

"I also believe that the deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force," Kim added in a June 2019 missive.

Three weeks later the two held a short-notice meeting in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula.

Ahead of the encounter, Trump wrote to the North Korean leader -- the third generation of his family to rule the isolated country -- that they had shared "a unique style and a special friendship."

"Only you and I, working together, can resolve the issues between our two countries and end nearly 70 years of hostility," Trump wrote. "It will be historic!"

But little progress has been made on efforts to denuclearize North since the pair's first summit in Singapore, and even US intelligence chiefs have warned Pyongyang is unlikely to ever surrender its nuclear weapons.

'Center stage'

Trump -- who showed Kim a video in Singapore that included images of condominium towers rising from the North Korean coast -- likened Kim and his nuclear arsenal to a reluctant home seller.

"It's really like, you know, somebody that's in love with a house and they just can't sell it," Trump told him, according to the Washington Post.

He insisted that he "gave up nothing" in his three face-to-face meetings with Kim.

Negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington have been deadlocked since the Hanoi summit collapse in February last year.

But even with diplomacy at a standstill, Trump has frequently boasted of receiving "very beautiful" and "excellent" letters from Kim.

A few months after the Singapore meeting, Trump had told a rally of his supporters that the two men had fallen in love.

"No, really, he wrote me beautiful letters, and they're great letters. We fell in love," he said.

In the book, Woodward writes that the CIA never conclusively determined who wrote and crafted Kim's letters, but the agency considered them "masterpieces".

"The analysts marveled at the skill someone brought to finding the exact mixture of flattery while appealing to Trump's sense of grandiosity and being center stage in history," he wrote.
Because this year, while the congresspeople are performing, legions of actors and other creative-economy workers across the country simply cannot. Not only that, this huge and vital sector  representing 5 million jobs and 4.5 percent of the U.S. economy, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis  is waiting desperately for the federal government to throw it a lifeline. Bills have been introduced, such as the valiant but long-shot Save Our Stages legislation by senators John Cornyn (R) of Texas and Amy Klobuchar (D) of Minnesota, which would give $10 billion in aid to venues forced by covid-19 to shut down.
Vietnamese pawn chain operator Vietmoney has closed its series A funding round with Probus Opportunities (Probus) and Digi Ventures (DV). Probus and DV will hold a combined 30% stake in Vietmoney and both shall join the Board of Directors.

Established in 2016, startup Vietmoneys pawn chain system operates under an O2O model (Online to Offline), and currently has 16 branches operating in Ho Chi Minh City, serving more than 20,000 regular customers. The series A financing will allow Vietmoney to rapidly accelerate its growth in the under-served Vietnamese pawn market.

Mentioning the goal of Vietmoney in the next development phase, Vietmoney founder Trinh Van Phuong said that the company is looking to expand its network to 100 branches, with coverage in 28 cities and provinces nationwide, building a convenient financial services channel offering assurance for customers in the subprime segment in Vietnam.

Incoming director Mr. Marc Lavoie from Probus Opportunities, said, Were very pleased to partner with Phuong, the outstanding team at Vietmoney, and also with Digi Ventures. We look forward to working with them to build on the great foundations already laid by the Vietmoney team. With more than 50% of Vietnam's population lying in the subprime market segment, there is a clear need for access transparent and accessible finance.

Mr. Nguyen Hai Khoi, CEO of Digi Ventures, said that this investment was a good fit with the direction DV adopts when investing in potential startups, looking for products that help solve market problems or offer solutions that provide breakthroughs or have a sustainable competitive advantage.

Probus Opportunities is a fund under the Swiss-based Probus Group and is a long-term investor in listed and unlisted companies in emerging markets with an investment perspective that looks to hold and grow with the company. Probus Opportunities has more than 10 years of investment experience in Vietnam, with a portfolio of several listed companies such as FPT Joint Stock Company (Ticker: FPT) and Digiworld Joint Stock Company (Ticker: DGW).

HCM City-based Digi Ventures currently invests in startups and private capital opportunities in the early stages of growth, in the fields of finance, consumer goods, healthcare and business models that have proven feasible and can provide efficiencies via data solutions.

PV
Economy Minister Diane Dodds has announced that Mid Ulster-based paving manufacturer Tobermore is to invest 30million and create 95 jobs in ambitious plans to rapidly grow its business over the next four years.

The company is considered one of the leading paving and walling manufacturers and suppliers in the UK and Ireland.

Invest Northern Ireland has offered Tobermore 807,500 of funds which includes support for its new production facilities in the Mid Ulster area, the new jobs and investment in new machinery to help meet the growing demand for its products.

Managing director David Henderson said: We have experienced extensive growth in recent years due to our exceptional product offering combined with our high levels of customer service, and in return have developed new products to meet the needs of our loyal customer base.

This investment will put us in a unique position to exploit multiple markets in the coming years, with UK and Ireland our main priority markets. We are excited by the next stage of our growth plans, which requires the major expansion of our current facilities and significant investment in recruitment and marketing.

We are delighted to have received the support of Invest NI as we move forward with our expansion plans.

The company began recruitment earlier this year to help it meet customer demand, with 25 of the jobs already in place. A further 70 roles are to be created in areas including sales, operations and production.

Minister Diane Dodds added: During such challenging times for companies across Northern Ireland, I would like to congratulate Tobermore on this major announcement. It is investments like this which will drive our economic recovery forward.

This 30m investment will help Tobermore meet the growing demand for its products throughout the UK and Ireland, whilst also creating valuable skilled employment opportunities in the Mid Ulster District Council area. The jobs, to be created over the next three years, will generate almost 2.5m in additional annual salaries.

Congratulating the company, Kevin Holland, Invest NIs chief executive, said: Supporting businesses with the greatest potential to grow is vital to helping our economy to move forward. We have worked with Tobermore over many years, and recognised the potential the company had to scale rapidly.

The company participated in our Leadership for Growth Programme, which has provided the senior team with the right tools to move into this new phase of business growth. To support this, we have offered the company just over 850,000 towards this investment and training of its staff to ensure it can grow and meet demand for its products and services.
The University of North Georgia (UNG) has received a grant from the University System of Georgia (USG) aimed at increasing the graduation rates and number of degrees conferred upon African-American men. It will be used to support Black male students seeking associate degrees with the goal of helping them advance toward bachelor's degrees.

UNG is matching the $13,562.15 African-American Male Initiative (AAMI) award from the USG with $14,136.60 of its own funds. The program will match incoming students with peer mentors who are overseen by faculty and staff mentors.

Dr. Robert Robinson, director of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at UNG and director for the university's AAMI program, earned an associate degree at Coahoma Community College before adding bachelor's and master's degrees from Delta State University and a Ph.D. in instructional leadership from the University of Alabama.

"This can help people reach their dreams," Robinson said. "I was able to have good mentors along the way who pushed me, and that's what these students will have."

Such connections can help students think about the future, according to Robinson.

"Having the right mentors helps you clarify your academic goals, which helps you clarify your professional goals," he said.

UNG's iteration of the AAMI is known as NorthSTAR, and the application for the free program is available on the MSA website. Students must be a Black male seeking an associate degree.

Bikash Das, associate professor of mathematics at UNG, is assisting Robinson with the program and says it is a vital line of support for Black male students.

"It creates a sense of belonging," Das said. "It helps them understand they are as welcomed as any other student."

The Oconee County branch of Peach State Federal Credit Union and the 100 Black Men of America Inc. nonprofit organization in Atlanta have partnered with NorthSTAR to offer internship opportunities that provide professional growth and potential opportunities to be hired for full-time work upon graduation. Das said UNG continues to look for other partners who can provide these types of experiences for students.

"This will motivate students to join the program," Das said.

For more information on the program, email Robinson at robert.robinson@ung.edu or Das at bikash.das@ung.edu.

UNG previously received the AAMI grant for the 2014-15 and 2016-17 school years, with the USG providing $10,000 for each year.

Started in 2003 at six USG institutions and expanded since then, AAMI helped the university system grow its enrollment of Black males by 84% and its bachelor's degrees awarded to Black males by 138% in the initiative's first 15 years.

AAMI's goals coincide with the goal of Complete College Georgia, which aims to increase the number of Georgians with some level of college completion to meet projected workforce needs.
At 4,500 were still going to be able to accomplish the core tasks that we want to accomplish, he said. And weve shown more than ample goodwill and our willingness to demonstrate that we dont want to be an occupying force in this country. But we do have strategic interests, vital interests, that compel us to be certain that these entities, such as al-Qaida and ISIS, cant be guests there to attack the United States.
Extinction Rebellion (XR) vandals today defaced the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square by spray-painting the words 'is a racist' on the base of the monument.

The World War Two Prime Minister's statue was vandalised again today, months after the monument was defaced twice by Black Lives Matter protesters using the same words in June.

XR protesters said they saw a 'young kid' fleeing from the statue moments before being arrested by police, Guido Fawkes reported.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed a man had been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to the statue on Thursday evening.

The words 'Is a racist' graffitied on to a statue of former British Prime Minster Winston Churchill, outside Parliament, during an Extinction Rebellion demo in London today

A man tries to clean off the words 'Is a racist' graffitied on to a statue of former British Prime Minster Winston Churchill, outside Parliament, during an Extinction Rebellion demo in London today

Arrest of activists from the Extinction Rebellion climate change group after the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square was vandalised today

At the same location earlier this afternoon, police arrested at least 13 topless female XR protesters, who chained themselves to railings surrounding Parliament with bike locks in a bid to expose what they called the 'bare truth' about the climate crisis.

A group of protesters this evening also chained themselves to a pink boat, daubed with the words 'Tell The Truth', just outside Parliament.

They were part of a larger group from the XR campaign, which have used attention-grabbing techniques to highlight the threat to the planet.

The statue of Sir Winston Churchill is seen vandalised with spray paint as an Extinction Rebellion protest takes place in Parliament Square today in London, England

The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square is seen with graffiti reading 'is a racist' on the plinth, in London today

The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square is seen with graffiti reading 'is a racist' on the plinth, in London today

The women chained to the gates wore masks with '4C' written on them, and with words including drought, starvation and wildfires written on their chests to highlight the anticipated consequences of global heating.

To passing MPs, a banner read: 'Can't bare the truth?'

Sarah Mintram, a teacher who took part in the action, said: 'Now we've got your attention. By neglecting to communicate the consequences of a 4C world - war, famine, drought, displacement - the Government are failing to protect us.'

Officers removed the D-locks from their necks and took the women to police stations in four separate vans as supporters cheered the protesters on from Parliament Square.

Police remove a topless protester after she locked herself to the railings of Parliament during a climate change protest

Police detain a topless Extinction Rebellion protester outside Parliament, London, on the last day of demonstrations

The Met said they have so far arrested 648 people while policing the protests in London since the beginning of the month.

At times, XR has won wider backing from the public as they marched on cities across the UK, including grinding parts of London to a halt in protest.

But one person who is not a fan is Home Secretary Priti Patel, who has described the activists as 'so-called eco-crusaders turned criminals', as she pledged to prevent 'anarchy on our streets'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also criticised 'completely unacceptable' action in which XR protesters blocked the delivery of some of the UK's major newspapers.
France has seen a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus infections in recent days. But the surge has not been matched by a rise in severe cases admitted to hospital, as has been the case in other countries. Does this mean the virus is becoming less deadly? RFI put that question to Professor Vincent Marechal, a virology expert and director of the Life Science department at Sorbonne University.

Has Covid-19 become less virulent?

It is known that infectious agents causing epidemics can sometimes become less virulent over time (a process known as attenuation). So far, there is no solid scientific argument to say that this is the case in France.

This assumption mostly comes from several unrelated observations: from July up to now, a growing number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 -the virus that causes Covid-19- have been observed in France, as shown by an increasing incidence rate as well as a higher positivity rate. However, this increase is not yet associated with a major increase in the number of severe cases in the hospitals.

During the summer, several studies were published addressing the question of the impact of specific mutations on the virus virulence and transmission. One mutation (called D614G in the spike protein, which plays a key role in the early steps of a viral infection) emerged early on in the pandemic and is now dominant in many places around the world, suggesting that this mutation may have helped the virus to disseminate. This is a highly debated assumption. This mutation, however, was not associated with a less virulent behavior.

Another recent study by Barnaby E Young and co-workers in the Lancet medical journal investigated the impact of a local deletion in the viral genome called delta 382. This mutation has been detected in a limited number of patients but was indeed associated with a less severe form of the disease.

So far, we don't have evidence that the viral strains in France have such mutations and are therefore less virulent. There are several alternative hypotheses. First, the virus is currently circulating in a population that is rather young and therefore less prone to have severe forms. Second, people who are at risk are probably more informed of the risk and therefore protect themselves more carefully. Third, the more fragile members of society have were hit hard during the first wave.

Different countries seem to have different models for measuring Covid-19 infection rate. Is there a way of standardising it?

There's a large heterogeneity in the indicators, including the R0 (representing the number of new infections stemming from a single case), that have been used to describe the epidemic in different countries and even within the same country at different periods of time.

For example, one should remember that the number of positive cases per week depends on the number of people that have been tested for SARS-Cov-2. France tested 30,000 people a week in March, whereas we are currently testing about one million people a week.

The positivity rate (number of positive cases over the total number of people that are tested) is more interesting to me. If we assume that the population that is sampled for testing is comparable from one week to another (which is probably not true), a significant increase in the positive rate is a good indicator of an increased circulation of the virus.

I would also suggest taking a look at indirect indicators when available. From March, we and others have suggested quantifying the viral genome in wastewaters.

In the Parisian area, we could observe a strong increase from March to May, followed by a marked decrease up to June (demonstrating that the lockdown procedure was efficient).

From 23 June, we observed a slight but continuous increase in the concentration of the viral genomes in wastewaters in the same area. We are now convinced that this increase was an early sign of the return of the virus during the summer, which is now confirmed by other epidemiological indicators.

A number of therapeutic measures have been developed since the onset of the pandemic. Will these treatments help combat Covid-19 while waiting for a vaccine to be developed?

Several therapeutics (such as dexamethasone - a steroid - and anticoagulant) or medical practices have proven effective in treating severe cases. So far, we still do not have efficient antiviral molecules but many molecules are still being evaluated. Notably, the use of hydroxychloroquine (associated or not with azithromycin) has been found to be ineffective. There are still some interesting results to come from drugs that can attenuate the inflammation process, such as inhibitors or the L6 or IL1-dependent pathways. In any case, we have learned a lot about the disease and how to take care of severe forms, but we have not found the ideal therapeutic solution. Therefore, the best way to deal with the virus is to avoid infection  through preventive measures and wait until one or several vaccines are made available.

How long will it be before a vaccine becomes available?

More than 200 vaccine projects have been launched and eight vaccines have now entered phase III of evaluation, a phase where both the efficiency (ability to protect people against the natural infection) and the putative toxicity (adverse effects) are evaluated on thousands of people. It is extremely important to report any potential side effects, which is what happened on 9 September when the AstraZeneca vaccine trial was suspended over safety reasons. This is to convince people that the vaccine will be delivered only when it is considered safe.

Today, most specialists consider that one or several vaccines may be available in 2021, which would be a remarkable achievement. The vaccination campaigns will probably be gradual, involving first the more fragile patients and those who are most exposed to the virus.
Weedoo Boats, based in West Palm Beach, Florida, is the leading manufacturer of aquatic weed harvesters and workboats. Lead by CEO, Tara Lordi, a Wellington, Florida resident, Weedoo Boats not only saves the waterways, but is no stranger to animal rescue. They utilized their shallow draft workboats to provide aid during hurricane Harvey in Texas in 2017 and again in 2018 during hurricane Florence in North Carolina. However this rescue mission posed a new threat. The clock was ticking, and in order to save the lives of over 150 animals set to be euthanized, Weedoo had no choice but to strategically work fast and furiously. "When Big Dog Ranch reached out to us, we had one option and that was to charter a private cargo plane to get those animals home quickly and safely," said Lordi. The plane was chartered and Lordi herself was boots on the ground in the Islands helping crate the animals and pack the plane.

The animals were stranded for several reasons, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Activists on the island raised awareness to the situation.The plane arrived on Friday, August 28th and the dogs and cats were offloaded by a host of volunteers and taken to Big Dog Ranch Rescue, in Loxahatchee, Florida and a variety of shelters across the country, where they will be cared for until they are available for adoption. For information on how to foster, adopt or donate, please visit bdrr.org

About Weedoo Boats

Weedoo Boats are manufactured in the USA in West Palm Beach, Florida. Weedoo is the industry's leading manufacturer of environmental workboats and amphibious work equipment. Weedoo Workboats are rugged machines that are designed to mechanically harvest and remove lake weeds and other contaminants in the most extreme and challenging aquatic conditions.

Contact:

Karla Moriarty

862-571-4787

https://www.weedooboats.com

SOURCE Weedoo Greenboat, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.weedooboats.com


Donald Trump has denied any wrongdoing over the statements he made to journalist Bob Woodward early into the coronavirus pandemic, as lawyers have claimed the president playing it down to the public could be an impeachable offence".

In a tweet released on Thursday, just one day after news broke about key lines from Mr Woodwards upcoming book Rage, the president said he gave good and proper answers about the pandemic.

Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months, Mr Trump wrote. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didnt he immediately report them in an effort to save lives? Didnt he have an obligation to do so? No, because he knew they were good and proper answers. Calm, no panic!

In excerpts released on Wednesday by the Washington Post and CNN from Mr Woodwards book, Mr Trump told the award-winning journalist as early as 7 February that he was aware of how deadly the coronavirus could be for the United States.

"This is deadly stuff," Mr Trump told Mr Woodward on 7 February.

You just breathe the air and thats how its passed, the president added during the recorded interview. And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.

This admittance happened during one of 18 different recorded interviews the president agreed to have with Mr Woodward for his latest book.

At the same time Mr Trump was admitting to Mr Woodward that the virus could be five times more deadly than the flu, he was publicly saying Covid-19 was no worse than the flu. It would be several weeks before the president and his administration would state the virus was unlike the flu and could be transmitted through the air.

The first recorded US coronavirus death happened on 29 February.

Then, in a tweet by the president on 9 March, Mr Trump told the public to think about how many the common flu kills each year without the country shutting down. He made this tweet despite previously telling Mr Woodward on tape that the virus was deadlier than the flu.

So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that, he wrote at the time.

During another interview with Mr Woodward on 19 March, Mr Trump said he liked to down play the seriousness of the virus in order to keep the public calm.

"I wanted to always play it down," Mr Trump said . "I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."

He made the statement a few days after he declared a national emergency due to the novel virus.

UCLA law professor Harry Litman, a former US attorney and deputy assistant attorney general, said Mr Trump admitting to downplaying the virus could be an impeachable offence.

Remember the high crimes and misdemeanors debate? Mr Litman wrote in a tweet. This is clearly an impeachable offense, albeit not a crime. The POTUS lied to the American people for political purposes & easily tens of thousands deaths ensued. How more stark and harmful a dereliction of public duty can you get?

National security attorney Brad Moss has made a similar statement against the president, saying the revelations made by Mr Woodward in his book and the taped conversations should end Mr Trumps presidency.

This should end his presidency. If it doesnt, god help us, he wrote.

The White House has denied any wrongdoing by the president, saying he did not lie or down play the virus to the public.

"The president has never lied to the American public on covid," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
In this blissful haven, he rode ponies, cuddled lambs, fed the chooks and was doted on by his grandparents and aunts.

Francis Kenneth Clatworthy was born in 1936, second of four children born to Mary and Ken Clatworthy in Kingsford. In September 1939, Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that Australia was at war, and the three-year-old Frank was sent with his older sister, Margaret, to the family farm La Tosca in Currabubula, near Tamworth.

Frank Clatworthy was an extraordinary educator whose passion for teaching and mathematics influenced many lives. He encouraged students of all capabilities to enjoy maths, understand its relevance and to reach their ambitions through high quality state school education.

In 1942, he returned to Sydney, and years later retold the harrowing story of the night when there were explosions, sirens howled and blackout blinds were firmly pulled down. It was May 31, the night Sydney Harbour and the eastern suburbs was bombed.

The following morning, he was woken by his father, who was superintendent at Darlinghurst police station, and taken down to the Quay to witness the raising of a Japanese submarine from Sydney Harbour. As a five-year-old, he found this confronting, but his father, told him "this is something you must see and remember.

Franks academic ability at St Michael's Primary School, Daceyville, was recognised by a bursary to attend Marist Brother' Marcellin College at Randwick. One of his best friends was influential economist and renowned journalist Max Walsh, with whom he enjoyed stimulating repartee for more than 70 years. Max was an avid reader and introduced Frank to literature and concepts outside the Catholic school curriculum.

Drawn to his passion for teaching and maths, he enrolled at Sydney Teachers' College at The University of Sydney in 1955 and found his vocation for life. He easily completed the course work, enjoyed learning about literature, arts and music and won the Burke prize for mathematics. He fulfilled the compulsory 42 days of national service at Ingleburn training camp without incident or relish of military authority.

To meet country school requirements in the post-war baby boom, the NSW government awarded two-year teaching scholarships for those choosing to work in country areas. Clatworthy was posted to Boorowa Central School in 1957, which he described as an enjoyable and profound experience, working with dedicated teachers who cared about each students individual needs and progress.
The President's Office is looking for competent legal solutions to end the war in Donbas and preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The so-called "joint inspection" of Ukrainian positions near the village of Shumy in Donbas agreed on at a special meeting of the Minsk Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) has been suspended.

"There will be no inspection today. It has not been cancelled  it has been suspended," a source in the President's Office said on September 10.

"Representatives of the 'DPR' and 'LPR' ['Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics'] terrorist organizations have been members of the JCCC [Joint Center for Control and Coordination] since 2014. Their participation in the negotiations is stipulated in the Minsk agreements signed by [former President Petro] Poroshenko, now they are in the TCG. Although it is not legally binding," the source said.

Read alsoDonbas war: TCG holds extraordinary meetingThe source says Ukraine does not negotiate with terrorists, that is why the Ukrainian president is in direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, since only Russia, which is an aggressor state, may be present at the negotiating table.

"But something needs to be done with the achievements signed by Petro Poroshenko. Let's remember that in 2015, following the results of negotiations between the leaders of illegal armed formations, the signatures of terrorists [Alexander] Zakharchenko and [Igor] Plotnitsky were put under the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements. Poroshenko skillfully forgot about those decisions, with which the current government has to do something, and now he is rocking the public with manipulations. And this is just one example," the source says.

The President's Office is looking for competent legal solutions to end the war in Donbas and preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the source.

"Although the former government did everything to make the road to peace super difficult," the source said.

Background
The National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay has described as empty and unconvincing the recently launched 2020 manifesto of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr. Blay says the promises in the NDC manifesto are unrealistic and a ploy to lure unsuspecting Ghanaians to vote for them in the December polls.

If you look critically at the NDC manifesto, it is empty, a rehash of old promises in their manifestos of 2008, 2012 and 2016. It does not reflect the reality on the ground.

The NDC on Monday, September 7, 2020, launched its manifesto dubbed the People's Manifesto with a litany of promises to fulfil if it wins the election.

The NDC in its 2020 manifesto among other things promised to extend the free Senior High School (SHS) policy to private schools in deprived areas.

The party is also promised to absorb 50 percent of fees for all tertiary students across the country as well as maintain the Nation Builders' Corps (NABCo) established by the governing New Patriotic Party.

But Mr. Blay says these promises already exist.

John Mahama and the NDC are talking about maintaining free SHS and NABCo. Are these not the same people who bastardised the free SHS policy and run a series of campaign against it? Is this not the same NDC who criticized NABCo and said it was a populist programme aimed at attracting votes? Now they want to maintain it in the unlikely event they win the election of 2020.

He added that we can't trust John Mahama and the NDC. They plunged this country into darkness for four years. We endured dumsor and it was God's grace that Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP came to rescue Ghanaians. This same John Mahama was President when nurses and teacher trainee allowances were scrapped, today it has been restored. What shows that he will not cancel it if he comes back'? Freddie Blay asked.

The NDC in its manifesto also promised to build an airport in the Upper East Region if it wins the election.

But Mr. Blay says this promise is an afterthought adding that: this promise of an airport in Bolga was not part of their manifesto. They had to put it in there after the NPP under the competent leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo promised to build an airport in Cape Coast.

Freddie Blay is of the view that the NPP under Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia has performed better than any government in its first term.

In our first term we brought Free SHS which people said was not possible. In our first term a number of factories have been built which many people said was not possible. In our first term over 300 dams have been constructed in the five regions of the North that people said was not possible. The economy is strong and resilient and another four years will transform our dear country, he added.

 citinewsroom
New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications team member, Kwabena Berma Pobi says the opposition NDC lacks credibility to promise officers of the customs division of the GRA.



According to him, the NDC and their Presidential candidate John Mahamas manifesto regarding the GRA is nothing but deception.



The NDC said in their manifesto that the next NDC government will fully implement the recent Supreme Court ruling and the recommendation of the Constitutional Review Commission regarding the security status of the Customs Division. Restore it to its rightful place among the security service and improve its conditions of service.



But Mr. Pobi, reacting in a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, questioned the credibility of NDC and Mr. Mahamas promise asking ...what is the NDC and its flag bearer talking about? When they know they created these problems themselves in the first place?



The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, since he took over office has resourced the service. Commissioners who were not performing well were changed. A change will happen any day when they are not managing the place. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will not sit aloft unconcerned, as John Mahama did when he was in office.



The assurance is that the President of the Republic will solve any problems at GRA if there are any, to strengthen the working system in making it more work-friendly, thereby putting smiles on the faces of staff. The President knows and understands the immense contributions of the GRA staff to the National kitty.



He therefore urged the staff of GRA to disregard the NDC empty promises.



Read full statement below:



MR. JOHN MAHAMA AND THE NDC PEOPLES MANIFESTO PROMISE TO OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS DIVISION OF GRA LACKS HISTORY OF DATA MINING



The history of integration of the three revenue agencies namely Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Value Added Tax (VAT) Service, began with the promulgation of the Revenue Agencies Governing Board (RAGB) Act 1998 ,(Act 558). This act established a single board for all the three revenue agencies. Until then, all the revenue agencies had their separate boards.



Its refreshing to know that during former President Kufours tenure of office, the board was headed by Mr. Harry Owusu, who was the Executive Secretary. With remarkable foresight, the then NPP government decided to deepen the integration by extending it to cover the three agencies named above.



Consequently, preparatory work was done by the government to have the three revenue agencies integrated. It was the strategy of the NPP government to embark on a complete merger of the IRS and VAT, but have CEPS as a standalone institution, which was to only share tax related data with the new singled IRS and VAT merged institutions, both under a single board headed by Mr Harry Owusu.



Unfortunately, the NPP government lost power in December 2008 and the then NDC government which took over power from January 7, 2009, eventually inherited the RAGB strategic plan, and all the preparatory work concerning the GRA Bill.



However, the brouhaha of the Ghana Customs began after the NDC government appointed power drunk Mr. George Blankson to lead the process. This is how the then Ghana Customs was set ablaze. Mr. Blankson, who happened to be the first Commissioner General, took steps to modify the GRA bill which was tabled by the erstwhile NPP government, to suit himself.



He became the consultant who led the process and later assumed the position of Commissioner General. Mr. Blankson, who doubles as a member of the NDC, advised and engineered the architecturing of the GRA Bill, which sought to change the already tailored IRS/VAT Bill by the then NPP government, and eventually succeeded in changing the IRS/VAT Bill that gave birth to the now GRA Act 2009(Act 791). This Act was passed in December 2009, to establish a single board for the three revenue agencies.



After the passage of the GRA Act 2009 (Act 791) in December 2009, The NDC government came out with the strategic plan 2010-2012, which took inspiration from the GRA Act 2009 that sought to integrate the three revenue agencies on functional lines. Mr. George Blankson, an ardent NDC member who later served on the National Executive Committee of the NDC in the central region, rather ignored the initial plan handed over by the NPP team led by Mr. Harry Owusu, to have integrated shared powers amongst the three (3) divisional functional lines of Customs.



In the defunct Customs, Excise and Preventive Service Management Law (PNDCL330) of 1993, Mr. Blankson, caused its amendment, which is now known as the Customs Act 2015 (Act 891). In the amendment, wherever in the PNDCL 330, that there was a mention of Commissioner, he substituted it with the Commissioner General, vesting all the powers that should have been shared amongst the heads of the three (3) divisions as proposed by the erstwhile NPP government, in himself as the Commissioner General. Mr. Blankson supervised the same to be effected in the Customs Regulations, 2016 (LI 2248).



Mr. Blankson also put measures in place to have the staff numbers of all Customs Officers changed. The staff numbers of Officers of the security services are like their DNA. It is what tells their identity in the service and when looking for any information on the officers, its found with the staff numbers. Mr. Blankson put in place processes to change their ID Cards and also have Officers of the Customs Division posted across all functional lines in GRA .



In 2017, staff numbers and new ID Cards issued, were initiated to deepen the integration. Attempt was made in 2019 to post Customs Officers to the Domestic Revenue Division, but was reversed after a few weeks of implementation. There was Supreme Court ruling in 2009 which supported a high court ruling to the effect that Customs is a security, and here again, Mr. Blankson went all lengths to resist its implementation.



So what is the NDC and its flag bearer talking about? When they know they created these problems themselves in the first place?



The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, since he took over office has resourced the service. Commissioners who were not performing well were changed. A change will happen any day when they are not managing the place. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will not sit aloft unconcerned, as John Mahama did when he was in office.



The assurance is that the President of the Republic will solve any problems at GRA if there are any, to strengthen the working system in making it more work-friendly, thereby putting smiles on the faces of staff. The President knows and understands the immense contributions of the GRA staff to the National kitty. The staff of GRA should disregard the empty promises by the NDC and its Presidential candidate who is desperate for power and bragging all over.



Finally, let it be captured on record, that there is nowhere the government of NPP has said that it doesnt recognize the customs division of the GRA as a security service. It is however, part of the security services of Ghana on any day. For instance, in the Customs (Amendment Act 1014), 2020 by the government of Nana Akufo-Addo, Customs Division of GRA was listed as one of the security services of Ghana to benefit from the tax relief granted by the security services. Customs Division is still listed in the 1992 constitution of Ghana Security and Intelligence Act as a security service. So NDC should come again.



Kwabena Berma Pobi



Member, NPP Communication

Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









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Smoke from raging wildfires, called The North Complex Fire, in Northern Californian blanketed certain parts of the region turning the sky orange. Many netizens took to Twitter to share pictures of the eerie-looking skyline, including Former US President Barack Obama.

Obama himself took to Twitter on September 9 to share these images along with a message about climate change.

The fires across the West Coast are just the latest examples of the very real ways our changing climate is changing our communities. Protecting our planet is on the ballot. Vote like your life depends on itbecause it does, he tweeted.

The fires across the West Coast are just the latest examples of the very real ways our changing climate is changing our communities. Protecting our planet is on the ballot. Vote like your life depends on itbecause it does. pic.twitter.com/gKGegXWxQu  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2020

Here are some more posts showcasing the same from the micro-blogging platform, Twitter:

Without a caption, a netizen shared these shots showcasing a neighbourhood in northern California.

This snapshot was taken just before noon, as the tweet suggests.

San Francisco today. The sky is dark with ash from fires, and the wind stagnated, so everywhere it's a red orange light.



This was taken just minutes ago, it's noon here pic.twitter.com/EcngJzhxBw  OdorousObject (@OdorousObject) September 9, 2020

This netizen compared the San Francisco sky to a still from Blade Runner 2049, a science fiction film.

The sun didnt rise in San Francisco this morning. The sky is a dark orange from the smoke pic.twitter.com/NsWQgEM0xH  Patrick Bohan  (@PKBohan) September 9, 2020

This individual used the word apocalyptic to describe how the current skies look.

Skies over San Francisco right now. Apocalyptic. Ive lived here since 1998 and have never seen anything like this. The pic doesnt capture the true darkness. #BayArea #orangesky #CaliforniaFires pic.twitter.com/KkAxV3qBs0  cindy k (@cbk_sf) September 9, 2020

Earth is the new Mars, said a Twitter user while sharing this image.

Here is how others on the micro-blogging platform reacted to the post. One individual said, I saw such photos on Instagram and thought it was a cool red filter, then I realized its not a filter. Another person wrote, Looks like a scene from Blade Runner 2049. Somebody else proclaimed, Its very scary.

The North Complex Fire, which started as several separate blazes were sparked by lightning, is one of more than two dozen burning in California.

Authorities are working relentlessly to control the situation and ensure public safety.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is convinced that President Rodrigo Duterte granted absolute pardon to American Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton for the Philippines to be prioritized in the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the United States.

Roque on Thursday said he has no qualms with the President's decision if it means the Philippines can receive doses of coronavirus vaccine, adding this may happen with improved relations between the Philippines and the United States. The human rights lawyer-turned-presidential spokesman fought fervently to bring justice to the family of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude, who died in the hands of Pemberton on October 11, 2014.

Although he repeatedly said his pronouncement is his personal opinion, he said this is based on Duterte's previous statements that he hopes a vaccine will arrive soon to help Filipinos deal with the pandemic.

"Sa tingin ko itong desisyon ng Presidente  ito ay personal na opinyon ko  ang pagbibibay ng pardon kay Pemberton ay kabahagi ng pagnanais ng President na kapag mayroon nang vaccine na na-develop  kung sa Amerika man  ay makikinabang din ang Pilipinas," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: In my personal opinion, I think the decision of the President to grant pardon to Pemberton is part of his desire for the Philippines to obtain vaccines, if these are developed by America.]

Roque said he believes Duterte's decision is based on national interest, especially since there are only a few vaccines being manufactured.

He added that it's possible the decision to grant pardon to the American convict was made after his conversations with US President Donald Trump and outgoing US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim. However, Cabinet members Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Foreign Affairs Chief Teodoro Locsin Jr. both said Kim was surprised to hear the news.

Roque said Laude was able to obtain justice because Pemberton served nearly six years of his maximum 10-year jail sentence and he paid P4.3 million in civil liabilities to the Laude family.

Sa tingin ko nakamit natin ang katarungan bagama't mas maraming nagsasabi na dapat mas matagal ang kulong sa kaniya. Ang katotohanan naman ay mayroong mas importanteng national interest na itinataguyod ang ating Presidente. I am personally fine with that, the familys former lawyer said.

[Translation: I think we obtained justice although many people argue that he should have been in jail longer. But the truth is, the President chose the more important national matter.]

Pemberton is set to be released from detention after only serving 5 years and 10 months in detention following the pardon granted to him by Duterte on September 7. The President made the announcement in the midst of legal options explored by the Laude family.

In October 2014, Laude was found dead in an Olongapo City motel room after a night out with then 19-year-old Pemberton, who confessed to killing her after finding out she had male genitalia. The 26-year-old transgender woman was found alone in the motel bathroom with her neck blackened with strangulation marks and head rammed into a toilet.
Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy speaks to reporters in the airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before flying to Indonesia, Nov. 14, 2019.

The jailing of a former provincial official of the banned Cambodian National Rescue Party for five years on treason charges for supporting an abortive 2019 plan by CNRP leader Sam Rainsy to return to the country has raised fears that more oppositions will suffer the same fate.

CNRP activist and former Kampot province commune councilor Pen Mom was among more than 100 party members arrested for mobilizing to welcome acting CNRP chief Sam Rainsys planned return to Cambodia from self-imposed exile in Paris last November. The return was thwarted when Cambodian authorities barred him from entry.

Pen Mom was arrested in October and charged by the investigating judge of the Kampot provincial with plotting a coup under article 453 of Cambodias penal code and ordered to serve pre-trial detention at the provincial prison. She was released on bail a month later when Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the release of 72 political prisoners.

With criminal charges against her still pending, however, she was put on trial Aug. 25 in Kampot Provincial Court, sentenced to five years, and taken away by police in handcuffs, according to rights activists who monitored the trial.

RFA could not reach court spokesman Mann Boreth for comment.

Spokesman Soeung Sengkaruna of the rights group Adhoc said that cases against CNRP activists are political motivated cases aimed at weakening and splitting up the banned opposition party, and he is concerned that more CNRP activists will face the same fate.

I would like the government or all political leaders including international community to help ease the situation to make sure those activists will be released so they can return home to their families, he said.

Of the 100 people arrested for allegedly plotting to arrange Sam Rainsys return in 2019, 76 were released on bail.

The human rights group Licadho, meanwhile, took aim at the broader crackdown in recent weeks that has ensnared labor activists, teachers and environmentalists.

We urge the government to end its campaign of fear and repression against peaceful youth and environmental human rights defenders, and ensure the rights of the Cambodian people to peacefully advocate for themselves, their families and their communities are respected, said a statement issued Wednesday by Licadho and 35 other NGOs.

Cambodias Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in November 2017, two months after leader Kem Sokhas arrest, for its role in opposition leaders alleged scheme. The ban, along with a wider crackdown on NGOs and the independent media, paved the way for Hun Sens CPP to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 general election.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, Kem Sokha wrote: "If Cambodians resume doing good deeds, in the future our country and people will live in peace, security and prosperity.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translation by Samean Yun. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
FLUSHING, MI  A Flushing church has opened its doors for students virtually learning in the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flushing United Methodist Church, 413 E. Main St., is providing free internet access for more than 30 students from 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday with social distancing inside the buildings fellowship hall.

Flushing Community Schools has committed to virtual learning until at least Oct. 5.

Flushing schools delay start, opt for virtual learning-only in first month

In a letter to the board, Superintendent Matt Shanafelt said the change to the start-of-school plan would help assure the highest degree of staff, student and community safety.

Pastor JJ Mannschreck said the idea to allow students in came from a church member.

We have a mom in our congregation who is an educator herself. She is digitally teaching, he noted.

The church member saw a Facebook post from another house of worship in the country and approached Mannschreck about the idea.

He consulted with his brother, who helps set up wifi networks.

Whats going to happen if we have 30 middle-schoolers show up with laptops? Mannschreck asked his brother about the possibility. His brother told him, "Thats not going to work.

Installing a couple new access points, the idea was launched to begin on the new school year.

The new school year, however, wasnt the beginning of the transition for the church into a new realm of the digital age.

Mannschreck said the church began to live stream services more than a year ago, beginning on Facebook and cutting down the video to just the service and onto YouTube the following day.

With his wife more than eight months pregnant when the pandemic began, the church moved to airing prerecorded services amid the COVID-19 shutdown and has upgraded its video equipment and internet.

We have to find a whole new way to do ministry, said Mannschreck, not just amid the pandemic but to reach out to others beyond the confines of the church walls. We can do meetings virtually. Weve got Bible studies with people joining us all over the world.

He noted the church will provide the free internet to students as long as the school district remains under virtual learning.

I assume if theyre still closed, well still be here for them, Mannschreck said.

While the need has not been great in the first few days, Mannschreck said another reason for offering the option is those who live in rural parts of the area who may struggle with internet connectivity.

Students under 18 years old heading to the church must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and wear a mask. Masks are available for those who do not have them as well as extension cables.

Mannschreck has spoken with the school district about the potential of providing some food for students.

Anyone with questions may contact Flushing United Methodist Church at 810-659-5172.

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Defendant Le Dinh Cong (Source: VNA)

Hanoi  The Peoples Procuracy of Hanoi on September 9 presented accusations against 29 defendants in the extremely serious case that happened in Dong Tam commune of Hanois My Duc district earlier this year.



The Procuracy said six defendants - Le Dinh Cong, Le Dinh Chuc, Le Dinh Doanh, Bui Viet Hieu, Nguyen Quoc Tien and Nguyen Van Tuyen - had demonstrated clear motive and intention of murdering.



According to the Procuracy, the six were the masterminds of the crime, and they also led and directly committed criminal acts. They had closely colluded with others who were key members of a so-called group of consensus led by Le Dinh Kinh. Kinh had been shot dead while holding a grenade and calling on others to resist, and therefore was not included in this case.



Among the six defendants accused of murder, Cong was the leader who often incited others to kill police officers by posting video clips and livestreaming on social networks. He also threatened to bomb power stations and kill 300-500 police officers; assigned tasks to other defendants; and actively performed these acts.



Cong also directed and contributed money to buy petrol and grenades, guided others how to make petrol bombs and tinder, and directly threw petrol bombs and a grenade toward on-duty officers. That grenade did not explode and cause damage for on-duty officers was only unintended.



Therefore, Cong was charged with murder under Clause 1, Article 123 of the 2015 Penal Code. However, at the trial, he did not plead guilty and attempted to conceal his offense.



For defendant Le Dinh Chuc, a representative from the Procuracy said that on late January 8 and early January 9, when being informed of the appearance of on-duty officers in Hoanh hamlet, Chuc and other defendants brought weapons to the rooftop of a neighbouring house. They threw four petrol bombs and one grenade at the police, and used hand-made weapons to attack the police officers, causing three police officers to fall into a pit near Kinhs house. Chuc and Doanh repeatedly poured petrol into the pit and set fire, killing the three policemen.



The Procuracy found that Chucs act was the most drastic and the direct cause of the death of the three on-duty policemen with an obvious murder motive and showing great aggressiveness and a lack of humanity.



During investigations and at the court, Chuc admitted his guilt, but did not really show sincerity as he still tried to blame Doanh to avoid part of his responsibility.



Meanwhile, Le Dinh Doanh actively responded to Kinhs appeal to resist the administration with the aim of illegally occupying land at Dong Tam communes Senh field. Doanh joined many discussions on how to oppose the administration and kill police officers. He had received 500,000 VND (21.5 USD) from Kinh to buy knives and hire people to weld the knives to iron tubes, which were used by Doanh and other defendants in the attack on the police on late January 8 and early January 9. Doanh also set fire to kill the three policemen.



Prosecutors said that his acts were extremely serious and it is necessary to apply a severe penalty against him. However, as Doanh sincerely pleaded guilty and showed repentance and he is Congs son, prosecutors proposed giving him a chance to rehabilitee under the States humanitarian and lenient policy.



Bui Viet Hieu and Nguyen Van Tuyen, driven by greed for land, incited others to commit crime. As the death of the policemen was associated with their behaviours, they must be punished strictly, the Procuracy said, adding that there were also mitigating circumstances as Hieu committed the crime when he was over 70 years old and Tuyen is a person with disabilities.



Nguyen Quoc Tien was affirmed to participate in the case right from the beginning and actively contribute money to buy petrol and grenades. He himself made petrol bombs and purchased 10 grenades with the aim to kill policemen with his accomplices. Although the grenades he had bought did not explode, this was beyond his expectation as he clearly knew the grenade were real and could cause death and severe injuries.



Therefore, the Procuracy also affirmed that Tien must be published strictly and receive a penalty commensurate with his criminal acts. During the investigation process and at the court, Tien pleaded guilty and asked for clemency.



According to the procuracys indictment, despite being well aware that the land at the Senh field of Dong Tam commune was used for defence purpose under the management of the Defence Ministry as confirmed by the Hanoi Inspectorate and the Government Inspectorate, in 2013, Kinh (born in 1936, a resident in Hoanh hamlet) and some others set up the group of consensus with the aim of re-occupying and piding the land lot among themselves.



They frequently incited locals to file complaints about the Dong Tam administrations land management and use, used social networks to spread the false information that the Senh field belongs to Dong Tam commune and called on local people to struggle to keep the land.



In late 2019 and early 2020, upon learning that the Hanoi Department of Public Security coordinated with the air defence  air force service of the Defence Ministry to deploy personnel to protect the force building fencing walls around the Mieu Mon airfield on the Senh field, Kinh and his accomplices bought weapons with the aim of attacking the authorised force.



In the early hours on January 9, 2020, when the police arrived at the gate of Hoanh hamlet, about 50m from Kinhs house, the group used hand-made weapons to attack the police force, causing three police officers to fall into a pit near Kinhs house. Le Dinh Chuc and Le Dinh Doanh poured gasoline into the pit and set fire, killing the three policemen.



At the same time, the authorised force found Kinh holding a grenade and calling on others to resist, so they decided to shoot him dead.



The trial for the 29 defendants in the case began on September 7 and is scheduled to last 10 days.
South Africa: President Ramaphosa to co-chair WHO high-level meeting

The African Union Chair and President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, will today co-chair the World Health Organisations first high-level meeting of the Facilitation Council of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A).

President Ramaphosa will co-chair the virtual high-level meeting at 12h30 alongside Ema Solberg, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway.

The meeting will formally launch the ACT-A Facilitation Council, which is an international collaboration among a diverse representation of global leaders and partners to accelerate the development, production and equitable deployment of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for COVID-19.

ACT-A was launched on 24 April 2020 and provided with political and financial support through global pledging events on 4 May and 27 June 2020.

ACT-A has already established a dynamic portfolio of vaccine candidates, launched a global facility to optimise vaccine development and use, and started a rollout of the first proven therapy for severe disease.

This collaboration has also identified a potentially game-changing rapid test and established a framework for equitable allocation of these products globally.

The Facilitation Council, which is expected to be formally established today and adopt Terms of Reference, will work to address key challenges and galvanise global leadership to enable for access to COVID-19 tools for all countries.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
World medical community, by its oath, has a duty to help lift Iran's sanctions: Health Minister

07/22/20

Source: Tehran Times

TEHRAN - In a letter to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki called for a global call to remove Iran's drug and food sanctions, noting that the world medical community, by its oath, has a humanistic duty to take action in this regard.



Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki

"Despite our all-out fight against COVID-19, Iran is facing a unilateral, unlawful, and flagrant violation of international laws by the U.S. government, which withdrew from JCPOA, to initiate extensive, comprehensive and cruel sanctions against the citizens of my country.



Meanwhile, blocking Iran's access to global banking channels has damaged Iran's economy and disrupting key trade activities, including medicine and medical equipment. Thus, the health of the people has been the most targeted and damaged, particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak," Namaki wrote.



The U.S. government based on the interim order of the International Court of Justice, in addition to general obligations and multilateral treaties, must lift sanctions in the field of medicine and medical equipment."



According to the Hippocratic Oath, the first principle of equality is the provision of health facilities and services to all human beings. The world medical community, by its oath, has a humanistic duty to help lift Iran's drug and food sanctions and provide equitable and timely access to medical and public goods such as vaccines.

While appreciating WHO's leadership in combating the pandemic, Namaki said this issue requires solidarity, integrity, dedication, and commitment at all levels across the globe.



He outlined the latest progress of efforts by Iran to fight COVID-19, saying, "We have applied three rounds of nationwide screening, where in the current practice, 28 million high-risk people have been screened since two weeks ago. In the meantime, we have started reopening of the businesses three months ago through 'smart distancing', 'wearing a mask' through national campaigns, and most recently reopened schools. Public health measures, updated treatment protocols, local production of PPEs, substantial up-scaling diagnostic capacities, infection prevention and control (IPC), risk communication and community engagement, protecting essential health services and provision non-COVID measures, and at the top, 'Whole Government' approach where all implemented to ensure the least adverse effects of the outbreak."

"Despite all our effort, we painfully lost tens of highly educated and dedicated healthcare professionals," he regretted, adding, "We have suffered difficult circumstances for the last 7 months, while we have fought against COVID-19 and the unlawful, unilateral sanctions at the same time. Therefore, our legal and legitimate expectation in this emergency situation is that the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and all International Agencies to ensure that medicine and humanitarian items are made available to the Iranian people. It is the time for a global call to remove all sanctions, which could endanger the health of affected individuals."



"Thus, I urge Your Excellency to take necessary measures to end the illegitimate and unilateral sanctions of the United States that inflicting pain and death upon Iranian people and other nationalities, bringing negative consequences for global health and health security," Namaki concluded.
Three arrested in HCMC over 50 kg drug haul

Around 50 kg of drugs are found in HCMC, September 9, 2020. Photo courtesy of HCMC police.

Three people in HCMC were arrested Wednesday for allegedly trafficking around 50 kg of narcotics from Cambodia.

Bui Thi Kieu Loan, 35, Nguyen Hoang Tu, 36, and Pham Dinh Nhan, 43, were carrying two boxes of fruit in Go Vap District on Wednesday morning when caught by local police.

Around 30 kg of meth, 10 kg of ketamine, 4.9 kg of heroin, and 20,000 ecstasy pills were found hidden inside the boxes.

A search of Loan's house revealed more illegal substances.

The investigation is ongoing.

Three arrested in HCMC over 50 kg drug haul Ma tuy minh hoa HCMC police officers question Bui Thi Kieu Loan after discovering around 50 kg of drugs inside two fruit boxes in HCMC, September 9, 2020. Video courtesy of HCMC police.

Drug busts and convictions have been frequent in Vietnam despite the country's harsh drug laws.

Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or over 2.5 kg of methamphetamine face the death penalty.

The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is similarly punishable.
(JTA) - As night falls on the second night of Rosh Hashanah this year, Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet and two shofar blowers will ascend the 144-foot tower of St. Albans Cathedral, the 11th-century church that dominates the skyline of this city of the same name 20 miles northwest of London.

As members of Zagoria-Moffet's 200-family synagogue assemble - at a safe distance - in the large grassy area below, the blowers will sound the ram's horn meant to rouse people to repentance at the Jewish New Year.

"Catastrophe is absolutely the mother of creativity in Jewish life," said Zagoria-Moffet, a Ph...
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last month that most evictions nationwide were banned until the end of December, it came as little relief to Eric Smith.

All the single father can think about now is what will happen when the moratorium lifts.

"How do we come out of this tunnel?" Smith, 49, said. " Homeless? Hungry? I worry about it every day."

Smith hasn't been able to work during the coronavirus pandemic and has quickly depleted his small savings. Come January, he doesn't know how he'll come up with what could be thousands of dollars in back rent for his apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota.

"When they say, 'You have to pay this in 30 days,' how do I catch up with owing so much?'" Smith said.

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Most evictions in the U.S. are now banned. What you need to know

The CDC has made it illegal for landlords across the U.S. to evict most tenants who can't afford to pay their rent through the end of the year.

However, the ban doesn't relieve tenants of their obligation to pay rent or set up any funds to help renters meet their rent, making it likely that many will rack up debt during the reprieve. In the meantime, landlords are allowed to tack on late fees. That means for many renters, the order will just delay their eviction by a few months. And other holes in the federal protection and inconsistent state applications also leave renters vulnerable, housing advocates say.

"The eviction moratorium is a Band-Aid solution," said Peggy Bailey, vice president for housing policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

By one estimate, the pandemic has put as many as 40 million Americans at risk of eviction.

"The United States is facing the most severe housing crisis in history," said Emily Benfer, visiting professor of law at Wake Forest University.
Nearly every professor and instructor in Emory College of Arts and Sciences and Oxford College became a student this summer.

Since June, more than 800 faculty have completed intensive training in online course design and teaching, focused on developing new and creative ways to teach in a remote format so that every class includes the highly engaged, student-focused experience expected with an Emory education.

With the continued spread of COVID-19 limiting how many students returned to campus this fall, the facultys preparation and planning are giving students access to the same exceptional scholars and liberal arts education that remain at the core of Emorys values and mission.

We all know we are in a unique situation, so we had to be focused and think as a community, says Douglas Mulford, a senior lecturer in Emory Colleges chemistry department. We have spent, and are spending, incredible amounts of time thinking about how to do this and do this well because we are fully invested in our students.

Creativity, flexibility and innovation have been top-of-mind for Emory faculty, from finding new ways to leverage Emory Libraries exceptional archives to providing students with digital versions of primary documents to figuring out how to bring a hands-on lab experience to students homes.

The dedication and work of our faculty for our students throughout this past summer was truly remarkable, and I am proud of them, says Michael A. Elliott, dean of Emory College and Candler Professor of English. I am confident we will deliver on our educational promise and more. With ingenuity and compassion, we are creating the personal connections that our students want and need to keep our community together.

Since undergraduate classes began Aug. 19, students have experienced innovations including small tutorial-style sessions that rely on collaboration with professors and peers alike, as well as courses that examine current events through specific disciplines.

"I am proud of our faculty's commitment to honing their teaching skills to meet the demands of online instruction," says Doug Hicks, dean of Oxford College and William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Religion. "We are already receiving positive feedback from faculty and students alike about the online-learning experience.

Creative approaches to coping with change

As professors have adapted their courses to remote formats, many have taken steps to help students cope with not only the change in learning environments, but also the vast changes and challenges in the broader world.

Judith Miller, associate professor of history in Emory College, recently received a grateful note from an alumnus who is now a second-year law student, thanking her for helping develop his research and critical thinking skills with her favorite active learning assignment: a library scavenger hunt.

She expects her digital version will work just as well this semester, in part because of the stellar librarians and information experts in Emorys libraries. And her own active learning  reading up on best practices for remote instruction, connecting with other professors and creating a shared tip sheet  helped her revamp her course on the French Revolution.

Building from current headlines with Black Lives Matters protests, she is focusing on the trigger points of protests with a look at the factors that turn some into enduring movements.

I hope our students know that faculty will have their backs as they are building a lot of skills on coping with change, Miller says. Were developing ours, too.

Eric Solomon, visiting assistant professor of English and American studies at Oxford College, is using instructional design techniques inspired by his summer training to invigorate his American Studies course.

Our course explores 10 social movements, with the Black Freedom Struggle and the #BLM movement at the centerpiece of our online semesters intersectional journey, Solomon says. A few sessions in, I know students are eager to have the difficult conversations and ready to meet this moment.

Using tools like Canvas Studio, Final Cut and other platforms, Soloman has filmed and edited brief movie trailers to help connect disparate ideas as the class progresses through the courses 10 movements, as well as digital collages as visual guides for each movement.

In an interdisciplinary course rooted in critical thinking, it can be hard to replicate the exchange of ideas and connect all the dots in an online forum, he says. My hope is that my use of image/video serves both as a visual complement to our semester reading and an entertaining reflective resource to help students engage with course themes and connect with one another.

Building on the foundation of online course development

Emory College first developed its online learning program in 2015, offering select summer courses remotely so that students did not have to be in the Atlanta area. Even back then, the goal was to offer more depth and interaction than simply impersonal, self-paced offerings.

The solution was to cap course size and require online discussions among professors and students. The summer Global Internships program, for instance, requires weekly 90-minute synchronous sessions.

That careful crafting proved especially important after the disruption of spring semester, when in-person learning was abruptly moved online, says Sara Jackson Wade, director of Emory College Online, which provides faculty with intensive instruction to purposefully build online courses.

So much of an Emory education is our all-encompassing academic environment, she says. Stepping off campus for that is stressful and difficult. You cant automatically count on that community online, so you have to intentionally build it.

Oxford collaborated with Wade and others in fashioning Oxford College Online Teaching (OCOT) after Emory Colleges longstanding online teaching program, aligning with shared goals of creating community and providing world-class education.

The program has drawn unprecedented enthusiasm from faculty who have reimagined the entire delivery of our curriculum, says Scott Foster, director of academic technology, who led the effort with Molly McGehee, associate dean for faculty development. The faculty also viewed the OCOT series as a community event that brought them closer with their colleagues and opened the doors for mindful discussion around pedagogical practices.

What about labs and performances?

Being intentional in the creation of online courses also reveals new possibilities. They are especially noticeable in lab-based science courses and in performance and studio classes, such as music and dance  which would seem especially difficult to teach from a distance.

Spring showed one way the science keeps going, when undergraduates in biology labs logged into online portals and created their own projects to continue their work. A large part of the lab environment is working alongside fellow researchers, and building the community found in research labs across Emorys campuses.

Oxford Colleges Emily McLean, assistant professor of biology, injected that aspect of lab life into her Advanced Topics in Molecular Biology course this semester with the help of a program called FlipGrid. This video platform allowed her students to immediately begin getting to know one another through self-recorded videos. Because the platform allows for asynchronous video communication, international students worked virtually alongside other students in developing that sense of community they normally find in a physical laboratory.

Three years ago, Emory overhauled its undergraduate chemistry curriculum for both campuses, offering a more holistic, hands-on approach aimed at giving even introductory students an understanding of the chemistry of how the world works, rather than just drilling facts and formulas.

To continue that approach, students in 100-level courses this fall are receiving home lab kits to keep them on pace with the needed learning, says Mulford, who utilized the kits in a lab course he taught this summer.

Meanwhile, the more than 400 students enrolled in Mulfords advanced reactivity lab course sections this fall will work in teams in a virtual lab (work usually performed solo) to encourage more connections. First, theyll watch and answer questions during short videos of Mulford conducting experiments in his typical theatrical style.

Too much of what we think of as online education is dull videos. Mine arent so dull, Mulford says.

Such personalization is possible because faculty teach courses of their own design, giving them wide latitude in how they, as topic experts, work.

Last spring, concerned about technology issues and other challenges, Lydia Fort  assistant professor in theater studies and resident director of Theater Emory  allowed some students to create radio plays for an assignment to shoot a three-person scene. Students responded by being less competitive and more supportive of each others work, including creating networks outside of class.

That prompted Fort to plan for cohorts in courses this fall, when assignments include creating a set design for a short play. Learning how to work together via virtual tools now will help students even after the pandemic, she believes.

Film and television were already moving in that direction, being released directly at home, she says. I do believe learning these tools now  tools that even when we go back to normal allow them to provide content virtually  gives them an edge. Because of this time we are in, they learn not just the systems we have in place but get the opportunity to create new systems.

Ongoing support and innovation

In addition to working through course design in the accelerated training this summer, many professors have sought additional opportunities to improve their technical skills and teaching techniques. They continue to have support this fall.

The Center for Faculty Development and Excellence, for example, has provided webinars focused on how faculty can bring interpersonal connections and active learning into the online environment through tools such as Google documents and private chat rooms, says Liesl Wuest, the centers associate director for learning design and technology.

This fall, Oxfords Academic Technology Department and the Oxford Center for Teaching and Scholarship are hosting Show and Tell events where faculty members can discuss what they have applied from OCOT to their teaching, showcase what is working well in their classes, and get feedback on things they wish to improve.

Helping faculty see the variety of ways they can teach is essential, Wuest says.

Matthew Payne, an Emory College associate history professor and director of undergraduate studies for the department, utilized different technologies and techniques for an independent reading course in Russian sources that he taught last semester. Incorporating the technology allowed him to continue working through texts line-by-line with students via Zoom, just as he would during an in-person class.

I think faculty obviously prefer teaching with their students right with them, Payne says. But the essence of that connection  that sense that the professor is teaching you directly, even in a large lecture class  can happen over Zoom and Canvas just as easily as in post-class chats and office hours.

The lessons will continue beyond this semester, notes Ken Carter, Oxfords Charles Howard Candler Professor of Psychology, reflecting on his experience in OCOT and the Adult Psychopathology course he is currently teaching.

The training he received this summer transformed the way I think about the tools and resources for helping my students succeed, Carter says. It was exactly what I needed to start to prepare for remote teaching, but I am certain Ill use what I learned for years.
Five Rafale fighter aircrafts were formally inducted into the Indian Air Forces 17 Squadron Golden Arrows on Thursday.

The induction ceremony held at the Ambala Air Force station was attended by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and other senior officials.

Earlier, Singh held a brief conversation with Parly at the Palam Air Force station in New Delhi where the two ministers discussed ways to further boost bilateral defence cooperation.

Here are the top quotes from Rajnath Singhs address:

* Defence minister Rajnath Singh during the ceremony said that the induction of Rafale into the Indian Air Force (IAF) represents the strong ties between India and France adding that the strategic ties between the two countries have also strengthened.

* The induction of these fighter jets is a big message to the entire globe especially to those eyeing Indias sovereignty, This induction is important considering the kind of atmosphere at created at our borders, the defence minister said.

* Singh congratulated the IAF by saying that during the recent unfortunate incident at the border, the swift and deliberate action taken near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) shows the commitment of the air warriors.

* The defence minister during the ceremony at the Ambala airbase also mentioned that the speed at which IAF deployed its assets at forward bases created a confidence that it is fully prepared to fulfil operational obligations.

* In my recent foreign trip, I put the point of view of India in front of the world. I also made everyone aware of our resolve to not compromise our sovereignty and territorial integrity under any circumstances. Were committed to doing everything possible towards this, Singh said.

(With inputs from ANI)
Parts of the US are battling wildfires, while others are cleaning up after the strongest hurricane to hit in 160 years - but a new report suggests more extreme weather could be on the horizon.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sent out a warning that La Nina conditions were present in the Pacific Ocean last month and is set to make its way to the US.

This weather phenomenon forms by a build-up of below average cooler water that lowers surface temperatures - experts observed the surface at 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit over the past few weeks.

Michelle L'Heureux at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center told DailyMail.com: 'The current NOAA CPC outlook for the upcoming winter is showing a tilt toward drier conditions for the southern tier of the U.S. and wetter conditions over the northern tier of the U.S.'

The government agency also notes there is a 75 percent chance of La Nina continuing through the Northern hemisphere winter until early 2021, which could bring more hurricanes and droughts to areas.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sent out a warning that La Nina conditions were present in the Pacific Ocean last month and are set to make its way to the US. The western region could see less rain, while the Atlantic states may be hit with hurricanes

NOAA observed below-average temperatures stretching across the central and eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean in August, along with atmospheric circulation anomalies hanging over the surface - the sure sign La Nina has arrived.

One-third of the US was labeled in at least a moderate drought last month, with more than 93 percent of land area in Utah, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico at some level.

And the Central US has been enduring a period of dryness as well, coupled with above average temperatures.

Southern California is also in the midst of the region's hottest summers, according to the National Weather Service.

This weather phenomenon forms by a build-up of below average cooler water that lowers surface temperatures - experts observed the surface at 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit over the past few weeks

NOAA observed below-average temperatures stretching across the central and eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean in August, along with atmospheric circulation anomalies hanging over the surface

The US Drought Monitor shows above average dryness is plaguing 11 US states in the west, covering nearly 87 percent of land area  and more than half of California is in drought.

Rain is in dire need for much of The Golden State as it battles the worst wildfire season on record, which has scorched more than 2.5 million acres of land since starting in August.

California's winter is typically the rainy season, which tackles Santa Ana winds spreading fires that have already ignited. However, with La Nina forming, the area will experience less rain and drier conditions that could heighten this wildfire season

The weather pattern also increases hurricanes forming in the Atlantic, which can hit coastal regions of Florida and areas along the Gulf. Hurricane Laura blew through Louisiana last month that brought 150 mile per hour winds rushing through the southern state

California's winter is typically the rainy season, which tackles Santa Ana winds spreading fires that have already ignited.

However, with La Nina forming, the area will experience less rain and drier conditions that could heighten this wildfire season.

'This time of year, the Southwest is typically dry, and the onset of La Nina will likely not change this expectation,' L'Heureux said.

'In fact, the latest CPC drought outlook shows the maintenance and slight expansion of the drought region for the September-November season. '

'The greatest impacts from La Nina are not usually felt until the winter months.'

The weather pattern also increases hurricanes forming in the Atlantic, which can hit coastal regions of Florida and areas along the Gulf.

Hurricane Laura blew through Louisiana last month that brought 150 mile per hour winds rushing through the southern state.

And with La Nina brewing in the last three months of hurricane season, this could mean more storms are on the way that have even more power to release on land.

'Typical La Nina patterns during winter include above-average precipitation and colder-than-average temperatures along the northern tier of the U.S. and below-normal precipitation and above-average temperatures across the South,' L'Heure'ux explaind.
(CNN)  The Bay Area in California awoke Wednesday to a scene straight out of Mars.

Orange and even red skies blanketed San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, and ash rained down, with wildfires raging far in the distance.

"When the smoke and ash get even thicker close to the wildfires, it can cut the sunlight out completely, making it look like the dead of night," CNN meteorologist Judson Jones said.

Residents turned on lights, looking into a rust-colored sky that made it look like nighttime. Winds are carrying the wildfire smoke from afar. Both the Creek Fire and the North Complex Fire are burning more than 200 miles away, yet their presence could be felt in the Bay Area. Other places, such as Salem, Oregon, are experiencing similar apocalyptic glows.

The massive plumes of smoke generated by the wildfires raging across California have led to the longest stretch of unhealthy air quality alerts on record in the Bay Area, with 25 straight days of "Spare the Air" alerts, Erin DeMerritt, Bay Area Air Quality Management District spokeswoman, told CNN. The previous record was 14 consecutive days during the 2018 Camp Fire.

"The smoke and ash are acting like nature's version of an Instagram filter," Jones said. "The particles in the air are refracting sunlight similar to the way small air particles do when the sun sets or rises."

The particles scatter the shorter wavelengths of blue and green, making us unable to see them. The longer wavelengths of red and yellow pass through the bottom, giving us this "haunting" effect, Jones said.

Orange skies covered San Francisco, making Sneha Patil feel like she was on another planet.

"It was surreal," Patil wrote. "It felt like I had woken up to the skies in Mars!"

Michelle McKeown of Oakland saw homes in her neighborhood with lights on at 10 a.m.

"It feels eerie, apocalyptic and frightening," McKeown told CNN. "I've lived in the Bay Area since 1988 and never experienced such doom coming from the sky."

The skies burned red over a vintage clothing store in Oakland. Even though it looked like this, it didn't smell like smoke, said Maya Messoriano, owner of Minds Eye Vintage store.

"At least it's finally looking like a proper #apocalypse," a local band called Empty Vessel posted on Instagram.

Climate scientist Peter Gleick tried to capture the dark skies around his Berkeley home on Wednesday, saying the camera didn't do it justice.

"I've lived in northern California since 1978," Gleick wrote to CNN. "I have NEVER seen skies like this. It's like midnight out there now (at 10:15am) but instead of black skies, they're dark, dark red."

Gleick, the founder of the Pacific Institute, an independent nonpartisan climate and water research center in Oakland, has studied climate science for 35 years.

What he saw outside his window is a sign of climate change, he said.

"Climate change is clearly and unambiguously influencing the wildfires: higher heat and temperatures, more drought, more dead trees, greater extreme weather -- including winds," he said.

This story was first published on CNN.com 'California's Bay Area looks like Mars during the wildfires'
Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis slept in his clothes because of North Korea's missile launches amid the US's rocky relations with the country in 2017, according to a new book on the Trump administration.

The account comes from CNN's review of Bob Woodward's upcoming book, "Rage," which is scheduled for release on September 15.

According to the book, US-North Korean relations were fragile, and the potential for nuclear war was on the mind of the president's national security staff. Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, fired about two dozen missiles in 2017, including its highest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile, shortly after President Donald Trump took office.

As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continued to conduct missile and nuclear tests, Trump warned the country of "fire and fury" if it threatened the US. The situation concerned Trump's national security team, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said, "We never knew whether it was real or whether it was a bluff," according to the book.

Meanwhile, then-Defense Secretary Mattis, a retired four-star Marine Corps general, had slept in his clothes in case of a missile launch from North Korea and visited the nearby Washington National Cathedral to pray, according to CNN's review of the book.

Mattis announced he was resigning from his position in December 2018. He cited disagreements with the president's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, an unpopular choice among senior military leadership and US allies at the time.

"Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," Mattis wrote in his resignation letter.

For more than a year after his resignation, Mattis, like other retired military leaders, refrained from speaking out against the administration.

In June, however, he wrote a statement published in The Atlantic that criticized the administration's controversial response to the Black Lives Matter protests. At the time, people across the country were protesting the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, prompting the Trump administration to threaten to deploy US combat troops to American cities.

"I have watched this week's unfolding events, angry and appalled," Mattis said in his statement.

"Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people -- does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us," Mattis added. "We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership."

Woodward's book adds to Mattis' criticism of Trump, according to CNN. He's quoted as saying the president is "dangerous" and taught the US's adversaries "how to destroy America."

According to the book, Mattis said he resigned after Trump's move to pull out of Syria, "when I was basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid."

Woodward, an award-winning Washington Post journalist known for his work uncovering the Watergate scandal in 1972, has written numerous books about American presidents and their top advisers based on extensive interviews with insiders. He previously published another book about Trump's White House called "Fear: Trump in the White House," which was sourced from interviews that amassed to "boxes of recordings and documents."

Read the original article on Business Insider.
The Cabinet of Ministers has banned foreigners from entering Ukraine who are traveling through the territory of our state in transit.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported this on Facebook, referring to the promulgated resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of September 2.

"The provision that provided for the possibility of entry into Ukraine for foreigners who were in transit has been canceled," the report reads.

In particular, persons who are one of the spouses and who are parents, children, grandmother or grandfather of a citizen of Ukraine are subject to the exceptions to the ban on entry.

The Ministry clarified that a person has the legal status of a child until he reaches the age of majority.

In addition, if persons come to Ukraine to study, it should only be a higher educational institution.

As Ukrinform reported, on August 26, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to temporarily restrict the entry of certain categories of foreigners into Ukraine until the end of September in order to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 in the country.

ish
This week, as war finally broke out between the federal and Victorian governments, one thing became clear. The federal government is living in the past, while the Victorian government refuses to face it. This allows each of them to focus on the narrative that most suits them, while never properly engaging with each other. And that, in the face of a devilish problem like COVID-19, is immensely frustrating to watch.

Illustration: Andrew Dyson Credit:

Let's start with the federal government. More than anything else, it seems to want to talk about how Victoria's failures let in a second wave. To that end, it speaks relentlessly about the importance of contact tracing, drawing comparisons with the "gold standard" of New South Wales. Obviously, this downplays what seem to be the federal government's own failures in regulating the aged care facilities under its watch, which have had tragic consequences. But otherwise, the federal government's point is overwhelmingly correct.

Victoria entered this pandemic with the least-resourced public health operation in the country (per capita), thanks to successive governments' budget decisions. It was understaffed, had outdated IT systems, and found itself with little choice but to recruit inexperienced people who would inevitably make mistakes.

It also had a centralised public health system, unlike in New South Wales and Queensland where public health is managed by local teams in designated "health districts" who do things like contact tracing. That means they have more local knowledge and can act more swiftly to trace local outbreaks. Victoria is paying the price for what, in another era, would have been called "efficiency".
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when it is vitally important for the rare disease community to come together, the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has announced a program of broad-ranging topics with speakers of unparalleled expertise for the 2020 NORD Rare Diseases and Orphan Products Breakthrough Summit, taking place virtually October 8-9.

"With our community deeply affected by COVID-19, important policy issues at a critical point, and scientific innovation advancing more rapidly than at any time in history, it is essential for the community to come together virtually to share perspectives and address time-sensitive topics," said NORD President and CEO Peter L. Saltonstall. "At the NORD Summit, we will tackle the issues that matter most to the community at this unique moment and hear directly from leading experts on the front lines of public policy, medical research, patient advocacy and regulatory science."

The 2020 NORD Summit will feature a dynamic roster of advocates, thought leaders and subject matter experts. Sessions include:

Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) together with representatives from the US Department of Health and Human Services, the New Hampshire State Legislature, the University of Minnesota and the Rare Action Network on "Telehealth and Rare Diseases"

(IL-02) together with representatives from the US Department of Health and Human Services, the New Hampshire State Legislature, the and the Rare Action Network on "Telehealth and Rare Diseases" Peter Marks , MD, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, and Patrizia Cavazzoni , MD, Deputy Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with "An Update from FDA Centers"

, MD, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, and , MD, Deputy Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with "An Update from FDA Centers" Patient advocates, industry leaders and the director of the Center for Innovation in Global Health on "International Perspectives on Innovation, Affordability and Creating a Sustainable Healthcare System"

Two parallel panelsone from NIH and one from FDAon "Changing the Clinical Development Paradigm" and "Entering a New Era in Regulatory Science"

The annual NORD Summit is the largest multi-stakeholder event of its kind held in the United States, with participants spanning the global rare disease community and connecting to discuss the most current and critical topics related to rare diseases and orphan products.

This year's theme, "Entering a New Era," refers to the current climate of innovation in rare disease research, evolving regulatory science and the need to address global public health challenges. Throughout the Summit, the focus will be on maintaining and advancing innovation while addressing current challenges.

Top sponsors of the 2020 NORD Summit include Eversana, Insmed, Retrophin and Takeda. For a complete listing of speakers, topics, sponsors and more, as well as to register for the event visit NORDSummit.org.

About the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is the leading independent advocacy organization representing all patients and families affected by rare diseases. NORD is committed to the identification, treatment and cure of more than 7,000 rare diseases, of which approximately 90% are still without an FDA-approved treatment or therapy. Rare diseases affect over 25 million Americans. More than half of those affected are children.

NORD began as a small group of patient advocates that formed a coalition to unify and mobilize support to pass the Orphan Drug Act of 1983. For over 37 years, NORD has led the way in voicing the needs of the rare disease community, driving supportive policies and education, advancing medical research and providing patient and family services for those who need them most. NORD is made strong together with more than 325 disease-specific member organizations and their communities and collaborates with many other organizations on specific causes of importance to the rare disease patient community. Visit rarediseases.org.

SOURCE National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

Related Links

http://www.rarediseases.org


Donald Trump, in a remarkable admission, says he publicly downplayed the seriousness of the coronavirus  but only in an attempt to reduce panic.

If you said in order to reduce panic, maybe thats so, the president said when asked about comments he made to journalist Bob Woodward for a coming book. Its just another political hit job.

Mr Trump told reporters he told Woodward one thing and the American people another because being honest in public would mean youre going to have bigger problems.

I dont want people to be frightened, he said. We want to show confidence, we want to show strength.

Mr Trump shot back at criticism that mounted all day, saying he felt he and his team had to show calm.

The last thing we can show is panic or excitement or fear, he said at the end of an event on his expanding list of conservatives who might be Supreme Court nominees if he wins re-election.

As his administration in early spring struggled to explain to people how the virus spreads, Mr Trump was clear in one conversation with Woodward.

"This is deadly stuff," Mr Trump told the Washington Post journalist on 7 February.

You just breathe the air and thats how its passed, the president added during the phone call. And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.

Mr Trumps aides are correct that he did say from the White House podium earlier this year that up to 200,000 Americans could die from the respiratory virus.

But the president also has said over and over it will one day just disappear and go away  one time saying the warming spring and summer temperatures would eradicate it  while pushing states to reopen their economy and schools.

Mr Biden fired back that experts have told his campaign that over 30,000 lives would have been spared had the president been more honest early in the spring. At least 190,455 people have died on US soil from the coronavirus, according to The Johns Hopkins University.

Republican lawmakers did not rush to defend the GOP president.

But Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said, these gotcha books dont really interest me. There will be another one out tomorrow.

His state was hit hard at the onset of the virus outbreak. He told CNN the Trump Administration gave Louisiana officials everything they requested.

We worked very closely on trying to help small businesses, he said, adding of experts like the ones cited by My Biden: I dont put a lot of credence into that.

On Mr Trump telling Woodward more clearly the virus travelled through the air, the GOP senator tried to dodge the question. When pressed, he said to be is to act and he does not judge Washington officials by what they say.

Go away

During a visit to the Capitol around the time of his early February call with Woodward, the president urged Americans to remain calm and predicted without offering supporting evidence the virus would go away.

Other Democrats slammed the words Mr Trump can be heard clearly saying on recordings made by Woodward with the presidents permission.

The presidents own words spell out the devastating truth: Trump was fully aware of the catastrophic nature of the coronavirus but hid the facts and refused to take the threat seriously, leaving our entire country exposed and unprepared," Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said in a statement. More than 6 million Americans have been infected, 190,000 have died and tens of millions are jobless and at risk of hunger and homelessness. So much of this pain could have been avoided, but President Trump refused to tell the truth or to act to protect the American people. The horrifying toll of Trumps deadly disinformation and negligence in the lives of grieving families and to our economy is a historic national tragedy.

Even now, the president still refuses to listen to science and take the action necessary to crush the virus and protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people, she added. "We must have a science-based strategic plan to defeat the coronavirus, as advanced in the [House-passed] Heroes Act that Senate Republicans continue to block.

Appearing at a campaign event in Michigan, Mr Biden said: "His failure to act not only cost lives -- it sent our economy into a tailspin that cost millions more Americans their livelihoods. This is a recession created by Donald Trump's negligence -- and unfitness for this job. How many schools aren't open right now? How many kids are starting a new school year the same way they ended the last one -- at home? How many parents feel abandoned and overwhelmed?

"How many frontline workers are exhausted and pushed to their limits? How many families are missing a loved one at their dinner table -- because of his failures? It's beyond despicable," he added. "It's a dereliction and a disgrace."
The unit created by the new police accountability law to independently investigate the use of deadly force by police will not likely be fully funded or operational for another year, according to legislative leaders.

Its not going to happen all in one shot, said state Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, co-chair of the Appropriations Committee who favors a phased in approach. Its probably going to take us over a year given the nature of what were trying to do.

The unit, which will be headed by the newly created position of inspector general, would investigate all incidents involving the deadly use of force by police and in-custody deaths.

The inspector general position may be filled as early as Oct. 1, which is the timeline laid out in the law.

But there are more than a few hurdles to clear, including who is paying the estimated $1.1 million tab to create the specialized unit, and how long it will take to get enough staff on board to begin investigating.

This is an important position to get back the trust of the community and hold officers accountable for their actions, said Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo Jr.

The unit falls under the Division of Criminal Justice, which Colangelo heads, but will be considered independent to ensure the integrity of the investigations. Candidates applying for the position must be working within the division and submit their application by Sept. 10.

As of Tuesday, Colangelo and Walker dont know how the cost of creating and maintaining the unit will be paid. The state Office of Fiscal Analysis pegged the cost of running the unit in 2021 at $1.1 million. That includes $167,183 for the salary for the inspector general.

There will also need to be inspectors and prosecutors within the unit and office space where the unit will work, Colangelo said.

The Office of Fiscal Analysis estimated that the unit will need nine employees, Colangelo said. He felt it would need 11 employees, including legal staff. He can absorb two positions of the 11 within the division, but otherwise, I have no idea where the positions or money is coming from, Colangelo said.

Colangelos division has some flexibility to fill positions but the unit may be looking at getting $500,000 in funding as the inspector general works out the parameters of how the unit will work, Walker said.

Were not going to be able to fill all the positions at once, Walker said. I dont see that happening overnight because were creating something that doesnt exist.

Its unclear if the $500,000 would come from Colangelos budget or the state budget. Walker said it could take until the next legislative session for the unit to be fully funded. She wants the unit planned and designed so they can be effective, she said.

We need to make sure its done appropriately, Walker said.

Its also unclear if the Inspector General could hire staff since it will be an interim position until the person is vetted and confirmed by the legislature, said state Rep. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, the co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, who largely crafted the police accountability law.

Well have to figure that out once the person is chosen, Winfield said. The only date the law says is Oct. 1 for hiring the individual.

Advocates had called for an independent body to investigate several highly publicized deaths by police, including the Jan. 15 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane as he was sitting in a car surrounded by police after a multi-town chase.

The police accountability law has drawn fire from some officers who say portions of the law are anti-police. But the legislation, which was crafted after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, is supported by groups like the Connecticut American Civil Liberties Union, which have been calling for more transparency and accountability by police.

The law calls for more transparency from state police through the release of all internal affairs investigations, not just the allegations that have been substantiated, which is already being challenged in court. The law also calls for more training in de-escalation and more use of body cameras by officers.

The accountability law also created the Office of the Inspector General to independently investigate the use of deadly force by officers and in-custody deaths throughout the state. Previously, municipalities and the state Department of Correction investigated their own in-custody deaths, and in cases where officers used deadly force, a states attorney from a different jurisdiction would investigate with the help of state police gathering evidence.

There were 25 similar investigations in 2019 and at least 19 in 2018, Colangelo said.

Candidates for the position must have at least three years of experience as an attorney and be employed within the Division of Criminal Justice, in accordance with the law. The states Criminal Justice Commission will select which candidates they want to interview for the position and choose a candidate. That person must then be approved by the legislature.

The commission is meeting Sept. 24, but its unclear if they will interview candidates during the meeting or make a hiring decision.

The law calls for the appointment of an Inspector General by Oct. 1.

Once hired, the Inspector General will pick staff. It could take up to six weeks for the staff to be chosen, Colangelo said. The unit could start work in early 2021 if the Inspector General was able to hire staff immediately, Colangelo said.

The reality is that the budget is going to have an impact on everything we do, Winfield said. But well figure it out.
Pune: The Pimpri-Chinchwad police on Thursday filed a case against a man and his two sons for the murder of a person in Maval area.

The deceased was identified as Bhaguji Balu Kedari (28) of Thakar Vasti in Inori village of Maval.

Police arrested Dadu Bhiva Kedari (45) and his son Lakshman alias Khanna Dadu Kedari (25), while another son Arun Dadu Kedari (22) is absconding. The trio is residents of Thakar vasti. The arrested were remanded to three-day police custody by a local court.

According to the police, the murder was committed on a road that connects Inori village with Jamwade village at 11:30pm on Wednesday.

The complaint was lodged by the deceaseds wife Suresh Bhaguji Kedari (25).

Police said the deceased was acting as middleman in a heated discussion between the arrested family and his friend Sunil Kevale. The family suspected that Kevale was having an affair with Bhivas wife.

The deceased accompanied Kevale as a mediator. After visiting the house of the accuseds family, on the way out, a fight broke out and Bhaguji was attacked by the family causing his death, said senior inspector Pradeep Londhe of Bhosari MIDC [Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation] police station who is investigating the case.

The deceased was found with injuries on his back, head and stomach, according to the police. According to the case registered, he was attacked on the stomach with a sharp weapon, on the head with a wooden rod and on the back with a rock.

A case under Sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code was registered at MIDC Bhosari police station against the accused.
The EU statement said that the ship that sailed from the port of Sharjah suspected that its cargo of fuel was likely to be used for military purposes

A European Union naval vessel on Thursday stopped a ship that was carrying jet fuel from the United Arab Emirates to Libya on suspicion it was violating a United Nations arms embargo, EU officials said.

The EU military mission, named Irini, is operating in the Mediterranean to stop arms from reach warring factions in Libya.

The mission said in a statement that a German frigate, supported by an Italian frigate, stopped the merchant vessel Royal Diamond 7 just after dawn in international waters, 150 km (95 miles) north of the Libyan city of Derna.

The ship had sailed from the port of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and was heading to Benghazi in Libya, the statement said, adding that its cargo of fuel was "likely to be used for military purposes".

The Royal Diamond 7 was diverted to an undisclosed EU port for further checks.

Libya has been split since 2014 between areas controlled by the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and territory held by Libyan National Army (LNA) lead by commander Khalifa Haftar's, based in Benghazi.

The UAE, Egypt and Russia back LNA forces, while Turkey back the forces loyal to GNA.

The UN Security Council has imposed an embargo on arms to stop the military confrontation and facilitate the peace process in the country. The EU is enforcing the embargo through its Irini operation.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online

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This schematic map shows early andapparently 'dead-end' introductions of SARS-CoV-2 to Europe and the US (dashed arrows). Successful dispersals between late January and mid-February are shown with solid arrows: from Hubei Province, China to Northern Italy, from China to Washington State, and later from Europe (as the Italian outbreak spread more widely) to New York City and from China to California. Credit: Andrew Rambaut/University of Edinburgh and Jeffrey Joy/University of British Columbia

A new study combines evolutionary genomics from coronavirus samples with computer-simulated epidemics and detailed travel records to reconstruct the spread of coronavirus across the world in unprecedented detail.

Published in the journal Science, the results suggest an extended period of missed opportunity when intensive testing and contact tracing might have prevented SARS-CoV-2 from becoming established in North America and Europe.

The paper also challenges suggestions that linked the earliest known cases of COVID-19 on each continent in January to outbreaks detected weeks later, and provides valuable insights that could inform public health response and help with anticipating and preventing future outbreaks of COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases.

"Our aspiration was to develop and apply powerful new technology to conduct a definitive analysis of how the pandemic unfolded in space and time, across the globe," said University of Arizona researcher Michael Worobey, who led an interdisciplinary team of scientists from 13 research institutions in the U.S., Belgium, Canada and the U.K. "Before, there were lots of possibilities floating around in a mish-mash of science, social media and an unprecedented number of preprint publications still awaiting peer review."

The team based their analysis on results from viral genome sequencing efforts, which began immediately after the virus was identified. These efforts quickly grew into a worldwide effort unprecedented in scale and pace and have yielded tens of thousands of genome sequences, publicly available in databases.

Contrary to widespread narratives, the first documented arrivals of infected individuals traveling from China to the U.S. and Europe did not snowball into continental outbreaks, the researchers found.

Instead, swift and decisive measures aimed at tracing and containing those initial incursions of the virus were successful and should serve as model responses directing future actions and policies by governments and public health agencies, the study's authors conclude.

How the virus arrived in the U.S. and Europe

A Chinese national flying into Seattle from Wuhan, China on Jan. 15 became the first patient in the U.S. shown to be infected with the novel coronavirus and the first to have a SARS-CoV-2 genome sequenced. This patient was designated 'WA1.' It was not until six weeks later that several additional cases were detected in Washington state.

"And while all that time goes past, everyone is in the dark and wondering, 'What's happening?'" Worobey said. "We hope we're OK, we hope there are no other cases, and then it becomes clear, from a remarkable community viral sampling program in Seattle, that there are more cases in Washington and they are genetically very similar to WA1's virus."

Worobey and his collaborators tested the prevailing hypothesis suggesting that patient WA1 had established a transmission cluster that went undetected for six weeks. Although the genomes sampled in February and March share similarities with WA1, they are different enough that the idea of WA1 establishing the ensuing outbreak is very unlikely, they determined. The researchers' findings indicate that the jump from China to the U.S. likely occurred on or around Feb. 1 instead.

The results also puts to rest speculation that this outbreak, the earliest substantial transmission cluster in the U.S., may have been initiated indirectly by dispersal of the virus from China to British Columbia, Canada, just north of Washington State, and then spread from Canada to the U.S. Multiple SARS-CoV-2 genomes published by the British Columbia Center for Disease Control appeared to be ancestral to the viral variants sampled in Washington State, strongly suggesting a Canadian origin of the U.S. epidemic. However, the present study revealed sequencing errors in those genomes, thus ruling out this scenario.

Instead, the new study implicates a direct-from-China source of the U.S. outbreak, right around the time the U.S. administration implemented a travel ban for travelers from China in early February. The nationality of the "index case" of the U.S. outbreak cannot be known for certain because tens of thousands of U.S. citizens and visa holders traveled from China to the U.S. even after the ban took effect.

A similar scenario marks the first known introduction of coronavirus into Europe. On Jan. 20, an employee of an automotive supply company in Bavaria, Germany, flew in for a business meeting from Shanghai, China, unknowingly carrying the virus, ultimately leading to infection of 16 co-workers. In that case, too, an impressive response of rapid testing and isolation prevented the outbreak from spreading any further, the study concludes. Contrary to speculation, this German outbreak was not the source of the outbreak in Northern Italy that eventually spread widely across Europe and eventually to New York City and the rest of the U.S.

The authors also show that this China-to-Italy-US dispersal route ignited transmission clusters on the East Coast slightly later in February than the China-to-US movement of the virus that established the Washington State outbreak. The Washington transmission cluster also predated small clusters of community transmission in February in California, making it the earliest anywhere in North America.

Early containment works

The authors say intensive interventions, involving testing, contact tracing, isolation measures and a high degree of compliance of infected individuals, who reported their symptoms to health authorities and self-isolated in a timely manner, helped Germany and the Seattle area contain those outbreaks in January.

"We believe that those measures resulted in a situation where the first sparks could successfully be stamped out, preventing further spread into the community," Worobey said. "What this tells us is that the measures taken in those cases are highly effective and should serve as a blueprint for future responses to emerging diseases that have the potential to escalate into worldwide pandemics."

To reconstruct the pandemic's unfolding, the scientists ran computer programs that carefully simulated the epidemiology and evolution of the virus, in other words, how SARS-CoV-2 spread and mutated over time.

"This allowed us to re-run the tape of how the epidemic unfolded, over and over again, and then check the scenarios that emerge in the simulations against the patterns we see in reality," Worobey said.

"In the Washington case, we can ask, 'What if that patient WA1 who arrived in the U.S. on Jan. 15 really did start that outbreak?' Well, if he did, and you re-run that epidemic over and over and over, and then sample infected patients from that epidemic and evolve the virus in that way, do you get a pattern that looks like what we see in reality? And the answer was no," he said.

"If you seed that early Italian outbreak with the one in Germany, do you see the pattern that you get in the evolutionary data? And the answer, again, is no," he said.

"By re-running the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into the U.S. and Europe through simulations, we showed that it was very unlikely that the first documented viral introductions into these locales led to productive transmission clusters," said co-author Joel Wertheim of the University of California, San Diego. "Molecular epidemiological analyses are incredibly powerful for revealing transmissions patterns of SARS-CoV-2."

Other methods were then combined with the data from the virtual epidemics, yielding exceptionally detailed and quantitative results.

"Fundamental to this work stands our new tool combining detailed travel history information and phylogenetics, which produces a sort of 'family tree' of how the different genomes of virus sampled from infected individuals are related to each other," said co-author Marc Suchard of the University of California, Los Angeles.

"Our research shows that when you do early intervention and detection well, it can have a massive impact, both on preventing pandemics and controlling them once they progress," Worobey said. "While the epidemic eventually slipped through, there were early victories that show us the way forward: Comprehensive testing and case identification are powerful weapons."

Explore further Why New Zealand needs to ramp up genome sequencing to trace the source of its new COVID-19 outbreak

More information: Michael Worobey et al, "The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe and North America" Science 10 Sep 2020:eabc8169. Journal information: Science Michael Worobey et al, "The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe and North America"10 Sep 2020:eabc8169. science.sciencemag.org/lookup/  1126/science.abc8169
Unilever to eliminate fossil fuels in cleaning products by 2030 as part of 1 billion ($1.17 billion) Clean Future investment

This new ambition is a core component of Unilevers "Clean Future", a ground-breaking innovation programme designed by the companys Home Care division to fundamentally change the way that some of the worlds most well-known cleaning and laundry products are created, manufactured, and packaged. Clean Future is unique in its intent to embed the circular economy principles into both packaging and product formulations at the scale of global brands to reduce their carbon footprint.

Most cleaning and laundry products available today contain chemicals made from fossil fuel feedstocks, a non-renewable source of carbon. Unilevers move to renewable or recycled sources of carbon for these chemicals is a deliberate shift away from the fossil fuel economy. The first initiative of its scale, Clean Future is a critical step towards Unilevers pledge of net zero emissions from its products by 2039.

The chemicals used in Unilevers cleaning and laundry products make up the greatest proportion of their carbon footprint (46 per cent) across their life cycle. Therefore, by transitioning away from fossil fuel-derived chemicals in product formulations, the company will unlock novel ways of reducing the carbon footprint of some of the worlds biggest cleaning and laundry brands. Unilever expects this initiative alone to reduce the carbon footprint of the product formulations by up to 20 per cent.

Peter ter Kulve, Unilevers president of Home Care, explains: Clean Future is our vision to radically overhaul our business. As an industry, we must break our dependence on fossil fuels, including as a raw material for our products. We must stop pumping carbon from under the ground when there is ample carbon on and above the ground if we can learn to utilise it at scale.

Weve seen unprecedented demand for our cleaning products in recent months and we are incredibly proud to play our part, helping to keep people safe in the fight against COVID-19. But that should not be a reason for complacency. We cannot let ourselves become distracted from the environmental crises that our world  our home  is facing: pollution, destruction of natural habitats, the climate emergency. This is the home we share, and we have a responsibility to protect it.

Unilever is ring-fencing 1 billion ($1.17 billion) for Clean Future to finance biotechnology research, CO2 and waste utilisation, and low-carbon chemistry  which will drive the transition away from fossil fuel-derived chemicals. This investment will also be used to create biodegradable and water-efficient product formulations to halve the use of virgin plastic by 2025, and support the development of brand communications that make these technologies appealing to consumers. The Clean Future investment, which is additional to Unilevers new 1 billion "Climate and Nature fund", is focused on creating affordable cleaning and laundry products that deliver superior cleaning results with a significantly lower environmental impact.

Clean Future already supports industry-leading projects around the world to transform how the chemicals in Unilevers cleaning and laundry products are made. In Slovakia, for instance, Unilever is partnering with biotechnology leader Evonik Industries to develop the production of rhamnolipids, renewable and biodegradable surfactant which is already used in its Sunlight dishwashing liquid in Chile and Vietnam.

The carbon rainbow

Central to Clean Future is Unilevers "Carbon Rainbow", a novel approach to diversify the carbon used in its product formulations. Non-renewable, fossil sources of carbon (identified in the Carbon Rainbow as black carbon) will be replaced using captured CO2 (purple carbon), plants and biological sources (green carbon), marine sources such as algae (blue carbon), and carbon recovered from waste materials (grey carbon).

Tanya Steele, chief executive of WWF UK says, The world must shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable resources that reduce pressure on our fragile ecosystems and that help to restore nature. These significant commitments from Unilever, combined with strong sustainable sourcing, have real potential to make an important contribution as we transition to an economy that works with nature, not against it.
Students in Hampden and Wilbraham will see many of their friends and teachers for the first time Thursday as they head back to school after more than six months of remote learning due to the coronavirus pandemic and summer vacation.

We are excited to get the kids back to school. I know our principals and the staff are ready, said Albert G. Ganem Jr., superintendent of the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District.

The School Committee voted last month to start the year with a hybrid model that will have half of students attending school in person on Mondays and Tuesdays and the other half on Thursdays and Fridays . Fully remote learning on Wednesdays will allow for sanitization of the schools. Teachers and principals will be in the building all five days.

Ganem said many parents and caregivers expressed a desire to have their students back at school in some way. A district survey showed 80.6% of parents wanted their children to have at least some in-person learning.

In working with the CDC and the Department of Public Health, we fall in the category with very low numbers (of coronavirus cases), so we actually could go fully back to face-to-face instruction, but we also have to make sure that we have the proper distance for safety, which is why we opted for cohorts, he said.

According to state data released Wednesday, Hampden has had 101 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in March, with zero new cases in the last 14 days.

Meanwhile, Wilbraham is listed as a moderate-risk, yellow community, with nine new cases in the last two weeks. The town has had a total of 249 coronavirus cases.

While teachers are excited to see their students again and be back in their classrooms, the Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association has expressed concerns about the hybrid model.

The plan has students in grades one through 12 starting this week, with kindergarten students starting next week, followed by preschoolers a week after that. The union believes students in preschool through fifth grade should have been prioritized.

Even with the approved hybrid plan, most students will learn remotely for three out of five days each week, said union president Damian Konkoly. From an educational standpoint, we want to work with students and families to make remote learning more effective. A phased in start allows us to focus on helping students and families with the remote component of hybrid learning rather than juggling everything at once.

Konkoly said there is also some frustration about the plan being approved on Aug. 20, giving parents and teachers less than a month to make decisions about whether they would be returning to school or not.

The plan was developed by school administrators without our input and then approved by the school committee without any opportunity for public comment, he said.

Ganem said he respectfully disagrees with Konkolys assessment of the situation.

I always welcome input because this is not something I could do alone, he said. I truly believe that during this entire process we have been very vocal with the community in terms of what we were planning and what we were doing.

There were many teachers involved at the school level in terms of reentry, as well as the district level," Ganem said. We had staff involved with professional learning and reopening, which is not only about just bringing kids back to school, but about ensuring that we have the proper (personal protective equipment) for everyone and that we gave our teachers the professional development they needed.

There are documents on the districts website about the rules and procedures for reopening. Earlier this week the Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association issued its own information sheet that answers frequently asked questions about everything from remote learning to expectations about attendance, cafeteria procedures and busing protocols.

Our information sheet grew out of frustration that teachers and families both felt about a lack of details with the resumption of school right around the corner, Konkoly said.

Many people are concerned about an outbreak from having so many people back in the school buildings at once, he said.

A rush to come back as fully as possible right away increases the chance that we will have to revert to fully remote learning, including for the most vulnerable students, Konkoly said. A controlled, phased-in start to the school year can result in maximizing the amount of in-person, on-site learning over the course of the school year.

There will be 1,126 students in school on Mondays and Tuesdays, 1,119 on Thursdays and Fridays. There are 275 children who will be attending four days a week due to special needs and 458 students who will be fully remote.

Ganem said months of planning and 10 days of professional development for teachers will help the reopening go smoothly.

This is all new, and we have everything ready to go, but we will see how it all works and asses whether there are going to be some things we need to adjust, he said. Thats all part of being in education. We look at where we can improve and where we need to make some changes and we will do that as a district.

Related Content:
An employee of Milford Public Schools was arrested on Wednesday and charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of child pornography, authorities said.

Vincent Kiejzo, 33, was found to be in possession of roughly 6,000 images of child pornography that were stored on a thumb drive, according to the charging documents.

Kiejzo appeared in federal court in Worcester, authorities said. He is being detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
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San Francisco, 10 Sep 2020: The Report Industrial Air Filtration Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report, By Product, By End Use (Cement, Food, Metals, Power, Pharmaceutical, Agriculture, Paper & Pulp and Woodworking, Plastic), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027

The global industrial air filtration market size is expected to reach USD 18.0 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% over the forecast period, according to a study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. The growing demand for high-performing and energy-efficient products is expected to catapult the demand over the forecast period. Technological advancements have resulted in the manufacturing of a new filter media to meet the demand for energy-efficient products. This, in turn, has instigated the development of innovative raw materials such as small fibers and is further anticipated to provide new avenues for industry growth.

Soaring electricity consumption has led to the development of new power generation plants, which is expected to be a key factor driving the market for industrial air filtration. Furthermore, implementation of stringent government regulations in order to protect human health by limiting or eliminating airborne pollutant concentrations will further aid in catapulting the market. Enforcement of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) code is the key factor anticipated to drive the market for industrial air filtration. The OSHA standards prohibit companies from retaliating against employees for exercising their rights under the law.

Companies across the globe are turning towards sustainable alternatives and methodologies such as green manufacturing in order to improve competitive advantage and increase revenues. Similarly, governments across the globe are collaborating with numerous environmental organizations for developing standards to control harmful emissions in the region. These standards have contributed to the expansion of the market for industrial air filtration across regions.

However, lack of social responsibility and awareness may also pose a challenge to market growth. End use industries often lack their responsibility towards society and refuse to spend extra capital investment for installing an air pollution control devices, which is expected to hamper product demand over the next few years. Equipment purchase decisions are often based on the purchase price of the air filtration equipment, which is further expected to pose as a challenge to the market for industrial air filtration.

Access Research Report of Industrial Air Filtration Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/industrial-air-filtration-market

Industrial Air Filtration Market Report Highlights

The dry scrubbers segment is expected to witness a CAGR exceeding 7.5% over the forecast period. Dry scrubbers generate minimal waste leading to the elimination of complex sanctioning procedure along with plummeting capital and operating costs

The demand for air filters in the power segment accounted for over 19% of the global industrial air filtration market in 2019 and the segment is expected to witness a steady growth over the next seven years, as this industry has to comply with several government regulations including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and OSHA standards

Asia Pacific accounted for over 25% of the overall revenue in 2019 and is expected to witness substantial growth over the forecast period, which is accredited to high penetration of these products across the metal and plastic industry coupled with increased R&D spending in the Asia Pacific food and beverage industry

Key players, such as Honeywell International, Inc., MANN+HUMMEL, Daikin Industries, Ltd., Clean TeQ Holdings Limited, 3M, and SPX Corporation, enhanced their market position through mergers and acquisitions in order to expand their geographical reach.

Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/hvac-and-construction-technologies

Grand View Research has segmented the global industrial air filtration market based on product, end use, and region:

Industrial Air Filtration Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Dust Collectors

Oil Mist Collectors

HEPA Filters

Cartridge Collectors & Filters (CC&F)

Baghouse Filters

Welding Fume Extractors

Wet Scrubbers

Dry Scrubbers

Industrial Air Filtration End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Cement

Food

Metals

Power

Pharmaceutical

Agriculture

Paper & Pulp and Woodworking

Plastic

Others

Industrial Air Filtration Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

Access Press Release of Industrial Air Filtration Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-industrial-air-filtration-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

For More Information:www.grandviewresearch.com
Oroville, Calif.

A Northern California wildfire burning for more than three weeks roared to life after being stoked by high winds, spreading at a ferocious rate across an estimated 25 miles of mountainous terrain and parched foothills and destroying an untold number of homes.

As thick smoke choked the air Wednesday and cast an eerie orange hue across much of the region, thousands of people in communities near Oroville were ordered to evacuate. The fire even threatened the town of Paradise that was devastated just two years ago by the deadliest blaze in state history.

The North Complex fire was one of more than two dozen in the state, including three of five largest ever as wildfires burned across parts of the West amid gusty, dry conditions. Forecasters said some weather relief was in sight.

In Washington, more acres burned in a single day than firefighters usually see all year. Fires also forced people to flee homes in Oregon and Idaho. A blast of polar air helped slow wildfires in Colorado and Montana.

Since the middle of August, fires in California have killed eight people, destroyed more than 3,600 structures, burned old growth redwoods, charred chaparral and forced evacuations in communities near the coast, in wine country and along the Sierra Nevada.

The U.S. Forest Service, which had taken the unprecedented measure of closing eight national forests in Southern California earlier in the week, ordered all 18 of its forests in the state closed Wednesday for public safety.

The fire raging outside Oroville was burning in the Plumas National Forest after a series of wildfires sparked Aug. 17 by lightning had merged.

The fire jumped the Feather River Tuesday and, driven by 45 mph winds, leapt into a canopy of pines and burned all the way to Lake Oroville  about 25 miles  said fire chief Jake Cagle.

The fire was 62 square miles and 50 percent contained before it grew more than sixfold.

Firefighters were focused on saving lives and homes instead of trying to halt the fire's advance, Cagle said.

The fire tore into several hamlets along the river and near Lake Oroville, leveling countless homes and other buildings, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

A massive cloud of smoke covered much of California.

In Paradise, where 85 people lost their lives and nearly 19,000 buildings were destroyed, the sky turned from black to cherry red and ash carried on strong winds rained down, former Mayor Steve "Woody" Culleton said.

"It was extremely frightening and ugly," Culleton said. "Everybody has PTSD and what not, so it triggered everybody and caused terror and panic."

A power shutoff to prevent electric lines from sparking wildfires  the cause of the Paradise fire  prevented people from getting up-to-date information by internet, TV or their home phones, Culleton said. Many of the residents decided to leave and created a traffic jam leading out of town.

In Southern California, fires burned in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. People in foothill communities east of Los Angeles were warned to be ready to flee, but the region's notorious Santa Ana winds were weaker than predicted.

"We're encouraged that the wind activity appears to be dying down," Gov. Gavin Newsom said. "The rest of the week looks a little more favorable."
Europe can make use of the existing international law framework on chemical weapons, leading, at least in theory, to United Nations sanctions against confirmed violators of the global ban on deadly agents such as Novichok, the Russian-origin one that felled Mr. Navalny. Germany took the first step by reporting the findings of its investigation to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, though the threat is mostly symbolic given Russias veto power at the U.N. Security Council. More promising would be the adoption in Europe of legislation similar to the Magnitsky Act in the United States, to allow economic sanctions targeted at individuals found to be involved in human rights abuses. First proposed by a Dutch foreign minister in 2018, the law has been going through preparatory work in the European Unions 27 members since then. The attack on Mr. Navalny should shock them into faster action.
The boss of Woolworths has warned Australians could miss out on their favourite Christmas goods if the Victorian government doesn't ease restrictions that are crippling the supermarket giant's supply chain.

CEO Brad Banducci has flagged concerns about potential stock shortages as demand for groceries rises in the lead-up to the festive season.

He said retailers could experience shortages similar to those experienced at the height of the country's first lockdown in March and April unless changes are made.

Mr Banducci said shortages could force shoppers to visit multiple stores to track down what they need, defeating the purpose of COVID-19 restrictions.

Supermarket chains fear shortages of some groceries in the lead-up to Christmas unless the Victorian government eases restrictions (Pictured: a woman stocks up on toilet paper supplies in Victoria before the second lockdown in July)

Banducci voiced his concerns during a Business Council of Australia event on Wednesday night, according to a report in the Age.

Banducci told Daily Mail Australia in a statement that Woolworths has been facing 'unique challenges' in Victoria.

'Weve been working to support the Government's overarching health objective of reducing community movements to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,' Mr Banducci said.

Suppliers are concerned there could be a shortage of Christmas Hams in Victoria this year (Pictured: the meat aisle is almost empty in a Melbourne supermarket after the announcement of new lockdown measures)

'As part of this, weve shared data-driven insights on anticipated shopping behaviour in the lead up to the busy Christmas season to help inform policy making as it relates to our supply chains.'

The CEO of 50 Ritchies IGA stores in Victoria, Fred Harrison, shares similar concerns.

He told Daily Mail Australia IGA is particularly worried about an extremely popular festive supermarket staple.

'Today we found out it's going to be a limited selection of Christmas hams... there is a good example of something we would buy 30 tonnes of that we are not going to be able to get this year,' he said.

'There will be major food shortages. You will be limited in the hams, turkeys, Christmas food you can purchase... and a lot of other foods generally.'

Restrictions imposed by the Victorian government mean supermarket chains are operating at a reduced capacity across distribution centers and warehouses.

This is due to a directive by the state government to lower staff members by 30 per cent as part of COVID-19 safety measures.

But with demand for groceries set to soar over the holiday period, suppliers are worried they won't be able to meet demand with a reduced workforce.

Without a change to supply chains across the state, some retailers say they could start seeing empty shelves (pictured in Melbourne in July) in similar scenes to shortages in March and April

Mr Harrison said if the government doesn't lift restrictions it is going to make this year's festive season tough for a lot of people.

'We talk to some of our manufacturers now and they are running at seven days a week,' he said.

'People who are working are tiring, because there is a limited workforce having to do long hours which is not great for people's physical and mental capacity as well.'

He said the changes need to be brought in by the end of the month, or residents in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria will suffer.
BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, who is in-charge of party affairs in Bihar, will also accompany the party president

New Delhi: BJP president JP Nadda will be on a two-day visit to Bihar from Friday and is likely to meet JD(U) president and state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, as the ruling National Democratic Alliance gears up for the Assembly polls, expected to be held in October-November.

Nadda will preside over a number of BJP meetings, including its core committee and election coordination committee, the party's media co-in charge Sanjay Mayukh said in a statement. Asked if Nadda will meet Kumar, a party leader said it is likely.

BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, who is in-charge of party affairs in Bihar, will also accompany the party president in his visit to the state.

Their meeting will come at a time when their third ally, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party, has taken a strident stand against the JD(U) and threatened to put up candidates against its nominees during the elections.

The LJP has, however, refrained from targeting the BJP.

Nadda will also launch the "Aatmanirbhar Bihar" campaign from the party headquarters in the state, the statement said.
People walk past advertising displays for Disneys Mulan film at a cinema inside a shopping mall in Bangkok on Sept. 8, 2020. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty Images)

Disneys Mulan Faces Mounting Boycotts Over Special Thanks to CCP

Special thanks to agencies linked with mass detention and widespread human rights abuses draw criticism

Disneys Mulan has come under fire for being partly filmed in Xinjiang region, where more than a million Uyghurs are detained in internment camps.

In the end credit, Disney offers special thanks to the Chinese regimes agencies in Xinjiang, including the Publicity Department of CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Committee.

This has drawn criticism from human rights activists, think tanks and politicians.

Disneys Mulan film credits include a special thank you to the Turpan Public Security Bureau (PSB), a Uyghur region where the movie was filmed sometime after 2015, meaning likely between 2016-18, when Uyghur mass detentions were ongoing, Adrian Zenz, a Senior Research Fellow in China Studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, wrote in his twitter post on Sept. 7.

He also added that the Turpan police bureau was the first agency to brainwash Muslim minorities in another post.

Turpan, whose police Disney thanked at the end of Mulan, is the first documented case of re-education against Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. This Aug 2013 doc speaks of the "re-education" of "focus groups" to "eradicate the soil for the breeding and spread of religious extremism" pic.twitter.com/cMe4PqKl6p  Adrian Zenz (@adrianzenz) September 8, 2020

The live remake film, an adaptation from Disneys 1998 animated version, is loosely based on a historical tale of a young Chinese woman who disguises herself as a man to serve in the imperial army in place of her ailing father after he is conscripted. It was released in Disney+ over the weekend.

The films production designer, Grant Major, told Architectural Digest that he and the production team spent months in and around the northwest province of Xinjiang to do legwork research before the cameras rolled. He added that Chinese academics were consulted as well.

The films director, Niki Caro has also posted in her Instagram in 2017 a photo of desert dunes and tagged the image Asia/Urumqithe capital of Xinjiang.

Disney did not respond to a request for comment.According to a report by the Council Foreign Relations, a non-partisan think tank in the United States, the Chinese regime has imprisoned more than one one million people since 2017 and subjected those not detained to intense surveillance, religious restrictions, and forced sterilizations.

Police officers patrolling in Kashgar, western Xinjiang region, China, on June 4, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

For those who are detained, they are forced to renounce Islam, and are re-educated to pledge their loyalty to the Chinese authorities. Survivors recount being monitored by cameras and microphones constantly. Women are subjected to rape and forced to undergo abortions.

The Chinese police in Xinjiang regularly scan identification cards, and take the photographs and fingerprints of Xinjiang residents through a network of checkpoints and surveillance devices.

In an open letter to Disneys CEO Bob Chapek, prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong questioned the companys motives.

What kind of values Disney advocates for, especially when the companys target market is the children worldwide, Wong wrote in the letter, published in a series of tweets on Sept. 9.

It casts more doubts on whether Mulan is the propaganda masterpiece that Disney works hand in hand with the CCP government to whitewash the cultural genocide and human violations on ethnic minorities in the region, Wong added.

Iain Duncan Smith, a conservative member of parliament in the United Kingdom condemned Disney for working with the Xinjiang security agency in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

The film #Mulan was already the target of a boycott after its lead actress backed a crackdown on #HongKong protesters. It is shameful that companies appear to turn a blind eye and shameful that they seem to act as the apologists for a regime now that brooks no dissent, Smith wrote.

Last year, lead actress, Chinese-born Liu Yifei, posted on Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese social media, that she supports the Hong Kong police. Hong Kong police have faced international criticism over the use of violence against pro-democracy protesters in the city.
A man accused of jumping out the window of an industrial shed to escape police has been arrested after police allegedly found 1kg of cocaine hidden in his shorts.

The 31-year-old accused drug dealer was charged with a string of offences after officers swarmed a property on Giggins Road in Heatherbrae, in the NSW Hunter Region.

Investigators arrived at the scene on Wednesday as part of an inquiry into domestic violence and drug trafficking.

A 31-year-old man in the Hunter Valley was charged with a string of offences related to drug supply and domestic violence

Police were first called to a home in East Maitland on September 5 where they spoke to a 30-year-old woman.

During a subsequent search of the home an array of drugs and cash were allegedly uncovered.

The haul allegedly included cannabis, methylamphetamine, steroids, cocaine, and over $20,000 cash.

In the days that followed, officers from the Northern Region Domestic Violence High-Risk Offender team and the Port Stephens-Hunter Proactive Crime Team turned their attention to an industrial property.

When officers arrived 'a man jumped out a side window and attempted to evade police', NSW Police said.

'The 31-year-old man was arrested a short time later when police noticed a large package hidden inside the man's shorts.'

Police noticed a large package hidden inside the man's shorts which is believed to be cocaine

'The package was removed and found to contain 1kg of cocaine. It was seized for forensic examination.'

Police then established a crime scene at the industrial property and executed a search warrant.

'Police located and seized motorcycles, a car, methylamphetamine, cash, mobile phones and knuckle dusters,' NSW Police said.

The man was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with five offences relating to drug supply, stalking and intimidation and dealing with proceeds of crime.

He was refused bail to will appear at Maitland Local Court on Thursday.
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Fall-out: Barry McGuigan arrives at Belfast High Court for the second day of Carl Frampton's action against him

The wife of boxer Carl Frampton was furious after the taxman presented her with a bill for nearly 400,000 (440,000) at the couple's home, the High Court in Belfast has been told.

The former world champion boxer said that was the moment that ended his eight-year working relationship with ex-manager Barry McGuigan.

Mr Frampton is suing Mr McGuigan for allegedly withholding earnings from some of his major fights. Mr McGuigan is counter-suing for alleged breach of contract.

Both deny each other's allegations.

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Mr Frampton claimed in court he had been left without any accommodation in New York after winning the world featherweight title in 2016.

On the second day of the lawsuit involving the two former world champions, Mr Frampton recalled how his wife Christine phoned him about the taxman's surprise visit while he was training in England for a forthcoming fight against Andres Gutierrez.

"She was very angry on the phone," said Mr Frampton. "She was at home alone with our children and someone from the HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) had come looking for 397,000 (437,000) in unpaid Vat."

The bill related to a promotions firm, which included Mr Frampton among its directors.

"Before the HMRC came to my house, I was still hopeful that we would resolve the issues," he said. "That was the turning point for me, and I knew that I was going to have to fight Gutierrez, and I wasn't going to fight for the McGuigans again."

In cross-examination, Mr McGuigan's barrister, Liam McCollum QC, disputed the truthfulness of Mr Frampton's version of events and put it to him: "Your case is essentially he (Mr McGuigan) stole money from you."

Mr Frampton replied: "Yes."

But counsel put it to him that his client could have taken a larger percentage under the managerial agreement.

Rejecting the fighter's claims that he was underpaid in purse fees by the McGuigans, Mr McCollum said: "The only way you knew about the money was they told you about it."

Mr Frampton maintained that full disclosure was not made.

The case continues.
PHOENIX  A man suspected of robbing seven banks in Arizona since June has been arrested, FBI officials in Phoenix said Wednesday.

They said 59-year-old Scott David Williams was taken into custody without incident following an Aug. 28 bank robbery in Phoenix.

The FBI said Williams allegedly robbed a credit union in Surprise on June 26 and two different branches of the same bank on July 17 in Sun City and July 27 in Peoria.

On Aug. 6, Williams is suspected of robbing a credit union in Sun City and a bank in Peoria.

He allegedly robbed a bank in Goodyear on Aug. 17 before being arrested 11 days later following another heist.

The FBI said in each instance, the suspect approached a teller and demanded money.

They said nobody was injured during the robberies.

It was unclear Wednesday if Williams has a lawyer yet who can speak on his behalf.
With the appointment of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as the president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee ahead of the crucial 2021 polls, the Congress high command has signaled an interest in further strengthening of ties with the Left and escalation of offensive against the ruling Trinamool Congress, say experts.

Chowdhurys appointment as the new president was announced by party general secretary KC Venugopal on Wednesday. Somen Mitra, who was the partys president in West Bengal before this, had died on July 30.

Congress President has appointed Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as the president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect, stated a statement issued by the party.

A week ago, Abdul Mannan, a senior Congress leader and leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly, had written to Sonia Gandhi with a request to appoint Chowdhury as the state president.

During the 2016 assembly polls in the state, Mannan and Chowdhury had played an important role in forging the electoral understanding with the Left Front. His appointment would help to further strengthen the ties, said a senior Congress leader.

Chowdhury is also known to be one of the staunchest critics of Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief and the chief minister of West Bengal. Even while Congress president Sonia Gandhi was attacking the Narendra Modi-led government in coordination with Banerjee, Chowdhury was busy upping the ante against the TMC supremo at the state-level.

Also Read: Congress amps up attack on govt, launches online campaign #SpeakUpForJobs

The message is clear. The Congress would not like to walk with the TMC when it comes to state politics because they know very well that the TMC would not leave an inch for them. They would, however, need the TMC when it comes to opposing the BJP at the centre. Hence, Chowdhury was the best bet as he would not only consolidate the partys position in Murshidabad, a bastion of the Congress, but would also help to strengthen the partys ties with the Left and at the same time oppose the TMC tooth and nail, said psephologist Biswanath Chakraborty, a professor of political science at Rabindra Bharati University.

Also Read: In poll-bound Bihar, Congress invites LJP to join grand alliance, draws NDA fire

The ruling TMC, which had earlier tagged Chowdhry as an agent of the BJP and RSS, however, said that Chowdhurys appointment as the Congress president will not affect the TMC in any way as the Cong and the Left are facing an existential crisis in the state.

The Congress knows very well that Chowdhury is an agent of BJP and RSS and his main enemy is Mamata Banerjee and not the BJP. So they have appointed him thus revealing a dual character. They dont want to fight the BJP. They want to oppose the TMC. It wont affect us anyways, no matter whoever comes. The Congress party first needs to stay afloat in Bengal, said Kalyan Banerjee, TMC MP.
With the recent launch of Nvidias GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards, it is now possible to build an 8K gaming PC.

At least, this is according to the projected performance of Nvidias new, top-of-the-line gaming GPU  the GeForce RTX 3090.

The GeForce RTX 3090 is the worlds first GPU able to play blockbuster games at 60 fps in 8K resolution, which is 4x the pixels of 4K and 16x the pixels of 1080p, Nvidia said in its launch announcement for the new graphics cards.

Whether the display quality bump of an 8K screen is worth the significantly increased demand on your PCs hardware and the extra expense is open to debate.

Nvidia showed 60fps gameplay to PC game streamers, and it said that they were left impressed by the technology.

This feels like a Disneyland experience, one streamer said.

8K does offer a much higher resolution than 4K, making it the new benchmark for top-of-the-line PC gamers and hardware enthusiasts.

8K gaming PC build

To see how much an 8K gaming PC costs in South Africa, we put together a build on paper.

The build includes a single Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, which is currently only listed at a single South African retailer  Evetech  and is priced at R39,499.

We chose a top-of-the-range AMD Ryzen 9 processor to reduce any potential performance bottlenecks, as well as a chassis and motherboard combination large enough to accommodate the powerful hardware we need.

An SSD and mechanical hard disk are both included in the build to reduce boot times while offering large storage for games.

The 8K PC component prices are listed below.

8K PC Build Component Price Motherboard ASUS ROG Strix X570-F Motherboard R7,999 Processor AMD Ryzen 9 3950X R15,799 RAM 2x 16GB G.Skill Ripjaws V 3,200MHz R2,419 Storage Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB NVMe SSD R2,799 WD Blue 4TB HDD R1,999 Graphics MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Ventus 24GB R39,499 Power Supply Corsair RM1000X 1,000W Modular PSU R3,999 Chassis Gamdias Argus M2 R1,199 Total Price R75,712

Content and performance

While the gaming PC above would  according to Nvidias assessment of the RTX 3090  be able to deliver 8K gaming at 60fps, this technology is not yet widely supported.

8K gaming monitors are exceedingly rare, especially in South Africa, and you could plug your PC into an 8K TV from Samsung or LG, but this extra cost would increase your expenses to over R100,000.

Additionally, many games may not support 8K resolution and even this powerful PC may not be able to run certain titles at decent frame rates.

Platforms such as Netflix and YouTube also do not offer a wide selection of 8K content.

Between performance constraints and a lack of 8K-compatible games and shows, an 8K gaming PC may spend the majority of its time driving 4K content.

This build would deliver great performance for 4K gaming, however, and its powerful GPU would ensure a future-proof configuration.
A Pakistani soldier was killed and three civilians were injured in clashes with Indian border troops in the disputed region of Kashmir, the military said on September 10.

Indian troops fired at army posts and targeted civilians in the villages with heavy weapons overnight, a statement by the Pakistani military said.

The incident occurred across the Line of Control (LoC), a de facto frontier that divides Kashmir into two parts respectively controlled by Pakistan and India but claimed by both in its entirety.

Also overnight, the Pakistani military said it shot down an Indian surveillance quad copter in Kashmir after it intruded 500 meters into the countrys airspace.

Kashmir, a scenic Himalayan valley, is at the center of conflict between Pakistan and India, and the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors have fought two of their three wars over the region.

An Indian decision in August last year to strip the part of Kashmir it controls of a special autonomous status triggered fresh tensions and deadly skirmishes across the LoC.
Red represents both love and anger throughout most of the world, according to a new study into how different cultures perceive the link between emotion and colour.

Researchers from the Johannes Gutenberg University surveyed 4,598 people from 40 countries on how they perceived different colours.

They found some differences between nations - for example people in countries with less sunlight associate yellow more closely with joy than residents of sunnier places.

However, despite a few differences, the authors say their survey - the largest of its kind - revealed that colour-emotion associations are 'surprisingly similar' worldwide.

Cultures geographically further apart were more likely to have notable differences in the way they linked colour and emotion, the authors found.

Red represents both love and anger throughout most of the world, according to a new study into how different cultures perceive the link between emotion and colour.

This graph shows the likelihood of a colour being linked to an emotion - for example grey and black are commonly linked to sadness and fear whereas red is linked to love and anger

Many of us 'see red,' 'feel blue,' or 'turn green with envy,' and the German team wanted to find out whether these are 'fundamental feelings' to all of humanity.

COMMON COLOUR-EMOTIONAL LINKS Most colours had no very strong emotion attached, rather a range of emotions that depend on culture. Some colours had universal emotions: Black - Sadness, fear and hate

Red - love and anger

Yellow - joy and amusement

Pink - love, pleasure and joy

White - relief Advertisement

Dr Daniel Oberfeld-Twistel, involved in the study, said it allowed them to gather a comprehensive overview of the links between emotion and colour.

Participants were asked to fill out an online questionnaire, which involved assigning up to 20 emotions to twelve different colour terms as part of the survey.

They were also asked to specify the intensity with which they associated the colour term with the emotion.

The researchers then calculated the national averages for the data and compared these with the worldwide average.

'This revealed a significant global consensus,' summarised Oberfeld-Twistel.

'Throughout the world the colour of red is the only colour that is strongly associated with both a positive feeling - love - and a negative feeling - anger,' he said.

The one colour that had very little emotion impact on the people involved in the study was brown, according to the authors.

The scientists also noted some national peculiarities. For example, the colour of white is much more closely associated with sadness in China than it is in other countries, and the same applies to purple in Greece.

'This may be because in China white clothing is worn at funerals and the color dark purple is used in the Greek Orthodox Church during periods of mourning,' explained Oberfeld-Twistel.

In addition to such cultural peculiarities, the climate may also play a role, the team found, suggesting the emotions linked to yellow depend on the level of sunlight.

According to the findings from another of the team's studies, yellow tends to be more closely associated with the emotion of joy in countries that see less sunshine, while the association is weaker in areas that have greater exposure to it.

According to Oberfeld-Twistel, it is currently difficult to say exactly what the causes for global similarities and differences are.

'There is a range of possible influencing factors: language, culture, religion, climate, the history of human development, the human perceptual system.'

They found some differences between nations - for example people in countries with less sunlight associate yellow more closely with joy than residents of sunnier places

Volunteers were asked to link emotion to colour. When it came to red the majority linked it to both love and anger over other emotions

Many fundamental questions about the mechanisms of colour-emotion associations have yet to be clarified, he continued.

By using an in-depth analysis that included the use of a machine learning approach, the scientists have already discovered that the differences between individual nations are greater the more they are geographically separated.

The gap between colour-emotion links also widens the greater the differences between the languages spoken between two cultures.

'This study highlights robust universal colour-emotion associations, further modulated by linguistic and geographic factors,' the team wrote.

'These results pose further theoretical and empirical questions about the affective properties of colour and may inform practice in applied domains, such as well-being and design.'

The findings have been published in the journal Psychological Science.
Nearly a million Australians lost their jobs in just three months as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, shock new figures show.

The coronavirus pandemic is set to change Australian lifestyles forever and see traditional bricks-and-mortar stores boarded up, leading to the decimation of retail jobs.

Across all sectors, Australian job vacancies dived by 42.1 per cent during the June quarter as the government shut down non-essential businesses and caused the number of filled jobs to fall by 6.4 per cent.

Australia lost more than 932,000 jobs in just three months as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Pictured is a Centrelink queue in Sydney in March

The arts sector was by far the worst-hit sector with theatre closures causing job numbers to plummet by 19.9 per cent between April 1 and the end of June.

Australia's COVID job losses Job losses during the June quarter totalled 932,400 Job vacancies fell 42.1 per cent Hours worked dropped 9.8 per cent Advertisement

Retailers also took a hit with job numbers falling by 7.9 per cent during the same time frame, with 112,300 jobs gone.

Myer, Australia's biggest department store chain, stood down 10,000 staff in March as it closed its 60 stores.

With most of these retail outlets remaining closed in April and May, the 120-year retailer made a full-year loss of $172.4million after tax.

While there was bad news, Myer also revealed its online sales had surged by 61.1 per cent over the year to July 25.

Between February and July, the increase in online sales was an even more impressive 98.8 per cent, compared with the same period in 2019, as COVID-19 lockdowns stopped people going to the shop.

Despite the retail sector's woes, Myer's former boss Bernie Brookes has bought a 90 per cent stake in distressed handbag and jewellery label Colette by Colette Hayman.

'My decision to take the majority shareholding will be viewed as contrary to the current difficulties facing bricks and mortar retail,' he said.

Retailers also took a hit with job numbers falling by 7.9 per cent with 112,300 jobs gone in three months. Pictured is a closed Myer store on Bourke Street in Melbourne

The future of traditional bricks-and-mortar is in doubt, with Mr Brookes proceeding to close 103 stores, reducing the number by 75 per cent to just 35.

He also hinted online sales would play a much more prominent role in future years, especially with the threat of more coronavirus lockdowns looming.

'Owning a fashion retail chain is about true omni-channel retail; a strong online presence and physical stores,' Mr Brookes said.

'Our purchase will enable the business to land in a future post COVID-19 in advance of any cessation of lockdowns and restrictions in the future.

'And our core offer of handbags and jewellery will continue, with a fresh focus on the strong performing stores retained, and a significant investment in the digital space.'

Former Myer boss Bernie Brookes has hinted online sales will play a much bigger role in future so retailers don't have to worry about shutting down during a future disease outbreak

Across all sectors, Australian job vacancies dived by 42.1 per cent during the June quarter as the government shut down non-essential businesses and caused the number of filled jobs to fall by 6.4 per cent

Myer, the department store Mr Brookes ran for nine years until 2015, saw online transactions make up a record 17 per cent of all sales.

Across all sectors, the number of filled jobs in Australia during the June quarter plunged by 932,400 to 13.6 million positions as the number of private sector jobs plummeted by 7.1 per cent.

Of those, 739,000 were the main job with another 193,400 someone's second or subsequent job.
EU announces new partnership with 19 ASEAN research institutions. (Photo: eeas.europa.eu)

Jakarta  Nineteen ASEAN research institutions will benefit from new research grants provided by European Union (EU), the EU Mission to ASEAN has announced.

They are among 74 winning consortia globally under the European Commissions 2020 call for proposals of the Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions  Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (MSCA-RISE). A total of 408 proposals had been received.

The 80-million-EUR initiative will promote international and cross-sector collaboration through exchanging innovative research and staff, and sharing knowledge and ideas from research to market and vice-versa.

The MSCA-RISE results reconfirms the strong EU commitment to mobility of researchers even more important in times of COVID-19.

Global mobility for researchers is even more important in times of COVID-19, said Igor Driesmans, EU Ambassador to ASEAN. In the past months, we have seen the relentless involvement of researchers from all over the world to the fight against COVID-19. ASEAN research institutes were in regular contact with their EU counterparts.

The pandemic might have stopped physical exchanges but clearly not the willingness to work together, he said, adding that research cooperation between the EU and ASEAN is a crucial pillar of the bilateral relationship.

Thanks to MCSA-RISE, 823 organisations, including 117 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 137 countries, will exchange over 4,000 staff members to engage in research and innovation activities across scientific disciplines and sectors. Researchers at doctoral level, post-doctoral fellows, technicians, managerial and administrative staff will all be involved as part of these exchanges.
By Express News Service

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Refuting the charges of DMK president MK Stalin that murders in the State during 2018 were underreported by the government, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday flayed him for peddling lies.The Leader of Opposition is blatantly peddling lies. He has been releasing statements without fact-checking. We have nothing to hide on the number of murders that occurred in the State, he said.

Palaniswami also noted that, as per the policy note tabled in the Assembly during the demand for grants to Home Department during 2019-20, the number of murders for gain reported was 81 and the figure for murders listed under grave crimes was 1,488. So, the total number of murders was 1,569. This proves what he said was nothing but a blatant lie, Palaniswami flayed.

Quoting statistics provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Stalin had alleged that 81 murders were concealed in the policy note, which referred only to 1,488 murders in the State in 2018. Earlier, the Chief Minister launched various developmental projects worth Rs 52.59 crore at a function held in the collectorate premises. He also inaugurated distribution of welfare assistance worth Rs 134.04 crore at the event, besides laying foundation stone for 11 new projects worth Rs 19.2 crore.

Later, he chaired a meeting of top government officials of departments including PWD, Municipal Administration and Health to review progress of developmental projects, government schemes and Covid-control measures in Tiruvannamalai district. District collector KS Kandasamy, MLAs Dusi K Mohan (Cheyyar), V Panneerselvam (Kalasapakkam), Superintendent of Police S Aravind and Aavin district chairman Agri SS Krishnamoorthy were also present at the event. An interaction with representatives of industries, farmers organisations and self help groups was also held.
The Congress party on Thursday launched an online campaign to attack the government over handling of the Covid-19 situation. The central theme of the partys campaign is unemployment; it has alleged that job loss increased due to mishandling of the pandemic by the government.

A host of Congress leaders, including former party president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, tweeted with the hashtag #SpeakUpForJobs asking people to speak for the countrys future.

The policies of Modi Govt have caused the loss of crores of jobs and a historic fall in GDP. It has crushed the future of Indias youth. Lets make the Govt listen to their voice, Rahul Gandhi said in his tweet.

The policies of Modi Govt have caused the loss of crores of jobs and a historic fall in GDP.



It has crushed the future of Indias youth. Lets make the Govt listen to their voice.



Join #SpeakUpForJobs from 10am onwards. pic.twitter.com/mRUooQ1yjX  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 10, 2020

It was followed by tweets from the Congress party. Lakhs of Indians are losing jobs everyday, whether it was in locked down India or unlocked India. All BJP does is silently watch on. The Nation will not stay silent, the Nation will #SpeakUpForJobs, it said in one of the tweets.

Lakhs of Indians are losing jobs everyday, whether it was in locked down India or unlocked India.



All BJP does is silently watch on.



The Nation will not stay silent, the Nation will #SpeakUpForJobs pic.twitter.com/fwOPMe5RnU  Congress (@INCIndia) September 10, 2020

India saw its economy contract by 23.9 per cent in the June quarter - the steepest fall in four decades. It was the worst performance among G20 nations, and significantly below expectations of most economists, as the stringent Covid-19-induced national lockdown created a double-whammy through both a supply and demand side shock.

Businesses shut operations while consumers were forced to stay home.

Jobs are undre stress due to increasing privatisation, cut in governemnt expenses and bad economic policies of the BJP government. The government has stopped hiring for existing vacancies. We will have to speak up for the future of this country, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in Hindi.

Goldman Sachs and Fitch Ratings on Tuesday forecast deeper-than-previously estimated economic recession for India in FY21 holding that limited fiscal support, fragilities in the financial system and a continued rise in coronavirus cases are hampering a rapid normalisation in economic activity.

Investment bank Goldman Sachs anticipates Indias gross domestic product (GDP) to shrink 14.8% this fiscal against its earlier estimate of an 11.8% contraction.
New Delhi: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday met officials to discuss the possible rehabilitation of slum-dwellers living along Delhis railway tracks, even as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha dramatically tore eviction notices sent to them, and said no one will be displaced till Kejriwal is alive.

The Supreme Court, on August 31, ordered the removal of 48,000 slum dwellings situated along Delhis railway tracks within three months. To ensure compliance of its order, the top court stopped any other court from passing a stay order on their removal.

HT was the first to report this story on September 3.

Kejriwal called a meeting on Thursday to discuss the courts order and explore possible ways to rehabilitate the displaced people, a senior official in the chief ministers office said.

He had a discussion with the public works department (PWD) and the Delhi urban shelter improvement board (DUSIB). While DUSIB suggested its vacant flats for economically weaker sections could be used, the PWD expressed concern over the scale of the potential project as it involves more than 48,000 families, the official said.

At the same time, the ruling AAP is also exploring legal options to stall the eviction of the slum-dwellers.

Chadha, the partys national spokesperson and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice-chairperson, said the government was committed to protecting the people who live in these dwellings.

The chief minister is making a policy to ensure security to every slum dweller. I want to tell the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) that they should immediately stop such illegal acts, he said, brandishing eviction notices sent to several people living in these houses by Indian Railways.

The issue has turned into a political slugfest with AAP blaming the BJP-led Central government for serving eviction notices.

The BJP is issuing notices across the national Capital, threatening the slum dwellers that their houses will be demolished within this month. These notices are against the basic principles of the Constitution, which allows every citizen to have a life with dignity. I urge the BJP not to harass these slum dwellers, he said.

He tore a few of the notices and said that no slum dweller in Delhi will be displaced, till Kejriwal is alive.

The BJP responded saying AAP should cut the drama and start allotting its vacant flats to these slum dwellers.

Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, senior BJP member and leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly, said the Kejriwal government failed to provide houses to any slum dweller despite being in power for six years and announcing the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana amid much fanfare.

Even after taking Rs 11.25 crore from the railways for rehabilitation of slums, the Delhi government did not work and now their ministers are doing drama of tearing notice and accusing the BJP. The people of Delhi know that the slum dwellers are being given houses under the Modi governments Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan (in-situ rehabilitation) scheme. But the AAP government did not allow the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to be implemented in Delhi and instead announced the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana on the same lines and cheated the slum dwellers, Bidhuri said.

Chadha said he would respond to the BJPs allegations with proof on Friday in another press conference.

The Supreme Court, which was hearing an application filed in the MC Mehta case relating to Delhi pollution matters, gave it verdict after the Indian Railways informed the court that despite a Special Task Force constituted to remove encroachments, political interference was coming in the way of getting the jhuggis removed. An order for removal of all encroachments passed by the NGT on October 1, 2018 had led to the formation of the task force.

The top courts extraordinary order was passed in exercise of its power under Article 142, which says, the Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.

There are no official estimate as to how many people live in such slums. NGOs say that the land owning agency, the Railways in this case, will have to do a survey to ascertain the number of dwellers.

Officials from the Railways ministry and Northern Railways refused to comment on the issue.

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Government of Gladys Berejiklian left without majority after coalition partner pulls support over koala protection law.

A dispute over protection measures for Australias endangered koalas threatened on Thursday to topple the government of the countrys biggest state.

Angered by a new koala conservation law it says comes at the expense of farmers in New South Wales, the rural-based Nationals party withdrew its support for state Premier Gladys Berejiklians governing Liberals.

The move left Berejiklian with a minority government, lacking the numbers in parliament to pass legislation as the state battles to recover from the coronavirus crisis.

The dispute follows unprecedented bushfires that destroyed vast swaths of koala habitat, prompting fears for the survival of the iconic tree-dwelling marsupials.

Berejiklians Liberals have governed in a delicate coalition with the Nationals in NSW, a state that runs from populous coastal areas that include Sydney to a vast rural outback.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, seen at a February memorial for victims of Australias bushfires, has lost her majority over a plan to protect koalas [Loren Elliott/Reuters]

In a statement, the Nationals condemned the koala bill passed last December as a blunt instrument to make city-centric lawmakers feel good about themselves, claiming it prevents farmers from clearing their own land.

Extraordinary

Environmental groups criticised the stance, saying koalas were on track for extinction in NSW by 2050 without urgent intervention.

Wanting to retain the right to kill koalas is an extraordinary hill for the Nationals to want to die on, but here we are, Nature Conservation Council CEO Chris Gambian said.

Corey Bradshaw, professor of global ecology at Flinders University, said the legislation that sparked the political fight was a mere band-aid in the fight to stem further deforestation.

NSW has some of the weakest anti-land clearing laws in Australia, Bradshaw said, with poor enforcement and insufficient penalties exacerbating the problem.

With increasing mega bushfires, the legacy and persistence of broad-scale deforestation, and weak laws, koalas in New South Wales are effectively doomed, he said.





Koalas live in and eat trees  you dont need a university degree to predict what will happen when you continue to destroy their already highly degraded habitats.

Berejiklian, who has steered the state through the devastating bushfires and coronavirus pandemic, is yet to comment publicly on the dispute.
I have no purpose to introduce political and social equality between the white and the Black races. There is a physical difference between the two, which, in my judgment, will probably forever forbid their living together upon the footing of perfect equality, and inasmuch as it becomes a necessity that there must be a difference, I, as well as Judge Douglas, am in favor of the race to which I belong having the superior position.
News at 4Cs

(BORN) Unanimously Votes to Give Full Approval Status to 4Cs Nursing Program

On Wednesday, September 9, members of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) voted unanimously to reinstate full-approval status to the Nursing program at Cape Cod Community College. The vote comes two years after BORN had given the program a warning status, requiring the College improve National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) test scores after first-time pass rate scores fell below 80-percent, and maintain full compliance with all BORN regulations.

We are delighted that our colleagues from BORN have accepted our compliance report, officially removing the warning status from our esteemed Nursing program, said John Cox, President of Cape Cod Community College. When we were placed on warning, rigorous efforts by our Nursing faculty and staff were undertaken to make significant changes in how graduates prepare for the ever changing NCLEX exams. Through their immense hard work, dedication, and communication with BORN, we were able to get our program to where we know it belongs, which is fully approved and recognized as one of the finest programs in the Commonwealth.

Among the changes implemented for students in the Nursing program were personalized student academic and financial support and mentorship, and cutting the amount of time between when students graduate and when they take the exam. In just one year, the Colleges NCLEX first-time pass rates jumped to 93-percent and since the beginning of 2020, the pass rate has been at 100%. Subsequent internal reviews have been occurring, in collaboration with BORN, to ensure long-term success.

When you look across our region, you see that the 4Cs Nursing program plays a critical role in providing quality health care, said Arlene Rodriguez, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs for Cape Cod Community College. Nobody educates more local nurses than our College, so we knew the test scores from 2018 did not accurately reflect the abilities of our graduates. Were extremely proud to receive our full-approval status from BORN and we thank them for their work in evaluating our program over the past two years. We have an even stronger program thanks to their attentiveness.

The Fall 2020 Nursing program launched with a full cohort of students this week. Applications are now being accepted for the 2021 Nursing program, with both day and evening weekend options and the LPN to RN option. For more information about the Nursing program, contact the 4Cs Admissions Office at admissions@capecod.edu or call 774-330-4311.
For the very first time in history, NASA was finally able to get a really up-close look at a particular asteroid sailing by and leaving a rubbled trail of debris following its wake. The OSIRIS-REx, NASA's very own spacecraft, was previously sent with the objective of observing the known asteroid Bennu finding certain sheds particles, rocks, and even other pieces of itself on a really regular basis, these are all according to a series of papers that were previously published in the known Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets on Wednesday.

It's finally the very first time that NASA got a close-up of an asteroid's ejection. This gives scientists a really unprecedented view of outer space rocks as it simple hurtles through the sky.

The full sky

Scientists have discovered the shower of both rocks and debris almost entirely by accident, according to the recent NASA press release. The lead author along with the University of Arizona scientist known as Carl Hergenrother was previously poring over the known images of constellations that the OSIRIS-REx takes in order to orient itself when he suddenly noticed that there actually appeared to be about hundreds of extra stars shows in the images. After a much closer look, he then realized it was actually Bennu's trail.

According to Hergenrother, he was actually just looking at star patterns throughout the images and thought to himself saying he does not remember that particular star cluster. He then said that it was noticeable because there were already 200 dots of light where there should actually be just about 10 stars. Aside from this, it actually just looked to be a sort of dense part of the night sky.

Close coincidence

Quite thankfully, NASA is very confident that the known OSIRIS-REx is actually still safe despite the really close proximity towards the crumbling asteroid. The given reason that scientists had previously never noticed the whole extent of the ejection in the past is that a number of the fragments are actually way too small to notice from Earth.

Hergenrother also added that in order to properly give an idea, the entire 200 particles that were observed during the first event after the arrival would definitely fit on a particular 4-inch x 4-inch tile. The scientist also added that the fact that they were something we could not see is a testament to the camera's capabilities.

Read Also: NASA Warns London Eye-Sized Asteroid Heading Close to Earth at 23,666mph!

NASA's accomplishment

NASA's recent accomplishment shows the power of telescopes and what they are capable of doing within the extraterrestrial domain. The limitations of human beings are being made up for by the use of high powered telescopes being able of capturing the spectacular wonders of the universe which humans are incapable of seeing with our eyes alone.

NASA has made progress with the OSIRIS-REx, what will they be able to accomplish next.

Read Also: [New Discovery] NASA Finds Rust on the Moon: How can Rust Form without Oxygen or Liquid Water?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian Buenconsejo

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In recent years, the fall television season had been the last bastion of the broadcast networks. Then came COVID-19. With production barely restarting, the network comedies and dramas that usually fill the fall season are mostly absent this year, replaced by reality competitions, true-crime anthologies and recycled shows making their "broadcast premieres."

Cable channels and streaming services, more flexible in their scheduling and more accustomed to dealing with international producers, still have new product to put on the shelves. So this fall season roundup of notable shows (in chronological order) looks, for the first time, like our winter and summer TV roundups  dominated by cable and streaming series. Time will tell whether this is a one-year blip or if the networks will feel the lingering complications of the pandemic. But even with the networks on the sideline, there are as many intriguing shows as ever on the fall schedule, perhaps more than usual.

All dates are subject to change.

'Woke' (Hulu)

Well-timed and, based on its first few episodes, legitimately funny, which would set it apart from some other comedies lauded for their wokeness. Lamorne Morris of "New Girl" plays a Black cartoonist in San Francisco (based on Keith Knight, a creator of the series) who's poised for his big break when an encounter with the police inconveniently awakens his consciousness of race. His new awareness is helped along by inanimate objects that hector him about his lack of mindfulness, from a Native American spoon to an angry marker voiced by J.B. Smoove. (Debuted Wednesday)

'Enslaved' (Epix)

Samuel L. Jackson follows his DNA to Gabon, home of his African ancestors and a major embarkation point for the Middle Passage. This six-episode series employs the bright tone and fragmented structure of docureality TV to examine the history of the Atlantic slave trade: Jackson travels to beautiful West African landscapes with horrifying pasts, while off the coast of Florida a team of divers looks for ships that went down with slaves chained in their holds. (Sept. 14)

'We Are Who We Are' (HBO)

Like his film "Call Me By Your Name," Luca Guadagnino's first TV project depicts the dizzying effects of Italy on visiting Americans, in this case an angry, lonely New York teenager (Jack Dylan Grazer) and his mothers, the new commander of an American garrison (Chloe Sevigny) and an Army doctor (Alice Braga). Rather than a gorgeous Lombardy villa, the setting is an Army base in the Veneto and its drab surroundings, but the vibe is equally indolent and sunstruck. (Sept. 14)

'Pen15' (Hulu)

Playing versions of themselves as middle-school losers and fiercely loyal friends, Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle can arrive at a piercing intensity that's both familiar and strange. Familiar because many of us have experienced it; strange because they're adults acting out adolescent jealousy and sexual discovery with performers who are actually teenagers. In Season 2, the fictional Anna and Maya negotiate the fallout from their school-dance three-way and cope with the increasingly childish behavior of Anna's parents. (Sept. 18)

'Ratched' (Netflix)

It's a prequel to the Milos Forman film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," but in the hands of Ryan Murphy Productions, the presiding spirits are Sirk, Hitchcock and "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane." Sarah Paulson, in the Nurse Ratched role that won Louise Fletcher an Oscar, arrives for work at a Northern California mental hospital that's a cross between Charles Foster Kane's Xanadu and Stanley Kubrick's Overlook Hotel. This could turn out to be a campfest like Murphy's recent "Hollywood," but the cast is phenomenal: Paulson, Amanda Plummer, Judy Davis, Corey Stoll, Cynthia Nixon, Finn Wittrock, Sophie Okonedo, Sharon Stone and a spiffy fleet of 1940s sedans. (Sept. 18)

'A Wilderness of Error' (FX)

The 50-year-old case of Jeffrey R. MacDonald, the ex-Green Beret imprisoned for life for killing his wife and daughters, is opened once again. And as has happened before, the investigator is a big part of the story: The series is based on the 2012 book of the same title by the documentarian Errol Morris, in which he argued for MacDonald's innocence. Directed by Marc Smerling, a producer on "Capturing the Friedmans" and "The Jinx," the five episodes feature Morris as an avuncular host and are as much an homage to his filmmaking style as they are a detailed explication of the case. (Sept. 25)

'The Comey Rule' (Showtime)

Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass," "Richard Jewell") adapted this two-night, four-hour drama from "A Higher Loyalty," the 2018 memoir written by the former FBI director James Comey. Jeff Daniels plays the straight-arrow Comey as first the Hillary Clinton email case and then the Russian election-interference case define and derail his career. (Originally scheduled for broadcast in late November, the show was moved to dates before the presidential election after Ray and Comey protested.) (Sept. 27)

'Fargo' (FX)

In its fourth season, Noah Hawley's exercise in arch noir and Midwestern mythopoesis jumps several states south and several decades back in time. Chris Rock stars as a financial wunderkind who leads a Black syndicate that's in an uneasy power-sharing arrangement with the Italian mob in 1950 Kansas City. In Hawley's telling, both groups, along with the Irish and Jewish gangs that preceded them, are victims of the bigotry of the mainstream white majority. (A plot device in which successive gangs swap children to ensure peace is right out of a Hong Kong crime thriller.) The enticing cast includes Timothy Olyphant, Ben Whishaw, Glynn Turman and Salvatore Esposito, the volcanic Genny of the great Italian gangster series "Gomorrah." (Sept. 27)

'Connecting' (NBC)

Freeform got its filmed-during-the-pandemic comedy, "Love in the Time of Corona," on the air first. Maybe the extra time will benefit this series about video-chatting friends from Martin Gero, the creator of the NBC drama "Blindspot," and Brendan Gall. (Oct. 1)

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'Next' (Fox)

This your-tech-will-kill-you thriller from writer and producer Manny Coto ("24: Legacy"), in which an artificial intelligence takes extreme measures to preserve itself, looks like another "Silence of the Lambs" descendant: old crazy guy is teamed with young skeptical woman. But it gains some credibility from the casting of John Slattery ("Mad Men") as the shaky Silicon Valley billionaire trying to outwit his own creation with the help of an initially wary FBI agent (Fernanda Andrade). Fox got "Next" into its fall schedule by pushing it back from the spring. (Oct. 6)

'Deaf U' (Netflix)

The setting is uncommon, but the docureality format is strong. So one of the first things we learn in this eight-episode series is that the deaf and hearing-impaired students at Gallaudet University are as obsessed with sex as any other college-age human beings  and that they can express that obsession more vividly and entertainingly than your average reality stars. (Oct. 9)

'Unsolved Mysteries' (Netflix)

A new batch of episodes arrives in Netflix's reboot of the venerable true-crime series, which is more stylish and restrained that it has any need to be. Cases include the murder of presidential adviser Jack Wheeler, whose body was found in a Delaware landfill in 2010, and the death of a woman in an Oslo hotel room in 1995 who remains unidentified to this day. (Oct. 19)

'How To With John Wilson' (HBO)

Nathan Fielder, whose "Nathan for You" was an alt-comedy trailblazer, is an executive producer of this series that's written and directed by the lo-fi documentary filmmaker John Wilson. Consisting of run-and-gun footage and interview snippets overlaid with Wilson's wry commentary, it transfers the omniscient awkwardness of "Joe Pera Talks With You" from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the sidewalks, storefronts and messy apartments of New York. (Oct. 23)

'The Undoing' (HBO)

David E. Kelley and Nicole Kidman team up again, following "Big Little Lies" with another glossy thriller for HBO. Kidman plays a high-priced therapist in an apparently perfect Manhattan marriage with a winsomely grumpy oncologist (Hugh Grant); when she befriends the mother of a scholarship student at their son's school, strange events ensue. (Oct. 25)

'The Mandalorian' (Disney+)

Baby Yoda floats back for a second season in this surprise best-drama Emmy nominee, whose Saturday-matinee charm is matched, so far, by the slightness of its story. (Oct. 30)

'The Crown' (Netflix)

One more season of Olivia Colman's Queen Elizabeth II before Imelda Staunton takes over, in the series whose dramatic excellence is often overshadowed by casting announcements. Season 4 carries the story into the 1980s, with Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as the young Lady Diana Spencer. (Nov. 15)
French President Emmanuel Macron gives a press conference at Corsica's prefecture in Ajaccio, Corsica island, on Sept.10, 2020. (Ludovic Marin/ AP Photo)

Macron Urges Tough EU Stance Against Turkish Provocations

PARISFrench President Emmanuel Macron urged fellow European leaders Thursday to stand up to the Turkish government and what he called unacceptable provocations as Turkey seeks to expand its energy resources and influence in the eastern Mediterranean.

Leaders of European Union countries that border the Mediterranean Sea were holding an emergency summit in Corsica amid fears of an open conflict with Turkey stemming from mounting tensions over offshore oil and gas drilling. Turkish leaders have lashed out at France and the EU for siding with Greece and Cyprus in the dispute.

French president Emmanuel Macron, and Bonifacio Mayor Jean Charles Orsucci, left, visit Bonifacio, Corsica island, on Sept.10, 2020. (Ian Langsdon/AP Photo)

Turkey is no longer a partner in this region, Macron told reporters ahead of the island summit. We Europeans need to be clear and firm with the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about its inadmissible behavior, he said.

Macron didnt elaborate on what specific actions he wants European countries to take, but said they should lay out red lines with Turkey and try to restart dialogue.

We Mediterraneans need to live in peace, the French leader said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets with residents during a visit in Bonifacio, Corsica island, on Sept.10, 2020. (Ian Langsdon/AP Photo)

Our goal is to avoid all escalation, but avoiding escalation should not mean passiveness or acceptance, he added. It is up to Turkey to clarify its intentions.

Greece and Turkey have deployed naval and air forces to assert competing claims over energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish survey vessels and drill ships continue to prospect for gas in waters where Greece and Cyprus claim exclusive economic rights.

French president Emmanuel Macron, center, and Bonifacio Mayor Jean Charles Orsucci, right, visit Bonifacio, Corsica island, on Sept.10, 2020. (Ian Langsdon/AP Photo)

France is carrying out military patrols in the region in a show of support for Greece and Cyprus, and the EU is mulling new sanctions against Turkey.

Separate from the diplomatic discussions, Turkish and Greek military officials met Wednesday at NATO headquarters, as part of ongoing meetings aimed at reducing the risk of armed conflict. Greece and Turkey both are NATO members.

Turkeys Foreign Ministry characterized Macrons statement as arrogant and in line with the old colonial reflexes. It accused the French president of stoking tensions and putting the greater interests of Europe at risk.

It is not for Macron to determine the maritime jurisdiction of any country in the Mediterranean or any other geography, the Turkish ministry said in a statement.

The spokesman for Turkeys ruling party criticized Macrons threatening language.

We have trouble with colonial minds like yours, Mr. Macron, Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik said on Twitter.

Speaking Thursday to EU lawmakers, Greek European Affairs Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis appealed for support from European partners, saying the tensions over energy rights constitute by themselves a grave threat to our common security architecture.

He said that Turkey is looking beyond Greece and is a major destabilizing factor in the wider area, citing Turkish government actions in Libya, Syria, and beyond.

He said that Greece would not provoke conflict but wouldnt just sit back waiting for European help to arrive: At the end of the day, we will defend ourselves, even alone.

At the Corsica summit, France wants the European leaders to push for resuming German mediation in the eastern Mediterranean dispute. Russia also offered this week to mediate.

The leaders also plan to discuss EU and NATO operations in the Mediterranean and their relation to Turkey.

But the other countries at the Corsica summit have different priorities. Italy, Spain, and Malta are notably more concerned about migrant boats arriving from North Africa to their shores. Portugal, meanwhile, has little stake in the tensions around the eastern Mediterranean.

France and Greece hope the seven countries can come up with a united southern European front ahead of a full EU summit later this month focused on the blocs strategy toward Turkey.

EU Council President Charles Michel will travel to Greece, Cyprus, and Malta next week for talks with leaders.
The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 900,000 since the respiratory disease first appeared in China last year, according to an AFP tally.

As the fatalities climbed, US President Donald Trump admitted he had tried to minimise the seriousness of the Covid-19 threat at the start of the pandemic, in audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews with veteran journalist Bob Woodward.

"I wanted to always play it down," Trump told Woodward on March 19, according to a CNN preview of the book "Rage", due to be published this month.

"I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," he said in the recorded conversation with Woodward.

There have been more than 27.7 million confirmed virus cases worldwide, according to an AFP count based on official statistics, with the worst-hit region Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by Europe.

The country with the most coronavirus deaths is the United States with over 190,000 fatalities, followed by Brazil.

With billions of people around the world still suffering from the fallout of the crisis, a worldwide race for a vaccine is underway, with nine companies already in late-stage Phase 3 trials.

However clinical trials on one of the most advanced experimental Covid-19 vaccines, which is being developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University, were "paused" this week after a volunteer developed an unexplained illness.

- Russian trials 'too small' -

Russia has already approved a vaccine and on Wednesday began inoculating volunteers in Moscow, the capital's deputy mayor said.

Russia announced last month that its vaccine, named "Sputnik V" -- after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957 -- had received approval.

Research published in The Lancet medical journal last week said patients involved in early tests in Russia developed antibodies with "no serious adverse events", although scientists cautioned the trials were too small.

Story continues

High-profile Russians have already been vaccinated, including President Vladimir Putin's daughter, Moscow's mayor, and nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

Clinical trials of a Chinese-made vaccine in Brazil have shown "extremely positive" results, and a widespread vaccination campaign could begin as early as December, the governor of Sao Paulo state said.

AstraZeneca said it had "voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data", adding that in large-scale trials, illnesses will sometimes happen by chance, but must be reviewed independently.

David Lo, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of California, Riverside, told AFP the company's decision is not necessarily a setback.

"Probably right now it's just being cautious -- it's a pause, it's not the same thing as saying, 'We can't move forward'," said Lo.

"In some ways I'm quite relieved, it means they're really paying attention."

The volunteer may have experienced an adverse reaction already seen in earlier patients such as fever and soreness, but in a more severe form, Lo added.

- 'Standard process' -

Britain's health minister Matt Hancock said it was not the first pause in the trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

"It's a standard process in clinical trials. There was a pause earlier in the summer and that was resolved without a problem," he told Sky News.

China, meanwhile, put its homegrown vaccines on display for the first time at a Beijing trade fair this week, and authorities hope one will be approved for use by the end of the year.

The economic impact of the virus continues to wreak havoc on economies around the world, with governments desperate to get back to normality.

South Africa announced its economy had shrunk by more than half in the second quarter, as the epidemic took its toll on Africa's most industrialised state.

burs-jxb-bfm/to/pvh/kaf
UPDATE: Bethlehem Area School District reaching out to friends of child shot at home; counselors in place

An 11-year-old girl answering the door just before midnight on Wednesday in a West Bethlehem home was shot in the face, city police report.

She is expected to survive but sustained significant facial trauma and is still undergoing treatment, police said in a news release early Thursday afternoon. The home is in the 1900 block of Fairland Avenue, in the Lehigh County portion of Bethlehem, police said.

We do not believe this to be a random act, although the victim was likely not the intended target, police Capt. Ben Hackett says in the release. Although we are asking Bethlehem residents to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious sightings, we do not believe there is any increased danger to the public at large.

The shooter is possibly male and may have worn a face covering, police said. Investigators have not released the girls name.

When asked if its possible the shooter got the wrong address, as happened several years ago during a city homicide, Hackett said, We are not ruling anything out.

Police ask anyone with information about this crime, or who knows who the shooter might be, to contact Detective James Ruvolo at 610-997-7676 or the departments tip line at 610-691-6660. Callers may remain anonymous.

In an interview Thursday with lehighvalleylive.com, neighbor Marcie Lightwood said she and her husband were sleeping when they were awoken by the sound of five gunshots back-to-back. Their bedroom faces the back of the home where the girl was shot.

The couple dialed 911, and by the time they made it outside, police were at the home. Investigators stayed there until Thursday morning.

Lightwood said officers told them one person was injured, but that they were expected to survive.

The neighborhood is usually very quiet, Lightwood said.

Fireworks, thats all that ever happens here thats alarming, she said. People are friendly, people are nice. Its a quiet, nice neighborhood.

Other neighbors reported not hearing anything Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and only realizing something happened when they noticed police and yellow crime scene tape.

A different neighbor said an older couple lives in the home where the shooting occurred, and at one time their grandchildren were staying with them.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Tony Rhodin can be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.
(Alliance News) - Carnival PLC on Thursday said unit Costa Cruises SpA will gradually increase the number of ships that will resume operations, following the restart of Costa Deliziosa and Costa Diadema in September.

The cruise operator noted that Costa cruises in winter season 2020-2021 will be open to European citizens residing in the countries included in the decree of the Italian government.

Carnival also announced the debut of the new ship Costa Firenze, under construction at Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy. Starting December 27, guests will be able to discover this latest generation vessel on a seven-day holiday experience in the Mediterranean, visiting Savona, La Spezia, Naples, Valencia, Barcelona and Marseille.

Costa's offer in the Mediterranean will be further enhanced by the flagship Costa Smeralda, the first Costa ship fueled by liquefied natural gas, planned to depart on October 10 from Savona for itineraries in the west Mediterranean.

Starting from November, Costa Diadema will offer two travels: a 12-day itinerary to the Canary Islands and a 14-day itinerary to discover Egypt and Greece. The World Cruise is also confirmed with Costa Deliziosa, departing on January 3.

Apart from those cruises, all the other cruises scheduled from October to March 2021 are canceled, Carnival said.

Carnival shares were trading 0.7% higher in London on Thursday at 1,101.50 pence each.

By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Technavio has been monitoring the high-performance electric motorcycle market and it is poised to grow by 28,123 units during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 35% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909006009/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled High-performance Electric Motorcycle Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. Technavio's in-depth research has all your needs covered as our research reports include all foreseeable market scenarios, including pre- post-COVID-19 analysis. Download a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts

Frequently Asked Questions-

Based on segmentation by type, which is the leading segment in the market?

The street segment is expected to be the leading segment based on type in the global market during the forecast period.

What are the major trends in the market?

Technological advances in high-performance electric motorcycle is one of the major trends in the market.

At what rate is the market projected to grow?

Growing at a CAGR of over 35%, the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be 28,123 units.

Who are the top players in the market?

Bell Custom Cycles, Energica Motor Co. Spa, Evoke Electric Motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Inc., KWANG YANG MOTOR Co. Ltd., Lightning Motors Corp., Sarolea Manx Ltd., SONGUO MOTORS Co. Ltd., TACITA Srl, and Zero Motorcycles Inc. are some of the major market participants.

What are the key market drivers?

Development of hubless electric motorcycles is one of the major factors driving the market.

How big is the Europe market?

The Europe region will contribute 39% of market growth.

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Bell Custom Cycles, Energica Motor Co. Spa, Evoke Electric Motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Inc., KWANG YANG MOTOR Co. Ltd., Lightning Motors Corp., Sarolea Manx Ltd., SONGUO MOTORS Co. Ltd., TACITA Srl, and Zero Motorcycles Inc. are some of the major market participants. The development of hubless electric motorcycles will offer immense growth opportunities. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free.

View market snapshot before purchasing

Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations.

High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market is segmented as below:

Type Street Off-road

Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40124

High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The high-performance electric motorcycle market report covers the following areas:

High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size

High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Trends

High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Analysis

This study identifies technological advances in high-performance electric motorcycle as one of the prime reasons driving the high-performance electric motorcycle market growth during the next few years.

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist high-performance electric motorcycle market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the high-performance electric motorcycle market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the high-performance electric motorcycle market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of high-performance electric motorcycle market vendors

Table of Contents:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

Preface

Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

Value chain analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market outlook

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TYPE

Market segmentation by type

Comparison by type

Street Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Off-road Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by type

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Development of hubless electric motorcycles

Emerging trend of all-electric motorcycle racing

Major motorcycle OEMs venturing into the electric motorcycle market

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Bell Custom Cycles

Energica Motor Co. Spa

Evoke Electric Motorcycles

Harley-Davidson Inc.

KWANG YANG MOTOR Co. Ltd.

Lightning Motors Corp.

Sarolea Manx Ltd.

SONGUO MOTORS Co. Ltd.

TACITA Srl

Zero Motorcycles, Inc.

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909006009/en/

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Website: www.technavio.com/
MADISON, Wis., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Caravel Autism Health is opening the doors to a new autism center for children in Madison, WI this week. The new center, located on Madison's east side at 4005 Felland Road, provides services for children with autism and their families.

Founded by clinicians who specialize in working with children with autism, Caravel Autism Health has its roots in Wisconsin. Its centers are led by clinical professionals who provide both diagnostic and therapeutic services. Caravel Autism Health's specialists are trained to recognize the early signs of autism. Through a comprehensive evaluation process, they work with families to determine whether a child is on the autism spectrum. When a child is diagnosed with autism, these specialists create an individualized Applied Behavior Analysis ("ABA") treatment plan to meet the specific developmental needs of that child. These evidence-based treatment plans help children develop skills, create connections, and gain confidence.

One in 54 children in the U.S. has autism, yet one of the greatest hurdles for families is access to specialists. According to Caravel Autism Health CEO Mike Miller, "Families shouldn't have to go on a waiting list when they have concerns about their child's development. We are opening these new centers to provide easy access to the diagnosis and treatment services that these families so desperately need."

"The earlier we can begin providing ABA treatment, the greater a child's gains will be," explained Elizabeth Kooistra Cass, the center's clinical director. "ABA therapy changes the trajectory of a child's life and is especially impactful for children under the age of five."

Until recently, Caravel's team was only able to offer in-home-based ABA therapy locally. Rezoning, facilitated by Madison Alder Samba Baldeh, was instrumental in changing that. "This rezoning was essential," said Alder Baldeh, "because it brings much-needed services to families in the communities of Madison and Sun Prairie."

To learn more, visit www.caravelautism.com or call 608-440-0473.

About Caravel Autism Health

Founded in 2009, Caravel Autism Health is devoted to helping families navigate the challenges of childhood autism. Caravel's team of autism health experts specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of children on the autism spectrum. Caravel's research-based programs help children with autism reshape their development and embrace new ways of interacting with the world.

SOURCE Caravel Autism Health

Related Links

http://www.caravelautism.com


The efforts of numerous Council Bluffs first responders saved the lives of two young children less than a week ago when a house went up in flames near the downtown area.

Firefighters, EMTs, police officers and paramedics all served in different capacities at the scene of the incident sharing a common goal: To act swiftly and efficiently under duress to produce the best possible outcome.

The men and women responding to the conflagration arrived and handled business without the expectation of a pat on the back or validation. And although first responders were undeniably simply doing their jobs, their effort and bravery enabled a 3-year-old boy and an 18 month old to escape the burning homes second story with their lives.

So, the Nonpareil has a simple message: Thank you.

Thank you, firefighters and other first responders, for protecting our community in so many ways. Thank you for showing up when others wont. Thank you for putting yourselves into harms way without immediate concern for your own well-being. Thank you for being a watchdog of our streets, homes and community.

Fire Chief Justin James on Saturday  the day after the fire  took to Facebook praising the effort of his fire squad and other first responders. In his message, he paints a picture of what the responding fire team experienced en route to the blaze.

As they left the stations, they could see the heavy smoke coming from the destination, James said. Every one of them (firefighters) were about to face the job they have trained their entire careers for.

All the years of working out, the repetitive hours of drills at the training tower, the EMS classes, the injuries overcome and the experience garnered from being there before was about to converge on a single job.

Arriving at the scene shortly after 7:30 p.m. Friday, Bluffs firefighters were met by officers of the Council Bluffs Police Department whod gathered the necessary intel for the fire squad to dive into action. Two children were stuck on the second floor of home converted into two apartment units in the 300 block of Lawton Terrace, firefighters were told.

The children were rescued and the fire was put out swiftly. Dan Roberts, fire investigator for the Council Bluffs Fire Department, said the blaze was started by juvenile fire play.

It takes a perfect orchestra of individuals who all in the moment understand their part of the performance, James said in his post, alluding to the response effort.  In the end, this harmony was executed perfectly. It was a good as it can get considering the terrible situations. It was swift and effective from start to finish.

I often say that it doesnt matter how many certificates or diplomas we have. It doesnt matter how many awards or accolades. We are here to SERVE and it only matters how good we are in the street. Last night, you all (first responders) were as good as it gets.

A 21-year-old man and the 3 year old  both sustaining burn injuries  were transported to medical facilities and treated before being released. The 18-month-old boy, as of Tuesday afternoon, remained in critical condition at the University of Iowa Stead Family Childrens Hospital in Iowa City, the childs grandfather, Dave Smith, told the Nonpareil during a Tuesday phone conversation.

The boy has burns on about 60% of his body and suffered lung damage from smoke inhalation, Smith said.

But, he is alive. He has a fighting chance to recover. He may one day live a fulfilling life.

You gave a second chance to the victims with seconds to spare, James wrote, praising the responding team.

The Nonpareil views the situation in the same light. The effort displayed Friday was valiant and we believe that similar responses in the future will save more lives.

The children involved in Fridays fire have an uphill road to recovery  physically and emotionally. But, they have the opportunity to tackle this challenge and walk toward brighter days because of our local first responders heroics.

Again, thank you.
The Ghanaian electorates of today are more enlightened pertaining to governance and they are well abreast of issues of the economy, so it is difficult to swindle them.



Recently ex-President Mahama has been making vain promises to the Ghanaian electorate in order to win their votes, meanwhile, he was against the same policies when he was the head of state and steering the affairs of this nation.



During Mahama's tenure of office he said, and I quote " I am not a magician to employ you" this is what he told unemployed graduates and now he is saying he will create 1 million jobs if he is elected. He also said Free SHS will collapse Ghana's education system but he is now claiming he brought Free SHS.



He further stated he will not restore teacher trainees' allowance even if it cost him his re-election but he is now saying he will maintain trainee teachers' and nurses' allowance. Mr. Mahama led the campaign to reject the introduction of Ghana card but he later went to register for the card including his wife.



During his tenure he increased electricity tariff and told Ghanaians if we want light we should pay more, he is also saying he will legalise okada but during his tenure of the office most okada riders were arrested and they were told it is illegal to operate okada because he wants votes he is trying to say he is holier than the Pope.



As ex-President Mahama said "Ghanaians have a short memory" but I am reminding him what he did when he was steering the affairs of the nation, the biggest scam of the decade was Mahama's $10 billion Hope City project.

With this track record, I think he is credibility bankrupt and needs to stand aside and learn from His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who is shaping the tattered economy you left.



... signed...

Edmund Kyei

Asokwa Constituency 1st Vice Chairman

Member of NPP National Communication









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 Associated Press

Bulked-up, mutant mighty mice held onto their muscle during a monthlong stay at the International Space Station, returning to Earth with ripped bodybuilder physiques, scientists reported Monday.

The findings hold promise for preventing muscle and bone loss in astronauts on prolonged space trips like Mars missions, as well as people on Earth who are confined to bed or need wheelchairs.

A research team led by Dr Se-Jin Lee of the Jackson Laboratory in Connecticut sent 40 young female black mice to the space station in December, launching aboard a SpaceX rocket.

In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Lee said the 24 regular untreated mice lost considerable muscle and bone mass in weightlessness as expected  up to 18 percent.

But the eight genetically engineered mighty mice launched with double the muscle maintained their bulk. Their muscles appeared to be comparable to similar mighty mice that stayed behind at NASAs Kennedy Space Center.

In addition, eight normal mice that received mighty mouse treatment in space returned to Earth with dramatically bigger muscles. The treatment involves blocking a pair of proteins that typically limit muscle mass.

A SpaceX capsule brought all 40 mice back in good condition, parachuting into the Pacific off the California coast in January. Some of the ordinary mice were injected with the mighty mice drug after returning and quickly built up more muscle than their untreated companions, Lee said.

The scientists completed the experiment just as the coronavirus was hitting the US.

The only silver lining of COVID is that we had time to write it up very intensively and submit the results for publication, said Dr. Emily Germain-Lee of Connecticut Childrens Medical Center, Lees wife who also took part in the study. Both are affiliated with the University of Connecticut.

While encouraged by their findings, the couple said much more work needs to be done before testing the drug on people to build up muscle and bone, without serious side effects.

Were years away. But thats how everything is when you go from mouse to human studies, Germain-Lee said.

Lee said the experiment pointed out other molecules and signalling pathways worth investigating  an embarrassment of riches ... so many things wed like to pursue. His next step: possibly sending more mighty mice to the space station for an even longer stay.

Three NASA astronauts looked after the space mice, performing body scans and injections: Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, who performed the first all-female spacewalk last fall, and Andrew Morgan. They are listed as co-authors.

Also Read: Space cookies, mighty mice hitch ride to Earth aboard SpaceX capsule from the ISS
editor's pick

Guest Commentary: Ali Mirza

'The conclusion that all University of Illinois students are evil based on the misbehavior of a handful is nothing short of ridiculous'
WASHINGTON  Human fighter pilots, your jobs are safe for now.

Weeks after an artificial intelligence algorithm defeated a human pilot in a simulated dogfight between F-16 jets, the Pentagons director of research and engineering for modernization said Thursday at the Defense News Conference that its more likely an AI will team with military pilots than replace them.

I dont see human pilots being phased out, I see them being enhanced, not physically, but I see their work, their effectiveness being enhanced by cooperation with artificial intelligence systems, said Mark Lewis, who also serves as the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for research and engineering.

The AlphaDogfight Trials in August marked the finale of the Pentagon research agencys AI air combat competition. The now-notorious algorithm, developed by Heron Systems, easily defeated the fighter pilot in all five rounds that capped off a yearlong competition hosted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency  which is overseen by Lewis and the Defense Departments research and engineering shop.

The key takeaway from that was the artificial intelligence system did so well because it wasnt so concerned about self-preservation, it was willing to do things that a human pilot wouldnt do. And thats the advantage of artificial intelligence, Lewis said. I think the real answer is teaming AI with a human for the best combination of both. So Im pretty confident were going to have human pilots into the future.

The AlphaDogfight Trials were a subset of the Air Combat Evolution program, or ACE, which is one of a few DARPA efforts exploring human-machine teaming, agency spokesman Jared Adams said in an email.

ACE is using human-machine collaborative dogfighting to increase trust in combat autonomy, and the goal is for it to scale to more complex multi-aircraft scenarios to pave the way for live, campaign-level experimentation.

Pentagon to pit AI against human pilots in live fighter trials

Story continues

Fiscal 2023 will see the first in a yearlong series of trials using tactical fighter-class aircraft (currently L-39 trainers), with safety pilots on board to assist in case of trouble. Those pilots would be given higher cognitive level battle management tasks while their aircraft fly dogfights, all while sensors gauge the pilots attention, stress and trust in the AI, Adams said.

DARPA foresees a single human pilot serving as a mission commander in a manned aircraft, orchestrating multiple autonomous, unmanned platforms that would all be engaged in individual tactics. ACE would ultimately deliver that capability.

ACE, therefore, seeks to create a hierarchical framework for autonomy in which higher-level cognitive functions (e.g., developing an overall engagement strategy, selecting and prioritizing targets, determining best weapon or effect, etc.) may be performed by a human, while lower-level functions (i.e., details of aircraft maneuver and engagement tactics) is left to the autonomous system, Adams said.

In order for this to be possible, the pilot must be able to trust the autonomy to conduct complex combat behaviors in scenarios such as the within-visual-range dogfight before progressing to beyond-visual-range engagements.

In announcing the future trials using tactical aircraft on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said: AIs role in our lethality is to support human decision-makers, not replace them.

We see AI as a tool to free up resources, time and manpower so our people can focus on higher-priority tasks and arrive at the decision point, whether in a lab or on the battlefield, faster and more precise than the competition, he added.

But Esper warned that both Russia and China were pursuing fully autonomous systems, and drew a distinction between them and what he described as the U.S. militarys ethically guided approach to AI.

At this moment, Chinese weapons manufacturers are selling autonomous drones they claim can conduct lethal targeted strikes, he said. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is advancing the development of next-generation stealth UAVs, which they are preparing to export internationally.

Andrew Eversden contributed to this report.
New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Sahara chief Subrata Roy's plea seeking more time to pay Rs 600 crore to the capital markets regulator Sebi.

Subrata Roy is out on parole since his mothers death in May. He had sought more time for payment citing demonetisation and economic slowdown.

In November, the apex court had asked Roy to deposit Rs 600 crore and had given a deadline of February 6 for the same. The court had also warned that if Roy fails to pay the money, he would have to surrender.

"This court had given so much indulgence to you and spent so many man hours in your case and the controversy started in 2012 and we had given so many chances and we are in 2017. You have still time to deposit," the Supreme Court told Kapil Sibal, who is Sahara's lawyer.

However, the apex court allowed Sahara to transfer Rs 280 crore lying in its London account to Sebi.

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Operationality of RTI at risk

Removal of Audit Commission impairs monitoring of public spending

CIABOCs investigative powers compromised

Election Commission restricted from acting against public property misuse





by Transparency International Sri Lanka





Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) is deeply troubled by the plight of several independent commissions and the regression of transparency and accountability as a result of provisions within the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution. Key amongst these concerns are the Right to Information, corruption investigations, oversight of public finance and the ability to conduct free and fair elections.













Right to Information





Despite assurances that the Right to Information (RTI) will remain sacrosanct within the constitution, TISL wishes to highlight to the public and members of parliament, provisions of the proposed 20th Amendment which could severely compromise the RTI framework. As the RTI Act stipulates that the Commission must be appointed by the Constitutional Council and the amendment removes the Constitutional Council, the proposed Parliamentary Council will not be able to make recommendations given its limited scope and powers, thus putting the operationality of RTI at risk.





TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere said, Since RTI became operational in February 2017, we have witnessed firsthand the transformational impact that it has had on communities and individuals across the country. Whilst it is encouraging that a citizens fundamental right to information has been retained, compromising the functionality of the RTI Commission, even if done so inadvertently, will seriously weaken the Right to Information.





Investigation of Corruption





TISL is also concerned by the repeal of Article 156A of the constitution via the proposed 20th Amendment. Further to compromising the constitutional recognition of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), the repeal of this Article also strips CIABOC of the suo moto powers it was afforded through the 19th Amendment, to initiate investigations of its own accord.





Obeyesekere noted, It has been a longstanding public grievance that law enforcement authorities wait for complaints to be filed to take action. Stripping CIABOC of the proactive power to undertake investigations without a complainant, sends a negative message to the public vis a vis the governments commitment to combat corruption.





Oversight of Public Finance





The proposed 20th Amendment, also removes the Audit Service Commission and National Procurement Commission, key institutions intended to act as a check on public spending. By removing any mention of the Audit Service Commission, the proposed 20th Amendment effectively renders the National Audit Act obsolete. The National Audit Act provides the Audit Service Commission with considerable powers including the ability to impose surcharges on public officials who cause a loss to the state. The removal of the Audit Service Commission will invalidate this essential power.





Furthermore, despite the mandate of the National Procurement Commission not being fully operationalised, the existence of the institution is nonetheless important to ensuring a transparent and accountable procurement structure. Obeyesekere added, Public procurement is a high-risk area for corruption. Whilst recognising the importance of the Presidents own commitment within his manifesto to eradicate corruption and promote efficiency, we call on the government to recognise the importance of the institution of an independent procurement commission to realise this commitment.





Free and Fair Elections





Provisions in the proposed 20th Amendment which impact the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL), also curtail the ability of the Commission to prevent or take action against the misuse of public property during elections. The proposed 20th Amendment limits the scope of guidelines issued by the ECSL, by preventing the Commission from issuing directions on any matter relating to the public service. This lack of accountability could potentially compromise the integrity of future elections.





Obeyesekere concluded, In its present form, the proposed 20th Amendment severely compromises the framework of oversight and accountability currently enshrined within the Constitution. The repeal of the Constitutional Council and the introduction of a weaker Parliamentary Council concentrates power in the Executive at the expense of the Legislature and Judiciary. Whilst recognising the public mandate for constitutional reform provided at successive elections, we call on the government to acknowledge these red flags and caution against creating an environment conducive for corruption.
The New Braunfels mayor denounced social media posts that went up around the same time as a pro-Donald Trump rally, saying he doesn't condone imagery or speech with overt or implied hatred.

The weekly "Trump Train" event, described as a "patriotic demonstration to spread the positive message about the current president," has grown in the last several weeks.

"Some images and social media posts associated with that demonstration have caused angst and uneasiness in our community," Mayor Rusty Brockman said in a news release. "I do not condone any activity, symbolism, speech, or imagery with overt or implied racism or hatred."

Brockman did not elaborate on details of the posts and said city officials would not turn a blind eye to the issues.

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The organizers of the Trump Train said the creators of the posts are not affiliated with the organization and that anyone who spreads a message of hate is not welcome.

Brockman has also said he met with city leadership, the MLK Jr. Association and other nonprofit and community leaders.

"It has been my honor to work with citizens who are deeply committed to doing the right things to make New Braunfels a better place," Brockman said. "We live here because this is the kind of community that we all want to live and raise our families in."

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
Malaysia's media reform trajectory has been stymied by political change and increased violations against media workers, according to an international media discussion on September 9. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) acknowledges the efforts of Malaysias media in continuing to push for critical reforms and welcomes the revival of media council discussions, with the government, set to take place this week.

Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak (bottom C) speaks to members of the media after he was found guilty in his corruption trial in Kuala Lumpur on July 28, 2020. Credit: Fazri Ismail / AFP

IFJ hosted the webinar to launch the report, Impacts of Covid-19 on Media Workers in Malaysia and increase understanding of the political and legal issues impacting media freedom in Malaysia under Covid-19 as well as issues of media sustainability and ownership diversity. The webinar was supported by IFJs Malaysia affiliate, the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) and the European Union.

Moderated by digital journalist Norman Goh, the panel included NUJM committee member Qishin Tariq, Democratic Action Party (DAP) politician and former journalist Wong Shu Qi; spokesperson and coordinator for Gerakan Media Merdeka (GERAMM), Radzi Razak; journalist Tashny Sukumaran; and co-founder and CEO of Malaysiakini, Premesh Chandran.

Among the panel, Razak shared his concerns against the witch-hunt practice of attacking journalists on social media, while Sukumaran discussed journalist safety online, particularly tweets directed to journalists from high ranking officials and politicians which triggered cyber-attacks.

Not only using the state apparatus, such as police and laws, irresponsible politicians have also used mobilised media to attacks journalists. Instead of going to Twitter, why not allow us to publish balanced and accurate information? she said.

Speakers discussed economic impacts of Covid-19 that compounded the problem of severely declining media advertising revenue and shared opinions on the need for less political influence in media and different business models outside the traditional advertising model.

Malaysiakinis Chandran talked on the countrys developments in establishing a media council, with the proposed draft bill on the creation of the Malaysian Media Council submitted last month. On September 11, the pro-tem committee headed by Premesh is set to meet with Communications and Multimedia Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, to discuss the draft bill. This meeting has now been

postponed.

We urge the government to support a media self-regulation. With credible and independent media, we can tackle the spread of misinformation, Chandran said, also cautioning against overt government control over media, stating that critical reporting helped and supported true democracy.

Wong Shu Qi highlighted the critical need for freedom of information in Malaysia. Only by having the freedom of information, journalists and newsrooms can produce a good quality of journalism. It will then increase public support for journalism.

Giving a perspective on the need for strong unions in the media space, Tariq said there was an urgency for union reform. The union (NUJM) used to only accept print journalists but now it expands to online journalists. It aims to include students as well. Stronger unions are important to improve media workers' rights.

IFJ and NUJM launched a media advocacy campaign #MYMediaMatters earlier this year as part of a five-year media development project, funded by the European Union called Strengthening Malaysias Media for Change. The IFJ is working with a range of stakeholders in Malaysia to strengthen and empower Malaysias media.

The IFJ said: Despite the heightened challenges under the more hard-line coalition led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, journalists and civil society organisations continue to advocate for media reform. The IFJ welcomes the revival of media council discussions as a crucial step toward a stronger and more resilient media in Malaysia and calls on Malaysias government to heed the media and union calls for necessary reforms.
People walk through the Oculus transportation hub and mall on the first day of the reopening of malls to the public for shopping since the outbreak of COVID-19, in New York City, on Sept. 09, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Discount Retailer Century 21 Files for Bankruptcy

Chain failed receive insurance payout for pandemic losses

Century 21, a discount department store chain with locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is closing all of its remaining 13 stores, according to an announcement.

The company said in a press release Thursday that its decision stemmed from insurance providers declining to pay a business interruption claim filed by Century 21 in the wake of the losses it has suffered due to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus outbreak.

The decision follows nonpayment by the Companys insurance providers of approximately $175 million due under policies put in place to protect against losses stemming from business interruption such as that experienced as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said in the release.

Raymond Gindi, co-CEO of Century 21, said the company weathered an earlier crisis thanks, in part, to an insurance payout, which was not forthcoming this time.

While insurance money helped us to rebuild after suffering the devastating impact of 9/11, we now have no viable alternative but to begin the closure of our beloved family business because our insurers, to whom we have paid significant premiums every year for protection against unforeseen circumstances like we are experiencing today, have turned their backs on us at this most critical time, Gindi said in the release.

Century 21 said it has a pending lawsuit in New York against several of its insurance providers for refusing to compensate the company for its losses, which the company adding that it will be moving that lawsuit to the bankruptcy court.

Following the SARS scare of the early 2000s, insurance companies began to insert exclusions allowing them to deny claims due to virus or bacteria. Explaining the rationale for such exclusions, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association said in a white paper (pdf) that pandemic outbreaks are uninsurable because they have the potential to impact virtually all policyholders, irrespective of location and nearly simultaneously, with losses continuing over the span of months or even years.

Stated differently, pandemic risk cannot be spread, shared or diversified across policyholders, the industry group said, adding that for a risk to be insurable, it must be made up of a large number of exposure units so that the losses of the few can be spread out across all policyholders.

Lawmakers in some states have sought to force insurance companies to cover pandemic losses by enacting legislation on retroactive coverage. One such proposed bill in Pennsylvania seeks to accomplish this by redefining property damage to include COVID-19 related business interruption.

It essentially provides that an insurance policy insuring against a loss relating to property damage, including business interruption, shall be construed to cover loss or property damage due to COVID-19 or due to a civil authority order resulting from COVID-19, writes Newmeyer Dillion, in a legal analysis on Lexology.

Forcing retroactive payouts to cover business disruption losses resulting from the CCP virus pandemic could ultimately put financial stability at risk, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), which groups insurance regulators from the United States, Europe and Asia, argued in May.

Where pandemic risks are covered by a policy, insurers should pay out such claims quickly, IAIS said, but it cautioned against initiatives seeking to require insurers to retroactively cover Covid-19 related losses.

Such initiatives could ultimately threaten policyholder protection and financial stability, further aggravating the financial and economic impacts of Covid-19, the global insurance regulator said.
An executive said recent US sanctions against Huawei have caused a shortage of computer chips for the company (PA)

An executive has said that recent US sanctions against Huawei have caused a shortage of computer chips for the company, hurting the growth of its smartphone business.

Richard Yu, president of Huawei Technologies consumer business, said at a conference for developers that the company has still managed to gain a 51% market share in the Chinese smartphone industry.

The US has imposed various sanctions on Huawei, citing national security concerns. The latest, ordered in August, restrict foreign semiconductor companies from selling chips to Huawei that are produced using American technology.

Even after this third blow, we still managed to achieve growth, said Mr Yu, who acknowledged that growth had been impacted over the last month.

In May, the US barred chipmakers that use US technology and software to design chips from selling to the Shenzhen-based company without a licence.

Expand Close The US alleges that Huawei could conduct intelligence for the Chinese government, which the company denies (PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp The US alleges that Huawei could conduct intelligence for the Chinese government, which the company denies (PA)

A year earlier, the US government put the company on its trade blacklist, banning Huawei from doing business with US companies after the Trump administration said Huawei was a national security threat.

The US alleges that Huawei could conduct intelligence for the Chinese government and has urged its allies to exclude Huawei from its telecommunications networks. Huawei has vehemently denied these accusations.

This trade blacklist cut Huawei off from suppliers such as Google, which had supplied Huawei smartphones with the Android operating system and Google Mobile Services, such as Gmail and YouTube. Huawei then developed its own Huawei Mobile Services, including an app store, that it has rolled out for newer smartphone models.

Despite the troubles with Washington, in 2019 Huawei shipped more than 240 million phones globally, and was the second biggest smartphone maker in the world.

Mr Yu said the company plans to make its proprietary operating system HarmonyOS available to devices including its smartphones, some of which still operate on the Android system. Earlier, the company had said HarmonyOS was meant for devices such as smartwatches and TVs, among others.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- There is no doubt that SushiSwap's model of 'LP Token Pledge Farming + Platform Governance Token Farming' is desirable, but there are still many loopholes and unreasonable rules that need to be changed. To solve these problems and evolve the model, a sophisticated player SwapX ( www.swapx.org ) has innovated a new model for DEX.

Liquidity providers on Uniswap, Balancer, Curve and SushiSwap can earn token SWP through pledging LP tokens (from other DEXs) on SwapX. At the same time, they can also earn Pair Token of individual liquidity pools. Users have achieved 'three consecutive farming in a row', initially farming on Uniswap, Balancer, Curve and SushiSwap, and then earning SWP and Pair Token on SwapX.

SwapX will launch at 9/10/2020 12:00 PM (EST) when 'LP Token Pledge Farming' and 'Pair Token Farming' become available. It is worth noting that the SwapX team has adopted a decentralized approach without pre-farming or any reserves. The platform governance token SWP is 100% distributed to community participants. At present, wallets such as imToken, TokenPocket, MEET.ONE, BitKeep, BitPie, HyperPay have all integrated SwapX. Users can deposit assets to these wallets on phones to start farming on SwapX.

Pair Token Innovation to Continue Liquidity Pool Yield Farming

The key of 'LP Token Pledge Farming' is to attract liquidity providers on other DEXs. SwapX doesn't mean to compete with Uniswap. Instead SwapX aggregates the liquidity from major DEXs, such as Balancer, Curve and SushiSwap, to become a DeFi liquidity center.

While SwapX still adopts Uniswap's design of AMM (Automatic Market Maker), it also implements SushiSwap's farming model to support staking of Uniswap Pool Token (LP Token of Uniswap). SwapX supports not only farming through Uniswap's LP Token farming, but also farming with other LP Token DEXs like Balancer, Curve and SushiSwap.

SwapX has also made a major breakthrough to today's DEX, proposing 'Pair Token'. On SwapX, everyone can apply to create an independent liquidity pool and a Pair Token specific for the pool. Pair Token represents the governance right to liquidity pool and determines the distribution of SWP, which is SwapX's platform governance token. Within SwapX, Liquidity providers not only get transaction fee revenue share from the platform, but also earn Pair Token and SWP at the same time. Liquidity providers now, with the same amount of assets, would earn fees from Uniswap/Balancer, as well as additional farming rewards from SwapX.

'Pair Token Farming': opens the door of liquid pool governance.

Pair Token is the unique highlight part for SwapX. Each certified liquidity pool on SwapX has its own Pair Token, which can not only be freely traded but also allow users to get revenue share from trading transaction fees and gain SWP. As said, when users provide liquidity for once, they can gain trading fee revenue share, Pair Token and SWP triple rewards.

As we all know, liquidity providers on Uniswap can only earn a part of transaction fees when they are providing liquidity. Once they withdraw liquidity out of the pool, they stop earning that fee. This oversimplified model has three problems in the long run:

1) The incentive is not good enough, and the profit of early-stage liquidity providers is substantially diluted.

2) Impermanence loss cannot be compensated.

3) No community contribution outside of liquidity providers.

Uniswap's liquidity providers share transaction fees based on their liquidity contributions. However, there are also users who need to make important decisions on questions like 'how does each liquidity pool selects trading pairs?', 'What is the fee rate?', 'how to attract more traders?' On Uniswap, the management and operation staff take the responsibilities without compensation.

To effectively improve this mechanism, each certified liquidity pool of SwapX has a default Pair Token. These Pair Tokens can be traded freely, and the earlier the liquidity providers join, more Pair Token they could earn.

SwapX targets liquidity providers on top Swap Protocol

Liquidity is the driving force behind DeFi. As a place where DEX liquidity is concentrated, SwapX firstly targets liquidity providers from top DEXs such as Uniswap, Balancer, Curve, SushiSwap, offering them the opportunity to farm SWP. After earning transaction fees through liquidity provision on Uniswap, Balancer, Curve, SushiSwap etc, those liquidity providers now can stake LP tokens on SwapX to farm SWP as well as more transaction fees. There will be four sources of earnings: transaction fee, SWP for two times, Pair Token with one-time staking, which provides more benefits for the liquidity providers.

According to SwapX developers, DEX liquidity providers can stake their LP token to start farming Pair Token and SWP in two ways:

1. Staking LP Token for farming

Liquidity providers of Uniswap, Balancer, Curve and SushiSwap can pledge their LP tokens ('pool token' on Uniswap, 'BPT' on Balancer, and 'ytoken' on Curve, etc) to earn SWP. The farming lasts for 15 days and will yield a total of 2.88 million SWPs, generating 30 SWP per block and approximately 192,000 SWP per day. SWP will be distributed to all pledgers according to LP token contribution.

2. Holding Pair Token as farming

Liquidity providers on SwapX would receive Pair Token and can earn SWP through Pair Token.

The farming lasts for 30 days, yielding a total of 2.88 million SWP. Every 64 blocks do one snapshot which generates 1,000 SWP. A total of 96,000 SWP will be farmed per day and be distributed to Pair Token Holders.

In short, as yield farming ends, users will be able to trade the above tokens on SwapX. During this process, the pledger can automatically get transaction fees and SWP without additional steps.

Three Consecutive Rounds of Farming to capture the value of SWP

Per '2020 Global DeFi User Report', 75% of global users and 74% of Chinese users said they are interested in DeFi projects only if there is over 15% APR. SwapX has been aiming for maximizing liquidity providers' profit while ensuring the capital security under the verification mechanism. SwapX will charge traders a 0.3% transaction fee, of which 0.25% will be allocated directly to liquidity providers and 0.05% will be allocated to the community for SWP buybacks. The community will vote to determine the usage of SWP, making it more friendly to liquidity providers.

In addition to the transaction fee income, the liquidity provider on SwapX can also farm Pair Token and SWP. The larger the liquidity pool is, the more Pair Tokens can be earned, and more SWP would be available. Multi-sources rewards attract more investors to join, improving the liquidity of the pool, forming a benign growth of 'liquidity and income'

SwapX Risk Assessment

From the information disclosed by SwapX, SwapX has gone through a community security audit, but has not yet completed a formal audit, which is the potential risk. However, even if an audit is completed, there is still a risk of smart contract vulnerability as the same problem exists in every yield farming project. Therefore, when engaging in yield farming, users need to evaluate their risk tolerance and manage their risk.

Today, we are in the hyper growth stage of Defi. Yield farming, as an important way to attract traffic to DeFi projects, has already made its debut and helped many users make fortunes overnight. The competition is becoming more and more intense, but the future is unlimited. There are more and more players joining this game, but only those who have the courage to innovate can finally survive and stand out.

SOURCE SwapX

Related Links

https://www.swapx.org


Ive had some big projects put on hold while people are determining whether they want to leave the city or not, she said, adding that many are moving away because they would like to spend less on housing, or because of the recent unrest in the city. Theyre like, If Im going to be putting this place on the market and leaving, Im just going to do the bare minimum.
The families of some soldiers who lost their lives in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the Nigerian northeast are still waiting for the gratuities of the fallen heroes, months after the Nigerian Army promised them a prompt payment, this newspapers findings have revealed.

PREMIUM TIMES investigation in April exposed how the military abandoned the family of Sunday Orji, an officer with army number 04/55/1726 who had died on the battlefield in 2015. It was the same treatment for the family of Sunday Samuel (Army number 01/NA/50/725) who died in an attack by the insurgents on Maiduguri, Borno State in 2017.

This newspapers investigation revealed that many widows of slain soldiers now engage in production of garri, a Nigerian staple food made from cassava, for survival while the kids of many have been dropped out of school.

After this newspapers report in April, the defence headquarters reached out to Emelia Orji, wife of one of the slain soldiers, on April 24 with the promise to pay her husbands gratuity that month.

The Nigerian Army have called me from Abuja. They said they will pay me this month after seeing my name in the newspaper, she told PREMIUM TIMES in May.

Mrs Orji said she submitted all the necessary documents to claim her husbands entitlement in Bonny Camp after she was asked to do so. However, five months after, she has heard nothing from military authorities.

I was not allowed to enter Bonny Camp in August when I went there for update. We are still battling with hunger, she told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday.

Like late Orjis family, the military also reached out to Janet Samuel, the daughter of Sunday Samuel identified in our report.

She told our correspondent that a week after the report was published, some military officers in Odogbo Barracks in Ibadan visited the family and said that all his gratuity would be paid. But nothing has been done since too.

The defence headquarters reached out to our correspondent on many occasions to get the contacts of families reportedly neglected. Despite providing them with the information, no follow up has been done to pay them.

On May 9, an official of the Nigerian Army told our correspondent that the defence headquarters had reached out to the victims families and had also begun the process of payment.

In June, another official who identified himself as Major Ohaeri again requested for the contacts of the families with the aim of fast-tracking their payment. But he has not called any of the families, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Since then, the defence headquarters has failed to respond to this newspaper enquiries on why gratuities of the fallen heroes are yet to be paid after the families had submitted all the required documents to the pension board.

For the past two weeks, John Enenche, spokesperson of the defence headquarters, has refused to respond to PREMIUM TIMES follow up message on the matter.

Also, army spokesperson, Sagir Musa, declined to comment on the matter.

However, senior military officers, who asked not to be named, told PREMIUM TIMES that unless pressure was mounted on military authorities, the families may never get their due.

Except the military is pressurised, those families may not get anything, one officer said.

Failed guidelines?

The guidelines on the administration of pensions for Nigeria Armed Forces personnel provide that death benefits should be paid to the Next of Kins (NOKs) of officers who died in active service.

When officers die in active service, form 9B, a death certificate, letter of introduction of their NOKs, condolence letter from their last units, sworn affidavit deposed to by the NOKs authenticating them as NOKs, the ID card of the deceased personnel, passport photographs of the NOKs and any form of identification of the NOKs are expected to be sent to military pension board at Dutse-Alhaji, Abuja, by their respective offices.

These documents are used to process the death benefits which would be paid to the NOKs after interviews. An NOK Standing Committee conducts interviews for NOKs with a view to ascertain they are the rightful NOKs and to verify documents.

The committee then sends the NOKs with their files to the computer section for capturing of their biometric data preparatory for processing payments.

However, the rule did not stipulate how long it should take for the final payment of entitlements to be ready. It rather states that entitlements will be paid into the bank account which NOKs provided during the interview. This loophole makes it difficult to hold the Nigerian Army to account.

The rule says the Military Pensioners Board pays death benefits in batches as they are processed subject to availability of funds. While the board assured of prompt, accurate and efficient payment of these benefits to families of deceased, those who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES are yet to access these funds, in some cases, many years after completing the processes. This has further exposed the families to suffering

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When contacted, Kehinde Abinuyo  a rights activist  told this newspaper that the failure of the military to care for families of slain soldiers is disturbing.

How do you expect those on the field to concentrate when they are certain if they lose their lives, their families will be made to suffer. This is a sad case, the army must be willing to take responsibility.
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health has hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch (pictured above during her 2015 confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate) to conduct a safety audit of it's children's programs after an Inquirer investigation. Read more

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health has hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to conduct an independent audit of child safety, on the heels of an Inquirer investigation that detailed lapses in supervision, training, and care that led to a history of sexual abuse of children.

Ultimately, the goal of this audit is to ensure no stone is left unturned in our quest to create the safest and highest-quality programs and services possible, Devereuxs chief executive officer, Carl Clark, wrote in an open letter to our families and community posted on the nonprofits website Thursday.

With headquarters in Villanova, Devereux specializes in treating children with intellectual disabilities, mental disorders, and trauma at 15 residential campuses in nine states, making it the nations leading nonprofit health organization of its kind.

Devereux was awarded a $40.2 million federal grant to house and provide services to immigrant children who cross into the United States without an adult or are separated from their parents at the border. It has opened three facilities so far, and plans to open one in Devon, Chester County, and another in Massachusetts.

Lynch, 61, the first Black female attorney general in the nations history, has championed civil rights and tackled cases related to political corruption, discrimination against LGBT people, and the 2014 choke-hold death of Eric Garner at the hands of New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo.

Lynch served as the countrys top prosecutor from April 2015 to January 2017 under the Obama administration. She is currently a partner in the New York law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. There, she advises clients on government and internal investigations, and other matters.

Clark credited Devereuxs board of trustees for the decision to retain Lynch following the Philadelphia Inquirers review of incidents of child abuse, published in an investigation last month.

Inquirer reporters found that Devereux staff members had raped or sexually assaulted at least 41 children  as young as 12, and with IQs as low as 50  in the last 25 years.

Of those, 10 said they were assaulted at Devereuxs three campuses in the Philadelphia suburbs, while the others were abused at facilities in New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Connecticut, New York, and Arizona.

In his letter, Clark said Devereux was committed to doing the right thing with full transparency and accountability.

Devereuxs commissioning of this audit is not based on any regulatory requirement, nor is it being done at the request of any system partner or outside entity, Clark wrote.

Clarks letter acknowledged that some children have been harmed by Devereux staff, who care for about 5,000 children annually, calling it an industrywide problem.

"The families and communities who know Devereux understand how heartbroken we are any time someone is hurt in our care, Clark wrote. Keeping clients safe, while supporting them through what may very well be the most significant moment of crisis in their lives, is what drives us to improve every day.

Through court documents and interviews, The Inquirer found that Devereux  which brings in more than $467 million in annual revenue, nearly all of it government funding  understaffed its campuses and failed to adequately supervise staff members, who often disappeared for hours and slept through shifts.

After sexual assaults, Devereux identified risk factors that led to the abuse and identified potential solutions, such as increased training or employment screenings. But the initiatives werent implemented for years, The Inquirer found.

Even patients who went to Devereux for treatment of past sexual trauma were assaulted by staff.

In an interview last month, Devereux executives vigorously denied that campuses currently have staffing or supervision issues. They said that since Clark took over in January 2018, the company has reduced opportunities for staff to be alone with children, trained employees to detect grooming and potential abuse, added video technology to better monitor employees, and increased pay to attract more qualified staffers, and will use a new psychological test to screen job applicants.

Gov. Tom Wolf recently directed state officials to investigate conditions that led to the sexual abuse of children at Devereux facilities, and Philadelphia has stopped sending local children to Devereux facilities for now.

Also, 14 members of City Council have demanded that city officials immediately remove all of the 62 local children at Devereux facilities and cancel Devereuxs $7.5 million contract with Philadelphias Department of Human Services.

Lynch did not reply to a request for comment. Devereux did not reply to a question about whether its audit will be shared with the public.

City Councilmember Helen Gym said in an email Thursday night that Devereux cannot hide behind internal audits and self-funded investigations. Philadelphia should no longer pay a single cent to an institution that promised to heal the childhood traumas of our most vulnerable girls, but instead failed to establish appropriate protections that resulted in children being exploited, raped, and traumatized all over again.

Gym said she and fellow Council members were working on legislation to strengthen the citys hand in dealing with agencies" that the state has failed to oversee and regulate.

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Starting Thursday, about 300 students and staff at Synapse School, a private elementary and middle school in Menlo Park, will start the new school year with a new routine. Everyone will get tested once a week for the coronavirus.

In a tent in the school parking lot, each student and staff member will get their nostrils swabbed. They will get results back by the weekend, and they must test negative to come to school the following Monday for in-person instruction, slated to begin Sept 14.

The schools plan is just one example of the various efforts afoot across the Bay Area to test students and staff in the hopes of safely returning to the K-12 classroom.

All schools in California will be required to come up with a testing plan, but its not clear who will administer tests and how schools will pay for them.

These efforts point to the haphazard, catch-as-catch-can way that schools and districts are largely on their own in figuring out testing as the overwhelming majority of schools remain stuck in distance learning. Only 1% of the Bay Areas 1.2 million school-age children are back for in-person classes and the rest cant resume meeting on campus until testing, as well as a host of other issues, gets resolved. That means some private schools, which have the financial means to test more frequently, will reopen before many resource-starved public schools.

I would love to say theres a recognized consistent, effective approach that school districts across the state can adopt, said Troy Flint, spokesman for the California School Boards Association, which represents most school districts and all county offices of education in the state. But the reality is that practice does not exist. ... The logistics of it are going to differ from district to district, and even between schools within a certain district.

Most Bay Area schools plan to test staff, per state and county guidance that says schools should periodically test adults  including teachers, bus drivers and cafeteria workers  but not students, as part of their plans to restart in-person instruction. But the rules leave open for interpretation how exactly to implement that. In the absence of clear, across-the-board instructions, schools and districts are left to create testing programs on their own  and they are coming up with plans that vary greatly in approach, cost and testing frequency. One complicating factor is that schools have limited authority when it comes to testing students, which must be cleared by parents.

At Synapse, where tuition starts at $32,000 a year, the testing will be repeated every Thursday, as part of a yearlong research project the school has entered into with Stanford Medicine. Any student who tests positive will have to stay home for 14 days, and the parents of other students in the same cohort will be alerted. Those students, their siblings, and the cohorts teacher will also have to stay home for 14 days. If a test comes back positive, Stanford will notify public health officials to initiate contact tracing. The school will close for 14 days if more than 5% of people test positive in a given week, or if there are two or more positives from different households in the same cohort.

Any adults on campus, including janitorial staff, construction workers, electricians and plumbers, will also adhere to the same testing protocols. Testing once a week will hopefully catch asymptomatic cases, since anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 will already have to stay home, said Jim Eagen, head of school for Synapse.

Synapse is one of the few schools that plan to test students frequently as part of its plans to reopen in-person classes, which are slated to begin at dozens of schools in the Bay Area in the next several weeks.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Few schools are having students tested frequently as part of an academic or medical research project, like Synapse. Some are hiring private testing companies or are in discussions with nearby medical centers to set up mobile testing on campus. Others are considering having staff members get tested at their own health care provider and self-report results to the school or district, rather than bring testing services on campus.

This isnt something we are set up to do, said Chris Mount-Benites, superintendent of the Burlingame School District, which is working with Stanford to explore potentially bringing monthly testing on campus for adult staff when schools reopen in November. The counties departments of health have basically said they dont have the capacity to accommodate that, so districts and the county office of education needed to figure out what that meant.

There is no one ideal testing interval for coronavirus surveillance. How often a school or other large group setting should get tested depends on how prevalent the virus is in the community. Places where infection rates are low probably dont need to test that often, whereas places with higher rates do. Weekly or twice-weekly testing might catch the virus in everyone who is tested. However, it may not even be necessary to test everyone in a given setting, as long as a representative sample is tested frequently.

Mount-Benites turned to some of his students parents who work at Stanford University and the medical center, who helped connect him with Stanford testing experts to advise the district on a plan. The district has not finalized the plan yet, but when it does, it will apply to all seven schools and the district office, which encompass 3,500 students and 300 staff. There are many things to consider, he said, including medical privacy and cost.

We havent figured out if its possible or not, he said. The district would have to pay for it. Employees would have to opt into it because theyre sharing their own medical information.

Stanford, which is also working with Los Angeles Unified School District on testing protocols, plans to use a method of testing called pooling, said Dr. Christina Kong, Stanfords medical director of pathology, who is working with Burlingame schools. Pooling involves grouping together four or eight specimens at once to save time and lab resources. The method is best suited for testing large numbers of low-risk people.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

At Synapse, testing will be done for students whose parents have consented. Parents can opt out of having their child tested but if they do, the student will not be allowed to come back for in-person classes, Eagen said. Synapse is one of 19 San Mateo County private schools that sought and received state approval to restart in-person instruction for students sixth grade and below. In counties that have widespread virus rates under the new state tiered reopening system, students seventh grade and higher must start the school year doing distance learning.

It comes at a cost. At $75 per test, which includes lab costs, each round of weekly testing will come out to about $22,000. Synapse will pay for it, and the money will go toward a COVID fund set up at Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital that will be used by Stanford researchers to study transmission in schools.

We did some fundraising initially, then the school itself felt adamant that we go forward and use some of our resources we had, rainy day resources, Eagen said. This is why you have rainy day resources. Its raining pretty hard right now.

Marin Waldorf School last week completed its first round of testing ahead of the start of in-person classes. The toddler-to-eighth grade private school in San Rafael hired a testing company, Kyla, to bring mobile testing to campus once a month to perform nasal swabs for the schools roughly 50 staff members. Everyone tested negative after the first round of testing last week. In-person instruction began Tuesday.

Every staff member also must self-report their temperature and any symptoms on a mobile app each morning before coming to school, said Cammi Bell, the nurse at Marin Waldorf who was recently hired to serve as a COVID reopening liaison between the school and the county health department. The same app also tracks their test results.

The testing company, Kyla, has been tapped by 150 businesses, schools and other employers to provide COVID monitoring or testing services. The cost per test ranges from $65 to $85, depending on how often workers are being tested. In Marin Waldorfs case, employees health insurance plans cover the cost of the testing.

Ultimately, it may be left up to parents and caregivers to monitor their kids because not all schools have the resources to test, said Flint, of the school boards association.

The net result of the guidance that exists is going to place the greatest burden on parents to proactively monitor their childs status, he said. Schools are doing everything they can, given their situation, to prepare for a safe return to campus. But ultimately the stakeholder with the greatest ability to impact the situation is a parent or caregiver because the reality is at this time, daily testing of all students is not going to be a reality for most districts.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
By AFP

COATZACOALCOS: A journalist was found decapitated Wednesday in a violence-plagued area of eastern Mexico, police said, the latest in a string of killings in one of the world's most dangerous countries for reporters.

Hugo Gutierrez, security minister and head of the police in the eastern state of Veracruz, condemned the "cowardly murder" of Julio Valdivia, who worked for the newspaper El Mundo de Veracruz.

"In coordination with the state attorney general's office we will exhaust all resources to find those responsible," he said in a statement.

Valdivia's body was found with his motorcycle on a train track in a mountainous area of the municipality of Tezonapa, according to his newspaper.

He is the fifth journalist killed in Mexico this year, according media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, which urged the authorities to investigate whether the 41-year-old was murdered because of his work.

Mexico is regularly rated by the media watchdog as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.

More than 100 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000, with only a fraction of those crimes resulting in convictions.

In one rare such sentencing, a man convicted of ordering the 2017 murder of prominent journalist Miroslava Breach was condemned last month to 50 years in prison.
"There was some big, crazy Trump news today  and I know we say that every day, but this time it's true," Trevor Noah said on Wednesday's Daily Show. "And it starts with the president and his administration making a shocking legal maneuver," pressing the Justice Department into service "defending Trump in a defamation suit against one of his rape accusers, which means taxpayer dollars are paying for this."

"Yes, this is unprecedented for a president, but I can't say I'm surprised at this point, because Trump has basically turned the government into his own personal concierge service," Noah said. "But hey, conservatives wanted someone to run the country like a business, and what's more corporate than a CEO using company resources to shut down sexual abuse accusations."

The day's bigger scandal revolves around Bob Woodward's new book, Rage, Noah said. "You might remember back in February and March, Donald Trump was very confidently saying that the coronavirus was not a big deal, and it was basically just like the flu. But since then, we've all learned that that was bulls--t. Well, today it's come out that Trump privately knew it was bulls--t." And Trump's explanation for hiding this knowledge, that he didn't want to "create a panic," just doesn't pass the smell test, he said, because creating panic "is literally his favorite thing. 'Cities are burning! Suburbs are collapsing! Caravans of antifa Mexicans are committing Muslim voter fraud!'"

And two-facing the public on the severity of COVID-19 is just one of the things Woodward's tapes reveal, Noah said. "It really is interesting how private Trump seems to know a lot more than public Trump. I mean, this whole time, I thought there were going to be secret tapes of Trump saying the N-word, but instead we got secret tapes of him being an epidemiologist with a PhD in critical race theory. And you might be thinking, 'Oh, but this is good news, Trevor  it means that Trump isn't as dumb as we thought.' No, this is terrible news. Because you know what it shows? It shows you that Donald Trump is willfully misleading the public. It reminds you that he's a con man. ... Once again, we're reminded today that Donald Trump doesn't care about America, he cares about himself, he cares about his money, and he cares about two-fifths of his family." Watch below.

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The top court granted two weeks to the Centre and RBI to file the affidavit and place before it the decisions taken in this regard.

The Supreme Court Thursday extended its interim order that no account is to be declared NPA till further orders after the Centre said an expert panel has been set up to look into the issue of interest being charged by banks on instalments deferred during the moratorium period due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The top court granted two weeks to the Centre and RBI to file the affidavit and place before it the decisions taken in this regard.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah posted the matter for further hearing on September 28 and said that the court expects that the government and RBI actively consider all the issues.

The bench clarified that it was giving one last opportunity and thereafter the matter will not be adjourned.

The top court was hearing a batch of pleas which have raised the issue of interest being charged on instalments which were deferred during the moratorium period due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre said that the government at the highest level is considering all issues raised in the batch of petitions and within two weeks, appropriate decision will be taken with regard to the problems faced by different sectors during the pandemic.

He said that everything has to be considered holistically and the government is considering all the sectors for which an expert panel has been constituted.

The bench told Mehta that concrete decisions should be taken with clarity so that the matter does not get adjourned again.

Mehta said that with regard to concerns expressed by the petitioners in last hearing, two to three rounds of meeting have taken place and issues are being examined.

He sought deferment of the hearing by two weeks saying that considered decisions have to be taken in consultation with all stakeholders including banks which play a vital role in the issues at hand.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for banks' association said that norms and guidelines have to be issued with regard to individual borrowers.

The bench asked who will formulate these norms to which Salve replied that the Ministry of Finance will do as it has been done at the level of RBI.

Mehta said that it is being done at a level higher than the RBI and whatever will be there it would be comprehensive.

Salve pointed out that for the power sector, the states will have to be taken on board as entire loans cannot be put on banks.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for CREDAI said that current restructuring of loans won't provide relief to 95 per cent of borrowers and pointed that downgrading of borrowers is continuing which must be protected.

He sought extension of loan moratorium, stay on downgrading and interest of levy.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dutta, appearing for borrowers said that banks are charging compound interest while now the loans are being restructured which should be done earlier.

Contending that the government should make its stand clear on charging of interest on interest by banks, he said that lakhs of people are in hospitals and many have lost their sources of income.

Senior advocate V Giri, appearing for RBI said that downgrading is being done on an individual basis and as per existing norms.

He sought deferment of hearing by two weeks saying all issues are under active consideration at the highest level.

Salve told the court that now the matter has become adversarial and urged the court to implead banks association in all the petitions on the issue.

The bench said that it was not the question of adversarial as with respect to interest it is yet to take a decision but with regard to charging of interest on interest by banks the court is inclined to pass orders.

Salve pointed that the entire banking structure works on compound interest and that is what is being currently done.

The bench then told Mehta that it was adjourning the matter but everything including the issues raised in the hearing should be considered.

On September 3, in a relief to stressed borrowers who are facing hardship due to impact of COVID-19 pandemic, the top court had said that accounts which were not declared as non-performing assets till August 31 this year, shall not be declared NPA till further orders.

The pleas filed in the apex court have raised issue pertaining to validity of March 27 circular of the RBI which allowed lending institutions to grant moratorium on payment of instalments of term loans falling due between March 1, 2020 and May 31 this year due to the pandemic. Later, the period of moratorium was extended till August 31.

The Centre had recently told the apex court that waiver of interest on deferred EMIs during the moratorium period would be against the basic canons of finance and unfair to those who repaid loans as per schedule.

RBI has however come out with a scheme which provides for extension of moratorium for two years to certain stressed borrowers, the Centre had informed the top court.

Borrowers and various bodies representing different sectors had earlier assailed before the apex court the charging of "penal' interest on deferred EMI payments by banks under the moratorium scheme during the pandemic.
Fastpath Solutions "Our goal is to help Fastpath accelerate its sales and marketing initiatives, while also broadening the companys product offering, extending customer relationships across a wider set of ERP applications and GRC functionality." Raj Parikh, Pamlico Vice President

Pamlico Capital (Pamlico) announced that it has completed a growth investment in Fastpath Solutions, LLC (Fastpath or the Company), a leading provider of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) software solutions. Founder and CEO Andy Snook, along with other management team members, will maintain a significant ownership stake in Fastpath. Further transaction details were not disclosed.

This investment comes while Fastpath is achieving record growth, benefitting from increasing demand for cloud-based software that automates compliance activities. The Companys flagship product, Assure, is a cloud-based platform enabling corporate compliance, finance, and IT departments to monitor and audit user access. The SaaS (Software as a Service) platform offers real-time, cross-platform visibility across major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software applications. Founded in Des Moines, Iowa in 2004, Fastpath has expanded its GRC platform and now serves over 1,000 customers in more than 30 countries.

Fastpath is well positioned for future growth, as automated solutions are replacing manual compliance activities, and our existing customer relationships expand as clients seek additional GRC capabilities, said Andy Snook, Founder and CEO. Our team is proud of our success to date and is thrilled to bring in Pamlico as our first institutional equity partner. We look forward to their help with scaling our team and expanding our go-to-market initiatives.

We are incredibly excited to partner with Andy and Fastpath management, said Eric Wilkins, Pamlico Partner. We were impressed by their unique culture. Their team has a real passion for helping clients solve their toughest compliance and security challenges, as evidenced by the companys fantastic customer satisfaction ratings. Raj Parikh, Pamlico Vice President, added, Our goal is to help Fastpath accelerate its sales and marketing initiatives, while also broadening the companys product offering, extending customer relationships across a wider set of ERP applications and GRC functionality.

Fastpath was advised by Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C (legal advisor). Pamlico Capital was advised by Alston & Bird LLP (legal advisor).

About Fastpath:

Founded in 2004 in Des Moines, Iowa, Fastpath provides an award-winning security access, monitoring and compliance platform. Fastpaths core product offering, Assure, is a SaaS software suite of tools that can integrate with multiple ERP systems, enabling corporate finance and risk managers to automatically monitor IT systems for security and compliance events. The Company supports over 1,000 customers around the world. For more information, visit visit http://www.gofastpath.com.

About Pamlico:

Pamlico Capital is a private equity firm founded in 1988 that invests in lower middle market companies in the U.S. Pamlico Capital seeks control-oriented growth equity investments alongside proven management teams in its target industries: business & technology services, communications, and healthcare. Since inception, the firm, based in Charlotte, NC, has invested over $3 billion. For more information, visit http://www.pamlicocapital.com.
Junior doctors are so overworked and exhausted they fear making a mistake that could harm their patients or themselves, with the trainee medicos delivering a withering assessment of some of Sydney's biggest hospitals for failing to protect them from bullying and discrimination.

The latest Hospital Health Check survey of NSW doctors-in-training raises serious concerns for the welfare of both the junior clinicians and the people they treat.

Worrying findings: AMA NSW council members Sanjay Hettige, Yvonne Nyugen and James Lawler. Credit:James Brickwood

When it comes to intimidation, patients are the most likely aggressors  a troubling dynamic that has only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, doctor-in-training leaders say.

Roughly 30 per cent of trainee doctors felt unsafe at work due to verbal or physical intimidation, according to the survey of 1332 junior doctors in NSW compiled by the Australian Medical Association NSWs Doctors in Training Committee.
PFS (a company of EML) is delighted to partner with The Government of Jersey to enable its unique spend local prepaid Mastercard initiative with 105,000 cards. It forms part of the government's overall 150 million fiscal stimulus package to help alleviate the economic hardship caused by the pandemic.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005423/en/

PFS' FinTech World First for The Government of Jersey. (Graphic: Business Wire)

From today onwards, all eligible citizens in Jersey will be posted their own 100 PFS-powered Spend Local Card that they can use in businesses across the island until midnight on October 31st, 2020. After that date, cardholders are being advised to retain their prepaid card in the event that there could be another stimulus package announced in the future. The PFS solution turned around in just 4 weeks is designed to work with any government in Europe.

''This scheme will give Islanders a positive way to support local businesses that have worked hard to adapt to the impact of COVID-19 and look after their customers in a safe way. The pandemic caused businesses across all sectors in Jersey to suffer. And while the Government has provided support through a range of measures, this scheme allows Islanders the opportunity to go out and treat themselves by supporting local Island businesses,' stated Senator John Le Fondre, Chief Minister of Jersey.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has had a real impact on businesses, and Governments around the world are looking for ways to stimulate their economies. This innovative solution offers a real alternative to stimulus packages delivered through local tax or benefits systems, giving greater precision for the spending of the funds. Authorities can target where, when and exactly how much can be spent, and as in the case of the Government of Jersey, focus all of the benefit on the Island's community," commented Kelly Devine, President, Mastercard UK Ireland.

''We've enjoyed bringing a fresh thinking FinTech solution to life for families in the beautiful Island of Jersey. The government's Island-centric, spend local aspirations aligned perfectly with our payment solutions suite. We look forward to working closely with the Jersey Government to ensure a successful Spend Local Cards programme and possible future financial technology collaborations,'' said Lee Britton, CCO at PFS (a company of EML).

The Government of Jersey has embarked on an island-wide awareness campaign on how to use the cards and where the funds can be spent. People who cannot leave their home during the pandemic can use the funds with local businesses that accept Mastercard payments over the phone. See: www.Gov.je/SpendLocal

About PFS (a company of EML) (ASX: EML)

PFS, an agile FinTech, is a Payment Provider of Choice delivering robust payment technology solutions and offers world-class innovation in electronic money. A pioneer in the evolution of the FinTech ecosystem, PFS' award-winning solutions include eWallets, physical and virtual prepaid cards, IBAN accounts and prepaid consumer and business current accounts in the UK and Eurozone.

PFS is one of Europe's largest eMoney issuers and has returned profits for 12 consecutive years. With programmes active in 28 countries and growing, the company has the ability to transact in 25 currencies. PFS' products and state-of-the-art technology platforms are trusted by Governments, Local Authorities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Traditional Banks and a comprehensive list of Corporates.

PFS is chosen by other FinTechs to revolutionise the digital economy in real-time. The company develops a range of trendsetting mobile payment and wearable solutions securely and seamlessly by providing quick and easy integrations into mobile payment applications.

Discover more about PFS' next-generation payment solutions by connecting with Sales@PrepaidFinancialServices.com

Explore the future of prepaid financial solutions today, as the world moves towards a cashless society tomorrow, by visiting:

https://prepaidfinancialservices.com

https://www.emlpayments.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005423/en/

Contacts:

Press contact

Marie O'Riordan MPRCA MAM

Head of PR

PFS (a company of EML)

Email Marie.ORiordan@PrepaidFinancialServices.com

Tel +353 46 94 2010 9
France hosts Med leaders for summit on Turkey tensions Greece staged a military exercise in the eastern Mediterranean in August

French President Emmanuel Macron will gather leaders from Mediterranean states for a summit Thursday set to be dominated by growing tensions between Turkey and EU states in the east of the sea.

The EuroMed 7 is an informal group of EU Mediterranean states, sometimes dubbed "Club Med", that held its first summit in 2016, though Turkey is not a member.

France has strongly backed Greece and Cyprus in a growing standoff with Turkey over hydrocarbon resources and naval influence in the eastern Mediterranean that has sparked fears of more severe conflict.

The summit of leaders from France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus will open around 1500 GMT at Porticcio, a coastal resort on the French island of Corsica.

Speaking with journalists in Ajaccio late Wednesday, Macron said the Mediterranean should be "a region of circulation of cultures and knowledge, and not, as is too often the case, a region of geopolitical, energy or religious conflicts."

A French presidential official said Macron would seek to "make progress in the consensus on the relationship of the EU with Turkey above all ahead of the 24-25 September EU summit."

Reaffirming Macron's policy towards Turkey, the official said that France wants a "clarification" in relations with Ankara which should be an "important" partner.

- 'Same desire' -

Turkey has sought to join the EU for over half a century, though analysts say the growing rift President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the bloc's leaders has made the prospect increasingly unlikely.

Ankara's hunt for gas and oil reserves in waters claimed by Greece, the latest conflict between Turkey and a fellow NATO member, has further strained relations.

Turkey last month deployed an exploration vessel backed by military frigates in waters between Greece and Cyprus, prompting Athens to respond with naval exercises as a warning.

Some member states will be pressing for sanctions against Turkey at the EU summit, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian saying at the weekend such measures were on the table.

Story continues

"If Turkey refuses to listen to reason before then, I don't see any choice for my European colleagues except significant sanctions," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was to hold talks with Macron before Thursday's meeting, wrote in French daily Le Monde.

Greek media said the possible sale by France of Rafale fighter jets could be on the table, in a sign of the increasingly strong alliance between Paris and Athens.

But Erdogan, referring to areas claimed by Greece and Cyprus as their exclusive economic zones, has threatened he is ready to "tear up immoral maps and documents".

Another cause of tension between France, as well as its EU allies, and Turkey has been Libya, where Ankara has engaged militarily in support of the UN-recognised Tripoli-based government.

In an interview with AFP last week, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades denounced Turkey's "aggressiveness" which he said masked "an intention to control the whole area".

The EuroMed 7 came into being against the backdrop of the economic crisis in Greece which had caused tensions between southern EU members and their more frugal northern counterparts.

They "share the same desire to stimulate a new dynamic of cooperation" in the region, "in particular on issues of sustainable development and sovereignty", Macron's office said.

jri-sjw/js/bp
Active coronavirus cases have fallen substantially in regional Victoria but opinions remain divided about whether it should open up faster than the state governments flagged timeline.

Premier Daniel Andrews raised the prospect on Thursday that regional Victoria could move further towards opening up as early as next week although he stressed there were no guarantees.

There were no new infections in regional Victoria on Thursday with 72 active cases compared to 82 the day before.

Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged regional Victoria may move towards reopening further at the end of next week. Credit:Wayne Taylor

"As it stands now, and I can't guarantee that this is the case, but if the trend continues  and the numbers are very promising  we'll be able to take a step or steps as early as towards the end of next week," Mr Andrews said.
The special investigation team (SIT) on Thursday told the district and sessions court in Faridkot that the then Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini and suspended inspector general of police (IGP) Paramraj Singh Umaranangal were the main conspirators in the Behbal Kalan firing episode.

Last week, the SIT probing the 2015 police firing incidents had approached the court with a petition seeking pardon for prime accused inspector Pardeep Singh, the then reader to former Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Charanjit Singh Sharma, as he wanted to turn an approver in the case. On Wednesday, the district and sessions judge Sumeet Malhotra directed SIT member inspector general of police Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh to appear in the court as his presence was required to a decision on the plea.

The court adjourned the matter to September 15 for order. The court allowed the SITs plea seeking a copy of the statement recorded by inspector Pradeep to the court. The 18-page sealed statement of Pardeep was opened in the court and a copy was supplied to SIT.

Resham Singh, one of the prime witnesses and brother of firing victim Krishan Bhagwan Singh, had approached the court claiming enough evidence on record that the application of Pardeep Singh and SIT should not be accepted.

During the arguments, Reshams counsel said Pardeep should not be pardoned as he is the prime accused in the case.

When the court asked as who were the prime accused in the Behbal Kalan firing case, the IG said the then DGP Saini and now suspended IG Umaranangal (then Ludhiana police commissioner) were the main conspirators in the episode. Umaranangal was specially deputed in the district in the wake of the protests. He further said besides Pardeeps statement, the investigation team has sufficient independent evidence against them to prove its claim.

The SIT told the court that it will soon file a supplementary chargesheet in the case.

Gurjeet Singh of Sarawan village and Krishan Bhagwan Singh of Niamiwala village had died in the police firing on October 14, 2015, while protesting against the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib. Besides, many were seriously injured.
Charles Drury Sr., a founder of the Des Peres-based Drury Hotels chain, died Monday (Sept. 7, 2020) at his home in Creve Coeur. He was 92.

Mr. Drury was born in 1927 in St. Louis and his family later moved to a farm near Kelso, in the Missouri Bootheel. He was one of nine children.

After graduating from high school, the 18-year-old Mr. Drury was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps in late 1945. He handled administration duties for the 574th Air Materiel Squadron in Guam, the company said Wednesday.

When he was discharged in 1947, his father and oldest brother Tom met him at 6 a.m. at the train station in Cape Girardeau with his plastering clothes in the truck  his family ran a construction company  and Mr. Drury didnt see his mother and the rest of the family until after finishing work that evening.

The family business built everything from service stations to churches to, eventually, hotels, according to the company.

After speaking with a Holiday Inn manager on a job, Mr. Drury developed a plan and feasibility study to build and launch the familys first hotel. In 1961, Mr. Drury and his brothers James, Jerome, Tom and Robert opened their own Holiday Inn in Cape Girardeau.

When the Drurys realized that the money they took in from selling hotel rooms quickly was lost in hotel food and beverage sales, they created a rooms-only concept and opened their first Drury Inn in 1973 in Sikeston, the company said. In 1985, Mr. Drury founded Drury Development Corp. to buy real estate and build hotels.

Since then, Drury Hotels has grown to more than 150 hotels in 27 states, including 20 in the St. Louis area. Almost a dozen were historic renovations, including three in St. Louis  the Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch, the Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Convention Center and Drury Inn St. Louis Union Station.

Drury Hotels, which also owns Pear Tree Inns, now is led by Mr. Drurys son, Chuck Drury, who is its president and chief executive officer. Drury Hotels remains entirely owned by the Drury family.

Mr. Drury was chairman and chief executive officer of Drury Development at the time of his death.

Gov. Mike Parson on Twitter said Mr. Drury was a man of God and always noted that his faith and family shaped his success in business decisions and called him a champion for Missouri who will be missed by many.

Mr. Drury, whose cause of death was not disclosed, is survived by his wife, Shirley Drury, as well as seven children and many grandchildren. He was a devout Catholic and philanthropist. A private family visitation will be held, and a funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Old Cathedral in downtown St. Louis with burial at St. Augustine Church Cemetery in Kelso.

He knew the values and life lessons learned on the family farm in Kelso almost 100 years ago remain true today: give everyone a square deal, tell the truth, pray, work hard and give until it hurts, the company said. His kindness, creativity, passion and generosity will be greatly missed by many.

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(CNN) -- President Donald Trump admitted he knew weeks before the first confirmed US coronavirus death that the virus was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and "more deadly than even your strenuous flus," and that he repeatedly played it down publicly, according to legendary journalist Bob Woodward in his new book "Rage."

"This is deadly stuff," Trump told Woodward on February 7.

In a series of interviews with Woodward, Trump revealed that he had a surprising level of detail about the threat of the virus earlier than previously known. "Pretty amazing," Trump told Woodward, adding that the coronavirus was maybe five times "more deadly" than the flu.

Trump's admissions are in stark contrast to his frequent public comments at the time insisting that the virus was "going to disappear" and "all work out fine."

The book, using Trump's own words, depicts a President who has betrayed the public trust and the most fundamental responsibilities of his office. In "Rage," Trump says the job of a president is "to keep our country safe." But in early February, Trump told Woodward he knew how deadly the virus was, and in March, admitted he kept that knowledge hidden from the public.

"I wanted to always play it down," Trump told Woodward on March 19, even as he had declared a national emergency over the virus days earlier. "I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."

If instead of playing down what he knew, Trump had acted decisively in early February with a strict shutdown and a consistent message to wear masks, social distance and wash hands, experts believe that thousands of American lives could have been saved.

The startling revelations in "Rage," which CNN obtained ahead of its September 15 release, were made during 18 wide-ranging interviews Trump gave Woodward from December 5, 2019 to July 21, 2020. The interviews were recorded by Woodward with Trump's permission, and CNN has obtained copies of some of the audio tapes.

"Rage" also includes brutal assessments of Trump's presidency from many of his former top national security officials, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Mattis is quoted as calling Trump "dangerous" and "unfit" to be commander in chief. Woodward writes that Coats "continued to harbor the secret belief, one that had grown rather than lessened, although unsupported by intelligence proof, that Putin had something on Trump." Woodward continues, writing that Coats felt, "How else to explain the president's behavior? Coats could see no other explanation."

The book also contains harsh evaluations of the President's leadership on the virus from current officials.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the administration's top infectious disease expert, is quoted telling others Trump's leadership was "rudderless" and that his "attention span is like a minus number."

"His sole purpose is to get reelected," Fauci told an associate, according to Woodward.

Fauci responded to the quotes in a Fox News interview on Wednesday, saying he would question the account.

"If you notice, others have said that. You know, you should ask others. I don't recall that at all," Fauci said, adding that he "didn't get any sense" Trump was distorting things.

Trump responded to the Woodward book at a White House event Wednesday afternoon, defending his response to the pandemic and confirming he did not want to create a panic.

"Well, I think if you said in order to reduce panic, perhaps that's so," Trump said. "The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic, as you say, and certainly I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength."

'The virus has nothing to do with me'

Woodward reveals new details on the early warnings Trump received -- and often ignored.

In a January 28 top secret intelligence briefing, national security adviser Robert O'Brien gave Trump a "jarring" warning about the virus, telling the President it would be the "biggest national security threat" of his presidency. Trump's head "popped up," Woodward writes.

O'Brien's deputy, Matt Pottinger, concurred, telling Trump it could be as bad as the influenza pandemic of 1918, which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, including 675,000 Americans. Pottinger warned Trump that asymptomatic spread was occurring in China: He had been told 50% of those infected showed no symptoms.

At that time, there were fewer than a dozen reported coronavirus cases in the US.

Three days later, Trump announced restrictions on travel from China, a move suggested by his national security team -- despite Trump's later claims that he alone backed the travel limitations.

Nevertheless, Trump continued to publicly downplay the danger of the virus. February was a lost month. Woodward views this as a damning missed opportunity for Trump to reset "the leadership clock" after he was told this was a "once-in-a-lifetime health emergency."

"Presidents are the executive branch. There was a duty to warn. To listen, to plan, and to take care," Woodward writes. But in the days following the January 28 briefing, Trump used high-profile appearances to minimize the threat and, Woodward writes, "to reassure the public they faced little risk."

During a pre-Super Bowl interview on Fox News February 2, Trump said, "We pretty much shut it down coming in from China." Two days later during his State of the Union address, Trump made only a passing reference to the virus, promising, "my administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat."

Asked by Woodward in May if he remembered O'Brien's January 28 warning that the virus would be the biggest national security threat of his presidency, Trump equivocated. "No, I don't." Trump said. "I'm sure if he said it  you know, I'm sure he said it. Nice guy."

The book highlights how the President took all of the credit and none of the responsibility for his actions related to the pandemic, which has infected 6 million Americans and killed more than 185,000 in the US.

"The virus has nothing to do with me," Trump told Woodward in their final interview in July. "It's not my fault. It's  China let the damn virus out."

'It goes through the air'

When Woodward spoke to Trump on February 7, two days after he was acquitted on impeachment charges by the Senate, Woodward expected a lengthy conversation about the trial. He was surprised, however, by the President's focus on the virus. At the same time that Trump and his public health officials were saying the virus was "low risk," Trump divulged to Woodward that the night before he'd spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the virus. Woodward quotes Trump as saying, "We've got a little bit of an interesting setback with the virus going in China."

"It goes through the air," Trump said. "That's always tougher than the touch. You don't have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus."

But Trump spent most of the next month saying that the virus was "very much under control" and that cases in the US would "disappear." Trump said on his trip to India on February 25 that it was "a problem that's going to go away," and the next day he predicted the number of US cases "within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero."

By March 19, when Trump told Woodward he was purposely downplaying the dangers to avoid creating a panic, he also acknowledged the threat to young people. "Just today and yesterday, some startling facts came out. It's not just old, older. Young people too, plenty of young people," Trump said.

Publicly, however, Trump has continued to insist just the opposite, saying as recently as August 5 that children were "almost immune."

Even into April, when the US became the country with the most confirmed cases in the world, Trump's public statements contradicted his acknowledgements to Woodward. At an April 3 coronavirus task force briefing, Trump was still downplaying the virus and stating that it would go away. "I said it's going away and it is going away," he said. Yet two days later on April 5, Trump again told Woodward, "It's a horrible thing. It's unbelievable," and on April 13, he said, "It's so easily transmissible, you wouldn't even believe it."

'Dangerous' and 'unfit'

Woodward, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, conducted hundreds of hours of confidential background interviews with firsthand witnesses for "Rage," and he obtained "notes, emails, diaries, calendars and confidential documents," including more than two dozen letters Trump exchanged with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Woodward is known to record his interviews with the permission of his subjects and sources.

He writes that when he attributes exact quotations, thoughts or conclusions, that information comes either from the person, a colleague with direct knowledge or documents.

Trump's conscious downplaying of the coronavirus is one of numerous revelations in "Rage." The book is filled with anecdotes about top cabinet officials blindsided by tweets, frustrated with Trump's inability to focus and scared about his next policy directive because he refused to accept facts or listen to experts:

-- Mattis is quoted as saying Trump is "dangerous," "unfit," has "no moral compass" and took foreign policy actions that showed adversaries "how to destroy America." After Mattis left the administration, he and Coats discussed whether they needed to take "collective action" to speak out publicly against Trump. Mattis says he ultimately resigned after Trump announced he was withdrawing US troops from Syria, "when I was basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid."

-- Woodward writes that Coats and his top staff members "examined the intelligence as carefully as possible," and that Coats still questions the relationship between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Coats saw how extraordinary it was for the president's top intelligence official to harbor such deep suspicions about the president's relationship with Putin. But he could not shake them."

-- Trump has come under fire in recent days for reportedly making disparaging remarks about US military personnel and veterans. Woodward's book includes an anecdote where an aide to Mattis heard Trump say in a meeting, "my f---ing generals are a bunch of pussies" because they cared more about alliances than trade deals. Mattis asked the aide to document the comment in an email to him. And Trump himself criticized military officials to Woodward over their view that alliances with NATO and South Korea are the best bargain the US makes. "I wouldn't say they were stupid, because I would never say that about our military people," Trump said. "But if they said that, they -- whoever said that was stupid. It's a horrible bargain ... they make so much money. Costs us $10 billion. We're suckers."

-- Woodward reports that Trump's national security team expressed concerns the US may have come close to nuclear war with North Korea amid provocations in 2017. "We never knew whether it was real," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is quoted as saying, "or whether it was a bluff." But it was so serious that Mattis slept in his clothes to be ready in case there was a North Korean launch and repeatedly went to the Washington National Cathedral to pray.

-- Trump boasted to Woodward about a new secret weapons system. "I have built a nuclear  a weapons system that nobody's ever had in this country before," Trump said. Woodward says other sources confirmed the information, without providing further details, but expressed surprise that Trump disclosed it.

-- Woodward obtained the 27 "love letters" Trump exchanged with Kim Jong Un, 25 of which have not been reported publicly. The letters, filled with flowery language, provide a fascinating window into their relationship. Kim flatters Trump by repeatedly calling him "Your Excellency," and writes in one letter that meeting again would be "reminiscent of a scene from a fantasy film." In another, Kim writes that the "deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force." CNN has obtained the transcripts of two of the letters.

-- Trump's son-in-law and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner also weighs in with some unusual literary insights about his father-in-law. Kushner is quoted as saying that four texts are key to understanding Trump, including "Alice in Wonderland." Kushner paraphrased the Cheshire Cat: "If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there."

-- Woodward pressed Trump on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's role in the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Once again, Trump dismissed the US intelligence assessment and defends bin Salman: "He says very strongly that he didn't do it."

-- Trump insulted his predecessors, saying Woodward made former President George W. Bush "look like a stupid moron, which he was." Trump said of former President Barack Obama: "I don't think Obama's smart ... I think he's highly overrated. And I don't think he's a great speaker." He also tells Woodward that Kim Jong Un thought Obama was an "asshole."

-- Woodward discussed the Black Lives Matter protests and suggested to the President that people like the two of them -- "White, privileged" -- need to work to understand the anger and pain that Black people feel in the US. "You really drank the Kool-Aid, didn't you? Just listen to you," Trump responded, repeating his outrageous talking point that he's done more for the Black community than any president besides Abraham Lincoln.

-- Woodward reports new details on Russia's election meddling, writing that the NSA and CIA have classified evidence the Russians had placed malware in the election registration systems of at least two Florida counties, St. Lucie and Washington. While there was no evidence the malware had been activated, Woodward writes, it was sophisticated and could erase voters in specific districts. The voting system vendor used by Florida was also used in states across the country.

'Dynamite behind the door'

"Rage" is a follow-up to Woodward's 2018 bestselling book "Fear," which portrayed a chaotic White House in which aides hid papers from Trump to protect the country from what they viewed as his most dangerous impulses.

While Trump slammed "Fear," he also complained that he didn't speak to Woodward for the book, which resulted in his agreeing to extensive interviews for "Rage."

However, on August 14, Trump preemptively attacked Woodward's new book, tweeting, "The Bob Woodward book will be a FAKE, as always, just as many of the others have been."

Throughout the book, Trump provides insights into his view of the presidency. He tells Woodward when you're running the country, "There's dynamite behind every door."

After his 18 interviews, Woodward issues a stark verdict: Trump is the "dynamite behind the door." Woodward concludes his book with a declaration that "Trump is the wrong man for the job."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "'Play it down': Trump admits to concealing the true threat of coronavirus in new Woodward book"
The central focus is on the symbiotic and sometimes tortured relationship between Norman, the dresser played by Tom Courtenay, and Sir, the lordly actor played by Albert Finney. Norman helps Sir with his costumes and his lines, bathes his aching legs and appeals to the fading stars vanity and honor to bolster his confidence. Mounting a production of King Lear, shabby costumes and all, thus becomes nothing less than a courageous act of heroism, a proud symbol of the unconquerable English spirit.
Supporters of President Donald Trump scream and cheer without protective masks as the president enters his first re-election campaign rally in several months in the midst of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, June 20, 2020.

Hackers working for Russia, China and Iran have recently escalated their attacks around the U.S. presidential race as Election Day looms, Microsoft says.

Microsoft's vice president of customer security and trust, Tom Burt, wrote in a blog post published Thursday that the company's cybersecurity experts had recently seen an uptick in hackers targeting campaigns.

"In recent weeks, Microsoft has detected cyberattacks targeting people and organizations involved in the upcoming Presidential election," Burt wrote.

As the company behind the Windows operating system and Office program suite, Microsoft has broad insight into the infrastructure that hackers use to launch attacks.

The announcement comes as the presidential campaigns are now pushing into the final two months of the race  one that has national security officials as well as private companies on edge after Russia's election manipulation efforts of 2016.

While hackers from all three countries have been spotted targeting people tied to Biden and Trump's campaigns, Russia's GRU, its military intelligence agency, remains the biggest threat, said John Hultquist, the director of intelligence analysis at Mandiant.

"We remain most concerned by Russian military intelligence, who we believe poses the greatest threat to the democratic process," Hultquist said in a text message.

"The GRU has carried out many of the most brash and aggressive cyberoperations to ever come to light," Hultquist said, like the hack-and-leak operations of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and French President Emmanual Macron's 2017 campaign.

Russia had targeted over 200 organizations, many of which were in some way affiliated with the U.S. election or European policy, including consultants to both major U.S. parties and think tanks, Burt said.

One recent target was SKDKnickerbocker, a Washington law consulting firm working with the Biden campaign. Reuters reported Thursday that Microsoft recently warned the firm that Russian intelligence has been sending phishing emails to the firm, which often seek to steal login information that can provide access to private documents or systems. Microsoft declined to comment on that issue, and SKDKnickerbocker didn't respond to request for comment.

While Microsoft found no direct indication that Chinese hackers are seeking more than information on the campaigns, it has "indirectly and unsuccessfully targeted the Joe Biden for President campaign through non-campaign email accounts belonging to people affiliated with the campaign," Burt wrote.

Jamal Brown, Biden's press secretary, noted in an email that Microsoft said the attempts were unsuccessful.

"We have known from the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks and we are prepared for them," he said.

Separately, Burt wrote that Iran had "unsuccessfully attempted to log into the accounts of Administration officials and Donald J. Trump for President campaign staff" in May and June.

Thea McDonald, deputy national press secretary for the Trump campaign, said in an email that it was "not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign."

"We work closely with our partners, Microsoft and others, to mitigate these threats. We take cybersecurity very seriously and do not publicly comment on our efforts," she said.

As only Russia has routinely hacked campaigns to leak material, rather than simply gathering intelligence, Iran targeting Trump and China targeting Biden doesn't necessarily indicate a desire to see those candidates lose.

In a public statement in August, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced that those countries' influence operations did each indicate a preference: China and Iran primarily denigrated Trump, and Russia sought to hurt Biden.

Christopher Krebs, the director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said that Burt's announcement was a reminder for the U.S. to stay vigilant.

"The announcement is consistent with earlier statements by the Intelligence Community on a range of malicious cyber activities targeting the 2020 campaign and reinforces that this is an all-of-nation effort to defend democracy," Krebs said in a statement. "Everyone involved in the political process should stay alert against these sorts of attacks."
Pakistan is the main force nurturing the drive to create a so-called Khalistan or independent homeland for Sikhs and the extremists backed by Islamabad pose serious threats to India and Canada, according to a report by a leading Canadian think tank.

The report KhalistanA project of Pakistan from Macdonald-Laurier Institute notes that Pakistan is really driving the Khalistan bus at a time when the Khalistan movement has been going nowhere in the Sikhs home state of Punjab.

Also Read: Govt attaches properties of US-based Sikhs for Justice leader and designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, first under amended UAPA

The report authored by veteran journalist Terry Milewski, who has tracked pro-Khalistan groups in Canada for decadessays Pakistans support for pro-Khalistan group entails leveraging extremists based in Canada, including supporters with ties to terrorism, because of the lack of traction in Punjab.

Though the Canadian government has already said it wont recognise a so-called referendum on Khalistan scheduled for November by groups such as Sikhs For Justice, which was banned by India in 2019, the report warned the move provides oxygen that fuels extremist ideologies, radicalises young Canadians, wreaks havoc on reconciliation, and usurps legislatures, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute said.

In their foreword to the report, former Canadian cabinet minister Ujjal Dossanjh and Shuvaloy Majumdar, a programme director at the think tank, said: The Milewski report should be essential reading for any who wish to understand Pakistans influence in guiding the Khalistan proposition, its perversion of the Sikh faith, and its ongoing campaign of extremism and terrorism in two of the worlds important democracies.

Also Read: Pro-Khalistan group alleges India disrupted secessionist referendum, Canada rejects theory

The Justin Trudeau governments perceived softness towards pro-Khalistan groups in its first stint during 2015-19 was one of the key reasons for a downturn in India-Canada relations. The Liberal Party government in Canada cited freedom of expression as a major reason for allowing the activities of pro-Khalistan groups but this found few takers in New Delhi.

The 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada originally cited Sikh (Khalistani) extremist ideologies and movements among the top five national security issues for the country, but this was later replaced in a revised version of the report by extremists who support violent means to establish an independent state within India following pressure from an international lobby campaign that advocates for an independent Khalistan, the report said.

The proposition of an independent Khalistan, in truth, is a backward idea from a backward time. It is a proposal without economic or democratic logic, unloved by the very Punjabis whose lives it would most directly affect. It is a fantasy rooted in religious bigotry and chauvinism, kept alive in Canada by thugs and political hustlers unbothered by the innocent lives that have been lost in its name, Dossanjh and Majumdar said in their foreword.

It is a proposal hostile to Canadas interest in seeing a united and prosperous India, and in that sense, threatens not just one country, but two. In the service of this cause, extremists animated by Pakistan seek to distort history and betray the vast majority of Sikhs who live in peace and freedom, they added.

Besides tracing the long-standing links between pro-Khalistan terror groups and Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and the way in which Khalistani terrorists were sheltered in Pakistan in the 1990s, the report notes the Canadian security establishments failure to prevent the bombing of Air India flight 182, which killed 329 people, a majority of them Canadian citizens.

No matter how low the support for Khalistan sinks in Indiaand it has sunk very low indeedthe cause still survives in Pakistan, where jihadist groups have made common cause with Sikh separatists against their shared enemy, India, the report said.

An example is the leading Khalistani figure in Pakistan, Gopal Singh Chawla, who makes no bones about his friendly alliance with the Pakistani jihadist Hafiz Saeed, leader of the feared Lashkar-e-Taiba, it added.

A Canadian citizen, Satinderpal Singh Gill from Surrey, BC, lived for years in Pakistan as a senior official of the International Sikh Youth Federation, which has been banned as a terrorist organisation in India, Canada, the UK and the US, but not by Pakistan, the report noted.

The report also highlighted the dichotomy between the harassment of the Sikh minority in Pakistan and the unstinted support offered by pro-Khalistan leaders such as Sikhs For Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, one of the main movers behind the 2020 referendum.

Though Panun claims to lead a movement for human rights, he sided with China in its border dispute with India and wrote to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, swearing that, if India ever attacked Pakistan, the Pro-Khalistan Sikhs will extend full support to Pakistan.

The report also questioned the maps of the proposed Khalistan, noting that they dont depict even one inch [of] traditional Sikh lands in Pakistannot to Lahore, where Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled over a Sikh empire two hundred years ago, or even to Nankana Sahib, sacred birthplace of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru.

It appears, then, that Pakistan wants the Sikhs to be free, but not in Pakistan. The separatists, in turn, clearly know where their patron sets the limits. Even drawing a map which presumes upon Pakistans generosity is a step too farone that could sever the lifeline which has sustained the dream of Khalistan for so long, it said.

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Fox News had an interview posted on Labor Day with conservative filmmaker and commentator Dinesh DSouza. DSouza has a new film, Trump Card, which will be digitally released on October 9.

The articles headline was Dinesh DSouza says recent riots and political unrest could lead to rise of citizen militias around the country. Anyone with a shred of common sense isnt surprised.

When Democrats neuter police, refuse to impose strict curfews, and refuse to call up the National Guard, lawlessness, involving violence, ensues. Why should looters and rioters stand down when they routinely confront police whose hands are tied? Why wouldnt emboldened mobs take their violence and destruction out of Democrat cities?

Marauders and thugs invading the burbs have happened erratically, to date. But suburbanites best not think their communities immune. City riots are leftist arson. Once sparked, they can spread like wildfires. Mobs still have plenty to do torching Portland and other blue cities. But as forest fires crown and spread rapidly, so, too, may mob action if not halted.

Imagine firefighters being ordered to stand down when fires are raging. What alternative do citizens have then? Step into the breach or else. If leftist mobs move out to menace suburbs, why wouldnt we expect citizens to band together to form militias, neighborhood by neighborhood, if only?

Its not a bridge too far to expect sober citizens to exercise their ancient right to self-defense when governments cannot or will not meet their responsibilities to protect and defend. Government exists principally for that purpose. When governments fail to do so their legitimacy melts away. But that fact is too elemental, too grounded in the realities that govern human affairs. The upside-down morality that infects the Ted Wheelers and Jenny Durkans is a perversity, which has been rarely encountered so brazenly in America. It informs Democrat policies and governance. Right is wrong, wrong, right.

As things now stand, citizens banding together for their safety isnt a bridge too far. It isnt what anyone wants but may be. On the other hand, the differences between left and right are dramatic and growing.

DSouza poses a critical question, one that patriots need to mull. He asks, The real question is, how do we coexist with each other. That's the real question of the future."

Thats actually the question today. Lets backfill. From Nick Gavis, who reported on DSouza for Fox News:

When asked how the divisiveness today compares to the mood during the American Civil War, he [D'Souza] expressed optimism about the U.S. finding a way to unite again. [snip]

"The circumstances are very different from 150 years ago. In no way is civil conflict inevitable," D'Souza said. "There are many other solutions. There are different ways in which groups that are very different can coexist, but all these ways are going to be tested. The left is looking to create a coalition of minority victims that equals 51 percent so they can loot and oppress the other 49 percent. Our model is, one way or the other stop them from doing that... We will be essentially undoing 200 years of development of Western civilization.

DSouza is right, in that civil war isnt inevitable. We have free will and make choices. There were alternatives to the Civil War.

The War Between the States would look tame compared to the carnage and destruction that would occur in Version 2. Only fools are eager for conflict.

While there are clear distinctions between the 1850s (which were the runup to war) and now, theres a striking similarity: the gulf between Americans -- between patriots and leftists -- appears as unbridgeable as the chasm between the industrializing, generally anti-slavery North and the agrarian, slave-dependent South. Perhaps the breach is greater. Heres why: despite profound differences over slavery and states rights, Northerners and Southerners shared similar values and beliefs. Both having dinner table conversation would find much in common personally.

As Lincoln said of citizens, North and South, in his Second Inaugural Address: Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God[.] Not so today. The left is increasingly godless and is hostile toward faith, while traditional America hews to faith. There are other major differences. Growing divides over abortion, free speech, gun rights, gender, family (the left deconstructs family), traditional morality, crime and criminals, capitalism, the meaning of America, and so on.

Another distinction is that the South aimed to secede -- when it couldnt prevail politically in slaverys extension. The left today wishes a revolution, in which America as conceived, and the Constitution that undergirds our experiment in liberty, are effectively scrapped. The South, in part, at least, rationalized its rebellion as striving to be truer to founding principles and the Constitution. For the left, both are anathema, the products of privileged white men, among whom were slaveholders. The 1619 Project boldly and fraudulently asserts that America was founded for slavery.

Lastly, this from the DSouza article, which makes us wonder how patriots and leftists are to find an accommodation:

"This is why the Democrat party relies on force," he continued. "Ultimately, they can only win if they can force us to live their way. Now, I don't think we're going to. We are no more going to submit to them and change our ways then perhaps they are going to submit to us. This raises the deeper question of how do we find a way going forward... We don't want the America they want and they don't want the America we want. [snip]

So, how might we coexist as a people?

Consider a full restoration of federalism, involving significant devolution of powers and authority from the national to state governments. That would allow states and localities to enjoy greater variation in policies and governance. Trouble is, why would Democrats and the left agree to a new, robust federalism?

The movement on the left since the Progressive Era has been toward concentrating power in central authority, in Washington, D.C., with top-down control of the nation. Why would the left, given its lust for power, abandon so basic an aim? Then, too, all Americans enjoy rights under the Constitution. If California wished to create something like a Peoples Republic of, it would violate citizens constitutional rights, even if only a minority objected.

How about something approximate to the Articles of Confederation, wherein states are loosely joined? But, then, where states are loosely joined, they can be more easily disunited. How long before the nation dissolved, giving way to competing -- if not hostile -- nations where the United States once was?

Perhaps coexistence as one people is unachievable. Maybe the best we can hope for is an amicable divorce, though that seems unlikely. How would factions resolve differences over turf, resources, infrastructure, assets, and debts without conflict?

Said Winston Churchill: "I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest."

For the left, with its relentless march for power and dominance, we wonder what interest would compel it to honestly seek resolution with an American majority that supports the existing framework of law, government, and liberty?

We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth, said Lincoln. We wonder: What shall be the fate of our United States?

J. Robert Smith can be found on Twitter @JRobertSmith1 and Parler @JRobertSmith. He also blogs at Flyover.
Gardai have arrested a man in relation to a burglary at a business in Cork city this early morning.

Shortly before 4.30am Gardai received a report of a possible break-in at a pharmacy on Cork's Oliver Plunkett Street.
By Trend

The development of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran in various areas in recent years is based on mutual agreement and understanding, Iranian political scientist Tavakkol Lotfi told Trend.

The political scientist emphasized that Azerbaijan-Iran relations have been developing at an increasing pace in recent years. Because, these two countries have deep historical, cultural, geographical, economic and other partnerships.

"We can hope that the existing relations between Azerbaijan and Iran will develop stronger," he said.

According to the political scientist, the mutual understanding reflects the political and economic importance of both countries for each other.

After the US imposed sanctions on Iran, it shifted Iran's economic position to neighboring countries. Thus, further strengthening relations with countries that have proved their friendship has become a priority of Iran's foreign policy," he said.

Lotfi noted that as relations between the two countries develop, military and security cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan can reach a high level.

The political scientist stressed that Iran continues to support Azerbaijan's fair position in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

At the same time, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey should attach importance to cooperation and expand ties in various fields, he added.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / International Montoro Resources Inc. (TSXV:IMT)(Frankfurt:O4T1), ("Montoro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into an option agreement to acquire the historical Blackfly Gold Property near Atikokan, ON. The Blackfly Gold Property consists of 64 unpatented mining claims totaling 1,296 hectares ("ha") of land.

The Property is located along and within the Marmion Lake Fault Zone, approximately 13.6 kilometers ("km") southwest along strike of Agnico Eagle's Hammond Reef Gold Deposit. The Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources at the Hammond Reef are estimated at 208 million tonnes grading 0.67 grams/tonne gold ("g/t Au") containing 4.5 million ounces of gold. It is believed that the recent resurgence of interest in the Atikokan gold mining camp is attributable to development of the Hammond Reef and Agnico Eagle's recent efforts to stake or acquire mining lands proximal to its multimillion ounce deposit. Agnico Eagle reports that the massive Hammond Reef deposit is contained within a claims' group presently amounting to 32,070 ha.

Assessment file records indicate the original Blackfly gold discovery was made in 1897, making the occurrence one of the earliest found in the Atikokan gold mining camp. The project's 45-foot shaft was sunk in 1898 shortly after gold was discovered. Several companies have added to the database of the Property including: Rebair Gold Mines Ltd. (1945 to 1948), Steeprock Mines Ltd. (1949 and again in 1961), Aavdex Corporation (2004) and TerraX Minerals Inc. (2009 to 2012). Initial work documented by D.K. Burke in 1941 reported two gold vein shoots, a northern and a southern one. The southern shoot averaged 11.9 g/t Au over thickness of 0.33 m along a strike of 21.6 m and the northern shoot averaged 13.44 g/t Au over 0.27 m over 32 m strike length. The most recent reported work on the Property was conducted by Terra-X in 2010 to 2012 which included compilation of much of the historical reports and data, diamond drilling and surface geochemistry.

TerraX stated in its 2012 assessment report on the Blackfly gold property that, "The geology is dominated by a heterogeneous, predominantly felsic, intrusive complex, which varies from fine- to coarse-grained, and typically contains varying amounts of biotite, plagioclase and quartz. This rock was called granite in the field, although technically it is probably a tonalite. Locally, hornblende is present in significant quantities and the amount of quartz is less, so the rock is more of a quartz diorite. These rocks are interpreted to be part of the Marmion Batholith, and are intermixed with north-northeast trending, 0.25 to 100 m wide "bands" of mafic rock. Many of these "bands" are sheared on one or both margins, and it is not clear whether they have been emplaced structurally into the Marmion Batholith or whether they have intruded it (or a combination of the two). The mafic rocks vary from very fine-grained to fine/medium-grained, and from non-magnetic to strongly magnetic. Prospecting/reconnaissance of the property revealed at least four north-northeast trending lineaments with alteration/mineralization Alteration/mineralization occurs in both granitic and mafic rocks, and at the contact between the two. Iron carbonate is the dominant alteration mineral, and can occur by itself or with variable amounts of sericite, chlorite, hematite or silicification. Pyrite may or may not be present-where pyrite is present in significant quantities, gold values tend to be higher. Zones of iron carbonatized rock can vary from 0.5 to 10 m in width. At the Blackfly shaft and for approximately 325 m to the southwest, one or more quartzankeritepyrite veins occur, surrounded by strongly altered material (variably granite or mafic rock). Veins are subvertical to steeply east-dipping and may contain significant amounts of pyrite. Intense development of iron carbonate is common adjacent to the veins.

The lineament containing the Blackfly vein has alteration and mineralization traceable over a 4.4 km strike length on the property, as shown by the distribution of samples collected along it. The best gold values from this lineament occur in the area of historical work, where TerraX's grab samples include results of 167 and 85.6 g/t Au.

Option Terms

To earn 100% interest in the property, International Montoro has agreed to make escalating payments totaling $65,000 in cash and 500,000 International Montoro shares and an additional 500,000 warrants exercisable for 2 years at a price of $0.12. The Company must also spend a cumulative total of $153,600 in exploration on the property within the 4th anniversary of signing the agreement.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Alex Pleson, P. Geo., who is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists on Ontario and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About International Montoro Resources Inc.

Int. Montoro Resources Inc. listed on the TSX Venture Exchange for over 25 years, is a Canadian based emerging resource company. The Company is systematically exploring its extensive property positions in:

Red Lake, Ontario (Camping Lake - Au prospect )

) Elliot Lake, Ontario (Serpent River/Pecors - Ni-Cu-PGE discovery ) & ( Uranium- REE's )

) & ( ) Quebec (Duhamel - Ni-Cu-Co prospect & Titanium, Vanadium, and Chromium prospect )

) Prince George, British Columbia (Wicheeda North - Rare Earth Elements prospect)

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Karim Rayani"

Karim Rayani,

President/CEO

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements which reflect the expectations of management. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: International Montoro Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605536/Int-Montoro-Resources-Options-Historical-Blackfly-Gold-Property-Atikokan-Ontario
Turkish and Greek officials met at NATO for technical talks aimed at preventing further military escalation in the eastern Mediterranean such as a collision between Turkish and Greek warships last month.

Turkish and Greek officials met at NATO headquarters on Thursday for talks aimed at preventing further military escalation in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey's Defence Ministry said, as Greece called for "meaningful" European Union sanctions on Turkey.

Military officials from the two countries, both NATO members, were due to hold talks in Brussels on Tuesday after an initial contact last week, but NATO postponed the talks.

The "military de-confliction" talks, announced by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last week, aim to prevent an escalation from incidents such as a collision between Turkish and Greek warships last month.

The warships had been shadowing a Turkish vessel surveying for oil and gas in disputed Mediterranean waters west of Cyprus, an operation that Greece condemned as illegal. Ankara and Athens both view the area as part of their continental shelf.

Greece says any discussion is contingent on the departure of Turkish vessels from disputed waters, but Turkey says it will not engage in talks under pre-conditions.

The technical talks at NATO will not address underlying territorial disputes, but could discuss establishing a hotline between the two countries' military forces.

"During the meeting where measures to prevent any potential interferences by military elements were discussed, an exchange of ideas was carried out," the ministry said in a statement. It said the next meeting was being planned for the "coming days".

Greek officials did not immediately comment on the talks.

Greece has been calling for EU sanctions on Turkey. On Thursday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the bloc must impose "meaningful" sanctions on Turkey unless it pulls its vessels from the area.He said Turkey and Greece needed dialogue "but not when held at gunpoint".

The dispute in the eastern Mediterranean has also delayed EU sanctions on Belarus, four EU diplomats said, while exacerbating tensions between Turkey and France, which have been at odds over a host of issues.

Addressing the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the EU had no jurisdiction on maritime boundary matters and that Ankara expected the bloc to remain unbiased while evaluating the dispute.

"By acting as an international court, defending one side's claims over the issue, the EU has become a party in the problem unfortunately," Cavusoglu said.

EU leaders will meet on Sept. 24-25 to address the issue.

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FREDERICTONBilingualism in New Brunswick emerged as a top issue as party leaders squared off Thursday evening in their final televised exchange ahead of Mondays provincial election.

The four party leaders who had members in the last legislative session discussed leadership, the economy and health care during the 90-minute virtual roundtable on CTV Atlantic. But the issue of language produced some of the most animated discussion.

The Peoples Alliance continues to list language as one of its top issues and Leader Kris Austin said money could be better spent.

Here we are in a province struggling to recruit nurses, struggling to pay for equipment, struggling to get doctors in here and at the same time were keeping afloat (separate English and French) health authorities in a population the size of 750,000 people, Austin said.

I believe you can have one bilingual health authority where you dont have that competition of resources to save money and reinvest it on the front lines.

Austin could not say how much money he thought could be saved.

Liberal leader Kevin Vickers accused Austin and Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs of sharing the same views on language.

Kris Austin says exactly what Blaine Higgs thinks. What we really need to do here is come together as a province and realize that bilingualism is a strength, Vickers said.

Higgs said Austin does not speak for him and accused the Liberals of using language as a wedge to divide voters in northern and southern New Brunswick.

They thrive by the language divide because it splits our province. We arent split on language issues, were split by a party that wants to try to maintain power at any cost, Higgs said. This division in our province has to stop, and the Liberal party has to stop exploiting it.

When questioned, Higgs said if re-elected he would not end duality in the delivery of health care.

Green leader David Coon acknowledged language issues, namely the inability of Francophones to find nursing homes in the Fredericton area that offer service in their language.

The leaders are back on the campaign trail Friday in the final push to attract voters ahead of Mondays vote.

Earlier Thursday, the Progressive Conservatives released their platform with $11.4 million in new spending promises.

Promising to Recover. Reinvent. Renew, the document repeats last years budget plan to provide a modest spending increase in health care. It continues a push to retain immigrants and it commits to provide updated civics classes and better internet service to schools.

It also details new spending commitments that include $1.4 million annually for nurses to support the transition of seniors out of hospital and into their own homes or nursing homes and $3.5 million annually for improvements in mental health services.

There would be an added $1 million for a school food program and pay increases for early childhood educators that would cost $3.5 million a year. The platform also includes an increase of $2 million annually for policing.

Higgs said during a news conference the modest spending increases will be achieved without tax hikes.

There will be no new tax increases under our government because we have enough money in the system, he said. We just need to get results for what were spending.

Higgs said the plan is designed to help businesses compete in a post-COVID, digital world where e-commerce will be a key for domestic and export growth. He said a Tory government would give priority to New Brunswick businesses in procurement, where possible.

The platform says the minority Tories fulfilled 62 per cent of the partys promises from the 2018 election, noting that prior to COVID-19 there was net debt reduction of $129.3 million.

The document also emphasizes that Statistics Canada is projecting the province will achieve a rapid return to pre-COVID-19 employment levels.

Mondays election is the first in the country since the start of the pandemic.

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Gisele Bundchen And Insight Timer Respond To The Impact Of COVID-19 On Mental Health By Leading Free Guided Meditations And Live Events On Insight Timer In English And Portuguese.

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Insight Timer , the world's largest free meditation app for anxiety, stress and sleep, today launches a bilingual partnership with philanthropist, environmentalist and meditation enthusiast, Gisele Bundchen.

Bundchen has been using Insight Timer for meditation for over 4 years and was inspired by the app's mission-driven, conscious business model to teach on the app, at a time where free meditation has never been more important. A Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations since 2009, Bundchen has long been working to leave the Earth a better place for future generations.

To mark the official launch of the partnership, today Bundchen's first guided meditation, Hope In Times Of Uncertainty, was released on the app in English and Portuguese. Bundchen will continue to add free meditations in both languages each month. The practices will address issues experienced worldwide in response to the pandemic (including higher levels of stress and anxiety, problems with sleep) and will also include a meditation for parents and their children.

Bundchen will use Insight Timer's new in-app live streaming feature to connect in real time with her followers in October to honor Anxiety and Depression Awareness month. During the free live talks, Bundchen will share her story about the impact meditation has had on her life and tips for making it a daily habit. She will host the session in English on October 10, for World Mental Health Day , and on October 19 in Portuguese.

"We are proud to evolve our relationship with Gisele, from an Insight Timer user to a partner who connects meaningfully with our mission and community worldwide," says Christopher Plowman, CEO of Insight Timer. "With her passion for sharing meditation and international following, we are excited to have Gisele align with our brand to bring free meditation to the planet, particularly during these times of heightened stress and anxiety."

Unlike any other app in the health and wellness space, Insight Timer offers its 17 million users access to its guided meditation library (55,000 of them in 44 languages) for free. With the World Health Organization and the United Nations reporting a dramatic increase in worldwide rates of depression and anxiety since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to free, global resources like Insight Timer is more important than ever.

"I chose [to work with] Insight Timer not only because they offer such diverse and high-quality content for all tastes and needs, but also because they offer the library for free, making it accessible to more people," says Bundchen.

"Meditation transformed my life in incredible ways and gave birth to a new phase in my life that brought me much more joy and balance than I'd ever experienced before. It continues to be a powerful, positive influence in my life today, and I'm so happy for this partnership with Insight Timer to be able to share this amazing tool with as many people as possible," says Bundchen.

About Insight Timer

Insight Timer is the world's largest free meditation app for anxiety, stress and sleep. It is the only app in this space to grow from a conscious business model, attracting 17 million users through word of mouth and zero ad spend. Insight Timer offers 55,000 free, high-quality meditations from over 8,000 teachers worldwide including His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Russell Brand, Elizabeth Gilbert, Tara Brach, and Jack Kornfield. It's library is diverse and inclusive with secular, spiritual, religious and scientific meditations, music and talks in 44 different languages. Community is a core part of the experience with users able to create playlists of their favorite tracks, join live sessions with their teachers and soon meditate in real time with their friends and colleagues. Since 2014, Insight Timer has become the most used meditation app in the United States of America and has established an engaged global audience of 17 million people.

About Gisele Bundchen

Gisele Bundchen is a supermodel, philanthropist, global environmentalist and bestselling author. She uses her global platform to raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding our planet and all living beings to make the world a healthier, happier place for her children and future generations. For the past 10 years, she has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and has been honored by Harvard University and UCLA for her longtime commitment to environmental causes. Bundchen learned about meditation during an especially difficult period, a time she now looks back on as "an opportunity in disguise." She shares personal stories and insights that have helped her live a more conscious and joyful life in her New York Times bestselling book, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life. As a longtime meditation practitioner and enthusiast, Bundchen believes we are all divine beings, and that when we quiet our minds, we will find that most of the answers we seek are inside us.

Media Contact

Bryce Dalzin / Curtis Kelly

teamgisele@jonesworks.com

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Awareness Push to Restore Voting Rights for Californias Parolees Kicks Off

On Aug. 17, the Yes On Prop 17 campaign held its Official Proposition 17 Campaign Virtual Kick-Off on Facebook Live. The event featured testimony from previously incarcerated persons on why more than 50,000 parolees in California deserve the right to vote.

Prop 17, which passed the state legislature as ACA 6 in June, is a measure on the November ballot. If Californians vote to approve it, Prop 17 would amend the state constitution, granting any eligible person who is not currently incarcerated the right to vote.

If passed, California would join 17 states that allow parolees to vote.

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Initiate Justice Co-founder and Executive Director Taina Vargas-Edmond hosted the event that featured Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D  Sacramento), author of ACA 6, as well as Brandon Flynn, an activist and actor on the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why.

To start the event, Flynn and McCarty spoke about how the current global political movement calling for the dismantling of systemic racism has affected their understanding of  and advocacy around  the proposition.

Weve learned that this is just a remnant of some of these old Jim Crow values and racial oppression when they want to hold back African American voters from being able to participate in the democratic process, and thats wrong. Thats what were going to change, the lawmaker said.

The programs anchor event was a Q&A moderated by Edmond featuring Yes On Prop 17 Fellows Betty McKay and John Windham. McKay and Windham, who are both on parole, spoke about the importance of voting for currently and previously incarcerated persons.

McKay, who is a motivational speaker and organizer with Initiate Justice, talked about the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), arguing that she has done the time for his crime and should not be punished for it after her release.

The people who make the rules, the system, CDCR gives you a long list of things that if you do this, this, this, this and this, then youre a productive citizen, she said. Well, Ive exceeded all that. So why arent I voting? Im paying taxes. So why arent I voting?

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Edmond also presented data from Initiate Justices 2019 Democracy Needs Everyone report, compiled from a survey of 1,085 incarcerated members of California state prisons as well as members on parole. According to the report, only 37 % of respondents said they voted before they were incarcerated, but 98 % said they would vote now if they could. Also, the top three political issues that the respondents listed as very important were jobs and the economy, education and healthcare.

For Windham, who was incarcerated for 30 years and now mentors youth in his community, not having experienced voting was a deterrent in urging kids to vote.

The one thing I couldnt really delve into with him is talking about voting. I tell them to vote, but I was shut down when they asked me, did I vote. It was the hardest thing for me to have to tell a child  that couldnt vote because Im on parole. I no longer want to have to tell no child that, because that takes away their hope. They see me as hope and the only hope they see was dashed.

When asked to respond to the arguments of Prop 17 opponents, McCarty said, Theyre saying that Betty and John still need to pay their debt to society. But when the parole board releases people from state prison, theyve determined that youve served your time [and they] want to reintegrate you back into society. So, it makes no sense to say we want you to go back to your community, but were going to make you a second class citizen.
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Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 19:38 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4418d08 1 Business toll-road,Yogyakarta,surakarta,consortiums,concession,Joglosemar Free

A consortium of state-owned and private firms, PT Jogjasolo Marga Makmur, signed a toll road concession agreement (PPJT) with the government on Wednesday to build and operate a Surakarta-Yogyakarta-New Yogyakarta International Airport (NYIA) toll road.

The Surakarta-Yogyakarta-NYIA toll road will span over 96.5 kilometers with an investment value of Rp 26.6 trillion (US$1.8 billion). Part of the toll road is scheduled to open in 2023, with the full toll road expected to be open by 2024.

The consortium consists of state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga and construction firm PT Adhi Karya, as well as the private firms, namely construction firm PT Daya Mulia Turangga and PT Gama Group, whose combined stakes make up the majority of the consortium. The consortium gets a 40-year concession for the toll road.

Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono praised the private companies involvement in the project, which he expected to become a model for future projects.

Alhamdulillah [Thank God] the consortium is led by private companies, while Adhi Karya and Jasa Marga are involved to share their expertise, he said during the agreement signing ceremony.

The toll road entity can soon start the construction so it can open fully by 2023, Basuki added.

The toll road will boost the connectivity of the so-called golden triangle of Yogyakarta-Surakarta-Semarang (Joglosemar) in Central Java and Yogyakarta, as well as nearby tourist destinations such as the historic Prambanan and Borobudur temples.

Basuki said the government expected to sign another PPJT for a Bawen-Yogyakarta toll road in October to further boost the Joglosemar area.

The Joglosemar region will be fully connected and will become a golden triangle for economic growth, especially for the tourism sector, he said.

During the ceremony, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said toll road construction projects would also help to boost Indonesias economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The economy shrank 5.32 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the second quarter this year as all components of economic activity fell.

Toll road construction projects help mobilize our economy through the sale of cement, steel and other raw materials. Furthermore, the projects also absorb our workforce, he said

He further urged the Public Works and Housing Ministry and related agencies to ensure the toll roads quality through a thorough planning process from designing to monitoring, as many investors are keen to be involved in joining the projects.

Many investors are interested in Indonesias industries. Therefore, we need to make good of our promise to make them comfortable when they do business with us, he said.
Albertas chief medical officer of health says COVID-19 outbreaks at three schools consist of two infected people in each school with no evidence of broader transmission.

While we are calling these outbreaks, this is a very cautious use of the term, Dr. Deena Hinshaw told a news conference Thursday.

We are acting out of an abundance of caution by treating two cases who are in a school while infectious within a 14-day span as an outbreak, even when the cases are within one family.

There is no evidence of transmission within the school in any of these outbreaks.

Hinshaw said the cases are at Henry Wise Wood high school and St. Wilfrid elementary school, both in Calgary, and at Chinook High School in Lethbridge, about 200 kilometres southeast of Calgary.

Alberta Health Services said in a statement its working directly with the schools to limit risk of spread. That includes assessing the classrooms and identifying close contacts of the people who have COVID-19.

Any individual considered exposed to these cases will be contacted directly by Alberta Health Services, per standard contact tracing procedures, the statement added.

AHS said infection prevention control measures  physical distancing, masking, hand hygiene and environmental cleaning  have been reviewed with the schools.

Hinshaw said overall, officials have confirmed 24 cases at 21 schools in the province.

Support Our Students Alberta, a non-partisan, non-profit public education advocacy group, has put the number at 36, according to its online COVID-19 tracker.

Hinshaw has said the numbers the Alberta government is releasing are based on whether an individual with COVID-19 was infectious when they were in a school.

The province has launched a new online map listing every school where there have been two or more cases within a 14-day period and where the disease could have spread in the school.

Hinshaw announced 113 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with 43 people hospitalized and seven of them in intensive care. Alberta has 1,494 active cases and five additional deaths.

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Retired judge Ajay Kumar Sharma, who had pronounced the judgment in the Jaipur bomb case, has written to the director-general of police (DGP), requesting him to maintain the security provided to him. Sharma cited security threat to him and said that he has observed some suspicious activity around his residence. HT has obtained a copy of the letter.

Before and after the judgment, my family and I were provided security of four guards and two personal security officers (PSOs) which is still in place. I have heard that the police line is removing the security provided to me, read the letter written by Sharma.

In the letter, the retired judge said that he has observed some suspicious activity around his residence. I have seen people roaming around my house. Some were on motorcycle and clicked my pictures twice, he said. Referring to the four convicts in the Jaipur bomb blast case, Sharma said that the terrorist group is a very dangerous one and any incident can take place with him or his family.

I am not financially sound that I can keep personal security guards. My only fault is that I gave death sentence to four dreaded terrorists and I am afraid that the groups to which they belong will take revenge. Hence, the responsibility of me and my family is on the police and the state government. The intelligence bureau report also indicates that terrorist groups can take revenge. The High Court is yet to confirm the death sentence. My family and I have serious threat from terrorists, Sharma said in the letter.

He also gave the example of Justice Neelkanth Ganjoo, who was killed in November 1989. Ganjoo had pronounced death sentence to Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) terrorist and founder Maqbool Bhatt.

We have received a letter from the IB and we are assessing the security of retired judge Ajay Sharma, said Anand Shrivastava, commissioner of police, Jaipur city.

On December 17, 2019, the special dealing with Jaipur bomb blast cases had convicted four people for the worst terror attack in Jaipur  nine bombs that ripped through the walled city on May 13, 2008, killing 71 and injuring hundreds. On December 20, the four convicts were sentenced to death by the then judge of the court Ajay Kumar Sharma.

Sharma had convicted Mohammad Saif, 32, Mohammad Sarvar, 36, Saif-Ur-Rahman alias Saif-ur-Rahman, 36, and Salman, 34 for murder, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, conspiracy and under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. One of the accused, Shahbaz Hussain alias Shahbaz, was acquitted.

The eight locations targeted in the blasts were Manak Chowk police station, Badi Chaupad, Kotwali police station, Tripoliya Bazar, Chandpole Hanuman temple, National Handloom in Jauhari Bazar, Chhoti Chaupad and Sanganeri Gate Hanuman temple. All locations were within a radius of 2 kilometres radius. The trial in the eight cases  one for each of the eight locations  began in December 2008.

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The National Democratic Congress in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region has said it's poised to deliver a resounding victory for H.E John Dramani Mahama and the parliamentary candidate of the party in the constituency.

At a short ceremony held at Sawla to outdoor the constituency campaign team, the constituency chairman and leader of the team, Alhaji Salia Osman, affirmed the readiness of the entire team to work tirelessly towards rescuing Ghana from the incompetent hands of president Akuffo-Addo.

According to him, history was about to be made, expressing delight in the fact that the 'rescue mission' just begun in earnest in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency with the inauguration of the campaign team.

The track record of the NDC in the constituency he noted, far outweighs the NPP, adding that the NPP has no single record in terms of development in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency.

He used the occasion to call on the rank and file of the party to unite towards consolidating the gains of the party, whilst noting that, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency was the first constituency in the Savannah Region to outdoor its campaign team.

The Regional Secretary of the party, Mr. Sualisu Biuwurbi, outdoored the campaign team made up of all former constituency executives, all current constituency executives and the council of elders of the party.

In administrating the oath, the Regional Scribe encouraged members of the team to work tirelessly towards returning H.E John Dramani Mahama to power, whilst retaining the parliamentary candidate of the party for a prosperous Ghana.

He disclosed that the NDC as a party was on a rescue mission towards salvaging Ghana from the clueless hands of family and friends Akuffo-Addo government.

According to him, a man on a rescue mission does not retreat nor surrender until the final victory is delivered, admonishing members of the team to hold the fort and return Ghana back to the path of decent democracy and development.

He said the details of the task the campaign team will be executing were to be disclosed to them at a closed-door meeting.

The Regional Chairman of the party, Alhaji Imoro Seidu cautioned the Jean Mensah led Electoral Commission against any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the polls in the Savannah Region.

He said together with his regional executives, any attempt to foil the outcome of the elections in the Savannah Region will be resisted with all the might and strength.

In his subtle observation, the fast tumbling elephant party led by President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo has already lost power and now on a diabolic mission to rig the elections.

He encouraged members of the party to remain steadfast as the future of Ghana and Savannah Region remain bright with the NDC.

The Regional Elections Director of the party, Hajia Fati Forgo said the future of NDC belongs to women, noting that NDC has always given special recognition to women.

She disclosed that the appointment of professor Jean Nana Opoku Agyemang as running made to former president John Dramani Mahama gives refreshing hope to all women in the party.

Hajia Fati called on all women activists of the party to get out there and sell the message of hope of the party as contained in the people's manifesto to the voter.

The Mandariwura of the Bole Traditional Area, Seidu Awusi, simply described the New Patriotic Party as a bunch of liars.

He said the New Patriotic Party after using the Awusi Lodge belonging to him for their delegate congress failed to pay him the sum of Ghc6,000.00 as cost of the rent.

He said the legacy of H.E John Dramani Mahama is visible enough for all to see, urging members of the party to remain united and join in the rescue mission.

Tunawura Buabreso of the Bole Traditional Area, Alhaji Isaac Mumuni Dramani through his emissaries sent words of encouragement to the party. He prayed for nothing but victory for the NDC led by H.E John Dramani Mahama.

The politician-now-turned chief declared his full support for the candidature of H.E John Dramani Mahama.

Kongwura Adamu Seidu Jinkurige I, who also sent words revealed that Ghana is currently in the wrong hands, admonishing members of the party to eschew the past and unite for the victory ahead.

He said the return of H.E John Dramani Mahama is the only solution to the many challenges and mismanagement of the economy by the current administration.

The Member of Parliament for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency, Hon. Andrew Dari Chewitey challenged the NPP to mention any single project they undertook in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency.

He said the family and friends Akuffo-Addo government has not executed any single project in the constituency aside plagiarising projects started by former president John Dramani Mahama.

He dared the NPP in the constituency led by the DCE to a debate with the party's communication team basically on development projects.

His colleague Member of Parliament (MP) for Salaga North constituency, Hon. Alhassan Mumuni called on the people Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency to rally behind the Member of parliament and presidential candidate of the party.

He described the member of parliament as a very hardworking and results-oriented legislator who can take the constituency to the next level.

Present also were constituency and regional executives of the party, chiefs, a section of party members, and the media.
(TNS) - With wildfires burning across significant swaths of western Oregon, residents who arent in the immediate path of the flames have been impacted by a less pressing but still concerning problem: Wildfire smoke.On Wednesday, some of the more than 50 air quality monitoring stations scattered across the state show Woodburn, Corvallis, Eugene, Roseburg and Lincoln City blanketed with levels of smoke dangerous to everyone -- young and old, healthy or not.Oregons emergency responders are well aware the skies are amber, orange or even red in some areas.Dont call 911 to report smoke, theres smoke everywhere and our 911 system is being inundated with smoke calls, said Andrew Phelps, director of Oregons Office of Emergency Management, on Wednesday.The Portland area so far has largely been spared the air quality problems plaguing some other parts of the state. With the exception of Monday, when particulate levels reached 'unhealthy" levels for everyone, Portland has measured mostly good or moderate levels of smoke this week. Some areas of the city, however, have registered air quality thats unhealthy to sensitive groups, which includes people with asthma or heart and lung disease.Type in your city or ZIP code at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys air quality website, airnow.gov, to check the latest particulate levels where you live. Or view interactive maps at the states web page, oregonsmoke.blogspot.com, or the EPAs web page, fire.airnow.gov.Air particulate levels of zero to 50 is considered good, 50 to 100 moderate, 101 to 150 unhealthy for some groups, 151 to 200 unhealthy for everyone and 200 to 300 very unhealthy. Particulate levels in the hardest hit parts of the state were off the scale -- measuring more than 500.Tiny smoke particles can embed themselves in the lungs, enter the bloodstream and affect the heart, according to the EPA. Larger particles can cause eye, nose and throat irritation.The Washington State Department of Health says wildfire smoke can weaken immune systems and possibly increase a persons susceptibility to COVID-19. Smoke also can make matters worse for those already battling the novel coronavirus, as they struggle to breathe. One study found that people who live in areas with heavy air pollution are more likely to die from the disease.As areas around the state are currently inundated with putrid air, people who must venture outside are looking for ways to protect themselves from breathing in the particulate-filled air.State environmental authorities are urging people with chronic illnesses, such as heart and lung disease, to stay in their homes and avoid prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke. They also recommend that small children and the elderly limit their exposure.Here are some of the recommendations from the Oregon Health Authority:If possible, stay inside, close windows or use air conditioners (if you have them) with the intake closed. Also, run a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA), or an electro-static precipitator (ESP).If you do not have air conditioning and it is too hot to stay indoors with the windows closed, find a clean-air space in your community, such as a library, shopping mall or community center. If poor air quality continues overnight, you may need to book a hotel room, or stay with a friend who has air conditioning.Dont use anything that burns, like candles or gas stoves. And dont smoke cigarettes indoors, which contributes to the already poor air quality.Refrain from vacuuming or doing other activities that stir up dust.Do not rely on masks for protection. Most non-medical grade masks wont protect lungs from the fine particulates of wildfire smoke. Bandanas are equally ineffective.Although respirators, like those labeled NIOSH and the rating of N95 or N100, can protect against smoke, they must be properly fitted by a trained professional, and are in scarce supply due to the coronavirus pandemic. Officials also have urged that these masks be reserved for medical and other frontline workers.Ultimately, the agency recommends limiting exposure to smoky air as much as possible. For more information about effective masks, see the Respirator Fact Sheet provided by CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.Avoid outdoor activities, especially exercise, when air quality is unhealthy and hazardous.Asthma sufferers or those with other respiratory problems should follow their breathing management plans or talk to their doctors. Have an adequate supply of medication on hand (OHA recommends a five-day supply).If you spend time in a vehicle, turn the air conditioning on recirculate.-- Grant Butler; gbutler@oregonian.com; 503-221-8566; @grantbutler-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee2020 The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.)Visit The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) at www.oregonian.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Egypts National Elections Authority (NEA) called on eligible voters in Egypt and abroad to cast their ballots in the upcoming House of Representatives elections, scheduled to start on 21 October.

In a press conference in Cairo, head of the NEA Lasheen Ibrahim said the door for candidacy on the seats of the House of Representatives will open from 17 to 26 September, adding that potential candidates must begin their medical examination procedures right away.

The upcoming elections, which will be supervised by the judiciary, will kick off in two stages based on governorates, he said.

The first stage

The first stage will kick off for Egyptian expats from 21 to 23 October while it will kick off in Egypt on 25 and 26 October.

Election results of the first stage will be announced on 1 November, said the NEA.

The re-runs of the first stage will be held for Egyptians abroad from 21 to 23 November and in Egypt on 24 and 25 November.

The results of the first stage reruns will be announced on 30 November.

The second stage

The second stage will kick off for Egyptians abroad from 4 to 6 November and in Egypt on 7 and 8 November.

The results of the second stage elections will be announced on 15 November.

The reruns of the second stage will be held abroad from 5 to 7 December and in Egypt on 7 and 8 December.

The final results will be declared on 14 December, the head of the NEA said.

The upcoming House of Representatives will include 284 individual seats and 284 closed list seats.

The Senate elections held in August witnessed the lowest turnout of voters since 2011, where only 8.95 million (14.23 percent) cast their ballots during the first round.

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A woman has died after falling from a block of flats into a street in east London.

The woman plunged 'from a height' in Shoreditch at around 9.30pm last night, according to police.

Police officers rushed to the area but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Metropolitan Police said the incident is being 'treated as non-suspicious' and enquiries into the circumstances 'remain ongoing'.

Police investigate a fall from a flat on Bacon Street, Shoreditch, which resulted in the death of a woman last night. The incident is being 'treated as non-suspicious'

The woman is said to have fallen from a block of flats, above, in east London. Police rushed to the scene after being called by London Ambulance Service

A spokesman for the force said: 'Police were called by London Ambulance Service at approximately 21:35hrs on Wednesday, 9 September to reports of a female injured after falling from a height in Bacon Street, E1.

'The female  no further details  was pronounced dead at the scene.

'The incident is being treated as non-suspicious.

'A report will be prepared for the coroner. Enquiries into the circumstances remain ongoing.'
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has invited representatives of the Portuguese business to participate in the process of privatization in Ukraine.

The minister stated this in his speech at the Economic Forum, which was attended by representatives of the Portuguese business and Secretary of State for Commerce, Services and Consumer Protection at the Portuguese Ministry of Economy and Digital Transition Joao Torres in Lisbon, an Ukrinform correspondent reported, referring to the Foreign Ministrys press service.

In particular, he told about economic reforms and three key opportunities that Ukraine can provide to Portuguese business and investors. The first of them is a large-scale privatization, he said.

"I invite you to take part in a large-scale privatization in Ukraine," Kuleba said.

According to the minister, the second opportunity is digitalization.

Kuleba noted Portugal's efforts in this area and told about Ukraine's current experience and leadership in the development of the digital state.

Ukraine today means thousands of experienced engineers and IT professionals and quality products, including the Diya platform. It can be interesting for Portugal and opportunities in general for digital cooperation are huge," Kuleba said.

The third opportunity, according to the foreign minister, is the aerospace industry, in view of the growing interest in space, and Ukraine's technologies.

Kuleba added that Ukraine and Portugal have great potential not only in bilateral trade, but also in successful joint entry into third country markets.

As Ukrinform reported, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba paid a working visit to Portugal on September 9.

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New Delhi: At least 74 per cent candidates who had registered for JEE-Mains appeared for the exam last week amid strict precautions in view of COVID-19 even as the attendance figures dipped from 94.32 per cent in the January session.

The Joint Entrance Exam (JEE)-Main for admission to engineering colleges across the country, is conducted twice a year.

According to statistics available with the Ministry of Education, out of 8.58 lakh applicants, 6.35 lakh appeared for the engineering test from September 1 to 6. The exam was conducted after being deferred twice in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"JEE-Main is held twice a year. The previous one was held in January this year. Several students who did not appear for the exam in September may have done well in the January exam and hence did not feel the need to sit for the exam this time. We are ascertaining those numbers," said Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' in a tweet.

Last year, the attendance in the January and April edition of the exam was 94.11 per cent and 94.15 per cent respectively.

The crucial exam has been mired in controversy due to demand from a section of students and opposition parties to postpone the exam in view of rising coronavirus cases.

"Any further delay of the exams would not have been in the interest of our hardworking students and their plans for college admissions. Our government has always been unwavering regarding student welfare & student safety. We will always work for the interests of our youth," Pokhriyal said.

However, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy raised concerns that the attendance is lower than the figure given by the Ministry of Education.

"The Ministry of Education stated to Supreme Court that candidates registered are 9.53 lakh at over 660 centres in India and abroad. Now the Minister states 'facts' as 8.58 lakhs. Now whose is official?," Swamy tweeted.

The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed a plea seeking postponement of the two exams amid a spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases, saying a "precious year" of students cannot be wasted and life has to go on.

Based on the results of the JEE-Mains Paper 1 and Paper 2, the top 2.45 lakh candidates will be eligible to appear for the JEE-Advanced exam, which is a one-stop exam to get admission into the 23 premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). JEE-Advanced is scheduled to take place on September 27.

Several opposition leaders including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik, DMK President MK Stalin and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia have also demanded that the exams be postponed.
Malaika Arora reveals she worked and travelled through her pregnancy, says marriage was never a hindrance
Tanya Wood lives in San Antonio, Texas, and works in IT for the Department of Defense. She previously spent two decades with the Air Force, including eight years as an intelligence analyst -- a computer-bound role very much like the jobs performed by members of the Space Force today.

The more traditional work environment did not prevent a culture of misogyny and racism, Woods said. Instead, as one of the only Black women in her position, she was constantly challenged by her white male colleagues and required to prove her abilities and qualifications in ways those men never had to.

Wood said her Air Force career was rife with sexual harassment and assault. She said she was raped while on active duty and then encouraged by superiors not to report it.

Later, in her civilian role, she described severe retaliation for whistleblowing within the Department of Defense, leading to a 14-month suspension without pay as well as a suspension of her security clearance. She said it took 3,000 pages of evidence to clear her name and has yet to receive payment for the months of lost income.
Phillip Schofield was unexpectedly showered with kisses by Gino D'Acampo when they were reunited on Thursday's episode of This Morning.

The TV chef, 44, was back on the programme after a long break and greeted Phillip, 58, and co-host Holly Willoughby, 39, through a plastic screen to maintain distance.

Gino put his hands through a pair of tubes and gave Phillip a hug and began to plant kisses all over his face through the screen.

Greeting: Phillip Schofield, 58, was unexpectedly showered with kisses by Gino D'Acampo, 44, when they were reunited on Thursday's episode of This Morning

Thrilled to see Gino again, Holly said: 'It is emotional.'

'What a world we live in,' Phillip replied, referring to the fact they had to hug through the screens.

Holly said: 'I know, I know. One day we wont have to do all this nonsense.'

Gino appeared at the very beginning of the show where he jokingly pulled his pants down and mooned Holly and Phil while they were presenting to camera.

Safety first: Gino was back on the programme after a long break and greeted Phillip and co-host Holly Willoughby through a plastic screen to maintain distance

Holly exclaimed: 'Oh no! Gino D'Acampo! Someone get disinfectant wipes!'

It comes after Gino recently told that his wife Jessica is not 'jealous' of him being 'surrounded by women' and believes that if he wanted to be 'unfaithful' he would 'do it anyway'.

Gino revealed he employs 'more than 700 women' in his restaurants and prefers the company of females because they are 'more interesting than men'.

However Gino said his marriage to Jessica Stellina Morriso, who he met aged 18, works on a 'matter of trust' and he was given 'a lot of freedom' from 'day one'.

Reunited: Gino put his hands through a pair of tubes and gave Phillip a hug and began to plant kisses all over his face through the screen

Distance: 'What a world we live in,' Phillip said, referring to the fact they had to hug through the screens.

Speaking to Weekend magazine, Gino said: 'When I met my wife I realised she was an extremely generous, clever woman.

'My friends' girlfriends stopped them doing things, but from day one Jessica gave me a lot of freedom.

'If you try to cage men it won't work. I can do pretty much what I want. If I say, "I'm taking friends out" she doesn't say, "But you've been away for the past week". There's no point having a man around if he doesn't want to be there.'

The This Morning star continued: 'I employ more than 700 women in my restaurants. In TV, I'm surrounded by women. I love it. Women are more interesting than men, but my wife loves it too.

Holly said: 'I know, I know. One day we wont have to do all this nonsense'

'She doesn't get jealous. She understands that if you want to be unfaithful, you'll do it anyway. It's a matter of trust.'

And Gino revealed that he is understanding of Jessica's decisions, explaining: 'If she wants to have dinner with an ex-boyfriend, I couldn't care less.

'I want her to be happy. If that makes her happy that evening, I'm doing my job.'

Gino has been with Jessica, who is half-English, half-Italian, for 25 years, after the pair met while working in Sylvester Stallones restaurant in Marbella, Spain.

The couple, who tied the knot in 2002, share three children together, Luciano, 18, Rocco, 15, and Mia, eight, with the family spending lockdown fishing and on boats.
It's not like Brokeass Cooks, a popular new food pop-up in West Oakland, never thought they'd get shut down. After all, they knew selling family-style jerk chicken dinners out of their backyard wasn't technically legal in Alameda County. They just wish the health department would have had the guts to shut them down in person.

"It was almost a slap in the face," said Bilal Ali, one of the three out-of-work cooks who makes up Brokeass Cooks. "Id rather have them shut us down to our face, than just a notice to our landlord. That's cowardly, c'mon."

On Wednesday morning, the trio, who are also housemates, received a call from their landlord asking for them to halt pop-up operations after being contacted by the Alameda County Public Health Department. Shortly thereafter, the chefs made the announcement to their thousands of Instagram followers, who immediately bombarded them with messages of support.

"Our message box is super flooded right now," said Hoang Le, another member of Brokeass Cooks. "A lot of people are offering us spaces to operate out of, and some people are saying to start a GoFundMe. We really don't know what to do at the moment, so we're going to spend this whole week figuring it out."

Brokeass Cooks isn't sure who ratted them out, although they haven't exactly been keeping their operation a secret and have spoken openly with media outlets. But they're not the only East Bay pop-up to get shut down lately. About two weeks ago, Chef Mona Leena Michael, who sold manaeesh flatbreads and other Palestinian snacks on a sidewalk in Emeryville, received a visit from a health department official and two cops telling her to cease operations. She had been reported by a neighbor.

After learning that Brokeass Cooks had met a similar fate, Michael shared her thoughts about the Alameda County Health Department in a 5-minute-long video on Instagram. She said that right after being shut down, she applied for permits to legalize her operation, but had yet to hear anything back.

"Brokeass Cooks and I probably have cleaner home kitchens than half of the rat-infested Oakland establishments you guys let operate. How about instead of worrying about us and shutting us down, you go focus us on those routine inspections youre a year, two, three years behind on?" she said. "... More importantly though, what are you going to do for cooks like me and cooks like Brokeass Cooks? What are you going to do for us? Our restaurants are closed, we're out of work and we're expected to live off of $300 a week in the Bay Area" (she is referring to President Donald Trump's recent $300-a-week unemployment boost).

Despite these recent crackdowns, Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan said that enforcement hasn't been the county's main focus lately.

"We should make sure that the food is safe, but no, I dont think that [enforcement] has been a huge priority," she said.

With many restaurant workers having lost their jobs due to the pandemic, an influx of home-cooking operations have popped up in the Bay Area over the past few months. Some members of the local food community have been outspoken about the need to legalize these pop-ups, particularly through the adoption of AB-626  a law passed state-wide in California in 2018 that allows small-scale home food operations to apply for permits.

However, each county in the state has to individually adopt the law for it to take effect. AB-626 has stalled for months in Alameda County, as well as pretty much everywhere else  only Riverside County has fully legalized it so far. That said, Alameda County seems to finally be mobilizing after months of putting the law on the backburner due to the pandemic. Supervisor Chan told SFGATE that she expects the Board of Supervisors to schedule a hearing about adopting the law in the next few weeks, and hopes to have passed it by early or mid-October.

Still, left in limbo for now, this leaves pop-ups like Brokeass Cooks forced to constantly look over their shoulders as they continue to work to keep a roof over their heads the only way they know how.

"Having in the back of our minds that we could just get shut down any time. ... That would be really nice to not have that hanging over our heads," said Ali back in mid-August.

RELATED: 15-year-old Oakland nightclub will not reopen after pandemic

Getting shut down definitely throws a wrench in the trajectory of Brokeass Cooks' quickly-growing business (they recently debuted a new Peruvian menu, and said they were considering a vegetarian meal next), but they don't regret speaking out.

"We have no regrets in a sense, because what's going on right now is everywhere, everyone is doing this [pop-ups]," said Le. "A lot of people are laying low, but I think we don't want to be quiet about it ... With how much we've blown up, we've got this platform now to really shed light on the situation ... I feel like a lot of people are getting spread thin with all the different issues, whether it's weather or politics or racism, but the food industry also has their own issues we want to shed light on."

For now, Brokeass Cooks refunded all the customers who had placed orders for this week, and are looking into how to legitimize their operation without compromising their low prices for family-style meals. At this point, there's only one thing they know for sure: this is not the end.

"We will be back," said Keone Koki, the third member of the trio. "Brokeass Cooks will rise again."

Madeline Wells is an SFGATE reporter. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com | Twitter: @madwells22
Tam recently announced a new role as chairman of the Winsan Group Investment Joint Stock Company, which will function as a financial investment company for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Winsan is like a 'power pump' for businesses that have great potential for scaling but lack financial resources and management experience, he said.

Unlike the model launched by Asanzo last year with a focus on electronics and hardware startups, Winsan expands the portfolio to other areas including dentistry, consumables and food and beverages.

In addition to funding, the group will also support SMEs to recruit talented employees and leading experts for senior positions, facilitating breakthroughs and reducing the failure rate in a competitive market.

Tam said that Winsan was a step towards expanding the ecosystem out of household electronics. The name Winsan is inspired by the term win-win concept in modern business, hoping to bring victory for both sides when cooperating, he explained.

The companys initial capital is estimated at VND1 trillion ($43 million), 70 percent of which will be invested in technology - electronics businesses.

In the first phase, we will select SMEs with products serving the majority of average consumers, low-income employees. This tight criterion will help optimize capital investments, Tam said.

Industrial real estate and logistics are also important investment portfolios that Winsan will promote in the near future, he added.

E-commerce presents great opportunities amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, creating added momentum for industrial real estate and logistics to meet the need to lease factories and warehouses. The shift by multinationals to produce in Vietnam is another positive sign, he said.

The Asanzo founder said that hed been covering the investment group model for about three years as he witnessed the increase in business efficiency when empowering young directors to manage production.

Many of these people are trained abroad in corporate governance of developed industries with the capacity to formulate medium and long-term strategies. In addition to capable personnel, market data analysis helps accurately forecast business situations, reduce inventory lines and cut costs while ensuring proactive supply of goods corresponding to market demand.

At first traditional distributors complained about challenging import regulations when applying new quality and processes. But after a while, they found that these adjustments bring positive effects. The goods is shipped quickly and meet customers taste, creating satisfaction on both sides, Tam said.

Tam also appreciated young talents when interacting with them through start-up projects, like the Startup Viet competition organized by VnExpress, which urged him to establish this investment model instead of concentrating on just one enterprise.

Tam also aims to draw in foreign partners who have worked with Asanzo for several years, thereby creating a large-scale investment fund, accessing and supporting a variety of business models.

With a strong capital base, we will enhance the search for suitable products with local elements, understanding local consumers, then create new brands that make a real mark on the market.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) share extended gains for the fourth day and hit all-time high of Rs 2,343 amid reports that US private equity firm Silver Lake Partners bought 1.75 per cent stake in Reliance Retail for Rs 7,500 crore.

Share price of RIL gained 8.4% to hit a fresh high of Rs 2,343 compared to the previous close of Rs 2,161 on BSE. Market cap of the firm rose to Rs 14.48 lakh crore on BSE. This is the second consecutive sessions that market cap of RIL remained above Rs 14 lakh crore making it the most valuable company on Indian bourses.

The large cap stock hit a fresh 52-week low of Rs 867 on March 23, 2020. Since then, the stock has gained 170% on BSE.

Total 15.21 lakh shares changed hands on BSE amounting to turnover of Rs 343.53 crore.

The large cap stock gained 11.82% in the last 4 days.

Silver Lake invests Rs 7,500 cr in Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail for 1.75% stake

RIL stock price has gained 5.18% in one week and 4.81% in one month. It has gained 46.72% since the beginning of this year and risen 81.78% during last one year. RIL stock trades higher than its 5 day, 20 day, 50 day, 100 day and 200 day moving averages. Later the share closed 7.10% or Rs 153 higher at Rs 2,314 on BSE.

After opening at Rs 2,183, the stock touched a high of Rs 2344 and low of 2175 on the NSE.

On Nifty, the stock gained 8.4% to Rs 2344 compared to the previous close of Rs 2161.Later, the share closed 7,29% higher at Rs 2,319 on NSE.

On Wednesday RIL said tech investor Silver Lake Partners would invest Rs 7,500 crore ($1 billion) in Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail Ltd, a Reliance Industries Ltd subsidiary, for a 1.75 per cent equity stake on a fully diluted basis. This is the second investment by Silver Lake in an RIL subsidiary after the infusion of Rs 10,200 crore in Jio Platforms Ltd earlier this year.

"We believe technology will be key to bringing the much-needed transformation in this sector so that various constituents of the retail ecosystem can collaborate to build inclusive growth platforms. Silver Lake will be an invaluable partner in implementing our vision for Indian Retail," Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, said.

Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail may go the JPL way; to raise Rs 63,000 cr from existing investors
Global temperatures by the end of the century will reach levels not seen in 50 million years if greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced, a study has warned.

German and US experts analysed tiny fossils in cores drilled from the seabed to reconstruct the Earth's climatic history back to the time of the dinosaurs.

During this 66-million-year period, the planet has seen four distinct climate states  which scientists have dubbed 'hothouse', 'warmhouse', 'coolhouse' and 'icehouse'.

Each state is characterised by particular greenhouse gas concentrations and the extent of the ice to be found stored at the Earth's poles

For most of the past three million years, the Earth has been in an 'icehouse' state  one characterised by alternating glacial and interglacial periods.

However, greenhouse gas emissions and other human activities are now pushing the climate towards a 'warmhouse' and 'hothouse' state, experts have warned.

Warmhouse conditions were last seen during the Eocene epoch  which ended around 34 million years ago  in which there were no polar ice caps.

Across this time, the average global temperatures were 16.225.2F (914C) higher than they are in the present day.

Global temperatures by the end of the century will reach levels not seen in 50 million years if greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced, a study has warned. German and US experts analysed cores drilled up from the seabed over the last five decades to reconstruct the Earth's climatic history, pictured, all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs

'The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections for 2300 in the "business-as-usual" [emissions] scenario will potentially bring global temperature to a level the planet has not seen in 50 million years,' said paper author James Zachos.

In their study, Professor Zachos and colleagues created a 'climate reference curve' dubbed CENOGRID, which maps out global temperature changes in the past, at present and includes various predictions for the future based on emissions levels.

CENOGRID has revealed that the natural climate variability that occurs as a result of changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun is much smaller than the future warming predicted as a result of greenhouse gas emissions.

'We now know more accurately when it was warmer or colder and have a better understanding of the underlying dynamics and the processes that drive them,' said paper author and marine geologist Thomas Westerhold.

'The time from 66 to 34 million years ago  when the planet was significantly warmer than it is today  is of particular interest, as it represents a parallel in the past to what future anthropogenic change could lead to,' he added.

'We have known for a long time [that] the glacialinterglacial cycles are paced by changes in Earth's orbit,' explained Professor Zachos, who conducts research at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

These cycles, he added, 'alter the amount of solar energy reaching Earth's surface, and astronomers have been computing these orbital variations back in time.'

'As we reconstructed past climates, we could see long-term coarse changes quite well. We also knew there should be finer-scale rhythmic variability due to orbital variations, but for a long time it was considered impossible to recover that signal.'

'Now that we have succeeded in capturing the natural climate variability, we can see the projected anthropogenic warming will be much greater than that.'

German and US experts analysed tiny fossils in cores drilled from the seabed to reconstruct the Earth's climatic history back to the time of the dinosaurs. Pictured, the JOIDES Resolution, a scientific vessel capable of drilling cores of sediment out of the seabed

'We use CENOGRID to understand what Earth's normal range of natural climate change and variability is and how quickly Earth recovered from past events,' said paper author and palaeoclimatologist Anna Joy Drury of University College London.

'While we show [that] the Earth previously experienced warm climate states, these were characterised by extreme climate events and were radically different from our modern world.'

'Since the peak warmth of the Hothouse, Earth's climate has gradually cooled over the last 50 million years.'

'But the present and predicted rapid anthropogenic changes reverse this trend and, if unabated, far exceed the natural variability of the last 66 million years.'

'CENOGRID's window into the past provides context for the ongoing anthropogenic change and how exceptional it is.'

Most of the major climate transitions in the past 66 million years  when a giant asteroid strike killed off the dinosaurs  have been associated with changes in greenhouse gas levels.

Previous research by Prof Zachos determined that a period of rapid global warming around 50 million years ago that drove the climate into a hothouse state was caused by a massive release of carbon into the atmosphere.

Similarly, in the late Eocene, as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels fell, ice sheets began to form in Antarctica and the climate transitioned to a coolhouse state.

'The climate can become unstable when it is nearing one of these transitions, and we see less predictable responses to orbital forcing, so that is something we would like to better understand,' Prof Zachos added.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Science.
Attorney General William Barr delivers remarks on Operation Legend at the White House in Washington on July 22, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Operation Crystal Shield Seizes Over 28,500 Lbs of Meth, Arrests Over 1,800 in First Six Months

Attorney General William Barr on Thursday announced that the federal government aimed to block the distribution of methamphetamine amid rising overdose deaths, saying they had made over 1,800 arrests and seized more than 28,500 pounds of the drugor 65 million dosesin the first six months since its launch.

Barr said since the launch of Operation Crystal Shield in February, the project resulted in more than 750 investigations that led to 1,840 arrests, and the seizures of more than 28,560 pounds of methamphetamine, 284 firearms, and $43.3 million in drug proceeds.

He gave an update on the operation during a press conference in Phoenix, Arizona, along with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Administrator Tim Shea, and other law enforcement officials.

Operation Crystal Shield was launched in response to the surging trafficking of methamphetamine. It targets nine major methamphetamine transportation hubsAtlanta, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Phoenix, San Diego, and St. Louis. Officials said the nine cities are responsible for more than 75 percent of the methamphetamine seized by DEA in 2019.

The operation also aims to disrupt the major trafficking networks established by Mexican cartels that are responsible for the majority of drug trafficking in and within the United States.

Between fiscal years 2017 and 2019, DEA seizures of the drug in the United States increased by 127 percent, from 49,507 pounds to 112,146 pounds. The number of DEA arrests related to methamphetamine rose nearly 20 percent, the DEA said.

The attorney general said methamphetamine had become a national problem in recent years, contributing to violence and violent crimes across U.S. communities as well as an increase of fatal overdoses from the drug.

He said that in 2018 there were about 12,000 overdoses with psychostimulants like methamphetamine. This number went up by 25 percent in 2019, to 16,000, and is expected to increase this year.

The trafficking of methamphetamine poses a major danger to our communities. And the federal government is determined to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy the violent drug trafficking organizations that place profits over human lives, he said.

Most of the violence was being perpetrated by the users themselves or by street gangs in major cities that are responsible for distributing the drug after its production in Mexico, Barr said.

Federal officials said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus pandemic has had hampered the progress of the operation, especially its operations in Mexico.

We are confident that as COVID abates, were going to get back on track with Mexico and have a much stronger operation down there, Barr said.
The security has been beefed up outside Bollywood actor Kangana Ranauts residence in suburban Khar and her bungalow-cum-office in Bandra.The Panga actress has already been provided with the Y-plus category security cover by the Union Home Ministry in the wake of the row over her remarks, in which she compared Mumbai with Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and also criticised Mumbai police.

In the morning, Rangoli Chandel, the sister of Ranaut, was also spotted outside the demolished office in Bandra. This property was razed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) yesterday.Later, the Bombay High Court stayed the demolition drive being undertaken by the BMC at the Mumbai property of Kangana Ranaut.

A bench of the High Court also asked the BMC to file a reply to her petition in the matter.

Ranaut, through her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui, had moved the High Court against the demolition of what the BMC termed as illegal alterations at her office.Yesterday, the Tanu weds Manu actress took to Twitter to state my Mumbai is POK now and posted photographs of city municipal corporation officials demolishing parts of her property in the city.

ALSO READ: After Kangana Ranaut, BMC serves a show-cause notice to Manish Malhotra

According to sources, the actress is likely to visit her her Pali Hill property on Thursday.On her return to Mumbai, she had criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, saying his ego will be destroyed the way her Bandra home was demolished.

Distancing himself and his party from the demolition work at actor Kangana Ranauts office, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the demolition was a matter of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Shiv Sena was not concerned with it.Talking to media, Raut said, Demolition at Kangana Ranauts office is the matter of BMC and it doesnt concern Shiv Sena. You should talk to the BMC commissioner or Mayor regarding the matter.

When asked about his recent altercation with the Manikarnika actress, Raut said the matter is over for him.Ranaut has been engaged in a bitter war of words with Raut after her remarks that she feels unsafe in Mumbai and has no trust in the Mumbai Police after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

ALSO READ: Dune trailer: Denis Villeneuves sci-fi saga is worth a watch
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Amazon.com Inc. charged inflated prices for hand sanitizer, disposable gloves and other essentials months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a consumer watchdog said in a report accusing the world's largest online retailer of price gouging.

The report, released Thursday by Public Citizen, examines roughly two dozen products on Amazon's site. Relying on its own observations and data from price-tracking sites, the nonprofit public interest group documented price increases of as much as 1,000% when compared with pre-pandemic levels or prices at other large retailers.

The report challenges Amazon's public position that it's an innocent bystander of price gouging perpetrated by a select few "bad actors" selling products on its popular webstore. It accuses Amazon of price gouging, as well, on products the online retailer sells directly.

The U.S. company denied it engages in such practices. "There is no place for price gouging on Amazon and that includes products offered directly by Amazon," a spokesman for the company said. "Our systems are designed to offer customers the best available online price and if we see an error, we work quickly to fix it."

One of the roughly two dozen items tracked in the report, a 7.5-ounce bottle of Dial-brand hand soap, was available earlier this week for $6.41 from Amazon directly and for about the same price from a third-party merchant. Target Corp. listed the product for $1.49 while CVS Health Corp. charged $2.29, though neither made it available for home delivery. Walmart Inc. only sells the hand soap in stores and didn't publish a price online (A seller on Walmart's third-party marketplace posted a higher price, $7.98, than Amazon).

The pandemic coincided with waves of complaints about inflated prices, as well as spotty availability, of such in-demand goods as cleaning supplies and baking ingredients. Germany's cartel regulator also has questioned Amazon about prices during the outbreak. As part of a campaign against inflated prices by resellers, 3M Co. sued, and later settled with, an Amazon merchant.

Alex Harman, Public Citizen's competition policy advocate and the report's author, calls it "crazy" that Amazon is still grappling with inflated prices months later. He suspects the higher prices he identified on Amazon partly stem from hikes by new suppliers the company found during the scramble after the pandemic began. But that doesn't mean those prices should find their way to consumers, he said.

"Increased demand and lack of supply are literally why there are price-gouging laws," Harman said.

Many U.S. states have laws governing acceptable price increases on essential goods such as food and fuel during emergencies, but they are difficult to enforce. States also define "price gouging" in different ways, with some setting a specific threshold of 10% above usual prices and others using vague descriptions such "unconscionable levels," which makes it difficult to apply to online marketplaces that match buyers and sellers in different states.

The report calls for a national prohibition on price gouging and recommends that Amazon publish list prices and a pricing history for specific items. Amazon's public policy director Brian Huseman in May called on Congress to establish a national price-gouging law for federal emergencies, saying the company had suspended 4,000 seller accounts for violating its price policies and cooperated with regulators in Tennessee, Alaska and Washington to fight price gouging on its site.

Explore further Amazon calls for US federal law to ban price gouging

2020 Bloomberg News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
One of the world's rarest diamonds, about the size of an egg or a large lollipop, is going up for auction next month and is expected to fetch $12 million to $30 million.

Sotheby's said on September 10 that the 102.39-carat diamond, a flawless white sparkler, was the second-largest oval diamond of its kind to be offered at auction. The largest, a 118.28-carat diamond, set a record $30.8 million price when it was sold in 2013.

Only seven such diamonds, known in the trade as D color flawless or internally flawless white diamonds, over 100 carats have previously been sold at auction.

"More and more people have come to understand that something billions of years old and of the size of a lollipop can store as much value as a Rembrandt self-portrait or a Basquiat," Gary Schuler, worldwide chairman of jewelry at Sotheby's, said in a statement.

The diamond will be sold in a single-lot action without a reserve price at Sotheby's in Hong Kong on October 5.

"Diamonds of this caliber and size have sold anywhere between $11.9 million to $33.7 million," said Quig Bruning, head of Sotheby's New York jewelry department.

Sotheby's said the gem was cut from a 271-carat rough that was discovered at the Victor Mine in the Canadian province of Ontario in 2018 and cut and polished for more than a year.

Two of the most famous large diamonds - the Koh-i-Noor and The Cullinan 1 - belong to the British monarchy and form part of the British Crown Jewels.

The world record for any diamond or jewel sold at auction was set in 2017 when a 59.60-carat fancy vivid pink diamond was sold for $71.2 million to the Hong Kong jewelry company Chow Tai Fook, Sotheby's said.
Hungary is the first NATO and EU member nation to order Rheinmetalls newly developed Lynx infantry fighting vehicle. This important contract represents a major breakthrough in the global defence market for the Dusseldorf-based technology groups innovative new combat vehicle.

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Rheinmetall KF41 Lynx IFV (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Hungarian Ministry of Defence has awarded Rheinmetall an order to supply tracked armoured vehicles and related products and services with a total value of more than 2 billion. The contractual agreement, which has now been signed in Budapest, encompasses 218 Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles and nine Buffalo armoured recovery vehicles. The contract includes additional products and services such as simulators, training and instruction, plus an initial supply of spare parts as well as maintenance support. The Lynx IFVs will be equipped with a manned 30mm Lance turret, likewise developed by Rheinmetall.

Looking ahead, Rheinmetall sees further potential orders stemming from this contract. Given an expected service life of several decades, the Lynx will require spare parts and regular maintenance in order to remain operationally ready.

During a first phase of production, Hungary is to receive forty-six Lynx infantry fighting vehicles as well as nine Buffalo armoured recovery vehicles, all built in Germany; delivery is to be complete by the start of 2023.

In the second production phase, an additional 172 Lynx vehicles built in Hungary will meet in full the needs of the countrys armed forces. To this end, the Hungarian government and Rheinmetall agreed in August 2020 to establish a joint venture responsible for creating a Lynx production facility in Hungary, to be financed by a local company.

As Armin Papperger, chairman of the executive board of Rheinmetall AG, explains: The Lynxs market breakthrough is a major success for us. And the fact that we were able to convince Hungary  an important EU and NATO partner  to choose this innovative vehicle makes this success all the greater. In making this forward-looking procurement decision, Hungarys top political and military officials have demonstrated real leadership. Not only does the move place Hungary at the forefront of European army technology. It reaffirms the Hungarian governments commitment to being a reliable, more militarily effective partner of its NATO allies, a policy which it is pursuing with systematic energy.

We greatly appreciate the Hungarian governments trust in us which this order implies, declares Armin Papperger. Rheinmetall is very proud to be able to make an important contribution to the sustained expansion of Hungarys defence technology capabilities in cooperation with local industry. We look forward to working together with our Hungarian friends and partners, and will do everything in our power to assure the long-term success of this venture.

Rheinmetall will hold a majority stake and take the lead in the joint venture company to be set up in order to produce the Lynx in Hungary. In the process, Hungary will make a material investment in the project in the form of a newly constructed production facility. The resulting centre of excellence for the development, production and maintenance of armoured vehicles will create an important nucleus for the Hungarian defence industry. This constellation, which involves a local production partner in Hungary, will ensure that a substantial share of the added value deriving from the procurement project takes place in the customer country.

For Hungary, this procurement order represents a big step in its efforts to introduce a new generation of military equipment, with key systems that meet the latest NATO standards. The Lynx is currently competing in similar procurement programmes in the neighbouring Czech Republic as well as in Australia. It is foreseen that a majority of the Lance turrets for the first phase will be produced and supplied from the Rheinmetall Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.



Rheinmetall KF41 Lynx IFV (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Lynx : modular, flexible, future-proof

Less than five years elapsed between the initial idea for a new infantry fighting vehicle and the breakthrough order, including formulation of a strategy and the concept and development phases  an impressive feat for an inhouse-financed combat vehicle in a highly demanding market segment where prolonged procurement cycles are the norm.

The Lynx concept embraces a complete vehicle family, consisting of a chassis module and flexible mission kits in numerous variants. This means that the basic vehicle can be configured as an infantry fighting vehicle, an armoured personnel carrier, a command vehicle or field ambulance. Moreover, switching from one configuration to another can be accomplished in a matter of hours. Thanks to the uniformity of the basic vehicle, the system will result in substantially lower lifecycle costs, while simultaneously letting military users adapt to changing tactical requirements and/or leverage new capabilities. Outstanding survivability, mobility and lethality characterize the Lynx, as do excellent growth potential, including in terms of its total weight.

Its spacious interior is unsurpassed by any vehicle in its class, assuring the operational effectiveness of its three crew members and up to nine infantry dismounts.

The Lynx shields its occupants from the full spectrum of battlefield threats, including explosions, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), direct and indirect fire, cluster munitions and antitank guided missiles. With its hard-hitting combat effectiveness and excellent off-road mobility, the Lynx will give tomorrows armed forces a decisive edge in complex military operations at every level of intensity in all kinds of environments, overcoming multiple threats and securing favourable outcomes.
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department said on Thursday that it had charged 57 people with trying to steal more than $175 million from the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic as questions swirled about how its funds were disbursed.

Some cases involved individuals or small groups, acting on their own, who lied about having legitimate businesses or who claimed that they needed P.P.P. money for things like paying workers or paying bills, but instead used it to buy splashy luxury items for themselves, Brian C. Rabbitt, the acting head of the departments criminal division, said at a news conference.

In other cases, coordinated criminal rings stole large sums of money from the loan program, Mr. Rabbitt said. We will be focusing on these types of cases going forward, he said.

The federal government offered emergency loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act enacted in March to stave off a wave of catastrophic job losses as the pandemic took hold in the United States and businesses were forced to close. The loans could be forgiven if the funds were used to cover payroll and certain other expenses.
A confirmed COVID-19 case in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation has been resolved, Peterborough Public Health reported Wednesday afternoon.

That leaves just one active case for the jurisdiction, a female under 20, according to Public Health Ontario.

The health unit has had 106 cumulative confirmed cases, with 103 now resolved and two earlier deaths.

The jurisdiction now has a cumulative rate of 71.7 cases per 100,000 people, nearly one-fifth of the provincial average of 317.3 cases per 100,000 people as of Tuesday.

More than 25,800 people have now been tested for COVID-19 in the jurisdiction, the health unit also reported Wednesday afternoon.

As of Tuesday, more than 25,750 people have now been tested for COVID-19 by the health unit.

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing continues at the Northcrest Arena at 100 Marina Blvd. in the citys north end on a first-come, first-serve basis for people without symptoms who drive or walk into the clinic. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. The testing centre has relocated there from the Kinsmen Civic Centre.

Anyone with symptoms should call 705-876-5086 to arrange for testing at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre assessment centre, where more than 10,000 of the tests have been conducted. To arrange for a test on a weekend, with or without symptoms, also call 705-876-5086.

No new cases in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton

Meanwhile the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit reported no new cases on Wednesday afternoon.

The jurisdiction has a cumulative total of 229 cases. The City of Kawartha Lakes has had 179 cases, with two not resolved as of Wednesday and 32 earlier deaths. Northumberland County has had 35 cases, with two not resolved as of Wednesday and one death, a woman in her 80s who had been a resident at Campbellford Memorial Multicare Lodge who died earlier this month. Haliburton County has had 15 cases with all 15 resolved.

The four active cases are two women in their 20s, a woman in her 30s and a woman in her 60s, according to Public Health Ontario.

The health unit is also monitoring 11 people in the City of Kawartha Lakes who are at high risk because of close contact with a confirmed case.

The jurisdiction now has a cumulative rate of 121.2 cases per 100,000 people, nearly a third of the provincial average of 317.3 cases per 100,000 people as of Tuesday.

The Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay earlier had two inmates test positive for COVID-19, according to Public Health Ontario, while the Warkworth Institution medium security federal prison near Warkworth has had 40 inmates tested for COVID-19 so far with all 40 testing negative, Correctional Services Canada reports.

Ontario COVID-19 cases This interactive map shows confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths related to the virus as reported by public health units across Ontario. The map is updated hourly.
PHILADLEPHIA  A city man with Delaware County roots who served 30 years of a life sentence for first-degree murder from a fatally botched 1990 robbery has been released from prison after being granted a new trial and entering no contest pleas to lesser charges.

Paul Johnson, 51, who formerly lived in Media and attended Penncrest High School, entered the pleas Tuesday to charges of robbery, conspiracy to robbery and third-degree murder before Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Lillian Harris Ransom.

Johnson, now of Wilmington, Del., was sentenced Tuesday to the maximum 10 to 20 years for third-degree murder, which he has already served, and was released without further punishment, said Media attorney Michael Malloy.

Hes more than happy, Malloy said Wednesday. Hes been out for about two weeks. We were able to get him bail before the hearing.

Malloy said he would ask Johnson if he wanted to comment for this story, but he did not call by deadline Wednesday.

It feels good, you know, the case was finally heard and it was overturned and the right thing was done, Johnson told Fox 29 outside the Philadelphia courthouse Tuesday. It feels good to be standing out here today free.

Johnson was 21 when he was charged with four other defendants in the shooting death of clerk Ju Yang Lee in a West Philadelphia jewelry store Mar. 19, 1990. According to court documents, Johnson, Kecia Ray, Kevin Wyatt, Tony Bennett and Michael Mayo decided to rob the Goldman Jewelry Store near 52nd and Walnut streets after three of the defendants attempted to pawn a gold chain there.

Johnson was not the gunman, but was the only other defendant in the store when Mayo shot Lee during the course of the robbery, according to court documents. The encounter was caught on video surveillance.

Mayo and Ray pleaded guilty to murder  though Malloy said Mayo was later found incompetent  and the other three defendants were convicted at trial. Johnson had exhausted his appeal rights over the intervening 30 years, said Malloy, but a ruling from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals allowed his client to get a foot in the door to vacate his conviction and sentence.

In order for a co-defendant to be found guilty (of first-degree murder), other than the shooter, the prosecutor must show a specific intent to kill, said Malloy. So for example, if Im going in with you, and you have the gun or I give you the gun and say, He gives you any s, you put a hole in his a, right? Well, I got a specific intent to kill, that might be enough to sway the jury.

But in a case where another defendant pulls a gun and shoots someone on his own, that specific intent necessary for a first-degree murder conviction does not exist with regards to the co-defendant, according to Malloy.

The issue was resolved by a Third Circuit ruling on a federal habeas issue in a separate case, said Malloy, but he believed it applied to Johnsons case as well. His concern was that it might take years to go through various court levels before finally winning out in federal court, however.

So I had a dialogue going back and forth with the law department in the Philadelphia DAs office and they eventually agreed that Im going to win in federal court, he said. And, to their credit, they recognized that. Its a fact, at the end of the day  the Third Circuit has already ruled on this, theyre going to send it back and say, You cant do this, so lets get to it.

Court records indicate Johnson was granted a Post-Conviction Relief Act petition in March that vacated his original sentence and granted him a new trial. Malloy said negotiations continued with the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office since then and the case was finally resolved with the no contest pleas entered Tuesday.

Malloy said he believes it is the correct resolution of the case. The commonwealth might have attempted to try Johnson again for first- or second-degree murder, but Malloy said his client was never going to plead to either of those charges or to conspiracy to murder.

Hes 10 years beyond his maximum, 20 years above his minimum, so hes done, said Malloy. Hes home free.
A woman rides down an escalator amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic at a shopping mall in Seoul, Sept. 9, 2020. Reuters



South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the eighth consecutive day Thursday, but a spate of cluster infections continued to strain the country's efforts to bring the daily numbers under two digits.



The government will decide this week whether to extend tougher anti-virus measures in place in the greater Seoul area.



The country added 155 more COVID-19 cases, including 141 local infections, raising the total caseload to 21,743, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).



Thursday's tally was nearly unchanged from the 156 cases reported Wednesday.



South Korea has been posting triple-digit infections for nearly a month since Aug. 14. The recent spike was mainly attributable to cases tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government rally held last month.



Helped by the country's toughened social distancing measures, the number of daily new cases has been gradually falling after hitting 441 additional cases on Aug. 27, despite some ups and downs.



Health authorities said the latest outcomes are "positive," but the country cannot lower its guard, as sporadic cluster infections have continued.



South Korea will soon decide whether to extend the enhanced social distancing scheme in the greater Seoul area, which is due to expire Sunday, by another week.



Health authorities have said a daily increase of around 100 COVID-19 patients is considered a manageable level under the current medical capability.



Restaurants in the Seoul metropolitan area can operate normally from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., but then can only offer takeout after that time. Franchise coffee chains, bakeries and ice cream parlors can only offer takeaway around the clock.



The measures were adopted amid concerns that a new wave of the pandemic in the densely populated capital area that houses around half of the country's 51-million population would be much more catastrophic than the massive outbreak in Daegu in late February and early March.



More than 5,000 virus cases were traced to the minor religious sect of Shincheonji in Daegu, a city with around 2.5 million residents.



South Korea adopted what it calls the Level 2 social distancing scheme for other parts of the country in mid-August, under which indoor meetings of more than 50 people and open-air gatherings of over 100 people are banned. This will run through Sept. 20, though it could be extended.



Of the newly identified local infections, 46 cases were reported in Seoul and 47 from Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital.



Other municipalities reported new infections, with the central city of Daejeon adding 11 cases and Incheon, just west of Seoul, reporting five new cases.



Cases traced to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent spike in new infections, reached 1,167 as of Wednesday. Cases tied to the anti-government rally in Seoul on Aug. 15 reached 551.



Other sporadic cluster infections continued throughout the nation.



A Buddhist facility located in western Seoul reported 14 patients so far. A logistics center of e-commerce giant Coupang located in eastern Seoul reported 12 cases.



Another Catholic church in northern Seoul posted five patients as well.



The proportion of patients with untraceable infection routes over the past two weeks came to 22.2 percent, according to the latest data provided Wednesday, also straining the country's virus fight. A whopping 41.5 percent were linked to cluster infections.



The number of patients in serious or critical condition came to 169, up 15 from the previous day. Health authorities are worried that the recent spike will lead to shortages in hospital beds, as well as more deaths, as most of them are seniors.



South Korea is bracing itself for the Chuseok holiday, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 this year. The Korean autumn harvest celebration is one of the country's biggest traditional holidays and serves as a chance for family members to visit their hometowns.



Health authorities have advised that the reunions should be held virtually, otherwise new infections could surge.



The country, meanwhile, reported 14 imported cases.



South Korea reported two more deaths, raising the total to 346.



The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 17,360, up 337 from the previous day. (Yonhap)


Characterization of the AFM and graphene/AFM heterostructure. A) Crystal structure of the NiAs-phase CrSe. The three lattice vectors are denoted by a1, a2 and a3. The two sublattices of Cr atoms are denoted by Cr1 and Cr2, respectively. B) Transmission electron microscopy side view of the AFM/GaAs, showing the good quality of the AFM. C) A figure showing a graphene/AFM heterostructure. Credit: Wu et al.

Spintronics (or spin transport electronics) is a fairly new research field specialized in the development of devices that use the spin of electrons to store and process information. These devices could be a favorable alternative to traditional electronics, as they do not work using electric current and could thus prevent the implications of Joule heating. Joule heating is an effect that occurs in conventional electronic devices when current passing through a material produces thermal energy, consequently increasing the material's temperature.

Past studies have found that nonlocal spin currents can travel distances of 2 m to 90 m in graphene, which means that it could be an ideal material for fabricating spintronic devices. However, as graphene is not inherently spin-polarized, to use it in spintronic devices, researchers first need to devise strategies that allow it to transport spins.

This can be achieved by generating spin splitting in the material's band structure. One way to achieve spin splitting in graphene is by placing it close to magnetic materials, such as ferromagnets, ferrimagnets or antiferromagnets.

Researchers at University of California-Los Angeles, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, University of Tennessee and Beijing University of Technology have recently achieved significant exchange splitting in monolayer graphene by integrating it with an antiferromagnetic material. The strategy they used, presented in a paper published in Nature Electronics, could enable the use of graphene for fabricating highly performing, multifunctional spintronic devices.

"We show that monolayer graphene can be magnetized by coupling it to an antiferromagnetic thin film of chromium selenide (CrSe), resulting in an exchange splitting energy as high as 134 meV at 2K," the researchers wrote in their paper. "This exchange splitting is shown through shifts in the quantum Hall plateau and quantum oscillations in the graphene, and its energy can be modulated through field cooling, with the exchange splitting energy increasing with a positive field cooling and decreasing with negative field cooling."

The researchers mechanically exfoliated monolayer graphene onto a SiO 2 /Si substrate and then transferred it on top of a CrSe film. After they did this, they observed that the material presented a series of quantum oscillations that could be modulated using a technique known as field cooling. This suggests the occurrence of a sizeable spin splitting in the combined structure's graphene layer.

The measurements and results suggest that combining graphene with an antiferromagnetic material, such as CrSe, can enable large exchange splitting in the material. The average exchange splitting energy of the graphene/CrSe heterostructure outlined in the recent Nature Electronics paper is of ~134 meV. Interestingly, the researchers also found that the modulation of the graphene spectrum in this structure can be controlled.

Overall, these findings highlight the potential of this structure and potentially of other graphene/antiferromagnet structures for the development of spintronic devices with low dissipation and capable of long-distance spin transport. In addition to enabling the development of new spintronic devices, the structure created by the researchers could be used as a platform to study quantum interface mechanisms and dynamics. Future studies could also explore the potential of systems or structures in which graphene is coupled to other antiferromagnets with different crystal symmetries or properties.

Explore further Spin-galvanic effect in graphene with topological topping demonstrated

More information: Large exchange splitting in monolayer graphene magnetized by an antiferromagnet. Nature Electronics (2020). Journal information: Nature Electronics Large exchange splitting in monolayer graphene magnetized by an antiferromagnet.(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-020-0458-0

 2020 Science X Network
The lawsuit follows months of back-and-forth between the regions attorneys general and the EPA over New Yorks and Pennsylvanias predicted failures to meet pollution reduction goals, which were outlined in 2010 and codified under the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement in 2014. As part of the agreement, which was signed by six states in the bay watershed, the EPA pledged to take federal action if states did not demonstrate that they would meet the 2025 deadline.
J.C. Penney Co. Inc., which just got a new lease on life by agreeing to sell its retail operations to two big developers, had a poor, but hardly surprising second quarter.

The midtier department store chain suffered a net loss of $398 million in the quarter ended Aug. 1. It was steep decline from the $48 million lost in the year-ago quarter. Total revenues came to $1.46 billion in the last quarter, a big drop from the $2.62 billion in revenues generated in the year-ago period.

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The reorganization has been costly, forcing the company to spend $108 million in reorganization fees for advisers, financing fees, employee retentions and other costs.

Other costs and expenses, including merchandise, selling, general and administrative expenses; real estate; depreciation; amortization; restructurings, and management transitions were down to $1.6 billion from $2.6 billion in the year-ago period.

On May 15 of this year, the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. The company had been struggling for years but the pandemic was a strong blow, forcing stores to close, and giving Penneys no choice but to file for a voluntary bankruptcy reorganization.

But the company got a new lease on life this week when it signed an agreement to sell its retail operations to Brookfield Property, Simon Property Group and first lien lenders.

Penneys signed a letter of intent, which is nonbinding, and does leave open the possibility of another offer coming in. However, Penneys, is working to formalize the deal, which would enable the company to keep its stores operating and emerge from bankruptcy.

The deal envisions a $1.75 billion price tag and would include a $300 million equity check from Brookfield and Simon, as well as $500 million of financing from the retailers current debtor-in-possession and first lien lenders.
Nigerias First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has expressed disappointment over the cartoon image of her (Aisha) after her daughter, Hanans wedding at the Presidential Villa on Friday.

The cartoon shows the First Lady seeing Nigerians drowning in a river while she ignored them and shared the wedding invitation of her daughter.

The cartoon image was shared by Daily Trusts cartoonist, Mustapha Bulama.

The First Lady in the cartoon, was saying At least you can enjoy the pictures.

The picture conotes the suffering being experienced by Nigerians due to the recent hike in electricity and fuel tariffs by the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

Recall that reports went viral at the weekend that the first family ignored all COVID-19 protocols as they held elaborate wedding at the Villa.

Hanan got married to Turad, the son of a former lawmaker, Mohammed Shaaban.

The First Lady displayed the images on her official Instagram page @aishambuhari.

Aishas Spokesman, Aliyu Abdullahi told BBC Hausa on Monday that his principal was not happy with how the cartoonist portrayed her in the cartoon image.

He said, The cartoonist did not put Mrs Buhari in the right perspective with his drawing. Her daughters wedding has nothing to do with the present hardship Nigerians are facing.

And let me tell you that the first lady told all her aides not to make the wedding a big one because it was going to be a low key event.

And again, the wedding pictures Aisha shared on her social media pages were pictures shot after the wedding parties.

Furthermore, the presidential aide added that the video which also went viral showing a crowd of people at the wedding were videos that were shot in Zaria at the grooms residence and not at the presidency.

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To earn accreditation for a police department is like a vote of confidence in their commitment to protect and serve, as far as Romulus interim police Chief Robert Pfannes is concerned.

In light of trust concerns with law enforcement officers in some communities, Romulus police are preparing to go all-in on a chance to become accredited through the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.

Pfannes said it is incredibly important that the police department has the publics trust or officers cant effectively do their job.

Pfannes, who just took over as the interim chief early this year, said the department has been working long and hard for the communitys trust and earning the accreditation would be another plus in that endeavor.

Facilitated by the Michigan Association Chiefs of Police and the Michigan Sheriffs Association, this voluntary accreditation program requires the adoption of rigorous professional standards and a thorough review of all policies, procedures and practices to ensure compliance.

Initial and ongoing assessments are conducted by third-party assessors and require proof that the police department meets or exceeds those standards in order to earn and keep its accreditation.

Pfannes said its a difficult process, but a valuable one worth pursuing.

Accreditation is one way for us to benchmark that we are reaching those standards, the interim chief said.

He went on to explain that it will take more than just talking about standards, it will require the department to prove what they have accomplished.

The movement to raise the standards here started with Chief Jadie Settles, Pfannes said. We are continuing that direction.

The primary goals of accreditation are:

? To establish and maintain the best practices of the profession

? To build or maintain community trust and bolster confidence in the agency

? To improve service and limit liability

? To establish fair and professional personnel practices

? To increase accountability to all stakeholders

The departments plan caught the attention of Mayor Leroy Burcroff, who commended the efforts.

I appreciate the work of Chief Pfannes and the entire police department to continually evaluate and improve our citys law enforcement practices, Burcroff said. We want everyone  residents, businesses and visitors  to be proud of our citys dedication to creating a safe and comfortable place to live, work and play.

A mock audit was scheduled to be held last month that would have helped the department identify areas that need improvement before the official review for accreditation.

The mock audit didnt occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pfannes said accreditation could take months or a year or two to achieve.

It will be a confidence builder, he said. We in Romulus have been fortunate to have a community that supports its police department and a police department that cares about its residents. We intend to maintain that trust and respect through our actions and this is one more positive step in that direction.
A New Hampshire woman voting in Tuesdays primary election wore a T-shirt that said 'McCain Hero, Trump Zero', but when she was told she couldnt wear it, she ripped it off and voted topless.

Town Moderator Paul Scafidi said the woman walked into the Talbot Gymnasium in Exeter Tuesday afternoon, but he told her she couldn't vote wearing an anti-Trump shirt under state law.

New Hampshire state law says no person 'shall distribute, wear, or post at a polling place any campaign material', punishable by an up to $1,000 fine.

On Tuesday a New Hampshire woman voted topless after she was told she couldn't vote in a shirt that said 'McCain Hero, Trump Zero' at an Exeter polling station. The woman was wearing a shirt likely similar to this file image above

Scafidi informed her and the two got into an argument where she questioned why she was being singled out and she allegedly argued that another voter was wearing a shirt with an American flag on it.

'She asked why her and not me? I said she was going to have to cover her shirt and (a shirt) supporting the American flag was not electioneering. Thats my opinion, and that was my call as the moderator,' Scafidi said to Sea Coast Online.

The woman asked Scafidi if he wanted her to take her shirt off, even though she wasnt wearing anything underneath.

The woman then boldly took off her shirt before he could answer and ran to vote.

'I said, Id rather she not. But she took it off so fast, no one had time to react so the whole place just went, "Woah," and she walked away, and I let her vote. She couldve just gone into the hallway and turned it inside-out.'

The 'McCain Hero, Trump Zero' shirt is a nod to the contentious relationship the two Republicans had for about two decades during which Trump slammed McCain saying he wasn't a 'war hero' and he was 'never a fan' of the Arizona senator

Scaifidi said he wouldve called police to remove the voter for indecency, but he didnt want to escalate the incident.

'I dont know if she was trying to have me get her arrested, but I thought it was better to just let things play out,' Scafidi said.

'I dont think there were more than 15 voters in the building at the time and if there were any children there, I didnt see them,' he added.

The 'McCain Hero, Trump Zero' shirt is a nod to the contentious relationship the two Republicans had for about two decades.

President Donald Trump bashed McCain for being a prisoner of war in Vietnam, saying in 2015: 'He's not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured.'

In March 2019 Trump said: 'I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be.'

When McCain passed away in August 2018, McCain's family did not invite Trump to the funeral.

Trump was not on Tuesdays primary ballot which featured races for governor and Congress in New Hampshire

Trump was not on Tuesdays ballot which featured races for governor and Congress.

Most poll workers laughed off the bizarre display and continued work as normal.

'If she felt it was her right, more power to her. We all laughed about it as things were winding down, so I dont know if it was a set-up, but Ive never experienced anything like that,' Scfidi said.

'We had more important things to worry about; we had to get 2,000 people to vote safely, and check-in and count 2,000 absentee ballots,' he explained.
An Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama in Jos on Thursday sentenced a 25-year-old trader, Abba Arando, to two years imprisonment for stealing carrots worth N65,000.

The judge, Lawal Suleiman, sentenced Mr Arando after he pleaded guilty to trespass, mischief and theft.

Mr Suleiman, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N20,000.

The judge advised the convict to change his ways and not to engage in crimes.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported at the Laranto Police Station, Jos on Sept. 5 by the complainant, Ahmad Mohammed.

Mr Gokwat, a police inspector, said the convict confessed that he trespassed and harvested carrots worth N65,000 from the complainants farm without his consent.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 327, 312 and 271 of the Penal Code law. (NAN)
Globe Telecom has reached out to several independent tower firms in the Philippines in a bid to boost the quality of its mobile network.

As reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer, the operator is seeking access to as many as 900 new sites. In a statement, Globe claimed that the deals were past the planning stage, with construction on sites set to commence.

TeleGeography notes that Globe has already signed agreements with groups such as Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), CREI Philippines, Frontier Towers & Associates (FTA), and Transcend Towers Infrastructure (Philippines).

Globe CFO Rizza Maniego-Eala said: The partnerships with towercos will greatly complement the companys target in expanding its capacity and coverage throughout the country.

The deals were made as part of the countrys push towards common tower infrastructure, under which operators such as Globe will lease spaces on shared towers in order to prevent unnecessary duplicated infrastructure, lowering capex for operators and theoretically passing this saving onto subscribers.

The countrys Department of Information and Communications Technology has laid out a plan to build 50,000 new towers across the next few years.
New York

Luxury goods giant LVMH is ending its takeover deal of jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co., saying the French government had requested a delay to assess the threat of proposed U.S. tariffs and amid wider industry troubles caused by the pandemic.

The Paris-based conglomerate said the French government and Tiffany had requested that the closing of the deal be postponed by a few months. The French government, it said, wanted to assess the impact of the possible U.S. tariffs on French goods.

As a result, LVMH said, the $14.5 billion deal  which would have been the biggest in the luxury market and was scheduled to close Nov. 24  will be canceled.

Tiffany replied that it's suing to enforce the merger agreement, which was signed in November 2019. The New York company said LVMH's argument has no basis in French law. Tiffany also said that LVMH hasn't even attempted to seek the required antitrust approval from three jurisdictions.

"We believe that LVMH will seek to use any available means in an attempt to avoid closing the transaction on the agreed terms," said Roger Farah, chairman of Tiffany, in a statement.

Shares in Tiffany slid 6 percent in afternoon trading in New York. Those in LVMH, which owns 75 brands including Christian Dior, Fendi, Givenchy and Tag Heuer, were stable.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

The deal's value came under strain during the coronavirus pandemic, which caused retail sales to plunge around the world. Tiffany's share price has been trading around $125 a share for weeks  below the $135 per share price that LVMH had agreed to pay last fall, before the pandemic.

Back then, industry experts had said the deal made sense. Tiffany, known for its delicate jewelry, distinctive blue boxes and an Audrey Hepburn movie, had been trying to transform its brand to appeal to younger and more digital shoppers, and could have used an owner with deep pockets to help expand.

LVMH, led by billionaire Bernard Arnault, had thought the deal would strengthen its position in high-end jewelry and in the U.S. market. LVMH was also making a bet on China's economy, where Tiffany had been expanding its presence.

The pandemic threw all those assumptions and plans in doubt, and the threat of new tariffs between the U.S. and Europe was cited as a further complicating issue.
The Vielight RX-Plus photobimodulation (PBM) device. The RX-Plus device employs two LED modules which emit red and near infrared (NIR) light. This home-use device is investigated as a non-invasive therapy for COVID-19 patients in a new clinical trial.

The Vielight RX-Plus photobimodulation (PBM) device. The RX-Plus device employs two LED modules which emit red and near infrared (NIR) light. This home-use device is investigated as a non-invasive therapy for COVID-19 patients in a new clinical trial.

This image shows the correct placement of the Vielight RX-Plus photobimodulation (PBM) device. The device employs two LED modules which emit red and near infrared (NIR) light. This home-use device is investigated as a non-invasive therapy for COVID-19 patients in a new clinical trial.

This image shows the correct placement of the Vielight RX-Plus photobimodulation (PBM) device. The device employs two LED modules which emit red and near infrared (NIR) light. This home-use device is investigated as a non-invasive therapy for COVID-19 patients in a new clinical trial.

Toronto, Canada, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vielight Inc. is pleased to announce the commencement of recruitment for a COVID-19 clinical trial in Ontario, Canada. This involves a home-use device the Vielight RX Plus to accelerate recovery from COVID-19 infection. The trial was authorized by Health Canada on September 3, 2020. Recruitment for the trial, which recently started in the US, will now be extended to Ontario.

In this trial, Vielight Inc. is looking for clinical evidence to validate the Vielight RX Plus as an effective therapeutic device to accelerate the recovery of patients who recently tested positive for COVID-19 infection. The device delivers a combination of LED-based red light intranasally and near infrared (NIR) light to the body. The intervention is based on the science of photobiomodulation (PBM), which utilizes certain light energy to modify cellular functions.

This randomized controlled clinical trial is seeking to study subjects who are between the ages of 18 and 65 years old, residents of Ontario, Canada and have been very recently diagnosed with a COVID-19 infection.

The trial will be conducted remotely with non-hospitalized subjects who have recently tested positive for COVID-19. Investigators based in Ontario will provide secure video consultations to communicate with the trial participants.

The Research Supporting this Clinical Trial

The body of published research on PBM and related coronavirus infection etiology suggest that PBM may be effective in inhibiting the replication of coronaviruses. It could boost the activities of the immune system while managing the risk of inflammation, said Dr. Michael Hamblin, Associate Professor Emeritus at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. PBM is also recognized for its healing properties, which may aid recovery.

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We have designed the Vielight RX Plus with specific parameters based on PBM research that are relevant to impacting coronavirus infections. By conducting this study, we are looking to prove that the Vielight RX Plus will accelerate recovery and reduce the severity of the viral infection, said Dr. Lew Lim, Founder and CEO of Vielight Inc. Its affordability, comfort and suitability for home-use are important features needed for widespread adoption. We now need to evaluate through this clinical trial, whether it will also be effective.

The Clinical Trial Format and Recruitment

The randomized controlled trial is expected to involve 280 participants who are confirmed to have COVID-19 infection. 140 of the participants will be randomized to the active Vielight RX Plus protocol, and the other 140 participants will be randomized to the standard care regimen, only. Recruitment for participants is currently open; it will close when the target number of 280 qualified participants is reached.

Data will be captured electronically from online questionnaires. Support and oversight are carried out by medically qualified investigators, with all best-practice safety measures in place. There will be no human contact, and all communications are relayed remotely. Success in this trial is measured by the time to recovery over a 30-day study period.

About Vielight Inc.

Vielight Inc. is a privately held company based in Toronto, Canada. The company develops and supplies low risk photobiomodulation general wellness devices globally. Vielight holds the reputation as one of the most active companies in research and development in the field of PBM. Vielight PBM devices are investigated in a number of active clinical trials. These trials include investigation of the use of the Vielight PBM devices for Alzheimers disease, traumatic brain injury, and other institutional PBM research projects. More information about Vielight Inc. can be found at https://vielight.com.

Information on the clinical trial is available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04418505.

Potential subjects should call 1-800-517-8010 or email info@covidlight.ca for trial participation enquiries. For more information about the trial recruitment please visit www.covidlight.ca.

Attachments

CONTACT: Gennady Lemud, Communications Director Vielight Inc. 1-877-355-8012 gennady@vielight.com Andrea Berk Clinical Trial Manager 1-800-517-8010




Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Welcomes New Executive Director

Photo of Dr. Suzanne L. Weekes

Photo of Dr. Suzanne L. Weekes

Philadelphia, PA, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) has announced the appointment of Dr. Suzanne L. Weekes, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, ad interim, and Professor of Mathematical Sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), to the position of Executive Director. In her new role, Weekes will continue to build SIAMs reputation as the leading professional society for applied mathematicians and computational scientists.

With a B.S. in Mathematics from Indiana University, a Ph.D. in Mathematics and Scientific Computing from the University of Michigan and having done her post-doctoral work at Texas A&M University, Weekes serves on SIAMs Council and is a member of the Science Policy committees of both the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and SIAM. As part of her science policy work, Weekes recently chaired the SIAM Task Force on Future Research Directions for NSF in the Era of COVID-19, the goal of which was to make recommendations to NSF on future applied mathematics and computational science research directions given the COVID-19 pandemic.

After nearly six months of interviewing many extraordinary and passionate candidates, the search committee is proud to appoint Suzanne as SIAMs third Executive Director, said Margot Gerritsen, Chair of the SIAM Board of Trustees. In Suzannes words, SIAM is the voice of applied mathematics and we know that under her leadership, that voice will sound clear and true.

Weekes is also an At-Large Member of the Executive Committee of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and is a member of the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM). She is the recipient of a 2020 Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). She also received the 2019 Humphreys Award for Mentoring from AWM. Weekes is a past Chair of the SIAM Education Committee and was the faculty founder of the WPI SIAM Student Chapter in 2003, where she has served as the faculty advisor to the chapter since.

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SIAM has always been a special and important organization to me, personally and professionally, Weekes commented. In fact, the SIAM Annual Meeting was the first conference I attended when I was a graduate student in the 90s, and a couple years later, the first conference at which I presented. The organization has been instrumental in my career, and what a culmination of that to now have the honor of serving as Executive Director.

Weekes research work is in numerical methods for differential equations including applications to spatio-temporal composites and cancer growth. She is also focused on initiatives connecting the academic mathematics community to mathematics and statistics work in business, industry, and government, and is passionate about making the mathematical sciences accessible to the public.

COVID-19 has driven home the critical importance of science, technology, and math, says Weekes. In this pandemic era, we are relying on scientists to help us understand, analyze, and solve critical problems  to make us healthy and keep us safe. Research coming out of the SIAM community reflects the best of modern science and technology. We need to make sure that the public and policymakers understand the importance and impact of what applied mathematicians and computational scientists do.

Weekes will begin her new role January 1, 2021 and succeeds Dr. James M. Crowley, who served SIAM for 25 years as Executive Director and recently retired.

About SIAM

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an international society of more than 14,500 individual, academic, and corporate members from more than 85 countries. SIAM helps build cooperation between mathematics and the worlds of science and technology to solve real-world problems through publications, conferences, and communities like chapters, sections and activity groups. Learn more at siam.org.

Attachment

CONTACT: Becky Kerner Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics 267-992-8681 kerner@siam.org




OPEC countries can hold a face-to-face meeting in honor of the 60th anniversary of the organization in Baghdad in early December 2020 if the epidemiological situation in the world improves and restrictions on border crossing are lifted, an OPEC source told TASS.

The proposal to hold a meeting on December 4 in the capital of Iraq, where OPEC was founded 60 years ago, was voiced by the country's oil minister in his letter to OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo, a copy of which was reviewed by TASS. In his address, the Iraqi minister says that it took several months to prepare for this meeting, but due to the pandemic and current restrictions, the meeting scheduled for September had to be postponed.

We propose to organize it on December 4 in Baghdad, he writes.

Regular ministerial talks of the OPEC and non-OPEC countries participating in the agreement to cut oil production are scheduled for November 30 - December 1 of this year, tentatively online.

The decision on the date of the meeting will be made after the epidemiological situation is clarified, the interlocutor of TASS explained.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 18:58:26|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scholars and representatives from leading enterprises have come together to discuss the voluntary service of enterprises and its relation with social governance.

Many enterprises have leveraged their respective strengths to provide voluntary services during the COVID-19 epidemic, contributing to China's anti-epidemic fight, said Zhang Yi with the Chinese Center of Volunteering Research (CCVR), during a seminar jointly organized by the CCVR and the Research Council of China Volunteer Service Federation (CVSF) on Wednesday.

Duan Guiqing with the CVSF pointed out that enterprises need to build more platforms, strengthen team building among volunteer associations and constantly improve supporting policies to carry out volunteer work in the future.

Representatives from Pingan, Alibaba, Tencent and other leading Chinese enterprises shared the history, operation mechanism, content and future development direction of their respective enterprises' voluntary service.

"In the future, we hope to upgrade and innovate our volunteer work through our technical and digital capabilities," said Liang Ju, a representative from Tencent.

Business representatives attending the seminar have jointly launched an initiative, calling on more enterprises to utilize their strengths in carrying out diversified volunteer work and provide various support and innovative services in response to difficulties in the social governance system. Enditem
Bottom line: Financial terms of the deal were not made public although according to some rumors, Ninja's deal with Mixer was worth between $20 million to $30 million a year. Even if his new deal with Twitch is on the lower end of that spectrum due to less negotiating leverage, that's still a truckload of cash.

Tyler Ninja Blevins is back on Twitch.

A little over a year after leaving the Amazon-owned live streaming service for greener pastures at Microsoft, Blevins on Thursday announced his return to Twitch. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ninja has signed an exclusive, multi-year agreement with the streaming service.

Ninja stunned fans and the gaming community last summer when he decided to sign a deal with Microsoft and stream exclusively on its platform, Mixer.

Things seemingly got off to a good start as he attracted more than one million subscribers on his new platform within the first week. Mixer even announced a weekly Fortnite tournament that would be hosted by Ninja. Less than a month later, however, Microsoft revealed it would be shutting the platform down.

The move seemingly left Ninja and other contracted streamers free to pursue other offers. Its unclear how Microsoft terminated those contracts, but here we are, with those folks now being free agents.

Michael Grzesiek, another streamer best known to his fans as Shroud, made a similar move last month, returning to Twitch after having previously left the platform for Mixer.
The ban on certain American beef and pork imports has been one of the main obstacles to a trade deal between the two allies

Taiwan will ease restrictions on US beef and pork imports, President Tsai Ing-wen announced Friday, in an effort to help pave the way for a bilateral trade pact.

The ban on certain American beef and pork imports has been one of the main obstacles to a trade deal between the two allies.

"This (decision) is based on our country's economic interests and the overall strategic development goals," Tsai said at a press conference.

"I believe that with the issue of American pork and beef -- if we can move a crucial step forward -- it will become an important start to a full-range of Taiwan-US economic cooperation."

Taiwan had previously banned all US pork because of its zero tolerance for ractopamine, a controversial leaner-meat promoting additive used by American farmers.

It will now set a standard on ractopamine residue in pork.

Taiwan will also open its market to imported American beef from cattle older than 30 months, previously banned because of earlier mad cow disease outbreaks in the United States.

A US Trade Representative (USTR) report released in 2019 said the island's restrictions on imports of beef and pork was a major barrier to greater trade ties between the two sides.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the lifting of the ban, which he said on Twitter "opens the door for even deeper economic and trade cooperation."

"Kudos to President Tsai for her leadership," he added.

The United States is Taiwan's second-largest trading partner, accounting for 11.8 percent of total trade and 12 percent of Taiwan's imports.

Taiwan's largest trading partner China has signalled it may end its trade deal with the island after it expires next month.

The 10-year agreement, signed under the previous Beijing-friendly Ma Ying-jeou administration, cut tariffs on more than 500 Taiwanese exports.

Since then, relations have taken a turn for the worse.

China has cut off official communication and ramped up diplomatic, military and economic pressure on Taiwan since Tsai came to power in 2016 as she views the island as a sovereign nation and not part of "one China".

sc/jta/qan/tom/txw
A medic takes swab sample of a man for the new coronavirus test at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

The Health Ministry will hire businesses for testing passengers at airports as Vietnam plans to ease travel restrictions and adapt to pandemic times, officials said at a meeting Wednesday.

The National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control has said that it is necessary now to "live safely with the pandemic," and to allow experts and investors into the nation for the cause of socio-economic development.

For this, it is vital to implement a plan to perform rapid tests at border gates, airports, hospitals and mass gathering events, ensuring timely detection of infections and prevention of community transmissions.

Experts have suggested the Health Ministry draw from experiences of Germany, India, Japan, South Korea and Thailand in performing tests on passengers when resuming some international routes.

Acting Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said that for now, Vietnam was not considering letting tourists in.

He said experts and skilled workers entering Vietnam for short-term stays of less than 14 days would not have to stay in centralized quarantine facilities. But they must be confirmed negative by RT-PCR testing three-five days before entry.

Once they enter Vietnam, they have to be tested and samples collected for more tests every two days.

The Ministry of Science and Technology said at the meeting that it will buy test kits from two local medical firms, Sao Thai Duong Joint Stock Company and Medicon Co., Ltd., for the Covid-19 antigen detection tests.

As explained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, antigen detection test can quickly detect fragments of proteins found on or within the virus by testing samples collected from the nasal cavity using swabs.

Vietnam has been using the antigen detection test kit using the real-time reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to diagnose infections of the novel coronavirus.

This method promises greater accuracy but requires high skills and complicated operation processes, apart from taking quite a long time to get the result, said Nguyen Cong Tac, deputy Minister of Science and Technology.

For now, local companies have been working on producing antigen detection test kits that can make use of existing equipment and machinery in Vietnam, take shorter time to come up with the results that are as precise as those analyzed by the RT-PCR method, he said.

Sao Thai Duong has completed making the new test kit and submitted it to the authorities for assessment and approval while Medicon is in the process of doing so.

Once completed, Medicon expects to sell each of its antigen detection test kit for $3.50, which is 70 percent of the global average price for the product.

The health and science-technology ministries are responsible for checking and assessing all antigen detection test kits produced by local firms.

The nations aviation authorities had said early this month that they have prepared detailed plans for resuming commercial flights to six Northeast and Southeast Asian destinations this month.

The Ministry of Transport and other relevant agencies have submitted plans to the Covid-19 steering committee, asking for flights to resume to Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Cambodia and Laos from September 15, with all foreign passengers quarantined on arrival.

Vietnam suspended all international flights on March 25. Many foreigners who have been kept out of Vietnam due to travel restrictions have pleaded with the government to reopen the borders and resume international flights so that they could reunite with their families.

On Thursday, Vietnam entered its seventh day in a row without community transmission of the novel coronavirus.

The nation has registered 1,059 Covid-19 cases so far with 890 recoveries and 35 deaths.
A man is on the run after a woman was reportedly stabbed at an illegal gathering in locked down Melbourne, with traumatised party-goers copping $8,000 in fines for breaching lockdown.

Police said the assault happened at a home on Peel Street, West Melbourne, at about 6.30am on Friday.

The 36-year-old woman was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said the assault happened at a home on Peel Street, West Melbourne, at about 6.30am on Friday. Pictured: Police in the scene

Five people who were inside the house at the time of the altercation will be fined for breaking the city's strict coronavirus lockdown.

Victoria Police said they would each be hit with a $1,652 penalty notice for breaching the directions of the Chief Health Officer.

Police believe the pair are known to each other.

Investigations are continuing.
Amid border tension in eastern Ladakh, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday stressed the need to maintain peace and tranquillity at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The ministers held over two-hour-long talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' meet in Russian capital city Moscow.

This is the first in-person meet between the foreign ministers since the border tension flared up in May but both of them had spoken to each other after the Galwan incident of June in which India lost 20 of its soldiers. They have come face to face thrice in Moscow on September 10--first at SCO FMs meet, then for the Russia, India and China FMs Lunch and later for the bilateral meet.

Live TV

Earlier MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said "this issue will be discussed" when asked at a media briefing whether the four-month-long border faceoff will be raised by Jaishankar at the talks. Jaishankar and Wang are in Moscow to attend the SCO meeting.

A meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meet in Moscow last week apparently did not yield any tangible outcome.

On September 10 (Thursday), India and China agreed to hold Corps commander levels talks soon and while the date and time of the meet are yet to be decided, it will be the sixth such meet since June. The talks have taken held five times so far on June 6, 22 and 30, July 14 and August 2.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the situation remains tense even as at some places Indian and Chinese forces are just 300 meters away. No fresh aggressive action by the Chinese side has been observed, which on September 7 and 8 indulged in "provocative" action according to the Indian Army.

Indian and Chinese Brigade Commander and Commanding Officers interacted on Thursday for three hours from 11 am to 2 pm and the status quo continues. A govt source said that the aim is to "keep lines of communication open" between the two sides. A massive spike in border tensions in eastern Ladakh was triggered by fresh face-offs between the armies of India and China along the LAC.

The Indian Army on September 8 said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh the previous evening and fired shots in the air, a first such instance of bullets being used along the LAC after a gap of 45 years.

The Army said this in a statement after the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) late on September 7 night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and "outrageously fired" warning shots near the Pangong lake.

The Indian Army in a release on September 8 said, "PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air" and "despite the grave provocation, own troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner".

India has occupied several dominating heights close to China's existing positions at Finger 4, north bank of Pangong Lake. The development gives the Indian Army an edge over the Chinese even as PLA troops continue to indulge in provocative actions.

The Chinese have occupied Finger 4 to Finger 8 in the north bank of Pangong Lake. As part of disengagement, India has repeatedly asked Chinese forces to go on its side of LAC and vacate the area.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 12:18:26|Editor: huaxia

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BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Police officers in Buenos Aires Province of Argentina continued their protests on Wednesday to demand higher salaries and better working conditions amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Policemen began demonstrations on Monday, asking for a salary increase of between 56 and 64 percent for tens of thousands of police force members in the province and more protection from the novel coronavirus.

The South American country has so far reported more than half a million confirmed cases of COVID-19, and over 10,000 people have died of the deadly disease. Buenos Aires Province is the hardest hit region by the virus with about 60 percent of the country's total caseload.

Protesters gathered outside the presidential residence on the northern outskirts of the capital city and the provincial governor's official residence in La Plata, calling for negotiations.

The protests saw a dramatic moment when an officer identified as Oscar Pagano, 52, climbed up a communications tower in La Matanza on the outskirts of Buenos Aires and threatened to jump on Wednesday.

Buenos Aires Security Minister Sergio Berni has announced a salary increase for policemen, with details to be released on Thursday. Enditem
One of Joe Biden's recent commercials features "John"  an alleged steelworker (from an unnamed Pennsylvania steel town) who predictably blames the nation's steel woes on Donald Trump. After making the obligatory claim that he voted for Trump in 2016, he faults Trump for not bringing back the long lost steel industry. John tells us he is now voting for Joe Biden. The script is accompanied by black-and-white film of ancient steel mills.

A quick review of the facts will show how pathetic this accusation is. As most Americans know, the steel industry thrived in the United States for many decades. The disastrous steel strike of 1959 opened the door for foreign steel imports and marked the beginning of a decades-long decline for American steel (Paul Tiffany, The Decline of American Steel, 1988, p. vii). In 1971, the American steel industry furloughed 100,000 workers (John Hoerr, And the Wolf Finally Came, 1988, p. 111). Beginning in 1974, the American steel industry laid off hundreds of thousands of workers over several years. In 1979 alone, U.S. Steel closed 14 plants in the United States. After Ronald Reagan took office in January 1981, all of these problems were suddenly blamed on "Reaganomics." (Some things never change.)

By the 1980s, many of the nation's steel plants (especially those near Pittsburgh) operated with only a skeleton crew or were closed. Most of them would soon be dismantled, leaving empty land and blighted towns. U.S. Steel (now USX) would soon diversify into other industries. The steelworkers' union would do likewise. The USW now represents workers from a variety of industries, including transportation, utilities, containers, pharmaceuticals, call centers, and health care. The steel industry of today bears little resemblance to the one depicted in the black-and-white film of the Biden commercial. The forces that destroyed the old industry were set in motion when Donald Trump was a child (or even earlier) and came to fruition around the time Americans were getting tired of Jimmy Carter. "John" mentions none of these facts or any dates other than his own dubious vote for Trump in 2016. In the radio version, "John the steelworker" sums up by saying "Trump bad  Biden good"  as if he does not trust his listeners to understand the majority of the commercial they have just heard. "John's" scriptwriters have good reason for such cynicism.

It should be no surprise that the party (and its media allies) that spent the past four years on impeachment hoaxes, obstruction of justice, racial warfare, etc. would seek to blame President Trump for the events of the 1970s and before. All of the left's attacks on Trump have necessarily been convoluted and confusing. Its own candidate has been filmed molesting children on stage at many different events. That is a difficult cross for the scriptwriters to bear. They cannot win without taking the voters on a strange odyssey of misdirection, lies, and fantasy. Their stories cannot gain traction without endless repetition by a compliant media establishment and the threat of rioting and plague to silence the opposition. Their steel message is not at all different, as no logical argument can possibly tie Trump to the historical problems in the steel industry.

One commercial does not a campaign make. If this commercial constituted the Democrats' only violation of truth and logic, it would make little difference. It would stand out as unusual. It would be seen as a "gaffe." But in a world where the left blames Trump for the consequences of shutdowns in Democrat-run states and riots by leftist mobs, the steel industry commercial is predictable. We can expect no less than indiscriminate blame for long-ago events from the same party (and its allies) that creates new destruction on a daily basis while pointing fingers at Trump.

Predictably, Trump has been blamed for the coronavirus, derogatory comments about veterans, consequences of Democrat-mandated shutdowns, and slashing Social Security. (The last one is no surprise, as every GOP candidate for decades has been accused of proposing the end of Social Security.) The left no longer even tries to maintain a pretense of believability, as its supporters will accept and enable any negative story about Trump. There are, no doubt, more lies to come.

Every four years, the GOP candidate endures the same treatment. Ronald Reagan was going to start a nuclear war. Bob Dole was going to eliminate Social Security. Mitt Romney was going to reinstitute slavery. Donald Trump is responsible for the vacant lots in the former steel towns around Pittsburgh. Each year, the attacks get more bizarre. But we can immunize ourselves against these tactics. We do not know exactly how they are going to lie to us. But we know they are going to lie.

Leftists have their own fact-proof shield that prevents them from hearing the truth. They shout "racism" or "white privilege" when they want to drown out the facts. The rest of us must develop our own defense against lies. Remembering the lies of the past will immunize us to the lies of the future. We can no longer view each issue or each election as a separate event. Every leftist spin on every issue/campaign must be evaluated in the context of all prior such spin. If we remember not merely that they lie, but the specifics of prior lies, the new lies will be less effective.

In the case of the steel commercial, seeing the actual numbers from the proper decade turns the Democrat attack into a parody of itself. Once we see that we are talking about events in the 1970s, we experience a cleansing effect. We are stronger for having gone through this exercise. Future Democrat "commercials" (whether they appear as TV ads or through biased network "reporting" or a hateful rant of some celebrity) become harmless. We will not know every lie in every commercial, but knowing that there is some lie at the heart of each Democrat argument gives us the composure we need to remain steadfast in the face of the coming attacks.
Pittsfield School Committee Takes No Action on Taconic Name Change Petition

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The School Committee took no action on a petition Wednesday asking it to delay a decision to eliminate the Taconic Braves name.

The petition with 200 signatures was simply accepted, essentially grounding a community effort to delay a possible mascot name change at the high school.

"I think that people feel very strongly about being Braves and some people are thinking we are wiping out history," Chairwoman Katherine Yon said. "I don't think it is that at all. The Braves will always be the Braves; it is part of our history here. But it seems to me that the context of the history we are living in now is changing, and we are looking at a new era of social justice."

In August, the School Committee voted to eliminate the 50-year-old team mascot and begin the process of determining a new, more culturally acceptable identity for the vocational school.

The committee heard from James Massery, who spoke during public comment on behalf of the Committee to Save the Taconic Braves. This group submitted the petition.

"Being associated with Native Americans here is part of our history and part of our culture," he said. "Our position is to respectfully ask you to hold your decision to cancel the Braves name. We are not challenging your authority ... we are hoping to appeal to your authority."

He also noted that many in his group were under the impression that there was only going to be a discussion on the the name change in August. He said many were disappointed a vote was taken that night, and they did not have an opportunity to speak.

Yon read the petition that asked the committee to hold in abeyance the enforcement of its vote until the Massachusetts House Bill Senate 2593 regarding the use of Native American team names passed.

The petition also asked to allow the community a fair opportunity to speak to the name change

Yon was hesitant to wait on any bill passing the Legislature and assessed that it could hold up the process for some time.

"There are five bills there; this one came up right before the pandemic hit," she said. "So I don't know how long that is going to take."

She also spoke to a misunderstanding on the vote and said they decided to put the item back on the agenda Wednesday to allow more input.

Committee member William Cameron did not think the School Committee had to defend its decision or debate it and made the motion to accept the petition.

"The School Committee is not a debating committee," he said. "We are in place to take action."

Before the unanimous vote, Mayor Linda Tyer asked what the next steps were.

Yon said Taconic Principal Matthew Bishop has taken the lead on the project and will form a committee.

"He does have some ideas going forward where the history of the Native American is not going to be forgotten at Taconic," Yon said. "I think there are ways to move forward with somewhat of a compromise."

During public comment, the School Committee also heard from some residents in opposition to the name change.

"Braves are Native American warriors, and I am here tonight to respectfully ask you to reconsider," Deborah Puia, of the class of 1985, said. "I always was and always will be proud to be a Taconic Brave."

"The name was chosen to honor the Native Americans, not disgrace them," Joe Murphy, of the class of 1977, said. "We were proud to put on the green and gold; we were proud to be part of the Braves family."

Tyer also read a communication from Sheriff Thomas Bowler who wrote he always believed the Braves exemplified courage, asking the committee to take another look at its decision and begin a larger community conversation about the name.

Taconic teacher Kelly Cusson was the only voice in favor of the committee's decision, and she encouraged school officials to stick by their decision.

"A Native American mascot is racist because it is a stereotype based on race," she said. "Whether it is a positive or negative a stereotype is harmful because it blocks understanding of native people."

Ultimately, the School Committee will vote on the new school title.
BRIDGEPORT  Bridgeports police chief has resigned, the mayor said, after allegations he and the citys acting personnel director conspired to rig the 2018 chief search and then lied to the FBI about it, according to a federal complaint filed Thursday.

Armando Perez, former police chief, and David Dunn were both charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and lying to the FBI. If convicted, Dunn could face a maximum of 40 years in prison, Perez a maximum of 50 years.

Mayor Joe Ganim in a video posted on Twitter late Thursday afternoon said Perez resigned as chief. Ganim said he will appoint Assistant Police Chief Rebeca Garcia as acting chief to lead the department. Garcia is the subject of a pending lawsuit contesting her qualifications to be assistant chief. Trial in that case is scheduled to begin next month in Superior Court.

Ganim said there is a grappling for some of the answers as to what has happened, disappointment, uncertainty.

The members of this administration will remain committed to you as residents of this city, Ganim said, adding that public safety remains a top priority.

The complaint paints a picture of Perez as desperate to be appointed permanent police chief but frustrated because he was unable to fill out the application on his own and answer the exam questions. It states he convinced Dunn to help him and two officers, including one who resigned from the department because of racist emails, to write his application and provide him with draft answers for the test.

According to the complaint, on an Oct. 17, 2018, phone call between Dunn and one of the interview panelists, Dunn stated that the Mayor wanted Perez to be in the top three. Panelist-1 understood Dunn to be asking Panelist-1 to score Perez higher and/or to influence other panelists to do the same.

Ganim had to pick a police chief from the top three qualified candidates.

Dunn later denied to the FBI that anybody tried to influence the panelists on Perezs behalf.

The complaint states that Perez, after being told of the allegations against him, spent hours telling FBI agents that it wasnt true even though they had recordings of him telling officers to get him the prepared answers for the exam.

On Thursday afternoon, Perez, 64, and Dunn, 72, waived their rights to an in-court arraignment and instead were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Garfinkel via video conference.

Dunn, dressed in a yellow T-shirt and blue jeans, sat in a barred cell during his hearing while Perez, dressed in a blue suit and face mask, sat beside his lawyer, Robert Frost, in what appeared to be an office.

Both men later posted $150,000 bonds. Dunns lawyer, Frederick Paoletti, declined comment. Frost did not return calls for comment.

Garfinkel continued the cases to Sept. 24 for a probable cause hearing.

Perezs bond comes with the condition that he not travel outside the state of Connecticut. A relative went to the chiefs Trumbull home to collect his guns, including his service weapon, a clerk told Garfinkel.

As alleged, Chief Perez and Personnel Director Dunn schemed to rig the purportedly impartial and objective search for a permanent police chief to ensure the position was awarded to Perez, and then repeatedly lied to federal agents in order to conceal their conduct, a statement from Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss said.

Strauss said the citys residents and police officers deserve leaders with integrity who are committed to enforcing, not breaking, the law.

FBI Special Agent-in-Charge David Sundberg said in a statement that Perezs arrest serves as a stark reminder that the betrayal of public trust and community members by a public servant is not only unethical but often illegal.

In a statement later Thursday afternoon, Bridgeport city officials said they learned this morning that Dunn and Perez surrendered to the U.S. Attorneys office.

Since learning this information, but without details of the charges being brought forth, the administration has been reviewing these key positions to prepare to make any immediate and appropriate changes in personnel, a release from the city said. The City Attorneys Office is now in receipt of the U.S. Attorneys release and reviewing the allegations in order for the administration to react and respond effectively. City officials will provide more information as soon as possible.

The details

WHO IS ARMANDO PEREZ? Armando Perez, who lives in Trumbull, first joined the Bridgeport Police Department in 1983 after, he has said, considering a job in banking. He rose to the level of captain and was in charge of the detective bureau when Mayor Joe Ganim made him acting chief in March, 2016. Perez was then promoted to chief in 2018. WHO IS DAVID DUNN? David Dunn, a Stratford resident, is a veteran of municipal government. He became the city's senior labor relations officer in 1997 before taking over as the personnel director - head of the Civil Service Office - in 2009 under then-Mayor Bill Finch. See More Collapse

Around February 2018, the city started its search to fill the chief seat permanently. Under city charter, the city was required to conduct a nationwide search for candidates.

Around that time, Perez and Dunn hatched a scheme, federal authorities said.

Perez, who was serving as acting chief to the department at the time, allegedly conspired with Dunn, who was and remains the citys acting personnel director, to deceive the city by secretly rigging the supposedly independent search process for a new BPD chief to ensure that PEREZ was ranked as one of the top three candidates and could therefore be awarded a five-year contract to serve as the BPD chief, the news release said.

Dunn oversaw the chief examination process and retained an outside consultant to help develop and carry out the exam, authorities said, adding that Dunn and Perez then allegedly manipulated that examination process in multiple ways.

Dunn allegedly stole confidential exam questions and related information developed by the consultant and gave the materials to Perez, including by email. Dunn also allegedly had the consultant tailor the exam scoring criteria to favor Perez, according to the release.

Perez also allegedly enlisted Bridgeport Police Department officers to secretly draft and write Perezs written exam, the release said. Those officers were not identified in the news release, nor was there any mention regarding charges against them.

As a result of the scheme, the city was deceived into ranking Perez among the top three candidates, which rendered him eligible for the permanent police chief position, the news release said. The mayor ultimately offered the position to Perez, and the city, under the assurance that Perez had been appointed in accordance with the city charter, entered into a five-year contract with Perez.

That contact included a payout of more than $300,000 to Perez for accrued leave.

Perez and Dunn were each voluntarily interviewed in connection with the FBIs investigation, federal authorities said.

To try to cover up what they had done, officials said, during those interviews, Dunn and Perez allegedly both lied to FBI agents about facts material to the criminal investigation.

Authorities alleged that Perez provided false and misleading information about the help Dunn and others provided him in connection with the exam process.

Perez is also alleged to have requested that a city police officer sneak into headquarters to retrieve stolen confidential information provided by Dunn, authorities said.
Savitribai Phule Pune University will conduct the practical examination between 15 and 25 September in online mode

Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) will be holding all its written examination between 1 and 30 October. The board of examination and evaluation has released a notification on the varsity's official website - unipune.ac.in.

Students will be given both online-offline option for taking the exams. For online exam, students will have to write the paper from their home and for offline exam they will have to appear at the designated exam centres.

According to Indian Express, the option forms are available on the University's website. Students can access it through their login ID and indicate their preference by 13 September.

The SPPU decision to hold the final year exams comes after the Supreme Court of India on 28 August issued an order stating that final-year degree exams should be conducted across the country as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.

The exam is likely to have multiple choice questions (MCQs) and students will get consolidated time of one hour to finish the paper. The total marks of the exam is likely to be around 50.

https://indianexpress.com/article/education/sppu-offers-online-offline-exam-option-to-final-year-students/

The university will conduct the practical examination between 15 and 25 September in an online mode.

Board of Examination and Evaluation Director Mahesh Kakade saying that the final year practical/ oral exams will be held via Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex, telephone, among others. Colleges have been asked to keep a recording of these exams.

After the exam concludes, the colleges will be required to submit the marks of each student in the university's internal marks web portal by 5 October.

The backlog exams for final year students will be conducted from 1 to 9 October.
The death has occurred of Helen Carolan (nee Lawler)

Dublin 24, Dublin / Fontstown, Kildare

Carolan Helen (nee Lawler) 9th September 2020 (Tallaght and late of Fontstown, Co. Kildare) peacefully surrounded by her loving family in the wonderful care Tallaght Hospital; beloved wife of the late Tom, much loved mother of James, Louise, Andy, Turlough and Daragh and loving sister of Dorothy, Nuala, Dermot and the late Brian; sadly missed by her loving children, daughters-in-law Audrey and Ragnagh, grandchildren Adam, Ben, Lucy, Max, Jonte and Leo, sisters, brother-in-law Niall, sisters-in-law Kay and Ronnie, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

May she rest in peace

In line with HSE/ Government advice and to ensure the safety of all Helens family and friends, a small private funeral of 50 family and friends will be held. Her family would ask that over the coming days, everyone who knew Helen would take some time to light a candle or say a prayer in her memory. Condolences may be left in the online condolence book below. To view Helen's Cremation Service please see link below on Friday at 3pm - https://vimeo.com/event/139693.

The death has occurred of Jimmy Moore

Bishopsland, Kildare Town, Kildare

Peacefully in the wonderful care of the staff at Tallaght Hospital. Son of the late Archie, brother of the late Eileen. Sadly missed by his loving wife Bernadette, sons Mark, Gavin, Craig and Ian, grandchildren Cian and Emily, mother Cora, brothers Derek and Paul, sister Clodagh, brothers in law, sisters in law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.

May Jimmy Rest In Peace

Due to current government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence page below. Removal on Friday morning to arrive at The Carmelite's Church, Kildare Town, for Requiem Mass at 11 o'clock. Burial afterwards in St. Conleth's Cemetery, Kildare Town.



he death has occurred of Martha Mary (Baby) Connolly

Grangebeg, Dunlavin, Kildare, W91 Y3Y0 / Allenwood, Kildare

Formerly of Derrymullen, Allenwood. Predeceased by her brothers George, Seamus and Sean. Peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family. Sadly missed by her loving sisters Ber, Breda, Liz, May and Tee, brothers Jerry, lde, Joe, Tom and Christy, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, her extended family the McGranes Aine, Breffni, Tanya, Jean, Nicola, Lisa, Paula and John, relatives neighbours and friends.

May Martha Rest In Peace

In line with government advice regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place. Reposing at her home in Grangebeg, Dunlavin (W91Y3Y0) for close family and friends from 4 o'clock on Thursday with rosary at 7 o'clock. Removal on Friday morning to arrive at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Allenwood for requiem Mass at 12 o'clock. Burial afterwards in Cross Patrick Cemetery. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence page below. Livestream of Martha's funeral Mass can be viewed on the Allen Parish Facebook page. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to "The Irish Cancer Society".



he death has occurred of Joseph P. (Joe) Flanagan

formally Main Street, Newbridge, Kildare

Suddenly in Boston USA, son of Tom and the late May Flanagan. Beloved husband of Sheila and loving father to Sean, Stephen and Deirdre. He will be sadly missed by his father Tom, sisters Mary & Catherine, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam.

Funeral will take place in Boston, USA.



The death has occurred of Noeleen McCarthy (nee Dolan)

Fernhill, Arklow, Wicklow / Curragh, Kildare

Peacefully, surrounded by her loving family & in the tender care of Asgard Lodge Nursing Home. Beloved wife of Callaghan, devoted mother of Mary, Paul, Elaine & little angel Cal & much loved sister of Chrissie, Ann, Mary & the late Betty, Mikey, Danny, Paddy & Johnny. Deeply regretted by her sorrowing husband, son, daughters, Elaines partner Chris, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours & friends.

Rest in Peace

In accordance with government guidelines, Noeleens funeral will take place in private. If you wish you may join in the celebration of her funeral Mass at 10 oclock on Saturday morning, via the Arklow Parish Webcam, after which Noeleen will be reunited with her little angel Cal at St. Gabriels Cemetery, walking via Fernhill. Messages of condolence & support may be expressed in the condolence section below.

Family flowers only, please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to the Arklow Alzheimers Support Group, collection boxes provided.

www.arklowparish.ie/webcam/



The death has occurred of Kevin Deering

Geraldine, Athy, Kildare

Deeply regretted by his loving nephews Graham and Jonathan, nieces Ciara and Brenda, brother-in-law Liam, extended family and friends.

Rest in Peace

A private family funeral will take place at 11am on Thursday morning in St. Ita's Church, Kilmeade. (Limited to 35 people). Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

Those who would have liked to attend the funeral but cannot due to current restrictions may leave a personal message in the section marked 'condolences' below.
James Bush accepting the Peacemaker Award on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Bush with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito marking the opening of the rail extension in Adams. PreviousNext

Adams Mourning Loss of Selectman James Bush



Selectman James Bush gets sworn in by Town Clerk Haley Meczywor in 2018. ADAMS, Mass.  The town is mourning the loss of Selectman James Bush, who died Wednesday. Bush was a longtime civic activist, volunteering his time as Santa Claus during the holidays, organizing boat parades on Cheshire Reservoir, and founding the town's Fallen Heroes Project.

Bush, a retired analyst at Specialty Minerals, was overwhelmingly elected to the Board of Selectmen back in 2018 and was vice chairman at the time of his death.

"Jim was committed to the town of Adams, serving on numerous boards, committees, and serving as a liaison from the Board of Selectmen to a number of organizations. Jim had a big heart and would help anyone in need," said Chairwoman Christine Hoyt. "Members of the community would see Jim helping out throughout the community and including being seen at each Mobile Food Bank helping to distribute food twice a month. Many of us often joked that Jim was the mayor of Adams, since he knew everyone in town and was always willing to answer the call, even at 10:30 p.m. at night about a dead skunk in the neighborhood or icy roads."

Bush had thrown himself into community work after his retirement, working  mostly quietly  with groups ranging from seniors to local youth. This past January, he was honored with the Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemaker Award at the Northern Berkshire Community Coalitions' annual Day of Service.

"It has been my personal mission to put my efforts into bettering the community and I am honored to receive this award," Bush said at the time. "I look forward to serving our community to the best of my ability with others who put their hearts and souls into helping others throughout our community."

Mike Cutler, a friend of Bush's, described him at the time as one of the "doers": "He is all over the place and involved with everything. He has done wonderful things for the town of Adams ... people like to follow positive people and Jim is one."

"Today, as I heard the news about Jim's passing, I looked out on to Park Street and saw one of the last few projects that Jim had worked on  the Fallen Heroes veterans banners along Park Street. Jim reported out to the Board of Selectmen about the progress of this project for nearly a year before the banners were installed," Hoyt said on Wednesday. "Jim wouldn't want me to single him out as he constantly reminded me that this was driven by a committee, however, I know that Jim's determination and persistence brought that project to fruition.

"I was always impressed with his ability to juggle his town responsibilities and have time to check in to see how I was doing. Earlier this summer, Jim even shared with me a few family recipes for golumpki and his famous salsa. He trusted me with those recipes and even checked on me to see how the meals came out. I will miss my colleague and friend sitting at the Board of Selectmen's table each Wednesday night as he brought with him a great sense of humor and optimism along with his strong connection to the community and the ability to treat us all as members of his family."

His most recent effort was the Fallen Heroes Project  hanging flags memorializing the town's military members dating back to the Civil War who had lost their lives in the nation's service. He and George Haddad had completed it in July in coordination with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

"Jim was the quintessential selectman, proudly serving in the finest tradition of New England town government," said Town Administrator Jay Green. "His myriad of committee assignments and community participation illustrates the deep dedication he had for his town. He believed in Adams and was eternally positive about its future. He understood the burden of public service and was not afraid to tackle difficult topics. ...

"He always spoke his mind and was always engaged. He strove to understand an issue and its impact to the community. His presence, sense of duty and sense of humor will be missed by all of us in Town government. I will miss Jims optimism about our community and his memory will inspire me to continue to work at keeping Adams moving forward."

Bush was also a town meeting member for Precinct 1 since 1991; served on the Selectmen's subcommittees for Youth Programs, Department of Public Works, Economic Development, and Green Energy; was an alternate commissioner for Adams on the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District; and was liaison to a host of groups including the Adams Arts Advisory Board, Berkshire Scenic Railway, Council on Aging and the Prudential Committee.



Bush as Santa last year at the Berkshire Food Project in North Adams. "We won't always agree but if you ask me a question and I don't have an answer I will get it for you," Bush said during an interview when he was running for the Board of Selectmen in 2018. "You may not like it, but I hope we can agree to disagree  I don't sugar coat anything." He maybe was best known for playing Santa, most recently on the Berkshire Scenic Railway during its Christmas runs. Green said that devotion to becoming Santa for community organizations was an example of his goodness. "He took that role seriously and took great satisfaction in bringing joy to others" Green said.

Bush and his wife, Pat, have been married for more than 40 years and have two children and several grandchildren. He also was a longtime member of Turn Hall and the Northern Berkshire Retirees Club, and joined the Berkshire Scenic Railway as a volunteer attendant when it opened in Adams.

His Facebook page was filling up Wednesday night with remembrances from friends and acquaintances who remembered him as a man who very much loved his hometown and brought joy to many.
Thursday Governor Bill Lee announced recommendations from the States Law Enforcement Reform Partnership to strengthen policing policies, improve information sharing around disciplinary actions and increase officer training. In addition to enhanced policies, a total of $300,000 in CARES Act funding will be utilized for 90 additional cadet scholarships for the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy.



Through this partnership, our state has created one of the most comprehensive and collaborative law enforcement advancements in recent Tennessee history while also working to recruit top-tier talent to our force, said Governor Lee.

I am confident the outcomes of this partnership will help ensure our law enforcement officials are effectively protecting communities across the state while serving every Tennessean with dignity and respect.Governor Lee announced the Law Enforcement Reform Partnership on July 2 and charged them with providing recommendations by early September. Partnership members represent a diverse group of individuals and organizations across all three Grand Divisions, and include members of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, Tennessee Sheriffs Association, state legislators and community leaders.An advisory council will continue to work to ensure that Tennessees law enforcement agencies receive the best training and standards to respond to the evolving needs of officers and the communities they serve.The Partnership produced sample policies consistent with national standards and distributed them to all local agency heads via the Tennessee Sheriffs Association and Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police. Additionally, a Use of Force policy checklist was created for agencies to review existing policies and to serve as a resource for agencies that may or may not have existing policies.This collaborative, transparent initiative ensures all agencies in Tennessee will have addressed the most critical aspects of the proper and lawful application of force and the importance of protective intervention to meet the expectations of the public we serve and are aligned with pending federal guidelines, said Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch.Almost 90 percent of Tennessee law enforcement agencies have reviewed their policies and completed the online checklist attestation and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and Tennessee Sheriffs Association will continue to support agencies in reviewing their policies.The Peace Officers Standards & Training (POST) Commission will increase accessibility to the National Decertification Index for all law enforcement agencies in Tennessee. The NDI is a national registry that tracks officers who have lost licenses or certificates due to misconduct.Utilizing the National Decertification Index will improve information sharing between our law enforcement agencies, strengthen accountability and ensure bad actors are handled appropriately, said Safety & Homeland Security Commissioner Jeff Long.Tennessees Notice of Separation form will be expanded to require a more comprehensive and detailed explanation for reasons of departure including disciplinary actions and procedures. The form will require agency heads to formally attest to the forms contents and will be in use by all Tennessee law enforcement agencies by Oct. 1.The Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, under the direction of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, will now require enhanced curriculum and annual in-service training including specific training topics for law enforcement officials across the state.Tennessee is committed to having the best law enforcement officers in the nation. Through these expanded and enhanced training updates  Tennessee law enforcement officers will continue to receive the best training and standards as we respond to the evolving needs of law enforcement and our communities, said Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Hodgen Mainda. I join Governor Lee in his continued commitment to developing best practices for law enforcement agencies and, above all, protecting human life.Enhancements include:

 Increasing the minimum training hours from 400 to 488 hours;



 Updating curriculums to require a minimum of 16 course hours designed for relevant policing concepts such as proper use of force and emphasizing positive community and officer interactions; and



 Annual in-service training updates, including a total of ten hours dedicated to the following topics:



o De-Escalation Techniques and Duty to Intervene;

o Officer Wellness;

o Public Assembly and Community Interaction; and

o Designated Community Immersion.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 23:52:40|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- More than 2.5 million Kenyans working in the tourism sector lost their jobs in the last five months due to COVID-19 related disruptions, a government official said on Thursday.

Najib Balala, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, said the pandemic triggered massive loss of jobs in the hospitality sector amid suspension of international travel.

"The tourism sector has been hit hard and we need to look at tourism and aviation and invest today, let us push hard and when COVID goes away our economy will be totally different," Balala said during a webinar on opening Africa's economies safely amidst COVID-19 held in Nairobi.

Balala said hotels and lodges were provided with 30 million dollars to facilitate their refurbishing.

"Our facilities have been in a deplorable state making them difficult to be used, we need to refurbish them in order for them to continue giving services," said Balala.

He said micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly the tourism and aviation sectors have been severely affected due to requisite preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus such as prolonged lockdowns and quarantining of transnational travelers.

The official noted that scouts at the Kenya Wildlife Service were provided with 10 million dollars by the government to cushion them against negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

Balala said that Kenya is banking on domestic travelers to resuscitate the tourism sector which contributes about 10 percent to the country's GDP. Enditem
Donald Trump on Thursday defended his handling of the coronavirus pandemic after revelations from Bob Woodward's forthcoming book showed the president was more candid about its dangers in private conversations than he was in his public statements.

'I don't want to jump up and down and start screaming death, death,' Trump told reporters at a press briefing at the White House of the tone he took in public in early briefings on the virus. 'Because that's not what it's about. We have to lead a country. We're leading a great country. We're doing a great job.'

He only took three questions in his 30-minute news conference and spent most of them attacking the reporters who asked him about Woodward's book, which will be published on September 15.

President Trump defended his handling of the COVID pandemic in the wake of details released from Bob Woodward's upcoming book 'Rage'

President Trump attacked reporters who asked him about Bob Woodward's new book

He also kept to his earlier strategy of arguing he was trying not to cause panic even as he had admitted to Woodward he was trying to down play the dangers of COVID, which has infected more than 6.39 million Americans and killed more than 191,000.

Trump said over and over again he didn't want to be seen in public warning of death.

'The fact is, there has to be a calmness. You don't want me jumping up and down screaming there's going to be great death. Really causing serious problems for the country,' he said.

Trump hasn't denied the comments he made to Woodward - he has previously called stories he doesn't like 'fake news' - but the author taped all 18 of his interviews with the president, which were conducted from December through July.

Instead, Trump turned to point the finger at the author, the legendary reporter who brought down Richard Nixon's presidency with his report on the Watergate break-in and who has interviewed every president to hold the office since then.

'If Bob Woodward thought what I said was bad, then he should have immediately - right after I said it - gone out to the authorities,' he said. 'He said he didn't think it was bad. He actually said he didn't think it was bad.'

'Bob Woodward is not the president,' The Washington Post's Phil Rucker, who had been questioning Trump, said in response.

Trump ignored him and kept talking.

'If Bob Woodward thought it was bad, he should have immediately gone out publicly, not wait four months. He's had that statement for four months, maybe five months. He's had it a long time,' the president said.

Woodward - who no longer describes himself as a day-to-day reporter but as an author - defended himself amid criticism of not releasing the tapes in advance of his book, saying he wanted to verify if what Trump said was true, and how the president had come to learn it.

Trump also denied he lied to the American people when asked about discrepancies in his conversations with Woodward and what he was saying in public at the time.

'This is deadly stuff,' the president told Woodward in February during one of their 18 interviews.

'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed,' he said. 'And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.'

But while Trump admitted privately to the dangers of COVID, just three days later, he struck a far rosier tone in an interview with Fox Business: 'I think the virus is going to be - it's going to be fine.'

Trump said his public words were not a lie.

'There is no lie here. What we're doing is leading,' he said.

He also attacked ABC reporter Jonathan Karl, who asked him about his 'lies' to the American people and how voters could believe him going forward.

'Your question, the way you phrased that is a disgrace. It's a disgrace to ABC television network, a disgrace to your employer,' Trump told him.

Woodward has defended himself from the president's criticism. The author is preparing for a publicity tour around the book: he'll be on CBS' '60 Minutes' on Sunday and will talk to NBC's 'Today Show' on Monday.

Author Bob Woodward has dismissed claims that he could've saved lives had he published President Trump's comments sooner

Washington Post journalist, Erik Wemple, tweeted that he had recently interviewed Woodward about the issue.

'Addressing only issues of process, Woodward said that when Trump talked about coronavirus -- 'deadly stuff' -- in their Feb. 7 interview, he (Woodward) didn't know where Trump was getting his information, whether it was true, and so on,' Wemple tweeted.

According to Wemple, it took Woodward 'three months to nail down all the reporting about what Trump knew about coronavirus, when he learned it and how all that related to the public pronouncements he was making. It wasn't until May that he put those pieces together'.

When asked directly whether earlier publication of his interviews would have saved lives, Woodward responded: 'No! How?'

'He pointed out that Trump made that comment on March 19, and he had already made an Oval Office address on March 11. Confirmed cases were taking off,' Wemple tweeted about the interview.

In this White House photo from December 2019 provided by Bob Woodward, President Donald Trump is seen speaking to Woodward in the Oval Office, surrounded by some aides and advisers, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, then acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, then-White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and then-deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley. On Trump's desk is a large picture of Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

'Woodward did say that if anything he gathered was a legitimate public health issue, he would have gone to The Post and sought to have it published forthwith,' Wemple added.

Trump told Woodward in March that his public rhetoric was part of a strategy to deliberately minimize the danger. 'I wanted to always play it down,' the president said. 'I still like playing it down because I don't want to create a panic.'

The president, according to the book, acknowledged being alarmed by the virus, even as he was telling the nation that it would swiftly disappear.

Coming less than eight weeks before Election Day, the revelations in the book provide an unwelcome return of public attention to the president's handling of the pandemic.

Trump is currently pushing hard for a resumption of normal activity and trying to project strength in his campaign against Democratic rival Joe Biden.

Speaking Wednesday at the White House, Trump acknowledged he downplayed the virus, insisting he was trying to buck up the nation and suggesting he was trying to avoid 'gouging' on prices of needed supplies.

'The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic, as you say,' Trump told reporters.

'Certainly, I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength.'

Yet Trump's public comments suggested he was steering people to ignore the reality of the coming storm.

Bob Woodward's book 'Rage,' his second on Trump's presidency, comes out on September 15

Woodward's account details dire warnings from top Trump national security officials to the president in late January that the virus that causes COVID-19 could be as bad as the devastating influenza pandemic of 1918.

On February 25, just weeks before much of the country was forced to shut down because of the pandemic, Trump declared the virus 'very well under control in our country'.

Though he restricted travel from China in January, Trump did not begin to devote extensive federal resources to procuring vital personal protective equipment, including face masks, or expand the production of ventilators until March.

In fact, US officials recommended against widespread mask wearing until April in part because of a shortage of protective masks required by front-line medical workers.

Trump aides and allies said at the time that he was aiming to prop up the economy with his rosy take on the virus throughout February, even as his administration took few concrete steps to prepare for the coming pandemic.

The Washington Post, where Woodward serves as associate editor, reported excerpts of the book, Rage on Wednesday, as did CNN. The book also covers race relations, diplomacy with North Korea and a range of other issues that have arisen during the past two years.

The book is based in part on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July.

'Trump never did seem willing to fully mobilize the federal government and continually seemed to push problems off on the states,' Woodward writes of the pandemic.

'There was no real management theory of the case or how to organize a massive enterprise to deal with one of the most complex emergencies the United States had ever faced.'

Woodward's book is his second on the Trump White House. The first, published in 2018, portrayed Trump in an unflattering light, and the president fumed at staff that he was not interviewed for it.
A city councillor wants Winnipeg police officers to wear body cameras, arguing they would help address complaints of racism and excessive force in policing.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A city councillor wants Winnipeg police officers to wear body cameras, arguing they would help address complaints of racism and excessive force in policing.

Coun. Kevin Klein said he supports outfitting patrol officers with cameras that would automatically record entire police interactions.

"A body camera is unbiased. It just records whats happening. Its a reliable witness, if you will, to interactions with police," Klein said Wednesday.

The surveillance might help de-escalate tense situations, since officers and community members would both know theyre on camera, the Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood councillor said.

Promotional image of an Axon Body 3 camera, used by some police forces in North America. (Axon Public Safety Canada)

After complaints of police brutality triggered protests locally and around the world in recent months, Klein said theres an urgency to add the technology and he would like to see the cameras in use next year.

"I dont think its any secret that we have issues in our city and across the globe, quite frankly, of racism and excessive force at times, officers that are being questioned," he said, adding citizen cellphone videos of police interactions don't show the entire picture of a given situation.

"The public is losing trust in officers."

Klein raised an unsuccessful motion for council to fund the body cameras at Wednesdays Assiniboia Community Committee meeting. It was defeated after the committees two other members argued the matter should instead be considered by the Winnipeg Police Board.

Klein said hell continue to push the item forward any way he can.

Markus Chambers, chairperson of the Winnipeg Police Board, said he would like to test police body cameras through a pilot project but isnt convinced the city can afford a full implementation plan right now.

"A body camera is unbiased. It just records whats happening. Its a reliable witness, if you will, to interactions with police."  Coun. Kevin Klein

"Its something that has been in the budget now for the last few years as something that we would like to see but just dont have the funds for," said Chambers.

In an emailed statement, the Winnipeg Police Service estimated it would cost between $8 million and $10 million to put a full body cam program in place, not including operating costs. But Klein believes the cost may be much lower, since the cost of the technology has fallen.

The statement noted WPS Chief Danny Smyth has publicly supported the idea of body-worn cameras for years. A pilot project to test them was approved in 2015, though it was cancelled over its cost, wrote WPS spokesman Const. Rob Carver.

That project has now been deferred to 2024, added Carver.

Mayor Brian Bowman said police must have a clear say in a decision to fund the devices.

"Well work with the Winnipeg Police Service on trying to meet their priorities," he said. "Obviously, these kinds of decisions on their capital are discussions that should happen with the Winnipeg Police Service."

Simply adding cameras to police uniforms will not, in itself, end excessive-force complaints and eliminate police distrust, some say.

Coun. Kevin Klein says the cameras might help de-escalate tense situations, since officers and community members would both know theyre being recorded. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

University of Winnipeg associate criminal justice professor Kevin Walby, who studies the use of police body cameras, called the idea that body-cams will be effective in increasing accountability from police "mythical." Walby said that while some data might suggest slight improvements in accountability in policing, other data may suggest an increase in police use of force because the officer believes the video will vindicate them.

"Police and politicians, especially at this time when police legitimacy is in crisis, are touting these myths about the effectiveness of body cameras when academic research shows exactly the opposite," he said.

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"I think we should reject the narrative that they actually help in policing. If they did, thered be some research that demonstrated that in an overwhelming sense. There isnt any."

Walby suggested WPS support for the cameras is a response to mounting calls from protesters to defund the police.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_

Joyanne Pursaga

Reporter Born and raised in Winnipeg, Joyanne loves to tell the stories of this city, especially when politics is involved. Joyanne became the city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press in early 2020. Read full biography
Its not lost on Sandra Easton that she is one of only two female mayors in Niagara.

And as a woman in a position of leadership where shes vastly outnumbered by men, Lincolns mayor has to navigate the world of municipal politics with no compass.

On a day-to-day basis, theres no playbook, the second-term mayor said.

As female councillors in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls outlined their experiences of harassment, Easton and Betty Disero, Niagara-on-the-Lakes lord mayor, stand alone. Over their lengthy political careers, both have learned how to deal with the negativity and vicious attacks that come with being a female politician.

But learning how to deal with it doesnt make it right, they say.

Its not right, you shouldnt have to come to terms with it, Disero said. People should know better.

She remembers being a young politician in Toronto in the 1980s.

When I was younger, there was a lot of criticism that I dont wear makeup, she said.

People would question her acquaintances or speculate on personal aspects of her life.

Politicians should be scrutinized, Disero said. But for women, it takes on a personal tone.

Most male politicians got, We dont like your policy, she said. And I can live with that.

In her early days, Disero let the harassment get to her. She tried putting on makeup for a while just to appease the haters.

But she soon learned not to give in to them, and that while those few harassing voices may be loud, they dont represent the majority.

After almost 40 years, I dont listen to it anymore.

While Easton said she hasnt experienced the type of vitriol others have documented, either during her time on Lincoln town council in the 1980s or her more recent stint as mayor, she said women coming forward with hateful stories should not be ignored.

I was disturbed by it, she said. I have a great deal of empathy for women getting into politics.

If we dont start talking about these things, people wont believe theyre happening.

One of the things Easton thinks goes unnoticed when men and women first get into politics is the network theyve built up. With men still overrepresented in many positions of power, she said, those who decide to go into politics already have a support system thats been developed over years. In the past, especially, women were more isolated from a communitys decision-makers.

Thats why she believes its important for women in politics to support each other. She pointed to the work of Niagara Region Couns. Diana Huson of Pelham and Barb Butters of Port Colborne who have worked to bring women together.

Disero agrees, and said she believes in open-door politics.

Politics, for me, is about forming relationships, she said.

If we can start to mentor people, that would be helpful.

Easton has taken part in an event hosted by Ontario Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell for which she invites female mayors together.

She recalled one such event when a fellow mayor described hiring a chief administrative officer for the municipality. Her all-male council had no problem hiring a female CAO, but had no interest in paying her as much as they paid the man who previously had the job.

She also thinks its important to look to the past.

A lover of history, the Lincoln mayor draws strength from some of her descendants, both male and female, who helped build what is now Lincoln. Likewise, Easton points to organizations like the womens institutes of the past, which played a huge role in politics but were often overlooked.

They were planning public policy, she said.

Disero hopes female politicians who are being targeted are also receiving the words of encouragement they deserve.

The majority of people know how valuable you are, she said.

Said Easton, I think that working together, we can knock this down, and knock it down for good.

Disero also has a message for those doing the attacking.

Think about contributing to the community, not about tearing it down.
Nowadays, every morning we get up, were reminded of the pandemic that the whole world is fighting against -- whether it's through news or even memes that try to make us smile through the ordeal of being locked indoors.

Reuters

Were seeing so many cases piling up in every part of our world. This only makes us feel more anxious and fearful whether we will ever be able to live a normal life. However, COVID-19 hasnt spread throughout the world. In fact, there are groups of people that dont even know something like COVID-19 exists.



The Sentinelese Tribe: Andaman Nicobar

Andaman Nicobar Islands to the East of our nation are known for two things -- Port Blair and the Sentinelese Tribe. While the whole nation has progressed to new heights, people in the Sentinelese Tribe still live their life like the man did thousands of years ago -- relying on hunting using bows and arrows.

Getty Images

ALSO READ: Six Members Of A 'Particularly Vulnerable Tribe' Have Tested Positive For COVID-19 In Andamans

They dont like company and theyve been very clear about allowing the modern man to enter their regions. People who have tried to make contact with them have ended up dead. Indias Dr Madhumala Chattopadhyay was the first woman to have gotten a chance to interact with the tribe and learn about their living, in the year 1991, before Indian visits to the island ceased in 1997. Even today, the Indian government doesnt know about their actual population and puts the range between 55 to 200 individuals.



The Korowai Tribe

The Korowai Tribe belong from southeastern Papua, New Guinea and are known to mostly live in tree houses in jungles. The tribe didnt think another civilization even existed until 1970. With a population ranging from 3,000 to 4,000, they too are hunters and gatherers but also participate in horticulture.

Wikipedia

Theyre also known to be cannibalistic however theyve expressed that theyre encouraging people to let go of the habit to promote tourism. They were first discovered by western anthropologists Peter Van Arsdale, geographer Robert Mitton and Mark Grundhoefer.



Mashco-Piro

The Masco-Piro tribe belongs to the South American region of Peru, near the remote area of the Amazon rainforest. Their population is just around 800. They were first discovered in 1894 when rubber-industry leader Carlos Fermin Fitzcarrald brutally attacked the tribe to get access to the trees in the forests.

Jean Paul Van Belle/ Survival International

Today they stay hidden in their little world in Manu National Park in Peru. Theyve been known to keep their distance from civilization and have even been known to kill individuals who try to breach into their territory without their consent. However, recently, reports have surfaced that state that these groups are stepping out of the wilderness, asking for food, clothing and tools.



Flecheiros

Also known as arrow people, Flecheiros are located in the jungles of Brazil, in an area called the Javari valley. Not much is known about them, except for the fact that they are known to grow fruits as well as use bows with poisonous arrows to take down people who try to enter their lands.

Survival International

Sadly that hasnt been enough for their safety. A few years ago, reports surfaced that gold miners in the region surrounding Brazil border and Peru were boasting about killing as many as 10 of these tribesmen, brutally cutting them and drowning them.



Indigenous tribes are in danger

Even though most of these tribes are disconnected from the real world that doesnt make them any safer than us. In fact, since their civilization is several steps behind than hours, they havent developed necessary immunity like our body has against something as simple as the common flu. Thus most organizations make it a point to limit contact with people of these tribes to not put them in danger.

In the case of COVID-19, a recent National Geographic report revealed how cases have emerged in certain Brazillian indigenous tribes that are in contact with the civilised world. According to the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the countrys principal indigenous federation, deaths from COVID-19 in indigenous communities have gone up from 46 in May to 262 in the first week of June.

According to APIB, 9.1 percent of indigenous people who contract the disease are dying, nearly double the 5.2 percent rate among the general Brazilian population.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 9

By Zeyni Jafarov  Trend:

As a result of the taken measures, a lot of financial crimes have been revealed recently, the Azerbaijan Financial Monitoring Service told Trend.

The Financial Monitoring Service acts in cooperation with other authorized state structures to ensure the effectiveness of the fight against the legalization of money or other property acquired as a result of crime and the financing of terrorism.

Thus, the Financial Monitoring Service operates within the policy aimed at increasing the transparency of financial transactions and strengthening security in the country. So, in accordance with the statistics for 2018, the Service carried out more than 400,000 transactions.

The representatives of the Financial Monitoring Service participate in joint foreign trips with the cooperating structures to increase the efficiency of cooperation.

Moreover, the Financial Monitoring Service organizes training for law enforcement agencies and private structures operating in the financial sector of the country dedicated to the new types of tools and approaches which are used at the international level in the field of combating money laundering or other property acquired as a result of crime and financing terrorism.

The Financial Monitoring Service was established upon the Azerbaijani presidents decree dated February 23, 2009 as an independent structural unit under the Central Bank of Azerbaijan.

----

Follow the author on Twitter: @jafarov_zeyni
President Donald Trump signs executive orders extending coronavirus economic relief, during a news conference in Bedminster, N.J., on Aug. 8, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

48 States Approved for Trumps Extra Unemployment Plan

Forty-eight states have been approved for President Donald Trumps enhanced unemployment payments, created through Trumps Aug. 8 executive order, called the Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance program.

While state officials across the United States grumbled over details of the program, every state but one applied for the enhanced payments.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Nevadas application on Sept. 9, leaving Nebraska as the only state thats applied for the funding not to be approved. The approval is expected to come this week.

Nebraska Labor Commissioner John Albin expressed concern in a statement that the funding provides very limited benefits to a portion of Nebraskas unemployment recipients and has an uncertain end date.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, initially said his administration was analyzing the potential cost of the program. The state Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation submitted its application on Sept. 2.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak speaks during a news conference in Las Vegas, Nev., on March 17, 2020. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

FEMA also recently approved applications from Guam and the District of Columbia.

South Dakota is the only state opting against the funding.

South Dakota is in the fortunate position of not needing to accept it, Republican Gov. Kristi Noem said in an Aug. 14 statement. South Dakotas economy, having never been shut down, has recovered nearly 80% of our job losses.

Congress approved a $600 weekly boost to unemployment, completely paid for by the federal government, in March, but the program expired in July.

Republicans have sought to pass a narrow bill that would restart that program but have been blocked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who wants a larger package that includes aid for states. Democrats in the Senate blocked the pared-down measure on Sept. 10, in a 52-47 vote, far short of the 60 votes that would have been needed for the measure, which would have included a $300 per week enhanced unemployment payment, to advance. Democrats were united in opposition; all Republicans voted in favor except Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Trump took action last month amid the congressional stalemate.

Congressional Democrats have stonewalled our efforts to extend this relief. They even opposed measures that would give bonuses to workers returning to the job. They were totally opposed to that, Trump told reporters in New Jersey, where he signed four executive orders.

For this reason, Im taking action to provide an additional or an extra $400 per week in expanded benefits. $400, OK? Thats generous, but we want to take care of people.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks during a news conference at the states Emergency Operations Center at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., about the coronavirus situation, on May 3, 2020. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)

Under the original proposal, states were required to put up a quarter of the funds. Another option was later released that enables states to obtain $300 a week for unemployed workers without paying anything.

All but two states have taken the lower option. Kentucky and Montana officials chose the higher amount.

I believe that extra $100 is critically important, Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters in August.

West Virginia officials said they would choose the higher amount but later decided to go with the lower amount.
Lovely A. Warren, mayor of Rochester, speaks during a press conference on the death of Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York, on Sept. 3, 2020. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Rochester Police Union President, Mayor, Call on Each Other to Resign Over Daniel Prude Death

The mayor of Rochester, New York, and the citys police union president on Wednesday called on each other to resign over the handling of the March death of Daniel Prude.

During a press briefing Wednesday, Rochester Police Locust Club President Mike Mazzeo called on Mayor Lovely Warren to resign, saying that theres a need for change.

When we have a command staff walk out the door, something is wrong, he told reporters. I think too many people are involved in this that know the truth, and I hope the others learn soon.

Mazzeo in his statement referred to the resignations of the citys top police leaders earlier this week. Police Chief LaRon Singletary, Deputy Chief Joseph M. Morabito and a commander retired, while two more leaders gave up command positions on Tuesday.

Their resignations came days after Warren announced that the citys police department will undergo a series of reforms, starting with moving crisis intervention out of the department, and shifting its budget and team to Rochesters department of youth and recreation services.

Warren last week also suspended the seven Rochester police officers involved in the March 23 arrest of 41-year-old Prude, a black man who a medical official said was under the influence of PCP earlier this year.

The mayor responded to Mazzeos call for her to resign shortly afterwards, calling his methods of policing archaic.

For 30 years, the problem with policing in Rochester are cops like Mike Mazzeo that watch the video of Daniel Prudes death and see nothing wrong, Warren said in a statement.

Who believe there is nothing wrong with driving Mr. Prudes head into the street. Who believe there is nothing wrong with other officers standing by, joking and failing to intervene while Mr. Prude is dying. Who think its fine to just casually ignore him as he takes his last breath, and then callously and falsely inform his brother who begged for him not to be harmed, she continued.

Mike Mazzeo and his ilk exist only to protect and serve themselves, and certainly not the people of the City of Rochester.

The mayor concluded her statement by calling on Mazzeo to step down from his position, because his ways of policing are no longer wanted in the City of Rochester.

In this still image from police body camera video, a Rochester police officer puts a hood, known as a spit sock, over the head of Daniel Prude in Rochester, N.Y., on March 23, 2020. (Rochester Police Department, via AP News)

Prude, from Chicago, died a week after an encounter with Rochester Police Department officers. Video footage of the incident was released last month in the midst of nationwide unrest and riots.

Prudes relatives had called the police for help when he was suffering a mental episode. Officers found him running naked in the street. He initially complied when officers asked him to put his hands behind his back to be handcuffed. Later, Prude sat up and began spitting at the officers while saying he had contracted the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus.

Officers put a spit guard on Prude and pinned him to the ground face down for about 2 minutes to restrain him, after which he stopped breathing. Prude received CPR on the scene and was taken to the hospital. He died 7 days later, on March 30, after being taken off life support.

A medical examiner concluded that Prudes death was a homicide caused by complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint. The report listed excited delirium and acute intoxication by the recreational drug phencyclidine, or PCP, as factors contributing to his death.

The incident is being investigated by the New York Attorney Generals office.

City councilmembers are calling our people murderers, Mazzeo said Wednesday. They dont have knowledge or experience. I cant recall any councilmen reaching out to me to say, what can we do to help?

What they have done is shut the door in our face, refuse to hear our concerns, or hear from the people who do the job. On how to get to a better place? Theyre on for some other agenda, not to serve the city or the people who elected them.

Theres a lot of conversation right now about working together, changing policing, getting someplace better. OK, were ready. Tell us what you want us to do, well do it. Thats our job. Police dont determine what policing is, the communities do, he added.

The mayor and Police Chief Singletary are set to hold a public briefing with the city council on Thursday.

Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.
A man is wanted for allegedly breaking into a home to steal cash.

Authorities identified him as Ivan Martinez Jr., 19. He has an active arrest warrant for burglary of habitation out of the Laredo Police Department.

The case dates back to April 23, when LPD officers responded to the 2100 block of Santa Cleotilde Avenue for a burglary of a habitation. A man stated that a person he knew had stolen money from his residence.

Crimes against property detectives took over the investigation. Authorities would identify the suspect as Martinez through the course of the investigation. An assistant district attorney approved the issuance of an arrest warrant for Martinez.

Martinez remains at large. He stands about 5 feet, 3 inches and weighs 125 pounds. His last known address is in the 900 block of Garza Street.

To report his whereabouts, call Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS (8477). Callers will remain anonymous. Information leading to an arrest may be rewarded with up to $1,000.
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Linkedin Editorial board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, September 11 2020

The last day of presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2020 left a grim memory for Indonesia, as well as like-minded countries, as the United States vetoed the draft resolution on prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration (PRR) of terrorists. Gaining support from 14 members, an opportunity for a comprehensive approach to tackle terrorism and violent extremism has been missed by the veto.

The aim of the resolution was to address the prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration of terrorists, including foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and their accompanying family members. The US vetoed it because it failed to include a provision regarding the repatriation of FTFs to their countries of origin or nationality.

The veto could have dire repercussions for the relationships among current UNSC members and their efforts to address the terrorism threat that has been plaguing international affairs.

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BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Indian side's move to first fire shots to threaten the Chinese border patrol personnel in the western sector of the China-India boundary is a serious military provocation of an egregious nature.

Since the beginning of this year, India has breached bilateral agreements and important consensus many times in border areas, attempted to unilaterally change the status quo by force and undermined peace and stability in the border region. The responsibility lies entirely with the Indian side.

Confrontation does no good for either side. China has kept maximum restraint to prevent potential escalation and has been reiterating that the two sides should seek to resolve issues through peaceful consultation and dialogue.

However, China's efforts have not secured a fitting response from the Indian side. Under the current situation, the Chinese border troops were forced to take countermeasures to control the situation.

Adopting a defensive military strategy, China has no intention to stir up border tensions or seek military expansion. However, it allows no infringement on its core interests.

The Chinese military is absolutely determined, capable and confident in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Not an inch of China's territory shall be lost. It is critical for India to learn from history and make sure the reckless provocations will not be repeated.

The two sides should faithfully implement the important consensus reached between the two countries and stick to dialogue and consultation to resolve relevant issues.

Both as ancient civilizations with several thousand years of history, China and India have long carried on their exchanges and mutual learning. In the 1950s, China and India jointly championed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and have made historic contributions to building a new type of international relations.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, which have achieved comprehensive progress in such a broad range of areas as politics, economy and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, especially in recent years.

Realizing a scenario where the dragon and the elephant dance together is the correct choice for the two countries. Only in this way can they bring more benefits to their peoples and continue to produce new glory for Asian civilizations.

The Chinese side has called for setting eyes on the big picture of China-India relations and regional peace and stability. Now the key to resolving the tension rests on the Indian side. It is time for the Indian side to wake up to reality, take a responsible attitude toward the bilateral relationship and stand on the right side of history.
Four major U.S. airlines, Alaska, American Airlines, Delta and United, recently announced they were getting rid of a much-reviled travel expense: change fees. The majority of U.S. airlines typically charge a fee, about $200 for domestic flights on American, Delta and United and $125 on Alaska, when travelers need to change the travel date on non-refundable plane tickets. Southwest was the only U.S. airline that did not charge change fees prior to the recent policy updates. These change fees are levied on top of any difference in price between the previously booked flight and the cost of the new flight, which customers are also responsible for paying. Airlines temporarily suspended change fees amid the pandemic, even for the lowest-priced tickets, and will continue to do so for all tickets purchased through 2020. But Alaska, American Airlines, Delta and United announced that the elimination of change fees would continue beyond that, although the new policies don't apply to all fares and itineraries. (One caveat to be aware of is most airlines require your trip to actually happen within one year of booking.) "It's a step in the right direction, but not the panacea airlines would have you believe," says Scott Keyes, flight expert and founder of Scott's Cheap Flights. There are still a lot of ways in which travelers could end up paying change fees. Here's a look at where these fees will likely apply.

1. Basic economy travelers still need to pay

The biggest loophole for airlines  one the size of Texas, according to Keyes  is that change fees are still in place for those who purchase basic economy plane tickets. Basic economy is a class of ticket that airlines rolled out a few years ago that usually offer rock-bottom prices, but come with a lot of restrictions. Typically, you can't take any large carry-on luggage with you and you board the plane last. Generally, basic economy tickets can't be changed at all, but airlines have suspended those rules during the pandemic. Basic economy ticket holders have been allowed to change dates without penalty through Dec 31, 2020 on Alaska, American Airlines, Delta and United. While Keyes says there's not any recent, reliable data on the number of passengers who buy basic economy versus main economy tickets, he believes it's a sizable portion of travelers, especially since the price difference can be more than $100 each direction in some cases. In those instances, the airlines' new policies may actually wind up being a bad deal for those who buy more expensive tickets in order to save on change fees, Keyes says. Say you want to buy a flight on United from Newark to Houston on November 5. You can get a nonstop, basic economy ticket for $38, but most main economy tickets run $85 (prices as of Sept. 8). "If you think you may later want to change dates, it may be cheaper to rip up the basic economy ticket you have and buy a second one ($76 total cost) than buying an $85 main economy ticket that doesn't charge change fees," Keyes says.

2. Most international routes aren't covered either

Travelers who planned international vacations for the fall thinking the pandemic would be over are also probably out of luck. Some of the airlines are only dropping change fees on domestic flights and a handful of international destinations. Under the new policies, United and Delta will still charge fees to change international trips. American says it won't levy change fees on its international routes to Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico, but for all other international destinations, the change fees remain in place. Alaska announced it will not charge for changes to international flights, but keep in mind that Alaska only flies to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica outside the U.S.

3. Free same-day standby is now available  but it's a gamble

In addition to waiving change fees for most domestic trips, American and United announced they will allow travelers who want to change the time of their flight to opt for same-day standby for free. American Airlines' free same-day standby policy will go into effect on October 1, 2020, while United's starts January 1, 2021. This means that you can show up at the airport the day of your flight and if there's available space on an earlier flight, you're allowed on, Keyes says. If you have elite status, you may even be able to get a confirmed seat ahead of time rather than having to wait until boarding time and hope for the best. This new standby option is free, even for basic economy ticketholders. It's important to note that you can only use the new standby policy to switch to an earlier flight, not any departing after your original ticket time. And it's also a bit of a gamble, Keyes warns, especially if you don't have elite status with the airline. If there isn't an available seat on the plane come boarding time, you'll need to wait around for your original flight or even pay up if you need to change a basic economy ticket to another day.

4. Free changes doesn't mean free cancellations
I agree with financial analyst Jarod Dillian who said, Regardless of what you think about mail-in ballots, they have one pretty obvious logistical problem: They take a long time to count. Itll take weeks to count all those mailed in ballots. You can bet no one is going to concede defeat on election night. The probability of lawsuits is high. The probability of civil unrest is higher.
Scientists have long debated the respiratory workings of sea scorpions, but a new discovery by a West Virginia University geologist concludes that these largely aquatic extinct arthropods breathed air on land.

James Lamsdell dug into the curious case of a 340 million-year-old sea scorpion, or eurypterid, originally from France that had been preserved at a Glasgow, Scotland museum for the last 30 years.

An assistant professor of geology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Lamsdell had read about the strange specimen 25 years ago while conducting his doctoral studies. Existing research suggested it would occasionally go on land.

Yet nothing was known on whether it could breathe air. The closest living relative to the eurypterid is the horseshoe crab, which lays eggs on land but is unable to breathe above water.

These details puzzled Lamsdell through the years until he reached out to a colleague, Victoria McCoy at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and asked, Do you have access to a CT scanner?

We wondered if we could apply new technology to look further into what was preserved of this specimen, said Lamsdell, who heads a paleobiology lab at WVU. I like the science and detective work that goes into research. And this was a cold case where we knew there was potential evidence.

Through computed tomography (CT) imaging, Lamsdell and his team found that evidence, which is published in Current Biology.

Researchers managed to study the respiratory organs of the three-dimensional eurypterid, leading to two findings that stood out to Lamsdell. First, he noticed that each gill on the sea scorpion was composed of a series of plates. But the back contained fewer plates than the front, prompting researchers to question how it could even breathe.

Then they zeroed in on pillars connecting the different plates of the gill, which are seen in modern scorpions and spiders, Lamsdell said. These pillars, or small beams of tissue, are called trabeculae.

That props the gills apart so they dont collapse when out of water, Lamsdell explained. Its something that modern arachnids still have. Finding that was the final indication.

The reason we think they were coming onto land was to move between pools of water. They could also lay eggs in more sheltered, safer environments and migrate back into the open water.

The discovery of air-breathing structures in the eurypterids indicate that terrestrial characteristics occurred in the arachnid stem lineage, the researchers wrote, suggesting that the ancestor of arachnids were semi-terrestrial.

In addition to Lamsdell and McCoy, co-authors include Opal Perron-Feller of Oberlin College and Melanie Hopkins of the American Museum of Natural History.

Now that Lamsdell has cracked the case living in the back of his head for 20-plus years, he believes theres more to unearth from the fossil. He noted that the sea scorpions back legs expand into a paddle shape, which he suspects would have been used to swim. The bases of their legs also had spikes that ground up food for them that they maneuvered into their mouths, Lamsdell added.

One of the things that would be really cool to do is to flesh out this model and try to reconstruct exactly how the legs could move and how they were positioned, Lamsdell said, like reconstructing the fossil as a living animal.

Citation: Air Breathing in an Exceptionally Preserved 340-Million-Year-Old Sea Scorpion
The Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests, Costel Alexe, on Thursday informed in a press release that the largest festival held in the Moldavia region, in Iasi, more precisely, named Afterhills, will be financially supported by the PNL (National Liberal Party) government.

Thus, Afterhills Music & Arts Festival will be included in the financial aid scheme prepared by the Romanian Government for major events encountering difficulties because of the Covid-19 pandemic.According to the press release, the Minister of Environment and the President of PNL Iasi, Costel Alexe, who is also this party's candidate for the presidency of the Iasi County Council, had a conversation with the Deputy Prime Minister Raluca Turcan on Thursday morning, which led to the festival being included with the list of events that will receive financial aid from the government to be able to continue in the future.Deputy Prime Minister Raluca Turcan announced yesterday that the PNL government has prepared a state aid scheme for these type of events that were forced to suspend their activity in 2020 because of the pandemic, with the Afterhills being now included with this list.Thus, now we have every reason to say that Afterhills Music & Arts Festival will continue with a new edition in 2021, said Alexe, who previously stated, during a debate about the great events of Iasi, that in his capacity as the future president of the Iasi County Council will actively support this major event.
After years of effort by volunteers and experts on both sides of the border, the Niagara River is a step closer to becoming the first trans-boundary Ramsar site on the continent.

Niagaras planning and economic development committee voted Wednesday to add its endorsement to efforts to designate the river under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

Both sides of the river share a long industrial contamination legacy, said Jocelyn Baker, the Canadian co-chair of the Ramsar Designation Binational Steering Committee.

She told committee members that endorsing the initiative is a chance not only to change that legacy, but the narrative for the river.

I just think Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful places, and not just the Canadian or American falls, but the two together  it is one ecosystem and I think that from today moving forward we really need to look at it that way, Baker said.

She said the declaration is non-regulatory.

Its voluntary. It has been that way for 50 years and they dont see that changing anytime soon because its working very effectively.

Baker said it will not have an effect on agricultural irrigation needs in Niagara-on-the-Lake or prevent economic development projects.

I am telling you as a credentialed expert that it will not impact Thundering Waters, she said, referring to the controversial development planned for Niagara Falls.

It will, however, promote conservation through international co-operation, increase community pride and eco-tourism opportunities, increase funding potential for tourism, economic development and resource management, increase marketing opportunities and allow the region to use globally recognized Ramsar logos in branding and advertising.

It only brings community pride. Its an opportunity to bring additional tourism, she said. Theres great value in being part of that collaboration.

Jajean Rose-Burney, the Ramsar Designation Steering Committees U.S. co-chair, said the river received its designation on the U.S side last October after about six years of effort.

If Canadas nomination succeeds, he said we will be the first trans-boundary site in North America.

The river is my home and whats there is special, he said. Niagara Falls is obviously world renown, but the rest of it is amazing  Ramsar just says to us and the rest of the world that this place is special  its one of the most special places. It puts Niagara, the Niagara River on a list with places like the Everglades and Galapagos.

Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton was opposed to the endorsement.

I dont have any issue with the idea of preservation, conservation. However, I am having a lot of increasing difficulty with the layers and proliferation of decision making that inserts itself into the governance of both region and our municipalities, she said.

It could very well be as you say that there will never be an occasion for that influence to be inserted, but that has not been my experience.

St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik, who also serves as vice-chair of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, said the work that went into the Ramsar designation started many years ago.

Although he said he appreciates Eastons concerns, he said the support the initiative received in the United States provides a clear understanding that this wont impede the local governments ability to manage the lands within its boundaries.

RELATED STORIES Niagara Region NOTL agricultural committee opposes protection of Niagara River

It instead highlights the importance of the waterway in a global contexts.

These kind of designations help to remind us about when we make decisions, what is the long-term impact. When you talk about the Love Canal and the things that have happened on major waterways like the Niagara River, they were done by corporations that could care less about the environment at the time, Sendzik said.

Its important that we support this type of initiative and be cognizant that it doesnt have a local governing jurisdiction, but it  will guide future decision makers for generations to come that this is an important binational waterway.

Niagara Region Chair Jim Bradley, who previously served as Ontarios environment minister, said a designation is symbolic.

We need not be afraid of it being intrusive  Its a very modest request with few ramifications if any, he said.

Canadians very often like to portray ourselves as more environmentally sensitive and aggressive than our American friends. In some cases, this might well be the case  but not in all cases.
TV actress Anita Hassanandani along with her friends from the television industry recently took some time off for a getaway. The actress, who has been in news lately for her rumoured pregnancy, was also accompanied by her husband Rohit Reddy, producer Ekta Kapoor, Krystle DSouza, Ridhi Dogra and screenwriter Mushtaq Shiekh. The bunch of friends, who have taken a holiday after a long time, seems to be having a gala time during their vacation at Shilimb in Pune.

Anita has been updating her Instagram feed with amazing visuals of her and the picturesque forest location as well. Giving a sneak peek into her vacay wardrobe, Anita shared gorgeous clicks of herself. She looks absolutely radiant in the pictures that she captioned as, Holiday after forevaaaa! Yaaaayyyyy . She also credited Krystle for the capture, saying, Most imp cutest photographer.

Another stunning post included a few pictures of Anita dressed in a beautiful lilac colour outfit. She captioned the post as, Feeling like a model in one of my absolute fav colour

Anita also actively uploaded stills on her Instagram stories. Take a look:

Ekta too shared a few clicks from the vacation and wrote, Stepped outside to seek calm inside." Renowned columnist Shobhaa De also makes an appearance in one of the photos.

View this post on Instagram Stepped outside to seek calm inside A post shared by Erkrek (@ektarkapoor) on Sep 9, 2020 at 3:35am PDT

Such a fun trip," wrote Anita in comments. Mushtaq Shiekh commented saying, This should be rechristened as the sequence trip. #epicfun."

Krystle too uploaded a group photo on her official social media handle. Anita left a heart emoticon and heart eyed-emojis in the comments.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by  (@krystledsouza) on Sep 9, 2020 at 12:41am PDT

Anita is popular for her roles in television serials like Kkavyanjali and Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. She also garnered fame for her performance in Bollywood film, Kucch To Hai co-starring Tusshar Kapoor.
Premier Daniel Andrews has taken responsibility for his 'captain's call' of 8pm until 5am curfews in Melbourne which he claims were designed to help Victoria Police enforce Stage Four lockdowns - even though cops didn't ask for one.

Five million Melburnians are banned from leaving their homes each night between 8pm and 5am under some of the harshest coronavirus restrictions in the world.

The night curfew, which has now been in place for 57 days, will be eased to 9pm to 5am from 11.59pm on September 13.

Andrews admitted on Wednesday that he only introduced Melbourne's overnight curfew to make it easier for police to enforce lockdown.

But in an extraordinary development, Victoria Police's Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said he did not request a curfew and only found about the new law hours before the public was told.

Andrews was also forced to backflip his previous claims he'd taken advice about the curfew from chief health officer professor Brett Sutton - after he revealed he didn't recommend the curfew, either.

Victoria Police boss says officers weren't consulted by the government over its decision to enforce a night curfew between the hours of 8pm-5am. Pictured are police patrolling the streets of Melbourne during stage four lockdown on Wednesday

When Chief Commissioner Patton was asked if police were consulted about the curfew by 3AW morning show host Neil Mitchell on Thursday morning, he replied: 'No.'

'At no stage?' Mitchell quizzed further.

Again Comissioner Patton replied: 'No.'

'The reality is I was never consulted  our policy area was provided a copy of the proposed guidelines for our information a couple of hours before they were signed off.'

Commisioner Patton admitted the night curfew has been effective and made it easier for his officers to police the city.

'We are able to enforce with the curfew and movement is very much restricted because of it  but we weren't involved in discussions over it,' he added.

He also admitted police found out about the curfew a few hours before being made public on August 2.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) has been forced to admit the night curfew was based on his advice

Mr Andrews was initially reluctant to identify himself as responsible for the curfew during his daily press conference on Wednesday.

'I can't pinpoint the individual and the day, I can't give you a specific person,' he told reporters.

'If you want to go out and be unlawful now police have got the easiest set of arrangements they have ever had to catch you and fine you. That's what a curfew delivers.'

But after days of questioning, Mr Andrews finally admitted it was his decision to impose the curfew.

'These are decisions ultimately made by me, so the answer to the question (of why there is a curfew) is, I've made that decision. It's a challenging one to make, but it's effective.'

He reiterated his strong stance on night curfews on Thursday and vowed to remain accountable for his decision.

CSL chairman Brian McNamee has described the Premier's road map out of lockdown as a disaster and a 'map of misery'. Pictured are police patrolling Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall on Thursday, which remains under stage four lockdown until at least September 28

'As I said before, if people find fault with the rule, they can take it up with me,' Premier Andrews told reporters on Thursday.

'Decisions are made by groups of people. And I can't necessarily pinpoint for you the exact individual and the exact moment that it was suggested that we put a curfew on.

'What I'm saying to you is, anyone who's displeased with that or doesn't think that's a proportionate measure, well, that's a decision that I've made.'

The premier insists the curfew has been effective and is working.

'There's no denying - simply no denying - that those measures have made the job of police never easy, but it has made it clearer-cut, it has made it somewhat simpler, and driving down movement, just as a - there's no denying less movement means less virus,' Mr Andrews added.

'That's what all of these rules are about. And the curfew will come off when it is appropriate.'

A woman in a face mask crosses the road at Flinders Street Station in Melbourne on Tuesday

He added the night curfew was about achieving health outcomes.

'It's not a matter for Brett [Sutton], that's not health advice, that's about achieving a health outcome,' the Premier said.

'His advice is 'do whatever you can to limit movement'. Police then say 'we need rules we can enforce'. These are decisions ultimately made by me.'

'It just makes the job of police much, much easier.'

Under some of the toughest coronavirus restrictions in the world, five million Melbourne residents are not allowed out of their homes between 8pm and 5am. Pictured: Police patrol Elizabeth Street on Sunday

The state opposition was quick to slam the Premier following his starting admission on Wednesday that the curfew wasn't based on health advice.

'It wasn't a Brett Sutton call, it wasn't a medical evidence call, it was a captain's call by the Premier who wanted to keep Melbourne in curfew,' Victorian Liberals Leader Michael O'Brien said.

'The curfew should go. When you consider how extreme a curfew is  in wartime we haven't been subject to a curfew.'

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett also weighed into the debate on Thursday morning.

'Since when did a deputy chief medical officer have the authority to lock down six million people? On what grounds? At whose request? And apparently without the knowledge of the Chief Medical Officer. We are being led by a very small group of vindictive, thoughtless and cruel individuals,' he tweeted.

Health experts have also weighed into the debate about night curfews.

Sydney Associate Professor Adam Kamradt-Scott believes they encouraged large numbers of residents to congregate at shops prior to closing each night.

'The danger associated with introducing a curfew is shortly before that time, people realise they need to do things, so they may turn up to the shops and find 1000 other people have also had the same dilemma,' he told the Age.

'At least previously in Australia's pandemic plans we were doing the opposite, we would look to extend business operation hours and spread people's risk of infection. A curfew would do the exact reverse of that, which is risk consolidating people in high numbers at specific locations.'

Meanwhile, Professor Sutton revealed medical experts did not request the curfew but it was brought in as the state government declared a state of disaster on August 2.

The road map out of Melbourne lockdown has been described as a crushing policy. Pictured are Melburnians soaking up the sunshine in the CBD on Thursday

'The curfew came in as part of the state of disaster... it wasn't a state of emergency requirement,' Professor Sutton told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

'It wasn't something that I was against from a public health perspective.

'I was consulted on it but it was a separate decision-making pathway.'

Professor Sutton was also asked for his personal opinion on the effectiveness of the curfew during Tuesday's interview.

'I haven't reflected on it, I think it has been useful. If I put my mind to it, probably,' he said.

Professor Sutton denied any rumours that he had fallen out with Mr Andrews and said: 'We've worked very well together.'

'I get along pretty well with all sorts hopefully across the political spectrum and across all the various personality types,' he said.

'My gig is to provide straight up robust advice.

'I'm pretty comfortable with giving it, maybe when it's not comfortably received.'

Under Mr Andrews' road map to easing restrictions, released on Sunday, lockdown will only end when there are an average of five cases per day, which is not expected in Melbourne until October 26.

Until then, a curfew will be in place from 9pm to 5am and residents can only leave home for exercise, shopping, school and work, and caregiving.
This certification will allow AWIM programming to gain wider adoption across the state of Indiana to continue to influence and enhance the ways in which our youth are prepared to meet the challenges of the future." Chris Ciuca, vice president of programs, SAE International

SAE International announced today that its A World In Motion (AWIM) program has been included as one of the Indiana Department of Educations (IDOE) approved evidence-based STEM curriculum programs through which school districts across the state of Indiana may apply for grant funding. In partnership with STEMworks, IDOEs Office of Teaching and Learning certified AWIM as one of 13 programs that has established priorities and goals to ensure all of Indianas students have access and opportunities to gain a high-quality STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] education.

Through SAEs AWIM program, we strive to deliver on our mission to help today's students become tomorrow's engineers and scientists, said Chris Ciuca, vice president of programs at SAE International. This certification will allow AWIM programming to gain wider adoption across the state of Indiana to continue to influence and enhance the ways in which our youth are prepared to meet the challenges of the future. We look forward to helping unlock the potential in every child throughout Indiana with our evidence-based classroom STEM efforts.

SAE's AWIM is listed in the STEMworks national database as an "Accomplished" STEMworks Program, the highest level of accreditation. The acceptance within the newly established state-level STEMworks initiative further demonstrates that AWIM continues to meet the standard of quality for the state of Indiana.

AWIM is a teacher-administered, industry volunteer-assisted program that brings science, technology, engineering and math education to life for students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8, meeting students wherever learning is taking place. Benchmarked to the national standards, the AWIM program incorporates integrated STEM learning experiences through hands-on activities that reinforce classroom STEM learning. For more information on SAEs AWIM program, please visit: https://www.sae.org/learn/education.

STEMworks is a searchable database of STEM education programs that have been evaluated against rigorous and results-driven design principles. STEMworks catalogs programs like AWIM, that apply and have been approved according to their standards. Schools can search for programs by audience type, program type, impact level, location, and grade level via the online database. For more information on STEMworks, please visit: https://stemworks.wested.org/.

About SAE International

SAE International is a global association committed to advancing mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity. By engaging nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers, we connect and educate mobility professionals to enable safe, clean, and accessible mobility solutions. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including award-winning programs like A World In Motion and the Collegiate Design Series. More at http://www.sae.org.
Scott Morrison has hit back at Annastacia Palaszczuk after she accused the Prime Minister of bullying her to let a woman skip quarantine to attend her father's funeral.

Mr Morrison called the Queensland Premier to ask for an exemption to allow Sarah Caisip to join her family at her father Bernard's memorial service in Brisbane.

Despite Mr Morrison's input, the 26-year-old was denied the chance to join her grieving family and instead had a private viewing on her own after the funeral.

Ms Palaszczuk lashed out at the PM in parliament after the phone call, claiming he tried to intimidate and bully her into bending the rules for Ms Caisip.

Mr Morrison responded to her claims on Sky News on Thursday night.

Scott Morrison (pictured) said he doesn't care that Annastacia Palaszczuk accused him of bullying

'I don't really care what they say about me,' Mr Morrison said.

'It's not about me. It's not about her. It was about Sarah. It was about Isobel. It was about Myrna. And and it was about Bernard [Ms Caisip's family]. That's the only stuff that mattered today.

'It wasn't about borders. It wasn't about whether they should be up or down. It wasn't even about jobs today. And jobs are incredibly important, as you know. But this was just one day I had hoped that something different could be done.'

Mr Morrison noted Ms Caisip's case was not isolated and said there must be a better way to deal with special exemptions amid coronavirus restrictions.

'I've seen the images of when she went to see her dad and there've been some shocking days during the course of this pandemic. And today was, today just hurt,' he said.

'Those who have decided these measures are necessary, that they've got to find a better way to deal with with the heart here.

'I've dealt with many Premiers on many, many different issues all the time. I've dealt with the Queensland Premier on other issues. Sadly, today, I didn't have the influence that I would hope to have.

'But Sarah doesn't get today back. She never gets it back. And that just fills my heart with sadness.'

Sarah Caisip (pictured) was denied a quarantine exemption from the Queensland government to attend her father Bernard's funeral in Brisbane on Thursday

Mr Morrison said he had raised more than 40 different cases with Ms Palaszczuk to no avail and was astounded with the decision made for Ms Caisip.

'I'm just mystified at the discretion not exercised today. It's within their gift. It was in their gift. And the gift was denied,' he said.

Ms Caisip is a registered nurse and based in Canberra, where there hasn't been a single case of coronavirus for more than 60 days.

Mr Morrison said leaders need to unite to sort through issues and maintain humanity in the face of the deadly disease.

'I believe people during COVID, they're all trying to do the best they can. But when the rules are written in such a way that officials are following them and the way they are being asked to follow them, then that is the great loss that has suffered,' he said.

'We are going to lose so much as a result of this this dreadful virus. And we're all sick to the back teeth of this thing. I just don't want us to lose any more than we have to.

'And whether that's our humanity or whether that's our kids schooling or whether it's that last hug or embrace or whatever it is, I just refused to allow that to be lost to this virus wherever it is avoidable.'

Ms Palaszczuk said the prime minister and state opposition are using people's personal tragedies involving border restrictions to subject her to bullying.

Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) said the PM tried to intimidate her into bending quarantine rules

She lashed out at Mr Morrison after Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington asked her about Ms Caisip's case in state parliament on Thursday.

'It is absolutely not acceptable for the leader of the opposition to do what she is doing today: a co-ordinated campaign with the prime minister's office is disgusting and it is demeaning,' Ms Palaszczuk said.

'I would hope that the prime minister would work in a co-operative matter with everyone across this country and this divisiveness, and these fights, and this intimidation, and this bullying is the worst I've ever seen in my lifetime.'

Ms Palaszczuk reiterated the state's chief health officer was in charge of assessing medical exemptions to cross the border.

She said the state's hospitals were already treating 1,000 NSW residents a week but admitted that many people were missing funerals.

'Around the world, we have seen bodies being buried in the pits ... where no families have been able to say goodbye,' the premier said.

'This is a world pandemic, this is not the time to carry on like this, this is a time when every single person in this country should be working together and this politics of division is disgusting and disgraceful.'
WASHINGTON  Investigative reporter Bob Woodward didn't need that many anonymous sources for his new book on the Donald Trump administration.

He had Trump himself.

In the book, simply titled "Rage," Woodward writes that he spoke with the president at least 18 times on everything from his thoughts on world leaders like authoritarians Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, his predecessor former President Barack Obama, U.S. allies and issues of race.

Trump has "enshrined personal impulse as a governing principle of his presidency," Woodward writes, according to a copy of "Rage" obtained by USA TODAY.

The book's most sensational revelation  that Trump publicly played down the threat of COVID-19, even though he told Woodward as early as February how dangerous it was  has also led to criticism that the author sat on the information for too long.

Trump, who called the book a "political hit job," tweeted Thursday: "Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didnt he immediately report them in an effort to save lives?"

Woodward said he needed time to check out what Trump told him.

At a brief news conference, Trump said, "I didn't lie" about the COVID threat: "What I said is, we have to be calm; we can't be panicked."

Trump also told reporters he spoke to Woodward at length because "I thought it would be interesting to talk to him for a period of, you know, calls. So we did that."

Other administration officials, past and present, also spoke with Woodward, leading to a number of bracing comments and anecdotes on an array of sensitive issues.

Here are some details from the book:

Race relations

When Woodward suggested that privileged people like Trump and him have a responsibility to better understand the anger and pain felt by Black people, Trump responded to the author saying, No. ... You really drank the Kool-Aid, didnt you? Just listen to you. ... Wow. No, I dont feel that at all.

Story continues

Trump also protested criticism of him by African Americans, telling Woodward at one point: I have done a tremendous amount for the Black community. And, honestly, Im not feeling any love.

Bob Woodward's new book is "Rage."

Trump on Obama

As with the new book by Trump attorney Michael Cohen, the current president makes clear his disdain for his predecessor.

'I dont know. I don't think Obamas smart," Trump tells Woodward at one point. "See? I think hes highly overrated. And I dont think hes a great speaker.'"

At another point, Trump makes clear that one of his main goals is to undo Obama's accomplishments: "Ninety percent of the things he's done, I've taken apart."

'Under control': Trump knew the coronavirus was 'deadly stuff' but chose to downplay it, according to recordings revealed in new Woodward book

Trump aides dislike Trump

When he was Defense secretary, Jim Mattis would go to church to pray for the country in light of various Trump statements, ranging from threats against nuclear-armed North Korea to attacks on NATO and other U.S. allies.

"This degradation of the American experiment is real," Mattis told an associate, according to the book.

Woodward writes about when Mattis resigned shortly after Trump announced he wanted to pull all U.S. troops from Syria: "When I was basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid, strategically jeopardizing our place in the world and everything else, thats when I quit."

After a sudden Trump decision to cancel training exercises with South Korea  a move meant to please Kim  Mattis expressed concern about the message being sent to China, Russia, and North Korea.

"What we're doing is we're actually showing how to destroy America," Mattis is quoted as saying by Woodward. "That's what we're showing them. How to isolate us from all of our allies. How to take us down. And it's working very well. We are declaring war on one another inside America. It's actually working against us right now."

Trump also clashed with his first Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, but never gave him a specific reason for his dismissal, which was made via tweet.

"Tillerson was never told why he was fired," Woodward wrote. "The president did not give him a reason. It had earlier leaked out that Tillerson had called Trump a 'f------ moron' at a July 20, 2017, Tank meeting. Probably nothing could have triggered Trump's insecurities more."

Russia and Putin

Aides remained suspicious of Trump's relationship with Russia and its authoritarian leader, Vladimir Putin.

Dan Coats, Trumps first director of National Intelligence, never could totally shake the feeling that Putin "had something" on Trump, and that explained the president's fealty to the American rival.

"He suspected the worst but found nothing that would show Trump was indeed in Putin's pocket," Woodward writes of Coats, later adding: "There was no proof, period. But Coats's doubts continued, never fully dissipating."

Trump also praises Putin and at one point told Woodward he agreed with the autocrat's claim that U.S. investigations into Russia's interference in the 2016 election hampered relations between the two countries.

Trump also had nice things to say about Kim Jong Un, and, in a conversation with Woodward, likened his first meeting with the North Korea dictator to a budding romance.

You meet a woman," Trump told Woodward. "In one second, you know whether or not its all going to happen."

'We're suckers'

Trump has a harder time with allies.

The president, in the book, complains about military obligations around the world, saying the United States has become "suckers" to NATO members and other allies like South Korea.

Shortly after his election, Trump questioned the value of NATO while interviewing Mattis for the Defense secretary job.

"We're protecting South Korea from North Korea, and they're making a fortune with televisions and ships and everything else. Right?" Trump told Woodward. "They make so much money. Costs us $10 billion. We're suckers."

The potential break-up of U.S. alliances was a subject of discussion between Mattis and Coats.

"In just one example, Trump wanted to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and South Korea," Woodward writes. "There was a rush. Instantly. 'Get them out!' Trump had commanded."

"'That's crazy,'" Mattis said to Coats. "'That's dangerous.'"

'He says that he didn't do it'

Trump said he protected Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, telling Woodward that "I saved his a--."

"I was able to get Congress to leave him alone," Trump said. "I was able to get them to stop."

Trump also said he doesn't believe the prince ordered Khashoggi's murder, despite conclusions to the contrary by U.S. intelligence services.

"He says that he didn't do it," Trump told Woodward.

COVID-19

The most reported part of the book concerns the still-severe pandemic: Trump admits he was aware of the dangers of COVID-19 as early as February, even as he downplayed the threat in public.

On March 19, seven weeks after National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien warned him this would be the "biggest national security threat" he would face, Trump told Woodward: "I wanted to always play it down ... I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."

Later, on July 21, Trump gave himself good marks for how he handled the pandemic. "I give ourselves an A," he said, although he suggested the grade was incomplete.

"If we come up with the vaccines and therapeutics, then I give myself an A-plus," he added.

'I can handle more'

In his last interview with Trump, Woodward asked a question that he said hed asked many other presidents: What have you learned about yourself?

Trump's response: I can handle more than other people can handle.

Trump then launched into a soliloquy about how tough it is being president  tougher for him than just about anybody, he said.

More people come up to me and say  and I mean very strong people, people that are successful even. A lot of people. They say, I swear to you, I dont know how its possible for you to handle what you handle. How youve done this, with the kind of opposition, the kind of shenanigans, the kind of illegal witch hunts.

Trump said he has opposition like nobody has but added, In the meantime, right now, Im looking at the White House. Okay? Im staring right at the walls of the White House.

'Dynamite behind every door'

At one point, Trump tells Woodward that, when you're president, "there's dynamite behind every door."

At the end of his book, Woodward concludes that some of Trump's own actions are among the things that have blown up.

"When his performance as president is taken in its entirety," Woodward writes, "I can only reach one conclusion: Trump is the wrong man for the job."

Bob Woodward book takeaways: Trump admits 'playing' down COVID threat, secret nuclear program, Kim Jong Un letters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bob Woodward book offers Trump's thoughts on Obama, race, Putin
DENVER, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Intermap Technologies ("Intermap" or the "Company") announced today the appointment of Jordan N. Tongalson to its board of directors to serve as Independent Director. On the heels of its successful Private Placement and Settlement with Vertex/Pender Funds, the Company's sole secured creditors, Mr. Tongalson joins the board to contribute additional financial, capital allocation, and business development experience, which will further reposition Intermap for long-term growth. The Private Placement was closed in two tranches, on July 31, 2020 and August 14, 2020, and the Settlement Payment was made to the Lender on August 12, 2020. The series of transactions added approximately $37 million to Intermap's book value, tax affected.

Jordan is currently a Managing Director and leads Business Development at Littlejohn & Company, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm focused on private equity and debt investments, primarily in middle market companies. In addition, Jordan contributes experience and relationships from prior roles at The Blackstone Group, where he advised Blackstone Capital Partners on LBO and private equity investments, and Morgan Stanley, where he led building products and government services (including geospatial) investment banking coverage within the Global Industrials Group. Mr. Tongalson also worked for Siemens in the M&A and corporate development group where, among other projects, he led the sale process and strategic repositioning of its global transit telematics systems business, a pioneer in geospatial software and analytics.

In addition, Jack Schneider joins Intermap as Chief Operating Officer after more than two years of collaboration with senior management as an operating consultant. Previously, Mr. Schneider managed the growth of Perry Capital, one of America's most successful independent hedge funds, with over $15 billion in peak assets under management, comprising many of America's leading institutional investors. Jack's other prior experience includes roles at The White House, Goldman Sachs and Colden Capital in London and New York, where, for more than eight years, Jack made direct investments and efficiently allocated the firm's proprietary and partners' capital in disruptive, technology-driven public companies. He also founded and led one of the first iOS developers, which pioneered innovative solutions and patented technology.

"Intermap is pleased to welcome Jordan Tongalson to the holding company Board and Jack Schneider into the operating company as COO," said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap Chairman & CEO. "As our industry transitions and evolves, these proven business leaders are in a perfect position to help us leverage all our considerable financial and operating advantages, anchor our strategic roadmap, and execute aggressively and opportunistically to build a fast growing profitable business and maximize returns for our stakeholders."

The Company also reported that its software subscriptions continue to be renewed at higher annual amounts. Clients are leveraging Intermap's tools through cloud-based architecture, precise geospatial data, and analytics to optimize their geospatial investment, and receive and pay for only the relevant data they need, where they need it. The latest InsitePro deal, which closed today with Atlas General Insurance Services, demonstrates how Intermap's InsitePro generates relevant answers that are delivered with accuracy, speed and simplicity to support a national-scale underwriting program.

Intermap additionally announced it intends to hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") virtually on October 30, 2020. Intermap intends to apply to the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (the "Court") for an order extending the deadline for the Company's annual general meeting of shareholders to accommodate the October 30, 2020 meeting date.

Intermap previously announced it was planning to hold its Meeting on September 24, 2020, in accordance with applicable corporate laws and the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"). Following this announcement, the Company launched a private placement of common shares in order to, among other things, facilitate the payment of US$1 million (the "Settlement Payment") to PenderFund Capital Management Ltd. (the "Lender") in full and final settlement of US$33.9 million of debt owed by Intermap to the Lender.

Significant time and resources were required to complete the Private Placement, the Settlement Payment and various related arrangements, and Intermap has been operating with limited personnel as a result of required downsizing to deal with the current COVID-19 economic environment. Furthermore, a total of 4,158,113 common shares of Intermap were issued under the Private Placement, representing approximately 20% of the Company's current total issued and outstanding common shares, and management of Intermap determined it would be appropriate for all shareholders of the Company, including those who became shareholders as a result of the Private Placement, to have the right to participate at the Meeting. Consequently, Intermap delayed calling the Meeting while the Company was still in the process of completing the Private Placement, the Settlement Payment and related matters. Pursuant to the deadlines for giving notice of a meeting of shareholders and filing and mailing materials related to such meeting under corporate and securities laws applicable to Intermap, after completing the Private Placement the Company was unable to hold the Meeting on the originally planned date of September 24, 2020.

Intermap intends to file an application to the Court in the coming days seeking an order of the Court extending the deadline for Intermap to hold the Meeting. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on business operations, the TSX earlier in the year announced an extension to the deadline for TSX-listed issuers such as Intermap to hold their annual meetings of shareholders until December 31, 2020.

About Intermap Technologies

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP) (ITMSF: BB) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions. The Company's proprietary NEXTMap database and value-added geospatial data management, processing, analytics, fusion and orthorectification software and solutions are utilized across a range of industries that rely on accurate, high-resolution elevation data, including aviation, engineering, environmental planning, government markets, hydrology, insurance, land management, law enforcement and patrol, oil and gas, renewable energy, telecommunications, transportation and utilities. Intermap's commercial applications include location-based intelligence, risk assessment, geographic information systems, global positioning systems and 3D visualization. For more information, please visit www.intermap.com.

Intermap Reader Advisory

Certain information provided in this news release, including statements in relation timing of the Meeting, the timing of the Company's application for an order of the Court extending the deadline to hold the Meeting, and the Court's decision, including whether to grant the extension and for how long, constitute forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "project", "forecast", "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, the availability of the Court to hear Intermap's application for an extension to the deadline to hold the Meeting, the ongoing business and social disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.

SOURCE Intermap Technologies Corporation

Related Links

www.intermap.com


The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, said that it will resume hearing on petitions seeking an interest waiver during the loan moratorium period on September 28. The top court also ruled that its order asking banks not to declare the accounts as NPAs (non-performing assets) for two months will continue.

The SC bench, led by Justice Ashok Bhushan, was hearing petitions seeking waiver of accruing interest and extension of the six-month loan moratorium period allowed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The apex court after hearing the arguments from all the parties, and recording the submissions of the petitioners directed the Centre to file a detailed affidavit within two weeks and posted the matter for further hearing after the said duration (two weeks).

Also Read: Loan restructuring, moratorium should happen simultaneously, says former Chief Statistician Pronab Sen

The top court also observed that banks should not downgrade credit ratings and maintain status quo till further hearing (on September 28).

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, assured the court that the Centre is holding discussions at levels much higher than the RBI.

Mehta also urged the SC to be wary of passing orders in a hurry that would have major implications, adding the Centre is looking at providing wider relief across sectors.

The apex court had earlier said that there is "no merit charging interest on interest". The RBI had on June 4 said that banks will lose Rs 2 lakh crore if interest is waived during the (loan) moratorium period.

Senior advocate Rajiv Dutta, who appeared for a petitioner, on September 2 said that the banks charging interest on interest was wrong and they could not charge it.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Last week  which is to say, six months into a pandemic that has killed more than 185,000 Americans  the American Nurses Association released the results of a survey of its membership. The survey asked whether nurses were still experiencing shortages of personal protective equipment, or PPE.

The answer was a resounding yes. A third reported that they were out of or short of N95 respirators designed to offer maximum protection in a hospital setting, according to Bloomberg News. (They are called N95s because they filter out 95% of airborne particulates, including viruses.)

Early in the pandemic, N95 masks were in such short supply that hospital personnel were reusing them for days at a time instead of following the proper protocol of discarding them after a single use. Today, that is still the case; almost 60% of the nurses surveyed said theyre re-using single-use protective equipment for five or more days, and 68% said their facilities mandate re-using the supplies, Bloomberg reported.

When I emailed a top hospital administrator to ask whether mask shortages had eased up, she sent me a one-line reply: Supply chain is still royally screwed up, and cant get N95s.

How can this be? The initial shortage of N95s in March and April was more or less understandable. According to 3M Co., the biggest mask maker in the U.S., demand for N95s didnt just double or triple in the wake of the pandemic; it rose 40-fold. Hospitals needed them, but so did dental offices, long-term care facilities, Covid-19 testing sites and many other facilities.

The effort to acquire N95s became a mad scramble. The supply chain collapsed. Brokers(1) popped up everywhere, claiming to have access to millions of masks, supposedly stored in warehouses in Los Angeles or Guangzhou or Seoul. Usually, these claims were bogus, but even when they werent, obtaining those masks was extraordinarily difficult, with dozens of brokers all promising to deliver the same masks. The market was filled with fakes. Oil traders and hedge funds jumped in, trading masks as if they were oil futures. The price for many masks shot up from around $1 to as much as $5 or $6. Meanwhile, 3M  which has not raised its prices during the pandemic  ramped up production from 22 million N95s a month before the pandemic to 50 million by June. It wasnt nearly enough.

Story continues

Today, 3Ms U.S. run rate is 1 billion N95s a year. Worldwide, it expects to be churning them out at a rate of 2 billion a year by the end of 2020. The company has also imported tens of millions of N95s from its facilities in China under an agreement with President Donald Trump, who invoked the Defense Production Act. Honeywell International Inc. is also manufacturing N95s for the U.S. market, as are a handful of other companies.

Still, hospitals and other entities, including state governments, are having nearly as much difficulty obtaining N95s as they did early in the pandemic. The scarcity has not eased. The N95 black market is still going strong. States are still bidding against one another for mask supplies. Counterfeits and substandard masks are still being sold as the real thing (although 3M has worked hard to rid the market of bogus 3M masks). The only reason this isnt a bigger issue is that the influx of Covid-19 hospital patients has eased. But if the pandemic has a second wave in the fall, as many fear, its going to get ugly again.

Consider the situation in Minnesota. The state has orders for more than 5 million N95s, which it hopes to allocate to hospitals that need them. According to the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, it has received only 337,000 masks so far through traditional 3M distributors.

Minnesota contracted with Supply Link Inc., a small Ohio company, for an additional 2 million N95s, for which it agreed to pay $4.75 each  or $9.5 million in total. Matthew Kaspar, Supply Links president, told me that the company had lined up the purchase, signed a sales agreement and found financiers to front the down payment, which the state was prevented from doing by law. I actually had Minnesota on the phone with the so-called distributor, said Melissa Hill, the Supply Link executive in charge of the deal. The distributor assured state officials that it was all on the up-and-up.

It wasnt. When four trucks were sent to the warehouse that supposedly held the masks, Supply Link discovered it was barren. This is a very dark market, Hill said. The companys experience is typical of the scams that are taking place in the N95 black market. Wayne Waslaski, an official with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, told me that he now thinks it is unlikely the state will ever see those 2 million masks. But Hill and Kaspar insist that they wont stop trying to unearth them.

Minnesota does know where an additional 500,000 N95 masks reside: in a warehouse in China, where they have been tied up for more than three months. The hangup? The U.S. government, which has refused to allow them to be imported. Which gets to the ultimate cause of the problem: the Trump administration.

When you get right down to it, it will be years before the enormous gap between the supply of N95s and demand will narrow in the U.S. Before the pandemic, hospitals didnt use them much, not even for most surgical procedures; a typical hospital might go through a few thousand a month, rather than the hundreds of thousands it now needs monthly. Globalization pushed most mask manufacturing overseas and once the virus arrived, few countries were willing to allow N95s to be exported. And with such a severe supply shortage, it was inevitable that black marketers and scam artists would try to take advantage of people who needed to buy masks. None of this is surprising; markets dont function properly when supply and demand are so out of whack.

What needed to happen in March  and still needs to happen  is the federal government should be using the Defense Production Act to take control of the N95 market. It alone has the power to negotiate mask deals with countries like China and Vietnam. It could have sent an important message by punishing price gougers and counterfeiters. It could have enlisted other civic-minded companies besides 3M to begin manufacturing N95s. And it could have allocated N95s (and other PPE for that matter) to states and hospitals and nursing homes as they were needed  shifting mask shipments away from states where coronavirus cases were on the wane and toward emerging hot spots. A competent federal effort wouldnt have ended the supply-demand imbalance, but it could have drastically reduced its effect on the country.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency insists that it has done just that, but the effort has been paltry. Minnesota, for instance, has received a pathetic 3,000 masks from the federal government. Whats more, as the Associated Press pointed out in July, low population, mostly rural states  i.e. red states  did better by FEMA than more populous states that were hit harder by the virus. For example, Montana has received 1,125 items of protective gear per [confirmed Covid-19] case, compared with 32 items per case in Massachusetts, an early hot spot, the AP wrote. A FEMA spokesperson said that PPE was distributed evenly to the states.

But the federal government has also hijacked for its own stockpile imported masks that hospitals had already paid for. It has stood aside as the market for N95s devolved into the Wild West. And the FDA, in particular, has made it extremely difficult to import even bona fide N95 masks that were made abroad.

Donaldson Company Inc., a filtration company based in the Minneapolis suburbs, is the company trying to bring in those 500,000 masks from China. It has state-of-the-art air-filtration labs scattered around the world, including in China. Though the company had no experience with N95s, it raised its hand to help Minnesota source them. Scam artists in China swarmed all over the company, and early on, it used its labs mainly to detect fraudulent N95s. We likely saved the state millions of dollars by screening out the procurement of bad masks, its CEO, Tod Carpenter, told me.

Eventually, Donaldson found a legitimate manufacturer in China and set up a supply chain. The company then purchased 500,000 high-quality masks that they believed met the emergency authorization requirements the FDA had established to deal with the pandemic. Those were the masks Donaldson intended to sell to the state  at cost, Carpenter said.

After testing them  and confirming that the Chinese company had the necessary registration from its government  Donaldson applied to the FDA to have them brought into the U.S. The agency said no; the application had to come from the manufacturer. The Chinese company then submitted an application directly. Again the FDA said no because its registration was temporary. When the Chinese company got its permanent registration, it tried one more time. Guess what? The FDA still said no.

Were scratching our heads here, Carpenter told me. Were a filter company. We have labs. We know how to do this. Just tell us what we need to do. But the FDA wont talk to Carpenter because under its rules, it can only discuss such matters with the manufacturer, not the distributor. Although Donaldson is still trying to find ways to make its case to the FDA, its a stalemate.

During the Republican convention, Trump boasted about shipping hundreds of millions of masks, gloves and gowns to our frontline health care workers. Having now spent time digging into the world of PPE, I find the following account more credible. It took place in Rhode Island a few months ago, after Governor Gina Raimondo pleaded with FEMA for hospital gear from the federal stockpile.

Id just constantly get the runaround, she recounted to Politico. She continued: One time they promised me, OK, it will be there today, a truck full of PPE. I said: Tell me the time, Ill check on it myself. They said 7 p.m. Great. At 7 p.m., no truck. I call and ask where is it, they say 9 p.m. Fine. Around 9 p.m., I get a text from FEMA: Governor, the truck arrived. Hallelujah! I called my director of health. Great news, the truck is finally here!

Then they opened the truck. It was empty.

(1) One such broker was Brian Kolfage, the decorated veteran who lost both legs and an arm in Iraq in 2004. Last month, he was among those indicted, along with Steve Bannon and two others, by the Department of Justice, which accused them of diverting money that had been raised to build a wall at the Mexican border for personal uses.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Joe Nocera is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business. He has written business columns for Esquire, GQ and the New York Times, and is the former editorial director of Fortune. His latest project is the Bloomberg-Wondery podcast "The Shrink Next Door."

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The Alabama Public Charter Commissions virtual meeting was shut down Thursday morning by hackers, who flooded the meeting with obscene language and graphic images.

Commissioners were about 20 minutes into the Zoom meeting when images of the animated film character Shrek and loud music flooded the meeting, followed quickly by pornographic images and chat messages filled with profanity and references to Hitler.

Alabama State Department of Education charter director Logan Searcy attempted to remove the hackers one by one, but eventually ended the meeting. A new link was sent to commissioners and the meeting resumed about 25 minutes later.

Charter Commission President Henry Nelson apologized for the incident before the meeting ended.

The Commission is set to vote on four charter school applications during the meeting today.

The attack came moments after a group of students from Birminghams i3 Academy had completed a virtual presentation and tour of their school. The students were no longer in the meeting when the attack came.

Updated 1:05 p.m. to identify Shrek as an animated film character.
'Cult' mom Lori Vallow has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the deaths of her children.

Lori, 47, entered the pleas for two felony counts of conspiracy to conceal or destroy evidence on Thursday morning in Madison County District Court via a Zoom call from jail.

Wearing a matching baby blue mask and long-sleeve blouse, Lori remained silent throughout the brief hearing, allowing her attorney Mark Means to speak on her behalf.

District Judge Dane Watkins Jr scheduled a jury trial for April 2, 2021. Lori faces up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines if convicted.

This month marked the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of Lori's children, Joshua 'JJ' Vallow and Tylee Ryan, whose bodies were found buried on her husband Chad Daybell's property in June.

Investigators believe the children, who were never reported missing by their mother, were murdered within hours of when they vanished within two weeks of each other in September 2019.

'Cult' mom Lori Vallow pleaded not guilty to charges related to the deaths of her children on Thursday morning in Madison County Court via a Zoom call from jail

In addition to the conspiracy charges, Lori is facing three misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing officers, solicitation to commit a crime and contempt of court from her arrest back in February.

Chad has already pleaded not guilty to two felony conspiracy charges and two other counts for destruction or concealment of evidence.

His trial is set to begin in January 2021.

Madison County Special Prosecutor Rob Wood and the state of Idaho asked a judge to join the cases against Lori and Chad last week - just after Chad's attorney asked to have the case against him thrown out altogether.

Neither Chad nor Lori have been accused of harming Tylee and JJ. Authorities have yet to say how the children died, or whether homicide charges will be filed in the future.

Lori and her husband Chad Daybell (right) have now both pleaded not guilty to two felony counts for conspiracy to conceal or destroy evidence

Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua 'JJ' Vallow, seven, disappeared in September 2019 but were never reported missing by their mother. The children's remains were found buried on Chad's property in June

Tylee vanished on September 8, 2019, just days before her 17th birthday. Investigators said her body was burned and dismembered before being buried sometime the following day.

JJ was last seen two weeks later on September 23. His body was wrapped in duct tape and plastic and buried the same day, investigators said.

Authorities believe Lori's now-deceased brother Alex Cox brought the children's bodies to Chad's home to bury them.

The search for JJ and Tylee began back in November 2019 when police officers performed a welfare check at Lori's home in Rexburg and found that neither of the children had been heard from since two months earlier.

The case captured nationwide attention with the revelations that police were also investigating at least three suspicious deaths linked to Lori and Chad, as well as relatives' claims that the couple are members of a dangerous doomsday cult.

Lori and Chad went on the run the day after police began searching for the children and reopened an investigation into the death of Chad's first wife Tammy Daybell, who died on October 19, 2019.

Police tracked the couple down in Hawaii in January and Lori was later arrested on charges of child abandonment and desertion.

The search came to a devastating end in June as JJ and Tylee's remains were discovered in Chad's backyard in Salem, Idaho.

Investigators are seen recovering the remains of Tylee and JJ from the backyard of Chad's home in Salem, Idaho, on June 9

Earlier this week a woman who spent four days alone with Lori at Madison County Jail lifted the lid on the 'cult' mom's life behind bars.

The woman spoke to the East Idaho News on condition of anonymity to protect her safety. The outlet referred to her as 'Missy Cook' in its account.

Missy and Lori were housed in the same 'pod' at the jail for four days in March, after Lori was extradited to Idaho from Hawaii.

Missy - who was jailed for a parole violation - recounted how Lori was upbeat, never cried and spent most of her time reading scriptures, on the phone with Chad or meeting with her lawyers.

She said Lori was thrilled by the amount of media attention her case was getting.

'She was totally aware of all of it,' Missy recalled. 'She said: "We have the death of Kobe Bryant and COVID but no  there's me. I'm the lead story. I'm more important than all that stuff."

'She knew she was the main story and she liked it.'

Lori was obsessed with her appearance, Missy said, and insisted that she look good for the many news cameras that filled the courtroom during her first hearing on March 6 - where she wore bright pink lipstick but covered up the painted-blue toenails she was very proud of.

A woman who spent four days alone with Lori at the Madison County Jail revealed how the cult mom was obsessed with her appearance during her first court hearing in March (pictured)

Once the hearing was over, Lori invited Missy to watch the news coverage together.

'As the news came on, she said: "Here it comes! Here's my story. Turn it up. Let's see what they say about me now,"' Missy said.

Over the following days Lori met with her attorneys for hours to work out a way that she could post bond, which had been set at $1million.

'I remember before one of those meetings, she ran her fingers from her head down her body and said: "We'll see if all of this is worth $1million,"' Missy recalled.

When she wasn't with her lawyers, Lori spent much of her time speaking on the phone with Chad or with her eldest son Colby Ryan, Missy said.

Because she was in an adjacent cell, Missy was able to take notes on phone calls she overheard.

She described Lori and Chad's conversations as 'nauseating', saying that Lori was adamant about looking good for video calls and repeatedly sought reassurance that her husband loved her.

The women never talked about JJ and Tylee, but Missy said she was sure that the children would be found safe and was shocked when she learned the truth.

'I made it a point not to ask about her kids. I wanted to gain her trust and see if she would tell me anything,' Missy said. 'I'd been judged [unfairly] for one of my crimes and turned inside out for something it wasn't. I couldn't imagine feeling what she was feeling when she got there.'

'I thought the kids were alive. I really did,' she added.

'I thought they had them in a polygamy compound and they were there working while she and Chad went to Hawaii to live their lives.'

Asked what she thinks will happen as the case moves forward, Missy said she expects Lori to turn on Chad.

'If she's as vindictive as she is, those kids were buried on his land and at his house. I would turn on him to save my own ass,' Missy said.
Whether you describe it as a decadent society or a decaying culture or a democracy dying in darkness, 2020 has given us a taste for what Cormac McCarthy once described as the frailty of everything revealed at last. We have been frail for a very long time, but what we could deny before has been made glaringly manifest through a pandemic, racial injustice, social unrest, mass unemployment, and a highly contentious presidential election that earnest folks on both sides have described in existential terms. The foundations of our society are not quite destroyed, but they are cracking, and those cracks raise the psalmists question, What can the righteous do? (Ps. 11:3).

Part of the answer, I believe, is to support and rely upon Christian colleges and universities to serve as institutional anchorsspaces of transformation and education, discipleship and scholarship, cultural edification, and exhortation.

The default evangelical response to cultural decay has been to redouble our culture war efforts: elect people who will better pursue our agenda, boycott and denounce attacks on our values, and so on. And while I would be the last to dismiss the importance of Christian political participation and cultural criticism, I do worry that these focuses can distract us from the more basic work that needs to be done. We need to shore up the ruins.

When many evangelicals lack a robust idea of sex, marriage, and the human body as God designed them, it does little good for us to criticize the normalization of alternative lifestyles. When evangelical consumers and evangelical entrepreneurs are driven by the same basic belief in autonomous individualism as their secular counterparts, we cant be surprised when sacrificing for our neighbors feels like an infringement upon our rights. When white evangelicals have little grasp of history or the trauma of generations of institutionalized racism, we should not expect racial reconciliation to occur. When evangelicals have abandoned the possibility of truth and the common good for identity politics, it is not surprising that the world does not take our moral authority seriously.

To shore up the ruins is not to retreat from society into private enclaves but to recognize that our house is not in order. Our walls will not stand. We need catechesis and discipleship, not quick culture war and political victories, or we risk letting the entire house crumble while we stand in the front yard waving memes at our digital neighbors.

The work of shoring up the ruins must be primarily done in local churches and within families and communities. However, Christian colleges and universities are uniquely positioned to be a major institutional framework for the catechizing and discipleship. They can and do equip and assist local churches, families, and communities in their work.

This is why I am particularly troubled by the significant challenges facing Christian higher education. At precisely the time the church in America needs cultural institutions that preserve what is good, transform lives, and prophetically challenge secular ways of being in the world, our schools are experiencing declining enrollment and layoffs. Sixty-five percent of our schools have seen a decline in enrollment between 2014-2018 and in the last decade, 944 faculty and staff positions have been eliminated. We are under pressure to reduce our education to efficiently targeted career training and certification rather than the cultivation of wisdom (a goal with a much harder to measure return on investment).

I do not believe that Christian higher education can save us. It cant. But having spent 13 years teaching, the majority of which took place within Christian universities, I have personally witnessed the tremendous power of these institutions to transform the lives of students, to produce scholarly and popular work that builds up the church, and to be spaces of cultural renewal and preservation. Our schools, properly funded and supported, can be beacons of light for the church during a time of crisis. Or they too can crumble into highly efficient, baptized career and bureaucracy training centers.

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If the phrase our schools rubs you the wrong way, Id like to suggest that we have hit upon one of our problems. Evangelicals struggle to create and sustain lasting, influential cultural institutions because we too often think in terms of individual good rather than corporate or common good.

Even if you never went to a Christian college or university, you are currently benefiting from the work of these institutions. Your pastor benefits from the theological work produced by scholars at Christian schools. Your church benefits from the cultural criticism done at these schools. Christian businesses and professionals benefit from learning how to integrate faith into their professions. Christian artists and musicians benefit from apprenticeship. Our politicians and community leaders benefit from theories of government and justice handed down and built upon in Christian schools.

When Christian colleges and universities are well supported, they can afford to give scholars time to mentor students and produce works that edify the church. And those scholars need the support of schools because even when they manage to write a popular book, it rarely pays enough to make up for the time it took to research and write the book.

Our schools, properly funded and supported, can be beacons of light for the church during a time of crisis.

Or we could rely on thought leaders and influencers to produce research, make ethical judgments on biotechnology, develop political theologies, and perform cultural analysis. But when we rely almost exclusively on online personalities for our cultural and theological wisdom, we should expect to have our ears tickled. One of the significant advantages of the academic environment is accountability. My colleagues at my institution and across Christian higher education hold me accountable for my ideas and my research. If I begin to produce research that panders to my audiences biases, I expect my colleagues to challenge me.

Of course, we could just demand that our pastors offer commentary, advice, and analysis on every aspect of culture. But to do this is unfair to our pastors. It places an unreasonable burden upon them and distracts from their calling to a local congregation.

We should want Christian colleges and universities to be successful so that they can do critical work assisting local churches and communities in strengthening our foundations and providing lasting, meaningful relief from some of the crises that plague our time.

For example, as our society struggles mightily to maintain the basic level of public discourse necessary for a democracy, Christian schools can provide room for robust and charitable debate over ideas that matter, as I have previously argued at CT.

Our schools can also do vital work researching and telling the history of racism in America and in our own churches. Whatever your views are on racial division in 2020, the fact is we cannot healwe cannot even repentuntil we understand what our nation, our denominations, our churches have done. That work must be done fearlessly, unmolested by the political correctness of the Left or the Right and motivated by the same spirit of unity that brings us together at the Lords Table.

And as technological advances continue to complicate, invade, and restructure our lives and habits, we need institutions of Christian higher learning that can cultivate more humane habits in students and produce cultural criticism that equips the church for discernment. I dont think we are remotely ready for the ethical and spiritual challenges our current technology has created, let alone the technology just around the corner.

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Perhaps closest to my own heart, Christian liberal arts schools like my own Oklahoma Baptist University resist many of the worst pressures of the contemporary age through careful, charitable, humble study of great works of literature, art, music, history, science. By learning to attend to and delight in what is beautiful, good, and true, we deny the primacy of novelty. We reject what C. S. Lewis called the chronological snobbery that sees everything new as superior to the old. We grow respect for the wisdom of those who have come before us. And we are rightfully humbled.

Im not going to say that every Christian college and university is doing this kind of work. They arent. And even the ones that are can do better. But they cant do anything without support. And this year, while billions of dollars will be spent on an election, with a non-trivial amount coming from evangelicals, some Christian schools may close.

So, even if a Christian college isnt your alma mater, it is your school; they are our schools. At their best, they serve the church. And the sooner we can accept our shared responsibility, the sooner we can do the necessary work of shoring up the ruins.

The crises that face us cannot be overcome by politicians (although they can be made much worse by them) or by culture-war skirmishes. They can be addressed only by grounding ourselves in the truth. That work will be done primarily in the local church, but our Christian colleges and universities have a tremendous role to play by providing resources, mentorship, and scholarship.

O. Alan Noble, PhD, is an associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, editor-in-chief of Christ and Pop Culture, and author of Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age, (InterVarsity Press, 2018).

Speaking Out is Christianity Todays guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publication.
Beijing:

In a new research, the oldest evidence of silk in 8,500-year-old tombs in China has been found, This shows that people may have used the luxurious material thousands of years earlier than thought.

Earlier, scientists had unearthed bone flutes that are the earliest known playable musical instruments on Earth, as well as what may be the earliest Chinese writing.

Scientists studied ruins dating back 9,000 years at Jiahu in the middle of Henan Province in China.

Old tales suggested that silkworm breeding and silk weaving began around this area, said Decai Gong, archaeologist at the University of Science and Technology of China.

Prior work at Jiahu showed that the areas warm and humid climate favoured the growth of mulberry trees, whose leaves are the sole food of silkworms.

The scientists collected soil samples from three tombs at Jiahu. Chemical analyses unveiled evidence of silk proteins in two of the three tombs, one of which dated back 8,500 years.

This is the earliest evidence of silk in ancient China, Gong told Live Science.

Previously, the oldest evidence of silk dated back 5,000 years from China, researchers said.

Researchers found bone needles and weaving tools which suggests that these people has basic weaving and sewing skills, and perhaps buried their dead in silk garments.

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
- Siraphop Masukarat was sitting on the toilet while at the same time watching videos on his phone when he felt a sudden piercing pain on his penis

- The teenager said he only discovered he had been bitten by the reptile when he saw its head sprout from the toilet bowl

- The 18-year-old was rushed to the hospital where doctors recommended three stitches at the tip of the sex organ

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A teenager in Thailand has had one of the worst experiences in his life after a snake bit his manhood while he was using a toilet.

Siraphop Masukarat was sitting on the toilet while at the same time watching videos on his phone on Tuesday, September 8, when he felt a sudden sharp pain on his penis.

Siraphop Masukarat was rushed to the hospital where doctors advised three stitches. Photo: Daily Mail.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kofi Kinaata reveals what he will do to Delay if they ever get locked in a room alone (video)

Speaking to Daily Mail about the horrifying ordeal, Siraphop said he only discovered he was bitten by the reptile when he saw its head sprout from the toilet bowl.

"'I was using the toilet but a few moments after I sat down, I suddenly felt pain in my penis. I looked down and saw there was a snake hanging in the toilet. Then there was blood everywhere," he recounted.

The 18-year-old was rushed to the hospital where doctors recommended three stitches at the tip of the sex organ.

Aftermath of the horrifying experience. Photo: Daily Mail.

Source: UGC

The wound was also treated with an antibiotic wash to kill any bacteria from the python's poison if any.

His mother soon called in animal handlers who rushed to her home so as to rescue the college student who was obviously writhing in untold pain.

The shaken woman who was short of words was at pains to figure out how the snake got into her house and into the toilet.

"It could have been through the drain connected to the toilet. I know the snake really hurt my son but I'm relieved it was only a non-venomous python. If it was a cobra, he would be dead," she explained.

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The increasing level of importance placed on automobile performance is closely related to the quality of the suspension systems. Market reports connected to the automobile industry have been offered by Market Research Future which makes reports on other industry verticals that aims to study the current market scenarios better. The market is on track to achieve a 5 % CAGR in the forecast period.

The need to improve suspension systems has gained considerable traction, as automobiles become more efficient and streamlined. The rising incidences of accidents have increased the demand for enhanced automotive suspension systems. The augmented level of investment being directed towards the expansion in the automobile components such as suspension systems is expected to gain an increased level of momentum in the upcoming forecast period.

ALSO READ:

https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/19/08/ab14297650/automotive-suspension-system-market-2019-global-industry-analysis-by-size-share-trends-growth-and

Segmental Analysis

The segmentation of the automotive suspension system market is carried out on the basis of vehicle type, suspension system, damping type, end market, and region. On the basis of vehicle type, the automotive suspension system market is segmented into commercial vehicle & passenger vehicle. Based on the suspension system, the automotive suspension system market is segmented into semi-active, passive, and active. On the basis of damping type, the automotive suspension system market is segmented into electromagnetic and hydraulic. On the basis of the end market, the automotive suspension system is divided into OEM and aftermarket. The regions included in the automotive suspension system are North America, Europe, South America, Middle East, and Africa.

Detailed Regional Analysis

The regional analysis of the automotive suspension system market encompasses regions such as North America, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. The Asia Pacific region dominates the automotive suspension system market globally, due to the increased production of technologically progressive & comfort vehicle. This region will display the speediest growth in the forecast period. The Asia Pacific regions follows the European region in terms of growth. The growing eco-friendly initiatives in this region will lead to substantial growth in the automotive suspension system market. Thus, driving the Asia Pacific region towards steady growth in the duration of the forecast period.

Competitive Analysis

The beginning of new technology is promoting the growth capability of the market. The market has the elements for displaying a better comparative or differential value. The market trends imply advantageous growth of the products that can bring in improvement to the product range and meet the customer need better. The prevalence of productive units is projected to generate more sales or greater margins as compared to its market adversaries. Sizable reductions in administrative finances are bringing more developments to the market. The making of a strong value chain is additionally encouraging the development of the market. The market contestants find themselves in a promising position with the capacity to handle the pace of change.

The principal challengers in the market for automotive suspension system globally are TWR Automotive Holdings Corporation, KYB Corporation, Tenneco Inc., Benteler Group, Magneti Marelli S.P.A., Continental AG, Mando Corporation, Schaeffler AG, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG.

Industry Updates:

Feb 2019 WABCO Holdings Inc. which is regarded as the leading global supplier of braking control systems and other progressive technologies that correct the safety, connectivity and efficiency of commercial vehicles, recently announced that it has authorized a long-term contract to supply and develop innovative air suspension technology for one of the worlds major manufacturers of premium passenger cars, based out of the European region.

Nov 2018 Ohlins, a renowned premium suspension manufacturer is set to become a subsidiary of Tenneco Inc, and therefore joining one of the major global multi-line, multi-brand OEM and aftermarket firms in the world. Tenneco Inc has engaged the final contract to obtain Ohlins Racing AB, the Swedish technology company that creates premium suspension systems and components for the motorsport and automotive industries. Ohlins backs performance teams in Formula E, F1, MotoGP, and NASCAR racing.

FOR MORE DETAILS 

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/automotive-suspension-system-market-1853
The share price of Reliance Industries (RIL) closed 7.10 percent higher at Rs 2,314.65 on BSE on September 10.

The stock jumped 8.5 percent to hit its fresh all-time high of Rs 2,343.90 in intraday trade on BSE.

Reliance Industries became the first Indian company to hit a market cap of $200 Billion. In 2020, Reliance has gained a market cap of over $70 billion, while the second-placed TCS has gained less than $10 billion.

As of September 10 close, the company's shares have jumped over 54 percent on BSE against a 6 percent fall in the benchmark Sensex.

In terms of market capitalisation (m-cap), RIL is India's largest company, with an m-cap of Rs 14.7 lakh crore as of now.

TCS is second, with an m-cap of Rs 8.8 lakh crore.

Shares of Reliance Industries Partly Paid (PP) stock closed 10 percent higher at Rs 1,394.55. The cumulative m-cap of RIL and RIL PP now stands at Rs 15.3 lakh crore.

Investors lapped up shares of the company as private equity giant Silver Lake Partners gets ready to invest Rs 7,500 crore in Reliance Retail for a 1.75 percent stake in the company's retail unit. Investors see it as a sign of the beginning of another round of investments.

The oil-to-telecom conglomerate is expanding its retail business and lining up a posse of global investors to take on rivals such as ecommerce giant Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart in Indias fast-growing online retail business.

Also read: Reliance Retail-Silver Lake Deal: 5 key things to know

Here is what top brokerages have to say on the stock:

HSBC

The global financial firm has maintained a "hold" call on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,020.

"Silver Lakes valuation of Reliance Retail is in-line with our valuation. It could potentially start another round of investments," CNBC-TV18 reported, quoting HSBC.

Citi

Citi has a "neutral" rating on the stock, with a target price of Rs 2,250 and said the monetisation in retail has commenced and valuations are in-line.

As per CNBC-TV18, Citi said a strategic investment in retail could lead to a valuation premium being ascribed

Citi is of the view that the strategic investment in O2C and visibility on Jios listing are other catalysts.

Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse, too, has a "neutral" rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 1,980.

Credit Suisse, as per CNBC-TV18, said upside from kirana integration and e-commerce ramp-up is not fully factored in.

The brokerage said RIL's retail valuation implies 30 times FY22 EBITDA.

Morgan Stanley

The global financial firm has an "overweight" rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,247.

"Silver Lake valued Reliance Retail at $57 billion against our retail base case valuation of $45 billion. At these valuations, it would add 6 percent to Morgan Stanleys base case NAV for RIL," CNBC-TV18 quoted Morgan Stanley as saying.

Morgan Stanley believes the price should help reduce investor concerns on RIL's retail valuations.

The global financial firm sees RIL emerging stronger post-COVID-19 and believes its margin should surprise as pricing power rises.

Cap allocation, execution and de-gearing will be the next leg of stock outperformance, Morgan Stanley said.

Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.

The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10

By Elnur Baghishov  Trend:

There are 317 enterprises on processing of food products operating in the West Azerbaijan Province (northwestern Iran), said Gholamreza Babaei, Chairman of the West Azerbaijan Province Industry, Mine and Trade Organization, Trend reports citing the organizations website.

Babaei stressed that 11.8 trillion rials (about $281 million) has been invested to the establishment of these enterprises, and 15,400 people are employed at the enterprises.

Babaei added that these enterprises produce about 77 million tons of various products a year.

The chairman noted that these enterprises are operated in the production of various fruit juices, meat and chicken products, chocolate and compotes.

"As a border province, the West Azerbaijan Province has a major role in the export of processed products," he said.

A total of 774,500 tons of goods worth $1.58 billion were exported through customs of West Azerbaijan Province during the first four months of the current Iranian year (March 20-July 21, 2020).
NYC Indoor Dining May Resume Sept 30 With Strict Restrictions, Cuomo Says

Bar service not allowed, city to provide 400 staff to enforce rules

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that indoor dining can resume in New York City starting Sept. 30 with a 25 percent occupancy limit, among a slew of other restrictions and requirements amid the ongoing CCP virus pandemic.

The city government will also have to provide a team of 400 staff to work with the State Police Task Force to ensure compliance to the list of rules. The strict guidance will be reassessed by Nov. 1 to see whether it can allow up to 50 percent capacity in the citys restaurants.

New York City is the only Tri-State area that still has a ban on indoor dining.

I want to thank New Yorkers for their hard work to increase compliance, and we can now take the next step in reopening our restaurants, Cuomo said in a statement on Sept. 9 (pdf).

This is good news and the right step forward, especially for restaurant owners and staff who have been struggling through this time. But it is up to all of us to ensure compliance and the health and safety of those around us.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a daily media briefing at the Office of the Governor of the State of New York in New York City on July 23, 2020. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

The new requirements for New York restaurants providing indoor dining include:

25 percent occupancy limit

Temperature checks will be required at the door for all customers

One member of each party will be required to provide contact information for tracing if needed

No bar servicebars will only be used as a source of making drinks and serving them tableside

Masks must be worn at all times when not seated at a table

Tables must be six feet apart

Restaurants close at midnight

Restaurants should operate with enhanced air filtration, ventilation, and purification standards

Limit air recirculation and allow for outside air ventilation

New York State also said it is developing a COVID-SAFE restaurant standard on safety and sanitation practices at restaurants.

Cuomo on Wednesday said that the state has seen a 1 percent infection rate for the past 33 days.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a statement on Sept. 9 saying that if the city sees a 2 percent COVID-19 positivity rates, it will immediately reassess.

Read More New Yorks Iconic Restaurant Industry Finds Sorrow and Blessings Amid Pandemic

We are continuing New York Citys economic recovery by bringing back indoor dining. Working with the state and public health officials, weve achieved a plan that puts health and safety first by including strict capacity limits, a close monitoring of citywide positive testing rates and a coordinated inspection regimen, he said.

Science will guide our decision-making as we continue to monitor progress and health care indicators over the next three weeks to ensure a safe reopening. This may not look like the indoor dining that we all know and love, but it is progress for restaurant workers and all New Yorkers.

A table stands empty at a permanently closed restaurant in Manhattan in New York City on Aug. 31, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Cuomos announcement comes after a group of some 100 restaurant owners from Brooklyn and Staten Island filed a $2 billion class-action lawsuit (pdf) against him and de Blasio on Aug. 28 over their continued indoor dining ban.

Read More NYC Restaurants Sue for $2 Billion Over Indoor Dining Ban

The city was set to allow limited indoor dining in early July but the move was put on hold citing concerns that other areas in the country that had previously loosened restrictions had seen increases in cases of CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus.

[S]tates across the country that previously reopened indoor dining are experiencing upticks in COVID-19 cases, Cuomos office announced on July 1. He said at the time, We are going to postpone phase three indoor dining for New York City until the facts change and it is prudent to open. At this point, it isnt prudent. This is a New York City-only modification because frankly its a problem that is most pronounced in New York City.

All the numbers are good across the state, but we need to be diligent and cautious especially now that we are seeing the storm clouds from other states on the horizon. Otherwise we will see the rate of infection go up in New York and no one wants to go back to the hell that we experienced.
Middle East sovereign wealth funds, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), are in talks to buy stakes in the retail arm of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. ADIA is in discussions to invest about $750 million at a valuation of roughly $57 billion, while PIF could funnel as much as $1.5 billion into Reliance Retail, the FT said, citing people familiar with the matter. Abu Dhabi investment firm Mubadala may also take a stake, according to ...
Citigroup Inc on Thursday named consumer banking head Jane Fraser to succeed Michael Corbat next year as the banks chief executive officer, making her the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank.

Fraser, 53, has been a rising star in the financial industry, with a career spanning investment banking, wealth management, troubled mortgage workouts and strategy in Latin America  a key business for Citigroup.

Her promotion to CEO was widely expected since being elevated to Citigroup president last year, and was celebrated as a step in the right direction for an industry that has few women or diverse executives in its top ranks.

Great news for the company and for women everywhere! tweeted Bank of America Corp operations and technology chief Cathy Bessant. A big and fantastic moment.

Citigroup shares were up 1% in morning trade.Indeed, Fraser joins a small group of women who have broken through the glass ceiling to reach the C-suite at major financial firms.

In addition to Bessant, there is Fidelity Investments CEO Abigail Johnson, JPMorgans consumer lending head Marianne Lake and its finance chief Jennifer Piepszak, and Alison Rose, CEO of British bank NatWest.

Fraser launched her career at Goldman Sachs in its mergers & acquisitions department in London and then worked for Asesores Bursatiles in Madrid. She joined Citigroup 16 years ago and is credited internally with helping the bank recover after the financial crisis, when it had to take $45 billion in taxpayer funds to survive.

Through the years, she has run client strategy in Citis investment bank, as well as its private bank, its mortgage business and its operations in Latin America, which accounted for 14% of annual revenue at the end of 2019.

Her name was floated last year as a potential CEO candidate at Wells Fargo & Co, before the board settled on former JPMorgan executive Charles Scharf. In October, Fraser was promoted to the role of president and tasked to head its global consumer bank, a move that was widely seen as a precursor to her elevation.

Credit Suisse analyst Susan Roth Katzke said the promotion came sooner than expected, and that investors are eager to get an audience with her. Investors will need to hear more from Jane, sooner rather than later," she said.

CORBATS LEGACY

Corbat was launched into the CEO role in 2012, when his predecessor suddenly left under pressure from investors. Since then, he has shifted Citigroups strategy to focus on corporate businesses where it has strengths, like fixed income trading and cash management, as well as credit cards and digital consumer banking.

He also wound down a huge book of troubled assets known as Citi Holdings, effectively transforming the bank from a bailed out, money-losing entity with operations spanning the world into a slimmer, more profitable version with targeted global operations.

He will officially hand the reins to Fraser in February, Citigroup said in a statement. We believe Jane is the right person to build on Mikes record and take Citi to the next level," said John C. Dugan, Chair of the board of directors at Citi.
BEIRUT: A large fire erupted on Thursday at Beirut port, sending a huge column of smoke above the city a little more than a month after a massive blast devastated the port and surrounding residential area of the Lebanese capital. The blaze erupted in the shattered duty-free zone of the port and one official said it was limited to that area.

But it jangled nerves in a nation grappling with a deep economic crisis that has posed the biggest threat to Lebanon`s stability since its 1975-1990 civil war. "For sure we were scared, it`s only been a month since the explosion that destroyed Beirut. We saw the same thing happening again," said 53-year-old Andre Muarbes.

The army said a store of oil and tyres had burst into flames, although it said the cause was not immediately clear. Television footage showed an army helicopter dropping water on the fire, as firefighters battled the blaze on the ground. The head of civil defence told Lebanon`s AlJadeed television it was not certain what materials were burning. But he urged the public to stay calm, saying the fire was limited to one place.

There were no immediate reports of injuries but some residents drove out of the city, still traumatised by the Aug. 4 blast that killed about 190 people and injured 6,0000. "I am forced to get them out of Beirut from the smoke and the fire that is happening at the port again," said Majed Hassanein, 49, who was taking his wife and two children by car. He said his son was still suffering shock from the blast that ruined a swathe of the capital near the port, leaving about 300,000 people without inhabitable homes and shattering windows across the city.

The head of Lebanon`s Red Cross, George Kettaneh, said there was no fear of another explosion as a result of Thursday`s fire and there were no injuries, although he said there were some people suffering from shortness of breath as a result. Firefighters were shown in television footage dousing the fire surrounded by mangled remains of warehouses destroyed in last month`s explosion, which was caused by a store of ammonium nitrate that had been kept in poor condition at the port.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 00:37:53|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to promote local content in its creative industry in order to boost employment opportunities, a government official said on Thursday.

Maureen Mbaka, chief administrative secretary, Ministry of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Innovation and Youth Affairs told journalists in Nairobi that the country's film, music and performing arts sector remain untapped despite its huge potential for employment creation.

"We are committed to investing in projects so that our artists can showcase their talent to both Kenyans and the rest of the world," Mbaka said during the launch of a song to sensitize the public on COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry of ICT has already mandated local broadcasters to ensure at least 40 percent of their content is made domestically.

Ezekiel Mutua, CEO of Kenya film Classification Board (KFCB) said that the country used to have a vibrant local film sector but now most of the content consumed is imported.

Mutua said that local film and television productions have continued to face stiff competition from foreign entities especially after the liberalization of the sector.

He noted that the government has started a nationwide campaign to urge Kenyans to appreciate their local cultures.

"We want to revive our cinema watching culture even in the rural areas so that we can provide a ready market for local productions," he added.

"We need to reach a level where we produce and consume our local productions so that our creative industry can expand," he added.

He noted that Kenya is also keen to leverage emerging opportunities such as social media platforms to expand the local film sector. Enditem
Rick Moranis has emerged from his semi-retirement from acting to appear alongside Ryan Reynolds in an advert.

The 67-year-old Ghostbusters star announced a hiatus from the film industry in 1997 after comedy sequel Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves and has appeared only sporadically since then, taking on voice roles and making cameos on TV.

Read more: Movie stars who retired from acting

He is due to make a return to the silver screen for a Disney reboot of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series, starring Josh Gad, in the near future.

Rick Moranis returns for a Mint Mobile commercial alongside Ryan Reynolds. (Credit: Mint Mobile/Ryan Reynolds)

Before then, though, he has popped up to star alongside Deadpool star Reynolds in a hilariously awkward chat while standing in a field of mint.

Reynolds begins by introducing a new unlimited plan offered by wireless provider Mint  in which he has had an ownership stake since November 2019.

He then brings in Moranis, who asks why he has been invited. Reynolds says: I'm just a huge fan. No, seriously, massive.

Read more: Reynolds quips about gin company sale

The return of Moranis is not the first headline-grabbing stunt Reynolds has pulled off when marketing Mint Mobile.

Rick Moranis in 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'. (Credit: Buena Vista Pictures)

Earlier this year, he launched a streaming service with a catalogue that only consisted of his 2003 heist thriller Foolproof  not a vintage entry in the A-listers filmography.

Moranis, meanwhile, has been famously selective about the recent roles he has taken on, turning down cameo appearances in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot  as well as the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Rick Moranis attends "In & Of Itself" opening night on April 12, 2017. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

His most prominent role since the late 1990s has been vocal work as the moose Rutt in Disneys Brother Bear movies.

Read more: Bill Murray missed Moranis and Harold Ramis on Ghostbusters: Afterlife

His return to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids with reboot/sequel Shrunk will see him reprise the role of inventor Wayne Szalinski, with Gad portraying his son Nick  now a scientist in his own right.

The sequel was originally reported as being exclusive to Disney+, but it has now been confirmed as a cinema release.
President Donald Trump reportedly had a strong reaction to seeing Kamala Harris and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez watch his State of the Union address during conversations with journalist Bob Woodward, according to his new book.

According to The Washington Post, Mr Trump allegedly shared a number of reactions to several prominent members of the Democratic party for his upcoming book Rage, including Sen Harris and AOC.

Upon seeing a shot of California Sen Harris watching him give his State of the Union address, Mr Trump reportedly said: Hate! See the hate! See the hate!

He allegedly used the same phrase after New York Rep Ocasio-Cortez appeared in the frame, despite her apparently being expressionless.

The president has frequently publicly criticised both Sen Harris, who is now the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, most recently declaring it would be an insult to our country if she one day became the first female American president.

Ka-ma-la, the president repeated during a campaign rally at an airport in Winston-Salem in battleground North Carolina, insisting thatnobody likes her.

Last month during his remarks at Whirlpool Corporation Manufacturing Plant, Mr Trump compared AOC to a child while hitting out at her and Sen Harris joint climate equity bill.

"She knows as much about the environment  as that young child over there  I think he knows more. She certainly knows nothing about the economy, Mr Trump said.

The alleged reactions are among a series of claims in the upcoming book, which is published on Tuesday.

In a recording of one of the interviews with Woodward, the veteran Washington Post reporter who helped expose the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s, Mr Trump admitted that he knew the coronavirus pandemic was far more serious than he told the public.

You just breathe the air and thats how its passed, the president said. And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump admitted that he did downplay the seriousness of the virus, but only in an attempt to reduce panic.
John Barilaro's latest, but most extreme, round of brinkmanship may well win him friends in the bush but it will be at the expense of a stable functioning government.

The NSW Nationals' leader, with the overwhelming support of his party room, has taken the unprecedented step of leading his troops to the edge of the cliff and they are ready to follow him over.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has given the Nationals an ultimatum. Credit:Sydney Morning Herald

When NSW Parliament resumes next week, 18 of 19 Nationals MPs (with the exception of Port Macquarie's Leslie Williams) plan to sit on the crossbench and hold the Liberals to ransom.

But Premier Gladys Berejiklian has shown she will not be railroaded. In the past, Barilaro has managed to tease concessions out of Berejiklian and to keep the regions happy.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A 43-year-old man died by suicide after jumping from the eight floor of his office building in Anna Salai on Tuesday evening. Before taking the extreme step, he recorded a video on his phone in which he alleged work pressure and torture by the manager.

Prabakaran (42) of Seven Wells was working as a deputy manager in a mutual fund transfer agency, which is located on the eight floor of Rayala Towers in Anna Salai. Around 5.30 pm, Prabakaran, jumped out of his cabin window and fell on top of the canteen on the second floor. He was rushed to the Government Royapettah Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, said a police officer.

On information, the Chintadripet police registered a case and his phone was retrieved and police saw the video he had recorded a video minutes before he committed suicide. In a 28-seconds video, Prabakaran blamed Senthil, his senior, as the reason for him taking the extreme step.

I informed the superiors but no action was taken. Because of his torture I was not able to spend time with my family, said Prabakaran in the video. Based on the video, police registered a case and arrested P Senthil (45) of Tirumangalam. He was booked under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) and remanded in judicial custody.

Prabakaran is survived by his wife Shankari and two girls. (Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadus health helpline 104 and Snehas suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050).
In conjunction with the formalization of the Foundation, the company is making a commitment of 1% of all profits directly to the Foundation. The MarketStar Foundation has operated on an informal basis for several years and was formalized in 2020 as a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation. Its ongoing mission is to connect MarketStar people and resources to expand educational opportunities, empower self-reliance, and build better communities where our people live and work.

"MarketStar is built on a culture of doing good and giving back," said Keith Titus, President and CEO of MarketStar. "We are fortunate as a company to grow many of the world's largest brands through our revenue acceleration service offerings, and we are committed to sharing that growth by connecting our values, our people, and our resources to create growth that also strengthens our communities."

MarketStar creates growth for employees, clients, and the communities where they live, work, and play. With MarketStar's continuing funding commitment, the company will take its corporate social responsibility to the next level by focusing on collaborative community impact. The Foundation will focus on three primary programs:

Expand Educational Opportunities

We aim to inspire and expand pathways for growth through education at all levels.

Empower Self-Reliance

We aim to grow an individual's capacity to become self-reliant.

Build Better Communities

We aim to build better communities fueled by the passion of our people.

Impact activities have been designed to support each program, all of them relying on MarketStar employees, the involvement of community partners and MarketStar clients, to benefit people and nonprofit organizations.

"We invest with community, nonprofit, client and corporate contributors to make significant and measurable impact," said Danette Pulley, Executive Director of the MarketStar Foundation. "When we invest together, we can do more to create growth that strengthens our communities. I'm excited to work with organizations to build programs that empower the individual and thereby better our communities."

When MarketStar was founded in 1988, a firm footing was established where growth was encouraged in all areas of life -- self, family, career, and community. Today, the MarketStar Foundation embodies the desire to grow influence upward, help employees and clients grow outward, and add strength to the company through empowered people and impactful programs. MarketStar is a company where roots grow deep, providing stability and depth to the company and the communities in which they reside.

ABOUT MARKETSTAR

Through innovative customer engagement solutions, MarketStar accelerates growth from lead to recurring revenue with business-to-business (B2B) sales and customer success programs. Utilizing a blend of voice, digital, and field engagements, MarketStar has launched, sold and supported thousands of products and services on behalf of the biggest and most innovative companies across the globe. Founded in 1988, MarketStar pioneered the sales outsourcing industry and today has more than 1,300 employees worldwide. To learn more, visit www.marketstar.com .

SOURCE MarketStar

Related Links

www.marketstar.com


Africas most preferred smartphone brand, TECNO, has just unveiled a new device under its Camon flagship. This will be the brands 4th smartphone release this year.

The Camon 16 series was unveiled with the very first AR online launch integrating technology and photography. The theme of the launch was Break to the Next Level' and it unveiled the latest TECNO CAMON 16 Premier with its flagship-level 64MP ultra quad and the first pioneering 48MP dual front camera to the market.

Speaking at the unveiling in Lagos, Attai Oguche, Marketing Manager TECNO said: TECNO has once again, just like it did for the CAMON 15 Series, placed great emphasis on the camera function of the CAMON 16 Premier. Its excellent camera ability allows TECNO to gain a firm foothold as a leader in the mobile phone market. The biggest highlight of the CAMON 16 Premier is that it contains an industry-best 64MP rear camera and 48MP front cameras, creating a super-powerful camera function that can bring users an unprecedented clear photography experience."

He further added that: Each camera lens has its own mission and an outstanding feature, truly living up to the users expectation that each picture could be a masterpiece.

TAIVOS, Innovation & Mainstay for super night and low-light photography

TECNO CAMON 16 Premier is even more impressive at handling low-light and night situations. The phone is equipped with the world's exclusive trademark TAIVOS technology (TECNO AI Vision Optimization Solution). TAIVOS is an image processing and enhancement lab for the CAMON series. Based on ten million levels of dark-skin study database, the TECNO R&D team is acutely developing multiple AI vision algorithms on TAIVOS to better optimize the photo and video output quality.

4K High-definition Video Quality

The TECNO CAMON 16 Premier boasts of unique video shooting functions. The combination of Super Hybrid Image Stabilization (HIS) and EIS+AIS supports high-definition picture quality and high frame rate video shooting. TECNO CAMON 16 Premier also optimizes the basic portrait beauty function. This is done using the AI face detection and portrait blur algorithm, while the skin tone blur function is added to enhance the overall professional feel of the video.

Camon 16 Premier is expected to sell at N115,800 and would be available in all authorized stores nationwide.

The pre-order of the Camon 16 Premier is still open till September 21st, 2020. Those who pre-order will win mouth-watering prizes. Head over to the pre-order page to learn more about it.

[Sponsored]

Source: Legit.ng
Bhubaneswar, Sep 10 : Ahead of the festive season, the Odisha government on Thursday said there will be no public celebrations of festivals like Durga Puja, Laxmi Puja and Kali Puja in the state.

The government issued guidelines for conducting such celebrations during September-November.

"All types of pujas shall be conducted in indoor-like conditions only for observance of rituals without public participation, pomp and grandeur. Puja Pandals shall be covered on three sides. The fourth side shall also be covered in a way not to allow any public view of the idols. There shall be no darshan by public and devotees," said an order issued by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy.

The guidelines are issued based on an order of the Orissa High Court.

It said the organisers shall apply to and obtain necessary permission from the District Magistrate or any other authorised officer for conducting puja.

For the area under Commissionerate of Police of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, such permission shall be given by the Commissioner of Police of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar or any other authorised officer.

It said the size of idol shall be less than 4 feet.

At any given point of time, there shall not be more than 7 persons including organisers (Kartas) and priests and support staff present in the Puja Pandal/Mandap.

The persons present at Puja Pandal/Mandap shall follow all Covid protocols of social distancing, mask use, personal hygiene and sanitation, the order said.

Further, there shall be no immersion procession. The idols will be immersed in artificial ponds created by the local administration for the purpose.

Latest updates on Navratri Festival 2020
The New Jersey Attorney Generals Office said Wednesday that it is investigating the death of a man who may have succumbed to a drug overdose after being arrested in Voorhees on Sunday.

The man, who was only described as 39 years old, died at Jefferson Stratford Hospital after being transported by paramedics from police custody, the Attorney Generals Office said in a news release.

Around 3 p.m. Sunday, a Voorhees Township police officer allegedly saw the man driving at high speed through the parking lot of the Voorhees Town Center and crash into a curb.

After a brief foot pursuit, the officer apprehended the man and struggled to restrain and handcuff him. A backup officer arrived and assisted in securing the subject, the Attorney Generals Office said.

The man then complained that he did not feel well and allegedly admitted to using methamphetamine. Officers asked for an expedited ambulance, which arrived within minutes, the Attorney Generals Office said. A bag of methamphetamine was allegedly found in the mans car.

The investigation by the Attorney Generals Office is required by state law because it involves a death connected to an encounter with a law-enforcement officer.
T hree schoolchildren were seriously injured when a double-decker bus crashed into a bridge in Winchester.

The collision caused significant damage to the top of the bus in the crash in Wellhouse Lane shortly after 8am on Thursday.

"Three students with serious, but not life-threatening injuries, have been taken to hospital," Hampshire Police said in a statement.

"A further 13 students with minor injuries have been dealt with at the scene."

Winchester school bus crash 1 /12 Winchester school bus crash The scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA An engineer and police forensic vehicle examiners inspect the scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA The scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA Inspector Andy Tester of the Hampshire Roads Policing Unit, reads a statement out to the press at the scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA The scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA An ambulance leaves the scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA The scene on Well House Lane in Winchester Dan Rivers/ITV News Police at the scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA The scene on Well House Lane in Winchester PA

All the students involved are aged between 11 and 16, police said.

The bus was carrying secondary school students to the Henry Beaufort School in Harestock.

Robert, a 15-year-old student, said he was uninjured but shaken after the incident.

The pupil, who did not want to disclose his surname, said: "I was on the lower deck. I was on my phone when it actually happened, we went under the tunnel and I heard a crash, and I didnt think it was as major as it was, I didnt know what tunnel we were under.

"It took a little while to realise what was happeningpart of the roof fell down to the side of the bus that I was on.

"I waited for the people on the top deck to get off, and at that point I saw some of the bad injuries people had. I think everyone was in shock.

Road closures are in place after the crash / PA

"When we got off the bus, everyone sat down on the grassy bank outside, people started to panic and phone parents, some people started to cry.

"It took like an hour maybe while everyone was sorted until we started to leave."

Police said a road closure is in place on Wellhouse Lane from the junction with Andover Road North to School Lane.

An engineer and forensic officers inspect the scene / PA

"We are working in cooperation with the school and Hampshire County Council childrens services to provide support to the students and their parents," police said.

South Central Ambulance Service, Hampshire Fire and Rescue and Network Rail were called to the scene.

Stagecoach said it is carrying out an internal investigation as it confirmed that one of its buses collided with a bridge in Hampshire on Thursday morning.

A spokeswoman for Stagecoach South said in a statement: "We can confirm that one of our bus services was involved in an incident in north Winchester at around 8am this morning.

The scene on Wellhouse Lane / PA

The bus was carrying children to the Henry Beaufort secondary school in Winchester as part of our contract with Hampshire County Council.

"Our thoughts are with the children and their families.

"We are carrying out an internal investigation into the circumstances involved in the incident and we will continue to provide the emergency services with our full support."

This story is being updated.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TOWER ONE WIRELESS CORP. (CSE: TO) (OTCQB: TOWTF) (Frankfurt: 1P3N) (Tower One or the Company) announces that it has filed its financial results for the second quarter of 2020, and the related Managements Discussion and Analysis, the details of which are available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval at www.sedar.com .



We are pleased to report another quarter with record levels of tower revenue, strong bottom-line results and solid assignments for new tower construction. said Alejandro Ochoa, CEO. This is our second quarter delivering positive EBITDA which shows that our vision and years of effort were focused in the right direction. Although tower construction activity during the first quarter was reduced due to pandemic related lockdowns, we expect increased construction activity as concerns regarding the uncertain economic outlook diminish and lockdowns begin to lift. In addition, the successful arrival of built-to-suit tower assignments for 700 MHz spectrum frequencies is now a reality in Colombia where the Company has already received new orders and anticipates construction activity will remain strong during the next several years. We believe we have established an efficient tower construction and operation platform in Latin America that is valuable to our customers and will be profitable for our long-term investors, Mr. Ochoa added.

Highlights Second Quarter 2020:

The Company had its best quarter ever with revenue totaling $4,150,141.

The Company completed the sale of 28 towers in Mexico, resulting in $3,498,945 of revenue.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ( EBITDA ) in the second quarter of 2020 totaled $198,658. EBITDA for the six months ended June 30, 2020 totaled $823,905.

A total of three (3) new towers were constructed and one (1) new collocation was signed during the second quarter which was impacted by lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the sale of towers in Mexico, the Company has a total of eighty-nine (89) completed wireless towers throughout Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico, with twenty-two (22) collocations.

The Company had sixty-three (63) towers under construction in Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico.

The Company received over 200 search rings for towers that will be built over the next nine (9) months.

The Company fully repaid the outstanding indebtedness of its convertible debentures and discharged all security interests registered thereunder.

In June 2020, the Company entered into a new Master Lease Agreement with Partners Telecom Colombia, a new telecom operator in Colombia operating under the brand name WOM and received the first assignments for new sites.

Story continues

The Company had its best quarter ever with revenue totaling $4,150,141. Total revenue increased by $3,883,417, as compared to $266,724 of the same period in 2019. Revenue increased by $1,515,355, or 57.6%, as compared to $2,634,786 during the first quarter of 2020. Revenue increase in the second quarter of 2020 as compared to the immediately preceding quarter was mainly the result of the disposition of a selected portfolio of towers in Mexico. Tower rent revenue totaled $525,092 during the second quarter of 2020 and remained relatively flat as compared to previous quarter impacted by the sale of towers mentioned before. Tower rent revenue increased by $153,458 during the second quarter of 2020 as compared to $371,634 during the second quarter of 2019 mainly as a result of an increased numbers of towers that were placed in operations.

Using EBITDA as a key metric to determine cash based financial performance, the Company reported positive EBITDA of $198,658 compared to $625,247 EBITDA in the first quarter of 2020 and ($1,033,656) EBITDA in the second quarter of 2019. EBITDA for the six months ended June 30, 2020 totals $823,905.

Commenting on the results, Santiago F. Rossi, CFO Tower One, stated:

The strategy of focusing on our built-to-suit activity has started to prove correct and the Company has improved its key performance indicators. Profitable sales of towers in our three markets (Colombia, Argentina and Mexico) demonstrate that there is appetite for high-quality assets in the region. These selected sales strengthened our balance sheet and reversed some of the losses that we accumulated during construction time. While the Companys overall strategy is not to dispose of these high-quality rent producing assets, it provides funding to continue to operate and grow in the region.

We are pleased with the progress that we've been making this year to improve the financial reporting of the Company. The initiatives in accounting, operations, and finance, which included recruiting new talent and organizational improvements, helped us to improve the quality and timing for our financial reporting. The new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation process continues, and we will complete the integration by December 2020. Despite not being widely available in all our subsidiaries yet, the Company is already working in sync with new administrative and operating procedures which helps monitor the construction activity and provide timely and accurate reporting.

Last year we announced that along with the enhancements in our accounting and finance team, the investment in a new ERP system and processes, we were implementing a series of accounting reclassifications in our financial statements that will increase our ability to accurately track our financial progress. During 2019, the Company performed several adjustments and reclassifications to its Income Statement and Balance Sheet. These initiatives are intended to add increased visibility to our financial progress. As we continue with the reporting going forward, our investors will find that comparing key metrics quarter over quarter will be much easier. We have long-term contracts with carriers which provide our business with high visibility and predictability of results.

We continue to measure and implement initiatives to reduce costs and operate more efficiently. As the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic grew and construction pace decreased during the first half of 2020, the Company had to restructure part of the staff and reduced overhead expenses. We will continue to closely monitor our operating expenses going forward.

We continue to review and consider strategic alternatives related to our balance sheet and funding our growth. In July 2020, the Company received funding in the amount of $531,997 for the construction of towers and general working capital purposes. We are enthusiastic about the level of interest in the Company and are currently evaluating several proposals and are engaged in discussions with an investment firm. We remain committed to alternatives to improve the balance sheet and enhance value to all stakeholders.

Notes:

(1) Non-GAAP measure. The Company uses EBITDA as a key metric to determine cash based financial performance. EBITDA does not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The Company defines EBITDA as net income (loss), plus write-off of cancelled towers plus gains on monetary position, plus foreign exchange, plus other income and expenses, plus amortization, plus interest, financing charges and accretion, plus IFRS 16-interest, plus office and miscellaneous, plus expenses. The Company believes that EBITDA is a meaningful metric in assessing the Companys financial performance and operational progress.

Reconciliation table to EBITDA:

Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 Three Months Ended

June 30, 2019 Net Income (Loss) $ (1,371,737 ) $ 211,172 $ (2,595,750 ) Write off of cancelled towers 30,364 (371 ) - Gain on monetary position - (88,147 ) (594,007 ) Foreign exchange 1,079,367 (71,463 ) (3,217 ) Other income / expense - - 1,343,717 Amortization 345,539 342,583 168,253 Interest, financing charges and accretion 312,447 342,306 647,347 IFRS 16-Interest (143,194 ) (96,690 ) - Office and miscellaneous 88,059 238,392 - Expenses (142,187 ) (252,536 ) - EBITDA $ 198,658 $ 625,247 $ (1,033,656 )

About Tower One

Tower Ones principal business is to build, own and operate multi-tenant wireless telecommunications infrastructure (towers) in Latin America. Tower One leases space on its towers to mobile network operators. The Company is focused on the build to suit tower industry whereby a long-term lease is secured with a tenant prior to building a tower. The Company operates in the three largest Spanish speaking countries in Latin America (Colombia, Mexico and Argentina) with a combined population of approximately 220 million people.

Contact Information:

Corporate Communications

Tel: +1 917 546 3016

E-mail: info@toweronewireless.com

Website: www.toweronewireless.com

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release.



FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which include regulatory approvals and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding looking wording such as may, expect, estimate, anticipate, intend, believe and continue or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Companys expectation of increased construction activity as concerns regarding the uncertain economic outlook diminish and pandemic related lockdowns begin to lift, the anticipation of construction activity in Colombia, specifically, and Latin America, generally, remaining strong during the next several years, the expectation that the Companys operations will be valuable to customers and be profitable for its long-term investors, the expectation that the Companys implementation of the ERP system will be completed by December 2020 and will assist with monitoring construction activity and timely and accurate reporting, and the expectation that the Company will continue to implement initiatives to reduce its costs and operate more efficiently. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific that contributes to the possibility that the predictions, estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur. Forward-looking statement are necessarily based upon a number of factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements express or implied by such statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, present and future business strategies, the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information referenced herein, whether as a result of new information events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.




The Treasury Department slapped sanctions Thursday on Ukrainian politician Andrii Derkach, an alleged Russian intelligence operative who has stoked conspiracy theories advanced by the White House that purport to implicate Democrat Joe Biden in corruption.

Derkach, who met with President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani several times over the past year as he searched for dirt on Biden, 'has been an active Russian agent for over a decade,' the Treasury said in a statement.

Derkach maintains 'close connections' with Russian intelligence and has engaged in interference actions 'in an attempt to undermine the upcoming 2020 US presidential election,' it said.

SANCTIONED: The Treasury Department slapped sanctions on Ukrainian lawmaker Andriy Derkach, who it says maintains 'close connections' with Russian intelligence

'This action is a clear signal to Moscow and its proxies that this activity will not be tolerated,' the Treasury said.

Derkach's links to Ukraine and Russian intelligence are well-established.

His father was director of the Ukraine Security Service, and he attended the Russian security ministry's intelligence academy before joining the Ukraine security service as well.

Now a member of the Ukraine parliament, Derkach has been publicly involved in Republican efforts to tar Biden, who is leading Trump in polls ahead of November's presidential election.

As Trump faced impeachment last year for trying to force the Ukraine government to provide dirt on Biden, Derkach fed documents to Giuliani and to Trump allies in Congress that contained alleged damaging information on the Democratic former vice president.

Derkach met with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has been leading efforts to dig up information on Joe Biden's son Hunter

President Trump has regularly gone after Hunter Biden as he runs against Joe Biden. Trump mentioned Hunter at the White House Thursday

After one trip to Eastern Europe in October, Giuliani appeared on Fox News and cited Derkach's 'evidence' to claim Biden received $900,000 in lobbying fees from a Ukraine company.

- Campaign to disparage Biden -

In December, Giuliani traveled to Ukraine with the conservative US news channel OAN and again met with Derkach -- who maintains a website named 'DemoCorruption' -- as he searched for evidence to undermine Biden and bolster Trump's impeachment defense.

Afterwards OAN, which has been given special treatment by the White House in recent months, broadcast interviews with Giuliani, Derkach and others claiming to have uncovered damaging information on Biden.

And in May and June of this year, Derkach released edited recordings from 2016 of phone calls between then-vice president Biden and Ukraine president Petro Poroshenko, in which they discuss US policy toward Ukraine and Washington's desire for the removal of corrupt officials.

Although the tapes provided no evidence of any wrongdoing, US conservatives seized on them as proof of what they allege is the Democratic candidate's cover-up of his son Hunter's former business ties in Ukraine.

Both Trump and his son Donald Jr reposted Twitter comments on the Derkach 'revelations.'

But, raising the alarm about Russian interference, in August the US Directorate of National Intelligence issued a statement warning of Russian election interference and specifically singled out Derkach.

The US Treasury Department has accused Andrii Derkach of being an active Russian agent for over a decade

The Treasury also placed three Russians on its sanctions blacklist for their ties to the Internet Research Agency, a St Petersburg social media troll factory that has been involved in election meddling in the United States and other countries since at least 2016.

The three -- Artem Lifshits, Anton Andreyev and Darya Aslanova -- are IRA employees who work with its cryptocurrency accounts, the Treasury said.

'The IRA uses cryptocurrency to fund activities in furtherance of their ongoing malign influence operations around the world,' it added.
Watch: Diana Rigg dead at 82

Tributes are being paid to "icon" Dame Diana Rigg, who has died at the age of 82.

Best known for her roles in The Avengers, Game Of Thrones and On Her Majestys Secret Service, the veteran star of stage and screen was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

She died peacefully at home, her daughter said.

Dame Diana Rigg has died at the age of 82. (Getty Images)

A statement from her agent Simon Beresford said: It is with tremendous sadness that we announce that Dame Diana Rigg died peacefully early this morning.

She was at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time. Dame Diana was an icon of theatre, film, and television.

Read more: Diana Riggs greatest roles

She was the recipient of Bafta, Emmy, Tony and Evening Standard awards for her work on stage and screen.

He added: Dame Diana was a much loved and admired member of her profession, a force of nature who loved her work and her fellow actors. She will be greatly missed.

Diana Rigg as Mrs Emma Peel with co-star Patrick MacNee, who played John Steed, in The Avengers. (Getty)

The Doncaster-born stars career included roles as the Royal Shakespeare Company, on Broadway where she would win three Tony Awards, on the West End, and in countless television shows and films.

She became a household name as secret agent Emma Peel opposite Patrick Macnees John Steed in the British TV series The Avengers, starring in 51 episodes from 1965-1969. She appeared as Countess Tracy di Vicenzo in George Lazenbys 1969 James Bond film On Her Majestys Secret Service, the only woman to ever marry 007.

Read more: George Lazenby pays tribute to Diana Rigg

Her other films included Julius Caesar (1970), Theatre of Blood (1973), and The Great Muppet Caper (1981). In 1990, Rigg won the Best Television Actress Bafta for her role as Helena Vasey in the BBCs Mother Love. She also received a special Bafta award in 2000 for The Avengers, which was shared with the series other female stars Honor Blackman, Joanna Lumley and Linda Thorson.

James Bond, played by George Lazenby, pictured marrying Tracey played by Diana Rigg during the filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. (Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

Lady Holiday, played by Diana Rigg, gives instructions to her secretary, Miss Piggy, in Jim Henson's 1981 The Great Muppet Caper. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

In more recent years she sent herself up in an episode of Ricky Gervais Extras, starred opposite Matt Smith in an episode of Doctor Who, and received two Emmy nominations playing the scheming Lady Olenna Tyrell in HBOs Game of Thrones.

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She received nine Emmy nominations in her career, winning for her role as Mrs Danvers in 1997s Rebecca.

She was made a CBE in 1988 and a Dame in 1994 for services to drama.

Actress Dame Diana Rigg at Buckingham Palace, where she was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire. (PA Images via Getty Images)

What to say about Diana Rigg? I could talk about her incredible career, but for now I'll just say as a lifelong fan, it was beyond a thrill to work with her on her final film. She exceeded all my highest expectations, so blazingly talented, fiery & funny. Miss you already Dame D. pic.twitter.com/3crtUsJhla  edgarwright (@edgarwright) September 10, 2020

She recently completed filming on Edgar Wrights upcoming horror film Last Night In Soho, her last film role, and Wright called her blazingly talent, fiery & funny.

She was last seen on screen in Channel 5s All Creatures Great and Small reboot.

Dame Dianas daughter, actress Rachael Stirling, said: My Beloved Ma died peacefully in her sleep early this morning, at home, surrounded by family.

She died of cancer diagnosed in March, and spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words.

Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones. (HBO)

Bafta also paid tribute to Dame Diana.

The British charity said on Twitter: Were sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, Bafta-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the Bafta Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers.

We're sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, BAFTA-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the BAFTA Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers. pic.twitter.com/v0tzBczNKU  BAFTA (@BAFTA) September 10, 2020

Playwrights Sir David Hare and Sir Tom Stoppard also paid their respects.

Sir David said: Diana Rigg had a dazzling change of direction in middle age as a great classical actor. When Emma Peel played Euripides Medea, Albees Martha and Brechts Mother Courage she swept all before her.

Rachel Stirling and Dame Diana Rigg attend the 60th London Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2014. (FilmMagic)

Sir Tom said: For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a trooper. She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.

Mark Gatiss, who starred with Rigg in Doctor Who called her flinty, fearless, fabulous.

It was my great joy and privilege to have known Diana Rigg. From three slightly hysterical months at the Old Vic in All About Mother to writing The Crimson Horror for Diana and her wonderful daughter Rachael. Flinty, fearless, fabulous. There will never be another. RIP pic.twitter.com/2EGc4MVx0S  Mark Gatiss (@Markgatiss) September 10, 2020

Actor Samuel West said she generally lived the hell out of everyone.

Very sad to hear that Diana Rigg has left the stage. An honour to work with her. I think #AllCreaturesGreatAndSmall was her final screen job; she made a fabulous Mrs Pumphrey.



Doesnt really make sense to think of her having died. She generally lived the hell out of everyone pic.twitter.com/4DEhwjEt50  Samuel West (@exitthelemming) September 10, 2020

Theatre director Jonathan Kent said: Diana Riggs combination of force of personality, beauty, courage and sheer emotional power, made her a great classical actress  one of an astonishing generation of British stage performers.

I was so fortunate to direct her in a series of great classical roles  Medea, Phedre  in Ted Hughes version, specially written for her  Mother Courage and Drydens Cleopatra. Her dazzling wit and that inimitable voice made her an unforgettable leading figure in British theatre.

She is survived by her daughter Stirling and grandson Jack.
Kicking off the fall season and timed to precede the presidential election is the world premiere of 45 Plays for Americas First Ladies (Oct. 8-Nov. 2) a commission intended to serve as a companion piece of sorts to the classic Neo-Futurist productions 43 Plays for 43 Presidents (originally produced in 2004) and 44 Plays for 44 Presidents (2012). The 90-minute compilation of very short plays, which will be available for streaming and yet allow for audience interaction, features ensemble members from the Chicago, New York and San Francisco Neo-Futurists under the direction of Denise Yvette Serna, and is written by Andy Bayiates, Bilal Dardai, Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Sharon Greene and Chloe Johnston. The idea, the Neos say, is to use the changing face of First Lady-dom as a jumping off point to examine the roles that women and other marginalized individuals have played in the development of America.
RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- insightsoftware, a global provider of enterprise software solutions for the Office of the CFO, today announced it has acquired Viareport, a financial software provider that delivers cloud-based financial consolidation, lease accounting, reporting, and forecasting solutions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Based in Paris, France, Viareport is an expert in delivering applications and services that help CFOs, finance teams, and chartered accountants optimize financial performance, including consolidated reporting, and lease and tax proof management. Serving organizations of all sizes throughout Europe and worldwide, Viareport counts brands such as Clarins, France Air, and CBC Radio-Canada among its customers.

The acquisition of Viareport enhances insightsoftware's comprehensive financial reporting and enterprise performance management (EPM) portfolio with expanded capabilities for market-specific regulatory compliance and accounting requirements in Europe. The company brings built-in support for International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and a consolidation solution that is designed to meet the distinct closing requirements of individual countries like France and Germany.

"While globalization is shattering previous barriers to business growth, it is also adding new pressures for CFOs in today's digital environment with the need to ensure multinational investments and operations are reported in compliance with accounting standards," said Mike Lipps, CEO of insightsoftware. "The addition of Viareport directly addresses these challenges and deepens insightsoftware's extensive financial software portfolio, bringing powerful capabilities to our customers in Europe that enable them to simplify and streamline the process of meeting IFRS and other national regulatory demands."

"For the last 15 years, we've prided ourselves on delivering one of Europe's most advanced and flexible financial software suites for reporting, compliance, and consolidation and other financial processes, freeing CFOs and chartered accountants to focus on strategic analysis and optimizing business performance," said Emmanuel Amon, CEO of Viareport. "Becoming part of insightsoftware brings new advantages to our customers, including the ability to pair consolidation, lease accounting, and compliance abilities with a full range of best-of-breed financial and operational reporting and planning software. We will also be able to amplify the business opportunities for our valued partner network."

insightsoftware operates in every region of the world, with customers in more than 130 countries and a community of thousands of channel partners. The company's presence in France and the broader European region was bolstered earlier this year with the acquisition of global financial planning and tax software leader Longview, which held an office in Paris and maintained a robust partner network throughout the region.

About insightsoftware

insightsoftware is a leading provider of financial reporting and enterprise performance management software. We enable the Office of the CFO to connect to and make sense of their enterprise data in real time so they can proactively drive greater financial intelligence across their organization, which is how best-in-class finance teams operate. Over 27,000 organizations worldwide rely on insightsoftware's portfolio of best-in-class reporting, analytics, budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, and tax solutions to provide them with increased productivity, visibility, accuracy, and compliance. Visit insightsoftware.com for more information.

About Viareport

Viareport is a financial software publisher that delivers powerful and flexible financial consolidation, reporting, and forecasting solutions to optimize the financial function of organizations, from small and medium-sized businesses to large enterprises. CFOs and accountants rely on Viareport so they can focus on steering, analysis and decision-making, while we take care of everything else. Learn more at viareport.com.

Viareport was advised by Valentin Salcedo for corporate finance, RMT represented by Laurent Marville and Vincent Collas for the legal transaction and Olivier Goldstein for tax, and Altiore represented by Antoine Monteillet for corporate legal.

SOURCE insightsoftware

Related Links

http://www.insightsoftware.com


SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shield AI , the AI software company focused on bringing AI to the national security sector, today expressed its appreciation to WIRED for including two of its founders as part of the magazine's " WIRED25: People Who Are Making Things Better " list. CEO Ryan Tseng and COO Brandon Tseng were honored for their contributions in developing AI to protect the lives of service members and civilians. Other technology leaders recognized by WIRED include Apple's Tim Cook and SpaceX's Gwynne Shotwell.

The five-year-old company's AI software enables unmanned systems to interpret signals and react autonomously in dynamic environments, allowing service members to see what lies ahead and make more informed decisions. Shield AI's products are currently in use by the US Department of Defense to augment and extend service members' ability to execute complex missions.

"We're humbled to be included on this list, alongside many individuals we have long admired," said Ryan Tseng. "We are focused on building a defining company committed to the mission of protecting service members and civilians, and this is a whole-of-team effort. We have seen tremendous growth and recognition this year and will build upon this momentum as we continue to scale and expand," added Brandon Tseng.

Shield AI was recently recognized by Fast Company as one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" for 2020 and by Forbes as one of " America's Most Promising Artificial Intelligence companies ." Shield AI is a venture capital-backed firm backed by top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Breyer Capital, Homebrew, and Silicon Valley Bank.

About Shield AI

Shield AI was founded in 2015 by Brandon Tseng , a former Navy SEAL, Ryan Tseng , a successful tech entrepreneur, and autonomy expert Andrew Reiter . Today the team is more than 150-strong, with Chief Technology Officer Prof. Nathan Michael of Carnegie Mellon University's Resilient Intelligent Systems Lab leading the company's development of AI systems that operate on the edge in challenging, previously unknown, real-world environments.

Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn and on Twitter .

SOURCE Shield AI

Related Links

https://shield.ai


President Donald Trump has defended comments he made earlier this year about the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview on Fox News' "Hannity" on Wednesday, Trump defended the comments he made about the coronavirus pandemic in interviews with journalist Bob Woodward, reiterating that he only wanted to "show calmness."

As per Fox News, Trump told host Sean Hannity that he is the country's leader and cannot just "jump up and down" and scare people.

"I don't want to scare people. I want people not to panic, and that's exactly what I did," the President said.

Some parts of the interviews form the basis of Woodward's forthcoming book, "Rage," which were published by The Washington Post earlier Wednesday.

In early February, Trump told Woodward that the COVID-19 was "deadly stuff" while publicly comparing it to seasonal flu. After more than a month, Trump admitted to Woodward that he "wanted to always play it (the virus) down."

Trump noted that at the time, he still likes playing it down because he did not want to create a panic.

The President has also slammed Woodward for being an author of "hit jobs."

"He does hit jobs with everybody, he even did it on Obama... constant hit jobs. On [George W.] Bush, I guess, they did three books, they were all terrible. So I figured, you know, 'Let's give it a little shot, I'll speak to him'," Trump said.

"It wasn't a big deal, I speak to him and let's see. I don't know if the book is good or bad, I have no idea. I probably, almost definitely won't read it because I don't have time to read it. But I gave it a little bit of a shot, sounds like it's not going to be good," he added.

The Republican President also defended his early response to the coronavirus pandemic. He cited his late January decision to limit China's fights to the U.S.

This move was criticized by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, saying it's in keeping with what he called Trump's "record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering."

"If you look at the representatives of Joe Biden, you see what they were saying. They were saying 'no problem,' 'this won't be a problem. Biden didn't think it was going to be a problem until months later. He was way late," Trump told Hannity.

Trump also recalled the touring of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif in San Francisco's Chinatown last February in a bid to ease fears about the coronavirus.

According to Trump, nobody wants him to ban on travel from China. The President noted that he also limits on travel from most of Europe shortly after that, which was more controversial.

Trump said it was good that he ordered this travel restriction as "he saw what was going on in Italy, Spain, and France."

"And if we didn't do those bans, Americans would have had numbers that were much, much (worse)," Trump noted.

The President also criticized Democratic governors for keeping the lockdown on their states, citing the swing states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

"It's a shame -- They don't know what they're doing, frankly," Trump added.

Check these out:

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Mastercard Inc. MA has launched a proprietary virtual platform for the testing of central bank digital currency (CBDC) use cases.

The platform enables the simulation of issuance, distribution and exchange of CBDCs among banks, financial service providers and consumers. Central banks, commercial banks, and tech and advisory firms are invited to partner with Mastercard to assess CBDC tech designs, validate use cases and evaluate interoperability with the existing payment rails available for consumers and businesses today.

This strategic move by Mastercard reflects its efforts to enable the practical, safe and secure development of digital currencies, which are gaining prominence as the global economy is moving toward digital payments.

This trend is prompting central banks to explore CBDCs and look for innovative ways to maintain monetary policy and financial stability as they issue and distribute currency. CBDCs are also going to be a catalyst for modernizing the payments ecosystem.

Mastercard will be assisting central banks to better understand the range of technology possibilities and capabilities available with respect to CBDCs.

According to a recent survey by the Bank for International Settlements, 80% of central banks surveyed is engaging in some form of CBDC work and about 40% progressed from conceptual research to experiment with the concept and design. This shows that banks are progressing in the direction of CBDCs, though the same is yet to come into actual use.

Just like paper currency and coins, CBDCwill be fixed in nominal terms and be universally accessible and valid as a legal tender for all public and private transactions.

The existing payment ecosystem uses physical cash, checks, card networks, real-time payments (account to account) or electronic transfer of money. CBDC is another innovative payment instrument that can co-exist with others. It has the advantage of lowering printing costs for governments and can also minimize the usage of cash.

Story continues

A number of other compelling reasons make CBDC an attractive proposition for the central bankers.

CBDC enhances monitoring of financial activity and allows greater control and traceability compared to cryptocurrencies and cash. It could reduce the number of financial frauds, may mitigate counterfeiting and tax evasion attempts and generally drive the safety and stability of financial institutions.

As a practically costless medium of exchange, CBDC will improve the efficiency of the payments system. For example, per a recent IMF study, the introduction of CBDC will facilitate more rapid and secure settlement of cross-border financial transactions.

The adoption of CBDC becomes more pertinent as the payments system is continually expanding and evolving to include multiple traditional and non-traditional participants, acting as financial services providers.

China has been steadfast in its approach to CBDC and announced last year that it will soon replace its cash in circulation with a new digital currency. In July this year, The Bank of Japan announced that it was testing the tokenisation of the Japanese yen.

Mastercard is leading the charge and handholding central banks as they inch toward CBDC. These financial institutions will in turn, open up new business opportunities for the company as they look to tie up with payment networks for CBDC issuances.

Another company in the same space Visa Inc. V has also been engaging with policy makers and global organizations to help shape the dialogue and understanding of digital currencies. This includes the payment facilitators work with the World Economic Forum and its collaboration on a set of policy recommendations for central banks exploring the concept of CBDC.

Year to date, the stock has rallied 20.8% compared with its industrys growth of 10.9%.

Mastercard currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the same space are Evertec Inc. EVTC and Green Dot Corporation GDOT, both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. Earnings of Evertec and Green Dot surpassed estimates in the last reported quarter by 18.75% and 38.71%, respectively.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behavior dramatically, and a handful of high-tech companies have stepped up to keep America running. Right now, investors in these companies have a shot at serious profits. For example, Zoom jumped 108.5% in less than 4 months while most other stocks were sinking.



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PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Indigo Global, a business and strategic development consultancy firm, today announced the appointment of Craig Snyder as its President and CEO, effective Oct. 1, 2020.

In his role, Snyder will assist the company's diverse talent base in developing high-level strategies to support the needs of Indigo Global's clients, from business process sourcing to acquisition advice. Snyder has deep experience in both the political and corporate realms that translates seamlessly to Indigo Global's distinct client base.

Most recently, Snyder served as President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, a non-partisan, non-profit, focused on bringing speakers from across the globe to educate the region on the world's most pressing issues. Additionally, he worked as the Chief of Staff to United States Senator Arlen Specter, was a GOP nominee for Congress, and a founder and managing partner of Ikon Public Affairs.

Ajay Raju, chairman at Indigo Global, spoke of the firm's excitement on Snyder's addition:

"In an era of extreme uncertainty for many companies, we feel confident that Snyder's steady hand, ability to see all sides of a problem and deep experience are exactly what our clients need. Snyder is a triple threat, with nationally recognized success as an entrepreneur, in government service, and in the nonprofit sector. His experience with each of these endeavors will make Indigo Global an indispensable part of the emerging ecosystem of growth and innovation."

Indigo Global's service sectors include government relations, strategic communications, legal consultation, accounting and non-profit mission and development strategies.

Snyder looks forward to the powerful work that lies ahead: "A recent study by Startup Genome named Philadelphia as the top emerging startup ecosystem in the entire United States, ranking 8th worldwide. Combine this ecosystem with our deep-seated relationships with venture capital funds, law firms, and other bespoke resources, and I know the future of Indigo Global is bright."

Snyder's initial Indigo client projects include Advaite, Fight for Earth, The Whole Truth Fund, Satell Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility, the Autism Policy Reform Coalition and the Raju Foundation.

About Indigo Global

Indigo Global is a global business and strategic development consultancy firm. Indigo helps client firms adapt in a dramatically shifting business and political landscape. Indigo deploys a proprietary combination of multivertical executive-in-residence services and captive venture capital access. The firm has offices in the U.S., U.K. and India. https://www.indigoglobalcorp.com/

Contact: John Reynolds, [email protected]

SOURCE Indigo Global
Austria has played a leading role in Europes lifting of protective measures against the coronavirus pandemic. As a consequence, the number of new infections in the country is once again rising sharply. The government headed by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (Austrian Peoples Party, OVP) has responded to the crisis by continuing to place business interests above the lives and health of citizens.

On September 9, Austria recorded over 500 new infections during the previous 24 hours, approaching the highest increase since April. According to official figures, more than 30,500 people throughout Austria are now infected with the coronavirus, and 747 have died.

In relation to its population, Austria is thus in the upper range of daily new infections in Europe. In Germany, with nine times as many inhabitants, the daily number of new infections is currently around 1,500.

A dramatic increase in infection rates can be observed throughout Europe. In Germany, the highest number of new infections since the spring was reported in August. In France, more than 6,000 new infections per day have been registered in the past week.

Croatia and other Balkan countries are becoming hotspots, while Hungary has closed its borders to neighbouring countries due to the rapidly increasing infection rates. The extreme right-wing government led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is using these measures to further enflame nationalism in the midst of the pandemic. The Orban government accuses foreigners and refugees of spreading the virus. At the same time, schools in the country opened on September 1 without any special safety measures.

At the end of August, Austrias Chancellor Sebastian Kurz reacted to the drastic increase in infections with a statement on the current situation. He hardly mentioned the increase in coronavirus cases and the precarious situation of many Austrians who have lost their jobs or suffered wage losses as a result of the pandemic and can barely make ends meet. Instead, he promised more money and relief for Austrian businesses and the wealthy.

He declared that Austria would lose around 7 percent of economic output this year, but that a comeback would take place next year. He said that for this to succeed, in addition to the existing 50 billion in rescue and aid measures, Austria must improve its competitiveness. The countrys economy would receive multiple forms of fresh assistance, including tax relief for companies. Further aid packages could also not be ruled out.

On the other hand, the government is not prepared to support the rising number of unemployed and those who have gotten into financial difficulties due to short-time working benefits.

Business representatives praised Kurzs speech. The Chamber of Commerce commented that he presented a sustainable location strategy at the right time. The Federation of Austrian Industry expressed a similar opinion. For his part, Kurz acknowledged that he had held intensive talks with numerous business representatives over the past few months.

As reported by the press, Infineon CEO Sabine Herlitschka, Voestalpine CEO Herbert Eibensteiner, Andritz CEO Wolfgang Leitner, Boehringer Ingelheim CEO Philipp Lattorff, Deutsche Bank Supervisory Board Chairman Paul Achleitner and the Austrian heads of Google, Microsoft and Apple, as well as representatives of the energy and telecommunications industries, were all guests in the Chancellors Office. Although nothing was revealed about the content of the talks, it is clear that the main aim was to shift the burden of the pandemic onto the backs of ordinary citizens.

The President of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions, Wolfgang Katzian, also held talks with Kurz. The trade unions have avoided any criticism of the government since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

At the same time, Kurz made clear that there would be no new tranche of protective measures for the population. In response to specific questions, the Chancellor replied that a decision on further measures would be taken next week. The clear goal was to prevent a lockdown.

The Austrian government had already lifted almost all restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus at the beginning of May. Despite the rapid spread of the pandemic throughout Europe, the Kurz government was considered a pioneer with its opening up policy, which now has deadly consequences for more and more people.

Since January, Kurz has been ruling in a coalition with the Greens, after his coalition with the extreme right-wing Freedom Party (FPO) collapsed last year. The change of coalition partner, however, has not changed the anti-working-class course of the government. The Greens have essentially continued the right-wing policies of the FPO.

Rudolf Anschober, the Green Minister of Health, whose ministry bears primary responsibility for the massive spread of the infections, vilely blamed young people for their lack of risk awareness. In fact, it is the government that rejects any sort of effective protective measures.

According to the news magazine Profil, the Austrian Ministry of Education insists that there should be no compulsory wearing of masks in classes, despite the risk of infection. When the polytechnic in Vienna Wahring sought to circumvent the ministers decree and introduce compulsory masks during lessons via its own house rules, a spokeswoman for the Minister of Education Heinz Famann (OVP) promptly responded that this was not an option.

The school responded by declaring that the required social distancing between students could not be guaranteed and that the obligation to wear masks should be only lifted during breaks or if there was a maximum of 15 students in the class room. The ministry, on the other hand, referred to its decree that does not provide for masks in classes, knowing full well that the schools would thus become hotspots for infections.

It is not only the OVP and the Greens, however, which categorically reject the protection of workers and young people. All the other parties agree on this issue. The Social Democratic SPO, which governs in the capital city of Vienna along with the Greens, is publicly calling for help for the citys ailing health system, while playing down the rising infection rate and agreeing with the business-friendly measures of the federal government.

Regarding the rising infection figures in Vienna, vice mayor Birgit Heiben (Greens) explained that Vienna is a city of millions and is testing widely, which was the reason for the high numbers of infected.

More and more studies show that the protective measures taken at an earlier stage could prevent the virus from spreading. As soon as protective measures are withdrawn, cases start to rise again, virologist Judith Aberle told the Standard.

A study commissioned by Philips Austria has also revealed the massive shortage of nursing staff in Austria. With 713 nurses per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018, there were significantly fewer staff than in comparable European countries. In Germany the corresponding figure was 1,351 nurses and in Denmark 1,046.

In addition, there has been barely any increase in personnel since 2008, and all non-medical health staff are inadequately deployed, according to the portal boerse-express. A further increase in hospital admissions due to new coronavirus infections, will quickly exhaust the capacities of the countrys health care system, making it impossible to guarantee adequate care.
After the Maharashtra government gave a go ahead and issued Covid-19 guidelines, Hindi TV industry was among the first to resume shoots. However, things took a turn when cast and crew of a few shows such as Bhakharwadi, Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Indias Best Dancer, Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! and Excuse Me Madam, tested positive for the virus. While times are certainly difficult, show makers are resolved to brave it all and continue working in a safer environment.

JD Majethia, chairman, television & web, Indian Film & Television Producers Council (IFTPC) says that the core committee had a meeting recently where they have decided to be extra careful especially with cast and crew above 65 years of age.

Though weve been following all the SOPs, now we would be stricter. People are testing positive everywhere and not just on the sets. We would also be requesting cast and crew to be watchful while outside the set because we dont know where we can catch the virus from. Every time someone tests positive, shooting is put on hold for three days at least and work starts only after everyone is tested, says the actor-producer, whos show Bhakharwadi was also hit by the virus.

Taking utmost precautions, producer Binaifer Kohli shares most of the crew members of her shows stay on the sets.

Only actors and senior technicians go home. Were taking a lot of care but still no one is fully safe. Sanjay (Kohli; husband and producer) has also tested positive but well overcome this, says the producer of shows such as Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! and Excuse Me Madam.

Outlining the financial repercussions, both Majethia and Kohli share that halting a show for afew days leads to loss of lakhs of rupee.

Weve to pay the rent of the sets and salaries. Then weve to get all our staffs tested every time something like this happens, which is again a huge expense, says Majethia.

Echoing similar views, Kohli adds, Its a very difficult time for channel and producers. Were also spending a lot on sanitisation and health care related things on the set. The ad revenues have gone down as sales have hit the low. So we had to go ahead with the salary cut.

Producer Ved Raj of Guddan - Tumse Na Ho Paayega feels thankful for having a smooth experience with his show so far. I feel after the first few days, people tend to get relaxed and miss out on taking certain precautions while at work. So were constantly trying to inculcate discipline. Meanwhile, were also keeping a decent episode bank ready, he says.

Though the situation is grim, work needs to go on for survival  is the common sentiment now. Indias Best Dancer judge, choreographer Geeta Kapur, admits that things are tough, more so after couple of contestants on the show and co-judge Malaika Arora recently tested positive and the shooting has been halted for a few days.

But well deal with it. Ab ghar pe toh nahi baithe sakte, kaam to karna hi padhega. Im ready to get back to work whenever Im asked to.

Actor Rajesh Kumar, who got infected by virus, is currently recovering and is looking forward to resuming shooting soon on his show Excuse Me Madam.

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Author tweets @Shreya_MJ

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The New Mexico Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, which has faced financial and legal controversy in the past, is now the subject of two new lawsuits.

Erica Davis Crump, a former associate director at the commission, filed the lawsuits this month against the commission and Executive Director Leonard Waites. The first, filed Sept. 1, alleges the commission did not provide financial statements for the Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, which was created to raise funds for the commission, in response to a public records request.

Waites had argued in a response to Davis Crumps records request that the foundation is not subject to the state Inspection of Public Records Act because its a private entity. He also said the commission is not the records custodian for the foundation. Davis Crump is asking that a judge determine that the foundation is subject to IPRA and to have those records released to her.

Waites did not comment on the lawsuits when reached by the Journal on Tuesday.

In June, Davis Crump requested bylaws of the Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, meeting notes or minutes from all foundation board meetings from Jan. 1, 2015, to present; all monthly bank statements for the foundation from Jan. 1, 2015, to present; and copies of all written communication between Waites and any other person regarding the foundation.

Waites supplied only the written communications, the lawsuit says.

The Foundations refusal to comply with IPRA has thwarted the publics ability to understand the financial relationships between the Foundation and Commission or how the Foundation raises and spends money on behalf of the Commission, the lawsuit states.

Jacob Candelaria, a lawyer representing Davis Crump, attached Waites IPRA denial letter to the lawsuit filing.

The Commission stated that it was not the custodian for the Foundation, and that the Foundation is a private nonprofit corporation, which is not required to respond to IPRA requests, Waites wrote in his letter.

The University of New Mexico Foundation has faced similar lawsuits regarding its failure to produce records. In 2018, a state District Court judge ruled the UNM Foundation must comply with IPRA because it acts on behalf of a public agency.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Commissions previous executive director, Kimberly Greene, was sentenced to three years unsupervised probation and had to pay restitution of $5,800 after pleading guilty to violating the Governmental Conduct Act, fraud, embezzlement and conspiracy. She received reimbursement for expenses related to a leadership trip in 2014, even though the cost of the trip was covered by the state.

Davis Crump filed a separate lawsuit Sept. 3, alleging that Waites sexually harassed her and later retaliated against her after she told Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and state Treasurer Tim Eichenberg about possible financial abuse between the commission and its foundation.
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Strategic Resources Inc. (TSXV: SR) (the "Company" or "Strategic") is pleased to announce the results of its annual general meeting of shareholders held on September 9, 2020 in Vancouver (the "Meeting"). Strategic's shareholders voted in favour of each of the matters considered at the Meeting, including electing each of Scott Hicks, Timo Maki, Michael Moore and Mark Serdan as directors of the Company to hold office for the ensuing year, appointing BDO Canada LLP as the Company's auditors for the ensuing year and authorizing the board of directors to set their remuneration, and approving Strategic's 10% Rolling Stock Option Plan.

About Strategic Resources

Strategic Resources Inc. (TSXV:SR) is a Vancouver, Canada based mineral exploration and development company that is focused on vanadium projects in Finland and Peru. The Company continues to evaluate new opportunities that are related to the electrification of the economy.

Further details are available on the Company's website at https://strategic-res.com/.

To follow future news releases, please sign up at https://strategic-res.com/contact/.

STRATEGIC RESOURCES INC.

Signed: "Scott Hicks"

Scott Hicks, CEO



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.

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Then-presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (L) speaks to reporters in Wilmington, Del., on Aug. 13, 2020. (R), President Donald Trump before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on June 27, 2018. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images; Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Trump: Biden Should Release His Own List of Potential Supreme Court Nominees

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden should make public a list of people from which hed choose a nominee for the Supreme Court if a vacancy arose during a Biden administration, President Donald Trump said late Sept. 9.

Trump announced 20 additions to his own list earlier in the day.

Joe has to come up now with a listhe should come up with a list, otherwise people cant vote for him, Trump told Fox News Sean Hannity during an interview.

But the reason he possibly wont is because hes going to come up with far radical left judges. I mean, these will be people that are very, very far to the left, that are, you know, revolutionary, in a sense, I think.

And hes got to come up with them. I dont know that theyre going to allowbecause they control him totally. They control Joe Biden. Hes not in control of himself. Hes controlled by the radical left.

Hes not going to be able to name Democrat judges that are in the middle someplace, or normalized.

The Biden campaign didnt respond to a request for comment.

Trumps 2016 release of a list from which he said hed pick a Supreme Court nominee if elected drew support from voters concerned about the makeup of the court.

Biden said over the summer that his campaign was assembling a list of potential nominees.

Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, on Nov. 30, 2018. Standing from left: Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Seated from left to right, bottom row: Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Associate Justice Samuel Alito. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

We are putting together a list of a group of African American women who are qualified and have the experience to be on the court, Biden said at a press conference.

I am not going to release that until we go further down the line in vetting them.

Little has been said by the candidate or the campaign on the matter since.

Neither Biden nor Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), his running mate, addressed Trumps Supreme Court picks during virtual fundraisers on Sept. 9.

Douglas Emhoff, a lawyer and Harriss husband, told a virtual fundraiser that Biden would appoint judges committed to the rule of law who understand the importance of individual civil rights and liberties.

And unlike some of this list that just was breaking as were getting ready, theyre going to respect precedent like Roe v. Wade, he said, referring to Trumps list.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), one of the potential nominees on Trumps list, said he would like to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that made abortion a constitutional right.

Bidens campaign website says he would appoint Supreme Court justices and federal judges who look like America, are committed to the rule of law, understand the importance of individual civil rights and civil liberties in a democratic society, and respect foundational precedents like Brown vs. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade.

Biden has also pledged to appoint the first African American woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, a move which is long overdue, it says.
Hailed for its ability to erase distance between health care providers in cities and patients in rural areas, telehealth has ironically enabled medical care to continue in a time when we all must keep our distance.

Across the country, telehealth use has spiked as providers offer virtual patient visits to ensure medical needs are met while minimizing COVID-19 exposure. Regulatory agencies have loosened some restrictions on telehealth during this crisis, and more and more payers have begun to reimburse for it as they would for any other medical service.

The Medical University of South Carolina, one of only two Telehealth Centers of Excellence nationwide, quickly mounted a four-pronged response to the COVID-19 pandemic that ensured both continuity of care for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and continued ambulatory, also referred to as outpatient, care for all other patients. The team of telehealth and bioinformatics experts who led the effort documented their approach and its success in a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Early on, MUSC Health and telehealth leaders saw the need for a coordinated response to the pandemic.

The same realization was coming to the forefront of the minds of the leadership, myself included, in telehealth that this was going to be a big problem. We needed in our own way to create some kind of response to what we believed to be a pretty significant public health problem. Planning started before we even had a case in the state." Dee Ford, M.D., director of the MUSC Telehealth Center of Excellence and lead author on the article

Very quickly, MUSC Health was able to stand up virtual screening of patients with suspected COVID-19 and mobile testing sites across the state, a remote home-monitoring program for patients with less severe COVID-19 and a telesitter program for hospitalized patients that enabled providers to monitor and communicate with patients via an audiovisual monitor, minimizing health care exposure and preserving personal protective equipment.

It was able to do so in part because it had long been building its telehealth and bioinformatics capacity. With generous funding from the state, the MUSC Health Center for Telehealth, in coordination with the South Carolina Telehealth Alliance, has been expanding its telehealth services throughout even the remotest regions of the state.

"The state of South Carolina made an investment in MUSC years ago to develop telehealth programs, which then led to a high state of expertise and readiness to pivot when COVID-19 arrived," said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., CEO of MUSC Health. "The MUSC Health Center for Telehealth is to be congratulated for this ability to lead during this crisis."

Since 2012, when MUSC Health adopted EPIC, an electronic health record, the MUSC enterprise has continued to recruit bioinformatics researchers, mainly housed in the Biomedical Informatics Center (BMIC) and Information Solutions, to customize EPIC to the health system's needs and to learn how to improve care by analyzing EHR data.

Existing telehealth tools would prove invaluable to the initiative, but they had to be radically reimagined and integrated for the purpose of responding to COVID-19. Realizing that the scale of the effort would require easy-to-use options, telehealth leaders also onboarded some new tools, such as the user-friendly telemedicine platform doxy.me, created by BMIC researcher Brandon Welch, Ph.D.

"We had a battlefield-type mentality that we had to all get together to form a new structure," said James McElligott, M.D., executive medical director of the MUSC Health Center for Telehealth.

As they worked to build a unified response and fashion existing tools so as to be COVID-19 relevant, telehealth leaders had the full support of hospital leadership, their colleagues in bioinformatics and the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute, which provided technical and logistical support.

"No one ever said no, even if that meant working for five months straight and into the late hours of the night and calling up Bioinformatics and saying, 'Make this work like this or change it like this,'" said article co-author Kathryn King, M.D., co-director of the MUSC Telehealth Center of Excellence. "No one ever said no because I think we just knew that it had to happen."

MUSC Health chief research information officer and BMIC director Leslie Lenert, M.D., who is senior author of the article, is proud of his bioinformatics team, which put research aside for a time to help meet this urgent clinical need.

"We took the research capacity we had for EPIC support and improvement, and we told them to stop, and we put them on this full time. That's why we were able to respond so fast," said Lenert. "So we took our best people, and we put them on this problem immediately. We protected their time, and we told them to get something done. We started early, we committed absolutely and we worked with our clinicians to solve practical problems that they had."

With BMIC's help and SCTR's support, existing tools were quickly revamped to ensure continuity of care for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and continued ambulatory care for all other patients.

Virtual urgent care

Virtual urgent care technology, meant to provide patients a convenient way to be seen for minor illnesses, had to be adapted into a platform for screening patients with suspected COVID-19 and scheduling appointments for them at mobile testing sites throughout the state.

Previously, patients reporting serious symptoms, such as shortness of breath, would have been kicked out of that system; therefore, Edward O'Bryan, M.D., telemedicine director for the Emergency Department and direct-to-consumer and institutional telehealth at MUSC, along with other telehealth leaders, had to work rapidly with the virtual urgent care vendor to adapt the technology to screen for COVID-19 symptoms. At the same time, they had to begin staffing up to meet the anticipated demand, increasing the number of providers dedicated to virtual urgent care from fewer than ten to more than a hundred.

O'Bryan estimates that more than 150,000 patients have now been screened for COVID-19 through the modified virtual urgent care program.

"We were the first people in South Carolina to offer free virtual care COVID screenings," said O'Bryan. "I'm really proud that we were able to roll it out so quickly and that so many South Carolinians took advantage of it."

BMIC researchers developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that could analyze symptom data provided by patients during virtual urgent care screenings and prioritize those most likely to have COVID-19 for testing. The algorithm proved critical when testing capacity was challenged and should continue to play a key role with the implementation nationwide of "batch testing."

Essentially, samples from patients thought to be at low risk of having COVID-19 could be tested in batches of five to extend testing capacity. If the test comes back negative, all five patients are presumed to have a negative result. The algorithm helps identify low-risk patients appropriate for such batch testing while reserving individual testing for higher-risk patients.

"What we were able to do is make a very functional system, which, on the outside, might seem simple -you fill out a questionnaire on a telehealth platform, it goes in and everything happens behind the scenes," said McElligott. "But all of that had to be protected for the patient and linked in with the medical record and the lab. We had to know what to do to get testing sites set up with tents and then use the platforms to guide people there. There's just a whole lot of stuff that had to happen to be able to do this: not one patient at a time, but thousands at a time. We couldn't have done it without the Bioinformatics group stepping in and helping to connect all the dots and then bringing new ideas to the table about how to monitor patients."

Remote patient monitoring

In the second prong of the four-pronged approach, patients who tested positive were then invited to enroll in a remote patient monitoring (RPM) program. That program, which had been used to track data on patients with chronic disease, was transformed into a virtual means of monitoring and delivering acute care to patients with less severe COVID-19 who were recovering at home. RPM nurses contacted patients by telephone or text to ask if they wished to enroll in the program.

Enrolled patients were asked to answer online survey questions daily about the symptoms they were experiencing and to provide temperature and oxygen saturation values. BMIC researchers created a "best practice alert," which notified a patient's RPM nurse should his or her condition begin to deteriorate. The nurse could then call the patient, alert the patient's primary care provider or arrange for a video consultation with a physician at MUSC Health. Patients who developed more severe disease could be hospitalized.

By the end of August, 735 patients had been treated through the RPM program. Of those patients, 20% were considered high risk and 32% medium risk. Some of these patients lived alone or in rural areas, and the daily contact and calls with RPM nurses were an emotional, as well as a medical, lifeline.

"The lead nurse ends up being a connection to care for a pretty decent number of people who are otherwise fairly isolated," said Ford. "They may live in rural areas. They may be elderly and live alone. They're also supposed to be in quarantine, so they're not supposed to be out and about and have people around them. So, it ends up being an important kind of emotional support tool for folks with cases of COVID-19 that are on home quarantine."

Telesitter program

The third prong of the approach, a telesitter program, is intended for patients hospitalized with more severe disease. An audiovisual cart, previously used to monitor patients to keep them from falling, was adapted so that caregivers could monitor and interact with patients with COVID-19 without having to don and doff personal protective gear each time, at the same time limiting the exposure of the health care worker.

"That's been a real satisfier for the clinical teams. They are able to have that kind of ease of communication without having to go into the patient's room each time," said Ford.

Reimagining outpatient care

In addition to ensuring a smooth continuum of care for patients with COVID-19, the team of telehealth and bioinformatics experts also wanted to provide a way for providers to continue to treat all of their patients, not just those with COVID-19. During the lockdown, most in-person outpatient visits were canceled, leaving many patients without needed medical care. Leaders at the Center for Telehealth quickly began preparing to transition most outpatient visits to telehealth visits -a gargantuan task.

"The scale of response was ... it was something I never thought I'd see," said McElligott.

Article co-author Jillian Harvey, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management at MUSC, agrees.

"Telehealth has always been seen as the promising solution for access to the health care system, but its utilization hasn't picked up as quickly as we expected," explained Harvey. "Now, because of COVID, there has been a huge ramping up of telehealth across the country, especially in March, April and May."

During that timeframe, telehealth visits soared from less than 5% to more than 70% of all visits at MUSC Health. Between March and July, almost 30,000 outpatients met with their physicians via secure video teleconferencing. To make that happen so quickly, the Center for Telehealth, which previously had been predominantly focused on providing services externally to patients in remote areas of the state, suddenly had to integrate itself more deeply into clinical practice at MUSC Health.

"We had to replicate the whole design of the health system in a microcosm," said McElligott.

Typically, he explained, the Center for Telehealth would have smoothed out work processes and flows for such an initiative, but due to the public health emergency, there was no time.

"So, we set up an organizational structure to try to get this done, changed video technologies to more user-friendly ones, built a bunch of tip sheets about how to do it, and we just rolled it out and let everybody innovate."

And innovate they did. Physicians in every specialty took those tip sheets and figured out for themselves how to overcome every obstacle so that they could begin seeing patients virtually.

"So, the true heroes in all of this are the front-line providers who took the information and figured out how to do it themselves because they knew they had to or patients weren't going to be seen," said McElligott.

The way forward

Due to the pandemic, many more providers, payers and patients have become aware of what telehealth can offer. How deeply it will remain integrated into health systems will depend, in part, on whether payers continue to reimburse for telehealth visits at a similar rate as for in-person care, as they are now doing during the public health emergency.

"This ambulatory care conversion required an infrastructure rebuild but is probably the initiative with the most lasting impact," said King. "Now that providers and patients know what telehealth can do, I don't think they will ever give it up."

"There's no real going back to a lack of telehealth use," said McElligott. "That has probably been forever changed."

Indeed, McElligott believes that the pandemic has helped to transform how providers and the public view health care.

"Our health care system has always been very focused on a provider-centric view of health care. In other words, you as a patient come to the provider, and that's how we work," explained McElligott. "Just using distance technologies starts to reverse that. This terrible pandemic has forced a reckoning and a realization that, in terms of the long-term goals of improving health, it's really more important to meet the needs of patients where they're at."
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Royal Enfield, the niche motorcycle brand of Eicher Motors, said it will commence local assembly of motorcycles in Argentina in partnership with Grupo Simpa, a local distributor in the country since 2018.

This is the first time in Royal Enfields modern history that motorcycles will be assembled and produced outside the companys manufacturing facilities in Chennai.

This development comes as a surprise since Thailand was set to host the first assembly plant of Royal Enfield outside India in mid-2019. The company had also spoken about having a completely knocked down plant in Vietnam too.

Royal Enfield set up retail operations in Argentina in March 2018, with its first store in Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires. Since then the company has expanded its retail network in the market and now has five exclusive stores in that country. Overall, Royal Enfield has 31 exclusive stores and 40 other retail touch points in all of Latin American countries.

The local assembly unit in Argentina will be based at Grupo Simpas facility located in Campana, Buenos Aires. To begin with, the plant will locally assemble three motorcycle models - the Royal Enfield Himalayan, the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 - starting this month.

Vinod K Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield, said, Over the last couple of years, we have grown our international presence significantly and now have retail presence across 60 countries. With a strategic view to cater to growing demand and to gain significant market advantage, we have been pursuing our plans to set up local assembly units across specific markets in the Asia Pacific region and across South America."

Brazil, Argentina and Colombia are among the three most important markets for Royal Enfield in Latin America. Outside of India Royal Enfield 660 dealerships and 82 exclusive brand stores in cities such as Milwaukee, London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Melbourne, Sao Paulo, Bogota, Medellin, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.
D iplomats from the EU and the UK are meeting in London for hastily arranged Brexit talks after Boris Johnson's move to override key parts of the Withdrawal Agreement break with Brussels.

Michael Gove will talk with EU official Maros Sefcovic on Thursday in an extraordinary meeting of the Joint Committee as negotiations between the UKs chief Brexit negotiator David Frost and his Brussels counterpart Michel Barnier continue.

It comes after the Prime Minister unveiled proposed legislation to alter key elements of the Brexit deal with Brussels regarding Northern Ireland, which could breach international law.

Severe criticism from figures in Westminster, Brussels and the international community continued on Wednesday night with US House speaker Nancy Pelosi warning that there will be absolutely no chance of a US-UK trade deal passing Congress should the Government override the Brexit deal.

Follow here for live updates...
Saudi Arabia's sovereign fund PIF is weighing a potential investment in the initial public offering of Chinese financial technology firm Ant Group, two sources familiar with the matter said.

The IPO by Ant is set to be the world's biggest ever, potentially raising up to $30 billion.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) was approached by Ant through its advisors to consider investing in the deal, the sources said.

"They are looking at it," said one of the sources.

If the investment goes ahead, it would be the Saudi fund's most high profile direct investment in a Chinese company.

PIF declined to comment. Ant spokespersons did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment outside Asia business hours.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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On 6 September 2019, Pope Francis arrived in Madagascar for a three-day Apostolic visit.

Vatican News English Africa Service  Vatican City

Among the highlights of that visit to the Great Red Island was Pope Francis encounter with the Akamasoa Community, the City of Friendship.

Founder of the City of Friendship, Fr Pedro Opeka, CM, this week, told Vatica News French Africa Service that the visit of Pope Francis to Madagascar has remained for him and the Community an unforgettable human and spiritual event.

We must not only live for ourselves

For his part, Pope Francis described the Akamasoa community as, an expression of Gods presence among his people who are poor. The Pope added, Gods dream is not only for our personal development, but essentially for the development of the community, and that there is no worse form of slavery than to live only for ourselves.

In the Malagasy language, Akamasoa means good friends. It is for this reason that the Community, founded in 1989, is called the City of Friendship.

Fr Pedro, a priest of the Vincentian Order, was a student of Theology under the future Pope Francis in Argentina. In 1970, Fr Pedro moved to Madagascar where he has dedicated most of his pastoral activity to helping the poor, in that country.

Recalling the Popes visit one year ago, Fr. Pedro told Vatican News that, this week, he wrote to the Holy Father to thank him for his closeness particularly to the people of Akamasoa and Madagascar, in general.

There was such a vibe, it cant be explained

Its more than a memory. Its an unforgettable experience. A human, spiritual and fraternal experience that all the people of Madagascar and Akamasoa lived when the Pope came to visit us in our village, the Akamasoa hills and then the meeting with the young people. Thousands upon thousands of young people were present that day, and they were dancing and shouting for joy. There was such a vibe it cant be explained. We were touching the sky ... Then the memorable Mass with a million people gathered at the Soamandrakizay stadium. He also visited the Mahatazana Quarry where there is the statue of Jesus who blesses the whole city of Antananarivo. And there he met 30 thousand people, most of them quarry workers. It was also a time of fellowship. Throughout the tour that the Pope made with his Popemobile, for 2 kilometres in the streets of Akamasoa, one could observe the joy on the faces of the people. It was so powerful that the Pope said me: Pedro, look at the joy of people, children and parents. It was an unforgettable moment because the Pope came to confirm us in this work, in this evangelical commitment that we have made in favour of the poorest: People forgotten by different governments over the years. That the Pope came in person to encourage us in this city, where God only knows how much we have suffered, is an unforgettable event and I thank him with all my heart, Fr. Pedro narrated to Vatican News.

Government of Madagascar now appreciates Akamasoa

Fr. Pedro also spoke of how a month after welcoming the Pope to Akamasoa, the Community celebrated its 30th anniversary.

A month after the great feast of welcoming the Pope, we celebrated Akamasoas 30th anniversary next to a landfill, where we have a stadium. There were also more than 30 thousand people. Young people and children also. It was another extraordinary moment, in the presence of several guests, including the president of the republic, ministers and ambassadors. The president congratulated us because he saw and felt that such an organisation could only be successful in a place where discipline and respect reign. The year (2019) was a blessed year from God, reminisced Fr. Pedro

The Akamasoa Association

Speaking to Vatican News, last year, Fr. Pedro said, Helping but not assisting is one of Akamasoas mottos. The Association works alongside and together with poor people, helping them build necessary structures, like schools, workplaces, and healthcare facilities, so that they can prepare a future for themselves and their children.

The Akamasoa Association sets out to engage poor people in creative ways, helping them to build a dignified lifestyle for themselves. Dignity, according to Fr Pedro, means providing shelter, employment, and education. It means breaking out of the cycle of crime, violence, and hopelessness.
On 3 September 2020, the WCO and WTO joined together to conduct a full-day WTO-WCO Capacity Building Workshop on the Harmonized System Convention for WTO Members.

Mrs. Suja Rishikesh-Mavroidis, Director, Market Access Division, WTO, expressed her view that the Harmonized System (HS) has been the most powerful trade facilitative measure introduced over the last thirty years. She pointed out that being able to apply the right HS code to goods was not only essential in terms of reporting, but also unlocked information across a wide spectrum of trade-related matters, including origin, import licensing, regulations and a myriad of other vital data.

Mr. Liu Ping, Director, Tariff and Trade Affairs, WCO, commented further on the success of the HS Convention and extended his congratulations to the latest Contracting Party, the Seychelles. In addition to its importance to trade, he also acknowledged that there were complexities within the HS and there was consequently a need to continue building awareness of how it functioned, its trade implications and its ongoing development. The messages conveyed underlined the fundamental importance of the HS to day-to-day trading operations and the significance of the strong working relationship on the HS maintained by the WTO and WCO.

The Chairperson of the WTO Committee on Market Access, Mr. Anatoly Chaplin, led the Workshop. Representatives both from the WCO Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate and WTO Market Access Division shared in-depth presentations with interested Members on the nature, purpose and functioning of the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System and the ensuing HS, as well as on the interlinkages with the work carried out by the WTO.

An appreciative global audience of approximately 300 representatives of WTO Members participated in the live event. Various WTO Members noted that the cooperation between the two Organizations was of great importance and value. As one Member pointed out, it also mirrored the crucial cooperation between national Customs and Trade administrations.
Governor Tom Wolf has announced a $15 million program to help schools in Pennsylvania fund high-speed internet platforms and remote learning.

The money is part of the funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, which was dispersed to support states during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal act authorizes state governors to access money from the Governors Emergency Education Relief funds in order to support educational efforts.

The plan from the Wolf administration will include securing broadband, mobile hot spots, tablets and other hardware for remote learning students, partnerships with the state library network and with the Pennsylvania Technical Training and Assistance Network, expanding the POWER Library Chat online homework help service, creating Open Educational Resources for student and teacher use, and creating a datacasting service with Pennsylvania PBS to connect students without internet access to their schools and other learning content via TV signals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced our schools to rethink and rework how to provide instruction to students who are learning completely at home or in a hybrid model, Wolf said in a press release. As schools reopen this fall, students need Internet connectivity, computers and other technology, and access to remote-learning platforms. This funding will help our students as we enter the new school year.

According to the press release, the Wolf administration has thus far awarded $102.5 million in GEER funding to various educational institutions to support students and schools since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis.

More on remote learning in Pennsylvania:

Heres a look at back-to-schools plans unveiled by central Pa. school districts

When could your school close because of coronavirus? Pa. releases recommendations

Harrisburg School District starts the school year with 100% online instruction
MONTREAL - SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. says it has appointed Magna International Inc. chairman William Young effective Wednesday to head its board and oversee the company's turn away from massive construction and resources projects toward a slimmer profile in engineering services.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The SNC-Lavalin headquarters is seen in Montreal on February 12, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

MONTREAL - SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. says it has appointed Magna International Inc. chairman William Young effective Wednesday to head its board and oversee the company's turn away from massive construction and resources projects toward a slimmer profile in engineering services.

Young replaces Kevin Lynch, who announced his pending departure as SNC chairman in May following more than two years in the role.

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Young, who has helmed Magna's board since 2012, currently serves on the board of Intact Financial, a Toronto-based insurance firm.

A chemical engineer by training who cut his teeth at Imperial Oil in Western Canada, Young has experience in management consulting and corporate strategy as a former partner at Bain & Co. and a founding partner with Boston-based private equity firm Monitor Clipper.

He has also served as chairman of Queen's University's board of trustees, and is currently chairman emeritus.

SNC has been working to set a new strategic direction over the past year including the addition of several new senior executives and changes on its board of directors.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:SNC)
Thailand and Indonesia continue to be the top suppliers of imported cars for Vietnam.- Photo ndh.vn

Data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs showed that import turnover of CBU cars is estimated at 8,000 units last month, worth $190 million.

Cars are one of the commodity groups that have continuously changed since the beginning of this year. Imported CBU cars increased again in the last two months after months of decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thailand and Indonesia continue to be the top suppliers of imported cars for Vietnam due to advantages in import tax.

These are also the two countries with the largest car production in the region. Due to the zero per cent import tax, imported cars from these two countries account for 70-80 per cent of CBU cars in Vietnam.

Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs show there are a total of 17,723 cars being exported from Indonesia to the Vietnam in the first seven months of this year. Meanwhile, cars imported from Thailand reached 19,944 units.

Although Thailand leads in the number of imported cars, Indonesia outperforms in the number of under-nine-seat cars.

In terms of average price, CBU imported cars from Indonesia to Vietnam have an average price of VND287 million (US$12,300) a unit. Imported Thai cars have an average price of VND460 million.

While Thai imported car prices remained the same, car prices from Indonesia declined from VND319 million in the same period last year.

Imported cars into the market are expected to continue to increase in the coming months due to higher demand at the end of the year.

However, experts said that imported cars would not see big changes. The reason was that demand for shopping decreased this year as it was still affected by the pandemic.

In addition, many popular cars are currently assembled domestically, therefore, the supply and selling price will be stable in the last months of the year.
A Gucci heiress has accused her stepfather of sexually abusing her for 16 years and blamed her mother and grandmother for allegedly covering up the abuse.

Alexandra Zarini, the granddaughter of late fashion supremo Aldo Gucci, claims that her mother's ex-husband Joseph Ruffalo would climb naked into her bed and fondle her when she was a child.

In a lawsuit filed in California, Zarini, 35, alleges that her British-born mother Patricia Gucci and grandmother Bruna Palombo knew of the abuse and threatened her in order to keep it quiet.

She also released a video statement via the Alexandra Gucci Children's Foundation, saying she believed it was her duty to 'expose the misconceptions' surrounding child sexual abuse.

Alexandra Zarini (pictured) has accused her stepfather of sexually abusing her for 16 years and blamed her mother and grandmother for allegedly covering up the abuse

Zarini, the granddaughter of late fashion supremo Aldo Gucci, claims that her mother's ex-husband Joseph Ruffalo (pictured above) would climb naked into her bed and fondle her when she was a child

Gucci heiress Alexandra Zarini has accused her stepfather of sexually abusing her for 16 years and blamed her mother and grandmother for allegedly covering up the abuse. Aldo Gucci and daughter Patricia Gucci pictured in 1982, left, and Aldo Gucci, right

Ruffalo denies the allegations, while Patricia Gucci says she only learned of the alleged abuse in 2007 - leading her to divorce Ruffalo.

Patricia Gucci was born in London on March 1, 1963 and is the only child of Aldo Gucci and Bruna Palombo. She was educated in England, Italy and Switzerland.

The lawsuit filed by Zarini in Los Angeles alleges that the abuse started before her mother married Joseph Ruffalo, her second husband, when she was just six years old.

She claims that she would find Ruffalo with his hand on her genitals when she woke up after climbing into her mother's bed when she had nightmares.

Zarini also alleges that Ruffalo would take off his bathrobe and climb naked into her bed before 'reaching underneath her clothes' to fondle her.

'Defendant Ruffalo would remove his bathrobe, so he was completely naked, and climb into bed with Plaintiff. Plaintiff would lie stiffly in her bed as Defendant Ruffalo reached underneath Plaintiff's clothes to touch Plaintiff's nipples,' the court documents allege.

Ruffalo denies the allegations, while Patricia Gucci says she only learned of the alleged abuse in 2007 - leading her to divorce Ruffalo. Patricia Gucci pictured with her father, Aldo Gucci, left. Aldo Gucci pictured in 1973, right

Court documents state that Ruffalo is a music manager who has worked with household names including Prince and Earth, Wind & Fire.

According to the court documents, when Zarini was around 16 years old, her grandmother asked her if her stepfather was molesting her.

When she said that he was, her grandmother instructed her to keep it 'secret and not tell anyone about the assaults.'

The alleged abuse continued when Zarini was a teenager and attending boarding school in the UK, the lawsuit claims, with an old school friend claiming that Zarini had confided in her at the time.

After she finished school, Zarini moved back to California and lived with Ruffalo.

Ruffalo continued to sexually assault Ms. Zarini and 'encouraged her to use drugs', the lawsuit alleges.

Patricia Gucci, the daughter of Aldo Gucci and Bruna Palombo, circa 1987. Alexandra Zarini is one of three daughters of Patricia Gucci, the only child of Aldo Gucci and Bruna Palombo

The New York Times reported that Patricia, Zarini's mother, and her grandmother allegedly knew about the abuse for years and Patricia had allowed Ruffalo to videotape Zarini while taking a bath.

He also hit her regularly, court documents allege.

Speaking to the publication, Zarini said that her mother and grandmother had threatened her with disinheritance if she ever spoke out, and when she first broached the subject in her 20s, her mother allegedly advised her against it as it would bring 'shame' and 'scandal' to the family and 'no one would believe her'.

'I don't care. I just want to stop this  I just don't want this to happen to anyone, like my child or any child,' Zarini told the New York Times.

The Gucci family: A fashion dynasty Aldo Gucci pictured in 1982 Aldo Gucci was born in 1905 to Aida and Guccio Gucci  the company's founder. He was the visionary responsible for developing Gucci beyond its Florentine roots and turning the company into a global luxury brand, opening its first store in Rome and then launching in New York in the 1950s. His pioneering spirit led to a string of stores across the US and beyond, establishing Gucci and the Made in Italy brand like no other before him. He was married to Olwen Price when he embarked on an extra-marital affair with Bruna Palombo. Patricia Gucci was born in London on March 1, 1963 and is the only child of Aldo Gucci and Bruna Palombo. She was educated in England, Italy and Switzerland before moving to New York to study acting, despite her father's wish that she dedicate herself to the family business. In 1982 after a year of study her father's wish prevailed and she was appointed to the board of Gucci and roving Ambassador in the US and Asia until the sale to Investcorp in 1987. She has three daughters  Alexandra, Victoria and Isabella. Advertisement

She added that since coming out of Sierra Tucson rehabilitation center in Tucson, she has been financially independent from her family and gave birth to her first child four years ago.

The Beverly Hills Police Department confirmed that Zarini had filed a report about the alleged abuse she had suffered at the hands of Ruffalo last year, and that authorities still had a file open.

Zarini believes no one in her family would speak to her again if she went through with the lawsuit, but she was prompted to move forward with it after learning that Ruffalo was volunteering at a children's hospital in Los Angeles.

Ruffalo's lawyer has reportedly denied claims his client had volunteered at a children's hospital.

In a video statement released by the Alexandra Gucci Children's Foundation, Zarini said she decided to speak out because 'there needs to be accountability for those people who look away and who don't stop child sex abuse from happening.'

In a emailed statement to The New York Times, Patricia Gucci said she immediately began divorce proceedings after learning of the alleged abuse her daughter had suffered.

'I am deeply sorry for the pain Joseph Ruffalo caused Alexandra. What he did to her is inexcusable and I was devastated when she disclosed everything to me at our family doctor's office in London in September 2007.

'I immediately initiated divorce proceedings against Mr. Ruffalo and set about healing my family through counseling.

'I am equally devastated by the allegations against me and her grandmother, which are completely false.'

Ruffalo's lawyer, Richard P. Crane Jr., said his client had not read the complaint but 'what he has been informed of, he vehemently and categorically denies.'

Alexandra Zarini is one of three daughters of Patricia Gucci, the only child of Aldo Gucci and Bruna Palombo.

Aldo Gucci, who died in 1990, was the son of company founder Guccio Gucci and turned his father's leather goods firm into a global fashion giant.

He was already married and had three children by the time he met Patricia's mother, Bruna Palombo.

He opened the company's first American store in New York City in 1953 and brought his sons Giorgio, Paolo and Roberto and his nephew Maurizio into the firm's top ranks.

In 1986, he pleaded guilty to evading $7million in taxes and was later implicated in a corporate tax evasion scheme.

The family no longer has any ownership of the firm after Maurizio Gucci sold his remaining shares in 1993.
The Trentonian sent the following letter to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal after Trenton City Council appeared to have violated open meeting laws. We felt it was necessary to call attention to councils attempt to block public access to city business that should be and has always been conducted in the open, giving citizens the ability to know what elected officials are doing as they represent all of us.

September 10, 2020

Dear Mr. Grewal:

We write to you to ask that you investigate Trenton City Councils flagrant, repeated and egregious violations of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and use your statutory authority to ask a court to impose penalties upon the City Council. The most recent violations came during the Sept. 3 meeting, which was conducted through the Microsoft Teams digital platform. The council adjourned into executive session under the guise of attorney-client privilege to discuss redevelopment and issuing Rice notices. On its face, those reasons for adjourning into executive session appeared consistent with N.J.S.A. 10:4-12(b)(7) and N.J.S.A. 10:4-12(b)(8), which allow for private discussion of contract negotiations and personnel matters, respectively.

However, The Trentonian learned that the executive session was used as a cover for legislators to hear a pitch from John Liu, president of Elite Spiders LLC, to purchase the historic Roebling Wire Works building for $200,000. It should be noted that the Wire Works building is of historic and civic importance to Trentonians, hosting the annual Art All Night festival, a signature event that brings tens of thousands of people to the area, and a range of other community gatherings.

The discussion on the potential sale of the Wire Works building was related by multiple sources who were concerned about the councils illegal actions circumventing the OPMA. The Trenton council has routinely entertained important business proposals in public session. In fact, at the Sept. 1 workshop meeting, representatives from Verizon Wireless gave a lengthy public presentation to legislators about the benefits of bringing 5G to the capital city.

Mr. Lius pitch to purchase the Wire Works building should have been conducted the same way, as the Legislature created the OPMA because it recognized that secrecy in public affairs undermines the faith of the public in government and the publics effectiveness in fulfilling its role in a democratic society.

There wasnt a valid exception under OPMA for Mr. Lius presentation to take place behind closed doors.

See Gandolfi v. Town of Hammonton, 367 N.J. Super. 527, 539 (App.Div.2004) (propriety of adverse attorney being present in closed meeting may be in doubt in light of statements by the Court in Payton v. New Jersey Tpk. Auth., 148 N.J. 524, 558 (1997); Nevin v. Asbury Park City Council, A-2124-04T2, 2005 WL 2847974 (App. Div. Nov. 1, 2005) (In our view, exception b(7) does not relate to contract negotiations with the opposing party but only, as plaintiffs contend, to discussions about contract negotiations by the public body.); Paff v. Washington Tp. Council, MER-L-2205-07, 2008 WL 2090777 (Law Div. Mar. 14, 2008) (finding agency violated OPMA by negotiating a vendor contract with vendor in closed session). Moreover, obviously the attorney-client privilege does not exist where there is a third party outside the privilege who is present in a closed session and therefore that claimed exception could not have possibly applied.

In holding Mr. Lius presentation privately, the Trenton council deprived the public of its right to know and voice support or opposition for the potential sale of a building that has been conferred with so much meaning to the capital city. We have consulted with at least two prominent attorneys who litigate public-access issues in New Jersey, and both agreed that having a redeveloper make a pitch behind closed doors violates the OPMA.

This Trenton councils move, however dubious, is not unprecedented in that other New Jersey government bodies have already been sanctioned for similarly situated violations of the OPMA. We direct you to a matter involving the Berkeley Heights Library Board of Trustees allowing an outside interested party into a closed session to discuss contract negotiations.

In March 2017, the Union County Prosecutors Office found the boards cited exception under contract negotiations invalid as, The purpose of the exception is to allow members of the governing body to discuss a contract among themselves, not with members of the organization with whom they are negotiating.

As if hearing Mr. Lius pitch privately wasnt bad enough, in the same executive session, an audio recording obtained and published on The Trentonians website showed the Trenton council voted during executive session 4 to 3 to issue Rice notices to city employees. When it reconvened to public session, the governing body did not make the public aware that it had conducted a secret vote to issue Rice notices to city employees.

Executive sessions are customarily reserved for discussion of items specifically exempted by the Legislature, but any vote should be conducted publicly, or in the least, the public should be made aware of the outcome of any vote conducted in executive session. This lack of transparency violates the spirit and intent of the OPMA as the public has a right to be present at all meetings of public bodies, and to witness in full detail all phases of the deliberation, policy formulation, and decision making of public bodies.

Thirdly, and lastly, we write this with great concern about the apparent misdirection tactics employed by Trenton council president Kathy McBride. As you are aware, Ms. McBride has written to you and Angelo Onofri, the Mercer County prosecutor, asking your offices to conduct an investigation centered on what she contends amounted to leaks of confidential and privileged information regarding Mr. Lius redevelopment pitch.

Ms. McBrides demand came a day after she attempted to compel a Trentonian reporter to reveal how he learned of the secret redevelopment pitch. The Trentonian told Ms. McBride that it would not violate a professional oath and provide her with sources and newsgathering materials, which as you know are explicitly protected under New Jerseys shield law for journalists, also known as the newspaperman [or womans] privilege.

N.J.S.A. 2A:84A-21 ensures journalists the privilege to refuse to disclose, in any legal or quasi-legal proceeding or before any investigative body, including, but not limited to, any court, grand jury, petit jury, administrative agency, the Legislature or legislative committee, or elsewhere.

Ms. McBride, while fancying herself a legal or quasi-legal figurehead, must have realized the limitations of her powers, so she has asked for your offices intervention in hopes that you may learn of and reveal The Trentonians sources. This request is a thinly veiled extension of some of the dictatorial tactics Ms. McBride has employed throughout her tenure, the majority which have been publicly documented and we will not recount here, in the name of brevity.

Still, it must be said that The Trentonian views Ms. McBrides latest actions as a frightening assault on the freedom and independence of the press to report news that is in the publics interest. To the extent that Ms. McBride views those who provide information that is in the publics interest as illegal leakers, we see these sources as whistleblowers entitled to protection under the states Conscientious Employee Protection Act because they provided information on Trenton councils blatant violations of OPMA.

They should not become targets of an unneeded investigation premised on Ms. McBrides faulty understanding of the law. The information at issue was illegally discussed in executive session and should have always been public, so we would ask that you not engage in Ms. McBrides desire to penalize whistleblowers for refusing to be complicit in her illegal actions depriving Trentonians of information that they had a right to under the OPMA.

For these reasons, we ask that you investigate the individuals who truly violated the law in this case. We believe we have uncovered at least two OPMA violations in one meeting, constituting a serial offense.

Under N.J.S.A. 10:4-17, your office can impose fines of $100 for first-time offenders and $500 on each council member for subsequent violations of the OPMA.

Members of this body have infamously remarked, We are the law, showing that they view themselves as above New Jerseys legal requirements. They have shown that they cannot be convinced, cajoled, coerced or commanded  by a judge or anyone else  to do what theyre required to under the law.

While The Trentonian believes it would prevail in a lawsuit regarding these violations, OPMA does not contain a fee-shifting provision that incentivizes attorneys to take up such causes pro bono. That makes it difficult for citizens, and struggling publications, to hold government officials to task when they do not follow the law. Thus, your office is our last recourse in holding this governing body accountable to the mandates of OPMA.

Thanks for your attention to this matter.

 The Trentonian
Bengaluru, Sep 10 : With Karnataka reporting as many as 9,217 new Covid-19 positive cases, the state's tally of active cases breached the 1 lakh-mark on Thursday.

According to the health department bulletin, Karnataka also reported 129 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the state's death toll to 6,937.

On a brighter note, as many as 7,021 patients were discharged after their recovery.

The bulletin further revealed that of the total 9,217 fresh cases, Bengaluru Urban continued to lead the chart with 3,161 cases.

The bulletin said that out of the total 101,537 active cases, 100,769 patients are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, while 768 are in ICU.

"This takes the total number of infections in the state to 430,947 and the death toll to 6,937," the note maintained.

According to the bulletin, 33 out of the total 129 deaths reported on Thursday are from Bengaluru Urban, followed by 13 deaths in Mysuru, nine each in Dakshina Kannada and Hassan and eight each in Dharwad and Uttara Kannada districts.

A total of 3,58,6150 samples have been tested so far, out of which 54,709 were tested on Thursday alone.
This article is part of our Remembering Lives Lost project to honor victims in the Houston region whose families have chosen to publicly disclose their cause of death as COVID-19.

Cyndi Rodriguez and her sister, Nora Aguilar, were supposed to be on a Disney cruise leaving from Miami in late August, celebrating their shared birthday week.

Instead, Aguilar and the rest of their family were in mourning. Rodriguez fell ill in mid-June, with a fever and breathing problems. She died in her sleep at her Houston home on June 24, two days before her COVID-19 test came back positive. She was 48.

Families dont get much closer than hers. Were preachers kids, Aguilar said. Their father, Richard Castillo, shepherded Iglesia Bautista Betania, a small Baptist congregation on Houstons north side. When he retired, they joined Spring Baptist Church.

Aguilar and Rodriguez and their husbands, Kevin and Johnny, bought homes on the same street. The family traveled all around the world together, often  one of the perks of also being, as Aguilar calls it, a United family.

Rodriguez worked for more than 25 years as a United Airlines sales agent at Bush Intercontinental Airports boarding gates. Nora Aguilar, also an airport sales agent for the company, led the way when she was 18. Their older sister, Sylvia Castillo, is retired now but also was a United sales agent. Their younger brother, Richard Castillo, bucked tradition by becoming a law enforcement officer in Waller County. Cyndi Rodriguez husband Johnny is a longtime aircraft mechanic for the company, and the couples 21-year old son, Jonathan Rodriguez, is training for that career.

Cyndi Rodriguez loved Hawaii because it reminded her father of paradise, Aguilar said. So she made it a point to go at least once a year. She was supposed to go in August with her family.

Disney trips were another constant, to put it lightly. She was a Disney fanatic  a Disney Cruise Lines platinum member, a Disney timeshare owner and a Disney annual pass holder. She would always invite anyone who wanted to go with her, Aguilar said.

Rodriguez also was a passionate Houston Texans fan and season ticket holder, and she devoted considerable time and energy to charities. She carried her fathers lessons forward, Aguilar said. She had a heart of gold. She would help anyone with anything she could; she would find a way to help. She collected goods for the homeless, and gave to Toys for Tots and the Houston Food Bank. Her sewing machine is still set up for the last thing she did, Aguilar said. She was sewing masks for food bank volunteers at church.

The family doesnt know how Rodriguez contracted the novel coronavirus, but Johnny and Jonathan were sick, too. The day Cyndi died, Aguilar insisted that both go to the hospital by ambulance. Johnny Rodriguez oxygen level was dangerously low. They have recovered, although Johnny was still not able to return to work as of late August, continuing to test positive.

Cyndi Rodriguez loved her family more than anything, Aguilar said. She loved and did any and everything for son and all her nieces and nephews. She had so many friends and was loved by so many.

molly.glentzer@chron.com
Sebern Fisher, MA, LMH, BCN The workshop will be presented in English (with simultaneous translation to Spanish) and organizers are happy to now be able to welcome English and Spanish speaking participants from around the world.

In an online event organized by the Sociedad Espanola de Bio y Neurofeedback and sponsored by the BFE, Sebern Fisher will share her expertise on the use of neurofeedback with developmental trauma disorders as described in her book Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma: Calming the Fear Driven Brain. Neurofeedback is a method by which clinicians measure EEG activity in the brain and guide their clients to transform brain-wave patterns to an optimal state. Neurofeedback is used for many conditions and disabilities in which the brain is not organizing itself as well as it might.

Psychotherapists interested in incorporating neurofeedback into their treatment of developmental trauma and those already doing so will learn: the latest neuroscience research relating to the impact of neglect and abuse on the developing brain; the impact of early life trauma on brain networks and on the arousal level of the CNS; neurofeedback protocols that have been effective in treating people with these histories; and approaches to the integration of neurofeedback and psychotherapy.

Originally planned as a 2-day onsite workshop in Madrid, the event will now take place online, over four half days to best accommodate a number of time zones. The workshop will be presented in English (with simultaneous translation to Spanish) and organizers are happy to now be able to welcome English and Spanish speaking participants from around the world.

The event also celebrates the recent release of the Spanish version of Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma titled Neurofeedback en el tratamiento del trauma del desarrollo. Calmar el cerebro impulsado por el miedo.

Calming the Fear-Driven Brain: Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma Workshop

Date: October 2, 3, 16 & 17, 2020

Time: 9:00 am  1:00 pm (EDT) | 15:00-19:00 (WET)

Presented by: Sebern Fisher, MA, LMH, BCN

Information & Registration: English, Espanol

About Sebern Fisher, MA, LMH, BCN

Sebern Fisher, MA, LMH, BCN was the clinical director of a residential treatment facility for severely disturbed, severely traumatized adolescents from 1981 to 1997. She brought an understanding of the importance of secure attachment to the center and implemented the first milieu based DBT program in the US. After experiencing profound effects with her own brain, she learned neurofeedback in 1996 and has integrated it with psychotherapy in the treatment of developmental trauma since 1997. She has a private practice in neurofeedback, psychotherapy and consultation in Northampton, Massachusetts and her book, Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma: Calming the Fear-Driven Brain was released by Norton in 2014 to critical acclaim.

About SEBINE

The Sociedad Espanola de Bio y Neurofeedback (SEBINE) is the result of the collaborative effort of different entities and relevant people from the world of bio and neurofeedback in Spain. It began as AIDN (Asociacion I+D Neuroterapias), a Spanish association born in 2013, with the clear purpose of serving as a link between psychotherapy and neuroscience. SEBINE is a non-profit association with a clear vocation to promote excellence in clinical practice, quality training and applied neuroscience research among health professionals.

About the Biofeedback Federation of Europe

The Biofeedback Federation CIC is a community interest company based in the UK dedicated to increasing awareness about the benefits of biofeedback and providing education, training and certification to professionals. It is entirely supported by revenues generated in its online shop, through sponsorships and donations. For more information, visit the BFE Online Shop.


I dont know what the sky looks like where you are right now, but here in the Bay Area its dark, hazy and downright eerie. (My colleague Michael Cabanatuan can explain why.) This fire season feels scary for everyone who lives on the West Coast, but theres a unique type of anxiety for those whose livelihoods depend on crops that are ripening under these smoke-choked skies.

By now, its clear that smoke and its possible effects on wine grapes will be the question of the California wine industrys 2020 harvest. Its a question that we cant yet answer. Yes, it seems inevitable at this point that some of this years wine grapes will be irreparably tainted by smoke. But how widespread that damage is, and the degree of harm to individual vineyards, are still unknown quantities.

In the meantime, though, I think its important to get one message across: Smoke taint is a concern for winemakers and farmers. It should not, however, be a concern for wine drinkers.

Farmers are at risk of losing their paycheck for the entire year. If their fruit is damaged by smoke, the wineries who buy the fruit might reject it. Some farmers have crop insurance that would compensate for these losses; many dont.

Winemakers, on the other hand, have to contend with the possibility of investing in wine that could turn out undrinkable. They might buy the fruit and go to the trouble of fermenting it and put it into expensive oak barrels, only to find the finished wine unpleasantly smoky. Thats a big financial hit. Smoke compounds are notoriously sneaky; they can hide in grape juice or wine in a nonvolatile state, only to reveal themselves later, so a winemaker might not even know what theyre dealing with initially.

These are awful prospects with dangerous consequences for a $40 billion statewide industry.

But for you, a drinker of California wine, there are no risks.

First of all, consuming smoke-tainted wine is not known to be harmful to health in any way. Drinking a smoky Pinot Noir is not like standing outdoors in smoky air.

More to the point, you are highly unlikely to ever taste a smoke-tainted wine, because wineries are bending over backwards right now to ensure that no compromised liquid enters a bottle. They are spending thousands of dollars on lab testing, considering cutting back on their production and investigating ways to mitigate any smoke exposure that does manifest itself in a wine. Many wineries would sooner dump out millions of dollars worth of product than put a damaged one on the shelf.

Finally, even if the smoke damage to Californias 2020 grape harvest is widespread  and we dont know whether it will be  the chances are quite slim that your particular favorite wine will be ruined. Consider the case of Australia. Its catastrophic 2019-2020 fire season played out during its wine grape harvest, too. The blazes burned more than 46 million acres of land; compare that to 2.3 million in California so far this year. Given the scope of those fires, one might expect a lot of Australias wines to be damaged. But according to Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark, only about 3% of the wine grape tonnage is estimated to have been lost to smoke.

This is an ongoing story. Ill continue to cover it. Winemakers and grape growers have reason to be scared, and they also have reason for hope. But one way or another, no matter what it takes, when youre drinking a 2020 California Cabernet Sauvignon a couple of years from now, Im willing to bet it will taste just fine.

In other news

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle 2018

 Heres a casualty of the COVID-19 shutdown that really hurts. Thad Vogler, one of San Franciscos leading barmen, has permanently closed three of his four bars in the city: Obispo, Trou Normand and Nommo. Ill miss them.

 I wrote about the fight to save Volker Eisele Family Estate, a hidden gem of a winery that narrowly escaped destruction in the recent Hennessey Fire. Its late founder was one of Napa Valleys leading environmentalists; his son, who runs the family business now, wonders what his father would have thought if hed lived to see these wrenching effects of climate change.

 Its obvious by now that wine has diversity problems. In order to change that, there needs to be a reconsideration of the language thats used to describe how wine tastes. In my column this week, I argue in favor of a more culturally inclusive wine lexicon.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

What Im reading

 In the Intercept, Alleen Brown writes about the undocumented farmworkers who are harvesting grapes in smoky conditions and in fire evacuation zones, and argues that the current protections for these workers are insufficient.

Mason Trinca / Special to The Chronicle 2017

 My colleagues Matthias Gafni and Lizzie Johnson have a gripping, deep look at the Hennessey Fire, one of the first fires to ignite out of the August lightning storms. In a state becoming more and more accustomed to such climate change-stoked disasters, the breadth of these blazes further illustrated what the future could look like as the planet warms, they write.

 Id never heard of Nascetta, a forgotten white wine grape from the village of Novello in Italys Barolo appellation. But Robert Camutos account of a Nascetta renaissance made me want to try it! He describes the grape as semi-aromatic with a lightly perfumed nose, good minerality and a saline quality.

 Last week we said goodbye to Alyssa Pereira, a writer at our sister publication, SFGATE, and a star contributor to The Chronicles beer coverage over the last several years. (Remember the time when she broke the news that Anchor had sold to Sapporo?) Im wishing her the best of luck on a new chapter. Find her farewell column here.

 Dining out can be scary right now, which is why The Chronicles Food & Wine team put together a comprehensive guide on how to eat safely and ethically (and deliciously) amid the pandemic. Heres the table of contents to the full guide, which includes crucial wisdom such as which Bay Area restaurants are offering the best picnic baskets.

Drinking with Esther is a weekly newsletter from The Chronicles wine critic. Follow along on Twitter: @Esther_Mobley and Instagram: @esthermob
ExxonMobil reported at least two flaring events at its refinery and chemical plant over the holiday weekend, one of which was estimated to have released almost 53,000 pounds of the greenhouse gas sulfur dioxide.

A large ground flaring event at the companys chemical plant on the western edge of Beaumont on Saturday morning drew the attention of nearby residents who captured photos of the soaring flames and took to social media to find more information.

An alert message from the company was sent out to residents in the general area through Southeast Texas Alerting Network (STAN) on Monday detailing a regular flaring event.

The company confirmed in a statement that the polyethylene plant had suffered a power outage Sunday morning that prompted technicians to use the flares in order to burn off extra hydrocarbons and preserve the safety of the processes.

We are committed to operating in a manner that protects the safety and health of our personnel, customers and the public, safeguards the environment and complies with all legal and regulatory requirements, Emily Russell, a spokesperson with ExxonMobil, wrote in an email. Our management systems foster appropriate practices and training, and require that our facilities be designed, operated and managed to prevent and/or mitigate environmental incidents.

The company also released a STAN alert about another flaring incident at its downtown Beaumont refinery late Friday night, but the alert was eventually buried by other messages before the event concluded on Saturday.

In its report to TCEQ, the company said a unit upset caused a 7 hour and 30 minute flaring event from 8:30 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday morning.

The refinery anticipates no impact to production and continues to meet contractual commitments, representatives for the company wrote in the report to TCEQ. No impact to the community was reported.

Companies throughout Southeast Texas, including ExxonMobil, coordinate with regional emergency officials to use STAN for warnings and notices about siren testing since it is one of the most effective tools for reaching specific groups of people, but it also has its limits.

The companys policy is to use STAN to tell the public about events that have impact outside the plant site or may cause alarm from the community, but it relies on the agencies and local governments it is required to report to after an unauthorized release event to ultimately activate emergency precautions.

The refinery release was predicted to contain about 53,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide and around 570 pounds of hydrogen sulfide. Also listed in a model estimate to TCEQ were 13 other air contaminants, but none were expected to exceed emissions limits set in the companys permit.

Both ExxonMobil facilities went through a brief shutdown and restart process due to Hurricane Lauras predicted impact on the region two weeks ago.

Representatives for the company said both operations were now running at regular capacity.

With the Neches River now reopened, the refinery and chemical plant will begin to receive shipments of feedstocks and other products, and will begin to ship refined products to customers, representatives wrote in an email.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the worlds largest smelter ex-China, has taken the lead by hosting virtual Market Update sessions with its customers worldwide.

Organised in cooperation with CRU, these sessions are aimed at updating them about how Alba is navigating through the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic as well as addressing latest industry developments.

Being held for four days, the first and second sessions were held on September 3 and 4 followed by the third one today (September 9). A first-of-its-kind initiative, the final session will be hosted tomorrow.

On the initiative, Albas CEO Ali Al Baqali said: "Covid-19 has undoubtedly brought the aluminium industry closer as we prepare ourselves to emerge from this pandemic stronger."

"Albas unique virtual collaboration with CRU enabled us to not only reach-out to our customers and offer our superior services but also assert our unwavering commitment to Safety, Efficient and Agile Operations," he added.

Alba customers from different regions actively participated in the Market Update sessions, which featured Albas Chief Marketing Officer Khalid Abdul Latif along with CRU industry analysts including Eoin Dinsmore and James Wren.-TradeArabia News Service
HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwes government says it has banned mining in its national parks, but an environmental group that had taken court action to stop the development of a coal mine in an elephant-rich park said on Wednesday that it will insist on more than just words.

Reports that a Chinese firm had started exploratory work to mine coal within Hwange National Park alarmed environmental and wildlife groups, who took legal action to stop it. In an apparent response to the legal proceedings, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced the government will not allow mining in national parks.

The Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association, which applied to the High Court to stop the planned mining, welcomed the governments statement but said it would continue with the court process unless the government takes legal steps to enforce the announced ban.

The important thing for us is to get an interdict which is legally binding, Shamiso Mtisi, the associations deputy director, told The Associated Press Wednesday.

Local environmental groups allege that mining in national parks has been going on for a while.

We pray that all these mining titles (in Hwange) and others which are unknown to the public will indeed be cancelled, the Center for Natural Resource Governance said in a statement Wednesday. It described the prioritization of mining over a more stable and eco-friendly sector such as tourism as self-defeating.

Mining in the wildlife-rich southern African countrys national parks is widespread, said Mtisi of the environmental lawyers association.

There is gold and diamond mining going on in several national parks across the country, its not just in Hwange. Thats a major threat to biodiversity and to tourism. Its an economic issue, you cannot just rely on mining, you need to leverage on other sectors such as tourism, said Mtisi.

In its court application to stop development of the coal mine by a Chinese company, the association argued that mining in Hwange National Park may cause a decline in tourism and decrease the incomes of local residents who rely on it for income, while poaching and conflict between people and wildlife could increase.

More than 45,000 elephants are estimated to live in Hwange park along with more than 100 mammal and 400 bird species, including buffalos, leopards, and lions, that are already struggling for food and water in the vast savannah due to a prolonged drought. Mining would pollute remaining water sources in the park 14,500 square kilometres (5,600 square miles) park, say the environmental groups.

The government also announced that it has banned alluvial mining along riverbanks.
Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai spent years lying low in Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta, where the Afghan Taliban leadership has been based since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 toppled the extremist group from power in neighboring Afghanistan.



A hard-line cleric, Ishaqzai until recently ran an Islamic madrasah, or seminary, in the Ishaqabad area of Quetta, from where he led the Taliban's judiciary and headed a powerful council of Taliban clerics that issued religious edicts to justify the group's brutal insurgency in Afghanistan.



But now Ishaqzai, who is in his 50s, has been propelled into the spotlight after he was appointed the Taliban's chief negotiator for long-awaited peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar with the internationally recognized government in Kabul.



The announcement about Ishaqzai on September 5 was part of a major shakeup in the Taliban's 21-member negotiation team ahead of the start of direct peace talks in Qatar between the warring Afghan sides.



The militant group offered no explanation for the sudden changes.



Taliban sources say the negotiating team was modified to give it the power to make decisions on the spot.



Experts say the appointment of Ishaqzai, who is close to Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhunzada, could be an attempt by the core leadership to reassert its direct control over the upcoming negotiations in Qatar.



The Taliban's political office in the Qatari capital, Doha, is led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban who is considered a relative moderate.



The ultraconservative Ishaqzai replaces Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, who along with Baradar spearheaded negotiations with the United States over a landmark agreement signed in February that is aimed at negotiating an end to the 19-year war in Afghanistan.

Under the U.S.-Taliban agreement, international forces should withdraw from Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban, which pledged to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and power-sharing deal with the Afghan government.



The deal pledged up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners would be set free by the Afghan government ahead of the negotiations, in return for the freedom of 1,000 members of the security forces held by the militants. The last Taliban prisoners were released last week, except for half a dozen inmates who were later transferred to Qatar.



'University Of Jihad'



Experts say Ishaqzai is widely respected among the Taliban for his religious credentials, ranking alongside Mullah Akhundzada as the most senior cleric in the militant group.

"This is important because the Taliban likes to assert religious justification for what they do," said Michael Semple, an expert on the Taliban insurgency at Queen's University in Belfast.

"Many of the senior commanders and leaders never actually qualified from their madrasahs and so are 'unqualified,'" Semple added. "The presence of Ishaqzai adds weight to whatever the negotiating team cares to do."



Ishaqzai graduated from and taught at the Darul Uloom Haqqania Islamic seminary in northwest Pakistan, which is known for preaching a fundamentalist brand of Islam and schooling a generation of fighters for the Afghan Taliban.

The so-called university of jihad counts some of the world's most notorious terrorists among its alumni, including Taliban founder and spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar -- who died in 2013 in Pakistan -- and Jalaluddin Haqqani, the late leader of the Pakistani-based Haqqani network that is allied with the Afghan Taliban.

Ishaqzai's reputation among the Taliban is also enhanced by his birthplace. He hails from the Panjwai district in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar. The district is considered the spiritual home of the Taliban.

"This means that he represents the original leadership and core constituency of the Taliban -- the clerics of the Pashtun tribes of the greater Kandahar region in Afghanistan," said Semple.
New Delhi:

The Supreme Court directed that Rs 2 crore deposited by real estate major Unitech Resorts Ltd with its registry be distributed among 39 home buyers who have sought refund of their amount for delay in handing over the possession of flats in the firm's Vista housing project in Gurugram.

A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice R Banumathi said the the flat buyers can withdraw the money from the apex court registry on pro-rata basis.

The court said it would take a decision on the rate of interest and compensation to be paid to the investors at a later stage. "The appellant has deposited Rs 2 crore which shall be distributed among 39 respondents on pro-rata basis.

As far as interest and compensation is concerned the matter to be taken up on February 4," the bench said. It noted that Rs 16.55 crore was deposited by the 39 home buyers who had booked flats in Unitech Vista project in sector-70, Gurugram and are before the court.

It also said that the company had earlier deposited Rs 15 crore with the apex court registry in compliance with an order. The apex court had on August 17 directed the embattled real estate firm to deposit Rs 15 crore principal amount by September-end to pay back investors and home buyers who were not given possession of the flats on time.

The investors had told the court that they had paid money to the firm on time and the company was scheduled to hand over the possession of flats in 2012 but had not done till date.

Over two dozen home buyers of Unitech's housing projects in Noida and Gurugram had approached the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) after the builder had failed to give them possession of the flats as the per schedule.

The consumer forum had asked Unitech to refund the money to the home buyers with interest. The apex court had earlier asked the company to deposit an interim penalty of Rs 5 crore with the court registry after the firm challenged the order of the consumer forum which had asked the developer to pay Rs 5 crore penalty to three buyers of its Burgundy project.

The court had said the penalty deposited with the court will be awarded to the buyers or returned to Unitech, depending on the outcome of the case.
(Newser)  Deadly windblown wildfires raging across the Pacific Northwest destroyed hundreds of homes in Oregon, the governor said Wednesday, warning it could be the greatest loss of life and property from wildfire in state history. The blazes from the top of the state to the California border caused highway closures and smoky skies and had firefighers struggling to contain and douse flames fanned by 50mph wind gusts, the AP reports. Officials in some western Oregon communities gave residents go now orders to evacuate, meaning they had minutes to flee their homes. Fires were burning in a large swath of Washington state and Oregon that rarely experiences such intense wildfire activity because of the Pacific Northwest's cool and wet climate.

story continues below

Several deaths were reported, including a 1-year-old boy in Washington state. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said communities have been substantially destroyed and warned there could be numerous fatalities. In northern California, a wildfire threatened thousands of homes Thursday after winds whipped it into a monster that incinerated houses in a small mountain community and killed at least three people. Several other people have been critically burned and hundreds, if not thousands, of homes and other buildings are believed to have been damaged or destroyed by the North Complex fire northeast of San Francisco, authorities said. Some 20,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings in Plumas, Yuba and Butte counties.

(Read more wildfires stories.)
PEORIA, Ill., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Current and future defense contractors are at risk of losing their Department of Defense (DoD) contracts. The DoD is focused on cybersecurity across the supply chain, and manufacturers need to take specific steps to protect covered defense information (CDI). On average, it takes 6-10 months to become fully compliant, and time is running out.

To help Illinois manufacturers understand the requirements to achieve full compliance, as well as consequences of non-compliance, IMEC has partnered with Alpine Security and the Defense Acquisition University to present the 6-part Cybersecurity Resiliency for Defense Contractors Webinar Series. This series coincides with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and is an opportunity for all manufacturers to learn practical steps to protect the sensitive data of their company.

"Manufacturing has gone digital. Cyber threats are a real business risk. It is more than just having a computer virus. It is the risk of production shutdowns and hacked sensitive data. This is especially true for suppliers in the defense supply chain," says David Boulay, Ph.D., President of IMEC. "The Department of Defense compliance guidelines reduce those risks and ensure solid business practices in the digital world. The Cybersecurity Resiliency Webinar Series will help understand these changes and implement the necessary standards to thrive as a Department of Defense supply chain partner."

The series begins on October 8 and will outline for contractors the steps they need to take to ensure their information  and the future of their business  is protected.

Defense contractors are strongly encouraged to attend all six webinars for a complete picture of the requirements to achieve cybersecurity compliance  and continue doing business with DoD.

According to Jana White, COO of Alpine Security, "many organizations are struggling to demystify DFARS 252.204-7012 compliance required by the DOD, and now adding CMMC into the mix is only making things cloudier. It isn't that the majority of companies in the supply chain do not want to comply, but rather there is too much confusion about when and how they should get started so they end up not doing anything at all." Alpine Security is a key partner to educate Illinois manufacturers on the DoD cybersecurity requirements.

"Creating a structured plan of action that includes finding out how compliant you are now and how you close the gap to full compliance is the first step that companies need to take," continues White. "The next step is taking small, measured, consistent steps to begin remediating any of the subcontrols that are non-compliant. Having subject matter experts to help guide a company along the path will save time, frustration, and money in the long run. That is where IMEC and Alpine Security can help companies of all sizes tackle this challenge and come out with a strategic advantage by being DFARS 252.204-7012 compliant when their competitors are still standing still."

To register for the series, visit www.IMEC.org/Events/

About IMEC

IMEC is a team of improvement specialists who are dedicated to changing lives and creating a positive impact on Illinois' workforce and economy. With a mission to drive growth through enterprise excellence, they help organizations become more effective and efficient by identifying issues, developing and implementing solutions, and providing the necessary support that will allow them to excel in areas of leadership, strategy, customer engagement, operations, workforce, and measurement and results. In 2019, they assisted 770 companies and created over 4,600 jobs, resulting in over $435M aggregate impact to the Illinois economy. IMEC has seven offices statewide and 47 full-time industry improvement specialists. For more information, visit www.imec.org.

SOURCE IMEC

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 12:25:35|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China will take policy steps to boost new types of consumption by supporting new business forms and models, with a view to promote economic recovery, according to a statement issued Wednesday after a State Council executive meeting, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

Consumption, as a key engine for growth, has been significantly affected by COVID-19 this year and become a drag on economic recovery. However, new forms and models of business based on the internet and digital technologies have generated rapid growth in new types of consumption despite the overall downward trend and demonstrated enormous potential.

"COVID-19 has made a big impact on consumption," Li said. "For China to achieve positive growth this year, boosting consumption is vitally important. Efforts should be made in line with our own national conditions to expand channels of consumption and stimulate domestic demand."

Those at the Wednesday meeting agreed that it is important to remove consumption-related bottlenecks to economic growth and encourage market players to embrace innovation, so as to further unleash the potential of domestic demand and inject impetus into economic recovery.

"Consumption growth is mainly driven by the market. And for various reasons, a great deal of efforts is needed to give a real boost to consumption," Li pointed out.

The meeting urged expanding and upgrading new types of consumption. Non-contact consumption will be promoted; online courses and remote diagnosis and treatment will be promoted; fitness and tourism sectors are encouraged to integrate their online and offline services; smart supermarkets powered by digital technologies will be developed; and supply chains that bring farm produce directly from fields to retailers will be improved.

Infrastructure supporting new types of consumption needs to be built at a faster pace. The coverage of 5G and Internet of Things networks will be prioritized in central business districts, industrial parks and transportation hubs. Rural commerce will go through digital upgrading. In the meantime, the commercial use of consumer data will proceed in a secure and orderly manner.

"During our fight against COVID-19, new types of consumption have achieved rapid growth despite the downward pressure on the economy. From industrial goods to farm produce, and from medical services, education to tourism and fitness, new consumption has played a notable role in the COVID-19 response and demonstrated strong potential. Given its immediate benefit to the economy and promising prospect, we must make long-term plans for its future development," Li said.

Tax policies that support the growth of new business forms and models will be introduced to boost new types of consumption. Financial institutions will be encouraged to adopt new steps to reduce the cost of mobile payment.

Measures will be taken to extend social security coverage to people working in new forms and models of businesses, and strengthen protection for flexible employment. Support will be given to enterprises in conducting "employee sharing."

Traditional ways of consumption will be better leveraged as the mainstay while the positive effect of new types of consumption is to be strengthened. Support will be given to bricks-and-mortar companies that run online business as well as internet platform companies engaging in offline business. Companies are also encouraged to carry out online promotion to boost offline sales.

"It is all the more important to nurture new growth drivers and promote economic restructuring by leveraging the growth of new consumption based on new forms and models of businesses," Li said.

The reform of government functions will be deepened to streamline the license approval procedures. Accommodating yet prudent regulation will be further implemented.

The mechanisms for user rights protection and product tracing will be bolstered, and malpractices such as intellectual property right infringements, selling counterfeit products, cheating, swindling, and leaking private information will be cracked down on in accordance with laws to foster a safe and trusted environment for consumers.

"Greater efforts must be made in transforming government functions to create a more enabling environment for new consumption to survive and thrive. Government authorities must work to enhance network building both online and offline, adopt a prudent yet accommodative regulatory approach, and provide greater support to the growth of these businesses," Li said.

The meeting also outlined plans to advance medical education in an innovative way to build a talent pool for protecting people's health. Enditem
The Foreign Ministers of Russia and India held discussions on cooperation in nuclear and space sectors and agreed to work closely in UNSC during India's forthcoming tenure as a non-permanent member. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the SCO summit and said the talks reflected the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

The Foreign Ministers of Russia and India held discussions on cooperation in nuclear and space sectors and agreed to work closely in UNSC during Indias forthcoming tenure as non-permanent member, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the SCO summit and said the talks reflected the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

On the sidelines of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting, EAM has had bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers of member countries. He met the Russian FM on September 9 and as you know we have a special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during weekly virtual media briefing on Thursday.

This year marks the 20 years of our strategic partnership. This was the first physical meeting after the covid situation and there was excellent discussion on bilateral matters, regional developments and international issues of concern, he added.

Also read: After humiliation, China eyes North Pangong Tso, PLA deployment at N Pangong Tso

Also read: Rafale jets to be inducted into Indian Air Force today at Ambala air base

According to MEA spokesperson, the two Ministers also followed up on outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Vladivostok for the fifth Eastern Economic Forum in September 2019. In this meeting, bilateral, economic issues and cooperation in the development of far eastern region of Russia was also discussed. We also discussed cooperation in nuclear and space sectors. The two ministers agreed to work closely in UNSC during Indias forthcoming tenure as non-permanent member, he said.

The MEA spokesperson also informed that EAM Jaishankar also had bilateral meetings earlier with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. During these meetings, ways to further enhance our strategic partnership were discussed, he said. Today morning, EAM had bilateral meeting with Uzbekistan and Kazakhastan before he joined the CFM meetings. CFM meeting reviewed preparation for the forthcoming summit which is scheduled in the near future and exhanged views on regional and international issues. This meeting was followed by lunch of RIC Foreign Ministers, said the MEA spokesperson. (ANI)

Also read: US revoked over 1,000 visas of Chinese nationals by Sept 8: State dept
Researchers at the University of Exeter went to a beach and approached herring gulls. In half the trials they walked toward the gulls while looking at the ground, and in the other half, they stared directly at the gulls. They found that when they approached the gulls without looking at them they were able to get two meters closer to them before they took flight.

From the University of Exeter:

Newly fledged gulls were just as likely to react to human gaze direction as older birds, suggesting they are born with this tendency or quickly learn it.

The study, by the University of Exeter, also confirms the widely held view that urban gulls are bolder than rural gulls  letting a person get on average 2.5m closer before walking or flying away.

"Herring gulls are increasingly breeding and foraging in urban areas, and therefore have regular interactions with humans," said lead author Madeleine Goumas, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

"We know from previous research that gulls are less likely to peck a bag of chips if a human is watching  but in that experiment the researcher either looked at the gulls or turned their head away.

"In our new study, the experimenter approached while facing the gull and only changed the direction of their eyes  either looking down or at the gull.

"We were interested to find that gulls pay attention to human eye direction specifically, and that this is true for juveniles as well as adults  so their aversion to human gaze isn't a result of months or years of negative interactions with people."

The study was conducted in Cornwall, UK, targeting adult gulls (aged four years or older, evidenced by white and grey plumage) and juveniles (born in the year of the study, with completely brown plumage).

A total of 155 gulls were included in the findings: 50 adults and 45 juveniles in urban settlements, and 34 adults and 26 juveniles in rural settlements.

As well as being quicker to flee, rural gulls were also more than three times as likely to fly  rather than walk  away from an approaching human, suggesting they are less used to being approached.
Alignment of interests between Oncodesign's Management and shareholders

Reserved capital increase for a total of 300,000

Allocation of free shares and stock options to the Company's Management Committee

Regulatory News:

ONCODESIGN (Paris:ALONC) (ALONC FR0011766229), a biopharmaceutical group specialized in precision medicine, today announces the launch of a reserved capital increase for the benefit of members of its Management Committee.

Philippe GENNE, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Oncodesign, says: "In recent months, the Management Committee has been working in unison to draw up our business plan through to 2025; we have set the Company ambitious targets, and we will give ourselves the means to achieve them. Through its participation in this capital increase, Oncodesign's Management Committee wants to send out a strong and clear signal regarding its commitment to, involvement in and belief in the Oncodesign group's development

The Board of Directors, at its meeting of September 10, 2020 and pursuant to the delegation of authority granted to it by the Shareholders' Meeting of June 25, 2020 (12th resolution), has decided to carry out a capital increase for a nominal amount of 300,000 via the issuance of 30,000 new shares at a unit price of 10 per share, issue premium included, to the benefit of members of Oncodesign's Management Committee. This issue price represents a premium of 1.2% on the closing price on the eve of the Board's decision and a premium of 0.3% on the average volume-weighted price during the 5 trading sessions preceding the decision.

For information, a shareholder holding 1% of the Company's share capital would hold 0.99% of its share capital following the operation.

The Management Committee members concerned, who have undertaken to hold the subscribed shares in registered form until January 1, 2024 inclusive, are Thierry Billoue (Head of Human Resources), Stephane Gerart (Head of the Artificial Intelligence Business Unit), Arnaud Lafforgue (Chief Financial Officer), Xavier Morge (Chief Corporate Business Development Officer) and Fabrice Viviani (Head of the Service Business Unit).

The new shares will be admitted for trading on the Euronext Paris market on the same line as Oncodesign's existing shares (FR0011766229 ALONC), and will be immediately fungible with those shares.

The Board has also decided to allocate free shares and stock options within the framework of the Company's implementation of long-term incentive plans aimed at members of Oncodesign's Management Committee.

The terms and conditions are as follows:

1 free share allocated for every 2 shares subscribed to within the framework of the aforementioned capital increase, with a vesting period from the decision to grant until January 1, 2024 inclusive and a 2-year retention period, without any performance conditions;

2 stock options allocated for each share subscribed to within the framework of the aforementioned capital increase and comprising the following main characteristics:

Duration: about 8 years, consisting of a vesting period ending on January 1 st 2024 included followed by a 5-year exercise period,

2024 included followed by a 5-year exercise period, Exercise price: 10

Internal exercise conditions, i.e. a condition of presence and conditions assessed according to the achievement of various objectives set out in the company's business plan up to 2025 and exercisability conditions based on the evolution of the share price.

Next financial report: first-half 2020 results on October 1, 2020 (after market close)

Next investor meeting: Investir Direct Dirigeants event in Paris on Tuesday October 6, 2020

About ONCODESIGN: www.oncodesign.com

Founded 25 years ago by Dr. Philippe Genne, the Company's CEO and Chairman, Oncodesign is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to precision medicine. With its unique experience acquired by working with more than 800 clients, including the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, along with its comprehensive technological platform combining state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, regulated bioanalysis, medical imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Oncodesign is able to predict and identify, at a very early stage, each molecule's therapeutic usefulness and potential to become an effective drug. Applied to kinase inhibitors, which represent a market estimated at over $65 billion by 2027 and accounting for almost 25% of the pharmaceutical industry's R&D expenditure, Oncodesign's technology has already enabled the targeting of several promising molecules with substantial therapeutic potential, in oncology and elsewhere, along with partnerships with pharmaceutical groups such as Bristol-Myers Squibb. Oncodesign is based in Dijon, France, in the heart of the town's university and hospital hub, and within the Paris-Saclay cluster. Oncodesign has 233 employees and subsidiaries in Canada and the USA.

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward looking statements and estimates concerning the Company's financial condition, operating results, strategy, projects and future performance and the markets in which it operates. Such forward-looking statements and estimates may be identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "can," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "is designed to," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "objective," "should," or the negative of these and similar expressions. They incorporate all topics that are not historical facts. Forward looking statements, forecasts and estimates are based on management's current assumptions and assessment of risks, uncertainties and other factors, known and unknown, which were deemed to be reasonable at the time they were made but which may turn out to be incorrect. Events and outcomes are difficult to predict and depend on factors beyond the Company's control. Consequently, the actual results, financial condition, performances and/or achievements of the Company or of the industry may turn out to differ materially from the future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by these statements, forecasts and estimates. Owing to these uncertainties, no representation is made as to the correctness or fairness of these forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates. Furthermore, forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005602/en/

Contacts:

Oncodesign

Philippe Genne

Chairman and CEO

Tel.: +33 (0)3 80 78 82 60

investisseurs@oncodesign.com

NewCap

Investor Relations

Mathilde Bohin Louis-Victor Delouvrier

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 95

oncodesign@newcap.eu

NewCap

Media Relations

Arthur Rouille

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 00 15

oncodesign@newcap.eu
The Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota sent George Floyds family a letter announcing his medical records were compromised

George Floyds family recently received a letter stating his confidential medical records have been breached.

After his death, Floyd was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The facility reached out to the Floyd family via mail to say his records were breached and the employees involved are no longer with the company. According to CBS News, Floyds family attorney Antonio Romanucci released a statement after receiving the letter.

(Photo: George Floyd Family)

Read More: Officer responsible for George Floyd murder wants case dismissed

The letter said there were breaches of his data over multiple dates and that the employees involved are no longer with the organization, Romanucci said.

He added, When George Floyd was desperate for a breath, the city of Minneapolis pushed on his neck further, and even after death, he was abused and mistreated by the system.

Floyd died this spring after police officer Derek Chauvin of Minnesota held his knee on Floyds neck for over seven minutes. The news of Floyds death spread quickly, causing global protests and civil unrest against police brutality.

People march in the street during a demonstration on June 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Read More: Chauvin faces harsher sentence for killing George Floyd in front of kids

Due to patient confidentiality, the facility did not confirm if Floyds data was breached or if the employees involved left voluntarily or were let go. theGrio obtained a statement released by the facility stating they take this incident seriously and cannot release additional information due to patient confidentiality.

Any breach of patient confidentiality is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. If it is determined that a violation has occurred, disciplinary action up to and including termination can be used, the statement reads.

Additionally, Hennepin Healthcare complies with federal information privacy regulations which require notification to patients about a confirmed privacy breach. To maintain patient confidentiality, we do not comment on specific cases.

Story continues

The family of Floyd has not taken legal action against the facility but according to CBS News their attorneys are, exploring all of our remedies.

Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

The post George Floyds medical records breached after death: attorney appeared first on TheGrio.
The natural world is in a desperate state, with global wildlife populations in freefall due to the impact of humans, according to one of the worlds most comprehensive examinations of biodiversity on our planet.

Wildlife charity WWF has said populations of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have collapsed by an extraordinary 68 per cent on average globally since 1970 - more than two thirds in less than 50 years.

The charitys Living Planet Report 2020 paints a startlingly bleak picture of the rapid damage being wrought on Earth by modern civilisation, warning nature is being destroyed by humans at a rate never seen before, and this catastrophic decline is showing no signs of slowing.

The report finds intensive agriculture, deforestation and the conversion of wild spaces into farmland are among the main drivers of natural destruction, while overfishing is wreaking havoc with marine life.

The Covid-19 conservation crisis has shown the urgency of The Independents Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign, which seeks an international effort to clamp down on illegal trade of wild animals (ESI)

Species overexploitation is also having a devastating impact on wildlife, according to the report. Direct causes of overexploitation include unsustainable hunting, poaching or harvesting, whether for subsistence or legal, and illegal, wildlife trade.

Indirect overexploitation occurs when non-target species are killed unintentionally, as this year in Uganda when the countrys rare and beloved silverback mountain gorilla, Rafiki, became collateral damage of hunters seeking out smaller animals.

The Independents Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign, launched earlier this year, seeks an international effort to clamp down on poaching and the illegal trade of wild animals.

Invasive species are also problematic for native species as they compete for space, food and other resources. Invasive species - which can enter a foreign environment innocently as a pet or in legal trade along with illegal trafficking - can turn out to be a predator for native species, or spread diseases that were not previously present in the environment. Humans also also major transporters of new diseases through global travel.

The decline has happened even faster than anticipated as recently as 2018, and the conservation charity warns without urgent global action, life on Earth will be pushed to the brink.

Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF, said: We are wiping wildlife from the face of the planet, burning our forests, polluting and overfishing our seas and destroying wild areas.

We are wrecking our world  the one place we call home  risking our health, security and survival here on Earth. Now nature is sending us a desperate SOS and time is running out.

She added: In the UK we need to fast-track tough new nature laws that protect our wildlife at home and abroad, and with the COP26 summit in Glasgow next year the government has a huge opportunity to show global leadership in securing urgent commitments and action from world leaders.

Only by putting the environment at the heart of our decision making can we build a safe and resilient future for nature, people and our planet.

Some of the reports most alarming findings include:

- A 94 per cent decline in the average size of wildlife populations in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is the sharpest fall of monitored animals anywhere in the world

- Freshwater species populations have seen a steep decline of 84 per cent including the critically endangered Chinese sturgeon in the Yangtze river, which is down 97 per cent

- In some parts of the world, endangered leatherback turtles have declined by between 20 per cent and 98 per cent, with an 84 per cent decline at Tortuguero beach in Costa Rica

- African elephant populations in the Central African Republic have declined by up to 98 per cent.

Endangered leatherback turtles have declined by up to 98 per cent in some areas, the report said (Getty)

In the UK, populations of grey partridge have declined by 85 per cent and populations of Arctic Skua in Orkney have declined by 62 per cent.

The report also highlights that 75 per cent of all ice-free-land has been significantly altered by human activity, while almost 90 per cent of global wetlands have been lost since 1700.

But the report also says that well planned conservation efforts can protect some vulnerable species and ecosystems in various parts of the world. These include legal protection for forest elephants in Ghana, blacktail reef sharks in Australia and tigers in Nepal - all of which have resulted in significant population increases.

Sir David Attenborough has written an essay for the report on the vast impact of humans on the planet, which he says has resulted in the dawn of a new geological age - the Anthropocene.

Sir David said: The Anthropocene could be the moment we achieve a balance with the rest of the natural world and become stewards of our planet.

Doing so will require systemic shifts in how we produce food, create energy, manage our oceans and use materials. But above all it will require a change in perspective. A change from viewing nature as something thats optional or nice to have to the single greatest ally we have in restoring balance to our world.

The time for pure national interests has passed, internationalism has to be our approach and in doing so bring about a greater equality between what nations take from the world and what they give back. The wealthier nations have taken a lot and the time has now come to give.

The Living Planet Report is based on data from the Living Planet Index produced by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the charity which runs London Zoo.

Dr Andrew Terry, ZSLs director of conservation, said: The Living Planet Index is one of the most comprehensive measures of global biodiversity.

For this report, ZSLs team tracked data on 20,811 populations of 4,392 vertebrate species. An average decline of 68 per cent in the past 50 years is catastrophic, and clear evidence of the damage human activity is doing to the natural world.

If nothing changes populations will undoubtedly continue to fall, driving wildlife to extinction and threatening the integrity of the ecosystems on which we all depend. But we also know that conservation works and species can be brought back from the brink. With commitment, investment and expertise, these trends can be reversed.
Replica Analytics, an Ottawa, ON, Canada-based provider of privacy protective synthetic data, raised over $1m in new pre-seed funding.

The funding came from three sources:

FACIT, a commercialization venture firm supporting oncology innovations;

MITACS, a national, not-for-profit organization supporting innovation within Canadian industry in collaboration with universities; and

an international angel investor group.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate research to develop its novel data synthesis and data simulation technologies.

Led by Khaled El Emam, Co-founder and Director, Replica Analytics is a global software company that has invented a technology to generate privacy-protected synthetic data, while maintaining the statistical properties of real data, and without breaching regulatory privacy requirements. Its latest product, Replica Synthesis, provides synthetic real-world data and synthetic clinical trial data to data scientists and researchers.

FinSMEs

10/09/2020
Leaders of seven European countries on the Mediterranean said on Thursday they were ready to back EU sanctions against Turkey if Ankara shunned dialogue on escalating tensions in the sea.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the leaders of six other EU states, including Turkey's regional rival Greece, for a summit in Corsica in the hope of finding common ground ahead of the next EU summit this month.

Showing again his anger against Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Macron said before the summit that the NATO ally was no longer a partner in the eastern Mediterranean, and that its people "deserved something" different to the way the government currently behaved.

France has strongly backed Greece and Cyprus in a growing standoff with Turkey over hydrocarbon resources and naval influence in the eastern Mediterranean, which has sparked fears of more severe conflict.

After talks with the leaders of Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus in the resort of Porticcio outside the local capital Ajaccio, Macron adopted a slightly milder tone, saying the leaders wanted to reengage in a dialogue with Turkey "in good faith".

But the final statement of the leaders made clear that sanctions were on the table if Turkey failed to end its "confrontational actions".

"We regret that Turkey has not responded to the repeated calls by the European Union to end its unilateral and illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea," the communique said.

"We maintain that in absence of progress in engaging Turkey into a dialogue and unless it ends its unilateral activities, the EU is ready to develop a list of further restrictive measures," the leaders said, adding these could be discussed at the European Council on 24-25 September.

- 'No longer a partner' -

The crisis has added to a growing list of tensions between Turkey and Europe, notably over Ankara's military intervention in Libya, its policy in Syria and a crackdown on opponents of Erdogan at home.

Story continues

"We Europeans need to be clear and firm with the government of president Erdogan, which today is behaving in an unacceptable manner," Macron told reporters before the summit began.

He said that at the moment Turkey was "no longer a partner in the region" of the eastern Mediterranean due to its behaviour.

Macron added that Turkey had "intensified provocations in a way that is not worthy of a great state. The Turkish people are a great people and deserve something else".

But in a strongly worded reply, the Turkish foreign ministry described Macron's comments as "arrogant" and a sign "of his own weakness and despair".

Erdogan's top press aide, Fahrettin Altun, took a swipe at Macron in a tweet, describing him as a "wannabe Napoleon" on a Mediterranean campaign.

The EuroMed 7 is an informal group of EU Mediterranean states, sometimes dubbed "Club Med", that held its first summit in 2016. Turkey is not a member.

Turkey has sought to join the EU for over half a century, though analysts say the growing rift between Erdogan and the bloc's leaders has made the prospect increasingly unlikely.

- 'Catastrophic conflict' -

Macron said that the Mediterranean had become the scene of "a hegemonic game between historical powers seeking to destabilise the region", pointing towards both Turkey and Russia.

There are "real risks of destabilisation in the Mediterranean because of threats from Turkey", said Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, calling on the EU to "use all the means" at its disposal to "avoid a catastrophic conflict for the whole region".

"If Turkey refuses to listen to reason... I don't see any choice for my European colleagues except significant sanctions," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who also held bilateral talks with Macron before the summit, wrote in French daily Le Monde.

Greek media said the possible sale by France of Rafale fighter jets could be on the table, in a sign of the increasingly strong alliance between Paris and Athens.

Adopting a slightly milder tone, Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez said the seven had sent a "clear message" for real dialogue.

"We believe this genuine dialogue is possible, we believe it is possible to follow the path of de-escalation," he said,

jri-sjw/har
Travis Alexander is not letting a recent setback stop American Courage from vying for the title of top two-year-old pacing colt on the $1.8 million New York Night of Champions on Saturday (Sept. 12). The trainer calls an equine virus that ran through his barn in mid-August a blessing in disguise as it may give his colt an edge in his $225,000 final at Yonkers Raceway.

The virus caused Alexander to scratch American Courage from the fifth preliminary leg for freshman pacing colts at Vernon Downs on August 28.

We could have raced and pressed for points as he was clean on race day, but we werent taking any chances, said Alexander. We let him tell us how he was feeling, and we decided to scratch.

Still, American Courage remains unbeaten in his career with a perfect seven-for-seven record and $180,258 in earnings. This includes starts in the New York Sire Stakes and the Springfield (formerly the Sheppard) at Yonkers.



American Courage, pictured victorious in the Springfield at Yonkers Raceway. American Courage, pictured victorious in the Springfield at Yonkers Raceway.

You never know how they are going to be. Hes been a surprise, said Alexander. I always knew he had a large amount of ability, but things just have to go your way. All of these horses are fast and bred so well. Theyre getting more Thoroughbred-like.

Despite easing up on the colts training as he recovered, Alexander is still confident pointing the colt into the largest purse start of his young career. He will start from Post 5 in the fifth race on Saturday with driver Matt Kakaley.

I havent even trained him a mile in August, said Alexander. I havent even tightened the screws. I just started him back up yesterday (Sept. 2), but hell be ready to go.

Alexander isnt just referring to the Night of Champions, but to three major stakes races ahead, including the Metro Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on September 26. The scheduling proximity between the NYSS final and the Metro poses a challenge to trainers and any connections looking to cross the border. As of right now, any person coming from the United States must quarantine for two weeks in accordance with COVID-19 regulations.

Back-to-back races across the border means Alaina, Alexanders wife, is already in Canada for the Metro Pace while Travis focuses on the Night of Champions.

Alaina is somewhat upset about not being here for the final in person. She takes care of him and runs his barn. Shes basically the boss, said Alexander. She knows every wrinkle of American Courage so, being here alone, it puts a lot of pressure on me for sure.

A lot of pressure, but also a belief that he has the right team in place to realize the pacers brimming potential.

Matt (Kakaley) has done an amazing job. It makes my job easier, said Alexander. I have full confidence in American Courage.

The New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions will take place Saturday (Sept. 12) at Yonkers Raceway. Post time is at 7:12 p.m.

(NYSS)
By Christopher Florentz

Cape May is an idyllic seaside town. Its streets are lined with 19th Century Victorian structures where bumper stickers proclaim, Exit 0. It is a special place with beautiful beaches, boating, fishing, great restaurants and bars, live music, the list goes on and on. You can kick back and watch the world go by for a day or a whole summer. But even in this tucked-away oasis, the fear and loathing that has the country in its grip have reared its ugly head.

On a recent summer day, that charm and quaint character turned ugly, reminding us yet again of the widening divide that exists among Americans. A couple, who are long-time visitors to Cape May, stopped at the outdoor bar at Elaines for refreshment. Located in the center of town, Elaines is something of a Cape May institution with its long-running dinner theater, lodging, and indoor and outdoor bars.

One thing led to another  a series of events documented by David Todd McCarthy in The Standard  with the husband of Elaines owner shouting get the fu-k out of here at the couple, who were accompanied by their 16-year-old daughter and her boyfriend. All because the husband mentioned he was going to vote for Joe Biden.

It didnt stop there. The couple was again accosted by the owners husband in a threatening way as they left. McCarthy reports in his account that the man went ballistic, the F-bombs flying fast and furious. He followed the couple to the parking lot and continued to speak threateningly to them as they retreated. They got in their car and left.

In a civilized society, there is no place for this type of behavior, for which the owners husband later apologized. Yet, the most troubling aspect of the incident isnt his behavior. It is the outpouring of support he received from patrons at the bar and, later, online, who found it perfectly appropriate to scream profanities at someone because of their political leanings.

Where did all the intolerance and rage that has spread from sea to shining sea, including Cape May, come from? Its tempting to blame Donald Trump but he didnt create the social ills that plague us. He has tapped into it and gone out of his way to stoke it. But in a larger sense, Mr. Trump unwittingly serves as a social mirror that reflects an ugly side of our collective soul; it is a reflection of what we can become if we fail to listen to our better angels.

Surely the pandemic has also played a role, restricting our activities and interactions with each other and contributing to our collective angst. We will, in due course, develop therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19 and vaccines to prevent it. But the social cancer that afflicts us is another matter. All of the high-minded slogans we learned in school, United we stand, divided we fall, E pluribus Unum, and such, are just that, slogans if we dont respect each others different points of view, regardless of whether we agree with them.

We need to learn how to disagree without being disagreeable. Otherwise, where does all the intolerance and rage go in five months or in four years when there is a new administration and, hopefully, the viral dust has settled? Maybe it just goes underground for a while, festering and rearing its ugly head when the timing and politics are right.

In these dark times, we need each other more than ever. How is it that so many of us seem to be missing this basic truth in the face of a pandemic that has killed thousands of us, a failing economy that may take decades to repair, and an ongoing assault on Black Americans by some in law enforcement?

There are no easy answers to the social ills that plague us, no therapeutic or vaccine that can provide a treatment or cure. Even in this tucked-away oasis in Cape May, there is fear and loathing as we struggle for an answer.

Christopher Florentz is an author and freelance writer in Cape May Court House.

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DALTON, Ga. - A Texas fugitive who fled into the woods in Georgia after shooting at an officer who pulled him over has been captured, authorities said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation tweeted that Dalton Potter was in custody after authorities surrounded him late Wednesday following another shooting outside the town of Resaca, northwest of Atlanta. In that shooting, two days after the initial traffic stop, Potter shot a man on his property and the man fired back, authorities said.

Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood had told reporters Wednesday that investigators had surrounded Potter, 29, northwest of the town.

We probably have over 100 officers, weve set up a strong perimeter, we still have the (Georgia State Patrol) helicopter in the air, weve got K-9s on the ground tracking in the woods, Chitwood said, noting that it was getting dark outside.

Chitwood said the civilian who was shot was hospitalized in stable condition.

Noah Cloer identified his father, Eddie Cloer, as the victim. He was feeding animals in his yard when Potter attacked, shooting him in the arm and grazing his head, Noah Cloer told WTVC. Eddie Cloer was able to fire back and Potter fled, his son said.

Resaca is about 75 miles (120 kilometres) northwest of Atlanta, and about 16 miles (26 kilometres) from the city of Dalton, where investigators said Potter fired multiple shots at Whitfield County Sheriffs Deputy Darrell Hackney around midnight Monday morning during a traffic stop.

Hackney was struck, but his ballistic vest saved him, the GBI said. Hackney and another deputy returned fire, but Potter drove away south on Interstate 75. He wrecked the truck and escaped into the woods on foot, the GBI said.

The GBI also revealed Wednesday that Potter was hauling explosives in a stolen trailer that was found along the southbound lanes of I-75, near the Whitfield-Gordon county line. The GBIs bomb disposal unit will get rid of the explosives, the agency said.

Potter, from Leakey, Texas, was wanted in Georgia on five counts of aggravated assault, and on Texas charges of larceny and theft of more than $2500.

A second Texas man, Jonathan Hosmer, 47, was arrested Tuesday after surveillance video recorded him leaving the truck crash. Also wanted in Texas on larceny and theft charges, hes charged in Georgia with possession of methamphetamine, bringing stolen property into the state, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
BALTIMORE, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Urological Association (AUA) applauds the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans' Affairs for holding a hearing today on H.R. 6092, the Veteran's Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act. The AUA announced its support for this important legislation upon its March 2020 introduction by Representatives Neal Dunn (R-FL-3) and Joe Cunningham (D-SC-1) and submitted a statement for the record to the Committee in advance of today's hearing.

H.R. 6092 supports the development and implementation of a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care program focused on coordinated and comprehensive care for veterans with prostate cancer.

The National Institutes of Health reports that prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the VHA. The American Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed; in 2020 alone, nearly 192,000 men will be diagnosed and more than 33,000 will die from the disease.

At present, there is no national clinical pathway for prostate cancer care within the VHA. The VHA has unparalleled systems and data resources and is uniquely capable of creating a true learning health care system to tackle its most common cancer diagnosis  leading to models that have the potential to affect all men  especially those most at risk.

"There are no quality measures yet aimed at prostate cancer care, nor are there national implementation programs to ensure optimal prostate cancer care for our nation's veterans," AUA Public Policy Chair Dr. Eugene Rhee said in the statement. "The establishment of a clinical pathway will standardize treatment options and improve results for patients."

"The AUA believes the VHA is positioned to not only deliver the highest quality prostate cancer care in the country, but also to lead the rapid generation of new research and optimal method of care delivery."

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has nearly 23,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

SOURCE American Urological Association
With yearling season upon the harness racing industry, and many states still implementing COVID-19 protocols and restrictions, many horse owners and trainers will look to the world wide web for solutions to quarantine issues and alternatives to 'being there.'

The sales companies and auctions have been forced to take the lead in this electronic leap of faith, placing their annual offerings on an online platform so that buyers can feel safe and secure while still participating and bidding on the horse sale.

This has been no simple task, as many horsemen and women still want to inspect horses in person. To aid in this process, many top consignors and agents have added inspection videos with walking and conformation shots to their paddock action videos. However, the key to online bidding success may not rest solely with the end users browser and speed of web connection, but also the platform in which the sale in presented.

The Ohio Selected Jug Sale has aligned itself with one of the pioneers in online bidding management, CCI.live, which is owned and operated by longtime auction expert Christy Collins.

Collins was born and raised near Frederick, Oklahoma on a family farming and cattle business that has been in operation since 1903.

"I grew up watching my mother put together sale catalogues at the kitchen table, and I remember having to sit at the side of the picture pen, when I was little, watching them take the sale photos for the annual production sales. My job on sale day was to be on my horse and wave to the people when they came up the drive.

Today, Christy continues to represent and market livestock all over the United States, primarily through her bidding platform, which successfully partners with dozens of auctions each month.

We are not originally computer people. We understand the auction business as well as breeding stock because we are also the owners and operators of a cattle farm, Collins noted.

This platform was born out of the necessity of phone bidding and the exponential growth of our industry. We just could not hire enough people to work the phone lines during the auction, so we built this platform to meet the increased demand.

Having invested considerable time and resources into the project, in September 2017, CCI.live was launched as a 'first of its kind' live bidding and sale day management service that allows registered users to view, bid and buy livestock during traditional live auction formats, with an auctioneer.

This platform was not developed because of COVID concerns. We have been successfully enhancing auction sales for years.

This system provides a secure and reliable bidding experience. The platform is user friendly for the buyer and simplifies sale registration. An auction is viewable on any mobile device, tablet or desktop.

We have created a system that is state of the art with the fastest capabilities, backed by the knowledge that I have accrued over the past 20 years in the business, Collins stated.

I created this system, primarily to be of benefit, not only for the buyer, but also for the sale managers and the sellers. This new application will simplify auction day sale management by a large degree. It will help sale companies, buyers and breeders alike. It has taken several years, but we have finally created the perfect auction day management tool!

This is not a flash-based app, but a website driven platform that works seamlessly on any device. In fact, over 80 per cent of users are utilizing mobile phones.

Bidding and driving is not recommended, Collins adds. Not only is that dangerous, but the necessity of a strong, consistent internet connection is key.

And, the process is simple. Register, watch the auction and press the bid button. Thats it.

The audio and video of the auction is as close to real time as you can get, operating at a latency speed in the milliseconds on the asking price. There is less than a three-second delay in most instances.

But, along with a sound and robust bidding platform, the user must also have their technological affairs in order.

First time online buyers may assume this is like an EBay sale they may not realize that it is live. It is no different than sitting on the bleachers at the sale. They must act quickly. Collins stated. Be sure to register early, and remember your user name and password.

And dont let children hold the phone while the auction is in progress.

Savvy bidders will want to check their devices and connectivity early to ensure that they are comfortable with how bids are entered and ultimately accepted. But that is only half the battle, as your web browser could have a dramatic effect upon your connectivity.

The browser battle has been raging almost as long as the internet has existed, according to Michael Muchmore, PC Magazines lead analyst for software and web applications.

Chrome dominates this landscape hands down, and claims nearly 70 per cent of the browser market. Safari is the 'go-to' browser within iOS (Apple) products, and can handle these online platforms seamlessly. Mozilla Firefox is quite capable, and had led the pack within the open source browser market. Microsoft Edge has practically replaced Internet Explorer, which is already antiquated with the sun setting on legacy support shortly.

In all these instances it is imperative to ensure that whatever browser you are comfortable with, that the software is up-to-date with the latest version available.

Simply put, this is a 'phone bidding' application through the internet. CCI.live does not collect any money. All the successful bidders must settle with the sales office.

To register for the Ohio Selected Jug Sale, click here.

(Ohio Harness Horse Breeders)
T he Government has announced the latest updates in its advice to British travellers.

Arrivals from another four countries will be required to self-isolate from Saturday after Portugal and three other new additions were made to the quarantine list.

However, the catalogue of lower-risk "travel corridors" has also seen a new entry  with Sweden set to enjoy the benefits of an air bridge with the UK.

So what do the latest changes mean? And how might they affect your plans abroad?

Which countries have been removed from England's travel-safe list?

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Thursday that Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion will removed from the travel corridor list, along with mainland Portugal  the Azores islands and Madeira are not included.

Arrivals in England from any of those destinations after 4am on Saturday will have to self-isolate for 14 days.

However, Sweden will now be added to safe list, meaning people arriving from the Scandinavian country on Saturday will no longer be required to quarantine.

Arrivals from Sweden will no longer need to self-isolate / AFP via Getty Images

What about Scotland and Wales?

Travellers arriving in Scotland from Hungary and Reunion must quarantine on arrival from 4am on Saturday, the Scottish Government said.

Sweden will also be added to the list of travel corridors at the same time.

Meanwhile, Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething said they were also bringing in a self-isolation rule for arrivals from Hungary and Reunion, and lifting the requirement for any passengers from Sweden.

He said the Welsh regulations will also come into force at 4am on Saturday.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

And Northern Ireland?

The Northern Ireland Executive has also announced that from Saturday people arriving from Portugal (excluding Madeira and the Azores), Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

They are also adding Sweden to their safe-list from 4am on Saturday.

Health Minister Robin Swann said: There is no doubt that the situation with Covid-19 is not only changing rapidly locally, but also globally. As always the safety of the citizens of Northern Ireland will always be my priority.

Why are restrictions being imposed on mainland Portugal but not its islands?

Mr Shapps said England will start applying a regional approach to its coronavirus quarantine policy for international arrivals.

In a statement to the Commons on Monday, Mr Shapps said islands can now be individually added to or removed from Englands quarantine-free list.

This means that island groups can be treated separately from their mainlands  in both lowering and lifting of restrictions.

What is the islands policy and how will this affect travellers?

Why has the approach to international travel changed?

The Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) has been commissioned to assess the most popular island destinations for British tourists.

Through the use of enhanced data we will now be able to pinpoint risk in some of the most popular islands, providing increased flexibility to add or remove them  distinct from the mainland  as infection rates change, Mr Shapps said.

This development will help boost the UKs travel industry while continuing to maintain maximum protection to public health, keeping the travelling public safe.

Can regions within a countrys mainland be added and removed?

The Department for Transport said it is not safe to implement a fully regional system for international travel corridors because there can be too much movement between regions within countries.

However, it said that where a region has natural boundaries  like an island  there is a reduction in the risks, so changes will only apply to land that has a clear border and robust, reliable and internationally comparable data is available.

The island must also have direct flights to the UK, or transport must have taken place through exempt territories.

Ive got a holiday booked to a country that is not on the travel corridor list  what should I do?

The Foreign Office advises British nationals against all but essential travel to the countries that have not been declared travel corridors.

In England, those who still decide to travel to one of these countries must self-isolate for 14 days upon their return or risk a fine of up to 1,000, and of up to 3,200 if they falsify details on their contact-tracing form.

Scotland is issuing fixed penalty notices of 480 for those who fail to quarantine, while Wales will also fine travellers up to 1,000 if they refuse to comply with the rules.

My holiday destination still has no self-isolation requirement, will that change?

Those who head to a country on the travel corridor list must keep a close eye on their respective governments announcements to ensure their destinations status does not change while they are abroad.

Some tourists have had to pay hundreds of pounds to change to earlier flights in order to make it back before the quarantine requirement comes into force.

The UK Government and the devolved administrations make their decisions based on the fluctuating rate of transmission rates in each foreign country. Scotland has already warned that Gibraltar is on the verge of losing its travel-safe status.

What about employers whose employees have to quarantine after their trips?

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has previously said no worker following quarantine guidance should be penalised by employers, including by being put on sick pay.

He said that if someone is following the law in relation to quarantine and self-isolating, they cant have penalties taken against them.

The Government is urging employers to be understanding of those returning from these destinations who now will need to self-isolate, he DfT said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford stands in front of a selection of his cabinet ministers during a joint press conference with Quebec Premier Francois Legault at the Ontario-Quebec Summit, in Toronto on Sept. 9, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)

Ford Accuses Ottawa of Failing to Enforce Quarantine Orders in Ontario

OTTAWAOntario Premier Doug Ford says the quarantine system is broken because federal health officers are not charging people ignoring self-isolation orders for COVID-19.

Since the end of March, an emergency order under the federal Quarantine Act has required most people arriving from outside Canada to isolate themselves for 14 days, even if they dont have symptoms. Only a fraction of border-crossers are ordered to quarantine, while the rest are exempt as essential workers, such as truck drivers, front-line health staff, or airline crew.

Essential workers must not work with anyone over the age of 65 for at least two weeks, and must wear masks if they cant physically distance from others.

If someone breaches a quarantine order, federal quarantine officers can lay charges with penalties of up to six months in jail and fines of $750,000, while police can issue tickets of up to $1,000.

Between March 25 and Sept. 3, police have been asked to check on the whereabouts of 87,338 people ordered to quarantine. Data provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada lists zero arrests for ignoring a quarantine order, one summons to appear in court, and 42 police-issued tickets.

However, Ford says Ontario police checks have uncovered 622 quarantine-order scofflaws and is frustrated about the lack of federal charges.

The system is broken, he said Wednesday. I need the help from the federal government to make an amendment or change it. Why have our police go around and checking to see if people are quarantining if they arent going to follow up with a charge?

A spokesman for Ontario Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said police have to answer for why they arent issuing more tickets.

A statement issued by federal Health Minister Patty Hajdus office did not directly address the lack of charges of being laid.

The rules are clear: those who contravene the mandatory requirements may be subject to a range of enforcement measures, from verbal and written warnings, to fines and arrest, the statement said. We will continue to work with the government of Ontario to protect Canadians.

Specifically, federal data shows RCMP issued 27 tickets, the Ontario Provincial Police issued 14 tickets, Sarnia Police Service ticketed one person, and the Barrie Police Service ticketed three. In 35 cases, the fine was the maximum $1,000, while five $500 fines and two $275 fines were levied.

The OPP have at times publicized the tickets, including two seniors ticketed near Fort Frances, Ont., in July after crossing into Canada from Minnesota and stopping at stores after being told to go straight to their property and stay there for two weeks. Two other seniors were ticketed by the OPP in North Bay, Ont. on July 9, after arriving from Florida to go to their summer cottage and failing to quarantine for two weeks.

The Public Health Agency of Canada did not provide information about the one summons to appear in court.

The compliance system is in the hands of multiple agencies, with Canada Border Services Agency officers issuing the quarantine orders when people arrive at the border, and in that process identifying to the Public Health Agency of Canada people they believe to be at highest risk of ignoring the orders.

Health officers will use phone calls or emails to check in with those people. If health officers are concerned someone is ignoring an order, they will ask the RCMP to physically verify the compliance, and the RCMP either do the check or pass it on to a local police agency.

A statement from the RCMP in April said officers will use a risk-based, measured approach to non-compliance, focusing on education and encouragement and that arrests would be a measure of last resort.

By Mia Rabson
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has revealed that he drinks cow urine every day for ayurvedic reasons.

The actor, who is currently shooting in Scotland for his upcoming film "BellBottom" with Huma Qureshi and Lara Dutta Bhupathi, joined British adventurer and host Bear Grylls for an Instagram Live, to talk about going on a jungle adventure with him.

When Huma asked Akshay how he convinced himself to drink elephant poop tea on the show, Akshay said: "I wasn't worried. I was too excited to be worried. I have cow urine because of ayurvedic reasons every day, so that was okay." Akshay went on a wild adventure across Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka with popular British adventurer and host Grylls to shoot an episode of "Into the Wild with Bear Grylls", which will premiere on Discovery+ on September 11.

Akshay also confessed that doing an episode with Grylls was a "highlight for him".

In the Instagram Live session, Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh dropped many comments -- wishing Akshay a belated happy birthday, complimenting his moustache and also his hoodie.

Akshay revealed that the moustache is for his upcoming project "BellBottom", adding that his family is not a fan of his new look.

During the conversation, Grylls also shared that he did not know Akshay personally, and after meeting him, he realised that he was a "fun guy with no ego". He also appreciated Akshay for his fitness, saying: "Out of all the guests we have had over the years, he is definitely Tier-1." Huma then asked if they plan on working again, to which Grylls said: "It will be great to do something else with him. Maybe another show."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A conservative Republican named by Donald Trump as a possible pick for the Supreme Court has doubled down on his opposition to abortion and said it is time to scrap a historic ruling that for decades has protected a womans right to choose.

 Tom Cotton says US should ban Chinese students

On Wednesday, in what was widely interpreted as a sop to social conservatives and evangelical Christians, the president announced 20 potential justices for the top court, who he claimed would preserve Americas founding principles.

On the list were three Republican senators - Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Tom Cotton of Arkansas. Mr Hawley said in a Twitter post he has no interest in such an appointment.

However, both Mr Cruz and Mr Cotton said they were moved to be considered for such a position.

Im honoured that president Trump asked me to consider serving on the Supreme Court and Im grateful for his confidence. I will always heed the call of service to our nation, said Mr Cotton.

The Supreme Court could use some more justices who understand the difference between applying the law and making the law, which the court does when it invents a right to an abortion, infringes on religious freedom, and erodes the Second Amendment.

Later, he added on Twitter: It's time for Roe v Wade to go.

He was referring to a 1973 ruling by the Supreme Court that since then has been used by womens rights campaigners and others to ensure access to a legal abortion.

Over the years it has been something of a litmus test for potential Supreme Court candidates when being quizzed by Democrats during confirmation heatings as to whether they would defend and observe the judgement.

It has also been a constant target of attack for those opposed to abortion.

When Mr Trump was running for president, he vowed to appoint judges who would automatically overturn Roe v Wade. He has since somewhat modified his opinion, saying two years ago the issue ought to be left up to individual states to decide.

It has been at the state level that anti-abortion activists have had their most success, pushing through laws in places such as Mississippi and Kentucky that make it more difficult for women to obtain the service.

Mr Trump, who has appointed two conservative justices to the court - Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - is keen to lock down his base ahead of the election. In 2016, he secured the backing of 85 per cent of white evangelicals.

Mr Cotton, 43, from Arkansas, was elected to the Senate in 2014 and has long positioned himself as an opponent of abortion.

Earlier this year, he spoke on the floor of the Senate in support of a bill that would have stopped abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The first bill we're considering, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, when there is clear scientific evidence that these young babies can feel pain in their mother's womb, he claimed.

Mr Cruz is also a staunch opponent of abortion.

It's humbling and an immense honour to be considered for the Supreme Court, he said. There is no greater responsibility in public service than to support and defend the constitution of the United States.

Supporters of abortion rights denounced Mr Trumps list of names.

NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue said the shortlist painted an alarming picture of his dark vision for the future of this country.

Make no mistake, this should terrify anyone invested in the integrity of the court and in the fundamental rights and freedoms that we hold dear, she said.

We know that an intent to gut Roe v Wade is an explicit litmus test for Trump judicial nominees as the administration seeks to halt progress and advance its broader agenda of power and control."

She added: Appointing judges with blatant disregard for the precedent of Roe poses an imminent threat to the future of reproductive freedom in this country.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The police chief of Connecticuts largest city resigned Thursday hours after being arrested on federal charges that he teamed with Bridgeports personnel director to rig the hiring process to ensure he got the job two years ago.

Mayor Joe Ganim said that Chief Armando A.J. Perez resigned and that he named Assistant Chief Rebeca Garcia as acting chief after federal prosecutors in New York and FBI officials in Connecticut announced the arrests of Perez and David Dunn, the citys acting personnel director.

Perez, 64, of Trumbull, Connecticut, and Dunn, 72, of Stratford, Connecticut, were each charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and with making false statements to investigators.

Both appeared via video before a federal judge in Bridgeport and were allowed to remain free on $150,000 bail. They did not enter pleas.

Messages seeking comment were left with Perez and his lawyer, Robert Frost Jr. Dunns lawyer, Frederick Paoletti, declined to comment. Their next court date is Sept. 24.

A criminal complaint alleged Perez and Dunn defrauded the city of 144,000 people by rigging the 2018 police chief examination to put Perez in position to secure the post as head of a police department with an annual budget of over $100 million and more than 400 officers.

The previous police chief had resigned in March 2016.

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in New York City said the men corrupted what was supposed to be an impartial and objective search for a permanent police chief and then repeatedly lied to federal agents in order to conceal their conduct.

According to a criminal complaint in Connecticut, Dunn gave confidential examination materials in advance to Perez, including the grading criteria and oral examination questions, and tailored the scoring criteria in Perezs favour. Perez, investigators said, also had two police officers secretly take the written exam for him.

Dunn also instructed officials to eliminate a scoring penalty imposed if the candidates did not have a bachelors degree, the complaint said. Perez was the only applicant without one, authorities said.

The manoeuvrs were designed to ensure that Perez, who had been with the police department nearly four decades, was ranked among the top three candidates and could thus qualify to be awarded a five-year contract as chief, the complaint said.

The terms of his contract included a $300,000 payout for accrued leave and an annual salary of about $145,000, the complaint said.

Perez and Dunn both were voluntarily interviewed during the FBIs investigation, but they lied to agents to conceal what they did to corrupt the examination process, the complaint said.

Dunn, according to investigators, falsely denied that he told a member of the panel ranking the chief candidates that the mayor wanted Perez to be among the top three candidates.

The panelist, who was not identified in the complaint, told investigators that Dunns comment about the mayor was totally inappropriate and did not influence the rankings.

Ganims chief of staff told Dunn that the mayor had said the police chief testing must be conducted professionally, fairly and timely, as required by the city charter.

The complaint did not allege any involvement in the scheme by Ganim, who returned to office in 2015 after serving prison time for corruption.

Ganim did not directly respond to the allegations in the complaint.

Certainly theres a grappling for some of the answers as to what has happened, disappointment, uncertainty, Ganim said in a Facebook video. But I can tell you this, that the members of this administration remain committed to you as residents of this city ... to public safety as a top priority.

Ganim, a close friend of Perezs, served nearly seven years in prison himself after he was convicted of corruption for steering city contracts in exchange for private gifts during his first tenure of Bridgeport mayor, which ran from 1991 until his resignation in 2003.

He was released from prison in 2010 and elected mayor again in 2015, after apologizing and asking residents for a second chance.

___

Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.
Scindia had snapped 2-decade-long ties with Congress to join BJP along with his loyalists in March

Bhopal: BJP on Thursday blew beguile for the upcoming by-elections in 27 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia launching a joint poll campaign in the Chambal region.

The outcome of the by-polls in the 27 assembly seats, expected to be held by end of October this year, may decide fate of Shivraj government as well as the political future of scion of erstwhile Gwalior royal family Mr Scindia.

The two leaders jointly addressed a series of public meetings at Damini and Ambha under Morena district on the occasion of the launch of a number of development programmes for Chambal region in MP.

While Mr Chouhan reeled out the measures undertaken by his 5-month-old government to uplift the poor particularly the farmers in the state, Mr Scindia launched a diatribe against previous Kamal Nath government for going back on its promise to waive farm loans to the peasants.

Congress had declared to waive crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh of each farmer within ten days of coming to power in the state. But, former chief minister Kamal Nath had conveniently forgotten the pledge made to the peasants during his 15-month-rule in the state, Mr Scindia thundered.

As many as 16 of the 27 assembly seats that are going to by-elections in coming days fall in Gwalior-Chambal region, considered the pocket borough of the Scindia dynasty.

Scindia had instigated a revolt against Mr Nath in March this year by asking his 22 loyalists to resign from the assembly as well as Congress to pull down the Kamal Nath government.

Scindia had snapped 2-decade-long ties with Congress to join BJP along with his loyalists in March.

He may get the opportunity to redeem his position in state politics by helping BJP win assembly seats in his area of influence.

Similarly, the ruling BJP which has a strength of 114 in the 230-member assembly may find a challenging task to ensure stability of its government in the state if the party did not fare well in the assembly by-polls.

Strength of Congress in the house has reduced to 89 following resignation of 25 party MLAs in the last five months.

Two other assembly seats have fallen vacant following the death of their sitting MLAs.
Volunteers sort items at an Orange County food bank in April 2020. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Tens of thousands of low-income California seniors stopped receiving home deliveries of free food just as COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state were peaking, thanks to a century-old federal policy to include surplus cheese in government aid packages.

As the coronavirus began to spread in March and Gov. Gavin Newsom called on millions of seniors to self-isolate, these needy Californians initially were able to have a box of dried food delivered to their homes each month at no cost because federal regulators granted a state request to temporarily waive certain rules governing the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.

The three-month exemption allowed food banks to remove cheese  the only perishable item in the boxes  and then use private companies or volunteers to deliver the monthly aid to clients' homes, rather than require vulnerable seniors to pick them up during the pandemic. Several aid groups relied on Amazon.com and others who agreed to deliver the boxes for free.

But in July, the federal waiver ended and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials refused to extend it, meaning cheese must again be included and, more problematically, refrigerated in transit.

California saw an immediate 30% drop in the number of seniors receiving their monthly food aid through the program. State data show 40,000 fewer California seniors received food in July than in June, with the majority living in Los Angeles County, Orange County and the Bay Area.

Now we don't have food [boxes] for two months, said Danh Luu, 56, of Santa Ana, who lives with and cares for his mother, Nghiep T. Nguyen, 81.

Luu has polio and can't lift more than a few pounds, so he's unable to pick up his mother's package. In the past, he was able to rely on friends or volunteers to pick it up at the food bank and bring it to their home.

Before the pandemic, it was easy to ask someone to help us. But now they're afraid of disease, Luu said.

For three months, they benefited from the USDA waiver, which allowed their box to be delivered directly to their home. He said they used the food to supplement most meals, with the canned meat being his mother's favorite.

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In July, the deliveries ended. "We miss it," said Luu.

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank blamed the discontinuation of home deliveries for a 45% decline in the number of its senior clients who received food between June and July, when participants were told they would have to resume in-person collection of the packages.

A lot didn't come, our sense is, because they are worried about coming outside, food bank President Michael Flood said. It's putting the seniors in this difficult dilemma.

The drop held steady in August, he said.

At the same time, overall demand spiked at food banks across the country as several states, including California, scrambled to cope with a wave of COVID-19 infections.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program, sometimes called the senior box program, serves more than 600,000 people nationally older than 60 with incomes of less than 130% of the federal poverty level. That's $16,588 for a senior living alone or $22,412 for a couple.

Each month, more than 120,000 California seniors in the program receive a box of shelf-stable food, which includes a variety of canned meats, fruits and vegetables, rice, beans, powdered milk and peanut butter.

But under federal rules, the boxes must also contain 2 pounds of cheese, the lone item needing refrigeration.

For decades, what's often derided as "government cheese" has played a role in most federal food aid programs. Seeking to stabilize the dairy industry in the 1940s, the government began buying surplus dairy products and distributing the glut through school lunches and other aid programs. It reached a peak in the 1980s and 90s, but remains a major component of food assistance today.

USDA officials defended the decision to end the cheese waiver in July, noting it was always intended to be temporary.

The waiver was granted to give the state time to find a way to deliver the cheese, USDA spokeswoman Mary Kay Gominger said.

"The cheese is a critical part of the food package," she said.

But Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) said any nutritional value of cheese is not a benefit if people can't get the food at all."

Schiff and Reps. Gil Cisneros (D-Yorba Linda) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley Village) joined other members of California's congressional delegation in signing a letter Sept. 4 urging Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to grant California's request for continued flexibility so deliveries can resume.

"We have the availability of food for our seniors and the means of getting the food to their homes. Please continue your efforts to ensure that our seniors do not have to risk their health to overcome their hunger," the letter states.

In addition to leaving out the perishable cheese, lawmakers want to temporarily waive the USDA rule that recipients personally accept the package and show identification. That would allow delivery companies to leave the box on a porch or stoop if no one answers the door. Both are department regulations, not legal requirements.

It seems like a ridiculous requirement when were trying to help seniors  help them get through this pandemic, Cisneros said.

The USDA rejected the state's request to extend the waiver Sept. 10, stating that "allowing states to consistently issue food packages without a key component, such as cheese, is not appropriate for a long-term distribution model," according to an email the state sent food banks participating in the program.

In addition, USDA officials complained that food banks in California  which they said was the only state to use third-party companies to deliver food  "substantially exceeded" their authorized limit of food boxes distributed under the program during the three-month period. They said that suggested third-party companies had delivered to the wrong addresses.

Schiff said he suspects federal regulators are bowing to pressure from the dairy industry.

But Matt Herrick, a senior vice president at the International Dairy Foods Assn., which represents U.S. dairy processors, said he was unaware of the problem until alerted by The Times. He suggested the industry would be open to continued flexibility during the pandemic.

"This is a challenging time for many, and dairy producers and processors want to do everything we can to help ensure food security for those in need. And that may require additional creativity and the appropriate flexibility by the government agencies that oversee these programs to ensure food is reaching people in need without creating impediments," Herrick said.

Paul Ash, executive director of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, said the requested changes would be temporary. The food bank saw a 44% drop in food boxes getting to seniors between June and July, he said.

I dont think that theres any desire to see cheese go away, Ash said. Were always happy to take more cheese when the USDA has it.

We dont want to be in the delivery business for the long run, trust me. Our perfect world is not delivery through Amazon or through volunteers, he said.

Wed like to get back to where we were, Ash said. We dont want to do this forever, and Amazon is not going to continue to do this for free. Its just too costly.

Since mid-March, Amazon has delivered more than 8 million meals from food banks in more than 25 cities nationwide without contact between the driver and client, according to Seema Ramchandani, who works on the company's disaster relief team. But only California food banks asked it to deliver food to seniors through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.

Its untenable to ask Amazon and other delivery companies to jump through so many hoops, such as refrigerating boxes and checking recipients' identification, said Gregory Scott, president of the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, which he said has seen a 34% drop in seniors receiving the boxes since the waiver ended.

USDA has to understand the impact this is having, he added.
IMPPA, in a statement, asked why Kangana Ranaut was not summoned for a reply before BMC decided to carry out the demolition work.

The Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association has come out in support of Kangana Ranaut. In a press release, IMPAA criticised the Shiv Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for demolishing the "illegal alterations" at the actor's Bandra bungalow.

The association's president TP Aggarwal said, "All these things are neither good for the government nor good for Kangana Ranaut. The action taken by the Maharashtra government or BMC is absolutely wrong and should be condemned."

Aggarwal also asked why the actor was not summoned for a reply before BMC decided to carry out the demolition work. Ranaut's lawyers had approached the Bombay High Court on Wednesday to challenge the notice issued by the Mumbai civic body, but BMC had already razed the structure.

He, however, criticised the actor for the comments she made following the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. Aggarwal said Ranaut should have not spoken about nepotism as it is intrinsic to every profession, not just the film industry. Her claims that the entire Hindi film industry habitually uses drugs is "stopping the funds coming into the industry," he added.

In reference to the verbal exchange between Ranaut and Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut, Aggarwal said both parties spoke wrongly, but "we should not use swear words for any lady." He also urged them to come to a resolution.

Ranaut, who has been given Y-plus category security from the Centre, landed in Mumbai on 9 September, where she was met with black flags and slogans from protesting Shiv Sena workers. But there was support too from workers of the RPI (A) and Karni Sena, who also gathered at the airport.

She shared a video message on Twitter addressed Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, saying his "ego will be destroyed" the way her Bandra home was demolished.

(Also read  Demolition at Kangana Ranaut's bungalow: Activists slam BMC for 'selective' action against illegal construction)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to alleviate fears of flying during the pandemic at an event with airline and rental car executives.The airplanes have just not been vectors when you see spread of the coronavirus, DeSantis said during a discussion at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Aug. 28. The evidence is the evidence. And I think it's something that is safe for people to do.

Is the evidence really so clear?

DeSantis' claim that airplanes have not been vectors for the spread of the coronavirus is untrue, according to experts. A vector spreads the virus from location to location, and airplanes have ferried infected passengers across geographies, making COVID-19 outbreaks more difficult to contain. Joseph Allen, an associate professor of exposure assessment science at Harvard University called airplanes excellent vectors for viral spread in a press call.

In context, DeSantis seemed to be making a point about the safety of flying on a plane rather than the role airplanes played in spreading the virus from place to place.

When we contacted the governor's office for evidence to back up DeSantis' comments, press secretary Cody McCloud didn't produce any studies or statistics. Instead, he cited the Florida Department of Health's contact tracing program, writing that it has not yielded any information that would suggest any patients have been infected while travelling on a commercial aircraft.

Florida's contact tracing program has been mired in controversy over reports that it is understaffed and ineffective. For instance, CNN called 27 Floridians who tested positive for COVID-19 and found that only five had been contacted by health authorities. (The Florida Department of Health did not respond to requests for an interview.)

In the absence of reliable data, we decided to ask the experts about the possibility of contracting the virus while on a flight. On the whole, airplanes on their own provide generally safe environments when it comes to air quality, but experts said the risk for infection depends largely on policies airlines may have in place regarding passenger seating, masking and boarding time.

So how safe is air travel?

According to experts, the risk of catching the coronavirus on a plane is relatively low if the airline is following the procedures laid out by public health experts: enforcing mask compliance, spacing out available seats and screening for sick passengers.

If you look at the science across all diseases, you see few outbreaks on planes, Allen said. It's not the hotbed of infectivity that people think it is.

Airlines frequently note that commercial planes are equipped with HEPA filters, the Centers for Disease Control-recommended air filters used in hospital isolation rooms. HEPA filters capture 99.97% of airborne particles and substantially reduce the risk of viral spread. In addition, the air in plane cabins is completely changed over 10 to 12 times per hour, raising the air quality above that of a normal building.

Because of the high air exchange rate, it's unlikely you'll catch the coronavirus from someone several rows away. However, you could still catch the virus from someone close by.

The greatest risk in flight would be if you happen to draw the short straw and sit next to or in front, behind or across the aisle from an infector, said Richard Corsi, who studies indoor air pollution and is the dean of engineering at Portland State University.

It's also important to note that airplanes' high-powered filtration systems aren't sufficient on their own to prevent outbreaks. If an airline isn't keeping middle seats open or vigilantly enforcing mask use, flying can actually be rather dangerous. Currently, the domestic airlines keeping middle seats open include Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest and JetBlue.

The reason for this is that infected people send viral particles into the air at a faster rate than the airplanes flush them out of the cabin. Whenever you cough, talk or breathe, you're sending out droplets, said Qingyan Chen, professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University. These droplets are in the cabin all the time.

This makes additional protective measures such as mask-wearing all the more necessary.

Chen cited two international flights from earlier stages of the pandemic where infection rates varied depending on mask use. On the first flight, no passengers were wearing masks, and a single passenger infected 14 people as the plane traveled from London to Hanoi, Vietnam. On the second flight, from Singapore to Hangzhou in China, all passengers were wearing face masks. Although 15 passengers were Wuhan residents with either suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, the only man infected en route had loosened his mask mid-flight and had been sitting close to four Wuhan residents who later tested positive for the virus.

Traveling is still a danger

Even though flying is a relatively low-risk activity, traveling should still be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Anything that puts you in contact with more people is going to increase your risk, said Cindy Prins, a clinical associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions. If you compare it to just staying at home and quick trips to the grocery store, you'd have to put it above that level of risk.

The real danger of traveling isn't the flight itself. However, going through security and waiting at the gate for your plane to dock are both likely to put you in close contact with people and increase your chances of contracting the virus. In addition, boarding  when the plane's ventilation system is not running and people are unable to stay distanced from one another  is one of the riskiest parts of the travel process. Minimizing this time period is important to reduce exposure, wrote Corsi. Get to your seat with your mask on and sit down as quickly as possible.

Viral outbreaks related to planes

All in all, it's too early to determine how much person-to-person transmission has occurred on plane flights.

Julian Tang, an honorary associate professor in the Department of Respiratory Sciences at the University of Leicester in England, said he is aware of several clusters of infection related to air travel. However, it is challenging to prove that people have caught the virus on a flight.

Someone who presents with COVID-19 symptoms several days after arriving at their destination could have been infected at home before arriving at the airport, whilst at the airport or on the flight  or even on arrival at their destination airport  because everyone has a variable incubation period for COVID-19, Tang said.

Katherine Estep, a spokesperson for Airlines for America, a U.S.-focused industry trade group, said the CDC has not confirmed any cases of transmission onboard a U.S. airline.

The absence of confirmed transmission is not necessarily evidence that fliers are safe. Instead, the lack of data reflects the fact that the U.S. has a higher infection rate relative to other countries, said Chen. Since the U.S. has so many confirmed cases, it's more difficult to determine exactly where somebody contracted the virus. 
Michigan residents without college degrees whove worked through the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for tuition-free community college, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday morning.

The Future for Frontliners program, initially announced by the governor in April, is open to workers without an associate or bachelors degree who were deemed essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To be eligible, workers must have worked at least part-time for 11 of the 13 weeks between April 1 and June 30 and were required by their job to work outside their home at least some of the time.

The program is funded by $24 million from the Governors Education Emergency Relief, part of the federal funding Michigan received from the CARES Act, according to a press release from the governors office. The state estimates 625,000 workers could be eligible for the program.

During a Thursday press conference, Whitmer said the health care workers, janitors, custodians, grocery store workers and others who continued risking exposure to COVID-19 through the pandemic for their job have earned the opportunity to further their education. She said the program was modeled after the federal GI Bill covering education costs for military service members.

These men and women have emerged as real heroes in the midst of this pandemic, Whitmer said. And yet we know its a lot more important that we actually treat them as the heroes they are, not just call them heroes.

Educators, union officials and business leaders praised the program Thursday. Michigan Manufacturers Association President and CEO John Walsh said the program would recognize and reward workers for their efforts and help upskill our workers to meet the needs of the 21st-century economy."

Rachel Hurst, corporate affairs manager for Kroger, said the company employs nearly 20,000 front-line associates and praised their unwavering commitment during these unprecedented times.

Were excited for them to have the opportunity to continue secondary education with the financial support of the Futures for Frontliners program, she said.

Applications for the program are due 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31. More information is available at https://www.michigan.gov/frontliners.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/.

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Independent presidential candidate Kanye West is fighting to get back on the ballot in Virginia after a judge threw him off last week, urging the state's highest court to weigh in quickly because ballots are already being printed and absentee voting starts next week.

Attorneys for the rapper-entrepreneur filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Virginia late on Tuesday, seeking to overturn Thursday's Richmond Circuit Court ruling that found the West campaign had tricked some voters into helping him get on the ballot.

Ballots will be printed soon and may already be being printed in some Virginia counties, so resolution of this case is essential by on or before September 18 2020, West's attorneys wrote to the Supreme Court in a motion for expedited consideration.

In-person absentee voting begins on 18 September and the state faces a 19 September deadline to mail absentee ballots, which are in high demand this year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

State Department of Elections spokeswoman Andrea Gaines said the department does not comment on pending litigation. She confirmed that some localities have started printing their ballots.

Fairfax County, with nearly 770,000 registered voters, has been printing ballots without Mr West's name, county spokesman Brian Worthy said Wednesday. It was unclear what would happen to those ballots if Mr West's appeal succeeds.

An outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, Mr West could act as a spoiler in swing states by drawing black voters away from Joe Biden. Republican operatives and lawyers have supported Mr West's efforts in at least a half-dozen states.

Mr West has been ousted from the ballot in several other states because of deficient paperwork. Last month, Virginia's Board of Elections found that he had met the requirements for the ballot: his team had gathered 5,000 petition signatures - at least 200 of them from each congressional district - and pledges from 13 voters to support him as electors.

Marc E Elias and other attorneys at the nationally prominent Democratic firm Perkins Coie represented two voters who brought the Virginia lawsuit last week, claiming that Mr West's campaign had tricked them into signing up as electors.

The BakerHostetler lawyers who filed Mr West's appeal, Trevor Stanley and Mark Braden, have extensive ties to the Republican Party, Charlotte Gomer, spokeswoman for Democratic attorney general Mark Herring, said on Wednesday in a news release about the appeal. She noted that the lawyers had represented the Republican Party of Virginia in the spring, when it opposed a change to absentee voting requirements.

Stanley and Braden did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

In a hearing on Thursday, Richmond Circuit Court Judge Joi Jeter Taylor found that 11 of the elector oaths were obtained by improper, fraudulent and/or misleading means, or are otherwise invalid because of irregularities related to how they were notarised.

In the appeal, Mr West's lawyers contend that Ms Taylor erred, in part because the campaign had little time to arrange for witnesses or otherwise prepare for the hearing, which was held two days after the suit was filed. Mr Herring's office had requested an expedited hearing because of looming deadlines for printing and mailing ballots.

The Washington Post
Photo for illustration (Source: baodautu.vn)

The flight was organized by Vietnamese agencies, the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, Vietnam Airlines and relevant Russian agencies.



Passengers on the flight are mainly graduates without accommodations.

The Vietnamese Embassy sent its staff to the airport to help them dealt with procedures before boarding.

Right after landing at Cam Ranh International Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa, all passengers and crew members underwent medical examinations, and are sent to concentrated quarantine sites.

In the coming time, more flight will be organized by Vietnamese authorities and overseas missions to bring Vietnamese citizens home, depending on their desire to return and quarantine capacity at home./.
Scottish-born banker Jane Fraser has been appointed head of Citigroup, becoming the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank.

The 53-year, who enjoys a reputation as a straight talker, will replace Michael Corbat in February.

I have worked with Jane for many years and am proud to have her succeed me, Mr Corbat said in a statement.

With her leadership, experience and values, I know she will make an outstanding CEO.

Ms Frasers elevation had reportedly been anticipated within the banking industry, given her status as a high-flyer who was appointed Citigroups president last year. Nevertheless, in an environment that has very few senior women executives, the announcement was widely celebrated.

Citigroup also saw its share price rise one per cent as news spread.

Great news for the company and for women everywhere, tweeted Bank of America Corp operations and technology chief Cathy Bessant.

A big and fantastic moment.

Ms Fraser said in a statement: I am honoured by the Boards decision and grateful to Mike for his leadership and support. The way our team has come together during this pandemic shows what Citi is made of."

Ms Fraser, who was born in St Andrews and studied economics at Cambridge University, first worked at Goldman Sachs in London. Later, she moved to the US and earned an MBA at Harvard Business School.

The elevation of Ms Fraser, who is married with two sons, drew attention to the scarcity of women at the highest levels of the banking industry.

In addition to Ms Bessant, there is Fidelity Investments CEO Abigail Johnson, JPMorgan's consumer lending head Marianne Lake and its finance chief Jennifer Piepszak, and Alison Rose, CEO of British bank NatWest.

Ms Fraser joined Citigroup 16 years ago and is said to be credited internally with helping the bank recover after the financial crisis, when it had to take $45bn in taxpayer funds to survive.

During her career, she has run client strategy in Citis investment bank, as well as its private bank, its mortgage business and its operations in Latin America, which accounted for 14 per cent of annual revenue at the end of 2019.

Her name was floated last year as a potential CEO candidate at Wells Fargo & Co, before the board settled on former JPMorgan executive Charles Scharf.

In October, Ms Fraser was promoted to the role of president and tasked to head its global consumer bank, a move that was widely seen as a precursor to her elevation.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Boris Johnson's Covid clampdown has divided his Cabinet, it emerged last night.

He faces a fierce Tory backlash over the contentious 'rule of six' that bans gatherings of seven or more from Monday.

A string of senior ministers opposed the measure at a crunch meeting, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak among those to speak out.

A Cabinet source said the rule of six was opposed by every member of the Prime Minister's coronavirus strategy committee on Tuesday apart from Matt Hancock. The Health Secretary is said to have driven the decision, supported by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

'Everyone apart from Hancock wanted to set the limit on groups at eight or more,' the source said.

'Even the PM was initially cautious about taking the limit all the way down to six. The majority view was that this level of social distancing will have a huge impact on people's lives and the economy. But Hancock got his way.'

Announcing the crackdown on Wednesday, Mr Johnson insisted it was needed to keep virus cases under control even though it 'broke his heart' to keep families apart.

Boris Johnson's Covid clampdown has divided his Cabinet, it has emerged. He faces a fierce Tory backlash over the contentious 'rule of six' that bans gatherings of seven or more from Monday

Rishi Sunak is said to have pushed for the limit to be at least eight and Business Secretary Alok Sharma is thought to have argued for a higher figure

Coronavirus hospital admissions could start to rise in the UK in three weeks, data from other European countries suggests. When Spain, France and Belgium hit 18 cases per 100,000 (which the UK did on Sunday) they then saw admissions increase by up to four-fold

Theresa May leads Tory backlash over airport testing farce: Former Prime Minister wants end to 'dragging feet' Theresa May yesterday led a Tory backlash over the failure to introduce virus tests at airports. The former prime minister said Britain is 'lagging behind' the rest of the world and accused No10 of 'dragging its feet' on plans to reopen the skies and save the economy. Her intervention came as British Airways announced plans to cut 60 per cent of flights until Christmas, blaming the disastrous 14-day quarantine rules. And in another crippling blow, the International Air Transport Association warned Britain is set to lose its 'coveted' position as the third-biggest global aviation market unless immediate action is taken on testing. IATA chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said: '820,000 jobs will be vaporised by quarantine and they may never come back. The answer is a Covid-19 testing regime that manages the risk to keep people safe from the virus. And it will avoid apocalyptic unemployment that is sure to devastate society and the economy.' As Tory anger erupted in a Commons debate on aviation, Mrs May told MPs: 'I'm certain testing has to be the way forward in the foreseeable future, but at the moment airports aren't even permitted to trial tests on passengers. Far from leading the world, the UK is lagging behind.' She added: 'So my message is to No 10, it's to the Department for Business, it's to the Treasury and it's to the Department of Health and it's a very simple one  if you want to get the economy moving, get planes flying again. 'Stop the UK dragging its feet, let's lead the world and set the standard to restore world travel and world trade.' Advertisement

Downing Street last night denied the Prime Minister had been steered into the decision by Mr Hancock and the scientific advisers. 'The PM wasn't talked round by anyone,' said an insider.

But multiple sources confirmed that ministers on the high-powered committee had disagreed about how far to cut the 30-person legal limit on gatherings. 'I wouldn't characterise it as a row, but it's fair to say there was a vigorous debate,' said one.

Mr Sunak is said to have pushed for the limit to be at least eight and Business Secretary Alok Sharma is thought to have argued for a higher figure. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is also said to have raised concerns. A source close to Michael Gove denied claims that he wanted the limit at eight.

The clampdown row came as:

Mr Hancock faced a backlash over his 'Moonshot' mass testing strategy which scientists said was fundamentally flawed;

Tens of thousands of British tourists faced a race to escape Portugal after the country was returned to the quarantine list;

Theresa May led a Tory revolt over the failure to introduce coronavirus tests at airports, saying Britain was 'lagging behind' the rest of the world;

NHS figures showed that more than 2.1million patients have been waiting 18 weeks or more for operations or other procedures  the most in 12 years.

Birmingham was braced for a local lockdown as early as today;

Data suggested there had been no significant rise in the numbers returning to the office since June;

MPs urged the Chancellor to extend the coronavirus furlough scheme for certain industries;

A major Lancet study said Britons had become increasingly likely to refuse a coronavirus vaccine;

Care homes announced they were closing to visitors just weeks after families were finally allowed to see their relatives.

The rule of six has angered MPs, alarmed business and put hopes of a traditional family Christmas on hold. It replaces a raft of complex guidelines and laws which police said were impossible to enforce. The new rule means groups of more than six people can be broken up by police, who will have the power to hand out 100 fines.

The law applies indoors and outdoors, including in private homes. Only workplaces, schools and a small number of events such as weddings and funerals are exempt.

The coronavirus committee's membership comprises the Prime Minister, Mr Sunak, Dominic Raab, Mr Gove, Mr Hancock, Mr Sharma, and Priti Patel. Grant Shapps also attended the meeting on Tuesday

The data presented at the press conference show that cases are still low relative to some other European countries - but emphasised the impact of higher testing among the younger generation

Slides presented at the press conference last show that young adults are driving the increase in Covid cases - but the incidence among young children and the older generation remains very low

The rate of infection per 100,000 people in the UK has remained very low among younger children, despite rising among teenagers and young adults

Although cases have risen, the positive test rate - how many people test positive out of all those tested - has not reached levels seen during the pandemic. This gives an indication that some cases are due to more focused testing in hotspots

At the same time, cases in over 80 year olds have dropped drastically since the height of the pandemic, when they made up the majority of Covid-19 cases, and have halved since July. Infections have stayed stable among those in their 60s and 70s, while very slightly increasing in those between the ages of 40 to 59 years old

Children are included in the rule, making most family get-togethers impossible. A source close to Mr Hancock last night said it was 'wrong to say he was the main driver' of the clampdown. An ally added: 'He believes the worst thing you could do to the economy is let this virus get out of control again.'

The coronavirus committee's membership comprises the Prime Minister, Mr Sunak, Dominic Raab, Mr Gove, Mr Hancock, Mr Sharma, and Priti Patel. Mr Shapps also attended the meeting on Tuesday.

A source close to Mr Sharma played down reports he had fought the rule of six, saying he accepted the decision. Treasury sources said the Chancellor supported the restriction. But both men are known to have repeatedly pushed for a faster reopening of the economy in a bid to head of the risk of an even deeper recession.

Ministers fear that without tight restrictions now the epidemic could spiral out of control again.

A Government source said: 'We are four weeks behind France. They didn't take strong enough measures immediately and now they are screwed. We are not going to let that happen here.'

Tory MPs yesterday voiced their frustration over the setback to the recovery. Former minister Steve Baker said the 'authoritarian reaction' was disproportionate to the danger posed by a recent spike in Covid-19 cases.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, accused ministers of acting arbitrarily and demanded young children be exempt.

Business also raised concerns. Mike Cherry of the Federation of Small Businesses said: 'This fresh round of responsibilities will take time, money and manpower away from day to day business activity at an incredibly challenging time.'

Boris hit for six as Sturgeon swoops in to 'save Xmas'

By Daniel Martin Policy Editor for the Daily Mail

Boris Johnson's 'rule of six' was savaged last night after Nicola Sturgeon made a bid to save Christmas north of the border by exempting children.

Tory MPs and business groups lined up to accuse the Prime Minister of a gross overreaction to the virus threat and disproportionate restrictions on family life.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced social gatherings of more than six would be banned by law. With the restrictions likely to last until Spring, it risks spoiling Christmas for millions of families.

Boris Johnson's 'rule of six' was savaged last night after Nicola Sturgeon made a bid to save Christmas north of the border by exempting children

Yesterday, business groups warned that the new rule  which takes effect from Monday  would hit profits and could seriously jeopardise the drive to get more people to return to the office.

Coronavirus antibodies may only last a MONTH: Cells 'decline significantly' within just four WEEKS of hospital discharge, Chinese study finds Signs of immunity vanish quickly from seriously-ill coronavirus patients in less than a month after they are discharged from hospital, a study has found. Researchers looking at antibodies  substances in the blood that develop immunity against the virus  have found they drop off sharply once a patient as recovered. The finding is worrying news for hopes that people will become immune to Covid-19 after having it for the first time. Most people who were sent home from hospital after having the disease did show signs of antibodies  suggesting their bodies had learned to protect themselves from the virus  but they were not strong. Some 81 per cent of patients had the antibodies, the Chinese study found, but only a 'small portion' of them had any with the ability to neutralise  or kill  the virus. Whether people become immune to Covid-19 after having it remains a mystery. There are signs that the body learns to fend it off but also growing numbers of 'credible' cases where people get reinfected. If the body cannot retain antibodies over the long-term it could mean that a vaccine may not offer permanent protection, as scientists and politicans around the world are hoping one will. Scientists at Nanjing University Medical School in China monitored 19 non-severe and seven severely ill Covid-19 patients for a month and three weeks to determine the progression of their antibody response. They found that the patients had a varying level of antibody responses, with only a 'small portion' developing a potent level of neutralisation activity. The scientists did not say exactly how many people had this. The study indicates that three to four weeks after hospital discharge, the neutralising activity of antibodies from recovered patients declined significantly. Advertisement

Pub chiefs said the draconian rules could lead to a 'cooling of confidence' at a time when many were facing a struggle to break even.

And Tory MPs warned Health Secretary Matt Hancock that the restrictions could end up being 'worse than the disease itself'.

Even some scientists who backed the 'rule of six' suggested that younger children could have been safely exempted.

But anger was intensified after Miss Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, said she would exempt children under 12 from a similar law north of the border  because they are at lower risk of transmitting the disease.It means grandparents will be able to spend the festive season with their grandchildren in Scotland, but not in England.

People in Wales will also only be able to meet in groups of six or under indoors from Monday, First Minister Mark Drakeford will confirm on Friday. The rule will not apply to children aged 11 and under and people will also still be able to meet up in groups of up to 30 outdoors, as long as they maintain social distancing.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the powerful backbench 1922 committee, accused ministers of acting 'arbitrarily' by not holding a vote in Parliament before changing the rules. And he demanded that young children be exempt to prevent grandparents facing the 'appalling choice' of which grandchildren to spend Christmas with.

Fellow MP Steve Baker suggested voters may refuse to obey, saying: 'Given the rules in Scotland, it becomes even more difficult to sustain the rules the Prime Minister has chosen in England. We have got to get out of this dystopian nightmare as soon as possible.' But last night the Government was not backing down, with one source asking how the Scottish police would be able to differentiate between children aged 11 and 12.

In the Commons yesterday, Mr Hancock said the restrictions would not be kept in place 'any longer than we have to'.

Sir Graham said England should follow Scotland's example.

'Exempting young children who are far less likely to catch the virus or spread it is a sensible mitigation and one which could have important benefits for families who are otherwise faced with appalling choices such as which set of grandchildren to see at Christmas,' he said.

Tory MP David Jones said: 'There is certainly an uptick [in cases]. But it is not an uptick across the country as a whole.

'There are some parts of the country such as Devon, Dorset, where there is very little virus activity at all.'

Christopher Snowdon of the Institute for Economic Affairs said the Government had 'over-reacted'. He added: 'Local lockdowns or local restrictions are still the best way forward.'

Tej Parikh, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, said: 'The rule of six could knock consumer confidence and trust in public transport, which will have an impact on many firms.'

Mike Cherry, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 'This fresh round of responsibilities will take time, money and manpower away from day to day business activity at an incredibly challenging time.'

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: 'This restriction comes at a delicate point in our pub recovery after a steady start this summer.'

Here we go again: British tourists face weekly mad scramble to get home by 4am Saturday as Portugal and Hungary are taken off quarantine exemption list but no-lockdown Sweden is now ruled SAFE

Portugal and Hungary have today been removed from the quarantine exemption list, meaning holidaymakers must now rush home or face two-weeks in isolation.

Those arriving in England from French Polynesia and Reunion must also self-isolate for 14-days from 4am on Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

A travel corridor between Portugal and the UK had only been opened on August 22, but the popular holiday destination has now been removed after a rise in coronavirus cases.

The Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores are exempt from the new rule, under the Government's plan to impose regional travel corridors.

Both Portugal and Hungary have seen daily cases rise above 20 per 100,000 people, figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show.

Portugal and Hungary have today been removed from the quarantine exemption list, meaning holidaymakers must rush home or face a two-week quarantine. Pictured: The Algarve

Those arriving in England from two further countries must also now self-isolate for 14-days from 4am on Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said. Pictured: Budapest

Portugal has seen a steady rise in cases since it was removed from the quarantine list three weeks ago, now reporting a total of 1,852 deaths amid 62,126 confirmed infections.

It saw 646 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday, the nation's highest figure since April.

Wales and Scotland had already imposed their own self-isolation rules on Portugal, with Nicola Sturgeon also recently mandating 14-day isolation for arrivals from Greece and Wales adding six Greek islands to its list.

Downing Street's switch-up of the quarantine exemption list comes after Mr Shapps last week insisted there would be no changes to English travel corridors.

Sources told MailOnline at the time that although Portugal was above the 'trigger' threshold for cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, that appeared to be because they were carrying out more tests.

Portugal has seen a steady rise in cases since it was removed from the quarantine list on August 22, now reporting a total of 1,852 deaths amid 62,126 confirmed infections. Pictured: Arrivals at Heathrow

A travel corridor between Portugal and the UK had only been opened a few weeks ago, but the popular holiday destination has now been removed after a rise in coronavirus cases

The Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores are exempt from the new rule, which also imposes two-week quarantines for those arriving in England from Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion

Just 34 fines issued for travel quarantine breaches, new figures show A total of 34 fines have been issued to travellers for breaching quarantine rules after arriving in the UK, new figures reveal. Police forces have handed out 20 fixed penalty notices in England, while the Border Force has given out 14 across the UK up to September 7, according to the data released by the Home Office on Thursday. The 14-day self-isolation policy for UK arrivals was introduced on June 8 for people returning to or visiting the UK from countries not on the exemption list. In England, people can be fined 1,000 for failing to self-isolate and up to 3,200 for not providing accurate contact details. Figures show 1,966,394 spot checks have been carried out on passengers to ensure they have filled out passenger locator forms, including contact details, passport number and address while in the country. Public Health England (PHE) carries out further compliance checks on a random sample of travellers, resident in England and Northern Ireland, to check they are self-isolating. The service has made a total of 149,579 calls and text messages - each person can be called up to three times on subsequent days and sent a text. Successful contact, where the traveller has been spoken to or responded to a text, was made 66,773 times with 64,800 people confirming they were self-isolating. Advertisement

'The rate of positives per test has actually gone down,' one senior source said.

The Government also announced yesterday that Sweden has been added to the 'safe' travel list.

The new air bridge will come into force at 4am on September 12 after the Scandinavian nation saw a drop in cases - despite not enforcing a lockdown.

Stockholm's strategy of 'herd immunity' - once backed by Downing Street - to allow the disease to spread through the population, was criticised as reckless but new data increasingly vindicates the decision.

Sweden currently has 13 patients in intensive care, by comparison the United Kingdom has 843 patients in hospital, 80 of them on ventilators.

Furthermore, Sweden has had an average of just one death per day for the last 10, compared to 9.3 fatalities each day in the UK over the same period.

Announcing the changes on Twitter today, Mr Shapps said: 'Data shows we need to remove PORTUGAL (minus the AZORES and MADEIRA), HUNGARY, FRENCH POLYNESIA and REUNION from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe.

'If you arrive in England from these destinations after 4am Saturday, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

'Through enhanced data we now have the capability to assess islands separate to their mainland countries. If you arrive in England from the AZORES or MADEIRA, you will NOT need to self-isolate for 14 days.

'This week, SWEDEN has been ADDED to the Travel Corridors list. If you arrive In England from Sweden, you will NOT need to self-isolate for 14 days.'

Mr Shapps added that all travellers returning to the UK must now complete a Passenger Locator Form to 'protect public health' and ensure self-isolation rules.

'It is a criminal offence not to complete the form and spot checks will be taking place,' he said.

It comes after the Portuguese government today agreed tougher infection control restrictions against the coronavirus ahead of the start of the school year.

Ministers agreed on new rules which will come into force next week, including limiting gatherings to 10 people rather than 20 previously - a cap already in force in the capital Lisbon since late June.

Downing Street also announced yesterday that Sweden has been added to the travel corridors list, after its seven-day case rate fell to 11.6 per 100,000 people. Pictured: Stockholm

Sales of alcohol will also be banned from 8pm onwards alongside drinking in public places. Meanwhile, sporting venues will remain closed to fans ahead of the football championship kicking off next week.

'We've been seeing a sustained rise in the number of new cases since the beginning of August,' Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

But most new cases were among asymptomatic people aged 20 to 39, Costa added.

He urged companies to allow for remote working or other infection control moves wherever possible.

Ridiculous rule of 6 poses a real danger: Britain losing its faith in its leaders, writes Professor KAROL SIKORA

Commentary by Professor Karol Sikora for the Daily Mail

KAROL SIKORA: It is illogical and merely invites ridicule and disobedience from an increasingly sceptical and weary public

Expert advisers have deep and very specific areas of knowledge, but can only offer a selective view of the facts  in this case a recent and modest rise in coronavirus infections in young people  to ministers.

The ultimate decision, based on a balanced assessment of the competing opinions, has to be a political one that convinces the public.

And I am afraid that the 'Hands Face Space' slogan, crowned with the Rule of Six  a ban on gatherings of more than six people indoors or outdoors  fails miserably on that count.

Of course it is much safer for 20 people to meet, socially-distanced, in a park than have six people gathered in a crowded living room  but the new restriction makes no provision for this.

It is illogical and merely invites ridicule and disobedience from an increasingly sceptical and weary public who are confused and disillusioned by repeated stop-start initiatives, be it testing or quarantine or a return to the workplace, over the past six months.

And certainly the latest gimmicks do nothing to address the fear factor that holds so many in its grip.

Yet what an opportunity Boris Johnson had to change the mood of the nation on Wednesday night as he addressed us from the Downing Street lectern.

First, he might have saluted school teachers for coming together to end the social isolation of millions of children and kick-start their education again.

This is a crucial step forward in safe-guarding the mental health of children whose short lives have been upended in 2020.

Next he should have urged university and college students to start the new term with optimism.

Then he should have acknowledged that uptick in infections (as you'd expect when people start to mingle again) in the healthy young who are largely invulnerable to coronavirus, while emphasising another critical statistic: last week ten times as many people died in England of flu and pneumonia as of Covid.

Fourthly  and I speak as a cancer specialist  I would have rejoiced to hear the Prime Minister acknowledge the tens of thousands of people out there who, because of the impact of Covid-19 on routine NHS screening programmes and the restrictions under which many GP surgeries are operating, are failing to seek diagnosis or treatment for worrying symptoms.

For be in no doubt, these are the next wave of Covid-19's collateral damage.

What an opportunity Boris Johnson had to change the mood of the nation on Wednesday night as he addressed us from the Downing Street lectern

I wish Mr Johnson had told the nation to cajole or bully our loved ones to demand to be seen by their GP, via Zoom if necessary  because that really will save lives.

I doubt that the Rule of Six will make any material difference to the reinfection rate, but one thing is absolutely certain. Thousands more people will die in the coming months and years because of undiagnosed cancers, cardiac disorders and other treatable conditions than will succumb directly to Covid-19.

And the lack of urgency  acknowledgement  surrounding this growing crisis makes me truly despair.

The rationale of the initial lockdown was to 'Protect the NHS'. Well, the NHS coped fine, essentially by shutting itself down to all but Covid admissions, A&E, and maternity care.

But we ignored the human health cost of this, and it will be very high indeed.

Basic modelling predicts at least 30,000 extra cancer deaths as a result of the hobbling of the UK's diagnostic services. Take prostate cancer: as the Mail reported this week, referrals have halved since lockdown began.

As for routine bread and butter operations, it will take years for the NHS to recover, if ever. Waiting times for knee and hip replacements are the longest in 12 years, with 2.15million patients on the lists.

The trends are even more terrifying in cardiac care. Figures suggest a nearly 50 per cent drop in the number of heart attacks in the UK in the first three months of the shutdown.

This would be a jaw-dropping figure if it were true, but unfortunately it is not. What it really means is that thousands of people who suffered symptoms of a heart attack at the milder end of the spectrum were too scared to go to hospital for treatment.

If you are not treated for a mild heart attack, you might convince yourself you've recovered, but your heart muscles will have been weakened. You are much more likely to suffer gradual heart failure and sudden death in the next couple of years.

Psychologically, the fundamental problem with the Rule of Six is that it reverses the tide towards the return to normality which, as a nation, we desperately have to cling to.

Worst of all, it undermines any effort to get people back to work, particularly via public transport. Any sensible person will wonder how it can be safe to get on a busy bus or train if it is deemed dangerous to gather their extended family in their own home.

And as for the 'moonshot' mass population testing plan, well I wish I could get excited about it.

There is one obvious problem here. Even if it can be achieved, testing on this level will throw up hundreds of thousands of false positive results, which would require those people, plus all their contacts, to self-quarantine. This is impractical, and will not happen.

I worry that Boris and his ministers and advisers have squandered so much political capital with policy shifts, U-turns, meaningless slogans and gimmicks that the nation  and especially young people  are beginning to dismiss everything they hear.

People will even stop obeying the sensible rules, like handwashing, wearing a mask in public and keeping a distance. I am currently on holiday in North Wales and I noticed when I went out for curry last night that an implausible number of people had registered under the name of Smith in the restaurant's test and trace book.

This open defiance, I suspect, will become the norm, and the plan to employ Covid Marshals to enforce restrictions will, I fear, bring the authorities into further ridicule.

This Government has been very successful in the business of spreading fear about Covid, but in not much else.

What people desperately need now is belief that things can, and will, get back to a state of being that they recognise. Above all, they crave that most human of emotion  a sense of hope.

Karol Sikora is professor of medicine at University of Buckingham Medical School and Chief Medical Officer at Rutherford Health.
BISHKEK -- A court in Bishkek has reversed a decision by the Central Election Commission (BShK) to refuse to register the Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan) political party for parliamentary elections next month.

The Administrative Court of Bishkek announced its decision late on September 9 and shortly after that the BShK announced that the party had been officially registered, putting the total number of parties registered for the October 4 election at 16.

On September 3, a day before the election campaign kicked off, the BShK said applications by Butun Kyrgyzstan and another party, Aktiv (Active), had been rejected as they didn't meet the necessary requirements.

The BShK cited "violations" and discrepancies in documentation -- including the list of candidates -- submitted by Butun Kyrgyzstan. Newly established Aktiv was unable to provide the registration fee of about $63,500.

Butun Kyrgyzstan then appealed the BShK's rejection in court.

Kyrgyzstan's unicameral parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh (The Supreme Council), consists of 120 seats.

Pro-government parties, including Birimdik (Unity), Mekenim Kyrgyzstan (My Homeland Kyrgyzstan), and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the opposition Ata-Meken (Fatherland) party are widely expected to do gain seats.

No party is allowed to hold more than 65 seats in the Supreme Council.
Documentary About Murder of Botham Jean Set to Air on ID on Thursday, September 10

Season two of Impact of Murder kicks off with a heart wrenching two-hour episode on Botham Jean with The Ballad of Botham Jean, airing on Thursday, September 10 from 9-11 p.m. EDT/PDT on Investigation Discovery.

Jean was shot in 2018 inside his Dallas apartment by white, female, off-duty police officer Amy Guyger. Guyger claimed she shot Botham because she thought she had entered her own home, and he was a trespassing burglar. Like many controversial police killings of minorities, Bothams murder sparked national outrage.

Botham Jean was a promising young Black accountant who dreamed of returning to his native St. Lucia to become Prime Minister. As his family mourned, the murder ignited protests from Black Lives Matter activists and sparked a media frenzy.

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This senseless tragedy is retold by those closest to the case with gripping, emotional accounts from Jeans family, including his mother, Allison Jean; father Bertrum Jean; sister, Allisa Charles-Findley; as well as those who worked with the family to bring justice to Botham, including lawyer, Lee Merritt and prosecutor, Jason Hermus.

Perhaps the most heartrending account comes from 18-year-old Brandt Jean, who mourns Bothams death while wrestling with his anger against his brothers killer. His request for a courtroom embrace of his brothers murderer, Guyger, displayed an astonishing act of forgiveness and inflamed worldwide, polarizing reactions.

I have to admit it was tough to relive my sons horrible murder, said Allison Jean. However, this is an important story. I want people to know how good my son was, and how senseless his death was.

Additional episodes in season two of Impact Of Murder on ID include: a fatal chance encounter in Stolen Dreams which premieres Thursday, September 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT; a wrongful conviction in The Betrayal premiering Thursday, September 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT; and the finale exploring a devastating case exploring the cycle of domestic violence in Theres No Winning in Murder debuting on Thursday, October 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

@Ntellectual @MeritLaw @DiscoveryID #BLM
A woman from Arkansas has been arrested for the death of her 2-month-old baby who lost its life on September 3.

The local news outlet said that police officers took 20-year-old Nancy Williams into custody on September 4 and charged her with first-degree murder of her child.

Unresponsive infant

The arrest affidavit wrote that authorities who first responded to the scene after Williams' call of an unresponsive child. They quickly noticed that the infant had difficulties breathing.

According to Crime Online, first responders later discovered a foreign object that was barely visible stuck inside the infant's throat. They were able to pull the wipe out, but the child was already lifeless.

Investigators proceeded to question William about the incident where she revealed that she used the wipe to clean the blood off of her baby's wound after drinking from a bottle. Police officers who were at the scene discovered a bloody wipe in the household and the one inside the infant's throat.

Williams told investigators that the infant would not stop crying, so she forced the bottle inside its mouth, cutting its gums. Court documents said the wound made the baby cry even louder and that the mother wanted him to stop, as reported by The Sun.

Also Read: Man Invades Eminem's Home, Says He Was There To 'Kill Him'

Authorities said the mother confessed to forcing the wipe down her son's throat to stop the wound from bleeding and the baby from crying.

The documents also wrote that she demonstrated to police officers how she jammed the wipe down her baby's throat until it was out of her sight. The court filing revealed that was the moment the infant stopped breathing altogether.\

Setting fire to her son

On Wednesday, a woman allegedly killed her newborn son and set him on fire at Sankarankovil in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu, India.

Passersby discovered the infant burning outside the premises of a private theatre at around 4:00 a.m. The witnesses proceeded to douse the flame and immediately called local police officers.

According to the Times of India, police officers who responded to the scene transferred the baby's body to the Sankarankovil Government Hospital so that medical experts could examine the deceased and determine the cause of death.

After talking with witnesses, authorities discovered that the victim was the son of S Sankaragomathi, a 22-year-old from Sangupuram. The suspect killed her son because the baby's biological father was not living with her.

Police Superintendent G Suguna Singh said that Sankaragomathi gave birth to her baby boy around 2:00 a.m. and details of the crime were unclear. However, officials discovered that the suspect set fire to the baby's body using pieces of cloth found on the theatre premises.

Singh said that the mother was very weak when authorities found her and had to transfer her to the hospital. The police superintendent added that further details of the incident would be revealed as the investigation continues. Police stated that they formed special teams to locate the father of the child.

Related Article: Michigan Man Beats Girlfriend's Baby, Leaving the Child Face Down in Bath Water

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In a surprise announcement, United Airlines, one of the top three US carriers, said it would operate non-stop flights from Chicago to Delhi and from San Francisco to Bengaluru. The Chicago-Delhi route is scheduled to commence this December, while flights to Bengaluru are scheduled to begin in Spring 2021.

Both the flights will be operated daily and the airline will deploy the B787-9 Dreamliner on these routes.

With this announcement, United is going a step ahead of American Airlines and Delta and at the same time countering Air India. Both Delta and American have tried routes to India in the past and failed, while United has continued its presence and is now building up to take a major leap in the market.

The planned launch also goes to show the importance of non-stop flights in the near term and how airlines perceive this market. Indeed, United Airlines is now likely to claim the title of making the first-ever non-stop flight to the United States from Bengaluru.

Countering Air India

By seats deployed between the two countries, Air India is the capacity leader, with flights to New York, Newark, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco.

Until a few years ago, Air India operated to Newark from Mumbai and to New York and Chicago from New Delhi. Then it decided to up its game, launching flights to San Francisco on the west coast and Washington, and quickly increasing the frequency to San Francisco.

Listen | Business has recovered fast to pre-COVID levels: Urban Company Co-founder Abhiraj Bhal

While Air India focusses on connections on the India side, United offered good connectivity across the United states, but only operated daily flights to Mumbai and New Delhi. It then launched the New Delhi-San Francisco route to take Air India head on.

Meanwhile, West Asian carriers Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways also carried a significant chunk of India-US traffic.

Ironically, both Air India and United had dated products until the latter upgraded its aircraft type to New Delhi and also launched flights from San Francisco on the B787-9 Dreamliner, the newest aircraft in its fleet.

While United is often criticised for its service, the airline has a far better product than Air India, which has not seen any refurbishment on either its B777 or B787 planes. Another key differentiator is the Wi-Fi on offer in United Airlines flights.

With Air India up for privatisation and already neck deep in losses, the government is unlikely to fund a product revamp even though the flag carrier is losing its competitive edge over rivals.

Vistara recently started a thrice-a-week service to London. While the airline has two B787-9 aircraft in its fleet, it does not have a crew rest area in its Dreamliner. This prohibits it from operating ultra-long-haul non-stop flights between India and the United states and puts it out of contention.

Comparing the two routes

United is going head on with Air India on the Chicago-Delhi route. Air India offers a Hyderabad-New Delhi-Chicago and back service, with passengers being allowed to complete formalities in Hyderabad. United has a code share with Vistara, which will help it cater to Hyderabad and other markets in India.

Between San Francisco and Bengaluru, Air India has an international connector, which means that while there is a change in aircraft, the flight number is the same and passengers can complete travel formalities in Bengaluru. The aircraft arrives at the International terminal in New Delhi.

There was a hue and cry over the shortest time to San Francisco from Bengaluru when Air India launched the route. Undoubtedly that debate will be resolved when United operates its first flight.

Taking on its American rivals

Even before Uniteds New Delhi-San Francisco flight could make inroads into the market, rival Delta had announced a flight to Mumbai from New York, while American Airlines announced a connection to Bengaluru from Seattle early this year.

Uniteds new connections between the US and India need to be seen in this context.

Delta, which launched its non-stop service to Mumbai last December, had to quickly pull back the service as the pandemic started raging. The airline had planned to resume the service in December 2020, but that now stands cancelled. It has also cancelled this service in the Summer 2021 schedule, which lasts until October 2021.

American Airlines meanwhile, had to scrub the launch of its service to Bengaluru from Seattle and push it to 2021. Unlike Delta, the airline was lucky to have not invested in the route or commenced operations before the pandemic hit.

Tail Note

Given that Bengaluru is the IT capital of India, it is surprising that the city had to wait this long to connect directly to California and its Silicon Valley.

Bengaluru is at a height of 3,000 feet above mean sea level. and this could pose challenges with a full load on the way out. However, Air India had similar challenges while deploying the B787-8 to Washington and has been happy to keep costs down instead of operating the B777s, though this means servicing fewer passengers. The same logic could well work for United.

The Covid-19 pandemic has held back many route launches and taken a heavy toll on traffic and route development across the world. While United has made an announcement, the raging pandemic could still throw its plans out of gear.

Likewise, if the pandemic is in control and air traffic picks up, Delta and American could look at advancing their revised launch dates and enter the market earlier.

Ameya Joshi runs the aviation blog Network Thoughts.

For now, everything depends on the pandemic and when it is likely to end.
Cult motorcycle maker Royal Enfield (RE) announced on Wednesday that it will establish a local assembly plant in partnership with its local distributor in Argentina. The Indian manufacturer has joined hands with Grupo Simpa, its local distributor in the country since 2018.

This is the first time in RE's 119-year history that its motorcycles will be manufactured and assembled outside the company's factories in Oragadam and Vallam Vadagal near Chennai, Indian embassy in Argentina said in a statement on Wednesday.

Also Read: Coronavirus pandemic: Royal Enfield expects spike in two-wheeler demand

The retro bike maker also said that Alberto Fernandez, President of Argentina, was present at the launch of the manufacturing plant along with Dinesh Bhatia, Ambassador of India to the country.

Royal Enfield's Argentinian assembly plant will assemble three models - the Continental GT 650, Himalayan, and Interceptor 650. Production of all these bike models will commence this month.

Royal Enfield forayed into the Argentinian bike market in March 2018 to tap into the second biggest motorcycle market in Latin America.

The Indian manufacturer came up with its first flagship store in Buenos Aires and expanded its customer touchpoints to five stores in the country.

Also Read: Royal Enfield's sales fall 35% at 38,065 units in June

Overall, Royal Enfield has 31 exclusive stores, including five in Argentina, and 30 retail touchpoints across Latin America.

Royal Enfield's top management had announced during an earnings call in August that it would look to tap into the newer markets stating that it has added 32 multi-brand outlets and five exclusive stores in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, the UK, Mexico, and New Zealand.


Photo taken by the rover Yutu 2 (Jade Rabbit-2) on Jan 11, 2019 shows the lander of the Chang'e 4 probe. [Photo/Xinhua/China National Space Administration] China plans to establish a scientific station on the moon and has started preparatory research, according to a key figure in the country's lunar exploration program. "The next steps in our lunar exploration endeavor will be challenging and demanding as we aim to set up a scientific outpost on the moon's south pole. In the near future, we will also send our astronauts to land on the moon," said Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He is now working on the planning and feasibility research on the proposed station and the lunar program's fourth step. The scientist made the remarks at a ceremony on Tuesday at the China National Space Administration that announced the naming of an asteroid after him. The asteroid was discovered in August 2007 by researchers at the Xuyi Station in Jiangsu province's Xuyi county, which belongs to the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing. The move was approved by the International Astronomical Union in June to honor his significant contribution to China's lunar and deep-space exploration programs. In China's most recent lunar mission, the Chang'e 4 robotic probe, which consists of an unmovable lander and a rover named Yutu 2, was lifted atop a Long March 3B carrier rocket in December 2018 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, marking the country's fourth lunar exploration and the world's first expedition to the far side of the moon, which never faces Earth. The probe made a soft landing on the far side on Jan 3, 2019, and then released Yutu 2 to roam and survey the landing site in the South Pole-Aitken basin, the largest and deepest known basin in the solar system. So far, the lander and rover have operated for more than 610 days. As the world's longest operational lunar rover, Yutu 2 has traveled about 520 meters on the lunar soil, according to the space administration. The Chang'e 4 mission has produced a great deal of scientific results that have helped scientists around the globe deepen their knowledge and understanding about the silver sphere. It has revealed the history of impact incidents on the moon's far side, especially the South Pole-Aitken basin, and found crucial evidence to support the formation and evolution models of the lunar soil, said Wang Chi, director of the National Space Science Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.




BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Jeyhun Alakbarov  Trend:

A subsidiary company of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, ADY Express LLC is expanding cooperation with worlds largest companies, Trend reports referring to the company.

ADY Express established cooperation with EuroChem, the worlds largest fertilizer producer, and now transports its products. The fertilizers produced by EuroChem are transited through Azerbaijan.

On September 8, another batch of the fertilizers in seven wagons was delivered to Azerbaijan. These wagons were forwarded to Zagatala. The cargo was delivered from the EuroChem plant over the course of seven days.

Since the early 2020, about 14,000 tons of EuroChem cargo were transported in 200 wagons, some of which were transported in transit through Azerbaijan.

ADY Express is negotiating with EuroChem to transport more cargo via Azerbaijan. In the near future, its planned to transport shipments in larger volumes.

EuroChem Group AG is headquartered in Switzerland and has major assets in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belgium and Lithuania. The company is the largest producer and exporter of fertilizers in Russia.
External Affairs Minister and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov have discussed bilateral economic issues, cooperation in nuclear and space sectors during their first in person meeting here since the COVID-19 outbreak, a senior Indian official said on Thursday.

Jaishankar and Lavrov met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers of the eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Russian capital.

Bilateral economic issues, cooperation in development of the Far East region of Russia, cooperation in nuclear and space sectors were also discussed, Spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said in a readout of the meeting between Jaishankar and Lavrov.

The two ministers followed up on outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Vladivostok for the fifth edition of Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) which was held in September last year, he said at the online briefing.

The two ministers agreed to work closely in the UN Security Council during India's forthcoming tenure as a Non-Permanent Member, Srivastava said in New Delhi during an online briefing.

In June, India was elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council for a two-year term, winning 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. India will sit in the most powerful UN organ, for two years beginning on January 1.

"Pleasure to meet FM Sergey Lavrov, this time in person. Excellent talks that reflect our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Value our exchanges on the international situation," Jaishankar tweeted on Wednesday after his talks with Lavrov.

On his part, Lavrov said, "It is a very good, and almost forgotten, feeling to meet in person.

We appreciate this opportunity to discuss prospects for developing our strategic partnership in all areas: bilateral relations and cooperation within the SCO, BRICS, the UN and via other international platforms, he said.

This was the first physical meeting between the two leaders after the COVID-19 situation and there was excellent discussion on bilateral matters, regional developments and international issues of concern, Srivastava said.

The SCO meeting could not be held earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

India and have a special and privileged strategic partnership and this year marks the 20 years of their strategic partnership.

Last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Russian counterpart Gen. Sergey Shoigu in Moscow during which he appreciated the steadfast support provided by in response to the country's defence and security needs.

Singh, who was on a three-day visit to to attend a crucial meeting of the SCO, pressed for expediting supply of a number of weapons systems, ammunition and spares to India by Russia under contracts which were concluded earlier.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Adele on Thursday shocked and angered her fans by canceling her Caesar's Palace Las Vegas residency at the last minute, leaving many stranded in the city out of pocket, and unsure whether they can afford the time and money to see her rescheduled show. Fans of the 33-year-old singer had shelled out up to $30,000 for resale tickets for the eagerly-anticipated show - her first live concert in five years. In a video posted to Twitter, Adele sobbed as she said that COVID-19 cases among members of her crew had made it impossible to bring the show to life in time. Adding to her woes were delivery delays that made it 'impossible to finish the show.' She added that she had been awake for 'over 30 hours' trying to solve logistical issues but had simply 'run out of time' to be ready on Friday. Many were sympathetic, but plenty were frustrated. 'This breaks my heart, for you and for me,' tweeted Amy Campbell, a medical professional in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 'I know how hard it is to put on a show, especially with a pandemic. 'But it's also hard to save enough money, to get time off work from a hospital, that is short staffed, book a flight and hotel, fly in two days early and find out 30 hrs before the show, when we are already here, that the reason we came for is not going to happen. 'The people with first weekend show tickets may not be able to afford the time or money to reschedule something like this.'
I made it very clear these are awful times that everyone has to go through, every single person. Prime Minister Scott Morrison phoned Ms Palaszczuk on Thursday morning and asked her to overturn the decision not to allow Ms Caisip to attend the funeral. He said the situation was heartbreaking. "It's not about borders, it's not about federation, it's not about politicians or elections," he told Ray Hadley on 4BC radio. "Surely, just this once, this can be done ... there has been no COVID cases in the ACT for more than 60 days. I just hope they let Sarah go to the funeral."

The Prime Minister, whose own father died in January, became emotional as he spoke of the family's situation. "It was Father's Day on the weekend and I'm just thinking of Sarah, who had to go through that day in a hotel in isolation and there she is today," Mr Morrison said. He said he had conversations with premiers on a range of issues all the time and didn't usually make those discussions public. "This isn't about the Premier of Queensland and me or anyone else ... surely in the midst of all of this heartache in COVID and everything that everyone's going through, surely just this one thing can be done," he said. A frustrated Ms Palaszczuk accused the Prime Ministers office of ordering a co-ordinated attack against her government.

"I will not be bullied, nor will I be intimidated by the Prime Minister of this country, who contacted me this morning and to whom I made it very clear to the fact that this is not my decision and that I would pass the information on to the Chief Health Officer," she said. Loading "The Prime Minister at the time said to me that he had not gone public, but I knew he was going to go public." Ms Palaszczuk asked Ms Frecklington if the Prime Minister's office had loaded her up with the information before question time. "We know everything is co-ordinated these days, but to use the personal tragedy of this family is disgusting," she said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates questioned why the Premier had time to meet with AFL officials to co-ordinate their quarantine stay but did not have time to meet with Ms Caisip and her family. Loading Ms Palaszczuk said "nobody likes to hear these tragic personal stories". She said there had been more than 700 COVID-related deaths in Victoria. I am quite sure somewhere along the line there have been people who have not been able to attend those funerals, she said.
More than 2.1 million Michigan voters have requested an absentee ballot ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, according to the Secretary of States office.

Spokesperson Jake Rollow announced the number, which surpasses the total number of absentee ballots requested for last months primary, at a Sept. 10 press briefing. Clerks across Michigan are required to start mailing out absentee ballots on Sept. 24. A breakdown of requests per jurisdiction is available here.

The November election is expected to have another record-breaking turnout for absentee ballots, Rollow said. In the August primary, more than 2.6 million people requested absentee ballots and Rollow said the upcoming presidential election is expected to double that.

The influx of absentee ballots will strain election workers and clerks' offices if legislation to process them ahead of time isnt passed before the election, likely leading to delayed results. Rollow said there are several bills Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is urging state lawmakers to pass.

We have continuously called on legislators to support election workers and voters by passing these bills, Rollow said. We are hopeful they will take action because the window for passing legislation is closing.

The bills mentioned by Rollow would allow clerks to begin processing absentee ballots before election day, require clerks to contact voters who submit mismatching signatures, require ballots be counted if theyre postmarked by election day, enable the safe electronic return of military and overseas ballots and require employers to provide paid time off for employees to vote.

Benson said legislation would improve the election process for voters and clerks, protect the system from being pushed beyond its limits and help ensure that every count is voted.

Related: Little Caesars Arena to be used for expanded election worker training after flawed Detroit vote counts

Benson discussed the legislation with Democrats Sen. Jeremy Moss, Rep. Vanessa Guerra and Rep. Yousef Rahbi in the first episode of Ready for November," a web series that explores issues of importance to Michigan voters ahead of the general election.

The Secretary of States office recommends absentee voters mail their ballots by Oct. 19, at least two weeks ahead of the November election. Rollow said 1,000 secure drop boxes have been placed across the state for voters to drop off their ballots. If voters choose to drop off their ballots, the secure box must be located within their jurisdiction and locations be found on the states website.

The state has recruited more than 12,000 people to train and work on Election Day, Rollow said. Benson committed to recruiting 6,000 people to help with Detroits general election after an investigation by the Wayne County Board of Canvassers last month found workers didnt properly balance precinct votes counts. The additional help is intended to ensure that every one of the citys 182 polling locations and 134 absentee counting boards are fully staffed.

State officials are currently working with Detroit to create checklists, manuals and videos for election protocols, according to Rollow.

We are looking for ways to supplement their training, Rollow said. The materials we are creating can be used by any clerks office in Michigan.

More on MLive:

Michigan extension of drivers license, ID, registration deadlines expires Sept. 30

Michigan GOP, Dems nominate candidates for state Supreme Court, university boards

Whitmer cries foul after DeVos mandates school testing amid pandemic
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Carolinas AGC (CAGC) and ConstructConnect (formerly iSqFt) are delighted to announce a new membership agreement that will help CAGC members secure more construction project leads to build their businesses throughout the Carolinas.

Not only will CAGC members continue to receive their web-based eBulletin featuring project listings, details, and updates, they will also have access to the all-new Bid Center. This free, next-level, online service will help members organize all their project leads and bid invites in one place.

As part of this agreement, CAGC members get early access to Bid Center. Now, members can simply login and use this free digital bid board to organize their bids and more easily collaborate with their team members. With Bid Center, members can share projects and documents throughout their bidding process.

With Bid Center, CAGC members can take advantage of these great features:

Forward any bid invite via email and it is automatically added to Bid Center

Easily attach documents to any project you create

Find more qualified subcontractors in the country's largest preconstruction network

Easily move projects through your bidding pipeline from "Under Review" to "Won"

Save hours on estimating send projects straight to digital takeoff with one-click

"We are extremely excited about what we think will be a win-win for both parties and CAGC members with ConstructConnect's new services," said Dave Simpson, President & CEO of Carolinas AGC. "We look forward to a long-term relationship in offering a job-leads service that will be second to none in the construction industry in the Carolinas."

Since 2013, CAGC and ConstructConnect have partnered together to provide numerous member benefits. The new Bid Center builds on this great partnership and benefits that include:

The eBulletin, a web-based data tool providing commercial construction project information

Free prequalification to help members manage safety and financial risk

Dedicated ConstructConnect account manager

Free training and onboarding for ConstructConnect data services

Even better, CAGC members will now receive preferred pricing on all ConstructConnect products, including ConstructConnect Project Intelligence, ConstructConnect Bid Management, and ConstructConnect Takeoff.

While many CAGC members may still think of ConstructConnect as iSqFt, today's ConstructConnect brands include iSqFt, Bid Clerk, CMD, Construction Data, MasterSpec (Avitru), On Center Software, QuoteSoft, PlanSwift, and SmartBid.

To get more information about this member benefit and ConstructConnect's services, go to https://www.constructconnect.com/cagc to get started. Make sure to mention that you are a CAGC member.

CONTACT: Lori McGovern, [email protected]

SOURCE Carolinas AGC

Related Links

http://www.cagc.org


By Caitlin Johnstone

September 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The government of China has arrested and imprisoned an Australian journalist for his groundbreaking reporting which exposed Chinese war crimes. A farcical show trial is currently underway to present the illusion of justice to the world, and a UN special rapporteur attests that the journalist has been subjected to torture.

Oh sorry, did I say China? My mistake, I meant the US and UK. I get them mixed up sometimes.

No, what China did was attempt to question two reporters, Bill Birtles from the ABC and Michael Smith from the Australian Financial Review, in relation to another Australian journalist named Cheng Lei who is being held by Chinese authorities and facing a six-month detention on unknown charges. Lei was a reporter for Chinese state media outlet CGTN, but her online profiles for the network have since been deleted.

Australian journalists seeking shelter in a diplomatic compound, you say? Will they be accused of fleeing from justice, smeared as paranoid narcissists, dismissed as "not even real journalists"? #FreeASSANGE #auspol https://t.co/D0A2ZFEJq5  Jaraparilla (@jaraparilla) September 7, 2020

Thanks to a prompt diplomatic standoff from the Australian government against Beijing, Birtles and Smith were able to take shelter in diplomatic compounds and have now been successfully returned to Sydney. Two Australian journalists appeared to be at risk of suffering the same fate as Lei, and their government immediately took action to protect their citizens, as governments are supposed to do.

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There was no abandonment and proclamation of guilt against those journalists like the one Australian Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard made against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2010, prior to any conviction, trial or due process of any kind. There was no gibberish about how Birtles, Smith and Lei need to face the music in China so that the Chinese legal process can run its course, like the nonsense spouted about Assange last year by Australias current LNP Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Canberra saw Australian journalists facing a potential injustice, and they wasted no time leaping to action.

And the Australian commentariat, which has completely abandoned Assange amid his grueling persecution at the hands of the US empire, are currently tweeting huffily about this latest flair-up in Australias idiotic participation in Washingtons cold war escalations against China.

Yikes. This means there are no journos left in China covering the country for Australian media outlets, tweeted the ABCs Ashlynne McGhee of Smith and Birtles exit.

China gets what it wanted  it has forced out or denied visas to Australian correspondents meaning there are now no Aussie accredited journos working in China for the first time since this 70s, tweeted Latika M Bourke of the Sydney Morning Herald.

Australian MP Penny Wong called the event highly disturbing, saying the media play a vital role in fostering understanding.

Given the forced departure of last two Aussie journalists from China, the Australian Govt should review visas of PRC state media representatives @XHNews, tweeted South Australia Senator Rex Patrick. If Australian journos cant report from China, why should CCP propagandists operate here?

Where has all this mainstream passion for Australian journalists been hiding for the last decade?

I ask all in Australian media to reflect on their vulgar complicity with the arrest of Assange. I ask why the executive producer of #4Corners felt moved to retweet the sentiment that a journalist was "Putin's Bitch" pic.twitter.com/OYfcVOb9sk  Berta Free Julian Assange Caceres, member AUWU (@HelenRazer) April 11, 2019

A statement from Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on the occurrence reinforced a previous government advisory that Australian citizens who travel to China face the risk of arbitrary detention. It is funny to see that phrase popularized in relation to Australian journalists today, because arbitrary detention is exactly what a 2016 UN panel found Julian Assange to under in his de facto imprisonment at the Ecuadorian embassy at the time.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest in London on 7 December 2010, as a result of the legal action against him by both Governments, reads a February 2016 statement by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Where was the concern over arbitrary detention then? Assange is an Australian citizen and is a journalist by any conventional definition of the terman award-winning journalist at that. Why has his home country abandoned him so outrageously while he faces torture and ailing health for years, yet even the slightest hint of a mainstream reporter potentially suffering a fraction of that injustice sends all the alarm bells ringing?
(TNS)  The Portland, Ore., City Council unanimously approved bans on city and private use of facial recognition technology Wednesday  the strictest such restriction in the country.The private ban, which includes by businesses in the city, would go into effect Jan. 1. The ban on use by city departments goes into effect immediately. The state of Oregon already bans police from using body cameras with facial recognition technology.The ban wouldnt apply to private individual uses, such as the Face ID feature on iPhones.But it prohibits businesses from collecting, using or storing peoples facial or biometric information gathered in spaces open to the public, such as parks or grocery stores.Portland officials point to concerns over residents' civil rights and privacy as reasons for the bans. They also cite studies that show the technology is marred by racial and gender bias. Oakland and Berkeley are among those that have banned use of facial recognition by police departments and other local government agencies.The Portland ordinances were introduced by Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, who has said the issue comes down to racial justice and the communitys right to privacy.Before voting the approve the bans, Hardesty said she believed it will be model legislation that the rest of the country will be looking to replicate.We own our privacy and its our obligation to make sure that were not allowing people to gather it up secretly and then sell it off for either profit or for fear-based activities, she said.The city has at least one business that uses facial recognition technology. Jacksons Food Store has at least three locations where customers' faces are scanned to open the front door.The company told The Oregonian/OregonLive pictures of customers' faces are temporarily stored and access to the business could be denied to anyone who threatens employees or shoplifts.
TANZANIA, Tanzania - Top U.N. officials warned Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated discrimination and other human rights violations that can fuel conflict, and its indirect consequences are dwarfing the impact of the virus itself in the worlds most fragile countries.

U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo and U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock painted a grim picture to the U.N. Security Council of the global impact of the pandemic that has blanketed the world, with over 26 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 860,000 deaths.

Lowcock warned the council that the indirect economic and health effects from the crisis in fragile countries will be higher poverty, lower life expectancy, more starvation, less education and more child death.

He said roughly a third of the cases and fatalities are in countries affected by humanitarian or refugee crises, or those facing high levels of vulnerability. But the full extent isnt known because testing in these fragile countries is very low and in some places many people are reluctant to seek help, perhaps fearing being quarantined or fearing they wont get useful medical treatment, he said.

The better news is that it seems possible that the fatality rate from COVID-19 may be lower in these fragile countries than initially feared, he said, but the indirect impact is greater.

DiCarlo said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres March 23 call for a global cease-fire to deliver life-saving aid during the pandemic had an encouraging initial response, with temporary truces announced from Colombia and Ukraine to the Philippines and Cameroon.

However, many expired without extensions, resulting in little improvement on the ground, the undersecretary-general for political and peace-building affairs said.

Still, U.N. envoys are pursuing Guterres call for peace negotiations and cease-fires in conflict-torn Yemen, Libya, Syria and elsewhere, DiCarlo said.

She said another potential driver of instability is peoples perception that authorities have not addressed the pandemic effectively or have not been transparent about its impact, adding that reports of corruption related to COVID-19 responses are accentuating this trend.

As for growing human rights challenges during the pandemic, DiCarlo pointed to increased discrimination including in access to health services, surging violence against women particularly in the home during lock-downs, and growing limitations being placed on the media, civic space and freedom of expression.

Social media platforms are used to spread disinformation about the pandemic, DiCarlo said. And there has been a rise in stigma and hate speech, especially against migrants and foreigners.

During the pandemic, U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the U.N.s far-flung missions, with over 100,000 personnel, continued to prevent and respond to threats to civilians, which have unfortunately not decreased in the past six months despite the secretary-generals global cease-fire call.

He singled out continued violence in Mali, Central African Republic and Congo.

Lacroix told the council the responses to COVID-19 have been criticized in some countries, resulting in heightened political tensions in the areas of operation of some peacekeeping missions.

And he said the pandemics impact has slowed down the implementation of peace agreements and transitions, pointing to South Sudan as an example.

Lowcock, the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said the main indirect effects of the pandemic on fragile countries are economic  weakening commodity prices, declining remittances, disruptions to trade, and lock-down measures making it harder for people to survive, especially day labourers and many women.

The humanitarian chief said another important impact is on health and education, because in the most fragile countries people are vulnerable to killer diseases like measles, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDs, and because infant mortality and the numbers of women losing their lives in childbirth are much higher than in better off countries.

Unfortunately, Lowcock said, there is evidence of a significant crunch on health services as a result of the pandemic.

As for education, he said, more than half a billion children in humanitarian crises and fragile contexts have been affected by school closures and many girls now unable to go to school will never go back.

One example of the impact has been the disruption to vaccination campaigns in 45 countries facing humanitarian or refugee crises or high levels of vulnerability from other causes, Lowcock said, stressing that this could put more than 80 million children under the age of one at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.

He said the U.N. World Food Program and Food and Agriculture Organization also report that food insecurity is spiking as people lose their incomes and have to reduce consumption.

Lowcock said 27 countries are now in danger of a sharp deterioration in food security and without quick action child wasting, or acute malnutrition, could affect an additional 7 million children in the first year of the pandemic.
DETROIT -- A Detroit man who fled the state after allegedly being involved in a fatal hit and run crash in July has been arrested and charged in Michigan. Valerian Kobaidze, 32, of Detroit was arraigned on charges of operating while intoxicated causing death, failure to stop at accident when at fault resulting in death and reckless driving for allegedly hitting and killing Zachary Burke of Allen Park in an accident on July 14.

The crash took place on on I-75 near Seven Mile between a motorcycle and a Dodge Challenger, according to Michigan State Police. Following the crash, the driver of the Charger fled the scene and eventually went to New York. After police IDd the driver as Kobaidze, he was eventually taken into custody in New York.

MSP deputies picked up Kobaidze yesterday and transported him back to Michigan where he was arraigned Thursday. Bond was set at $1 million and if he is able to post bond, Kobaidze will have to be placed on a tether. He is currently being held at the Wayne County Jail.

Fatal Crash UPDATE: On 7/14 Metro South troopers investigated a hit and run crash that occurred on I 75 near Seven Mile between a motorcycle and a Dodge Challenger. The driver of the Challenger fled the crash after it happened and fled to New York while the case was reviewed. pic.twitter.com/nYr9stxm6j  MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) September 10, 2020

3Reckless driving causing death of Zachary Burk of Allen Park



The suspect was given bond at $1,000,000 cash. If he posts bond, he will need to be on tether. He was lodged at the Wayne County Jail. Pends further court proceedings  MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) September 10, 2020

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 12:55 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43fcc85 1 World migrant-workers,BP2MI,Soekarno-Hatta-International-Airport,United-Arab-Emirates,workers-protection,smuggling,migrant-protection,Middle-East Free

The Agency for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BP2MI) has foiled an attempt to traffic around 200 Indonesian workers to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital of Dubai.

The agency launched an investigation on Sept. 6 at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after a tip-off about an attempt to smuggle hundreds of undocumented Indonesian migrant workers to the Middle Eastern country.

During the investigation led by BP2MI head Benny Rhamdani, authorities discovered that the majority of the 200 targeted Indonesians had been promised domestic worker jobs in the UAE.

A 2015 decree issued by the Manpower Ministry bars the placement of Indonesian nationals to certain jobs in 19 Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Domestic worker placement is regulated under the decree.

The ministry issued the decree in response to the many problems Indonesian domestic workers had experienced while working for private households in these countries, as well as the lack of legal protection for foreign migrant workers under the local government.

Read also: Critics decry reopening of migrant worker placement

Chairman Zecky Alatas of community organization Brigade 08 lauded the agencys work in cracking down on the smuggling attempt.

We hope this action will not be a one-time thing, Zecky said on Tuesday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He also urged the government to detain anyone who recruited undocumented workers with the intent to smuggle them to other countries, especially when licensed migrant worker placement agencies were struggling to send their workers abroad due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The BP2MI was established in January through the reorganization and rebranding of the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BP2TKI). The rebranded government agency aims to provide comprehensive migrant protection and related services.

Government estimates show that migrant workers make up about 5 percent of the Indonesian workforce. (mfp)
The N.W.T. government has announced how much of the $20.145 million some small airlines in the territory will get from funding announced back in August, dedicated to help support small airlines that bring essential services and goods to remote communities.

In a news release Thursday, the territory announced that its $20 million portion is part of the funding program announced by the federal government in the summer to address the "unprecedented crisis in the aviation industry" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government said at the time the $75 million across northern communities in Canada is for the first six months, and it will invest up to $174 million over 1.5 years to maintain the essential air services, if needed.

Transport Canada will provide $17.124 million to N.W.T. aviation companies, while the N.W.T. government will provide the rest  $3.021 million.

Here's how much each operator will get:
DANVERS, Mass., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Xtelligent Healthcare Media has launched a series of healthcare virtual summits to foster conversation and collaboration among the healthcare community.

Leveraging first party intent data and content consumption trends across its nine websites, Xtelligent is able to identify the most relevant and compelling topics for healthcare executives from leading hospitals, physician practices, payers, and pharmaceutical/life sciences companies.

Q4 2020 schedule just announced:

Connected Health Virtual Summit - September 14-18, 2020

Understand the key areas healthcare professionals must address to succeed in the current and post-COVID world with insights from Thomas Jefferson University, Jackson Hospital, Sentara Healthcare, Texas Tech, Children's Health System of Dallas, Northwell Health, and more.

HealthITSecurity Virtual Summit - October 5-6, 2020

Featuring keynote Gary Gooden, Chief Information Security Officer of Seattle Children's Hospital, this event focuses on strategies and technologies healthcare organizations can implement to safeguard critical systems and sensitive data from new and emerging threats.

Payer+Provider Virtual Summit - November 16-20, 2020

This summit will feature a conversation with former Surgeons General Drs. Richard Carmona, Jocelyn Elders, Antonia C. Novello, and David Satcher, as well as William Shrank, Chief Medical and Corporate Affairs Officer of Humana.

"We are very excited about bringing these unique learning and networking opportunities to leaders in the industry," says Xtelligent Healthcare Media CEO Sean Brooks. "Our network of over 400,000 members are deeply engaged with the content we deliver each day and these summits will allow our members to continue the conversation online."

Sponsorship opportunities are available for solution providers looking to share thought leadership with decision-makers from top integrated delivery systems, independent physician organizations, community hospitals, health payers, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare stakeholders.

For more information about these events, please visit https://www.xtelligentmedia.com/virtual-summits

About Xtelligent Healthcare Media

Xtelligent Healthcare Media has a network of healthcare specific sites, podcasts, virtual events and research that provide news and industry intelligence to over 400,000 healthcare executives who want to learn about best practices necessary to maintain clinical and operational success. Xtelligent is the largest B2B healthcare integrated marketing services, media and data company, Xtelligent currently works with over 300 healthcare companies delivering marketing services, demand generation, data-driven ROI, custom content and thought leadership.

For more information, visit www.xtelligentmedia.com Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Xtelligent Healthcare Media

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Doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), on Thursday suspended their ongoing strike.

The doctors union also instructed its members nationwide to resume work on Friday.

Just in: Nigeria doctors calls off strike, to resume 8am tomorrow Friday.

The National President, Aliyu Sokomba, said Following our meeting yesterday with the government we had a NEC meeting and resolved to once again suspend our strike to allow government time to address our demands.

So the strike is suspended to be reviewed in two weeks time.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the doctors began a nationwide indefinite strike on Monday as the nation continues to battle the deadly coronavirus.

Mr Sokomba, had confirmed this development to PREMIUM TIMES.

He said the doctors decided to embark on strike due to the failure of the government to meet their requests made in June this year.

The doctors had in June downed tools over unpaid salaries, non-payment of hazard allowance, and a dearth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in hospitals, among several other reasons.

The one-week-long strike was suspended to give the federal and state governments time to fulfil the outstanding demands following an appeal by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi and other stakeholders.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported how an infuriated government, in the heat of the current faceoff, threatened to cancel the doctors residency programme, which is also a bone of contention.

The meeting between the two parties which held Wednesday in Abuja between ended in a deadlock with the government threatening to revoke the residency programme.

Full details later

Editors Note: The doctors union instructed its members to resume work Friday 8a.m., and not restart talks with the government as earlier reported.
During his tenure with TA, Reed helped grow the footprint of the company's full-service truck repair locations by more than 85%. An expert in recruiting, staffing, and training for the truck-maintenance field, he brings his vast knowledge and experience to the Nebraska-based Boss Truck Shop division of Bosselman Enterprises.

"Jim Reed's knowledge, experience, and strategic vision is essential for the long-term growth and sustainability of our Boss Truck Shop network," said Charlie Bosselman, Chairman/CEO of Boss Shop, Inc. "We are blessed to have such a talented industry expert lead our team. His guidance will support Boss Shop Director Randy Haines and his staff, which has grown our current network of Boss Truck Shops to 47 during the last decade," Bosselman added.

"I'm excited to join a great family owned and operated business," said Reed. "I've always respected the Bosselman family for the service they have provided the trucking community for more than 70 years, and I look forward to the future as we grow the Boss Shop business together."

Reed began his new role on September 8, 2020.

About Boss Shop, Inc.

Boss Shop, Inc., headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska, began as one of the state's first truck stops in 1948, serving the growing trucking and transportation industry. From those beginnings, Boss Truck Shop has grown to 47 locations in 23 states across the country, continuing the tradition started more than 70 years ago of servicing the over-the-road trucking industry's repair, tire and roadside assistance needs for fleets and owner/operators alike. Family owned and operated for four generations, Boss Truck Shop continues to grow as an industry leader. Learn more at www.bosstruckshops.com, and follow us on Facebook.

SOURCE Boss Truck Shop, Inc.

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OMAHA  A 25-year-old Council Bluffs man accused of bringing a Molotov cocktail to an Omaha protest in May has been charged with unlawful possession of a destructive device.

He has pleaded not guilty.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The man was arrested at a protest May 31 in downtown Omaha. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson has ordered the man to remain in custody until trial. Court documents indicate the judge cited the lengthy potential prison sentence among other reasons for not setting a bail amount.

The case is being investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Photos: Third night of protest in Omaha amid a new curfew
Dir: Sally Potter. Starring: Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney, Branka Katic. 15 cert, 85 mins

The Roads Not Taken, an understated drama from Sally Potter, is rich with small moments of intimacy. Theyre partially informed by personal experience  Potters older brother lived with Picks disease, a rare form of age-related dementia, before his death in 2013. She has immense compassion for those caught up in the wake of a diagnosis. Her film opens on Leo (Javier Bardem), whos frozen in bed, as doorbells and mobile phones ring out, his mind failing to interpret their meaning. Hes in the late stages of frontotemporal dementia  some part of his imagination is still active, but his tongue can now only mutter a few disconnected words. Bardem, whos spent a career writing pain into the creases on his face, is impeccably cast here. He never plays Leo as a tragedy, but as someone in constant battle with himself.

His daughter, Molly (Elle Fanning), cares for him, guiding him through a day of appointments  first with the dentist, then with the optometrist. Her expressions  some unique meld of love, sympathy, and frustration  could only belong to a child who must now parent their own progenitor. She talks to him in soft, babyish tones. When he soils himself, she leads him into the bathroom to change. She plays with him a little, trying to keep the atmosphere light. She even whips off her own trousers in solidarity. If she doesnt smile and laugh at all times, it might scare her father. But when her role as a carer comes at odds with her career as a journalist, that mask begins to crack.

Potter has empathy, too, for Leos less supportive ex-wife (Laura Linneys Rita). Why does everyone continue to refer to Dad as he, as if hes not here? Molly asks, after a trip to the emergency room sees staff treat him like a ghost. Well, is he? Rita replies. The writer-director, in her own peculiar way, thinks she might have a point. Leo finds himself drawn back  not to the past as it was, but as it could have been. The idea isnt so fanciful for Potter, who already bent time, space, and gender in her 1992 adaptation of Virginia Woolfs Orlando.

Bardem as Leo with Salma Hayeks Dolores in one of the films timelines (Bleecker Street)

Leo is a writer, always in search of an ending  not only to the book hes writing in one of his imagined lives, wheres abandoned his family and cloistered himself on a Greek island, but to his own existence. But happiness seems to elude him. On the island, hes become a lecherous old man, chasing after the beautiful tourist (Milena Tscharntke) who happens to be the same age as his daughter. In another timeline, he stayed in Mexico with his childhood sweetheart Dolores (Salma Hayek). Here, hes a man disassembled by unnamed grief. His bitterness and insolence eats away at his love, as Dolores begs him to join her at a memorial for the dead.

Yet Potter seems so intimately connected to these characters that she doesnt think to share their worlds with us. Its hard to know what Leo thinks of life as its turned out for him, since the director gives us so little insight into his existence. Was he always a selfish man, whatever the circumstances? Or does that small, but persistent light in his daughters eyes hint that this reality, with all its burdens, is still the happiest? The Roads Not Taken leaves that answer somewhere out of frame.
A man suspected of leading security officers on a wild chase through Outlet Collection at Niagara mall, then using a knife to threaten a woman and drive off in her car, has been arrested near London, Ont.

Niagara Regional Police said officers were called to the mall on Taylor Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake Tuesday at about 5:30 p.m.

Police said security officers had arrested a man suspected of committing criminal acts but during a struggle the man broke free and ran.

At some point he flashed a knife and threatened the security officers who were trying to apprehend him. Police said the man ran into the parking lot and tried to break into several parked vehicles.

He opened the door of a Mercedes and threatened the female driver with the knife. She escaped without injury, and a bystander stepped up to help the security officers contain the man in the Mercedes.

After trying to use the knife on the Good Samaritan, the man fled in the car, damaging it as he left the lot.

Police said soon after, another member of the public reported his car had been broken into and his credit cards were used to make purchases at the mall.

The next day, Wednesday, OPP arrested a man on Highway 401 near London, operating the stolen Mercedes.

Michael Leroy Barrett, 28, of no fixed address was charged by Niagara police with theft under $5,000, three counts of assault with a weapon, possession of a dangerous weapon, robbery, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and failure to comply with a probation order.

The OPP laid more charges: dangerous driving, prohibited driving, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, resisting arrest and driving while impaired by drugs.

Barrett was returned to Niagara.

Detectives are hoping to speak with anyone who witnessed the incidents at the mall, and can be reached at 905-688-4111 ext. 2200.
says Chinese warplanes entered its airspace on Wednesday and Thursday during large-scale war games that it called a serious provocation to and a grave threat to regional peace and stability.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said Thursday that its military is fully aware of actions by China's military aircraft and responds effectively, without giving details.

China says the self-governing democracy of 23 million people is its own territory and has been stepping up its threat to bring the island under its control by military force with frequent war games and aerial patrols.

said such actions by China's People's Liberation Army threaten the entire region and urged the community to respond.

Today, the PLA has chosen to conduct exercises near Taiwan; tomorrow it may engage in similar threats near other countries, the ministry said in a statement.

China cut contacts with Taiwan's government following the 2016 election of independence-minded President Tsai Ing-wen, who was re-elected this year, and has sought to isolate her diplomatically while ratcheting up political, military and economic pressure.

The latest moves come at a low point in relations between Beijing and Washington, Taiwan's chief ally and weapons provider.

The US is legally bound to treat threats to the island as a matter of grave concern.

That introduces a greater level of risk with the possibility that the US could be swiftly brought into any conflict between Taiwan and China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the question of Taiwan's annexation cannot be put off indefinitely, while at the same time he is aggressively pursuing China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, along the border with India and in the East China Sea where China claims uninhabited islands controlled by Japan.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kentucky congressman against mandates says he has COVID
Reservations for the 40 pairs of new special trains, announced by Railway Ministry a few days back, have now started. The 80 special trains will be running from September 12 and would be fully reserved trains.

These trains are an addition to 230 special trains already being operated by the Railway Ministry, according to YK Yadav, the newly appointed CEO of Indian Railways.

The timings of these trains will be similar to those of regular trains. Stoppages will be scheduled in a restricted manner after discussions with respective state governments. Indian Railways had suspended its entire operations on March 25 when the lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus was first imposed in India. It resumed operations in a staggered manner, with Shramik Special trains being run to help stranded migrant workers and labourers reach their native states from May 1.

Indian Railways tweeted out a complete list of the 80 special trains which will run from September 12. Some of the new special trains will run on Delhi-Indore, Yesvantpur-Gorakhpur, Puri-Ahmedabad, New Delhi-Bengaluru routes.

Indian Railways to run additional 40 pairs of more special trains w.e.f. 12th September 2020. These will be fully reserved train. Ticket can be booked from 10th September, 2020https://t.co/nurgBZYvJd pic.twitter.com/TtQKJyKAdQ - Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 6, 2020

How to book tickets for special trains on IRCTC

Travellers who want to book tickets on the special trains would need to head over to the IRCTC website, irctc.co.in, or download the official IRCTC app. Once on these platforms, travellers have to then log in to IRCTC.

Once the log in process is complete, users will be able to see if seats on trains are vacant or not. If seats are available they can click on the 'Book Now' option to start the booking process. Users will then have to fill all the required information. They will have multiple payment options, including credit card, debit card, net banking and UPI. After the payment, users will receive a ticket confirmation SMS on their registered phone numbers.

Also Read: Centre's policies caused loss of crores of jobs, historic GDP fall: Rahul Gandhi

Also Read:RIL share hits all-time high, market cap above Rs 14 lakh cr for second day
This is another step forward toward equity and inclusion, but we are far from there, tweeted activist April Reign, who launched the groundbreaking #OscarsSoWhite campaign that inspired deeper conversations about representation in 2015. "I appreciate all of you who have discussed this issue or used the hashtag. This is progress for marginalized communities, championed by marginalized communities. We win together.
A woman was killed and another seriously injured when their disabled minivan was struck by an SUV along the southbound New Jersey Turnpike in Middlesex County early Thursday morning.

Jadira Espinal, 40, of Philadelphia, was seated in a passengers seat of a minivan stuck in the center lane of the inner roadway when it was hit by the SUV. Espinal was thrown from the vehicle, according to New Jersey State Police.

The driver of the minivan  a 20-year-old Philadelphia woman  had exited the minivan to assist Espinal and was seriously injured after also being hit by the SUV, a State Police spokesman said.

A 55-year-old man from the Fords section of Woodbridge driving the SUV was not hurt.

The minivan was disabled after an earlier crash, though details of that wreck werent immediately available.

The crash took place around 4:30 a.m. near milepost 80.2 in East Brunswick  between exits 9 and 8A. It remains under investigation.

State Police closed the inner roadway for hours and traffic was backed up for about 11 miles on the outer roadway during the heart of the morning rush.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 13:04:22|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan army said Thursday morning that Indian forces fired into Pakistani side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir region and injured three civilians.

An army statement said the Indian army troops resorted to an unprovoked ceasefire violation in Bedori sector along the LoC "targeting civil population."

"Three innocent civilians got injured. Pakistan Army troops responded effectively to the Indian firing," the statement from the army's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations, said.

Pakistan and India had declared a ceasefire along the LoC, the de facto border between both countries in the disputed Kashmir region. However, both sides have routinely exchanged fire and accused each other of ceasefire violations.

The Pakistan army said Wednesday night that a soldier was killed in an Indian firing during an exchange of intense fire and has shot down an Indian spying quadcopter along the LoC.

The quadcopter had intruded 500 meters on Pakistan's side of the LoC in Chakothi sector, a separate army statement said, adding that this is the 11th Indian quadcopter shot down by the Pakistan troops this year.

Tension has been heightened after India lifted the special status for the Indian-controlled Kashmir in August last year. Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations, suspended trade relations and train service with India in response. Enditem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) Giving China-backed Dito Telecommunity the green light to build cell towers inside military camps is a dumb move as it raises more security and privacy concerns for the country, a former Supreme Court justice said Thursday.

Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio likened the move to China putting up a listening device inside the Philippines premises, adding that the East Asian giant has the capability to install spy software and applications through the towers.

I think its very dumb of us to allow those towers to be installed inside military camps, Carpio said in an interview with CNN Philippines The Source.

Just imagine, putting a tower inside of the military camp and the equipment, all those chips on these towers are made in China, they can just put in spy firmware, the software come from China, he explained.

Carpio noted that such spy applications even allows eavesdropping or recording of peoples conversations, even with mobile phones turned off.

You ask any security analyst whos familiar with cybersecurity, and they will tell you, absolutely do not allow towers to be installed in your military camps. Because its like allowing China to put a listening device in your conference room I think its a no-brainer, the former magistrate stressed.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier this week confirmed that he had recently inked a deal allowing the new telecommunications player to install cell towers within camps, similar to mobile service providers Smart and Globe.

But privacy concerns were brought up anew following this pronouncement, with some officials and lawmakers citing Ditos partnership with Beijing-run China Telecom.

Despite these claims, Dito on Wednesday assured that it will not obtain classified information inside military camps, saying the telco player will always serve the country's interests.

Last year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines also allowed the country's third telco player to set up communications equipment in its camps, but was halted amid security concerns raised by some lawmakers.
Armed with the Y-plus security cover, Kangana Ranaut returned to Mumbai in the middle of her ugly tussle with the Maharashtra government and Shiv Sena on Wednesday. She landed in the city shortly after scoring a win against Shiv Sena-led BMC, which had started demolishing alleged illegal structures at her Pali Hill bungalow.

The demolition drive drew sharp responses on social media, with messages of support for Kangana flooding the internet, with some equating her with Rhea Chakraborty, accused of abetting the suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, saying how the two women are fighting back systems and prejudices. Now, Rheas close friend, actress Shibani Dandekar has slammed the equivalence of the two by sharing a picture wherein Rhea is being hounded by the press, whereas Kangana is guarded by a posse of elite commandos of the CRPF.

Let that sink in," Shibani captions the picture. Shibani has been a constant support for Rhea. Earlier, she penned a long note on Instagram, calling out the press for allegedly misbehaving with Rhea. Shibani also wrote, I stand with you and by your side always. @rhea_chakraborty"

After three days of interrogation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday arrested Rhea in a drug case linked to actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death, following which she was sent in judicial custody till September 22 by a local court.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  After six years, an Edgewood man has been charged with raping and abusing a close relative over several years, at one point kidnapping her when she attempted to escape.

The Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office arrested Danny Kinder, 49, after investigators interviewed family members and other witnesses about the abuse.

Kinder allegedly raped a teenage relative with increasing violence and regularity both in Edgewood and Rio Rancho, the criminal affidavit states.

At one point, Kinder impregnated the female relative, saying that he loved her and wanted to start a family. She soon got an abortion.

He was excited like he wanted to keep the baby, but I begged and said, Everyone will know its your kid,  the woman wrote in an email to investigators.

Eventually, the woman told police that when she was 18, another relative purchased her a one-way bus ticket from Albuquerque to Utah to escape her abuser.

However, upon arriving in Utah, she was met by Kinder and his son. Kinder then forced her into a car to take her back to New Mexico, threatening to kill her and himself if she did not comply. He now faces kidnapping charges as a result.

The Children, Youth and Families Department opened an investigation into Kinder in 2014, but he soon fled the state. He eventually returned to Edgewood, where police executed an arrest warrant, although it is unclear when he came back to the state.

The affidavit does not explain the six-year delay in the case, but it says the investigation started again in earnest on Aug. 26.

Kinder faces a first-degree kidnapping charge and three charges of criminal sexual penetration, one against a child above the age of 13.
Joanne, left, has talked about the night Jodie Chesney, right, was killed. (PA/Met Police)

The stepmother of murdered girl scout Jodie Chesney has said her killers dont deserve forgiveness as she relived the day the teenager died.

Jodie, 17, was fatally stabbed in the back in a case of mistaken identity while hanging out with friends in a park in Harold Hill, east London on 1 March 2019.

Her attackers, who were seeking revenge on a rival, have since been jailed for life.

Stepmother Joanne, 36, told the Real Fix podcast that Peter  Jodies father and her then-partner  called to say Jodie had been stabbed and paramedics were trying to save her at the roadside.

Jodie Chesney was murdered in March last year. (PA/Met Police)

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, was found guilty at the Old Bailey for murdering 17 year old girl scout Jodie Chesney. (PA/Met Police)

I wasn't prepared for what happened next, she said.

(Pete) could barely talk and he said Jodies been stabbed and shes dead.

No-one could believe at the time what was going on.

They were taking her to the nearest trauma unit but the paramedics couldn't get her there in time.

They pulled over in a petrol station and tried to bring her back there but it was too late.

Jodie was with friends in a park when two people emerged from a bush and attacked her.

She suffered a seven-inch deep wound that caused her lung to collapse, the Old Bailey heard.

Aaron Isaacs was jailed for 18 years. (SWNS)

Father Peter, stepmother Joanne and sister Lucy, speak at the Met's headquarters. (PA)

Drug dealer Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and his runner Aaron Isaacs fled the scene in another dealers car but were arrested days later by police. Both were found guilty of her murder in November 2019.

Joanne recalled getting a phone call from Peter.

(The police) were going to take him to the hospital but half way they got a phone call from the controller saying take him home because she hasnt made it.

Ong-a-Kwie, then 19, was ordered serve a minimum of 26 years while Isaacs, 17, was told to serve at least 18 years.

Joanne Chesney, Pete, Lucy and Jodie on a Thames River Cruise in August 2009. (SWNS)

I suppose you can say justice has been served on two of them but nothing will bring Jodie back, Joanne said.

They were only looking out for themselves - they don't deserve forgiveness.

Joanne said she went to court nearly every day during the trial and wanted the two to see what theyd done to us.

We still didn't find out what we needed to know but hopefully theyll suffer and be in prison for a long time.

Story continues

I want to keep her memory alive and show this could happen to anyone - to a normal family.

Tributes in Romford where Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death. (SWNS)

CCTV image dated 1/3/2019 of Jodie Chesney walking with friends. (PA Images/Met Police)

Which is why I think a lot of people felt so involved with the story.

I hope they can see how good she was inside and out.

She was so lovely - I know most parents are biased but she really was the kindest, sweetest person."

Recounting her final conversations with Jodie, Joanne said they were talking about what present she would get for Peter. Joanne and Peter had been out on the day Jodie was killed to celebrate his birthday.

Joanne, from Dagenham, Essex, said she met Peter in 2007, when Jodie was six, and they married in 2012 before splitting earlier in 2020, saying the couple ended up taking our grief out on each other.

Joanne said: Nothing prepared for what happened and we didn't know how to cope with it.

Thankfully now, we're trying to rebuild so we can at least be friends.
With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 10.1x Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE:GNW) may be sending bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios greater than 19x and even P/E's higher than 36x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.

Recent times have been pleasing for Genworth Financial as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think the company's earnings are going to fall away like everyone else's soon. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Genworth Financial

pe

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Genworth Financial will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/E?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as Genworth Financial's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 78%. Still, EPS has barely risen at all from three years ago in total, which is not ideal. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 31% per annum during the coming three years according to the only analyst following the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 13% per year growth forecast for the broader market.

In light of this, it's peculiar that Genworth Financial's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting significantly lower selling prices.

Story continues

The Bottom Line On Genworth Financial's P/E

While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

We've established that Genworth Financial currently trades on a much lower than expected P/E since its forecast growth is higher than the wider market. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/E ratio. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future earnings could see a lot of volatility.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Genworth Financial, and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly and trade on P/E's below 20x.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tornado Global Hydrovacs Ltd. (Tornado or the Company) (TGH: TSX-V) today reported the voting results from its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on September 9, 2020 (the Meeting).



All of the six nominees proposed by management for election to the Board of Directors at the Meeting and listed in the Companys Management Information Circular dated August 3, 2020 were elected. The directors elected at the Meeting will hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders, or until their successors are elected or appointed.

The results of the vote on the election of the Board of Directors are as follows:

Director Nominee Votes For Votes Withheld Guy Nelson 73,634,999 (99.99%) 1,312 (0.01%) James Chui 73,631,874 (99.99%) 4,437 (0.01%) Darrick Evong 73,634,738 (99.99%) 1,573 (0.01%) Chuyu Wu 73,630,874 (99.99%) 5,437 (0.01%) George Tai 73,630,613 (99.99%) 5,698 (0.01%) Robert Marshall 73,496,999 (99.81%) 139,312 (0.19%)

Additionally, resolutions were passed at the Meeting approving: (i) the appointment of MNL LLP as auditors of the Company, passed with 99.99% of votes cast in favour; and (ii) the re-approval of the Companys Stock Option Plan, passed with 99.88% of votes cast in favour.

Mr. Nelson provided an overview of the Companys business and outlook which is described in a presentation now available on the Companys website at www.tornadotrucks.com .

About Tornado Global Hydrovacs Ltd.

The Company designs, manufactures hydrovac trucks in Canada and sells hydrovac trucks for excavation service providers to the municipal and oil and gas markets in Canada and the USA. Hydrovac trucks use high pressure water to pulverize soil and turn it into mud, and then vacuum up the resulting mud into its tank. Tornado currently operates in North America. In China, the Companys subsidiary is used principally to source certain parts to the Companys North America operations.

For more information about Tornado Global Hydrovacs Ltd., visit www.tornadotrucks.com or contact:

Bill Rollins

Chief Executive Officer

Phone: (403) 204-6333

Email: brollins@tghl.ca Al Robertson

Chief Financial Officer

Phone: (403) 204-6363

Email: arobertson@tghl.ca

Advisory

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The use of the words anticipates, should, may, expected, expects, believes and other words of a similar nature are intended to identify forward-looking statements. 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. Although Tornado believes these statements to be reasonable, no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Tornado. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent Tornados expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change after such date. Tornado 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 may be required by applicable securities regulations.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 44 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Many airlines are expected to re-launch flights to Armenia within September 2020, PM Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting.

He said the Civil Aviation Committee is currently working with the foreign airlines who are planning to resume the flights.

Pashinyan said that at least 10 or 20 airlines will restart regular flights to Armenia sometime during this month.

He reminded that travelers who will chose to be tested for COVID-19 instead of self-quarantining for 14 days will be able to do so at the airport.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan said that the government has no travel restrictions for citizens of any particular country regarding the pandemic. He said the Yerevan airport will have 20 testing points.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
A model has slammed a creepy bar worker for sending her inappropriate texts after taking her number from the Track and Trace app when she ordered drinks.

Dancer, fire performer and personal trainer Lucy Dixon, 32, accused the worker of breaking the law after he sent her a selfie and said: 'I was working the night you came in, you're gorgeous'.

Miss Dixon, who lives in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, posted grabs of their messages to Facebook.

Under Government measures pubs and bars have to ask customers to leave their contact details so they can be called and asked to self-isolate in the event of a coronavirus outbreak.

Alongside the screengrabs Miss Dixon wrote: 'Track and Trace, and bars having to take down your details in order for you to be there these days.

Dancer, fire performer and personal trainer Lucy Dixon, 32, accused the worker of breaking the law after he sent her a selfie and said: 'I was working the night you came in, you're gorgeous'

'And this is exactly what should never happen. A complete breach of GDPR.

'Currently getting to the bottom of how and why this has happened. Surely these are meant to be secure databases no?'

In the string of messages the bar worker, who said his name was Tom, wrote: 'Hey gorgeous, hope you're well? Xx Was fun seeing you at the*'. Miss Dixon hid the name of the bar where she had enjoyed a night out.

Miss Dixon replied 'who is this', to which he said: 'Tom.' She responded: 'I actually don't know who you are.'

Miss Dixon, who lives in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, posted grabs of their messages to Facebook

Miss Dixon (pictured) told Tom her number wasn't on Instagram before she guessed he had taken it from the Track and Trace app

The guy then sent her a selfie and added: 'I was working the night you came in, you're gorgeous x'

Horrified Miss Dixon added: 'How did you get my number?' He replied: 'Off Insta. Hope that's ok?'

But she hit back and said: 'My number isn't on Insta.' A rumbled Tom then said: 'Sorry if not. If you want me to leave it's fine.'

But he persisted and added: 'Where abouts you from?'

After working it out, Miss Dixon added: 'Have you taken my number from when I ordered drinks through the app last night?'

It is unclear exactly where Miss Dixon was drinking.

Alongside the screengrabs Miss Dixon (pictured in January last year) wrote: 'Track and Trace, and bars having to take down your details in order for you to be there these days'

In the string of messages the bar worker, who said his name was Tom, wrote: 'Hey gorgeous, hope you're well? Xx Was fun seeing you at the*'. The name of the bar was hidden

Tom replied: 'Maybe. But if you want me to leave it is fine. And sorry if so. I'm guessing so.'

She responded: 'You know that's against the law?'

He sheepishly added: 'As I said I'm sorry so I'll leave it.'

Shocked social media users quickly took to the comments to vent their frustration that the system could be so easily abused.

Emma Louise said: 'I'd be straight telling the bar that you went to. What the hell. He's even sent a photo, how incriminating.'

Under Government measures pubs have to ask customers to leave their contact details so they can be called in the event of a coronavirus outbreak. Pictured, Miss Dixon in July

Siobhan McManmon-Greenlees said: 'A database is only as secure as those administering it are. In this case, not at all.'

Dawn Holdbrook added: 'I hope you reported him for that, it's utterly disgusting.'

And Alana Marshall said: 'Wow this is horrendous!!!'

In July it was revealed little over 81 per cent of infected people were actually tracked down by tracers  marking the first time the system has caught more than 80 per cent of patients since it launched on May 28.

Shocked social media users quickly vented their frustration that the system could be so easily abused in the comments

One in four people who came into close contact with someone infected with coronavirus could not be reached by the NHS Test and Trace service.

Only 75.1 per cent (13,974) of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate. This was down from the 78.4 per cent reached in the previous week, and the 90.8 per cent reached in the first week of Test and Trace.

Scientists have previously said eight in 10 Covid-19 sufferers need to be reached and their contacts isolated for the system to be effective.
M adrid has brought in new restrictions on social gatherings, restaurants and bars as Spain tries to curb a spike in coronavirus cases while millions of pupils return to school this week.

A ban on outdoor meetings of more than 10 people was extended indoors because most recent outbreaks of Covid-19 were linked to family meetings or mass drinking sessions organised by young people called botellones.

Funerals, burials, weddings and religious ceremonies as well as tourist events also faced new restrictions.

The crackdown came as Spain became the first western European country to report more than half a million coronavirus cases.

Some 8,666 people tested positive for the disease on Wednesday, the health ministry said, bringing the total to 543,379.

Spain recorded an average of 259.8 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past two weeks, compared with 37.2 in the UK, and double the figure in France of 130.4.

Experts said the majority of new cases were among young people aged 24-30 but about 50 per cent of those diagnosed were asymptomatic or showed only slight symptoms.

The Left-wing government failed to warn young people of the dangers of meeting their friends before lockdown ended in June, analysts said.

Spain is reintroducing lockdown measures amid a surge of coronavirus infections / REUTERS

Spain is reintroducing lockdown measures amid a surge of coronavirus infections (REUTERS)

Fernando Simon, Spains health emergency chief, appealed this month to social media influencers to help change young peoples behaviour.

But Rafael Bengoa, co-director of the Institute for Health and Strategy in Bilbao and a former director of the World Health Organisation, said: We are playing a cat-and-mouse game but the cat is always one step behind the mouse. It is no good trying to ask social media influencers to change young peoples behaviour in September. We need to be ahead of the game, not trying to catch up.

Professor Bengoa also blamed the rise in cases on the lack of case trackers.

He said in Catalonia and Aragon authorities failed to provide proper accommodation for migrant fruit pickers who spread the disease because they were forced to live in unhygienic conditions.

The death rate remains below the peak in April when more than 900 people died in one day. Experts say this is because younger people are catching the disease and doctors are detecting Covid-19 at an earlier stage.
(Natural News) According to the Left, everything is Trumps fault. Global warming. Covid. Riots in every metropolitan city. Russians ruining Hillarys chance at President. You name it and if its bad, its Trumps fault, but thats just the lying mass media talking, even though Trump debunked fake news right from the beginning.

In fact, thats one of the main reasons he won the White House, and will win again. CNN, WaPo and NYT are nothing but fake news, and theyve all been calling the protests peaceful since the Floyd incident, despite countless occurrences of BLM and Antifa thugs killing, raping, pillaging, looting, fire-bombing, and Neanderthal style beatings and muggings.

The media wanted to portray the fake race war as peaceful on the Left and violent from the Right. Again, Orange Man bad.

Now, the polls are showing that the ignorant Left had no idea, until Kenosha, that there was anything bad happening at all at any protests anywhere, so now the narrative must change. The riots are Trumps fault. Theyre violent because he incites riots with his immense hatred of Blacks and Jews and Mexicans and Arabs and Chinese and and well, again, Orange Man bad.

According to the Left, the Russians helped Trump win, Trump spread Covid and killed 180,000 innocent Americans, and so the violent, insane riots are all justified

If you hate Trump and you live in a big city (or travel to one while getting paid by Soros to destroy citizens, cops and stores), then its legal to murder, rape and torture people while setting cars and stores on fire, as long as you spray paint BLM somewhere to let people know that you support people who have supposedly been oppressed for hundreds of years. This is a movement paid for by rich white dudes to get poor White and Black people to murder other people, Black or White or Brown, in the name of racial equality.

If the protests were actually peaceful, they would have credited Creepy Joe and Sleezy Kamala, because thats what fake news does. The riots will only get worse and for one reason: Losers without jobs who already have violent arrest records love getting paid to destroy anything. Theyre so worked up from the fake news that theyre all ready to go back to jail for rioting, which could be their covid death-sentence, after all.

Funny how theres not one single video (in context) of Trump being a racist, white supremacist or xenophobe

Alternative news has exploded with loyal readers over the past five years, as most people who arent insane enough to think socialism is just communism in sheeps clothing, now know that the Left has gone off the deep end for good, and theres no coming back from it. Thats why everything is on the line this election. Thats why the Left must lie, cheat, steel, rape, molest and kill  in order to win over the scum of the earth to vote for free stuff and no rights.

Truth news exposes the Left all the time, with videos of violent riots, politician hypocrisy and lies they told just weeks and months ago that they hope everyone already forgot about. Meanwhile, the whole narrative of Trump being a white-supremacist dictator has fallen apart over and over, from the fake Russian-collusion hoax, to the impeachment hoax, to the peaceful riots hoax. Every lie blows up in their faces, while Biden cant keep up with what happened yesterday.

Lets face it, Biden is the perverted, misogynistic White Supremacist freak, not Trump. Its pretty obvious now. Tune your internet dial to Trump.news for updates on the war against domestic terror (a.k.a. BLM and Antifa).

According to every American voting Democrat in November (about 40 million or less), every protest is peaceful and loving and supports treating Black people with respect and dignity. Sure. Just watch.

Sources for this article include:

Trump.news

NaturalNews.com

ZeroHedge.com
Lucid Air. Lucid

Lucid CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson doesnt think big batteries are the key to efficiency.

He has plans to mass-produce the tech behind the Lucid Air and wants to see it in other cars.

He also said that Lucids tech is more advanced than Teslas.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Believe what you want about trickle-down as it applies to economics, but it's a tried-and-true method in cars. Lucid Motors, the new EV startup on the scene, isn't just bringing a new car to the market  it's bringing technology, with the hope of that technology paving the way for more affordable EVs.

On Wednesday, Lucid launched the Air sedan, its first EV that's aimed directly at the Tesla Model S. It boasts a 9.9-second quarter-mile time, super fast charging, and a 517-mile range.

With prices starting at $80,000 ($72,500 after the US federal tax credit), it was heartening to hear Lucid CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson speak about sharing the technology in other, more affordable applications, as most wouldn't consider the Air cheap.

"We want our technology to cascade into a more affordable product," he said during a virtual tour of the Air last week.

Prior to being appointed as Lucid's top dog, Rawlinson led vehicle engineering at Tesla and was the chief engineer of the Model S. Before that, he worked at Lotus and Jaguar.

One of Lucid's top priorities when developing the Air was to make both the car and its manufacturing process as efficient as possible. Efficiency is Lucid's whole modus operandi, Rawlinson said during an interview with Business Insider.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The idea of efficient packaging, especially as it pertains to EVs, is not new  Volkswagen also promises that its modular electric drive matrix platform, also known as MEB, will make EV production more efficient and hopefully cheaper.

But for Lucid, efficiency is key. It's the secret sauce to the crazy range numbers that give the Air an advantage over the Tesla Model S. (Lucid attributes part of the range figure to the Air's super slick 0.21 drag coefficient, which is lower than the Model S's 0.23.)

Story continues

In fact, Rawlinson seems to abhor the idea of companies stuffing fat battery packs into cars and calling it a day.

"There's this myopia about batteries and it's rubbish," he said, dismissing it. "Dumb range is a big battery. Smart range is through efficiency."

Lucid Air. Lucid

Lucid's miniaturized its EV drivetrain  smaller but more powerful electric motors and revamped packaging  was developed in-house from the ground up. The more compact components are what gives the Air its spacious interior and also speak to Rawlinson's belief that efficiency is more than just a big battery pack. Per the CEO's estimates, the company's technology is 17% more efficient than its closest competitor.

"We've got more advanced technology than Tesla," he said flatly. Them's fightin' words.

What defines efficiency for Lucid manifests in two ways. The first is being able to achieve a high range output with a smaller drivetrain. The second is being able to mass produce it.

"The technology is more mass-producible, not necessarily the Lucid Air," Rawlinson clarified. "We've put a degree of computer control into its manufacture, so there's no variability. Our designs are very consistent."

Lucid Air. Lucid

The Lucid battery pack is also more mass-producible "than anything else on the scene," Rawlinson said. That drives cost down, with the aim here to being able to eventually share the tech.

"Once all the costs are driven down, there's a multiplier effect for all costs going down," Rawlinson said. "I like to think that our technology can power all car companies."

This idea of automakers collaborating to produce EVs isn't new, either. Ford and Volkswagen are working together to do it. More recently, Honda and General Motors announced similar moves. It saves money on production costs, engineering, and research and development.

Lucid's appearance in the industry would give existing automakers another option  with the resulting product eventually trickling down to benefit us, the consumers, hopefully at an affordable cost.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Lucid's Casa Grande, Arizona, manufacturing plant currently has a capacity of 34,000 cars per year, Rawlinson said. That is phase one for the company: to make and sell the more expensive Air before getting into mass production.

"It costs far more to set up mass production to build a smaller car at a mass scale," Rawlinson said. "We have to walk before we can run."

"Sure, we're going to come downmarket with a more affordable platform, but that's still some years out."

Basically, don't expect a cheap Lucid car anytime soon. But as for the plant, Rawlinson said the square footage is big enough to support an output of 360,000 cars a year, maybe 400,000.

"That's bigger than Tesla Fremont," he said. "Let me tell you, I want to max it out."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Popular Kumawood actor, Andrew Ntul Mensah, also known as Scorpion GH, has been reportedly shot by armed robbers.



According to reports, he was attacked in his house at Aburaso New Site near Kumasi in the Ashanti region at about 2:40 a.m on Thursday.



Officers from the Suntreso District Police Command rushed to the scene following a distress call and found Scorpion in a pool of blood in the said house.



Preliminary investigations reveal that the perpetrators used a car jerk to expand portions of a burglar-proof and gained access to the main building and went straight to the victims door.



Scorpions brother, Emmanuel Ntul, who confirmed this to the media, said his brother was shot in the right thigh and left ribs by one of the gun-wielding men during a struggle.



He was with his wife and children when the incident happened. They forced the door open during a struggle and according to him, one of them was ordered to shoot at my brother, he said.



He said they rushed Scorpion to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and he is receiving treatment.



Meanwhile, police have since retrieved the jerk, three empty shells of spent 9mm cartridges, and a nose mask as part of their investigations.

Source: adomonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Bangalore Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) on Thursday dismissed an income tax appeal of adding 152 crore of undisclosed on Flipkart founders when they exited UrbanTouch.com in 2012.

The income tax department in the assessment year 2013-14 had alleged that the founders of Flipkart had received an amount of USD 30 million as proceeds for sale of urbantouch.com and had accordingly made addition of 152 crore.

The AO (assessing officer) contended that the income from sale of shares has not been disclosed in the return of income filed by the assesse (UrbanTouch), ITAT said in the order.

In August 2012, the shares of UrbanTouch were transferred by its shareholders to Goldsquare for 12.33 crore. These shares were transferred by Tiger Global, Accel India, Sachin & Binny Bansal and Mukesh Bansal - collectively known as angel investors.

The business of UrbanTouch was later consolidated under Goldsquare and owing to huge losses, assessee sold off all its assets, domain name of www.urbantouch.com operated by it along with all other intellectual IP/brand assets to Goldsquare vide Brand Assets Assignment Agreement dated March, 2013 for 3 lakh.

However, the income tax department in its income addition order cited an Economic Times report that the consideration has been received in both cash as well as in stock.

The assessment is considered based on the material available on records by bringing to tax of Rs.152,31,66,000 as undisclosed income of the assessee under capital gains," the ITAT said quoting the AO order.

UrbanTouch argued that the investors had invested an amount close to 20 crores.

Therefore, it is impractical for the assessing officer to presume that the investors would receive an amount of 167 crores.

However, ITAT ruled that the assessment in the instant case has been concluded based on a news article which does not in any case constitute adequate material on record".

Startup exits have more often than not attracted the scrutiny of tax officials that there is some undisclosed income or untaxed capital gains.

For instance, the Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR) in June this year had rejected a petition by US private equity firm Tiger Global claiming an exemption from tax on capital gains resulting from the 2018 sale of its Flipkart stake to Walmart.

Tiger Global had claimed nil withholding tax on the capital gains, since its investment firms that made the Flipkart investment were based in Mauritius. At least four rulings by AAR, have labelled investments through Mauritius as a tax avoidance route and thus not eligible for treaty benefits.

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Human rights activists have criticised the Nigerian police for moving an alleged rape case against Kogi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumuni Danga, to a high court in the Federal Capital City(FCT).

According to the activists, the move is aimed at letting the accused off the hook.

Inibehe Effiong, who is also a lawyer, said that the police want to deliberately destroy the case by taking it to the FCT for prosecution because rape is a state offence and cannot be tried outside the locus criminis (the place where it was committed)

He said the FCT high court does not have the jurisdiction to try the case.

Mr Effiong said this on his twitter handle @InibeheEffiong where he compiled a thread on how the police intentionally took the case outside Kogi state

How it started

Premium Times in April reported how a commissioner in Kogi State allegedly dehumanised one Elizabeth Oyeniyi and raped her multiple times.

In the report, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) quoted Mr Danga as saying that he preferred the matter to be left as it is.

However, Mr Danga did not deny the allegations against him.

In an interview the 23-year-old Ms Oyeniyi granted after the incident, she told Premium Times that Mr Danga flogged her and said he could have killed her but for her young son who was with her then.

The commissioner then stripped her while at least 15 men, who worked for him, watched. The suspected thugs also allegedly filmed her nude as she was being whipped and humiliated. After the attack, Mr Danga drove her to a hotel close to the Kogi State House in Lokoja, the state capital, where he allegedly forcefully raped her three times overnight, the victim claimed, this newspaper quoted Ms Oyeniyi as saying

Meanwhile, five months after, the police has now instituted a criminal case against the commissioner after inviting all parties involved.

In a Twitter thread, Mr Effiong said the alleged sexual offences in this case as stated in counts one to seven of the charge were committed in Lokoja, Kogi State, and not in the FCT.

He also said the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, under which the commissioner will be arraigned, is only applicable to the FCT and not Kogi State where the crime took place.

ALERT: Is police deceiving the public, the victim or itself by filing this charge? The FCT High Court has no jurisdiction to try this case for the following reasons, he said.

He said Section 47 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 specifically states that This Act applies only to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Nigerian courts are usually not seised of matters/cases that occur outside their territorial or geographical jurisdiction. The charges against Danga would amount to a waste of public funds.

Mr Effiong said that if the Attorney General of Kogi State is not willing to prosecute the case, the police should go ahead and file a proper charge at the High Court of Kogi State under the Penal Code.

The Attorney General can then decide whether to allow the police to prosecute or discontinue the case. Nobody is above the law. We have to halt the culture of impunity in this country. The charges and allegations against Mr Abdulmumuni Danga and his accomplice are serious and should be prosecuted with vigour and diligence, he said

If there is apprehension about the safety of witnesses in Kogi State, the police should file an application for witness protection at the Kogi State High Court before the commencement of trial. It will be a shame if the Nigeria Police Force cannot protect witnesses in this case. The victim of the dastardly crimes deserves justice, he said.

Another lawyer, Chidi Odinkalu, described the action of the police as criminal and condemnable.

What @PoliceNG is trying to do here is criminal & condemnable: They have charged this case of rape against this Commissioner in Kogi State b4 the FCT High Court. Incident took place in Lokoja, which the Police now claim is "within jurisdiction". That's wilful. Lokoja isn't pic.twitter.com/7uoTRQzEbq  Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 8, 2020

Reactions

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, Williams Aya, said the case was not officially reported in Kogi State.

Ask them where they reported the case, he said.

However, a gender rights activist, Dorothy Njemanze, who with other women rights crusaders reported the issue, said the case was reported in Kogi state and the FCT

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In a phone interview on Thursday, Ms Dorothy said her foundation and other women rights foundation wrote a petition to the state.

We reported the case in Kogi state and the FCT. It was the police commissioner in Kogi state that forwarded the investigation document to FCT, she said.

According to her, women rights organisations are tired of people in political offices committing gender-based violence and getting away with it.
Black households earned 61 cents for every dollar of White median incomes

Police violence linked to segregated housing

The August 23 police shooting of an unarmed Black man in Kenosha, WI, triggered yet another round of community protests and national news coverage of a Black man. A series of multiple gunshots fired by a local police officer, were not fatal for 29-year old Jacob Blake; but may have permanently paralyzed him from the waist down.

Days later on August 28, the National Action Network served as a major organizer for a Commitment March, rededicating the yet unaddressed dreams of the historic 1963 March on Washington. Assembled again at Washingtons Lincoln Memorial, the days speakers spanned nationally-known leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and Attorney Ben Crump to the family members of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and others.

The irony is that despite the passage of nearly 60 years between the original march and its 2020 recommitment, many of the issues that have plagued Black America remain the same. Black America and other people of color still cry for justice, equality, and freedom. Yet noticeably, what formerly focused national attention on events in Selma, Montgomery, and Birmingham have now emanated from Ferguson, to Kenosha, Minneapolis, Portland and other locales.

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Why measurable forward strides in policing, or economic progress have remained elusive after decades of calls for reforms may partly be explained by the findings of a new policy analysis by the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis. Using U.S. Census Bureau data, Ana Hernandez Kent, a policy analyst with the St. Louis Fed, found that Americas racial poverty gap continues to suppress social and economic justice. Moreover, Wisconsin, not a southern state, claims the dubious distinction of having the largest poverty gap in the nation.

Nationally the St. Louis Fed found that in 2018, Black households earned 61 cents for every $1 of White household median income. Further, the Black/White median household income gaps ranged from 87 cents per dollar in Maine and Hawaii, down to 32 cents per dollar in the District of Columbia. The disparity in median translates into 22% of all Black Americans living in poverty, a gap of 13% compared to Whites who are poor. Wisconsins gap is 23%.

In noting the socioeconomic indicators of median income, poverty rates and health insurance rates, I found that White people had more favorable outcomes than Black people in every state, wrote Hernandez Kent.

Povertys racial disparity extends to other key measures such as median incomes, homeownership and retirement.

Even with the enactment of the Fair Housing Act more than 50 years ago, todays Black homeownership rate is dwindling. According to Ohio State University professor, Trevon Logan, The homeownership gap between Blacks and whites is higher today in percentage terms than it was in 1900.

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Prof. Logans position is bolstered by findings from a 2020 report by the National Association of Realtors, A Snapshot of Race and Homebuying in America that found:

62% of Black mortgage applicants were rejected because of their debt to income ratio, compared to only 5% of whites; and

51% of Blacks are first-time homeowners, compared to only 30% of Whites.

Moreover, since the Great Recession that heavily hit Black homeowners a decade ago, todays Black homeownership rate has yet to return to pre-recession levels.

With lower and life-long disparities in median income earnings, the ability to prepare for retirement is hindered as well. Social Security figures each workers retirement benefit on the basis of a taxpayers 35 highest-earning years. With lower incomes and a corresponding lack of monies available for savings or retirement, Black Americans rely on Social Security more than other races and/or ethnicities. Now, for much of Black America, Social Security is a financial lifeline and often the major retirement benefit.

In sum, it seems that in 2020, historic ills remain virtually unchanged. A key component of what continues is police violence against Black America.

In 1963, escalating racial tensions that worsened with growing numbers of peaceful protests that became violent by counter-protesters and led to multiple arrests, prompted President John F. Kennedy to deliver a nationally televised address on Americas racial reckoning.

One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free, he continued. They are not free from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this Nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free.

Fast forward and it is nearly inconceivable that the current president would deliver such an address. In fact, President Trump and HUD Secretary Ben Carson co-authored a recent op ed in the Wall Street Journal that portrayed mixed income neighborhoods as social engineering. The redlining of Black communities, racial covenants, real estate steering and restrictive zoning laws that together perpetuated segregated housing were never acknowledged in the guest column.

In response, Nikitra Baileys the Center for Responsible Lending recently spoke with ABC News saying that the suburbs intentionally created opportunities for White families while holding back opportunities for families of colorWhat we are really talking about is opportunity in our nation.

With escalated violence in a growing number of cities occurring just months before an election, everyday citizens and scholars are echoing community and national leaders on the connection between key policies like housing segregation to violent eruptions.

Last December, the Journal of the National Medical Association, the professional organization of Black physicians, published an article titled, The Relationship between Racial Residential Segregation and Black-White Disparities in Fatal Police Shootings at the City Level, 20132017.

The authors concluded that Racial residential segregation is a significant predictor of the magnitude of the Black-White disparity in fatal police shootings at the city level. Efforts to ameliorate the problem of fatal police violence must move beyond the individual level and consider the interaction between law enforcement officers and the neighborhoods that they police.

Before the thousands gathered this August, Rev. Sharpton also spoke to this same concern.

Its time we have a conversation with America. We need to have a conversation about your racism, about your bigotry, about your hate, about how you would put your knee on our neck while we cry our lives. We need a new conversationYou act like its no trouble to shoot us in the back. You act like its no trouble to put a choke hold on us while we scream, I cant breathe, 11 times. You act like its no trouble to hold a man down on the ground until you squeeze the life out of him.

Our vote is dipped in blood, he continued. Our vote is dipped in those that went to their grave. We dont care how long the line, we dont care what you do, were going to vote, not for one candidate or the other, but we going to vote for a nation thatll stop the George Floyds, thatll stop the Breonna Taylors.

Let the church say Amen.

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at [email protected].
Nickerson established a strong government lobbying foundation while at Poole & McKinley (formerly Dutko Worldwide) in Tallahassee, Florida, where she advocated for public policies and provided political advice to clients. For more than 15 years as a lobbyist and governmental affairs consultant in both Florida and Maryland, she identified, monitored, and analyzed proposed legislation impacting activities, and championed points of view that strategically positioned her clients for success, working closely with executives and leaders to solidify and amplify their key positions.

"What impresses me the most about Sherry is the combination of her lobbying experience with a sincere customer relations approach," said OLGA President Tim Braue. "Sherry's diverse background and strategic advocacy skills make her a valuable addition to the Old Line team and its clients."

An analytical strategist and detail-focused leader, Nickerson also served as a policy advisor to a congressmember from Florida on issues such as capital markets, securities and investments, housing, insurance and international monetary policy. She also has experience lobbying both state and federal governments for several financial services companies.

It was this experience in finance that then propelled Nickerson to the client side, serving most recently as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management of Hunt Valley. Pairing her analytical background with a passion for customer service, she helped clients preserve, perpetuate and build their wealth and financial security with tax efficient investment strategies.

Nickerson earned her undergraduate degree in Social Science at Florida State University and her Master's in Experimental Psychology from Towson University, graduating with honors.

Old Line Government Affairs LLC, a subsidiary of Nemphos Braue LLC, is the preeminent government affairs consulting firm in Maryland. Old Line uses a hands-on approach while representing clients on complex matters before executive and legislative branches of State and local government. www.oldlinelobbying.com

SOURCE Old Line Government Affairs


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Globally recognised Education Partnerships UK has teamed up with the worlds first Halal Angel Network to offer training and certification to aspiring entrepreneurs in the fast growing $5 trillion Halal consumer market.

Halal Angels Network is among the first to penetrate the $5 trillion Halal consumer market and has teamed up Education Partnerships UK to develop and provide training and certificate courses in entrepreneurship, skill development, Islamic finance to aspiring entrepreneurs, said a statement.

Halal Angels Network was launched to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and start-ups, and inspire investors across the world to tap into the halal sector that will be worth $9.71 trillion by 2025.

The angel network is adopting new, innovative technology to digitise the way they present, distribute and manage Halal-based deals. In doing so, angel investors will benefit from greater access to deal flow which can be profiled based on their interests, risk appetite and current portfolio.

Saeeda Ahmed, Founding Director, Education Partnerships UK said: A post Covid-19 world needs flexibilities and new solutions that enables multiple ways of economic participation. The education and economic participation must be inclusive of all people succeeding and enable economic activities regardless of where someone is located. The education sector has often focused on career and job creation rather than entrepreneurship therefore substantially limiting livelihoods with Covid-19 lockdowns.

The $4 trillion ethical and halal economy creates substantial opportunities for entrepreneurship, social inclusion and creation of jobs not just for Muslims but all interested in the ethical space. It is profoundly important to create new ethical and business opportunities from the UK as a gateway to the rest of the world. Halal is actually ethical, where the entire process of operating the business is about environment sustainability, ethically dealing with business associates, team and honesty towards various stake holders.

Our approach is inclusive and aims to increase the success rate of start-ups by intense ecosystem of support incorporating business planning, financial literacy, British accredited skills-based training, mentoring and the right types of support networks.

The entrepreneurs will not only tap into the $5 trillion ethical and halal consumer market but also provide inclusive lifelines for struggling economies and societies.

Dr Tausif Malik, Founder of Halal Angels Network said: With over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, the Halal industry offers tremendous opportunities across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. Based on the constant track record of delivering quantity education across the globe for over 15 years with a great experience on helping individuals achieve their career and professional goals, we felt that Educational Partnerships UK were the right partners to provide training and certification to aspiring entrepreneurs."

Dr Malik further said: As education and knowledge plays an important part in successful decision making, therefore we partnered with Educational Partnerships UK to provide certificate courses in entrepreneurship, skill development, Islamic finance. Education Partnerships UK is an innovative company working with British Awarding Organisations, Colleges and Universities to provide British qualifications and accreditation for our national and international clients. Also we have worked with Saeeda Ahmed, Founding Director and have great experience with them..

Both Halal Angels Network and Education Partnerships UK work together to training and certificate courses in entrepreneurship, skill development, Islamic finance to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Halal Angels Network is now calling for angel investors countries to join them and discover over 1,000 investment opportunities within the flourishing market  from pharmaceuticals and modest fashion through to food and tourism.

Halal Angels Network, recently tied up Fintech major Delio to use their digital platform showcase Halal-based deals to a much more international audience, connecting angel investors across the world not just with deals, but also with each other. It has partnered with Halal Board India for Halal compliance and certification and, SSC Capital of Tanzania to tap the African investment market.TradeArabia News Service
A convicted killer who raped a South Australian prison guard while in jail has had five- and-a-half years added to his sentence.

James Hall was almost 12 years into a 22-year-minimum non-parole period for a murder in 2006 when the latest offending occurred in 2017.

Imposing sentence in the District Court on Thursday, Judge Gordon Barrett said the guard had gone into Hall's cell to speak about a prison-related matter.

James Hall was almost 12 years into a 22-year-minimum non-parole period for a murder in 2006 when the latest offending occurred in 2017

Hall closed the door behind her and after some conversation, it was then that he committed the two acts of rape.

'She froze and complied with your demands because she feared the more that she fought, the more you would fight,' Judge Barrett told the 33-year-old.

'She knew something of the circumstances of the offending which saw you in prison.'

Judge Barrett said the woman suffered only minor physical injuries, but had endured significant mental anguish.

'She is filled with self-blame for trusting you and for putting herself in a position of being vulnerable,' he said.

In his earlier verdict after a trial by judge alone, Judge Barrett said he found Hall's account of the incident to be 'entirely false' but described the victim's evidence as 'detailed, nuanced, consistent, credible and truthful'.

In her victim impact statement the guard said having to relive the incident during the trial had 'almost broken me' and going to work was now 'overwhelming'.

'I don't feel safe to walk among prisoners anymore,' she said.

Judge Barrett said it was likely Hall would spend the rest of his jail sentence in a high-security facility after offending against a woman who was just carrying out her job in prison.

He imposed a head sentence of seven-and-a-half years for the two rapes and added five-and-a-half years to Hall's existing non-parole period, taking it to 27-and-a-half years.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 07:20:28|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump announced at the White House on Wednesday a new list of 20 more candidates he would consider nominating to the Supreme Court, which is widely seen as his latest effort to bolster support among conservative voters in the November elections.

Among the names added to the list are three sitting Republican Senators -- Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Josh Hawley of Missouri.

Meanwhile, Trump claimed his Democratic rival Joe Biden did not release his own list of potential nominees to the Supreme Court because "they are so far left could never withstand scrutiny."

"Unfortunately, there is a growing radical left movement that rejects the principle of equal treatment under the law," the president said. "If this extreme movement is granted a majority on the Supreme Court, it will fundamentally transform America without a single vote of Congress."

Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino, a former clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas, told Fox News earlier this summer that she expects Trump's Supreme Court list to be a major factor in the upcoming election.

"Twenty-one percent of voters said that the Supreme Court was their number one issue. That's more than a fifth of the voters. So it was hugely significant," she said.

The list was first released in the later stages of the 2016 Republican presidential primary with the aim to reassure conservatives suspicious of Trump that he would make Supreme Court picks in line with their priorities.

The Supreme Court's 5-4 conservative majority includes two justices appointed by Trump. Enditem
The "brave women of Belarus," led by opposition figures Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Maryya Kalesnikava and Veranika Tsapkala have been nominated in the European Parliament for this years Sakharov Prize.



The trio was nominated by the second-largest group in the chamber, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D).



In a press release announcing the decision, Kati Piri, S&D vice president, said that "we are firmly convinced that this years Sakharov Prize should honor the brave women of Belarus fighting for freedom and democracy in their country. We are particularly inspired by the three women who spearheaded the grassroots opposition campaign for last month's presidential elections in an attempt to unseat autocratic dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka."

Other groups in the European Parliament are expected to announce their own nominations later this week or early next week. However, sources in Brussels have told RFE/RL that all of the main political groups are leaning toward backing the S&D proposal.



The deadline for nominations is September 17 with three candidates due to be shortlisted on October 12 before the final decision on the 2020 laureate is announced on October 22.



The annual human rights prize is named after the Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov and was established in 1988 by the European Parliament to honor individuals and organizations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.



The Belarusian Association of Journalists and the former Belarusian Presidential candidate Alyaksandr Milinkievich were awarded the prize in 2004 and 2006 respectively.
The Indian company enlisted to manufacture a billion doses of AstraZeneca Plcs experimental Covid-19 vaccine is pushing ahead with its own clinical trial even as safety concerns forced the British drugmaker to halt its tests.

The Serum Institute of India said it received a notice from the Drug Controller General of India seeking information on the illness of a person participating in AstraZenecas trials in Britain. The regulator asked Serum to demonstrate why its clinical trial license should not be suspended until the safety of the vaccine is established, according to a report from the Press Trust of India.

Serum said it was responding to the regulators queries, but was proceeding with its own human trials in India in the meantime.

The Indian trials are continuing and we have faced no issues at all, Serum said in a statement on its official Twitter account. We were going by DCGIs direction and were not instructed to pause the trials. If DCGI has any safety concerns, we will adhere to their instructions and abide by the standard protocols.

DCGI couldnt be reached for a comment.

AstraZeneca paused its clinical trials worldwide this week as it investigates whether the illness seen in the participant happened by chance or as a result of the treatment. But Serums ongoing trial in India, where coronavirus infections are skyrocketing, illustrate how tradeoffs between caution and speed are in no way settled as companies race to bring a vaccine to market.

US National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins told a Senate committee Wednesday that AstraZenecas trial had been halted due to a spinal cord problem. If AstraZenecas review finds the adverse event is related to the vaccine, all the doses already manufactured will be thrown away, Collins said.

AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot told investors on a conference call Wednesday there had been no final diagnosis in the case, according to company spokeswoman Michele Meixell.

Serum, the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer, signed on with Astra in June to produce the shot for low- and middle-income countries, and has been proceeding with its own human trials in India running parallel to Astras effort. Serum said it could not comment on the pause in Astras trials.

The vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has been considered one of the most likely contenders to reach the market in the near term, along with shots being developed by Moderna Inc. and the tandem of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. Astra and Oxford are seeking to enroll as many as 50,000 participants for late-stage trials under way in the US, the UK and other countries.

Serum has not said how many patients it is seeking for its trials in India, where the number of new coronavirus infections discovered each day continues to grow. Indias outbreak this week became the worlds second-biggest behind the US.
InterPublic Group CEO Michael Roth said the company will occupy less office space because of COVID-19.

The footprint of the agency business is going to change, he said during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts Wednesday. Period.

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Already, the parent company of McCann, Weber Shandwick and dozens of other media companies has eliminated 500,000 square feet from its global total of about 11 million, Roth said. As advertising has declined during the pandemic, any company connected to it has had to slash expenses.

Weve taken a very serious look at what offices are required, Roth said. There is no question that the use of offices will change in the future and were taking advantage of it. When we talk about positioning IPG for 2021, were anticipating a change in the footprint of our organization, significantly.

IPG on Wednesday reported revenue in the quarter of $1.85 billion and earnings of 23 cents a share. Both figures were down from the same quarter a year ago but exceeded Wall Street analysts expectations.

When the coronavirus first entered the picture in early 2020, Roth recalled, Our initial reaction was, Because of social distancing, were going to need more space, right? Youre going to need six feet apart, and so on. In fact, its the exact opposite. We will stagnate people coming to work. The use of office space and the ability for people to work at home.

Roth acknowledged touching sensitive ground with his comments and said the reduction in office space was happening globally, not only in New York, the legacy center of the ad business. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has expressed concern about occupancy rates in New York City, where only about 10% of office workers have returned despite pandemic restrictions being lifted in June. The New York Times last Sunday featured a front-page story about the unnervingly vacant atmosphere of Midtown Manhattan, whose office towers and street life have long been potent symbols of American vitality.

Story continues

These are permanent changes, Roth said of IPG. These arent coming back. Were not about to all of a sudden start taking space in the marketplace. I know the real estate people arent going to like to hear that. But yes, I think the way were going to do business in the future is materially different.

Asked to offer predictions for the performance of the advertising business for the rest of 2020, Roth declined, citing the high degree of volatility and the reactive nature of many IPG clients during the pandemic.

The second quarter wasnt as bad as we thought it was going to be, so thats a positive, he said. In terms of the trend, Ill give you that the United States and continental Europe were somewhat better in June than in May. Does that indicate that July, therefore, is going to be better? I cant answer that.
SHOTLIST OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATESSEPTEMBER 9, 2020SOURCE: AFPTV 1. Pan left from firefighters to flames and smoke coming from behind trees2. Close-up firefighters in the foreground, flames and smoke in the background3. Mid shot a home burns during the Bear fire, part of the North Lightning Complex fires in the Berry Creek area of unincorporated Butte County, California4. Mid shot a structure burns during the Bear fire5. Mid shot a road, flames and smoke in the background6. Mid shot fire engines on the Enterprise Bridge, smoke from Bear fire covers the sky7. Extreme wide shot smoke from Bear fire covers the sky ///-----------------------------------------------------------AFP TEXT STORY: newseriesUS towns destroyed as firefighters battle wildfires under orange skies By Javier TOVAR =(Picture+Video+Graphic)= ATTENTION - ADDS San Francisco quote ///Clovis, United States, Sept 10, 2020 (AFP) - Entire communities have been razed by wildfires raging in the western United States, with officials warning of potential mass deaths under apocalyptic orange skies.At least six people were confirmed dead by late Wednesday, with officials warning that more deaths would likely be reported in the coming days as many areas were currently impossible to reach.Five towns were "substantially destroyed" as widespread evacuations took place across the northwestern state of Oregon, governor Kate Brown said."This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history," she told a press conference.Two deaths were confirmed in the Santiam Canyon region, 60 miles south of Portland, and Marion County sheriff Joe Kast warned the death toll would likely rise further.Only "smoldering ruins" remained of large parts of the town of Talent, local resident Sandra Spelliscy told AFP. "There are numerous neighborhoods where there are no structures left standing... dozens of homes (gone) and literally nothing except the skeletons of a chimney or an appliance," she said.Emergency officials ordered the evacuation of Estacada -- a small, rural city 30 miles southeast of Portland.Jason Valean, 29, fled his house on foot with his two large dogs and was nervously waiting in the central downtown area for his mother."She wanted to keep the dogs in their pen, but I wasn't going to let her," he said, adding she had released their pigs in the hope they would have a chance of getting away safely.Another resident said she was planning to stay despite the evacuation order because she worried about looting, although her husband was leaving with their son and granddaughter. - '10 times harder' - Neighboring California and Washington states have also been scrambling to contain the rapidly spreading wildfires since the weekend due to unprecedented heatwaves followed by intense, dry winds.Wednesday's fatalities included a one-year-old baby boy who perished while his parents suffered severe burns as they attempted to flee an inferno 130 miles east of Seattle, in Washington state.Three unidentified people were also killed in northern California.Leanna Mikesler, from Clovis in the state's center, told AFP she had been forced to evacuate her home to escape wildfires before, but it was "10 times harder" during the pandemic."They call... the evacuation. And then you go from there to see if your house has been burned down," she said.People in the San Francisco Bay Area awoke to a deep orange sky caused by wildfire smoke that at times blocked out sunlight entirely.Photos of the eerie scene, particularly of a San Francisco skyline fit for a dystopian science fiction film, spread quickly on social media.Lauren, a 19-year-old San Francisco resident, told AFP: "We were just like, this is the weirdest day we've ever seen so we might as well come out and experience that together."Take a break from work and come outside, because this is, hopefully, a once in a lifetime opportunity."Much of the smoke blew down from the north, where the Bear Fire exploded at an unprecedented speed overnight, combining with older blazes to scorch over 250,000 acres and threaten the town of Oroville.Evacuation warnings were expanded to parts of the town of Paradise, the site of California's deadliest modern fire which killed 86 people less than two years ago.The nearby August Complex Fire also spread rapidly to become the state's second-largest blaze in history, at 420,000 acres.At the Creek Fire in central California, exhausted firefighters raced between blazes as thick columns of smoke rose up from the Sierra forest -- now closed, along with all 18 of the state's national forests.In one home near Shaver Lake, only the scorched remains of a washing machine, outdoor dining table and chairs were left standing beside the ash-coated chassis of a pickup truck."It's scary... we just left everything," said 68-year-old Sandy Clark, who fled her home for a hotel rather than a crowded shelter due to coronavirus fears. - 'Devastation' - Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate homes across the region.In Washington, where the town of Malden was decimated, governor Jay Inslee described the wildfires as "unprecedented and heartbreaking," and blamed the ferocity of this year's fires on climate change.California Governor Gavin Newsom added: "I quite literally have no patience for climate change deniers... It's completely inconsistent... with the reality on the ground."California has seen more than 2.5 million acres burn this year -- an annual record, with nearly four months of fire season still to come.More than 14,000 firefighters are fighting 28 major wildfires across the country's most populous state.burs-je/gle -------------------------------------------------------------
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The much-publicized rationale behind wearing a face mask is to protect others from your sprayed droplets.

There's now another good reason: That mask may help you, too.

If you're accidentally infected through the mask, the face coverings can still reduce your risk of falling seriously ill from COVID-19, according to a theory proposed by Dr. Monica Gandhi and Dr. George Rutherford, infectious disease specialists at UC San Francisco.

"Masks cut down the amount of viral particles flying aroundso if you're infected, you'll get a lower dose and less severe symptoms," said Rutherford. Their paper is published in Tuesday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

It's a provocative thought during this time of mask fatigue, as summer heat sends rivulets of sweat down our fabric-covered faces.

Studies show that masks may not filter out all dropletsa mask's filtering capacity is determined by its typeand it's still possible for the virus to sneak through, but at a lower dose than for someone not wearing a mask at all.

This reduced exposure may influence how sick you get, because the immune system can quell a small number of viral particles before they multiply.

Descriptions of a "dose-mortality curve"how much of a virus is needed to cause death in an animalwere first published in 1938, according to Gandhi.

During the early days of smallpox epidemics, doctors protected people with the crude practice of "variolation"inoculating them with material taken from a vesicle of a sick person with smallpox, with the goal of causing only a mild infection and subsequent immunity.

In a flu study, healthy volunteers who received a higher dose of the influenza A virus developed more severe symptoms.

Because the COVID-19 virus is so deadly, it's unethical to conduct similar experiments in humans. But an animal study was revealing; hamsters who lived in mask-shrouded cages were less likely to be infectedand if they were infected, showed fewer symptoms than unmasked hamsters.

Gandhi and Rutherford also point to compelling trends in epidemiology.

The typical rate of asymptomatic infection with the COVID-19 virus is estimated to be 40% by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

But in an outbreak on a closed Argentinean cruise ship, for example, where passengers were provided with surgical masks and staff with N95 masks, 81% of infected people never developed symptoms. That compares to 18% of unmasked passengers who became infected on last February's Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan.

In two recent outbreaks in U.S. food-processing plantsan Oregon seafood processing plant and an Arkansas chicken processing plantall workers were issued masks each day and were required to wear them. The proportion of asymptomatic infections among the more than 500 people who became infected was 95%, with only 5% in each outbreak experiencing mild-to-moderate symptoms.

Gandhi and Rutherford also note that in countries where mask wearing was already commonplace or quickly embraced, such as Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore and the Czech Republic, rates of severe illness and death have remained comparatively low.

Milder infections would ease stress on the health care system and save lives, said Gandhi.

And beyond reducing spread to others, you can protect yourself.

"If you think something's going to help you or your family," according to Gandhi, "you are going to do it more than if you think you're helping others."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

2020 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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By Fintan OToole

September 08, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The grammar of American presidential elections is, for obvious reasons, Christian. The other partys candidate is mired in sin and error; ours will bring redemption and salvation. But not this time. Joe Biden is a devout Catholic, yet the shape of his speech accepting the Democratic Partys nomination at its virtual convention was based on the cosmogony of one of Christianitys great early rivals, Manichaeanism. The Manichaeans believed that the world had been taken over by an evil demiurge, the Prince of Darkness; while he was in the ascendent, humans had lost their reason and became like unto a man bitten by a wild dog or serpent. The great battle of existence is between these forces of darkness and those of light, which must reconquer the universe.

In the twenty-five minutes of his stirring address, Biden used dark or darkness seven times, light or bright twelve times. Usually, the terms appeared together in the absolute Manichaean opposition of a battle for the soul of this nation. There was no doubt who the Prince of Darkness was. Biden did not name Donald Trump, but his refusal to do so merely served to magnify the president into a vastly malign force who has cloaked America in darkness, plunged the country into this season of darkness, and written this chapter of American darkness. Biden modestly stopped short of identifying himself, as the logical implication would have it, as the god of light, suggesting merely that I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness.

Biden did not want this grand framing of his candidacy to be understood as a flight of poetic fancy. The choice could not be more clear, he said. No rhetoric is needed. Light and darkness are not, for him, rhetorical constructs, but the defining energies of our present political reality. He truly does want voters to see the election in November as an existential and even cosmological struggle rather than as a normal part of the electoral cycle.

In the buildup to Bidens speech, the Catholic nun Sister Simone Campbell, delivering the opening blessing of the final night, summoned into the cyberspace of the convention a divine spirit that would create the world all over again:

The very first paragraph of the Scripture that informs the three Abrahamic traditions tells us: The Divine Spirit breathed over the waters of chaos and brought forth a new creation. Encouraged by this promise that a new creation can come from chaos, let us pray: O Divine Spirit!

Normally such prayers can be cynically dismissed as just another part of the established ritual of party conventions, like the balloons and placards. But Campbells startlingly millenarian supplication was fully in tune with the political mood music. The cosmological chaos she conjured had already been established in the big speeches as a metaphor for Donald Trump: Michelle Obama, for example, telling voters that if we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden. Campbell, moreover, gave a very specific political meaning to the termination of existing American history, calling on the divine spirit to inspire a vision that ends structural racism, bigotry, and sexism so rife now in our nation and in our history. Most importantly her ecstatic prophecy was a purposeful prelude to Bidens own speech, with its equally rapturous promise that the great chaos of Trump would be followed, not just by a new administration, but by a new moment of creation.

Hence Bidens resort, in his peroration, to one of his favorite passages of poetry, the famous chorus from The Cure at Troy, Seamus Heaneys version of Sophocles Philoctetes:

History says, Dont hope

On this side of the grave,

But then, once in a lifetime

The longed-for tidal wave

Of justice can rise up,

And hope and history rhyme.

The point of Heaneys concluding phrase is that, of course, hope and history do not rhyme in any existing language. The once-in-a-lifetime tidal wave of justice must come from outside the frame of historys hopelessness. It must have a miraculous quality. Heaneys next verse is explicit:

Believe in miracles

And cures and healing wells.

It is thus ironic that in the same speech Biden mocked Trump for believing in miracle cures for the Covid-19 pandemic: He keeps waiting for a miracle. Well, I have news for him, no miracle is coming. Yet Biden himself is invoking the miraculous, the advent of a moment when the history that has brought the United States into its winter of Trumpian darkness falls away and a new reign of light dawns.

This oracular quality gave Bidens address a genuine and unexpected kind of grandeur. But it also exposed two tensions implicit in his candidacy. One is that you can do Manichaean polarity or you can do hands-across-the-aisle amitybut it is hard to do both. It makes sense for Biden to appeal to Republican and independent voters by aiming, as he put it, To represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This appeal is deeply embedded in Bidens political persona, and it was underlined at the convention by endorsements from Colin Powell and John Kasich and a slickly edited video on Bidens unlikely friendship with John McCain.

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On the level of ordinary electoral history, this is clever campaigning. But on the deeper level toward which Biden is pitching his candidacy, how can the final battle between darkness and light not be a partisan moment? If Trump is the Prince of Darkness, the Republicans are his demonic minions. And the difficulty for Biden is that this opposition also has real political purchase. For most of those who will vote for Biden, the Republican Party, as it now exists, really is a dire threat to democracy, and this damn well is a partisan moment.

The other tension is that elections are won and lost on emotions, and the emotional power of Bidens campaign will depend on how it answers a question that the convention left hanging in the air: Should Trump be magnified or diminished? If the incumbent is to be seen as an evil demiurge, then the appropriate emotions to bring to bear in the battle for Americas soul are the rather violent ones of anger and fear. But there was, at the convention, an equal and opposite impulse: to minimize Trump, to reduce him almost to nothing. Kamala Harris did this very effectively in her acceptance speech with a single, glancing reference in which she showed her utter contempt by not even bothering to be explicit: I know a predator when I see one. Michelle Obama minimized Trump with a different image, as though he were a small man with the waters rising above his neck, clearly in over his head.

In The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, Charles Darwin suggested that our physical reactions to feelings of scorn, disdain, contempt, and disgust manifest themselves only in the presence of something which does not excite in us certain other strong emotions, such as rage or terror. This implies that revulsion is a kind of luxurywe can afford to express it only when we are not in the grip of the more potent sensations of fury and fear.

Running counter to Bidens tendency to raise Trump to the status of spiritual evil, the broad thrust of the convention suggested that Democrats believe that mere contempt for him is a luxury they can indeed afford. The gamble is that abhorrence of Trump is sufficiently strong to motivate voters and that Biden and Harris, rather than tapping into their wrath and dread, can therefore offer them comfort and empathy instead.

Certainly it is hard to imagine a more comprehensive display of pure disdain by a former president for his successor than Barack Obamas masterly speech to the convention. Without the presence of a physical audience, and with the speaker facing the camera directly, his facial expressions were magnified into a new kind of visual eloquence. Darwin noted that one of the primary gestures of contempt is a movement of the mouth that appears to graduate into one closely like a smile. Obama signaled the beginning of his attack on Trump with a cold little laugh. Darwin wrote that

the partial closure of the eyelidsor the turning away of the eyesare likewise highly expressive of disdain. These actions seem to declare that the despised person is not worth looking at or is disagreeable to behold.

In the middle of his lacerating putdown of Trump, Obama paused and blinked slowly four times, a perfect counterpoint in semaphore to a brutally laconic summary of a presidency too disagreeable to behold:

Hes shown no interest in putting in the work; no interest in finding common ground; no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends; no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves.

The scorn was magnificent, but it signaled an awareness that Trump, even in his absence, was powerfully present. Obama was implicitly alluding to a truth that everyone knows but that cannot be openly articulated at a party convention: that the Democratic ticket is not Biden-Harris. It is Trump-Biden-Harrisvery much in that order. The Democratic candidates are primarily defined by what they are not: not Trump. The path of the 2020 campaign is to be a via negativa. Each of those clauses in Obamas deadly characterization of the incumbent begins with no, planting the idea that Trump is a nothing and that a Biden presidency will be the nullification of this nonentity, the double negative that makes a positive.

The strange displacement of the convention accidentally underlined the power of conspicuous absence. The speakers addressed a literal void, but also a figurative one. It was not just the usual throng of delegates and journalists that was patently not there. It was the protagonist himself, Trumpnot quite Hamlet without the prince, more Alfred Jarrys Ubu Roi without the grotesque king. Jill Biden, speaking from a vacant classroom in Brandywine High School, where she used to teach English, acknowledged the ghostliness of the moment:

This quiet is heavy. You can hear the anxiety that echoes down empty hallways. Theres no scent of new notebooks or freshly waxed floors. The rooms are dark as the bright young faces that should fill them are now confined to boxes on a computer screen.

This is a perfect example of being not-Trump. Jill Biden is here using one of Trumps favorite rhetorical devices: the conjuring of an image through a statement of its absence. Trump uses it against targets as diverse as Megyn Kelly (I refuse to call [her] a bimbo, because that would not be politically correct) and Kim Jong-un (I would NEVER call him short and fat?). Jill Biden occupied Trumps rhetorical form but altered its content from insult to poignancy, from hostility to empathy. In this, she followed deftly along the negative path.

The pregnant emptiness she brought to life is what the Democrats seem to be banking on. They seek to evoke the anxiety that echoes down the hallways of a polity emptied of its grandeur, its self-confidence, its sense of destiny, by a presidency that has made a mockery of them all. The pandemic that shaped the entire form of the convention also killed off the American greatness that Trump claimed to have restored. When Obama spoke of the awesome power of his office, he was using the same rhetorical trick to call to mind the oxymoron that Trump has brought into existence: an awesome powerlessness, the astounding implosion of the idea of the United States as the most formidable country the world has ever seen.

The eerie, gothic quality of Jill Bidens performance was superbly judged because it was intended to summon too those ultimate absences that haunt her husband, the dead. Trump got elected in large part because he could evoke, however crudely, a sense of loss. He could suggest that there was a world of pure white Americanism, of good industrial jobs, of proper authority, that used to exist but had been stolen by the forces of change that put a Black president in power. Trumpism is a Ghost Dance for white, male America, an act of faith that the invaders can be banished and the old order restored. The mines and steel mills have no more returned to the Midwest than the buffalo did to the Great Plains, but this soured, curdled grief for a vanished world (part real, part imagined) remains at the heart of Trumps emotional appeal.

So it makes sense that part of the Democratic strategy is to take this idea of loss and give it a much more personal, physical, and poignant content. Jill Biden set this tone of mourning when she spoke of

the indescribable sorrow that follows every lonely last breath when the ventilators turn off. As a mother and a grandmother, as an American, I am heartbroken by the magnitude of this lossby the failure to protect our communities, by every precious and irreplaceable life gone.

And she moved skillfully from this general lamentation to the image of her husband as the embodiment of the nations grief. After the death in a car accident of Bidens daughter and first wife, Jill inherited, as she put it, a man and two little boys standing in the wreckage of unthinkable loss. That wreckage rhymes with the carnage that Trump, in his inaugural address in January 2017, claimed as Americas condition after the Obama years. But the echo is also a transformationfrom political hyperbole to human event. She dramatized her husband as a man who has metaphorically twice walked away from the wreckage of death, once from that car crash in 1972, and again from the death of their son Beau from cancer in 2015. Having begun with the notion of a hauntingly empty space, she returned to an image of Joe, four days after Beaus funeral, putting on his suit to walk out into a world empty of our son.

The image of emptiness was also used by Michelle Obama: Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair. Biden himself practically ushered his audience into the void: I have some idea how it feels to lose someone you love. I know that deep black hole that opens up in the middle of your chest and you feel like youre being sucked into it.

This is not, to put it mildly, the sunny rhetoric of uplift that party conventions usually broadcast. Yet it addresses another inescapable fact: death is on the ticket. With Biden being potentially the oldest president ever inaugurated, the possibility of his death in office is very real. The selection of Kamala Harris as a relatively young running mate cannot be divorced from the understanding that she might have to assume the higher office if Biden dies or becomes incapacitated. Jill Biden, by placing death at the center of her husbands persona, also managed to suggest that he transcends it. He contains it within him, carries it on his back, but still somehow survives.

The main idea of the conventionand the big wager of the entire campaignis that Bidens personal mourning can be generalized as the state of the nation. In her acceptance speech Harris said that we are a nation thats grieving. Grieving the loss of life, the loss of jobs, the loss of opportunities, the loss of normalcy. And yes, the loss of certainty.

Here again, Trumps rhetorical territory is being occupied. Though the expression is radically altered, this is conceptually not that different from what Trump might have said in 2016. It implies that there was once a shared normalcy and certainty that has been taken away. This is a highly dubious proposition, but it occupies the empty space of loss that Trump created. And the thrust of so many speeches at the convention was to negate Trumps hold on that imaginative desert by suggesting that Biden has a superabundance of what Trump so cruelly lacks: empathy. In praising his vice-president Obama homed in on his empathy, born of too much grief.

The message is that Bidens terrible excess of grief leaves him with plenty left over to share with the whole country.* It is an extraordinary notion: Biden as the philanthropist of sorrow, possessed of more than he can ever use himself. The great negative of grief becomes a positive asset to be redistributed in the form of empathya word that echoed through the convention speeches like the refrain of a hymn. (Michelle Obama used it five times in eighteen minutes.)

This is the apotheosis of that great slogan of second-wave feminism: The personal is political. The personalities of presidential candidates always carry weight, but Bidens own suffering is made to carry almost the entire weight of his political appeal. There is a kind of sympathetic magic at workbecause Biden transcends the darkness of grief, America can, through him, transcend the darkness of the history that has produced Trump. He embodies the term coined by the psychologist Henri Nouwenthe wounded healer. Jill Biden expressed this utter personalization of politics most explicitly: How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole. With love and understandingand with small acts of kindness. With bravery. With unwavering faith.

But when we bring it back to real politics, the notion is at once deeply affecting and highly problematic. On the one hand, there is something appropriate about the image of America as embodied in a man with a deep black hole in the middle of his chest: that hole is a portal through which the Democrats have passed into a language of brokenness and grieving. Perhaps, in this, there is evidence that something has been learned from the debacle of 2016. Trump won in part because both Obama and Hillary Clinton explicitly countered Make America Great Again with America is already great. It might have seemed like a smart soundbite, but it reeked of smugness and it was, for millions of voters, patently untrue. It relied on the cliches of American exceptionalism that so many citizens knew to be hollow. Trump ruthlessly exploited the gap between the rhetoric and the reality.

At least this time, America is already great is off limits. Democrats obviously cannot use it when fighting a Republican incumbent, but what is striking now is how stark, how dark, the alternative is. Under the pressure of the political chaos of the Trump presidency, the horrors of the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests, and Bidens mournful persona, the party has embraced a radically different image: of an America that is shattered, sagging under the burdens of mass death, economic disruption, malign government, and national impotence. The Democrats battle hymn in 2020 is a De Profundis, a cry from the depths.

It is not, of course, unusual for opposition parties to suggest that a great malaise has taken hold under the reign of the incumbent. What is different this time is that having adopted a language of grief, the Democratic convention also edged toward an acknowledgment that American suffering just might be a chronic condition rather than an aberration. The standard rhetoric imagines pain as a temporary affliction, created by the idiot currently in the White House and sure to end when our man replaces him. The underlying assumption is that the default and the defining condition of the US is its unparalleled perfection.

It was little remarked that in his address Barack Obama used a short but explosive word: myth. He was speaking of the generations of migrants and of African-Americans and of their actual experiences: They knew how far the daily reality of America strayed from the myth. The myth is all those big words embedded in the foundational political texts: democracy, freedom, equality. Biden, too, used a short word with a sharp edge: And finally, to live up to and make real the words written in the sacred documents that founded this nation, that all men and women are created equal.

Finally here means to do at last what has not been done before. These two small words, myth and finally, pointed to the presence of another black holethe perennial gap between American ideals and the millions who are excluded from their remit. They also implicitly conceded that simply putting the good guys back in charge does not fill that hole, since even eight years of Obama-Biden did not finally end structural racism and poverty. A just and decent normality, these words admit, cannot be restored. It has to be, as in Campbells prayer, a new creation.

To that extent, Bidens persona as a man of sorrow, acquainted with grief, does help to create an imaginative space for radical change. Acknowledging brokenness is a necessary condition for a genuine fix. Grief leads to magical thinking, and there are moments when magical thinking might have its place as a way of leaping beyond the bounds of a history that has continued to repeat itself in racism, impoverishment, and injustice. In the Heaney poem that Biden quoted, believing in miracles and cures and healing wells is not mere fantasyit is a way of breaking the cycle of despair and releasing a powerful surge of justice.

But a broken nation is not a macrocosm of a broken family. It cannot be healed by love and understanding alone, by religious faith and small acts of kindness. Both Biden and Harris placed family at the center of their candidacies. Both suggested that America is a family that looks and feels like theirslike Bidens in its sense of loss, like Harriss in its diversity. Because it has a basis in truth, this creates an illusion of intimacy that is indeed the negative of Trumps persona. Trump says: I am not like you; I am richer, smarter, superior. Biden and Harris are saying the opposite: I am just like you; my family is a representative fragment of the American mosaic. If Harris can bring together a family with Indian, African, and Jewish heritage, America can glory in its diversity. If the Bidens can overcome tragedy, America can emerge from its present nightmare. The Harris and Biden clans are the parallel, in the world of light, to the Trump broods cynical privatization of power in the world of darkness.

This impression of intimacy is a political asset, but it is also deceptive. It implies that the problems that Trumps accession brought to the surface are primarily problems of his personal characterand that they can be solved by having nicer leaders with nicer families. The nation, as Michelle Obama put it, has been underperforming not simply on matters of policy but on matters of character. Character, said Biden, is on the ballot. And yes, of course it is. Maybe most of the electorate feels the same disgust that Barack Obama enacted for them at the convention. Maybe thats enough. Maybe the strategy of leaving rage and fear to Trump in his domain of darkness will pay off in November. But kindness and empathy are not a program for government or tools for structural change. A real republic is one in which citizens are not dependent on the benevolence of others for their basic needs.

The decision, it seems, has been made: to campaign more in sorrow than in anger. But if the soundtrack of the Biden-Harris road movie is to be a lament, it is crucial that the idea of mourning at its heart be properly understood. It is not the same as the toxic nostalgia that fueled Trumps success in 2016. The difference lies in the idea of restoration. Trump told his voters not just that they had lost something (which was often true) but that he could bring it back (which was mostly a lie). But the point of genuine mourning is that the thing you are grieving for cannot be restored. The grief is an acceptance that the loss is irreparable. There is and always will be the empty chair at the table, the black hole in the chest.

Perhaps this true sense of bereavement is a necessity for Americaa hard, sad, relentless reckoning with the knowledge that much of what it has been should be allowed to die, that the structures of inequality and oppression and rapaciousness that have been a part of its life for so long must finally be let go. A false notion of greatness must be given a decent burial. Biden can perhaps be the chief mourner at its obsequies. If there is really to be a new creation, there must be no doubt that the old world is dead.
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Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, which raised $1 billion from Silver Lake Partners on Wednesday, is set to draw additional investments worth $5 billion from KKR and Co., Mubadala Investment Co. and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), two people directly aware of the negotiations said.

California-based private equity fund Silver Lake, an investor in Reliance Industries Ltds Jio Platforms unit, picked up a 1.75% stake in Reliance Retail Ventures for 7,500 crore, valuing the company at 4.21 trillion, or $57 billion.

The discussions with KKR, Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority are in an advanced stage, and more existing investors may follow suit as Reliance continues to talk to external investors," said one of the two people cited above.

KKR, Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority are slated to invest around $1 billion each, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. The fresh round of investments in the retail business will give parent Reliance Industries more firepower to take on strong rivals such as Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart for supremacy in the Indian organized retail space, where Reliance Retail is aiming to corner a significant market share through an omnichannel approach, analysts said.

View Full Image Graphic: Sarvesh Kumar Sharma/Mint





Some of them, however, said the valuation assigned by Silver Lake to Reliance Retail Ventures is at a significant discount to what they had estimated.

A $57 billion value is slightly underwhelming versus what the markets are pricing in right now," said JP Morgan in a note to investors on Wednesday, adding that this is 7% lower than its implied Reliance Retail value, which the investment bank had pegged at $65 billion.

Mint had reported on 5 September that Reliance Industries had offered investors in Jio Platforms the option to also invest in its retail subsidiary.

Mubadala has held conversations for investing in Reliance Retail. Jio Platforms investors have been offered the opportunity to invest in the retail business at an attractive valuation, which they are considering. They could look at a similar ticket size as their Jio Platforms investment, or smaller; those details have not been finalized," said the first person cited above.

Mubadala had invested $1.2 billion in Jio Platforms in June.

Emails sent to Mubadala, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and KKR did not elicit a response till press time.

Last month, Reliance Retail Ventures agreed to acquire Future Groups retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing businesses for 24,713 crore.

There is room for Reliance Industries to extract operating efficiencies and improve profitability with lower capital costs. Integration of the supply chain/logistics business could also bolster Reliances retail back-end and perhaps also its new commerce plans," said Citi Research in a report dated 9 September.

With an eye on the rapidly growing e-commerce segment, Reliance Industries had launched its online food and grocery business in 200 cities through JioMart in May.

Reliance Retail Ventures operates Indias largest retail business with 12,000 stores nationwide.

It is the holding company for Reliance Retail Ltd and Reliance Brands. The latter operates joint ventures with international brands.

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The ceremony was joined by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, foreign ministers from ASEAN nations, Ambassadors and representatives from international organisations in Vietnam. In his welcoming remarks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted the development of ASEAN, which has become the worlds fifth largest economy, and its central role in dialogues, cooperation for peace, security and prosperity in the region. These achievements have been attested amid unprecedented changes and challenges, particularly in the COVID-19 pandemic.

An overview of the AMM-53 opening ceremony (Photo: VNA)

Cohesive and Responsive is not only the theme of ASEAN 2020. Together with the spirit of proactivity and responsibility, it has become the brand name of ASEAN, helping the bloc cope with difficulties and challenges, he noted.

On this occasion, the PM praised the ASEANs efforts to help businesses resume their operation and regional people stablise their lives. The initiatives, such as The COVID-19 response fund, the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies have helped the bloc fight against the COVID-19 pandemic while connecting the member nations.

The Prime Minister requested ASEAN foreign ministers give priority to successfully implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025; preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic while promoting sustainable recovery.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh spoke highly of the ASEAN bloc which is dynamic in action, flexible in response and creative in cooperation.

He praised the ASEAN Community, saying that with the spirit of from vision to action, ASEAN Community has gradually taken shape, laying the significant foundation for the ASEAN Community building process, he said.

Entering its 6th decade, ASEAN is now speeding up its Community building while maximizing its role and status in the region and actively contributing to the joint efforts for peace, stability and development of the international community.

Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh expressed his hope that in the framework of the AMM-53 and related meetings, participants will discuss specific measures to effectively implement the instructions of the ASEAN Leaders at the 36th ASEAN Summit, thus furthering regional cooperation and overcoming challenges while successfully implementing set goals and mapping out the way forward.

We are resolved to overcome difficulties, effectively and timely achieve the targets in the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, ensure full implementation of all provisions and procedures in the ASEAN Charter, and to continue proving operational effectiveness of ASEANs sectoral bodies and other ASEAN-led dialogue and cooperation mechanism," he said.

Being aware that the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic is still looming, the ASEAN Coordinating Council will discuss thoroughly ways and means to effectively push forward ASEANs efforts and initiatives to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

The AMM 53 is one of the important highlights of Vietnams ASEAN chairmanship this year. The event consists of 20 meetings via video conference, joined by 27 delegations from the four continents of different time zones.

In the framework of the AMM-53, 40 documents are expected to be adopted, including the AMM-53 Joint Communique, focusing on ASEAN's commitment to promoting the ASEAN Community, economic connectivity and cooperation with dialogue partners./.
A cyberattack against an international software company includes a database breach which may have compromised personal information, a North Carolina hospital system said.

Atrium Health posted a notice of the attack on its website, saying some information, possibly including a persons name, birth date and doctors name, was accessed when cybercriminals targeted Blackbaud, which is one of its vendors, The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday.

According to the hospital system, no medical records or information about medications or test results were compromised and no credit card or bank account information was stolen.

Blackbaud, which provides donor management software to many institutions around the world, notified Atrium on July 16 of the attack on its systems, according to Atriums letter to patients. The newspaper said it obtained one of the letters on Saturday.

In a statement to the Observer, Atrium said there are still many unanswered questions and we are diligently pursuing both answers and resolution. Like thousands of other Blackbaud clients, we are very concerned about this event and are carefully evaluating our next steps.

Its unclear how many people in Atriums system may be impacted.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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London: British actress Diana Rigg, who came to fame in the cult 1960s TV show The Avengers and more recently appeared in Game of Thrones, has died aged 82.

Rigg, who had a long career in theatre, as well as appearing in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service where her character marries the British spy, died peacefully at home with her family.

Diana Rigg as Lady Oleanna Tyrell in Game of Thrones.

Her agent Simon Beresford said she died on Thursday morning. Riggs daughter, Rachael Stirling, said she died of cancer.

"My beloved ma died peacefully in her sleep early this morning, at home, surrounded by family," Stirling said in a statement.
The walls of Moore's Delicatessen feature artwork by members of Hollywood's animation community. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Go past the front counter, the beer taps and the chalkboard menu. Then step inside the back room.

That's where you'd find the Animators Room at Moore's Delicatessen, where each white wall was covered in cartoons by well-known and respected animators, illustrators, storyboarders and artists. For nearly a decade, members of Hollywood's animation community  from Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. and more  flocked to the beloved Burbank eatery to leave their mark on the walls.

I noticed that they were always doodling on the napkins, Robert Moore, the deli's owner, recently told The Times. So I asked them  I bought them some Sharpies, and I said, You guys draw on the wall, and then sign it and date it. And so thats how it started.

Before the deli shuttered on Aug. 31, yet another California small business to go under during the pandemic, its walls featured big names such as Stephen Hillenburg, the late creator of SpongeBob SquarePants," who drew the character Patrick Star with a Krabby Patty on his mind.

A two-minute walk away from Cartoon Network Studios, Moore's Deli was just about to turn 10 before it closed due to lack of business. Its horrible to close down a dream that you had for 10 years, Moore said. But I think its just a sign of the times  to move on and start something new.

Story continues

After Moore was forced to close the deli  he was throwing away menus as he spoke to The Times last week  he wasnt sure what to do with the art on his walls. He thought about cutting out individual pieces and holding an auction, but his landlord certainly wouldnt be on board.

Its like a Banksy situation, said storyboard artist Kent Osborne, referring to the British street artist's installations, which are sometimes sold by removing the wall they were painted on.

A drawing of Patrick Star, from "SpongeBob SquarePants," drawn by SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Osborne and Moore go way back. In 2010 , when Osborne was working on Adventure Time," the popular Cartoon Network series, he and his colleagues were looking for a place to watch the show's premiere. A local pub fell through and Moore suggested a watch party at the deli.

It was his idea, and I was kind of like the liaison. I told everybody, Osborne said. It was his idea to have everybody draw on the walls. He said, 'I have a big thing of markers, and everyone's going to draw on the walls.' It just seemed really crazy, because it was these nice, pristine white walls.

They wouldnt be blank for long.

Robert Ryan Cory, a former character designer on SpongeBob SquarePants," stepped up and inked the first drawing: SpongeBob holding a spatula. Cory, who had recently switched jobs to Cartoon Network, also included a joking caption: Nickelodeon sucks, he wrote.

"SpongeBob SquarePants" character designer Robert Ryan Cory drew the deli's first piece: SpongeBob holding a spatula. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

The line was in jest, but when Cartoon Network executives saw it, they wanted it painted over. You gotta get that taken care of, they told Moore. He did: Now SpongeBob grips his spatula sans caption.

That spirit of friendly rivalry was a common currency throughout the Burbank animation community. Osborne, for instance, has worked at Disney, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. The deli was where he went to bump into friends at other studios.

Sean Szeles, a writer on Cartoon Network's Regular Show, sketched the show's blue jay Mordecai character. The creator of Cartoon Networks The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Thurop Van Orman, who also voiced the title character, immortalized Flapjack, a one-toothed boy.

The creators of "Kung Fu Panda" drew a T. rex and pterodactyl drooling over Moore's Deli's signature City Hall pastrami sandwich. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

From the creators of the Kung Fu Panda movie came a T. rex and a pterodactyl drooling over one of the delis signature City Hall sandwiches.

Pen Ward [of 'Adventure Time'] drew Lumpy Space Princess, and suddenly it was like, 'Oh, wow, this is a really cool gallery, Osborne said. It was fun to go in over the years and see new additions.

Every regular seemed to treasure his or her own piece of deli lore. For Osborne, that meant giving the restaurant a cameo in his 2015 film Uncle Kent 2, which premiered at the South by Southwest festival. (Moore let the crew film a scene in the front room.)

The absolute best thing about this place is that in the mens room, above the urinal is a photograph of a waterfall, Osborne joked of the deli in one of the two Yelp reviews hes ever written.

Thanks a lot, his friend Moore told him.

For Ian Jones-Quartey, creator of the animated series OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, his own deli legend was an inside joke about Cartoon Networks show Mad. At one point during a watch party, Moores clientele booed the show. A couple of months later, Mad clapped back in an episode called Avenger Time.

I see the crews of other cartoons sitting in a deli complaining about Mad, like a bunch of sissies, says a character called the Watcher , looking into the future.

Not all of the restaurant's appeal was reserved for animators, though. Fans would come to watch parties too  and add to the walls on occasion. And anyone, of course, could come to see the art.

A lot of times, walls like that will be in a studio, so they'll be a little restrained, Jones-Quartey said. Or you won't get to see different people's characters all together, and I think that's what was special about it.

For Jorge R. Gutierrez, creator of El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, seeing drawings from folks across the animation community felt like visiting old friends. Hell never forget the moment his 2-year-old son, Luka, pulled down his dad's pants as he etched the superhero El Tigre character onto the deli's wall.

"SpongeBob SquarePants'" pet snail Gary, Disney's Minnie Mouse and "Avatar: The Last Airbender's" Momo and Aang at Moore's Deli. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

I feel like it was like our version of when you go into a small diner  and they have the celebrity pictures on the wall of the people who came in, Jones-Quartey said.

But business fell by 80% when the pandemic took hold, Moore said, and his landlord still wanted full rent. Although the landlord offered to defer payments, the restaurants lease was up a couple of months ago. Its been a mountain of debt, Moore said.

And yet he felt blessed to be there.

Before the deli, Moore oversaw the food at Dodger Stadium , where concessions are run by the Levy restaurant and hospitality company.

I was so miserable working for the corporate machine of Levy restaurants; I had to do something of my own, he said.

When his deli opened in October 2010, Moore was following his dream  and in his grandparents footsteps. They had opened their own delicatessen on San Franciscos Union Street in 1946.

That's All Folks Thank you for 10 wonderful years. The Moore's Deli Family Posted by Moore's Deli on Monday, August 31, 2020

The delis run was all fun, Moore said, and he has no regrets. But, of course, he was sad to see it come to an end.

That's all folks, he wrote on the restaurant's Facebook page to announce its closure. Thank you for 10 wonderful years.

I thought, whats the best way to do it? Moore said. And I thought about Porky Pig. He said, Thats all, folks. I think that was very appropriate to bid adieu to everybody in Burbank.
(Newser)  Bob Woodward has defended his decision to include President Trump's comments on the coronavirus in his upcoming book, rather than in an earlier news story, and he said it was a decision based on two factors. "The biggest problem I had, which is always a problem with Trump, is I didn't know if it was true," the journalist tells Margaret Sullivan at the Washington Post. Trump told Woodward that the coronavirus is "deadly stuff," "more deadly than ever your strenuous flu" on Feb. 7at that point, says Woodward, fear of the virus was minimal and Anthony Fauci was telling Americans to carry on as normal. The second issue is that he says he wasn't clear where Trump got his information from and whether it was reliable. It was only in May that Woodward was able to source it to a January intelligence briefing. He says it took months to put everything into context.

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The election "was the demarcation line for me," Woodward tells the AP, adding it "would have been unthinkable" to publish afterwards. But various journalists argue the information should've come sooner. "Isn't there a journalistic imperative to publish this information in a timely manner... especially during a pandemic?" tweeted Adweek reporter Scott Nover. "This is really troubling  I think there's been a failure here." At Esquire, Charles P. Pierce noted "nearly 200,000 Americans have died because neither Donald Trump nor Bob Woodward wanted to risk anything substantial to keep the country informed." Sullivan herself notes "the chanceeven if it's a slim chancethat those revelations could have saved lives is a powerful argument against waiting this long" to publish. Woodward tells her, "I did the best I could." (Michael Schmidt faced similar criticism over his book.)
HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The leading transcatheter heart valve medical device player in China - Venus Medtech (Hangzhou) Inc. ("Venus Medtech" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group", stock code: 2500) and Jilin Changchun Haoyue Halal Meat Co., Ltd ("Haoyue Group"), are pleased to announce the establishment of a joint venture company, Venus Haoyue Medtech Limited ("Venus Haoyue Medtech"). Venus Medtech and Venus Haoyue Medtech will jointly provide total treatment solutions for heart valve diseases from the source of biomaterials. It will become a domestic enterprise with both surgical valves and transcatheter valves, which will comprehensively improve the level of heart valve diseases treatment in China.

Venus Haoyue Medtech will be engaged in the design, research and development, manufacturing, sales, and technical services of high-end cardiovascular disease implant devices and surgical soft tissue repair materials. The main products are artificial biological heart valves for surgical implantation and other biological patches. Venus Haoyue Medtech develops surgical valve products including aortic, pulmonary, mitral and tricuspid valves.

Professor Xi Tingfei, the researcher and doctoral tutor of China National Institutes for Food and Drug Control and Peking University, Professor Wang Yunbing, the director of National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials (NERCB), and Professor Meng Xu, the director of the Heart Transplantation and Valve Surgery Center of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University and the chief expert of the Heart Valve Center of Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University attended the signing ceremony and press conference.

Heart valve disease is one of the most common heart diseases in China, of which rheumatic heart valve disease is the main kind of heart valve disease. However, with the improvement of people's living conditions, the incidence of non-rheumatic valve disease is relatively increased. China is in a transition period from rheumatic valve disease to degenerative valve disease. According to statistics, the prevalence rate of heart valve diseases among people over 75 years old in Western countries is as high as 13.3%, and there are more than 4 million patients, who is over 60 years old, with valve diseases in China. The mortality rate of heart valve diseases is comparable to that of some cancers. Surgical replacement or repair of the valve is the main and effective treatment.

Professor Xi Tingfei provided an introduction on the current status and development trend of the animal-derived biomaterials in China in his speech. At present, imported biological valves account for 85% of the market in China, hence there is an urgent need for biological valve products developed and produced in China to ensure timely and targeted clinical treatment. Medical devices, especially high-end medical devices, are still among the products that are highly dependent on importation in China. Meanwhile, certain domestic enterprises have solved the technical problems in research, development, and production, but failed to materialize the technological achievements due to lack of supply of biomaterials.

With the establishment of Venus Haoyue Medtech, Haoyue Group will exclusively provide its high-quality bovine pericardial valves to Venus Medtech and Venus Haoyue Medtech, thereby establishing a stable and high-standard raw material supply system. In addition to traditional surgical valves, Venus Haoyue Medtech will also develop sutureless aortic valve products to provide doctors and patients with a more comprehensive range of treatment options.

Professor Meng Xu said "Compared with traditional surgical valve replacement, the sutureless biological valve can reduce the extracorporeal circulation time and blocking time due to the avoidance of surgical operations such as suturing and knotting in limited space near the aortic valve, thereby lowering the incidence of postoperative complications to vital organs such as heart, brain, liver and kidney and avoiding potential damage to the aortic root from surgical operations such as suturing and knotting." The products for transcatheter mitral valve replacement and transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement independently developed by Venus Medtech will also use the high-quality bovine pericardial valves provided by Haoyue Group for processing and production.

The "Preloaded Dry Valve" technology jointly developed by a team from NERCB led by Professor Wang Yunbing and Venus Medtech has overcome the storage limitations of traditional biological valve materials and was recognized as a national key project of research and development under the 13th Five-Year Plan. In 2016, Venus Medical pioneered to apply "dry valve" technology in transcatheter aortic heart valve replacement products, which eliminated the effect of traditional glutaraldehyde solution on the valve and improved the anti-calcification properties of the valve biomaterial, thereby significantly improving the valve durability, increasing the useful life of implanted valve products and benefiting the patients.

Venus Medtech will also cooperate with NERCB to inject the most advanced "engineered dry valve" technology into Venus Haoyue Medtech, in order to upgrade all newly developed surgical valves and biological patch products and optimize product research development to create more clinical benefits. The application of "engineered dry valve" technology in surgical valves will raise the standard of research and development of valve products and provide new treatment options. Professor Meng Xu also expressed his high expectation and recognition of the "dry valve" technology and emphasized the importance of these breakthrough technologies in the field of heart valve treatment.

Mr. Eric Zi, Co-Founder and General Manager of Venus Medtech, said "We are very glad to cooperate with Haoyue Group to develop a high-end medical device company. Relying on the cooperation with Haoyue Group, Venus Haoyue Medtech will greatly enhance the medical technology level of domestic bovine products fundamentally solve the hidden dangers of import dependence on heart valve products. Venus Haoyue Medtech combined the supply of high-quality raw materials and Venus Medteh's strong research and development capabilities, to produce technologically advanced surgical valve products, and improve the product pipeline as well as meet the huge medical demand in the market. The cooperation will further promote the business development of Venus Medtech and help the Group to achieve its mission of becoming a global leader in the development and commercialization of minimally invasive solutions for cardiovascular diseases. "

Mr. Cong Lianbiao, President of Haoyue Group, said "We are very pleased to cooperate with Venus Medtech, the outstanding transcatheter heart valve medical device company in China, and the cooperation will provide us with more opportunities. As a leading supplier of bovine products in China, Haoyue Group has the responsibility to deepen the development of bovine products, especially the production and application of medical bovine products, in order to reduce the reliance on imported products and raw materials and strengthen the development foundation with advance and innovative technologies. To this end, Venus Haoyue Medtech will actively develop heart valve products to bring hope to the patients and work for the well-being of the general public."

About Venus Medtech (Hangzhou) Inc.

Venus Medtech is the leading transcatheter heart valve medical device player in China in terms of implantation volume in 2018. The Company focuses on the design, development and commercialization of transcatheter heart valve products. According to Frost & Sullivan, the Company had a 79.3% market share in China by implantation volume of TAVR products in 2018. The Company's self-developed product, VenusA-Valve, is the first TAVR product approved by the NMPA and commercialized in China. As the pioneer in the transcatheter heart valve industry in China, the Company enjoys first mover advantages. The Company believes that its first mover advantages, together with its comprehensive product pipeline covering all four heart valves, robust intellectual property portfolio with 193 issued patents and 196 patent applications as of November 18, 2019, and visionary management team, will serve as high entry barriers and differentiate the Company from its peers.

About Haoyue Group

Haoyue Group takes beef cattle slaughter and deep processing as its main business. It is is one of the first national key leading enterprises in agricultural industrialization. Haoyue Group has established six production bases around major beef cattle belts in China, strictly implementing quality control throughout the process, and is known for supplying high-quality beef products.

SOURCE Venus Medtech (Hangzhou) Inc.
A traditional water cannon salute was given to the Rafale fleet before its ceremonial induction into the 17 Squadron of the IAF

The first batch of five Rafale fighter jets were formally inducted into the Indian Air Force on Thursday in Ambala air base.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar attended the ceremony.

The Rafale jets, produced by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, are known for air-superiority and precision strikes.

#WATCH Live from Ambala: Rafale induction ceremony at IAF airbase https://t.co/uEJiV3yiDK  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

A traditional 'sarva dharma puja', a ceremonial 'water cannon salute' to the Rafale jets and an aerial display featuring various breathtaking manoeuvres by the aircraft marked their induction into the 17 Squadron of the IAF.

In a tweet, the IAF welcomed the "new bird" into its arsenal.

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on 29 July, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

The French delegation at the ceremony included French envoy Emmanuel Lenain, Air Gen Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of French Air Force, Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation Eric Trappier and CEO of missile maker MBDA Eric Beranger.

After the ceremony, Parly and Singh will hold talks in Ambala on ways to further deepen bilateral defence and security cooperation after the ceremony, they said.

Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

A second batch of four to five Rafale jets are likely to arrive in India by November.

Sources said a preliminary discussion on a possible procurement of another batch of 36 Rafale jets by India from France may figure in the talks between Singh and Parly.

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

Meteor is a next generation beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala air base, the second one will be based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The 17 Squadron of the IAF which was resurrected on 10 September 2019.

The squadron was originally raised at Air Force Station, Ambala on 1 October 1951. The 17 Squadron has many firsts to its credit; in 1955 it was equipped with the first jet fighter, the legendary De Havilland Vampire.
What a year 5780 has been. Who would have thought that a year ago, as we were gearing up for the holidays, that we would soon be faced with one of the strangest periods that any of us have ever experienced? It has been a time of triumphs and challenges, great joys and great pains. Through it all the power of community has remained.

At Rollins Hillel, our student leaders have quickly shifted gears to provide meaningful Jewish experiences to their peers virtually. From Zoom trivia nights, to Shabbat-to-go bags, a Jewish learning fellowship and civic engagement programming, Rollins Hillel is c...
US Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, holds her weekly press briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on 13 August 2020. (AFP via Getty Images)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated that the US Congress would block any potential US trade deal with the UK if Boris Johnson unilaterally violates the Good Friday Agreement that allows an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

How do you walk away from an international agreement? Ms Pelosi said of the prime ministers potential move.

"How do you trust [negotiating with] that?" she asked rhetorically at a press conference on Thursday.

The speaker echoed comments from other House Democrats this week that the UK is of course free to chart its own course in terms of pulling back from the European Union. But if the country goes about that process in a way that upsets existing agreements involving the US, which is a guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, that would have ramifications beyond the UKs control.

Their self determination is up to them. Our trade relations are up to us, Ms Pelosi said.

"The people of the UK have determined their course of action. That's up to them. But it is not up to them to think that they will be rewarded [with a new US-UK trade deal] if they mess with the Good Friday accords," she said.

Ms Pelosi said she has made her position on the matter very clear for a year now.

"It's a very simple message. They know it. They've heard it... This is not anything we've hidden under a bush: There will be no bilateral US-UK agreement if... the Good Friday accords with regard to the border are changed."

On Wednesday, as Mr Johnsons government continued hashing out an agreement with the EU over the UKs departure from the union, it released an Internal Market Bill that would effectively subject the Northern Ireland-Ireland border to regular customs checks, a break from the recent tradition of the free flow of commerce between the UK province and the independent republic.

Politicians in the UK and abroad who are against the move fear that closing the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would incite a return to Republican and Loyalist violence that ended in the late-1990s.

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Such a scenario could lead to the remilitarisation of that border and chaos with regard to the political future of Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said the Johnson governments move would be "a treacherous betrayal" inflicting "irreversible harm."

Read more

Contempt for the American people and science: Pelosi rips Trump for downplaying coronavirus in Woodward interviews

Hair salon at centre of Nancy Pelosi controversy shuts down after GoFundMe raises $300,000 for owner

US-UK trade deal: Four things you might have missed, from food standards to climate commitments

If you dont understand the rules, fear not. Boris Johnson is coming with Moonshot to zap the virus into another galaxy

Michael Cohen book: Evangelical leader backed Trump after being blackmailed with racy photos, former fixer claims
Kentucky news outlets are reporting the office of Atty. Gen. Daniel Cameron will present evidence in the Taylor case over at least two days.

A grand jury has been selected in the police shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

Local news outlets in Kentucky are reporting that the office of Attorney General Daniel Cameron will present their findings in the case over at least two days.

WKYT, a local CBS station, interviewed a former assistant attorney of the commonwealth, Brian Butler, who said that he expects the Taylor case to take longer than a regular case.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, shown addressing the Republican National Convention last month, tweeted, about the Breonna Taylor case, that an investigation, if done properly, cannot follow a specific timeline. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Historically, in Jefferson County, those cases have been presented in detail to grand juries, said Butler, who is not at all involved in the Taylor case. The grand jury can ask questions; the grand jury can interview witnesses themselves; they can ask to see additional evidence if they want to.

Butler explained to the outlet what Camerons role in the process will be, which is to decide whether he wants to make a recommendation to them, whether he wants to recommend charges be filed or what types of charges could be filed. Ultimately, he said, its the grand jurys decision to do what they think is appropriate.

Statement regarding the ongoing investigation into the death of Ms. Breonna Taylor. pic.twitter.com/U3BXkNCFhM  Attorney General Daniel Cameron (@kyoag) September 9, 2020

On Wednesday, Cameron tweeted a statement about the probe. An investigation, if done properly, cannot follow a specific timeline, he noted.

When the investigation concludes and a decision is made, we will provide an update about an announcement, his tweet concluded, The news will come from our office and not unnamed sources. Until that time, the investigation is ongoing.

Read More: Yandy Smith calls out inhumane conditions during Breonna Taylor protest arrest

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Taylor was shot on March 13, when three Louisville Metro Police Department officers entered her home executing a no-knock warrant, and she and boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, believed they were burglars. The 26-year-old emergency medical technician was struck eight times when the officers fired into the apartment.

Sunday will mark six months since Taylors death, for which a lack of filed charges has helped give rise to the protests against police brutality taking place across the nation. Two of the officers involved in her shooting, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, have been on paid administrative leave since mid-May. A third, detective Brett Hankison, was fired in June.

Read More: Why one African-American horse owner refused to boycott Kentucky Derby for Breonna Taylor

Cameron invoked Taylors name at the Republican National Convention last month when he intoned, It was General Dwight Eisenhower, a future Republican president, who said: Democracy is a system that recognizes the equality of humans before the law. Whether you are the family of Breonna Taylor or David Dorn, these are the ideals that will heal our nations wounds.

Dorn was a Black police captain who was killed in St. Louis in June by someone looting a store during protests.

Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Grand jury selected in Breonna Taylor case: report appeared first on TheGrio.
ZAMBOANGA CITY  Eight villages in the southern Philippine province of Sulu are now free from the influence of the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf...
Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about President Donald Trump's recently revealed comments about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic during a campaign stop in Warren, Michigan, U.S., September 9, 2020.

WASHINGTON --- Democratic nominee Joe Biden lit into President Donald Trump on Wednesday following the revelation that Trump deliberately downplayed the threat posed by the coronavirus last winter despite knowing as early as Feb. 7 how deadly and easily spreadable the virus was.

"He had the information. He knew how dangerous it was. And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job on purpose," said Biden, in response to Trump's taped interviews with journalist Bob Woodward for the forthcoming book, "Rage."

"It was a life-and-death betrayal of the American people," Biden added, speaking at a campaign event in Warren, Michigan. "It's beyond despicable. It's a dereliction of duty. It's a disgrace."

On Wednesday, tapes emerged on several interviews Trump gave Woodward, including a Feb. 7 phone call where Trump repeated what he knew about the coronavirus from national security briefings.

"This is deadly stuff," Trump told Woodward, according to the Washington Post. "You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flu."

A month later, Trump admitted to Woodward that he was publicly downplaying the severity of the virus, despite privately knowing how deadly it was.

"I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," Trump can be heard saying.

Woodward's tapes went off like a bomb in Washington Wednesday, where members of Congress had just returned to their offices on Capitol Hill after the August recess.

But while Democrats were quick to condemn Trump's willingness to deceive the public on such a serious topic, Republicans who were asked about the tapes nearly all insisted they had neither seen nor heard them.
I am an attorney and businessman on Staten Island and I write you in reply to the 9/3/2020 letter from Ed Carey, which mentions my brother, Jeremiah OLeary. Ironically, Mr. Careys letter asserts so proudly that Staten Island is the last bastion of independence in NYC.

So, why does he criticize a writer with views different from his own? And why does he criticize the media? And has he read the U.S. Constitution, in which our founding fathers felt it to be so important that there be a separation of church and state? My brother, Jeremiah (that old hat, as Mr Carey referred to him), served in Vietnam and spent a career as a lieutenant in the NYPD.

His letters always have facts and substance. He does research before he writes. There are no mistruths.

I may not agree with Mr. Carey, but I welcome his First Amendment right to reply. I just ask, please, give us some facts, and not merely some Trump-like rhetoric aimed solely at creating divisiveness.

Trump may actually like Jeremiah, since he did not die or get wounded serving his country in Vietnam.

(John G. OLeary is a West Brighton resident.)
Documents pertaining to operation of Ukrainian special services to detain Wagner PMC fighters must be handed over to The Hague  Lutsenko

KYIV. Sept 10 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Documents appearing in the operation of the Ukrainian special services to detain the Wagner PMC fighters involved in war crimes in Donbas must be submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC, The Hague) for their absentee conviction, former Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko said.

"I advise ... to send them to the International Criminal Court for conviction in absentia of all those terrorists, otherwise this whole story will develop into a deep political crisis," Lutsenko said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday.

He believes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should dismiss the participants in the meeting, after which the details of the special operation became known to the relevant structures of the Russian Federation and the operation was disrupted.

According to the ex-prosecutor general, it is necessary "to dismiss immediately all the participants in this meeting, first of all, Mr. Yermak [head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak] and Demchenko [first deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Demchenko], apologize to the officers of the special forces, whose dignity was sullied, reward them, carry out a set of measures to prevent such things from happening and not destroy documents."

Lutsenko also claims that officers of almost all services involved in this operation are ready to testify at the temporary investigative commission, which must be created in the Verkhovna Rada.
The Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and a number of non-governmental organizations today are holding a protest in front of the Embassy of Belarus in Armenia with the demand for the release of three civil society representatives detained in Belarus from September 7-9, including three Belarusian public figures who are members of the Civil Society Forum (Irina Sukhiy, Andrej Jahorau and Stanislava Husakova).

The Armenian National Platform and the NGO representatives call on ending the violence and repression of the Belarusian police against civil society, young people and dissidents immediately and urge the Belarusian authorities to launch constructive dialogue with the members of the opposition.

We demand that the Belarusian authorities immediately release citizens exercising their right to freedom of assembly and especially our colleagues who are members of the Civil Society Forum, one of the protesters said, adding that the Civil Society Forum and NGOs are currently holding a silent protest and will take other steps depending on the Belarusian governments actions.

The representatives here are representatives of active civil society organizations. We stand with the Belarusian people, and we call on them to be strong and know that the Armenian people and particularly Armenian civil society support them, another protester said, adding that the National Platforms of 6 member states to the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum are currently holding protests.

Belarus held presidential elections on August 9, after which the countrys Central Electoral Commission declared that incumbent President Aleksandr Lukashenko had won the elections. This led to protests that continue to this day. Members of the opposition and their supporters go out to the street and protest the results of the elections every day.
This imageboard of San from "Princess Mononoke" (1997) will be among the works on display at the Academy Museum's "Hayao Miyazaki" exhibition. (Hayao Miyazaki /  1997 Studio Ghibli  ND)

In Hayao Miyazaki's "My Neighbor Totoro," 4-year-old Mei chases a couple of mysterious creatures through some shrubs into a forest and stumbles into a hole at the base of a giant tree. There, she meets a giant, slumbering creature who roars out his name  Totoro.

Visitors to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will follow a similar journey to enter its inaugural temporary exhibition, "Hayao Miyazaki," according to details revealed Thursday. Described as the first North American museum retrospective of the prolific Japanese filmmaker's work, the exhibition is slated to launch April 30  the museum's long-awaited opening date.

Mei's sense of curiosity and imagination, as captured in the sequence, is something Academy Museum exhibition curator Jessica Niebel leaned into for the first transitional section of the Miyazaki exhibition, called the Tree Tunnel gallery.

"That feeling of being free-spirited and adventurous and curious ... is something we tried to re-create with the Tree Tunnel," Niebel said of the section, which will involve guests following Mei into Miyazaki's magical worlds. "Let's leave this rational, adult world behind and let's remember how it was like to be 4 years old and experience how that felt like again for just a little bit and be adventuresome and enter this imaginary world."

Featuring more than 300 objects, the Miyazaki retrospective will have seven thematic sections. The exhibition will explore all of his animated features, including 2001's Academy Award-winning "Spirited Away"; his first Studio Ghibli film, "Castle in the Sky" (1986); his feature debut, "Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro" (1979); and 2013's "The Wind Rises," which at the time was meant to mark Miyazaki's retirement.

Imageboard featuring Satsuki and Mei from "My Neighbor Totoro" by Hayao Miyazaki. (Hayao Miyazaki /  1988 Studio Ghibli)

Niebel knew that for this retrospective, she did not want to approach Miyazaki's work chronologically.

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"He always says he wants to make movies that are both entertaining and also meaningful," said Niebel. "He covers so many important themes and he creates such special moments that are interesting from an emotional and central point of view. Right away I knew that I wanted to approach it more thematically."

"Miyazaki's genius is his power of remembering what he sees," said producer and Studio Ghibli cofounder Toshio Suzuki in a statement. "He opens the drawers in his head to pull out these visual memories to create characters, landscapes and structures that are bursting with originality. It is our hope that visitors will be able to experience the entire scope of Hayao Miyazaki's creative process through this exhibition."

Following the Tree Tunnel gallery, guests will enter the Creating Characters gallery, which will include multiple screens playing short clips of Miyazaki's many memorable protagonists. This area will highlight how these characters were developed, with original character design drawings, and will include art that has never been displayed outside of Japan.

Miyazaki's long-term collaboration with fellow Studio Ghibli cofounder and filmmaker Isao Takahata will be the focus of the Making Of gallery. This space will highlight Miyazaki's earlier works, including a special tribute to "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" (1984).

The Creating Worlds gallery will allow guests to explore the various beautiful worlds that have been brought to life in Miyazaki's works through concept sketches and background art. Here, the Sky View installation will offer visitors a chance for reflection, a theme that runs through Miyazaki's films.

The Transformations gallery, which explores the themes around change, and the Magical Forest gallery, highlighting Miyazaki's reverence toward nature and the many spirits that have been introduced in his works, will round out the exhibition.

Imageboard for "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" by Hayao Miyazaki. (Hayao Miyazaki /  1984 Studio Ghibli)

Originally announced in 2018, the much-anticipated opening exhibition has been affected by the Academy Museum's various delays  most recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And although she is looking forward to the day the exhibition is finally open to the public, Niebel notes there have been some benefits from having an extended time to prepare for the opening.

"It's a complex exhibition and we do have cultural differences," said Niebel of collaborating with Japan's Studio Ghibli. "It takes a while to really get to know each other ... and find a good way to move this forward in the best way that we could."

The extra time also meant Ghibli was able to find and offer new artwork, and "that gave us a chance to enhance the exhibition," Niebel added.

The "Hayao Miyazaki" retrospective will be accompanied by a 256-page catalog, which will include production materials from his early television work as well as his feature films. The Academy Museum plans to offer film screenings (in both English and Japanese), public programs and merchandise in conjunction with the exhibition.
Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, speaks about the CCP virus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on April 7, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP)

4 House Committees Allege that Medicares Seema Verma Misused Federal Funds

Four House committees conducted an investigation into Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma and her top aides spending and allege that Verma hired consultants that charged CMS nearly $6 million for work that included boosting her public profile over the course of 2 years.

By retaining these consultants, Administrator Verma misused funds appropriated by Congress, wasting taxpayer dollars intended to support federal health care programs, the report states.

The report was produced by the staffs of House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), House Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), Senate Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

The Democrats say they obtained thousands of documents revealing many of CMSs problematic billing receipts. Verma and her top aides abused the federal contracting process to Administrator Vermas benefit and wasted millions of taxpayer dollars, the Democrats said.

Our investigation found that Administrator Verma misused funds appropriated by Congress and wasted taxpayer dollars intended to support critical federal health care programs, Pallone, Maloney, Wyden, and Murray said in a written statement Thursday.

The investigation found that Verma consulted with at least 15 high profile Republican communications consultants including, Brett ODonnell, Keith Nahigian, Ken Nahigian, Marcus Barlow, and Pam Stevens.

At an October 2019 hearing, Verma told a House committee that the contracts that we have in place are about promoting the work of the agency. One of the things that I wanted to do when we came to CMS is (to) make sure that the American people understand the things that were doing.

Verma emphasized that the consultants were used to publicize the 16 new CMS initiatives.

And the other thing that we use contractors are for is when we have something that we cannot do in house so thats one reason or we need some short-term help. My job at the agency is to set the vision and set the agenda, and its up to other staff members to determine whether that work can be done in house or whether we need to hire contractors.

However, the committees report found that As a consultant, Barlow billed CMS for hours that approximated those of a full-time employee while charging a rate that would result in more than double the $179,700 annual salary of CMSs top communications official.

The Democrats report also states that Pam Stevens distributed a document entitled, Draft Executive Visibility Proposal Seema Verma, which lawmakers claim was to develop Vermas brand, get meetings with high profile people and get Verma nominated for awards.

The report also says that consultants were paid (per hour) and had travel expenses much more than appropriate. Consultants submitted reimbursements for significant expenses related to CMS travel and accommodations, including for hotel rooms that cost more than $500 per night, hundreds of dollars above the government per diem.

The committees investigation took 17 months and highlighted the question, is using these consultants violating federal law limiting how officials are allowed to use funds appropriated by Congress. The lawmakers are consulting the Government Accountability Office as to whether CMS expenditures violated the law.

The House committees report comes weeks after the Office of the Inspector General in the Department of Health and Human Services published a report (pdf) accusing Verma of using millions of taxpayer dollars to pay politically connected contractors.

CMS, is one of the largest federal agencies, overseeing the vast Medicare and Medicaid programs, including the Childrens Health Insurance Program and Obamacare private health insurance exchanges.

The top spokesperson for the health department, Michael Caputo told Politico, the report is another reckless drive-by election year hit job.

The CMS Administrator will continue her unprecedented efforts to transform the American healthcare system to ensure health policy innovation drives public discussionnot purposefully timed political attacks, Caputo continued.

CMS Administrator Vermas office and Mr. Caputos office did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment on the committees report.
Hamilton will be one of just 10 cities in Ontario to host an Amazon fulfilment centre come late 2021.

The packaging and assortment facility will take the form of a massive, 855,000-square-foot warehouse at 110 Aeropark Blvd., the site of Hamiltons decade-long planned Airport Employment Growth District.

Its one of the largest local investments in terms of square footage in Hamiltons history, according to a city press release. Its also a godsend to a region whose labour force was brought to a virtual halt amid COVID-19.

Amazon says its warehouse will yield 1,500 new full-time jobs in Hamilton alone. We asked the e-commerce giant who theyre looking for and what they pay.

When will the building open?

The fulfilment centre is scheduled to open in late 2021.

Amazon could not provide a rough date, but the warehouses developer, Panattoni, told The Spectator it expects construction to be completed by next August.

Who will Amazon be hiring and when?

Amazon says hiring for positions will begin closer to the buildings launch.

More than 1,500 people are expected to be hired at Amazons fulfilment centre, where the company picks, packs and ships customer orders.

The operation in Hamilton will specifically see employees work with robotics to sort and compile deliveries such as books, electronics and toys.

Amazon says it will hire for positions from picking, packing and shipping customer orders to finance administrators and human resources.

What will pay be like?

Amazon could not confirm wage estimates, but said they will certainly be competitive.

A spokesperson pointed to a nearby fulfilment centre in Scarborough, where wages start at $17 per hour for regular non-seasonal roles.

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O il giant BP today entered the offshore wind market for the first time after signing a $1.1 billion deal with Norways Equinor.

The move sees BP take two stakes in projects in the US as the company moves towards its ambitious net zero target by 2050 under chief executive Bernard Looney.

The deal with Equinor makes BP the co-owner of the Empire Wind project off New York, as well as Beacon Wind off Massachusetts.

Looney said: This is an important early step in the delivery of our new strategy and our pivot to truly becoming an integrated energy company.

Offshore wind is growing at around 20% a year globally and is recognised as being a core part of meeting the worlds need to limit emissions.

It will play a vital role in allowing us to deliver our aim of rapidly scaling up our renewable energy capacity, and in doing so help deliver the energy the world wants and needs.

BP already owns onshore wind businesses in the US but the move into offshore shows Looneys commitment to turning BP away from traditional oil and gas exploration.

But some analysts argue that renewable projects - in particular wind farms - do not offer the same return as oil and gas developments.
In Illinois, cases also appear to have peaked after a second surge in rural areas. There are plenty of hospital beds available to treat the sick. Were not staring down equipment or ventilator shortages. The COVID-19 trend for Chicago and most of the metropolitan region, beyond a Kankakee/Will County hot spot, looks encouraging. The positivity rate for COVID-19 tests in Chicago is 5.1%, one of the lowest for any region in the state, and well below the 8% target threshold.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:20:34|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- A police investigation has been launched into a scam as an executive of Japan's NTT Docomo Inc. said that around 18 million yen (170,000 U.S. dollars) had been stolen from bank accounts linked to the mobile carrier's e-money service since August.

According to NTT Docomo, Japan's largest mobile carrier, as of Thursday, 66 cases of suspected fraudulent withdrawals from accounts at 11 banks connected to its e-money service had been confirmed.

"Our measures to check users' identities were insufficient," NTT Docomo Senior Executive Vice President Seiji Maruyama told a press briefing on the matter at the company's Tokyo headquarters.

Following a series of fraudulent cases connected to cashless payments in the past week, NTT Docomo has suspended services allowing customers to connect their bank accounts with its e-money services.

Before cash withdrawals are made, in a bid to ensure that money is not being accessed using fraudulent means, NTT Docomo has said it will consider how to improve and enhance its identification confirmation protocols.

Once users have linked their accounts, NTT Docomo's service offers a number of functions to customers such as transferring money between accounts and paying for shopping.

But its services have fallen foul to fraudsters using stolen bank account numbers and passwords to access accounts linked to NTT Docomo's money service and transfer funds to other mobile accounts.

Although users of e-money can connect with a number of different banks in Japan, the identification protocols differ from bank to bank, sources close to the matter have said.

In some instances, users of e-money and similar applications are only required to provide an email address to confirm their identification, they said.

The fraudsters may have used phishing emails to access other necessary login information, as the banks themselves have said their systems had not been compromised.

The Financial Service Agency has ordered NTT Docomo to report the cause of the situation.

NTT Docomo will also have to inform Japan's financial watchdog of the measures it intends to take to improve its service.

NTT Docomo said it will comply with the order by next Thursday. Enditem
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was visibly upset as he delivered a portion of his speech on Wednesday skewering Donald Trump for allegedly calling US military veterans suckers and losers.

The former vice president evoked his late son Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015, to make his point about how personally hurtful Mr Trumps reported remarks were to him.

"When my son volunteered to join the United States military, as the attorney general [of Delaware], and went to Iraq for the year  won the bronze star and other commendations  he wasn't a sucker," Mr Biden said at the campaign event in Warren, Michigan, a suburb roughly a 30-minute drive north of Detroit.

"When my son was an assistant U.S. Attorney who volunteered to go to Kosovo while the war was going on, as a civilian, he wasn't a sucker," he said.

He added: "The service men and women he served with, particularly those who did not come home, were not losers."

Most of Mr Bidens speech dealt with bringing manufacturing jobs back to Michigan from overseas  and protecting existing jobs  by taxing companies that outsource their production and creating financial incentives to keep operations in the US.

But Mr Biden admitted that Mr Trumps reported denigration of veterans as suckers and losers," as reported in The Atlantic last week and confirmed by several other outlets, marked the closest hed ever come to losing his temper over something the president has said.

Written by the magazine's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, and drawing on multiple anonymous sources, the story has been met with outrage from the president's supporters and Mr Trump himself.

The president even called on Fox News to fire one of its reporters who backed The Atlantics reporting.

The Atlantic story also quotes various sources describing assorted unflattering incidents involving war dead. One describes Mr Trump refusing to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris on the basis that it's filled with losers. Another recalls him telling his staff not to include amputee veterans in a military parade, allegedly saying nobody wants to see that.

Mr Trump has fiercely denied the article's claims, asking "what animal would say that?" and suggested its quotes came from disgruntled former staffers.

"Probably it's a couple of people that have been failures in the administration that I got rid of," Mr Trump said to journalists on the tarmac as he arrived back in Washington after a campaign stop on Thursday. "And I couldn't get rid of them fast enough. Or it was just made up ... There's not much more I can say. All they're trying to do is influence a presidential election."
AFWERX Base of the Future Logo The Bulzi solution will be a game changer for the Base of the Future

Bulzi LLC, a geospatial intelligence services company, announced it has been awarded a $1.5 million Phase-II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the United States Air Force (USAF) through the AFWERX innovation program. This award builds upon previous Phase-I SBIR awards and will allow Bulzi to adapt its existing commercial technologies to enhance Department of Defense (DoD) base security.

This Phase-II award follows the successful completion of a Phase-I evaluation of Bulzis LOCALiz data management platform for adaptation to meet USAF base security needs. LOCALiz organizes data from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and wide-area Geospatial data to provide services around people and things in areas of interest.

This is a very exciting project for us, said Brent McKay, CEO Bulzi. Bulzi is a leader in geospatial intelligence services and, with this SBIR contract, has an opportunity to repurpose our commercial technologies and radically improve DoD base security and defense operations. It will be a game changer for the Base of the Future..

During a previously awarded Phase-I SBIR contract, Bulzi engaged with key customers and end users in the DoD community to validate its ability to meet key mission needs. The Bulzi system demonstrated technical merit and commercial potential during the process, which led to the Phase-II award and participation from the U.S Army and Air Force branches in the project.

About the AFWERX SBIR Program

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) process in an attempt to speed up the experience, broaden the pool of potential applicants, and decrease bureaucratic overhead related to harnessing commercial technology innovations for Air Force mission needs. Beginning with SBIR cycle 18.2, the Air Force has been offering 'Special' SBIR topics that are faster, leaner, and open to a broader range of innovations.

About Bulzi (Pronounced Bulls-Eye)

Bulzi LLC is a leader in the geospatial intelligence industry, leveraging Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Geolocation data to help manage people and things in areas of interest. Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, the company pioneered the use of mobile phone signal data for measuring audiences in the commercial outdoor advertising market. It is now applying its expertise to improve situational awareness for government agencies and private facilities.

For more information on Bulzi:

Website: http://www.bulzi.com

Email: media@bulzi.com.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/67528196

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bulzi.llc

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bulzil
The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has formed a 13-member high-level committee to study the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in order to advise the government on two-language policy and other issues.

While describing the functions and other terms of reference for the expert committee, the government said it will advise the Government of Tamil Nadu on the policy response on all thrust areas of the National Education Policy 2020 subject to the state of Tamil Nadu continuing with its two-language policy.

It will advise on the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 as is relevant to Tamil Nadu in the short, medium, and long term based on resource availability, the government added.

The committee is expected to submit its final report after due consultation with all relevant stakeholders, within a period of one year from the date of its constitution.

The expert committee shall be assisted by the Director of School Education and the State Project Director Samagra Shiksha for the facilitation of their work.

The government added that in view of the coronavirus pandemic, if necessary, the committee can conduct its meetings virtually.

The Union Cabinet on July 29 approved National Education Policy 2020 bringing major reforms in higher education including a target of 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035 and provision for multiple entry and exits.
The US move, announced on Wednesday, was a violation of the human rights of the students, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing

China on Thursday accused the United States of political persecution and racial discrimination and said it reserves the right for further reaction, after Washington said it had revoked the visas of more than 1,000 Chinese students and researchers it had deemed security risks.

The US move, announced on Wednesday, was a violation of the human rights of the students, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing.

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Taiwan successfully managed to control the spread of COVID-19, yet its exclusion from the World Health Organization reveals the increasing strain in the US-China and Taiwan-China relations, instead of greater cooperation.

Taiwan-China Antagonism Lies at the Core

The World Health Assembly, the annual governing forum of the World Health Organization, convened in May 2020, against the backdrop of the global spread of COVID-19. This year, there was much controversy surrounding the issue of Taiwans participation as an observer.

Taiwan attracted world attention for successfully containing the infection, yet it is excluded from the WHO. Many countries have expressed their support for Taiwans participation in the body, including Japan and major Western nations, but China has strongly resisted, insisting on the One China principle that claims Taiwan as a part of China. As a result, plans for Taiwans participation as an observer were shelved. Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen, criticized the renewed veto of her countrys participation resulting from pressure on the WHO. Discussion on the matter has been postponed until the next WHA session, scheduled to resume in the second half of 2020.

This outcome shows the impact that tension between countries and the global power balance have upon the handling of the worldwide spread of infectious disease. The intensification of US-China tension concerning Taiwans WHO participation is an example. But at the core lies the antagonism between Taiwan and China. It is Chinas influence that has kept Taiwan from taking part. The conciliatory approach adopted by Taiwan during the Ma Ying-jeou administration, from 2009 to 2016, enabled the island to take part in the WHA as an observer, under the name Chinese Taipei. But the Democratic Progressive Party, whose leader, Tsai inaugurated her new administration in 2016, distanced itself from mainland China, and Taiwan was again been excluded from the WHO in 2017 and afterward.

The antagonism between Taipei and Beijing has been accentuated in the response to COVID-19. The issue of Taiwans WHO participation highlights the growing lack of trust between it and China.

The China Crisis: Impatience and Annoyance at Taiwan

Most recently, China did approve participation at a WHO forum by Taiwanese experts, based on their individual credentials. But it was adamant in opposing Taiwans WHA attendance making strenuous diplomatic efforts to prevent it. At the core lies Chinas sense of crisis at any undermining of its One China principle. It wants to emphasize this as the only acceptable option for the international community. For China, conspicuously defiant of the norms of the global order, it must protect the One China principle as a foundation of its influence.

In addition, it is impatient and annoyed at Taiwans efforts to enhance its global presence, due to the potential this has to undermine the One China principle. The inconvenient truth is that Taiwans success repudiates Chinas insistence on the superiority of its political system. In late January 2020, President Xi Jinping spoke with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during his visit to China. Xi emphasized that China had amply demonstrated the preeminence of socialism with Chinese characteristics in its policies to prevent the spread of the virus; Tedros, for his part, also praised the advantages of Chinas system.

Meanwhile, Taiwan was also successful in countering the pandemic, under its democratic system. It did not introduce city lockdowns, but was able to control the spread of the virus through dedicated information disclosure. This is the reason for the commendation and support for Taiwan from Japan and key Western democracies. The existence of Taiwan, promoting democratic freedom, poses a significant threat to China.

The Growing Dogmatism of the Xi Regime

One cause of the deepening Taiwan-China antagonism is the Xi Jinping regimes increasingly dogmatic approach to One China. Xi Jinping has stated that the 1992 consensus, seen as the foundation of interaction betwqeen the two sides, is an embodiment of the One China principle.

As for the so-called 1992 consensus, while China claims that this consensus was an agreement confirming the existence of One China, the KMT, or Kuomintang, which led Taiwan at the time, insisted that the agreement allowed both sides to express their own interpretation of One China. Under Hu Jintao, Beijing recognized the value in this ambiguity, emphasizing the shared belief and avoiding definitive confrontation over the fundamental difference of interest, thereby successfully achieving improved relations with Taiwans Ma Ying-jeou administration.

Hus government adopted a flexible approach, considering the will of the Taiwanese people. It avoided explicitly raising the One China principle with Taiwan, conceding to Taiwanese interests and thereby winning favor with the Taiwanese public, in an effort to create advantageous circumstances for future reunification. Taiwans achievement of observer status at the WHA was due to Chinas respect for Taiwans wish for international participation. For Taiwan, even attending as a part of China was perceived by its people as a breakthrough in Taiwanese diplomacy.

The flexibility that existed under the Hu administration has dissipated under the Xi regime, whose increasing emphasis on doctrinal correctness has brought about an increasing rigid stance toward Taiwan. Interactions have come to a halt with the Tsai Ing-wen administration, which does not accept the 1992 consensus, and China is applying more pressure. It has repeatedly engaged in military intimidation and has taken diplomatic steps to reduce Taiwans capacity for international relations. The exclusion of Taiwan from the WHO is the most conspicuous example.

In contrast, the Tsai government has adopted an approach to China that seeks to maintain the status quo. Although it does not accept the 1992 consensus in regard to One China, nor does it pursue Taiwanese independence, so as to avoid provoking Beijing. But the Xi regime has a deep-rooted distrust of the Tsai administration due to its rejection of the One China principle, viewing Taiwans stance as provocative behavior. Regarding Taiwans request to take part in the WHO and its donation and export of face masks to various countries, China asserts that Taiwan is using its pandemic response to further its aims for independence, and has repeatedly criticized its actions.

Ever-Increasing Distrust

Meanwhile, as another factor aggravating antagonism between the two sides, distrust of China grows ever stronger among the Taiwanese public. Xi is unable to effectively respond to the sentiment of the Taiwanese public. In fact, his approach to reunification is unacceptable to Taiwan. In his 2019 New Years speech, Xi declared that he would not rule out the potential use of force against the island, while also calling for it to engage in discussions toward exploring a one country, two systems solution to the Taiwan question. Shortly after this, tensions flared up in Hong Kong when its government proposed a bill regarding extradition of local residents to the mainland as an amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance. The wretched state of affairs in Hong Kong, under just such a one country, two systems policy, raised uncertainties for the Taiwanese public about their own future, and intensified their distrust and wariness toward China. The Taiwanese populace clearly expressed its will in January 2020 in Taiwans presidential election, giving Tsai an overwhelming victory on her platform of protecting Taiwanese sovereignty and democracy.

The spread of COVID-19 began amid the lingering reverberations of this election result. Even with the spreading pandemic, China did not ease the pressure upon Taiwan, maintaining its hardline stance on the One China principle even in its response to the virus. Immediately following the lockdown of Wuhan, when Taiwan tried to dispatch a charter flight to evacuate its citizens from the city, China insisted upon the use of a China Eastern Airlines plane. This was to avoid creating the impression of the Wuhan-Taipei flight as an international service. Even thereafter, Beijing maintained its irrationally uncooperative stance towards Taiwan, further damaging the sentiment of the Taiwanese people toward the mainland.

Taiwan already harbored a strong distrust of China, viewing it as a source of risk, following the bitter experience of the 2003 SARS epidemic. It is thought that the ravages of SARS in Taiwan were exacerbated by Chinas delay in providing information, and there were suspicions that the mainland government concealed the facts. This was one reason behind Taiwans rapid response to the new coronavirus.

Unfortunately, the two countries have not found an opportunity to ease tensions in responding to the pandemic. The lack of trust accompanying the deepening antagonism between Taiwan and China has amplified their mutual suspicion, and the current state of relations between the two is weighing heavily upon the issue of Taiwans WHO participation.

Litmus Test for International Cooperation

Taiwans adroit handling of the pandemic has attracted global attention. It further highlights the absurdity of the current state of affairs, namely Taiwans exclusion from the WHO. The aspiration of the Taiwanese public toward WHO membership can no longer fit in a framework of participation as a part of China. At the same time, though, it is difficult to see China relaxing its tough approach toward the island. The United States, in confrontation with China over whether Taiwan should be permitted to join the WHO, formally notified the United Nations of its intention to withdraw from the health body, having criticized it for favoring China. These complex issues cast a shadow over the prospect of international cooperation in the pandemic response.

The spread of COVID-19 has shown the global community the enormity of the impact that the spread of infection has on the economy, industry, security, and many other spheres. We cannot afford to leave a geographical blank in the response to such a global pandemicthe international community needs to unite in order to implement globally based initiatives. Taiwan is equipped with experience and expertise from its successful containment of the infection; there is no justification for denying its WHO participation. Taiwans experience, information, and expertise are of enormous value to the entire world.

Under the current WHO framework , which only allows affiliation by sovereign nations, Taiwans participation in the WHA as an observer is the most realistic way for it to share its experience and knowledge. Japan should cooperate with Western countries in continued support of Taiwans observer status in the WHA, and must exert its influence to impress the necessity of this upon the member states who decide the matter. Furthermore, to reform the WHO and enhance its readiness to respond to future pandemics, there should be active debate on a new, systematic framework that includes Taiwan from a longer-term perspective.

Taiwans participation in the WHO is a litmus test for international cooperation in the handling of infectious diseases. The islands participation in the WHA as an observer is the first significant step toward this.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Taiwans president Tsai Ing-wen waves to Taiwans army reserve forces on June 29, 2020.  Reuters/Aflo.)
Ambala: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the induction of Rafale fighter jets into the Indian Air Force was a game-changer for the countrys security, and a strong message to those who challenged Indias sovereignty, even as IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said the warplanes could not have joined the combat fleet at a more opportune time considering the current security scenario.

The comments, made during a ceremony at the Ambala airbase to mark the formal induction of the Rafale fighters, come amid military tensions between Indian and China in the sensitive Ladakh sector.

French defence minister Florence Parly said the Rafale jets would give India a military edge in the region.

Five of the 36 Rafales ordered by India from France reached Ambala -- Indias oldest air force base -- on July 29 but a formal induction ceremony was held on Thursday. These Rafale jets are part of the IAFs No. 17 Squadron, which is also known as the Golden Arrows.

Also read: Can count on us, France tells India as Rafale fighters take to the skies

Thursdays ceremony marked the full operational induction of the Rafale jets into the IAF, Bhadauria said. They have already flown and familiarised in our operational environment [after their arrival] and undergone intense integrated training with other combat fleets including firing of advanced weaponsThey are good to go and deliver, the IAF chief said.

The Rafales have even flown in the Ladakh sector and the countrys eastern region, officials said, requesting anonymity.

In her speech, Parly said the induction of Rafale into the IAF was a symbol of strong ties between India and France, describing the bilateral relationship as rock solid and time tested. She said France supported Indias bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The French defence minister assured India of timely delivery of remaining 31 fighter jets. She said France was totally committed to the Make in India initiative that has been a reality for the French industry for several years particularly in defence sector like in submarines.

We are fully committed to the Make in India initiative as well as to the further integration of Indian manufactures into our global supply chains, she said.

She added that Make in India has been a reality for the French industry for several years, particularly for defence equipment like submarines. Many French companies and design offices are now established in India and now I hope that others will come to offer their support and services, she said.

The Rafale weaponry includes Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, Mica multi-mission air-to-air missiles, and Scalp deep-strike cruise missiles -- weapons that allow fighter pilots to attack air and ground targets from standoff ranges. The IAF chief said after the planes landed on July 29, the Golden Arrows squadron has been really busy and in an overdrive to operationalise the Rafales.

The Rafale fighters will significantly enhance the offensive capabilities of the air force with their advanced weaponry, high-tech sensors, superior radar for detection and tracking of targets, and ability to carry an impressive payload, experts and officials said.

The defence minister reiterated Indias resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity under any circumstances, with the statement coming against the backdrop of threatening military moves by China in the eastern Ladakh theatre. The induction is significant in the context of the recent security developments prevailing along our bordersor if I may say created on our frontiers [by adversaries], Singh said.

The intentions of military are as strong as it can be... Strengthening our defence is aimed at achieving international peace and stability and we do not want to take any step that can endanger international peace. We have the same expectation of our neighbours and other countries of the world, he said.

The next batch of three to four Rafale jets (out of a total of 36 aircraft) is expected to reach Ambala from France in October followed by a third batch in December. All deliveries will be completed by the end of 2021.

Rafale means gust of wind in French or even burst of fire. In military terms, India will acquire a world-class capability that will give it incredible sovereignty. And in strategic terms, the Rafales will give India an edge over the entire region to defend itself, Parly said, calling the jet a powerful military aircraft.

The jets have been specially tailored for IAF. India-specific enhancements on the Rafales include a helmet-mounted sight, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with storage for 10 hours of data, infrared search and track systems, jammers and cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases.

The full range of missions and the capability enhancement this fleet brings to IAF is even more impressive, Bhadauria said.

Before the ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale, a traditional Sarva Dharma Puja (multi-faith prayer) was performed at the Ambala airbase which was home to the humble biplane a century ago. The line-up of events included a fly-past by Rafales, Sukhoi-30s and Jaguars, solo displays by the Rafale and the Tejas light combat aircraft, and some breathtaking manoeuvres by IAFs Sarang helicopter stunt team.

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The doctor leading Ireland's fight against Covid-19 has warned that older people are catching the virus in the community again as the number new cases remained high and new Laois infections were once again confirmed while the Dublin rate continues to surge.

The daily statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said there have been no new deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) today, Thursday, September 10.

There has been a total of 1,781 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

However, as of midnight Wednesday, September 9, the HPSC was notified of 196 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 30,360 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

Laois was among the notable rises today with six new cases which marks a new milestone in the pandemic locally. There have now been more than 400 cases in Laois since February. Despite this, the latest two-week figures from the HSPC shows that Laois is faring much better than neighbouring counties.

Of the cases notified today;

- 107 in Dublin, 12 in Waterford, 11 in Limerick, 8 in Wicklow, 7 in Meath, 7 in Kildare, 6 in Laois, 6 in Westmeath, and the remaining 32 cases are located in Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary and Wexford.

103 are men / 91 are women

61% are under 45 years of age

43% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case

37 cases have been identified as community transmission

The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, warned that most of those infected in the community are more vulnerable to the virus.

Today we have at least 37 cases linked with community transmission. 27 of todays cases are over the age of 65 years. By limiting our contacts, we limit the opportunity COVID-19 has to spread through the community and ultimately we protect our families, our communities and those who are most vulnerable to the severest impacts of the disease, he said.

NPHET met on Thursday and increased restrictions are on the cards especially for Dublin.

The county by county figures published on Thursday are two days behind today's numbers. They show the following for Laois and neighbouring counties.

Laois 396 - no change.

Offaly 656 - up six.

Kildare 2,352 - up five.

Kilkenny 422 - no change.

Carlow 255 - no change.

Tipperary 735 - up one.

Dublin 14,098 - up 50.

The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19. CLICK HERE
Press Release

September 10, 2020 POE QUIZZES EXECUTIVE ON FLOOD CONTROL BUDGET Sen. Grace Poe questioned the multi-billion peso allocation for flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which she noted was even bigger than the budget proposed for the Department of Health (DOH) now at the forefront of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. "Since COVID-19 is still present, one would assume that including our health facilities would be the priority," Poe said at the continuation of the briefing with economic managers on the proposed 2021 budget. "Bakit malaki ang funding ng flood control projects ng DPWH sa buong budget ng DOH? I just want to clarify kasi ang pondo ng DOH ay P131.22 billion, pero ang pondo ng DPWH for flood control projects ay at least P150 billion," Poe said. Poe vowed to scrutinize the details of the proposed appropriations for the DPWH during deliberations with the agency. "Environmental factors should not be neglected and there are really some legitimate flood control projects. But there are a few flood control projects that are questionable because it's hard to keep track of them if they were really done," she said. "We will look at this in depth when we have the individual hearings with the department and ask the DPWH to clarify," Poe added. The senator pointed out the country is in the midst of a pandemic that requires enormous resources to adequately respond to public health needs. Ensuring that the country is winning the battle against COVID-19 will also lead to economic recovery, the senator said. Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said the agency will work with Congress in coming up with a budget that strikes a balance between health and the economy. Poe said she would also look into the reduced budget for the Department of Education's basic education continuity program, which was given only P16 billion from its original request of P60 billion. The senator also raised the issue of technical smuggling at the Bureau of Customs and asked about the measures the agency is taking to curb the illegal activities that deprive government of much-needed revenues. The Development Budget Coordination Committee, composed of government economic managers, presented before the Senate finance committee the proposed P4.506 trillion spending program for 2021 detailing a comprehensive plan on how to meet the challenges of economic recovery and social service as the country continues to battle COVID-19. The latest National Expenditure Program is 9.9 percent higher than the 2020 budget, and 21.8 percent of the country's Philippine gross domestic product (GDP). Tax and revenue collections will finance next year's budget, which will also be boosted by domestic and international loans. Poe inquired about the current level of debt as a percentage of the GDP, stressing that it should be kept at a level that would not imperil the country's credit standing and ravage the budget which should be spent instead to help Filipino families tide over the current economic challenges.
SOUDERTON, Pa., Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Almac Clinical Technologies, part of the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, the Almac Group, is proud to announce its innovative Interactive Response Technology (IRT) application, IXRS3, has been named as the industry's most preferred IRT application, globally.

Industry Standard Research (ISR)'s 'IRT Market Dynamics and Service Provider Benchmarking report', published in August 2020, is designed to help key decision-makers across the eClinical ecosphere stay current with market dynamics and anticipate industry changes. Feedback was assessed from over 100 respondents throughout the professional IRT community, and the results are categorized by IRT supplier performance and preference metrics.

Almac's IXRS3 solution was ranked first in the "IRT Vendor Preference" section out of over 20 global companies, a spot it shared with Parexel Informatics' ClinPhone product and was chosen based on respondents' experience with the platform and its demonstrable flexibility, high quality, and superior project support.

Used in over 3,000 clinical trials in over 120 countries, IXRS3 is available in multiple modalities and is the most configurable and customizable IRT available. From Phase I through to IV, simple designs to complex adaptive trials, the application can accommodate any permutation of study objectives and is fully supported by a team of professional biostatisticians, language and integration experts. Almac's recent partnership with Exostar enhanced the IXRS3 platform by enabling Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities for users through a standardized integration.

As part of Almac's commitment to innovation and providing a better IRT experience for clinical trial operations, the company announced the launch of its next-generation IRT solution, SimplifyTM, in June. The solution is the result of analyzing over 3,000 clinical trial protocols to identify common functionality available for consolidation into a pre-validated and configurable ecosystem that enables deployment in four weeks or less. Simplify is powered by IXRS3 technology and is designed to accelerate the study start-up process with greater efficiency.

Valarie Higgins, President & Managing Director, Almac Clinical Technologies said: "We're honored to be recognized as an industry leader in this renowned benchmark of global IRT Market Dynamics and Service Providers. This is a fantastic achievement and testament to the hard work and creativity of the Almac Clinical Technologies' team. For over 25 years, our strategy has been focused on the delivery of innovation, service, and quality in the IRT landscape, and we are truly humbled that the clinical development community continues to value and share our priorities."

About Almac Group

Media Inquiries: [email protected]

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, analytical services, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

SOURCE Almac Group

Related Links

https://www.almacgroup.com


The Crowns Emma Corrin has revealed it took 10 people to help her get into the replica wedding dress made for her portrayal of Princess Diana in the Netflix series.

The ivory dress went down in history as one of the most recognisable gowns ever worn by a royal bride when she married Prince Charles in 1981.

In recent months, Netflix has been teasing fans of The Crown with on-set photos showing Corrin as the peoples princess in season four, including one trailer that featured a shot of the future Princess of Wales swamped by the pearl-encrusted grown.

Set to premiere on 15 November, the short clip from season four featured a dramatic shot of the dress filmed from the back, giving viewers a sneak peek at its dramatic 25 foot train as Corrin walked through Lancaster House.

But, just how did the shows design team recreate the iconic dress?

In an interview with British Vogue, Corrin explained that the show painstakingly recreated the dress by working with the designers of the original, David and Elizabeth Emanuel.

The Emanuels, who designed the original, gave us the patterns, and then it was made for me, Corrin told the publication, adding that ten people were needed to help her put on the recreated gown, as it was massive.

The original dress is estimated to have cost 90,000 and was made using ivory silk taffeta, with the neckline and mutton sleeves designed with lace flounces.

The Princess of Wales seated in her bridal gown at Buckingham Palace after her marriage to Prince Charles at St. Paul's Cathedral ((PA/PA Archive/PA Images))

It also featured 10,000 pearls, mother of pearl sequins and embroidery. The dress was paired with the Spencer tiara and a 153 yard veil  with hidden details including an 18 carat gold horseshoe charm for good luck.

In 2016, David Emanuel told Womans Own that Princess Diana called up the fashion designers to make an appointment for her wedding dress like anybody else, having previously had three or four gowns made for formal occasions.

Elizabeth Emanuel added that the process of designing the dress didnt take that long, but the process of creating the garment took forever, one of the reasons being that Diana lost weight during her engagement, so the garment had to be resized.

The original gown used to be on display at Althorp House, the estate belonging to the Spencer family, but since 2014 it has been privately owned by Prince Harry and Prince William.

The Crown season 4 will premiere on 15 November on Netflix.
The Palestinian foreign minister has called on Arab states to dismiss a deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalise relations, describing the agreement scheduled to be finalised next week as an earthquake.

The UAE and Israel announced the deal to establish full diplomatic relations on August 13. It reflected a changing Middle East in which shared concerns about arch-enemy Iran have largely overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians.

Most of the Arab world has long rejected diplomatic ties with Israel in the absence of a peace deal establishing a Palestinian state on lands captured by Israel in 1967. That steadfast support for the Palestinians, however, has begun to weaken in recent years, in large part because of shared enmity with Israel toward Iran and Iranian proxies in the region.

The Palestinians have repeatedly voiced their rejection of the US-brokered Israel-UAE deal as trading away one of the few cards they have in moribund peace talks with Israel to establish their own independent state -- the Arab boycott of Israel.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told the Arab League in Wednesdays meeting that the Palestinian Authority called for an emergency meeting following the announcement of the UAE-Israeli deal.

He said one Arab League member opposed a Palestinian request to add an item to the meeting agenda, an apparent reference to a Palestinian-introduced draft resolution on the deal.

Al-Malki did not name the country. The meeting was held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Al-Malki described the deal between the UAE and Israel as an earthquake that hit the Arab consensus over the Palestinian cause and he urged Arab foreign ministers to reject the deal, otherwise our meeting will be considered a blessing or collusion with it, or a cover for it.

Hossam Zaki, the Arab Leagues deputy secretary general, told a news conference in Cairo that the foreign ministers failed to reach a compromise on a resolution on the UAE-Israeli deal because of differences between the Palestinians and Emirates on the wording of the Palestinian-introduced draft.

A draft resolution needs more time and extensive consultations... we hope in the future to reach an agreed form, he said.

The UAE presented the agreement, which is scheduled to be signed on September 15, as taking Israels planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank off the table. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the pause was temporary.

Al-Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, rejected the argument, saying that Palestinians resistance to and rejection of Israels annexation policies were the cause of Israels suspension of its plans.

He accused the US of pressuring other Arab countries to normalise ties with Israel, which he described as a colonial and racist occupation.

He was apparently referring to Sudan, which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited last month to push its transitional authorities to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. (AP) HMB
Kangana Ranaut has been making the headlines for her argument with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on social media. Reportedly, a police complaint has been filed against the actress for her remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Now, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has reportedly claimed that his party has no connection with the demolition.

Sanjay Raut opened up about the demolition of Kangana's office and her allegations and said, "The action at Kangana Ranaut's office was done by BMC. It has no connection with Shiv Sena. You can talk to the Mayor or the BMC Commissioner on it."

After Kangana arrived in Mumbai, Raut had also addressed the media and said that he never threatened the actress. A report in Times of India quoted Raut as saying, "I have never threatened Kangana Ranaut. I only expressed my anger at Mumbai being likened to POK. I am not responsible for what action BMC takes. The matter is over for me, Kangana is welcome to live in Mumbai."

Meanwhile, Bombay High Court ordered a stay on BMC's demolition drive on Kanagana's property. She also addressed the demolition in a video and called out Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, saying 'his ego will also be destroyed, just as he broke her house.' She also compared her plight to the Kashmiri Pandits, and promised her fans that she will not only make a film on Ayodhya, but also on Kashmir.

Kangana Ranaut's Mumbai Office Razed Down: IMPAA Condemns The Demolition, Calls The Action 'Wrong'

Kangana Ranaut In Mumbai: BMC Exempts Actress From Home Quarantine
People cannot understand why actress Kirstie Alley does not appreciate the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' breakthrough move. She called the new diversity rule in the Oscars a disgrace -- a big word for such as a positive and timely movement.

People certainly did not let her and her opinions be, taking to their social media to reply with their own snarky comments over her post.

Oscars Change Didn't Make Alley Happy

On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the new requirements for films in order to be nominated for the best picture award. These requirements are all meant to increase inclusion and diversity in Hollywood films -- from people behind the camera to those to be cast in a film.

Kirstie Alley viewed that as an offense.

According to the actress, these new requirements are oppressive to the film industry. She even posted a quote from a well-known artist to prove her case.

Calling the new requirements a disgrace, Alley explained that people behind the film could no longer have the freedom to be creative in their own projects when imposed.

"This is a disgrace to artists everywhere," she tweeted. "Can you imagine telling Picasso what had to be in his f--king paintings. You people have lost your minds. Control artists, control individual thought .. OSCAR ORWELL."

Alley asserted that she is not even against diversity. However, she just does not like imposing diversity and inclusion, especially in art such as films. She asserted that these things "should be taught, taught so well and so naturally and genuinely that it becomes second nature to our children."

Her point may be sensible, but it does not bode well for people yearning to be included in films for years, or at least to be represented in one. While it is true that this should be ingrained and not imposed, how long will that take? Films can serve sa education, too.

Below are the more neutral but insightful comments:

Children ARE born with it. They're taught otherwise.  Truth Matters  (@Princesstoe) September 9, 2020

The problem with that Kirstie is that not everybody is teaching diversity and inclusion. And with Hollywood remaining one of the top influencers in existence, it's an outstanding step forward to show households how it's done so in the future we don't NEED these guidelines.  Wear A Mask (@_ClaytonA_) September 9, 2020

Some commenters made sure she realize her mistake or her inability to see the full picture. By calling it a disgrace, people believed she did not want Hollywood films to be less white -- that's she is comfortable with certain groups in the nation being marginalized and underrepresented.

Naturally, critics did not cut her some slack, given her tweets' implications.

Unfortunately for the actress, most of her critics took the personal route and slammed the actress' declining career.

One said she's incapable of understanding the situation since she starred in films made up of mostly white people. The said critic also claimed that the actress is a hypocrite for touting the "education" angle.

"Interesting take considering most of the films you've acted in are overwhelmingly white. Are you concerned about the lack of opportunities? You know these new rules help you as a woman, right? Studios tell who to put in movies all the time."

In 2024, when the new requirements are in full swing, movies can only be nominated for best picture if they met the quota for the number of minorities in the cast, as well as those behind the scene (from interns to lead roles).

It seems Kirstie Alley belongs to a minority that took offense with the new requirements and found them to be too much. New York Times even called these "sweeping but safe," which means MORE can be done.

READ MORE: New and Improved Oscars? Academy Awards Making Massive Change for Best Picture Plum
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc. (CSE: TAAL) (FWB: 9SQ1) (OTC: TAALF) ("TAAL" or the "Company") a vertically integrated, blockchain infrastructure and service provider, today announced the opening of its new office in Zug, Switzerland, along with key hires in c-suite and senior management roles and also provided an update on its ongoing operations.

Swiss Office

Switzerland is known for its legislation upon which a globally-recognized banking and finance industry has developed, and the city of Zug, which has a well-earned reputation as one of the fastest growing technology hubs in Europe, has recently seen a proliferation of fintech, blockchain and distributed ledger technology companies. Zug was the first state authority in the world to accept blockchain as an official means of payment in 2016 and higher education and post-doctoral level research on blockchain is offered at many nearby universities, contributing to a concentration of world-class talent.

In connection with the opening of the Zug office, TAAL is onboarding a number of key new hires with the goal of expanding the Company's operations, including a Chief Technology Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, VP of Product Development, Head of Business Development, Chief Scientist and VP of Digital Strategy. Chief Executive Officer Jerry Chan and Chief Financial Officer Satoshi Kitahama will be relocating to the Swiss office in 2021.

"The opening of our Zug office represents a strategic move to expand TAAL's operations in Switzerland, a region that offers enormous potential for the growth and development of blockchain businesses," said Jerry Chan, CEO of TAAL. "Our new hires will allow us to further strengthen our business capabilities in this region, and execute on our strategic vision globally."

TAAL expects to hire additional people at the Zug office and for the office to be completely staffed and fully operational by the end of Q1 2021. The Swiss office will focus on intellectual property development and support of global operations.

Operations Update

Sale of Assets

On September 8, 2020 the Company entered into an agreement to sell 37,500 non-operational hashing servers (the "Assets") to an arms' length buyer for total proceeds of US$825,000 (the "Asset Sale"). The purchase price will be paid in eight equal installments over eight weeks and the purchaser will proportionally take possession of the equipment from TAAL's U.S. warehouses upon each payment.

As previously announced, TAAL had acquired over 50,000 of the Assets on March 9, 2020 for a purchase price of approximately US$4 million pursuant to an asset purchase agreement with, among others, Tansley Equipment Limited ("Tansley"), which is beneficially owned by Mr. Calvin Ayre, TAAL's controlling shareholder.

The Assets were originally acquired by TAAL with the intention of upgrading and optimizing them for deployment in the Company's blockchain transaction processing operations; however, the Company has subsequently determined to sell the Assets and to use the proceeds from the Asset Sale, and any further sales of the Assets, towards the purchase of new state-of-the-art blockchain hashing servers for its North American hashing initiatives.

Settlement of Arbitration

Further to the Company's press releases on the March 31, 2020, June 12, 2020, and July 6, 2020, regarding the dispute between the sellers of the Assets and their former hosting provider (the "Hosting Provider"), the Company is announcing today that Tansley, the other entities party to the arbitration, the Hosting Provider and the Company entered into a settlement agreement (the "Settlement Agreement") to fully and finally settle and release each other from all claims related to the dispute.

TAAL is not expected to make any payments under the Settlement Agreement and Calvin Ayre has agreed to personally indemnify the Company from any liabilities arising thereunder.

The Settlement Agreement provides that Tansley will pay the Hosting Provider an undisclosed amount over a period of one year. While TAAL had been removed from the arbitration proceedings, the Company is a party to the Settlement Agreement because it managed Tansley's operations during the applicable period and had certain claims against the Hosting Provider on behalf of Tansley which it has released in connection with the settlement.

About TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc.

TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc. delivers value-added blockchain services, providing professional-grade, highly scalable blockchain infrastructure and transactional platforms to support businesses building solutions and applications upon the Bitcoin SV platform, and developing, operating, and managing distributed computing systems for enterprise users.

The CSE, nor its Regulation Services Provider, accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements included in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "will", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information will contain these identifying words. Specific forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to statements regarding: the expansion and staffing of TAAL's office in Zug, Switzerland, the expected use of the proceeds from the sale of the Cloud Computing Assets, and expectations relating to payments under the Settlement Agreement. These statements are based on factors and assumptions related to historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Since forward-looking information relates to future events and conditions, by its very nature it requires making assumptions and involves inherent risks and uncertainties. TAAL cautions that although it is believed that the assumptions are reasonable in the circumstances, these risks and uncertainties give rise to the possibility that actual results may differ materially from expectations. Material risk factors include the future acceptance of Bitcoin SV and other digital assets and risks related to information processing using those platforms, the ability for TAAL to leverage intellectual property into viable income streams and other risks set out in Item 20 Risk Factors of TAAL's Form 2A  Listing Statement dated July 31, 2018 and elsewhere in TAAL's continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Given these risks, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information contained herein. Other than as required by law, TAAL undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise.

SOURCE Taal Distributed Information Technologies Inc.

Related Links

https://www.taal.com


BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the FAA gave Amazon approval to use Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to deliver packages to its customers. New developments in aviation, sensing, and software technology have powered a revolution in unmanned flight. In the next decade, the burgeoning commercial drone industry is projected to generate more than $82 billion for the U.S. economy and, by 2025, could support as many as 100,000 fulltime career jobs.

Up, up and away! Drone delivering packages. Police officer using the drone controls for surveillance detail.

Captain Eric Robinson, a jet airplane and helicopter pilot with East West Aeronautical (EWA), was once a fierce opponent to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs otherwise known as drones) and is now convinced they are a positive benefit to the aviation industry. Captain Robinson, CEO of EWA, has recently purchased a franchise from Arcadia Aerospace-EU to sell, support, and eventually manufacture UAVs here in the U.S. Arcadia Aerospace has an innovative product line of UAVs in Belgium, which also includes a Space Drone design.

Despite his earlier reservations, Robinson explains, "I was not a fan of drones because I thought they would replace pilots; however, I have come to realize, in fact, that drones have increased the career options for pilots. Other professional aviators, including Aircraft Mechanics, Air Traffic Controllers, all come with some of the skill sets needed to fly Industrial sized drones," suggested Robinson. The projected need for career drone Pilots by the U.S. Department of Labor is far greater than any other pilot job, not to mention UAV mechanics and technicians."

Industrial drones come with sophisticated software that increases pilot proficiency. However, Captain Robinson asserts, "despite the claims of Amazon and other the big computer companies regarding Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) I believe aircraft will always require a pilot unless a computer can be developed with feelings and intuition." Robinson adding his insight after decades of flying, "the decision-making matrix of the pilot, knowing their machine, and their environment is way too complex for a computer alone. "Without an algorithm for inventiveness and instinct, a computer will not be able to replace a pilot."

Today, drones' can be used for regular police patrols in our neighborhoods, keeping an eye-on other safety-sensitive facilities across America. Professional industrial drones are perfect for patrolling power lines, pipelines, oil refineries, and can make a big difference in monitoring our infrastructure, including addressing our aging bridges. The need for more drones to meet our industrial & security needs are on the rise.

However, Robinson interjected, "East West Aeronautical is thinking of new ways to use drones every day!" Even though Amazon might be delivering packages by drone soon, drones are vastly underutilized in other important ways. Many security professionals believe we should have UAV's circling over every sensitive facility in America.

The Military is finding new ways to utilize civilian industrial drones and have decided it is much more efficient to hire a local company and its pilots rather than transport expensive military drones and pilots from far away. Industrial drones having higher speeds and payloads compared to hobby drones' amount to a growing opportunity for aviators to start a small business and participate in supplying an essential service to the Military and to local industries.

East West Aeronautical (EWA), located at the former U.S. Air Force base (509th Bomb Wing) in Portsmouth NH, is in partnership with Arcadia Aerospace from Belgium, both companies are growing more prominent. East West is a Safety Awarded private aviation company, offering a wide range of aviation services. EWA has an impressive background in supporting the airline industry, moving air cargo, along with extensive experience in developing aviation technologies.

"Our unique innovation into the drone industry," says CEO Robinson, "is our willingness to provide UAV financing, followed by training and UAV maintenance all under one roof, for those who are interested in starting a drone business maybe we can help." Visit eastwestaero.com .

Media Contact:

Sylvia Hampton

[email protected]

603-570-4816

SOURCE East West Aeronautical (EWA)

Related Links

http://eastwestaero.com


Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, attends a symposium to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of late Chinese military leader Yang Baibing in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2020. Zhao met with Yang's family before the symposium. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A symposium was held in Beijing on Wednesday to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of late Chinese military leader Yang Baibing.

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, attended the symposium and met with Yang's family.

Yang served as director of the now-defunct general political department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China, and secretary-general of the CMC of the CPC.

Yang was also a member of the Secretariat of the 13th CPC Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the 14th CPC Central Committee.

Commemorating Yang's great contributions to the Party, country and military, Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the CMC, called for learning from Yang's firm belief, Party loyalty, sense of responsibility, hard work, and strong self-discipline.
The Manitoba government reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 as of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, including one in the Prairie Mountain Health district.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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The Manitoba government reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 as of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, including one in the Prairie Mountain Health district.

Brandonites should take note that Saturday will be the last day COVID-19 testing will be available at the Keystone Centre. Those seeking COVID-19 testing after Sept. 12 have been directed to visit the specimen collection site at Brandon Town Centre.

One new case was reported for the Prairie Mountain Health region, bringing the total number of active cases in the area to 212. Seven people remain in hospital in the region.

Of the remaining new cases, 14 are located in the Winnipeg Health region and one is located in the South Health-Sante Sud health region.

Preliminary investigations indicate that several of the new cases reported in Winnipeg are close contacts with known cases and are not linked to any current outbreaks. The Manitoba government said that investigation into these cases is ongoing.

There are now 404 active cases in the province and 12 people are in hospital, with three in intensive care.

Public health is also advising of possible COVID-19 exposure between Sept. 2 to 5 at the Tim Hortons located at 3296 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg.

The province performed an additional 653 COVID-19 tests on Tuesday, bringing the total number of tests performed to 149,188 since early February. The province's five-day test positivity rate of 1.3 per cent.

To date, Manitoba has had 1,365 COVID-19 cases. 945 people have recovered. The number of deaths remains at 16.

A total of 484 COVID-19 cases have been reported for the PMH region since March, with 271 recoveries and one death.

 The Brandon Sun
Finding the right stocks to bulk up a profitable portfolio doesnt have to be a chore. Wall Street supports a large and growing cadre of professional stock and market analysts who regularly comb through the results of every publicly traded company, publishing their views on which stocks are worth investors time, and which should be avoided.

And this is where TipRanks comes in. The platform has the collected and collated results of all the analysts reviews, creating a listing of which Wall Street pundits are the best, as shown by their success rate and the average return of their stock picks. The best analysts on Wall Street, the ones standing head and shoulders above their peers, have clear records of success, and when they speak, investors listen.

And to demonstrate, weve pulled up three recent stock picks from Piper Sandler analyst Brent Bracelin, currently ranked #1 overall out of more than 6,800 analysts in the database. Bracelin is an expert on the technology sector, and regularly reviews some of the markets best performing tech stocks. His picks have been profitable more often than not  Bracelin has an 81% success rate with his stock calls, and a 35% average return.

The three stocks on todays list are all recent Buy recommendations from Bracelin. Each has performed well this year (two of them have more than doubled), and shows at least 25% year-to-date growth. Lets find out what Bracelin has to say about them.

Zendesk (ZEN)

Well start with Zendesk, a customer service software company based in San Francisco. Zendesk offers a customer service platform that allows businesses to prioritize the fastest possible response to queries, to keep their customers engaged. The system allows contact via live chat, social messaging, and voice. Zendesk boasts customers in over 150 countries, and brought in $816 million in total revenue last year.

The corona pandemic opened an obvious opportunity for Zendesk. With the sudden emphasis on remote work, virtual office space, and online business, a fast and reliable support network would give a clear advantage. The companys revenue and stock performance in 1H20 reflected this new reality. Shares in ZEN are up 27% this year, and revenues have been growing steadily for the past four quarters, reaching $246.7 million in the most recent report.

Story continues

Bracelin likes Zendesks options going forward, and he upgraded his stance on the stock from Neutral to Overweight (i.e. Buy). His price target of $123 implies a 26% one-year upside potential. (To watch Bracelins track record, click here)

In his comments, Bracelin writes, We see several underappreciated levers that could spark a demand recovery into 2021 and recommend growth investors begin building positions in ZEN ahead of a recovery based on a compelling risk-reward [...] Based on a market leading position in the increasingly strategic customer experience software market, we consider ZEN to be an important asset that would be complementary to the cloud portfolio of Microsoft, Adobe, ServiceNow, or Qualtrics-SAP. Investors could benefit from either a demand recovery or strategic M&A.

Overall, Zendesk has a Strong Buy analyst consensus rating, based on 15 reviews breaking down to 12 Buys and 3 Holds. The stock is selling for $97.54, and the $111 average price target suggests an upside potential of ~14% for the coming year. (See ZEN stock analysis on TipRanks)

Bill.com Holdings (BILL)

Next on the list of Bracelins picks is Bill.com. This company brings cloud computing and automation to paperwork bane of the small business world, day to day accounting. Bill.coms platform allows companies to automate their financial data and accounting systems, simplifying the process of billing and invoicing, receiving payment, and making payments. The value of the system is clear from the stock performance: BILL shares are up 133% this year.

Revenues are also strong this year, growing from $32.9 million in the final quarter of 2019 to $38.8 million in the most recently reported fiscal quarter. That quarter, the companys fiscal Q4 showed 45% year-over-year revenue growth. For FY 2020, total revenues were $157.6 million. A 59% yoy gain in subscription revenue powered the strong sales gains.

Reviewing Bill.coms performance and forward prospects, Bracelin is clearly impressed. He writes, The record number of new customers 6,700 in Q2 suggest remote work headwinds have now turned into automation tailwinds [...] New multi-year contracts contributed to a material increase in RPO backlog to $152M, including new contracts with Wells Fargo and Key Bank in addition to a contract expansion with an existing Top 3 commercial bank

These comments support Bracelins Overweight (i.e. Buy) rating on the stock, and his $112 price target suggests that BILL has room for 26% in the next 12 months.

In terms of BILL's Street consensus, analysts are split almost right down the middle. Out of 7 analyst ratings published in the last three months, the Buys beat out the Holds by just 1, making the consensus a Moderate Buy. In addition, the average price target of $109.38 amounts to 23% upside potential. (See BILL stock analysis on TipRanks)

Twilio (TWLO)

Last on our list is the cloud communications company, Twilio. Another denizen of Silicon Valley, Twilio puts telecom services onto the computer, letting customers make chats, texts, video conversations, and even traditional phone calls from the computer. User verification and other security features keep the communications safe.

Twilio has been a direct beneficiary of the shift to remote work, which has placed a premium on telecom technology. Twilio reported sequential revenue growth in the first quarters of 2020, and saw more than $400 million on the top line in Q2. Total customers reached 200,000 in Q1, representing 5% yoy growth, and in Q2 the company added 10,000 more new sign-ups. This surge in growth is reflected in investor confidence and share price: TWLO is up 139% year-to-date.

In a recent comment on Twilio, Bracelin said, TWLO capitalized on a surge of digital engagement activity that drove $33M upside to Street revenue estimates on 46% revenue growth. Strong new customer additions that crossed over 200K this quarter demonstrate the breadth of customer interest in creating new digital experiences [...] We remain optimistic over the next year and particularly bullish on the 3-5 year growth potential.

Bracelin backs these bullish statements with an Overweight (i.e. Buy) rating and a $300 price target. His target implies a 28% upside from current levels. (To watch Bracelins track record, click here)

All in all, Twilio has 21 recent analyst reviews, breaking down to 17 Buys and 4 Holds  this gives the stock a Strong Buy consensus rating. Shares are selling for $234.32 and have an average price target of $294.50, in line with Bracelins, and giving TWLO a 26% upside potential. (See TWLO stock analysis on TipRanks)

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.
MANGWANENI - Relief grant donors had to abandon their task to register beneficiaries who are residents of Mangwaneni during a verification process following a conflict between the authorities of the area.

The relief grant was intended to be E140 per head. Tempers flared as the areas Induvuna Yenkhundla Mlondi Dlamini, Bucopho Vusi Kunene and Umphakatsi Overseer Mlungisi Dlamini did not reach common ground of where the verification exercise should be held.

Plain-clothes police officers, who were present, had to call for back-up as tension arose during the discussion between the authorities, while community members sat at a distance.

This follows that the three centres approved by the areas bucopho to conduct the registration and screening of residents, who will benefit from the relief grant, which included Bahai, Mangwaneni Primary School and the soup kitchen, were not approved by the community leaders.

Recalled

The residents were recalled at the last minute to gather at the royal kraal after some of the community members voiced their dissatisfaction on the registering of people who were not from the area.

Some community members, who had gathered at the soup kitchen and Bahai were called to the royal kraal, where the exercise was to be undertaken.

However, despite the residents finally gathering at the royal kraal, the meeting had to be cancelled yesterday.

The gathering, which was scheduled to begin at 9am, was delayed and ended up being postponed after the dissenting views that resulted in World Vision officials leaving without rendering their services to allow residents to resolve the dispute.

Dlamini and Kunene, who are the areas Indvuna and bucopho respectively, were against the registering process taking place at the umphakatsi, suggesting that the process should take place at a neutral venue, preferably at the constituency.

It should be noted that there is an ongoing dispute at Mangwaneni, on whether the area is under the royal kraal or the Municipal Council of Mbabane.

However, the umphakatsi overseer, Mlungisi, said following some irregularities which were discovered, community members approached him requesting to meet at the royal kraal for transparency.

Trust

He said the residents did not trust those entrusted with registering the beneficiaries.

Mlungisi said by virtue of the event being held at a central venue, which was at the royal kraal, the community would be able to spot those who were not from the area and undeserving community members who were not destitute.

There are destitute people at Mangwaneni who need food aid and postponing would be delaying the provision of the much needed aid, he said.

Meanwhile, Mlondi said they had requested Kunene to identify the areas where the people could gather but there was a group of people who were against that and incited violence.

Responding, Kunene (bucopho) said division was created by Mlungisis interference in development projects for the area.

He noted that there were people who had strong reasons for not coming to the royal kraal.

There are those who due to their religious beliefs did not set foot at the royal kraal, while widows and women wearing pants were not allowed to enter, the bucopho said.

He stated that it was for the above reasons that they did not use the royal kraal when attending to development issues.
In 1872, when Jacob W Davis, the American tailor widely credited as the inventor of the modern jeans, asked Levi Strauss for financial help to get his garment patented, little did he know that he was setting off on a journey that would monumentally alter the face of the American clothing industry.

He understood the potential of his product, but its likely that he underestimated the scale of the global appeal his working pants would eventually be able to achieve. Over the last 150 years, jeans have gone from something originally designed for miners to a piece of ...
Houston ISD trustees unanimously voted Thursday to hold online-only classes on Election Day, when more than 100 district campuses are expected to be used as polling locations, but questions remain about whether state officials will penalize the district for not offering in-person instruction.

The vote followed the recommendation of HISD administrators, who want to move classes online Nov. 3 to avoid having voters on school grounds at the same time as students and staff. Trustees quickly approved the request without any comment during a board meeting Thursday evening.

While it is not unusual for our school sites to be used as polling locations, the COVID-19 pandemic makes the safety of our students and staff more challenging when significant numbers of voters would be entering the schools throughout the day, HISD administrators wrote in requesting the change.

Texas Education Agency officials, however, have not given any indication that they will bend current guidelines that mandate HISD must provide in-person classes to families that want them on Nov. 3.

Under the agencys rules, districts risk losing state funding if they hold online-only classes after their eighth week of the school year. Election Day falls on the ninth week of HISDs 2020-21 calendar.

In response to questions about HISD potentially holding online-only classes on Election Day, TEA officials referred back to the current rules, without directly addressing the districts plans. HISD officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday about the potential for state sanctions.

Harris County election officials routinely use schools throughout the region as polling locations, often setting up voting booths in auditoriums, gymnasiums and other large areas. The polls are open during class hours, though voters are directed into locations that are supposed to be blocked off from students.

HISD officials on Thursday also reported their first attendance numbers for the 2020-21 school year, which started in a virtual format this week. The district registered 160,408 students in attendance on Wednesday and 167,163 on Thursday. By comparison, HISD enrolled nearly 200,000 children at this time last year.

Were going to do everything we can to continue trying to locate our students, Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. I really believe it will pick up. Some people wait until the second week of school to get engaged.

Texas public school districts will not lose significant funding, which is based on attendance totals, in the first 12 weeks of the school year. State officials have not announced plans for any accommodations after that time.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com
Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer showed their support for farming yesterday by wearing a wool and wheat pin badge during PMQs.

The Prime Minister and the Labour leader were joined by MPs from all political parties who wore the badge in aid of Back British Farming Day (9 September).

The Back British Farming wheat pin badge is made from British-produced wheat and wool.

The NFU's annual initiative, now in its fifth year, is a platform for the industry to show off the importance of farming to the public and economy.

During PMQs, MP for Havant, Alan Mak, asked Boris Johnson to join me in thanking the farmers in Havant, and across the country, for the contribution they make to our country, and our national security and our prosperity.

Did you tune into #PMQs? If you did, you will have seen @BorisJohnson and @Keir_Starmer wearing their wheat-pin badges in the @HouseofCommons to show their support on #BackBritishFarming day??Find out more ?? https://t.co/GrFqqNZD0u pic.twitter.com/eO9iaQf7CC  National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 9, 2020

Responding, the Prime Minister said he was thrilled to support Back British Farming Day, adding: it is thanks to them that we have fantastic food on our plates every day and that we have an amazing opportunity to increase our agricultural exports around the world.

NFU President Minette Batters said it was 'hugely important' to see prominent politicians support the British farming industry.

She said: "This autumn is a critical time for British farming with the new Agriculture Bill being passed into law and trade negotiations, including crucial talks with the EU, continuing.

A successful farming future rests on how the government shapes trade deals with countries around the world and supports farming in the coming months and years ahead.

"It must ensure we arent put at an unfair competitive disadvantage from food imports that would be illegal to produce here."

Farmers and food producers used social media yesterday to promote their commitment to high production standards.

MPs were also urged to safeguard the UK's high food, environmental and animal welfare standards as the end of the Brexit transition period nears.
Advanced cold chain storage can prevent food waste and save funds, photo Le Toan

ABA Cooltrans, Vietnams leading cold chain logistics provider, has officially opened a new refrigerated distribution centre in Linh Trung II Export Processing Zone in Ho Chi Minh Citys Thu Duc district. This is the groups third distribution centre, with the others in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, increasing the total area of all existing refrigerated distribution centres to about 5,000 square metres with an estimated capacity of 8,000 tonnes. With a strategic location, the new centre, worth VND250 billion ($10.76 million), is expected to meet the expanding needs of storage, distribution, and delivery for all frozen and fresh food for ABAs customers in Ho Chi Minh City and other cities in the southeast.

Luong Quang Thi, CEO of ABA said, With the new distribution centre, ABA will proactively ensure the business continuity plan for customers during COVID-19s difficult times. Also, this development marks a breakthrough in ABAs ability to meet the rising demand for food safety for consumers, towards the realisation of our 2023 vision and ABAs mission for food safety in Vietnam.

In recent years, the modern food retail industry has developed rapidly, mainly thanks to Vietnams strong economic growth and an increasing middle class concerned about food hygiene and safety. Thus, the cold chain industry is also growing at an estimated 15-20 per cent per year.

Therefore, ABA has plans to open more such centres near consumption areas and large urban areas to accompany the burst of customers and market demand.

Along with local players, the market recorded aggressive expansion of foreign ones to the cold storage segment. In May 2019, Japanese transportation company Ryobi Holdings acquired a 35 per cent stake of Amerasian Shipping Logistics (ASL), a freight forwarding and logistics company, for an undisclosed amount. The investment aims to develop the cold chain logistics segment in Vietnam.

In the next three or five years, Ryobi Holdings plans to invest in ASL to develop cold transportation, storage, and distribution of agricultural and seafood products, both in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, ASL will focus on developing refrigerated containers and trucks and handling customs declaration and international carrier to transport goods from Vietnam to Southeast Asia and Japan.

Vo Thi Phuong Lan, chairwoman of ASL, said that Ryobi Holdings has more than 100 years of experience transportation, warehousing, and modern technology management. This, coupled with ASLs local understanding, will help the tie-up reduce logistics costs for local producers and improve competitiveness of Vietnamese goods in export markets.

Meanwhile, CLK Cold Storage Co., Ltd. was established in Vietnam in 2015 as a joint venture between K LINE, Cool Japan Fund Inc., and Japan Logistic Systems Corporation. The joint venture is currently operating Vietnams first four-temperature-zone warehouse with various cargo damage prevention and energy-saving features.

With the investment capital of around $18 million, the CLK cold storage warehouse covers a total area of 9,300sq.m and is located in the southern province of Binh Duong.

According to a report by Fiinpro, an application-based platform providing financial database, the cold chain is one of the most promising logistics segments for growth in Vietnam due to soaring demands from retail and food and beverage sectors, creating opportunities for both local and international companies to tap in.

In light of the development of modern trade system in Vietnam, the demand for cold transportation is increasing quickly, the report added, and the investment cost for this area is relatively lower than cold storage while profit margins are higher. As a result, cold storage companies are expanding their business to cold transportation services.

The development of the cold chain industry is also expected to reduce food losses after harvest. According to a CEL Consulting report in 2018, on average 25 per cent of what is produced is lost before it actually reaches processing plants or distribution centres.
Carbon reductions targeted across company operations to align with ambitious climate science goals

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Steelcase announced it has achieved carbon neutrality for its own operations. The company also announced new 2030 goals that have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. Building upon this momentum, Steelcase has established a goal to become carbon negative by 2030.



In 2020, Steelcase reported the achievement of a greater than 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the previous ten years. The urgency of climate change inspired the company to expand upon its existing renewable energy commitments with the purchase of carbon offsets. While Steelcase was able to reach carbon neutral (net zero) for its own operations by removing as much carbon as it emits, the company recognizes true climate action means reducing emissions in line with science. Consistent with its legacy of sustainability, Steelcase is now taking its commitment further with a goal to become carbon negative by 2030 by markedly reducing emissions across its own operations with targets in line with climate science.

What does Steelcase plan to do to achieve its carbon goals by 2030?



Over the next decade, the company will focus on ambitiously reducing emissions at a rate needed to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. By 2030, becoming carbon negative, also referred to as climate positive, means Steelcase would remove more carbon than it emits, through a combination of absolute reductions and investing in renewable energy. Additional actions are expected to include financing carbon offset initiatives and support for external emission reductions with social benefits.

To advance a low carbon economy, Steelcase has set science-based targets aligned with a 1.5C climate scenario. This means the company expects to reduce absolute emissions from its own operations by 50% by 2030 and cut indirect emissions from business travel and waste generated in operations. Since most of its emissions are considered indirect or scope 3 emissions, Steelcase plans to engage with suppliers to set their own science-based targets by 2025. By aggressively cutting greenhouse gas emissions at this rate, the company is aligned with the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement.

Story continues

Steelcase is proud to lead our industry in addressing this critical global issue, said Jim Keane, President and CEO, Steelcase. We continue to see the destructive effects of climate change that touch the lives of people in communities around the world and are pleased to be taking immediate steps in the right direction.

Over the next decade, Steelcase plans to apply the following principles to execute its strategy:

Prioritize the absolute reduction of emissions with a range of approaches, including: invest in energy efficiency opportunities identified through a series of audits performed at its top emitting facilities supplement energy efficiency projects via direct renewable energy supply in key markets where available explore onsite renewable energy and reduce emissions associated with business travel, its supply chain, logistics and waste generated in operations

Advocate for climate and energy policy

Empower its employees and suppliers to champion the effort of transitioning to a low carbon economy

The company plans to publish its progress in future Steelcase Impact Reports. Reported emissions are expected to be verified by a third-party starting this year.

Building on a foundation to advance lasting change



This announcement underscores the companys ongoing commitment to sustainability by bringing lasting value to its customers, employees, shareholders, partners, communities, and the environment. Through innovative products and solutions, Steelcase is committed to unlocking human promise and promoting the advancement of strong and resilient communities.

Steelcase expects to continue to build on its strong foundation by working to use less, conserve more, source more responsible materials and grow more sustainably, in order to leave a positive legacy and support a regenerative economy.

For more information about this initiative or sustainability at Steelcase, please visit the sustainability page on Steelcase.com.

Forward-looking Statements

From time to time, in written and oral statements, the company discusses its expectations regarding future events and its plans and objectives for future operations. These forward-looking statements discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of operations or financial condition, or state other information relating to us, based on current beliefs of management as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the company. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "targets," or other similar words, phrases or expressions. Although we believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based upon a number of assumptions concerning future conditions, any or all of which may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary from the company's expectations because of factors such as, but not limited to, competitive and general economic conditions domestically and internationally; acts of terrorism, war, governmental action, natural disasters, pandemics and other Force Majeure events; the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions taken by various governments and third parties to combat the pandemic; changes in the legal and regulatory environment; changes in raw material, commodity and other input costs; currency fluctuations; changes in customer demand; and the other risks and contingencies detailed in the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Steelcase undertakes no obligation to update, amend or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Steelcase Inc.

For over 108 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the worlds leading organizations, across industries. We demonstrate this through our family of brands  including Steelcase, Coalesse, Designtex, Turnstone, Smith System, Orangebox and AMQ. Together, they offer a comprehensive portfolio of architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic, and environmental sustainability. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 800 Steelcase dealer locations. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading, and publicly traded company with fiscal 2020 revenue of $3.7 billion.

Contact:

Katie Woodruff

Katie.woodruf@steelcase.com

616.915.8505








500 Foster Families and South L.A. Residents Receive Care Packages From Operation Love Giveaway at Los Angeles Southwest College

Nearly 500 South Los Angeles foster families with young children and college-age youth received free meals, groceries and diapers at an Operation Love event held last week at Los Angeles Southwest College. The event also was opened to local residents who are need of critical supplies. Operation Love is a series of food and diaper distribution events in South Los Angeles.

During the giveaway, families received bags of groceries that were supplied by the Los Angeles Food Bank as well as boxes of diapers that were donated by the Good+Foundation. Virtual school supplies also were handed out to families during the giveaway. Operation Love events are coordinated by Faith Foster Families Network (3FN) to provide life sustaining resources for those impacted by the child welfare system.

We feel it is crucial that the faith community partners with both public and private sector organizations to support those in need in our community at this difficult time, said 3FN Executive Director Nancy Harris. Through our collaborative partnerships, we are able to assist many more than any one of us could do on our own.

The Operation Love event was sponsored by the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, Kilroy Realty, and Blue Shield Promise Health.

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The Humane Society has warned Scatter Joy of alleged violations in the past and has been attempting since April to get the farm to remove a porcupine, he said.

Its not the first time weve been at odds with this organization, he said. However, there are no problems with the care the animals receive at Scatter Joy, Glandt said.

In April, Scatter Joy received its only prior citation from the Humane Society, Glandt said.

The April citation involved a raccoon.

This raccoon had been caught in the wild, and at Scatter Joy Acres, it was held in an unsecure enclosure, Glandt said. Scatter Joy violated its Nebraska wildlife permit, Glandt said, by housing a captured wild raccoon and putting it on display. The raccoon was later released into the wild following appropriate steps, he said.
EMMET COUNTY, MI -- An Alden man has been charged with multiple felonies after he allegedly embezzled more than $100,000 from his elderly and vulnerable parents. Frederick Mawson, 52, was charged with one count of embezzlement from vulnerable adult $100,000 or more, one count embezzlement jointly held property over $20,000 and two counts embezzlement jointly held property $1,000 or more but less than $20,000.

Michigan State Police were called after a sibling discovered Mawson had allegedly opened an unauthorized bank account and was using it for other purposes. Police began investigating the situation in May and soon discovered Mawson and the sibling held power of attorney over their parents who live in an adult care facility. Mawson was interviewed and bank records were reviewed to determine the account was not being used for the care of his parents.

The Emmet County Prosecutors Office eventually decided to press charges in the matter. Bond was set at $150,000 cash surety. Mawson is due back in court on Oct. 7.

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The case is about alleged relaxation of rules by Gilani for the benefit of Zardari and Sharif to buy vehicles gifted by foreign countries

Islamabad: A Pakistan anti-corruption court on Wednesday indicted former president Asif Ali Zardari and ex-prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, while declared former premier Nawaz Sharif an absconder in the Toshakhana graft case that allegedly caused a heavy loss to the national exchequer.

Hearing the case, Judge Asghar Ali also sought details of the movable and immovable properties of Sharif, 70, who is in London for treatment, and asked all of the leaders accused in the case to be presented in court within seven days.

The Toshakhana graft case is about alleged relaxation of rules by Gilani, 68, for the benefit of Zardari, 65, and Sharif to buy vehicles gifted by foreign countries.

Sharif is accused of obtaining luxury cars from the treasury house by paying just 15 percent of the price of these vehicles.

Similarly, Zardari and Gilani, are also accused of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from the treasure house.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in March had filed the case on the alleged violation of the rules of the Toshakhana which it argued had caused a heavy loss to the national exchequer.

According to the NAB, Gilani had facilitated Zardari and Nawaz to obtain the vehicles.

The court has directed the Foreign Office to execute the arrest warrants against Sharif through the Pakistan High Commission in London.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Anwar Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed, the two businessmen who are also accused in the case, were indicted.

All four men, including Zardari and Gilani, pleaded not guilty.

Since Sharif failed to present himself before the court as he is in London for his treatment, he was declared a proclaimed offender and his case was separated from the other accused.

He was also asked to appear within seven days.

The court also asked to provide details of Sharif's movable and immovable properties and warned that his properties will be frozen if he failed to appear.

After indictment, the court adjourned the case until 24 September and ordered the NAB to present its witnesses.
While many expected the Russians to put more pressure on the regime, they appear to largely support the latter's political choices, political commentator Akil Hussein says

With the sudden announcement of the Russian Deputy Prime Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs visit to Damascus, many opponents expected that the Russians would have firm messages to deliver and explicit demands to communicate  demands for the regime in terms of serious engagement in political solution negotiations and progress on implementing the United Nations Security Councils Resolution 2254.

Opposition members who had expected that were affected by the positive atmosphere that reigned over the third round of the Constitutional Committees meetings as well as the interest that the Russian showed. The statements of the American envoys on the sidelines of Geneva Convention also gave the opposition an additional dose of hope.

A large part of the opposition expected that Sergey Lavrov would communicate to al-Assad that Russia could no longer protect him politically and that Moscow would not be able to pull him out of his ever-worsening economic crisis.

However, it turns out that the Russians were more invested in the matter than the concerned parties themselves, when they congratulated the regime on its victory in the Peoples Assembly elections. They also affirmed the regimes right to hold the upcoming presidential elections mid-next year, stressing that no timetable can be set for the end of the Constitutional Committee proceedings, which Lavrov considers to be a substitute for the transitional governing body.

The shock of the opposition was also fueled by the economic issue  a prominent topic of discussion between the regime and the Russian delegation  which led to forty agreements.

Although the two sides have only disclosed one aspect of them  which is related to the extraction of, and investment in, oil and gas in Syrian waters in the Mediterranean  there are also discussions about a large and generous aid package that Moscow has promised the regime to help it overcome the stifling economic crisis.

What Russia is asking in return is still shrouded in mystery. However, what everyone believes is that the regime will agree to all the Russian conditions and demands, as long as those do not include an obligation to make political concessions vis-a-vis the opposition, while the regime continues to allow Moscow to acquire underground wealth, natural resources, facilities, infrastructure, airports, ports, tourist resorts, and other unlimited privileges.

This is, at the end of the day, what Russia really wants from Syria, and it is difficult to imagine that the opposition would present it with a better offer should it become at the helm of the government.

Can Moscow really translate all these gains into practice in light of the evident U.S. strictness in implementing the Caesar Act and the sanctions imposed on the regime, though?

This question is difficult to dissect and might not even have a single answer. It is possible that there are aspects that the Russians can actually benefit from, and other aspects that they might not be able to deal with, especially with the control that the U.S.-led global coalition forces have over large swaths of land, where energy resources and agricultural wealth abound.

Washington alone will decide whether the Autonomous Administration, which manages these regions, is allowed to implement the initial agreements that it signed with the Russians in Moscow last week, which, as some speculate, was one of the reasons behind the Russian delegations sudden visit to Damascus.

This begs a further question. What made the Kremlin send its foreign minister to Syria after an 8-year hiatus, had there not been a clear reason?

What was said at the press conference held by regime officials and their Russian guests in Damascus does not really carry any weight. What is really important is what was not mentioned in the conference. The first Russian diplomatic visit to Damascus carries a clear message to everyone that the military component of the Syrian issue is now a story of the past and that the stage of political action has seriously begun. This signifies that the opposition must brace itself for real negotiations  that may be short or protracted  but in the end will open new horizons, according to the supporters of this theory.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
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Tran Thi Minh Thu and Nguyen The Cuong, her husband, spent eight years persuading her father to accept their love and marriage.

He fiercely rejected their plan because both the father and Cuong have no arms.

In the end, it was the grandchild that connected them all, uniting the family members.

After losing his arms following an electric shock at work at the age of 22, Cuong has been brave enough to stand against all the odds.

The incident happened while he was doing his part-time job to cover college expenses.

It left him with a burn over 97 percent of his body surface and cost him his arms.

The college student at the Da Nang University of Technology fought hard to regain his passion for life, dropping out of school to come to terms with his new situation.

The first task he assigned himself was to learn to write using one of his feet.

My foot was bleeding and hurting. My crotch and back were aching, he said.

For three days I locked myself up to practice. Finally, I could write a neat word.

In 2005, the armless man joined a charity program that offered artificial arms to the disabled in Ho Chi Minh City.

There, he met Thu, his future wife.

The girl was escorting her father to the event for the same purpose. He, too, had lost his arms just like Cuong.

According to Thu, her father showed compassion toward the 23-year-old man with no arms.

He wanted to inspire Cuong with his own example, so he took to calling the young man regularly to check on him, leaving the task to his daughter every now and then.

The two got closer ever since.

After having contacted each other by phone for three years, one day my father stormed in, asking Did you fall in love with him? and then he slammed the door on me, she recalled.

I knew it was the start of a catastrophe.

Despite the hostility from her father, the two were secretly in love.

Thu graduated from a teacher's college and found a job at an elementary school near her family's house in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.

A secret wedding

As years went by, Cuong and Thu thought they needed to persuade their family to approve of their marriage rather than go on in secrecy.

Thus father avoided Cuong every time he visited them in Gia Lai from his hometown, Quang Nam Province located in central Vietnam.

At the end of his rope, the armless man knelt down by the front door asking for her father to see him.

He did so every weekend for two years.

Thus father did not want her to have the unhappy life he imagined for the couple with Cuongs disability, so he kept up a stern attitude.

Tell him to keep kneeling down and go home when hes tired, he told his daughter.

The couple sought help from their parochial priest as they were both Catholic followers, but her father stood his post despite the several visits from the priest.

As the Catholic ceremonial procedure for a wedding includes the presence of a priest, Thu and Cuong would not be religiously considered man and wife without this step.

But they were ready to do what it took.

After five years of failed efforts, they made up their mind to get married on July 12, 2009.

It was a strange wedding reception by the standards of Vietnamese culture. There were no invitation cards and the guests numbered only about one hundred.

A regular Vietnamese wedding reception party normally has a lot more guests, with at least 300 in attendance.

From their accounts, they hurriedly organized the wedding party when Thu came to Cuongs house in Quang Nam over several days in the summer of 2009.

Rather than sending out invitation cards, his mother made direct phone calls to friends and relatives.

Within three days, the couple was wedded. They even bought a wedding gown, but it was long after that when they finally got to have their wedding photo shoot.

Tran Quan Khai, Thus brother, said that even though he was only eight years old at the time, he understood the power of their love and why his father was strongly opposed to it.

To be where they are now, my sister and her husband must have mustered all their strength. Now my father loves them the most.

Nguyen The Cuong still manages to get things done without his arms. Photo: B.D. / Tuoi Tre

The fruit of love

Now they have two children and go to work every day. Having no arms did not deter Cuong from working.

Using only his feet, he plays computer games professionally, runs an electronics store, translates documents between languages, and works as a mechanic.

Now the man and wife also have an organic farm in Da Nang.

Thu said that all the choices they have made were right.

I cant explain love, but weve always been happy, she said.

After the wedding, she left her teaching job in Gia Lai and moved to live with Cuong in Quang Nam.

Angered by their actions, her father sent her a message by post. It read, You disobeyed me. Dont ever come back and dont ever call me father again.

She and her husband still made it back home to visit the old man, but he refused to talk to them for a few more years.

But in 2012 when she took her child back home, they finally got to talk.

The babys crying, her father shouted at her.

Then he lifted his grandson, calmed the tiny baby, and broke down in tears himself.

Their whole family was whole once more after eight years.

He decided to sell off his property and to support his son-in-law in his organic farming business in Da Nang, where the coouple is living now.

He even left his job and moved to help his daughters family by taking care of the baby and doing housework.

I have never hated him for a single second. He simply wanted the best for me, Thu said.

After everything, he took us to a church in Da Nang so that we could perform a formal Catholic marriage ritual.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Anuraag Singh By

Express News Service

BHOPAL: Finally, the Indore police has acted against the ruling BJP leaders for allegedly violating COVID-19 guidelines and social distancing norms by taking out processions during the Narmada Kalash Yatra in the by-poll bound Sanver assembly constituency.

Six BJP leaders, including former Sanver MLA and Indore district BJP president Rajesh Sonkar have been booked at two police stations of Indore.

The three cases were registered under Section 188 of IPC (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) against the six BJP leaders at Sanver and Chandravatiganj and Dharampuri police stations, DIG-Indore Harinarayanchari Mishra told The New Indian Express on Wednesday.

BJPs Narmada Kalash Yatra, which is travelling to 250 villages of Sanver constituency, started from September 4 and will culminate on Thursday. Pictures and videos of the processions, featuring a large number of women dancing in groups have gone viral over social media.

The opposition Congress has long been raising the issue and accusing the Indores administration and police of selectively targeting the Congress leaders only.

Just a few days back, a group of Congress leaders and workers had been booked by Indore police for violating COVID-19 guidelines during a gathering to inaugurate the election office of Premchand Guddu, the party candidate for the Sanwer by-poll.

Meanwhile, keeping in mind the rapid rise in cases of the deadly infection in Indore during the last few days, the owners of shops in the famous 56 Dukan food street in Indore have decided to shut by 6 pm every Saturday and by 5 pm every Sunday, the city BJP unit president Gaurav Randive said on Wednesday.

Out of the 79,000-plus COVID-19 positive cases reported till now in the state, 15,452 cases have been reported from Indore. Considered the commercial capital of MP, Indore reported 257 positive cases and five deaths over the last 24 hours. The city has so far reported 432 deaths out of the 1640 deaths reported so far in the state.

The state, meanwhile, reported a spike of 1869 cases on Wednesday, besides reporting 31 more deaths in the last 24 hours. A total 1341 patients recovered from the deadly viral infection over the past 24 hours, taking the total recoveries so far to 59,850, while the total number of active patients presently across MP stood at 17,702.
With the coronavirus pandemic raging in India and the country recording more than four million cases, these are anything but easy times. The national capital saw 4,000 additional cases in the last 24 hours and experts say that Delhi is witnessing a second surge in the number of infections.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin on September 14 and many parliamentarians have expressed reservations about travelling to Delhi at this time. Several MPs have written to both Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker to convey their unavailability.

At least six MPs from Trinamool Congress (TMC) have said that they would not be able to attend the upcoming session. TMC party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay, Rajya Sabha deputy floor leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Subrata Bakshi, Sisir Adhikari, Manas Bhunia and Choudhury Mohan Jatua are some of those MPs who have said that they fall in the vulnerable 60-plus age category.

Sudeep Bandopadhyay confirmed to CNN-News18 about his unavailability, saying hes concerned about his health as he is over 65 years in age.

A letter written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu by Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, which has been accessed by CNN-News18, reads, I am 71 years old and presently confined at home in Kolkata amidst prevailing Covid19 pandemic situation. In view of point no.7 under sub-heading-PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE PERSONS of the Guidelines for Phased Reopening (Unlock 4) dated 29 August 2020, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, I intend to continue staying at home in Kolkata and as such I shall not be able to attend the forthcoming Rajya Sabha Session commencing from 14th September to 1st October 2020 (both day inclusive) I shall be deeply obliged if you kindly grant me leave of absence for the ENTIRE 252 SESSION OF THE RAJYA SABHA."

TMC, with a strength of 35 MPs in both the Houses, has stayed away from Parliamentary Standing Committee meetings too for the last couple of months. since meetings resumed. Barring Mahua Moitra, none of the partys MPs has attended Standing Committee meetings nor has anybody travelled out of their home state.

87-year-old HD Deve Gowda, who was recently elected to the Upper House, has also communicated his unavailability for the Monsoon Session. The former Prime Minister of India is yet to take oath.

Shibu Soren, who is recovering from Covid-19 will not be coming to Parliament, too, JMM sources said.

Sources say that several parties like DMK are also contemplating on missing Parliament session since there has been a consistent rise in cases through the state in the last few months and Tamil Nadu has been among the top three contributors to the number of positive cases in the country. DMK MPs, too, have opted out of Parliamentary Committee meetingsIn fact, Tiruchi Siva and others from the party who recently got elected to Rajya Sabha are yet to take the oath.

Parliament shut in the midst of the pandemic on March 23 when it was declared sine die in the middle of the Budget Session as Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a nationwide lockdown from March 24 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
RIO DE JANEIRO - Wildfire has infiltrated a Brazilian state park known for its population of jaguars as firefighters, environmentalists and ranchers in the worlds largest tropical wetlands region struggle to smother record blazes.

The fire had surrounded the Encontro das Aguas (Meeting of the Waters) park in the Pantanal, located at the border of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states, but for a time rivers helped keep the blazes at bay. Then wind carried sparks into the park and flames have been wreaking destruction for over a week.

There is little outlook for any near-term help from rainfall, said the Mato Grosso firefighters spokeswoman, Lt. Col. Sheila Sebalhos.

The forecast isnt good, Sebalhos said by phone from the state capital of Cuiaba, after spending weeks in the fire zone. High speeds of those winds that change direction many times throughout the day are favouring the rapid spread (of fire).

Some 200 jaguars have already suffered injury, death or displacement because of the fires, according to Panthera, an international wild cat conservation organization.

The Pantanal is home to thousands of plant and animal species, including 159 mammals, and it abounds with jaguars, according to environmental group WWF. During the wet season, rivers overflow their banks and make most of the region accessible only by boat and plane. In the dry season, wildlife enthusiasts flock to see the normally furtive felines lounging on riverbanks, along with macaws, caiman and capybaras.

Whats unique about the Meeting of the Waters park, which covers more than 1,000 square kilometres (over 400 square miles), is that the jaguars are habituated to human observation. They have been a top eco-tourism draw for more than 15 years, according to Fernando Tortato, a conservation scientist for Panthera, which owns a neighbouring property where jaguars can range.

On Pantheras land, even before fires started raging, employees and volunteers used two earth-movers to create a firebreak around the propertys perimeter. Since blazes arrived, the group has tracked the shifting winds to open new firebreaks and head off the devastation.

We prepare the team, a truck with a water pump, fire swatters and backpack water pumps so that, in case the fire jumps that barrier, we can combat it, Tortato said by phone from Pantheras land. Its the only strategy that has managed to resolve the fire, in some situations.

Despite tireless efforts, some 15% of Pantheras sprawling property has been consumed by fire, he said.

The Pantanal is located mostly in Brazil and stretches into Bolivia and Paraguay. Whereas ranchers in the Amazon often use fire to clear brush and open new pasture, fires in the Pantanal are often unintentional, set by locals and then spiraling out of control due to climate conditions, according to Felipe Dias, executive director of environmental group SOS Pantanal. One cause of this years Pantanal fires was the use of burning roots to smoke wild bees out of their hives to extract honey, said Sebalhos.

This year has been the Pantanals driest in 47 years, and rain isnt expected until October, Dias said. Only rain can truly extinguish the wildfire, he added.

Theres a climate problem. The rains happen in a concentrated way and then 30, 40, 50 days go by without rain, Dias said. The Pantanal is a flood plain; the soil should be soaked.

The number of fires the Pantanal has seen so far this year already exceeds the annual totals for every year on record, stretching back to 1998, and is more than double the annual average for the prior 10 years, according to data from the governments space agency, which uses satellites to count the blazes. More than 10% of the area has been consumed by fire this year, according to WWF and SOS Pantanal.

President Jair Bolsonaro, a staunch supporter of development in Brazils hinterland, bowed to international pressure and issued a decree in July prohibiting the use of fire in the Amazon and Pantanal regions throughout this years dry season. In practice, its done little to slow the burn, with scant enforcement of his moratorium, environmentalists say. Brazils environment ministry didnt respond to Associated Press requests for comment about its oversight.

Brazils government dispatched 173 members of the armed forces to Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states, along with 139 firefighters from the Chico Mendes Institute, the arm of the environment ministry that manages federal parks, according to the defence ministry. Tallies provided by state firefighter corps indicate the numbers might be significantly fewer. Bolsonaro has chalked up difficulties in fighting the Pantanal fires to the size of the affected area.

I started to suffer criticism because the Pantanal is on fire, the president said Aug. 20 in a live broadcast on Facebook. He noted the vastness of the Pantanal, saying: You can imagine the difficulty of fighting the fire in that area.

Unlike the Amazon that has a slew of federally protected areas, some 95% of the Pantanal is privately owned, according to WWF and SOS Pantanal. The Pantanal land can also regenerate quickly.

There are about 2,000 jaguars in an area that is called the Jaguar Conservation Unit, which is half of the Pantanal, according to Panthera.

Between 80% to 90% of Meeting of the Waters is susceptible to fire, with the remaining rivers, brooks and swamps currently serving as refuges for fauna, Tortato said. The most vulnerable creatures are baby birds, reptiles and amphibians, whereas larger mammals have greater ability to flee and survive.

Col. Paulo Barroso, who is co-ordinating animal rescue for Mato Grosso states environment secretariat, hopes animals will escape to the private Sao Joao ranch adjacent to the park. He told the AP by phone from the location that his strategy is to start making firebreaks Thursday to guide animals to an artificial safe haven.

Were trying to defend this space (Meeting of the Waters) against the threat from some fires, its just that there are fires coming from all sides, Barroso said. The fire fronts are closing in on the park and the idea is to create an island to receive those animals and protect them.

___

Associated Press writer David Biller reported this story from from Massachusetts and AP writer Marcelo de Sousa reported in Rio de Janeiro. Videojournalist Tatiana Pollastri in Sao Paulo contributed to this report.

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Unifor President Jerry Dias announced Tuesday that Ford Canada has been selected as the target company for negotiating a pattern contract for collective agreements covering the 17,000 production and skilled trades workers at the Detroit Three automakers Canadian operations.

Despite an overwhelming vote in support of strike action by autoworkers at Ford, General Motors and Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) late last month, Dias goal is to conclude yet another concessionary agreement with Ford prior to the Monday, Sept. 21 11:59 p.m. strike deadline. Unifor would then seek to make that agreement the pattern in negotiations with GM and FCA.

Dias also announced that the union is seeking to negotiate three-year deals with the auto companies in order to synchronize with the next round of United Auto Worker (UAW) contract renewals with the Detroit Three in the United States in 2023.

Since they split along national lines in 1985, both Unifor (the former Canadian Auto Workers) and the UAW have pitted workers against each other in a never-ending race to the bottom. They have worked with their own corporate managements to whip-saw jobs and wages back and forth across borders, while promoting, respectively, Canadian and American nationalism, thereby dividing autoworkers and blocking the emergence of a common struggle against all concessions, job cuts, and plant shutdowns.

Dias attempt to synchronize contract years is not designed to unite American and Canadian autoworkers in a common struggle, but rather to continue and deepen the fratricidal scramble of each against all.

Dias has complained that the auto investment pledges the Detroit Three made to the UAW in the 2019 negotiations have drained the well for investments in Canada in this contract round. In other words, he intends to create a situation in 2023 where Unifor and the UAW will go head-to-head to determine which union is capable of offering up autoworkers to the auto bosses for the cheapest price.

In naming Ford as the target company, Dias is hoping to trade off further concessions on work rules and, at best, meagre wage and benefit increases in exchange for the automaker giving a new product commitment for the threatened Oakville Assembly Plant. The company employs about 4,500 autoworkers there, and an additional 1,600 workers at its two engine facilities in Windsor. The cornerstone Oakville plant has already experienced almost 1,000 layoffs in just over a year, and is reported to be the Detroit Three plant in Canada most vulnerable to closure in the near future. Industry analysts citing multiple well-placed sources have placed a question mark over operations continuing past 2023, when scheduled production runs of the Ford Edge SUV and Lincoln Nautilus are slated to end.

Although Dias evinced confidence that new product can be negotiated for the Oakville plant, Ford management was quick to respond on Tuesday that any deal must leave the company operationally competitive amidst intense global competition. The company continued, In light of global economic uncertainties, its more important than ever to maintain jobs in Canada. Well be asking our employees to work with us to help shape this new reality.

Unifor is putting Ford in a position to dictate these terms by effectively ruling out strike action. The last strike as part of regular bargaining with the Detroit Three occurred in 1996, and Dias intends to keep it that way. Referring to the impact of the pandemic on the auto sector, Dias said of the current contract fight earlier this year, no one is going to want a disruption. And I mean nobody; both the workers and the automakers.

Talking like a corporate consultant, Dias used his press conference to appeal once again to the big business federal Liberal and Ontario Conservative governments to pony up with billions of dollars of subsidies for the automakers, particularly for electric car production. Unifor is currently engaged in close consultation with the Trudeau Liberal government, with Dias meeting with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland last week, to help it craft a package of measures to revive corporate Canadas productivity and profitability.

Giving full voice to the unions Canadian nationalist outlook, Dias urged the Trudeau Liberal government to fund a national auto strategy. Even if government funding is provided on this basis, it will not save a single job. During the financial crisis of 2008-09, the provision of over $13 billion by the federal and Ontario provincial governments to the Big Three was used to consolidate their balance sheets and step up the attacks on workers, including by introducing the regressive two-tier wage system.

Moreover, the restructuring of the auto industry is occurring on a global scale. Autoworkers have nothing to gain by supporting their own ruling class in this scramble for markets and profitability, which will invariably result in a deterioration in working conditions for autoworkers in every country.

It is expected that vehicle production in Canada by the Detroit Three automakers will fall another 27 percent over the life of the next contract. The latest layoffs at Ford and the lack of new scheduled product will be used as a battering ram to intimidate autoworkers into accepting yet another round of concessions.

The claim made by Unifor, the CAW before it, and the UAW that jobs can be saved through concessions has proven to be a cruel hoax. Workers should recall that in the lead-up to the shuttering of the GM Oshawa truck plant in 2010 and the GM Oshawa assembly plant in 2019, Unifor justified the imposition of concessions-laden contracts with the claim that iron-clad guarantees had been secured to keep both facilities open.

In the current round of bargaining, Fiat-Chrysler and General Motors are also intending, with Unifors connivance, to use threatened job losses to extort givebacks. At FCAs Brampton assembly facility, major investments are needed to retain jobs. Two vehicle models would need to be added at FCAs Windsor Assembly to replace the 1,500 third-shift jobs that were chopped earlier this year. Also under threat is FCAs Etobicoke aluminum casting plant and half of the 1,300 jobs at GMs St. Catharines propulsion and engine facility.

Autoworkers must recognize that their jobs and livelihoods cannot be defended with nationalist appeals to corporate bosses and capitalist governments to support their auto industry. Instead, they must take as their starting point the understanding that they share the same basic interestssecure and decent-paying jobs, workplace safety, an end to two-tier wagesas their class brothers and sisters in the United States, Mexico, and internationally.

In response to the global offensive being waged by automakers to cut costs and increase the pace of work, Canadian autoworkers must establish independent rank-and-file committees to seize control of the contract struggle from Unifor, unify their fight with autoworkers in the United States and Mexico, and demand the restoration of all concessions and job security for all.

Such a struggle would receive powerful support from autoworkers in the US, who have begun to establish rank-and-file safety committees to combat the dangerous working conditions in the plants jointly imposed by the automakers and the corrupt UAW amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, and by Mexican autoworkers, who bravely conducted job actions earlier this year to press for the temporary shutdown of the North American auto industry.

Opposition to Unifors pro-corporate, nationalist course is mounting among rank-and-file workers, as shown by the broad support for a petition demanding that the full details of any agreement Unifor negotiates be made public well before ratification votes. In the past, Unifor has used highly-selected highlights brochures to conceal critical information about concessions from rank-and-file workers so as to ensure support for sell-out deals.

A veteran worker at the FCA assembly plant in Windsor wrote to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, A number of people are concerned about the continued regression of our wages. The erosion of solidarity with the recent hires. The fear of the coronavirus. The lack of concern by the management and union for workers rights and safety. The list is a mile long.

A recent retiree from the Oakville assembly plant added, Bargaining for products and investments are not the focus of the majority of Canadian auto workers. And, as we saw from the last contract, future investment is never a guarantee to jobs. We were promised a $1 billion investment this year. Over the years we have given up raises, vacation pay, sick leave, and benefits for product allocation and investment. These companies will renege on these two issues if they can profit from it.

The worker also addressed the corruption of the UAW, which he insisted is not an exception but the rule. The thought of these guys selling us out for personal gain has also been a topic of discussion at ratification during the last 4 contract ratification meetings, wrote the worker. I was not surprised when the UAW leadership was indicted.
On Tuesday, destroyed the Nacimiento Station, a fire station in the Los Padres National Forest on the states central coast, the U.S. Forest Service said. Firefighters there suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, and three were flown to a hospital in Fresno, where one was in critical condition.
For years, Josh Gerraty has had a part-time job visiting offices to water and trim the plants. Its a great gig for the university student: creative and meditative.

But never have the office workers been so happy to see him.

Plant technician Josh Gerraty says it's been 'eerie' watering plants in deserted office buildings. Credit:Joe Armao

The 24-year-old plant technician says given most of us are working from home in the pandemic, hell often see just one employee in an entire building. And theyre grateful for someone to talk to.

Mr Gerraty is one of a silent army continuing to enter almost empty buildings to tend all those devils ivys, mother in laws tongues and happy plants.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were displaced due to an ethnic cleansing campaign - Barcroft Media via Getty Images

A new investigation by Amnesty International has revealed how a secretive Myanmar conglomerate, linked to multiple foreign businesses, has funded the Southeast Asian countrys powerful military, including units accused of human rights abuses and crimes under international law.

Leaked official documents analysed by the human rights organisation have disclosed how Myanmars military receives huge revenues from shares in Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL), a conglomerate involved in mining, beer, tobacco, garment manufacturing and banking sectors.

MEHL has partnerships with a range of eight local and foreign businesses across Asia, partnering with Japanese beer multinational Kirin, and South Korean companies including steel giant POSCO, the INNO Group and Pan-Pacific, a garment manufacturer.

The Myanmar army has been accused of multiple human rights abuses against the countrys ethnic minorities, in particular the Rohingya Muslim community which was subjected to what the United Nations has called a genocidal campaign of arson, rape and murder in Rakhine State in 2017.

MEHL shareholder records show that military units, including combat divisions, own about one third of the conglomerates shares. Records also detail links between MEHL and the Western Command, which oversees operations in Rakhine State.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's civilian leader, starts to campaign for this year's election - Thet Aung/AFP

The documents offer insights into how the military, which has ruled the country for decades with an iron fist, has been able to financially and independently support its operations and remain above the scrutiny of the civilian government, led by former Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

These documents provide new evidence of how the Myanmar military benefits from MEHLs vast business empire and make clear that the military and MEHL are inextricably linked, said Mark Dummett, Amnestys head of business, security and human rights.

This is not a case of MEHL unwittingly financing human rights violations  its entire board is composed of high-level military figures, he said.

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The exposure of the link between MEHL and military units implicated in alleged breaches of international law and human rights violations has implications for the conglomerates many foreign and local business partners, said Amnesty.

MEHL works in collaboration with these business partners in establishing joint ventures or profit-sharing agreements in Myanmar. When profits are derived from these operations, they are provided to MEHL as shareholder and MEHL then disburses dividends to its own shareholders.

Amnesty was calling for these business partners to cut ties with MEHL due to its lack of transparency and as it had shown little interest in reforming itself, said Montse Ferrer, an international criminal lawyer and lead author of the report.

For the companies ultimately we are saying you just need to leave, she said.

Over one million Rohingya are long term refugees after being driven from their homes - Barcroft via Getty Images

The organisation is also urging the civilian government to ensure MEHL either becomes a state-owned enterprise or is sold to civilians, to guarantee more oversight, she added.

Amnesty wrote to MEHL and companies who operate jointly with MEHL in Myanmar. The Telegraph also reached out for comment, including to the Myanmar government.

Kirin Holdings, a Japanese beverage company and major international brewer, which has invested in two joint ventures with MEHL since 2015, told Amnesty it was trying to ascertain whether proceeds for the joint-ventures with MEHL may have been used for military purposes.

It also announced that it was exploring alternative structural options for the ownership of the Myanmar joint-ventures.

Kirin told the Telegraph that we take this issue very seriously and had engaged Deloitte, a financial advisory firm, to conduct an independent assessment.

POSCO clarified that [Myanmar POSCO C&C Company Ltd] has never paid any dividends to MEHL since its incorporation in 2013 and no other dividend payment has been made by [Myanmar POSCO Steel Company Ltd] to MEHL since the last dividend payment made for the business performance of 2017.

It said it had contacted MEHL in August 2020 asking it to confirm that the dividend payments in the past were used for MEHLs original business objectives.

Pan-Pacific said that it has decided to terminate its relationship with MEHL, after it had tried and failed to receive information from the company about measures, to ensure ethical responsibility.

The Inno Group claimed that it was not linked to human rights violations since its three joint ventures have not yet paid any dividends to MEHL, as they have not started to generate profits.

MEHL did not respond to enquiries.

A confidential shareholder report from 2010-11, which helped form the basis of the Amnesty research, was provided by Justice for Myanmar, a local activist group.

Myanmars ministry of transport and communications blocked the publication of the document on the groups website, which a spokesman said spread fake news.
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AstraZeneca should know before the end of the year whether its experimental vaccine can protect people from COVID-19 if trials that were paused after a participant became ill resume, chief executive Pascal Soriot said Thursday.

"If the review by the safety committee allowed us to restart the trial, I still think we are on track for having a set of data that we would submit before the end of the year," Soriot said at an online event hosted by Britain's Tortoise Media about the future of the world after the pandemic.

AstraZeneca is working with the U.K.'s University of Oxford on a coronavirus vaccine that had until recently shown promising results.

On Tuesday, officials announced that the trial would be put on hold after one study participant in the U.K. reportedly developed a spinal cord injury.

"What happened here is not uncommon," Soriot said. "The process is always in vaccine trials, that if you have an event that you didn't expect, that you stop to look at it and explore it and study it."

The specific condition the participant is suffering from is still unclear and being tested, Soriot said. He didn't provide further information about the individual affected.

A problem lies with the public's perception of the vaccine.

Some experts have criticized how the company announced the halt in the trials, saying it lacked transparency and could hurt public trust. Initially, AstraZeneca didn't disclose details of the adverse event to the public, but revealed more to investors during a private conference call Wednesday.

"I don't think they realize how damaging the way they're conveying information to the public is," Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, told NBC News. "There's an awful anti-vaccine movement out there and anti-science movement, and now it's globalizing."

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Companies alongside trusted figures in health information should be front and center explaining and reassuring the public about any challenges in the trials, Hotez said.

"The public should not be afraid. I think these trials are being well done and they'll be conducted with lots of rigor," he said.

Soriot acknowledged the public scrutiny of the trial.

"The difference with other vaccines trials is the whole world is not watching them," he said Thursday.

A definitive timeline of when the trial will resume has not been announced, and Soriot said that would be up to an independent safety committee.

Soriot also defended the company's communications strategy, saying it followed protocol by notifying regulators in all countries involved in the study first.

"You don't have to ... make a press announcement. That's not the process," he said.

AstraZeneca began its Phase 3 clinical trials in the U.S. last week. NBC News has confirmed that the pause has affected trial sites in the U.S.

Image: President director of AstraZeneca Pascal Soriot visits the laboratory of the AstraZeneca factory in Dunkirk, France. (Abaca Press / Sipa USA via AP file)

Trials were also paused in Brazil, according to a statement from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, which is coordinating them in that country.

The Oxford trial was the third Phase 3 trial to begin in the U.S. Pfizer and Moderna began their Phase 3 trials in late July and have already enrolled about 30,000 volunteers.

The Oxford vaccine uses a type of virus called an adenovirus to teach the immune system how to make antibodies to attack the coronavirus' so-called spike protein. It's that spike protein that allows the virus to infect human cells.
The race for a coronavirus vaccine to help end the pandemic has consumed the scientific community and created an escalating demand for an essential resource: monkeys.

Before drug companies call on human volunteers, monkeys are used in preclinical trials to test a vaccines safety and effectiveness. But with more than 100 vaccines in development around the world, there arent enough monkeys to go around.

There is a shortage, said Dr. Skip Bohm, associate director and chief veterinary medical officer of the Tulane National Primate Research Center.

Like other aspects of society, the pandemic has underscored an already existing problem. Nonhuman primate research centers have been strained in recent years because of restrictions on imported monkeys from countries like China and India, and a lack of funding to support domestic breeding.

Weve always been in a state where we were always very close to the level of production to meeting the demand for research, and that has been the status for several years, Bohm said. When the COVID pandemic came about, that just pressed us even further.

While animal rights advocates condemn using primates in experiments, researchers say it's essential for development of medical science.

The National Primate Research Centers try to use the smallest number of animals necessary for a valid scientific result, according to the centers' website. Unfortunately, its not currently possible to completely replace animal models with computer simulations or cell cultures.

We all hope theres a day we dont have to use animals in research but right now  not all humans are going to submit for an examination where they get regular x-rays, regular CT analysis or blood analysis, Bohm said.

Rhesus monkeys, or Rhesus Macaques, are the most commonly used monkeys for preclinical trials because they share about 93% of their genes with humans, according to the National Primate Research Centers.

Jay Rappaport, director and chief academic officer of Tulane's National Primate Research Center, says the species has been used in research for years, so scientists are most familiar with how its immune system combats pathogens, especially coronaviruses.

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Their immune systems and immune responses are very similar to what you see in humans and they can give you a very good idea of safety and efficacy in vaccines, he said.

A rhesus macaque monkey grooms another on Cayo Santiago, known as Monkey Island off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, Tuesday, July 29, 2008.

The Washington National Primate Research Center breeds pig-tailed macaques, which could play an important role in second generation vaccines, according to Deborah Fuller, the centers division chief of infectious disease and translational medicine. This species of monkey more resembles humans when it comes to pregnancy and underlying health conditions.

According to a 2018 analysis by the National Institutes of Health, the national primate centers' projected demand for monkeys would increase by 20% to 50%. Most centers were not equipped to accommodate that kind of increase  then the pandemic hit.

Tulane's primate research center has about 5,000 monkeys but only about 500 are used for research in a normal year because of age, health and colony dynamics. This year, Bohm estimates the same number of primates might be needed across the centers just for COVID-19 research alone.

To satisfy the demand, NIH and research centers have had to collaborate more closely than ever. NIH created a committee to prioritize COVID-19 research while centers developed master protocols to optimize research, including sharing control groups.

"By doing this, this saves us probably half of the animals," Rappaport said.

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While working together alleviates some pressure on primate centers, it doesn't help with another limited resource strained by the coronavirus pandemic: space.

Scientists use animals for preclinical trials because they can introduce them to the virus, which is considered unethical for human trials. In order to do that safely, the animals are kept in special facilities called Animal Biosafety Level 3 labs.

While many facilities have such labs for smaller animals like mice and hamsters, very few are large enough to accommodate monkeys. Once scientists finish developing a vaccine, they're forced to wait until a lab is available.

"The real bottleneck is the access to the ABSL 3," Fuller said. "(Scientists) are ready and their products are ready, but now theyre twirling their thumbs."

Rappaport said building the Level 3 labs can cost anywhere from $75 million to $100 million. Some primate centers are upgrading their facilities to "bio bubbles," using existing structures to comply with requirements without having to build a lab from scratch.

"It's a way that they've been able to use existing space and convert it quickly," said Sally Thompson-Iritani, the Director of the Washington National Primate Research Center. "Currently the bio bubbles are in such high demand because there are other facilities looking for that."

Thompson-Iritani inquired about a bio bubble for her research center in Washington state and was told it would be six to nine months before she could get in touch with someone to evaluate her facility.

While experts say there's little that can be done to fix the shortage of monkeys and lab space for COVID-19 research, there's still time to prepare for the next pandemic. Primate centers and other institutions require more funding to expand breeding colonies and build labs, they say.

Bohm said some research centers have discussed the possibility of an animal reserve available when "some unforeseen emergency comes up."

"One thing is for sure this is not the last pandemic that were going to see," he said. "Thats inevitable."

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID vaccine, treatment trials create monkey shortage for science
The Tomball Fire Department welcomed a new assistant fire chief at the last city council meeting, who brings nearly 30 years of experience serving as a firefighter at departments across Texas.

Taner Drake, the new assistant chief, was sworn in at Tuesdays meeting, and has been on the job for about two weeks. Drake came from Webster, where he served as a lieutenant before coming to Tomball.

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Drake began his career in firefighting with the Odessa Fire Department, where he spent much of his time combating brush fires in West Texas. He worked his way through the ranks there for 19 years, leaving as an assistant chief in 2011 to become the fire chief in Victoria. He was there for seven years before leaving to the Houston area for the Webster Fire Department to be closer to his children and two granddaughters.

Firefighting wasnt a calling for Drake at a young age, he didnt grow up around firefighters or have any relatives in the service. He said he first got the itch to become one after seeing a house fire across from his girlfriends house when he was around 16.

On HoustonChronicle.com: How busy was Galveston PD over Labor Day weekend? Way busier than 2019, figures show.

I watched this house just go up in flames and the fire department showed up, Drake said. Those guys, they put on their stuff, they went in that fire and I was just like, oh my gosh.

Drake said he could remember the firefighters coming out of the smoky building after they put the fire out, walking out into the cold morning air while their gear was still steaming.

I just sat back on the sidewalk going oh my gosh, look at those guys, he said. This is crazy, I want to be one of those guys.

Since he began working, Drake has had experience in numerous types of calls in different environments  responding to explosions, major warehouse fires, vehicle accidents, and helped respond to disasters during hurricanes in Victoria.

I feel like I kind of offer a well-rounded approach, Drake said.

Drake said he had been reconnecting with some of the issues out in the field recently by helping firefighters with support and making sure they accomplish their goals in the fire service as well; helping to shape the future leaders of the Tomball Fire Department.

He isnt coming to the Tomball Fire Department with any agenda, Drake said, just to offer a different set of eyes.

Sometimes, just a different perspective is good, Drake said. I think in the fire service at times you may fall into a little bit of a rut. So sometimes it just takes a different person to say maybe its time we reevaluate that and look and see if theres a better way of doing it.

Drake said he was also looking forward to what he could learn from the Tomball Fire Department.

I continuously grow in this career path, so I look forward to learning from the men and women from the Tomball Fire Department as well, he said.

paul.wedding@hcnonline.com
India on Thursday reiterated that terror networks spread their tentacles across borders threatening peace and stability. Speaking at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) India stated that children are worst affected as they live with a looming sense of fear and uncertainty.

In its statement on Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict, India said, "Terror networks spread their tentacles across borders threatening peace and stability. Children are worst affected as they live with a looming sense of fear and uncertainty and are often deprived of their right to education."

Live TV

India also said, "There should be greater recognition and comprehensive action to counter threats to children posed by terrorist groups in different parts of the world. In order to advance child protection agenda of the Council, its synergies with counter-terrorism need to be translated into action.

"Terrorist outfits and individuals proscribed by the Council are directly or indirectly responsible for abusing child rights. Member States need to demonstrate the greater political will to hold the perpetrators of terrorism and their collaborators and sponsors, especially those sanctioned by the Council, to account, to fulfill Councils child protection obligations," added India.

"Over the last two decades the UN Security Council has actively engaged in this pursuit and significant progress has been achieved to protect children in armed conflict situations. Attacks against schools are now regarded as one of the grave violations against children in armed conflicts along with other violations," said India.

"Despite persistent focus from the international community, grave violations against children and attacks on spaces of learning persist. These trends are often both causes and consequences of complex conflicts. Lack of access to schools and treacherous learning environments lend children vulnerable to exploitation and recruitment by terrorists and other non-state actors. Education facilities are often used as vehicles for radicalization and indoctrination to violent extremist ideologies. Much of these happen in absence of opportunity for quality formal education for children. For children, schools are not just a place of learning but a social safety net. Absence of safe school environments multiplies protection challenges. Young women and girls become vulnerable to various forms of subjugation including sexual and gender-based violence, fall victims of forced and child marriages, and human trafficking.

"Protecting the rights of the child, including their access to education is the primary responsibility of every government. The Security Council must do all that is possible to support efforts of governments to protect schools and other learning spaces, students and teachers to ensure uninterrupted education for children. National action plans to protect children must be owned by national authorities and must be implemented with the participation of the local communities for best results," added India.

"UN peace operations, both military and political, should have a clear and unambiguous mandate and commensurate resources to protect children and their education facilities as per humanitarian and human rights law. The Council needs to factor in the stark reality that non-state parties to armed conflicts have little regard for upholding their obligations under international law. This creates asymmetric dynamics in the field vis-a-vis the states or the UN peace operations. The Council, therefore, needs to ensure that those who are engaged in protection children on its behalf have the necessary resources, pre-deployment and in-mission training to operate and deliver in extremely challenges situations," it said.

"In conclusion, we reaffirm that safeguarding child rights, including the right to education in armed conflicts is critical for sustaining peace and security. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the already existing child protection challenges. This crisis has also demonstrated the power of technology, especially education technology to provide learning opportunities to children affected by armed conflicts. The international community must cease this momentum to use the full potential of technology to fulfil hitherto unkept promises to the children," added India.
The governor of Wisconsin has said that he has 'no regrets' about how the state responded to protests that broke out in Kenosha, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Blake, who is black, was shot seven times in the back by white Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey on August 23.

Blake's shooting sparked three nights of protests and unrest that culminated with the shootings of three demonstrators by an armed civilian.

Evers called out the Wisconsin National Guard early the morning of August 24.

Tony Evers, the governor of Wisconsin, has said he has 'no regrets' about how the state responded to protests that broke out in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake

Kenosha was rocked by three nights of protests following the shooting of Jacob Blake

Jacob Blake's father speaks at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28 at a march for police reform

The Democratic governor turned down an offer made August 25 from the White House to send federal U.S. Department of Homeland Security troops.

President Donald Trump criticized Evers' response, urging him to activate the National Guard after he had already done so.

'He made a pitch about, you know, we have to get the National Guard on the ground,' Evers said.

'I said: They already are. We've met every request.'

A day later, after the shootings of three demonstrators, two of whom died, Evers again spoke with Trump and the governor said they agreed to have the White House send other federal assistance, including officers from the FBI and U.S. Marshals.

The number of Guard members continued to grow over the course of the week to at least 750 members by August 27.

Authorities said last week they had more than 1,500 National Guard members deployed in the community

A 17-year-old Trump supporter from Illinois has been charged with shooting the demonstrators.

Jacob Blake has been left paralyzed by the August 23 shooting in Kenosha

'To say that we could have done anything different as it relates to working with the White House, I have no regrets - because the only thing I said no to was Homeland Security and I knew that would not work out because of what I saw in Portland,' Evers said, referring to ongoing unrest in that Oregon city between protesters and federal troops.

During the unrest in Kenosha, an estimated $50 million in damage was caused to around 100 downtown businesses.

Evers defended his approach during a Milwaukee Press Club event on Wednesday, where he took questions remotely from reporters.

His appearance came as Marquette University Law School released its first poll since the shooting of Blake, which left the 29-year-old paralyzed.

The poll of Wisconsin registered voters showed that 47 per cent of respondents approve of protests against police shootings, on par with 48 per cent seen in early August and down from 61 per cent in June.

Attitudes about the Black Lives Matter movement were unchanged from August, with 49 per cent having a favorable view and 37 per cent unfavorable.

The governor also called on Republicans who control the Legislature to 'step up' and take action on criminal justice reform.

Evers called a special session last week on nine policing bills, but Republicans took no action.

Both Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden came to Kenosha last week.

During the unrest in Kenosha, an estimated $50 million in damage was caused

Three nights of protest in Kenosha damaged or destroyed around 100 downtown businesses

A cell phone store which is between the shooting scene and downtown is shown Kenosha

The Marquette poll showed that the public's view of Trump's handling of protests increased from 32 per cent in August to 36 per cent in September, but a majority - 54 per cent - still disapproved.

Trump's overall approval rating was 44 per cent, unchanged from the month before.

The poll also showed little movement in the presidential race, with Biden having 47 per cent support of likely voters and Trump with 43 per cent. That mirrors many other recent polls.

The poll of 802 registered voters was conducted between August 30 and Monday. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.
By removing the offensive poster and replacing it with a more innocuous one, Netflix might actually have made the situation worse by suggesting that Cuties is nothing more than a cute, coming-of-age movie, Melissa Henson, program director for the PTC, said. Although the film tackles an important topic - one that under different circumstances we might even applaud - its the way the film goes about it thats problematic. This film could have been a powerful rebuke of popular culture that sexualizes children and robs them of their innocence.


Half year results 2020:

Net margin rate stable at 9.7%

H1 2019 H1 2020 Change REVENUE 84.8 78.5 -7.4% EBITDA

% of revenue 21.5



25.4% 18.4



23.4%



-14.6% OPERATING PROFIT

% of revenue 13.3



15.7% 9.8



12.5%



-26.4% NET INCOME

% of revenue 8.2



9.7% 7.6



9.7%



-7.4%

Rounded, audited figures (M)

Neuilly-sur-Seine, September 9, 2020  Linedata (LIN:FP), a global solutions and outsourcing services provider for asset management, insurance, and credit professionals, showed a moderate decline in its profitability indicators for the first half of 2020 in a global economic environment impacted by the Covid-19 health crisis.

The Group achieved half-year revenues of 78.5 million, down 7.4% compared to the first half of 2019. This erosion of revenue is more pronounced in client segments that rely more heavily on consulting and customization resources, due in particular to difficulties for employees to access client sites. Conversely, SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), recurring license rental fees and maintenance are trending well with an overall growth of 1.4 million in recurring income to 64.5 million, representing 84% of total turnover.

EBITDA stood at 18.4 million, down 14.6% compared to the first half 2019. The 3.1 million decrease is explained, on the one hand, by the contraction in half-yearly revenue and, on the other, by Linedatas desire to retain its talents and accelerate the major transformation projects of the Groups offerings. As a result, many consulting and research resources were reallocated to strategic R&D projects focused on the future. This figure also includes 1.0 million in restructuring costs. The EBITDA margin remains robust at 23.4%, down only 2 points compared to the first half of 2019.

EBITDA margin analysis

EBITDA Margin Rate H1 2019 H1 2020 Asset Management (*) 25.2% 24.9% Lending & Leasing 25.6% 19.7%



Total 25.4% 23.4%

(*) The Other segment consisting of insurance and retirement savings has been integrated into Asset Management

Story continues

For the first half of 2020, the Asset Management segment posted a more-or-less stable margin rate, close to 25%, despite the decrease in revenue. This good performance is explained by the proportion of recurring income in the business model, which contributes more strongly to profitability.

Conversely, the EBITDA margin for the Lending & Leasing business line, with revenue declining 17.7%, was down around 6 points.

Result analysis

Operating Income reached 9.8 million, down 26.4%, due to exceptional provision reversals in 2019.

Financial income amounted to -1.0 million compared with -1.9 million last year. The improvement is mainly due to exchange rate effects. The 1.2 million tax on profits was down 2.0 million compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year, due in particular to the implementation in France of the IP Box system, which allows income from software protected by copyright to benefit from taxation at a reduced rate of 10%.

Net result for the first half of 2020 amounted to 7.6 million, i.e. a net margin rate of 9.7%, stable compared with first half of 2019.

Balance sheet analysis

As of June 30, 2020, shareholders equity represented 116.5 million, down 2.1 million compared with the situation at December 31, 2019. This decrease reflects the dividend to be paid in the amount of 6.3 million and the acquisition of the companys own shares for the amount of 1.2 million.

The Group continued its deleveraging efforts in early 2020. Net debt, excluding the impact of IFRS 16 rental liabilities, totaled 65.2 million, down 11.6 million from the end of the previous fiscal year. This represents 1.7 times the EBITDA (on sliding 12-month basis).

Outlook

The Group anticipates a better trend for revenues in the second half of the year and an improvement in its operating margin.

Next announcement: 3rd quarter 2020 revenue, on October 21, 2020





ABOUT LINEDATA





With 20 years experience and 700+ clients in 50 countries, Linedatas 1300 employees in 20 offices provide global humanized technology solutions and services for the asset management and credit industries. Linedata supports corporate development and boosts its clients growth.

Linedata's 2019 revenue was 169.7 million. Linedata is listed on Euronext Paris compartment B FR0004156297-LIN  Reuters LDSV.PA  Bloomberg LIN:FP

linedata.com

Linedata

Finance Department

+33 (0)1 73 43 70 27

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This 1906 quote from Ferris State University founder Woodbridge N. Ferris was offered Thursday, Sept. 3, by President David Eisler, as part of a call for campus commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Eisler delivered his Founders Day address in a virtual meeting. This 1906 quote from Ferris State University founder Woodbridge N. Ferris was offered Thursday, Sept. 3, by President David Eisler, as part of a call for campus commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Eisler delivered his Founders Day address in a virtual meeting.

A virtual audience of around 100 Ferris State University faculty, students and staff members joined President David Eisler on Thursday, Sept. 3 for his annual Founders Day address, "Adversity, Challenge and Opportunity."

The institution's West Michigan presence began Monday, Sept. 1, 1884 when Woodbridge N. Ferris founded the Big Rapids Industrial School. Eisler meshed elements of Ferris' history with topics of today in his address, using a photo of the 1919-20 Ferris Institute preparatory class to seek a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion from event participants.

"There are 50 students in this picture, which includes women and African-Americans who were at Ferris to complete their high school education and to improve their skills, so they could pursue degrees and change their lives," Eisler said. "As early as 1906, Woodbridge Ferris had written that his institute would be 'thoroughly democratic, that is to say, it is a school for all people, regardless of their race or station.'"

Eisler said a current challenge for the university is to serve as a touchpoint for change, as the appropriate response to the level of racial unrest and societal disharmony that exists. He presented images of the peaceful march and presentation held on the Ferris campus on Wednesday, June 3, while encouraging a broader discussion and call to action for the Fall 2020 semester and academic year.

"This is a time where we can make our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, both at Ferris and the Kendall College of Art and Design," Eisler said. "We will have professional development opportunities for all our employees, there will be a Campus Climate Team established to proactively respond to incidence of bias, and I invite each of you to sign our commitment to support these initiatives at Ferris."

Eisler also encouraged participation in a university-wide initiative, "One Community: One Book" that will use the recently published work, "Haste To Rise: A Remarkable of Black Education During Jim Crow," which was written by Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion David Pilgrim and Franklin Hughes, multimedia specialist. The book details Ferris' collaborative efforts with Hampton Institute in Virginia in the early 20th century.

"I found this to be an astonishing, captivating book that included great detail on Woodbridge Ferris' commitment to support and develop each student," Eisler said.

The president further noted the efforts of the university Re-entry Committee, in its response to produce a successful conclusion to the Spring 2020 semester, along with readying the campus and university community for the Fall 2020 class schedule, now underway.

"There were hundreds, to thousands of actions taken to establish and seek to assure a safe and healthy campus environment," Eisler said. "We have begun COVID-19 testing and will look to increase this activity so that we can encourage the practices of good health for ourselves and others."

Official enrollment figures were released the day following, but Eisler indicated that the university had produced its best result in five years in one category. Only 2.6 percent of those students categorized as continuing or recently enrolled and pursuing their education had not returned for Fall 2020 studies."

Eisler further talked about net price, the Tuition Incentive Program and more.

"Our average net price dropped nearly nine percent from 2009 to 2019 and we were the only state-funded university in Michigan to accomplish this," he said. "In the last several years, our growth in Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) students and our increase in students of Latinx heritage illustrate our focus on embracing opportunity and diversity in our campus community."

Eisler indicated that the Now and Always Campaign, Ferris' first comprehensive appeal for student investment, program expansion and innovation, and the building of partnerships had passed $100 million in donations and commitments.

"I want to thank and congratulate everyone who has been engaged in this campaign," Eisler said. "We look forward to the excellence this can present from our students and programs as we continue toward a $115 million goal."

The president's remarks concluded with an update on the Higher Learning Commission's process of continuing the university's accreditation, with a virtual campus visit scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 5-6.

"One representative of the HLC team will be on campus, the rest of the effort will be done virtually," Eisler said. "We have been gathered today and continued this annual event, thanks to technology. I often wonder what Woodbridge and Helen Ferris might think, if they were to see how we work now, to accomplish and advance their mission."
The Orleans Parish Coroners Office on Thursday released the name of the man who was fatally shot at a busy Central Business District intersection two days earlier.

He was 37-year-old Lymon Brignac, a statement from the agency said.

After hearing gunshots erupt at the corner of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue about 12:35 p.m. Tuesday, police said they found Brignac sitting up against a wall with a bullet wound to his chest. Paramedics took Brignac to University Medical Center, where he later died.

A security camera video from a business near where Brignac was mortally wounded showed how an officer coming around the front of a parked State Police cruiser quickly detained a young man seen firing a pistol.

But it is not clear whether that gunman  possibly a minor  has been booked with a crime. The video shows that person only fired after apparently being first shot at. Police havent said whether that gunman claimed self-defense after being detained.

According to police, as Brignac lay mortally wounded, his 18-year-old son, Devin Levier, then fired more gunshots just over a block away on Canal, though no one was hit at the scene.

+2 After Lake Charles dad killed in Canal Street gunfight, son fired shots nearby After someone else fatally shot his father at a busy Central Business District street corner Tuesday afternoon, an 18-year-old Lake Charles ma

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Police arrested Levier, who they said was carrying a bag with bullet holes, spent shell casings and a gun inside. That weapon was one of at least two  and possibly three  that police said they seized from the scene of the melee Tuesday.

Officers booked Levier on one count of illegal use of a weapon, which can carry up to two years in prison upon conviction. By Thursday, he had posted $15,000 bond to secure his release from jail.

Brignac and Levier were from Lake Charles and were in New Orleans because of the destruction powerful Hurricane Laura wrought on their hometown last month. So was the person who fatally shot Brignac, police have said.

Levier had previously been accused of having a hand in a shooting  and being wounded himself in the process  at an unpermitted Memorial Day graduation party held in Lake Charles by some 200 teenagers inside a shuttered business. He was out on bond on several criminal counts in that case when Brignac was killed near him on Tuesday.

But authorities havent said whether that shooting may have somehow motivated the gun battle that left Brignac dead.

+14 Watch: After man fatally shoots Hurricane Laura evacuee, trooper detains shooter in New Orleans After at least one gunshot was apparently fired at a group standing at a bustling street corner in New Orleans Central Business District earl
BERKELEY, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonica Health won over the judges from a field of more than 60 business plan submissions to receive $10,000 in prize money for its ADAM skin sensor that detects critical COVID-19 symptoms at the 17th Annual What's Next Business Plan Competition held virtually at the What's Next Longevity Venture Summit. Sonica will present its winning presentation at the next Mary Furlong & Associates virtual event, What's Next Longevity Innovation Summit on December 3.

The Adam, a wearable skin sensor from Sonica Health, wins $10,000 Business Plan Competition at What's Next Longevity Venture Summit. Whats Next Longevity Innovation Summit

"We are thrilled for Sonica Health who took the top prize in a very competitive field with a solution that addresses immediate needs for older adults in this pandemic and beyond," said Mary Furlong, serial entrepreneur and executive producer of the What's Next Longevity conferences. "This competition has helped startup companies get the necessary attention needed to grow their innovation. Past winners have built successful companies to over $100 million in revenue."

The criteria for the competition, sponsored by First Republic Bank and HealthIQ, was to present innovative solutions to bridge current and post-pandemic challenges for older adults including access to care, social isolation, remote engagement for health care, caregiver support and improved health safety. Sonica Health also won the People's Choice competition where event attendees voted virtually for the top innovation.

Sonica Health presented the ADAM, a wearable skin sensor that is a soft, flexible electronic device easily applied at the Adam's apple area of the throat, an information-rich location on the body to track respiratory, language and sleep biomarkers. The ADAM directly measures COVID-19 symptomology such as fever, cough and shortness of breath and can be an early detection warning system for a segment of the population  those over age 65  who are particularly vulnerable to and have the highest mortality rates for COVID-19.

"Sonica Health is committed to developing advanced sensor solutions focused on the needs of older adults," said Steve Xu, founder & CEO of Sonica Health. "We're fortunate to already be working with BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) to address the COVID-19 pandemicthis competitive and prestigious prize only highly motivates us to push forward. We're going to be using the $10,000 to donate sensors for a study to monitor nursing home patients in the early fall in collaboration with Northwestern University."

The submissions represented a diverse group of international companies including the U.S., Canada and Israel as well as diverse leadership within the companies with multicultural and gender equality among the CEOs. More than half of the competing entries focused on social isolation, one-third focused on virtual care telehealth, AI and voice enabled technologies, and predictive analysis and chronic care management, which included the winning submission.

Finalists presented in a virtual environment for the expert including: AARP Innovation Labs, Ziegler LinkAge Fund, CommonSpirit Health, Nationwide Ventures and the Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI). The other five finalists were: Happy, Briocare, second runner up Flowly and first runner up Singular Hearing, who also won the AARP Innovation Challenge at the conference.

"As a sponsor of the What's Next Longevity Venture Summit for the last 7 years, the caliber of business plan submissions is at such a high level that we have made numerous investments in companies that have grown out of this competition and conference," said John Hopper, Chief Investment Officer of the Ziegler LinkAge Fund, and one of this year's judging panel. "This year was especially inspiring given the urgency of addressing the pandemic for our older population."

Find more information about the What's Next Longevity Innovation Summit focused on the Washington, D.C. world of innovation, regulatory challenges and public/private government partnerships in the longevity economy visit: https://washingtoninnovationsummit.com/.

Media Contact:

Mary Furlong

(925) 323-0312

[email protected]

Press Contact for Sonica Health

[email protected]

SOURCE Mary Furlong & Associates
The police in Kano State say they have recovered 1,958 cartons of noodles suspected to have been diverted from Benue States portion of palliatives donated during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Commissioner of Police, Habu Sani, disclosed this at a news conference on Wednesday in Kano.

He said the command also arrested 259 suspected criminals.

The police boss disclosed that the command recovered 150 expired Coca Cola drinks worth N150,000.

Mr Sani said the arrests were made between July 23 and September 8. He noted that the suspects were arrested at different times and locations within the period under review in the state.

With sustained Puff-Adder Operations, community policing engagement and other crime fighting strategies, the command has to execute its policing mandate.

1,958 out of the 3,850 cartons of Dangote branded indomie noodles meant for Benue State palliative tagged CACOVID-19 valued N4,111,800 recovered out of 3,850 cartons diverted and sold out, he said.

Suspects

Mr Sani said the suspects include 45 suspected armed robbers, eight members of a kidnapping gang, 14 motor vehicle thieves, seven tricycle thieves and 14 motorcycle thieves.

Other suspects arrested include eight drug dealers, 28 fraudsters and 146 thugs. He said the command also rescued four victims of solitary confinement and freed five captives from kidnappers.

The command recovered 10 rifles including one AK 47 rifle; two pistols, four locally made guns, three locally made pistols, 79 live ammunition and 84 knives.

Other recovered items include 13 vehicles, seven tricycles, jine motorcycles, and 914 percels of dried leaves suspected to be indian hemp weighing 548.4kg valued N4.5 million.

Also recovered were three jerry cans containing narcotics, four cartons of rubber solution and 200 cartons of suspected fake cold drugs without NAFDAC number valued at N4 million, 82 bottles of codeine syrup, 73 cellphones, one Point of Sale (PoS) device, 985 used MTN SIM cards and 469 used SIM cards among others, he said.
The Treasury Department also announced sanctions against three employees of the Internet Research Agency, a troll farm based in Russia that spread disinformation on social media as part of the Kremlins election interference campaign in 2016.

While Mr. Mnuchin has been steadfast in his loyalty to President Trump, the sanctions in some ways put them at odds on an issue of great significance to the president.

Mr. Trump has pushed unsubstantiated claims that Mr. Biden used his position as vice president to pressure the Ukrainian government to protect his son, who served on the board of a gas company owned by an oligarch who was widely seen as corrupt. A campaign waged by Mr. Trump and his personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate the matter led to the presidents impeachment last year by the House of Representatives.

But Mr. Trump has continued calling attention to the issue, including promoting some of the material released by Mr. Derkach as recently as last month. Mr. Giuliani met with Mr. Derkach in December in Kyiv during a trip intended to collect damaging information about the Bidens, first reported by The New York Times.

Mr. Giuliani said in an interview Thursday night that he felt comfortable meeting with Mr. Derkach because there were no sanctions against him at the time. While he acknowledged that he didnt do much investigation of Mr. Derkach, Mr. Giuliani said: I have no reason to believe he is a Russian agent. There is nothing I saw that said he was a Russian agent. There is nothing he gave me that seemed to come from Russia at all. But he added, How the hell would I know?
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is partnering the security agencies to crack down on rogue websites operating in the country.

The examination body has submitted details of more than 21 such websites to the security agencies for tracking to bring those behind them to book.



Ghana's Political History - 70th Anniversary Photo Exhibition

Also included in the report to the security agencies is the harm those websites are causing to the future generation and the nation as a whole.



The Head of the National Office of WAEC, Mrs. Wendy Enyonam Addy-Lamptey, told the Daily Graphic that the websites became active anytime the council's examinations were about to be written.



Most of the websites, she said, had over 60,000 followers, majority of them students, for which reason it is easier for them to lure the students with their fake question papers.



Names of rogue websites



Mrs. Addy-Lamptey recalled that this year, shortly after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had announced the reopening of schools for final-year JHS and SHS students to prepare for their BECE and WASSCE, respectively, as many as 21 of such websites sprang up, with interesting and attractive names.



She mentioned some of the names as: WAEC Exams Room, WAEC - Seekers Exams Leaks, WAEC Pass Examination, WASSCE Results Upgrade, WAEC for 2020, West Africa Exams Links and WAEC Secret Room.



Others are WAEC Spark WAEC, Ghana Education News, WAEC Update, WAEC 2020, WAEC Authentic Hub, WAEC Ghana, WAEC Union, etc.



Flashback: Some students writing a WASSCE paper



What they do



Mrs. Addy-Lamptey said the activities of those websites included the publication of fake examination papers, fake answers to supposed examination questions, fake examination timetables, deceit of unsuspecting candidates, and the public to upgrade their examination results, among others.



She said some of the website operators used Facebook to advertise their websites, set up WhatsApp platforms and set up links with other sites, while others introduced themselves as either typists at WAEC or having direct links with the WAEC strong room.



To make their activities seem authentic, she said, some of them had links with teachers who were invigilators and supervisors, and sadly enough, those examination officials take snap shots of the papers after distribution and send them to the website operators, who upload them onto their websites.



Vital information



Mrs. Addy-Lamptey said WAEC had been able to obtain the contact numbers of the operators and some other details that should make it easier for the security agencies to track them down.



She said a crackdown and subsequent blockade of such websites would minimise the issue of examination malpractice and also save desperate candidates and their parents who ended up parting with huge sums of money for supposedly leaked papers, which often ended up being fake.



WhatsApp platforms



She expressed the belief that if those websites were blocked, the operators would not be able to get the students to extort money from them, in the name of providing them with authentic examination papers.



Mrs. Addy-Lamptey revealed that some of those operators had WhatsApp platforms where most of the students were linked up to and, therefore, advised those students to exit those platforms because when the operators were apprehended, all those on the platforms would be in trouble.



She advised people to exit platforms when they were not sure of the intentions of the administrators, since such platforms could be used for criminal activities.



Threat to credible examinations



She described those websites and their activities as the greatest threat to the credibility of the certificates issued by WAEC and, therefore, advised examination candidates to desist from dealing with such websites and feel free to contact WAEC offices or the WAEC website: www.waecgh.org, for any assistance.



She also asked for the collective support of parents, invigilators, supervisors, and all those who had a role to play in the writing of examinations to help ensure that we have credible examinations.



Advice to candidates



Mrs. Addy-Lamptey noted that candidates who prepared well ahead of examinations did not worry themselves looking for illicit assistance, locally known as apo, and, therefore, advised candidates to always prepare.



She reminded the candidates that even if they managed to engage in examination malpractice, the council had a way of determining whether a candidate had cheated or not.



She expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and particularly National Security for the enormous support rendered to the council.

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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The boss of retail giant Myer is the latest business leader to slam under-fire Daniel Andrews over his roadmap out of lockdown as his popularity as Victorian premier plummets.

A new poll has revealed Labor would lose the state election if it was held today over the premier's handling of the state's horror second wave of coronavirus in Melbourne.

A MediaReach poll of more than 3,000 voters in five marginal Labor seats, including the electorate of Deputy Premier James Merlino, revealed they would all be lost.

Labor would lose the state election with Liberals well ahead with 61.18 per cent of the vote on a two party-preferred basis, recording a 14 per cent swing against Labor since their big win at the 2018 election.

Myer chief executice John King (pictured with actress Asher Keddie in 2019) has slammed Daniel Andrews' roadmap out of lockdown

While Premier Andrews would narrowly hang on as the preferred premier with 38.9 per cent, Opposition Leader Michael OBrien is breathing down his neck at 37.5 per cent.

Another 23.6 per cent of polled voters remain undecided.

If the 14 per cent swing against Labor is replicated statewide at the next election in two years time, the government would lose 30 seats, including Mr Andrews own electorate.

Myer chief executive John King is the latest business leader to slam Premier Andrews over his road map out of lockdown released on Sunday.

The road map proposes non-essential retailers remain closed until October 26, which Mr King believes will have devastating consequences for hundreds of businesses.

Daniel Andrews (pictured) faced more tough questions from the media on Thursday as his popularity plummets

He believes a delayed reopening of retail will result in more crowded stores in the lead up to Christmas, sparking potential fears of a third wave of the virus which has claimed more than 700 lives in Victoria.

'We need a supercomputer with common sense attached,' Mr King told the Herald Sun.

'I think we should have a staged release of a lot of businesses.'

Mr King described the government's consultation with businesses as a 'box-ticking exercise.'

'It was the government just collecting and disseminating information as opposed to a consultation,' he told the publication.

'We all found it very frustrating.'

Myer stores in Melbourne will remain closed until October 26 under the Premier's roadmap out of lockdown. Pictured is a deserted Bourke Street Mall on September 3

His comments come after CSL chairman Brian McNamee described Mr Andrews' strategy as a crushing policy for Melbourne.

The Melbourne businessman says he doesn't know anyone who supports Premier Andrews' strict stage four lockdown and his 'road map' to ending restrictions.

'It's a map for misery for Victoria. Why do I say that? There's so many factors that influence that,' Mr McNamee told the Herald Sun earlier this week.

'First of all the modelling is too narrow in the context they're looking for. Your model is only as good as your inputs and what you are trying to achieve with that model.'

Melbourne will remain under stage four lockdowns until at least September 28. Pictured are police patrolling Melbourne's CBD on Thursday

Premier Andrews has also been slammed by Australian Workers' Union state secretary Ben Davis, Kmart Group managing director Ian Bailey, Harvey Norman chairman Gerry Harvey, Australian Retailers Association chief Paul Zahra and Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp over his roadmap.

Australian's second largest city will remain in stage four lockdown until at least September 28 after Premier Andrews extended it by two weeks on Sunday.

Regional Victoria remains under stage three restrictions which allows residents to leave home for essential purposes.

Victoria recorded 43 new cases and nine more deaths on Friday.

The boss of retail Myer called for a staged reopening of retail businesses . Pictured is a closed Myer store in Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall on Wednesday
Filipinos are outraged by racist comments from several internet users in Korea during a row triggered by a tattoo of 19-year-old Filipina TikTok star Bella Poarch. /Screen capture from Bella Poarch's TikTok



By Lee Hyo-jin



Social media users in the Philippines appear to have been angered by racist comments made by some internet users in Korea during a row triggered by a tattoo of Filipina American TikTok star Bella Poarch.



Poarch, a U.S.-born social media influencer, 19, has over 15 million followers on TikTok and more than 2.4 million followers on Instagram.



The controversy began with Poarch's TikTok video of her dancing uploaded on Sept. 5. In the video, a tattoo on her left arm with the pattern of the Rising Sun flag was revealed to millions of viewers.



The flag, which was widely used by Imperial Japan during World War II, to some symbolizes the country's wartime aggressions. It is perceived as highly offensive to Koreans as it harkens back of the tragic history of Japan's 1910-45 occupation of the Korean Peninsula.






In this age of instant communication, Barbara Heller loves letters. She loves to get letters, and she loves to write letters.

A letter is a physical manifestation of that connection between the writer and the recipient, she said, and is proof that someone was thinking about you enough to commit those thoughts to paper and put them in the mail.

For the recipient, she said, there is that joy of opening the mailbox and seeing the handwriting of a friend or family member.

Heller, who lives in Uptown New Orleans, is a passionate fan of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austens comedy of money and manners in 19th-century England.

After what she called her gazillionth reading of Austens classic several years ago, Heller got an idea: Wouldnt it be cool to let readers see period-appropriate approximations of the letters that Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Collins and the other characters wrote?

That, she said, was the genesis of a project that would dominate her life for three years, requiring frequent trips to two major New York City research institutions; the hiring of four calligraphers  she calls them scribes  to write the letters; and deep dives into such arcane subjects as paper stock, English postal history and the art of folding and sealing a letter.

This version of Pride and Prejudice (Chronicle Books, $40), which is being issued Tuesday, Sept. 15, features 19 authentic-looking, intricately folded handwritten letters in glassine envelopes that are inserted at appropriate spots in the text.

Correspondence is tremendously important in "Pride and Prejudice," said Molly Rothenberg, a professor of English at Tulane University.

The letters advance the plot by telling characters what they need to know, she said, and they let characters engage as they write in what Rothenberg calls self-revelation deep from the heart.

Im really pleased with the result, Heller said. I love the glassine envelopes and the rustling sound when you pull the letters out.

BOOK SIGNING A Covid-safe event with Barbara Heller WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20 WHERE: Octavia Books 513 Octavia St., New Orleans INFO: (504) 899-7323

Heller, a graduate of Metairie Park Country Day School and Brown University, where she majored in English literature, has been a set decorator in New York City for movies and television programs. When the coronavirus pandemic struck, she and her son, Tobias, moved into her mothers New Orleans house; they plan to stay through the fall semester.

Heller is billed as the projects curator, meaning she was responsible for everything except Austens prose.

Her first task was to hire calligraphers who would be willing not only to write like 19th-century Britons but also to write in character.

Finding the right writers was like casting a play, Heller said. The process took months, she said, and some scribes had to be fired.

I needed people who were experienced with pen and ink who had a love of writing, Heller said. It was important to (make the writing) have a sense of character rather than being just beautiful.

Expressing character through penmanship was vital, Heller said. She cited no less an authority than Austen herself, who said Mr. Bingleys careless handwriting reflected the hasty way in which he made decisions.

People judge handwriting the way they judge how you dress, Heller said. Its another way you critique someone. My handwriting is so abysmal that I hate to think what it says about me.

One scribe who met Hellers standards was Anna Pinto, who wrote Elizabeth and Lydia Bennets letters, as well as one by their father. She also penned the title for the books cover.

This assignment was a departure for Pinto, who creates calligraphy for television shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and awards, including one that Union Theological Seminary gave Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Working on the book was a lot of fun, said Pinto, who lives in Hoboken, New Jersey. I wondered whether I could do it because the particular style that was popular at the time was a very formal script, and I dont do that. Then I realized we were talking about people who were writing. They didnt all write beautifully, so I figured I could handle this as long as its in the spirit.

She already had a model for Elizabeth Bennets handwriting: Austens own script, which is on view in her letters at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City.

Pinto had more leeway in deciding how the other characters would express themselves. In deciding upon Lydia Bennets penmanship, Pinto said she regarded her as a flighty teenager, so I tried to think of how a flighty teenager in the 1800s would be writing. Obviously, she wouldnt dot her is with little circles, but I tried to come up with something similar  very feminine, with plenty of curlicues.

When most people see calligraphy on invitations and diplomas, they see flawless penmanship. But like hand-written letters of any era, the actual letters of the time were not perfect. It wasnt that way at all, Heller said, adding that the letters she saw at the Morgan Library were often dashed off and kind of messy.

Even calligraphers make mistakes, Pinto said, and in this book, so do the characters. Deliberately.

That was a good thing to include, she said. People cross out and misspell, and often the characters are writing in haste or in a high emotional state.

Then there was the folding. Before putting quill pen to paper, Austens characters  and the 21st-century scribes  had to figure out where to put the address on the page, because postal envelopes were not yet in use. Consequently, preparing a letter included a complicated origami-like process of folding and refolding the paper and then tucking one flap in, so that the address showed, before it was sealed.

Even though Heller based such details on exhaustive research, I had nightmares about getting emails from people saying, You got it wrong, she said. I got it as accurate as a fictional letter can get.

As a result of this book, Heller said she has been approached about giving a similar treatment to Little Women.

In sizing up what she and the scribes have accomplished with Pride and Prejudice, Heller said, I read those letters a thousand times, and every time, I was re-engaged and awed by (Austens) genius. Taken together, the letters tell the story of the novel.

************************

Book signing

A COVID-safe book signing with Barbara Heller

2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20

Octavia Books

513 Octavia St., New Orleans

(504) 899-7323

+3 Rob Nelson, former New Orleans newsman, will help to launch national news show in Chicago New Orleans first got to know Rob Nelson when he was a reporter for The Times-Picayune, before he moved on to television  first at WWL-TV and
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Partly to mostly sunny, brisk, and very cold. Below zero wind chills in the morning. .

Tonight

Partly cloudy and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills again late at night towards sunrise.
Franck Keyser, Ship Management, V.Ships: Maersk Etienne situation

The situation on board the Maersk Etienne calls for politicians and governments to take immediate responsibility.

While it is great to see the Danish government working hard to ensure the safety of the 27 refugees picked up by Maersk Etienne it is with a mixture of disappointment and frustration that we witness the situation. The captain and his crew on board Maersk Etienne have followed the ethics of every professional seafarer in the world and rendered assistance to those in peril at sea. It is not only a key part of the seafarers morale compass but also required by international law. Put simply, theses seafarers did the only right thing to do. The result of being a good global citizen is now that the owners of the vessels are paying a high cost for their representatives adhering to the law and the seafarers code of conduct. Lets be clear, this is a human rights issue and it is disappointing to see the indifference coming from certain parties involved. It is shameful to see that the human rights of refugees and the 21 seafarers involved are being ignored and that they are being sacrificed for the sake of not wanting to create precedents. It is in situations like these that the maritime community needs to have trust in those that the industry serves to ensure they are not left in limbo, as they are now. The fate of Maersk Etienne represents a dangerous precedent for creating a new heartless attitude at sea, an attitude where it does not pay to be a professional and decent seafarer and human being. Turning a blind eye to fellow human beings in distress at seas MUST NEVER become an acceptable act. That would be detrimental for the whole morale codex at sea and truly negatively impact the trust between people that international trade promotes. We are calling for governments to take actions and let the refugees on board Maersk Etienne come ashore and have their situation resolved by the proper authorities and let the captain and his crew commence their voyage.




Joe Biden delivering his pandemic-era speech yesterday in Warren, Mich.

What are the consequences of voting twice, anyway?

One woman in Dothan, Ala., filled out extra absentee ballots to help elect her boyfriend. A man in Rochester, N.Y., voted twice because a bar was giving free beer to people with I Voted stickers. A woman in Des Moines filled out two absentee ballots in 2016, she said, because President Trump had hinted that her first ballot would be altered to count for Hillary Clinton.

Even though voting more than once is rare, a few cases make headlines. Leaning on those, Trump stirred fear and confusion about voter fraud on the campaign trail in 2016, and hes at it again this year, repeatedly sounding alarms that one of the most fundamental pillars of democracy  voting  will be mired in fraud.

He has pointed in particular to increased reliance on mail ballots during the pandemic and the possibility (which experts say is slim) that large numbers of people might misuse them. Trump even advised North Carolina voters to test the election systems integrity by filing a mail ballot, then showing up at the polls to vote.
Enbridges Line 5 will once again operate at full strength. The east leg of the dual pipeline that carries oil and natural gas liquids under the Straits of Mackinac had been shut down since June.

The decision to allow the restart of the east segment of Line 5 is very positive for the many residents and businesses in Michigan and the Great Lakes region who depend on the energy Line 5 delivers," said Vern Yu, Executive Vice President and President of Liquids at Enbridge.

"Enbridge will continue to focus on the safe operation of the dual Line 5 pipelines at the Straits of Mackinac, ensuring the Great Lakes are protected while also reliably delivering the energy and feedstock that helps to fuel Michigans and the regions economy.

On May 26, Enbridge revealed that there were spots on the pipeline where protective coating had worn away and bare metal was exposed. Further damage was discovered in June, this time to an anchor support, though Enbridge said at the time that the damage was only to the anchor support, and not the line itself.

About a week after the additional damage was announced, a judge ordered the entire line be shut down on June 25.

In his order, Ingham County Circuit Court Judge James Jamo wrote that the risk of harm to the Great Lakes and various communities and businesses that rely on the lakes would be not only substantial but also in some respects irreparable.

Jamo later ruled on July 1, that the west leg of the line could reopen while an in-line investigation was conducted on the east leg of the line. An in-line investigation involves sending a device into the pipe to determine if there is any evidence of internal damage.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration conducted the investigation and found, no integrity issues" and stated it has no objection to Enbridge restarting the east leg of Line 5 according to an exhibit in court filings.

But environmental groups do have an objection to opening the east leg, and for the continued running of Line 5.

When it comes down to it, Line 5 should not be operational anymore, said Beth Wallace of the National Wildlife Federation.

Theres so much thats out of their control and so much at risk. And so at this point Line 5 really just needs to be shutdown, she said.

The 67-year-old pipeline runs from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario through Michigan.

The U.S. Coast Guard recently sent a letter to environmental groups stating that the damage came from vessels contracted by Enbridge. Enbridge had previously stated that this was a possibility it was exploring.

We now know that Enbridge likely caused the damage inflicted to Line 5, and there is simply no way that these pipelines can be operated safely in the Straits of Mackinac, said Sean McBrearty of Clean Water Action.

The state and Enbridge have been in a contentious legal battle over the life of Line 5 for more than a year.

In 2018, Enbridge struck a deal with then-governor Rick Snyder to build a tunnel under the straits, and house a new section of line in the tunnel.

Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit in June 2019 asking that the line be shut down immediately. The lawsuit claims that the continued operation of Line 5 violates the public trust doctrine, is a common law public nuisance, and violates the Michigan Environmental Protection Act because it is likely to cause pollution impairment and destruction of water and other natural resources.

Enbridge has always maintained that the 65-year old line is operating safely and in accordance with its 1953 Easement with the state.

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Boris Lozhkin has summed up the results of KJF 2020 and announced holding the third Forum

Some of you were present at the opening of the Kyiv Jewish Forum last year. This year, having organized the forum online, we held it at your home and attracted even more participants, said the President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine (JCU) Boris Lozhkin, closing KJF 2020 and addressing its participants and observers.

Lozhkin stated that the Jewish concept of debates and the art of arguing is a unique phenomenon, the roots of which can be found already in the Talmudic tradition.

According to the Jewish tradition, students must always challenge their teachers and learn both to agree and disagree in a respectful and constructive manner, in order to move together towards the truth, he said.

According to him, over the past decade, we have witnessed a dangerous growth of political and social polarization in the world; people listen and hear each other less with every day; weve grown accustomed more to screams than to words in a normal voice.

As history shows, the first victims of intolerance and hatred are always Jews, Lozhkin noted.

In his closing speech, he announced holding the third Kyiv Jewish Forum.

As you know, Kyiv Jewish Forum 2020 has been organized by the JCU in partnership with the Jerusalem Post and was held online on September 8-9. Among the forum participants have been the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Alternate Prime Minister of Israel Benny Gantz, World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, human rights activist Natan Sharansky and other famous personalities.
I think its a scary time because were not only divided, but were divided in deadly ways. The future is certainly open, but there are a number of different paths we can take and I hope we dont pick a dark one," Linenthal said.
A traffic sign directs people towards a temporary testing centre. (Getty)

All students living in college accommodation at Cambridge University are to be offered weekly COVID-19 tests after term starts on 8 October.

Boris Johnson has urged universities to push on with their academic year despite the coronavirus threat  but Cambridge said it would go beyond government guidance and offer testing to students even if they show no symptoms.

It comes as health secretary Matt Hancock said on Wednesday that people should only have coronavirus tests if they show symptoms so that supply can stay ahead of demand.

Sign informing the public about the closure of Trinity College after Cambridge University announced that there will be no face-to-face lectures in the next academic year. (SOPA Images/Sipa USA/PA)

But Cambridge says its testing programme, which is voluntary, is necessary to stop any potential spread.

Sample swabs, from the nose and throat, will be pooled by college household, allowing the university to reduce the number of tests required to some 2,000 per week.

If a pooled household test is positive, students in the household will be offered individual tests.

Cambridge vice-chancellor Stephen J Toope said in a statement: We look forward to welcoming our students back to Cambridge and want to reassure them  and the wider local community  that we are doing everything we can to make sure they feel safe and supported while they are here.

This screening programme is just one of a number of measures that we are putting in place to keep our university and city safe.

Professor Patrick Maxwell added: Offering testing to all students in college accommodation, who make up the majority of our student population, will help us reduce the risk of outbreaks by identifying individuals who will often not be aware that they are infected.

In addition to the asymptomatic screening programme, the university is providing COVID-19 testing free of charge to any member of the university displaying symptoms, along with members of their household, and any student showing possible symptoms should use these facilities.

The moves come as the prime minister called on universities to not send students home in the event of an outbreak, and pleaded with students not to socialise in groups of more than six.

Story continues

Johnson told a press conference that the Department for Education would issue updated guidance on how universities can remain open in a COVID-secure way.

Boris Johnson speaks following the announcement that the legal limit on social gatherings is set to be reduced from 30 people to six. (AP)

This will include a request not to send students home in the event of an outbreak so as to avoid spreading the virus across the country, he said.

The prime ministers plea comes after scientific advisers warned significant outbreaks of coronavirus linked to universities were highly likely and risk amplifying the transmission of the disease across the country.

Yahoo News UK has contacted Cambridge University for a further comment.

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New Delhi: India's exports during the first week of September jumped 13.35 per cent year-on-year to 6.12 billion dollars, officials data released on Thursday showed.

At the same time, imports declined by 21.37 per cent to 6.85 billion dollars. Consequently, the deficit during September 1 to 7 worked out to 730 million dollars.



The exports of non-petroleum products totalled 5.7 billion dollars in the same period while imports were to the tune of 5.54 billion dollars.

Of these, exports of engineering goods increased by 18 per cent to 254 million dollars, organic and inorganic chemicals by nearly 37 per cent to 146 million dollars, and drugs and pharmaceuticals by 34 per cent to 146 million dollars.

The imports of pulses increased by 101 per cent to 26 million dollars, vegetable oil by 39 per cent to 72 million dollars and electronic goods by 6 per cent to 73 million dollars.

The trends by partner countries showed that exports to China during September 1 to 7 increased by 7.5 per cent to 188 million dollars while exports to the United States increased by 20 per cent to 174 million dollars and to Malaysia by 2.6 per cent to 87 million dollars.

However, imports in the same period from Ghana increased by 1,521 per cent to 49 million dollars, from Angola by 171 per cent to 28 million dollars and from China by 2.7 per cent to 36 million dollars.

There was a decline in exports to the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Belgium and imports from Nigeria, the United States and Iraq.
Parties cutting across the political divide in West Bengal on Thursday evoked Bengali sub-nationalism, asserting that the "vilification campaign"against actor Rhea Chakraborty "proved" Bengalis are a soft target of the BJP, which is looking to cash in on this narrative ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls. Bengali sub-nationalism is also slowly emerging as a rallying cry ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections due next year.

The ruling TMC and opposition Congress and the CPI(M),despite their sharp political differences, have equivocally slammed the saffron party for "using" a Bengali woman as a"soft target" to score brownie points in the run up to the Bihar polls later this year. The BJP leadership, however, has declined to comment on the accusation.

"If someone has committed a crime, the person should be punished as per law. But even before being proven guilty,the kind of vilification campaign that was noticed on social media against Bengali women stems from the hatred for the Bengali community. "The BJP and its frontal organisation have been spearheading this campaign," Chakraborty said.

The TMC said BJP's inherent dislike for Bengalis has again come out in the open due to the Rhea Chakraborty episode. "I feel that as Rhea is a Bengali, she was victimised even before she was proven guilty in court. The vilification campaign once again proves the sheer hatred of the BJP towards the Bengalis. We had witnessed something similar in the Assam NRC, too," senior TMC leader and national spokesperson Saugata Roy said.

On Wednesday, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and newly appointed West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had described her arrest over drug charges as"ludicrous". "Rhea's father is a former military officer who served the nation. Rhea is a Bengali Brahmin lady; justice to actor Sushant Singh Rajput should not be interpreted as justice to a Bihari.

"The father of Rhea is also entitled to demand justice for his kids, trial by media is an ominous portent for our judicial system. Justice for all is one of the basic tenets of our Constitution," he had said in a series of tweets. Chowdhury said Rajput was an Indian actor, but the"BJP turned him into a Bihari actor" only to score electoral brownie points.

"Rhea Chakroborty has been indicted not for abetment of suicide or murder or any economic offences; she has been arrested under NDPS, ludicrous," he said. Narratives themed around 'Bengali pride' and 'natives versus outsiders' are slowly gaining momentum, with various outfits raising the pitch for reservation for domicile Bengalis in jobs and education in the state, where, until a few years ago, cultural sub-nationalism was an alien concept.

The latest to add fuel to the fire was the alleged online vilification of Bengali women in the aftermath of Rajput's death, with many fans of the deceased actor calling his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and others from the community "gold diggers" and "witches". After the electoral reverses in the Lok Sabha polls last year and the rise of the BJP as a prime contender for power, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has often invoked Bengali sub-nationalism, and called the BJP a party of "outsiders".

"The way BJP had attacked Bengali women reflects its hatred for our sisters and daughters. The BJP, which is dreaming of capturing power in Bengal, doesn't have an iota of respect for Bengal or Bengalis," Kaushik Maiti, a senior leader of 'Bangla Pokkho', an organisation fighting for the rights of Bengalis, said. When contacted, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha declined to comment on the matter.

After three days of interrogation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday arrested Chakraborty, 28, in a drugs case linked to Rajput's death, following which she was sent to judicial custody till September 22 by a local court.
A major tragedy was once again aeverted as alert security forces detected an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on North Kashmir highway on Thursday. It is to be noted that this the second IED recovered by security forces by security forces. The IED, which was later defused safely by a Bomb Disposal Squad, was planted near a passenger shed in Chatloora Watergam area of Rafiabad in Baramullah district of Jammu and Kashmir. The IED was detected by a road opening party of security forces.

A police official said, Joint ROP party of police and army Spotted the bag carrying IED near a passenger shed chatloora Watergam in Baramulla district. Soon the BDS ( bomb disposal squad was called,

Bomb disposal squad arrived on the spot immediately to defuse the IED. nearby areas were sealed and traffic was stopped on this road and diverted to other roads while the BDS was defusing the IED.

On September 7, a joint team of police and Army had found some explosive and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in a sand bag under a bridge on Sopore-Kupwara road near Arampora in Jammu and Kashmir.

A Bomb Disposal Squad was immediately called to spot and they defused the IED safely, thus averting a major tragedy. It is to be noted that Sopore-Kupwara road is mostly used for the movement of conveys of army and other security forces. Government sources said that IED was planted to target the vehicles carrying security forces.

Few days ago, security forces had recovered an IED near Tujan village in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The IED was planted beneath a bridge.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  When it comes to California wildfires, it now takes days, not decades, to produce what had been seen as a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Flames from the Cold Springs Canyon Pearl Hill wildfire encroach on Wells Dam, Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, near Azwell, Wash. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review via AP) APAP

Last weekend, a fire burning in Californias Sierra National Forest exploded in size, trapping hundreds of Labor Day holiday campers who could only be rescued by helicopters that made a series of white-knuckle flights into the smoke. Fire officials said theyd never seen a fire move so fast in forestland  15 miles in a day.

Jennifer Steckler walks two horses along state Highway 226 in Lyons, Ore., early Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Steckler had walked them for more than two miles during evacuation from the Santiam Fire. (Mark Ylen/Albany Democrat-Herald via AP) APAP

On Wednesday, a wildfire in Plumas National Forest northeast of San Francisco spread 25 miles in a day and devoured an estimated 400 square miles.

Grain from a collapsed grain elevator burns on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2020, in Pine City, Wash. The grain elevator collapsed when a wildfire swept through town on Monday. (Geoff Crimmins/The Moscow-Pullman Daily News via AP) APAP

In between those events, a massive fire in Monterey County doubled in size overnight, trapping 14 firefighters who had to deploy their emergency shelters; one was critically injured.

In this photo provided by Frederic Larson, the Golden Gate Bridge is seen at 11 a.m. PT, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in San Francisco, amid a smoky, orange hue caused by the ongoing wildfires. (Frederic Larson via AP)AP

They are only the latest examples of what a half-dozen fire experts agreed is more extreme fire behavior driven by drought and warming temperatures they attribute to climate change. Among the most concerning developments is that fast-moving wildfires leave less time for warnings or evacuations.

A steady stream of vehicles heads west on a road east of Springfield, Ore., as residents evacuate the area ahead of a fast-moving wildfire Tuesday Sept. 8, 2020. (Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard via AP) APAP

Recently we have seen multiple fires expand by tens of thousands of acres in a matter of hours, and 30 years or more ago that just wasnt fire behavior that we saw, said Jacob Bendix, a professor of geography and the environment at Syracuse University who studies wildfires.

A decorate lion sculpture is shown charred by fire, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, after a wildfire destroyed homes and outbuildings in Graham, Wash., overnight south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP

Hotter temperatures, longer fire seasons and an estimated 140 million dead trees from a five-year drought mean that fires in California are moving faster and growing larger, said University of Utah fire expert Philip Dennison.

Jim Murray, 59, right, and his friend Greg Reynolds survey Murray's house that was destroyed by wildfire, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Malden, Wash. "I bought this house about 5 years ago to retire here. My grandfather ran the town gas station, was the town cop at one time and was the fire chief," said Murray. "My wife and I planned to retire here but I'm not sure I am going to rebuild. I have a feeling this is going to be a ghost town now." (AP Photo/Jed Conklin) APAP

Mike Flannigan, who directs the Western Partnership for Wildland Fire Science at Canadas University of Alberta, remembers the first report of a fire-created thunderstorm in 1986. They were rare events, and now theyve become commonplace, he said. Its because these fires are higher intensity.

Flames shoot from a window as the Bear Fire burns through the Berry Creek area of Butte County, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)AP

A prime example is the so-called Creek Fire in Sierra National Forest near Yosemite National Park, which exploded through miles of drought- and beetle-killed timber, moving so fast that it trapped hundreds of campers.

A helicopter is on the scene as firefighters respond to a brush fire off Fruit Valley Road and NW Lower River Road in Vancouver, Wash., on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. (Alisha Jucevic/The Columbian via AP) APAP

When you have a fire run 15 miles in one day, in one afternoon, theres no model that can predict that, U.S. Forest Service forester Steve Lohr said. ""The fires are behaving in such a way that weve not seen."

Omar Vega stands with a woman who asked to remain unidentified amid his destroyed homestead after the Pearl Hill Fire roared through on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, near Monse, Wash. Vega said he has another home to stay at, but that the trailer destroyed at this property was too old to insure and would be a total loss. ( Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review via AP) APAP

The phenomenon isnt restricted to California. Doug Grafe, chief of Fire Protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry, said it was unprecedented in his state for fires this week to spread from the crest of the Cascade Mountains into the valleys below, and so quickly, carrying tens of miles in one period of an afternoon and not slowing down in the evening  (there is) absolutely no context for that in this environment.

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2020, file photo, a firefighter battles the Creek Fire as it threatens homes in the Cascadel Woods neighborhood of Madera County, Calif. Climate-connected disasters seem everywhere in the crazy year 2020. But scientists Wednesday, Sept. 9, say it'll get worse. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)AP

California already has seen a record 3,900 square miles burn and its only now is entering what traditionally is the most dangerous time for fires. Labor Day weekend brought record-breaking temperatures across the state that exacerbated what already are drought conditions in a large swath of the state.

Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, center, embraces Malden Mayor Chris Ferrell, left, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020 in front of a burned-out building in Malden, Wash.. Franz toured the town and made the case for more funding for firefighting resources. Most of the buildings in Malden, which is about five miles west of Rosalia, were destroyed by wind-driven wildfire on Labor Day. (Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review via AP) APAP

On Thursday, a Northern California wildfire was threatening thousands of homes after winds whipped it into a monster that incinerated houses in a small mountain community and killed at least three people. University of Colorado-Boulder professor Jennifer Balch said measurements of how quickly the hot, dry air is sucking moisture out of fuels are the highest seen in at least four decades across major parts of the West.

Three chairs are all that remain at the Gates Post office in Gates, Ore., Wednesday Sept 9, 2020. The post office was destroyed along with several other buildings in the Santiam Canyon community as a result of the Santiam Fire. (Mark Ylen/Albany Democrat-Herald via AP) APAP

The abundant dry tinder produces more heat energy, which in turn super-heats the air so it becomes more buoyant and creates a strong updraft that condenses with the smoke plume, creating its own wind to feed that thunderstorm, Flannigan said. The cloud itself is called a pyro-cumulonimbus, which may or may not produce lightning, and strong winds that can pick up burning embers and ignite new fires far in front of the initial blaze.

Firefighters search through the remains of a house destroyed by a wildfire on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Malden, Wash. (AP Photo/Jed Conklin) APAP

An extreme example in July 2018 spun off what was then only the second documented firenado, killing a firefighter as he helped evacuate residents from a fire in the Northern California city of Redding.

In downtown Malden, Washington, the former post office at lower left and another historic building at lower right still smolder Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, the day after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the tiny town west of Rosalia. The town, hit by a wind-driven wildfire Monday that destroy many structures, once thrived when it was on the Milwaukee Road rail line until the railroad went out of business in the late 1970s. (Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review via AP) APAP

Yet just this month a fire north of Lake Tahoe spun off at least two and as many as four firenadoes, while the Plumas National Forest fire appears to have produced a handful overnight Tuesday, said Neil Lareau, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The sun is seen against a sky turned orange with smoke from wildfires as it sets, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, near Sumner, Wash., south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP

The Creek Fire produced at least two firenadoes that appeared to touch down Saturday, he said, one straddling an access road to a popular campground at Mammoth Pool Reservoir where 214 people became trapped.

The Lionshead fire burns near the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

Charred rubble remains after a wildfire decimated the small town of Malden, Wash., Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, destroying an estimated 70% of homes in the northern Whitman County community, The Spokesman-Review reports. (Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review via AP) APAP

Its really kind of a testament to the remarkable extremes that were seeing right now, Lareau said. It really is kind of this vicious cycle that it gets into, and thats when the fire really takes off and becomes these unstoppable infernos.

A firefighter works to put out hotspots, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, after a wildfire destroyed homes and outbuildings in Graham, Wash., overnight south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP

Two California National Guard helicopters called in to rescue the trapped campers Saturday night found visibility deteriorating so swiftly that the crews opted to load their aircraft to the absolute maximum and well beyond normal safety limits in an unprecedented mission.

A house that was destroyed by wildfire is shown Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Malden, Wash. (AP Photo/Jed Conklin) APAP

On one trip, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joseph Rosamond and his three-member crew took on 102 desperate campers in a CH-47 Chinook twin-rotor helicopter designed for 30 passengers. A UH-60 Black Hawk ferried 22 evacuees in a helicopter with a normal operating capacity of 11 or 12 passengers.

In downtown Malden, Washington, what's left of an old gas station still smolders Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, the day after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the tiny town west of Rosalia. Many cars and boats around the building were burned. The town was hit by a wind-driven wildfire Monday that destroyed many structures./The Spokesman-Review via AP) APAP

The overloaded Chinook slowly climbed to 8,000 feet to clear surrounding mountains and dense smoke. It was an absolute emergency and peoples lives were at stake, Rosamond recalled. It was pretty dicey. The charts dont go that high.

Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires leap above Butts Canyon Road on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, as firefighters work to contain the blaze in unincorporated Lake County, Calif.AP Photo/Noah Berger

Such harrowing escapes are only likely to become more common, the experts said. Columbia Universitys Williams said Californias record heat and record acreage burned already this year are part of a trend that has been accelerating for 50 years due to global warming.

Shawn Thornton hugs his wife, Shannon Thornton, next to the rubble of their burned home Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Malden, Washington the day after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the tiny town west of Rosalia. Shawn and Shannon weren't home at the time, but their son Cody was and managed to get their dog and a few belongings before leaving just minutes before the flames swept through. (Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review via AP) APAP

So, while the magnitudes of the current heat wave and the resultant wildfires have been shocking, theyre consistent with what scientists have been predicting for decades, Williams said in an email.
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Linkedin Andrew Marszal (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States  Thu, September 10, 2020 20:09 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4419c7d 2 Entertainment Toronto-Film-Festival,Hollywood Free

Hollywood's annual exodus to Toronto for North America's biggest film festival will be online-only this week, as coronavirus and a closed Canadian border force A-listers to stay home and peddle their upcoming films remotely.

The Toronto International Film Festival typically draws half a million attendees to its celebrity-studded red carpets and diverse lineup of world premieres, which include early Oscars frontrunners looking to spark momentum and unheralded arthouse flicks hoping to find distributors.

This year, even the stars themselves are not on the guest list. Only movie lovers who are already based in town will be able to attend drive-in premieres and socially distanced screenings at a dramatically pared-down festival boasting just 50 feature films on show -- compared with a typical 300-odd.

But organizers insisted the show must go on, and have called on movie legends including Martin Scorsese, Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet to participate in virtual talks and galas, in an unprecedented "hybrid" format starting Thursday.

"We still wanted to do a festival... it's important for our audience, and I think we just all need some inspiration that art can provide," co-head Cameron Bailey told AFP.

"And there's also just the fact that the business of the film industry as well -- the buying and selling of film that happens at our festival and others as well -- needs to continue."

'So much at stake'

Several festivals have been scrapped this year, including the glamorous Cannes and the elite Telluride gathering in Colorado.

At a perilous time for the industry at large, Hollywood productions have been brought to a months-long standstill by COVID-19, and the Oscars themselves postponed.

As a result, Toronto officials announced a collaboration with those fall festivals pushing ahead -- including the ongoing Venice and upcoming New York -- to jointly promote new cinema.

Screenings of hotly Oscar-tipped "Nomadland," starring Frances McDormand, will take place "almost simultaneously" on Friday at Toronto and Venice -- which would normally compete for world premieres -- said Bailey.

"It didn't make sense to be competitive this year, with so much at stake," he said, calling the film about transient older Americans roaming the Midwest in search of seasonal jobs a "wonderful story" featuring "certainly one of the best performances I've seen all year."

Other buzzy award season titles airing at Toronto include Winslet's 19th century lesbian romance "Ammonite," Idris Elba's neo-Western family drama "Concrete Cowboy" and Regina King's racial politics adaptation "One Night in Miami."

Winslet will receive the festival's second annual achievement award along with Anthony Hopkins -- whose acclaimed dementia drama "The Father" also screens -- and rising "Nomadland" director Chloe Zhao.

Read also: No Hollywood ending for flood- and virus-haunted Venice

'Resonating'

The festival in Canada's largest city is often seen as a key step on the journey to Oscar glory -- recent best picture winners including "Green Book" and "The Shape of Water" emerged as frontrunners at Toronto.

Last year, Taika Waititi's Nazi satire "Jojo Rabbit" received a major boost by winning the Toronto People's Choice Award. It went on to bag six Oscar nominations including a best adapted screenplay win.

TIFF will open this year with Spike Lee's latest film, a timely movie adaptation of "David Byrne's American Utopia."

Documenting the former Talking Heads frontman's Broadway show and album of the same name, the film addresses issues including police violence and anti-black racism.

Lee "has been a vocal artist on so many issues over the years -- it feels like this year in particular, what he's been saying for decades is resonating with a lot more people," said Bailey.

TIFF runs through September 20.
The police in Lagos have arrested 14 protesters who were marching in Lagos in protest against the deregistration of political parties and increase in fuel price and electricity tariff.

Four journalists, who were covering the protest, were also arrested and taken to the state police command in Ikeja.

The protest was organised by the Socialist Party of Nigeria; the group is demanding a reversal in the actions of the government.

Some of the arrested protesters include Dagga Tolar, SPN NEC member; Chinedu Bosah, SPN National Secretary; Hassan Taiwo Soweto, SPN National Youth Leader, and 11 others.

The arrested journalists are Ifeoluwa Adediran of PREMIUM TIMES, Abiodun Ayeoba of Sahara Reporters; Awoniyi Oluwatosin of ObjecTV media, and Daniel Tanimu of Galaxy TV whose camera was seized.

Some of the journalists phones were also seized, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

In its reaction, the Joint Action Front condemned the arrests and demanded the release of the protesters unconditionally.

The attention of the Joint Action Front (JAF) has just been drawn to the illegal arrest of several comrades of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) by police and security operatives of the Area C Command. Journalists who were covering the event were also arrested alongside the leaders and members of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) for protesting this morning against fuel price hike, electricity tariff and the deregistration of SPN, Abiodun Aremu, the JAF secretary, said in the statement.

The arrested include Comrades Ayo Ademiluyi, Duro, Engels, Davinovich and several others.

JAF hereby demands the immediate and unconditional release of all the arrested comrades and the journalists who did no wrong exercising their legitimate and constitutional rights of expression and protest.
Locals catch fleeing Playa del Carmen thief

Playa del Carmen, Q.R.  An alleged thief was physically assaulted by an angry mob of citizens after attempting to rob a store with a toy gun. The incident occurred in central Playa del Carmen around 7:00 p.m. when Emergency 911 received a report citing a group of people had surrounded an alleged thief.

The youth was caught by local residents after attempting to rob a small store with a toy gun along 30th Avenue, however, the store owners were not intimidated upon realizing the weapon was fake. When they began to yell for help from other merchants, the youth fled.

He was caught by local residents who physically assaulted him as punishment. Municipal Police arrived to rescue the young man who was left lying on the ground.
BENGALURU : Online food delivery firm Zomato is likely to go for an initial public offering (IPO) in the first half of 2021 and will look at mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the future, founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal told employees in an email on Thursday.

We have raised a lot of money, and today, our cash in the bank ($250m) is more than ever in our history. Tiger Global, Temasek, Baillie Gifford and Ant Financial have already participated in our current round, and there are more big names joining the round  we estimate that our current round will end up with us at $600m in the bank very soon," Goyal said in his email.

Goyal added that while there are no immediate plans on how to spend this money, the cash is being treated as a war-chest for future M&A, and fighting off any mischief or price wars from our competition in various areas of our business."

Mint has reviewed a copy of the email.

Zomato has raised $102 million (or 760 crore) from New-York based investment firm Tiger Global Management, as a part of its ongoing Series J financing, according to regulatory filings.

This investment from Tiger Global comes a week after the Gurugram-based foodtech major closed $62 million from MacRitchie Investments Pte. Ltd., a unit of Singapores state investment arm Temasek Holdings.

A number of ex-Zomans are doing their own startups etc., and wanted to sell their Zomato ESOPs. We have been able to help them in that process. In total, our ex-employees have sold almost $30m ( 225 crore) worth of shares to investors. On an average, people sold their esops at a 4x premium to what those shares were allotted to them back in the day," the email said.

Zomatos latest fundraise comes at a time when the Gurugram-based firm received $50 out of the total investment commitment of $150 million from Chinas Ant Financial in January. Chinese investments in India have gone slow since tension between the two countries escalated in recent months.

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Vice President Mike Pence and top officials from President Donald Trumps campaign are slated to attend a Montana fundraiser next week hosted by a couple who have expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory, according to an event invitation obtained by The Associated Press and a review of social media postings.

The hosts of the fundraiser, Caryn and Michael Borland, have shared QAnon memes and retweeted posts from QAnon accounts, their social media activity shows. The baseless conspiracy theory posits that Trump is fighting entrenched enemies in the government and also involves satanism and child sex trafficking.

Beyond Pence, the Sept. 14 fundraiser in Bozeman, Montana, is expected to draw influential figures in the president's orbit including Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top Trump fundraising official who is dating Donald Trump Jr., GOP chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, Republican National Committee finance chairman Todd Ricketts and RNC co-chairman Tommy Hicks Jr., the event invitation shows.

While many Republicans have dismissed QAnon, the fundraiser is another sign of how the conspiracy theory is gaining a foothold in the party. Trump has hailed Georgia congressional candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene, another QAnon supporter, as a 'future Republican star.'

Fundraiser plans: Caryn and Michael Borland will host top Republicans led by Mike Pence next week in Montana. They two have shared QAnon memes and retweeted posts from QAnon accounts - as well as donating six figures to the cash-strapped Donald Trump campaign and posed with the president

Memes: These are just some of the images posted by Michael Borland on his Twitter account. His Pizzagate claim features infamous British pedophile Jimmy Savile, a celebrity whose prolific child abuse was unmasked after his death, but also after decades of suspicion

The president has refused to condemn QAnon, recently telling reporters that the conspiracy theory is 'gaining in popularity' and that its supporters 'like me very much.'

Representatives for Pence declined to comment on the fundraiser, though the vice president has previously called QAnon a 'conspiracy theory.'

'I don't know anything about QAnon, and I dismiss it out of hand,' he told CBS last month.

Representatives for the Trump campaign didn't immediately comment on the fundraiser.

Caryn and Michael Borland did not return a call seeking comment on the event.

QAnon is a wide-ranging conspiracy fiction spread largely through the internet, centered on the baseless belief that Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the 'deep state' and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals. It is based on cryptic postings by the anonymous 'Q,' purportedly a government insider.

The story has grown to include other long-standing conspiracy theories, gaining traction among some extreme Trump supporters. The movement is often likened to a right-wing cult; some followers have run for office, primarily in the Republican Party, though some have been independent or run as third-party candidates. Trump has refused to say QAnon is false.

The Borlands have shared multiple QAnon social media posts, as well as other discredited conspiracies.

Michael Borland prominently features several QAnon 'Q' logos on his Facebook page. One features a flaming 'Q' with a Christian cross in the middle. He has also shared the QAnon oath as well as its slogan, which states: 'Where We Go One We Go All.'

Cards on the table: Michael Borland's Facebook profile shows his support for QAnon

High-profile guests: The two most senior figures slated to attend the Montana fundraiser are Mike Pence and Kimberly Guilfoyle

VIP guest: The Borlands posted pictures from Donald Trump's RNC speech on the South Lawn, arriving hours before it began for daylight views

Not just Trump: Michael Borland posted proud images of him with Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, at the Trump Hotel in Washington during the RNC

From his Twitter account, which also features the 'Q' logo, he also shared a post that labeled the Black Lives Matter movement 'terrorists' and made his own threat to shoot protesters, according to a June 25 post.

Caryn Borland has retweeted or engaged with QAnon Twitter accounts. In April, she responded to a pro-Trump Tweet from a QAnon account by replying 'Always' with a praying hands emoji.

The couple has donated over $220,000 to Trump's reelection, the bulk of which was made in Caryn Borland's name.

They were guests at the president's renominating convention last month. They posed for photos from the White House South Lawn, including one that shows Michael Alfaro, a Trump fundraiser from Illinois, in the foreground.

Alfaro, who is also slated to attend the Montana fundraiser, responded in the comments: 'Working for the Borland family on South Lawn!'

The couple also said they dined with Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, according to a caption on a Aug. 27 Facebook photo of the couple and Paul.

Michael Borland also posed for a photo that same day with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, Borland's Facebook account shows.

The couple previously posed for a picture with Trump, which Michael Borland posted to Facebook on Dec. 20.
NTA JEE main results 2020: The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to declare the results of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) mains 2020 by Friday, September 11, 2020, on its official website.

After the results are announced, candidates who have appeared in the JEE Mains 2020 examination will be able to check their results online at jeemain.nta.nic.in.

Also Read: JEE Mains results 2020: Steps to check scores

NTA conducted the JEE Mains examination from September 1 to 6, 2020, at various centres spread across the country.

On the basis of the results of the JEE Mains exam, the top shortlisted candidates will be eligible to appear for the JEE-Advanced exam, which is scheduled to be conducted on September 27, 2020.

Also Read: JEE Main Result 2020: How to calculate percentile and All India Rank

The JEE Main for admission to engineering colleges across the country, is conducted twice a year.

The Union Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal recently said that out of the 8.58 lakh candidates who had registered for the JEE (Main) exam, 6.35 lakh candidates appeared in the examination.

Also Read: JEE Main answer key 2020 released, heres direct link to download

How to check JEE Mains 2020 results:

Visit the official website at jeemain.nta.nic.in

On the homepage, click on the link that reads, JEE Mains 2020 results

A new page will appear on the display screen

Key in your credentials and login

The JEE Mains 2020 will be displayed on the screen

Download the results and take its print out for future reference.

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New York, US (PANA) - The erosion of trust in public institutions, unequal access to health care and tensions around delicate peace negotiations, are among the risks amplified by COVID-19, which if not mitigated, could push more countries into violence, the UN political affairs chief told the Security Council on Wednesday
New moderate income housing program could be on the way to Long Beach
Rochester is reeling from the release of body camera footage of the death of Daniel Prude, a Black man suffocated by police upon responding to a mental health call, as nightly protests continue and top brass at the police department announced their retirement amid allegations of a coverup.

Now, protesters and Prudes family are demanding police reform and greater accountability from the department that withheld details of Prudes March death. While the spotlight on the upstate city may be new, its issues with alleged police brutality are not. However, it also has already begun the work of reform.

After years of work by police reform advocates, the Rochester City Council unanimously passed legislation in May 2019 creating the Police Accountability Board, an independent civilian oversight organization that has the power to investigate allegations of police misconduct, hold its own hearings based on the evidence it has gathered. Crucially, it can issue binding disciplinary recommendations, which sets it apart from other civilian oversight boards, including New York Citys Civilian Complaint Review Board. The CCRB has investigatory powers, but it does not hold its own hearings and can only give non-binding recommendations to the police commissioner when it comes to discipline.

Following legislative approval, Rochester voters overwhelmingly approved the Police Accountability Boards creation in a November referendum, officially establishing it in January of this year. I hope that there will be greater attention paid to the Police Accountability Board here in Rochester because it is such a  its a marvel to have 75% to 77% of your population in the city come out to vote for this, Shani Wilson, chair of the Rochester Police Accountability Board, told City & State. The board is not currently involved in the Prude case, though, because it hasnt been entirely set up yet  it still lacks an executive director and the board members must approve its procedures and disciplinary matrix.

Although the report laying out the modern case for the Police Accountability Board came out in February of 2017, the fight for a transparent civilian police oversight agency with teeth in Rochester dates back decades, Ted Forsyth, report author and member of the Police Accountability Board Alliance  a coalition of nearly 100 community groups that signed onto the report and pushed for the board  told City & State. He said the five pillars of accountability  including subpoena power, discipline and the ability to review police patterns to prevent them in the future  that guided the formation of the Police Accountability Board were present in proposals that date back as far as the 1980s, but that lawmakers didnt take action until recently.

Unlike in New York City, in an attempt to maintain complete independence, none of the nine board members are required to have any ties to police or a policing background. Four of the members are appointed by the Police Accountability Board Alliance four by the City Council and one by the mayor. This also differs from New York Citys Civilian Complaint Review Board, which has five board members chosen by the City Council, five by the mayor, three by the police commissioner with police background and none by community groups.

The Police Accountability Board faces institutional resistance from the police. The Rochester Police Locust Club, the citys police union, sued to keep the referendum creating the board off the ballot. While a judge initially ruled in its favor, the city successfully appealed the decision and voters overwhelmingly approved its creation. But the Locust Club did not, suing again to get the new law overturned. After a preliminary injunction in January halting the boards disciplinary power, the same judge ruled in May that the boards ability to issue discipline and to hold hearings violated state law and the city charter. While the rest of the law would not be overturned, the judge said Rochester lawmakers must amend the law by removing the parts deemed illegal.

The city has appealed, and City Council President Loretta Scott said in a statement at the time that the decision negates the will of the citizens of Rochester and that this decision is not the final say. Forsyth, who helped craft the legislation to create the Police Accountability Board said it was carefully worded in order to be in compliance with state law and said that Rochester will absolutely win its appeal. The board will continue to exist either way, but the question is now a matter of how much of its original power is still in place.

Wilson said that the appeal has caused some public confusion about the status of the Police Accountability Board. Because of the appeal, a lot of people  sadly  thought that we had been disbanded, Wilson said. Theres been a lot of misconceptions about the PAB.

Once the board is up and running, it will replace the current police oversight group, the Civilian Review Board, which was established in 1992. Forsyth argued that the existing agency lacks teeth, as it is incapable of conducting its own investigations or issuing discipline. Rather, all civilian complaints of police misconduct, even those made through the Civilian Review Board, are referred to the police departments internal affairs department, which conducts the only investigation. The Civilian Review Board can only review the case after the fact and make recommendations if it disagreed with the findings, which the police chief rarely implements.

Forsyth said the Civilian Review Boards structure effectively set it up for failure, making both discipline and police oversight a major issue for Rochester. According to his report, only 2% of civilian complaints of unnecessary force were sustained by the police chief between 2002 and 2015. In other words, police wrongdoing and potential for discipline was found in only 2% of use of force complaints over a 14-year period. That number increased slightly to 5% sustained by the Civilian Review Board upon review after the fact, but the chief alone doles out discipline. The report compared that to Syracuses Citizen Review Board, which the new Rochester Police Accountability Board is partially modeled on, which sustained 23% of excessive force complaints in 2015. Rochesters rate is closer to Chicago (2%), which is notorious for its lack of police transparency and accountability, the 2017 report reads.

In addition, the report found that over the course of the 14 years of reviewed data, which included several police killings that led to public accusations of misconduct, the most severe discipline issued were six suspensions. This time period included the case of Lawrence Rogers, which has been compared to George Floyds death as video showed police kneeling on Rogers neck during the arrest before he died of asphyxiation. It also bears similarities to Prudes death  it too started as a response to a mental health call. In the case of Richard Gregory Davis who died as a result of being tasered by police in 2015 after a traffic stop  information from his autopsy ruling the death a homicide took 10 months to reach his family, once again reminiscent of the months-long delay in information about Prudes death and the investigation into it. Though Prude died in March, details did not reach the public until his family released body camera footage in September obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request.

In New York City, activists have been pushing for an Elected Complaint Review Board to replace the CCRB. As the name implies, the public would elect members rather than have them appointed by elected officials and the police commissioner. It would also, like Rochesters Police Accountability Board, have the power to order discipline after its investigations. Yet the same year that Rochester was approving an overhaul of its police oversight board, proponents of the Elected Complaint Review Board failed to get its proposal on the ballot as the 2019 New York City Charter Revision Commission considered potential changes to the citys governing document. While voters did approve minor tweaks to the Civilian Complaint Review Board last year, it hardly compares to what Rochester managed, albeit with some ongoing legal hurdles.

Forsyth said that a pretty steady stream of alleged police brutality cases in Rochester has kept the issue at the front of peoples minds. He pointed in particular to press from the case of Christopher Pate, which played out in court around the time the Police Accountability Board legislation was approved and sent to voters. Pate in 2018 had been asked by officers to provide identification while walking in what turned out to be a case of mistaken identity, but the encounter ended with Pate tased, handcuffed and beaten. One of the officers involved was charged, and later found guilty, of assault in a trial that played out in mid-2019. So that happened right as the PAB was gearing up for a referendum, Forsyth said. So it was really this interesting confluence where you had a very informed base of people.

Forsyth added that the Police Accountability Board Alliance, the coalition group, worked tirelessly during that time to get the legislation passed through constant community education and outreach to lawmakers. Wilson said that drive was key to effecting change. Because people were just so tired of being over policed, that they decided to do something in this (Police Accountability Board Alliance, Wilson said. To have a local city, to have a city at all, to have 90 different organizations to just pass one thing forward and actually see that agenda happen is amazing.

But formation of the Police Accountability Board is not the end all for police reform, even if those who pushed for its passage consider it a momentous step forward. On the same day Rochesters police chiefs announced retirement, Prudes family also filed a lawsuit against the city and a number of officers. Among other things, it demands the appointment of a federal monitor to oversee reforms to how the department disciplines officers. Federal monitors for police reform are certainly nothing new  one is still in place in New York City after a 2013 judge ruled that stop-and-frisk was illegal and required the New York City Police Department to phase out its use.

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren has said she is committed to police reforms, and had already been pushing for state legislation that would require officers to live in the communities that they serve prior to Prudes death becoming public.

And criminal justice advocates are demanding broader reforms beyond police oversight as well. At a Wednesday evening town hall held by the anti-racist and police reform advocacy group Free the People Roc, activists spoke about ways to change the structure of police and shift resources to social services. Much of the conversation revolved around getting the appropriately trained people to respond to calls, like a mental health professional in the case of Prude. If I want my car worked on, I dont get my manicurist, Melanie Funchess, director of community engagement for the Mental Health Association of Rochester, said during the virtual town hall. Why is it that when we need someone to do mental health, we call a cop?

Wilson, who also participated in that town hall, wouldnt opine on whether Rochesters formation of the Police Accountability Board and national attention means the city is more likely to implement more sweeping reforms in light of Prudes death. But she said the board will play a crucial part as reform advocates continue to demand change. Of course, these systems created to suppress Black and brown people will continue to do so, Wilson said. When we have outside pressure these systems, I believe, is when they start to change.
Against the grand backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Sino-Portugal Blue Partnership, Hengtong as the general contractor for the submarine power transmission, mobilized the state-of-the-art cable engineering technology, integrated global resources by joining hands with teams from various countries and made numerous technological breakthroughs.

As the world's first semi-submersible offshore wind power generation project with a total of 25 MW of installed capacity in phase one, WFA, once put into use, will provide for the power demand of some 60,000 households in Europe every year.



It is expected that by 2050, renewables will generate all the electric power requirements for Portugal, taking the place of all traditional fuels. With her strong systematic integration capacity, Hengtong wishes to make her contribution in this green energy cause for the sustainable development of mankind.



Portugal is the first western European country to sign the BRI MOU with China. As the westmost European country and the pioneer of the Age of Discovery, Portugal serves as a critical hub at the junction of the land and maritime Silk Roads. Her support of the BRI is of significant symbolic meaning.

In the documentary, H.E. Mr. Cai Run, Chinese Ambassador to Portugal endorses China-Portugal economic and investment cooperation by saying that Chinese enterprises are cooperating with their Portuguese partners not only for commercial purpose, but also for learning from each other in a mutually reinforcing manner.



In this sense, Hengtong is a telling example. Save for the WFA project, Hengtong acquired Alcobre, a Portuguese wire and cable manufacturer in Ovar as early as 2016.

By extending the reach of the humankind beyond "where the earth ends and the ocean begins" (verse from Luis de Camoes, Portuguese national poet) and seeking green energy from the blue ocean, Hengtong adds a tinge of her own color to the "colorful Portugal".

Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1251909/hengtong.mp4

Related Links

htgd.com.cn



SOURCE Hengtong Group
The apocalyptic orange sky in San Francisco Wednesday was the talk of the town  and well beyond. However, many people found their efforts to capture the surreal images stymied, as their iPhones "corrected" the smoke-filled sky to a more natural hue.

The big picture: Smartphone cameras do a great job in many situations thanks to software that automatically tries to improve a shot's composition, focus, and settings like white and color balance. But those adjustments can also get in the way of capturing what's unique about some of life's most vivid images.

After waking up to the orange sky, I first tried to shoot out my back door, but found my iPhone was adjusting the sky to a much more common gray. On social media, I saw lots of others having the same experience with both still and video coming from their phones.

Around midday, I headed to Bernal Heights Park, which overlooks the city, including downtown SF and the Bay Bridge, armed with an iPhone 11 Pro Max, a Pixel 4a, a Galaxy Note 20 and my Canon DSLR.

The Galaxy Note 20 did the best job of the smartphones (see above) at capturing the vivid hues of the sky, but none of the phones came close to what I was able to capture using the Canon.

The one shot where my iPhone was able to capture the sky's hue also included our orange Honda Fit.

Yes, but: In all cases I used the device's default settings. Bloomberg reporter Sarah Frier said she used the app Hallide to avoid the iPhone's color correction.

The bottom line: This was a moment for my Canon to prove that, despite its bulk, it can't always be replaced by a smartphone.

Here's what the view from Bernal Heights Park looked like through my Canon DSLR.

Photo: Ina Fried/Axios

And here is the photo where the iPhone was able to show the orange sky:
Two six-year-old boys from east London who are raising money for charity by selling lemonade have received an unexpected donation - from Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie.

Ayaan Moosa and Mikaeel Ishaaq, now known now as the Lemonaid Boys, from east London, created the lemonade stand in a bid to sell 'lemon for Yemen' after learning about the ongoing conflict and famine.

The ongoing conflict in Yemen saw 23,000 people killed in 2019, with thousands more dead from preventable causes, including malnutrition, disease and poor health.

About 80 per cent of the population - 24million people - are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

The pair's small act of charity exploded in their hometown of Redbridge, with people coming from all over the UK to donate to the cause.

An undated video grab shows Ayaan Moosa (left) and Mikaeel Ishaaq (right) from Redbridge in East London, thanking Angelina Jolie for her donation and holding a letter from the actress herself

Ayaan Moosa (right) and Mikaeel Ishaaq (left) sit behind their lemonade stand in Redbridge, East London

Angelina Jolie is pictured during a film photocall for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil last year. Angelina Jolie has made a 'very generous donation' to two young boys from Redbridge, East London, who are raising money for Yemen by selling lemonade

Ayaan's father, Shakil Moosa, said: 'I remember one man bought a glass of lemonade and a cake and gave 300. That was a lot.

'When the media covered the stand a couple months ago, Angelina Jolie reached out to her representatives in the UK as she wanted to make a contribution and utilise her platform to bring attention to Yemen.'

The dad said he could not disclose the amount the Oscar-winning star of Girl Interrupted, Tomb Raider and Maleficent gave, but said it was 'very generous'.

The letter sent by the actress, who has also performed a role as a UNHCR Special Envoy, said: 'Thank you for what you and your friends are doing to help children in Yemen.

'I'm sorry I'm not able to buy a lemonade from you, but I'd still like to make a donation to your stand.'

Pictured: Ayaan Moosa (left) and Mikaeel Ishaaq (right). Ayaan's father said Angelina sent a letter apologising for not being able to buy the boys' lemonade but offering a 'very generous donation'

Shakil said: 'We are hoping to Facetime in the next couple of weeks just so the boys can thank her. I know that next time she's in London, she's planning on popping down for a lemonade.'

Shakil said the pair's drive to raise money came after he and his wife Adeela showed their son a charity video about Yemen.

The 37-year-old online travel business owner said: 'My wife and I were sat at home and we'd seen some adverts and we'd been reading about the crisis in Yemen online.

'I thought it would be nice to do something but also teach our son the value of charity.

'We showed him an appeal charity video of Yemen and showed him the video and also wanted to get an impression of what he thought.

'So many people shelter their kids but it's the next generation that needs to make a change.

'He was stunned. It was the first time he realised that not everyone has food, water and a cushy home in east London.

Ayaan, Mikaeel and their community have raised thousands for the Yemen crisisAyaan Moosa and Mikaeel Ishaaq set up 'Lemonade for Yemen-Aid'

'He and his best friend love lemonade so they set up a little lemonade stand and hopefully raise a couple of hundred pounds and put it towards charity.'

It is the reaction from young Yemeni children as they receive gifts and parcels paid for with the massive 70,000 they have already raised that has made the boys happiest.

The dad said: 'The charity has gone out and taken pictures of families receiving water and parcels for us.

'You should have seen the boys' faces when we showed them that, they couldn't believe that the money they had raised had done something like that.

'Before he goes to sleep, Ayaan has been asking me to show him the picture of the kids receiving the parcels.

'We've been talking to Unicef who also want to raise awareness about this, and they've sent messages from kids in Yemen who wanted to say thank you to our kids.

'They're going to be doing some pen pal writing.

'I'm so proud. It's brilliant our kids have got heart and compassion. It fills me with pride.

'They're trying to make a difference. The beautiful but sad part of this is that they think they're solving the problems, but of course it's a drop in the ocean.

'But I think they're doing a huge, great, wonderful thing by raising the awareness of what is going on out there.

'What more could you ask for?'

You can donate to the boys' fundraiser on https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lemonaid-boys
A circle of retail life played out on the streets of Portland this summer. The coronavirus is forcing Oui! Wine Bar + Restaurant to close its doors. As Oui exits the Portland wine scene, two Willamette Valley wineries recently set up shop: Erath Winery and Willful Wine Co.

Oui! Wine Bar + Restaurant at the Southeast Wine Collective

Ouis three-year run as a premier food and wine hangout is coming to an end this Saturday, Sept. 12. Winemaker Thomas Monroe calls this final weekend a victory lap for chef Althea Grey Potter and the wine bar. Monroe is partners with Kate Norris in Oui, as well as Division Winemaking Co.

Monroe explains that social distancing requirements Oregons Phase 1 guidelines limited his restaurant and wine bars small interior space to just three tables. Monroe and Norris made that work during the summer months by setting up outdoor tables in their winerys loading zone.

It wasnt enough. Monroe says the lack of tourists this summer meant his businesss wine bar side was down 40% compared to last summer.

It was a slow bleed that was beginning to hurt, Monroe said.

With harvest starting in a few weeks, the loading zone would no longer be an outdoor seating option. Monroe says it would be impossible to process grapes, make wine, and run a restaurant in such a small area while maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols.

We would also be down to three indoor tables, and theres no way we could turn those over enough to offset our costs, Monroe said.

Despite closing their wine bar and restaurant, Monroe and Norris will remain busy. At the end of September, they will begin offering private harvest experience wine tastings inside the Oui space for 2-10 people. Customers may also continue to buy Division wines online and in-person at the collective. Local delivery is also available.

Monroe does not rule out that a wine bar and restaurant will return to the Southeast Wine Collective: Just not in the immediate future. Its a tough time to be a wine bar in Portland right now.

Division Winemaking Co., 2425 S.E. 35th Place, Portland, sewinecollective.com or 503-208-2061.

Erath Winery Tasting Room in the Pearl District

Erath Winery recently found themselves without a tasting room. The lease was up on their old location in the Dundee Hills, and the scramble was on to find a new tasting room. Jennifer Willis, senior guest services manager for Erath, describes finding the property at the corner of NW 15th and NW Marshall as a serendipitous opportunity.

Eraths new Pearl District tasting room inside the Reid pacific Building opens to the public on Thursday, Sept. 10. The tasting rooms 3,000 square foot interior provides five seating options that will allow a maximum of 35 people to occupy the space at any one time. Groups will be limited to six people. Reservations in advance are currently required.

Erath offers their guests wine flights accompanied by charcuterie and cheeses from local vendors. In addition to bottle sales via contactless curbside service, a growler station with numerous on-tap options is also available.

To commemorate their new location, Erath Winery is donating $1 for every bottle sold at their tasting room from September through November to three local organizations: Lift UP, Mudbone Grown and the Regional Arts & Culture Council. Erath will contribute up to $10,000, divided equally, to the organizations.

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, Erath Winery Tasting Room, 1439 N.W. Marshall St., Portland, erath.com or 503- 538-3318.

Willful Wine Co.

After 20 vintages, winemaker Pam Walden finally has her own winery. Waldens new home, located just off Northeast Sandy Boulevard, embraces industrial chic in a business park surrounded by entrepreneurs repairing race cars, baking cookies and roasting coffee beans.

If you have never sipped a Willful wine, you should correct that oversight immediately. Waldens other label, Jezebel, is also worth checking out. The Jezebel Blanc at $15 is always a brilliant summer sipper.

Wine tastings and cheese plates are available for purchase at Willful Wine Co., along with wines by the glass. To help meet social distancing requirements, reservations are requested. Parties are limited to a maximum of eight people.

A great way to meet Walden and check out her new digs is the food and wine pairing workshop shes hosting from 5-7 p.m. this Saturday, September 12. The workshop is also available online. For more details contact the winery.

2-7 p.m. Friday, noon-5 p,m. Saturday, Willful Wine Co., 5705-F N.E. 105th Ave., Portland, willfulwine.com or 503-577-8982.

-- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine.
She showed off her dancing skills when she played Velma in the hit movie Chicago back in 2002.

And Catherine Zeta-Jones showed she still has the moves as she shimmied along to Madness' hit Our House in an Instagram clip on Thursday.

The Welsh actress, 50, cut a stylish figure in a giant fedora hat and a patterned maxi dress as she filmed herself dancing outside.

Groovy: Catherine Zeta-Jones showed she still has the moves as she shimmied along to Madness' hit Our House in an Instagram clip on Thursday

Catherine appeared in her element as she used the hat as a prop while grooving to the beat.

The actress captioned the video: 'Madness, the band, who I love. A hat, I love, and a house.'

Catherine has been enjoying summer amid the coronavirus pandemic with her son Dylan, 20, and daughter Carys, 17.

Work it: The Welsh actress, 50, cut a stylish figure in a giant fedora hat and a patterned maxi dress as she filmed herself dancing outside

Our house: Catherine appeared in her element as she used the hat as a prop while grooving to the beat

And on Wednesday, the Bugsy Malone star appeared in a sentimental mood as she uploaded a snap of the youngsters before they head back to school.

In the photo, a fresh-faced Carys rests her arm and chin on her brother's back, while a shirtless Dylan gives a straight faced look at the camera.

'Summer officially over in our family,' she wrote in the caption. 'Today both our young adults go back to studying.'

She went on to comment on the new ways schools are coping with the pandemic usually in online or staggered ways.

Music fan: The actress captioned the video: 'Madness, the band, who I love. A hat, I love, and a house

She's got the movesL At one point the Hollywood star pointed to the camera

Prop: Catherine tilted her hat as she danced around

She told her kids, Dylan who attends Brown University, and Carys who is still in high school just turning 17-years-old in April, 'I love you both.'

The Mask of Zorro actress sent a message saying: 'and to all kids out there. Knowledge is the key to life. So battle through. This too shall pass.'

Catherine shares both of her children with her husband of nearly 20 years, Michael Douglas, 75, who was recently nominated for two Emmy's for acting and producing in Netflix's The Kominsky Method.

Summers over: Catherine has been enjoying summer amid the coronavirus pandemic with her son Dylan, 20, and daughter Carys, 17

Catherine, Michael and Carys recently enjoyed a vacation in Mallorca, Spain, in August.

The couple will reach their 20-year milestone on November 18, and in a recent interview with PEOPLE Magazine, the Welsh actress revealed it will be a strictly socially-distanced affair due to coronavirus.

'We won't be doing any great big party,' Catherine tells the publication. 'Not that I'm a big party fan anyway. It would be nice to get all our friends together in one space, but we're not doing that until we're completely out of the woods.

'So I will raise my mask and let my husband passionately kiss me, then I will put it firmly back on.'
Tokyo, Sep 10 : Yukio Edano on Thursday was named leader of Japan's new main opposition party that will be formed through a merger in a bid to better challenge the ruling coalition.

Edano, 56, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), beat the only other candidate in the leadership race, Kenta Izumi, 46, the policy chief of the second-largest opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPP), reports Xinhua news agency.

The merger of the two parties, which will be formed by the merger of the CDPJ and the DPP, is slated for September 15.

Along with a number of independent politicians joining, the party, which is pitching itself as to mount a united front against the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition, will have 149 lawmakers, .

Edano's new party will see some high-profile lawmakers in its ranks, including Ichiro Ozawa, a highly-influential veteran lawmaker, as well as former prime ministers Naoto Kan and Yoshihiko Noda.

In light of speculation the lower house of parliament could be dissolved in as early as October for a snap election, Edano will have to swiftly try and garner as much public support as possible.

Edano became a familiar face among the public here as he served the country's top government spokesperson during the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis and regularly appeared on TV to give briefings on the crisis as it unfolded.
If you have been following the news then there are certain things you probably already know. You are probably aware that the Covid pandemic has reached an all-time high in India.

You must be aware that on Wednesday September 9, there were 89,700 new cases of Covid in India. In Maharashtra alone, there are 20,130 cases. In Delhi, where we were told the pandemic had been largely controlled, the number of new cases was between 3600 to 4000 depending on which figures you believed.

At no stage, since all this began in March, has the situation ever been worse.

You probably also know that Covid is hitting the headlines again (well, did it ever really go away?) in Western countries. The UK has imposed restrictions forbidding gatherings of more than six people. France is asking its citizens to wear masks again. So are many European countries which believed that they had successfully fought off Covid.

But the biggest news has come from America. According to a soon-to-be-published book by Bob Woodward, President Donald Trump already knew how deadly Covid was in February/March this year when he was telling Americans not to worry and dismissing fears of a pandemic that would hit the US.

Woodward tape-recorded his conversations with Trump and on one of the tapes, he has Trump saying that he is deliberately playing down the scale of the epidemic. This tape has caused such an uproar that it dominated Wednesdays White House press conference, all the TV news shows and campaign speeches. Trumps opponent in Novembers Presidential election, Joe Biden, has already accused the President of negligence and gross irresponsibility. The issue will not go away.

I mention the global uproar only to contrast it with the situation that prevails in India. Although we are now worse off than we have ever been, the Covid pandemic has been edged out of the main headlines in many newspapers. And on TV news it barely gets a mention.

As the government and the official medical establishment had not expected this huge spurt in numbers, it sounds fair to say that they really have no idea of how to handle this pandemic. You could even argue that it has been mishandled with lockdowns that destroyed the economy and caused untold misery to thousands of migrant workers because of the needless suddenness with which the lockdowns were imposed. And, as the numbers rise, you could even claim that the government has mishandled the situation.

But heres the funny thing: nobody cares. Nobody blames anybody. Nobody even seems to notice that in the middle of the worst recession in three decades, we have the second largest number of Covid cases in the world. And that there is no sign that we have turned the corner.

Why is this?

Well, some of it is obviously the failure of the media. At a time when so many of us face the prospect of bankruptcy, unemployment, loss of income, sickness or even death over the next few months, the visual media are more interested in harassing harmless postmen outside Kangana Ranauts house. Whats more, we approve. Viewers and readers would rather watch the Rhea-Kangana show than be told about the very real crises that face us.

So, it is not just the media. We really dont take Covid as seriously as they do in the West. Nobody is going to hold the government accountable as they do in Western countries or express any great curiosity over the failure of our Covid-fighting strategy.

What we want is distraction. Reality is just too tiresome.

I have been trying to figure out whats behind the curious reluctance of educated Indians to give a damn about our own circumstances.

The Covid stuff, I can partly understand. It has been six months since the pandemic reached India and we now have Covid-fatigue. Most of us who washed our hands obsessively at the start of his pandemic now wash them once a day or so. We look for reasons not to wear masks. We dont care that much about physical distancing. And so on.

And there are other factors that we must take into account. As high as our total numbers are, on a per-million-of-the-population basis, they dont seem nearly as frightening. On the other hand, every one of us knows people who have been infected by the Coronavirus. And even if we didnt know them personally we also know of people who have died of Covid.

But it is true that we have, on the whole, been lucky. Covid seems to kill less of us in India than it does elsewhere. The official figure of deaths is just over two per cent of all cases. But given that the actual number of infections is clearly being under-reported, while deaths are more difficult to hide, the true death rate is around one per cent.

So we have lost our fear of death-by-Covid. We may get it, we think, but it will be like a bad case of flu. It certainly wont kill us.

That may explain why we have become so complacent about Covid. But it does not explain why we seem so cool about the recession or worry that it might turn into a depression.

In the US, as Woodwards book points out, Trump cares only about the economy because he thinks that if it continues faltering, it might harm his prospects for re-election. In India, on the other hand, the economy has already gone to the toilet and nobody seems to think that it might affect the governments popularity. When political analysts talk about the forthcoming Bihar election, they consider how the Sushant Singh Rajput factor will affect voting behaviour. They dont even bother to discuss how the collapsing economy will influence the way votes are cast.

When the history of this period is written, 2020 will go down as one of the most mystifying years in Indian history. It will be remembered as the year that a pandemic put our lives on hold, when the dream of the India growth story finally died and when our ancient border disputes with China came back to haunt us.

But it will also be the year when Indians marched towards the future, our eyes closed, our ears blocked and our minds focused on every distraction that we could find.

It wont just be the year of living dangerously. It will be the year of living foolishly.

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Catherine Dulac was honored for her work uncovering the neural circuitry in the mouse brain responsible for the parenting instinct, laying the foundation for further investigation into other mammals like humans

Harvard neurobiologist Catherine Dulac had always been fascinated by the parenting urge that is hard-wired into brains across the animal kingdom.

The 57-year-old Frenchwoman was on Thursday honored for her work uncovering the neural circuitry in the mouse brain responsible for this instinct, laying the foundation for further investigation into other mammals like humans.

She was one of seven scientists from the life sciences, mathematics and fundamental physics to receive the 2021 Breakthrough Prize, founded by Silicon Valley luminaries to recognize groundbreaking discoveries.

Each winner receives $3 million, or three times the amount given by the Nobel Prize.

Dulac, a professor at Harvard who also works at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was investigating why female mice instinctively nurture mice pups, while male mice tend to attack them, depending on the circumstances (this behavior is typically seen in virgin males).

What Dulac showed was that the neural circuits responsible for these behaviors are present in both sexes. Hormonal changes can flip the switchbut in either direction.

That's why previously infanticidal males lovingly tend to their offspring when they become fathers, or why, under the right stressors, a mother mouse can kill her own children.

"We think what we have found can extend to other species" including humans, Dulac told AFP.

"This is an instinct, and instinct is a function of these neurons, which are, I bet, in the brains of all mammals, and tell the animal, when they are in the presence of newborns, 'You have to take care of them,'" added the scientist, who moved to the US from France 25 years ago.

Human gender applicability

Dulac is keen to emphasize her work is specific to mice.

However, it is also fundamental research and therefore is of obvious interest for people working on transgender issues since, as the professor says, "male" and "female" wiring exists in everyone (at least in mice!).

Families and allies of transgender people reach out to her often to thank her.

"I'm a scientist, I look at data, I'm neutral," Dulac says, but admits "It really touches me."

"That's when I say, 'I've been useful.'"

As for the prize money, she says that she will give part of it to causes related to the health and education of women and disadvantaged populations.

Originally from Montpellier in the south of France, Dulac studied at the prestigious Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris before leaving for the US after her doctorate.

She had originally intended to return, "but my post-doc had gone very well, and I had the opportunity to have my own lab in the US, and I wouldn't have had my own lab in France."

"There, I would have faced a really paternalistic setting, where people would say things like 'Oh you're much too young to have your own budget, you don't have enough experience to be independent'," she said.

Dulac therefore chose Harvard and has made her life there ever since, ultimately obtaining dual nationality.

She believes that, when it comes to promoting gender equality, the United States is years ahead of France.

That said, she still finds that male colleagues she meets at conferences routinely underestimate and patronize her.

"It's annoying, it's like, 'You don't expect me to have something interesting to say?'" said the professor, sighing at what could be the hard-wired instinct of some men in academia.

Explore further How mice are hardwired for parenting

 2020 AFP
Rajnath Singh, who was at Thursday's induction ceremony along with Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, said national security is a major priority for India and it is determined to protect its territory

Reacting to the induction of the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets into the Indian Air Force at Ambala Air Base on Thursday amid tensions with China over incursions in eastern Ladakh, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said this could not have happened at a more opportune time, while defence minister Rajnath Singh sent a strong message to Beijing.

Singh, who was at the induction ceremony along with Bhadauria, said national security is a major priority for India and it is determined to protect its territory.

The Union defence minister said the induction of Rafale jets into the IAF is crucial considering the kind of atmosphere being created along India's border. "It is a strong message for the entire world, especially those eyeing India's sovereignty," Singh said in an address at a ceremony marking the formal induction of the Rafale fleet.

The defence minister also said that India's responsibility is not limited to its territorial boundary and that it is committed to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean, the two regions where China has been increasing its military assertiveness.

"This kind of induction is very important for the kind of atmosphere that has been created on our borders in recent times," the defence minister said in a clear reference to the escalating tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

The defence minister also complimented the IAF for its "swift action" near the LAC during a "recent unfortunate incident". He, however, did not elaborate.

"The speed at which IAF deployed assets on forward bases creates confidence," he said. "While prevailing situation on our border caught our attention, we should not ignore threat of terrorism," he added.

Singh, later taking to Twitter, also urged France to invest in the Indian defence sector, reminded the public about the threat of cross-border terror and praised the IAF's role in disaster relief efforts.

A few BJP ministers also took to Twitter to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the historic day.

Women and Child Welfare minister Smriti Irani, congratulating the IAF, called it a "defining day" for India:

Congratulations to @IAF_MCC on formal induction of Rafale aircrafts in 17 Squadron Golden Arrows today. #RafaleInduction is a defining moment for India; it will immensely aid our Air Force in Touching the Sky with Glory.      Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) September 10, 2020

Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Ghaziabad MP General (retired) VK Singh tweeted:

Welcome the new Big Bad Boys of the sky. #Rafale #GenerallySaying pic.twitter.com/QWywuw5XSZ  Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) September 10, 2020

Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal called it an "important step" towards strengthening India's air power and thanked Modi and Rajnath:

A proud day for our nation  #Rafale has been formally inducted into the arsenal of @IAF_MCC This is an important step towards strengthening India's air power. Thanking PM @NarendraModi Ji & RM @RajnathSingh Ji for adding 5 new arrows to the Golden Quiver. Jai Hind  https://t.co/K1zFAZnAp5  Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 10, 2020

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy also thanked the prime minister for bolstering the IAF and "reinforcing our skies":

First batch of #Rafale have been inducted into @IAF_MCC after Sarva Dharma Puja in the presence of Hon RM @RajnathSingh & Hon Minister of the Armed Forces of France, Mrs. Florence Parly.

Thank you Hon PM @narendramodi, for bolstering IAF & reinforcing our skies.#RafaleInductionpic.twitter.com/tmgogB122M  G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) September 10, 2020

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, calling the induction a moment of immense pride and joy, also commended the prime minister and the defence minister:

   ! A moment of immense pride and joy for us all as the #Rafale aircraft has been formally inducted into the @IAF_MCC. I congratulate PM Shri @narendramodi, Defence Minister Shri @rajnathsingh and the citizens of India on this auspicious occasion. https://t.co/LYzbkemfeO  Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) September 10, 2020

Tensions simmer

Rajnath's stern message to the neighbouring country came hours ahead of an expected meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave in Moscow.

The much anticipated talks are taking place against the backdrop of a massive spike in tension in eastern Ladakh triggered by fresh face-offs between the two armies along the LAC.

The Indian Army on Tuesday said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake on the evening of 7 September and fired shots in the air.

The army said this in a statement after the PLA late on Monday night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and "outrageously fired" warning shots near the Pangong lake.

A meeting between Rajnath and his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meet in Moscow last Friday apparently did not yield any tangible outcome.

BJP, Congress back and forth

On 23 August, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the Central Government over the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, prompting Union Minister Piyush Goyal to hit back saying he is welcome to fight the 2024 General Elections to the Lok Sabha on the issue.

In a tweet, Rahul quoted a source-based news report which claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has submitted its performance audit on defence offset contracts to the government with no mention of any offset deals related to the purchase of Rafale aircraft.

"Money was stolen from the Indian exchequer in Rafale," Rahul alleged in his tweet without elaborating.

In his Twitter post, the former Congress president also quoted Mahatma Gandhi's words: "Truth is one, paths are many".

"Many of Rahul Gandhi's Congress colleagues confide in private that Rahul's obsession with Rafale to wash off his father's sins is damaging the party. But if someone is wanting to self-destruct, who are we to complain? We invite him to fight the 2024 elections on Rafale," Goyal tweeted.

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal in 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The Congress had alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal, claiming that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost higher than what was finalised by the UPA government during negotiations for the 126 jets.

The government and aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation strongly refuted these allegations. In a verdict in 2018, the Supreme Court had given clean chit to the government on the deal.

The political controversy relating to the deal peaked in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and during the campaign Gandhi had launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress had lost the polls with the BJP getting a massive mandate.

All about Rafale

Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

A second batch of four to five Rafale jets are likely to arrive in India by November.

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The Rafale jets are capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

Meteor is a next generation beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala air base, the second one will be based at the Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The 17 Squadron of the IAF was resurrected on 10 September last year.

The squadron was originally raised at Air Force Station, Ambala on 1 October, 1951.

The 17 Squadron has many firsts to its credit; in 1955 it was equipped with the first jet fighter, the legendary De Havilland Vampire.

With inputs from PTI
The "IceCube" neutrino observatory deep in the ice of the South Pole has already brought spectacular new insights into cosmic incidents of extremely high energies. In order to investigate the cosmic origins of elementary particles with even higher energies, Prof. Elisa Resconi from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now started an international initiative to build a neutrino telescope several cubic kilometers in size in the northeastern Pacific.

Astronomers observe the light that comes to us from distant celestial objects to explore the Universe. However, light does not tell us much about the highest energy events beyond our Galaxy, such as the jets of active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts or supernovae, because photons in the upper gamma-ray range lose their extreme energies on their long way through the Universe through interaction with other particles.

Just like light, neutrinos traverse space at the speed of light (almost) but interact extremely rarely with other particles. They maintain their energy and direction, which makes them unique messengers of the highest energy universe.

Messenger of distant cosmic events

Since 2013, when the IceCube Neutrino Observatory detected extragalactic neutrinos for the first time, astrophysicists have been striving to understand from which cosmic sources they come and which physical mechanism has accelerated them to such extreme energies.

However, to solve the puzzle, more detectors with even larger volumes than that of the cubic-kilometre sized IceCube Observatory are required. Because neutrinos cannot be observed directly, only through Cherenkov radiation, the detectors must be located in ice or in water.

Initiative for a new neutrino telescope in the Pacific

Prof. Elisa Resconi, spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center 1258 and Liesel-Beckmann Chair for Experimental Physics with Cosmic Particles at TUM, has now started an international initiative for a new neutrino telescope located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Canada: the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE).

For that purpose, Resconi has partnered with a facility of the University of Victoria, Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), one of the world's largest and most advanced cabled ocean observatories.

Ideal conditions for a neutrino observatory

The ONC network node in the Cascadia basin at a depth of 2660 meters was selected for P-ONE. The extensive abyssal plain offers ideal conditions for a neutrino observatory spanning several cubic kilometres.

In summer 2018, ONC anchored a first pathfinder experiment in the Cascadia basin: the STRAW (Strings for Absorption length in water) experiment, two 140-meter-long strings equipped with light emitters and sensors to determine the attenuation of light in the ocean water, a parameter crucial for the design of P-ONE. In September 2020, STRAW-b will be installed, a 500 m steel cable with additional detectors. Both experiments were developed and built by Resconi's research group at the TUM Physics Department.

Next steps in 2023/24

The first segment of P-ONE, the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Explorer, a ring with seven 1000-meter-long strings with 20 detectors each, is planned to be installed in ONC's marine operation season in 2023/24 in collaboration with various Canadian universities.

"Astrophysical neutrinos have unlocked new potential for significantly advancing our knowledge of the extreme universe," says Darren Grant, professor at the Michigan State University (USA), and spokesperson of the IceCube collaboration. "P-ONE represents a unique opportunity to demonstrate large-scale neutrino detector deployment in the deep ocean, a critical step towards reaching the goal of a globally connected neutrino observatory that would provide peak all-sky sensitivity to these ideal cosmic messengers."

Elisa Resconi anticipates P-ONE with its seven segments to be completed by the end of the decade. "The experiment will then be perfectly equipped to uncover the provenance of the extragalactic neutrinos," says Resconi, "but what's more, high-energy neutrinos also hold the potential to reveal the nature of dark matter."

The P-ONE project includes the Technical University of Munich (Germany), University of Victoria and Ocean Networks Canada, University of Alberta, Queen's University, Simon Fraser University (all Canada), Michigan State University (USA), European Southern Observatory, Goethe University Frankfurt, GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, and Max Planck Institute for Physics (all Germany).

The project receives support from Ocean Networks Canada, an initiative of the University of Victoria funded in part by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. This work is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through grant SFB 1258 "Neutrinos and Dark Matter in Astro- and Particle Physics" and the cluster of excellence "Origin and Structure of the Universe".

A special feature of the modules: They contain works of art by young international artists who create a connection between the earth and the deep sea and thus turn the pathfinder experiment into a unique underwater exhibition.

###

Publication:

M. Agostini et al.: The Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment

Nature Astronomy, Sept. 8, 2020 - DOI: 10.1038/s41550-020-1182-4
US President Donald Trump walks away from the media to board Air Force One for a trip to a campaign rally in Michigan. Credit:AP

Trump also lauded his handling of the pandemic even as the US recorded more deaths than any other country.

US President Donald Trump has tried to turn the tables on Bob Woodward, saying the acclaimed journalist should have alerted authorities if he believed Trump put lives at risk by downplaying the threat of the coronavirus early in the year.

Trump was on the defensive for a second day running on Friday (AEST) after excerpts from his interviews for Woodward's forthcoming book, Rage, emerged.

In the book Trump says he deliberately minimised the threat of the virus to avoid panicking the American public. In a February interview with Woodward, Trump made clear he knew how deadly the virus was, even as he was publicly comparing it favourably to the seasonal flu.

"If Bob Woodward thought what I said was bad, then he should have immediately, right after I said it, gone out to the authorities so they could prepare and let them know," Trump said at a White House press conference.

Earlier in the day he tweeted: "Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didnt he immediately report them in an effort to save lives? Didnt he have an obligation to do so? No, because he knew they were good and proper answers."
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Henry Lawrence is now in a good place, but attempted suicide nearly three years ago. (Supplied: Henry Lawrence)

A graduate who attempted suicide nearly three years ago has gone from existing to living.

Henry Lawrence, 23, fell into a depressive spiral after he became convinced he would not pass his material engineering course at the University of Birmingham.

Falling in with the wrong crowd resulted in Lawrence taking illicit drugs, while a relationship breakdown left him feeling unable to cope.

Read more: How to encourage someone you suspect has suicidal thoughts to reach out

It was not until he woke up in hospital following a suicide attempt that Lawrence realised he had to try and turn his mental health around.

Lawrence, who will shortly start training to become a police officer, has separated himself from any bad influences. He looks after his mental health by confiding in loved ones, exercising and ensuring he gets plenty of sleep.

Lawrence works with the men's health charity Movember, which encourages those who are struggling to reach out for support. (Supplied: Henry Lawrence)

Lawrence has a history of depression, with a series of events causing his mood to plummet towards the end of 2017.

I was struggling at uni, I didnt think I would pass my course, he told Yahoo UK.

I got into being friends with the wrong people, which led to drug abuse.

The end of a relationship that meant a lot to him only made matters worse.

Read more: Why talking is so important for mental health

I was struggling at that time and it [the break up] didnt help, he said.

Despite being prescribed antidepressants in the past, Lawrence did not want to seek help.

I had no one, he said. I didnt want my family to know.

I didnt know where I was going or what to do. It just got progressively worse.

Lawrence confides in his partner Jaimie Barnes when he feels his mental health deteriorating. (Supplied: Henry Lawrence)

Lawrence attempted to take his life in his first-year university flat.

To this day, he is unsure how he ended up in hospital, but suspects a flatmate called 999.

With his family none the wiser, Lawrence came around to find no loved ones by his bed.

That was the turning point, he said.

Lawrence was discharged three days later, with the hospital staff calling to check up on him for around six weeks.

He was already known by the mental health service Forward Thinking Birmingham, which continued to support him after the ordeal.

Story continues

Lawrence only confided in his family around eight to nine months later, learning that his mother had similar thoughts after being diagnosed with cancer several years ago.

Surviving his suicide attempt made Lawrence appreciate the finite amount of time to enjoy life.

Read more: Half a million Britons take online suicide prevention course amid lockdown

Now in a good place, Lawrence  who graduated with a 2.1 Honours  works to manage his mental health via exercise and other lifestyle choices.

When I get anxious or start to worry, I go for a run, even if its 20 minutes, he said. It makes a massive amount of difference.

I [also] need to get the right amount of sleep. I try to get seven to nine hours a night.

He also confides in loved ones when it all gets too much.

I have a good group of friends I know I could talk to them, my partner as well, said Lawrence. I have a lot of people I can talk to when it gets hard.

When he feels his mental health slipping, Lawrence forces himself out of his comfort zone.

When my mental health starts getting worse I become lazy and dont want to do anything, he said.

I have to force myself to go out of my comfort zone  go for a 15 minute walk, get out the house, make the bed in the morning.

When asked what he would say to anyone having suicidal thoughts, Lawrence said: You may not see it now, but in a week/month/year/five years, you will start seeing the positives and it will change how you live.

I went from existing to living.

Talking can save lives

In the UK and Ireland, 6,859 people died by suicide in 2018.

Men are three times more likely to take their own life than women in the UK, rising to four times in Ireland.

The rate of male suicide in England and Wales is the highest it has been since 2000.

It is very upsetting to see these figures, said Brendan Maher, from the mens health charity Movember.

Every suicide represents a tragic loss of life.

Tools such as Movember Conversations provide very practical guidance on how to support those in your life who might be struggling.

Sometimes we dont know where to start, or what to say if someone says theyre not okay. And whilst we know these conversations may be difficult, having them can save lives.

For confidential emotional support at times of distress, contact The Samaritans at any time by calling 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.
BEIJING, Sept. 10 -- The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) will send personnel to participate in the strategic exercise Kavkaz-2020 to be held from September 21 to 26 in Russias Astrakhan Region.

Participating troops from the PLAs Western Theater Command, as well as wheeled equipment and light weapons, are to be delivered by Chinas new-type military transport aircraft. They will participate in phased drills including mobile defense and annihilation, joint firepower striking, all-dimensional assaulting and surrounding, and battlefield situation stabilizing and controlling.

Apart from China, multiple countries including Armenia, Belarus, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan will also send troops to participate in the exercise.

At this critical moment when countries around the world are joining hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinas participation in the exercise aims to further develop the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in a new era, deepen the pragmatic cooperation in military training between the two sides, and boost the capacities of military forces from different countries to jointly deal with security threats and safeguard regional peace and stability.

The exercise is not targeted at any third party, nor does it have anything to do with the regional situation.
President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walk together south of the Military Demarcation Line that divides North and South Korea on June 30, 2019. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Says Kim Jong Un Is In Good Health Amid Rumors

President Donald Trump on Thursday wrote that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is alive and well following rumors that he is allegedly near deaths door.

Kim Jong Un is in good health. Never underestimate him! Trump wrote on Twitter, without elaborating.

This year, there have been numerous spurious claims that Kim is in poor health or has died, although later, photos posted by North Korean state-run media showed him in public and touring various parts of the country. The rumors have spread in tandem with reports that his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, has assumed a larger role inside the countrys communist regime.

Kim was apparently photographed on Sept. 6 after surveying damage wrought by Typhoon Maysak. Reuters, citing state-run media, reported that he dismissed a provincial party boss and ordered 12,000 party members to join the recovery effort.

North Korean state-run mouthpiece Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said more than 1,000 houses were destroyed in coastal areas of South and North Hamgyong provinces and reported that farmland and some public buildings had been inundated.

The appearance came after Chang Song-min, a former aide to late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, alleged that Kim is seriously ill, the New York Post and other media reported in late August. He said that the despot fell into a coma several months ago and subsequent appearances in public were recorded ahead of time.

I assess him to be in a coma, but his life has not ended, Chang was quoted by the news outlets as saying. He noted that Kim Yo Jongs ascension within the regime was because of his allegedly poor health.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his sister Kim Yo Jong attend a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Peace House at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, on April 27, 2018.(Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

His younger sister earlier this year warned that North Korea will take military action over leaflets that were dropped by defectors.

She warned that by exercising my power authorized by the supreme leader, our party and the state, I gave an instruction to the arms of the department in charge of the affairs with the enemy to decisively carry out the next action, according North Korean state-run media in June.

Weeks later, in July, she wrote to the United States, saying that another nuclear summit between Kim and Trump isnt likely in the near future.

She also said she obtained permission from her brother to seek DVDs of U.S. Fourth of July celebrations.

Last but not the least [sic], I would like to give my impression on the celebrations for the U.S. Independence Day that Ive seen on TV a few days ago, Kim added. I have got the permission from Comrade Chairman to personally obtain, for sure, the DVD of the celebrations for the Independence Day in the future, if possible.
UPDATE: Chatham HS switches to all-remote classes due to COVID-19 case possibly linked to weekend gathering

A freshman at Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools' East Brunswick campus has tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting district officials to switch to all-remote learning for two weeks.

Under state health department guidelines, schools with a single positive test can remain open with the students and staff who had close contact with the person staying home for two weeks. However, contact tracing has been challenging, school officials said in the announcement that the East Brunswick campus will go virtual until Sept. 21.

The student attended school on Friday before officials were informed of the positive test by a parent of the 9th grader on Wednesday. The first day of school for the district was Sept. 3.

Staff will return to school on Sept. 21 with students to follow later that week.

Middlesex County Vo-Tech also has campuses in Edison, Perth Amboy, Piscataway and Woodbridge. Those schools remain open under a hybrid plan of in-person and remote learning.

The districts plan calls for in-person instruction for career-major and physical education classes and online learning for academic classes, such as English, history and math.

A student at Markham Place School in Little Silver and one at Hackettstown High School have also tested positive for COVID-19 in the early days of the 2020-21 school year. Those schools were not fully shut down, but students in close contact with the student who tested positive will have to stay home for 10 days.

The New Jersey Department of Health issued several matrices to help schools decide if and when they should ask students to quarantine or shut down school buildings if someone tests positive for COVID-19.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha attends a virtual foreign ministerial session of the East Asia Summit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs



By Kang Seung-woo



Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has called on the international community to support the Korean Peninsula peace process and resumption of stalled nuclear talks among North Korea, the United States and the South, according to the ministry, Thursday.



With regard to the South China Sea dispute, she stressed the importance of freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue.



She made the remarks, Wednesday, during a video-linked foreign ministerial session of the East Asia Summit (EAS) that involved the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in addition to China, Japan, the United States, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Korea.



"Kang said the Korean Peninsula peace process has made little progress over the past year, but efforts toward the denuclearization of the peninsula, based on agreements between South and North Korea and between the North and the U.S., must continue," the ministry said in a press statement.



"For the faithful implementation of the agreements and the early resumption of dialogue, she called for support from the international community, including the EAS."



In response, other participants noted the importance of dialogue with the North for denuclearization and peace on the peninsula, but mentioned the need for the enforcement of U.N. Security Council sanctions against the Kim Jong-un regime.



The EAS meeting, along with other ASEAN-related gatherings, took place as the hegemonic rivalry between the U.S. and China has been intensifying. While the two powerhouses have urged South Korea to pick their respective side, it has remained neutral in the conflict because Washington is its longtime ally while Beijing is its largest trading partner.



At this time, Korea once again maintained "strategic ambiguity," with the foreign minister saying freedom of navigation and overflights in the South China Sea should be guaranteed and the issue needs to be resolved in a peaceful manner.



"Minister Kang mentioned that peace and stability in the South China Sea is crucial for regional prosperity," the ministry said.



Earlier in the day, Kang also attended a virtual meeting between ASEAN members and its three dialogue partners  South Korea, China and Japan  and stressed the need to boost multilateral cooperation to overcome health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.



"Kang noted that ASEAN Plus Three has effectively operated a multilateral cooperation regime at times of crises like the Asia financial crisis and SARS, and stressed the need for cooperation based on such past experiences when dealing with COVID-19 as well," her office said. ASEAN Plus Three is a forum of the ASEAN nations also including China, Japan and South Korea.



It was the first session in the series of ASEAN-related meetings slated to take place this week via videoconference due to the coronavirus that has disrupted in-person diplomacy. She subsequently took part in a South Korea-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting.


Boeing Co is submitting to an independent review of its compliance and ethics practices, according to an agreement struck with NASA and the U.S. Air Force and seen by Reuters, part of widening fallout from its behavior in bidding to supply lunar landing vehicles.

The agreement, signed in August, comes as federal prosecutors continue a criminal investigation into whether NASA's former human exploration chief, Doug Loverro, improperly guided Boeing space executive Jim Chilton during the contract bidding process.

By agreeing to the 'Compliance Program Enhancements', the aerospace heavyweight staves off harsher consequences from NASA and the Air Force - its space division's top customers - such as being suspended or debarred from bidding on future space contracts.

Boeing Co is submitting to an independent review of its compliance and ethics practices as part of widening fallout from its behavior in bidding to supply lunar landing vehicles to NASA

The agreement calls for Boeing to pay a 'third party expert' to assess its ethics and compliance programs and review training procedures for executives who liaise with government officials, citing 'concerns related to procurement integrity' during NASA's Human Landing System competition.

Since Loverro resigned in May, Boeing has fired one company attorney and a group of mid-level employees, three people familiar with the actions told Reuters.

Boeing has also revised its internal Procurement Integrity Act procedures, and disseminated new training materials to employees, according to the agreement.

'We did not meet our own high expectations, or those of our customer, in the (human landing systems) procurement,' Boeing spokesman Damien Mills told Reuters on Wednesday.

The agreement comes as federal prosecutors continue a criminal investigation into whether NASA's former human exploration chief, Doug Loverro (pictured), improperly guided Boeing space executive Jim Chilton during the contract bidding process

'We appreciate the productive dialogue we have had with the agencies and believe that the agreement will help to ensure that we will meet those expectations in the future,' Mills added.

Boeing's space business was already under NASA scrutiny for its botched 2019 test flight of its Starliner space capsule.

NASA did not return requests for comment. An attorney for Loverro declined to comment. The Air Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The agreement requires Boeing to meet quarterly with NASA and Air Force officials through 2022 to provide updates on its ethics and compliance improvement efforts.

The agreement and criminal probe stem from NASA's most ambitious space exploration endeavor: sending humans back to the moon by 2024 under a hastened timeline set by the Trump administration in 2019.

In April, NASA bypassed Boeing and awarded contracts worth a combined $1 billion to Elon Musk's SpaceX, Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, and Leidos Inc affiliate Dynetics to build lunar landing vehicles that can carry astronauts to the moon by 2024.
Its a dangerous time to be a journalist in Canada. The arrest and charging of Oneida reporter Karl Dockstader last week hit home for many of us. Its a shocking violation of the rights of journalists and for everyone who believes in the values of a democratic society.

Dockstader was covering the contentious story of the 1492 Land Back Lane Haudenosaunee occupation regarding a housing development near Caledonia, Ont.

Dockstader travelled to Caledonia from his home in Niagara Falls to cover the story for a radio show he co-hosts, One Dish One Mic on News Talk 610 CKTB. Hes also the current recipient of the Canadian Journalism Foundation and CBC Indigenous Fellowship.

After a week of camping out, immersing himself in the lives of the land defenders, earning their trust and bearing witness to their side of the battle, he went back home.

Two days later he was charged with mischief and failing to comply with an order. The OPP knew he was a journalist on assignment, but they charged him anyway.

Alarm bells sounded in journalism circles across the nation. The Canadian Association of Journalists president Brent Jolly condemned the arrest.

The OPP are well aware that journalists have an established constitutional right to be present and cover matters of public interest, he said. Attempting to prevent a properly credentialed journalist from documenting a moment of contentious action is impermissible in a country like Canada. Journalism should never be silenced.

Ryerson University Fellow and Yellowhead Institute Haudenosaunee researcher Courtney Skye was also arrested.

Indigenous voices have been stifled in the media and Canadian society for generations. Its only been in the last decade or two that our stories have gained any substantive traction with the mainstream.

Our people are most often portrayed inaccurately in the media via way of stereotypical nuances and negativity that perpetuates the racism that runs rampant in this country. These portrayals aid in the oppression against Indigenous communities that already deal with appalling statistics and human rights violations.

Sept. 4 marked the 25th anniversary of the Ipperwash tragedy in southern Ontario. Dudley George, an Ojibwa land defender was shot to death by an OPP sniper while occupying land promised by the federal government to the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

There were no journalists present when George was killed.

But have we learned from the past? Does society understand the importance and implications of covering these kinds of conflicts? Not only to inform and educate the public, but so that it doesnt happen again.

These days a clear pattern of journalists targeted on the job by police is emerging  all were reporting on Indigenous conflicts with the state.

In 2016, award-winning journalist Justin Brake was arrested and charged with criminal and civil contempt of a court injunction and criminal mischief while covering a protest at a hydroelectric project in Muskrat Falls, Labrador. After four years of battling through the courts all charges against Brake have been dismissed.

In February, demonstrations erupted across Canada in support of Wetsuweten land defenders opposing the Coastal Gas Link LNG pipeline in their traditional territories. RCMP and armed military forces raided checkpoints and a healing centre there, arresting and jailing land defenders.

My colleagues were on scene and threatened by police. Jerome Turner, award-winning Gixstan journalist had shotguns pointed in his face and a sniper gun aimed at him; award-winning photojournalist Amber Bracken was pushed back and warned by police not to get in the way; award-winning photojournalist Jesse Winte was detained by police; and American documentary filmmaker Melissa Cox was arrested documenting the conflict nearby on unceded Gitxsan territory.

In August, Danish journalist Kristian Lindhardt was denied entry into Canada. He was reporting on Indigenous resistance to the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion and had been in Canada filming for the Danish public broadcaster before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

The world is experiencing chaotic times but we cannot allow the freedoms of the press to be threatened, anytime. That opens the door to tyranny, further injustice and the trampling of all our rights.

In a democracy, journalists have to be supported on the front lines of documenting history and truth-telling in the public interest and for power and politics to be held to account.

To police forces everywhere, stop trying to muzzle us.
Joe Biden claimed 6,000 members of the military have died from coronavirus, when in fact the number is only seven.

The Democratic presidential candidate was speaking during a campaign event in Warren, Michigan, on Wednesday.

His campaign team clarified he had mixed up the numbers for Michigan with those from the military shortly after the event.

Joe Biden claimed 6,000 members of the military have died from Covid-19 while speaking at a campaign event in Warren, Michigan, on Wednesday, when in reality seven have died from the killer virus

Biden's campaign team clarified he had mixed up the numbers for Michigan with those from military shortly after the event. Pictured: Joe Biden wearing a face mask while speaking in Detroit on the same day

Mr Bidens deputy rapid response director Michael Gwin told Fox News the Presidential candidate has the 'utmost respect' for armed service men and women.

He said: 'Vice President Biden has the utmost respect for the men and women of the armed services and believes it's the sacred duty of our country to properly equip them, look after their families when they're deployed, and care for them when they return.

'To honor their service, the Vice President carries with him each day a card detailing the number of Americans who have given their lives for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan, and frequently cites that number to recognize their sacrifice.'

Mr Biden attended the event wearing a coronavirus face mask, which he took off before speaking.

His slip-up came on the same day in which he called Donald Trump's actions in response to the coronavirus pandemic were 'almost criminal' while speaking at another event in Detroit.

The Democratic nominee referred to revelations from Bob Woodward's forth coming book 'Rage,' in which Trump, in recorded interviews, gave a frank assessment of the dangers of COVID while publicly saying the disease was under control.

Mr Biden slammed the president for not taking more precautions in public, such as wearing a face mask.

He also charged the president with caring more about the economy than people's lives.

Biden held a campaign event in Michigan that was supposed to be about preventing the offshoring of jobs, but he dedicated the top of his speech to the startling revelations found in Bob Woodward's forthcoming book

Mr Biden said: 'He knew and purposely played it down. Worse, he lied to the American people.

'He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months.'

At the event, attendees' chairs had circles around them, and they were instructed not to leave that space.

'Please remain in your circles and keep your mask on for the duration of the event,' an overheard announcement said.

During his speech, Biden said his mask was only off because he was able to properly social distance - and the event was held outside.
HISTORY

SICILY '43

by James Holland (Bantam 25, 640 pp)

Sicily was a tough nut to crack for the Allied forces from Britain, Canada and the U.S., who landed on the enemy-occupied Mediterranean island in the blistering summer of 1943.

They came from fighting Rommel's tanks on the wide open deserts of North Africa to a very different terrain: impregnable hilltop towns, deep valleys, high crags, winding roads and tortuous trails.

In his dispatches, war correspondent Ernie Pyle complained bitterly about 'the perpetual, choking dust, the heat and the flies and dirty feet, the go, go, go night and day.... When will we ever stop? God, I'm so tired.'

Canadian Lieutenant Farley Mowat quickly came to loathe the place. 'This country is absolutely foul,' he wrote, 'hot as hell in the day and icy cold at night.'

He was appalled by the primitive conditions.

Allied forces from Britain, Canada and the U.S. captured Nazi-occupied Sicily in a record 38 days in the summer of 1943

Sicily's terrain was one of impregnable hilltop towns, deep valleys, high crags, winding roads and tortuous trails. Pictured: Allied soldiers take a break amid bomb-damaged buildings

'Towns are few and scruffy, always perched on hills like ravens' nests and the stink has been collecting in them since the year dot.'

This rough, mountainous land was anathema to modern armies with their tanks and troop carriers.

In the end, it came down to old-fashioned foot-slogging by the poor bloody infantry, with an occasional mule or two to help with the load.

And all the while, as they fought the island's Italian defenders and their German allies (who had been building up their forces there since the spring), they were plagued by disease-carrying mosquitoes: more than 20,000 Allied troops went down with malaria  more than were killed or wounded in battle.

And yet, for all the hardship, Sicily not only fell but did so in record time. In just 38 days, the volcanic island off the foot of Italy was conquered, its surviving defenders forced to flee back to the mainland.

It was a giant step forward for the Allies, but one that has been largely overshadowed by the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

On the anniversary of Operation Overlord in June 1944 we bow our heads in remembrance, but Operation Husky, as it was designated, goes unremarked, even though it is still one of the largest amphibious assaults, with 160,000 troops put ashore on that first day in 1943.

James Holland among the very best chroniclers of World War II  sets the record straight in his new book, arguing that the conquest of Sicily deserves recognition as the first successful inroad by the Allies on Hitler's Fortress Europe since the dark days of defeat at Dunkirk in 1940.

The victory came down to old-fashioned foot-slogging by the poor bloody infantry, with an occasional mule or two to help with the load. Pictured: A U.S. soldier rests on a memorial to an Italian soldier from the First World War

From that point on, the Fuhrer's days were numbered. On the Eastern front, his armies were in retreat from the Russians and now his southern flank was breached.

The fall of Sicily can justly be described as the beginning of the end of the Third Reich.

Yet it was a massive gamble: a vast armada of ships steaming from North Africa to dump battalion after battalion of troops on the beaches, shielded by a massive naval bombardment out at sea.

Gliders and parachutists also dropped from the skies.

Hitler and Mussolini were never comfortable bedfellows. Nor were their people: Italians distrusted the Germans.

The Germans rightly thought the Italians lacked the bottle to fight.

This was a view shared by the invaders. Whole Italian companies would surrender without a shot being fired, so the Allies made relatively easy progress as they poured on to the island.

This changed when German generals took charge of its defence: 'Jerry is moving south to meet us,' noted Mowat ominously, 'and he is a horse of another colour.'

Sicily fell in record time and its surviving defenders forced to flee back to the mainland. Pictured: An American soldier stands on a large pile of seized Italian weapons

James Holland argues the conquest of Sicily deserves recognition as the first successful inroad by the Allies on Hitler's Fortress Europe since the dark days of defeat at Dunkirk in 1940

Now the battle began in earnest, turning Sicily into a cauldron of destruction that would cost the lives of 5,500 Allied troops and 9,000 Germans and Italians.

Assoro was a typical battleground. A stronghold since Greek and Roman times, it was a terracotta-roofed town some 2,000ft up.

Sole access was by a single winding road full of hairpin bends.

It fell to Major John Tweedsmuir, son of the adventure novelist John Buchan, to conquer it with his brigade of 500 Canadians.

The fall of Sicily can justly be described as the beginning of the end of the Third Reich. Yet it was a massive gamble

Assoro's defenders felt it was impregnable, but an eagle-eyed officer spotted a steep-sided gully winding its way up the eastern flank of the hill, out of sight of the defenders.

An assault team was detailed to make its way up under cover of darkness.

Ledge by ledge, rock by rock, the men hauled themselves up. Dawn was breaking as they cleared the top and found themselves facing a group of astonished German soldiers.

One went for his gun and was cut down; the rest put up their hands in surrender.

More Canadians appeared and sprayed the ambushed German forces in the town below with machine guns.

SICILY '43 by James Holland (Bantam 25, 640 pp)

A bloody 24-hour battle ensued in the streets, but Tweedsmuir's daring had given his men the edge and, with more Allied Forces arriving, the Germans pulled out. It was a victory to savour.

A proud Tweedsmuir quoted Shakespeare to himself: 'And gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves accursed they were not here.'

'Impregnable' Assoro had been taken. Soon the whole of Sicily would go the same way as the Allies secured that crucial first foothold in Europe.

There were, though, as Holland acknowledges, some serious blemishes on the success of the Sicily campaign.

A U.S. sergeant massacred dozens of Italian and German prisoners-of-war in cold blood, in retribution, he said, for two American soldiers he'd seen killed by their German captors.

He was court-martialled for murder.

Another blot on the campaign was that, after the fighting, as the Allied armies moved on to their next targets on the Italian mainland, the power vacuum on the now devastated island reverted to the Mafia.

This secret criminal organisation had been largely suppressed under Mussolini, but now reared its ugly head again. It has, says Holland ruefully, never gone away.
KITCHENER  A Cambridge man charged twice in four months with possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking will likely be going to prison for five years.

Reginald Campbell, 39, was arrested on Jan. 10 and got bail on March 19. Less than two months after he left jail, Campbell was arrested for breaching a release condition and charged with fentanyl trafficking again.

He pleaded guilty to both trafficking charges on Thursday and will be sentenced later this month. The Crown and defence are recommending a five-year sentence.

Campbell lived with a woman on Coronation Boulevard in Cambridge. When he was arrested in January, police found a mix of fentanyl, heroin and other substances in the bedroom area of the womans young child, federal prosecutor Kathleen Nolan said. The womans charges have not been resolved.

Police seized 20 grams of the fentanyl and heroin mix and also found drug packaging and debt lists.

In May, while out on bail, Campbell was caught with seven grams of fentanyl.

While police were in possession of his cellphone, it received messages consistent with what the police felt were drug trafficking messages, Nolan said.

Campbell has mental health problems and has been addicted to fentanyl and methamphetamine since 2016, defence lawyer Cooper Lord said. Addiction has completely consumed his life. He has tried to kick drugs in the past and is determined to succeed this time, Lord said.

Campbell was released on strict terms Thursday pending sentencing on Sept. 21. He wants to get his affairs in order and spend time with his father, who has esophageal cancer, Lord said.

It might be the last time he sees him.

With credit for presentence custody, Campbell will have about four years and two months to serve if Justice Melanie Sopinka agrees to the five-year sentence.

It wont be Campbells first trip to prison. In 2010 he received a two-year sentence on three robbery charges.
ROME - Two Roman Catholic nuns held for more than three weeks by rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group in Mozambique have been released, the nunsreligious order announced Thursday.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery said Brazilian nuns Maria Inez Leite Ramos and Eliane Costa Santana were freed on Sept. 6. The order said in a statement that the two sisters were resting and receiving medical checks outside the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique where they were seized.

Mozambiques extremist insurgency began in October 2017 in northern Cabo Delgado province, which borders Tanzania in the north and the Indian Ocean to the east. The rebels dramatically stepped up their attacks in 2020. In August, they captured the strategic port city of Mocimboa da Praia and have held it for nearly a month.

The sisters were held in Mocimboa da Praia for 24 days.

The St. Joseph of Chambery order thanked Bishop Luis Fernando Lisboa of Pemba, Mozambique and others who worked with the government to secure the sisters release.

Sisters Eliane and Maria Inez, and the congregation, ask for prayers for all of the people in that part of Mozambique who have been displaced and harmed by the rebels, said the statement, issued by the orders Rome-based general council.

The rebels initially were a few bands of young men, but they grew in number and became affiliated with the Islamic State group, known as Islamic State Central African Province.

During the three-year insurgency in Mozambique, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed, mainly by the rebels, and the total number of deaths stands at 1,854, including combatants on either side, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.
Bob Woodward has dismissed claims that he could've saved lives had he published President Donald Trump's comments about the coronavirus sooner.

Trump talked in private about the 'deadly' coronavirus in February, even as he was declaring to America it was no worse than the flu and insisting it was under control, according to Woodward's new book, Rage.

The president said Wednesday that he was just being a 'cheerleader' for the nation and trying to keep everyone calm.

Since March, US health officials have reported more than 6.3 million cases of the virus and at least 191,000 deaths.

But critics have claimed that Woodward could have saved lives had he published Trump's remarks early on.

Washington Post journalist, Erik Wemple, recently interviewed Woodward about the aforementioned claim.

'Addressing only issues of process, Woodward said that when Trump talked about coronavirus -- "deadly stuff" -- in their Feb. 7 interview, he (Woodward) didn't know where Trump was getting his information, whether it was true, and so on,' Wemple tweeted.

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Bob Woodward has dismissed claims that he could've saved lives had he published President Donald Trump's comments about the coronavirus sooner

Washington Post journalist, Erik Wemple, recently interviewed Woodward about the claim

'Addressing only issues of process, Woodward said that when Trump talked about coronavirus -- "deadly stuff" -- in their Feb. 7 interview, he (Woodward) didn't know where Trump was getting his information, whether it was true, and so on,' Wemple tweeted

According to Wemple, it took Woodward 'three months to nail down all the reporting about what Trump knew about coronavirus, when he learned it and how all that related to the public pronouncements he was making. It wasn't until May that he put those pieces together'

According to Wemple, it took Woodward 'three months to nail down all the reporting about what Trump knew about coronavirus, when he learned it and how all that related to the public pronouncements he was making. It wasn't until May that he put those pieces together'.

When asked directly whether earlier publication of his interviews would have saved lives, Woodward responded: 'No! How?'

'He pointed out that Trump made that comment on March 19, and he had already made an Oval Office address on March 11. Confirmed cases were taking off,' Wemple tweeted about the interview.

'Woodward did say that if anything he gathered was a legitimate public health issue, he would have gone to The Post and sought to have it published forthwith,' Wemple added.

Trump told Woodward in March that his public rhetoric was part of a strategy to deliberately minimize the danger. 'I wanted to always play it down,' the president said. 'I still like playing it down because I don't want to create a panic.'

The president, according to the book, acknowledged being alarmed by the virus, even as he was telling the nation that it would swiftly disappear.

Coming less than eight weeks before Election Day, the revelations in the book - accompanied by recordings Woodward made of his interviews with Trump - provide an unwelcome return of public attention to the president's handling of the pandemic.

Trump is currently pushing hard for a resumption of normal activity and trying to project strength and control to bolster his political position in his campaign against Democratic rival Joe Biden.

There are more than 6.3 million cases of the virus in the US with at least 189,972 deaths

In a February 7 call with Woodward, Trump said of the virus: 'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.'

'This is deadly stuff,' the president repeated for emphasis.

Just three days later, Trump struck a far rosier tone in an interview with Fox Business: 'I think the virus is going to be - it's going to be fine.'

Biden said Wednesday the book shows Trump 'lied to the American people'.

'He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months. While a deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job - on purpose. It was a life or death betrayal of the American people,' Biden said at a campaign event in Michigan.

Biden's campaign released an ad late Wednesday featuring the audiotapes of Trump's remarks. 'And Trump knew all along,' the ad's narrator says.

Speaking Wednesday at the White House, Trump acknowledged he downplayed the virus, insisting he was trying to buck up the nation and suggesting he was trying to avoid 'gouging' on prices of needed supplies.

'The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic, as you say,' Trump told reporters.

'Certainly, I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength.'

Yet Trump's public comments suggested he was steering people to ignore the reality of the coming storm.

The Washington Post, where Woodward serves as associate editor, reported excerpts of the book, Rage on Wednesday. The book also covers race relations and North Korea

Woodward's account details dire warnings from top Trump national security officials to the president in late January that the virus that causes COVID-19 could be as bad as the devastating influenza pandemic of 1918.

On February 25, just weeks before much of the country was forced to shut down because of the pandemic, Trump declared the virus 'very well under control in our country'.

Though he restricted travel from China in January, Trump did not begin to devote extensive federal resources to procuring vital personal protective equipment, including face masks, or expand the production of ventilators until March.

In fact, US officials recommended against widespread mask wearing until April in part because of a shortage of protective masks required by front-line medical workers.

Trump aides and allies said at the time that he was aiming to prop up the economy with his rosy take on the virus throughout February, even as his administration took few concrete steps to prepare for the coming pandemic.

The Washington Post, where Woodward serves as associate editor, reported excerpts of the book, Rage on Wednesday, as did CNN. The book also covers race relations, diplomacy with North Korea and a range of other issues that have arisen during the past two years.

The book is based in part on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July.

'Trump never did seem willing to fully mobilize the federal government and continually seemed to push problems off on the states,' Woodward writes of the pandemic.

'There was no real management theory of the case or how to organize a massive enterprise to deal with one of the most complex emergencies the United States had ever faced.'

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday: 'The president has never lied to the American public on COVID. The president was expressing calm, and his actions reflect that.'

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany (pictured) said Wednesday: 'The president has never lied to the American public on COVID. The president was expressing calm, and his actions reflect that'

Biden (pictured at a campaign event in Michigan) said Wednesday the book shows Trump 'knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months'

She said Trump's actions show that he took COVID-19 seriously. She noted that the president put in place travel restrictions with China on January 31 and said that some Democrats had criticized the move.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Dr Anthony Fauci said Trump never 'distorted' what the government's top infectious disease expert had told the president.

'Often he would want to, you know, make sure that the country doesn't get down and out about things, but I don't recall anything that was any gross distortion in things that I spoke to him about,' Fauci said.

McEnany insisted 'the president never downplayed the virus,' though Trump himself told Woodward he was 'playing it down because I don't want to create a panic'.

'There is damning truth that President Trump lied and people died,' said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Schumer said that when he thinks about how many people in his state died, 'It just makes me angry.' He added: 'How many people would be alive today if he just told Americans the truth?'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said the president's comments to Woodward showed weakness and a disdain for science.

'What he was actually saying is, "I don't want anybody to think anything like this happened on my watch so I'm not going to call any more attention to it,"' Pelosi said on MSNBC.

Woodward's book is his second on the Trump White House. The first, published in 2018, portrayed Trump in an unflattering light, and the president fumed at staff that he was not interviewed for it, according to former White House officials and Republicans close to the White House.

They were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations and discussed the matter on condition of anonymity.

Trump was convinced that if he had talked to Woodward, it could have led to a more favorable depiction in the book, according to the officials. Trump had always held Woodward in high regard - he considered the journalist as the biggest star in the field - and told aides he must be interviewed if Woodward were to write again, the officials said.

Several Republican senators at the Capitol declined to comment on the new book, telling reporters they hadn't yet read it, even when informed of key passages about the virus. 'I just cant, cant comment on it,' said Sen Rob Portman, of Ohio.

'Could we all have done things differently? Yes, including Congress. We were all a little slow to recognize the severity,' Portman said.
After a closed roundtable discussion Wednesday with 20 law enforcement officials from 11 departments in the area, local Republican candidates running for office said they discussed different ways to improve public safety.

Candidates said they heard from law enforcement officials about what they needed and shared ideas they had on improving public safety in the communities, beyond defunding departments, which Republicans are largely against.

Law enforcement professionals are that. Theyre professionals, said candidate for 95th State Assembly Jerome Gundersen. And theyre extremely well-trained. Its beyond a budgetary thing. We have to find different links in the chain to make the entire system work better. There are obviously some gaps.

Republicans said they believed addressing gaps in public safety included more funding for things like training and mandates such as the enforcement of body cams. And more resources for mental-health responses, including a regional facility to bring an individual in police custody experiencing a mental-health crisis.

But one of the most immediate and critical components to improving public safety was more support for law enforcement, Republicans said.

We asked everyone to get together so that first and foremost they could communicate to the officers, said 3rd Congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden, that the vast majority of the people in the 3rd District support their efforts.

Van Orden said specifically, if elected, he would staff an individual in his office to coordinate with the 18 police departments in the district to make sure that if theres something the federal government can do for them, it will be done.

Sheriffs at the event said they were feeling a lot of community support amid criticism and calls for police reform.

What were seeing at the local level is tremendous support for local law enforcement agencies, said Monroe County Sheriff Wes Revels, who was at the roundtable Wednesday. He said in his county, residents are not interested in defunding the department.

The roundtable was a closed session exclusively for law enforcement and the candidates, but those involved said they hope to also have a one-on-one conversation with those calling for more sweeping police reform.

Today was to put out on the table what exactly law enforcement needs. What we asked them as candidates for office was. what do you need from us? Gundersen said.

Van Orden, plus Kevin Hoyer, candidate for the 94th Assembly District, and Dan Kapanke, candidate for the 32nd Senate seat, agreed that this was one step forward to working together in a civil manner, and that more community-centric conversations will happen.

I think people will understand, said Kapanke, that were in a special time, and lets altogether dig out of this.

Division on how to improve public safety

Police reform is now a top issue for voters on the ticket since protesters have sprung into action in the wake of George Floyds death by Minneapolis police.

And local politicians, while largely agreeing that improvements can be made, are divided on key sticking points among various reforms, such as qualified immunity and no-knock warrants.

At the event, Van Orden said law enforcement had lost trust in Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, because of a phone call he had with sheriffs earlier this year where they say he was dishonest about police reform.

During the call, officials said, Kind told law enforcement he would not support a bill that removed qualified immunity or no-knock warrants, though he had voted in favor of the George Floyd police reform bill in the House on June 25, which included removing those two practices.

Ron Kind got on the phone, he told this to all of the sheriff deputies, when he actually co-sponsored a bill that did the exact opposite eight days before that phone call, Van Orden said. And if you can think of another word other than lying, Id be interested in hearing what it is.

The House passed the bill in June in honor of George Floyd that supported sweeping police reform, including ending qualified immunity, which shields government employees, such as police, from being held personally liable for violating constitutional rights, including the right to not be held by police through excessive use of force.

Kinds spokesperson said that he had the best intention going into the call, knowing the bill from June was far from final, and voted for it to ensure that calls from activists didnt die down.

Its disappointing that people are trying to twist Congressman Kinds words for political gain, his spokesperson, Sarah Abel, said. As a former special prosecutor, Ron has consistently supported increased funding for Wisconsin police.

At the time of this call, Ron was having conversations with stakeholders, everyone from demonstrators and faith leaders to community organizers and law enforcement officials, Abel said in a statement.

He came to the call with the best intentions and hoped to have an honest conversation about how our country can learn, heal and move forward together and strengthen trust and confidence in law enforcement within our communities, leavin politics at the door, she added.

Kind has said he does not support defunding the police, and instead supports improved training and policing practices.

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According to a report of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), as of August 20, Vietnams FDI attraction reached US$19.54 billion, which is equal to only 86.3% of the figure from the same period last year, but is seen by experts as a sign of a new wave of investment in Vietnam.

However, in order to take advantage of this new investment wave, experts have suggested that Vietnam continue to reform institutions to create favourable conditions in the business environment, as well as remaining proactive and consistent in investment attraction policies. At the same time, domestic enterprises must be more proactive as well.

Only in this way can Vietnam utilise the golden opportunities to welcome foreign investors to come for cooperation and investment, thus turning potential into economic power while participating further in the global value chain.

Positive signals

Do Nhat Hoang, Director of the MPIs Foreign Investment Agency, said that according to the assessment of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global investment in 2020 could slump by up to 40%, and the worlds economies may register declining and even negative growth. Meanwhile, as of August 20, the total FDI inflows in Vietnam reached nearly US$20 billion, down only 13% year-on-year, which is a very low level of decrease compared to the rest of the world and other countries in the region. In particular, the disbursed capital stood at US$11.3 billion, down only 5.1% from the same period in 2019.

These positive signals show foreign investors faith in the investment environment in Vietnam. The countrys FDI sector only reported a slight fall in its trade revenue, with export turnover reaching US$113.3 billion, down 4.5% year-on-year, and import turnover decreasing by 5.3% to US$90.7 billion. This proves that despite the numerous difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, FDI enterprises have still maintained their production and business activities in a relatively good manner, without suffering sharp declines.

The aforementioned figures also demonstrate that the Vietnamese Government has made effective efforts to improve the domestic investment environment in recent years and has been effectively implementing the dual goal of fighting the disease and promoting economic development.

According to Do Nhat Hoang, the attractiveness of Vietnams current business climate stems from internal economic factors and the impacts of external factors.

In terms of internal factors, Vietnam currently holds advantages in its investment environment, including political stability, rapid and sustainable economic growth, abundant human resources, a large market, competitive costs, attractive incentive policies, extensive economic integration, and favourable geographical location.

An additional factor is the effort of the whole political system, from the central to local levels, in improving the business climate and reforming administrative policies and procedures to create the most favourable conditions for foreign investors to operate successfully in Vietnam.

In particular, Vietnams efforts to effectively control the COVID-19 pandemic in recent times have also helped to strengthen faith among foreign investors and increase the countrys reputation as an attractive and safe investment destination.

Regarding external factors, firstly, the trade conflict between major economies has caused international corporations and enterprises to relocate their production establishments to avoid high tax rates. In addition, the pandemic and its serious consequences have driven countries and international corporations to accelerate investment restructuring, aiming to lessen dependence on a single country or partner.

Some developed countries, such as the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea, have issued preferential policies and support packages to call on companies to move their production lines back home or invest in a third country to diversify the supply chains. In particular, Vietnam has many opportunities to catch this shifting wave thanks to the countrys advantages in terms of the investment environment as well as its recent success in containing the disease.

Utilising golden opportunities

Touching upon the supply chain restructuring trend among major corporations in the world, Nguyen Dinh Cung, former Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) and member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Group, said that the restructuring of the global value chains stems from three factors.

The first is the need to create jobs for domestic workers of countries. The second is the impact of the trade war between China and the United States. According to the assessment, such tensions may be prolonged even further, thus promoting the shift in investment. The third factor is the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes the shift faster, clearer and more comprehensive.

In that context, Cung stated that Vietnam is seizing many advantages, the most prominent of which is the countrys signing of many free trade agreements with partners who are major markets in the world.

In my opinion, this is the most distinctive feature of Vietnam in competing against other countries for investment attraction, he noted.

Experts suggest that Vietnam should develop high-quality human resources to attract FDI capital.



However, in order to take advantage of golden opportunities in the race to attract FDI enterprises, Director of the MPIs Foreign Investment Agency Do Nhat Hoang stressed the need for Vietnam to work out breakthrough solutions and new ways of doing, and implement them in a rapid, timely and synchronous fashion.

Besides the advantages in attracting FDI companies to invest in Vietnam, Vice Chairman of the Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises Nguyen Van Toan also pointed out that there is still a worrisome issue on the side of Vietnamese businesses. Vietnamese firms remain very weak in connecting together to jointly take advantage of opportunities. Many businesses, especially small-sized ones, still only have short-term visions.

According to Toan, another weakness is that Vietnam currently depends too much on a single market supplying raw materials and semi-finished products. In addition, the big domestic enterprises, despite their great potential, have yet to show the role of leading small- and medium-sized enterprises to participate in the link chain.

To utilise opportunities from the attraction of high-quality FDI, Toan suggested that Vietnamese businesses must have strong determination and long-term visions, in addition to improving their qualifications, strengthening links and especially building a high-quality core in human resources to attract FDI.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:12:46|Editor: huaxia

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Normal life has been carefully but undoubtedly returning to China. Wuhan, the first epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, has seen hustle and bustle of city life come back months after a citywide lockdown was staged in the fight against the COVID-19. Water parks and night market are packed with people elbow to elbow. In the port city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, more than 1.21 million revelers thronged the 2020 Qingdao Beer Festival, the Asian version of Oktoberfest. Number of customers in nearby markets, hotels, and restaurants returned to 92 percent of same period last year. In Beijing, 520,000 more primary school students went back to school earlier this week, marking the return of all students under the 12th grade.
The number of patients complaining of coughs and respiratory illnesses surged at a sprawling Los Angeles medical system from late December through February, raising questions about whether the novel coronavirus was spreading earlier than thought, according to a study of electronic medical records.

The authors of the report, published Thursday in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, suggested that coronavirus infections may have caused this rise weeks before U.S. officials began warning the public about an outbreak. But the researchers cautioned that the results cannot prove that the pathogen reached California so soon, and other disease trackers expressed skepticism that the findings signaled an early arrival.

The debate about the findings underscores just how much remains to be known about the coronavirus, which has killed at least 187,000 people in the United States, according to a Washington Post analysis.

"This is consistent with the growing body of data that suggests that there's been community spread much earlier than we had anticipated," said study author Joann G. Elmore, a doctor and epidemiologist at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles.

The researchers examined six years of electronic health records, representing nearly 10 million patients, at the UCLA health system from July 2014 through February. That included patient visits to three UCLA hospitals and to nearly 200 associated outpatient clinics.

Health agencies have surveillance systems in place to detect the early signals of disease outbreaks, such as a rise in patients with fever checking into hospitals. But medical records were an under-tapped resource, Elmore said. "People weren't paying attention to the outpatient setting," she said.

The study authors searched outpatient and emergency department reports that used the word "cough," and tallied the number of people hospitalized for acute respiratory failure.

That approach revealed an uptick in patients that began the week of Dec. 22 and remained elevated for 10 weeks. The number of extra people exceeded the researchers' predictions by 50%, totaling about 1,000 more patients compared with the previous five flu seasons.

Influenza cannot be ruled out as a cause of the increase, Elmore said. "And, you know, we did see a bad bout of flu this year," she said. But what gave her pause was the consistent, weeks-long trend found only in this most recent season and not others.

Some experts said they doubted that coronavirus infections were the likely cause of respiratory problems in California so far back in time. "The data countywide would suggest that it really began to spread in March," said Brad Spellberg, chief medical officer at the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, who was not involved with the new research.

Although the virus may have infected a small number of people sooner than previously reported, Spellberg said he doubted that "meaningful transmission" occurred in December or January.

Using data from emergency departments that reported patients with flu-like illnesses, Spellberg and his colleagues observed two peaks in patients in December and February, as they reported in JAMA this spring.

Those increases were consistent with a severe flu season, Spellberg said. Los Angeles's third spike in flu-like illnesses, this time caused by the coronavirus, came later.

What's more, between March 2 and March 18, only 5% of 131 patients with flu-like illnesses tested positive for the coronavirus in the JAMA study. Spellberg said that if the virus had an earlier foothold in California, he would have expected that percentage to be higher. "You would have seen an explosion of cases," he said.

Understanding how long the virus circulated within a population helps refine epidemiological models of transmission. Infectious-disease scientists and doctors in many pockets of the world are eager to uncover when the coronavirus first spread outside of China.

In late December 2019, Chinese health officials identified clusters of viral pneumonia in Wuhan. Researchers sequenced the culprit's genome, describing the new coronavirus strain, in early January. The first officially reported U.S. case of coronavirus, a man who traveled home from Wuhan, occurred two weeks later.

A few observations indicate that the virus may have traveled farther, earlier, before it flared into a global pandemic. A study of Italian sewage revealed traces of the virus in December. When researchers retested a nasal swab from a man hospitalized near Paris dating to Dec. 27, they detected the coronavirus.

Genetic sequencing of coronavirus samples in New York suggests that the virus was spreading there by the end of January. In April, two autopsies in Santa Clara County, Calif., pushed back the first U.S. covid-19 deaths from late to early February.

Study author Judith Currier, a UCLA infectious-disease physician, said that when it comes to people who wonder whether they were exposed to the virus many months ago, she does not recommend "antibody testing for people who never had a symptomatic illness," citing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"If someone had a compatible clinical illness but never had testing for covid during that time, antibody testing could help to confirm," she said. "Although we don't know how long the antibodies last, so it would not be definitive."
Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has called in former Head of the President's Office Andriy Bohdan for questioning as a witness to conduct investigative actions and verify his statement he made in an interview with journalist Dmytro Gordon about possible agreements with Russian officials on Crimea, according to a statement posted on the SBI's website.

The agency said that on September 9, 2020, in an interview with an online news site, Bohdan spoke about alleged agreements with Russian officials on the status of Crimea, air services with Russia, the exchange of prisoners and a number of other agreements not provided by law, regulations or directives of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"Given the public importance of the issues raised, investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation are inviting Andriy Bohdan to conduct investigative actions and verify the facts voiced by him as a witness. The SBI has already sent a summons to his registered address," the statement said.

Earlier, Bohdan said in an interview with a media outlet that foreign intelligence services believe that there is an algorithm of actions consisting of several points, which incumbent Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak developed with the Russians, that there is an agreement on joint action between Ukraine and Russia.

"I did not see this document, but diplomats and special services mentioned it many times. It has either 12 or 13 points. But all foreign special services believe in it. [...] It is a sort of algorithm of actions. 'We give you ships, and you give us water to Crimea. We give you prisoners, and you give us direct flights. We give you $3 billion under a court ruling, and you give us something else'," he said, adding that this plan, in his opinion, is a utopia.

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Sen. Marco Rubio on Thursday questioned JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon after the nation's largest bank said some of its employees may have played a role in potential abuse a coronavirus relief programs intended to help small businesses weather the pandemic.

"I am alarmed by recent reports alleging that employees of your financial intuition may have been involved in potentially illegal conduct in the distribution of PPP," Rubio wrote in the letter.

Rubio asked for details of the company's investigation by Sept. 23, as well as other steps the New York-based bank has taken to mitigate potential fraud and alert authorities to instances of misuse.

"Financial institutions, like yours, are on the frontlines of providing PPP assistance. Allegations that employees of financial institutions have exploited either the PPP or EIDL programs for their own gain must be investigated fully," the Florida Republican, who heads the Senate Small Business panel, wrote.

Rubio's letter came after JPMorgan sent an internal memo to employees on Tuesday saying it has seen "instances of customers misusing Paycheck Protection Program Loans, unemployment benefits and other government programs," noting that "some employees have fallen short, too."

TRUMP ADMIN RELEASES NAMES OF ALMOST 700,000 PPP BORROWERS

"Unfortunately, weve also seen conduct that does not live up to our business and ethical principles  and may even be illegal," the memo, a copy of which was obtained by FOX Business, said.

It's unclear how many employees may have misused the program, or whether JPMorgan has already taken disciplinary action against the employees. Rubio requested the bank provide "specific allegations" that are being investigated.

JPMorgan urged employees to report concerns to their managers or through a separate hotline if they see improper conduct.

An internal investigation by JPMorgan, prompted in June by an inquiry from the federal government, found that a number of bank employees improperly applied for and received loans from the Small Business Association's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, a person familiar with the matter told FOX Business. Under the program, which was handled directly by the Small Business Administration, businesses could receive forgivable loans of up to $10,000. But through the probe, JPMorgan determined that some employees had applied for EIDL loans and pocketed the money.

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The government agency asked banks to investigate any accounts that had received deposits through the EIDL program and look for signs of fraud. JPMorgan found a number of suspicious deposits  and in the course of freezing them, realized that some accounts belonged to employees. A spokesperson for JPMorgan declined to comment.

At the end of March, Congress approved a massive $2.2 trillion stimulus package, which established the Paycheck Protection Program, a rescue fund designed to help keep small businesses afloat and avert mass layoffs during the pandemic.

COMPANIES RETURNED $30B IN VIRUS RELIEF LOANS FROM PPP

JPMorgan was the nation's largest participant in the $670 billion program, approving more than 280,000 loans worth more than $32 billion, according to the Small Business Administration. Through the program, businesses with fewer than 500 employees could apply for loans of as much as $10 million each; so long as 60% of that money went toward maintaining payroll, the federal government will forgive it.

The program's rollout was met with criticism as multimillion-dollar loans went to large, public companies -- even as small businesses languished.

In mid-April, a group of small business owners filed lawsuits against some of the nation's biggest banks -- including JPMorgan -- accusing them of reshuffling applications to frontload businesses seeking higher loans, thereby boosting their own profits.

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Parties cutting across the political divide in West Bengal on Thursday evoked Bengali sub-nationalism, asserting that the "vilification campaign" against actor Rhea Chakraborty "proved" Bengalis are a soft target of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is looking to cash in on this narrative ahead of the Bihar assembly polls.

IMAGE: Actor Rhea Chakraborty being taken for medical examination after Narcotics Control Bureau arrest her in drug case related to Sushant Singh Rajput's death probe. Photograph: ANI Photo

Bengali sub-nationalism is also slowly emerging as a rallying cry ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections due next year.

The ruling Trinamool Congress Party and opposition Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, despite their sharp political differences, have equivocally slammed the saffron party for "using" a Bengali woman as a "soft target" to score brownie points in the run up to the Bihar polls later this year.

The BJP leadership, however, has declined to comment on the accusation.

"If someone has committed a crime, the person should be punished as per law. But even before being proven guilty, the kind of vilification campaign that was noticed on social media against Bengali women stems from the hatred for the Bengali community.

"The BJP and its frontal organisation have been spearheading this campaign," Chakraborty said.

The TMC said BJP's inherent dislike for Bengalis has again come out in the open due to the Rhea Chakraborty episode.

"I feel that as Rhea is a Bengali, she was victimised even before she was proven guilty in court. The vilification campaign once again proves the sheer hatred of the BJP towards the Bengalis. We had witnessed something similar in the Assam NRC, too," senior TMC leader and national spokesperson Saugata Roy said.

On Wednesday, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and newly-appointed West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had described her arrest over drug charges as "ludicrous".

"Rhea's father is a former military officer who served the nation. Rhea is a Bengali Brahmin lady; justice to actor Sushant Singh Rajput should not be interpreted as justice to a Bihari.

"The father of Rhea is also entitled to demand justice for his kids, trial by media is an ominous portent for our judicial system. Justice for all is one of the basic tenets of our Constitution," he had said in a series of tweets.

Chowdhury said Rajput was an Indian actor, but the "BJP turned him into a Bihari actor" only to score electoral brownie points.

"Rhea Chakroborty has been indicted not for abetment of suicide or murder or any economic offences; she has been arrested under NDPS, ludicrous," he said.

Narratives themed around 'Bengali pride' and 'natives versus outsiders' are slowly gaining momentum, with various outfits raising the pitch for reservation for domicile Bengalis in jobs and education in the state, where, until a few years ago, cultural sub-nationalism was an alien concept.

The latest to add fuel to the fire was the alleged online vilification of Bengali women in the aftermath of Rajput's death, with many fans of the deceased actor calling his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and others from the community "gold diggers" and "witches".

After the electoral reverses in the Lok Sabha polls last year and the rise of the BJP as a prime contender for power, TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has often invoked Bengali sub-nationalism, and called the BJP a party of "outsiders".

"The way BJP had attacked Bengali women reflects its hatred for our sisters and daughters. The BJP, which is dreaming of capturing power in Bengal, doesn't have an iota of respect for Bengal or Bengalis," Kaushik Maiti, a senior leader of 'Bangla Pokkho', an organisation fighting for the rights of Bengalis, said.

When contacted, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha declined to comment on the matter.

After three days of interrogation, the Narcotics Control Bureau on Tuesday arrested Chakraborty, 28, in a drugs case linked to Rajput's death, following which she was sent to judicial custody till September 22 by a local court.
A team of veterinary experts from different parts of the world has conducted a medical examination on Pakistan's only Asian elephant, a procedure before moving the animal to its new home in Cambodia.

Kaavan, the 34-year-old overweight bull elephant, has attracted global attention to the poor conditions of the animals at the Islamabad Zoo in Pakistan. Courts found the reported conditions to be in direct violation of the country's Wildlife Ordinance Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1890. On May 21, The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered that all animals from the zoo be relocated to different sanctuaries.

A Four Year Campaign for Kaavan

Kaavan, the lone Asian Elephant in Pakistan, was born in 1985 in Sri Lanka. Upon his birth, the Sri Lankan government gave him as a gift to Zia-ul-Haq, then the President of Pakistan. He has stayed at the Islamabad Zoo, formerly known as the Marghazar Zoo, for most of his life.

In 1991, a female elephant named Saheli was gifted also by the Sri Lankan government to Pakistan. Saheli was meant to be a partner to Kaavan until Saheli died in 2012. The younger elephant had been injured a few days prior to dying at 22 years old.

RELATED: Rare Baby Elephant Twins Spotted in Sri Lankan National Park

By September 2016, news started breaking out about the Asian Elephant's poor living conditions, including being kept in chains for more than twenty years. It caught the attention of American pop artist Cher, who started the #SaveKavaan social media campaign. Among the reports included in the petitions is that Kaavan was locked in a small enclosure and was only provided with a small pool of water in high temperatures.

WE HAVE JUST HEARD FROM

PAKISTAN HIGH COURT

KAAVAN IS FREE  Cher (@cher) May 21, 2020

To enact the IHC ruling, Austrian animal welfare and rescue group Four Paws International will be supporting Kaavan's move to Cambodia. The Asian elephant will be moved to a 25,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia. His transport, according to an article from the Agence-France Presse (AFP), will probably be an Antonov An-225 Airlift Cargo Plane - tagged as the world's largest cargo plane.

Obese and Bored

Amir Khalil, the veterinarian with Four Paws International, first got the elephant into an emptied-out concrete bathing pond by offering it a bunch of bananas and flatbreads. Once the elephant was out, head vet Frank Goeritz tranquilized the large, 35-year-old elephant to allow the Four Paws team to examine Kaavan.

Reports noted that the elephant became agitated, with Khalil's rendition of the Frank Sinatra classic "My Way" seemingly allowed Kaavan to calm down. Afterward, the Four Paws vets took the elephant's measurements and blood samples before putting a microchip in his left shoulder.

"He is in good general condition... but he is totally obese, he weighs way too much and his feet are terrible," Goeritz said in an interview with AFP. They also noted the elephant's toenail, malformed and cracked, requiring medical attention.

RELATED: Secret World Of Sleeping Elephant: Fitness Tracker Reveals Tusker's Unique Sleeping Habits

Goeritz also shared that the lone Asian elephant has been consuming about 200 kilograms of sugar cane every day. Furthermore, the lack of intellectual stimuli in Kaavan led to his stereotypic behavior of swinging his head and his trunk side to side,

"He is bored. He needs definitely physical and mental challenges," the Four Paws lead vet added.

Check out more news and information on Elephants in Science Times.
Additional federal help is not on the way as America continues to battle an ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Many U.S. senators, including Bob Menendez of New Jersey, voted against a Republican-led stimulus proposal Thursday.

While Senate Democrats made our priorities clear and stood ready to negotiate, Menendez said Thursday in a press statement, the Republican majority wasted months and refused to meaningfully engage. Now they have offered a sham plan that fails American families and fails to seriously address the health and economic crises our country is facing.

Menendez and his Democratic colleagues banded together to block a skinny GOP proposal that called for COVID-19 liability protections, continued relief for small businesses, public health enhancements and educational support financed by approximately $300 billion in new spending.

The GOP legislation, also known as the Delivering Immediate Relief to Americas Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act, failed to get 60 votes needed to advance in the U.S. Senate under a 52-47 vote. One Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, joined Democrats in opposing the GOP stimulus plan.

This wasnt a serious proposal and Americans deserve better than this, Menendez said in his statement, citing how the bill would cut the elapsed $600-a-week in enhanced federal unemployment benefits by half and provide zero direct assistance to help state and local governments during this virus-induced recession.

The senior U.S. senator from New Jersey further blasted the GOP stimulus bill for the following additional reasons: It completely ignores the threat of families losing their homes to foreclosure or eviction, doesnt provide nearly enough funding to ensure all our schools can safely reopen, and provides no additional funding to prevent people from going hungry or to help keep public transportation moving. It omits worker protections and provides no hazard pay for those working on the frontlines. It provides no funding for nursing homes, hospitals, and community health centers. It fails to include any new funding to safeguard the November election, ensure an accurate census, or provide the support necessary to maintain the U.S. Postal Service.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have advocated $2.2 trillion in new stimulus spending, if not $3 trillion to address the economic and public health crises sparked by the deadly respiratory disease.

Im ready to vote for a comprehensive, bipartisan bill that provides real solutions to the very real problems we face as a nation, but this bill was designed to fail, Menendez said Thursday after voting against the scaled-down GOP stimulus plan. Its time Republicans get serious about helping the unemployed, teachers and students, small business owners, and seniors struggling to put food on the table. My Democratic colleagues and I have offered sensible, pragmatic solutions  many with broad bipartisan support  and I call on Sen. McConnell to bring these proposals to the Senate Floor for a vote. Its time we put hardworking families ahead of petty election-year politics.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blamed the other party for preventing additional federal relief from moving forward.

Every Senate Democrat just voted against hundreds of billions of dollars of COVID-19 relief, he said Thursday in a tweet. They blocked money for schools, testing, vaccines, unemployment insurance, and the Paycheck Protection Program. Their goal is clear: No help for American families before the election.
When police last week surrounded Michael Forest Reinoehl, a self-described anti-fascist suspected of fatally shooting a member of a far-right group in Portland, Ore., the wanted man wasn't obviously armed, a witness to the scene said on Wednesday.

In fact, according to Nate Dinguss, Reinoehl was clutching a cellphone and eating a gummy worm as he walked to his car outside an apartment complex in Lacey, Wash. That's when officers opened fire without first announcing themselves or trying to arrest him, Mr Dinguss, who lives in the apartment complex, said in a statement shared with The Washington Post.

Mr Dinguss's account of the 3 September shooting, first reported by the Oregonian, contradicts details offered by federal authorities, who said Reinoehl pulled a gun as members of a fugitive task force tried to arrest him. Two other witnesses also told the Olympian that they'd seen Reinoehl fire a weapon at police.

Mr Dinguss, whose attorney described him as an ordained minister, said he fears reprisals from far-right groups and police for describing what he saw unfolding outside his apartment.

"We are very concerned for our client's safety for speaking out, both from the fascist right, and retaliation by law enforcement," said Luke Laughlin, his attorney, in a statement.

Reinoehl's case unfolded against a national backdrop of escalating violence as protesters and far-left groups clashed with armed members of self-described militias and far-right organisations in Wisconsin, Oregon and elsewhere.

Prosecutors last week charged Reinoehl with fatally shooting Aaron J Danielson on 29 August after supporters of Donald Trump clashed with counter-protesters in downtown Portland. In an interview with Vice News last week, Reinoehl suggested the shooting was self-defence and said he believed Danielson, a member of the far-right Patriot Prayer group, was threatening him and a friend.

As national politicians, including Mr Trump, demanded that Reinoehl be swiftly arrested, officers in the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force tracked him to Lacey, about 120 miles north of Portland.

There are few official details about what happened next. At least four members of the task force, which included officers from a variety of local agencies, fired dozens of times at Reinoehl; the US Marshals Service later said he had a handgun, but it wasn't clear whether he'd ever fired it at police.

Mr Dinguss said he never saw Reinoehl pull out a gun.

He said he watched as two unmarked police vehicles converged on Reinoehl as he walked to his car, holding his phone and chewing on a piece of candy. The officers never audibly identified themselves and didn't try to arrest Reinoehl, Mr Dinguss said.

Recommended Police release details in shooting death of Portland suspect Michael Reinoehl

Instead, he said they immediately began firing. When Reinoehl heard the gunfire, he ducked behind his car, which was pinned in by the law enforcement vehicles; he never tried to get inside, Mr Dinguss said, and never reached for a weapon. Mr Dinguss said he watched police unleash rapid-fire rounds at Reinoehl, once pausing to shout "Stop!" before resuming their fire.

Mr Dinguss added that officers waited "multiple minutes" before rendering medical aid to Reinoehl, who died at the scene from several gunshot wounds.

The Thurston County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating Reinoehl's death, didn't immediately return a message about Mr Dinguss's account; a spokesman for the Marshals declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

Mr Laughlin called for the Thurston County Sheriff's Office to reassign their investigation, alleging that the agency has a conflict of interest since it procured the search warrants against Reinoehl.

"A completely independent agency with no involvement in the events must conduct the investigation," Mr Laughlin said. "However, the level of involvement of TCSO in the criminal investigation of Reinoehl is questionable."

The Washington Post
Remword.cn scored 51 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 6 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

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Basic Information

PAGE TITLE 4- DESCRIPTION 4 KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



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Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER nginx/1.2.0 OPERATIVE SYSTEM

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Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for remword.cn by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

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The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

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Two protesters who took part in Saturday night's protest in Rochester, New York, were charged for allegedly assaulting police officers, federal prosecutors said.

Adam Green, of Dansville, New York, and Dallas Williams-Smothers, of Rochester, both 20, were charged in the Western District of New York with civil disorder for two incidents during Saturday's demonstration, according to U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. The protesters were part of about 1,500 people who took to the streets in response to the death of Daniel Prude at the hands of officers in March.

The complaints contend that both men used weapons to attack police officers who were trying to disperse the crowd.

MORE: Rochester police chief, deputies step down suddenly following protests over death of Daniel Prude

Green allegedly swung a wooden shield at a police officer, striking the officer in the forehead of his helmet, according to the criminal complaint. The officer suffered a cut and abrasion on the bridge of his nose, the complaint said.

Williams-Smothers allegedly ignited a "mortar-style commercial-grade firework" and threw it at officers, the complaint said. The device exploded and created a "risk of serious injury to officers," though no one was hurt, according to the complaint.

PHOTO: People raise their fists as demonstrators take part in a protest over the death of Daniel Prude during an arrest on March 23, in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2020 (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters)

The charges came from arrests made by local officers following an aggressive night of protests that stemmed from the release of body camera footage from the March 23 incident between officers and Prude.

Prude's brother, Joe, called 911 to get help, saying Daniel was having a mental health emergency.

MORE: New York forms grand jury to investigate Daniel Prude's death at hands of Rochester police

In the video, officers approached Prude, 41, who was naked, and he initially complied with the officers' orders. Prude was subsequently seen shouting and spitting, which prompted officers to place a spit bag over his head.

The officers are then seen pinning Prude to the ground while the bag is still on his head and he eventually goes lifeless. Prude died a week later.

Story continues

New York State Attorney General Letitia James is overseeing the investigation into Prude's death and said she will empanel a grand jury. Seven officers who were involved in the incident have been suspended with pay.

PHOTO: Members of law enforcement secure the area during a protest in reaction to the death of a Daniel Prude during an arrest on March 23, in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2020. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters)

On Tuesday, Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary announced he would retire at the end of the month with six other police leaders announcing they would retire or vacate their positions.

The announcement of charges against two protesters came on the same day the leader of the city's police union, President Mike Mazzeo, called on Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren to resign. The mayor countered with asking him to step down, saying, "the problem with policing in Rochester are cops like cops like Mike Mazzeo that watch the video of Daniel Prudes death and see nothing wrong."

"Mike Mazzeo and his ilk exist only to protect and serve themselves, and certainly not the people of the City of Rochester," Warren said in a statement. "It is time for Mike Mazzeo to resign, because his archaic ways of policing are no longer wanted in the City of Rochester."

2 protesters charged for alleged attacks on police during Rochester demonstration originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Thursday that the state is nearly doubling funding from its Shared Streets and Spaces grant program, which aims to help businesses with public safety and logistical improvements during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Baker administration launched the emergency program through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in June. It is designed to give money to businesses to improve sidewalks, curbs, streets and on-site parking access in an effort to support public health and safe mobility for customers during the pandemic.

Officials pledged $5 million in aid to businesses initially. On Thursday, Baker said the state would be adding another $5 million to the program. The awards range from as little as $5,000 and as large as six-figure awards to undertake improvements.

The money is made available through the federal CARES Act and through MassDOT, Baker said.

Nearly $4 million will be awarded to 39 communities across the state this round. The program has disbursed a total of $7.7 million to fund 91 projects across 78 municipalities, Baker said.

Were pleased that these grants can help businesses invest in items to help create more space and follow safety guidance during this pandemic, Baker said during Thursdays press conference at Bistro 5 in Medford. Its obviously been a challenging year for everybody, but its been especially true for sectors that rely on foot-traffic to do business.

Applications to receive funds from the initiative will be allowed through Sept. 29. The state said it would give preference to projects that can be completed within 15 to 30 days of receiving the funds, projects in designated Environmental Justice communities and projects that could potentially be made permanent.

Related Content:
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said his party had no connection with the demolition of actor Kangana Ranauts property in Mumbai.

Raut added that the matter was under the purview of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and he would not comment on it.

The action at Kangana Ranauts office is done by BMC. It has no connection with Shiv Sena. You can talk to the Mayor or the BMC Commissioner on it, the Shiv Sena leader said.

The Queen actor had on Wednesday posted a video directing her anger over the demolition towards Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Your ego will be destroyed just as you destroyed my house, she said in the video. Mumbai police has registered an FIR against the actor for her remarks on Thackeray.

Meanwhile, Bombay high court stopped the demolition of illegal alterations at the actors Bandra bungalow on Wednesday.

Kangana Ranaut returned to Mumbai after having engaged in a war of words with Raut over Mumbai polices handling of the death case of Sushant Singh Rajput. She compared Mumbai to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir following which the Shiv Sena leader warned her against returning to Maharashtra.

The actor was living with her family in Himachal Pradesh ever since Covid-19 lockdown was announced.
The Andrews government is seeking legal advice on proposed new federal laws which could tear up its controversial Belt and Road agreement with China, potentially setting up another fight over foreign policy with the Commonwealth.

The Morrison government last week released draft laws which would allow the Commonwealth to cancel foreign agreements which contradict Australia's national interest.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has defended his Belt and Road agreement with China. Credit:Wayne Taylor

A spokeswoman for the Victorian government confirmed to The Age it was seeking legal advice on the draft bill and explanatory memorandum and "considering the intersection between proposed Commonwealth legislation and impacts on Victoria, as it always does".

Senior diplomatic and national security figures have been concerned about the deal with the Chinese government at a time when Australia is trying to counter the Chinese government's growing influence in the region.
The offer came as the Postal Service was working to reassure voters and state government officials that it was prepared to handle an expected surge in voting by mail as a result of the pandemic. The agency has reached out to political party and campaign officials in all 50 states and designated more than 400 political and election mail coordinators, according to an internal document. And it has begun an advertising campaign, including a mailer to households across the country and a television spot. Mr. DeJoy is scheduled to meet next week with secretaries of state from across the country to offer guidance on voting-by-mail deadlines.

The Postal Service recently warned states that it might not be able to process all last-minute ballots, opening the possibility that hundreds of thousands could arrive too late to be counted.

Mr. Trump has railed against mail-in voting, claiming that it will rig the election against him and asserting with no evidence that it is fraudulent. At least one Republican member of the board of governors installed by Mr. Trump has said he is also concerned about mail-in ballot fraud, citing a news report promoted by the presidents re-election campaign.

On Wednesday, Democratic leaders emphasized their concerns about Mr. DeJoys stewardship of the Postal Service in a letter to lawmakers instructing them to urge their constituents to vote early, especially if they planned to do so by mail.

Democrats need to convey a loud, clear message to voters about how to overcome these concerns: To prevent Donald Trump from stealing this election, VOTE, wrote Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader. Americans must vote as early as they can  especially if you plan to vote by mail.
"People want the freedom and flexibility to use any content they choose with their home fitness equipment, whether it is one of the popular apps today, virtual workout classes offered by their local gym, or the next streaming fitness service that launches in the future," said Mike Olson, Executive Vice President of Sporting Goods and E-commerce, Horizon Fitness. "That is exactly what the Studio Series treadmill lineup delivers  the freedom to stream any content you want, on any device you choose, at a price you can afford."

In addition to advanced connectivity, Horizon Studio Series treadmills come equipped with a complete set of unique features that support dynamic, trainer-led workout experiences at home.

QuickDial Controls simplify speed and incline changes with just the swipe of your palm and one-touch Quick Keys jump to your preferred speed and incline settings at the touch of a button

RapidSync Performance Drive System speeds up and slows down faster than any other treadmill in its class to maximize interval workouts and keep pace with instructor cues

Bluetooth speakers connect to your content for an immersive training experience

Tech-compatible design features multiple options for tablet placement without blocking important workout metrics and a rapid device charging port

Included Bluetooth heart rate chest strap connects directly to the Peloton and Zwift apps (7.4AT and 7.8AT)

Sync your workout data with popular fitness tracking apps, including MapMyRun and MyFitnessPal

For runners who just want a comfortable run on a best-in-class treadmill, the Horizon Studio Series offers just that, without forcing the user to pay for built in touchscreens and features they are not going to use. Additionally, the intuitive controls, ultra-responsive drive system and durable frame design provide a premium training platform that is ready for any workout style or personal goal.

"We set out to design a truly new treadmill that works with any streaming content you choose, and the result was a treadmill that works better for everyone, no matter how you run," said Clint Myers, Vice President of Product Development, Horizon Fitness. "The controls are easier to use, speed and incline transitions are faster and smoother, and our open approach to connectivity means you can try new apps and services at any time or use none at all. It's up to you. It's your run."

Horizon Fitness Studio Series treadmills start at $999 and are currently available at HorizonFitness.com and select fitness retailers throughout the U.S.

About Horizon Fitness

Horizon Fitness is a subsidiary of Johnson Health Tech, a worldwide leader in the exercise equipment industry for more than 40 years. Horizon Fitness designs, manufactures and sells a wide assortment of award-winning fitness equipment for residential use, including treadmills, elliptical trainers, exercise bikes and rowing machines.

About Johnson Health Tech

Johnson Health Tech, Inc. (JHT), Taiwan, is among the world's largest and fastest-growing fitness equipment manufacturers and is home to some of the most respected brands in the fitness industry, including Matrix, Vision and Horizon. The company manufactures a wide assortment of fitness equipment for commercial and residential use, including treadmills, elliptical trainers, exercise bikes and strength training equipment. JHT's global management headquarters is based in Taichung, Taiwan, with global product development, marketing and engineering based in Cottage Grove, Wis.

SOURCE Horizon Fitness

Related Links

https://www.horizonfitness.com


A resident of a Washington state community who managed to save his home from a Labor Day wildfire told NBC News that it felt like "a war zone."

Larry Frick, 53, is one of few remaining homeowners in Malden, Washington, a community of just 200 people where 80 percent of the small town was destroyed by wildfires on Monday, according to the Whitman County Sheriff's Office.

"Everything around me is gone," Frick told NBC News in a video interview on Wednesday. "All my neighbors, everything, there's no standing structure."

Image: Malden Washington wildfire (Courtesy Larry Frick)

Frick and his wife Chandelle learned that wildfires were approaching their home in Malden on Monday while they were out of town visiting family for the holiday weekend. They soon found out that their town had been evacuated, but unable to reach Frick's elderly mother-in-law who lives in the family home, they pushed through the smoke to get home and check on her.

"I've never been in a war zone, but I would say that maybe this is what it was like," Frick said of the scene he found upon arrival. "There were explosions going off non-stop, and some really big ones where I could feel it shake the ground."

After finding out that his mother-in-law was safe, Frick and his wife decided to try and save their home, where only the deck had begun to burn. The pair said they managed to keep the flames gathering on their property at bay with just two hoses and a sprinkler system before they were joined by volunteer firefighters from a neighboring community.

Other members of the community were not so lucky. Frick said he watched his neighbor's home catch fire and burn to the ground in under 20 minutes.

"The smoke was so thick and embers were hitting me as I was in my yard, running around and branches were falling. I don't know if I was scared. I just I couldn't believe it," he said.

Today, the only building that Frick can see from his home is the town church, which also survived the blaze. The fire had been contained as of Wednesday, with crews still on the ground responding to flare-ups, the Whitman County Sheriff's Office said in an update.

Story continues

Wildfires have left at least six dead and destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of land and property across California and the Pacific Northwest. Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz confirmed on Wednesday that a child had been killed in the 163,0000-acre Cold Springs fire between Spokane and Seattle, the state's first fatality.

In Malden, state resources and charities are on the ground to support residents, but Frick fears that many of his neighbors were not insured. He said he and his family plan to stay and help rebuild the town, but he knows that's a long way off.

"I don't know how many people will decide to come back after losing everything they've ever had," he said.
Spanish aristocrat Fernando Fitz-James Stuart has welcomed his first child with his wife Sofia Palazuelo two years after their lavish society wedding.

Fernando, 29, Duke of Huescar and heir apparent of the dukedom of Alba, was by Sofia's side when she gave birth to their daughter Rosario at Madrid's Hospital Nuestra Senora del Rosario.

Further details of the birth, including the date, have not been made public.

The baby was named in honour of Fernando's grandmother, the late Duchess of Alba, Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva, who was known as Spain's richest woman.

Spanish aristocrat Fernando Fitz-James Stuart has welcomed his first child with his wife Sofia Palazuelo two years after their lavish society wedding. Pictured, the couple in June last year

News of the birth comes just days after his brother, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart y Solis, Count of Osorno, 28, announced his engagement to his heiress his girlfriend Belen Corsini de Lacalle after two years of dating.

Fernando and Sofia, who worked in luxury fashion PR before marrying, wed at Fernando's 18th century family estate, Liria Palace in Madrid, in October 2018.

The couple were joined by no less than 750 wedding guests including the likes of Spain's Emeritus Queen Sofia, and designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.

Following the ceremony the newly weds hosted an aperitivo and long lunch on the same estate serving beer from the family's own brewery La Casa de Alba.

The couple performed their first dance to a waltz before their guests joined them on the dance floor and partied until the early hours.

Fernando, 29, Duke of Huescar and heir apparent of the dukedom of Alba, was by Sofia's side when she gave birth to their daughter Rosario at Madrid's Hospital Nuestra Senora del Rosario. Pictured, the couple at their stunning wedding in Madrid in October 2018

The baby was named in honour of Fernando's grandmother, the late Duchess of Alba, Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva, who was known as Spain's richest woman. Pictured, the Duchess and Alfonso Diez walk out of the chapel after their wedding in October 2011. It was the Spanish billionaire's third wedding

It is no surprise that the wedding was a lavish affair with the groom being the grandson of the late Duchess of Alba, who was known as Spain's richest woman

Worth an estimated 2.2billion, the Spanish duchess was one of Europe's wealthiest aristocrats when she passed away in November 2014 at her Seville residence, Duenas Palace.

Friends, relatives and well-wishers paid their respects to the duchess, also known as 'Cayetana', after she died following a battle with pneumonia.

Her husband Alfonso Diez, who was 24 years her junior, is thought not to have received any of her fortune, which included an impressive property portfolio, 50,000 pieces of artwork and 18,000 rare books, after he signed a document renouncing any claim to her wealth prior to their marriage in October 2011.

News of the birth comes just days after his brother, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart y Solis, Count of Osorno, 28, announced his engagement to his heiress his girlfriend Belen Corsini de Lacalle after two years of dating. Pictured, the newly-engaged couple

Instead, the Duchess - who is a direct royal descent from King James II of England - left her entire estate to her six children, with them each receiving a palace, as well as thousands of acres of land. Her eight grandchildren are also said to have inherited a substantial chunk of her estate.

A relative of Winston Churchill, the duchess shared toys with England's future Queen Elizabeth while living in England as a girl.

She was 14 times a Spanish grandee, five times a duchess, once a countess-duchess, 18 times a marchioness, 18 times a countess and once a viscountess, according to the entry.

With her cloud of white hair and face moulded by plastic surgery, she was rarely out of the Spanish gossip magazines.

'If they forget you, you are nobody,' she once told one of the Spanish celebrity magazines of which she was a fixture.

The 13th Duchess of Alba was a muse of artist Francisco Goya in the 18th century and is rumoured to be the subject of 'La Maja Desnuda', his famous portrait of a reclining nude which hangs in Madrid's Prado gallery.
Editor's note: Robert Playter is CEO of Boston Dynamics. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own.

(CNN)  As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, industries that did not previously pose a health and safety risk to workers -- such as package and food delivery, travel, hospitality and even energy, transportation and construction -- now do. Many of these jobs can't be accomplished through Zoom, requiring a physical presence. So employers are looking to technology to help protect their workers from infection. They are relying on technologies like mobile agile robots to do the myriad of jobs that require a physical presence so human workers don't run the risk of getting sick.

This pandemic-inspired partnership of people and machines is one that I believe will long outlast the pandemic itself and redefine the future of work.

Pairing robots that can do the physical work with humans that provide true intelligence, perception and the ability to make decisions can enable work to continue in environments that would otherwise be unsafe or simply unpleasant for humans.

The result of this pairing is only as effective as the robot itself. An organizing principle of our work at Boston Dynamics has been to create machines that have some of the physical intelligence that we humans tend to take for granted. Negotiating a cluttered room without tripping, climbing stairs, opening a door or stacking boxes becomes automatic to us humans once we grow beyond the toddler stage. But these basic physical skills have been beyond the capability of most mobile robots until recently. In understanding both the capabilities and limitations of robots, we can better visualize a role for them within the workplace that augments, rather than replaces, human labor.

There are already a number of applications in which robots and humans work in tandem, with robots assuming the risky, tedious or physically demanding parts of the job while a human co-worker, possibly located remotely, provides critical judgment and guidance. Ford, for example, is pairing a robot with engineers to map its facility and create digital blueprints. Aker BP, an oil exploration and development company, is exploring how robots can assume risky tasks on offshore operations.

Health care is an obvious, but impactful use of robotic technology as well. Robots can't get sick so using them in certain circumstances could help protect both health care workers and patients. First responders, for example, can now use robots to interact with Covid-stricken households and collect vital signs.

Retail and delivery companies have explored using robots and drones to sort or deliver packages for years. With Covid risks, the need for this technology became immediate. Using robots to handle the last-mile delivery of packages and limit human interaction, for example, not only helps protect drivers, but it also reassures customers. Last year, DoorDash announced the use of a food delivery robot and FedEx announced a rollout of an autonomous delivery robot. Health concerns will only accelerate such adoption of robotic technology.

Essential services, like electricity generation and construction, are also now using robots for repetitive and tedious inspection tasks while reserving critical judgment for a human operator located safely in a remote control center. They are incorporating robotics with unprecedented speed and integrating the technology into the regular responsibilities of site managers and project leads. The impact has been profound: What often amounted to weeks or months of work can now be streamlined into days.

Rather than seeing robots as threats to manual labor and entry-level positions, the pandemic is requiring us to think about how technology can augment and even improve our current jobs. When a solution -- like agile mobile robots -- proves to be useful for today's health and safety challenges, but is also versatile enough to be easily adapted for tomorrow's need for a scaled workforce, it is well positioned for widespread and sustained adoption. The pandemic may have sped up the partnership between robots and humans, but businesses will ultimately see the long-term payoff of keeping this technology in place long after the pandemic is over.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Robots won't take away our jobs. They will make work safer and more efficient."
A new mechanism is proposed by the University of Tsukuba to explain the resilience of superconductors after temporary exposure to a magnetic field, providing a potential route to lossless electricity transmission

Tsukuba, Japan - A researcher at the University of Tsukuba has offered a new explanation for how superconductors exposed to a magnetic field can recover--without loss of energy--to their previous state after the field is removed. This work may lead to a new theory of superconductivity and a more eco-friendly electrical distribution system.

Superconductors are a class of materials with the amazing property of being able to conduct electricity with zero resistance. In fact, an electrical current can circle around a loop of superconducting wire indefinitely. The catch is that these materials must be kept very cold, and even so, a strong magnetic field can cause a superconductor to revert back to normal.

It was once assumed that the superconducting-to-normal transition caused by a magnetic field could not be reversed easily, since the energy would be dissipated by the usual process of Joule heating. This mechanism, by which the resistance in normal wires converts electrical energy into heat, is what allows us to use an electric stovetop or space heater.

"Joule heating is usually considered negatively, because it wastes energy and can even cause overloaded wires to melt," explains Professor Hiroyasu Koizumi of the Division of Quantum Condensed Matter Physics, the Center for Computational Sciences at the University of Tsukuba. "However, it has been known for a long time from experiments that, if you remove the magnetic field, a current-carrying superconductor can, in fact, be returned to its previous state without loss of energy,"

Now, Professor Koizumi has proposed a new explanation for this phenomenon. In the superconducting state, elections pair up and move in sync, but the true cause of this synchronized motion is the presence of so-called "Berry connection," characterized by the topological quantum number. It is an integer and if it is nonzero, current flows. Thus, this supercurrent can be switched off abruptly by changing this number to zero without Joule heating.

The founder of modern electromagnetic theory, James Clerk Maxwell, once postulated a similar molecular vortex model that imagined space being filled with the rotation of currents in tiny circles. Since everything was spinning the same way, it reminded Maxwell of "idle wheels," which were gears used in machines for this purpose.

"The surprising thing is that a model from the early days of electromagnetism, like Maxwell's idle wheels, can help us resolve questions arising today," Professor Koizumi says. "This research may help lead to a future in which energy can be delivered from power plants to homes with perfect efficiency."

###

The work is published in EPL as "Reversible superconducting-normal phase transition in a magnetic field and the existence of topologically protected loop currents that appear and disappear without Joule heating." (DOI:10.1209/0295-5075/131/37001)
The president briefed the German leader on Ukraine's efforts aimed at achieving peace in the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has held a phone conversation with Angela Merkel, the Federal Chancellor of Germany.

The president briefed the German leader on the security situation in Donbas, as well as the efforts of the Ukrainian party aimed at achieving peace in the region, the Zelensky's Office reported on Thursday, September 10.

For her part, Angela Merkel has assured that Germany will continue to make every effort to achieve progress in the peace process.

"At the same time, she stressed the importance of implementing the Paris agreements reached in the Normandy format [Ukraine, Germany, France, and Russia], especially on observing ceasefire," the report reads.

The leaders of the two countries noted the importance of further coordination of steps toward a peaceful settlement in Donbas, and expressed hope that the upcoming meeting of advisors to the leaders of the Normandy format, set to be held September 11, will bring "clear decisions and results," and that the Normandy Four leaders' summit will be held shortly.

Angela Merkel stressed that "Ukraine can count on the support of Germany and France on the way to resolving the issue of the war in Donbas," the report reads.

Read alsoZelensky on ceasefire violations in Donbas: Russia must adhere to agreementsZelensky and Merkel have noted "proximity of positions" of the two countries regarding the developments in Belarus.

Volodymyr Zelensky recalled that Ukraine "joined the EU statement on the presidential elections in Belarus."

Situation around Sumy in Donbas: background
9/2 Clifford Meyer, De Soto, was operating a semi-truck and flatbed trailer owned by River City Transport, northbound on State Hwy. 82, in the town of Wheatland. The trailer went off the roadway, and down an embankment. The trailer continued to be drug sideways along the embankment, and struck a power pole. The power pole snapped off. Meyer continued driving until the trailer was pulled back onto the roadway. Meyer did not report any injuries. There was no reported damage to the semi-truck and trailer.

9/3 Arthur Brose, Coon Valley, was traveling northbound on State Hwy. 162, in the town of Hamburg, around 8:55 p.m., and struck a large black dog that was in the middle of the roadway. Brose, and his passenger, Judy Brose, did not report any injuries. The owner of the dog was notified.

9/5 Jossie Alice-Briane Kozelka, De Soto, was traveling eastbound on S Creek Road, in the town of Genoa, and due to the sunrise, she was blinded by the sun, missed the corner, and went into the ditch. The vehicle overturned and landed in a pond. Jossie was transported to the hospital for a possible injury. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. (See photo)

9/5 Dylan Holcomb, La Crosse, was traveling southbound on County Road B, in the town of Jefferson. Holcomb failed to negotiate the corner, and was going too fast. The vehicle left the roadway, went into the ditch, and struck a tree. Holcomb had no apparent injuries. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. Holcomb was cited for Operating While Under the Influence.

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Message from Sheriff John Spears: There have been questions in regards to the new Executive Order #82 issued by Gov. Evers. I hope this clarifies our response here at the Sheriffs Office.

The Vernon County Sheriffs Office supports individual actions that can be taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Those actions include, but are not limited to: social distancing, proper washing of hands, use of hand sanitizers, and the use of proper protective personal equipment (PPE), including masks. Additionally, we appreciate the efforts of business owners who have taken numerous steps to keep people healthy including, but not limited to: the use of safety barriers, social distance arrangements, as well as disinfecting procedures. We understand that some individuals may have medical conditions or disabilities that prevent them from utilizing masks.

In order to provide some clarification, please be advised that the Vernon County Sheriffs Office will not be responding to complaints of individuals violating the Governors face covering mandate. Consistent with our understanding of the Executive Order #82, the goal is compliance and education, and is not meant to be punitive. However, the Vernon County Sheriffs Office will continue to respond to reports or complaints from a business owner, manager or other premise owner who has already requested that an individual leave a premise for failing to comply with the face covering mandate as it relates to that specific premise. We anticipate that these circumstances will be rare, but enforcement is necessary under these circumstances because they are situations where a disturbance may be likely. In those situations, our focus is not on the face covering order itself, but rather the fact that the individual is not wanted in a particular place, that the individual has been asked to leave, and has not complied with the request of the person in control of that premise. This enforcement response is consistent with most, if not all of the other Sheriffs Offices throughout Western Wisconsin and the state.

***

Until further notice, in compliance with CDC limitations, to reduce the spread of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), Sheriff John Spears is limiting nonessential/nonemergent services including all meetings scheduled at the sheriffs office, license plate registrations, jail visitation, etc. In order to report an incident, or questions/inquiries in general, please call the Vernon County Dispatch Center at 608-637-2123 or email: vcso@vernoncounty.org. Civil Process/Record Request inquiries can be forwarded to 608-638-5710 or email: vcsorecords@vernoncounty.org.

As directed by Sheriff Spears, if you are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus or flu-like symptoms, please identify this to the dispatcher before a deputy makes contact at your residence.

Precautions are being taken in this facility to maintain the health and wellness of staff, inmates and visitors. Thank you for your understanding.

*Sheriff Spears is reminding citizens to practice good health practices and follow the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control.

To help protect our community, your family and co-workers, please remember to wash your hands frequently for a minimum of 20 seconds, limit the amount of times you touch your face with your hands, cover your mouth when you have a cough, and if you are sick, stay home, or seek medical attention. Clean and sanitize your home, work areas, and frequently contacted areas.

For more information, please contact the Vernon County Health Department or your medical provider, and do your part to keep our community healthy to reduce or limit the impact of COVID-19/coronavirus. Stay safe and healthy!
A private ceremony was held on Wednesday to celebrate the newly named Paul Conn Parkway. This event followed a unanimous decision by the Cleveland City Council on Aug. 24 to rename a section of Parker Street to Paul Conn Parkway in honor of Lee University Chancellor Dr. Paul Conn.

Dr. Conn transitioned to the position of chancellor on Aug. 1 after serving for 34 years as the universitys president.

In 2016, then Mayor Tom Rowland (now mayor emeritus) proposed to rename the street upon Dr. Conns retirement. This year, Mayor Kevin Brooks reintroduced the idea by requesting city staff to investigate the background and determine if it was possible.



Councilman Dale Hughes addressed the friends, family, and City Council members present at the Wednesday morning ceremony. When a person fosters a tremendous relationship between the city and the university, he is deserving. When one builds a university to 5,000 students along with 700 faculty and staff, hes deserving.

Councilman Hughes went on to describe what a good neighbor Dr. Conn has been over the years by enhancing the value of the surrounding property and bringing programs to the community such as Encore, for senior learning, and the Presidential Concert Series, brought to the campus for students and guests by Dr. Conn and his wife, Darlia.

From south 20th Street to Central, from Schimmels Park to Pangle Hall, stand 15 buildings that have all been built under the leadership of Dr. Conn, said Councilman Hughes. They all now reside on Paul Conn Parkway.

Following Councilman Hughes comments was an official unveiling of the new street sign, followed by a luncheon on Lees campus, where Mayor Brooks, Vice Mayor Avery Johnson, and Lee President Dr. Mark Walker shared remarks.












Deirdre Carney suspected she might have COVID-19 when her temperature began to fluctuate above the normal 37 degrees Celsius. "It was a bit of a shock when I was diagnosed. I could not believe that I had got it. I had not mixed with that many people," Carney, an English teacher from California living in Madrid, told VOA.

In the Spanish capital, which now has about a third of Spain's coronavirus cases, authorities have been forced to impose several restrictions to try to halt the surge in infections.

Since imposing one of the most draconian lockdowns in Europe, Spain became the first Western European country to report more than 500,000 cases, health authorities said Monday.

With the number of infections reaching 525,000 Tuesday, Spain has 255.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 35.2 in Britain, 125.2 in France and 30.6 in Italy, once one of the worst-affected European countries at the start of the pandemic.

Fighting the disease in isolation, Carney said she was not contacted by case tracers -- a key deficiency that experts say is part of the reason for the surge in infections. "The only people who carried out the tracing was my employer," she said.

 New Restrictions

Madrid, a city of 6.6 million people who often live in densely populated neigborhoods, will limit social gatherings to 10 people inside or outdoors. Many outbreaks have been linked to family gatherings or when young people get together for outdoor drinking sessions, known as botellones. Bars, restaurants, weddings and funerals will also face curbs on capacity.

A new wave of contagion has been less deadly than at the start of the pandemic, and the number of infections seems to have slowed from the daily peak of over 10,000 more than a week ago. The death rate also remains well below the peak in April when over 900 people died in one day. Nevertheless, many are asking why Spain has once again become the "Sick man of Europe."
China is sending troops from a unit involved in border clashes with India for a multilateral military exercise in Russia later this month, from which New Delhi had withdrawn.

Pakistan, Iran, Myanmar, Belarus and Armenia are among countries taking part in the Kavkaz-2020 (or Caucasus 2020) strategic military drills to be held in Russias Astrakhan region on September 21-26, Chinas defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The western theatre command (WAC), the unit of Peoples Liberation Army involved in the ongoing border friction with India, will be sending troops for the drills, which the ministry said are not aimed at any third party and are not related to the regional situation, possibly referring to the China-India tensions.

Late last month, India opted out of Kavkaz-2020 due to Covid-19 and consequent difficulties.

There is a decision not to take part in contact exercises in view of the Covid-19 pandemic in order to ensure the safety of our troops, officials had told Hindustan Times in New Delhi.

The expected presence in the exercise of troops from South Ossetia and Abkhazia, states that arent recognised by India, in Kavkaz-2020 was also a factor in the decision, one of the officials who wished to remain anonymous had told HT.

With China announcing its sending WAC soldiers to the drill, New Delhi has possibly avoided an awkward situation by already pulling out.

The Chinese forces will mainly consist of troops from the PLA Western Theatre Command, which will carry wheeled equipment and light arms and arrive in Russia via Chinas latest transport aircraft, the defence ministry statement added.

They will join exercises including mobilised defensive elimination, joint live-fire strike, multidimensional assault elimination and battlefield situation control.

The exercises have special meaning for China-Russia ties at this important moment when the whole world is fighting the pandemic, the ministry said.

Chinese state media questioned Indias withdrawal and speculated about the real reason for doing so.

One state media foreign analyst said the pandemic cannot be the real reason.

That theory, however, ignores the fact that India was able to move many times that number of troops around the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China all throughout the summer, so its unrealistic to imagine that it cant fly a few hundred out to Russia for friendly drills, Andrew Korybko, a Moscow-based American political analyst wrote for the CGTN, Chinas official English news channel.

For Beijing and Russia, which have a comprehensive strategic partnership, the upcoming drills will be another opportunity to strengthen ties.

The two powers have cooperated closely on military matters and diplomacy, largely to counter US influence. China has frequently joined Russias large-scale drills, the Tsentr-2019 and Vostok-2018.

In July 2019, their troops conducted the first joint strategic patrol in northeast Asia, with the Chinese side dispatching two H-6K bombers and the Russian side dispatching two Tu-95 bombers.

In November and December 2019, the two countries also conducted naval drills in South Africa and the Gulf of Oman with South Africa and Iran respectively. In June, PLA honour guards participated in Russias Victory Day military parade in Moscows Red Square, Chinese state media reported.
On this day, fashion editors from around the world are usually attempting to cram all their showstopping outfits into a gigantic suitcase (or three) in preparation to sit front row at designers shows in all the fashion capitals.

Not this year. Pandemic-related travel restrictions, safety reasons and the general lack of in-person shows have meant that many are staying put in their home cities. Some of those who are based in New York, London, Paris and Milan plan to attend the few local in-person shows and presentations that are taking place and watch shows in other cities virtually. Others will watch all the spring 2021 collections from their computers.

More from WWD

Among the latter is Vogue Mexico editor in chief Karla Martinez, a regular fashion month attendee, who usually hosts events promoting designers from Latin America in the key fashion cities. Instead, shell be skipping NYFW, which kicks off Sunday with Jason Wu, and will be watching that and all other fashion weeks from Mexico City, where she has been based for the past few years.

We will be working with our Vogue editors in each market and our freelance contributors based in Milan, Paris and NYC to cover market, she told WWD. It feels very strange that I am not traveling, seeing friends, editors and going to NYC for fashion week. I think the virtual show doesnt replace the live fashion show so we will see how we will work this season.

As for American Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and her team, as well as fashion editors from other Conde Nast U.S. titles such as Vanity Fair and GQ, they, too, wont be traveling to Europe this month. Like Vogue Mexico, theyll rely on local teams to provide assets and the brands will each cover in their own ways. Since theyre based in New York, some will be in attendance at NYFW, but its not known if Wintour, who is also Condes artistic director, will be present.

Story continues

In terms of skipping Europe, its the same story for WSJ. Magazine, the monthly fashion and luxury-focused insert for the weekend edition of The Wall Street Journal, and Hearst Magazines, which owns Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire, Elle and Cosmopolitan. Some editors will be in attendance at NYFW.

Hearsts U.K. arm is also under orders to stay put. Avril Mair, fashion director of British editions of Elle and Harpers Bazaar, said that although she loves visiting New York for the shows, shes going to watch from her desk in London this season. Similarly, were not traveling to Milan nor Paris, she continued. I will be doing safe, socially distanced one-to-one appointments with London designers, as our support is so critical and its feasibly a lot easier to coordinate.

Editors at the U.S. edition of InStyle, who were called back to New York early from Paris Fashion Week in February by publisher Meredith Corp. as the coronavirus spread throughout Europe, are adopting an even more cautious stance. Not only will they not be heading back to Milan this month, they also wont be attending any in-person NYFW events. That includes editor in chief Laura Brown. Instead, its digital team will cover NYFW remotely.

Also absent from all in-person events will be Marques Harper, image editor at the Los Angeles Times. In addition to Europe, he wont be traveling cross-country to New York this weekend for the start of the shorter-than-usual NYFW, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo requiring travelers from California to quarantine for two weeks.

This season, we are skipping our in-person coverage of fashion month shows due to ongoing safety concerns and travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Therefore, we will experience these fashion shows in New York and Europe virtually along with the rest of the world. Overall, we remain committed to our coverage of these shows because L.A. is an important fashion and shopping market, and will return to covering them in the future.

The New York Times fashion director and chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, meanwhile, wont be flying to Europe, but is planning on attending events in New York, including Christian Sirianos show, although shell miss Jason Wu on Sunday due to a family commitment. She hasnt received many invitations to presentations or appointments.

Friedman was very torn about traveling to Europe (even though, had she gone, she would have had to quarantine for two weeks in Milan or Paris, given EU regulations), but in the end decided it was wiser (and certainly cheaper for the Times) to cover it digitally. The team may decide to send The Times U.K.-based fashion correspondent to cover the end of Paris. If not, The Times wont use freelancers and will instead cover everything digitally.

As for virtual coverage, in addition to the usual reviews, The Times will livestream shows in partnership with the CFDA, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and host a series of virtual events and social media takeovers. For reviews, Friedman believes its harder to do it virtually.

Youre dependent on the camera thats filming the show and they do cutaways, they do closeups depending on their own aesthetic choices and sometimes its like, wait I want to see that seam more closely or I wish I could get a sense of that fabric. I cant really see it. But we adapt and hopefully we wont get used to this, but we will learn how to read it in a different way, she said. There is nothing that can replace the in-person interactions that the shows provide.

Kathy Lee, The Zoe Reports new editorial director, said the fashion site, too, will feature reviews as always, but there will also be big focus this year on in-depth features with new and first-time presenters, how brands strategized their digital debut, and reads on how the usual front-row attendees will be dressing and viewing the collections, all at the comfort, and glamour, of their own home.

On what to expect from the collections, Tiffany Reid, vice president of fashion at Bustle Digital Groups lifestyle arm that includes The Zoe Report, said: Historically, fashion has given us a glimpse of what the future holds, and this year, designers have the platform to reimagine what that looks like. The pandemic has shown us that we dont need as much as we thought we did and can be less wasteful, and I think that will be reflected in the collections.

For more, see:

What to Expect at New York Fashion Week Spring 2021

Wheres Anna? The Coronavirus Edition

Making a September Issue During a Pandemic
Veteran Washington Post journalist Bob Woodwards new book, Rage, is shining more light on the unlikely relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.



The book wont be released until next week, but several U.S. media outlets on Wednesday published excerpts, including portions of personal letters that Trump and Kim exchanged over the past two years.



In the letters, the young North Korean leader showers Trump with extravagant praise, repeatedly addressing him as Your Excellency and hailing their deep and special friendship, even as the wider U.S.-North Korea nuclear talks were breaking down.



"Even now I cannot forget that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellency's hand at the beautiful and sacred location as the whole world watched," Kim told Trump after their first meeting in Singapore in June 2018. It was one of two Kim letters published by the U.S.-based cable news network CNN.



Following their second summit in Vietnam, Kim told Trump every minute we shared 103 days ago in Hanoi was also a moment of glory that remains a precious memory, according to CNN, which says it obtained transcripts of the two letters.



Trump often returned the praise. After their Singapore meeting, Trump described Kim as far beyond smart, according to the Post. The paper said Trump boasted to Woodward that Kim tells me everything, including a graphic description of how he killed his uncle, Jang Song Thaek. The powerful Jang was executed in late 2013 for treason.



Those comments mirror an interview Trump gave to VOA immediately after his Singapore summit, when Trump said Kim was smart, loves his people, [and] he loves his country.



Excessive praise?



For the book, Woodward says he obtained access to 25 Trump-Kim letters, although its not clear how much of the correspondence will be included.



So far, the excerpts contained no huge surprises about the Trump-Kim relationship, parts of which Trump has already made public. However, analysts say the correspondence reveals important insights about each mans personality and negotiating style.



Its interesting to see how you can see Kims personality refracted through these letters, said Jung Pak, a former CIA analyst who now works at the Washington-based Brookings Institution.



Surrounded by sycophants his entire life and as an observer and student of excessive displays of admiration that enveloped his father and grandfather, Kim Jong Un almost certainly understands how to weaponize praise and prey on ones insecurities and desire for greatness, said Pak, who recently wrote the book Becoming Kim Jong Un.



Unlikely friendship



Trump and Kim didnt always get along. In 2017, the two regularly exchanged insults, with Trump calling Kim Little Rocket Man and Kim slamming Trump as a mentally deranged U.S. dotard. At one point, Trump threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea.



The tensions dissipated after Trump, a former real estate developer and reality television host who often claims an unmatched deal-making ability, became the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader. Trump later claimed the two fell in love.

The relationship has held firm, even after North Korea last year resumed short-range ballistic missile tests and walked away from nuclear negotiations.

If he wins reelection in November, Trump has said he will reach a deal very quickly with Kim. Trumps opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, has said he will not continue Trumps personal outreach to Kim, signaling a return to a more traditional U.S. posture.



Impact on future talks



Some now fear the publication of the private Trump-Kim letters risks offending North Korean sensitivities and upsetting future talks.



Thats privileged diplomatic communication, said Mark P. Barry, a veteran Korea observer and associate editor of the International Journal on World Peace.



The matter is also tricky, Barry said, because Kims words are typically treated with the utmost respect in authoritarian North Korea.



The worst that could happen is that internally Kim could appear to be a supplicant to Trump, he says.



North Korea has not responded to the release of the correspondence, but Pyongyang may not be too surprised, since Trump previously tweeted out one of Kims letters in July 2018.



It wont affect Kim Jong Uns attitude that much," Lee Sang-sin of the Korean Institute for National Unification, said. "Kim understood the possibility of leaking," he said.



Kathryn Botto, a research analyst in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said she wouldnt be surprised if Kim cited the release of the letters as a reason for refusing to hold talks.



More evidence of disrespect from the U.S. or something like that, she said of a possible North Korean response.



But in reality [Kims] willingness to hold future talks is based on the potential of securing sanctions relief or other changes in the U.S. negotiating position, and of course this doesn't change that."



Cracks emerge?



North Korea has for months boycotted the talks, which began to break down after the February 2019 summit in Hanoi ended without a deal. Trump and Kim met once more in June 2019 at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, briefly raising hopes the negotiations could be revived.



A month after the DMZ meeting, though, Kim wrote to Trump with a new tone, apparently upset that the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises had not been fully stopped, CNN reports.



"I am clearly offended and I do not want to hide this feeling from you, Kim told Trump. I am really, very offended.



In recent months, North Korean officials have repeatedly said that while the Trump-Kim relationship remains strong and has likely prevented tensions from spiraling out of control, it is not enough to ensure progress in the nuclear talks.
Chennai, Sep 10 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday announced a solatium of Rs 7 lakh to the family of a student who had commited suicide.

In a statement issued here, Palaniswami said he was disturbed to hear the news of Vignesh, a student in Ariyalur district committing suicide on Wednesday.

Palaniswami said a solatium of Rs 7 lakh will be paid to the family of Vignesh and based on the qualification, a member of his family will be provided a government or government associated job.

The Chief Minister said there are various ways to become victorious. Students should cultivate perseverance and resolve so that they can be victorious.

Vignesh was preparing for the medical entrance exam but committed suicide.

The World Suicide Prevention Day is observed on September 10.
Metsa Group's Kemi Pulp and Paper Mills Preparing for Annual Maintenance Shutdown Sept. 10, 2020 - Metsa Group announced that the annual maintenance shutdown of its integrated pulp and paper Kemi mill in Finland will take place during week 38 (14 - 20 September). According to Metsa Group, the production shutdown will begin department by department at the board and pulp mills on Friday 11 September 2020. During the shutdown, the mills will be carrying out the required servicing, cleaning and maintenance works. The mills' restart will get under way on Friday 18 September 2020. "The annual maintenance shutdowns held at regular intervals are extremely important because they allow us to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the mills," said Tomi Seppa, Mill Manager at Kemi mill. "During the first half of the year, we carried out careful advance preparations to avoid the coronavirus and prevent a chain of exposure, and this work will continue systematically throughout the shutdowns as well." Some 1,200 representatives of Metsa Group's partners  more than 80 percent of whom are Finnish  will be working at the Kemi mill area during the annual maintenance shutdown, in addition to the company's own employees. Seppa explained that Metsa Group will follow strict COVID-19 safety guidelines during the shutdowns. "We at Metsa Group follow strict hygiene and mask instructions and observe physical distancing rules, avoiding close contact. To prevent chains of transmission, we ask everyone arriving here for the purpose of carrying out shutdown work to fill in a health questionnaire, and stress that only those who are completely free of any symptoms should work on site," Seppa said. "Shutdown workers arriving from abroad, or those who have spent time abroad over the past 14 days, will also be tested for COVID-19, and entry to the mill area requires a negative test result. "To minimise close contacts, we've arranged departmental passageways in the mill area for the duration of the shutdown and separate departmental staff facilities and canteens for the shutdown workers. We've also instructed our partners on accommodation outside the mill area and in matters related to meals to avoid transmission chains. "With these extensive precautionary measures, we aim to ensure the safety of our employees and the employees of our partners," Seppa concluded. About the Kemi Mill The Kemi pulp and paper mill in Northern Finland has the capacity to produce 610,000 tonnes per year of sulphate pulp and 425,000 tonnes per year of coated and uncoated white-top fresh fibre kraftliner for high-quality corrugated packaging. Metsa Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsa Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and greaseproof papers. SOURCE: Metsa Group
By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan has declared an international search for two Armenian officers who attempted to intentionally kill more than two members of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and carry out sabotage on the line of contact. The relevant request has been sent to the National Central Bureau of Interpol.

The Prosecutor Generals Office announced the decision in its official website on September 10.

The two Armenian officers Vazgen Vartanyan, Armen Jamalyan were members of the reconnaissance group that sought to carry out sabotage in the direction of Azerbaijans Goranboy region on the frontline on August 23.

The commander of the sabotage group First Lieutenant Gurgen Alaverdyan was detained on August 23 and handed over to the enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan. He was remanded in custody for leading a structural unit of a criminal association (organization) established by the occupying Armenia.

Alaverdyan revealed in his testimony that Vazgen Vartanyan, Armen Jamalyan were involved in illegal actions of the sabotage group in Azerbaijans occupied territories.

A court in Azerbaijan has passed a decision to arrest the above-mentioned Armenian saboteurs on charges of espionage, waging a war of conquest, attempted terrorism, deliberate murder base on national, racial, religious hatred or enmity. Other charges include assault on enterprises, institutions, organizations, or individuals, as well as illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, accessories for them, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices by an organized group.

The Prosecutor Generals Office also revealed that as part of a criminal association (organization), they attempted to intentionally kill more than two members of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces with national hatred and hostility, to kill on purpose in connection with terrorism and to carry out explosions as part of a criminal organization (organization) composed of numerous organized groups.

The Prosecutor General's Office will take necessary and institutional measures to bring the servicemen of the Armenian armed forces to justice within the framework of international law.

It should be noted that commander of the sabotage-reconnaissance group of the Armenian Armed Forces, senior lieutenant Gurgen Alaverdyan, born in 1989, was identified and detained as a result of measures taken by the Azerbaijani army in the direction of Goranboy region of the frontline on August 23 at around 6:00 am. Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry publicized the military items found on Alaverdyan during his capture.

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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that he has no intention of ceding power and will not let it 'lie in the mud', TASS reports.

"I would like to tell you in a manly way, so as not to leave a word unspoken. Im often reproached: "He will not cede power." This is correct. Thats not what the people elected me for. <...> Power is given not to be abandoned or given away. In the mid-1990s it lay in the mud. Some wiped their feet on it. And on you, those in the law enforcement. Many of you remember this period. I do not want Belarus to get back to those days. Nobody will dare throw mud at the authorities, contrary to what they demand," the BelTA new agency quotes Lukashenko as saying at a ceremony where he introduced the countrys new prosecutor general, Andrei Shved, to his subordinates.

He reiterated that the change of power in the country might take place not under the pressure of street protests, but in accordance with the law.

"If you think that Im holding onto power, with my hands blue with strain, for my own sake, you will strongly disappoint me. <...> Sooner or later others will take this power, but they will do so in accordance with the law, and not under pressure from street demonstrations," Lukashenko said.
The great conundrum underlying the controversy over Rio Tintos destruction of the Juukan Gorge caves is how the company that pioneered the embracing of indigenous land rights by the mining industry could have put three decades of engagement with its communities and its social licence to operate at such risk for $135 million of iron ore.

At the moment, much of the focus is on individual responsibility and accountability, as it should be, but theres a larger and arguably more significant aspect to the affair that relates to Rios history and the relationship between its Australian operations and its London head office.

At its heart is the loss of the competency  in both mining and community relations  that Rio was once renowned for. Throughout most of the past 30 years, Rio has been regarded as one of the most technically competent and socially-progressive miners in the world.

Problems with its mine planning first surfaced last year, when Rio was forced to downgrade its forecasts for annual iron ore production. The decision to blow up the 46,000-year-old rock shelters  which appears to be related to the issues in its mines  point to a loss of core skills and knowledge against the background of significant organisational and cultural change.
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Ragini Dwivedis Father On The Raid

In an interview with Times of India, Rakesh Dwivedi said that police didn't find any narcotics. Ragini's father said, "Police officers barged into the house, searched every nook and corner and found no narcotics, just a small box of organic cigarettes. The allegations against my daughter are not true. The whole episode seems to be a plot; what's happening to my daughter is unfair."

Rakesh Dwivedi On TV Channels Coverage

Ragini Dwivedi's father is deeply hurt with TV channels' insensitive coverage about his daughter. He calls those reports baseless and revealed that someone called Ragini, after which she got upset. While speaking about the call, the actress' father said, "Somebody may be plotting against us. We later realised that someone's ego had been hurt and this drug drama began after that."

Rakesh Dwivedi On Facing Challenges To Meet Ragini

Since Ragini Dwivedi is under custody, her parents have reportedly been facing challenges to meet here. Rakesh said, "Police are passing the buck before allowing me to meet my child." Cops allowed only Ragini's mother to visit her and provide home-made food. While expressing hope for a fair trial, her father said, "Stop firing bullets from my daughter's shoulder. A fair trial is what we're hoping for and things will end peacefully."

Raginis Fathers Appeal To Police

Rakesh Dwivedi appealed to the police to not spoil her image with baseless charges. He said that if there is enough evidence, he will support the cops. Ragini's dad further said, "I don't want police to concoct charges. Without getting to the truth, they should not sit on judgement like this."
Published on 2020/09/09 | Source

"Delayed Justice" spreads its story with a cast of creditable actors.

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The new SBS drama "Delayed Justice" announced that the line-up is made up of Kwon Sang-woo, Bae Sung-woo, Kim Joo-hyun and Jung Woong-in. Moreover, Kim Kap-soo, Kim Eung-soo and Jo Sung-ha will appear as key characters who lead the drama.

"Delayed Justice" is the story of two men who represent the voices of judicial victims who are falsely accused. It is helmed by Gwak Jung-hwan who is responsible for the production of "Miss Hammurabi" and "Chief of Staff".

Kim Joo-hyun, who has the ability to digest any character, plays Lee Yoo-kyeong, a new reporter who is passionate about everything for the truth. She is Park Sam-soo's junior reporter, who is a quick learner, works with Kwon Sang-woo and Bae Sung-woo. Jung Woong-in plays Jang Yoon-seok, an elite prosecutor who succeeded in raising his status with his brilliant mind. There are some human aspects, but he is the incarnation of desire for success.

In addition, special actors appear as key characters to enrich the play. Kim Kap-soo will take charge of Kim Hyeong-choon, a veiled Korean legal architect and former prosecutor general, while Kim Eung-soo will take charge of Kang Cheol-woo, an icon of ambition who has risen from a slum to a position of mayor. Jo Sung-ha plays Jo Ki-soo, a Supreme Court jude who is respected by other judges.

"Delayed Justice" will premiere this year after "Alice".
President Donald Trump speaks during a Labor Day press conference at the North Portico of the White House on Sept. 7, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Defends CCP Virus Response After Woodwards Book: I Want People Not to Panic

President Donald Trump, in a Sept. 9 interview, defended comments he made about the CCP virus pandemic during interviews with reporter Bob Woodward earlier this year, saying that he wanted to show a calmness in the face of nationwide adversity.

Im the leader of the country. I cant be jumping up and down and scaring people, Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News. I dont want to scare people. I want people not to panic, and thats exactly what I did.

Portions of Woodwards upcoming book, Rage, were published by The Washington Post on Sept. 9.

I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic, Trump told Woodward in February, according to audio excerpts, which is similar to remarks he gave in public around the same time.

Trump said on Sept. 9 that Woodward, of Watergate fame, published a hit-piece against him.

He does hit jobs with everybody, he even did it on [former President Barack] Obama  constant hit jobs. On [George W.] Bush, I guess, they did three books, they were all terrible, Trump told Hannity.

The president then explained why he sat down to be interviewed by Woodward.

So I figured, you know, Lets give it a little shot, Ill speak to him. It wasnt a big deal, Ill speak to him and lets see. I dont know if the book is good or bad, I have no idea. I probably, almost definitely wont read it because I dont have time to read it. But I gave it a little bit of a shot, sounds like its not going to be good, he said.

In the interview, Trump again defended how he had directed the federal government to respond to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, namely in how he limited flights from the United States to China in January. Some Democratic politicians decried the move, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), as well as nominee Joe Biden, who said the travel ban was engaging in hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering.

If you look at the representatives of Joe Biden, you see what they were saying. They were saying no problem, this wont be a problem,' Trump said Sept. 9. He didnt think it was going to be a problem until months later. He was way late.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks to reporters in Washington on Aug. 27, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Later in the interview, Trump noted that Pelosi had toured San Franciscos Chinatown area in February to ease fears about the CCP virus, which originated in mainland China.

Nobody wanted me to do the ban on China, Trump said, adding that he also banned travel from Europe because I saw what was going on in Italy and in Spain and in France. He reiterated that if those bans were not implemented, the COVID-19 transmission and death rate would be much worse.

On Sept. 9, following the publication of Woodwards excerpts, which comes less than two months before the November election, Biden said Trump engaged in a life-or-death betrayal.

He knew how deadly it was. He knew and purposely played it down, Biden said at an event in Michigan. Worse, he lied.

Pelosi, in an interview on Sept. 9, said that Trumps family and other GOP members should stage some kind of intervention, suggesting that he is incapable of leading.
She is a successful fashion designer who regularly showcases her looks to her legions of social media followers.

And Victoria Beckham cut an elegant figure as she shared a snap of herself showing off an outfit from her collection.

The businesswoman, 46, donned a lemon long-sleeved top with a turtle neck along with a pair of teal, high-waisted trousers.

Victoria Beckham, 46, cut an elegant figure as she shared a snap of herself showing off an outfit from her collection

The former Spice Girl showed off her modelling chops as she posed with a hand on her hip in the mirror.

Victoria let her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders while she completed her look with a light pallet of makeup.

Alongside the snap, she wrote: 'The perfect colour pairing for a sunny day in London. Wearing the high-waisted bright mint trousers from my #VB collection x vb'.

It comes after scaffolding has gone up at the Beckhams' neighbour's house in West London, signalling the start of the renovation project originally contested by Victoria and her husband David.

Not impressed? Scaffolding has gone up at the Beckhams' neighbour's house in West London, signalling the start of the renovation project originally contested by David and Victoria

And according to The Sun, this means the famous couple will be facing 10 hours a day of construction noise.

The pair - who live in the 31 million Holland Park pad with their four children - attempted to block the plans when they were first submitted, winning the case back in April.

But since then, the neighbours have resubmitted the drafts and they have now been approved.

MailOnline has approached a rep for comment.

Noisy neighbours: This means the famous couple will be reportedly facing 10 hours a day of construction noise [their home is pictured]

David successfully blocked the original renovation plans, claiming they will spoil the setting of his property.

The former England captain, 45, voiced his concerns in an objection submitted to his local council which claims that the plans would spoil the uniqueness of house.

Under plans submitted to Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, Beckham's neighbour Edward Harris intended to reconfigure the interior of his mews property which has just one bedroom, a dressing room, a shower, a garage and an open plan living room and dining area.

The pair - who live in the 31 million Holland Park pad with their four children - attempted to block the plans when they were first submitted, winning the case back in April

He also wanted to add new lightwells on the roof to bring in natural light into the property, fit new sliding windows and a new slate roof.

An outdoor courtyard and new staircase were also listed in the plans - which were rejected by officials in December.

Mr Harris's mews property is located just behind the Beckham's mansion.

Imposition: Beckham complained that his neighbour's plan would flood light into the Beckham mansion and also spoil the local area in Holland Park, west London. Pictured is the west entrance to Holland Park Mews, where the neighbour's property is located

Family home: The Beckhams argued that the renovations would spoil the setting of their home, with the neighbouring property just behind the Beckham mansion

Planning permission: Under plans submitted to Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, Beckham's neighbour Edward Harris intended to reconfigure the interior of his mews property [pictured]

Mr Harris purchased the property for 1.9 million in November 2019, land registry records reveal.

But shortly after his renovation plans were submitted in October, representatives London Projects Ltd acting on behalf of the Beckham's lodged an objection.

Their letter said: 'My clients have concerns about the damage the proposal would cause to the history of the mews as well as the appearance and potential light spillage from the not insubstantial proposed roof light to the main roof.

'My clients purchased their property because they liked the style and history of the house and the area.

'This application seeks to spoil that with unsympathetic and inappropriate alterations and we would urge you to resist the proposals.'

The letter added: 'The introduction of the rather large and protruding roof light to the main roof raises significant concerns for our clients.

'The roof light will be highly visible in views from their property and is likely to light up like a beacon at night.'

Plans: Mr Harris had wanted to add new lightwells on the roof to bring in natural light into the property, fit new sliding windows and a new slate roof. An outdoor courtyard and new staircase were also planned

Overlooking: Mr Harris also wanted to install a skylight at his property - which the Beckhams argued would flood their home with light

They continued: 'The proposal to demolish all but the front facade of this listed building would result in substantial harm to the listed building.'

Mr Harris' planning agent, Ben Smith Architecture, said: 'We are proposing to reconfigure the ground and first floors with the addition of an external courtyard to the rear, reducing the internal area by 10 sqm.

'The loft space is open, with a reduced area of approximately 20 sqm. The total proposed floor area is approximately 80 per cent of the existing.

'The proposed layout retains the garage and entrance doors and introduces a new staircase and courtyard at the rear.

'The living space upstairs is opened up and the bedroom located on the ground floor.'

Pricey: Mr Harris purchased the property for 1.9 million in November 2019, land registry records reveal

Appealed: Mr Harris' property is at Holland Park Mews, just behind the Beckhams. The council rejected his plans, which he then resubmitted for approval

The Beckhams were successful in blocking the extension, after officials ruled against the plans in December.

Sue Foster, director of planning and place at Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said: 'The significant loss of the internal arrangement would remove much of the internal floor plan at upper level.

'Furthermore, the loss of the existing roof profile and new roof addition would be detrimental to the original architectural proportions and character of the listed building and will contribute to further piecemeal erosion of the roofscape of the mews houses.

'The special character of the listed building will therefore not be preserved and is contrary to CL4 and CL8 of the Local Plan.'

David and Victoria bought their Holland Park home in September 2013 with the grand property dubbed Beckingham Palace II along with an adjacent smaller Mews property.

Initial rejection: Council officials ruled that, under the plan, 'the special character of the listed building would not be preserved'

Shortly after, the multi-millionaires submitted 50 planning applications to renovate their pad and successfully battled one neighbour's objection to installing air conditioning in five rooms.

During the building work, the family lived in a rented house on the same road, before finally moving in during summer 2016.

The six-bedroom house was built in the mid-19th century, and features six bedrooms, a gym, cinema room, play room and spa room.

Meanwhile, a seventh bedroom was converted into a dressing room and beauty room for David and Victoria's extensive wardrobe.

The exclusive area has been dubbed a 'millionaire's row' with other famous residents including Elton John and Robbie Williams.
The British government announced this week that it plans to legislate to give itself the power to deviate from some of the provisions in the agreement about Northern Ireland trade.

London: Instead of closing in on a future trade deal, the European Union and Britain entered a bitter fight Thursday over a planned British law that the EU says would constitute a serious violation of the Brexit divorce agreement and destroy what little trust remains between the two sides.

The 27-nation bloc said Britain must withdraw the planned law dealing with Northern Ireland trade by the end of the month or face a legal fight even before the transition period following Britain's EU departure ends on 31 December.

By putting forward this bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK. It is now up to the UK government to reestablish that trust, European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said, using language that, by the EU's diplomatic standards, was furious.

He spoke after meeting Britain's chief Brexit minister, Michael Gove, at a hastily arranged meeting in London.

Less than a year ago the two sides signed and ratified a withdrawal agreement that Britain now acknowledges it will violate with its Internal Market Bill, which would diminish the EU's oversight of trade between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland.

That's a sensitive issue because Northern Ireland has the UK's only land border with the EU.

If the bill were to be adopted, it would constitute an extremely serious violation of the Withdrawal Agreement and of international law, Sefcovic said.

He said that if Britain didn't change course by the end of September, the EU would take legal action.

The Withdrawal Agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text  which the European Union will not be shy in using," Sefcovic said.

The British government announced this week that it plans to legislate to give itself the power to deviate from some of the provisions in the agreement about Northern Ireland trade.

The UK has acknowledged that the proposed legislation breaks international law in a very specific and limited way. But it argues that it is acting legally under British law because according to the fundamental principle of Parliamentary sovereignty treaty obligations only become binding to the extent that they are enshrined in domestic legislation.

Britain and the EU have jointly promised in the Brexit divorce agreement to ensure there are no customs posts and other obstacles on the Northern Ireland-Ireland border.

An open border underpins the peace agreement that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland. Any hardening of the border could anger nationalists who want a united Ireland. But any new barriers to trade across the Irish Sea would rile Unionists who want Northern Ireland to stay British.

Both Britain and the EU claim to be acting to preserve peace.

Britain says its law is intended to ensure there are no barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in the event that there is no deal with the EU. On Thursday, it said it would try to push the bill into law quickly, scheduling it for debate in Parliament starting Monday.

This legislation is critical to ensuring there is unfettered access for goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the United Kingdom, Gove said.

Sefcovic said the EU does not accept the argument that the aim of the draft Bill is to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement. In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite.

The EU has an ally in Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives. She said Britain would have no chance of striking a coveted trade deal with the United States if it breached an international treaty and undermined Northern Ireland's Good Friday peace accord

"How can they walk away from an international agreement? How do you trust that? Pelosi said at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Thursday.

What were they thinking? Pelosi said. Theyre not thinking of the UK-US bilateral trade agreements.

Many British politicians and lawyers have also expressed alarm, saying that reneging on a legally binding international commitment would trash Britains reputation for upholding law and order.

The top civil servant in the governments legal department resigned this week, reportedly because of opposition to the proposed law.

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard, a supporter of Brexit, said the government was damaging our reputation for probity and respect for the rule of the law.

How can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards, when we are showing such scant regard for our treaty obligations? he said in Parliament.

Britain left the political structures of the EU on 31 January and will make an economic break when an 11-month transition period ends on 31 December. The two sides are trying to strike a new trade deal by then, but talks have bogged down over issues including fishing rights in UK waters and fair-competition rules for businesses.

The two sides chief negotiators, David Frost and Michel Barnier, are due to end their latest round of negotiations on Thursday. Both sides say that unless there is an agreement by next month, Britain is facing an economically disruptive no-deal exit on 1 January.


By Baek Byung-yeul





LG Chem has succeeded in a test flight of an aircraft powered by its lithium-sulfur battery, indicating that the battery maker's next-generation technology is making smooth progress toward commercialization, the company said Thursday.







The company said the Korea Aerospace Research Institute's (KARI) unmanned aircraft  the EAV-3  carrying its lithium-sulfur battery flew in the stratosphere, making it the highest test flight of a drone in Korea.







The KARI conducted the test flight at its aviation facility in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, on Aug. 30. Powered by LG Chem's battery, the unmanned craft was in flight for about 13 hours  from 8:36 a.m. to 9:47 p.m.







The company has been preparing for the flight for 18 months using a test environment that mimicked stratospheric conditions.







LG Chem said the test was meaningful in that its lithium-sulfur battery worked well in extreme cold and almost vacuum-like conditions  minus 70 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 1/25th of that at ground level.







"The successful test flight confirmed that our lithium-sulfur battery showed stable charging and discharging performance in the extreme environmental conditions," an LG Chem official said.







The lithium-sulfur battery has been regarded as next-generation technology because of its extremely high energy density that can replace the widely used lithium-ion battery.







"In terms of energy density, the lithium-sulfur battery has 1.5 times higher density than a lithium-ion battery," the company said. "Also, it is lighter and has price competitiveness compared with the lithium-ion battery because it doesn't use rare metal materials."







LG Chem expects the next-generation battery has potential for various mobility platforms, not only electric vehicles but also long-range drones, private aircraft and other future aircraft.







"With the test flight, LG Chem could prove that it has best-in-class technology capability in the high-energy density battery sector," LG Chem's chief technology officer No Ki-soo said. "By focusing more on developing next-generation battery technology, we will solidify our leadership in the global market."


A NASA astronaut recently shared the spectacular view of the Nile river from the International Space station, captured in the night. The image, shared by astronaut Chris Cassidy was captured during ISS nighttime flyover above Cairo, Egypt. On September 9, taking to his official Twitter handle, Cassify shared the mesmeric picture of the river Nile with vibrant glow also ver with a caption, saying, water is life and that can be ascertained nowhere better than River Nile.

Cassidy shared two images of the Nile delta region, as it appears glowy in the murky dark region. In the images, one could see the Egyptian population almost completely concentrated along the Nile Valley, concentrated about a small percentage of the countrys land area. The Nile can be seen lightened along the brilliant, long-stemmed stream of water in the southeastern Mediterranean Sea. Also, the Cairo metropolitan area can be seen in the shape of a bright lit complex network of city lights, demonstrating the human settlement in the region.

Water is life and nowhere on the planet is that more evident than the Nile River at night. #NileRiver #Egypt #Cairo pic.twitter.com/CWpiR8EnBn  Chris Cassidy (@Astro_SEAL) September 8, 2020

The smaller cities and towns within the Nile Delta tend to be hard to see amidst the dense agricultural vegetation during the day, NASA said about one other photo of the Nile captured by astronaut Kelly, photographed past the halfway mark of his one-year mission to the International Space Station.

Read: NASA Releases Iconic Images Of Far-flung Stars, Galaxies And Supernova Explosion

Read: NASA's Hubble Telescope Snaps Picture Of A Mysterious Titled Galaxy

Nice that you also captured Scorpius just over the horizon and the #NileRiver. Here is my pic of the same constellation, but of course from Earthand 180 rotated with respect to yours.

See it? pic.twitter.com/oowvGi0uZa  Alejandro Gangui (@algangui) September 8, 2020

Wow good job!!  Waleed bin Khalid   (@WaleedVibes) September 9, 2020

What an awesome perspective on the 2nd shot...WOW !! ...time for some tea and a water pipe ?! #Hukkah @DaveAtCOGS  MillG ...masking the benefit of a mask sb unmasked (@grainreader) September 8, 2020

Your photo can serve as an evidence that the upper #Nile county #Ethiopia still is in darkness even if 86% of the water share comes from her. #TimeToFinishtheDam #GERD #EthiopiaNileRights  S  (@mesfin_t) September 9, 2020

Hi brother... that second shot! Good angle. Interesting red sheen, gives it an extra mysterious look.

Hope you're well.

I've lost count for return...how many days now?

  Jennifer Eileen Swarts E. E. M. P. (@JUNIPERTREE20) September 8, 2020

Wow. Looks absolutely astonishing from space. Even though on the ground it is an absolute catastrophe.  Joe (@michou_94) September 9, 2020

The river Abaye(Nile )is still the heart of Ethiopia .This is the time to understand the truth.  yohannes (@yohanne08940524) September 9, 2020

Human settlements visible from ISS

NASA explained that the lights were, in fact, the settled areas and the connecting roads between them become clearly visible at night. Likewise, NASA added, the urbanized regions and infrastructure along the Nile River becomes apparent in the dark in ISS photographs. Kelly had photographed the Nile River during a nighttime flyover on September 22, 2015. Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) wrote, Day 179. The #Nile at night is a beautiful sight for these sore eyes. Good night from @space_station! #YearInSpace. Users were rendered mesmerized at the pictures that they described as giving different perspectives and acknowledged the importance of the river Nile that provided for almost 86 percent of the Egyptian population.

[The Nile River and its delta look like a brilliant, long-stemmed flower in this astronaut photograph of the southeastern Mediterranean Sea at night. Credit: ISS/NASA]

[A closer view of river Nile shot from ISS at night. Credit: NASA]

Read: NASAs Viking 2 Marked The Second US Landing On Mars On This Day In 1976: Read More

Read: NASA Researchers Use Machine-learning To Better Predict Hurricane Intensity
A barrister specialising in data protection predicts the Department of Education will be footing substantial legal bills as a result of the calculated grades system.

John Temple BL expects the courts to see an influx in applications due to a "myriad of issues" stemming from this year's Leaving Cert.

More than 60,000 students received their results on Monday and, overall, they were the strongest on record.

But while many were happy, there is a cohort of students from private schools who are set to appeal their results, particularly focusing on the standardisation process that was applied.

"People are going to want to get access to their files to find out how the standardisation applied to their results," Mr Temple said.

"The main issue will be with the appeals process and where a student goes from here. The High Court is very daunting to most people, but in this case it's a student's life. The department will have to provide how they reached the grade and the data relied upon in reaching that grade.

"I've had some solicitors contacting me directly with enquiries and it seems to be more private students that have been impacted. They see themselves as victims of standardisation."

Injustice

While these issues may only concern a minority, Mr Temple says it has the potential to "affect them greatly and cause an injustice".

"When you look at the private German school in Dublin where only a small number of students achieved a H1 in the language and many were downgraded, it is rather bizarre," he said.

"It is inevitable that legal challenges will land on the steps of the courts and the department will have to foot the bill."

Teachers and schools are indemnified from any legal cases resulting from the decision to introduce calculated grades this year.

The Department of Education has clarified that schools were not instructed to destroy official documents relating to the calculated grades process.

Schools are this week being asked to return the forms they used to document the evidence they based their estimated marks on.

This form will be necessary for the appeals process, although you cannot appeal the marks awarded by teachers.

The appeals process will only examine the accuracy of the data transfer of results from a school through the various stages of the process.

"All materials relied upon now form part of the student's personal data and therefore they should be able to access this," Mr Temple said.
The proposed 20th amendment to Sri Lanka's Constitution is not perfect and will see further changes moved at the committee stage of the parliamentary debate, the government's joint spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said on Thursday.

He was responding to a question about a letter written by the pro-government Federation of National Organisations (FNO) to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week, requesting a review of the draft amendment.

The 20th amendment will restore full executive powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over his older brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.The 19th amendment adopted in 2019 empowered Parliament and the prime minister by watering down the powers of the presidency. Since its gazetting on September 3, various groups have been expressing opposition to some of the provisions in the amendment.

Two weeks are being allowed from that date for interested parties to express an opinion on it or even go to the Supreme Court against it.The highest court will be allowed another week to make its ruling on the amendment's constitutionality.

"Now since it has been gazetted we will not be able to make any changes to it. It is only at the parliament's committee stage that we can make changes," said Gammanpila, who is also the energy minister.

Even some of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) allies are opposed to some of the provisions in the proposed 20A.Under 19A, a citizen of Sri Lanka who is also a citizen of any other country (dual citizen) is disqualified from contesting the elections. The 20A seeks to remove this, enabling dual citizens to hold office.

Critics argue that this provision must be persisted with and extended to prevent dual citizens from holding other key positions too.The introduction of urgent bills to Parliament, which was done away with by 19A, is to be brought back under 20A. Opponents argue that this provision must stay for greater adherence to democracy.

The Collective of National Organizations, an ally of the SLPP, has written to the president to amend the gazette and reprint it with the desired changes.They claim that at the committee stage of the parliamentary debate, the changes would not be incorporated. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has vowed to petition the Supreme Court against the amendment along with other opposition groups.

The 19A, primarily to empower parliament and reduce powers of the presidency, was the main campaign theme of the pro-democracy movement during the presidential election of 2015. After the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the then Opposition said the 19A was aimed only to target the Rajapaksa family and it will be abolished when they return to power.

The government sources said the 20A was likely to be debated in parliament during the second half of October and the government was confident of securing the mandatory two thirds or the 150-seat support in the 225-member Parliament.
Lawmakers introduced legislation Tuesday that would posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Cpl. Waverly B. Woodson Jr., a Black army medic who saved dozens of wounded troops on D-Day despite being severely wounded, who they say was denied the honor because of his race.

Woodson, arrived at the beaches of Normandy June 6, 1944. along with the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, the only African American unit to land that day, according to Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who is co-sponsoring the legislation. At the time, the United States military was still segregated by race.

He set up a medical aid station where he treated at least 200 of his fellow soldiers and at one point rescued four men from drowning. After more than 30 hours on the beach, he collapsed from his injuries having saved "dozens if not hundreds" of soldiers from dying, Van Hollen said.

This undated photo provided by the Woodson family shows Cpl. Waverly B. Woodson Jr. Members of Congress on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 said Woodson, a Black army medic who saved dozens of wounded troops on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day despite being severely wounded himself, deserves the Medal of Honor, as they announced legislation to posthumously award it to him.

Although he was lauded and award a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service, Van Hollen said Woodson never considered for the Medal of Honor because he was Black.

No Black Americans who served during World War II received the Medal of Honor until 1997 when President Bill Clinton awarded seven Black service-members the Medal of Honor retroactively. Woodson was on the short list at the time but was not selected due to a lack of documentation.

In 2015, Woodson's widow, Joann, brought the issue to Van Hollen's attention and the senator has been advocating for him ever since.

We want to have a legacy for our family, and it is now the time to right the wrong and it can be done. He deserves it, Joann Woodson, 91, said during a press conference. History has to be as correct as it possibly can be, and this is one way to get it corrected.

In this undated photo provided by Linda Hervieux, Joann Woodson kneels at the gravesite of her husband Cpl. Waverly B. Woodson Jr. at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. Members of Congress on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 said Woodson Jr., a Black army medic who saved dozens of wounded troops on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day despite being severely wounded himself, deserves the Medal of Honor, as they announced legislation to posthumously award it to him.

Van Hollen said that although Woodson was recommended by his commander for the Medal of Honor, the Army insisted more documentation was needed. Those records were likely destroyed in a fire in 1973.

Linda Hervieux, a journalist who wrote a book about African American troops who took part in D-Day, said there is a trail of documentation that indicate Woodson was recommended for the Medal of Honor. Hervieux cited a memorandum in the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library that comments on Woodsons bravery and notes that Woodsons actions merited a Congressional Medal given by the president.

Story continues

The bill would allow President Donald Trump to award the nation's highest military honor to Woodson, who died in 2005. Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, US Reps. David Trone and Anthony Brown, both Democrats from Maryland, are among the many co-sponsors of the bill.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lawmakers push to award posthumous Medal of Honor to Black WWII medic
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 21:21:09|Editor: huaxia

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BAMAKO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Three Malian soldiers were killed and five others were missing in an ambush on Wednesday in Mali's central region of Segou, the country's Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs confirmed Thursday in a press release.

"On September 9, at around 2:30 p.m., a patrol team of the FAMa (Malian Armed Forces) was ambushed by terrorist armed groups at about 3 km from their camp near Diabaly, region of Segou," the ministry said, adding that three soldiers died along with five missing.

Ten soldiers, according to the ministry, were killed in an attack on 3 September in Guire, region of Koulikoro. Four gendarmes and four soldiers were killed on 22 and 27 August respectively in the central Mopti region.

Four Malian gendarmes and four Malian soldiers were killed respectively on Aug. 22 and 27 in Mali's central region of Mopti.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the three attacks amid political instability in Mali. Enditem
The Giants have designated infielder Pablo Sandoval for assignment, according to MLB Networks Jon Heyman. The move brings the end of Sandovals second stint in San Francisco.

Sandoval, now 34, appeared in 33 games for the Giants this season, hitting .220 with one home run and a .546 OPS. He served mostly as a designated hitter but also saw some time at both corner infield positions.

Sandoval, who spent parts of three seasons in Boston after signing a five-year, $95 million deal with the Red Sox in Nov. 2014, has been with the Giants since July 2017, when he signed a minor-league deal to return to San Francisco three days after being released by the Red Sox. His contract finally expired after last season and he re-signed with the Giants for a $2 million base salary in late January.

Sandoval was a two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion in his first stint with the Giants from 2008 to 2014, hitting .294 with 106 home runs in that span. He ended up playing just 161 games in Boston before being released, posting a .237 average and .646 OPS from 2015 to 2017.

Sandoval showed a bit of a resurgence at the plate in 2019 but showed up to summer training camp out of shape and never produced during the regular season for San Francisco. The Giants, who at 23-21 are in the thick of the National League wild card race, signed former Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak earlier in the week, paving the way for the club to cut ties with Sandoval.

At the end of last season, Sandoval told The San Francisco Chronicle that he wanted to retire as a member of the Giants' organization. It remains to be seen whether or not todays news marks the end of his career or if hell sign on with a new club.

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Joshua Carroll wasn't a bad student. By the time he reached high school, he wasn't a great student either. It was in high school that he watched the events of Sept. 11, 2001, unfold on television.

He left school and got a GED certificate, then joined the U.S. Army. By the time he decided on a future in math, he had a 10th-grader's understanding of the subject. An Army work ethic and a dedication to his new mission would change all that.

In 2007, Carroll was a part of the Global War on Terror, fighting in Iraq as part of what became known as "the Surge," a deployment of 20,000 additional troops to help quell violence and increase security in the war-torn country. The Blacksburg, Virginia, native deployed to Iraq three times between 2007 and 2011.

He described himself as "missionless" after his return to Virginia. Struggling with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, he was once again in high school, this time as a janitor. It was while cleaning in the course of his normal duties that he discovered Dr. Stephen Hawking's book "A Brief History of Time."

"He was translating the mathematics," Carroll says in a YouTube video about his transformation. "And that hooked me. That was when I realized I want to study the stars; I want to be a physicist."

So he went to work. Carroll, using the Post-9/11 GI Bill, condensed a four-year physics education down to two. Failure, in any class, was not an option. He would run out of GI Bill funding for his new plan if he failed even once.

To garner an advanced understanding of concepts, he found YouTube videos that explained them. Where some of us go down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos about cats, Carroll went down rabbit holes of videos on calculus.

"If I got to a part of the problem that I didn't understand," he said, "I would pause the video and go find other videos explaining that ... until I figured out what it was I was missing."

YouTube was only two years old when Joshua Carroll was first deployed to Iraq. A few years after leaving the military, he used it to learn advanced mathematics. (YouTube)

When he went to transfer schools, his target university told him he'd taken the wrong precalculus course in his studies. He'd missed trigonometry entirely -- he didn't even know it existed. It seemed as though his entire plan was falling apart after coming so far.

He asked the department head at Radford University to let him skip trigonometry. Carroll promised the professor he would learn the entire subject in three weeks. Again, the veteran went to work -- with pencil, paper and YouTube.

"There is definitely no way around trigonometry if you're going to do physics," said Dr. Rhett Herman, physics professor at Radford University. "It would be very intense to teach yourself trigonometry in three weeks."

Herman gave Carroll a skip in the subject. The only test of the veteran's trig skills would be his understanding of calculus when the time came to start class. Carroll got an A in calculus. And then just kept acing his math classes.

He was almost top of his class. He'd come a long way from watching YouTube videos about basic geometry in his car while working as a security guard. He's now working as a scientist, researching fluid dynamics.

"It's about trying to reach for the unobtainable," he said. "Figuring out that you can actually grab it."

-- 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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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 10:05:15|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump defended on Wednesday his remarks in an earlier interview that he wanted to downplay the coronavirus threat to the U.S. public, arguing that he is a cheerleader for the country and did not want to create panic.

"I wanted to always play it down, I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," Trump told Bob Woodward, author and associate editor of The Washington Post, in an interview on March 19, according to revelations in Woodward's new book "Rage."

Facing criticisms following reported revelations in the book, which is due for publication this month, Trump insisted he was right to keep his concerns about the pandemic private.

"We don't want to instill panic, we don't want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a tremendous problem, scare everybody," Trump told reporters at the White House, "we had to show calm."

"The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country, I love our country," Trump said. "And I don't want people to be frightened, I don't want to create panic, as you say. Certainly, I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy."

Trump said he downplayed the threat of the virus also because he didn't "want pricing to go up to a level that becomes almost unaffordable."

The president dismissed the reports of his own remarks as "another political hit job."

According to the revelations, Trump told Woodward in an interview on Feb. 7, when the United States reported just a few cases of COVID-19, that the virus was more dangerous than the flu.

"This is deadly stuff," Trump said.

The president said that the virus was airborne and more deadly "than even your strenuous flus."

"It goes through air, Bob, that's always tougher than the touch," Trump said, "the air, you just breathe the air and that's how it's passed."

But in public during the same period, Trump said there were at the time many more flu deaths in the United States, claiming that the virus would disappear "like a miracle."

On Feb. 26, he said that COVID-19 cases in the country would fall to "close to zero." On Feb. 29, he told Americans that "everything is under control."

Seizing on the book's revelations, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden slammed Trump in his tour to key swing state Michigan on Wednesday, saying the president "knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed for months."

"He knew and purposely played it down," said the former vice president, "worse, he lied to the American people."

"He's failed our economy and our country," Biden said.

Woodward's book reportedly also revealed National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien warned Trump on Jan. 28 that the coronavirus "will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency." Trump told Woodward in May that he didn't remember being told that.

The United States ranks the first in the world with over 6.35 million infections and over 190,700 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The upcoming book "Rage" is based on 18 interviews that Trump gave Woodward between December and July, as well as background conversations with officials and other sources, said a Washington Post report. The newspaper and CNN were given advance copies of the book and published details on Wednesday.

Woodward is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Enditem
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Described by the 'father of zoogeography' and co-author of the theories of evolution and natural selection, the species hasn't been reexamined since 1866

An over a century-long mystery has been surrounding the Taiwanese butterfly fauna ever since the "father of zoogeography" Alfred Russel Wallace, in collaboration with Frederic Moore, authored a landmark paper in 1866: the first to study the lepidopterans of the island.

Back then, in their study, Moore dealt with the moths portion and Wallace investigated the butterflies. Together, they reported 139 species, comprising 93 nocturnal 46 diurnal species, respectively. Of the latter, five species were described as new to science. Even though the correct placements of four out of those five butterflies in question have been verified a number of times since 1886, one of those butterflies: Lycaena nisa, would never be re-examined until very recently.

In a modern-day research project on Taiwanese butterflies, scientists retrieved the original type specimen from the Wallace collection at The History Museum of London, UK. Having also examined historical specimens housed at the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, in addition to newly collected butterflies from Australia and Hong Kong, Dr Yu-Feng Hsu of the National Taiwan Normal University finally resolved the identity of the mysterious Alfred Wallace's butterfly: it is now going by the name Famegana nisa (comb. nov.), while two other species names (Lycaena alsulus and Zizeeria alsulus eggletoni) were proven to have been coined for the same butterfly after the original description by Wallace. Thereby, the latter two are both synonymised with Famegana nisa.

Despite having made entomologists scratch their heads for over a century, in the wild, the Wallace's butterfly is good at standing out. As long as one knows what else lives in the open grassy habitats around, of course. Commonly known as 'Grass Blue', 'Small Grass Blue' or 'Black-spotted Grass Blue', the butterfly can be easily distinguished amongst the other local species by its uniformly grayish white undersides of the wings, combined with obscure submarginal bands and a single prominent black spot on the hindwing.

However, the species demonstrates high seasonal variability, meaning that individuals reared in the dry season have a reduced black spot, darker ground colour on wing undersides and more distinct submarginal bands in comparison to specimens from the wet season. This is why Dr Yu-Feng Hsu notes that it's perhaps unnecessary to split the species into subspecies even though there have been up to four already recognised.

Alfred Russel Wallace, a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, biologist and illustrator, was a contemporary of Charles Darwin, and also worked on the debates within evolutionary theory, including natural selection. He also authored the famed book Darwinism in 1889, which explained and defended natural selection.

While Darwin and Wallace did exchange ideas, often challenging each other's conclusions, they worked out the idea of natural selection each on their own. In his part, Wallace insisted that there was indeed a strong reason why a certain species would evolve. Unlike Darwin, Wallace argued that rather than a random natural process, evolution was occurring to maintain a species' fitness to the specificity of its environment. Wallace was also one of the first prominent scientists to voice concerns about the environmental impact of human activity.

###

Original source:

Hsu Y-F (2020) The identity of Alfred Wallace's mysterious butterfly taxon Lycaena nisa solved: Famegana nisa comb. nov., a senior synonym of F. alsulus (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Polyommatinae). ZooKeys 966: 153-162. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.966.51921

Contact:

Dr Yu-Feng Hsu, National Taiwan Normal University

Email: t43018@ntnu.edu.tw
President Donald Trump raised the prospect of a dystopian future in the future if he fails to win reelection  hours after saying he held back warnings about the nature of the coronavirus to avoid sowing 'panic.'

Trump made the claim as one of a barrage of tweets Thursday as he fended off news of the release of excerpts from Bob Woodward's book.

'The Democrats never even mentioned the words LAW & ORDER at their National Convention,' Trump wrote, of the convention that took place last month.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly pointed to urban unrest and violence in an appeal to suburban voters

'Thats where they are coming from. If I dont win, Americas Suburbs will be OVERRUN with Low Income Projects, Anarchists, Agitators, Looters and, of course, Friendly Protesters.

Trump has repeatedly been tweeting about the suburbs this summer and fall. In July he tweeted about 'Suburban housewives of America.' He also has warned that low-income housing poses a risk to suburbs.

Days ago, he tweeted: 'Suburban voters are pouring into the Republican Party because of the violence in Democrat run cities and states. If Biden gets in, this violence is coming to the Suburbs, and FAST. You could say goodbye to your American Dream!'

Trump made 'law and order' a centerpiece of his convention, and regularly inveighs against violence at protests in Portland and Seattle, as well as violent crime in New York and Chicago.

Portland police and protesters clash during a demonstration, early Thursday Aug. 13, 2020, in downtown, Portland

Flames roar from cars torched by protestors a few block from the County Court House during a demonstration against the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back multiple times by police the day before, prompting community protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 24, 2020

President Trump tweeted that suburbs would be 'OVERRUN' if he loses the election

Polls have showed Democrat Joe Biden gaining ground in suburban congressional districts that went for Trump. The president faces a particular challenge with suburban college educated women, who have not taken to his rhetoric and tactics.

Biden holds leads in many key urban suburbs, while Trump holds an edge in more rural exurbs.

His threats of formerly tranquil enclaves being over run by 'anarchists' and looters came hours after he justified his stark comments to Woodward about the coronavirus while holding back from the public.

'I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love this country. I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic,' Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday.

'Certainly I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength, we want to show strength as a nation. That's what I've done,' he said 'Leadership is about confidence. Confidence is confidence in our country,' he noted.

'Calm, no panic!' Trump tweeted earlier Thursday, standing by his position.
(Sharecast News) - TP Icap said it expected annual revenue to be similar to 2020 after increased volatility and trading volumes sent third-quarter income higher for the interdealer broker.
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Bangkok, Thailand  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:18 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43eda2b 2 SE Asia COVID-19-infection,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,Thailand,novel-coronavirus,coronavirus,coronavirus-testing,COVID-19 Free

Thailand said on Wednesday it had tested nearly 600 people potentially exposed to the country's first domestic coronavirus case in over three months, but has so far found no new infections.

The man, 37, had worked as a nightclub DJ at three different venues in the capital Bangkok in the two weeks before he tested positive on arrival in prison, following his recent conviction for a drugs-related offence.

Individuals deemed at risk across 12 venues including the court where he appeared, nightclubs and supermarkets were tracked down and 569 tests were administered, the Public Health Ministry said.

So far, all tests have come back negative and 32 individuals were awaiting results. Authorities have asked 400 other individuals considered low-risk to self-quarantine for 14 days.

How the man became infected remains a mystery, with all of Thailand's recent cases, typically less than a handful each day, detected in state quarantine among people returning from abroad.

Thailand has reported a total of 3,447 confirmed infections, 58 fatalities and has relaxed internal restrictions. That toll is one of the region's lowest, with Indonesia and the Philippines the highest with more than 200,000 cases each.

Natural border crossings and check points with neighboring countries like Myanmar and Laos have been tightened to prevent illegal entry, Thai Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Chatchai Promlert said.

Myanmar last week sealed up its capital city after seeing cases more than double in just a few weeks.

The re-emergence of the virus in Thailand was another blow to its economy, delaying a plan from Oct. 1 to start allowing the return of foreign tourists, initially on the island-resort of Phuket, with mandatory quarantine and limits on movement.

Southeast Asia's second-largest economy suffered its biggest shrinkage in more than two decades in the second quarter as the coronavirus outbreak froze tourism and slowed consumption.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : The government proposes to exhaust its entire borrowing of Rs 12 lakh crore for FY21 by December as it looks to step up expenditure to stimulate the economy hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Government sources said that the aim is to exhaust the entire borrowing space early to give a lift to the economy during the current unlock phase.

If need be, additional borrowing would be done for one or two months early next year to mobilise resources for any additional expenditure, sources said.

In May, the government raised the targeted levels of borrowings in the current fiscal by over 50 per cent to meet additional Covid-19 related expenditure. With this, the estimated gross market borrowing in the financial year 2020-21 increased to Rs 12 lakh crore in place of Rs 7.80 lakh crore as per budget estimate.

With the change in borrowing plan for FY21, the government had also modified the indicative calendar for issuance of government dated securities for the first half of fiscal 2020-21 in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India.

So, instead of H1 borrowing of Rs 4.88 lakh crore as per budget estimates, the RBI will now conduct auctions of dated securities worth Rs 6 lakh crore till September 30.

The calendar would include issuance of dated securities with maturity ranging from 4-40 years. It will also have an auction of floating rate bonds. Each block of auctions, over a 5 day period, will be of Rs 30,000 crore.

Like in the past, the RBI, in consultation with the government, will continue to have the flexibility to bring about modifications in the auction calendar in terms of notified amount, issuance period, maturities, etc. and to issue different types of instruments.

Already the plan for H2 borrowing is being finalised and would have even more aggressive auctions from the RBI so that entire borrowing is completed by December.
The Musee d'Orsay in Paris apologised on Wednesday after a woman claimed that the museum refused to let her in, the day before, because of her low cut dress.

Jeanne, a student in literature, sent an open letter to the Musee d'Orsay in which she explained that she was refused entry on Tuesday afternoon because of her low cut dress.

"When I arrived at the entrance of the museum. I didnt have time to get my ticket out. The sight of my breasts and my bare appearance shocks an agent in charge of the bookings control", she wrote in a Tweet posted on Tuesday.

According to her testimony, a security guard explained to her that "rules are rules". But only the health and safety rules are displayed, she wrote in her open letter.

A manager then intervened and asked her to cover herself with the jacket she was holding in her hands if she wanted to enter. She was then free to take off her jacket once she had entered.

"All this is meaningless," the student commented in her open letter.

I don't want to put my jacket on because I feel defeated, I feel obliged, I feel ashamed, I feel like everyone is looking at my breasts, I am just my breasts, I am just a woman they sexualise".

Determined to go to the museum, she finally put her jacket on her shoulders.

Musee d'Orsay apologises

A few hours after this message was published online, many internet users sent their support to the Parisian student.

The Musee d'Orsay indicated on its Twitter account that it "deeply regretted" this "incident" and that it "apologised".

In a press release, the Musee d'Orsay stated that "a reminder of the welcoming rules has been sent to the service provider at the entrances to the museum".
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - J.C. Penney Company Inc. said it reached an agreement in principle to sell JCPenney through a court-supervised sale process. The company has planned to seek approval of a disclosure statement and, ultimately, confirmation of a plan of reorganization in parallel with the sale process. Related to the sale process, JCPenney expects to execute a 'stalking horse' asset purchase agreement or APA. The company further noted that the APA would track an executed letter of intent, outlining the following: * Brookfield Property Group and Simon Property Group intend to acquire substantially all of JCPenney's retail and operating assets or OpCo for $1.75 billion, which includes a combination of cash and new term loan debt. * The agreement contemplates the formation of a separate real estate investment trust and a property holding company or PropCos, which would include 161 of the company's real estate assets and all of its owned distribution centers. The PropCos would be owned by the company's Ad Hoc Group of First Lien Lenders. * The OpCo and PropCos would enter into a master lease with respect to the properties and distribution centers moved into the PropCos. J.C. Penney Co. Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May citing the impact of unprecedented coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic on its business. 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.
As many as 13.74 lakh Indians have returned from abroad after the government launched the 'Vande Bharat' evacuation mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the Vande Bharat Mission Phase 6 became operational on September 1 and 1,007 international flights have been scheduled to operate during this month.

"We expect to repatriate over 2 lakh people," he said at an online media briefing.

"As on 10 September, 13.74 lakh Indians have been repatriated through different modes of the Vande Bharat Mission viz. Air India, private and foreign carriers, chartered flights, naval ships and land border crossings," Srivastava said.

Of these, 270 international flights have already been operated from GCC countries, Jordan, Afghanistan, Maldives, China, Thailand, US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Australia, he said.

Bilateral travel arrangements form the bulk of this phase with travel 'bubble' flight operations from 11 countries, he said.

The ministry continues to monitor the demand for repatriation through our mission and posts and "we are working with the airlines to ensure assistance", he said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence analyst says in a whistle-blower complaint that the head of the department told him to stop reporting on Russian election interference and focus instead on interference by China and Iran.

The official, Brian Murphy, said the acting secretary of DHS, Chad Wolf, told him twice within the last four months to withhold reporting on potential Russian threats to the U.S. election because it "made President [Donald] Trump look bad." He was told to emphasize potential threats from China and Iran instead.

Murphy said he objected because "it was improper to hold a vetted intelligence product for reasons for political embarrassment." Wolf then took steps to exclude Murphy from meetings on the subject, according to the complaint.

Murphy filed his whistle-blower complaint on September 8 with the inspector-general of DHS and it was made public by the House Intelligence Committee on September 9.

Murphy ran the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at DHS until the end of July, when he was demoted. In his complaint he said Wolf told him the order to stifle reports on Russia originated from White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien.

The White House denied the allegations, saying O'Brien "has never sought to dictate the intelligence community's focus on threats to the integrity of our elections or on any other topic."

DHS spokesman Alexei Woltornist said in response, "We flatly deny that there is any truth to the merits of Mr. Murphy's claim."

Democrats say the accusations are the latest sign that the Trump administration is attempting to downplay Russian attempts to interfere in the November 3 election.

Representative Adam Schiff (Democrat-California) said the House Intelligence Committee had requested Murphy testify before it on September 21.

Schiff said Murphy's complaint "outlines grave and disturbing allegations" that senior White House and DHS officials improperly sought to politicize, manipulate, and censor intelligence in order to benefit Trump politically.

There have been growing concerns in the United States about foreign attempts to interfere in the November 3 election.

In a statement on election interference on August 7, the director of the National Counterintelligence Security Center said many "foreign actors" had a preference in the U.S. election, but it was focusing its attention on the potential activity of Russia, China, and Iran.

The statement said China views Trump as "unpredictable" and does not want to see him win reelection. Russia is also interfering against Trump's opponent, Joe Biden, and an anti-Russia "establishment," while Tehran is looking to undermine democratic institutions, the statement said.

Following the 2016 election, U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials determined that Russia interfered by mounting a computer-hacking and social-media manipulation campaign with the goal of boosting Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

U.S. officials have also said there were multiple foreign hacker efforts to penetrate voting systems in the 2018 congressional elections in what appeared to be a test run for 2020.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Australia considered the foreign policy consequences of raiding the properties of Chinese journalists before counter-espionage agency ASIO undertook the operation.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Foreign Minister Marise Payne and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade were all aware of the ASIO operation before it took place.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Prime Minister Scott Morrison considered the implications of ASIO raids on Chinese journalists. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The four journalists left the country after being questioned by ASIO in June, while two Chinese academics have had their visas revoked on national security grounds.

ASIO believes some of the six Chinese citizens may have been involved in an alleged plot to influence Australian politics through a WeChat group linked to the office of suspended NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane.
History is replete, ironically, with some fleeting moments whose significance is not recognized and appreciated in real time. We are in one of such moments in Ghana.



Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemangs introduction into presidential politics has at once energized our political environment and captured the interest of a broad swath of Ghanaians. Even more impressive is that the excitement generated by her candidacy has cut across various demographics: The Youth, Women, Elderly Citizens, and others.



Interestingly, Professor Opoku-Agyemangs appeal also cuts across class divides  her appeal is to Working Class, and Middle Class alike. Her appeal to the middle class may seem obvious. However, her appeal to the working class and the vulnerable in our society has been underreported and barely noticed.



From working with women shea nut growers in the Northern region to access funding opportunities, to working with disaffected youth on ways to improve their conditions, Professor Opoku-Agyemang has been contributing in diverse ways to improving the lives of vulnerable members of our country and they continue to be the focus of her agenda. Professor Opoku-Agyemang pulls off the enviable feat of being able to appeal to people, regardless of status or background. Listening to her brilliant maiden speech makes it quickly clear that this is by no means a coincidence.



Professor Opoku-Agyemangs life journey begins in Cape Coast, a town she describes as having rich and intriguing connections to the Ghanaian story. Her hometown, Komenda. Raised by parents who instilled the virtues of selflessness and readiness to serve, she rose to become a leader by dint of hard work, faith and perseverance. In her own words: It is precisely because of where my story began, that I know what is possible to achieve in our great country. Indeed, her story is a significant testament to the best ideals of our country. No wonder she has captured the imagination of so many - young and old.



The history-making nature of the nomination has injected a fascinating dynamic into the political scene. For the first time in Ghanas history, a woman has a realistic chance to be elected to the high office of the Vice-Presidency. Of this, Professor Opoku-Agyemang says: making history is gratifying, but what really matters is to hold the door open for those behind us and create avenues for self-actualization for many more. THAT is the work of the next four years. Selfless leadership mindset of this nature will inure to our countrys benefit.



While acknowledging that her nomination is commendable progress towards realizing the full promise of our country, Professor Opoku-Agyemang seems to have little patience for wasting time dwelling on, or reveling in, it - and for good reason. At this time in the 21st century, it feels quite underwhelming to hear the first female ... attached to any ascension by our mothers, sisters and daughters to positions for which they are well qualified. Untold dreams and hopes of generations of millions of women have been sacrificed to this kind of snail-paced progress. We shouldnt be here. Our task going forward  all of us  is to resolve to work hard to ensure that our daughters and generations unborn do not grow up in a society that stifles their ambitions. This is our most urgent calling. In the words of Naana, The time is now!.



It is also apparent that Professor Opoku-Agyemangs nomination has introduced some complexities that could factor significantly in voter decision-making. Many people are genuinely inspired by her nomination, but there may be legitimate concerns among some who like her. Some may not necessarily be fans of the party on whose ticket she stands for instance. It is hard to understate the dilemma this presents for such potential allies of Naana Opoku-Agyemang. The concerns, while genuine and understandable, may underestimate the significance of the rare opportunity to advance the rights of women that her nomination represents. Women have been underrepresented in leadership positions in Ghana and their perspectives have often gone unheeded and their interests inadequately reflected in decision-making even as they are acknowledged to be in the majority in Ghanas population.



The reality is that progress in many instances does not always arrive without complexities. Sometimes the process is messy. The situation may even have complications. Progress may require a willingness to form seemingly odd alliances to advance the cause. What matters most is to keep a focus on the goal and appreciate the avenues and circumstances for what they are: the opportunity to seize the time! Bluntly, the prospect of a consolidated and unified womens vote behind a progressive and inclusive agenda beckons, and our country will be better for it. Women should not allow anything to blind them about this.



The temptation by some to wonder if Professor Opoku-Agyemangs nomination reeks of tokenism deserves examination. Is her nomination just to pay lip-service to the cause of gender equality? Is she a token figure who is being put up just for show? A quick look at Naanas personality, her accomplishments and qualifications should swiftly put these concerns to rest. Indeed, it should be obvious that she cannot be someone manipulated for the special effects of other people. She has her own mind, her strong personality and her record of achievement. We saw a bit of the personality on display as she delivered her captivating maiden speech when she was formally outdoored. We also learnt a bit about the roots of her personality from what she said about her background -strong, disciplined foundations for a life of excellence.



It would seem that Professor Opoku-Agyemangs experiences have prepared her for a moment like this. She assumed the Vice-Chancellorship of the University of Cape Coast and immediately began a transformation of the institution. Managing a public university  a microcosm of larger society - effectively is no small feat. She imbued a sense of focus on providing avenues and opportunities for brilliant young students to exhibit practical application of their lessons and skills on solving real-world problems. Departments were empowered to be innovative and many initiatives were undertaken to leverage the skills and brain capital of our brilliant students in a way that prepares them for life after graduation.



During her tenure as an education minister as well, she chalked up several accomplishments, such as reducing teacher absenteeism significantly, and increasing enrollment in teacher training colleges by over 60%. She led several significant reforms such as conversion of polytechnics into technical universities and upgrading teacher training colleges to become full-fledged tertiary institutions. Her tenure also witnessed massive educational infrastructure across the country. This is an individual who understands education and knows how to manage and deliver sound education for national development.



Throughout her life, she has distinguished herself as a visionary leader, reformer and manager who never shied away from making tough decisions and confronting daunting challenges. Such is her caliber  one who rolls up her sleeves, gets to work, and never gives up on accomplishing objectives. Professor Opoku-Agyemang is a team player; but everything about her story indicates that she is not one to be satisfied with tokens and mediocre standards. She will hold the entire team accountable, with her God-fearing, strong character, her integrity and her capabilities! Now, more than ever, our country is thirsty and ready for such leadership!



We may be at a critical turning point for our country. Professor Opoku-Agyemangs nomination is a welcome departure from the status quo. A Vice-Presidential candidate made for our times, she provides an opportunity we should not miss. More than anything, Professor Opoku-Agyemang offers hope. The hope that assures all of us that we may one day live in a country where every citizen, regardless of background, is afforded equal opportunity to become their best selves. The hope of creating a fair and just society. The hope that we need not be confined to being a country that is always ready for take-off, yet never in full flight. It is for this reason her nomination has awoken disenchanted voters, who she implores to stay the course and never give up.



Nana Jane invites all of us to get off the sidelines and get involved in the mission to restore our country to its best ideals. Together, we can determine our collective future.



Naanas cause is our cause. For if she succeeds, millions of little girls across our country as well as generations unborn will grow up in a country where any dream is valid, and every aspiration is within reach. Even President.

The time is now. History is in sight. Dare we dream?

Source: NUMOO KPAKPA









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The spectrum of symptoms in persons infected with Covid-19 range from asymptomatic to severe and life-threatening; the more benign manifestations are often able to be managed from home. A new report, titled " A Telemedicine Approach to Covid-19 Assessment and Triage ," published on September 10, 2020, in Medicina, a peer-reviewed scientific and medical journal, outlines protocols for assessing various patient symptoms through virtual means. The paper notes that these protocols are most easily applicable in settings that have adequate internet or phone connections, and that, when the technology is available, telehealth is also promising for delivery of care to persons living in remote areas where distance is a barrier to seeking help.

"Most physicians have never before practiced telemedicine, and in this new world of a pandemic, our guidelines serve as a blueprint for safe and effective Covid-19 assessments," said the report's lead author, Allison B. Reiss, MD, Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Long Island School of Medicine and head of the Inflammation Laboratory at NYU Winthrop Hospital's Research Institute.

A virtual assessment of Covid-19 symptoms is more feasible than one might imagine, according to the report's authors. A "Decision-tree diagram" in the report helps direct practitioners in classifying the seriousness of the infectious disease, while numerous adaptations to the physical exam can help detect symptoms. The telemedicine physical exam, for example, includes observing the patient's breathing in order to detect "respiratory distress," i.e. whether the patient is having trouble breathing, a warning sign of a more serious Covid-19 infection. Dr. Reiss noted that respiratory issues can be discerned virtually by "looking, listening, and counting" a patient's respiratory rate and respiratory effort. A virtual viewing of the throat could be aided by a flashlight (a household member might assist). A patient exhibiting tenderness to the abdomen, upon their own touch, might indicate telltale Covid-related gastrointestinal issues, and so on.

The report's guidelines adhere to criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), including for assessing the clinical stability of patients.

"The rapid expansion of telemedicine in response to the Covid-19 pandemic allows physicians to safely maintain connections to their patients in a way never before achievedwhether involving Covid-related or other medical issues," said Eric Goldberg, MD, Senior Medical Director, Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Health and Clinical Associate Professor, NYU Grossman School of Medicine. "Telemedicine can also create deeper connections between a physician and patient, emanating from the personal spaces shared by each."

The collaborating institutions on the report were actively using telemedicine protocols prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic but saw a rise in daily visits from 50 in early March 2020 to more than 7,000 by April 2020completing more than 550,000 video visits during the March-August time period. The report authors say that, ultimately, widespread adoption of this technological tool will be determined by formal studies of quality, comparing telehealth versus in-person outcomes.

About NYU Long Island School of Medicine/NYU Winthrop Hospital

NYU Long Island School of Medicine is New York University's flagship medical school on Long Island. The school offers tuition-free scholarships with an innovative, accelerated three-year curriculum exclusively devoted to training primary care physicians. The medical school is situated on the campus of NYU Winthrop Hospital, the Long Island hub of NYU Langone Health. NYU Winthrop Hospital is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top-10 New York metro-area hospitals and features more than 75 divisions of specialty care, offering comprehensive inpatient and outpatient programs and services to address every stage of life.

Contact:

Anne Kazel-Wilcox, Manager, Public Relations

NYU Winthrop Hospital/NYU Long Island School of Medicine

(516) 663-4999; [email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Health

Related Links

http://www.med.nyu.edu


Volcanoes are born and die - and then grow again on their own remains. The decay of a volcano in particular is often accompanied by catastrophic consequences, as was the most recent case for Anak Krakatau in 2018. The flank of the volcano had collapsed sliding into the sea. The resulting tsunami killed several hundred people on Indonesia's coast.

Continued volcanic activity after a collapse has not been documented in detail so far. Now and for the first time, researchers from the German Research Center for Geosciences GFZ and Russian volcanologists are presenting the results of a photogrammetric data series spanning seven decades for the Bezymianny volcano, Kamchatka, in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment. First author Alina Shevchenko from GFZ says, "thanks to the German-Russian cooperation we were able to analyze and reinterpret a unique data set".

Bezymianny had a collapse of its eastern sector in 1956. Photographs of helicopter overflights from Soviet times in combination with more recent satellite drone data have now been analyzed at GFZ Potsdam using state-of-the-art methods. The images show the rebirth of the volcano after its collapse. The initial re-growth began at different vents about 400 meters apart. After about two decades, the activity increased and the vents slowly moved together. After about fifty years, the activity concentrated on a single vent, which allowed the growth of a new and steep cone.

The authors of the study determined an average growth rate of 26,400 cubic meters per day - equivalent to about a thousand large dump trucks. The results make it possible to predict when the volcanic building may once again reach a critical height, so that it may collapse again under its own weight. The numerical modeling also explains the changes in stress within the volcanic rock and thus the migration of the eruption vents. Thomas Walter, volcanologist at the GFZ and co-author of the study, summarizes: "Our results show that the decay and re-growth of a volcano has a major impact on the pathways of the magma in the depth. Thus, disintegrated and newly grown volcanoes show a kind of memory of their altered field of stress". For future prognosis, this means that the history of birth and collapse must be included to be able to give estimates about possible eruptions or imminent collapses.

###

Original study: A. Shevchenco et al.: "The rebirth and evolution of Bezymianny volcano, Kamchatka after the 1956 sector collapse" in Nature Communications Earth and Environment, DOI: 10.1038/s43247-020-00014-5

Scientific contact:

Dr. Thomas Walter

Group Leader in the GFZ section Physics of Earthquakes and Volcanoes

Helmholtz Centre Potsdam

German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ

E-mail: thomas.walter@gfz-potsdam.de

Phone: +49 331 288-1253
Video of the police abuse went viral sparking unrest across the country with more than 150 civilians and police injured.

Bogota, Colombia  The death of a Colombian man after being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun by police who restrained him has sparked riots and protests throughout the Andean nation. The protests continued into Thursday morning and killed at least seven and wounded more than 150, the countrys defence minister said.

Javier Humberto Ordonez, a 46-year-old lawyer and father of two was allegedly violating coronavirus social distancing rules when he became involved in an altercation with police in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

In a video posted on social media by friends who were with him, Ordonez can be heard shouting, please, no more, Im suffocating as two police officers continued to restrain him with their knees on his back and repeatedly tasing him. Ordonez was taken into police custody early on Wednesday where family members have alleged he faced more police abuse. He died in hospital soon after.

Colombia had a six-month coronavirus pandemic lockdown that began in late March, with the harsh restrictions eased two weeks ago.

People walking near a burned Transmilenio bus after protests against police brutality in Bogota, Colombia [Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters]

Protesters took to the streets in Bogota on Wednesday afternoon, destroying the small police station that the responsible officers belonged to in the Engativa neighbourhood, in the west of the city. Violence continued and spread into the early hours of Thursday.

Bogotas Mayor Claudia Lopez called the police brutality unacceptable, but also condemned the violence in Bogota that resulted in deaths.

Yesterday, Bogota woke up with reason, in pain, protesting the death of a citizen because of police abuse, the distraught looking mayor said in a Twitter video posted early on Thursday. But today we wake up with not only one, but three dead, killed in protests and extended violence  destroying Bogota is not going to fix the police.

Colombias defence minister, Carlos Holmes Trujillo, said on Thursday rioting had killed seven people in Bogota with more than 150 civilians and police injured across Colombia.

Protesters chanting during a demonstration in honour of Dilan Cruz, a teenage demonstrator who died in 2019 after being injured by a tear gas canister in Bogota, Colombia [File: Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters]

As the news of the alleged police brutality spread, protesters took to the streets on Wednesday night not only in Bogota, but also in the cities of Medellin, Pereida and Ibague, attacking police stations and public transport infrastructure.

The reports of the events that occurred in the last hours reveals atrocity and vandalism. These events cast a shadow over society since they claimed human lives, Trujillo said.

The government announced the two officers involved have been suspended pending an investigation, and an autopsy on Ordonez would be carried out.

A significant event

The latest unrest comes two days after unsuccessful attempts were made to revive protests by workers unions to protest the economic and social policies of President Ivan Duque which had brought tens of thousands of people into the streets in late 2019. The government responded by sending heavily armed riot police into the streets and imposed curfews in major cities.

With last years November protests, the government action to quell them and the coronavirus, this basically put a lid on a lot of social angst that was happening in Colombia, political analyst and director of Colombia Risk Analysis, Sergio Guzman told Al Jazeera.

I think that because the entire issue has not just been mismanaged by the government but just miscommunicated, this [recent action] really threatens to blow up as a significant event.

He said the current protests reflect not only anger and frustration over police actions, but are also about the lack of political will to investigate wrongdoing.

I expect this is the start of a much bigger period of political unrest that will coincide with the governments plans to open the economy, so this is going to be a major set back in some of these plans, Guzman said.

Colombia: hemos recibido graves denuncias de uso excesivo de la fuerza por parte de miembros de @PoliciaColombia contra manifestantes en Bogota. La ciudadania tiene todo el derecho de manifestarse y debe hacerlo de forma pacifica. Policia debe garantizar respeto a DDHH.  Jose Miguel Vivanco (@JMVivancoHRW) September 10, 2020

There is a lot of discontent about unresolved issues which were quieted due to restrictions, Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli, Andes director for the advocacy group Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) said.

The ongoing use of the stun gun after the lawyer is clearly disarmed and not fighting was not necessary. Disproportionate use of force in Colombian police forces is not a new problem neither is the misuse of weapons meant to disperse protests or pacify.

Human Right Watch (HRW) Americas also criticised the police handling of the protests.

We have received serious reports of excessive force by members of Bogotas police, HRW Americas Director Jose Miguel Vivanco said on Twitter.

Citizens have every right to protest and should do so peacefully.
Bakewell Media launches  Taste of Souls Support a Black Business Campaign

Support Black Business Campaign pushes to partner large corporations with local Black businesses affected by the COVID -19 Pandemic.

Taste of Soul is more than a family festival, it is also an economic empowerment festival designed to spotlight our Black businesses in and around South Los Angeles. Although the COVID-19 pandemic canceled all events for 2020our support for these businesses is never canceled. To that end, Bakewell Media has launched the Support a Black Business Advertising Campaign.

As the community knows, unfortunately, Bakewell Media had to cancel the 2020 Taste of Soul. In its place, the company made the decision to create a campaign that highlighted and supported our local Black businesses. We are calling upon all of our partners, sponsors and major corporations to step up and underwrite the advertising/marketing campaigns of our local Black businesses. These businesses need our support now more than ever, and it is only through our collective efforts that we can come through this pandemic with our businesses still in tack, said Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., Chairman & CEO of Bakewell Media, Chairman and founder/creator of Taste of Soul.

To say 2020 is an unprecedented year is an understatement, as COVID-19 has taken a toll in more ways than one. Unfortunately, it has become glaringly clear that the Black community is bearing the brunt of this devastation in more ways than one. Black businesses are in crisis right now and in need of support. As a community, we must collectively come together to save these businesses which not only provide goods and services to the community, but provide jobs, empower families, and make our community stronger.

ADVERTISEMENT

A recent survey by the National Bureau of Economic Research, showed that from February to April of 2020, the U.S saw the largest drop in businesses on record. The survey also shows there was a 41 percent drop in Black businesses due to COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing mandates. Although there are government and local initiatives to help businesses stay afloat, Black businesses have had less access to these resources than their White counterparts and require a greater need for community support and corporate assistance. The Black Business Advertising Campaign seeks to be that extra boost that these community businesses desperately need.

Most of the businesses within our community cannot afford an advertising campaign and have lost anywhere from 50 to 90 percent of their revenue because of this pandemic. Businesses have had to reorganize and recalibrate in order remain open. It will take years for these businesses to recover, said Bakewell. The pain of this economic hardship has resulted in a need for businesses to promote and advertise in more creative ways today, including new hours of operation, delivery options, online orders and other new services.

In order to promote these businesses and to encourage our community to support our local Black businesses, the advertising campaign program is designed to provide assistance and help them secure the desperately needed advertising and outreach mechanisms these businesses often find challenging to afford. Even in the best of times, our local businesses often find themselves with the lack of resources needed to secure this level of outreach. Having the benefit of an outreach and advertising campaign, that is designed to increase exposure and to draw in more customers, could be a lifeline to business owners trying to keep their doors open. The goal is to provide information that serves as a reminder that these businesses are still open and desperately need and welcome the communitys patronage.

We can help by shopping with Black businesses locally, and on site for those who offer outdoor seating, or ordering for online delivery or take out. We want to remind everyone that the Covid-19 pandemic is not over, so we encourage all to continue practicing social distancing and by wearing masks whenever indoors or outdoors and avoid large gathering. There are a number of Black businesses out there who need our assistance and we encourage our entire Taste of Soul Nation to join us in supporting these businesses today and throughout the year.

Through the Black Business Advertising Campaign, the LA Sentinel is recruiting major companies with the resources needed to help these local Black businesses.

To receive more information and support the campaign, please contact Nicole Williams, Taste of Soul/LA Sentinel project manager, at [email protected] or 323-299-3800.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trumps comments about the threat from the novel coronavirus attracted widespread attention after excerpts from journalist Bob Woodwards book Rage were released.

Among other revelations were excerpts from a conversation where Trump said, I wanted to always play it down, of the threat from the virus.

The president unleashed a barrage of tweets Thursday morning, some in an effort to change the subject, and others taking on the Woodward book head-on, defending his comments and charging the media with conspiring against him.

Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months, Trump wrote. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didnt he immediately report them in an effort to save lives? Didnt he have an obligation to do so? No, because he knew they were good and proper answers. Calm, no panic!

Meanwhile, the books excerpts also provide new details about the presidents thoughts on North Koreas Kim Jong Un, racial unrest and a mysterious new weapon that Trump claims other world powers dont know about.

Some of the other topics covered in the book, which was based on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July and with others (excerpts from the book were reported by The Washington Post, where Woodward is an editor, and CNN):

NORTH KOREA

Woodward wrote that Trump said he was impressed with Kim when he first met the North Korean leader in Singapore in 2018 and that Kim was far beyond smart. Trump also said that Kim tells me everything and even gave the president a graphic account of how Kim had his own uncle killed.

As he engaged in nuclear arms talks with Kim, Trump dismissed intelligence officials' assessments that North Korea would never give up its nuclear weapons. Trump told Woodward that the CIA has no idea how to handle Pyongyang.

Trump also dismissed criticism about his three meetings with Kim, claiming the summits were no big deal. Critics said that by meeting Kim, Trump provided the North Korean leader with legitimacy on the world stage.

It takes me two days. I met. I gave up nothing, said the president, who likened North Koreas attachment to its nuclear arsenal to somebody who is in love with a house and they just cant sell it.

Kim welcomed Trumps attention, calling the president your excellency in a letter. Kim wrote to Trump that he believed the deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.

RACIAL UNREST

In June, after federal agents forcibly removed protesters from Washingtons Lafayette Square near the White House to make way for Trump to stage a photo opportunity outside a church where he held up a bible, Trump called Woodward to boast about how he was for law and order.

Were going to get ready to send in the military slash National Guard to some of these poor bastards that dont know what theyre doing, these poor radical lefts, Trump told Woodward, who recorded Trump.

Later that month, Woodward asked the president if, as a white man, he had a responsibility to better understand the anger and pain felt by Black Americans.

No, Trump replied. I dont feel that at all.

As Woodward pressed Trump about discrimination and inequalities suffered by Black people over the years, the president pointed to how the unemployment rate for Black Americans fell before the pandemic.

When the two spoke again about race relations on June 22, Woodward asked Trump whether he thought there was systemic racism in America.

Well, I think there is everywhere, Trump said. I think probably less here than most places. Or less here than many places.

Asked by Woodward whether racism is here in the United States in a way that affects peoples lives, Trump replied: I think it is. And its unfortunate. But I think it is.

MYSTERY WEAPON

In discussions with Woodward about rising tensions in 2017 between the U.S. and North Korea, Trump said: I have built a nuclear  a weapons system that nobodys ever had in this country before. We have stuff that you havent even seen or heard about. We have stuff that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Chinese President Jinping) Xi have never heard about before. Theres nobody  what we have is incredible.

Woodward writes that sources, who spoke to him on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the U.S. military had a secret new weapons system. But the sources did not provide details and told Woodward, according to the book, that they were surprised Trump had disclosed it.

Trump national security adviser Robert OBrien told Fox News' Special Report on Wednesday that the president did not talk about any specific weapon system. Were always on the cutting edge and weve always got something out there that our adversaries dont know about, OBrien said.

FORMER TOP OFFICIALS IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Woodwards book quotes Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, as saying, The most dangerous people around the president are overconfident idiots. The book also quotes Kushner as saying that he advised people to think about Alice in Wonderland when trying to understand the Trump presidency. The novel is about a girl who falls through a rabbit hole and Kushner, according to Woodward, singled out the Cheshire Cat, whom he said had endurance and persistence, not direction.

Woodwards book also discusses how some top-level administration officials contemplated quitting.

Then-Defense Secretary James Mattis went to the Washington National Cathedral to pray about the nations future under Trump as commander in chief. According to Woodwards book, Mattis once told then-National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, There may come a time when we have to take collective action because Trump is dangerous and unfit to be president.

Woodward says Mattis told Coats, The president has no moral compass.

Coats, the book says, replied: True. To him, a lie is not a lie. Its just what he thinks. He doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie.

Coats is a former senator from Indiana and was recruited into the administration by Vice President Mike Pence, who is also a Hoosier. How are you stomaching the Trump presidency, Coats' wife, Marsha, once asked Pence at a White House dinner.

I think he (Pence) understood. And he just whispered in my ear, Stay the course.
This partnership will enable the development of next-generation heat protection solutions and technologies that includes health monitoring in the context of COVID-19 and our changing climate to protect the public and workers.

OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / SmartCone Technologies Inc. (SmartCone), Canada's leader in IoT (Internet of Things) solutions announces that it will be sponsoring the Industry Research Chair in Heat Strain Monitoring and Management. Dr. Glen Kenny of the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Human Kinetics and Director of the Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit (HEPRU) at the University of Ottawa is the recipient of the Research Chair in Heat Strain Monitoring and Management.

While wearable technology exists for monitoring physical performance there are no existing systems for the management and monitoring of heat strain in the public, in workers, athletes, military personnel, and/or other groups. Moreover, Canada and many other countries are currently experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, which in paralleled to the increasing threat posed by rising global temperatures, has led to many illnesses and deaths and threatened the economic sustainability of both the public and private sectors. Extraordinary steps must be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that includes the development and implementation of intelligent monitoring platforms to improve decision-making and oversight related to the health readiness of the general public and workers in context of COVID-19.

As SmartCone has exclusive rights to this budding technology, they will be incorporating important findings into their latest venture, Symp2pass, to increase accuracy and tracking of COVID 19 symptoms, along with existing worker safety wearables. The technology will also be incorporated into AutoGuardian by SmartCone's infrastructure solutions to allow cities to provide warnings to its patrons when they have been out in the heat for too long.

This partnership will synergize Dr. Kenny's wealth of expertise and data on physiological response to heat stress with SmartCone's sensor technologies to address this critical gap by developing and commercializing state-of-the-art heat protection solutions such as heat stress management platforms and wearable biosensors to track individuals heat strain in an era of COVID-19. Further, this partnership will permit the mobilization of the strong alliances and collaborations established by Dr. Kenny with academia, government agencies (e.g., Health Canada, National Research Council, Toronto Public Health), industry (e.g., Hydro One, Vale, Exelon), civil society organizations (e.g., Electric Power Research Institute, NORCAT) and labour groups (e.g., Unifor) across Canada and the world, to equip Canada's communities and industries with the sophisticated evidenced-based heat protective measures and technologies fuelled by our collaborative research activities.

Dr. Kenny's laboratory, HEPRU, is the largest facility in Canada, uniquely dedicated to the assessment of the human heat stress response and the only research unit with a whole-body air calorimeter that provides the gold standard method to measure the heat dissipated by the human body. This unique research facility, which also houses three large environmental chambers, will serve as an important vehicle to facilitate the testing of monitoring technologies developed by SmartCone.

To learn more about the HEPRU lab please visit their website: https://hepru.ca/

About SmartCone Technologies, Inc.

SmartCone Technologies Inc. (SCTI) is a unique data sensory company that commercializes new Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies powering a wide array of sensors, edge computing, sensor fusion and artificial intelligence (AI). TheSmartCone solutions have been used most recently in "Return to Work" solutions including Symp2pass during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as securing dangerous work sites, controlling bicycle lane traffic, managing vehicle fleets, smart warehouses, crowd control, and more. Learn more at www.thesmartcone.com

For more information, please contact Tenille Houston at 613-617-7467 or tenille@thesmartcone.com

SOURCE: SmartCone Technologies, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605567/SmartCone-Sponsors-Industry-Research-Chair-in-Heat-Strain-Monitoring-to-Advance-COVID-19-Detection-and-Beyond
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Linkedin Jill Serjeant (Reuters)  Thu, September 10, 2020 10:31 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f415f 2 Entertainment Anthony-Rapp,Kevin-Spacey,actor,Hollywood,sexual-misconduct Free

Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey was accused in a civil lawsuit on Wednesday of sexual assault and battery in the 1980s by actor Anthony Rapp and a second, unnamed person when both plaintiffs were about 14.

The suit, filed in New York state court in Manhattan, refers to the same alleged incident that Rapp first recounted in an October 2017 BuzzFeed interview that triggered Spacey's fall from grace in Hollywood.

Spacey did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The actor, who won Oscars for the films American Beauty and The Usual Suspects and a Golden Globe for the TV political drama House of Cards, has largely retreated from public life in the past three years.

Spacey in 2017 said he did not remember the encounter Rapp described but added, "If I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior."

Spacey, now 61, came out as gay in 2017.

Rapp, best known for starring in the Broadway musical Rent, alleged in the lawsuit that Spacey "engaged in an unwanted sexual advance" with him when he was 14, during a party at Spacey's home in 1986.

Read also: Kevin Spacey makes first public appearance in 2 years in Rome

The second person, identified only as C.D., alleged that he and Spacey had oral and anal sex and engaged in other sexual acts on several occasions in the early 1980s when the plaintiff was approximately 14 years old.

Both men are seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress.

Rapp's initial accusation, part of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct, led to Spacey being dropped from House of Cards and his scenes in the movie All the Money in the World were re-shot with actor Christopher Plummer.

Rapp and the second man filed their lawsuit under New York's 2019 Child Victims Act, their lawyer Peter J. Saghir said. The act gave people one year, later extended to two, to sue over sexual abuse allegations regardless of when they occurred.

"This lawsuit sends a strong message that no matter how wealthy, powerful or famous you may be you are not above the law," Saghir said in a statement.

Prosecutors in Massachusetts in 2019 dropped criminal charges against Spacey of felony indecent assault and battery involving an 18 year-old man in a bar in 2016. Spacey had pleaded not guilty. The case was dropped after the alleged victim declined to testify.
Four stellar actors will come together in a project. Veteran stars Sung Dong Il and Oh Jung Se have been confirmed to join Jun Ji Hyun and Ju Ji Hoon in the upcoming "Jiri Mountain"!

The upcoming new drama will be directed by Lee Eung Bok, who helmed "Mr. Sunshine" and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (also known as "Goblin"), and will collaborate with writer Kim Eun Hee, known for her work "Kingdom". Jun Ji Hyun and Ju Ji Hoon will work as partners in navigating the mountain.

"Jiri Mountain" is a story of park rangers who work to rescue people at Mount Jiri National Park, the second-tallest mountain in South Korea. Sung Dong Il will play the character of Dae Jin Cho, the branch director of the Haedong branch office in Jirisan National Park. He is being named as "Jirisan Man" who spent half a lifetime dedicating his time in Jiri mountain.

Dae Jin Cho has a strong commitment to being a top park ranger. His mission is to protect and be responsible with his junior rangers. This will surely be a true persona of actor Sung Dong Il by showing his acting presence inside and outside the camera.

Oh Jung Se, on the other hand, will play as Jung Gu Young, an extreme realistic ranger. He lives life with the perception of: "I live now and only in the south." He takes a knife every time he goes to work, takes vacations, and enjoys tea rituals.

This will be another transformation of Oh Jung Se that he will immerse in, making fans more excited. Any character he takes in adds a new life in any drama.

The production crew are excited and shared, "There are no words to explain how these actors will play since we have great trust just by saying the names of Sung Dong Il and Oh Jung Se."

"Jiri Mountain" (working title) will be set to air in early 2021.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The BJP on Thursday demanded that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra offer other concessions to the Marathas until the reservation for the community in education and jobs is restored.

State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil also alleged that the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the 2018 law granting quota to the community because of lack of seriousness shown by the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in pursuing the case.

"Like the (previous) BJP government, the MVA government should give relief through concessions to the Maratha community until it gets back reservation," he said in a statement.

As the completion of the constitutional process of giving the reservation to the Marathas took some time, the BJP government in the state had offered several concessions to the community in education and employment, Patil said.

ALSO READ | Supreme Court orders interim stay on Maratha reservation law in Maharashtra

The MVA government has created hurdles in the working of the SARTHI institute, set up by the BJP government, by starving it of funds, he alleged.

The Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) is a non-profit government body for research, policy advocacy and training for socio-economic and educational development of Maratha and Kunbi-Maratha communities.

BJP MLA Nitesh Rane accused the state government of betraying the community.

"Today, the future of the community is in the dark," he tweeted.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the implementation of the Maratha quota law and referred the petitions challenging the law to a larger constitution bench.
Representative image

Bengaluru-based investment platform Groww has raised $30 million in its series C round, led by YC Continuity. This round also saw the participation of existing investors Sequoia India, Ribbit Capital and Propel Ventures.

YC Continuity is a fund which invests in Y Combinator-backed startups to help them scale up in their subsequent rounds. This is its first investment in India.

YCombinator is an American seed investor. YC Continuity is a separate entity within YC which invests in growth phase startups.

How the funds will be used

In a statement to the press, the company said that it will use the funds to strengthen its technology infrastructure and hire top talent across engineering, product and growth. Groww also wants to pump in part of the funds to power an educational initiative across India to increase pan-India literacy about financial markets.

We started our journey writing blogs and making videos to educate people about investing. Our wealth as a nation will keep growing and our mission is to provide the best experience to investors to manage their wealth, said Lalit Keshre, chief executive officer, Groww.

YCombinator will help Groww accelerate towards their stated business goals, just as the way it helped shape the early part of Growws journey, he said.

Also Read: Acko to invest $1.2 million in car servicing platform Pitstop

Groww has received these additional funds at a time when the broking business is becoming exciting in India. Market observers say that India is seeing the Robinhood moment, when new-age tech enabled brokers can actually disrupt traditional businesses.

Robinhood is an American stock broking startup which successfully disrupted the traditional brokers there.

The Groww journey

Groww was recently in the news for expanding beyond mutual funds to stock broking, thereby taking the fight to other broking startups like Zerodha, 5Paisa and Upstox.

Incepted in 2017, Groww has around 80 lakh registered users on the platform. It offers direct mutual funds and stock broking, recording around 1.5 lakh new SIPs every month. Within three months of its launch, the broking business has grown fast with more than a lakh new demat accounts getting opened every month through the platform.

Players like Groww, which are well-funded, wants to be in the right position to capture the largest share of these new market opportunities.

We believe Groww is building the largest retail brokerage in India. At YC, we have known the founders since the company was just an idea and they are some of the best product people you will meet anywhere in the world, said Anu Hariharan, partner at YC Continuity.

Growws challenge to Zerodha

Zerodha, a bootstrapped startup from Bengaluru, stands as the largest broking company in India today, within 10 years of its birth.

A bootstrapped startup is typically built without any venture funding.

Zerodha now faces challenge from upstarts like Upstox, Groww and Paytm Money, the wealth management arm of digital payments major Paytm.

Further, India, an under-penetrated investment market, has seen a record addition of new trading accounts during the Coronavirus-induced lockdowns. This has shown that many Indians with surplus wealth are taking a shot at stock markets and relying on digital platforms for business.
Ahead of Dussehra festivals, Delhi CM Kejriwal urges people to take precautions against COVID-19

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Sep 10: With the festival season kicking in next month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged people to take precautions against COVID-19 infection.

"Many festivals are approaching in the coming months. While the COVID-19 pandemic is under control in Delhi, it is important to have preventive measures in place to contain the spread of COVID-19 at religious places of worship," he said.

Explained: Researchers show how chest X-rays help in diagnosis of COVID-19

The Navratri festival that involves temple visits and fasts for nine days will begin from October 17. It will culminate with Vijaya Dashmi or Dussehra on October 25. The festival of Diwali will be celebrated in the month of November.

"I would like to appeal to the general public as well as the organisations managing religious places to adhere to all the preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the religious places during the upcoming festival season," the chief minister said in his appeal.

Delhi has witnessed a spurt in number of COVID-19 cases in the last few days with daily testing of virus doubled from 15000-20,000 to now over 40,000 by the city government. Delhi government's health bulletin on Wednesday recorded 4,039 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, as the tally breached the 2 lakh mark.

Coronavirus outbreak: India recorded around 1,000 fatalities each day in September

Also, the highest ever number of tests at 54,517 were conducted on the day. Kejriwal said that it is important that everyone visiting religious places follows preventive measures like maintaining a minimum distance of six feet, using face masks and washing hands frequently with soap or alcohol-based hand sanitisers.

"Visitors and workers at all religious places must observe respiratory safety etiquette to reduce the risk of COVID-19 at all times. All religious places will also be required to comply with the preventive measures inside their premises," he said.

The religious places in the city were closed with the announcement of lockdown as the coronavirus cases spread in March. Under the unlockdown process, the religious places opened in August and various festivals like Janmashtami, Eid and Bakrid were celebrated with temples and mosques putting in places various preventive measures.

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Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 12:33 [IST]
Benchmark indices closed higher today amid positive sentiment in global equities. Sensex rose 646 points to 38,840 and Nifty gained 171 points to 11,449. Gains were led by share of Reliance Industries today which hit all-time high of Rs 2,343 climbing 8.4% on fund infusion from US tech investor Silver Lake. Later, the share closed 7.10% higher at Rs 2,314 . Other stocks contributing to the rally were IndusInd Bank, SBI and Axis Bank and Asian Paints.

Here's a look at market action today.

3:30 pm Sensex closes 646 points higher at 38,840 and Nifty gains 171 points to 11,449.

2: 33 pm: Rupee settles 9 paise higher at 73.46 against US dollar.

2:00 pm: SBI share gains over 3% to Rs 201 after lender raises Rs 4,000 crore via AT1 bonds.

1: 45 pm : Angel Broking on Reliance Industries

Jyoti Roy - DVP- Equity Strategist, Angel Broking said,"We expect the company to attract further investments in the retail business from other investors which is leading to another round of rerating for the company. We remain positive on Reliance industries and expect that the digital and the retail business will be the future growth drivers for the company. Further investments in the retail business and scaling up of Jio Mart business will be key triggers for the company in the near future. Listing of the digital and retail business over the next few years would also lead to significant value unlocking for shareholders in the long run. We continue to maintain our buy rating on the stock with a target of Rs 2,366."

1: 20 pm: Dilip Buildcon share gains 11.67% on bagging Rs 1,905 crore NHAI project

1:10 pm : Sectoral gainers

Oil and gas, banking and energy stocks led the gains in afternoon trade. BSE energy index rose 362 points to 6,606 and BSE bankex gained 156 points to 25,429. BSE oil and gas index climbed 316 points to 13,125 led by gains in RIL which rose 8.4% toa fresh all time high of Rs 2,343 on BSE.

1: 05 pm : A Bloomberg report says Reliance Industries has offered Amazon $20 billion stake in its retail arm.

12: 45 pm : Midcap and smallcap indices rose 62 points and 176 points on BSE resectively.

12: 00 pm: RIL becomes India's first company to cross $200 billion in market cap

11: 30 am: Rupee strengthened by 16 paise to 73.39 against the US dollar on Thursday supported by weak American currency and positive domestic equities.

11: 00 am: Market breadth was positive with 1,746 stocks advancing compared to 658 falling on BSE. 146 scrips were unchanged.

10: 15 am: RIL share surges to an all-time high of Rs 2343 on investment from Silver lake in Reliance Retail.

RIL share hits all-time high, market cap above Rs 14 lakh cr for second day

10:00 am: Route Mobile IPO fully subscribed on Day 1

Route Mobile IPO comprises fresh issue of shares worth ?240 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of ?360 crore by promoters which would result in promoter's stake reducing from 96.0% pre-IPO to 66.3% post-IPO.

9:55 am : Angel Broking on Route Mobile IPO

Keshav Lahoti, Associate Equity Analyst at Angel Broking said, "Route Mobile raised Rs 180 crore on Tuesday ahead of the IPO from 15 anchor investors. As expected by us, Route Mobile IPO is fully subscribed. Retail portion was most subscribed to 1.8 times. We expect the traction is going to be good for the IPO as a lot is left on the table for the investors. We also expect the IPO to be subscribed manifold. As we are positive on the future outlook for the industry as well as the Company, we have recommended to "Subscribe" to the issue for long term as well as for listing gains."

9: 45 am: Expert quote on Wipro contract with Mareli

Jyoti Roy, DVP- Equity Strategist, Angel Broking said, "Wipro has announced that they have entered into a multi-year global agreement for automotive engineering services to Marelli. Marelli is one of the world's leading global independent suppliers to the automotive sector with operational headquarters in Saitama, Japan and Corbetta, Italy. As part of this agreement, Wipro will leverage its EngineeringNXT framework and strong automotive engineering expertise to establish a software engineering factory for Marelli. While Wipro has not specified the deal size it is likely to be a multimillion dollar engagement. Marelli is already an existing customer of Wipro and the company has now managed to expand its relationship with the company. The deal bears out the fact that Indian IT services players are gaining market share at the expense of legacy players by expanding their relationship with existing clients who are looking at consolidating their vendors."

Happiest Minds IPO subscribed 151 times on Day 3

9: 30 am: Happiest Minds IPO received bids 151 times the issue size on Day 3 of the bidding process. The IPO received bids for 3,51,18,27,450 shares, 150.98 times the issue size of 2,32,59,550 shares. The share sale was subscribed over 8 times on Day 2 and 2.87 times on Day 1.

9: 25 am: Bajaj Auto, Titan and Tech Mahindra were top losers on Sensex, falling up to 1%.

9: 20 am : Top Sensex gainers were IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance and SBI rising up to 3% in early trade.

9:00 am Previous close

After a volatile session on Wednesday, Sensex and Nifty ended in the red. The benchmark Sensex ended 171 points, or 0.45%, lower at 38,193.92 while Nifty settled 32 points, or 0.28%, lower at 11,285.10. Traders said subdued global cues and lingering border tension with China continued to weigh on investors' sentiments.

8: 55 am: Global markets

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 439.58, or 1.6%, to 27,940.47. The Nasdaq composite, which includes many tech stocks, rose 293.87, or 2.7%, to 11,141.56. It had dropped 10% over the previous three days.
A swing under the sun and over the ocean waters is all the blues we are accepting this mid-week and celebrity designer Masaba Gupta just teased our fantasy a little more with her latest picture on the gram. In the mood for a sultry throwback Thursday, Masaba not only made exotic travel vibes soar high but also left fans craving for a Maldives vacay.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Masaba shared a picture featuring her in a stunning swimsuit. Lying casually on a swing hung above the crystal blue waters of the ocean, Masaba struck a sizzling pose for the camera.

Located in the Indian Ocean towards the South of Indias Lakshadweep Islands, Maldives is a small island nation which is about 700 kilometres from the Asian continents mainland. Masaba captioned the picture, Dreaming of Crystal Blue Water & a Caramel tan #throwbackthursday (sic).

On another note, Masaba has been grabbing the headlines these days for possessing more talent than one. The Indian fashion designer is all over our social media feeds ever since her Netflix series Masaba Masaba started streaming on the OTT platform.

The founder of House of Masaba is credited for her design aesthetic that has modernity at the upper hand but is defined by a blend of contemporary and traditional. The 30-year-old recently starred alongside her real-life mother, Neena Gupta, in Netflix Masaba Masaba which has won over fans and critics alike.

Nailing her unexplored acting skills in the recently out digital series, Masaba has only seen her fanbase swell and while her unconventional ensembles are an inspiration, her workout goals are no less. The diva is often seen revamping our zeal for the day with all the positivity that one needs through her fashion, beauty, health and travel posts on social media.

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The University of Massachusetts Amherst will expand its asymptomatic testing program for COVID-19 with free testing for all UMass students living in the Amherst area.

The asymptomatic testing program, conducted at the Public Health Promotion Center (PHPC) at the Mullins Center, is designed to mitigate community spread through the early detection of infection. The current test has eliminated discomfort.

The expanded testing now provides additional free testing access to both undergraduate and graduate students who live in the Amherst area and are not coming to campus for classes. They are strongly encouraged to get tested twice a week.

Previously, these students were tested when they first arrived in the Amherst area, and were offered testing on a trial basis in recent weeks.

Students who reside on campus have been required to be tested twice a week. So were off-campus students coming to campus for face-to-face classes, research labs or work.

In the expanded testing program, the Amherst area is defined as Amherst, Hadley, Sunderland, Belchertown, Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett.

Jeffrey Hescock, executive director of Environmental Health and Safety, said that following the successful launch and operation of the PHPC for a month, the university now has the operational experience and infrastructure in place to expand testing.

The PHPC has completed more than 30,000 tests for more than 9,500 unique individuals.

We are pleased to date with the relatively low number of positive cases in our community. Our partnership with community officials, extensive testing and a vigorous public information campaign are the central aspects of our approach,'' Hescock said.

"We must be vigilant in our efforts, and increased student participation in testing will provide UMass and our community partners with additional data to assess the presence of the virus and to act quickly, as needed, to mitigate its spread.

Faculty who are teaching or conducting research on campus, and staff who regularly work on campus, are required to be tested weekly. Clinical faculty who are working in healthcare facilities or University Health Services staff who are providing in-person healthcare are required to be tested twice weekly.
The General Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) informs on Thursday that, in the past 24 hours, entry to Romania was denied for 250 foreign citizens, who did not fulfill conditions provided by law, and at the same time denied the exit of 10 Romanian citizens for various legal reasons.

According to a release sent to AGERPRES, approximately 77,900 persons, Romanian and foreign citizens, with over 30,600 vehicles (of which 14,100 tractor-trailers) conducted control formalities through the border crossing points at the level of the entire country in the past 24 hours.

Entering the country were approximately 37,900 persons, with 15,300 vehicles, while exiting were 40,000 persons with 15,300 vehicles.

The border with Hungary was crossed by approximately 25,800 persons and 14,400 vehicles (6,900 tractor-trailers), of which approximately 11,500 persons and 6,900 vehicles were crossing towards Romania.

In what regards specific activities, in competence areas - border crossing points and the "green border" - border policemen observed, in the past 24 hours, 52 illegal activities (35 felonies and 17 contraventions) committed by Romanian, as well as foreign citizens.

Independently or in collaboration with other institutions, the border police discovered undeclared goods (which were to be entered illegally to the country), which exceeded the maximum customs ceiling or suspected of being counterfeit, the total value of which stands at over 72,500 RON (approximately 15,000 euro).

The value of fines issued stands at around 8,600 RON (approximately 1800 euro).
NEW YORK , Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification services today announced its partnership with Boston Harbor Hotel on the SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence Program, a safety and hygiene program designed to support the operational restart activities of the hospitality industry. Boston Harbor Hotel is Boston's only waterfront Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond hotel with 232 guest rooms and a full-service 34-slip marina.

Hotels are operating in a new normal and facing ever-evolving safety and hygiene mandates. By partnering with Bureau Veritasand earning the Bureau Veritas SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence and Safety LabelBoston Harbor Hotel can ensure that their hotel remains compliant, and the safety protocols have been audited by a trusted third party, while continually managing future risk.

Stephen Johnston, Managing Director and General Manager, Boston Harbor Hotel, commented:

"Boston Harbor Hotel's highest priority remains the health and safety of our associates, guests, neighbors, family and friends. Collaborating with Bureau Veritas, we have leveraged the SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence Label and established our Enhanced Health and Safety Guidelines that ensure we consistently meet the most stringent hygiene and safety standards across our property. We are excited to safely welcome our guests back to the Boston Harbor Hotel."

As an independent third-party partner to Boston Harbor Hotel, Bureau Veritas has:

Collaborated on detailed safety protocols to mitigate and prevent virus spread risk

Completed a hotel audit to ensure all hygiene protocols and operational requirements have been implemented

Supported Boston Hotel with the voluntary application to earn Bureau Veritas' Safe Guard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label which demonstrates that the Boston Hotel is in compliance with the recommended guidelines and protocols

Sherry Orel, President of Certification, Audit and Assurances for Bureau Veritas North America, commented:

"Safety is the new luxury for travelers and our partnership with the Boston Harbor Hotel marks an important milestone in the restart of the hospitality industry across the US. We are so proud that hospitality industry leaders like Boston Harbor Hotel are going above and beyond to protect their employees and guests, and turning to Bureau Veritas as a global authority on safety."

The Boston Harbor Hotel is a member of Preferred Hotels, the world's largest independent hotel brand representing 750 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences and unique hotel groups. The SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence Program is offered to all of Preferred Hotels' members across its global properties in 85 countries.

"Restart your Business with BV"

The SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label is a suite of services offered through Bureau Veritas' "Restart Your Business with BV" program. As an independent third-party partner, Bureau Veritas provides laboratory hygiene testing, hygiene and safety protocol audits, e-training programs, and continued monitoring of safety protocols to ensure businesses restart operations safely. Bureau Veritas leverages the strategic insight, advice, and recommendations of the world's leading medical community, members of the scientific community, and in compliance with local government agencies across North America for the "Restart Your Business with BV" program.

For more information on "Restart Your Business with BV", please contact

[email protected] and visit: https://www.bvna.com/magazine/restart-resource-center.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world-leading provider in testing, inspection and certification. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 75,000 employees located in more than 1,500 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients to improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20 index.

Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.

For more information, visit www.bvna.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Boston Harbor Hotel

A member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts LEGEND Collection, Boston's only AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star waterfront hotel welcomes guests arriving by land or sea. Located on the historic Rowes Wharf Harbor, the Boston Harbor Hotel's inviting ambiance and unparalleled service provide the ideal home away from home for travelers. Five-star accommodations with sweeping views of Boston's cityscape or breathtaking waterfront, a contemporary spa and fitness center, world-class dining, 34-slip marina and Boston's most luxurious living space, the John Adams Presidential Suite, make the Boston Harbor Hotel a destination Beyond Compare. For additional information, please visit our website at www.bhh.com, call 617.439.7000 or follow us on Instagram @bostonharborhotel or on Facebook.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Bureau Veritas

Theresa Anderson

+1 (917) 344-4593

[email protected]



Boston Harbor Hotel

Valerie Amenta

+1 (781) 858-3345

[email protected]

SOURCE Bureau Veritas

Related Links

http://www.us.bureauveritas.com


President Trump mocked Joe Biden for his mask wearing at a campaign rally last week, saying, Did you ever see a man who likes a mask as much as him?

Polling has shown that the public overwhelmingly backs mask requirements, which Mr. Biden has long supported. President Trump, on the other hand, has ridiculed mask wearing at times  although he did at one point call it patriotic  and he has rejected some other policies that many Americans support to fight the coronavirus.

So you might expect voters to punish him on Election Day.

But political science research has found that people dont always vote in a way that reflects their policy preferences. A principal obstacle is lack of knowledge. In surveys, voters often cant distinguish presidential candidates stances even on critical issues of the day.

To examine whether voters would punish Mr. Trump for views related to the virus, we conducted a survey of 3,877 Americans. As other surveys have shown, we found strong support for measures to fight the coronavirus. Seventy percent of people want the government to do more to protect Americans from the virus (8 percent want it to do less). Sixty-five percent want the federal government to do more to test for the coronavirus (10 percent want it to do less).
Deputy dies after shooting by suspect, who is shot and killed by deputies

Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Hendrix

A 35-year-old Henderson County sheriffs deputy died at 12:57 p.m. Thursday, about nine hours after a car break-in suspect opened fire on him and other deputies on Bethea Drive in the Mountain Home community.

The shooter, who was suspected of breaking into a vehicle and exchanging gunfire with the vehicles owner across the road, shot the deputy when he and other officers were trying to arrest him. Sheriff Lowell Griffin speaks to the media.Two other deputies returned fire, killing the suspect, who was identified as Robert Ray Doss Jr., in his mid-40s.

Doss initially appeared to comply with lawful orders to show the deputies his hands, Sheriff Lowell Griffin said in a news conference Thursday afternoon. But in one rapid movement he retrieved the gun, firing one round, striking the Henderson County sheriffs deputy in the face and critically wounding him.

Griffin identified the injured deputy as Ryan Hendrix, an eight-year veteran of the sheriff's office and Marine Corps veteran with a 6-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl. He was engaged to be married next month.

He is an exemplary officer who is also a member of the Henderson County Sheriffs Office SWAT team, serves as a field training officer and assists in many other capacities, Griffin said, before Hendrix's death was confirmed. I can tell you Im struggling as I stand here in front of you, he said when asked how the department was reacting to the severe injuries that one of its own had suffered. We are all family, this sheriffs office. This is a family member. Were all hurting right now.

Family members were meeting with neurosurgeons to determine the next steps in Hendrix's treatment, he added.

"Early this morning while the world slept, Ryan responded to assist a family needing help when they became innocent victims of a violent encounter. We all know the tragic outcome, but Ryan refuses to let the story end there," sheriff's Maj. Frank Stout said in a statement released at 6:04 p.m. announcing Hendrick's death. "Even in passing Ryan continues to exemplify a servants heart. You see, Ryan was also an organ donor. He will continue to help strangers for a lifetime, even after making the ultimate sacrifice. Ryans family wants everyone to know that 'Ryan was doing the job he was born to do and he died doing the job he loved.'" Robert Ray Doss Jr.

Griffin described Doss as a career criminal with an arrest record for drugs, multiple larcenies and felony thefts in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia. He was currently wanted by South Carolina probation and parole authorities and was considered a flight risk and an escape risk.

According to Griffin, the chain of events started at 2:49 a.m. with a 911 call when a homeowner noticed a car that appeared to be broken down but was later determined to have been involved in a crash.

The homeowner heard a loud noise and saw the suspect breaking into his car, the sheriff said. When the resident shouted at the suspect to stop, the suspect approached the house with a crowbar and shattered a window of the bedroom the homeowner was standing in. The homeowner saw the suspect reaching into the console of his car and, knowing he had a weapon stashed there, got another of his own firearms out. The two exchanged shots. The homeowner was not hurt and its still unclear whether the suspect was hit at all in that exchange, the sheriff said.

At 2:54 deputies arrived and soon found the suspect in a pickup truck in a driveway belonging to a resident across the road.

After being treated on the scene by Mountain Home Fire & Rescue and county EMS, Hendrix was transported to Mission Hospital, where he remains in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.

The investigation led to a second person of interest and a search warrant being executed at a local hotel. That person was in custody and had been at least somewhat helpful to investigators, Griffin said.

The SBI has taken over the investigation, which is routine in an officer-involved shooting case. The SBI is investigating Dosss shooting of Deputy Hendrix, deputies shooting of Doss, the person of interest and the possibility of other criminal activity that may have occurred around this time in the area.

The deputies were wearing bodycams  a new policy that Griffin had recently instituted department-wide  and those have been turned over to the SBI. The sheriff said as far as he knew, the officers' bodycams were activated at the time of the deadly exchange of gunfire.
Crayonic KeyVault() Device launching on the FIDO Standard Utilizing Advanced Features later this year

Crayonic, a leading provider of decentralized identity and authentication security solutions, announced it became an Associate Member of the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance, a cross-industry coalition developing open, interoperable authentication standards that reduce reliance on passwords with authentication that is more secure, private and easier to use.

The FIDO Alliance was publicly launched in 2013, as an open industry association focused on the creation of authentication standards that enable the reduction of the world's over-reliance on passwords. The standards are based on public-key cryptography and reinforce the security of online authentication systems on the web and online. Over 275 companies, including leading software platforms, healthcare, and financial service firms have partnered with FIDO to boost account security and protect data.

"The FIDO Alliance is proud of our associate member, Crayonic, for its dedication to the vision of industry standards for strong authentication. They join a powerful FIDO ecosystem vital to widespread adoption of interoperable, strong authentication that simplifies the user experience while raising security and privacy at the same time," said Andrew Shikiar, executive director and CMO of the FIDO Alliance.

"As an early innovator in zero-trust security and decentralized identities, Crayonic recognizes the value of the FIDO framework and standards which is being widely adopted by the industry to protect access," said Peter Kolarov, CEO Crayonic. "Secure identity and access solutions are more critical than ever before as bad actors have been taking advantage of COVID-19 with increased levels of phishing and financial fraud, while employees attempt to work remotely often bypassing security protocols and exposing sensitive data. The requirement for a zero-trust FIDO compliant solution built on certified secure end-user devices and decentralized access management services that protect corporate assets is more important than ever before."

According to a new report from Microsoft, COVID-19-themed cyber-attacks spiked to nearly a million a day during the first week of March. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported a 300% increase in cyber-crimes and ZD Net reported a 238% increase in bank cyber-attacks linked to COVID-19.

Companies interested in learning more about the Crayonic KeyVault Beta Program or its unique proof-of-free-will functionality can visit the website https://www.crayonic.com/. To learn more about the FIDO Alliance visit https://fidoalliance.org.

About CRAYONIC

Crayonic enables next-generation security for decentralized user authentication, digital asset storage, and trusted electronic signatures. KeyVault, Crayonic's keychain-sized security device, uses a combination of static and behavioral biometrics, machine learning, and cryptography to achieve unrivaled usability and security, also incorporating Crayonic's unique proof-of-free-will feature. The company is based in the US and the Netherlands, and the Crayonic KeyVault devices are manufactured in the EU.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005212/en/

Contacts:

Pavol Schmitzer

info@crayonic.io

+1 646 932 1421
Ultra-Orthodox Jews wear protective face masks and prayer shawls in a synagogue in the Ramot neighbourhood in Jerusalem - ABIR SULTAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Israels cabinet on Thursday moved towards a near-complete nationwide lockdown to address its world-leading coronavirus outbreak ahead of the Jewish High Holidays, a prospect likely to enrage Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ultra-Orthodox allies.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein had proposed a total lockdown as new infections nearly surpassed 4,000 in a single day this week. But the cabinet instead considered the recommendations of Israels coronavirus czar, Ronni Gamzu, who suggested closing schools, restaurants, malls, outdoor markets and venues after Rosh Hashanah -- Jewish New Year -- next week.

The lockdown would likely affect the important fast of Yom Kippur and the festival of Sukkot. Israelis traditionally hold large family gatherings and attend synagogue services at this time, but officials are desperate to drive down surging infection rates.

It is not the first time that a senior minister has threatened a full lockdown, but the extreme increase in infections has led many Israelis to believe that this time the government is serious.

The move came as Chezy Levy, the director general of Israel's health ministry, warned that hospitals risked being overwhelmed. We are beginning to see congestion in the hospitals and staff are talking about very great difficulty in providing the best care, he told Israel's Army Radio. We will have to take on more severe restrictions, which will affect our way of life," he added.

Israel was initially lauded for its swift response to coronavirus in March, when the borders were sealed off and tough lockdown measures were imposed on citizens.

The Israel Defence Forces, the nation's conscript army, were deployed to distribute food packages to vulnerable people, such as the elderly, so they did not need to leave their houses.

And in some severely affected neighbourhoods, mobile phone surveillance was used to track the movements of suspected virus carriers.

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But after a period of relative calm, which prompted the government to ease restrictions and reopen the economy, the virus returned in force and the rate of infection rose steeply through the summer.

This week the government targeted some 40 of the worst-affected areas with new restrictions including curfews, limits on public gatherings and school closures. The measures mostly affected Arab and ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, communities, who have bristled at what they argue constitutes discrimination.

"The entire Haredi public won't forget the injustice carried out against it," a group of mayors from ultra-Orthodox cities and towns wrote in a letter to Mr Netanyahu this week. "The decisions you made, time after time, were made with no regard for logic or health benefits, and were clearly aimed at the Haredi public. We consider you the only culprit for these punitive measures."

Infection rates in ultra-Orthodox communities have been disproportionately high. The ultra-Orthodox tend to live in poor, crowded neighborhoods where sickness can quickly spread. Synagogues, the centerpiece of social life, bring men together to pray and socialise in small spaces.

Lack of internet use also hindered public education, though officials have since turned to religious leaders and car-mounted loudspeakers to spread the word.

In a video aimed at the ultra-Orthodox population, Mr Netanyahu attempted to ease their frustration over the restrictions. "You know how much I care about Torah study and prayer. These are things that are important to me just as they are important to you. And with that I say we need to take steps that prevent the spread of morbidity," he said.

Last week, a study by John Hopkins University found that Israel now has the highest rate of infections per capita in the world. According to the study, the average number of new cases per day in the week to September 2 was 199 per million people.
The average size of wildlife populations has plummeted more than two-thirds in less than 50 years because of deforestation and rampant overconsumption, experts have said in a stark warning to save nature in order to save ourselves.

Human activity has severely degraded three-quarters of all land and 40 percent of the Earths oceans, an accelerating destruction of nature that will have untold consequences on health and livelihoods, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in its annual Living Planet Report on Thursday.

The Living Planet Index, which tracks more than 4,000 species of vertebrates, warned that increasing deforestation and agricultural expansion were the key drivers behind a 68-percent average decline in populations between 1970 and 2016.

Its an accelerating decrease that weve been monitoring for 30 years and it continues to go in the wrong direction, WWF International Director General Marco Lambertini told AFP news agency.

In 2016 we documented a 60-percent decline, now we have a 70-percent decline.





All this is in a blink of an eye compared to the millions of years that many species have been living on the planet, Lambertini added.

The report, a collaboration between WWF International and the Zoological Society of London, warned that continued natural habitat loss increased the risk of future pandemics as humans expand ever closer into contact with wild animals.

Staggering fall

The last five years have seen unprecedented economic growth, underpinned by an explosion in global consumption of natural resources.

Whereas until 1970, humanitys ecological footprint was smaller than the Earths capacity to regenerate resources, the WWF now calculates humans are overusing the planets capacity by more than half.

The report, with contributions from about 125 experts, said that of the more than 4,000 vertebrate species studied, those that live in freshwater suffered an 84-percent decline.

The Living Planet Index, which tracks more than 4,000 species of vertebrates, warned that increasing deforestation and agricultural expansion were the key drivers behind a 68-percent average decline [Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters]

Other badly affected wildlife included Eastern lowland gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the African grey parrot in Ghana.

Scientists say the rapid pace of deforestation is also a major factor in the spread of zoonotic diseases  which are passed from animals to humans  including the novel coronavirus.

With deforestation and increased wildlife-livestock-human interactions, there is more of a chance of spillover of zoonotic diseases like Ebola, like COVID-19, Fran Price, leader of the global forest practice at WWF, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Forests really act as buffers to keep those diseases away from humans  and the more we destroy them, the more chances there are that we are going to unleash something that can have dire impacts on humanity.





If the world continues with business as usual over the next decade, the losses in wildlife would take decades to reverse, and the chances of reviving some species will be reduced, said Price.

She urged bolder commitments and efforts by governments and corporations to make global supply chains more sustainable.

Consumers also need to understand the impacts of their purchasing habits on nature and buy more responsibly, she added.

Reducing climate change impact

Separately, researchers at the University of Oxford said on Thursday that nature-based solutions  such as restoring forests and mangroves  were key to reducing climate change impacts.

In what they said was the first systematic review of evidence on nature-based solutions around the world, they found that almost 60 percent of such initiatives alleviated climate-related pressures such as flooding, soil erosion and the loss of food production.

Its not just about tree-planting and greenhouse gas removal, said Alexandre Chausson, the study author.





In many cases, nature-based interventions can help communities adapt to the wave of climate change impacts weve seen over the past months, from record-breaking heatwaves to wildfires and hurricanes, she said in a statement.

The WWF report included 20 essays by experts from China to Mexico, ranging from young activists, authors and academics to business leaders, journalists and Indigenous leaders.

Among them, respected British naturalist David Attenborough urged people to work with nature rather than against it.
Whispir founder and chief executive Jeromy Wells says the startup hasn't been cut off from the Victoria's troubled contact tracing system despite the state government engaging technology giant Salesforce to reset the system.

The ASX listed communications software management company was awarded the contract in March to facilitate text messages and emails to close contacts and those required to quarantine by Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

However, Victoria's COVID-19 contact tracing response has come under scrutiny after concerns about delays and the effectiveness of the system.

Whispir chief executive Jeromy Wells has moved to the Victorian ski resort of Mt Buller for the duration of the pandemic.

On Monday The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald reported Silicon Valley juggernaut Salesforce, valued at US$227 billion ($311 billion), had been contracted to provide a data management system for the DHHS for automated text messages to alert health officials, infected people and potentially their close contacts about positive tests.
The Ministry of Health has warned that laxity by some Kenyans in observing the coronavirus directives will jeopardise the progress that has been made in containing the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking Wednesday, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman noted that majority of Kenyans are no longer wearing face masks in public places.

He also observed that there is a shocking laxity in the public transport sector where PSVs are carrying excessive passengers.

Dr Aman also raised concerns over congested marketplaces and overcrowded political gatherings.

Our team noted that there is continued overloading of some matatus and buses both in rural and in urban areas with no regard to the social and physical distancing required. Overcrowding in public places especially in marketplaces is becoming common with people not observing the social distancing rule, Aman said.

The CAS urged public transport operators, politicians and Kenyans at large to keep observing all the necessary measures because the virus is still active.

These challenges are rolling back the gains we have made since we began fighting this pandemic. I want to urge our people and those in the public transport to cooperate with the government and not allow their vehicles to be the weak link in the fight against the virus. The more squeezed people are the easier it is to spread the virus, said Aman.

He added: While it is important to go on with our daily duties let us not lose focus on the fight against the disease.

Kenya on Wednesday recorded 104 new COVID-19 cases taking the countrys caseload to 35, 460 cases.
Donald Trump may become the second president whose political career Bob Woodward ruined.

In his new book, Rage, set to hit bookshelves next Tuesday, the famed Washington Post reporter  whose relentless reporting stung Richard Nixon during the Watergate affair in the 1970s  provides shocking details about how Trump intentionally misled the public about the health risks of Covid-19 to avoid a national "panic."

You know Democratic ad-makers and the anti-Trump GOP ex-pats over at The Lincoln Project are already splicing together side-by-side clips of the what the president was saying in public in February and March and what he was telling Woodward in those private, recorded conversations.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has already harangued Trump for his comments in the Woodward tapes, the easiest political attack in recent memory, backed up by irrefutable audio evidence.

"He knew how deadly It was. It was much more deadly than the flu. He knew and purposely played it down. Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat posed to the country for months," Biden said at a campaign speech at General Motors in Warren, Michigan today.

"He had the information. He knew how dangerous it was. And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job  on purpose," the former vice president added.

But never mind, for now, how Woodward's book will affect November's election. We'll have a better idea about that when public polls release new data next week.

And set aside, for the time being, how intentionally clueless and dangerous the president's public messaging strategy was  how telling everyone, essentially, not to worry about the virus has cost thousands of American lives and made the US one of the most unsafe places to live during the pandemic. Anyone who trusted scientific opinion knew what was up months before Woodward's book reignited the debate on the president's coronavirus response.

No, right now I have a few questions for Bob Woodward himself.

Starting with this: What the hell were you thinking, dude?

Why, for half a year, did you keep a lid on these tapes, which you knew contradicted and undermined what the president was saying at the podium about the pandemic in its crucial early stages?

Did you consider for a moment that reporting in real time on the president's comments to you about the "deadly" coronavirus could have pressured him to take stronger actions in the public sphere, helping protect thousands of Americans from irreparable respiratory damage and death?

Woodward knew for months, according to reports about his book, that as early as 28 January, national security adviser Robert O'Brien warned the president the coronavirus pandemic would be the "biggest national security threat" of his first term in office.

In a phone call on 7 February, Trump told him: "This is deadly stuff, Bob," explaining how experts were saying the disease could spread through the air and not just by touch.

"You just breathe the air, and that's how it's passed. And so, that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flu," the president told Woodward at the time.

But then, in the following weeks, in an apparent attempt to assuage Americans' apprehensions about the virus and let them think they had nothing to worry about, Trump publicly compared Covid-19, on multiple occasions, to the very thing he knew it was more deadly than.

On 26 February: "This is a flu. This is like a flu. ... It's a little like a regular flu that we have flu shots for. And we'll essentially have a flu shot for this in a fairly quick manner."

On March 9: "So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life and the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 22 deaths. Think about that!"

Don't worry. I got this. Nothing to see here. Carry on.

When Trump began speaking more gravely about the threat of Covid-19 in March, Woodward asked him about the sudden shift in rhetoric.

"To be honest with you, I always wanted to play it down. I still like playing it down because I don't want to create a panic," Trump said in a follow-up interview on 19 March.

More than seven months after their initial conversation about the Covid-19, nearly 200,000 Americans have died from it.

The disease is not letting up: In just the last eight days, it has killed nearly 6,000 more people.

To be abundantly clear, Woodward is not the culprit for the Trump administration bungling its response to the health crisis. He's not even one among the thousands of people in Washington most accountable for it. Woodward has no say in crafting government policy. He does not have the ear of Trump in the way the president's Fox News sycophants Sean Hannity and Lou Dobbs do.

And we can never know for sure whether reporting on his conversations with the president at the time instead of saving them for a bombshell book  knowing that people's lives were at stake  would have had any effect on public opinion or whether they would have pressured Trump to take more prompt action.

Perhaps the president had agreed to speak with Woodward on the basis that his words be published in his forthcoming book and nowhere else. Even that, though, doesn't excuse sitting on the tapes  at a certain point, one must sacrifice antiquated notions of journalistic protocol if it means you could help save lives.

Donald Trump has much more to answer for in Rage than Bob Woodward.

But that doesn't mean the author should escape some tough questions as he makes the rounds on TV next week publicizing his long-awaited book.
South Korea's finance ministry on Thursday said it sold $625 million of dollar-denominated bonds for its foreign exchange stabilization bond programme.

It has sold 10-year securities maturing in 2030 to yield 1.19 percent, 50 basis points more than US Treasuries, drawing orders for 5.8 times the amount offered, the finance ministry said.

It also sold euro-denominated bonds worth 700 million euros at -0.059 percent, which drew orders for 7.8 times of the amount offered, it said.
New Jersey, Sep 10 : New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said that he would have shut down the state earlier if President Donald Trump hadn't downplayed the coronavirus threat earlier this year.

The Democratic Governor's remarks came after local media reported on Wednesday that Trump told a journalist in March that he wanted to downplay the threat because "he did not want to create a panic", reports Xinhua news agency.

Speaking to CNN, Murphy said that had he known, as Trump did in February, that the virus was airborne, he would have taken more aggressive measures to fight the pandemic.

"If we had known that earlier, we would have shut the state meaningfully earlier. We would have gone to a mandatory masking policy meaningfully earlier.

We would have had a stay-at-home mandate put in place, all of which we did and we did it about as early as any American state, but we would have done it earlier and undoubtedly (it) would have saved lives," the Governor added.

Trump's remark was revealed in author and associate editor of The Washington Post, Bob Woodward's new book "Rage", slated to release this month.

It is based on 18 interviews that Trump gave Woodward between December 2019 and July 2020, as well as background conversations with officials and other sources.

Facing criticisms following the revelations, Trump insisted he was right to keep his concerns about the pandemic private.

At a White House event also on Wednesday, Trump defended his remarks, calling himself a cheerleader for the country and arguing he did not want to create panic.

"The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don't want people to be frightened.

"I don't want to create panic, as you say, and certainly I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy," Trump said.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country in the world by the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Thursday, the number of cases increased to 6,359,313, while the death toll stood at 190,796, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
The same Russian military intelligence outfit that hacked the Democrats in 2016 has attempted similar intrusions into the computer systems of more than 200 organizations including political parties and consultants, Microsoft said Thursday.

Those efforts appear to be part of a broader increase in targeting of U.S. political campaigns and related groups, the company said.

And Microsoft identified a suspected hacking group that targeted a firm working with Democrat Joe Biden as the Russian unit.

The hacking attempts targeted staff at Washington-based SKDKnickerbocker, a campaign strategy and communications firm working with 2020 presidential election hopeful Biden and other prominent Democrats, over the past two months, the sources said.

SKDK Vice Chair Hilary Rosen declined to comment. The Biden campaign said it was aware Microsoft said a foreign actor had tried and failed to access 'non-campaign email accounts of individuals affiliated with the campaign.' Microsoft, which has shared with SKDK its assessment that Russian state-backer hackers targeted the firm, declined to comment.

The Russian hacking group, which many cyber researchers refer to as 'Fancy Bear,' is controlled by Russia's military intelligence agency, according to reports from the U.S. intelligence community released after the 2016 election.

His hackers are back: Vladimir Putin's elite Fancy Bear unit is targeting both presidential campaigns - after causing chaos in 2016

Targeted: Microsoft's blog post said Iranian state-backed hackers have unsuccessfully tried to log into accounts of Trump campaign and administration officials between May and June of this year. it said Russia had targeted his campaign and its consultants

Targeted: A consulting firm used by Joe Biden's campaign was the subject of an attempted hack by Fancy Bear, the Russian elite hackers, sources say

A person familiar with SKDK's response to the attempts said the hackers failed to gain access to the firm's networks. 'They are well-defended, so there has been no breach,' the person said.

Microsoft believes Fancy Bear is behind the attacks based on an analysis of the group's hacking techniques and network infrastructure, one of the sources said.

The hack attempt was revealed as Microsoft warned that both candidates' campaigns, their staff and consultants are being targeted by Russia, and China and Iran.

'What we've seen is consistent with previous attack patterns that not only target candidates and campaign staffers but also those who they consult on key issues,' Tom Burt, a Microsoft vice president, said in a blog post.

Most of the infiltration attempts by Russian, Chinese and Iranian agents were halted by Microsoft security software and the targets notified, he said.

Microsoft codenames the Russian group Strontium, but they are better know as Fancy Bear.

The company would not comment on who may have been successfully hacked or the impact.

Microsoft did not assess which foreign adversary poses the greater threat to the integrity of the November presidential election.

The consensus among cybersecurity experts is that Russian interference is the gravest.

Senior Trump administration officials have disputed that, though without offering any evidence.

'This is the actor from 2016, potentially conducting business as usual,' said John Hultquist, director of intelligence analysis at the top cybersecurity firm FireEye.

'We believe that Russian military intelligence continues to pose the greatest threat to the democratic process.'

The Microsoft post shows that Russian military intelligence continues to pursue election-related targets undeterred by U.S indictments, sanctions and other countermeasures, Hultquist said.

It interfered in the 2016 campaign seeking to benefit the Trump campaign by hacking the Democratic National Committee and emails of John Podesta, the campaign manager of Hillary Clinton, and dumping embarrassing material online, congressional and FBI investigators have found.

The same GRU military intelligence unit, known as Fancy Bear, that Microsoft identifies as being behind the current election-related activity also broke into voter registration databases in at least three states in 2016, though there is no evidence it tried to interfere with voting.

Microsoft, which has visibility into these efforts because its software is both ubiquitous and highly rated for security, did not address whether U.S. officials who manage elections or operate voting systems have been targeted by state-backed hackers this year.

U.S. intelligence officials say they have so far not seen no evidence of that. They said last month that the Russians favor President Donald Trump and the Chinese prefer former vice president Joe Biden, the Democratic challenger.

But China is largely an espionage threat, while Russia steals data and weaponizes it.

In a Washington Post opinion piece this week, Susan Gordon, the deputy director of national intelligence from 2017-2019, said that 'Russia's intent is to undermine American democracy' while China seeks, by contrast, to shape U.S. policy and erode U.S. global influence, in part by the theft of intellectual property.

Thomas Rid, a Johns Hopkins geopolitics expert, said he was disappointed by Microsoft's refusal to differentiate threat level by state actor.

'They're lumping in actors that operate in a very different fashion, probably to make this sound more bipartisan,' he said. 'I just don't understand why.'

Aid to Trump: Fancy Bear intervened in the 2016 election to hurt Hillary Clinton

Microsoft said in the past year it has observed attempts by Fancy Bear to break into the accounts of people directly and indirectly affiliated with the U.S. election, including consultants serving Republican and Democratic campaigns and national and state party organizations - more than 200 groups in all.

Also targeted was the center-right European People's Party, the largest grouping in the European Parliament. A party spokesperson said the hacking attempts were unsuccessful.

The German Marshal Fund of the United States, a think tank, was another target. A spokesperson said there was no evidence of intrusion.

Microsoft did not say whether Russian hackers had attempted to break into the Biden campaign but did say that Chinese hackers from the state-backed group known as Hurricane Panda 'appears to have indirectly and unsuccessfully' targeted the Biden campaign through non-campaign email accounts belonging to people affiliated with it.

The Biden campaign did not confirm the attempt, although it said in a statement that it was aware of the Microsoft report.

The blog post said Iranian state-backed hackers have unsuccessfully tried to log into accounts of Trump campaign and administration officials between May and June of this year.

'We are a large target, so it is not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign or our staff,' Trump campaign deputy press secretary Thea McDonald said. She declined further comment.

In June, Google disclosed that Hurricane Panda had targeted Trump campaign staffers while Iranian hackers had attempted to breach accounts of Biden campaign workers. Such phishing attempts typically involve forged emails with links designed to harvest passwords or infect devices with malware.

Although both Attorney General William Barr and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien have both said China represents the greatest threat to U.S. elections, the only mention of a Trump administration official targeted by Chinese hackers is 'at least one prominent individual formerly associated with' the administration.

Graham Brookie, director of digital forensic research at The Atlantic Council, disputes Barr and O'Briens claim that China poses the greater threat to this years election.

His lab is at the forefront of unearthing and publicizing Russian disinformation campaigns.

Brookie confirmed that his employer was among targets of Hurricane Panda but said there was no evidence the hacking attempts, which he said were unsuccessful, had anything to do with the 2020 election.

'We have every indication that this was an instance of cyber-espionage, information gathering, as opposed to electoral interference,' he said.

By contrast, Brookie said, 'it's pretty evident that the Russian attempts (Microsoft disclosed) were focused on electoral processes and groups working on that.'
An additional 884,000 Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, the government said Thursday, underscoring the continued turmoil in the labor market as months tick by during the pandemic and states swing from reopening to new closures.

In addition, for the week that ended Sept. 5, 838,916 self-employed workers filed new initial unemployment claims under the separate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program created for gig workers, freelancers and other self-employed people.

Claims filed since mid-March now add up to 59.3 million, painting a picture of staggering, ongoing job loss without modern precedent.

Those talking about a V-shaped recovery for jobs are off the mark by a vast margin, said Enrico Moretti, economics professor at UC Berkeley. This will be a long, probably painful recovery for jobs. With every single passing month, there are businesses going out of business and workers who are losing skills, losing human capital and becoming longer-term unemployed, which is never a good thing.

California continues to account for a disproportionate number of new claims. It had 237,516 new regular claims and 433,020 new self-employed claims  more than a quarter and more than half of the national totals, respectively, although it accounts for 12% of the U.S. population.

California is among the states with the highest unemployment rates because its been among the most strict in enforcing business closures, Moretti said.

The California Employment Development Department said Thursday that it has processed 12.6 million claims during the pandemic and issued $81.8 billion in benefits, counting both regular unemployment claims, as well as the separate program for self-employed people.

The newly unemployed nationwide face vastly reduced income now that a federal supplement to benefits providing an extra $600 a week expired in late July. California benefits range from $40 to $450 a week for regular unemployment.

The state said that this week it began distributing an extra $300 a week of federal Lost Wages Assistance, but that money goes only to people already receiving at least $100 a week in benefits, leaving many lower earners out in the cold. Funds for the wage assistance program are likely to dry up after three weeks of benefits, unless the stalemated Congress agrees to a new supplement.

The loss of the extra $600 a week has caused some financial troubles, said Jian Xiao, 64, speaking in Cantonese through an interpreter. Before the pandemic, he worked two jobs to support his wife and son  but now both jobs have ended, leaving him in limbo and scared about the future.

More Information 884,000 Unemployment claims last week in the U.S. for total of 59.3 million since mid-March 237,516 Claims in California, accounting for more than a quarter of total 838,916 New initial claims in U.S. under separate program for self-employed and gig workers 433,020 Self-employment claims in California - more than half of total See More Collapse

The California Academy of Sciences laid him off in March from his work as a cook. He hasnt heard anything from the Academy about when it might reopen.

On top of that, Xiao also put in about 28 hours a week driving for Uber, which brought in an extra $1,000 a month after expenses. He stopped driving because of fear of contagion and doesnt think he will resume.

I believe the risk is too high with coming into contact with unknown passengers, he said.

Early in the pandemic, Xiao switched to delivering food through Uber Eats, but there wasnt much work, so he stopped after a couple of weeks.

The Chinese Progressive Association assisted him in applying for unemployment benefits, which helped pay the mortgage on the West Oakland house he bought in 1996, three years after moving here from China.

But now, with the benefits reduced, we have to be even more careful with our spending, Xiao said. My family and I have been receiving food from nearby food banks.

One positive is that new claims remained unchanged, staying under 1 million for the second consecutive week.

Claims rose above 1 million in the second half of August. The drop in claims since then bolsters confidence in the sustainability of this expansion despite growing signs that the easiest recovery gains may already be behind us, Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West, said in a research note. He said the jobs regain shows that this is more likely to be a recession rather than full-blown depression.

By no means are things back to normal in the labor market today, but the number unemployed is much more in-line with past recessions, Anderson said.

But there are plenty of pitfalls ahead.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

State and local governments everywhere in the U.S. will be under massive pressure to cut costs, Moretti said. That will slow things down considerably. If states start cutting budgets and trimming payrolls, it will be painful both in direct effects on services and also because thousands more people will be laid off.

By law, most states must operate balanced budgets. While many hope the federal government will help states, cities and counties, there is no guarantee that will happen  and, in fact, Congress appears hopelessly deadlocked on the next steps for pandemic relief.

Another concern is for long-term unemployed people.

The longer people stay unemployed, the more significant are the long-term consequences for them, Moretti said. Even after a recovery, for workers who have been unemployed, it takes longer to find a job and then they have to settle for lower wages.

Among all types of unemployment, including those for veterans and federal employees, a total of 29.6 million people were collecting benefits for the week that ended Aug. 22, the most recent period for which the figure is available.

Similar factors are at work for young people just entering the labor market.

Years later, we still find a significantly statistical (negative) effect on earnings when comparing young people who enter the labor market in good times versus those who enter in bad times, Moretti said. Even after a recession is over, you still see them underperforming.

Meanwhile, Xiao wonders whether his job as a cook will return.

I am worried and Im waiting to see how things unfold, Xiao said. I dont feel great about the unknown future. I hope the pandemic will pass and life can resume to normal and that people have work to return to.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
On this season of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After, fans learned that Larissa Dos Santos Limas friend Carmen bailed her out of jail and gave her a place to stay following her divorce from Colt Johnson. But on social media, after some of Colts friends implied that she dated Colt, Carmen flat out denied the rumors and called Colt a sociopath who is just trying to destroy his exes.

Colt Johnson | Bryan Steffy/WireImage

When the 90 Day Fiance star was arrested, Carmen bailed her out

On this season of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After, Larissa revealed that her Brazilian friend Carmen bailed her out when Colt had her arrested for domestic violence. Following her divorce, Carmen let Larissa move in with her, and the two were roommates until Larissa moved out with Eric Nichols.

I met Carmen in Brazil,  Larissa revealed on the show. She came to the United States 10 years ago, and after I met Colt and married him, we reconnected here in Las Vegas. After my third arrest, she invited [me] to live with her. Shes like a mother that I have here, and Im very happy for her support.

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance Stars Larissa Lima and Jess Caroline Wonder Why Ex Colt Johnson Is Obsessed With Them

Colts friends imply that Carmen dated him

Carmen is now friends with both of Colts exes  Larissa and Jess. And the three of them arent shy about their disdain for Colt.

But Colts friend, Vanessa Guerra, who has been suspected of dating Colt while he was with Jess, made a comment on Instagram implying Carmen was with Colt before he married Larissa.

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: We Now Know Why Larissas Friends Carmen and Hannah Warned Her About Eric

Colts other friend, adult star Tana Lea also echoed this comment on Instagram. Carmen dated Colt before Larissa, she wrote. Im done with Brazilian girls attacking Vanessa.

Carmen denies dating the 90 Day Fiance star

Responding to the allegations that she dated Colt, Carmen took to Instagram to clear the air. In her Instagram story  which was reshared by 90 Day Fiance blogger John Yates  Carmen denied ever dating Colt and claimed he was just angry because shes now good friends with both Jess and Larissa.

Carmen also suggested that Colt is upset because she bailed Larissa out and hindered his plans to get her deported. She then addressed Colt and Vanessas claims, calling Colt a sociopath whos trying to hurt his exes.

I am here helping the girls he used, cheated, and manipulated, Carmen wrote. Right now, he and his mistress Vanessa are posting that I dated him before Larissa. Because it is not enough for him to break the girls, he needs to see them destroyed, his sociopath a** cant deal with the fact that I am here for them.

I would never date a creepy guy like you, she continued, addressing Colt directly. I would rather be single for the rest of my life.

Carmen went on to call Colt and Vanessa out for their lies and deceptions this season. A cheater and his mistress, you both showed who you really are on this season, she added. And I really hope TLC stops giving you space to use women on national TV.
Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, was one of many Republicans who defended Donald Trump over his comments to journalist Bob Woodward. (Getty Images)

Senate Republicans have mostly come to Donald Trumps defence over the contradictions between his early public statements downplaying the coronavirus and his private conversations with journalist Bob Woodward acknowledging the severity of the threat it posed.

It doesn't bother me, Senator Kevin Cramer told reporters on Wednesday.

I don't feel like he was ever lying to anybody. He's a hopeful, upbeat, positive person, the North Dakota Republican said. The gravity of it, when it was becoming clearer, was also reflected by him.

But Mr Trumps messaging about Covid-19 has been wildly inconsistent as he has tried to express optimism about the disease going away".

For instance, the Trump administration pushed to open schools this fall for in-person classes because, as the president said as recently as 5 August, this things going away. It will go away like things go away.

The US was fending off a second spike in new cases at the time of those comments.

Mr Cramer said on Wednesday that Mr Trumps goal was to give people hope rather than despair, even though health officials have said such comments have been unhelpful in the effort to get the American people to acknowledge the seriousness of the pandemic.

Mr Woodwards new book, Rage, set to hit shelves next Tuesday, shows the president was told as early as 28 January by his national security adviser that Covid-19 represented the biggest national security threat of his presidency.

In a recorded phone call on 7 February, Mr Trump told the Washington Post journalist: "This is deadly stuff, Bob," explaining how experts were saying the disease could spread through the air and not just by touch.

"You just breathe the air, and that's how it's passed. And so, that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flu," Mr Trump said at the time.

Meanwhile, in public, he accused Democrats of playing up the pandemic as a political hoax to shut down the economy and undermine his odds at re-election in November. He compared Covid-19 to the common flu on several occasions, in tweets and at press conferences. At his rallies in recent weeks, where his supporters, mostly maskless, have been packed in tightly in front of the stage, he has continued to make fun of Democrats for wearing masks, despite urging Americans at various points this summer to wear them as part of their patriotic duty to each other.

Story continues

Mr Trump admitted to Mr Woodward in another conversation on 19 March that it was part of his coronavirus strategy to publicly play it down to avoid a panic among the people.

Senator Lindsey Graham defended the presidents messaging tactics, while saying voters should pay more attention to the administrations actions on coronavirus.

"I don't think he needs to be on TV screaming, 'We're all going to die,'" Mr Graham told HuffPost, neglecting the fact theres a giant middle ground between that and what Mr Trump has said about the disease.

"His actions shutting the economy down were the right actions," Mr Graham said.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden harangued Mr Trump for his comments on the Woodward tapes, saying the presidents response to the coronavirus crisis amounted to a dereliction of duty.

"He knew how deadly It was. It was much more deadly than the flu. He knew and purposely played it down. Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat posed to the country for months," Mr Biden said at a campaign speech at General Motors in Warren, Michigan on Wednesday.

"He had the information. He knew how dangerous it was. And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job  on purpose," the former vice president added.

Read more

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A number of schools in Lucknow have turned down the idea of partial reopening from September 21 and to call students on a voluntary basis to seek guidance from teachers.

They have no plan to reopen from this month despite the centres standard operating procedures provisioning for partial reopening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12.

La Martiniere College, La Martiniere Girls College, St Agnes/ Loreto Day School, St Teresas Day School, Hoerner College and a few others will continue to remain closed and carry on with their online classes. If students have any doubts they may get it cleared from teachers during online interactive classes.

La Martiniere College principal Carlyle McFarland said, We are not opening on September 21 because safety of our students is important.

La Martiniere Girls College principal Aashrita Dass said there was no plan for partial reopening this month. We are happy to continue with online classes, where teachers are available to clear students doubts, she said.

St Agnes Loreto principal Debra Bunny said, I dont think it is required to reopen school partially, as the Covid-19 cases are on the rise. Teachers are taking extra classes online to help students. Practical work is impossible as it requires 25 students to work together in a lab.

Hoerner College principal Mala Mehra said, Unless the corona cases subside to a considerable number, we are not reopening our school. If the situation eases in October, we may then reopen after Diwali.

St Teresas Day School would remain closed in September, said Peter Fanthome Jr, principal of the school. These are extraordinary times and one has to be cautious. We cannot risk the lives of our students, he said.

But there are schools like Loreto Convent, Study Hall, Christ Church College and St Josephs group of institutions which are eager to open their different branches.

Also Read: Delhi schools put in place safety measures, say ready for guidance visits by students

Loreto Convent principal Anima Kujur said, Only students of Classes 10 and 12 will be called if they have any doubts. But they will have to bring a written undertaking from their parents.

Study Hall CEO, Urvashi Sahni said, Our students are eagerly waiting to come back to school. We have informed parents that it is voluntary and if they want to send their wards for practicals they may do so.

We will follow all SOPs, including written permission from parents. All social distancing protocol will be followed. Students will be called for a limited duration and will be made to sit at a safe distance from each other, said Anil Agarwal, manager of the school and president of unaided private schools association, UP.

Also Read: Armed with gadgets and apps, schools gear up for online term-end exams

Christ Church College principal Rakesh Chattree and Pioneer Montessori School principal Sharmila Singh are ready to reopen their schools as per the centres guidelines to clear doubts of the students.

However, many of the parents are not keen to send their kids to school given the spike in corona cases. Varsha Singh refused to send her son (who is in Class 10) to school even if it reopened. Deepak Agarwal, whose son is in Class 9 in a CBSE school, has no plan to send his son to classes this month.

Schools and educational institutions in UP have been closed since mid March when the pandemic started spreading across the country. Since then, online classes are being conducted, and will continue for the time being.
A Spanish police officer pressed his knee down on a 14-year-old's neck to restrain him after he caught the youngster without his face mask on properly.

One onlooker could be overheard shouting at the officer, 'don't squeeze him so hard' as he used the controversial George Floyd-style restraint while the youngster screamed in agony on the pavement.

Another female in the crowd gathered round the policeman branded him an 'abuser' and 'b*****d' as he used his hands to press down on the boy's face to keep him pinned to the floor.

A Spanish police officer pressed his knee down on a 14-year-old's neck to restrain him after he caught the youngster without his face mask on properly

A second policeman was then filmed asking for the ID of an older woman thought to be the boy's mum who started criticising the police as they took the teenager away.

He turned round and demanded her name and address and ID documents after police reinforcements arrived and she repeatedly demanded to know why such force had been used against the youngster after he was spotted with his face covering down around his neck.

The incident happened on Tuesday in the northern city of Miranda de Ebro just below Spain's Basque region.

It occurred just days after six police officers in Madrid were filmed forcing a woman into a police car and hitting her head off the vehicle during an arrest for not wearing a mask.

One onlooker could be overheard shouting at the officer, 'don't squeeze him so hard' as he used the controversial George Floyd-style restraint

The restraint the policeman used in the latest drama was being compared today in Spain to the controversial restraint method that led to George Floyd's death in Minneapolis in May.

It was also used by police in Benidorm in July on a sunbather who stripped off to go for a daytime skinny-dip with his dog.

One social media user wrote: 'This is not the United States, this happened on Tuesday in Miranda de Ebro.

'The police brutally restrained a boy aged 14 against the ground for not wearing his face mask properly.'

But Miranda de Ebro City Hall, which employs the officers filmed in the arrest scene, insisted today the video was 'out of context' and followed an attempted assault on one of the policemen which was not in the footage.

The youngster screamed in agony on the pavement as his head was pushed on to the ground

Security Councillor Pablo Gomez said of the video: 'It's striking but the response was adequate and proportion to what happened.

'The images only show the moment in which the youngster is being overpowered and restrained but not the most important thing which is what happened before.'

Explaining to local press the arrest occurred after the boy resisted arrest following an attempted assault with a dog chain on one of the officers who asked him to fit his face covering properly over his nose and mouth, he added: 'We back the police action and reiterate that only a part of what happened has been published.

'Before making a judgement people need to know the full version of events.'

The officer filmed restraining the youngster was today said to be off sick with a cheek injury sustained during the incident.

It was not immediately clear what had happened to the youngster, although he is thought to have been released from custody pending an ongoing criminal investigation.

The incident happened on Tuesday in the northern city of Miranda de Ebro just below Spain's Basque region

Relatives of the youngster admitted he had been wearing his face mask round his neck when he was approached by police.

But an uncle, denying the teenager had sparked the arrest by trying to assault police and announcing the family would sue, told local daily Diario de Burgos: 'He was already known to officers and when they saw him they took advantage and went for him like a pack of lions.

'His mum gave one of the officers a little smack on the back, but it was more of a "ou're going too far, let him go".

'She didn't kick or punch any police officers as the police report claims.'

After the controversial Madrid arrest on Saturday, a woman surfer was at the centre of another headline-grabbing arrest earlier this week on a beach in the northern city of San Sebastian.

She was put in handcuffs and taken away by officers in hazmat suits after being ordered out of the water for reportedly breaching quarantine following a positive Covid-19 result.

The restraint the policeman used in the latest drama was being compared today in Spain to the controversial restraint method that led to George Floyd's death in Minneapolis in May

Subsequent reports claimed she had taken her five-year-old son to school before jumping in the sea in her surfboard in a bikini and neoprene top.

San Sebastian mayor Eneko Goia, speaking as it emerged police have now been instructed to keep watch on the woman to make sure she does not repeat her quarantine breach, called her actions 'irresponsible.'

He added: 'If we're speaking about this today it's because she's an exception to the rule.'

The unnamed woman is said to have worked as a lifeguard at San Sebastian's famous La Concha beach this summer and colleagues were the ones who phoned police after spotting her in the water.

She was held on Monday morning on suspicion of a crime of disobedience after reportedly ignoring officers who ordered her out of the water for several minutes before heading back to the shoreline.
New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday (September 10) said that the demolition of Kangana Ranaut's office was a matter of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), therefore, his party was not concerned with it.

Talking to media in Mumbai, the Sena MP said, "Demolition at Kangana Ranaut`s office is the matter of BMC and it doesn`t concern Shiv Sena. You should talk to the BMC commissioner or Mayor regarding the matter," while distancing himself and his party from the demolition work.

When asked about his recent altercation with the actress, Raut said the matter is over for him.

On Wednesday, the BMC carried out demolition at Ranaut`s office. The BMC had on Tuesday served a "stop-work" notice to Ranaut for alleged unauthorised construction in her office in Mumbai, mentioning 14 violations after taking note of several "illegal" alterations.

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The Bombay High Court, however, stayed the demolition drive directing the BMC to file a reply on her petition on the matter. Her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui had said the notice given was illegal and BMC officials entered the premises illegally, adding "There was no work underway at the premises."

Notably, Kangana has been engaged in a bitter war of words with Raut after her remarks that she feels unsafe in Mumbai and has no trust in the Mumbai Police after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs approved Y-plus security to Kangana after she received threats for comparing Mumbai with Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
Police draw Taser after man refuses to cooperate

Richmond police officers responded to an address in the 36000 block of Beier Street to pick up a male subject on an outstanding warrant, according to a police report. The man became upset and refused to cooperate. The suspect complied when the officers pointed a Taser at him. The suspect was arrested and transported to the Macomb County Jail.

Patients report assault by workers

On Aug. 5, a Richmond police officer responded to a business in the 34000 block of Division Road for a report of an assault on a patient, according to a police report. The officer was advised that an in-care resident was assaulted by a worker. Interviews were complete and the investigation is waiting on search warrant information, pending charges. On Aug. 13, the Richmond Police Department received a second complaint regarding an assault at a business in the 34000 block of Division Road, according to a police report. The male complainant said an employee assaulted him while giving him his medication. Both cases remained open at press time.

Dead cats found in dumpsters were likely shot

On August 6 the Richmond DPW contacted the Richmond Police Department regarding dead cats that were found in the dumpster at two parks, according to a police report. There was evidence of the cats being shot. There were no suspects at the time of the report.

Resident reports identity theft

On Aug. 1, a resident in the 67000 block of Gleason Street reported to the Richmond Police Department that an unknown person opened credit cards with her information, according to a police report. At the time of the report, two credit cards and one cell phone account were attached to the victim with total charges of $9,755.30. The case remained open at press time.

Broken headlight leads to citations

While on patrol Aug. 2, a Richmond police officer stopped a vehicle for a missing headlight at Division Road and Main Street, according to a police report. After contact was made with the driver it was discovered that his license was suspended and he had no insurance on the vehicle. He was issued a citation for both and the vehicle was released to a licensed driver.

Vehicle stolen from business

A vehicle was reportedly taken from a business in the 68000 block of Main Street on Aug. 11, according to a police report. The owner said one of his employees may have dropped the keys next to the car. Video from a neighboring business was received, and a positive ID was made and interviews were completed. Investigation follow-up has helped in obtaining sufficient evidence for requesting a felony warrant. The case is pending prosecutors authorization of charges.

Counterfeit $50 bill reported at local business

Richmond police officers responded to a business in the 67000 block of Main Street for a counterfeit money complaint, according to a police report. The manager said a customer made a purchase and paid in cash. All the bills were correct except for one $50 bill. The customer stated he received the money from his bank. He was advised to contact his bank. The U.S. Secret Service was also contacted. The case is open pending further work.

Retail fraud of $1,500 reported

On Aug. 22, Richmond police officers were dispatched to a business in the 66000 block of Gratiot Avenue for a retail fraud that had just occurred, according to a police report. Officers met with the manager, who informed an officer that two males were at the self-checkout, and the third male left the store with three KitchenAid mixers, with a total value of $1,589.97. A positive ID was received from a prior traffic stop and notes on a daily log activity. One subject. attempted to sell stolen items online. A warrant request for one subject is being sought. Additional follow-up was expected to get a positive ID on other two subjects. The case remained under investigation at press time.

Neighbor reports yelling, knife incident

On Aug. 3, a resident in the 68000 block of Mary Street reported to the Richmond Police Department that she and her husband are having an ongoing problem with their neighbor, according to a police report. She advised that the male neighbor was yelling outside for three hours while holding a knife and there were other incidents after this happened. The complainant did not want contact made with the suspect, and the case was closed.

Man reports loan applied for in his name

On Aug. 31, a resident in the 34000 block of Quail Trail reported to the Richmond Police Department that he was a victim of fraud from a loan that was applied for with his information, according to a police report. The complainant said he received a letter from the state of Michigan regarding the loan in the amount of $150,000. The case remained under investigation at press time.

 Barb Pert Templeton, For MediaNews Group
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Concerned about the alarming surge of Covid-19 cases in the Twin City of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday directed the Health department and civic authorities to ramp up health facilities with more intensive care units (ICUs).

Reviewing the Covid pandemic situation at a high level virtual meeting here, the Chief Minister said the spike in coronavirus positive cases in the Twin City is because some people are not adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines.

It has come to the notice of the Government that a small percentage of people are not strictly following the guidelines putting the majority at risk. Not wearing mask, spitting at public places and violations of social distancing norms are the reasons for the spread of infection and such negligence will not be tolerated, the Chief Minister warned.

Such deviations are more prominent in cases of street vendors, he said and asked for a coordinated action by the police, health and civic authorities to bring a sense of higher discipline among the violators.

Exuding confidence of improvement in the situation in the Twin City within a week, Naveen said the State Government is resolute in its fight against the epidemic.

As many Government employees are coming under the grip of the deadly virus after relaxation, he advised the department authorities for strict compliance of Covid guidelines in all Government offices of the State.

Lauding the efforts of the administrations of Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput and Sundargarh districts for the vast improvement, he advised the civic authorities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and Collectors of Jajpur, Bargarh, Khurda and Cuttack districts to follow the Berhampur model in tackling the Covid-19 situation.

As Covid hospitals of the State are full to their capacity and not in a position to accommodate the increasing number of patients, the Chief Minister asked the Health department to create more facilities in other hospitals and keep a strict vigil on positive cases in home quarantine.

The decision for closure of temporary medical centres, Covid Care Centres and Covid Care Homes was left to the discretion of the Collectors. More doctors and Government officers will be sent to Covid hotspot districts, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy told mediapersons after the meeting.

Additional Chief Secretary Health PK Mohaptra said more number of step-down ICUs will be set up to treat serious patients in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.DGP Abhay, Development Commissioner SC Mohapatra, Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena, Principal Secretary Home Sanjeev Chopra and 5T Secretary Kartikeyan Pandian participated in the discussion.
UWs American Heritage Center Wants Wyomingites Coronavirus Stories

The Tyrannosaurus rex statue outside UWs Geological Museum wears a protective mask. The American Heritage Center is asking Wyoming residents to share their stories during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (Richard Travsky Photo)

The American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming is continuing to collect experiences and thoughts of the states residents, including UW and associated communities, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AHC is inviting residents to consider what you would tell future generations about your experiences and memories of this unusual time, and then to share that with us, says AHC Director Paul Flesher. Each persons written or spoken thoughts, or creative projects, can help humankind understand what it was like to experience daily life during this local and global crisis.

He says the media is recording the bigger picture and capturing impacts on global and high-risk areas relating to the pandemic, and that the AHC needs residents help to capture the voices of individuals, families and friends in this ongoing communal history.

Residents can share thoughts and experiences by answering a few open-ended questions provided in the AHCs COVID-19 survey at https://forms.gle/h9GTC9YjSUYUJdgX8.

The survey provides questions that can help inspire individual submissions.

If you already filled out the survey, perhaps your experiences and views changed over the past months. Consider sharing your new insights, Flesher says.

Some leading questions to consider are: What stories would you tell about your difficulties or disappointments? What bright spots or moments of happiness have you found? If you are running a business, how has Wyomings response to this health emergency affected it? If you are home with children, what are the challenges and opportunities for your family day to day? Have your views of the pandemic changed over time?

Anyone may contribute their observations through this survey and contact us about other creative contributions, says UW Archivist Sara Davis. The American Heritage Center is especially interested in documenting the impact on the University of Wyoming and its community.

This photo of Shakesbear was submitted as part of UWs AHC project to collect individual stories about the COVID-19 pandemic. (Sally Sarvey Photo)

UW students also are urged to take part in the project. Some questions for students to consider are: If you are a student, how have the learning process and college experience been changed and disrupted? If you teach, how has the switch to online teaching affected your courses?

Or, if you are a staff member or in administration, what adjustments have you needed to make to work remotely or to manage your area of UW through the changes imposed by the COVID-19 emergency? Flesher says.

The AHC also wants to hear from UWs alumni.

UW graduates are the backbone of Wyomings citizenry; more Wyoming citizens have graduated from UW than from all other universities combined, Flesher says. Hearing our alumnis experiences with COVID-19 will provide a good approximation of the states experience during this pandemic. We look forward to their contributions to this project.

The AHC also will accept submissions that capture individual experiences, such as poems, photographs, audio recordings and other creative works.

It would be especially helpful to share photographs of changes caused by the current situation, such as empty streets and shop windows indicating new conditions of businesses, Flesher says. Current donations include interviews of students reflecting on their futures after graduation, poetry and a photo of a quarantined teddy bear looking forlornly out a window.

Project participants are required to provide permission to the AHC to preserve submissions and to provide public access to them. Participants can remain anonymous or even restrict public access to individual stories for five years. The AHC is unable to accept submissions with identifiable heath information (HIPAA content).

For more information about the project or individuals wishing to donate something beyond the scope of the survey, email Davis at sarad@uwyo.edu or AHC digital Archivist Rachel Gattermeyer at rgatterm@uwyo.edu.

For more information, go to the AHCs webpage at www.uwyo.edu/ahc/covid-19-collecting.html; follow on Twitter; or use the hashtags #COVID19WY and #alwaysarchiving.
Five Rafale fighter jets were formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 10 at the Ambala Air Force Station, marking yet another tryst with military aviation history for the garrison town in Haryana, 200 kms from the national capital.

The countrys oldest airbase at the Ambala Air Force Station, witness to a century of amazing transformation, will now house the 'new bird' in IAF's arsenal as the multi-role French-made fighter became part of its 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows'.

The air base is situated adjacent to the Chandigarh-Delhi Highway in Haryana and north of Ambala Cantonment, the oldest cantonment in the country (established in 1843), according to the official history of Ambala district.

The history of airbase goes back to September 1919, soon after World War 1, when the 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) was stationed at the camp, then known as 'Camp Umballa'.

Ambala's tryst with military aviation dates back to 1919 when 'Camp Umballa' was created and 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF), equipped with Bristol fighters, was located here. Ambala's next 'avatar' was as headquarters of the RAF India Command in 1922, reads a plaque at the air force station that boasts a century of excellence and pride.

The station was Indias first IAF base after Independence. Since then it has been associated with many historic chapters of Indian military. Today, it houses the No 7 Wing of the IAF, two squadrons of Jaguar aircraft and one MIG-21 Bison aircraft. The 17 Squadron of Rafales will be the fourth Squadron at the station.

With the Indo-Pak border around 220 km away, the air base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the air force. Experts say its significance comes from its strategic location as it is equidistant from the western and northern frontiers.

The base is located at an adequate depth from the enemy to attack. So, assets and other infrastructure kept here can be protected. Also, the fighters stationed here can be put into use anytime anywhere without having to move anywhere else, Air Vice-Marshal Sunil Nanodkar (Retd), who had a stint at the Ambala air base as commanding officer of a Jaguar squadron, told MoneyControl.

From the 1947-48 war against Pakistan to the Kargil war of 1999 and the Balakot strikes of 2019, the Ambala air base has taken part in many historical events.

In the 1947-48 Indo-Pak war, for example, the Spitfires and Harvards flown by pilots from the Advanced Flying Training School based at Ambala took part in operations at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. The airbase had a role to play in Operation Safed Sagar, during the Kargil war and Operation Parakram, the Indo-Pak military stand-off in and the 2001-02. It came under attack from Pakistans B-57 bombers in the 1965 war, but the damage was not much.

Not just wartime, the airbase is significant during peacetime, too.

The major activity in peacetime is training requirements. For that you require adequate depth, which is available at Ambala. It is also very easy to deploy in the Northern region of J&K, Ladakh, Akshai Chin and in Western sector as far as Pakistan is concerned. It can also cover a major portion of Rajasthan. So strategically, Ambala is one of the ideal places for us, he said.

For over many decades now, the infrastructure at Ambala has developed enough to induct any new aircraft without requiring any additional money.

We also got the first of the Jaguar aircrafts at Ambala, which is a deep penetration strike aircraft (DPSA). It implies we have a long range which we can cover, do the job and come back to our base or land at a secondary base. So, it suited the Jaguar aircrafts. Two squadrons were formed at Ambala, former Vice-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal PK Barbora (retd) had said in July when the Rafale jets touched down on Indian soil. Air Marshal Barbora (retd) served at the airbase and witnessed the induction of first Jaguar aircrafts in 1979.

Among many achievements, Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon of the 18 Squadron, which was stationed at Ambala Air base initially, was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously for helping repel a Pakistan Air Force attack on the Srinagar airfield in December 1971.

The Air Force Station was to have more firsts to its credit. The first Distinguished Flying Cross awardees of the IAF  Engineer and Majumdar  were decorated here at an investiture in 1942. Group Captain Arjan Singh assumed command of the station on August 15, 1947 and on the same day aircraft from Ambala, after a fly-past over Ambala, flew on to Delhi for a similar fly-past, Lt General (retd) NS Brar, former Deputy Chief Integrated Defence Staff wrote on a website in August.

Aircrafts such as De Havilland 9A and Bristol F2B have also flown out of Ambala. With an increase in air operations, more officers were transferred to Ambala and it was made a permanent air force base in July 1938.

The induction of Rafale jets comes at a time when India is involved in a border dispute with China in Ladakh.

"This induction couldn't have come at a better time given the security situation," IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria said at the induction ceremony in Ambala on September 10.

"Intense integrated training and firing of weapons of Rafale has been done. They are good to go," he said

Built by French aerospace firm Dassault Aviation, Rafale jets are known for air-superiority and precision strikes on ground targets, making them truly multi-role jets.

"This induction is crucial for our current situation. It is important for our current regional situation. Our national security is top priority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And those who tried to stall acquisitions, have failed because of the firm resolve of PM Modi." Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at the induction event.
LOS ANGELESEven as Germany has seen a recent uptick in coronavirus cases, several regions in the northern part of the country are now allowing sex workers to resume their jobs. Germanys legal brothels have been shut down since March as a health precaution in response to the pandemic, and sex workers in Hamburg and Berlin have staged public protests against the government.

Other close-contact businesses, such as beauty salons and massage therapy clinics have been allowed to reopen in Germany, even as brothels have been forced to stay shuttered. But sex workers in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and in other northern jurisdictions, have filed court cases to force local officials to lift the ban, according to a report by Voice of America.

On Tuesday, the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia agreed that with similar businesses open, there was no rationale to keep brothels closed. The court found no clear evidence that one-on-one sexual activity carried a higher risk of transmission than indoor gatherings of up to 150 people, which are allowed under Germanys current coronavirus health regulations.

But while sex workers in North Rhine-Westphalia  whose capital is Dusseldorf and largest city is Cologne  may return to work this week, their counterparts in Hamburg and Bremen, where courts also overturned the ban, may resume their activities on September 15.

Hamburg is home to Germanys most famous red light district, the Reeperbahn, and has been the site of repeated protests by sex workers demanding their jobs back.

But the court ruling did not come soon enough for Colognes Pascha mega-brothel, which according to a Mirror newspaper report, was so devastated by the shutdown that it has now filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors, putting 100 sex workers and dozens of support staff in the 11-story facility out of work.

Germany has been one of Europes most successful countries in containing the pandemic, suffering just 9,412 deaths as of Thursday, according to Worldometers statistics, and 257,088 total cases. That is the equivalent of 112 deaths and 3,067 cases per 1 million population.

The United States has suffered 591 deaths and 19,799 cases per million, while the United Kingdom has seen 612 deaths and 5,270 cases per one million residents.

But Germany has seen a small but noticeable rise in cases over the past three weeks. On August 15, the seven-day rolling average of new cases stood at 1,084, but has risen to 1,280 as of Wednesday of this week.

Photo By Francesco Ronge / Pixabay
Bill Lindsay holds a photo of his son, William Lindsay III, 32, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver on July 12. Read more

William Lindsay III, an avid cyclist, was on his way to meet his girlfriend on July 12 when he was killed by a hit-and-run driver.

On Wednesday, police announced that the city was offering a $20,000 reward for tips leading to the drivers arrest. An additional $5,000 reward is being offered by Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, the union that represents city officers, said Capt. Mark Overwise, commander of the Accident Investigation District.

The death of Lindsay, 32, a scientist from Havertown, was among a growing number of fatal accidents in the city this year, a toll that has risen 25% since the same time last year, he said.

We need to hold drivers accountable for their behaviors. As I have said before, it is not necessarily a crime to be involved in a crash or to be involved in hitting a pedestrian. But once you leave that person there, you have committed a crime, said Overwise, who asked anyone with information about the crash to call police.

We need that golden ticket. We need that little bit of information that identifies the driver of that vehicle so we can hold them responsible, he said.

Lindsays father, Bill, held a photo of his son during the news conference, as he stood with the victims mother, Monica, brother, Philip, and sister, Emma.

He was a fantastic individual, the elder Lindsay said of his son. A light shining in all of our lives. He was a terrific individual.

Will Lindsay was a scientist at Wuxi Apptec, which does business at the Navy Yard, his father said.

The crash happened at 8:35 p.m. Lindsay had gone to his girlfriends home, where he stored his bike, and set off for Kelly Drive, where she was waiting for him. While riding north in the 3800 block of Ridge Avenue, just after passing Hunting Park Avenue, he was struck by a 2010 to 2015 Chevrolet Camaro, white with red racing stripes on the hood and trunk, tinted glass, and a sunroof, police said.

While the crash was not captured on video, several cameras along Ridge filmed the white car before and after the crash, Overwise said.

What I would say to that driver is, lets just get this off of your conscience. Come talk to us and tell us what happened, said Overwise.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call 215-686-TIPS (-8477), or text a tip to PPD TIP (773847).
ByteDance may not have to sell off the US operations of TikTok after all. The Chinese company is reportedly talking with the Trump administration about making alternative arrangements that would avoid a full sale of its popular short-form video-sharing app.

Its unclear what possible arrangements ByteDance is offering to make in order to keep TikTok alive in the US. The Wall Street Journal reports that there are still a number of options on the table for the company. Itll probably restructure the apps US operations to appease the American government.

Discussions around this have been going on for months, the Journal reports citing people familiar with the matter. Possibly since President Trump signed the first executive order back in July, or even before that. However, those discussions have intensified in recent times after the Chinese government got involved in the TikTok-US saga. The report adds that at least one of TikToks major investors was involved in the recent discussions. They reportedly talked about data security.

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Officials from Beijing have put restrictions on the export of TikToks AI technology. This makes the app less attractive to potential American buyers. Several tech biggies, including Microsoft, Twitter, Oracle, and Walmart have all shown interest in TikTok. However, none of them has been able to strike a deal with ByteDance yet.

Analysts value TikToks US business at anywhere between $10 billion to $50 billion. Thats a big purchase and without the apps important algorithms, it becomes less attractive.

TikTok may not have to sell off its US operations

America is concerned that TikTok users could have their personal information obtained by the Chinese government, posing a threat to national security. The Trump administration has threatened to impose a nationwide ban on the app unless its Chinese owner ByteDance divests the operations to an American company.

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TikTok, which has over 100 million active users in the US, now has until November 12 to find a buyer or face a ban. The company is in talks with several potential buyers but nothing has come to fruition yet.

In the meantime, ByteDance is also seemingly in talks with the US government about making alternative arrangements. The company has long claimed that it doesnt pose any threat to US security. The company says TikToks servers for its US-based users are located in the US itself, and in Singapore. It may now offer to move the servers located in Singapore to the US as well. Well have to wait and see if ByteDances alternate arrangements satisfy President Trumps concerns.
He jetted into the Greek capital this week to film scenes for his new drama Man Of God.

And Mickey Rourke turned heads in a semi-sheer black lace shirt as he arrived at the Acropolis in Athens on Thursday ahead of filming.

The actor, 67, looked effortlessly cool as he walked among cast and crew as they took in the ancient historical landmark.

Style: Mickey Rourke turned heads in a semi-sheer black lace shirt as he arrived at the Acropolis in Athens on Thursday ahead of filming

Micky styled his quirky shirt with ripped blue jeans and gold-capped brown boots, while he covered his eyes in dark shades.

The Wrestler star also followed guidance as he also had with him a white face mask.

Mickey, who tied his blonde locks into a ponytail, looked at ease as he walked around and chatted to his companions.

Looking good: The actor, 67, looked effortlessly cool as he walked among cast and crew as they took in the ancient historical landmark

The star takes on the role of 'Paralyzed Man' in Man Of God, Yelena Popovic's drama about Greek saint Nektarios of Aegina and his trials and tribulations.

Mickey's outing comes after he seemingly reignited his most ongoing feud with Robert De Niro in July, which originally restarted last year.

In an Instagram post, Mickey claimed that director Martin Scorsese wanted him to be in his 2019 crime film The Irishman, but De Niro refused to work with him.

Fashion: Micky styled his quirky shirt with ripped blue jeans and gold-capped brown boots, while he covered his eyes in dark shades

Safety first: The Wrestler star also followed guidance as he also had with him a white face mask

Tourist: The actor posed for a snap as he took in the sights of the ancient Acropolis

He wrote in the lengthy barrage of words: 'Hey Robert De Niro, thats right i am talking to you, you big f***ing crybaby.

'A friend of mine just recently told me that a few months back you're quoted as saying to newspapers Mickey Rourkes a liar he talks all kind of s**t!'

Rourke made the revelation about Scorsese wanting to set up a meeting about a possible role in The Irishman, and DeNiro's rebuttal of him being in the film, during an appearance on an Italian talk show last September.

Stepping forward: Mickey, who tied his blonde locks into a ponytail, looked at ease as he walked around and chatted to his companions

Leading man: The star takes on the role of 'Paralyzed Man' in Man Of God, Yelena Popovic's drama about Greek saint Nektarios of Aegina and his trials and tribulations

De Niro's reps were quick to respond at the time with a statement saying Rourke was 'never asked to be in The Irishman nor was he ever even thought of, discussed or considered to be in the movie,' in a Page Six article titled -- Robert De Niro: Mickey Rourke is lying about The Irishman snub.

'Listen Mr.Tough Guy in the movies, you're the 1st person that ever called me a liar and it was in a newspaper,' Rourke continued in the Instagram post.

It's at this point that The Wrestler star made a harsh promise to the two-time Academy Award-winner.

Call out: Mickey's outing comes after he seemingly reignited his most ongoing feud with Robert De Niro in July, calling him a 'crybaby' and a 'tough guy'

'Let me tell you something, you punk a**, when i see you i swear to God on my Grandmother, on my brother and all my dogs, i gonna embarrass you severally 100%.'

He concluded the post by signing-off: 'Mickey Rourke 'as God is my witness.'

Rourke has been very open about how he used to look up to DeNiro as an acting role model before they starred together in Angel Heart. But that all changed for him when he went to introduce himself on the set.

Snubbed again? Rourke claimed famed director Martin Scorsese wanted him to be in his 2019 crime film The Irishman, but De Niro refused to work with him (pictured in Angel Heart)

'About five minutes later, [De Niro] comes over he said, I think it's better if we don't talk because of characters in the movie. It's better if we dont say hello, talk or anything,' Rourke added in the 2019 interview.

'It hurt my feelings a little bit 'cause I looked up to him.'

He added, 'I don't look up to [DeNiro] no more; I look through him, I came up from the s***. He doesn't know that life. I lived that f***ing life, so every time I look at him in the face, I look right through his ***hole.'
STAMFORD  Gov. Ned Lamont will give the keynote address as the Stamford Chamber of Commerce hosts its 33rd annual meeting and awards ceremony on Sept. 30 at the downtown Residence Inn by Marriott.

The events speakers, who also include Stamford Mayor David Martin, will appear in person, although Lamont might speak remotely from Hartford, according to Chamber officials.

To adhere to social distancing guidelines, a limited number of people  including speakers, award recipients and sponsors  will be able to attend the event in person. Others can watch the proceedings virtually.

We all are facing a truly unprecedented time, affecting every aspect of our lives, Stamford Chamber CEO and President Heather Cavanagh said in a statement. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, this has been a difficult time for all of us. We are truly grateful for the heroic efforts and inspired by the selflessness of our healthcare workers, frontline responders, business community, residents and the city of Stamford during these uncertain times.

At the Peoples United Bank-sponsored event, the Chamber will also recognize this years award recipients. Stamford Health, which includes Stamford Hospital, is the Chambers Company of the Year. Brad Lupinacci, a vice president of commercial banking at Stamford-based First County Bank, is the Member of the Year.

These two award recipients provided vital contributions to our organization and the community. I admire the strength, resilience, and tenacity, of the award recipients that supported our businesses and the city of Stamford during these challenging times, Cavanagh said. The pandemic has changed the way we do business, and the way we live our lives, but has shown that we are #stamfordstrong and in this together.

For more information about the event and to register, visit www.stamfordchamber.com. For sponsorship opportunities, events and communications coordinator Cindy Busani at cbusani@stamfordchamber.com.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
DETROIT  U.S. and Michigan flags are flying at half-staff today in honor of Wayne County Sheriffs Cpl. Bryant Searcy who was allegedly killed by a jail inmate who was attempting to escape.

Deandre Williams, 28, is accused of killing Searcy, 50, in a violent struggle that involved a 20- to 30-minute chokehold on Sept. 2, WDIV Local 4 reports. Its unclear why Searcys partner was not with him, or why the attack went undetected for so long.

Williams was allegedly attempting to escape the Detroit jail where he was being held on a carjacking charge, according to a Sept. 9 news release from Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

RELATED: Inmate accused of killing Wayne County deputy in jail attack charged with murder

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered flags lowered within the State Capitol Complex and upon all public buildings and grounds across the state on Sept. 10 in honor of Searcys life and service.

My heart goes out to his family and the entire law enforcement community as they deal with this tragic loss, Whitmer said.

Searcy served in the Wayne County Sheriffs Office for 18 years. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Searcy was attacked around 10:15 p.m. on Sept. 2 while checking cell doors. He was walking past a cell door he thought was locked when Williams allegedly pushed it open, attacked him and stole his jail keys.

RELATED: Sheriffs deputy was beaten to death by inmate while checking cell doors

Williams allegedly grabbed Searcy from behind and held him in a chokehold for 20-30 minutes, WDIV reports. He then stole Searcys keys to escape the jail. However, the escape attempt was unsuccessful, the report said. When deputies arrived, they found Searcy unresponsive and Williams in his cell.

Searcy was treated at the scene by jail medical staff and Detroit EMS before being transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

RELATED: Wayne County Sheriffs corporal dies after attack by jail inmate

Williams is charged with first-degree murder, murder of a police officer, felony murder, escaping jail through violence and unarmed robbery. He was arraigned on Sept. 9. His probable cause conference is set for Sept. 23, and the preliminary examination is scheduled for Sept. 28.

An internal investigation into why Searcy and his partner were not together is ongoing, WDIV reports.

READ MORE:

Cold case: Car of man missing since 2011 turns up in northern Michigan

Black Lives Matter group plans Dump Trump Rally outside presidential visit in Saginaw County

Northern Michigan man accused of embezzling $100K from sick parents
Former Director of Corporate & Public Communications for Network 10 Neil Shoebridge (pictured left) will consult for Seven West Media, as James Warburton revamps his communications division.

Current Director Corporate Affairs and Publicity Julia Lefort will depart tomorrow after being appointed in February.

Shoebridge Knowles Media Group was founded in 2018 with former 10 colleague Andrew Knowles (pictured right) and has remained as consultants to 10. In 2012 Shoebridge was hired at 10 by then-CEO, James Warburton, from the Australian Financial Review.

When they consult for Seven SKMG will drive the networks corporate communications and publicity strategies alongside Sevens existing team.

SWM Managing Director and CEO, James Warburton, said: We are delighted to announce our partnership with SKMG. Having worked closely together with Neil and Andrew over a number of years, we know that their vast experience, understanding and enthusiasm for our industry will make a big difference to our business.

SWM Chief Marketing Officer, Charlotte Valente, said: SKMG will play crucial role as we continue to transform our television, newspaper and digital businesses, and pursue our audience-first content-led growth strategy. Their combined strengths will ensure we establish the right structure, strategies and processes to supercharge our team and realise our transformation at pace.

Neil Shoebridge said: With strong and successful brands across television, publishing and digital, SWM is one of Australias best and smartest content companies and a business with enormous potential. We are honoured to join the SWM team and be part of the transformation of the group and its future success.

Andrew Knowles said: When Neil and I launched SKMG, James and Charlotte were our first clients. Between the success weve enjoyed with them in the past, the privilege to work with the rest of SWMs well-regarded leadership team and the opportunity to continue building one of Australias most venerable media groups, this partnership just makes sense. We cant wait to get to work.

The change comes after hefty restructuring of Sevens Publicity and Corporate divisions over the past 12 months, including redundancies of publicists around the country and the departure of longtime Head of Publicity Susan Wood.

Sevens Chief Marketing Officer Charlotte Valente said of Julia Lefort, Julia been a tremendous influence across our team and business and is to be commended for her tenacity and professionalism during her time with us.

SKMG, which is consulting for 10 until November, will commence with Seven at a date to be advised.
The world is moving at a rapid pace and the penetration of technology and the increasing internet literacy among the general public has helped companies to introduce themselves online to potential customers. One industry that has been booming over the past decade is the web hosting services market and a recent estimate shows that the global web hosting services market is valued at a whopping 62.6 billion US dollars in 2020. Operating out of Lithuania, MonoVM was established in 2012 by three brothers with a dream to globalize and attract clients from all over the borderless world. Operating with an objective to provide exemplary services of the highest quality at a competitive price, MonoVM has been able to make a name for themselves and create a niche in the market.

Exemplary Services for Impressive Growth

MonoVM has a diversified service portfolio that includes a host of services such as Web Hosting services that offer both Linux and Wordpress web hosting, VPS services that include Windows VPS, Linux VPS, and SSD VPS, and Domain services that includes domain name registration, and domain pricing list to name a few. This along with their dedication and commitment to offer their customers the best user experience has helped the company to make impressive strides within this short period of time. Within their first four months, MonoVM was able to acquire 1000 customers and this has now expanded into serving 60,000 customers and 40 server locations worldwide. The core values of their team which emphasizes on flexibility, constant improvement, and open and honest communication has been the driving factor behind the companys impressive growth. By incorporating the latest technologies, MonoVM has been able to stay ahead of the curve and separate themselves from the rest of the competition. With the strong support from their team who has got rich expertise and experience in the IT sector, the company always pushes their limits to offer best in class services for their customers to develop into a pioneering name in the global web hosting services industry.

MonoVM fully acknowledges the importance of offering customer support and the company is one of the front runners in offering first-class customer services. With a plethora of initiatives such as 24/7 call centres for directly conversing with the customers, round the clock live chat sessions for providing immediate solutions, and innovative ticketing systems along with the deep subject knowledge and expertise of the company, customers can rely on MonoVM to assist them if any problem comes up.

Available Anywhere, Anytime to Anyone

MonoVM has kept all their services relatively simple to ensure that the customers are having the best user experience. The company offers flexible software options, fast VPS performance, light speed internal network, advanced control panel, and unmetered bandwidth in their VPS services segment to offer the complete premium package for the customers. When it comes to the domain services, MonoVM also has multiple tricks up their sleeve including instant registration, theft protection, free DMS management, and identity protection which is all available at a competitive price so that the customers have the best support when it comes to domain registration. Finally, in the web hosting services segment, MonoVM offers a multitude of features including DNS management, automation, and mailbox management to their customers. By providing useful features at an affordable price helps the company to attract the attention of more customers and grow their business even further. As far as the future goes, MonoVM is aiming to continue to grow and become the epitome of top-notch web hosting services in the world.
Serum Institute of India (SII) on Wednesday said it is continuing with the trials of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine candidate in India.

The statement came after AstraZeneca announced that late-stage studies of the Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by the Oxford University are on temporary hold as a UK participant had an adverse reaction to it.

For latest on coronavirus outbreak, click here

SII has entered into a manufacturing partnership with AstraZeneca to produce and supply 1 billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. It is doing the clinical trials of the potential vaccine in India.

Commenting on the recent reports on AstraZeneca halting the trials in the UK, SII said in a statement: "We can't comment much on the UK trials, but they have been paused for further review and they hope to restart soon."

Coronavirus Worldometer | 15 countries with the highest number of cases, deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic

It further said: "As far as Indian trials are concerned, it is continuing and we have faced no issues at all".

Last month, the Drug Controller General of India had granted permission to the Pune-based SII to conduct Phase-II and -III human clinical trials of the coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by Oxford University and British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.
Climate forecasters said Thursday that the world had entered La Nina, the opposite phase of the climate pattern that also brings El Nino and affects weather across the globe. Among other impacts, La Nina has the potential this winter to worsen what are already severe drought conditions in the American Southwest.

The Climate Prediction Center, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in its monthly forecast that sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean had cooled, signifying La Nina conditions, and that there was a 75 percent likelihood that La Nina would continue through the winter.

Like El Nino, which results from warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific, La Nina occurs every two to seven years on average. And like El Nino, it leads to changes in atmospheric circulation that can affect weather in unconnected parts of the world.

La Ninas strongest influence is usually felt in winter. And while the precise effects are unpredictable, La Nina can result in warmer and drier conditions across the Southern United States and cooler conditions in southeastern Alaska, the Northern Plains and western and central Canada. It can also lead to a wetter winter in the Pacific Northwest.
Evening Standard

The Covid self-isolation period has been cut to five days, following an announcement by Health Secretary Sajid Javid. The announcement, on January 13, means people can leave isolation at the start of day six, subject to two negative lateral flow tests taken a day apart, with the first of these tests being no sooner than day five. It comes after changes which means Britons who are asymptomatic who return a positive lateral flow test will no longer need to get a confirmatory PCR test.
Its not too often Im stopped cold by a salad, let alone one from a food cart.

Yet thats just what happened last month when I dropped by a tidy new cart pod in Northwest Portland. The salad in question, with chopped cucumbers, watermelon, avocado, nuts, seeds, herbs, parched wheat and edible flowers tossed in an arresting vinaigrette, came from Farmer and the Beast, the self-described pandemic pivot from chefs Jeff Larson and Schuyler Wallace.

Larson and Wallace met in 2018 at David Machados former Pearl District hotel restaurant Tanner Creek Tavern, a restaurant that served surprisingly creative and competent food for its Hampton Inn & Suites-adjacent location. Those adjectives could also apply to Farmer and the Beast, where Larson and Wallace rely on local farms to present an aggressively fresh menu that wouldnt be out of place at a good hotel restaurant.

That starts with fresh produce delivered twice weekly by Sauvie Island Growers and Our Table farms. For one bowl, heirloom tomatoes share space with grilled corn, fresh sheeps cheese and basil. Another highlights hummus and grilled summer vegetables, cherry tomatoes, spiced yogurt and salsa verde. And the vin on the cucumber-watermelon salad that impressed me on my first visit? Mostly lime juice.

Salads for me always have to have texture and crunch, Larson says. They cant just be a pile of lettuce.

The heirloom tomato bowl from Farmer and the Beast, where produce is delivered twice a week from local farms.Michael Russell | The Oregonian

Beyond the salads, the cart sears a nice piece of albacore medium rare for a fish sandwich with spicy mayo and soy-dressed coleslaw on a golden brioche bun. Its very good, as is the double-decker smash burger, with two higher-fat patties from Nicky USA crisped up and arranged under melted American cheese with iceberg lettuce, thinly shaved onion and a Thousand Island-ish secret sauce. Imagine a classic In-N-Out double-double, only with higher quality ingredients (and no three-hour wait).

Before opening in July, Larson and Wallace wrote out a menu that was twice the size of the final draft, highlighted by a juicy lucy-style burger stuffed with funky cheese and bone marrow. That proved to be a bit too ambitious for the first month in a new cart, where space -- particularly refrigeration space -- is at a premium (the so-called Juicy Beast could still appear as a special). But the duo still think they made the right call in opening a food cart. At least before this weeks smoke and wildfires were added to 2020s list of trials, carts fared relatively well, with most continuing to operate during Oregon Gov. Kate Browns March ban on in-house dining.

If anything happened that closed dining rooms, eliminated counter service or caused restaurants to be shut back down, the cart would still be a walk-up window, Wallace said. People can still get what they want and go.

11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon to 8 p.m. Saturday; 1845 N.W. 23rd Place; 971-319-0656; farmer-and-the-beast.square.site. This story is part of our annual guide to Portlands best new food carts. Know of a cart that opened in the past year that you think we should know about? Drop me a line at mrussell@oregonian.com and let me know why you love it.

-- Michael Russell, mrussell@oregonian.com, @tdmrussell

Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Libya: Turkey to talk with Sarraj on hydrocarbon exploration Offshore and land exploration, electricity projects as well

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 10 - Turkey is discussing the possibility of oil and gas exploration in onshore and offshore fields with the UN-recognised government of Fayez al Sarraj and the Libyan National Oil Corporation, said a senior official in the Turkish Energy Ministry.



The official said the Turkish government is also looking at initiatives "in other sectors tied to energy, such as the production of electricity" to distribute in Libya and the development of "pipelines" for the eventual transport of gas, oil, and other energy sources.



The announcement comes in a time of strong tensions over controversial energy exploration by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, which Greece and Cyprus claim violates their exclusive economic zones and is thus illegal.



Greece and Cyprus are supported in particular by France, as well as by Israel and Egypt. (ANSAmed).




Not letting a crisis go to waste, climate change advocates have seized on COVID-19 to press their agenda to decarbonize the American economy. The World Health Organization would have us believe that the pathogens emergence is linked to fossil fuels, though Chinese authorities have banned investigators from visiting the source of the virus in Wuhan. The Green New Deal overlaps so perfectly with the coronavirus, says Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And Larry Fink, CEO of the worlds largest asset manager and likely Treasury Secretary in a Biden administration, views environmental sustainability and COVID-19 as one and the same, representing huge physical changes in our lives.

Democrats have seized on this fable. The pandemic demands unprecedented, transformational federal investment in resilient, sustainable, and inclusive infrastructure, their 2020 platform declares. We can, and we will, deal with climate change. Its not only a crisis, its an enormous opportunity, Joe Biden said in his acceptance speech. Well not only build it back, well build it back better.

Build back better is code for decarbonizationand the promise that, out of the ashes of a U.S. economy devastated by the coronavirus, a new economy will emerge under the beneficent guidance of the federal government, setting America on a path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

We dont need to build back anything, though. Americas physical infrastructure is intact. Its power stations and energy infrastructure, its roads and bridges, its railways and airports are almost exactly as they were before the virus struck. We are not Germany in 1945, after Allied bombs had reduced it to rubble. COVID-19 has done no damage to American physical assets.

What COVID-19 has destroyed is lives and livelihoods, and corporate and household balance sheets. Businesses have fixed costs that they cant recover. Despite the best efforts of the Fed and its unprecedented monetary loosening, time wont stand still for capital and the debt used to finance it when economic activity grinds to a halt.

The best antidote isnt some building program but strong, sustained economic growth. At this stage, the most pro-growth economic policy is adopting proportionate COVID-19 responses that accelerate the reopening of the economy while protecting the most vulnerable citizens and treating them with the most efficacious medical therapies.

You wont get any of that from building back better. The Green New Deal and Bidens plan for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 are the last things that a recovering economy needs. Mandating net-zero is the equivalent of imposing multi-trillion dollar tax hikesand with not one cent for deficit reduction, the proceeds going instead to controlling the global climate. And theres more. While Americawith the glaring exception of Californiaalready has all the energy it needs, Biden wants to spend $1.7 trillion on alternative energy, a gargantuan outlay that would pile on to an already rapidly growing federal deficit.

Climate activists draw many spurious links between COVID-19 and climate change, but they have one thing in common: zero tolerance. For COVID-19 absolutists, society should be organized around the principle of zero Covid. For climate absolutists, society should be organized around the principle of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

We can see the collateral damage to the economy, to society, and to human freedom from the draconian measures adopted to contain this virus. On climate, Biden promises drastic action but avoids telling voters what it might mean. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is more honest. It says that net-zero requires rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society. Thats true.

In January, the British governments chief scientific adviser notified Prime Minister Boris Johnson that achieving net-zero will require fundamental changes in our society and economy. The letter went on to warn that the government should consider and manage the impacts in areas where existing industries will be disrupteda euphemism for being wiped out.

In the U.S., that means the oil and gas industry. Kiddo, Biden was filmed telling a voter, look in my eyes. I guarantee were gonna end fossil fuels. He didnt tell her that fossil fuels meet 80% of U.S. energy needs. Despite Bidens subsequent denial that he would ban fracking, the logic of net-zero plainly says otherwise. Its unavoidable implication is the progressive outlawing of all fossil fuel energy.

Fracking ended Americas dependence on imported energy and transformed it into a global hydrocarbon superpower. The technique has created hundreds of thousands of high-paying blue-collar jobs, both in the shale fields and in downstream manufacturing. It has cut energy prices, making a family of four better off by an average of $2,500 a year. Thats an awful lot to give up for Joe Bidens fable of building back better.

Rupert Darwall is a senior fellow of the RealClear Foundation and author of THE CLIMATE NOOSE.
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 11.30 am, the corvette "Magdeburg" will leave the home port of Warnemunde and set out with her 60-strong crew to Limassol (Cyprus).

On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 11.30 am, the corvette "Magdeburg" will leave the home port of Warnemunde and set out with her 60-strong crew to Limassol (Cyprus).

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

K130 Braunschweig class. (Picture source: Bundeswher)

Under the command of frigate captain Thorsten Schafer (44), the "Echo" crew will replace the "Ludwigshafen am Rhein" corvette and the "Delta" crew in the area between Cyprus and Lebanon. But until then, the marines face two-week isolation on board.

On-site, the corvette will be subordinate to the Brazilian command and will contribute to the UN mission in the Mediterranean together with ships from Brazil, Greece, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Turkey. The crew is expected to return home in February 2021.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon or UNIFIL is an UN-NATO peacekeeping mission established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon which Israel had invaded five days prior, in order to ensure that the government of Lebanon would restore its effective authority in the area.

K130 Braunschweig class. (Picture source: Bundeswher)

About the K130 Braunschweig class:



The K130 Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. Five ships have replaced the Gepard-class fast attack craft of the German Navy.

In October 2016 it was announced that the second batch of five more frigates is to be procured from 202225. The decision was in response to NATO requirements expecting Germany to provide a total of four corvettes at the highest readiness level for littoral operations by 2018, and with only five corvettes just two can be provided.
New Delhi:

The second of Kalvari Class submarines Khanderi(Yard 11876) was launched at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai on Thursday.

The ceremony at Mazgaon Dock, in which the submarine will be set afloat from the pontoons, was attended by Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre.

India is among few countries in the world which produce conventional submarines. Six submarines are being built at MDL in collaboration with DCNS of France.

Second Scorpene class submarine Khanderi launched in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/g7mEhOA560 a ANI (@ANI_news) January 12, 2017

Below are some of the top key features of Khanderi submarine -

# The submarine will undergo rigorous trials till December, both in theA harbour and at sea, on the surface and underwater.

# After the trials, she will be commissioned into the Indian Navy as INS Khanderi.

# The six Scorpene-class submarines are part of the extensive plans to modernize the Indian Navy.

# This first of the six Scorpene-Class submarines, Kalvari, will be commissioned later this year.

# The other four submarines are expected follow after Khanderi at nine-month intervals.

# The Navy currently has 13 ageing diesel-electric submarines, only half of which are operational at a time. The rest are unavailable due to repair works.

# The 30-year plans to modernise the Navy involve the construction of 24 submarines, both nuclear and conventional.

# Defence minister has said India needs a plan with a longer term, which will cover the country till 2050. The current plan ends in 2030.

# The country's first indigenously built nuclear submarine, INS Arihant - loaded with nuclear-tipped missiles and headed for sea trials this month - was commissioned in October 2016.

# India joined the exclusive group of submarine building nations in 1992 with the commissioning of INS Shalki.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Horace Mann Educators Corporation (NYSE:HMN) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. Ex-dividend means that investors that purchase the stock on or after the 15th of September will not receive this dividend, which will be paid on the 30th of September.

Horace Mann Educators's next dividend payment will be US$0.30 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$1.20 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Horace Mann Educators stock has a trailing yield of around 3.2% on the current share price of $37.34. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing.

View our latest analysis for Horace Mann Educators

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. That's why it's good to see Horace Mann Educators paying out a modest 46% of its earnings.

Companies that pay out less in dividends than they earn in profits generally have more sustainable dividends. The lower the payout ratio, the more wiggle room the business has before it could be forced to cut the dividend.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks with flat earnings can still be attractive dividend payers, but it is important to be more conservative with your approach and demand a greater margin for safety when it comes to dividend sustainability. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. That explains why we're not overly excited about Horace Mann Educators's flat earnings over the past five years. Better than seeing them fall off a cliff, for sure, but the best dividend stocks grow their earnings meaningfully over the long run.

Story continues

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Horace Mann Educators has delivered an average of 14% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments.

Final Takeaway

Is Horace Mann Educators worth buying for its dividend? Horace Mann Educators has seen its earnings per share stagnate in recent years, although the company reinvests more than half of its profits in the business, which could bode well for its future prospects. In summary, Horace Mann Educators appears to have some promise as a dividend stock, and we'd suggest taking a closer look at it.

While it's tempting to invest in Horace Mann Educators for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Horace Mann Educators you should know about.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
The tanker with three Ukrainians on board went aground in the Black Sea near Odesa in November 2019.

The troublesome Delfi tanker that was stranded near the Ukrainian city of Odesa last autumn has eventually been removed from the beach.

"The Delfi has left the Dolphin Beach. She won't be missed," Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Kryklii wrote on Facebook.

Background
A review into a suspected suicide at a Victorian quarantine hotel found five calls from authorities went unanswered before the man's body was discovered.

The Safer Care Victoria review into the death at the Pan Pacific on April 11 found there was a 24-hour delay between the last time the man spoke to authorities and the discovery of his body about 5.30pm.

'My review team found during their interviews that there were other incidents, other events going on at the time that may have been distracting or consuming the time of the authorised officers and police,' Safer Care Victoria chief executive Euan Wallace told the state's hotel quarantine inquiry on Thursday.

The Safer Care Victoria review into the death at the Pan Pacific (pictured) on April 11 found there was a 24-hour delay between the last time the man spoke to authorities and the discovery of his body about 5.30pm

The review found it was common for guests not to answer calls, 'almost always for innocuous reasons'.

'Unanswered calls alone did not typically trigger immediate escalation, beyond attempting follow-up calls,' the report states.

The man received one welfare check, in the form of a phone call, on his fifth day in hotel quarantine.

Returned travellers were supposed to receive a daily phone call from a nurse to check for COVID-19 symptoms and a call on days three and nine to check on their wellbeing.

'The welfare check team were unable to undertake welfare check calls to the planned schedule as they did not have enough staff to match the required workload,' the review states.

It was not unusual for guests to receive their first welfare check five to seven days into their stay, while subsequent checks were often infrequent.

Professor Wallace said some of the calls were made by the Department of Health and Human Services officials, while others were made by staff from travel agency Helloworld.

Safer Care Victoria chief executive Euan Wallace said officers were distracted at the time

The review found it was common for guests not to answer calls, 'almost always for innocuous reasons' (Pictured: people going into hotel quarantine in March)

Some Helloworld calls, however, were unsuccessful because they had to be transferred via the hotel's switchboard, which was often overwhelmed.

The man's death is being investigated by the state coroner.

The Safer Care Victoria review also identified wider issues in the program.

It found staff were unable to access all the information they needed to provide adequate care due to 'lack of comprehensive, central, accessible repository for such information'.

The review described the day-to-day operations of the program as 'marked by a lack of communication and coordination', while there was no formal escalation policy for when things went wrong.

Limited access to personal protective equipment was also an issue, leading to 'conflict' between nursing and security staff.

Professor Wallace said the speed with which the hotel quarantine program was established could be to blame for some of the issues.

'We would never ask a health service to set up a program like this in two days, a program of this complexity in two days,' he told the inquiry.

DHHS Deputy Secretary Melissa Skilbeck also appeared before the inquiry to defend the decision to not to put Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton in charge of the state's emergency response

Professor Wallace said a copy of the Safer Care Victoria review has been given to DHHS Secretary Kym Peake, but he is unsure if one has been given to Health Minister Jenny Mikakos.

DHHS Deputy Secretary Melissa Skilbeck also appeared before the inquiry to defend the decision to not to put Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton in charge of the state's emergency response.

The chief health officer is supposed to assume the role of 'state controller' in a pandemic, but the role was allocated to others.

Ms Skilbeck said Professor Sutton didn't have time to assume the role, which was largely logistical.

'To your mind, was the Chief Health Officer in agreement (about the decision)?' counsel assisting the inquiry Ben Ihle asked.

'No, he was not,' Ms Skilbeck replied.

She noted the decisions of Professor Sutton 'cannot be overridden by the state controller'.

Ms Skilbeck was also not aware an offer was made prior to June 23 to use Australian Defence Force personnel 'in lieu of private security'.

Dozens of guards contracted COVID-19 while working at two hotels and spread it into the community, leading to the state's second wave of the virus.

The inquiry continues on Friday.

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The public is starting to lose trust in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as coronavirus vaccine makers near the final stages of clinical trials, a new poll said.

According to Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 60 percent of Americans are worried that political pressure from the White House will lead the FDA to rush a coronavirus vaccine.

Many fear that the FDA will approve a coronavirus vaccine without making sure it is safe and effective.

The poll data also showed that the public is so concerned about politics that 54 percent of Americans are hesitant about vaccinating themselves. Kaiser said many wouldn't want to get vaccinated if the drug was approved before the election day.

Meanwhile, 42 percent of their respondents said they want to get vaccinated regardless of the possible rush.

Drew Altman, president of the foundation said in a statement that "public skepticism about the FDA and the process of approving a vaccine is eroding public confidence."

Of the 62 percent of participants who worry about pressure from the Trump administration on the FDA, Democrats were the most doubtful at 81 percent. They were followed by independents at 61 percent and Republicans at 35 percent.

The Stat News reported that most of the U.S.'s top health officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci are also losing public trust. The drop is most prominent among U.S. Republicans.

FDA, CDC Face Political Pressure

Apart from the FDA, Kaiser data showed that the public is also concerned about the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

They found that 42 percent of Americans said that the CDC was "paying too much attention to politics." The FDA also faced the same criticism with 39 percent questioning the vaccine review process.

When the CDC told states to be ready for COVID-19 vaccine distribution by November, many health experts grew suspicious. The deadline they set was only two days away from the election day.

President Trump has also said repeatedly that he expects a vaccine at around the same time, the Forbes reported.

Some believe the effort was an effort by the Trump administration to hype their coronavirus efforts in time for a possible reelection. As such, many suspect even an ineffective or harmful vaccine could get approval from the FDA.

To add to the looming doubt is the FDA's history with doubtful authorizations. Last March, they approved chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as treatments for COVID-19. They later took their approval back after the drugs showed adverse effects on COVID-19 patients.

Vaccines usually take years of clinical trials, but vaccines to fight the coronavirus are moving forward at a fast pace.

Coronavirus Vaccine Makers Near End of Trials

Some drug makers are already at phase three trials like Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca. But AstraZeneca had to halt its trial due to a safety concern with one of its volunteers.

With the doubts rising among many U.S. residents, the drugmakers issued a drafted pledge. In it, they assured the public that they are not rushing the development of coronavirus vaccines.

Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna Inc. joined the pledge, while AstraZeneca issued a statement saying they will "put patients first."

Check these out!

AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Study on Hold Over Safety Concerns

COVID-19 Vaccine Developers to Pledge Not to Sacrifice Safety for Speed

CDC to States: Be Ready for COVID-19 Vaccines by November 1

COVID-19 or Flu? These Symptoms Can Help You Differentiate
A former chemical company director facing a potential life sentence for allegedly importing chemicals used to manufacture the drug ice will be released on bail after Corrections NSW refused to provide him with a laptop that would enable him to adequately prepare for his trial.

Michael Snounou, the former director of Cyndan Chemicals, has been on remand since February 21, 2018, when he was arrested and charged with 32 offences, including possessing the methylamphetamine precursor chemicals iodine and hypophosphorous acid, and importing a commercial quantity of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL).

Michael Snounou is facing a maximum penalty of life in prison if found guilty of importing a commercial quantity of GBL.

The latter charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, and Mr Snounou has previously had bail refused twice. He is due to stand trial in February next year.

In a fresh bail application in the NSW Supreme Court last week, Mr Snounou's lawyer Grant Brady said the failure of Corrective Services NSW to deliver his client a laptop on which he could prepare for trial, and his reduced risk of flight, were the two "fundamental" reasons why he should be granted bail.
"We've seen government playing favorites in elections before," explained Phill Kline, Director of the Amistad Project of the Thomas More Society, representing the Wisconsin Voters Alliance. "Through much of last century, southern states made it difficult for blacks to vote and easy for white citizens to vote, promoting racism in the manner that they orchestrated their elections. Government targeting a demographic to increase turnout is the opposite side of the same coin as targeting a demographic to suppress the vote," Kline added.

CTCL is a left-leaning election activist group pushing major government voting initiatives in Democratic strongholds, which raises alarms about the integrity of the November election and demonstrates a present danger in allowing private groups to influence elections. CTCL boasts that its major funding sources include Google and Facebook, and the group just recently received a contribution of $250 million from billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife.

Cumulatively, CTCL has thus far granted $16.3 million to the five cities in Wisconsin and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which had cast over 82% of their over one million combined total votes for Hillary Clinton in 2016. President Trump won Wisconsin by 22,748 votes and Pennsylvania by 44,292 votes that year.

In Wisconsin, CTCL has granted a total of $6.3 million in municipal funding from private sources to the Cities of Green Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Milwaukee, and Racine. The grants were issued directly to the cities and not the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which is responsible for managing elections throughout the state. A plurality of the funds  about 40%  went to support both vote-by-mail and early voting efforts. Around $1 million went to "voter outreach and education efforts."

"This initiative by CTCL is clearly designed to provide a boost in registered voters, limited only to traditional leftist strongholds, in a critical swing state that is likely to determine the outcome of the presidential election on November 3, 2020," Kline said. "Allowing private monies to control state spending on voter turnout is an invitation to the state to engage in partisan politics in the operation of elections. This represents a present danger to favor one class of voters at the expense of others and attempt to pick winners and losers in the election this year," he concluded.

The Complaint alleges that the use of the funds violates Wisconsin law prohibiting the provision of monies to election officials to induce persons to vote or influence an election outcome.

The Wisconsin Voters Alliance is requesting that the Wisconsin Election Commission immediately prohibit the inappropriate use of the funds granted by CTCL to the five cities in the state and will reserve all legal options to ensure safe and fair elections throughout the State of Wisconsin.

Kline said the group plans to appeal any adverse Commission decision to the District Court and at that time will add claims that the spending of funds in this fashion violates the Elections Clause of the United States Constitution and is a violation of equal protection.

For more information on this and related issues, go to: got-freedom.org.

SOURCE Wisconsin Voters Alliance
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

The parliamentary delegation headed by Chairman of Azerbaijans Parliament Sahiba Gafarova, will make its first official visit to Turkey on September 10, Trend reports citing the Parliament.

The delegation includes Head of the Working Group on Interparliamentary Relations with Turkey Ahliman Amiraslanov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense, Security and Combating Corruption Ziyafat Asgarov, MPs Sevil Mikayilova, Fazil Mustafa, Elshan Musayev, Tural Ganjaliyev, Head of Staff of the Parliament Safa Mirzoyev and other officials.

During the visit, the members of the delegation will familiarize themselves with the work of the parliament, the process of lawmaking, and exchange views with Turkish colleagues in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

Chairman of the Parliament Sahiba Gafarova will hold a meeting with Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Mustafa Shentop. The current state and prospects for the further development of inter-parliamentary ties, further expansion of bilateral cooperation, the implementation of global projects jointly realized by the two countries, ways of resolving regional conflicts, will be discussed at the meeting.

The delegation will be received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials.

During the visit, the parliamentary delegation will visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk (Anytkabir) in Ankara, get acquainted with the historical sights of the city.

The visit will end on September 12.
HBO Max hosted a drive-in premiere for Unpregnant on Wednesday evening in Glendale, California.

And Haley Lu Richardson and co-star Barbie Ferreira were in attendance at the socially-distanced event, along with a plethora of other famous faces.

Richardson, 25, and Ferreira, 23, posed for a plethora of snapshots in front of the premiere's Southwestern themed photo op, inspired by the coming of age film's plot.

Unpregnant: Haley Lu Richardson and co-star Barbie Ferreira were in attendance at the drive-in premiere for their HBO Max film Unpregnant, along with a plethora of other famous faces, on Wednesday evening in Glendale

Wild thing: Haley looked red hot in an oversized snakeskin blazer and a pair of matching trousers that featured flared legs

Haley looked red hot in an oversized snakeskin blazer and a pair of matching trousers that featured flared legs.

She layered the stunning blazer over a black bralette and she slipped her feet into a pair of zebra print boots.

The Five Feet Apart star complete her look for the night by covering her mouth and nose with a red velvet face mask that was decked out in silver spikes.

Haley was accompanied by her handsome fiance Brett Dier, who she first began dating in 2012.

Co-stars: Richardson, 25, and Ferreira, 23, posed for a plethora of snapshots in front of the premiere's Southwestern themed photo op, inspired by the coming of age film's plot

Prints on prints: She layered the stunning blazer over a black bralette and she slipped her feet into a pair of zebra print boots

Ferreira served major renaissance vibes in a ruffled high-low dress that featured a square neckline and puffy sleeves.

The Euphoria star had her lengthy brunette tresses parted down the middle and slicked back into a sleek half up, half down 'do.

She wore a patterned lavender toned face mask and she wore a pair of blue strappy heels and sheer blue socks.

Edgy: The Five Feet Apart star complete her look for the night by covering her mouth and nose with a red velvet face mask that was decked out in silver spikes

Medieval: Ferreira served major renaissance vibes in a ruffled high-low dress that featured a square neckline and puffy sleeves

Barbie looked beyond sweet as she cozied up next to her girlfriend and musician Elle Puckett for a photo.

Darren Criss did his best Bane impression on Wednesday evening as he rolled up to the premiere with wife and producer Mia Swier.

The 33-year-old Glee star kept comfortable by donning a maroon toned hoodie and a blue flannel shirt.

Sleek: The Euphoria star had her lengthy brunette tresses parted down the middle and slicked back into a sleek half up, half down 'do

Lucky in love: Haley was accompanied by her handsome fiance Brett Dier, who she first began dating in 2012

Sweet: Barbie looked beyond sweet as she cozied up next to her girlfriend and musician Elle Puckett for a photo

During his time on the event's drive-by step-and-repeat, Criss poked out of his car's sunroof.

Betty Who put her enviable abs on display in a black bra and an oversized pinstriped blazer.

The 28-year-old pop star was all smiles as she climbed out of the passenger's side window and posed for the shutterbugs.

Nice mask: Darren Criss did his best Bane impression on Wednesday evening as he rolled up to the premiere with wife and producer Mia Swier

Casual cutie: The 33-year-old Glee star kept comfortable by donning a maroon toned hoodie and a blue flannel shirt

Flare for the dramatic: During his time on the event's drive-by step-and-repeat, Criss poked out of his car's sunroof

Breckin Meyer was the definition of a silver fox as he and a gorgeous guest arrived to the socially-distanced premiere.

The 46-year-old Clueless star smirked at the camera and appeared to be wearing a green utility vest over a basic black tee.

His gal pal had her curly tresses styled into a bun and she braved the heatwave in a leather jacket.

Washboard: Betty Who put her enviable abs on display in a black bra and an oversized pinstriped blazer

Daredevil: The 28-year-old pop star was all smiles as she climbed out of the passenger's side window and posed for the shutterbugs

In good company: Breckin Meyer was the definition of a silver fox as he and a gorgeous guest arrived to the socially-distanced premiere

Jeryl Prescott came forth with a powerful message on her face mask as she graced the drive-by premiere.

The Walking Dead star donned a cloth face mask that had the phrase 'Black Votes Matter' written on it.

Her golden brown hair was tied up into a neat bun and she put her toned physique on display in a white crop top and black leggings.

A lady with a message: Jeryl Prescott came forth with a powerful message on her face mask as she graced the drive-by premiere

Indeed: The Walking Dead star donned a cloth face mask that had the phrase 'Black Votes Matter' written on it

Kara Royster provided major fashion inspiration in a mesh tie-dyed dress that featured a sexy mock neck and long sleeves.

The Never See Her Again actress had her hair in an Ariana Grande inspired 'do and she wore a pair of trendy platform boots.

Sugar Lyn Beard showcased her killer smile as she arrived with some of her closest pals.

Fashion forward: Kara Royster provided major fashion inspiration in a mesh tie-dyed dress that featured a sexy mock neck and long sleeves

Smiley: Sugar Lyn Beard showcased her killer smile as she arrived with some of her closest pals

Hayley Law had the upcoming election on her mind as she showcased her 'Vote' shirt.

The 27-year-old Riverdale star pointed at her political tee and flashed a huge smile.

Film producer Sarah Schechter radiated natural beauty as she pulled up to Wednesday night's premiere with a male friend.

Vote: Hayley Law had the upcoming election on her mind as she showcased her 'Vote' shirt

Radiant: Film producer Sarah Schechter radiated natural beauty as she pulled up to Wednesday night's premiere with a male friend

Unpregnant, which premieres on HBO Max on Thursday, follows 17-year-old Veronica, played by Richardson, who learns she is pregnant.

This development 'threatens to end her dreams of matriculating at an Ivy League college, and the career that will follow,' according to the film's official synopsis.

Veronica, unable to get an abortion in her home state of Missouri, employs the help of her former best friend Bailey, played by Ferreira, to take her to New Mexico to get one.
This time, its for real.

The five-year effort to consolidate Hamiltons nine independent, tax-levying fire districts into one unified firefighting force will be a reality on Jan. 1, 2021, town and fire union officials announced Wednesday.

The state Department of Community Affairs' Local Finance Board on Wednesday unanimously approved the towns plan, voting 7-0, to start a municipal fire department funded by local taxes.

Mayor Jeff Martin and the two unions who represent the towns firefighters rejoiced.

This is a decision that was a long time coming, and one that will mean positive change when it comes to the safety of our entire community, Nick Buroczi and Dave Krueger, presidents of FMBA 84 and 284, said jointly.

Where so many others have failed, or given up, we are glad that Mayor Jeff Martin and his administration have shown the fortitude to continue moving this forward," they said.

Martin said: In an unprecedented year of economic difficulties, consolidation could save the township, and therefore our residents, roughly $1.5 million a year in reduced fire service costs all while keeping the same number of firehouses and firefighters. This is an extraordinary moment in both Hamilton and New Jersey history.

The specifics

The plan calls for the Hamilton Township Fire Department to operate six engine companies and two ladder companies, employ the current 133 sworn firefighters working in township districts, and be led by a fire chief, firefighters familiar with the plan say.

The budget will be about $28 million a year.

Rich Kraemer, currently the chief in District 6, will helm the department.

Some fire chiefs will be demoted to deputy chief, and some deputy chiefs will be demoted to battalion chief so that the department can have two of them - one deputy and one battalion - on duty on each shift, firefighters say.

No firehouses will be closed, the plan says.

However, the nine fire districts will cease, and the 45 commissioners who run them will be out of what amounts to a part-time, although elected, job.

In the future, budget permitting, the new department could add speciality units, like a heavy rescue company, firefighters say.

The effort

Hamiltons current district method of firefighting dates back 100 years. And for decades, the fire districts employed volunteer firefighters to battle blazes.

The districts are each operated by an elected board of five commissioners that set the districts budget, meet monthly in public and hold public elections in February.

In the past 30 to 40 years, though, the districts have hired more and more career firefighters members as volunteerism in the fire service has steadily dropped.

By the fall of 2015, and continuing today, the nine districts all had varying tax rates, equipment, manpower and response times. Depending on where you live in Hamilton, fire service could look quite different from a neighbor across town.

While firefighters and commissioners for years batted around the issue of consolidation, one letter from the board at District 9 - in Groveville - ignited a movement that spread to other districts, who also issued public letters supporting unification.

The two fire unions then took control of the effort and organized a door-to-door effort to have residents sign petitions, which they hand-delivered to the township clerk - which officially put the effort in front of the township council.

From there, and for the next several years, consolidation became one-word topic in Hamilton.

Council debated and discussed it, public meetings were held, and it eventually became a political issue, with former Mayor Kelly Yaede asking for the state to study the issue and produce a report.

One sticking point for a while was whether to consolidate the nine districts into one new, super district that would serve all of Hamilton, or eliminate the nine and create a municipal department, similar to a police department that would be part of the township budget.

Firefighters initially liked the super district option, but politicians favored the municipal option, which emerged as the agreed-upon model.

In 2017, due to what the unions said was feet dragging by town politicians, the unions publicly backed three Democratic challengers for council who said they move forward consolidation. All three won seats.

They did the same too in last falls mayoral election, endorsing Martin, who defeated Yaede.

The issue appeared on the township council docket many times, and residents and firefighters enjoyed many, This is it! moments, thinking a new department was a reality. But the resolutions and ordinances never took effect.

One firefighter vented Wednesday that Martin, "did in a pandemic in six months what the former administration failed to do for years.

Eddie Donnelly, President of the New Jersey FMBA, who worked on the plan closely at times, said in a statement: Todays result is a testament to the positive things that can happen when labor and management work together. Consolidation will make Hamilton safer for our firefighters and the residents they serve, and that makes Hamilton an even better community to call home."

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 23:45:11|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China has unveiled its 2020 list of "Most Beautiful Teachers," an honor given to outstanding teachers to commend their dedication and achievements, as the country observes its 36th Teachers' Day on Thursday.

The list of winners comprises 11 teachers from across China, as well as a team involved in a program supporting education in Liangshan, a remote, poor region in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Among them is Zhang Wenhong, a Fudan University professor and expert on COVID-19 control.

The winners were awarded certificates of honor by officials from publicity and education authorities. Enditem
COVID-19 test is mandatory for members of Assembly to attend the one-day session on September 14, according to the Assembly Secretariat.

The sitting of the assembly will commence at 2 pm. All members will have to wear a face mask and practice social distancing.

"Speaker has directed that all Members are required to mandatorily carry Covid-19 test report (RT-PCR) done prior to 48 hours of the sitting/session i.e. 14/09/2020 for the purpose of attending the sitting/session on 14/09/2020," read the release from the Legislative Assembly Secretariat.

The MLAs may get RT-PCR test done at their level or attend the Assembly Complex on September 11 between 10 AM and 1 PM along with their Aadhar Card for the RT-PCR Test.

No visitors will be allowed during the Fourth Part of First Session of the Seventh Legislative Assembly commencing from September 14 in the Legislative Assembly Complex.

"Members are requested to confine the text of the Special Mention to 8-10 lines only and not to deviate from the original text while raising the same on the floor of the House. Any deviation will be disallowed and treated as summarily expunged from the proceedings. The matter should relate to only one Department and raise only one issue," read the release.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TEZONAPA, Mexico - Mourners gathered Thursday at the wake of a newspaper reporter whose decapitated body was found a day earlier in an area of the Gulf coast state of Veracruz that has suffered months of organized crime violence.

The newspaper El Mundo in the city of Cordoba reported Wednesday that the body of reporter Julio Valdivia was found near his motorcycle on railroad tracks in the town of Motzorongo. Family and friends paid their respects, but were hesitant to talk citing pervasive fear in the area.

Valdivia covered general news in that part of Veracruz, including crime. In Mexico, those beat reporters often draw the attention of criminal groups that are upset by coverage or try to control what stories are published.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Thursday that he knows journalists do heroic work in that part of Veracruz and in other places.

That is why all cases must be investigated and those responsible punished, he said.

Valdivia, a father of six, was at least the sixth journalist killed this year in Mexico. Friend Angela Carrasco said the newspaper hadnt paid him his complete salary in eight months. He was making 1,000 pesos or about $47 a week, she said. Carrasco said her friend was serious about his work and always trying to get ahead for his daughters. Thats what he lived for, she said.

The Veracruz state prosecutors office said in a statement Wednesday that its investigation would include Valdivias work as a journalist as one of the principal lines of inquiry. Mexican authorities have been criticized in previous cases for quickly discounting any connection between murdered journalists and their work.

The Veracruz State Commission for Attention and Protection of Journalists said in a statement that Valdivia had not reported receiving threats to them and therefore did not have special protection measures. It condemned Valdivias murder and called on authorities to deeply investigate any connection to his work.

On Thursday, commission director Jorge Morales visited Valdivias family.

In Veracruz, there are regions that are silenced or where there is a de facto vacuum of the rule of law, which forces journalists to turn to self-censorship as a means of protection, Morales said. He said the groups that operate in places like this are involved in fuel theft, drug production and trafficking, extortion, kidnappings and stealing merchandise off trucks. Were talking about areas in a state of decomposition.

Tezonapa, where Valdivia was from, sits at the border between Veracruz and Oaxaca. Motzorongo, where his body was found, is just five miles from Tezonapa.

The area where the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca meet is violent. Multiple organized crime groups, including the Jalisco New Generation cartel, operate in the area. Local reporters say the area is dominated by organized crime. Valdivia is at least the third reporter killed in the area since 2015.

In February, Veracruz Gov. Cuitlahuac Garcia and Oaxaca Gov. Alejandro Murat signed a co-operative agreement pledging to send more security resources to the area to lower the level of violence. They said state security forces with support from the National Guard, army and marines would police the area.

In June, a 16-year-old Mexican-American boy was killed just 8 miles (13 kilometres) down the road in Acatlan de Perez Figueroa, Oaxaca. Authorities said a local police officer shot the boy in the head with a shotgun as he rode by a police check point with friends on motorcycles. The teens mother said they had just gone to the store to buy sodas. The police officer was arrested.

__

Garcia reported from Xalapa, Veracruz.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.10

By Ilhama Isabalayeva  Trend:

Azerbaijani travel companies, which werent operating for a long time due to COVID-19-related quarantine, resume their activities, along with a number of other businesses, within the instructions of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers on quarantine easing, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijan Association of Travel Companies (ATAA).

The travel companies are allowed to resume work in office conditions in compliance with the methodological instructions approved by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of May 16, 2020.
On Wednesday, Anurag Kashyap shared his old WhatsApp chats with Sushant Singh Rajput's manager which are from May 22 and June 14 - its the day when the Kai Po Che actor was found hanging at his Mumbai residence leaving his fans and family bereaved.

In the now-controversial chats, the Gangs of Wasseypur director is seen explaining to Sushant's manager why he didn't want to work with him. This has come as a shock to many of Sushants fans.

On May 22, Sushant Singh Rajput's manager approached Anurag Kashyap to do a film with the late actor. The manager wrote, "I know you don't like people pitching actors. I feel I can take that chance with you. Please keep Sushant Singh Rajput in mind if you feel he fits in anywhere with you. As an audience, I'd love to see you two create something great (sic)."

To which, Anurag responded by calling Sushant as problematic. He said,

"He is too problematic man. I have known him from before he started out, and got him his first film Kai Po Che (sic)."

Sharing the chat, Anurag Kashyap, who has turned 48 today, wrote,

"I am sorry that I am doing this but this chat is from three weeks before he passed away. Chat with his manager on 22 May .. havent dont it so far but feel the need now .. yes I didnt want to work with him for my own reasons.. (sic)."

I am sorry that I am doing this but this chat is from three weeks before he passed away. Chat with his manager on 22 May .. havent dont it so far but feel the need now .. yes I didnt want to work with him for my own reasons .. https://t.co/g4fLmI5g9h pic.twitter.com/cHSqRhW9BD  Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) September 9, 2020

The director then went on to share another chat with Sushant's manager from June 14. In this chat, Anurag tells Sushant's manager he had a grudge with the actor. He wrote,

"Yeah. I walked away from R****** ***** because Mukesh told me Sushant wanted to do my film. Then Sushant ghosted me. And I shelved the film."

Sushant's manager then added,

"He had tremendous respect for you and Gattu." To which, Anurag wrote, "We were always honest. That's why I was upset. And I know Mukesh had something to do with it. So I just stayed away from the two. I just feel maybe I should have talked to him once instead of holding on to that grudge. Just feel so shit."

Further, the filmmaker enquired about Sushant's family and his sisters.

Also My conversation with his manager on June 14th . It will show you things if you want to see. It feels horrible to do this but cant keep it back .. and for those as well who think we didnt care for the family . As honest as I can be .. judge me all you want .. pic.twitter.com/AdfJzcdh9M  Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) September 9, 2020

He shared the conversation with the caption that read,

"Also my conversation with his manager on June 14th. It will show you things if you want to see. It feels horrible to do this but can't keep it back... and for those as well who think we didn't care for the family. As honest as I can be.. judge me all you want (sic)."

Anurag Kashyap started being vocal about Sushants controversy right after Kangana Ranaut started blaming Bollywood for bullying him. Meanwhile the filmmaker showed his support for Rhea Chakraborty after she was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau on Tuesday.

Heres how people on Twitter reacted to Kashyaps tweets:

yeah the person who had immense knowledge was problematic but people who even don't about physics and just know how to roll is normal  Vivek Gaurav (@thesleepybot) September 9, 2020

it is his film, his vision, him money.



Shouldn't he be taking decision with whom to work with?

Sorry not getting this logic.#JusticeForRhea  Nila (@Nilanja80960043) September 9, 2020

I guess, it's fine sharing this conversation on his own.. coming from a third person as leaks will add more fuel to otherwise toxic debate.. at least he has put forth his reservations transparently.. we need to see this neutrally and not from the lens of SSR unfortunate demise  vignesh R iyer  (@vigneshriyer22) September 9, 2020

No we want more screenshot from other celebs to..social media has made him a son of India:the angle..which he was not..he had tantrums..he harrased producers..and drugs ka to abhi aayegaa dekh lo  Krupali HWI (@HwiKrupali) September 9, 2020

He has just proven what Sush said in many of his interviews about the perception people created about him without knowing him. Same as the blinds. He didn't bother about it and neither do we.#CBIFamilyAwaitsJusticeForSSR  Sameera (@channamereyaSSR) September 9, 2020

The news of the sudden demise of the 34-year-old actor at his Mumbai home on June 14 has left celebrities and people from across the country extremely shocked and saddened.

The CBI is currently investigating the death of the actor. Along with the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate and the NCB are carrying out their separate investigations.

On Tuesday, the NCB arrested Rhea Chakraborty, Sushants girlfriend, for offences relating to trade, sale, purchase and use of the banned substances. Besides earlier, the agency had arrested Rhea's brother Showik Chakraborty, Sushant's house-manager Samuel Miranda and his housekeeper Dipesh Sawant for procuring drugs.
The University of Michigan-Dearborn issued an apology Wednesday for creating segregated online student 'cafes,' one for white people and another for people of color, that it says were intended to promote discussions about race and diversity.

A statement by the university near Detroit came after two virtual 'cafe' events were held Tuesday, with one advertised as a 'non-POC Cafe' for non-people of color to 'gather and discuss their experience as students on campus and as non-POC in the world.'

The other, dubbed 'BIOPIC Cafe' was for Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and described as a space for 'marginalized racial/ethnic/cultural communities to gather and to relate with one another to discuss their experience as students on campus' and in the world.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn faced criticism this week after creating two segregated virtual 'cafes', with one for white people and another for black, Indigenous people of color

The initiative was created by UM-Dearborn officials to 'allow students the opportunity to connect to process current events, share their experiences related to race, share knowledge and resources and brainstorm solutions'

The events were scheduled for the same time and took place in two separate Zoom sessions.

Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said he understood the intention but 'it could have been done better, obviously.'

Ayoub said such spaces are created for students of color who have experienced racism to safely share their experiences. He added its important that white students hear and learn from the experiences of students of color in these discussions.

'It seemed that opportunity was missed intentionally,' said Ayoub, a UM-Dearborn graduate. 'We know this is a mistake but hope they move forward.'

Ayoub flagged the event postings on Wednesday afternoon on Twitter.

'From U of M - Dearborn. The Non-POC Cafe or the "White Cafe,"' wrote Ayoub.

'Anyway, I wonder what the menu looks like for the Non-POC Cafe at UM-Dearborn. If they have chocolate hummus I am calling for a boycott.'

Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, shared photos of the initiative on Twitter

In it's statement, UM-Dearborn apologized for referring to the online gatherings as 'cafes,' saying they weren't intended to be exclusive or exclusionary for individuals of a certain race.

The use of 'cafe' was the cause of much confusion as people online thought the university was building two separate, physical cafes to serve students, said Vice-Chancellor Ken Kettenbeil, adding the sessions were one-time events, but he anticipates the dialogue will continue.

'The terms used to describe these virtual events and the descriptions themselves were not clear and not reflective of the universitys commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,' the university's statement said.

The statement further explained that the 'cafes were meant for students to 'process current events' related to race.

UM-Dearborn: 'The terms used to describe these virtual events and the descriptions themselves were not clear and not reflective of the university's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion'

'The cafes were virtual open conversations developed to allow students the opportunity to connect to process current events, share their experiences related to race, share knowledge and resources and brainstorm solutions,' it read.

'The original intent was to provide students from marginalized communities a space that allowed for them to exist freely without having to normalize their lives and experiences.

'While also providing students that do not identify as persons of color the opportunity to deepen their understanding of race and racism without harming or relying on students of color to educate them.'

Frederick Phillip, a graduate student at University of Michigan-Dearborn, told WXYZ that administrators' approach to the initiative underscored diversity on campus.

'Im against discrimination,' said Phillip. 'This is a university of great diversity and so people from various spots of the world are here. So I think thats a bad thing they went for.'
Dear Annie: My adult daughter, who lives in a southern state with a notoriously high incidence of the coronavirus cases, informed us she would be bringing her boyfriend to our home when she visits us at Christmas. Ive never met this gentleman and do not know his personal or social habits. My wife and I have been quite cautious in our physical distancing during this pandemic. Is it discourteous to ask my daughters friend to take a COVID-19 test before he visits? -- Playing It Safe

Dear Playing It Safe: Its a reasonable request. But rather than unfairly singling out the boyfriend, all four of you should get tested in advance of the visit. This approach would not just be more courteous but more cautious. Call your doctor or check with your local health department to find testing locations near you.

Dear Annie: September is World Alzheimers Month. More than 50 million people around the world live with dementia, and a new case is diagnosed every three seconds, according to the World Health Organization. I wanted to share some possible signs and symptoms of dementia, courtesy of the Alzheimers Association.

--Memory loss becomes disruptive to normal life.

--Struggles with planning things and solving problems.

--Difficulty completing familiar tasks.

--Confusion with time or place.

--Trouble understanding spatial relationships or images.

--New problems with words.

--Misplacing things in unusual places.

--Poor judgment.

--Withdrawal from work or social life.

--Mood swings or personality changes.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any one of the above, dont ignore it and dont delay talking to your doctor about your concerns. Diagnosing dementia early can lead to a much greater quality of life for people with dementia and their families.

World Alzheimers Month is an international campaign to raise awareness about dementia and challenge the stigma surrounding it. Each year during this month, Alzheimer associations from around the world come together to organize and advocate for people and families impacted by this disease, with Memory Walks, fundraising days, and more. If youd like to get involved, you can visit www.worldalzmonth.org for more information. -- Alzheimers Ally

Dear Ally: Thank you for sharing this important information. I received the following letter just this week. It was in response to another letter, but it dovetails neatly with yours.

To Disgraced: Annies advice to you -- to have your husband evaluated by a doctor to determine if dementia is the reason for his drastic personality change and inappropriate sexual behavior -- is urgent.

My brother was happily married, no children, in his early 30s, with a good career, when his personality began to change. He left his wife, got an apartment and, according to his apartment manager, my brothers behavior flipped 180 degrees. He went from a nice, well-liked, respectful man to a rude, verbally and sexually aggressive, unhygienic person. His ability to communicate rationally deteriorated gradually over months.

He refused to see a doctor, even though he was employed in a management position at a hospital; they ultimately had to let him go. At the time, I was in college in the School of Human Behavior and began to research types and causes of early onset dementia.

There are many, and many are curable. My brothers brain disease was not. Technology for early stage diagnostic testing has advanced greatly in 40 years. Please, try to get him to a doctor. No reason to be disgraced. You are protecting the children while a diagnosis and treatment are sought. If you cant persuade him to seek help, talk to someone he is close to, he respects, who could speak as a friend or relative. I wish you all the best. -- Sister Whos Been There

Dear Sister: I am so sorry about your brother. Your letter further underscores the importance of seeking medical attention quickly for any unexplained personality changes. Thanks for writing.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM
Infutor "Im excited to be joining Infutor and its nimble, rapid-growth environment to help navigate, innovate and scale growth inside of the business. --Kevin Dean, Infutor COO

Consumer identity management expert Infutor today announced that data and marketing veteran Kevin Dean has joined Infutor as Chief Operating Officer where he will oversee and lead all product initiatives, as well as drive strategic growth. With more than 30 years of data marketing and information services leadership experience, Dean was most recently the president and general manager of Experian Marketing Services Targeting business and previously oversaw global product development as Senior Vice President, Global Product Management.

I am very excited to have Kevin join our executive team. For years Ive admired his ability to lead and produce results that many only dream to do, said Gary Walter, Infutor CEO. His leadership and experience in the data and marketing industry will help further develop the Infutor product suite and strategy to deliver on our mission to lead the privacy-first consumer identity landscape and accelerate our goals.

Prior to joining Experian, Dean spent 10 years in executive roles at Equifax, serving as Vice President of Corporate Strategic Partnerships and Vice President of Product Management. He also previously served in marketing leadership roles at Cendant and Vita-Mix Corporation and is a board member of the IAB - Data Center of Excellence, Twenty-Ten Analytics, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - Illinois Chapter.

After a long career with the very large industry players Im excited to be joining Infutor and its nimble, rapid-growth environment to help navigate, innovate and scale growth inside of the business, said Dean. Infutor has a strong reputation in the industry with a laser focus on identity resolution that is critical to todays marketers as they balance consumers demands for both greater personalization and data privacy.

Infutors industry leading and privacy compliant consumer identity management and identity resolution services provide brands and marketers with the trusted foundational identity data they need to enhance their first party data and complete a 360-degree view of their consumers. Deans executive appointment follows Infutors continued marketplace momentum including most recently being named to the 2020 Inc. 5000 ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies and on Crains Chicago Business Best Places to Work list.

About Infutor

Infutor is the expert in data-driven consumer identity management. The company is solely focused on enabling brands to instantly gain access to the most complete and accurate information about consumers, exactly when they need it, to make informed marketing and risk mitigation decisions. Infutors mission is to deliver solutions that accurately identify consumers before, during and in-between engagements, giving brands a secure, privacy compliant foundation to improve inbound engagement and outbound omnichannel marketing reach, and to minimize losses due to fraud and non-payment. Led by information industry veterans, Infutor is a privately held company founded in 2003 with strategic investments from Norwest Venture Partners. Infutor is headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. For more information, visit http://www.infutor.com.

###


Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
PHOENIX and ATLANTA, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, and network member firm FSC Securities today announced the successful recruitment of two independent financial professional businesses with a total of $105 million in client assets. In addition to FSC Securities, Advisor Group also includes KMS Financial Services, Royal Alliance Associates, SagePoint Financial, Securities America, Triad Advisors and Woodbury Financial.

The two independent practices transitioning to FSC Securities include Richardson eWealth Strategies in Walnut Creek, Calif., with $82 million in assets, as well as Houston-based John "J.W." Holmes, with $23 million in assets. The announcement reinforces FSC's longstanding position as a leading destination for growth-driven financial professionals, combining a high-touch, boutique experience with enhanced value through the scale and resources of its parent company, Advisor Group.

FSC Securities President and CEO Derek Burke said, "It is an honor and privilege to welcome Clem Richardson and J.W. Holmes to the FSC and Advisor Group communities. Both financial professionals have exceptional track records, and we are excited to support them in this new stage of their careers. At FSC, we are in the business of helping financial professionals reach new levels of success. We look forward to working closely and collaboratively with Mr. Richardson and Mr. Holmes for years to come."

Richardson eWealth Strategies is led by Clement Richardson, a 19-year veteran of the financial services industry who specializes in financial planning and wealth management services for high-net worth individuals and families.

J.W. Holmes has worked in financial advisory services for 11 years and has built a practice serving individuals, families, non-profits and institutions with financial planning and wealth management services. He is joining FSC through the firm's largest Super-OSJ office Legacy One Group, which is based in Houston and led by Lea Goodman and Jerry Murphy.

Both Mr. Richardson and Mr. Holmes are first-time independent financial professionals.

Mr. Richardson said, "The dream of so many financial professionals across our industry is to build their own thriving business. As I embark on this new chapter of my professional life, I am confident about all that my business can achieve in partnership with FSC Securities and Advisor Group. The service culture, technology and advisor growth tools these organizations bring to the table are second to none, and we look forward to leveraging these resources to deliver an exceptional service experience to our firm's clients."

Mr. Holmes said, "FSC Securities and Advisor Group are the gold standard in the industry when it comes to helping practices like mine thrive, so when I decided to become an independent business owner, they were the logical choice of partners for me. I wanted to affiliate with firms whose support would allow me the freedom to serve my clients the best way possible, and I have that in FSC Securities and Advisor Group. Going forward, I am excited to utilize the incredible resources and expertise of FSC and Advisor Group as I build my business."

Jamie Price, CEO and President of Advisor Group, said, "On behalf of the entire Advisor Group network, we welcome Mr. Richardson and Mr. Holmes to the family and congratulate FSC Securities on the recruitment of two financial professionals of their abilities. Our goal is to provide each of the more than 11,000 financial professionals affiliated with our wealth management firms with the services, platforms and technology they need to grow their businesses. Our financial professionals bring the drive, dedication and commitment to client service, and we bring the resources to help them succeed. As always, we are in our financial professionals' corner and stand ready to support them in their ongoing growth."

About FSC Securities

FSC Securities Corporation is a leading Independent Broker-Dealer and a Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA and SIPC. FSC is supported by Advisor Group, Inc., one of the largest truly independent broker-dealer networks in the industry. The firm has more than 850 advisors across the U.S., and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. For more information, please visit www.joinfsc.com.

About Advisor Group

Advisor Group, Inc. is the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, serving approximately 11,100 financial professionals and overseeing over $450 billion in client assets. The firm is mission-driven to support the strategic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial professionals and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way. For more information visit https://www.advisorgroup.com.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Advisor Group, Inc. subsidiaries, FSC Securities Corporation, KMS Financial Services, 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 services are offered through Investacorp, Inc., Securities America, Inc., and Securities Service Network, broker-dealers and members of FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Arbor Point Advisors, LLC, Investacorp Advisory Services, Inc., Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., SSN Advisory, Inc., and Triad Hybrid Solutions, LLC, registered investment advisers. Advisor Group, Inc. is a holding company. Advisor Group, Inc. is separately owned and other entities and / or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Advisor Group, Inc. 20 E. Thomas Rd., Ste. 2000, Phoenix, AZ, 85012. 866.481.0379

Media Inquiries

Joseph Kuo / Chris Clemens

Haven Tower Group

424 317 4851 or 424 317 4854

[email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE Advisor Group, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.advisorgroup.com


Juan Torres Master Distillers is the spirits division of the Torres family and is one of the leading producers of Spanish brandy. Its origins date back to 1928 when Juan Torres Casals of the family's second generation began making aged brandies matured in oak casks; smooth and aromatic spirits distilled from a selection of the finest white Penedes (Barcelona) wines. With over 90 years to its name, Juan Torres Master Distillers continues to perfect the art of distillation to this day  a constant pursuit of excellence that finds reflection in each of its exquisitely crafted spirits, produced under the brands Torres Brandy, El Gobernador, and Magdala. These elegant, personality-driven brands find their perfect match in the world of mixology, where they live up to the expectations of a consumer who delights in shared moments of superior quality. According to the annual brands report by Drinks International (January 2020), Torres Brandy came in first among Top Trending Brands and Bestselling Brands, two rankings compiled based on a questionnaire completed by more than one hundred of the world's best bars.

Daniel Walker, President of Infinium Spirits, stated, "We're very proud to represent Juan Torres Master Distillers and unite efforts to build the brands and accelerate growth in the U.S. market. We have an enormous amount of respect for the Torres family, their employees, their business and their brands. Our family owned businesses align well, and the Torres brands fit very nicely into our portfolio. We see significant opportunity with premium brandy in the U.S. market and appreciate Torres' marketing approach and long-term on-premise focus. We're very excited to be making this significant addition to our portfolio today."

Miguel Torres, 5th Generation and General Manager of Familia Torres, added, "We are very pleased to partner with Infinium Spirits in the U.S market. As a top spirits supplier, Infinium is well respected for their expertise to build brands. There is a significant opportunity to further develop our position with our premium and super premium spirits portfolio in the critical U.S. market. We see Infinium as a great family owned partner for us in the U.S. in our efforts to ensure our brands reach their full potential. We are excited to grow together with Infinium Spirits in the coming years."

Infinium Spirits is a family-owned spirits company known for igniting brands and accelerating performance. Founded in 2005 and based in Aliso Viejo, California, Infinium Spirits specializes in the import, sales, and marketing of its distinctive portfolio of brands.

For press inquiries please contact: [email protected]

For more information please contact:

Infinium Spirits at [email protected], or through their website at www.infiniumspirits.com

Juan Torres Master Distillers through Christoph Kammuller - DirCom International  [email protected]  Tel +34 93 817507  Mobile +34 678 1960 83 or through their website at www.juantorresmasterdistillers.com

SOURCE Infinium Spirits

Related Links

http://infiniumspirits.com


Who was Paul de Lagarde? A research team from the Department of Egyptology and Coptic Studies at the University of Gottingen, in collaboration with the Moses Mendelssohn Center for European Jewish Studies in Potsdam (MMZ), has been working on a historical re-assessment of the life and work of the Gottingen Orientalist (1827-1891). In their work, the researchers have focussed on the political and ideological aspects of the scholar's uvre, and in particular on Lagarde's anti-Semitism. Their conclusions have now been published in the series "European Jewish Studies" by De Gruyter.

For this volume (in German), the participants of a workshop that took place in Gottingen in January 2018 have examined the archival materials and publications that make up Lagarde's legacy, and, on the one hand, have discussed their contribution to the historiography of ancient Oriental Studies in Germany and the study of Lagarde's influence on Old Testament (Septuagint) research. On the other, these materials have been placed in their contemporary historical context against the background of popular ideology, and offered insights into academic networks in the 19th century.

The co-organiser of the workshop, Professor Heike Behlmer, from the University of Gottingen's Department of Egyptology and Coptic Studies, emphasises in her contribution: "Lagarde's work on the Egyptian-Coptic language and the Coptic Bible are representative of the stages of his career... He identifies and names important research desiderata. In his project plans, Lagarde was definitely ahead of his time: his planned edition of the Sahidic Coptic Bible is only now being realised, using digital methods." The historian Professor Ina Ulrike Paul states in her contribution that parallel to Lagarde's academic career, his attitude towards 'the Jews' became successively more radical: it evolved from the pietistic theological anti-Judaism of the 1850s to a radical anti-Semitism, expressed in racist terms, in the 1880s.

However, the authors do not intend to separate Lagarde's personality into two compartments: on the one hand, his Orientalist studies, and on the other, the undeniably anti-Semitic attitudes expressed in his political writings. "Lagarde was someone who made a name for himself as an academic, but he was also a self-confessed enemy of the Jews," comments the MMZ's founding director Professor Julius Schoeps in his foreword. "For this very reason, we should continue to critically examine his character and his work." He goes on to explain, "The study of Lagarde's intellectual legacy helps us to understand why people think in an anti-Semitic way, how this thinking expresses itself and what consequences 'mere' thoughts can have. In this, Orientalists have a duty first and foremost, not least to prove the relevance of their research to society."

The workshop and the collection of essays have brought together and into dialogue with each other representatives of a number of disciplines and research fields related to the history of Oriental Studies and Theology in Germany, alongside other research areas - like the "volkisch" movement and research on anti-Semitism from the end of the 19th to the middle of the 20th century.

In the meantime, the Department of Egyptology and Coptic Studies at the University of Gottingen and the Department of Research and Development at the State and University Library of Lower Saxony have developed a concept to digitise and digitally analyse Lagarde's Orientalist correspondence in a critical online edition.

###

Original publication: Heike Behlmer, Thomas L. Gertzen and Orell Witthuhn. Der Nachlass Paul de Lagarde. Orientalistische Netzwerke und antisemitische Verflechtungen. De Gruyter Oldenbourg. Europaisch-judische Studien - Beitrage, 46. De Gruyter (2020) - https://www.degruyter.com/view/title/540282?format=G&rskey=qGGhF5&result=1 and DOI: 10.1515/9783110615463

Contact:

Professor Heike Behlmer

University of Gottingen

Department of Egyptology and Coptic Studies

Heinrich-Duker-Weg 14, 37073 Gottingen, Germany

Tel: +49 (0)551 3929420

Email: hbehlme@uni-goettingen.de

http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/472658.html

Dr Thomas Gertzen

Freie Universitat Berlin

Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies

Otto-von-Simson Strae 7, 14195 Berlin

Tel: +49 (0)30 83868667

Email: thomas.gertzen@fu-berlin.de

http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/altorient/Mitarbeiter_innen/Einstein-Center-Chronoi/Gertzen.html
SEATTLE, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. District Court for the Nevada District docketed case updates on a lawsuit filed against the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a Seattle federal detention center (FDC SeaTac), a Seattle law firm (Foster Garvey), and the FDC's warden (Israel Jacquez), unveiled COVID-19 spreading within the prison, including two Hispanic male inmates were obliged to remain in the general prisoner population, after the prison's health services staff knew they tested positive for the coronavirus, as asymptomatic COVID-19 individuals, able to easily infect other prisoners and prison staff unknowingly.



PRIOR NEWS ON BLACK PRISONER AT FDC SEATAC INFECTED WITH COVID-19 CAUSING LOCK DOWN



This COVID-19 pandemic prison (outbreak) news follows last month's reporting on civil action, Cary Lee Peterson, et. al. v. John Doe 1, et al., C.A. No. 20-cv-00808 (9th Cir. USDC Nevada), regarding 'Black Political Prisoner Seeks Bail Pending Appeal After COVID-19 Infection Attack at Seattle FDC' ( https://news.yahoo.com/black-political-prisoner-seeks-bail-081700180.html )- an extraordinary situation where an African American prisoner, identified as "Nathaniel Durant", had tested positive for the coronavirus upon arrival at FDC SeaTac, July 17- shortly after, assigned to the same prison cell as African-American civil rights lobbyist Cary Lee Peterson, despite the prison unit having twenty empty cells, according to court papers for Peterson's COVID-19 emergency relief motion, that was were initially denied by United States Circuit Justice Theodore McKee, but less than a week later, refiled under seal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and is now under priority review.



HISPANIC INMATE DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19 BY PRISON BUT NEVER TOLD HE WAS INFECTED



The court record shows that Hispanic inmate "Jesus Perez" was diagnosed as an asymptomatic COVID-19 individual, July 29, 2020- and as a result was granted a 90-day home confinement pass by the prison health services staff. But at no time was Perez told by anyone at the Bureau of Prisons that he had the COVID-19 virus, or was discharged for ninety days of home confinement, July 29.



However, Perez discovered this fact after the U.S. Attorney in Montana made an erroneous court filing in criminal court proceedings for Perez' compassionate release, which FDC SeaTac Warden Jacquez denied in August; weeks after the FDC's "RN" ("Figueroa") had approved Perez for a 90-day home confinement pass, July 29- a finding unveiled on court record filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, August 27, 2020 (i.e. United States v. Jesus Alberto Perez, Case No. 98-cr-00017-CCL, 9th Cir. USDC-MT, ECF Doc. No. 432-1 at 171-173). In addition, the BOP erroneously began sending Perez' prisoner mail to his mother's address in Kennewick, WA., presumably because the BOP health services staff had [previously] granted a 90-day home confinement pass- but Perez had remained at FDC SeaTac at all times.



HISPANIC INMATE TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AT CDC FORCED TO SURRENDER TO FDC DAYS LATER



Another Hispanic male inmate identified as "Oscar Lopez," arrived to FDC SeaTac, after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus at a CDC drive-thru testing center in July. However, Lopez was required to turn himself into the prison for a parole violation for a non-violent offense, despite him telling his probation officer that he was infected and had only done self-quarantining for a couple of weeks prior to his turn-in date. As, Peterson, Durant, and Perez- presently Lopez remains in general population of FDC SeaTac's "QADRE" unit; described as a 70-to-80 inmate unit where a majority of the prisoners leave the unit (or prison) daily for jobs authorized by the warden.



Federal Bureau of Prisons' population report for September 4, 2020 shows a total of 649 prisoners at FDC SeaTac- a significant increase from the 585 prisoners there, July 17, when Durant arrived to the FDC, infected with the COVID-19 virus, as previously reported last month ( http://tinyurl.com/fdc-seatac ).



OTHER COVID-19 OUTBREAK FINDING & DISCOVERY FROM COURT RECORD



Court papers evinced (additional) disclosure of a Caucasian prisoner, 69 years old, identified as "Bruce Lewis," another non-violence offender, imprisoned for a white-collar crime in New York's Southern District, stating that he requested a COVID-19 test three times since June, but was told by prison health services staff that he could not be tested because the COVID-19 test kits were outdated. Lewis' feedback in Peterson's lawsuit was followed by a prison laundry worker who stated that there were over forty COVID-19 infected inmates in the "FA Unit," which made him uncomfortable because the prison had an insufficient supply of 'P.P.E.' to handle the dirty laundry of the several infected [newly arrived] inmates in isolation.



In Perez' case (USA v. Perez, USDC-MT, ECF Doc. No. 431 at 8), Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart (Montana) stated: "As of August 26, 2020...there are 1,461 federal inmates and 648 BOP staff confirmed positive test results for COVID-19 nationwide. Currently, 10,443 inmates and 896 staff have recovered." (i.e. about 9% of the 127,177 federal prisoner population at BOP managed institutions, had been infected with COVID-19 virus pursuant to BOP population statistics dated August 27, 2020.)



Ironically the 'Peterson v Doe 1 Lawsuit' updates reference a BOP senior employee whose kin of Peterson's sentencing judge Anne E. Thompson in New Jersey- identified as the associate director for the federal prison bureau's entire technology division, responsible for everything from the prisoner law research software; and prisoner record management and inmate mail, for Perez, Peterson, and all federal prisoners with the BOP prisoner population. Consequently Peterson's civil action filed in Nevada federal court, April, for civil rights claims related to cruel and unusual punishment (related to a 120 day COVID-19 prisoner-cell lockdown), "franking" and altering and obstructing legal mail, and erroneous prisoner records resulting from an incomplete presentence report and other mandatory sentencing procedures [i.e. Rule 32(i)(3); ECF Doc. 170] (under special review by multiple federal circuits), remain in limbo, without remedy, for political prisoner Cary Peterson, Mexican prisoner Jesus Perez, and other federal inmates at FDC SeaTac.

See court papers relevant to this news content here.



Media Contact:

Amanda Liu (publicist)

Robert Peterson Fields & Associates

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KABUL -- Long-delayed peace talks between Taliban and Afghan government negotiators are set to kick off in Qatar on September 12, officials and the militant group say.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the September 10 announcement and urged the sides not to squander the "historic opportunity for Afghanistan to bring an end to four decades of war and bloodshed."

"This opportunity must not be squandered," he said in a statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump later said that Pompeo would travel to the Qatari capital, Doha, to attend the intra-Afghan peace talks.

Earlier in the day, Fawzia Koofi, a member of the Afghan governments negotiating team, told RFE/RL that they will travel to Doha on September 11 and that the opening ceremony for the negotiations was planned for the next day.

The Taliban said in a statement it was ready to take part in the inauguration ceremony.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed that it will host the peace negotiations starting on September 12, calling the talks a serious and important step towards establishing sustainable peace in the country.

The negotiations are part of a landmark deal signed between the United States and the Taliban in February.

Talks were initially supposed to start the following month but were delayed as the Taliban and the Afghan government completed a prisoner exchange.

Under the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in Doha in February, international forces should withdraw from Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the militant group, which pledged to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and power-sharing deal with the Afghan government.

The deal promised 5,000 Taliban prisoners would be set free by the Afghan government ahead of the negotiations, in return for 1,000 members of the security forces held by the militants.

The last Taliban prisoners were released last week, except the six who left Kabul on a flight to Doha on September 10, Afghan officials said, paving the way for the Doha talks to begin.

The six prisoners, whose release was objected to by France and Australia because of their links to the murders of French and Australian civilians and troops in Afghanistan, are to be kept under supervision in Doha.

"The six will remain in Qatar until the end of November and could be transferred back to Kabul," a government source told Reuters.

The Taliban has blamed Kabul for delaying the negotiations, but presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi on September 10 accused the Taliban of stalling for time.

"Reshuffling their peace negotiating team at the last minute indicates that they are still not prepared for the talks," Sediqqi said.

In his statement, Pompeo urged the negotiators to demonstrate the pragmatism, restraint, and flexibility this process will require to succeed.

The United States recalls the commitment by the Afghan government and the Taliban that terrorists can never again use Afghan soil to threaten the United States or its allies, he also said. Now is the time for peace for Afghanistan.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Tolonews
A recent apparent spike in the number of serious truck accidents along Interstate 81 in Southwest Virginia has area first responders concerned, but relief might be just a few construction projects away.

Thats if the recent accidents are, indeed, connected to the heavy truck traffic on I-81 that prompted the General Assembly and Gov. Ralph Northam last year to add special funding for widening and other improvements to this busy transportation corridor through the state.

The first of the upgrade projects were to get underway this summer, but the identified $2 billion in work needed to bring the I-81 corridor up to date to handle its huge volume of commercial traffic may take years to complete.

Meanwhile, the truck accidents continue to pile up, and authorities are speculating as to the causes.

First responders report an increase in truck accidents on local interstates recently, the Wytheville Enterprise reported last month. One of the latest accidents occurred  when a tractor-trailer caught on fire after a tire blow-out on Interstate 81 near Rural Retreat.

Although no one was seriously injured in that accident, there have been others recently that have involved fatalities.

While some of the accidents were relatively minor, all of them jam up the interstate while theyre being cleared, causing traffic backups that run for miles along the super-busy highway, which is mostly still just two lanes in each direction. Those kinds of backups often create even more accidents.

I dont what it is, but there have been transfer truck accidents all over 81, Rural Retreat Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dave Evans told the Wytheville paper. Its been bumper-to-bumper all up and down the interstate. I have no idea where these people are going.

Evans attributed some of the wrecks to more traffic on I-81 than the interstate can handle, and he suggested that people are driving too fast on the crowded highway.

Its rare to have so many bad truck accidents this close together, he said.

The story noted that there were back-to-back fatalities resulting from truck accidents on I-81 in July:

On July 10, the driver of a box truck traveling south on I-81 ran off the interstate, crossed through the median and entered the northbound lanes. The truck hit a car and two tractor-trailers in the northbound lanes, the newspaper said. The driver of the box truck died, and several others were injured.

The next day, a Mississippi man died after his commercial truck caught on fire. According to the [Virginia State Police], the truck was traveling north on I-81 and ran off of the left side of the interstate  The truck struck the guardrail and bridge, then went off the bridge and caught on fire.

Some of first-responder agencies suggested that traffic has spiked as more people are getting out again after being cooped up for months in response to the COVID-19 restrictions. But nationwide, truck traffic has been up during the pandemic as more goods have had to be shipped in response to panic buying and stockpiling of food and other necessities by consumers.

There have been a ton of interstate wrecks, Wytheville Fire Chief Marc Brade told the paper. Im just assuming society is getting going and people are out and about and willing to move a little bit more.

Whatever the causes are for the recent spike in I-81 traffic and the resulting accidents, the problems on the interstate have been clear for years. This vital 300-mile stretch of highway between Bristol and Winchester carries 41% of interstate truck travel in Virginia (not to mention a heavy volume of passenger vehicles).

For that reason, it will receive the biggest share of the revenue from higher truck fees and diesel taxes that have been approved through recent legislation, according to a Roanoke Times story earlier this year.

Just how soon that will translate into relief for Interstate 81 travelers, and into lower accident rates along the corridor, remains to be seen. But we have been assured that help is on the way.

In the meantime, though, cant we all just slow down a bit and be a lot more careful out there while driving on our vital interstate highway? Thats really not too much to ask in return for safer journeys.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbors City Council has passed an ordinance banning short-term rentals of residences that arent owner-occupied, signaling the end of dedicated Airbnb houses in the city.

City Council approved the ordinance by a 7-4 vote Tuesday, Sept. 8, prohibiting non-owner-occupied short-term rentals, like year-round Airbnb houses, in residential zoning districts. The ordinance goes into effect on March 1, 2021. Council members Chip Smith, Jeff Hayner and Julie Grand voted against the ordinance, in addition to Mayor Christopher Taylor.

The ordinance limits short term rentals to mixed-use districts. Local residents who want to rent out part of their primary residence or their whole house on a short-term basis still could do so.

After an extensive public hearing and about an hour of discussion, council members ultimately decided to approve the ordinance as it is, rather than postpone the vote to include ordinance language grandfathering in those who already operate short-term rentals or capping the number of short-term rentals in the city.

We are talking about the difference between somebody who is able to live here, to work and study, and somebody who is able to visit here, City Council Member Elizabeth Nelson, D-4th Ward said.

I do not believe that Ann Arbor as a community is primarily a tourism destination. ... Primarily we are a job center in this region and we are primarily focused when we talk about housing issues, about the housing that is here for people to live here.

Some council members argued the conversion of homes into dedicated short-term rentals is taking away housing thats needed for longterm residents and impacting affordability by reducing the local housing supply.

Council member Jane Lumm said the ordinance was necessary to enact in preventing the further deterioration of permanent housing in the city, requiring licensing and registering of short-term rentals going forward.

All we know is the number of short-term rentals has indeed grown and every home used for short-term rental is one less unit of permanent housing, Lumm said.

Council member Zachary Ackerman said the city has not been able to compensate for the housing shortage it has experienced over the past 20 years, with consistently increasing enrollment at the University of Michigan and the addition of 13,000 new jobs in the area.

Making those short-term rentals available for community members or prospective community members, Ackerman said, is the right approach in solving the citys affordable housing deficit.

People wonder why rents are rising and houses are selling at astronomical rates, and the answer is because, among other systemic issues, we have a serious housing shortage," Ackerman said. "When we say short-term rentals account for only 0.2% of housing units, were talking about well over 100 units of housing today. Thats 300 bedrooms that are no longer available to community members.

Some residents and operators of short term rentals believe the ban is an overreach of power, with some previously threatening to take legal action against the city if an exemption isnt made for short-term rental properties already in operation.

Fourth ward resident Carol Scala said the ordinance was only considered after one resident began complaining about short-term rentals as nuisance properties. She believes City Council only began pursuing the ordinance when it became apparent it could use short-term rentals as a housing scapegoat for its inability to meet its affordable housing goals.

The city has pushed and pulled their positions like a chameleon that cant figure out the right camouflage, Scala said. When the dust settles, the taxpayers will look back at the manipulation of this effort to put legally operating rentals out of business for a handful of complaints that should have been handled by the police department or nuisance ordinance.

Council member Chip Smith recommended tabling the ordinance, suggesting instead to come back later with a proposed cap on the number of short-term rental units the city would allow in addition to the licensing and registration process.

If we keep it a little bit more simple, it will be a much better, fairer ordinance for everybody that will do what we hope it does, Smith said.

The ordinance defines a short-term rental unit as any dwelling that is rented wholly or partly for a fee for less than 30 consecutive days by someone other than the permanent resident or owner. All short-term rentals will be required to be licensed.

It also requires issuing a short-term rental license to the property, specifies information required with an application process and establishes a fee. The ordinance also establishes that short-term rental hosts are responsible for all nuisance and enforcement complaints on their premises.

Under the ordinance, short-term rentals are allowed for those who are operating them out of their primary residence as a homestay  where the owner is present during guest stays. It also allows residential owners to rent out their whole house on a temporary basis. Those primary residence options do not require inspections, unlike rental units.

The ordinance was written by city staff after the citys hiring of consultants from Carlisle Wortman Associates Inc. in 2019 to help the city explore regulatory options.

Its estimated about 1,400 Ann Arbor properties were used for short-term rentals during a one-year period concluding last July, with 131 rented out for at least 150 days out of the year.

Those were mostly in the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods like the Old West Side, Old Fourth Ward and Burns Park.

READ MORE:

Ann Arbor residents divided on adding regulations for Airbnb short-term rentals

Dedicated Airbnb properties at center of Ann Arbors short-term rental ordinance

Ann Arbor officials still debating best approach to regulating Airbnb houses
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 01:19:09|Editor: huaxia

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LHASA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 360 tourists have begun a week-long trip in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, as a tourist train brought them to Lhasa, the regional capital, on Wednesday.

A welcoming ceremony was held at Lhasa's railway station for the tourists from the Yangtze River Delta in east China.

In January 2019, cultural and tourism authorities of several areas formed an alliance to promote a "big, round tourism route" to tap tourism resources and aid poverty-relief efforts in Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and at the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Tibet held a promotion campaign for the tourist route in 2019. The route began operation this year.

The train that arrived in Lhasa on Wednesday departed from Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Tuesday.

During the tourists' stay, they will visit places like Lhasa and Nyingchi and experience the unique landscape and culture there.

The tourist train project will help more poverty-stricken people along the route overcome poverty by developing tourism, according to Huang Yongqing, deputy head of the regional department of tourism and development.

Tibet plans to come up with more tourism products along the train route to help with anti-poverty efforts. Enditem
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has so far charged 57 people with trying to steal a total of $175 million in taxpayer-backed coronavirus pandemic loans, officials said at a Thursday news conference, part of a months-long effort to stamp out profiteering as the federal government continues to spend giant sums of money to stimulate the economy.

The Paycheck Protection Program, a taxpayer-subsidized loan program that is regulated by the Small Business Administration and implemented by banks and financial technology companies, has been a fraud concern from the moment it was rolled out in early April. Funds were disbursed with relatively little vetting, and businesses were allowed to self-certify their own eligibility.

More for you Trump tries to limit damage from revelations he minimized virus threat

"The PPP program represented critical help at a critical time," acting assistant attorney general Brian Rabbitt told reporters on Thursday. "Unfortunately, the crisis brings out not only those that try to help others, but those who try to take advantage of the crisis for personal gain."

An SBA representative declined to comment Thursday.

Those charged include individuals who allegedly received money on behalf of fake companies; legitimate business owners accused of spending the funds on luxury items for themselves rather than on employees' paychecks; people who allegedly knew they weren't eligible but applied anyway; businesses that allegedly double-dipped in a program meant to provide one loan per business; doctors accused of stealing from patients; suburban homeowners who allegedly pretended to be farmers; and elaborate rings of people accused of trying to steal tens of millions of dollars.

The $175 million that fraudsters have attempted to steal has entailed a known loss of $80 million to the government, officials said. The Justice Department was able to recover $30 million.

Officials said the total amount of fraud is unclear at this point, and more charges are expected over the coming months and years. SBA-approved banks have processed well over $500 billion in PPP loans, suggesting that the total amount of fraud could be much higher.

Rabbitt and other federal law enforcement officials said the effort to identify fraudulent loan recipients began soon after banks started processing the loans.

"Anytime the government makes a large amount of money available to the public, the opportunities for fraud are unfortunately clear. We began investigating almost immediately, and we brought our first cases within months of the first loans being made," Rabbitt said.

Officials said many of the fraud cases fall into one of two categories: people who illegally spent PPP loan funds on themselves, or groups of individuals who coordinated together to defraud the program on a massive scale across numerous loan applications. Still others have been docked for bending the rules to get more money or to get loans for businesses that shouldn't have been eligible.

Among the first prosecuted was Maurice Fayne, a reality TV star who received a $3.7 million PPP loan for a business called Flame Trucking which was registered in his name. Fayne allegedly spent about $1.5 million in pandemic assistance funds on fancy jewelry, diamonds and child support payments. Upon his arrest in early May federal agents seized $80,000 in cash including $9,400 that Fayne had in his pockets, according to a Justice Department news release.

More recently, a New Jersey-based attorney named Jae Choi was arrested and charged with fraudulently obtaining $9 million in pandemic loans through three separate lenders. Choi allegedly fabricated records that falsely stated businesses owned by him had hundreds of employees. Choi spent the funds on a home in New Jersey worth nearly $1 million and invested millions in the stock market under accounts in the name of his spouse, according to the Justice Department.

Some of the individuals who defrauded the program had previous criminal records that should have prevented them from participating; in late August, the owner of a failed construction company in St. Paul, Minn., was charged with receiving $841,000 for a company that had closed and had no employees.

More recently the charges brought by the Justice Department have targeted large groups of people that allegedly worked together to steal large sums of money. In early August, the Justice Department charged five people from Georgia, Ohio and California with fraudulently obtaining PPP loans on behalf of businesses they owned, before spending the money on luxury vehicles and jewelry.

The financial institutions that have done most of the work in distributing PPP funds could also be held liable. In a letter published Thursday, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., admonished J.P. Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon over reports that several of the banks employees were involved in misuse of pandemic relief funds. Later a Hollywood film producer named William Sadleir was charged with fraudulently seeking more than $1.7 million in PPP loans to pay employees of his film production and distribution companies, only to instead use the funds to pay off credit card debt and an $80,000 car loan.

SBA coronavirus loan programs "were intended to provide critical economic assistance to small businesses during this time of enormous need. Financial institutions, like yours, are on the frontlines of providing PPP assistance," Rubio wrote. "Allegations that employees of financial institutions have exploited either the PPP or EIDL programs for their own gain must be investigated fully."

A separate SBA-administered pandemic loan program, called Economic Injury Disaster Loans, also has been a magnet for fraud. An inspector general's report released in late July concluded that the program was vulnerable to "pervasive" fraud as the government rushed to spend money when the economic crisis was at its worst. Numerous investigations are ongoing for both loan programs.
[September 10, 2020] Docupace Welcomes Ryan George as Chief Marketing Officer LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Docupace, the leader in cloud-based digital operations software for wealth management firms, today announced the appointment of Ryan George as the company's Chief Marketing Officer. George joins former 1st Global president David Knoch, who assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in April 2020. "Ryan is a gifted strategic thinker and inspiring leader who leverages these tremendous talents to accelerate business performance and strengthen corporate culture," says Knoch. "His unwavering commitment to excellence in planning and execution will be critical to our future success as we accelerate our growth, expand into additional markets and continue to deliver new capabilities to the wealth management industry." George was previously Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications at 1st Global, a wealth management provider to select CPA wealth management firms. During his tenure at the firm, George and his team spearheaded the company's lead generation efforts, boosted its brand among key stakeholders, enhanced the company's culture and ontributed to double-digit revenue growth.

George was a finalist for WealthManagement.com's Broker/Dealer Chief Marketing Officer of the Year award in 2019, he is a Forbes Communications Council member and was Chair of the Financial Services Institute's (FSI) Marketing, Growth and Development Council in 2019. George has spent his entire 15-year career within the financial services industry, working with stakeholders from across the financial advice landscape. Most recently, he served as the Director of Investments Marketing at GuideStone Capital Management, a faith-based asset manager located in Dallas. "Technology advances, consumer demand and widespread workplace disruption due to the pandemic are forcing RIAs, broker/dealers, custodians and advisors to go digital across all areas of the business," said Ryan George, Chief Marketing Officer of Docupace. "I'm very excited to join Docupace, a leader in the fintech space for nearly two decades, and introduce its powerful capabilities to new audiences." About Docupace

Docupace is a leading digital operations technology provider that simplifies how wealth management firms process and digitize data, increasing efficiency, productivity, and profits. With the secure, cloud-based Docupace Platform, the Docupace team provides a suite of digital solutions that helps broker-dealers, RIAs, and their advisors streamline and automate client onboarding, document management, advisor transitions, Regulation Best Interest, and other critical workflows while maintaining SEC and FINRA compliance. With headquarters in Los Angeles, California, Docupace is proud to serve a variety of firms, including some of the largest in the financial services industry, through a combination of proven technology and hands-on service. For more information, please visit www.docupace.com . Docupace Media Contact:

Rickey Bijlani

424-273-8939

rickey_bijlani@docupace.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/docupace-welcomes-ryan-george-as-chief-marketing-officer-301127219.html SOURCE Docupace Technologies, Inc.

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A photo showing a wildfire near the office of the US National Weather Service in Medford, Oregon. US National Weather Service Medford

Residents of Phoenix, Oregon, were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday due to an encroaching wildfire.

By Tuesday night, the wildfire had engulfed more than 1,500 acres in southern Oregon and led to the evacuation of southern Medford, a city of more than 80,000 people.

The blaze ignited Tuesday morning. It is currently 0% contained.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A city in southern Oregon is facing imminent evacuation as wildfires aided by gusty winds threaten to consume it.

On Tuesday, most of Medford, Oregon's 80,000 residents were told to be on standby for an immediate evacuation. By Tuesday night, the Medford Police Department announced an immediate evacuation order for the southwest of the city.

An evacuation order was issued Tuesday night for southern Medford, Oregon. Jackson County Sheriff's Department

Earlier, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office issued an immediate evacuation order for all businesses and residents in the are of Phoenix, Oregon, home to over 4,500 people.

Matt Jordan, a reporter with local television station KOBI, said a Medford apartment building containing more than 500 units had been evacuated, posting a photo showing fires encroaching on his location.

Igniting Tuesday morning, the fire  0% contained  has already burned over 1,500 acres, local television station KDRV reported, citing the Oregon Department of Forestry. It also caused the closure of some 25 miles of I-5, from Phoenix to the border with California.

Fires are also raging outside Eugene and across the state, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents.

"We do not have context for this amount of fire on the landscape," Doug Grafe, chief of fire protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry, said Tuesday, as Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

On Tuesday afternoon, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared an emergency. The state also evacuated nearly 1,500 inmates from three of its prisons, according to OPB.

Story continues

The northwest US has seen dozens of large fires over the past few days, threatening homes and lives not just in Oregon, but in California and Washington

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

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Preparations for Egypts parliamentary elections will soon get underway. Lasheen Ibrahim, head of the National Elections Authority (NEA) which is in charge of supervising the polls, held a meeting with Minister of Health Hala Zayed on Monday to discuss procedures for candidates to undergo required medical check-ups.

Zayed said hopeful candidates will be able to take medical tests in a number of Ministry of Health affiliated hospitals and will be able to use the Ministry of Healths website to report their personal data, select the hospital they favour, and make an appointment for the medical check-up.

Informed sources say the meeting between Ibrahim and Zayed shows that the NEA has already started to lay the groundwork for the House of Representatives elections. They expect that once the Senate election finishes on 16 September the NEA will announce the timetable for the House poll. The door for candidate registration will likely open in October, and the ballot be held in two stages in November and December. The first stage is expected to include 14 governorates and the second 13. Voters will elect 284 deputies via the individual candidacy system and 284 through the closed list system. The president will appoint 28 deputies.

On Monday, in another move signalling the nearing of parliamentary elections, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi ratified the law redrawing the Houses electoral constituencies passed by parliament on 18 August.

The law delineates 143 constituencies for individual candidates and four mega constituencies for closed party lists.

The law divides the 134 individual seats among Egypts 27 governorates.

The four party list constituencies will be Cairo and the Middle and South Delta, North, Middle and South Upper Egypt, the Eastern Nile Delta and Alexandria and the Western Nile Delta.

On 3 September the pro-government Mostaqbal Watan (Future of the Homeland) Party said that it has held meetings with representatives from 12 political parties  the Wafd, the Republican People, the Guardians of the Nation, Reform and Development, Tagammu, Modern Egypt, the National Movement, the Egyptian Socialist Democratic Party, the Liberal Egyptians, Ghad (Tomorrow), Adl (Justice), and the Egyptian Freedom  with the objective of forming a coalition to contest party list seats.

Informed sources within Mostaqbal Watan said the partys successful experience in forming a national coalition that was able to win the Senates 100 party list seats had encouraged its leaders to follow the course with the House elections.

Leftist political parties are also mulling the possibility of forming an election coalition. These include the Popular Alliance, Karama (Dignity), and the Constitution. A statement issued by the Popular Alliance lamented that three leftist political parties  the Egyptian Socialist Democratic, Reform and Development and the Tagammu  opted to join a coalition with the pro-government Mostaqbal Watan.

Leftist political parties will continue their struggle for true democracy in Egypt, and deplore that some parties have chosen to join a coalition whose objectives are opposed to leftist ideals, read the statement.

MPs affiliated with the leftist bloc known as the 25-30 group said this week that they are not seeking to join any parliamentary coalition. Khaled Shaaban, a member of the bloc, said in a press interview that members of the bloc would prefer to contest the House polls as independents.

Meanwhile, a number of politicians last week said they will form a coalition of independents. A statement issued on 3 September indicated that the founders include Amr Amer, the son of late Field Marshal Abdel-Hakim Amer, Sabri Seraj, deputy chairman of Zamalek Sporting Club, Nahla Abdel-Aziz, chairman of Egyptian TVs channel 2, and Hamdi Balat, deputy chairman of the New Independents Party, founded in 2011.

A group of political activists also announced on Sunday their intention to form the Egyptian National Current coalition. The coalition, led by Alexandrias former governor Tarek Al-Mahdi, held a press conference on 6 September.

We hope that we can field national figures that have the will and intention to contest the House elections and play a role in preserving social peace and reinforcing responsible participation in political life, said Al-Mahdi.

He said 25 political parties and 300 public figures had already expressed interest in the coalition which will cooperate with all forces, including the Egyptian presidency, to create a vibrant political life and meet the challenges facing our country.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) held here has demonstrated China's determination and confidence in economic globalization, experts worldwide have said.

They added that Xi's speech has also shown China's willingness to work together with other countries to push for a global economic recovery.

"We hope that this year's CIFTIS, held under the theme of 'Global Services, Shared Prosperity,' will present an opportunity and serve as a platform and a bridge for people from across the world to fully showcase the new progress and breakthroughs in services trade and share in the new technologies and benefits of human progress," said Xi, while addressing the Global Trade in Services Summit of the CIFTIS via video on Friday.

Noting China has effectively controlled the COVID-19 pandemic and its economy continues to recover, Guo Jie, professor in finance at Durham University of Britain, said the CIFTIS reflects the strong momentum and vitality of China's economy and will promote the high-quality development of China's service industry.

The fair will help accelerate the establishment of a new development pattern featuring dual circulation, which takes the domestic market as the mainstay while letting domestic and foreign markets boost each other, said Guo.

It will also help the global economy find a way out of the crisis and achieve a recovery from the recession, Guo added.

Li Yuan, professor of Institute of East Asian Studies at University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, said the CIFTIS sends a clear message to the world that China's economy is recovering and the country is willing to join hands with others to promote the recovery of the world economy as soon as possible.

Xi's inspiring words have boosted the confidence of all countries in coping with this difficult moment in human history, said Li.

Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, former economic advisor to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, said China's holding of the CIFTIS has once again demonstrated that China is not only an active promoter of global multilateralism but also a significant contributor to the building of a more reasonable global political and economic order and the cause of equal development.

China is taking concrete actions to push global governance to develop in a more equitable manner, said Costantinos.

Noting the CIFTIS offers new solutions to problems in a more connected world, Alvaro Echeverria, vice president of the Asia Pacific Chamber of Commerce in Chile, said China is working with its partners from all over the world to create new business and service models.

The CIFTIS will play a very positive role in the recovery of the world economy, Echeverria said.

Oh Ei Sun, principal advisor of Malaysia's Pacific Research Center, said the holding of the CIFTIS will help countries conduct more in-depth exchanges in services.

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, Oh said he expected China to play a greater role in promoting the liberalization of the services trade.

Alexey Maslov, acting director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences, said the structure of global trade has dramatically changed amid the pandemic and services have become vital in promoting trade.

China attaches great importance to trade in services and has huge potential in this area, said Maslov.

Calling China's holding of the CIFTIS a positive move, Maria Gustava, Mozambique's ambassador to China, said the fair demonstrates that there are diverse ways to promote investment and service exchanges among countries even amid the pandemic.

"China, by taking such strong measures as hosting the CIFTIS despite the risks and challenges of COVID-19, demonstrates its resolve to attain a higher level of opening-up to the outside world," said Yu Hong, senior research fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore.

"The CIFTIS will be beneficial not only to the development of the service industry in China, but also to stabilizing the service industry elsewhere when global economies have been badly battered by COVID-19," Yu said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 15:54 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c440aa6b 1 National civil-servant-status,civil-servants,Administrative-and-Bureaucratic-Reform-Ministry,Tjahjo-Kumolo,Jakarta-psbb,PSBB,COVID-19 Free

The government has said that civil servants will be allowed to work from home in compliance with Jakarta's decision to reimpose full large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) starting Monday.

With the implementation of PSBB, the government's agencies must enact a full working from home policy, Administration and Bureaucracy Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said.

However, Tjahjo said there should be work shifts that require 10 to 25 percent of civil servants to take turns performing their duties at their respective offices in some ministries, agencies and local administrations.

Some agencies might need their employees to be present [at the office] to serve the people directly he said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

One of the state institutions, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), will also adjust its working hours adhering to the PSBB policy.

Of course we will adjust to the prevailing regulation that is PSBB, KPK spokesperson Ali Fikri said.

The antigraft agency is currently imposing a work system in which half of the employees work from home and the others work from the office.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced on Wednesday that the capital would reimpose PSBB measures starting Monday after weeks of easing restrictions contributed to a rising number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the city.

All non-essential sectors in Jakarta must work from home, dine-in will not be allowed in restaurants, tourist destinations will be closed and large gatherings are banned. (aly)
Late Tuesday night, as has become standard for coronavirus statements, the UK government announced that social gatherings, indoors or outdoors, would be limited to six people from next Monday, September 14.

Down from 30 previously, the measure is designed to disguise the fact that the governments reopening policy proceeds unchanged even as infections rise exponentially, and to provide it with an opportunity to shift responsibility for its crimes onto young people.

The six-person rule does not apply to workplaces or schools, and groups of six can continue to visit pubs, bars, and restaurants. As if to underscore the tokenistic character of the measure, organised sporting fixtures are also exempt. Wherever there are profits to be made, or children who need minding so their parents can return to work, public health concerns disappear.

The six-person limit will be accompanied by a new asinine government health slogan, Hands-Face-Space, supposedly encouraging hand-washing, the wearing of face masks and social distancing. This comes on the heels of the infamous Stay Alert-Control the Virus-Save Lives message.

The real political intentions behind these new interventions were summed up by Conservative government Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who noted in an interview on Monday that cases were rising fastest among young people, before saying, The question is, how much are you willing to risk the lives of yourself and others by breaking the social distancing rules? and, Dont kill your gran by catching coronavirus and then passing it on.

The outrageous misrepresentation perpetrated by this callous statement is that the renewed spread of the virus is down to failings of individual responsibility. Limiting gatherings to six has been justified with reference to incidents of illegal raves and house partiesgiven pages and pages of coverage in the press.

At best, it is only mentioned in passing that although the highest levels of infection are in people in their 20s, the rise in cases is spread across the working-age population. Or that young people are more likely to work in public-facing roles like hospitalitythe front lines of the governments own Eat Out to Help Out schememore likely to work in insecure employment, where taking precautions against the virus is frequently impossible, and more likely to be forced to live in shared accommodation.

In a circle that cannot be squared, the government simultaneously expresses concern over the sharp rise in cases amongst young people, while pushing forward its drive to reopen schools that have already become a breeding ground for the virus. Just one week after the reopening of schools, England has seen 223 COVID-19 infections, with 28 in Wales, 64 in Northern Ireland and 103 in Scotland (with a much smaller population than England, which opened schools earlier), taking the UK total to over 400.

The exponential spread of the virus will escalate dramatically this month, with the return of students and staff to universitiesthe very demographic now being demonised for its supposed poor behaviour.

All of which is to say nothing of the fact that by far the worst killers of grandparents in the UK are Matt Hancock and his boss, Boris Johnson! They not only presided over the transformation of care homes into killing fields this spring, as hospitals were emptied into unprepared facilities and the resulting infections claimed tens of thousands of lives but have now turned back to the herd immunity strategy they were forced to reluctantly and temporarily abandon in March.

The governments public health announcements are made to distract from these crimes and from the fact that it is their reopening of the economy which is producing the conditions for a second surge in infections. Official figures are already beginning to reflect the consequences. In the past three days, the UK has recorded daily new infection totals of 2,988, 2,958 and 2,460. The seven-day average now stands at 2,198, up from around 500 in late June. This spread also underscores the fraud of local lockdowns, now covering millions, but which do little or nothing to contain the virus.

The duplicitous character of media commentary is underscored by their downplaying of this very real threat, even as they castigate young people. The BBC, in what reads like a government press statement, published Wednesday morning, Five reasons why rise in cases is not all it seems. These reasons are: 1. The peak [in recorded daily infections] was a massive underestimate, 2. Extra testing is a factor, 3. Testing is targeted at hotspots, 4. Hospital admissions arent rising with cases, and 5. Young people are testing positive at higher rates.

Indeed, a direct comparison with the figures recorded during the first peak is distorted by the fact that the governments woeful testing capacity at the time means those figures are likely underestimates of the real number of infections per day. But this is hardly a cause for comfort. Virus cases are rapidly increasing and are not confined to the young. They will reach the catastrophic levels seen earlier this year. At which point, hospital admission will rise rapidly as winter approaches, with a hundred National Health Service trusts at or above capacity and six overwhelmed completely, according to the Guardian, even if COVID pressures are closer to Mays lower levels.

Moreover, this increase takes place under conditions where the test-and-trace system is failing, with people unable to access the test-booking website and being sent to testing centres hundreds of miles from their home to receive one. In the seven days ending August 26, just 69.4 percent of close contacts of infected people were reached by contact tracersthe lowest weekly percentage since test-and-trace began.

As for testing being targeted at hotspots, these are now appearing all over the country. Seventy-nine local authorities have rates of infection higher than 20 per 100,000, the level at which an official concern is registered. The idea that extra testing is wholly responsible for the present increase, or that it is nothing to worry about because it is concentrated among young people, is a lie. The team behind the Covid Symptom Study App, with over a million participants, issued a report this week saying, We are now confident that this rise is statistically significant and that we are definitely seeing a rise in COVID cases in the UK. This is backed up by our R [Reproduction] value, which is currently 1.2 for England, Scotland and Wales and 1.3 for Northern Ireland.

In an interview with ITV on Monday, Professor John Edmundsa member of the governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE)said that the reproduction rate (R rate) for the country was already above 1 and weve opened schools. So this is a risky period.

He added that he was quite worried that schools have just returned, cases are increasing now exponentially. They are increasing exponentially now, from a relatively low level. But they are increasing.

The epidemic continues to increase and then we have Christmas. And that is very difficult. What is Christmas? Well, its meeting with your family very close. Restaurants and pubs and stuff like that. And its all high risk. And its all indoors. Indoors makes a difference.

Schools have gone back. Universities are high risk. They are going back in the next couple of weeks. And the government is trying to get us back into work and back on the tube and buying our sandwich from Pret-a-Manger, and things like that. That will have an epidemiological effect.

BBC coverage could have been authored by the governments press spokesperson. Health correspondent Nick Triggle wrote on Monday, New figures show the UK faces an impossible balancing act. Echoing Boris Johnsons statement in March that families are going to lose loved ones, the BBC journalist wrote, Keeping the death toll anywhere near zero is, sadly, going to be impossible. Success, in his view, meant keeping the death toll below the appalling 41,500 fatalities officially recorded this spring. In fact, the governments own reasonable worst-case scenario predicts 85,000 additional deaths.
One of the important decisions made by many countries is to implement a methodical strategy to build and promote a national brand.

On August 31, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong published an important article titled "Prepare and conduct the 13th Party Congress well, bringing the country into a new stage of development." The article highlighted achievements and difficulties that Vietnam has overcome and the challenges ahead, as well as a consistent vision of the country's development goals.

In the article, the countrys top leader emphasized: The driving force and resources for national development in the new period are to strongly stimulate patriotism, the will of national self-improvement, bringing into play the synergy of both the political system and the culture and people of Vietnam In other words, the trust and consensus of the entire people in the Government's decisions and actions is the key to development.

This has been proven throughout history, from the great defense wars, to the most recent war against the Covid-19 pandemic. So how can we promote and maintain the trust and consensus of the people in the actions and ways of the Government in all circumstances?

National brand - the leading flag for development

Consensus is only possible when the people see themselves, see their interests and roles in the activities of the Government. And one of the important decisions that has been implemented by many countries is to carry out a methodical strategy to build and promote a national brand.

Israel, for example, uses the National Brand as its development guide. Before 2007, Israel was mainly known as a nation of conflict and war. The tourism industry was heavily affected; domestic research institutes were very strong, but they could not attract expertise and cooperation from other countries (except for some traditional partners from the US).

The Branding Campaign helped them to radically change the look from the outside. Conflicts with Arab countries, although they always exist, have been largely overshadowed by the image of success of a Startup Nation.

They began to welcome foreign delegations who came to learn from experiences, and Tel Aviv became a cradle for start-ups and innovation, attracting investment and talent from around the world.

Israel's success is thanks to their success in turning its National Brand into a driving force and goal of every business and citizen. In the book Start-up Nation, Dan Senor suggested: Instead of focusing on introducing companies or individuals, each Israeli businessperson actively sought to "offer the whole economy" to investors and partners. And consensus turned every Israelite into a "brand ambassador" for their country.

The journey to make Singapore a transparent and prosperous country has always been a lesson for many countries. In order to gain the peoples support, right at the beginning of independence, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew set out the goal of making Singapore a prosperous country. Only when the economy and the quality of life improves will it lead to satisfaction and happiness for people and investors. The whole nation gave the government confidence and the freedom to gather resources for development goals.

In addition, symbolic actions, such as quick solutions and imposition of heavy sanctions on corrupt officials, have had great value, helping people and the international community to feel the commitment of the Singapore government in the policies they offered, thereby creating confidence with local residents, visitors and investors.

A strong national brand is like a magnet, creating a common goal for domestic businesses and people, helping them to align their brands and standardize their products according to their brands.

The trust and consensus of the people are activated when they see a political determination, a promise of a national image that the government wants in order to position their country. When the brand promise is built in consensus with the people, considering the people as the center of development, it will surely receive the highest response. The national brand will then become a leading flag for the development of the country.

Vietnam, therefore, should take advantage of the great strength of a methodical branding strategy to create a driving force for breakthrough in this important turning-point development period.

Vietnam Vision 2045 - A summons for a mighty and prosperous Vietnam

Looking at Vietnam's war against Covid-19, quick and drastic actions to protect the health of the people and the economy, have greatly improved people's confidence in the Government. In the international arena, the initial successes of this war have also contributed to promoting Vietnam's image and position, making Vietnam a stable and safe investment destination.

However, there is a reality that must be seen. According to a study by Dr. Luong Ha, Vietnamese people have a more pessimistic view of the country's brand image than foreigners. The current communication campaigns on the Vietnamese Brand are mainly focused on product and tourism promotions overseas, leaving behind the main audience, who directly contribute to building and enjoying directional values of brand.

Simon Anholt, the first to introduce the concept of a National Brand, compared a strong national brand to a magnet, which creates a common goal for domestic businesses and people, helping them look towards the brand and standardize its products and services according to the brand. In the international arena, the brand will help to break up misunderstandings and bad perceptions, and attract investors and organizations to help the country towards common goals.

In his article, Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong has a vision that by 2045, Vietnam will "become a developed country with high income". Here, people's lives are centered not only in terms of income but also in improving the quality of life and social security. To make the most of the strength of the entire nation, as well as international support, it is necessary to have a policy and political determination to incorporate this vision into a methodical Vietnamese Branding strategy, creating a powerful call for development.

Tran Van Hinh - Le Thu Hang (AVSE Global)

The article is part of the forum "Shaping the Vietnamese brand," which is jointly held by VietNamNet and the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global).
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As per the report presented by Market Research Future, the global premium cosmetics market 2020 is expected to hit to USD 16.8 billion by 2024, registering a CAGR of 3.9% from 2019 to 2024. The report offers an inclusive analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations and varying market trends affected by COVID 19 pandemic. Many industries and market have witnessed adverse effects caused after a deadly virus all over the world. Yet, the global premium cosmetics market expects to stay less-affected and could form a better future through more sales and revenues.

Premium Cosmetics Market Growth Boosters

The global premium cosmetics market is showing strong growth, as it is driven by lofty assortment in preferences of the consumer as well as innovations in the field. Currently, the market has been motivated by the developments that are taking place in social media platforms, which is supported by the expansion of urbanization, rise in beauty expenditure, rising life expectancy, and the mount in higher income classes.

MRFR has spotted in its study that digitalization has become a foremost driver with a direct sway on the growth rate of the premium cosmetics market. The surged penetration of the internet, and social media has become the foremost mediums in terms of promoting brand awareness. Further, the incursion of information on cosmetics online is also pushing the demand for personalization and for the development of products to meet the individual needs and lifestyle along with professional services. Thus, the study concludes with the fact that such developments will generate several rewarding opportunities for newer market entrants in the progress of unique offerings in the forecasted period.

At the same time, the rise in awareness about premium ingredients and its positive result on the skin has led to a considerable shift in consumer preference from traditional or mass-produced cosmetics to premium cosmetics. Besides, there is expanding concern among consumers about various skincare problems spotted as acne, ageing spots, and pigmentation, which is motivating the adoption of premium skincare cosmetics. Thus, these factors have opened chances for global premium skincare cosmetics market to expand double-digit for future expansion.

Besides positive factors, some restraints could hamper the market and its growth in the forecasted period. The issue is directed as availability of counterfeit cosmetic products and rigorous government regulations on cosmetics.

Get a FREE Sample Copy of Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4435

Segment Review

The global premium cosmetics markets segmentation study has been classified under various segments such as product type and distribution channel.

In terms of product type segment, the market has included contouring products, face powder, face products foundation, mascara, eyes products eyeshadow, lip products lipsticks, eyeliners, lip balm, and others. Among these, the face products segment might grab the majority market share, and the same segment is predicted to record the highest CAGR during the review period.

The global premium cosmetics market by the segment of the distribution channel has included store-based and non-store-based. The store-based segment has further been categorized into speciality stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets, and others. The store-based segment might account for the superior revenue share of the market. However, the non-store-based segment might exhibit an advanced growth rate during the forecast period of 2019 to 2024.

Regional Framework

Based on the regional study, Europe led the global premium cosmetics market with a revenue share of 32.1% back in 2017. Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and the U.K. were the top countries globally for their sales of luxury goods. Europe is mounting owing to the presence of fashion capital and the incidence of many premium brands, along with the towering per capita income earning countries.

On the other side, the Asia Pacific region is one of the highest growing market places globally on the back of a considerable consumer base. However, brands realize that, in Asian countries, they will face rural and under-developing nations with elevated population growth.

In contrast, the Middle East and Africa regions are the fastest and the most opportunistic market place for the premium cosmetic brands in support of the high-income population and luxury lifestyle in the region.

Access Full Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/premium-cosmetics-market-4435

Vendors Landscape

L'Oreal S.A. (France), Christian Dior SE (France), Shiseido Company (Japan), Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Inc. (UK), Chanel SAS (France), Huda Beauty FZ-LLC (UAE), LVMH Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton (France), Kose Corporation (Japan), Stila Styles, LLC (US), King Kylie, LLC (US), Anastasia Beverly Hills Inc. (US), and The Unilever Group (UK) are the essential vendors in the global premium cosmetics market.

Note: Our team of researchers are studying Covid-19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required will be considering covid19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

To stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.

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Hyderabad: Rev. K.I. Philip Ramban, 86, passed away on September 7 at Puthupady in Kozhikode district of Kerala. He was the founder director of St Gregorios Balagram at Yacharam, and has served as director of several institutions of the Orthodox Church at Itarsi, Orissa, Uttarkashi, Kayamkulam, and Pune. The Orthodox church leader was endowed with the title of Ramban (monk).

Rev Philip Ramban who devoted his entire life for the uplift of the poor, had a deep connection with united AP. He entered the state to take up cyclone relief work in the 1970s and 1980s. From then on, AP was an important place from where his social activities for the uplift of the poor started.

During the relief work he was struck by the helpless situation of children, especially children of leprosy patients. In 1985, determined to do something about it, a young Rev Fr Philip, set out to work at Yacharam, a hamlet about 50 km from Hyderabad.

He told the leprosy affected parents about his plan and they agreed to let the children have a better life. Thus was born the Yacharam Balabhavan and today, children from the Balagram have become engineers, and a few are studying abroad.

A recipient of several awards from the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Rev Philip Rambam was honoured by the Indian Orthodox Church with the title of Malankara Missionary Jyothis for his work in transforming many lives.

The St Gregorios Public School offers them and others the best education in that area and there is no stigma attached. The hamlet itself transformed into a hub for livestock and agriculture and for the locals, Philip Ramban became their Pappa.

Soon, he extended his service to other parts of the country including the setting up a Balagram for children of AIDS patients Kunikal, Bangalore.
YEREVAN.  I have never engaged in PR. I have always saved the time to cover the work done. Armenias second President Robert Kocharyan said this at a meeting with a group youth, and when asked about the anti-propaganda against him.

"The country was developing for ten years already [during my tenure], the average economic growth rate was 10.5 percent, there were five such countries in the world at that time; we were in the top five. Over the past seven years, the annual growth rate has been 12.5 percent. (). But we were not speaking [about that], believing that one should work first, and people will assess it later," Kocharyan said.

According to him, it was probably his "inability" to show his achievements that became the reason for the appearance of "legends" about him. "From day one, I had not aimed to stay in power forever. (). The important thing is that you yourself are convinced that you have done everything that was up to you. (). It is impossible to be good for everyone. The important thing is that we managed to actually change the situation in the country," the former president concluded.
COLUMBUS, Ohio--The Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously denied Kanye Wests request to order his name on the states presidential ballot this November, ruling that Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose was justified in rejecting the rappers petition signatures.

LaRose, a Columbus-area Republican, rejected Wests filing last month after his staff determined the signature of Wests running mate, Michelle Tidball, and information on Wests original nominating petition and statement of candidacy did not match the paperwork actually used for petitions signed by voters.

Wests attorney, Curt Hartman, argued that both signatures were indeed Tidballs, and that variations between the original statement and circulated petitions are allowed as long theres no indication of fraud or voter deception.

But in an unsigned decision, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that even if the two signatures are both Tidballs, that doesnt mean LaRoses decision should be overruled. Thats because state law requires candidates to copy the original statement of candidacy to petitions -- and Wests petitions were not a copy of the original.

That failure to copy the original statement to the petitions, the court continued, means that West didnt substantially comply with state law, as Hartman argued.

The secretary of state therefore did not abuse his discretion or clearly disregard applicable law in rejecting it, the court stated in its ruling.

Republican operatives have been assisting Wests attempts to get on the ballot as an independent candidate in several swing states, leading many to suspect that his campaign is a ploy to siphon votes from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Hartman was an Ohio delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention for then-Gov. John Kasich. This year, he is the GOP nominee for a Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judicial seat.

West made much of the fact that LaRoses reasons for rejecting Wests petition were very similar to objections emailed to LaRoses office a couple of days prior by attorneys representing Lewis Goldfarb, a University of Cincinnati law professor from suburban Columbus with ties to Democrats.

Goldfarb is also a co-plaintiff with the Ohio Democratic Party in a lawsuit filed last month against LaRose to force him to allow multiple drop boxes for general-election absentee ballots this fall.

But West and Tidball, the court noted, do not argue that these communications constituted fraud or corruption on the part of the secretary of state.

In a series of tweets, Gregg Keller, a senior strategist for Wests campaign, criticized the Supreme Court for effectively creating a new rule for ballot access." Keller, who is white, likened it to a literacy test, a Jim Crow-era law designed to keep Black people from voting.

Their arguments are tantamount to a modern-day literacy test, devaluing the integrity of our elections. We are deeply disappointed that the Ohio Supreme Court went along with this scheme to ignore the will of nearly 15,000 Ohio voters," stated Keller, referring to the number of Ohio voters who signed Wests petitions.

Read the full Ohio Supreme Court decision here:

Read more Ohio politics and government stories:

Gov. Mike DeWine hires South Carolina official as new Ohio health director

Ohio unemployment claims continued to fall last week

Ohio consumer watchdog requests utility agency review of FirstEnergy amid federal corruption investigation

Ohio Senators Portman and Brown divided over new coronavirus bill that would pay unemployed $300 a week
Cornerstone Christian Schools filed suit Sept. 1 to try to extricate itself from the Metropolitan Health Districts directive that school systems publicly post their coronavirus case numbers on their websites  just in time for Metro Health to quietly toss the requirement two days later.

That will leave the decision to publicize cases voluntary for private schools in Bexar County. Public and private school administrators must still report the information to Metro Health, but the local health agency wont release school-specific information, it said Wednesday.

Public schools also have to report their cases to the Texas Education Agency once a week, which will be available online.

The requirement that school districts post the information on their websites had not been enforced during the few weeks it was in effect, and when Metro Health dropped it last week, the agency hadnt been served with the lawsuit, which called the rule unconstitutional when applied to a private religious educational institution like Cornerstone.

The revised directive, issued Sept. 3 by Dr. Junda Woo, Metro Healths medical director, lines up with the TEAs requirements for schools, a city spokesperson said.

Express-News file photo

The state agency requires public school districts - but not private ones - to notify local health authorities of any person who has tested positive for the virus who has been in a school and to report new cases every Monday. That information will be available on the Texas Department of State Health Services website.

The TEA rules dont force public school districts to post case numbers on their own websites. But many do anyway, as part of their required case notification to families, said TEA spokesman Jacob Kobersky.

The state health services department expects it will start publishing statewide COVID-19 data for public schools on its website early next week. District level breakdowns will be available by the following week, Kobersky said.

Jared Woodfill, a lawyer representing Cornerstone Christian Schools, said it will comply with Metro Healths directive that all school systems report any confirmed virus cases within 24 hours.

The big issue becomes not as much when youre requiring them to turn the information over to a health authority, but when youre requiring them to post it on a private website, Woodfill said.

It would be like me saying to you I want you to post on your Facebook page whether or not anybody in your house has contracted COVID or been exposed to anyone with COVID. As opposed to them coming to you and saying we want you to report it privately to this government agency so we can keep track of whats happening, he said.

On ExpressNews.com: Cornerstone Church sues San Antonio, Bexar County, Metro Health as it seeks to reopen private school

The Sept. 1 arguments were added to a lawsuit Cornerstone filed in July against Woo, Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. At the time, Cornerstone was fighting Metro Healths order to keep all public and private schools closed until after Labor Day to guard against the spread of the coronavirus  an order that also was later revised.

McManus was named as a defendant because the lawsuit claims that San Antonio police went to Cornerstone Christian Schools on two occasions to investigate allegations reported to a COVID complaint hotline.

Cornerstone has 1,350 students in all grade levels and reopened for in-person instruction on Aug. 17. So far, no coronavirus cases have surfaced at the school, said Woodfill, a Houston attorney and former Harris County Republican Party chair.

In a statement Wednesday, city officials said Cornerstones lawsuit is moot given Woos revised directive and because of the states clear opinion that decisions on schools in-person instruction must be made by their school boards. The city will seek a speedy resolution of the suit, it said.

An executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott in June declared that public schools could resume operations following TEA guidelines and encouraged private schools to establish similar standards.

Cornerstone Christian Schools is connected with Cornerstone Church, a nondenominational, evangelical church on the North Side with more than 22,000 worshipers.

On ExpressNews.com: Parent, teacher coalition warns that schools are not ready to reopen

Bexar Countys three largest public school districts, which started classroom learning on a limited basis this week, had not followed Metro Healths requirement  now a recommendation  that they publicly post their coronavirus case numbers, though some planned to do so.

North East Independent School District already had interpreted the directive as a recommendation and chose not to follow it, district spokeswoman Aubrey Chancellor said. NEISD follows the TEA rules, including notifying all parents each time a case is confirmed on a school campus, and will report weekly to the state as required, she said.

But posting total numbers of coronavirus cases in a district with 75 schools could cause unnecessary fear for parents, Chancellor said, adding, We are so large and diverse, and whats happening at one side of the district or in one school may not be reflective of whats happening at another school 20, 30 miles away.

Most of our parents are really only concerned about whats going on in the schools that their children attend.

San Antonio ISD, with about 48,000 students, will start posting case numbers in coming days on www.saisd.net/schoolstart. Those numbers will be updated weekly.

Northside ISD, with 106,000 students, hopes to start posting weekly case numbers on its website by the end of the week. The district had been waiting for clarification from Metro Health about the recent change to its requirement but decided to make its numbers available for the sake of transparency, said district spokesman Barry Perez.

Staff writers Andres Picon and Alia Malik contributed to this report. pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare
Vibe to significantly scale California-wide distribution

Transaction immediately cash flow positive to Vibe

Expanded manufacturing launch of new Hype Cannabis Co. products

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vibe Bioscience Ltd. (CSE:VIBE, OTC:VBSCF, GERMANY:A061) (the Company or Vibe), a California based cannabis retailer and cultivator, is pleased to announce that, further to the Company's press release dated August 30, 2020, it has finalized pricing for the previously announced transaction (the "Transaction") to acquire Cathedral Asset Holding Corporation (CAHC or Cathedral) and its distribution and manufacturing assets in Santa Rosa, California.

Cathedral leases a facility in Santa Rosa, California and is licensed for distribution and manufacturing of regulated cannabis. Cathedrals distribution license and facility will allow Vibe to complete logistics and fulfillment from its cultivation facilities to its retail store network and allow for the transportation, packaging, labelling, testing, storage, and transfer of its marijuana products. The manufacturing license will allow Vibe to expand its Hype Cannabis Co. product line and produce a wide variety of all-natural Hype Cannabis Co. products.

Terms of the Transaction

In connection with the Transaction, Vibe will acquire all the issued and outstanding shares of Cathedral for CA$333,360 in an all-share transaction based upon the 30-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) for the period ended September 10, 2020. The Company will assume the lease obligation for the Santa Rosa facility and the existing inventory of vape products. Ventura will also receive 800,000 warrants being exercisable to acquire one common shares of Vibe at an exercise price of C$0.60 per warrant share for a term of twelve months following the transaction completion. Vibe is completing a routine inspection of the facility and inventory on September 12, 2020 and Vibe is scheduled to have possession and operational control on September 15, 2020. CAHC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ventura Cannabis and Wellness Corp. (CSE: VCAN) (Ventura).

About Vibe Bioscience Ltd.

Vibe is an integrated cannabis company delivering exceptional retail experiences with its Vibe By California brand and ethos, premier cultivation product and high-efficiency delivery, and on-line sales. The Companys management team brings expertise in retail, cannabis cultivation and mergers and acquisitions to support its U.S. expansion through accretive acquisitions and organic growth. Vibe is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol VIBE, on the OTC under symbol VBSCF, and in Germany as A061. To learn more about Vibe, please visit www.vibebycalifornia.com .

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words anticipate, could, intend, expect, believe, will, projected, estimated and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the parties current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events, and may be impacted as a result of general economic conditions or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Actual future results may differ materially.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Risk factors related to the Company are described in the Companys Management Discussion and Analysis, a copy of which is available under the Companys profile on SEDAR.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any State securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable State securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws.

Unlike in Canada which has Federal legislation uniformly governing the cultivation, distribution, sale and possession of medical cannabis under the Cannabis Act (Federal), readers are cautioned that in the U.S., cannabis is largely regulated at the State level. To the knowledge of Vibe Bioscience Ltd., there are to date a total of 33 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have legalized cannabis in some form. Notwithstanding the permissive regulatory environment of medical cannabis at the State level, cannabis continues to be categorized as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act in the U.S. and as such, cannabis-related practices or activities, including without limitation, the manufacture, importation, possession, use or distribution of cannabis are illegal under U.S. Federal law. Strict compliance with State laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve Vibe Bioscience Ltd. of liability under the U.S. Federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any Federal proceeding, which may be brought against Vibe Bioscience Ltd. Any such proceedings brought against Vibe Bioscience Ltd. may adversely affect its operations and financial performance.

Contact Information

Mark Waldron, CEO

Phone: +1 833-420-VIBE

Email: info@vibebycalifornia.com

Website: www.vibebycalifornia.com

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The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will meet with its executive council within the next 24hours with a view to calling off the ongoing three-day-old industrial action on Thursday (today).

This is according to a communique issued after a meeting between the federal government and the leadership of the NARD on Wednesday.

The communique, made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday night, was stamped with nine signatures including that of the labour minister, Chris Ngige; the NARD president, Aliyu Sokomba; the Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Abuja chapter, Ekpe Phillips; the Minister for State, Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, and the Minister for State, Labour, Festus Keyamo.

The communique listed nine understandings reached between the government and the NARD leadership on the demands of the striking doctors.

One of such understandings is that contrary to the doctors protests, four billion Naira was actually appropriated for residency training but under a wrong heading.

It was resolved that the process of amending the error is ongoing and is expected to be completed with cash backing in the next two weeks.

In view of these understandings, NARD will consult with her Executive Council within the next 24hrs with a view to calling off the strike by tomorrow (Thursday), September 10, 2020, the communique read.

On Monday, resident doctors, certified doctors undergoing residency to become consultants that make up a large percentage of doctors in Nigerias tertiary hospitals, resumed their indefinite strike which had been suspended in June.

Residency Program

Chief among the doctors grouse is lack of funding of their residency programme.

Resident doctors have been agitating for the full implementation and funding of their Medical Residency Training Act of 2017, signed into law on 26 June 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The residency programme, which was meant to provide special training for the doctors to become specialists in various medical and dental care, is being hampered by poor funding.

Earlier, during Wednesdays meeting, Mr Ngige had threatened that government may have to repeal the law establishing the residency programme if the doctors are bent on arm twisting the authorities, according to TVC news.

The meeting initially ended in a deadlock until the nine officials that signed the communique met later in the evening to reach the nine understandings.

Read the full communique below:

UNDERSTANDING REACHED AT THE END OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NIGERIAN ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (NARD) AND FEDERAL MINISTRIES OF HEALTH, FINANCE, BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING, AND NATIONAL SALARIES, INCOME AND WAGES COMMISSION (NSIWC) AT THE INSTANCE OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT ON SEPTEMBER 9, 202O.

On September 7, 2020, the members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on a total and an indefinite strike in all Federal Na State hospitals in Nigeria over the following demands:

i. The provision of group life insurance for doctors and other Health Care Workers and payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries.

ii. Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State.

iii. Immediate review of the Hazard Allowance of Health Care Workers and payment of the Covid-19 Inducement Allowance as agreed during the stakeholders meeting.

iv. Immediate release of funds for Medical Residency Training for 2020 as captured in the revised Appropriation Bill.

v. Payment of all owed arrears of the Consequential Adjustment of the National Minimum Wage to her members, and implementation of such in States Tertiary Health Institutions.

In line with the provisions of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP T.8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment held a conciliation meeting with the leadership of NARD and relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to address the demands and resolve the trade dispute.

The meeting noted that the Federal Government had earlier addressed most of the original eight (8) demands made by NARD and the remaining two (2) were in different stages of being resolved.

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After extensive deliberations, the following understandings were reached on each of the demands:

1. Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

NARD agreed that the Hospitals and Isolation Centres now have sufficient PPE

2. The provision of group life insurance for doctors and other Health Care Workers and payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries:

The meeting noted that the Federal Government had paid the total sum of Nine Billion Three Hundred Million Naira (N9B,3) to Insurance Companies for Life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for Health Workers. Enrollment was by the submission of nominal rolls by the various Health Institutions which NARD had been mandated at previous meeting to accomplish. The meeting further noted that claims had to be made before the Insurance benefits could be realised. It was decided that NARD should

submit copies of claims already made to the Insurance Companies through the Hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation that would ensure that the Insurance Companies pay the claims. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should be copied.

3. Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State Hospitals

Noting that the 2020 Appropriation Act was revised due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Four Billion Naira (N4B) appropriated for Residency Training under a wrong heading for Medical Residency Training is to be vired before expenditure. The process of amendment is therefore ongoing and is expected that this process and cash backing will be through in two (2) weeks.

4. Payment of outstanding 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrears:

The meeting recalled that it had been agreed that the issue would be further discussed post Covid-19. Therefore, no agreement was breached.

5. Implementation of the Payment of the Special Hazard/Inducement Allowance

Meeting was satisfied that the N20B already appropriated in 2020 Covid-19 Budget has been exhausted to N19B and praised the Federal Government and Mr. President for approving additional N8,901,231,773.55 to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 Covid-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers. This has been cash backed and the mandate sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for payments to start with effect from today September 9, 2020. This would be bring the total disbursement to about N28B.

6. Permanent New Rate Of Hazard Allowance:

Discussions for review of a Permanent Hazard Allowance for all Health Workers will commence as soon as possible after consultations by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment with all Stakeholders in the Health Sector. Based on the principles of ability to pay, this will cover all Health Workers in a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Meeting will be convened as soon as possible in that regard.

7. Payment of all owed arrears of the Consequential Adjustment of the National Minimum Wage to her members, and implementation of such in States Tertiary Health Institutions:

It was noted that those affected were the Youth Corp Members and House Officers who are regarded as ad hoc staff. For State Hospitals, the Federal Government can only be persuasive. It was recalled that NARD had been assigned the responsibility to submit a list from the defaulting hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

8. Domestication of the Residency Training Act by State Governments:

Recognizing the Autonomy of States within the Federation, the meeting agreed that the issue would be tabled at the National Economic Council and National Council of Health to persuade the States to domesticate the Act.

9. Health Workers in the Medical Centers attached to Universities:

The meeting agreed that these workers had been tied with the ongoing strike by ASUU and negotiations concerning them would be on a different platform involving Federal Ministry of Education.

In view of these Understandings, NARD will consult with her Executive Council within the next 24hrs with a view to calling off the strike by tomorrow, September 10, 2020.

Nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action.

..

Dr. Sokomba Aliyu

President, NARD

..

Dr. Bilqis Muhammad

Sec. Gen., NARD

..

Dr. Ekpe Philips Uche

Secretary General, NMA

..

Ahmed Idris, FCNA

Accountant General of the Federation

..

A.M. Abdullahi

PS, Health

..

Dr. Yerima P. Tarfa

PS, Labour & Employment

..

Sen. (Dr.) A. O. Mamora

HMS, Health

..

Barr. Festus Keyamo, SAN

HMS, Labour & Employment

..

Senator (Dr,) Chris Nwabueze Ngige, OON

Honourable Minister, Labour & Employment
In a clear reference to China over the tense border row in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister on Thursday said the induction of five French-made multirole jets into the Indian Air Force is a "big and stern" message to those eyeing India's sovereignty.

The first fleet of jets was formally inducted into the 'Golden Arrows' squadron of the IAF at the Ambala Air Force station in presence of a galaxy of dignitaries including French Defence Minister Florence Parly, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

"The induction of jets is a big and stern message for the entire world, especially to those eyeing our sovereignty. This kind of induction is very important for the kind of atmosphere that has been created on our borders," Singh said at the ceremony.

He said Rafale is considered one of the best combat aircraft globally and the deal to procure the jets was a "game changer" for India's national security.

The defence minister said the government is determined to do "everything possible" to protect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Singh's stern message to the neighbouring country came hours ahead of an expected meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave in Moscow.

The much anticipated talks are taking place against the backdrop of a massive spike in tension in eastern Ladakh triggered by fresh face-offs between the two armies along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

"In my recent foreign trip, I put the point of view of India in front of the whole world. I also made everyone aware of the resolve to not compromise India's sovereignty and territorial integrity under any circumstances and we are determined to do everything possible for this purpose," he said referring to his visit to Moscow.

The defence minister said India's responsibility is not limited to its territorial boundary only and that it is committed to contribute towards peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region as well as in the Indian Ocean.

There has been mounting global concerns over China's growing military assertiveness in both the regions.

In his address, Singh also complimented the IAF for its "swift deployment" of assets at forward bases, saying it created confidence that the country's Air Force is fully prepared to fulfil its operational obligations.

"I would like to congratulate the IAF for its swift and deliberate action near the LAC during a recent unfortunate incident on the border. It shows your commitment," Singh said without elaborating.

In the last three months, the IAF deployed almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft in the key frontier air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the LAC.

"The IAF plays an important role in maintaining military deterrence and your action will be decisive in any future war. While the prevailing situation on our geographical borders has caught our attention, we should not ignore the threat of sponsored terrorism," Singh said.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said the induction of Rafale jets could not have happened at a more opportune time considering the current security scenario.

"Induction of Rafale in Ambala is important as the fleet can rapidly access all areas of interest from the airbase, he said.

The defence minister said India is enhancing its military power in its quest for peace.

"Our motive behind strengthening our defence has always been driven by our desire for peace. Our country is committed to not take any step which can disturb the peace anywhere. We expect the same from our neighbours, and the rest of the world," he said.

Calling induction of Rafale into IAF a historic moment, Singh said it also reflected "deep ties" between India and France.

"We have been successful in creating future-oriented ties...India and France have common views in fighting against terrorism and expansion of UN Security Council," Singh said while talking about growing convergence in ties between the two countries.

"The induction of Rafale into the IAF fleet shows the close ties between India and France. India and France have long been economic, cultural and strategic partners. Our faith in a strong democracy and the desire for peace in the whole world are the basis of our mutual relations," he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Michael Green, the C.E.O. of the group that puts out the Social Progress Index, notes that the coronavirus will affect health, longevity and education, with the impact particularly large in both the United States and Brazil. The equity and inclusiveness measured by the index seem to help protect societies from the virus, he said.

Societies that are inclusive, tolerant and better educated are better able to manage the pandemic, Green said.

The decline of the United States over the last decade in this index  more than any country in the world  is a reminder that we Americans face structural problems that predate President Trump and that festered under leaders of both parties. Trump is a symptom of this larger malaise, and also a cause of its acceleration.

David G. Blanchflower, a Dartmouth economist, has new research showing that the share of Americans reporting in effect that every day is a bad mental health day has doubled over 25 years. Rising distress and despair are largely American phenomenon not observed in other advanced countries, Blanchflower told me.

This decline is deeply personal for me: As Ive written, a quarter of the kids on my old No. 6 school bus in rural Oregon are now dead from drugs, alcohol and suicide  what are called deaths of despair. I lost one friend to a heroin overdose this spring and have had more friends incarcerated than I could possibly count; the problems are now self-replicating in the next generation because of the dysfunction in some homes.

You as taxpayers paid huge sums to imprison my old friends; the money would have been far better invested educating them, honing their job skills or treating their addictions.

Thats why this is an election like that of 1932. That was the year American voters decisively rejected Herbert Hoovers passivity and gave Franklin Roosevelt an electoral mandate  including a flipped Senate  that laid the groundwork for the New Deal and the modern middle class. But first we need to acknowledge the reality that we are on the wrong track.
Techaya MILTECH 404

MilSource, the exclusive US distributor of Techaya, announced today that Techayas MILTECH 404 was recognized among the best by the 2020 Military & Aerospace Electronics Innovators Awards. An esteemed and experienced panel of judges from the Aerospace and Defense community awarded Techayas MILTECH 404 as a Platinum honoree. The awards platinum level honors superb innovation, characterized by a groundbreaking approach to meeting a need, and/or a new level of performance, efficiency, ease-of-use, or other beneficial quality.

The MILTECH 404 is an integrated soldier power and data management system (ISPDS) combining USB, serial, and SMBUS communication along with full smart power management for infantry soldiers.

Unlike most ISPDS on the market, the MILTECH 404 comes equipped with an integrated System on Module (SOM) running Linux. This delivers an integrated open-architecture compute platform that can run custom mission or communication routing applications without the need for additional compute devices. The Linux SOM also collects, stores, and makes accessible critical power-level and management information that can be read through a CLI or serial connection. That information can then be integrated into any field-deployed Android application.

Techaya has delivered several innovative soldier-worn data and power management hubs over the past two years. The unique architecture of the MILTECH 404 with the integrated SOM is a game-changer for soldier-worn hubs, said Ronen Isaac, general manager of MilSource. The benefit of the already-compact size and light weight is magnified by its ability to host additional applications without the need for additional soldier-worn devices. We welcome the recognition of Military & Aerospace Electronics and the judging panel to appreciate the innovation involved.

On behalf of the Military & Aerospace Electronics Innovators Awards, I would like to congratulate Techaya on their Platinumlevel honoree status, said Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor in Chief John Keller. This competitive program allows Military & Aerospace Electronics to celebrate and recognize the most innovative products impacting the aerospace and defense community this year.

About MilSource:

MilSource is focused on bringing innovative, rugged, military-grade Ethernet communications solutions the military and aerospace markets for both manned and unmanned systems. MilSource is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Techayas MILTECH line of military-grade switching, routing and other communications solutions. For more information on MilSource or the Techaya product line, visit http://www.militaryethernet.com.

About Military & Aerospace Electronics:

Military & Aerospace Electronics is the leading media resource serving program and project managers, engineering managers, and engineers involved in electronic and electro-optic design for military, space, and aviation applications.

Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine delivers time-sensitive news, in-depth analyses, case studies, and real-world applications of new products, industry opinion, and the latest trends in the use of mil-spec, rugged and commercial off-the-shelf components, subsystems, and systems.

For more information about MilSource, please contact:

Kelly Dorsey

kd@milsource.com

(818) 436-9646
Remember when former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the American government was eavesdropping on peoples online data and communications? It was also revealed that Facebook gave US security agencies access to the personal data of Europeans. (Photo | thedaywefightback.org - Alec Perkins)

London: Facebook may be forced to stop sending data about its European users to the US, in the first major fallout from a recent court ruling that found some trans-Atlantic data transfers dont protect users from American government snooping.

The social network said Wednesday that Irelands Data Protection Commission has started an inquiry into how Facebook shifts data from the European Union to the United States.

The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said Irelands data commission gave Facebook until mid-September to respond to a preliminary order to suspend the transfers.

The result could be that the US tech giant, which has data centres around the world, is forced to undertake a costly and complex revamp of its operations to ensure that European user data is kept out of the US.

A lack of safe, secure and legal international data transfers would damage the economy and hamper the growth of data-driven businesses in the EU, just as we seek a recovery from COVID-19, Facebooks vice-president of global affairs and communications, Nick Clegg, wrote in a blog post.

The Irish data commission suggested that a type of legal mechanism governing the data transfers, known as standard contractual clauses, cannot in practice be used for EU-US data transfers, Clegg said.

The commission, which did not reply to a request for comment, is Facebooks lead privacy regulator in Europe and can fine companies up to 4% of annual revenue for data breaches.

Its the first major move by a European regulator after the EUs top court issued a ruling in July on the two types of legal mechanisms used to govern data transfers.

The European Court of Justice invalidated an agreement known as Privacy Shield and decided that the standard legal clauses were still OK. But in cases where there are concerns about data privacy, EU regulators should vet, and if needed block, the transfer of data.

Its the latest development in a case that originated more than seven years ago, when Max Schrems, an Austrian privacy activist, filed a complaint about the handling of his Facebook data after former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed the American government was eavesdropping on peoples online data and communications. The revelations included detail on how Facebook gave US security agencies access to the personal data of Europeans.

Though the case specifically targets Facebook, it could have far-reaching implications for other tech giants operations in Europe. In Facebooks case, for example, messages between Europeans would have to stay in Europe, which can be complicated and require the platform to be split up, Schrems has said.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
What just happened? With the US about to hit Huawei with new sanctions that prevent companies from supplying it with components made with US technology, both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have filed requests for approval with the US Department of Commerce to continue dealing with the firm.

Back in May last year, Huawei was added to an entity list by the Trump administration that meant US companies could not do business with the Chinese giant without approval from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). In August, these restrictions were expanded to prevent Huawei from buying chips made by foreign manufacturers using US technology.

The new sanctions come into effect on September 15 and will impact Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, among others. The Korean companies count Huawei as one of their biggest customers when it comes to purchasing components. As such, the pair have recently made requests for licences from the US Department of Commerce.

Many multinational semiconductor manufacturers including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix made requests for an approval from the US Department of Commerce. said one high-ranking official from the South Korean government (via ETNews). Regardless of whether these requests get approved or not, they took necessary measures before the US Government imposes its sanction on September 15.

Separately, weve heard that Samsung Display will also be applying for a license to continue trading with Huawei after next week. LG Display, however, reportedly does not intend to seek approval, at least not in the short term.

Every semiconductor company in the world uses some form of American technology in their manufacturing processes, so we can expect the sanctions to hit both Huawei and the industry as a whole.
For confidential support or advice call the Samaritans on 116 123 for free or visit www.samaritans.org

Montana Brown paid tribute to her late friend Mike Thalassitis on World Suicide Prevention Day.

The reality TV star tragically took his own life in a park near his home in Edmonton, north London, at the age of 26 on 15 March 2019.

Montana, 24, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of a personalised Mulberry photo keyring with the caption: 'Reminder to me everyday that life is precious.

Montana Brown paid tribute to her late friend Mike Thalassitis on World Suicide Prevention Day

'Spread good vibes and spread the love'.

National Suicide Prevention Day is where organisations and communities around the world come together to raise awareness of how to help those who are struggling.

Montana also shared last year's video where she said: 'I just wanted to speak to all of you. If any of you have ever been depressed or have ever thought about taking your own life or wanting to terminate your life, then I want you to watch this.

Always remembered: Montana, 24, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of a personalised photo keyring with the caption: 'Reminder to me everyday that life is precious

Well-loved: Mike took his own life on March 15th aged 26, with an inquest hearing his death followed an alcohol and cocaine binge (pictured in October last year)

'I can understand that you might feel like you're a burden or you don't deserve help or you're annoying people by saying you're depressed or that you've got problems and I can guarantee you that you're not.

'You're not a burden on anybody because the people around you absolutely love you and if you can't see that then that's such a shame but I'm here to tell you that they do and not just your family.

'It will affect people that you won't even think about, someone you went to school with, or someone you went to an art class with, they will miss you, I will miss you, your family will miss you, your friends will miss you.

Best of friends: Montana and Mike formed a strong friendship when they both appeared in the 2017 series of love Island (pictured in January this year)

Important: Wanting to raise awareness for National Suicide Prevention Day, Montana reuploaded a poignant message while reflecting on Mike's battle with depression

'It's so important for you to realise you got put on this world and you've got a choice and you are living, you're breathing, you are thriving.'

Montana voice broke and she began to break down in tears as she told her followers: 'These are all things I would have said to my friend that terminated his life. And if he was still here then I would say, "Come to me, talk to me", because I would do anything to have him back today.'

Mike's friends revealed he had been 'in a dark place' in the months leading up to his death.

He was found dead in Edmonton, North London, the Metropolitan Police confirmed at the time - thought to have been struggling to come to terms with the death of his grandmother and dealing with debt.

Montana appeared on This Morning shortly after Mike's death and revealed Mike had texted her prior to his death but she didn't reply.

'I spoke to him two days before. But I'm kicking myself because he text me but I didn't actually reply. I'm really bad on my phone. I wish I had replied,' she said, through tears.

For confidential support or advice call the Samaritans on 116 123 for free or visit www.samaritans.org.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 09:52:54|Editor: huaxia

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KIGALI, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks "extraordinary collaboration" to transform agri-food systems in Africa to ensure access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for all people all year round, FAO Director-general Qu Dongyu said Wednesday.

Speaking at a virtual summit of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), Qu called on stakeholders to work together in "new ways" that are environmentally sustainable.

There is a need to tap the potential of traditional African leafy green vegetables and indigenous food as they are under-researched but promising in terms of micro-nutrient contents, he said.

The FAO chief pointed out that building back better from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic requires better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life for all for a food system.

Virtually held on Sept. 8-11, the 10th annual AGRF summit brings together thousands of delegates from governments, civil society, private sectors, research communities and development partners from across Africa and beyond.

It comes at an unprecedented time when some major African countries, especially those that mainly rely on imported food, face a looming hunger crisis following the implementation of lockdown measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Enditem
The rural vote accounts for roughly 20 percent of the states total, by some estimates. If the race is tight, it could again decide which candidate carries Pennsylvania. Mr. Biden is not going to win in the small counties, but he may have to do substantially better than Mrs. Clinton did.

When you look at the rural areas, its the margins that matter, Mr. Hopkins, the Boston College professor, said. The suburbs get a lot of attention because you have those counties that used to be red, and now theyre blue. When you see that on a map on TV, it looks dramatic. But all these places that went from like 60-40 Republican to 80-20 for Trump are just as dramatic, and they were critical to the result.

Both Mr. Hopkins and Ms. Greenberg noted that the same dynamic applies in Michigan, which went to Mr. Trump in 2016 by an even narrower margin than Pennsylvania  in part because of its rural counties.

Mr. Trump, in one sense, rode the momentum of a wave that was already swelling in rural America, where the electorate has been turning more Republican for a generation. Mr. Obama did better in Pennsylvanias small counties in 2012 than Mrs. Clinton in 2016  but he did not do as well he had in his first presidential run in 2008.

Theres a long-term and a short-term story to look at, Mr. Hopkins said. Long term, this is a trend thats been going on for 25 years, driven by the polarization of the parties around cultural issues. Abortion, gay rights, race, gender. Those divide urban and rural America more than economics does.

Short term, he said, there was something about Trumps appeal and Clintons lack of appeal to rural voters that caused an even bigger divide. We can imagine Biden will play better. Hell talk more about economics. Hes seen as more of a moderate. My guess is that it will be a slightly less overwhelming margin in rural America, but still pretty red.
Company also announces progress in Roundup settlements

The Supervisory Board of Bayer AG has unanimously decided to extend the contract of Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management, until April 30, 2024. Before the extension, Baumann's contract would have expired at the 2021 Annual Stockholders' Meeting. Baumann, 57, has worked for Bayer since 1988. He was appointed to the Board of Management in 2010 and has been its Chairman since May 2016. "Bayer is strategically very well positioned as a focused life science company with leading businesses in the attractive growth markets of health and nutrition. This is particularly evident in light of the current challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis. Bayer's strategic strength and robust operational performance are due in large part to Werner Baumann and the entire management team," commented Prof. Dr. Norbert Winkeljohann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bayer AG.

Under Baumann's leadership, the task at hand is to use the coming period of more than three and a half years to successfully drive Bayer's further development in a highly challenging environment, Winkeljohann said. Concretely, this means overcoming the effects of the coronavirus crisis, setting the course for profitable growth after patent expirations for important products of the Pharmaceuticals Division, building on the leading position of the Crop Science business through innovation, digitalization and sustainability, accelerating growth at Consumer Health and systematically continuing the efficiency and structural programs.

"The Supervisory Board is firmly convinced that Werner Baumann is the right leader to advance this comprehensive transformation purposefully and resolutely. His profound knowledge of Bayer's markets, businesses, organization and strengths are key to this," Winkeljohann continued. "We also expect that the glyphosate litigation will be handled in a way that is satisfactory for the company, makes economic sense and is structured in a way that enables potential future cases to be efficiently resolved."

The employee representatives on the Supervisory Board also support and welcome the extension of Baumann's contract. "We value his integrity and his regard for employees' interests. In the interest of the company, and particularly its employees, it remains our task to continue to move Bayer forward together in a spirit of social partnership," said Oliver Zuhlke, Chairman of the Central Works Council and Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

"I'm very grateful to the Supervisory Board for the trust they have placed in me. And I'm also pleased that the Supervisory Board agreed to extend my contract until the end of April 2024 instead of the maximum possible four-year period and thus accommodate my personal plans. I for my part will do all I can to lead Bayer successfully and sustainably over the next few years, for the benefit of our owners, our people and other stakeholder groups," said Baumann.

Bayer also announced that progress has been made with plaintiffs' class counsel on a revised class plan to manage and resolve potential future Roundup claims. The details of the revised class plan will be finalized over the coming weeks and a motion for preliminary approval will be filed upon completion of the formal agreement. The plan to manage and resolve potential future litigation aligns with Bayer's longstanding position that it would consider a resolution as long as it could be reached on reasonable financial terms and addresses both current and potential future claims. In keeping with this holistic approach, the company will also proceed on an accelerated basis to finalize the preliminary agreements to resolve the current cases and claims that were announced on June 24.

Werner Baumann was born in Krefeld, Germany, on October 6, 1962. After studying economics in Aachen and Cologne, he joined Bayer AG in 1988. His first duties were in the Corporate Finance Department in Leverkusen. In 1991 he transferred to Bayer Hispania Comercial in Barcelona, Spain, as a controller. A year later, he moved to Bayer Corporation in Tarrytown, United States. In July 2002, Baumann returned to Germany to become a member of the Executive Committee and Head of Central Administration Organization at Bayer HealthCare. In October 2003, he was appointed a member of the Board of Management of the newly formed subgroup Bayer HealthCare AG. Baumann was named Chief Financial Officer of Bayer AG effective January 1, 2010. From October 1, 2014, until his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Management, he was Chief Strategy and Portfolio Officer and also responsible for the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region. Baumann became Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG on May 1, 2016. He has also served as Labor Director of Bayer AG and Chief Sustainability Officer since January 1, 2020. Werner Baumann is married and has four children.

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of 43.5 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.9 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Note to editors:

A print-quality photo is available for download at www.media.bayer.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005933/en/

Contacts:

Chris Loder, phone +1 (201) 396-4325

Email: christopher.loder@bayer.com

Daniel Childs, phone +1 (973) 437-0809

Email: daniel.childs@bayer.com
(Bloomberg) -- Chinas top flash memory chipmaker sees no easy way to replace U.S. chipmaking gear, underscoring how a further crackdown on the supply of American technology will devastate the local semiconductor industry.

Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. gets over 80% of its equipment from the U.S. and Japan now, said Zheng Jiuli, vice president in charge of supply chain management. While some Chinese suppliers have made breakthroughs in areas including etching, cleaning and coating, there arent enough local alternatives to replace everything, he added.

Long-term investments in innovation and R&D have led to technological advantages at U.S. and Japanese suppliers, Zheng said. This is also the reason why their products are currently in the mainstream and are difficult to replace.

The deficit of basic chipmaking equipment complicates Beijings ambitions to reduce its reliance on its geopolitical rival. China has rolled out a number of measures to boost its domestic chip industry, including creating a $29 billion semiconductor investment fund and Beijing is planning to provide broad support for so-called third-generation semiconductors in its next five-year plan, Bloomberg News reported last week. The manufacturing of these chipsets, which are mainly made of materials such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride, only has limited exposure to U.S. vendors, analysts at Citigroup have said.

Read more: China Said to Plan Broad Chip Sector Support to Fight Trump

Yangtze Memory hasnt set a target for domestic procurement, Zheng said, adding that it would be unscientific to do so. It has been collaborating with chip firms from the U.S., Japan, South Korea and Europe on talent and technology and will continue working with these global companies, he said. Yangtze Memory has said it will invest $22 billion in a facility in Wuhan thats by far Chinas most advanced factory for 3D NAND, the latest iteration of storage used in smartphones and high-end computing.Chinas giant chip industry is bracing for further Trump sanctions. Efforts by the White House to constrain the rise of Chinas tech giants have already led to bans on exports of U.S. technologies and equipment to Huawei Technologies Co., the largest Chinese maker of handsets and 5G networking gear.

Story continues

The U.S. shouldnt be terrified by Chinas growth, Zhao Weiguo, chairman of Yangtze Memory parent Tsinghua Unigroup Co., said last year. Unigroup and other Tsinghua affiliates have pulled off a number of acquisitions over the years, including of RDA Microelectronics Inc. and Spreadtrum Communications Inc., to beef up their design capability, and signed partnership deals with global players including Western Digital Corp.

Read more: Chinas Top Chipmaker Secures $22 Billion to Expand Globally

(Adds comments on cooperation with global firms in fifth paragraph)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
MARION, Ohio  A Marion County judge and his wife are facing multiple felony charges after investigators say they left the scene of a crash that injured a 19-year-old male.

Jason Warner, 50, and his wife, Julia Warner, 53, each were indicted Wednesday on charges of complicity to vehicular assault, complicity to tampering with evidence, complicity to vehicular assault, and complicity to leaving the scene of an accident, according to the Ohio Attorney Generals Office. Warner is a judge in Marion County Common Pleas Court, but has been on a leave-of-absence since Aug. 3.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the crash occurred on June 4. Records from the State Highway Patrol show the Warners' vehicle, a 2017 Jeep Wrangler, struck the 2005 BMW driven by the teen just after midnight. The BMW went off the road, trapping the teen inside. He was treated at a hospital for a head injury and was released the next day, the Dispatch reports.

The Warners are accused of leaving the scene, then contacting the Highway Patrol about eight hours later. The Marion Star reports Julia Warner was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Both are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Marion County Common Pleas Court. The Special Prosecutions Section of the Ohio Attorney Generals Office is prosecuting the case.

More crime-related content on cleveland.com:

Cleveland Clinic nurse arrested on federal child pornography charges

Teenage girls charged as adults in Cleveland home-invasion slaying

Columbus Police arrest couple at state lawmakers house in connection to May slaying

Akron police, DEA seize more than 20,000 THC vapes, 700 pounds of marijuana and 18 guns after investigation into drug-dealing at vape shop

Man accused of hiding in Cleveland womans closet and raping her in 2007 is 800th to be IDd by prosecutors task force
Bay League boys and girls basketball teams will play five league games and then there will be a tournament to determine seeding for CIF-Southern Section playoffs.
A flat-earther couple who tried to 'sail to the edge of the world' during lockdown had to be rescued by a maritime doctor who usually saves migrants.

The pair, from Venice, attempted to travel to Lampedusa, an island between Sicily and North Africa which has become a prime transit point for migrants wanting to enter Europe.

The conspiracy theorists believed the edge of the world fell near the island and they wanted to see it.

A flat-earther couple who tried to 'sail to the edge of the world' during lockdown had to be rescued by a maritime doctor who usually saves migrants

They sold their car to buy the boat in Termini Imerese, a town in northern Sicily, before they set off on their journey.

But the couple surprisingly never made it to the end of the world, nor even Lampedusa, instead getting lost near the island of Ustica, off the north coast of Sicily.

Salvatore Zichichi, a doctor of the maritime health office of the Ministry of Health, helped the pair after they got lost.

He told Italian news outlet La Stampa that he pointed out the irony of the couple using a compass in their unsuccessful navigation.

He said: 'The funny thing is that they orient themselves with the compass, an instrument that works on the basis of terrestrial magnetism

The pair, from Venice, attempted to travel to Lampedusa (pictured), an island between Sicily and North Africa

'A principle that they, as Flat Earthers, should reject.'

As they broke lockdown restrictions, they were taken into quarantine in Palermo for two weeks.

But they tried to escape, only for the port authority to stop them three hours later and bring them back into quarantine.

They tried to escape again, and were caught again, and finally decided to see out the two weeks of isolation.

They have since abandoned their quest and took a ferry back to mainland Italy.
TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With the start of early voting for the fall elections in sight, Mister Car Wash has formally launched a national, non-partisan initiative to encourage the company's nearly 6,000 employees to vote in the upcoming elections. Titled "Mister says YES to voting," the initiative resulted from the company's challenge to its employees earlier this year to submit ideas for getting more involved in the civic process. The goal is for each employee to be registered to vote by September 22, though the program is entirely voluntary.

The company is now providing internal resources through its e-learning platform to guide employees through the registration process in their respective states and to provide them with non-partisan information on what will be on the ballot this November.

During October, the company will be providing additional resources for employees to help them locate their polling places, apply for mail-in ballots, learn more about candidates and issues, and remind them to cast their ballots by mail or in person. Separately, the company will provide the public with information about the initiative on their website along with links and other resources.

"Mister Car Wash believes that every voice matters and that every vote counts," stated John Lai, CEO of Mister Car Wash. "'Mister says YES to voting' is a grassroots initiative that came from our own employees and we couldn't be prouder. Their desire to see their fellow employees engaged, equipped, and encouraged to vote reminds us of our commitment to our local communities, and to our country, and that puts a smile on our faces as we work to shine a light on this most important American responsibility," he concluded.

Mister Car Wash is joining many other national companies in the effort to break down barriers to voting and making sure that everyone has the opportunity to use their voice.

The public is invited to learn more at www.mistercarwash.com/voting/

About Mister Car Wash

Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, Mister Car Wash (www.mistercarwash.com) is an equal opportunity employer operating 328 car washes and 31 express lubes in 21 states. The Mister Car Wash brand is anchored in quality, friendliness and our commitment to creating memorable customer experiences. Our people are what make us successful and allow us to achieve these high standards. We continue to focus on recruiting and retaining top talent, developing best-in-class training programs and investing in employee benefits to cultivate a positive company culture.

Contact: Matt Russell

Russell Public Communications

[email protected]

520.232.9840

SOURCE Mister Car Wash

Related Links

https://www.mistercarwash.com


By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikail Jabbarov and Secretary General of Turkic Speaking States Cooperation Council Baghdad Amreyev during a meeting held in Baku on September 10.

During the meeting, minister shared his opinion on the opportunities to expand economic cooperation within the framework of Turkic Council. Jabbarov said that the creation of the Turkic Trade House is a positive initiative to increase the export potential of the council member countries.

Moreover, Jabbarov noted the high level of cooperation between Azerbaijan and member countries of Turkic Council, emphasizing Azerbaijans important contribution to the development of economic relations between member countries of Turkic Council.

Furthermore, he expressed his gratitude to secretary general for his statement made on July 14, 2020 in connection with Armenias military provocation against Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that The Turkic Council always supports Azerbaijan's fair position over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is based on justice and international law, Baghdad Amreyev has said during the meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

In turn, secretary general noted that the Turkic Council is an important platform for further strengthening of integration and development of relations between the Council member countries. In addition, he emphasized Azerbaijans active participation in the organization.

The parties also discussed the current state and opportunities for expanding cooperation within the Turkic Council, development of the strategic concept "Turkic Vision - 2040", creation of a joint investment fund, issues on the strategy of trade facilitation and other issues of mutual interest.

It should be noted that on May 6, the Ministers of Economy of the Turkic Council agreed to establish Joint Action Plan to curb challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Established in 2009, the Turkic Council is an intergovernmental organization of Turkic Speaking Countries. The founding member states of the organization are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. During the seventh summit of the Turkic Council held in Baku in October 2019, Uzbekistan joined the organization as a full member, while during the sixth summit held in Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyzstan) in September 2018, Hungary received observer status at the organization.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
This level of discount might not be worth the reputational damage, particularly if there is a lengthy court battle between the two sides. Shares in LVMH have taken the developments in their stride so far. But for some investors, if they believe he really doesnt want the deal at all, Arnaults move might be read as a worrying signal about the strength of LVMH and the future of luxury. While the groups travel retail division has been badly hurt by the pandemic, its fashion and leather goods division has appeared to be holding up well.
US Supreme Court in Washington, DC. Eric Thayer/Reuters

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has raised the stakes for the fate of the Supreme Court.

President Donald Trump earlier this month announced 20 new names that he may nominate if he's reelected, in an effort to energize evangelicals and socially conservative voters.

Though Trump may put forth a pick before then because of the sudden vacancy created by the late Ginsburg.

Trump added Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Tom Cotton to his shortlist, though only Cotton expressed interest in the position after the announcement.

If Trump wins in 2020, he could appoint a sweeping conservative majority in his second term.

Here's a list of the contenders.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday evening has raised the stakes for the fate of the Supreme Court.

Ginsburg, who died at age 87 due to cancer-related complications, has created an empty seat on the bench, allowing President Donald Trump to put forth a new nominee. And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already indicated that he plans to consider a confirmation vote.

The president has a roster of potential picks ready and unveiled 20 additions to his list on Sept. 9.

While it's typical of any administration to keep a running shortlist of possible Supreme Court nominees, Trump's announcement, which included an array of conservative judges and lawyers as contenders  along with three Republican senators  sent a nod to conservative voters and may boost his 2020 bid, less than two months ahead of Election Day. During his 2016 campaign, Trump released similar lists that became key to rallying conservative support.

"Joe Biden has refused to release his list, perhaps because he knows the names are so extremely far left that they could never withstand public scrutiny or receive acceptance," Trump said during his announcement. "He must release a list of justices for people to properly make a decision as to how they will vote. It is very important that he do so."

Story continues

So far Trump has cemented a 5-4 conservative majority on the bench. He added Justices Neil Gorsuch in September 2017 and Brett Kavanaugh in July 2018.

If the Senate confirms a new Trump nominee, he could tip the scale into a greater Republican-appointed majority at 6-3.

And if Trump wins a second term, he may create an overwhelmingly conservative court at 7-2. It's likely that another vacancy may open up within the next four years, because of aging liberal justice Stephen Breyer, who turned 82 last month.

The new contenders announced include:

Bridget Bade , 54: Bade is a circuit judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. She attended law school at Arizona State University and previously served as a magistrate judge on the US District Court for the District of Arizona.

Daniel Cameron , 34: Cameron was elected as attorney general of Kentucky in 2019. He previously served as legal counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and worked in private practice before running for political office. Cameron has recently faced criticism for his handling of the Breonna Taylor case. He was a featured speaker at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Paul Clement , 54: Clement served as US solicitor general from 2004 to 2008 under President George W. Bush. He also served as acting US attorney general in September 2007.

Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, 43: Cotton was first elected to the Senate in 2014, defeating Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Pryor. He has compiled a staunchly conservative voting record over the past six years.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, 49: Cruz was elected to the Senate in 2010 as part of the Tea Party wave. He attended law school at Harvard and served as solicitor general of Texas before running for public office. In 2016, he sought the Republican presidential nomination.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, 40: Hawley graduated from Yale Law School and clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts. He was elected as attorney general of Missouri in 2016 before successfully running for Senate in 2018, defeating two-term Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Steven Engel , 46: Engel is the assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice. He has served in the administration since 2017.

Noel Francisco , 51: Francisco is a former US solicitor general. He was a staunch defender of the Trump administration's position to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

James Ho: Ho is a circuit judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. He clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas and served as chief counsel of the subcommittees on the Constitution and immigration under Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.

Gregory Katsas , 56: Katsas has been a circuit judge for the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since December 2017. He was previously a deputy White House counsel in the Trump administration.

Barbara Lagoa , 52: Lagoa is a circuit judge for the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. She graduated from Columbia Law School and was the first Hispanic woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Florida.

Christopher Landau , 56: Landau has been the US ambassador to Mexico since August 2019. He clerked for Supreme Court Justices Thomas and Antonin Scalia, later serving in private practice.

Carlos Muniz , 51: Muniz is a justice on the Florida Supreme Court, serving since January 2019. He previously served as general counsel of the US Department of Education.

Martha Pacold , 41: Pacold has been a district judge for the Northern District of Illinois since August 2019.

Peter Phipps , 47: Phipps, a graduate of Stanford Law School, is a circuit judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. He was previously a judge of the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Sarah Pitlyk : Pitlyk is a judge for the Eastern District of Missouri. She graduated from Yale Law School and clerked for Kavanaugh during his tenure on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Lawrence VanDyke , 47: VanDyke is a circuit judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. He previously served as solicitor general of both Montana and Nevada.

Allison Jones Rushing : Rushing, a member of the Federalist Society, has been a circuit judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit since March 2019.

Kate Comerford Todd : Todd is a former senior vice president and chief counsel for the US Chamber Litigation Center. She graduated from Harvard Law School and clerked for Thomas.

Kyle Duncan, 48: Duncan is a US 5th Circuit judge, serving since May 2018  part of the Trump administration's mass appointment of conservative judges to federal courts. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he was grilled by Democrats for how his religious beliefs could affect his rulings and afterward hailed by conservatives for securing the seat. He graduated with a law degree from Louisiana State University.

Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) September 9, 2020

The names add to previous lists of people under consideration, including:

Raymond Kethledge , 51: Kethledge has served as a circuit judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit since 2008 and was appointed by Bush. Kethledge had previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kethledge met with Trump as a finalist for the Supreme Court seat before that ultimately went to Kavanaugh.

Amul Thapar , 51: Thapar also serves on the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. He was a front-runner for the Supreme Court in both 2016 and 2018, when he was a US district judge. If selected this time, Thapar would make history as the first Asian American on the court.

Amy Coney Barrett , 48: Barrett, a hero to the religious right, also met with Trump as a top candidate for the court two years ago, thrilling conservatives. She graduated from Notre Dame University Law School and later returned to teach before being appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in October 2017.

Andy Oldham, 42: Oldham also serves on the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, since July 2018. Previously, he was general counsel to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He graduated from Harvard Law School and has clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

Elizabeth Branch, 52: Branch has been a circuit judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit since March 2018. She had worked as a senior official in the George W. Bush administration and later as a judge for the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Mike Lee, 49: Lee is a Republican US senator from Utah who was elected in 2010. Since entering the Senate, he has compiled a mostly conservative voting record, with some streaks of libertarianism. After graduating from law school at Brigham Young University, Lee clerked for Alito, who at the time was a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. As a sitting lawmaker, he would be a more unconventional choice for the Supreme Court, but he'd likely attract some bipartisan support in a confirmation process.

Joan Larsen , 51: Larsen has been a circuit judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, which covers Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, since 2017. She graduated at the top of her class at Northwestern University's law school and clerked for Judge David Sentelle of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Scalia. An Iowa native, she would add a rare Midwestern voice to the court.

Thomas Hardiman , 55: A leading pick for the two previous Supreme Court vacancies during the Trump presidency, Hardiman has been a judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit since April 2007. He graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center and was an attorney in private practice before being nominated and confirmed to a judicial seat on the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, where he served from 2003 until joining the US Court of Appeals. As a federal judge, his votes have been decidedly conservative, with his opinions on gun-rights cases reflecting an originalist approach.

Britt Grant , 42: Grant is a judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, where she has served since August 2018. While a student at Stanford Law School, she was a chapter president of the Federalist Society, the influential conservative legal organization. After law school, she clerked for Kavanaugh when he was a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Grant served as the solicitor general of Georgia from 2015 to 2017 before being appointed to a seat on the Supreme Court of Georgia. She was elevated to the 11th Circuit the next year.

Allison Eid, 55: Eid is a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. She graduated from the University of Chicago Law School and clerked for Thomas. From 2005 to 2006, she was solicitor general of Colorado, and then served as an associate justice on the Colorado Supreme Court from May 2006 to November 2017, when she joined the 10th Circuit.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Release Brings Major Scalability & Performance Improvements to Digital Dollar Stablecoins for Global Consumer Payment Adoption

SAN FRANCISCO and BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Centre Consortium is excited to announce that Algorand is now an official blockchain for USD Coin (USDC). The newly released mainnet implementation of USDC for Algorand is available today, and becomes the second major blockchain after Ethererum with native support for USDC. The Algorand blockchain brings significant innovations to the market, specifically around transaction scale and speed, helping to expand the use cases for USDC across a broad range of payments and financial applications.

As evidenced by the recent and very rapid growth and usage of stablecoins on public chains like Ethereum, there is a tremendous need for blockchain infrastructure that can scale to support significantly higher transaction throughput and lower fees on public Layer 1 blockchain infrastructure. Critically, Algorand brings over 1,000 tps and transaction fees of 1/20th of a cent to the USDC ecosystem, and soon to be released innovations from Algorand offer the potential of scaling throughput by 8-10x on Layer 1, accompanied by new secure smart contracts that complement standard tokens such as USDC.

This expanding support for USDC on new blockchains comes as USDC has rapidly grown to over 1.8 billion in circulation, experiencing more than 3x growth in the past six months, and decisively becoming the world's leading compliant and regulated digital dollar stablecoin.

Centre was formed with the vision of creating a global standard for fiat-based internet-native digital currency, allowing money to be exchanged instantly, globally and at a low cost over the open internet, in much the same way that content, messages and data flow over the internet today. Just as the standards and formats we use for content and data (HTTP) and communications (SMTP, SMS, VOIP) work across multiple platforms, devices and operating systems, Centre aims to ensure that its stablecoin standards, formats and protocols work across multiple major blockchain platforms.

Earlier this year, Centre announced its Multichain USDC Framework , an effort to increase interoperability and provide a wide range of developers, projects and ecosystems with the power of USDC and future Centre stablecoins. The Centre Multichain USDC Framework establishes a rigorous set of criteria for the issuance and operation of USDC on new blockchains, while also supporting innovation and experimentation by third-party developers and blockchain platforms. Algorand is the first blockchain platform to achieve the highest level of certification as an official chain for USDC, and will be an excellent addition to the Centre multi-stakeholder ecosystem.

Centre has also been encouraged by the broad and growing interest in using USDC within regulated financial institution settings, including by leading consumer fintech and payments companies, global banking and securities firms. Algorand brings a deep focus on the features and needs of regulated financial institutions, supporting these expanding use cases.

"This is a defining milestone for frictionless mainstream payments as well as sophisticated financial applications," said Silvio Micali, Founder of Algorand, Inc. "This launch brings together the convenience of USDC and an advanced protocol for global financial exchange in which Layer-1 smart contracts are as simple and secure as ordinary payments."

"Expanding USDC from Ethereum to additional blockchains like Algorand will ensure USDC has the flexibility to support everything from emerging DeFi projects to large-scale financial institutions. Today's launch represents a significant improvement to USDC's scalability, improving its utility and making it a significantly more useful protocol for solving real-world financial problems," said Alesia Haas, Chief Financial Officer at Coinbase. "We look forward to supporting USDC on Algorand for both our retail and institutional customers in the future."

"Algorand has been at the forefront of innovation in scalable, secure blockchain infrastructure, and with the next major phase of growth with USDC demanding web-scale infrastructure for global consumer payments applications, we are excited to support the launch of USDC on Algorand," said Jeremy Allaire, Chairman and CEO of Circle. "Algorand's focus on providing capabilities that are geared towards regulated financial institutions is also important as digital dollar stablecoins such as USDC become a core market infrastructure in the financial services industry more broadly."

Availability

USDC for Algorand is available today on the Algorand Mainnet . Also, today, Centre member and USDC issuer Circle announced the general availability of support for Algorand within Circle's family of platform services and APIs , including Circle Payments, Wallets, Marketplaces and Business Account APIs. Developers leveraging Algorand for payments, commerce and financial applications now have access to powerful APIs for connecting to banks and cards, storing and managing digital currency wallets, and building custom financial applications.

As part of this release, wallet developers and exchanges can take advantage of new Circle Wallet APIs that enable seamless cross-chain swaps of USDC-ERC20 (Ethereum) and USDC-ASA (Algorand), enabling applications that already support USDC on Ethereum to be able to send and receive USDC over Algorand, and vice versa.

About the Algorand Foundation

The Algorand Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that has a vision of a borderless, frictionless economy built on public, decentralized blockchain technology. The Foundation, in partnership with Algorand Inc, has built the Algorand blockchain protocol  initially designed by cryptography pioneer and Turing award winner Silvio Micali and a team of leading scientists  as the cornerstone of achieving this vision. The Foundation envisions a wide breadth of applications being built on this protocol by a new, wider community of mainstream developers. The Foundation is committed to facilitating this innovation in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner by utilizing the Proof of Stake consensus algorithm. For more information, visit https://algorand.foundation/

About Circle

Circle is a global financial technology firm that enables businesses of all sizes to harness the power of stablecoins and public blockchains for payments, commerce and financial applications worldwide. Circle's platform has supported over 100 million transactions worth tens of billions of dollars, with nearly 10 million retail customers, over a thousand businesses, while storing and securing more than $5 billion in digital currency assets. Circle is also a principal developer of USD Coin (USDC), which together with Coinbase and the Centre Consortium oversees the standards and protocol for what has become the fastest growing, regulated, fully-reserved stablecoin. USDC now stands at a 1.8 billion market cap and is adding nearly 200 million net new digital dollars in circulation every week. Today, Circle's transactional services, business accounts, and platform APIs are giving rise to a new generation of financial services and commerce applications that hold the promise of raising global economic prosperity for all through programmable internet commerce. Learn more at https://circle.com

About Coinbase

Coinbase is the easiest and most trusted place to buy, sell, and manage cryptocurrencies, offering a suite of products for individual investors, active traders, businesses and institutions. Founded in June of 2012, Coinbase has built the world's leading compliant crypto company, serving 35 million accounts in more than 100 countries. Coinbase has raised more than $525M in funding from leading investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global Management, IVP, USV, DFJ and NYSE, and has grown to more than 1,000 employees. Headquartered in San Francisco, Coinbase also has offices in Portland, New York, London, Dublin, and Tokyo.

SOURCE Centre Consortium
Chilling screams were heard at a 'millionaires-only' complex just moments before an elderly man died, horrified neighbours claimed.

The 72-year-old was rushed to hospital from the exclusive Lascelles Grange building in Melbourne's affluent Toorak on Wednesday around 8pm after reports he had been seriously injured.

The man was taken by paramedics in a critical condition but died shortly after arriving at hospital.

Police have now set up a crime scene at the newly built complex on Orrong Road, as they investigate whether the elderly man's death was suspicious.

A 72-year-old man has died after he was found at the exclusive Lascelles Grange apartment complex in Toorak (pictured) in Melbourne on Wednesday night

One worried resident said his evening was disrupted by 'screaming and wailing' from another apartment before the police turned up, the Herald Sun reported.

A 71-year-old woman known to the man was helping detectives with the investigation but has since been released by police.

Detectives are awaiting the results of a post-mortem to determine how the 72-year-old died.

Bags of evidence were pulled from the scene on Thursday morning as trauma cleaners arrived to assess the site.

The Lascelles Grange complex was only built in May and houses some of Toorak's wealthiest.

The building boasts its own gym, 20 individual units as well as a $5million three-bedroom penthouse.

The cheapest apartment on offer is priced at $1.085million while the average price for two-bedroom units at the complex is $1.6million.

Anyone with information surrounding the man's death is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Apple is soon going to open its third Apple Store in Singapore and its first store in the world that sits on a body of water. The store is located at Marina Bay Sands which is located at Singapores bayfront. The companys retail stores are always known for their iconic architecture and design but the one at Singapores Marina Bay Sands easily take the cake for being the most unique.

Apple says that an elevated boardwalk and underwater passage connect the pavilion to the shore and to the MBS mall. The dome-like structure is covered with glass panels that reflect on the towering skyline of the Downtown Core and the bayfront water. As night approaches, the sphere has a gentle warm glow which is similar to the traditional lanterns carried during Singapores mid-Autumn festival.

Apple Marina Bay Sands is coming soon to Singapore, celebrating the first Apple store in the world that sits on the water. As with every Apple store around the world, Apple Marina Bay Sands will bring the best of Apple to our customers, at an iconic location in Singapore. We cant wait to see you soon an Apple spokesman said.

Apple already has two retail stores in Singapore, one in Orchard road and another in Changi Airport. The first one was opened in 2017 and it was the first Apple store in South-east Asia.

We Want to Hear From You

What do you think about the design of Apples latest retail store in Singapore? Do you think such unique architectural designs add to the overall shopping experience when buying an Apple product?

[Image Source: Today Online
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:25 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43ef2be 4 City Ciracas-Police-Attack,Ciracas-Police-Station,TNI,military,East-Jakarta,Indonesian-Army,Indonesian-navy,military-police,Indonesian-Military,assault Free

Fifty-six personnel of the Indonesian Military (TNI) have been named suspects for alleged involvement in an attack on the Ciracas Police Station in East Jakarta on Aug. 29.

"Fifty are from the Army, while six of them are from the Navy, TNI Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Eddy Rate Muis said during a press conference as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday.

Currently, investigators are still looking into the involvement of 15 air force personnel.

The incident occurred when Second Pvt. MI was allegedly driving under the influence early on Aug. 29 and was involved in a car accident at the Arundina fork in Ciracas, East Jakarta.

According to Army Military Police chief Lt. Gen. Dodik Widjonarko, MI and two other soldiers, identified as Chief Sgt. ZBH and Second Pvt. AM, had drunk two glasses of alcoholic drink prior to the accident.

Furthermore, MI apparently drove a motorcycle owned by his superintendent without a driving license and vehicle registration certificates (STNK).

However, MI allegedly told his fellow soldiers that his injuries were caused by an attack by a group of people. Encouraged by esprit de corps, they allegedly attacked the Ciracas Police station.

MI was charged under Article 14 section 1 of the criminal code on spreading false information, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, in conjunction with section 2 of the same article, which carries a maximum of three years imprisonment.

Read also: TNI to dismiss personnel involved in attack on Ciracas Police in East Jakarta

The other soldiers involved in the attack were charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code on mob violence, which carries a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment.

Second Pvt. MI is now being detained at the Military Police Detachment Jaya II Cijantung [in East Jakarta], Dodik said.

Twenty-three people were reportedly physically assaulted in the attack, while 109 others have suffered material losses.

Jakarta Military commander Maj. Gen. Dudung Abdurachman said that, as of Monday, 117 residents and two police officers had filed complaints against TNI personnel who were involved in the attack.

The assaults were in the form of beating, stabbing, Dudung said.

The TNI personnel also vandalized several stores and street stalls along Jl. Raya Bogor near the Arundina fork until Ciracas Police station. Not only did they beat up [residents], they also damaged the residents motorcycles. They took the food sold by street vendors and overturned a meatball cart. There were vehicles being burned down, too. (trn)
Cars roll into Tamworth, NSW, during the 1955 Redex Trial. Credit:Staff When they checked into the Parramatta Park control Whitehead had lost 27 points and Perkins 66 points. But later at the scrutineering Whitehead lost 250 points for a "cracked floor panel in the main structure" of the car and 250 for a "crack in the body flange between the mounting." Perkins lost 500 points for "cracks in the rear suspension shell." Brooks lost no points in the scrutineering check. Appeared To Be Paddock It was stated in Sydney last night that Volkswagen interests might take legal action to challenge the scrutineers' decision.

A group of drivers in Mount Isa during the 1955 Redex Trial. Credit:Staff Drivers ran into the bog between Yass and Canberra in the early hours of yesterday morning. After leaving Yass, they were sent to a check point near Murrumbateman, where an official directed them to take a road a mile further on. There, a policeman with a torch waved drivers into what appeared to be a paddock. About 50 yards further on, the cars began sinking into the boggy field. First car through was Don Pollock in a Ford Zephyr. Pollock, who lives in the area, used his local knowledge to get through without loss of points. Whitehead and Perkins who got through in their Volkswagens were piloted by a local car dealer driving a four-wheel drive vehicle. Ground "Like Blanc Mange" Large cars sank to the bodywork as soon as they reached the soft patches. Drivers said the mud was so soft that the ground around "trembled like a blanc mange" when they stamped their feet. Following cars, on learning that there was no check point on the other side of the bog, decided to bypass it.

A group of about 20 competitors obliterated the trial numbers on the sides of their cars with mud or covered them with blankets, towels or clothing, then turned in the opposite direction. Travelling at full speed in convoy, they drove back past the startled control official who was too puzzled to try to identify the cars. If the cars had been detected, they could, have been penalised 1,000 points each for driving through a control in the wrong direction. PENALTY 'SLIGHTLY HARSH' Drivers said that about 30 cars were bogged in the mud at one time - some for nearly 10 hours. A tractor sent into tow them out became bogged, too. The cars were bogged up to their floorboards and their crews sloshed around knee deep in grey, slimy mud. Brooks, the provisional winner, was one of the bogged drivers. Sydney driver Bill McLachlan, showing fine sportsmanship, organised other drivers in the vicinity, and they dragged Brooks's car free of the mud.

Jacks were put under some cars, but they disappeared into the mud. Car crews then cut trees to make corduroy roads, but these, too, sank from sight under the weight of the cars. Crowd favourite Gelignite Jack Murray signs autographs for fans during the 1955 Redex Trial. Credit:Staff Nine Abandon Attempts At 9 a.m. yesterday, the crews of nine cars abandoned their attempts and went into Yass for breakfast and to hire a team of draught horses to pull their cars free. It was learned last night that the Canberra Sporting Car Club telephoned Mr. Terry Byrne, an official of the committee conducting the trial and pleaded with him to get the committee to call off the section. Mr. Byrne said a committee meeting discussed the request, but rejected it.
JACKSON, MI -- They come from across the country. Their styles are vibrant, fun and realistic. Soon their marks on Jackson will be complete.

Three artists from Denver, New York and Portland, Oregon, are in town this week as part of Bright Spots, a small-scale mural festival taking the place of the Bright Walls festival finale that was postponed to 2021.

While the event runs through Sunday, Sept. 13, two of the three murals already are complete or nearly complete. But heres a little bit more about the artists behind the art.

David Rice of Portland, Oregon works on his mural for Bright Spots at 330 W. Michigan Ave. in Jackson on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.J. Scott Park | MLive.com

David Rice

Rice, a Portland-based artist, has been to Jackson before -- he painted a mural of flowers in a vase and a butterfly on Cortland Street during the 2019 Bright Walls festival.

This year, hes painting a large display of produce and food on the side of Family Service and Childrens Aid at 330 W. Michigan Ave. Rice said he wanted to paint food to match Bright Spots' loose theme of bringing people together.

I thought, Whats the best way of bringing people together than over a meal or shared food,'" he said. "Thats how we all bond or commiserate or just join together. And I thought that would be a great way to take that theme. Seems like theres a lot thats trying to separate us right now so anything that can bring us together I think is a good thing.

Rices style is usually focused on hyperrealistic images of the human and natural world together but this time, he wanted to try an art decco approach.

Its a fun way to kind of show how one object that you would just blankly assume would be one color really has this whole range of colors and values within it, he said. "So its a little bit easier to break that down for the eye and kind of realize that one object is really full of all these different colors.

Steffi Lynn of Brooklyn, New York poses with her mural for Bright Spots at the Jackson District Library Carnegie branch in Jackson on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Steffi Lynn

Coming to Jackson was a welcome change of pace, Lynn said. Shes from Brooklyn and said she felt the Midwestern hospitality the day she arrived in Michigan.

When we got here, we got a home-cooked meal and I was so happy," Lynn said. "I havent had a home-cooked meal since December. So on Sunday when we all ate, it was so nice and friendly and like a family.

Lynns mural on the Jackson District Librarys annex building at 280 Pearl St. is a culmination of her brand, she said.

Ive always just been drawn to color so that just like came kind of naturally to me, she said. "But for the positive, motivating letters, its that I personally have bad days. Its a nice therapeutic thing for myself and it also makes other people happy, too. It brings everyone together so it just kind of worked out that way. It makes me feel good and makes other people feel good.

Artist Thomas Evans, also known as Detour, works on his mural at 120 N. Waterloo St. during Bright Spots on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Three new Bright Spots murals around Jackson are starting to take shape. The 2020 Bright Walls Mural Festival was postponed to 2021.J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Detour

Artist Thomas Evans, also known as Detour, is using his portrait skills to paint Jackson native and nursing assistant Andrea Johnson at 120 Waterloo St., across from Henry Ford Allegiance Health.

Hes only been to Michigan once before, for only two days, Detour said. Its his first time in Jackson and he said hes enjoyed walking around the downtown to find restaurants and community spots. That process adds to his understanding of arts in the area.

Thats me! Nursing assistant says shes honored to be subject of Bright Spots mural

He said part of his intention with the mural is to showcase a local in the community in a meaningful way. The mural is meant to highlight the contribution healthcare workers have made during the coronavirus pandemic.

My style is really colorful, really bright," Detour said. "I want it to stand out from the surrounding area in terms of the colors and palette because most of the buildings are muted and tan, drab colors. Thats what I really like about doing work like this because my style is in-your-face, but really comfortable and friendly and all about representation in the community, showcasing and highlighting special people in the community.

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TDT | Manama

Eighty-three eligible male and female Bahraini doctors are in the fray for the Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for Bahraini Doctors in its two categories, the awards secretariat revealed yesterday. The prestigious award will be given away during Bahraini Doctors Day celebrations on November 4.

Fifty candidates have submitted their applications for the first category of the award on innovation and creativity in therapeutic and clinical medical research, while 33 applicants are vying for the second category, entitled Extended Loyalty and Giving Award. The secretariat added that the deadline for submitting applications was last Saturday.

It noted that after assessing the nominations and ascertaining that they meet eligibility criteria, they were referred alongside the participants curriculum vitae and medical researchesto the jury, which comprises representatives from HRH the Prime Ministers Court, well-reputed international experts from the World Health Organisation and European and American universities, the presidents of Arabian Gulf University and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Bahrain, and the Bahrain Medical Society president.

The jury will do the assessment, which is expected to be completed by the end of October, according to set criteria before announcing the names of the winners. The awards secretariat thanked the participants and stressed the importance of active participation in the award, which is a tribute to doctors for their efforts and noble sacrifices.

The first category, the Innovation and Creative Award in Therapeutic, Clinical and Medical Research, will be granted to three Bahraini doctors who prepare therapeutic, clinical and medical scientific research and attain distinguished achievements in their field, characterised by creativity and innovation. The second category will be granted to Bahraini doctors who have worked for a period of no less than 30 years, in recognition and appreciation of their career contributions.
ImCheck Achieves Initial Positive Independent Safety Review

and Initiates Next Stage of Phase I/IIa EVICTION Trial for ICT01



Company Receives FDA Approval for US IND

Marseille, France, September 10, 2020  ImCheck Therapeutics announced today that the independent Safety Review Committee for the EVICTION Phase I/II clinical trial for its lead antibody ICT01 ( NCT04243499 ) unanimously approved dose escalation in the solid tumor indications and the start of enrollment in the two other arms of the study: treatment with ICT01 in patients with hematologic malignancies as monotherapy and in solid tumor patients in combination with pembrolizumab. The first patients in the second cohort have now been treated.

ImChecks Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared in August of this year, allowing for U.S. patient inclusion in EVICTION. The first U.S. sites will include the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Yale University Cancer Center and the University of Washington/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

ICT01 is a first-in-class activating antibody designed to target cancer cells directly through cytotoxic activity and indirectly through the activation of other immune cells. Approval from the independent safety review committee is therefore an important achievement, enabling us to move ahead with the second phase of the study and remain on track with our planned timeline, said Paul Frohna , MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer at ImCheck Therapeutics. We are excited to expand the trial to include patients with hematologic cancers and to test ICT01 in combination with pembrolizumab. Our focus is now on achieving our patient enrollment goals, confirming pharmacodynamic activity and demonstrating clinical proof of mechanism.

EVICTION is an open-label basket study assessing the safety, tolerability and activity of ICT01 as monotherapy in patients with advanced solid or hematologic malignancies, and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with solid tumors. The first cohort enrolled six patients treated at four different starting doses of ICT01 as monotherapy, followed by intra-patient dose-escalation. No dose-limiting toxicities or related serious adverse events were reported. ICT01 is a gamma9 delta2 (92) T cell-activating monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting Butyrophilin 3A (BTN3A), a member of the butyrophilin superfamily of immunomodulators.

Story continues

ICT01 is the first of a series of novel agents targeting butyrophilins that we are developing at ImCheck. The outstanding ground work in early development coupled with strong relationships with the clinical centers has enabled us to move rapidly through the first stage of the Phase I study, treat the first patients in the second cohort and open the IND in the U.S., said Pierre dEpenoux , Chief Executive Officer at ImCheck Therapeutics. All of us at ImCheck thank the patients, investigators and the sites for continuing to support EVICTION during these difficult times due to the COVID-19 crisis.

***

About ICT01

ICT01 is a humanized, monoclonal antibody that activates 92 T cells, which are part of the innate immune system that is responsible for immunosurveillance for malignancy and infection, by targeting all three isoforms of BTN3A (also known as CD277). BTN3A is expressed on the surface of innate and adaptive immune cells (T cells, B cells and NK cells) and is overexpressed on a number of solid tumors (e.g., bladder, breast, colon, gastric, melanoma, ovarian and prostate) and hematologic cancers (e.g., leukemia & lymphoma). BTN3A appears essential for the activation of the anti-tumor immune response of 92 T cells.

ICT01 selectively activates circulating 92 T cells that leads to migration of 92 T cells out of the circulation and into target tissue (e.g., tumors or infection site), while also activating the tumor resident 92 T cells. ICT01 has been shown to have anti-tumor activity against a range of cancers in in vitro and in vivo tumor models.

About the EVICTION Trial

EVICTION is a first-in-human, dose escalation (Part 1) and cohort expansion (Part 2) study of ICT01 monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory solid or hematologic cancers that have exhausted standard of care treatment options. A third group of cancer patients will test ICT01 in combination with an anti-PD-1 inhibitor (immune checkpoint inhibitor, pembrolizumab). More information on the EVICTION trial can be found at clinicaltrials.gov .

The study is being managed in Europe by ILife Consulting (a Paris-based CRO) in collaboration with Precision for Medicine (the CRO managing US sites). Precision for Medicine is also providing central lab capabilities for biomarker sample handling and flow cytometry. HalioDx (Marseille), a leader in Immuno-oncology testing with Immunoscore and related assays, will be responsible for analyzing tumor biopsies as part of the precision medicine-guided analysis of baseline and on-treatment samples.

About IMCHECK THERAPEUTICS

ImCheck Therapeutics is designing and developing a new generation of immunotherapy antibodies positioned at the crossroads of two high-potential immunological fields: 92 T cells and a novel super-family of immunomodulators, butyrophilins.

Due to their mechanism of action, and notably their ability to simultaneously modulate innate and adaptive immunity, ImCheck's first-in-class activating antibodies may be able to produce superior anti-cancer efficacy as compared to the first-generation of immune checkpoint inhibitors and, when used in combination, overcome the resistance to this class of agents. Activated 92 T cells also have therapeutic potential in infectious diseases (e.g., bacteria and viruses), while antagonist antibodies have potential as treatments for a range of autoimmune diseases.

Co-founder of the Marseille Immunopole cluster, ImCheck benefits from support from Prof. Daniel Olive (INSERM, CNRS, Institut Paoli Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Universite), a worldwide leader in  T cells and butyrophilins research; from the experience of an expert management team; and from the commitment of leading US and European investors.

For further information on ImCheck: http://www.imchecktherapeutics.com and @ImCheckThx



Press contacts





US and EU

Trophic Communications

Gretchen Schweitzer

+49 (0) 172 861 8540

imcheck@trophic.eu







France

ATCG-PARTNERS

Celine Voisin

+33 (0)9 81 87 46 72 / +33 (0)6 62 12 53 39

imcheck@atcg-partners.com



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In a significant development, the proposal by the Government of Odisha for inclusion of Odisha Economic Corridor (OEC) under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program has been approved by the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT). The Board of Trustees has agreed for initiation of the project development activities for the priority clusters identified for implementation under Phase-1 in the two nodes based on focused sectors identified by the State Government.

OEC will be a part of the northernmost stretch of the East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), the first coastal economic corridor planned in the country. The corridor has a potential to generate over INR 4 lakh Crore of manufacturing output, INR 81 Thousand crore of investment and an additional 8 Lakh direct jobs by 2025.

Two nodes have been prioritized in the influence region of the transport network (NH-16) through assessment of factors including land availability, highways, large cities, existing industrial infrastructure and port. 100 km on each side of NH-16 has been taken as the Corridor Influence Area. Node-1 called the GBK node includes 6 clusters with 6,153 acres land area in Gopalpur, Bhubaneswar, Kalinganagar industrial areas of the Ganjam, Khurda, Cuttack and Jajpur districts. Node-2 called the PKDS node includes 8 clusters with 10,558 acres of land area in the Paradip, Kendrapada, Dhamra and Subarnarekha industrial areas of the Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore districts. New land parcels to be added during the development phase of the nodes.

Located on the east coast of India, Odisha has a coastline of 480 kms along the Bay of Bengal. The modern State of Odisha was formed on 1 April, 1936 but its history dates to the era of Kalinga mentioned in the Mahabharata. Over the years the state has maintained a unique cultural identity distinct from all of its neighboring States. Traditionally, the State has been known for its mineral and mining strength. Since the turn of the millennium, the focus of the State has shifted to manufacturing and services industrial growth. The State Government has also taken several unique initiatives to ensure that a hassle-free and conducive business environment is provided to the investors setting up units in the State. This website is a one-stop location for all such information.

Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) is the single point of contact for all industrial investments in the State. IPICOL is responsible for devising the investment promotion, facilitation and aftercare strategy for The state of Odisha. IPICOL, as the investment promotion agency of the State of Odisha undertakes all activities to promote Odisha as the investment destination of choice
Our recommended books this week are evenly balanced between questions of race and space. First, the cosmos: In The Sirens of Mars, the planetary scientist Sarah Stewart Johnson evokes the wonders of her work looking for life on other worlds; in The End of Everything, the theoretical cosmologist Katie Mack asks what science can teach us about the likely end of the universe; and in The Smallest Lights in the Universe, the astrophysicist Sara Seager balances an account of her scientific career with a memoir of grief and young widowhood. On the subject of race, Seyward Darby (Sisters in Hate) and Edward Ball (Life of a Klansman) both probe Americas troubled legacy of white supremacy, while Martha S. Jones (Vanguard) celebrates the Black women who have persevered in the cause of equal justice.

We also recommend a playful poetry collection, Muddy Matterhorn, by the quicksilver Heather McHugh, and a couple of new novels: Fifty Words for Rain, by Asha Lemmie, and What Are You Going Through, by Sigrid Nunez (which Dwight Garner liked at least as much as her prizewinning last novel, The Friend).

Gregory Cowles

Senior Editor, Books

Twitter: @GregoryCowles

WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH, by Sigrid Nunez. (Riverhead, $26.) Nunezs follow-up to The Friend, which won a National Book Award in 2018, asks a primal question: If a terminally ill friend asked you to be there, in another room, while she took the pills that would end her life, would you say yes or no? Its unnamed narrator is a writer in late middle age who, like one of Rachel Cusks detached narrators, is attuned to the stories of others. Its as good as The Friend, if not better, our critic Dwight Garner writes. This novel has sorrow in it. Its also quite funny. We bumble our way toward death as we bumble toward everything.

VANGUARD: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All, by Martha S. Jones. (Basic Books, $30.) Jones, an assiduous scholar and an absorbing writer, tells the story of Black women in America who have fought over the centuries for the cause of voting rights. Our critic Jennifer Szalai calls it an elegant and expansive history that covers some women who did things first but isnt overly fixated on initial milestones. Jones is just as interested in everything these women made possible  not just the trails they blazed, but the journeys they took, and what came after.
After Mexican security forces had cornered and captured the fugitive and co-founder of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, renowned criminologist Monica Ramirez Cano ran a tell-all interview with the head of the drug cartel wherein 'El Chapo' confessed his only addiction in his life, 'women.'

The co-founder of the Mexican drug cartel also admitted during the interview that he was a father of 23 children.

Before capturing 'El Chapo' Ramirez Cano profiled some of the most infamous drug lords in the Mexican soil and after the arrest, the criminologist shared a five-second clip of the interview with the co-founder which was recorded in 2016 wherein she sat across El Chapo asking him 'what have you liked the most Joaquin?' just before the clip ended.

After that interview in 2016, the complete recorded was never uploaded until on Monday when Ramirez Cano posted on social media the continuation of the interview, Fox News reported.

The now-jailed drug lord replied on the video after asked about his addictions that he has none, aside from being an addict to women.

Based on the reports, the 63-year-old drug lord has been married in his life four times.

Read also: Man Invades Eminem's Home, Says He Was There To 'Kill Him'

Joaquin Guzman also known as 'El Chapo' first got married in 1977 to Alejandrina Maria Salazar Hernandez with whom he had four kids which includes , Ivan Archivaldo, Alejandrina Giselle, Cesar, and Jesus Alfredo. After his first marriage, he then marries a bank clerk, Estela Pena but the relationship did not bear fruit.

The third marriage of El Chapo came in the middle of the 1980s wherein he tied the knot with the mother of edgar, Joaquin Jr., Ovidio and Griselda Guadalupe, Griselda Lopez Perez.

The last among his reported marriage came in 2007 when he got the heart of former beauty queen Emma Coronel, and after four years into their marriage, in August of 2011, the former beauty queen gave birth to their twin daughters, Emali Guadalupe and Maria Joaquina.

The criminologist, Cano shared that El Chapo is a respectful person, one who takes great care of manners, kind, cordial, and very reserved. But once you established trust, you can talk with him in an unbelievable way, as he will allow you to know how his mind operates.

During his interview in 2016, the co-founder of the infamous drug cartel opened up that he is in the opposition side of the kidnapping tactics utilized by many cartels. He considered the tactic as the worst crime that could be committed.

El Chapo also stated that people became drug users because they simply wanted to become one.

According to Daily Mail, as of the moment, El Chapo serves a life sentence at a supermax penitentiary in Colorado. According to the reports, he made $12.6 billion when he was the chief of the cartel, and that money should be turned based on federal New York prosecutors.

Ramirez Cano also stated that El Chapo is not a psychopath, he has psychopathic traits and narcissistic traits which is a result of the need for admiration wants to feel special and unique.

The criminologist also mentioned that he has a very important strategic capacity as he knows who to put in the right place and the one to be removed. He knows how to move pieces just like playing a chess game.



Related article: Fact Check: Did the Aunt of Jacob Blake's Ex Malign Him on Twitter?

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European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic gave the UK until the end of the month to drop the controversial provisions in the Internal Market Bill (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Michel Barnier leaves EU House in London after the latest round of negotiations between the EU and UK (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Britains relationship with the EU has been plunged into crisis after ministers rejected a demand by Brussels to drop plans to override key elements of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

At a stormy meeting in London, European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic gave the UK until the end of the month to drop the controversial provisions in the Internal Market Bill or face the potential collapse of talks on a free trade agreement.

However, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove  who co-chairs a joint committee on the Withdrawal Agreement with Mr Sefcovic  said the Government was not prepared to back down.

I explained to vice president Sefcovic that we could not and would not do that, he told reporters following the meeting.

Expand Close European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic leaves EU House, London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic leaves EU House, London (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

I made it perfectly clear to vice president Sefcovic that we would not be withdrawing this legislation. He understood that. Of course he regretted it.

The emergency talks were called after ministers admitted on Tuesday that provisions in the Bill to enable the Government to change elements of the Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland were in breach of international law.

In a strongly worded statement following the meeting, the European Commission said Mr Sefcovic had made clear the British proposals had seriously damaged trust between the two sides and that it was up to the UK side to repair the relationship.

 By putting forward this Bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK. It is now up to the UK government to re-establish that trust.



My statement following today's extraordinary Joint Committee on the #WithdrawalAgreementhttps://t.co/fiRyTxVNQD  Maros Sefcovic (@MarosSefcovic) September 10, 2020

It said that he had made clear that the EU would not be shy in using the mechanisms and legal remedies contained in the agreement to address any violations if the UK did not withdraw the provisions.

Violating the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law, undermine trust and put at risk the ongoing future relationship negotiations, the statement said.

The EU does not accept the argument that the aim of the draft Bill is to protect the Good Friday Agreement. In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite.

Vice-president Maros Sefcovic called on the UK Government to withdraw these measures from the draft Bill in the shortest time possible and in any case by the end of the month.

Mr Gove denied the Government was seeking to set aside the Withdrawal Agreement or to shirk from the protocol on Northern Ireland which means that some goods entering from the rest of the UK will still be subject to EU tariffs.

We are absolutely serious about the implementation of the protocol, he said

But we have to ensure the protocol is implemented in a way that respects the fact that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, part of our customs territory, and it is British ministers in Westminster who are responsible for good governance in Northern Ireland.

Expand Close Michael Gove said the Government could not and would not accept EU demands (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Michael Gove said the Government could not and would not accept EU demands (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Gove said he still hoped the two sides could resolve their differences through the joint committee but refused to be drawn on the prospects of their succeeding.

It is not for me to speculate about the chances for success. It is my job to work for success, he said.

The row erupted as the latest round of talks between the EU and UK chief negotiators, Michel Barnier and Lord Frost, on the post-Brexit relationship, including a free trade agreement, ended with both sides saying significant differences remained.

Meanwhile, there was growing unrest among senior Tories at the prospect the UK could go back on an international agreement, with Lord Howard becoming the third former party leader, after Theresa May and Sir John Major, to criticise the plan.

Speaking in the House of Lords, he accused the ministers of damaging the UKs reputation for probity and respect for the rule of the law.

How can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards, when we are showing such scant regard for our treaty obligations? he said.

Another Tory grandee, former chancellor Lord Lamont, warned the legislation would not get through the upper House unless there were changes.

The Government are in a terrible mess and in a hole and I dont think it is easy to justify.

In a way, this could take us back to square one with a terrible dilemma, he told BBC Radio 4s PM programme.
China has reduced fruit imports, but Thailand has been buying more from Vietnam.

A report from the Agricultural Product Processing and Market Development Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) showed that Vietnam exported $2.26 billion worth of vegetables and fruits in the first eight months of the year, a decrease of 11.3 percent compared with the same period last year.

The exports of key products decreased significantly, including dragon fruit (- 7.7 percent), bananas (- 9.1 percent), watermelons (- 37.7 percent), durian (- 66.3 percent) and longan (- 78.5 percent).

The dragon fruit price in Binh Thuan, Dong Nai and Dak Lak provinces decreased sharply in August to VND3,000-3,500 per kilogram, while it was VND6,000-7,000 per kilogram in late July.

Merchants said dragon fruit prices have dropped again because the fruit ripened at the time coinciding with the Covid-19 resurgence in many countries. As demand from importers is weak, merchants have stopped collecting dragon fruit from farmers.

The same occurred with longan in Hung Yen province. After the second Covid-19 outbreak, sales have been going very slowly. Farmers sell the highest-quality longan at just VND13,000-14,000 per kilogram. Sometimes the price has plunged to VND7,000-8,000, while it was at least VND30,000 per kilogram in previous years.

After the second Covid-19 outbreak, sales have been going very slowly. Farmers sell the highest-quality longan at just VND13,000-14,000 per kilogram. Sometimes the price has plunged to VND7,000-8,000, while it was at least VND30,000 per kilogram in previous years.

In the southern province of Ben Tre, saltwater has affected the quality of coconut. Merchants pay only VND6,000 for a dozen coconuts.

Regarding market development, MARD said there are positive signs about exports after great efforts by the ministry to negotiate with the US Department of Agriculture. APHIS has appointed officers in charge of supervising the treatment of fresh fruits to be exported to the US after a period of interruption because of Covid-19.

Besides China, the biggest market for Vietnam, other choosy markets also buy Vietnamese fruit. Red flesh dragon fruit is exported to Japan and Russia, while frozen durian is exported to Australia.

A report found that China was the biggest buyer of Vietnams farm produce in the first seven months, which consumed 58.2 percent of exports. However, exports to the 1.4 billion consumer market decreased by 28.9 percent to $1.15 billion.

By contrast, exports to South Korea, the US, Japan and Taiwan increased significantly in the first seven months of the year. Particularly, exports to Thailand soared by 215 percent.

Regarding vegetable and fruit imports, Vietnam imported $810 million worth of these products in the first eight months, a decrease of 36.1 percent over the same period last year. The US, China and Australia were the biggest suppliers.

Bao Han

Fruit prices in traditional markets plummet as exports remain stuck The loyal Chinese market has restricted the import of Vietnams fruits, while exports to the US are stuck because of Covid-19.
RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Scandium International Mining Corp. (TSX:SCY) ("Scandium International" or the "Company") has received a Final Determination letter from the Deputy Secretary, Department of Regional NSW, Division of Mining, Exploration and Geoscience ('the Department'), relating to an objection affecting the Company's Nyngan Scandium project, The findings of this Final Determination by the Department are favorable to the Company, and confirm the proposed Department findings previously advised in April. This Final Determination resolves the outstanding objection, filed by a landowner in 2016, that affected a Mining Lease subsequently granted to the Nyngan Project in 2017. The Department findings and ruling will again allow all measured and indicated resource included in the Nyngan Scandium Project Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") to be reinstated in a Mining Lease grant.

HIGHLIGHTS:

NSW Government decides 5-year dispute with landowner in favor of mining.

Findings remove objections from most of the Nyngan Project disputed area.

Areas where objections were sustained do not coincide with established resource.

The final Determination will allow all of the measured and indicated resource included in the DFS to be reinstated in a Mining Lease grant.

DISCUSSION:

The Department granted a Mining Lease ('ML 1763') to SCY's Australian subsidiary, EMC Metals Australia Pty Ltd., in 2017. At that time, it was unknown, to both the Department and SCY, that a local landowner had filed a prior, timely, and valid objection to the granting of that Lease. This confusion of timing resulted in the Department coming under considerable scrutiny for both its handling of the matter, and subsequently arriving at a final decision on the validity of the landowner's objection.

Written advice from the Department to the Company now makes clear that all required independent investigative processes, and all affected party comment periods, are now completed, and the Department's decision is final. There are further State Courts of Appeal available to the landowner, but the facts supporting this final decision are confirmed by the NSW Department of Primary Industry and follow governing Law. We believe the NSW Government will defend its decisions in any court of appeals to which it would be summoned.

For a more detailed review of timelines and specific events related to this matter, please refer to the Company's previous news release on this matter, issued April 21, 2020.

The Nyngan Scandium Project currently holds a Mining Lease ("ML 1792") over land owned directly by the Company, which excludes surface and resource that was affected by the objection. This issued Mining Lease includes sufficient resource to build and operate a 20 year mine operation similar to the project defined in our DFS. With this Final Determination issued by the governing agency in NSW, the Company is now free to re-establish a Mining Lease over the entire 16.9M tonnes of resource defined in the 2016 DFS.

George Putnam, CEO of Scandium International Mining Corp. commented:

"The repair to the foundations of our original Mining Lease, giving access to our full scandium resource, has proven to be a lengthy process for both shareholders and management. We believe the Nyngan Project, now more than ever, is in position to be the world's first primary scandium mine. This decision by the NSW governing agencies reinstates our design work and our blue-sky expansion potential for the project. The project will have virtually zero impact on our agricultural neighbors, will be supporting to the surrounding community, and ultimately come to benefit both NSW and Australia as recognized supporters of projects delivering critical metals to global customers."

ABOUT SCANDIUM INTERNATIONAL MINING CORP.

The Company is focused on developing its Nyngan Scandium Project, located in NSW, Australia, into the world's first scandium-only producing mine. The Company filed a NI 43-101 technical report in May 2016, titled "Feasibility Study - Nyngan Scandium Project" . The project has received all key approvals, including a development consent and a mining lease, necessary to proceed with project construction.

The company is also currently soliciting mining company interest in a critical metals recovery project, using ion-exchange technology to extract and recover cobalt, nickel, scandium and other metals from copper raffinate streams. This program represents a fast-track concept to make sulfate battery metals, scandium master-alloy product, and other specialty metals, initially from jurisdictions in the Americas.

Willem Duyvesteyn, MSc, AIME, CIM, a Director and CTO of the Company, is a qualified person for the purposes of NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release on behalf of the Company.

For inquiries to Scandium International Mining Corp, please contact:

Edward Dickinson (CFO)

Tel: (775) 233-7328

George Putnam (CEO)

Tel: (925) 208-1775

Email: info@scandiummining.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Company and its business. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and include, but are not limited to statements regarding any future development of the project. The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, without limitation: risks related to uncertainty in the demand for scandium, the possibility that results of test work will not fulfill expectations, or not realize the perceived market utilization and potential of scandium sources that may be developed for sale by the Company. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of the Company's management at the time they are made, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances, should change.

SOURCE: Scandium International Mining Corp

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605517/Scandium-International-Receives-Positive-Final-Determination-on-Nyngan-Mining-Lease-Landowner-Objection
The latest analyst coverage could presage a bad day for Great Portland Estates Plc (LON:GPOR), with the analysts making across-the-board cuts to their statutory estimates that might leave shareholders a little shell-shocked. This report focused on revenue estimates, and it looks as though the consensus view of the business has become substantially more conservative.

Following the latest downgrade, the eleven analysts covering Great Portland Estates provided consensus estimates of UK91m revenue in 2021, which would reflect an uneasy 8.7% decline on its sales over the past 12 months. Before the latest update, the analysts were foreseeing UK103m of revenue in 2021. The consensus view seems to have become more pessimistic on Great Portland Estates, noting the substantial drop in revenue estimates in this update.

See our latest analysis for Great Portland Estates

There was no particular change to the consensus price target of UK6.97, with Great Portland Estates' latest outlook seemingly not enough to result in a change of valuation. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Great Portland Estates at UK9.65 per share, while the most bearish prices it at UK5.50. This shows there is still some diversity in estimates, but analysts don't appear to be totally split on the stock as though it might be a success or failure situation.

Taking a look at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can understand these forecasts is to see how they compare to both past performance and industry growth estimates. These estimates imply that sales are expected to slow, with a forecast revenue decline of 8.7%, a significant reduction from annual growth of 10% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 6.3% next year. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Great Portland Estates is expected to lag the wider industry.

Story continues

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that analysts cut their revenue estimates for this year. They're also anticipating slower revenue growth than the wider market. Given the stark change in sentiment, we'd understand if investors became more cautious on Great Portland Estates after today.

Unanswered questions? We have estimates for Great Portland Estates from its eleven analysts out until 2023, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Another way to search for interesting companies that could be reaching an inflection point is to track whether management are buying or selling, with our free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
TOLEDO, Ohio  A 3-year-old boy was found dead Wednesday in the swimming pool of the apartment complex where he had been reported missing last Friday, reports say.

WTVG Channel 13 reports the Lucas County coroner confirmed the body found in the pool at Hunters Ridge Apartments was Braylen Noble. The boy, who had autism and was nonverbal, had been reported missing by his grandmother, WTOL Channel 11 reports. She told police she believed the boy had fallen or jumped from an open third-floor window.

Police tell WTVG that the pool had been searched by divers Friday, but nothing was found. Authorities returned to the pool Wednesday and discovered Braylens body.

Its common practice in police investigations, once an area is searched, if nothing found, to go back and revisit that search area and see if anything was missed, Lt. Kellie Lenhardt tells WTVG. But we do want to reiterate that the area was searched numerous times by Toledo Fire and Rescue, the FBI, private search groups, and both live and cadaver dogs.

WTOL says an autopsy is being conducted and results are expected today. No arrests have been made, but the death remains under investigation.

More crime-related content on cleveland.com:

Ohio judge, wife face charges in hit-and-run crash that injured teen

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Akron police, DEA seize more than 20,000 THC vapes, 700 pounds of marijuana and 18 guns after investigation into drug-dealing at vape shop

Man accused of hiding in Cleveland womans closet and raping her in 2007 is 800th to be IDd by prosecutors task force
When the current global health crisis hit the United States, offices across the nation experienced an exodus of sorts. Workers who could perform their responsibilities from home found themselves suddenly working remotely.

In a remote work survey, PwC found in June that although only 39 percent of companies expected most of their office workers to work remotely at least one day a week before the crisis hit, that number has risen to 77 percent during the crisis and is expected to remain at around 55 percent after. In fact, more than 67 percent of companies plan to keep their remote work policies in place permanently, according to an S&P report.

With this influx of remote work, companies have been reeling to adjust to their new workplace reality. But one thing that bosses need to make sure doesn't slip through the cracks during this time is professional development.

Related: How to Give Millennials the Employee Development They Want

Just because many companies are still fully remote due to the current crisis, that doesn't mean they can just put professional development on hold. Employees crave growth opportunities, and their work location doesn't change that. In fact, a Harris Poll survey for Instructure found that about 70 percent of workers in the U.S. were at least "somewhat likely to leave their current company" to find a workplace more focused on employee learning.

When I think about the "why" behind investing in professional development, I think of a quote I once read that went something like this:

CFO: But what happens if we invest all of this money into professional development for our team members and then they leave?



CEO: What happens if we don't and they stay?

If company leaders want a successful organization that's full of people who are bought in and working hard toward the company's mission, they need to invest in their people. Especially during these uncertain times when employees feel like their jobs have gotten harder, companies need to do everything in their power to make employees feel valued. That's why leaders should infuse professional development into their new remote company culture and make sure they're equipping their teams to do their best work and advance their careers. Here are five ways to do it:

1. Adapt your normal professional development activities to your new virtual environment.

Before the current global health crisis, my company was accustomed to having a quarterly professional development day. The whole team would gather at our headquarters for educational sessions, brainstorms and team bonding activities for a full workday. But since the crisis began, we've had to pivot our strategy and take our professional development virtual.

When you transition your professional development activities into a virtual setting, keep in mind that it will probably need to look different from what you're used to. For example, at our company, rather than doing our normal professional development day, we realized we'd need to split our sessions up across multiple days and weeks to prevent burnout and Zoom fatigue. Be willing to brainstorm with your team and make adjustments to your strategy as you go.

Related: 5 Professional Icebreakers You Can Do Remotely

2. Invest in virtual learning software.

E-learning software is a helpful tool that allows companies to easily share training information, process documents and company policies with all employees. It also enables company leaders to facilitate professional development opportunities virtually. At my company, we already used Lessonly, but the platform has been so valuable for continuing trainings and learnings while we're all remote.

Another example of a company embracing e-learning is IBEX, an IT consultancy firm. It provides many e-learning courses that cover leadership and project management topics, plus IT training and certification.

3. Invest in an alternative learning option.

Companies' internal professional development won't necessarily be enough to satisfy employees' drive to continually learn and grow, so it can be beneficial to invest in external options that provide more comprehensive learning opportunities.

My company decided to sign up for MasterClass to provide more development opportunities for employees. This platform allows our team members to choose from a vast array of online classes so they can learn new things in areas that they're personally passionate about. Subjects learners can choose from include business, art, music, writing, science and sports.

4. Offer training and support on topics that are relevant now.

While internal professional development is important, company leadership shouldn't hesitate to bring in experts to discuss timely topics that employees care about and might need help with.

For example, my company brought in Adrian Campbell of Chimeric Leadership to speak about wellness and stress reduction, specifically as they relate to what we're all experiencing with the global health crisis. During the session, Campbell created a space where employees could share experiences and brainstorm ways to reduce stress, and she demonstrated some stress-relieving exercises our team members could do at home. This is a great example of looking at what employees are experiencing and providing tangible learning that the team needs and can use now.

EY has also offered timely education around mental health and emotional well-being. The company offered free apps to help employees build emotional resilience and improve sleep habits and a free 12-week course on mindfulness.

5. Set aside budget for professional development.

Professional development doesn't stop where the company's provided resources end. Countless more opportunities exist for employees to take ownership of their professional development and spur their careers forward. While companies can't necessarily facilitate all of these opportunities, it can support employees in their pursuit of greater knowledge and skill. And creating such a culture is vital: According to Bersin, companies that nurture employees' desires to learn are 30 percent more likely to be industry market leaders for the long haul.

That's why companies should consider setting aside funds each year that employees can use for professional development. Every senior employee at my company can invest up to $1,000 per year into their own professional development. This might involve purchasing books or enrolling in courses. During the current crisis, some employees have opted to use this budget on things such as virtual conferences. The important thing? That employees feel supported and encouraged to steer their professional development in the direction they choose.

Companies have a lot on their plates right now. They're juggling a crisis, a weakened economy, remote work  the list goes on. But while leaders are keeping all those plates are spinning, there's one in particular they can't let drop: professional development. Try out these five tips to make sure your company's professional development is effective and makes employees feel like a valued part of your culture.

Related:

These 4 Principles Fuel Business Acceleration

Making Time for Learning When No One Has Time

We Need Entrepreneurial Leaders Now More Than Ever



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday met Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut at her Mumbai residence and said BJP or RPI will welcome her if she decides to join either of the parties. But Kangana said she has no interest in joining politics, Athawale clarified after his meeting.

As long as Kangana is working in films, she has no intention of joining politics, but if she joins BJP or RPI, we will welcome her, the minister said.

The meeting comes a day after Kanganas Mumbai office was demolished by BMC.

Athawale, president of the Republican Party of India (A), has been a staunch supporter of the actress in the Kangana versus Shiv Sena episode. After Shiv Sena MP sanjay Raut had reportedly asked Kangana Ranaut not to return to Mumbai as she compared the city to Pakistan-ocupied-Kashmir, Athawale said his workers will provide Kangana protection.

On Monday, the Centre provided Y-plus category security to the actress. On Wednesday, Kangana reached Mumbai, the day on which the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation carried out a demolition drive at her office, claiming that substantial changes have been made to the sanctioned plan of the premises owned by the actress. The Bombay High Court, on Thursday, stayed the demolition drive.

The actor is in Mumbai for a short visit and hence has been exempted from the quarantine rules. She is scheduled to leave Mumbai on September 14.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  A congressman allied with the administration used his time in leading a budget hearing to briefly defend President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to pardon US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton from critics.

House appropriations committee chair Eric Go Yap on Wednesday even called out celebrities who have been making comments against Duterte's decision to instead use their energy to fill their social media accounts with posts that could raise COVID-19 awareness.

"Yung issue po kay Pemberton, sa mga artista na kumekwestiyon, kumonsulta po kayo sa abogado niyo at ang mga agencies na pwedeng tanungin kung legal ba to o illegal para hindi nasasayang ang oras."

[Translation: For celebrities who have been questioning the issue regarding Pemberton, consult your lawyers or agencies about looking into the legality of the matter so that your time will not be wasted.]

"Napakahirap talaga ng kalagayan na lahat ng ginagawa [ni Presidente] may batikos. Uulitin ko lang yung panawagan ko, sa mga Pilipino, panahon na para...ubusin natin ang lakas sa social media para magbigay ng COVID-19 awareness sa tao," Yap told the panel.

[Translation: The President's situation is very difficult because no matter what he does, there always will be criticisms. I repeat my call to Filipinos, it is time for us to use our energy and strength on social media to raise COVID-19 awareness among the public.]

Yap made these remarks after asking the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology about the protocol on granting the release of persons deprived of liberty during the pandemic.

On Monday, Duterte announced that he has granted "absolute pardon" to Pemberton in a move some critics call "shameless mockery of justice" and a "betrayal of public trust." The pardon was announced amid a massive backlash over a court order for the US serviceman's early release without completing his prison term for killing Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude.

On Tuesday, Yap also said during the budget hearing with the Department of National Defense that he will not question their multibillion-peso allocation because he trusts Duterte, who has confidence in Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Yap is among the representatives of ACT-CIS Partylist, who earlier vowed to be independent in the House of Representatives.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HeroX , the world's leading platform for crowdsourced solutions and Base 11 today launched a prize competition, the " NIH Prize for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity " on behalf of the National Institutes of Health to improve gender diversity and equity among faculty in biomedical and behavioral fields in colleges and universities. Although there is a near equal number of male and female students in the biomedical science field and in medical schools, women are underrepresented in the faculty, particularly in the mid-career to senior-career positions and challenges remain in ensuring faculty members are treated in an equitable manner.

"We are seeking to foster more inclusive and equitable environments in academia," said Janine A. Clayton, M.D., Director of the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health, which is overseeing the competition. "Women generally experience greater challenges in their professional careers than their male counterparts. Colleges and universities must provide women faculty with the support required for them to reach their full potential. And of course, everyone will benefit from the knowledge, skills, and perspectives the women scientists will bring to the research enterprise."

"This project will aggregate concrete, evidence-based practices from institutions of higher learning across the United States," said Christian Cotichini, CEO of HeroX. "Crowdsourcing is especially powerful in situations like this, because we are able to learn from large research institutions and smaller, more specialized schools alike. This is an opportunity to study and borrow the creative and resourceful solutions being implemented across the country."

"It's imperative that research and teaching institutions recruit, retain, and promote women and people of color not only because it's proven that diverse teams perform better, but because it's the right thing to do," said Ingrid Ellerbe, executive director of the nonprofit Base 11. "The Gender Diversity Prize offers an exciting opportunity to recognize and reward institutions that have been working toward gender equity and to widely share their programs and practices to further advance women in science."

The Prize: Institutions from across the United States have the opportunity to be recognized in this prestigious prize competition by sharing successful approaches to improving gender diversity within their institution. The NIH will award up to 10 institutions with $50,000 each for a total of $500,000 in prizes.

There are a number of different approaches to enhancing diversity in academia. The ultimate goal of the NIH is to source a range of transformative structures, systems, projects, programs, and processes from around the globe. These best practices will then be consolidated into a toolkit that can be implemented by institutions seeking to improve the representation of women on their faculty.

How to Enter: The prize competition is limited to U.S.- based, accredited public or private non-profit academic institutions that grant baccalaureate or advanced degrees in biomedical, behavioral, or health sciences, as listed in the U.S. Department of Education database of accredited institutions and programs.

To learn more about the prize, visit herox.com/NIHGenderDiversityPrize

ABOUT HEROX

HeroX is a social network for crowdsourcing innovation and human ingenuity, co-founded in 2013 by serial entrepreneur, Christian Cotichini and XPRIZE Founder and Futurist, Peter Diamandis. HeroX offers a turnkey, easy-to-use platform that supports anyone, anywhere, to solve everyday business and world challenges using the power of the crowd. Uniquely positioned as the Social Network for Innovation, HeroX is the only place you can build, grow and curate your very own crowd.

Explore the latest challenges at www.herox.com

ABOUT BASE 11

Base 11 is a nonprofit workforce development accelerator focused on solving the STEM talent pipeline crisis being fueled by the underrepresentation of women and minorities. Base 11 facilitates partnerships with industry, academia and philanthropy which deliver to employers a pre-recruitment pipeline of well-trained, highly skilled STEM talent. Through Next Frontier programs, facilities and events, Base 11 and its partners set students  and those returning to the workforce  on direct pathways to four-year STEM degrees, well paid STEM jobs, and the opportunity to launch their own STEM related business. For more information, please visit www.Base11.com. Base 11 is a DBA of the Center for Innovations in Education, a nonprofit 501(c) 3  IRS exemption EIN# 26-4365936.

Media Contact:

Alexandra Pony

[email protected]

250.858.0656

SOURCE HeroX

Related Links

http://www.herox.com


Advances in treatment at hospitals nationwide have helped save more and more premature infants who are at high risk of mortality.

A set of premature triplets were saved by Hung Vuong Hospital doctors. Photo courtesy of the hospital

This improvement is in line with the United Nations' fourth Millennium Development Goal to reduce child mortality rates.

Preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age, responsible for approximately 1 million deaths in 2015. Three-quarters of these deaths could be prevented with current, cost-effective interventions, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

Many hospitals in Vietnam have improved their treatments for low birth-weight babies.

Hung Vuong Hospital in HCM City, for instance, has been able to save thousands of premature infants each year. The survival rate of babies born between 24 and 37 weeks of pregnancy is now up to 90 per cent.

The latest premature infants who were saved by the hospital were triplets from the south-central coastal province of Binh Thuan born at 26 weeks and five days of pregnancy.

The mother was hospitalised and closely monitored because she had underlying diseases.

At 26 weeks and five days in the pregnancy, the hospitals doctors decided to perform Caesarean surgery. The babies weighed 785 grammes, 850 grammes and 860 grammes.

The three babies showed signs of respiratory failure due to pneumonia and were placed in the neonatal department. They also suffered from neonatal infections. Two of them received blood transfusions, while one suffered from enteritis.

The hospitals doctors treated them for over 91 days and used the Kangaroo Care method in which there is warm skin-to-skin contact with the babies to help maintain their body temperature, respiration and digestion.

The doctors also were able to save a male infant weighing 800 grammes born after 25 weeks of pregnancy.

"The case from Phu Nhuan District was very premature and suffered from severe respiratory failure. Saving him was rather impressive. It took 124 days to feed and raise him successfully," doctors said.

The hospital successfully saved another male infant weighing 700 grammes and another weighing 500 grammes. They were also premature births.

The 700-gramme infant was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity, which is a potentially blinding disease caused by abnormal development of retinal blood vessels in premature infants. The infant also had respiratory failure due to pneumonia.

After birth, the male infant was put in an incubator and on a ventilator for 71 days. For the next 22 days, he used continuous positive airway pressure instead of a ventilator.

The Kangaroo Care method was also used for one month. After 123 days of treatment, he was discharged from the hospital weighing 2,230 grammes.

However, because of premature birth, his parents had to continue the Kangaroo Care method and visit the hospital for follow-up examinations.

Besides taking care of premature infants in incubators and using continuous positive airway pressure, successful treatment depends on many factors.

The infants have to be closely watched and cared for by nurses and doctors, and the mothers role in following weeks is also very important.

The Kangaroo Care method is very effective in helping to save these infants, doctors said.

They are fed breast milk to help prevent infections and improve digestion. The infants usually have contact with their mothers to stimulate the development of the brain and nervous system and to reduce the mortality rate and chance of disease.

Human milk bank

Tu Du Hospital in HCM City and Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children have set up Human Milk Banks to help premature babies.

Previously, these babies had to use formula milk.

The deputy head of the HCM Citys Department of Health, Tang Chi Thuong, said the Tu Du Hospital milk bank would help reduce the number of premature babies with necrotising enterocolitis disease in which the gastrointestinal tract results in inflammation and bacterial invasion of the bowel wall.

Dr Le Quang Thanh, the hospital director, said: Among nearly 70,000 births at the hospital every year, 6,000 to 7,000 are premature and have health problems. They need breast milk to provide nutrients for treatment and recovery.

Healthy mothers who have more than enough breast milk can volunteer to donate their milk to the bank.

The hospital will set up appointments for screening and testing before the donation. After testing, the breast milk is collected and transported to the bank for pasteurisation and storage.

Donated breast milk at the bank is pasteurised under domestic and international standards.

According to UNICEF, Vietnam has had significant progress in raising the survival ratio of children under five years old within the last 25 years. The ratio was 52 per 1,000 children in 1990, dropping to 12 per 1,000 children in 2018.

However, infant mortality rates in the North and Central Highlands remain high and in some provinces, such as Lai Chau and Kon Tum, the rates are three times higher than the national average.

It is estimated that 47 newborns die every day in Vietnam. Most are from preventable causes. Simple interventions such as skilled birth attendance, early essential newborn care, early initiation of breastfeeding, and kangaroo-mother care for premature and low-weight babies can save lives of women and their infants," UNICEF said.

The first 28 days of life  the neonatal period  is the most vulnerable time for a childs survival. Children face the highest risk of dying in their first month of life at an average global rate of 18 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018, according to UNICEF. VNS

Gia Loc

Vietnam has lowest low birth weight rate in Southeast Asia & Oceania Number of low birth weight babies remained almost constant in Vietnam over last 15 years, according to latest figures.
Theres something funky in the air, and its not Americas award-winning cheeses.

The European Union (EU) is waging a multi-front campaign against American-made cheeses, putting U.S. dairy jobs at risk and harming the rural communities that depend on dairy. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has been on the offense to protect common name cheeses and safeguard U.S. market access in key countries.

Instead of choosing to compete with high-quality U.S. cheeses on a level playing field, the EU raises unfair trade barriers. The EU has confiscated common cheese names by using trade agreements and negotiations with countries around the world to block U.S. exports. Dozens of common cheese names are at risk, including Parmesan, Asiago, Feta, Havarti, and Gruyere.

Alarmingly, the EU wants to ban U.S. producers from using these names even in our domestic market.

U.S. cheese exports have more than doubled over the last 10 years and now account for more than $1.5 billion in U.S. export sales. Any additional roadblocks in the form of restrictions on common names would dull what has been a bright spot for our industry during a tough few years.

A potential downturn in sales

If the EU were successful in its attempts to force U.S. producers to name Gruyere simply alpine cheese or call Parmesan aged cheese, studies show that confused consumers would choose other products, leading to nearly $72 billion in lost farm revenue over 10 years and putting more than 220,000 jobs across the dairy supply chain at risk.

This is an issue that everyone in dairy should be paying attention to  even those who dont produce cheeses under threat. U.S. and EU policies are at a crossroads on many trade provisions related to dairy and animal proteins. If the EU is allowed to take an inch by dictating global policy on common names, they will quickly take a mile and force unscientific regulations and other unfair trade demands on U.S. producers. We must fight to maintain the principles of fair trade and ensure that future market access opportunities are preserved.

Thats why NMPF has been working alongside the Consortium for Common Food Names and the U.S. Dairy Export Council to raise this issue to an unprecedented level of importance among policymakers.

These efforts have secured important wins in the fight for common names. A total of 61 senators recently sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting that the U.S. government enhance their common food name protections as a core policy objective in all trade-related discussions. Members of the House of Representatives are also eager to send a similar message to USTR and USDA this fall.

Full steam ahead

Europe has demonstrated it will not yield in its destructive agenda. These messages are a critical step toward advancing a consistent policy on common names.

The head of USTR, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, also made explicit note of the EUs anti-trade GI campaign in a recent op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, writing, The EU uses its trade deals in many cases not to advance trade liberalization, but to force other countries to adopt thinly veiled protectionist measures like geographic indications, which prohibit the use of common labeling terms for wine and food items produced outside the EU.

Protecting common name cheeses is about more than a name. Its about preserving multigenerational family businesses that have been producing cheese in America for decades. Its about expanding economic opportunities for dairy farmers and the rural communities they support. Its about offering consumers the choice to purchase the cheeses they know and love.

Protecting common cheese names means protecting U.S. dairy jobs. Were proud to fight for you.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2020

September 7, 2020
BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Thursday to accommodate 400 unaccompanied minors from the Moria migrant camp on Lesbo, Greece, following a fire that destroyed it, said news agency DPA.

The exact division of the minors between the countries has not yet been announced, but DPA said talks are still ongoing to involve other European countries.

Macron had previously expressed the need to be supportive of Greece.

There are currently about 12,000 people at the Moria camp, which was designed to hold 2,800.

In Germany, 16 conservative MPs wrote on Thursday morning to German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, pleading for the reception of 5,000 migrants by Europe, or, in the absence of a deal, by Germany alone.
MERRIMACK, N.H. - A 40-pound (18-kilogram) serval cat named Spartacus that was adopted from a zoo four years ago is missing after running away from his New Hampshire home.

Spartacus, an African serval cat, was reported missing in Merrimack on Wednesday, police said.

Dean King told The Associated Press his family adopted Spartacus from a Florida zoo four years ago. Since then, the cat has lived indoors the entire time  spending the days in an enclosure and having the run of the family house at night. The family owns the cat legally and has a permit from the states department of fish and game, police said.

The dog didnt want to come in last night. So my wife opened the front door. The dog and the cat spooked each other and off he went, King told The AP. Hes gone.

The family spent much of last night searching for Spartacus in the woods near their home. Police have received a call from someone who reported seeing the cat a few miles away, and the family has put out a trap with live baby chickens. But so far, Spartacus has not returned.

Were devastated, King said. Hopefully, he comes back.

Photos show the cat is tawny in colour with dark spots and has long ears.

He may come when called but tends to be skittish around strangers, Merrimack police wrote in a Facebook post.

Police are asking anyone who sees the cat to report him to the dispatcher.

___

AP reporter Michael Casey contributed to this report from Boston.
By Mimi Dwyer, Kristina Cooke and Sofia Menchu

LOS ANGELES/PETEN, Guatemala (Reuters) - On Aug. 24, after waiting for five months in the violent Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez for a U.S. asylum hearing, Elida, a Guatemalan migrant, decided to send her disabled 12-year-old son Gustavo into the United States alone.

Elida feared for Gustavo's safety in Mexico, after a stranger tried to take him from her, she said. She had been told by other migrants that as an unaccompanied child Gustavo would be detained by U.S. immigration agents and then released to his grandfather who lives in South Carolina.

She took him to a park near the bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez to the Texan city of El Paso, gave him his birth certificate, tucked scraps of papers with family phone numbers into his clothes, hugged him goodbye and then watched him walk into the United States.

The same day, Gustavo's family says his grandfather got a call with what they thought was good news - the boy was in the United States and authorities wanted the family's address.

Then, Gustavo effectively vanished. No further word came about his whereabouts.

Elida, 44, who asked to be identified only by her first name for safety reasons, was already racked by guilt, feeling that she had abandoned her son. Now, she was panic stricken.

She would not learn about his whereabouts for nearly a week, until a Guatemalan news blog posted on Facebook that Gustavo was in Guatemalan government custody and that officials were trying to locate his parents.

The story of how Gustavo disappeared and then reappeared in Guatemala is emblematic of what U.S. immigration rights activists say is an opaque, chaotic new system that President Donald Trump's administration has implemented to expel migrants, including unaccompanied children, during the pandemic.

Under an emergency health order issued in March, which the Trump administration says is necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the United States has expelled thousands of unaccompanied children under the age of 18 without giving them the chance to claim asylum, bypassing long-standing protections under U.S. law.

As of June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) figures indicate some 2,000 minors had been expelled. More recent numbers are not available.

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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is suing the government over the expulsions, has said the order goes further than anything the Trump administration has done to restrict access to asylum, leaving "almost no avenue open to seek protection."

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency declined to give information about the circumstances of Gustavo's case. ICE requested that Elida sign privacy waivers to allow the agency to talk about her and her son's case. After these were provided, they referred questions to CBP, which declined comment on the specifics of the case.

Matthew Dyman, a CBP spokesman, said the emergency order applies to everyone, "no matter their disability or age."

While U.S. officials do have discretion, exempting groups of people from the order "defeats the whole purpose and puts everyone at risk," Dyman said in response to questions from Reuters. Dyman said providing details about exemptions could be exploited by human smugglers.

As it prepares to fly children to their home countries, the government has been holding them in hotels with unlicensed contractors to look after them, for days or sometimes weeks, according to court documents.

Attorneys say the children's personal information is not recorded in the usual computer systems, making them almost impossible to track.

The nonprofit Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) said it has been able to help about 70 children through a patchwork of private attorneys, family members and advocates.

"A drop in the bucket," said Jennifer Podkul, KIND's Vice President for Policy and Advocacy.

The organization said it was aware of some Central American children who had been returned across the border to Mexico alone, and others who had been sent to their home countries without their parents' knowledge. They said they have also received frantic phone calls from parents looking for their children.

U.S. law has long held that children need extra protections from trafficking and exploitation. Before the March order, unaccompanied children would be moved quickly into short-term foster care or shelters overseen by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), until they could be released to vetted sponsors, usually family members.

ORR's network is operating far below its capacity of 13,600 taxpayer-funded beds. As of Sept. 3, it was housing 1,039 children. Some 159 children in ORR custody had tested positive for the coronavirus as of that date, the agency said in a statement to Reuters.

A FRANTIC SEARCH

Four days after Gustavo's grandfather received the call from the U.S. official, the family had still heard no further word on Gustavo's whereabouts.

Lindsay Toczylowski, who runs the Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles, said she heard about the case from another lawyer and emailed immigration officials to ask where Gustavo was.

She received an email saying ICE was working on placing Gustavo in a U.S. shelter. But minutes later, that message was recalled and a new one arrived from a different deportation officer. Gustavo had already been expelled to Guatemala, alone.

On Aug. 30, six days after she had said goodbye to her son, Elida saw on Facebook that the Guatemalan government was searching for Gustavo's parents "with great urgency."

Elida was still in Ciudad Juarez, fearful for her safety but also afraid to return home.

'WANTED THE BEST FOR HIM'

Elida and Gustavo left Guatemala after she received death threats following a family dispute, she said. Gustavo, who has deformed limbs and learning difficulties, had also been attacked by a child wielding a machete several years ago.

His foot was cut to the bone and the injury still makes it difficult for him to walk, she said. Apart from the physical deformities he was born with, Gustavo struggles to speak to people outside his immediate family.

"God made my child that way," she said. "I've always accepted him as he is."

Mother and son arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in February, planning to ask for asylum. They were sent by U.S. authorities to Ciudad Juarez under the Migrant Protection Protocols, a Trump policy which sends some non-Mexican migrants to Mexico to await their U.S. immigration court hearings.

Elida became a fruit seller to earn money to rent a room and buy food. The neighborhood was violent, she said, and she worried about leaving Gustavo during the day. One day when she went to get water, she heard a gunshot and saw a dead body lying in the street.

On Aug. 22, a man tried to grab Gustavo from her in the street, she said. Reuters could not independently verify her account, but advocacy group Human Rights First has documented hundreds of kidnappings and attacks on migrants waiting in Mexico for their U.S. court dates.

Two days later, Elida took Gustavo to the border. "I felt sad because I'd left him," she said. "But I told myself it was for his good. I've always wanted the best for him."

It was the first time they had been apart since he was born.

On Sept. 5, almost two weeks after he walked across the border alone, Gustavo was reunited with his father Juan in their remote village in the mountains of northeastern Guatemala. The family reunion was organized by government officials.

He stepped off a bus and looked around, disoriented, Reuters witnesses said. At first he did not appear to recognize his father, who said softly to him, "Come here my son."

Juan hugged him, crying, and said, "Look how they sent him to me, they deported him as if he were grown-up, as if he were a criminal, and he is a child."

Juan called Elida to tell her that Gustavo had arrived. "Talk to your Mom and say hi to her," Juan said to his son, trying to hand him the phone.

Gustavo burst into tears and refused to talk to her.

He has not forgiven her for leaving him, Elida said. Then she, alone in Ciudad Juarez, also began to sob.

(Reporting by Mimi Dwyer and Kristina Cooke in Los Angeles and Sofia Menchu in Peten, editing by Ross Colvin and Rosalba O'Brien)
A Covid-19 patient in Hanoi on Thursday gave birth to a son at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

The baby boy, weighing 3.8 kg, was born at 36 weeks. His vitals were stable and no abnormalities were detected. He was separated from his 30-year-old mother at birth to prevent possible coronavirus infection. For now, the infant is kept in his own room and bottle-fed by doctors and nurses.

The mother, from the northern Phu Tho Province, returned to Vietnam from Russia on July 17. She tested positive for the novel coronavirus on July 23.

Tran Thuong Viet, head of the hospitals obstetrics department, said the hospital has prepared for her birth for three weeks now. The doctors and nurses who assisted with the birth were quarantined for 14 days right after delivery, he confirmed.

A nurse in protective gears holds a boy born by a Covid-19 patient in Hanoi's National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, September 10, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Son.

Viet said the most worrying thing was the mother had tested positive for the coronavirus, meaning she could suffer lung damage. "We had to prepare to separate her and the child to prevent infection, despite there being no reports on Covid-19 mother-child transmission. It is unknown whether the mothers milk may contain antibodies to help protect the child or not," he said, adding the birth went well.

Previously, the hospital had also succeeded in delivering babies for two suspected Covid-19 cases. There are now 19 Covid-19 patients still receiving treatment at the hospital.

This isnt the first time a Covid-19 patient has given birth while still in treatment. Last month, a 35-year-old woman with Covid-19 gave birth to a baby girl at the Hoa Vang Field Hospital in central Da Nang City.

Vietnam has recorded 1,059 Covid-19 cases so far, 131 still active. The country has recorded no new local transmissions for a week.
A NSW woman who killed her partner in Adelaide, poisoning him with a toxic cocktail of drugs including morphine, valium and tramadol, has had her sentencing delayed because of a COVID-19 scare.

Wendie-Sue Dent was listed to come before the Supreme Court on Thursday for Justice Tim Stanley to fix a non-parole period over the murder of her de facto husband David Lawrence in December 2015

But the hearing was cancelled at the last minute with Dent unable to be brought to the court from an Adelaide detention facility.

Wendie-Sue Dent (left) was listed to come before the Supreme Court on Thursday for Justice Tim Stanley to fix a non-parole period over the murder of her de facto husband David Lawrence (right) in December 2015

The Department of Correctional Services later confirmed an inmate at the facility had reported feeling unwell and in line with 'operational procedures' all people in the same area had been given a COVID-19 test and placed in isolation.

The incident also prevented Thursday's hearing in a murder trial already in progress.

Dent had denied murdering Mr Lawrence to claim his $300,000 estate, but was found guilty by a jury in April.

The prosecution had alleged the 61-year-old, who lived at Dapto in NSW's Illawarra region before her arrest, administered him a mixture of dangerous medications that had all been prescribed to her.

A post-mortem examination revealed the toxic levels of morphine alone were enough to kill the 62-year-old.

In sentencing submissions last month, the dead man's family said he was helpful and kind to everyone but paid for that with his life.

Dent had denied murdering Mr Lawrence to claim his $300,000 estate, but was found guilty by a jury in April

'It takes no effort for us to hate you. We will never forgive you, never. You do not deserve that,' they told Dent in a victim impact statement read to the court.

'You knew what you were doing. You planned David's death. You murdered him over several days only so you could get his life savings.'

In those same submissions, defence counsel Martin Anders asked the court to consider Dent's medical history when setting a non-parole period, describing her as someone with a profound opioid addiction who had operated in a 'drug-induced fog'.

But prosecutor Emily Telfer said there was no evidence of Dent being in a fog or removed from reality.

A new date for Dent's sentencing is yet to be set.
The latest international doubts haven't dampened Russia's enthusiasm for the vaccine, dubbed Sputnik V in a nod to the world's first artificial satellite that was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957 (stock photo)

A group of international scientists have questioned results from a study of Russia's fast-moving coronavirus vaccine that were published in The Lancet medical journal, saying some of the findings appeared improbable.

The researchers flagged concerns over seemingly identical levels of antibodies in a number of study participants who were inoculated with the experimental vaccine. This and other patterns in the data present "several different points of concern," according to a letter written by Temple University professor Enrico Bucci and signed by more than a dozen other scientists.

The Lancet published results of the early-stage trial last week, offering the first look at the Russian study to be vetted by outside experts. A move by the government to approve the shot for use based on the initial results had drawn widespread scepticism, since vaccines aren't normally cleared before broad assessments of their efficacy and safety.

"We have shared the letter directly with the authors and encouraged them to engage in the scientific discussion," The Lancet said in a statement.

The Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which are developing the vaccine, said the data was not manipulated.

"The published data is reliable and accurate and has been studied by five reviewers of The Lancet," Gamaleya deputy director Denis Logunov said. "A full-length clinical protocol was provided to the editorial office of the journal."

The latest international doubts haven't dampened Russia's enthusiasm for the vaccine, dubbed Sputnik V in a nod to the world's first artificial satellite that was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.

The RDIF will sell 32m doses of Sputnik V to Mexico, with deliveries starting in November, the fund said yesterday.

Phase-three testing that will study 40,000 volunteers over 180 days began yesterday, the health ministry said in a statement. The first results from the study may be published in October or November, according to the RDIF.

Russia is sticking with a plan to begin vaccinating health workers next month, even as another candidate in late- stage testing suffered a setback. AstraZeneca Plc stopped giving shots this week of its experimental vaccine after a person participating in one of the company's studies got sick.

"Sputnik is a human vaccine, while AstroZeneca's is a monkey vaccine," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday.
The Rev. Greg Lewis could barely eat or get out of bed. He struggled to breathe. Doctors confirmed it was COVID-19.

Even so, the Milwaukee pastor persisted with his work helping Black parishioners vote. A couple of weeks into his illness, on March 26, he became lead plaintiff in a suit to postpone Wisconsins presidential primary because of the roaring pandemic  to no avail.

The next day, the 62-year-old was rushed to the hospital. Baby, Im dying, he muttered to his wife.

From intensive care, Lewis kept working the phone, urging fellow Black pastors to do what they could to ensure voters could safely cast ballots.

There was going to be some fighting on the way out, he said.

Lewis recovered. He returned home just before the April 7 primary and watched the fiasco unfold on television. Thousands of mainly Black voters risked their health to wait in line for hours to vote. Many more cast absentee ballots that were disqualified for technicalities.

Greg Lewis, executive director of Souls to the Polls, speaks at a July 1, 2020, protest outside a federal courthouse in Milwaukee. The group was upset with a U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding a reduction of the early voting window to two weeks, saying the change will disproportionately affect Black voters. (Michael Sears / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The pastor has spent much of his life fighting racial inequality, a central focus of the presidential campaign. Now hes also at the vanguard of what former President Obama recently described as an existential fight to preserve democracy in the United States.

Lewis, the leader of Milwaukee's Souls to the Polls organization, is alarmed by what he sees as a growing threat that many Black voters could be disenfranchised in Wisconsin, one of the battleground states that will decide the November election.

The mail delivery slowdown set in motion by Louis DeJoy, the Trump campaign donor who became postmaster general in May, is the latest in a long sequence of potential barriers to voting that have exasperated Lewis and other civil rights advocates for years in Wisconsin.

This is all planned chaos, Lewis said. Theres a win-at-all-costs attitude thats destroying our nation.

Voters observe social distancing as they wait in line to cast ballots in the April 2020 presidential primary election in Milwaukee. (Morry Gash / Associated Press)

Since Republicans took control of Wisconsin in 2010, they have imposed some of the nations most aggressive voting restrictions, including a voter ID law and reduced time for early voting.

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To Lewis, its no accident that many of these measures have disproportionately affected Black people. He sees it as a variation on the Jim Crow South blocking Black voters from casting ballots if they could not recite a passage from the Constitution. He fears the pandemic, already taking a greater health toll on people of color, will make voter suppression worse than usual in November.

Racism doesnt change over the years, it just gets a little more sophisticated, he said.

The danger of coronavirus contagion could deter millions of Americans from casting ballots in person on Nov. 3. President Trumps unfounded charges that voting by mail risks tainting the election with rampant fraud have unnerved Lewis, who thinks some Black voters will conclude that dropping a ballot in a mailbox means it wont be counted.

Former President Obama addresses the Democratic National Convention in August 2020. (Democratic National Convention Committee)

In his Democratic National Convention speech, Obama said Trump and his allies were "hoping to make it as hard as possible for you to vote and to convince you that your vote doesn't matter."

"Thats how a democracy withers, until its no democracy at all," he said. "We cant let that happen. Do not let them take away your power. Dont let them take away your democracy."

Lewis, the assistant pastor at St. Gabriels Church of God in Christ in Milwaukee, started organizing Souls to the Polls in 2012. Its part of a loose-knit network of Black pastors in Wisconsin, Ohio and other states that started transporting congregants from church services to the polls when Obama was running for president.

Lewis has branched out, going door-to-door offering people not just a ride to the polls, but also help in registering to vote or securing the identification required to vote in Wisconsin.

Given many Black voters distrust of the political system, a pastor's credibility is powerful, said Lena Taylor, a Democratic state senator in Milwaukee.

They come from a perspective that makes people listen, she said. Theyre the church, and people see the church differently.

The pandemic has halted all the door knocking. Instead, Lewis and the other pastors reach out by Zoom and by phone to parishioners and their families and friends.

The Rev. Greg Lewis leads a Souls to the Polls rally at New Holy Ghost Tabernacle Baptist Church in Milwaukee in February 2020, about two weeks before he fell ill with COVID-19. (Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Most of the organizing now is done at my kitchen table, Lewis said. The pastors urge everyone to vote early.

Being a lifelong witness of poverty, racial injustice and segregation in Milwaukee put Lewis firmly on the side of Black Lives Matter protesters who took to the streets in hundreds of cities after the May 25 killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

The social upheaval hit close to home last month when police shot another Black man, Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wis., touching off demonstrations that turned violent in a small city an hour's drive from Milwaukee.

Lewis' hope is that stronger turnout of Black voters in Milwaukee will result in the election of officials who will help Black neighborhoods like his own  long suffering from higher unemployment and worse healthcare than in white sections of town.

Milwaukees Black folks are in serious condition," he said. "We are in dire straits."

Lewis was raised by Fannie Lewis, a single mother who moved to Milwaukee from Louisiana in the 1950s. She was active in the union at the Master Lock factory where she worked. She once was arrested in a skirmish over someone crossing a picket line.

A worker hands out disinfectant wipes as voters line up outside a Milwaukee high school for Wisconsin's presidential primary in April 2020. (Morry Gash / Associated Press)

My mother was quite a law-abiding citizen, but she really believed in the union, and she stood up for what was right for the workers, Lewis recalled.

His awakening to racial injustice came at age 9, during the Milwaukee riots of 1967. Outbreaks of violence were flaring up that summer in cities around the country in response to police brutality and racial discrimination.

From his home on North 15th Street, Lewis heard the gunfire when Clifford McKissick, an unarmed Black 18-year-old neighbor, was shot in the neck and killed by police as he was entering his familys house. Police were searching for young people who'd been tossing Molotov cocktails into a paint store down the street.

Lewis still remembers McKissicks mother screaming, Oh, they shot my baby!

That really never left me, that feeling of helplessness, he said. Clifford McKissick was the first guy out of our neighborhood to go to college.

Eight months later, when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Lewis remembers his mother ordering him to not leave home as thousands of Black people filled Milwaukee's streets to mourn and march. Now all of 10 years old, he sneaked out anyway, joining a crowd led by civil rights activist James Groppi, a white priest at a nearby Black Catholic church, St. Boniface.

Thats where I got the spirit to be a community activist, Lewis said.

The Rev. Greg Lewis leads a rally in December 2019 at Milwaukee City Hall to oppose a judge's consent to the removal of hundreds of thousands of people from Wisconsin's voter rolls. (Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

His mother sent him across town to a junior high school where nearly all of his peers were white, many of them the children of cops and firefighters.

It was very clear that I was not an equal to these people, Lewis said. I could never be a leader in that school.

As Milwaukees industrial base withered and jobs vanished in the decades that followed, many white residents fled to the suburbs. Today the city is 39% Black, 35% white and 19% Latino.

After Wisconsin Republicans took full control of state government in the 2010 tea party backlash against Obama, Lewis started organizing Milwaukee pastors to promote stronger turnout of the city's Black voters.

The Republicans quickly redrew the states election map. The gerrymander packed Democrats into a small number of districts, giving Republicans an edge in the rest of Wisconsin  and in effect diminishing the power of Black voters. By 2018, Democrats would win 53% of the votes in state Assembly races, but just 36% of the seats.

Its not a fair election system when one side has such a severe election advantage, and it was done intentionally, said Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Under former GOP Gov. Scott Walker, Republicans went on to tighten voting rules, above all with the voter ID law.

It survived court challenges alleging racial bias; studies showed minorities were less likely to have a drivers license or other forms of ID required to vote. The law took effect largely intact in 2016 and remains on the books.

Robert Spindell Jr., a Republican on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, denied the GOP was trying to suppress Black votes, saying ID was a safeguard against fraud. In every single human endeavor, I dont care what it is, theres lying, cheating and stealing, he said.

Anita Johnson has tackled the challenges the law presents for some Black voters in Milwaukee. She works for VoteRiders, a group that helps voters get ID in states that require it. Through churches and community groups, she learns who might need ID. She tells them to find their birth certificate, Social Security card and proof of residence and bring it all to the DMV. She provides a ride if necessary. Many dont have a birth certificate, though, and it can be hard to get one.

Its sad that we should have to jump through hoops just to go exercise our right to vote," she said.

Other dictates also depress voter participation. Early voting, which is popular among Wisconsin's Black voters, has been scaled back to the last two weeks before the election, down from six in Milwaukee.

Ken Mayer, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, said voter suppression in the state had reached historic heights. I think that in 20 years, we will look back on this era as the second coming of Jim Crow when it comes to voting rights, he said.

In the lawsuit to postpone the April primary, Lewis and his allies ultimately won a court order, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, requiring absentee ballots postmarked by election day and received up to six days later to be counted, adding about 80,000 votes to the final tally.

One of Lewis' main goals in the run-up to Nov. 3 is to make sure voters fill out their mail ballots correctly so they dont get disqualified  not inconsequential in a state that presidential candidates sometimes win by a sliver. Souls to the Polls volunteers are dropping off literature on neighbors' front doors to explain how to vote early and follow ballot rules.

Voting by mail is just days away. Wisconsin's absentee ballots, available upon request, will be sent to voters starting Sept. 17.

For those who prefer to vote in person, Souls to the Polls plans to offer transportation to balloting stations in buses and vans, but is still working out a protocol for plexiglass dividers, masks and social distancing.

Its such a battle to get people organized to get ready to vote, because theres so many obstacles that we face here in Wisconsin," Lewis said. "Its just a mess, and its a travesty of justice.
Iranian armed forced have begun an annual, three-day naval exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state TV reported.

The report said units from the navy, air force and ground forces were taking part in the drills on September 10 with submarines and drones to be used.

Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of the annual maneuver dubbed Zolfaghar-99, said on September 9 that the war game was aimed at "improving readiness in confronting foreign threats and any possible invasion."

The Iranian Navy handles all operations in the Gulf of Oman on the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of all oil traded passes.

In August, the Iranian Navy boarded and briefly detained a Liberian-flagged oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz.

Based on reporting by AP
On a quick visit to India to join the formal ceremony to induct the Rafale fighter jets into the Indian Air Force, French defence minister Florence Parly on Thursday spoke in glowing terms about the Indian and French strategic partnership. You can count on us, she said at the ceremony, recalling how New Delhi was by our side when France was going through a critical phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. We will also be by your side, she said, underscoring French support for Indias candidacy for the UN Security Council.

It is a sentiment that she had underscored well before she landed in India as well, describing India as Frances foremost ally in Asia. Speaking at a glittering ceremony at the Ambala air force station, Florence Parly underlined the rock-solid friendship between the two countries exemplified by the deal to buy the fighter jets.

Also Read: Strategic Paris-Delhi-Canberra axis gets off to a flying start amid China tension

It takes a lot of confidence, for India, to bet on France; and a lot of confidence, too, for France, to share with India a capability that is so close to the core of our sovereignty, she said before flying to New Delhi where she met with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

There was no formal statement on the details of her interactions with the Indian leaders. Or if China figured in the discussion. One diplomat said the conversations covered a gamut of issues betweentwo close friends.

Back in June when 20 Indian soldiers laid down their lives to repel China Peoples Liberation Army troopers in Galwan Valley, the French defence minister Parly had made it a point to write to defence minister Rajnath Singh to convey her countrys steadfast and friendly support in these difficult circumstances.

Diplomats said the expression of solidarity over the loss of life over the Ladakh stand-off wasnt much of a surprise. France has been the most dependable and consistent supporter of India at the United Nations and elsewhere.

Like when India carried out the 1998 nuclear tests, France was the only country among the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council that did criticise or back sanctions against India. Even Russia had criticised New Delhis move though it was not supportive of the United States-led push for sanctions against India. China and the United Kingdom had supported the sanctions.

It is a point that Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledges at internal discussions.

This is a relationship that has commercial aspects to it. But it is a strong bond, a senior government official said.

France initiated the strategic dialogue with India in 1998 when much of the world was criticising us, said a diplomat and was one of the early strategic partners that India had. It was the only country that was ready to sell INGPS (Inertial Navigation and Global Positioning System) for Indias Prithvi nuclear missiles that help them land on the targets.

In 1999, a retired air force officer recalled, it was the French Mirage 2000s that dropped the laser-guided bombs - in Muntho Dhalo in the Batalik sector and on Tiger Hill in Drass in June 1999  that is seen as the turning point of the Kargil war.

This partnership extends to space as well. France has helped India launch heavy satellites and allowed New Delhi track satellites, and access telemetry data from Reunion island in the Indian Ocean.

When the two countries signed a raft of pacts during President Emmanuel Macrons India visit in 2018, PM Modi had summarised the relationship between the two countries in one line.

India and France strengthened their 20-year-old strategic partnership on Saturday, signing an agreement for reciprocal logistics support between their armed forces and unveiling a blueprint to step up cooperation in the Indian Ocean to counter Chinas growing influence in the region.

From the ground to the sky, there is no subject on which India and France are not working together, PM Modi had famously said in 2018. The two leaders met again the next year, weeks after Parliament revoked the special status for Kashmir. France, along with the United States, blocked a China-sponsored attempt at Pakistans behest to get the UNSC to issue a statement on the Kashmir move.

France and the United States again stood like a wall, as one diplomat put it, when China and Pakistan made desperate attempts to get the UNSC to designate five Indians as terrorists..

While the United States is a key ally, the French relationship is an additional leverage that helps India in countering its global adversaries, a top diplomat said, recalling how it took the two P-5 members years to break down the great wall that China had erected to stop UNSC from designating Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

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Experts are worried that many first-time buyers may soon be priced out of the housing market completely as more lenders pull low-deposit mortgages from the shelves.

There are now just 51 deals for buyers with a 10 per cent deposit to choose from after First Direct followed parent company HSBC in temporarily pulling its 90 per cent loan-to-value deals last week.

This leaves just a handful of lenders left offering these mortgages, dealing a blow to first-time buyers who typically have smaller deposits and are finding their savings' purchase power eroded by rising house prices.

Just a handful of lenders are still offering these mortgages, dealing a blow to first-time buyers

Many of the remaining lenders offering these deals are smaller building societies which may restrict lending by buyer type, rate type, property type or even location.

It comes as a blow to many movers across the country hoping to benefit from the Chancellor's recent stamp duty cut which sees no tax paid up to 500,000 on house purchases.

Lenders are blaming reduced staffing levels for the decision to cut these deals, which are higher risk and typically take more time to underwrite.

Earlier this week HSBC said that a significant uptick in new borrower enquiries meant that property purchases would be put at risk if the deals remained available.

A First Direct spokesman told This is Money that the Chancellor's stamp duty holiday has lead to a surge in applications which the lender is unable to service.

How will this affect first-time buyers?

First-time buyers will have already seen their savings' purchase power diminishing as a surge in new buyers has pushed house prices to record highs.

Costly: The average cost of a home in Britain has risen to 224,123, according to Nationwide

And for those who are able to secure a low-deposit mortgage it's getting more expensive to borrow.

The crunch at the lower end of the loan-to-value scale, possibly coupled with lenders' uneasiness about taking on too many risky customers, has seen rates rise for those at the bottom end of the market.

Lenders are also more discerning on who they lend to. Nationwide, the only 'big six' lender to still offer these deals, says that borrowers are now subject to enhanced criteria' when applying, for example.

This means that not only are homes more expensive to buy, but securing finance may be difficult, expensive, and subject to more checks than before lockdown.

Which lenders are still offering deals?

There are now just 51 deals available from 10 lenders, down from 772 before lockdown was implemented, according to finance experts Moneyfacts.

A full list of all the deals still available can be found at the bottom of this article. You can use our mortgage finder tool to stay up to date as new deals are introduced or existing ones are taken away.

Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, says: Would-be borrowers may now be forced into a product such as a seven or 10-year fix, or situation, such as parental-assisted loans, which may satisfy the short-term goal but have longer-term implications.

'The timing is a real shame given the stamp duty holiday, which could result in a saving of up to 15,000, and is only available until the beginning of April. If those with modest deposits cant access the mortgages they need, they will miss out on the tax break, which is ironic when you consider that first-time buyers are those that can least afford to do so.'
According to Joe Biden's ex-White House stenographer, he noticed that he is steps behind with his scripts being read aloud, which implies a diminished presidential candidate from four years back.

Mike McCormick, is privy to the ex-Obama vice-president from 2011 to 2017 in those years, reported the Washington Free Beacon. One of his observations about the Democrat Nominee is he doesn't seem as sharp from four years back.

Another observation is that Biden is not as upbeat, even how paced his speaking was not the same. He summed it up as not the Biden he knew before, when interviewed by the press, reported New York Post.

He wrote the book, Joe Biden Unauthorized, that examines his time as vice-president of the United States. One of the ex-VPs best attributes is connecting with the audience, would go free-form and off-script. He added that Biden is not doing it.

What the Democrat does is a joke, and move on to engage the crowd. But most of his engagements are bereft of it, even mentioning the DNC speech. Saying that he's lost and cannot keep up like most of the interviews. He looked lost and disconnected, added McCormick.

Another objective observation of the Beacon is that Biden is stuck to the teleprompter, which means that the scripts are all read aloud by him. Some recent interviews will have Biden looking and reading something from a teleprompter.

Also read: Salon Gate: Hair Salon Owner Gets $120 K in One Day After Getting Accused by Dems Nancy Pelosi

In the campaign trail, President Trump has brought to attention the issue of Biden's seemingly fallible mental faculties, noting that his Democrat challenger does mistakes and fumbles as he goes about his campaign.

One tweet of the incumbent made mention on Tuesday morning of Biden's sudden energy lately. This is a result of Trump gaining over the democrat campaign, which is alarming for them enough to send Biden out.

In the tweet, Trump said Biden is not stuck in the basement, so he can see what is happening up there, adding that he needs to go out and mingle. Staying in the basement won't win Biden votes. He even trolled the Democrats poll slip up too.

McCormick shared an excerpt in his book that was quite embarrassing for Biden. In a press conference with Vladimir Putin, he ordered Biden's mic to be shutoff. Oddly, none of the press reported what happened.

Sources reveal that Putin made it clear he was in charge of everything in Russia and shut down the American VPs mic, to make it clear. He added that the then-VPs entourage was mad at the Russians. Putin told McCormick to write in the transcript, he ordered the VP muted during the presscon.

A check on the official transcript did show Biden, shut up when speaking. The transcript read, "There's a reason. Mr. Prime Minister, I've been around a long time. The first time I was here - the second time I was here, I was here meeting with President Brezhnev. We were trying to pass SALT II."

The ex-White House stenographer said that Putin discounted and dismissed Biden in that presscon. Vladimir Putin may have shown disrespect for Biden's position that day. It's the same now as Biden cannot keep up, and makes mistakes.

Relate article: Joe Biden's Family Record Show Drug Usage, Drunk Driving, and Other Charges But No One Was Jailed

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The Japanese Coast Guard has modified search operations to its usual sea patrol for the mostly Filipino crew members of the missing Gulf Livestock 1 ship, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday.

Rescuers returned to normal sea patrol without a trace of the vessel since Saturday, said the DFA, which is closely coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and the Philippine Consulate General in Osaka.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda said this means search and rescue will still continue.

Of the initial 39 Filipinos among the reported missing, only three have been found so far  two were alive while another was dead.

"The DFA joins the families and loved ones in continued prayers for the missing seafarers," the agency said on Twitter.

The ship had a 43-member crew including four foreigners  two New Zealanders and two Australians  and carried more than 5,800 cows from Napier, New Zealand, to Tangshan, China, a CNN report said citing officials from Japan, New Zealand and Australia. The vessel left August 14 and went missing at the height of Typhoon Maysak. A second typhoon interrupted search efforts last weekend.

This story has been updated to include the Ambassador's statement.
Visiting is being restricted at the cancer centre at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

The Western Trust said visiting to Ward 50 of the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin had been suspended.

The move has been taken following the recent rise in the number of coronavirus cases in Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: The health and safety of patients, visitors and staff remains an absolute priority at our North West Cancer Centre (NWCC).

With the continued threat of COVID19 in our community, we have made the decision to stop all visiting to Ward 50.

Exceptional circumstances should be discussed with the Ward Sister.

This decision has been taken to help minimise the risk to our immuno-compromised patients and will be kept under review.

We thank you for your help in protecting patients and the wider community at this time.




Rom tells a story about street and homeless children trying to find the whereabouts of his parents (Photo: https://thanhnien.vn/)



Held annually in Montreal, Canada, Fantasia is one of the biggest cinematography events in the Northern America region.



This year, due to COVID-19 pandemic, the film festival only announced the awards online.

Rom tells a story about street and homeless children who sell lottery tickets to make ends meet in the buzzing metropolitan Ho Chi Minh City.

The main character, a boy named Rom, tries to raise money to find the whereabouts of his parents, who abandoned him when he was a child.

Director Tran Thanh Huy spent seven years to finish the movie, originated from his short film which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013.

Last year, the film won the New Current prize at the 24th International Busan Film Festival held in the Republic of Korea.

Quanh Ninh offers free entrance to tourist attractions

In order to stimulate the tourism industry which is heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Quang Ninh province has just launched a tourism stimulus package worth 100 billion VND.

Ha Long Bay. (Photo: VNA)



In the 19th session of the Quang Ninh Peoples Council on September 8, the Council decided to adjust and supplement a number of contents of solutions to support tourism demand stimulus in 2020.

Accordingly, the locality will reduce 50% of entrance fees and overnight stay prices on Ha Long Bay.

At the same time, onshore attractions such as Quang Ninh Museum and Yen Tu tourist attractions relic are also discounted from September 9 to December 31.

In addition, free over night stay will be offered for tourists staying at accommodation locations on Ha Long Bay on major holidays such as October 20 (Vietnamese Womens Day), November 12 (the traditional day of mining workers and traditional day of the coal sector), November 20 (Vietnamese Teachers Day) and December 22 (the founding day of the Vietnam Peoples Army).

This stimulus package is worth 100 billion VND.

Deputy Head of the Management Board of Ha Long Bay Pham Dinh Huynh said that for nearly one month, each day, Ha Long Bay has about 100 tourists hiring boats to visit tourist attractions. Before that, when the COVID-19 pandemic did not break out, Ha Long Bay greeted nearly 10,000 tourist arrivals a day with more than 500 boats operating at full capacity./.

Boosting rice exports to Africa





Vietnam's rice exports to African nations have been on the rise

According to Vietnam News Agency, rice exports of Vietnam to African nations have been on the rise and the upward trend may continue in the next year.

The Asia-African Market Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade has joined hands with trade offices to arrange webinars introducing potential of the African and Middle East markets, which drew hundreds of Vietnamese firms.

African countries, especially those in the western region, have high demand for rice because local production cannot meet demand, especially during years with natural hazards, crop failure, political instability and diseases.

Algeria, in particular, relies entirely on rice imports, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in the country.

The surge in its rice consumption is attributed to the increase of Asian migrants in the country, particularly Chinese workers. Algeria purchased about 100,000 tonnes of rice per year, equivalent to 1 percent of the countrys food consumption.

Vietnam shipped in excess of 16,390 tonnes of rice to the African country in 2019, fetching 6.28 million USD, a leap of 20.8 percent in value from the previous year. The figure hit 14.58 million USD in the first six months of 2020, accounting for 58 percent of Vietnams total export value to Algeria./.
(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, SEP 10 - Italy held on to top spot in the EU rankings for VAT evasion in 2018, the European Commission said Thursday.

The State lost 35.4 billion euros in dodged VAT revenue, it said.

Italy place fourth for the gap between forecast and actually levied VAT revenues with just over 24%, behind Romania (33.8%), Greece (30.1%) and Lithuania (25.9%).

Italy's figure dropped from 24.7%in 2017 to 24.5% in 2018, the EC said.

The economic damage increased, on the other hand, from 35.3 billion to 35.4 billion euros. (ANSA).


Fewer metro area roads are closed roads Thursday, but the Chehalem Mountain-Bald Peak Wildfire Level 3 evacuation area (below) remains inaccessible.

The Washington County Roads Department has asked travelers to stay out of the area unless necessary. Drivers should not interfere with or block emergency vehicles.

Map of Chehalem Mountain-Bald Peak wildfire.Courtesy of Washington County

Widespread smoke continues to blanket northwest Oregon. Officials remind drivers to slow down, turn on headlights, reduce distractions, close windows and stay in travel lanes as much as possible. Avoid areas where active wildfires are known to be burning.

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WILSONVILLE 9:30 a.m.: Crash has the right lane close of I-5 northbound just prior to the Wilsonville exit.

Update 10 a.m.: Cleared.

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WEST SLOPE 8:35 a.m.: Southwest Scholls Ferry Road is reported to be close in both directions near Patton Road. Power is out in the area. Choose an alternate route.

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OR 58/Willamette Highway is closed by a crash at Hilltop Drive, three miles east of Pleasant Hill. This will be an extended closure. Choose an alternate route.

Update 11:15 a.m.: All lanes are now open.

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#pdxtraffic Air quality is especially bad in #Eugene and surrounding areas. STAY INSIDE if you can, with windows shut. pic.twitter.com/jVjz7oUk0X  PDX Traffic Alerts (@TrafficPortland) September 10, 2020

Large blazes have major travel routes closed, especially in the central Cascade and Coast ranges. Here are closures:

US 101 seven miles north of Bandon.

US 101 at its intersection with Siletz Highway/OR 229 between mileposts 120-104.

OR 22 in both directions just east of Salem. The closure extends from mileposts 13-81, near the Santiam Pass.

OR 126/McKenzie River Highway from milepost 10-55.

OR 242 from six miles west of Sisters to its intersection with OR 126, mileposts 85-55.5.

OR 213 at its intersection with OR 211 at milepost 16. This is directly west of Molalla.

OR 211 from Eagle Creek to Ripplebrook

OR 224 in Estacada from mileposts 23-50 (near Ripplebrook Road).

OR 18 six miles east of Otis at milepost 7.

OR 138 one mile west of Glide from mileposts 16-83, the junction of OR 230.

OR 99 north Ashland (South Valley View Drive) to south Medford (Garfield Street). This includes the cities of Talent and Phoenix. Do not drive through or around closure points.

OR 62 between OR 234 north through Shady Cove to Tiller-Trail junction.

U.S. 199 (Redwood Highway) from the Oregon/California border north to near Cave Junction.

Road closure information for evacuated areas- https://t.co/diWZ8O6daw



Until official notification has been posted, stay out of the evacuated areas. It is for your own safety and the safety of all First Responders#oregonwildfires #wildfires #highwaysafety pic.twitter.com/etcLEr1AVh  Oregon State Police (@ORStatePolice) September 10, 2020

Check back throughout the morning for the latest commuting updates and follow us on Twitter: @trafficportland
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. condemned the approved plan to stop US Foreign Aid to Ethiopia and called on Congress to Intervene.

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. condemned the approved plan to stop US Foreign Aid to Ethiopia and called on Congress to Intervene.

News reports that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has approved a plan to stop $100 million in U.S. foreign aid to Ethiopia, because of the countrys ongoing dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam (GERD), finally confirmed what we all knew from the beginning, that the U.S. has never been an impartial mediator in this conflict and instead fully supportive of Egypt.

With this action, the Trump administration, under the leadership of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (not the State Department), has fulfilled the request made last year by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, in essence, urging President Trump to assist them. This is unfortunate and unjust, and the U.S. Congress must intervene, investigate and fully restore aid to Ethiopia.

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Cross boundary water-sharing agreements are thorny issues that are not easily sorted out. It takes good faith and cooperation from all sides to eek out a win-win solution. The conflict between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan has been exacerbated by external interventions, especially the U.S. government.

This is a conflict mainly between two founding members of the African Union (AU), Ethiopia and Egypt. The AU has a Peace and Security Council that serves as the standing decision-making organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts and is the key pillar of the African Peace and Security Architecture that is the framework for promoting peace, security and stability in Africa. This U.S. action is aimed at undermining the ongoing negotiations under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and the current AU Chairperson.

To top it off, in a tweet a few months ago, the World Bank President David R. Malpass let it be known that he has spoken with Ethiopian PM @AbiyAhmedAli on recent @WorldBank financing approvals important to unifying Ethiopia and its neighbors ability to sustain constructive dialogue + cooperation on water sharing. To my knowledge, no statement was issued to tie the World Banks financial support to Egypt with its cooperation (or lack thereof) on water sharing with Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is a reliable and very stable democratic ally of the U.S. on many vital fronts and should be treated with respect and dignity.

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History will judge the U.S. government and the World Banks unjust intervention to deny 110 million Ethiopians an equitable and reasonable share of the Nile River for their development needs. This is nothing short of condemning a black African nation and her population to abject and perpetual poverty. No one should condemn Egypt to suffer unduly, considering that 97 percent of its population depends on the Nile River. Justice requires treating both nations and their over 200 million people fairly with justice the result on both sides.

Looking at the World Bank data on electric power consumption (kilowatt per capita) shows how much Ethiopia needs the GERD. In 2014, the most recent year for which World Bank data is available, the average for the world per capita electric power consumption is 3133 kilowatts. The figure for Egypt is 1683. For Ethiopia it is a mere 69 (sixty-nine). A former World Bank Deputy Global Manager, Yonas Biru, wondered how Ethiopia could survive with next to nothing-electric power, in a recent article in Addis Fortune.

His answer was as revealing as it is saddening. The nation rides on the shoulders and backs of women. From cradle to grave, women carry Ethiopia on their back, literally. Girls are condemned to fetching water from miles away rather than going to school. Their mothers travel just as far and spend just as much time collecting firewood.

The GERD, Biru said, signifies the emancipation of Ethiopian women. The interventions by Egypt, the Arab League, the World Bank and the U.S. to delay and scale back the GERD is a setback for women. It is a revocation of the emancipation of Ethiopian girls and women.

Ethiopia, one of the poorest black African nations, is standing alone against the mighty forces of the U.S. and the World Bank. Befitting of its history, Ethiopia remains unflinching with its indomitable sovereignty and unwavering spirit with its trust in what its people call Ethiopias God.

The World Banks professed dream is A World Free of Poverty. It behooves me to ask if Ethiopia, too, is in the Banks dream. The World Bank board of directors need to explain to over 50 million girls and women in Ethiopia why the World Bank stands against their economic emancipation.

As to the US government, I call upon the US Congress: (1) to fully restore the funding for Ethiopia; and (2) to investigate and demand information regarding the justification for halting aid to Ethiopia from both the State Department and Treasury Department.
The (SAT) has set aside a order, which imposed a penalty of Rs 7 lakh on Highways Authority of India for the delay in filing financial results.

The regulator had in May levied the fine on as it did not submit the financial results on time for the half-year ended September 30, 2018, and March 31, 2019, as required under theLODR (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirement) Regulations.

Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is listed on BSE and NSE in pursuance of a listing agreement for debt securities and, therefore, is subject to the provisions of the LODR Regulations.

Under the LODR Regulations, an entity is required to file the unaudited half-yearly financial results within 45 days from the end of the half financial year.

Following the Sebi's order, moved the tribunal urging the delay in filing the unaudited financial results be condoned.

In an order passed on August 27, the tribunal said, "Even though there has been a violation of ...the LODR Regulations but in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case which should not be treated as a precedent for other matters, we are of the opinion that the imposition of penalty of Rs 7 lakh in the given circumstances was harsh and excessive".

"Thus, the imposition of Rs 7 lakh upon the Appellant (NHAI) cannot be sustained and is substituted with a warning," it added.

The tribunal noted that is governed under the NHAI Act, which warrants involvement of a large number of members who are highly ranked officials who are appointed by the government, who simultaneously discharge their duties under various other portfolios.

"It thus becomes slightly tedious and cumbersome to ensure that all the members of the board meeting come together under one roof and get the audited or unaudited financial results approved before the stipulated period," it added.

At times, it is beyond the control of the officers of NHAI to enforce strict compliance of the Sebi's norms, SAT noted.

According to the tribunal, should have taken this factor into account while considering the application for extension of time to file the financial results.

"The finding of the respondent (Sebi) that there was a repeated failure on the part of the Appellant on seven occasions for not filing the financial results for the financial years 2015-2016 to 2018-2019 cannot be taken into consideration as a ground for imposition of penalty of Rs 7 lakhs in as much as the show cause notice was only confined for violation of...the LODR Regulations for non-filing of the unaudited half yearly financial results for the year ending 30th September, 2018 and 31st March, 2019," the tribunal said.

Sebi's Adjudicating Officer could have taken into consideration the mitigating circumstances while considering the imposition of penalty, the tribunal said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani, the two actresses arrested in the Sandalwood drug case, have reportedly revealed more than 30 names, which include a prominent actress from the Kannada film industry, sons of politicians and senior bureaucrats, sources said.The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police interrogated both the actresses separately on Wednesday. While they admitted that they used drugs, they also gave the names of prominent people who were part of the racket, sources said.

They have given names of over 30 people, some of whom abuse drugs, while others deal in drugs. Names of some of the people are common in both lists. The prominent actress, who has been named, played lead roles in several Kannada movies a few years ago. Sons of a well-known politician, an MP, and some powerful MLAs too have been named. But we dont have conclusive evidence to raid or take legal action against these people. We are working on it, an official said. Family members of some senior bureaucrats too have been named. Following revelations made by the two, the police are getting ready to raid the house of the prominent actress.

Police collecting proof against actress

Now, evidence is being collected against the actress, and she too will be arrested if there is enough proof, sources said. The CCB has found out that Galrani was very close to a well-known politician, who was also in touch with other accused in the case. But we are not sure whether he knew about their illegal activities, the official said. The police also formalised the arrest of businessman Prashant Ranka, who was detained three days ago. He was named accused in the suo motu case registered at Cottonpet police station.

Congress MLA BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan filed a plaint against Prashanth Sambargi, an activist, for making allegations that he and Galrani were seen together at a casino in Sri Lanka. The police said that the complaint seeks action against Sambargi for making reckless, derogatory, defamatory and abusive statement against Khan. We have registered a non-cognisable report (NCR) and we will question Sambargi, the police said.
This was quoted in the print edition of the Chicago Tribune on Sept. 9. According to the biographies of Johnson that Ive read, what he actually did was lament the fact that his push for enactment of equal rights for African Americans would mean the loss of the allegiance of white Democrats in what once was known as the solid South and transform them into Republican voters for decades to come. And thats exactly what quickly came to pass. Winning Black voters is part of the story; losing racist white voters is the rest of the story.
Close bilateral ties between Iran and Armenia have been overshadowed by sudden expansion of Yerevan-Tel Aviv links. Tehran views Israel as a "third factor" playing a negative role in Iranian relations with its neighbors including Armenia, and threatening security and stability throughout the South Caucasus. Armenian officals mantain that the decision made by Yerevan was known to Tehran at the outset, and the boosting of Yerevan-Tel Aviv ties is not directly against others, including Iran.

BACKGROUND: Expansion of Israels bilateral relations with Armenia, which contrary to those with Azerbaijan and Georgia have always been at a lower level of intensity, is among the most important developments impacting Iranian foreign policy towards the South Caucasus in past months. Among Irans fifteen neighbors, Armenia is the only Christian country, serving as a gate to the Christian world. On the other hand, while Armenias borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed, Iran, in practice, constitutes a gate to the Islamic world for Armenia.

Iran was among the first countries to recognize Armenias independence in December 1991, and embassies were opened shortly thereafter. In the heat of these difficult early years of independence, Iran was among the first to extend political and economic backing to Armenia. Despite pressures for total and unilateral Iranian support for the Republic of Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Iran, in line with its balanced approach in the arena of foreign policy and expansion of ties with all its neighbors, endeavored to establish peace, security and stability across the region through mediation between disputing parties.

In the past three decades, Iran-Armenia ties have been close, and contrary to Irans links with other neighbors that have undergone ups and downs at various junctures, Yerevan-Tehran ties have always been stable and positive. It is noteworthy that Armenian-Iranian relations is the rare issue that has never been disputed by different Armenian political parties. Indeed, Armenian political parties have disagreed on nearly every issue, including approaches towards sensitive and challenging foreign policy issues like the Armenian governments attitude towards international recognition of massacre of Armenians as genocide, the Karabakh issue, and Armenian relations with Turkey, the West and Russia  but not Iran.

Against this background, the improvement of bilateral relations between Armenia and Israel  a state that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been in hostile confrontation with for more than four decades  has drawn the attention of numerous observers and raised concerns in Iran.

Following the demise of the Soviet Union, due to historical differences between the Armenian church and the Jews as well its strong economic and geopolitical reliance on Iran, Armenia has always been cautious vis-a-vis Israel. In this vein, despite establishing diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, Yerevan did not open an embassy in Tel Aviv, or appoint an ambassador. This is why the opening of an Armenian embassy in Tel Aviv and the appointment of an ambassador three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union can be considered a significant turning point.

Armenias accredited ambassadors to Israel had resided outside Israel  mainly in Paris, Cairo and Yerevan. However, this changed in late 2019, when the ambassadors residence was moved from Yerevan to Tel Aviv. That said, Armenia opposed the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017. One should not forget that Israel too, is yet to recognize the massacre of Armenians in 1915 as genocide. Despite all these differences, the expansion of bilateral ties between the two and its potential aftermaths are inherently important especially for Iran.

IMPLICATIONS: One consequence of this development is the advancement of Israels traditional periphery doctrine in Central Asia and the Caucasus. According to the doctrine, Israel pursued the expansion of ties between Israel and any non-Arab Muslim states to break the siege exerted by Muslim Arab states. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the independence of six Muslim and non-Arab states created a useful opportunity for the formation and expansion of ties between Israel and Muslim states of the region, with Israel giving priority to relations with Azerbaijan. However, out of two Christian states in the Caucasus, Israel established close ties with Georgia, especially following the 2003 Rose Revolution. But because of Armenias severe economic and geopolitical reliance on Iran, Yerevan was always cautious in dealing with Israel and hence, for three decades, Armenia had the lowest and most limited relations with Israel. For Israel, any expansion of relations with Irans neighbors is an accomplishment.

But this also heightens Iranian security and defense concerns in the region. This concern emanates from the possibility that the scenario of Baku-Tel Aviv ties is repeated between Yerevan and Tel Aviv. Iran has been particularly concerned of growing security cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel. Still, in recent years and especially under Hassan Rouhanis presidency, Iran-Azerbaijan ties have expanded considerably. Iran would not like to experience similar issues in its relations with Armenia. Iran has repeatedly indicated how sensitive it is concerning any type of Israeli presence and influence on its periphery, considering its presence as a red line with regard to its national interests and security.

The expansion of Armenia-Israel ties has raised criticism within Iran. A group of Iranian students have held a protest against Armenias decision to open an embassy in Israel near the Embassy of Armenia in Tehran on June, 09, 2020. At the conclusion of the protest rally, the students read a statement calling on the Armenian government to reconsider its decision to open an embassy in Israel. Indeed, Special Aide to the Speaker of Parliament of Iran on International Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, condemned Armenias decision to open an Embassy in Israel, and stated that it contradicts the interests of the people of Palestine. The Iranian official also noted that the opening of an Armenian Embassy in Tel Aviv will affect regional security negatively, in spite of Armenian officials and experts efforts to ease Iranian concerns. The Armenian ambassador to Iran, Artashes Tumanian, assured a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official that his country remains committed to its friendly relationship with the Islamic Republic despite its desire to improve Armenian-Israeli ties. Indeed, Armenian expert in Iranian studies Armen Israyelyan gave an interview to Armenpress on the topic and noted that Iran has been aware of Armenias decision to open an Embassy in Israel, emphasizing that Yerevan is working transparently with all its partners, and Armenias regional policy priorities have been clearly presented at the highest level of leadership.

A third consequence is the exacerbation of Irans confrontation with the U.S. and Israel in the Caucasus. Iran basically views any Israeli activity as tied to goals and plans drawn by the United States, a perspective that does not account for any fundamental difference between Israeli and American policies. In particular following the 2018 Velvet Revolution that brought Nikol Pashinyan to power, relations between Armenia and the West have expanded considerably, leading a group of Iranian officials and experts to maintain that the boosting of Yerevan-Tel Aviv links materialized as a result of the Trump Administrations coordination and persuasion. This is seen in the analysis given by Mehr News Agency, which argued that the official decision and sending the ambassador to occupied Palestine comes into effect after the visit of the then-White House National Security Advisor to Yerevan. It is also observed in Tehran that this step is taken at a time when Tehran-Washington relations undergo their worst conditions since the 1979 Islamic revolution, and the sudden expansion of Armenia-Israel relations is construed in Tehran as part the Trump Administrations maximum pressure policy.

CONCLUSIONS: At this phase, Iran views the boosting of Armenia-Israel ties with sensitivity and concern, and while stressing the maintenance of close bilateral relations between Tehran and Yerevan, is warning the Armenian government that the expansion of its ties with Israelis not only threatening Iranian national security, but it also puts the Armenian security at stake.

AUTHOR'S BIO: Dr. Vali Kaleji is an expert on Central Asia and Caucasian Studies in Tehran, Iran. His recent publications (in Persian) include The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): Goals, Functions and Perspectives (2010), South Caucasus as a Regional Security Complex, (2014), Political Developments in the Republic of Armenia, 1988- 2013 (2014), Iran, Russia and China in Central Asia, Cooperation and Conflict with US Foreign Policy in Central Asia, (2015), US Foreign Policy in Central Asia: Process and Perspectives (2015) and Iran and the South Caucasus Republics (2017). E-mail address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Image Source: U.S. Department of State via Flickr 6.29.2018


South Africa is in desperate need of ICT and engineering skills, and the education system is not able to produce these skills fast enough.

This is one of the findings in the recently released Xpatweb 2019/2020 Critical Skills Survey report.

The survey was launched to provide input on the new draft list of critical skills which was expected to be released by Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in April 2020.

The 2019/20 Critical Skills Survey specifically tracked the impact of immigration across various critical sectors within South Africas economy.

The results show that ICT Specialists and Engineers continue to be highly sought-after skills, with 19% and 21% of participants respectively indicating that these are the critical skills areas which they find most difficult to recruit.

This is supported by the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), which said South Africa continues to lose hundreds of engineers year on year who emigrate with their families.

This brain drain has created a big skills shortage in the engineering sector in South Africa.

According to the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA), South Africa is also in desperate need of ICT skills.

The education sector is just unable to produce these skills in the numbers that South Africa needs, the report states.

These factors are just the tip of the iceberg that cause multinationals to search globally for the skills needed.

While this is bad news for South African companies, it is excellent news for local engineers and ICT professionals.

The strong demand for their skills means they have good job prospects and can demand higher salaries than their colleagues.

The most difficult skills to recruit

The Xpartweb 2019/2020 critical skills survey asked multinationals and corporates in South Africa about the difficulty to recruit certain skills.

The survey was completed by 178 companies, with 78% of the respondents are C-suite level executives and managers in key decision-making positions.

47% of respondents said they find it extremely difficult to recruit critically skilled professionals in South Africa.

The image below shows the most sought-after critical skills in South Africa.
The NDC-USA wishes to extend its heartfelt congratulations to all the teeming supporters and sympathizers of the NDC around the globe on its manifesto launch on Monday, September 7, 2020.

A special congratulation goes to our flagbearer, his running mate, and the members of the Manifesto Planning Committee, who, through a great effort and outreach across the land, have put together this all-encompassing manifesto.

As a matter of fact, the NDC should pride itself of having the men and women with brains, hearts, and the fear of God.

The Manifesto, dubbed the PEOPLES MANIFESTO, is full of policies and programs which will bring back hope and accelerate development to the people of Ghana.

Our country is currently in extreme stress, with the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians suffering at the hands of thoughtless NPP government's policies, and this Manifesto has come at the right time to rekindle the hopes and aspirations of Ghanaians and all our development partners.

The NDC-USA couldnt have expected a better Manifesto, especially considering the policy for massive job creation within four years and the injection of billions of dollars for accelerated infrastructural development.

We are also motivated that the free SHS which is currently in shambles will be put on the right path by abolishing the double-track system and also absorbing 50% of tertiary education cost to students. While education has been the bedrock of every human development, this NPP administration lacks the sensitivity and basic tools to implement an effective and coherent strategy towards educating our youth, they lack the empathy to address the plight of the Ghanaian student.

The PEOPLES MANIFESTO has renewed the commitment of the entire membership of the NDC-USA to our party and we shall do everything within our power to ensure that victory is achieved come December 7, 2020.

Once again, congratulations to our compatriots within the NDC fraternity.

Long Live Ghana!

Long Live NDC!

Long Live NDC-USA!

Ey3 zu! Ey3 za!

..... Signed.....

Maame Aba Dadzie

Chairman - NDC USA
Saudi-based Umm Alqura for Development and Construction Company has awarded a key contract to Saudi Tabreed to provide 12,000 refrigeration tons (RT) of cooling services to its leisure destination n Makkah for a three-year period.

Umm Alqura for Development and Construction Company is the owner and developer of the Masar destination, which is shaping up under the slogan Dedicated to Makkah with King Abdulaziz Road as its core component.

The work on the district cooling services will begin soon after the completion of the infrastructure work within the first phase of the project.

Engineer Abdulmuhsin AlBakr, Vice President of Technical Affairs and Project Development, said: "The Masar destination in Makkah aims to create the appropriate environment for improving quality of life by providing facilities and amenities that help enhance the lifestyle of residents and visitors in the city."

"Our agreement for the provision of the latest eco-friendly cooling and conditioning systems is a major step towards achieving this objective," he stated.

Saudi Tabreed has a strong track record in offering excellent services leveraging the possibilities of technology, and we are confident that the company will deliver great quality district cooling solutions in order to achieve our overarching goal of making Makkah a modern landmark.
If you consider yourself a Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory super fan (perhaps you've spent valuable time wondering why, exactly, all of the grandparents shared a bed, or maybe you follow the thirst trapping Wonka on TikTok) your time to shine has arrived.

Jelly Belly's name founder, David Klein, spoke to ABC about his Wonka-inspired treasure hunt, complete with golden tickets.

He announced the contest in a message online, saying that the winner will have their own candy factory, although it will not be affiliated with the official Jelly Belly in California. Instead, this one is in Florida.

Gene Wilder played the original king of confectionary in the 1971 version of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

But it's not just the candy factory that's available - winners could also receive thousands of dollars in prizes - that is, if you somehow find one of the golden tickets hidden in top-secret locations throughout the United States. The ticket is in the form of a necklace with a code needed to verify the find, leading the winners to $5,000. But entry is not free. Participants must shell out $50 for their state's riddle on the official Gold Ticket website, although it will be capped at 1,000 participants so competition won't be quite as intense as the movie.

There's also a Facebook group that currently has almost 50,000 members interested in their very own candy factory.

However, the grand prize is what's truly impressive. It's the key to one of the "Candyman Kitchens" in Florida where his creations are made, including CBD Jelly Beans.

So, channel your best Charlie and get ready for the chance to meet David Klein - a real-life Wonka.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - On the eve of the anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on American soil, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic challenger Amy McGrath battled over an ad reviving her reference to the tragedy.

The exchange was sparked by the latest ad from McConnells campaign in the Kentucky Senate race, criticizing McGrath for comments nearly three years ago comparing the feeling of seeing President Donald Trump elected in 2016 to how she felt on Sept. 11, 2001.

McGrath responded forcefully Thursday, saying she wont get lectured on patriotism by her Republican opponent. She noted she was on alert as a Marine pilot in a cockpit of an F-18 ready to help defend the West Coast in response to the terror attacks and that she went on to serve multiple combat stints.

Its the latest in a series of attacks from both campaigns in an increasingly bitter and expensive race in Kentucky.

The McConnell ad features retired Marine Col. Jim Clark, who was in the Pentagon when it came under attack. For McGrath to equate Trumps election with the terror attacks is  and always will be  unacceptable, said Clark, who is from Flemingsburg, Kentucky. He said it truly made me question her judgment.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed that day when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center towers in New York, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

I remember exactly where I was on September 11th, Clark says in the ad. I was in the Pentagon. I didnt hear about the attack, I felt it.

McGrath fired back at McConnell  and not her fellow Marine shown in the ad.

Im not going to get lectured on patriotism from a guy whos been in Washington longer than the World War II Memorial, served his country, I think, less than one month, McGrath told reporters during a campaign event in Louisville. Mitch McConnell has no low.

McGrath flew 89 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, targeting al-Qaida and the Taliban during her deployments. She retired from the Marines as a lieutenant colonel.

On the day of the terror attacks, McGrath said she was in the cockpit of a military aircraft armed with missiles to help defend the West Coast.

For me, after having deployed three times in combat after 9-11 and losing friends in combat, this is a really important day tomorrow, she said of the anniversary.

The McConnell ad refers to comments McGrath made in late 2017 as she described her shock after Trump was elected president a year earlier. The only feeling I can describe thats any close to it was the feeling I had after 9-11, she said at the time. What just happened? Where are we going from here? It was that just sinking feeling of sadness, and I didnt know what to do.

At the time she made the remarks, McGrath was running for a congressional seat in Kentucky. She went on to narrowly lose that 2018 race to the Republican incumbent, Rep. Andy Barr.

McConnell campaign spokeswoman Kate Cooksey said Thursday that McGraths casual comparison of the horrific terrorist attacks of 9-11 to President Trumps election is utterly disgraceful.

Trump remains popular in much of Kentucky. McConnell has been his most powerful congressional ally, working together on tax policy and the confirmation of conservative federal judges.

Democrats have brought up McConnells brief military service in past campaigns.

McConnell enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1967 during the Vietnam War. Soon after taking the bar exam, he trained at Fort Knox from July 9 to Aug. 15 that year before receiving a medical discharge due to an eye condition, his campaign said.

McConnell, the top-ranking Senate Republican, is seeking a seventh term. He commended McGrath for her military service in a recent TV interview but noted her comments that prompted the latest ad, saying thats worth commenting on. Its the second McConnell ad to highlight the Democratic challengers remarks.

McGrath is airing her own ad featuring veterans defending her.
Whether as the leather catsuited spy in the 1960s series "The Avengers" or the headscarved Lady Olenna Tyrell in "Game of Thrones" decades later, British actress Diana Rigg thrilled generations of television viewers.

Classically trained Rigg began her career in the Royal Shakespeare Company and later appeared in a wide range of television dramas, although it was her role in "The Avengers" that made her a worldwide sensation.

Playing Emma Peel, the sexy and intelligent sidekick of suave secret agent John Steed, played by Patrick Macnee, in the British cult series made her an instant pin-up.

"She was the hottest woman on television ever," George R.R. Martin, author of the best-selling "Game of Thrones" books said in The Guardian newspaper in 2013 when the HBO television series of the same name landed Rigg for its cast.

"I was madly in love with her in 'The Avengers', along with virtually all the boys of my generation," he said.

But the auburn-haired, snub-nosed and outspoken Rigg said later she did not enjoy her time as a glamour girl. And she walked out of "The Avengers" in 1967, after two seasons, because she was paid less than a cameraman.

"I found it such an intrusion, to be a sex symbol," she told a British university audience in 2016.

She was soon afterwards cast on the big screen to play the first and only woman ever to marry James Bond, Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in 1969.

- 'Slumming it' on TV -

Born on July 20, 1938 in Doncaster, northern England, Rigg spent the first eight years of her life in the Indian city of Jodhpur where her father worked as a railway engineer.

Upon returning to England, she decided she wanted to become an actress.

At 17, she gained admission to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, making her debut performance in "The Caucasian Chalk Circle".

Story continues

At 20 she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Renowned theatre director Peter Brooks, in whose production of "King Lear" she triumphed as Cordelia, was quoted by The Guardian as saying at the time: "If she doesn't waste herself on silly stuff, she could be quite good."

It came as a shock to her RSC colleagues when she left to join the cast of "The Avengers" in 1965.

"I was considered to be slumming it, to be doing television," she said in 2016.

- New young fans -

Alongside her small screen success, Rigg continued a successful stage career from London to New York, collecting prestigious awards along the way.

In 1972 she joined London's just-opened National Theatre under the direction of acting legend Laurence Olivier.

Unusually for the time, she played a scene completely in the nude in "Abelard and Heloise" in 1970.

She was Lady Macbeth in 1972-1973 and then Celimene in "The Misanthrope" in Washington and New York in 1973-1975.

In 1994 she won the theatre industry's top award, a Tony, for best actress in a play for the title role in Greek tragedy "Medea", which she performed in London and New York.

She continued to woo television audiences in her later years.

In 1997 Rigg won an Emmy Award for playing the spooky housekeeper, Mrs Danvers, in the adaptation of "Rebecca".

And in 2013, at the age of 79, she became a hit with a new young audience when she was chosen to be the conniving Lady Olenna Tyrell, or the Queen of Thorns, in the HBO fantasy smash "Game of Thrones".

"I'm thrilled young people identify with this naughty old bag I was playing," she told CBS in 2018.

She was married and divorced twice, to Israeli artist Menachem Gueffen and to theatre producer and millionnaire Archie Stirling, with whom she had a daughter.

Made a dame in 1994 for her services to drama, she was named professor of theatre studies at Oxford University in 1998.

She was most recently seen on British television screens in "All Creatures Great and Small", a series about the life of a vet.

rap-jmy/phz/fec/txw
FILE PHOTO: People walk around the terminal at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is set to end enhanced screening of some international passengers for COVID-19 and drop requirements that travelers coming from the targeted countries arrive at 15 designated U.S. airports, according to U.S. and airline officials and a government document seen by Reuters.

The changes are set to take effect as early as Monday, according to the draft rollout plan seen by Reuters, but the move could still be delayed, U.S. officials said.

The administration in February imposed enhanced screening requirements on travelers who had been in China, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Iran and the Schengen region of Europe, and barred most non-U.S. citizens who have been in those locations from coming to the United States.

The document seen by Reuters says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "is shifting its strategy and prioritizing other public health measures to reduce the risk of travel-related disease transmission. It said that of 675,000 passengers screened at the 15 airports, "fewer than 15 have been identified as having COID-19."

A spokesman for the CDC did not immediately comment.

The "current entry strategy for international arrivals only covers a small portion of the traveling public, requires significant resources and is not sustainable as travel volumes increase," document said.

Those travelers, who numbered around 6,750 a day as of late August, undergo visual observations, temperature checks and complete traveler declarations. Anyone showing signs of illness or possible exposure is referred for public health assessments.

Airlines for America, a group representing American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, said the group supports "spending scarce screening resources where they can best be utilized and no longer believe that it makes sense to continue screening at these 15 airports given the extremely low number of passengers identified by the CDC as potentially having a health issue."

Story continues

The plan to halt the checks was reported earlier by Yahoo News.

Last month, Reuters reported that the Trump administration's efforts to require airlines to collect contact tracing information from U.S.-bound international passengers had stalled, citing five people briefed on the matter, and that such a mandate is unlikely this year.

Major airlines and administration officials held talks for months over a long-standing effort by the CDC to mandate the collection and reporting of tracing information from passengers arriving in the United States from foreign destinations.

The administration also considered requiring temperature checks for all U.S. air travelers and facial coverings at U.S. airports, but opted not to adopt either mandate.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sandra Maler, Leslie Adler and David Gregorio)
There's been a lot of attention on the illegal doping of horses at racetracks, but subjecting horses to drugs is far from the only horrendous practice carried on throughout the country. One the public has heard little of: nurse mare foals.

The problem stems from the first tenet of horse racing: to breed animals to win races, with no regard of where they will go.

Every thoroughbred must be born to thoroughbreds and registered with the Jockey Club in order to race. However, once born, foals are sometimes given to a cheaper horse to nurse so that the more expensive mare can be impregnated again.

Of course, for a mare to nurse a foal she must be bred so she will give milk. So the cheaper mares are impregnated and their biological foals, having served their purpose, are taken, sometimes killed immediately, sometimes slowly starved so their hides can be used for leather that is prized as "pony skin." The foals are considered a byproduct of the industry. The desire to keep breeding these thoroughbreds, annually, in the hopes of producing a champion, is the only goal. The Jockey Club turns a blind eye to this atrocity, because financial gain takes precedence over the animals' welfare.

And the animal welfare community isn't out opposing the practice either. In Kentucky, the leading state for thoroughbred foals, the Humane Society says it doesn't condone the use of nurse mares, but it isn't willing to fight the racing industry over it.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

"If we thought we had an opportunity to change the laws ... we'd probably go for it," Lori Redmon, president and CEO of the Kentucky Human Society, said in an interview published at Medium. "There's no way we can take them on and win.

It's a tragic situation when animal protective groups won't challenge a practice as egregious as nurse mare foals. It falls on people repulsed by this to organize a national campaign and call on legislators to act  and to refuse to go to the track or otherwise enrich the big breeders who orchestrate such activities.

Until then, little horses will be born to die.

Bonnie Engelman lives in Troy.
Following his arrest, Drummond told authorities that he picked up two intoxicated women at the side of the road and explained that he was with them when they went to the ATM, but denied groping one of the victims.
Mumbai: Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd on Wednesday said that it sold a portion of its stake in OakNorth Holdings Ltd to HighSage Ventures LLC for 440 crore.

"The sale proceeds will be accretive to the regulatory net worth and the capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR) of the Company", the company said in a notice to exchanges.

The company also said that it plans to conclude few other transactions on the partial stake sale in OakNorth Bank over the next few days. The divestment in OakNorth Bank will result in boosting CRAR and shall free up capital to grow the loan book of the company, it added.

The firm had invested 663 crore in November 2015 for a 40% stake in the bank. Within two years of this, in November 2017, the company recouped its investment by selling approximately 10% of the bank to the government of Singapore-owned investment arm GIC for 770 crore

Founded in 2015, OakNorth Bank has grown its deposits to just under 3 billion and its loan book to over 4 billion, the company added.

On Wednesday, Indiabulls Housing launched a qualified institutional placement offering to raise up to 735 crore.

The company intends to use the proceeds from the share sale to augment its capital adequacy ratio and maintain liquidity to meet funding requirements of its business activities, it said in an offer document filed with the exchanges.

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Alwaleed Philanthropies, chaired by HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud, and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) have signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) to strengthen the protection of human rights for women and youth in Saudi Arabia.

The agreement was signed by His Excellency Dr. Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad, President of the HRC, and Her Royal Highness Princess Lamia bint Majed Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies and Member of the Alwaleed Philanthropies' Board of Trustees.

As part of the partnership, HRC will support Alwaleed Philanthropies' Waeya Legal Initiative which trains female lawyers and supports women in promoting legal awareness. The initiative aims to contribute to building the infrastructure that recognizes legal rights and improving the quality of life for women across Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the partnership will provide greater psychological, social and economic support for women who have been victims of violence. In collaboration, HRC and Alwaleed Philanthropies will also develop indicators to support the rights of women, youth and people living with disabilities in accordance with international human rights conventions.

On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, H.E. Dr. Al-Awwad, President of the HRC emphasized the importance of partnership, especially with public sector and civil society institutions to ensure greater human rights protection. He referenced HRC's history of close collaboration with national, regional and international associations.

In addition, H.E. Dr. Al-Awwad commended the partnership with Alwaleed Philanthropies, who have a demonstratable history of supporting those in need and empowering women and youth. The agreement further aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 outlined by His Royal Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, which aims to strengthen social and economic infrastructure across the country.

HRH Princess Lamia bint Majed Saud Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies, said, "We must continue to advocate for the protection of human rights across all of our communities. At Alwaleed Philanthropies we believe that empowerment and education is vital to creating a more equal and tolerant world. We are pleased to collaborate with the Human Rights Commission, who share our vision of supporting women and youth and safeguarding the rights of each and every person."

For four decades, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and spent more than 4 billion dollars on social welfare and initiated more than 1000 projects in over +189 countries, managed by 10 Saudi female members, reaching more than 1 billion beneficiaries around the world, regardless of gender, race, or religion. Alwaleed Philanthropies collaborates with a range of philanthropic, governmental, and educational organizations to combat poverty, empower women and youth, develop communities, provide disaster relief, and create cultural understanding through education. It seeks to build bridges for a more compassionate, tolerant, and accepting world.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1251844/Alwaleed_Philanthropies_and_HRC_MoC.jpg
Danilov says President Zelensky's actions are in line with the council's strategy.

Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov has commented on statements made by two Ukrainian negotiators at Donbas peace talks, Ukraine's envoys to the Minsk Trilateral Contact Group, Leonid Kravchuk and Vitold Fokin.

"Both Kravchuk and Fokin who were appointed to the TCG have their own opinions on certain issues. They have some experience. But we need to understand this is their position as individuals, as citizens. Whether it is Ukraine's position  I'm not sure about many issues. But I can say that what [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky is doing today is in line with the NSDC's decision dated December 5, 2019," he told Ukraine 24 TV channel.

Danilov reiterated the NSDC meeting had preceded the Normandy Four summit in Paris on December 9 had considered five scenarios to end the Russian occupation of certain districts in Donbas.

"Now the first scenario is in progress, namely a political and diplomatic way of handling the situation. This is when diplomats and politicians work. We are trying to negotiate with Russia so that they leave our home. If we fail, we have every right to switch to other scenarios," Danilov said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Jala Gasimova - Trend:

Azerbaijans Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov met with Secretary General of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) ,Baghdad Amreyev, Trend reports citing the ministry.

During the meeting, Jabbarov highlighted the high level of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the member states of the Turkic Council and stressed the important contribution of Azerbaijan to the development of economic relations.

The minister also thanked Amreyev for the statement he made on July 14, 2020 regarding the military provocation of Armenia against Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani minister shared his opinion on the possibilities of expanding economic cooperation within the Turkic Council, stressing that the establishment of the Turkish Chamber of Commerce is a positive initiative to raise the export potential of the councils member countries.

Amreyev noted that the Turkic Council is an important platform for further strengthening the integration and development of relations between the councils member countries and stressed the active participation of Azerbaijan in the organization.

At the meeting, the parties also discussed the current state and opportunities for expanding cooperation within the Turkic Council, the development of a strategic "Turkic Vision - 2040" concept, the creation of a joint investment fund, as well as the issues of trade promotion strategy and other issues of mutual interest.
At one point, the narrator identifies as part of the Muslim world, noting that despite our ill usage at the hands of the American empire, the defiling of America-as-symbol enacted on that fateful Tuesday in September would only bring home anew to all the profundity of that symbols power. Then, in the same paragraph, he switches, to speak as an American of how the world looked to us  to uphold a holy image, or as holy as it gets in this age of enlightenment. The paradox is that only people who see the United States as the earthly garden, the abundant idyll would have such a jealous compulsion to destroy it. On either side of the ideological one-way mirror, the spectacle of American exceptionalism mesmerizes.

Homeland Elegies is presented as a novel, Akhtars second, but often reads like a series of personal essays, each one illustrating yet another intriguing facet of the narrators prismatic identity. Like all autofiction, it induces the slightly prurient frisson of truthiness, the genres signature affect. The narrator, like Akhtar, has won a Pulitzer Prize for drama. What other parts are true? The syphilis? The sudden windfall from shady investments? We are given a portrait of a writer in the round, a sophisticated observer who is also a newly minted member of the cultural elite, a little dazzled by the bright lights but eager to heap his plate at the sexual and financial buffet. For a while, he hobnobs with celebrities and billionaires, imagining that he is penning a coruscating catalog of the new aristocracy. Eventually he realizes that he is nothing more than a neoliberal courtier.

The narrator finds himself thinking of Walt Whitman, and in particular the poets claims to be able to express through his simple separate person some kind of collective American experience. My tongue, too, is homegrown, Akhtar writes, every atom of this blood formed of this soil, this air. But these multitudes will not be my own. Homeland Elegies is about being denied membership to the Whitmanian crowd, a wound inflicted by 9/11 that has been painful for many American Muslims, particularly those who feel at home, or assumed they were, or aspired to be. The elegies of Akhtars title are sung for a dream of national belonging that has only receded since 2001.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne, Australia on Sept. 6, 2020. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

7 Deaths, 51 New COVID Cases in Victoria

Victoria has had mixed COVID-19 news, with the death toll passing 700 as new cases had a welcome fall.

The seven fatalities on Sept. 10 took the state toll to 701 and the national figure to 788.

But after Wednesdays spike of 76 cases, that figure has dropped to 51.

The 14-day average of new cases will be a critical number in the state governments roadmap out of the second wave.

Melbournes average of 74.5 on Sept. 9 and the five for regional Victoria continue to fall.

Premier Daniel Andrews insists his roadmap is the only path out as he continues to cop flak over the plan.

There is no set date yet for when regional restrictions will ease, while Melbourne will remain under a curfew until at least Oct. 26.

The Victorian government said sewage samples at the coastal town of Apollo Bay had revealed signs the virus was circulating, prompting health authorities to increase testing in the area.

But there have been no positive cases in the area since the local sample was taken on Sept. 1.

Wednesdays statewide test numbers almost doubled to 16,686, up from Tuesdays 8704.

Melbourne
Not fully vaccinated? No entry to malls, restaurants in Haryana from Jan 1: See Covid-19 guidelines

Lockdown in Haryana 2022: Know Time, Districts List, Guidelines, Rules, What Is Allowed & What Is Not Allowed

Haryana: Hundreds of farmers protest against farm sector ordinances, block NH-44

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

Chandigarh, Sep 10: The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) and other farmer organisations on Thursday blocked the national highway at Pipli in Kurukshetra district of Haryana to protest the Centre's three farm ordinances, which they claimed were "anti-farmers".

"The government wants to suppress our movement by citing coronavirus as an excuse but we will continue our fight against the anti-farmer decisions," said BKU president Gurnam Singh Chaduni, while addressing the gathering that had blocked the national highway.

Chaduni said the government was forcing the farmers to hold protests by bringing ordinances in the name of bringing agriculture reforms.

The agitated farmers, prevented from entering Kurukshetra district, blocked traffic on NH44 going towards Ambala on the outskirts of Kurukshetra and shouted slogans against the use of police force.

BKU claimed that the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the agitators sat on a dharna on the National Highway 22 to block the traffic.

"Hundreds of farmers managed to reach Pipli Chowk and pelted stones on the police personnel manning the barriers," a police officer said.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

Meanwhile, the BJP-led state government had asked the BKU not to go ahead with the rally in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

More than one hundred farmers while proceeding towards Pipli, travelling on their tractors and other vehicles broke the police barriers raised at Dayalpur crossing in Kurukshetra city.

Farmer leader Akshay Hathira told media that the state government was trying to curb the voice of farmers by banning the rally and imposing prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 at Pipli.

The farmers are against the three ordinances passed by the union cabinet, namely; the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, and the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, in June this year.

While the government has said that the ordinances will create an environment where farmers and traders have a free choice of sale and purchase, farmers allege that with these ordinances, the government was planning to discontinue the MSP regime.

Notably, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had on Wednesday extended his support to the agitation against the ordinances, which he claimed "seek to remove protection given to farmers".
A man landed behind bars for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, according to Laredo police.

Gerardo Campos Jr., 21, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with assault, family violence.

The case dates back to July 9, when Laredo police officers responded to an assault report in the 400 block of Puig Drive. A woman stated that her ex-boyfriend, Campos, had assaulted her.

She stated she was outside her residence speaking with a friend when Campos arrived, prompting her to tell her friend to leave, according to police. Once the friend left, she got into Campos car. During the drive, police said Campos struck her several times causing injuries just beneath her nose and mouth.

Authorities said she was able to exit the vehicle at a red light. LPD special investigations unit detectives presented their findings in the case to an assistant district attorney, who approved the issuance of an arrest warrant for Campos.
Washington: The latest book penned by veteran US journalist Bob Woodward, Rage, has raised some grave accusations against the US president Donald Trump, including that he deliberately played down the coronavirus pandemic despite knowing its seriousness.

Woodward is reported to have done 18 interviews with Trump for the book, due to be published September 15. The revelations come as the US stands as the worst-hit in this pandemic with 6.38 million cases and 190,872 deaths so far.

Playing down the pandemic

President Donald Trump admitted he tried to minimize the seriousness of the threat from Covid-19 at the outset of the pandemic in the audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews.

"I wanted to always play it down," Trump said about the pandemic in an interview with Woodward on March 19, according to a CNN preview of the book.

"I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," he said in the conversation with Woodward, which was recorded.

In another recorded interview, on February 7, he told Woodward the virus "goes through the air" - despite repeatedly mocking people who wear masks in the weeks and months after. It took until July before he was seen publicly wearing a mask.

Trump, in his reaction, did not claim he wasnt downplaying the pandemic threat. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he denounced the book as "another political hit job" and said if he'd downplayed COVID-19 it was to prevent a "frenzy."

"I don't want people to be frightened," he said.

"I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy," he said. "We have to show leadership and the last thing you want to do is create a panic."

He slammed Woodward for doing "hit jobs with everybody" and said he "probably, almost definitely won't read it because I don't have time to read it."

Kim tells me everything

The excerpts also provide new details about the president's thoughts on North Korea's Kim Jong Un, racial unrest and a mysterious new weapon that Trump claims other world powers don't know about.

Woodward wrote that Trump said he was impressed with Kim when he first met the North Korean leader in Singapore in 2018 and that Kim was far beyond smart. Trump also said that Kim tells me everything and even gave the president a graphic account of how Kim had his own uncle killed.

As he engaged in nuclear arms talks with Kim, Trump dismissed intelligence officials' assessments that North Korea would never give up its nuclear weapons. Trump told Woodward that the CIA has no idea how to handle Pyongyang.

Trump also dismissed criticism about his three meetings with Kim, claiming the summits were no big deal. Critics said that by meeting Kim, Trump provided the North Korean leader with legitimacy on the world stage.

It takes me two days. I met. I gave up nothing, said the president, who likened North Korea's attachment to its nuclear arsenal to somebody who is in love with a house and they just can't sell it.

The law and order president

In June, after federal agents forcibly removed protesters from Washington's Lafayette Square to make way for Trump to stage a photo opportunity outside a church near the White House where he held up a bible, Trump called Woodward to boast about how he was for law and order.

We're going to get ready to send in the military slash National Guard to some of these poor bastards that don't know what they're doing, these poor radical lefts, Trump told Woodward, who recorded Trump.

Later that month, Woodward asked the president if, as a white man, he had a responsibility to better understand the anger and pain felt by Black Americans.

No, Trump replied. I don't feel that at all. As Woodward pressed Trump about discrimination and inequalities suffered by Black people over the years, the president pointed to how the unemployment rate for Black Americans fell before the pandemic.

When the two spoke again about race relations on June 22, Woodward asked Trump whether he thought there was systemic racism in America.

Well, I think there is everywhere, Trump said. I think probably less here than most places. Or less here than many places. Asked by Woodward whether racism is here in the United States in a way that affects people's lives, Trump replied: I think it is. And it's unfortunate. But I think it is.

Americas secret weapon

In discussions with Woodward about rising tensions in 2017 between the US and North Korea, Trump said: "I have built a (nuclear) weapons system that nobody's ever had in this country before. We have stuff that you haven't even seen or heard about. We have stuff that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Chinese President Jinping) Xi have never heard about before.

Woodward writes that sources, who spoke to him on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the US military had a secret new weapons system." But the sources did not provide details and told Woodward, according to the book, that they were surprised Trump had disclosed it.

Trump national security adviser Robert O'Brien told Fox News' Special Report on Wednesday that the president did not talk about any specific weapon system. We're always on the cutting edge and we've always got something out there that our adversaries don't know about," O'Brien said.
By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijans Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Elmir Velizade has said that the development of high technologies, including the ICT sector, is a priority of state policy in the country.

Velizade made the remarks during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS-2020) initiated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the ministry reported on September 9.

Projects implemented in our country take into account domestic needs and at the same time provide opportunities for regional access. For example, Azerbaijan, which has successfully implemented a satellite program, primarily provides satellite services for a wide range of countries, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, in addition to meeting national demand, the minister said during the video conference meeting.

Addressing the virtual ministerial round table, Velizade said that the current coronavirus pandemic has increased the importance of relations and revealed the importance of eliminating the digital divide.

He noted that projects such as EPEG (Europe-Persia Express Gateway) fibre-optic line and TASIM - Trans-Eurasian Super Information Highway serve to reduce the digital divide in the region.

The elimination of the digital divide - the mechanisms of global cooperation to accelerate the digital transition was the main topic of discussion during the meeting.

It should be noted that the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2020 represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ICT for development community, which started to be held from June 22. The WSIS Forum is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line Facilitators/Co-Facilitators.

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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Two money managers at a Finnish fund have turned the study of chief executives into a game-changing investment strategy.

Burton Flynn and Ivan Nechunaev, who help manage the Evli Emerging Frontier Fund, were early buyers of shares in Supermax Corp. After meeting the CEO of the Malaysian maker of medical gloves in mid-2019, they invested in the company just before its stock soared 1,400%.

The two are on a mission to sit down with the leaders of all the firms in their prospective investment universe. In the case of Supermax, they say the meeting with its CEO provided them with enough information to move into the stock well before others. When the pandemic hit, they suddenly found themselves in a uniquely strong position.

Flynn and Nechunaev have traveled across 10 emerging and frontier markets, where they ended up meeting with 632 companies and speaking directly with 323 CEOs. Based on their legwork, the two fund managers found five early signs that a company is likely to outperform the market.

First, CEOs confident about upcoming earnings were more likely to welcome the opportunity to praise their company, while CEOs about to announce a bad set of results were more likely to delegate the meeting, according to Flynn.

Second, CEOs who used more transparent language and cited more numbers ran stronger companies than leaders who hid behind difficult language, Flynn said (he cited findings from natural language processing). The third signal Flynn and Nechunaev identified was a CEOs tone when addressing risks.

CEOs who are more confident about their prospects might be more willing to talk openly about the risks," Flynn said.

Whats more, executives who expected better earnings growth went on to deliver stock gains, while undervalued companies tended to be those whose CEOs could clearly articulate what investors misunderstood.

The Evli Emerging Frontier Fund is up about 6% since Flynn and Nechunaev started traveling the world to meet CEOs in June 2019. Flynn plans to use the findings for academic research hes hoping to publish in the coming year (controlling for variables that could skew the results, such as industry, sector and country effects).

A final lesson from the project: meeting the boss can also be a real eye-opener on where not to invest. Flynn recalled one (short) meeting in which the CEO responded to every question with, I dont know."

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Gurugram, Sep 10 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was discharged from the Medanta hospital in Gurugram at around 3 p.m. on Thursday after recovering from coronavirus infection, an official said.

In a medical bulletin issued by the hospital, Medical Superintendent A.K. Dubey said that Manohar Lal Khattar has recovered from Covid-19 and has been discharged from the hospital on Thursday.

Doctors have advised Khattar, who was in the hospital for 17 days, to stay in home-quarantine and monitor his health for a week, the official added.

Doctors at the hospital said that he did not have any symptoms of the infection and was in good health.

A multi-disciplinary team of doctors from AIIMS in New Delhi, PGIMS in Rohtak, Dr Virender Yadav, Civil Surgeon, Gurugram, Dr Sushila Kataria and their team had reviewed his condition, line of treatment.

Khattar tested positive for Covid-19 on August 25, just a day ahead of the monsoon session of the Assembly on August 26. The Chief Minister had shared the Covid-19 infection information via twitter.

Apart from this, the district health department had detected 306 fresh Covid-19 cases on Thursday, taking the total tally to 14,295. Of these, 12,204 people have recovered. The Covid-19 toll has reached 140 in the district.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:

Leather raw materials will be sent to Uzbekistan for further processing and production of finished products with high added value, Trend reports citing review.uz information and analytical portal.

There is an agreement with leading companies Nike and Adidas to enter our market. The production of sports shoes will be established in the Andijan region. The Sino International JV LLC plant plans to outsource three million pairs of sneakers under a world-famous brand, said the chairman of the Uzcharmsanoat association Fakhriddin Boboev.

According to Boboev, in the first half of 2020, the export of domestic goods porudced at the enterprises of the Uzcharmsanoat association (Uzbek Leather Industry Association) amounted to $150.3 million.

"Products under the domestic brand can be found in the markets of over 20 countries around the world. Representative offices of the association have been opened in the largest importing countries of Uzbek leather, footwear and leather goods such as Russia, Turkey and Kazakhstan," he said.

In addition, trading houses operate in South Korea, China, Tajikistan and a number of other states. Among the sales markets are also Italy, Spain, Portugal, Latvia, Poland, Egypt, Estonia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. As you can see, these are very different countries with different requirements for imported products. Presence in these markets is in itself an assessment of the competitiveness of the domestic leather and footwear industry, Boboev stressed.

By the end of 2020, the production volumes of leather goods will grow, compared to 2019, by 1.3 times (1,460 million sq. dm), footwear production will grow by 1.3 times (111.8 million pairs) and leather goods - by 1, 2 times, which amounts 72.8 billion soums ($708.999).

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @romakayeva
Soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado, want improvements added to the Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle prototypes to make them easier to control on the future battlefield.

Soldiers from Comanche Troop of the 4th Infantry Division's 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, recently completed the first Robotic Combat Vehicle Soldier Operational Experiment using two-soldier crews in specially modified Bradley fighting vehicles to control robotic surrogate vehicles fashioned from M113 armored personnel carriers.

Read Next: Army Sees Spike in COVID-19 Cases as Training Reaches Full Strength

Operating in the rugged terrain of Fort Carson, the soldiers performed cavalry-style missions while testing different technologies to control the robotic vehicles, sending them out hundreds of meters ahead to scout for enemy positions.

Overall, the soldiers said the RCV surrogate vehicles were easy to learn how to control, but they found problem areas that need fixing as the prototypes continue to develop, according to a recent Army news release.

Soldiers want better visibility, ranging from optics for sighting threats to camera positioning for detecting terrain.

"For me, specifically, I think that the ability to see downward once we approach certain inclines and declines would probably be an astute upgrade that would push us forward in the right direction," Sgt. Matthew Morris said in the release.

Sgt. Scott Conklin said shifting from a standard three-soldier crew to two soldiers was manageable, but the "frenetic pace" of using the 360-degree cameras presented a challenge.

The Army announced in January that it had selected QinetiQ North America to build four prototypes of the Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light, and Textron to build four prototypes of the RCV-Medium. Both companies were present at the experiment, but their prototypes are still being finalized and did not participate.

Soldiers used a controller based on an Xbox gaming system to control the surrogate vehicles.

Story continues

"If you can play Mario Kart, you can drive a RCV," said Michael Rose, lead of the manned-unmanned teaming soldier operational experiment. "There's no handbook on this, so we're not only assessing the maturity of these technologies, but we're also writing the playbook on how we are going to fight with robots in the future. These soldiers are the first step in that process."

Another challenge to overcome is perfecting technology that will allow the control vehicle and the robot vehicle to communicate adequately beyond 1,000 meters in dense, forested terrain.

Several defense firms participating in the experiment have created radio waveforms capable of extending the range for better communications, Army modernization officials say.

"This is an experiment, and we chose that word very specifically: We have a hypothesis that manned-unmanned teaming will enable soldiers and leaders to more effectively fight on the battlefield," Brig. Gen. Richard Coffman, director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross-Functional Team, said in the release.

The next round of unmanned vehicle testing -- this time at the company level -- is scheduled to take place at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2022. The service also plans to conduct a third experiment in the future that will focus on more complex, company-size operations.

The Army is scheduled to make a decision in fiscal 2023 on when manned-unmanned teaming with RCVs will become a program of record, Coffman said.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: The Army Just Wrapped Up Its First Robot Vehicle Experiment. Here's What It Learned
Four people in Northern Ireland, including two in Derry, have each been fined 1,000 since the start of September for breaching COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The Derry News has learned that the fines in Derry were issued by the police last Saturday, September 5.

It is understood that the two local people had recently returned from holiday together in a country not on the government's so-called 'green list' of exemptions.

Anyone returning to Northern Ireland from a country not on the 'green list' is required by law to self-isolate for 14 days.

It is understood that the fines were issued to the two local people after police found out they had not been self-isolating since their return from holiday.

Along with the two fines issued locally, the PSNI said they had handed out a further two 1,000 fines since the start of this month for breaches of 'International Travel Restrictions.'

One of those fines was issued to a man in County Fermanagh on September 1.

The other fine was issued on September 4 but the location of the person who received this fine is unknown.

The Derry News has also learned that three 'prohibition notices' have been issued to licenced premises in the Derry City and Strabane council area in the last two weeks.

The notices are in relation to alleged breaches of new public safety legislation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Two of the notices were issued to local licenced premises on Friday, August 28, and the other last Sunday, September 6.

PSNI Superintendent Gordon McCalmont said a 'key role' for police was to support the health service and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure 'we all play our part in stopping the spread of coronavirus and help save lives.'

Throughout the period of the pandemic, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has worked closely with our colleagues in the Department of Health and other partner agencies to ensure that policing operations fully supported the joint effort to protect the public and save lives.

Since the re-opening of licensed premises on 3 July the Police Service of Northern Ireland have served 36 prohibition notices on licensed premises in Northern Ireland for breaching the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020.

The notices have been issued to premises in Antrim, Armagh, Down, Derry/Londonderry, Fermanagh and Tyrone.

Superintendent McCalmont also highlighted alleged breaches of travel restrictions.

In total, five breaches of the International Travel Restrictions have been recorded up until Tuesday 8th September.

Four 1,000 fines were issued; with one fine issued on Tuesday 1st September, one on Friday 4th September and two on Saturday 5th September.

Our approach has always been to engage, explain, encourage and enforcement when necessary.

Among the countries from which people returning must self-isolate are France and Spain.

A number of Greek islands were this week also added to the list of countries from which people returning must self-isolate.

Health Minister Robin Swann said they would continue to monitor the situation in all countries and would 'move swiftly to make changes to the regulations when necessary'.
Prince Harry has shared a video message to offer his support to military veterans taking part in a gruelling challenge for the armed forces charity Walking With The Wounded.

The Duke of Sussex, 35, who is currently living in his $14 million Santa Barbara mansion, shared a message of support with soldiers at the official launch of The Walk of Oman, which will see a team of ex-service personnel trek 400km across the country, including part of the world's largest sand desert.

Trekking around 20km to 22km per day, the team will endure temperatures as high as 95F as they pull their custom-built cart, weighing in excess of 300kg, across the unforgiving Omani desert.

The Duke, who referred to his 'Walking With The Wounded family' during the video clip, congratulated teams taking part, adding: 'You represent the whole veteran community and I have no doubt that thorough this opportunity you will demonstrate the resilience, courage and talent that exists within those who have served.'

Prince Harry, 35, shared a video message to offer his support to military veterans taking part in a gruelling challenge for the armed forces charity Walking With The Wounded

In the video message, which was broadcast live on the Walking With The Wounded's Facebook page, the royal said: 'We are all delighted that the Walk In Oman continues to go ahead, despite the challenging environment we are all faced with at the moment.

'This in itself is an administration of the remarkable long standing friendship our country has with Oman and it shows the determination of those that were selected for the walk.'

The Duke went on to say he wanted to especially congratulate the UK team members and 'wish them well as they prepare for the epic journey they will be embarking on.'

He finished: 'Good luck preparing for the desert, stay safe and I'll see you soon.'

Harry, who has been involved with the charity for several years, referred to it as 'my Walking With The Wounded family' (pictured joined military veterans for a 1,000-mile walk of Britain in 2015 (above))

Earlier this summer, Prince Harry lent his support to the soldiers participating in the form of a video message filmed at Tyler Perry's home in Los Angeles.

During the earlier clip, he said: 'At the end of this year, a year that has seen unprecedented global challenges, a group of veterans will be tackling a challenge unlike anything they've faced before.

'Facing searing temperatures and pulling a cart that weighs more than three times their own bodyweight, these veterans will need to summon incredible physical and mental strength.

'I am proud to once again support them and support the veterans whose courage, determination and resilience is a credit to all of us who have served. To the men and women selected for this team, good luck! I know people all over the world will be cheering you on.'

The Duke had earlier shared his support with the team as he launched The Walk of Oman for Walking with the Wounded in June

The Duke has previously supported the charity by going on an expedition to the North Pole in 2011 and trekking across the South Pole with 12 injured servicemen in 2013.

He also joined wounded veterans for a 1,000-mile walk of Britain in 2015.

In partnership with the Omani Armed Forces and with support from the Royal Office of HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, the ambitious trek pays homage to the legendary travels Wilfred Thesiger took across the Arabian Peninsula in the 1940s.

Starting on November 20 this year and ending December 11, the walk will also take the team across part of the Empty Quarter the world's largest sand desert, before bringing the arduous trek to a close on Oman's Armed Forces Day.

Dominic Reid OBE, CEO of The Invictus Games Foundation, commented: 'The Invictus Games Foundation is proud to lend its support to Walking with the Wounded and the Walk of Oman.

Prince Harry's association with the charity goes back several years (pictured, with six former military soldiers as they undertake The Walk of Britain covering over 1000 miles from John O'Groats to Buckingham Palace in 2015)

'This walk not only shares a patron with the foundation, it shares its goals in supporting those injured in service. We look forward to helping establish further international endeavours in the future.'

The team of ex-service personnel, all of whom have physical or cognitive injuries, will endure hunger, thirst and extreme temperatures to highlight the extraordinary courage and determination of the men and women who have been wounded while serving their countries and to draw attention to the support needed in their transition to civilian life.

Due to the hostile conditions and the nature of the injuries involved, the expedition teams will be followed by a support team, who will be on hand in case of emergencies.

To mark the charity's tenth birthday earlier this year, Prince Harry shared a series of photographs of him supporting them on the now defunct SussexRoyal Instagram.

To mark the charity's tenth birthday earlier this year, Prince Harry shared a series of photographs of him supporting them on the now defunct SussexRoyal Instagram

After training at Sandhurst, Harry was commissioned as an officer in the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals in April 2006.

During his ten years in the Army, he undertook two operational tours of Afghanistan and qualified as an Apache helicopter commander.

His second tour of Helmand, in 2012, is believed to be one of the few times in his life that the Prince truly found contentment away from the restrictions and pressures of Royal life.

Known as 'Captain Wales' by his comrades, he proudly told one fellow soldier: 'I've got the best of both worlds. I get to do all this. I can fly helicopters. I can shine a spotlight on the work I want to do.'

It was the Army which offered Harry his first taste of life away from being a royal.

After training at Sandhurst, Harry was commissioned as an officer in the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals in April 2006. Pictured: Harry visits West Point Military Academy in New York in June 2010 (left) and with his regiment The Blue and Royals at a Remembrance Sunday parade in Windsor in November 2007 (right)

Harry's military career ended in June 2015 but he has remained a passionate supporter of the Armed Forces and was handed a number of ceremonial military titles.

He said at the time: 'Luckily for me, I will continue to wear the uniform and mix with fellow servicemen and women for the rest of my life, helping where I can.'

His highest profile military title is as Captain General of the Royal Marines, a role he was handed by the Queen in December 2017, succeeding the Duke of Edinburgh.

As the ceremonial head of the elite unit, Harry is entitled to wear the uniform and insignia equivalent to a Field Marshal.

His two-year association compares with the 64-year term of his grandfather.

Earlier this year Harry was stripped of his military titles and patronages when he and former actress Meghan stepped down as a senior members of the Royal Family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently signed a megadeal with Netflix which industry insiders believe could be worth $150 million.
Top Australian miner BHP has set targets to slash emissions from its operations by 30 per cent within the next decade, while also reducing its wider carbon footprint with targets covering its shippers and key customers such as steelmakers in Asia.

BHP chief executive Mike Henry on Thursday announced the mining giant had adopted concrete targets to cut carbon emissions from its own operations by 30 per cent by 2030, ahead of a goal of becoming a "net-zero emitter" by 2050.

BHP has adopted targets to reduce the emissions of customers of its products such as iron ore and coal,

In the first such move by a top miner, BHP also set targets across its supply chain, which include a 30 per cent reduction in the emissions intensity of customers like steel mills and power plants, and a 40 per cent emissions-intensity cut for its chartered shipping. These indirect emissions, known as "Scope 3" emissions, are vastly greater than emissions caused by miners' own operations.

"We expect our actions to catalyse broader emissions reductions throughout the steel and maritime sectors," Mr Henry said.
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Linkedin Smita Aggarwal and Tilman Ehrbeck (The Jakarta Post) Washington, DC  Thu, September 10, 2020 08:17 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43e6d53 3 Opinion COVID-19,pandemic,gig-economy,resilience Free

COVID-19 has put the resilience of Indonesian gig economy workers to the test. In a new survey, some speak of selling their belongings and burning through savings. Others say they can only afford one or two meals a day  and no meat. To help protect roughly 40 million Indonesian gig workers from financial shocks in the future, its time for a new generation of financial technology companies to step up and meet their needs.

Our insights come from talking to nearly 600 gig economy workers during June and July this year in collaboration with Sampingan, a domestic platform for gig workers, and 60 Decibels, a global research firm. The report  The Digital Hustle: Gig Worker Financial Lives Under Pressure, Indonesian Spotlight  reveals the impact of COVID-19 on the gig workers who are on the front line of Indonesias digital economy, serving its 176 million mobile subscribers.

Digital platforms created new income-generating opportunities for millions of Indonesians, but their incomes have suffered a dramatic setback because of COVID-19. In March, just before Indonesia began implementing large-scale social restrictions, more than 40 percent of gig workers earned more than Rp 3 million (US$206) per month. By June and July, the proportion of gig workers earning more than Rp 3 million was down to 5 percent and more than half had monthly earnings of below Rp 1 million.

Our report shows that livelihoods for workers who interact with their customers in person were impacted particularly severely. Seventy-one percent of home health providers, such as those offering massage services, 65 percent of ridesharing drivers and 55 percent of delivery drivers lost income, while online sellers and other household workers such as housecleaners were less affected. The report also shows that gig economy workers are seeking and taking on new, on-demand jobs.

The survey suggested that the pandemic has turned out be a bigger economic crisis than health crisis from the perspective of most gig workers. While 74 percent of respondents in our survey were very concerned about COVID-19, 52 percent said they worried primarily about its impact on their livelihoods  but only 14 percent said they were mainly worried about their health.

The pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in many societies and our survey findings illustrate how close to the edge Indonesian gig workers are living. Nearly 60 percent of respondents said that, if they lost their primary source of income, they could not cover household expenses for a month without borrowing money.

These workers have adopted a range of painful and costly approaches to cope with the sudden drop in their incomes. Among the two thirds who had reduced their consumption, 37 percent were spending less on food. Another 66 percent were using up their savings, 44 percent had borrowed money and 43 percent had sold or pawned an asset. However, gig workers are also determined to improve their fortunes: 61 percent of respondents said they had discovered new or additional work through digital platforms such as online reselling or on-demand tasks. Nearly 40 percent plan to seek new work in the coming months.

The drop in their income, although significant, is to be expected during the worst of the pandemic, and incomes will rise again as economic activity regains momentum. However, the survey showed that few gig workers had been able to build a financial cushion for themselves during better times and that many were ill-equipped to face sudden economic shocks.

As we move toward an increasingly digital world, the importance of gig workers cannot be overemphasized. This workforce has demonstrated its entrepreneurial drive during this crisis and is looking to its future beyond the pandemic. Indeed, saving for the future is gig workers number one goal, with 81 percent very concerned about their ability to save for old age.

Another top concern is the risk of not being able to work in the future due to ill health, an accident or damage to their phone. Most gig workers juggle multiple jobs through different digital platforms to optimize their earnings. Just as technology connected these workers with new income streams, it also has the potential to serve their unmet financial needs and improve their financial security.

Imagine having a single mobile app that could aggregate all of a workers earnings derived from different sources, nudge workers to regularly put aside small amounts of money into a digital account for future use, and provide them small ticket credit to purchase supplies, fill up fuel tanks or learn new skills when needed.

Workers are more anxious about short-term cash needs than longer-term financing. Sixty-three percent of the respondents in our survey were very concerned about having sufficient cash to do their job, versus only 32 percent who were concerned about access to asset financing. Smartphones are the lifeline for gig workers. Insurtech firms like Qoala in Indonesia offer device protection insurance with a 100 percent replacement facility through a quick online process. Singapore-based ride-hailing company Grab offers income protection to drivers in case of accidents or critical illnesses.

Gig workers are critical to supporting the growth of the digital economy in Indonesia. But its important to focus on the sustainability of their livelihoods and their financial resilience, as well as on their productivity and efficiency.

Technology makes possible better ways for gig workers to manage risk and access liquidity when they need it. That is the challenge for entrepreneurs and investors like us  and one that we are determined to meet.

-------

Smita Aggarwal and Tilman Ehrbeck are respectively global investments advisor and managing partner at Flourish

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Spotlight on artificial intelligence: ONR to highlight AI research at DoD Symposium

ARLINGTON, Va.--How can the Department of the Navy (DoN) best harness the power and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to address everything from operating efficiency at sea to corporate excellence?

These questions will be discussed by leaders from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) during two panel sessions at the Department of Defense (DoD) Artificial Intelligence Symposium and Exposition, held Sept. 9-10, 2020.

The two-day virtual event is sponsored by the DoD's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC). It will bring together government, business and academic experts to focus on delivering AI-enabled solutions to benefit warfighters; strengthen national security; and improve the effectiveness, affordability and speed of military operations.

On Thursday, Sept. 10, at 2:30 p.m., Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Lorin C. Selby will participate in a session titled "Rigging for AI," which will discuss how to best position the sea services for accelerated AI development and adoption.

Later that day, at 3:15 p.m., ONR will preside over another session showcasing the AVENGER Naval AI Grand Challenge--an initiative intended to maximize military-civilian AI partnerships, and promote greater innovation within AI development processes.

"In naming the challenge AVENGER, we took inspiration from the Battle of Midway," said Navy Chief AI Officer Brett Vaughan, who is part of the team overseeing AVENGER. "Midway was a pivotal momentum shift in World War II and saw the debut of the Avenger torpedo bomber, an aircraft that revolutionized naval operations.

"Much like the role the Avenger aircraft played in Midway, our expectation is that the AVENGER Naval AI Challenge will catalyze a tide-turning effort in the campaign to accelerate AI development and adoption," continued Vaughan, who also is ONR's AI portfolio manager.

The AVENGER Naval AI Grand Challenge is a collaboration involving the Navy Chief AI Officer; ONR; the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (OPNAV N7); the NavalX Agility Cell; the Navy's Digital Transformation Office; JAIC; and various naval laboratories and warfare centers.

The challenge connects Navy and Marine Corps AI developers with experts in industry, academia and the government to address problems ranging from knowledge management and data maintenance to base security and small-unit maneuvers. The goal is to develop fleet-tested solutions within a year and scaled capabilities within 18 months.

Vaughan said a primary objective of AVENGER is to evaluate the effectiveness of the current naval innovation pipeline to remove barriers to AI adoption and create best practices for getting technology solutions to the fleet faster.

###

For more information about the DoD Artificial Intelligence Symposium and Exposition, visit https:/ / www. ai. mil/ ai2020. html .

This story has been published on: 2020-09-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Thursday that he is ordering the Police Bureau to immediately stop using one toxic form of tear gas on crowds at demonstrations.

The declaration that officers will no longer unleash CS gas comes after 105 straight days of protests that have seen city and federal officers deploy tear gas on participants. Over that time, people have also repeatedly been subjected to gas by Portland police in their cars or homes while not participating in the demonstrations.

Oregon State Police called Wheelers decision reckless and short sighted, and indicated it may stop sending troopers to help city officers respond to demonstrations. And the Portland police union president accused the mayor of tying officers' hands.

Public records show Portland police have spent tens of thousands of dollars on less-lethal munitions and tear gas canisters in response to nightly protests.

The city has also been sued over police use of CS gas and there have been widespread calls for months from the public for the tactics to be discontinued, including from some of Wheelers Portland City Council colleagues Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and Commissioner Chloe Eudaly.

Portland police have been restricted by a federal judges order since early June from using tear gas, except when lives or public safety are at risk. Officers went on to repeatedly use tear gas anyway, citing concerns over some protesters throwing water bottles, rocks, fireworks and other items toward officers.

Wheeler is also Portlands police commissioner. He was subjected to tear gas himself by federal officers in July. He apologized to the public the next week over Portlands police use of the gas noting it was indiscriminate, but vowed it would be used less rather than not at all.

During the last hundred days Portland, Multnomah County and state police have all relied on CS gas where there is a threat to life safety, Wheeler said in a video Thursday. We need something different. We need it now.

Oregon State Police Capt. Timothy Fox said in a statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive that his agency still views tear gas as a viable tool to protect officers and the public. The OSP will be forced to assess our involvement in assisting the city of Portland, Fox said. We will not for force our troopers into this untenable situation and limit their ability to defend themselves and others.

Gov. Kate Brown, who directly oversees state police, sent troopers to help Portland police with nightly protests following the Aug. 29 fatal shooting of Aaron Jay Danielson, a Patriot Prayer supporter, in downtown Portland. She also requested the Gresham Police Department and the sheriffs offices in Clackamas and Washington counties to also assist city officers, but they publicly refused.

Browns office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

In a written message to police staff Thursday, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said he understood officers' frustrations with tools theyve used to respond to the demonstrations being limited, but he will continue to do his best to champion the safety of Police Bureau personnel.

I will continue to do everything to support you. I will continue to advocate for you, the statement read in part. Decisions about police response will be made with your safety at the forefront of our minds, so that you can serve the community the way they deserve.

Officer Daryl Turner, president of the Portland Police Association, said he believes the tear gas ban is going to blow up in (Wheelers) face. Turner said it will force officers to use more impact munitions and use more physical force to disperse crowds.

What agency is going to want to work with us and assist us now in crowd management? said Turner, who heads the union that represents the majority of Portland officers. What is that if not tying our hand?

The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon said on Twitter said it was concerned about the lasting healthy impacts of the tear gas that had been used regularly for months.

Tear gas is cruel, dangerous, indiscriminate, and has been used to try to silence people who are protesting for racial justice, the agency said. It should never have been used.

Portland mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarone called the decision Thursday too little too late.

Portland voters will remember this on Election Day, she said in a statement. The election is Nov. 3.

Wheelers office announced Wednesday that at least three Portland officers have been reassigned to desk duty amid investigations of their conduct during demonstrations. The group includes one officer seen on video tackling and repeated punching a protester in the head.

-- Maxine Bernstein; mbernstein@oregonian.com | 503-221-8212 | @maxoregonian

-- Everton Bailey Jr; ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 | @EvertonBailey

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
NEW DELHI: Pre-empting Chinas suspicious activities near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the days to come, the Indian Army has further consolidated its position and occupied more heights on the north bank of Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh, sources said on Thursday.

According to sources, the Indian Army now has a tactical advantage on both the north and south banks of Pangong Tso which overlook Chinese positions on the ridgelines in the Finger 4 area. Even though the Chinese troops continue to sit atop the Finger 4 ridgeline, the Indian Army has taken over other heights to put pressure on the PLA, according to Army sources.

This is likely to help India in future negotiations as China is not willing to pull back from the Finger 4 mountain tops earlier. This has resulted in the disengagement process between the two countries coming to a halt. On the south side of the lake, which has become the new friction point, the Indian Army seems to be in an advantageous position.

With the Indian Army taking control of heights around the Finger 4 area, China has started building up its forces on the north bank of the Pangong Tso and is trying to come closer to the Indian position near the ridgeline.The Indian Army has occupied heights that allow it to dominate the Moldo Garrison and the Spangur Gap under Chinese control. Both India and China had earlier claimed some of these heights.

One of the most critical heights the Indian Army is manning is the Rechin La, following which the Chinese Army had strongly protested. At present, the Indian Army enjoys a vantage point, not just to monitor Chinese military bases on the south bank of the Pangong Lake, but also keep an eye on the Finger 4 area on the north of the lake.

It may be noted that the mountain spurs jutting out into the lake at more than 14,000 feet are referred to as fingers.

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Now that the whole Pangong Tso Lake region in the Ladakh is on edge, it is expected that the Chinese troops will try to regain lost ground on the south of the lake where India had in a pre-emptive move occupied two dozen strategic heights.

However, what has fuelled tension is the fact that now all the action in the Pangong Tso area is being controlled directly by commanders in Beijing and its no longer in the hands of local PLA officers.

In order to put more pressure on India, China has moved its 15-20 tanks closer to Spanggur Gap, a mountain pass on the LAC, between China and India. The Indian Army too has responded by deploying its battle tanks. In its Moldo Garrison area, China has now deployed around 5,000-7,000 soldiers while India has also deployed an equal number of its soldiers there.

In view of threats from the Chinese troops, the Indian Army has built defences and put barbed wire around its positions. It has warned the Chinese that crossing these wires will attract strong reactions from the Indian Army.

On Monday night the Chinese Army tried to remove the barbed wire but were warned to go back. Chinese troops then fired in the air to intimidate Indian soldiers. PLA troops were carrying what looked like traditional Guandao weapons (a single-edge sword-like blade on the end of a pole) and had automatic rifles.

In May, the Chinese Army had crossed the LAC on the north bank of Pangong Tso and occupied 8 km between Finger 4 and Finger 8 areas. In all diplomatic and military talks between the two countries since China has bluntly refused to vacate the occupied area.

The Finger Area refers to a set of eight cliffs jutting out of the Sirijap range overlooking Pangong lake (Tso). Before the PLA grabbed positions on Finger 4 overlooking Indian deployments, the Army would patrol right up to Finger 8 that New Delhi considers within Indian territory.
Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate threatened to call police unless the City of Melbourne delivered more than 100 of Pauline Hanson's One Nation-branded stubby holders to every apartment in a locked-down suburban public housing tower in July.

Ms Holgate's written ultimatum, through her senior legal counsel, came days after Senator Hanson had labelled residents of the Melbourne towers "drug addicts" and "alcoholics", and at the same time Australia Post was attempting to win over One Nation's vote to ensure a temporary relaxation in daily postal services was not overturned by the Senate.

Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate intervened to get Pauline Hanson stubby holders distributed to residents in one of Melbourne's locked down public housing towers. Credit:Peter Rae/Supplied

The 114 parcels were intercepted by the council while it was managing the week-long Victorian government-enforced lockdown of some 3000 people spread across nine towers in two separate estates in Flemington and North Melbourne in the city's inner north-west.

Officials overseeing distribution of food, medical supplies and mail at Canning Street, North Melbourne opened one parcel addressed "to the householder" of an unoccupied flat and decided against distributing the stubby holders. The paraphernalia would, sources said, inflame what was already an "emotional tinder box" within the tower following Senator Hanson's comments on the Nine Network's Today program earlier that week.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has done something others holding a similar position can only wonder at.

The 40-year-old, who is a product of the Hindu College, voluntarily undertook an arduous journey by climbing mountains and walking through forested areas so that he could meet his people, a nomadic tribe. He trekked for 11 hours at a height of 14,500 feet and covered a distance of more than 24 km to reach the villagers of Luguthang.

A 24 km trek, 11 hours of fresh air & Mother Nature at her best; crossing Karpu-La (16,000 ft) to Luguthang (14,500 ft) in Tawang district. A paradise untouched, the CM tweeted.

Luguthang is a village which falls under Khandus Mukto constituency in Tawang district that shares its borders with China and Bhutan. The Chief Ministers Office (CMO) said during Khandus journey up to the village, he was accompanied by only one personal security officer and some villagers.

The Luguthang village which falls under Khandus Mukto constituency in Tawang district

The CM sir had never been to the village. So, he went there to meet the locals. He spent two nights at the house of a villager and trekked back his way home on September 8, an officer of the CMO told this newspaper.

He said the locals belong to a nomadic tribe and they rear yak. As in most remote areas of the Himalayan state, there are no roads leading up to the village which is towards Bhutan.

CM Pema Khandu with the villagers

According to the 2011 census, Luguthang is located in Thingbu Tehsil of Tawang district. It is located 63 km from Jang and 97 km away from district headquarters Tawang. It has a population of only 58 people who live in 11 houses. Tawang is the nearest town, perched on a mountain some 97 km away.

Khandu is the eldest son of former CM Dorjee Khandu who had died in a helicopter crash in 2011. The site of the crash was near Luguthang village.
In September 2011, the Survivors Network of People Abused by Priests (SNAP), an American association of 10,000 victims of priests of various faiths, asked the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation for crimes against humanity against Pope Benedict XVI and three top cardinals.

These men operate with impunity and without accountability, it said. The Vatican officials charged in this case are responsible for rape and other sexual violence and for the physical and psychological torture of victims around the world both through command responsibility and through direct cover up of crimes. They should be brought to trial like any other officials guilty of crimes against humanity.

The request to the ICC charged that Vatican officials tolerate and enable the systematic and widespread concealing of rape and child sex crimes throughout the world. And the website of the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) gave examples of principles on which the ICC could open an investigation: The jurisdiction of the ICC names rape, sexual violence assault, and torture as crimes against humanity. It also provides for individual criminal liability for those with command or superior responsibility over those who directly commit such crimes.

Were there orders or a concerted policy?

But can these crimes be qualified as crimes against humanity and thus fall within ICC jurisdiction?

The problem with international crimes is not really who committed them. The problem is whether they were systematic, which implies and has as an accessory, planning. [In the Church], you have to ask yourself if there was a connection, an order, something that said to everyone in the Church, if you do this, its not a problem,' explains international lawyer Anna Myriam Roccatello, deputy executive director of the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ). In the case of sexual abuse by clergy, youll never get that, so the case is weak, she adds.

According to the Rome Statute, the ICCs founding treaty, a crime against humanity is a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack. And the ICC adds that the attack must take place pursuant to or in furtherance of a State or organizational policy to commit such attack. It would therefore have to be proven that the Church covered up the facts to the point of making them the focus of a policy.

Deliberate abstention from action

Before all international tribunals, even if they retain slightly different definitions of crimes against humanity, the planning and implementation of an attack against an entire civilian population requires elaborate organization, notes Parisian lawyer Clara Gerard-Rodriguez, who is also on the list of assistant to counsel before the ICC. The existence of a preconceived policy or plan of the church institution, whether or not formally stated, would have to be demonstrated, and it would have to be shown that the criminal acts were inspired or ordered by it. The individual act must be the link in a chain and be attached to a system or a plan. In exceptional circumstances, such a policy may take the form of a deliberate abstention from action, whereby the State or organization consciously intends to encourage such an attack, says Gerard-Rodriguez, but the existence of such a policy cannot be inferred solely from the fact that the State or organization refrains from action.

The legal obstacle seems to be a big one. There are others, such as the fact that the jurisdiction of the ICC does not cover acts committed before July 2002, that this court can only intervene if a State is unwilling or unable to do so, and that neither the Vatican  with its special status  nor the United States, for example, are members of the ICC.

Statute of limitations and superior responsibility

Qualifying these crimes as crimes against humanity has two major attractions, experts note. The first is that the crime no longer becomes subject to a statute of limitations. In France, for example, a sexual crime against a minor can no longer be brought to a criminalcourt 20 years after the victim has reached the age of majority. However, if the facts are qualified as a crime against humanity, this limit no longer applies. Justice could thus go back in time and take up cases that would otherwise escape its grasp.

The second attraction of prosecuting crimes against humanity at the international level is the ability to prosecute individuals according to the principle of command responsibility: a superior can become responsible for the crimes of his subordinates if he knew or had reason to know of their commission and did nothing to punish or prevent them. In this particular context [of sexual abuse in the Church], it is obvious that the hierarchy knew what was going on and did nothing, when it could have reacted. There would therefore be favourable elements for charging Church leaders, explains Marina Eudes, a lecturer in public law at the University of Paris-Nanterre.

This principle of command responsibility has flourished in international tribunals where it has made it possible to indict heads of State or government as well as military leaders. But at the national level, this principle seems to be absent. It was created especially in international crimes to target the masterminds of the crime, those who organized it, rather than the direct perpetrators. Im not sure that this approach can be copied and pasted into domestic criminal law, warns Eudes. In France, for example, notes Gerard-Rodriguez, only such high-ranking officials could be prosecuted if they could be considered as accomplices to the crimes committed, that is, if they had provoked the crime, given instructions to commit it or facilitated its preparation or commission, by aiding or assisting or if they had committed another crime, for example not reporting a crime, or even  why not  endangering others.

Not all sexual violence is a crime against humanity

A question of immunity from prosecution may also arise. Under immunity law, a foreign State (and some of its officials and diplomats) cannot be prosecuted in the criminal courts of another State. It would be necessary to verify if this principle also applies to the Vatican, but the fact that the Vatican had to waive the immunity of its ambassador Bishop Ventura [Apostolic Nuncio to France from 2009 to 2019, sued in connection with a sexual assault case] in order for him to be prosecuted in France suggests that it does, Gerard-Rodriguez stresses.

At both the international and national levels, therefore, legal obstacles appear numerous and make it particularly hard for a criminal court to hold against the Church and its top officials that the sexual abuse inflicted on thousands of minors throughout the world by members of the clergy, often covered up by the hierarchy, is a crime against humanity. All the experts interviewed seem to conclude that not all sexual violence is war crimes or crimes against humanity, according to Jean-Pierre Massias, professor of public law at the University of Pau and president of the Francophone Institute for Justice and Democracy.
The President for Okyeman Youth Association, Nana Ampem Darko Amponsah has strongly denied allegations that a demonstration staged on Wednesday against the NDC and its flagbearer for describing them as Akyem Sakawa Mafias was sponsored by some bigwigs within government.



He said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show 'Ghana Montie' that, no one in government has given us anything to demonstrate.



Concerned Citizens of Okyeman and Okyeman Youth For Development on Wednesday morning hit the streets of Asamankese in the Eastern Region in protest against the unfortunate comment posted by Bolgatanga Central MP, Hon Isaac Adongo and shared by H.E John Dramani Mahama on his Facebook timeline.



The comment "Akyem Sakawa Boys" did not go down well with the people of the Akyem land hence the demonstration to demand apology and retraction from the statesman and flag bearer of the main opposition NDC, John Dramani Mahama.



John Mahama recently shared a comment by MP for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, in which he sought to say that an Akyem Sakawa Mafia in government initiated the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal to rob the state.



Agyapa Royalties fraud is the last straw: The Akyem sakawa boys and grandpas must go, was the headline of the original post that was also shared by Mr Mahama.



Since Mr Mahama shared the post, it has been condemned as ethnocentric against the people of Akyem Abuakwa.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has visited the cut off bridge at Kobore in the Bawku West District of Upper East Region.

At a tour with his officials at the affected bridge and farmlands, the vice president described the disaster as a combined one coupled with heavy rains and the spillage of Bagre and Kopeinga dams.

According to the vice president, the spillage of the Bagre dam in previous years valves of the spillage used to be 8 million gallons which they used to control but now the Burkinabes authorities has increased it to 29million gallons that has worsened and resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

The vice president said the road, Bolgatanga Bawku Pulmakom road was under construction and that consultation are done with the contractor and as when the water recedes, the road will be immediately fixed for commuters and travellers to cross.

He said the flood is a problem across the northern zoon where four persons had died in Upper East and six in North East Region and almost every farmers along the White Volta has also virtually lost their farm produce to the flood waters.

He assured farmers that government will support them soon with relief items for their survival.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said government has procured a land for construction of Pwalugu multipurpose dam at Talensi district of the Upper East Region.

According to him, contractors are on site waiting for the rains and the flood water to recedes before they begin work which will go a long way to solve the ritual spillage.

The spillage of bagre and Kompienga dams have affected over seven thousand residents of Bawku Municipal, Binduri, Garu, Pusiga and Tempane districts in the Upper East Region.

They have been cut off from Zebilla in the Bawku West District, Bolga and other districts of the region due to the spillage of Bagre and Kompienga coupled with continued torrential rains.

Most Passengers and drivers coming from Accra, Tamale, Bolga are stranded at Zebilla in the Bawku West district and others also coming from the other side, thus, Bawku Municipal, Garu, Pusiga, Tempane and other neighbouring countries such as Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger are also stranded at Bazua in the Binduri district close to the white volta in the past three days ago.

Even though, other passenger buses have taken an alternative route plying from Bolga to Walewale to Lamgbuisse to Gambaga to Nalerigu to Nakpanduri to Garu and to Bawku at a fare of Ghc70 to Ghc80 per passenger which used to be Ghc6.00 per passenger to Bawku.
Donald Trump claimed that he was 'genetically' capable of understanding nuclear weapons - because his uncle was a physicist.

The President told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that he knew about his nuclear test sites 'better than any of my people' because his uncle Dr. John Trump taught at MIT.

But Dr. Trump's expertise was electrical engineering and there is no indication that Trump sought him out as a tutor.

Trump also claimed that he does not need to be black to understand their point of view and can 'fully understand' their perspective - even though he is white.

The extraordinary anecdotes are in 'Rage' the new book about Trump by Bob Woodward, the former Washington Post journalist who exposed the Watergate scandal in the Richard Nixon administration.

Journalist Bob Woodward claims in his new book 'Rage' that Trump told Kim Jong-un that he was 'genetically' capable of understanding nuclear weapons during the historic 2018 summit

Trump reportedly said he was 'genetically' capable because his uncle Dr. John Trump (pictured) was a physicist. The president said: 'He was at MIT for 42 years or something. He was great - so I understand that stuff. You know, genetically'

The book has sparked outrage after Trump admitted to Woodward in March that he played down the threat of the coronavirus.

'Rage' is out on Tuesday but DailyMail.com obtained a copy ahead of publication.

In the book, Trump recounts to Woodward his historic summit with Kim in Singapore in 2018.

Dr. Trump's expertise was electrical engineering and there is no indication that Trump sought him out as a tutor

Trump said when it came to denuclearization, he told Kim: 'I know every one of your sites better than any of my people'.

Trump told Woodward that the reason was because of his uncle who was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1983.

Trump said: 'He was at MIT for 42 years or something. He was great - so I understand that stuff. You know, genetically'.

During one of his 18 interviews with Woodward the discussion turned to the protests about racial inequality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.

Trump says: 'I don't have to be black to understand the black point of view.

'I don't have to have gone through personal slavery in order to understand the horrible atrocity that people have suffered.

'You don't have to. You know, I don't have to put myself in that position. I can fully understand it without being in that position'.

Woodward writes that Trump claimed he saved Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from congressional scrutiny after the brutal assassination of the American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Washington Post journalist Khashoggi, 59, was dismemebered in the Saudi consulate in Istabul in October 2018.

The CIA concluded that bin Salman, who is known as MBS, personally ordered his killing.

Trump said of MBC: 'I saved his a**.

'I was able to get Congress to leave him alone. I was able to get them to stop'.

Asked by Woodward if he believes MBS when he says he didn't order the killing, Trump said: 'No, he says that he didn't do it'.

Washington Post journalist Khashoggi, 59, was dismemebered in the Saudi consulate in Istabul in October 2018. The CIA concluded that bin Salman, who is known as MBS, personally ordered his killing

Asked by Woodward if he believes Mohammed bin Salman when he says he didn't order the killing, Trump said: 'No, he says that he didn't do it'

The book paints Jared Kushner, the President's son-in-law and senior adviser, as a shadowy figure who understands Trump better than anyone else.

Yet Woodward makes clear he was not capable of dealing with the multitude of issues given to him to oversee, including the Middle East peace agreement.

Kusher told former secretary of state Rex Tillerson that 'if you make the economic benefits big enough' the Palestinians would agree to a deal.

Woodward writes: 'Money was the key, just pump money. Trump talked that way too'.

Tillerson told Kusher: 'These people are not going to care about your money. Or they'll take your money and five years from now you'll be right back where you are today'.

Tillerson found watching Kushner move forward with his plan was 'nauseating...stomach churning'.

Not that Kushner seemed bothered and he told Woodward that 'this isn't my career'.

By the time he leaves Washington this will be just a 'tour of duty' and he will be on to something else - with no apparent interest in public service element of his job.

Jared Kusher told former secretary of state Rex Tillerson that 'if you make the economic benefits big enough' the Palestinians would agree to a deal, according to the book

In 2017 on a visit to Israel, its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a video of his Palestinian equivalent Mahmoud Abbas manipulated to make it look like he was 'ordering the murder of children'.

The anecdotes will be released on Tuesday when 'Rage' hits shelves

Woodward's sources make clear that the video was obviously fake but Trump thought it was real.

The next morning Trump met privately with Abbas and screamed at him: 'Murderer! Liar! I thought you were this grandfatherly figure that I could trust. Now I realize you're nothing but a murderer. You tricked me!'

'Rage' rakes over the Mueller investigation and its aftermath and includes a revealing story from Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of the President.

Graham told Trump that if he colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election then he couldn't serve as President.

Trump said: 'I've done a lot of bad things, but I didn't do this'.

Graham replied: 'I believe you on both counts'.

Attorney General William Barr was so surprised when he read the summary of Mueller's findings he called Graham to give him the heads-up.

The report left it to Barr to decide if Trump should face a criminal prosecution and said it could not rule out him obstructing justice.

Barr said: 'You're not going to believe this. After two f****** years he (Mueller) says: ''I don't know, you decide''.

Bob Woodward (pictured) is the former Washington Post journalist who exposed the Watergate scandal in the Richard Nixon administration

Among the extracts of 'Rage' already made public are the President admitting to Woodward on February 7th this year that he knew the coronavirus was deadlier than flu and that it could travel through the air.

Yet publicly Trump insisted that the threat was low and that that virus would 'disappear'.

Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden has called Trump's admission 'nearly criminal' and 'disgusting'.

Among the other revelations in the book are letters between Trump and Kim who flatters him by calling the President 'Your Excellency'.

Former Defense Secretary James Mattis goes on the record to say that Trump was 'dangerous and unfit for office'.

Trump also lets slip during one of his interviews with Woodward that America has a secret weapons system but does not elaborate.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 12:10:37|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai reported six imported COVID-19 cases and no domestically-transmitted cases on Wednesday, the municipal health commission said Thursday.

Three of the patients were a family with a Chinese national and two of French nationality. They left France on Sept. 3, and arrived at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Sept. 4. They started to show symptoms during quarantine.

Two of the other three cases were Chinese nationals who worked in India and Singapore. Both arrived at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Monday. The third one is a Britain, who arrived at the same airport on Monday and started to show symptoms during quarantine.

All of the patients have been sent for treatment in designated hospitals. A total of 167 close contacts have been put under quarantine.

As of Wednesday, Shanghai had reported 587 confirmed imported cases and 342 locally transmitted cases. Enditem




Editor's Note: Today's profile is of First Lady Melania Trump. Check in tomorrow for a profile of Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Melania Trump is married to Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States.

The former fashion model is Trumps third wife. His first two marriages ended in divorce. Melania Trump is also mother to Barron Trump, the youngest of Donald Trumps five children.

In her position as U.S. First Lady, she launched BE BEST, a campaign focused around the well-being of children. Part of BE BEST is aimed at the opioid drug crisis and how to protect youngsters from drug abuse.

The early days

Melania Trump is only the second first lady born outside the United States. She was born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970 in a small town in Slovenia, which was then part of Yugoslavia. Her mother was a pattern maker for childrens clothing. Her father sold automobiles and was a member of the Communist Party.

The future Melania Trump grew up with a sister. Later in life, she found out she also had a half-brother. He belonged to her father from an earlier relationship.

As a young woman, she reportedly had dreamt of leaving behind small-town life in Slovenia. Modeling would offer that chance.

Modeling and marriage

Melanija Knavs began working as a fashion model at the age of 16. She would attend college in Slovenia but left school after one year. The future first lady worked in Milan and Paris under the name Melania Knauss, the German pronunciation of her name.

In 1996, she moved to New York City. There, she modeled for several advertising campaigns and publications, including for Max, a French magazine, and the British version of GQ.

She met Donald Trump at a fashion industry party in 1998. Seven years later, in 2005, the two were married in Palm Beach, Florida. A year later, she gave birth to a son, Barron. She also became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

In 2010, Melania Trump served as the Chairwoman for the American Heart Association. She helped the group raise $1.7 million for research. The same year, she launched her own jewelry collection.

Trump presidential bid

During Donald Trumps first presidential campaign in 2016, reporters and other Americans began asking questions about Melanias private life. That is when nude magazine pictures of her from Max and GQ resurfaced.

As her husband pressed for controversial immigration reforms, critics also questioned her legal right to work as a model when she arrived in New York City.

Melania Trump also made news during the 2016 Republican National Convention. Parts of the speech she gave were found to be very similar to parts of Michelle Obamas 2008 speech at the Democratic National Convention. Not long after, Trumps speech writer claimed responsibility for the mistake.

BE BEST

As First Lady, Trump has made many visits to schools, both in the United States and overseas.

A little over a year after her husband took office, the First Lady launched her BE BEST campaign. It had three aims: to support the social and emotional well-being of children; protect children from effects of the opioid crisis; and fight bullying of children, especially on social media.

Parts of the campaign have been well-received. For example, Melania Trump has visited childrens hospitals for a firsthand look at the effects of opioid abuse on babies. She also has taken part in opioid conferences and continues to speak on opioid abuse and how to better protect children from it.

Views on immigration

The first ladys critics pointed out the contradiction between her mission to protect children and the Trump administrations immigration policies. They said the administration separated thousands of immigrant children from their parents and placed them all in crowded, unclean detention centers with little food.

In a statement in summer 2018, she said she hated to see children separated from their families and hoped Republicans and Democrats would come together on immigration reforms.

A few days later, she made an unplanned visit to a Texas detention center for immigrant children. But the visit made news for a different reason: She wore clothing with writing on it that said, I REALLY DONT CARE, DO YOU? on the way to and from Texas.

The 2020 RNC

In her speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention, Melania Trump expressed that she did care about some things.

The First Lady spoke with kindness about the nation's struggles with racial issues. She talked about the beautiful side of humanity she has observed following natural disasters around the country. She expressed sympathy for families affected by COVID-19, an invisible enemy she said that has tested the United States but brought its citizens together.

And she said, "Total honesty is what we as citizens deserve from our president."

Im Alice Bryant.

Alice Bryant wrote this profile for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fashion - n. the business of creating and selling clothes in new styles

divorce  n. the ending of a marriage by a legal process

focus  v. a main purpose or interest

pronunciation  n. the way in which a word or name is said

nude  adj. having no clothing on

bullying  n. frightening, hurting or threatening smaller or weaker people

controversial  adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument

contradiction  n. the act of saying or doing something that is opposite or very different from something else

invisible  adj. impossible to see
As they near a decision on the future of a program devoted to protecting San Antonios primary source of water, some City Council members worry that the proposal would sideline voters and shortchange a sister initiative to build linear parks and trails.

The Council will soon vote on a proposal to continue the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, which buys land to prevent development over the aquifer recharge zone, using city dollars for another 10 years rather than its existing source of funding, a 1/8-cent city sales tax.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg and VIA Metropolitan Transit leaders want the sales tax to pay for post-pandemic economic recovery, followed by expansion of the citys public transit system. Both measures will be on the November ballot.

But voters wont be given the choice of renewing the sales tax for the aquifer program or the development of creek-side greenway trails and linear parks, also currently funded by the sales tax.

The uncertainty over the trails programs fate rankled two West Side council members, Ana Sandoval and Shirley Gonzales, during a council briefing on the aquifer proposal Thursday.

Bexar County was originally going to take over the construction of trails and parks. But county officials have said they dont want to start new capital projects until the spring at the earliest  when they will get some sense of how the coronavirus pandemic has affected property tax revenue.

Gonzales and Sandoval pointed out that West Side neighborhoods  predominately Hispanic and poor  were last in line for inclusion in the Howard Peak Greenway Trail System. Now its unclear how the trail projects planned in their districts will be paid for.

No surprise, as soon as those are left, the funding gets shifted to some other priority, said Gonzales, who represents District 5.

Sandoval, whose District 7 includes part of the West Side, concurred.

It is like history repeating itself, where we are right now, Sandoval said.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios aquifer protection program would continue for at least 10 years, under $100 million plan sent to City Council

City officials have landed on a proposal to continue the aquifer program at about half of its current funding using other city money  an idea that has riled the programs advocates, who say the $100 million envisioned over 10 years isnt enough.

Aquifer advocates have fretted that City Council could easily do away with the aquifer program if it was taken out of voters hands. City officials have tried to ease those concerns under the new proposal by requiring at least two hearings held at least 30 days apart on any proposed changes to the program.

Council members also could not do away with the program by simply defunding it in their annual budget decisions, the citys chief financial officer, Ben Gorzell, said. The money would come from revenue the city already receives from the city-owned San Antonio Water System.

District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry raised the specter of a possible SAWS rate increase if council members proceed with the plan, an outcome Gorzell discounted as a possibility.

The Council voted last year to increase how much money the city receives from SAWS, from 2.7 percent of the utilitys revenue to 4 percent, to make up for various budget shortfalls at that time, partly stemming from a homestead exemption council members approved.

That prompted SAWS CEO Robert Puente to warn city leaders that such a move would eventually lead to a rate increase for the utilitys customers  a warning that Perry hadnt forgotten Thursday.

Were taking on more debt, were using money that we initially said we needed to help in the general fund, Perry said. Now were not needing that help in the general fund, which I think is going back on what we discussed when we first raised this.

Perry and District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevino urged their colleagues to wait until after the November election to decide the aquifer programs fate or leave it to San Antonio voters in a following election. Both men have been critical of Nirenbergs workforce proposal and voted against putting it on the November ballot.

Aquifer protection is popular with voters, who have approved the sales tax that funds the program four times in the past two decades. The program has spent more than $260 million in sales tax funds since 2000 to acquire about 160,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land over the aquifer.

We didnt give the voters an opportunity to vote for the aquifer, Perry said. Were just doing this offline saying, Trust us, well fund this and future councils will fund this.

Even if the council waited to see how the November election shakes out, a proposal to extend the aquifer program using the sales tax couldnt go on the ballot until May 2022, City Attorney Andy Segovia said. A state law says cities cant hold sales tax elections within 365 days of each other  and that amount of time will not have passed until after November 2021.

The idea of waiting until 2022 to decide on the matter didnt sit well with District 9 Councilman John Courage, who has been the current proposals main backer on the council.

The current tax is projected to expire in April, when its expected to finish raising the full $100 million approved by voters in 2015. The aquifer program will have about $20 million on hand through 2022 and the new funding plan would start in 2023, city officials have said.

Thats going to be even harder to sell to the public in 2022 than it is for the public to understand that we as a council are taking the action to protect the aquifer today, Courage said.

On ExpressNews.com: As mayor and VIA press forward on sales tax proposals, fate of aquifer protection still unsettled

Under Nirenbergs sales tax proposal, the city would hang on to the sales tax for four years to fund job training and higher education programs for those put out of work by the pandemic and for the citys poorest residents; its estimated the tax would raise a total of $154 million over the four years and help 40,000 residents.

After that, VIA would get the tax revenue to fund its expansion program if voters approve a separate ballot measure.

Were trying to find a perfect solution, Nirenberg said of the aquifer proposal. I dont think there is one, when we have new demands and new needs in our community.

Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio government and politics. To read more from Joshua, become a subscriber. jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFReports
Photo: Glacier Media

North Vancouvers Neptune Bulk Terminals is facing a host of charges stemming from the death of a worker.

In October 2018, longshoreman Donald Jantz was cleaning the terminals stacker reclaimer when he fell. He was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries.

Because the terminal is under federal jurisdiction, the workplace accident was investigated by Employment and Social Development Canada, which recommended several charges under the Canada Labour Code.

On Sept. 9, the federal Crown swore 10 charges against Neptune in North Vancouver provincial court.

The charges include two counts of failing to ensure employee health/safety is protected, two counts of failing to ensure machinery meets safety standards, two counts of failing to respond to reports made by employees and four counts of failing to identify/assess hazards in the workplace.

The Crown is alleging that a number of work safety infractions resulted in Mr. Jantzs death, said federal Crown prosecutor Charles Hough.

Hough is proceeding via indictment, which means the maximum penalty is $1-million fine per count, if the company is found guilty.

Jantz, 53, was remembered by friends and colleagues for his warm personality, his love for his son and his motorcycle.

He was loved by many for his infectious smile, quick humour, and love for laughter. He is missed dearly by all that knew and loved him, his obituary read.

Jantz was a member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union local 500.

In a statement, Neptunes acting president Duana Kipling said she could not comment on anything before the courts.

What we can say is that all of us at Neptune have been devastated by the loss of Mr. Jantz since this tragic workplace accident occurred nearly two years ago, and many of us continue to be affected by it. Our thoughts have always been  and are to this day  with his family and friends, including his ILWU and Neptune co-workers, the statement read. We have co-operated with investigators to ensure all information is provided to them in a timely and transparent way. In addition, we have made the improvements necessary to ensure such a tragedy never occurs at Neptune again.
A decision on the alliances that Social Democratic Party (PSD) will make in the parliamentary elections will be taken at the meeting of the National Political Council on Monday, PSD First Vice Chair Sorin Grindeanu said on Thursday.

"Another topic debated today [Thursday] in the meeting of the National Political Council was the one related to the possible alliances. The political decision was postponed for Monday, when we resume the National Political Council meeting," Grindeanu said at the end of the PSD leadership's meeting.Asked with which parties PSD is in discussion for a possible parliamentary alliance, Grindeanu stated: "There are parties with which we had alliances in the past, either we are talking about ALDE [Alliance of Liberals and Democrats] or we are talking about specific alliances in Parliament with Pro Romania or Humanist Power Party, there are discussions that these days it is normal to have, so that on Monday we have a complete picture and we know at what stage we are."He added that at the moment the alliance with one of the three parties is not ruled out.
Conferencia de prensa del presidente @MartinVizcarraC para informar sobre las acciones que realiza el Gobierno frente al COVID-19. En vivo: https://t.co/t6Cy0efwu5 https://t.co/iyVCaMJT8P
And maybe that sort of thing is innate in Guadagnino, too. As a lonely, cinema-obsessed boy growing up in Palermo, Italy, he successfully prevailed upon his mother to buy him a Super 8 camera, then sought to make his first short film  an homage to the horror director Dario Argento. The young Guadagnino submerged a piece of cow meat in a glass of water and planned to film its decomposition over time, but the smell of rot reached his intended audience before that gory vision ever could.

My mother threw the meat away, he said proudly, so I never did finish my movie. But that was my first one!

In 1999, Guadagnino made his feature-length debut with The Protagonists, which was received just as viscerally, earning a round of boos at the Venice Film Festival. His grand, unabashed vision would begin to win over critics with subsequent films like I Am Love (2009) and A Bigger Splash (2015). After Call Me by Your Name became an Oscar-vetted sensation, Guadagnino was even offered the chance to direct big studio movies, filling his docket with planned remakes of Lord of the Flies and Scarface.

Still, bigger movies require bigger budgets, and after Guadagnino had trouble securing enough money to make Blood on the Tracks, a star-studded film adapted from the Bob Dylan album by the same name, he instead pivoted to television. The producer Lorenzo Mieli had suggested a show exploring gender fluidity in American suburbia, but Guadagnino wanted to give We Are Who We Are his own spin.
Pune rural police arrested two men for outraging the modesty of a 19-year-old woman of the Dalit community and assaulting her husband in Bhima Koregaon late on Wednesday night.

The arrested were identified as Ganesh alias Nana Dattatray Fadtare of Bhima Koregaon and Vishal Aba Shivle of Vadu Budrukh, according to the police.

The complaint was lodged by the woman who was with her husband at the Bhima Koregaon road junction where the incident took place.

We were to celebrate seven months of our wedding. I was waiting for her near my vehicle when these people came and started pushing me. They asked me to leave the place. When my wife arrived, they pushed her too and got into a fight. They were unwilling to listen to us, said the complainants husband, adding that he suffered injuries on his chest and head.

I dont know why they attacked us, he said.

The woman, in her complaint, claimed that the attackers were aware of their caste and were asking them to leave the spot saying that the area did not belong to the couple.

We have arrested the two and remanded them to two days in police custody. As for the reason, I do not wish to comment anything besides that the complainant is satisfied with the way the investigation is progressing, said deputy superintendent of police Ganesh Tompe of Khed division of Pune rural police.

A case under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous means or weapons), 323 (vaoluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult with an intention of provoking breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code along with sections of Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 and Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 was registered at Shikrapur police station.
Donald Trump phoned Rupert Murdoch to yell at him about the 'unfair' coverage he was receiving from Fox News which he claimed was not biased enough towards him and is convinced he is not in his corner, it has been claimed.

According to anonymous sources cited by Vanity Fair on Thursday, Murdoch does not think Trump - who he helped elect in 2016 with by far the most favorable mainstream news coverage of his campaign - will win a second term.

In anticipation of a possible election defeat, Murdoch is trying to steer his empire towards a 'post-Trump environment', the sources say.

Trump has picked up on the shift in bias and is furious about it, the sources added.

Donald Trump with Rupert Murdoch and Murdoch's wife Jerry Hall in Scotland in June 2016, after Murdoch changed his position to support Trump's candidacy. Sources say relations between the two have now soured and Murdoch believes he will lose in November

He was so angry that he called Murdoch and yelled at him about it, claiming coverage was not biased enough towards him, in a conversation that resulted in them having a 'humongous blow up'.

'They had a humongous blowup. Trump yelled that Foxs coverage is unfair and the polling is fake.

'Rupert defended the networks standards and polling,' the source said.

Trump was furious that Jennifer Griffin, a national security correspondent, went on air to talk about disparaging remarks he had made about the war dead.

He also is paying more attention to One America News, a far-right network.

Murdoch famously got behind Trump's candidacy after resisting it in 2016.

The president's relationship with the network was a focal point throughout the campaign and has remained crucial throughout his presidency.

According to other sources, he was disappointed when it was announced that Fox host Chris Wallace would be moderating a forthcoming presidential debate because Wallace is a tough and merciless interviewer.

Wallace is registered as a Democrat but has said in the past that he only did so to be able to vote in Washington DC elections.

Trump and Murdoch hug in May 2017, several months into his presidency, by which point Fox had gotten firmly behind him

Trump was outraged that Jennifer Griffin, a Fox National Security Correspondent, went on air to reveal disparaging remarks he'd made about America's War Dead

He is not as pro-Trump as others at the network, the sources say.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump butted heads with then Fox News host Megyn Kelly.

The president is also said to be angry that Chris Wallace, who is not as enthusiastic a supporter of his as other Fox hosts, is moderating his first debate

He infamously claimed she had blood 'coming out of everywhere' after she took him to task.

The president regularly phones in to shows like Fox & Friends to talk about a range of issues and subjects.

The president and his family's ties to the Murdochs and Fox run deep. Long before her father launched his political career, Ivanka Trump had become close friends with Murdoch's ex-wife, Wendi Deng.

Donald Trump Jr. is now in a serious relationship with Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News personality who stopped working for the network and now works full time promoting her would-be father-in-law and his campaign.

While Trump and Murdoch traveled in the same circles for years in New York City, they become more aligned after Trump's election victory in 2016.

He then, it has been claimed, was given direct access to Trump in the White House and phoned once a week to offer advice.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Jalya Gasimova  Trend:

The export of the products of Russias Yaroslavl enterprises to Azerbaijan increased by almost 10 percent, Trend reports citing the Russian media outlets.

The online business mission "Trade and economic cooperation of the Yaroslavl Region and the Republic of Azerbaijan" was held on September 10. The representatives of more than 20 companies took part in it.

The entrepreneurs discussed the possibilities of establishing long-term mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of industrial and food production, tourism, and agriculture during the round table talks, as well as individual B2B negotiations.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister of the Yaroslavl region, Maksim Avdeyev, stressed the policy of developing business relations as part of business missions.

"We are ready to offer high competencies in mechanical engineering, engine building, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical sectors, Avdeyev said. Agricultural production, cooperation in the food industry, and tourism sector are also among the promising spheres for cooperation."

Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Azerbaijan, Ruslan Mirsayapov, stressed that the region has the potential to become one of the country's leading foreign trade partners.

"The Russian business associations and enterprises may hope for support, trade representative of the Russian Federation in Azerbaijan said. The export of goods in the Yaroslavl region to Azerbaijan increased by nine percent in the first half of 2020. The export of non-raw materials, non-energy products increased by 12 percent.

Auto parts, cable products, and hydraulic equipment are the niches that should be considered first of all to confidently join the top 15 entities of the Russian Federation - export partners of the country, Mirsayapov stressed.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani side is interested in the development of bilateral tourism, the creation of joint tourism products, Mirsayapov added. The possibility of opening direct flights between Yaroslavl and Baku is being considered."
The IPO will be sometime in the first half of next year.

Info Edge on Thursday said its investee company Zomato has raised $160 million (about Rs 1,173 crore) in funding from Tiger Global and Temasek Holdings subsidiary MacRitchie Investments, valuing the online food ordering platform at $3.3 billion.

"Zomato Pvt Ltd has closed a primary fund raise of $100 million from Tiger Global Management, LLC (through its investment vehicle Internet Fund VI Pte Ltd and/or any of its affiliates), and $60 million from MacRitchie Investments Pte Ltd, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings and/or any of its affiliates," Info Edge said in a regulatory filing.

The transaction valued Zomato at a post-money valuation of $3.3 billion (exchange rate of Rs 76 per US dollar), it added.

"On a fully converted and diluted basis, Infoedge's effective stake in Zomato stand at 22.2 per cent," the filing said.

Comments from Zomato could not be elicited immediately.

In January, Info Edge had informed the stock exchanges about Zomato raising $150 million (over Rs 1,065 crore) from existing investor Ant Financial at a pre-money valuation of $3 billion.

Zomato -- which competes aggressively with Prosus-backed Swiggy in the Indian market -- plans to go for an initial public offering (IPO) in the first half of 2021, its founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal told employees on Thursday.

In an e-mail to them, accessed by PTI, Goyal said: "Our finance/legal teams are working hard to take us to IPO sometime in the first half of next year."

"The value of our business is going up dramatically, all thanks to the hard work and commitment of our team.

We hope to create a lot of value for our current employees who have ESOPs sometime in the next year," he added.

The IPO is around the corner and waiting a little longer will result in significantly more value creation for all, he added.

On the company's fund raising, Goyal said: "We have raised a lot of money, and today, our cash in the bank (around $250 million) is more than ever in our history," and added that Tiger Global, Temasek, Baillie Gifford and Ant Financial have already participated in the company's current round, and there are more big names joining the round.

"...we estimate that our current round will end up with us at $600 million (around Rs 4,400 crore) in the bank very soon," he further said noting that this cash would be treated as a "war-chest" for future M&A, and fighting off competition in various areas of the business.

The online food delivery segment has seen significant growth in the last few years with Zomato and Swiggy competing head-on to grab market share.

Earlier this year, Zomato acquired the Indian business of Uber Eats in an all-stock deal that will give the ride hailing company 9.99 per cent stake in Zomato.

Info Edge had said its shareholding in Zomato stood at about 22.71 per cent on fully converted and diluted basis upon closing of the transaction.

Interestingly, in May this year, Amazon India threw its hat in the ring and announced the launch of its food delivery operations in select parts of Bengaluru.

The announcement was made at a time when Zomato and Swiggy had announced laying off over 1,600 employees as business was impacted by the COVID-induced lockdown.

During this time, Zomato and Swiggy also ventured into the area of grocery delivery.

In July, Zomato had said its FY20 revenue jumped over two-fold to $394 million (around Rs 2,960 crore) in FY20 from the previous fiscal, while its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) loss was at around Rs 2,200 crore in FY2019-20.

"Moving our business towards profitability was a core focus for us in FY20 and we made significant progress along that journey...In terms of the size of the business, COVID-19 has set us back by a year or so, but a year is only a small blip when one is building a company for the next 100 years," Zomato had said.

Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters
The proverb goes necessity is the mother of invention, and in a country as densely populated as India, necessities are aplenty. This has led to India housing the worlds third-largest startup ecosystem which is expected to witness a YoY (year-on-year) growth of 10-12 per cent, as per reports. Evolving technology, increasing funding, and a burgeoning domestic market are important contributors to the astronomical growth of the ecosystem and the emergence of multiple home-grown unicorns. Nevertheless, the ecosystem is definitely plagued by some operational, regulatory and taxation issues that prohibit it from reaching its true potential. Some prominent issues include the unorganised and fragmented nature of the Indian market, lack of transparent policy initiatives, inadequate infrastructure, lacking knowledge and exposure, and insufficient business acumen.

Theres a real need for a nurturing and wholesome entrepreneurial environment to be built by various stakeholders such as the government, corporates, educational institutions, and others, to transform the Indian startup ecosystem to be a serious force to be reckoned with. To that end, Nexus is an innovation hub and business incubator that is a collaboration between the US Embassy (New Delhi) and ACIR (The Alliance for Commercialisation and Innovation Research). The Nexus Startup Hub is housed at the American Centre in downtown New Delhi on Kasturba Gandhi Marg. Nexus has also partnered with various organisations in India including the Department of Science and Technology, FICCI, TiE, Indian Angel Network, AmCham, ISB, and others that work within the innovation ecosystem.

The program is aimed at supporting and showcasing Indias local entrepreneurial ecosystem and innovation while also inculcating seasoned business acumen to help successfully commercialise their technology and products. Nexus has already graduated 10 cohorts with 113 startups across various sectors. These startups have raised over USD 8.2 million in funding, USD 12 million in incremental revenues, and have won several Indian and international awards and added notable international companies to their client list. The United States remains an indisputable leader when it comes to startups and Nexus attempts to bring the business acumen and entrepreneurial smarts to the growing pool of innovative Indian startups.

Unearthing hidden potential: The Nexus Incubator

The Nexus Incubator program offers a host of selected startups unbridled access to industry networks and other government partners, it also includes specialised training from commercialisation experts across the world and eventual access to private and public fund managers that allow an influx of much-needed cash into startups. Erik Azulay, Executive Director at Nexus and President of ACIR told Digit, Nexus is the first-ever initiative by the U.S. government across the globe, but due to its success is now being considered as a blueprint for similar programs in other Embassies around the world. He also informed us that ACIR is responsible for the management and operations of Nexus which includes setting the curriculum, selecting startups, and arranging classes and partnerships for Nexus. Nexus serves as a central hub for entrepreneurs, innovators, faculty, government agencies, industry players, and funding organizations interested in gathering, interacting, and collaborating to promote Indian startups and the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. If you are involved with startups in India, Nexus is a place for you!, stated Azulay.

Erik Azulay, Executive Director, Nexus

Nexus selects about 12-15 startups for their pre-incubation training program under a group termed as cohort. The pre-incubation training program is an intensive 9-week practical business training program for all the chosen early-stage startups which provides them with holistic training covering important aspects of business such as primary research for business validation, marketing, intellectual property, funding, finance, and pitching. As aforementioned, the curriculum is designed by ACIR and is even customised based on the needs of Indian startups. Before the COVID-19-induced lockdown across the country, the selected startups would physically attend the training program in the Nexus headquarters in New Delhi. Now, of course, the training program has shifted course to adjust to the new normal by transforming the 9-week physical program to a purely online experience.

Azulay explained, With 100 per cent of our staff working from home since March 2020, we are happy to announce that we have successfully transformed our physical program to an online program and we recently completed our 10th Cohort, which was our first entirely virtual Cohort consisting of 15 startups. With the 10th Cohort successfully completely, Nexus is now accepting applications for its 11th Cohort. The curriculum has also been transformed to suit online sessions better by incorporating additional activities and interactions that attempt to make online sessions as engrossing as physical ones. All the workshops also discuss how startups can continue to grow their businesses during the new normal. Sessions such as How to pitch on Zoom and tutorials for using other online tools, integral during a pandemic, were also included.

The Nexus Startup Hub team  Vikas Sood, Director at Nexus (extreme left), Visalakshmi Ray, Project Coordinator (2nd from left), Malika Taneja, Administrative Program Manager (2nd from right), Erik Azulay, Executive Director at Nexus (extreme right)

All the selected startups in the Nexus Incubator program must complete the online course, the ACIR  Startup Launch Program, which consists of assignments and quizzes. They also judge startups on the following criteria including attendance, participation and contribution during sessions, punctuality, and others. Startups who fulfil all the criteria to graduate from the program become eligible for Nexus long-term incubation. As part of the long-term incubation, 3-4 startups are offered a co-working space and also receive continued mentorship for an additional eight months are Nexus. After graduation, all the startups are inducted into Nexus Alumni Network and receive updates on funding and partnership opportunities that could benefit their business. They are even invited to Nexus Alumni events where the startups can meet ones from newer and older Cohorts and build relevant and beneficial connections.

Suchin Jain, Founder of Inoviea Consulting & Services, which was part of Cohort 8 in the Nexus Incubator program, told Digit, The Nexus team are amazing people that go the extra mile to guide and support your startups journey. The program was a great learning experience that fine-tuned my understanding of the startup process. My biggest takeaways were to stay focused, visualise, plan and act. Training in market validation, pitching, funding, and sales processes have been inspiring and it gave me renewed focus to continue building my innovation i-PanelKlean nA2 (a waterless solar panel self-cleaning system).

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nexus Startup Hub registered a lot of interest in their program even outside Delhi, however, due to the physical nature of their course, many startups originating outside Delhi were unable to attend the sessions. The onset of the pandemic gave Nexus an opportunity to promote their program to startups outside the Delhi-NCR region as well. The first online cohort (Cohort 10) comprised of 66 per cent startups that were outside Delhi, which is the highest theyve recorded so far.

Sameer Malik, Program Manager, Nexus

Transforming the model

Nexus faced an uphill battle to not only cover the entire curriculum online but also integrate crucial elements of community building, peer learning, and networking into their online sessions that come much more naturally in a physical setup. Moreover, Nexus wanted to ensure that the online cohort was as much a part of their community of startups and peer groups as the offline graduated startups were. To ensure this Nexus implemented the following methods:

Encouraging people to keep their videos on during online sessions to promote higher levels of engagement

Organising short, fun activities during the first week of training to increase engagement and break barriers

All ACIR team members also keep their video on during online sessions to lead by example

Scattered Q+A sessions during presentations that ensured that the participants (even those who didnt turn their videos on) are engaged and present

Keeping Zoom chat rooms open even after official sessions to promote peer-to-peer interactions and side conversations during these extended informal hours

Using breakout rooms in Zoom to create smaller groups for exercises and discussions between startups

Switching back and forth between presentations and videos so that everyone can see each other rather than continually having to look at a PowerPoint presentation

We spoke to Saiprasad Poyarekar, Founder and CEO, Pacify Medical, a startup that was part of exclusively online Cohort 10. He divulged his experience to Digit, Nexus helped us understand the nuts and bolts of how to commercialise our technology and gave us the support and knowledge required to be successful. Aakar Innovations is another startup that experienced the virtual sessions conducted by Nexus for Cohort 10. Founder Jaydeep Mandal shared his experience, Nexus helped us understand how to convey information to consumers in laymans terms which is extremely important when marketing a product. It is the key to having a successful campaign.

Adopting unique approaches

Unlike some other incubators, Nexus Incubator has taken up the approach of not charging any equity or fees from its participating startups and all their programs are completely free of charge  and this is something that Digit loves, and is also aiming to do through our #IndiaProject initiative. The entrepreneurs only had to bear the expenses of travel and stay when the program was still physically conducted in New Delhi. Azulay said, The reason we can do this is the generous support of the US Embassy. Nexus is funded wholly by the US Department of State and the mission is to discover and support Indian startups to enable them to be successful in both the Indian and international markets. Azulay added, We are not here to profit from the startups. Our mission is to promote US best practices and support the entrepreneurial spirit of India.

Nexus ran a virtual cohort with instructors conducting classes from the safety of their homes during the pandemic

Azulay also clarified, We are not here to compete with other incubators and co-working spaces. Indias entrepreneurship community is growing daily and there is room for all kinds of organizations; co-working spaces, e-cells, technology incubators, business incubators, and so on. Honestly, we hope that in 4-5 years the kind of incubation services we offer will be much more commonplace in India and the need for Nexus will not be so great. Unlike other co-working spaces, startups dont just get office space at Nexus. The startups also have at their disposal the expertise of Nexus international team from ACIR, the mentorship of industry leaders, and support of partner organisations such as FICCI, TiE, and IAN. In addition, Nexus also offers incubator management training to even support other incubator managers in India that need help creating holistic curricula, and understand how to run a successful incubator.

Nexus provides early-stage startups with something much more crucial than mere office space  access to a network of industry veterans and entrepreneurs that have already traversed the arduous journeys of setting up startups, therefore, they can offer practical support to the needy Indian startups. Azulay also believes,  The combination of workshops, practical lectures, hands-on mentoring and access to our networks, we feel, is unmatched in India. Ayushi Mishra, co-founder, DronaMaps (Cohort 7), told Digit more about the startups experience at Nexus, Nexus helped us regain perspective by guiding us on the operational minutiae, introducing us to a VC network, lawyers to consult on intellectual property etc. It is a very hands-on program that helps startups put a structure to their company with incisive insights from Eric Azulay, Vikas Sood, and Sameer Malik, all industry experts with years of experience of working in innovation.

Success stories and additional initiatives

Despite the fact that Nexus exclusively works with early-stage startups, the companies in Nexus portfolio have already raised more than $6.8 million collectively in grants and equity funding. The startups have also successfully created over 2,000 jobs across the country within merely 3 years. Considering the relatively short length of our program, and that Nexus does not invest in these early-stage startups and the early stage of development of our startups, these results are frankly astonishing and are to us a clear indication of the large impact a successful incubation program can have, added Azulay.

According to Azulay, some of Nexus biggest success stories include the likes of startups such as Escrowpay  a digital payment escrow account supported by ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Yes Bank with a recent fundraise of $500,000, Morphedo  a product engineering bootstrapped startup with yearly revenues exceeding $200,000, S4S Technologies  an award-winning food preservation company that raised more than $500,000 in grant funding, Saral Designs  Winners of Innovate2Beat COVID Challenge by Marico where they converted their pad making machines to make masks, E3 Waste Solutions  a startup that works with the Delhi government to segregate waste at a municipal level, Phool (HelpUsGreen)  an award-winning social impact startup funded by Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, BIRAC and Tata Trusts, Fabiosys  a startup that develops next-generation fiber technology for hospitals in partnership with IIT Delhi and Pfizer, and DronaMaps  that works with five Indian states to support COVID initiatives, and the founders have been featured under the prestigious list of Asia 30 under 30.

From Nexus more recent cohorts, the team is excited for what the future has in store for startups such as Pacify Medical (mentioned above), Digantara  a startup that detects space debris in partnership with IISC (Indian Institute of Science), Aloe Ecell  working to develop eco-friendly AA-sized batteries, Avrio Energy  a startup developing an algorithm to track energy consumption at an appliance level, among others. Azulay also said, We have companies that have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from outside investors, companies that have signed contracts with major US and Indian partners, and companies that have a tremendous social impact but are now also sustainable from a business perspective.

Since its inception in 2017, Nexus has played an important role in the astronomical growth in the entrepreneurship ecosystem in India, more specifically, the Delhi-NCR region. Azulay commented, It is great to see that entrepreneurship is also becoming aspirational like an engineering or medical degree in India. Nexus takes its role in encouraging the youth of India to embrace entrepreneurship very seriously and to this end, the startup hub conducts open workshops every month that have experts from the US and India in several fields present to directly connect with aspiring entrepreneurs. The workshops are completely free of charge and are open to anyone who is interested. Currently located in New Delhi, Nexus, as a US Government program actively works with US Consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad in order to conduct different programs across the country. Nexus also attempts to accept as many offers as possible to conduct programs in different cities in India, and has also successfully organised programs outside of India, in neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

In addition to continuing its flagship pre-incubation program, Nexus also plans to conduct industry-specific workshops across the country. Azulay adds, Nexus is also planning to use Hindi speaking trainers to work with entrepreneurs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India. We have seen an increase in requests to speak at colleges and universities and think this is a great way to talk to young students about entrepreneurship and answer some of the questions they have about the opportunities (and pitfalls) of going into business for yourself.
A total of 15 titles have bagged the Wenjin Book Award, China's top-notch book honor, the National Library of China (NLC) announced Wednesday.

An omnibus by Zhang Guogang, a history professor at the prestigious Tsinghua University, is among the winners. The book combines the latest academic research with stories from the ancient Silk Road, vividly chronicling a solid account of Sino-West exchanges and interactions of 3,000 years.

A children's novel by the veteran author on military themes Qiu Shanshan is also one of the winners. The story revolves around a pup and a young soldier on the Tibetan Plateau, delving into issues about personal growth.

Instituted by the NLC in 2004, the Wenjin Book Award aims to promote high-quality books among readers and encourage reading in China. It mainly covers three categories, namely humanities, popular science, and children's books.

This year is the 15th edition of the award, and a total of 1,890 books were on its long list of selections.

Wednesday also marked the 111th anniversary of the founding of the library.
The independent children's lawyer appointed to represent Jack and Jennifer Edwards in the Family Court was fully apprised of a long list of allegations of the violence their father had subjected them to, but still insisted the children have contact with their dad, who later killed them.

The childrens lawyer also knew of an apprehended violence order (AVO) taken out by Edwards' adult daughter in 2011, but dismissed it as historical.

On 5 July, 2018, 67-year-old John Edwards gunned down Jack and Jennifer at the West Pennant Hills rental home their mother, Olga, had moved them to in order to escape their father's violent control.

Edwards then returned to his own home and shot himself dead. Five months later, Olga took her own life.
The Tennessee Valley Authority has achieved national recognition for the fifth consecutive year as a Top 10 Employer for its support of U.S. military veterans in the workforce.

We are proud that veterans comprise 20% of our workforce, said TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash. The way veterans strengthen our entire organization is so important to me personally. Their quality and character are outstanding, and I appreciate the skills and values that they bring to TVA.

The diverse backgrounds and skills of U.S. military veterans and their families are a critical asset in TVAs mission to deliver safe, clean, reliable and low-cost energy to the Tennessee Valley. TVA actively recruits veterans and serves as a resource for those seeking employment across the energy sector.

The military taught me how to learn new things quickly, a skill that translated well to learning the ins and outs of operating a coal plant, said Kevin Rudy Rudnitzki, a machinist at the Kington Fossil Plant and the TVA Veterans Association Champion. As a veteran working for TVA, Ive been given the opportunity to feel that same sense of pride and commitment of service that I felt while serving in the United States Air Force.

The Military Friendly Employer designation is based on public data sources and a proprietary survey among hundreds of companies. TVAs ranking puts it among the Top 10 employers in the Energy, Extraction and Utilities Government/NonProfit category.

TVA is a great place for veterans, the technical skills and work ethic they bring from the military make for a relatively easy transition, said Allen Clare, a U.S. Navy veteran now serving as vice president of Gas and Hydro Operations and as executive sponsor of TVAs Veterans Association. Many of the skill sets veterans gain while serving can be immediately put to use in our coal, gas, hydro and nuclear plants, as well as other areas, such as IT and human resources. This reduces training requirements and allows veterans to add immediate value. Serving the people of the Tennessee Valley is a natural transition for a veteran used to serving our country.

TVA will be named with other 2020 Military Friendly Employers in the December issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com. For more information, visit the TVA Veteran Opportunities page.
The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday decided to call for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the burning of a 62-year-old chariot on the premises of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Antarvedi in Andhra Pradeshs East Godavari district.

Antarvedi is one of the most revered Vaishnavite religious centres in Andhra Pradesh at the confluence of Godavari river and the Bay of Bengal. The chariot, made of teakwood and used during the procession of the Lord during the festive seasons, was burnt to ashes in the early hours of Sunday.

The incident triggered widespread protests from Hindu religious groups, seers of various mutts and opposition parties across the state, demanding an inquiry into the incident.

On Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its alliance partner Jana Sena called for an 11-hour fast in the name of Dharma Parirakshana Deeksha by their respective leaders and cadres. BJP state president Somu Veerraju and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan demanded that the government order a judicial inquiry into the incident.

With pressure mounting from all sides, chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday evening decided to entrust the probe to the CBI. He asked Director General of Police Gautam Sawang to take steps in this regard.

The DGP, in turn, wrote to the Union ministry of home affairs seeking permission for the CBI probe into the Antarvedi chariot burning incident, an official statement from the chief ministers office said.

There has been malicious propaganda against the government by certain political forces in the social and mainstream media questioning the sincerity of the state police forces, though they have been going all out to unearth the conspiracy behind the chariot burning, the CMO release said.

The chief minister has already declared that he was ready to order any kind of inquiry into the incident. Since some political parties have demanded a CBI probe into the incident, he has decided to entrust the case to the CBI for a transparent inquiry, the CMO release said.

The Jagan government had already suspended Antarvedi temples executive officer NS Chakradhar Rao and a couple of other temple employees for their alleged negligence in the chariot burning incident. It has also transferred special chief secretary (endowments) JSV Prasad after the incident.

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Healthcare workers took to the street outside the Ministry of Health and at one of Lima's largest hospitals Wednesday to protest poor working conditions during the pandemic.

Professionals from the medical field have been staging street protests to demand better payment and working conditions amid an advance of infections among their ranks by the novel coronavirus.

During Wednesday's street demonstration, anti-riot police attempted to stop protesters from advancing.

Doctor Godofredo Talavera, President of the Medical Federation, said the professionals in the streets are those who are off duty and aren't neglecting their duties, responding to a criticism made earlier by the health minister.

"It is a protest and we are guaranteeing 100% attention to all the patients, just as we have done yesterday or a week ago," he said.

Doctors and nurses washed disposable masks as a form of protest outside of the National Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins to bring attention to the lack of medical supplies.

Healthcare professionals are complaining they do not have proper protective gear to safeguard themselves and that their workload and personal risk to exposure deserves better pay.

Minister of Health Pilar Mazzetti on Monday called the street demonstrations regrettable.

"The debt we owe to health workers is quite large," she said when asked about the planned street manifestations. "I don't think it's exactly the best time for us to have difficulties in providing attention to patients."

Peru, a nation of some 32 million people, confirmed its first case of coronavirus on March 19 and conducted very little coronavirus testing in the first few months of the epidemic.

It was the first country to impose a near-total quarantine requiring citizens to remain at home, but many were unable to comply because of poverty and dependence on informal jobs that required them to work illicitly during months of quarantine.

(Image Credit Pixabay)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The Judiciary is seeking to bring back 6.58 billion that was slashed from its proposed budget for 2021.

During the budget hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations on Thursday, Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said they initially proposed a 55.88 billion budget for 2021, but the Department of Budget and Management only granted them 43.54 billion  or 12.34 billion less  under the National Expenditure Program.

Marquez said, however, that they will only plead to restore more than half of that loss to boost the operations of their local and special courts.

"Ang gusto sana naming hilingin ngayong umaga dito sa House of Representatives ay for additional 6.58 billion instead of the 12.34 billion na binigay sa NEP," he added.

[Translation: We are only requesting the House of Representatives this morning to help us bring back the additional 6.58 billion instead of the 12.34 billion slashed in the NEP.]

The proposed 6.58 billion will cover the Supreme Court and lower courts with 5.07 billion, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal with 15.35 million, the Court of Appeals with 994.5 million, Sandiganbayan with 406.4 million, and the Court of Tax Appeals with 98.5 million.

Marquez added that he foresees court productivity to get back on track by next year, especially if sufficient funds will be given to judges and digitalization of local courts.

Lawmakers agreed to Marquez' points, citing the need to improve the country's judicial processes.

"Our Judiciary receives a small portion of our budget and a small percentage of our GDP (gross domestic product) compared to our Asian neighbors. We are always lagging behind because we fail to give the Judiciary what it needs," Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said.

There will be another round of 2021 budget deliberation for the Judiciary, along with other government agencies, in the House plenary.
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HAMDEN  A womans car and wallet were allegedly stolen at gunpoint in the Hamden Plaza on Dixwell Avenue Tuesday night, according to police.

Capt. Ronald Smith said officers responded to the plaza, located at 2100 Dixwell Ave., for a report of an armed street robbery around 7 p.m.
Drug dealers and a thug who drew a knife on police were among a dozen serious criminals deported back to Albania yesterday.

Kicked out of the UK on a plane chartered by the Home Office, they had been sentenced to a combined 26 years in prison.

Several had entered the UK illegally before embarking on crime.

The 12 included Kuinslend Dishi, 25, who was sent down for 20 months for an assault on an emergency worker, battery and possessing a knife. He was also sentenced in April this year for sending a threatening message.

The 12 included Kuinslend Dishi (right), 25, who was sent down for 20 months for an assault on an emergency worker, battery and possessing a knife. Andrea Kopo (left), 24, was convicted of supplying cocaine, possession of criminal property and possession of false identity documents with intent

Dishi was arrested after police in Kent were called to reports he had followed a woman and pulled her toward his car.

When officers tried to arrest him he reached into his pocket for a five-inch blade. They stopped Dishi pulling the weapon and he ran off, only to be apprehended by a member of the public.

Dishi had messaged the woman the previous day, threatening to kill her and telling her he had a gun, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Others on the deportation flight were Armand Gjyriqi, 27, who received an eight-year sentence at St Albans Crown Court for dealing crack cocaine. Another, Andrea Kopo, 24, was convicted of supplying cocaine, possession of criminal property and possession of false identity documents with intent.

Kopo, who entered the UK illegally, was sent down for five years at Bristol Crown Court in December 2018. He was part of a six-strong drugs gang who were found by police to have more than 53,000 in cash and cocaine worth 65,000.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: The UK is a safer place without these criminals. The message from these deportations is clear. If you come to this country and abuse our hospitality we will deport you'

Another Albanian who entered this country illegally to become involved in the drugs trade was among those sent to Tirana.

Orgito Asllanaj, 29, was convicted at Exeter Crown Court in May of producing cannabis and was sentenced to 12 months in jail.

Around 9,200 foreign nationals are in prison in England and Wales, according to latest figures, with Albanians making up the largest group  11 per cent.

All those deported yesterday were categorised as enforced deportations although some were removed through the Home Offices early release scheme.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'The UK is a safer place without these criminals. The message from these deportations is clear. If you come to this country and abuse our hospitality we will deport you.'
One in 50 NHS patients have now been waiting a year or more for planned surgery due to treatment delays caused by coronavirus.

NHS England data released today shows 83,000 patients (2.1 per cent of the total) referred for routine operations have still not been treated 52 weeks later.

Those affected are patients waiting for planned, non-urgent surgery such as hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery or kidney stone removal.

Statistics also show the number of those waiting for ops for more than 18 weeks  the NHS target time  is at a 12-year high, with more than two million Britons now overdue.

Hospitals are struggling to get through the slog of patients waiting for ops because they shut down all non-emergency treatment for months during the crisis. They are still only running at a fraction of their usual capacity.

There are currently four million people on waiting lists for elective surgery but NHS bosses expect that number to grow to a record 10million by the end of the year.

One in 50 NHS patients have now been waiting a year or more for planned surgery. The number of those waiting for elective ops for more than 18 weeks is at a 12-year high, with more than two million Britons now overdue

A&E waiting times have also started to dip again now that more people are coming forward for treatment. Performance times improved during lockdown because most A&E departments lay bare as people were either too spooked to come in case they caught Covid-19 or didnt want to be a burden on the NHS

The NHS data shows that there were 3,097 people waiting a year or more for routine surgeries at the start of March.

This figure had spiked to 83,203 by July after doubling every month since March and is likely to have risen further in the month-and-a-half since.

And the number of patients who have waited more than four months is the highest since modern records began, with more than half not being treated in that time.

A total of 2.15million Britons still had not been treated after 18 weeks by July this year, after rising from 1.85million in July.

It is the biggest 18-week waiting list since August 2007, when the figure was 1.8million.

NHS surgeons are only working at 50% capacity because of Covid-19 NHS surgeons are only working at around 50 per cent capacity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite record numbers of people on the waiting list for routine treatment. Professor Neil Mortensen, president of the the Royal College of Surgeons, revealed surgeons 'didn't have much to do' during the lockdown, as routine operations were cancelled to make room for an expected swarm of Covid-19 patients. But they are struggling to get back to pre-coronavirus activity levels, despite barely any infected patients being in hospital. Surgeons say infection control measures and a lack of testing have left them unable to attack the backlog. Professor Mortensen told The Telegraph: 'Most surgeons would say productivity is around half what it was before.' He told the newspaper that there were obstacles in restoring services to levels seen before Covid-19, which experts say is needed to clear the backlog. Health bosses fear up to 10million patients will be left waiting for treatment by this winter. A lack of routine testing for NHS staff is hindering efforts to create 'Covid-free' zones in hospitals, he said. And doctors have previously warned social distancing in hospitals will mean fewer patients can be admitted at any given time. Advertisement

Waiting times are expected to increase even further over the coming months because hospitals must enforce stricter infection control measures.

This means only a limited number of patients can attend clinics or stay overnight on wards and theatres must be more thoroughly cleaned between procedures, meaning fewer operations can take place.

Official statistics show that A&E waiting times have also started to dip again, now that more people are coming forward for treatment.

One in 10 people waited four hours or more to be seen in A&E departments in England in August of this year.

But this had been squashed to just one in 15 in May, when most A&E departments lay bare because people were either too spooked to come in case they caught Covid-19 or didnt want to be a burden on the health service.

On average just 75,000 patients were coming forward every month for emergency treatment during the lockdown.

Now, attendance levels are starting to creep back to to normal, with 160,000 going to A&E in August  just over 50 per cent of the yearly average.

For comparison, this time last year more than a quarter of a million patients were admitted to A&E.

Gbemi Babalola, a senior analyst at The Kings Fund think-tank, said: The long waits for care highlighted by these figures are a timely reality check on the challenges facing NHS services as they get back up and running and work through the backlog of patients who need support.

Significant effort is going into new ways to treat and support patients, such as more virtual consultations and redesigning waiting rooms and clinical areas to reduce the risk of infection.

But the reality is that many frontline NHS staff are physically and emotionally exhausted by the pandemic, new safety restrictions mean some treatments and procedures take longer to deliver, and there are indications that patients remain hesitant to use some face-to-face NHS services, a phenomenon likely to persist as infection rates rise again.

As it stands, the nationally set targets for the recovery of NHS performance seem very ambitious.

NHS staff are working hard to restore services to full capacity, and help is available when people need urgent care and treatment.

'At the same time, there needs to be honesty about what is achievable, and recognition that, as we head into the traditionally challenging winter months, long waits for routine diagnostic and surgical procedures are likely here to stay.

NHS waiting times are expected to increase substantially over the coming months because hospitals must enforce stricter infection control measures.

This means only a limited number of patients can attend clinics or stay overnight on wards and theatres must be more thoroughly cleaned between procedures, meaning fewer operations can take place.
An anthropologist has revealed his theory that Westerners are actually 'psychologically peculiar' and have a more individualistic and self-obsessed way of life than other cultures.

Joseph Henrich, from 51, from Philadelphia, uses the acronym Weird to stand for Western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic and to illustrate how Westerners are unlike most other cultures existing in the world.

In his new book The Weirdest People in the World, he claims that people who are Weird would complete the sentence 'I am...', with details such as 'curious' or 'a lawyer', whereas those who are not Weird would describe themselves in relation to others (e.g. I am Layla's cousin).

He argues that Weird people developed after the marriage customs of the Catholic Church led to the demolition of indigenous tribes and the rise of the nuclear family, individualism, Protestantism, and constitutional government.

In his new book The Weirdest People in the World, Joseph Henrich, from 51, from Philadelphia, argues that Westerners are 'psychologically peculiar' to the majority of human kind and tend to be more individualistic and self-obsessed (stock image)

Henrich, who up in a single-parent family in Philadelphia, said he fell in love with anthropology while at college where he gained a PhD in the subject.

Unlike many psychologists, he believes there is not one overarching universal law that governs human kind.

Instead, he points out that almost all subjects in psychology experiments have been Westerners and therefore, when the tests are performed on non-Weird people, a different, sometimes opposite, result would be found.

He told The Times: 'Form Peru to Papua New Guinea, we find that people are different  not because of genetic differences, but cultural differences.

'Culture shapes the way we think about the world, even the way we see the world. This is why we are often blind to our own biases.'

In the book, which is released today, he searches for turning points in civilisation across the centuries.

Henrich argues that for non-Weird people, their 'survival, identity and security' depend on the prosperity of 'kin-based' networks, while Weird individuals are much more self-orientated and act as 'individual agents' (stock image)

Henrich argues one clear cause can be rooted back to one sect of Christianity which drove the spread of a 'package of social norms and beliefs' that altered marriage, families, inheritance and ownership in parts of Europe for centuries.

He explains: 'It initiated a set of psychological changes that spurred new forms of urbanization and fuelled impersonal commerse.'

What does it mean to be Weird? Western Educated Industrialised Rich Democratic ARE YOU WEIRD? Complete the sentence: 'I am...' Weird: If you answer with a word like 'curious', 'intelligent, 'a lawyer' or 'a kayaker' Non-Weird: If your answer is more like 'Jane's sister' or 'Part of the fifth generation of Walshes from Brighton' Advertisement

He argues in order to adapt psychologically, people went on to see themselves as 'independent agents, defined by a unique or special set of talents, interests, virtues and principles which can be enhanced by joining others from like-minded groups.'

And, rather than focusing on the goals of the community, relationships or social roles, Weird people now focus on 'ourselves, attributes, accomplishments, aspiration.'

In the book, he writes: 'The focus on personal attributes, achievements, and membership in abstract or idealised social groups over personal relationships, inherited social roles, and face-to-face communities is a robust feature of Weird psychology, but one that makes us rather peculiar from a global perspective.'

He argues that unlike most people who have lived, Weird people have therefore become 'highly individualistic, self-obsessed, control orientated and non conformist and analytical.'

He says individuals are 'approach orientated' and keen to start new friendships outside of their set kin-based institution.

Henrich points out that Weird people might depend on honing ones attributes, attracted friends, and sustaining relationships which could be mutually beneficial.

He explains: 'In this world, everyone is shopping for better relationships that may or may not endure.'

Meanwhile in non-Weird groups, he argues there may be a social interdependence where people's survival, identity and security depend on health and prosperity of 'kin based' networks.

In this world, success and respect hinge on navigating these spaces, with people tending to be 'avoidance-orientated' to minimise their chance of appearing 'deviant' to the social norms.

He also details how Weird people can often be wracked with guilt if they fail to live up to their culturally inspired but self imposed standards, which may also have a religious case.

Meanwhile in non-Weird societies, shame, which depends on societal standards and public standards, is more dominant.

The Weirdest People in the World by Joseph Henrich is published by Allen Lane
A 9mm Glock 43 handgun, which belonged to Wiech, was completely covered with blood, investigators said. Brown's right hand was lying across her body with a clenched fist resting on the gun, but it "was not substantially coated with blood, nor was the carpet area surrounding the gun."

Brown's blood was found is several other places throughout the home including, the basement stairs railing. It was also found outside on the hose and hose reel.

In the laundry room, investigators found wet clothing in the washing machine, including a pair of salmon-colored shorts neighbors described Wiech wearing earlier in the evening. Investigators did not find Brown's blood on Wiech or the clothes he was wearing when first responders arrived.

Neighbors told investigators that they observed Wiech and Brown sitting in their garage between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. and that Brown seemed to be upset. One witness said he later observed Wiech "sitting calmly in the garage alone at 9:45 p.m.," approximately 10 minutes before his call to 911.

A blood alcohol test found Wiech had a blood alcohol content of .112%. The legal limit for driving is below .08%.

Wiech was combative and uncooperative with first responders and tried twice to hit a firefighter before striking an Omaha police officer in the chest. He was charged with two counts of attempted assault and is awaiting trial.
Social media, morning news and talk shows on Sept. 10 focused on the question of whether it is appropriate for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fly to Washington next week for the White House signing of Israels normalization agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while the coronavirus pandemic rages uncontrollably throughout Israel. According to Netanyahu associates, he will be absent from the country for four whole days. The ceremony in Washington is scheduled for Sept. 15.

Netanyahus planned absence has been generating growing criticism over the timing of the trip and the decision to leave the country rather than devoting himself to curb the spread of the disease. The debate grew more heated this morning following the latest Health Ministry report that indicated that another record of daily infections had been broken in the previous 24 hours, with over 3,900 Israelis testing positive for the virus  compared with fewer than 1,000 in early July at the start of the pandemics second wave in Israel.

Along with these troubling statistics, Israels largest-ever government, formed in May to deal with the coronavirus crisis, continues to zigzag. Its performance is hobbled by persistent infighting between its two main components  the Likud and Blue and White parties  even as Netanyahu intensifies his attacks on the state prosecution and other law enforcement agencies.

No wonder then that Israelis witnessing this disarray keep losing trust in their government and its leader. The general sense is one of crippled governance and uncertainty, as reflected in the latest polls indicating an ongoing crisis of public trust in Netanyahu. Results of a Channel 13 poll aired Sept. 7 found that 65% of respondents are dissatisfied with his performance in handling the coronavirus crisis.

Unfortunately, for Netanyahu, this bad news comes at the peak of a historic diplomatic process he has labored over in recent years and that is now bearing fruit.

This was not how Netanyahu imagined his trip to Washington for the signing ceremony with the UAE under the auspices of US President Donald Trump. Netanyahu aspired to attend the event as a winner, exactly 27 years after then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the landmark Oslo Accord with PLO leader Yasser Arafat on the same White House lawn in the presence of a previous president, Bill Clinton. Netanyahu headed the Knesset opposition in those days and led the bitter struggle against the deal with the Palestinians. Under international and domestic pressure, he nonetheless implemented part of the accords following Rabins 1995 assassination, paying a political price on the right.

Ironically, now that he can claim that he did it his way, having disproven the long-held view that Arab states will only make peace with Israel once it makes progress on peace with the Palestinians, he is drowning in domestic woes. Not only is he standing criminal trial on corruption charges, the government is unable to get a handle on the spreading pandemic and persistent, deep unemployment, while the health-care system is nearing capacity.

These fast-moving developments are overshadowing the glad news of peace. The chilly response of his political foes is echoed in the reaction of his supporters, troubled by daily concerns over their income and health. Joyous peace celebrations are simply not happening these days.

Setting aside the coronavirus crisis and Netanyahus indictment, Israel is certainly experiencing an exceptional period in its relations with Arab states. For Netanyahu, this important period for Israel is colored with tragic, personal hues.

The impending Israel-UAE agreement was announced almost a month ago, on Aug. 13, following secret trilateral negotiations among Israel, the UAE and the United States. Shortly after, an Israeli delegation accompanied by senior US officials flew directly from Tel Aviv to Dubai, cutting through Saudi airspace on a plane bearing official Israeli insignia.

The dizzying developments are changing the face of the Middle East. On Sept. 4, shortly before the start of the Jewish Sabbath, Netanyahu announced that Israel was establishing diplomatic ties with Kosovo, the Muslim breakaway state that declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Appearing on social media, Netanyahu festively declared that Kosovo would open an embassy in Jerusalem, and Serbia, with which Israel has longstanding diplomatic relations, would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This will be the first Muslim-majority state to open an embassy in the capital. As I have said in recent days, the circle of peace and recognition of Israel is widening and other states are expected to join it, Netanyahu said.

Word of this decision emerged from Washington following a trilateral meeting between Trump, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovos Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, at which the two rival states announced an economic normalization of their relations. Despite the beneficial economic and diplomatic significance of this move for Israel, Netanyahu failed to infect the public with his enthusiasm.

Such was also the case on Sept. 8, when an official delegation from Chad, led by Gen. Abdelkarim Deby, the son of Chadian president and its Cabinet chair, landed in Israel. Netanyahu met with the officials to discuss options for stronger ties, including the opening of embassies  the Chadian one possibly in Jerusalem  and appointment of ambassadors. The visit followed the resumption of ties with Israel announced during a 2019 visit by Netanyahu to Chad. At the start of this weeks meeting, Netanyahu asked Deby to convey his regards to his father and the people of Chad, according to the prime ministers office.

However, Israelis were hardly overjoyed by this display of affection attesting to Netanyahus good relations with the Chadian leader  their attention was diverted by yet another coronavirus infection record set that day and Israels continued global leadership in terms of per capita infection. The national mood was not improved even when the White House announced with great fanfare later that day that an official signing between Israel and the UAE was set for Sept. 15 in the presence of Trump, Netanyahu and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan.

The coming days will be crucial in terms of the governments decision on controlling the spread of the virus. Netanyahu is holding firm on his planned trip to Washington and he continues to prepare for one of the most significant events of his public career, which was supposed to be an uplifting experience of historic, national joy. With the Jewish New Year nearing, on Sept. 19, and with it discussions of a second, statewide lockdown, Israelis are unable to connect with the sense of happiness Netanyahu is trying so hard to convey  not even with the optimistic forecasts of economic prosperity generated by the agreement with the UAE and the tempting seven-star vacations at Abu-Dhabis extravagant hotels.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 12:46:05|Editor: huaxia

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BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's expansion of trade in services opens up a new opportunity for economic growth and development in Argentina and Latin America as a whole, Argentine official said.

"Today any policy that China adopts, in terms of trade in goods or services, necessarily impacts global trade. If China expands its trade in services, both to offer services and to demand them, this would help Argentina a lot, and our country can share this growth with China," said Maria Apolito, the undersecretary of Knowledge Economy at the Argentine Ministry of Productive Development.

Apolito spoke with Xinhua about the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), which opened in Beijing on Sept. 4 and featured the remote participation of Argentine President Alberto Fernandez as a special guest.

As the first major international economic and trade event held by China since the outbreak of COVID-19, this year's CIFTIS has attracted 22,000 enterprises and institutions from 148 countries and regions, including 199 Fortune 500 companies.

Trade in services is booming due to certain aspects, "such as the fact that it does not have borders, it is easier to carry out in terms of transactions and it does not require large physical investments," she noted.

"This trade in services fair presents an opportunity for Argentina to show all the potential of its knowledge, services and tourism industries. The fair has aroused a lot of interest (nationally) among private sector and public companies," said Apolito, noting the participation of leading Argentine firms INVAP and ARSAT in the field of satellite design and manufacturing.

Even though China and Argentina have a "limited or small" exchange of trade in services, the "opportunities" are "enormous" if cooperation in this area increases, which would also generate an impact at the regional level, promoting closer ties with other Latin American countries, said Apolito.

"China today represents just one percent of Argentine exports in terms of knowledge-based services, currently one of the axes in which Argentina wants to promote greater exchange. We understand that there is a lot of potential and we will work to identify the specific issues to achieve greater benefits for the two countries," she said.

"Greater trade ties based on services between China and Argentina will also be able to drive trade with the rest of the countries that generally follow the trajectory that Argentina and Brazil set for Latin America," she added.

China's concept of working towards a community with a shared future for humanity, she noted, features mutual benefit and shared gain not just between states but also between individuals in a world that demands "a different, more collaborative and supportive format."

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of the multilateral cooperation that China champions, said Apolito.

"If the health crisis we are going through due to the novel coronavirus pandemic has proven anything, it is that you can't make it out of a problem of this nature by yourself, not as a country or as a sector. In that sense, the concept of a community with a shared future is a concept that is more important than ever given the pandemic," she said.

Argentina, a traditionally agricultural producing country, has made much progress since 2004 in terms of the knowledge economy, and it is keen to boost cooperation in this important area of trade with the Asian giant, said Apolito.

"It has improved and continues to improve due to the incorporation of technologies and services, such as software, in the agricultural sector: everything that has to do with satellite images, data, drones and agricultural prospecting services, big data for analysis of climatic and meteorological data, and precision agriculture," said Apolito. Enditem
In a rare public statement, the traditional owner group at the centre of the Juukan Gorge saga has voiced its frustration that a planned visit by federal politicians to the site had been deferred indefinitely because of travel restrictions, and they have called for special allowances to be made.

Northern Australia committee chair Warren Entsch confirmed that due to WA's hard border quarantine requirements the committee was postponing its trip to the mine, which was part of a parliamentary inquiry into how the destruction of the 46,000-year-old sacred site occurred.

The site at Juukan Gorge that was reduced to rubble to extend one of Rio Tinto's iron ore mines. Credit:PKKP Aboriginal Corporation

The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people are the traditional owners of the land where the Juukan Gorge once stood and have resisted speaking publicly about the saga since May. While Rio Tinto has already given evidence to the committee the PKKP has not yet presented any material.

On Thursday PKKP Aboriginal Corporation chair John Ashburton said the 'open-ended' decision to delay the visit to WA had robbed the group of a voice in the inquiry.
By Arthur I. Cyr





House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not helped her Democratic Party's presidential nominee Joe Biden by suggesting he decline to debate Donald Trump. However, she has usefully drawn attention to the importance of televised encounters between presidential, and vice presidential, candidates.



During the intense 1960 presidential contest, Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard M. Nixon made history by debating face to face on nationwide TV, and on radio. The faceoff, in September in a CBS studio in Chicago, redefined American politics in terms of how candidates compete, and communicate.



The broadcast battle was the first of four debates, each notably in-depth by comparison with today's superficial visual posturing and sound bite statements. Each man had a relatively lengthy eight-minute opening presentation, with follow-up rebuttal statements.



These path-breaking battles drew a then-unprecedented television audience. The estimated viewers for each debate was at least 65 million people, with an overall total greater than the 90 million who saw the 1959 World Series between the Dodgers and the White Sox.



The first debate was to be about domestic policy, but Kennedy ignored that restriction. Repeatedly, he compared U.S. performance in economic growth, education, space exploration and other fields to that of the Soviet Union.



None of the panel of reporters who questioned the candidates pointed this out. Since FDR's time, working reporters had been moving toward the Democratic Party. Kennedy was especially skillful in cultivating them.



The Cold War was intense, and Kennedy's emphasis on Soviet strength reflected contemporary opinion. A quarter century later, Japan was supposed to be burying us economically. Today, many assign that alarming role to China. Successful politicians reflect public sentiments of their times, and times change.



When Kennedy began speaking from his chair, Nixon quietly and politely pointed that out. Without missing a beat, JFK smoothly rose and walked to the podium.



Kennedy's on-camera ease, polished style and smooth body language contrasted with Richard Nixon's apparent tension. Television highlights visual dimensions and such surface differences. By contrast, a review of the transcripts of the encounter shows Nixon was more orderly and logical, more organized and specific.



Yet Kennedy enjoyed the political triumph. The political partisanship of television, newspaper and other reporters can account for only a small part of this result. Journalists of that era were far more professional, and muted their own biases as a matter of expectation.



By 1960, a plurality of the electorate lived in the suburbs. Though each candidate paid tribute to the American farmer, the sharp historic divisions between rural and urban, and between workers and the wealthy, were declining as the middle class expanded enormously. Old cleavages were fading.



Kennedy presented a fresh, sophisticated image seemingly more in tune with these newly suburban Americans. Author Norman Mailer captured this in an impressionistic but insightful "Esquire" magazine article titled "Superman Comes to the Supermarket."



Nixon constantly presented himself as more mature and experienced, at the right hand of President Dwight Eisenhower. Using TV, Kennedy sharply defined himself and equalized his standing with Nixon. Debates among early contenders as well as nominated candidates have now become central to presidential campaigns. For that, thank President Gerald Ford's 1976 agreement to debate former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.



Rich insights resonate from the epic 1960 interchange of two talented politicians. You should review the program, especially if you never have watched  or listened to  the contest, and evaluate 2020 contenders against this high standard.





Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War" (Palgrave-Macmillan and NYU).


GILLETTE  Under the right circumstances, carbon under pressure produces diamonds. But the intense pressure from multiple fronts now squeezing Powder River Basin coal is crushing the industry.

Already struggling with weakening demand for U.S. coal, the nations largest coal-producing region also has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic with historically bad results.

Through the first eight months of 2020, PRB production is nearly 25% below this time last year and hundreds of high-paying jobs have been lost.

While the last four months of the year may pick up some, it wont be enough...
Police have arrested one of the organisers of anti-lockdown action planned for this weekend after raiding his home.

The Port Phillip Crime Investigation Unit arrested Tony Pecora after searching his Middle Park home, looking for computer devices, mobile phones, or anything that may be used to post on social media.

Tony Pecora, as a candidate for Clive Palmer's United Australia Party in the seat of Melbourne. Credit:United Australia Party

The raid, at about 1pm on Thursday, came after Mr Pecora reposted details of a planned anti-lockdown mass gathering in Melbourne after Facebook removed the listing. Mr Pecora was not home at the time of the raid.

Shortly after the raid, Mr Pecora handed himself in at St Kilda Police Station where he was arrested and interviewed by police. It's expected he'll be charged with incitement, but no charges had been laid at the time of publication.
Bengaluru, Sep 10 : Alarmed by the spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in rural Karnataka, the state government on Thursday directed the primary healthcare centres (PHCs) and the community healthcare centres (CHCs) to rope in data entry operators from the gram panchayats to assist in containing the disease.

"Due to staff shortage at PHCs and CHCs at various taluks of the state, smooth functioning of these centres has become difficult," a circular issued by Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar stated.

The circular further read that there isn't adequate staff to take up measures to contain the disease and to register patients under various programmes of the Health and Family Welfare Department.

Till the department makes arrangements for the same, data entry operators at the gram panchayats will have to work one hour per day at the nearest PHC and CHC.

The circular also directed the Chief Executive Officers of all Zilla Panchayats to depute data entry operators for such healthcare centres. They would be trained at the taluk level by taluk health officers for the purpose.

The circular was issued following challenges faced by the district administrations in documenting the cases, after Karnataka started recording more than 7,000 cases per day on an average, of which around 65 per cent were from outside the Bengaluru Urban district.

In a related development, state Medical Education Minister M. Sudhakar asserted that the state government would take steps to bring down the present Covid-19 death rate from 1.62 per cent to 1 per cent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

Seven years after it first debuted inside Oaklands historic Tribune Tower, restaurant Tribune Tavern will close Friday.

The decision to close Tribune Tavern resulted from a disagreement between owner Chris Pastena and his landlord on how rent should be paid amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Berkeleyside first reported the pending closure.

According to the report, Pastena said he offered to pay his landlord Doug Abrams, of Highbridge Equity Partners, a fraction of his rent for the months Tribune Tavern was temporarily closed. He also offered to pay for a portion of the rent moving forward, but Abrams dismissed the proposal.

ALSO: Oakland's favorite pop-up Brokeass Cooks shut down by health department

If we were to pay everything, we would just go out of business, because we dont have the capital, Pastena told Berkeleyside. We need to have reserves to make it through this whole situation and we dont know when its going to end, so the question remained, do we want to go out of business today or go out of business in two months?

Tribune Tower closed following mandatory shelter-in-place orders and had an initial plan to re-open in April. Pastena said he reached out to Abrams in May asking for help to reopen Tribune Tower but did not hear back, so he and wife Jana Pastena decided to move forward on their own. A month later, Berekeleyside reports that the building was vandalized amid protests and that the property damage delayed the reopening.

Despite having takeout and patio dining service, business at Tribune Tavern was sluggish as many of downtown Oaklands office buildings were closed.

ALSO: 'We think we'll make it to the end of this year': Kezar Pub fights to survive

When asked about the rent payment, Abrams told Berkeleyside that Pastena never offered to pay back rent or a portion of the rent moving forward. He added that Pastena hadnt paid for rent since February, with the exception of March, and that Pastena has not paid utilities since the beginning of 2020 or Common Area Maintenance (CAM) charges. (For the full details read Berkeleyside's full report here).

The closure comes as a wave of restaurant closures have hit the Bay Area and restaurateurs struggle to find their footing. In July, Yelp reported that more there were more than 300 permanent restaurant closures in Oakland, San Francisco and Hayward. Though that number has likely increased as more closures continued in August.

ALSO: Fisherman's Wharf brunch spot closes after 15 years

In an email response sent to SFGATE, Pastena said he had no plans to reopen Tribune Tavern in the future or at a different site. Pastena also owns Oakland restaurants Chop Bar and Calavera

Tribune Tavern is located at 401 13th St. in Oakland.

Susana Guerrero is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: Susana.Guerrero@sfgate.com | Twitter: @SusyGuerrero3

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison wants leading health officials to agree on a national coronavirus hotspot definition as a top priority so he can use the medical advice to pressure premiers to open their borders.

Mr Morrison intervened on Thursday on behalf of a 26-year-old woman who flew to Queensland too late to say goodbye to her dying father and was then locked in hotel quarantine on the day of his funeral.

Sarah Caisip (left) is pictured with her father Bernard Prendergast, 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and mother Myrna Prendergast.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is having rolling discussions about how to define hotspots, with meetings almost every day. Every state except Western Australia has agreed in principle to work on a process to clearly define hotspots to allow safe travel between jurisdictions.

Government sources said Mr Morrison did not want to pursue the potential for biosecurity powers to be used to force borders open, instead putting a top priority on using medical advice to pressure premiers.
Myanmar & COVID-19 Myanmar Bans Domestic Flights Amid COVID-19 Resurgence

A domestic flight in Yangon in June. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YangonIn response to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Myanmar, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has ordered a halt to domestic flights from Friday.

Airlines have been ordered to suspend domestic flights, according to U Than Tun, chief executive officer of Myanmar National Airlines (MNA).

All the airlines will suspend operations as the ministry has instructed us. We will announce details on our Facebook page, U Than Tun told The Irrawaddy.

Another domestic airline, Air KBZ, owned by the Kanbawza Group of Companies, also confirmed the suspension. Air KBZ will suspend operations for two weeks. We will suspend all domestic flights, except charted flights to Kyaukphyu [in Rakhine State], said general manager U Tin Maung Than.

Myanmar Airways International (MAI), another airline owned by the Kanbawza Group that operates international flights, will continue relief flights, he said.

The Irrawaddy was not able to contact the Ministry of Transport and Communications for a comment.

Air Thanlwin also announced the suspension of flights until Sept. 24, saying it would refund tickets for the period. Other airlines also said on their Facebook pages that they will suspend operations until Sept. 30 and refund tickets.

Over 5,700 people flew from Rakhine State, where the current outbreak started, to Yangon and other regions and states in August, contributing to the spread of the virus. Around 3,000 of them failed to report to the health authorities, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.

As of Thursday morning, Myanmar has reported 2,009 confirmed cases with 14 deaths with Yangon becoming the new center of the outbreak.

Myanmar banned all international commercial passenger flights on March 31. It has extended the ban until Sept. 30. Relief, cargo, medical evacuation and special flights approved by the Department of Civil Aviation are not affected by the ban.

Myanmar has been operating relief flights for citizens stranded in foreign countries due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Air KBZ, MNA, Air Thanlwin, Golden Myanmar and Mann Yadanarpon airlines, which operate domestic flights in Myanmar, have ceased operations until Sept. 30.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

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Ms Skilbeck, in a statement tendered to the inquiry, said the state controller position was "twinned" by department emergency management officials Andrea Spiteri and Jason Helps. Ms Skilbeck said this reflected the cross-departmental planning required, the size and complexity of the response to the pandemic and "the significant demands on the time of the CHO" to communicate with the public. Professor Sutton did not respond to attempts to contact him on Thursday night. A DHHS spokesperson said Victoria's response to the pandemic was being led by Professor Sutton. "The Chief Health Officer has extensive responsibilities for providing public health advice to inform critical decisions of the Victorian government and holds a number of important statutory functions, including the making of directions, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Health Officer," the statement said.

Senior health officials told the inquiry that the sidelining of Professor Sutton on crucial matters such as hotel quarantine and Melbourne's curfew had hampered its handling of the pandemic. Dr Finn Romanes, a senior medical adviser appointed to the position of Public Health Commander, said in his tendered statement that if Professor Sutton had been made state controller, "public health expertise may have been more embedded in the governance of the hotel quarantine program". Professor John Mathews, a former national deputy chief medical officer, told The Age and Herald that Professor Sutton's advice had not been sufficiently sought by government throughout the pandemic. One of the reasons Victoria has found itself in trouble is because the chief health officers advice wasnt sought when they were making key decisions like about hotel quarantine in Victoria, Professor Mathews said. Unfortunately, the lowest common denominator prevailed.

Professor Mathews, who co-wrote a report warning the Commonwealth of the impending threat of a pandemic while he was deputy chief medical officer in 2004, suspects Professor Sutton's advice may not have been taken seriously enough at the start of the pandemic. Before this emergency happened, the chief health officer in Victoria was not at senior enough level to really have the ear of the premier, the respected epidemiologist said. Hes obviously got the ear of the Premier now, but only because everyone has realised the magnitude of the problem. Another former senior Victorian health official with knowledge of the state's emergency response systems, who commented on the condition of anonymity, also queried why the Andrews government had failed to put Professor Sutton in charge. 'If Victorias own chief health officer isnt involved in hotel quarantine and he's not involved in the curfew, then who is?' Former DHHS senior bureaucrat "The chief health officer for many years has just been the voice of authority there. [Queensland Chief Health Officer] Jeannette Young stands up and everybody else stands back. I suspect that's probably greatly helped their response. If Victorias own chief health officer isnt involved in hotel quarantine and he's not involved in the curfew, then who is?

Criticism of the sidelining of the Chief Health Officer comes amid a furore over the imposition of a night-time stay-at-home direction on Melburnians. Professor Sutton confirmed the curfew was not a consequence of his public health advice. The Premier said the decision was made to make enforcement easier, but Police Commissioner Shane Patton said police had not requested the measure either. Professor Sutton also confirmed it was not his decision to put security guards in charge of Melbourne's high-risk quarantine hotels, which led to outbreaks at the Stamford Plaza and the Rydges. The inquiry was also told on Thursday that before June 23, on a date that wasn't stipulated in the hearing, that Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, offered the use of defence personnel in lieu of private security to Professor Sutton.

Loading Other senior health officials The Age and Herald spoke to noted that during previous public crises, such as bushfires, the state emergency commissioner was always the central figure in the public response, while in the pandemic, Premier Daniel Andrews had played the leading role in public messaging. The ministers and premiers slot around them and the chain of command is very, very clear, a former senior health bureaucrat said. Ms Skilbeck told the inquiry that regardless of who the state controller was, the decisions of the chief health officer could not be "second-guessed and cannot be overridden by the state controller". Governance issues in Victorias Health Department and multiple restructures in DHHS in recent years were also blamed for its pandemic response falling short. Years of chronic underfunding and failures in its contact tracing system were also cited as major shortcomings.

Loading Professor Mathews said that while he thought Professor Sutton was doing an exemplary job, he had been pulled in to deal with the pandemic and find solutions to problems he had not created. The basic problem is that the way the health system has evolved is that government bureaucracy has tried to de-medicalise it as much as possible, he said. "The medically qualified people are not the ones who make the funding or executive decisions. In one sense it is a good thing. But on the other hand, when you really need that expert advice and it's not acted upon sufficiently, governments can find themselves in trouble." Terry Slevin, head of the Public Health Association of Australia, said the pandemic had exposed weaknesses in Victorias public health capabilities.

Underfunding of public health was not unique to Victoria, he said, adding the issue had grown over decades and under successive governments, as preventive health initiatives often struggled to get funding over what were seen as more urgent issues, such as pledges for new hospital wards and beds. Professor Slevin said it was not clear how large Australias public health workforce was, and called for a full investigation into the sectors capacity. The association also wants a national approach to contact tracing, through a new body similar to the United States' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. We have to be ready for this next time, because theres likely to be a next time, Professor Slevin said. David Davis, former health minister for the Baillieu and Napthine governments, said he had heard from up to a dozen staff in Victorias public health team, complaining their advice was being ignored.

Im hearing very clear indications that the public health team has been bypassed with a lot of these decisions made over in the premiers office, he said. The knowledgeable people in the public health team have often been ignored and decisions come out from the bunker. In other evidence to the inquiry, Ms Skilbeck said it was not possible to have "nil risk" in an environment where coronavirus existed, such as hotel quarantine. Asked if there was anything tangible "we can hang out hats on" to determine what went wrong in hotel quarantine, Ms Skilbeck said: "I have to say, counsel, if I knew something tangible to hang our hat on there, we would have acted on it by now. "Clearly [the outbreaks] were contrary to the intent of everyone involved." A Victorian Department of Health spokeswoman rejected claims that the state's response to the pandemic was not being led by Professor Sutton.
The lure of the beach, the boardwalk and casinos has made Atlantic City one of the countrys top travel destinations in the United States, according to Tripadvisor.

Atlantic City has plenty to offer travelers as hotels are plenty and the beaches remain open for a few more weeks.

Only Key Largo, Fla., and Key West, Fla., are more popular than Atlantic City.

Travelers can book their next Atlantic City vacation through Tripadvisor.

Recent Tripadvisor site data shows that globally, domestic travel for the fall season (September 1 - November 30, 2020) continues to gradually recover, with nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of all travelers planning domestic fall getaways. Of those travelers, 79 percent of them are planning a September trip - the busiest fall travel month.

Fall Travel Trends:

Most popular: Key Largo, Fla. is leading year-over-year recovery in the U.S. this fall. While travel is still down year-over-year (YoY), the Sunshine State is home to several destinations that are recovering the quickest YoY this season based on searches for hotel bookings. is leading year-over-year recovery in the U.S. this fall. While travel is still down year-over-year (YoY), the Sunshine State is home to several destinations that are recovering the quickest YoY this season based on searches for hotel bookings.

Destination type: Domestic travelers are more keen to visit beach destinations , and are less interested in central city getaways. While Florida and Arizona have always been popular destinations, there is significant year-over-year increase in travelers planning to visit this fall.

Trip length: Travelers are looking for short getaways with 55 percent of fall travelers booking two to five night stays, and 36 percent booking short one-night stays.

Last-minute travel: Fall travelers are booking more near-term trips, often less than a week in advance

Safety first: Across the globe, safety remains critical. Sixty-eight percent of global travelers say safety and cleanliness of establishments are important when traveling locally.

Thats why Atlantic City was among the best on the list. Plus its a little less than two hours away from New York City and Staten Island.

Among all of the disruption and restrictions this year, 76 percent of U.S. travelers continue to say that travel is important to them, even if they cant experience the world like they used to, said Christopher Hsi, Consumer Market Research Lead Analyst for Tripadvisor. The pandemic has forced travelers to be creative and explore new destinations in ways they may not have considered previously. This fall, were seeing a rise in destinations where travelers can relax and rejuvenate, as opposed to the busy hustle and bustle of popular cities.
Its no secret that Huawei is working on developing an Android alternative for smartphones, which it calls HarmonyOS. The company has now confirmed that the first batch of HarmonyOS-powered phones would arrive as early as 2021.

During todays Huawei developer conference in Shenzhen, China, Consumer business CEO Richard Yu announced the companys second-generation operating system  HarmonyOS 2.0. A beta version of the HarmonyOS 2.0 SDK is already available for developers starting today.

However, the current iteration will only support smartwatches, car head units, TVs, and IoT devices. A smartphone version of the SDK will arrive in December this year, Yu confirmed.

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At the end of this year, the SDK tools and simulators of HarmonyOS 2.0 will be available to smartphones. Next year we will see smartphones running HarmonyOS 2.0, he said. Some of the HarmonyOS features Yu hinted include an adaptive user interface, voice recognition, device-to-device file transfers, and more.

Its unclear if the HarmonyOS 2.0 SDK will be available globally or will be limited to developers in China only. CEO Yu did mention Chinese developers during his keynote but no word was given on global rollout. Well have to wait for confirmation on that.

Huawei announces HarmonyOS 2.0, makes it open source

Huawei is also making HarmonyOS open source. The OpenHarmony project will allow developers to build upon an open-source version of the OS, in a similar manner to that of AOSP (Android Open Source Project) for Android OS.

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The OpenHarmony project currently only supports devices with 128MB of RAM or below. Huawei expects to expand the memory limit to 4GB by April 2021. And come October 2021, the memory limit will be removed completely.

Huawei has been relying heavily on AOSP in recent times because of the US trade restrictions. The company isnt allowed to do business with American companies, essentially cutting it off from Googles Android OS, though it can still build on the AOSP version.

All of Huaweis current Android-based phones come without Google services. This is particularly a problem outside of China, as Android phones without Google apps such as Maps, Play Store, and Gmail would find it hard to attract buyers. Thats possibly why the company is cutting down smartphone production next year.

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Huawei does have a plan to improve the app ecosystem on its Google-less phones, though. Its HMS Core (Huawei Mobile Services) already have more than 1.6 million registered developers globally. The company also claims over 81,000 HMS Core apps and 700 million monthly active users.

Huaweis fighting the US sanctions at multiple fronts. While it already has alternatives for Android OS and GMS (Google Mobile Services), its still struggling to find a solution in the hardware department. The latest US sanctions bar it from obtaining semiconductor chips from any manufacturer that uses US-origin software or technology. Itll be interesting to see how the company emerges out of all this.
The Kremlin critic is being treated in Berlin's Charite hospital after falling ill on a Russian domestic flight last month.

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has made further progress in his recovery after what Germany said was poisoning with a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent, and is able to speak again, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Thursday.

The Kremlin critic is being treated in Berlin's Charite hospital after falling ill on a Russian domestic flight last month, Reuters reported.

Germany says Navalny was the victim of an attempt to kill him and has demanded an explanation from Russia. Moscow has said it has seen no evidence that Navalny, 44, was poisoned.

Read alsoNavalny poisoning: G7 foreign ministers call on Russia to establish those responsibleDer Spiegel magazine said Navalny's police protection had been stepped up in the expectation that he would be receiving more visitors as his condition improved.

"Der Spiegel and Bellingcat understand that Navalny can speak again and can likely remember details about his collapse," the magazine wrote, crediting its investigative website partner. "His statements could be dangerous for people behind the attack."

There was no immediate comment by the hospital treating Navalny. A Berlin police spokesman had no comment. Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted that "the story is exaggerated and contains many factual inaccuracies" in apparent reference to the Spiegel piece.

The Navalny affair has driven tensions between Russia and the West to new heights, with some Western governments believing Navalny was poisoned by Russian security services with top-level backing.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday there was a "substantial chance" his poisoning was ordered by senior Russian officials.

Berlin faces calls for a sharper response to the poisoning. Some opposition politicians have called for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, a Kremlin flagship project, to be cancelled, even as it nears completion.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was quoted on Thursday as saying Russian President Vladimir Putin had told him he would set up a committee to investigate Navalny's case and "was ready to collaborate with the German authorities."

Navalny poisoning: background
Hes the coup leader who wont talk about whether he might be ousted in a coup.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stormed out of a media briefing late on Tuesday after he was asked about the possibility of the army seizing power, as political ructions intensify before expected mass protests on September 19.

Go, go back home, he said with a wave and walked off.

Thai Prime Minister and coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha. Credit:AP

Prayut came to power after a coup in 2014, Thailands 12th since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. He was reinstated as prime minister after elections last year.
Australians may soon be adding the Aboriginal place name of their district to their official addresses, thanks to a campaign led by indigenous woman Rachael McPhail.

The Gomeroi woman has already been adding it to addresses, and none of her packages have been lost over the course of her movement.

'I would love for Australia Post and the Australian Government to make the traditional place names an official part of the address information,' she told the ABC.

Rachael McPhail, a Gomeroi woman, is pushing for the initiative - and has even given it a go on a handful occasions (example pictured)

Ms McPhail wants Australians to include the Traditional Name in their address (pictured, map indicating the different Nations)

'Secondly, I'd love to see Aussie businesses, universities, banks, MyGov, PayPal, Star Track, Uber etcetera asking people for the traditional place name as part of the address information when people are filling in the forms or going through the online checkout.'

Australia Post is on board with the idea, with Ms McPhail in conversations with the postal service about the initiative.

'At Australia Post, we have a long and proud history of promoting and celebrating Indigenous culture and implementing measures that contribute to a lasting reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians,' a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

'When it comes to the addressing of letters and parcels, customers are welcome to include the Traditional Nation name in the address.'

Many social media users have backed the idea and were eager to learn the original name for their areas so they can add it to their address.

Others have expressed concern that adding the extra detail risked the mail getting lost.

Australia Post is on board with the idea, with Ms McPhail in conversations with the postal service about the initiative (example pictured)

However, Australia Post has given out a tip on where people should include the traditional name on their postage.

'To ensure the item will be delivered correctly we recommend the traditional name is included below the recipient's name but above the street address,' a spokesman said.

Ms McPhail found out about her heritage when she was 30.

Her great-great-grandmother felt forced to leave their traditional country because her children were lighter skinned and she feared she would lose them due to the common policy of removing children of partial European descent.

Now Ms McPhail does all she can to celebrate her culture, and wants it to become more prominent in Australian society.

'She didn't tell anyone she was Aboriginal because she was protecting her family, so I celebrate my Aboriginal heritage for her because she wasn't able to,' she said.
A 39-year-old man died of a suspected drug overdose after he fled Voorhees police, struggled with officers and was taken into custody, officials said Wednesday.

The incident began around 3 p.m. Sunday when a township police officer saw the man driving at high speed through the parking lot of the Voorhees Town Center shopping mall and crash into a curb, according to the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office, which disclosed its preliminary investigation in a statement.

The man got out of the vehicle and ran away from the officer, according to the Attorney Generals Office.

After a brief foot pursuit, the officer apprehended the man and struggled to restrain and handcuff him. A backup officer arrived and assisted in securing the subject. A K-9 officer arrived on the scene, but the dog was not deployed, the office said in a statement.

After being arrested, the man said he did not feel well and asked for help, according to the statement. Police called for an expedited response from an ambulance, which arrived within minutes.

EMTs took the subject to Jefferson Stratford Hospital, where he passed away. A bag containing suspected methamphetamine was found in the subjects vehicle. It is suspected that the man died of a drug overdose, but the investigation by the Attorney Generals Office is continuing, the statement said.

Under state law, the Attorney Generals Office investigates all cases where a person dies while in police custody or during an official encounter with law enforcement officers.

Officials said no further information was being released as the probe continued.

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Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com.
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S.
LANSING, MI - The rush to find solutions early in the pandemic led to mistakes made in nursing homes, said a Republican legislator during Wednesdays COVID-19 Oversight Committee hearing.

State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, pointed out the consequences, including a third of all state coronavirus deaths, of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers decision to utilize long-term care facilities as overflow capacity for positive patients.

The mistakes, however, were made in good faith," said McBroom, the head of the Senate Oversight Committee to members of the Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We can look back and say that we shouldve done more here and more there, he said. But there was a feeling that this is the best we were going to do with the limited resources we had (at the beginning).

Rep. Matt Hall, R-Marshall, and other Republican legislators questioned McBroom and Dr. Betty Chu, co-Chair of the Michigan Nursing Homes COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force at the Sep. 9 session. The Democrats on the bipartisan committee either didnt ask questions or didnt attend.

While McBroom told his fellow Republicans that the lack of time for planning led to bad decisions, future recommendations cant include allowing nursing home with low health ratings to be used as hubs for COVID-positive patients.

Why did we ever choose some of the single-star rated facilities as hubs, he asked. What are our statistical differences in deaths and infections that occurred in facilities that were single star versus those that were four or five-star?

Michigans use of the nursing home hubs has been heavily criticized by many Republic lawmakers. However, Michigan has fared better than other states.

Related: Michigans nursing home strategy during pandemic perfectly appropriate, report says

Through Aug. 19, 271 of Michigans 442 nursing homes (61%) had at least one COVID-19 resident case, and 209 (47%) had at least one COVID-19 resident death. Nursing homes reported 8,456 resident cases, 4,226 staff cases, 2,100 resident deaths, and 21 staff deaths.

Michigan has reported a smaller percentage of COVID-19 deaths coming from nursing homes (33.2%) than the U.S. average (38.6%), according to CHRTs data. The percentage of deaths among nursing home residents with COVID-19 was also considerably lower in the hubs (17.4%) than compared to non-hub nursing homes (26%).

This focus on mistakes made in nursing homes is just the GOP continuing to waste time pointing fingers, not looking for solutions, tweeted Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit, during the hearing.

During Chus questioning, the senior vice president for the Henry Ford Health System laid out her task forces recommendations to prepare nursing homes for a potential fall outbreak.

She listed four ways to improve moving forward: more staffing, more PPE, making nursing homes a last resort for patient placement and improving social interaction to benefit patient mental health.

The work group recommends placing COVID-positive patients utilizing a prioritization framework, she said. First, to hospital health care facilities with excess surge capacity. If the hospital options are not feasible, the residents will be placed at state-designated care and recovery centers. Finally, in the exceptional circumstance that these options are not possible, facilities with prior experience caring for COVID-positive patients will be made available.

Among Republicans' biggest complaints has been that the state hasnt created separate facilities to house nursing-home patients with COVID-19. Chus task force recommended Whitmers administration continue to explore this option, but warned that there might not be enough time to build the facilities and implement safety protocols.

An independent analysis conducted by the Center for Health and Research Transformation does not recommend this approach.

We dont think a COVID-only facility will answer the problem that is trying to be addressed, and we know now that patients indeed can be maintained safely with the right safety protocols, Udow-Phillips said. We dont think a separate facility is appropriate. In fact, we think its probably counterproductive. Its very expensive, very inflexible, and certainly not needed.

With the state expecting a lower surge in the fall, there may not even be a need for patients to go to facilities other than hospitals due to projected lower capacity, Chu said.

Hall later asked Chu what the criteria would be to not allow patients to enter the low-rated facilities that McBroom described. She responded that with more time to prepare, proper facilities will be chosen.

Being in a health system, there was a tremendous amount of pressure on nursing homes due to the capacity issues we were facing, she said before suggesting to think about the urgency of the pandemic during March to find a place for COVID patients.

Rep. Kim LaSata took time to thank Chu and the task force for recommendations to improve patient mental health through limited social interaction. This was also recommended by the Center for Health and Research Transformation study provided to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The study noted that to help residents struggling with social isolation and depression, there is room for more outdoor visitation, where feasible, and other unique ways to setup in-person communication in areas where theres low community spread.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS:

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nosewhile in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/.

Read more on MLive:

A Michigan county tells its residents to ignore coronavirus restrictions and return to normal life

Michigan reports 11 coronavirus outbreaks at K-12 schools and 11 on college campuses

This week marks 6 months of coronavirus in Michigan. Heres whats happened by the numbers.
Minn. pastor says its OK for parents to give kids a 'good spanking' for discipline

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A column published last Saturday on theologian John Pipers Christian theology website, Desiring God, by a Minnesota pastor argues that a good spanking should be an option for parents who want to discipline their children.

Sam Crabtree, a small group pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis who authored the 2019 book Parenting with Loving Correction, wrote in response to critics who oppose spanking and other forms of corporal punishment as methods of discipline for children.

While describing spanking opponents as well-intended with valid concerns, Crabtree argued that there is such a thing as good spanking when parents opt to discipline their children.

... [M]any who oppose spanking sweep all corporal punishment into a single bucket without distinguishing between wise and foolish parental correction, as if factors like timing, dose, implement, and advance instruction make no difference, wrote Crabtree, a former public school teacher and who serves as chairman of the board of the Bethlehem College & Seminary.

Just as bad preaching doesnt disqualify all pulpits, and bad writing doesnt mean we should banish publishing, and a bad haircut doesnt mean you should go Nazarite, so bad spanking doesnt mean there isnt good spanking.

Crabtree went on to contend that a good spanking involves applying a predetermined amount of physical pain in direct response to a childs defiance.

Defiance starts in the heart and works its way out into behaviors of the body (tantrums, disobedience, mouthiness, rebellious facial expressions), he explained.

[S]o spanking works in the opposite direction: it moves toward the heart by first gaining the attention of the body, commonly via the well-padded buttocks.

Crabtree then laid out six principles of good spanking.

Those principles include understanding that the perfect loving Father uses the rod, parents modeling correction through confessing and repentance, not overusing spanking for discipline, applying corporal punishment with utmost consistency and limiting the severity of the punishment such as not breaking skin or hitting eyes.

The sixth principle, he explained, is recognizing that spanking must be accompanied by other tools of parenting.

Wise parents dont start with spanking, but with other measures: rewards, interruptions, the look of disapproval, loss of privileges, restitution, he explained.

The use of corporal punishment when disciplining children has been a source of controversy in recent times, with some countries considering it tantamount to abuse and banning the practice.

In 2018, the health journal BMJ published a study that analyzed data from 88 countries. The study concluded that nations that banned spanking had lower rates of youth violence.

Whether bans precipitated changes in child discipline or reflected a social milieu that inhibits youth violence remains unclear due to the study design and data limitations, concluded the study. However, these results support the hypothesis that societies that prohibit the use of corporal punishment are less violent for youth to grow up in than societies that have not.

In a 2016 piece for Scientific American, contributing editor Melinda Wenner Moyer wrote that despite multiple studies indicating that spanking is harmful, some researchers remain skeptical.

Studies suggest, for instance, that the effects of spanking can differ depending on the circumstances, she explained.

Two studies have found no associations between spanking and mental health problems among kids who were spanked less than once or twice a month; other research has shown that spanking has much less of a negative effect on preschool kids than on infants and adolescents.

Moyer added that when it comes to the question of corporal punishment for children, there was a chicken-or-egg question tied to it: Are kids spanked because they act out, or do they act out because they are spanked  or both?

Danny Huerta of the prominent Colorado-based national Christian ministry Focus on the Family argued in a 2019 piece that child spanking could be either appropriate or inappropriate.

Used correctly and infrequently as part of a comprehensive parenting toolkit, a spank can be that last resort discipline method you use when you need to create attention and a clear understanding why the behavior should never happen again, he wrote.

Used inappropriately, spanking can be dangerous. Ive found some parents who use spanking as their main discipline tool and, many times, use it when theyre frustrated or angry. Ive also noticed some parents spank and move on, skipping the important teaching element.
Michelle Rodriguez opened up about the emergence of a female writer on staff for the Fast & Furious movie, as well as the inclusion of space scenes in the action film series.

The 42-year-old actress, speaking on The Jess Cagle Show on SiriusXM Thursday, said that she successfully lobbied producers to add a female writer to the staff of the film series.

'My biggest fight was getting a female writer and Im really happy that they were open to it,' said the San Antonio native, who's played Letty Ortiz Toretto in every installment of the films since 2001. 'Super grateful that they were open to it. I wanted a female writer. I wanted all the females in Fast & Furious to get some love.'

The latest: Michelle Rodriguez, 42, opened up about the emergence of a female writer on staff for the Fast & Furious movie, as well as the inclusion of space scenes in the action film series

The Machete Kills beauty said it was necessary to integrate a female perspective to the creative side of the action film anthology.

'Im just really, really happy that, that it was able to happen and that they brought female writers on board to kind of just cause the thing is, is that all the guys are focused on the guys, period,' Rodriguez said. 'Its just an egoist natural thing.

She continued: 'For people, people just care about themselves usually, or people who look like them or act like them or have the same genitalia, I dont know. Its just how it works. And so I just know that if I bring up a female writer and she might care a little more about the female story.'

The Girlfight beauty said that to add female writers helped add to the breadth and depth of the characters in the story.

Focused: The Machete Kills beauty said it was necessary to integrate a female perspective to the creative side of the action film anthology

Essential: The Girlfight beauty said to add female writers helped add to the breadth and depth of the characters in the story

Stalwart: The San Antonio native has played Letty Ortiz Toretto in every installment of the films since 2001

To infinity and beyond: Rodriguez was asked about space scenes in the film by the show's Jess Cagle and Julia Cunningham

'I think of that a lot of the boys just always like one-dimensionalized all the females,' she said. 'So its like, if Mia is on screen, theyll think, "Oh, shes the mother of the kid with the Paul Walker character.

'So we need to stick to the motherly stuff whenever she speaks" or theyll be like, "Oh, look, we have Natalie, shes the amazing young, sexy creature, a new, so like lets always have the boys hitting on her."'

She said that her own character, Michelle Letty, had long been too 'alpha and angry and ready to kick some a**.

'It just doesnt work,' she said. 'Its not natural. And I think that you need a female voice to understand that.'

She added that she wasn't 'lucky enough to hit space' in the upcoming film

Key player: Rodriguez was seen opposite Vin Diesel in 2015's Furious 7

Rodriguez was asked about space scenes in the film by the show's Jess Cagle and Julia Cunningham.

'How did you guys find that out?' she said. 'See what happens? People start talking behind the scenes, man. 'When a movie doesnt come out and forget about it, things get out. Nobody was supposed to know that!'

She added that she wasn't 'lucky enough to hit space' in the upcoming film.
Three-day exercise near the Strait of Hormuz involves naval, air and ground forces, as well as submarines and drones.

Iran has begun a three-day military exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to state media, with the drill taking place at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.

Naval, air and ground forces were participating in the manoeuvres across a nearly two million-square-kilometre (772,200-square-mile) area off the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.

State television said Iranian submarines and drones had also been deployed for the exercise, dubbed Zolfaghar-99.

Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, commander of the drill, said the exercise was aimed at improving readiness in confronting foreign threats and any possible invasion.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the drill, Admiral Shahram Irani, told state television that the US had withdrawn drones from the area of the exercise after a warning from Iran.





Long-standing tensions between the US and Iran escalated in 2018 when President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from a multinational accord that had lifted international sanctions off Tehran in return for the freezing of its nuclear programme.

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Adopting a campaign of maximum pressure, the Trump administration then reimposed crippling sanctions on the Iranian economy and has sought to extend a years-long United Nations arms embargo on Iran that is due to expire in October.

The two foes have come to the brink of direct confrontation twice since June 2019, when Iran shot down a US drone in the Gulf.

Fears of a full-blown military conflict deepened after Irans most prominent general, Qassem Soleimani, was assassinated in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport on January 3.

Five days later, Iran retaliated by launching a wave of missiles at two bases in Iraq hosting US troops, causing no fatalities.

Tehran, which opposes the presence of US and other Western navies in the Gulf, holds annual naval war games in phases in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil-trading route.

At another exercise in late July near the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian forces fired a missile from a helicopter targeting a replica of a US aircraft carrier.
Kate Winslet has admitted she 'regrets' working with shamed directors Woody Allen and Roman Polanski, and she didn't know 'what the f*** [she] was doing'.

The actress, 44, spoke candidly with Vanity Fair on Thursday about her prolific career and how she feels about working with the American director, 84, and Polish filmmaker, 87, despite sexual assault allegations made against them.

Speaking frankly about wanting to set a 'decent example' for women, she vented: 'What the f*** was I doing working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski?

'What the f*** was I doing?': Kate Winslet admitted on Thursday she 'regrets' working with directors Woody Allen and Roman Polanski (pictured in Allen's Wonder Wheel)

'Its unbelievable to me now how those men were held in such high regard, so widely in the film industry and for as long as they were. Its f***ing disgraceful. And I have to take responsibility for the fact that I worked with them both.

'I cant turn back the clock. Im grappling with those regrets but what do we have if we arent able to just be f***ing truthful about all of it?'

Kate worked with Allen on his 2017 film Wonder Wheel, while she appeared opposite Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster, and John C. Reilly in Polanski's Carnage in 2011.

Honest: Of wanting to set a 'decent example', she vented: 'Its f***ing disgraceful. And I have to take responsibility for the fact that I worked with them both' (pictured in Polanski's Carnage)

Polanski fled the United States in 1978 after being charged with the statutory rape of a 13 year-old girl, and has never returned.

Several other women have accused him in recent years of sexual misconduct, all of which he has denied.

Despite the allegations, Polanski won an Oscar in 2003 for directing World War Two drama The Pianist as well as a best director award at France's Cesar Awards this past February that caused several women to walk out in protest.

Scandal: Polanski fled the US in 1978 after being charged with statutory rape of a 13 year-old girl, and has never returned, he has also been accused of sexual misconduct by several women

Meanwhile in 1992, it emerged that Allen, then aged 57, was having an affair with his partner Mia Farrow's adoptive daughter Soon-Yi Previn, then aged 21.

After the scandal broke, Farrow and Allen had an acrimonious and public break up, during which she accused the venerated director of sexually assaulting their adopted daughter, Dylan, seven.

Allen was investigated but never charged and he has vehemently maintained his innocence ever since.

The allegations were brought again into the public eye with the #MeToo movement as Allen's son, the journalist Ronan Farrow, supported his sister Dylan's and mother Mia's abuse claims.

Sexual assault claim: Meanwhile in 1992, Allen's ex partner Mia Farrow accused the venerated director of sexually assaulting their adopted daughter, Dylan, seven

Kate is set to star in Francise Lee's Ammonite as palaeontologist Mary Anning, and she went on to question the necessity of awards shows and press junkets as she felt it was a waste of money and bad for the environment.

Admitting she's keen to cut down on her flying even if air travel restrictions are lifted amid the coronavirus crisis, Kate also pledged to recycle her red carpet looks.

She also claimed the 'stress' of awards season on those involved like actors and fashion designers was not worth it, as she claimed the money used for glitzy events could instead be used to build classrooms.


In Bob Woodwards new book Rage, President Trump says Obama is overrated and that he is disappointed in the lack of support from Black voters

According to a new book, President Donald Trump allegedly isnt too impressed by former United States President Barack Obama. In the book, Rage by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward, there are pages revealing Trumps true thoughts on the 44th president and his own relationship with Black America.

Woodward interviewed the current president 18 times for Rage according to The Washington Post. Trump told him, I dont think Obamas smart, I think hes highly overrated.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks while meeting with President-elect Donald Trump (L) following a meeting in the Oval Office November 10, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump continued, And I dont think hes a great speaker. Trump also added North Korean leader Kim Jong Un believes Obama is an asshole.

Read More: Donald Trump denies calling U.S. soldiers losers, blames the media

Trump has a history of making ill comments against Obama and other democrats of color. As reported by theGrio, Trump mocked Obama in a commercial, depicting him as an Allstate pitchman.

Trump Obama thegrio.com

Also reported by theGrio, the president called Joe Bidens vice-presidential running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, the meanest, the most horrible, most disrespectful of anybody in the U.S. Senate. In a tweet last year, the president directed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other members of the squad to go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.

.and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why dont they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019

But despite his harsh criticisms of democrats of color, Woodward says Trump believes he has been an ally to Black people.

Story continues

Read More: Trumps eldest sister makes damning claims about brother in surfaced audio: Donald is cruel

The Washington Post reports Trump thinks he has done more for Black Americans than any president except Abraham Lincoln. In another interview with the president, Woodard asks him if he thinks racism exists in this country. According to the author, Trump says, well, I think there is everywhere, I think probably less here than most places, or less here than many places.

Trump goes on to tell Woodward he is disappointed that he does not have the support of more Black voters.

Ive done a tremendous amount for the Black community, and honestly, Im not feeling any love, Trump said.

Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Trump claimed Obama highly overrated, insulted his intelligence: Woodward appeared first on TheGrio.
This is the comical moment a mother reacts in disbelief as she learns she is having twins during an ultrasound scan.

Chance Hindir-Lane, 25, from Maryland, was at the routine scan with her husband when the medic told her she was carrying not one but two babies.

Footage shows the expectant mother refuse to believe what she is hearing - even when she can see both foetuses on the screen - and accuse the doctor of lying, saying: 'No, that's not true.'

Chance Hindir-Lane cannot believe what she is hearing when her doctor tells her she is having twins and points to them on the screen

Ms Hindir-Lane, 25, from Maryland, decided to share the comical footage on Instagram

The mother, who also had a son who was under the age of two at the time, described how she was shocked to hear she would be welcoming her twin girls Apphia Chanceline L'ane and Atarah Furaha L'ane - who are now 20 months old.

During the clip, which was filmed last year but was shared by Ms Hindir-Lane more recently, the expectant mother gasps as the doctor tells her: 'You have twins.'

Unable to absorb the bombshell announcement, Ms Hindir-Lane repeatedly replies: 'I'm sorry, what?'

The doctor points out the two babies inside her uterus before the mother says: 'You're lying, you're joking. No that's not true. Aren't babies supposed to be in different things so that's obviously just one.'

The doctor goes on to tell the mother that the growing babies are in two different sacs in her uterus and explains: 'So here is your uterus and then there's a sac that's around this baby and a sac that's around this baby.'

As the information begins to sink in, Ms Hindir-Lane replies: 'So you mean like two of them? Oh my god. So you mean two right? At the same time? How do you even push them out at the same time?'

The doctor explains to the expectant mother that there are two babies growing inside her

The doctor calmly explains: 'Well one baby comes out first and then the next baby comes out.'

Ms Hindir-Lane then goes on to reveal that her sister also has twins as the doctor excitedly shouts: 'Oh my god!'

The mother said: 'When we showed up to the appointment and they told me I'm having twins, I really thought it was a prank by my husband.

'My husband was just as shocked and extremely excited.

'We couldn't stop thinking about how unreal the whole situation was!'

She added: 'It has been a long ride, but we love being the twins' parents!'

In July, the mother decided to share the comical footage with her followers on Instagram next to a message which read: 'Finding out there's two. ''I'm sorry WHAT?''

Ms Hindir-Lane later took to her Instagram page to share the comical video with her followers

'A year ago today I had a 6-month-old and thought I was pregnant with another baby. I was finally starting to be ok with the idea of having two under two.

'In my head I was having another boy and I was pretty sure that was that.

'Me finding out I was having twins is still the funniest video I've ever seen. I'm not sure why I thought the doctor was lying to me.'


Copenhagen: A self-taught Danish engineer who was convicted of torturing and murdering a Swedish journalist on his homemade submarine in 2017 before dismembering her body and dumping it at sea says her death was his fault.

In a new documentary, Peter Madsen says that journalist Kim Wall was interviewing him on the submarine and was "hitting something". He was then asked if that triggered something in him so he "at the end kills her", to which Madsen replies "yes". It wasn't clear what she hit  whether it was something she said that made him react, or something in the submarine.

Peter Madsen was found guilty of murdering Swedish journalist Kim Wall in his submarine 2017. Credit:AP

The documentary airs on the Dplay channel, which is part of Discovery Networks in Denmark. It is based on telephone interviews with Madsen who is in prison.

"Its my fault she died," he said. "And it's my fault because I committed the crime. It's all my fault.
Ames & Gough, an insurance broker and risk management consultant specializing in serving design professionals, law firms, associations/nonprofits and other professional service organizations, has appointed equity partner Allison Buytenhuys as senior vice president and Brian Lynch, Cady Sinks and Rachelle Tucker as assistant vice presidents.

Buytenhuys has been a partner of Ames & Gough since 2015. She will continue to lead the firms administration, including accounting, technology and licensing, as well as assisting with human resources and employee benefits. Based in the Washington, D.C., office, she joined Ames & Gough in 2001 after serving as a marketing assistant for Victor O. Schinnerer.

Sinks is a client executive based in the Washington, D.C., office. In addition to evaluating clients risks and handling all aspects of their insurance renewal process, she is directly involved in the placement of all commercial coverage lines, including property and casualty, professional liability and management liability. She joined Ames & Gough in 2016 and has more than 16 years of insurance industry experience.

Lynch is a client executive based in the Washington, D.C., office. He joined Ames & Gough in 2017 and has more than 10 years of experience in insurance brokerage. Previously, he worked at insurance brokers in Boston, Mass.

Tucker is a senior account manager based in the Boston, Mass., office. She joined Ames & Gough in 2014 and has nearly 25 years of experience in commercial and personal lines account management, as well as customer service with various insurance companies and agencies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Source: Ames & Gough

Topics Washington
The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has broken another record, falling to 2.86 percent over the past week, according to a survey by government-sponsored mortgage-finance company Freddie Mac. Before the pandemic, mortgager rates had never fallen below 3 percent.

That means the majority of homeowners with mortgages could save money from refinancing their loans to current rates. In November of 2018, they had hovered around 4.94 percent.

Freddie Mac noted in its mortgage rate survey that the low rates may not be enough to spur an increase in home sales because there are not enough homes on the market, which has caused prices to rise despite the recession.

MORTGAGE RATES: Mortgage rates fall below 3 percent for the first time

George Ratiu, realtor.com's senior economist, agreed.

"The market imbalance is pushing prices close to 11 percent higher compared to a year ago, an advance which is beginning to erode the benefits of lower mortgage rates," he said in an email. "For many young, first-time buyers, the shift is reducing affordability, just as they are ready to embrace homeownership."

While low mortgage rates are good for homebuyers and owners, they signal that investors are concerned about the future of the economy. When investors become nervous, they seek safer investments and pour money into government bonds and mortgage debt  much of it backed by Freddie Mac and its sister company Fannie Mae.

Investors are so hungry for security that they are willing to accept lower yields, driving down the interest paid on bonds and mortgages. Actions by the Federal Reserve to support the economy, including cutting short-term rates to near zero and buying government- and mortgage-backed bonds, are also driving down mortgage rates.

Ratiu blamed the most recent dip in mortgage prices on "investors moving away from the sharp volatility in equity markets and towards the relative safety of bonds."
The company that owns the U.S. Outdoor Store, a landmark retailer in downtown Portland for decades, has filed for bankruptcy and closed its downtown store  blaming violent demonstrations, street campers and panhandlers for its predicament.

My customers tell me theyre tired of tripping over bodies to get to the store, said owner Ed Ariniello. He joins a growing chorus of merchants furious over what they view as a significant decline of the citys downtown core.
Law enforcement have identified social media accounts used by Project Lakhta members since August 2019 up until the present to post about a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, gun rights, LGBTQ issues, and the Black Lives Matter movement, prosecutors wrote. They are using sophisticated methods to obfuscate the origins of their social media activity, including the use of virtual private servers, software enabling anonymous communications, and single use or burner email accounts, the complaint said.
By Martin Quin Pollard

LAIWU, China (Reuters) - In a room inside a hillside Taoist monastery in China's Shandong province lies a collection of 558 memorial tablets inscribed with the names and home towns of people who died after contracting the coronavirus or while battling the pandemic.

Some of them, like Li Wenliang, are household names in China. Others, like Liu Hewei, are not.

"A person's true death is when the whole world has forgotten them," said Taoist priest Liang Xingyang, who started the collection on Jan. 29, shortly after Chinese authorities announced that the virus could pass between humans.

"No matter what religion or beliefs they hold, their spirit deserves to be passed on. In fact, they live on in our hearts."

Taoism, or Daoism, is a philosophy-turned-religion that has tens of millions of followers in China and is one of the country's five officially sanctioned religions.

Taoists use memorial tablets to give souls a place to rest after death, Liang said.

The monastery complex, where a small community of priests lives, sleeps, eats and worships, is spread across a rocky hill. In one hall perched high up and reached by a steep flight of stairs, the ornate gold and blue slabs are stacked in neat rows.

An act of remembrance on such a scale is unusual in China - Liang believes his is the only such collection linked either to Taoism or Buddhism.

China, where the coronavirus emerged in the city of Wuhan late last year, has held remembrance events arranged by the government and some museums have asked the public to donate items to commemorate the country's fight against COVID-19.

But much of the country has reopened after lockdown and striven to return to normal life as new cases slow.

That is in contrast to the widespread anger in China early on in the pandemic when Li Wenliang, a young doctor who was reprimanded by police after he tried to raise the alarm about the virus, died of the associated disease in early February.

Story continues

As of Sept. 8, there have been 85,146 confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China and 4,634 people have died. Globally, at least 897,000 people have died from COVID-19 and over 27 million have been infected.

'GREATEST COMFORT'

Of those honoured by the tablets, only a minority died of COVID-19. Most died from other causes, like exhaustion from overwork, Liang said, adding that he compiled his list of "heroes" based on state media reports or government notices.

Liu, for instance, was a 42-year-old government official from Inner Mongolia who died in February of a heart attack after working 20 days consecutively as a deputy director of a large local market.

Liu's widow visited the monastery at the end of August to see his tablet, a reminder for 41-year-old Liang that contacting grieving relatives was the toughest part of the project.

"I think that enabling them to see each other in this way, enabling relatives to discover that after one of their family had lost their life, someone else remembers them, I think this is the greatest comfort to me," Liang explained.

During a recent visit, priests moved across the monastery's colonnaded courtyards in ornate, multi-coloured robes and black caps. At a ceremony for one of the dead being honoured, a family member knelt while priests flanked her. Cymbals crashed and chants were sung.

Liang said he faced some resistance from authorities to his idea, but discussions resolved the issues.

He was also accused by some of using the memorials to try to spread his religion and make money through donations, accusations he denies. He even received death threats online.

To address the concerns, Liang, who also runs a jewellery company with over a dozen employees, has refused donations for the tablets, despite spending over 200,000 yuan (22,510.83 pounds) on them so far.

Liang, who has a following of three million people on China's Twitter-like Weibo, does get help from young people who have joined him over the years, including Deng Shiquan, a 28-year-old former restaurant worker who is now a priest.

"The hardest thing is to keep going," Liang said.

"We maintain them (the tablets) every day. Then we wait to see if, once this disaster has finished, will people still remember them? It is this which is the biggest hurdle."

(Reporting by Martin Pollard in Laiwu, China; Additional Reporting by Tingshu Wang; Editing by Brenda Goh and Mike Collett-White)
Trumps explanation  that he didnt want to create a panic  is credible only if the panic he sought to avoid was on Wall Street. Denying Americans crucial information at the start of a pandemic  when the eventual extent of that pandemic could be dramatically curtailed by concerted action  is outrageous, heartless, reckless negligence. According to some estimates, more than 80 percent of American covid-19 deaths could have been avoided if shutdowns and other public health measures had commenced two weeks earlier. By his own words, Trump stands convicted of a level of public health malpractice that amounts to a different kind of American carnage.
Newly appointed West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday urged all the defectors, who have joined opposition camps, to return to the party.

"I want to convey this to everyone who had left the Congress that they can rethink on this and come back. I will ensure that they get their due respect in the party," Chowdhury said.

The senior Congress MP from Berhampore in Murshidabad, who is also the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said that he would make personal efforts to woo the defectors back.

"I will call on them (all defectors) to return to their grand old party," Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury added.

Chowdhury also said that the Congress is ready to enter into a political alliance with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in Bengal to put up a combined fight against the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Earlier also, Chowdhury had served as the state PCC chief between 2014 and 2018.
It is over-simplification to say the world has been overwhelmed with too much oil and gas and inadequate drivers of demand for them over the last few years. Price movements of commodities are traditionally cyclic in nature, and have followed a multi-year boom-bust sinusoidal-type wave profile that dates back to the earliest days of humanitys first phase of industrialization. These cycles are triggered historically by a catalyst that impacts the global demand for commodities, and drives prices up or down for decades. In physics the sine wave represents the oscillations in which the amplitude of the peaks and troughs are proportional to its displacement, over time.

To date, the sine curves of the commodity cycle have followed this trend. Is this set in stone? To know where we might go, it is important to understand where weve been. In this article we will review the factors involved in initiating the current commodity super cycle, the peak of which we crested in 2011. The fundamental question being, are there some extenuating factors that might short-circuit the depth of the projected trough. A trough, that if nothing changes could last for another decade.

The origins of the current super cycle

In 2011-ish we crested peak demand in the current cycle and began a period of contraction in commodity demand as the global economic system reacted to the market implosion and credit crisis of 2008. An implosion driven by the collapse of the U.S. housing bubble the year prior. Oil prices continued higher for several years on the potential for supply disruptions driven by unrest in the Middle East, and Africa, peaking in 2011. A war-fear premium, if you will. Oil prices then began to drift lower over the next several years, but remained high relative to their historical averages. The decision by OPEC in mid-2014 to maximize their market share took the war-fear premium out of oil and led to a multi-year collapse in pricing. A collapse that's only recently seen its low point, as once again OPEC+ (OPEC with the addition of Russia), made a fundamental course correction in its quest for market share.

Related: Oil Prices Regain Lost Ground As Stock Markets Recover



The result of all of this has been the carnage of the last six, going on seven years that has decimated the global oil and gas industry. An industry that had borrowed and built its way to massive proportions on the notion that oil prices would remain above $100 forever. Particularly in the E&P sector among the Super Major International Oil Companies-IOC's, we've seen share prices fall as the expectations for growth in 2014 turned in discussions of obsolescence as a new wave of alternative forms of energy caught the public's imagination. To measure the extent of the decline, its useful to note that in 2008 oil and gas firms represented 15 percent of the S&P 500. Today they represent just 2.3 percent of this index.

Before we go further, let's define just what a Commodity Super Cycle is, and examine the origins of our current super cycle.

Source

A commodity Super Cycle is characterized by the abrupt and lengthy rise of industrial commodities-oil, metals, livestock, agricultural, over time until prices rise toward a peak, and then cause a contraction toward the eventual trough. The rapid rise of China as the global manufacturer of nearly everything provided the spark or "catalyst" that initiated the current commodity Super Cycle. Beginning in the early 1990's China became the buyer of last resort of nearly all raw materials produced globally. If no one else wanted it, they did. What we learn from the graphic above is that these cycles come in waves and are initiated by a "shock" to the global supply system. Growth creates demand and supplies increase to meet that demand, driving up prices as this happens. When prices reach a certain multiple from a historical mean that varies from commodity to commodity demand shrinks, and suppliers are left with excess inventory. Prices crash until inventories shrink to modest levels, and the next inflection point is reached, be it war, technological or expansion of a sector's middle class. And, then a new cycle begins.

As discussed above, if the past is a guide, and it generally is in sine curves, we have conceivably another decade of decline before we bottom out and a new cycle begins. Perhaps this extended down cycle is not inevitable?

The Global population which drives all economic activity increases by ~80 mm annually. Every dozen years or so we have a billion new inhabitants of the earth. Plus in many areas of the world the middle class is expanding. Growth seems to be the base case for world economic activity, and should drive commodity prices higher. Will it?

What's different this time?

A difference might be that presently a number of new vectors are developing for a resumption of the increase of commodity demand.

India is likely to be one of the next recipients of the flow of global capital due to a number of factors-

In 2030 it is projected to become the most populous nation on earth with 1.5 bn inhabitants, 50% of which are under 25-years of age, and 65% are under 35.

Low wage rates compared to China. $148 per month vs $234 in China .

A rising middle class that by 2030 will comprise 68% of the country and number in excess of a billion, allowing that are wide bands of income in what is considered middle class in that country.

About 10% of India's middle class is considered highly educated . India currently exports many of their degreed class due to lack of employment opportunities at home. A scenario that could shift if outside capital does indeed begin to flow to India.

Challenges include the diversity of tribes and native tongues spoken in India. Nearly a thousand variants of ethnicity and hundreds of mother tongues present a challenge to growth and communication within the country.

Nations of the ASEAN trading block present a lesser but still represent a significant and growing alternative to China with a population of 600 mm. Largely youthful in demographics and a common culture of seeking out higher education, these countries are already receiving new capital that might a few years ago have gone to China. The key challenge for ASEAN growth is the disparate linguistic differences and governmental structures ranging from legacy potentates mixed with democracy to communist with their attendant restrictions on individual liberty.

China's new middle class is six times larger than just a couple of decades ago. Numbering about 700 mm this is the largest single group of affluent consumers on the planet. China creates its own huge internal demand for goods and services.

Finally China remains a manufacturing powerhouse for decades if not perpetuity. A good part of the present conflict between the U.S. and China has to do with China's Belt and Road Initiative that seeks to propel their economy ahead of the U.S. What that means is they will fight tooth and claw to retain their export economy, while at the same time preparing to serve their internal middle class.

Related: UAEs Nuclear Power Pivot Comes At A High Cost



The essence of this argument is that with the multiplicity of causal agents listed above, and confronted by renewed global economic expansion, increasingly scarce commodities must begin a new Super Cycle.

Technological drivers: Infrastructure Spending, Electrification, and AI

There are factors that logically could influence the depth of the commodity cycle.

There is a global push to modernize infrastructure in developing countries. Roads, bridges, cellular towers, mass transit, airports, dams, water projects, harbors, to name a few are being built or upgraded around the world , and in places that have been fairly primitive historically. This amounts to trillions of dollars of spending that will be focused on energy intensive construction, earth moving and heavy lifting type work that requires large energy expenditures to carry out. It is also worth noting that aging infrastructure in the U.S. and Europe much of which dates back to the early part of the last century, represents trillions of dollars of energy intensive capex that must be carried out to maintain our civilization.

Electrification of everything is underway. Energy use will increase from population growth and from the change to robotic labor in factories, a shift to cleaner fuels for transportation, and growth of global middle classes. Source

What doesn't get a lot of press is that in order to generate electricity with the exception of a small but growing fraction generated by wind, and solar, and to a lesser degree by hydro sources, you have to burn something. The fuel to do that is mostly now, and is predicted to remain natural gas.

Source

In the graphic above 'renewables' are credited with most of the increase in global electric generation. I think this is wildly optimistic and there are a lot of folks in California who might be starting to agree with me. When its 115 degrees outside, you don't care where your electricity comes from, you just want it to be there. That said, the current political push to decarbonize energy sources must be considered.

AI will transform the way the world works, and its a change that's only begun. In an OilPrice article a couple of months ago that featured an unlikely candidate for a writer whose primary expertise lies in the energy sector. It featured Microsoft, (MSFT), a company that until a few years ago, was primarily known for its suite of office productivity software. The reason it made the DDR was its entry into the cloud storage and applications space, and its five-year alliance with Halliburton, (HAL). I calculated that over the next five-years the MSFT Cloud platform, Azure could generate $50 bn in revenue. MSFT is not even the biggest in this space. Amazon, (AMZN) web services AWS is the market leader so far.

The cloud and AI are very abstract to most of us. The build-out of the hardware and data storage infrastructure necessary to sustain it will be an engineering undertaking the likes of which the world has never seen. Think of hectares and hectares of server storage warehouses, and the energy to run and cool them as they run, and you see that Lavoisier's constant still applies. There is no free lunch. Work that previously was done by hands, and backs will now be done by the brain, assisted with AI architecture. The rub is the energy required to do all of this work remains the same. That will require massive investments in energy sources of all types to sustain.

Your takeaway

This has been a bit of futuristic prognosticating about things that might impact the current down slope of commodity demand. If history is a judge we have a long way to go before a new cycle begins. We often talk about what a catalyst for return to growth in the energy sector might look like. If any of the scenarios weve discussed here-in, come close to being correct as supplies drop from years of under-investment and demand increases from the global economic recovery, we may not have long to find out.

By David Messler for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A Perth mother of three  including an infant  says she and her family have been stranded at Londons Heathrow airport for three days after being bumped off flights in favour of business class travellers due to Australias caps on international arrivals.

The family has been stranded at Heathrow Airport for three days, the mother-of-three said. Credit:Facebook

Sheree Richardson took to social media on Saturday, posting images of her children sleeping on the airport floor covered in winter coats.

Homeless now at Heathrow with three children. Have been for three days and watch people paying for business class tickets right in front of me!! 14, 11 and 1 year old its not right, the post, which has garnered hundreds of comments, reads.

She said she booked their flights before international arrivals caps were introduced.
Atma Nirbhar Bharat: Prime Minister Modi launched flagship scheme, e-Gopala app

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) flagship scheme. The focus is around the sustainable development of the fisheries sector.

PM Modi also launched mobile app e-Gopala that will provide farmers marketplace for livestock.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Prime Minister's Office said that Modi will also launch several other initiatives in the fisheries and animal husbandry sectors in Bihar.

The PMMSY is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of fisheries sector in the country with an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crore for its implementation during 2020-21 to 2024-25 as part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat package.

The investment of Rs. 20,050 crore under PMMSY is the highest ever in the fisheries sector, the PMO said.

The project in Bihar envisages investment of Rs 1,390 crore with the central share of Rs 535 crore and the additional fish production target pegged at three lakh tons.

The e-Gopala app, it added, is a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for direct use of farmers.

At present no digital platform is available in the country for farmers managing livestock including buying and selling of disease free germplasm in all forms, availability of quality breeding services and guiding farmers for animal nutrition, treatment of animals using appropriate medicine.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

There is no mechanism to send alerts on due date for vaccination, pregnancy diagnosis and calving among other issues and inform farmers about various government schemes and campaigns in the area. The e-Gopala app will provide solutions to farmers on all these aspects, the PMO said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 13:13 [IST]
A few weeks ago, Excuse Me Madam actor Rajesh Kumar had tested positive for Coronavirus. The actor has now apparently resumed shoot as he recovered and tested negative. As per a TOI report, the actors were facing discomfort and were paranoid as the lead actor had tested positive for COVID-19.

A source from the set told the leading daily, "The artists were paranoid on the first day of its shoot, and were constantly using hand sanitisers and wearing masks every time they are not in the middle of the shot. What has added more concern is that the show's lead male actor, Rajesh Kumar tested positive for coronavirus. The fellow star casts have raised their voice of experiencing discomfort and are paranoid about it." (sic)

Since the on-air date was nearing, the makers wanted to have a bank of episodes for the telecast. And now, due to the Coronavirus scare, the team has suggested shooting from home. Apparently, the storyline will be narrated on a zoom call and the actors will be shooting from their respective houses.

Meanwhile, Rajesh, who tested negative recently, took to social media to share the news. He shared a note on his Instagram story that read, "After keeping too much of positive attitude towards COVID finally I am negative...thanks to all of you for keeping me n my family in your prayers..."

He also told Spotboye, "Testing positive for Covid-19 is surely not a good news, but yes, I did take the necessary steps and home quarantined myself. I have been following all the medications and direction given by my doctor. Being a COVID warrior has actually taught me to look at the bright side and positive take in life. It has in fact rejuvenated me to be a positive person. All I can urge everyone is to please be safe and take all the precautions as possible to keep you and your family safe."

Excuse Me Madam will go on-air from September 14, 2020, from Monday to Friday on Star Bharat. The show also stars Nyra Banerjee and Sucheta Khanna in the lead roles.

Also Read: Rajesh Kumar Says He Has Lost Sense Of Smell; Co-Star Nyra Unaware of Him Testing COVID-19 Positive
The event featured the participation of diplomatic staff of the embassy and Vietnamese representative offices in Switzerland, along with their family members.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Le Linh Lan reviewed the important milestones of the 75-year journey since President Ho Chi Minh sonorously read the Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945. The Vietnamese people, under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam, have overcome many difficulties and sacrifices to safeguard national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and rights of nation's self-determination and peoples right to the pursuit of happiness.

Vietnam in the Ho Chi Minh Era has performed miracles such as the glorious Dien Bien Phu Victory, the Great Spring Victory of 1975, and the great achievements in many fields such as economy, diplomacy, social culture, security and defence.

After nearly 35 years of the Doi moi (Renewal), Vietnam has grown strongly, constantly affirming its position as an independence, autonomous, proactive and active country in international integration, as well as a reliable friend, partner, and responsible member of the international community.

Ambassador Le Linh Lan also reviewed important milestones in the Vietnam-Switzerland cooperation relationship since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1971. She highly appreciated the role and position of Switzerland in Vietnam's foreign policy.

She also affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to strengthening the friendly relationship and multifaceted cooperation with Switzerland.

On the occasion, the Embassy held a documentary screening of "75 years in a journey" for the participants.
HENLEYS Remembrance service could be live streamed online this year to allow it to go ahead safely.

Members of the town councils events sub-committee said it was important for the event to go ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Traditionally, councillors and their partners attend the service and ceremony outside the town hall and there is a parade.

There are also representatives from local branches of the Royal British Legion, a bugler to play the Last Post and a member of the clergy as well as a crowd of people in Market Place.

This year, the council is considering holding the event on Sunday, November 8, but limiting the number of people and providing a live feed for those unable to be there. Under government guidelines a maximum of 30 people are allowed to attend outdoor gatherings.

Deputy Mayor David Eggleton suggested just having himself and Mayor Ken Arlett to represent the council.

He said: I understand that we have to fit within government guidelines but I think it is very important that we have this event.

We will need to emphasise that people need to keep their distance.

Councillor Kellie Hinton said it was difficult to see how the event could go ahead as normal.

We are local government and therefore we cant go against the government guidelines, she said. Unless they change, we cant have more than 30 people.

We would normally have 16 councillors but I know some wouldnt be able to make it. I dont see how you could do the parade and the laying of the wreaths.

Unless there were more slots over the weekend, I think we are going to have to drop the parade and possibly the wreaths because we cant go against government advice. It is a civic event so I dont think you can limit it. No councillor is more important than another and we cant have only Henley Residents Group and no Conservative or independent councillors.

Councillor Arlett said: I know we are only meant to have 30 people but Im sure with the size of Market Place that we can put people in different areas. I dont think we will have it as it normally is but we need to have something to allow the organisations to come along. Helen Barnett, town and community manager, said it would be sensible not to have any small children at the event or it would become unmanageable.

We have to think long and hard about how many people we can have with social distancing, she said. Perhaps we could have separate times for people to come and lay their wreaths. I think the most important thing is that we have something at 11am.

Cllr Hinton said she would be happy to organise a digital wreath- laying service to help reduce the number of people at the event.

The meeting heard that the council had already discussed streaming options with the organisers of the Henley Literary Festival, which is currently taking place online only.
The Biden campaign said that it was aware of reports from Microsoft that a foreign actor has made unsuccessful attempts to access the noncampaign email accounts of individuals affiliated with the campaign, and that it was preparing for the inevitable onslaught of attacks in the coming weeks. While the campaign did not confirm the companys reporting, it has taken issue with the director of national intelligences assessment, issued several weeks ago, that Chinese leaders prefer Mr. Biden over Mr. Trump.

The Microsoft investigation also concluded that hackers related to Russias G.R.U., the military intelligence unit that oversaw the hack and leak efforts in 2016 that made emails from Hillary Clintons campaign public, were going to new lengths to hide their tracks. They are routing some of the attacks through Tor, a service that conceals the attackers whereabouts and identity, which slowed the effort to identify the hackers.

So far, Microsoft officials said they found no evidence that hacking efforts this year were successful, but corporate officials noted that they had limited vision into Russias overall operations. They cannot say definitively that no materials were stolen, or what Russias motivations may be. That, they said, was the role of U.S. intelligence officials.

Microsofts findings come just two weeks after the director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, declared that he would no longer let intelligence agencies give detailed, in-person briefings about election interference to Congress. He said the restrictions were because of leaks.

In a statement, Christopher Krebs, who directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at the Department of Homeland Security, said, We are aware that Microsoft detected attempts to compromise email accounts of people and organizations associated with the upcoming election.

Mr. Krebs noted that none are involved in maintaining or operating voting infrastructure and there was no identified impact on election systems. He also said that the companys announcement is consistent with earlier statements by the intelligence community on a range of malicious cyberactivities targeting the 2020 campaign and reinforces that this is an all-of-nation effort to defend democracy.

Mr. Krebs, who was a Microsoft executive before joining the Trump administration, said his agency was releasing on Thursday guidance for improving cyberdefenses against account compromise attacks.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - United Airlines is set to expand its global route network with new nonstop service to Africa, India and Hawaii. The carrier intends offer more nonstop service to India and South Africa than any other U.S. carrier, while also remaining the largest carrier between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii. United said travelers can begin purchasing tickets for the new international routes in the coming weeks on united.com and the United app. However, the airlines said these routes are still subject to government approval. Starting December, United will have daily flights between Chicago and New Delhi. It will also have flights between San Francisco and Bangalore, India as well as Newark/New York and Johannesburg from spring 2021. In late spring of 2021, the airline plans to introduce new nonstop service between Washington, D.C., and Accra, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria, with three weekly flights to each destination. Additionally, United will fly nonstop flights four times weekly between Chicago and Kona as well as Newark/New York and Maui as customers look to resume leisure travel to the Hawaiian Islands from summer of 2021. Starting this week, the airline also begin offering new nonstop service between Chicago and Tel Aviv. United claims to be the only U.S. carrier serving Accra and Lagos nonstop from Washington, D.C., Tel Aviv from Chicago, Bangalore from San Francisco and Johannesburg from Newark/New York. United's new trans-Atlantic flights will operate with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft featuring United Polaris business class. Its new service between Chicago and Kona will operate with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft and service between New York/Newark and Maui will operate with Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. While it gears up to expand its global route network, United is also set to deliver an industry-leading standard of cleanliness to its customers through its United CleanPlus program. It has teamed up with Clorox and Cleveland Clinic to redefine cleaning and health safety procedures from check-in to landing. 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.
Free on-site COVID-19 testing will be available Friday through Sunday at the Illinois Department of Corrections Greene County Work Camp in Roodhouse.

Face masks will be required, but no appointment is needed for the testing, which is being sponsored by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Greene County Health Department. Those with or without coronavirus symptoms who are at least 6 months old will be tested between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day.

Tests will be done with a nasal swab and results can take up to seven days to be returned, according to the health department. Those being tested must have a valid phone number to be contacted with the results.

Greene County remains on the states list of counties in which there is a heightened risk of transmission of the disease. Jersey County is the only other west-central Illinois location on the list.

Greene County has seen 162 positive tests and two deaths. Jersey County cases total 324, with six deaths.

Two new cases were confirmed in Cass County, involving a girl in her teens and a woman in her 40s, according to Cass County Health Department.

Cass Countys overall case count is 339, with 302 recoveries and 11 deaths.

Morgan County saw one new positive test Wednesday, involving a woman in her 80s, according to a daily briefing by the Morgan County Department of Public Health, Jacksonville/Morgan County Emergency Management, Memorial Health System, county commissioners and the city of Jacksonville.

There have been 599 infections in Morgan County, with 480 people released from restrictions and 21 deaths.

Total cases in other west-central Illinois counties as of Wednesday were: 26 in Brown County (up six since Aug. 31); 435 in Macoupin County (up six); 2,061 in Sangamon County (up 27); 53 in Scott County (up two: a man in his 50s and a woman in her 90s); and 32 in Schuyler County (unchanged), according to individual county health departments.

Statewide, 1,337 new cases of coronavirus disease and 30 deaths were reported Wednesday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

There have been 253,690 cases in Illinois and 8,214 deaths.
The National Youth Organiser of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the recently launched manifesto of the opposition National Democratic Congress is full of unrealistic, populist and discredited promises.

Addressing the press in Accra today, Thursday, September 10, 2020, Henry Nana Boakye said: Our verdict is that the NDCs 2020 manifesto is simply a document full of unrealistic populist and discredited promises disguised as the peoples manifesto when in fact it is not.

The vast majority is either stolen ideas, repetition of existing or ongoing projects by the NPP, deceptive and unreliable policies and recycled failed promises of their 2012 manifesto such as the promise to pay Assembly Members were repackaged into their 2020 manifesto.

He further said the flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama and the NDC cannot be trusted to manage the affairs of the nation creditably well.

Mahama cannot be trusted and Ghanaians should not waste their time on him, he insisted.

NDC has nothing to offer Ghanaians with 'empty manifesto'

The National Chairman NPP, Freddie Blay has already described the NDCs manifesto as empty and unconvincing.

Mr. Blay says the promises in the NDC manifesto are unrealistic and a ploy to lure unsuspecting Ghanaians to vote for them in the December polls.

If you look critically at the NDC manifesto, it is empty, a rehash of old promises in their manifestos of 2008, 2012 and 2016. It does not reflect the reality on the ground.

He added that we can't trust John Mahama and the NDC. They plunged this country into darkness for four years. We endured dumsor and it was God's grace that Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP came to rescue Ghanaians. This same John Mahama was President when nurses and teacher trainee allowances were scrapped, today it has been restored. What shows that he will not cancel it if he comes back'? Freddie Blay asked.

 citinewsroom
Killing of Nathaniel Julies, a 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome, sparked outcry and protests against police brutality.

Three South African police officers are due to appear in court over the killing of a disabled teenager, in a case that sparked public outcry and once again put police brutality in the country under the spotlight.

Thursdays hearing in the Protea magistrates court in Soweto will be the second time the officers appear before a judge over the August 26 shooting of Nathaniel Julies in Eldorado Park, a suburb of Johannesburg.

Witnesses said Julies, a 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome, was holding a biscuit in his hand when police began questioning him, but he was not able to answer properly due to his condition.

They alleged that police officers bundled Julius into a van after the shooting and took him to hospital several kilometres away, where he died.

It is very difficult for many South Africans to imagine what could have happened that caused the death of a 16-year-old with Down syndrome, said Al Jazeeras Fahmida Miller, reporting from Soweto.

Julies family maintain that he could not answer the officers questions because of his disability.

The case has reignited a debate about police brutality in South Africa, with demonstrators taking to the streets to demand accountability for the young boys killing. On Saturday, dozens of mourners bid an emotional farewell to Julies as he was laid to rest.

Police initially said Julies was wounded in a shoot-out between gang members and police officers when a stray bullet hit him. But the family and the community rejected the claim.

On August 31, two police officers were charged with murder, discharge of a firearm in a public place, being in possession of prohibited ammunition and defeating the ends of justice. A third suspect was arrested days later.
Parenting During This Pandemic Requires An Anointing Many Already Possess, Said Louisiana Counselor

With todays coronavirus pandemic, parents and grandparents are facing a crisis never before seen. From dealing with health fears, sharp shifts to virtual learning, job losses, and political protests, parenting youth todayin a world thats vastly changinghas become more challenging and overwhelming.

Nearly half of parents of children under age 18 said their stress levels related to the coronavirus pandemic are high, according to a new survey by the American Psychological Association.

For many parents, it can feel overwhelming to face competing demands at home and work along with possible financial challenges during this unprecedented crisis, said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, APAs chief executive officer. Children are keen observers and often notice and react to stress or anxiety in their parents, caregivers, peers, and community. Parents should prioritize their self-care and try their best to model healthy ways of coping with stress and anxiety.

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Louisiana-based family counselor Barbara W. Green said one way to deal with the crisis is to recognize Gods gift to parents.

A crisis comes for the purpose of reflection, re-turning, and restoring, said Green. It takes the Anointing to recognize what to do in a crisis. This anointing is a parent anointing. It is the special, God-given ability to parent that many people already have, she said.

In 2013, Green published the second edition of, The Parent Anointing, which clarifies the unique position God establishes to help adults parent and rear children. Green offers this advice for those seeking solutions and strategies through this pandemic. The parent who moves in the anointing follows God, the Heavenly Father, she said.

Within the pages of The Parent Anointing and during private sessions, Green urges parents to reflect on God as the ultimate parent and become that reflection.

The parent anointing is the reflection of love of the Father God upon His children. When a parent operates in the anointing (calling and instruction) of the Heavenly Father, the child sees the goodness of God reflected in the love which the parent has for the child, she said.

She used John 17:22-23 to explain. It states, And the glory which You gave me, I have given them, that they may be one, just as we are one. {Unity} I in them, and You in me .{Reflection} and that the world may know that You sent me {Representation} and have loved them as You have loved me {reflective mirroring}.

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The parent anointing is not reserved for biological parents only, Green said. A parent is also a nonbiological adult who cares for and guides a child or teen. For all parents, the anointing is reflective from God through the parent to the child and it is present in three significant ways: faith, purpose, and significance.

The way to survive any crisis is to resist the temptation to become selfish, Green said If a family is to get through a crisis, it is through unified effort in looking out for one another. Not survival of the fittest, but fitting all to survive. And, if the family is to survive, it must be done through one accord, not discord. The family that strives together, remains together, in purpose. And (when) the purpose is to glorify God, the family has achieved added value on earth, and in Heaven, to survive the crisis.

Green also tells parents to hold on to faith. It is the one, sure way to please God. More than 2,000 years ago, the Glory that was given to family was oneness in faith. It is the major supplier of anointing.

She reminds parents that God watched over His son to perfect the things that concerned Him and, in turn, the Son never did anything without consulting His Father, first. I do the will of the Father who sent Me, Christ said.

The anointing gives parents the power to be like Christ and consult the Father in every decision and do Gods will, especially through this pandemic, she said.

For families to endure, grow, and defeat stagnation during this time of crisis, these three things are needed:

 Purpose Singularity where one person may have the same purpose as another but remains singular in how they achieve their purpose.

 Unity in the agreement of the importance of strengthening the family structure.

 Glory and credit for overcoming obstacles the family members may face during these trying times.

Circling back to John 17, Green said, It is then, that the child will say, the lessons my parents gave me I have given my children that they may be one just as God and I are one. And I have loved them in the same manner as my parents and God loved me.

From her Inner Reflections office in Baton Rouge, Green counsels individuals, families, and groups in person and virtually. The Parent Anointing is available in her office and through independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes and Noble. She is also the author of a childrens book on generational prayers (The Great One) and a collection of life-affirming short stories (a charge to keep).
Laois and Offaly's district court judge has warned young people about the damage caused by drugs describing cocaine as a most unglamorous drug made by gangs who kill and rape.

Judge Catherine Staines issued her warning about the dangers of drug-taking during last week's sitting of Tullamore District Court.

A number of young people came before her for drug possession offences and she issued warnings to each of them, pleading with them to give up what could be a damaging habit.

For your own sake stop taking these drugs, she told one young woman.

To a young man, she pointed out that a bad ecstasy tablet can cause psychosis and you could end up in a psychiatric hospital. It could damage you for the rest of your life. You are obviously an intelligent young man; please start acting intelligently.

The Judge asked another woman if she knew about the origins of cocaine. Cocaine is a very serious drug, said the Judge. It's produced in a number of countries in South America. These countries are plagued by drug gangs who murder and rape.

"These drugs gangs sell cocaine to the West where it is consumed by the young and the privileged, to people like yourself. In the West, the young and the privileged think cocaine is a glamorous drug. It is not. It is the most unglamorous thing you could think of.
According to data provided by Worldometer, India has recorded more new Covid-19 cases than any other country in the past two weeks.



State wise, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu account for 62 per cent of total active cases in the country.



On Wednesday, Maharashtra and Delhi recorded their highest single-day spike of 23,816 and 4,039 cases, respectively. The national capital's tally has topped 200,000 mark now. However, despite a sharp surge in Covid cases in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party government has ruled out the possibility of another lockdown, asserting that the economy cannot be kept shut for eternity.

On the vaccine front, the central drug regulator (DCGI) has issued a notice to Serum Institute of India (SII) for not informing it about pharma giant pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate for Covid-19 in other countries and also for not submitting casualty analysis of the "reported serious adverse events".


Welcome Group's latest Tomball purchases include developed land in the Tomball Business and Technology Park and a large industrial building on South Cherry Street. Welcome Group is developing a 65,961 square-foot build-to-suit facility in the Park that will become the new United States headquarters for JDR Cable Systems. Welcome Group entered a long-term lease with JDR to help bring them to Tomball from Houston. KDW is constructing the building, which is currently underway.

"The Tomball Business and Technology park has been a huge success in recent years. We are excited to be a part of the future prosperity," said Welcome Wilson, Jr., President & CEO of Welcome Group.

The Devasco International building in Tomball, an 84,195 square-foot industrial tilt-wall building at 1626 S. Cherry Street, is a significant addition to Welcome Group's portfolio. Constructed in 2008, the building has approximately 16,200 square-feet of two-story office space and approximately 4,000 square-feet of office and laboratory space, in addition to an expansive 64,000 square-foot warehouse. Welcome Group acquired the 11.45-acre property earlier this month and believes that Tomball's strategic location will play a key role in landing tenants for the facility.

Wilson is excited to partner with Tomball due to the strong business environment created by the City of Tomball and the Tomball Economic Development Corporation (TEDC). The ability to recruit businesses to Tomball, due to the welcoming atmosphere created for businesses, helped propel the investment for Welcome Group.

"Tomball is very business-friendly, which is attractive for development. The strong economic culture and beneficial incentive program from the TEDC has helped facilitate JDR's relocation," added Wilson.

"Tomball has excellent access to major thoroughfares. With direct access to State Highway 249, it provides connectivity to the Grand Parkway and Sam Houston Tollway. Both avenues provide easy access to north-south and east-west freeways," said Wilson.

For the TEDC, the investment from an industry leader like Welcome Group proves Tomball's economic outlook is stronger than ever.

"Welcome Group's eagerness to invest in Tomball is an exciting development for our city," added TEDC Executive Director, Kelly Violette. "Their growing portfolio of Tomball properties shows that Tomball is, more than ever, ready for business. The TEDC looks forward to Welcome Group's increased presence, as Tomball business continues to thrive."

About Welcome Group:

Welcome Group owns more than 115 single-tenant industrial properties in Texas, comprising more than 5 million square feet. Welcome Group develops and acquires single-tenant commercial, distribution, lab, and manufacturing properties, as well as entire real estate portfolios.

The company offers build-to-suit and design-build services for interested firms. Welcome Group is actively seeking direct purchase and sale-leaseback opportunities throughout Texas and the southeastern United States.

For more information visit welcomegroup.com.

Source: Welcome Group News

SOURCE Welcome Group

Related Links

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A giant thunderstorm hovered above the Creek Fire on Saturday, shooting smoke plumes into the stratosphere as flames tore through the Sierra National Forest below  and an obscure meteorological term briefly burst into the popular lexicon: pyrocumulonimbus.

Thats the name for a rare formation that NASA dubbed the fire-breathing dragon of clouds. It occurs when the scorched air from within a wildfire or volcano meets moist, buoyant air a few miles above the earth. The resulting mass is essentially a rain-less thunderstorm sitting atop a giant fire, said David Peterson, a meteorologist with the Naval Research Laboratory in Monterey.

Scientists believe the pyrocumulonimbus that took shape over the Creek Fire could be the biggest ever produced above U.S. soil.

The record-breaking plume gushed huge volumes of pollutants into the earths already warming atmosphere. Stunned passengers on a passing plane snapped photos showing the peculiar shape and immense size of the cloud.

It was just one of the many abnormal events that has kept all eyes trained on the skies in recent weeks, as the wildfire seasons early arrival has wrought one bizarre celestial event after another.

Like the incendiary mid-August lightning storms and the mix of fog and smoke that created eerie orange skies across the Bay Area on Wednesday, meteorologists say the Creek Fire pyro-cloud heralds a new era of unpredictable  and increasingly volatile  climate events.

The largest pyrocumulonimbus events ever recorded worldwide have all occurred in the past three years, a trend that indicates they could become a lot more common as wildfire seasons intensify.

That could create more hazardous conditions for firefighters on the ground, as the vacuum effect ensuing from pyrocumulonimbus kicks up erratic winds that can scatter embers. Some have been known to generate dry lightning or, in rare instances, tornado-like vortexes above wildfires, although that does not appear to have happened at the Creek Fire.

The Creek Fire pyrocumulonimbus formed one day after the fast-moving fire was sparked by unknown causes. The flames had engulfed 175,893 acres by Thursday, threatening more than 14,000 structures in Fresno and Madera counties. The fire remains 0% contained and full containment is not expected until October.

The massive cloud formation dissipated before the end of Labor Day weekend, but not before it generated an online following and caught the attention of a NASA satellite, which captured the clouds development in a series of images released Tuesday.

NASA scientists analyzed the high-altitude smoke plume using the satellite data and compared it to the historical record. The results indicated that it was one of the largest, if not the largest, pyrocumulonimbus events seen in the United States, said Colin Seftor, an atmospheric scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center.

Pyrocumulonimbus clouds are easily seen from space as they suck in smoke, becoming one of the dirtiest clouds on earth, similar to volcanic eruptions, said Peterson, who has studied the phenomenon extensively. It acts like a giant chimney, taking smoke from the ground and injecting it to the altitude of a jet aircraft.

Conditions were right for pyrocumulonimbus in recent weeks, Peterson said. He estimates that between five and 10 have formed over California wildfires this year alone, but said the size of the Creek Fire cloud stands out.

The clouds size and distinctive shape caught the attention of passengers on airplanes flying near the blaze Saturday. Thalia Dockery was on a flight from San Jose to Las Vegas when she spotted the pyrocumulonimbus in an otherwise clear sky. After one shocked moment, she began snapping photos and took to the internet to identify the cause of the oddly shaped protrusion.

I had never seen anything like it, Dockery said. The shape of it reminded me of the huge tree of life at Disney World, because it looked as if it had roots.

Kris Mattarochia, a National Weather Service meteorologist who covers the Central Sierra Nevada, noticed the clouds cauliflower-like head and jutting triangular forms that resembled the hull of a ship.

Those distinctive shapes occur as strong winds and expelled smoke compress the top of the cloud, causing it to fan out horizontally.

It looked like a star destroyer from Star Wars, Mattarochia said.

Globally, scientists have observed pyrocumulonimbus with greater frequency in recent years. Five occurred almost simultaneously in British Columbia, Canada, in 2017. And just last year, the record-breaking Australian bush fires produced a series of pyrocumulonimbus whose smoke plumes became trapped in the stratosphere, circling above the globe for months.

Scientists are only beginning to understand the phenomenon, which was first documented by the Naval Research Laboratory and the Canadian Meteorological Centre in the late 1990s. The clouds smoke plumes were thought to come from volcanic eruptions until scientists traced them back to a major wildfire.

Today, researchers are working to track the long-term effects of the volcano-like clouds, whose smoke can circulate above the earth for weeks or months. Peterson was part of a ground-breaking NASA mission that flew a DC-8 aircraft into the center of the Williams Flats Fire pyrocumulonimbus in Washington state last year.

The team will present the flights findings next year  just in time for another wildfire season.

Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @nmishanec
Press Release

September 9, 2020 GORDON SPONSORS SENATE RESOLUTION HONORING FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER ARNULFO FUENTEBELLA FOR EXEMPLARY CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE Senator Richard J. Gordon sponsored on Wednesday Senate Resolution No. 521 "honoring and remembering the illustrious life and exemplary contributions for public service" of former House Speaker Arnulfo "Noli" Fuentebella, who passed away this morning, September 9, 2020, due to heart failure after battling chronic renal disease for two years. The Resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the Senate, recognized Fuentebella's remarkable achievements as Congressman of the province of Camarines Sur for 21 years, and as Speaker of the House during the 11th Congress and Deputy Speaker for Luzon during the 14th and 15th Congress. In his privilege speech, Gordon mentioned some of Fuentebella's accomplishments as a lawmaker including his sponsorship of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), which was "hailed as a pro-market reform that is strategic to the goal of providing reliable and competitively-priced electricity in the country." "Speaker Noli Fuentebella turned the 4th District of Camarines Sur, also known as the Partido District, into a national model of district development planning in the region, through Republic Act No. 7820 establishing the Partido Development Administration. He was instrumental in realizing the creation of the second largest National Road Network in the Bicol Region that spanned over 270 kilometers, as well as the electrification of all 299 barangays of Camarines Sur," Gordon said. Fuentebella's demise was announced by his son, Camarines Sur 4th District Representative Arnulf Bryan Fuentebella, in his Facebook page this morning. "Now, resolved, as it is hereby resolved, for the Senate of the Philippines to express, as it hereby expresses, its profound sympathy and sincere condolences to his wife Evelyn, his children and his entire family, and also to the House of Representatives and the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur on the passing of Speaker Arnulfo "Noli" Palma Fuentebella," the Resolution stated.
Their most recent flash point was Christophe Girard, a feared power broker in Paris who was the mayors deputy for culture and became a focus of controversy this year for his longstanding support of Gabriel Matzneff, the writer celebrated by a certain French elite despite openly acknowledging that he engaged in sex with teenage girls and prepubescent boys.

For Ms. Coffin, dislodging Mr. Girard from power lay at the heart of her feminism. For months, Ms. Hidalgo defended Mr. Girard, even after Ms. Coffin and other feminists pressed him to step down as deputy mayor in late July, distancing herself only after The New York Times reported fresh accusations that he had sexually abused a teenage boy years ago. Mr. Girard denied the accusations, and is now under investigation by prosecutors.

The case has reignited a fierce debate over feminism in France, a country where the #MeToo movement was slow to take off, but where women like Ms. Coffin have made other feminists increasingly uneasy by seeking to publicly confront men suspected of abuse.

Were targeting powerful men, which goes over badly in France, Ms. Coffin said. Its a new step  its different from the feminism that was practiced before.

The mayors tweets  defending her deputy and singling out Ms. Coffin and another councilwoman for criticism  led to such an avalanche of threats against Ms. Coffin that she was placed under police protection for 15 days.
Bethlehem Police Chief Mark DiLuzio has done the right thing by resigning for reposting a racially offensive post on Facebook.

For far too many years, far too many prominent people from the private and public sectors have posted, reposted, forwarded or otherwise shared racist-themed videos, tweets, articles, emails, etc., and then apologized and agonized while pleading that they were unaware, ignorant, overly naive or never read or realized what they were doing.

DiLuzio has now joined the extensive list of those innocent people victimized by their own stupidity or unawareness for doing, and continuing, whats been going on in this country for far too long. His case was troubling because DiLuzio had been meeting regularly with a citizens' advisory board on how police can avoid racist activity. It seems it would have been more appropriate for the chief to be sitting in the audience rather than on the panel.

Even if you accepted his apologetic words of ignorance, the act itself proved he was unfit to continue in his position. Accepting yet another heartfelt apology only would have added one more exception to far too many examples of racial intolerance and endemic racism in all sectors of this country.

Ron Pizarie

East Allen Township
Two men have been charged after police seized more than 4.5kg of illegal drugs and busted a clandestine laboratory in Sydney's southwest.

In March, officers from the State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad began investigating the manufacture of prohibited drugs across the area.

Officers arrested a 41-year-old Minto Heights man during a vehicle stop at Moorebank on Wednesday.

Officers arrested a 41-year-old Minto Heights man during a vehicle stop at Moorebank on Wednesday

Shortly after investigators searched an industrial property at Moorebank and three homes at Minto Heights, Lugarno and Mount Hunter

Shortly after investigators searched an industrial property at Moorebank and three homes at Minto Heights, Lugarno and Mount Hunter.

Officers seized more than 4.5kg of MDA - a derivative of MDMA, also known as ecstasy - from the Moorebank property as well as chemicals, precursors and solvents and equipment used to make drugs.

'The laboratory itself was sophisticated in its design and contained significant quantities of chemicals and solvents used to manufacture prohibited drugs - in particular MDA,' Detective Acting Superintendent Jayne Doherty said on Thursday.

At the Minto Heights and Lugarno homes, officers seized a firearm, electronic stun device, ammunition, electronic devices, documentation and an amount of methylamphetamine, or ice.

Two men have been charged after police seized more than 4.5kg of illegal drugs and busted a clandestine laboratory in Sydney's southwest

They then arrested a 42-year-old Lugarno man at Bankstown on Wednesday afternoon.

The younger man was charged with manufacturing a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and the older man was charged with participating in the manufacture of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

Both men were refused bail and will appear at Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday.
Jared Kushner is quoted extensively in Rage, the new book from Watergate journalist Bob Woodward, at times musing about the nature of the presidency.

The Washington Post reports that president Donald Trumps son-in-law once advised people that the most important guiding text to understanding the Trump presidency was Alice in Wonderland, according to Woodwards book.

Within the fantasy novel by Lewis Carroll about a young girl who enters a surreal world by going down a rabbit hole, Kushner singles out the Cheshire cat as the character most like the administration.

He describes the cats strategy as endurance and persistence, not direction.

Kushner, a senior adviser in the White House, is quoted by Woodward as saying that the most dangerous people around the president are overconfident idiots.

Woodward interprets this as a reference to former secretary of defence General Jim Mattis, former secretary of state Rex Tillerson, and former National Economic Council director Gary Cohn.

Any animosity was mutual. Woodward says that Kushner was seen as untrustworthy and weak in dealing with heads of states by cabinet members, The Post reports.

Kushners warm dealings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were seen by Tillerson as nauseating to watch. It was stomach churning, Woodward writes.

Rage covers the last two years of the Trump administration including the response to the coronavirus pandemic. His first book on the Trump presidency, Fear, came out in 2018.
(JNS)  To read the statement signed by more than 600 Jewish groups, in which they identified their denominations, synagogues and organizations with the Black Lives Matter movement, its clear that they believe they are on the right side of history. The letter, which was published as a full-page ad in The New York Times on Aug. 28, is forthright in its claim that the Black Lives Matter movement is the current day Civil Rights movement in this country, and it is our best chance at equity and justice. By supporting this movement, we can build a country that fulfills the promise o...
She is heading the jury at this year's Venice Film Festival.

And Cate Blanchett put on an effortlessly chic display as she dressed down as she made a stylish entrance at the event in the Italian city on Thursday.

The Thor: Ragnarok star, 51, slipped on a chic blue plaid blazer that she wore over a black shirt that said 'free SZFE' in reference to the Hungarian governments restructuring plans of the University of Theatre and Film Arts.

Stylish: Cate Blanchett looked casually chic in a blue plaid blazer and a 'Free SZFE' top as she stepped out during the 77th Venice Film Festival on Thursday

Cate complemented her look by teaming the top with black jeans, while she boosted her height in a pair of stylish heels.

The actor wore her cropped blonde locks in a sleek, straight bob that framed her face well, while she kept safe amid the coronavirus crisis by wearing a surgical mask.

She finished off her look by shielding her eyes with a pair of chic shades, and accessorised with a silver watch.

Statement: Cate wore over a black shirt that said 'free SZFE' in reference to the Hungarian governments restructuring plans of the University of Theatre and Film Arts

Finishing touches: The actor complemented her look by teaming the top with black jeans, while she boosted her height in a pair of stylish heels

Earlier in the day, Cate looked stylish as she arrived by boat and looked every inch the fashion maven in a navy boilersuit which she teamed with white sunglasses.

Cate complemented the look with white chunky trainers and a black leather handbag.

She appeared in high spirits as she waved to the cameras before being helped off the boat.

Gorgeous: Earlier in the day, Cate looked stylish as she arrived by boat and looked every inch the fashion maven in a navy boilersuit which she teamed with white sunglasses

Trendy: The star looked every inch the fashion maven in a navy boilersuit which she teamed with white sunglasses

Stylish: The zip-up boilersuit highlighted Cate's slender physique and featured a belt which cinched her in at the waist

Turning heads: Cate caught the eye in the boilersuit which had flared trousers

Cate is heading the jury at Venice during an historic year, when the number of women directors competing for the top prize has quadrupled to eight.

'I think a good performance is a good performance no matter the sexual orientation of who is making them,' she added of her thoughts on the matter.

'The hardest thing as a jury member is to sit in judgement of other people's work. That's the hardest thing not the (gender) demarcation.'

Exciting: Cate is heading the jury at Venice during an historic year, when the number of women directors competing for the top prize has quadrupled to eight

Film Festival: 'I think a good performance is a good performance no matter the sexual orientation of who is making them,' she added of her thoughts on the matter', she said

Classically understated: The Hollywood accentuated her fair complexion with a polished make-up look

Window browsing: Cate later headed out shopping with a pal

Cate's recently revealed she prefers to be referred to as an actor than an actress, as she often found the latter term to be used in a 'pejorative sense'.

Throwing her support behind Berlin International Film Festival's new plan to do away with gendered awards, she told AFP: 'I have always referred to myself as an actor.

'I am of the generation where the word actress was used almost always in a pejorative sense. So I claim the other space.'

Interesting: Cate's recently revealed she prefers to be referred to as an actor than an actress, as she often found the latter term to be used in a 'pejorative sense'

Friendly: The actress appeared in high spirits as she chatted away to pals
Many Ghanaians including Policy Think Tank, IMANI Africa have asked the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to disclose their funding plan for some promises made in their manifesto.



The NDC flagbearer, John Mahama, has communicated his intention in their 2020 manifesto dubbed The Peoples Manifesto to provide jobs and execute an industrialization plan when elected in the December 7 general elections.



He has also promised that Assembly members will receive salaries from the government if the NDC returns to power.



Reacting on how all the promises made to Ghanaians will be funded, Communications Officer of the party, Sammy Gyamfi has outlined how the party will generate funds in pursuit of their transformational agenda.



In a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, Sammy Gyamfi said; Governance is all about priorities and choices. The Akufo Addo government chose to spend the unprecedented resources they have had on consumption-related expenditures. We on the other hand, have chosen to spend the resources that will accrue to the next NDC/Mahama government on infrastructural and productive initiatives for the benefit of all Ghanaians. We have done it before and we shall do it again.



To achieve the "Big Push" for example, the NDC government will follow this track record, and redirect resources heavily into development infrastructure and thus increase the ratio of CAPEX to GDP from the current low 1.2% to above 4% as was the case in the year 2016 under the Mahama administration, portion of the statement read.



Read full statement below:



NDC 2020 Manifesto Promises- where shall we get the money from?



For those who are wondering how the next NDC/Mahama government will finance the transformational policies and programs in our Peoples Manifesto, please note that:



1. The main reason the Akufo Addo-government has very little developmental projects to show, is not because they havent had access to adequate resources. Indeed, no government in the history of Ghana has been so lucky as the Akufo Addo government in terms of the astronomical monies that have been available to it- a total resource envelope of about GHS374 billion, which is nearly twice as much resource that was available to the erstwhile Mahama government (GHS193 billion).



Despite this, President Mahama with significantly less resources has completely dwarfed the NPP in every sector as far vital development infrastructure of our country is concerned. This shows the NDC's superior track record of delivering maximum with minimum resources.



Governance is all about priorities and choices. The Akufo Addo government chose to spend the unprecedented resources they have had on consumption-related expenditures. We on the other hand, have chosen to spend the resources that will accrue to the next NDC/Mahama government on infrastructural and productive initiatives for the benefit of all Ghanaians. We have done it before and we shall do it again.



2. Even though the NPP has in 3 and half years borrowed and added to the Public Debt, nearly GHS140 billion way more than the total debt of Ghana from Kwame Nkrumah era to 2016 (GHS120 billion), the percentage of capital expenditure as a percentage of our GDP, has declined from 4.5% in 2016 under the Mahama administration to as low as 1.2%. This again shows the NDCs superior capacity to do far better with the resources available. Delivering much higher development for Ghana by channelling more resources into infrastructure and productive initiatives which brings sustainable growth, jobs, prosperity and more, as opposed to NPP that concentrates on consumption and profligacy.



3. To achieve the "Big Push" for example, the NDC government will follow this track record, and redirect resources heavily into development infrastructure and thus increase the ratio of CAPEX to GDP from the current low 1.2% to above 4% as was the case in the year 2016 under the Mahama administration.



4. US$10 billion dollar for the big push may appear to be a lot, but when we remember that between 2013 to 2016, about $6 billion was channelled into development infrastructure in Ghana by the Mahama administration, there is no doubt at all about NDC's capacity to do it.



5. If we could do so much for the country with just one oil field (Jubilee field), which in 2016 was not even producing at full capacity- imagine what we can do with three (3) oil fields, two of which came about as a result of John Mahamas leadership and investments into the oil and gas sector. The next NDC/Mahama government will channel a greater percentage of our oil revenues into massive developmental and productive projects.



6. The NDC over the years, has demonstrated massive creativity in the way we so competently created the environment that allowed a number of organisations to become so financially strong that they were able to use their own balance sheet to borrow without the people of Ghana having to be burdened by way of paying for those debts. For instance, under the Mahama administration, parastatals like:



a) The Ghana Ports And Harbours Authority was able to raise US$1.5 billion without government guarantee for the Tema Port expansion project.



b) The Ghana Airport company used a similar finance mechanism to raise about $300 million for the famous KIA Terminal 3 and other projects because their balance sheet was significantly enhanced by our decision to cede to them 100% of their IGF- a decision the NPP has reversed since 2017.



C) The $500 million Ameri Power Plant is another one of such innovative financing arrangements (BOOT).



7. We also have the track-record of having the ingenuity to set up the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF)- a major mechanism to enable us to raise global financing for major infrastructure to transform the country without further burdening the taxpayer.



* We had the creativity to set up the Ghana EXIM bank with a view of turning us into an export competitive economy- the same bank which the NPP is using to partly finance their so called 1D1F without giving credit to President Mahama who established it.



* The GETFUND is yet another example of our ability to think outside the box and create financing mechanisms for productive infrastructure developments.



So, the NDC has done it before and can do it again when given the opportunity.



8. To achieve this, we shall cancel the obnoxious capping and realignment policy so as to improve the financials of state-owned enterprises and parastatals so they are able to undertake strategic infrastructure and development projects.



9. Finally we shall resolutely protect the revenues and royalties of our dear country by:



i) stopping corrupt schemes like the Agyapa deal.



ii) reducing the number of ministries and the number of ministers- the record 125 Ministers and over 1000 Presidential Staffers will be reduced significantly and the savings channeled into productive initiatives for the benefit of all Ghanaians and not a select view.



iii) cut down profligate and wasteful expenditures, such as currently pertains at the Office of Government Machinery.



Iv) by waging a brutal war against corruption through Operation Sting to save the billions the country is currently loosing through graft and at the detriment of our development.



10. We shall also employ advanced technology to enhance and maximize revenue mobilization through strict tax compliance, expansion of the tax net and efficient revenue mobilization.



These are but a few of the far-reaching and far-sighted means that the next NDC/Mahama government will adopt to generate and properly utilize our resources in pursuit of our bold and transformational agenda.



We have done it before, and we know how to do it. John Mahama and the NDC has the track record and can therefore be trusted to deliver again.



SAMMY GYAMFI ESQ.

National Communication Officer, NDC

Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
To encourage people to spend money in the accommodation and food sector in Ireland, the Government announced a new Stay & Spend Incentive. The new incentive allows you to claim a certain amount of tax back on accommodation, food

and non-alcoholic drink bought between October 1 and April 30, 2021.

Under the terms of the incentive:

1. You must spend a minimum of 25.00 in a single transaction on qualifying expenditure and submit the receipt to Revenue

2. You can submit receipts of up to 625 or 1,250 for a jointly assessed married couple

3. Revenue will provide an income tax credit of up to 125 per person, or 250 for a jointly assessed married couple

You do not need to be on a staycation to avail of the incentive and you can check participating businesses by looking out for the Stay & Spend Tax Credit Logo or by checking revenues list of participating service providers.

Participating service providers can register on Revenue Online Service (ROS).

You must:

1. Spend at least 25 in a single transaction between October 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021

2. Claim expenses on accommodation (Hotels, B&Bs, Caravan Parks), food and non-alcoholic drink

The incentive does not apply to:

1. Takeaway food

2. Alcohol drinks

3. Amounts below 25

Rates

The Stay & Spend Incentive tax relief is given at the standard rate of 20% up to a maximum of 125 per person, or 250 for a jointly assessed married couple and qualifying expenses is capped at 625 per person, or 1,250 for a jointly assessed married couple.

How to Claim

There is two stages to claim for the Stay & Spend expenses:

1. Submit your receipts via Revenue Receipts Tracker mobile app or receipts tracker on Revenues MyAccount

2. Make an electronic claim for the Stay & Spend text credit (PAYE via Form 12 in MyAccount) or (Self-Employed via Form 11 in ROS)

How will relief be given?

The Stay & Spend Tax Credit will reduce the amount of income tax you have to pay (Income Tax Liability) If the tax accredit is higher than your income tax liability, any excess credit can be taken from USC.

For further details on your rights and entitlements, please contact:

 Carlow CIC 0761 07 5130 or email Carlow@citinfo.ie

 Kilkenny CIC 0761 07 7910 or email kilkenny@citinfo.ie

 National Citizens Information Phone line 0761 07 4000 9am to 8pm (Mon to Fri)

 Request a call back service via our website HERE.

Citizens Information Services are supported and funded by the Citizens Information Board
GLEN CARBON  State Sen. Rachelle Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, is urging farmers to apply to the Illinois Department of Agricultures Fall Covers for Spring Savings program.

Its been a difficult year for farmers and the return of the cover crop discount program will be a great help for them during fall harvest, Crowe said. This program serves as another funding source to help farmers improve the soil in their fields. The programs first year was a huge success, and I encourage farmers to participate this fall as well.
Megan Thee Stallion has accused fellow rapper Tory Lanez of shooting her in the foot. (Richard Shotwell / Invision / Associated Press)

Canadian rapper Tory Lanez apologized to Megan Thee Stallion over text after he allegedly shot her outside a Hollywood Hills mansion, the Los Angeles Times has confirmed.

TMZ first reported that Lanez claimed he "got too drunk" in messages sent to the "Savage" artist after the incident, which occurred in the early hours of July 12 and left Megan Thee Stallion with bullet wounds in her feet.

"I know u prolly never gone talk to me again, but I genuinely want u to know I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart," Lanez wrote in a text obtained by TMZ. "[It] should have never happened and I can't change what did. I just feel horrible."

Last month, the "WAP" hitmaker identified Lanez on Instagram Live as the person who allegedly shot her and challenged him to "stop lying" about the encounter. She added that she didn't report Lanez to Los Angeles police who arrived on the scene because she was afraid for her safety.

"You shot me," she said. "You scared to come tell everybody that you ... shot me, and you've got your whole ... team on the internet lying, trying to cover [you]. And I'm tired of it."

Lanez, who has not publicly commented on Megan Thee Stallion's accusation, was arrested that morning on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon and later released on bail. He has not been charged with anything related to the incident, though the L.A. County district attorney's office is reviewing a potential charge of felony assault with a firearm in connection with the case, which is still under investigation.

"I can confirm we have turned over our investigation and files to the LA District Attorney's office and that we remain concerned that, given the irrefutable evidence, they have yet to take action," said Roc Nation attorney Alex Spiro on Thursday in a statement to The Times. Roc Nation represents Megan Thee Stallion.

Story continues

A representative for Lanez did not respond Thursday to The Times' request for comment.

Shortly after she underwent surgery to remove the bullets in her feet, Megan Thee Stallion recounted the "super scary" experience on Instagram and criticized people for doubting her, "making up fake stories" and joking about the situation while others showered her with love and support. She later reported she was "healing so well" in a since-deleted Instagram post showing her injuries.

In August, Megan Thee Stallion and fellow rapper Cardi B broke the internet with their steamy, sex-positive collaboration, "WAP," which has racked up more than 184 million views on YouTube and more than 200 million streams on Spotify. Upon its splashy debut, the bass-heavy track skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and surpassed Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" for the most streams ever recorded in an opening week.

Megan Thee Stallion also recently took home the award for best hip-hop video at the 2020 MTV VMAs for her March smash, "Savage."

"Thank y'all so much," she said while accepting the award and popping pink champagne. "This is my second Moonman  definitely not my last. ... We gon' keep turning up."
Purviance later became one of the PwC team members working on RSAs buyout of its excess & surplus lines operation, RSUI, which is how he was introduced to Steven DeCarlo, who at the time was RSUIs CFO. The two stayed in touch after DeCarlo left the firm to join RSA in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1999, they were reunited when Purviance joined DeCarlo at RSA, where he became the VP of finance.

Meanwhile, the company that would soon be known as AmWINS was in dire straits. Americana Financial Services had been operating as a dot-com insurance venture since 1998, but it was hemorrhaging money. DeCarlo was named CEO in December 2000 to help turn things around; just a few months later, Purviance joined him as CFO. Within a year, the company had established itself as a wholesaler, merged with three other insurance businesses and rebranded to American Wholesale Insurance Group.

AmWINS has come a long way from those humble beginnings. When I look back, clearly it was a team effort, and it still is, says Purviance, who took over as CEO in 2018. In the early days, we were managing cash flow on a daily basis. We were worried about making payroll each month, and Steve and I were deferring bonuses to ensure that we had enough cash to continue operating.

This picture stands in stark contrast to AmWINS today. In March 2020, as COVID-19 was picking up speed in the US, AmWINS was able to tell employees that their jobs were safe. The leap from where we were in 2001 to [this point] I view as the highlight of my career  that we've built a business that's resilient, stable and has a collaborative culture that's employee-focused, Purviance says.

All about growth

AmWINS successful run has been largely due to a few key strategies around growth. Premium placements increased from $800 million in 2002 to over $20 billion in 2019; some of the drivers of that growth have been smart mergers and acquisitions. AmWINS has completed 49 transactions to date, including four in 2019 alone.

Each deal has to first be a cultural fit, says Purviance, explaining that a strategic product fit is a close second consideration. This approach to M&A has allowed AmWINS to build a diversified platform with a global reach that offers expertise in property, casualty, group benefits, and specialty insurance products and services.

AmWINS approach to acquiring talent has also evolved since its early days. At the outset, Purviance says, we were highly entrepreneurial and hiring anybody we could convince to take a chance on what we were building. Luckily, a lot of those people worked out unbelievably well, but we had plenty of mistakes along the way.

Now, much like with its approach to M&A, AmWINS focuses on cultural fit when hiring  an important factor for an organization that prides itself on collaboration between its many teams. In recent years, the company has also pivoted to hiring new graduates and training them in insurance. They grow up inside AmWINS and inside our culture, Purviance says.

Driving change

Like most companies, AmWINS has not been immune to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented event has forced distributors to come up with creative solutions to a new problem.

We've hired an individual recently where all he focuses on is parametric products, Purviance says, noting that the current environment has caused a spike in interest for these solutions. Any kind of disruption accelerates creativity in the industry, and I think we're right in the midst of that, he adds.

AmWINS is also leveraging data to deliver better solutions to retail clients  and, as a wholesaler placing $20 billion in premium, it has a lot of data to work with. This capability provides brokers with deeper access to the global insurance market, as do AmWINS 800-plus relationships with E&S and specialty markets.

On the underwriting side, AmWINS is using technology to help protect its carrier partners balance sheets. The company has real-time portfolio monitoring capabilities, allowing it to work in lockstep with carriers when managing risks. Those are things that you just couldn't do 10 years ago and a lot of people aren't doing today, Purviance says, noting that this has allowed AmWINS to grow its delegated authority business substantially over the last five years.

Amid all of these offerings and more, Purviance believes what truly differentiates AmWINS is its capital structure. We're very unique in that 42% of the firm is owned by over 850 employees, he explains.

As part of its strategy to build a business that will be around for the long haul, AmWINS also handpicked two institutional partners in 2015 and 2016: PSP Investments and Dragoneer Investment Group, both of which have longer-term views on investing.

Due to this structure, we don't worry about the next 90 days, like a public company, Purviance says. We worry about the next five years and are we doing the right things today to build this business? That is unique in our industry and provides us with an incredible competitive advantage.
Unaccompanied children board a plane at the Mytilene airport, on the northeastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece About 400 unaccompanied children and teenagers living in the camp were being flown to other facilities in northern Greece after a blaze swept through it and left thousands in need of emergency shelter. (Image: AP)
Beijing, China-based China Renaissance Holdings Limited (stock code: 1911.HK) closed Huaxing Growth Capitals USD Fund III with more than US$600 million in committed capital.

The fund is backed by top-tier global institutional and individual investors from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, fund of funds and family offices.

The close of the USD Fund III marks another fundraising milestone for Huaxing Growth Capital following the close of the RMB Fund III which raised over RMB6.5 billion last year. To date, China Renaissances private equity funds have approximately RMB40 billion of assets under management in total.

After the final close of USD Fund III, Huaxing Growth Capitals single investment size can be up to US$50 million. The fund will continue to focus on New Economy growth-stage companies that are benefitting from the structural evolution of technological innovations, consumption upgrade and industrial transformation.

China Renaissance launched its investment management business in 2013, and currently manages Huaxing Growth Capital and Huaxing Healthcare Capital. As of June 30, 2020, China Renaissances private equity funds had an average multiple of invested capital (MOIC) of 2.5x and internal rate of return (IRR) of 33%.

Huaxing Growth Capital manages a total of six private equity funds, namely USD Fund I, USD Fund II, USD Fund III, RMB Fund I, RMB Fund II and RMB Fund III.

Huaxing Growth Capitals portfolio companies include Meituan Dianping, Didi Chuxing, WuXi AppTec, MiningLamp Technology and Medlinker.

Despite the challenging market conditions in 2020, China Renaissance has invested in a number of companies across various flourishing sectors, such as eRoad Software, Xingsheng Youxuan, MGI Tech (Huada Zhizao), HiRain Technologies and Insgeek. In addition, a number of China Renaissances portfolio companies have successfully listed in the public markets this year, including Li Auto, Beike Zhaofang and Dada Group.

FinSMEs

10/09/2020
Within a month of assuming power, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has proposed a ban on cattle slaughter. Rajapaksa's party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has approved the proposal. Cabinet spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was quoted saying that the Prime Minister will decide when to submit it to the government. He also added that there is no policy decision on the proposal yet and the PM was just seeking the party legislators views on a possible ban.

The beef ban, if implemented, will be a major step by the Rajapaksa government which has openly stated that it will not appease the minorities. The Buddhist majority of Sri Lanka do not eat beef and has in the past held massive campaigns to demanding a ban. While the Sinhala-Buddhist groups opposed halal certification in 2013 and a monk set himself ablaze, an outfit Siva Senai and in 2018 staged a massive protest in Jaffna, calling for a beef ban.

READ | Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa alliance wins two-third majority in parliamentary election

2020 Prime Ministerial elections

The Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party - leading the Sri Lanka People's Front, won 145 seats in the 225-member parliament in the election last Wednesday. Its main opponent, the SJB obtained 54 seats, while a minority Tamil party won 10 seats and 12 smaller parties won 16 seats amongst them. With almost two-thirds of the majority, the Rajapaksas have returned completely to power in the island nation, strengthening its dynastic ruling style.

READ | Rajapaksa Clan's Return: With Mahinda As PM, Rajapaksas Hold All 3 Top Posts In Sri Lanka

While Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as Sri Lanka's Prime Minister for the fourth time last month, the powerful Rajapaksa clan now holds all the major posts in the government. 74-year-old Mahinda Rajapaksa was previously appointed as PM by Sri Lankan President and younger brother - Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 21 November 2019, two days after Gotabaya won the Presidential elections in the wake of the Easter bombings. Apart from Mahinda - who was also former President, his son Namal, his eldest brother Chamal (77), and his son Sashindra, and nephew Nipuna Ranawaka have been elected as MPs to the parliament.

READ | Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa Seeks Constitutional Reforms Weeks After Re-election

READ | Mahinda Rajapaksa: Sri Lankas man for all seasons
Paris (France) 17 August 2020 (SPS)- French activist and PHD student, Meriem Naili, has today started a bike ride from France to Geneva in Switzerland, in solidarity with the Saharawi people and in favour of the decolonization of this last colony in Africa.

The young woman also launched an online petition (check petition here) stressing that the UN must include human rights monitoring to its Missions mandate in Western Sahara, planing to hand copies of it in the end to representatives of the UN agencies and the Red Cross in Geneva.

Western Sahara must stop being the UNs human rights blind spot; human rights should be monitored, protected and promoted! the petition reads, calling on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and relevant Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council carry out a visit to the territory and the refugee camps in order to assess the current situation.

The young activist further urges ICRC to visit Sahrawi political prisoners held in Moroccan prisons for the sole reason that they were peacefully protesting to defend their inalienable right to self-determination.

With regards to the UN-led peace plan in Western Sahara, Meriem called on the UN member states to demand that a Personal Envoy to the Secretary General for Western Sahara be appointed immediately in order to re-launch the negotiations between Morocco and the POLISARIO Front, the UN-recognised representative of the Saharawi people, she wrote.

She further considered that International humanitarian law and human rights law are the basis of any rightful and peaceful decolonisation process in Western Sahara, stressing that UN peace operations ought to safeguard a fundamental human right, the right to peace, from which derives the rest of core human rights as per the UN General Assembly resolution A/71/189 adopted on 19 December 2016.

Therefore, she adds it is only logical that they incorporate, explicitly or not, human rights monitoring mechanisms, calling on UN member states to insist on the inclusion of human rights within the mandate of the MINURSO, which would among others allow for an impartial and independent human rights monitoring in the territory and to hold to account the perpetrators of human rights violations. (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
Mecca Bullock (center) of the Party for Socialism and Liberation leads a chant as a group protests the end of the Pennsylvania eviction moratorium outside Philadelphia Municipal Court on Aug. 31. Read more

Philadelphia tenants cant be kicked out of their homes for the next two weeks, according to the president judge of Municipal Court.

Residential evictions are banned until Sept. 23, according to an order Judge Patrick F. Dugan issued Wednesday. The order also limits the number of eviction notices the citys landlord-tenant officer can serve until Sept. 21. While officers are serving those notices that an eviction is coming, they must also serve notices explaining the new nationwide moratorium on many evictions for nonpayment of rent, and give tenants the form they must fill out in order to be protected under the federal ban.

Housing advocates had been asking for more time to allow renters facing eviction to meet the requirements of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions nationwide moratorium. That ban took effect Friday, four days after Pennsylvanias statewide eviction and foreclosure moratorium ended.

The citys landlord-tenant court reopened last week to hear rescheduled cases.

City Councilmember Helen Gym announced Wednesday that she would introduce a bill on Thursday to extend the citys eviction moratorium through Dec. 31, which is when the federal moratorium ends. Gym said a city moratorium would protect tenants who are unaware of the CDC requirements. Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Kendra Brooks also will introduce legislation to extend tenant protections in the Emergency Housing Protection Act based on a moratorium extension.

In Philadelphia, we have made progress in launching new programs and solutions, but restarting an eviction process that kicks thousands of families out of their homes right now does not make sense, Gym said in a statement. This is about the public health and public safety of the city.

She called on the state and federal governments to expand housing subsidies to ensure landlords get paid and people can stay in their homes.

The federal eviction moratorium is more restricted than Pennsylvanias expired eviction and foreclosure moratorium. Tenants must meet income requirements, face income loss or high medical bills, have tried to get rental assistance from the government, have tried to pay as much rent as they can afford, swear they would end up homeless or in cramped living conditions if evicted, and complete the form to give to their landlord.
Matsher Hamoud al-Hafl, a sheikh from the Akidat tribe, the largest in Syrias eastern province of Deir ez-Zor, was killed and Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil Abboud al-Gedaan al-Hafl was wounded when unknown gunmen shot them in the village of Hawayej on Aug. 2 in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor province.

The Akidat tribe is one of the largest Syrian tribes. It has between 700,000 to 800,000 members who live on the banks of the Euphrates River in Syria, and in Iraq and the Gulf states, a spokesman of the Supreme Council of Syrian Tribes and Clans, Modar al-Asaad, told Al-Monitor. Prominent figures in the tribe in Syria normally carry out mediation between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and residents of Deir ez-Zor, particularly when it comes to taking families out of the al-Hol camp in eastern Hasakah province in exchange for money. The camp houses Islamic State (IS) families.

On July 31, unknown men killed Sheikh Ali Salman al-Waiss, a prominent figure in the Bakara tribe, on the morning of the first day of Eid al-Adha in al-Dahla village in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, which is under SDF control. The head of the al-Baqir tribal committee was also killed.

Tribes staged protests Aug. 4 condemning the targeting of the sheikhs and the ongoing security chaos in Deir ez-Zor. In Hawayej, SDF members shot civilians at a school in an attempt to disperse crowds. In response, some inhabitants took over the school and expelled the SDF members.

The Akidat tribe gave the international coalition forces and the SDF a month to hand the killers of Hafl over. In a statement released Aug. 4, Sheikh Masaab Khalil Abboud al-Hafl, who succeeded Hafl as leader of the tribe, said, If this [handover] does not happen, the tribe will do as it sees fit to protect its territory and properties.

Hafl called on tribal members to unite to protect the tribe from those exploiting its members blood and looting its fortunes. A territory that is not protected by its inhabitants cannot be protected by greedy strangers.

He further stressed the need to hold a meeting for all tribes of the region to discuss the latest developments and take the necessary measures.

The area in eastern Syria on both banks of the Euphrates is mainly inhabited by tribes, with around 500,000 people belonging to various tribes, namely Akidat, Bakara, Jubur, Bu Layl, Al Bu Saraya and Juheich.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish self-rule administration in north Syria denied being behind the wave of killings of tribal sheikhs and condemned the slayings, dismissing the set of deaths as a terrorist act targeting Syrians lives to serve hypocritical agendas.

The administation expressed in a statement its determination, through its military forces and security apparatus, to eradicate all hotbeds in self-rule areas, wherever they are, adding that it will not let this cowardly act pass without finding out who the culprits are, holding them accountable and handing them over to the parties concerned to get their fair punishment.

Asaad, who is based in Istanbul, saw things differently. The spokesman of the Supreme Council of Syrian Tribes and Clans told Al-Monitor that when the SDF failed to control Jazira and the Euphrates, it undertook a plan to kill prominent Arab tribal figures after humiliating them at various checkpoints between villages and cities. He said Kurdish forces carry out, in broad daylight, killings of Jazira and Euphrates figures protesting the SDF's presence and project.

Asaad also said, The Syrian regime is trying to return to the areas in the Deir ez-Zor countryside, especially those that have underlying resources. It wants to make a return through these tribes or some of their sheikhs who still pledge allegiance to it [the regime] in those areas and through loyal tribal sheikhs who are not popular within their own tribes and whose members are mostly against the regime.

He added, Turkey stands with the Syrian peoples rights and supports the tribal rule of their areas instead of the Kurdish forces that discriminate against Arabs. The tribes refuse the presence of Kurdish militias in their areas. This is where Turkeys interests and those of Syrian tribes overlap. Turkey rejects the rule of Kurdish parties over these areas and the return of the regime to them. Syrian tribes have benefited from Turkish support in the media and economically.

Al-Monitor met with journalist Zein el-Dine of the Akidat tribe, who lives in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. He said, Arab tribes accuse the SDF of being behind the assassinations of several of their sheikhs for many reasons. For one, the SDF controls the area and has a duty to protect it. The SDF is also trying to exclude the Arab component from ruling the mostly Arab areas, and it is taking advantage of the presence of Islamic State cells in those areas to blame them for any assassination or theft. For all these reasons, Arabs have grave concerns when it comes to the Kurdish forces.

He added, The regime is trying to show that the incidents reflect a tribal revolution against Kurdish parties and their backers like the US-led international coalition, and it used this narrative in the media. Russia [recently] met with several tribal sheikhs to sow the seeds of revolution against Kurdish forces for what is in the regimes interest. But all these meetings failed because the sheikhs do not have actual influence on the ground.

Dine continued, Turkey is also taking advantage of any disputes among the Arab tribes and Kurdish parties to show support for the Arab component and the tribes to fulfill its interests in fighting Kurdish parties  Turkeys traditional foe. Each side is trying to use the tribal card, and the SDF and the international coalition are doing the same. Through its streaming of some meetings with tribes, the SDF appears to have wide support for its rule. The US has been following suit. Meanwhile, the tribes are known to change their loyalties to whoever is in control, but this has almost always turned against them [tribes].

In a statement posted on its Facebook page Aug. 3, the US Embassy in Syria denounced the attack on the Akidat tribes sheikhs in Deir ez-Zor. The statement relayed US condolences and stressed that violence against civilians is unacceptable and impedes the hope for a lasting political resolution to the conflict in Syria.

Foreign actors have always sought the support of tribes throughout the history of Syria given their important role and weight among their peers, from the Ottoman empire to British rule. Indeed, this continues to the present day, with Turkey, the Syrian regime and the SDF trying to befriend the tribes. Meanwhile, tribes are seeking a prominent role in managing the region alongside the SDF, which explains why they have been courting the US-led coalition to pressure the SDF into giving them their own area of control, or at least include them in the rule.
Actor Shah Rukh Khans daughter Suhana Khan is a big fan of make up and often shows off her skills with the brush on her Instagram page. On Wednesday night, Suhana shared a new picture which showed her latest experiments with makeup.

The photo, posted on Suhanas Instagram Stories, show her wearing dewy makeup with bold, nude lipgloss and a glittery pink eyeshadow. She captioned the photo with simply a brown heart emoji.

Suhana is currently with her parents at their Mumbai home. She returned from New York before the coronavirus lockdown was imposed in India. She was enrolled in a film studies course at the New York University.

Since coming back, Suhana has been sharing regular updates and pictures from her life on Instagram for her fans. Her latest post was her sitting on large rocks at a beach in a black dress. She also posed against some tall palm trees during the golden hour and called herself an island girl.

Suhana also recently shared pictures from an acting project. She was seen crying in one of the pictures and looking all worried in another. Congrats if u havent seen me crying~ quarantine filming, she captioned her post. She also held in-house photoshoots during the self-isolation period and posted pictures from it on social media.

Suhana has expressed an interest in becoming an actor like her father. Shah Rukhs elder son Aryan is also learning filmmaking at University of Southern California. The actor, however, has decreed that all his kids need to finish their studies before they are allowed to pursue a career in film. Speaking about Suhana, he had said in an interview to Rajeev Masand, Suhana wants to act. She is right now at the French festival in Edinburgh. She is doing theatre, she has a coloured face and is doing some mime. Its good fun.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Shweta appalled at demolition of Kangana Ranauts office: What kind of gunda raj is this?

As actors and filmmakers, my kids, in case they wish to come in, they have to bring something new. They cant live off the stuff their father has managed to do. Its important they bring in something new and if I impose myself, they wont be able to. Let them go and bring in something radical and strange. Wrong, maybe. But it should be newer than what I have been able to give, the 53-year-old actor had said.

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Kannada actress Sanjjanaa Galrani being detained by the crime branch in Bengaluru in connection with Sandalwood drug case.  PTI photo

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has come sniffing for leads in the drug scandal rocking the Kannada film industry. In particular, the discovery of foreign currency at the centre of the scandal has attracted the agencys attention. On Thursday its officials called on joint commissioner of police (crime) Sandeep Patil in connection with the recent drug busts, including the arrest of two film actresses.

Sources in the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru Police said they found wads of foreign currency notes belonging to at least 10 countries in the house of Veeren Khanna, an event manager who is among the people arrested in the scandal so far.

However, in their singing to the police, Veeren Khanna and fellow detainee, Senegalese drug dealer Luma Samuel, have revealed that the drug transactions were conducted mostly through bitcoin to avoid the glare of enforcement agencies.

Also, most of the transactions between Bengaluru and Sri Lanka were hawala deals, meaning that there is no paper trail.

The CCB sleuths are on the lookout for a man named Sheikh Fazil, who is said to be involved in hawala transactions for the drug mafia. Fazil is at large after Veeren Khanna and actress Sanjjanaa Galrani were arrested. The CCB has been questioning his family members for the last two days.

CCB sources also let it be known that Fazil was once seen around with Congress politicians, especially the Chamarajpet MLA Zameer Ahamed Khan. Though police themselves have neither confirmed nor denied any links to Zameer, his name was first mentioned by Prashanth Sambaragi, a celebrity manager as well as small-time film producer.

While spilling the beans on Sanjjanaa, he dragged in the name of Zameer, saying the MLA was a visitor to casinos in Sri Lanka. Zameer has refused to comment on these insinuations.

And apparently there are moles in the police. The CCB realized this when its detectives went to arrest Sanjjanaa, and she already knew of their arrival. They also found WhatsApp chats between Veeren Khanna and drug dealer Luma Samuel in which they had discussed Bengaluru police tracking of drug rackets.

Veeren Khanna alerted Luma about the Bengaluru police action, and the drug dealer acknowledged that even he had received information through his sources,'' sources in the CCB said.

The CCB has already put one ACP, who had earlier worked in the Cubbon Park subdivision, under scanner for involvement with Veeren Khanna, sources added.
YPSILANTI, Mich., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Eastern Michigan University Aviation Program, part of the College of Engineering and Technology, has signed a 5-year partnership agreement with Crosswinds Aviation, a flight training school dedicated to having a transformative impact on the lives of youth beginning careers in aviation.

"We are thrilled to partner with Crosswinds Aviation and know that this strategic partnership will ultimately ensure that Eastern Michigan University aviation students can graduate with the highest standard aviation education and training," said Dr. Jerard Delaney, Aviation Program Coordinator. "Crosswinds' resources, access to the latest avionics technology, and its commitment to encouraging middle and high school students to careers in aviation is a natural fit with Eastern's commitment to shaping the next generation of leaders -- in aviation and otherwise."

The new partnership will add a variety of benefits to the Eastern Michigan University Aviation Program. With three locations in the Livingston County Spencer J Hardy, Flint Bishop and Oakland County International Airports, Crosswinds Aviation will offer easier access for commuter students in Livingston, Genesee and Oakland counties. With plans to add a Willow Run location in the near future, EMU Aviation students will soon have four convenient locations for training instead of one.

Crosswinds Aviation will also provide students the opportunity to flight train in a wider variety of aircraft, including the Diamond DA20/DA40 and Cessna 172. The hands-on training in multiple aircraft will ensure EMU Aviation students are well-versed in different aircraft upon graduation and entering the field.

With a commitment to opening the doors for students who have the desire and passion to fly, Crosswinds also has a High School Flight Program, which exposes students to many aspects of the aviation industry. The program has been in existence since 2013, with Flint Bishop Airport most recently offering the program. More than 80 high school students having completed the high school training program have continued on to EMU for their aviation degree.

"At Crosswinds Aviation, we are committed to working with young students and helping them get started on their aviation career," said Crosswinds Aviation owner, Matt Dahline. "The partnership with Eastern Michigan University will allow us to connect with, and help, even more students beyond high school who desire a career in aviation. We look forward to the opportunities this partnership will open up for aspiring pilots."

As part of the high school training, students get the opportunity to meet with industry experts, as well as free simulator time and computer-based ground training.

"We couldn't be more excited to play a vital role in the next generation of aviation leaders. We know they are important to the overall success of the industry and we look forward to helping them pave the way in their endeavors," said Nino Sapone, Flint Bishop Airport Director.

To learn more about Crosswinds Aviation, visit the company website.

To learn more about the EMU Aviation Program, visit the program website.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.

SOURCE Eastern Michigan University

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http://www.emich.edu


Singapore Airlines Group said it will work closely with unions to finalise the retrenchment arrangements. (Photo: Getty)

SINGAPORE  Embattled national carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group on Thursday (10 September) announced that it will cut some 4,300 jobs across its three airlines.

The cuts will result in the laying off of about 2,400 staff from SIA, SilkAir and Scoot in Singapore and overseas stations  after taking into consideration a recruitment freeze, natural attrition and voluntary departures involving some 1,900 staff.

Discussions have begun with our Singapore-based unions. The Group will work closely with them to finalise the arrangements as soon as possible for those affected, and try to minimise the stress and anxiety on our people, said SIA in a statement posted on the Singapore Exchange website late on Thursday.

SIA said the decision was taken in light of the long road to recovery for the global airline industry due to the debilitating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the urgent need for the Groups airlines to adapt to an uncertain future.

It added that it is in an even more vulnerable position compared with most major airlines in the world as it does not have a domestic market that will be the first to see a recovery.

In order to remain viable in this uncertain landscape, the Groups airlines will operate a smaller fleet for a reduced network compared to their pre-COVID-19 operations in the coming years, it added.

SIA Group operating at only 8% of pre-pandemic capacity

Meanwhile, SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong said the airlines priorities from the outset of the pandemic were to ensure survival and save as many jobs as possible.

In a statement to employees, Goh said SIA has already raised $11 billion through its rights issue, secured financing, and additional lines of credit. The company will continue to explore other sources of financing.

The Group has significantly reduced capital and operating expenditure since the onset of COVID-19 by deferring non-critical projects, and by working with suppliers and partners to reduce costs, reschedule payments, and adjust aircraft delivery streams. We have also implemented human resources measures such as salary cuts and no-pay leave schemes, he said.

Story continues

But Goh added that the future remains extremely challenging as the pandemic is still not under control, with some countries having second and third waves; the lack of a vaccine; and tight border restrictions.

Global economic growth remains anaemic, with little impetus for the return of international leisure and business travel. We saw a catastrophic 99.5% decline in passenger carriage in the first quarter of FY20/21, he said.

Today the SIA Group operates only 8% of our capacity compared to pre-COVID levels, and we expect to be at less than 50% at the end of the financial year. In the meantime, the prognosis for air travel has worsened, with industry groups projecting that passenger traffic will not return to pre-Covid levels until 2024.

Having to let go of valuable and dedicated people is the hardest and most agonising decision that he has had to make in his 30 years with SIA, said Goh.

For our impacted colleagues, please know that this is not a reflection of your individual strengths and capabilities. It is the result of an unprecedented travel paralysis brought about by a global pandemic.

The chief executive added that the retrenchment process will be conducted in a fair and respectful manner and that the company will do our best to ensure that you receive all the necessary support during this very trying time.

What we have dreaded all these months has happened, wrote Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung in a Facebook post.

We know how badly SIA is hit by COVID-19. Over the past few months, Government has rolled out support measures, including the Jobs Support Scheme, to defray business costs and protect jobs. The aviation sector received the strongest support. SIA has also raised significant capital with the support of its majority shareholder.

He added that SIA delayed the job cuts for as long as they can and called it inevitable given the impact of COVID-19. The government will do all we can to support the affected workers, said Ong.

I am sure their skills are much needed elsewhere too. More importantly, we will continue to press on, to restore air travel in a safe manner, to get SIA planes back up in the sky, and revive our air hub, he added.

In his May Day message in April, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said no effort will be spared to ensure that SIA and the aviation sector will see through the current crisis.

The Government is determined that SIA will see through this crisis, he said. SIA has always flown Singapore's flag high all over the world and made us proud. We will spare no effort to enable it to do so again.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Other Singapore stories:

Jail for woman who sneezed on ION Orchard security guard during COVID-19 circuit breaker

COVID-19: Singapore confirms 63 new cases, two in the community

Safe management measures, issues at large polling stations led to long Polling Day queues: ELD

Temasek to distribute 2 reusable masks to each Singapore resident from 21 Sept

COVID-19: Singapore to begin distributing TraceTogether tokens next Monday
(Natural News) Teabags made from plastic  rather than the usual paper  are fast becoming common around the globe. But tea drinkers ought to steer clear of these plastic teabags after recent tests found that a single bag could shed billions of microplastics into each cup.

In a major breakthrough, scientists from Canadas McGill University at Montreal found that just one plastic teabag released 11 billion micro-sized plastic particles and 3 billion nano-sized plastic particles, about 750 times smaller than a strand of human hair, after being steeped for five minutes.

The report doesnt indicate the possible effects of these plastic particles on human health, but it does shed light on the amount of microplastics that people could be ingesting on a regular basis from ubiquitous foods and drinks, including tea. Their findings appeared online in the journal of Environmental Science and Technology.

Drinking a piping hot cup of plastic

For their experiment, first author and chemical engineer Laura Hernandez and her colleagues bought four different teabags from shops and cafes in Montreal.

The researchers then cut open each bag, removed the tea leaves and rinsed them to get rid of debris. Tea leaves also contain oil that would have made it impossible to see the plastics under the electron microscope.

To simulate the brewing process, the researchers steeped the clean teabags in water at 203 F for five minutes before assessing the water under the microscope for potential microplastics.

Hernandez said she and her team were expecting to find just hundreds or thousands of plastic particles. However, their results showed that billions of plastic particles had leached from the teabag.

The researchers also found that the composition of the released plastic particles matched that of the plastic teabags prior to being steeped, thus confirming that the bags did degrade.

Compared to other foods found to contain microplastics, the amount found in just one teabag is also several times higher, said corresponding author Nathali Tufenkji.

Each gram of table salt, for instance, contains about 0.005 micrograms (mcg) of plastic particles. This is already considered to be high. In contrast, the researchers cup of tea contains about 16 mcg of plastic particles. (Related: Over 90 percent of salt brands contain MICROPLASTICS, scientists find.)

In a second experiment, Hernandez and her colleagues also exposed water fleas to the contaminated water to assess the potential effects of microplastic ingestion.

Ingestion of the plastic particles did not kill the fleas, but it did lead to some significant malformations and behavioral abnormalities.

For instance, some of the fleas failed to develop a normal upper shell. Meanwhile, others were able to swim for longer distances compared to those not exposed to the microplastics.

Despite these disconcerting findings, there is still no empirical evidence to date regarding the possible harmful effects of microplastic ingestion on human health, said Hernandez.

However, people ingest microplastics on a regular basis from other sources, not just from tea. Therefore, these findings highlight the need for scientists to look into the health risks that microplastics pose to human health.

Minimizing the risk of microplastic ingestion

The lack of known health risks associated with microplastic ingestion doesnt mean that people shouldnt aim to reduce their consumption of foods and drinks that could contain microplastics.

For starters, people can opt for paper teabags or loose-leaf tea instead of plastic teabags, said Lisa Lefferts, a senior scientist at the consumer watchdog Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C.

However, its also important to complement these steps with measures that address existing bad habits like smoking or drinking, she added.

Read more articles about the health risks that microplastics pose to human health at Microplastics.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Healthline.com

NewScientist.com
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2 Men Charged for Attacking Police Officers During Rochester Riot

The Department of Justice on Wednesday charged two men for attacking police officers in Rochester, New York, during a violent protest on Sept. 5.

The prosecutors indicted Adam Green, 20, for striking a police officer in the helmet with a makeshift wooden shield. Dallas Williams-Smothers, 20, is accused of lobbing a commercial grade mortar firework at a group of officers. Both men face five years in prison if convicted.

Green and Williams-Smothers were part of a crowd of approximately 1,500 protesters who blocked an intersection in Rochester in response to the March 30 death of Daniel Prude, who died a week after an encounter with Rochester Police Department (RPD) officers.

The RPD declared the group at the intersection an unlawful assembly after the protesters hurled rocks, bottles, lit fireworks, and other objects at officers. People in the group also shone flashlights and lasers at police on the scene.

When the crowd refused to leave, an officer approached Green, who in turn swung his shield at the officers head and struck him on the helmet. The officers suffered a cut and an abrasion to the bridge of his nose as a result.

After being told he was under arrest, Green resisted and fought with the officer and another officer who was assisting, a statement from the Department of Justice says. Green was eventually handcuffed and arrested.

At roughly 11:20 p.m. the same night, Williams-Smothers lit a firework mortar and hurled it at a group of officers addressing the crowd at an intersection. The firework exploded nearby the officers and Williams-Smothers fled on foot. The RPD used a description of the man to arrest him later nearby. Officers confiscated two more mortar-style fireworks from Williams-Smothers upon his arrest.

These arrests are not about deterring free speech, they are about deterring violent and dangerous criminal activity, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York James Kennedy said during a press conference announcing the charges.

U.S. Attorney Kennedy says his Office will continue to investigate acts of violence at protests in Rochester and will charge to the fullest extent of the law:

"These arrests are not about deterring free speech, they are about deterring violent and dangerous criminal activity." pic.twitter.com/lN39Ub86Pf  WDNYnews (@WDNYnews) September 9, 2020

Top police leaders in Rochester, New York, announced their retirements following the violence over the weekend. Police Chief LaRon Singletary, Deputy Chief Joseph Morabito, and a commander retired, while two more leaders gave up command positions.

Black Lives Matter activists had called for Singletary to resign or be fired over how his department handled the investigation into Prudes death.

Singletary said that he wont sit idly while outside forces try to destroy my character, adding that events over the past week are an attempt to destroy my character and integrity.

The mischaracterization and the politicization of the actions that I took after being informed of Mr. Prudes death is not based on facts, and is not what I stand for, he said.

A medical examiner reviewing Prudes death concluded that it was a homicide caused by complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint. The report listed excited delirium and acute intoxication by the recreational drug phencyclidine, or PCP, as factors contributing to his death.

Police officers had put a spit guard on Prude as he resisted arrest after relatives called for help when he was suffering a mental episode. Officers found him running naked in the street. He had struggled against the arresting officers while spitting on them saying that he had contracted COVID-19.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Domestic violence against women is a steadily increasing concern among experts in the Philadelphia area due to the ongoing pandemic, according to a recent report by researchers at the Ortner Center on Violence and Abuse at the University of Pennsylvania.

Researchers looked at the effects of Pennsylvanias declaration of emergency, school closures, and stay-at-home orders on calls to 911 and hotlines for domestic violence, rape, and assault. They found that calls to hotlines regarding domestic violence  which women typically make to seek resources and support  dropped when schools first closed, but have gradually increased.

Calls to 911 for domestic violence did not change. However, the state of emergency declaration was associated with fewer victim calls to the sexual assault hotline and 911 for rape.

Susan Sorenson, director of the Ortner Center and co-author of the new report, said that in talking to local organizations, it didnt seem that there had been a surge in calls to hotlines, which concerned her.

Was it because women dont think its safe for them to call? Maybe they didnt have a safe space from which to call," she said. We didnt take the not calling as an indicator of a lack of violence in the home.

There is mounting evidence of a global surge in domestic violence because of how COVID-19 has forced women to stay home with their abusers, while many support services were disrupted. One Chinese anti-domestic violence nonprofit found that reports doubled in March after cities went into lockdown. In April, the United Nations published a policy brief that domestic violence surges of up to 25% were being reported in many countries, and those numbers likely reflect only the worst cases.

Sorenson said it has been difficult to get a real-time assessment of how severe domestic violence has been during the pandemic. Surveys are often done annually, she said. And if there is a drop in calls to hotlines, its important not to confuse that with a drop in violence.

We need to wait until these annual surveys are done and look at whats happened in the past year, Sorenson said. And then we might have to wait a couple of years to see if its related to the pandemic. If someone were to come in and say, violence has dropped because fewer people are calling, that would be a really big mistake and in the long run, a disservice to vulnerable populations and agencies themselves.

 HELP US REPORT: Are you a health care worker, medical provider, government worker, patient, frontline worker or other expert? We want to hear from you.

Linda Copel, who runs a domestic violence support group through her private practice as a family therapist in Malvern, said she believes there has been an increase in domestic violence based on what shes hearing from group members. Copel, a nursing professor at Villanova University, said verbal abuse as a result of financial difficulties and being stuck at home has become a huge problem for some women.

When the frustration and anxiety increases, people are irritable and edgy and take it out on each other, she said. Also, the resources that people have used to cope are nonexistent or have been unavailable for a while.

Corinne Lagermasini, who heads anti-domestic violence nonprofit Women in Transition, said she was excited to provide Sorenson with information for the report because although staff members collect a lot of data from survivors, they rarely get to sit down and think about what it all means. Lagermasini said that when the pandemic first started, no one knew what to expect.

It was like everyone was holding their breath, and then the avalanche started mid-April, she said. Our counselors have had maximum caseloads since then.

Not only are a lot of new clients calling the organization, but former clients who had stopped seeing their counselors reached out for support, as well, Lagermasini said. Survivors, while resilient, are feeling more helpless because of how the pandemic has complicated their lives. Parents in violent situations are experiencing more feelings of shame and blame for exposing their kids to the violence, she said.

Everyone is really stressed, everyone is really struggling," Lagermasini said. People feel like there are more barriers than there were in the past. Theyre losing jobs and lifelines. Friends and family who might have been there for support in the past arent there anymore. People are feeling more helpless.

If you are in the Philadelphia region and experiencing intimate partner violence, call the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-866-723-3014. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
Local and federal officials wrangled Wednesday over who should get credit for a recent dip in Chicago violence, even though 63 people were slain in the city in August and shootings continue at a pace far above last year. Attorney General William Barr said during a visit to Chicago that the federal Operation Legend program has led directly to a significant drop in shootings in the violence-torn city over the past five weeks.
HOUSTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fajita Pete's, a concept known for its "fresh off the grill" fajita delivery, has signed agreements with brothers Manish and Manjul Agrawal of Alkire Lake Capital and Christopher Enright of Lone Palm Hospitality LLC to open eight new restaurants across Texas as a part of the brand's expansion that will triple its restaurant count from 16 to 50 in the next three years.

The 12-year-old Houston-based brand is bucking trends as many restaurants shrink or shutter while the pandemic drags on. Company founder Pedro "Pete" Mora attributes Fajita Pete's continued success and growth to its tight focus on pickup, delivery and catering of award-winning fajitas, along with high ticket averages, a low cost of entry and a highly efficient operational model  making it extremely attractive to prospective franchisees.

Alkire Lake Capital, which owns more than 350 restaurants across the U.S., including the recent acquisition of an established Fajita Pete's in Missouri City, Texas, echoes those thoughts. The multi-concept franchisee group plans to open four additional locations in the Sugar Land, Texas, area in 2021. As existing franchisees, they believe now is the time to grow the concept.

"Fajita Pete's has a core product that they do very well, and there are no big changes we have to make to the business model for the times we're in," said Manish Agrawal, who also purchased an equity stake in Fajita Pete's franchising and joined the company's board of directors. "We were hooked on Fajita Pete's from the first time we tried the food, and we see tremendous opportunity with this brand."

Likewise, Christopher Enright, a former casual dining regional operations executive and former owner of four casual dining restaurants in the Kansas City area, sees huge potential for growth. Enright's Lone Palm Hospitality LLC plans to open five Fajita Pete's locations in the Denton and Tarrant County areas of Dallas Fort-Worth starting in late 2020 or early 2021.

"I was drawn to the Fajita Pete's brand because of Pete's firm vision for the future and a rock-solid business model with low operating costs and exceptional food quality," said Enright. "The model plays right into the demands of today's world with contactless delivery and pickup, which they've been doing for years."

In addition to the model and menu, prospective franchisees are also drawn to the size of the restaurants  1,200 to 1,500 square feet  which keeps rent, construction and maintenance costs down.

"Many people might think this is not the time to invest in the restaurant business, but partners like Chris at Lone Palm and Manish and Manjul at Alkire Lake Capital are showing that growth is possible with the right formula," said Mora. "Experts say 2021 is going to be one of the strongest periods ever for franchising for those businesses that have survived and thrived during the pandemic. If they can make it through this, they can make it through anything, and we expect to be a part of that."

Franchise agreements, which include assistance with everything from site selection to operations and sales, are available. Visit www.fajitapetes.com/franchises for more information.

About Fajita Pete's

Fajita Pete's is a Houston-based "fresh off the grill" fajita concept focused on a simple menu with premium-quality, handmade menu items. Founder Pete Mora envisioned a better way to serve guests through focus on delivery and pickup, a model that has proven successful over the past 12 years. Fajita Pete's earned a spot on QSR Magazine's 40/40 List: America's Hottest Startup Fast Casuals for 2020 and was awarded first place at Houston's Fajita Festival in 2017 and 2018. Fajita Pete's currently has 16 locations across Houston, Dallas and College Station, 12 of which are franchisee owned. Markets open for franchisee development include Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Colorado, Arkansas, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and New Mexico. For more information, visit www.fajitapetes.com/franchises. Follow Fajita Pete's on Facebook @fajitapetestx and on Instagram @fajitapetes.

Media Contact

Curry Simic, SPM Communications

[email protected]

817-329-3257

SOURCE Fajita Pete's

Related Links

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The Uttar Pradesh government is laying the groundwork to launch retail outlets to promote ethnic products of the state. Last month, the state government had roped in A-list designers like Ritu Beri, Rina Dhaka, Manish Malhotra and JJ Valaya to promote Uttar Pradesh's ethnic fabrics and textiles.

Now, the state government is planning to launch retail stores in UP as well as other states, according to a report in Business Standard. The outlets will be launched under the flagship One District-One Product (ODOP) scheme of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government. The ODOP scheme was launched by the Adityanath government in 2018.

The ODOP scheme encourages indigenous and specialised products and crafts in UP that are found nowhere else, like, chikankari and zari-zardozi.

As per the daily, it is likely that the state cabinet will approve the proposal in this regard soon. A standard retail outlet will be in a 100 square metre area in any shopping mall, airport, a random market, or railway station, among others.

As per the proposal, the state government will provide partial financial support to the outlet. Besides, other state governments or a private organisation will also be allowed to run the proposed retail stores.

Uttar Pradesh government is also in talks with ecommerce giants like Amazon and eBay to provide global marketing platforms to indigenous handicrafts of the state.

Meanwhile, the products lined up for promotion in the first phase by UP state comprise ethnic fabrics and textiles such as chikan and khadi, handicrafts, leather products, home decor, perfumes, carpets etc.

Also read: RIL share hits all-time high, market cap above Rs 14 lakh cr for second day

Also read: Royal Enfield goes global, sets up first assembly unit outside India in Argentina
As protests continue to erupt in the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and across the world in outrage against the horrific shooting of Jacob Bla Read more
Serum Institute of India on Thursday said that it was halting the trial of the Oxford University-Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine in India until British-Swedish drug maker restarts the trial. The move came a day after Pune-based vaccine maker received a show cause notice from the Drug Controller's General of India (DGCI). "We are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials till AstraZeneca restarts the trials. We are following DCGI's instructions," Serum Institute of India said.

The central drug regulator on Wednesday had pulled up the company for not informing it about pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidates in other countries.

On September 8, the clinical trials of one of the Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine were suspended in the United Kingdom after a participant developed an unexplained illness.

In his show-cause notice, Dr V G Somani, Drugs Controller General of India, asked SII as to why the permission granted for conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the vaccine candidate in the country be not suspended till patient safety is established.

"Whereas, Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, Pune, till now has not informed the Central licensing authority regarding pausing the clinical trial carried out by AstraZeneca in other countries and also not submitted casualty analysis of the reported serious adverse event with the investigational vaccine for the continuation of phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the subject vaccine in the country in light of the safety concerns," said the show-cause notice.

In the show-cause notice, the drug regulator also mentioned that the clinical trials have been put on hold across countries where it is conducted i.e. USA, UK, Brazil and South Africa.

US National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins told a Senate committee Wednesday that AstraZeneca Plcs closely watched COIVD-19 vaccine trial had been halted due to a spinal cord problem."

This is based on a single severe adverse event which may or may not have anything to do with the vaccine, but it is the best sort of cautious approach to quickly stop and look and see if theres any other evidence to be concerned about," Collins told the Senate committee Wednesday.

Serum Institute of India partnered with AstraZeneca to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford, for India and low-and-middle income countries. Pune-based vaccine maker earlier shortlisted 17 sites in India for the Phase II clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine. At least 1,600 candidates aged between 18 to 55, will participate in the trial.

AstraZeneca Plc chief executive officer Pascal Soriot said the coronavirus vaccine the company is developing with the University of Oxford could still be ready before the end of the year. Global deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic exceeded 900,000.

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A Pakistani woman was allegedly gang-raped in front of her three children by robbers on a motorway in Punjab province, triggering public outcry.

The woman was driving on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway on Wednesday when her car stalled near Gujjarpura area either due to shortage of petrol or some fault, police said.

In the FIR, she said that she was waiting for her relative to arrive and pick her children and herself from the spot when two armed robbers smashed her car window and attacked her. The robbers took her and children to a nearby field and gang-raped her, police said.

They also took away her purse that had cash, jewellery and three ATM cards, she said in her statement to police. Newly-appointed Lahore police chief Umer Shiekh said he has constituted multiply teams to arrest the culprits. He said some 12 suspects have been taken into custody so far.

Sheikh, however, blamed" the women for the incident saying she should have taken GT Road to go to her house in Gujranwala. I am shocked she, a mother of three, and the only driver late at night should have taken the GT (Grand Trunk) Road instead, which is densely populated, he said.

Political leaders, civil society and rights activists have condemned the incident and blamed the Punjab government for its failure to ensure law and order in the province. Opposition Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq has given an ultimatum of 48 hours to the Punjab government to arrest the culprits otherwise it would launch a countrywide protest.

He said. Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team have politicised the police in Punjab and there are infighting among the police officials to grab better slots and no one is paying attention to the deteriorating law and order." PML-N president and opposition leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said nothing could be more shameful than this incident. He demanded justice for the woman and exemplary punishment for the rapists.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharifs daughter Maryam Nawaz said: The tragic rape incident on motorway is as traumatising and heart-rending for me as it is for the entire nation. Such incidents are indicative of a deeper malaise that warrant a national response so as to put an end to the curse that stems from a culture that encourages impunity.
Trump denies lying to US about virus after bombshell book 'I didn't lie,' US President Donald Trump says

President Donald Trump on Thursday denied lying to Americans about the severity of the coronavirus after a bombshell new book by journalist Bob Woodward revealed that he deliberately downplayed the crisis.

Trump's taped admission to Woodward that he minimized the pandemic in public, while being aware from the start about the unique danger presented by Covid-19, has set off alarm bells less than eight weeks before election day.

Asked at a hastily organized White House press conference "Why did you lie to the American people?" Trump responded: "I didn't lie."

The Republican, who is down in the polls against Democrat Joe Biden and faces overwhelming disapproval from Americans on his handling of the coronavirus crisis, insisted that he'd softened the dangers in public so as to preserve calm.

"I don't want to jump up and down and start screaming 'Death! Death!'" he argued.

But Trump has been thrown onto the defense after multiple excerpts and recordings from Woodward's book "Rage" were released on Wednesday.

Following two Fox News interviews, dozens of tweets, and the press conference, Trump continued his bid to get his election message back on track by holding a rally with supporters in Freeland, Michigan.

He told the excited crowd that his approach to Covid-19 matched that of the British government in World War II with its famous "Keep calm and carry on" morale-boosting posters.

Apparently meaning Woodward, he referred in his speech to "this whack job that wrote the book."

- Revelations -

"Rage" is filled with startling episodes, including the assessment by Trump's then director of national intelligence, the respected Dan Coats, that the president "doesn't know the difference between the truth and a lie."

But the segments in which Trump candidly discusses the coronavirus pandemic -- responsible for killing almost 200,000 Americans -- are getting the most attention.

Story continues

Despite openly describing to Woodward the dangerous characteristics of the then unknown virus, including the fact that it is transmitted by air, Trump said "I wanted to always play it down."

Trump went on to explain to Woodward that he wanted to avoid causing panic. However, his acknowledgement that he failed to tell the country the unvarnished truth prompted outrage.

Critics quickly resurrected his multiple statements from the early stages of the pandemic in which he told the public that it was no worse than a regular flu and breezily predicted it would "disappear" in a short period.

"He knew how deadly it was," Biden said Wednesday.

"He lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months."

- Can't shoot the messenger -

Trump usually fights criticism by blaming what he calls "the fake news" and claiming that unnamed sources commonly used in White House reporting don't exist.

But shoot the messenger won't work in the case of "Rage." The revelations rely mostly on Trump himself and Woodward -- famous for bringing down Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal -- has published recordings.

In one dig at Woodward on Thursday, Trump tweeted that if the legendary reporter thought that the quotes were "so bad or dangerous, why didn't he immediately report them in an effort to save lives?"

"Because he knew they were good and proper answers. Calm, no panic!" Trump argued.

Quite why Trump would grant Woodward so much access in an election year, however, is a question many in Washington are asking. The reporter got 18 interviews with the president and was entirely open about them being put on tape.

"I did it out of curiosity," was Trump's explanation Thursday.

According to White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Trump went ahead "because he is the most transparent president in history."

Trump, who has a lifetime experience in salesmanship and performing on television, has indeed set a new record for his unprecedented number of press conferences and impromptu question-and-answer sessions.

But the performances often leave his own staff scrambling in damage limitation mode, like when he mused at a press conference about the possible benefits of injecting Covid-19 patients with bleach.

In the final run before November 3 election day, aides and allies are again gritting their teeth.

"Honestly, (Woodward's) access to the White House is probably something that I would not have recommended had I been in the chief of staff role early on," Trump's current chief of staff, Mark Meadows, told Fox News.

Karl Rove, the Republican campaign mastermind in the George W. Bush era, had this warning for the incumbent: "If the president isn't focused... the occupant of the Oval Office is set to change."

sms/st
Digital banking platform of State Bank of India, YONO app's valuation has increased to $40 billion, according to SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar. SBI launched the You Only Need One (YONO) app in November 2017 to help its customers digitally for banking, investment and shopping needs.

Speaking at an event, Chairman Kumar said that, "No one gets to know YONO's valuation because it sits within the bank. If it was sitting outside banks, its valuation would be $40-50 billion".

Kumar, whose three-year term as the chairman comes to an end next month, asserted that YONO is the biggest start-up by a legacy bank. Kumar added that SBI is adding over 70,000 customers per day to the platform, and has added 2.7 crore users in the last six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kumar also spoke about how the country's largest lender was active in working with several start-ups that were equipped in areas like cybersecurity and fraud prevention. The 62-year-old chairman said SBI's board has approved a spending limit of Rs 10 crore for the management to work directly with start-ups.

The bank is also working on creating a business-to-business (B2B) platform for bill receivables, called 'Bharat Draft', which will have all the MSMEs registered, he said.

Recently, SBI proposed to hire 14,000 employees this year. It also announced a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for which nearly 30,190 SBI staff are eligible.

Also read: SBI to hire 14,000 employees; dismisses claims of job cuts through VRS

Also read: SBI VRS scheme 2020: Check out eligibility, compensation, other details
(Natural News) The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a rare, seven-day emergency order to help preserve the reliability of Californias bulk power system. The order came after the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) made a request to the DOE on September 6.

The DOEs order authorizes three natural gas-fueled power stations to operate at their maximum generation output. This is something they normally cannot do without exceeding federal air quality regulations.

The power plans at the center of the request included units 5/6 and 7/8 at the El Segundo Energy Center in El Segundo, Los Angeles; units one to five at the Walnut Creek Energy Park in the City of Industry, Los Angeles County and units one to four at the generating station in Long Beach, California. According to CAISO, up to 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity could be added to the grid from these plants operating at full capacity.

Order comes after Gov. Newsom declared state of emergency

In its request, CAISO stated that while California Gov. Gavin Newsom had proclaimed a State of Emergency related to the extreme heat on September 3 it did not suspend permitting requirements under federal law, such as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) relating to nitrogen oxide, ammonia, and other emissions. It did, however, suspend state and local air pollution limits that restricted how much power plants could produce.

When he declared a state of emergency, Newsom had asked plants across the state to produce as much power as possible. On September 5, however, the operator of the power plants mentioned above informed CAISO that it could not do so without exceeding its federal air quality or other permit limitations.

On the same day, CAISO lost approximately 1,600 MW of generation capacity as a result of wildfires that forced transmission infrastructure out of service.

Request comes as California faces further heat

CAISOs request for federal assistance comes as the state entered into another week of extremely hot temperatures.

In a statement on Sunday, Newsom said that the state grid was predicted to predicted to approach record energy as a result of an extreme heat storm  the latest in a series of heatwaves that the state has been experiencing since August.

Californias Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has recorded over 7,400 wildfire incidents in 2020 so far. This brings it close to the 7,639 tally for all of 2018, which represents Californias deadliest wildfire season on record with 100 fatalities.

Californias power grid is the worst in the country

In line with the order, however, Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette has asked California policymakers to evaluate why the states grid is currently unable to accommodate stressor events. According to Brouillette, this could be alleviated with more base supply and natural gas generation.

Part of the blame could lie with the states own efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Power plants across the state are unable to run at full capacity thanks to limits on their greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, the states Emissions Performance Standard, established in 2006, has resulted in the closure of 11 coal-fired plants alongside the reduction of electricity imports from coal-fired plants outside of the state.

In addition, a significant chunk of the states power output  around 19 percent back in 2018  comes from roof-top and utility-scale solar installations, the highest percentage in the country. This means that power output drops significantly during the evening and nighttime house. This becomes a problem in the former when people are still running air conditioners to deal with hot evenings during the heatwave. (Related: Rolling blackouts demonstrate why Californias green power grid is the worst in the country.)

As a result of this, Californias power grid has been called the least reliable power system in America, according to data from Eaton Corporation. For the past decade, it has led the nation in power outages every year, with more than double that of the next highest state, Texas.

Future green efforts could make things even worse for Californians. In 2018, then Gover. Jerry Brown signed a bill committing the state to obtain 100 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2045. Unless it can address the current issues with its grid, however, the state could be facing even power issues in the not-so-distant future.

Follow Electricity.news for more on the current and future blackouts that California could be facing.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Energy.gov 1 [PDF]

Energy.gov 2 [PDF]

Gov.ca.gov
Qarik Group today announced the formal creation of a dedicated Google Cloud Platform practice which will be led by John Forstrom, former head of sales for Google Cloud on the West Coast. Sauce Labs, the leading provider of continuous testing solutions based in San Francisco, has selected Qarik to lead their data center migration to Google Cloud.

Google Cloud is seeing significant traction in the enterprise space and that aligns very well with our experience and commitment to the Google partner program, said Mr. Forstrom, who spent more than five years at Google Cloud focused on strategic customers. We now have nearly a dozen former senior Google Cloud employees on staff and a significant footprint in Belfast where we have development, delivery and support personnel. Our deep experience with Google Clouds largest and most strategic customers and ability to directly source business is what sets us apart from anyone else in this space.

A Google Cloud partner since early 2019, Qarik will continue to invest in reselling the platform with an increased focus on Cloud Foundation and Cloud Migration projects.

We focus on business solutions for our customers and the formation of this group is a natural next step in our evolution as a firm, said Gavan Corr, one of the founding partners of Qarik. More and more enterprise customers are selecting Google as their primary cloud provider and we want to be the go-to advisor for those customers.

In early 2020, Sauce Labs decided to move the majority of their SaaS platform to a public cloud to respond to their need for agility and scale. "As we continue to evolve our market-leading automated UI and functional continuous testing platform, Google Cloud was a natural fit due to its robust platform and state of the art tools," said Sauce Labs CTO John Kelly.

However, like many enterprises, we wanted to minimize the time and risk to execute by tapping a Google Cloud partner. We evaluated several providers and Qarik was the obvious choice. They have significant experience with GCP migrations in addition to reselling the platform and that was critical to us. They function like an extension of Google and have the experience and resources to help accelerate our timeline to complete the migration.

Sauce Labs anticipates completing the migration to Google Cloud by mid- 2021.

About Qarik Group

Qarik Group, headquartered in New York, was started in 2019 by former senior Google Cloud engineers, solution architects and developers. The consulting and services firm is focused on solving business challenges with Cloud Technology and Tools. In addition to the US based team, Qarik has built a world class development, engineering, and data science team based in Belfast, Northern Ireland and employs 50+ professionals worldwide.

About Sauce Labs

Sauce Labs is the leading provider of continuous testing solutions that deliver digital confidence. The Sauce Labs Continuous Testing Cloud delivers a 360-degree view of a customers application experience, ensuring that web and mobile applications look, function, and perform exactly as they should on every browser, OS, and device, every single time. Sauce Labs is a privately held company funded by Toba Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Centerview Capital Technology, IVP, Adams Street Partners, and Riverwood Capital.
Early interventions were effective at stamping out coronavirus infections before they spread, but subsequent, poorly monitored travel allowed the virus to ignite major outbreaks in Europe and North America, according to a study published in Science

A new study combines evolutionary genomics from coronavirus samples with computer-simulated epidemics and detailed travel records to reconstruct the spread of coronavirus across the world in unprecedented detail.

Published in the journal Science, the results suggest an extended period of missed opportunity when intensive testing and contact tracing might have prevented SARS-CoV-2 from becoming established in North America and Europe.

The paper also challenges suggestions that linked the earliest known cases of COVID-19 on each continent in January to outbreaks detected weeks later, and provides valuable insights that could inform public health response and help with anticipating and preventing future outbreaks of COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases.

"Our aspiration was to develop and apply powerful new technology to conduct a definitive analysis of how the pandemic unfolded in space and time, across the globe," said University of Arizona researcher Michael Worobey, who led an interdisciplinary team of scientists from 13 research institutions in the U.S., Belgium, Canada and the U.K. "Before, there were lots of possibilities floating around in a mish-mash of science, social media and an unprecedented number of preprint publications still awaiting peer review."

The team based their analysis on results from viral genome sequencing efforts, which began immediately after the virus was identified. These efforts quickly grew into a worldwide effort unprecedented in scale and pace and have yielded tens of thousands of genome sequences, publicly available in databases.

Contrary to widespread narratives, the first documented arrivals of infected individuals traveling from China to the U.S. and Europe did not snowball into continental outbreaks, the researchers found.

Instead, swift and decisive measures aimed at tracing and containing those initial incursions of the virus were successful and should serve as model responses directing future actions and policies by governments and public health agencies, the study's authors conclude.

How the Virus Arrived in the U.S. and Europe

A Chinese national flying into Seattle from Wuhan, China on Jan. 15 became the first patient in the U.S. shown to be infected with the novel coronavirus and the first to have a SARS-CoV-2 genome sequenced. This patient was designated 'WA1.' It was not until six weeks later that several additional cases were detected in Washington state.

"And while all that time goes past, everyone is in the dark and wondering, 'What's happening?'" Worobey said. "We hope we're OK, we hope there are no other cases, and then it becomes clear, from a remarkable community viral sampling program in Seattle, that there are more cases in Washington and they are genetically very similar to WA1's virus."

Worobey and his collaborators tested the prevailing hypothesis suggesting that patient WA1 had established a transmission cluster that went undetected for six weeks. Although the genomes sampled in February and March share similarities with WA1, they are different enough that the idea of WA1 establishing the ensuing outbreak is very unlikely, they determined. The researchers' findings indicate that the jump from China to the U.S. likely occurred on or around Feb. 1 instead.

The results also puts to rest speculation that this outbreak, the earliest substantial transmission cluster in the U.S., may have been initiated indirectly by dispersal of the virus from China to British Columbia, Canada, just north of Washington State, and then spread from Canada to the U.S. Multiple SARS-CoV-2 genomes published by the British Columbia Center for Disease Control appeared to be ancestral to the viral variants sampled in Washington State, strongly suggesting a Canadian origin of the U.S. epidemic. However, the present study revealed sequencing errors in those genomes, thus ruling out this scenario.

Instead, the new study implicates a direct-from-China source of the U.S. outbreak, right around the time the U.S. administration implemented a travel ban for travelers from China in early February. The nationality of the "index case" of the U.S. outbreak cannot be known for certain because tens of thousands of U.S. citizens and visa holders traveled from China to the U.S. even after the ban took effect.

A similar scenario marks the first known introduction of coronavirus into Europe. On Jan. 20, an employee of an automotive supply company in Bavaria, Germany, flew in for a business meeting from Shanghai, China, unknowingly carrying the virus, ultimately leading to infection of 16 co-workers. In that case, too, an impressive response of rapid testing and isolation prevented the outbreak from spreading any further, the study concludes. Contrary to speculation, this German outbreak was not the source of the outbreak in Northern Italy that eventually spread widely across Europe and eventually to New York City and the rest of the U.S.

The authors also show that this China-to-Italy-US dispersal route ignited transmission clusters on the East Coast slightly later in February than the China-to-US movement of the virus that established the Washington State outbreak. The Washington transmission cluster also predated small clusters of community transmission in February in California, making it the earliest anywhere in North America.

Early Containment Works

The authors say intensive interventions, involving testing, contact tracing, isolation measures and a high degree of compliance of infected individuals, who reported their symptoms to health authorities and self-isolated in a timely manner, helped Germany and the Seattle area contain those outbreaks in January.

"We believe that those measures resulted in a situation where the first sparks could successfully be stamped out, preventing further spread into the community," Worobey said. "What this tells us is that the measures taken in those cases are highly effective and should serve as a blueprint for future responses to emerging diseases that have the potential to escalate into worldwide pandemics."

To reconstruct the pandemic's unfolding, the scientists ran computer programs that carefully simulated the epidemiology and evolution of the virus, in other words, how SARS-CoV-2 spread and mutated over time.

"This allowed us to re-run the tape of how the epidemic unfolded, over and over again, and then check the scenarios that emerge in the simulations against the patterns we see in reality," Worobey said.

"In the Washington case, we can ask, 'What if that patient WA1 who arrived in the U.S. on Jan. 15 really did start that outbreak?' Well, if he did, and you re-run that epidemic over and over and over, and then sample infected patients from that epidemic and evolve the virus in that way, do you get a pattern that looks like what we see in reality? And the answer was no," he said.

"If you seed that early Italian outbreak with the one in Germany, do you see the pattern that you get in the evolutionary data? And the answer, again, is no," he said.

"By re-running the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into the U.S. and Europe through simulations, we showed that it was very unlikely that the first documented viral introductions into these locales led to productive transmission clusters," said co-author Joel Wertheim of the University of California, San Diego. "Molecular epidemiological analyses are incredibly powerful for revealing transmissions patterns of SARS-CoV-2."

Other methods were then combined with the data from the virtual epidemics, yielding exceptionally detailed and quantitative results.

"Fundamental to this work stands our new tool combining detailed travel history information and phylogenetics, which produces a sort of 'family tree' of how the different genomes of virus sampled from infected individuals are related to each other," said co-author Marc Suchard of the University of California, Los Angeles. "The more accurate evolutionary reconstructions from these tools provide a critical step to understand how SARS-CoV-2 spread globally in such a short time."

"We have to keep in mind that we have studied only short-term evolution of this virus, so it hasn't had much time to accumulate many mutations," said co-author Philippe Lemey of the University of Leuven, Belgium. "Add to that the uneven sampling of genomes from different parts of the world, and it becomes clear that there are huge benefits to be gained from integrating various sources of information, combining genomic reconstructions with complementary approaches like flight records and the total number of COVID-19 cases in various global regions in January and February."

"Our research shows that when you do early intervention and detection well, it can have a massive impact, both on preventing pandemics and controlling them once they progress," Worobey said. "While the epidemic eventually slipped through, there were early victories that show us the way forward: Comprehensive testing and case identification are powerful weapons."

###

Funding sources for this study include the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the European Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Coronavirus Rapid Response Programme.

For a complete list of authors and funding agencies, see the research paper, "The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe and North America," Science, available online at https://science.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.abc8169.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police on Thursday said it has approached the Centre for blocking 45 social media links which are allegedly spreading misinformation about COVID-19 pandemic.

They said the Government of India was approached after the social media platforms concerned failed to act against the links within the mandated 36 hours of notices being issued to them by the state.

With 13 more accounts/links being blocked by various platforms, the total number of URLs blocked for spreading false propaganda in the state has gone up to 121, the police said.

While Facebook has blocked 47 links or accounts, Twitter has blocked 52, YouTube has blocked 21 and Instagram has blocked one.

In addition, 292 more links carrying malicious content have been reported to social media platforms, Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta said in a statement here.

The central government's intervention has been sought for 45 such links, Gupta said.

The police have also issued a look-out circular for Satinder Singh, a resident of Vienna in Austria. He was allegedly responsible for posting fake videos and asking people in Punjab to refrain from going to hospitals for treatment.

The anchors of a private cable TV channel have been booked for trying to spread misleading facts about ASHA (accredited social health activist) workers. A total of 18 FIRs have been registered so far against people involved in rumor-mongering, said the DGP.

The chief minister had ordered a crackdown amid the spread of fake news on social media platforms by anti-social elements intentionally to spread hatred, misinformation, and disaffection.

Videos are being uploaded to incite the public in the name of "human organ trade during COVID-19", a release said.

A wave of misinformation is being spread through social media platforms that doctors and paramedics are falsely declaring people COVID positive and are then taking out their organs for monetary benefits, it said.
WOOD RIVER  The Metro East will be receiving a big chunk of Illinois new $16.6 million investment to expand opportunities for residents who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday announced that, through two new grants from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will distribute money to place, train and hire nearly 1,300 residents for an array of jobs related to the pandemic.

The funding includes an $8.3 million grant from the federal Disaster Recovery Grant Program and an $8.3 million grant from the federal Employment Recovery Grant  both part of the National Dislocated Worker Program. The grants will provide out-of-work Illinoisans with training and employment in jobs that assist local disaster relief programs and industries in high demand amidst the pandemic. Funded positions include temporary jobs to help mitigate COVID-19 in communities, such as contact tracers, protocol workers, building sanitation workers, temperature screeners and food preparation and distribution workers.

Madison County will receive just under $1.5 million, according to Tony Fuhrmann, the countys Employment and Training (MCET) Director. He said the county will work with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to provide training and job placement in quality control, food science technician and chemical technician jobs.

Following an eight-week certification course, participants will be placed in a job. In addition to the training, the grant will help pay part of the participants salaries for the first six months on the job.

Fuhrmann said they have discovered that even someone with a degree many times may not know the hands-on stuff they need to know. The training will help bridge that gap.

Its a step up for these people, Fuhrmann said. This is targeted for dislocated workers who have lost their job because of the pandemic.

MCET is administering the program for the entire Southwest Illinois Economic Development Region, which includes Madison, Bond, Jersey, Calhoun, St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph, Clinton and Washington counties.

We should be receiving funds in the next couple of weeks, Fuhrmann said. Were already talking to employers.

He said training should start in October, and workers should be placed by early 2021.

Fuhrmann noted that his office in the countys Wood River Facility is still not seeing a lot of foot traffic.

Were doing things by appointment, and we have a lot of open slots every week, he said, adding that many people have not realized yet that their jobs might not come back.

They arent looking for the next career yet, because theyre still waiting to see whats happening with their current career, he added.

For information about apprenticeship programs in Madison County contact Madison County Employment & Training at 618-296-4445, or visit www.co.madison.il.us/departments/employment_and_training.

A full list of COVID-19 workforce training grantees as well as their program offerings is available on the DCEO website as well as Get Hired Illinois  the states one-stop-shop portal to connect Illinoisans with available training and hiring opportunities with growing industries during the COVID-19 crisis.
Burberry has received more than half a million pounds to make PPE equipment for the NHS, according to newly released Government records.

In April the London based luxury brand used its extensive global supply chain network to deliver over 100,000 surgical masks to the UK National Health Service, for use by medical staff. The fashion house also retooled its trench coat factory in Castleford, Yorkshire, to make non-surgical gowns and masks for patients.

According to reports published on Wednesday, the luxury brand was given a 573,000 contract two months later to make further NHS gowns and PPE.

According to the new information, this contract was not advertised to other suppliers. This is likely due to the fact EU rules allow the Government to circumvent the usual processes if only one supplier is capable of delivering on the contract, or if unforeseen events mean that speed is vital.

At the start of April, Health Secretary Matt Hancock praised Burberry for its help in supplying the NHS with the PPE it needed.

Mr Hancock said: 'I'll give a shout-out to Burberry who have turned over their production to the production of gowns to add to the stockpile and to get PPE to people who need it which is another part of the national effort.

'I think Burberry deserve credit for what they've done so far for the nation and hopefully lots more Burberry gowns to come.'

At the time Marco Gobbetti, Burberrys CEO, also said in a statement: In challenging times, we must pull together. The whole team at Burberry is very proud to be able to support those who are working tirelessly to combat COVID-19, whether by treating patients, working to find a vaccine solution or helping provide food supplies to those in need at this time.

Weeks later Burberry highlighted the PPE it had donated in an update to investors. Our trench coat factory in Castleford is now manufacturing non-surgical gowns and supplying them to the UK National Health Service.

We are also sourcing surgical masks through our supply chain and supplying them to the NHS and charities such as Marie Curie, which provides nursing care for families living with terminal illness in the UK. To date, we have donated more than 100,000 pieces of PPE.

So far, Burberry has donated approximately 160,000 items of PPE.
The Google Pixel 4a is now on sale globally, its available outside of the US. There are a number of countries where you can get it from, directly from Google (Store).

Those countries include the UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Price tags differ from one country to the next, though, so well list them all separately below.

The Google Pixel 4a is now on sale globally, heres where you can get your hands on it

In the UK, its priced at 349, while it costs $479 CAD and $599 AUD in Canada and Australia, respectively. The device will set you back $499 SGD in Singapore, while its priced at $11,999 TWD in Taiwan.

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Those of you who live in Japan will have to part with 42,900, while the phone is priced at 383 and 349 in Ireland and France. It costs 340 in Germany, while it can be yours for 389 in both Italy and Spain.

The phone will also be available from a ton of carriers and retailers all around the globe. In Canada, you can get it from Bell, Virgin, The Source, Rogers, Fido, Telus, and several other places.

Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and India, all have options other than the Google Store. If youd like to check out all the places where it will be available, other than the Google Store, click here.

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Just note that the phone is not yet available in India. It will be available from both the Google Store and Flipkart, but not until October. We dont know what date exactly just yet.

This is one of the best budget phones out there

The Google Pixel 4a doesnt need much introduction at this point. This is a budget smartphone from Google for 2020, and it has a lot to offer at that price tag. The phone comes with an excellent camera, and is all-around a good phone.

It is made out of polycarbonate, while it comes with very thin bezels. Many would say the device is a perfect size for a phone, as its not too large, and yet its not small either.

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The phone includes a rear-facing fingerprint scanner, and it is fueled by the Snapdragon 730 SoC. It also includes 6GB of RAM, and ships with Android 10. The phone is upgradable to Android 11, though.

The Google Pixel 4a does include stereo speakers, and it even has an audio jack included. Do note that Google is planning to release the Google Pixel 4a 5G soon, as well as the Pixel 5. Just in case youd like to hold on until those two phones launch, but they will be more expensive.
Demonstrators march along a street in Rochester, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, during a protest over the death of Daniel Prude. Prude apparently stopped breathing as police in Rochester were restraining him in March 2020 and died when he was taken off life support a week later. Read more

If there was ever a moment when it seemed certain that the old American way of policing was dead, it came in early June with the drone footage of a river of tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters flowing down Hollywood Boulevard in liberal Los Angeles. The marchers kept coming and coming  singin songs and a-carryin signs, like a mash-up of Buffalo Springfields For What Its Worth (penned about 1966 protests a block away, on Sunset) with the endless headlights in Field of Dreams.

You had to think that if California, with its progressive traditions and its solid bloc of Democratic public officials, couldnt show the rest of the world what it looks like to Defund the Police  the growing demand of marchers from Hollywood all the way to Philadelphia in those first days after the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd  then nobody could.

Yet today, when it comes to sweeping cop reforms, it increasingly feels  just 11 short weeks after Floyd died with a cops knee on his neck  like maybe nobody can.

Indeed, nowhere has proved a bigger bust than California, where a package of significant but not radical statewide reforms  far short of protesters' demands to steeply reduce if not abolish traditional police forces in favor of social services and unarmed interventions  has mostly failed in a just-ended legislative session in Sacramento.

In less than three months, the Black Lives Matter protests grew smaller and the voice of the entrenched regime of police-union lobbyists grew louder, filling the void. The centerpiece bill  regarding de-certification of police officers, so bad-apple cops cant easily move from jurisdiction to jurisdiction  never came up for a vote, and other reform measures were killed or watered down. A retired attorney whod long worked on policing issues for the ACLU told the New York Times' Miriam Pawel: The culture has not even begun to change.

Even in Minneapolis, Ground Zero for the Floyd protests, a call for a rapid, radical rethinking of big-city policing has been dramatically slowed down. A push that would have allowed voters to decide in November on replacing the police department in Minnesotas largest city with a Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention with a holistic, public health-oriented approach to public safety was halted for now by a local commission. In other cities, early calls for like-minded plans  pitched under the broad and sometimes confusing banner of Defund the Police  have struggled for oxygen in a summer of rising murder rates, especially as COVID-19 has sparked municipal budget crises.

Christy Lopez, a Georgetown University law professor who co-leads the schools Program on Innovative Policing and is a national reform expert, told me in an email interview that there has been a noticeably wide gulf between demands and legislator rhetoric, and the proposals actually put on the table, let alone passed. Lopez cited a perfect storm of factors: lawmakers distracted by other issues such as the coronavirus, the longstanding power of police unions, and a learning curve for activists to promote the benefits of dramatic reforms. Movement advocates and activists have to work harder at this, she said, because race and class bias make it less likely that lawmakers will trust that they know what they are talking about.

Whats so frustrating is that while the momentum for rapid reform stalls, the police killings of Black and brown Americans under murky circumstances hasnt stopped. In Los Angeles, just a traffic jam or two away from where so many had marched in June, sheriffs deputies killed a Black man during a traffic stop ... on a bicycle. And in Rochester, N.Y., protests mounted with release of police body cams showing police placing a hood over and allegedly suffocating another Black man, Daniel Prude, after his family had called for help during a mental-health breakdown back in March.

Both Prudes death and the L.A. killing of the cyclist Dijon Kizzee seem to bolster the argument of those seeking to both dramatically change the role of police departments and reduce their funding in favor of social programs and new ways of intervention  where people suffering nervous breakdowns or routine traffic stops arent the province of armed cops who, despite their supposed training, have escalated too many situations into violence.

Even before George Floyds killing, advocates for dramatic police reform largely shared a common agenda of ideas that included not only reducing the role of uniformed cops in responding to mental-health calls but also more independent oversight of police conduct, increased funding for social services in high-crime neighborhoods, and more restrictions on use-of-force tactics such as chokeholds.

And after the post-Floyd protests, which drew large, diverse crowds and took place in all 50 states, there were scattered but significant victories in some of these areas. In July, the liberal college city of Berkeley, California, voted for a plan for traffic enforcement by unarmed civilians (as well as mental-health and homeless services) that would reduce police spending by 50 percent.

 READ MORE: Why do police unions talk and act like the Mafia? How can we stop them? | Will Bunch

But in most jurisdictions, less dramatic reforms are struggling before elected officials whove often received campaign aid from police unions that oppose even modest changes. In California, Pawel noted, a study revealed law-enforcement unions and associations donated $5.5 million to state lawmakers from 2011 to 2018. For every Berkeley, there are several stories like New York City, another supposed liberal stronghold, where lawmakers are now working to modify a ban on chokeholds after police union objections.

But even where common-sense reforms like chokehold bans take root, incremental change  as opposed to a completely different mindset around public safety  wont address the basic problem of policing in America. That would be a permanent culture of structural racism and inherent bias  reinforced by reactionary police unions  thats much stronger than a few days of added sensitivity training or hiring a few more Black officers.

Dr. Howard Henderson, the founding director of the Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University, told me that dramatic reforms are so hard because were forgetting that the police-union culture and the systemic structures around policing have created their own environment thats immune to traditional policy approaches. Its essentially immune to democracy and even political ideology. Thats certainly true in places like New York City, where supposed leftist mayor Bill de Blasio has defended a brutal police response to protests.

Here in Philadelphia, the future of significant police reform is very much in the balance, with several proposals  such as a strengthened police oversight commission  on the November ballot and other moves, such as chokehold ban, still pending before City Council. The council also plans hearings on the controversial police use of tear gas during the June protests, but advocates for the more dramatic idea of drastically reducing the police budget in favor of neighborhood-based violence intervention programs are waiting until 2021.

We need a complete altering of the mindset around public safety, councilmember-at-large Helen Gym, a leader of the charge on police reform, told me  echoing Texas Southerns Henderson that sweeping change will require both listening to citizens in the most affected communities but also educating the wider public that traditional policing isnt set in stone. And that will take some time. You cant be short-term, Gym added. This is deeply set in our culture, through our history and institutions. So the changing needs to be equally purposeful.

Dramatic but necessary police reform probably wont only require public education but also electing more public officials who arent beholden to police unions and their campaign contributions. It also takes several bold cities like Berkeley or Minneapolis charging forward with their plans to end policing as we know it, so places like Philadelphia will have a better roadmap as to what works and what doesnt. Im hopeful about this, but I cant help but wonder: How many more Daniel Prude moments must America endure until we get there?

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 18:37:52|Editor: huaxia

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HANGZHOU, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Private Chinese rocket maker LandSpace has completed its series C+ funding worth 1.2 billion yuan (about 175 million U.S. dollars), the company announced on Wednesday.

The company has raised a total of 1.8 billion yuan over the past year. The latest round of funding will support the development of the ZQ 2 liquid-propellant carrier rocket, as well as the research and production of medium and large liquid oxygen-methane carrier rockets.

The company will seize market opportunities for the global deployment of satellites, increase investment in research and development, and foster talent to increase its commercial launch capabilities.

Zhang Changwu, founder and CEO of LandSpace, said the company will focus on the demand for commercial satellite launches and enhance the transport capacity of the ZQ series liquid-propellant rockets.

By the end of August, the company had completed hot firing tests for 80-tonne and 10-tonne TQ rocket engines. The ZQ-2 liquid-propellant rocket has undergone a series of ground tests, with key components delivered. Enditem
A public hearing on Trinity Health Of New England Senior Communities plan to close Farren Care Center, a skilled nursing and long-term rehabilitative services facility in Franklin county, is scheduled Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m.

Attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic is by phone, according to the state Department of Public Health. The dial-in number is (888) 309-5007. The participant passcode is 3307387.

Trinity hopes to transfer patients by years end from the 122-bed facility that treats adults with medical and psychiatric conditions to Mount Saint Vincent, the 125-bed skilled nursing facility for short-term rehabilitation and long term care in Holyoke, that it has been managing through an operating lease with the Sisters of Providence Ministry Corporation.

Trinity has had a management consulting services agreement with Connecticut-based iCare Health Network to address a new site for residents at Farren, which is described as an aging physical plant that is no longer able to efficiently support the requirements of caring for its residents.

iCare is seeking to have operating ownership of Mount Saint Vincent transferred to its health network from Trinity and plans to have a real estate affiliate purchase the building from the Sisters of Providence corporation that owns the property.

The state DPH is currently processing the iCare application.

The applicant published notice of the process to request a hearing on the change of ownership in The Republican on Aug. 31.

A group of at least 10 people have 14 days from publication to request a hearing. As of Sept. 9, DPH said it has not received a petition for a hearing on this change of ownership.

The proposal to close Farren, once part of the Sisters of Providence Health System that became part of Michigan-based Trinity Health several years ago, has drawn criticism for taking place during a pandemic as well the fact it closes a facility long known for its care of patients with medical as well as psychiatric conditions.

It also has raised questions over the impact on patients of Mount Saint Vincent with iCares separate proposal to seek ownership of that facility and designate it as a facility that would be for patients with such conditions.

The current census at Farren is 105 patients, and the current patient census at Mount Saint Vincent is 75.

David Skoczulek, spokesperson for iCare Health Network, said iCare is experienced in the care of such patients and that existing Mount Saint Vincent patients will not be required to move from the facility if iCares ownership proposal is approved.

There is a dual diagnosis requirement to participate in the specialized programs at Farren which will be moved to the Mount Saint Vincent campus, Skoczulek said.

However, there is not a requirement of a dual diagnosis to remain there. I have heard from a couple of resident families already. We certainly understand their concerns and expect to communicate with all of them.

He addressed some of what could be expected by families with members at Mount Saint Vincent and what is not said to be determined if the proposed change in ownership of the facility to iCare is approved.

We want to be clear that we expect the name, the mission and some of the operations to change in order to remain in operation, Skoczulek said.

There are many things we do not know as of yet and we are trying to be completely transparent about that and our plans. Our goal would be for this to be a good thing for as many residents, families and staff as possible knowing it will never be perfect.

He added, We have not been encouraging or discouraging them from considering a transfer to another nursing center.

That is a very personal decision and we will support them and facilitate with the staff whatever they wish to do. And they can make that decision at any time, he said.

At this point in the process we are starting to learn the full layout of the center, more about the current residents and how we can safely and carefully integrate Farren Care Center residents and staff. We are being very cautious about what promises and assurances we make but it may well be that there remains an entire unit or floor of current Mount Saint Vincent residents and that little changes for them.

He said iCare operates 11 skilled nursing care centers across greater Hartford and specializes in caring for a challenging and complex patient population.

He said the network operates six distinct, secure behavioral health units and seven secure memory care units.

In addition, we operate SecureCare Options, Skoczulek said of 60 West, in Rocky Hill, Conn.

This program and facility is very similar to Farren Care Center in that it has a close operating relationship with the State of Connecticut, as Farren does with Mass and MassHealth, and takes care of the most vulnerable and stigmatized population in a compassionate, stigma-free setting.

He added, The two are remarkably similar and have connected on issues and best practices over the past two plus years.

Once a public hearing is held, the DPH completes its review of the facilitys closure plan and all comments received at the hearing within 14 days. It may either issue approval of the plan or request additional information from the facility about the draft closure plan. If additional information is requested, the facility must provide it to DPH within 14 days.

Related:
Seoul Metropolitan Government promotes the city's tourism with BTS. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government





By Kim Se-jeong







The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to roll out a new tourism promotional video Friday, featuring BTS, the K-pop group that made history recently by landing at No.1 on Billboard's main singles chart.









The video will be available on

, the city's official tourism website, as well as its other social medial channels at 5 p.m. on Friday.







Titled "See You in Seoul," the 112-second video will have each of the seven BTS members introducing seven attractions of the city which include cosmetic shops, inner-city walking tours, activities on the Han River, street food, nightlife, royal palaces and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.







"I hope the video will make those who want to travel feel a bit better while travel is restricted due to COVID-19. The city also hopes that when people start to travel again, their first destination will be Seoul," said Joo Yong-tae, an official responsible for the city's tourism policies.







It's not the first time the city government has worked with BTS. The group members became the city's tourism ambassadors in 2017 and were featured in other promotional videos. This year's video is considered particularly special because of their newfound worldwide success.







The COVID-19 pandemic forced Korea to close down its borders, hitting the tourism industry hard for Seoul which is the most visited place in Korea.







Last year, more than 8 million tourists visited Seoul, according to travel statistics. But this year's total, from January to June, was little more than 2 million.







Tours receiving inbound tourists were stopped due to the sharp decrease in visitors. Some businesses related to Seoul's tourism attractions have gone bankrupt. The numbers of tourists bounced back a little bit toward summer, but fell back again in August after the number of cases soared in Seoul and its metropolitan area.







To help businesses cope with the pandemic, the city government provided financial support for tour agencies and hotels in its jurisdiction. Also, the city created online tourism content to share with prospective visitors.


Award Ceremony transcosmos BPO China won the prize with a high score on its human resources development programs, such as industry-academia collaboration programs with universities, and its various employee training programs to enable employees to engage in their work comfortably.

transcosmos inc. is proud to announce that transcosmos business service outsourcing Suzhou Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Suzhou, China; Chairman: Wang.L-xian; transcosmos BPO China), its wholly owned subsidiary, received the "Suzhou Best Employers for University Students Award" at the seventh Greater Suzhou Best Employer Awards hosted by Suzhou Industrial Park Human Resources Development Co., Ltd. (HRD).

The Best Employer Awards program evaluates all registered companies from three perspectives. Firstly, each company is rated in terms of their size and strategies, management systems, corporate social responsibility initiatives, and training and education programs. Secondly, on the results of the online employee satisfaction survey, and the third rating is based on the results of public voting on the company's popularity conducted via media. The event sponsor, HRD, is the leading human resources company in the East China region. Entrusted by the government of the Shuzo Industrial Park, HRD provides human resources development, management and research services, as well as other human resources services for businesses. This year, hundreds of companies entered for the award competition, and 55 companies received awards.

Having received a high score on its human resources development programs, transcosmos BPO China won the "Suzhou Best Employers for University Students Award." transcosmos BPO China has been carrying out industry-academia collaboration programs such as offering joint-classes in partnership with three Universities in Suzhou. HRD highly evaluated transcosmos BPO China for its various employee training programs that range from practical skills, to language to communication that enable employees to engage in their work comfortably.

Building on the award, transcosmos BPO China will enhance its expertise, develop high-quality talent, and further strengthen its services.

With the aim of offering the best services for each individual client, both transcosmos and transcosmos BPO China are always striving for improving quality of services by applying external evaluation programs.



transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. In Japan and other countries.

Other company names and product or services names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies.

About transcosmos inc.

transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior "people" with up-to-date "technology" to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients' business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 169 bases across 30 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services in 48 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the "Global Digital Transformation Partner" of our clients, supporting the clients' transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment.

https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/
Trump's administration revealed it would be withdrawing about 2,200 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq this month. A top military commander announced the order on Wednesday and said that the 5,200 soldiers would be reduced.

Military footprint

Officials said the order is part of United States President Trump's efforts to reduce American troops' military footprint in Iraq and Afghanistan before the November elections. General Frank McKenzie, the top U.S. commander, stationed in the Middle East, the withdrawal was enabled due to Iraq's improvement of its security forces.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States government planned to withdraw one-third of its troops in Iraq last month. General McKenzie's announcement marked one of the U.S.'s most massive troop withdrawal since Former President Barack Obama left only 1,000 soldiers in the country in 2011.

The U.S. commander said that the move was made as a commendation of the Iraqi forces' improvements. McKenzie said the order was also a result of continuous consultation and coordination with the Iraqi government and coalition partners. The withdrawal of the troops will be conducted within September.

McKenzie noted the reduction of military footprint in the country would allow them to consult and help Iraqi partners hunt down the Islamic State (ISIS) within the nation and ensure their complete defeat.

President Trump made similar announcements to pull American soldiers from several other countries, including Germany, Syria, and Afghanistan. United States officials suggested further reduction of troops in Afghanistan in particular, where the war has lasted for 19 years.

Also Read: Trump Calls Out Biden, Harris on Remarks About COVID-19 Vaccine

Withdrawing forces

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the training and advising of Iraqi forces to decline in recent months. Other coalition members have also decided to cut back their troops due to the global health crisis, as reported by CNN.

American soldiers began withdrawing from the Middle Eastern country's bases in March, giving control to Iraqi security partners. Pentagon officials said at the time that the order was part of a consolidation with Iraq mirroring the success of driving back ISIS instead of the ongoing rocket attacks of Iran-linked militias.

In late August, McKenzie said that the threat of Shiite militant groups on U.S. soldiers took away resources meant to fund the fight against ISIS and strengthen Iraqi defenses.

On Wednesday, Commander McKenzie reiterated that justification and said that the Middle Eastern country's security forces had increased their capability of fighting against ISIS.

However, the U.S. commander noted that they were forced to prioritize their own troops using resources that would otherwise have been used to support Iraq due to Iran's threat over the last seven or eight months.

According to Aljazeera, Trump promised in 2016 to end the wars in the Middle East but kept American soldiers deployed in several countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, although at smaller numbers.

On Tuesday, Trump said during a campaign speech that his administration had avoided having the U.S. partake in new wars and is planning on bringing its soldiers back home. The Republican leader added they had spent hundreds of billions of dollars in their efforts in the Middle East.

Related Article: When Can You Expect to Receive Your New Weekly $300 Unemployment Benefit?

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Two cows have been found mutilated in northern France amid fears that attackers who have been slashing horses across the country are now targeting other animals.

One heifer was found with a cut on the lower part of its neck on a farm in Brittany on Saturday, while another was found with a bone-deep gash on its front leg.

Police are investigating the incident, but say there is no doubt that the animals have been attacked.

Officers are already investigating 150 attacks on animals across France, that has seen them slashed and in some cases killed with body parts removed.

Two cows have been found with deep cuts to their legs and necks in northern France, in the latest in a series of attacks that until now had targeted horses

Farmer Eric Poussin said he is astonished that the attackers managed to approach the young cows - aged two-and-a-half - without scaring them off.

Speaking to France Bleu, he said police are doing blood tests to see whether the animals were drugged before being cut.

Police are thought to be investigating several possible causes of the mutilations, including cult-like rituals, copycat attacks or morbid 'challenges' on social media.

Police arrested their first suspect on Monday after releasing a computer-generated image of a suspected attacker, but he was released today after proving he was not involved.

Authorities have also warned against vigilante action, with a mother and daughter facing up to five years in prison for harassing suspects with a machete-like knife and a pellet gun.

Didier Fruchet, owner of a horse club with 80 animals outside Paris, said it was 'stressful to be thinking, what happened tonight? When we arrive in the morning we don't know what we are going to find.'

Fruchet is taking no chances at his stables in the the Val-d'Oise department, which is also being patrolled by gendarmes as an extra precaution.

He has invested in hunting cameras with night vision that photograph moving targets. 'We do not care how much it costs when it comes to keeping our horses safe,' he said.

Knives have sometimes been used to slash and mutilate the horses, with organs sometimes removed, a horse's face disfigured in one case and a right ear often sliced off like a trophy.

The Val-d'Oise recorded its first cases on Saturday in which two mares were wounded, one with a cut in the vulva and the other a 12-inch slash on its flank.

Elsewhere, police sought two suspects in the Cote-d'Or region at the weekend after a stable owner reported an intrusion and said one horse had been wounded.

In a sign of how urgent the issue has become, a 40-member team of gendarmes, backed up by police dogs and a helicopter, were sent to the scene but so far have not found the culprits.

Scipion the donkey (left) was killed in Grumesnil while Cimona the horse (right) was badly injured in Criquetot-sur-Logueville in a series of mysterious attacks in France

French police released this e-fit of a man suspected of slashing ponies in Burgundy in late August, and a 50-year-old man was arrested but then released

Eloise Lang, a rider in Coueron in western France, is still distressed after her horse Ambitieux was attacked.

'I saw that he had a dozen traces of wounds... knife wounds... He had some on his shoulders, flank, chest. He had cuts that were up to a foot long,' she said.

'We hardly sleep anymore, we think about it all the time,' she added.

Reports have come throughout the summer, sometimes on an almost daily basis, of new horse mutilations across France.

'There are about twenty cases of cut ears, but there are also other incidents including genital mutilation and lacerations with sharp objects,' said Colonel Hubert Percie du Sert of France's gendarmerie.

He said there were 'many perpetrators and methods of operation.'

France's national anti-sect agency La Miviludes, which is assisting the investigation, has not found evidence of a satanic rite so far, 'but it is not something we are ruling out', du Sert said.

The man arrested was being questioned regarding a late August attack in Burgundy, after the head of an animal refuge chased after two men slashing his ponies.

Stable manager Nicolas Demajean's arm was slashed as he wrangled with one of the attackers and police produced a drawing based on his description.

Prosecutors said the suspect was known in neighbouring Germany for attacks on animals, and was registered in France for drug-related crimes.

However, searches of his home did not find conclusive evidence and police eventually accepted that he was innocent.

'He denied the charges from the start and his alibi could be corroborated,' prosecutor Arnaud Laraize said.

Laraize said it was not clear if there was any link between the Burgundy incident and the other attacks.

'In this case, we absolutely do not exclude the idea that there is no link with other incidents nationwide,' the prosecutor said.

Firefighters tend to Cimona the horse after it was attacked and left injured in a ditch in Criquetot-sur-Logueville

Separately, Emmanuel Macron's interior minister on Monday announced the start of night patrols by French gendarmes to reassure worried horse owners.

Gerald Darmanin said police have opened 153 investigations on the horse attacks, with 30 of them involving deaths or 'extremely violent injuries'.

'No one line is being favored,' Darmanin said of the investigations.

The minister warned horse owners against taking justice into their own hands by trying to take down the attackers.

'The drama within the drama would be an owner ... wanting to take vengeance, do justice, take out his rifle, fight with someone who goes after his horses,' he said.

In Quimper in the northwestern Brittany region, a mother, 52, and her daughter, 23, face a trial in January for threatening two people with weapons whom they suspected of carrying out horse attacks.

'They admitted they were equipped with a machete-type knife as well as a pellet gun, and to have stopped a vehicle when they had no right to do so,' the deputy prosecutor of Quimper, Emmanuel Phelippeau, told AFP.

They risk up to five years in prison if convicted.

'It is unacceptable that breeders, due to emotion, take the law into their own hands themselves', the prefect of the Finistere region Philippe Mahe, told reporters, insisting that the police mobilisation was 'very strong.'
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / Yonhap



North Korea appears to be ready to resume its nuclear and weapons testing in the near future, a former U.S. intelligence official said Wednesday, stressing the need for "stronger" incentives or punishment for the communist state.



"Another big element we need to think about is that additional weapons testing is probably just a matter of time," said Markus Garlauskas, a former intelligence officer for North Korea at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.



During a virtual seminar, titled "A New Direction for U.S. Policy on North Korea," he said that North Korean Kim Jong-un has personally stated that the North is no longer bound by its earlier pledges not to test nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).



"North Korean state media has been very clear that Kim has threatened that there's going to be a new strategic weapon reveal, and that he no longer feels bound by his previous pledges not to test ICBMs and nuclear weapons," Garlauskas told the webinar hosted by the Washington-based U.S. Institute for Peace.



"And so if you take all those assessments, it paints a pretty, pretty unpleasant picture," he added.



North Korea has maintained its moratorium on nuclear and ICBM testing since late 2017, when it staged its sixth and last nuclear test.



Still, many are beginning to suspect the communist state may soon resume its weapons testing amid a deadlock in denuclearization talks with the United States.



Kim held two bilateral summits with U.S. President Donald Trump  in June 2018 and February 2019  but their talks have stalled since the last summit ended without a deal, largely over how to sequence the North's denuclearization with U.S. concessions.



Garlauskas insisted the U.S. should first focus on halting North Korea's weapons testing.



"I think a pragmatic approach should focus on preventing further weapons testing before entertaining anything more ambitious in terms of full denuclearization rollback or even a more ambitious sort of arms control," he said.



Ideally, he said, the U.S. could seek a formal agreement with Pyongyang to have the regime recommit to its weapons testing ban.



"But if not, if you can't get to that agreement, then just some stronger incentives not to test and some stronger, more credible punishments if testing does place, I think, would be a very helpful policy approach," he added.



Garlauskas argued such efforts may provide a window of opportunity for the U.S. to test North Korean intentions and also give diplomacy another chance.



And should North Korea breach the agreement on weapons testing, it would do so in a way that "looks much more like a clear violation" that would help justify a tougher and more unified approach to punish the North, he said.



Experts have talked about the possibility of the North unveiling a new strategic weapon near the 75th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers Party on Oct. 10.



The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank said Wednesday that a satellite image of North Korea's main submarine shipyard may indicate preparations for a test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.



"A satellite image of the Sinpo South Shipyard acquired on September 9, 2020  as the remains of typhoon Haishen struck the Korean Peninsula  continues to show activity within, and adjacent to, the secure boat basin," the CSIS said in a report posted on its Beyond Parallel website.



"This activity remains suggestive, but not conclusive, of preparations for an upcoming test of a Pukguksong-3 submarine launched ballistic missile from the submersible test stand barge based here," it added.



The U.S. think tank first reported suspicious activities at the North Korean shipyard in northeastern Sinpo on Friday, highlighting the presence of vessels that resemble those used to tow submersible test stand barges out to sea for test launches.



"A vessel similar in size and layout to the ones previously observed prior to earlier tests remains within the secure boat basin," it said in its latest report. (Yonhap)


WINSTED  The COVID-19 pandemics impact on local communities has taken many different forms and in this city a noticeable one has been increased activity on Highland Lake.

The Board of Selectmen discussed this increased activity this week, after Selectman Jack Bourque brought up a letter he recently received from Shirley Allshouse, a longtime lake resident. She asked why Highlands regular ordinances and rules werent being enforced, Bourque said.

Perhaps Winsteds lake has been busier this year because so many state beaches and lakes were closed to the public for a time this year, some only reopening to a limited number of visitors by mid-summer. There also has been an increase in out-of-state residents moving into Connecticut and renting or buying homes.

Enforcement might be too late for this year ... (but the letter) makes a pretty strong point that if we are to continue the quality of Highland Lake as a recreation place, we need to do some enforcement for the lakes lakefront properties, Bourque said. Id like to see if further enforcement might be necessary.

Town Manager Robert Geiger agreed that more violations had come up this year than in the past, all around the community, which fall under the purview of the planning departments zoning enforcement officer, Pam Colombie.

I believe we really need to do a lot more, further enforcement, Geiger said. We assume the activity on the lake had a lot to do with COVID-19, because people didnt have anywhere to go. But enforcement is a serious issue.

I dont think we lack the will  we lack the resources, he said. We have the same issue in the planning department right now, with building code and inland wetlands regulation enforcement. Ive talked to (Mayor Candy Perez) about that ... The best way to get the job done is to have (another) enforcement officer.

Geiger explained the types of enforcement thats needed on Highland Lake.

Someone has a gigantic float (larger that is allowed) out there, they need to get a letter saying Get that thing out of there, he said. Someone puts up buoy markers in the water, and are creating their own little beach; or theyre building up to the edge of the water, or building extensions to their dock without permits.

If we had someone to concentrate on our properties, it would help, he said. So much of what we do has to do with inland wetlands.

Bourque didnt want another year to pass without having a plan in place.

If were going to look at something like this (added enforcement), we need to take care of what happens in the next recreational year, to have something in place, he said. Maybe we ought to take a look a creating a position.

Geiger agreed.

For an enforcement officer like Pam Colombie, this year has been a combination of the beaches, and constant construction right now in town. Weve got 20 items on the next Inland Wetlands Commission agenda. Theres also (the matter of) inspecting the work thats being done.

Bourque still wanted to put a plan in place.

Whats the answer to move ahead, so were not talking about this (again) in March or April? he said.

Another issue coming up for the lake this year is the deep drawdown. The towns ad-hoc water level committee conducts this exercise, according to Perez, to monitor the health of the lake.

(The deep drawdown) pulls the water 20 or 30 feet from the shore; its usually done every five years, and its for the health of the lake, she said. It helps us learn if were hurting it or helping it.

A result of the upcoming deep drawdown, she said, is that people with lake properties are applying for permits to repair waterfront areas, such as walls. So the Inland Wetlands Commission is busy, she said.

Theres a lot to do, between COVID-19 and the deep drawdown this year, Geiger said. (Enforcement) is a high priority on my agenda.

Bourque emphasized that municipal officials should do everything they can to enforce ordinances that protect the community.

Id like to see some action on this, he said. We owe it to the people who have put an effort into creating the original ordinances, and want to protect their properties. The lake is one of our most prized possessions.

As the town manager, Geiger is responsible for developing more enforcement efforts, Perez said.
OTTAWA Justin Trudeau isnt hoarse yet from saying he doesnt want an election.

But hes not discounting one either.

We are in a minority Parliament and its not up to me to decide, Trudeau told reporters mid-week. Its up to the opposition parties to decide if they have confidence in our plan for the economic relaunch.

On Thursday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh again set out clear markers for his partys support: paid sick leave, and Employment Insurance system that covers precarious workers and universal pharmacare, as well as investments in child care, health care and climate change.

To date, however, Trudeau has not reached out to the Conservatives or New Democrats to consult on the Sept. 23 throne speech, their leaders offices say. The Bloc Quebecois has vowed to vote no-confidence in the government unless Trudeau resigns, although its recently dialed that back.

The bottom line is that the speech from the throne, which is still in the works, will set up the broad outlines of the Liberals eventual re-election bid, whenever that comes, say senior Liberals.

Even if the Trudeau government survives a confidence vote that will follow the speech, it is positioning itself for a campaign either this fall or in the spring and keeping a wary eye on policy statements from new Conservative Leader Erin OToole, a senior Liberal source told the Star.

Even if we dont go in the fall, if we go in the spring, we are in election mode, said one of the senior sources, who agreed to speak on background but not to be identified to discuss internal matters.

The source said the throne speech will set out, by necessity, the broad themes of the Liberal platform.

So thats the thinking too, is how do the politics of this work? How do we explain it six months from now? And the ground is still shifting with COVID-19. We dont know how bad a second wave might be. We dont know what a surge or a spike looks like. We need to be mindful of that as well.

Much of the governments focus is still on need to support individuals and economic sectors that were hardest hit by the COVID-19 shutdowns, and senior Liberals believe thats top of mind for most Canadians.

They also believe they will be able to contrast the Liberals view of what role government can play in peoples lives with what they say is a Conservative preference for limited and smaller government.

In that vein, Liberal caucus, government and party sources believe the central question for Canadians becomes, Whos got your back  who do you trust will support you and your families and your community through the coming months?

They also believe voters will support a spending plan that can be directly linked to their well-being or economic prospects. In other words, said one source, Canadians dont want the government to spend money for the sake of spending money. You have to prove to me that the plan actually is going to work, it makes sense and ... is actually going to help me and my family.

Im not sure if thats the ballot question, this source said. Im not sure if thats how the arguments are going to be framed, but thats the current conversation that people have, saying Thanks very much for having our back.

In contrast to last years election, however, when Trudeau campaigned against then-Conservative leader Andrew Scheer by linking him unflatteringly with Ontario Premier Doug Fords cuts, the players  and the circumstances  have changed.

During the pandemic, the Liberals have aligned closely with Ford, who  at 66 per cent public approval ratings in a recent poll  is no longer the bogeyman against whom they can contrast their leader.

And OToole is already attempting to moderate his partys image, underlining the fact he is pro-choice and welcomes LGBTQ people, immigrants and others who have not seen themselves reflected in the Conservative Party of Canada.

OToole has also moved to pre-empt attacks by the Liberals that he would make steep spending cuts to balance the budget. He told the Globe and Mail that erasing the federal deficit, which is around $400 billion before any new measures are announced, is not an immediate objective but one hed achieve over a decade. The Liberals say no one can project the countrys economic picture that far out.

OToole is also emphasizing the need to support small businesses and the energy sector, and says hed increase immigration levels by allowing more family reunification.

Its all caught the Liberals attention.

A senior insider said family reunification in immigration policy is an important tool to help create communities and foster strong ties with Canada, adding many Liberals are looking for ways to provide incentives to greater numbers of immigrants willing to moving to regions where the labour force and local economies need people.

Still, amid a pandemic, Canadians are worried about their own jobs, said the source. Both Liberals and Conservatives face a political challenge when they talk about bringing more people to Canada. The difference, the insider said, is that Liberals believe they have a better track record and better story to tell when it comes to immigration policy, while the Conservative base is very different, and Im not sure its open to that message.

The Liberals also believe the Conservatives will struggle to convince Canadians they are serious about tackling climate change.

OToole is having none of it. His first speech to his caucus on Wednesday promised to show Canadians that his party will form an engaged, ethical and compassionate Conservative government.

The Conservative leader stressed ethical several times.

Another senior Liberal admits the WE Charity controversy took a chip out of the wall of the Trudeau government, telling the Star recently, We have done damage to ourselves, have to accept that, have to do better.

But that senior Liberal said, If I were advising an Opposition leader, Id not say lets plan an entire fall focused on scandal. Id say we have to be articulating a vision.

Thats what Liberals are counting on: that Canadians believe the COVID-19 pandemic  and the response it requires  is a generational moment, as that source said.

Opposition leaders will obviously take shots what they see as Liberal weakness, said the source. But I think this will come down to a real battle around the size of government, the activism of government, the play of government in our economy, and what values we want to put at the core of that. Is it growth at any cost whatsoever, or is it growth thats infused with senses of equality and green values?

I think those are going to create real fault lines that give people real choices on this front.

When asked, Trudeau dodges questions about what fiscal anchors, or benchmarks for deficit or debt levels, will attach to his ambitious plan, or whether any will.

Yet there are still segments of the Canadian voting population  the so-called blue Liberals and red Tories  who worry about that, and both parties will attempt to appeal to them.

I think for the swing voter, who could vote either Conservative or Liberal, fiscal responsibility is one of the litmus tests, said a former senior government official.

But Liberal sources insist the priority must be on managing the short- and near-term economic fallout of the pandemic without being caught up by orthodoxy about deficits and debt.

And that strategy, says one senior source, should appeal to swing voters: Both blue Liberals and red Tories understand that the longer term prospects for Canada will be stronger if we manage the current crisis in the best possible way.

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Halle Berry has branded her historic Oscar win as 'one of my biggest heartbreaks' as she remains the only black actress to score the top accolade.

The actress, 54, scooped the Best Actress award in 2002 for her role as Leticia Musgrove in indie drama Monster's Ball.

Halle has now discussed her 'heartbreak' over the fact she is still the only black woman to have won the top trophy in a new candid interview with Variety.

Speaking out: Halle Berry has branded her historic Oscar win as 'one of my biggest heartbreaks' as she remains the only black actress to score the top accolade (pictured in 2019)

The star admitted she thought she was chosen to 'open a door' and now questions whether it was even an 'important moment'.

Halle explained how she had hoped Cynthia Erivo, 33, would have won for Harriet earlier this year, while she also felt Ruth Negga, 38, had a 'really good shot at it' for her lead performance in 2016's Loving.

She told the publication: 'I thought there were women that rightfully, arguably, could have, should have. I hoped they would have, but why it hasn't gone that way, I don't have the answer.

'It's one of my biggest heartbreaks. The morning after, I thought, "Wow, I was chosen to open a door." And then, to have no one... I question, "Was that an important moment, or was it just an important moment for me?"

Making history: The actress, 54, scooped the Best Actress award in 2002 for her role as Leticia Musgrove in indie drama Monster's Ball (pictured)

Oscar-winning role: Halle pictured in film still from Monster's Ball with co-star Billy Bob Thornton in 2001

'I wanted to believe it was so much bigger than me. It felt so much bigger than me, mainly because I knew others should have been there before me and they weren't.'

Halle added that just because she won an Oscar it didn't 'magically' mean there was a 'place for me' the next day.

After her win, the star went on to get slaughtered by critics for appearing in the badly-received superhero film Catwoman in 2004.

However, Berry defended her choice during the interview and said she wanted to open another door for black women to play superhero roles.

Heartache: Halle has now discussed her 'heartbreak' over the fact she is still the only black woman to have won the top trophy in a new candid interview with Variety (pictured in 2002)

Hopes: Halle explained how she had hoped Cynthia Erivo, 33, would have won for Harriet earlier this year, while she also felt Ruth Negga, 38, had a 'really good shot at it' for her lead performance in 2016's Loving (L-R)

She also revealed that James Bond producers wanted to give her a spin-off movie for her role as Jinx after the success of Die Another Day, but movie studio bosses hesitated at stumping up the $80 million cash to fund it.

Halle's latest role sees her play disgraced MMA fighter Jackie Justice in the movie Bruised where she has also served as a director.

The star's interview comes after the Academy Awards announced that movies will have to meet new diversity and inclusion standards to be eligible to win in the Best Picture category from 2024.

The Oscars shake-up means films will have to hire more black, female, LGBT or disabled cast and crew or address themes that affect those communities. They will need to meet at least two of four new standards to qualify.

'I thought I was chosen to open a door': The star admitted she thought she was chosen to 'open a door' and now questions whether it was even an 'important moment' (pictured in 2002)

Academy chiefs say the rules are intended to 'better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience'.

The Oscars has long come under fire for its lack of diversity with only one black actor receiving a nomination for the 2020 awards.

The initiatives will go into effect with films released in the year 2024, which will be recognised at the 96th Oscars in 2025.

Films vying for Best Picture in 2022 and 2023 will be required to fill out a confidential Academy Inclusion Standards form, though meeting inclusion thresholds will not be required for Best Picture eligibility until 2024.

Soon after: After her win, the star went on to get slaughtered by critics for appearing in the badly-received superhero film Catwoman in 2004 (pictured)

The guidelines were developed by Academy governors DeVon Franklin and Jim Gianopulos, who lead a task force to develop the standards.

The standards were inspired by British Film Institute (BFI) Diversity Standards, which determine funding for some films in the UK and eligibility in some categories of the British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA) Awards.

'The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them,' said Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson in a statement.

Another milestone: However, Berry defended her choice during the interview and said she wanted to open another door for black women to play superhero roles (pictured as Catwoman)

'The Academy is committed to playing a vital role in helping make this a reality,' they continued.

'We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry,' the statement concluded.

The new requirements come after months of anti-racism protests in the US and years of pressure from activists who have called for a boycott of the glitzy event.

Diversity: The star's interview comes after the Academy Awards announced that movies will have to meet new diversity and inclusion standards to be eligible to win in the Best Picture category from 2024

Actress Kirstie Alley launched an angry Twitter rant after the news was announced, claiming they were akin to 'telling Picasso what had to be in his f***ing paintings'.

Other critics accused 'Woke Hollywood' bosses of turning the Oscars into a 'weapon against anyone who disagreed with their politics'.

While others admired the sentiment behind the Academy's move but disagreed with the method.

Anger: Actress Kirstie Alley launched an angry Twitter rant after the news was announced, claiming they were akin to 'telling Picasso what had to be in his f***ing paintings'
Reliance Industries is willing to sell shares worth around $20 billion (approximately 1,45,000 crores) in its retail branch to the shopping platform Amazon Inc.

Reports suggest that the Indian corporate giant Reliance Industries is willing to sell shares worth around $20 billion (approximately 1,45,000 crores) in its retail branch to the shopping platform Amazon Inc. Reliances retail branch, Reliance Retail, has more than 10,000 stores in India that sell all sorts of amenities.

As per the report, a person, opting to remain anonymous, who is aware of this development also said that Reliance plans to sell nearly 40% within its retail business over to Amazon. Reliance also reached $200 billion valuations on Thursday and became the only Indian company to have reached this mark.

The value of Reliances stocks has been on a constant rise. As of writing, Reliances shares are at 6.95%, or 150.25 points, or at 2,311.60. this rise in stocks came once the company announced that it would invite investors from other firms and sovereign wealth funds.

Also read: Silver Lake to invest Rs 7500 crore in Reliance Retail wing

Also read: AP CM to launch YSR Asara to free lakhs of women from a vicious debt trap

Reliances market capitalisation passed $200 billion (approximately 14,50,000 crores) on Thursday and became the only Indian corporation to have this high market capitalisation. Market capitalisation is considered as the total worth of a company. Market capitalisation is calculated from the product of the companys total shares and the value of each.

Earlier on Wednesday, an investment of $1 billion (7,337 crores) was made by Silver Lake Partners in Reliance Retail. Neither Amazon nor Reliance has made any response regarding the matter.

Also read: Indias fiscal deficit set to widen to 82 percent in FY21: Fitch Solutions
Anyone tuning into the Republican convention must have wondered what planet these Trump supporters came from.

Donald Trump is the best thing to happen to America they all chirped. We should all fear Joe Biden who will give us socialism and rioting in the streets! Never mind that is happening now under Trumps presidency, the rioting, and the wealthy now have even more money thanks to the American taxpayer, (socialism) more people are dead due to Covid-19 and his incompetence.

The American people deserve truth from their president according to Melania Trump, whose husband is no longer capable of speaking the truth. Mike Pence can stand up and lie with the best of them. Pre-existing condition? The Supreme Court is considering overturning that.

This administration is full of cons, liars and self-serving individuals. Many who paid to be there. The Trump children grift on the taxpayer dime. They could not obtain security clearances. You cannot see their financials. Read the books written by people who came from the inside or resigned.

Why does Russia want Trump and why are they willing to help him again? See the Mueller report. Why does Trump want to stop your vote by mail?
Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire again using small arms and mortars along Line of Control (LoC) in many locations in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday morning, the Indian army said.

Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along the LoC in many locations. At about 0530 hours it was in Mankote sector, at about 1145 hours in Degwar sector and at about 1215 hours in Mendhar Sector in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian army has retaliated befittingly, defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said in Jammu.

Earlier in the day, the Pakistani army acknowledged that one of its soldiers was killed in an exchange of fire with Indian troops across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir late Wednesday.

It alleged that the Indian army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation in Bedori sector along the LoC, targeting Pakistan army posts and the civil population. It claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on Indian troops.

Pakistan Army responded effectively. Reports of heavy losses on the enemy in terms of men and material. During exchange of intense fire, Havaldar Liaqat, age 39 years, resident of District Chakwal, embraced shahadat (died),ISPR, the publicity wing of Pak armed forces posted on its website.

ISPR also claimed that Pakistan Army troops shot down an Indian spying quadcopter in Chakothi sector along the LoC.

The quadcopter had intruded 500 meters on Pakistans side of the LoC. This is 11th Indian quadcopter shot down by Pakistan Army this year, ISPR said.

However, an Indian defence official said that Pakistani troops had initiated the unprovoked fire compelling Indian troops to retaliate.

The Pakistani army lost the soldier in retaliatory fire, he said.

Late Wednesday Pakistan had initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC in Degwar and Malti sectors of Poonch drawing retaliation from Indian troops.

Lt Col Anand said that Pakistani troops had opened fire around 5.25 pm on Wednesday and the intermittent exchanges lasted for a few hours.

In the past couple of days Pakistani troops have also been resorting to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC in Khour sector of Akhnoor in Jammu district.

On Wednesday also Pakistani troops opened fire in Khour sector at 6.15 pm and the exchanges lasted for over an hour.

Pakistan has intensified ceasefire violations on the LoC amid Indias standoff with China in Ladakh..

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 05:40:24|Editor: huaxia

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VENICE, Italy, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- An expert working with the Visual Reality (VR) section of the Venice Film Festival has commended the progress made in VR industries of China.

"We can see every year that the sophistication of the Chinese artistry in creative and artistic VR is growing to a very interesting level," said Michel Reilhac, co-head of cinema and VR studies for Biennale College, a project dedicated to the education of young people in the artistic fields, in an interview with Xinhua.

"The style of the storytelling, the design of the pieces and the themes are really original and totally appropriate for an international audience," said Reilhac, commenting on the several Chinese VR films presented at the VR expanded section of the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival.

Reilhac highlighted the collaboration with the Chinese city of Hangzhou, one of the 15 cities around the world where the VR section is shown in parallel with the main venue in Venice.

Thanks to Eddie Lou, an independent producer and founder of Sandbox Immersive Festival (SIF) in Hangzhou, Reilhac could quickly have a new VR lounge joining the network.

"When I knew that we would create an international network of cultural institutes each hosting a VR lounge with headsets to provide access for locals to the VR section, I immediately called Eddie asking for his help," the expert said.

Four weeks ago, the space was set up at the Hangzhou-based China Academy of Art. "I know that they have even increased the number of headsets because it has become very popular. We were extremely honored and happy that Venice VR Expanded could be represented in this way in China and I'm going to go there in October for the Sandbox Festival," Reilhac said.

Talking about the international co-productions with China, the expert noted that it is starting to happen on a broad scale, with companies from different countries collaborating with Chinese partners for financing and distribution.

Reilhac said the market in China is so big that most Chinese companies making hardware and software or the people who produce content did not pay much attention to cooperation with foreigners. But things are changing now. "Now I see a big change and there is a bigger interest in being part of an international co-production," Reilhac said.

Due to the pandemic, public places such as museums and cultural centers have to resort to VR practices to offset the impact of limited access offered to visitors. And it is similar in the education and training industries.

"In China, there are certain manufacturers who are already working on very small headsets similar to glasses and that will be the future," said the expert. Enditem
The New Daily is owned by Industry Super Holdings, an investment company whose shareholders include Australian Super, HESTA and CBUS. Being owned by industry super funds means The New Daily tends to be pretty supportive of the industry super funds. It also means it has become a popular punching bag for those conservatives such as Wilson who regard industry funds (which are partly backed by unions) unfavourably. These funds have historically done a good job for their members investing in ports, property, bonds and stocks. So why do they own The New Daily, which doesnt generate much in the way of earnings? The answer, as AustralianSuper chief executive Ian Silk once explained, is to increase financial literacy and "demystify superannuation". Which brings us back to Wilson, who grilled ISH company secretary Joshua Lim about its support of The New Daily. Does the super group provide revenue, funding, sponsorship, marketing fees to the online publication, Wilson asked? "No we don't. But we contribute capital to The New Daily as required," Lim said. "What the hell does that mean?" Wilson responded, indelicately.

"It means when they've run out of money, Wilsons Liberal colleague Jason Falinski interrupted. Sadly, Lim wasnt prepared to divulge just how many times the outlet needed money "as required". "Thats confidential," he replied. The New Daily is not the only newsroom struggling at the moment. But its problems pre-date COVID-19. In August 2019, the ISH board approved the purchase of 4.2 million $1 shares in The New Daily as a new issuance. COME IN SPINNER There are soon to be more NSW government jobs notices pinned on to the LinkedIn virtual jobs board following fresh departures from inside Planning Minister Rob Stokes office.

Director of Policy Benjamin Bartlett served out his last day on Friday, taking on a role in the private sector that hes yet to reveal. Fellow policy adviser Alice Stromstedt has also resigned to take a promotion in another arm of government and is due to finish up in coming weeks. Meanwhile, media adviser Teaghan Wilson has been poached by Stokes colleague Energy Minister Matt Kean as a senior media adviser, working alongside Anthony Brewster with a start date to be revealed. Stokes team are in high demand. The latest departures bring the total number of staff to leave the Planning Office to nine people since the start of the year. Busy times. Stokes nabbed the well-regarded spin doctor Kylie Keogh to head his communications arm in July, after federal Industry Minister Karen Andrews tapped Stokes former media boss Jessica Reid to be her chief of staff. In June, Reids deputy Courtney Taylor left Stokes office to take a senior media role inside the Department of Planning. No doubt a new hiring process and the handover of multiple roles is an unwelcome handful for chief of staff Katie Stevenson, particularly as her boss negotiates contentious changes to land management and koala habitat planning protections which are no less than threatening to bring down the Berejiklian government. But Keogh said the team is taking the changes in their stride. "Everyone else has been in the office since at least the beginning of this year when new policy adviser Isabel Virgona started fresh off the back of winning the Presidents Award at the Planning Institute of Australias 2019 Awards," she said.

MAYNE EVENT Howzat. Corporate governance crusader Stephen Mayne has been dramatically forced out of running as a candidate for the City of Melbourne over an issue of governance. Embarrassingly, an issue of his own self-governance. The Walkley-winning journalist, former media adviser to Jeff Kennett, founder of Crikey and thorn in the side of big business had planned to run as a candidate, hoping to regain his council seat lost in 2016. But it was a pesky issue of eligibility for the City of Melbourne electoral rolls that is the petard upon which the mouthy corporate activist has hoist himself. Only residents, or owners or occupiers of commercial property, qualify for the City of Melbournes two electoral rolls.
PHOENIX, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EdgeConneX , a pioneer in Edge Data Centers, has just streamlined the path for customers in Arizona to connect to Microsoft cloud services by offering the Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute service in its Phoenix Edge Data Center  (EDC). Azure ExpressRoute allows users to create private connections between their IT deployments and Microsoft's global data centers.

EdgeConneX serves the Phoenix metropolitan area from the EDC, located near the heart of the Arizona State University Campus in Tempe, less than 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix. The EDC has been purpose-built and strategically located to provide a secure colocation facility for customers wishing to deliver content and applications to local-market end-users - with the lowest possible latency - creating the best possible user experience. The Phoenix EDC has one of the richest network service provider ecosystems available in the Phoenix market.

The carrier-neutral Phoenix EDC now acts as a direct edge cloud on-ramp node from which customers can establish secure, scalable and affordable links to Microsoft services, including Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Dynamics 365.

"The Phoenix metropolitan area has one of the fastest growing populations in the country, which in turn is attracting many new and established enterprise and technology companies to establish large front and back-office operations, call centers and distribution hubs in the area," says Aron Smith, Vice President for Interconnection Product Management at EdgeConneX. "By providing these companies local private access to the Cloud in Phoenix via Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute at EdgeConneX, customers can enjoy all the benefits of the Cloud with a secure, dedicated and local access solution that simultaneously optimizes performance and reduces costs."

Ross Ortega, Partner Program Manager, Microsoft Azure Networking at Microsoft Corp. said, "Manageability and network performance are often the largest inhibitors to cloud adoption or migrations. Through Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute sites like the one at the EdgeConneX Phoenix data center, we help enhance the performance and user experience for local enterprises accessing cloud applications, content, or services on the Microsoft global network."

With the new Azure ExpressRoute site now available in Phoenix, customers already located in the local EdgeConneX data center can order a simple cross connect to privately access all Microsoft cloud services available through the global Azure platform. All other enterprises located in the greater Phoenix area can also connect to the local Azure ExpressRoute site by using the various metro ethernet solutions offered by their local carrier to connect back to the EdgeConneX data center or other ExpressRoute partners offering connectivity to the Phoenix site.

Additional Resources:  EdgeConneX Phoenix datasheet  Azure ExpressRoute Connectivity For more information about EdgeConneX, visit edgeconnex.com or email [email protected] .

About EdgeConneX

EdgeConneX provides a full range of data center solutions worldwide, from Hyperlocal to Hyperscale, from purpose-built to build-to-order, working closely with our customers to offer choice in location, scale and type of facility. Delivering flexibility, connectivity, proximity and value, EdgeConneX is a global leader in anytime, anywhere and any scale data center services for a diverse portfolio of industries, including Content, Cloud, Networks, Gaming, Automotive, SaaS, IoT, HPC, Security and more.

Empower Your Edge with EdgeConneX. For more information, please visit edgeconnex.com.

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Schools are overcrowded and the Ministry is asking them to be flexible and adapt their programmes, state news agency SANA reports

Within the plan of the Ministry of Education to implement the approved health protocol to ensure a safe and secure return to schools, and after studying the data on the number of students received from the directorates of education, the Ministry of Education asked its directorates in the provinces to work on addressing classroom density in schools by distributing students to nearby schools and converting administrative rooms into classrooms.

In a statement, the Ministry stressed the need to expedite the receipt of completed school buildings that can be used and expanded by applying half-time program and coordination between education directors in the event that there are schools close to each other geographically which belong to different education directorates, as is the case in the schools in the Quneitra, Damascus and Damascus Countryside governorates.

In order to ensure the good implementation of the protocol and preventive measures, the Ministry stressed the intensification of supervisory rounds by specialized and educational guidance teams and the immediate treatment of the problems and challenges that hinder the implementation of the protocol and the activation of social participation and parents councils to assist and participate in providing the necessary capabilities to implement the health protocol in the interest of the health and safety of the students.

The ministry also requested from its directorates to submit reports on what has been accomplished, including proposals and solutions that have been implemented, and needs, no later than next Saturday, September 12th.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
An expectant mother has added her voice to calls for the Government to consider easing restrictions in maternity hospitals.

There have been growing calls for maternity hospitals to ease current Covid-19 restrictions that prevent partners of pregnant women attending for prenatal scans. Currently, a father is allowed attend only if his partner is in 'active labour' and the woman must attend all her appointments on her own. However some hospitals, including Holles Street, have indicated they will review their policy.

When asked about it in the Dail yesterday, Junior Health Minister Mary Butler said the strict restrictions were necessary to protect mothers and their babies from the virus.

Broadcaster Suzanne Kane (40) is 26 weeks' pregnant with her third baby with partner Joey and said she was fortunate in that she knows what to expect when it comes to her treatment in Dublin's Coombe hospital.

It's a 'rainbow baby' for the broadcaster, who miscarried at 10 weeks last December. She went in alone for what she thought was a routine scan, only to be told that, sadly, it was not a viable pregnancy.

She said her heart went out to all those expectant mothers who were now having to hear similar news on their own, without the support of their partners. She found out she was expecting again at the start of lockdown and is due mid-December.

Suzanne, a radio and TV broadcaster who has a podcast called Dubland with PJ Gallagher, said her anxiety levels were very high this time around, given her previous miscarriage. Having to attend all her appointments alone was making it more difficult.

"I had a miscarriage in December but Joey was in the room waiting for me when I got back from surgery after having a D&C. It was a huge relief; but imagine going through all that alone?

"The day that I was going for my 'big scan', I was listening to people making all these plans to meet up for their 90-minute meal with friends after and there I was alone, waiting for this scan. The Coombe car park is full of partners in their cars, waiting to be called. I think at our most vulnerable we should - if we choose so - have our person with us."

First-time mothers having to face all the uncertainty surrounding a pregnancy without the physical presence of their other half was especially hard, she said.

Maternity patients must go on their own to their anomaly scan, which takes place after 20 weeks and indicates whether anything is amiss. Taking a video of the scan is not permitted. When it comes to giving birth, the Coombe hospital states that the woman must go to the assessment room on her own and she can be joined by her partner only if she is in 'active labour'.

While Suzanne praises the Coombe's "fantastic" staff, she would like to see some of the restrictions eased, especially for the anomaly scan. In a few months' time, she'll have to say goodbye to her husband in the car park and start the labour process, praying for a safe delivery for their baby.

"I recently turned 40 which means this is classed as a geriatric pregnancy. Given what happened before, nothing is a certainty until I'm in that labour suite and the baby's on my chest," she said. "I'm so respectful of the amazing work they do in hospitals and we all want to keep footfall down. But you really need your partner with you through this."
COLUMBIA, S.C., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In this time of disruption due to COVID-19, it's more important than ever to celebrate young people making a difference through volunteer service.

Today through November 10, Prudential Financial and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) are calling on South Carolina youth volunteers to apply for scholarships and national recognition through The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

South Carolina students in grades 5-12 are invited to apply for 2021 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards if they have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteering within the past 12 months  virtually or otherwise. The application is available at http://spirit.prudential.com.

"More than 25 years ago, we founded The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards to honor young volunteers working to meet the needs of our changing world  a mission that feels especially timely today," said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. "As life evolves due to COVID-19, young Americans are continuing to address urgent issues facing their communities, and we celebrate their service in hopes that they'll inspire others to do the same."

"While this is one of the most unusual times in recent history for American students, we know that young volunteers have a long history of rising to the challenges of the moment," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director and CEO of NASSP. "Today through November 10, we call on parents, educators and local leaders to join us in celebrating the young volunteers who are innovating and adapting to serve their communities, and setting an important example for their peers in the process."

The top middle level and high school volunteer from each state and the District of Columbia will be named State Honorees in February. They will receive $1,000 scholarships, engraved silver medallions and an invitation to the program's national recognition events in early May.

In May, the program will name America's top 10 youth volunteers of 2021. Those National Honorees will receive additional $5,000 scholarships, gold medallions, crystal trophies for their nominating schools or organizations, and $5,000 Prudential grants for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.

Local-level honorees in each state will receive awards ranging from bronze medallions to certificates. Qualifying local honorees also receive President's Volunteer Service Awards.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards was created in 1995 to recognize the exemplary volunteer work of middle level and high school students. Since then, awards have been granted to more than 140,000 middle and high school students across the country at the local, state and national level. Spirit of Community programs are also conducted in Japan, Ireland, India, China and Brazil, where Prudential has significant business operations.

For complete details on the 2021 program and the stories of South Carolina's top youth volunteers from years past, visit http://spirit.prudential.com.

[Editors: The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program logo and other multimedia resources are available at http://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media.]

SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.

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Baggage sits on one of the carousels in Heathrows Terminal 5 (Steve Parsons/PA)

British holidaymakers face another race against time to get home before new quarantine rules on countries including Portugal and Hungary come into force.

The Government announced on Thursday evening that Portugal, Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion have been removed from the quarantine exemption list.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that travellers arriving in England from those countries after 4am on Saturday will have to self-isolate for 14 days.

It comes as reports suggested ministers are divided over new social distancing rules in England that will limit social gatherings to groups of just six people both indoors and outside from Monday.

On Thursday Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced similar measures limiting indoor and outdoor gatherings to groups of six from two households, with a key difference that children under 12 would not be included.

The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday that senior Tories also want younger children to be exempt from the so-called rule of six in England, while the Daily Mail claimed Health Secretary Matt Hancock was the only Cabinet minister on Boris Johnsons coronavirus strategy committee to support the plan at a meeting on Tuesday, the day before it was announced by the Prime Minister.

The latest quarantine measures were criticised as a major body blow to consumer confidence which left families in a race against time get home.

Data shows we need to remove PORTUGAL (minus the AZORES and MADEIRA), HUNGARY, FRENCH POLYNESIA and REUNION from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe. If you arrive in England from these destinations after 4am Saturday, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days.  Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 10, 2020

Mr Shapps also tweeted that Sweden will be added to the exemption list meaning travellers entering England from there will not have to quarantine.

He said: Data shows we need to remove Portugal (minus the Azores and Madeira), Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe.

But World Travel and Tourism Council president and chief executive Gloria Guevara said: Taking Portugal and Hungary off the exception list has left families in a race against time to find flights and get home to avoid going into 14 days of isolation or cancel their already made plans.

This depressingly familiar situation is a major body blow to consumer confidence to travel.

Expand Close Seven-day rate of new Covid-19 cases (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

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In Scotland, the First Minister also announced changes for the hospitality sector, making it mandatory for customers to wear face coverings whenever they are moving around and not eating or drinking.

Meanwhile Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford is expected to confirm on Friday that people will only be able to meet in groups of six or under indoors from Monday.

But people will also still be able to meet up in groups of up to 30 outdoors, as long as they maintain social distancing.

It comes as coronavirus rates continued to increase across parts of the UK with Leeds and Birmingham among areas at risk of further lockdown measures.

From Monday in England, you must not hold social gatherings with more than 6 people.



The rule of 6 applies in any setting, indoors or outdoors, at home or in the pub.



More info https://t.co/1KzJqcyOtI pic.twitter.com/SO84HchSpf  Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) September 10, 2020

The most recent data for the seven days to September 7 showed Birmingham had the second highest rate of new cases in the country at 85.4 per 100,000 people and 975 new cases while Leeds had 536 new cases and a rate of 67.6.

The Treasury Select Committee is also warning that Chancellor Rishi Sunak risks mass long-term unemployment and putting hard-hit viable firms out of business if the furlough scheme comes to an abrupt end on October 31.

In the second report of its inquiry into the economic impact of coronavirus the cross-party committee of MPs is recommending a targeted extension to the coronavirus furlough scheme.

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On Thursday Mr Hancock defended the Governments ambitious mass Covid-19 testing proposals in the face of laughter and heckling in Parliament.

He hit out at the naysayers in the House of Commons when outlining the Operation Moonshot plans, which aim to see millions of UK-wide tests carried out daily with results available in 90-to-20 minutes but have been criticised as overly ambitious and relying on technology that does not yet exist.

Leaked documents seen by the BMJ medical journal suggested the project could have a price tag of 100 billion  close to that of the 114 billion budget given to NHS England in 2018-19.

The latest Department of Health and Social Care figures revealed the number of close contacts of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England reached through the test and trace system fell to its lowest level since the system was launched.

Just over two thirds (69.2%) of close contacts were reached in the week ending September 2, down slightly from 69.8% in the previous week, and once again short of the Governments 80% target.

The figures also showed that the system recorded the highest weekly number of positive tests since it was launched at the end of May.
Top officials with the Department of Homeland Security directed agency analysts to play down the threat of violent white supremacy and of Russian election interference, according to a whistle-blower complaint filed by a top intelligence official with the department.

Brian Murphy, the former head of the intelligence branch of the Homeland Security Department, said in a whistle-blower complaint filed on Tuesday that he had been directed by Chad F. Wolf, the acting secretary of the department, to stop producing assessments on Russian interference. The departments second-highest-ranked official, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, also ordered him to modify intelligence assessments to make the threat of white supremacy appear less severe and include information on violent left-wing groups, according to the complaint, which was released Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee.

Mr. Murphy, who was removed from his post in August after his office compiled intelligence reports on protesters and journalists in Portland, Ore., asserted in the complaint that he was retaliated against for raising concerns to superiors and cooperating with the departments inspector general. He asked the inspector general to investigate.

The protected disclosures that prompted the retaliatory personnel actions at issue primarily focused on the compilation of intelligence reports and threat assessments that conflicted with policy objectives set forth by the White House and senior Department of Homeland Security officials, Mr. Murphys lawyers wrote in the 24-page complaint. CNN first reported the existence of the complaint and the details about its contents.
Even as the Bombay High Court stayed the demolition drive at actor Kangana Ranaut's Bandra bungalow in Mumbai, the episode has caused some heartburn within the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which consists of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, according to reports.

Speculation that all was not well within the ruling coalition came to fore after NCP chief Sharad Pawar questioned the Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) decision to raze the structure.

"I dont know if there was anything illegal (about the office)It wont be appropriate to comment on this without having proper information. Illegal construction isnt a new thing in Mumbai. In view of the prevalent situation, BMCs actions give space to raise doubt in peoples minds. However, BMC has its own rules and officers may have found it appropriate to take action," Pawar had said.

He added that 'undue importance' has been given to some statements, although he did not name Sena or Ranaut. "We are giving undue importance to those making such statements. We will have to see what influence such statements have on the people at large," Pawar said, adding that people do not take such statements seriously.

Pawar was talking about Ranaut's statement comparing Mumbai to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and saying that she did not feel safe in the city. Following this, Sena spokesperson and Member of Parliament (MP) in Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Raut, had asked her to leave the city. Ranaut was then granted Y security by the Centre.

Sources, however, state that the Ranaut episode is just one of the flashpoints between the three allies, which had in recent days displayed unity in taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has mounted an attack on the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police over their handling of the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

According to an Indian Express report, discontent among the allies has been brimming for some months now, with Sena's Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav threatening to quit as a lawmaker over what he alleged was NCP's interference in appointments to the Agriculture Produce Market Committee and Raut blaming, indirectly, the state's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for spike in COVID-19 cases in Pune.

Congress isn't far behind, either, with the party's senior leader and former Mumbai chief Milind Deora tweeting that he was 'appalled' as a "Mumbaikar with the state of affairs in the economic capital of India."

"Maharashtra is COVID-19's ground zero. Instead of focusing on governance, were busy settling political scores. Time for all parties to come together and set our priorities right," Deora tweeted.

A coalition leader, while admitting that there are 'disagreements' over certain issues within the MVA, said these are "very local issues which have nothing to do with the Kangana Ranaut episode."

"Every coalition government faces some issues over the course of its term. We are three big parties in Maharashtra, things like disagreements are bound to take place and the Opposition will try to amp it up, but that doesn't mean the government is threatened or anything," the leader told Moneycontrol.
Just nine months after announcing their resignation as senior working members of the British royal family, and only six months after their final royal engagements, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry are officially on a new career path.

The Sussexes have moved to Santa Barbara, California, signed a massive Netflix deal, teamed up with a speaking engagement firm, and taken back their voices. As they work on new ventures including the eventual launch of their charity organization, theyve never seemed happier.

Now that they are no longer beholden to certain royal rules, the Sussexes and Meghan in particular, are speaking their minds. However, the pair still have certain rules they must adhere to.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could earn an insane amount of money per speech

As the Sussexes settled in LA, temporarily living at Tyler Perrys Beverly Hills mansion, royal experts had become increasingly concerned about Meghan and Harrys financial situation. Though the pair were then worth $30 million together, security costs, living expenses, and the debt they were paying back for renovations at their U.K. home, Frogmore Cottage were adding up.

Still, the pair could do very little amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, in the midst of the chaos, the Sussexes signed a contract with Harry Walker Agency who also have clients like the Obamas and Meghans best friend, Serena Williams. An insider told Express, Meghan and Harry will be engaging in moderated discussions and keynote speeches with trade associations, corporations and community forums.

Sources claimed that the couple could earn $1 million for a single public speaking event.

RELATED: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Will Absolutely Have Spill About Life In the Royal Family at Speaking Engagements

Meghan Markle no longer has to censor herself when speaking publicly

Through public events and engagements are not happening at the moment, Meghan has been using her voice to speak out, working with organizations like Makers and Voices For Change.

The duchess, who couldnt speak about politics a senior royal has been urging people to vote in the 2020 Presidential Election. She also voiced her excitement to see Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris on the ballot and shes been speaking out for the Black Lives Matter movement.

However, there may be topics that are off limits for the Sussexes.

Prince Harry and Meghan Marke have rules for public speaking engagements

The Telegraph recently got a hold of the Sussexes public speaking engagement rules and they make a lot of sense. For starters, an organization must complete a Virtual Event Request Form to request the Sussexes through the Harry Walker Agency. The Telegraph reports,

All event sponsors must be declared upfront, as well as what they are receiving in return for their sponsorship. The Sussexes have the final say on who introduces them and who moderates the discussion. Bookers must also share the exact fee theyre offering, and provide a list of expected audience members.

Additionally, the prince has agreed not to participate in anything that makes fun of the royal family. Branding, speakers, and attire must also be disclosed. Also because this is all virtual at the moment, Meghan and Harry ask for the bookers contingency plan should they run into connectivity issues during the event.

It sounds ideal to us.
TEL AVIV, Israel

Sept. 9, 2020

$100,000

How it will work

Why it matters

Why gaming?

Dudu Dahan

Amanda Clayton

Denise Bar Aharon

the United States

Israel

Tel Aviv

London

Berlin

Vienna

Helsinki

Montreal

Chicago

Las Vegas

Sydney

Buenos Aires

Tokyo

Kiev

Bucharest

Minsk

/PRNewswire/ -- The most popular free-to-play social bingo game Bingo Blitz, part of leading game company Playtika, will be donatingto Make-A-Wish to fulfil the wishes of children with critical illnesses ranging from backyard makeovers, to becoming a superhero for the day, to meeting a favorite celebrity. This will coincide with in-game activities to mark the occasion.Within the Bingo Blitz game, players can color a variety of artworks as part of a painting themed minigame, and are awarded different paint colors as they play the main game. For the duration of this partnership, these artworks will represent the wishes of children around the world.This will be the first partnership between Bingo Blitz and Make-A-Wish.Make-A-Wish is centred upon the understanding that by facilitating children's wishes, the emotional and physical strength they need to fight their illnesses can be supported and nurtured.During this period of uncertainty throughout COVID-19, Make-A-Wish has been committed to ensuring that children were - and are - able to access and benefit from these experiences, adapting the wish granting format and delivery in accordance with government guidelines. The donation is expected to fund approximately 50 wishes worldwide.However, it Given the scale of the current crisis, it is a challenge for Make-A-Wish to meet the need without wider financial support. Bingo Blitz players will now have the opportunity to contribute and play an integral part in this important cause.Millions of people play casual games on social media or on their smartphones daily, making up a huge and influential online community. With over one million people playing Bingo Blitz each day, the team are passionate about mobilising casual gamers to make a real difference in communities across the country.Bingo Blitz is part of leading gaming company Playtika, which is already a partner of the World Health Organization's #PlayApartTogether campaign. #PlayApartTogether promotes the importance of social distancing to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, whilst at the same time encouraging people to reach out to and support others through gaming. The campaign is rallying the gaming community worldwide to combat loneliness and social isolation.This partnership between Bingo Blitz and Make-A-Wish is a powerful addition to this work, ensuring that millions of gamers are able to show their support to children around the world through this difficult time. To achieve this in-game feature, Bingo Blitz created dedicated development time and content creation to maximise the output of the partnership.said, "said,said,Images and video available on request.Bingo Blitz is the #1 free-to-play social bingo game, with over 1 million active players per day on social networks and mobile platforms. At Bingo Blitz, we care about our players and are driven by a commitment to provide them with the highest quality product and user experience. Through a high-action, skill-based game, packed with exciting narratives, innovative features, and mega prizes, our mission is to reinvent the way people play Bingo. Our unique social platform and content make it fun and easy for millions of people to play and connect with each other worldwide. play.bingoblitz.com/Free?Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Make-A-Wish is the world's leading children's wish-granting organization, serving children in every community inand in nearly 50 countries worldwide thanks to generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 40,000 volunteers. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 500,000 life-changing wishes worldwide. For more information about Make-A-Wish, visit worldwish.org.Playtika Holding Corp. is a leading gaming company with over 30 million monthly active users playing its titles. Founded in 2010, Playtika was among the first to offer free-to-play games on social networks and, shortly after, on mobile platforms. With a management team headquartered in Herzliya,, Playtika and its subsidiaries have over three thousand employees in offices worldwide including, Santa Monica,, Dnepr, and Vinnitsa. https://www.playtika.com/

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SOURCE Playtika




A Sept. 4 article outlines new legislation that, if passed, would continue a freeze on state report cards and performance assessments for Ohio schools (Cancel state testing, freeze report cards?). This raises serious concerns about undermining parents' ability to hold schools accountable.

While the idea of a freeze is understandable, given the ongoing uncertainty associated with COVID-19, legislators should be certain that parents can still obtain information to accurately assess how well their school is educating students.

A long-term freeze on testing would limit  or completely eliminate  information available to parents, hobbling their ability to decide what, if any, supplemental education services their student might need or whether they should switch schools.

Despite the unprecedented challenges facing Ohios schools, parents need this vital assessment information so they can make the right schooling decisions for their students.

Greg R. Lawson,

Columbus

Greg R. Lawson is a research fellow with the Buckeye Institute.
ARCHIVED - 8,866 new covid cases in Spain; covid news headlines Spain Wednesday 9th September



Madrid has nearly doubled its case notifications today

The Spanish Ministry of Health has notified an increase in the number of covid infections across Spain this Wednesday of 8,866 infections, of which 4,410 correspond to cases diagnosed in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected during the pandemic to 543,379.



The Region of Madrid is again the region of Spain with the highest number of new cases diagnosed in the last 24 hours, with 1,728 of the 4,410 notified by Health, followed by the Basque Country (633).

See beneath headlines for explanation of why these figures quoted do not tally with the figures presented by the autonomous regions:

Click for detailed breakdown of data



 Andalusia: 366

 Aragon: 281

 Asturias: 65

 Balearic Islands: 0 (no computer data again)

 Canary Islands: 215

 Cantabria: 109

 Castilla-La Mancha: 123

 Castile and Leon: 64

 Catalonia: 93

 Ceuta: 20

 Valencian Community: 122

 Extremadura: 116

 Galicia: 147

 Madrid: 1,728

 Melilla: 32

 Murcia: 71

 Navarra: 193

 Basque Country: 633

 La Rioja: 32



In the last 24 hours, 34 deaths have been added to the total, which brings the global count up to 29,628.



Headlines relating to Covid today in Spain:

Oxford vaccine trials suspended due to volunteer illness; no vaccine for Spain in December: Click to read

Ministry of Health and autonomous regions agree a new package of measures: The Ministry of Health has agreed a new package of measures with the regional health authorities of the 17 autonomous regions to strengthen the control of coronavirus infections, including implementation of a common vaccination strategy, the carrying out of three new waves of the seroprevalence study and combining criteria in screening of asymptomatic patients.



Germany will lift the restriction on travel to Spain on 30th September; Click to read

British Government limits size of social groups to 6 from 14th September.



Children over the age of 6 must wear a mask at school in Catalonia, at least for the next 2 weeks



Hostelry sector protests in Madrid against covid measures; The worst is yet to come, more aid and less restrictions they say.

The principal union representing medical personnel in Madrid calls a strike after the regional president failed to respond to a request for a meeting to discuss the situation of the sector in the region.



Madrid almost doubles the number of cases reported in the last 24 hours, rising from774 yesterday to 1390 on Wednesday, in addition to a further 2817 cases from previous days which have not yet been added into the overall total. The number of fatalities in the last 24 hours is 27.

Partial closure of a CEIP, an infant and primary school in Moron de la Frontera (Seville) after staff member tested positive.

Two classes of the Benjamin Franklin International school in Barcelona were put into quarantine today due to a covid positive.

Pope seen putting a mask on today; its the first time the 84 year old Pope has been seen in public wearing a mask

Madrid detects 18 positives amongst 1355 staff at schools.

Balearic Islands confines 23,000 residents in four districts of Palma de Mallorca. Click to read

First positive in a school in Cantabria

23 primary school pupils in Pamplona have been quarantined after a positive case was detected in their class.

Madrid suspends the charges usually imposed on bar owners for terrace and pavement space in the streets. Charges for market traders have also been waived to help local small businesses survive the pandemic

Six military personnel in barracks in Vizcaya test positive and a further 60 are quarantined

Increased restrictions in Valladolid and Salamanca in Castilla la Mancha will continue for at least another week

Catalonia notifies 759 more cases than on Tuesday, bringing its current total up to 141,319. Catalonia notified 759 new cases of coronavirus infections confirmed in the last 24 hours, more than 400 less than yesterday..



Ten more deceased bring the total number of fatalities in Catalonia up to 13,113 and the risk of re-outbreak in the community rises again by almost five points, up to 175.69.



The number of patients who remained admitted to the Catalan hospital network for Covid-19 remains at 731 and the number of people who remain in the ICU remains at 131.



350 new cases and 3 fatalities in Castilla y Leon

Police detain thieves who stole 3 million masks and pairs of gloves from a warehouse in Leganes, Madrid.

26 pupils put into quarantine in Navarra schools; 22 in one primary school and 4 in another.

7 deceased in Galicia. The most in any single day, brings fatalities up to 671. 4,364 cases active, 134 new cases

Morocco extends state of emergency until 10th October

4 crew on yacht owned by Qatar royal family positive in Palma. Click to read

31 deaths in the Basque Country in the last week, and daily cases reported on Wednesday 661

Loss of taste and smell particularly affect young people without symptoms

Andalucia has 765 hospitalisations and 118 patients in intensive care

The increase in covid cases stabilizes in Madrid with 17,691 in a week

The increase in coronavirus infections in the Community of Madrid stabilized during the week of August 31st to September 6th, in which 17,691 new cases were registered, compared to the 17,533 reported between August 24th and 30th.

The report shows 35,224 positives throughout the region in 14 days (4,724 more than the previous report, an increase of 15.5%) and records a cumulative incidence of 528.6 cases per one hundred thousand people in 14 days and 265.5 between August 31st and September 6th.

Government will test the interoperability of Radar Covid with apps from other countries in the second half of October

Explanation:

The word diagnosis is important as the national daily figures never accurately match the figures reported by the WHO or Worldometre which are gathered from the figures published daily by each of Spains 17 Autonomous health authorities and are reported on a day by day basis. These are always considerably higher than the figures reported by the central Ministry as the date of diagnosis must be checked and details verified before cases are admitted into the national totals. Cases which werent actually diagnosed within the last 24 hours and are often included in the regional figures will appear in the overall total at some point, so the figures do balance out, albeit in a fashion which is difficult to report accurately.

The way that the Spanish media tend to arrive at the actual number of new cases is to take the final total reported and subtract it from the final total reported on the previous day, which tends to generally give a figure very close to that obtained by adding up the figures from each of the regional health authorities.

There is endless criticism of this system, but the regional authorities insist that they give the total figures to the Ministry and that the Ministry itself is responsible for filtering them and entering them into their own system, filtering the cases by date of diagnosis, by the date on which symptoms first appeared rather than date on which the case was reported.

It does lead to confusion and makes it very difficult to stand by the figures as being wholly accurate, but this is the system and the media in Spain now tend to report the total derived by the subtraction method above as opposed to the Ministry new diagnoses.

article_detail

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Repatriation flights for Vietnamese citizens stranded in foreign countries due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic can cost up to VND10 billion (US$431,000), a price tag far heftier than regular commercial flights, according to Vietnam Airlines.

The cost was announced by the national carrier on its official website in early September.

Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways have yet to reveal the expenses of their repatriation flights.

Vietnam Airlines said it had to mobilize all resources and calculate the most optimal options to ensure the health of passengers as well as preparing for any possible unusual situation.

These flights are often more expensive as they need to be outfitted with such medical equipment as air purifiers, ventilators, and makeshift beds.

For repatriation flights from the United States and Canada, the airline had to hire lawyers and consulting partners to apply for flight licenses, which can cost up to around $30,000 per flight.

Ground service fees and fuel costs are also much higher than those of a normal flight, the carrier said, adding it had to pay more than VND1.4 billion ($60,750) worth of ground service fees and nearly VND2.2 billion ($95,470) in fuel for a flight to bring home Vietnamese citizens from the U.S.

The airline also only charges for tickets on the returning flights, while outgoing flights are often empty.

After each repatriation flight, the entire aircrew has to be quarantined for 14 days, while the aircraft has to be thoroughly sterilized and undergo maintenance, which adds to the cost.

A Vietnam Airline official told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the carrier has been operating reparation flights since April, showcasing its important role and duty in taking Vietnamese citizens home.

Revenues from these services are quite negligible compared to their operating cost, he added.

Airlines in Vietnam are now waiting for the government to finalize a plan to reopen commercial international air routes to Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Laos, and Cambodia.

The resumption of these air routes will provide opportunities for local airlines to increase their revenue, the Vietnam Airlines official stated.

Vietnam began barring entry to foreign nationals on March 22 and suspended international flights from March 25 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Since then, charter flights to the country have only been arranged to bring in foreign experts, skilled workers and diplomats, and to repatriate Vietnamese citizens stranded in other nations and territories due to the pandemic.

The countrys COVID-19 stood at 1,059, with 890 having recovered and 35 deaths as of Thursday morning.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Robin Swann is to recommend tightening coronavirus restrictions when the Executive meets later (Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye/PA)

Robin Swann is to recommend tightening coronavirus restrictions when the Executive meets on Thursday.

Concrete action is needed to slow the spread of Covid-19, Stormonts health minister has warned.

He said they needed to act now to avoid more restrictions at a later date.

The message is simple. The summer is over.

In common with other jurisdictions, we have decisions to make on how we stem a disturbing increase in Covid cases.

I believe concrete action is now necessary.

The minister said decisions would be required on whether it would apply to Northern Ireland as a whole or to more localised areas with higher rates of infection.

In England, social gatherings are to be restricted to a maximum of six, with some exceptions, from Monday.

Stormonts chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said: We are now at a crossroads, individually and collectively.

As a society, we have stark choices to make.

Northern Irelands case rate is 35 per 100,000 people.

That is higher than other parts of the UK.

Chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young said there had been a 20-fold increase in the number of cases since the start of July compared to just a five-fold rise in the number of tests.

The daily average is now over 90.

First Minister Arlene Foster said the Executive may have to take similar interventions like those imposed in Glasgow, where households are banned from visiting others indoors.
CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Cision, the global leader in earned media software and wire distribution services, published the latest data from its 2020 State of the Election blog series, a weekly nonpartisan media analysis of the U.S. presidential election. In its first week, Cision analyzed media coverage of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. This week, Cision spotlights the most important issues of the 2020 election, as defined by Pew Research, to look at how the media is covering them, both nationally and locally.

Media coverage of key voter issues Key issues covered in the last 30 days

To learn more about Cision and to view the full media analysis click here.

Key findings from this week's State of the Election include:

The economy and healthcare are always-on topics and generate the most consistent coverage, month after month.

COVID-19 has generated the most total coverage with 3.2M articles. The coverage peaked at the height of the pandemic and garnered 60% of the total coverage in March.

articles. The coverage peaked at the height of the pandemic and garnered 60% of the total coverage in March. Racial inequality did not become a major topic until the murder of George Floyd at the end of May.

at the end of May. Gun policy, one of the most divisive issues in the country, received the least amount of coverage.

In addition to number of mentions, Cision highlights the importance of looking beyond that number in order to assess how the media is framing key issues. With a handful of states carrying important influence in this election, Cision looks at local coverage of key issues in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.

Swing state data includes:

In Michigan , healthcare received 17% of the media coverage  5% more than all swing states and 7% more than the national average.

, healthcare received 17% of the media coverage  5% more than all swing states and 7% more than the national average. Healthcare out-performed climate change and/or racial inequality news in Arizona , Florida and Michigan .

, and . Climate change experienced a large spike during Hurricane Laura and total mentions have declined 82% in the past week.

"The media's responsibility  and the power it has  to set, prime, and frame the public agenda, is increasingly apparent as we monitor the state of the media during this presidential election," said Lucie Vietti-Curtis, Director of Comms and Content at Cision. "Cision's State of the Election also highlights the power of media monitoring and how data can and should play a primary role in building any communications strategy."

To learn more about Cision and to view the full analysis click here.

Cision is politically unaffiliated and does not endorse any political parties, platforms, campaigns or candidates.

About Cision

Cision is a leading global provider of earned media software and wire distribution services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. Cision's software allows users to identify key influencers, craft and distribute strategic content, and measure meaningful impact. Cision has over 4,800 employees with offices in 24 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information about Cision's award-winning products and services, including the Cision Communications Cloud, visit www.cision.com and follow Cision on Twitter @Cision.

Media Contact:

Rebecca Dersh

PR Manager

[email protected]

SOURCE Cision Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.cision.com


Voters are seen keeping a distance at Brisbane City Hall in Brisbane, Australia on March 28, 2020. (Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Two More Queensland Ministers to Quit at State Election

Queensland government ministers Kate Jones and Anthony Lynham have become the second and third Labor frontbenchers to announce they wont contest the state election.

Tourism Minister Jones and Mines and Natural Resources Minister Lynham made their shock announcements during parliaments final sitting on Sept. 10 before the Oct. 31 election.

They join Disability Services Minister Coralee ORourke, who announced at the weekend that she would stand down at the election.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander says the resignation of a two more frontbenchers shows the Labor government is unstable.

Wow! Two senior ministers gone in one day  and for what reason? The @AnnastaciaMP Govt is crumbling, he tweeted.

Jones, 41, did not give a clear reason for her decision but said it had been an honour to serve in the government.

All honourable members can appreciate this has been a very difficult decision for me and my family, she told parliament.

It has been an absolute honour to serve the people of my local community.

Jones has been one of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuks top lieutenants in parliament and held the portfolios of state development and innovation.

She was first elected in 2006 in the Brisbane seat of Ashgrove before being ousted by Campbell Newman at the 2012 election.

Jones thumped the then Premier Newman at the next election, winning back her seat and joining the Palaszczuk cabinet. When electoral boundaries were redrawn she became the member for Cooper.

She said as the youngest-ever MP elected to state parliament and the first government minister to give birth, she hoped to inspire future generations of women.

I hope Ive inspired another little girl, who was just like me with big dreams, to believe in herself, back herself, and know that if you set your minds to it you can achieve anything, Jones said.

Speaker Curtis Pitt thanked the minister for her service, and she replied: I thought you were going to warn me, with the house breaking out in laughter.

It wouldnt be the first time, Pitt replied.

Dr Lynham, 60who has held Stafford, one of Labors safest seats, since a 2014 by-electionis also an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and admits its too hard to juggle his role in politics with his commitments to patients.

He says hes proud of his record of reforming mine safety and health, including introducing measures against lung diseases and accidents.

Six years in limited practice is a long time for a surgeon, Lynham told parliament.

Virtually my whole adult life I have been a doctor. Since the change in medical registration regulations in 2016, it has been increasingly obvious to me that I cannot give 100 percent to this very busy job and maintain my medical registration.

I had to make a choice. I have achieved what I came here to do. I am eternally thankful for the opportunity to have done that.

It is now time to return to my first career to assist where I can, including in the pandemic now upon us.

ORourke, the MP for the marginal Townsville seat of Mundingburra, resigned on Sept. 6 saying she needed to put her health first after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018.

The minister, who also held the communities and seniors portfolios, said she was proud of establishing the Townsville Womens Centre and The Oasis Townsville for ex-ADF members.

Brisbane
(Newser)  The victim in the first fatal shark attack on Australia's Gold Coast since 1958 was so badly injured that rescuers had no chance of saving him, witnesses say. Jade Parker, who helped lifeguards bring 46-year-old Nick Slater to Greenmount beach, says his fellow surfer was attacked in waist-deep water and suffered a massive wound stretching from his groin to past his knee. He said he found a 1.5-inch shark tooth embedded in Slater's surfboard. "It was a good-size bite to the board," Parker tells the Seven Network. "I do not want to get to the gory parts but he was in a bad way. He was not conscious. It looked like he had already pretty much passed away at that point in time."

story continues below

The beach, like dozens of others in Queensland, was "protected" by shark netting, although experts say the netting provides little protection, since sharks can easliy swim under or around it. George Roff, an ecology professor at the University of Queensland, tells the Guardian that drones and other detection measures can reduce the risk, but "the idea that you can control sharks, in general, is wrong." Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Wednesday that a dead tiger shark was found tangled in a net at Greenmount Beach after Slater's death, the AP reports. She said investigators will try to determine whether it was the one that attacked him. (Read more shark attack stories.)
People crowd the sanctuary of Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C., for a building dedication ceremony, Oct. 2, 2013. The synagogue is maintaining its annual dues this year but expects a budget shortfall.

(JTA) - Like many synagogues, Temple B'nai Hayim used to rely on the High Holiday season to survive financially.

The small Conservative synagogue in Southern California would receive the lion's share of its revenue in the run-up to the holidays: Members sent in their annual dues, which included entry to High Holiday services, and non-members purchased tickets just for the High Holidays.

But with the option of holding regular in-person High Holiday services off the table due to the coronavirus, the synagogue is anticipating a decline in revenue this year and responding by reimagining its fin...
Then, the story goes that a tooth was pulled from his corpse during the effort in the middle of the night. And even that was taken from Congo, brought home to colonizer Belgium by a man whose family then apparently kept it for more than half a century.
It beats driving alone, a cartoon skunk declares in a cheerful 1974 public service announcement encouraging Americans to carpool. In the ad, a reporter interviews Noah (captain of the Biblical ark) about the rewards of sharing a ride. It worked out for us, the bearded sailor chirps. Youre going to have more fun together, his animals croon.

Fun wasnt the real purpose of doubling up for drives in the 1970s. With the US facing an energy crisis at the time, carpooling became an expression of patriotism, just as it had been during World War II. In the ensuing years, cities began creating carpool lanes on highways in an effort to cut carbon emissions and ease gridlock, with mixed results. As carpooling fell out of fashion, driving alone became the norm.

Now, thanks to Covid-19, the custom appears poised to make at least a modest comeback, according to three transportation companies that spoke to Quartz.

This is not carpooling through a ride-sharing app. Uber, Lyft and other on-demand companies have temporarily suspended their carpool options for safety reasons. (Slugging, an informal system for sharing rides with strangers in Washington, D.C, is also discouraged during the pandemic.) Instead, people are reportedly turning to old-fashioned, community-based carpooling, with coworkers, neighbors, and fellow parents.

While the public awaits reliable data about the safety of public transportation, the fear of contracting Covid-19 on buses and subways has already pushed driving and car ownership to new levels. Some people are now choosing to carpool as a way to reduce travel costs, be neighborly to someone without a car, andperhapshelp reduce traffic on congested streets, says Stew Langille, founder of the Float app, which allows people to plan commutes and collect rewards.

Carpooling this way beats riding with strangers, he says, because people are more likely to trust neighbors or friends to stay home if theyre sick, and to be honest about how stringently theyre following Covid-19 guidelines.

Story continues

Screenshots from the Float app.

Carpool with a friend

Langille noticed an uptick in shared drives among friends when Covid-19 led to lockdowns in Singapore, where Float was launched before its recent US debut. In response, the company quickly crafted a Carpool with a Friend feature which has since been rolled out in the San Francisco Bay area, and will soon arrive in New York.

The feature gives people a $10 rebate for gas as a way to encourage folks to go green and share a ride, and to help Float attract new customers. (Separately, its also trying to gauge how interested people would be in sharing a car through fractional ownership, an entirely new model for the car industry, Langille says.)

Float still has a tiny user base in the US, but it has seen a more than 400% increase per month in people choosing the Carpool with a Friend option. (Thats still only about 1,000 monthly users.) As people come out of the bubble, were seeing more and more people want to carpool with friends, with somebody they know, Langille says, We think its going to be a really big part of what were going to be doing into the fall.

At Waze, the navigation app owned by Google and used by 130 million people globally every month, Dani Simons, head of public sector partnerships, says that shes also expecting a major rebound in carpool usage once more schools and businesses begin opening around the country through the fall. People are looking for control and trust, she says, and carpooling can offer both.

Wazes carpooling feature launched in 2018 in the US, and has since attracted more than 800,000 rides monthly. The app is not designed strictly for people who already know each other, but users can create groups with their colleagues, neighbors, and friends who have a similar appetite for risk. Because passengers reimburse drivers for some of the gas costs, this option is also helping people who maybe cant afford to drive every day and maybe dont want to drive alone every day, she reports.

In a recent study conducted by the Yale Center for Customer Insights, sponsored by Waze, respondents actually said they would be less likely to carpool when they needed to go back to work than they were before the pandemic. However, more people ranked their likeliness to carpool higher than their chances of ride-sharing on Uber or taking a bus.

In Brazil and Mexico, Waze has already seen an increase in carpooling, compared to the US, which is still in the earliest days of workplace re-openings. Simons attributes the difference to shelter-in-place orders that were less severe in Brazil and Mexico, where more Waze Carpool users are likely to have jobs that cannot be done from home.

Ridership on Waze Carpool was on track to cross over a million monthly users when the coronaviruss spread brought traveling of any type to a standstill in March. The apps pre-Covid popularity, however, was eye-opening to Simons, who was among the original group to launch Citi Bike, a bike-sharing program in New York City, in a former job.

Bike-sharing may be a great last-mile solution for city dwellers, she says, but most Americans have much longer commutes. Carpooling is one way to address the growing mismatch between where people live and where their jobs are, she says, and that distance is greatest, on average, for people who are black, brown, or poor.

Its flexible, its distributed, and its not like you have to live on one line to carpool, Simons says.

Finally, Enterprise, the car rental company, told Quartz that its Commute with Enterprise vanpool service has been in high demand among coworkers in a variety of essential services sectors, including manufacturing, distribution, construction and healthcare through the pandemic.

People who have a similar shifts usually vanpool together, according to an Enterprise spokesperson, and the daily ride provides the opportunity for colleagues to get to know one another better, while saving money and time in their day. Employers typically line up the van service, and the staff who take advantage of it split the costs and typically rotate the driving responsibilities.

How safe is carpooling?

So just how safe is it to carpool with familiar faces? In this pandemic, there are no easy answers.

We have to think in terms of degrees of risk rather than a purely safe/unsafe classification, Jessica Justman, senior technical director at ICAP and associate professor of medicine in epidemiology at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, tells Quartz in an email. We already do this kind of risk assessment with other decisions we make all the time. In fact, just getting into a vehicle in the first place entails the risk of being in an accident.

Before arranging a carpool, she suggests weighing three key considerations: the necessity/importance of carpooling as the way to get to work, the risk of contracting severe COVID, and who is in the carpoolers social network and their risk of severe COVID-19.

Your calculations should also include the duration of the ride, how well the passenger and driver know each other and know each others habits in terms of adherence to mask wearing, social distancing, and recent travel to hot-spot locations, she says. Opening the window at least a few inches will help promote more air circulation and reduce risk, but that may be hard to do for long rides on a highway and in cold weather.

Companies and websites that encourage carpooling safely recommend the following precautions, drawing on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health officials.

Limit your carpool to two people, including the driver. The passenger should in the back, as far away from the driver as possible. Stay home if youre experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19. Wear masks. Open the windows to keep the air circulating and disperse any potentially virus-loaded aerosols. Agree on the rules for carpooling and social distancing before you meet. Clean and disinfect the high-touch areas of the car after driving. Use hand sanitizer after touching door handles and other high-touch zones. Then wash your hands for 20 seconds (using regular soap is fine) when you arrive at your destination.

To this list, new research into how talking or singing may be spreading Covid-19-infected aerosols would also suggest keeping chit-chat to a minimumand, much to James Cordens disappointment, skipping the carpool karaoke.

Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news.

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Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, yesterday (September 9) chaired a meeting of the Executive Council at The Expo Metro Station, to celebrate the 11th anniversary of Dubai Metro, and the launch of Dubai Metro Route 2020.

During the meeting, he said that Dubai Metro was a quality addition to the emirates infrastructure, and promotes its urban aspect and presents a model of meeting requirements of urban growth of the city, reported state news agency Wam.

"The inauguration of Route 2020 will lead Dubai towards a new phase of its journey, and reflects the leap it made in the transportation sector to keep pace with its future aspirations, as it is a model of sustainability and innovation for current and future generations," stated Sheikh Hamdan.

Lauding the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, he said: "Eleven years ago, we launched Dubai Metro, which has been a witness on the distinctive development journey of the city, where the metro was a central piece of Dubai urban boom, that made Dubai a city on the move."

'Dubai Metro also highlights our strategy in facing challenges through proactive practical solutions," he added.

During the meeting, Sheikh Hamdan was also briefed about a number of projects and programmes, including the joint project between Dubai Municipality and Dubai Land, that seeks to collect data about all land plots around the city.
Savage said she knew administrators, teachers and parents all wanted to add to the amount of allowable in-person instruction time as soon as possible.

I literally lose sleep over this, Savage said. I want to add to it as soon as possible.

Parent Michael Irwin said his student was struggling with technology issues, particularly that apps were slow or hard to access. Director for Technology Craig Reid said the district utilized Google for many of its platforms and high numbers of remote learners  not just from Moline  likely were bogging down the system. Parents were urged to contact the district or building principals for technology assistance.

Parent Tara Martin said she and her children were frustrated in trying to complete work under the full remote model, often feeling as if they were falling behind and that frustration was straining relationships and causing stress. She said it was a struggle with multiple children in the home and trying to complete the heavy academic workloads.

Savage said she thought teachers were feeling the pressure to teach all of the academic standards because districts recently learned waivers would not be issued for spring state assessments.
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Linkedin Lyndsey Martin and Pan Mohamed Faiz (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 10:38 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f48c2 3 Opinion pandemic,Election-Commission,election,US-election,regional-elections Free

Later this year, both Indonesia and the United States will hold elections. In the US, voters will go to the polls on Nov. 3 to elect the president, 35 senators, all 435 members of the House of Representatives, as well as state and local government officials. On Dec. 9, around 106 million Indonesians across the countrys 270 regions will vote in regional elections.

However, with more than 170,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia and more than 4.5 million in the US, the pandemic has led to concerns about the health and safety of the electorate and poll organizers.

One of the primary concerns that leaders in the US and Indonesia must address is the risk of low voter turnout due to fears over COVID-19. For many voters, going to a crowded polling station to cast a ballot may pose too great a risk of exposure, thus they may choose to forfeit their right to vote and stay home.

Due to concerns about voters and poll workers health and safety, as well as the risk of low voter turnout, some in both the US and Indonesia have floated the possibility of postponing elections.

Indonesia has already postponed the regional elections from September to December based on Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 2/2020 issued by President Joko Jokowi Widodo. However, postponing the regional elections for three months is considered not enough because the trend of COVID-19 cases has been increasing significantly since restrictions were eased to allow the economy to reopen.

Similarly, postponing the US elections is possible but very unlikely. The US president has no authority to delay elections. Rather, a congressional law dating back to 1845 sets the date of general elections, so delaying the elections would require congress to pass new legislation changing the date of the elections.

Furthermore, the US Constitution stipulates that the term of the president and vice president ends on Jan. 20 and that congressional terms end on Jan. 3, at which point the current officeholders must vacate their offices unless they are reelected.

Thus with elections scheduled to take place as planned later this year, it is critical that governments take steps to protect voters health and safety. Election officials in both countries have said that there will be strict health protocols at polling stations on election day, such as providing hand sanitizer and limiting the number of people allowed inside the polling station.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has also issued guidelines for poll workers to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. However, these precautions have not assuaged voters anxieties and many remain concerned about the risk of exposure, leading to concerns that turnout could be low.

In the US, one of the most important steps that state government leaders can take to mitigate voters concerns about COVID-19 and ensure citizens can exercise their right to vote is to allow all citizens to vote by mail.

In most states, Americans will have the option to vote by mail for the upcoming elections in November. However, there are still a handful of states that will not allow voters to cite fears of COVID-19 as an excuse to vote by mail. Therefore, voters in these states will be forced to choose between voting in person and risking exposure to COVID-19 or staying home and thus forfeiting their right to vote.

Although vote by mail will present its own logistical challenges  for instance, there are concerns that delays with the postal service will cause some ballots to go uncounted  voters should not have to choose between protecting their health and voting.

Meanwhile, applying vote by mail for regional elections in Indonesia will create serious difficulties concerning the validity and confidentiality of ballots. Indeed, the process of manual voting and counting has caused many problems and led to election disputes before the Constitutional Court.

In addition, under normal circumstances, candidates hold big rallies to interact with potential voters. During the pandemic, they must be changed into online meetings. More outreach should also be done virtually or using online media to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Another critical problem, during the economic crisis, the Finance Ministry has to provide around Rp 5.1 trillion (US$365 million) as additional costs for holding regional elections in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is feared that the additional costs cannot be used optimally to enhance the level of voter participation in the elections.

Unfortunately, there are no signs of abatement of the pandemic both in the US and Indonesia. As the show must go on, we can only hope that there will be no decline in the quality of democracy and legitimacy of the elections.

The cost of electoral democracy is indeed expensive. Nevertheless, it will never be comparable to the safety and life of the people, as Cicero said salus populi suprema lex esto (the safety of the people should be the supreme law).

---

Lyndsey Martin is a researcher at the Center for Constitutional Studies (PUSaKO) at Andalas University in Padang and a candidate for a doctoral degree in law, William & Mary Law School, United States. Pan Mohamed Faiz is a senior researcher at the Constitutional Court.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has apologised to the First Family on behalf of the Kalenjin community over recent remarks by MPs Johanna Ngeno and Oscar Sudi.

According to Ruto, the remarks by Emurua Dikirr MP and his Kapseret counterpart against the Kenyatta family should not be misconstrued to be the position of the community.

We were shocked and surprised and we never expected that to come from them since they have never come into close contact with the Kenyatta family, said Ruto during a presser at his Tumoi home in Chepalungu on Wednesday.

As leaders from the community we want to sincerely apologise to the nation at large, family of Kenyatta and anyone oto whom utterances were directed at or may have offended, he added.

At the same time, the Chama Cha Mashinani Party leader called on Deputy President William Ruto to rein in his errant allies whom he claimed have continued to tarnish the reputation of the Kalenjin community.

He noted that despite several warnings to desist from hate speech, the same leaders have continued to willfully engage in it.

As leaders, we differ politically. Even I sometimes differ on some issues with some leaders but I have never abused or insulted anyonethat is a thing of the past which should not happen now as it will take us to the dark ages when communities used to fight, said Ruto.

He added: We are now a civilised nation with proper governance structures. We have a President now, we will do an election in 2022 and whoever Kenyans elect we expect peace to continue.
HOUSTON - A new study released by Houston Methodist takes researchers a significant step closer to developing a uniform, universal COVID-19 antibody test. The multicenter collaboration tested alternative ways to measure COVID-19 antibody levels that is faster and easier and can inexpensively be used on a larger scale to accurately identify potential donors with the best chance of helping patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus with convalescent plasma therapy.

The findings will also have applications beyond determining who the best plasma donors are. The consensus among the study authors is that, following donor identification, it will most likely next be used in practice to establish target levels of COVID-19 antibodies needed for effective vaccine candidates and passive immune therapies.

Additional uses coming later that are likely to have the biggest societal impact, the researchers say, are to assess relative immunity in those previously infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and identifying asymptomatic individuals with high levels of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

It was also found that donors who experienced shortness of breath (or dyspnea) while infected with COVID-19 and those who were hospitalized or had severe disease were more likely to have a robust immune response and, thus, had higher levels of neutralizing antibodies in all the tests. In the absence of available testing, identifying such donor characteristics may be used as a contingency plan to determine which patients have developed higher antibody levels and inform efforts to recruit plasma donors for therapeutic purposes.

In collaboration with Penn State, University of Texas at Austin and U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, study authors James M. Musser, M.D., Ph.D., and Eric Salazar, M.D., Ph.D., physician scientists at Houston Methodist, sought to find alternatives to measuring virus neutralization (VN) titers, which is the gold standard of COVID-19 antibody testing, as VN antibodies in the blood correlate with immunity. This kind of antibody testing, however, is not widely available, because it's technically complex, requires days to set up, run and interpret, and needs to be performed in a biosafety level 3 laboratory. This leads to most donor plasma virus antibody levels remaining unknown prior to transfusions, so an easier, more readily available method is needed to identify more suitable convalescent plasma donors.

The research team, therefore, looked to another type of test, called ELISA assays, which can be implemented and performed with relative ease in a high-throughput fashion and are widely available and extensively used in clinical labs across the world. The ELISA tests, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, look at whether antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 proteins are present and produce a quantitative measure of those antibodies. The UT Austin research team developed the ELISA antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 and provided the viral antigens for this study.

Specifically, scientists looked at the relationship of anti-spike ectodomain (ECD) and anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG bloodstream antibody titers. The spike ECD and RBD proteins are physiological parts of the much-talked-about spike protein made by SARS-CoV-2 and critical to how the virus finds its way into the body, spreads and causes COVID-19 disease, so they are prime targets for antibody testing and vaccine development. The blood samples for the study were identified during an institutional surveillance program involving 2,814 Houston Methodist employees.

The goal of the study was to test the hypothesis that anti-ECD and anti-RBD IgG bloodstream antibody titers are correlated with VN titer, making these more accessible, easier-to-perform ELISA tests a surrogate marker to identify plasma donors with titers above the recommended U.S. Food and Drug Administration threshold for convalescent plasma donation.

In assessing the correlation between VN antibody levels and anti-RBD and anti-ECD ELISA protein titer data, the researchers found that the ELISA tests had an 80% probability or greater of comparable antibody level to VN titers at or above the FDA-recommended levels for COVID-19 convalescent plasma. These results affirm that all three types of tests could potentially serve as a quantitative target for therapeutic and prophylactic treatments.

They also found that convalescent donors maintain high levels of immunity over the course of many weeks and that frequent plasma donations did not cause a significant decrease in antibody or virus neutralization levels.

Perhaps most surprising is that they also identified 27 individuals from the surveillance cohort with high enough antibody titers across all three tests to indicate that some asymptomatic individuals may have plasma suitable for therapeutic use and may have a degree of relative immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

Ultimately, the study successfully concluded that anti-RBD or anti-ECD IgG antibody titers can serve as a surrogate for VN titers to identify suitable plasma donors and that these alternate ELISA tests may provide critical information about COVID-19 immunity.

###

The findings are described in a paper titled "Convalescent plasma anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ectodomain and receptor binding domain IgG correlate with virus neutralization," appearing online Sept. 10 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Musser, M.D., Ph.D., who is chair of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at Houston Methodist, is the corresponding author on the study. Eric Salazar, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology and genomic medicine with the Houston Methodist Research Institute, is the principal investigator who led the project to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma. Houston Methodist became the first academic medical center in the nation to transfuse plasma from recovered individuals into COVID-19 patients.

Other collaborators working with Musser and Salazar on this study were Suresh V. Kuchipudi, Paul A. Christensen, Todd N. Eagar, Xin Yi, Picheng Zhao, Zhicheng Jin, S. Wesley Long, Randall J. Olsen, Jian Chen, Brian Castillo, Christopher Leveque, Dalton M. Towers, Jason Lavinder, Jimmy D. Gollihar, Jose Cardona, Gregory C. Ippolito, Ruth H. Nissly, Ian M. Bird, Denver Greenawalt, Randall M. Rossi, Abinhay Gontu, Sreenidhi Srinivasan, Indira B. Poojary, Isabella M. Cattadori, Peter J. Hudson, Nicole Joselyn, Laura Prugar, Kathleen Huie, Andrew Herbert, David W. Bernard, John Dye and Vivek Kapur.

This study was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (grants AI146771-01 and AI139369-01), the Fondren Foundation, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Contract Number 75N93019C00050), the Army Research Office (Cooperative Agreement W911NF-12-1-0390), Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Methodist Infectious Diseases Research Fund, Houston Methodist Research Institute and seed funding from the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences for the studies at Penn State, together with the Huck Distinguished Chair in Global Health award. Funding was also provided through the CARES Act with programmatic oversight from the Military Infectious Diseases Research Program.

For more information: Convalescent plasma anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ectodomain and receptor binding domain IgG correlate with virus neutralization. Journal of Clinical Investigation. (online Sept. 10, 2020) E. Salazar, S.V. Kuchipudi, P.A. Christensen, T.N. Eagar, X. Yi, P. Zhao, Z. Jin, S.W. Long, R.J. Olsen, J. Chen, B. Castillo, C. Leveque, D.M. Towers, J. Lavinder, J.D. Gollihar, J. Cardona, G.C. Ippolito, R.H. Nissly, I.M. Bird, D. Greenawalt, R.M. Rossi, A. Gontu, S. Srinivasan, I.B. Poojary, I.M. Cattadori, P.J. Hudson, N. Joselyn, L. Prugar, K. Huie, A. Herbert, D.W. Bernard, J. Dye, V. Kapur and J.M. Musser. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI141206
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Even as aviation industry stakeholders wait for the next Supreme Court hearing on the controversial refunds issue, it has emerged that nearly all airlines have returned money to fliers who had booked tickets during the first two lockdowns, for travel during the same period.

That is the easy part, as few people would have booked once the lockdown was announced in late March.

The vexed issue continues to be about those bookings done prior to the lockdown, but for travel during the entire period. Domestic flights resumed on May 25.

Executives from the industry said that while a couple of airlines, including IndiGo, have begun refunding the fares of these bookings too, most of the carriers are waiting to see how the case at the Supreme Court pans out.

Listen | Business has recovered fast to pre-COVID levels: Urban Company Co-founder Abhiraj Bhal

"Our credit shell balance is reduced to almost 25-30 percent of what it was when this was initiated and we will continue to reduce it further in accordance with whatever Ministry of Civil Aviation and authorities decide," a spokesperson for IndiGo told Moneycontrol.

A SpiceJet spokesperson too said that the airline has "fully complied" with the DGCA directive.

"All new bookings made between 25th March and 14th April, 2020 for travel date between 25th March and 3rd May, 2020 have been provided a full refund," the executive said.

"From June 1, 2020, SpiceJet has been issuing refunds for the tickets cancelled by the passengers which are eligible for refund," added the

spokesperson.

While Vistara declined to comment citing the case in Supreme Court, representatives of GoAir and AirAsia India didn't respond to Moneycontrol's query.

In total, say industry executives, tickets worth about Rs 4,000 crore were booked for travel during the lockdown.

Initially, airlines were using the credit shell mechanism to park money, instead of returning it to passengers. The fliers could use the credit shell to book tickets later, once the flights resumed. The shells helped airlines conserve cash, especially during a time when their entire fleet was grounded.

Also Read: Airlines to make full refund of tickets booked during lockdown period: DGCA proposes in SC

The issue is playing out at the Apex court, which has been hearing a plea against the credit shell practice. The Court had heard all the sides, including airlines, passengers and travel agents, on September 9. It has granted the stakeholders 10 days to reply on the government's affidavit that tickets booked during the first two lockdowns, and for travel during the period, should be fully refunded.

The next hearing is on September 23.

The varied positions

During the latest hearing, on September 9, airlines were guarded in their response. According to a report by Livelaw.in, SpiceJet's counsel Harish Salve said that the airline was 'happy' with the government's 'formulation.'

GoAir's representative said that airline has objections to the Centre's affidavit on refunds. Counsels of IndiGo, Vistara and AirAsia India asked for time to file a reply.

Travel agents were also part of the hearing, and their counsel said that the government's stance didn't address their concerns.

Moneycontrol reached out to most of the online travel agencies (OTA) to get their views.

Nishant Pitti, CEO of EaseMyTrip.com, said that the OTA has "refunded money to customer in their bank account in lockdown period itself as soon as we got money in our wallet from airlines."

He added that "100 percent of tickets booked in lockdown have been refunded by all airlines." Of the rest of the booking, 65 percent of the tickets have been refunded, said Pitti.

It is not known if all the OTAs have similarly refunded money to customers or are holding it in the wallets they have with each airline.
A grandmother has been publicly shamed after allegedly being caught stealing meat from a supermarket in China.

The elderly woman had to sit outside the shop with a sign that read 'thief, stole for the third time' around her neck during the evening rush hour, according to a report.

The store claimed that the pensioner had agreed to be punished like this.

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A picture shows the woman sitting outside a supermarket in China with a sign around her neck

The shop claimed she had tried to steal a bag of pork chops from it while buying groceries

The woman, who remains unidentified, was spotted sitting in front of a supermarket in Foshan, southern China's Guangdong Province, at around 5pm last Friday, reported Guangdong Radio and Television Station.

She had been caught nicking a bag of pork chops on the same day, said the shop's manager known by her surname Zhong.

Ms Zhong said the woman had come to the store to buy groceries, and secretly put the pork chops in her bag while paying for other items.

A member of staff noticed her action and chased her out of the premises.

Ms Zhong told reporters that the woman had stolen from her business twice before, and Friday was the first time She had decided to call the police.

The store's manager said the woman had been caught red-handed by one of her employees

Ms Zhong (pictured), the store manager, said she had no way but to punish the woman like this

Police officers educated the suspect orally and issued a financial penalty to her family, according to the report, but her family refused to pay the bill.

The shop said it had no way but to punish the woman like this to warn the public against stealing. It insisted that the woman and her family had agreed to the method.

The woman reportedly sat there with the sign for 10 minutes before being allowed to leave.
Philip Akin wants people to disagree with him. Specifically, he wants other Black artists to disagree with him. And now theres a fund for that.

At 70 years old, Akin retired this summer after 14 years as the artistic director of Obsidian Theatre Company, Canadas leading culturally specific theatre company, which he co-founded in 2000.

Thats only part of a storied career that includes playing Othello at the Stratford Festival, voicing the character Bishop in the animated X-Men series, and winning four Dora and Toronto Theatre Critics Awards for directing, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts Silver Ticket Award, the 2019 Premiers Award for Excellence in the Arts and the 2019 Herbert Whittaker Award given by the Canadian Theatre Critics Association.

But, according to his colleagues, Akins real legacy lies in the Black theatre artists, administrators, producers and more whom he has supported through the decades. And now, an unprecedented funding program dedicated to future Black Canadian theatre artists will ensure it continues beyond his lifetime.

Obsidian Theatre Company, former Obsidian producer Luke Reece, and a number of Akins close associates and friends are launching the Philip Akin  Black Shoulders Legacy Award. A short round of fundraising has already earned $150,000 for the annual award, which will give five Black artists (performing and non-performing, including behind-the-scenes roles like stage managers) $5,000 each to pursue their craft, in addition to training and other opportunities.

The group piloting the award  which now includes Akin and his daughter, Taylor Akin  hopes to raise a further $500,000 so the fund can become self-supporting.

The Black Shoulders Legacy Award comes as a continuation of the mentorship that has been a central activity and value in Akins career.

Theatres an ephemeral art, he says. So what is legacy? Legacy is the people youve touched, people youve helped, people who have had a change in a positive way as a person or artistically.

The day Akin knows hes done his job right is the day you stand up and you give me a cogent argument and say, No, youre wrong. That moment of taking somebody and giving them a chance to be forthright in themselves and in their art.

Several of those very artists began speaking up  not against him, but in praise of him  as he neared retirement, which coincided with a nationwide discussion about anti-Black racism in Canadian theatre this June after the killing of George Floyd.

Playwright Leah-Simone Bowen took to Twitter. She wrote: No one will ever know the amount of work behind the scenes that this company & Philip has done to support Black artists It would not be possible for me to write them all out but here is one: An artist we knew got accepted into a program at the Banff Centre but found out that they had no childcare program & that Banff did not cover the cost of flying their child out with them. This artist was a single caregiver, so could not go. Philip found out and provided this person with the money to fly the child and a babysitter out to Banff so this artist would have this experience. This is the stuff that other companies do not do for Black artists.

Luke Reece first met Akin when he visited Reeces York University undergraduate theatre class, started working at Obsidian when he was 22 years old and eventually became one of Akins closest mentees. Akin was even one of Reeces first financial supporters.

We had lunch at a cafe, says Reece about his first pitch to raise funds for his own theatre company. I had written out this whole proposal on how we were going to use this money and how we were going to recognize Obsidian. And all he really said was How much money do you need? He just put his entire faith behind me.

Reece knew that accolades alone wouldnt do justice to Akins history of mentorship in a challenging industry, so he reached out to Bowen and Mitchell Marcus, the artistic and managing director of Musical Stage Company, one of Obsidians frequent producing partners, to float the idea of launching a larger initiative.

With their support, a call for donations went out to close colleagues at arts organizations across Canada to test the waters; within a week, they had 15 times their goal of $10,000. A third of that money came from the Shaw Festival, which pledged $10,000 a year for five years  a direct result of Akins mentorship of another Black Canadian artist, Shaw Festival associate artistic director Kimberley Rampersad.

As a key theatrical collaborator with Obsidian Theatre Company over Philips tenure as artistic director, the Shaw benefited greatly from Philips Blackness, brilliance and bad-assery, Rampersad said. As Shaw Festivals associate artistic director, I am pleased it both recognizes the excellence embodied in my mentor and his work, and in its choice to invest in future Black theatre-makers by contributing to this award.

Not every company could make this kind of financial contribution, but this attitude was echoed among the Canadian theatre organizations that Reece, Rampersad and Marcus first contacted.

Nobody said no, said Marcus. Ive never been a part of something where that much money has flowed that quickly, ever  I really dont know anybody else in our industry who has the number of people who see him as a monumental influence in their career, certainly amongst Black artists, but more broadly among all artists.

It was so overwhelming, said Reece. It brought me to tears, honestly, knowing what companies were going through and how quickly they were responding.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Akin moved to Oshawa when he was four. He got involved in theatre in high school, because if everyone liked you in theatre, they wouldnt kill you, and we were the only Black family in Oshawa so theatre was a lifesaver for me.

He trained as an actor at Ryerson Theatre School  where he played his first Othello  and became Ryersons first Black acting graduate in 1975. His stage acting career took off immediately when he was cast in Stratfords production of Caesar and Cleopatra, and he also became a familiar face on TV for shows including Bizarre, The Littlest Hobo and Night Heat.

For the past decade, his theatre work has focused on running Obsidian and directing, all of which came to a recent abrupt stop. A production of Alice Childresss play Trouble in Mind for the 2020 Shaw Festival season was one of a number of Akins projects that were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Akin likens his experience this summer  going from working at maximum velocity to a shocking halt  to an incident he witnessed as a teenager, when a friend drove a wooden boat into a dock at high speed (luckily, the friend was unharmed).

So busy, just go go go  Open on a Thursday, start rehearsal the next Tuesday. And this whole thing has been like the Sea Flea hitting the dock  the whole boat exploded into kindling.

Reece says its been good for Akin to be able to focus on a new project like the Black Shoulders Legacy Award that suits his strengths as a mentor. Its a particularly motivating good news story in a year that has seen the performing arts industry undergo devastating losses and a global uprising against anti-Black racism.

Im finding it easier to deal with racism than with anti-racism, says Akin. Everything that I needed to learn about being Black in this society I learned by the time I was eight years old. Anti-racism means I have to take all of that stuff and sit down and talk about it to a bunch of people, mostly who are white, who dont understand what the f--k it is, and then I get to bleed out for hours.

While the world is beginning to recognize the emotional work of handling institutional racism, Reece says its overdue.

Im excited for the country to learn about the non-flashy things that Philip does that actually have the biggest impact, says Reece. The conversations with artists, the teas, the phone calls. His DNA is in a lot of, not just the Black theatre community, but the theatre community in Canada  You know, hes had spinal issues. He works a lot to keep himself in good shape, but theres a lot of weight that hes carrying, not just literally but figuratively. I want people to see that and to feel like we have to take some of that on.

For Reece, Akin, Bowen, Marcus and their supporters, the Black Shoulders Legacy Award is part of that, which theyre hoping will result in financial contributions from the public and corporations nationwide, going beyond posting a black square on social media.

If people are really invested in the idea that Black lives matter, then this is an opportunity to help Black lives matter, says Akin.

See bsla.ca for information on the Black Shoulders Legacy Award; on Twitter and Instagram @Black_Shoulders

Karen Fricker and Carly Maga are Toronto-based theatre critics and freelance contributors for the Star. Follow them on Twitter: @KarenFricker2 and @RadioMaga
In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Orbital Corporation Limited (ASX:OEC) by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple!

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

See our latest analysis for Orbital

The method

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$6.35m AU$6.70m AU$6.98m AU$7.23m AU$7.46m AU$7.67m AU$7.88m AU$8.08m AU$8.28m AU$8.48m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Est @ 4.13% Est @ 3.57% Est @ 3.18% Est @ 2.9% Est @ 2.71% Est @ 2.58% Est @ 2.48% Est @ 2.41% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 7.6% AU$5.9 AU$5.8 AU$5.6 AU$5.4 AU$5.2 AU$4.9 AU$4.7 AU$4.5 AU$4.3 AU$4.1

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$50m

Story continues

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.3%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.6%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = AU$8.5m (1 + 2.3%)  (7.6% 2.3%) = AU$162m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$162m ( 1 + 7.6%)10= AU$78m

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is AU$128m. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of AU$1.1, the company appears quite undervalued at a 32% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

Important assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Orbital as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.6%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.889. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Moving On:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For Orbital, we've compiled three relevant aspects you should assess:

Risks: For example, we've discovered 4 warning signs for Orbital that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does OEC's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Air Force and Space Force unit commanders now have the authority to approve emergency leaves of absence for their troops.

Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett recently approved the change to the service's leave policy for airmen and members of the Space Force. Now, they should consult their direct chain of command in an emergency situation, such as the death or serious medical condition of an immediate family member, according to a recent release. Previously, approval had to come from higher authorities, something officials said created barriers to getting leave approved in a timely manner.

Read Next: The First Members of Space Force Just Deployed to the Middle East

"This delegation gives commanders and civilian directors the flexibility to assist their Airmen and Space Professionals directly and eliminates steps to get this type of leave approved," Lisa Truesdale, deputy director of Air Force military force management policy, said in the release. "Additionally, our leaders can now aid their members faster and help prevent them from going into an unfavorable leave status in such a difficult time."

Officials noted emergency leave of absence is not the same as emergency leave.

According to the revised Air Force Instruction, service members may take an emergency leave of absence only once during their entire career; it can be granted for up to two consecutive weeks. Additionally, the emergency leave "is nonchargeable to the member's leave balance," per the release, in order to "prevent the service member from entering advanced or excess leave status."

Commanders or directors will determine what qualifies as an emergency absence, it said.

By contrast, emergency leave is considered chargeable leave and may be approved for reasons similar to an emergency leave of absence, the release said. "There are no restrictions on the number of times emergency leave can be granted," it said.

In 2017, the Air Force made a similar move over crew rest rules, which dictate how much uninterrupted rest time an airman must have in order to fly.

The service moved that authority down to wing commanders in order to streamline the decision-making process and give more authority to lower-echelon officials who interact with their airmen on a regular basis.

"The question is, if we're in combat and we have a mission that's required, what is the decision authority where a commander then can make a call?" then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said at the time.

"How do we push decision authority down to the lowest practical level as a warfighting imperative?" he said during a roundtable discussion at the Air Force Association's Air, Space & Cyber Conference. "What we're saying is that we trust commanders. ... We're sending a message to the force: We trust you to determine whether your force is ready to execute the mission."

The changes are part of the service's overall goal to get rid of policies that bog down airmen.

Alongside Goldfein, then-Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson pointed to other regulations that hinder the force. She gave a personal anecdote of seeing outdated policies in action as Hurricane Irma was approaching Florida in 2017.

"A wing commander at Patrick Air Force Base, [Florida], ... by the regulations had to submit a written request to be able to use his high-water vehicle to drive it to his domicile overnight because there's a prohibition of using military vehicles for domicile-to-duty travel," Wilson said during the AFA roundtable.

"I had to pull the reg for him," she said. "Because the regulation [to receive a waiver] says you need to start the paperwork 45 days in advance to ensure you have the authority. ... I'll spare you what I really said. This doesn't make any sense, and every airman knows it doesn't make any sense. That's stupid. And we need to just say it's stupid and try to fix it."

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect the differences between emergency leave and emergency leave of absence and to add more information provided by the Air Force.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Related: Air Force Scraps, Revises Hundreds of Rules That Bog Down Airmen
Authorities on Thursday took into custody a Warwick Township man whod been on the run since July over rape and assault charges and was considered a danger to society.

William J. Phillips, 27, was charged with rape and a number of other offenses for a domestic violence incident that took place at a township home around 4 a.m. on July 23.

Police said they found a woman in need of medical attention who said Phillips strangled her caused other injuries and an assault during the course of his conduct which resulted in criminal charges," according to Northern Lancaster County Regional police.

Phillips fled the scene, but he was later identified in Fayette, Indiana while authorities investigated a motorcycle crash over the Aug. 7 weekend in which he was critically injured, police said.

Police said they were waiting to extradite Phillips to Lancaster County while he recovered at an Indiana hospital.

Authorities had described Phillips as an extreme flight risk and a potential threat to others.

Phillips is charged with one count of rape, one count of strangulation, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, one count of simple assault, domestic violence, and one count of stalking.

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TAIPEI, TAIWAN / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / The boss has assigned you a crushing task "writing a press release", sounds pretty hopeless, right? PR Lass' professional writing service aims to promote good writing in all aspects of the business. Whether you are in contact with employees, stakeholders or customers, good writing is a core skill. Now, this free course will help you write fascinating news articles.

PR Lass website provides a large number of expert teaching articles, anyone can find the best answer online at any time (Photo via Shutterstock)

Writing news releases is a necessary skill for marketing and public relations personnel. Many people are good at writing news releases in local languages, but do you know how to write it in different languages? Online courses provide news release writing courses in Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Bengali... etc. in multiple languages. Free courses include: PR, SEO skills, and there are corresponding templates for public reference. In addition, you can learn the correct vocabulary used in the news release or consult a professional translation service.

A lot of information is provided on the prlass.com, allowing you to quickly learn the skills of writing, and smoothly publish the PR. PR Lass taught the necessary knowledge for PR personnel, pass the information to the public, and enhance the brand reputation of the company:

Press release writing principles and publish method Impact skills for professional press releases Information for media and press release agents List and ranking of news agencies in each country How to link press releases and social media Consultation writing and translation services

Why are many business and companies using online news releases to jack up their popularity? The Internet is very convenient, but the world is full of excessive information. Too many websites generate information that you can never finish reading, you will not waste precious time reading ordinary articles. Most people only read websites with high credibility. Professional public relations personnel link content to social media, or distribute them in various forums, and place advertisements, which will quickly increase brand awareness. If you want to become a new generation of online public relations experts, please don't miss PR Lass's teaching article on "Communities and Web Applications for Press Releases".

If you are a beginner, don't worry about writing skills. Many bosses never care about the first draft and have time to modify the content before the nes release is published. Remember one principle: The title attracts readers and the content is simple and clear, you have completed 80%

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Established in 2017, PR Lass is a practical news release teaching website composed of experienced public relations, marketers and journalists. We are committed to providing useful press release-related knowledge to the public, as well as professional consulting, and providing press release writing or translation services for customers.

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SOURCE: PR Lass

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605580/How-to-Write-a-Chinese-Press-Release-Online-Chinese-Writing-Course-Worth-Learning-for-Anyone
Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST

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Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has cited alleged payment of GHS2 million to Ghanaian artiste, Shatta Wale by Ghanas Exim Bank.

A member of the Committee, Ras Mubarak, raised concerns over the said amount during a PAC sitting on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.

He insisted that it was not prudent for Exim Bank to pay such an amount to an artiste to promote products made in Ghana.

I mentioned GHS2 million that went to Shatta Wale but the Deputy CEO says they wouldn't know who the vendor selected. And this is not to say that we have a problem with Shatta Wale getting some amount of money to do whatever work. But the Ghanaian public deserves to know how much went out and who got it because their answers were not satisfying.

But in response to the query, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Kwame Adu-Darkwa, said the institution had contracted a media consultancy outfit to deal with matters of such nature.

He insisted that the artiste was not paid directly by the Exim Bank.

You will be surprised how brand ambassadors can be good for promoting a particular sector. Sometimes what needs to be done is that if you have done incredible work, it will be good for people to know what their options are, and having a good brand ambassador to do that makes sense.

On his part, Chairman of the Committee, James Klutse Avedzi said his outfit will soon invite officials from the bank to provide details of the said payments to the dancehall artiste and other brand ambassadors.

---citinewsroom
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 08:47:52|Editor: huaxia

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PARIS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Lotto's Caleb Ewan from Australia clinched his second stage victory in this year's Tour de France on Wednesday's stage 11 in a sensational sprint finish, winning by only one third of a wheel.

"It was very, very hectic," said Ewan after the win.

"I knew to keep calm and wait for the right gap to open - and it did, quite late."

Jumbo-Visma's Primoz Roglic arrived with the leading group and kept his 21-second lead on the overall standings.

Tuesday's stage winner Sam Bennett, who originally finished third, was promoted to second after Peter Sagan was relegated to last and punished for 13 sprint points for swerving from his line and blocking the late surge of Wout van Aert.

"There wasn't a gap and if you use your elbows to open it up, I think it's completely against the rules," Van Aert said.

"It's already dangerous enough, and I was really surprised and shocked at the moment that I felt something," the Belgian rider added.

"Really scared."

Seven-time green jersey winner Sagan thus is left 68 points behind Bennett in the best sprinter's battle as the latter collected 47 from the 167.5km ride from Chatelaillon-Plage to Poitiers to extend his lead.

Thursday's stage 12 will travel 218 kilometers from Chauvigny to Sarran in central France, with four categorized climbs awaiting the riders. Enidtem
The international community can and should take further initiatives to help bridge the acute accountability gap that persists in relation to the conflict in Yemen, the Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen said in its report, which focused on events between July 2019 and June 2020 and was based in part on more than 400 interviews.
PONTIAC, MI  A pair of brothers are expected to face homicide charges now that the victim of their alleged assault last week has died.

Steven Porter, 47, and Sean Porter, 51, both of Eastpointe, are charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm less than murder, WDIV Local 4 reports. They allegedly attacked 52-year-old Omar Harland, of Pontiac, around 2:45 a.m. on Sept. 2. The brothers were arraigned on the assault charges on Sept. 4.

Harland died of his injuries on Sept. 4, the report said. An autopsy revealed blunt force trauma to Harlands head, resulting in the death being ruled a homicide. A homicide warrant is now pending for the Porter brothers.

Sheriffs deputies were called to the incident in Pontiac on Sept. 2, police said. Upon arrival, they found a 41-year-old woman, an acquaintance of Harland, standing outside her home and covered in blood. Harland was found lying in the grass near the road. He was transported to a hospital where he died two days later.

The woman told deputies that a silver pickup truck had stopped nearby. Two men got out and assaulted Harland, police said.

The suspect vehicle then drove by the scene and the woman pointed it out to deputies. They conducted a traffic stop. One of the men admitted to assaulting Harland. The Porter brothers were taken into custody.

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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trumps comments about the threat from the novel coronavirus attracted widespread attention after excerpts from journalist Bob Woodwards book Rage were released. The excerpts also provide new details about the presidents thoughts on North Koreas Kim Jong Un, racial unrest and a mysterious new weapon that Trump claims other world powers dont know about.

Some of the other topics covered in the book, which was based on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July and with others (excerpts from the book were reported by The Washington Post, where Woodward is an editor, and CNN):

NORTH KOREA

Woodward wrote that Trump said he was impressed with Kim when he first met the North Korean leader in Singapore in 2018 and that Kim was far beyond smart. Trump also said that Kim tells me everything and even gave the president a graphic account of how Kim had his own uncle killed.

As he engaged in nuclear arms talks with Kim, Trump dismissed intelligence officials assessments that North Korea would never give up its nuclear weapons. Trump told Woodward that the CIA has no idea how to handle Pyongyang.

Trump also dismissed criticism about his three meetings with Kim, claiming the summits were no big deal. Critics said that by meeting Kim, Trump provided the North Korean leader with legitimacy on the world stage.

It takes me two days. I met. I gave up nothing, said the president, who likened North Koreas attachment to its nuclear arsenal to somebody who is in love with a house and they just cant sell it.

Kim welcomed Trumps attention, calling the president your excellency in a letter. Kim wrote to Trump that he believed the deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.

RACIAL UNREST

In June, after federal agents forcibly removed protesters from Washingtons Lafayette Square near the White House to make way for Trump to stage a photo opportunity outside a church where he held up a bible, Trump called Woodward to boast about how he was for law and order.

Were going to get ready to send in the military slash National Guard to some of these poor bastards that dont know what theyre doing, these poor radical lefts, Trump told Woodward, who recorded Trump.

Later that month, Woodward asked the president if, as a white man, he had a responsibility to better understand the anger and pain felt by Black Americans.

No, Trump replied. I dont feel that at all.

As Woodward pressed Trump about discrimination and inequalities suffered by Black people over the years, the president pointed to how the unemployment rate for Black Americans fell before the pandemic.

When the two spoke again about race relations on June 22, Woodward asked Trump whether he thought there was systemic racism in America.

Well, I think there is everywhere, Trump said. I think probably less here than most places. Or less here than many places.

Asked by Woodward whether racism is here in the United States in a way that affects peoples lives, Trump replied: I think it is. And its unfortunate. But I think it is.

MYSTERY WEAPON

In discussions with Woodward about rising tensions in 2017 between the U.S. and North Korea, Trump said: I have built a nuclear  a weapons system that nobodys ever had in this country before. We have stuff that you havent even seen or heard about. We have stuff that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Chinese President Jinping) Xi have never heard about before. Theres nobody  what we have is incredible.

Woodward writes that sources, who spoke to him on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the U.S. military had a secret new weapons system. But the sources did not provide details and told Woodward, according to the book, that they were surprised Trump had disclosed it.

Trump national security adviser Robert OBrien told Fox News Special Report on Wednesday that the president did not talk about any specific weapon system. Were always on the cutting edge and weve always got something out there that our adversaries dont know about, OBrien said.

FORMER TOP OFFICIALS IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Woodwards book quotes Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, as saying, The most dangerous people around the president are overconfident idiots. The book also quotes Kushner as saying that he advised people to think about Alice in Wonderland when trying to understand the Trump presidency. The novel is about a girl who falls through a rabbit hole and Kushner, according to Woodward, singled out the Cheshire Cat, whom he said had endurance and persistence, not direction.

Woodwards book also discusses how some top-level administration officials contemplated quitting.

Then-Defence Secretary James Mattis went to the Washington National Cathedral to pray about the nations future under Trump as commander in chief. According to Woodwards book, Mattis once told then-National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, There may come a time when we have to take collective action because Trump is dangerous and unfit to be president.

Woodward says Mattis told Coats, The president has no moral compass.

Coats, the book says, replied: True. To him, a lie is not a lie. Its just what he thinks. He doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie.

Coats is a former senator from Indiana and was recruited into the administration by Vice-President Mike Pence, who is also a Hoosier. How are you stomaching the Trump presidency, Coats wife, Marsha, once asked Pence at a White House dinner.

I think he (Pence) understood. And he just whispered in my ear, Stay the course.
External Affairs Minister is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the (SCO) Foreign Ministers' meet in Moscow on Thursday.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 6 pm. This comes in the backdrop of border tensions between India and China over the standoff at several points in Ladakh.

Chinese soldiers fired in the air while attempting to close in on Indian positions across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the Indian Army said on Tuesday adding that Chinese troops have been "blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres."

In a statement, the Army said on Tuesday that the Chinese troops were "attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops, People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate."

India recently outflanked China by taking control of strategic height near Pangong Lake's southern bank. It thwarted an attempt by the Chinese soldiers to transgress into Indian areas near the southern bank of Pangong Tso near Chushul in Ladakh.

India and China have been engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot springs and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June.

Last Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the SCO dialogue in Moscow that attempts by Chinese troops to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC was in violation of the bilateral agreements, and Beijing should work with New Delhi for complete disengagement from all friction areas including Pangong Tso.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In his book released today, Michael Cohen, the former fixer for Donald Trump, ties for the first time the 2016 presidential endorsement of Mr Trump by American evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr to Mr Cohens own role in helping to keep racy personal photographs of the Falwells from becoming public.

As Reuters reported last year, the Falwells enlisted Mr Cohen to keep a bunch of photographs, personal photographs from becoming public, Mr Cohen said in a recording, made surreptitiously by comedian Tom Arnold. I actually have one of the photos, he said, without going into specifics. Its terrible.

In Disloyal: The Memoir, Mr Cohen describes thinking that his involvement in the Falwell photo matter would be a catch and kill  the practice of American tabloids to obtain and then suppress unfavourable stories about celebrities  but in this case it was just going to be kill.

He later writes: In good time, I would call in this favor, not for me, but for the boss, at a crucial moment on his journey to the presidency.

Mr Cohen has said that he helped persuade Mr Falwell to endorse Trump just before Republican voters gathered in Iowa in February 2016 to nominate a presidential candidate. Mr Falwell not only publicly vouched for Mr Trumps Christian virtues but also barnstormed with the candidate. His backing of Mr Trump  a twice-divorced candidate who had talked about grabbing womens genitals and engaged in extramarital affairs  was one of the major surprises of the 2016 campaign.

In the book, Mr Cohen doesnt explicitly say that the endorsement was the favour he sought in return for his help in having kept the Falwell photos from getting out. But his account marks the first time he has linked the two issues.

Earlier this year, Mr Cohen was quoted by CNN saying there is absolutely no connection between the photos and my personal request to the Falwells to assist the Trump campaign. How that comment jibes with what hes written in his book is unclear. Mr Cohen did not immediately respond to efforts by Reuters to reach him.

After this story was published, Mr Falwell spoke by phone with Reuters. He said that someone stole some pictures I took of my wife in the back yard. Topless. Big deal. OK? But he said his endorsement of Mr Trump had nothing to do with Mr Cohens role in suppressing the racy photographs.

It was no quid pro quo, Mr Falwell said. There was no me supporting Trump because of whatever Michael was doing.

Mr Falwell said he endorsed Trump, at Mr Cohens behest, because he believed that a businessman needed to run this country.

Towards the end of the call, Becki Falwell, who has not commented on the Cohen book or the photographs, could be heard urging her husband to cut short the conversation with Reuters. Hang up the goddamn phone, she told her husband. Hang up the phone, Jerry!

The White House dismissed Mr Cohens account.

Michael Cohen is a disgraced felon and disbarred lawyer, who lied to Congress. He has lost all credibility, and its unsurprising to see his latest attempt to profit off of lies, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told Reuters.

Mr Cohen, who was convicted of campaign finance violations and other crimes, is serving the remainder of his three-year term in home confinement.

Mr Falwell, who at the time of the 2016 endorsement ran Liberty University, stepped down as president of Liberty late last month after Reuters reported that a business associate alleged a years-long affair with Jerry and Becki Falwell.

That associate, Giancarlo Granda, told Reuters the relationship involved him having sex with Becki Falwell while Jerry Falwell watched. Jerry Falwell has denied involvement, saying the sexual relationship was between his wife and Mr Granda only.

Mr Falwells departure from Liberty marked a dramatic fall for one of the most powerful figures in Americas evangelical Christian movement. He was widely credited with helping persuade many Christians concerned about Mr Trumps past to accept him as a repentant sinner.

In his book, Mr Cohen writes that he had become close to the Falwells in 2011, once securing tickets for one of their daughters to see Justin Bieber perform. He calls the Falwells dear friends, more like family to me.

But he also makes clear that, as in the smaller assistance in securing the Bieber tickets, he saw the help he offered the Falwells in the photo matter as transactional  and enormously significant.

Like the Bieber favor a few years earlier, this would have a huge impact on the 2016 election, evangelicals, the Supreme Court and the fate of the nation, Mr Cohen writes.

If Becki Falwell was seen half-naked by the students of Liberty University, let alone evangelicals all over the country, it would be an unmitigated disaster, he writes.

After succeeding at keeping the photos from being released, Mr Cohen writes that he called Becki and reassured her that the pictures wouldnt get out, but I could hear the fear and sadness in her voice. I reassured her I wouldnt let her down, and I didnt.

There it was: my second chit with the Falwells, he writes. In good time, I would call in this favor, not for me, but for the boss, at a crucial moment on his journey to the presidency.

Reuters
ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Vera Songwe, on Wednesday stressed the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the need to redesign public-private sector partnership to withstand future shocks.

"COVID-19 amplifies the need to redesign the relationship with the private sector so that Africa can benefit from the private sector's support in future crises," the ECA Executive Secretary said.

"Globally, we must review banking and financial rules that never had the emerging markets and Africa in particular in mind," she added.

The ECA chief made the remarks during the meeting between African envoys and permanent representatives and ECA officials that discussed on pertinent issues facing Africa in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Songwe also emphasized the need to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on African economies.

Noting that only seven African countries -- South Sudan, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Congo, Somalia, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe -- were in debt distress before the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the UNECA chief stressed that "we must work together to ensure those with good fundamentals before the crisis are not penalized."

In June, the ECA projected that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could push 29 million people into extreme poverty across Africa.

"Africa was already witnessing the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis even before its impact on public health and may see its growth slow down by 1.8 to 2.6 percent of GDP, which could push 29 million people into extreme poverty," the UNECA had said.

The ECA, which noted that the containment measures established in 42 African countries to protect populations from the COVID-19 pandemic had already cost the continent some 69 billion U.S. dollars per month, had also warned the negative impact on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

Songwe, noting the urgent need to set COVID-19 recovery milestones across the continent in an effort to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, had also stressed upon the announcement that "we are yet to know how long the COVID-19 crisis will last, but we need to set the milestones for recovery now."

Some African economists argued for monetary integration of the continent as a pivotal measure for moving forward.

On Wednesday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) disclosed that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent surpassed 1,313,219 as the death toll from the ongoing pandemic surged to 31,701 as of Wednesday afternoon. The Africa CDC also disclosed that some 1,050,567 people have recovered across the continent so far.
A smoky haze continued to blanket many parts of Oregon Thursday, elevating air quality to unhealthy or downright dangerous levels due to the states wildfires.

Even the Portland area, which hasnt been as hard hit as regions to the south, registered far worse air quality than in the high population metropolises of Beijing, Mumbai and Mexico City, which are known for polluted air despite some efforts to rein it in.

By Thursday afternoon, Portlands air overall had deteriorated to a 169 on the air quality index, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys monitoring website. With wildfires burning across the West Coast, Seattle registered 99 and San Francisco 176.

It hasnt rained in Portland for at least 30 days. This is the air quality this morning due to the smoke from wildfires. #OregonWildfires pic.twitter.com/vNCK7eV8zF  Hirondelle (@realHirondelle) September 10, 2020

Air quality levels over 150 are deemed unhealthy for everyone. Levels of 300 to 500 are considered hazardous.

A yellowish, almost twilight tone had cast itself over Portland, and byThursday afternoon some pockets had reached 300, 400 or even 500 on the air quality index.

air is gross out, central portland getting hit hard now https://t.co/LdroEMmn2s currently @ 290. My kids were sent home from daycare because smoke apparently got into the building. It was much worse outside than in  Allan Rudwick (@arudwick) September 10, 2020

Air quality in the Portland and Vancouver areas could deteriorate further Thursday evening or Friday, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Central and Eastern Oregon residents also are expected to experience worsening air.

The DEQ issued an air quality advisory for the entire state, and officials in Washington have announced a similar advisory for the Southwest portion of that state. Its expected to last at least through Monday afternoon.

Skies darkened significantly across many parts of western Oregon. The haze was making visibility difficult in some regions, and cars were driving with headlights even hours after sunrise.

The wildfires have made it difficult to see along Oregon 569 at Coburg Road in the Eugene area. (Courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation)

Health experts advise residents with asthma or heart or lung disease -- as well as children, the elderly and pregnant women -- to stay indoors and avoid strenuous activity. Even healthy adults should spend stay indoors and limit exercise, officials say.

The air quality index shows the amount of microscopic particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter per cubic meter of air. These tiny smoke particles can embed themselves into the lungs, even entering the bloodstream where they can do further harm.

Most masks that are worn to ward off COVID-19 do little to filter out the smallest smoke particles. The exceptions are N95 masks and other medical-grade respirators, but they must fit properly and are in short supply because officials have urged the public to reserve them for frontline healthcare workers.

A cloth mask, wet towel or bandana are not designed to protect you from fine particulate matter entering the lungs, said Dr. Gopal Allada, a pulmonologist at Oregon Health & Science University, in a public health announcement. Even worse, these could give people a false sense of security that its safe to stay outside longer than they should.

Common side effects of inhaling smoke particles are eye irritation, sore throat, runny nose, phlegm production, wheezy breathing and headaches.

A new morning in Clackamas County, Oregon. No change from yesterday except the smell of smoke is far stronger where I am and ash rained down last night and covered everything. #OregonFires pic.twitter.com/5MunKLv2u6  Gavin Coble (@GavinCoble) September 10, 2020

The Natural Resources Defense Council studied one year, 2012, of wildfires in Oregon and concluded that it led to measurable health consequences, including nearly 2,000 emergency room visits, 92 admissions to the hospital for lung and heart problems, 226 premature deaths and $2.1 billion in total health costs.

The Council, which advocates for clean air, points to climate change as a culprit to the increasing frequency of wildfires. It also found that toxins in wildfire smoke can travel hundreds of miles and disproportionately affect people who work outside, including firefighters and utility, farm and construction workers.

Smoke levels in some areas of Oregon were off the charts, due to their proximity to Oregons more than 800,000 acres of wildfires. Particulate levels change hourly, but Thursday:

Woodburn was registering 628 on the air quality index. Silverton was 690.

Salem was 401, but just eight miles to the southeast, Turner was 701.

The Eugene and Roseburg areas were generally in the 300 to 400 range.

Although air quality had improved in some areas of the Oregon Coast, Lincoln City was still plagued by fluctuating levels between 300 and 500.

WILDFIRE TRACKER: See all fires in Oregon and across the nation

Type in your city or ZIP code at the EPAs air quality website, airnow.gov, to check the latest particulate levels where you live. Or view interactive maps at the states web page, oregonsmoke.blogspot.com, or the EPAs web page, fire.airnow.gov.

The National Weather Service in Portland offered Oregonians something to look forward to in its latest forecast Thursday.

We know everyone needs a glimmer of hope right now, read a tweet from the agency. Although smoke and air quality issues will continue into the weekend, expect significant improvement early next week as onshore flow strengthens and a chance of RAIN returns to western Oregon/Washington!

We know everyone needs a glimmer of hope right now. Although smoke and air quality issues will continue into the weekend, expect significant improvement early next week as onshore flow strengthens and a chance of RAIN returns to western Oregon/Washington! #orwx #wawx #pdxtst pic.twitter.com/fkYy4NjW0l  NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) September 10, 2020

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - British Land Company plc (BRLAF.PK, BTLCY.PK, BLND.L) announced the appointment of Simon Carter, currently Chief Financial Officer of British Land, as Chief Executive Officer effective November 18, 2020. Simon Carter succeeds Chris Grigg, who has decided to step down as CEO and and from the British Land Board. Chris would step down as CEO following delivery of the company's 2021 interim results on November 18, 2020 and leave the Board and the company on December 31, 2020. Simon has been the Chief Financial Officer at British Land since returning to the company in May 2018. He has a broad range of experience within the Real Estate and Finance sectors and was previously the Chief Financial Officer of Logicor, the pan-European logistics warehouse business. The company noted that Simon's successor as Chief Financial Officer would be announced in due course. 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.
The five Rafale aircraft which arrived on July 27 at Ambala Air Force Station were inducted to the Indian Air Forces 17 Squadron Golden Arrows on Thursday.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh presented an induction scroll to Group Captain Harkeerat Singh, the Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron of the Golden Arrows of the Indian Air Force thus formally completing the induction of the 5 Rafale fighter jets into the squadron.

Ambala: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presents induction scroll of Rafale fighter jets to Group Captain Harkeerat Singh, Commanding Officer, 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows' of the Indian Air Force pic.twitter.com/Vb19HhyPqt  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

Speaking during the induction ceremony, air chief marshal RKS Bhadauria, said, The Rafale aircrafts along with the skills of the 17 Squadron of the Golden Arrows will form a lethal combination and will challenge our adversaries.

The air chief marshal also lauded the Centre for strengthening the Indian Air Force fleet with the Rafale jets.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said, The induction of Rafale jets into the IAF has also strengthened the Indo-French relations. We are facing new geostrategic challenges and our two democracies are working together to resolve these challenges.

ALSO WATCH | Rafale jets get water cannon salute; stunning air display held

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said that the induction of the jets will ensure that India is able to maintain peace in the region and ensure stability. He said that the Indian Air Forces deliberate and swift action near the LAC displays their commitment towards national security.

French minister of armed forces said, India will have an edge over its rivals in terms of security with the induction of these jets. The induction will also give a boost to the Make in India initiative.

She said that the induction of the aircraft is symbolic of the friendship between India and France. She also said that France also supports Indias candidacy at the United Nations Security Council.

Parly further added, These jets are combat-proven. These jets have helped France undertake counter-terrorism measures.

The Rafale aircraft were given a water cannon salute after the Sarva Dharma Puja which was attended by the dignitaries along with both the defence ministers and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, air chief marshal RKS Bhadauria,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the country, and other projects related to agriculture and animal husbandry worth 294.53 crore in poll-bound Bihar.

He also set the tone for campaigning in the forthcoming assembly elections by praising chief minister Nitish Kumars work towards ensuring safe drinking water supply in villages.

Modi also inaugurated the e-Gopala App, a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for farmers.

Also Read: Before big battle for Bihar, a JD-U vs RJD face-off in Delhi next week

Inaugurating the schemes, Modi said, People engaged in pisciculture will benefit largely from this scheme. It is our aim that in the next three or four years, we double our production and give the fisheries sector a boost.

PMMSY will pave the path for a renewed White Revolution (dairy sector) and Sweet Revolution (apiculture sector), the PM said. He further added that 21 states in India will launch the scheme which will boost the fortunes of milkmen and apiculturists. Modi also said that PMMSY will also provide the Ganga cleanliness programmes with a boost and subsequently help provide dolphins with a clean environment under Project Dolphin.

Lauding the state governments flagship programme of Har Ghar Jal Scheme, he said, Under Nitish Kumars leadership, the project to equip every household with piped water is indeed praiseworthy. During this period, around 1.5 crore homes were linked with piped water supply. This is no mean achievement.

Five years ago, safe drinking water had reached only 2% of households in the state and now this number has crossed 70%, he said.

Also Read: Extending PMGKY is the right step | HT Editorial

He also lauded Bihars chief minister for providing farmers with support during the Covid-19 pandemic. Farmers played a pivotal role in providing food to the nation during the lockdown when coronavirus was spreading, he said.

He also highlighted the success of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana in the state. The government has transferred about 6,000 crore to 75 lakh farmers in Bihar so far under PM-KISAN scheme, he said and the appreciated the Bihar government for tackling floods and Covid-19 bravely.

We are aware of the flood situation in Bihar and adjoining areas. The efforts of both Centre and state governments are to ensure the completion of relief work in a speedy manner, Modi said.

Aware of the migrants role during the forthcoming assembly polls, he reminded them that the government has extended the scheme of providing them with free ration till Chhath Puja (November). Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), five kilograms of food grains per person and one kilogram of dal per household is provided free of cost to ration card-holders.

I have come to know that many of you are showing interest in dairy farming. Let me tell you that your future is bright. The government is keen to expand this sector with new innovations, products, he said, adding, We need to be more vocal for local products like Madhubani art to make Bihar self-reliant, he said.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar said that the project will allow people involved in pisciculture and animal husbandry to help bring variety and new technologies to the sector. Seventy-nine per cent of people in the state live in villages and 76% are dependent on agriculture and other related activities, he said, adding that the state was utilising wetlands for fishing and farming.

Bihars deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said that these schemes will take the state forward in the Blue and White revolutions.

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A woman whose 17-year-old brother took his own life after being falsely accused of rape tells how he was left 'a shell of his former self' following the allegation in a new BBC documentary.

Sixth form student Jay Cheshire, of Southampton, was 'distraught' to find himself at the centre of a police investigation when a girl accused him of rape in spring 2015.

The girl dropped the charges after two weeks but by then Jay, who was described as a 'gentleman' and 'intelligent', had already 'spiralled completely'.

'I don't think I've ever really seen a boy bellow and cry and just be as distraught as he was,' his older sister Camellia says in I Am Not A Rapist, which is available on iPlayer and airs tonight at 10.45pm. 'It was like he'd had his soul ripped away.'

Weeks after the accusations were withdrawn Jay took his own life. 'He'd bought his favourite energy drink, his favourite bag of crisps, and a length of rope,' Camellia recalls. 'He was found by a dog walker... It was a tree we used to play on when we were younger.'

Sixth form student Jay Cheshire, of Southampton, hanged himself near the family home in July 2015, weeks after he was falsely accused of rape by a girl. Pictured, Jay with his mother and sister Camellia, who appears in BBC documentary I Am Not A Rapist

Speaking on BBC documentary I Am Not A Rapist, which airs tonight at 10.45pm, his older sister Camellia explains how her brother's life was destroyed by the false accusation

I Am Not A Rapist tells the dramatic story of three young men falsely accused of rape, and the devastating consequences the allegations had on their lives.

Jay was a sixth form student at Bitterne Park School in the city studying English Literature, Film Studies and Geography and hoped to study history at university.

'Jay was a gentleman from the get-go,' Camellia recalls. 'He was sweet, intelligent and wildly capable of anything.'

The ordeal started one night in the spring of 2015 when Jay returned home 'distraught' after an incident with a girl.

Camellia recalls: 'Jay said they were involved in foreplay, he was laying next to her and he'd gotten on top of her and she just froze.

'He sat back and kept asking her again and again: "What's the matter? What's wrong? Have I done something wrong?" And she said that she wanted him to go home.'

Camellia later phoned the girl and put the call on loudspeaker so Jay could listen.

'She [the girl] answered the phone and I said "hi" and she said "hi". Her mother grabbed the phone off her and said they've put in a rape allegation. [She said] "I'm going to f****** get him done".'

Jay phoned the police himself for more information and was told a complaint had been made against him and he agreed to go to the station for voluntary questioning.

Jay was a sixth form student at Bitterne Park School in the city studying English Literature, Film Studies and Geography and hoped to study history at university. Pictured, with Camellia

Camellia holds the letter written by Jay before his suicide. It says: 'To the ones I love'

Camellia reads the letter written by Jay 'to Milly and Mum'. Part of the letter reads: 'Mum, you have been the greatest Mum'. Jay died in hospital on July 5, two days after his body was found

The duty solicitor advised Jay to refrain from answering the police officer's question because, in his mind, the girl's original statement was full of inconsistencies and 'there was nothing there'.

'When the police officer came in, she was all guns blazing,' remembers Camellia, who was allowed to accompany her brother because he was a minor. 'She didn't hold back.

'"Did you rape her? Did you force her? Did you penetrate her?" The way she was wording the things she was saying, it made Jay want to answer. The more times he said "no comment" when he wanted to answer these questions. The more the tears were streaming. I could feel him shaking under my hand. He was treated like a criminal. And I thought, "Look at him, he's a boy".'

Jay was released under investigation.

'Jay, from that moment, was just a shell of a person,' Camellia recalls. 'I don't think I've ever really seen a boy bellow and cry and just be as distraught as he was. It was like he'd had his soul ripped away.'

Two weeks later the family was told the girl had dropped the allegation and that there would be no further action taken against Jay. But Camellia believes that the damage had already been done.

Camellia said her brother was left a 'shell' of his former self after he was interviewed by police. He hanged himself on a tree he and Camellia (pictured) used to play on as children

She continues: 'By this point, he had spiralled completely. To be branded with something like that, if you haven't done it, it's a big thing. We were all very, very distraught.'

Camellia and her mother were at home when the police came to the door to say Jay had been found.

'We get a knock on the door and my Mum screams up to me upstairs and she says "Jay's hung himself Camellia, we need to get our clothes on and we need to go to hospital",' Camellia recalls, breaking down as she remembers the night.

'The police officer told us he'd bought his favourite energy drink, his favourite bag of crisps, and a length of rope. He was found by a dog walker. They called the police and they cut him down. It was a tree we used to play on when we were younger.

'They managed to revive him and get a heartbeat but he'd sustained so much brain damage that he wasn't there anymore. He was 17 and he died on the 5 July 2015.'

An inquest at Winchester Coroners Court, Hampshire, heard Jay struggled to cope with the false accusations and was 'absolutely distraught.'

The court also heard he had a history of having a low mood, was put on anti-depressants and was due to undergo cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).

He had a psychiatrist since the age of 13 but in March 2015 his state of mind improved, leading to doctors agreeing that CBT was not urgently needed any more.

However in May, Jay's family contacted them once more saying he was under pressure because of the police investigation.

On June 24, just over a week before he died, he told psychiatrists at the Orchard Centre in Southampton that the investigation was over and he was expecting to find work.

Central Hampshire senior coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of suicide and said he struggled to cope with the false accusations and the investigation.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, or click here for details

I Am Not A Rapist airs tonight at 10.45pm on BBC1 and is available to view on iPlayer
By Express News Service

MADURAI: Observing that lapses in police investigation have led to the acquittal of accused in many cases, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court posed a series of questions to the Home Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) regarding disciplinary action taken against police personnel responsible for the same.

Justice B Pugalendhi raised the questions while acquitting one Balamurugan, who was convicted and sentenced to five-year rigorous imprisonment by a Sivagangai court for the death of one Senthil in 2010. The judge acquitted Balamurugan after noting several lapses in the investigation conducted by the Thiruppachetti police.

The purpose of an investigation is to bring out the truth before the court of law. However, in this case, it has been obliterated and the investigation proceeded in a causal manner as to the whims and fancies of the investigation agency, the judge observed, and asked the Home Secretary and DGP why not a fine of `10 lakh was collected from the police personnel concerned and awarded to the victims, who suffered because of the perfunctory investigation.

Citing data published by Crime Records Bureau from 2016 to 2018, the judge noted that there has been a decline in conviction rates and the rate of acquittal or discharge of accused are on the rise. The quality of investigation is perfunctory not only in this case but almost 50 per cent of cases, he added. He also expressed concern on the sufferings of the innocents, who are wrongfully prosecuted due to such lapses.

The mistakes of a few dishonest and unqualified police personnel reflect badly on the whole department and may cause the public to lose faith in the system, the judge said. He questioned whether higher officials ensure that investigation officers have knowledge and expertise to conduct a criminal probe and if any disciplinary action was taken against officials in case of acquittal due to lacunae in probe. Also recalling a direction issued by a division bench for recording statements of witnesses through electronic means, the judge sought response from officers on the same. The case was adjourned to September 22.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Soon the Staten Island Mall will offer even more diverse cuisine options -- with two new restaurants slated to open in the food court this fall, the New Springville shopping center announced this week.

On Wednesday, the the Mall officially reopened its doors to customers for the first time in nearly six months, with slightly more than half of all stores and eateries ready to go. The Mall had shuttered in March due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
By PTI

MOSCOW: Russia's top diplomat on Thursday accused the West of leveling accusations of poisoning top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny without providing evidence, staunchly denying any official involvement.

Navalny, the most visible opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was flown to Germany two days after falling ill on August 20 on a domestic flight in Russia.

German chemical weapons experts have determined that the 44-year-old was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent, prompting Berlin to demand that Russia investigate the case.

The German hospital treating him said Monday that Navalny's condition has improved, allowing doctors to take him out of an induced coma.

Russian authorities have prodded Germany to share the evidence that led them to conclude without doubt that Navalny was poisoned with a military nerve agent from the Novichok group, the same class of Soviet-era agent that British authorities said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018.

Russian doctors said they had found no trace of poison in Navalny's system.

Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov charged that Germany, the United States and other Western allies who urge Russia to conduct a probe into Navalny's poisoning squarely expect Russia to accept blame for something it hasn't done.

If such logic prevails, that would only mean that they put themselves above the law, above everyone else, he said.

Germany's Defense Ministry has said the data about Navalny had been provided to the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Thursday that Russia is still unaware whether Germany has handed over any information to the OPCW.

He underlined that it would like to receive the information firsthand to help investigate the case.

We don't know what they have given to the OPCW, he said during a conference call with reporters.

"We naturally prefer that they hand over those analyses directly to us.

Peskov noted that Russian authorities had launched a preliminary check into what happened to Navalny, but emphasized that they need proof of his poisoning to conduct a full-fledged criminal inquiry.

We have been left puzzling over what kind of difficulties could have prevented them from sharing their findings with us, he said.

Earlier this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office indicated that she might be willing to rethink the fate of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will bring Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea  a sign of Berlin's growing frustration over Moscow's stonewalling about the Navalny case.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told conservative radio host Ben Shapiro that when people around the world see the effort to poison a dissident, and they recognize that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people.

I think the world has matured and come to an understanding that this is not how normal countries operate, and this will prove costly for the Russians, Pompeo said.
"The Real Housewives of Potomac" star Ashley Darby is going to be a mother of two.

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The 32-year-old reality TV star is expecting her second child with her husband, Michael Darby.

Darby shared the news Tuesday on Instagram in a video featuring Dean, her 14-month-old son with Michael Darby.

"Dean has an announcement to make," text in the video reads. "Baby D2 arriving February 2021."

Darby voiced her gratitude in the caption.

"There's no hiding this big belly anymore! We are elated to share our news with you! To say we are thankful is an absolute understatement #RHOP," she wrote.

Darby's "RHOP" co-star Gizelle Bryant, "The Real Housewives of Dallas" star Stephanie Hollman and "The Real Housewives of Orange County" star Braunwyn Windham-Burke were among those to congratulate Darby in the comments.

"Yessss!! Dean is gonna be such a great big brother!! Exciting!" Bryant wrote.

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"Congratulations," Hollman said, adding three heart emojis.

Darby thanked friends and fans for their support Wednesday on Instagram.

"We sincerely appreciate the love you've shown to us - it's truly been a blessing," she wrote. "It's like Dean already knows a change is coming because Mommy and Daddy have been getting lots of hugs and kisses. We're not complaining one bit."

Michael Darby has two other children from his previous marriage.

Darby and Michael Darby celebrated their son's first birthday in July.

Darby has starred on "The Real Housewives of Potomac" since its premiere in 2016.

The series returned for a fifth season on Bravo in August.
ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF), Canadas Ocean Company, is very pleased to acknowledge the support and recognition of the Government of Canada regarding its recent mine countermeasures system contract bookings with important NATO allies Denmark and Poland.



On September 8, Kraken announced the signing of two strategically important contracts for mine hunting equipment with the Danish Navy and with the Polish Navy. Kraken will deliver its KATFISH towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar, Tentacle Winch and Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS) to both NATO navies over the next two years. These products are designed and manufactured in Atlantic Canada; the KATFISH and the Synthetic Aperture Sonar is built in Mount Pearl, NL and the Tentacle Winch and ALARS are built in Dartmouth, NS.

Kraken CEO Comments

Karl Kenny, Kraken President and CEO noted: Kraken would like to acknowledge and thank the Government of Canada for their support stemming from Canadas innovation agenda, and in particular the Key Industrial Capabilities (KICs) strategy and the various supporting programs and initiatives including National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program and Canadas Ocean Supercluster. Krakens strategy is to continue leveraging these government programs to drive innovation to further grow the company and generate additional export sales.

In order to ensure that more of these investments continue to support the development of a globally-competitive defence and security sector, the Government of Canada has identified 16 KICs including Remotely-piloted Systems and Autonomous Technologies, and Sonar and Acoustic Systems. The KICs represent areas of emerging technology with the potential for rapid growth and significant opportunities, established capabilities where Canada is globally competitive, and areas where domestic capacity is essential to national security.

- Ref: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/086.nsf/eng/h_00175.html

Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Hon. Navdeep Bains:

Our government has recognized sonar and acoustic systems as a key industrial capability of our globally-competitive defence and security sector. These systems represent areas of emerging technology with the potential for rapid growth and significant opportunities, along with established capabilities where Canada is globally competitive and where domestic capacity is essential to national security. This contract is a great example of Kraken Robotics leading in this sector.

Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for St. Johns South  Mount Pearl, Seamus ORegan:

Our Provinces businesses are competing  and succeeding  around the world. The ingenuity and spirit of companies like Kraken show how we will build back our economy stronger and better than ever.

Darren Fisher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour:

"There's never been a better time to diversify Canada's trade and investment opportunities, including in the defence sector. The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement is already resulting in new customers, clients and good middle-class jobs here at home in Nova Scotia and across Canada."

Michael Willmott, Senior Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada to the Kingdom of Denmark:

It is great news that Kraken Robotics has won a major contract in Denmark with the Royal Danish Navy, with significant economic opportunities for industry in both Canada and Denmark. It shows the collaboration between our countries is strong and is an excellent example of Canadas cutting-edge ocean technology and marine defence capabilities. With the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Mine Counter Measures and continued focus on underwater surveillance, Kraken paves the way for even closer partnerships and a long-term presence in the Danish market. Canada and Denmark are allies and like-minded partners when it comes to security collaboration and open, rules-based international trade. This contract is a great example of what Canada and Denmark can do together.

ABOUT KRAKEN ROBOTICS INC.

Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX.V:PNG) (OTCQB: KRKNF) is a marine technology company dedicated to the production and sale of software-centric sensors, subsea batteries and thrusters, and underwater robotic systems. The company is headquartered in St. Johns, Newfoundland with offices in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Toronto, Ontario; Bremen & Rostock, Germany; and Boston, Massachusetts. Kraken is ranked as a Top 100 marine technology company by Marine Technology Reporter. For more information, please visit www.krakenrobotics.com, www.krakenrobotik.de, www.krakenpower.de. Find us on social media on Twitter (@krakenrobotics), Facebook (@krakenroboticsinc) and LinkedIn (Kraken Robotics).

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provide (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, and the OTCQB has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

For further information, please contact:



Joe MacKay, Chief Financial Officer

(416) 303-0605

jmackay@krakenrobotics.com

Greg Reid, Chief Operating Officer

(416) 818-9822

greid@krakenrobotics.com

Sean Peasgood, Investor Relations

(647) 955-1274

sean@sophiccapital.com

Shauna Cotie, Marketing Manager

(709) 757-5757 x 241

scotie@krakenrobotics.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0c6925cf-90a2-4c9d-ab2b-7b2001c2ec13
New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police arrested a person for encroaching on government land and constructing 38 flats there.

The EOW registered a case against the accused, Diler Singh (56), resident of Chhatarpur village, under sections 420/467/468/471/120B of the IPC after a former Principal Secretary-cum-Divisional Commissioner filed a complaint.

Two other accused, Jagbir Singh and Ganesh Kumar, were also arrested for executing sale documents in favour of buyers.

It was reported that unauthorised flats called 'Neelakanth Apartment' were constructed on plot no. 152 to 154, a government land (Compensation Pool Property), and on plot no. 151 and 108, a private land in Chhatarpur village and the flats were sold to the general public.

During the course of investigation it was found that Jagbir Singh and Ganesh Kumar executed the sale documents of plot number 151 & 108 from Diler Singh and his brother Kulwant Singh.

Plot No. 151 was owned by Pritam Kaur and plot no. 108 was owned by Bola Singh, father of Diler Singh and Kulwant Singh. Diler Singh and Kulwant Singh are the nephews of Pritam Kaur and were residing at plot no. 150.

The accused Diler Singh forged the GPA purportedly executed by his aunt Pritam Kaur, sold plot no. 151 to Rajesh Dhir and further transferred to builders without any demarcation of the properties.

"Taking benefit of non-demarcation, the alleged builders occupied the adjacent plots no. 152-154 illegally and constructed apartments and sold to the innocent victims," OP Mishra, Joint CP, EOW, said.
Serial Covid-19 testing of staff in meat factories and food processing facilities has been suspended.

The HSE said this is because there has been a rise in testing demand, which almost trebled on Monday.

It added that the mass testing in meat plants will resume next week.

The serial testing began on August 21 and since then there has been 40 positive cases.

In a statement, the HSE said: Covid-19 testing of staff at meat and food processing facilities is being re-scheduled into next week.

This is a precautionary measure to allow us focus our resources on meeting the significant rise in demand for testing among people with coronavirus symptoms in the community.

Testing demand nearly trebled on Monday with a requirement for over 13,000 community tests and over 3,000 hospital tests.

We are liaising directly with the facilities scheduled for testing and will be re-scheduling planned testing next week.

It is important to remember that where an outbreak occurs in a plant then normal mass testing will still occur in meat plants.

Public Health will be in touch locally in those situations. In the meantime, if a staff member develops symptoms of coronavirus, we would ask them to self-isolate and phone a GP to be referred for a free coronavirus test.

Serial testing in meat plants which commenced on 21 August has yielded 40 positive cases so far and a positivity rate of .28%.

Independent TD Denis Naughten, meanwhile, says the suspension is unacceptable.

The programme of testing of the meat plants has only just commenced, he said.

The HSE should have been doing this over the last number of months and shouldnt have long fingered this issue.

It is a priority to deal with the problem that has been ongoing in meat plants across the country, that has led to various outbreaks of infection across the country.

And its an imperative that we irradiate this problem from meat plans as soon as possible.

Earlier today, three more deaths due to Covid-19 were reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

There has been 84 new cases of coronavirus here.

It brings the death toll in Ireland from the virus to 1,781 while the total number of cases stands at 30,164.

51 of todays cases are in Dublin with six in Offaly and five in Kildare.

The remaining 22 cases are located in Cork, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Meath, Roscommon, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wicklow.

"We continue to see a concerning pattern of cases, particularly in Dublin," said Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer.

"Transmission is diffuse across the county, is in all age groups and is mainly being driven by social interaction within and between households."
SEYMOUR  Supporters of President Donald Trump are taking to social media to organize weekend parades of boats and vehicles.

A public Facebook event page titled Trump And Blue Lives Matter boat parade listed Stratford lighthouse, New Haven harbor, Charles Island and Devon Bridge between Stratford and Milford as way-points.

Lets gather together and support our president and our police departments, the events details section reads.

An organizer said the flotilla will leave the area of Wooster Island about 10:15 a.m. Saturday, reach Devon Bridge about 11 a.m., then the mouth of the river at noon, where the pledge of allegiance will be recited.

Participants were also asked to be mindful of boating safety and etiquette. Please keep parade at a steady pace and DO NOT wake anyone out.

According to the Associated Press, five boats sank at a boat parade in Texas last weekend where images of the event show the water of Lake Travis choppy with the wakes of dozens of boats flying American, Texas and Trump 2020 flags.

The AP report said boaters began calling for help almost immediately after the procession for Trumps reelection got underway on a lake west of Austin on Saturday, according to Kristen Dark of the Travis County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies ultimately responded to 15 distress calls and received three other reports of boats taking on water. No one was injured or killed.

As of Thursday afternoon, 548 people marked themselves as going to Saturdays event, with another 1,800 interested.

A separate public Facebook event page titled Trump Brigade! said that about 9 a.m. Saturday, Trump supporters will be gathering at Seymours Tri-Town Plaza before heading to Stratford to view the boat parade from the parking lot of The Dock shopping center off Ferry Boulevard.

That page listed more than 165 people as going, with 634 more interested.

Another watch party for the boat parade is being organized to gather in the Riverview Bistro parking lot.

Blast air horns to signal your approval of the nautical patriots, an event page for that gathering says, in addition to Wave your flags and have fun and Expect some surprise visitors.
Cuties, Maimouna Doucoure's debut feature, became a subject of intense social media ire when Netflix released a poster showing four scantily clad young girls striking suggestive dance poses. It was accused of promoting paedophilia, and consequently, petitions to ban the film's release and Netflix itself were signed.

Maimouna Doucoure's debut feature Cuties (Mignonnes in French) has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Last month, Netflix released a poster for the film showing four scantily clad young girls striking suggestive dance poses. Social media users instantly dialled the anger up to 11. Accusations of paedophilia promotion were made. Petitions to ban the film's release and Netflix itself were signed. Death threats were issued against the French-Senegalese filmmaker. You know: the usual stages of social media's cycle of rage.

Watch a two-minute clip or a single representative image, and the chronically angry feel obliged to participate in every debate, and throw in a casual death threat like it were a legitimate form of criticism. Of course, these people have not seen the movie. Perhaps, they never will. If they did, they would realise the fact that Netflix chose that particular poster as a representative image of the film only seems to be proving Doucoure's point: the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood and innocence. Sadly, her intentions were misunderstood in decontextualisation.

In contrast to the US poster, the French version shows the young girls gleefully swinging their shopping bags as they saunter down a street. They are fully clothed, although they are wearing bras and underwear over their own clothes. It is far more representative of the film because it exposes their prepubescent naivety. Their clothes betray their understanding of what it means to be an adult. Moreover, it doesn't take the film out of its coming-of-age context and reduce it to the sexualisation of young girls.

Eleven-year-old Amy (Fathia Youssouf) lives with her mother Mariam (Maimouna Gueye) and two little brothers in a poor Parisian neighbourhood. When she finds out her father intends to bring home a second wife from Senegal, she kickstarts a pre-teen rebellion by joining a twerking troupe who call themselves "Cuties". Amy is instantly attracted to their exuberance, and quickly befriends the group's leader, Angelica (Medina El Aidi-Azouni). Being forced into the boys' bathroom to film their genitals launches her initiation. Winning a dance contest the end goal.

For Amy, dancing becomes a liberating outlet to escape her anxieties and detach herself from the domestic crisis. It becomes a kind of refuge as she transitions from tween to teen. Most of all, it helps her fit in. So, the veil soon makes way for crop-tops and booty shorts, as they symbolise liberation in Amy's eyes. In a scene where the women gather for a prayer session, Amy hides in her hijab, pulls out her stolen phone and secretly watches videos of strippers twerking, hoping for pointers to freshen their choreography. The following morning, she teaches the "Cuties" what she learnt in an montage filled with butt shots. Surveying this minefield will definitely test viewers with low discomfort threshold, but it compels us to question our own gaze.

The Cuties are not oblivious to the male gaze. After breaking into a game of laser tag, Amy twerks to keep the manager's gaze transfixed on her to get them out of trouble. He forgets to call the police and lets them all go. It is a deeply disconcerting scene which exposes the voyeuristic gaze which has transformed a 11-year-old girl into an adult woman. Doucoure is clearly denouncing, not promoting, a culture which foists adult sexuality on pre-teen girls.

These "Cuties", who call Kim Kardashian their mom, rely on social media for validation. Doped up on Instagram likes, Amy and her "Cuties" yield to the pressure to conform to pop culture's sexualised narratives. The number of Instagram likes become the sum of their self-worth, their life a popularity contest, and the accelerated maturation is their maladaptive response to it. These are girls who have barely completed the last rites for their childhood, but they are eager to skip the teenage phase and dive into adulthood. They dress the part, but it's an imitation which reveals their ignorance. They are appropriating the sexual codes of adults without adequate literacy to take stock of what they imply. This is best exemplified in a scene, where one of them picks up a used condom, blows it up like a balloon, and then they all freak out believing she has been infected with AIDS. They then proceed to cure her by washing her tongue with hand wash. In another scene, when Amy surveys the derrieres of the women in her community, it's an education in the simple confluence of anatomy and dance, without any awareness of the "big booty" fetishisation in pop culture. Youssouf's twerks, her gestures, and her pouts become a radical expression of this unsure prepubescence.

Amy's family believe these provocative dance routines to be a sign of demonic possession. She grapples with the demonisation of the female body, which is literally exorcised later in the film. Doucoure often opts for dream logic to formalise Amy's internal anxieties about her femininity. The embroidered flowers on her blue dress begin to bleed, anticipating the beginning of her puberty.

Once Amy joins the group, their friendship becomes as liberating as alienating. Because the Cuties are like any clique: there is a tender friendship that unites them but also a petty cruelty that can divide them. So, Amy finds herself torn between what her religious family want her to be, and what her pre-teen peers want her to be. In her efforts to shrink the gap between her family's expectations and her friends', a new identity awkwardly asserts itself.

Doucoure's own dual cultural identity is at the heart of the film, which illustrates the contradictions faced by Muslim families who migrate westwards. Her denunciation of sexualising young girls feels all the more stronger as it is anchored against a backdrop of the culture clash between the traditions of a conservative Senegalese-Muslim family and the faux-liberation of Western society.

Though Cuties is tethered to Amy's coming-of-age, it also gives us a parallel portrait of the mother chained to the weight of traditions. Hiding under the bed, Amy hears Mariam cry and then slap herself for not being happy about her husband finding himself a second wife. Her father's presence is manifested only through phone calls in a film without considerable male presence, but the burdens of patriarchy still weigh on its women. Because its enablers can often be women, like the auntie who is always there to remind them on the ways of modesty. Mariam, however, gives her daughter a choice she can't allow for herself. In the concluding shot, there is a smile on Amy's face as the camera frees her from the gaze of sexualisation, the weight of tradition, and the pressure to fit in. It's a young girl experiencing joy, freedom and innocence in its purest forms.
Are you wondering if you need an attorney? There are many specific cases in which legal help is essential. Each is unique, but you'll want to call a lawyer in at least the four situations explained below.

Car Accident

When you've sustained severe injuries in an automobile accident, it can be complicated to know how to proceed. Do you file the claim through your insurance company or choose a personal injury lawsuit? A lawyer can explain the implications of each option, say those at diamondlaw.ca.

If you choose to file a lawsuit, the process is complex, and you'll want legal help. An attorney can help you get the settlement you need to pay for the following:

Medical expenses

Lost wages

Emotional damages

Caregiver wages

Facing Criminal Charges

If you broke the law and got caught, you'll likely need legal help. That's especially true if the crime is a felony.

You may think that pleading guilty is your only option when you know you're at fault. However, that's not true, even when there's clear evidence against you. A lawyer can explain your options and help you avoid severe penalties.

Experienced attorneys have seen a lot of cases like yours. So, they already have an idea of possible outcomes if you go to trial.

They can counsel you regarding the possibility of a settlement and enable you to get fair terms. If they believe your best chance is letting the case go to trial, they'll help you prepare for that.

Lawyers have the advantage of an extended professional network that helps them with clients' cases. Among other things, these contacts can help them challenge the opponent's evidence.

Personal Injury

Personal injury can involve a wide range of situations. One of the most common occurs if you slip and fall on someone's property. The following may also qualify as personal injury:

Animal bites

Accidents (car, bicycle, motorcycle, boating, pedestrian, airplane)

Brain and spinal cord injuries

Burns

Construction accidents

Defective products

Medical malpractice

Nursing home abuse

Wrongful death

A personal injury lawyer can help you understand whether your case has merit. If they decide to work with you, they'll gather evidence and research the law regarding your situation.

Your attorney will also interview witnesses and prepare you for the trial. They can provide expert counsel and get you ready to deal with obstacles your adversaries present.

If you need a personal injury lawyer, be sure to look for one who has experience in the kind of lawsuit you're filing. That's necessary because the field is so complex that attorneys tend to specialize in one type of case.

Contracts

Depending on the complexity of the agreement you're signing, you may want to work with a lawyer. Contract lawyers draft, manage, and execute contracts. They also help you understand the contents of the agreement.

Hiring a lawyer can prevent potential legal headaches in the future. When you work with a contract attorney, you'll ensure your agreements are free of any loopholes. They'll be legally enforceable and hold up in court.

If there's a breach of contract, the lawyer can also guide you through any resulting litigation process.

Summing It Up

You may need an attorney in several different situations. If you've sustained an injury in a car accident, a lawyer can work with you to get reimbursement for your expenses. In criminal cases, they'll provide the legal advice necessary to minimize penalties.

If you're dealing with personal injury, an attorney can help you receive the best possible settlement. Hiring a contract lawyer will ensure your agreement is legal and provides the protection you need. Working with an attorney will enable you to get the best results in all of these cases.
Former Trump administration Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats spoke out during an interview with the Washington Post Wednesday against his successor's move to end in-person briefings to Congress on election security issues.

What he's saying: Coats told WashPost it's "imperative that the intelligence community keep Congress fully informed about the threats to our elections and share as much information as possible while protecting sources and method."

"We must stand united in defending the election security process from being corrupted and ensure that a vote cast is a vote counted."

 Coats' remarks to WashPost

Driving the news: The National Counterintelligence and Security Center said in early August that the Russian government is actively "using a range of measures" to "denigrate former Vice President Biden" before the November election.

Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe informed Congress later in the month that in-person briefings would no longer take place. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said he believed the Senate Intelligence Committee, of which he's acting chair, would still get such updates despite the directive.

Coats, a former GOP senator for Indiana, told WashPost such briefings "should be delivered to both the Senate and the House oversight committees and also should be delivered to the duly elected members of the House and Senate at the appropriate classification level when directed by the bipartisan leadership of both the House and the Senate."

Of note: Coats' comments come one day after his former deputy, Sue Gordon, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post stating that "the national conversation around election security has turned vitriolic, diversionary and unhelpful, and we are doing our enemies work for them."

Coats told WashPost he "absolutely" agreed with Gordon's assessment, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin "ought to be very happy with the way this is turning out."

"He can only view his efforts as successful," Coats said.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined Axios' invitation to comment on Coats' comments.

Go deeper: Woodward book: Former intel chief Dan Coats believed "Putin had something on Trump"
Chinas insects and other invertebrates are spoilt for choice with the countrys array of deserts, rainforests, mountains and tropical coastlines. The winning photographs of the Wild China Biodiversity Photography Contest hosted by Wild China Film present the countrys sweeping lands and rare plants from unexpected perspectives. Here is a pick of the crop

Jan 21, 2022 06:20 PM
Human rights advocates urged Congress on Wednesday to make continued military assistance to Egypt contingent on Cairo improving its dire human rights record.

The United States has important strategic interests in Egypt, but they do not justify looking away from this human rights disaster, said Amy Hawthorne, deputy director of research at the Project on Middle East Democracy.

We cannot conduct business as usual, she told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committees subpanel on the Middle East, North Africa and International Terrorism. "At a minimum, some red lines must be drawn."

After Israel, Egypt is the second largest recipient of US military aid. The massive $1.3 billion assistance package it receives annually from the United States has continued in the face of the governments widening assault on freedom of expression.

Some $300 million is contingent on the secretary of state certifying that Egypt is making good on human rights benchmarks. But a waiver provision allows the administration to bypass those requirements if doing so is deemed in the interest of the United States' national security.

Since taking power after a 2013 coup, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has waged what human rights groups have described as an unprecedented crackdown on dissent marked by widespread arrests, forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Human Rights Watch has accused Egyptian security forces of disappearing and torturing children as young as 12.

"Sisis intense repression and the large numbers of political prisoners raise real concerns about whether the Egyptian governments approach is actually cultivating extremism more than it is combating it," Tamara Cofman Wittes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the committee.

The Egyptian government denies the allegations and says the tens of thousands of protesters, journalists and Islamists jailed under Sisis watch constitute a national security threat.

Theyve taken it for granted that their human rights record wouldnt hold [the] money up because we have an administration that doesnt care about human rights, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., said in Wednesdays hearing.

Trump, who once reportedly referred to his Egyptian counterpart as his favorite dictator, has shown little interest in condemning him for human rights abuses. He has instead praised Sisi as a "fantastic guy" and hailed his efforts to combat terrorism.

That counterterrorism partnership cannot be overlooked, said Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC. We should not cut off our nose to spite our face. Close ties with Cairo mean more leverage and opportunities to effect positive change on critical issues like human rights."

The administrations handling of Egypt policy has drawn scrutiny in Congress. In a letter last month, a group of 40 House members urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to press Cairo over its arbitrary detention of US citizens and other political prisoners.

They pointed to Ola al-Qaradawi and Hosam Khalaf, a couple approved for US legal permanent resident status, who have been detained without trial in Egypt for more than three years and reportedly kept in solitary confinement.

Earlier this year, the White House successfully negotiated for the release of medical student Mohamed Amashah and schoolteacher Reem Desouky, two Egyptian-Americans held in Egypt on trumped-up charges. But New York City taxi driver Mustafa Kassem died behind bars in January following a hunger strike and multiple pleas to Trump.

Cairo has also expanded its crackdown to target the family members of exiled activists. American citizen Mohamed Soltan told the committee that his relatives back in Egypt are facing reprisals for his actions.

In June, Soltan filed a lawsuit against Hazem el-Beblawi, accusing the former Egyptian prime minister of overseeing his torture during Soltan's nearly two-year imprisonment in Egypt. Days after he filed his suit, Soltan said five of his cousins were forcibly taken from their homes and his father moved to an undisclosed location in what he believes is an intimidation campaign meant to silence him.

How can a ruthless regime we subsidize with over $1.3 billion of our tax dollars every single year assault our judiciary? Soltan asked. How can they be hailed as an ally or a partner?
After an embarrassing two years as Californias third-largest party, Republicans are only about 10,000 voters short of moving back into second place, according to voter registration figures released by the secretary of state.

The GOP might want to hold off on the Champagne, however. While Republicans have closed the gap with no party preference voters, thats probably because tens of thousands of those formerly independent voters have decided to register as Democrats in advance of the November presidential election.

While its hard to say exactly why the number of independent voters has dropped for the first time in years, the prospect of a presidential election fought out daily in newspapers, on television and on social media tends to make everyone more partisan, said Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data, which provides voter information to political groups.

Theres just so much going on, he said. But its a dip that will probably be fleeting.

Temporary or not, the drop in no party preference voters is clear. While statewide registration rose by 261,000 voters between Feb. 18, the last registration report before the March primary, and the latest July 3 number, there were 152,000 fewer voters registered as nonpartisan. Their share of the electorate dropped from 25.1% to 24%.

But Republicans added just 80,000 new voters, with their percentage ticking up from 23.9% to 24%.

The Democrats were the big winners, registering 330,000 additional voters, more than four times as many as the Republicans. The party now represents 46% of the states voters, up from 45% in February.

Since more than half of Californias new voters now are registering as Democrats, their numbers are going to be rising, Mitchell said.

Republican registration has been falling in California for decades. From 39% in 1990, the GOP numbers dropped to 35% in 2000, 31% in 2010 and 24% in the latest report. The Democratic share has also dropped in the last 30 years, but not nearly as much  from just short of 50% in 1990 to 46% today.

The real growth in those years was among voters registering without a political party. In June 2018, they passed the Republican Party in numbers and have stayed ahead ever since.

Regardless of what party they choose  or dont choose  California residents are registering in record numbers. While the 20.9 million voters is a record for the state and nearly 3 million more than in 2016, its the registration percentage thats eye-popping, said Mitchell of Political Data.

Typically, as more people become eligible to vote, the percentage of registered voters drops. But despite Californias growing population, 83.5% of the states eligible voters are registered.

Thats the highest registration percentage since (California) women were given the right to vote in 1911, Mitchell said.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
A complaint has been filed against Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut for allegedly using foul language against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, an official said on Thursday.

Based on the complaint filed by a city-based advocate, a non-cognisable offence has been registered against Ranaut at Vikhroli police station on Wednesday, the official said.

"In his complaint to police, advocate Nitin Mane said that the actress used foul languages against the chief minister and uploaded that video on her Facebook account," he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone VII, Prashant Kadam said, "After registering an NC, we asked the complainant to approach court. No FIR was registered."



Mane said that since the police refused to file an FIR against the actor, he plans to move a court to lodge a defamation case against her for "insulting" the CM.

Ranaut has crossed swords with the Shiv Sena, which rules in Maharashtra as well as controls the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with her remark comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

The 33-year-old actor, who returned to Mumbai on Wednesday from her home state Himachal Pradesh, alleged that the Maharashtra government was targeting her because of her clash with the Shiv Sena.

The Shiv Sena-ruled BMC on Wednesday pulled down some illegal alterations at the Bandra bungalow of Ranaut. However, the Bombay high court later ordered a stay on the process.

Addressing Uddhav Thackeray, Ranaut later posted a video message saying his "ego will be destroyed" the way her Bandra home was demolished.

"Uddhav Thackeray, 'tujhe kya lagta hai' (what do you think)? You think you have taken a huge revenge by destroying my house in collusion with the movie mafia. Today my house is destroyed, tomorrow it will be your ego. The wheels of time keep changing," she said in a video message in Hindi.

"Uddhav Thackeray, this cruelty and terrorism, it is good that it happened to me because there is some meaning to it," she said in the video.
(Newser)  Austria isn't part of the United States of America (last time we checked), but over the past few months, some Austrians have received assistance reserved only for US citizens and residents. They've been cashing checks sent to them as part of the $2 trillion US stimulus package, even if they're not Americans or don't currently live in the States. "People initially thought [it was] a treacherous form of fraudbut the checks were real," a spokeswoman for Austria's Oberbank, which has been fielding calls from confused customers, tells the Washington Post. "We quietly went to the bank ... where we were told they'll see if it's real," says a 73-year-old Austrian man who received a $1,200 check, as did his wife. "Three days later, we had the money in our bank account."

story continues below

That man had worked for a short time in the US more than 50 years ago and still receives a small pension from that joband situations like that may be underlying many erroneously issued checks. NPR reported last month that many visitors from abroad who come into the US on temporary work visas file their tax returns wrong, mistakenly using Form 1040 instead of 1040-NR. That could lead to them being classified as a resident, which could trigger a stimulus check. Of the hundreds of stimulus checks known to be cashed in Austria, it's unclear how many were legitimately issued to US citizens living overseas. But it's not just Austrians receiving an influx of US cash: One tax preparation company tells NPR it has customers hailing from 129 countriesincluding Canada, China, and Brazilwho've received the stimulus checks in error. (Read more Austria stories.)
Food Lion changes American flag face mask policy after Air Force veteran's Facebook post goes viral

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The supermarket chain Food Lion has reversed course after telling one of its employees, an Air Force veteran, that he could not wear a face mask emblazoned with the American flag.

In a lengthy Facebook post published last Monday, Gary Dean, a retired news broadcaster who worked as a cashier at a Food Lion in coastal North Carolina, explained:  ... today I was told I could not wear my face mask which I have worn many times since the virus dictated the health concern. ... But according to corporate management, my mask offends some people."

Dean's Facebook post was accompanied by a photo of himself wearing the mask, which bears the image of the American flag. Soon after he shared the post, it went viral.

By Tuesday afternoon, the Facebook post had amassed nearly 7,000 reactions, 5,000 comments, and more than 8,000 shares. Dean explained in subsequent posts that not all of the comments and reactions he received were positive.

I live in a military town, Havelock, NC, he explained. The parking lot in front of the store has a reserved spot for Military Veterans with AMERICAN FLAGS waving from the top of a sign at that reserved space.

But my facemask showing pride in my country and my AMERICAN FLAG offends someone? Dean asked. There comes a time when principles mean more than paychecks.

After Dean made it perfectly clear that he was proud of the American flag and those who served under it, the Air Force veteran implied that he had quit his job at Food Lion because of the demand that he refrain from wearing his American flag face mask while at work.

I will miss my friends at Food Lion, but I will never miss my AMERICAN FLAG or any chance to show my love for the greatest Nationflaws and allin the history of Nations, he proclaimed. I will return to putting all my efforts into getting my book out and get my exercise by taking long walks on the beach.

A few days after Deans Facebook post caught the attention of thousands of Americans, Food Lion posted a statement on its Facebook page addressing the controversy.

Food Lion has the utmost respect for the American flag and has a proud, long history of partnering with and supporting military organizations and communities, the statement read. While we continue to maintain our uniform standards requiring associates to wear masks without writing, insignia or symbols, we will allow associates to wear masks with the American flag that meet this standard.

Food Lion's District Vice President called Dean to explain the companys policy change regarding American flag masks. The Air Force veteran shared the contents of their conversation during an interview with ABC News affiliate WCTI in New Bern, North Carolina.

He said weve heard your voice and weve heard so many other voices, too, and weve decided to change our policy and allow the American Flag mask, Dean recalled. I said I want you to know I really thank you for that.

Dean was pleased that his Facebook post had made such an impact. It was just a statement of faith, a statement of my belief in my country and my flag, he said. Thats all.

It took off on its own because its a good cause and it worked, he asserted. We won, God won, the country won, freedom won.

Dean told WCTI that Food Lion had offered him his job back, but he said in a Facebook post on Monday that he doesn't plan to return.

While Dean acknowledged that he respected Food Lion because they listened, he contended that Going back would be too much of a distraction for all of them. ... I'm 69 years old and I will find another part-time position."
Technavio has been monitoring the portable clean-in-place market and it is poised to grow by USD 225.06 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005732/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled GLOBAL PORTABLE CLEAN-IN-PLACE MARKET 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Alfa Laval AB, Bionet Servicios Tecnicos SL, Centec GmbH, GEA Group AG, Interpump Group Spa, Orbijet Inc., Pierre Guerin SA, Sani-Matic Inc., Scanjet Systems AB, and SYSBIOTECH GmbH are some of the major market participants. Although the expansion of food and beverage companies will offer immense growth opportunities, the increased preference for pre-owned and rental CIP systems will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Portable Clean-in-Place Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Portable Clean-in-Place Market is segmented as below:

Product Re-use Single-use

Geography APAC Europe MEA North America South America



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40825

Portable Clean-in-Place Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our portable clean-in-place market report covers the following areas:

Portable Clean-in-Place Market size

Portable Clean-in-Place Market trends

Portable Clean-in-Place Market industry analysis

This study identifies the growing focus on enhancing CIP efficiency among manufacturers as one of the prime reasons driving the portable clean-in-place market growth during the next few years.

Portable Clean-in-Place Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the portable clean-in-place market, including some of the vendors such as Alfa Laval AB, Bionet Servicios Tecnicos SL, Centec GmbH, GEA Group AG, Interpump Group Spa, Orbijet Inc., Pierre Guerin SA, Sani-Matic Inc., Scanjet Systems AB, and SYSBIOTECH GmbH. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Portable Clean-in-Place Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Portable Clean-in-Place Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist portable clean-in-place market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the portable clean-in-place market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the portable clean-in-place market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of portable clean-in-place market vendors

Table Of Contents :

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

Preface

Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market outlook

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

Market segmentation by product

Comparison by product

Re-use Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Single-use Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by product

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Focus on enhancing CIP efficiency among manufacturers

Growth in pharmaceutical industry in APAC

Advent of Quality 4.0

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Alfa Laval AB

Bionet Servicios Tecnicos SL

Centec GmbH

GEA Group AG

Interpump Group Spa

Orbijet Inc.

Pierre Guerin SA

Sani-Matic Inc.

Scanjet Systems AB

SYSBIOTECH GmbH

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005732/en/

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OPINION: The rallying call that was birthed out of the George Floyd protests has become a political liability.

Black peoples justified anger about police brutality forces us to take strong stances against the killings of unarmed Black people by police officers. Ironically, sometimes these stances are in opposition to our goal of achieving change.

Do we continue to argue the nuances of #defundthepolice, when we know this hashtag is being used to turn White suburbanites against police reform?

Read More: Stacey Abrams says Defund the Police campaign is a false choice

Our rhetoric should not become an obstacle to progress. It is unfair that Black people have to deal with the trauma of U.S. racism and that we must express our grief in ways that do not alienate too many White voters. Still, this is the reality of our situation.

Following the killing of George Floyd, the rhetoric of defunding the police fueled the nationwide protests. These protests then created the space to advance police reforms across the country. But now this same rhetoric is becoming a political liability. For many activists, #defundthepolice is the first step in their long-term project of ending the carceral state.

Demonstrators marching to defund the Minneapolis Police Department dance on University Avenue on June 6, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The march, organized by the Black Visions Collective, commemorated the life of George Floyd who was killed by members of the MPD on May 25. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Most of the country, however, does not share this goal. For the last 20 years, police have been characterized as the heroes of Sept. 11. Twenty years of valorization of police cannot be overcome with the hashtag defund the police and impassioned tweets. Even many Black elected officials do not support deep cuts to police department funding.

Conservatives do not mind using our embrace of #defundthepolice to scare White voters into opposing, even modest, police reforms. During the 2020 Republican National Convention, speakers used #defundthepolice to paint police reform advocates as anti-American and anti-police.

Read More: RNC is our last reminder that Republicans dont plan on a fair play election

Black people are not given the luxury to be simplistic and unnuanced. This approach is often characterized as policing our language and centering Whiteness. Our policies and strategies must be grounded in todays demographic reality.

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Black Americans are only 13 percent of the U.S. population. White Americans are 76 percent of the U.S. population. How do we maximize our policy wins while mitigating against White resistance? Is centering the idea of White resistance, in Black political strategy, counter to the project of liberation?

Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles supporters protest outside the Unified School District headquarters calling on the board of education to defund school police on June 23, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. The demonstrators want the funds currently spent on campus police to be reallocated to other student-serving priorities. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Our liberation is not one or two election cycles away. Making immediate progress should not be held hostage to our weddedness to political rhetoric. Political pragmatism forces us to sometimes abandon the language of protests in the interest of implementing policies that offer some immediate progress.

Ras Baraka, mayor of Newark, New Jersey, is a Black elected official who has bemoaned #defundthepolice. Mayor Baraka called the idea a bourgeois liberal solution to police reform. Even while distancing himself from some of the rhetoric of protestors, Mayor Baraka has been able to institute substantial police reforms.

In July, Mayor Baraka wrote in The Economist that he has been able to reduce complaints against police by 80 percent in Newark. He stated that by advocating for reforms like residency requirements for police officers, training citizens on conflict resolution, community round tables between police and communities, and diverting 5 percent of Newarks public safety budget toward alternative community-based strategies  he has been able to improve policing in his city.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka attends a unity rally on the steps of City Hall in downtown Newark in support of immigrants on January 18, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Even though Mayor Baraka has not embraced the language of defunding police he has still encountered pushback. The local police union has filed litigation against the Civilian Complaint Review Board that Mayor Baraka instituted in 2016.

Using more nuanced language and pursuing more incremental policies does not inoculate us from attacks. Pragmatic approaches to policymaking do, however, make it more difficult for us to be immediately dismissed as radicals. We must find ways to improve the lives of Black people in the United States while not being drawn into unnecessary rhetorical battles.

Anti-Black racism feels intractable. We should pursue policies that soberly accept the reality of racism and the demographic realities of the United States. Protests help us to start necessary policy discussions around issues that are often ignored. The rhetoric used during protests articulates what a world free of oppression could look like. Still, no one attended protests this summer because they were impassioned supporters of #defundthepolice.

People attended these protests because they were tired of seeing Black people killed by police. Our rhetoric should not hinder our ability to implement policies that make protesting police brutality unnecessary.

Brandon Hicks serves as Director of African American Affairs for the Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo. He is a former National Organizer for National Action Network, a civil rights organization founded by Rev. Al Sharpton. His opinions are his own.

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The post Does #DefundThePolice rhetoric get in the way of actual police reform? appeared first on TheGrio.
" These young Realtors are truly ones to watch, and we're proud to acknowledge their deep involvements within the community and the Texas Realtor family," said Cindi Bulla, 2020 Chairman of Texas Realtors. "Their hard work and dedication to the profession is inspiring and a great example to all young Realtors across Texas."

In addition to distinguished service in the real estate industry, the honorees are actively involved within the Realtor association at the local, state and national levels, including positions on committees, advisory groups, and boards. The award winners also are deeply involved with nonprofit and community organizations.

The award recipients are:

Ashley Gentry of RedBranch Realty in Plano

of RedBranch Realty in Kylee Garza of NextHome Realty Solutions in College Station

of NextHome Realty Solutions in Nick Kline of Keller Williams Realty in Plano

of Keller Williams Realty in Nicole Lopez of True Houston Real Estate in Houston

of True Houston Real Estate in Roman Novian of Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors in Waco

of Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors in Samantha Plomer of Houston , Compass Real Estate in Houston

of , Compass Real Estate in Virginia Ann Prazak of ERA Raffaelli, Realtors in Texarkana

For more information about the "Realtors to Watch Award" and the 2020 honorees, please visit www.texasrealestate.com/about-us/awards/realtors-to-watch-award.

About Texas REALTORS

With more than 135,000 members, Texas REALTORS is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. In 2020, Texas REALTORS is celebrating a century of shaping Texas by being the advocate for private property rights, maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, and providing its members with the tools to achieve success. Visit texasrealestate.com to learn more.

The Young Professionals Network

The Young Professionals Network is a dynamic entry point for real estate professionals striving to become more successful in their careers and gain leadership experience. YPN's growth has been driven by REALTORS. YPN has evolved from a magazine offshoot to a determined, passionate, savvy group of members who use social media effectively and transparently and who are committed to strengthening the REALTOR brand.

CONTACT: Morgan Moritz, [email protected]

SOURCE Texas REALTORS
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Nargiz Sadikhova  Trend:

The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has invested around $230 million in Azerbaijan across 24 business projects over the past two decades, Trend reports with reference to the US Department of State.

While Azerbaijans financial services sector has been a major area for investments, legacy OPIC-funded projects have included investments in the energy (such as the BTC oil pipeline completed in 2006), franchising, banking, microfinance, and hotel and hospitality sectors of Azerbaijan. The DFC has repeatedly provided funds for numerous banks operating in Azerbaijan to expand their SME lending portfolios, including $4.8 million to Rabita Bank in 2008 and $7.3 million to Turan Bank in 2009. In 2011, DFC predecessor OPIC provided MuganBank a loan guarantee for $10 million to expand its operations, targeting SME borrowers, the report said.

OPIC also provided $1 million and $3 million to FinDev and CredAgro for microfinance lending, respectively. In 2012, OPIC provided loan insurance to Viator Microcredit Azerbaijan LLC ($500,000), NBCO Vision Fund Azercredit LLC ($2 million), and FinDev again ($1 million).

In 2013, OPIC signed a memorandum with Turan Bank for a loan in the amount of $7 million with a term of seven years for SME financing. As of 2015, the DFC has active loan projects with two non-banking credit organizations, KredAgro and TBC Kredit.

In its 2014 annual report, EXIM Bank reported outstanding insurance and loan guarantees for Azerbaijan in the amount of $211.9 million, primarily in support of aviation sales. In 2011, EXIM Bank closed a $116.6 million loan with a ten-year repayment period to finance the Azerbaijan space agencys purchase of the AzerSat-1 satellite from Orbital Sciences. In June 2015, EXIM Bank finalized a $211.9 million loan to finance Azerbaijan Airlines purchase of Boeing commercial aircraft, the report said.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
entrerpreneurs-of-color-coronavirus

Top row from left: Playground Coffee Shop owner Zenat Begum, bottom center, and her staff have prioritized aid for their community during the pandemic; Heart of Dinner co-founder Yin Chang prepares care packages for delivery to the elderly; Bottom row from left: Brother Vellies founder Aurora James created the 15% Pledge to level the playing field for Black-owned businesses; Diaspora Co. founder Sana Javeri Kadri, in orange, with farmworkers who harvest spices for her company in India Credit - Top row from left: Courtesy Playground Coffee Shop; Courtesy Heart of Dinner; Bottom row from left: Jacopo RauleGetty Images for Vogue and The Dubai Mall; Gentl and Hyers

When she opened a coffee shop and bookstore In 2016, Zenat Begum created more than just a place to pick up a snack and something to read. Playground, which occupies the space where her father operated a hardware store for two decades, also became a hub for the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, and a safe space for people in marginalized communities to meetthe kind of place where customers and friends might crowd into a writing workshop or an art fair or an open mic.

But when COVID-19 hit, all of that came to an end. Begum closed the bookstore, scaled down her staff, stopped the radio program she hosted at the shop and cut down on food offerings. Indoor seating was out of the question.

Like many other small-business owners who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color), Begum applied for federal aid and was rejected; the Center for Responsible Lending has found that structural problems with the Paycheck Protection Program discouraged loans to the very smallest businesses, which comprise a disproportionate number of Black- and Latino-owned companies. Shes had better luck with crowdfunding, but is still struggling to keep the business alive until the crisis ends. And yet, to Begum, its not enough to save Playground. The community helped make her store what it wasand even as she works to ensure its future, she wants to do so in a way that returns the favor.

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As New Yorkers, we are the children of immigrants, people who had to struggle, who work the service jobs, she says. Weve always been in panic mode and emergency situations in which we had to provide, and if we cant do that now, more than ever, then weve fallen short.

So, in June, Playground installed a fleet of outdoor community fridges that hold fresh, free produce for anyone who needs it; later that month, the shop distributed safety kits during protests about racial violence. In July, a free outdoor library of books by BIPOC and queer authors was established as a proxy of sorts for the now closed bookstore.

Begums not alone in her commitment to supporting her community even during a tough time for many BIPOC small-business owners. These entrepreneurs shoulder an extra layer of economic uncertainty, an increased risk of dying from COVID-19 and a personal stake in conversations about systemic racial inequity that have rocked the country. Yet despite those challenges, or perhaps because of them, many are finding that community aid can be a key part of a pivot to survive the pandemica move thats both sincere and strategic.

About 80% of our businesses are POC, and I think the larger trend that we are seeing is that they are incorporating this [giving back] into their pivot, says Jenny DaSilva, the founder and director of Start Small Think Big, a nonprofit in New York City focused on helping entrepreneurs from disadvantaged populations. Their communities have been hardest hit by this, so theyre watching the fallout of this crisis happen in a way thats more extreme than in other communities and their businesses are more affected. The stakes are so much higher both from a personal and a community standpoint.

In New York Citys Chinatown, a donor-funded, volunteer-operated food-relief program called Heart of Dinner is proving that point. Developed by restaurateur Moonlynn Tsai and actor-writer Yin Chang, the initiative provides meals for elders in the citys Asian immigrant community, while also providing work for small restaurants. Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic linked to a widespread spike in anti-Asian xenophobic and racist incidents, Chang says, many restaurant owners in the area were both looking for new revenue streams and eager to help others. Switching from feeding customers to feeding those in need made sense.

POC have been so neglected by this entire system; the fact that we even have to think about providing food, as the most basic way to survive, is an issue first and foremost, Chang says. Thats why there are so many small businesses owned by POC who understand this and have jumped in to provide that in a way that the government doesnt.

Tsai and Changs original aim was to serve 20,000 meals, a goal they passed in August. Theyre now committed to taking Heart of Dinner long term and have filed to make it a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Were in it for the long haul, says Tsai.

For Oakland, Calif.based spice business Diaspora Co., the pandemic meant switching to a presale model. Founder Sana Javeri Kadri lost her supply chain after India went into lockdown in late March. But by preselling about 10,000 orders, Kadri was able to pay farmers in advance for the years harvest, sustaining them until they could fulfill the orders, though Kadri herself had to take a pay cut. The company also supported its workers with a health care program. Diaspora was created in service of these farmers, says Kadri. We have their back no matter what.

And in some cases, choices that combine equity and business survival have had impacts far beyond one company. Take Aurora James, founder and creative director of the fashion label Brother Vellies. James has used her pandemic pivot as a way not only to try a new model but also to advocate for other Black entrepreneurs. In April, she introduced Something Special, a monthly subscription service for fashion and home goods. While offering a new way for customers to engage with her business, it allowed James to keep employing the artisans, many of whom are women living in Mexico and Kenya, with whom shed been working on Brother Vellies products.

Its success enabled James to launch the 15% Pledge, a call for major retailers to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses, to match the percentage of the U.S. population that is Black. Since it debuted in June, the pledge has garnered commitments from retailers like Sephora and West Elm and outlets like Vogue and Yelp.

James notes that while her sales went down drastically at the start of the pandemic, recent months have been the best shes had in years. I knew that my artisan community was going to be taken care of and my staff was going to be taken care of because of Something Special, she says. Then that gave me the freedom to go out and try to force my own retailers as well as other retailers to support Black-owned businesses.

James sees her push for equity for other Black small-business owners as parallel to how communities of colorand the businesses in those communitieshave historically shown up for one another. Donations from local businesses fueled the Black Panther Partys Free Breakfast for Children program, for example, and relationships that transcend customer-vendor have been not only beneficial but also necessary. Structural racism has meant that entrepreneurs of color face extra obstacles from the start, such as being denied traditional bank loans or financing. The support systems that have sprung up to close the gap, however, have created their own power.

Traditionally, people of color have had to sort of rely on themselves and their communities and their families and networks in order to support them, James says. I think its kind of natural for us to want to have an opportunity to extend [help] to someone else in our community and a true belief that all ships rise with the tide when it comes to POC communities.

Begum, whose experience at Playground illustrates the symbiotic relationship between BIPOC entrepreneurs and their communities, is well aware of that dynamic. And when it works, she says, it means the survival of such businesses is a matter of more than economics. Are you going to be there to make somebodys life better through your programming and your work? Are you going to change the world? she asks. The ways we have shown up for our community, the way we support each otherwe need to be here in the future.
They launched their boutique beauty clinic Sskin on the Gold Coast last week.

And on Thursday, Amy and Emilee Hembrow revealed the website for their brand is now live.

'Our website is live babies! Thank you all for the support & kind words throughout the whole process,' Emilee wrote on Instagram.

'It's live babies!' Amy and Emilee Hembrow (pictured) launched the website for their beauty brand on Thursday, one week after opening their new clinic

'Sskin has officially been open 1 week now and its honestly been so amazing to see it up and running. Amy and I are going to film the last episode to our SSKIN series next week,' she added.

Emilee's, 28, post comes after she revealed the newly opened beauty clinic is already 'booked out for the next three weeks'.

'The phone has been off the hook. We haven't advertised at all,' Emilee told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

Emilee wrote on Instagram: 'Our website is live babies! Thank you all for the support & kind words throughout the whole process'

She said appointments for treatments have been selling like hot cakes, adding: 'Our doctor is already booked out for the next three weeks.'

The Hembrow sisters also recently told Daily Mail Australia their clinic's top priority is to enhance, rather than change their clients' natural beauty.

'We really stand by enhancing your natural beauty, not changing anything on your face,' Emilee said.

Experience: The Hembrow sisters also recently told Daily Mail Australia their clinic's top priority is to enhance, rather than change their clients' natural beauty

'All the treatments are definitely celebrity approved,' Emilee insisted, explaining that the salon offers skin needling, Rose Quartz signature facials, IV drip treatments, and injectables.

The sisters also claim Sskin is different to other existing clinics, as the bespoke business offers five-star treatments inside a private and discreet location.

'We didn't want it to feel clinical like a doctor's office or like a clinic in a shopping centre... we wanted somewhere where we ourselves would go,' Amy said.
Export of cement from Bangladesh continues to shrink in 2MFY20-21

10 September 2020

Bangladesh's cement industry has earned export revenue of US$0.89m in July-August 2020 (2MFY20-21), compared to US$1.33m bagged in July-August 2019. The modest start to the financial year reflects the fall in exports by 33.1 per cent over the year-ago period. The figure also includes a minor amount of salt, stone and related products, says data of Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).



The export value for cement decreased by 46.4 per cent, underperforming when compared with the government target of US$1.66m set for July and August 2020.



Meanwhile, the EPB has set an advanced export target for the cement industry at US$10m for FY20-21 (July 2020-June 2021) compared to US$9.14m for the previous fiscal year, following a decrease of cement export earnings in recent years.



The country's total export earnings from other merchandise shipments witnessed a 2.2 per cent growth in FY20-21, despite the impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The aggregate export earnings in July and August 2020 stood at US$6.87bn, against US$6.73bn earnings of the corresponding months of last fiscal, according to the EPB data. The government has set an export-earning target of US$41bn from goods in the current fiscal year (FY20-21). The export earnings in the last fiscal year (FY19-20) totalled US$33.67bn.



Bangladesh cement producers export cement to a range of overseas markets, including India, Myanmar, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Published under
ANN ARBOR, MI  University of Michigan graduate students voted late Wednesday night to reject the universitys initial offer and said they will continue to strike for a safe and just campus.

According to a release from the Graduate Employees' Organization, more than 1,250 members gathered to discuss the offer made by the university. The number broke previous records for member participation, the release states, adding the membership decided by an overwhelming majority that the universitys offer did not constitute continued progress on these demands."

The strike began Tuesday, Sept. 8, as graduate students marched and chanted at five different locations on UMs campus. They continued Wednesday and have gained the support of undergraduate students; graduate student organizations from other colleges, such as Harvard and Western Michigan University; and even some construction workers on UMs campus who picketed with them in solidarity.

More incredible examples of solidarity from a few local construction unions this morning  @geo3550 #UMMakesUsSick #StrikeForSafeCampus pic.twitter.com/DnfnH4poOm  Julia Kehoe (@_juliakehoe) September 9, 2020

@geo3550 @UMich @lvandengoor#StrikeForSafeCampus



Day 2: On the picket line for 4.5 hours, starting at 5am.



Construction workers at SMTD refused to cross the line, standing with us.



Our legs are sore and our solidarity is STRONG. pic.twitter.com/cFjHwZDmh6  On Strike at UM | TJ Waller (@TJWaller26) September 9, 2020

Rick Fitzgerald said the university is disappointed by GEOs decision to reject the universitys proposal and is carefully considering possible next steps, UM spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said on Thursday, Sept. 10.

GEO has several demands for the university, including more transparency in UMs plan related to the COVID-19 pandemic, support for graduate student instructors to work remotely, childcare subsidies, demilitarizing the campuss Division of Public Safety and Security and ending ties to local law enforcement and other agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

From COVID testing to cops, University of Michigan graduate students explain why theyre striking

The effort by graduate students helped staff in UM residence halls to announce their own strike due to what they say is a lack of coronavirus health protections for workers. Residence hall staff have several demands for UM administrators, including regular access to COVID-19 testing, effective personal protective equipment and enforcement of social distancing.

GEO said it stands in solidarity with residence hall staff who declared a work stoppage over COVID-19 safety concerns in their working conditions.

Residence hall staff on strike at University of Michigan, demand more coronavirus protections

Undergraduate students at UM are also supporting GEO, with many skipping classes so they dont cross the picket line.

University of Michigan undergraduates support grad student strike, say school favors profit over health

GEO members will continue to withhold labor over their demands and encourage their allies to join socially distanced, in-person and remote picket lines, the release states.

READ MORE:

Coronavirus cases at Grand Valley State surpass all other universities in Michigan

University of Michigan-Dearborn apologizes for non-people of color virtual event

Large gatherings to blame for 124 Michigan State University students testing positive for coronavirus, officials say
Julian Assange gesturing to the press from a police vehicle on his arrival at Westminster Magistrates court 11 April, 2019 (Getty Images)

Julian Assanges extradition hearing has been paused over fears that a lawyer may have been exposed to coronavirus.

The Wikileaks founder is battling against attempts to send him to the US for trial for allegedly conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law over the release of confidential cables in 2010 and 2011.

Judge Vanessa Baraitser adjourned the case until Monday after being told one of the lawyers involved had been exposed to the virus.

She told Londons Old Bailey that the lawyer was being tested on Thursday, with the result due on Friday.

At the moment we would respectfully submit we have to go ahead on the assumption that she has Covid, Edward Fitzgerald, Mr Assange's lawyer said.

If that is the correct assumption ... we shouldn't really be here. Covid would be here in the courtroom and it's not possible to tell how far it's extended.

It comes amid safety concerns over the resumption of criminal trials and in-person hearings in many courts across England and Wales.

Birmingham Crown Court was evacuated on Tuesday and closed temporarily for a deep clean, aftera member of staff developed coronavirus symptoms.

In August, Manchester Crown Court was shut after a Covid-19 outbreak among staff.

The Ministry of Justice has been attempting to increase the number of hearings after the backlog of criminal cases passed 500,000 in England and Wales.

Delays have resulted in a controversial law change to allow suspects to be held in custody longer before trial.

Mr Assange has been held on remand at HMP Belmarsh for a year after serving a 50-week jail sentence for breaching bail conditions by fleeing to Londons Ecuadorian embassy in 2012.

His current extradition hearing, which was previously delayed by the coronavirus outbreak, is expected to last for around a month.

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange protest outside the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court ahead of a hearing to decide whether Assange should be extradited to the United States, in London, Britain September 9, 202REUTERS

Mr Assange is fighting extradition to the US on an 18-count indictment, which alleges he plotted to hack computers and conspired to obtain and disclose national defence information.

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If convicted, he faces a maximum possible penalty of 175 years in jail.

Mr Assanges lawyers have argued that he should be granted bail because of the pandemic, as he has suffered from respiratory infections and heart problems.

A judge has ordered him to be kept in prison because he is considered a flight risk.

Wednesdays hearing was told that the Australians political opinions put him in the crosshairs of the Donald Trump administration.

Professor Paul Rogers told the Old Bailey that Wikileaks revelations were significant in showing how the US coalition's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were going wrong despite public claims of their success.

The emeritus professor of peace studies at Bradford University said leaked documents published by Wikileaks exposed details of an extra 15,000 civilians killed in Iraq.

Asked by Mr Fitzgerald QC if he believed the charges against Mr Assange are motivated by criminal justice concerns or political considerations, Prof Rogers said: I have to say it appears to be the latter. This does appear to be a political trial.

The defence witness said the fact President Barack Obama's administration did not prosecute Assange was also a factor in the Trump administration's decision making.

Trevor Timm, co-founder and executive director of the San Francisco-based Freedom of the Press Foundation, said his organisation had contributed around 100,000 US dollars to Mr Assange's legal costs.

He described the case as a dire threat to press freedoms in the US and agreed that it was the thin end of the wedge to prosecute journalists.

Additional reporting by agencies

Read more

Julian Assange in court to face 18 new charges as he fights US extradition

Assange warned he will be removed from London court if outbursts continue

Julian Assange is not on trial for his personality  but heres how the US government made you focus on it

Julian Assange 'too ill' to attend latest court hearing in US extradition case

Julian Assange secretly fathered two children inside Ecuadorian embassy, partner reveals in bid for his release from Belmarsh amid coronavirus fears
Many things have gone virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, and seeking a job is no exception.

Workforce Solutions of South Texas will host a virtual job fair on Wednesday, Sept. 9 providing an opportunity for many job seekers to network with local companies.

We are having our virtual job fair in a platform that people can find, and they are going to be able to search for a job during the fair as we have 11 employers registered in which they could chat with them, have a video conference with them and apply for the positions that these employers will be having. They can do everything from the comfort of their own home as they do not have to come to the center as they can do everything online and go out with a job by 4 p.m., Workforce Solutions of South Texas media administrator Melva Lavin said.

While Lavin said many people like to interact through the Workforce Solutions center on Saunders Avenue, she said this is a better way to keep people safe while still pairing employers and potential employees.

According to Lavin, the platform used by the Workforce Solutions allows the attendees to feel as if they are there physically there as they can see the booths of the employers, ask questions and even showcase their resumes. She hopes everyone who attends uploads their resumes into the platform.

Change is inevitable, and we have to continue growing, changing and evolving with the times and with the needs of the customers we serve, WSST project director Andrea De La Garza said. With our new hiring event system, customers now can register and participate from the comfort and safety of their own home.

Although this is new for the people of Laredo seeking jobs through Workforce Solutions and especially those with more limited computer skills, Lavin said there has been an increase in support and usage of these virtual job fairs in the past few months.

It has been growing as when we started in the end of March and beginning of April there were much fewer people, but we were using another platform that was harder than the one being used right now, Lavin said. Since June and July since we got this platform, we have seen an increase in the number of people attending and interacting with the employers, which for them this is a difference as it allows for better interaction.

According to Lavin, the employers who participate have also voiced positive feedback.

So far, the comments have been really good, Lavin said. However, in the beginning they also needed a bit of assistance to use these platforms in creating their booths as they need to upload their logo and banners and provide other info such as linking their social media pages.

Lavin said many employers like how Workforce Solutions of South Texas has helped them all along the way to create these booths and also helped set up Facebook Live interviews so they can reach out to more people.

Although in previous virtual job fairs the Workforce Solutions of South Texas would feature about 20 employers at a time, they decided to do about half this week to better serve all involved.

The 11 employers who will be in attendance at this weeks job fair include Ashley Furniture, Manna Provider Services, Subway, Loves Travel Spot, All Valley Pop A Lock, GCAM, Inc., Gateway Community Health Center, Burger King, Back Porch Mail Center, Silverhawk Transport LLC and 7-Eleven/Stripes.

One that is very interesting is the Gateway Community Health Center because they are looking for a medical assistant for Zapata, and they are also looking for eight positions in their Laredo offices, Lavin said.

The project director said this is also a great experience for many people looking for remote work from home.

There are so many employers out there that are offering to work from home, De La Garza said. What a great opportunity to be able to be home and earn a paycheck. Do not pass this opportunity.

Lavin said the fair will also feature providers searching for clients that can in turn provide jobs to many in the community. These providers include Las Promesas de Laredo, CCS, Texas Veterans Commission, Texas Workforce Solutions  Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Workforce Solutions for South Texas and Workforce Solutions for South Texas  Hire Ability. Their booths will provide a snapshot of their services to attendees who may be interested.

Anyone interested that may not make the event does not have to worry as Workforce Solutions of South Texas is hosting a virtual job fair every two weeks. The only thing that will change is the companies and the jobs being offered.

The job fair is running Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 2 p.m to 4 p.m., and Lavin stressed the importance of dressing professionally for the event even if its from the comfort participants homes in efforts to provide a good first impression.

It is very important to come to the job fair as if they were going to apply physically to a place, Lavin said. We do recommend they dress for success meaning doing things like their hair, being clean, being shaved and wearing good clothes as they can get a job right away after attending the job fair. Even though it is virtual, the employers sometimes send them links to do a Zoom call and get the interview right there.

People interested can register for the virtual job fair at southtexasworkforce.easyvirtualfair.com.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Attorney General K.K. Venugopal to assist the court in the 2009 contempt case against Advocate Prashant Bhushan for his remarks in the Tehelka magazine.

A bench comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna directed that the case record of the 2009 contempt case should be sent to AG.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, representing Bhushan, submitted before the bench that in the previous hearing the AG had shown inclination to assist the court in the matter, and thus he should be impleaded as an amicus curiae.

The bench replied that the AG would be impleaded in the case in accordance with the Rule 10 of the Supreme Court Rules, and the decision to appoint him as an amicus-curiae in the matter will be taken later.

Dhavan contended before the bench there are more questions of law, which should be framed in the case, as 10 questions have already been framed. He added that the court wanted to add three more. After a brief hearing on the matter, the bench said it will take up the case in the week commencing from October 12.

On August 25, Justice Arun Mishra had directed that the case be placed before another bench, as he was days away from demitting office. The Supreme Court had observed that it is not a question of punishment only, it is a question of faith in the institution.

A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had told Dhavan that he must ponder that people come to court for relief, and when that faith is shaken then there is a problem.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for journalist Tarun Tejpal, contended before the bench that people come to court for justice and relief. "We will come and go but the institution exists forever. We must protect the integrity of the institution," Sibal had submitted.

The bench had then said the matter to be listed on September 10 before an appropriate bench by the Chief Justice. "I am short of time. I am demitting office," Justice Mishra had observed, who retired on September 2.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The Lucid Air is an ultra-luxury ride with advanced battery technology. (Lucid)

Tesla considers itself the electric car technology leader, but there's a new competitor emerging to vie for that title.

The company is Lucid Motors, a start-up in Newark, Calif., near Silicon Valley. The car is the Lucid Air, an ultra-luxury ride with advanced battery technology that sets itself apart with posh accoutrements and a market-leading range of 400 miles  more than 500 miles in a special edition. The base model matches the top range on the Tesla Model S and the special edition exceeds it by 100 miles. It also boasts a top speed of 200 mph, should anyone need to drive that fast. The Model S tops out at 155.

Unveiled online Wednesday, the Lucid Air "might finally rival the Tesla Model S ... and challenge Elon Musk and his team," said Jessica Caldwell, an executive director at auto market researcher Edmunds.

It'll cost you. The price is $140,000 to $170,000. Sure, the vast majority of Times readers can only dream of owning such an automobile. But much of the cutting-edge technology that goes inside will trickle down to mass-market electric cars, which, by replacing internal combustion engines, will help fight global warming. That's something to think about when the trees are on fire and the temperature is 111 Fahrenheit.

More "affordable" versions of the car  meaning they'll cost as little as $80,000  are scheduled for release late next year and into 2022. Taxpayers will subsidize the buyers of these vehicles via a federal tax credit of $7,500.

The company is accepting $1,000 deposits. Deliveries are set to begin early next spring.

Lucid is run by Chief Executive Peter Rawlinson, an affable Brit who came up through Jaguar and Lotus and served as chief engineer for the Tesla Model S, the car that woke the world to the possibilities of an electric automobile.

The target buyer is someone who might otherwise consider a gas-powered Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan. Or a Bentley.

Rawlinson said focusing only on competition with other electric cars, such as the Model S or the Porsche Taycan (another $150,000 car) limits the market opportunity.

Story continues

Were competing in the worldwide luxury car market, he said.

Lucid seems to be setting its sights on global elites, people who might wish to trade up from BMW or Mercedes rather than switching over to Tesla, said Michael Dunne, chief executive of ZoZo Go, an auto industry consulting firm with an emphasis on Asia.

Lucid originally planned to make a big splash in Chinas high-end market, with capacious legroom to appeal to back-seat executives driven about town by chauffeurs.

Chinese consumers are transfixed by exclusive products. They buy more Rolls-Royces and Bentleys than anyone else, Dunne said via email. So on paper, Lucid would be a good bet there. But China's daunting import duties and tense relations with the U.S. will put a damper on sales  at least for now.

That may be one reason the company has dialed down initial plans to make 60,000 vehicles a year to less than 40,000 next year.

Lucid Air has been a long time coming. The company first unveiled what would become the Lucid Air in 2016, but soon ran into a cash crunch and scrambled for more than a year to raise more money. Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund channeled $1 billion Lucids way in September 2018.

The rescue came in the nick of time: Just weeks later, agents of the Saudi government murdered dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which temporarily put many of Saudi Arabias international business dealings on ice.

While it searched for money, Lucid made use of its bad luck. It took time to revisit all the engineering that went into the Air, applying developments in batteries and electric drivetrains toward greater efficiency, packing more power into smaller components, such as the two electric motors that drive front and rear axles at 650 horsepower each.

Lucid worked closely with its own Atieva battery division, which was chosen in 2016 as the sole supplier of battery power to racing teams at Formula E, the electric car version of the Formula 1 car race series.

As a result, the Lucid Air will rocket from 0 to 60 in under 2.5 seconds, the company said. Quarter-mile speed is under 10 seconds, which the company says is the fastest around for an EV. Top speed is over 200 mph, which is great for laps around the track but on public roads could put you in prison.

The look of the Air, inside and out, has already won over the automotive media. Alex Roy, an influential writer and podcaster, called the Airs retro-futuristic design simple, clean, perfect in an assessment for the Drive.

Lucid Air interior (Lucid)

Lucids head designer is California native Derek Jenkins, a graduate of Pasadenas Art College of Design, who designed the well-received fourth generation Mazda MX-5 Miata.

We see this as an opportunity to shake up the sector, Jenkins said.

Thats a big ambition. Tesla is still regarded as the company that shook up the sector  but Tesla is now 17 years old.

At a recent event at Lucid headquarters, in a building once leased by the now-defunct blood-test company Theranos and just a few miles from Teslas Fremont, Calif., auto assembly plant, Jenkins showed off the cars interior.

The roof is mostly glass. Theres a 34-inch touchscreen stretching across the dash, and an iPad-ish screen on the console that retracts to reveal an extra storage compartment.

The materials and the way theyre put together create a highly refined sense of uncluttered luxury that could have rescued Cadillac a long time ago if General Motors had a better handle on interior design.

The efficiency of the battery and drivetrain, which allowed the reduced size of motors and other components, creates more space for storage. Under the hood of most electric cars is whats known as the frunk. Theres no engine so you can put stuff in there. The Airs frunk is a cavernous 9.8 cubic feet. Add the trunk and the Air provides 26 cubic feet for luggage or groceries (or a hedge fund managers gold bullion).

Giving up a bit of legroom in the back seats gets you a few more battery modules, adding about 100 miles to the estimated 400 mile range.

The car comes with an advanced driver assist system known as Dream Drive, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping and other features. Attention is maintained through a driver-facing camera system that is becoming a key safety feature for the industry.

Lucid doesnt pretend to offer full self driving, which is unlikely to be available for several years in any car sold through retail, though the company says it will be able to offer that level of autonomous driving via an over-the-air software update when its safe to do so. Notably, the car is equipped with lidar, an expensive kind of sensor that most driverless car experts say is essential to driver and public safety when full self-driving cars actually become available. (Teslas lack lidar, and CEO Elon Musk has disparaged it.)

As to how well the thing drives  who knows? Lucid has not yet made its new machine available for the automotive media to review.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Beau Biden in 2012 (EPA)

Joe Bidens personal tragedies have shaped his career, from policy to politicking, learning to mourn as a public figure and relying on his history of loss to reach out to voters, including his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.

In December 1972, the former vice president  then a 30-year-old senator-elect from Delaware, weeks away from being sworn into office  lost his first wife Neilia and 13-month-old daughter Naomi in a car accident.

Joseph Beau Biden III, an Iraq War veteran and Delaware attorney general, died five years ago this month following a brain cancer diagnosis in 2015. He was 46.

In a statement following his death, his father wrote: Beau Biden was, quite simply, the finest man any of us have ever known.

Beau Biden had experienced a stroke in 2010, but three years later he was treated at MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, Texas, where doctors removed a lesion from his brain.

His cancer returned two years later, when he received aggressive treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Bethesda, Maryland.

He was survived by his wife Hallie and his two children Natalie and Hunter.

Beau Biden was 2 years old when his mother was killed in the crash that also took the life of his little sister. Beau and his brother Hunter, then 3 years old, were also in the car. Their father was sworn in at their hospital beds.

During his 2012 speech at the Democratic National Convention, where he moved his father to tears while nominating him for vice president, Beau Biden said: One of my earliest memories was being in that hospital, Dad always at our side. ... He decided not to take the oath of office. He said, Delaware can get another senator, but my boys cant get another father. However, great men like Ted Kennedy, Mike Mansfield, Hubert Humphrey  men who had been tested themselves  convinced him to serve. So he was sworn in, in the hospital, at my bedside.

In 1977, Joe Biden married Jill Jacobs, who became the boys stepmother, who helped rebuild the family, Beau later said in 2012. I have two moms now.

Story continues

Beau Biden studied at the University of Pennsylvania and attended law school at Syracuse University, where his father also attended.

He served as a prosecutor in the US attorneys office in Philadelphia before running for attorney general in 2006. He won by 13,000 votes. In his reelection in 2010, he won by more than 149,000 votes.

In 2008, as a captain in the Delaware Army National Guard, Beau Biden was deployed to Iraq during a war effort that then-senator Biden had previously voted to support. Beau Biden briefly returned to the US for his fathers vice-presidential swearing-in ceremony in January 2009, then was shipped out to complete his yearlong service.

As Delawares chief law enforcement official, Beau Biden didnt seek a third term, as he planned to run for governor in 2016, before his health began to rapidly decline.

In a statement following his death, then-president Barack Obama cited a poem by William Butler Yeats, adding: Beau Biden believed the best of us all ... For him, and for his family, we swing our lanterns higher.

During an appearance on MSNBCs Morning Joe in January, candidate Biden said that Beau should be the one running for president, not me.

Mr Biden recalled Beaus support on previous campaign trails, when his son told him: Look at me, dad. Remember: home base. Just remember who you are.

Hed grab me by the lapel, Mr Biden said. He still grabs me by the lapel.

Mr Biden said: Every morning I get up, Joe, not a joke, I think to myself, Is he proud of me? Because hes the one who wanted me to stay engaged ... He walks with me. I know that sounds to some people kind of silly, but he really, honest to God, does. I know hes in me.

Read More

How the loss of Bidens first wife and daughter changed his politics

Five major 2020 policies Joe Biden is planning for his presidency
After Johnny Depp and Amber Heard ended their brief and ugly marriage life, the actress found a new love in Bianca Butti. However, something is off.

Amid the heightened quarantine period in the country, Heard made noise after news about her being in a relationship with Butti emerged. People magazine first reported that the actress started dating the cinematographer "in the past few months" while she was in an on-going legal battle with Depp.

Although nobody can tell when exactly their relationship began, Amber Heard's girlfriend caught the paparazzi's eyes on March 6.

During that time, witnesses saw the couple arriving at the LAX in Los Angeles, California. As seen in the photographs, they were walking inside the airport hand in hand.

They were also photographed together when they attended the Vanity Fair and Saint Lauren's pre-Oscars party -- during which they stayed snuggly throughout the night. E! News reported that the actress introduced Butti to a friend after chatting with other guests, saying "This is Bianca, my new girlfriend."

However, while it seemed to be good news for the "Aquaman" star's supporters, Amber Heard's girlfriend stirred criticisms and questions after several people noticed that Butti can be mistook for Johnny Depp.

Butti a "Johnny Depp Copycat"?

In the exclusive photographs published by The Daily Mail, Butti was seen sporting a Depp-vibe outfit: starting from a grey hat, black bomber jacket, and dark-colored jeans. She even matched with Heard, who wore a tan coat, white blouse, black skirt and knee-high black leather boots.

Because of Butti's photos, fans of the 57-year-old "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor expressed how "sickening" it was to see how Heard tries hard to make her girlfriend look like her ex-husband.

This caused the whole internet to dub it as the "creepiest sh*t" ever," especially since it did not only happen once.

Even Heard's ex-girlfriend, Tasya van Ree, also flaunted the same fashion before.

Despite getting called a "Johnny Depp" look-alike, it is worth mentioning that Amber Heard's girlfriend has established her own name in Hollywood.

With that said, Butti is not ypour normal cinematographer.

What Amber Heard's Girlfriend Does in Life

Butti is not just Heard's girlfriend -- she is also a great woman herself.

She already worked in numerous films and series, including "Love & Hip Hop" and "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta." But out of all the projects she made, she was renowned for her works on "Hank and Asia" as an actress and as the writer and director of "Proprietor."

Amber Heard's girlfriend did all these while battling with breast cancer. Butti first received her diagnosis in 2015 at the age of 34. Per a GoFundMe page set up on her behalf, she has already underwent surgery and several chemotherapy sessions. However, a few years after she was declared cancer-free, she was diagnosed again in March 2019.

Despite all that, she continues to work in the film industry. She currently has two projects in post-production this year: "Measure of Revenge" and "The Uncanny."

READ MORE: Amber Heard Net Worth: Is the 'Aquaman' Star Richer Than Johhny Depp Now?
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The federal Iraqi government has asked the Kurdistan Regional Government to reduce oil production by 120,000 bpd, Reuters reported, citing the Iraqi News Agency.

The federal government is negotiating several scenarios for production cuts with the KGR, the report went on to say, as the northern semi-autonomous region produces a sizeable chunk of Iraqs total oil output and needs to participate in the countrys compensatory cuts, necessitated by its earlier failure to stay within its production quota under the OPEC+ production cut agreement.

As of April this year, Kurdistan was exporting about half a million barrels of crude oil daily. After OPEC+ struck an agreement to cut production by 9.7 million bpd, Iraqis then-oil minister Thamer al-Ghadhban said that Kurdistan will also take part in the cuts.

Baghdad and Erbil are currently also negotiating a new budget deal for the semi-autonomous region.

Iraq is OPECs second-largest crude oil producer and as such, was required to cut one of the largest portions of national oil outputs under the April deal. However, the country surprised no one by failing to cut production as much as it had promised, prompting Saudi Arabia, OPECs de facto leader, to put its foot down and threaten Baghdad with punitive action if it continued to produce over quota.

As a result, at the June meeting of OPEC, Iraq and the other laggard, Nigeria, agreed to deepen their production cuts to compensate for overproduction in May and June while other OPEC+ members, notably Saudi Arabia, relaxed their cuts beginning in July.

OPEC produced 24.27 million bpd of crude in August, the latest monthly data showed. This was 950,000 bpd higher than the July average. Meanwhile, Iraq had undertaken to add another 400,000 bpd to its August cuts. Based on the current talks with Erbil, some of these additional cuts need to come from Kurdistan.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The website ( https://CollegeCentral.com/ncctcjobs ) makes it both FREE and easy for all employerslarge and small, public and privateto register just once and then post an unlimited number of jobs to North Carolina's community college students and alumni! This is an extraordinarily useful resource for employers hiring in today's climate, even with the uncertainly of the latest on-campus attendance restrictions, or students having to return home.

Employers posting jobs today can simultaneously reach tens of thousands of job seekers stretching across the state from 32 community and technical colleges, including Alamance Community College, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, Cape Fear Community College, Catawba Valley Community College, Central Carolina Community College, Coastal Carolina Community College, Davidson County Community College, Durham Technical Community College, Edgecombe Community College, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Forsyth Technical Community College, Gaston College, Guilford Technical Community College, Haywood Community College, Johnston Community College, Lenoir Community College, Mitchell Community College, Nash Community College, Pitt Community College, Richmond Community College, Roanoke-Chowan Community College, Rockingham Community College, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Sandhills Community College, South Piedmont Community College, Surry Community College, Vance-Granville Community College, Wake Technical Community College, Wayne Community College, Western Piedmont Community College, Wilkes Community College, and Wilson Community College.

James Andersen, Career and Placement Coordinator at Coastal Carolina Community College stated: "We're excited to be joining the Consortium and bringing these opportunities to our job seekers."

Anderson emphasized, "Being a member of the Consortium is unique because it offers employers the opportunity to connect specifically with community college students, and it gives the student the ability to develop networks and relationships with employers as they prepare to graduate.

"In a world where new graduates compete with hundreds or thousands of applicants around the world, this Consortium will narrow the competition and allow our students to connect with employers who want to hire them."

Jerry Jones, Director of Career Services & Workforce Development, Pitt Community College added, "Joining the NC Community and Technical Colleges Jobs Consortium expands our access to employers, and we're excited to be part of this larger effort to highlight and retain North Carolina's emerging job talent. It makes it easier for our state's employers to hire the workers they need and to keep North Carolina's economy strong."

Joy Miller, CCN's Career Services Central National Sales Manager, explains, "The fall semester is under way and employers still need to target timely job postings as they navigate through COVID-19, in addition to their regular hiring needs.

"Many employers across the country have traditionally posted most jobs only at the closest community colleges," Miller added. "But, with this Consortium, there is a synergy. Employers can easily extend their reach without additional effort or cost. Posting just once, they can choose to go statewide, or target a specific combination of regional North Carolina community colleges."

CCN's Career Services Central is the exclusive online career office management platform for career centers at all schools participating in the Consortium. Joy Miller sums it up: "Community colleges can have a great impact on the state's economy. The NC Community and Technical Colleges Jobs Consortium website allows employers to easily recruit the state's home-grown entry-level talent by removing as many barriers as possible, simplifying the hiring process. This is especially critical given the added current complications of closed campuses and remote learning."

Statistics show that almost 220,000 students attend North Carolina community colleges.*

* "Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System," National Center for Education Statistics, accessed September 1, 2020, https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data.

About College Central Network

Founded in 1997, College Central Network (CCN) has over 23 years of experience connecting employers with qualified emerging talent candidates. More than two million employers have already registered to utilize the Network to post jobs and recruit students and alumni for entry-level jobs.

CollegeCentral.com is absolutely free for any student enrolled at a U.S. college; alumnus/a of a U.S. college; community resident taking classes at a U.S. college; or student attending one of our partner high schools. To learn more, visit: CollegeCentral.com.

About Career Services Central

Career Services Central (CSC) is CCN's intuitive and affordable career office management platform that works on any device and is trusted by hundreds of institutions and organizations across the U.S.

Thousands of career professionals use CSC daily to manage the entire career process for students, alumni, and community residents attending CSC-powered institutions, including appointments, career advice and job searching, resumes, career portfolios, experiential learning, on-campus recruiting, career events, and job fairs. To learn more, visit: CareerServicesCentral.com.

CONTACT:

Barbara Anderson

800-442-3614

[email protected]

SOURCE College Central Network

Related Links

https://www.collegecentral.com


PLYMOUTH  A cattle-buffalo hybrid bull that has eluded authorities' attempts to recapture him for more than a month after he escaped from a slaughterhouse truck will be retiring to the tropical shade of Florida animal sanctuary, police announced Wednesday.

Now all they have to do is take the nearly 1,000 pound beast into custody.

After much research, it was determined that Buddy should go to a sanctuary that not only has the best facilities but one that will truly meet his needs. We would like to thank Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary from Gainesville Florida for their generosity to gladly take our Plymouth Beefalo, the Plymouth Police Department announced on Facebook Wednesday evening.

I know some will be upset at this decision, but before you make a judgement, I ask you to check out their website at www.crittercreekfarmsanctuary.org and you will see why this facility was chosen, the post reads.

The wily beefallo escaped from a truck while it was being taken for slaughter on Aug. 3.

Since then, the animal has avoided recapture for weeks, even as the states Environmental Protection police have sent drones to track it through swamps and underbrush.

The animals escape and time spent on the lam has developed a cult following in the state, spawning at least one Twitter parody account and regular cheerful updates from Plymouth police.

The departments police union created a GoFundMe page to pay for the cost of the animal to its owner to ensure Buddy the beefallo, as its known online, will not go back to the slaughterhouse.

The crowdfunding effort exceeded its $6,000 goal Wednesday, raising more than $7,000. The organizers said the extra money will be distributed to animal charities.
The boss of Kmart has hit out at Premier Daniel Andrew, saying retailers were ambushed by the 'massive extension' of Victoria's lockdown.

Premier Andrews announced on Sunday that the state's strict shutdown would be extended by two weeks, with retailers barred from reopening until October 26 at the earliest.

Ian Bailey, Managing Director of Kmart Group, said the retail sector had not been consulted on the plans and the 'extended forced closures' had left staff 'concerned and frustrated'.

'The Victorian Governments roadmap for re-opening the state economy took the retail sector and Kmart Group by complete surprise,' he wrote in a statement.

Ian Bailey, Managing Director of Kmart Group, said the Andrews' government did not consult the retail sector before imposing an 'extended forced closure' of its stores

Premier Andrews on Sunday announced that non-essential businesses would not be permitted to open until October 26 at the earliest

'We were not provided with any forewarning in relation to the massive extension to the continued closure of retail trading that was announced.

'Best case scenarios will see our stores closed in metro Melbourne for a minimum of 12 weeks. This is unprecedented for the Kmart Group  and retail trading  in Melbourne. '

He promised that the discount chain would pay its staff who 'through no fault of their own' are unable to work.

Mr Andrews' 'roadmap to reopening' will see some restrictions ease from September 13, but only essential businesses, such as supermarkets, chemists, petrol stations and bottle shops are permitted to operate until October 26.

The strict outline dashed hopes that retailers with a COVID-19 plan would be allowed to open sooner.

The politician aims to only have five or less new COVID-19 cases a day before reopening a state, a goal that has been slammed by fellow MPs, including the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as being unrealistic.

'The plan that was outlined yesterday, I hope, is a worst-case scenario,' Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

'Under the thresholds that have been set in that plan, Sydney would be under curfew now.'

Kmart has pledged to continue paying staff who 'through no fault of their own' are unable to work

Mr Andrews' 'roapmap to reopening' has been slammed by fellow politicians as being too strict. A man walks past a closed shop on Swanston Street on September 9, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia

Kmart Group, which also owns Target and Catch, has been paying all of its permanent staff their normal wages since Melbourne entered lockdown on August 2.

Casual staff who regularly work 12 hours a week are being paid the equivalent of their regular hours.

Critics of Premier Andrews have taken to calling him 'Dictator Dan' because of his hardline coronavirus restrictions.

Mr Bailey urged the Victorian government to take a 'holistic approach'.

'We will continue to encourage the Government to support all businesses and individuals that have sacrificed so much during this pandemic.'

Kmart home deliveries and click and collect services will continue while stores remain closed.
With the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continuing to decline, San Antonio has dropped its risk for the disease to the safe level.

At one point, the city was consistently reporting more than 1,000 cases a day and its meter had reached the critical red level. The move to the green zone Wednesday was a first.

Thats hopeful news in San Antonio, which has experienced the highest COVID-19 death rate of the major urban areas in Texas and just a couple months ago had maxed out most of the available hospital beds for coronavirus patients and was preparing Freeman Coliseum as an overflow hospital.

As youve seen these indicators go in the right direction, youre starting to see much more service and activity take place, we want to encourage people, though, to continue to wearing masks and social distancing, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. This has to be incorporated into our lifestyle for a while until theres a vaccine proven to be safe.

The city reported 151 new cases Wednesday and two deaths, bringing the totals to 47,887 cases and 981 deaths. San Antonio had 10 times more cases on some days in July.

There were 31 new patients admitted into local hospitals, which are now caring for 298 patients with COVID-19, 130 of whom are in intensive care and 84 on ventilators. More than 1,300 patients were hospitalized with the disease during the peak of the local outbreak two months ago.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Tuesday marked the start of in-person classes in many San Antonio schools, which could contribute to an increase in cases in coming weeks. Metro Healths risk level for in-person classes is moderate, based on the local rate of positive coronavirus tests of 6.7 percent. The health department has set a goal of 5 percent or less in the rate to declare schools at low risk for spreading the virus.

At the current risk level, the city is asking schools to keep their capacity at 25 percent and allow only six students per classroom. Nirenberg said the city is waiting to see whether Labor Day weekend and the reopening of schools leads to a spike in cases before it makes a determination on Halloween.

Metro Health is separating the immediate coronavirus-related deaths from a backlog of deaths reported by the state from death certificates. Fatalities older than two weeks that are found to have been tied to the disease are now being reported only on Sundays. The state has logged 1,167 deaths in San Antonio.

As the number of San Antonians who have recovered from the disease grows, Sandra Guerra, assistant medical director for Metro Health, cautioned against assuming theyre immune from the disease. More than 90 percent of the people who tested positive here have recovered.

Were telling everyone whether you have been sick or not, you still wear a mask, you still keep away by 6 feet, you still socially distance  you do everything as if youre as equally vulnerable as everyone else until the science tells us otherwise, she said.

Silvia Foster-Frau covers immigration news in the San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas area. To read more from Silvia, become a subscriber. sfosterfrau@express-news.net | Twitter: @SilviaElenaFF
LONDON (AP)  A British judge told WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday that his extradition hearing will proceed without him if he continues to speak from the dock and interrupt witnesses.

Vanessa Baraitser briefly adjourned the hearing at Londons Central Criminal Court after Assange interrupted defense witness Clive Stafford Smith, who was giving evidence. Assanges outburst couldnt be heard by journalists following proceedings by video link.

Assange is fighting an attempt by American prosecutors to extradite him to the U.S. to stand trial on spying charges. U.S. prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Australian on 18 espionage and computer misuse charges over WikiLeaks publication of secret U.S. military documents a decade ago. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.

Assanges lawyers say the prosecution is a politically motivated abuse of power that will stifle media freedom and put journalists at risk around the world.

Addressing Assange, the judge said: You will hear things, no doubt many things, you disagree with during these proceedings.

If you interrupt proceedings it is open to me to proceed in your absence, she added.

On Monday, when the hearing opened, Baraitser rejected requests by Assanges lawyers to delay his extradition hearing until next year so they can have more time to respond to U.S. allegations that he conspired with hackers to obtain classified information.

The case has already been delayed for months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Stafford Smith, who founded the nonprofit rights organization Reprieve, told the court Tuesday that WikiLeaks helped expose alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

American authorities allege that Assange conspired with U.S. army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer and release hundreds of thousands of secret diplomatic cables and military files on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Story continues

In a new indictment announced in June, the U.S. Justice Department expanded its case, accusing Assange of recruiting hackers at conferences in Europe and Asia, recruiting a teenager to hack into the computer of a former WikiLeaks associate and conspiring with members of hacking groups known as LulzSec and Anonymous. U.S. prosecutors say the evidence underscores Assanges efforts to procure and release classified information.

Assanges lawyers argue that he is a journalist entitled to First Amendment protection and say the leaked documents exposed U.S. military wrongdoing.

The case is due to run until early October. The judge is expected to take weeks or even months to consider her verdict, with the losing side likely to appeal.
Outlook positive thanks to resilience of economic model and pursuit of development plans

Esker:

VALUE IN THOUSANDS OF 1H 2020* 1H 2019* CHANGE IN SALES 54,240 50,135 +8.2% OPERATING INCOME 6,206 7,223 -14.1% CURRENT INCOME 6,002 7,339 -18.2% NET INCOME BEFORE TAXES 7,028 7,729 -9.1% NET INCOME 5,423 5,450 -0.5%

VALUE IN THOUSANDS OF 06/30/2020 12/31/2019 CHANGE IN

THOUSANDS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 60,419 56,647 +3,772 CASH POSITION 33,798 21,357 +12,441

*Accounts prepared under French accounting standards (CRC 99-02) and unaudited

Resilience despite the pandemic

Esker's 2020 half-year sales revenue grew 8%, driven by the continued success of cloud-based solutions (+11%), representing 92% of total company revenue. This performance combines two strongly contrasting quarters.

Despite confinement measures put in place in several countries in March, Q1 2020 confirmed Esker's growth momentum, established over the past years. Revenue increased by +16% in Q1 (+21% for cloud-based activities). In Q2, the COVID-19-driven economic slowdown strongly impacted the variable share of the company's sales revenue that depends on the level of customer activity on its platforms. The impact on this variable share reached 24% in April and May on 45% of revenue. During this period, the fixed subscription portion invoiced to customers (23% of revenue in 2019) lessened the impact. Q2 revenue was therefore stable, with a slight growth in cloud solutions (+2%). This performance reinforces the company's objective to prioritize the subscription component in its revenue to protect itself from further economic fluctuations.

At the geographic level, first-half activity in Europe (54% of sales revenue) was more severely impacted by the pandemic, recording very slight revenue growth (+1%). The situation was particularly difficult in France, with a 3% decline for the half-year. Conversely, the Asia-Pacific zone (6% of sales revenue) was more dynamic with a 32% increase in revenue, and the Americas (40% of sales revenue) confirmed their established growth pattern (+14%).

The economic situation also delayed the closing of new deals at the end of Q2. Despite this impact, the cumulative value of new contracts signed in the first half of 2020 increased by 3% compared to 2019, to reach 12 million euros.

Maintaining profitability and controlling investments

The COVID-19 crisis came as Esker anticipated another year of strong revenue growth, in line with 2019 (+20%). Despite the situation, the company decided to maintain the investments it had already made while controlling its expenses. Esker demonstrates its desire to control its financial results, without limiting its ability to regain dynamic growth in future years.

Average employee numbers this half-year were up 14% compared to the first half of 2019. This increase is slightly lower compared to the effort made in 2019 (+18%). This reflects the will to continue to serve its customers with no compromise on quality, but also allows the investments necessary for the pursuit of strategic development. Efforts focused particularly on the R&D (+19%) and consulting (+14%) departments. The investment in personnel was partly offset by the control of other expenses. For the first half of 2020, total operating expenses increased by only 12% compared to 2019. Operating income came to 6.2 million euros, down 14%. Profitability remains at 11.4% of sales, despite the impact of the pandemic on Q2.

Lower tax rate in France

Esker decided to take advantage of the favorable tax regime traditionally reserved for profits derived from the exploitation of patents (known as the Patent Box), which was recently extended for French companies to software activities. The company thus benefits from its constant commitment to maintaining the vast majority of its investments in software development in France.

For the first half of 2020, the impacts are twofold. The retroactive application of the new tax system to the 2019 financial year generates a decrease in tax expense of 0.8 million euros net. This gain over the previous financial year was classified as exceptional income. On the other hand, the effect on the 2020 results leads to a decrease of four points in the effective company tax rate (27% compared to 31% in the first half of 2019). The corresponding tax charge therefore fell from 2.3 million euros to 1.6 million euros.

Stable net income

Interest income/loss declined due to slightly negative currency impacts for the first half of 2020, as well as unfavorable market conditions for the company's cash management. Additionally, the share of profit attributable to Esker in the joint venture with Quadient declined significantly, mainly due to the impact of the crisis. Net income rests at 5.4 million euros, stable compared to the first half of 2019.

Strengthened financial structure

Esker has benefited from the French government's economic support measures in the form of state-guaranteed loans of 11 million euros. These loans bring the company's total debt to 16.6 million euros, compared to shareholders' equity of over 60 million euros. This financial strength will enable the company to seize attractive opportunities and ensure its regular operations during this period of crisis. As of June 30, 2020, company cash rests at 33.8 million euros, up 12 million euros, of which only 8.7 million euros came from financing activities.

Positive outlook for 2020

The first half of 2020 demonstrates the resilience of Esker's cloud business model. The gradual economic recovery should make it possible to progressively regain the company's growth rate before the crisis. Depending on the global pandemic evolution and any protective measures taken by governments, Esker expects 2020 growth close to 9% (excluding currency fluctuations), with stable profitability compared to 2019. The lifting of protective measures in the world's major economies and the enhanced relevance of Esker's cloud-based solutions during a pandemic should also result in an increase in signed contracts in the second half of 2020 and the start of the 2021 fiscal year.

About Esker

Esker is a worldwide leader in AI-driven process automation software, helping financial and customer service departments digitally transform their procure-to-pay (P2P) and order-to-cash (O2C) cycles. Used by more than 6,000 companies worldwide, Esker's solutions incorporate technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to drive increased productivity, enhanced visibility, reduced fraud risk, and improved collaboration with customers, suppliers and internally. Esker operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific with global headquarters in Lyon, France, and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information on Esker and its solutions, visit www.esker.com. Follow Esker on Twitter @EskerInc and join the conversation on the Esker blog at blog.esker.com.

Jean-Michel Berard, CEO and President of the Board of Directors, and Emmanuel Olivier, COO, will host a webinar to review the company's half-year results on September 10, at 7 p.m. central European time. Register to attend here.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005742/en/

Contacts:

Press Contact: Sarah Jenne

Tel: (972) 850-5899 sjenne@ideagrove.com

Investor Relations Contact: Emmanuel Olivier

Tel: +33 (0)4 72 83 46 46 olivier@esker.fr
Patna, Sep 10 : Giving a strong jolt to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ahead of Bihar Assembly elections, senior leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Thursday quit the party.

Currently, he is admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi following some health issues. Singh has sent a letter to RJD chief Lalu Prasad announcing his resignation from the party.

Addressing Lalu, he wrote: "I kept standing behind you for 32 years after the demise of Karpuri Thakur, but not any longer." Singh has sent this letter to journalists here. Issuing an apology to the people he wrote, "Party, leaders, workers and people gave me lots of love. Regrets." The RJD leader have been keeping mum over Singh's resignation, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal United are terming his decision as the "right" one.

On the other hand, RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari said: "I got to know about his resignation from the media. I have not received any official information." "I'll only give any statement after official information is received," he said.

Meanwhile, JDU spokesman Ajay Alok said: "Singh is a senior leader, he should have taken this step long ago." "The RJD has become an Acacia tree that's why people are running from it," he said.

Over a question over whether there was a possibility of Singh joining the JDU, he said: "Any party would welcome a big leader like him." It must be recalled that Singh was angry over talks about former MP Rama Singh's entry into the RJD. Earlier, he had resigned from all party posts to register his dissent. However, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had met him in the hospital and tried to convince him but the efforts were futile.

Admitted at AIIMS, New Delhi, Singh could not be contacted.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shift5, a cutting-edge cyber security company that secures operational technology for a range of vehicular platforms, announces its partnership with Aerion Supersonic, a leader in supersonic technology working on the new AS2 supersonic business jet.

Through this new arrangement, Shift5 will add to Aerion's existing work, bringing differentiating experience and capabilities to the design team to provide a level of cyber resiliency and protection that is beyond anything deployed into the commercial aviation market to date.

Aerion AS2

"Aerion is setting new standards in the aerospace community on cyber monitoring and advanced security of onboard electronics, something we see as a standard feature in years to come. Shift5 is thrilled to collaborate with Aerion on the cyber resiliency of their primary aviation platform, the AS2, and continue to build better data and security products to protect transportation" said Michael Weigand, President of Shift5.

Shift5 will enhance the cyber resiliency of the AS2's avionics and other onboard networks through expert design review and enable optional integration of its cyber monitoring products to the aircraft. Special emphasis will be placed on providing differentiating capabilities to specialized variants of the AS2 business jet. With Shift5 cyber security solutions onboard, the AS2 will be the world's first business jet with onboard cyber monitoring and advanced resiliency capabilities.

"As we progress the AS2 towards production in 2023 we continue to seek innovations that advance the technological capabilities of our new supersonic aircraft", said Tom Vice, Aerion's Chairman, President & CEO. "Cyber security has shifted dramatically in recent years to become a fundamental consideration and it is a core, integrated factor in development of the AS2. We look forward to collaborating with Shift5 to further enhance the cyber resiliency of our future aircraft."

Aerion's pursuit of faster point-to-point travel begins with the launch of the new AS2 supersonic private jet. Designed to be inherently environmentally responsible from first flight, the AS2 is the first supersonic jet designed to be powered by 100 percent synthetic fuel and reach supersonic speeds without the need for an afterburner.

The AS2 will be the first aircraft to be assembled at Aerion's new global headquarters in Melbourne, Florida  Aerion Park. The state-of-the-art development, powered by clean energy, will incorporate headquarters operations plus an integrated campus for research, design, build and support of the company's new supersonic aircraft.

About Shift5:

Shift5 products defend operational technology platforms such as planes, trains, and tanks from cyber attack. Shift5 protects embedded internal networks within operational technology platforms through proprietary defensive hardware and software to detect and stop cyber attacks before they cause harm. To learn more, visit www.shift5.io .

About Aerion Corporation:

Aerion is founded on a core belief of bringing humanity closer. The company's vision is a future where humanity can travel between any two points on our planet within three hours using new transportation networks  powered by clean energy solutions and enabling a world where distance is no longer a barrier. The starting point is sustainable supersonic flight, led by the world's first supersonic business jet  the AS2. More information can be found at www.aerionsupersonic.com .

Media Contact

Jenny Kim

703-810-3320

[email protected]

SOURCE Shift5

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DUBAI, U.A.E, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In this digital age, businesses are using technologies at their best to grow business and reach the right audiences most securely and safely. UAE is one of those growing countries that implement the latest technologies and also introduce digital solutions regularly. To showcase new solutions and products, UAE hosts various exhibitions every year where businesses around the world exhibit and promote their products and tech-based solutions. One of the most important aspects of any business strategy is Mobile Apps. Mobile Apps is considered as one the best way for any business to reach their clients or customers and generate more sales.

With such a high demand for mobile apps, businesses are looking for a trustworthy app development partner for their app ideas. Thousands of businesses offer app development services in Dubai that creates a huge competition in the industry. As well as businesses are little bit confused with the process of choosing an app development partner. People are using different B2B reviews and rating platforms to find the best tech partner for their needs and budget. Hyperlink InfoSystem is the most trusted name in the app development industry for businesses in Dubai, UAE and even global businesses too. 75 percent of UAE customers choose Hyperlink InfoSystem for their next app development project.

Hyperlink InfoSystem having 8+ years of experience offering app development services for businesses around the world. The company has served more than 2,300+ businesses worldwide and more than 500+ businesses in Dubai, UAE that makes them leading app developers in Dubai. The company headquarter is based in Ahmedabad, India, and has sales offices in Dubai, USA, UK, France, and Australia. Hyperlink InfoSystem has a team of 250+ highly skilled developers who are working on the latest technologies and they upgrade their knowledge regularly to serve clients with the best solutions for their needs.

As leading app developers in Dubai, Hyperlink InfoSystem offers web and app development, custom software development, AI, IoT Solutions, Salesforce consulting, CRM Solutions, AR/VR apps, Data Science, Machine Learning, UI/UX design, etc. for almost all industries. Even the company participates in GITEX Technology week every year held in Dubai, UAE from the last 4 years and promotes their services and solutions. They have delivered more than 3,200+ apps and 1,600+ fully-functional websites with more than 300+ projects on AI, Data Science, Salesforce, IoT, Mobile Games, and others.

CEO of Hyperlink InfoSystem, Mr. Harnil Oza says, "Having a dream of becoming the most trusted app development company, me and my team work very hard on the services we offer to our clients. At Hyperlink InfoSystem, we review and research on client's requirements and suggest the best solutions with the technologies as well as guide them with the updates on a regular basis throughout the development process. This helps us to make our process more transparent and win our client's heart with the solutions we deliver. From start till now, Dubai region always helps us to generate good business and after ranked as a top app development company in Dubai we are ready to serve local businesses more efficiently."

The company works with Startups to Enterprise-level businesses in the past and focused on maximum client satisfaction. Having an app idea or required next-gen tech solution, contact Hyperlink InfoSystem today and get the best solution based on your needs, budget, and within a timeline. People can email them at info@hyperlinkinfosystem.com and discuss the ideas.

About Hyperlink InfoSystem:

Hyperlink InfoSystem is an established and popular top web & mobile app development company based in USA, UK, UAE, France with its development center in India. The company's talented team of 250+ developers offer world-class services in the areas of Mobile app & Web Development, Blockchain Development, AR & VR App Development, Game App Development, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Salesforce & much more. Since 2011, the company has successfully built 3,200+ mobile apps for more than 2,300 clients around the world.

Awarded As Top Mobile App Development Companies in Dubai 2020;

https://topappdevelopmentcompanies.com/ae/directory/app-developers/dubai

Contact Details:

Hyperlink InfoSystem

Harnil Oza

+1-805-744-1224

info@hyperlinkinfosystem.com

New York Address:

One World Trade Center,

285 Fulton Street suite 8500,

New York, NY 10007, United States

London Address:

Level 30, The Leadenhall Building,

122 Leadenhall Street,

London EC3V 4AB

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/708610/Hyperlink_Infosystem_Logo.jpg
Norwegian energy firm Statkraft has paid more than 10m to acquire rights to five solar farm projects in Cork, Laois, Meath and Tipperary.

Statkraft said it plans to invest 150m in the sites, previously owned by UK firm Lightsource, which is controlled by BP. Statkraft is Norway's largest energy producer.

Both parties declined to specify the amount paid. Industry sources put the deal in a range of 10m to 12m.

All five sites have full planning permission to build solar energy farms that, when completed, will generate a combined capacity of 275MW.

The purchase increases Statkraft's rapidly growing profile in renewable energy here. Last month, as part of the State's first auction of renewable energy delivery contracts, Statkraft secured support for delivering two wind farms and two solar farms.

One of the five projects newly acquired from Lightsource - Blundelstown Solar Farm in Meath - was also selected for State support in that auction, placing it on a path for accelerated delivery.

The other four projects would need to proceed without State support, but are likely to feature in Statkraft bids in future auctions.

The other solar projects are in Monatooreen, Co Cork; Loughteague, Co Laois; Harristown, Co Meath; and Ballymacadam, Co Tipperary.

Statkraft recently completed a 30m wind farm at Kilathmoy on the Kerry-Limerick border with 23MW capability.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Requiring 1,500 feet (457 m) between oil and gas operations and buildings or waterways would have minimal impacts on oil and gas availability, according to a new study from CU Boulder and Colorado School of Mines.

The study, published in an upcoming edition of Energy Policy, also found that impacts on the oil and gas sector escalate dramatically as the setback distance increases to 2,500 or more feet from sensitive locations, homes and other buildings.

"The steep increase in costs at certain setback distances was remarkable," said Daniel Kaffine, study co-author and professor of economics at CU Boulder. "In some counties, increasing the setback just 500 feet had major consequences in terms of accessible oil and gas."

The first-of-its-kind study was co-authored by Kaffine; Sean Ericson, a CU Boulder economics graduate student; and Peter Maniloff, an assistant professor of economics at Colorado School of Mines. Researchers used geographical information systems (GIS) and publicly available data to measure the impact of increasing oil and gas production setback distances on oil and gas availability. They specifically looked at Colorado as a case study.

"Oil and gas setbacks are a controversial way of keeping households safe. Some environmental groups have advocated increasing setbacks to increase health and safety," said Maniloff. "What we show in this paper is how the costs stack up as those setbacks increase."

Colorado law currently mandates oil and gas setbacks ranging from 500 to 1,000 feet, depending on the type of resources or developments nearby. The researchers found Colorado would lose about $500 million in annual resource revenues, roughly 0.1% of the state's gross domestic product, by requiring oil and gas setbacks of 1,500 feet. With a setback distance of 2,500 feet, as a 2018 Colorado ballot measure proposed, costs would increase to $4.5 billion.

"Colorado's Proposition 112 ballot initiative was the main catalyst for looking into this, particularly when we realized that existing research on setbacks was extremely limited," said Kaffine.

Colorado Proposition 112 failed at the ballot box, but the idea of increasing setbacks isn't dead. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is considering a new round of regulations after a recent reorganization, which could change setback distances or introduce new considerations, such as environmental impacts on neighbors.

"Setbacks offer a way to balance health and safety concerns against foregone economic benefits from oil and gas development. This work can help policymakers make better decisions for Coloradans," said Kaffine.

Explore further No evidence that California cellphone ban decreased accidents, study says

More information: Sean J. Ericson et al. Costs of increasing oil and gas setbacks are initially modest but rise sharply, Energy Policy (2020). Journal information: Energy Policy Sean J. Ericson et al. Costs of increasing oil and gas setbacks are initially modest but rise sharply,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111749
The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a years-long court challenge of public health-care rules in B.C. that claimed the province's health-care system denies patients the right to timely care.

The constitutional challenge launched by private health-care advocate Dr. Brian Day, the owner of the Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver, claimed that prolonged wait times for medical procedures violated two charter rights, including the right to life, liberty and security of the person.

Day argued patients have a constitutional right to pay for private care when wait times in the public system are too long.

Day opened the Cambie Surgery Centre in 1996 and launched court action against the B.C. government in 2009 over sections of the Medicare Protection Act. It prohibits doctors from billing the government for work they do in the public system while also earning money from private clinics as well as billing patients or their insurance companies.

Justice John J. Steeves dismissed both charter claims, noting that B.C.'s Medicare Protection Act is focused on medically necessary care, not ability to pay.

Opponents have said a two-tier system would favour patients who are wealthy enough to pay for "queue-jumping'' private insurance, as well as doctors who could bill both the public and private systems.

Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

Lawyers argued universality of health-care at stake

Lawyers for both the B.C. and federal governments have argued such a system would erode Canada's universal health-care system and negatively impact patients with complex chronic conditions and the elderly.

While the court ruled against Day, Steeves did find that surgical patients are not receiving care in a timely manner, and that these lengthy wait times for surgery result in prolonged pain and suffering for patients.

"Some of these patients will experience prolonging and exacerbation of pain and diminished functionality as well as increased risk of not gaining full benefit from surgery," Steeves wrote.

Story continues

Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

Day has not commented on the decision but has said in the past he anticipated an appeal.

At a news conference Thursday, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province is delighted with the decision.

"The ruling emphasizes the strength and the importance of public heath care, which is a cornerstone of our identity in British Columbia," he said.

Dix pointed to one section of the 800-page ruling highlighting testimony from physicians who declared surgical wait times have been improving in recent years, and that the province has implemented measures to successfully reduce them.

A report released last year suggests that wait times have been improving in B.C. since 2014  although it also found B.C. patients wait longer for key medical procedures than other Canadians.

Michael McArthur/CBC

'A historic win'

The B.C. Health Coalition was among the intervenors in the case. Edith MacHattie, co-chair of the coalition, said she started crying once the decision was released.

"[The case] has been the most serious attack against our public health-care system that we've ever seen," she told CBC News. "What [Steeves] has really done is uphold our existing medicare laws and really confirming that they're in the best interest of everyone in B.C."

Dr. Danyaal Raza, Chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, another intervenor in the case, suggests had the decision gone the other way, wait times for public health care would have gotten longer  not shorter.

"We don't have an unlimited supply of doctors and nurses, so if you take some of them out of the public system, and reserve them just for small number of people that can pay to get care at the front of the line, then there's fewer folks left over to care more people waiting in the public health care system," he said.

In a statement, the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions called the ruling "a historic win for Canada's public health- care system."

Looking to the future

While the decision marks a significant moment in the history of Canadian health care, some members of the community say there is still much more work to be done to improve treatment.

In response to the judgement, the B.C. Anesthesiologists' Society said it's time for the province to commit to Patient Wait Time Guarantees.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Medical Association says healthcare funding has not kept pace with efforts to improve funding for an aging population.

"An increased investment to address these issues would ensure that Canadians have wide-ranging access to the health care they need, when and where they need it," said Dr. Ann Collins in a statement.
A 28-year-old Marlborough woman has been sentenced to probation after mailing papers soaked in synthetic marijuana, or K2, to a Massachusetts correctional facilities, federal authorities said.

Caitlin Marcey was sentenced in federal court in Boston on Thursday to two years of probation, with the first six months to be served in home confinement, according to the office of Andrew Lelling, the U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

Marcey pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance in January. She was arrested and charged in June 2019.

Investigators at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in November 2018 monitored recorded jail calls in which Marcey arranged for the delivery of K2. Then, authorities intercepted mail sent by Marcey, purporting to be an attorney mailing to an inmate at the Lancaster prison. The mail tested positive for synthetic marijuana, Lellings office said.

Authorities said the most common means of mailing K2 is by soaking or spraying synthetic marijuana onto documents, which are then transported in person or by mail to a jail or prison, where the documents can be smoked.

It is also common to attempt to include documents soaked in synthetic marijuana in mailings disguised as legal mail, as this mail is generally not subjected to rigorous screening due to attorney-client privilege, Lellings office said in a statement.

Previously, officials said Marcey also sent K2-soaked papers to the Worcester County House of Corrections.

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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.
Its going to be pretty messy, said Michael Hanmer, a government and politics professor at the University of Maryland and the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagements research director. I dont have a lot of confidence that things are going to go smoothly. The sheer volume of mail, the number of people who dont know what the rules are and are going to request ballot too late  were going to see more of those issues come up.
Portland, Ore., Mayor Ted Wheeler, commenting on the citys newest facial recognition ordinance that bans both city and private use of the tech in public accommodations. The ban will take effect in January 2021. ( The Hill  September 9, 2020)
STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ReneSola Ltd ("ReneSola Power" or the "Company") (www.renesolapower.com) (NYSE: SOL), a leading fully integrated solar project developer, announced that management will participate in the H.C. Wainwright 22nd Annual Global Investment Conference. The conference will be held virtually on Tuesday, September 15, 2020, with a management presentation available to the public scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET as well as a one-on-one meeting format for institutional investors.

The presentation will be webcast live from the Investors section of ReneSola Power's website at https://ir.renesolapower.com/event-calendar. A replay of the webcast will be archived and available from the Investors section of ReneSola Power's website.

Management will be available for one-on-one meetings with institutional investors at the event. Portfolio managers and analysts who wish to request a meeting should contact their institutional sales representative at H.C. Wainwright.

Presentation materials will be made available on the Investors section of ReneSola Power's website at https://ir.renesolapower.com/event-calendar.

About ReneSola Power

ReneSola Power (NYSE: SOL) is a leading global solar project developer and operator. The Company focuses on solar power project development, construction management and project financing services. With local professional teams in more than 10 countries around the world, the business is spread across a number of regions where the solar power project markets are growing rapidly, and can sustain that growth due to improved clarity around government policies. The Company's strategy is to pursue high-margin project development opportunities in these profitable and growing markets; specifically, in the U.S. and Europe, where the Company has a market-leading position in several geographies, including Poland, Hungary, Minnesota and New York.

SOURCE ReneSola Ltd.

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If there was a Nobel Prize for mathematics and statistics, he would have won it decades ago, has been a common refrain whenever the name of Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, or C R Rao, is mentioned in scientific circles. His contributions to statistics and to mathematics, spanning 80 years and counting are unparalleled.

C R Rao is considered the greatest living statistician. He celebrated his 100th birthday on September 10. He continues to be active at this ripe age, contributing to contemporary subjects like big data, epidemiology and neural networks by way of editing of handbooks in collaboration with statisticians.

Former US president George W Bush described Prof C R Rao as the Prophet of a New Age in a citation while presenting him the Presidents Medal, the countrys highest award to a scientist in 2003.

In an amazing coincidence, during his first 40 years of work from 1940 to 1980 in India at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), C R Rao published over 250 scientific papers; over the next four decades too, based in the US, he has contributed an equal number.

Data and COVID-19

Wherever data is used, C R Raos imprint will be felt. His path-breaking research work transcends subjects from statistics to genetics, chemistry, physics, archaeology, economics and some emerging areas too. Statistics and modelling are the backbone of Big Data and large number crunching which is revolutionising several fields and accelerating large projects.

In the past few years he has edited Handbook on Epidemiology with Arni Srinivasa Rao of the University in Georgia. Srinivasa Rao has worked extensively on statistical modelling of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and is also from the ISI.

Srinivasa Rao and Prof Steven Krantz of the University of Washington have used mathematical modelling to compute realistic pictures of the coronavirus infection in several countries, including India. Typically, a model can be used to carry out a biological experiment using computers instead of laboratories to understand the progression of diseases and make predictions.

According to Prof BLS Prakasa Rao, an INSA chair at the Dr C R Rao Institute in Hyderabad, His monumental work done as early as 1943-45, popularly known as Cramer-Rao Inequality are still cited extensively today.

Prakasa Rao, a student, colleague and former director of ISI Kolkata, who takes pride in describing himself as a fan of Dr C R Rao, says, At ISI, he traversed all responsibilities of teaching, research and administration to rise as director in 4 decades. When he took mandatory retirement at age 60 in 1980, Dr Rao had published an astonishing 201 research papers and etched an indelible mark."

Thereafter, he moved to the US with a professorship at the University of Pittsburg and then to Pennsylvania State University till 2008. At present he holds a professorship at the University of Buffalo.

C R Rao, Mahalanobis and Planning

If Prof Mahalanobis is the father of statistics and planning in India, his most distinguished student, Dr C R Rao was instrumental in extending and strengthening their use through the formative stages of the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) and the many state bureaux of statistics. Similarly, the creation and evolution of the NSSO, which is the backbone for generating data to plan economic growth, is owed to Dr Rao and his students.

Incidentally, it was in 1946 that Prof Mahalanobis, sent C R Rao to do a project for Oxford University's Department of Anthropology related to analysing measurements made in human skeletons obtained from Jebel Maya in North Africa to trace their origins. It was a turning point in his career.

Rao not only did a creditable job but got a chance to work with the renowned Sir Ronald A Fisher to do his Ph.D. too.

Early groundbreaking work

But as history bears out now, his most important and pathbreaking work which is termed as the Cramer-Rao inequality and a set of papers were published while working at the Department of Statistics, Kolkata University and later at ISI. All of this before turning 26 and obtaining a PhD in 1948 from Cambridge.

Several of these seminal contributions find a place in textbooks with Rao prefixed. For example the theorems referred to as Rao-Blackwellization, the CramerRao bound, Fisher-Rao etc to a dozen other concepts  Rao Distance, Raos Paradox, Neyman Rao Test were all done during this extraordinary phase.

It was in the early 1970s that Cambridge University awarded him an Sc.D. degree and made him an Honorary Life Fellow of Kings College, Cambridge.

Several textbooks on statistics carry Dr Raos name and work. He himself has authored 14 books.

Its interesting to note that the first half of the 20th century belonged to statistical theory. Several Indians too figured in the list of giants like PC Mahalanobis, Debabrata Basu, Jayanta Kumar Ghosh, Pranab K Sen, etc.

Models and Applications

While a large part of his research work concerns theoretical aspects, there have been practical applications in recent years. Raos most widely regarded work on Multivariate Analysis has found utility in economic planning, weather prediction, medical diagnosis, tracking the movements of spy planes, and monitoring the movements of spacecraft.

In industrial settings his research in combinatorial mathematics helps in the design of experiments among which Orthogonal Arrays are the most prominent. They are being described as the new mantra in large industries globally, which enable the determining of size, location and environmental aspects in design.

Statistician By Chance

In an autobiographical work titled Statistics as a Last Resort, C R Rao himself describes his entry into statistics as a chance happening. The story goes that the young Rao, brimming with excitement and armed with a BA (Mathematics) from Andhra University and looking for a job in North Africa, arrived in Kolkata for an interview in 1940. Somehow, the global job eluded him but brought him into contact with one Mr Subramanian, who was training at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Calcutta. Influenced by the conversation, he joined the course. There was no looking back after that.

That accidental event began the association of Rao with ISI. Thereafter for four decades, his stellar work and growing contributions in statistics made him synonymous with ISI. His work got global recognition personally and for the institute.

That he was a bright spark in math was evident from his early days at school and college in Andhra Pradesh, where solving tough problems was his forte. Rao was born in Huvvina Hadagalli village in Karnataka to C Doraiswamy Naidu, a police official and Laksmikanthamma on September 10, 1920. However, his fathers transfers took him to different places in Andhra Pradesh, before settling down in Visakhapatnam.

C R Rao Institute

In 2009, Rao went to Hyderabad and with the help of fellow statisticians he worked on establishing a research institute to promote mathematics, statistics and computer science. In addition to liberally funding the venture he could obtain generous grants from the government under prime minister Manmohan Singh. The University of Hyderabad gave a few acres of land.

The C R Rao Institute is now functional and also a road has been named in honour of the great statistician. Efforts to establish a musuem named Sankhya are on.
Ukraine and Spain have signed some important documents as part an official visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on September 10, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported on its Facebook page.

The two countries have signed the Convention between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Spain on the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and on the prevention of fiscal evasion and avoidance and the Protocol thereto. The document will help remove barriers to foreign investment and trade.

The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Food of the Kingdom of Spain in the field of agriculture and food industry. The document aims to help realize the Ukrainian-Spanish potential for agricultural cooperation and open up new opportunities for the exchange of experience and best practices, as well as deepen cooperation

The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of cybersecurity. The document provides for the exchange of "sensitive" information for the sake of common cybersecurity, intersectoral cooperation - from legal to scientific aspects. Ukraine and Spain will also coordinate positions of relevant institutions at international organizations

Ukraine and the Kingdom of Spain also signed an Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Affairs. It provides for closer cooperation and exchange of information between the customs of the two countries.

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September 10, 2020  release at 7:30 am CET

Sophia Antipolis, France



Nicox SA (Euronext Paris: FR0013018124, COX), an international ophthalmology company, today reported the financial results for Nicox and its subsidiaries (the Nicox Group) for the six months ending June 30, 2020 and provided an update on its activities as well as key upcoming milestones.



Michele Garufi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nicox, said: We are very pleased with the excellent progress in the Mont Blanc trial recruitment and the preparation for initiation of the Denali trial, together with our Chinese partner Ocumension, in Q4 2020. Additional support for these activities has come from the non-dilutive financing strategy we have implemented since March which includes the expansion of our collaboration with Ocumension, as well as the divestment of our VISUfarma shareholding in July. As one of the few European R&D companies having two products commercialized in the United States, with expansion in many other markets ongoing, we also expect to see recurrent royalty revenue steadily increasing in the years ahead and contributing to the future growth of the company. With this revenue, and the non-dilutive financing, we believe that the company is now financed to complete the NCX 4251 Phase 2b trial planned to start later this year and beyond the top-line results from the Mont Blanc trial.



Key Expected Upcoming Milestones



NCX 470 Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial: The first Phase 3 trial of NCX 470 for lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension has an initial adaptive design portion designed to select the optimal dose of NCX 470 which will then continue into a subsequent head-to-head 3-month safety and efficacy evaluation vs. latanoprost. With the recently announced completion of enrolment of the adaptive cohort, the trial is on track for that selection of optimal NCX 470 dose in the coming weeks. The completion of the adaptive design portion will also enable the start of the second Phase 3 trial, or the Denali trial, before the end of 2020.



Nitric oxide (NO)-donating phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors for IOP lowering: IND-track candidate expected to be announced by the end of 2020.



We continue to closely watch the spread of COVID-19 and its impact. We do not currently anticipate delays to our clinical timelines but we are monitoring the situation and will provide updates if there is an impact on our development projects and timelines.



Nicox Secures 2 Million in a Non-Dilutive Loan Facility Guaranteed by the French State



In the third quarter 2020 we entered into a 2 million credit agreement, granted by Societe Generale and LCL and guaranteed by the French State, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This non-dilutive financing contributes to strengthening the Companys cash position. This loan is not secured against any of the Companys assets. Up to 90% of the loan is guaranteed by the French State. It has an initial maturity of 12 months with the option for Nicox to take a 1 to 5-year repayment period after that.



Strengthening Development Management



We appointed Sushanta Mallick, Ph.D., to a position of Vice President of External Development, effective August 1, 2020. In this position, Dr. Mallick will be the development lead for our key collaborations and will also oversee a subset of clinical development activities. He brings over 25 years of ophthalmology development experience including senior roles with Alcon, QLT, Aerie and Shire, and will report to Tomas Navratil, Ph.D., EVP & Head of R&D of the Nicox Group and General Manager of Nicox Ophthalmics, Inc.



First Half 2020 Financial Highlights



Net revenue1 for the first half of 2020 was 2.4 million (including 1.0 million in milestone revenue) versus 5.6 million (including 4.7 million in upfront and milestone revenue) for the first half of 2019. Operating expenses for the first half of 2020 were 10.2 million compared to 11.4 million for the first half of 2019.



Only figures at December 31, 2019 are audited, all other figures of this press release are non-audited.



Notes

1. Net revenue consists of revenue from collaborations less royalty payments which we refer to as net profit from collaborations in the condensed consolidated statements of profit or loss for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020.
The chairperson of Rajasthan state commission for protection of child rights (RSCPCR) Sangeeta Beniwal has been receiving hundreds of threats in messages and calls from different parts of the country from members of a particular caste outfit over a case of a minors custody.

These threats pertain to the case of a 12-year-old minor from Jodhpur city, who was allegedly left with a non-government organization (NGO) at the age of three by her mother, who, now, wants her custody, 9 years later, against the girls wish.

In 2011, a lady handed over her three-year-old daughter to the local unit of child welfare committee (CWC) stating she was incapable of raising her and requested them to take care of her daughter till she turns 18. As per the norms, before taking the custody of the girl, the CWC took an affidavitsigned a year later in May 2012--from the mother, after which, the girl was formally given to Navjeevan NGO to be raised, said Beniwal.

The RSCPCR chief added that the girl was currently studying at a school with the fees being paid by the NGO. The girl is currently studying in class sixth in a good school, which is being paid Rs 50,000 every year by the NGO for her education, Beniwal said.

Suddenly after nine years, the girls mother, who works as a domestic help, returns in February and demands to take back the girl but the minor is refusing, she added.

In February this year, the mother of the girl requested to meet the girl, after which, the lady was granted permission to meet her daughter on a regular basis, but a few days later, the woman started threatening the NGO that it would face repercussions if the girl was not returned to her. The girl, however, refused to stay with her mother, following which, the woman mobilized some caste-based outfits for threatening the NGO guys, Beniwal said.

Also Read: At Rajasthan Congress feedback meet, slogans against minister, posters torn

When the child body chief intervened, some members of the caste outfit mentioned above started threatening Beniwal through WhatsApp and sms texts and phone calls, saying that if the NGO didnt hand over the custody of the girl, Beniwal would face repercussions. HT has seen some such messages sent to the RSCPCR chairperson.

Beniwal says she is not giving in to threats. I am not afraid of the threats. The future of the girl is the most important thing for the NGO and me, she said, adding that she will file a complaint to the police on Thursday afternoon.

Also Read: 716 fresh cases push Rajasthans Covid-19 tally to over 96,000

The minor says she is not comfortable with the idea of returning to her mother. Also, I am not sure whether my mother, and the man she is living with, would be able to give me the quality education provided by the NGO. Where was my mother for the last several years? the minor asked.

Beniwal has requested the commissioner of police, Jodhpur city to tighten the security for the NGO and the girl.

The mother of the girl said she would self-immolate if she doesnt get custody of her daughter within two days. I left my daughter at the Navjeevan Sansthan and I need justice. If the custody of my daughter is not given back to me, I would immolate myself, the lady said.

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PORTLAND, Ore.  The mayor of Portland on Thursday ordered police in Oregons largest city to stop using tear gas for crowd control during the frequently violent protests that have racked the city for more than three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, was tear gassed when he went to a demonstration against the presence of federal authorities dispatched to the city to protect federal property.

He said he still wants police to respond aggressively to prevent violence and vandalism. Hundreds of people have been arrested since the protests started in May.

I expect the police to arrest people who engage in criminal acts. I expect the District Attorney to prosecute those who commit criminal acts. And I expect the rest of the criminal justice system to hold those individuals accountable, Wheeler said.

The protesters want city officials to slash the police budget and reallocate that money to Black residents and businesses. Some demonstrators are also demanding the resignation of Wheeler, a white man and the scion of a timber company fortune.

In clashes with police, some protesters have broken windows, set small fires, punctured police car tires, shined lasers in officers' eyes and pelted them with rocks and frozen water bottles.

Wheeler recently moved out of his high-rise apartment after protesters targeted the building, setting a fire in a business on the ground floor.

Meanwhile, authorities in neighboring Washington state said that the cause of death of a man who was suspected of killing a right-wing activist in Portland was gunshots to his head and torso, The Seattle Times reported.

Michael Reinoehls death was ruled a homicide by Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock, who ruled out the possibility that Reinoehl had shot himself.

Reinhoehl, 48, a self-described anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter supporter, died after Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force members, headed by the U.S. Marshals Service, moved in to make an arrest and fired at him outside an apartment building on Sept. 3 in Lacey, Washington.

Warnock said he did not immediately know the number of times Reinoehl had been shot. The bullets recovered from his body have been sent to the states crime lab, he said.

Authorities have said that after Reinoehl tried to leave the building in a car, the task force used their vehicles to box the car in. At least four officers fired at Reinoehl.

A team investigating the shooting has said Reinoehl displayed a gun during the encounter. The team, headed by the Thurston County Sheriffs Office, has not confirmed whether he fired at officers.

The task force was executing a warrant, issued a day earlier for Reinoehls arrest on second-degree murder and illegal gun charges in the shooting of Aaron Jay Danielson.

Danielson, 39, a supporter of President Donald Trump and the far-right Patriot Prayer group, was shot and killed Aug. 29 after dueling protests in Portland.
The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) has shortlisted 16 destinations to resume inter-state bus services to Punjab and Haryana from September 16.

The destinations are Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Patiala, Una up to Mehatpur, Ludhiana, Dinanagar and Bathinda in Punjab; and Panipat, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Jind, Hisar, Sirsa, Hansi and Delhi up to Kundli border in Haryana.

The tickets can be purchased online at http://ctuonline.chd.gov.in, via the mobile app, CTU Musafir or through the conductor.

The buses will be operated with 50% occupancy to adhere to the social distancing guidelines issued by the Chandigarh administration.

Bus crew will have to ensure passengers wear mask during the journey and maintain social distancing. No passenger will be allowed to deboard without wearing a mask.

The decision to resume the inter-state bus services was taken in the September 4 war room review meeting chaired by UT administrator VPS Badnore. It came following the central governments Unlock 4 guidelines rolled out from September 1.

The services will restart after a hiatus of over five months. Though the buses were resumed for two days in June, they were discontinued after a sudden surge in cases. There are 153 CTU buses plying on the various interstate routes.

TRYCITYBUS APP GOES OFFLINE

After complaints regarding the recently launched CTU mobile app trycityBUS, the transport department has decided to take the app offline till the problems are rectified. It is expected to be available again by September 12.

The app, launched by Badnore on August 21, is part of the Intelligent Transport System (ITS). It provides access to the bus timings, fares and routes, besides locations of nearby bus stops. Through the app, passengers can also find out the exact location and arrival time of a bus. In the first phase, ITS has been introduced in 100 buses covering 14 routes. CTU plans to cover the entire fleet of 350 buses on 64 routes by the end of the year.
Fans of TLCs Sister Wives are sometimes drawn to the show because of the massive Brown familywith Kody Brown and his four wives, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn Brown, at the helm, and nearly 20 children rounding out their brood.

But others are also intrigued by the concept of polygamy, or plural marriage, especially in the context of the Browns religion.

The Brown family is part of a sect of fundamentalist Mormonism known as the Apostolic United Brethren, or AUB. Other branches of the religion include, among others, the Latter Day Church of Christ (otherwise known as the Kingston clan, featured in Lifetimes Escaping Polygamy) and the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the FLDS, previously run by the notorious, now-incarcerated leader Warren Jeffs).

If youre interested in the practice of polygamy among people within the Browns religion, check out some of these books while we wait for Sister Wives to return for another season on TLC.

Meri, Janelle, Kody, Christine, and Robyn Brown | Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs

Breaking Free was written by Rachel Jeffs, one of Jeffs daughters, after she escaped the FLDS in 2015.

Rachel was the oldest daughter of Jeffs second wife (out of more than 50 wives in total). This rewarding but difficult memoir details Rachels childhood abuse in the FLDS, as well as her experience in an arranged plural marriage, the alleged inner dealings of the sect, and an in-depth portrayal of Jeffs himself.

Rachel Jeffs and Megyn Kelly | Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs

Written by Elissa Wall with Lisa Pulitzer, Stolen Innocence is a harrowing, New York Times bestselling memoir about Walls experience in the FLDS before Jeffs 2007 conviction for multiple counts of sexual abuse against children.

Wall was coerced into marriage as a child bride at the age of 14. Eventually, she stood up against the abuse she experienced in order to escape from her sect and testify against Jeffs and her former religious leaders.

Warren Jeffs | Douglas C. Pizac-Pool/Getty Images

Escape: A Memoir

Former FLDS member Carolyn Jessop (with Laura Palmer) wrote Escape: A Memoir, the gripping true story of Jessops forced marriage at age 18 within the extremist religious group.

Married off to a man who already had several wives and was over three decades older than her, Jessop endured years of abuse and had eight children. Ultimately, she was able to escape the FLDS and testify to the Utah attorney general against Jeffs.

Colorado City, Arizona | George Frey/Getty Images

RELATED: Sister Wives: Kody Brown Makes Controversial Comments About Polygamy and Mental Health

Daughter of the Saints: Growing Up in Polygamy

Fundamentalist Mormon leader Rulon C. Allred, who was eventually assassinated by another fundamentalist leader, had 48 children with his many plural wives. And Dorothy Allred Solomon, the author of Daughter of the Saints, was number 28.

This memoir delves more deeply into the history of fundamentalist Mormonism, polygamy, and how sects like the Sister Wives clans group broke away from the mainstream church than many others in the genre. The author, like many others on this list, eventually left the faith of her upbringing.

Dr. Rulon Clark Allred | John Florea/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images

American Polygamy: A History of Fundamentalist Mormon Faith

If youre looking for a more balanced look at modern-day polygamy as practiced by families like the Browns of Sister Wives, American Polygamywritten by Mormon historians Craig L. Foster and Marianne Watson, a former member of the AUBis your best bet. American Polygamy dives into the history of the so-called Restoration groups in a way that many readers call objective, unbiased, and compelling.

Warren Jeffs | Jud Burkett-Pool/Getty Images

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith

Jon Krakauer, author of Under the Banner of Heaven, is well-known for his deep dive, first-person style of longform investigative journalism. This bookwhich centers around convicted murderers Ron and Dan Lafferty, Mormon fundamentalists who were excommunicated from the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saintsis certainly no exception.

Its based on Krakauers in-depth research into fundamentalist Mormon communities, as well as interviews with one of the Lafferty brothers.

Jon Krakauer | Gary Gershoff/WireImage

Prophets Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints

Private investigator Sam Brower, author of Prophets Prey (a New York Times bestseller that was eventually turned into a film of the same name), played a crucial role in Jeffs ultimate conviction after he was named one of the FBIs Top Ten Most Wanted.

Browers unique perspective lends a journalistic bent to Prophets Prey, which covers intimate details of Jeffs lifeas told in his own words in his private journalsand stories about how FLDS members were allegedly religiously and financially coerced, abused, and controlled.

Ron Howard, Sam Brower, and Robin Gurney | Andrew Toth/Getty Images For Showtime Networks

RELATED: Sister Wives: Christine Browns Aunt Calls the Brown Familys Religion a Cult System

The Witness Wore Red: The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice

Rebecca Musser was the 19th plural wife of Jeffs father, Rulon Jeffs (then 85 years old)and made headlines when she wore red, a color normally shunned by FLDS members, to Jeffs infamous trial.

In The Witness Wore Red, Musser (with W. Bridget Cook) shares the story of her forced marriage, her experience of the infamous Texas Rangers raid at the Yearning for Zion Ranch, and how she made her way out.

Grave of Rulon Jeffs | Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

The Polygamists Daughter: A Memoir

Former fundamentalist Mormon leader Ervil LeBaron murdered several of his opponents, enlisting several of his 13 wives as his accomplices along the way in the 1970s.

His daughter, Anna LeBaron (with Leslie Wilson), who witnessed and was affected by much of the aftermath of her fathers dangerous behaviors, wrote The Polygamists Daughtera memoir about escape, religious extremism, and loneliness.

Berry Knoll, land south of Colorado City, AZ | George Frey/Getty Images

Lost Boy: The True Story of One Mans Exile from a Polygamist Community and His Brave Journey to Reclaim His Life

Many of the stories circulating around the FLDS and its many related issues are told from the perspective of the many women who were affected. But Lost Boy unearths a different perspective: that of Brent W. Jeffs, Jeffs nephew, who tells his story alongside Maia Szalavitz.

Many boys and young men within the FLDS were abandoned by their families to make room for the older men in the community to marry younger womena phenomenon that sometimes left the religious leaders younger counterparts to succumb to addiction and depression.
Jerry Lara, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

San Antonio is among the top 10 most active cities in the U.S. searching online for kinky partners during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a dating app study.

KinkD describes itself as the leading kinky dating app for the BDSM (bondage, domination, submission and masochism) and fetish community. On Wednesday, KinkD released a report ranking the cities that have used the app the most since the pandemic began in March.
BGR

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, up to and including the present day, shoppers have encountered the effects of everything from supply chain disruptions to pandemic-related labor constraints which have unfortunately led to grocery store shortages. Just as the effects of the pandemic are not evenly distributed around the country, though, neither are these kinds of products  The post 5 popular grocery shortages that are making shoppers so angry right now appeared first on BGR.
A four-day series of virtual meetings among Asian foreign ministers kicked off with some diplomatic fireworks on Wednesday, as China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi lashed out at the US for its hardened position on the South China Sea dispute.

Regional observers had expected that the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) bloc that convenes the annual meetings would seek to de-escalate tensions over the waters in post-meeting statements.

The top diplomats are conferring via video link from their home countries in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam - the current chairman of Asean - sought to emphasise in his opening speech that cooperation on medical supplies in the midst of the pandemic as well as speeding up economic recovery were among the group's key priorities.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) delivers a speech during the opening of the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Wednesday. Photo: VTV via AP alt=Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) delivers a speech during the opening of the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Wednesday. Photo: VTV via AP

Nguyen did mention concerns about the sea row, but stopped short of criticising China in name.

Wang however, bluntly pinned blame for the tensions on the US.

Speaking during a meeting of foreign ministers of the East Asia Summit grouping, which also includes Asean, the US, and six other countries, the senior Chinese diplomat described Washington as the biggest driver of militarisation in the disputed sea and said the Western superpower had been engaging in smears of China's actions in the area.

"Peace and stability are China's greatest strategic interest in the South China Sea," Wang said, according to remarks published on the foreign ministry website, adding that this was the common strategic aspiration of Beijing and Asean.

Wang also discussed China's position on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), whose claimant states Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines have invoked to press their case in the long-standing row.

Story continues

These countries, as well as non-claimant Indonesia, oppose China's claim of some 85 per cent of the sea as part of its controversial "nine-dash line".

The Southeast Asian claimants say the Chinese boundary encroaches on their territorial waters as set out by Unclos, while Taiwan - viewed by Beijing as a renegade province - has a claim that is similar to that of the Chinese mainland.

Wang pointed out that while China was a party to Unclos, it did not recognise the law's binding settlement provisions for sea boundary disputes such as the current row. China, upon signing and ratifying the convention, had exercised an opt-out in 2006 over such matters.

Wang said Beijing's "construction" activity in disputed maritime features - the main gripe by the claimant countries is the Asian superpower's militarisation of the waters - was aimed at providing "public goods" for the area and ensuring its own security.

"In the face of escalating military pressure from countries outside the region, we certainly have the basic self-protection rights of sovereign states," Wang said.

In the midst of the broader rivalry between the superpowers, the US has toughened its position over the South China Sea dispute, aligning its legal stance on the row with the findings of a 2016 arbitral ruling against Beijing brought by the Philippines.

That ruling - by an arbitral court formed under Unclos' dispute settlement mechanism - essentially quashed China's nine-dash line claim, but Beijing did not participate in the case and does not recognise its findings, citing its 2006 opt-out.

In his remarks, Wang also addressed the broader US-China rivalry. He said the current state of affairs was not a struggle for power or a question of opposing systems, "but about adhering to multilateralism or unilateralism, and advocating win-win cooperation or zero-sum game".

The foreign ministers of the 10 Asean countries met among themselves earlier on Wednesday before the meeting with Wang and other external counterparts.

The top Asean diplomats were to have released a joint communique following their internal meeting, but that document was not yet publicly available early on Thursday.

The Vietnamese government however released a statement of its own.

The statement said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh - who is also foreign minister - had in the meeting "frankly expressed concerns over recent complex developments and serious incidents" in the South China Sea, which Hanoi calls the East Sea.

The incidents "have gone contrary to international law and the Unclos, violated the legitimate rights and interests of littoral countries, intensified tensions and undermined peace and security in the East Sea", Hanoi's statement said.

Indonesia and Malaysia were among other participants that published their remarks on the first day of meetings.

Kuala Lumpur repeated its position that it hoped for the dispute to be settled by peaceful means and through international law, including Unclos.

"We must all refrain from undertaking activities that would complicate matters in the South China Sea," Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said during the Asean-only meeting, according to a copy of his remarks released to the media.

He added: "We have to look at all avenues, all approaches, to ensure our region is not complicated by other powers."

The series of meetings will culminate on Saturday with the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), in which representatives from Russia, India, the US, Japan, Australia and the European Union will take part.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, who held meetings with Asean foreign ministers late on Wednesday, will also participate in the ARF.

Wang, who on Thursday begins a six-day visit to Russia for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meetings, was earlier expected to remotely attend the ARF as well.

Asked whether the minister would attend the ARF meeting, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that "relevant information on the attendance of the Chinese side will be released in due course".

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 19:04:01|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sales of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) in China posted robust growth in August, as the world's largest auto market steadily expands its recovery, industry data showed Thursday.

About 109,000 NEVs were sold last month, up 25.8 percent year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

In the first eight months, about 596,000 NEVs were sold, down 26.4 percent year on year.

CAAM data also showed China's auto market maintained its recovery momentum last month, as increasing demand and strengthening incentives have pushed positive market growth.

The country's total automobile output hit 2.12 million units in August, up 6.3 percent year on year, while total sales hit 2.19 million units, up 11.6 percent year on year.

China's auto market, hit by COVID-19, began to recover in April thanks to unleashed pent-up demand and encouraging policies, with sales rising 4.4 percent year on year. This ended a contraction streak over the past 21 months, according to CAAM. Enditem
An outspoken whistle-blowing journalist, Yashar Soltani, has challenged a preacher close to the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to explain a suspicious purchase of land he made in 2012.

A day earlier, Khamenei's close ally, the mid-ranking clergyman Alireza Panahian, said in an interview that an apartment was presented to him as a friendly gift.

Panahian, a preacher and favorite student of Khamenei, is also the head of Khamenei's "think tank for universities."

Responding to Panahian's claims, Soltani published a deed showing that Panahian's home was built on precious land that he acquired for a very low price from an Iranian living abroad.

Soltani shared a copy of the deed on his Telegram, adding, "What is the story behind buying 423 square meters (about 4560 square feet) of land in the lush and luxurious Saadatabad neighborhood. And how did you buy it from Ms. Layla Momtahan in 2012?"

According to the document, Panahian bought the 423 square meters of land for a mere 118 million rials (approximately $2800), or 280,000 rials (roughly $6.6) per square meter(about 10.7 feet).

"Why did the family of Momtahan, who left Iran during the [Islamic] Revolution, sell their property to you at a much lower price than its real value, and through Mesgarzadeh's mediation?" Soltani wondered.

Panahian has not yet responded to Soltani's allegations, remaining quiet except to argue that his residence on the property was an apartment, not a home, and had been a "gift from friends."

Panahian also claimed that, if his critics knew all the details of his life, "people would collect donations for me," and that he lives and dies by his friends' gifts.

Panahian's remarks triggered a barrage of reactions on social media, with his usage of the word "gift" reminding some of the former executive deputy chief of staff of two heads of the Islamic Republic Judiciary, Akbar Tabari. During Tabari's recent trial concerning his allegedly widespread financial corruption, Tabari told the court that whatever he had was a "gift from friends."
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Salman Khan had been in quarantine at his Panvel farmhouse for the last five months. He returned to Mumbai in August. The actor is now gearing up to begin shooting for two of his biggest projects: his film Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai and his reality show Bigg Boss Season 14.

According to reports in Mumbai Mirror, Salman Khan will start shooting for the first episode of Bigg Boss 14 from October 1 in Filmcity. This time the makers are shooting the premiere of the show three days in advance due to the pandemic. So while the opening night of the show is October 4, Salman Khan will shoot for it on October 1

has allotted his entire day for the shoot.

Mumbai Mirror also reports that Salman Khans next film Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai will also resume. Salman will start shooting for it from October 2 in Mehboob Studios. The makers have already booked an entire floor at the studio. The patch work and a song will be wrapped up within 10-12 days. Salman Khan will shoot for some scenes with Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff. And also has a dance sequence with Disha Patani. Radhe which was supposed to be an Eid 2020 release will now release on Christmas 2020 or it might be pushed to the Republic Day weekend next year. Lets wait and watch what Bhai has planned for his fans.

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MAGAS, Russia -- Prosecutors in Russia's North Caucasus region of Ingushetia have asked a court in the regional capital, Magas, to sentence Rashid Maisigov, a former editor of the opposition online media outlet Fortanga, to five years in prison on drug charges that he and his lawyers reject.

Maisigov's lawyer, Magomet Aushev, told RFE/RL on September 10 that a date for pronouncing the verdict and sentence had not been set yet, adding that the trial was adjourned until September 15.

Maisigov was arrested in June 2019 and charged with possession of illegal drugs. Maisigov and his lawyers insist that the drugs were planted and the whole case was fabricated by local authorities.

In February, Maisigov was additionally charged with separatism and his trial on that charge, which he rejects as well, is pending.

The Fortanga Telegram channel extensively covered mass rallies in Magas last year, where thousands of demonstrators protested a deal on the demarcation of administrative boundaries between Ingushetia and another Russian region, Chechnya.

The protests were violently dispersed by police and security forces, and dozens of demonstrators were detained and faced criminal charges.
A student has been rushed to hospital after a mystery incident at a high school south of Sydney.

Police were called to Woonona High School, in Wollongong, on Thursday afternoon following reports a student had been stabbed.

A teenage boy has been taken to hospital to receive treatment for injuries to his abdomen.

Police were called to Woonona High School (pictured), in Wollongong,

It is understood the incident was accidental and it remains unclear what object caused the injuries.

'There is nothing to suggest there is an immediate threat to anyone at the school,' a NSW Police Spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

Officers remain on the scene and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The wound is believed to be non-life threatening.
Rhea Chakraborty and Sushant Singh Rajput

Mumbai: Actor Rhea Chakraborty, held in drugs case has alleged in her bail application filed in a Mumbai court that during her interrogation by the NCB, she was "coerced" into making "self-incriminating confessions".

In the plea filed in a session court on Wednesday, Rhea also claimed that she has not committed any crime whatsoever and has been falsely implicated in the case.

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Rhea Chakraborty

Her bail application is scheduled to come up for hearing on Thursday.

The actor, who was arrested in Mumbai by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday, filed this plea after a magistrate court rejected her bail application.

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The plea, filed by her lawyer Satish Maneshinde said, "During her NCB custody, the applicant (Rhea) was coerced into making self-incriminating confessions. The actor has formally retracted all such incriminating confessions."

In the plea, she also said that her arrest is "unwarranted and without any justification".

Sushant and Rhea

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The plea also said that no female officer was present during her interrogation.

Rhea was arrested after three days of questioning by the NCB. She is currently in judicial custody. Besides Rhea's, the bail pleas of other accused, including that of her brother Showik, who was arrested by the NCB last week, will also be heard on Thursday.

Besides Rhea and Showik, the NCB has also arrested Sushant's house manager Samuel Miranda and others on drug supply charges.
Audrey Strauss, the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, at a news conference on Wednesday to announce the unsealing of an indictment against Robert Hadden. John Minchillo/AP Photo

A former New York gynecologist accused of sexually abusing women and girls including former presidential candidate Andrew Yang's wife was charged on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.

The Justice Department said Robert Hadden faces six federal counts of "enticing and inducing individuals to travel interstate to engage in illegal sexual activity."

The sex-abuse allegations span from 1993 to 2012, while Hadden worked at Columbia University and at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

The indictment said there were dozens of victims, but the charges against Hadden involve five women and one minor.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A former gynecologist accused of sexually abusing women and girls including former presidential candidate Andrew Yang's wife was charged in New York on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.

Robert Hadden was indicted in the Southern District of New York on six federal counts of "enticing and inducing individuals to travel interstate to engage in illegal sexual activity," the Justice Department said. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss said that Hadden "inappropriately touched, squeezed, and even licked his victims" and that one of his victims was a minor he had helped deliver as a baby, the AP reported.

"He used the cover of conducting medical examinations to engage in sexual abuse that he passed off as normal and medically necessary," Strauss said. "His conduct was neither normal nor medically necessary."

Prosecutors said Hadden abused dozens of women and girls from 1993 to 2012 while he worked at Columbia University and at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The charges involve five adults and a minor.

In the DOJ press release, Strauss called Hadden "a predator in a white coat."

Hadden surrendered his medical license in 2016 as part of a plea deal with the Manhattan district attorney, whose office in 2014 brought a case against him over accusations of criminal sex acts. The plea deal meant Hadden avoided jail time but "pleaded guilty to a single felony count of criminal sexual act in the third degree, and one misdemeanor count of forcible touching," The New York Times reported.

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Yang's wife, Evelyn Yang, testified as part of the 2014 case against Hadden. An NPR report said it was unclear whether she was one of the six victims included in the new indictment.

Evelyn Yang told CNN in January that Hadden sexually abused her in 2012 when he was her gynecologist and she was pregnant. She said it "started with inappropriate questions" that were "unrelated to my health."

She said the doctor examined her more frequently than was medically necessary, adding, "I feel like I put up with some inappropriate behavior that I didn't know at the time was straight-up sexual abuse/sexual assault."

Yang said Hadden had examined her internally without a glove on when she was seven months pregnant. "At that moment, I knew it was wrong," she said. "I knew I was being assaulted."

Yang had called Hadden's plea deal with the Manhattan DA a "slap on the wrist," the AP reported.

The federal indictment "only puts into high relief the betrayal I and his other victims experienced by the Manhattan DA," Marissa Hoechstetter, who has also accused Hadden of abuse, told the AP.

"I hope that through the course of this, the world will finally see the full extent of Hadden's decades of sexual abuse and the institutional cowardice that protected and enabled him for so long," she said. "He and his enablers must be held accountable if we are to make change in a system that harms those it is meant to protect."

Read the original article on Insider
Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, Minister of Transport has given the assurance that the Keta Port Project is in progress and that actual infrastructural development would begin next year.



He said, for now, a feasibility study to determine the appropriate infrastructure for the port was been undertaken by a German consultant which report could be ready by the first quarter of next year.



The Minister made this known at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament when he availed himself to assist three agencies, namely, Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority, and the Ghana Technical Training Centre to answer questions on their 2015 Audit Report.



The Keta Port Project question was asked as a Public Interest question by Richard Quarshigah, Member of Parliament for the Keta Constituency, whose concern was based on the fact that, though the port was at teething stage, a director has been appointed by the President to manage its affairs.



However, the question, agitating the mind of the Member of Parliament who is also a member of the Committee was doused by the Minister with the explanation that since the construction of a port was not an event but a process, the President saw it necessary to appoint a director who would be at a pivotal point to coordinate all the processes leading to its implementation.



He said some of the processes included acquisition of land for the project, getting the necessary Executive Instrument to take possession of the land and doing surveying to co-ordinate the area properly.



Mr Asiamah said all that have been done to ensure that the project did not affect the coastal area and its environs, adding that the government was currently looking for an investor to champion it as a Public-Private Partnership project.



When James Avedzi, the Chairman of the Committee also sought to pick the Ministers thought on legalisation of commercial motorcycles by former President Mahama who is currently the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress as another Public Interest question, the Minister contended that he was baffled by the stance of the former President as it was during his tenure in 2012, a Legislative Instrument was laid before Parliament to ban the commercialisation of motorcycles, popularly known as Okada.



Mr Asiamah said he would not be able to determine what has informed any decision to the contrary by the former President now.



However, that was inconclusive as the issue of the law being introduced to Parliament before former President Mahama took office as Mr Afedzi at that point said, I know your position on the question, so you are discharged.







Source: The Ghanaian Times









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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In a year when the coronavirus pandemic has reshaped countless American rituals, even the commemoration of 9/11 could not escape unchanged.

The 19th anniversary of the terror attacks will be marked by dueling ceremonies at the Sept. 11 memorial plaza and a corner near the World Trade Center, reflecting a divide over the memorial's decision to suspend a cherished tradition of relatives reading victims' names in person. Vice President Mike Pence is expected at both those remembrances in New York, while President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden plan to attend a truncated ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

In New York, the double beams of light that evoke the fallen twin towers were nearly canceled in the name of virus safety, until an uproar restored the tribute. The Fire Department has cited the virus in urging members to stay away from any observances of the 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, among them almost 350 firefighters.

Image: The Tribute in Light installation is illuminated over lower Manhattan as seen from The National September 11 Memorial & Museum marking the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York (Andrew Kelly / Reuters)

Some victims' relatives say they understand the ground zero observance had to change in a year when so much else has. Others fear the pandemic is making plain what they have feared was happening unspoken: that the commitment to Never Forget is fading.

Its another smack in the face," says Jim Riches, who lost his son Jimmy, a firefighter.

The father is staying home on the anniversary for the first time this year because he doesnt want to take chances with the coronavirus after a prior illness. But he feels others should have the option of reciting the names of the dead on the memorial plaza, instead of listening to a recording.

Memorial leaders said they wanted to avoid close contact among readers, who are usually paired at the podium. But to Riches, a retired fire battalion chief and frequent critic of the memorial organization, the decision sounds like an excuse for sidelining the families role in commemorating 9/11.

I wish they wouldnt forget, but theyre trying to," he says.

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A photograph of fallen firefighter Leon Smith, Jr. is held up during a ceremony marking the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Sept. 11, 2019, in New York. (Mark Lennihan / AP)

But Anthoula Katsimatides sees the differences this year as an effort to ensure victims' relatives feel comfortable attending  including her mother, who hasn't left home since March because health issues make her especially worried about the virus. But she is determined to go in honor of her son John, a bond trader, her daughter said.

In a year when many events have been called off, this wasnt canceled. Its just been changed in such a way where we still get to pay tribute to our loved ones in a respectful and safe way, said Katsimatides, who's on the memorial board. She says the change wasn't motivated by anything except a public health emergency.

Who expected COVID-19? ... It was completely unforeseen. As was 9/11, she said.

This year's plans have been a balancing act at the sites where hijacked planes piloted by al-Qaida terrorists crashed on Sept. 11, 2001: New York, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The Flight 93 memorial near Shanksville is trimming its usual 90-minute ceremony, partly by eliminating musical interludes. Memorial spokeswoman Katherine Cordek said the names of the 40 people killed there would be read, but by one person instead of multiple family members.

Military leaders will conduct the Pentagon's ceremony without victims' families in attendance, and their loved ones' names will be recited by a recording, rather than readers on-site. Victims' relatives can visit the Pentagon's memorial in small groups later Friday.

People are seen paying their respects at 9/11 Memorial on July 23, 2020 in New York City. (John Nacion / Associated Press)

In New York  where the nations deadliest coronavirus spike happened this spring but has since been fairly well contained  leaders of the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum said their plan for a no-reading ceremony would honor both virus precautions and 9/11 families attachment to being at ground zero on the anniversary.

But another 9/11-related organization, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, quickly arranged its own simultaneous ceremony a few blocks away, saying victims relatives could recite names while keeping a safe distance.

We need to keep letting America know what happened 19 years ago. And they need to see that emotion of the day, not a recording, says chairman Frank Siller. He says he may attend both observances to honor the brother he lost, firefighter Stephen.

Meanwhile, Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro told current firefighters in a memo last month that the department strongly recommends members not participate in 9/11 observances. The department did hold a limited-attendance ceremony Wednesday to add names to a memorial wall recognizing members who died after exposure to toxins unleashed in the wreckage.

Tensions over anniversary plans flared anew when the memorial announced last month it was nixing the Tribute in Light, twin blue beams that shine into the night sky over lower Manhattan. While theres no official gathering to view the lights, the memorial cited virus risks to the installation crew.

The cancellation outraged some victims relatives, police and fire unions and politicians, who noted that construction sites around the city were deemed safe to reopen months ago. After the Tunnel to Towers foundation said it would organize the display on its own, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, the memorials billionaire chairman, stepped in to keep the memorial-sponsored lights on. (Tunnel to Towers is now stationing lights at the Flight 93 memorial and the Pentagon.)

Memorial President Alice Greenwald later said the organization should have approached this issue differently.

Still, the memorials moves fanned mistrust among some 9/11 victims relatives who wonder how long the name-reading and other observances will continue.

Katsimatides, the board member, foresees the ceremony returning to normal next year.

Debra Epps has been to the ground zero ceremony every year. She said it means a lot to her to read names and add a few words in tribute to her brother Christopher, an accountant.

Still, she thinks the memorial was right to forgo the live name-reading this year. The virus has her concerned enough that she's not planning to attend.

It really is a hard decision to make, but I know that we're still in this pandemic, said Epps, who works in health care.

I will remember my brother, no matter what, she said.
Bigg Boss Telugu season 4 hosted by Nagarjuna Akkineni started airing on Star Maa from September 6. Ever since it was premiered, viewers were curious to witness the first fight between the contestants in the madhouse. And guess what, the first big argument happened in the first week itself.

When new contestants Syed Sohel Ryan and Ariyana Glory entered the main house from the secret room, they had their first interaction with housemates. However, the interaction has sparked a verbal spat between Abijeet and Sohel. Abijeet got furious and lost his cool for the first time on the show and lashed out at Sohel for deliberately picking a fight with the housemates.

The fight between Abijeet and Sohel indeed affected the house's atmosphere as co-contestants started discussing the fight. Ariyana Glory expressed her discomfort to Noel about the fight. Well, for the unversed, Abijeet was also already on the radar of housemates after he passed a comment on Karate Kalyani's plan to wear saree like senior house member Gangavva.

Karate Kalyani got offended by his comment, for which he later apologized. However, she told him that it was body shaming. But in defence, Abijeet said that it was just a casual comment and was not made with any bad intention.

Also Read : Bigg Boss Telugu 4 Voting Process: Know How To Vote For Your Favourite Contestants!

Well, the Bigg Boss Telugu 4 house has indeed witnessed a lot of drama in the first week itself. It will be interesting to see host Nagarjuna Akkineni's reaction over what happened in the house.

Also Read : Bigg Boss Telugu 4 Begins! Meet The Contestants Of The Show Hosted By Nagarjuna Akkineni
If you like this article, read more about Milwaukee-area history and architecture in the hundreds of other similar articles in the Urban Spelunking series here .

A few years ago I wrote about the history of the Mariner Building, 411 E. Mason St., on the corner of Mason and Milwaukee Streets in East Town, which is home to the Hotel Metro these days.

Now, thanks to Ben Dahlman at Dahlman Construction Company, we can see the progress of its construction is a series of photographs taken while it was being built from the Colby-Abbott Building across the street.

This process of documenting the construction of buildings via dated photographs is a common one and the erection of many structures can be followed this way. During my research over the years, I've come across many such sequences of photographs, especially of the construction of Milwaukee Public Schools buildings.

As I wrote in 2018:

When the John W. Mariner Building opened on the southeast corner of Mason and Milwaukee Streets in Downtown Milwaukee in the waning months of 1937 it was heralded as an immediate landmark of design and comfort. Milwaukee marveled at its sleek Art Deco/Moderne architecture and the fact that it was top-loaded with modern amenities, especially that it was the city's first fully air-conditioned office building.

Named for real estate developer John Mariner, who died in 1930, but whose company continued on after his passing, the building was designed by Eschweiler and Eschweiler.

Interestingly, the 1930 skyscraper built at the corner of 6th and Wisconsin by the theater-owning Saxe brothers was also, for a time, called the Mariner Building, because it occupied land that had long been owned by the magnate.

Dahlman Construction was founded in 1908 by John A. Dahlman, Ben's great-grandfather.

Born in Ripon in 1873, Dahlman came to Milwaukee when he was 18 and worked for the Northwestern Tile Company, where he learned about concrete construction.

Over the years, his eponymous company has worked on many projects, including the Lakeside Power Plant, Oak Creek Generating Plants, Wisconsin Telephone Company (AT&T), the Primate House at the Milwaukee County Zoo, MATC, Milwaukee Lutheran High School, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and St. Sava Orthodox Cathedral.

You can read more about the history of the Mariner Building/Hotel Metro here.

These photos are fascinating to see not only to follow the progress of construction but because they also offer glimpses into the surrounding area at the time, too.

They were taken by St. Paul, Minnesota native James Blair Murdoch, who was born in 1896 and came to Milwaukee during the 1920s. After working as a newspaper photographer, Murdoch had, by, 1924, opened his own commercial photography studio  J.B. Murdoch Co. and, later, Murdoch Photographing Co.  at 768 N. Broadway, moving across the street to 757 N. Broadway in 1927.

A 1928 newspaper ad taken out by Murdoch Photographing Co.

A collection of about 2,600 of Murdoch's photos held in the collections of the UW-Milwaukee libraries includes a wide variety of business-related images, from gas stations to factories, department stores to insurance agencies. There are also images of parties, fashion shows, billboards, crowds at store sales, crime and accident scenes, and more.

A number of school photographs include shots of sports, graduations and grade schools.

Murdoch retired in 1965, leaving the photography studio in the care of employee David Thielke. He died in Milwaukee in January 1971.

Stay tuned for more great historical photos from the Dahlman Construction archives.

March 12, 1937

April 2, 1937

May 4, 1937

June 3, 1937

July 7, 1937

Aug. 2, 1937

Sept. 9, 1937

Oct. 1, 1937

Nov. 3, 1937

March 28, 1938
COVID-19 Impacts WSU Student, Faculty Scientific Research

September 9, 2020

OGDEN, Utah  Weber State University science students and faculty have had to stay proactive, get inventive and adjust their research methods and communication as they continue to work during the outbreak of COVID-19.

Weber State junior Xitlalli Villanueva, who is studying the effects of mining chemicals on brine shrimp in the Great Salt Lake and the food chain, was ready to begin her field research this summer, following two years preparation in the lab.

I was doing research on the effect of methylmercury and mercury chloride on brine shrimp in the Great Salt Lake, Villnueva said. I was checking the toxicity levels of the brain and learning what the brain could withstand.

Although brine shrimp are not directly related to humans, the effects these chemicals have could impact the entire food chain, Villanueva said. Most of the methylmercury and mercury chloride in the Great Salt Lake comes from neighboring mines. The effects of these chemicals on the shrimp have not been tested to date.

It's important to be reminded that scientific research always goes back to the public and the everyday lives of people, Villanueva said. It's something that even though it's not impacting us directly, the methyl mercury, mercury chloride is going to eventually build up in our ecosystem and get back to us.

Villanueva and fellow researchers set out to begin their field research to investigate the impact weeks before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

There were a lot of things that we wanted to do, she said. My first two years of research were spent in the lab. This year, what I really wanted to do was focus more on being outdoors and studying brine shrimp from the environment. Because of COVID, it was a little hard to do that. I didn't have as much access to my professor, and all the lab equipment that I needed was on campus.

In addition, Villanueva, who would have normally been living in the Ogden area in order to complete her research, stayed in Idaho with family. She commuted between Ogden and Idaho to work on her research over the summer. She returned full time to Ogden at the start of fall semester.

Villanueva also planned to attend the National Conference for Undergraduate Research at Montana State University in March and connect with other scientists studying methylmercury, but the conference was canceled. The research she hoped to have ready for publication within the next year will probably be delayed, but she plans to continue her work partly because the pandemic has underscored the need for quality research. She was disappointed that she did not have the opportunity to collaborate with other researchers at this conference. You can't really share ideas how you would usually share them and you can't get others' voices in your research on how you could improve as you would in person.

As science students and faculty have adjusted to learning and teaching under the new constraints, some professors are concerned about the lack of personal interaction with online classes. Zoology professor Nicole Berthelemy often needs to demonstrate proper procedures for equipment and assist students who are learning new techniques such as measuring and transferring liquids through a pipette.

I had one student a while back who didnt understand the dial measuring mechanism on a pipette, Berthelemy said. I tried a number of times to explain it to her, but she ended up breaking the instrument. Im worried that will happen more often now that I cant interact with the students in person.

Fellow zoology professor Elizabeth Sandquist said COVID-19 has had a definite effect on the research community worldwide, but the level of impact has varied across the country.

I interact with scientists from a variety of institutions on Twitter, and have found that undergraduate institutions have been particularly affected in comparison with research intensive universities, Sandquist said. Undergraduate researchers require more one-on-one supervision to perform research, while graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are able to work independently on campus if they maintain social distancing. In addition, the spread of the coronavirus varies geographically, and each research institution has its own requirements for social distancing. One university may have completely shut down research laboratories, while another may allow research at the scientists' discretion. Even within the same university, scientists report differences in activity from one lab to the next.

In the spring, Sandquist began a collaboration with Jim Hutchins, WSU professor of health sciences, to study the impact of autism on synaptogenesis, the formation of synapses between neurons in the nervous system. According to Sandquist, they have still been able to research the topic and plan experiments with students through regular online meetings. Students have been able to access manuscripts related to this topic through WSUs Stewart Library. They have been able to write and share summaries of their findings.

Sandquist encourages the involvement of undergraduates in research. Students in her lab learn immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, fluorescent microscopy, CRISPR-mediated genome editing and zebrafish husbandry. They also gain valuable skills in scientific literacy, experiment design and science communication.

Weber State science faculty have adapted through the aid of technology, finding innovative ways to creatively teach and engage virtually. As with his colleagues, earth and environmental science professor Dave Matty spent the summer prepping for a new style of teaching with a combination of video, zoom and online instruction.

I guess the thing to remember about this entire situation is that were all going to have to adapt, Matty said in a video explaining how the semester will work.

College of Science (COS) faculty also created engaging online activities both for university students and for the community.

"Weber State College of Science faculty have an ongoing commitment to highimpact, experiential teaching and learning, and much of this active teaching and learning occurs in lab and field settings, says Andrea Easter-Pilcher, College of Science dean. Though we may not be able to pursue the level of lab and field experiences and undergraduate research that we prefer due to COVID restrictions, I have watched in admiration as COS faculty and students have continued their research within COVID restriction guidelines. We will persevere through this, and our students will continue to benefit from the dedication, innovation and creativity of our faculty."

For more information about the College of Science, visit .weber.edu/cos.

For more news about Weber State University, visit weber.edu/wsutoday.
President Donald Trump jumped into the debate over whether journalist Bob Woodward had a duty to warn the public about Trump's explosive taped coronavirus comments  and sided with the author he has accused of writing a 'hit-job.'

The president said Thursday Woodward did not have an obligation to disclose the contents of their conversations during 18 interviews Woodward conducted with him because they were 'good and proper answers.'

His tweet offered a new aspect to his defense of downplaying the virus, which he claimed was to avoid 'panic' and 'fear,' and co-opts Woodward into the defense.

Woodward - who no longer describes himself as a day-to-day reporter but as an author - defended himself amid criticism of not releasing the tapes in advance of his book, saying he wanted to verify if what Trump said was true, and how the president had come to learn it.

'Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months,' Trump tweeted Thursday morning, after defending his taped comments that the virus was 'deadly' stuff while also confiding that he liked 'playing it down' to avoid rattling the public.

'If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didn't he immediately report them in an effort to save lives?' Trump asked.

'Didn't he have an obligation to do so? No, because he knew they were good and proper answers. Calm, no panic!' Trump wrote.

Trump asked and answered a question Thursday about whether Bob Woodward should have published their conversations sooner

President Donald Trump said Bob Woodward didn't have an obligation to disclose his coronavirus comments because they were 'good and proper answers'

Woodward has dismissed claims that he could've saved lives had he published Trump's comments sooner

Trump was referencing his own defense Wednesday, when he defended his decision not to raise too many alarms.

WHAT DONALD TRUMP TOLD BOB WOODWARD Tape recordings and extracts from the veteran Watergate reporter's forthcoming book Rage make a series of bombshell revelations. TRUTH ABOUT CORONAVIRUS Trump told Woodward on February 7 that coronavirus was 'deadly.' 'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff,' he said - but did not tell the public what he knew COVER-UP On January 28, Robert O'Brien told Trump coronavirus 'will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency,' and said: 'This is going to be the roughest thing you face.' Trump then told Americans it was 'under control' and would 'go away.' And on March 19 Trump said: 'I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.' NORTH KOREA Trump says Kim is 'far beyond smart,' and says that the dictator told him 'everything,' boasting about how he described the brutal execution of his uncle in a power struggle. Woodward reveals Kim Jong-Un's 'love letters' to Trump gushing to 'Your Excellency' about 'holding your hand' and calling their summit 'a fantasy film.' But Woodward also reveals that when Trump was tweeting about 'Little Rocket Man' Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was so concerned about escalation that he slept in his clothes. TRUMP ON THE MILITARY 'My f***ing generals are a bunch of p***ies,' Trump ranted in the Oval Office, and said their backing for NATO and an alliance with South Korea was 'stupid. Costs us $10 billion. We're suckers.' ...AND HIS PREDECESSORS Trump said Woodward made George W Bush 'look like a stupid moron, which he was.' Of Obama he ranted: 'I don't think Obama's smart ... I think he's highly overrated. And I don't think he's a great speaker.' And he added that Kim Jong-Un called Obama 'an a**hol.' WHAT AIDES SAID ABOUT HIM Jim Mattis called him 'dangerous' and 'unfit,' went to pray in Washington National Cathedral, left government because he was 'basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid' in reference to pulling troops from Syria, and suggested 'collective action' after leaving. Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, had 'deep suspicions' that Putin had something on him and 'could not shake them.' Dr. Tony Fauci called his leadership 'rudderless,' his attention span 'like a minus number' and said: 'His sole purpose is to get re-elected.' Jared Kushner - his son-in-law - said Alice In Wonderland is the key to Trump, saying: 'If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there.' RACE RELATIONS Trump described the term 'white privilege' as 'drinking the Kool-Aid' and repeated his claim he had done more for black Americans than Lincoln, adding: 'And, honestly, Im not feeling any love.' NUCLEAR SECRETS Trump used his private cellphone for late-night calls and revealed he had a 'weapons system' which Putin and Xi did not know about. Advertisement

'I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love this country. I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic,' he said at the White House.

He made a similar statement to the author, telling Woodward: 'I still like playing it down because I don't want to create a panic.'

His comments came after some media critics pounced on Woodward for holding back the extraordinary information for months, claiming earlier publication of Trump's private warnings could have saved lives.

Among the critics were Charles Pierce of Esquire, who equated Woodward, an author, with Trump. the head of the executive branch in being responsible for the spread of the virus.

'Nearly 200,000 Americans have died because neither Donald Trump nor Bob Woodward wanted to risk anything substantial to keep the country informed,' Pierce wrote.

CNN analyst Jessica Huseman, a reporter for ProPublica, tweeted: 'How differently might Trump's supporters have acted if - this whole time - they knew that he knew COVID was a serious threat? Woodward could have made that happen in February.'

And Jose Antonio Vargas, a filmmaker who previously worked for the Post, tweeted: 'If journalism is a public trust a trust that has consistently eroded and Bob Woodward is an associate editor at the Washington Post, why did Woodward sit on this information while Americans suffered and died?'

Scott Nover, an AdWeek reporter, tweeted: 'These interviews about Covid-19 were done in February and March. Why are we learning about it in a book published in September? Isn't there a journalistic imperative to publish this information in a timely manner... especially during a pandemic?'

Woodward defended his decision in comments to the Associated Press. 'He tells me this, and I'm thinking, 'Wow, that's interesting, but is it true?' Trump says things that don't check out, right?' he said.

'If I had done the story at that time about what he knew in February, that's not telling us anything we didn't know,' Woodward said.

At that point, he said, the issue was no longer one of public health but of politics.

His priority became getting the story out 'before the election in November,' Woodward continued.

Woodward also told the Washington Post Wednesday that he was trying to write 'the best obtainable version of the truth.'

However its media columnist, Margaret Sullivan, did not entirely back his position of not releasing them.

'I dont know if putting the books newsiest revelations out there in something closer to real time would have made a difference,' she wrote.

'They might very well have been denied and soon forgotten in the constant rush of new scandals and lies.

'Still, the chance  even if its a slim chance  that those revelations could have saved lives is a powerful argument against waiting this long.'

Woodward became famous for breaking news in the Watergate scandal for the Washington Post.

Although Woodward has written multiple books about sitting presidents, often filled with revelations which set news agendas, Fear is the first book to face such criticism.

He retains an honorary title as the Washington Post's associate editor but does not work for the paper, and has previously described his role as an author as writing 'the second draft' of history.

Woodward has also repeatedly pointed out that he is not in daily journalism, and has not been for many years.

Washington Post journalist, Erik Wemple, tweeted that he had recently interviewed Woodward about the issue.

'Addressing only issues of process, Woodward said that when Trump talked about coronavirus -- 'deadly stuff' -- in their Feb. 7 interview, he (Woodward) didn't know where Trump was getting his information, whether it was true, and so on,' Wemple tweeted.

According to Wemple, it took Woodward 'three months to nail down all the reporting about what Trump knew about coronavirus, when he learned it and how all that related to the public pronouncements he was making. It wasn't until May that he put those pieces together'.

When asked directly whether earlier publication of his interviews would have saved lives, Woodward responded: 'No! How?'

'He pointed out that Trump made that comment on March 19, and he had already made an Oval Office address on March 11. Confirmed cases were taking off,' Wemple tweeted about the interview.

'Woodward did say that if anything he gathered was a legitimate public health issue, he would have gone to The Post and sought to have it published forthwith,' Wemple added.

Trump told Woodward in March that his public rhetoric was part of a strategy to deliberately minimize the danger. 'I wanted to always play it down,' the president said. 'I still like playing it down because I don't want to create a panic.'

The president, according to the book, acknowledged being alarmed by the virus, even as he was telling the nation that it would swiftly disappear.

Coming less than eight weeks before Election Day, the revelations in the book - accompanied by recordings Woodward made of his interviews with Trump - provide an unwelcome return of public attention to the president's handling of the pandemic.

Trump is currently pushing hard for a resumption of normal activity and trying to project strength and control to bolster his political position in his campaign against Democratic rival Joe Biden.

In a February 7 call with Woodward, Trump said of the virus: 'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.'

'This is deadly stuff,' the president repeated for emphasis.

Just three days later, Trump struck a far rosier tone in an interview with Fox Business: 'I think the virus is going to be - it's going to be fine.'

Washington Post journalist, Erik Wemple, recently interviewed Woodward about the claim

'Addressing only issues of process, Woodward said that when Trump talked about coronavirus -- 'deadly stuff' -- in their Feb. 7 interview, he (Woodward) didn't know where Trump was getting his information, whether it was true, and so on,' Wemple tweeted

According to Wemple, it took Woodward 'three months to nail down all the reporting about what Trump knew about coronavirus, when he learned it and how all that related to the public pronouncements he was making. It wasn't until May that he put those pieces together'

There are more than 6.3 million cases of the virus in the US with at least 189,972 deaths

Biden said Wednesday the book shows Trump 'lied to the American people'.

'He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months. While a deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job - on purpose. It was a life or death betrayal of the American people,' Biden said at a campaign event in Michigan.

Biden's campaign released an ad late Wednesday featuring the audiotapes of Trump's remarks. 'And Trump knew all along,' the ad's narrator says.

Speaking Wednesday at the White House, Trump acknowledged he downplayed the virus, insisting he was trying to buck up the nation and suggesting he was trying to avoid 'gouging' on prices of needed supplies.

'The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic, as you say,' Trump told reporters.

'Certainly, I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength.'

Yet Trump's public comments suggested he was steering people to ignore the reality of the coming storm.

The Washington Post, where Woodward serves as associate editor, reported excerpts of the book, Rage on Wednesday. The book also covers race relations and North Korea

Woodward's account details dire warnings from top Trump national security officials to the president in late January that the virus that causes COVID-19 could be as bad as the devastating influenza pandemic of 1918.

On February 25, just weeks before much of the country was forced to shut down because of the pandemic, Trump declared the virus 'very well under control in our country'.

Though he restricted travel from China in January, Trump did not begin to devote extensive federal resources to procuring vital personal protective equipment, including face masks, or expand the production of ventilators until March.

In fact, US officials recommended against widespread mask wearing until April in part because of a shortage of protective masks required by front-line medical workers.

Trump aides and allies said at the time that he was aiming to prop up the economy with his rosy take on the virus throughout February, even as his administration took few concrete steps to prepare for the coming pandemic.

The Washington Post, where Woodward serves as associate editor, reported excerpts of the book, Rage on Wednesday, as did CNN. The book also covers race relations, diplomacy with North Korea and a range of other issues that have arisen during the past two years.

The book is based in part on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July.

'Trump never did seem willing to fully mobilize the federal government and continually seemed to push problems off on the states,' Woodward writes of the pandemic.

'There was no real management theory of the case or how to organize a massive enterprise to deal with one of the most complex emergencies the United States had ever faced.'

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday: 'The president has never lied to the American public on COVID. The president was expressing calm, and his actions reflect that.'

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany (pictured) said Wednesday: 'The president has never lied to the American public on COVID. The president was expressing calm, and his actions reflect that'

Biden (pictured at a campaign event in Michigan) said Wednesday the book shows Trump 'knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months'

She said Trump's actions show that he took COVID-19 seriously. She noted that the president put in place travel restrictions with China on January 31 and said that some Democrats had criticized the move.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Dr Anthony Fauci said Trump never 'distorted' what the government's top infectious disease expert had told the president.

'Often he would want to, you know, make sure that the country doesn't get down and out about things, but I don't recall anything that was any gross distortion in things that I spoke to him about,' Fauci said.

McEnany insisted 'the president never downplayed the virus,' though Trump himself told Woodward he was 'playing it down because I don't want to create a panic'.

'There is damning truth that President Trump lied and people died,' said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Schumer said that when he thinks about how many people in his state died, 'It just makes me angry.' He added: 'How many people would be alive today if he just told Americans the truth?'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said the president's comments to Woodward showed weakness and a disdain for science.

'What he was actually saying is, 'I don't want anybody to think anything like this happened on my watch so I'm not going to call any more attention to it,'' Pelosi said on MSNBC.

Woodward's book is his second on the Trump White House. The first, published in 2018, portrayed Trump in an unflattering light, and the president fumed at staff that he was not interviewed for it, according to former White House officials and Republicans close to the White House.

They were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations and discussed the matter on condition of anonymity.

Trump was convinced that if he had talked to Woodward, it could have led to a more favorable depiction in the book, according to the officials. Trump had always held Woodward in high regard - he considered the journalist as the biggest star in the field - and told aides he must be interviewed if Woodward were to write again, the officials said.

Several Republican senators at the Capitol declined to comment on the new book, telling reporters they hadn't yet read it, even when informed of key passages about the virus. 'I just cant, cant comment on it,' said Sen Rob Portman, of Ohio.

'Could we all have done things differently? Yes, including Congress. We were all a little slow to recognize the severity,' Portman said.
Queensland Woman to Miss out on Fathers Funeral

A young woman will be allowed to leave quarantine in Brisbane to view her fathers body, but wont be allowed to attend his funeral in a case that has ignited a bitter feud between Queenslands premier and the prime minister.

Canberra resident Sarah Caisip, 23, has been permitted to view her father Bernards body by the states chief health officer.

But despite a personal plea from Prime Minister Scott Morrison she will still not be allowed to leave quarantine to go to her fathers funeral on Sept. 10.

Annastacia Palaszczuk accused Morrison of trying to bully her over the states strict coronavirus border restrictions when he rang her on Sept. 10 morning to make an appeal on behalf of the Canberra resident.

Caisip, whos moved from Brisbane in February, had applied for a Queensland border exemption to visit her dying father but it wasnt granted until Friday, two days after his death.

She then tried to get an exemption from health officials to be released from quarantine in Brisbane to go to his funeral at 2 p.m.

They said I shouldnt even be in Queensland because the exemption for me to come to Queensland was to say goodbye to my dying father, not to go to the funeral, she told Brisbane radio 4BC.

The prime minister made the emotional plea on behalf of the family, saying it wasnt about borders and that Palaszczuks lack of action over the heartbreaking case had forced his hand.

The only thing that matters today is that Sarah can be with her 11-year-old sister Isabel and her mother Merna while they mourn the passing of their father and husband Bernard, he told Sydney radio 2GB.

It was Fathers Day on the weekend  In this midst of all this heartache, surely just this once this can be done.

Palaszczuk lashed out at Morrison in state parliament after Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington asked her about the case.

The premier accused the opposition of taking part in a coordinated campaign with the prime ministers office.

It is absolutely not acceptable for the leader of the opposition to do what she is doing today. A coordinated campaign with the prime ministers office is disgusting and it is demeaning, she said.

I would hope that the prime minister would work in a cooperative manner with everyone across this country, and this divisiveness, and these fights, and this intimidation, and this bullying is the worst Ive ever seen in my lifetime.

Frecklington denied she had coordinated her question about the case in parliament with Morrisons radio call.

Absolutely not, she told reporters.

Sarah reached out to us. We have her correspondence because when you dont hear from the premier and you send a letter that says My dad is dead and you dont get a response, who do you think she goes to? She goes to everyone else that will listen to her.

Meanwhile, Queensland recorded zero coronavirus cases overnight and has 27 active infections.

Health Minister Steven Miles says authorities have conducted one million virus tests.

It took six months to reach 500,000 tests, but it only took six weeks to double that and reach the magic million mark, he said.

He thanked the states hard-working health authorities for their efforts.

Their outstanding work is the reason we have prevented much greater devastation in our state.

By Sophie Moore
Turkey responds to French leader, who earlier criticised Erdogan over Ankaras conduct in Mediterranean and Libya.

Turkey has condemned Emmanuel Macron over arrogant remarks made with colonial reflexes after the French president intervened in a brewing crisis between Ankara and Athens over Eastern Mediterranean exploration rights.

In a statement on Thursday, the Turkish foreign ministry said Macron endangers EU interests with his individual and nationalistic stance.

Macron seeks to give lessons by speaking pedantically with his old colonial reflexes, the statement added.

Earlier on Thursday, Macron stepped up anti-Turkey rhetoric amid his discussions with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Both Macron and Mitsotakis are attending a MED7 summit on the French island of Corsica along with the leaders of Portugal, Spain, Italy, Cyprus and Malta.

Macron urged Europe to adopt a united and clear voice on its policy towards Turkey, declaring Ankara is no longer a partner in light of its conduct in the Mediterranean and Libya.

We Europeans need to be clear and firm with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his unacceptable behaviour, Macron told reporters ahead of the summit.

There are growing fears of a conflict erupting by accident, with the two countries locked in a decades-long dispute as they compete for control of oil and gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey on August 10 deployed the Oruc Reis research vessel and an escorting flotilla of warships to the waters between Cyprus and the Greek islands of Kastellorizo and Crete. The vessels stay in the contested waters has been extended three times.

Greece responded by staging naval exercises with several EU allies and the United Arab Emirates, not far from smaller manoeuvres Turkey conducted recently between Cyprus and Crete.

The French-Turkish spat came as Greece raised the prospect of economic sanctions on Turkey.

Mitsotakis said in an opinion piece on Thursday the European Union must impose sanctions on Turkey unless Ankara pulls its maritime assets from disputed areas in the eastern Mediterranean.

Later this month EU leaders will meet in special session to decide how to respond, Mitsotakis wrote, in a column published on Thursday in the London Times, Germanys Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Frances Le Monde newspapers.

If Turkey refuses to see sense by then, I see no option but for my fellow European leaders to impose meaningful sanctions. Because this is no longer just about European solidarity. It is about recognising that vital interests  strategic European interests  are now at stake. If Europe wants to exercise true geopolitical power, it simply cannot afford to appease a belligerent Turkey.

There is still time for Turkey to avoid sanctions, to take a step back, and to chart a path out of this crisis. Turkey simply needs to refrain from its naval and scientific activity in non-delimitated waters, and rein in its aggressive rhetoric.

Ankara said it has every right to prospect the region and accuses Athens of trying to grab an unfair share of maritime resources.

On Tuesday, the Turkish ambassador to London, Umut Yalcin, wrote in a letter to The Guardian that Ankara was ready for dialogue.

Turkey has been inviting relevant parties to engage in negotiations based on international law and the principle of equity since 2003 for the delimitation of exclusive economic zones. Yet the Greek side has never engaged in sincere dialogue, in order to delay and avoid concrete negotiations, Yalcin wrote.

EU leaders will hold a special summit on how to resolve the crisis between Cyprus and Turkey from September 24-25.

We do need dialogue, Mitsotakis wrote, but not when held at gunpoint. What threatens my countrys security and stability threatens the well-being and safety of all EU member states.





He warned: If we cannot agree, then we must seek resolution at the Hague, referring to the international court for sovereign disputes.

Greeces deputy foreign minister also said on Thursday EU leaders should impose severe economic sanctions on Turkey for a limited time if Ankara does not remove its military vessels and gas drilling ships from waters off Cyprus.

The sanctions should put this pressure, to be severe, for a limited time, but severe, in order to send the message that Europe is here to negotiate but is also here to defend its values, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis told the European Parliaments foreign affairs committee.
With the state governments decision to stay admissions to first-year junior college (FYJC) in line with the Supreme Courts interim stay on the Maratha reservation in jobs and education, colleges said they are worried about the academic year of these students.

The general admission rounds to FYJC usually conclude by August every year after which colleges begin. This year, however, due to the late declaration of the Class 10 results with the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the process began in August and only one admission round has concluded so far. With the stay on the admission process until further orders, colleges are now worried about completing the syllabus and conducting exams for Class 11.

Usually, colleges begin by August and we conduct the first unit test by September. Then the first terminal exam is usually conducted before the Diwali break.

This year, however, the entire schedule has gone haywire and we dont know if there will be enough time to teach even with the reduced syllabus, said Satram Verhani, vice-principal, CHM college, Ulhasnagar. Verhani said that the education department can consider pushing the academic year for these students up to June instead of April.

Vidyadhar Joshi, vice-principal at VG Vaze college,Mulund said that since Class 11 students are not known to the teachers, it might be a challenge to understand their learning needs in an online only mode.

Getting used to the students is difficult because teachers have not seen students in the past. This is going to be a challenge for both the teachers and students, he added.

On Tuesday, the department released an official statement announcing a postponement of the Second Merit List which was supposed to be declared that day after the supreme court stayed the Maratha quota in jobs and education. The list is postponed and the admissions are stayed until further notice. Revised timetable for FYJC admissions would be released later after getting instructions from the state government, stated the official statement released by the department.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Secretary General of Turkic Speaking States Cooperation Council (CCTSS) Baghdad Amreyev has met with its President of Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Efendiyeva.

The meeting covered prospects for future cooperation between the Turkic Council and Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, including signing of joint documents, the next summit of the Turkic Council, as well as the coordination meeting between Turkic-speaking organizations.

In her remarks, Gunay Efendiyeva pointed out on strengthening Turkish Council's role on a global scale. He stressed the importance of cooperation between the organizations.

Speaking about the foundation activities, she noted new projects aimed at promotion of Turkic-speaking peoples heritage.

Efendiyeva stressed that the building of the foundation was built at the expense of funds allocated to the organization by the relevant order of President Ilham Aliyev, and proposed to hold a coordination meeting of heads of Turkic-speaking organizations here in the near future.

CCTSS Secretary General spoke about the events and meetings held by the Turkic Council in a pandemic. He stressed Azerbaijan's role in increasing the organization's level on international arena.

He praised the activities of the foundation and said he would actively support the expansion of relations between the Turkish Council, Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation as well as other Turkic-speaking organizations.

Initiated in 2012, Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation focuses on preservation of Turkic heritage in member countries as well as conducting projects in collaboration with partners in third countries.

The Foundation provides assistance in the protection, study and promotion of Turkic culture and heritage through supporting and funding various activities, projects and programs. It carries out its activities in cooperation with TURKSOY and the Turkic Academy.

Cooperation Council of the Turkic Speaking States (CCTSS) is an intergovernmental organization, which aims at promoting comprehensive cooperation among Turkic Speaking States.

The organization was established by the Nakhchivan Agreement, which was signed at the Turkic Summit in 2009.

In order to fulfill the objectives and tasks of the CCTSS, the organization has been divided into the following structures: Council of Heads of States; Council of Foreign Ministers, Senior Officials Committee, Council of Elders, Secretariat, Coordination Committee, Representation Office of the Turkic Council in Budapest.








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The 2022 Lucid Air was unveiled in production-spec during a global web broadcast from its Silicon Valley headquarters in late 2020, and its only the first of many, with an electricto join it in the following months.While Lucid has distanced itself from sounding like it plans to dethrone Tesla Motors on numerous occasions , the Air looks like it will be doing exactly that.The state-of-the-art luxurywill be available in three versions at the start of production, which is set to begin in spring of 2021, with a fourth entry-level version to join the lineup from 2022.Lucid Motors is driven to make the electric car better, and by doing so, help move the entire industry forward towards accelerated adoption of sustainable mobility. The goal of this relentless approach to developing the worlds most advanced electric vehicle is to benefit all mankind with sustainable, zero emission transportation, and to also attract new customers to the world of EVs, said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Motors. With the Lucid Air, we have created a halo car for the entire industry, one which shows the advancements that are possible by pushing the boundaries of EV technology and performance to new levels.With up to 1,080 horsepower available from a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive architecture, the Lucid Air in its most potent form can not only out-accelerate any Porsche Taycan, but also most production supercars.The quarter-mile time of 9.9 seconds can be apparently achieved on a repeatable basis, while an available extended-range version has an estimated EPA range of no less than 517 miles (832 km) on a single charge.According to Lucid, the Air will also be the fastest charging EV ever, having the capacity to charge at rates of up to 20 miles per minute when using a DC Fast Charging network. That would translate into about 300 miles (483 km) of range after just 20 minutes of charging.The model with the extended-range battery pack can store 113of juice and is called the Lucid Air Grand Touring. Its base price is set at $139,000 (or $131,500 minus the Federal Tax Credit).With about 800 horsepower on tap, it can go from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 3 seconds flat and do the quarter mile in 10.8 seconds, onward to a top speed of 168 mph (270 kph).The mid-range trim level is called Air Touring and starts from $95,000 ($87,500 minus Federal Tax Credit). With only 620 horsepower, it can go from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 3.2seconds flat has a top speed of 155 mph (250 kph). It does the quarter mile in 11.3 seconds and it can go 408 miles (657 km) on a single charge.The quickest and most powerful version will be available as a limited series model called Air Dream Edition and start at a hefty $169,000 ($161,500 minus FTC). With the full 1,080 horsepower developed by the dual-motor powertrain it can go from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 2.5 seconds and do the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds. Its top speed is set at 168 mph (270 kph), just like the Air Grand Touring.The Air Dream Editions range depends on the choice of wheels, with the 19-inch giving it at 503 miles (809 km) range, while the 21-inch AeroDream wheels restrict it to 465 miles (748 km).From 2022, the lineup will also comprise a base Air sedan, with the starting price set at below $80,000 ($72,500 minus FTC), but its technical specifications and range are still to be announced. Lucid's first electric SUV is also coming in 2023, currently named Project Gravity , but we'll probably learn more about it in the upcoming months.
OSAKA, Japan: Stuck at home for weeks while Japan was under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus, renowned Japanese Bunraku puppet master Kanjuro Kiritake, all his performances cancelled for months, was stricken with deep anxiety.

His art, a traditional, male-only Japanese puppet theatre, was born in Osaka in the late 1600s, but in 2020 felt existentially threatened, he said.

Many things crossed my mind: when would the pandemic end, when would performances resume, if my 87-year-old master could ever perform again," Kanjuro, 67, said in his home, which has a room dedicated to puppetry.

The solution was to spend his time at home making puppets for children. It is a rare pursuit for a Bunraku puppeteer. To him, it tied into decades of efforts hes made to keep the centuries-old art of Bunraku alive. He has been teaching Bunraku at Kozu elementary school in Osaka for 17 years.

Nearly 30 sixth graders took part in recent classes, with children practicing their puppetry in a gymnasium amid scorching heat, as a T-shirt-clad Kanjuro instructed them.

In Bunraku, each puppet is operated by three people - the head puppeteer, and two others dressed in black, their faces covered. The head puppeteer manipulates the head and right hand, while one person manipulates the left hand and another both feet. Performances are accompanied by narrators, or tayu, and traditional instruments.

The five puppets Kanjuro made had comical faces framed by yarn hair. They also wore socks in neon-bright colours he had purchased online.

FROM THE FEET UP

Following his fathers path, Kanjuro started his career as a puppeteer at 14, becoming a disciple of Minosuke Yoshida, who at age 87 is now the oldest living puppeteer.

Like everyone else, he started with the puppets feet, then moved on to the left hand. It can take more than 30 years until a puppeteer is allowed to manipulate the head.

It is an invisible and tough role. Audiences do not know who you are and the applause goes to the main puppeteer," he said, referring to operating the limbs.

Understanding how to manipulate the feet is crucial; the performer doing that touches the waist of the lead puppeteer, feeling how he moves. It was a lesson Kanjuro learned from his late father, who even after illness left him thin used his whole body to animate the puppet as head puppeteer.

I learned from him that you would have to use your entire body - from your toes to fingertips - to make the puppet come to life," Kanjuro recalls. And how a small and thin puppeteer could manipulate a big puppet by doing that."

Kanjuro is one of Japans best-known Bunraku performers, but he still worries about securing young talent.

The National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka provides a free, two-year training course that more than half the 83 current performers have graduated from. But the arts popularity was waning even before the pandemic, and only two students are in training as of September.

Perhaps, Kanjuro muses, people hired to open curtains or handout stage properties might fall in love with Bunraku and want to study it. Performances in Tokyo resumed on Sept. 5.

Like Sumo and Rakugo where foreigners are active, one day we may have foreign performers," Kanjuro said. And it could only be a matter of time before women take part as well."
After three days of U.N.-sponsored talks in the Swiss city of Montreux, the delegations reached a consensual view on the need to form a national unity government that would be in charge of providing services to the Libyan people and to create the necessary conditions for the holding of national elections, said the statement. The parties also agreed on reforming the Tripoli-based government  which can effectively lead to replacing Sarraj.
Grace Community Church in Sun Valley draws thousands of worshipers, most of whom do not wear masks or socially distance. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A megachurch that has defied Los Angeles County's pandemic health orders must stop holding Sunday worship services indoors, under a judge's ruling Thursday.

L.A. County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff sided with public health officials, who took legal action last month to enforce health orders against Grace Community Church, an evangelical congregation in Sun Valley that has been holding Sunday worship services indoors since July 26.

"While the court is mindful that there is no substitute for indoor worship in the 'spiritual refuge' of a sanctuary, the court cannot ignore the County Health Order does not dictate a ban on worship," Beckloff wrote in his decision granting the county's request for a preliminary injunction.



The order remains in effect until the issue is resolved.

The order allows outdoor services  which were already permitted under the county's public health order  only if the church follows physical distancing and face covering measures.

The order also requires the church to allow county workers to enter its property to post the order and verify the church is in compliance. The church has not allowed county public health workers to view its indoor services, according to court records.

Church officials, led by longtime leader Pastor John MacArthur, have also resisted orders requiring the congregation of thousands to wear face coverings and socially distance. MacArthur has expressed deep skepticism that there is a COVID-19 pandemic.

The church will appeal the decision, according to attorney Charles LiMandri, who said the court didn't properly consider evidence that shows COVID-19 cases declining.

LiMandri, who works for the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based law firm that takes religious liberty cases, said the appeal would ultimately vindicate the church's right to the free exercise of religion. The court, he said, did not give "adequate consideration to the fact that churches have been treated as second-class citizens compared to the tens of thousands of protesters," said LiMandri, referencing the protests this summer that largely took place outside.

County officials said in a statement that they went to court "only after significant efforts to work with the leaders of Grace Community Church to protect public health" were unsuccessful.

"Religious services are central to many of our residents lives, especially in these trying times, and services have been allowed to be held online and outdoors with physical distancing and the use of face coverings, and they may continue to do so," officials said in a statement. "The issue is a reminder that we must all work together and modify our activities to contain and slow this virus, which has caused the death of more than 6,000 Los Angeles County residents and has made thousands of others gravely ill."
Recently, the Yerevan School of Political Studies, jointly with the Tbilisi School of Political Studies, held an online meeting to present Policy Recommendations setting forth a joint strategic vision of young leaders from Armenia and Georgia focusing mainly on tourism for economic growth, fight against corruption and discrimination. The Policy Recommendations have been elaborated within the framework of Armenian-Georgian Platform for Policy Development project funded by the European Union. The project contributed to the creation of a sustainable network of Armenian-Georgian young professionals, on one hand helping to strengthen the cross-border cooperation and on the other hand creating a platform for multifaceted policy dialogue between the two countries.

Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, Director of the Yerevan School of Political Studies Mr. Armen Zakaryan and Representative of the Administration of the Tbilisi School of Political Studies Mrs. Nana Tsertsvadze welcomed the participants.

EU funded Armenian-Georgian Platform for Policy Development project was launched in August 2019. In overall, the project involved around 90 participants from Armenia and Georgia who are representatives of different state agencies, international organizations, young mid-career individuals, decision-makers, lawyers, well-known journalists, leading business managers, civil society representatives, researchers. The cooperation between participants from different sectors promoted fact-based, objective and professional approach. Four events in different formats were organized in the framework of the project both in Armenia as well as in Georgia.

During meetings qualified Armenian and Georgian experts and participants joined the efforts to develop Policy Recommendations aimed to bring to life strategic vision for Armenia and Georgia by undertaking measures to prevent, detect and prosecute corruption risks, ensure human rights and freedoms are equally exercised in Armenian and Georgian democratic societies, promote equality and non-discrimination, develop both countries as a top desirable tourism destination through high quality, thriving, competitive and sustainable tourism industry which generates wealth at all levels, promotes environmental quality, enriches the quality of life and brings enjoyment to visitors all year round. Special importance was attached to awareness raising and promotion of outbound tourism between Armenia and Georgia. The Policy Recommendations will support and contribute to reform processes in both countries.

The project participants valued highly networking, exchange of good practices, discussion of gaps and challenges common for both countries with ways of improvements and finding new niches for mutual cooperation.

Armenian-Georgian Platform for Policy Development project is funded by the European Union under the Rapid Response Mechanism of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility. The project is implemented by the Yerevan School of Political Studies in cooperation with the Tbilisi School of Political Studies. Both Schools are members of the European Association of the Schools of Political Studies.
Trump Warns of Growing Radical-Left Movement During Supreme Court List Announcement

President Donald Trump said during a Sept. 9 announcement of his much-anticipated Supreme Court pick list that there is a growing radical-left movement in America, warning that if judges sympathetic with its objectives sit on the highest court, this would fundamentally transform the face of the nation.

Trump made the remarks as he released his list of potential Supreme Court nominees, including prominent legal conservatives like former Solicitor General Paul Clement and three Republican U.S. senators known for fighting on behalf of conservative causes: Ted Cruz (Tx.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), and Josh Hawley (Mo.).

Unfortunately, there is a growing radical-left movement that rejects the principle of equal treatment under law. If this extreme movement is granted a majority on the Supreme Court, it will fundamentally transform America without a single vote of Congress, the president said.

While Trump did not elaborate substantially on the nature of the movement, he did say one of its modes is to push for selective treatment under law, favoring certain groups and individuals while singling others out for attack.

Radical justices will erase the Second Amendment, silence political speech, and require taxpayers to fund extreme late-term abortion. They will give unelected bureaucrats that power to destroy millions of American jobs. They will remove the words under God from the Pledge of Allegiance, Trump said.

They will unilaterally declare the death penalty unconstitutional, even for the most depraved mass murderers. They will erase national borders, cripple police departments, and grant new protections to anarchists, rioters, violent criminals, and terrorists, the president added.

Trumps reference to anarchists and rioters echoes his earlier characterization of those engaging in violent acts that have marred peaceful protests, sparked by the police-custody death of George Floyd.

Epoch Times contributor and expert on communist movements, Trevor Loudon, argued in an op-ed that the violence that erupted in the wake of the Floyds death was not a spontaneous outbreak of pent-up frustration with incidents of police brutality, but part of a revolutionary movement by brutal means.

The recent surge of rioting, looting, arson, and violence in the aftermath of the May 25 death in police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis wasnt peaceful protest hijacked by extremists, Loudon wrote. It was violent from day oneand it was always intended to be that way.

One piece of evidence for this, he said, was that the Minneapolis-based, Chinese Communist Party-aligned Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) claimed credit for sparking the riots. In a separate op-ed, Loudon pointed to malign far-left influence behind previous outbreaks of violence amid broader calls for racial justice.

Without the communists, there would still be occasional racially charged incidents. However, all the major city-burning race riots of the 1960s (Newark, Detroit, Chicago, Watts, and many others) and every single one since have been fanned into something bigger by communist forces, he wrote, adding, [t]he U.S. left now has the power to start race riots in nearly every major U.S. city.

Unless forcefully countered, these current riots and protests will go on all summer up until the elections. The twin goals are to stall the U.S. economic recovery and destroy President Donald Trump. In truth, these riots have nothing to do with race and everything to do with regime change and revolution, Loudon wrote.

Trump, often resorting to tough, law and order rhetoric, has repeatedly argued for the need to differentiate between legitimate protests and street violence, and has called for law enforcement, as well as state and local authorities, to treat the latter as criminal activity.

Notably, in a July 4 speech at the foot of Mount Rushmore, Trump said, [a]ngry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our Founders, deface our most sacred memorials, and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities. Many of these people have no idea why they are doing this, but some know exactly what they are doing. They think the American people are weak and soft and submissive. But no, the American people are strong and proud, and they will not allow our country, and all of its values, history, and culture, to be taken from them.

One of their political weapons is Cancel Culturedriving people from their jobs, shaming dissenters, and demanding total submission from anyone who disagrees. This is the very definition of totalitarianism, and it is completely alien to our culture and our values, and it has absolutely no place in the United States of America, Trump said.

This attack on our liberty, our magnificent liberty, must be stopped, and it will be stopped very quickly. We will expose this dangerous movement, protect our nations children, end this radical assault, and preserve our beloved American way of life, he said.

During his Supreme Court pick list announcement, Trump said that many of the liberties that Americans take for granted, including religious liberty and free speech, have been saved by a single vote on the United States Supreme Court.

He argued that these, and other rights, would be at risk if justices who embrace the kind of ideology that he cautioned against would dominate the highest court.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting via video link.

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United States has become the biggest driver of the militarization of the South China Sea and the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the area, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.

Wang made the remarks while attending the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting via video link. He said that the United States has directly intervened in territorial and maritime disputes in the region out of its own political needs, constantly flaunting its force and strengthening its military deployment. It is becoming the biggest driver of the militarization of the South China Sea.

The United States has interfered with the efforts of China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to resolve disputes through consultation, as well as provoking confrontation between countries in the region. It is becoming the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the South China Sea, said Wang.

"Peace and stability are China's greatest strategic interest in the South China Sea," Wang said, adding that it is also the common strategic aspiration of China and ASEAN countries.

"China hopes that countries outside the region, including the United States, will fully respect the wishes and expectations of countries in the region, instead of creating tension and seeking profit from it."
Eating and drinking on-site at locations that offer such options might be important risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Efforts to reduce possible exposures where mask use and social distancing are difficult to maintain, such as when eating and drinking, should be considered to protect customers, employees, and communities.

Findings from a case-control investigation of symptomatic outpatients from 11 U.S. health care facilities found that close contact with persons with known COVID-19 or going to locations that offer on-site eating and drinking options were associated with COVID-19 positivity. Adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results were approximately twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than were those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results.

Community and close contact exposures continue to drive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. CDC and other public health authorities recommend community mitigation strategies to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (1,2). Characterization of community exposures can be difficult to assess when widespread transmission is occurring, especially from asymptomatic persons within inherently interconnected communities. Potential exposures, such as close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19, have primarily been assessed among COVID-19 cases, without a non-COVID-19 comparison group (3,4). To assess community and close contact exposures associated with COVID-19, exposures reported by case-patients (154) were compared with exposures reported by control-participants (160). Case-patients were symptomatic adults (persons aged 18 years) with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Control-participants were symptomatic outpatient adults from the same health care facilities who had negative SARS-CoV-2 test results. Close contact with a person with known COVID-19 was more commonly reported among case-patients (42%) than among control-participants (14%). Case-patients were more likely to have reported dining at a restaurant (any area designated by the restaurant, including indoor, patio, and outdoor seating) in the 2 weeks preceding illness onset than were control-participants (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.53.8). Restricting the analysis to participants without known close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19, case-patients were more likely to report dining at a restaurant (aOR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.94.3) or going to a bar/coffee shop (aOR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.510.1) than were control-participants. Exposures and activities where mask use and social distancing are difficult to maintain, including going to places that offer on-site eating or drinking, might be important risk factors for acquiring COVID-19. As communities reopen, efforts to reduce possible exposures at locations that offer on-site eating and drinking options should be considered to protect customers, employees, and communities.

This investigation included adults aged 18 years who received a first test for SARS-CoV-2 infection at an outpatient testing or health care center at one of 11 Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in the Critically Ill (IVY) Network sites* during July 129, 2020 (5). A COVID-19 case was confirmed by RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA from respiratory specimens. Assays varied among facilities. Each site generated lists of adults tested within the study period by laboratory result; adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were selected by random sampling as case-patients. For each case-patient, two adults with negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results were randomly selected as control-participants and matched by age, sex, and study location. After randomization and matching, 615 potential case-patients and 1,212 control-participants were identified and contacted 1423 days after the date they received SARS-CoV-2 testing. Screening questions were asked to identify eligible adults. Eligible adults for the study were symptomatic at the time of their first SARS-CoV-2 test.

CDC personnel administered structured interviews in English or five other languages by telephone and entered data into REDCap software (6). Among 802 adults contacted and who agreed to participate (295 case-patients and 507 control-participants), 332 reported symptoms at the time of initial SARS-CoV-2 testing and were enrolled in the study. Eighteen interviews were excluded because of nonresponse to the community exposure questions. The final analytic sample (314) included 154 case-patients (positive SARS-CoV-2 test results) and 160 control-participants (negative SARS-CoV-2 test results). Among nonparticipants, 470 were ineligible (i.e., were not symptomatic or had multiple tests), and 163 refused to participate. This activity was reviewed by CDC and participating sites and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.

Data collected included demographic characteristics, information on underlying chronic medical conditions, symptoms, convalescence (self-rated physical and mental health), close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes) with a person with known COVID-19, workplace exposures, mask-wearing behavior, and community activities 14 days before symptom onset. Participants were asked about wearing a mask and possible community exposure activities (e.g., gatherings with 10 or >10 persons in a home; shopping; dining at a restaurant; going to an office setting, salon, gym, bar/coffee shop, or church/religious gathering; or using public transportation) on a five-point Likert-type scale ranging from never to more than once per day or always; for analysis, community activity responses were dichotomized as never versus one or more times during the 14 days before illness onset. For each reported activity, participants were asked to quantify degree of adherence to recommendations such as wearing a face mask of any kind or social distancing among other persons at that location, with response options ranging from none to almost all. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed to compare case-patients with control-participants, assessing differences in demographic characteristics, community exposures, and close contact. Although an effort was made initially to match case-patients to control-participants based on a 1:2 ratio, not all potential participants were eligible or completed an interview, and therefore an unmatched analysis was performed. Unconditional logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations with exchangeable correlation structure correcting standard error estimates for site-level clustering were used to assess differences in community exposures between case-patients and control-participants, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and presence of one or more underlying chronic medical conditions. In each model, SARS-CoV-2 test result (i.e., positive or negative) was the outcome variable, and each community exposure activity was the predictor variable. The first model included the full analytic sample (314). A second model was restricted to participants who did not report close contact to a person with COVID-19 (89 case-patients and 136 control-participants). Statistical analyses were conducted using SAS software (version 9.4; SAS Institute).

Compared with case-patients, control-participants were more likely to be non-Hispanic White (p<0.01), have a college degree or higher (p<0.01), and report at least one underlying chronic medical condition (p = 0.01) (Table). In the 14 days before illness onset, 71% of case-patients and 74% of control-participants reported always using cloth face coverings or other mask types when in public. Close contact with one or more persons with known COVID-19 was reported by 42% of case-patients compared with 14% of control-participants (p<0.01), and most (51%) close contacts were family members.

Approximately one half of all participants reported shopping and visiting others inside a home (in groups of 10 persons) on 1 day during the 14 days preceding symptom onset. No significant differences were observed in the bivariate analysis between case-patients and control-participants in shopping; gatherings with 10 persons in a home; going to an office setting; going to a salon; gatherings with >10 persons in a home; going to a gym; using public transportation; going to a bar/coffee shop; or attending church/religious gathering. However, case-patients were more likely to have reported dining at a restaurant (aOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.53.8) in the 2 weeks before illness onset than were control-participants (Figure). Further, when the analysis was restricted to the 225 participants who did not report recent close contact with a person with known COVID-19, case-patients were more likely than were control-participants to have reported dining at a restaurant (aOR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.94.3) or going to a bar/coffee shop (aOR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.510.1). Among 107 participants who reported dining at a restaurant and 21 participants who reported going to a bar/coffee shop, case-patients were less likely to report observing almost all patrons at the restaurant adhering to recommendations such as wearing a mask or social distancing (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively).
He had been walking with two female friends near the 1000 block of North Lake Shore Drive about 2:35 a.m. when he jumped into the lake, according to police. The man had been drinking before he got in the water, according to officials.
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Artists have tried to breathe new life into ghost town built on Stalin's orders in Siberia.

The spooky Gulag outpost of Kadykchan was officially closed after the fall of the Soviet Union and a coal mine explosion in 1996 which killed six.

Now it has been repopulated by pictures of its lost residents in a project by designers from two art studios from Yakutsk, the world's coldest city.

Artists have tried to breathe new life into ghost town built on Stalin's orders in Siberia by painting on the walls of the abandoned buildings

'Now Kadykchan is not so empty,' said one of the participants.

'There are people living along its central street, they are going about their usual daily business.

'They walk to work, meet their loved ones and wait for customers.'

The town in the wild Kolya region - which once had a thriving 10,000 population - was a staging post on Josef Stalin's notorious Road of Bones, built by political prisoners many of whom perished in this furnace of cold.

The spooky Gulag outpost of Kadykchan was officially closed after the fall of the Soviet Union and a coal mine explosion in 1996 which killed six

It has been repopulated by pictures of its lost residents in a project by designers from two art studios from Yakutsk, the world's coldest city

The town in the wild Kolya region once had a thriving 10,000 population but today it lies empty after being deserted for years

The deserted settlement's name in local Evenk folklore means 'Death Valley'.

One of those banished to a coal mine here in the Stalin purges was famous Russian writer Varlam Shalamov who wrote: 'Kolyma is Auschwitz without the ovens.'

A repeated victim of repression, he also penned: 'There is much that a man should not see, should not know, and if he should see it, it is better for him to die.'

By 1986 Kadykchan had a cinema hall, a House of Culture, shops and a restaurant called 'Polyarniy' along with a statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin.

The artists (pictured) spent four days at the ghost town painting its walls as they transformed the eerie town

The town was a staging post on Josef Stalin's notorious Road of Bones, built by political prisoners many of whom perished in this furnace of cold

The deserted settlement's name in local Evenk folklore aptly means 'Death Valley' but now lively pictures of residents adorn the walls

By 1986 Kadykchan had a cinema hall, a House of Culture, shops and a restaurant called 'Polyarniy' along with a statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin

One of those banished to a coal mine in the Stalin purges was famous Russian writer Varlam Shalamov who wrote about the town

Coal from its mines was burned to heat remote villages in temperatures sinking to minus 55C.

The outpost became nonviable after the Soviet collapse in 1991, with a population exodus which increased after the mine explosion five years later.

A decision to close the town was taken in 2003, but several hundred refused to budge and remained until 2009.

By 2012 an elderly man with a dog was its final citizen but now it is empty apart from the newly-painted figures adorning its crumbling walls.

The outpost became nonviable after the Soviet collapse in 1991, with a population exodus which increased after the mine explosion five years later

A decision to close the town was taken in 2003, but several hundred refused to budge and remained until 2009

By 2012 an elderly man with a dog was its final citizen but now it is empty apart from the newly-painted figures adorning its crumbling walls

The town is a tourist attraction for people traversing one of the world's loneliest routes from Yakutsk to Magadan.

'We wanted to breathe a bit of life into the empty town,' said one of the artists.

'Now will live in Kadykchan forever,' said Rostislav Pavlov, head of the artistic odyssey.

'This was one of the purposes of our expedition to Magadan region, to revive the deserted town of Kadykchan.

'We bought paints and decorated the houses on its central street.'

Among the group were former residents of the town who returned to see their tumbledown homes.

The town is a tourist attraction for people traversing one of the world's loneliest routes from Yakutsk to Magadan

Among the group of artists were former residents of the town who returned to see their tumbledown homes
Ghanas former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Emmanuel Victor Smith says the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) fueled Wednesdays demonstration against the NDC and its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama for describing the people of Akyem as Sakawa Mafias.



To him, the protest was to divert attention from the promising NDCs manifesto.



The demonstration is purely political just to divert attention. Even the demonstration didnt make sense to their Chiefs, I spoke to some Chiefs and they were surprised, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show 'Ghana Montie'.



The President for Okyeman Youth Association, Nana Ampem Darko Amponsah has strongly denied allegations that a demonstration staged on Wednesday against the NDC and its flagbearer for describing them as Akyem Sakawa Mafias was sponsored by some bigwigs within government.



He said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show 'Ghana Montie' that, no one in government has given us anything to demonstrate.



Concerned Citizens of Okyeman and Okyeman Youth For Development on Wednesday morning hit the streets of Asamankese in the Eastern Region in protest against the unfortunate comment posted by Bolgatanga Central MP, Hon Isaac Adongo and shared by H.E John Dramani Mahama on his Facebook timeline.



The comment "Akyem Sakawa Boys" did not go down well with the people of the Akyem land hence the demonstration to demand apology and retraction from the statesman and flag bearer of the main opposition NDC, John Dramani Mahama.



John Mahama recently shared a comment by MP for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, in which he sought to say that an Akyem Sakawa Mafia in government initiated the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal to rob the state.



Agyapa Royalties fraud is the last straw: The Akyem sakawa boys and grandpas must go, was the headline of the original post that was also shared by Mr Mahama.



Since Mr Mahama shared the post, it has been condemned as ethnocentric against the people of Akyem Abuakwa.





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Last year, Victoria Sinclaire and her family were the picture of triumph  the first residents in Paradise to move into a newly rebuilt home after the states most destructive wildfire burned theirs down in 2018.

Their move into the house on Forest Lane  with new flooring and a new roof, granite countertops and more space  was widely publicized.

The Town of Paradise posted a photo of them on Facebook; neighbors drove past the site, drawing hope from their success.

But on Wednesday, Sinclaire found herself reliving a nightmare.

Another wildfire threatened Sinclaires community, an explosive blaze that scorched an estimated 230,000 acres in 24 hours and was inching closer to Paradise.

The North Complex Fire had already burned through the small town of Berry Creek, with a vast evacuation zone that had closed in on Oroville, threatening the county seat.

Sinclaire called in sick to her job in the countys social services division to start packing up her black Ford Explorer.

She hoped the destruction of the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 86 people and torched nearly 19,000 structures, wouldnt be repeated.

As she loaded bins of photos and important documents into the vehicle, she said she saw friends pass  evacuating early, though only one zone in town was on evacuation warning.

Its that same feeling of being afraid, Sinclaire said. I cant seem to stop shaking. There is ash everywhere  really big chunks of ash. There are some burned trees that have floated down from, well, I dont even know where. It feels like its happening all over again, except this time I get to take my clothes.

Across town, Manager Lauren Gill  set to retire the next day  sat at her desk in Town Hall, where she had been since 2:30 a.m., when the choking smoke woke her up.

With nothing else to do, she drove into the office early. It had been a tough week, she said temperatures lingered in the triple digits and PG&E had cut power Monday evening. The internet flickered in and out.

I feel a calm resolve, like, Im not going to let this fire win, Gill said. Im not going to let this fire into my town. I feel like Im standing sentry  not that I can do much, Im really quite powerless.

Residents lined up at the three open gas stations to top off their cars or fill up portable fuel cans, said Police Chief Eric Reinbold. Evacuation routes backed up, though only a fraction of the populace has returned to town since the Camp Fire. This was a major problem during that blaze, with some people unable to evacuate safely, and dying as a result.

Some traffic lights were out because of a PG&E outage, and Public Works crews helped direct drivers  many of them pulling travel trailers  downhill, residents said.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Gills assistant, Colette Curtis, who had recently moved across the hall to her own office, recalled telling her two young daughters that there was nothing to be scared of.

From the time I woke up until about 11 a.m., it looked exactly like the Camp Fire, she said. I had to tell my kids, its going to look scary outside, but the fire is far away. They said, Youve said this before, mom. Everyone, all the residents, who went through it is feeling panic. It feels very reminiscent.

And on Wednesday afternoon, as Cal Fire Butte County Unit Chief John Messina drove up Highway 70 toward Quincy, where he planned to talk with the Forest Service about strategies for containing the wildfire, he felt an odd sense of deja vu.

I have to be honest with you, its tough to watch another part of the county be destroyed by fire, Messina said. We know how hard the recovery process is. It hangs over your head  wondering what the future will bring for the next 12 months for those affected.

Around that time, as he continued down Highway 70, Sinclaire finished loading up her Explorer and drove away from her home for the second time. She planned to stay with a relative in Sacramento until, hopefully, she could return home again.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @lizziejohnsonnn
NEW JERSEY  Gov. Phil Murphy told CNN on Wednesday he would have shut down New Jersey earlier if he knew President Trump, as he admitted in a book by journalist Bob Woodward, played down the coronavirus threat.

"If we had known that earlier, we would have shut the state meaningfully earlier," Murphy said in an interview with Pamela Brown on CNN.

Murphy said New Jersey would have moved to a mandatory masking policy earlier and would have had a stay-at-home mandate put in place.

"All of which we did and we did it about as early as any American state but we would have done it earlier and undoubtably saved lives," Murphy told CNN.

Trump was recorded on tape saying that he always wanted to play it down because he didn't want to create a "panic."

In new tapes, President Trump admits to Bob Woodward he concealed critical details he knew about the coronavirus. "I wanted to always play it down." https://t.co/eICaAx70mY pic.twitter.com/zXNOZtIBx7

 CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) September 9, 2020

In a Feb. 7 recording  one month before the first case and fatality were discovered in New Jersey  Trump was also recorded as saying that he knew the virus was airborne and that it was much more dangerous than the flu.

Murphy began ordering shutdowns to the state's economy in mid-March, and by April, the state was recording 3,000 to 4,000 cases a day and 300 to 400 deaths a day.

"We were clobbered," he said. "It's inconceivable to me that we wouldn't have saved lives as a result."

Here is the CNN interview:

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

This article originally appeared on the Point Pleasant Patch
Photo credit: Christopher Polk - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

Angelina Jolie surprised two young boys from East London by making a generous donation to their lemonade stand. The stall was designed to raise money for children in war-torn Yemen, where 24 million are estimated to need humanitarian aid to survive.

The actress is said to have read about the efforts of six-year-old Ayaan Moosa and Mikaeel Ishaaq in the news, and then contacted her UK representative who had reached out to the families directly. Jolie sent a note applauding their work, along with a "a very generous donation", according to Moosa's mother. She added that the boys hadn't known who Jolie was initially, but their "their dads were very excited".

Jolie's note read: "Dear Ayaan and Mikaeel. Thank you for what you and your friends are doing to help children in Yemen. I'm sorry I'm not able to buy a lemonade from you, but I'd still like to make a donation to your stand. Love, [signed by Angelina]."

To date, the boys' online campaign, Lemonade for Yemen-Aid, has raised an impressive 67,000. The two best friends responded to Jolie's donation with a video, in which they thanked her for her help and said: "If you ever come to London, feel free to buy a glass of fresh lemonade."

The actress, who is also a UNHCR special envoy, has spoken about the crisis in Yemen before, having called for a ceasefire and an end to the conflict which has killed thousands. In 2018, she commented how the world has been "shamefully slow" to act.

We have watched the situation deteriorate to the point that Yemen is now on the brink of man-made famine, and facing the worst cholera epidemic in the world in decades," she said. "When conflict develops to this extent, many people have no choice but to flee if they are to have any chance of survival. The only way to enable refugees to return home, and to bring down the overall numbers worldwide, is to end conflicts themselves."

Story continues

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A Twitter representative declined to comment on Thursday about Chinas demand for an investigation.

As the controversy boiled over, the ambassadors account quickly scrubbed all but two of the dozens of likes it had accumulated over the past year, including the one for the video.

But the tabloids in Britain  whose diplomatic ties with China have grown more strained over the national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong, a former British colony  immediately seized on the Twitter storm.

The Sun tabloid screamed that the Firebrand Chinese Ambassador had PUT HIS FOOT IN IT.

Mr. Liu, 64, one of Chinas most high-profile diplomats, has served as the ambassador to Britain since 2009. He frequently appears on television attacking Chinas critics and batting away criticism of his countrys crackdown on democracy advocates in Hong Kong and its mass incarceration of Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.

On a BBC program in July, he was shown drone video, apparently of prisoners in Xinjiang being led onto a train. When asked what was happening, he struggled to answer, then replied, Xinjiang is regarded as the most beautiful place. He later suggested that the video could be fake.

Mr. Liu joined Twitter last year after other Chinese diplomats had amassed large followings on the site. He quickly adopted the aggressive tone of some of his colleagues, who have been nicknamed Wolf Warriors after the popular Chinese film series. In less than a year, his following grew to more than 85,000.
There is no stipulation in the law that requires Andhra Pradesh to have only one capital, the Centre told the Andhra Pradesh high court on Thursday in an affidavit that backs the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy governments three-capital plan.

Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddys plan has been opposed by his predecessor Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party who had named Amaravati as the state capital after Hyderabad went to Telangana. A bunch of petitions were also filed in the high court against the move.

In an affidavit filed by the Union home ministry, the Centre denied claims that a three-capital plan was a violation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 that carved out a separate state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh.

Lalita T Hedaoo, an under secretary in the Union ministry of home affairs, refuted the argument by one of the petitioners that Andhra could not have three capitals because the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 mentioned a capital for the state of Andhra Pradesh and not capitals.

She pointed to Section 13 of The General Clauses Act, 1897 that makes it clear that in all Central Acts and regulations, words in the singular shall include the plural and vice versa unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context.

It is clearly mentioned in the Act that words importing the masculine gender shall be taken to include females; and words in the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa. Thus, the interpretation of the petitioner on the issue is shallow, Hedaoo told the high court in the affidavit.

Jagan Mohan Reddys three-capital plan envisages executive capital in Visakhapatnam, legislative in Amaravati and judicial in Kurnool. In an interview to HT this week, the chief minister said he was essentially distributing the functions to different places rather than concentrating them in one place. If you lay all your eggs in one basket you are going to suffer, he said.

Also Read: We are in the process of rebuilding Andhra: Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy

On the argument that the Centre only gave grants for the development of capital city at Amaravati, the official said the Centre had extended financial assistance to AP for creation of essential facilities in their new capital such as Secretariat, Raj Bhavan, High Court etc. and to further facilitate denotification of degraded forest land, if necessary, for the same.

This provision is only for extending financial assistance to the capital city, but not to decide its location, she clarified.

Hedaoo also said under Article 3 of the Constitution of India, there is provision only for creation of new States and other related matters. No provision in respect of capital is laid down in this article.

The MHA official refuted the argument that the Centre had endorsed Amaravati as the capital city while locating the state high court as per the Presidential order. She made it clear that there is no provision in the Act to say that the principal seat of high court should also be in the capital city.

Notification of Presidents Order regarding constitution of a separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh with principal seat at Amaravati by the Centre cannot be construed as the Central Governments decision to declare Amaravati as Capital of Andhra Pradesh, as the Principal Seat of High Court need not necessarily be in the capital city of the state, she asserted.

In an earlier affidavit, too, the MHA official made it clear that the Centre had no role whatsoever in the location or relocation of the state capital. It is completely the state governments prerogative to decide where the capital city of the state should be located, she said.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-09 22:07:48|Editor: huaxia

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Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Sept. 9, 2020. (Information Department of Brunei/Handout via Xinhua)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah met here Wednesday afternoon with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and the two sides discussed bilateral relations and cooperation.

The Sultan said the peoples of Brunei and China had enjoyed close ties in history. Brunei cherishes the friendly relations between the two countries and sees China as an important cooperation partner.

The Brunei side highly appreciated the support and help of the Chinese government and military during the difficult time when Brunei fought the COVID-19 epidemic, said the Sultan, adding Brunei is willing to continue carrying out exchanges and cooperation with China in the fields of defense, economy and trade, energy and culture as well as people to people exchanges.

The Sultan hoped that the defense ministries of both countries will continue to conduct mutual visits, joint exercises and training, and promote pragmatic cooperation so as to further push forward the development of the strategic cooperative partnership between the two sides.

For his part, Wei Fenghe said that under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, the bilateral relationship between China and Brunei has maintained good momentum, setting a good example for joint consultation, co-construction and sharing among countries with different social systems.

China is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Brunei in the field of defense and further advance the development of ties between the two militaries, Wei said.

Stability in the South China Sea serves common interests of both countries, and the two sides should continue to strengthen communication and consultation, and promote maritime cooperation so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the South China Sea, Wei added.

Earlier in the morning, Wei Fenghe held formal talks with Brunei's Second Minister of Defense Haji Awang Halbi. The two sides reached important consensus on maintaining strategic communication and deepening military exchanges and cooperation, among others.
Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, was shot multiple times and killed by US Marshals outside an apartment block in Washington state last Thursday

The death of an Antifa gunman who was killed by a fugitive task force after allegedly 'lying in wait' and shooting dead a Trump supporter has been ruled a homicide as a witness claimed cops opened fire without warning while he was eating candy.

Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, was shot multiple times and killed by US Marshals outside an apartment block in Washington state last Thursday.

The officers swooped in on the self-proclaimed anti-fascist to arrest him after he was charged with the murder of right-wing activist Aaron 'Jay' Danielson, 39, during a protest in downtown Portland on August 29.

The Thurston County Coroner's Office ruled Reinoehl's death a homicide Wednesday, confirming the Antifa supporter did not turn his own gun on himself in the police ambush.

An autopsy revealed he died from multiple shots to his head and torso.

Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock said it is still not clear how many times Reinoehl was shot by officers but all the bullets recovered from his body have been sent to a lab for analysis.

At least four officers, including two Pierce County Sheriff's deputies, a Lakewood police officer and a state Department of Corrections officer, fired multiple rounds at the suspect during the incident.

The release of the official cause of death comes as a witness who lives in the apartment complex where the shooting took place cast doubts on claims made by the task force surrounding Reinoehl's death.

Nate Dinguss, an eyewitness of the police shootout, told The Washington Post Wednesday Reinoehl did not pull a weapon and was eating candy when the officers opened fire without warning.

The crime scene where Reinoehl died. The officers swooped in on the self-proclaimed anti-fascist to arrest him after he was charged with the murder of right-wing activist Aaron 'Jay' Danielson, 39, during a protest in downtown Portland on August 29

The Antifa gunman was killed by a fugitive task force after allegedly 'lying in wait' and shooting dead a Trump supporter. His death was ruled a homicide Wednesday

A witness has cast doubts on the task force's version of events, claiming cops opened fire without warning while Reinoehl was eating candy. A sheet covers his body

Dinguss, 39, said he saw Reinoehl holding a cellphone and eating a gummy worm while strolling to his car outside the Tanglewilde Terrace Townhomes apartment complex about 7 p.m. that evening.

The witness claimed the cops didn't identify themselves or try to arrest Reinoehl before opening fire.

He said Reinoehl hid behind his car when the shooting started and did not try to get inside.

The car was blocked in by two unmarked police vehicles, Dinguss said.

The witness said the cops unleashed a hail of gunfire on Reinoehl before pausing when one shouted 'stop' then opening fire once again.

He also said he didn't see Reinoehl armed with a gun.

Dinguss also said the task force waited 'multiple minutes' before giving Reinoehl emergency medical treatment.

Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock said it is still not clear how many times Reinoehl (letf) was shot by officers but all the bullets recovered from his body have been sent to a lab for analysis. Pictured right Aaron 'Jay' Danielson who Reinoehl allegedly murdered

Medics attend to Danielson after he was shot in downtown Portland last month

If the suspect did not pull a gun or reach for a weapon, the officers would have been required to warn him before shooting.

Dinguss's statement casts doubt on the version of events given by federal authorities.

Authorities claimed Reinoehl pulled a gun as the task force moved to make the arrest.

They have not said whether or not Reinoehl opened fire at officers.

Other witnesses told the Olympian they saw a man open fire and heard 40 or 50 shots from what they believe was a semi-automatic rifle before officers returned fire and shot him dead.

Surveillance images show Reinoehl (front) walking in front of Aaron 'Jay' Danielson (behind him left in black shirt) moments before Danielson was shot dead in Portland on Saturday

After Danielson and Pappas (not pictured) pass, Reinoehl (right) reaches for his waistband and joins up with 'Subject #2' (center in black) to follow the two right-wing activists

The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, headed by the US Marshals Service, were carrying out an arrest warrant for Reinoehl after he allegedly shot dead Danielson during a protest days earlier.

Danielson, a member of the far-right Patriot Prayer group, was shot dead on the night of August 29 during a Portland protest.

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt on Friday released the unsealed arrest warrant charging Reinoehl with Danielson's murder.

The court documents say Reinoehl appeared to lie in wait for Danielson before the shooting.

Surveillance footage taken from a parking garage showed Reinoehl ducking into the garage in hiding from Danielson and his friend and fellow Patriot Prayer supporter Chandler Pappas, according to the warrant.

Reinoehl appeared to confess to Danielson's death in a video interview with Vice News just hours before his own death

The suspect then watched the two men walk past and followed them before shooting Danielson dead, the affidavit states.

The warrant also states Reinoehl sent text messages to his own son offering to trade marijuana for a handgun weeks before the murder.

The victim himself was armed with a handgun, which was found in his waistband after he died, and did not appear to have been fired during the incident, the documents show.

Reinoehl appeared to confess to Danielson's death in a video interview with Vice News just hours before his own death.

In the video, Reinoehl said he had acted in self-defense and said his actions were 'totally justified'.

'I had no choice. I mean, I, I had a choice. I could have sat there and watched them kill a friend of mine of color. But I wasn't going to do that,' he said.
Aviation historians and museum curators like those at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum go gaga over any photos, correspondence, or curiosities related to Amelia Earhart. And of course her lost aircraft is at the top of many aviation museums' wish lists. But there are many more unusual aerospace artifacts that they'd love to find, catalog, and display to the public. Here are a few from Air & Space Magazine:

Music in the Clouds

"Bluthner, the Leipzig pianoforte factory, built an aluminum grand piano weighing only 162 kilograms [356 pounds] especially for the Zeppelin [Hindenburg], which, according to one reporter, delighted the passengers with 'a particularly large and full tone' despite its metal construction," says Simone Lipski of the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen, Germany. "On the first trip of the Hindenburg to North America, the Dresden pianist Franz Wagner inaugurated the grand piano, playing works by Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, and Brahms." The piano maker's staff say the instrument was removed from the Hindenburg in 1937 and placed on display in the factory, where it was later destroyed in an air raid. But the Zeppelin Museum has found evidence that the piano was last seen in 1938 in a shipyard crate. And there the trail goes cold[]

Animating Space

"I'd love any of the spacecraft models used by Wernher von Braun in any of the 1955 Disneyland episodes, particularly the intricate and fanciful three-stage rocket in the episode Man in Space," says Ben Page of the EAA Aviation Museum. An estimated 40 million viewers saw the episode on TV and, later, in theaters. "In those models, I see a moment where the space program was really 'sold' to Americans, taking full advantage of the communication medium of the day."
TORONTO - With many businesses continuing to operate at limited capacity, Toronto Mayor John Tory on Thursday called on upper levels of government to provide additional economic support for Canada's downtowns.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Toronto Mayor John Tory speaks during a press conference to update media on a tentative deal reached between the City of Toronto and the city's outside workers, in Toronto, Saturday, Feb 29, 2020. Tory is calling on upper levels of government to provide additional economic support for downtown businesses affected by COVID-19.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

TORONTO - With many businesses continuing to operate at limited capacity, Toronto Mayor John Tory on Thursday called on upper levels of government to provide additional economic support for Canada's downtowns.

There is "increasing concern" among business leaders and others about "the future of downtowns in major cities across Canada, Tory said in a statement.

He asked the federal and provincial governments to take a number of steps to protect businesses  particularly ones facing a slow recovery, such as hotels and restaurants.

"For the first time in memory, Toronto's downtown is essentially devoid of activity, except for residents, he said.

In a letter to federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Tory asked the Liberal government to launch a review into reviving main streets and downtown cores, as people continue to work from home.

He also called for the replacement or extension of several federal programs introduced during the pandemic.

He asked that the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program, which provides relief to small businesses experiencing financial issues due to COVID-19, be replaced and given a simpler intake and application process.

The federal government should also extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy past Dec. 31 and improve the Business Credit Availability Program loan guarantee for larger firms, Tory said.

In a separate letter to Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips, Tory urged the provincial government to support hotels and attractions  and help keep municipal finances afloat  through property tax deferrals.

"Carefully done and targeted, additional investments in businesses now will save jobs, will preserve businesses and will ultimately speed up and strengthen our recovery. That in turn will allow us to fix our public finances faster," Tory said in a statement.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

A spokesperson for Freeland noted that Ottawa has invested more than $2 billion in municipalities through the Safe Restart Agreement.

"Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has worked closely with Mayor Tory and the City of Toronto, and we will continue to do so," press secretary Katherine Cuplinskas said in a statement.

Phillips did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2020.



This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
ByteDance has been working with the US government to avoid a full sale and discussions have been on for months and the situation reportedly remains fluid.

With the deadline to sell TikToks US operations closing in, ByteDance is currently in talks with the US government about they can be allowed to retain some ownership of TikToks Us operations while also satisfying regulators in China and the US.

Possible workarounds, in this case, keeping all parties happy, include the handing over operational control of TikToks data to an American tech company while still holding on to some ownership assets, reported CNBC.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, ByteDance has been working with the US government to avoid a full sale and discussions have been on for months. WSJ reported that the situation remains fluid and that it is unclear if the Trump administration will be willing to go ahead with a solution like this.

The Trump administration had set the September 20 deadline for ByteDance to announce a plan to sell TikToks US operations to a corporation in the US or get shutdown in the US by September 29. The deal would have to be completed by November 12.

ByteDance has been negotiating the sale of TikToks US ops to Microsoft in partnership with Walmart or to Oracle. A deal was pretty much close to be completed and announced which also saw TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer announcing his resignation.

Mayer wrote in a letter to employees that he had reflected on what the corporate structural changes will require given the sharp change in the political environment and what it meant for the global role he had signed up for. Mayer went on to write that while the company is expected to arrive at a resolution soon, hes decided to leave.

There were reports earlier this month that TikTok had chosen a buyer for its US, Australian and New Zealand businesses and was going to announce details soon though everyone was braced with the possibility that Beijing was not going to let the deal pass through without issues.

As expected, the negotiations and announcements were disrupted after Chinese officials introduced new restrictions on technology exports that required Chinas approval for TikTok to sell its algorithm since it is a part of the core value of the app.
A tugboat in Lerwick, the largest settlement in the Shetland islands. (Getty)

The Shetland islands have voted to explore independence from Scotland as they have become increasingly frustrated with the Edinburgh government.

The majority of Shetlands 22 councillors voted to explore options for achieving financial and political self-determination.

The motion that was passed by the council said some of their decision-making powers had been taken away and public funding had been consistently reduced in recent years.

Read more: 'COVID has been mentioned a few times': Hundreds apply to live on Scottish island

It read: In order to look at alternatives to ensure Shetland can reach and maintain its full potential, we, the undersigned, move that: The Shetland Islands Council formally begins exploring options for achieving financial and political self-determination.

Council leader Steven Coutts told the meeting there was massive potential in Shetland.

Councillors voted 18 to two in favour of the motion.

Any move for Shetland to become self-determining would need to be supported by an island-wide referendum, councillors stressed.

The council which met in Lerwick on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to explore independence from Scotland. (Getty)

Coutts suggested devolution has not benefited the area and said the Scottish Parliament feels remote to islanders, who face some of the highest rates of fuel poverty in the country.

Coutts said the council planned to speak to the UK and Scottish governments next week about options for Shetlands self-determination.

He told the PA News Agency: The status quo is not working.

He said: Devolution and the Islands Act have not made any tangible difference to the quality of life.

Read more: Support for Scottish independence from the UK leaps to record high

Councillor Ryan Thompson said: Can anyone sitting around this table  and indeed remotely  honestly say that we havent witnessed almost a complete erosion of our democracy, ironically since devolution?

Certainly over the last three years, I have seen a noticeable and sizeable difference  more and more decision-making powers centralised, more and more ring-fenced funding, more and more decisions being thrust upon us for us to make and then for us to find the funds to make them.

Story continues

Powers (have been) centralised, local authorities  precisely at a time when we could have been used to our advantage  have been disenfranchised, ignored and overlooked by Government at every step.

A view of the coast just outside Lerwick. (Getty)

Islands minister in the Scottish government, Paul Wheelhouse, said neither Shetland nor any other island council had submitted any request for further powers under Additional Powers Request Regulations introduced last year.

He said: It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on ferry services, on the basis of local needs and priorities.

Shetland voted heavily to remain in the UK when during the Scottish independence referendum with 63.7% in favour.

Scotland has a huge amount of oil reserves, with most of it located around Shetland.

The Shetland islands sit over 180 miles north of Scotland and has a population around 23,000.

It is the latest development among the Scottish islands over their disagreements over the direction of their nation and the settlement they have with the central government.

Three years ago Orkney explored if it could loosen ties with Scotland and the UK or even become independent after the nation voted to leave the EU.

Orkney voted heavily to remain in the EU with 63% against Leaves 37%.

Watch: Yahoo UK Finance Reporter Edmund Heaphy explains what a no-deal Brexit actually means, and its potential consequences...
Donald Trump

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at Smith Reynolds Airport, on Sept. 8, 2020, in Winston-Salem, N.C. Credit - Evan VucciAP

This article is part of the The DC Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox every weekday.

The Democratic-led House seems to be laying the groundwork for yet another round of damning insider testimony against President Donald Trump and his administrations indifferent handling of the threat that Russian interference poses for U.S. elections. The last time Washington went down this road, the House ended up impeaching Trump, and the Republican-controlled Senate served up an acquittal along near-party lines.

Does Washington really have the appetite to do this all over again?

The whistleblower complaint released yesterday by the House intelligence panel alleges political appointees directed the Department of Homeland of Securitys top intelligence analyst to push Russias efforts to meddle in U.S. polls aside and instead, to comport with the White Houses political messaging, focus on attempts from Iran and China.

The complaint also alleges that the whistleblowers bosses told him to include information in intelligence reports about left-wing and Antifa extremists to balance analysis about the growing threat posed by white supremacists. The complaint, submitted to Homeland Securitys internal watchdog and forwarded to Congress as required by law, is sure to be fodder for political animals with less than two months before Election Day. If true, it would be the latest example of Trump and his team using the power of his office for personal political gain.

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff says he has invited the whistleblower, Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Brian Murphy, to testify in private on Sept. 21 and would use a subpoena if necessary. That alone sets up a battle between Congress and the DHS, which could try to block Murphys testimony. Murphy is still with Homeland Security, now in a reduced role after reports became public that he was compiling dossiers on journalists who were covering the protests in Portland, Ore.

Story continues

While much of Washington melted down this week over bombshell revelations in Bob Woodwards new book, the whistleblower complaint actually poses a greater threat to Trumps political fortunes. Public hearings that may follow the private session could make for a day or two of gripping testimony in the final weeks of a presidential campaign. Six states will have their early-voting windows open for ballots before Murphys proposed private meeting. The first debate between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden is a week later.

If all of this sounds familiar, theres a reason. Just 11 days before Election Day in 2016, then-FBI Director James Comey announced his agents had come into possession of potential new evidence in the never-ending saga about Hillary Clintons use of a personal address as Secretary of State. That Oct. 28 surprise, at least in the estimation of Bill Clinton, cost Mrs. Clinton the election. Voters were casting ballots with the cloud of an investigation over them and it created a sense of scandal  even if the new evidence proved unremarkable.

The whistleblower complaint could be used by Trump as another boogeyman, although one of dubious potency. In the run-up to the 2018 midterm elections that gave Democrats a majority in the House, Trump warned impeachment would be on the agenda if Republicans lost their gavels. Democrats were militant about not using the I-word if they could help it, betting that their research was accurate that voters were looking for someone to be a check on Trump but not a party that would stand-in for prosecutor. In the end, they pursued impeachment, and Trump could convince his base that they will try again and are already trying to steal an election should Biden lose.

Trump survived Democrats attempt to remove him from office, but he paid a price. In the period between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announcing she was beginning the process and the day of his acquittal in the Senate, Trumps base swung away from him more strongly than Democrats or independents swung toward the effort. As a share of the entrenched corners, twice as many Republicans abandoned Trump as Democrats who joined the moves to oust him. In an election when Trumps sole play is to fire up his base, this threat to his core supporters could prove damning.

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When park ranger Oren P. Senter was transferred to Big Bend from Hot Springs National Park in July 1944, he must have felt as if hed been banished to purgatory. The first park ranger for the newly established park later wrote out the Rangers Lament, a poem to envelop a bigger than life barrenness. For the Spanish conquistadors, the name El Despoblado (The Uninhabited Land) burned the intimidating vision of the place into history. Sometimes called Texass gift to the nation, Big Bend is a nature lovers El Dorado in the middle of nowhere.

Chisos Basin. (Steve Bower/Shutterstock)

The area now encompassed by Big Bend National Park has a rich history dating back to Neolithic times. The fossil records of the region show diverse sea life as well as dinosaur remains, and the geological record extends more than 500 million years into the past. Set on top of the southwest Texas U.S.Mexico border, the park covers 801,163 acres (1,251.8 square miles), with more than 1,000 miles on the Rio Grande River. The park is all about contrasts and extremes with temperatures routinely above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in lowland areas, or below freezing up in the Chisos Mountains (7,832 feet).

Big Bend is aptly named, since everybody knows things are a lot bigger in Texas. One of Americas least-visited wilderness areas, the park is made up of three unique environments: the Chihuahuan Desert, the Chisos Mountains, and the snaking Rio Grande river canyons. This fantastic nature adventure is not one of those family fun vacation experiences with waterslides and gift shops, taking up more space than the attractions. Big Bend is a place for free spirits in search of transformative nature. This is a place hikers think of when they imagine heavenly landscapes and hardcore walks. For others, it may be a place to hurry throughas it was for Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca during his search for El Dorado.

Here is a suggested list of places every visitor should see.

Milky Way over Big Bend National Park. (Wisanu Boonrawd/Shutterstock)

Start at Panther Junction

Panther Junction Visitor Center is where visitors get an overview of what the park has to offer. Most visitors will consider the parks headquarters a basecamp for excursions to the main historic and wilderness areas. First-time visitors should go with the park rangers suggested itineraries.

Depending on what time you arrive, a short drive from Panther Junction along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to the Chisos Basin will get you off on the right foot. This route will take you across the stunning Chihuahuan Desert landscape. At the end of the car trek, youll discover the banks of the Rio Grande, and some short hikes to ranches and other historic sites.

Mariscal Mine. (IrinaK/Shutterstock)

A must-see attraction in this part of Big Bend is Santa Elena Canyon, where youll begin to grasp the enormity of this side of Texas. Park officials suggest visiting the forested Chisos Mountains and the Window View Trail, if time permits. The award-winning Fossil Discovery Exhibit is a good choice, but for day two in the area. Some hiking trails, like the Lost Mine Trail (a five-mile round trip), are a great idea. There are some ranger-guided tours you should consider if your length of visit permits too. On a special note, be on the lookout for wildlife throughout your Big Bend experience. Dont be surprised to encounter coyotes, mule deers, javelinas, Big Bend geckos, Texas horned lizards, rattlesnakes, and other critters that adapted to the environment here.

Rio Grande River, Santa Elena Canyon. (Linda Moon/Shutterstock)

The Middle of Somewhere

The Rio Grande Village campground is the starting point to an endless backcountry adventure. Just by the banks of the Rio Grande, the inexpensive campsite (from $16 per night, but currently closed, so make sure to check the status as you make plans) is close to the Boquillas Canyon and Hot Springs and the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail.

Nearby, the Boquillas Canyon Trail offers visitors stunning views of sheer cliffs, the meandering river, and inviting riverfront beaches. Catch the Boquillas Canyon at sunsetits spectacular when the sun drops behind the canyons western walls. Downriver, Hot Springs is a park feature you must not miss. Even though early 1900s homesteader and park promoter J.O. Langfords lavish bathhouse at the thermal springs is long gone, Big Bends first significant attraction still welcomes those in search of its curative powers. Visitors can soak up the 105-degree wellness water still bubbling from a hole in the old foundation of the bathhouse. Of course, theres a lot more to see and do in this area of the park.

The Boquillas Canyon at sunset. (B Norris/Shutterstock)

For experienced hikers, the Chimneys Trail, Mule Ears Trail, or Grapevine Hills Trail offer a stunning desert environment experience. Also, for would-be explorers of Chisos Mountains, the trails leading to Boot Canyon, Emory Peak, and the South Rim afford unbelievable panoramas of the park. Some of the parks other historic attractions include Castolon, which is the oldest known adobe structure in the park, as well as Johnsons Ranch, the abandoned Mariscal Mine, and the wonderful Comanche Trail, to name a few.

Big Bend National Park also invites young visitors to become official Junior Rangers. Young park goers can earn their official Junior Ranger badge for learning about the parks natural and cultural history. What you should take away here is the mixed feelings park visitors get from being in the middle of nowhere, and their realization theyve arrived smack in the middle of somewhere special.

Sunset in Big Bend National Park. (Dean Fikar/Shutterstock)

The Big Bend Illusion

Theres no way to provide more than a brief preview of Big Bend National Park. Visitors have the opportunity to dig deep into Texas myth and legend. Even the most prolific hiker will sooner or later be challenged by a desert or mountain trail. And wildlife lovers will experience one of the most unique places on Earth. The park has over 1,200 species of plants, 600 species of wildlife, and 3,600 insects.

In addition, few areas in North America have more protected geological and paleontological resources. Cretaceous and Tertiary fossils are found abundantly in the park. The history and archaeology of Big Bend loom large as well, and scientists have discovered some artifacts from at least 9,000 years ago. The landscape is also dotted with historic buildings set in the middle of one of the Southwests most mysterious places.

Big Bend National Park at sunset, near the U.S.Mexico border. (Paul Leong/Shutterstock)

The only way to encapsulate Big Bend is to say its a humbling experiencea place the late historian and Texas chronicler Kenneth Baxter Ragsdale described as variously a place, a state of mind, and at times an illusion. The famous historian went on to suggest the Big Bend region is either a heaven or a hell, a land of serene beauty or barren ugliness. And anyone whos been to this strip of haunting wilderness along the Rio Grande River will testify to the parks soothing but eerie solitude. To truly experience the beauty of this magical place, you must make part of your experience on foot. Let the silence grip you, breathe in the creosote bush, glare into the sunset from the Window Trail, and find what serenity truly is.

Phil Butler is a publisher, editor, author, and analyst who is a widely cited expert on subjects from digital and social media to travel technology. Hes covered the spectrum of writing assignments for The Epoch Times, Huffington Post, Travel Daily News, HospitalityNet, and many others worldwide.
Covid Joe, the Fake News, Virtue Signaling, and the fate of this American Republic

There is a choice to be made, and if you have not made that choice, that right choice, the time is nigh.



So many shallow people hate President Donald Trump, and I get that. I won't sanction its intellectual quality, but, I do realize how so many Americans are limited in their knowledge of what is real, probably due to our failing education industry, and the continual propaganda spewing like a torrent from the Fake News.



Admittedly, President Donald Trump is a most unusual communicator, speaking in sputters and spits of truths that only he, and those that understand his kind can fathom. Personally, I have no trouble understanding the man, because I understand what he intends, and how he then works diligently to accomplish those objectives.



Maybe, it is because I have twenty years of experience as someone that has been elected to govern Beaufort County, and I well know how difficult it is to accomplish what is utterly prudent and practical. Mr. Trump is that guy, who, after learning how government works, still is not playing that game, their construct of self-service, which is the whole of so many politicians ... and yes, I have seen that first hand too.



Covid Joe, a truly simple minded shell of a man, who is that self-serving bastard that has the entirely of the unscrupulous Fake News running interference for his campaign, and that truth is readily apparent to all that can grasp what is real. Covid Joe, even in his onset of dementia state, can still lie about issues that may exist beyond his comprehension level; like how to deal with a pandemic; and how to manage an economy. In reality, Slow Joe is well proved to be on the wrong of so many economic issues over his 47 years of taking from the American People; how will he manage just because he is the one alternative to a wrongly (by those who exist in the shallows) "hated" President?



In closing, I will keep this simple: If you have not made up your mind as who to vote for, know this - the Fake News and the Biden campaign are coordinating their lies, then the Fake News defends those lies, then will move onto another lie proffered. Accordingly, these propagandists have not asked Clueless Joe Biden one unscripted question to date ... however, FOX News did slip in a few early on, and have not been able to since.



No one, with a full working brain, takes anything reported from the Fake News outlets as real truth; they have been forever sullied and will never recover in an America that values education over indoctrination.



If you truly care for the future of this Republic, President Trump deserves re-election, more than any president since Ronald Reagan. I have the experience to know truth from lies, and fools from who are real. That is my gift.



President Trump, whether you follow his speaking pattern or not, is real.


Belarusian authorities have detained one of the two last leading members of an opposition council who remained free, moving methodically to end a month of protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Lawyer Maxim Znak, a member of the Coordination Council created by the opposition to facilitate talks with the country's leader of 26 years on a transition of power, was taken out of the council's office by unidentified masked people, associate Gleb German said.

Mr Znak had time only to text message "masks" before they took the phone away from him, Mr German said.

Unidentified people also attempted yesterday to enter the apartment of writer Svetlana Alexievich, the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature and now the only member of the council's executive presidium still free in Belarus.

Diplomats from several European Union nations and journalists converged on Ms Alexievich's apartment in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, to try to prevent her detention.

The rising pressure on activists comes as Belarus marks a month of massive demonstrations protesting Mr Lukashenko's re-election to a sixth term in the August 9 vote, which the opposition rejects as rigged. The protests that drew up to 200,000 on Sundays made an unprecedented challenge to Mr Lukashenko's iron-fist rule.

The foreign ministers of the Nordic Baltic nations, meeting in Estonia yesterday, urged Belarusian authorities to end a police crackdown on post-election protests and the prosecution of activists.

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde voiced deep concern over the crackdown on protesters and the detentions and forcible expulsions of opposition activists.

Last month, Ms Alexievich was questioned by Belarusian investigators, who have opened a criminal investigation into members of the Coordination Council, accusing them of undermining national security by calling for a transfer of power.

She dismissed the official accusations, saying in a statement released yesterday that the council was seeking to defuse the crisis sparked by Mr Lukashenko's re-election to a sixth term by offering to foster a dialogue between authorities and protesters.

Mr Lukashenko has dismissed the opposition as Western stooges and rejected demands from the US and the EU to engage in a dialogue with protesters who see his re-election as rigged and are demanding his resignation.

The US and the EU have criticised the Belarusian vote as neither free nor fair.
She is the younger sibling of the legendary Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley.

And Elizabeth Olsen stole the spotlight as she displayed her enviable figure while leaving a private home gym in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The actress, 31, slipped into form-fitting black workout leggings and a matching tee as she headed home after working up a sweat.

Working up a sweat: Elizabeth Olsen stole the spotlight as she displayed her enviable figure while leaving a private home gym in Los Angeles on Wednesday

The Avengers star protected her eyes from the sun in a pair of retro-inspired circular Oliver Peoples The Row frames.

Elizabeth kept comfortable in a pair of taupe-coloured Birkenstock sandals and draped a tan leather shoulder bag around her waist.

The screen star wore her hair in a practical high ponytail and went make-up free for her workout session.

Stylish: The actress, 31, slipped into form-fitting black workout leggings and a matching tee as she headed home after working up a sweat

Elizabeth made headlines last week when she deactivated her Instagram account after trolls attacked her for not speaking publicly on the death of actor Chadwick Boseman.

The Black Panther star passed away in August due to complications relating to colon cancer and he received an outpouring of messages online from grieving friends and fans.

Elizabeth and Chadwick worked together on Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fans also slammed his former co-star Lupita Nyong'o last week for not acknowledging his death on social media, however, she did release a poignant statement on Tuesday.

Elizabeth most recently starred in the Facebook Watch series, Sorry For Your Loss, where she played Leigh Shaw who is struggling to come to terms with the sudden passing of her husband.

The show was cancelled in January, but the actress will return to screens as her Marvel character, Wanda Maximoff, in the new series, WandaVision, which is expected to be released in 2021 on Disney Plus streaming service.
The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has given its nod to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to receive direct foreign donations for the Golden Temple after a gap of 35 years.

Foreign donations were banned for the Sikh shrine during the Operation Bluestar in June 1984. The MHA has allowed the same under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, for a period of five years.

The gurdwara management body had put forth a case for receiving such donations after the Covid-19 lockdown caused record dip in the collection of the money offered by devotees at the shrine.

The approval came in response to the SGPCs fresh application sent on May 27 this year when the Golden Temples collection of offered money dipped from Rs 23 lakh daily to a few thousand rupees due to lockdown imposed to contain the pandemic outbreak.

Involved in humanitarian work like running free community kitchens, educational and medical institutions, the SGPC cited its worsened financial condition, it is learnt.

The MHA letter received by the SGPC states, The association is forbidden from getting involved in any activity of political nature. It also forbids the committee from any kind of publication and broadcasting.

Union home minister Amit Shah tweeted, PM @narendramodi ji is blessed that Wahe Guru has taken Sewa from him. The decision on FCRA at the Sri Harmandir Sahib is a pathbreaking one which once again showcase the outstanding spirit of service of our Sikh sisters and brothers (sic).

Welcoming the move, SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said the sangat will now be able to send the donations directly. Earlier, the devotees living abroad offered the money manually or through their relatives or acquaintances in India. He said the procedure of making donations from abroad would be put on the SGPC website.

Former SGPC secretary Kulwant Singh said, Since 1984, the committee has been requesting the Union government to lift the ban, but to no avail. Earlier, the devotees wanted to donate the money for organising akhand path, langar, etc through money transfer, cheque or draft, but they could not. The SGPC also faced problems when devotees donated money in foreign currency.

NDA govt has honoured

Sikh sentiments: Harsimrat

Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday said the NDA government had honoured the sentiments of the Sikh community by granting permission to the Goden temple to receive foreign donations.

In a press release, she said the step would enable the sangat to contribute from across the globe and would go a long way in furthering the shrines endeavour to serve the society at large.

I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah for this gesture, she added.
To encourage people to spend money in the accommodation and food sector in Ireland, the Government announced a new Stay & Spend Incentive. The new incentive allows you to claim a certain amount of tax back on accommodation, food

and non-alcoholic drink bought between October 1 and April 30, 2021.

Under the terms of the incentive:

1. You must spend a minimum of 25.00 in a single transaction on qualifying expenditure and submit the receipt to Revenue

2. You can submit receipts of up to 625 or 1,250 for a jointly assessed married couple

3. Revenue will provide an income tax credit of up to 125 per person, or 250 for a jointly assessed married couple

You do not need to be on a staycation to avail of the incentive and you can check participating businesses by looking out for the Stay & Spend Tax Credit Logo or by checking revenues list of participating service providers.

Participating service providers can register on Revenue Online Service (ROS).

You must:

1. Spend at least 25 in a single transaction between October 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021

2. Claim expenses on accommodation (Hotels, B&Bs, Caravan Parks), food and non-alcoholic drink

The incentive does not apply to:

1. Takeaway food

2. Alcohol drinks

3. Amounts below 25

Rates

The Stay & Spend Incentive tax relief is given at the standard rate of 20% up to a maximum of 125 per person, or 250 for a jointly assessed married couple and qualifying expenses is capped at 625 per person, or 1,250 for a jointly assessed married couple.

How to Claim

There is two stages to claim for the Stay & Spend expenses:

1. Submit your receipts via Revenue Receipts Tracker mobile app or receipts tracker on Revenues MyAccount

2. Make an electronic claim for the Stay & Spend text credit (PAYE via Form 12 in MyAccount) or (Self-Employed via Form 11 in ROS)

How will relief be given?

The Stay & Spend Tax Credit will reduce the amount of income tax you have to pay (Income Tax Liability) If the tax accredit is higher than your income tax liability, any excess credit can be taken from USC.

For further details on your rights and entitlements, please contact:

 Tullamore CIC 0761 07 6290 or email Tullamore@citinfo.ie

 Portlaoise CIC 0761 07 5590 or email Portlaoise@citinfo.ie

 National Citizens Information Phone line 0761 07 4000 9am to 8pm (Mon to Fri)

 Request a call back service via our website HERE.

Citizens Information Services are supported and funded by the Citizens Information Board
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global luxury hair care market size is anticipated to reach USD 31.50 billion by 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2020 to 2027. Increasing e-commerce sales and growth of the male wellness sector are some of the major factors contributing to the rising demand for the product worldwide.

Luxury haircare brands are expected to focus more on the packaging design of products to appeal to an expanding 'influencer generation' in the country who keep on sharing their haircare moments with their friends or/and followers on social media. OUAI, a Los Angeles-based disruptive luxury haircare brand, studied consumer trends extensively on social media to power a product strategy.

Key suggestions from the report:

In terms of product, the shampoos segment led the market and accounted for 31.4% share of the overall revenue in 2019

Asia Pacific held the largest share of 39.3% in 2019

Acquisitions emerged as the key strategy deployed by market players to stay abreast of the competition.

Read 80 page research report with ToC on "Luxury Hair Care Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Shampoos, Hair Coloring Products), By Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, E-commerce), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/luxury-hair-care-market

Asian consumers, most notably Chinese, Japanese, and Indians, see luxury cosmetics (including hair care products) as a form of social capital that marks them apart in society. High-end consumers in the Asian markets increasingly prefer luxury haircare brands that resonate on a cultural level. In the coming years, multinational luxury hair care firms are expected to introduce boutique brands to incorporate local aesthetics to increase product appeal among consumers.

Asia Pacific emerged as the largest regional market for luxury hair care in 2019. This region is forecast to maintain its lead throughout the forecast timeframe, given the increasing popularity of prestige products among an expanding consumer base. In an effort to stem the rapid spread of the coronavirus, countries across the Asia Pacific, most notably India, continue to push for social distancing rules, thereby forcing individuals to stay indoors. Such moves, in turn, are expected to have a negative impact on the growth of the regional market, mainly throughout the remainder of 2020.

The market is characterized by intense competition, with international brands dominating the market. The market is likely to mirror the trends prevalent within the luxury skincare space over the forecast period. In this respect, CBD-based luxury hair care products are expected to gain traction, notably among millennials in the U.S.

Grand View Research has segmented the global luxury hair care market based on the product, distribution channel, and region:

Luxury Hair Care Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Shampoos



Conditioners



Hair Coloring Products



Hair Styling Products



Hair Oils



Others

Luxury Hair Care Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Supermarkets & Hypermarkets



Departmental Stores



Specialty Stores



E-commerce



Others

Luxury Hair Care Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

North America



The U.S.



Europe



The U.K.





France



Asia Pacific



China





India



Central & South America



Brazil



Middle East & Africa

&

UAE

List of Key Players of Luxury Hair Care Market

L'Oreal

Estee Lauder Companies

SEVEN, LLC.

Alcora Corporation

Kao Corporation

KOSE Corporation.

Find more research reports on Beauty & Personal Care Industry, by Grand View Research:

Vegan Cosmetics Market - The global vegan cosmetics market (Hair Care, Skin Care, Makeup) size was estimated at USD 12.9 billion in 2017, Changing perception of consumers towards animal-free products, coupled with growing popularity of environmentally sustainable products, is fueling the demand.

The global vegan cosmetics market (Hair Care, Skin Care, Makeup) size was estimated at in 2017, Changing perception of consumers towards animal-free products, coupled with growing popularity of environmentally sustainable products, is fueling the demand. Natural Cosmetics Market - The global natural cosmetics market size was estimated at USD 34.12 billion in 2018 and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.01% from 2019 to 2025.

The global natural cosmetics market size was estimated at in 2018 and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.01% from 2019 to 2025. Halal Cosmetics Market - The global halal cosmetics market (Hair Care, Skin Care, Makeup) size was estimated at USD 23.03 billion in 2018 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 12.3% over the forecast years.

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

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With several catastrophic fires burning across Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown (D) warned on Wednesday that all residents "must be on high alert," as the blazes could lead to the "greatest loss of human life and property due to wildfire in our state's history."

The fires spread during a windstorm on Monday, and Brown said hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Some areas are still so dangerous that Oregon Deputy State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said it isn't safe for officials to survey the damages. It is believed that the fires near Medford and Salem are especially destructive, The Associated Press reports, and police have confirmed that a 12-year-old boy and his grandmother were killed by a fire in the city of Lyons.

In Washington, the small farming town of Malden was almost completely destroyed by a fast-moving fire, and a 1-year-old boy was killed in Okanogan County when his family was overrun by flames as they tried to escape their home, Sheriff Tony Hawley said Wednesday. The boy's parents have been hospitalized with third-degree burns.

More stories from theweek.com

Trump knew it all along

The true Election Day nightmare scenario

The staggering consequences of Trump's coronavirus lies


A lightning strike killed four people in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday as isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall was recorded over the southern, central and the north-eastern parts of the country, even though the weather was largely dry in the northern region.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places was observed in Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Konkan and Goa and North-Interior Karnataka, and heavy rainfall was recorded at isolated places over Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha, east Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, South-Interior Karnataka and Kerala, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The IMD's monsoon bulletin said an off-shore trough at mean sea level runs from Maharashtra coast to Kerala coast. Under its influence, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls, thunderstorm and lightning very likely over peninsular India during the next four-five days. Dry weather prevailed in the national capital on Thursday, and similar conditions are likely to continue over the next four to five days in the city, the weather office said, adding that light to moderate rain is expected from September 15.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a maximum of 36.4 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. The maximum and minimum humidity settled at 90 and 50 per cent. The monsoon is likely to stay longer in the national capital this year and will start withdrawing only in the "initial days of October", an IMD official said. The wind system had reached Delhi on June 25, two days earlier than normal.

In Madhya Pradesh, four people, including a minor boy, died and four more were injured when lightning struck their makeshift house on a field in Barwani district. The victims had taken shelter in the makeshift house during rainfall, a district official said.

The maximum temperatures hovered above normal in Haryana and Punjab as sultry weather conditions prevailed in the region. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a high of 35 degrees Celsius, according to the meteorological department in the city.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius, while Hisar's maximum settled at 37.2 degrees Celsius. Karnal registered a maximum temperature of 34.6 degrees Celsius, while Narnaul's maximum temperature settled at 35.5 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Patiala recorded a high of 36.1 degrees Celsius, while Amritsar and Ludhiana recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius each.

In Rajasthan, maximum temperatures across most parts of the state settled between 33 degrees Celsius and 39.5 degrees Celsius. While 18 mm rain was recorded in Eranpura (Pali) since Wednesday, 0.9 mm was recorded in Jodhpur and 1 mm in Bhilwara.

The meteorological department said dry weather is expected in the western part of Rajasthan in the next week, while the eastern region is likely to receive light to moderate rainfall in the next five days. The districts of Bikaner and Jodhpur division in western Rajasthan are expected to remain almost dry in the next four-five days, it said, adding that the region is likely to see rainfall from September 15-16.

Rainfall is expected to increase in the eastern part of the state from September 14-15, the weather office said. In Uttar Pradesh, light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers occurred at isolated places.

While Mohammadi (Kheri) recorded 5 cm rainfall, Robertsganj (Sonbhadra) recorded 4 cm, Gorakhpur, Chaundali and Balrampur 3 cm each and Maharajganj, Tarabganj (Gonda) and Salempur (Deoria) received 2 cm each, the Lucknow weather office said. The highest maximum temperature in the state was 37.4 degrees Celsius, recorded at Lucknow.

The Met department has predicted dry weather in western Uttar Pradesh and light to moderate thunderstorm accompanied with lightning at isolated places over the eastern part of the state. The IMD's special monsoon bulletin said heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places in coastal Karnataka during September 10-13 and in south-interior Karnataka and Kerala on September 10 and 11.

The western end of the monsoon trough lies to the north of its normal position and its eastern end near to its normal position. The monsoon trough is very likely to shift southward due to the formation of a low pressure area over west-central Bay of Bengal off the Andhra Pradesh coast around September 13, it said. Under their influence, fairly widespread rainfall with isolated thunderstorm and lightning are very likely in the north-eastern and the eastern parts of the country. Heavy rainfall at isolated places are also very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and the northeast states during the next four days.

Rainfall distribution and intensity are very likely to increase over Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Gujarat from September 12 onwards. Isolated heavy falls are also very likely over these regions during the same period, the IMD said.

.
WASHINGTON  Suckers and losers, warmongers and pu-----.

President Donald Trump has reportedly used those labels to describe American war heroes and Pentagon brass. It's enough to rankle even key Trump allies, including the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.

And it shows just how fraught Trump's relationship with the U.S. military has become.

"Its a mix," Rep. Mac Thornberry, the vice chair of the Armed Services Committee, said when asked about Trump's standing with the Pentagon.

Thornberry himself took issue with Trump's comment on Monday suggesting that Pentagon leaders "want to do nothing but fight wars" so they can keep defense contractors happy.

"It's exactly the opposite," the Texas Republican said, adding that commanders are often the most reluctant to send troops into battle because they've seen the consequences up close. "Their motivation is to serve the country, and I dont see how that can be questioned."

Trump's public remark on Monday was sandwiched between two other explosive revelations: First, the Atlantic magazine reported that Trump repeatedly disparaged members of the military and described America's war dead as "losers" and "suckers"  accusations the president has angrily denied.

Then, an explosive new book by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward says Trump used even coarser language in private. "My f------ generals are a bunch of -------," Trump reportedly told White House trade adviser Peter Navarro at one point, according to Woodward.

The developments mark a dramatic shift from the early days of Trumps presidency, when military leaders welcomed their new commander-in-chief with a sense of relief and optimism.

After a strained relationship with Barack Obamas administration, they liked what they heard from Trump, who promised generous pay raises and hefty boosts in military spending. Trump had another advantage: He wasnt Hillary Clinton, Trumps Democratic rival whom the military viewed with suspicion.

Story continues

But the goodwill that greeted Trump when he entered the Oval Office has given way to tensions as he fights for a second term.

Trumps relationship with the military has grown increasingly fraught over the past couple of years as he made one decision after another that rankled military chiefs and rank-and-file soldiers alike. The Atlantic's report last week that Trump repeatedly disparaged members of the military and described America's war dead as "losers" and "suckers" was another serious blow.

Thats a cut to the heart of everybody who serves, said David Lapan, a retired Marine colonel and former spokesman for both the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.

Fresh tension erupted Monday when Trump accused senior military leaders of advocating "endless wars" to please defense contractors. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville quickly pushed back, saying he and his colleagues recommend putting troops in harm's way only as a "last resort."

The discord between Trump and military leaders isn't a result of one breaking point, said Peter Feaver, an expert on civilian-military relations at Duke University.

Instead, "I would view it as more of an erosion and a death of 1,000 cuts, he said.

Bob Woodward book takeaways: Trump admits 'playing' down COVID threat, secret nuclear program, Kim Jong Un letters

President Donald Trump salutes a veteran during a visit to the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC on June 25, 2020. -

Asked about the state of Trump's relationship with the military, the White House said he has been a strong supporter of America's veterans and troops.

"President Trump loves the brave men and women of our military and is honored to be their commander-in-chief. Period," spokesman Judd Deere said. "He holds not only them but their families in the highest regard for their service and sacrifice. And he is awed by our soldiers bravery and courage to protect this country, our values and our flag."

Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said there is always tension between U.S. presidents and the Pentagon.

But "there's no precedent for this" level of acrimony, said Smith, who has served in Congress through four different administrations.

Trumps relationship with the military was always built on shaky ground, said Hal Brands, a professor at Johns Hopkins University who specializes in American defense policy. Officers who had attained the pinnacle of their profession through discipline, deliberation and dedication to constitutional principles often turned out to be a poor match for a commander-in-chief who acted on gut instinct.

"He doesnt exactly model personal integrity or honesty," said Brands, who said Trump showed contempt for the expertise of high-ranking military officers from the get-go.

While previous presidents have clashed with the Pentagon, Brand said, "its hard for me to think of another example where a sitting president while in office has openly disparaged the military leadership in such broad terms."

'My generals'

Trump irked some military leaders right from the start when he rhapsodized over "my generals," a group of officers, most of them retired, who filled key roles in his administration.

That, right away, showed that he didnt take the time to understand the military and didnt want to understand it, said Jon Soltz, an Iraq War veteran and chairman of VoteVets, a nonprofit political organization that represents military members and advocates for progressive values.

Trump viewed the military as his personal force, not the countrys, Soltz said. His use of the military flowed from that.

Presidential threat: Trump's former defense secretary Mattis blasts president as a threat to American democracy

Other controversial decisions  from Trump's abrupt order to withdraw from Syria to denigrating European allies to his intervention on behalf of troops accused of war crimes  further eroded the militarys trust in their leader.

Trump's pardons of Maj. Matthew Golsteyn and Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, and his reversal of a demotion for Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, have shaken the military criminal justice system and roiled the Pentagon's senior leadership. Former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer lost his job after working out a private deal with the White House to let Gallagher retire without losing his rank and SEAL status. Defense Secretary Mark Esper asked for Spencer's resignation, citing his "lack of candor."

Trump's treatment of U.S. allies, including the Kurds, prompted Jim Mattis, his previous defense secretary, to resign. Mattis and others viewed the Syria withdrawal as a betrayal of Kurdish allies in the fight against the Islamic State group.

More recently, Trump has forced the Pentagon into an uncomfortable political spotlight.

Lafayette Square photo op a flashpoint

He tussled with Pentagon brass over the use of active-duty troops to quell racial justice protests sparked by the death of of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

Retired Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in The Atlantic that he was sickened to see security personnel, including the National Guard, clear protesters from Lafayette Square near the White House to secure a path for Trump to hold a photo-op.

After the protesters were dispersed, Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accompanied Trump and other top administration officials on the walk from the White House to St. John's Church  a decision Milley later called a "mistake" that left the impression the military was involved in politics.

'Law and order': Trump returns to 2016 theme as violence spreads after George Floyd's death

A recent poll by the Military Times documented how much Trump's support among the ranks has fallen. Almost half (49.9%) of the more than 1,000 troops surveyed held a negative view of him when asked in July and August compared to 42% last year. When he took office in 2017, 37% of respondents held a negative view.

President Donald Trump walks across Lafayette Park across from the White House to visit St. John's Church after the area had been cleared of protesters. Walking behind Trump from left are, Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley later said his presence was a "mistake" because it "created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics."

The erosion of support for Trump "isnt some quick reaction to recent news about his comments regarding troops and war dead," Soltz said. "This has been brewing for a while. On big issues, like the role of the military, to smaller issues that impact troops and their loved ones, Donald Trump has shown absolutely no interest, outside of how they can help him, not vice versa."

Thornberry said many Pentagon leaders are "incredibly grateful" that Trump supported major budget increases, which allowed them to repair vital equipment, among other things. And he gave commanders more authority to make on-the-ground decisions in the fight against ISIS, which Thornberry said hastened the terror group's demise in Syria.

But Thornberry conceded that Trump's insistence on sending National Guard troops to the border, the Lafayette Square incident and other controversies have caused concern inside the Pentagon.

Thornberry said he doesn't know if Trump's reported "losers" and "suckers" remark is true. But he was taken aback by Trump's "impugning the motives of military leadership, which I dont really understand."

Feaver said Trump's suggestion that military leaders are warmongers will further erode his standing with the brass and rank and file alike.

"Telling the rank and file 'You can't trust your generals and admirals. They just want to go to war to sell more bombs' ... that is one of the most pernicious calumnies that have been directed at the military over the centuries," said Feaver, author of "Armed Servants: Agency, Oversight, and Civil-Military Relations."

But that comment was hardly the first time Trump has openly denigrated military leaders.

Trump recently undercut Esper by referring to him as Yesper, a dig at Espers willingness to accommodate him. And after Mattis resigned, Trump repeatedly attacked his former defense chief as an "overrated" general, among other epithets.

'Substantial' danger: Intelligence whistleblower says he was pressured to downplay threats from Russia, white supremacists

Trump has adamantly denied the account in the Atlantic, which centers on Trump's decision in 2018 to cancel a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris to honor America's war dead.

Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, the magazine quoted Trump as saying. The report, which cited unnamed sources, said the president referred to the more than 1,800 Marines who died at Belleau Wood as suckers for getting killed.

The White House has pushed back hard on the report, insisting that the cemetery visit was canceled because heavy fog made it unsafe for Marine One to make the flight and releasing a list of two dozen officials who deny that Trump made the disparaging remarks. Trump himself also insisted he didn't make the remarks.

"I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes. There is nobody that respects them more," Trump told reporters last week. He said those making the accusations were "low lifes" and "liars."

Other news organizations, including the Associated Press and Fox News, said they had confirmed some of the allegations reported by The Atlantic.

And Trumps reported use of the term "loser" to describe fallen troops echoes a contentious Pentagon meeting he had with the top brass July 20, 2017, on foreign policy as reported in the book "A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America." Trump grew enraged at being schooled by senior military and senior officials and challenged them over the loser war in Afghanistan, Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig write.

Youre all losers, Trump said. You dont know how to win anymore.

A former senior Defense Department official who served in the Trump administration at that time was not surprised to read that Trump used similar language to describe the 1,800 fallen Marines at Belleau Wood in France. The former official, whose employer would not allow him to speak publicly, called the revelation revolting.

Lapan said the remarks attributed to Trump were "disgusting" but not surprising.

Its just another example of ways I think he has mistreated the military community, at the same time holding them up as props to be praised  as if a pay raise and an increased defense budget are all that people in the military are interested in," he said.

Brands said the current friction is exacerbated by "the fear that the military will get pulled into particularly intense political disputes surrounding either domestic protests or the results of the 2020 president election."

He said military leaders are extremely uncomfortable with that prospect, as evidenced by Milley's comments after the Lafayette Square incident. He said Defense Department leaders are likely contemplating "scenarios that might materialize between now and January" and trying to figure out how to maintain the Pentagon's reputation as an apolitical institution and an upholder of constitutional norms.

"The reason that the U.S. military ranks higher than virtually every other public institution when it comes to public trust is that it is perceived to be apolitical," he said. "For that reputation to be lost would be frankly be catastrophic."

Related video: Trump doesnt dispute downplaying COVID-19 to reduce panic

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's military ties further strained over alleged 'loser' remarks
Bell rings on new virus-era reality at Italy schools One metre apart: at Rome's Luigi Einaudi technical high school, staff have been setting up classrooms for pupils' return

Millions of Italian pupils head back to the classroom next week after six months at home, confronting a new reality of outdoor lessons, coronavirus "isolation rooms" and even a possible ban on singing.

While some in the north of the country already returned this week, the majority of Italy's around eight million school pupils go back on Monday after the coronavirus shuttered classes in early March.

Italy was one of the first European countries to be hard hit by Covid-19, which has so far killed more than 35,500 people in the country, out of a total of more than 280,000 cases.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte vowed on Wednesday to make a safe return to school "a beacon of the government."

"Thank you, you have paid the highest price in this crisis," he said, addressing schoolchildren, during a televised news conference.

"Closing schools and distance learning have been a huge burden," he added.

Italian Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said that more than 5,000 extra classrooms had been created.

Nevertheless, some southern regions like Puglia and Calabria have already postponed the reopening until September 24, over concerns about being ready to meet all the coronavirus requirements.

- 'Covid room' -

At Rome's Luigi Einaudi technical high school, staff were hard at work this week to "covid-proof" the premises and prepare for the return of its 1,000 pupils.

"We're a completely different school compared to the one on March 6," said principal Diana Guerani, referring to the date on which the Lazio region closed classrooms as the virus tightened its grip on Italy.

"It's a completely new situation, but we have to face it," Guerani told AFP, as outfitters noisily moved in new single-seat desks to be placed a mandatory one metre (3.3 feet) apart.

"We want to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible," she added.

The school, which opened 58 years ago and is named after Italy's second president and anti-fascist journalist, is a stone's throw away from Saint Peter's Basilica in nearby Vatican City.

Story continues

As well as special tape on the floor indicating the direction of movement, the school has added frequent hand sanitiser dispensers, provided by the Italian government which has pledged that 170,000 litres of disinfectant gel will be available per week across the country.

Like all Italian pupils over the age of six, students will have to wear face masks -- some 11 million free masks are being provided to teaching staff and pupils daily.

At the school's entrance, a scanning camera will set off an alarm if a pupil has a temperature -- or enters without wearing a mask.

"Pupils identified with a high temperature are immediately isolated and brought to a special 'covid' room where protocols have been put in place" to test for the virus, teacher Marina Di Foggia said.

The room has a separate exit, from which any ill pupils can then leave for home, she told AFP.

And a programme introduced in September last year -- to teach outdoor classes at Luigi Einaudi "as long as the weather holds" -- is also being broadened out, Guerani said.

- 'Tedious' -

Italian officials say the country's back-to-school strategy revolves around the immediate quarantine of those who have been "in close contact" with a student or teacher testing positive for Covid-19.

After a positive result, pupils will only be allowed back to school following two subsequent negative ones, carried out a day apart.

Close communication between families and schools will also be key, with schools undertaking rigorous roll-calls to trace absent students and contacts in case of infection.

Italy's Covid-19 scientific advisors have recommended even stricter measures, including banning singing due to the risk of spreading the virus.

The Save the Children charity last week said that seven out of 10 Italian parents were worried about sending their children back to school.

Meanwhile, in the northern city of Milan, which was particularly hard hit by the virus, some pupils were already back in front of the blackboards this week.

Laura Bonnano, 16, said that she was happy to see her friends again after six months at home.

"Wearing a mask all day is a bit tedious," she told AFP, adding: "After a while you get used to it."

jhe-cco/kjm/tom
Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. However, after investigating Sysco (NYSE:SYY), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Sysco:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.10 = US$1.6b  (US$23b - US$6.7b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).

So, Sysco has an ROCE of 10%. By itself that's a normal return on capital and it's in line with the industry's average returns of 9.8%.

Check out our latest analysis for Sysco

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Sysco compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

The Trend Of ROCE

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Sysco, we didn't gain much confidence. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 10% from 21% five years ago. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.

On a side note, Sysco has done well to pay down its current liabilities to 30% of total assets. That could partly explain why the ROCE has dropped. Effectively this means their suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of the business, which reduces some elements of risk. Since the business is basically funding more of its operations with it's own money, you could argue this has made the business less efficient at generating ROCE.

Story continues

The Bottom Line

We're a bit apprehensive about Sysco because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. But investors must be expecting an improvement of sorts because over the last five yearsthe stock has delivered a respectable 77% return. In any case, the current underlying trends don't bode well for long term performance so unless they reverse, we'd start looking elsewhere.

Sysco does come with some risks though, we found 5 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those makes us a bit uncomfortable...

For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.

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The district forest department Wednesday night searched a grocery shop in the city and seized several wildlife contraband items such as dead fireflies, owl claws, monitor lizard genitalia and the Himalayan herb, Costus roots, whose sale and exported has been prohibited by the government of India.

Sunil Jain, the owner of the grocery store in Bhangel, Noida, has been arrested an FIR registered against him at the Phase-2 police station .

Officials said most of the seized contraband items are related to superstition, and used in occult practices and for preparing dubious concoctions.

The recovered items are as follows: 10 grams of dead fireflies, eight jackal bones (siyar singhi), two owl claws, 10 hattha jodi or genitals of monitor lizards, and three kilograms of Costus root.

We received information from a wildlife NGO that a grocery shop in Bhangel was selling such prohibited wildlife items. Upon search, we found a number of contraband items, kept there for sale. These items are either used in occult practices or as medicines which have no proven medicinal value. Costus root is a Himalayan herb, whose sale or export is prohibited without a licence. A case was registered under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) against the shop owner, said PK Srivastava, divisional forest officer, Gautam Budh Nagar.

Items like fireflies and monitor lizard genitalia have no medicinal values but they are often used by quacks to fool the gullible. In several cases, the hattha Jodi itself is fake. Siyar Singhi or jackal bone is believed by many to be the bone that the jackal has in its skull, which is false. Owls claws are used in occult practices, Saket Badola, country head, TRAFFIC, a global wildlife trade monitoring network that works in India as division of WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), said.

Speaking of Costus root, Badola said because of its overexploitation and habitat destruction in the Himalayan regions of Kashmir and Himachal, it is one of the few protected plant species in the country.

Costus root has several medicinal properties and, hence, is one of six species of plants protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. This means that the person selling it should prove that its procured through legal or harvested methods, Badola said.

Police said Jain was sent to jail on Thursday. The accused was arrested for selling the prohibited wildlife species. A case was registered under sections of Wildlife Protection Act 1972. He has been sent to jail, a police statement said.
A five-year-old boy has died after police in suburban Chicago said a granite tabletop fell onto his head during a hotel wedding reception.

Police and paramedics were called to The Drake Hotel on North York Road in Oak Brook at around 10pm last Friday for a report of an unresponsive child.

First responders came upon an emergency room doctor who was attending the wedding celebration performing CPR on the boy.

The five-year-old, identified by the DuPage County Coroner's Office on Thursday as Luca Berlingerio, from Glenview, was then rushed to Elmhurst Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead from a traumatic head injury.

A wedding reception in Illinois was marred by tragedy when five-year-old Luca Berlingerio (pictured left and right with his father) suffered a fatal injury after a table fell on his head

The accident happened after the five-year-old slid off the granite tabletop and it came crashing down onto his head (photo shows hotel lobby)

Investigators said Luca was at the reception with his parents when he climbed onto a table standing behind a sofa in an open area where other children were sitting. reported WGN.

As the kids were getting up to leave, the five-year-old, who was laying perpendicularly on the granite tabletop, began sliding off it.

He grabbed the edge of the table with his fingers to slow his descent as he slid backward, police said after reviewing video from the venue.

When Luca got down from the table, it toppled over, hitting him in the head and inflicting a significant injury.

His family found him unresponsive a short time later and raised the alarm, summoning the ER doctor on the scene for help and calling 911.

An obituary for Luca stated that he 'passed away suddenly.' He is survived by his parents, Simone and Anna Berlingerio, and his older brother, Rocco.

Luca (far right) was attending the wedding celebration with his parents, pictured above alongside his older brother, Rocco (left)

An ER doctor who was a guest at the event attempted CPR before paramedics arrived and took over. Luca was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead

The Drake Hotel released a statement to DailyMail.com addressing the fatal accident at the venue.

'Our team is heartbroken about this terrible accident,' the statement read. 'We wish to share our condolences with the family and friends affected. To respect their privacy, we arent able to share the specifics of the incident.'

Meanwhile, a friend has launched an online fundraiser seeking donations for the Berlingerio family.
The nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the landmark Israel-UAE deal is a "hard-earned and well-deserved honour," the White House has said, underlining that the US President has made peace a cornerstone of his foreign policy efforts.

Far-right Norwegian lawmaker Christian Tybring-Gjedde on Wednesday nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in mediating the deal between Israel and the UAE which is seen as a historic step towards peace in the Middle East.

Israel and the UAE announced on August 13 that they were establishing full diplomatic relations. The first commercial direct flight between Israel and the UAE landed in Abu Dhabi on August 31 after both countries announced normalisation of relations. The deal would be signed on September 15 at the White House.

The UAE is only the third Arab country to establish diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. Israel's neighbours, Egypt and Jordan, being the other two Arab states to recognise Israel.

"President Trump was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his work in brokering an Israel-United Arab Emirates peace deal. It was a historic deal and the first such deal in over two decades. This is a hard-earned and well-deserved honour for this President," White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Wednesday.

President Trump has made peace a cornerstone of his recent foreign policy efforts, she said.

In his nomination letter, Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament for the far-right Progress Party, also cited Trump's key role in facilitating contact between conflicting parties and creating new dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute between India and Pakistan, and the conflict between North and South Korea, as well as dealing with the nuclear capabilities of North Korea, the Fox News reported.

Trump has repeatedly in the past offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. However, India has maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral one and no third party has any role.

McEnany said that the president's foreign policy will always be one of peace through strength, and that is what the American people are seeing abroad.

"Career politicians merely talk about the kind of results this president has achieved on the world stage," she said.

"These wins are possible because of the President's leadership and outsider perspective. President Trump addresses old challenges with new solutions and delivers results for the American people," she said.

Highlighting Trump's initiatives, McEnany said that the US has announced a drawdown of troops in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000.

"We've secured better trade deals for the American worker. President Trump negotiated the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), the U.S.-South Korea deal; ended the Trans-Pacific Partnership; brought back manufacturing jobs," she said. "President Trump has stood up to China: the phase one China deal; also tariffs to hold China accountable; and actions to block Huawei," she said.

President Trump has also defeated terrorists. The ISIS caliphate is destroyed. Al-Baghdadi is no longer on the battlefield, along with Iranian General Soleimani, she said.

He has also brokered economic normalisation between Serbia and Kosovo, a major breakthrough in this decades-old conflict, McEnany added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:35:33|Editor: huaxia

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LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Five militants were confirmed dead and nine others injured as clashes flared up in Gereshk district of the southern Helmand province on Thursday, a statement from the national army here said.

The clashes broke out after a group of Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints early Thursday and the troops retaliated, forcing the insurgents to flee after leaving five bodies behind and nine more injured, the statement said.

The Afghan forces also discovered 14 mines planted by the insurgents in the area and defused them on the spot.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of the troubled Helmand province with Lashkar Gah as its capital haven't commented. Enditem
Salvagers in Vermont have uncovered paddle wheels from a steamship that sank more than two centuries ago.

Built in 1815, the SS Phoenix was 146 feet long and is the oldest known example of a paddle steamer in the world.

The wheels were found last month about a mile from the ship's hull, which has become a popular site for scuba divers.

The Phoenix caught fire while ferrying passengers across Lake Champlain in 1819, leading to the deaths of a half-dozen people.

Some say a crew member was careless with a candle, which sparked the blaze, while others suspect it may have been sabotage.

Scroll down for video

Gary Lefebvre found the intact paddle wheels of the SS Phoenix, a sidewheel steamship that caught fire and sank in 1819

On August 28, Gary Lefebvre and his wife, Ellen, headed out onto Lake Champlain to investigate some of the targets they had spotted on their radar.

Using a camera on their remote diving vehicle, they spotted an intact wheel nestled in the lakebed.

The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum confirmed the wheel was from the Phoenix, a wooden-frame sidewheel steamship that ferried people and cargo between New York, Vermont and what is now Quebec, Canada.

Built in 1815, the Phoenix measured 146 feet long and 27 feet wide, and was powered by both steam and sail.

At the request of the museum, Lefebvre returned to the lake five days after his initially discovery and found a second paddle wheel about 100 yards away

According to the museum, the steamboat had separate cabins for gentlemen and ladies, as well as a barber shop, downstairs 'saloon' and smoking lounge.

In 1817, the Phoenix carried then-President James Monroe from Burlington, Vermont to Plattsburgh, New York.

Built in 1815, the Phoenix measured 146 feet long and 27 feet wide, and was powered by both steam and sail. She had separate cabins for gentlemen and ladies, as well as a barber shop, smoking lounge and downstairs saloon

The phoenix ferried people and cargo between New York, Vermont and what is now Quebec, Canada. In 1817, the Phoenix carried President James Monroe from Burlington, Vermont to Plattsburgh, New York

Two years later, on September 4, 1819, a fire broke out and all 46 passengers and crew members were forced to abandoned ship.

While most were put on lifeboats, about a dozen people - including Captain Richard Sherman - were left behind when the last boat was sent out prematurely.

'The boats were down, and the captain and his men held shrieking women and children in their arms, when the helm gave way, and the vessel, turning from the wind, flew backwards, whirling round and round from the shore,' Fanny Wright wrote in an 1821 account of the disaster.

A fire broke out on September 4, 1819, forcing all 46 passengers and crew members to abandoned ship. Most were put on lifeboats but six people ultimately lost their lives

'None could approach the engine; its fury, however, soon spent itself, and left the flaming wreck to the mercy of only the winds and waves.'

Sherman, whose father had built the Phoenix, was among those rescued the following morning, but six people drowned trying to swim for safety.

'The bottom of Lake Champlain is a well preserved museum, and I enjoy seeing things for the first time that no one has ever seen on the bottom, or even knew existed,' Lefebvre told CNN.

He had explored the wreckage before but said he had no idea something like this was still down there.

The second paddle wheel was identical to the first and also displayed extensive charring, verifying that it came from the same vessel.

After talking to the museum, Lefebvre went back to the lake five days later and found a second paddle wheel about 100 yards from the original.

This second structure was identical and also displayed extensive charring on the surface, verifying that it came from the same vessel.

The wreckage from the Phoenix was first discovered in 1978.

Initially the lifeless ship drifted until it hit Colchester Reef, but the Lake Champlain Steam-boat Company salvaged the steam engine and had the hull dragged off the reef to sink.

Museum researcher Chris Sabick during a regular inspection of the Phoenix wreckage in 2019. The shipwreck is a popular destination for scuba divers, and anchors and other items have been recovered before, but nothing on the scale of the paddle wheels

During the subsequent investigation, it was reported the fire was started accidentally by a crew member who left a candle burning in the ship's pantry.

But there was also widespread speculation the blaze was intentionally set by saboteurs angered by the advent of steam-powered ships.

Less than half of the Phoenix remains today, the results of time, the company's salvage efforts and other dives.

A map indicating the location of the Phoenix shipwreck in Lake Champlain. The lake is home to the remains of dozens of vessels, going back at least to the Revolutionary War

Anchors and other items have been spotted before, but nothing so well preserved.

The two wheels were about a mile away from the Phoenix's main hull, which is located about 60 to 100 feet below the surface.

'Gary's amazing discoveries bring one of the most tragic maritime accidents in Lake Champlain's history into sharp focus in an entirely new and dramatic way,' Chris Sabick, research director at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, said in a statement.

'They also demonstrate that Lake Champlain still has many stories to tell and archaeological mysteries we can unravel.'

Sabick said charring on the paddles indicates how quick and intense the fire was.

The wheels are being left in place for future study - according to Sabick, bringing them back to the surface would be too difficult.

Photographs of the paddlewheel structures. Only about 40 percent of the Phoenix remains due to the ravage of time, salvage efforts by its manufacturers and previous dives

The wreck of the Phoenix is a Vermont State Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It's protected by the Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve, though qualified divers are allowed access if they register.

Lake Champlain is something of an underwater maritime museum, with the remains of dozens of vessels going back at least to the Revolutionary War.
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
This is part of Six Months In, a Slate series reflecting on half a year of coronavirus lockdown in America.

Were living through the first draft of science. At the beginning of the pandemic, we did not know that much about the novel coronavirus, so we had to improvise. All that initial advice about extensive hand-washing and not wearing a mask and not touching your face was based on a heuristicof other viruses and our norms for dealing with themthat turned out to not work very well in the context of this coronavirus. Meanwhile, researchers started working at a breakneck clip to begin studying itscientists are sprinting to outpace the novel coronavirus, read a late-February headline in the Lancet. But science as a concept doesnt change just because theres a pandemic; it remains an iterative process, one thats prone to mistakes, correctives, and at turns, wishful thinking and overzealous worrying. To borrow a quote from the French novelist Victor Hugo (and the title of a science blog), Science says the first word on everything, and the last word on nothing.

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Weve heard a lot of first words about SARS-CoV-2. Some of them turned out to be prescient, some of them turned out to not matter, some of them turned out to point us in the exact wrong direction. Together, they hint at what were up against in the months (years) to come, though none of them can tell us what, exactly, will happen. Holding up any single study as proof of a concept or even a tide shift in thinking can be a dangerous exercisescience after all is the sum of a vast collective of research, not a new paper. And yet, individual studies continue to make headlines, go viral, change our minds. Over the past several months, theyve told us stories about what the virus is doing, what it could do to our loved ones, and what it could do to us, and given that context, weve tried to absorb it all. Weve learned some things about the coronavirus, sure, but I hope weve also learned a little bit about how science worksslowly, and sometimes confusingly. Here, well use 10 studies as signposts for an (incomplete) tour of what weve learned about SARS-CoV-2 so far, how our thinking has changed, and where weve gone wrong.

The Mystery Illness Gets an Identity

We will start off with not a study but a big research milestone that coincides with the beginning of COVID-19. On Jan. 10, when there was just one reported death due to, what was then, the mystery illness in Wuhan, China, a group of scientists from Fudan University in Shanghai uploaded a copy of the genome to Virological, a discussion forum. The new genome, sequenced and shared in record time, established that the virus was SARS-like, as it would be identified in headlines for the coming weeks, and would serve as a road map for exploring potential treatments and vaccines.

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With a limited number of people infected, it would take time to confirm that this newly sequenced virus was definitely the same thing causing the outbreak in Wuhan, Helen Branswell wrote in Stat News. She also noted that, even given a genome of the virus causing the illnessa starting point for vaccine and drugs designexperts cautioned that this discovery does not mean the outbreak is over or the threat has passed.

The Virus Came From What Animal?

In a scramble to figure out the viruss origins, one group of researchers suggested it came from snakes in a paper titled CrossSpecies Transmission of the Newly Identified Coronavirus 2019nCoV published on Jan. 22 in the Journal of Medical Virology. Their argument had to do with an analysis that showed there were technical similarities between some of the DNA in the virus and that in snakes. But people who actually study coronaviruses were immediately skeptical. Nobody has ever found a coronavirus in a snake as far as I know, says Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, noting that speculation about the particular animal origins of the virus quickly turned into a racist blame game (pangolins were another early theory). Speculation about which wild creature originally harbored the virus obscures a more fundamental source of our growing vulnerability to pandemics: the accelerating pace of habitat loss, wrote Sonia Shah in the Nation not long after the snake theory was debunked. What animal it came from is still a mystery.

The First Inklings of Asymptomatic Spread

At the start of all this, contagious was closely linked to sick. This makes intuitive sense; its how we think about the flu. SARS in particular was typically accompanied by a fever and was successfully contained in 2003 in part with temperature screenings. One of the first hints that SARS-CoV-2 might spread from someone who didnt have clear symptoms was a case of a businesswoman traveling from Shanghai, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine at the very end of January, Transmission of 2019-nCoV Infection From an Asymptomatic Contact in Germany. The letter noted that, though she didnt feel ill until the plane ride home, she infected two people directly while she was in Germany. There were a couple problems with this paper: First, it actually describes what we now call pre-symptomatic transmission. Two, the researchers didnt actually talk to the woman, who, according to a later report, said she felt warm and fatigued during her trip and took meds. We now know that transmission without super clear symptoms (at any point in the illness) is a huge driver in the pandemicbut as this case illustrates, it was a tricky concept to pin down. Public health experts were saying well into March that realizing you were sick, and staying home, was an effective option for controlling the spread.

Is the Virus Airborne?

At a March choir practice in Washington state, a greeter offered hand sanitizer at the door, and members refrained from the usual hugs and handshakes, according to a later report in the Los Angeles Times. Despite precautions, 53 of the 61 people in attendance showed signs of the coronavirus, as researchers cataloged in Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by Inhalation of Respiratory Aerosol in the Skagit Valley Chorale Superspreading Event. The risk of infection is modulated by ventilation conditions, occupant density, and duration of shared presence with an infectious individual, the authors write. In other words: Dont be lulled into a sense of security by sanitizer, hand-washingremember all the hand-washing?and even distancing, because this thing spreads through the air, not just on surfaces. This particular assessment has been slow to trickle up into formal health advice, but it did start a push to change how we live with the virus. Some of this is probably a coincidenceplenty of experts and much of Asia had been recommending masks for monthsbut shortly after the choir news broke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended we wear face coverings.

The Whole Hydroxychloroquine Mess

A preprint of a teeny, tiny study, Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin as a Treatment of COVID-19: Preliminary Results of an Open-Label Non-Randomized Clinical Trial, was, to the horror of scientists, published at about the same time that Trump declared (on Twitter, where else?) that the drug was one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine.

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We had reason to believe that it could be helpful, says Sandra Albrecht, an epidemiologist at Columbia and a proprietor of the Facebook page Dear Pandemic. The very early data on the drug was promising, and perhaps more importantly, a lot of people wanted to believe that it would be helpful. (Yes, some of those people were Dr. Oz, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham.)

In the end, not only did more rigorous studies fail to show a benefit, but the journal where that tiny paper was eventually published ended up investigating the research after concerns [were] raised on social media regarding the papers content, the ethical approval of the study and the process the manuscript underwent to be published. The Food and Drug Administration revoked emergency use authorization for the drug in June.

The Study That Showed Joggers Spew Enormous Plumes of Virus

It is logical that as we were grasping that the virus could travel through the air, we were trying to grasp to what extent it could travel through the air. In April, this confusion manifested in a lot of yelling at runners. A viral study described in the Dutch press and a post on Medium with the title Why in Times of COVID-19 You Can Not Walk/Run/Bike Close to Each Other was a specific catalyst here. A simulation suggested the virus could spread really, really far; the advice of the researchers was that runners keep a distance of 13 feet or so when running behind one another and that bikers leave a whopping 65 feet of space when passing someone.

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Epidemiologists were skeptical, as a thorough piece in Vice laid out (was enough infectious virus possibly making it so many feet between people, when they were merely passing each other?), but for some experts, the precaution made sensewe were in the early phases of a deadly pandemic after all. Now, while basic distancing and masking are still recommended outdoors, everyone is in more or less agreement that the real issue with airborne transmission is in stuffy rooms. Yell aboutbut not at!the people indoor dining.

Dogs Can Get the Coronavirus?

Arent we lucky that the paper Infection of Dogs With SARS-CoV-2, published in Nature, did not end up heralding a pandemic C plot of horrible pet deaths? June saw some reports of possible COVID-19 in pets, including an infected dog that ended up dying within a few weeks. But that dog also had cancer. You tell people that your dog was positive, and they look at you [as if you have] ten heads, the owner told National Geographic in July. While dogs can get infected with the coronavirus, it remains uncommon. A small good thing in a time of tragedy.

Children Can Spread the Coronavirus but to an Unknown Extent

It was not clear for a while to what extend kids and teens were involved in spreading the virus, or to what extent they got infected at all. It is, in fact, not super clear now, either. A report on 65,000 people titled Contact Tracing During Coronavirus Disease Outbreak, South Korea, 2020, published in Emerging Infectious Diseases in July, briefly promised some clarity. The study traced the contacts of nearly 6,000 COVID-19 patients, focusing on how the virus spread from an outside contact and into households. Infection rates were higher for contacts of children than adults, the authors wrote. I fear that there has been this sense that kids just wont get infected or dont get infected in the same way as adults and that, therefore, theyre almost like a bubbled population, epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, told reporter Apoorva Mandavilli at the New York Times, for a piece headlined Older Children Spread the Coronavirus Just As Much As Adults, Large Study Finds. But a second study, by the same group, found flaws in the first, as Mandavilli explained in a follow-up piece, underscoring the fact that researchers are still figuring out exactly how kids are involved in the pandemic.

Can You Get the Coronavirus Twice?

Throughout the pandemic, there have been anecdotal reports of people who seem to have caught COVID-19 twice. Theres been worry that people will use antibody tests as get-out-of-quarantine-free cards and then get reinfected. The first evidence that someone actually did have COVID-19 multiple timesthat wasnt, potentially, just a case of someone having a false negative test in between two positivescame at the end of August. In COVID-19 Re-infection by a Phylogenetically Distinct SARS-Coronavirus-2 Strain Confirmed by Whole Genome Sequencing, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers describe a man who tested positive in March and then again in August. The good news, as Rasmussen laid out in a piece for Slate: The man didnt have symptoms the second time; its unclear that he could spread the virus to others; and this far into the pandemic, theres no evidence that you can get a severe case of COVID twice. Rasmussen writes, Until we have evidence that reinfection is something to worry about, we should instead focus on reducing the transmission risk for everyone in the communityregardless of whether they have already been infected with SARS-CoV-2.

A Vaccine in Limbo

Well end with a study on pause. A vaccine from a group at Oxford University and company AstraZeneca was once estimated to be available by September after some early promising results in monkeys. Now, Phase 3 trials, which test safety and efficacy in humans, are on hold after a suspected serious adverse reaction in a participant, as Stat News reported. A statement AstraZeneca shared with the outlet noted that a standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data. What the nature of this reaction is, and if it will delay the trial, is unclear. But the idea of having a vaccine within 2020tested, distributed, ushering us back to our liveswas always a fantasy. And as experts have pointed out, this kind of inconvenient data is just the fact of how science works.
Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, one of Lalu Yadav's oldest allies, has quit the RJD ahead of state elections. According to sources, he may be planning to join Nitish Kumar's Janta Dal United.

Patna: Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, one of Lalu Yadavs oldest allies, has quit the RJD ahead of state elections. According to sources, he may be planning to join Nitish Kumars Janta Dal United.

Prasad Singh, who is currently in the AIIMS ICU in Delhi, being treated for Covid-19, has been with the RJD since its inception in 1997, and has been with Lalu Yadav since their Janata Dal days.

In a note, he gave to Yadav, he said After Karpuri Thakurs death, I stood behind you for 32 years but no more, the 74-year-old said. He asked for forgiveness, and ruled out any possibility of changing his mind.

Also Read: Russia releases first batch of Covid-19 vaccine into public

Also Read: Donald Trump calls NAFTA, China entry into WTO as most disastrous deals in history

Mr Singh had been unhappy for some time with the party, which Lalu Yadavs son Tejashwi has been running since his father went to jail on corruption charges.

In June, Sigh had sent the party a letter, expressing dissatisfaction with the kind of people being taken into RJD, under the new leadership.

Five of the eight total RJD members in Bihars Upper house had moved over to Nitish Kumars party, at that time, and of the three who remained, Lalu Yadavs wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi is one of them.

Singh also complained that businessmen were being given preference for Rajya Sabha seats.

Once he is out of the hospital, sources have alleged that he may go and joining Nitish Kumar, who has taken a very personal interest in his recovery, and has facilitated is travelling to Delhi during lockdowns.

Also Read: Amid India China standoff, students in for long wait: Indian Embassy issues advisory
Joe Biden has a seven-point lead nationally (Getty)

The Joe Biden presidential campaign has a Florida problem.

Several recent polls in the state spell trouble for the former vice president among Florida Hispanics, even in Miami-Dade, the states most populous county and one on which Democrats usually can count on sweeping.

According to a poll conducted for Democratic Latino research firm Equis and released last week Biden leads Trump among Hispanics by 53-37 percent - this is 11 points lower than what Hillary Clinton received in 2016 exit polls, and she lost the state to now-president Donald Trump.

Most concerning for Team Biden, Biden is underperforming among Floridas Hispanic voters, while Donald Trump has marginally increased his numbers from 2016, according to the Equis poll and also another one released for the pro-Biden PAC Unite the Country.

Additionally, a poll of Miami-Dade county conducted by Bendixen & Amandi found Biden is up 17 points, below Clintons 2016 levels and also behind ex-senator Bill Nelson and former candidate for governor Andrew Gillum in the 2018 midterms.

These numbers in Miami-Dade and among the Hispanic community in Florida have certainly contributed to numbers in the whole state. An NBC News/Marist poll of the entire state found Trump and Biden in a dead-locked tie, both at 48 percent.

As NBCS Mark Murray put it: The big story inside this Trump-Biden tie is that Biden is underperforming among Latinos (vs. Hillary Clinton four years ago)."

Assumptions that are typically made about Hispanic voters, like that they always vote Democrat, just dont apply to the Florida Hispanic electorate, and that is because Floridas Hispanic population is nothing like that of the rest of the country.

Because the U.S. Hispanic population is mostly Mexican, people tend to overlook Hispanics from other countries such as Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua Puerto Rico and Venezuela - the nationalities that make up most of Floridas Hispanic population.

These Hispanic voters tend to have a different ideology than Mexican-Americans, with their main priority often being preventing the U.S. from going the same way their home countries went. This is why the majority of Hispanic Republican registered voters are located in South Florida, where Cubans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans have made a home after fleeing socialism in their home countries.

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The Trump campaign understands this communitys aversion to anything they remotely associate with socialism and they have tailored its rhetoric this time around to target this group specifically. While Trumps 2016 attacks focused on Hillary Clinton as a person and candidate, his 2020 rhetoric is much more centered around defeating socialism and going after Latin American dictators, a message more alluring to Florida Hispanics.

As Politico reported, the Trump campaign has outspent Biden in Spanish-language ads and is meeting Florida Hispanics on their terms, even using Whats App to campaign, viralizing videos depicting Democrats as socialists, putting emphasis on democrats such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Bernie Sanders and Ilhan Omar.

There is no doubt that the growing Venezuelan population in Florida, which has more than tripled since 2000, is making a dent in the states politics, not only because of their voting ability but also because of their staunch anti-communism activism, only matched by the fierceness of the activism from Cubans that arrived in South Florida decades before them.

The Republican Party won a generation of Cuban-American votes, the largest Hispanic block of voters in the sate, when John F. Kennedy didnt send in troops to support the Cuban counterrevolutionaries at the Bay of Pigs, demonizing the Democratic Party for decades in the eyes of Cuban exiles.

More than 50 years later Cuban-American ties to the Republican Party remain. While their vote seemed to be shifting towards blue during the 2008 and 2012 elections, many have returned to the GOP during the Trump era, as the president has focused on cracking down on Cuba. In Miami-Dade, nearly 75 per cent of registered Republicans are Hispanic, mostly of Cuban descent.

Many Venezuelans share this disdain for the Democratic Party, as they see the Obama administration as having been too soft on Castro-Communism and allowing its spread throughout the region. Obamas decision of reopening relations with Cuba, and those pictures at the ball game with Raul Castro, didnt help either.

The Cuban and Venezuelan communities in Miami have been upset by several Biden and DNC policies. For example, the fact that Biden considered Karen Bass as his VP candidate, given that she has a history of praising Castro. The Cuban community is so influential that Bass tried doing damage control, but it was too late.

Many Latin Americans also believe the DNC will do nothing to combat the Venezuelan and Cuban dictatorships because, in a win for the progressive wing of the Party, the DNCs platform stressed there would be no regime-change policies.

Joe Biden is offering the same thing the Obama administration did - to renew diplomatic relations with Cuba, specifically. He was the one to cancel the wet feet, dry feet policy, said Esteban Hernandez, a coordinator for the Miami-based organization VEPPEX (Venezuelans Persecuted in Exile).

That doesnt only generate rejection in the Cuban community but also in the Venezuelan one because we understand our countries are being assaulted by exactly the same evil, Hernandez added.

Trump saw an opportunity and put aside his usual isolationism to focus on Venezuela. While he hasnt achieved the goal of overthrowing Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelans still thank him for taking up the cause, and he may have obtained the growing Venezuelan-American vote for the Republican party for a generation in doing so.

A poll by the University of Northern Floridas Public Opinion Research Laboratory released on Tuesday shows that seven out of ten Venezuelan-Americans plan to vote to re-elect president Trump. While there are only about 100,000 Venezuelan votes in Florida, Trump beat Clinton in 2016 by only a little more than 100,000 votes.

Puerto Ricans, on their part, are the second-largest block of Hispanic voters in Florida, but while Democrats are hoping to get the votes of Puerto Ricans who moved to Florida after hurricane Maria, and may be upset with Trumps handling of the crisis, their voting participation rates were not high in the 2018 midterms.

The rest of Floridas Hispanic votes are a mix of mostly Colombians, Nicaraguans and Argentines - all countries with experience with the 21st Century Socialism, Pink Tide in Latin America. While Colombia didnt follow the trend during this time when socialist rulers was ruling most of South America, they have received millions of Venezuelan refugees and are acutely attuned to the crisis in the neighboring country.

But Fabio Andrade, a Colombian lawyer and Miami resident, told The Independent that Hispanic support for Trump is not just about the rhetoric against socialism, but Trumps achievements as president, particularly with the economy.

"Biden has associated himself with the most radical people in his Party, and this scares the Hispanic community who has experience with that kind of socialist radicalism," he said. But its more than that. What I hear from Hispanics, including Democrats, is that the economy and their income were doing really well before the pandemic and people give him credit with that.

But for one Venezuelan Miami Trump voter who asked to remain anonymous, it is indeen all about the S-word.

I see red flags when I hear someone offering to defund the police. Ive heard that from Chavez, he said about the Democratic Party, adding that he doesnt believe Biden is any different from the more radical factions of his Party.

Theyre all the same. Biden was with Obama when the Iran deal happened and when relations with Cuba re-opened. Democrats want to get closer to these type of characters around the world.

Many Hispanics in Florida share a concern that a Democratic administration will remove sanctions on the authoritarian regimes in their home countries.

There is still skepticism from the Nicaraguan community regarding a Joe Biden presidency," Anais Catalina, a Nicaraguan-American activist said. "Many Nicaraguans consider the Democratic party to be a sympathizer towards authoritative governments like that of Nicaragua and Venezuela due to the fact that key figures like Ilhan Omar show little interest in addressing governments like that of Daniel Ortega."

The Biden campaign certainly seems to be listening to polls coming out of Florida, as they have greatly increased their outreach to Hispanics in the state by touching on the issues they care about and creating specific outreach groups such as Colombians with Biden, Cubans with Biden, etc.

In recent days Biden has personally addressed both Cuba and Venezuela, slamming Trumps failed policies on these countries.

"Trump has done nothing to advance democracy and human rights; on the contrary, the crackdown on Cubans by the regime has gotten worse under Trump, not better," Biden said in a Sunday interview with NBCs Miami station.

Notably, unlike in an April interview with CBS Miami, Biden wouldnt go as far as saying he would go back to the Obama-era policy of greater engagement with Cuba, and instead said he would pursue a policy of advancing the interests "and empowering the Cuban people to freely determine their own outcome, their own future."

Biden who, unlike Trump, has promised Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans. also said Venezuela is no closer to a free election, and Trump's incoherent approach is alienating international partners.

For the Biden campaigns team, the GOPs rhetoric about socialism is an attempt to spread fear among victims of socialist regimes.

For the Trump campaign, its easy to just go with a label to hide from all these failures instead of facing the real problems, Bidens Florida Deputy Communications Director Luisana Peres told The Independent. Unfortunately the Republican side is just trying to use fear in our community to distract voters from the real issues that our country is facing like the poor response [to COVID-19] from Donald Trump thats actually impacting the Hispanic community heavily."

Now, while Biden is underperforming with Hispanics, he is over-perfoming with white voters, who are still the supermajority in Floridas electorate and could carry the state with this voter block. However, these polls show a trend that could be concerning for Democrats in the long-run.

For Giancarlo Sopo, Director of Rapid Response for Spanish-Language Media, Trumps gains with Florida Hispanics are not only because of the GOPs anti-socialism rhetoric, but also in part caused by the Democratic Partys shift to the left, and the increasing prominence of figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.

Joe Biden faces serious policy and cultural headwinds among Hispanics that will outlast his campaign: Hispanics lead the nation in entrepreneurship, while Biden is moving farther to the left. Leftists are ideologically predisposed to describe people as victims, but Hispanics view ourselves as winners who are blessed to live in America," Sopo told The Independent.

"Hispanic cultures are rich and lively, while the Democrats have become too preoccupied with political correctness. A great example of this cultural disconnect is Bidens insistence on imposing the absurd Latinx label on us, which virtually no Hispanics use and many find offensive.

Read more

The black super PAC founder raising millions for Trump who calls abortion a holocaust, says Democrats want a fiesta of immigrants and homosexuals and insists black voters will reject Biden

Joe Biden receives nearly 200 endorsements from current and former law enforcement officials, as they call Trump lawless

2020 polls: No 'Trump bump' post-convention as Joe Biden solidifies lead with few voters left undecided
Purchased in 2015 for $3.45 million, Serenity Townhomes saw a substantial turnaround and revitalization during the five-year Elevation ownership. Upon initial purchase, the property was less than 40% occupied with countless deteriorated units and neglected grounds. The Elevation team recognized that the unit sizes and two-story floorplans were some of the largest in the portfolio and knew that a strategic, well-thought plan was necessary. After significant value-add enhancements, Serenity Townhomes had achieved 92% occupancy as of the sale date.

"I'm so proud of the work our team at Elevation did to bring a struggling affordable housing community back to life for the people of Montgomery," said Chris King, CEO of Elevation Financial Group.

While executing massive updates to the units, clubhouse, office, exterior and amenities, the Elevation team also learned that a local volunteer group had been meeting at the property to tutor children in the community. Once the team saw the room and sparse resources, they immediately realized that the volunteers and students needed much more to be successful. A new fully equipped tutoring room was quickly delivered, complete with the tools to effectively reach the school-aged children at Serenity Townhomes and the surrounding area.

Since inception, Fund V delivered over 1,000 affordable housing units to families and seniors throughout three states, including Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina. Through Elevation's subsequent funds, VI and VII, the company owns and operates quality, affordable multifamily and senior communities throughout eight states.

About Elevation

Elevation Financial Group, LLC, a real estate private equity company, leads an award-winning group of companies with a focus and mission to acquire, revitalize and operate affordable apartment communities for independent seniors and families. As a private equity company, Elevation raises capital through private placements to accredited investors and maintains a commitment to low or no loads on capital raised. Through a consortium of companies specializing in real estate investment, property management and property renovation, Elevation aspires to deliver superior financial returns to its shareholders while making a positive and distinctive impact on the communities served.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 05:20:21|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for global efforts to fight COVID-19 through the cessation of hostilities, the removal of unilateral sanctions and the promotion of peace through development.

Today, COVID-19 is still raging across the world and some countries are seeing a rebound and even a looming second wave. Nothing is more important and urgent than combating the virus, containing the pandemic, saving lives and restoring peace, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. "China calls on all parties to fully implement Resolution 2532 to achieve a global cease-fire and step up efforts to fight the pandemic."

Security Council Resolution 2532 on COVID-19 demands an immediate cessation of hostilities and a humanitarian pause of at least 90 consecutive days.

Geng asked parties to conflict to put aside animosity, lay down their arms, and stop fighting immediately and unconditionally. In countries or regions where cease-fires have been reached, the Security Council, the secretary-general's envoys and relevant peacekeeping operations should seize the opportunity to push forward the political process and create conditions for reconciliation and lasting peace.

Unilateral sanctions should be lifted to lessen the sufferings of affected peoples. The pandemic is a natural disaster, while unilateral sanction is a man-made one, he told a Security Council meeting on the impact of COVID-19 on peace and security.

Unilateral sanctions seriously undermine the capacity of targeted countries in responding to the pandemic and exacerbate the suffering of innocent civilians, especially women and children, said Geng. "We urge relevant countries to immediately lift unilateral coercive measures out of humanitarian consideration, in responding to the appeal of the secretary-general and the international community. We encourage the (UN) Secretariat to assess the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on targeted countries, and the Security Council to explore ways to tackle it based on the assessment."

He also asked for efforts to promote peace through development.

Conflict-affected countries are the weakest link in this fight. The pandemic could reverse the peacebuilding and development gains made by conflict-affected countries, plunge them into conflicts with larger scale and greater depth, he said.

The international community should help these countries keep the economy and society running while fighting the pandemic, help them advance peacebuilding processes while engaging in humanitarian pause, so as to achieve a lasting peace by accelerating development and eradicating the root causes of conflict, he said.

Life should be put first and foremost and humanitarian assistance be increased, said Geng.

To mitigate the pandemic's impact on fragile countries and fragile peoples, the World Health Organization (WHO) should be encouraged to play a leading role in the fight against COVID-19. There is a need to support the WHO, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other agencies in conducting their work in conflict-affected countries, he said.

The UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19 still has a funding gap of 7.95 million U.S. dollars. Substantive inputs from the international community are badly needed, he said.

The pandemic reminds the world once again that the well-being and future of all countries are interconnected. Solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon in the global fight against COVID-19, said Geng.

The practices of politicization, labeling, stigmatization, selfishness, calling white black and blame-shifting will backfire. They cannot save lives, nor can they contain the pandemic. They can only bring more troubles, he said.

Countries should respect science, increase trust, take up responsibilities, and join hands with each other to fight the pandemic and build a community of health for all, said Geng.

In the spirit of putting lives first, nationwide solidarity, sacrifice, respecting science and a sense of mission for humanity, China prevents and contains the pandemic in a comprehensive, prompt and effective manner, he said.

China not only cares about the life and health of its own people, but also the global public health. To promote international cooperation and support the global fight against the pandemic, China has sent 34 medical expert teams to 32 countries, provided 283 batches of anti-epidemic supplies to 150 countries and four international organizations, and exported medical supplies to more than 200 countries, said Geng.

Last week, at the Group of 20 foreign ministers' meeting, China launched an initiative to facilitate cross-border flow of people and goods, and proposed an international mechanism on mutual recognition of COVID-related health certification. China looks forward to forming and implementing these schemes and is ready to contribute to the revitalization of the world economy, he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the World Health Assembly in May that COVID-19 vaccine developed by China will be made a global public good and shared with other countries, Geng said.

During this pandemic, no one is safe until everyone is safe. To make the vaccines accessible to everyone is the only way to realize universal health, he said. "We should stick to win-win concept rather than zero-sum mentality. Vaccines should not be stockpiled or monopolized, should not be used to benefit oneself at the sacrifice of others, nor can it be used as political tools. We hope to see countries cooperate with each other to advance vaccines development and production, and make vaccines accessible and affordable to all."

China is ready to join hands with other countries to implement Resolution 2532, form a united front against the pandemic, and build a community of shared future for mankind, he said. Enditem
At the same time, Jyirah Bailey was also southbound on Main and was making a left turn onto Benwood when the patrol SUV hit her car. The suit alleges Bailey was traveling at an unsafe speed and failed to get out of the way of the police car.

Ellis' friend who was walking with her, Karley Mueller, has also filed a suit against the same parties. She was also hospitalized after the crash but not as severely as Ellis was, said Fromen, who is representing Mueller as well.

Mueller "looked over her shoulder and saw it coming," Fromen said. "She put her hands over her ears. The next thing, she wakes up on the front lawn. She's seriously injured as well. She's also emotionally and psychologically suffering because one of her best friends is now paraplegic."

Ellis, 30, is a former teacher at Lafayette High School where she taught new immigrants and resettled refugees. She had left teaching for the real estate business, remaining committed to working with Buffalo's refugee community and helping them find new homes.

She and Mueller were on their way back to their home in Parkside from the post office to mail one of Ellis' refugee friends a cellphone when they were hit by the patrol car, Fromen said.
It's once again the anniversary of 9/11. A day marked by shock, terror, sorrow, and tremendous loss, where we remember the devastating terrorist attacks against America that deeply impacted our nation.

Statistics report that 2,977 people lost their lives on September 11, 2001, in New York City, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at the hands of Islamic extremists who hijacked four commercial airliners, carrying out suicide attacks against the United States.

Megan Scheibners husband, Steve, was the pilot originally scheduled to fly American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, MA, the first plane to hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. But a last-minute bump off the flight by a senior pilot spared his life that day.

She writes, We all, as a nation, have our memories of that day; memories stamped into our subconscious because of the enormity of that major life event. Memories of a major life event that continues to shape our homes, our nation, and in fact, our world.

Here are 10 Bible verses to remember 9/11 through the lens of His word:

1. Remember with Respectfulness:

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn ( Romans 12:15 )

In remembering 9/11, its important to respectively consider those who are suffering, as if we are suffering with them ( Hebrews 13:3 ).

A friend of mine was the daughter of one of the five missionaries slain in Ecuador by the Auca Indians back in 1956. It was an event that shook the Evangelical world, reported worldwide and recognized as martyrdom for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Although people probably thought they were being encouraging to my friend, they said things to her like How wonderful to have a father who was martyred for the Gospel.

But it wasnt wonderful for her. It was a very personal, traumatic incident that left her fatherless, and deeply impacted her life.

2. Remember with Compassion:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort ( 2 Corinthians 1:3 )

We are able to remember 9/11 with compassion, offering the comfort weve received from God when weve experienced trouble, to those around us ( 2 Corinthians 1:4 ).

Although a rare last minute crew change put someone else in the pilots seat of the first plane to hit the World Trade Center on 9/11, Steve Scheibners wife writes in her book In My Seat: A Pilots Story from September 10-11, Suddenly, the gravity of the situation began to hit home. The planes that went down were ones that Steve had flown; the pilots and crewmembers whose lives were taken in an unthinkable moment were more than coworkers; they were Steves friends.

Feelings of relief for her own husbands safety also brought Gods deep compassion for those around her who were grieving.

3. Remember without Fear:

In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? ( Psalm 56:11 )

In remembering 9/11, be careful not to stir up anxious, fearful, and distressful feelings, because Jesus urges us to not be afraid of those who kill the body ( Matthew 10:28 ).

Although increasing violence in the world causes many to feel vulnerable, God doesnt want us to be afraid or to live fearfully, but rather to, Have no fear of sudden disaster ( Proverbs 3:25 ).

Despite trouble happening all around us, Jesus says we can walk in His peace. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid ( John 14:27 ).

4. Remember by Trusting God:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding ( Proverbs 3:5 )

We can remember 9/11 with trust in God, believing even though we make plans in life, its the Lord who establishes our steps ( Proverbs 16:9 ).

By keeping our hearts steadfast and trusting in Him ( Psalm 112:7 ), even in the worst-case scenarios where it doesnt look like any good thing could ever possibly come from them, we can trust God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose ( Romans 8:28 ).

5. Remember with Assurance of Gods Presence:

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed ( 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 )

Many may feel like God abandoned those caught in the 9/11 attacks, but Hebrews 13:5 assures us that God will never leave us or forsake us, even in horrific and devastating events like 9/11. God did not abandon those trapped in the attacks.

During life-threatening situations like 9/11, we can be assured of Gods presence in the midst of it. Acts 7:55 describes a Christian who came under such attack. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Like Stephen, we can look to God being assured, He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart ( Psalm 91:4 ).

6. Remember with Gods Promise:

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die ( John 11:25 )

Although lives were tragically taken away, we can remember 9/11 with a promise, understanding all who lost their lives knowing Christ passed from this life to eternal life.

Scripture promises us, When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory ( 1 Corinthians 15:54 ).

Nothing, not even death, can separate us from Gods love. As Romans 8:38 , 39 explains, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Those who were killed on 9/11 knowing Christ, have received His promise of John 3:16 . For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The Apostle Paul explained it well in Philippians 1:21 , stating, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

7. Remember with Purpose:

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good ( Romans 12:21 )

Megan Scheibner writes, The anniversary of September 11th brings back painful and troubling memories, but it also brings me a yearly reminder. A reminder of the clarion

call Ive received that beckons me to live this life on purpose; to leave it a better place than when I found it.

Like Psalm 90:12 encourages, we can ask God to, Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

8. Remember with Forgiveness:

Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing ( Luke 23:34 )

As Christians its important for us to forgive those who committed the 9/11 attacks. Still, forgiving in no way condones their actions.

Their violent acts reveal how, The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ).

Recognizing this spiritual blindness, American Minute Historian William J. Federer explains, An important concept to understand is that fundamental Islam is a religion of peace, but their definition of peace is different than ours. In the West, peace is achieved when different groups get along. In sharia Islam, peace is achieved when the whole world submits to the will of Allah. In other words, world peace means world Islam.

9. Remember by Reaching Out:

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved ( Acts 2:21 )

Thankfully, God, in His sovereignty, can convert even radical Muslims, writes Jerry Newcombe in his book American Amnesia, noting estimates say more Muslims have come to faith in Jesus since 9/11 than in the last 1400 years.

As Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 , But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Like wives of the missionaries slain by the Aucas responded by reaching out to those who had murdered their husbands, leading many to Christ, we have the opportunity to reach out to Muslims with the hope of leading them to faith in Jesus Christ.

10. Remember by Recognizing Gods Justice:

But let the one who boasts, boast about this: that they have the understanding to know Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight ( Jeremiah 9:24 )

As Christians, we remember 9/11 by recognizing God will bring justice to the world, making all things new ( Revelation 21:5 ).

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away ( Revelation 21:4 ).

Because God is just, He directs us to not seek revenge but to trust Him to one-day make all things right ( Romans 12:19 ).

Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Todays Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Ged Lawson
(ANSAmed) - NAPLES, SEPTEMBER 10 - An agri-tech company based in Abu Dhabi called Pure Harvest Smart Farms is planning to build a climate-controlled farm facility that uses 90% less water than a normal farm to produce fresh fruit and vegetables in Kuwait.



The harvest will supply The Sultan Centre, one of the country's biggest independent supermarket operators, with supermarkets in Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, and Bahrain, the National reports.



The company will bring fruit and vegetables year-round to the supermarkets and will also have a visitor's centre to demonstrate its advanced production techniques.



"The region's long-standing dependence on imports paired with a growing demand for fresh produce highlight the importance of local farming," said Khadija Oubala, chief executive at TSC.



"Pure Harvest can guarantee us fruit and vegetables all year with quality and variety, creating the way forward for the future," he said.



This is one way to help ease the weight of fruit and vegetables on the trade budget of the Arabian Peninsula, which currently imports about 90% of the food it consumes.



The "smart" farm uses specialised software to constantly check temperature and humidity in the growing environment.



Last year, the Abu Dhabi government allocated 230 million euros to support the growth of high-tech farming companies.



(ANSAmed).
Waze will layoff more than five percent of its global workforce and close some of its Latin America offices, said the company's CEO Noam Bardin.

Waze only has 555 employees on its total global workforce and the layoff means about 30 people will be off its workforce, said The Verge.

Other than the layoff, Waze is also considering to close some of its offices in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American offices. They said it was part of their plan to refocus business on certain markets.

The company claimed that the layoff was partly due to the coronavirus pandemic. Roadways have been emptied all over the world and many cities went into lockdown.

Many people have also started working from home as part of the new norm and stopped using Waze for their daily navigation needs.

Closures will take place in sales offices in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile.

Waze has yet to respond to news outlets' requests for comments.

Fewer Users, Fewer Advertising

Fewer Waze users meant the company also received less advertising revenues. Bardin told Business Insider that there was a "significant drop" in trips taken via its carpool service.

"This has forced us to rethink priorities," said Bardin. He said the app will instead focus its resources to improve products, invest in technical infrastructure and refocus on a small number of "high-value" countries.

Layoffs will take place across Waze's ad sales, partnerships and marketing teams, said reports.

Bardin assured that employees being laid off will be "taken care of [financially]" until early 2021. The workers will also receive year-end bonuses and continued healthcare benefits as possible.

Waze knew laying off people during the pandemic can be cruel. With this knowledge, they will also offered assistance in finding jobs either at its parent company Google or elsewhere.

Waze was acquired by Google in 2013 for about $1.1 billion, reports claim. Recently, it saw a dip in both monthly active users and number of customers each month.

In an April blog post, the company said miles driven went down 60 percent globally. Italy was one of its most hurt markets as it saw the biggest drop at 90 percent.

The number of U.S. users also went down by about 60 percent since March, when lockdowns started getting put in place.

Waze Carpool Struggles Amid COVID-19

Waze Carpool, its two-year-old ride-share service also suffered from the pandemic. With work from home setups, fewer people used the app to share rides with co-workers and neighbors.

People who typically go to work along the same route also had to travel separately due to social distancing measures. Waze said it will shrink the number of people working on Waze Carpool.

A spokesperson said the app was supposed to reach 1 million monthly carpool trips if COVID-19 not struck the world. Now, the company is "no where near that."

While many social media apps thrived amid the pandemic, travel and carpooling apps saw downward trends. Uber and Lyft also had to lay off workers during the pandemic.

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At least 30 tree bases are believed to have been concretised along Meera Marg-IV Avenue Road in Lodhi Colony during construction of a drain by the Delhi governments public works department (PWD). Work on a part of the stretch is still on despite the state forest department issuing a stop-work order to the agency last week.

The tree line on both sides of the road has been damaged with digging and cementing work being done within a one-metre radius of the tree trunks. The stretch has old and full-grown trees numbered by the forest department.

According to forest department officials, a preliminary assessment of the stretch was done last week. The stop-work order was issued when violations were noticed .

Digging and filling concrete within one metre of a tree trunk is a violation of the National Green Tribunals 2015 order and the Delhi Trees Preservation Act, 1994.

Environment activist Verhaen Khanna has filed multiple complaints with the forest department, the PWD and Delhi environment minister Gopal Rais office about the violation of green norms during the construction.

At least 30 trees on the route have been damaged. Some corrective measures were taken by the PWD after the forest department asked them to stop work and restore the trees, Khanna said.

When HT visited the spot, the roots of a number of trees lay exposed, or covered with fresh soil as a corrective measure by the PWD. Elsewhere, the tree bases were cemented with a gap of less than a metre, blocking the flow of water to its roots.

Piles of concrete and mud were dumped around several trees. A huge Semal tree (no.147) had its roots almost exposed due to digging and fresh soil was put to cover the damage.

Deputy conservator of forests (DCF) South, Amit Anand, said he had issued a stop-work order to PWD last week.

We received a complaint after which we conducted a field inspection. Digging was done too close to the tree trunks (within one-metre radius). Moreover, because of rainfall, the soil ran off the tree surface and its roots were exposed. We asked the agency to take corrective measures to restore the trees and share their plan on how they will carry out rest of the construction without harming the tree line. We have a hearing with PWD officials on Thursday, Anand said.

Final orders will be issued after another round of inspection, he said, adding the stretch has around 30 trees.

A senior PWD official, who did not wish to be named, said they had taken corrective measures. We will ensure none of the trees is damaged, the official said.

Khanna said the stretch has a variety of full-grown trees including semal, pilkhan and amaltas. Concrete around trees causes the roots to become weak. The tree may dry up or die. Damaging trees will also affect the local flora and fauna that depend on trees for food and habitat. I have been repeatedly filing complaints in the matter, but the damage has already been done. The tree line was extending underneath the footpaths, but now the agency dug up at least 5-6 feet deep to construct the drain, which damaged the root system, Khanna said.

Faiyaz A Khudsar, scientist, biodiversity parks programme, Delhi University, said, When tree roots are covered by tiles or concrete, they are not able to perform their functions of nutrient uptake and moisture absorption, which leads to weakening of the tree. When a tree is weak, it becomes vulnerable to attack of pest and pathogens, which can result in its decay. The maximum mortality in trees occurs post-monsoon, when most of the underground roots are flooded with rain water and the lateral roots responsible for performing major functions, in case being covered with concrete, will not be able to do their work and hence result in gradual decay.

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(This article follows a previous post on why Nepal needs an electronic medical record system.)

It is not easy to come up with realistic health data in Nepal, but an electronic medical record (EMR) system, broadcast nationally, can easily save thousands of rupees of the country.

Most insurance programmeseven in the West where records are maintained wellare fraught with several fraud claims. Although this data is not available in Nepal, one can infer that a large part of the insurance schemes run by the government can go into fraud. The proposed Nepal National Electronic Medical Record System, however, can prevent making false claims. On the other hand, the time-stamped data of each actual event in the sequence of events in the care case itself would be an infallible claim for each actual case. All claims will be resolved by simply clicking a button.

By making preventive measures more proactive and data-based, many more diseases can be detected at the first warning signs or even earlier, in addition to avoiding the loss of countless time productivity, expensive drugs and procedures. It is necessary to treat more advanced diseases. Early detection of epidemics by a tracking pattern of prevalence of diseases can save a huge amount of money for the country and its citizens. Another cost factor is an ICT solution; it can detect indiscriminate testing and duplication of procedures due to the unavailability of previous results and previous care episode records. The NNEMRS warning system can remind doctors that the tests they are about to order have recently been done and their results are available within the system.

Why Nepal can do this?

The value of NNEMRS for the nation is one thing, Nepals ability to understand this is quite different. Can Nepal also take advantage of such an ambitious project? We believe that the NNEMRS is not only consistent but in history, Nepal is in a unique position and opportunity to succeed in this difficult task. Nepals strength and depth in software engineering are strong, with an impressive track record of completing large-scale software projects. A programme like the NNEMRS will not only be accepted by the software developer community at large but will also be adopted by the software giants of Nepal.

Why now?

Nepal has the capability and the means to make the project a success, as well as the right time to start it. The country is a witness to the biggest healthcare reforms, but they are unlikely to be successful without a comprehensive health information infrastructure that connects the insurance settlement system with the medical records of the insured patients. Since the government is already in a corrective state and has shown readiness to spend a large amount of money on it, it would be a lack of foresight not to invest a little extra in building software systems to support it.

This time is also appropriate because the EMR software companies have not yet expanded their reach in Nepal, each of which promotes its own standard for data and software interoperability.



Pixabay

Technology has also been evolved to accept the concept of systems that adopt a safe and reliable method across the nation. The EMR was built before it was based on the ideology, tools, and techniques of previous years. We have also learned a lot from the successes and failures of previous software systems.

The proposal to create a nationwide electronic medical record system is not a new idea. Several international organisations, including the World Bank, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation, have recommended making ICT an integral part of healthcare strategies for developing countries. Globally, national health information infrastructures from the Far East to Central Asia, Africa, and South America are working on further development. Nepal can do it better in creating a system that can also be a platform to manage and conduct health policies across the country. Nepal can design a system that is more than an electronic medical record system; it can also be a platform for the management and administration of national health policies.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli once said that public health is included as a key area for the dream of a new Nepal. Health for all is a major goal of universal health coverage. Health Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal has emphasised many times the importance of health for the country. In the federal budget for this fiscal year, the government has announced several schemes related to health services. This included launching the largest insurance programme to cover many districts of Nepal.

File: Ministry of Health

The idea of adopting a holistic approach to healthcare is a change in itself. It really deserves praise. But, the absence of any mention of competent solutions in information technology is equally surprising as it would be crucial to the success of such new ambitious schemes. This is quite strange as the current government believes in the catalytic powers of information technology, making maximum use of information and communication technology leading to improvement from province to province. But, can digital Nepal truly be digital without a digital infrastructure for health?

It has long been believed that information and communication technology is an enabler in keeping healthcare accessible and affordable to all; we should take it in a direction that is value-based and results-driven. Notification and communication technology can not only remove problems in service and improve processes, but it is also very important for measuring cost, usage, and service effectiveness.

Therefore, it is imperative to implement NNEMRS in 753 municipalities, 77 districts, and seven provinces of Nepal to improve the economic condition of Nepali citizens and support to provide quality healthcare to the people of Nepal.
One of the worlds rarest diamonds, about the size of an egg or a large lollipop, is going up for auction next month and is expected to fetch $12 million to $30 million.

Sothebys said on Thursday that the 102.39-carat diamond, a flawless white sparkler, was the second-largest oval diamond of its kind to be offered at auction. The largest, a 118.28-carat diamond, set a record $30.8 million price when it was sold in 2013.

Only seven such diamonds, known in the trade as D color flawless or internally flawless white diamonds, over 100 carats have previously been sold at auction.

More and more people have come to understand that something billions of years old and of the size of a lollipop can store as much value as a Rembrandt self-portrait or a Basquiat," Gary Schuler, worldwide chairman of jewelry at Sothebys, said in a statement.

The diamond will be sold in a single-lot action without a reserve price at Sothebys in Hong Kong on Oct. 5.

Diamonds of this caliber and size have sold anywhere between $11.9 million to $33.7 million," said Quig Bruning, head of Sothebys New York jewelry department.

Sothebys said the gem was cut from a 271-carat rough that was discovered at the Victor Mine in the Canadian province of Ontario in 2018 and cut and polished for more than a year.

Two of the most famous large diamonds - the Koh-i-Noor and The Cullinan 1 - belong to the British monarchy and form part of the British Crown Jewels.

The world record for any diamond or jewel sold at auction was set in 2017 when a 59.60-carat fancy vivid pink diamond was sold for $71.2 million to the Hong Kong jewelry company Chow Tai Fook, Sothebys said.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 10, 2020

2020/09/10

CCTV: China yesterday announced a virtual China-Germany-EU Leaders' Meeting on September 14. Could you share with us the background of holding this virtual China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting at this moment, items on the agenda and China's expectations?

Zhao Lijian: It will be an important meeting between China and the European side where President Xi Jinping is to hold in-depth exchange on China-EU relations and issues of shared concern with German and EU leaders.

As this year marks the 45th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties, we are seeing major opportunities to further develop our relations. China and the EU represent two major forces, markets and civilizations. Under current circumstances, closer high-level communication between the two sides on this relationship and issues of mutual interest can help strengthen political mutual trust, promote practical cooperation and advance China-EU relations. We hope this meeting will send out a positive signal of China and the EU committed to enhance communication and cooperation, jointly defend multilateralism and free trade, and safeguard world peace, stability and prosperity. It will be like a shot in the arm for the world economy in the post-COVID-19 era. We also look forward to strengthening coordination with the EU on major diplomatic agenda coming up. China stands ready to work together with Germany and the EU on relevant preparations for a successful meeting.

Xinhua News Agency: We noted that the Position Paper of the People's Republic of China on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations has been published on the official website of the Foreign Ministry. Could you give us more details about this?

Zhao Lijian: This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN. The Foreign Ministry published the Position Paper of the People's Republic of China on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations on September 10, which states China's position and proposition on the role of the UN, international landscape, sustainable development, COVID-19 cooperation and other issues.

The position paper points out that taking the 75th anniversary of the UN as an opportunity, countries should jointly uphold the outcome of World Anti-Fascist War, reject unilateralism, hegemony and power politics. We must champion multilateralism, safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, defend the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law. China will work with countries around the world to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

People's Daily: US Secretary of State Pompeo posted the following tweet today: "The Chinese Communist Party complains about a lack of fair and reciprocal treatment with the US. At the same time the CCP refused to run Ambassador Branstad's op-ed in the People's Daily, while their ambassador is free to publish in any U.S. media outlet." Just now the People's Daily spokesperson strongly protested against Pompeo's wrong remarks. I wonder if you have a response?

Zhao Lijian: First I want to state very clearly that the Chinese ambassador to the US is dedicated to promoting friendly exchange and cooperation between the two countries and peoples. He never spreads rumors targeting the US, never attacks or vilifies the US system, and never interferes with American domestic affairs. Decisions to interview Ambassador Cui Tiankai or run his articles are made independently and voluntarily by American media through communication based on equality and mutual respect.

As for the fallacy by Pompeo, the spokesperson of People's Daily has already made a response to lay out the facts and truth. On August 26, the US embassy in China contacted People's Daily with a proposed op-ed by Ambassador Branstad, stressing the particular importance that the article be printed in full and without any edits before September 4 and asking for a reply by the very next day, August 27. The article is full of loopholes and seriously inconsistent with facts and wantonly attacks and smears China. Curiously, on August 27, as People's Daily was still considering the matter, US Assistant Secretary Stilwell for East Asian and Pacific Affairs lodged representations with the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C. and expressed his concern.

Now I would like to ask foreign journalists here to put yourselves in that position. If like the US, the Chinese side sent you an article filled with lies and malicious smears targeting your own country and demanded that you reply by tomorrow and pledge to publish it without any revision, can you possibly agree to it? The US move is apparently irrelevant to freedom of the press. Clearly it is carefully choreographed to find fault with China. The proposed op-ed is just a decoy to trap China.

As a matter of fact, according to the People's Daily spokesperson, People's Daily in the past ran signed articles by former US ambassadors to China Max Baucus and Jon Huntsman and actively supported its affiliated Global Times in publishing two articles by Ambassador Branstad. When Mr. Branstad was governor of Iowa, People's Daily published an op-ed by him. A few US politicians, on the one hand, claim that the People's Daily and other Chinese media are the CPC's "propaganda machines", and on the other hand, demand that the "propaganda machines" in their eyes do "propaganda" for the US and attack the Chinese government, which is illogical, overbearing and unreasonable.

I want to stress that like media in other countries including the US, People's Daily is fully entitled to decide if and when it will run an article submitted, fully entitled to make necessary changes and edits, and fully entitled to refuse publishing an article with obvious factual mistakes and bias. This is in line with the professional practice of the journalism industry, as well as international norms. We urge the US to stop creating rumors and lies, reject bullying, and respect freedom of the press with concrete actions.

CNR: According to the latest data yesterday, the trips made by China-Europe freight trains and the shipment volume registered growth, up by over 60% compared with a year earlier. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: International transportation has been severely impacted amid COVID-19 since this year. The China-Europe freight train service has played a pivotal role in land transportation, serving as a channel of life and bond connecting all. In August this year, the China-Europe freight trains have maintained strong growth. The trips made and the volume of goods delivered were 1247 and 110,000 TEUs respectively, up by 62 percent and 66 percent year on year, and the fully loaded container ratio reached 98.5 percent, hitting a new record.

The COVID-19 pandemic further highlights the win-win nature of the China-Europe freight train service as well as the Belt and Road cooperation's feature of shared benefits through joint consultation and contribution. The China-Europe freight trains have not only kept sending urgently needed anti-epidemic supplies and industrial goods and daily-use products to Europe, but also delivered a large number of quality products to China. They help countries along the route to resume production and work and reopen economy, provide strong driving forces for stabilizing global industrial and supply chain and bring new opportunities for global economic recovery and development.

The growth of China-Europe freight train service once again indicates that economic globalization is an irreversible trend of the times as countries are economically interdependent with unprecedented integration of interests. China stands ready to work with the European side to improve the capacity and effectiveness of China-Europe freight trains, continue to expand logistics cooperation between China and the European side and other countries along the route and make new contribution to global COVID-19 cooperation and high quality BRI cooperation.

Global Times: The Sydney Morning Herald reported that senior Australian government sources said Australian intelligence agency's questioning of Chinese journalists was normal procedure and it shouldn't be compared with the treatment of Smith and Birtles who had been forced out of China. The Australian side also accused China of resorting to extreme means of hostage diplomacy. Besides, The Australian's China correspondent, Will Glasgow, was originally due to return to Beijing this Sunday, but the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) told him to put it off for one week for now. Does China have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: The Australian side describes its "questioning" of Chinese journalists as normal procedure, but accuses the Chinese side of engaging in "hostage diplomacy". It fully revealed some Australians' unfounded sense of superiority, hypocrisy and double standards.

As I recounted yesterday, one early morning in late June this year, Australian security and intelligence staff raided, searched and questioned four Australia-based journalists working for the Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group and China News Service on the ground of possible violation of foreign interference laws, seizing their working computers and mobile phones, and even educational tablets and electronic toys for children. The Chinese journalists were threatened, intimidated and not allowed to contact the local China's consulate-general. It caused serious damage to the physical and mental health of the journalists and their families. The Australian side has not yet provided reasonable explanation for searching these journalists or returned all seized items. Is this "normal questioning" that the Australian side claims?

As for the two Australian journalists, the relevant departments in China, during their investigation of a case, questioned the two journalists in accordance with law. These were normal law enforcement activities. Allegation of "hostage diplomacy" is totally groundless.

With regard to the allegation that the two Australian journalists were "forced out of China", can they tell us who, from which Chinese department, at what time forced them out? According to Australian media reports and public account by one of the two journalists, it is the Australian embassy that asked them to leave China as soon as possible and arranged their stay in the Australian diplomatic premises after Chinese authorities asked for their cooperation in investigation. These went above and beyond the scope of consular protection. In essence, they amount to disruption in the Chinese side's lawful investigation and interference in China's domestic affairs and judicial sovereignty. Australian foreign minister Payne already said publicly that the Australian government assisted the two journalists' return to Australia. The Australian side must come clean with what roles DFAT and the Australian embassy in China played in this process.

As for the Australian journalist Will Glasgow's return to China, this is what happened. Back in June, he contacted my colleagues, saying that he needed to go back to Australia for vacation and hoped to return to China very soon after attending to his personal matters. He handed his visa applications for his return in August and the Chinese side made special arrangements and smoothed things out for his and his family members' return. He was planning to fly back to China this weekend. It was the Australian side that asked him to delay his travel.

I want to stress that the Australian side arbitrarily searched the Chinese media journalists stationed in Australia without providing any evidence to justify their doing so, which has severely disrupted the normal reporting activities of these Chinese media in Australia, grossly violated the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of these journalists, and fully exposed the hypocrisy of those people in Australia who have the audacity to assert that they are for "press freedom" and "respect and protection of human rights". The Australian Embassy in China wantonly obstructed and disrupted the normal law enforcement activities of the Chinese side by sheltering and helping the relevant journalists evading China's investigations. Such an action is incompatible with the status and functions of the mission.

We urge the Australian side to respect basic facts, stop using whatever excuses to harass and suppress Chinese staff in Australia, stop getting in the way of relevant Chinese departments and their law enforcement activities, and stop undermining bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges and damaging mutual trust.

China News Service: Recently Pompeo and other US politicians are "very concerned" about Chinese fishing boats' activities on the high seas near the Galapagos Islands, accusing them of disabling tracking systems, leaving marine debris and over-fishing. Do you have a comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: The remarks of Pompeo disregard facts and confuse right and wrong. It was a vicious attempt to mislead the public and sow discord between China and other friendly countries.

The fact is, the high seas of the southeast Pacific Ocean are traditional fishing grounds for various countries. In addition to China, fishing vessels from other countries are also operating in the region. As a responsible major country in fishing, China has always attached great importance to the protection of the marine environment and resources, and has exercised the strictest management and control measures over fishing vessels operating overseas. It has been verified that all Chinese fishing vessels are operating normally in accordance with law, using the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) recognized by the regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), which reports the position every hour. They haven't entered the exclusive economic zones of littoral countries, and have disposed ship waste in accordance with relevant regulations. There is not a single Chinese fishing vessel on the list of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing vessels published by the relevant RFMOs. To conserve fishery resources, on June 1 this year, China announced that starting this year, it would implement voluntary fishing moratorium on some high seas in the southwest Atlantic from July to September and in the southeast Pacific from September to November each year. The move has been recognized by neighboring countries including Ecuador and relevant RFMOs.

Over some time, China and Ecuador have maintained close communication on fishery cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and friendly consultation. We have agreed to establish a communication and liaison mechanism, enhance information sharing, dispel misunderstanding in a timely manner, promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and jointly maintain the order of fisheries production and the marine environment in relevant waters. China-Ecuador relations will not be disturbed or undermined by any third party.

We strongly urge US officials to stop fabricating rumors, spreading disinformation and sowing discord among countries, otherwise they will only invite humiliation and further erode their image.

AFP: The US has revoked recently visas of more than 1,000 Chinese students and researchers. The US president is accusing some of these Chinese nationals of spying. Does China plan on any countermeasures?

Zhao Lijian: For some time, the US negative words and deeds in the field of cultural and people-to-people exchange have run counter to its self-proclaimed openness and freedom, to the public opinion of the two countries and to the trend of international personnel exchange today. They have caused serious negative impacts to the normal cultural and people-to-people exchange between the two sides and severely damaged the social basis of the bilateral relations. The measures taken by the US government blatantly harm the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students in the US, which are outright political persecution and racial discrimination and seriously violate the human rights of these Chinese students.

The US side should immediately stop its unreasonable restrictions and suppression of Chinese students in the US under various excuses. We support the Chinese students in safeguarding their legitimate and legal rights and interests in accordance with law. China reserves the right to make further reaction.

CCTV: Afghanistan's First Vice President Amrullah Saleh sustained minor injuries Wednesday when his convoy was targeted in Kabul in a roadside bomb attack, which killed at least ten civilians and injured more than 30. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: China noted this bomb attack in Kabul targeting First Vice President Amrullah Saleh's convoy, which caused heavy casualties. We strongly condemn this attack, deeply mourn for the victims and wish those injured a speedy recovery.

The Afghan peace and reconciliation process is at a crucial stage, which calls for earnest efforts from all parties. As friendly neighbor and sincere friend of Afghanistan, China firmly supports the Afghan peace and reconciliation process, supports the Afghan government and people in combating terrorism and upholding national stability and people's safety, and hopes that Afghanistan will achieve peace, stability, development and prosperity at an early date.

Phoenix TV: According to reports, China and the Vatican are in negotiations on renewing the 2018 interim agreement on the appointment of bishops. It is hopeful that the deal will be extended for two more years in the next few weeks. Can you confirm this?

Zhao Lijian: With the concerted efforts from both sides, the interim agreement on the appointment of bishops between China and the Vatican has been implemented successfully since it was signed nearly two years ago. Since the beginning of this year, the two sides have lent mutual support to each other amid COVID-19 pandemic, stayed committed to upholding global public health security, and accumulated greater mutual trust and consensuses through a series of positive interactions. The two sides will continue to maintain close communication and consultation and improve bilateral relations.

Beijing Daily: Sudanese authorities on September 5 declared a three-month national state of emergency after record-breaking floods that have displaced around 500,000 people, damaged 100,000 houses and killed over 100 people so far. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: China expresses sincere condolences to the Sudanese side and deeply mourn for the victims. China and Sudan enjoy traditional friendship. We sympathize with the Sudanese people in flood-hit region and stand ready to provide humanitarian assistance to the best of our capacity. We believe the Sudanese government and people will prevail over the floods and rebuild their homeland.

Reuters: According to reports, Australia has revoked the visas of two visiting Chinese academics out of "national security concerns". Do you have any information on this or any comment?

Zhao Lijian: I am not aware of the specific situation you just mention. I believe you should ask the Australian side to learn more about it.
Fifty-eight people have been killed in Irumu territory in the eastern DR Congo province of Ituri and large numbers of the population" have fled their homes on Thursday.

Fifty-eight people have been killed in the eastern DR Congo province of Ituri, the province's interior minister told AFP on Thursday, attributing the massacres to a notorious militia.

Twenty-three people were killed in Irumu territory in southern Ituri on Tuesday, followed by 35 there on Thursday, said minister Adjio Gidi.

"Large numbers of the population" have fled their homes, he told AFP.

He blamed the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which originated in the 1990s as a Ugandan Muslim rebel group.

"It was ADF, fleeing military pressure in (neighbouring) North Kivu province, namely in (the) Beni (region)," Gidi said.

"Our forces are already in the area and are in contact with the enemy," he said.

Hundreds of civilians have died at the hands of the ADF since the armed forces launched a crackdown in North Kivu last November.

The latest attacks took place in a heavily forested area called Tshabi.

"People were killed with every sort of weapon, knives, guns," a member of the Nyali community in Tshabi, Richard Balengilyao, told AFP.

The search effort was being complicated by thick forest, he said.

"Right now, the Congolese army, supported by local people, is still looking for victims in the forest," he said.

"Seventeen people are listed as disappeared, but they have almost definitely been kidnapped."

The ADF is one of more than 100 armed groups that trouble the eastern provinces of the vast Democratic Republic of Congo, many of which are the legacy of full-fledged wars of the 1990s.

The northern part of Ituri this year has seen brutal killings in the territory of Djugu, blamed on an ethnically-based militia called the Cooperative for the Development of Congo, or CODECO.

A senior delegation from the central government was scheduled to arrive in Ituri on Friday to discuss the province's security problems.

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MENOMINEE, MI  A river that marks the border between Michigan and Wisconsin has been removed from a federal list of heavily polluted sites in Great Lakes waters, although it continues to have contamination issues with toxic fluorochemicals.

Michigan and Wisconsin officials joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in announcing last week that the lower Menominee River has been de-listed as a Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC) following more than three decades of cleanup.

Through persistent efforts at the state and federal levels and continuous input from those who live and recreate on the Lower Menominee River, the partners were able to develop an effective plan for remediation and long-term monitoring so that this valuable asset is now, once again, something the community can safely enjoy, said Liesl Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).

The river joins Deer Lake in Marquette County and White Lake in Muskegon County as the third Great Lakes AOC site to be delisted since the international program was created in 1987.

Of the 43 such sites in the U.S. and Canada, the Menominee River is the fifth U.S. site to be delisted.

Three miles of the Lower Menominee River, which separates Marinette, Wis., and Menominee, Mich., were designated as a toxic hot spot due to sediment contaminated by arsenic from herbicide manufacturing. Other local manufacturing contributed pollutants such as paint sludges, coal tar, heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

The site boundaries extended about three miles north and south along Lake Michigans Green Bay coastline.

The EPA says delisting work cost $170 million in federal, state, local and private funding.

Major polluters included Ansul Fire Protection Company, which released arsenic salts that accumulated in the river turning basin; Lloyd Flanders International, a furniture manufacturer that dumped and flushed paint sludges out to Lake Michigan; and the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation gasification plant, which created coal tar as a byproduct.

Wetlands near the river mouth were also destroyed by logging in the 1800s. Industrialization of the river mouth removed fish habitat and hydroelectric dams impeded fish spawning.

Cleanup work over the years has removed so-called beneficial use impairments or specific types of environmental degradation that must be remedied before de-listing.

Upgrades to Marinette and Menominee wastewater systems over the years helped remove bacterial contaminants that previously led to local beach closures.

Tyco Fire Products conducted much of the arsenic-contaminated sediment dredging and capping cleanup under a 2009 administrative consent order with the EPA.

Sediment removal and capping, and wildlife habitat restoration projects funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) helped remove other use impairments.

The Menominee River has historically been a spawning site for lake sturgeon, an iconic but threatened fish species in the Great Lakes. In 2015, a fish elevator project was completed that allowed fish to move past old hydropower dams to reach upstream habitat.

The last cleanups took place in 2016, according to the EPA final report. Individual impairment removals and overall site delisting has been under review since then.

The delisting report notes that PFAS, which have emerged as a major environmental concern at old pollution sites in Michigan and other states, was not part of the site review because the cleanup program deals with legacy pollution issues for which exposure risks were understood and cleanup levels were established at the time of AOC designation in 1987.

The Johnson Controls/Tyco plant on the river in Marinette, which makes a type of firefighting foam known to cause PFAS contamination issues and formerly tested it outside, has released the chemicals to the river through wastewater, runoff and groundwater contamination.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is forcing the company to install treatment systems that will reduce PFAS entering the river down to Michigans low threshold for allowable PFAS in surface waters.

The river will continue to be monitored despite the delisting, the EPA said. There is other restoration and remediation work that remains to be done.

EPA Region 5 Administrator Kurt Theide, a former top Wisconsin DNR official, said the Menominee River delisting underscores the Trump Administrations dedication to restoring the health of the Great Lakes.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler visited Marinette in August to make the delisting announcement. Activists positioned themselves in the river behind him with a sign that read BAN PFAS during his remarks.

Other Great Lakes areas of concern in Wisconsin include the St. Louis River, lower Green Bay and Fox River, Sheboygan River and Milwaukee estuary.

Other Great Lakes areas of concern in Michigan include the Clinton River, Detroit River, Kalamazoo River, Manistique River, Muskegon Lake, River Raisin, Rouge River, Saginaw River and Bay, St. Clair River, St. Marys River and Torch Lake in the U.P.

Related stories:

Grotesque cancers plaguing Lake Michigan tributary fish

EPA fines Michigan injection well owner $73K

Michigan beaches closed more than 100 times this year

Black liquor from paper mill blamed for big U.P. fish kill

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Francis Chan, the founder of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California stated the pandemic has revealed weaknesses in a western church culture that can be addressed by using restrictions as an opportunity to go deeper with God.

Christians across the world are believed to grow and become deeply intimate with God throughout the pandemic. "Don't miss this chance." Chan pointed out how the virus is pushing churches to become missional rather than institutional. Chan believes God is using this moment of the pandemic to test our faith.

"I love this season we are in and I think every true believer does because we look at kind of the status quo and we're just hoping for a time when we are forced into action. It's almost like you're training, training, training, for something and here it is. Are we prepared or not? And it's a time where I look at it like the time when the Israelites were in the desert."

Francis Chan worries about religious freedom whether churches should be allowed to gather as they have traditionally done before the pandemic. He questions, "how affecting is the church with religious freedom when compared to places like China where the Church is persecuted."

Francis Chan strongly believes that the world is being affected due to COVID and it is a new time for awakening. He delivered a message that stated, 'the pandemic never happened in history ever and no one will know what will happen to the future.'

"I'm grateful for the people who fight for religious freedom. I'm grateful to have it. At the same time, I'm not really afraid of losing it because I look at how the Church is flourishing and how it actually looks like the Church of Scripture where there is persecution."

"I am waiting to see a pure Church where people are devoted, they're serious and they understand what it means to really follow Jesus. Then we can really be a light to the world."

In conclusion, Francis Chan encouraged believers to be engaged within the church community and fight for religious freedom. He calls for awakening and deeply shares the importance of God's presence.
Photo: (Photo : Photo from Kendra Snow Facebook Account)

A bunch of stolen school supplies in a trailer in Chicago last Thursday were quickly replenished through donations. These school supplies were supposed to be back-to-school giveaways in an event last Saturday.

After the organizers announced what happened, Chicago residents pitched in for the even to push through.

READ ALSO: Georgia Mom Says Son Is Crying Due to Frustration on Distance Learning

The ransacking incident

According to a report from Block Club Chicago, the organization M.A.S.K. or Mothers Against Senseless Killings planned to donate tablets to Chicago public schools. However, when its founder Tamr Manasseh returned from an outreach activity in Memphis, she discovered that their headquarters got ransacked.

Their trailer, which was placed at 7400 S. Stewart Ave., was full of school supplies gathered through donations. All of these were gone when they returned.

Manasseh immediately filed a police report upon discovering what happened.

READ ALSO: Free School Supplies: Tips for Parents to Save Lots of Money

The outpour of donations

After discovering the incident, members of M.A.S.K. shared on social media what happened to their headquarters.

READ ALSO: Back to School: How to Help Kids Adjust to Distance Learning

Surprisingly, within just 24 hours, the tablets and other school supplies were replenished through Chicago residents' donations.

All of the 60 tablets that were in the Amazon wishlist for M.A.S.K. were purchased before the end of Thursday. Other individuals pledged on sending donations for the children in Chicago public schools.

In a Facebook post, Manasseh shared, "Today could've been a terrible day. But all of our friends, supporters, and even strangers, stepped up and made sure it wasn't."

Manasseh was extremely grateful for the support that they received. She added, "We literally could not do it without you! Thank you all, so much!"

READ ALSO: Parents Want School to Be Canceled Until Spring, Survey Reveals

The event for Chicago Public Schools

In a Facebook live last Saturday, Manasseh shared how their organization was preparing for their event. Members were busy packing the school supplies donated by Chicago residents.

Their event is an annual activity held before the opening of classes. This year's school supplies giveaways event is the fifth time that M.A.S.K. had.

Aside from giving away school supplies, the event also included sign-up booths for a study program, supervised learning, teletherapy, and internet connectivity support.

The group partnered with other organizations like The Honeycomb Project, Family Focus, One Tail At A Time Dog Rescue, and Lincoln Square Mamas for Justice.

READ ALSO: Six-Year-Old Girl Raises Money to Help and Feed the Homeless in Missouri
Doctor advocate who pushed legalized prostitution on teens, appointed to UN health policy position

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A South African doctor who has advocated for the legalization of prostitution and has encouraged minors to support "sex work" as a job, has been appointed to an influential role at the United Nations.

Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng was appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva as a special rapporteur on the right to health earlier this summer. The role is independent from U.N. member states but is considered influential in that she will have sway over how human rights obligations are interpreted within the international government's agencies, C-FAM reported last week. C-FAM noted that her reports advancing "sexual rights," including advocacy for the legalization of prostitution, will likely be cited as authoritative in human rights law by U.N. entities.

"Rapporteur" is a French-derived word that means an investigator who reports to a deliberative body.

According to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner, the special rapporteur position entails examining, monitoring, advising, and publicly reporting on human rights issues through "activities undertaken by special procedures, including responding to individual complaints, psychological operations and manipulation via the controlled media and academia, conducting studies, providing advice on technical cooperation at the country level, and engaging in general promotional activities."

Last April, Mofokeng was widely panned by anti-trafficking groups for an editorial she wrote in Teen Vogue arguing that "sex work"  which would include a variety of sexual acts for money, including prostitution  is a legitimate form of employment and ought to be legally regarded as such.

The doctor also likened her own profession to "sex work."

"I exchange payment in the form of money with people to provide them with advice and treatment for sex-related problems; therapy for sexual performance, counseling and therapy for relationship problems, and treatment of sexually transmitted infection. Isn't this basically sex work?" she wrote in Teen Vogue at the time.

"I do not believe it is right or just that people who exchange sexual services for money are criminalized and I am not for what I do. Is a medical degree really the right measure of who is deserving of dignity, autonomy, safety in the work place, fair trade and freedom of employment? No. This should not be so. Those who engage in sex work deserve those things, too."

Under the banner of "sex worker rights," Mofokeng and like-minded others say that those in prostitution should not face criminal penalties as there is nothing inherently wrong with selling sex and that laws against the sex trade will cause it to go underground and yield more danger whereas legalizing it reduces harm.

By contrast, sex trade abolitionists, who often back what is known as the Nordic model  a public policy approach that bans the purchase of sex but not the sale  assert that legalizing or fully decriminalizing the trade will increase monstrous forms of sexual exploitation. If prostitution is legal it will yield increased demand but not enough supply and greater numbers of women will be trafficked into the trade, they say.

The law that Dr. Mofokeng advocates for fully decriminalizes all aspects of the sex-trade, including brothel-keepers and pimps (aka traffickers)," said Helen Taylor, director of Intervention for the Sacramento-based abolitionist group Exodus Cry.



The United Nations ought to be the last place to advocate for human-traffickers and the buyers who fuel demand to be legalized.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation hailed Mofokeng's appointment. Mofokeng is also an abortion provider and the author of Dr. T: A Guide to Sexual Health and Pleasure. She hosts a South African television show called Sex Talk with Dr. T.
(Natural News) Really nasty woman and vice-presidential hopeful Kamala Harris says she is proud of Jacob Blake, the violent felon who was recently shot by police after sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend and stealing her car and debit card.

After visiting with Blake and his family, Harris reportedly told Ben Crump, the familys attorney, that she views Blake as a national hero. She also threw in for good measure that Blakes family is really wonderful, presumably to try to score some extra points with the black community.

Sen. Harris had an inspirational and uplifting one-hour visit with Jacob Black, Jr. and his family today, Crump, a prominent Hillary Clinton supporter who just so happens to have represented a whole slew of black criminals over the years that have gained national media attention, wrote in a tweet.

She spoke individually with each family member about how they were handling the trauma and urged them to take care of their physical and mental health, Crump added. In a moving moment, Jacob Jr. told Sen. Harris that he was proud of her, and the senator told Jacob that she was also proud of him and how he is working through his pain.

Once you stop laughing, Crump went on to claim that Blake assured Harris that he was not going to give up on life for the sake of his children. Harris also supposedly discussed various policy changes that she and Joe Biden plan to implement should they seize the White House in November.

She encouraged them to continue to use their voices even through their pain to help America make progress to end systemic racism, Crump concluded.

Is Kamala Harris also antisemitic and antichrist?

By calling Jacob Blakes family really wonderful, Zero Hedge speculates that perhaps this implies that Harris is antisemitic, seeing as how Blakes father is an outspoken anti-Semite who also opposes Christianity.

Keep in mind that Blake openly terrorized a female black life, his ex-girlfriend Laquisha Booker, by sticking his finger in her vagina without consent and later sniffing it. Booker was so traumatized by the incident that she had a difficult time even relaying it to law enforcement, which later tracked down Blake on her behalf.

This is the part of the story that the mainstream media is deliberately leaving out in its reporting. Blake is a felon who had a warrant out for his arrest, and police were there to remove him from the streets so as to prevent him from assaulting and terrorizing any additional black lives.

Harris, like the rest of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, apparently only supports criminal black lives as Blake, her hero, is a criminal. Meanwhile, Harris has said nothing to Booker or her family about the horrors they have had to endure with Blake terrorizing them for months on end.

As you may recall, Harris also went hard against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh over specious and unsubstantiated claims that at some point, 20 or 30 years ago, Kavanaugh supposedly assaulted Christine Blasey Ford, who ever since her failed attempt to take Kavanaugh down has all but disappeared.

What do you expect from an old whore without any morals? wrote one Zero Hedge commenter about Harris. Willie Brown must be so proud.

The Kamala was the worst person of color they could possibly choose, wrote another.

She is despised. I get why, she supports prison time for non-violent crimes like having a joint in your possession. Her family owned slaves not all that long ago in Jamaica, and shes only actually one-fourth black but pretends to be 100 percent, we see through that.

If you like this story and want to read others like it, be sure to check out KamalaWatch.com.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

USAHitman.com

NaturalNews.com
The Iredell County Sheriff's Office said a 46-year-old man was shot to death Monday and the suspect is a former detention officer.

Baron Thomas Cass, 46, was found deceased in a field by deputies around 7:30 a.m. after deputies responded to multiple 911 calls about a shooting. One of those calls, said Iredell Sheriff Darren Campbell, came from a person stating that they were responsible for firing the shot.

Campbell said the suspect was identified as a former non-sworn detention officer at the sheriffs office. He left the agency in 2006.

Due to this prior employment, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was requested to assist in a joint investigation.

As the investigation is still ongoing, the names of witnesses and the person of interest were not released by the sheriffs office at this time, Campbell said.

The deputies on scene interviewed three witnesses that were in the area at the time of the shooting before going to the residence near the location. There, they met with a man who made statements about firing a gun.

Witnesses told deputies about a physical altercation between Cass and the man.
Texas continues to fail at one of its most basic duties: to protect vulnerable children in state care.

U.S. District Judge Janis Jack of Corpus Christi said she will hold Texas health and human services officials in contempt of court for the second time in 10 months over their inability to implement foster care reforms she ordered last year.

Speaking at a hearing last week, Jack couldnt make her distress  or whats at stake  any plainer.

Children are dying, she said.

In its defense, Attorney General Ken Paxtons office claimed Texas was making progress and urged Jack not to penalize officials as they work to mend a long-broken system. Jack rightly dismissed those excuses. The state should be sprinting to make the changes needed to keep children safe.

I actually am stunned by the noncompliance of the state, Jack said, but I keep being stunned every time we have one of these hearings.

Eleven children died in state care between July 31, 2019, and April 30, 2020, the period covered in a report by court-appointed monitors who found a disjointed and dangerous child protection system where harm to children is overlooked, ignored, or forgotten.

The June report spotlights three heartbreaking cases of neglect where the Texas child welfare systems failure had fatal consequences, including a toddler who showed clear signs of abuse that went ignored and a young woman who was left alone even though she was determined to be at high risk of suicide.

Jack was especially frustrated by state officials refusal to crack down on for-profit providers when they violate state safety standards. She cited the third case, which occurred at a Houston-area facility, as an example of how Texas fails to act quickly against for-profit providers with histories of regulatory violations.

K.C., a 14-year-old girl identified by her initials in court documents, collapsed at the Prairie Harbor Residential Treatment Center in Wallis on Feb. 9. Staff waited 37 minutes before calling 911, and by the time help arrived she was dead. The cause of death was a pulmonary embolism associated with a deep venous thrombosis in her right calf. K.C.s repeated complaints of leg pain in the weeks before her death had been dismissed.

Five days before her death, the residential treatment center had been placed on probation after it was cited more than 60 times for minimum standards violations in less than two years, according to the report. Even after K.C.s death, the state didnt begin removing foster children from the facility until last Wednesday, the same day monitors filed additional information about the teens death with the court.

This delayed response is unacceptably common, as the report explained, and it is hardly the most shocking finding. Monitors discovered that investigations into abuse can languish for years  long after memories fade, records go missing and witnesses move on  causing cases to be dropped because of the states own negligence, leaving alleged abusers free to continue causing harm.

The state has sought to change  but progress has been too slow.

In 2017, six years after childrens advocates sued and almost two years after Judge Jack found Texas violated the constitutional rights of foster children by putting them in danger, a bipartisan push in the Legislature added $500 million to the Department of Family and Protective Services two-year budget to raise salaries and hire more caseworkers, and make other system improvements.

Since then, the state argues, it has taken tremendous strides to comply with the courts ruling. Staffing has grown by 50 percent; the investigations backlog has been cut by almost two-thirds and the average caseload has decreased to 9.7 per investigator from 19.9.

These improvements merit recognition, but under the circumstances, with childrens lives in the balance, even tremendous strides fall short. Jack is right to raise the pressure on the state to do better. Shes given officials about a month to show improvements or she will issue fines for noncompliance with her order.

Officials need to improve oversight and guarantee much more timely investigations when things go wrong. These kids have already gone through abuse or neglect. They must not become victims of a system where everyone tries their best, when their best isnt good enough.
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Online bandits are decreasing their schemes against businesses but increasing COVID-19 scams aimed at consumers, according to a report released Tuesday by TransUnion.

Suspected fraudulent digital transactions against businesses worldwide dropped nine percent from the lockdown phase of the pandemic (March 11 to May 18) to the reopening phase (May 19-July 25), noted the quarterly report on global online fraud trends by the Chicago-based transaction security solutions provider.

That contrasts with surveys done by TransUnion for the weeks of April 13 and July 27, which found a 10 percent jump in consumers targeted by digital COVID-19 scams.

With the rush for businesses to go digital, as many were forced to go completely online almost overnight, fraudsters tried to take advantage, Shai Cohen, senior vice president of global fraud solutions at TransUnion, said in a statement.

As those businesses ramped up their digital fraud prevention solutions, he continued, the fraudsters took their scams elsewhere.

Conversely with consumers, he added, fraudsters are increasingly using COVID-19 to prey on those persons who are facing mounting financial pressures.

Rejecting Layups

TransUnions findings suggest that there may not be as much low hanging fruit among businesses for scammers as there used to be.

Businesses have become a bit more vigilant regarding cybersecurity at the present time, observed Adam Laub, CMO of Stealthbits, a cybersecurity software company located in Hawthorne, N.J.

What were layups for bad actors previously perhaps dont work with the same degree of success because cybersecurity has become more top of mind, he told TechNewsWorld.

Nevertheless, he cautioned that most organizations still suffer from the same vulnerabilities and exploits they had previously.

Its just a little bit harder to get through the front door, he said. Once in, however, attackers will traverse networks, escalate privileges and execute their missions with relative ease.

Weaponizing Fear and Uncertainty

On the other hand, Laub continued, the closing of physical locations for shopping has increased e-commerce activity. That makes consumers  just from a sheer numbers perspective  an easier target than business at this point in time, he said.

When businesses dont have their eye on the ball, they are by far the more attractive target, he added, but when they do, theyre a much tougher nut to crack for the average cybercriminal.

Melody J. Kaufman, a cybersecurity specialist for Saviynt, an application and infrastructure security provider in El Segundo, Calif. explained that businesses have quickly adapted their security measures to accommodate remote workers over the last few months.

This security shift has improved processes and procedures in many areas over organizations including phishing training and awareness, she told TechNewsWorld. This level of awareness makes businesses harder targets now.

Thats not the case with consumers, she continued, who  whether theyre savvy with technology or not  are generally not familiar with the wide varieties of phishing campaigns that exist such as smishing and vishing.

Bad actors find it easier to weaponize the fear and uncertainty of national events, including COVID-19, and this helps their attacks and scams yield valuable results, she said.

Fraudsters enjoy times of uncertainty, added Trace Fooshee, a senior analyst with the Aite Group.

They flourish in times of crisis, he continued. They take advantage of crisis because crises tend to introduce a level of heightened emotion when people lower their guard a little bit. People can be more gullible when their emotions are being preyed upon.

Whack A Fraudster

Governments may also be contributing to COVID-19 scams aimed at consumers, maintained Chris Clements, vice president of solutions architecture at Cerberus Sentinel, a cybersecurity consulting and penetration testing company in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The transition from business to consumer targets is likely due to COVID-19 stimulus efforts from national governments, he explained.

Because consumers are primed to expect contact of some sort relating to the matter, it gives cyber criminals targets primed to interact with financial information, he told TechNewsWorld.

The TransUnion report found that the biggest declines in suspected fraud were in the telecommunications (-60 percent), healthcare (-18 percent) and financial services (-13 percent) industries, while there were big increases in the travel and leisure (47 percent), logistics (27 percent) and insurance (8 percent) sectors.

The change in the amount of suspected fraud against industries, comparing the periods of March 11 to May 18 and May 19 to July 25. Source: TransUnion

This shows us that fraudsters initially targeted the hottest industries with the most money to be had early in the pandemic in order to hide behind the rush of transactions, but have now made an obvious shift once they experienced the fraud controls those industries had implemented, said Melissa Gaddis, senior director of customer success for global fraud solutions at TransUnion.

Fraud is a constant game of whack a mole and when fraudsters arent successful in one area, they move somewhere else, she told TechNewsWorld.

Avalanche of Disruptions

Increases in transaction volumes probably contributed to the increases in suspected fraud incidents in the logistics and insurance industries.

Logistics and insurance organizations have seen a surge of business due to the pandemic and as their workloads increase, they are more prone to failing to identify fraud as they attempt to manage a flood of legitimate requests, Clements explained.

Meanwhile, in the travel industry, there was an avalanche of disruptions. That caused the overall number of transactions between consumers and their travel companies to increase exponentially, Fooshee explained.

Travel companies also had to make many concessions to consumers for canceled trips, he continued. Whenever large scale concessions like that are being granted  effectively giving away money  the fraudsters are going to pounce on that, he said.

Gen Z Targeted

As part of its report, TransUnion surveyed 8,265 adults in Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United states the week of July 27. It found that more than three out of 10 respondents (32 percent) said they had been targeted by digital fraud related to COVID-19, with Gen Z (age 18-25) being the most targeted at 36 percent.

A common assumption is that fraudsters target older generations who are perceived to be less digitally capable, Gaddis observed.

However, she continued, a potential reason that we found the opposite is the fact that younger consumers are more apt to conduct more digital transactions. Fraudsters tend to go where the transactions are.

Furthermore, she added, our analysis found younger generations are more strained financially during the pandemic so fraudsters could be trying to take advantage of people in more dire financial situations.
Med leaders ready for EU sanctions on 'confrontational' Turkey Greece staged a military exercise in the eastern Mediterranean in August

Leaders of seven European countries on the Mediterranean said on Thursday they were ready to back EU sanctions against Turkey if Ankara shunned dialogue on escalating tensions in the sea.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the leaders of six other EU states, including Turkey's regional rival Greece, for a summit in Corsica in the hope of finding common ground ahead of the next EU summit this month.

Showing again his anger against Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Macron said before the summit that the NATO ally was no longer a partner in the eastern Mediterranean, and that its people "deserved something" different to the way the government currently behaved.

France has strongly backed Greece and Cyprus in a growing standoff with Turkey over hydrocarbon resources and naval influence in the eastern Mediterranean, which has sparked fears of more severe conflict.

After talks with the leaders of Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus in the resort of Porticcio outside the local capital Ajaccio, Macron adopted a slightly milder tone, saying the leaders wanted to reengage in a dialogue with Turkey "in good faith".

But the final statement of the leaders made clear that sanctions were on the table if Turkey failed to end its "confrontational actions".

"We regret that Turkey has not responded to the repeated calls by the European Union to end its unilateral and illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea," the communique said.

"We maintain that in absence of progress in engaging Turkey into a dialogue and unless it ends its unilateral activities, the EU is ready to develop a list of further restrictive measures," the leaders said, adding these could be discussed at the European Council on 24-25 September.

- 'No longer a partner' -

The crisis has added to a growing list of tensions between Turkey and Europe, notably over Ankara's military intervention in Libya, its policy in Syria and a crackdown on opponents of Erdogan at home.

Story continues

"We Europeans need to be clear and firm with the government of president Erdogan, which today is behaving in an unacceptable manner," Macron told reporters before the summit began.

He said that at the moment Turkey was "no longer a partner in the region" of the eastern Mediterranean due to its behaviour.

Macron added that Turkey had "intensified provocations in a way that is not worthy of a great state. The Turkish people are a great people and deserve something else".

But in a strongly worded reply, the Turkish foreign ministry described Macron's comments as "arrogant" and a sign "of his own weakness and despair".

Erdogan's top press aide, Fahrettin Altun, took a swipe at Macron in a tweet, describing him as a "wannabe Napoleon" on a Mediterranean campaign.

The EuroMed 7 is an informal group of EU Mediterranean states, sometimes dubbed "Club Med", that held its first summit in 2016. Turkey is not a member.

Turkey has sought to join the EU for over half a century, though analysts say the growing rift between Erdogan and the bloc's leaders has made the prospect increasingly unlikely.

- 'Catastrophic conflict' -

Macron said that the Mediterranean had become the scene of "a hegemonic game between historical powers seeking to destabilise the region", pointing towards both Turkey and Russia.

There are "real risks of destabilisation in the Mediterranean because of threats from Turkey", said Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, calling on the EU to "use all the means" at its disposal to "avoid a catastrophic conflict for the whole region".

"If Turkey refuses to listen to reason... I don't see any choice for my European colleagues except significant sanctions," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who also held bilateral talks with Macron before the summit, wrote in French daily Le Monde.

Greek media said the possible sale by France of Rafale fighter jets could be on the table, in a sign of the increasingly strong alliance between Paris and Athens.

Adopting a slightly milder tone, Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez said the seven had sent a "clear message" for real dialogue.

"We believe this genuine dialogue is possible, we believe it is possible to follow the path of de-escalation," he said,

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The Mizoram government has banned the use of China-made Kenbo motorcycles as they are being used in the border state to bring smuggled or illegal substances, including drugs, from neighbouring Myanmar, an official said on Wednesday.

Though the two-wheelers are made outside the country and are unregistered in Mizoram, a huge number of such bikes are brought into the state. These are randomly used in Champhai, Hnahthial, Lawngtlai, Siaha and Serchhip districts along the Myanmar border," the official said.

Although Mizorams mountainous and unfenced international border with Bangladesh (318 km) and Myanmar (404 km) and inter-state borders with Tripura, Assam and Manipur are sealed in view of the Covid-19 outbreak, smuggling of various drugs, including methamphetamine tablets, foreign-made cigarettes, arms and ammunition and other contraband is still going on.

While the Border Security Force guards the Bangladesh border, the border with Myanmar is looked after by the Assam Rifles and it has seized smuggled drugs and other contraband, including heroin, valued around Rs 29 crore since July 1.

RELATED NEWS Mizoram Bans Use of Chinese Bike in State to Curb Smuggling

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Methamphetamine tablets (also called Yaba tablet or party tablet) contain a mix of methamphetamine and caffeine and are misused as high-dosage drugs in India, Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries.

According to the BSF, Assam Rifles and intelligence officials, Yaba tablets and other drugs are smuggled into the northeastern states from neighbouring Myanmar and then smuggled to Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka as well as various Indian states.
President Donald Trump on Thursday defended comments he made to reporter Bob Woodward in early February in which he acknowledged the coronavirus "goes through air" despite publicly downplaying the threat in public and telling Americans the virus would disappear.

At the time of Trump's private comments to Woodward, it was unclear how the virus spread and scientists were debating whether and to what degree it could spread through the air. Trump, however, insisted on Thursday that it was widely understood that the virus spread through particles in the air before he made his private remarks in a Feb. 7 taped phone call between Woodward and the president.

"This is stuff that everyone knew. There's a report that I have here someplace where China said it was airborne earlier than the statements I made. People knew it was airborne. This was nothing," he said Thursday in a White House press briefing. "When I say it was airborne, everybody knew it was airborne. This was no big thing. Read the reports. China came out with a statement that it was an airborne disease. I heard it was an airborne disease. I assumed it early on."

In response to a question about what report the president was citing, a White House official pointed CNBC to a Jan. 30 report from TIME. The report said Chinese authorities announced on Jan. 7 that they had isolated the virus, which "belongs to the coronavirus family... and spreads via airborne droplets."

A day after Trump's private comments to Woodward, Chinese state media The China Daily reported that Zeng Qun, deputy head of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, said the virus can spread through aerosol transmission, suggesting the virus was airborne in some situations. But the next day, officials from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention disputed the earlier report, according to The China Daily, saying that there was no evidence the virus could spread through airborne particles.

Early in the outbreak, scientists stressed how little was known about the virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China, at the end of December. In the nine months since the virus emerged, scientists have learned much about how it spreads and the disease it causes but continue to emphasize that it is a relatively new virus and much remains unclear. The role that airborne transmission of the virus plays in general spread has been among the more contentious questions debated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the virus is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, which an infected person can spread when they talk, cough or sneeze, for example. The CDC adds that these droplets can land on hands and surfaces, where they might survive for some period of time and can potentially infect people. The CDC adds that "short-range" airborne spread of aerosolized particles is a "possibility," but stops short of definitively calling it a confirmed route of transmission.

The question of whether and to what extent these droplets might survive and spread through the air has been debated since early in the outbreak. The first strong scientific study backed by the U.S. government that showed the virus might spread through the air came on March 18. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University examined how long Covid-19 survives in the air as well as on a variety of surfaces and compared it with SARS, the coronavirus that emerged in late 2002 and killed nearly 800 people.

They found that Covid-19 was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, though it remained unclear whether the trace amounts of the virus found in the air were potent enough to infect someone and replicate. The results suggested "that people may acquire the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects," Dr. Neeltje van Doremalen, a scientist from NIH and a lead researcher on the study, said in a statement at the time.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had said in a Feb. 11 press conference that "corona is airborne," but he quickly clarified his remarks, saying that he meant the virus can "spread via droplets or respiratory transmission."

It was not until March that the World Health Organization officially acknowledged that the virus-carrying droplets might be spreading through airborne particles in certain environments.

"When you do an aerosol-generating procedure like in a medical care facility, you have the possibility to what we call aerosolize these particles, which means they can stay in the air a little bit longer," Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said on March 16.

On July 6, a group of 239 scientists from 32 different countries published an open letter calling on the WHO and other health agencies to update their guidance to reflect the threat of airborne transmission of the coronavirus. The scientists said there was emerging evidence that indicated airborne transmission could present a serious risk.

"There is significant potential for inhalation exposure to viruses in microscopic respiratory droplets (microdroplets) at short to medium distances (up to several meters, or room scale), and we are advocating for the use of preventive measures to mitigate this route of airborne transmission," the scientists wrote in the paper.

That week, the WHO updated their official guidance to say that "short-range aerosol transmission, particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time with infected persons cannot be ruled out." But like the CDC, the United Nations health agency stopped short of confirming that the virus spreads in such a way.

It was five months before that, on Feb. 7, that Trump told Woodward that the coronavirus was spreading widely through the air.

"You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed," he said, according to the tapes of the interview. "And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus."

At around the same time, members of the Trump administration and the White House coronavirus task force told Americans that the general public did not need to buy masks, which appear to help prevent the virus-carrying droplets from spreading. Trump defended his decision to downplay the threat of the virus early in the outbreak.

"The fact is there has to be a calmness," he said Thursday. "You don't want me jumping up and down screaming there's going to be great death."
Maharashtra higher and technical education minister Uday Samat said students will be provided with proper question bank two days prior to the exam

The University of Mumbai will conduct its 2020 final year examination online between 1 and 17 October.

The exam will be conducted in the multiple choice questions (MCQs) format.

Maharashtra higher and technical education minister Uday Samat said that students will be provided with proper question banks two days prior to the exam.

According to a report in Indian Express, the MU will begin exam for ATKT candidates will commence from 25 September.

The Mumbai University has set up 40 clusters of colleges based on the courses offered by them.

The dates of examinations will remain the same for students of all the colleges belonging to a particular cluster.

Around 2,22,581 students will be taking the 158 exams across Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Ratnagiri, Thane and Raigad.

A Times Now report quoted an MU spokesperson saying that the exams will be conducted in multiple choice format. There will be no re-evaluations, and therefore, it will not take much time for the declaration of results.

The spokesperson also said that colleges affiliated to the university have been asked to start a helpline number to counsel students and listen to grievances,

As per The Times of India, the university in its circular has asked colleges to arrange for a technological solution to hold the exams.

The circular mentioned that the results will be out in two days after the exam ends.

Each paper will be of 50 marks and be an hour long.

The practical and viva voce examinations will also be conducted online.

The decision of holding the exam online was taken after multiple meetings on 5 September.

Students will have to take the exam from their homes.

To get students better acquainted with the new mode, the varsity will hold one round of mock test before the start of the exams.
Democratic Senators Block GOP CCP Virus Aid Package

Senate Democrats on Sept. 10 blocked a Republican bill that would have provided federal funding for pandemic relief.

The bill, introduced Sept. 8 by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), would provide more small-business loans, liability protections for businesses, added unemployment benefits of $300 per week, and funds to reopen schools. It would be worth about $500 billion, far less than the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act that was passed by the Democrat-controlled House in May.

The vote was 5247, failing to reach a threshold to spark debate on the Senate floor. No Democratic senator was willing to vote in favor of the measure, while nearly all Republicans voted in favor of it. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a frequent critic of the ballooning federal debt, was the lone Republican to vote against the bill.

Once again, Democrats are objecting, and its the same old songthe Republicans bill doesnt spend enough, Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said ahead of the vote on Sept. 10.

McConnell and his counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), criticized each other on the floor ahead of the vote.

Senators who share the Democratic leaders toxic attitude, who think the real enemy are their political opponents, I assume will follow his lead and vote no, he said, adding that those elected officials can tell American families they care more about politics than helping them.

Schumer said the bill has poison pills and is pointless.

Public transportation systems are the lifeblood of great American cities, and regional networks connect people to jobs. They are critical to our economy. But there is not one penny in the Republican bill to help public transit systems. Unacceptable, he later wrote on Twitter, explaining to his constituents why he didnt vote in favor of it.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Democrats need to back the bill because small businesses need loans. Those businesses, she said, have been feeling, just a kick in the gut on a daily basis in my state.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows (R) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin arrive at the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at the Capitol in Washington on Aug. 1, 2020. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said the Republican measure on the floor is a partisan vote, but added that hes hopeful we can immediately come together to pass a bill with bipartisan support similar to the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that was passed with near-unanimous consent in March.

The bill comes after the White House met with Democratic lawmakers on a daily basis last month before talks stalled. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Schumer, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) remain far apart on the price tag of the bill as well as issues such as unemployment benefits and how much funding state and local governments should get.

Pelosi rejected a claim this week from the GOP that its necessary to pass a slimmed-down deal.

No, it isnt, she said. I hear it a lot. And clearly it springs from all the good intentions we all have to help people as soon as we can. [But] it does nothing.
The Government is under mounting pressure to lift coronavirus air travel restrictions which have crippled the aviation and tourism industry and which are costing the States two biggest airports around 1m a day.

It faced a wave of calls yesterday from TDs, airports and travel agents, as well as from business leaders in the south and west, for an easing of restrictions to facilitate international air travel ahead of todays meeting of the cabinets Covid-19 sub-committee today.

Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughton said the group will explore whether the introduction of pre-flight Covid-19 testing can provide an alternative to the restrictions and allow for reopening of international air travel.

It comes as Dalton Philips, the head of the Dublin Airport Authority, which runs Dublin and Cork airports, said the companys losses are running close to 150m for the year-to-date.

We have to get the country going again. We need to balance the different interests between health and the economy, but at the moment were strangling the country, he said.

Cork Chamber said decisions must be made to support the return of credible levels of passenger volume on key commercial and tourism routes, including testing of passengers.

The European Commission has now set a clear direction for commonality of approach to travel between member states," Chamber CEO Conor Healy said.

The Government must be supportive as this proposal moves to the European Council, and push for equivalent international agreements to be progressed with urgency."

His calls were echoed by chamber groups in the Mid-West amid fears for the future of Shannon Airport.

Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughton said the group will explore whether the introduction of pre-flight Covid-19 testing can provide an alternative to the restrictions. Picture: Maxwells

Ennis, Galway, Limerick and Shannon chambers called on Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to establish a new model for aviation in Ireland.

Management at Cork Airport have now called a crisis briefing for Oireachtas members to outline the scale of the threat it faces amid the pandemic, and in the wake of Ryanairs threat to close its bases in Cork and Shannon airports unless the Government relaxes its quarantine restrictions on passengers flying into the country.

If the threat is realised, 35 pilots and 95 cabin crew would be forced to take unpaid leave from the end of October.

The move would virtually wipe out Corks already decimated passenger traffic which has plunged 95% during lockdown.

Ryanair accounted for around 80% of the airports traffic during the coronavirus crisis  overtaking Aer Lingus as the airports largest airline for the first time in the airports 59-year history.

Of the six flights which departed Cork Airport on Tuesday, five were operated by Ryanair. It is understood that only one in three seats on board the 189-seater aircraft are being filled.

In an interview with the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation yesterday, Mr Philips described the impact of Covid-19 on the business as devastating.

About 3.5m passengers passed through Dublin Airport in August 2019. That figure was down to 500,000 last month  plunging from an average throughput of 100,000 people daily in August 2019 to 16,500 passengers daily last month.

He warned that passenger traffic may not recover to 2019 levels for three to four years.
President Trump speaks during an event on judicial appointments Sept. 9 in the White House. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

So now we have irrefutable proof that President Trump lied to the American people virtually from the start about the threat of the coronavirus.

Sadly, this is no great surprise. Trump lies so much, and with such astonishing abandon, that its safe to doubt the veracity of anything that comes out of his mouth.

Even so, it's profoundly disturbing to hear him cavalierly admitting that he knew he wasn't telling the truth when he was assuring the public early in the pandemic that the coronavirus was no big deal. In an excerpt from recorded interviews with journalist Bob Woodward that were released this week in advance of Woodward's new book, Rage, Trump said on Feb. 7 that he knew the virus was deadly, airborne and much worse than the flu, but he decided not to share that information with the public.

I wanted to always play it down, the president said in another interview on March 19. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

In his twisted, narcissistic mind, Trump no doubt believes this admission casts him in a positive light. Heres the concerned national patriarch risking his own credibility to keep Americans from freaking out and doing who knows what. Maybe making a run on the grocery stores, canceling vacations and pulling kids out of school? Well, good thing that didnt happen. Oh, wait  it did.

We suspect even his excuse for lying to the American people is less than truthful, and that it was the stock market he was really trying to keep calm. Its been well-documented that in the early months of the pandemic, the president was frantic about how the disease would affect the economy. He raged about how the news media and the Democrats were exaggerating the dangers to scare the markets and make him look bad.

If Trump was motivated purely by a desire to protect people, as he claims, he would have followed his deception with fast action. After his sieve-like China travel ban (it's not a real ban if tens of thousands of travelers from China continued to enter the U.S.), he would have ordered a mobilization of mass COVID-19 testing and tracing programs. He would have supported the sensible recommendations of his own health experts, rather than repeatedly trying to muzzle and sideline them while pushing unproven miracle cures. He would have donned a face mask the minute researchers made it clear that wearing one would protect people from infection. And he most certainly wouldn't have urged states to lift lockdown orders prematurely.

Trumps main job as president is to protect the U.S. from serious threats, be it foreign interference, civil unrest, economic calamity or infectious disease. He has failed on all counts, and people have died as a consequence. That's no lie.
A protestor interacts with police at 52nd and Chestnut Streets, May 31, 2020. Peaceful protests over the police involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis gave way to violence and vandalism in Philadelphia and across the country. Read more

On May 28, America watched George Floyd take his last breath on the streets of Minneapolis under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Shortly thereafter, Americans began to protest and demonstrate in cities across the U.S., including here in Philadelphia. On that night, and for many days thereafter, people of all races, genders, ages, and backgrounds marched through the streets of Philadelphia, calling for change in our country. As thousands peacefully marched through the streets, businesses were also looted, police cars were burned, officers were injured, and protesters were met with tear gas and rubber bullets. Ultimately, hundreds of protesters were arrested.

Now, I have been retained along with a team from the CNA Institute for Public Research to conduct an independent review of the Philadelphia Police Departments response to the protests, and to provide recommendations for how these protests should be handled in the future.

Because we have been hired by the city, Philadelphians may have a question of whether our review will really be independent, transparent, and reliable. Because of that, I want to explain who I am, what we are doing, and what can be expected from our work.

 READ MORE: Police tear gassed a West Philly community, leaving residents feeling betrayed and angry

I come to this investigation with nearly 20 years of living and practicing law in the Philadelphia area. But more importantly, I am a Black woman, the mother of Black sons, who cares about my community, who loves a God of love and justice for all, and who stands on the shoulders of family members who have fought for racial equality in their communities in the South. I bring not only professional expertise and life experience, but a commitment to doing my part to ensure that Philadelphia is the best city it can be.

In 15 years as an assistant district attorney and assistant U.S. attorney, I was an advocate for victims and for communities affected by crime. I worked alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement to conduct investigations that required me to review evidence and evaluate law enforcements interactions with victims, witnesses, and the accused. I developed an understanding and appreciation for how officers have to make split-second decisions in intense and sometimes dangerous situations, as well as an appreciation of the judgment and training that those decisions must be based upon. I have advised law enforcement on the legality and effectiveness of strategies before they go into the field. I worked with the agents and office to ensure that the tactics they employed had regard for the safety of the public as well as the targets of the investigations. It is with this understanding and experience that I will review the decisions by the Police Department for their appropriateness and effectiveness.

In addition, I have worked with victims and witnesses from all over Philadelphia and surrounding communities, as well as individuals who were charged with crimes. From many, I heard life stories of poverty, lack of education, lack of resources, and lack of equal opportunity. We talked about their encounters with law enforcement and the justice system that created in them a distrust of law enforcement and a negative view of the criminal justice system. I viewed my role as a prosecutor not only as one of power but of great responsibility. It was my responsibility to not just represent the government and ensure that the voices of the victims were heard, but to also make sure we adhered to the rights of defendants as required by the Constitution. It was my responsibility as a prosecutor to be fair, recognize the humanity of defendants as well as the victims, and ensure that all parties in the criminal justice system were treated fairly and with dignity.

 READ MORE: More than 140 protesters, residents sue Philly police over tear gas, extraordinary abuses of police power

My motivation for working on the inside of the criminal justice system either as a prosecutor or as a defense attorney has been to make a difference and to contribute to a safer and better community for my fellow citizens. This motivation remains close to my heart as I think about my sons navigating this world without my constant physical protection.

Ultimately, we will produce a report with recommendations based upon a review of the departments current policies and procedures, and a review of evidence from the protests.

As we gather evidence and hear from law enforcement, we understand that this investigation cannot be effective without input from the community. If you participated in the protests or were in some way impacted by the protests, we want to hear from you: philadelphiaafteractionreview.mmwr.com.

Nicole Phillips is a partner at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP and is a member of the firms White Collar and Government Investigations practice group.
The qualified healthcare worker shortage in Africa is felt keenly by the poor as HIV AIDS is the biggest killer second Diarrhea diseases third Malaria.



This article provides data from The World Health Organization on the number of generalist and specialist physicians per 1,000 of the population in Africa but first, the facts. The shortage of qualified healthcare workers brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large.

Out of 54 African countries, only one African country, Mauritius meets the criteria established by The World Health Organization. The World Health Organization states 23 doctors, nurses and midwives per 10,000 populations would be sufficient to achieve coverage of primary healthcare needs.

African countries that fall below this minimum threshold struggle to provide skilled care to pregnant women, at birth through old age as well as emergency and specialized services.

This has direct consequences on the numbers of deaths of men, women and children. A shortage of trained surgeons, anesthesiologists and obstetricians is a central cause of unequal access to medical services.

The lack of access to treatment centers, costs treatments and prevention procedures can put access to western medicine out of the reach of many families. Millions of African families use traditional medicine in one form or another because pharmaceutical drugs are too expensive or traditional medicine is considered an appropriate tradition.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congos (DRC), a trio of diseases causes 42% of deaths in children under the age of five; they are malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea.

Her Excellency (H.E.) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Goodwill Ambassador is addressing the shortage of qualified health workers in remote and rural areas for the health workforce. H.E Johnson Sirleaf as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Workforce is investing in the education and employment of health workers, particularly women, to achieve universal health coverage.

Health workers are people whose job it is to protect and improve the health of their communities; they make important contributions and are critical to the functioning of health systems.

The people of sub-Saharan Africa can live in remote areas where access to healthcare is challenging due to lack of transportation, natural and physical barriers, and poverty. Deeply-rutted mountainous dirt roads, thick with dust in the dry season and treacherously slippery in the half-yearly rainy season are difficult to navigate not only for people traveling by foot, but also for taxis, bicycles, and mopeds with passengers perched precariously on the backs.

Throughout Africa HIV AIDS is the biggest killer; second is Diarrhea diseases and third Malaria. There are nearly 1,800 new HIV infections in children under 15, mostly from mother-to-child transmission. A significant proportion of diarrhea disease can be prevented through safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene. Malaria remains a major killer of children under five years old, taking the life of a child every two minutes.

Dr. Hawa Abdi was Somalias first and only female gynecologist, lawyer and humanitarian. Opened in 1983, the Hawa Abdi Centre in the Afgooye Corridor, Somalia, was known for turning her familys farm on the outskirts of Mogadishu, the Somali capital, into a haven for Somalis fleeing famine, poverty and an ongoing civil war.

Mama Hawa, as Dr. Abdi was known, they received free medical care, food and education, Dr. Abdi died August 5, 2020 and loved the saying The beauty of a city is the statues or the streets. But the beauty of a human being is his work. If you want to be beautiful, do the work."



Number of generalist and specialist physicians per 1,000 of the population.

African Country Number of Physicians Mauritius 2.6 physicians/1,000 population Seychelles 2.12 physicians/1,000 population Libya 2.09 physicians/1,000 population Algeria 1.79 physicians/1,000 population Malaysia 1.54 physicians/1,000 population Tunisia 1.3 physicians/1,000 population South Africa 0.91 physicians/1,000 population Egypt 0.8 physicians/1,000 population Cabo Verde 0.78 physicians/1,000 population Morocco 0.73 physicians/1,000 population Gabon 0.68 physicians/1,000 population Namibia 0.59 physicians/1,000 population Botswana 0.53 physicians/1,000 population Nigeria 0.45 physicians/1,000 population Equatorial Guinea 0.4 physicians/1,000 population Eswatini 0.33 physicians/1,000 population Sudan 0.26 physicians/1,000 population Cote d'Ivoire 0.23 physicians/1,000 population Djibouti 0.22 physicians/1,000 population Angola 0.21 physicians/1,000 population Kenya 0.2 physicians/1,000 population Zimbabwe 0.19 physicians/1,000 population Mauritania 0.18 physicians/1,000 population Madagascar 0.18 physicians/1,000 population Uganda 0.17 physicians/1,000 population Zambia 0.16 physicians/1,000 population Republic of the Congo 0.16 physicians/1,000 population Ghana 0.14 physicians/1,000 population Rwanda 0.14 physicians/1,000 population Mali 0.14 physicians/1,000 population Guinea-Bissau 0.13 physicians/1,000 population Burundi 0.1 physicians/1,000 population Ethiopia 0.1 physicians/1,000 population The Gambia 0.1 physicians/1,000 population Cameroon 0.09 physicians/1,000 population Burkina Faso 0.08 physicians/1,000 population Mozambique 0.08 physicians/1,000 population Guinea 0.08 physicians/1,000 population Senegal 0.07 physicians/1,000 population Central African Republic 0.07 physicians/1,000 population Lesotho 0.07 physicians/1,000 population Democratic Republic of the Congo 0.07 physicians/1,000 population Eritrea 0.06 physicians/1,000 population Sao Tome and Principe 0.05 physicians/1,000 population Benin 0.05 physicians/1,000 population Chad 0.04 physicians/1,000 population Niger 0.04 physicians/1,000 population Liberia 0.04 physicians/1,000 population Togo 0.03 physicians/1,000 population Sierra Leone 0.03 physicians/1,000 population Malawi 0.02 physicians/1,000 population Somalia 0.02 physicians/1,000 population Tanzania 0.01 physicians/1,000 population
The U.S. telecom stocks witnessed a relatively flat trajectory in the past week as latent geopolitical tensions continued to take the steam out of the sectors growth engine. The Trump administration maintained pressure for the proposed sale of TikTok by mid-September to avoid a ban on its U.S. operations. The concerted efforts appear to be a strategic ploy to accelerate technology decoupling with China and encourage domestic firms to reorganize their global production network away from the communist nation.



However, a recent FCC report revealed that rural U.S. telecom operators that relied on cheaper telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE would require an estimated $1.8 billion to replace them. The FCC urged the Congress to approve adequate funding to help these firms remove and replace the untrustworthy equipment at the earliest and has reportedly shortlisted about 50 such companies that are eligible to seek reimbursements. In order to bridge the digital divide, firms like Cisco are increasingly coming up with networking solutions that are particularly developed to cater to the rural markets.



Amid this cacophony, the proposed sale of TikToks U.S. operations remains mired in a geopolitical battle of supremacy as it remains to be seen how the ownership of the business would change hands. The uncertain business environment perhaps made the balancing act of the industry all the more difficult as it continued to tread on a tightrope fraught with several pitfalls, likely inducing a relatively flat growth trajectory.



Regarding company-specific news, divestment talks, product launches, collaborations and acquisitions took the center stage over the past five trading days.

Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories

1. Verizon Communications Inc. VZ has offered a $6.6 billion worth contract to Samsung Electronics to provide communication equipment for its wireless network. Although the finer details are yet to be revealed, the deal is reportedly one of the biggest of its kind secured by the South Korean firm in the next-generation 5G network market.



With Huawei losing ground due to various trade restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, and Nordic firms Nokia Corporation and Ericsson gaining precedence, the contract win assumes great significance for Samsung. The deal is likely to strengthen its presence in the global total telecom equipment market and could make way for similar deals in the near future. In addition, it is likely to give Samsung a leverage to better negotiate with other countries for high-quality 5G network equipment and realign the segment at the expense of its Chinese counterpart.



2. Ericsson ERIC recently announced that its 5G Radio Access Network and Core products and solutions are driving Orange Spains 5G services in Madrid and Barcelona. This follows the service providers nationwide commercial 5G launch on Sep 7.



Importantly, the 5G deployment builds on more than 20 years of partnership between Ericsson and Orange Spain. The initial 5G deployments in Madrid and Barcelona will be followed by other locations under a four-year partnership to help Orange Spain develop its 5G offering across Spain. Operating on a 3.6GHz spectrum, the 5G network in Madrid and Barcelona is powered by the Ericsson Radio System.



3. Nokia Corporation NOK has announced that the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), the worlds largest utility company, will set up a programmable optical network using Nokias IP/Optical solutions.



SGCC provides electrical power to more than 1.1 billion people across 26 provinces, covering 88% of Chinas national territory. The company is modernizing its communications infrastructure to meet the increased demand for transferring huge amounts of data across long distances. The latest move will enable SGCC to expand its network coverage to more power stations and offices while increasing capacity.



4. ADTRAN, Inc. ADTN has expanded its fixed wireless services portfolio with the addition of ADTRAN MetNet 60GHz high-powered version 2 (HPv2) CPE. This high-powered next-gen solution is aimed at supporting small cell densification initiatives while strengthening the existing fiber network infrastructure of residential areas with best-in-capabilities of multi-gigabit services.



The ADTRAN MetNet 60GHz HPv2 CPE, which is part of ADTRANs fixed wireless portfolio, has been designed with the technology developed by Cambridge Communication Systems. It operates on a 90-degree phased array antenna that doubles the network coverage over legacy gigabit mesh solutions.



5. Following the success of Orbi WiFi 6 Tri-band Mesh Systems, NETGEAR, Inc. NTGR announced the launch of Orbi Pro WiFi 6 (SXK80) Tri-band Mesh System. The latest entrant to the Orbi suite of networking solutions has been designed to provide consistent Wi-Fi coverage across home offices and small-sized organizations.



The product launch is likely to make the Orbi technology more accessible to a broader spectrum of audience by catering to the accretive bandwidth requirements of almost every household. The Orbi Pro Wi-Fi 6 (SXK80) Tri-band Mesh System is a multi-node mesh system, which includes one router and one satellite, and offers stable WiFi connection spanning an area of nearly 18,000 square feet.

Story continues

Price Performance

The following table shows the price movement of some of the major telecom stocks over the past week and the six months.





In the past five trading days, none of the stocks went up, while Qualcomm was the biggest decliner with its stock falling 8%.



Over the past six months, Qualcomm has been the best performer with its stock appreciating 34.6%, while AT&T was the biggest decliner with its stock falling 17.5%.



Over the past six months, the Zacks Telecommunications Services industry has rallied 4%, while the S&P 500 has gained 24.1%.





Whats Next in the Telecom Space?

In addition to the 5G deployments and product launches, all eyes will remain glued to how the administration continues to safeguard the interests of domestic telecom firms from perceived Chinese threats and how the TikTok saga unfurls.

These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behavior dramatically, and a handful of high-tech companies have stepped up to keep America running. Right now, investors in these companies have a shot at serious profits. For example, Zoom jumped 108.5% in less than 4 months while most other stocks were sinking.



Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for stay at home technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.



See the 5 high-tech stocks now>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Nokia Corporation (NOK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



ADTRAN, Inc. (ADTN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Ericsson (ERIC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



NETGEAR, Inc. (NTGR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



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A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, triggering panic among residents traumatised by last months massive explosion there that killed and injured thousands of people.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire at the facility, which was decimated by the August 4 explosion when nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonated, triggering a shock wave explosion that blasted windows, doors and walls miles away.

Also read: US calls for credible probe into overwhelming Beirut blast

A column of black smoke billowed from the port at midday Thursday, with orange flames leaping from the ground. The Lebanese army said the fire is at a warehouse where oil and tires are placed in the duty free zone at the port adding that fighting the blaze is ongoing and that army helicopters are taking part in the operation.

Panicked residents  still struggling to get over last months catastrophic explosion  cracked open windows and called each other to warn them of the new fire. Local TV stations said the companies that have offices near the port have asked their employees to leave the area. Lebanese troops closed the major road that passes near the port referring traffic to other areas.

The August 4 explosion killed more than 190 people, injured around 6,500 and damaged thousands of buildings in the Lebanese capital. The sight of another huge fire a month later created panic among residents traumatized by last months explosion.

State-run National News Agency said the fire was at a warehouse where tires are placed. It added that firefighters are dealing with the blaze. Army helicopters were taking part in efforts to extinguish the fire.

A video circulating on social media showed workers at the port running away in fear as soon as the fire broke out, a chilling reminder of last months blast that killed dozens of port employees and 10 fire fighters.

Beirut Gov Marwan Abboud and authorities called on people to stay away from roads leading to the port to allow fire engines to move quickly.

Police spokesman Col. Joseph Msalam said they have no information about what is happening at the port adding that the facility is currently under control of the army.

Asked about reports that the fire was caused by burning tires and oil, he said: I dont know. It could be containers. I really dont know what is there. It was the second fire at the port this week. On Tuesday, a small fire erupted, also creating some panic, that was quickly extinguished.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 18:42:14|Editor: huaxia

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by Dana Halawi

BEIRUT, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The sanctions imposed lately by the United States against Lebanon's former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and former Public Works and Transportation Minister Youssef Fenianos are "alarming" for the ruling class in Lebanon, experts said.

Makram Rabah, a lecturer of the Department of History at American University of Beirut, told Xinhua that the new sanctions aim at conveying a message to all Lebanese political parties that sanctions will be imposed on all those who work closely with Hezbollah.

"This implies that the U.S. has gone to the next level in its sanctions against parties or individuals dealing with Hezbollah," Rabah said.

The U.S. Treasury Department issued a statement on Tuesday, accusing the two former ministers of providing material support to Hezbollah and corruption.

Geraldine Griffith, U.S. State Department's official, announced on Wednesday that the U.S. is working on all levels to fight against corruption in Lebanon.

Youssef Diab, political analyst from the Lebanese University, told Xinhua that these new sanctions convey a message to Lebanese political parties that French President Emmanuel Macron's initiative in Lebanon and his meeting with all parties including Hezbollah does not mean that the U.S. will ever change its policies towards the Shiite party.

According to Diab, the sanctions mean that the U.S. does not want Hezbollah or people close to the party to have a role in the next Lebanese government.

Lebanon's newly-appointed Prime Minister Mustapha Adib has been trying for a few days to form a new cabinet capable of implementing necessary reforms to enable the country to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund.

"This may complicate the government formation process since Hezbollah will not accept without having a role in the new cabinet, while political parties may be hesitant to provide Hezbollah with a share in the government after these sanctions," Diab said.

Meanwhile, Amal Abou Zeid, parliament member of Change and Reform Parliamentary bloc, believed that the sanctions came ahead of the presidential elections in the United States, which are meant to improve the chances of U.S. President Donald Trump to be re-elected in November.

Hezbollah condemned on Wednesday the U.S. sanctions policy, saying that the U.S. will not achieve its objectives in Lebanon and it will not force the Lebanese to give up on their sovereign national rights.

Lebanon's Amal Movement, with which Khalil is affiliated, also condemned the decision to slap sanctions on a former finance minister, saying that the move was an attack on the country's sovereignty as a whole. Enditem
President Donald Trump said he gave 18 on-the-record interviews to author Bob Woodward 'out of curiosity' and to see if he 'can write' good.

In a press conference on Thursday to defend himself from his conversations with the author, which Woodward recorded, Trump said he did it out of 'respect' for Woodward's reputation.

'I did it out of curiosity. I wonder whether or not somebody like that can write good. I don't think he can. Let's see what happens,' Trump said. The book, 'Rage,' comes out on September 15.

'Bob Woodward is somebody that I respect just from hearing the name for many, many years,' Trump said. 'Not knowing too much about his work, not caring about his work. I thought it would be interesting to talk to him for a period of calls. So we did that.'

'I don't know if the book is good or bad,' he added.

President Donald Trump said he gave 18 on-the-record interviews to author Bob Woodward 'out of curiosity'

Trump gave Woodward his personal cellphone number in a bid to win him over during late-night calls, but the president would sometimes 'unburden himself' while interviewing for the journalist's new book.

Trump hasn't denied the comments he made to Woodward - he has previously called stories he doesn't like 'fake news' - but the author taped all 18 of his interviews with the president, which were conducted from December through July.

Instead, Trump turned to point the finger at the author, the legendary reporter who brought down Richard Nixon's presidency with his report on the Watergate break-in and who has interviewed every president to hold the office since then.

Bob Woodward's new book 'Rage' comes out September 15

'If Bob Woodward thought what I said was bad, then he should have immediately - right after I said it - gone out to the authorities,' he said on Thursday. 'He said he didn't think it was bad. He actually said he didn't think it was bad.'

'Bob Woodward is not the president,' The Washington Post's Phil Rucker, who had been questioning Trump, said in response.

Trump told Woodward during their conversations to 'write a great book.'

'I hope you're truthful,' Trump told Woodward, according to a copy of the book obtained by DailyMail.com. 'If you're truthful, you're going to write a great book. And if you're not truthful, you're going to hit me.'

Woodward's book, Rage, which comes out next week, draws from 18 conversations with Trump between December 2019 and July 2020, that took place in the Oval Office, at Mar-a-Lago and over the phone - occasionally at 9 or 10' o'clock at night.

According to Woodward, sometimes he would get unexpected phone calls after 9pm from the president who was reportedly trying to generate a favorable depiction in the book, unlike in Woodward's 2018 bestseller, Fear.

When working on Fear, Woodward had repeatedly offered Trump the opportunity to be interviewed for the book, but Trump claimed he had never received the requests, and complained that he didn't participate.

Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity, who asked why he took part in the series of stunning interviews, Trump said with the famed Watergate reporter, Trump said he thought he'd 'give it a shot'. 'He called,' Trump explained.

'I didn't participate in his last one, and he does hit jobs with everybody. He even did it on Obama... So, I figured you know let's just give it a little shot. I'll speak to him, wasn't a big deal.'

The president said he was unlikely to read the book, insisting he'd be too busy.

'I don't know if the book is good or bad. I have no idea,' he said. 'Probably - almost definitely won't read it, because I don't have time to read it. But I gave it a little bit of a shot. Sounds like it's not going to be good.'

But CNN's Editor-at-large Chris Cillizza has written that there is more reasoning behind Trump granting 18 interview to Woodward than to 'give it a shot.'

According to Bob Woodward (center, sitting), sometimes he would get unexpected phone calls after 9pm from the president (left, sitting) who was reportedly trying to generate a favorable depiction in the book, unlike in Woodward's 2018 bestseller, Fear

WHAT DONALD TRUMP TOLD BOB WOODWARD Tape recordings and extracts from the veteran Watergate reporter's forthcoming book Rage make a series of bombshell revelations. TRUTH ABOUT CORONAVIRUS Trump told Woodward on February 7 that coronavirus was 'deadly.' 'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff,' he said - but did not tell the public what he knew COVER-UP On January 28, Robert O'Brien told Trump coronavirus 'will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency,' and said: 'This is going to be the roughest thing you face.' Trump then told Americans it was 'under control' and would 'go away.' And on March 19 Trump said: 'I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.' NORTH KOREA Trump says Kim is 'far beyond smart,' and says that the dictator told him 'everything,' boasting about how he described the brutal execution of his uncle in a power struggle. Woodward reveals Kim Jong-Un's 'love letters' to Trump gushing to 'Your Excellency' about 'holding your hand' and calling their summit 'a fantasy film.' But Woodward also reveals that when Trump was tweeting about 'Little Rocket Man' Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was so concerned about escalation that he slept in his clothes. TRUMP ON THE MILITARY 'My f***ing generals are a bunch of p***ies,' Trump ranted in the Oval Office, and said their backing for NATO and an alliance with South Korea was 'stupid. Costs us $10 billion. We're suckers.' ...AND HIS PREDECESSORS Trump said Woodward made George W Bush 'look like a stupid moron, which he was.' Of Obama he ranted: 'I don't think Obama's smart ... I think he's highly overrated. And I don't think he's a great speaker.' And he added that Kim Jong-Un called Obama 'an a**hol.' WHAT AIDES SAID ABOUT HIM Jim Mattis called him 'dangerous' and 'unfit,' went to pray in Washington National Cathedral, left government because he was 'basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid' in reference to pulling troops from Syria, and suggested 'collective action' after leaving. Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, had 'deep suspicions' that Putin had something on him and 'could not shake them.' Dr. Tony Fauci called his leadership 'rudderless,' his attention span 'like a minus number' and said: 'His sole purpose is to get re-elected.' Jared Kushner - his son-in-law - said Alice In Wonderland is the key to Trump, saying: 'If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there.' RACE RELATIONS Trump described the term 'white privilege' as 'drinking the Kool-Aid' and repeated his claim he had done more for black Americans than Lincoln, adding: 'And, honestly, Im not feeling any love.' NUCLEAR SECRETS Trump used his private cellphone for late-night calls and revealed he had a 'weapons system' which Putin and Xi did not know about. Advertisement

Trump, Cillizza writes, is obsessed with his image, and is 'forever hunting out ways to cement his legacy in office,' citing examples such as his attempt to buy Greenland or exploring the possibility of adding his face to Mount Rushmore.

Woodward is seen as the foremost political journalist in the United States. He was one of the two reporters to break the Nixon 'Watergate' story, and in his later years has turned to writing books about presidents - writing four about George W. Bush, two about Obama, and then 'Fear' about Trump in 2018.

'Woodward is writing the history of each president as it happens,' Cillizza writes. He is the most recognizable and famous political journalist in the country. When Bob Woodward says he wants to write about you -- even if you are a billionaire businessman or the president of the United States -- you are flattered.'

Cillizza says that Trump likely saw an opportunity to convince negative coverage of him is negative and unfair, and a chance to convince him that he was doing a good job as President.

Having missed out on the opportunity to be involved in Woodward's first book, Cillizza says that Trump was not going to make the same mistake again.

The phone calls - all of which were recorded by Woodward - were looked down upon by his aides who were not always notified about their conversations.

In some of the interviews, Woodward said that Trump appeared to be worried about how he would be portrayed in the book.

'It would be an honor to get a good book from you,' Trump reportedly said in one interview.

In another conversation, Trump seemed more suspicious, telling Woodward: 'You're probably going to screw me. You know, because that's the way it goes.'

According to CNN, which was among to report about the interviews, Trump had also told Woodward: 'And in the end you'll probably write a lousy book. What can I say?'

When the interviews began in December 2019, Woodward said on one occasion, Trump seemed more focused on showing him photographs than actually answering his questions.

He then showed Woodward images of him with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when Trump became the first US president to step foot in the country on June 30, 2019.

'This is me and him,' Trump said. 'That's the line, right? Then I walked over the line. Pretty cool. You know? Pretty cool. Right?' Trump asked while referring to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean peninsula.

Woodward said that during that interview, Trump also had 'props'.

'The parchment appointment orders of the judges stacked in the middle of the desk, the large rolls of pictures of him and Kim, and a binder with letters from Kim,' Woodward writes. 'I knew it was a big show.'

'I had interviewed Presidents Carter, Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama in the Oval Office. All sat in the standard presidential seat by the fireplace and did not have props,' Woodward added.

In another interview, Woodward wrote that Trump seemed to have an obsession with social media.

'I'm number one on Twitter,' Trump told Woodward, according to CNN. 'When you're number one and when you have hundreds of millions of people, whether they're against you or not they still read what you say.'

Former president Barack Obama actually ranks first overall on Twitter with 122 million followers compared to Trump's 85 million.

He also reportedly claimed that Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg told him he has the top spot on the social media platform when actually Trump is not even in the top 50.

Woodward told Trump that he was worried about the state of the country in another interview.

'As a citizen, somebody who lives here,' Woodward said, 'I'm worried as I can be about this whole thing.'

In response, Trump said: 'Don't worry about it, Bob. Okay? Don't worry about it. We'll get to do another book. You'll find I was right.'

Sometimes Woodward would get unexpected phone calls after 9pm from Trump (pictured Sunday) who was reportedly trying to get a favorable depiction in the book. Such phone calls were looked down upon by his aides who were not always notified about their conversations

When the interviews began in December 2019, Woodward said on one occasion, Trump seemed more focused on showing him photos of him with North Korea's Kim Jong Un from June 30, 2019, when Trump became the first US president to step foot in the country (pictured)

Trump admitted to minimizing the seriousness of the threat from COVID-19 at the outset of the pandemic in audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews with Woodward.

'I wanted to always play it down,' Trump said in an interview with Woodward on March 19.

'I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic,' he said in the conversation with Woodward, which was recorded.

Trump is also quoted in Woodward's book saying the virus was highly contagious and 'deadly stuff' at a time when he was publicly dismissing it as no worse than the flu.

Shortly after the revelations were made public, Woodward faced widespread criticism for only now revealing Trump's early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus.

But Woodward has claimed that he needed time to be sure that Trump's private comments from February were accurate.

'He tells me this, and I'm thinking, "Wow, that's interesting, but is it true?" Trump says things that don't check out, right?' Woodward told the AP during a telephone interview.

Using a famous phrase from the Watergate era, when Woodward's reporting for the Post helped lead to President Richard Nixon's resignation, Woodward said his mission was to determine: 'What did he know and when did he know it?'

Shortly after the revelations were made public, Woodward faced criticism for only now revealing Trump's early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus. But Woodward has claimed that he needed time to be sure that Trump's comments from February were accurate

On Twitter and elsewhere online, commentators accused Woodward of valuing book sales over public health.

'Nearly 200,000 Americans have died because neither Donald Trump nor Bob Woodward wanted to risk anything substantial to keep the country informed,' wrote Esquire's Charles P. Pierce.

During his AP interview, Woodward said Trump called him 'out of the blue' in early February to 'unburden himself' about the virus, which then had few cases in the US.

But Woodward said that only in May was he satisfied that Trump's comments were based on reliable information and that by then the virus had spread nationwide.

'If I had done the story at that time about what he knew in February, that's not telling us anything we didn't know,' Woodward said.

At that point, he said, the issue was no longer one of public health but of politics. His priority became getting the story out before the election in November.

'That was the demarcation line for me,' he said. 'Had I decided that my book was coming out on Christmas, the end of this year, that would have been unthinkable.'

Asked why he didn't share Trump's February remarks for a fellow Post reporter to pursue, Woodward said he had developed 'some pretty important sources' on his own.

'Could I have brought others in? Could they have done things I couldn't do?' he asked. 'I was on the trail, and I was (still) on the trail when it (the virus) exploded.'
SEOUL: A South Korean vigilante website that published personal details of people it accused of sex crimes suddenly went dark this week after a public backlash sparked by the death of one of its targets, as police hunt for its operators.

Calls have grown for tougher punishment for those guilty of sex crimes after a South Korean man convicted of running one of the worlds largest online child pornography operations was released this year from 18 months in jail.

The Digital Prison" website had listed, among others, 170 people it accused of roles in a network that blackmailed at least 74 women and underage girls into what authorities called virtual enslavement by sending them increasingly degrading and violent sexual imagery of themselves.

Digital Prison is explicitly an illegal website," said Son Jae-woo, chief of a cyber investigation team of police seeking to track down its operators.

The website put up personal details of those it said were criminals, ranging from photographs, names and ages to telephone numbers and employment data, Son told Reuters.

Regulator the Korea Communications Standards Commission said it had been processing an Aug. 14 takedown request from police before the site went offline on Tuesday.

A Seoul university student was found dead early in September following weeks of harassment by strangers after the website featured his photograph and details, police said.

Those behind the website, set up in March, have yet to be identified, despite police arrests of more than 100 suspects in the blackmail ring, including a 24-year-old accused of having founded it.

A message on the website said it existed to serve the public by bringing down social judgment on sex crime suspects despite lenient legal punishment.

Psychiatry professor Chae Jeong-ho said he received hundreds of expletive-laden texts and calls from strangers after he figured on the site.

Police cleared Chae, who works at the Catholic University of Korea in Seoul, but the experience took a toll.

It would have been easier to heal if I had been beaten by a known suspect, but I felt helpless, as there is no way to tell who is behind this in the cyber world," Chae told Reuters.
On Thursday afternoon in Moscow, the Indian, Chinese and Russian foreign ministers will meet for a luncheon. This was revealed by the Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday even as all eyes were firmly trained on the bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Wang Yi, his Chinese counterpart.

This luncheon assumes significance as it will take place just a couple of hours before the crucial India-China bilateral meeting in Moscow. Russia, a good friend of both India and China, despite not intervening in the LAC (Line of Actual Control) issue appears to be nudging the two sides to talk.

On Tuesday, when News18.com asked the Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin in New Delhi whether Moscow would want to step into the matter as the LAC is getting tense, he said it was not in sync with the Russian foreign policy to intervene unless both sides ask us to. However, Babushkin stressed that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) platform could help build trust and understanding.

When Jaishankar meets Wang, this is what he is likely to tell him  the LAC situation is grave and unprecedented and requires disengagement at the earliest and a subsequent de-escalation of the troops and ammunition that were amassed first by China and then mirrored by India. Both sides should abide by the protocols and agreements to main peace and tranquility on the border.

However, the most important message that will be conveyed will be that it cant be business as usual. The LAC situation cant be delinked from the overall development of bilateral relations. Speaking at an event, S Jaishankar had mentioned that since there was relative calm on the border for 30 years, China became Indias second-largest trading partner. It is these examples that could be cited to underline this point.

In the run-up to the meeting in Moscow, China opened up another front in the South bank of Pangong Lake in Eastern Ladakh. There were attempts at ingression on the intervening nights of August 29-30. Subsequently, as the ground commanders were talking, another attempt by China was made on 31st night though China presented a different version, accusing India of the same.

But the biggest provocation came on Monday evening when Chinese PLA troops opened fire in the air to intimidate the Indian troops in the Chushul sub-sector, as revealed by the Indian army. However, here too China had initially blamed India for opening warning shots. In over 40 years, this was the first time ever that shots were fired at the LAC, aggravating the situation even further. It is in this tense atmosphere that Jaishankar and Wang will meet late afternoon in Moscow.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has inspected ongoing work on a $34 million starch processing factory at Amantin, in Bono East Region.



Touring premises of the Amantin Agro Processing Ltd, a wholly owned Ghanaian company, on Tuesday, 8th September 2020, on day one of his two-day working visit of the Bono East Region, President Akufo-Addo stated that, when fully completed, the factory will be one of the most modernised and fully automated industrial starch factories in West Africa.



According to the promoters of the facility, the company is currently cultivating fourteen thousand (14,000) acres of farm land as its own nucleus plantation, whilst supporting thousands of local farmers to cultivate over forty thousand (40,000) acres of cassava under an Outgrower Scheme involving fifteen thousand (15,000) Principal Out Growers.



The factory is expected to create about four hundred and fifty (450) direct jobs at the factory floor, with more than thirty thousand (30,000) indirect employment opportunities.



Additionally, the factory, with production capacity of three hundred (300) metric tons of industrial starch per day for the first phase, and six hundred (600) metric tons per day for the second phase, will significantly reduce the importation of industrial starch into the country and, thereby, reduce the pressure on our currency.



The product from Amantin Agro Processing Ltd is going to serve as a major source of raw material input for many processing companies in the food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and textiles industries of the country. This will go a long way to boost domestic industrial production and productivity. Furthermore, it will enhance the export of industrial starch into the global market, the President said.



Commending management of the company for taking advantage of the 1D1F incentives introduced by this government in putting up such a magnificent industrial establishment, in what is a rural district in the country, President Akufo-Addo reiterated Governments commitment to partnering with the private sector to establish similar modern factories, which would be globally competitive, and which would take advantage of the opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).



1D1F



Recounting the importance of the 1-District-1-Factory initiative, President Akufo-Addo explained that raw material producing economies do not create prosperity for the masses, explaining that the way to that goal, the goal of ensuring access to prosperity, is value addition activities in a transformed and a diversified, modern economy.



The One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative, amongst other programmes, under the Industrial Transformation Agenda of Government, is designed to transform the industrial landscape of the country, and build the capacities of domestic entrepreneurs and existing enterprises to produce high quality products and services for both domestic and foreign markets.



Further, according to the President, it seeks to create employment, particularly for the youth in rural and peri-urban communities, and, thereby, improve income levels and standard of living, as well as reduce rural-urban migration.



He continued, Indeed, when the initiative was introduced in 2017, the doomsayers said that it was just a political gimmick, and nothing would come out of this laudable industrial development programme. On the contrary, we are all now witnessing many highly competitive state-of-the-art factories and enterprises springing up in various towns and districts across the country, including this one here at Amantin.

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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Extending support to Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, involved in a face-off with the Shiv Sena, seers of Ayodhya and the Vishva Hindu Parishad said on Thursday that Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is no more welcome in the temple town of Ayodhya, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Thackeray had visited Ayodhya on November 24, 2018, then on June 16 last year and again in March this year after becoming the chief minister.

The war of words between Ranaut and Thackerays Shiv Sena had intensified after the Mumbai civic body partially demolished the actors office in the city on Wednesday.

Ranaut, who landed in Mumbai on Wednesday from Himachal Pradesh, angry and caustic as she took on the Shiv Sena, called her home Ram mandir, referred to Bullywood and described herself as the daughter of Chhatrapati Shivaji in a series of tweets and a video.

Addressing Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, Ranaut posted a video message saying his ego will be destroyed the way her Bandra home was demolished.

Uddhav Thackeray, tujhe kya lagta hai (what do you think)? You think you have taken a huge revenge by destroying my house in collusion with the movie mafia. Today my house is destroyed, tomorrow it will be your ego. The wheels of time keep changing, she said in a video message in Hindi, referring to the chief minister in the informal tu rather than the more respectful aap.

Mahant Kanahiya Das, head of the Ayodhya Sant Samaj, accused the Maharashtra government of shielding those who are involved in anti-social activities and warned the Maharashtra CM against coming to Ayodhya.

Now, Uddhav Thackeray is no more welcome in Ayodhya. Why is the Shiv Sena attacking Ranaut? Everyone can understand. It is not a mystery. The Shiv Sena is not what it used to be under Balasaheb Thackeray, founder of the party, said Kanahiya Das.

Ranaut has crossed swords with the Shiv Sena with her remark comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Naga seers of Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya have also extended support to Ranaut.

Raju Das, priest of the temple, questioned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations demolition of Ranauts office. Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena are no more welcome in Ayodhya. Now, the Maharashtra chief minister will face stiff opposition from seers of Ayodhya if he comes here, warned Das.

The Maharashtra government acted without wasting any time against the actor. But the same government is yet to take action against the killers of two seers in Palghar, said Das. He was referring to the killing of two sadhus and their driver on April 16 in Palghar, Maharashtra, by an unruly mob.

The Naga sadhus and the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP)  the apex decision-making body of the 13 recognised Hindu monastic orders of the country -- have demanded a CBI probe into the Palghar killings.

The Maharashtra government is acting with a malafide motive against Ranaut. It was not expected from the Shiv Sena to attack a woman and demolish her office without any reason, said Sharad Sharma, regional spokesperson of VHP.

It is very clear that the Shiv Sena is deliberately targeting the actor because she is supporting nationalist forces and has raised her voice against drug Mafiosi of Mumbai, added Sharma.

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The Supreme Court on Thursday observed that the government must consider increasing the number of special courts constituted for exclusively trying criminal cases against former and sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs). At present there are 12 such courts constituted by the Central government.

The observation came from a bench of Justices NV Ramana, Surya Kant and Hrishikesh Roy while hearing a PIL filed by BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking expeditious trial against MPs/MLAs facing criminal charges and debarring tainted legislators for life.

It was on December 14, 2017, the Central Government constituted 12 special courts. Accordingly, high courts were directed to transfer cases against MPs and MLAs to such special courts. The States/UTs where 65 or more such cases are pending were to get a special court, as per the policy introduced by the Centre

As a result, Special Courts were set up in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi and three special courts at magisterial level in Maharashtra, Kerala and Delhi.

The bench remarked, Government of India had considered to set up 12 courts. Why cant they consider increasing this number? Now that you (Hansaria) have got the figures district-wise, suggest to us how many more courts are needed. We will consider it on Wednesday. The bench directed all High Courts to supply district-wise details of pending cases against MPs/MLAs (including corruption cases) by Sunday.

The Court was informed that presently a total of 4,442 criminal cases are pending against sitting and former legislators in various courts across the country. This data was compiled by various high courts and sent to the court-appointed amicus curiae senior advocate Vijay Hansaria who then compiled it in the form of a report and presented to the Court.

Hansaria stated in his report that 2,556 cases out of 4,442 relate to sitting MPs and MLAs where trial is pending at various stages. There are 413 cases in respect of offences punishable with imprisonment for life of which in 174 cases sitting MPs/ MLAs are accused. Other cases involve offences under Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Arms Act; Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, defamation (under Section 500 IPC), cheating (under Section 420 IPC) and willful disobedience/ obstruction of orders promulgated by public servant (under Section 188 IPC).

Highlighting the apathy of trial in cases involving the high and mighty, Hansaria said, Large number of cases are pending at appearance stage and even non-bailable warrants (NBWs) issued by the courts have not been executed. In many cases, even charges have not been framed including those punishable with imprisonment for life.

He cited a case from Punjab where a trial court framed charges in a murder case of 1983 against a former MLA after a gap of 36 years in 2019. Though Hansaria did not disclose the former legislators name, records revealed that the case related to former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha who is accused of murdering a renowned doctor of Patti town in Tarn Tarn.

Similarly, Hansaria read out a case from West Bengal where in a 1981 case, charges are yet not framed. West Bengal has one special court at Barasat for exclusively trying cases against MPs/MLAs. In this court, 131 cases are pending and in most cases, charges are yet to be framed. In many cases remarks have been made as ER of WA, i.e., Execution required of warrant of arrest, Hansaria told the Court. He also read out similar instances from Uttar Pradesh where two criminal cases at Lucknow, dating back to 1991 and 1993, are at Appearance stage, indicating that the trial is yet to begin, Hansaria added.

The bench remarked, Its shocking that cases as old as 1983 are still at the stage of framing of charge. These are prosecution latches. Hansaria replied, Police is not arresting the accused because they are influential people. Further, the amicus pointed out that special courts constituted to try cases against MPs/MLAs are not enough.

Advocate Sneha Kalita, assisting Hansaria, told HT, There is one special Court each in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal. This is a factor for delay in trial as investigating officer, witnesses have to travel huge distances to attend trial. If special courts are increased within these states, trial can be expedited.

Another area of concern was the stay on trial ordered by higher courts. Hansaria suggested that the high courts and the Supreme Court have stayed the trial in 352 cases for an indefinite period. The court said it will consider this suggestion by the amicus on the next date of hearing.

As per the data compiled by Hansaria, among the states having the most number of criminal trials pending against MPs/MLAs, Uttar Pradesh leads the list with 1,217 of which 446 cases relate to sitting legislators. Next comes Bihar with 531 cases, followed closely by Kerala (333 cases), Odisha (331 cases) and Maharashtra (330 cases). Kerala has another dubious record as in more than 100 cases dating back to 2012 and 2013 incidents, charges have not yet been framed, the report stated.

In Delhi, 87 sitting legislators and 31 former legislators are currently facing trial. Hansaria said, The number of legislators involved is more than the total number of cases since there are more than one accused in one case, and the same legislator is an accused in more than one case. Also some of these cases have been transferred from different states to Delhi and pertain to legislators in other states.

The state of Nagaland and Sikkim and the Union territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu have no criminal cases pending against lawmakers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 19:47:48|Editor: huaxia

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KUWAIT CITY, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Thursday reported 740 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 92,822 and the death toll to 556, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Currently, 9,226 patients are receiving treatment, including 90 in ICU, according to the statement.

The ministry also announced the recovery of 818 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 83,040.

On Aug. 30, the Kuwaiti government lifted a nationwide partial curfew, while activities, including celebrations, parties, weddings, gatherings, banquets and funerals, will remain restricted to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

On Aug. 18, Kuwait moved into the fourth phase of its five-phase plan to return to normal life, during which, salons, gyms, barbershops, and spas reopened and restaurants can offer more services.

Kuwait and China have been supporting each other and cooperating closely in combating the COVID-19.

Kuwait donated medical supplies worth 3 million U.S. dollars to China at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, while China has been facilitating the procurement of medical supplies by Kuwait.

On April 27, a team of Chinese medical experts visited Kuwait to assist the Gulf country's anti-coronavirus fight, through sharing with Kuwaiti counterparts their experience and expertise in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. Enditem
FREELAND, MI - President Donald Trump is making a stop in Saginaw County Thursday evening, and some activists say they plan to use the visit as a chance to raise their voices and concerns.

The Bay Citys Black Lives Matter group and Refuse Fascism Detroit Area plan to be outside MBS International Airport at 9200 Garfield Road near Freeland during Presidents Trumps rally on Thursday, Sept. 10. Dubbed the Dump Trump Rally, the counter rally is set to start at 4 p.m. - the same time that the doors are scheduled to open to the public for attendees of Trumps speech.

Trump is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. from Avflight Saginaw, an aviation company located at the airport. Thursdays event is the presidents first campaign rally in the state this year, coming while polls show the race tightening in Michigan.

The Bay City Black Lives Matter group issued a statement on the event, citing concerns about issues such as Trumps leadership style and his COVID-19 response.

Were trying to make anti-racism the majority while Trump is trying to ban anti-racism efforts. Were not here for his racism, fascism, and divisiveness, said Jessica Tenney on behalf of the Bay City Black Lives Matter group. This individual who is supposed to be our leader displays zero emotional intelligence or thought leadership, which is what is truly needed during revolutionary times such as fighting two pandemics  COVID & Racism,

MBS Airport originally planned to set aside an area for demonstrators but had to go back to the drawing board once they were notified that the facility was to expect upwards of 5,000 people for Trumps rally.

We were going to try and set up an area for First Amendment activities, but once we heard that there was 5,000 people, the space were in is just too confined and with the restrictions involved we just couldnt find a good location for it., said MBS Airport Manager James Canders. Were anticipating that there will be some out there and if theyre out there and they have permission to be in the area for parking and everything and theyre peaceful then theyll be allowed what they need to do.

Some Trump supporters in the Saginaw region say they are excited for the presidents visit and plan to attend in support of his reelection.

Those who are looking to attend Thursdays events, regardless of what side of the table theyre on, need to be aware of construction activities that will impact routes and traffic flow.

The Bay County Road Commission issued a public notice alerting those who are traveling to MBS Airport to be aware that Garfield Road, U.S.10 to Hotchkiss Road, is under construction and closed to traffic. The following detours were suggested by the Road Commission:

- Traveling US-10 from the East (I-75): Please use US-10 Exit #134 (Nine Mile Road), turn left and proceed two (2) miles south to Hotchkiss Road, turn right (west), proceed one (1) mile to Garfield Road and turn left. Proceed south to the MBS Airport entrance.

- Traveling US-10 from the West: Please use US-10 Exit #130 (M-47, Freeland, Saginaw), proceed south approximately 5 miles to Freeland Road, turn left (east), proceed one (1) mile to Garfield Road and turn left. Proceed north to the MBS Airport entrance.

The official MBS Facebook page recently posted a map and special parking instructions to accommodate the influx of traffic and visitors.

Related news:

President Donald Trump holding Saginaw County airport rally Thursday

Trump and Biden back-to-back visits show Michigan is still a 2020 battleground

Saginaw County gears up for President Trump visit, supporter says Hes done a lot for us

President Trump ornaments, hats and more offered by new shop in Saginaw County
The special investigative committee will hold its first meeting Thursday in the Statehouse, but it is expected to be only an organizational meeting in which the six committee members will discuss the procedures they will use and a timetable for the investigation.

A spokesman for Madigan said in an email Wednesday that because it is only an organizational meeting, the speaker does not plan to attend. But it remains unclear whether he will attend future hearings or agree to testify in person.

The other Republicans on the panel include Rep. Tom Demmer, of Dixon, who will serve as the ranking member, and Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, of Elmhurst.

Illinois is fed up with decades of corruption, Mazzochi said. Thats why I ran for office, and I want corruption exposed and ripped out of our state government.

The investigative committee process is separate from the criminal investigation that is ongoing. It was prompted under the Houses own rules when three other Republican House members, led by Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, filed a petition with the speakers office requesting the probe.
India and Japan have signed a key agreement for reciprocal provision of supplies and services between their defence forces, which is expected to drive closer military cooperation and contribute to regional security.

The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) between Japans Self-Defense Forces and Indias armed forces was signed by Japanese ambassador Satoshi Suzuki and defence secretary Ajay Kumar in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The agreement establishes a framework such as the settlement procedures for the reciprocal provision of supplies and services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Indian armed forces, said a statement from Japans foreign ministry.

Also Read: Japan: Yoshihide Suga in pole position for PM as debate kicks off

The agreement is expected to facilitate smooth and prompt provision of supplies and services between the two sides, promote closer cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and Indias armed forces, and enable them to actively contribute to international peace and security, the statement said.

During a 30-minute phone conversation on Thursday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi welcomed the signing of the agreement and said it would promote closer cooperation between forces on the ground.

It had earlier been expected the pact would be signed during a summit between Abe and Modi this year. However, the holding of the summit has been thrown into doubt by Abes decision last month to step down on health grounds.

Also Read: Shinzo Abe redefined India-Japan ties | Opinion

The agreement will cover the reciprocal provision of supplies and services during joint exercises and training missions, UN peacekeeping operations, humanitarian relief operations, operations to cope with disasters in the territory of both parties or a third country, and evacuation of nationals of India and Japan from overseas in exigencies.

The supplies and services covered by the pact include food, water, transportation, including airlift, petroleum, clothing, communications and medical services, use of facilities, spares and components, and repair and maintenance services.

The agreement will remain in force for 10 years and will be automatically extended for periods of 10 years unless one of the parties decides to end it.

India has similar agreements with the US, Australia, France, Oman and Singapore.

Abe, Japans longest serving prime minister, listed actions taken by India and Japan for realising the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and the elevation of the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries among the key achievements in bilateral relations.

According to a readout from Japans foreign ministry, the two leaders made it clear that the change of leadership in Japan wouldnt affect the overall arc of bilateral relations.

Both Prime Ministers affirmed that the basic policy of Japan-India-emphasis remains unchanged, and concurred with each other that the two countries continue to work closely in such areas as security, economy, and economic cooperation including the high-speed rail project, the readout said.

Abe and Modi built a good working relationship and helped drive bilateral ties in a number of areas, especially economic cooperation, maritime security and the Indo-Pacific.

Referring to the significant enhancement of bilateral relations in recent years, Abe said both prime ministers took actions towards realising the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and the special strategic and global partnership between Japan and India was elevated to greater heights.

Abe, while explaining his decision to step down, expressed gratitude for the friendship and the relationship of trust built with Modi and noted the memories from their mutual annual visits. Modi expressed his appreciation for all the efforts by Abe and recalled the time they spent together, the readout said.

Modi also reiterated his appreciation of Abes leadership for advancing the relationship between India and Japan.

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Global COVID-19 deaths surpassed 900,000 on Wednesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

The global death toll rose to 900,079, while there were more than 27.6 million cases worldwide as of 5:28 p.m. (2128 GMT), the CSSE data showed.

The United States remains the nation worst hit by the pandemic, with 6,356,310 cases and 190,649 deaths, making up more than 20 percent of the global death toll.

Brazil recorded the world's second largest death toll of 127,464, followed by India with 73,890 fatalities. India recently replaced Brazil as the country with the world's second highest caseload, which exceeded 4.3 million, according to the CSSE.

Countries with over 30,000 fatalities also include Mexico, Britain, Italy, France and Peru.
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Sept. 10, and if youve ever wanted to work at Twitter  theyre offering some space. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

So about outside.

The Bay Area woke on Wednesday morning to a sky full of smoke and haze that blocked most sunlight, turning daytime into an eerie orange-red glow. But given the ongoing issues with air quality from wildfire smoke over the past month, is it unsafe to leave the house when the sky looks so dramatic?

Jarrett Claiborne, air quality meteorologist for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, says not necessarily. In fact, the air quality index for most of the Bay Area was at moderate levels Wednesday.

The good thing about it is most of the (smoke) is staying aloft, Claiborne tells reporter Kellie Hwang. However, its best to be cautious, and if the smell of smoke is present, stay indoors.

Read more.

The day the sun didn't rise: People in Bay Area share surreal photos of orange skies.

Public safety shut-off: PG&E power restoration could be slowed by smoky skies, wind damage.

A bad fire season continues

Noah Berger / Associated Press

Californias historically bad fire season marked another sobering milestone Wednesday when officials declared that the August Complex fires burning on the North Coast became the second-largest wildfire in state history, displacing the record set just last month by the SCU Lightning Complex.

The August Complex started on Aug. 17 as 37 different fires sparked by lightning and has since torched 421,899 acres in the Mendocino National Forest, mostly northeast of Lake Pillsbury.

Meanwhile, the North Complex fires threatened Paradise again, less than two years after the Camp Fire overran the town.

I feel a calm resolve, like, Im not going to let this fire win, Town Manager Lauren Gill  about to retire on Thursday  told reporter Lizzie Johnson. Im not going to let this fire into my town. I feel like Im standing sentry  not that I can do much, Im really quite powerless.

More:

Bear Fire: Three dead in Bear Fire; Butte County sheriff pleads with residents to heed warnings.

Previously: Wildfires are an annual California nightmare now. Will they only get worse?

Chronicle Exclusive

Jeff Chiu / Associated Press

Twitter has listed 104,850 square feet for sublease at its San Francisco headquarters after adopting a permanent work-from-home policy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Its another sign of lessening demand for Bay Area office space as health orders keep workers at home for months and companies embrace long-term remote work, particularly in the tech sector. The shift to hiring outside the Bay Area could put an end to nearly a decade of relentless rent growth and low office supply, which has been lucrative for landlords but a major challenge for tenants.

Read more from reporter Roland Li.

Around the Bay

 Prop C: California Supreme Court lets 2018s Prop. C stand, frees up to $300 million in homeless funds for S.F.

 Two weeks of cash: S.F. bar star Thad Vogler permanently closes 3 of his 4 ambitious restaurants. From reporter Justin Phillips: S.F. had the country's premier fine dining scene. Now chefs are asking, Do Michelin stars matter now?

 School testing: In the absence of uniform instructions, many Bay Area schools and districts are left to create coronavirus testing programs on their own, resulting in plans that vary greatly in approach, cost and testing frequency. More: Bay Area elementary schools are starting to reopen. Heres where each county stands.

 Family of Ronell Foster: Vallejos $5.7 million settlement fails to bring justice, peace or closure, Otis R. Taylor Jr. writes.

 Battleground decisions: Trump played down the pandemic, but voters may have figured that out already, Joe Garofoli writes.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

 Warriors draft changes: Giannis Antetokounmpos future and why the Warriors could still have a chance at Milwaukees star forward.

 The new year: Bay Area restaurants offering Rosh Hashanah dinners for a takeout celebration.

 Avoiding dreams delayed: California grants tax credits to small businesses that hire during pandemic.

Datebook

Herb Greene

Herbie Greene would not have brought his camera to the Grateful Dead pool party at Rancho Olompali in Novato if a band member hadnt mentioned that he could. He was a fashion photographer. He didnt shoot concerts, and he didnt shoot parties.

But this one he did, on request, and 54 summers later his strikingly candid and unaffected party prints will make their exhibition debut at Marins Rock Art Scene, an exhibition that opens Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art in Novato.

It was the first event of its kind for the nudity and bands playing outside and all that, says the now 78-year-old photographer. There is a direct line from Olompali to Woodstock.

Read more.

More from Datebook:

Woke creator Keith Knight pays tribute to his San Francisco days.

Dear Tony Awards: Nows the time to remove gender from your acting honors, Lily Janiak writes.

Review: ACTs In Love and Warcraft levels up Zoom theater.

Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact Brown at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com.
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A scathing new report released by a short-seller claims that electric truck start-up Nikola is an intricate fraud based on years of lies, exaggerations of its technologies and faked product launches.

The sensational claims, made in a report by the hedge fund Hindenburg Research, come just two days after General Motors announced it would be investing $2 billion in the company.

In its lengthy report, Hindenburg claimed to have extensive evidence that the Nikola's proprietary technology was purchased from another company, and accused its founder and CEO Trevor Milton of making countless false statements over the last decade.

The company is also accused of faking a promotional video for its truck, the Nikola One, in 2018. The truck reportedly didn't have a functioning engine so instead it was rolled down a hill with the footage edited to make it appear as if it was driving on a flat road.

Trevor has managed to parlay these false statements made over the course of a decade into a $20 billion public company, Hindenburg wrote. He has inked partnerships with some of the top auto companies in the world, all desperate to catch up to Tesla and to harness the [Electric Vehicle wave].

Nikola's stock prices plummeted as much as 13 percent Thursday. The report was released before markets opened.

Scroll down for video

In its lengthy report, Hindenburg claimed to have extensive evidence that the companys proprietary technology was purchased from another company, and accused its founder and CEO Trevor Milton (above) of making countless false statements over the last decade

The company was accused of staging a promotional video for its Nikola One truck that reportedly didn't have an engine

In a tweet, Milton called the report a hit job and asked the public to give me a few hours to put together responses to their lies.

It makes sense. Tens of millions of shares shorted the last day or two to slam our stock and a hit job by Hindenburg. I guess everything is fair game in war, even a hit job. I know who funded it.

Nikola also released a formal statement, writing that the company has been vetted by some of the worlds most credible companies and investors. We are on a path to success and will not waver based on a report filled with misleading information attempting to manipulate our stock.

Hindenburg is betting against Nikolas shares, meaning the hedge fund will profit if its stock falls.

Nikola was listed on the stock exchange in June through a blank-check acquisition, and its shares have more than quadrupled since. Much of its meteoric ascent has been spurred by the belief the company could one day rival Tesla  despite having no planned sales until at least 2022.

One of Hindenburgs most striking claims comes from the allegation that the company faked a promotional video for its Nikola One truck in 2018.

Titled Nikola One in Motion and published to Nikolas official YouTube page, the video appeared to show the truck driving on a level road at a high rate of speed.

But according to Hindenburg the truck didnt actually have a working engine. Instead, the company rolled the prototype along a downhill stretch of a highway and filmed it as if it was being driven.

A former employee who reportedly spoke with Nikola Chief Engineer Kevin Lynk, said Lynk told them how it was going to work and he said they would tow it to the top of a super low grade hill and let it roll.

A person familiar with the video also reportedly confirmed it was faked to the Financial Times, claiming the video was shot on a hill in an isolated area of Utah. The footage was then edited to make the terrain look flat, the source said.

A personal familiar with the video also reportedly confirmed it was faked to the Financial Times, claiming the video was shot on a hill in an isolated area of Utah. The footage was then edited to make the terrain look flat, the source said

A former employee who reportedly spoke with Nikola Chief Engineer Kevin Lynk, said Lynk told them how it was going to work and he said they would tow it to the top of a super low grade hill and let it roll'

Hindenburg reportedly conducted their own experiment down the same hill, known as the Mormon trail, where by the claimed to have rolled a vehicle down it in neutral, reaching speeds of up to 56 mph and travelling more than 2.1 miles

Hindenburg reportedly conducted their own experiment down the same hill, known as the Mormon trail, where by the claimed to have rolled a vehicle down it in neutral, reaching speeds of up to 56 mph and travelling more than 2.1 miles.

More shockingly, Hindenburg claims the company never had any intentions of finishing development of the Nikola One, theorizing rather that the promotional video was merely a stunt to appease sceptical investors.

The Nikola One was first unveiled by the company in December 2016, and the product launch later fell subject to much scrutiny.

Milton billed the Nikola One as by far the most state of the art truck ever built in history. He also assured in a tweet that the truck unveiled at the event would be functioning and fully built.

During the unveiling, he said: I dont want someone to end up doing something and driving this truck off the stageso were going to try to keep people from driving off. But this thing fully functions and works, which is really incredible.

He then insisted three times at the close of his presentation that the truck was real.

For every doubter out there that said theres no way this is true. How can that be possible? Weve done it. Its my pleasure to actually let you guys enjoy the night, see the truck, know its real, touch it, feel how sturdy it is. Youre going to see that this is a real truck. This is not a pusher. Thank you so much everyone!

However, a Bloomberg report from June claimed that the Nikola One truck presented on stage that night was indeed a pusher - referring to an inoperable prototype - and did not function as claimed.

Others familiar with the launch told the network they were concerned by Miltons claims about the truck.

Gears and motors were reportedly missing, and while the words H2 Zero Emission Hydrogen Electric were emblazoned on the side of the vehicle, there was no fuel cell on board.

There wasnt a fuel cell in the truck. We never claimed there was, Milton said, while confirming the motors and gears werent in the vehicle for safety reasons.

Gears and motors were missing, and while the words H2 Zero Emission Hydrogen Electric were emblazoned on the vehicle, there was no fuel cell on board

A close up of the H2 decale on the truck from the night of the launch is seen close up above

Behind-the-scenes photos of the launch acquired by Hindenburg purportedly show how incomplete the truck actually was in the build up to the launch.

The photos, said to have been taken three months prior, show the Nikola One consisted largely of a metal frame of rails with wheels mounted onto it.

Other vital components of the vehicle  including the body and fueling system  had reportedly not arrived and the factory workers were assembling it in was not even set up for production.

Hindenburg said that some workers were even forced to run to local hardware stores to pick up basic parts.

The body of the truck reportedly arrived in late November, roughly a week before the show.

While Milton claimed the truck was fully functioning, a source who worked on the unveiling reportedly told Hindenburg that during the show the truck couldnt function independently, so an electric cable was snaked up from under the stage through the floor of the cab.

The hedge fund published a screenshot from the reveal, purporting to show the wire peering out from behind one of the trucks wheels.

Following the success of the launch, in January 2017, Nikola raised significant capital and signed partnerships with a number of major companies, including Bosch, as well as CNH International who agreed to assist in manufacturing.

After securing the partnerships, development on the Nikola One project reportedly ceased shortly after  much to the surprise to those involved.

It appears the prototype had already served its purpose: giving the company the legitimacy it needed to raise more investment and court larger partners that would be able to build them an actual working model from start to finish, Hindenburg wrote. It was not considered necessary to actually back up the false claims that had been made on the stage.

The group shared a text message from an alleged employee that read: We havent touched the truck since the show  you didnt hear that from me.

When questioned why investors arent asking to see if the truck actually runs, the worker replied: Im sure they do. I cant imagine how much work it would take to get that to run.

Hindenburg claims the staged promotional video was then released by Nikola more than a year on to appease any investor doubts.

While Milton claimed the truck was fully functioning, a source who worked on the unveiling reportedly told Hindenburg that during the show the truck couldnt function independently, so an electric cable was snaked up from under the stage through the floor of the cab (above)

Behind-the-scenes photos of the launch acquired by Hindenburg purportedly show how incomplete the truck actually was in the build up to the launch. The photos, taken three months prior, show the Nikola One consisted largely of a metal frame of rails with wheels mounted onto it

The body of the truck reportedly arrived in late November, roughly a week before the show

In another instance, the fund said that Nikola had bought electrical inverters from a third-party supplier while claiming publicly to have made them in-house. The products true branded label was then covered up with a piece of green masking tape during a demonstrational video, the group said.

Nikola has regularly used off-the-shelf products from third parties, while claiming to have vast internal proprietary technology and to design all the products itself, the report reads. It then partners with companies that actually have the components Nikola claimed to have already developed internally.

The fund also accused Milton of lying about Nikola's Phoenix headquarters being 'completely off-grid' and run entirely by solar panels in April 2019.

'We have the only off-grid headquarters that we know of, completely off of hydrogen, battery, and solar. We have 3.5 megawatts of solar up on the roof producing about 18 megawatts of energy a day in our headquarters,' Milton said during an interview.

However a report in June 2019 by Bizjournals stated that the company had yet to install any solar panels on its roof.

Hindenburg compared two aerial images of the Nikola's headquarters from December 2019 and January 2020, which appeared to show no sign of solar panels on the roof either.

The report further suggests Nikola management overstated its internally developed battery and fuel-cell capabilities.

Nikola announced [in 2019] it would revolutionize the battery industry, the Hindenburg authors wrote. Nikola planned to buy new technology, but the deal, according to Hindenburg, fell through.

Nikola has never walked back claims relating to its battery technology. Instead, [founder Trevor Milton] continued to publicly hype the technology.

In another instance, the fund said that Nikola had bought electrical inverters from a third-party supplier while claiming publicly to have made them in-house. The products true branded label was then covered up with a piece of green masking tape during a demonstrational video, the group said

The fund also accused Milton of lying about Nikola's Phoenix headquarters being 'completely off-grid' and run entirely by solar panels in April 2019. An aerial image from January 2020 appeared to show no solar panels had been installed

Nikola, whose stock rose nearly 40 percent on Tuesday following the GM investment announcement, fell almost 15 percent Wednesday as rumors circulated of an impending critical report.

Nikola shares are down about 8 percent shortly after the open to $38.96. That still leaves the stock up roughly 10 percent for the week, and up around 240 percent since going public in June.

The GM deal plays an interesting role in the Hindenburg report. GM is getting an 11 percent stake in the company, in exchange for agreeing to provide Nikola with hydrogen fuel cells and batteries for its vehicles.

GM will also be providing engineering support and will manufacture the companys Badger pickup truck. Nikola will be responsible for sales and marketing of the Badger.

The deal could indicate that GMs fuel-cell and battery technology is superior to what was Nikola claimed to be developing internally, Barrons reported.

In a statement, GM told FT: We are fully confident in the value we will create by working together. We stand by the statements we made in announcing the relationship.

Milton issued another tweeted statement late Thursday morning.

Cowards run, leaders stay and fight for integrity, the CEO wrote. Hindenburg is only making people love us more for trying to destroy us. It will take the rest of the day to address the one sided false claims, but I will put out a detail report to address it. In the meantime, troll on.
The other plaintiff, who goes by the initials C.D., said that he met Spacey as a teenager while taking an acting class, and that Spacey invited him to his apartment on multiple occasions and engaged in sexual acts with him. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff said Spacey attempted to assault him sexually on his final visit.
Agartala, Sep 10 : In view of the worsening Covid-19 situation in Tripura, a three-member Central experts team arrived in the northeastern state on Thursday on a 10-day visit to study the situation and suggest measures to control spread of the disease, officials said.

Till Thursday night, Tripura reported 17,281 Covid-19 cases, of which 10,255 persons have recovered while 172 people have succumbed to the infectious disease since June 9, when the first death was reported.

Tripura's mortality and recovery rates are one per cent and 59.41 per cent, respectively, the worst among the eight northeastern states.

At least 88 deaths and 6,325 cases have been reported from West Tripura district alone, under which capital Agartala falls.

Official of the Health and Family Welfare Department said that three experts, Daisy Panna, Consultant Epidemiologist, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), P.K. Verma, Assistant Professor, Respiratory Medicine, Lady Hardinge Memorial College (LHMC) and Satyajit Sen, Regional Director of Health and Family Welfare Ministry, would visit different Covid-19 hit districts for 10 days.

"After visiting the districts, the Central team would hold meetings with senior officials of the state. They would submit their report to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry and the Tripura Health Department," the official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, has been apprising the Union Health Ministry about the prevailing situation in the state amid a sudden spike in the number of cases.

"Considering the gravity of the situation, the Tripura government had earlier suggested imposing total lockdown in the state on September 5 and 6, but the Union Home Ministry did not respond on the issue," Law and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who also holds the health portfolio, had earlier said that Covid-19 crisis in the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) areas is extremely alarming as around five lakh people reside there.

Of AMC's 49 wards, 70 per cent Covid-19 cases have been found in 10 wards.

Deb, who is touring the state to supervise Covid-19 management, told the media that health infrastructures are being strengthened in all the 10 districts.

Earlier, a three-member Central team, led by G.K. Medhi, Professor and Head of the Department of Community Medicine at the Shillong-based North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), after studying the source and other aspects of the coronavirus infection in Tripura, has recently submitted its report to the state government.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party legislator and former Health Minister Sudip Roy Barman have separately criticised the state government for its failure to control the spread of the pandemic.

"We have given many suggestions to the Chief Minister to strengthen the health infrastructures and improve the health services, but the state government is yet to implement many of our recommendations.

"The state government should also announce financial schemes for the welfare of the poor people and those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic and the subsequent economic distress," Sarkar, also a politburo member of the CPI-M, told the media.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Health officials said they worried that many of the cases were in young people, raising the danger that Britain is on the same path as France and Spain, where a jump in cases prompted Britain to impose a travel quarantine on both countries.

The countrys infection rate has risen from 12.5 per 100,000 people last week to 19.7 per 100,000, indicating that the R number  a measurement that shows how many people are being infected on average by each person with the virus  has risen above one, a critical threshold.

Its a stitch in time to save nine, Mr. Johnson said at a news conference, flanked by his chief medical and scientific advisers. These measures are not another national lockdown. The whole point of them is to avoid a new national lockdown.

Health experts praised Mr. Johnson for imposing modest restrictions now, rather than risking a larger spike, which would necessitate more draconian measures. But they said Britains policies continued to be inconsistent. Authorities allowed a crowd to gather for the opening day of horse races on Wednesday in Doncaster, in northern England, before abruptly closing the rest of the races to spectators.

The U.K. government is muddled and needs to decide on a clear strategy because in the current approach, both the health and the economy will suffer, and compliance by the public will continue to fall, said Devi Sridhar, professor and chairwoman of global public health at the University of Edinburgh.

The mixed messages reflect a lingering tension within Mr. Johnsons cabinet and party between those who worry about a deadly second wave of infections this fall and winter and those who argue that more lockdowns will throttle the economy. Even now, Mr. Johnson insisted that schools would stay open and that people should still consider returning to work, as long as it was safe.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 00:08:07|Editor: huaxia

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LHASA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The 11th Panchen Lama on Wednesday completed a 13-day tour of Nyingchi, a prefecture-level city in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, performing Buddhist rituals and social activities.

The Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, arrived at the county seat of Medog on Aug. 29, kicking off his first visit to the remote county since his ordination in 1995.

On Aug. 30, the Panchen Lama visited a local monastery in Medog, chanting sutras with other lamas to pray for peace, prosperity and stability, and performing a head-touching ritual to bless the lamas.

On Aug. 31, the Panchen Lama visited the local tea plantation base in Medog, hailing the positive role related businesses play in alleviating poverty and transforming young people's perceptions about employment.

Between Aug. 28 and Sept. 9, the Panchen Lama visited the counties of Medog, Bome and Mainling. He performed Buddhist rituals there and did research on economic and social development in Nyingchi in recent years.

On Sept. 7, he visited the family of Kunsang which relocated to Mainling from Medog in 2003 and learned that the family's annual income has reached 160,000 yuan (about 23,400 U.S. dollars).

"The income is pretty good and our life is getting better and better," said the Panchen Lama, who also encouraged Kunsang's daughter to study hard and make more contributions to the development of her hometown in the future.

During the tour, the Panchen Lama also visited monasteries in counties of Bome and Lang, calling on lamas there to make their contributions to the wellbeing of local residents and social development.

The Panchen Lama, who returned to Lhasa, capital of Tibet, on Wednesday, will continue to undertake Buddhist and social activities during his stay in Tibet.

The Panchen Lama is a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. He is also vice president of the Buddhist Association of China and president of the association's Tibet branch. Enditem
Skies will look grey much of Thursday in Massachusetts.

Showers are in the forecast with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and into the evening. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain which could cause some flooding, especially in urban areas with low drainage, the National Weather Service said.

Moisture will be increasing across the region overnight. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected Thu and Thu night. Locally heavy rain is possible, which could cause some flooding, especially in urban areas. pic.twitter.com/JJV10FLT7n  NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) September 9, 2020

A fog advisory was issued for portions of Southeastern Massachusetts, cautioning that visibility could be reduced to a quarter-mile or less in dense fog.

If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you, The National Weather Service said.

The advisory will remain in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday for Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket and Plymouth counties.
Paolo Acquista grew up with his four brothers in the family house in Whitestone, Queens. Years later, he bought a one-bedroom condominium in Bayside.

Thats where he was living three years ago when he met Christian Montes, now Christian Acquista, who is from Guadalajara, Mexico, and was visiting New York for work. They met the day before Christian returned to Mexico, and found themselves FaceTiming every night afterward. Christian, now 35, eventually joined Paolo, 37, in Bayside, and the two married last summer.

With three dogs  one arrived with Christian from Mexico  they considered moving to a bigger place with a yard.

One night, we put our apartment on Zillow, Paolo said. We were bored. Christian took pictures with his iPhone.

Two days later, they received an offer from a renter in their complex. We didnt know it was going to happen that quick because we werent into real estate, Paolo said.

[Did you recently buy or rent a home in the New York metro area? We want to hear from you. Email: thehunt@nytimes.com]

The couple sold the condo and left for the suburbs, buying a 1,500-square-foot house with dormers in Williston Park on Long Island, not far from several of the Acquista brothers. Paolo drove into the city every day for work; he runs Acquista Campus Dining, his familys food business, which serves Catholic high schools. Christian works remotely in fashion-trend forecasting for Latin American markets.

Paolos new commute, up to an hour and a half in traffic, was punishing.

We wanted to be close to family, and that overshadowed my thinking, Paolo said. Once I lived it, I was like, I cant do this for that much longer.

Christian, who refinished the homes dated basement, felt stranded in Williston Park without a car. If I had to go to the market because I had no milk, I had to wait for Paolo because it was so far, he said. This was no life for me. You spend money in taxes, in commute, in fixing the house.

So last winter, they put the house on the market, thinking to settle in Brooklyn.

They looked at areas south and west of Prospect Park, close to several of Paolos client schools. They were hoping to find a new, pet-friendly condominium building with a doorman, a gym and some common spaces. Their budget for a one-bedroom stretched into the mid-$700,000s.

Many of the apartments they saw were similar, with boxy layouts, a stacked washer-dryer and an open kitchen with an island or peninsula.

Everything was the same  different wood color, but otherwise the same, Christian said. The buildings had similar amenities and various options for storage and parking, sometimes with an additional fee.

Among their options:
Lady Gaga has revealed her grandmother urged her to make it big after the pop sensation spent days crying on the couch following her rape.

The superstar, 34, made the revelation in an interview with Oprah Magazine, where she was asked about the one person who changed her life.

Gaga said that person would be her grandmother, who encouraged her to 'make a real change in this world' after showing her a female artist performing on MTV.

'No more tears tomorrow': Lady Gaga has revealed her grandmother urged her to make it big after the pop sensation spent days crying on the couch following her rape

'After I was raped, I cried on her couch for days,' she explained. 'Eventually she turned on MTV and told me to lookup. A female artist was performing. My grandmother said, "I'll let you cry the rest of the day, but then tomorrow you're going to go back out and make a real change in this world. No more tears tomorrow."'

Gaga has previously revealed she was repeatedly raped as a teenager, leaving her to suffer from fibromyalgia and PTSD.

Eventually, Gaga achieved profound success in the music industry.

The 11-time Grammy Award winner released her sixth studio album in May 2020, Chromatica, and last year made the transition from music to film with a role in A Star Is Born, garnering her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Superstar: Indeed, Gaga did achieve profound success in the music industry (pictured February 2020)

In addition to her career success, Gaga launched the Born This Way Foundation, a youth-oriented program focusing on mental health and wellbeing.

The pop star has been open with fans about her struggles with her own mental health, and how she has sought therapy to overcome it.

Gaga was just as open about her battles with depression in her Oprah interview, where she revealed she nearly gave up in the throes of her mental health woes.

Making it big: Gaga performs in Miami, Florida in February 2020

'Once I felt so depressed, I thought it was a good idea to give up. That's the worst thing you can do. I wish I'd just asked for help. But I forgive myself,' she said.

Now she cites dialectical behavior therapy as most important for her mental health.

'It's a skills-based treatment method that keeps my psyche and body focused, and balances my emotional and rational mind,' she explained.

'I have fibromyalgia, and although living with chronic physical pain is difficult, I've radically accepted that while I cannot think my way out of this problem, I can behave my way out of it with distress tolerance skills and routines.'
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Senate Republicans have mostly come to Donald Trumps defence over the contradictions between his early public statements downplaying the coronavirus and his private conversations with journalist Bob Woodward acknowledging the severity of the threat it posed.

It doesn't bother me, Senator Kevin Cramer told reporters on Wednesday.

I don't feel like he was ever lying to anybody. He's a hopeful, upbeat, positive person, the North Dakota Republican said. The gravity of it, when it was becoming clearer, was also reflected by him.

But Mr Trumps messaging about Covid-19 has been wildly inconsistent as he has tried to express optimism about the disease going away".

For instance, the Trump administration pushed to open schools this fall for in-person classes because, as the president said as recently as 5 August, this things going away. It will go away like things go away.

The US was fending off a second spike in new cases at the time of those comments.

Mr Cramer said on Wednesday that Mr Trumps goal was to give people hope rather than despair, even though health officials have said such comments have been unhelpful in the effort to get the American people to acknowledge the seriousness of the pandemic.

Mr Woodwards new book, Rage, set to hit shelves next Tuesday, shows the president was told as early as 28 January by his national security adviser that Covid-19 represented the biggest national security threat of his presidency.

In a recorded phone call on 7 February, Mr Trump told the Washington Post journalist: "This is deadly stuff, Bob," explaining how experts were saying the disease could spread through the air and not just by touch.

"You just breathe the air, and that's how it's passed. And so, that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flu," Mr Trump said at the time.

Meanwhile, in public, he accused Democrats of playing up the pandemic as a political hoax to shut down the economy and undermine his odds at re-election in November. He compared Covid-19 to the common flu on several occasions, in tweets and at press conferences. At his rallies in recent weeks, where his supporters, mostly maskless, have been packed in tightly in front of the stage, he has continued to make fun of Democrats for wearing masks, despite urging Americans at various points this summer to wear them as part of their patriotic duty to each other.

Mr Trump admitted to Mr Woodward in another conversation on 19 March that it was part of his coronavirus strategy to publicly play it down to avoid a panic among the people.

Senator Lindsey Graham defended the presidents messaging tactics, while saying voters should pay more attention to the administrations actions on coronavirus.

"I don't think he needs to be on TV screaming, 'We're all going to die,'" Mr Graham told HuffPost, neglecting the fact theres a giant middle ground between that and what Mr Trump has said about the disease.

"His actions shutting the economy down were the right actions," Mr Graham said.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden harangued Mr Trump for his comments on the Woodward tapes, saying the presidents response to the coronavirus crisis amounted to a dereliction of duty.

"He knew how deadly It was. It was much more deadly than the flu. He knew and purposely played it down. Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat posed to the country for months," Mr Biden said at a campaign speech at General Motors in Warren, Michigan on Wednesday.

"He had the information. He knew how dangerous it was. And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job  on purpose," the former vice president added.
A LDERMORE is setting aside 132 million to deal with Covid-19 fallout and departing CEO Philip Monks admits he is worried about looming unemployment across the UK.

The lender, formed in the teeth of the last financial crisis because Monks was appalled by the behaviour of the big banks, made a 49 million profit for the year to June.

The SME and mortgage lender has a healthy profit margin of 3.2%, better than most rivals.

Monks says the impairment charge is high but prudent. I think we are just being conservative, he said, but the big question is unemployment. I have huge concern for the macro economic environment.

Monks founded Aldermore 11 years ago and will retire next year. He has become a non-executive at Brewin Dolphin and insists he has no plans to launch another bank. Aldermores loan book is 12.4 billion.

Aldermore has arranged 45,000 repayment holidays during the virus crisis, but says most borrowers are now repaying as normal. The big banks are behaving better this time around, says Monks. I think there were initial hiccups, but they have probably taken the opportunity to accelerate their investment in tech.
Manipur: Stop fishing activities

Every year, the Fisheries Department, Government of India holds a "Fishing Off" programme in the months of July, August and September to discourage fishing activities during the breeding season. The statement issued by the National Association of Fishermen, Manipur State Unit informed that by paying Rs 30 (per month) to the Fisheries Department, fishermen will receive a sum of Rs 300 in return, and a total of Rs 900 for 3 months. During this period, the association has appealed all fishermen and all involved in fishing activities to refrain from fishing or using traditional fishing equipment to trap/catch fishes, specifically the porom fish (Channa Striata or mudfish) which produces thousands of fries.



It also appealed not to catch porom fishes which are not fully grown. However, there are no restrictions on shrimps and other small variety of fishes, it stated. It also claimed that the Fisheries Department do not seem to be fully involved in implementing the programme this year.
A recent study by researchers at Wuhan University, China, reveals that many bat species are not potential carriers of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) because of genetic mutations in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) that prevent the entry of viruses inside bat cells. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

SARS-CoV-2, a deadly virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, primarily transmit from human to human through respiratory droplets. However, other members of the coronavirus family, such as SARS-CoV, are known to have an animal origin. Given the similarity in genetic sequences between bat and human viruses, it has been postulated that horseshoe bats can be potential natural reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2.

Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). Image Credit: aaltair / Shutterstock

The interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and host cell receptor, ACE2, is the primary determinant of viral entry to the host cells and induction of infection. In the current study, scientists thoroughly investigated this interaction to find out the possibility of bats being the natural hosts of SARS-CoV-2.

Study design

The scientists investigated ACE2 orthologs obtained from 46 different bat species residing in rural or urban areas. Bat species from urban areas are expected to be in close proximity to humans, whereas rural bat species are expected to have minimal human contact. Overall, the experimental bat species covered about 96% of all bat species.

Important observations

After sequence alignment of bat ACE2 orthologs, they analyzed critical amino acid residues that are responsible for interacting with viral spike protein. Genetic variations were observed in all 25 critical residues that they analyzed in the study. Moreover, about 22 amino acid sites were found to be under positive natural selection; of these sites, 4 were located in the ACE2-spike protein binding region.

To study the interaction between bat ACE2 and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, they created stable cell lines exogenously expressing each ACE2 ortholog and recombinant fusion proteins comprising of viral RBD and human IgG Fc region. Using immunofluorescence or flow cytometry-based RBD-human Fc fusion protein-binding assay, they observed that bat ACE2 orthologs have different levels of affinity and selectivity for SARS-CoV-2. Considering this observation, the scientists suggest that not all bat species are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection via ACE2-RBD binding.

To further validate their findings, the scientists developed SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped viruses. They observed that the ability of bat ACE2 orthologs to support the viral entry varies between species, with some bat species showing susceptibility and some showing complete resistance to the viral entry. Experiments conducted on horseshoe bats showed that none of them support the entry of SARS-CoV-2. These observations potentially indicate that the function of ACE2 is species-dependent, and many bat species lack the ability to become natural hosts of SARS-CoV-2.

Interestingly, the scientists observed that some bat species that efficiently bind SARS-CoV-2 RBD do not get the infection, indicating that high-affinity receptor binding is not always sufficient for viral entry. Similarly, bat species that show less efficient binding to SARS-CoV-2 RBD get the infection. This indicates that some bat ACE2 orthologs may support the viral entry despite having minimal binding efficiency.

To evaluate the genetic mutations in the RBD-binding sites of bat ACE2 orthologs, the scientists selected two pairs of bat species that are phylogenetically close but have contrasting receptor binding and viral entry efficiencies. Of these four bat species, two were resistant to viral RBD binding and infection; one showed efficient RBD binding and infection, and the last one showed effective viral infection but less efficient RBD binding.

By introducing mutations in specific amino acid residues of bat ACE2 orthologs that are vital for RBD binding, the scientists observed that the substitution mutations are sufficient to reverse the function of ACE2 orthologs completely. Through structural analysis of bat ACE2 orthologs, they observed that these critical residues are located in the interface between the viral spike protein and ACE2 receptor, and any genetic alteration in these residues can significantly alter the receptor activity.

Phylogenetic tree of 46 bat species in this study. Labels of bat species in our experiments are indicated. Infection abilities of bat ACE2 to support SARS-CoV and SARS CoV-2 entry are shown with different signs: infection data are indicated as % mean values of bat ACE2 supporting infection compared with the infection supported by human ACE2; infection efficiency smaller than 5% is indicated with a minus sign (-), between 5% and 50% a plus sign (+), and greater than 50% a double plus sign (++). Labels shown in bold indicate the bat species that have been examined by in silico analyses in a recent study. Bat phylogeny was taken from previous studies.

Study significance

The current study findings provide clear evidence that the susceptibility of getting SARS-CoV-2 infection varies between different bat species. Furthermore, it is not scientifically correct to assume that all bat species can serve as potential SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs. The scientists believe that because some bat species are susceptible to human coronaviruses, humans infected with SARS-CoV-2 should restrict their activities on natural bat habitats to prevent possible zoonotic spillover.

*Important Notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

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on Thursday operated its fifth flight to from Delhi, carrying over 200 passengers, mostly Indian professionals stranded in India due to the pandemic.

Fifty-five passengers, mostly Indians wanting to return homes, boarded the flight back to Delhi, officials of the Indian embassy here, who coordinated the flight, told PTI.

The flight from Delhi with 212 passengers, mostly Indian professionals and their families stranded in India due to COVID-19, landed in the east Chinese city of Ningbo in the evening, they said.

The flight had a technical halt in Kolkata.

All the passengers travelling to have to serve a 14-day mandatory quarantine in designated hotels.

India has so far operated five flights.

The previous four flights flew to the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai and the southern city of Guangzhou besides three earlier to the central city of Wuhan to airlift Indians stranded in the city when the virus was at its peak in February.

The flights helped Indians held up in and those wanting to return to work to Chinese cities.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bollywood actress Actress Rhea Chakraborty on Wednesday moved a bail plea before a special court under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after she was arrested by the NCB on Tuesday (September 8) in connection with a drugs case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Rhea decided to approach the special court after the rejection of her bail plea by a magistrate court on Tuesday. In the fresh petition, filed by Rhea's lawyer Satish Maneshinde, the actress has claimed that she has not committed any crime.

"She has not committed any crime whatsoever and has been falsely implicated in the case," said the plea. Further, it is claimed that Rhea was coerced into making self-incriminatory confessions and by her application on September 8 the applicant has formally retracted all such incriminatory confessions.

There was not a single lady officer who interrogated the present applicant as mandated by law. The Honble Supreme Court in the case of Sheela Barse VS State Maharashtra, has held that the interrogation of females should be carried out only in the presence of a female police officer/constable, reads the bail application, highlighting that the NCB did not follow the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

Rhea's lawyer has also raised the issue of applicability of charges of Section 27 A of NDPS Act against Rhea, saying, The allegations against the present accused would at the most make out a case of purchasing a small quantity of drug which is in essence a bailable offence. There is not a shred of evidence to connect the applicant with financing any illicit traffic or harbouring any offender and hence the ingredients of Section 27 A of the NDPS Act are not made out in present facts and circumstances.

The respondent (NCB) is silent as to the amount of financing, quantum of drugs and the type of drugs allegedly procured and financed by the present applicant. The case of the respondent in the layman term is that the applicant would co-ordinate the delivery of the drug for her then boyfriend and occasionally pay for them herself. In essence, her alleged role, if any, is purchase of a small quantity of drugs for her then boyfriend which would squarely fall within the ambit of Section 20 (b) (ii) (A) (produces, manufactures, possesses, sells, purchases, transports, imports inter-State, exports inter-State or uses cannabis,) which is punishable with a maximum imprisonment of upto a year or with fine or both, reads the bail plea filed by Rheas lawyer.

The special court will hear Rhea's bail application on Thursday.

Rhea was arrested by the NCB after three days of questioning. Shortly after her arrest, Rhea sent to 14-day judicial custody by a local court. The actress was shifted to Mumbai's Byculla jail on Wednesday after spending a night at NCB's office.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) have analyzed 18 ancient texts dating back to around 600 BCE from the Tel Arad military post using state-of-the-art image processing, machine learning technologies, and the expertise of a senior handwriting examiner. They have concluded that the texts were written by no fewer than 12 authors, suggesting that many of the inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah during that period were able to read and write, with literacy not reserved as an exclusive domain in the hands of a few royal scribes.

The special interdisciplinary study was conducted by TAU's Dr. Arie Shaus, Ms. Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin, and Dr. Barak Sober of the Department of Applied Mathematics; Prof. Eli Piasetzky of the Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy; and Prof. Israel Finkelstein of the Jacob M. Alkow Department of Archeology and Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations. The forensic handwriting specialist, Ms. Yana Gerber, is a senior expert who served for 27 years in the Questioned Documents Laboratory of the Israel Police Division of Identification and Forensic Science and its International Crime Investigations Unit.

The results were published in PLOS ONE on September 9, 2020.

"There is a lively debate among experts as to whether the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings were compiled in the last days of the kingdom of Judah or after the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians," Dr. Shaus explains. "One way to try to get to the bottom of this question is to ask when there was the potential for the writing of such complex historical works.

"For the period following the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BC, there is very scant archaeological evidence of Hebrew writing in Jerusalem and its surroundings, but an abundance of written documents has been found for the period preceding the destruction of the Temple. But who wrote these documents? Was this a society with widespread literacy, or was there just a handful of literate people?"

To answer this question, the researchers examined the ostraca (fragments of pottery vessels containing ink inscriptions) writings discovered at the Tel Arad site in the 1960s. Tel Arad was a small military post on the southern border of the kingdom of Judah; its built-up area was about 20,000 square feet and it housed between 20 and 30 soldiers.

"We examined the question of literacy empirically, from different directions of image processing and machine learning," says Ms. Faigenbaum-Golovin. "Among other things, these areas help us today with the identification, recognition, and analysis of handwriting, signatures, and so on. The big challenge was to adapt modern technologies to 2,600-year-old ostraca. With a lot of effort, we were able to produce two algorithms that could compare letters and answer the question of whether two given ostraca were written by two different people."

In 2016, the researchers theorized that 18 of the Tel Arad inscriptions were written by at least four different authors. Combined with additional textual evidence, the researchers concluded that there were in fact at least six different writers. The study aroused great interest around the world.

The TAU researchers then decided to compare the algorithmic methods, which have since been refined, to the forensic approach. To this end, Ms. Gerber joined the team. After an in-depth examination of the ancient inscriptions, she found that the 18 texts were written by at least 12 distinct writers with varying degrees of certainty. She examined the original Tel Arad ostraca at the Israel Museum, the Eretz Israel Museum, the Sonia and Marco Nedler Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University, and the Israel Antiquities Authority's warehouses at Beit Shemesh.

Ms. Gerber explained:

"This study was very exciting, perhaps the most exciting in my professional career. These are ancient Hebrew inscriptions written in ink on shards of pottery, utilizing an alphabet that was previously unfamiliar to me. I studied the characteristics of the writing in order to analyze and compare the inscriptions, while benefiting from the skills and knowledge I acquired during my bachelor's degree studies in classical archaeology and ancient Greek at Tel Aviv University. I delved into the microscopic details of these inscriptions written by people from the First Temple period, from routine issues such as orders concerning the movement of soldiers and the supply of wine, oil, and flour, through correspondence with neighboring fortresses, to orders that reached the Tel Arad fortress from the high ranks of the Judahite military system. I had the feeling that time had stood still and there was no gap of 2,600 years between the writers of the ostraca and ourselves.

"Handwriting is made up of unconscious habit patterns. The handwriting identification is based on the principle that these writing patterns are unique to each person and no two people write exactly alike. It is also assumed that repetitions of the same text or characters by the same writer are not exactly identical and one can define a range of natural handwriting variations specific to each one. Thus, forensic handwriting analysis aims at tracking features corresponding to specific individuals, and concluding whether a single or rather different authors wrote the given documents.

"The examination process is divided into three steps: analysis, comparison, and evaluation. The analysis includes a detailed examination of every single inscription, according to various features, such as the spacing between letters, their proportions, slant, etc. The comparison is based upon the aforementioned features across various handwritings. In addition, consistent patterns,such the same combinations of letters, words, and punctuation, are identified. Finally, an evaluation of identicalness or distinctiveness of the writers is made. It should be noted that, according to an Israel Supreme Court ruling, a person can be convicted of a crime based on the opinion of a forensic handwriting expert."

Dr. Shaus further elaborated:

"We were in for a big surprise: Yana identified more authors than our algorithms did. It must be understood that our current algorithms are of a "cautious" nature -- they know how to identify cases in which the texts were written by people with significantly different writing; in other cases they refrain from definite conclusions. In contrast, an expert in handwriting analysis knows not only how to spot the differences between writers more accurately, but in some cases may also arrive at the conclusion that several texts were actually written by a single person. Naturally, in terms of consequences, it is very interesting to see who the authors are. Thanks to the findings, we were able to construct an entire flowchart of the correspondence concerning the military fortress -- who wrote to whom and regarding what matter. This reflects the chain of command within the Judahite army.

"For example, in the area of Arad, close to the border between the kingdoms of Judah and Edom, there was a military force whose soldiers are referred to as "Kittiyim" in the inscriptions, most likely Greek mercenaries. Someone, probably their Judahite commander or liaison officer, requested provisions for the Kittiyim unit. He writes to the quartermaster of the fortress in Arad "give the Kittiyim flour, bread, wine" and so on. Now, thanks to the identification of the handwriting, we can say with high probability that there was not only one Judahite commander writing, but at least four different commanders. It is conceivable that each time another officer was sent to join the patrol, they took turns."

According to the researchers, the findings shed new light on Judahite society on the eve of the destruction of the First Temple -- and on the setting of the compilation of biblical texts. Dr. Sober explains:

"It should be remembered that this was a small outpost, one of a series of outposts on the southern border of the kingdom of Judah. Since we found at least 12 different authors out of 18 texts in total, we can conclude that there was a high level of literacy throughout the entire kingdom. The commanding ranks and liaison officers at the outpost, and even the quartermaster Eliashib and his deputy, Nahum, were literate. Someone had to teach them how to read and write, so we must assume the existence of an appropriate educational system in Judah at the end of the First Temple period. This, of course, does not mean that there was almost universal literacy as there is today, but it seems that significant portions of the residents of the kingdom of Judah were literate. This is important to the discussion on the composition of biblical texts. If there were only two or three people in the whole kingdom who could read and write, then it is unlikely that complex texts would have been composed."

Prof. Finkelstein concludes:

"Whoever wrote the biblical works did not do so for us, so that we could read them after 2,600 years. They did so in order to promote the ideological messages of the time. There are different opinions regarding the date of the composition of biblical texts. Some scholars suggest that many of the historical texts in the Bible, from Joshua to II Kings, were written at the end of the 7th century BC, very close to the period of the Arad ostraca. It is important to ask who these texts were written for. According to one view, there were events in which the few people who could read and write stood before the illiterate public and read texts out to them. A high literacy rate in Judah puts things into a different light.

"Until now, the discussion of literacy in the kingdom of Judah has been based on circular arguments, on what is written within the Bible itself, for example on scribes in the kingdom. We have shifted the discussion to an empirical perspective. If in a remote place like Tel Arad there was, over a short period of time, a minimum of 12 authors of 18 inscriptions, out of the population of Judah which is estimated to have been no more than 120,000 people, it means that literacy was not the exclusive domain of a handful of royal scribes in Jerusalem. The quartermaster from the Tel Arad outpost also had the ability to read and appreciate them."

###
A well which will provide water for 1,000 children at a school in Africa is to be named in honour of John Hume.

Wells of Life Ireland will dedicate a water well in rural Uganda to honour the work and life of the former SDLP leader who passed away on August 3.

Wells of Life is a world-wide nonprofit organization that provides access to clean, sustainable water for the poorest communities in Uganda.

Wells of Life founder and CEO Nick Jordan and organization leaders said they wanted to create the John Hume Memorial Well to honour Humes efforts in securing peace in Northern Ireland.



The entire Wells of Life family takes inspiration from leaders such as John Hume," he said.

"Here is a man who left his country in a much better place than where he found it. A simple objective which inspires us to do similar for others."



Wells of Life brings clean water to millions of people in rural Uganda where one in five children die before their fifth birthday.

Its estimated that a life is lost every 21 seconds through illness contracted from ingesting contaminated water.



The John Hume Memorial Peace Well will be drilled at a primary school in Uganda providing water to up to 1000 children for approximately twenty-five years.

Since 2008, Wells of Life has funded the construction of 527 water wells in the Mityana District of Uganda and launched Project Restoration in 2019 to repair older, deteriorated wells ensuring clean water.



We share Humes belief that community leadership is required to effect change and encourage local cooperative developments to support our life-saving efforts of providing safe water in Uganda, said Wells of Life President Pete Callahan.
When can you withhold rent? Here's what the rules say. Read more

 This article is part of our guide to tenants rights in Philadelphia. Got a question? Ask us using the form at the bottom of this article.

If your rental unit develops a serious maintenance issue that your landlord fails to fix, you do have some options. Among them: Withholding rent until the issue is repaired.

But there are some things you need to know first.

Withholding rent should be considered a last resort, says Holly Beck, a staff attorney with Community Legal Services of Philadelphias housing unit. Why? Because your landlord could try to evict you.

The point at which a tenant stops paying rent is often when a landlord reacts, Beck says. The tenant is probably hoping that the landlord will react by fixing the serious repair issue. But the landlord may react by sending the tenant an eviction notice and filing a case to evict the tenant in court.

But sometimes, withholding rent is justified. So when can you legally withhold rent, and how does the process actually work? Here is what you need to know:

When can you withhold rent?

The 1979 Pennsylvania Supreme Court Case Pugh v. Holmes established what is known as the implied warranty of habitability in the commonwealth, which essentially means youre entitled to a safe and habitable home. If there is a serious repair issue, you may be able to legally withhold rent from your landlord until the problem is addressed.

Another Pennsylvania law, the City Rent Withholding Act, also allows tenants to withhold rent if their apartment is certified to be unfit for human habitation. But the issue has to be fairly severe.

The law does protect a tenants right to withhold rent if there are serious, ongoing repair issues that impact the habitability of the unit, Beck says. Weve had tenants that have had a roof cave in, or a window or a door is broken and the property isnt secure. Infestations. Serious leaks that then cause mold to grow.

How does withholding rent work?

If you are considering withholding rent, its a good idea to get legal advice before you start. You can contact the Philly Tenant Hotline at 267-443-2500 or PhillyTenant.org, or contact CLS at 215-981-3700.

You cant just suddenly stop paying rent. The first step: Inform your landlord of the problem in writing, and give them a reasonable amount of time and access to your home to fix the issue. If nothing changes, then you might consider telling your landlord in writing that you plan to withhold rent.

The Rent Withholding Act calls for a government agency  such as the Department of Licenses and Inspections in Philadelphia  to certify that the issue has rendered the property uninhabitable. You may be able to withhold rent even without this certification, but Mike Carroll, a senior attorney with CLS, advises tenants to call L&I and have an inspection done in order to establish a paper trail. Its also a good idea to take pictures and video of the problem.

It puts pressure on the landlord to do the repair, and lends credibility to the tenant, Carroll says. Beck agrees, and notes that notice from L&I is proof that someone from the city looked at the property and agreed that there was something wrong.

If you do end up withholding rent, you should also have an escrow account  or an account that is separate from your usual, personal bank account  where you can put each months rent when it is due, and not touch the money. You could also put the rent into money orders and document those, if you dont have access to a bank. Either way, you should have the money set aside in the event of a court case, or if your landlord resolves the repair issue.

Bottom line: You may have to eventually pay all the money you withhold. Withholding is a tactic to get your landlord to address serious issues. Once the problems are fixed, you will have to pay all the rent you held back, unless you reach an agreement with your landlord or a judge agrees to give you an abatement  essentially a rebate.

How much rent can you withhold?

There is no set rule on exactly how much rent you can withhold, and as a result, Beck says, it is hard for tenants to know the proper amount. The Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania, says that you can calculate the amount by figuring out how much of your home you could not use and for how long.

Judges, Beck adds, may follow a similar formula should the matter end up in court. Often, that figure is based on the severity of the issue, and how much it affected your ability to use and enjoy the property.

But it probably wont be the full amount of your rent. For example, Beck says, say a family is paying for a two-bedroom house but can only use one bedroom due to an ongoing mold problem. In that situation, a judge is probably not going to release the tenant from paying all of the rent, but may say that a quarter of the rent should be removed from the tenants balance.

Deducting the cost of repairs from your rent

You also have another right under the case Pugh v. Holmes known as repair and deduct. That involves making the necessary repairs yourself  or hiring a repair person to fix the issue  and deducting the cost from your next months rent.

Sometimes, repair and deduct will do the job, Carroll says. The landlord might gripe and say, I was about to do it, but if the repair was good, it is less likely to result in eviction action."

Repair and deduct requires many of the same steps as withholding rent, including giving written notice to your landlord, and allowing them a reasonable amount of time to fix the issue themselves. But if the repair problem is ongoing and nothing is being done, Carroll says you should inform your landlord in writing of your plan to repair and deduct, and provide quotes from repair people. You should also give a deadline of when you will repair the issue yourself and deduct the cost from your rent.

There are, however, some limits to how much you can repair and deduct as the tenant, Beck points out. Essentially, the cost of the repair cant be more than the amount that you are going to be paying your landlord for rent across the remaining lease term.

Am I protected if my landlord retaliates?

So, what if your landlord threatens or evicts you for withholding rent? If your landlord threatens to evict you in these situations, Beck says, its considered retaliation under the law. And you do have some protections while youre withholding rent or repairing and deducting  including guards from threats of eviction.

If that happens, you can file a complaint with the Fair Housing Commission, she says. There are legal protections, and it requires a tenant to enforce their legal rights.

Filing a complaint with the FHC, Carroll says, is sort of a race to the courthouse, and you should try to file your complaint before your landlord files an eviction case in municipal court. In that case, Carroll adds, dont panic: the FHC must first be allowed to hold a hearing before eviction proceedings can begin. But if a landlord files an eviction case first, its up to the court to decide.

 READ MORE: Your rights as a tenant: Check out our tenants' rights guide.

Expert sources:

Holly Beck , J.D., staff attorney with Community Legal Services of Philadelphias housing unit.

Mike Carroll, J.D., senior attorney with Community Legal Services of Philadelphias housing unit.

The Philadelphia Inquirer is one of more than 20 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the citys push toward economic justice. See all of our reporting at brokeinphilly.org.
Also Read: Black Mirror 'Nosedive' is Now Happening in China: App Rates and Monitor Citizen's Social Conduct

They said that despicable methods were used to deceive the public. The officials are now calling for an investigation to be conducted for the incident.

The issue quickly went viral after a human rights campaigner shared screenshots of the offending Twitter posts, which have since been unliked, on the social media site. One of the tweets that Xiaoming liked included an image captured from drone footage allegedly showing blindfolded Uighur Muslims.

Also Read: Portland Rolls Out 'Most Aggressive Ban' on US Facial Recognition to Protect Citizens from Racial and Criminal Tagging

Another tweet included the terms "Free the Uighurs" and "Free Hong Kong," which accused the country of killing its citizens without being punished by the world. Some Twitter users suggested that Liu's account had a long history of liking random posts.

He also liked a reply to a December 2019 tweet of his saying that "CCP is very good at destroy" Chinese traditions. I'm pretty convinced he is just about to discover that "likes" are public. pic.twitter.com/LOyFCbfWth  Joshua Dummer (@JoshuaDummer) September 9, 2020

"If you go through his likes, he's "liked" quite a few things that you wouldn't think a Chinese diplomat would/should "like." His second-ever "like" was "Hail China dictatorship man!" captioned the user.

Officials urge the public not to speculate

China's U.K. embassy urged the public not to speculate and released a statement denying Xiaoming's likes. The report explained that some anti-China elements attacked the ambassador's Twitter account.

Balozi wa China nchini Uingereza Liu Xiaoming amejikuta matatani huku akishambuliwa mitandaoni baada ya akaunti yake ya Twitter kulike video inayoonesha vitendo vya ngono, Ubalozi umesema akaunti hiyo imedukuliwa ila bado haijazuia hasira za Watu ambao wameendelea kumshambulia. pic.twitter.com/a8AIeEx6Kh  millardayo (@millardayo) September 10, 2020

It added that the Chinese Embassy doesn't tolerate such "abominable" behavior. The incident was already reported to the Twitter company, asking the social media platform to take the matter seriously.

The Embassy said that it is hoping that the public will not spread or believe the rumor. Twitter, which was banned in the country but used by selected government officials, refused to provide any statement if the Liu's account was really hacked.

For more news updates about viral stories, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Also Read: India Ban: Pre-Installed Apps on Phones May Soon Be Removed if Not Necessary

This article is owned by TechTimes,

Written by: Giuliano de Leon.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
KEY FACTS 1:49 p.m. Two COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at high schools in southern Alberta

1:20 p.m. Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg is back on full-time duty as the citys COVID-19 Incident Commander.

9 a.m. Quebecers subject to a fine over breaking mask rules

The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Thursday. This file is no longer updating, please check Fridays rolling file for further updates. Web links to longer stories if available.

8:24 p.m. British Columbias provincial health officer says she does not foresee a scenario where the entire public school system will have to shut down again because of COVID-19.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said during a briefing Thursday that local outbreaks may require individual schools or learning groups to stop classes and self-isolate, but a system-wide closure would only happen under severe circumstances.

That would mean that we were in dire straits in many other aspects of our community and thats what were trying absolutely to avoid, Henry said.

Henry made the comments as British Columbia reached a record of daily COVID-19 cases on the same day that schools reopened across the province.

Officials announced 139 new cases for a provincial total of 6,830 since the pandemic began.

There were no new deaths and the total number of fatalities remains at 213.

Read more here: B.C. sets daily record of COVID-19 cases at 139, hospitalizations climb

5 p.m. Ontarios regional health units are reporting another 161 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Stars latest count.

As has been the case in recent weeks, most of the new cases continue to come in the GTA. Toronto reported another 58 new cases on Thursday; Peel added 32; and York Region 14.

With Thursdays total, Ontarios seven-day average for new cases is up to 168 cases per day.

Thats the highest that measure has been in more than two months and nearly double what the health units were reporting less than a month ago on Aug. 16, when the seven-day average hit a recent low of 85 cases daily.

The rate of infection remains well below the worst of the pandemic; Ontario saw that seven-day case average reach a mid-April peak of nearly 600 cases daily.

One new fatal case was reported Thursday, in Windsor-Essex.

The province has now seen a total of 46,027 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, including 2,856 deaths.

The vast majority of the provinces COVID-19 patients have since recovered, and the recent rise in cases has not yet resulted in a significant jump in hospitalizations or deaths. The province lists 1,567 active cases of the disease, a number that has been rising in recent weeks.

The Stars count includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases. This means they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.

The Province cautions its separate data, published daily at 10:30 a.m., may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system. In the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date.

4:28 p.m. There have been 134,671 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 9,158 deaths, and 118,686 that have been resolved, according to The Canadian Press.

This breaks down as follows (NOTE: The Star does its own count for Ontario; see elsewhere this file.):

Quebec: 64,244 confirmed (including 5,773 deaths, 56,624 resolved)

Ontario: 43,855 confirmed (including 2,814 deaths, 39,474 resolved)

Alberta: 15,191 confirmed (including 248 deaths, 13,358 resolved)

British Columbia: 6,691 confirmed (including 213 deaths, 5,086 resolved)

Saskatchewan: 1,676 confirmed (including 24 deaths, 1,593 resolved)

Manitoba: 1,378 confirmed (including 16 deaths, 1,002 resolved)

Nova Scotia: 1,086 confirmed (including 65 deaths, 1,019 resolved)

Newfoundland and Labrador: 269 confirmed (including three deaths, 265 resolved)

New Brunswick: 193 confirmed (including two deaths, 188 resolved)

Prince Edward Island: 55 confirmed (including 44 resolved)

Yukon: 15 confirmed, all of which have been resolved

Repatriated Canadians account for 13 confirmed cases, all of which have been resolved

Northwest Territories: five confirmed, all of which have been resolved

Nunavut reports no confirmed cases.

3:20 p.m. Toronto Mayor John Tory is calling on upper levels of government to provide additional economic support for downtown businesses affected by COVID-19, according to The Canadian Press.

In a statement today, Tory says there is increasing concern among business leaders and others about the future of downtowns in major cities across Canada, CP reports.

Hes asking the federal and provincial governments to take a number of steps to protect businesses  particularly ones facing a slow recovery, such as hotels and restaurants.

In a letter to federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Tory asks the Liberal government to launch a review into reviving main streets and downtown cores, especially as people work from home.

Hes also calling for the replacement or extension of several federal programs introduced during the pandemic.

In a separate letter to Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips, Tory urges the provincial government to help hotels and attractions  as well as keep municipal finances afloat  through property tax deferrals.

2:46 p.m. Manitoba health officials are reporting a sharp drop in the number of active COVID-19 cases.

Chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin says there are 15 new cases, and with more people recovering, the number of active cases has dropped to 360 from more than 400 earlier this week.

Roussin has also provided more information on the first case inside a Manitoba school since students went back to class.

A Grade 7 student at Churchill High School in Winnipeg tested positive and was briefly in school on opening day Tuesday.

Roussin says the student was asymptomatic and had gone for testing earlier, and left school when the test came back positive.

Roussin says the child had been wearing a mask and had practised physical distancing while in school, and classmates do not need to self-isolate but should self-monitor for symptoms.

2 p.m. France recorded close to 10,000 new coronavirus cases Thursday, the most since the countrys lockdown ended four months ago and ahead of a government meeting Friday to discuss measures to curb the rising infections.

Cases rose by 9,843, the most new laboratory-confirmed infections since the lockdown ended in mid-May, according to data from the public health agency. The seven-day rolling average stands at 7,680 and has been steadily climbing for more than three weeks.

President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that his government has important decisions to make to contain the virus spread, without giving in to panic.

The virus is circulating actively in major cities including Marseille and Lyon, and authorities may have to tighten the bolts a bit, because there is a lot of laxity occurring in France, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, who heads the scientific council advising the government, said in an interview on RTL radio on Thursday.

1:55 p.m. Amazon.com charged inflated prices for hand sanitizer, disposable gloves and other essentials months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a consumer watchdog said in a report accusing the worlds largest online retailer of price gouging.

The report, released Thursday by Public Citizen, examines roughly two dozen products on Amazons site. Relying on its own observations and data from price-tracking sites, the nonprofit public interest group documented price increases of as much as 1,000 per cent when compared with pre-pandemic levels or prices at other large retailers.

The report challenges Amazons public position that its an innocent bystander of price gouging perpetrated by a select few bad actors selling products on its popular webstore. It accuses Amazon of price gouging, as well, on products the online retailer sells directly.

There is no place for price gouging on Amazon and that includes products offered directly by Amazon, a spokesman for the company said. Our systems are designed to offer customers the best available online price and if we see an error, we work quickly to fix it.

1:49 p.m. Two COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at high schools in southern Alberta.

Alberta Health Services says in a statement that two or more people attended school while infectious at both Chinook High School in Lethbridge and Henry Wise Wood High School in southwest Calgary.

AHS is working directly with the schools to limit risk of spread, said the statement Thursday.

Officials say that includes assessing the classrooms and identifying close contacts of the people who have COVID-19.

Any individual considered exposed to these cases will be contacted directly by Alberta Health Services, per standard contact tracing procedures, the statement added.

AHS says infection prevention control measures  physical distancing, masking, hand hygiene and environmental cleaning  have been reviewed with the schools.

1:36 p.m. Ontarios premier says hed like to see the provinces doctors begin working on weekends in order to clear a massive backlog of surgeries postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doug Ford estimates about 180,000 procedures were postponed after lockdown measures went into effect in March in order to curb the spread of the virus.

Earlier this month, modelling research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal estimated Ontarios surgery backlog would take at least a year and a half to clear.

Ford says the Ministry of Health is looking into ways to address the waiting list, including asking surgeons to work on Saturdays and Sundays.

He says the government has funding available to address the issue, but did not disclose how much money has been set aside.

The ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment.

1:20 p.m. Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg is back on full-time duty as the citys COVID-19 Incident Commander.

Pegg, who in late March was appointed to lead Torontos COVID-19 response as the General Manager of Emergency Management, returned to his role with Toronto Fire Services on June 24.

On Thursday, city manager Chris Murray announced Pegg will once again be helming Torontos Emergency Operations Centre, which has been at a Level 3 since March and has continued its work without interruption.

Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop will step in to serve as acting Fire Chief. Pegg will be joining Mayor John Tory and Dr. Eileen de Villa at the next City of Toronto media briefing on Sept. 14 at 2 p.m.

12:44 a.m. Curling Canada has cancelled six more events in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization announced Thursday it has cancelled the Continental Cup in Oakville, the Canadian under-18 championships in Timmins, the New Holland Canadian junior championships in Fort McMurray, Alta., the Canadian wheelchair championship in Moose Jaw, Sask., the Canadian Under 15 RockFest and the U Sports/Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championships.

Curling Canada said safety of participants and volunteers, travel restrictions and costs were factors in the decisions to cancel the events.

We considered all options, but in the end, we had to make the responsible decision  for the athletes, for the volunteers and for the organization, to ensure the safety of those involved in the championships as well as the viability of the sport in Canada, Katherine Henderson, chief executive officer of Curling Canada, said in a statement.

12:34 p.m. The governor of the Bank of Canada says the slower rebound facing women, youth and low-wage workers could pose a threat to a broader economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tiff Macklem says uneven recessions that affect some workers and sectors more than others tend to be longer and leave a larger mark on the labour market.

He notes in a speech to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce that women and young people are more likely now to be permanently laid off from their jobs due to the pandemic.

People permanently laid off take on average twice as long to return to work as people on temporary layoff, Macklem says, risking long-term damage to their jobs prospects and a lasting drag on earnings specifically for youth.

Macklem says the central bank is doing everything it can to support growth and get people back to work.

He adds that getting people back to work is the best way to improve economic outcomes over time, noting that uneven outcomes for some can lead to poorer outcomes for all.

11:15 a.m.: Bob Woodward, facing widespread criticism for only now revealing President Donald Trumps early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he needed time to be sure that Trumps private comments from February were accurate.

In Woodwards upcoming book on Trump, Rage, the president is quoted saying the virus was highly contagious and deadly stuff at a time he was publicly dismissing it as no worse than the flu. Woodward, the celebrated Washington Post journalist and bestselling author, spoke with Trump more than a dozen times for his book.

He tells me this, and Im thinking, Wow, thats interesting, but is it true? Trump says things that dont check out, right? Woodward told the AP during a telephone interview. Using a famous phrase from the Watergate era, when Woodwards reporting for the Post helped lead to President Richard Nixons resignation, Woodward said his mission was to determine, What did he know and when did he know it?

11 a.m.: Ontarians will soon be able to track any cases of COVID-19 in schools.

With millions of students already returning to classrooms for the first time in six months, Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservative government is set to unveil a new online tool to monitor coronavirus cases.

Similar to the tracking used in long-term-care homes since early in the pandemic, the forthcoming dashboard on the Ministry of Education website will give the public information about cases in schools.

It will disclose which schools have COVID-19 cases and whether students, teachers or support staff are infected.

We will be reporting moving forward, Ford told reporters Wednesday after a Mississauga meeting with Quebec Premier Francois Legault.

This is our second day now going back to school. Theyre rolling this out over the next week or two. But well be reporting it, he said.

Read the full story by the Stars Robert Benzie

10:22 a.m. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the quarantine system is broken because federal health officers are not charging people ignoring self-isolation orders for COVID-19.

Since the end of March, an emergency order under the federal Quarantine Act has required most people arriving from outside Canada to isolate themselves for 14 days, even if they dont have symptoms.

Federal quarantine officers can lay charges with penalties of up to six months in jail and fines of $750,000, while police can issue tickets of up to $1,000.

Federal health officials say nobody has been arrested for ignoring a quarantine order, though one person was issued a summons to appear in court and 42 people have been ticketed by police.

Ford says Ontario police checks have uncovered 622 quarantine order scofflaws and is frustrated about the lack of federal charges.

A spokesman for federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu says the rules are clear and there are enforcement procedures in place for those who break them.

10:09 a.m. (updated): Ontario is reporting 170 cases of COVID-19 as the province completed nearly 25,000 tests. One more death was also reported. Twenty-eight public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 14 reporting no new cases. There are 55 new cases in Toronto, with 28 in York, 22 in Peel and 12 in Ottawa.

9:03 a.m. The coronavirus pandemic still figures to be soccers toughest opponent across Europe this season as England and Spain this weekend lead a wave of national leagues beginning a tightly packed schedule.

After a 2019-20 domestic season that stretched beyond one year in some countries, barely more than eight months are now free for the 38-game leagues. In late-May, UEFA takes over the fixture calendar for club competition finals and the delayed 2020 European Championship.

Most leagues across Europe defied doubts in the spring to emerge from a three-month shutdown and complete their seasons safely  albeit in empty stadiums that upended the soccer economy.

Now they must do it again while working with public authorities even more closely to bring fans back to games.

They have understood that it is not over yet, said Jacco Swart, managing director of the 29-nation European Leagues network. They have to struggle and battle for this every day.

9 a.m. (updated): Quebecers who flout rules requiring face coverings in indoor public spaces will be subject to a fine beginning on Saturday.

Premier Francois Legault says the vast majority of Quebecers have followed COVID-19 public health guidelines for the past six months.

But Legault told a news conference in Quebec City today some arent following the rules and are putting the provinces elderly and its health network at risk.

Legault says police will begin handing out fines to those not following the rules on public transit and in indoor public spaces where masks are mandatory.

The premier says the tightening of the rules will focus on so-called yellow zones  currently four regions outside of Montreal that have recently seen an increase in COVID cases.

Quebec introduced a four-level, colour-coded COVID-19 alert system Tuesday  green for vigilance, yellow for an early warning, orange for moderate alert and red for maximum alert.

8:58 a.m. Torontonians forgoing masks while socializing with people outside their social bubbles are increasingly getting COVID-19, helping to drive a virus resurgence that has alarmed city and health officials.

As well as dinner parties, bars and other indoor gatherings, the rapid rise in infections appears to be linked to Torontonians coming home from other parts of Canada, said Dr. Vinita Dubey, associate medical officer of health with Toronto Public Health (TPH).

Dubey made the remarks in response to questions from the Star after Toronto Mayor John Tory pleaded with residents Tuesday to avoid crowd scenes, including parties and bars, to prevent a possible return to lockdown.

Read the full story by the Stars David Rider

8:16 a.m. Transat A.T. Inc. reported a loss for its latest quarter as it began the partial resumption of flights and tour operations.

The travel company says the quarter ended July 31 included one week of operations as it resumed flying on July 23 after shutting down April 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transat is flying to 11 European destinations in France, the United Kingdom and Portugal as well as to Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It is also running a domestic program linking Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

The company reported a net loss attributable to shareholders of $45.1 million or $1.20 per share for its most recent quarter compared with a loss of $1.5 million or four cents per share a year earlier, while revenue totalled $9.5 million, down from $698.9 million.

On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $3.70 per share for the quarter compared with an adjusted profit of 16 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

Transat reached an agreement to be acquired by Air Canada last year, however the deal is still awaiting regulatory approval.

7:40 a.m. British Airways parent company said Thursday it will cut flights due to coronavirus travel restrictions and quarantine requirements and confirmed it is raising $3.2 billion (U.S.) through the sale of new shares.

International Airlines Group, which also owns the Spanish national carrier Iberia among others, said it will use the money to cope with the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. Qatar Airways, which owns 25 per cent of IAG, has undertaken to take its share of the cash call.

IAG also said that short-haul bookings have fallen slightly following the implementation of new quarantine requirements by the U.K. and other European governments for travellers returning from specific countries, including Spain.

As a result, it said it is having to cancel some flights. Overall, it said that between October and December it expects to operate 60 per cent less capacity than during the same period last year, compared with a previously planned reduction of 46 per cent. Budget airline easyJet this week also said it was cutting flights.

Over the past few weeks, British tourists in particular have faced travel chaos after the government took countries off its safe list. The travel advice to the two most visited countries, Spain and France, changed at very short notice, prompting many travellers to seek to return to the U.K. swiftly to avoid a mandatory quarantine period. Earlier this week, seven Greek destinations were taken off the safe list. Further changes are anticipated later Thursday.

6:50 a.m.: The London hearing on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges extradition from Britain to the United States was suspended Thursday because one of the lawyers may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ordered the proceedings adjourned until Monday while a lawyer representing the U.S. government is tested for the virus.

6:20 a.m.: AstraZeneca PLCs chief executive said a COVID-19 into the trial subject will determine the timetable for vaccine progress. He said, though, that he still expects a set of data from the trials that can be presented to regulators for approval by the end of the year.

6:13 a.m.: In a year when the coronavirus pandemic has reshaped countless American rituals, even the commemoration of 9-11 could not escape unchanged.

The 19th anniversary of the terror attacks will be marked by dueling ceremonies at the Sept. 11 memorial plaza and a corner near the World Trade Center, reflecting a divide over the memorials decision to suspend a cherished tradition of relatives reading victims names in person. Vice-President Mike Pence is expected at both those remembrances in New York, while President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden plan to attend a truncated ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

6 a.m.: Popeyes much-hyped chicken sandwich will go on sale Canada-wide on Monday, after trial launches in Edmonton and southern Ontario earlier this year.

The sandwich made headlines for rapidly selling out after it was released in the U.S. last year.

Popeyes Canada general manager Rob Manuel says franchisees will add physical distancing stickers both inside and outside restaurants to better direct customers while complying with pandemic-related public health measures.

5:51 a.m.: Australias government has ramped up pressure on a state government to relax pandemic border restrictions after a woman was refused permission to attend her fathers funeral on Thursday and a dying dad was told he was only allowed to be visited by one of his four children.

Sarah Caisip, 26, was refused permission to go to her fathers funeral because she was forced to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine in the Queensland state capital of Brisbane in case she brought COVID-19 from her home in Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

Mark Keans, 39, is dying of cancer in a Brisbane hospital and has been told by Queensland health authorities that his family would have to choose which one of of his four children who live across the border in New South Wales can visit him, his sister Tamara Langborne said.

4:16 a.m.: A second fire in Greeces notoriously overcrowded Moria refugee camp has destroyed nearly everything that had been spared in the original blaze, Greeces migration ministry says, leaving thousands more people in need of emergency housing.

Early this morning, former residents of the countrys largest camp, which had been under coronavirus lockdown, returned to the area to pick through the charred remains of their belongings, salvaging what they could.

Many had spent the night sleeping in the open by the side of the road.

4:05 a.m.: Massive crowds and parties in an eastern Ontario university town have drawn criticisms from local residents and formal calls for greater co-operation to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Police and city officials in Kingston, Ont., said theyve had to close a popular pier and beach due to crowding and issue a number of tickets since thousands of students flooded back into the city earlier this month. Local residents said theyve also taken to the streets to break up parties in recent days.

4 a.m.: Parents keeping their children home from schools that offer limited or no remote learning options are concerned spots in speciality programs could be lost unless the British Columbia government takes action.

Students will be back at school Thursday but some will not return because of their own or a family members health or general fears about contracting COVID-19.4

4 a.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2020:

There are 134,293 confirmed cases in Canada.

_ Quebec: 64,056 confirmed (including 5,771 deaths, 56,400 resolved)

_ Ontario: 43,685 confirmed (including 2,813 deaths, 39,332 resolved)

_ Alberta: 15,191 confirmed (including 248 deaths, 13,358 resolved)

_ British Columbia: 6,691 confirmed (including 213 deaths, 5,086 resolved)

_ Saskatchewan: 1,670 confirmed (including 24 deaths, 1,587 resolved)

_ Manitoba: 1,365 confirmed (including 16 deaths, 945 resolved)

_ Nova Scotia: 1,086 confirmed (including 65 deaths, 1,018 resolved)

_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 269 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 265 resolved)

_ New Brunswick: 192 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 186 resolved)

_ Prince Edward Island: 55 confirmed (including 44 resolved)

_ Yukon: 15 confirmed (including 15 resolved)

_ Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved)

_ Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved)

_ Nunavut: No confirmed cases

_ Total: 134,293 (0 presumptive, 134,293 confirmed including 9,155 deaths, 118,254 resolved)

Read Wednesdays rolling file.

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French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on Thursday that India supported her country by sending essential during the peak of COVID-19 crisis in the European nation.

Speaking at a press briefing along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the French Minister said her country in the response sent medical equipment for patients in intensive care to India.

"Recently, our two countries showed solidarity in the management of the health crisis. At peak of COVID-19 in France, India supported us by sending essential On our side, we recently sent to India medical equipment for patients in intensive care," she said.

The French Defence Minister, who is in India, attended the ceremony of induction of five Rafale fighter jets into the Indian Air Force's fleet at the Ambala airbase.

"I am delighted to be in India today for this important event. It marks a step forward in the strategic partnership of our countries, which dates back to 1998," she said.

While speaking at the event earlier in the day, Parly reiterated France's support to the candidature of India for a permanent seat in United Nations Security Council (UNSC). " supports India's candidacy for (permanent seat) in the UNSC," she said.

The French Defence Minister highlighted India's election as a non-permanent member in the UNSC for a two-year term beginning in January 2021, saying it "represents an opportunity to promote international peace and security together."

She added it is a stellar achievement for India and and a new chapter is being written in the bilateral defence ties.

Parly said it is a great pride to see the first five Rafale jets inducted in time in the Indian Air Force despite the COVID-19 crisis.

"We are particularly attentive to the respect of the delivery deadline. We will ensure this as is determined to support the Indian Air Force to touch the sky with glory with the remaining 31 Rafale jets as soon as possible," she stated.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Robert Jenrick has confirmed new support measures for renters will prevent tenants being evicted until after Christmas.

The Government has changed the law to increase notice periods to six months, meaning renters who are given notice can stay in their homes over the winter while they find alternative support or accommodation.

Exceptions will only apply 'in the most egregious cases', including where tenants have demonstrated anti-social behaviour or committed fraud.

The Housing Secretary also confirmed that evictions cannot be enforced by bailiffs in an area in a local lockdown that includes a restriction on gathering in homes.

Mr Jenrick said: 'We have protected renters during the pandemic by banning evictions for six months - the longest eviction ban in the UK.

Robert Jenrick has confirmed new support measures for renters will prevent tenants being evicted until after Christmas

'To further support renters we have increased notice periods to six months, an unprecedented measure to help keep people in their homes over the winter months.

'It's right that we strike a balance between protecting vulnerable renters and ensuring landlords whose tenants have behaved in illegal or anti-social ways have access to justice.

'Our legislation means such cases will be subject to shorter notice periods and then prioritised through the judiciary's new court processes.'

The move was welcomed by charities and council leaders but campaigners said the change did not help people served notice before August.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: 'It's a step in the right direction to make sure that renters threatened with eviction will have more time to find a new home. And sparing families the misery of being evicted over Christmas is the right thing to do.

'But these measures won't protect the renters served notice before August, who could still face automatic eviction after the eviction ban ends in 10 days.

Emma Burton and her family are living with her parents in France after the tenant renting their Merseyside home stopped paying rent and refuses to leave. But because of changes to eviction rules they have struggled to reclaim their home

'And for renters served notice after August, the measures simply delay the threat of homelessness.'

Last month a YouGov poll carried out for Shelter identified nearly 250,000 private renters had fallen behind in their rent payments since the pandemic began in the UK and 174,000 had been threatened with eviction.

Labour said the ban on evictions cannot end until the Government had a 'credible plan' to keep its promise no renter should lose their home because of coronavirus.

Shadow housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire said: 'The announcement shows that the Government is gearing up for a drastic increase in evictions this winter, just as coronavirus cases are rising.

'They are threatening public health and putting lives at risk.

'They have failed to prepare for this crisis, and must urgently change course.'

Exceptions will only apply 'in the most egregious cases', including where tenants have demonstrated anti-social behaviour or committed fraud

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it will keep the measures under 'constant review' and decisions will be guided by the latest public health advice.

It said that from September 21 the courts will start hearing possession hearings again, prioritising cases involving anti-social behaviour and other crimes as well as rent arrears.

No cases from before August 3 will immediately proceed to a hearing but will have to be reactivated by the landlord and subject to a review hearing, the MHCLG added.

The department said landlords will also need to provide the courts and judges with information about how tenants have been affected by the pandemic, with proceedings able to be adjourned until the information is provided.

The MHCLG added: 'No landlord, including those who only rent out a single property, has had access to the courts since March, including to regain possession in cases where the tenant has broken the law.

'So it is right that landlords are able to access justice, alongside measures to protect the vulnerable. The Government would like to thank landlords for their forbearance during this difficult time.'

There will also be a 'winter truce' on the enforcement of evictions, with no evictions permitted in England and Wales in the run-up to and over Christmas except in the 'most serious circumstances', such as anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse, the department said.

Guidance will be issued to bailiffs that they should not enforce possession orders in the weeks of Christmas, it added.

However, landlord groups have previously said that their members have been left 'powerless' in dealing with the non-payment of rent.

The British Landlords Association called a similar move in Wales in July 'devastating', some of whom were 'already struggling financially'.

BLA boss Mr Sajjad Ahmad called on the Government to offer financial help for landlords, saying at the time 'landlords cannot carry this financial burden on their own, they need help.'

Some have called for more help in England to reduce the financial pressures on landlords, in addition to mortgage holidays.

Chris Norris, policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association, welcomed news that the courts would begin to hear possession cases again from 21 September.

'It is vital that this happens so that landlords can begin to take action against anti-social tenants, those committing acts of domestic violence and those with rent arrears that have nothing to do with Covid-19,' he said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Statistical data shows that at no point did the pandemic cause social crisis in Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting on September 10.

He did however note that the coronavirus pandemic caused significant social and economic damages.

He said that the cash register printout data from across the country can be used to analyze the social condition in the country.

I believe the trade turnover data with the cash register printouts can show this because this is about what people are buying. Compared to August 2019 the cash register printout turnover in August 2020 dropped only 2.5%.Moreover, weve reached this low indicator just now, it was higher since March, now it is dropping. This number in itself shows that, indeed, we have problems, but we certainly dont have a social collapse and a social crisis, the PM said.

He noted that some might voice counterarguments that in 2019 August many people were abroad for seasonal employment, whereas they didnt travel there this year due to the closed borders. But on the other hand, the PM said that this year there hasnt been any tourist flow to Armenia, tourists who reasonably spend more than locals in Armenia. In addition, theaters, museums arent working, the hotels in Yerevan are empty. These numbers show that there was no social crisis in Armenia, it never happened. Certainly it is obvious that a worsening of the social situation exists, weve lost economic growth, we had 9 economic activity index in January and February, he said.

Pashinyan said the country avoided a social crisis also due to the governments relief actions when a total of 163,4 billion drams was injected into the economy.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
This originally appeared as part of our daily coronavirus newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

The novel coronavirus came from space, arriving on the back of a meteorite that crashed into Northeast China on Oct. 13, 2019.

Is this some crackpot theory, like the 5G causes COVID thing or it was built in a lab?

Youll have to decide for yourself.

The study that proposed the idea (published in Elsevier, a not-unrespected journal) was authored by researchers from the University of Toronto, the Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in China and the University of Melbourne, among others, including the Institute for the Study of Panspermia and Astroeconomics.

That word you are not familiar with, panspermia, is the idea that life in several forms can hitch a ride and travel from planet to planet, seeding worlds along the way.

According to the theory, COVID-19 (and the fungal disease Candida auris, by the way) display highly distinctive patterns of sudden emergence and global spread, which are not easy to understand by conventional epidemiological analysis based on simple infection-driven human- to-human spread of an infectious disease.

But ... Both these enigmatic diseases make sense however under a Panspermia in-fall model and the evidence consistent with such a model is critically reviewed. Apparently.

There does appear to have been a meteorite strike in China on Oct. 13 of last year, and hey, there was a major pandemic that started shortly thereafter, so  maybe?

The theory holds that most of the infections around the world, particularly in the major hotspots (Wuhan, aboard the Diamond Princess, among others) were caused not by human-to-human transmission but by contact with miniscule fragments of the original meteor as they swirled around the troposphere.

Sunspots are also involved somehow?

As the study says, This leads to the alternate hypothesis that COVID-19 arrived via a meteorite, a presumed relatively fragile and loose carbonaceous meteorite, that struck North East China on October 11, 2019.
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What if the roles had been reversed? What if it was White Americans who were sold into slavery in Africa? What if it was Whites who, to this day, many decades after their emancipation, had lower family incomes, diminished educational opportunities, and higher crime rates than the Black majority? How would we, as White Africans, view this?

Jewish historian Eli Faber, in his book Jews, Slaves, and the Slave Trade: Setting the Record Straight, which demolishes the lies of the Nation of Islam about the allegedly dominant role of Jews in the slave trade, paints a powerful picture of the monstrous nature of this horrid practice.

He writes: Wrenched from their homes and their families, marched in chains to the coasts and transported across the seas during an era that lasted well over three centuries, millions were condemned to spend the remainder of their lives in servitude and to witness the enslavement of their children. Many more did not survive the Atlantic crossing, perishing instead on vessels swept by disease or from a profound depression that the historical record tells us frequently seized many of the captives in its grip. Still others died within a few years of arrival, toiling on the plantations and in the mines of Europes colonies in the western hemisphere.

Now, read that again, but change the players. Over a period of three centuries, White Americans, as many as 10-15 million, were wrenched from their homes and families and marched in chains to be shipped by their Black captors to Africa. Several million would die at sea. The rest would be consigned to a life of slavery and oppression by their Black masters, with their own children born into wretched servitude.

As for the Black oppressors, many of whom claimed to be committed Christians, they were convinced by biology and theology that the Whites were both inferior and cursed. They were born to be enslaved.

Faber noted that, African merchants brought caravans of slaves to the coast for sale, while African governments not only went to war in order to obtain captives to sell into slavery but also established the trading regulations, dictated the terms, and set the prices under which the Europeans were required to operate.

Reversing the roles again, this would speak of White Americans selling fellow Whites to the Black Africans, even going to war to capture other Whites, all for financial gain. Such is the evil of humanity.

But either way, the end result would be the same: White Americans would become White Africans, virtually all of them the descendants of slaves.

Eventually, going along with our reversed-roles scenario, the slave trade and slavery would be abolished in Africa. But for another century, in many parts of Africa, Whites would remain an inferior class, treated with inequality under the law until Civil Rights reforms in the 1960s sought to level the playing field.

Still, in the year 2020, White Africans fell far behind in many statistical categories (in all links cited, I am reversing the stats for White Americans vs. Black Americans and applying them to my imagined scenario):

As of 2020, the average net worth of a Black African family was 10 times higher than the average net worth of a White African family.

The median annual income of Black African family was $65,902 compared to $41,511 for a White African family.

For every 100,000 White Africans, 2,306 were incarcerated compared to 450 Black Africans.

Funding for Black childrens schools was much higher than funding for White childrens schools. In addition, about 72% of [Black] students who have completed high school enrolled in college the same year, compared to 44% for [White] students. (Once again, I am reversing the actual data in these citations.)

Out of Africas Fortune 500 companies, there were only three White CEOs.

As for births out of wedlock, 69.4 percent of White African babies were born illegitimately, compared to 28.2 percent of Black African babies.

Accordingly, since so many White Africans were raised without a father, this has resulted in higher rates of drug addiction as well as higher crime rates. And so, the cycle continues.

How does this make you feel as a White African?

Now, even if systemic racism no longer existed in Africa, would anyone dispute that the plight of White Africans was directly related to their history as an enslaved, then oppressed, minority? Would anyone dispute that, on some level, this tied in with the legacy of Black supremacy?

This would not absolve White Africans from taking responsibility for their own wellbeing and social improvement today. Nor would it justify acts of violence against Black Africans. But, if there was truly a continent-wide move to see biblically-based justice and righteousness for all citizens, then Black Africans would have to wrestle with these realities and find holistic ways to level the playing field as much as possible.

Coming back to the present reality here in America in 2020, as we look to make America great for all of her citizens, let us, as White Americans, do our best to be empathetic rather than defensive when it comes to race issues.

As Ive stated before, theres no reason for fragility or guilt (and I say this with full recognition of the very flawed nature of the bestselling White Fragility book). At the same time, I believe its very easy for us as White Americans to fail to grasp the degree to which we still have not overcome the legacy of our past, whoevers fault that may be.

To me, this does not speak of systemic racism in 2020. Instead, it speaks of a very embarrassing past that still leaves scars today.

So, lets keep asking big questions in order to find big answers in order that, together, we can fulfill our God-given potential as a people and a nation. Mixing in a healthy dose of empathetic understanding will go a long way in helping us achieve those goals.
Mumbai, Sep 10 : Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut continues with her vitriolic verbal attacks on colleagues in the film industry. On Thursday evening, she referred to Sonam Kapoor as a mafia bimbo for supporting arrested actress Rhea Chakraborty, who she referred to as a small time druggie.

"All of sudden mafia bimbos have started to seek justice for Rhea ji through my house tragedy, my fight is for people don't compare my struggles to a small time druggie who was living off a vulnerable and broken, self made super star, stop this right away," tweeted Kangana from her verified account on Thursday evening.

Kangana's tweet in the wake of a news piece that talks of Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor reacting to the news of Kangana's office demolition by the BMC by calling it an "eye for an eye".

On Thursday morning, actress Dia Mirza tweeted: "Condemn the demolition of Kangana's office. Condemn the harassment and abuse against Rhea. This is not about taking sides. This is about calling out what is unjust. Remember this could happen to you." Reacting to the tweet, Sonam had shared Mahatma Gandhi's quote on Twitter: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The Philippines received a fresh $500-million loan (about 25 billion) for emergency funding to respond to disasters and pandemics.

The Asian Development Bank on Thursday announced the approval of a new policy loan that extends contingency funds to immediately respond to natural hazards and public health emergencies which lead to a state of calamity.

This new contingent disaster financing instrument will help the government manage fiscal risks posed by those shocks and lessen the economic and social impacts on peoples livelihoods and the countrys economy," ADB Vice President Ahmed Saeed said in a statement, citing the country's tumultuous experience in terms of disasters.

The regional lender said the Philippines is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Among the most dangerous events were the 2013 typhoon Yolanda, the Taal Volcano eruption in January, and the recent string of strong earthquakes in various parts of the country. The Philippines has also been battling the COVID-19 pandemic for half a year now.

READ: ADB bats for sustained wage subsidies as SMEs run out of cash

ADB said such disasters cost up to one percent of gross domestic product. This translates to 133 billion in damage caused by typhoons and 43.5 billion from earthquakes each year.

The multilateral lender also pushed for the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience, which merges the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Office of Civil Defense which are in charge of emergency response.

The ADB earlier said it is ready to lend $4.2 billion (about 207 billion) to the Philippines this year, an all-time high to support coronavirus response measures.
Prime Minister on Wednesday had a telephonic conversation with Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during which the two leaders expressed their satisfaction at the state of bilateral relations between India and and committed to further strengthen cooperation in all areas.

Prime Minister Modi expressed appreciation for the leadership provided by during its ongoing presidency of the G20 grouping, according to a statement by the Prime Minister Office.

The two leaders exchanged views on the global challenges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Modi expressed his special thanks to King Salman for the support provided to Indian expatriates by the Saudi authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The two leaders expressed their satisfaction at the state of bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia, and committed to further strengthen cooperation in all areas. Prime Minister expressed his special thanks to King Salman for the support provided to Indian expatriates by the Saudi authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement read.

Prime Minister conveyed his warm good wishes for the good health and wellbeing of King Salman, other members of the Royal Family of and all citizens of the Kingdom.

Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the leadership provided by Saudi Arabia during its ongoing Presidency of the G20 grouping.

"The leaders agreed that the initiatives taken at the level of the G20 had helped in promoting a coordinated response to the pandemic. They also discussed the main priorities presently on the agenda of the G20," the statement read.
Rebalance logo We look forward to being able to offer a 401(k) solution that will help dental practice owners improve investment returns, reduce their investment risk, and lower investment fees up to 50%

Rebalance, a mission-driven investment firm committed to making premium financial management services affordable and accessible to everyday investors, has announced the formation of its inaugural dental advisory board. The Rebalance Dental Advisory Board will provide critical insights into the distinct retirement needs of the dental community, with the aim of dramatically improving 401(k) options for dentists and their practices.

We have formed the prestigious Rebalance Dental Advisory Board in order to leverage their industry knowledge and strategic guidance as we develop a best-of-breed 401(k) solution, designed especially for dental practice owners, said Rebalance Managing Director Scott Puritz. We know that dental practices are paying far too much in fees and taking on far too much risk with the 401(k) plans they are currently able to offer their employees. We look forward to being able to offer a 401(k) solution that will help dental practice owners improve investment returns, reduce their investment risk, and lower investment fees up to 50%.

For years, dental practice owners have had terrible options when it comes to the retirement plan benefits available for themselves and their employees, said Rebalance Dental Advisory Board Member Dr. Richard W. Valachovic, DMD. I look forward to working with Rebalance to develop a 401(k) program that not only reduces unnecessary fees, but is designed specifically for dental practice owners.

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Richard W. Valachovic, DMD, MPH. A cornerstone of the Rebalance Dental Advisory Board, Dr. Valachovic previously served as president and CEO of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), which represents the academic dental community in the United States and Canada.

Dr. Timothy Tremont, DMD, serves as the Department Chair of Orthodontics at the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and he lectures internationally on orthodontics and orthognathic surgery.

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Rebalances Investment Committee is anchored by three of the most respected experts in the finance world: Burt Malkiel, the world-renowned Senior Economist at Princeton University and author of, A Random Walk Down Wall Street; Dr. Charley Ellis, the former longtime chairman of the Yale University Endowment; and Jay Vivian, the former Managing Director of IBM's $100+ billion in retirement investment funds for more than 300,000 employees worldwide.

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Although the two primary symptoms of Covid-19 have been widely cited as a high temperature and a new, continuous cough, in March health officials said that loss of smell and taste could also be a lesser-known symptom.

On 18 May, it was announced that loss or changed sense of smell or taste were to be officially added to the NHS coronavirus symptoms list, weeks after experts first raised concerns that Covid-19 cases could be being missed.

In March, the British Association of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT UK) published a statement outlining that the symptoms had been found among a number of patients in the absence of other symptoms.

Professor Claire Hopkins, president of the British Rhinological Society, and Professor Nirmal Kumar, president of ENT UK, said in the joint statement that there had been a sudden rise in cases of isolated anosmia  total or partial smell loss  in the UK, US, France and northern Italy.

On 29 July scientists from Harvard medical school found the loss of smell doesn't seem to be permanent.

I think these patients may be some of the hitherto hidden carriers that have facilitated the rapid spread of Covid-19, the statement said. Unfortunately, these patients do not meet current criteria for testing or self isolation.

Several high-profile figures who were diagnosed with the coronavirus revealed they experienced loss of taste and smell as a result, including health minister Nadine Dorries and Dancing on Ice star Matt Evers.

A side effect of #coronavirus for me is the fact that I have lost [100 per cent] of taste and smell, Dorries tweeted on Thursday 19 March.

Absolutely zero of both, so weird. Eating and drinking warm or cold thats all I can tell. No point in putting a tea bag in the water.

So why are loss of smell and taste symptoms of the coronavirus?

In the joint statement released by Professor Hopkins and Professor Kumar online, it explained that there are a significant number of coronavirus patients in South Korea, China and Italy who have developed anosmia and hyposmia (reduced ability to smell and detect odours).

The release outlined that post-viral anosmia is one of the leading causes of loss of sense of smell in adults, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of cases.

Viruses that give rise to the common cold are well known to cause post-infectious loss, and over 200 different viruses are known to cause upper respiratory tract infections, the professors said.

Previously described coronaviruses are thought to account for 10 to 15 per cent of cases. It is therefore perhaps no surprise that the novel Covid-19 virus would also cause anosmia in infected patients.

Professor Carl Philpott, director of medical affairs and research at charity Fifth Sense, explains to The Independent that as common colds and viruses often cause initial congestion of the nose, this can lead to post-viral smell loss.

If you look at the tissue in detail under the microscope you see that the fine hair-like endings of the receptor cells have fallen off and therefore the cells are no longer able to pick up odour molecules from the nose, Professor Philpott says.

He adds, that Covid-19 appears to have a high concentration in the nose, and states that as the majority of anecdotal reports are showing people experiencing transient smell loss that lasts for around seven to 14 days, its probably more likely that the virus is causing some sort of inflammation in the olfactory nerves, rather than it causing any damage to the structure of the receptors.

The Washington DC-based Taste and Smell Clinic stressed that it is common to experience smell and taste loss after a viral-type infection.

During the acute phase of a viral cold a patient may experience nasal congestion and blockage caused by nasal obstruction, membrane edema and excess nasal secretions, the clinic explains on its website.

Recommended New symptom of coronavirus could be loss of taste and smell

This congestion may cause temporary loss of smell and taste but with recovery from the cold, over time, these nasal symptoms disappear, ease of nasal breathing is resumed and smell and taste function commonly reappear as they did prior to the onset of the viral cold.

The clinic adds that in approximately one per cent of cases, patients suffer a persistent loss of smell and taste.

The organisation states that the question as to why viral infections cause smell and taste loss is one that has caused much confusion for several years.

What we began to hypothesise was that after recovery, which eliminated the acute systemic viral attack, there was a residual and persistent viral process affecting the protein secreting glands in the nose and mouth which caused smell and taste loss, it said.

Although the dynamics of this viral process are still unknown its mechanism of action is critical to our understanding of how smell and taste loss occur after a viral illness.

Professor Philpott explains that the reason why people may think they are experiencing taste loss is actually because their sense of smell  which has a huge impact on their ability to detect flavour  has been impacted.

The loss of taste issue is really just down to language and concept. Because everyone does smelling and tasting together when you eat, most people dont separate the two mechanisms, the professor explains.

Salt, sweet, sour and bitter sensations are all detected on the tongue, which we dont think is really affected in this situation. People will think they cant taste because a large proportion of flavour is down to smell.

What should you do if you have experienced smell or taste loss?

Natalie Brookes, a consultant ENT surgeon and rhinologist and medical director at The Harley Street ENT Clinic, tells The Independent that the fact an increased number of otherwise healthy young people in their 20s are experiencing sudden loss of sense of smell is highly suggestive it can be associated with Covid-19.

We were in communication with ENT UK, our advisory body, who confirmed theyd had reports of this themselves and theyve put out advice that they think anosmia could be related to Covid, Ms Brookes stated. If I developed a sudden loss of sense of smell, with or without a mild upper respiratory type symptoms, I would definitely self-isolate at the moment.

On Monday 18 May, Englands deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said that anyone suffering loss of taste or smell or a noticeable change should self-isolate for seven days to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

If the symptomatic person lives with others, they should stay at home for seven days, while all other household members should stay home for 14 days even if they do not have symptoms.

Professor Van-Tam told reporters that the inclusion of this symptom would mean 93 per cent of cases where people have symptoms are now picked up, an increase from 91 per cent previously.

Recommended Loss of smell and taste now officially a coronavirus symptom

A major study recently conducted by Professor Spector found that people with a positive test result were three times more likely to report loss of smell and taste as a symptom than those who tested negative.

The World Health Organisation listed loss of smell and taste as less common symptoms several weeks ago, while other countries, including the US, have also added it as a symptom.

Fifth Sense, a charity that supports people affected by smell and taste loss, outlines measures people can take to try to alleviate their symptoms, which includes doing smell training.

Professor Philpott advises against the use of oral steroids to treat symptoms in the event of Covid-19 or a suspected infection, but says that nasal steroids are safe to use.

Theres a bit of concern about oral steroids because there is some suggestion they could exacerbate the underlying virus infections, so were telling people to avoid those for the moment, he says.

If you have any coronavirus symptoms, contact the online NHS 111 service and do not visit your GP or hospital.
The next space generation: inspiring 50,000 students (and counting) from India, Uganda, the Philippines and beyond

by Nikhitha C.

Nikhitha C. and Sujay Sreedhar (Co-Founders of SSERD) during the 1 st Astro Space Camp (2017)

Space captivates. Little else captures our imagination like dreams of walking on the Moon or of wandering the rocky red surface of Mars. In China, children aspire to be taikonauts more than anything else [1] , in the USA, the public believes continued leadership and innovation in space exploration is critical [2], and here in India at the headquarters of the Society for Space, Education, Research, and Development (SSERD) ( https://www.sserd.org/), I fondly remember the excitement I felt alongside my schoolmates when hearing stories of Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma and of the late astronaut Dr. Kalpana Chawla, who was the first woman of Indian origin to ever go into space. [3]

But there's a problem: how can an engineering student at university make the great leap needed for them to move from classwork to becoming a leader and innovator in the space sector? And, what about the even greater divide between dreams of space and the reality of sitting in underfunded schoolrooms in underprivileged communities from Bangalore to Mauritius, Baltimore to Moldova?

This dilemma is what led me to start (alongside co-founder Sujay Sreedhar) the nonprofit SSERD in 2016, while I was a university student. Our mission at SSERD is to elevate, educate, and empower young people across the world so that they may pursue their dreams of space in tangible and meaningful ways. Sujay and I remember all too well what it was like to have no idea that a career in space was possible. Our dream is to help students and young people across the world become the next space generation - and to help India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Mexico, and any country across the world prepare their talented youth to be leaders on this planet and beyond.

One of our 800+ active volunteers teaches in Rajasthan as part of our World Space Week Program

Our Programs and Impact

Of course, space camps such as those designed after ESA and NASA astronaut training programs and held in Europe and the USA would be a dream come true for students from all over the world. But for most students across India, Asia, and Africa, such distant and expensive camps are inaccessible. This is why one of our first offerings as an NGO was our "Astro Space Camp." The first four-day camp was held in 2017 and brought over 100 students from all over India into immersive, daily contact and conversation with astrophysicists (including scientists from the India Space Research Organization, ISRO), professors, museum administrators, and more. Within our first two years as an organization, we were able to visit five cities, more than 20 institutions, and most importantly, deliver space programing to over 6,000 students in India.

Hands-on education through the SSERD programmes

However, we knew we wanted to help students with dreams of space also beyond India. We first made SSERD international at the 4 th Asia-Pacific Space Generation Workshop, hosted in November 2017 by the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) ( https://spacegeneration.org/). We were again invited to share our space education and outreach work at SGAC's 2 nd African Space Generation Workshop, held in Mauritius in December 2018. At this event, SSERD led 20 delegates from across the African continent in a discussion on science and STEM outreach, after which we became advisors and mentors to these participants as they themselves work to bring space science and STEM to youth across Africa.

We were invited to advise delegates from across Africa during the 2 nd African Space Generation Workshop in Mauritius (2018)

This was quickly followed by workshops at the Institute of Astronomy in Sri Lanka in January 2019, where we focused on teaching space technology to students. We've received recognition for our work from a variety of organisations, including the NGO Champion Award from Youth for Seva, the Kalpana Chawla Scholarship that I received from the International Space University (ISU), and the Karnataka Women Achievers Awards (KWAA). We have received appreciation from ISRO, from many wonderful startups in the New Space India community, and from the governments of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Telangana, and have also received extensive media coverage.

Receiving an award for the work of SSERD

But above all, we are most proud of the students whose lives and careers benefited from our work. We have now interacted with over 50,000 students from across the world through our programs, including our space camp, space treks, lectures and talks, stargazing meet-ups, World Space Week and National Science Day activities, workshops, career guidance, classes, hands-on research projects, internships, and more - all to empower and equip the next generation of space scientists, educators, and leaders.

Students of the Akshaya Patra Foundation

It is also important that our programing and our curriculum emphasizes hands-on, applied, practical experiences - beyond what you might find in the classroom or in a textbook. For example, right now we have over 800 active volunteers running programs from rocket-building workshops to coding programs to space-based art - and that's just here in India. Our curriculum encourages development of technical and soft skills spanning topics including aeronautics, aviation, satellite and rocket technology, space robotics, life in space, astrophysics, space law and policy, space medicine, space-based art and storytelling, and entrepreneurship and innovation. There are many unique milestones I am especially proud of. Some time ago, a student named Ashley attended one of SSERD's programs remotely from her home in the Philippines. Ashley has gone on to start the Philippines chapter of SSERD, which has over 300 active members.

Some of our SSERD Philippines team members with Sujay during the 2 nd Astro Space Camp in Cebu City, Philippines (2019)

We place a strong emphasis on empowering those from marginalized and underrepresented demographics. Recently, we delivered our space curriculum to some 360 underprivileged students from nine government schools in Bangalore and Hyderabad in collaboration with - and thanks to funding from - The Akshaya Patra Foundation. We also focus on empowering girls and women, who are still very underrepresented in the space sector and in STEM.[4] [5] This is even more of a problem here in India, and in other countries where girls and women are expected to stick to traditional gender roles and discouraged from pursuing an advanced education. To help fight this problem, and to empower girls and women like me, I launched our SSERD program "Girls & Women in Space & Astronomy," with our first program attended by 200 girls and featuring speakers who are highly-accomplished women in space and astrophysics. With Unherd, we now run the "GirlsInSTEM" aerospace mentorship program, where girls and women are empowered to become high achievers in the space industry. A recent highlight is that our students were part of the team that discovered a new asteroid through their work with the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC).

Some members of the first cohort of our GirlsInSTEM aerospace mentorship program

There is nothing as inspiring to me as seeing students like you and me - as well as amazingly accomplished scientists, leaders, entrepreneurs, astronauts, and mentors - use the skills we teach at SSERD to make a difference in the space industry.

How You Can Join Us

COVID-19 has of course brought difficulties across the world, including for students and young professionals who face heightened challenges to starting their careers. Because of this, we created Space Shaala as a platform to bring all of our programing and offerings in the virtual realm, and are also planning a future of offering space scholarships and even a "Space School" here in India for space enthusiasts from around the world. In the past few months, we've already connected with several thousand students via our new virtual platform, and have brought on over 250 virtually-connected interns to tackle exciting research projects and continue their professional advancement and learning despite the pandemic.

I encourage you to join us here at SSERD to continue or begin your own space journey! You can learn and contribute by connecting through our website and social media links below - no matter where you are or what your background is, we want you to join in the excitement of space and to equip you with the experience you need to be a future space leader. Because we are the next space generation.

Thank you for reading, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Nikhitha C, CEO and Co-Founder of SSERD, www.sserd.org

www.nikhithac.com

Sujay and Nikhitha with students

Thanks to SSERD Chairman and Co-Founder Sujay Sreedhar ( www.sujaysreedhar.com) and SSERD Advisory Board Member Zachary Burton (PhD Candidate at Stanford University; Researcher at NASA and The SETI Institute) for input on this story.

Connect:

Website: www.sserd.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sserd

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sserd_org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sserd.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sserd_org/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/sserd

Connect with Nikhitha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhitha-c/

Connect with Sujay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujaysreedhar/

References:

[1] Paige Leskin (17 July 2019), "American kids want to be famous on YouTube, and kids in China want to go to space: survey." Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/american-kids-youtube-star-astronauts-survey-2019-7

[2] Science & Society Team (6 June 2018), "Majority of Americans Believe It Is Essential That the U.S. Remain a Global Leader in Space." Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2018/06/06/majority-of-americans-believe-it-is-essential-that-the-u-s-remain-a-global-leader-in-space/

[3] Nola Taylor Redd (20 December 2017), "Kalpana Chawla: Biography & Columbia Disaster." Space.com: https://www.space.com/17056-kalpana-chawla-biography.html

[4] Alice Gorman (15 June 2020), "Almost 90% of astronauts have been men. But the future of space may be female." The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/almost-90-of-astronauts-have-been-men-but-the-future-of-space-may-be-female-125644

[5] Christian Davenport (26 November 2019), "At NASA, 2019 was the year of the woman, yet women still are a big minority at the space agency." The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/11/26/nasa-was-year-woman-yet-women-still-are-big-minority-space-agency/
Challenges to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers use of emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic were argued for nearly four hours in the Michigan Supreme Court Wednesday in a debate that could have implications for both the administrations immediate handling of the coronavirus and executive authority in future states of emergency.

Attorneys for the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation and the Republican-led Michigan legislature told the court Wednesday Whitmer overstepped constitutional bounds when she continued issuing executive orders after the legislature let the initial state of emergency expire on April 30 without approval.

Justices are considering legal questions from U.S. District Court Judge Paul Maloney in a federal case from the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation on behalf of West Michigan medical providers and a patient who argued Whitmer orders blocking non-essential medical services and other activity after April 30 were unconstitutional.

Maloney asked for input from the state courts on whether Whitmer has the authority after April 30 to renew any executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether Michigans state of emergency laws are constitutional.

Related: Michigan Supreme Court will take up federal questions about Whitmers emergency authority

Related: Michigan court sides with Whitmer in fight over coronavirus emergency powers

At the root of the case are discrepancies between two different laws granting the governor emergency authority. A 1976 law includes a stipulation that the legislature approves states of emergency after 28 days, while a 1945 law doesnt set a time limit  although the 1945 law doesnt specifically reference pandemics.

A time limit is essential, attorney Amy Murphy told the court, because it ensures that the executive consults with the legislature, and it protects the people from misuse of the delegated power.

Deputy Solicitor General Eric Restuccia, representing the Whitmer administration, argued the court need not answer the question at all, as the orders referenced in the federal suit have since been rescinded.

Putting a time limit on how long an emergency can go without legislative approval would curtail a governors ability to respond should the emergency prevent the legislature from meeting during that time frame, he said, adding that the ongoing nature of the coronavirus state of emergency in Michigan is in line with every other state in the country.

The 1945 law does have a durational limit, and that is the emergency, he said, arguing that lawmakers already have recourse to challenge the governor legislatively.

Throughout the hearing, Justice David Viviano questioned whether the 1945 law was ever intended to deal with a public health crisis, as epidemics are not specifically referenced in the law. He asked Restuccia at one point: Do you think the legislature was smart enough in 1945 to know what an epidemic was?

Other justices questioned whether the long-term nature of the coronavirus and the governors economic reentry plan constituted a departure from immediate emergency needs.

In a similar case filed by the Republican-majority Michigan legislature, the Whitmer administrations arguments won out in the Court of Appeals and Court of Claims. That case is still pending.

Wednesdays arguments were conducted virtually via Zoom, and more than 2,300 people were tuned in at the close of the hearing, which lasted nearly four hours.

Related:

Health care groups sue governor, claim Michigan coronavirus curve flattened and call emergency orders unconstitutional

Michigan Supreme Court wont fast-track Republican lawsuit against Whitmer
Integrating the right people, technologies and legislation is critical for the future of the defence and aerospace sectors, industry leaders noted while discussing the challenges and opportunities brought by rapid advances in technology at the Global Aerospace Summit 2020 webinar held in collaboration with the Defense Services Marketing Council.

Highlighting the need for continual investment in talent, systems and policies in order to ease and stimulate future advancement, the sector specialists also analysed how people, processes and systems intertwine across the aerospace and defence industries both in the Middle East region and globally.

Matthew Cochran, Chairman and CEO, Defense Services Marketing Council, who moderated the session put forward to the panel a range of questions, which focused on the importance of localisation, development of intellectual property (IP) and how future talent can utilise modern solutions to build careers within the defence sector.

Matar Ali Al Romaithi, Chief Economic Development Officer, Tawazun opened the webinar by outlining how the UAE continues to look at investment in technology very closely. He highlighted three key pillars within the UAEs strategy; the investment of people and resources, the need for organisational structures and processes (including legislation) to be in place, and finally ensuring that the appropriate technologies and systems are procured and implemented.

He commented: The UAE is advanced in terms of educating its people and having the right systems, legislations and technologies in place to be competitive. For example, Artificial Intelligence has become a key part of future thinking, and that is why we have a Minister dedicated to that sector. Also, the UAE made early advances into manufacturing, and this was critical in ensuring that we developed the defence industry into what it is today.

Al Romaithi spoke about the fact that years ago there was a link missing between the industry, academia and government directions. Through specific and strategic changes in policy he believes that this gap was successfully addressed and this enabled international and local organisations to equip nationals with the right expertise and move the UAE industry forward. A good example of this is the Sustained Enhanced Emiratization in Defence and Security programme (SEEDS) by Tawazun. This program is a demonstration of Tawazuns commitment to developing people skills, knowledge and capabilities that will achieve the ambitious objectives and needs of the UAE.

Robert S. Harward, Lockheed Martins chief executive for the Middle East began by explaining how the UAE has set the pace in terms of technology adoption in the region through proactive and focused development in the area. He emphasised how technology is enabling defence entities to optimize every level of their operations at a rapid rate, to help enhance the industrial base and create high economic value and strategic benefits for the UAE.

Harward underlined the importance of developing IP for localisation and discussed how his company is investing to support human capital development in the region to help the local workforce gain new skills and capabilities. He added that successful technology integration is essential - from the development stage to procurement to implementation - and that this has significantly helped the progress of the defence sector in the region and across the globe.

Harward commented: Technologies such as AI and UAVs have become increasingly important for the future of defence. Building the IP within the UAE will be achieved by motivating, challenging and supporting young talent so that they can have long careers that support the goals of the country.

He described the challenge of capacity in ensuring that bright and talented graduates are attracted to the right careers within the defence and aerospace industries. Harward explained that there is a limited talent pool in some cases, and that graduating engineers and scientists need the right opportunities to pursue fruitful careers within the defence and aerospace sectors.

Jay Little, Vice President, Collins Aerospace described how his business is 75% commercial which enables them to invest in areas such as MRO on the defence side. He added that they are investing in communication across different platforms and the security that goes with it. Being able to export these solutions will be critical he explained.

Alan Davis, Chief Executive, Raytheon Emirates spoke about how the challenges and obstacles brought by COVID-19 are driving creativity and innovation. He mentioned the UAE Hope Probe Mars mission is a remarkable example of continued success even during the pandemic. Development and advancement of technology for security and space will be essential for the future of the sector he said.

The webinar was held as part of a series of virtual events focused on a range of topics, which will form part of the virtual programme for the Global Aerospace Summit 2020 on 28th and 29th September. The international thought leadership forum will be hosted by Mubadala Investment Company and EDGE and is being organised by Streamline Marketing Group and Tarsus F&E. -TradeArabia News Service
Kent Memorial Library will hold a book talk with resident John Milnes Baker Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

Baker will discuss The Case for Edward de Vere as the real William Shakespeare.

Whether William Shakespeare was or was not the author we all studied in high school has been the subject of great debate for generations.

This talk is simply an elementary introduction to what is surprisingly a heated - and at times even an acrimonious debate, Baker said.

Here are some comments about The Case for Edward de Vere as the real William Shakespeare:

When he (John) invited me to attend the Shakespeare Oxford Centennial Symposium in Washington DC, I was skeptical but went along out of family loyalty, said Bakers cousin, Annie Finch. Even with a Ph.D in literature, I had never had any reason to consider seriously the question of whether deVere wrote the works we know as Shakespeare's. But I saw enough at the symposium to become intrigued by the question and impressed by the level of scholarship being carried out by a number of Oxfordians.

This book is a useful summary of some of the main biographical arguments for the case in an accessible format suitable for children or the general adult reader, Finch said.

This booklet is an excellent introduction to the evidence for Edward de Vere as the author of the Shakespeare canon, said reader Bonner Miller Cutting. There is a lot to know about de Vere: his early childhood education, his travels in Italy, his later life including the annual 1,000 pound annuity given to him by Queen Elizabeth. Baker presents the facts in a fluent narrative that is easily accessible to people who are new to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.

Baker is an award-winning architect who specializes in residential design, including new homes, alterations and additions, and historic preservation.

He was a 2018 recipient of Marquis Whos Who Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award as a leader in the field of architecture.

The Connecticut Chapter of the AIA and The Fairfield Museum History Center cosponsored Bakers two-part program on the History of the American House in the spring of 2019.

Baker is the author of American House Styles: a Concise Guide, originally published by W.W. Norton & Co. in 1994. A new expanded edition was published in July 2018. He is also the author of How to Build a House with an Architect, published in 1988 by Harper & Row.

As an adjunct professor, he taught courses on the History of the American House at The New School in New York City.

A fine arts graduate of Middlebury College, Baker earned a masters degree in architecture from Columbia University.

A member of the American Institute of Architects, he is registered with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards in Washington, D.C. and is licensed in several states.

Baker is also a member of the Society of Architectural Historians and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

He served for over 20 years as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

A long-time member of the Katonah Historic District Advisory Commission when he lived in Bedford N.Y., he also served on the Bedford Historic Building Preservation Commission.

After moving to South Kent, CT in 2005, he was asked to stay on the preservation commission as a paid consultant.

A former member of Kent Affordable Housing, Baker also served on the Kent Architectural Review Board for several years from its inception.

For more information and to RSVP, visit www.kentmemoriallibrary.org.
This article by David Roza originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues.

The Tennessee Air National Guard identified three of its members who were killed in a plane crash Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Shelli Huether, Capt. Jessica Wright and Senior Master Sgt. Scott Bumpus -- all members of the 118th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group -- were killed when the small aircraft they were flying in crashed in McMinnville, Tennessee, the 118th Wing wrote in a statement Wednesday.

"Words can not begin to explain the shock, grief, pain and dismay we feel having lost three remarkable members of our Guard family," said Col. Todd Wiles, commander of the 118th Wing. "All three were dedicated to the service of our nation. Their families are in our hearts and our prayers."

The Associated Press reported that the airmen had just taken off from Warren County Memorial Airport in a single-engine Piper PA-28 airplane when the aircraft crashed nearby.

A witness told investigators that the plane appeared to be trying to return to the airport when it crashed, the AP reported.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.

According to the official statement, Huether was director of operations for the 118th Intelligence Support Squadron; Wright was assistant director of operations for the 118th ISS; and Bumpus was chief of current operations for the 236th Intelligence Squadron.

A unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, the 118th Wing is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper, a remotely-piloted aircraft that can provide close-air support, interdiction and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

"Our hearts are breaking today," the 118th Wing wrote on Facebook. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families during this very difficult time."

Tuesday's crash is the latest in a long series of military aviation mishaps and crashes that took place this summer. On Sept. 3, a Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was forced to make a precautionary emergency landing after catching fire mid-flight over North Carolina.

In August, two Army special operations soldiers, Staff Sgt. Vincent P. Marketta and Sgt. Tyler M. Shelton, were killed when the Black Hawk helicopter they were flying in crashed during a training mission over San Clemente Island, California.

In June, a Navy F/A-18 F Super Hornet crashed into the Philippine Sea. The two aviators aboard ejected and were rescued.

Meanwhile, the Air Force suffered seven mishaps from May to July, two of which were fatal.

First Lt. David Schmitz was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed during a June 30 training flight near Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; and 1st Lt. Kenneth Allen died when his F-15C Eagle went down in the North Sea on June 15.

-- This article originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter.

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The Belarus opposition leader, who was snatched by masked men on Monday and nearly deported, is being questioned by police after being abducted on Monday.

Maria Kolesnikova said security officers threatened to kill her when they tried to forcibly deport her to Ukraine according to a complaint filed by her lawyer.

She is being held in Minsk prison as part of a national security probe and said she 'genuinely feared for her life during the failed deportation attempt'.

In a statement she said that she was told if she did not leave Belarus voluntarily she'd 'be taken out anyway, alive or in bits' according to Reuters.

Officers 'put a bag over her head' when they tried to deport her and there were threats to imprisoner her for 'up to 25 years' she said.

The 38-year-old was driven to the border in the dead of night but she tore up her passport to foil authorities trying to deport her to Ukraine.

Opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, who was snatched on Monday and nearly deported, is being held in Mink prison and has been 'threatened with physical violence'

She has now returned to the capital Minsk and is being held in a pre-trial detention centre amid the ruthless crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko.

Her lawyer Lyudmila Kozak described the allegations as an 'absurd' attempt to silence those who think differently according to Spiegel.

Ms Kozak said she was also 'threatened with physical violence after her abduction by masked people in Minsk' and was 'bruised from the violent action'.

She said: 'Maria feels good and brave despite the stress she has experienced in the past two days.'

If Ms Kolesnikova is convicted, she could spend up to five years in prison.

Solidarity rallies took place in Minsk on Wednesday, during which people demanded her release.

Fellow opposition politician Maxim Znak is the latest government critic to be snatched from his office by masked men wearing plain clothes.

He has been detained alongside Kolesnikova, authorities have confirmed.

Maxim Znak has been taken from his office by masked men wearing plain clothes, his allies have claimed

The country's Investigative Committee, which probes major crime, said in a statement that the two were being held as a probe continued into 'calls urging action aimed at harming national security'.

Znak, a former lawyer, 39, was one of the last remaining members of the country's opposition Coordination Council still at large.

Mass protests against Lukashenko have rocked his government since a disputed election on August 9.

But on Wednesday, he did not rule out calling early elections but said it was too soon to set a date amid the ugly scenes.

Znak, who previously worked as a lawyer for jailed presidential hopeful Viktor Babaryko, had been due to participate in a video call on Wednesday but did not show up, instead sending the word 'masks' to the group.

A witness reported seeing Znak being led down the street near his offices by several men in civilian clothes and wearing masks and he has since been detained.

Znak's lawyer was cited as saying that his client's flat was also being searched by the state investigative committee and that he was subject to legal proceedings.

Znak was the last member of the Coordination Council still active inside Belarus, other than Nobel prize-winning author Svetlana Alexievich, who has acted as a figurehead for the movement.

President Alexander Lukashenko's ruthless crackdown continues against members of the opposition's Coordination Council

All the rest have fled or been forced abroad or been detained in a crackdown by Lukashenko's security forces as he seeks to maintain his 26-year grip on power in the former Soviet republic.

Unprecedented demonstrations broke out after Lukashenko claimed to have defeated political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and won re-election with 80 percent of the vote in the August 9 ballot.

In an interview with Russian state media broadcast on Wednesday, Lukashenko said: 'I am inclined to conduct an early presidential election. I do not rule this out.

'I am saying this for the first time,' he noted.

The opposition has urged Lukashenko to acknowledge defeat and step down so that fresh elections can be held according to international standards.

On Saturday night, Olga Kovalkova, an activist and confidant of opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, was ejected from the country by security forces.

She said agents of the Belarusian State Security Committee, or KGB, put her into a car, where she was told to lie on the floor, unaware where they were taking her.

On Saturday night, Olga Kovalkova (pictured), an activist and confidant of opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, was ejected from the country by security forces

She was dropped off in no-man's land between the Belarus and Poland border, and Polish border guards asked a bus driver headed for Poland to take her on board.

The Coordination Council said: 'On the night of September 5, the Belarusian special services took Olga Kovalkova, a confidant of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, to the Belarusian-Polish border and released her to a no-man's land.'

She had been offered the choice of leaving the country or remaining behind bars with further prison terms.

On Monday, Kolesnikova was detained in the capital of Minsk along with two other council members.

They were driven early on Tuesday morning to the border, where authorities told them to cross into Ukraine.

When they arrived in a no-man's land between the countries, Kolesnikova ripped her passport into small pieces to make it impossible for the authorities to expel her. She remained in custody on the Belarusian side of the border after the incident.

Border police said that Kolesnikova was arrested at a crossing between Belarus and Ukraine (the approximate journey is shown on a map)

Two other council members who crossed into Ukraine, Ivan Kravtsov and Anton Rodnenkov, described Kolesnikova's action with open admiration.

'She was shouting that she won't go anywhere,' Rodnenkov said at a news conference in Kyiv.

'Sitting in the car, she saw her passport on a front seat and tore it into many small fragments, crumpled them and threw them out of the window. After that, she opened the back door and walked back to the Belarusian border.'

He said that 'Maria is in great shape, full of energy and spirits, as always.'

Anton Bychkovsky, spokesman for Belarus' Border Guard Committee, confirmed she is in the custody of Belarusian authorities but refused to give any details of what happened on the border.

Border police made the extraordinary claim that Kolesnikova was 'pushed out' of a speeding BMW as it raced to escape the guards.

Kolesnikova (right) backed Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (left) who rejected Lukashenko's claim to have won the August 9 election

State investigators were also searching the headquarters of jailed opposition politician Viktor Babariko, a witness in Minsk said.

The Coordination Council was set up to ensure a peaceful transfer of power after main opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya rejected Lukashenko's claim to have been re-elected to a sixth term in the August election.

The disputed election has sparked the biggest anti-government demonstrations of Lukashenko's 26-year rule, with tens of thousands taking to the streets for weeks to demand he resign.

Lukashenko's security services have hit back with waves of arrests, deadly violence against protesters and a campaign of intimidation and expulsion against opposition leaders.

The 66-year-old former state farm director has rejected criticism from the United States and the European Union, which said the election was neither free nor fair and shrugged off their demands to open a dialogue with the opposition.

In Washington, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement the US and its allies are considering additional sanctions targeted at Belarus, and he expressed concern about the attempt expulsion of Kalesnikava.

The disputed election has led to mass protests in Minsk, pictured here on Sunday with people waving opposition flags

'We commend the courage of Ms. Kolesnikova and of the Belarusian people in peacefully asserting their right to pick their leaders in free and fair elections in the face of unjustified violence and repression by the Belarusian authorities, which included brazen beatings of peaceful marchers in broad daylight and hundreds of detentions September 6, as well as increasing reports of abductions,' Pompeo said.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opposition challenger to Lukashenko, left for Lithuania a day after the election under pressure from authorities.

Addressing the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly on Tuesday, Tsikhanuskaya called for international sanctions against Lukashenko and other government officials.

'We need international pressure on this regime, on this one individual, desperately clinging onto power,' she said.

Tsikhanouskaya stated that Lukashenko doesn't have any legitimacy after stealing the vote, warning other countries against deals with the Belarusian government.

'He does not represent Belarus anymore,' she said.

In separate comments about the attempt to expel Kolesnikova, Tsikhanouskaya praised her as a 'real hero,' and said that 'such actions are incapable of breaking the will of the people or their desire to change their country's future.'

Kolesnikova, a 38-year-old flute player who led a popular arts center, entered politics just before the election. She led the campaign headquarters of a top potential challenger to Lukashenko, and when he was barred from running and jailed on charges widely seen as political, she joined Tsikhanouskaya's campaign.

Despite the pressure on opposition activists, daily protests have continued and crowds have swelled on the weekends. An estimated 100,000 attended a rally Sunday, despite heavy rain.

Speaking in an interview, Lukashenko said it's 'tragic' for him to face massive protests, but insisted that he has retained the support of most of the country.

Lukashenko (pictured in Minsk last week) is facing the biggest challenge to his rule since taking power in the ex-Soviet republic in 1994

Speaking on Russian state media outlet Russia-24, Lukashenko was quoted by one of the journalists present as saying: 'I may have stayed [in power] a little too long.

'But only I can really protect Belarusians now.'

Another reported that the President said: 'I'm not gonna leave just like that. I've built up Belarus for a quarter-century, I won't just give it up. Besides, if I leave, my supporters will be slaughtered.'

'You know what we have come to with the establishment and leadership? If Belarus falls today, Russia will be next,' Lukashenko added.

Amid Western criticism, Lukashenko has relied on support from Moscow, his main sponsor and ally.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he stands ready to send police to Belarus on Lukashenko's request if rallies turn violent but there is no need for that yet.

It comes as Belarus's leading opposition figure Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Wednesday called on Russians not to believe propaganda trying to 'poison' ties between the two peoples and thanked those backing Belarusians' 'fight for freedom'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he stands ready to send police to Belarus on Lukashenko's request if rallies turn violent

Tikhanovskaya's first major address to Russians came after President Alexander Lukashenko gave a wide-ranging interview to a group of journalists from Russian state media on Tuesday.

'It is very important not to damage ties between the two countries,' 37-year-old Tikhanovskaya said in the video address from EU member Lithuania, where she has taken shelter after being forced out of the country.

'Let's not allow propaganda to poison ties between two friendly peoples, and unscrupulous politicians to damage the interests of both Belarus and Russia,' she said.

She said that a month-long protest movement in Belarus was not aimed at Russia and thanked independent Russian journalists for coverage of the demonstrations.

'We... are very grateful to the Russians who support the Belarusian people's fight for freedom,' she said.

Unprecedented demonstrations broke out in Belarus after Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet state for 26 years, claimed to have defeated Tikhanovskaya and won re-election with 80 percent of the vote on August 9.

Lukashenko has refused to quit and his security forces have detained thousands of protesters, many of whom accused police of beatings and torture.

Several people have died during the crackdown.

No date has been set, but Lukashenko is preparing to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin quickly congratulated Lukashenko on his victory last month and has offered Russia's support.

Lukashenko gave the interview to Russian journalists including Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Kremlin-controlled channel RT, in which he warned that if his government falls, 'Russia will be next'.

Anti-Kremlin placards could be seen at a huge protest march that took place in Minsk on Sunday.
BLACK WOMEN LEADERS RESPOND TO TRUMP AND THE GOP IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION TO BLACK AMERICA: WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE?

Dear President Trump:

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Our consortium of Black women leaders has disrupted the status quo of this election cycle and of society. This week, we have been reminded of the question you asked Black people during the 2016 election: What do you have to lose? Our answer, evidenced by increasingly poor economic outcomes, high racial tensions and hate incidents, the coronavirus, and an overall lack of dignity and respect in the White House, is a lot. And for Black women in particular, its too much.

The RNCs sycophantic rhetoric was intended to repeatedly and delusionally paint a picture of Black life in America that is better off now than it was before the Trump Administration. Your representatives and supporters went so far as to suggest that we have more jobs than ever, that wealth is attainable for all, that if only we work hard we can achieve the American dream. They suggested that Black people ought to be content with the benefits the Trump Administration has carved out for us, and blatantly stated that Black people who support you and your achievement of a greater America, are free-thinking, while those who challenge this ill-founded, factless rhetoric, are brainwashed.

To add even more insult to injury, the RNC also had a parade of complicit elected officials, members of the Trump family, clergy, and gunfire-threatening-homeowners, promise certain Americans safe suburbs, fewer needy immigrants, and a restoration of traditional values.

We can assure all those reading this, we are not brainwashed. We can hear your dog whistles, and it is time to set the record straight.

According to the State of Black America, the seminal annual report distributed by the National Urban League, which measures racial equality in America across topics like economics, and health, the overall experience of Black people in America has not improved since you have taken office. In fact, Black households still earn 41% less than White households. Over 60% of the Black population lives below the poverty line. As for jobs, our unemployment rate is still double that of our White counterparts. An Associated Press fact check says that the most progress to Black unemployment occurred in 2010 under the Obama administration, when Black unemployment was at a record low of 7.8%. On your watch, in May 2020, Black unemployment was 16.8%. A recent report by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that 41% of Black-owned businesses were shuttered in April 2020.

Our lives are in constant threat under your Administration. If you are Black in America, you are three times more likely to be shot by the police. In these recent months, as we have faced the deaths of too many Black people, including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the attempted murder of Jacob Blake, you have shown no empathy for these lives lost or destroyed.

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Instead of acting to end police violence, you promise to increase law and order. Your Administration ignores the call for real police reform and claims there is no systemic racism in policing. Instead of race-baiting and fear mongering, you should be pushing Mitch McConnell to move on the Justice in Policing Act to help protect Black and Brown lives. And as the nation calls for #JusticeForBreonna, you mock us by giving Daniel Cameron, the Kentucky Attorney General and the man with the authority to bring justice for Breonna  but has completely failed  a national spotlight to campaign for your re-election.

The coronavirus, shockingly, almost entirely unmentioned during the RNC, continues to disproportionately rip through our communities  we are dying at two and three times our population share. Black people make up a disproportionate amount of the 180,000 lives lost to this pandemic and you could have prevented many of these deaths. Not to mention, Black women, who were essentially erased at the RNC, face many great risks: we lag behind in life expectancy, and maternal and infant mortality.

And speaking of Black women, you and the GOP cant seem to refrain from racist, sexist, and defamatory tropes aimed at any of us who dare to oppose your policies and who call on you to do better for America. Just as you attacked Senator Kamala Harris, only hours after her announcement as the Democratic nominee for Vice President. Weve seen that playbook before. And if you cannot help yourself, know that we will not allow disparaging comments against our sister or any other Black woman elected or running for office to go unchecked.

As we commemorate the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington, our struggle for freedom, jobs, justice, equality and the opportunity to breathe continues. But despite the setbacks weve endured during the Trump Administration, we will not be silent or stand by as you continue to lie and mislead the American people. We call on voters, no matter their background, to join us in setting the record straight and to reject your distracting antics, lies and attacks. We call on you and the GOP to focus on the crises afflicting the American people and not to insult every American with petty diversions, outright lies, and by sweeping problems under the rug. We call on voters to stand in solidarity with Black women and reject your derogatory sexist, racist rhetoric aimed at undermining our credibility, our character, and our achievements. In return, we vow to continue to uplift the issues most important to our families and our communities, keep our eyes and ears open, and to work to restore what is true, just, and decent to this election and to this monumental time in history. Because it matters  for each and every one of us.

Sincerely,

Concerned Black Women Leaders

Click here to see the list of over one thousand influential Black women
A new print edition of the AZERNEWS online newspaper was released on September 10.

The new edition includes articles: New overhead pedestrian crossing inaugurated in capital; Withdrawal of Armenian troops prerequisite for regional peace; Turkic Council affirms support over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; Nagorno-Karabakhs Azerbaijani Community: Armenia pursues policy of annexation and etc.

AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

The online newspaper is available at www.azernews.az.
We had to go through infertility treatment to even become pregnant, so its about celebrating every step of your babys life and even the fact that we made it this far, she said. We wont be having any more, so this was our only chance, thats why were trying to celebrate as much as we can.

Even for those who havent struggled to conceive, a baby is a worthy cause for celebration and a gender-reveal party is a great excuse to get family and friends together, especially during such a brutal year.

My whole family is literally all girls. The last boy we had was 25 years ago, it was my older brother, said Morgan Neal, 22, who hosted an outdoor gender-reveal party at her home in West Virginia on Saturday with close family. She said the party was a way to emotionally and mentally prepare for the birth of her first child. Pregnancy is a big deal to people, especially around here, she said. Its a way to celebrate being pregnant and bringing life into the world.

Anne Helen Petersen, the author of Cant Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation, said that gender-reveal parties, especially during these times, feel like an attempt to grasp some sense of normalcy.

In the pandemic, people in this moment are like, This sucks, I cant go to baby yoga classes, I cant have all these pregnancy milestones I thought would happen, but I can still have this crazy gender-reveal thing, she said. Its almost an act of desperation to cling to some of those expectations.

But before going all out on blue and pink cake, balloons, or confetti, consider a gender-neutral baby celebration. Theyre becoming more popular.
Chris Smalling is training on his own at Manchester United today as the club negotiate his departure with Roma.

The 30-year old was absent from United training on Tuesday and Wednesday as he held discussions over his future with the Italians pressing for him to return after his successful loan in Serie A last season.

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has left the door open for Smalling but it has been clear that he is not considered first option to partner Harry Maguire despite the former Fulham defenders form over the past 12 months earning rave reviews.

Chris Smalling missed Manchester United's training on Tuesday and Wednesday then trained away from the squad on Thursday

Romas pursuit has been an ongoing saga as they try to sign Smalling with a very limited budget.

United have an array of centre backs but Solskjaer still wants a better one to play alongside captain Maguire.

Dayot Upamecano has been discussed but Red Bull Leipzig insist he will stay for another season.

Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are injured while Victor Lindelof was left out of Swedens midweek international due to fatigue. Solskjaer has Eric Bailly too while Marcos Rojo has returned from his loan in Argentina.

Smalling wants to play regular football and the decision now rests with United if they can reach a suitable accord with Roma.

The 30-year-old's agent is negotiating terms for a permanent move Roma this summer
The officer said that opposition groups were too distracted by their internal disputes to launch any offensive. North Press reports

Aram Hana, an official in the Syriac Military Council branch of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), denied rumors about a Turkish-backed opposition invasion of northeastern Syria.

In a special statement to North Press, Hana said that opposition media propaganda aims to distract from intra-opposition disputes, pointing out that Turkish-backed Syrian opposition groups continue to engage in clashes with each other over the distribution of looted and stolen property in Sere Kaniye and the countryside of Tel Tamr.

Turkish-backed opposition groups cannot start a new military operation amid their disputes over spoils of war, according to Hana.

Recently, opposition accounts and sites have published videos showing Turkish-backed opposition groups discussing a new attack on SDF-held areas, without mentioning its time and place.

The Syriac official further added, recently, we have noticed the arrival of new defensive reinforcements, not offensive ones, to the opposition frontlines.

Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF Media Office, said that they are committed to the two ceasefire agreements that Turkey signed with both Russia and the US after the 2019 Turkish invasion of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ayn) and Tel Abyad (Gre-Spi).

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
European commissioner for energy union Maros Sefcovic said the plan could save some 40 billion euros a year (AP)

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic called on the UK government to withdraw measures from a Bill that override Boris Johnsons Brexit deal by the end of the month, the EU has said.

He said that violating the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law and jeopardise trade deal talks, according to an EU statement.

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He told Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove in no uncertain terms that the timely and full implementation of the divorce deal is a legal obligation.

Violating the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law, undermine trust and put at risk the ongoing future relationship negotiations, the statement said.

The EU did not accept the argument that the UK Internal Market Bill was needed to protect the Good Friday Agreement.

In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite, the statement said.

Vice-president Maros Sefcovic called on the UK Government to withdraw these measures from the draft Bill in the shortest time possible and in any case by the end of the month.

He stated that by putting forward this Bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK. It is now up to the UK Government to re-establish that trust.
The proxy war between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Sushant Singh Rajput probe has widened the rift between the former allies-turned-foes, diminishing scope for reconciliation in Maharashtra in the future.

The BJPs shadow attack on Sena scion and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray in the case and now Centres backing of actor Kangana Ranaut has rankled and irked the Sena. A close political aide of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said the CM and his wife Rashmi Thackeray were upset with the way Aaditya, who has been groomed and launched as the political heir of the Sena, got dragged into the controversy.

The CM has been hurt with the way the BJP twisted the entire SSR probe narrative to defame and malign his son, when he had absolutely nothing to do with the case. He even conveyed his displeasure through his aide and minister Anil Parab to the former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis around 10 days ago, asking the latter to back off from personal attacks, said this aide of Thackeray.

It is learnt that Thackeray conveyed that while he understood there would be political attacks like in the case of Palghar lynching of sadhus, he was dismayed with the way his son was attacked through trolls and BJP leaders.

Parabs missive, the aide added, had prompted Fadnavis to point out in public that the BJP had never directly named any Sena minister in connection to Rajputs death. And, there had been a toning down of the attack from BJP after this.

When asked, Fadnavis did not comment on this missive to HT; Sena also did not officially confirm this.

However, soon after this missive from Sena, Ranaut versus Sena verbal tussle cascaded, leading to the demolition of the actors office on Wednesday. The beginning of Ranauts verbal spat with Sena MP Sanjay Raut is also linked to the BJP. She said she was scared of Mumbai Police in response to a tweet from BJP leader Ram Kadam, who questioned why the Maharashtra government had not offered protection to the actor, who had said she could expose Bollywood and drug mafia.

The ongoing clash with actor Ranaut has further hardened party lines.

By providing security to Ranaut, the Centre has in a way unleashed this actor on our leadership. The way she has spoken about Thackeray will not be taken lightly by us, added this leader. He added there was no question of a future reconciliation with the BJP given that the latter was openly attacking Thackerays leadership.

A senior state BJP leader also said that the way SSR probe narrative had been played out dealt a death knell on any future alliance with the Sena. This is a point of no return. It stems from this governments lack of political acumen and arrogance because they failed to get even an FIR filed in nearly three months in the case. Our party decisions are made in Delhi and not here. It is clear that for now focus is on Bihar polls, he said.

The leader added, For now, there are no plans for Maharashtra. But we dont see a future alliance with the Sena or NCP possible now. An alliance with disenchanted Ajit Pawar, if he breaks out ahead of elections, can be imagined, but our party seniors are in no rush at the moment.

Political analyst Hemant Desai also opined that post SSR probe, the Sena had now closed all doors on BJP and the party would sharpen its attack on the Opposition and vice versa.

The way Aaditya was targeted and the way Ranaut has taken on Thackeray with a clear backing of the BJP-led Centre, one can say reconciliation is not possible now. The Sena and NCP alliance will get cemented, although Ajit Pawars role remains shaky. And, BJP will keep that door open, said Desai.

BJP state spokesperson Keshav Upadhyaya said the party was only focussing on taking up peoples issues and playing the role of a strong Opposition. We are not thinking about future relations, reconciliations etc. Our job is to be a responsible opposition and we are expressing peoples sentiments and anger over SSR probe, thats all.

Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the issue of Ranaut was over for the party. This issue is over for us. Our alliance is doing fine as is our government.

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With much of the Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed for possible combat against the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) following its intrusions into Ladakh, the IAF will on Thursday see the addition of a significant new arrow in its quiver.

Four years after the IAF signed a contract with French company, Dassault Aviation, for 36 Rafale fighters, the IAF will formally induct the first five Rafales into service. These aircraft, along with the next 13 that will arrive in batches over the next eight months, will join the IAFs 17 Squadron, also called the Golden Arrows, ...
People that are forced to live away from their homes for five years or more  such as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs)  are said to live in a situation of protracted displacement. In 2018 it was reported that 78% of all refugees live in protracted displacement.

This is a very challenging state. Most are vulnerable and highly dependent on external support from governments, NGOs or relatives. They also have insecure legal statuses and don't have the ability  or opportunity  to rebuild their lives because of scarce economic resources, the legal framework that regulates their lives or societies that don't welcome them.

In many cases, they can neither return home nor move on to other countries, nor really integrate in the country of reception.

We've been carrying out research that explores the experiences and solutions for protracted displaced populations around the world. Specifically, we examine the rules that dictate people's ability to work, where they live, options for family reunification, and access to accommodation, education and health care.

We found that international and host country policies don't adequately address the challenges posed by forced displacement across the world.

The traditional durable solutions are return, local integration and resettlement. But these aren't realistic because of the way institutions and rules restrict refugees' movement, access to services and rights.

If refugees, for instance, aren't allowed to work, how can they become locally integrated into the host society? And if only a fraction do get access to resettlement programmes, then resettlement can't be seen as a sustainable solution to resolve situations that affect tens of thousands of people.

More innovative and long-term approaches need to be developed that recognise the fundamentals of human rights and livelihood security. They must also allow for the freedom of movement, ensuring people reach safe countries when they need to and allow for access to resources and networks in home regions.

Finally, policies can only be developed by including refugees, IDPs and migrants' own perspectives in policy-making. This creates ownership and 'buy into' by those affected.

Wrong focus

Recently, governments have made important strides in addressing refugee issues, putting more emphasis on improving social cohesion, host-refugee relations and promoting broader economic development in host countries.

But there's been an increasing number of displaced people. This makes the situation more complex and increases populist and racist trends in host countries. It requires more collaboration, coordination and constant improvement between stakeholders.

In many cases, especially in the Global South, national measures addressed to displaced people are strongly 'upward' oriented. They look to satisfy the international community  in particular the UNHCR , IOM, World Bank and EU  rather than concentrating on local socio-economic needs.

This is understandable as these international actors often provide funding and demand accountability, but it doesn't necessarily translate into a sustained focus on displaced people's actual needs and the realisation of durable solutions.

Waiting for regional initiatives

Another challenge is that regional blocs  such as the European Union , African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development  have policies that can sometimes protract, rather than resolve, displacement situations. For instance their policies could restrict people's freedom of movement and right to work.

An example of this is the EU's securitisation and externalisation of control agenda . This prioritises internal security and outsources border control to neighbouring countries. This overrules other agendas such as mobility, rights and livelihoods and could contribute to improving protracted displacement.

Yet studies show that people living in protracted situations rely heavily on social networks to survive and make a living. They also need to have mobility which allows them to cross borders and find security outside their home countries.

Internally displaced people and refugees should be seen as contributors to social and economic life in a receiving country. Disregard of this potential contribution also harms hostrefugee relations. If they can't work it could protract the displacement situation. Italy and Greece are cases in point.

Read more: Refugee camps versus urban refugees: what's been said -- and done

New solutions

Looking at the type of policies and programmes in place to support internally displaced persons and refugees, there is an unmistakable focus on humanitarian interventions, especially emergency aid. This almost inevitably competes with longer-term sustainable solutions to protracted displacement as solutions are not geared towards becoming self-reliant but towards addressing immediate needs. This needs to change.

Initiatives such as the Jordan Response Plan for the Syrian Crisis are important steps to bridge the gap. This plan seeks to better integrate and complement humanitarian measures.

Mobility and translocal livelihoods are also significant strategies for displaced people but are often hampered by multiple restrictions.

Solutions do exist.

Humanitarian visas , for instance would allow people to flee from insecurity with temporary travel documents through 'humanitarian corridors' but thus far they are not regulated at a European level.

Another possibility is the introduction of private sponsorship schemes whereby private individuals provide financial and emotional support to the displaced. Over the past 40 years, the Canadian government has resettled nearly 300,000 refugees through this program.

These innovative ideas could go to great lengths in addressing protracted displacement around the world.

Carolien Jacobs receives funding from European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant No 822453 (TRAFIG).

Nuno Ferreira receives funding from European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 822453 (TRAFIG) and grant agreement No. 677693 (SOGICA).

Benjamin Etzold receives funding from European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant No 822453 (TRAFIG).

Emanuela Roman receives funding from European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant No 822453 (TRAFIG).

By Carolien Jacobs, Assistant Professor, Leiden University And

Nuno Ferreira, Professor of Law, University of Sussex
A shark expert has revealed three key factors that contributed to the fatal mauling of Nick Slater at a Gold Coast beach on Tuesday afternoon.

The 46-year-old longboarder was bitten on the leg by a monster great white shark while surfing at Greenmount Beach.

Mr Slater was among at least 40 surfers in the water when he was attacked and later succumbed to his injuries on the beach.

Bond University shark expert Daryl McPhee said Mr Slater's position at the bottom of the sandbank away from other surfers made him vulnerable.

A large school of bait fish in the water was another factor heightening the danger, he said, but more importantly was the time of day.

Nick Slater (pictured) was attacked by a shark at Greenmount Beach on the Gold Coast

'Bites can occur any time during the day but you can expect an increase in shark activity at dusk and dawn,' Dr McPhee told Gold Coast Bulletin.

While those factors contributed to the attack, he said Mr Slater was also the victim of 'exceptionally bad luck'.

Local fisherman have claimed great white shark numbers have increased rapidly in recent times, though Dr McPhee said all evidence of shark numbers is anecdotal.

No data on the number of sharks was collected before they became a protected species, so there is no way to determine whether numbers have actually increased.

'When we protected white sharks, we didnt know how many were there so there was no baseline for recovery,' Dr McPhee said.

'When someone says "sharks are protected, therefore the numbers have gone up", we dont know whether theyve gone up.'

Shark expert Daryl McPhee (pictured) said there were three factors that made Mr Slater a target

Surfers rush to Mr Slater's aid after he was bitten by a great white shark at Greenmount Beach on Tuesday

Three-time world surfing champion Mick Fanning surfed at nearby Snapper Rocks on the morning Mr Slater was fatally attacked.

The 39-year-old, who survived a shark attack in the final of the J Bay Open in South Africa in 2015, called for an update to Queensland's shark management strategies in the wake of Mr Slater's death.

Greenmount Beach has shark nets on the outside of the lineup, but Fanning said the incident proves the system needs to be upgraded.

'Its just a little bit outdated. We havent revisited them for a long time. We see south of the border they have the smart buoys and tagged sharks get pinged and we can see where those sharks are via an app and I dont see why we shouldnt have that on the Gold Coast,' he told Courier Mail.

Fanning said Mr Slater's death had shocked the Gold Coast surfing community.

'We didnt think that it would happen so close and just the footage of it, its horrific. Everyone is shaken up and our hearts go out to the Slater family and all his friends, its just shocking,' he said.

Mick Fanning (pictured) has called for an update to Queensland's shark management strategies

Fanning suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and recurrent nightmares in the years after his shark incident.

Through his recovery, he started working with National Geographic on a two-part documentary called Save this Shark, which premiers on Tuesday.

In the film, Fanning speaks with world-leading shark scientists and conservationists to share a broader understanding of shark habits.

Fanning disagrees with culling sharks, which he believes is a knee-jerk response many take after an attack.

He said we need to do more study on shark patterns to learn to live in harmony with the ocean predators.

'We have to learn why its happening. Why are we seeing so much more activity along here? Thats what we need to find out rather than just going and slaughtering the ocean,' Fanning said.
A Chicago postal worker was shot four times by apparent stray gunfire Thursday morning as she was delivering mail along her route, police say.

The 24-year-old woman was hit by shots fired from vehicles driving by at a high rate of speed at around 11.38am in the Burnside neighborhood on the city's South Side.

The victim received gunshot wounds to the back of both legs, buttocks area, stomach and the back of her head.

Cops said she does not appear to be the intended target and is currently in a critical condition in the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Scroll down for video

Chicago police are investigating after a 24-year-old postal worker was shot as she delivered mail on Thursday morning. They do not believe she was the intended target

At 92nd & S Ellis Ave where @Chicago_Police tell me a female mail carrier was shot multiple times.



Officer on scene says she was on the job, in full uniform when shot. Bag appears to be on ground in front of home. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/YxjZ4hiuyo  Steven Graves (@StevenGravesTV) September 10, 2020

The Chicago Fire Department and witnesses on the scene confirmed to CBS that the woman was a mail carrier.

Officers said she had been wearing her full uniform when the shooting took place and video footage from the scene appears to show her mailbag on the ground outside the gate of a home.

Her coworkers began showing up to the scene in tears and the victim's manager said she worked at Grand Crossing Branch

Video footage of the scene appeared to still show her mail bag on the ground

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Chicago Division confirmed to DailyMail.com that they were investigating the shooting but that no other information on the victim or the incident was available.

'Chicago Division Postal Inspectors have responded to a reported shooting in the 9100 block of South Ellis Avenue in Chicago, IL. We are in the initial stages of the investigation, and we are unable to comment further at this time,' a spokesperson said.

Chicago police said the investigation is ongoing.

The mail carrier was working her normal route when she was shot, her manager said

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Chicago Division confirmed they are investigating

The woman is the second USPS worker shot in Chicago this year, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In March, a 47-year-old USPS employee was shot in the cheek as he delivered mail on the Southwest side.

A 21-year-old man was also shot in the right thigh. Both were treated and released from hospital.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, in 2019 another Chicago postal worker was shot while driving an unmarked van.

It follows a violent Labor Day weekend in the city when 51 people were shot.

Eight of the victims were were shot dead, including an eight-year-old girl was killed inside a parked car on Monday.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits came in unchanged in the week ended September 5th, the Labor Department revealed in a report on Thursday.



The report said initial jobless claims came in at 884,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised level. Economists had expected jobless claims to drop to 846,000 from the 881,000 originally reported for the previous week.



The Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average fell to 970,750, a decrease of 21,750 from the previous week's revised average of 992,500.



Meanwhile, the report said continuing claims, a reading on the number of people receiving ongoing unemployment assistance, climbed by 93,000 to 13.385 million in the week ended August 29th.



The four-week moving average of continuing claims still tumbled to 13,982,000, a decrease of 523,750 from the previous week's revised average of 14,505,750.



'The data show that despite job gains and a fall in the unemployment rate in August, layoffs remain widespread and the labor market remains in a fragile place at a critical juncture,' said Nancy Vanden Houten, Lead U.S. Economist at Capital Economics.



She added, 'Failure on the part of policymakers to enact another fiscal relief package poses significant downside risks to the economy and labor market.'



Last Friday, the Labor Department released a separate report showing another substantial increase in U.S. employment in the month of August, although the pace of job growth continued to slow from the record spike seen in June.



The Labor Department said non-farm payroll employment surged up by 1.371 million jobs in August after spiking by a downwardly revised 1.734 million jobs in July and soaring by 4.781 million jobs in June.



Economists had expected employment to jump by about 1.400 million jobs compared to the addition of 1.763 million jobs originally reported for the previous month.



The strong job growth in August was partly due to the hiring of 238,000 temporary 2020 Census workers, which contributed to a significant increase in government employment.



The continued job growth contributed to a much bigger than expected drop in the unemployment rate, which fell to 8.4 percent in August from 10.2 percent in July. Economists had expected the unemployment rate to edge down to 9.8 percent.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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The U.S. government rolled out a new online tool Wednesday designed to give the public insight into where and who is testing automated vehicle technology throughout the country.

The official name of the online tool  Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing Initiative tracking tool  is a jargony mess of a word salad. Fortunately, its mechanics are straightforward. The online tool gives users the ability to find information about on-road testing of automated vehicles in 17 cities throughout the United States. The public can find out information about a company's on-road testing and safety performance, the number of vehicles in its fleet as well as AV-related legislation or policy in specific states.

The AV tracking tool is part of the Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing Initiative, called AV TEST for short, that was announced in June. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is overseeing the AV TEST Initiative.

The online tool is hardly comprehensive, but it's a start, and continues to expand. The tool currently shows data in 17 cities, including Austin, Columbus (Ohio), Dallas, Denver, Jacksonville, Orlando, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The data might include testing activity as well as dates, frequency, vehicle counts and routes, NHTSA said.

The information on the interactive web page is based on information that companies have volunteered. In other words, companies testing automated vehicle technology are not required by the federal government to provide data.

However, a growing number of AV founders and engineers understand that public education and acceptance will be necessary if they ever hope to commercially deploy their technology. Ten companies and nine states have already signed on as participants in the voluntary web pilot. The participating companies, to date, are Beep, Cruise, EasyMile, FCA, LM Industries, Navya, Nuro, Toyota, Waymo and Uber Advanced Technologies Group. The online tool also contains voluntarily submitted safety reports from Aurora, Ike, Kodiak, Lyft, TuSimple and Zoox.

NHTSA has limited the number of companies submitting data during the pilot phase, Dr. Joseph M. Kolly, the agency's chief safety scientist said during a briefing earlier Wednesday.

"The more information the public has about the on-road testing of automated driving systems, the more they will understand the development of this promising technology," NHTSA Deputy Administrator James Owens said in a statement. "Automated driving systems are not yet available for sale to the public, and the AV TEST Initiative will help improve public understanding of the technology's potential and limitations as it continues to develop."
WARANGAL: The Telangana government has chosen noted Telugu writer, poet and academician, Prof. Rama Chandramouli, for the Kaloji Puraskaram.

The 73-year-old writer has made tremendous contributions to various genres of modern Telugu literature earning the respect of readers and critics alike.

He is a multi-faceted creative genius who has to his credit about 30 novels, more than 350 short stories, 14 collections of poetry, four plays, a few critical works, a personality development book, some volumes of essays and 64 books in all.

Scholars have frequently noted that whatever he has created a literary work, it bore the stamp of his exceptional style and contained his own voice. Many of his writings have been rendered into English by well-known translators and launched on international forums. His writings have also been extensively translated into other Indian languages and they have enthralled lovers of literature at many national literary forums.

In recognition for his contribution to literature he has been conferred the Telugu University Poetry Award - 2007, Swarna Nandi Award  2011, and most recently, on June 10, 2019, he was selected by an international jury for the famous International Life-time Achievement Award 'NajiNaamam Literary Prize  2019 as one of the four Indians among 60 winners spread across the world.

Apart from the above, he has won all the poetry awards instituted in honour of famous Telugu poets.

He has been a Professor of Mechanical Engineering for about 48 years.

Along the way, he has been conferred Best Engineering Teacher awards by governments at the state and national levels. He authored about seven engineering textbooks, and some of them became very popular having gone through as many as 25 editions.

He also wrote dialogues and lyrics for films, penned plays, had them produced on stage and received hundreds of prizes.
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Protesters have taken to the streets of Rochester, New York, for the eighth consecutive night to demand justice for Daniel Prude, a mentally-ill black man who died after a 'spit hood' was placed on his head during arrest by police officers in the city.

Prude, 41, was arrested in the early morning hours of March 23 running naked through the streets of Rochester.

Handcuffed and sitting on the flood without any clothes on, he had a 'spit hood' placed over his head, and when officers tried to move him, kneeling on his back, he fell unconscious. Prude died March 30 after being taken off of life support.

The video of his arrest was released last week, after his family filed a request for police records, and protests - at times violent - broke out in the city.

After several nights of violent unrest, the demonstration of around 200 people on Wednesday night was largely calm.

Around 200 people took to the streets of Rochester on Wednesday night, police said

A rally in Rochester calling for justice for Daniel Prude was peaceful on Wednesday night

A crowd gathered outside the Public Safety Building, but there was no repeat of violence

Their protest came shortly after two of the protesters were charged with federal offenses over a rally on Saturday that turned into a riot.

Adam Green, 20, of Dansville, and Dallas Williams-Smothers, 20, of Rochester, were charged on Wednesday with obstructing and impeding law enforcement during a civil disorder.

During Saturday's demonstrations, prosecutors allege rocks, water bottles and fireworks were thrown at officers.

Green was accused by prosecutors of being among a group that refused to leave the area after police declared an unlawful assembly, and using a shield he was carrying to strike an officer.

They say he then fought with officers and, while handcuffed, hit an officer in the head.

Williams-Smothers is accused of throwing a firework at Rochester police officers, and was found in possession of two commercial-grade, mortar-style fireworks.

If convicted, each defendant could face up to five years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

Adam Green, 20, of Dansville, and Dallas Williams-Smothers, 20, of Rochester, were charged on Wednesday with obstructing and impeding law enforcement during a civil disorder

James Kennedy, U.S. attorney, said Green and Smothers' actions were 'remarkably dangerous' and prevented actual change.

'Your contempt, your hate and demonization of those who protect us, the police, is remarkably dangerous,' he said.

'Your violent actions and hateful rhetoric prevent from any rational dialogue about how to go about actually improving things.'

On Wednesday night a crowd had once again gathered at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square in downtown Rochester.

After night fell, at around 9:30pm, the group marched towards the Public Safety Building (PSB).

Protesters waved flags, made speeches, and chanted for justice for Prude

Speakers urged the crowd not to give up the fight for justice for Prude and for police reform

Things were largely peaceful for most of the night, even as some tensions flared.

Protecting themselves with open umbrellas and homemade shields, the protesters yelled at the police, who stayed behind barricades, demanding justice.

Some protesters breached a first row of barricades - after other activists tried to stop them - then managed to get over the second line of defense.

Red paint was poured onto the floor outside the PSB.

Chants rang out into the evening, but there was no repeat of the previous nights of violence.

After half an hour the group left the PSB, stopping on Court Street for some speeches, then marched through downtown back to MLK Park.

The protests dispersing around midnight, and police later confirmed there were no arrests.

Previous rallied had ended with clashes between police and protesters.

On Saturday night, protesters and some elected officials reported officers fired pepper balls at close range, hitting people. Police said in a press statement that officers started firing pepper balls only after a protester set off a firework.

Police Chief La'Ron Singletary and three other leaders of the force suddenly announced Tuesday that they were retiring. Three others gave up top leadership positions and returned to lower ranks.

Daniel Prude, 41, from Chicago, died in Rochester following a March 23 arrest by police

Prude was naked and in handcuffs when the 'spit hood' was put over his head

Paramedics arrived as Prude was wrestled to the floor, still wearing the 'spit hood'

Seven police officers were suspended Thursday, and state Attorney General Letitia James said Saturday she would form a grand jury and conduct an 'exhaustive investigation' into Prude's death.

Also Wednesday, the head of Rochester's police union repeated his call for Mayor Lovely Warren to resign in the wake of Prude's death.

He said she has been 'less than truthful' about how the city and police department handled the case and has lost the confidence of officers and the public.

'I think it's clear to all who have seen the events of the last few days that there's a need for change,' Rochester Locust Club President Mike Mazzeo said at a news conference.

'I think when we have a whole command staff walk out the door, I think something's wrong.

'I think too many people are involved in this that know the truth and for some of them that haven't figured out the truth, I hope they learn soon.'
In The Cat I Never Named, teacher, research scientist, and activist Amra Sabic-El-Rayess tells her story of surviving ethnic cleansing during the 1990s in war-torn Bosnia, and the stray cat that became an integral part of her family and their survival. Sabic-El-Rayess spoke with PW about deciding how and when to tell her story, the power of education to uplift or diminish, and the importance of representation in the classroom and beyond.

Why did you feel your story should be shared with a young adult audience, rather than adult readers?

The simplest answer is that I was 16 when the war started and, to write about my own experiences in a way that is true to who I was then and how I was thinking about the war, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and racism, it was important for me to write in that voice. And I thought it was most appropriate for young adults, though I do think the book is very much a crossover with adult audiences because it touches on so many issues that are overlapping with what Americaand the worldis experiencing today. Almost every chapter was written with laughter and tears, keeping in mind those who will be reading it who havent experienced the kind of visceral hatred that I lived through in Bosnia, and with the hope that I can warn America and the world from becoming places of hatred, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.

My own children, who are young teens, have been going through some difficult emotions and painful moments over the last couple years because they are aware of my background as a Muslim. My husband is also a first-generation immigrant and they have struggled with the way many people think about them or talk about them. So, writing this story was to help my own children, but also to help other young adults process what they are witnessing in terms of public protests, hatred, unrest, and social disintegration.

Have you long wanted to share your story as a memoir, or did you feel that now was the time?

I thought about writing the book for many years; the story has been in me and with me my entire life. Many times, when I would tell a story to make a point, my students at Columbia would say they hoped that I would write my story as a book one day, but there was actually a question that my younger daughter asked me a couple years ago [that made me write it]. She came to me and said, Mom, what will happen to me and my sister if you and dad are rounded up and taken away, as Muslims and immigrants? That was the tipping point for me because I was recognizing the same fears that I had prior to the war in Bosnia, within my own children. That jolted me. Yes, I was doing work in the classroom; yes, I was teaching my students about marginalization and discrimination; yes, I was traveling around the world giving lectures, but I had forgotten that I had a powerful story to tell and that I could deliver some of these messages to the age group that I was concerned were being affected by the narrative in this country.

The parallels between my story and what is happening in the United States are stark. I hope that teens will read this book and say, This is something thats happening in my community or to me, and that they can recognize and be compelled to do something about it. I know many teensand adultsfeel helpless, but I think that by changing how we act towards others is an enormous step forward. I feel that a lot of people are blinded by hatred of the other; I want them to pick up and read my book and realize why they shouldnt go there. Its a one-way ticket to pain and violence and those who survive are stuck with it for the rest of their lives. It changes many of us; I became a constructive and productive person, but many are affected by violence and are unable to get out of the cycle. I hope that the book serves as a warning.

Was it difficult to slip back into the mindset of being a 16-year-old?

One of the reasons I didnt write the book for a very long time is because it is a struggle to survive ethnic cleansing and genocide and live through some of the moments that I had survived, then live with and find peace with it. People often ask me, Have you been cured of your trauma? And, in fact, you cant be cured of what youve lived through, but you can sort of learn to live with it; its a lifelong partner. I did worry about what would happen if I went back there. I had a lot of nightmares when I came to the United States; every night I would wake up to some sort of scene from the war. I was concerned that, if I went back into that intense whirlpool of emotions, I might never be able to come back. There were many nights when I would have a nightmare after I spent the day writing and would wake up in the middle of the night, but there was also this incredible, empowering element to it. Many times during the war, I felt that I was abandoned by the world; that we were forgotten; that I was going to die no matter what I did or what I thought or who was I was. The worst part was that I couldnt do anything about it; I couldnt change the trajectory of my life and I was powerless. Writing this book made me feel that no one controls who I am anymore; I control what I say about my life.

Your memoir is titled The Cat I Never Named, centering the feline that your family reluctantly adopts at the beginning of the war. Why did you choose to tell your story through this lens, with a persistent cat as a central character?

It wasnt even a decision; she was such a critical component of our survival during the war, that I couldnt have written my story without some of the moments where she played a crucial role. Today, in the United States, a lot of people are looking to adopt pets [during the pandemic] because theres this unconditional love that comes from them. We werent looking for a pet. We could barely feed ourselves; my mom didnt want the cat hair in the house; and we didnt know if we were going to be executed. We didnt want her, but she loved us so unconditionally that she found her way into our family and not only that, she was there during the most vital moments. Ive taught statistics at Columbia, so Im someone who appreciates verifiable facts and figures, but I also believe that Maci saved our lives countless times.

Only once I had written the story did I realize that her experience paralleled my own; she was also a refugee. We didnt want her, just as I didnt think I was wanted when I came to the United States. I thought I had nothing to offer, that I was a broken person with a broken language, with no money and nothing to bring to the table. Then I found love here from many strangers who appreciated and respected me for who I was, something I didnt experience growing up in Bosnia.

Family, friendships, and communitywhat many would describe as a typical teenage experienceare, understandably, major themes in your story of adolescence before the reality of the growing unrest became undeniable. Why was it important to you to portray this in the book?

I think the only way one can get through a pandemic, a war, an extreme circumstance, or emotional loss of any kind, is if you find some form of love. Often, when a teen or adult in the United States reads a book about war, somehow only ugly things happen on the page, the characters are presented as different than the reader or are in a faraway land or another time. My goal was to have the reader realize, within a few chapters, that I was very much like any other teen and that I had a loving family, so that they can forget that I am different than them. And, in that process, I hope I can invoke empathy because I do think that when we give numbers of, for example, how many people have died from Covid-19, those numbers are forgotten, but powerful stories are not. So, I thought that this story should not only be a story of genocide, ethnic cleansing, pain, and sufferingthings that might feel otherbut also a story of unexpected love, of wanting to play volleyball, of going out and talking to my friends about school, and missing peer interaction. I craved those things. I risked my life, at one point, to cross a [frequently bombed] bridge to tell a friend that school was starting again; it was so meaningful to us to have those moments of togetherness. I think everyone realizes the value of that interaction in the United States today.

The importance of education was impressed upon you by your parents and fully embraced by you from a young age. As the U.S. education system undergoes the stress of the pandemic and societys reckoning with racial injustice, do your past experiences give context or perspective? What message do you have for fellow educators?

In general, my view is that often education is this component in our lives that is assumed to be benign or have a positive influence, but right now we are facing the consequences of institutionalized racism in this country. As educators, we need to admit that there are problems in the education system; there are voices that are not being heard and stories not being told as a consequence of racism, and change really begins at the top. And, in the context of education, the top is schools of education, like [Columbia Universitys] Teachers College and other well-known schools, where we teach educators who then go on and teach generations of young individuals. Diversity has to be more pronounced and present in the schools of education in terms of stories we tell and books we assign in our syllabus. This was one of the reasons why I felt compelled to write The Cat I Never Named. As a student, I never read a story, or solved a math problem, that had a character with a Muslim name. At face value, I was a successful student, but I knew I wasnt looked at as equal to those who were non-Muslim and I think that many kids in America today feel the same way. Our country is demographically changing and its changing rapidly. Its important that we incorporate these stories and voices into the education system in a way that I dont believe has been done in the past.

You co-wrote this story with Laura Sullivan. What was it like to collaborate with someone on such intimate source material?

When I decided to write for a young adult audience, my concern was that, though I publish extensively, I had never written for this age group. I wanted to make sure that my writing was not restrained by my worrying about whether what I was writing about was appropriate and whether the gatekeepers in schools would approve. I needed to unleash my emotions and write, so I asked my agent who suggested Laura as someone who could guide me.

Its amazing that [Laura and I] have never met and that weve only spoken on the phone twice. I joke to her that we should call each other more often. As many stories are included in the book, there are as many that were written and not included; Laura was essential to helping me narrow those stories to determine the arc of the story and deliver the right messages.

Was it difficult to choose which details and experiences to include in the narrative?

It was not a difficult process in that the book is mostly chronological. Im not focused on the specific dates of events, however, because I didnt want to write something that burdened the reader with unnecessary statistics; it was about the emotion and the power of the story.

The story reflects the national trajectory of what happened during the war, but there were moments where having someone like Laura debate a story was important. For example, there was a family member very close to me who was raped, whose story I wrote but ultimately did not include in the book because it was an extreme story in terms of the vivid details and because some members of my family did not want the most painful aspects of their lives shared with the world. I had to choose between telling a story that could serve an educational purpose and my love of my family and being respectful of their wishes; I opted for my family. Still, it was important to me to share certain details of how women and girls are affected differently in circumstances like war, when rape becomes a tool to dehumanize, demoralize, and exterminate.

How has putting your story to paper helped you process your experiences or better understand yourself?

One of the things Ive realized, in part because of my [academic] work, is that we are creatures of hierarchy who believe in the legitimacy of education; its something that gives a stamp of approval to our views. Once education gives you legitimacy in society, it allows you to speak more freely. My experience is not different from many of the other victims of genocide, ethnic cleansing, sexual violence, racism, and discrimination, but, because of the education I received and my love of learning, I have been empowered. In a way, who I became after the war has really legitimized me as an individual and as a voice that speaks on behalf of those [Bosnians] that will perhaps never have a chance to tell their stories. Ive received many messages from all over the world, not just Bosnians, who have come across my lecture from Columbia or something else Ive written and have said thank you for sharing these experiences and using your platform [to create change]. Today, Im in a different place career- and education-wise, but Im really still that 16-year-old girl asking why someone is hated for their differences. I want to change that.

Ive been told by people multiple times while in the United States that I dont look like a Muslim or speak like a Muslim or seem as extreme as a Muslim. In giving me these compliments, these people have actually put me down while letting me know how they truly feel about someone with a background like mine. My hope in writing my story and making it public is that I can counter Islamophobia and the biases that are so deeply prevalent in this country and western Europe. I think its important that more of us speak up, but I also understand why some dont; Ive received uncomfortable, offensive, and horrific messages and I only started my Instagram and Twitter account recently to help promote this book. Racists who hate people like me have already found my accounts and have used every slur you can imagine towards me as a Muslim woman. I was aware this was coming my way; I thought about it and discussed it with my girls and husband. We, as a family, understood that it is not the same to write a book like this as a woman, so the very process of writing this story was influenced by the idea of womens empowerment.

Do you hope to write more for younger readers?

I am determined to write more! Ive always liked writing as much as math, and even wrote poetry during the war, so this process has made me feel encouraged and given me a sense of purpose. Id like to write many more books for young adults and adults.

Will you be doing any events, virtual or otherwise, to promote this book?

Being able to interact with teens and college students in-person about this book was important to me but, obviously, not possible right now. But I do have virtual events scheduled! On September 22, Ill be in-conversation with Daniel Nayeri, Bill Konigsberg, and Malaprops Bookstore bookseller Amy Cherrix. On October 8, I will be speaking at MPIBAs YA Lit lunch. I will be joining a live (virtual) panel at the Southern Festival of Books on October 10. Ill also be speaking with Anushay Hossain on one of the upcoming episodes of her Spilling Chai podcast on diverse voices in America.

The Cat I Never Named by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, with Laura L. Sullivan. Bloomsbury, $19.99 Sept. 15 ISBN 978-1-5476-0453-1
Attorney General William Barr speaks during in a roundtable with law enforcement officials in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on June, 8, 2020. (Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

AG Barr Defends DOJ Intervention Into E. Jean Carroll Suit Against Trump

Attorney General William Barr has defended the Justice Departments (DOJ) request to take over President Donald Trumps defense in a defamation lawsuit brought by rape accuser and columnist E. Jean Carroll.

In a court filing on Tuesday, the DOJ requested the court represent Trump in the lawsuit brought by Carroll, who alleged Trump had sexually assaulted her in the mid-1990s in an upmarket New York City retail store.

The allegations were published in the New Yorker magazine on June 24, 2019, via anonymous sources who had reportedly heard the allegation from Carroll. Trump denied her allegation in the same month and accused her of using false claims as a way to promote her book.

Barr said in an interview with NBC News on Wednesday that it was not particularly unusual for the DOJ to invoke a federal law known as the Westfall Act for an elected official who had been sued civilly.

This is done frequently. Its been done for presidents. Its been done for congressmen. The normal process was followed in this particular case youre talking about, Barr said.

Barr said that under the Westfall Act, when an employee of the executive branch or legislative branch is questioned by the press about his personal affairs and is sued for a state tort while carrying out his duties, then the United States can be substituted for the individual in the suit and the case can be moved to a federal court.

The attorney general said that since Trump was asked by the press about Carrolls allegations, he would be able to invoke the federal law.

So this was perfectly legitimate under not only the statute but case law, he said.

Barr also said he was made aware of the request but he was not involved in signing off on the decision.

After Carrolls allegations were made public, Trump made a statement where he claimed he had never met this person in my life and that she was trying to sell a new bookthat should indicate her motivation.

Shame on those who make up false stories of assault to try to get publicity for themselves, or sell a book, or carry out a political agenda  Its just as bad for people to believe it, particularly when there is zero evidence, he added.

Carroll, 76, subsequently filed a defamation suit in November 2019, seeking a retraction of Trumps statements and damages. Carroll said that Trumps comments harmed her character and career.

The defamation suit was based on a written statement issued to the press and two statements, the DOJ noted in its motion.

Carrolls lawyer, Robbie Kaplan, said in a statement on Tuesday that the departments argument is shocking, adding that, it offends me as a lawyer and offends me even more as a citizen.

In a statement to Axios, the White House said that the departments action adheres to the plain language and intent of the Statute which the courts have confirmed applies when elected officials, such as members of Congress, respond to press inquiries including with respect to personal matters.

Mimi Nguyen contributed to this report
The Medicine Hat Counselling Collective will be holding a silent vigil tonight in recognition of International Suicide Awareness Day.

The vigil is taking place at Riverside Veterans Memorial Park from 6-8:30 p.m.

We will have white paper bags to decorate to honour a loved one, or to write messages of support, said collective member Angela Irvine. These will be illuminated by candlelight. Every hour we will have a member of the community to hold a prayer, inspirational reading or a speech.

We wanted to create a space for those who are grieving to connect and to reflect on what has been going on in our community.

Medicine Hat has had an alarming number of suicides since the end of May.

This is trauma in our community and I would argue that almost everyone has been impacted in one way or another, she said. This is a chance for everyone to come together.

Irvine says it was important to hold an event on World Suicide Prevention Day, especially this year.

We recognize it every year on Sept. 10, she said. We didnt know what we were going to do initially, but with all of the tragic losses in the community we needed to do something.

I think this space will be good for people to attend, no matter how they have been impacted by suicide.

Irvine says COVID-19 protocols will be in place. Hand sanitizer will be available and people are asked to physically distance from those outside of their cohort when possible.

People are asked to wear a mask if they plan to attend.

This reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.

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A burglar penned a handwritten note from behind bars threatening to make his victim's 'baby girl' disappear if the father didn't retract the statement he made to police.

Jordan Constable, 36, also offered to pay the victim $10,000 in exchange for positive statements while he was on remand at Fulham Correctional Centre in Victoria's south-east.

The threatening letter was sent to the victim's Hallam home, in Melbourne's south-east, in March 2019 when the 36-year-old was in custody for the crime.

'I see how much you adore and love your baby girl  it would be hard as (a) father knowing you could prevent your daughter disappearing but did nothing, or the wrong move instead of following orders and making a healthy 10k of which will help your retirement,' the letter read.

The threatening letter (pictured) was sent to the victim's Hallam home, in Melbourne's south-east, in March 2019 when the 36-year-old was in custody for the crime

Jordan Constable, 36, wrote a letter to a victim of his burglary and offered to pay him $10,000 in exchange for positive statements (stock image)

'Don't f**k this up  for your baby girl's sake.'

Last month Constable pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice at the Victorian County Court, NCA Newswire reported.

On Thursday he was spared jail time and was instead sentenced to a three-year community corrections order.

The letter arrived at the victim's house about two months after Constable robbed it, and the victim immediately reported it to police.

Constable, a father of five, was then sentenced to 217 days jail and an 18-month community corrections order for the burglary in September 2019.

'I really don't care exactly what is said just retract all negative statements against Jordan all items returned as his possessions, make a positive statement  you are covered by insurance so make sure you get IT DONE!!,' Constable wrote in the letter.

Constable told the victim to tell police he was 'emotional' on the day he gave the 'negative' statement and to instead make up a story that 'Jordan is a close friend of the family'.

While the letter had been signed 'Mr K', analysis from another letter matched Constable's handwriting.

He wrote the threatening letter while on remand at Fulham Correctional Centre (pictured)

The victim and his wife said they had been 'devastated' by the crime and the danger their daughter - who was pregnant at the time - was in.

The victim's wife told the court that Constable had 'invaded every inch' of their life.

She asked her daughter to move interstate with her husband out of fear for her safety.

Judge Michael McInerney issued a warning to Constable, saying if he breaches his community corrections order he will be sent 'straight to jail'.

Prosecutors pushed for Constable to be jailed for the letter but his defence lawyer said it was 'spontaneous' as he was recovering from a drug addiction.

Constable will have to undergo drug tests and offender behaviour therapy while completing 200 hours of community work as part of the order.

He was also ordered to pay $3,000.
It's been a sweet run indeed for Feeling Sweet at Freehold Raceway. She won the first two legs of the New Jersey Sire Stakes-Standardbred Development Fund for three-year-old pacing fillies, and will seek a sweep of the series on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 12).

Last week was her most impressive win yet. Sent off as the 1-5 favourite in the field of six, she instantly made it to the lead and drew off handily, coasting under the wire 9-1/2 lengths in front in 1:56. This time, she will leave from post position five, and driver Mike Cole will almost certainly be aggressive with her once again. Feeling Sweet is trained by Joseph Columbo for George and Tina Dennis Racing.

It won't be easy for her to get the sweep, though. She has several imposing rivals from some top stables. Jenn Bongiorno sends out JK Finendandy from the inside post position. After Feeling Sweet caught her on the fire in leg one, JK Finendnady roared to a convincing 5-1/2 length win in the other division of the second leg last week. Two weeks ago, she almost won the first leg gate-to-wire, before Feeling Sweet nailed her late. Joe Bongiorno has the drive.

Tony Alagna sends out Caviart Heather, who is looking for one more shot at redemption. In both legs of the series, she has gone off as the odds-on favourite, but has finished second both times. She will look for a rebound from post position four with Jason Bartlett in the sulky.

That race is scheduled as the seventh, with a scheduled post time of 2:30 p.m.

Earlier in the day, a field of seven three-year-old colt and gelding pacers will do battle in the second division of their NJSS-SDF series. JK Lucky Charms was an impressive gate-to-wire winner in the first leg last week, and he will look to do it again from post position one. Todd McCarthy will drive for trainer Brett Pelling. They will go in the third race, with a listed off time of 1:10 p.m.

The first of 12 races at Freehold on Saturday will be at 12:30 p.m.

(Freehold Raceway)
Mariners Church, one of Americas largest churches, announces reopening for in-person services

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Mariners Church, one of the largest churches in America and the second largest in the state of California, announced Tuesday that it will resume in-person worship services this weekend after officials in Orange County lifted some restrictions on businesses and religious organizations.

In a statement to The Christian Post, the church said its Irvine campus will be open for live, socially distanced in-person and outdoor worship services at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Churchgoers are encouraged to wear face coverings and seating will be arranged to accommodate physical distancing. Worshipers will also be able to access a touchless experience through the Mariners Church app where guests can see sermon notes, worship lyrics and giving opportunities. The church will also continue offering a variety of socially distanced worship options such as its spacious outdoor campus to accommodate individuals and families.

God has been so gracious in providing Mariners Church with a beautiful and spacious outdoor campus that enables us to safely welcome back the community, Senior Pastor Eric Geiger said in a statement. Were truly blessed to be in a position where people can unite in powerful worship, sing and pray together, reconnect with friends and hear Gods word  all outdoors and physically distanced. Our weekend services will have something for everyone in the family to enjoy and at all comfort levels.

On Tuesday, Orange County moved up from the purple to the red tier of the state's coronavirus tracking system, allowing many businesses to reopen and indoor religious services to resume with some restrictions, Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett told ABC 7.

"This significant move to the red tier for Orange County indicates that we are hopefully getting the upper hand on COVID-19,'' Bartlett said a week earlier. "I look forward to cautiously opening up our local economy so we experience some level of normalcy once again in our day-to-day lives."



Orange County can now reopen movie theaters and restaurants for indoor dining at 25% capacity and churches for indoor worship at 25% capacity. Shopping centers can also expand from 25% capacity to half capacity under the red tier.

Since the start of the pandemic, Mariners Church said they have responded creatively to members with a variety of meeting options after indoor worship services were halted.

These creative approaches include: Mariners Online weekend services; Mariners Hosted at Home, which is a program designed to allow Mariners' congregants to safely gather at home with a smaller group of friends and neighbors to worship together; Mariners in the Neighborhood, which brings the Mariners weekend worship experience to six outdoor and spacious Orange County venues to serve the communities of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Laguna Hills, Irvine, Santa Ana and Tustin.

The church is expected to launch a new message series this weekend titled, Who is this God? Discovering the Character of the Creator.

Additional details on the churchs safety guidelines can be found here.
Vertex Foundation is to provide a 1million donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities at the New Childrens Hospital in Ireland. RM House have provided the attached photo of the Barnes Aboo Family (Cork), who spent 604 nights with Ronald McDonald House and left in July.

A charity linked with US-based fast food chain McDonalds has been given 1m to invest in building accommodation at the new National Childrens Hospital in the capital.

The 53-bed facility, which would allow seriously ill kids to be with their families during treatment, is planned for the hospital on the St Jamess site, in Dublin 8.

It is back by Ronald McDonald House, which also operates at Crumlin Childrens Hospital, in Dublin, since 2004.

Volunteer CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMCH) Ireland, Marian Carroll, said the funding boost came from the Vertex Foundation and will be used for capital costs, which will total an estimated 20m.

This extraordinary gift from the Vertex Foundation will help us provide family-centered care and spaces for families so they can be together during a critical time in their lives, she said.

We dont provide any medical treatment. What we provide is accommodation for children and their families who are undergoing serious medical treatment, she said.

Michael Parini, chairman of the Vertex Foundation, which is linked to the US pharmaceutical company, Vertex, said it was important for a childs family to be close by when they are in the hospital.

This house will provide that opportunity to parents and families when they need it most, he said.

According to RMHC the new house will be a vital home for families from every county and every town in Ireland. With 53 bedrooms spread out over four floors and numerous specially designed family, rest and play areas the new house will provide families with the highest standard of accommodation in the most loving and intimate surroundings.

The house will provide direct, immediate and easy access to the hospital.

Ms Carroll also dismissed suggestions, reported last year, that an issue arose over naming rights for the building amid concerns about linking a fast food chain with a childrens hospital.

There was no issue. It will be called Ronald McDonald House, she said.
Ambala Cantt, Sep 10 : Assuring that five of the 36 French Rafale combat aircraft purchased by India can be deployed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at a short notice, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that though India strives for peace, it would not let its sovereignty and territorial integrity be compromised under any circumstances.

Speaking during the induction ceremony of the 4.5 generation Rafale aircraft at the Air Force station in Ambala, Singh lauded the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the speed with which it deployed its assets at the forward bases in Ladakh during the border tensions with China.

"This has once again proven the Air Force's state of preparedness to fulfil its role in case of any contingency. Everyone knows that India strives for world peace, but considering the situation in Ladakh, we need to be vigilant," the Defence Minister said.

The Rafale fighter jet is equipped with a wide range of weapons and it performs air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions.

Calling the day an important and historic occasion, Singh said that it also demonstrated the country's deep ties with France, not just in defence but also in economic, strategic and security sectors.

"This stems from our absolute commitment to democracy and belief in the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. We have chalked out a future-ready relationship and understand the problems faced by both the countries," Singh said.

Stressing that the Rafale deal with France was a game changer, Singh said the IAF had used French combat aircraft in the 1965 India-Pakistan war and during the 1999 Kargil conflict.

"I am glad that now we have one of the best multi-role aircraft in the world which will be instrumental for our border security. During my recent visit to Moscow, I made it clear that India would not compromise its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Defence Minister said.

He further said that India's security concerns extended to the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, and the partnership with France is not limited to only Rafale. "We are also collaborating on the Scorpene submarines being built in India," he said.

Inviting France to invest in the Indian defence sector, the minister said that the government had undertaken several major policy reforms to attract international and national investments in the defence sector.

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, who was also present on the occasion along with a French delegation, said that the induction of Rafale was a stellar achievement for both the countries.

"We are writing a new chapter in our ties. In French, 'Rafale' means 'Gust of Wind' or 'burst of fire'. Both express incredible strength, which is also a symbol of our strong ties," she said.

Proclaiming France's support for India's permanent seat in the UN Security Council, she said that the inclusion of Rafale in the Indian inventory means that the latter has access to a world-class technology, thereby providing it an edge in the entire region.

"Behind these majestic machines, there is a commonality of values. These jets are fully combat proven and have seen action in Iraq, Mali and Syria," she said.

Stressing that coming to India is a unique experience for the country's vivid colours, breathtaking landscapes and rich history, an encounter that can't be easily forgotten, the French minister added, "France is fully committed towards the 'Make in India' initiative and further integration of Indian manufacturers in our global supply chain." Parly added that the remaining jets would be supplied to India as soon as possible and that she was confident of coming up with new ideas to further strengthen the bond between the two countries.

"Not just military technology, the two countries helped each other immensely during the ongoing pandemic. India supplied France with medicines during the initial phase and we have given equipment for ICUs. In short, I can say from the French side -- you can count on us," Parly said.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S Bhadauria thanked the French Air Force for its support, and said that the 17 Squadron of 'Golden Arrows', which has been equipped with the Rafale jet, has undergone extensive integrated training with the aircraft of other fleets.

"They are good to go and deliver. These modern aircraft, along with the skill-set of the pilots, will form a lethal combination," he said.

The newly-inducted jets were given a water cannon salute after the 'Sarv Dharma Puja', which was attended by Parly, Singh, Bhadauria and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, among others.

The occasion also witnessed acrobatics by Rafale, Sukhoi and IAF choppers.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Twitter is set to remove or label unverified postings claiming electoral victory as part of a stepped-up effort to protect democracy, less than two months ahead of the US presidential vote.

The social media firm is launching the new policy next week to combat 'false or misleading information intended to undermine public confidence in an election or other civic process.'

Tweets with 'false or misleading information' about election rigging, ballot tampering, vote tallying or premature election results fall under the new rule.

The move comes amid rising concerns about when results will be verified for the November 3 presidential election, in view of an expected large volume of mail-in ballots and criticism of that process by President Donald Trump.

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Twitter announced Thursday it may remove or label unverified postings claiming electoral victory as part of a stepped-up effort to protect democracy, less than two months ahead of the US presidential vote

Some analysts have suggested that Trump, who has a large social media following, may reject the results of the election or refuse to leave office if he loses.

Both Twitter and Facebook have placed labels on Trump comments about mail-in voting.

The Twitter Safety team said it expects to take a strict approach to the updated policies.

'We will not permit our service to be abused around civic processes, most importantly elections,' the company said.

The move comes amid rising concerns about when results will be verified for the November 3 presidential election, in view of an expected large volume of mail-in ballots and criticism of that process by President Donald Trump

'Any attempt to do so -- both foreign and domestic -- will be met with strict enforcement of our rules, which are applied equally and judiciously for everyone.'

The new policy also bans 'misleading claims about the results' or interference with the electoral process such as 'claiming victory before election results have been certified, inciting unlawful conduct to prevent a peaceful transfer of power or orderly succession.'

In August, Twitter, along with Facebook and Google, launched new efforts to combat misleading information about the US presidential election.

Twitter vowed to expand its rules to ward keep misleading content about main-in votes and early voting from running rampant on that platform.

Facebook launched a hub for voting resources that claims to provide users with access to credible and authoritative information.

And Google separately announced new features for its search engine to provide detailed information about how to register and vote, directing users to local election administrators.

The trio met with government officials ahead of their August announcement to discuss how they plan to monitor their platforms, as Republicans and Democrats prepare for upcoming conventions.

The efforts aim at tackling foreign meddling and misinformation, as all three of the online services came under fire for being unprepared in the 2016 election.

Twitter's move involves coming up with new policies 'that emphasize accurate information about all available options to vote, including by mail and early voting.'

Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, Twitter's vice president for public policy in the Americas, told Reuters in an email: 'We're focused on empowering every eligible person to register and vote through partnerships, tools and new policies.'

The social media platform also said it would roll out measures on new tools, policies, and voting resources in the next month - and Thursday's announcement seems to be part of this move.
Brendan Smialowski/Getty

North Koreas Kim Jong Un, staving off the impact of COVID-19 and sanctions on his hungry people, may count on his man in the White House for unremitting support in time of need.

Kim Jong Un is in good health, Donald Trump tweeted Thursday like a star-struck groupie, all while battling the fallout from his COVID cover-up exposed by Bob Woodwards latest book. Never underestimate him!

Nor, to judge from passages in Woodwards Rage, should one underestimate Trumps infatuation with a bloodthirsty dictator. The book recounts how Kim played on Trumps vanity: his messages addressed Trump as excellencydescribing one historic meeting as reminiscent of a scene from a fantasy film. This deep and special friendship between us, he said, will work as a magical force between his country and the U.S., clearing all the hurdles we face in the process of bringing about the developments we seek to achieve.

Where Is Kim Yo Jong? Kim Jong Uns Sister Goes Missing From Big Party Meeting

In Woodwards account, Kim also regaled Trump with talessome likely, some notabout his dictatorship over his people, none more revealing than his execution of his uncle nearly seven years ago.

Whether Kim went beyond what North Korea had already put out at the time about the trial and execution of Jang Song Thaek, married to the younger sister of Kims father, the long-ruling Kim Jong Il, is not clear. But theres no doubt Trump was awe-struck by the man he once said had told him of holding Jangs head on a platter.

The bottom line, as far as North Korea experts are concerned, is that Trump was easily taken in by Kim in their three meetingsat their first summit in Singapore in June 2018, then again in Hanoi in February last year, and on the North-South Korea line in Panmunjom in June last year.

The revelations in the book confirm all of the fears we had that Trump was 'played' by Kim, who knew exactly what he wanted and what he needed to say to Trump to get it, said Evans Revere, one-time senior U.S. diplomat in Seoul. Kims tale of the execution of his uncle makes sense.

Story continues

Trump apparently lapped it all up, just as hes so easily impressed by other dictators about whom hes often spoken in adoring terms.

Kim knew about Trump's fascination with unbridled, even brutal, power and Trump's affinity for authoritarians and authoritarianism, said Revere. He knew that Trump had lavished praise on Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin for their toughness, and by sharing the story of his uncle's execution, he sought to endear himself to the U.S. president. It obviously worked.

North Korea has yet to corroborate anything Trump told Woodward, but more than a year ago Trump did say that Kim had told a blood-curdling tale of Jang s demise, climaxed by displaying his head.

That story probably has about as much truth as an earlier yarn about Kim Jong Un ordering Jangs execution by a pack of mad dogs, but Lee Sung-yoon, professor at the Fletcher School of Tufts University, assumes Trump was exaggerating to underscore the point that he formed a rapport with Kim.

Kim, murderous psychopath that he is, would not have told Trump in person that he had his uncle's head displayed or gone into graphic detail about his uncle's gruesome public execution, said Lee, but his messages may well have spoken of the swift justice or stern punishment meted out to Jang as a traitor convicted of numerous crimes, notably corruption.

Bradley Martin, author of the definitive Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty, agrees. What Kim was telling Trump about, said Martin, was how he humiliated the traitor uncle.

Or maybe Trump cooked up the whole story.

Trump probably thought he could impress Woodward with a dramatic tale that also showed how good his relationship with Kim is and how much Kim trusts Trump, said David Straub, who spent years in Seoul as a political officer at the U.S. embassy. Just the kind of thing that Trump would wildly exaggerate if not entirely make up.

Straub figures that Kim snuffing his uncle remains an extraordinary sensitive thing even today in North Koreaand thus unlikely to be the kind of thing that Kim would want to talk about, especially with an American president. For that reason alone, he said, North Korea may not say anything in response.

But Choi Jin-wook, president of the Center for Strategic and Cultural Studies in Seoul, believes Kim may have had his own subtle reasons for spinning the tale for Trump's exclusive benefit.

This is a very active gesture to build trust with Trump, said Choi. North Korea rarely admits its bad behavior, but there are exceptions if they need a dramatic turnaround. Could it be that Kim was looking for an emergency outlet in hopes of a big deal or business with Trump," Choi wondered. What a deliberately calculated action."

The story of Jangs execution, by whatever means, obviously appealed to Trump about as much as Kims heavy-handed flattery. Kim may well have told President Trump about it to illustrate how powerful he is, said Bruce Bennett at the RAND Corporation. That Kim was able to totally humiliate and execute someone even as powerful as his uncle would illustrate how powerful he thinks he is.

While we may never know whether the story that Kim Jong-un reportedly told President Trump about Uncle Jang is truthful or not, said Bennett, it likely served Kims purposes.

That much was evident from Trumps Twitter toast to Kims good health. Kim this year has made far fewer public appearances than in previous years possibly because of fears of the coronavirus. Hes closed the border with China, North Koreas sole benefactor and almost exclusive trading partner, while calling special meetings of top party leaders to talk about curbing the spread of the disease.

Still, Kim has repeatedly bounced back after reports of being at deaths door. Just this week the North's state media quoted Kim at a meeting of the ruling partys military commission lamenting the unexpected damage of a typhoon.

All of which, said General Robert Abrams, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, at a seminar in Washington, means their military is focused principally on getting their country recovered and to help mitigate the risk of COVID-19," which Trump is confident Kim has avoided.

Not that Trump ever evinced any qualms about Kims health, capabilities, or genius in the first place. How else could it be for the man who Trump told Woodward was beyond smart and tells me everything?

Indeed, Trump professed in 2018 that he and the North Korean leader fell in love.

Trump sends him pictures... sends him letters, John Bolton, Trumps erstwhile national security adviser, once observed. I dont know how President Trump can be more forthcoming in his efforts to have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un.

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(Natural News) After previously pledging to send $1.16 billion in taxpayer funding to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), President Donald Trump now says the United States is backing out of COVAX, a World Health Organization (WHO) initiative backed by Bill Gates that aims to vaccinate the entire planet for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

Trump reportedly made the decision upon determining that the WHO is a corrupt, China-centric globalist body that does not have Americas best interests at heart when it comes to overcoming the plandemic. Instead, Trump is now focusing his efforts on developing Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines domestically, which proponents of the COVAX initiative claim is an act of vaccine nationalism.

We will not be constrained by multilateral organizations influenced by the corrupt World Health Organization and China, a White House spokesman recently announced.

Thus far, some 172 countries have signed on to the COVAX initiative, which will eventually distribute the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines currently being developed by Moderna, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, BioNTech, and several other Big Pharma corporations. Thanks to Trumps Operation Warp Speed program, several of these vaccines have already been fast-tracked into phase-three clinical trials, meaning they are almost ready to be unleashed.

The stated goal of COVAX is to provide 2 billion vaccines to citizens around the world by the end of 2021, focusing mostly on countries with large populations such as China, writes Phillip Schneider on his website.

In an interview with [talk show host] Ellen, Bill Gates said he wanted 7 billion healthy people vaccinated before the world can return to normal, seeming to indicate that it could take years before businesses can reopen and students can go back to school.

Things will reopen once the vaccines are ready, say globalists

While Trump at one point suggested that Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines from his Operation Warp Speed program will not be mandatory, individual states and municipalities, not to mention businesses, could mandate them as a condition of maintaining employment, getting an education, or shopping for food.

In Virginia, for instance, State Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver announced that if it is up to him, everyone in the Commonwealth will have to get vaccinated once the vaccines are ready. Gov. Ralph blackface Northam, however, has yet to commit to this.

Anthony Fauci has also alluded to a possible Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandate being implemented at some point in the future, though this, too, has yet to be solidified. We do, however, expect it all to take shape once the vaccines are released and people become so desperate for some type of normalcy that they start begging to get jabbed.

The good news is that not everybody, including many in the medical field, is falling for the ruse. More than 500 doctors and scientists from Germany, for instance, have collectively formed an organization aimed at investigating whether this authoritarian response to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is really necessary.

As the Corona-Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee, we will investigate why these restrictive measures were imposed upon us in our country as part of COVID-19, why people are suffering now and whether there is proportionality of the measures to this disease caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus, they write.

We have serious doubts that these measures are proportionate.

Meanwhile, much of the United States is still under some degree of lockdown, with most areas now requiring that people wear a mask when grocery shopping or attending school.

Before it is too late, a stern action by the global community should be initiated immediately to stop these scams and their hidden agendas sponsored by Bill Gates and gang, wrote one commenter on Phillip Schneiders website.

The latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and the warp speed push for mass vaccination is available at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

PhillipSchneider.com

NaturalNews.com
Setting the tone for electioneering for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls, Prime Minister on Thursday lauded Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's good work to ensure safe drinking water supply in villages and said 75 lakh farmers in the state have been handed out Rs 6,000 crore cash under the PM-Kisan scheme.

Modi reached out to the voters of the state by starting his speech in Bhojpuri language in a video conference after he launched the Rs 20,050 crore-Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and several other initiatives related to fisheries and animal husbandry in Bihar.

The assembly polls in the state are likely to be held in October-November.

The Prime Minister highlighted several initiatives taken by the Centre to help farmers and migrants from Bihar during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, including providing free ration to migrants returning home from cities, and PMGKAY.

"Bihar is bravely facing floods situation as well as coronavirus. We are aware of the flood situation in Bihar and adjoining areas. The efforts of both Centre and state government is to ensure the completion of relief work in a speedy manner," Modi said.

Due to several initiatives, the government has been successful in ensuring there is less impact of coronavirus on villages, he said, adding that the motto behind all the initiatives is to make the country self-reliant.

To support farmers, the government has transferred Rs 6,000 crore directly to the bank accounts of 75 lakh farmers in Bihar since the launch of PM-Kisan, he said.

Over 10 crore farmers across the country have benefited so far under the PM-Kisan scheme, Modi said.

Under this scheme, launched in 2019, Rs 6,000 is provided to farmers annually in three equal instalments.

Besides, the Prime Minister said the Centre is focusing on ensuring that free ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) reaches to the needy person in Bihar. He also said the PMGKAY has been extended till Diwali and Chhath festivals in November.

Under PMGKAY, five kilograms of food grains per person and one kilogram of dal per household is provided free of cost to ration card holders.

Modi said many migrants are returning to Bihar and are showing interest in animal husbandry related works and that the government is encouraging them through several schemes.

The Rs 20,050 crore-Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and several initiatives launched in Patna, Purnia, Sitamarhi, Madhepur, Kishanganj and Samastipur in Bihar will not only create new infrastructure but also provide market to farmers, he said.

These initiatives were launched through a virtual meeting.

Praising the Bihar Chief Minister, who was also present during the virtual meeting, Modi said, "under the leadership of Nitish Kumarji, very good work is being done in the state to ensure drinking water reaches villages".

Five years ago, safe drinking water had reached only 2 per cent of the households and now this number has crossed 70 per cent, he said.

During this period, around 1.5 crore homes were linked with piped water supply. This initiative has been further strengthened with the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission.

During COVID-19 period, 60 lakh homes in Bihar were given piped water connection which is a big achievement, Modi said.

The Prime Minister also emphasised on the need to be more vocal for local products like mangoes, litchi and Madhubani art to make Bihar self-reliant.

In the virtual meeting, Union Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Minister Giriraj Singh and his junior ministers Sanjeev Balyan and Pratap Chandra Sarangi were present. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi were also present.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 23:01:05|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China urged the United States to stop slandering and lying, discard bullying acts and respect the freedom of the press with practical actions, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a news briefing when answering a question regarding U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's complaint that People's Daily, one of the major media groups in China, refused to post an article written by U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad.

Zhao pointed out that the content of the article was seriously inconsistent with basic facts, and was full of loopholes and filled with malicious smears and attacks on China.

"If the Chinese government, as the U.S. did, provided you with an article that seriously distorted the facts and attacked your country, and requested you to reply the next day and promise to post it without any changes, could you do it?" Zhao asked reporters attending the news briefing.

He said that what the United States did "had nothing to do with freedom of the press, but was a well-designed frame-up."

The Chinese ambassador to the United States has always been committed to promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries and the two peoples, never creating and spreading rumors against the U.S., never attacking and defaming the U.S. system, and never interfering in the internal affairs of the country, said the spokesperson.

He said some U.S. politicians, on the one hand, were arbitrarily suppressing Chinese media, calling them "propaganda machines" of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

But these same politicians demanded that the "propaganda machines" maliciously attack the Chinese government. "Their behavior is both illogical and insolent," he said.

"Just like any other U.S. media outlet, People's Daily has the right to decide whether or not to publish any submitted article and when to publish it, and is entitled to make necessary changes and edits to any article. It's also entitled to reject publishing an article with factual mistakes and filled with prejudice. This is in line with the professional practice of the media industry, as well as international norms," Zhao quoted the People's Daily's statement, adding that China urges the United States to stop slandering and lying, discard bullying acts, and respect the freedom of the press with practical actions. Enditem
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio is getting more attention in Staten Islands congressional race than his presidential run.

Long a target of criticism for the citys media and political classes, the two-term mayors latest hit comes in the form of a Max Rose campaign ad released Wednesday.

In the 15-second digital ad, Rep. Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) strolls toward the camera and informs the audience that Bill de Blasio is the worst mayor in the history of New York City."

The freshman congressman, who is running for a second term against Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn), leaves little room for ambiguity as he closes out the ad titled Thats It.

Thats it, guys, Rose says before the ad fades to black. Seriously, thats the whole ad.

A media release from the Rose campaign lays out a series of reasons why he makes the claim ranging from the mayors response to Hurricane Isaias to the citys deer vasectomy program.

Rose made a similar claim in early August, but went a step further calling de Blasio the worst mayor in the history of this great country during a Fox News interview about schools reopening.

In the aftermath of George Floyds death in late May, Rose called for the National Guard to be deployed to the city to enforce an 8 p.m. curfew after there had been looting and rioting. He said the mayor had lost control of (the) situation once and for all. The National Guard has yet to be deployed to the city.

The mayor gave a short response when asked about the Rose campaign ad at his Thursday press briefing.

Hes a politician running for office and hes wrong, de Blasio said.

City Hall press secretary, Bill Neidhart, took to Twitter to ask if Rose was in favor of 19th-century mayor Fernando Wood.

Wood, a Democrat who served in the 1850s and 1860s before the 1898 consolidation, was a supporter of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and urged the citys secession from the U.S.

So he prefers Fernando Wood?



Strange take. https://t.co/a5dRaOReMf  Bill Neidhardt (@BNeidhardt) September 9, 2020

This isnt the first time Rose, who endorsed former Mayor Michael Bloomberg for president and styles himself as an anti-establishment centrist, has used a campaign ad to criticize de Blasio.

In his 2018 race against former Rep. Dan Donovan, Rose used an ad to accuse the mayor of acting like Staten Island doesnt even exist, and expressed the need to get rid of all the leadership in D.C., which hasnt happened in Roses first term.

As part of her own campaign, Malliotakis has attempted to link Rose to de Blasio, particularly on the issue of funding for the NYPD.

According to the Citizens Budget Commission, 92% of NYPD funding comes from city coffers. The congressional seat Rose and Malliotakis are running for is a part of the federal government.

Malliotakis' campaign spokesman, Rob Ryan, and some of her allies, including former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, used the ad to call into question who Rose cast votes for in the 2013 and 2017 mayoral elections.

Its fun to watch two liberal New York politicians like Max Rose and Bill de Blasio bicker over whos the worst mayor," Ryan said. The fact remains that Max Rose had the opportunity to join the 70% of Staten Islanders who voted for Nicole Malliotakis in the 2017 race for mayor. Congressman Rose has a simple question to answer; in the 2017 who did you vote for, Nicole Malliotakis or Bill de Blasio?

In total, Malliotakis earned 70,155 of the 99,580 total votes counted on Staten Island that year, de Blasio earned 25,466, and a number of third-party and write-in candidates split the rest, according to records from the citys Board of Elections.

Rose said Thursday that he took the Reform Party option in 2017, and did not vote in 2013.

I was busy in Afghanistan, so I didnt vote in 2013, Rose, a veteran of the U.S. Army and Purple Heart recipient, said. In 2017, thankfully I didnt have to choose between two awful candidates and voted for Sal Albanese.
JAKARTA, Indonesia, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Waresix, Indonesia's leading logistics tech platform, today announced that it has concluded its Series B fundraising, and over the last year raised c.US$100 million from existing investors EV Growth and Jungle Ventures, and new investors, including SoftBank Ventures Asia, EMTEK Group, Pavilion Capital and Redbadge Pacific.

Waresix is the leading logistics tech platform in Indonesia in the trucking and warehousing segments. Trucking services, which form the majority of Waresix's business, is focused on first-mile and mid-mile intercity shipments. Waresix's deep operational involvement as a provider of managed services enables it to identify key value and efficiency-generating solutions for its clients beyond passive demand and supply matching. Waresix's solutions, including consolidation, back-haul optimization and hub-and-spoke distribution, can achieve 50% higher truck utilization than traditional shippers, and have contributed towards Waresix rapid scaling, while generating positive net income. Waresix has been profitable on a net income basis since June 2019.

Waresix now serves more than 250 marquee corporate clients from diverse industries, including clients within the commodities, fast-moving consumer goods, industrial consumables, infrastructure, and retail sectors. Notable customers include Unilever, Indofood, Siam Cement Group, Wings, JD.ID and numerous other MNCs. Waresix's logistics ecosystem spans over 40,000 trucks and 375 warehouses in more than 100 cities and towns across Indonesia. Waresix's integration with key logistics facilities, such as Indonesia's National Ports, has allowed the company to expand its reach beyond Java and Sumatra, to all of Indonesia's main islands.

Waresix has been developing a unified operating system-like platform for its partners, with the goal of improving partners' daily operations pertaining to their vendors and customers. The platform further provides a compact, single view of partners' consignments across transport channels and transit warehouses. Waresix's platform distinguishes itself from other logistics companies that primarily focus on building passive load-board and listings, to match supply and demand. Waresix continues to tackle core logistical challenges by going beyond matching supply with demand through cultivating a managed-service ecosystem. This has positioned Waresix to address challenges and generate enduring solutions faced by its demand and supply partners.

Despite disruptions brought in by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has continued to achieve remarkable results, with rapid growth in its first-mile and mid-mile trucking services while supporting the efficient flow of essential goods and the livelihoods of thousands of truck drivers across the country.

At its core, Waresix believes that logistics, being a major bottleneck in the fast-growing Indonesian economy, provides ample opportunity for innovation within the e-trucking sector. Furthermore, the Indonesian government continues to invest in the country's physical infrastructure, which serves as further sector catalysts. With technology and a customer-first mindset deeply embedded in Waresix's DNA, Waresix is well-placed to propel efficiency within Indonesia's complex logistics ecosystem.

Andree Susanto, CEO of Waresix, said, "We are excited to on-board a group of high-quality long-term investors and partners that have committed to support Waresix in our journey to be the new engine for trade and commerce growth in Indonesia. The capital will be invested to develop the most robust logistics technology infrastructure in South East Asia, and further build out our world-class team to help us seize a large market opportunity."

Edwin Wibowo, CFO of Waresix said, "We are not just driven by technology, but also driven by a passion to solve real problems, and innovating via technology. We have proven this in the last two years, which is why our clients love us and our business has continued to scale until today."

About Waresix

Waresix is a tech-enabled platform offering logistics services and solutions to customers in a more efficient and economic manner. It connects shippers and businesses with available transporters, trucks and warehouse space across Indonesia, providing better transparency, quality of service, and improving income for asset owners. Its expansive ecosystem now reaches over 40,000 trucks and 375 warehouse operators across the archipelago.

The archipelagic makeup of Indonesia has resulted in one of the highest logistics costs in Asia, accounting for nearly a quarter of the country's US$1 trillion gross domestic product (GDP). This high logistics cost not only hampers Indonesia's industrial competitiveness but also adds to Indonesian SME's cost of doing business. Waresix seeks to address challenges and generate enduring solutions for its supply and demand partners in the US$240 billion Indonesian logistics market.

You can read more about us at waresix.com.

SOURCE Waresix
When federal and state officials began repeating the message to increase sanitation standards and hygiene care to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, at least one industry deemed essential  trucking  found itself stuck on how to do that.

Once pandemic shutdown orders were issued in Pennsylvania and nationally, any health and safety issues that existed prior to COVID-19 were more noticeable, industry leaders said. Truck drivers have told them its difficult to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness on long hauls or local deliveries because some private businesses have closed or others have limited the number of people allowed inside at one time.

There also was the challenge of public rest areas and welcome centers being shut down for two months from March to May.

The problem is that people who are not permitting the drivers into their warehouses are being very shortsighted, said Joe Butzer, president of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association. You cant ask somebody to pick up or drop off your product and not support them. Theres nothing human about that.

Looking ahead to the fall and winter months, drivers are concerned that they may not be allowed to use clean indoor facilities at rest areas and welcome centers again or park their trucks in safe places for an extended period of time.

Throughout the summer months, Butzer said drivers told him they were forced to stand outside in the heat while waiting to use an indoor facility or were forced to stand in rain to comply with state guidelines. The limited access to clean facilities doesnt allow drivers to wash their hands, which is the most commonly repeated recommendation by both the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Butzer said.

As essential workers, truck drivers have been hustling to make sure customers receive their orders, he added. His organization represents 1,100 members, which are made up of a combination of companies and individuals.

If you eat it, wear it or use it, it came on a truck, Butzer said. The drivers are human beings. Its that simple to me and it should be that simple to all of us. About 1 out of 17 jobs in the commonwealth have to do with trucking. Pennsylvania has over 300,000 truckers.

And thats concerning to him because if truck drivers are refused access to clean facilities during a pandemic, not only are they at risk for contracting COVID-19 but also for spreading it to anyone they have come into contact with.

Its affecting drivers physical health; if you cant drink water all day, he said. Theyre fearful and I dont blame them.

Butzer said he receives phone calls often from companies all across the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico, to complain about how unfriendly Pennsylvania is to truck drivers.

Truck drivers, if they get off an exit, they have no idea if theres going to be enough room for their trucks or if theres even going to be an open facility here, he said. They have no idea. Were trying to get our federal highway administration, PennDOT, and the Pa. Turnpike to understand there are not enough places for drivers to park safely and have facilities to utilize.

Butzer continued: "Truck drivers are unique. They can sit in their cabs for days and not interact with anybody, except to buy fuel and food. I think people overall are losing sight that these guys and gals are the ones out there making the world move.

Out of the 35 rest areas statewide in addition to 14 welcome centers, two rest areas in Dauphin County are currently under construction, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

PennDOTs rest areas and welcome centers are staffed with cleaning and maintenance personnel who ensure that cleaning of restroom facilities is completed routinely, said PennDOT press secretary Alexis Campbell. These protocols have become more stringent since COVID-19 began."

PennDOT hasnt received complaints or negative feedback about the cleanliness of public facilities, Campbell said. The department encourages customer feedback, she added.

Public rest areas and welcome centers in Pennsylvania are not designed to be long-term truck stops, but rather are intended for relief and respite for truckers and motorists  by law, customers may stay at our facilities for no longer than two hours, Campbell said.

A truck is stop off on the side of I-81 south bound, at the entrance of a rest area, Wednesday, May 9, 2007, near Grantville in Dauphin County. Truckers caught by police parking illegally along the highway are generally hit with parking fines.(PHOTO BY GARY DWIGHT MILLER)

PennDOT closed all rest areas and welcome centers on March 17 to ensure proper sanitation, safety, and maintenance at these facilities, according to the department. Public rest areas began to slowly reopen on March 18. Two months later, all of the states public rest areas and welcome centers had reopened.

PennDOT officials said they currently do not see them closing any rest areas in the near future.

The alternative for truck drivers while rest areas were closed could have been truck stops  for example, Loves in Middletown, Dauphin County  and other public locations, according to PennDOT.

We recognize that drivers need and deserve access to rest areas, which is why we began reopening rest areas in key locations the day after they were closed, Campbell said.

Truck stops like Loves are requiring drivers to wear masks at their locations. And, Walmart, which has its own fleet of truck drivers, has kept distribution center showers and facilities open for their employees.

Our shower facilities are for Walmart drivers, said Walmart spokesperson Robyn Babbitt. Other drivers have access to a driver breakroom with vending machines, self-service food options, and a restroom.

Babbitt declined to comment on the number of Walmart drivers who have tested positive for COVID-19.

That is not a number I can provide, she said. Our practice is to leave COVID-19 confirmations up to the local health officials out of respect and privacy for our associates personal health information.

Robert LaRochelle, who drives locally, said he generally works five to six 12-hour days per week. He said he hopes that if abrupt changes do occur, that there is more thought put into the wellbeing of truck drivers.

Most of the changes are commonplace now, from being buzzed in when dropping off a load to encountering plastic shields that separate him from another person.

LaRochelle, 44, describes himself as a bigger guy with diabetes. He said he falls into the high-risk category for contracting COVID-19 but he has been a truck driver for 10 years.

A lot of places have moved restrooms outside and they are overrun and not in the best of conditions, he said. They get treated maybe once a week; they are not cleaned daily. They are not sanitized well. Its stuff like that that Im worried about.

He said some businesses and warehouses in central Pennsylvania have made drivers wait outside, sometimes in the rain or thunderstorms, to use the facilities because they have a limited number of people allowed in a building at one time.

LaRochelle has a hand sanitizer pump in his cab at all times and his wife recently purchased him an N95 mask.

We need to find a solution because people need this stuff, he said.
(Natural News) In this review, researchers at SNDT Womens University in India discussed the potential of various essential oils as antifungal agents against known pathogens. The article was published in the Journal of Essential Oil Research.

Mortality due to fungal infections, especially among immunocompromised individuals, has risen in recent years.

Scientists are worried about the possibility of having no effective antifungal agent in the future because of the rapidly developing resistance of pathogenic fungi to currently available antifungal agents.

This is why many studies are now being conducted to develop new strategies that involve reliable agents for the treatment of fungal diseases.

Essential oils derived from medicinal plants are known for their antimicrobial properties.

They are considered the hydrophobic secondary metabolites in plants and are multi-component in nature.

Various essential oils have shown antifungal activities against pathogenic fungi like Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus and Fusarium.

These fungi are the most common causes of mortality in immunocompromised patients.

The researchers noted that essential oils derived from plants belonging to the genera Melaleuca (tea tree), Cymbopogon (lemongrass), Cinnamomum (cinnamon) and Thymus (thyme) have remarkable antifungal activity against these pathogenic fungi.

Journal Reference:

Natu KN, Tatke PA. ESSENTIAL OILS  PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR ANTIFUNGAL TREATMENT? Journal of Essential Oil Research. 08 May 2019;31(5):347360. DOI: 10.1080/10412905.2019.1604437
Taking the fight against drug abuse to a next level the city police have conducted raids in the city, Bidar and Kalaburagi districts, arrested four persons, and have seized around 1352 kg ganja stored in the underground of a sheep farmhouse.

The arrested have been identified as Jnanashekar, 37, a resident of Gayatrinagar, autorickshaw driver by profession, Siddunath Lavate, 22, of Sindagi taluk in Vijayapura district, Naganath, 39, of Aurad of Bidar district, and Chandrakanth, 34, of Kalagi in Kalaburagi.

How the racket was busted:

On August, 30, police inspector of Seshadripuram police station caught Jnanashekar when he was trying to sell the ganja in a ground near Om Shakthi temple in VV Giri colony. They had seized 2.1 kg ganja and autorickshaw bearing registration number KA-02-AC-3989 from him. During interrogation Jnanashekar confessed to police that he was purchasing ganja from a peddler identified as Siddunath Lavate. On September 6, based on credible information police zeroed down on Lavate near Madanayakanahalli in Bengaluru rural. They found 200 gram ganja with Lavate.

When subjected to questions, Lavate for interrogation he confessed to purchasing ganja from peddlers Chandrakanth and his associate Naganath. He had stored around 150 kg of ganja in a place near Kamalapur on NH 50, police took him to the spot and seized the ganja.

Special team formed to nab the main accused:

A special team was formed to nab the main peddlers Naganath and Chandrakanth. After watching the movements of the duo the police zeroed down on them on the same day near toll plaza in Kalaburagi district. The duo confessed to having stored ganja in a sheep farm. The police took the duo to a sheep farm in Lacchu Nayak Tanda in Kalagi of Kalaburagi belonging to Chandrakanth. Police didn't find sheep in the farmhouse, they didn't find the ganja as well. The officials again grilled Chandrakanth, he showed them the spot. Police removed the mud on the floor to find a lid connecting to underground. The underground was around five feet deep and 10 feet wide. The police found ganja packets stored underground. They recovered around 1200 kg of ganja from there.

Source of ganja:

The police in total seized 1352 kg ganja from the four accused persons. When Chandrakanth and Naganath were subjected for more interrogation they confessed to have sourced it from Odisha. The peddlers used to transport the ganja to Telangana's vegetable market. In guise of transporting vegetables the accused persons brought the ganja to Kalaburagi and stored it in a sheep farm, from there they distributed it to the peddlers of Mumbai and various places of Karnataka.

Background of accused:

Jnanashekar, is an autorickshaw driver by profession.

Siddunath Lavate, studied till 10th standard and owns around 30 acres of land in his native.

Naganath, studied till 10th standard and is into garments and finance business. Faced loss in the business after lockdown over covid and hence got into drug peddling.

Chandrakanth studied till 7th standard and is a farmer in his native. He was also into sheep farming, he was into drug peddling for the last five years and sourced ganja from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Lawmakers expect the $500 billion COVID-19 stimulus Republicans proposed this week to fail in a U.S. Senate vote Thursday, with Democratic leadership blasting the package as pathetic and even some GOP senators not on board.

The latest plan does not include a provision that generated perhaps the most bipartisan support for months: direct stimulus payments to Americans like the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of late March or the subsequent $3 trillion Democratic or $1 trillion Republican proposals in May and July.

But after negotiations between Democratic leaders and the Trump administration on a comprehensive plan collapsed multiple times, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell now wants to force a vote on a narrower list of items that have bipartisan support. He alleges Democrats are ignoring working families and small businesses by insisting on a more expansive, and costly, deal.

The package includes enhanced unemployment benefits through the end of 2020, at $300 weekly instead of the $600 that expired at the end of July.

A non-starter for Democrats is that the bill includes zero new funding for state and local governments, which have seen unprecedented budget shortfalls and layoffs during the pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program, which provides small business loans, would receive a $250 billion boost. The GOP plan also provides more aid to schools as they reopen this year, and $10 billion apiece to the U.S. Postal Service and to support child care.

McConnell also included liability protections for businesses to avoid lawsuits by people infected with coronavirus, as well as a two-year tax credit, proposed by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, for donations to state scholarship funds.

McConnell said Wednesday night that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer were attacking the GOP plan over provisions that literally have Democrat cosponsors.

They just dont want Americans getting another cent of bipartisan relief before the November election, he said.

Speaker Pelosi & Leader Schumer were attacking our new COVID proposal before theyd even read it.



Theyre attacking it over provisions that literally have Democrat cosponsors.



They just don't want Americans getting another cent of bipartisan relief before the November election.  Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) September 9, 2020

Schumer on Wednesday noted that McConnell wouldnt even join him and Pelosi in negotiations with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Schumer and Pelosi have blasted the GOPs skinny bill as emaciated."

He isnt searching for progress, Schumer said. He seems to be looking for political cover.

In the wake of the GOP bill, Sens. Ed Markey and Bernie Sanders recently repeated calls for substantial direct payments to Americans, a proposal they released in May along with Sen. Kamala Harris, now Joe Bidens running mate against President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.

The progressive lawmakers' bill would provide $2,000 checks monthly to Americans who earn up to $100,000; those who file as head of household are eligible up to $150,000, and married couples earning up to $200,000 would receive a combined $4,000 monthly. Families with children would receive $2,000 per child, up to three children. The payments would come through, and three months after, the pandemic, and theyd be retroactive to March.

While families struggle to keep the lights on and food on the table, Senate Republicans are offering yet another bill that doesnt come close to recognizing the economic crisis Americans are confronting during the pandemic, Markey told MassLive on Wednesday. If Donald Trump and Leader McConnell were actually committed to helping Americans, they would work with Democrats on bipartisan legislation that includes robust and monthly direct cash assistance.

President Donald Trump is also still pushing for another round of direct payments to Americans. The president recently suggested paying for $1,200 checks to Americans by reallocating nearly $300 billion thats gone unused from the CARES Act.

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Don't miss this week's Herald  out today.

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You'll find the latest news and comment about this year's Mop Fairs, the school student who's tested positive for coronavirus, a special feature by Stratford's 'Mr Christmas Lights', news of a bold plan to reopen the Tramway, plus the usual irresistible mix of arts, sport, puzzles, motors, property and much, much more.

And at just 90p for a paper copy or an online download, it's your favourite source of information from across the district  can you afford to be without it?
Baby Lives Matter activist beaten, bloodied by Antifa rioters in Portland

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A pro-life activist and independent journalist says he was beaten by a group of Antifa and other left-wing rioters in Portland, Oregon Tuesday as violent protests and riots continue to engulf the city after more than three months.

Tayler Hansen, who is is known as the founder of the Baby Lives Matter movement, took to Twitter on Wednesday to detail an attack he suffered at the hands of four violent activists wearing Antifa black bloc attire.

Hansen, who has made headlines for painting the phrase BABY LIVES MATTER on the streets in front of abortion clinics nationwide, had been covering the riots and unrest in Portland for several days prior to the attack.

He was even arrested over the weekend along with several Antifa activists, writing on Twitter that he spent a night in the dog house with those I was there to expose!

Following his release from jail, Hansen returned to the streets of Portland to film the chaos Tuesday night. It didnt take long for him to become the target of violent protesters.

Last night in Portland I was beaten bloody by four people in Black Bloc



Heres the story pic.twitter.com/7xTopp692t  Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) September 9, 2020

Last night in Portland I was beaten bloody by four people in Black Bloc, Hansen wrote on Twitter.

A photo of Hansen with a bloody wound on his chin accompanied the tweet.

That tweet was part of a lengthy thread where Hansen explained the events that unfolded in Stumptown the previous night.

It started with a press member recognizing me, he proceeded to get his phone to show a group of Black Bloc what I believe to be my Instagram, Hansen recalled. I fled and changed my disguise, and returned once they had arrived at a different location.

Hansen provided video evidence documenting two suspicious men addressing him by name on a Portland street corner.

That encounter was preceded by a Twitter user announcing Hansens presence in the area and accusing him of saying that he infiltrated antifa.

As I was standing on the corner two suspicious men were looking at me and talking amongst themselves, they walked by and directly addressed me by my name.



Heres the video of them acknowledging my presence. pic.twitter.com/HllDYWyCBT  Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) September 9, 2020

I began walking away, a few blocks down there was a group of four dressed in Black Bloc waiting for me around the corner, Hansen explained. They proceeded to beat me. I was punched in the face, thrown on the ground where they began kicking me in the back and hitting me in the face again.

As they fled one yelled Stay out of Portland b****! he added. I am thankful they stopped the beating when they did and didnt use weapons to inflict harm or death upon me.

The attack on Hansen comes just over a week after a Trump supporter was shot to death in Portland by a left-wing protester sympathetic to the anti-fascist movement. The suspect of that attack was shot and killed by Portland police last Thursday when they tried to take him into custody.

In August, another man was hospitalized after he was beaten by Portland demonstrators.

Hansen first gained national attention after painting a mural reading BABY LIVES MATTER across the street from a Planned Parenthood clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah in July.

The pro-life activist felt compelled to start painting the murals after racial justice activists began painting the phrase Black Lives Matter on streets across the U.S. as part of the nationwide demonstration against the killing of African-Americans by police officers.

[Ten] unarmed Black Americans were killed by police in 2019. They have murals all around the country. Almost 400,000 innocent babies were murdered by Planned Parenthood in 2019. Its about damn time they get a mural too, Hansen proclaimed in a tweet at the time.

Hansen has also painted Baby Lives Matter murals in Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina. He is six murals away from achieving his short-term goal of painting 10 Baby Lives Matter murals.

As the Baby Lives Matter movement expands nationwide, other pro-life groups have followed Hansens lead.

Over the weekend, members of Students for Life of America, Human Action Coalition and the Frederick Douglass Foundation teamed up to paint the phrase Black Preborn Lives Matter in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Baltimore.
An initial investigation found that Robinson was heading westbound on Silver Hill Road and the driver of the car was headed in the opposite direction. The two struck each other at the intersection. Police said the reason for the collision was not immediately clear.
The police chief in Connecticut's largest city resigned Thursday, the mayor said, hours after being arrested on federal charges that he teamed with Bridgeport's personnel director to rig the hiring process to ensure he got the job.

Mayor Joe Ganim announced Bridgeport Police Chief Armando 'A.J.' Perez resigned and that he was naming Assistant Chief Rebeca Garcia as acting chief.

The accusations against Perez included that he was provided with confidential testing materials other candidates did not get and having testing criteria weighed in his favor.

Bridgeport Police Chief Armando 'A.J.' Perez resigned on Thursday shortly after he was arrested on federal charges that he teamed with the city's personnel director to rig the hiring process to make sure he'd get his job

Perez, 64, of Trumbull, and the city's acting personnel Director David Dunn, 72, of Stratford, were each charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and with making false statements to investigators.

Both appeared via video before a federal judge in Bridgeport and were allowed to remain free on $150,000 bail. They did not enter pleas.

A criminal complaint alleged they defrauded the city of 144,000 people by rigging the 2018 police chief examination to put Perez in position to secure the post as head of a police department with an annual budget of over $100 million and more than 400 officers.

The previous police chief had resigned in March 2016.

Bridgeport Police Chief Armando 'A.J.' Perez leaves the Brien McMahon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse out a back door, in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in New York City said the men corrupted what was supposed to be an impartial and objective search for a permanent police chief.

'As alleged, Chief Perez and Personnel Director Dunn schemed to rig the purportedly impartial and objective search for a permanent police chief to ensure the position was awarded to Perez, and then repeatedly lied to federal agents in order to conceal their conduct,' Strauss said.

'Bridgeport's citizens and police officers deserve leaders with integrity who are committed to enforcing, not breaking, the law, and we thank the FBI for their partnership in investigating and uncovering the scheme alleged,' continued Strauss.

According to a criminal complaint in Connecticut, Dunn gave confidential examination questions in advance to Perez, had two police officers secretly write Perez's written exam and tailored the examination scoring criteria to favor Perez.

Perez and Dunn were also charged with making false statements to federal agents in the course of the investigation

Dunn also instructed officials there should be no requirement that the chief candidates have bachelor's degrees, and Perez was the only applicant without one, authorities said.

It said the maneuvers were designed to ensure Perez, who has been with the police department nearly four decades, was ranked among the top three candidates and could thus qualify to be awarded a five-year contract as chief.

The terms of his contract included a $300,000 payout for accrued leave, the complaint said.

Perez and Dunn both were voluntarily interviewed during the FBI's investigation, but they lied to agents to conceal what they did to corrupt the examination process, the complaint said.

'Today's arrest of city officials including a high ranking, long-time law enforcement officer is a stark reminder that the betrayal of public trust and community members by a public servant is not only unethical but often illegal,' said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge David Sundberg.

Perez, pictured in white, is accused of having two other officers secretly draft and write his exam for which he needed to sit to become eligible for the position of Chief

'We recognize these arrests are not a reflection on the Bridgeport Police Department as a whole, but it is our responsibility to root out injustice and corruption by any and all elected and appointed officials entrusted to protect and serve with honor. We at the FBI will continue to aggressively pursue all those engaged in matters of public corruption throughout Connecticut.'

A phone message seeking comment was left with Perez's lawyer, Robert Frost Jr. Dunn's lawyer, Frederick Paoletti, declined to comment.

Mayor Joe Ganim's office released a statement saying city officials are reviewing the allegations and deciding whether to make any personnel changes in response. The statement did not directly respond to the accusations.

Several state representatives from Bridgeport also released a statement.

'These allegations are extremely troubling and, unfortunately, the latest in a string of incidents that have undermined public confidence in the leadership of our police department,' said state Reps. Andre Baker Jr., Antonio Felipe, Jack Hennessy, Christopher Rosario, Steve Stafstrom, and Charlie Stallworth.

Ganim, a close friend of Perez's, served nearly seven years in prison himself after he was convicted of corruption for steering city contracts in exchange for private gifts during his first tenure of Bridgeport mayor, which ran from 1991 until his resignation in 2003.

He was released from prison in 2010 and elected mayor again in 2015, after apologizing and asking residents for a second chance.
The two-time Oscar winner is playing manager Colonel Tom Parker with Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in  Hollywood) as Elvis Presley and Olivia DeJonge (Stray Dolls) as Priscilla Presley in a movie for Hollywood studio Warner Bros.

Pre-production was shut down in March when Hanks and wife Rita Wilson were diagnosed with COVID-19.

Due to start filming once he is out of quarantine: Tom Hanks. Credit:Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

The director of Moulin Rouge, Australia and The Great Gatsby has announced that the musical drama about the King's life will begin shooting in Queensland on September 23 after Tom Hanks finishes quarantine.

Hanks flew into the state on a private jet on Tuesday night and is staying at a Gold Coast hotel that is not one of Queensland Health's designated quarantine hotels, with security paid for by the production.

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While details had been scant to date, Elvis will cover the dynamic between Presley and Parker over 20 years "against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America".

Luhrmann said in a statement that the cast and crew were excited to start working with Hanks when he was out of quarantine in two weeks.

"We're back to, as Elvis liked to say, 'taking care of business!'" he said. "I cannot emphasise enough how lucky we feel in the current climate that the state of Queensland, and Queenslanders in general, have been so supportive of this film."
4medica Master Patient Index as-a-Service Historically, duplicate patient files have created a significant burden across the entire healthcare continuum, said Drew Ivan, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Lyniate.

Lyniate, a global leader in healthcare data interoperability, today announced an agreement with 4medica, the leading expert in real-time patient identification and matching, to support providers and vendors in enhancing data integrity, quality, and flexibility. The companies partnership will enable greater connectivity across the healthcare industry, and equip providers, vendors, and patients with up-to-date health information, void of extraneous duplicate patient files.

Historically, duplicate patient files have created a significant burden across the entire healthcare continuum, said Drew Ivan, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Lyniate. Now data integrity is even more at risk than ever. Our agreement with 4medica allows our clients to resolve these long standing challenges with data integration and duplicate files that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Through this agreement we are better positioned to support our customers and meaningfully address the challenges of data integrity and interoperability.

4medica guarantees an unprecedented less than 1% patient record duplication rate and operates in lockstep with in-house efforts to elevate data integrity by merging and removing redundant files through 4medica Big Data MPI and proprietary master data management services. Lyniate provides comprehensive, tailored interoperability solutions through the Rhapsody and Corepoint integration engines, which allow systems to read, interpret, and assimilate data from disparate sources. Lyniate and 4medica will refer customers to one another as appropriate, ensuring healthcare organizations have access to the most robust and complementary data integration and integrity solutions on the market.

We are excited to formalize our relationship with Lyniate through this partnership, said Gregg Church, President at 4medica. High data integrity and quality, as well as seamless integration, are mission-critical for our provider customers who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis. This partnership will allow providers greater access to the solutions necessary for accurate, up-to-date patient records, resulting in better financial and clinical outcomes.

Providers and vendors interested in working with Lyniate can reach out here.

About Lyniate: Lyniate partners with healthcare organizations around the globe delivering cutting-edge solutions to address interoperability challenges. The companys industry-leading products, Corepoint and Rhapsody, are used by thousands of customers to send hundreds of millions of messages every day. Lyniate is committed to delivering the best interoperability solutions for healthcare organizations, from specialty clinics to large networks, from payers to vendors, and everything in between to build the future of interoperability. Visit: http://www.lyniate.com for more information.

About 4medica: Guaranteeing an unprecedented 1% patient record duplication rate, 4medica solves data integrity and financial challenges to minimize patient safety and other clinical risks and achieve true clinical interoperability and transparency for patients. Our Big Data Management and Clinical Data Exchange cloud solutions help healthcare organizations facilitate patient identity management and data exchange to ensure the right data is captured at the right time, the first time. 4medicas Perfect Order for Perfect Payment ensures labs and imaging centers get paid by integrating high-volume revenue cycle management services throughout the entire order management process. 4medica has processed up to 6 billion clinical results representing more than 70 million patient identities. The company connects 40,000-plus physicians to hundreds of ACOs, HIEs, HINs, hospitals, health systems, laboratories, radiology imaging centers and payers nationwide. Learn more at http://www.4medica.com.
Hyderabad, Sep 10 : The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Thursday decided to raise various issues including GST dues of the state and oppose the proposed electricity reforms during the Parliament session, beginning Monday.

The decision was taken at the TRS parliamentary party meeting chaired by party President and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao.

He asked the party members in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to raise various state issues in both the houses and urge the Centre to do justice to the state.

KCR, as Rao is popularly called, said the party should fight on the state issues without any compromise.

The meeting discussed the strategy to be adopted by the party MPs in both the houses. The meeting felt that the Centre has been doing injustice to the state in releasing funds towards its due share and fulfilling various commitments.

The TRS also decided to stage a protest near the Gandhi statue at Parliament, demanding release of GST funds to the state.

TRS parliamentary party leader K. Keshav Rao told reporters after the meeting that Rs 5,764 crore GST dues are pending, besides IGST and backward area development fund.

He alleged that the NDA government's response has been inadequate on various issues concerning Telangana.

"We have written hundreds of letters from the state about many issues, many projects but their response is not good on almost all projects, almost all basic issues," he said.

Keshav Rao said Telangana was not even the allocated quantity of urea through the land under cultivation in the state has gone up by 24 per cent.

Terming the proposed electricity amendment bill as anti-people, the TRS decided to oppose it.
Doy, left, tattoos a client at his studio in Seoul on July 8. AFP



South Korean tattooist Doy counts Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt and members of K-Pop band EXO among his celebrity clients, but his delicate, detailed designs could land him in prison.



Now he is leading a campaign for the abolition of a law that reflects tattoos' long-marginalised status in South Korea, where they were once associated almost exclusively with organised crime.



While tattooing itself is not illegal, it is classed as a medical procedure and may only be carried out by a fully qualified doctor  with the law setting a minimum two-year prison sentence for violators, although judges can impose lighter penalties.



But artists say the law has failed to keep pace, as tattoos have become more mainstream in recent years, championed by K-pop stars, athletes and others with powerful fan bases.



Doy's career illustrates the contradictions: One of the most prominent tattoo artists in the country, he has nearly 500,000 followers on Instagram.



He declines to say what he inked Pitt with last year, citing client confidentiality, but is known at home and abroad for his unique designs  from a bird to croissants to a jumping gymnast  and intricate use of colour.



Even so, there is no sign on his studio in central Seoul.



"On your way back home after tattooing Brad Pitt, there are no words to describe how proud you feel," the 40-year-old told AFP.



"But from the moment you arrive at Incheon International Airport, you worry about the tattoo tools in your bag being found."



Doy, whose real name is Kim Do-yoon, says the situation leaves the country's 20,000-odd tattooists vulnerable to prosecution and random raids  as well as blackmail by malicious or dissatisfied clients.



Earlier this year, he established the country's first tattoo artists' union and will soon ask the Constitutional Court to legalise tattooing by non-doctors.



But after media reports featuring his union activities, someone  who has not been publicly identified  filed a criminal complaint and Doy now faces a police inquiry.



It "feels crappy" to be investigated, he said, but felt he "had to do something".



"If you leave things as they are, nothing will change."



- Repeat offenders -



According to the Korea Tattoo Association  a separate organisation to Doy's union  at least a million people have inked their skin in the country and the illicit but growing industry is worth about 200 billion won ($170 million) a year.



It says another 200,000 beauticians who apply permanent makeup to their clients using tattooing techniques also come under the current rules.



But despite their newfound popularity, tattoos can still carry negative connotations, especially at workplaces in South Korea, with public broadcasters often blurring them out.



Medical doctors strongly oppose legalising tattooing, saying doing so would "endanger" Koreans.



Getting inked by non-doctors could lead to "a serious infection or allergic reactions", an official at the Korea Medical Association said.



Doy says his union plans to come up with health guidelines for tattooists, in collaboration with medical professionals who support their cause.



He has tattooed at least 10,000 people in his 14-year career, but says he had never faced prosecution or blackmail until July.



Other tattooists, though, had lost their income after being convicted, and he knows of artists who have committed suicide as a result.



"This is very devastating," he said. "In a way, they lost their lives because they were painting."



Some have come to terms with being repeat offenders: Kim Goang-seok, 54, says that when he first went into tattooing 25 years ago, "80 percent of my clients were gangsters, and I would repeatedly ink big tigers and dragons".



He has been convicted three times for inking and was once jailed for eight months, but says he will never stop.



"I've always felt uneasy about doing something illegal, and I still feel uneasy," said Kim, who has been tattooing at his "secret", signless studio in the southern city of Ulsan for more than two decades.



"But this is the only thing that I'm good at. I accepted that when I was convicted the first time." (AFP)


The ones who have their brands must have come across these thoughts where they ask themselves that do, we truly understand who are our competitors out there? to analyze that do we come across the direct & indirect customers? Do we have an idea of what their product & services are all about? Has your business conducted market research yet? Is your business different from others? https://publicmediasolution.com/branding-solutions/ Well, Mr. Ravinder Bharti, the 
Portugal and Hungary have today been removed from the quarantine exemption list, meaning holidaymakers must now rush home or face two-weeks in isolation.

Those arriving in England from French Polynesia and Reunion must also self-isolate for 14-days from 4am on Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

A travel corridor between Portugal and the UK had only been opened on August 22, but the popular holiday destination has now been removed after a rise in coronavirus cases.

The Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores are exempt from the new rule, under the Government's plan to impose regional travel corridors.

Both Portugal and Hungary have seen daily cases rise above 20 per 100,000 people, figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show.

Portugal and Hungary have today been removed from the quarantine exemption list, meaning holidaymakers must rush home or face a two-week quarantine. Pictured: The Algarve

Those arriving in England from two further countries must also now self-isolate for 14-days from 4am on Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said. Pictured: Budapest

Portugal has seen a steady rise in cases since it was removed from the quarantine list three weeks ago, now reporting a total of 1,852 deaths amid 62,126 confirmed infections.

It saw 646 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday, the nation's highest figure since April.

Wales and Scotland had already imposed their own self-isolation rules on Portugal, with Nicola Sturgeon also recently mandating 14-day isolation for arrivals from Greece and Wales adding six Greek islands to its list.

Downing Street's switch-up of the quarantine exemption list comes after Mr Shapps last week insisted there would be no changes to English travel corridors.

Sources told MailOnline at the time that although Portugal was above the 'trigger' threshold for cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, that appeared to be because they were carrying out more tests.

Portugal has seen a steady rise in cases since it was removed from the quarantine list on August 22, now reporting a total of 1,852 deaths amid 62,126 confirmed infections. Pictured: Arrivals at Heathrow

A travel corridor between Portugal and the UK had only been opened a few weeks ago, but the popular holiday destination has now been removed after a rise in coronavirus cases

The Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores are exempt from the new rule, which also imposes two-week quarantines for those arriving in England from Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion

Just 34 fines issued for travel quarantine breaches, new figures show A total of 34 fines have been issued to travellers for breaching quarantine rules after arriving in the UK, new figures reveal. Police forces have handed out 20 fixed penalty notices in England, while the Border Force has given out 14 across the UK up to September 7, according to the data released by the Home Office on Thursday. The 14-day self-isolation policy for UK arrivals was introduced on June 8 for people returning to or visiting the UK from countries not on the exemption list. In England, people can be fined 1,000 for failing to self-isolate and up to 3,200 for not providing accurate contact details. Figures show 1,966,394 spot checks have been carried out on passengers to ensure they have filled out passenger locator forms, including contact details, passport number and address while in the country. Public Health England (PHE) carries out further compliance checks on a random sample of travellers, resident in England and Northern Ireland, to check they are self-isolating. The service has made a total of 149,579 calls and text messages - each person can be called up to three times on subsequent days and sent a text. Successful contact, where the traveller has been spoken to or responded to a text, was made 66,773 times with 64,800 people confirming they were self-isolating. Advertisement

'The rate of positives per test has actually gone down,' one senior source said.

The Government also announced yesterday that Sweden has been added to the 'safe' travel list.

The new air bridge will come into force at 4am on September 12 after the Scandinavian nation saw a drop in cases - despite not enforcing a lockdown.

Stockholm's strategy of 'herd immunity' - once backed by Downing Street - to allow the disease to spread through the population, was criticised as reckless but new data increasingly vindicates the decision.

Sweden currently has 13 patients in intensive care, by comparison the United Kingdom has 843 patients in hospital, 80 of them on ventilators.

Furthermore, Sweden has had an average of just one death per day for the last 10, compared to 9.3 fatalities each day in the UK over the same period.

Announcing the changes on Twitter today, Mr Shapps said: 'Data shows we need to remove PORTUGAL (minus the AZORES and MADEIRA), HUNGARY, FRENCH POLYNESIA and REUNION from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe.

'If you arrive in England from these destinations after 4am Saturday, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

'Through enhanced data we now have the capability to assess islands separate to their mainland countries. If you arrive in England from the AZORES or MADEIRA, you will NOT need to self-isolate for 14 days.

'This week, SWEDEN has been ADDED to the Travel Corridors list. If you arrive In England from Sweden, you will NOT need to self-isolate for 14 days.'

Mr Shapps added that all travellers returning to the UK must now complete a Passenger Locator Form to 'protect public health' and ensure self-isolation rules.

'It is a criminal offence not to complete the form and spot checks will be taking place,' he said.

It comes after the Portuguese government today agreed tougher infection control restrictions against the coronavirus ahead of the start of the school year.

Ministers agreed on new rules which will come into force next week, including limiting gatherings to 10 people rather than 20 previously - a cap already in force in the capital Lisbon since late June.

Downing Street also announced yesterday that Sweden has been added to the travel corridors list, after its seven-day case rate fell to 11.6 per 100,000 people. Pictured: Stockholm

Sales of alcohol will also be banned from 8pm onwards alongside drinking in public places. Meanwhile, sporting venues will remain closed to fans ahead of the football championship kicking off next week.

'We've been seeing a sustained rise in the number of new cases since the beginning of August,' Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

But most new cases were among asymptomatic people aged 20 to 39, Costa added.

He urged companies to allow for remote working or other infection control moves wherever possible.
David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We note that The Descartes Systems Group Inc (TSE:DSG) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Descartes Systems Group

What Is Descartes Systems Group's Net Debt?

As you can see below, Descartes Systems Group had US$9.70m of debt at April 2020, down from US$22.8m a year prior. But on the other hand it also has US$56.0m in cash, leading to a US$46.3m net cash position.

A Look At Descartes Systems Group's Liabilities

According to the last reported balance sheet, Descartes Systems Group had liabilities of US$89.0m due within 12 months, and liabilities of US$40.6m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had US$56.0m in cash and US$43.0m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities total US$30.6m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

Having regard to Descartes Systems Group's size, it seems that its liquid assets are well balanced with its total liabilities. So it's very unlikely that the US$4.91b company is short on cash, but still worth keeping an eye on the balance sheet. While it does have liabilities worth noting, Descartes Systems Group also has more cash than debt, so we're pretty confident it can manage its debt safely.

Story continues

Also positive, Descartes Systems Group grew its EBIT by 21% in the last year, and that should make it easier to pay down debt, going forward. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Descartes Systems Group's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. Descartes Systems Group may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. Happily for any shareholders, Descartes Systems Group actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT over the last three years. There's nothing better than incoming cash when it comes to staying in your lenders' good graces.

Summing up

We could understand if investors are concerned about Descartes Systems Group's liabilities, but we can be reassured by the fact it has has net cash of US$46.3m. And it impressed us with free cash flow of US$104m, being 176% of its EBIT. So we don't think Descartes Systems Group's use of debt is risky. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Descartes Systems Group you should be aware of.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
The pleasures of a well-cooked meal or loving sexual intercourse are "divine" and have unjustly fallen victim to "overzealousness" on the part of the Church in the past, Pope Francis says in a book of interviews published Wednesday.

"Pleasure arrives directly from God, it is neither Catholic, nor Christian, nor anything else, it is simply divine," Francis told Italian writer and gourmet Carlo Petrini.

"The Church has condemned inhuman, brutish, vulgar pleasure, but has on the other hand always accepted human, simple, moral pleasure," he added.

Francis -- born Jorge Bergoglio in Argentina -- said that there was no place for an "overzealous morality" that denies pleasure, something he admitted existed in the Church in the past but insisted is "a wrong interpretation of the Christian message".

"The pleasure of eating is there to keep you healthy by eating, just like sexual pleasure is there to make love more beautiful and guarantee the perpetuation of the species," the pope said.

Opposing views "have caused enormous harm, which can still be felt strongly today in some cases," he added.

"The pleasure of eating and sexual pleasure come from God."

Francis, the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world, singled out a 1987 Danish film called "Babette's Feast" as reflecting his message on pleasure.

Set in the 19th Century, it tells the story of a lottery-winning chef who invites a group of ultra-puritan Protestant worshippers to a sumptuous banquet.

The film is "a hymn to Christian charity, to love," the pope said.

Wednesday's book, "TerraFutura, conversations with Pope Francis on integral ecology" was written by Petrini, the founder of the global "slow food" movement created in the 1980s in opposition to "fast food".

The interviews focus on the pope's vision of environmentalism with a social face, outlined in his 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si".
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Senegalese President Macky Sall on Wednesday called on the government to speed up the optimal implementation of the Ten-Year Flood Control Programme launched in 2012 and to accelerate the second phase of the Stormwater Management and Climate Change Adaptation Project
President Donald Trump knew back in February that the coronavirus was deadly, but felt it best to keep the people in the dark.

Thats the bottom line, the headline news, from reports about a forthcoming book from storied author Bob Woodward, who first rose to fame in the 1970s, when he and fellow Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein wrote a series of accounts detailing the widespread malfeasance in President Richard Nixons administration that falls under the umbrella term Watergate.

Just hours after the initial reports detailing some of whats in Woodwards book, Rage, Trump said at a press conference that he was acting as our nations head cheerleader, and was trying to keep the citizenry from panicking.

In fact, his decision to understate the severity of the novel coronavirus could well have given many people a false sense of security and may have resulted in innumerable unnecessary deaths. Imagine that the president, right from the top, had played it straight, telling the people that the virus was a serious threat. How different things might have been. How many more people might still be alive today.

Woodward is author or coauthor of an astonishing 13 No. 1 national bestsellers. It seems reasonable to assume that Rage, set for publication on Tuesday, will be another. Some juicy details appeared online in The Washington Post on Wednesday.

A couple worth highlighting straightaway:

Trump inadvertently revealed to Woodward the existence of a secret, advance nuclear weapons system that was apparently unknown to virtually everyone on the planet.

He disparaged his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, as highly overrated, even as he heaped praise on North Koreas despotic, murderous leader, Kim Jong Un.

Anyone who thinks that the new reportage will be dismissed as just fake news will have a hard time making that argument stick, as Woodwards on-the-record interviews with the president were all recorded.

One wonders why Trump would have submitted to the question-and-answer sessions with the award-winning journalist -- until considering Trumps feelings about himself. And then the answer becomes quite clear. He was looking to burnish his legacy, believing, amazingly, that more Trump -- and still more Trump after that -- would win Woodward over. After all, The President likely felt, how could anyone not be astonished by his true magnificence?

A look at the death toll from the pandemic answers that question.

Related:
Tuolumne County Public Health View Photo

Sonora, CA  Tuolumne County Health Officials report they are investigating a fourth death of a Tuolumne County resident that tested positive for COVID-19. The case is currently under investigation and public health will report more information once they receive it.

One new case is being reported today and the individual is hospitalized. One individual has moved from isolation to recovered. Age and other detailed information will be reported later in the week as the Health Departments report display system recovers from the power outage and ongoing updates. Tuolumne County is in Tier 3, the Orange and Moderate Risk category of the four-tiered, color-coded system for reopening businesses with Yellow being the 4th and least restrictive. For a current status map of every county in California click here. The tier status will be reviewed updated weekly.

Daily COVID-19 Cases County

Active Date New Today Hospital/

ICU Alpine 0 9/3 0 0 Amador 6 9/9 2 1 Calaveras 31 9/8 13 2 Mariposa 2 9/9 0 1 Madera 406 9/9 39 14 Merced 750 9/9 25 77 Mono 1 9/9 0 0 San Joaquin 859 9/9 260 87/29 Stanislaus 635 9/9 244 144/41 Tuolumne 7 9/9 1 1 Totals (Cumulative) COVID-19 Cases County

Recovered (increase) Total Positives Deaths Alpine 2 (+0) 2 0 Amador 220(+4) 241 15 Calaveras 253(+39) 286 2 Mariposa 70 (+1) 74 2 Madera 3,600(+3) 4,064 58 Merced 7,565(+35) 8,440 125 Mono 159(+0) 162 2 San Joaquin 17,093(+125) 18,464 382 Stanislaus 14,751 (+342) 15,685 299 Tuolumne 188(+1) 197 3

In alignment with the new State Health Officer Order, Dr. Liza Ortiz, Interim Tuolumne County Health Officer has issued an updated Local Health Officer Order here. This site provides more detailed information on the criteria used to determine the tier into which a county is placed and how counties can move from one tier to another.

If you are having COVID-like symptoms, self-isolate and contact your healthcare provider or the Adventist Health Triage Line at 209-536-5166 Mon-Fri, or 209-536-5000 after hours. If you need immediate medical attention, please call ahead and go to Rapid Care or the Emergency Department. You can also visit www.valleycovidhelp.com for more information.

The no-cost state testing site is open at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds Tuesday  Saturday 7am to 7pm. Appointments can be scheduled ahead of time at: https://lhi.care/covidtesting Appointments are recommended. The site offers to test children ages 3 and older (accompanied by a parent or guardian). Tuolumne County Public Health encourages anyone concerned about possible exposure to go get tested and essential workers are encouraged to get tested every two weeks.

It is important that people continue to follow prevention guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including:

Practice physical distancing at all times. Keep 6 feet space between yourself and others who are not part of your household. Stay in your household bubble!

Wear a face covering in public.

Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.

Avoid gatherings of any size with people who are not part of your household.

Stay home if you are sick.

Avoid unnecessary travel, and limit your outings to essential tasks.

Thank you for your support and efforts to protect the safety and health of our community
By Patrick Cullen

Two hundred forty years ago this summer, history was made in what is now North Bergen -- history we shouldnt let fade away.

On July 21, 1780, during the Revolutionary War, on a cliff near what is now Fredman Park at Boulevard East and 75th Street, several regiments of the Pennsylvania Line, led by Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne, engaged upwards of 138 self-described Loyalist Refugees defending a two-story block house they had recently constructed as a base of operations to cut wood for the British military and stage foraging raids into Patriot strongholds.

Gen. Wayne is most remembered for having been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by the Continental Congress for his daring victory at Stony Point, New York, south of Bear Mountain, on July 16, 1779. Almost exactly a year later, he faced the Loyalists led by Capt. Ward, formerly a sergeant in the Continental Army. While Waynes immediate objective was to destroy the block house and dislodge the Loyalists, the grand objective was to distract the numerically superior British forces in Manhattan from attempting to engage the nearly 6,000 allied French Army forces, led by Gen. Rochambeau, that had landed in Newport, Rhode Island, 10 days earlier.

Here in New Jersey, several boats and sloops used by the Loyalist woodcutters were destroyed by the Americans in the Block House Battle.

The Americans lost more men than the Loyalists did that day because elements of Gen. Waynes 1st and 2nd Regiments unsuccessfully tried to storm the block house when the Patriot detachments artillery ammunition was spent. The Americans lost at least 17 men, most of whom died on the spot.

Losses on the British Loyalist side totaled four men (including one of 20 African Americans who fought at this battle.

Of local note, Lts. George and Absolam Bull, brothers who operated Bulls Ferry a half mile north of the block house, fought with the Loyalists in this battle and were both injured.

In the other prong of Gen. Waynes operation, several hundred head of cattle were captured by Col. Stephen Moylans 4th Pennsylvania Regiment of Light Dragoons Cavalry from the area of the Three Pigeons Inn, also in North Bergen (with a band of Wards men managing to re-capture about 20 cattle).

While the attack on the block house did not dislodge the Loyalists, the damage done by the Americans compelled the Loyalists to soon abandon and destroy the fortification. Furthermore, the grand objective of keeping the British forces in New York distracted so as not to engage the desperately needed French force in Rhode Island ultimately succeeded.

North Bergen historian and NBHS teacher Mike Maring had a Zoom presentation on this battle recently and wrote an interesting article about it four years ago. Go to mikethehistoryguy.blogspot.com and scroll down to The Revolutionary War Comes to North Bergen.

Another North Bergen historian, Ron Skokandich, was the first in recent memory to find the location of the Three Pigeons Inn  at the eastside intersection of Bergen Turnpike and Grand Avenue -- by discovering an Oct. 28, 1964, Jersey Journal photograph that depicted a New Jersey tercentennial sign commemorating this famous inn.

Patrick Cullen's "1780 Battle of the Block House'' book, which details the Revolutionary War battle that took place in what is now North Bergen.

My 2018 book 1780 Battle of the Block House of North Bergen, New Jersey includes the names of most of the men on both sides who fought here. Most of the names of the British Loyalists had been found by the pre-eminent scholar and author Todd Braisted and were listed in his book A Nest of Tories, which is available at the Fort Lee Museum.

While we are all busy fighting our war on COVID-19, North Bergen still plans to put up a plaque at an appropriate time, as per a July 21, 2018, Jersey Journal article that can be found at nj.com/hudson/2018/07/north_bergen_recognizes_historic_battle_with_local.html

Patrick Cullen of West New York is the WNY town historian and vice president of the Hudson County Genealogical & Historical Society.
US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a press conference at Bridgened in Co Donegal with Congressman Richard Neal as part of her four-day visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland in April 2019. Niall Carson/PA Wire

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has said there will be "absolutely no chance" of a US-UK trade agreement if the Good Friday Agreement is undermined by Brexit.

Mrs Pelosi released a statement on Wednesday in which she described the Good Friday Agreement as Northern Ireland's "bedrock of peace".

It comes after Boris Johnson's bid to override key parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and NI Secretary Brandon Lewis's confirmation the changes would "break international law" in a "very specific and limited way".

Read More

In response, Speaker Pelosi said Brexit cannot be "allowed to imperil" the 1998 peace accord.

"The UK must respect the Northern Ireland Protocol as signed with the EU to ensure the free flow of goods across the border," she said.

"If the UK violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a US-UK trade agreement passing the Congress," she concluded.

Last year Mrs Pelosi visited Northern Ireland and crossed the border into Donegal to see the impact of Brexit.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove is holding emergency talks with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic after he demanded the British government elaborates on its plan to override key parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

Mr Sefcovic will travel to London on Thursday to meet Mr Gove. Chief spokesperson for the commission Eric Mamer said: "The EU seeks clarifications from the UK on the full and timely implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement."

 Following todays announcement by the UK, @MarosSefcovic will travel to London tomorrow to meet @michaelgove for an extraordinary meeting of the Joint Committee. The EU seeks clarifications from the UK on the full and timely implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement.  Eric Mamer (@MamerEric) September 9, 2020

Democratic Congressman Richard Neal told RTE he had expressed his concerns on the latest Brexit developments and the implications they would have for Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement with Mrs Pelosi.

In his role as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Neal will oversee any future US-UK trade agreement.

"She indicated that she is consistent with my view that any threat that would reimpose a border on the island of Ireland would negate any possibility of having a free trade bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom."

In a Tweet on Tuesday, Antony Blinken, a foreign policy adviser to Joe Biden, said Mr Biden is committed to preserving peace in Northern Ireland.

The adviser to the Democratic presidential candidate said: "As the UK and EU work out their relationship, any arrangements must protect the Good Friday Agreement and prevent the return of a hard border."

@joebiden is committed to preserving the hard-earned peace & stability in Northern Ireland. As the UK and EU work out their relationship, any arrangements must protect the Good Friday Agreement and prevent the return of a hard border. via @NYTimes https://t.co/KUIScLLqt0  Antony Blinken (@ABlinken) September 8, 2020

"I sincerely hope the British government upholds the rule of law and delivers on the commitments it made during Brexit negotiations, particularly in regard to the Irish border protocols," he said.
Coronavirus testing every two days for staff in high-risk wards, a ban on face-to-face meetings and staff diverted from other hospitals are just part of the effort to keep Concord Hospital running while managing the outbreak, which has infected 14 people.

NSW recorded seven new cases on Thursday morning, including two linked to the hospital cluster.

Health workers cross the road near Concord Repatriation General Hospital. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Both new hospital cases were linked to Concord: one staff member, who was already in self-isolation, and one close contact of a previously confirmed case.

The cluster now includes nine healthcare workers, forcing about 100 doctors, nurses and allied health workers into self-isolation because they were either close contacts of the earlier cases or awaiting test results.
Science/Medicine

How the Coronavirus Attacks the Brain New York Times (Kevin W)

Statistics, lies and the virus: Tim Harfords five lessons from a pandemic Financial Times (David L)

How to Read That Damning Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Superspreader Study Like a Scientist Gizmodo (David L)

AstraZeneca CEO says participant had neurological symptoms, could be discharged today StatNews (furzy). Help me. This was a serious reaction or they would not have paused the trial.

I'm 46 and had a fairly mild/average case of Covid in March. I was just diagnosed with post Covid onset Glaucoma. This didn't have to happen.  Diana Berrent (@dianaberrent) September 10, 2020

Dentists Are Seeing an Epidemic of Cracked Teeth. Whats Going On? New York Times. Wear an appliance! If you can tolerate them (they are bulky), sport biteguards are cheap and sturdy.
HONG KONG, Sept 10, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - On 9th September 2020, Zijin Mining convened the Sixth Science and Technology Symposium successfully. Mr. Chen Jinghe, the Chairman of Zijin Mining, put forward the science and technology manifesto of "promoting the Company's global leaping development with scientific and technological innovation as the driving force", indicating that Zijin Mining will fully establish technology-led global competitiveness.



The symposium was attended by distinguished guests, including Mr. Peng Qiming, President of China Mining Association; academicians of Mr. Zhang Wenhai, Mr. Sun Chuanyao, Mr. Qiu Guanzhou, Mr. Cai Meifeng, Mr. Mao Jingwen, Mr. Lin Jun, Mr. Chai Liyuan and Mr. Xu Zhenghe; Mr. Zhang Yongtao, Vice President of China Gold Association; Mr. Zhou Shiju, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of Fujian Province; municipal and county-level officials of Mr. Zhang Guowang, Mr. Xie Haibo, Mr. Fu Cangrong and Mr. Wang Bo; as well as representatives from Guidance Center for Mineral Exploration Technology of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Department of Natural Resources of Fujian Province, Fujian Association for Science and Technology, Fuzhou University, Jimei University, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, research and design institutions at home and abroad as well as cooperative units. Mr. Zou Laichang, President of Zijin Mining, presided the opening ceremony of the symposium. Mr. Jiang Kaixi, chief engineer of Zijin Mining, reported on the scientific and technological work.



Technology creates and recreates Zijin Mining. For more than 20 years, Zijin Mining has sticked to scientific and technological innovation as its primary driving force, becoming one of the few multinational mining companies around the globe equipped with autonomous system technology and engineering management capabilities, with relatively well-established scientific research system and practice platform. Zijin Mining pioneered the mining project management model of "integrating five ore treatment processes into one" and realised coordinated research and full process control on five procedures of geological prospecting, mining, processing, refining and environmental protection, achieving the maximisation of economic and social benefits and promoting the continuous implementation of management and technological innovation concepts. From learning to leading, Zijin Mining has formed the core competitiveness and comparative advantages of the enterprise, which have strongly supported the rapid development of various businessess of the Company.



Mr. Chen Jinghe, the chairman, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. He highlighted that "scientific and technological innovation creates Zijin" is a lively depiction of Zijin Mining's development history in the past 20 years. Scientific and technological innovation has become a powerful driver for the Company's high-speed development, and scientific and technological workers are the pillars forming the Company's core competitiveness.



Looking ahead to the future, Mr. Chen Jinghe pointed out that uncertainty in the current global politics and economy increases. However, position of the mining industry, which is a fundamental industry, has not changed and still remains relatively stable. Furthermore, owing to substantial rise in investment costs and costs of obtaining mineral resources, the prices of mineral resources are likely to stand firm. Zijin Mining is determined to become a tier-one metal mining company with global competitiveness, which is the glorious mission and vision of the Company. The Company must speed up the conversion of advantage in resources into advantages in products and efficacy, which is the most crucial and core task at present.



Firstly, Zijin Mining will drive for scientific and technological innovation with a global vision and new mindset. The Company will pursue scientific and technological innovation from an even higher starting point, and strive for excellence above international standards. Its project management model of "five ore treatment processes into one"will be applied and promoted more extensively. Efforts will be made to further uncover super-large deposits of significant market value, and achieve technological breakthroughs in the use of deep shafts for efficient, cost-saving and safe mining. In addition, research and application of eco-friendly processing and refining technology will be focused on to realise the goal of green and eco-friendly development in both of the Company's domestic and overseas projects.



Secondly, Zijin Mining will emphatically develop a highly fitting, globalised mechanism for operation and management which is supported by science and technology. Treating science and technology as its most important support and guidance in the pursuit for globalisation, the Company will push for deeper reforms in a steady manner. It will accelerate informatisation and intellectualisation of mines, and drive for reforms in quality and efficiency. It will also remain committed to a new path for innovation which is created by its own and bears unique Zijin characteristics, as well as attaining breakthroughs in core and critical technology in shorter timeframe. To live up to its determination of creating an open environment for scientific and technological innovation, the Company will promote exchanges and cooperation with external parties and join forces with various sectors to achieve powerful scientific and technological developments. Furthermore, in order to expeditiously build a new talent base with technical expertise, the Company will reach out globally to explore for acquisition of, or cooperation with high-tech companies that have a strong talent powerhouse.



Thirdly, Zijin Mining will formulate globalised, pragmatic talent development policies with Zijin characteristics. The Company will introduce advanced, veteran and outstanding talents in the science and technology field and young elites from around the world. Leveraging on its various projects across the world, the Company will encourage talented employees to work at the "frontline of the battlefields" to achieve mutual growth with Zijin Mining and realise their personal value. Taking value creation and market standards as the criteria for assessment, it will accelerate the formulation of a global, value-creation focused talent development strategy.



Fourthly, a global Zijin culture will be developed with full efforts. Having strong faith in its own culture, the Company will seek integration with the excellent culture of the localities where its projects operate, weave Zijin Mining's excellent corporate culture and core values deeply into the fabrics of the enterprise, insist on the core value of mutual development, and, in the course of developing its business, allow its employees the opportunities to realise their personal strength as well as benefit the countries, communities and business partners that are relevant to the Company's operations.



Mr. Zhang Guowang, Vice Secretary to the municipal Party Committee and acting mayor of Longyan City, and Mr. Zhou Shiju, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of Fujian Province, delivered warm and robust speeches at the symposium. They congratulated the successful convention of the symposium, fully recognised Zijin Mining's achievements in scientific and technological innovation, and provided invaluable advice and guidance on Zijin Mining's future implementation of scientific and technological innovation strategies, as well as the importance of scientific and technological innovation in leading future development.



At the symposium, commendations were given to Zijin Mining's outstanding leaders, team members, workers and collaborators who specialise in the field of science and technology, as well as the outstanding projects and their representatives. The symposium was broadcasted worldwide online.











Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.





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This was the frightening view from San Francisco on Wednesday as the day broke to a glowing orange sky.

Winds have stoked an unprecedented number of fires, driven by the climate crisis, across California in recent days that have forced rescues and thousands of residents to evacuate.

Further north in Washington state, more acres burned in a single day than firefighters usually see all year. Fires also forced people to flee in Oregon and Idaho.

A massive cloud of smoke covered much of California on Wednesday, dimming the sun to an eerie orange glow over San Francisco.

I keep thinking these scenes are from Blade Runner, tweeted San Francisco resident Tracy Chou.

I have never seen the sky in SF look like this in the nearly 20 years Ive lived here. This video doesnt do it justice; looks like a scene from Mars, another local, Veronica Belmont, posted on Twitter.

A number of recent studies, including reports by federal Environmental Protection Agency have linked bigger wildfires to the climate crisis.

The frequency of extreme wild fire weather has doubled in California over the past four decades, with the main driver being the effect of rising temperature on dry fuels, meaning that the fuel loads are now frequently at record or near-record levels when ignition occurs and when strong winds blow, Stanford University climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh told the Associated Press.

About 125 miles (200 km) to the northeast, winds fanned a huge fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills and forced authorities to order early morning evacuations and put other residents on high alert.

The area is not far from Paradise, where 85 people were killed by a fire which decimated the town in 2018, and Oroville Dam, where failing spillways forced a massive evacuation in 2017.

On Tuesday, flames overtook 14 firefighters who had to deploy last-resort emergency shelters and destroyed a fire station in Los Padres National Forest on Californias central coast.

They suffered burns and smoke inhalation, and three were flown to a hospital in Fresno, the US Forest Service said.

Chris Barth, a spokesman on the Dolan Fire, said the three hospitalized firefighters were stabilized, with one in critical and the other two in fair condition. Barth said the firefighters training and equipment had prevented a worse disaster.

Helicopters have been used in recent days to rescue hundreds of people stranded in the burning Sierra National Forest, where a fire has destroyed 365 buildings, including at least 45 homes.

About 5,000 buildings were threatened, fire officials said.

Further south, fires burned in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. People in foothill communities east of Los Angeles were warned to be ready to flee, but the regions notorious Santa Ana winds were weaker than predicted.

Were encouraged that the wind activity appears to be dying down, California Governor Gavin Newsom said. The rest of the week looks a little more favourable.

Cars drive along the San Francisco Bay Bridge under an orange smoke filled sky (AFP via Getty Images)

After closing eight national forests in the southern half of the state earlier in the week, the US Forest Service closed Californias 10 other national forests, citing unprecedented and historic fire conditions throughout the state.

California has set a record with nearly 2.3 million acres burned already this year, and historically the worst of the wildfire season doesnt begin until fall.

Pacific Gas & Electric was deploying more than 3,000 employees on Wednesday to inspect power lines before restoring energy to about 167,000 customers whose electricity was turned off to prevent fires from being started by wind-damaged wires. Some aerial inspections were paused because of smoke limiting visibility, said spokesman Jeff Smith.

Only a very small number of customers had power turned off in Southern California.

In the Sierra National Forest east of Fresno, dozens of campers and hikers were stranded at the Vermilion Valley Resort after the only road in  a narrow route snaking along a steep cliff  was closed Sunday because of the so-called Creek Fire.

This is emblematic of how fast that fire was moving, plus the physical geography of that environment with one road in and one road out, said Char Miller, a professor of environmental analysis at Pomona College, said of the helicopter rescues. Unless you wanted an absolute human disaster, you had to move fast.

Wires contributed to this report
TMC's presence in Goa to help BJP in polls, claims Sanjay Raut

Ranaut issue over for us now says Raut

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Mumbai, Sep 10: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that Kangana Ranaut "episode" is now over for his party.

He made the remark after meeting Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray here.

"The Kangana Ranaut episode is over. We have even forgotten it. We are busy with our daily, government and social work now," Raut told reporters.

Shiv Sena turning into 'Sonia Sena' for power, says Kangana Ranaut; Attacks BMC over demolition

He said he met the chief minister to discuss some party-related programmes.

Amid some media reports, which claimed that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar have expressed displeasure over the episode, the Sena MP said it was "wrong information".

"Be it Pawar saheb or Sonia ji, nobody has made a statement expressing displeasure," Raut added.

The Shiv Sena and the actress were engaged in a war of words after the latter recently likened Mumbai to Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK) and also said she feared Mumbai Police more than "movie mafia".

Raut had purportedly said, "We kindly request her not to come to Mumbai. This is nothing but an insult to Mumbai Police."

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is ruled by the Sena, on Wednesday pulled down some "illegal alterations" made at Ranaut's bungalow in Bandra. However, the Bombay High Court later ordered a stay on it.

The 33-year-old actor, who returned to Mumbai on Wednesday from her home state Himachal Pradesh, alleged that the Maharashtra government was targeting her because of her clash with the Shiv Sena.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

Ranaut also posted a video message addressing Uddhav Thackeray, in which she said that his "ego will be destroyed" the way her Bandra home was demolished.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 16:50 [IST]
SOUTH HADLEY  Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen noted a significant increase in domestic violence and vehicle break-in calls during the last quarter as she updated the Selectboard Tuesday night.

In June through August, a historically busy time for the department, Gundersen noted an increase of 700 calls compared to the same period in 2019. That represented a 15% increase by our officers out there working, she said.

The department reported a 220% increase in domestic calls in the prior quarter. Its pretty concerning, Gundersen said. In the same stretch last year, the department recorded 18 domestic-related calls.

Not all of those resulted in custodies and arrests, but its calls for service for family violence, or family conflict is happening in the house, she explained to the board. It requires a different response by our officers.

State officials have warned of an expected rise in domestic violence as families are cooped up at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

The South Hadley Police Department also has seen a 100% increase in motor vehicle break-ins. Gundersen said the department launched a social media campaign to educate residents and reduce break-ins. South Hadley detectives joined a Massachusetts-Connecticut task force to address the problem.

We know its a group of younger people coming out of Connecticut into our community. Some communities have been lucky and had some arrests, Gundersen said. This is a difficult crew to stay on top of. Were trying hard to come up with some different strategies to address that.

Town Administrator Michael J. Sullivan said the police departments website added direct contact information for senior officers in an effort for more transparency.

Gundersen said residents wanted a greater understanding of how the department functions. While it already provides a weekly summary of calls and a monthly log, Gundersen added more context to the facts and figures.

The public can access information on types of calls officers responded to, including domestics and noise complaints. We also added a professional standards and internal affairs section to the website, Gundersen said.

While residents can download a complaint form, the department also has a form to commend officers.

Its an easier way for me to hear when we do the right things, and I can get that information down, she said. Its been a challenging time in policing here in South Hadley. I think that the page will be beneficial and more transparent. Were not trying to hide how it is when we investigate if we miss the mark.

The police department released an unbiased policing policy in June. It calls for gathering data to look at who officers interact with in the community, according to Gundersen.

The departments website also has a link for statistics collected in fiscal 2019 and 2020. The statistics also delve into the rank-and-files makeup and who officers are engaging with during motor vehicle stops.

Who is it in our community were arresting, and who are we summonsing? Gundersen said.

The chief said the department has tried to hold its head up high in the era of worldwide protests against police violence and calls to defund police. She plans to form a working group of officers who will examine the departments culture and operations.

Im optimistic that I can get this group working together. How I pose it with the officers is that there are always ways we can improve, Gundersen said.

Related Content:
Social justice is a fiercely debated concept among evangelicals today . Some believe it reflects dangerous ideas in secular culture or even godless ideologies rather than biblical Christianity. The notion is understood variously, and debate abounds as to whether Scripture ranks it as a gospel issue. Even the simpler term justice is subject to competing visions. Yet one thing is certain: Calls for justice in our society seem to only be increasing, and while some evangelicals have been struggling for justice for decades or even generations, today more and more are championing justice in some form.

Nevertheless, concerns remain for some. Is the gospel primarily about individual salvation, and do justice efforts detract from personal piety and evangelism? Just how important is justice to the Christian faith? John Calvin, a leading Protestant Reformer whose writings still influence theology and practice today, can help us think through such questions. For Calvin, justice is not a distraction from or tangential to the Christian faith but is integral to it.

While this might surprise some people today, John Calvin believed that we must act justly in order to live piously. Justice not only reveals personal piety but also is a means of living piously. What is more, justice is the meat and potatoes of what it means to love others. Many modern evangelicals dont think along such lines. Perhaps a 16th-century French refugee who trained in law and served as a pastor can help us see more clearly the biblical portrait of the Christian life.

The Substance of the Christian Life

Many Christians rightly understand that the essence of godly living is captured in the maxim love God, love others. This is, after all, Jesus summary of the Law and Prophets (Matt. 22:3640). Calvin agrees that such double love is what ultimately pleases God, and the Ten Commandments best summarize such a life. Though certain Old Testament laws (mainly ceremonial) have been fulfilled in Christ, the Christian life is detailed in the Ten Commandments and many of the Mosaic precepts that expound them. Commenting on the law in his magnum opus, TheInstitutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin writes,

First, indeed, we should be entirely filled with the love of God. From this will flow directly the love of neighbor. This is what the Apostle shows when he writes that the aim of the law is love from a pure conscience, and of faith unfeigned [1 Tim. 1:5]. You see how conscience and sincere faith are put at the head. In other words, here is true piety, from which love [for neighbor] is derived.

Calvin equates heartfelt love for God with faith and piety . Law-keeping, therefore, is no coldhearted service toward God that springs from a mere sense of duty. Rather, obedience that pleases God flows from sincere love for him. And love for God is the source of love for others. To refer to this second love, Calvin frequently uses the term charity (caritas in Latin). Thus, while Calvin understands love as the substance of the law, he also believes the essence of the law is described with more specific terms like piety or faith and charity.

For Calvin, the Christian life is profoundly active. Loving God and neighbor doesnt entail simply refraining from evilsuch as idolatry, adultery, theft, and so on. Loving God and others has as much to do with actively pursuing and performing what is spiritually good as it does with abstaining from evil. When we read divine commands, Calvin informs us, we must consider both the matter it treats anditsopposite to fully understand what pleases God. The prohibition against murder, for example, requires more than not harming others physically.

As Calvin states in his Institutes, The commandments and prohibitions always contain more than is expressed in words. We must look beyond the mere words of the biblical text in order to understand the whole meaning of a precept. As Calvin scholar John Hesselink explained, if interpreted literally the commands are limited in scope; but as Calvin universalizes the commands and interprets them positively, they assume tremendous breadth and depth. If we think the Ten Commandments teach us only what not to do, then we have not grasped their true meaning.

The Order of Loves

Just as Jesus prioritizes love for God when summarizing the Law and Prophets, so does Calvin when expositing the Decalogue, or the Ten Commandments. Knowing and glorifying God is the ultimate goal of life. The first four commandments which summarize duties of personal piety, take priority because God created and redeemed us so we may worship him. And as Calvin exclaims in a sermon on the Decalogue, the worship of God is treated before commandments 5 through 10, commands on how to love others, because it is impossible for men to act as they should toward their neighbors unless they are led by the fear of God.

Although the first table of the Decalogue (Ex. 20:111) takes priority, the second table (Ex. 20:1217) is by no means optional for believers and is in fact a way of worshiping God. Calvin even asserts that God tests our obedience to him in giving us the second table. Observing the second table, then, is one way we prove our faith. In a sermon on the Ten Commandments, Calvin exclaims that while we must first yield to God the worship he deserves, we must live in such justice and equity with our neighbors that we demonstrate thereby that we are true children of God.

The reason obedience to the second table proves the existence of piety and faith is that, as Calvin states in the Institutes, the intention of the heart is not always visible, and hypocrites continually [busy] themselves with ceremonies. As Reformation historian Elsie Anne McKee explains, The order of precedence in Calvins understanding of worship is inward faith, outward acts of worship (ceremonies), and then love [that is, obedience to the second table]. Unhappily, ceremonies are always susceptible of distortion and hypocrisy. Thus, in some instances, love toward neighbor may better evince faithful worship of God than liturgical or devotional practices.

This does not mean that personal piety is supplanted. After all, we cannot rightly love our neighbors unless we first love God. The two tables are inseparable, though distinguishable. Yet Calvin makes a provocative point while preaching on the Ten Commandments: People who suppose they can observe only the first table without also observing the second do not actually keep the first table. Or, as he writes in the Institutes, Our life shall best conform to Gods will and the prescription of the law when it is in every respect most fruitful for our brethren (emphasis added).

Loving others is a way of living piously toward God. Calvin even suggests that the good works that prove our righteous standing before God refer specifically to deeds of charity toward others and not acts of piety toward God. Although charity is subordinate to piety, the observance of justice and equity towards men is  themeans which we are to employ in testifying a pious fear of God, if we truly possess it. Thus, while Calvin prioritizes piety, he sees charity as an indispensable means by which we express our love for God.

The Meaning of Neighborly Love

So what exactly does Calvin mean by charity, love for neighbor?

To modern ears, charity often connotes monetary donations. While Calvin certainly includes almsgiving as part of charity, he means far more than that. Translators rightly render Calvins use of caritas as love, yet Calvins notion of neighborly love is not merely sentimental, involving only warm feelings toward others. His understanding of the term has a wide-ranging meaning and cannot be reduced to either mere feeling or affectionless giving. As McKee states, Caritas [for Calvin] is not only kindness or sharing, whether alms, hospitality, or vocational service; caritas is also justicelegal and personal. For this reason, Calvin frequently refers to the second table, which summarizes love for neighbor, with justice and sometimes with terms like equity and kindness.

We see this in Calvins lectures on Ezekiel 18, a passage that emphasizes justice and judgment. According to Calvin, these are aspects of charity, or general duties of the second table. Calvin explains, To do judgment and justice is nothing else than to abstain from all injury by cultivating good faith and equity with our neighbors: then to defend all good causes, and to take the innocent under our patronage when we see them unjustly injured and oppressed (emphasis added). Obeying the second table, therefore, means actively seeking the good of others in addition to refraining from harming them. This is the essence of charity for Calvin.

More specifically, Calvin teachesin his various treatments of the Decaloguethat neighborly love, or justice, consists in:

Rendering honor to authority figures, which includes respecting and obeying our parents and others in authority over us. Paying such honor, when it is due, preserves the order of society.

Promoting our neighbors physical and economic well-being. This includes seeking peace, helping others in physical and financial need, and openly opposing injustice.

Protecting our neighbors reputation, which includes affirming the truth about God and others, promoting and maintaining unity with others by our speech, and opposing slander and lies.

Preserving chastity. This includes not only upholding sexual propriety but also fighting for the rights of those who have been victimized by sexual misconduct.

Promoting our neighbors spiritual well-being, which includes praying for others (both Christians and non-Christians), warning others of their sin, and proclaiming Gods truth to others.

Calvins understanding of justice is profoundly socialthat is, biblical justice ought to permeate society. And again, biblical justice includes far more than refraining from harming others. It requires intentional action toward just outcomes.

While it is impossible to retrieve all the ways Calvin believed Christians could or should exercise justice, it is clear that he understands justicethat love we extend to othersin broad terms. In his commentary on Hebrews 6:10, where he describes the good works or labor of love that God rewards, Calvin writes,

We are not to spare labor, if we desire to perform our duty towards our neighbors; for they are not only to be helped by money, but also by counsel, by labor, and in various other ways. Great sedulity, then, must be exercised, many troubles must be undergone, and sometimes many dangers must be encountered. Thus let him who would engage in the duties of love, prepare himself for a life of labor.

Loving others requires hard work and commitment, says Calvin, and it is quite extensive, taking on many forms. Charity, then, seems to be any assistance given to others in need, whether physically or spiritually, and any act that appeals to their rights.

The Reasons for Love and Justice

Calvin wants us to understand not just that love for God and love for neighbor are inextricably connected and that justice is integral to the double love. He also wants us to understand the reasons Christians are obligated to love and help others by seeking just outcomes.

First, God has united all humans together with a common bond, since all people are created in his image. In fact, we act contrary to nature if we hate our [own] flesh, Calvin preaches. The natural bond between all humans is the most basic reason we should seek each others well-being. Yet there is an even stronger reason why believers should exercise charity and justice: they must remember that they are members of our Lord Jesus Christ and that there exists a more strict and sacred bond of nature which is common in all human beings. For Calvin, therefore, there is an anthropological reason and a Christological reason, by nature of the Incarnation, why believers should exercise love toward others, both inside and outside the church.

Yet he also lists a theological reason. Commenting on Exodus 23:4which commands Israelites to attend to their enemys wandering or struggling livestockCalvin states that believers should imitate their heavenly Father by bestowing kindness upon both the worthy and unworthy. We should extend kindness indiscriminately because God has done so toward us and because loving our neighbor is a means whereby we express our love for God. In pursuing love and justice, we not only honor our fellow humans and demonstrate our piety but also become more Christlike and Godlike.

In an age when many Christians separate justice from piety, assume its sufficient to merely refrain from harming others, or reduce worship to songs of praise, Calvin would have us think again. For him, worship, piety, neighborly love, and justice are inextricably connected. Calvin gave justice significant attention in his understanding of what it means to love God and others. What might it look like if we did too?

Kevin P. Emmert (PhD, London School of Theology) is an academic book editor and former CT theology editor. He lives in Wheaton, Illinois, with his wife, Ashley, and two sons, Jack and Charlie. You can follow him on Twitter @Kevin_P_Emmert.
Since it would be too much of a stretch to refer to a series of stage performances as Carnival, the Government has decided to offer instead a Taste of Carnival.

For traditional Carnival interests whose events will be facilitated and supported by the State, the proposal presented on Wednesday by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Randall Mitchell, must be a welcome case of half a loaf being plenty better than none.
The police in Katsina State, on Thursday, announced the arrest of a notorious kidnap suspect, Abubakar Ibrahim, at Rugu forest.

Gambo Isah, the police spokesman, who disclosed this in a statement in Katsina, said that the suspect is part of a syndicate that has been terrorising people in Batsari, Safana, Damnusa and Kurfi Local Government Areas in the state.

Mr Isah said that the police equally rescued three kidnapped victims.

According to Mr Isah, on September 7, 2020, the suspect led other members of his syndicate, on motorcycles, all armed with AK 47 rifles, and attacked Dagarawa and Kudewa villages, in Safana and Kurfi Local Government Areas of the state.

He said the bandits kidnapped Ashiru Ibrahim, 32, Duduwa Audu, 50, and Asiya Saleh, 45, all of Kudewa village, Kurfi Local Government Area, and took them into Rugu forest.

That nemesis caught up with the suspect when he fell into a bobby (sic) trap, and was apprehended by SARS operatives, after he collected the sum of N241,000 ransom from the relatives of the victims, he said.

He revealed that in the course of investigation, the suspect confessed that he committed the offence along with others, now at large.

Mr Isah said the N241,000 ransom was recovered.

Today, September 10, 2020, at about 9:30a.m., the command succeeded in arresting one of the suspects and rescued the victims.
PLEASANT PRAIRIE  Citing what he considers a consistent pattern of filtering funds to heavily Democratic voting cities, Pleasant Prairie resident Jay Stone is determined to make his voice heard.

But its not just his voice  Stone is going through official channels to put a stop to it.

Stone recently filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission, and then just this past week added amended information in his case against the Center for Tech and Civic Life.

From its website, the organization describes its mission: CTLC is a nationally recognized nonprofit that partners with everyone  from rural election offices to the largest tech companies in the world.

At the core of the issue, Stone said, is the CTCLs decision to award $6.32 million in grants to Wisconsins five largest cities: Green Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Milwaukee and Racine, which traditionally vote heavily Democratic.

In the amended complaint, which Stone provided Tuesday, Milwaukee received $2,154,500; Madison, $1,271,788; Green Bay, $1,093,400; Racine, $942,100; and Kenosha, $862,779.

Stone also cited 2016 election numbers as part of his evidence. Milwaukee voted 85% Democratic, Madison 70%, Green Bay 58%, Racine 72% and Kenosha 69%. Trump won Wisconsin by 22,748 votes, or .77%.

Why these five cities? Stone asked. The answer is because the five largest cities in Wisconsin are run by Democrats, and the five largest cities in Wisconsin also have the most votes for Democrats. The last primary, Milwaukee voted 92% Democratic, and they got more than a third of the money from CTCL.

This is just a pattern. After they finished in Wisconsin, then they moved to Pennsylvania. They granted money to Delaware County, which is heavily Democratic, and then they gave ($12.2) million to Philadelphia, which votes 92% Democrat. They (also) donated money to Detroit in Michigan ($3.95 million), which votes 98% Democrat.

Funds used from the CTCL are spent toward things like reminder cards and voter registration, Stone said.

Theyre going to be reminding significantly more Democratic voters and registering significantly more Democratic voters, he said.

The grants in question, Stone said, were awarded by CTCL without an official process in place. Since his complaint has been filed  and after a donation of $250 million by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan  the organization has put in place a grant process.

Theres a real clear pattern here, Stone said. Just because CTCL is a nonprofit designation doesnt mean they can spread their money any which way they want. Where their grants are going is clearly partisan. Theyre making it easier for Democrats to get to the polls.

What theyre doing is theyre inflating the Democratic votes and are targeting cities, so when you add up the entire state, Joe Biden wins in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Their strategy is something that a campaign would do.

Stone said the timing of the Zuckerberg donation, in his view, kept the five cities that were awarded grants from getting even more funding help.

If Zuckerberg had given the money earlier, the five major cities in Wisconsin would have gotten $20 million, he said. Wisconsin is a critical state in this election. Trump won Wisconsin by under 1% (in 2016).

Having a grant application process is critical to ensure that things are being done correctly, Stone said.

There should be a start date, an end date, who is eligible, a description of the grant, how the money is supposed to be used, he said. They didnt do any of that.

The amended complaint states that CTCLs 2020 grants are identified as either Safe Voting Grants or COVID-19 Response Grants, but Stone wrote in that document that the only expert advice the organization is relying on is from a limited number of public health articles, brochures and studies.

Stone, who said he also filed a civil rights complaint with the Department of Justice, added that CTCLs heavily Democratic lean includes its executive director, Tiana Epps-Johnson, and its director of government services, Whitney May.

Epps-Johnson served a fellowship under former President Barack Obama and also interned with the Young Democrats of America.

(Epps-Johnson) is an out-and-out Democrat, and theres nothing wrong with that, Stone said. She would be entitled to her opinions if she had not tried to influence the election. Shes influencing the election in arguably the three most crucial battleground states, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

If hes victorious in the complaint process, Stone said he wants the five cities in Wisconsin to return any funds that havent been spent, and any money that already has been, to be revealed publicly.

Stone also said he has nothing to gain politically from his efforts.

I am not a Republican, he said. Im an Independent. I live in Pleasant Prairie. Its run by Democrats, and they do an outstanding job, and I support them.

A telephone call to the CTCL seeking comment was not returned.

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PLYMOUTH, Mich., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Plastipak Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") announced today that it will file its Form 10-Q Equivalent Report for its fiscal quarter ended August 1, 2020 electronically with Wells Fargo National Bank, as Trustee for the holders of its 6.250% Senior Notes due 2025 (the "Senior Notes"), by the close of business on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. The Company is not required by the Indenture for the Senior Notes to file annual, quarterly or periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and therefore does not plan to file these reports with the SEC.

Holders, authorized prospective holders and securities analysts may obtain a copy of the Company's Form 10-Q Equivalent Report by contacting Investor Relations at (734) 455-3600 or by emailing [email protected].

The Company will host an investor teleconference call for holders, authorized prospective holders and securities analysts on September 17, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Details for the call are available to holders, authorized prospective holders and securities analysts by contacting Investor Relations.

Qualified bondholders and lenders may obtain copies of the Form 10-Q Equivalent Report and details of the investor teleconference call by logging on to the secure bondholder section of the Company's website (www.plastipak.com).

SOURCE Plastipak Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

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T iger Kings Carole Baskin has revealed her first Dancing With The Stars appearance will see her showing off her best moves to Eye Of The Tiger.

The big cat lover will appear on the programme alongside other celebrity contestants including rapper Nelly, Catfish host Nev Schulman and Selling Sunset real estate agent Chrishell Stause.

The show kicks off on US TV on Monday, and Baskin has revealed her first dance will be to Survivors 1982 hit Eye Of The Tiger which featured on the Rocky III soundtrack.

We are doing Eye Of The Tiger, Im so excited about that, she told E! News.

Baskin, 59, also outlined her requests for the shows famously over-the-top outfits.

I told the costume department, No fur, no feathers, no leather, she said. But anything else, I dont care how wild. I just said to have a blast. I cant wait to find out what they come up with.

Animal rights activist Baskin is the CEO of Big Cat Rescue and rocketed to fame earlier this year following the massive success of Netflixs wild drama series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem And Madness.

Netflix: Tiger King - In pictures 1 /22 Netflix: Tiger King - In pictures Netflix Netflix Netflix netfliix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix JoeExoticTV/YouTube Netflix Netflix TigerKingTV/YouTube Netflix Netflix

The series chronicled Baskins feud with eccentric zoo owner Joe Exotic, whom she accused of animal abuse.

Exotic, who became an unlikely hero among Tiger King viewers, is serving 22 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot.

He maintains his innocence and this week asked Donald Trump for a pardon.

The latest series of Dancing With The Stars  the US version of Strictly Come Dancing  will also feature Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean, Netflixs Cheer head coach Monica Aldama, Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe, Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, Super Bowl champion Vernon Davis and Disney Channel star Skai Jackson.

Supermodel Tyra Banks is on hosting duties following the departures of Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews.

Last years competition attracted controversy for including former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. He was eliminated in week six, with former Bachelorette Hannah Brown taking home the Mirror Ball trophy.

With reporting by Press Association
A new Fortnite Nintendo Switch bundle is landing in Europe on October 30th. The bundle comes with a Fortnite design on the back of the console and on the dock, plus exclusive yellow and blue Joy-Con controllers. Fortnite will be pre-installed, and youll get 2,000 V-Bucks. The bundle also comes with a WildCat Bundle download code, so you can try out new styles.

Nintendo Switch 'Fortnite' Edition

Weve seen Fortnite bundles in the past, but this version brings art to the console and dock, which the 2018 bundle lacked. Plus, this time around, Nintendo is updating the Joy-Con colors and offering more V-Bucks.

While Nintendo only announced the European release date, we can expect this to arrive in the US too. We dont know yet how much this will cost, but in the past, weve seen the Fortnite bundle sell for the same price as a regular Switch console.
India and China have agreed on five points to guide their approach to the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including the disengagement of troops and easing of tensions, even as New Delhi conveyed its strong concern at the massing of Chinese troops without any credible explanation.

The consensus was reached during talks between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Moscow on Thursday evening. The meeting lasted two-and-half hours.

A joint statement issued early on Friday morning said the foreign ministers agreed both sides should take guidance from the series of consensus of the leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes.

They further agreed the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side, and therefore...the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.

They also agreed both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocols on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.

The two sides will continue communications through the Special Representatives mechanism, and meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs will continue.

The ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new confidence-building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that the Indian side had highlighted its strong concern at the massing of Chinese troops and equipment along the LAC without any credible explanation for the deployment.

The presence of such large concentration of troops was not in accordance with the 1993 and 1996 agreements and created flashpoints along the LAC. The provocative behaviour of Chinese frontline troops at numerous incidents of friction along the LAC showed disregard for bilateral agreements and protocols, said one of the people cited above.

The immediate task is to ensure a comprehensive disengagement of troops in all friction areas. That is necessary to prevent any untoward incident in the future. The final disposition of troop deployment to their permanent posts and the phasing of the process are to be worked out by military commanders, the person added.

The Indian side said it expected full adherence to the agreements on management of border areas and would not countenance any attempt to change the status quo unilaterally, the people said. It also pointed out Indian troops had scrupulously followed the agreements and protocols on the border areas.

Jaishankar, who was Indias longest serving envoy to Beijing and knows Wang well, made it clear India recognises that a solution to the boundary question requires time and effort, but it was equally clear that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the border areas is essential for the development of ties, the people said.

The recent incidents in eastern Ladakh had inevitably impacted the development of the bilateral relationship, and an urgent resolution of the current situation was in the interest of both nations, the external affairs minister was quoted as saying by the people.

Jaishankar also noted that since the resumption of ambassadorial-level relations in 1976 and holding of boundary talks since 1981, bilateral relations have developed on a largely positive trajectory. While there have been incidents from time to time, peace and tranquillity has largely prevailed in border areas, and India-China cooperation developed in a broad range of domains to give the relationship a more substantive character, he noted, according to the people.

A Chinese foreign ministry statement cited Wang as saying that it is normal for China and India to have differences as two neighbouring major countries, but it is important to put these differences in a proper context vis-a-vis bilateral relations.

The statement further said the Chinese side is willing to support enhanced dialogue between the frontier troops on both sides to resolve specific issues, and it will stay in touch through diplomatic and military channels and be committed to restoring peace and tranquillity.

Jaishankar and Wang met for the crucial talks in Moscow against the backdrop of a spike in tensions along the LAC after both countries amassed more troops in Ladakh sector.

The two leaders were in the same room twice earlier in the day  first for a meeting of foreign ministers of the SCO and then for a luncheon meeting of the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping  before they began their bilateral talks a little after 8 pm Indian time.

Wang was quoted by the Chinese statement as also saying that bilateral relations have once again come to a crossroads, but as long as the two sides keep moving the relationship in the right direction, there will be no difficulty or challenge that cant be overcome.

He outlined Chinas stern position on the situation in the border areas, emphasising that the imperative is to immediately stop provocations such as firing and other dangerous actions that violate the commitments made by the two sides. Wang said it is also important to move back all personnel and equipment that have trespassed and the frontier troops must quickly disengage so that the situation may de-escalate.

However, New Delhi has rejected all assertions by Beijing that Indian troops had crossed the LAC and blamed the latest face-offs during August 29-30 and on September 7 on provocative military actions by Chinese forces.

There have been face-offs between the two sides on the south bank of Pangong Lake after the provocative Chinese movements to change the status quo during August 29-30. India also said that during the latest face-off on September 7, Chinese soldiers fired in the air after they were dissuaded from closing in on an Indian forward position  the first time guns were used on the LAC since 1975.

Since then, both sides have further strengthened their military presence by moving in additional troops, tanks and other weaponry. The Chinese side, however, has been rattled by Indias proactive move of positioning its troops on several strategic heights to prevent further land grabs on the south bank of Pangong Lake.

The Indian side has repeatedly said in recent weeks that it is committed to the resolution of the border standoff through peaceful negotiations, though it is also opposed to any unilateral efforts to alter the status quo along the LAC.

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New Delhi, Sep 10 : Declared on March 24, 2020, the lockdown ensured that hundreds of millions of people were confined at home, except when they ventured out, armed with a self-attested affidavit, to stock up on essentials. While this may have been effective in curbing the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in India, it has not, perhaps, been conducive to the emotional and mental health of many.

Psychiatrists are getting more patients with suicidal tendencies during this period. The reasons vary from loss of employment and livelihood, break-ups to incidents of violence at home. However, in the last two months, the situation has exacerbated monumentally.

Aakash Healthcare, a super speciality hospital in New Delhi, noted 33 per cent of patients battling mental health issues exhibit suicidal thoughts. One of the biggest instigators has been the extensive coverage of Sushant Singh Rajput's death, who allegedly died by suicide. Meanwhile, the Indian Spinal Injury Centre (ISIC) say they see at least 10 patients every day who complain of suicidal thoughts due to various reasons.

"One of the biggest triggers can be the talking about suicide, and since the death of Sushant Singh Rajput and the constant media discussion on it, many people are coming to us who feel intrigued by suicide and are curious about it. About 150 people approached us with clinical mental health issues in the past two months, and 50 had serious suicidal thoughts. Children as young as 15 are showing suicidal thoughts. One of the patients was a man in his 30s who tried to commit suicide through medicine overdose. Those who have anxiety or bipolar disorder may also be prone to committing suicide," says Dr Loveleen Malhotra, Psychologist, Aakash Healthcare & Super Speciality Hospital, Dwarka.

Apollo Telehealth, a telemedicine service by pharmaceutical and healthcare giant Apollo, say they have given as many as 2000 consultations to people suffering from mental health issues. Dr Tabassum Sheikh, Psychologist at Apollo Telehealth, noted that many among them exhibited suicidal tendencies.

"A variety of issues and underlying situations were observed in the patients, which led up to suicidal thoughts. But the majority faced the fear of catching an infection, social isolation,loss of loved ones often exacerbated by the distress caused due to unemployment and loss of income," Sheikh said.

Sheikh also classified her patients based on the issues they faced, which led to the onset of suicidal thoughts in them.

Emotional: Grief, anxiety due to prevalence of COVID-19, loneliness, depression.

Employment issues: Unemployment, lack of job security and satisfaction, distress and demotivation leading to lack of focus and concentration. Inadequate sleep due to work pressure.

Interpersonal Relationship Issues: Marital issues, including lack of compatibility, trust, commitment, and compassion towards each other. Lack of communication and break-ups.

Problems with Parenting: Difficulty in making a fair decision among two kids or more kids and issues in understanding the psychology of a kid with separated parents Personality and Habits: Increase in aggressiveness of obsessive-compulsive disorders, overthinking, and anger.

Physical: Lack of sleep and concentration, lethargy, loss of energy, and issues due to chronic illness and recent surgery.

Dr Shanu Shrivastava, a senior psychologist at ISIC, said that in patients exhibiting suicidal thoughts, she had observed issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and alcoholism. "The workload has increased a lot for psychologists due to several stressors in the lives of people such as a change in lifestyle, change at work, lack of balance between work and personal life, no social interactions, meetings and hanging out. Many problems are between spouses as husband and wife are not getting proper space due to prolonged work-from-home, resulting in fights. We can say fear of COVID is a major factor, but non-acceptance of changing scenarios is also an important factor," she explained.

Meanwhile, Dr Malhotra advised that to mitigate suicidal thoughts, it is imperative to provide the affected persons with an environment in which they can talk. Most cases occur due to lack of communication between the affected person and the people around them. "We should work towards providing comprehensive, integrated, and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings while implementing strategies that promote mental well-being and prevent mental health deterioration. We also must strengthen leadership and governance for mental health through robust information systems, evidence- and-research-based treatment modalities," he said.

Dr Malhotra adds that there is a need to re-evaluate categorising suicide as a crime. "Suicides should be considered a socio-medical problem, not a crime," he said.

Vikram Thaploo, CEO of Apollo Telehealth, also said mental health should be treated as a core element in our response to the pandemic. "There is already considerable social stigma attached to seeking psychiatric assistance and a number of people who need help right now but are not getting it. The bottled up cases are surely going to cause a surge in mental health cases going forward. Unless mental health is treated as one of the core elements in our response to the pandemic, the long-term social and economic costs will be severe. Lack of access to mental health care and shortage of qualified mental health professionals is already a big problem in India," he added.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery
Two home guard personnel were arrested for allegedly robbing a man of 2,500 when they found him relieving himself by the roadside on Wednesday. Two other home guard jawans who were also allegedly involved in the snatching are on the run, said the police.

The police said the victim, Ashutosh Kumar,30, who is from Laxmi Nagar in Delhi, had come to Greater Noida to appear for a job interview on Wednesday. He stopped to relieve himself near LG Chowk when four home guard personnel, two in plainclothes, intercepted him and said he would be booked for urinating in open. The home guards threatened him to put him behind bars and snatched 2,500 from the victim, said Rajesh Kumar Singh, deputy commissioner of police, Greater Noida ( Zone 3).

The victim dialled the 112 helpline and reported the incident to the police. The police said a patrolling team who was in the locality reached the spot after being alerted. The patrolling team caught the two persons in home guard uniform while two men managed to escape. They were brought to the police station for questioning, where it was found that they are home guards, and currently working in a private company in Dankaur, Singh said. The police also recovered 1,500 of the stolen money, and a motorcycle from their possession.

A case was registered in the matter at Beta 2 police station.

The two arrested suspects were identified as Rajesh Kumar, 38, alias Banwari Lal, who is from Dadri, and Ram Avtar, 40, who is from Bulandshahr. The police said the four suspects, including two on the runHatam Singh and Devendra Kumar, had been sent to jail in a snatching case in 2015.

Home guards are part of a volunteer force and personnel deployed on need basis in different departments of the district.

We have found that the four home guard personnel had been involved in snatching and anti-social activities for some time. They were arrested and sent to jail in 2015 in a similar case. Beta 2 police have registered a case against the four persons under Section 392 (robbery), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), and section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the DCP said.

The suspects were sent to judicial custody. Greater Noida police said they will recommend adding gangsters act against them in the charge sheet and also request the home guard department to terminate the four suspects from their jobs.

District commandant, home guards, Vedpal Singh Chaprana said he has received information from Greater Noida police about the arrests of two home guard personnel. Of the two arrested personnel, Rajesh Kumar is a platoon commander, while three others are home guard jawans. The four personnel have been inactive for some years. We will recommend the home guard headquarters to terminate their services, Chaprana said.
Donald Trump said he did not want panic over COVID-19, a disease that has killed more than 190,000 Americans.

Try as he might to change the subject, President Donald Trump cannot escape the coronavirus.

In April, he tried to shift the publics focus on the economy. In July, to defending the countrys heritage. In September, to enforcing law and order. But all along the way, the death toll from the coronavirus continued to mount.

And now, Trumps own words are redirecting attention to his handling of the pandemic when he can least afford it  less than two months before election day.

I wanted to always play it down, Trump said of the threat from the virus. That was in a private conversation with journalist Bob Woodward last March that became public on Wednesday with the publication of excerpts from Woodwards upcoming book  Rage.

Journalist Bob Woodward sitting at the head table during the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, DC [File: Cliff Owen/AP Photo]

In taped conversations released along with the excerpts, Trump insisted he did not want to create panic. But his comments also raised fresh questions about how he has managed the defining crisis of his presidency, one that has killed more than 190,000 Americans so far, with no end in sight.

Trumps team would much rather centre the November vote around the economy, cracking down on protests spawned by racial injustice, and the presidents promise that he could appoint more conservative justices to the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, Trump released a list of 20 potential nominees for the high court, part of an effort to animate conservative and evangelical voters. But his announcement was overshadowed by a cascade of unwelcome developments, including Woodwards revelations, a move by Nevada officials to cancel upcoming Trump rallies in the state because of the virus, and a whistle-blowers charge that Trump aides had pressured him to cover up intelligence reports about Russian election interference on the presidents behalf.

Revelations from the Woodward book emerged just as Trumps campaign was beginning to feel that the virus was receding from public view. The president himself has been thumbing his nose at public health experts warning against the sort of large gatherings  with few people wearing masks  that his campaign has been staging around the country.

For all of that, Trump has faced devastating revelations of his own creation before and survived them. They stretch back to his 2015 comments questioning the heroism of Senator John McCain, a decorated Vietnam prisoner of war, or the notorious Access Hollywood tape that emerged just before the 2016 election in which Trump described sexually assaulting women.

On Wednesday, Trump did not deny his remarks playing down the virus, he sought to justify them.

The fact is Im a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I dont want people to be frightened. I dont want to create panic, Trump told reporters. Certainly, Im not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength.

Yet Trumps explanation suggested he was steering people away from the reality of the coming storm. Woodwards account details dire warnings from top Trump national security officials to the president in late January that the virus that causes COVID-19 could be as bad as the devastating influenza pandemic of 1918.

On February 25, just weeks before much of the country was forced to shut down because of the pandemic, Trump declared the virus very well under control in our country.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden pounced on the Woodward revelations, declaring that Trump lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months.

While a deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job  on purpose. It was a life or death betrayal of the American people, Biden said.

By evening, Trumps words, captured on the Woodward tapes, had popped up in a Biden campaign advertisement. The advertisement includes audio of Trump privately acknowledging to Woodward the severity of COVID-19, and ends with a narrator pronouncing: Trump knew it all along.

President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference in Washington, DC [AP Photo/Andrew Harnik]

In a taped February 7 call with Woodward, Trump said of the virus, You just breathe the air and thats how its passed. And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.

This is deadly stuff, the president repeated for emphasis.

Just three days later, Trump struck a far rosier tone in public, in an interview with Fox Business: I think the virus is going to be  its going to be fine.

The Washington Post, where Woodward serves as an associate editor, reported excerpts of the book on Wednesday, as did CNN. The book also covers race relations, diplomacy with North Korea and a range of other issues that have arisen during the past two years.

The book is based in part on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump between December and July.

Trump never did seem willing to fully mobilize the federal government and continually seemed to push problems off on the states, Woodward writes of the pandemic. There was no real management theory of the case or how to organize a massive enterprise to deal with one of the most complex emergencies the United States had ever faced.
Oregon Gov Kate Brown issued an executive order Thursday to crack down on price gouging during the statewide wildfire emergency.

Brown declared an abnormal market disruption after reports showed an unusual increase in lodging rates for Oregonians who have been forced to evacuate due to fires across the state. Brown said there are also concerns that the wildfires may lead to a shortage of other essential goods and services.

There are nearly 50 active wildfires across the state, covering over 500 square miles. Thousands of Oregonians have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the fires.

WILDFIRE TRACKER: See all fires in Oregon and across the nation

During a statewide emergency, it is absolutely unacceptable to price gouge Oregonians who have already been hard hit and are facing devastating loss, Brown said. This order empowers the Attorney General and the Oregon Department of Justice to investigate these instances and take appropriate action if businesses are found to be in violation."

Oregonians can report instances of price-gouging to the Oregon Department of Justice through their consumer protection hotline at 877-877-9392. More information can also be found at www.OregonConsumer.gov.

Brown issued a separate executive order in March declaring an abnormal market disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic regarding essential consumer goods and services, such as hand sanitizer and toilet paper. That executive order remains in effect.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg
NEW DELHI : The Centre on Thursday directed states to mandatorily test symptomatic but negative covid-19 cases with the RT-PCR method, the gold standard for coronavirus diagnosis. The move came after the Union health ministry noted that in some large states, symptomatic negative cases tested by Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) are not being followed up by RT-PCR testing.

According to the guidelines issued by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Union health ministry, two specific categories of people must necessarily be revaluated through RT-PCR tests. These include all symptomatic (fever or cough or breathlessness) negative cases of RAT and asymptomatic negative cases of RAT that develop symptoms within three days of testing negative. The ministry and ICMR on Thursday jointly wrote to all the states and Union territories, urging them to ensure that all symptomatic negative cases of RAT are mandatorily retested.

This is necessary to ensure that such symptomatic negative cases do not remain untested and do not spread the disease among their contacts," the ministry said. This will also ensure early detection and isolation/hospitalization of such false negatives. It has also been reiterated in the joint letter that while the RAT is being used to increase access and availability of testing in the field, RT-PCR remains the gold standard of covid tests," it added.

The ministry has also asked the states and Union territories to urgently establish a monitoring mechanism in every district and follow up such cases at the state level. These teams shall analyze details of RAT conducted on a daily basis in the districts and state, and ensure that there were no delays in retesting of all symptomatic negative cases.

View Full Image Photo: istock

The aim of the states and Union territories should be to ensure that no potentially positive case is missed out. They have also been advised to undertake an analysis on a regular basis to monitor the incidence of positives during the RT-PCR tests conducted as a follow up," the ministry said.

Indias total covid-19 tally on Thursday neared 5 million with a record 95,735 new cases in the last 24 hours. The health ministry said more than 74% of total active cases are in nine states. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh account for 49% of the active cases. Maharashtra leads with over 250,000 cases, while Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh account for over 97,000 each.

The total number of active cases stood at 931,609, the government said, while the number of fatalities now stands at 75,620.

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An abandoned CVS store on San Antonios West Side has been transformed into a medical clinic  one that promises to improve the access and quality of health care for nearby residents.

Cano Health, a fast-growing Miami-based health care company, hired Tejano artist Jay Perez as a brand ambassador, and already has pumped ad dollars into radio spots, TV commercials and Facebook.

The company is also reviving vacant buildings at 2925 West Ave., 100 S. Zarzamora and 6623 S. Zarzamora, and creating more than 200 jobs.

Theres a reason why we chose these locations for our clinics, Edward Vargas, Cano Healths vice president and market director, said during a tour of two of the clinics.

We really want to become ingrained as a part of the community, not just another business coming in, Vargas said. The company, he added, is looking to expand to six other Texas cities in the next five years.

On Sept. 26, employees will pass out bags of uncooked fideo, rice and beans, and vitamins during a drive-thru grand opening of the clinic at the intersection of Marbach Road and West Military Drive.

On ExpressNews.com: Surgeon plans to open South Sides first accredited outpatient surgery center

The company is targeting patients covered by Medicare, the federal program that provides health coverage for those 65 and older or those with a disability.

About one-third of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans offered by private health insurance companies such as UnitedHealthcare, Humana or Blue Cross Blue Shield.

It has become a big business in the U.S. as health care costs increase and consumers expect more choices.

Vargas said the company also recently purchased a mobile clinic with exam rooms and an X-ray on board. Thats kind of the idea that if they cant make it to us, well make it to them, he said.

Eventually, the company could open its own pharmacies, as it does in Florida, and will expand services to include massage therapy and physical therapy.

On ExpressNews.com: Drive-thru vehicle inspection shop has a new sideline: COVID-19 testing

Cano Health started out as a single primary care clinic by a Florida physician in 2009.

I believed there was a better way to deliver health care, said Dr. Marlow Hernandez Cano. The current health care system had already failed so many people, and I decided I could do something about that.

Hernandez, a Cuban immigrant, focused his practice on Latino patients, hiring Spanish-speaking employees and providing free transportation for patients who needed it.

Our mission is to keep you healthy, not just treat your disease, said Hernandez, who serves as CEO. This makes a huge difference because people who are falling through the cracks are those with chronic diseases, many who live in low-income communities or on fixed incomes. We take all patients, of course, but we specifically design our programs to serve these chronic care patients.

By 2016, backed by New York private equity firm InTandem Capital Partners, the company was acquiring medical practices across South Florida, increasing its network to 60 clinics.

Last year, Inc. magazine called it one of the fastest-growing health care companies in the nation.

Hernandez said the company decided to enter the San Antonio market after major insurance company Humana tipped it off to the dire need for more health care centers in parts of the city.

Gloria A. Rodriguez, Humanas South and West Texas market vice president, said the insurer wanted to partner with Cano Health because of the quality of its care.

She declined to discuss specifics of its contractual agreement, but said the partnership allows the insurer to offer more clinic options to its Medicare Advantage members.

Local enrollment figures werent available, but appealing to the citys Spanish-speaking and Hispanic population could give the company a stronger foothold in the market.

As of July, Louisville, Kentucky-based Humana held nearly 20 percent of the national Medicare Advantage individual member market.

SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

Cano Health designed its San Antonio facilities with office space for independent insurance brokers so patients can discuss changing their health plan.

San Antonio native Dr. Valerie Hernandez Danner joined the company as senior medical director, but she said she was initially worried because its not an established health care provider in the city.

I prayed that God would help me find a direction, and I just felt that this is where I needed to be, she said. One thing about Cano that I really like is that they dont turn away patients for any reason. Were going to see patients even if they dont have money or insurance.

She previously worked at San Antonio-based WellMed, which also serves the Medicare-eligible population and was acquired in 2011 by OptumCare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth.

Danner also worked for CentroMed, a federally funded health center in San Antonio whose patients are nearly 70 percent Hispanic and primarily Spanish-speaking.

This is where she learned Spanish trial-by-fire and the importance of explaining health conditions in a way patients can understand.

The more patients understand their illness, the easier it is for them to take care of themselves, she said.

Laura Garcia covers the health care industry. To read more from Laura, become a subscriber. laura.garcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @Reporter_Laura
A key group of indigenous leaders has written to Rio Tinto's board to back investor demands for a clean-out of top executives following the destruction of the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters.

As the mining giant's board heads into crisis meetings to consider calls for senior staff to be dismissed or demoted over the disaster, the National Native Title Council has told chairman Simon Thompson that it was clear "large-scale cultural change" was required within the organisation.

Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques faces mounting pressure over how his company allowed the detonation to go ahead without traditional landowners' consent. Credit:Scott McNaughton

"It is now clear that what led to the catastrophic destruction of Juukan Gorge was not a result of a

breakdown of procedures but a result of the enormous cultural and values deficit within Rio Tinto," the letter, obtained by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, reads.

"The decision to slash executive bonuses has been rightfully regarded as falling significantly short of anything approaching appropriate accountability and indicates that Rio is currently operating in a realm divorced from reality."
(Newser)  Update: Jussie Smollett is going to trial. The actor was accused of faking an attack on himself in January 2020 in Chicago, faced charges which were dropped, then charged again in February 2020. Smollett pleaded not guilty to six counts of felony disorderly conduct. His lawyers also tried to have the case dismissed, saying he had already fulfilled an agreement with Cook County prosecutors in which he forfeited a $10,000 bond and did community service, Fox News reports. But Judge James Linn declined to upset a plan put in place by another judge, Michael Toomin. Jury selection could start in late November. Our original story follows:

story continues below

Jussie Smollett wanted to make clear that it's not like he's ignoring legal advice. "But I don't really see, honestly, what staying quiet has really done, like, where it has gotten me," the former Empire actor said in an Instagram Live appearance with author and activist Marc Lamont Hill. So he discussed the criminal case against him in Chicago, People reports, where prosecutors say he invented an attack against him in January 2019 in which two men put a noose around his neck. "There would be no reason for me to do something like this," he said of accusations that he'd made it all up. Smollett has pleaded not guilty to the current charges against him, and his lawyers are asking that the prosecution be dropped.

In the talk, Smollett said he didn't want to play the victim, and "I don't want to appear like I'm trying to convince people." But he asked people to take a closer look at the Chicago police department, per BuzzFeed. Apparently speaking more widely of the people accusing him of faking a hate crime, Smollett said, "They wont let this go." Civil rights activist Angela Davis is among those who have signed an open letter of support for the actor. "We've seen this before," the letter says. "We stand with Jussie and all persons targeted by hate crimes, police misconduct, and the Trump administration." Smollett said, "The sad part is that there is an example being made of someone who did not do what theyre being accused of." (Read more Jussie Smollett stories.)
How can a lower court render a Supreme Court decision a nullity? We saw a recent example in the bold refusal of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to apply to an anti-abortion law in Louisiana despite a 2016 Supreme Court decision that struck down an identical law in Texas. The Supreme Court made properly short work of that defiance in its decision this summer in June Medical Services v. Russo.

The Guantanamo situation is more subtle and for that reason more interesting. In one of its first Guantanamo decisions, Rasul v. Bush in 2004, the Supreme Court overturned a decision by Judge Randolph and held that the naval base, although obviously located in a foreign country, was functionally part of the United States and for that reason was subject to the jurisdiction of the federal courts. The justices in that decision rejected the applicability of a post-World War II decision, Johnson v. Eisentrager, which held that federal courts lacked jurisdiction over cases brought by German prisoners of war being held overseas by the United States.

The Rasul decision was based on the courts interpretation of a jurisdictional statute. The Boumediene ruling went deeper, holding that the prisoners access to federal court was not simply a statutory right but was grounded in the Constitutions protection of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. Justice Kennedys opinion left a major question unanswered, however: Now that the Guantanamo prisoners could petition for habeas corpus, what rights could they actually assert in their challenges to their continued detention? What substantive rights did they possess?

In the immediate aftermath of Boumediene, dozens of prisoners filed habeas petitions, and federal district judges in Washington granted 38 of them, an impressive number given that the number had been zero not long before. The Obama administration, in office by then, released about half of the successful petitioners without a fight. But it successfully appealed other cases. The D.C. Circuit in fact has never affirmed a grant of habeas that the government contested. Case by case, in many with opinions by Judge Randolph, the appeals court wove around the prison camp a tight web of rules favoring the government; for example, accepting gossamer chains of circumstantial evidence as sufficient proof that an inmates designation as an enemy combatant was correct.

Decisions of that kind, based on factual evaluations of the prisoners claims, made it unnecessary for the appeals court to decide the open question about how the Constitution itself might apply. The question lingered in the background of many of the cases. Last year, in Qassim v. Trump, a three-judge D.C. Circuit panel strongly suggested that a claim under the Constitutions due process guarantee would be upheld in the right case; the panel vacated and sent back the District Courts decision holding that a due process argument was categorically unavailable to a noncitizen held outside the country.

Judge Randolph was not on the panel in the Qassim case. But in May of this year, he was on the panel in another case, Ali v. Trump, in which the same judge who wrote the opinion in Qassim, Patricia Millett, again wrote for the majority. As in the Qassim case, her opinion held that the district court had been right to reject the inmates habeas petition, but wrong to do so categorically. Judge Millett noted that while circuit precedent has not yet comprehensively resolved the question, the district courts decision that the Due Process Clause is categorically inapplicable to detainees at Guantanamo Bay was misplaced.

This modest opinion, reserving the hard question for another day, was nonetheless enough to set Judge Randolph off. Concurring only in the judgment, he refused to sign Judge Milletts opinion, accusing her of ignoring what he insisted was clear Supreme Court precedent that made the due process guarantee unavailable to a nonresident alien enemy detained by the United States outside of our sovereign territory.
In Doha, the six prisoners will be kept under house arrest through November, after which their stay could be extended or they could be returned to Afghanistan, according to one of the two Afghan officials. It is unclear if the prisoners would be placed under house arrest if returned to Afghanistan or if they would be set free like thousands of other Taliban fighters, the same official said.
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Three Malian soldiers were killed on Wednesday when their patrol was ambushed by suspected terrorists about two kilometres from their base in the Diabaly sector in the Segou region of central Mali, the Defence and Veterans' Ministry said in a statement
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-09 21:36:25|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank said on Wednesday it has approved an 81.3 billion shilling (about 750 million U.S. dollars) loan to help improve the movement of people and goods, digital connectivity and access to social services for over 3.2 million people in northeastern Kenya.

Then lender said that the loan, part of the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project (HoAGDP), will finance the upgrading of 365-km of the 740-km Isiolo-Mandera regional road corridor and 30 km of spur roads; the upgrading of the remaining sections will be financed by other development partners.

"The HoAGDP will also finance the laying of a fiber optic cable along the entire 740-km corridor with spurs to local communities; trade facilitation measures, such as border management systems and construction of border posts; the provision of basic socio-economic infrastructure for communities living along the corridor; institutional strengthening; as well as emergency response measures in case of a disaster or catastrophe during the life of the project," the bank said in a statement.

The Kenya-HoAGDP is expected to take six years of implementation and is the first in a series of projects aimed at supporting the development of regional transport corridors and modal linkages under the Horn of Africa initiative, it said.

"Regional integration is fundamental for the countries in the Horn of Africa to create jobs and reduce poverty in an inclusive and sustainable way. The World Bank is a founding partner of the new Horn of Africa Initiative, launched in 2019 by the participating countries to deepen their cooperation and deliver development results for their populations," said Deborah Wetzel, World Bank director of regional integration for sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and northern Africa.

"This new project launches the implementation of this initiative and will fill a major gap in the connectivity of the region in terms of infrastructure and trade, and also by strengthening regional institutions to promote knowledge sharing and build human capital," Wetzel added.

Josphat Sasia, lead transport specialist and task team leader with the World Bank, said the potential of northeastern Kenya as a transit and regional trade facilitation zone is presently not fully exploited.

"This transformative project will integrate the region and enhance security, inclusion, and a sense of equity, which the communities living in this underserved region of Kenya have desired for a long time," he said." Successful implementation of the project will require the support of the leadership and communities of the region."

According to the World Bank, the upgraded road, the fiber optic connections, and the provision of basic social services will attract investments, facilitate regional and domestic trade, create jobs, and improve information-sharing and access to internet-based opportunities.

"Promoting equal opportunities across the country and linkages in the sub-region will strengthen Kenya's transformation from a low middle income to a middle-income country by 2030," said Keith Hansen, World Bank country director for Kenya. Enditem
Trump has repeatedly dismissed reports that Russia is continuing to interfere in the 2020 race, claiming China is the more pernicious threat

US President Donald Trump with US Attorney General William Barr (R) and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf (L), speaks to officials duringa roundtable discussion on community safety, at Mary D. Bradford High School in in Kenosha, Wisconsin on September 1, 2020. (AFP)

Washington: Department of Homeland Security official said in a whistleblower complaint released Wednesday that he was pressured by more senior officials to suppress facts in intelligence reports that President Donald Trump might find objectionable, including information about Russian interference in the election and the rising threat posed by white supremacists.

The official, Brian Murphy, alleged that senior DHS officials also pressed him to alter reports so they would reflect administration policy goals and that he was demoted for refusing to go along with the changes and for filing confidential internal complaints about the conduct.

Murphy, a former FBI agent and Marine Corps veteran, was demoted in August from his post as principal deputy under secretary in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. He is seeking to be reinstated in a complaint filed with the DHS Office of Inspector General.

Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, released the complaint, which he said contained grave and disturbing allegations. He said Murphy has been asked to give a deposition to Congress as part of an investigation into intelligence collection by DHS related to its response to protests in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere.

We will get to the bottom of this, expose any and all misconduct or corruption to the American people, and put a stop to the politicization of intelligence, the California Democrat said.

A Homeland Security spokesman, Alexei Woltornist, said the department generally does not comment on referrals to the inspector general but denied Murphys allegations. DHS looks forward to the results of any resulting investigation and we expect it will conclude that no retaliatory action was taken against Mr. Murphy, he said.

The complaint came the same day that acting Secretary Chad Wolf, who has been nominated by Trump to lead the agency, gave a state of the Homeland speech in which he said DHS is working to thwart election interference from any foreign power and all threats regardless of ideology.

DHS stands in absolute opposition to any form of violent extremism whether by white supremacist extremists or anarchist extremists, Wolf said. We will continue our daily efforts to combat all forms of domestic terror.

Murphy said in his complaint that he was directed by Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy DHS secretary, to modify a section of a report to make the threat posed by white supremacists less severe. He was told to play up the threat posed by left-wing groups to echo administration talking points around civil unrest following the protests over the killing of George Floyd.

Murphy said he refused to alter the report because doing so would constitute an abuse of authority and improper administration of an intelligence program. He was then taken off the project.

He said he made a number of reports on Russian disinformation efforts to senior DHS and administration officials between March 2018 and March 2020. The details are classified and not included in the whistle-blower complaint.

Then, in July, Wolf told him to hold back any reports on Russian election interference because they made the president look bad, according to the complaint. He also said Wolf told him to report on interference by China and Iran, instead of Russia, and those instructions came from White House national security adviser Robert OBrien. Murphy said he objected and was excluded from future meetings on the subject.

Trump has repeatedly resisted claims of Russian interference, including doubting findings by U.S. officials and lawmakers that Russia meddled in the 2016 campaign to help him and sow chaos in the electoral process. He has dismissed reports that Russia is continuing to interfere in the 2020 race, claiming that China is the more pernicious threat, even though a statement from intelligence officials last month said Moscow was directly trying to undermine Democrat Joe Biden.

Murphy said that, after he was removed from working on a DHS intelligence report, a draft was leaked to the media in which Russias interference was placed on an equal footing as activities by Iran and China in a way that was misleading and inconsistent with the actual intelligence, the complaint said.

Murphy came to DHS in March 2018 from the FBI, where his career included being assigned to the New York field office on Sept. 11, 2001. In his complaint, he alleged that efforts to manipulate the intelligence he oversaw started under former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

He said Nielsen and her deputies pressed him to vastly overstate the number of migrants apprehended at the southwest border who have confirmed links to any terrorist organization. That occurred as the Trump administration was rolling out tougher measures against illegal immigration. Murphy said he declined to confirm an inflated figure, saying to do so would be not only improper but illegal. The secretary nonetheless provided the incorrect figure to Congress.

Cuccinelli, he said, pressed him to change reports on conditions in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras as the administration was seeking to halt a surge of people seeking asylum from Central America at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mr. Cuccinelli expressed frustration with the intelligence reports, and he accused unknown deep state intelligence analysts of compiling the intelligence information to undermine President Donald J. Trumps policy objectives with respect to asylum, he said in the complaint.

Murphy said that over the summer he was instructed by Wolf and Cuccinelli to alter assessments on protests to make sure they matched up with Trumps statements on the involvement of antifa and anarchists in the demonstrations in Portland and elsewhere. He said he told them he would only report accurate information.

Shortly thereafter, Wolf reassigned him to the management division. That followed media reports that Murphys unit collected information on journalists covering the DHS response to the protests. Murphy said the reports were incorrect and Wolf agreed but said it would be politically good to move him while the acting secretary hoped to be nominated to the secretary post by Trump.

The complaint, which also asks that officials who retaliated against Murphy be given written reprimands, was filed by Mark Zaid, a prominent attorney who also represented the whistle-blower who spurred the Trump impeachment inquiry.

Zaid said in a statement that Murphy followed proper, lawful whistleblower rules in reporting serious allegations of misconduct and would cooperate with congressional investigations into the matter, especially in a classified setting.
William Mainprize, from Sydney, was one of 43 crewmen and 6,000 on board the ship, the Gulf Livestock 1, when it was struck by a wild typhoon on Friday

The best mate of an Australian stockman who vanished when a livestock ship capsized off the coast of Japan has begged for Scott Morrison to help find his friend.

William Mainprize, from Sydney, was one of 43 crewmen on board the ship, the Gulf Livestock 1, when it was struck by a wild typhoon on Friday.

The vessel was carrying 6,000 animals.

A desperate search was launched for the missing crew, which included two Australians and two New Zealanders, after the distress call was made.

But as the days pass without word, hope is beginning to fade.

Japan's coast guard suspended its full-time search on Wednesday after failing to find any more survivors since rescuing a Filipino sailor on Friday.

Mr Mainprize's friend Tom Suttorr has now made a desperate plea for the Australian Government to offer assistance to keep the search going.

Lukas Orda, 25, from the Gold Coast (pictured with his wife Emma) and Sydney man William Mainprize, 25, were identified as the two Australians on board Gulf Livestock on when it capsized and sank

'For me it is a truly surreal situation that 40 people can just vanish,' he wrote in a Facebook post.

'I believe the Australian government needs to take some responsibility and assist in the search. Or at least offer assistance.

'The only organisation that was looking for them was the Japanese coast guard, and they have announced they will stop today. Surely the Australian government can offer some resources to assist them.'

Mr Suttorr described his friend as a 'true gentleman' who is well respected in the shipping industry.

'Will is renowned by all the ship crews as one of the kindest stockman and best blokes in Australia.'

The wife of Queensland vet Lukas Orda, who is also missing, pleaded on social media for her husband to 'come home'.

The captain of Gulf Livestock 1 (pictured) sent a distress call to the Japanese Coast Guard at about 1.20am, the ships instruments showed the ship was sailing into high winds of 56 knots

Emma Orda, who gave birth to their first child in March, posted a photo of the pair with the message: 'Please come home really soon, we love you'.

The vessel left New Zealand on August 14 and was due to arrive at the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China on Saturday.

As it headed across the East China Sea it began to flounder and the crew battled to keep it afloat.

Footage emerged showing the panicked crew trying to stem the flow of water in the hours before it sank.

Seawater inundated the interior of the vessel and was seen cascading over the electrics and machinery.

Footage also emerged showing panicked crew trying to stem the flow of water in the hours before it sank (pictured)

Shocking footage has emerged from inside the doomed Gulf Livestock one showing water flooding into the cabin area a day before the ship sank in the East China Sea on September 2

The first survivor, a Filipino crewman, was found floating in the East China Sea in a life jacket on the same night the ship was lost.

Typhoon Maysak was blowing by southern Japan when the vessel sunk and its instruments showed that it was sailing into high winds of 56 knots.

The captain of Gulf Livestock 1 sent a distress call to the Japanese coast guard at about 1.20am on Wednesday.

Rescuers in an aircraft and four boats plus divers searched for survivors and found a bundle of orange rope and a life jacket with the ship's name on.

Then on Friday they found a body and multiple dead cows in the waters near where the ship sank.

The Japanese Coast Guard resumed the search on Monday after having to suspend operations for 48-hours due to heavy winds from a second storm, Typhoon Haishen.
"We're thrilled to debut these new home collections at Cielo at Sand Creek," said Nick Arenson, Bay Area Division President. "This provides homebuyers with even more home designs and price points to choose from, in a sought-after community with exceptional amenities and a prime location."

HOMES

New single-family homes from the mid $500s to mid $600s

Single- and two-story floor plans

3 to 6 bedrooms, 2 to 3.5 baths, 2-bay garages

Up to 2,711 square feet

Media rooms, game rooms, lofts and more included on select plans

COMMUNITY AMENITIES

Clubhouse with meeting rooms

Outdoor pool with shaded lounge seating

Grill area with seating

Playground with picnic tables

Gated community entrance

For more information, call 833.769.1656.

Sales Center: 5361 Redwood Valley Lane, Antioch, CA 94531

About Century Communities

Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS) is a top 10 national homebuilder. Offering new homes under the Century Communities and Century Complete brands, Century is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding  including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Colorado-based company operates in 17 states across the U.S., and offers title, insurance and lending services in select markets through its Parkway Title, IHL Insurance Agency, and Inspire Home Loan subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities, please visit www.centurycommunities.com.

SOURCE Century Communities, Inc.

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Indiabulls Housing Finance is aiming to raise up to Rs 1,000 crore through a qualified institutional placement (QIP) launched on Wednesday as well as partial divestment of its stake in UK-based OakNorth Bank in tranches, sources said.

"In this, Rs 500 crore (about USD 68.13 million) each is targeted to be raised through the and divestment in OakNorth Bank in next two-three days," a source said.

The non-banking finance company (NBFC) intends to raise more capital during this month, another person privy to the fund raise plans said.

The Securities Issuance Committee of the board at its meeting held on Wednesday approved the floor price for the at Rs 206.70 per equity share, Indiabulls Housing Finance said in a regulatory filing.

At its extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held on July 29, the board had sought shareholders' approval for raising up to USD 300 million (about Rs 2,200 crore) by issuing securities through or through foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) during the course of the next one year.

"The company may offer a discount of not more than 5 per cent on the floor price so calculated for the issue (QIP)," Indiabulls Housing Finance said in the filing on Wednesday.

The committee will meet next week (September 14) to approve the issue price, including a discount, if any, for the equity shares to be allotted to the qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), the company said.

The intent of the QIP is to augment the long-term resources of the company and maintain sufficient liquidity for meeting funding requirements for its business activities, the company had said after the EGM in July.

"The successful issue of the securities will underline the confidence in the company, especially in the backdrop of the prolonged liquidity squeeze that the NBFC/HFC sector is facing and business disruption due to COVID-19.

"Infusion of fresh capital under the current circumstances will demonstrate to key industry participants such as lenders - especially debt market investors and rating agencies of the company's ability to tap equity markets periodically to fund growth," it said in a summary of the outcome of the EGM on July 29.

The company also said it was optimistic about growth after having successfully demonstrated liquidity of loan assets over the past 20 months.

Lending opportunities in the housing finance industry continue to be strong, and with the competitive landscape now very benign, this fresh capital will serve as a growth capital as lending activity picks up with economic revival, it had said.

In a separate filing, the company said it is in the process of exploring various options in connection with the partial divestment of its equity shareholding in OakNorth Bank Ltd in one or more tranches.

"The divestment shall result in boosting CRAR (capital to risk weighted assets ratio) and shall free up capital to grow the loan book of the company," it said.

It had invested Rs 663 crore in November 2015 for a 40 per cent stake in OakNorth Bank.

Within two years of this, in November 2017, the company recouped its investment by selling about 10 per cent stake to the Government of Singapore's investment arm GIC for Rs 770 crore.

Founded in 2015 to address the mid-market funding gap in the UK, a highly competitive and regulated market, OakNorth Bank became profitable in just 11 months.

Within four years of operations, it has grown its deposits to just under 3 billion British Pound and its loan book to over 4 billion British Pound, Indiabulls Housing Finance said.

Stock of Indiabulls Housing Finance closed at Rs 201.15 apiece on BSE, down 0.54 per cent.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It was the great computer glitch of Aug. 17 that ultimately sparked Drue Placettes creative fire.

That Monday, around 64,000 remote-learning students couldnt access their instructors for North East Independent School Districts first day of classes. Those pupils included Placettes four kids, one in kindergarten and one each in elementary, middle and high school.

So the dad whipped up the perfect piece of art for such a hot mess of an occasion and the year so far: a mini dumpster fire.

About the size of a brick, the 2020-stamped dumpster fire doubles as a pen or tea candle holder and comes in a $20 wood frame model and a $40 version with a flickering LED flame. Theres even a $30 model full of candle wax with wicks to really lighten up the mood.

The burning effigy for 2020 has become quite the hot seller. Since late August, Placette and his business partners Dale Bracey and Nick Ramos have sold around 100 miniature dumpster fires through Etsy and social media.

Courtesy CANopener Labs

Youve got to make people smile, said Placette, co-founder of the prototyping and design space CANopener Labs in San Antonio, where the dumpsters are made. Everybody is going through tough times. And Dale, Nick and I, weve all pushed through ups and downs. So how do you make yourself smile through all the craziness?

Trust some San Antonio artists to make real light of such dark days. Especially with works that sum up 2020 in a flaming nutshell.

On ExpressNews.com: 2020 has been terrible, so lets turn back the clock to better 20s in San Antonio

Consider the merry middle finger salutes to 2020 at Feliz Modern. The Olmos Park gift shop sells $4 stickers of a trash can fire tagged 2020 in spray paint, plus $3 stickers and $5 blank greeting cards with a Purell-like hand sanitizer on the front whose label instead reads, Everything is Purhell.

Courtesy Feliz Modern

Then theres the artsy commentary of Chapa Metal (@chapametal on Facebook). Jose Chapa crafts color-stained aluminum and copper placards embossed with puro San Antonio puns, such as Llorona Virus and Cabrona Virus. He likens his wordplay to albures, or Mexican double entendres.

Its just that we were all experiencing the same intense, horrible, frustrating feelings together as a world community that I wanted to find the right way to, daresay, express how were all feeling, Chapa said.

Courtesy Jose Chapa

Placette originally created the mini dumpster fires for his kids so they could display them in the background while in their video classes, a playful nod to all the frustrated NEISD students and teachers, the latter of which include Braceys wife.

But when Placette posted the idea on social media, consumer demand grew. Its honestly helped us through this tremendously, Placette said, noting CANopener Labs does not have a paycheck protection program loan.

Making light of 2020s letdowns also has been just the tonic for Anthony Diaz, a San Antonio artist who goes by the nickname, The Lemon. When the pandemic canceled Diazs planned trip to Disneyland, he designed a balloon-message response so profane we can only describe it as (EXPLETIVE) This (EXPLETIVE) 2020, with the first word swapping out a U for a balloon shaped like Mickey Mouse ears.

The profanity and Disney, you would never put those two together, Diaz said with a laugh. But that is how my mind works.

Courtesy Anthony Diaz

Diaz came up with what he calls My Disney 2020 while vacationing with his sister in El Paso instead of with Mickey and his theme park pals in California. Diaz sells My Disney 2020 vinyl stickers for $3.50 and matte photo prints for $15 at the-lemon.square.site.

Like Placette and Bracey, Diaz also sees his work as a way to bring smiles to faces, masked or otherwise, during such a downer of a year. Maybe this can keep someones chin up, even though its almost crude, Diaz said.

In the case of the CANopener dumpster fire, it can even help a friend in need. As the dumpster orders roll in, Placette and Bracey hired their pal David Tejeda to help make the novelty items for a share of the proceeds to help him out while hes out of work due to the pandemic.

On ExpressNews.com: Two San Antonio sisters with a big passion for ultra-realistic dollhouse miniatures

Its not the first time CANopener has opened its doors to help others during this trying year. In late March, CANopener teamed up with District 1 councilman Roberto Trevino to design an affordable ventilator to help address the nationwide shortage due to COVID-19. And in April, CANopener worked with other makers in the community to craft some much-needed protective gear.

Were really big on collaboration, Placette said. The only way that San Antonio survives is if we work together.

Which makes CANopeners next artsy response to 2020 just as illuminating, if not downright intoxicating.

Placette and Bracey have just designed an LED beer bottle lamp to help promote area breweries, many of which have struggled as their tasting rooms were shut down and they moved to selling beer to-go. Placette and Bracey ask that lamp buyers pick their favorite local beer, then theyll buy a case and drink it with the buyer as they make the lamp.

Hows that for a lit 2020?

Rene Guzman is a features reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. He writes about pop culture and what makes San Antonio so uniquely puro San Antonio. To read more from Rene, become a subscriber. rguzman@express-news.net | Twitter: @reneguz
A multiple choice general knowledge quiz is leaving internet users from across the world stumped with tricky questions in fields such as geography, maths and history.

The 10-question challenge was created by Cody Cross for US-based trivia website Playbuzz, who claimed only those with an IQ of 145 would achieve more than 7/10 in the quiz.

Among the questions is several related to geography, three mathematical queries and one with a history theme.

So, how many do you know? Scroll down to take the test and check your answers at the bottom.

Even the brightest quizzers have been left scratching their heads over a new 10 question multiple choice test from Playbuzz (file image)

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ANSWERS
Portland: An unprecedented spate of fierce, wind-driven bushfires in Oregon have all but destroyed five small towns, leaving a potentially high death toll in their wake, the governor said, as initial casualty reports began to surface.

While more than two dozen major blazes continued to wreak havoc across wide swaths of California, the neighbouring state of Oregon bore the latest brunt of bushfires plaguing much of the western United States over the past week.

The smoke-darkened sky of Salem, Oregon well before sunset. Credit:Russ Casler/AP

Winds of up to 80 kilometres per hour sent flames racing tens of kilometres within hours, engulfing hundreds of homes as firefighters fought at least 35 large blazes across areas roughly equal to nearly twice the size of New York City.

Several Oregon communities, including the town of Detroit in the Santiam Valley, as well as Blue River and Vida in coastal Lane County, and Phoenix and Talent in the south, were substantially destroyed, Governor Kate Brown told a news conference.
European Union leaders are expected to renew pressure on Chinese President Xi Jinping next week over Beijings heavy-handed tactics in Hong Kong as the effects of the national security law start to emerge.

In the US, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for stability in Hong Kong after nearly 300 people were arrested on Sunday during protests against postponed local elections.

Democracy, respect for fundamental freedoms, and government accountability to the people are the best paths to stability in Hong Kong  not draconian efforts to limit free expression, delay elections, and restrict travel, he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

It is understood that the EU officials preparing for the virtual summit with Xi next Monday have been gauging updates about the situation in Hong Kong and will raise the issue with him.

In just over two months, Hong Kong police have used the national security law against media mogul Jimmy Lai Chi-ying  founder of the opposition Apple Daily newspaper  and Agnes Chow Ting, a prominent pro-democracy activist.

Over the weekend, Tam Tak-chi, vice-chairman of the localist party People Power, was detained by the police for uttering seditious words, raising fears of a heightened curb on freedom of speech. While the police used a colonial-era sedition law against him, it fell on the national security unit to investigate his case.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor defended Tams arrest, saying that it had nothing to do with freedom of speech and that criticising the government did not fall afoul of the law.

China has defended the national security law, saying it is necessary to return Hong Kong to normalcy after protests lasting for months that saw clashes between the police and demonstrators who Beijing claimed were organised by foreign forces.

The US, the EU, Britain Japan, Australia and Canada have all urged China to withdraw the law  the most recent call made by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas while meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

Story continues

The issue is expected to arise again when Xi meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in an online summit.

Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU council, hopes to use the summit to get China to agree on economic reforms to secure an investment treaty with the 27-member single market.

For von der Leyen and Michel, Mondays virtual summit will be the second discussion with Xi in less than three months. During the last summit, EU leaders warned Xi of very negative consequences over Beijings plan to crack down in Hong Kong.

The national security law risks seriously undermining the one country, two systems principle, von der Leyen said in June.

In July, the EU proposed a coordinated package across all 27 countries to restrict transactions with the Hong Kong government, including a ban of exports of goods capable of internal repression, the interception of internal communications or cyber-surveillance.

The bloc also said it would consider further asylum and migration plans for Hongkongers, and step up coordination with Hong Kong students and universities.

Germany and France have announced a halt to extradition treaties with Hong Kong after a similar move by non-EU member state Britain.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

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This article Xi Jinping likely to face criticism over Hong Kong crackdown during EU summit first appeared on South China Morning Post

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The Social Security Administration has revealed the most popular baby names of 2019, with Olivia taking the top spot for girls and Liam topping the list for boys.

But one name that most certainly didn't rank among the most-used is Karen, which in the past few years has been increasingly used as a derogatory nickname for entitled women whose offenses include demanding to speak to the manager over tiny inconveniences and calling the police on people of color for barbecuing in parks or painting their own property.

According to SSA data, the instances of babies named Karen have dropped dramatically in the past decade, and are now at their lowest since the 1930s.

Going down: According to Social Security Administration data, the name Karen is declining in popularity for babies (stock photo)

Association: This is likely due in part to the use of Karen as a derogatory nickname for entitled white women

Losing steam: However, the use of the name has been declining for years since it's peak in the '60s

Looking back: The last time the name Karen was this unpopular was 1930, when it was ranked 689

Karen comes in at #660 in the baby name rankings for 2019. That represents 438 babies named Karen last year, and 0.024 percent of total female births in 2019.

The last time it was that unpopular was 1930, when it was ranked #689.

While the relatively new usage of the name Karen as an insult may very well be contributing to its unpopularity for babies, Karen memes and viral videos aren't entirely to blame, as the name has been dropping in popularity for some time.

It was barely in the top 1,000 in the 1910s and '20s, but in the '30s it quickly started to rise  jumping to #39 by 1939.

Karen spent the '40s climbing the list, and it broke the top 10 in 1951, coming in at #8.

It stayed in the top five from 1957 to 1966, hitting its peak spot in 1965 at #3. Rhat year, the number of girls named Karen was 32,873, which represented 1.799 per cent of total female births in 1965.

Infamous: Well-known examples of women called Karen include Amy Cooper, who tearfully called 911 on a birdwatcher who asked her to leash her dog in Central Park

Yikes... There's also Jennifer Schulte, a.k.a. Barbecue Becky, who called 911 on a group of black people using a grill in a park in Oakland, California and sobbed while hovering over them

It certainly seems that the new use for the name Karen has made parents less likely to bestow it upon their children in recent years, however.

Answer to her! Another example is Lisa Alexander, who also called the police on a man who was painting his own property because she was convinced he didn't live there

The origins of this usage can be traced back to 2014, when a popular meme was launched. The image shows a woman with chunky highlights and hair that is long and straight in the front and cropped short in the back.

The meme was used to discuss women who demand to speak to a manager when they are not getting exactly what they want, regardless of how unreasonable their expectations are.

Over time, it merged with the name Karen, which was used to describe an entitled woman  usually middle-aged and white  who bulldozes others to get her way, and is often complaining.

But the Karen identity has evolved in the past couple of years. Now, it's just as often used for a woman  again, usually white  who has found fault with something a stranger is doing and demands that they answer to her for it.

Often, these women call the police. Well-known examples include Amy Cooper, who tearfully called 911 on a birdwatcher who asked her to leash her dog in Central Park, and Lisa Alexander, who also called the police on a man who was painting his own property because she was convinced he didn't live there.

Most popular: Meanwhile, the top baby names this year include quite a few familiar ones that have earned top spots in previous years

There's also Jennifer Schulte  a.k.a. Barbecue Becky  who in May 2018 called 911 on a group of black people using a grill in a park in Oakland, California and sobbed while hovering over them.

Meanwhile, the top baby names this year include quite a few familiar ones that have earned top spots in previous years.

Following Liam at number one for boys are Noah, Oliver, William, Elijah, James, Benjamin, Lucas, Mason, and Ethan.

Coming after Olivia in top spot for girls are Emma, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Charlotte, Amelia, Mia, Harper, and Evelyn.
The Supreme Court posted for hearing on September 14 a petition challenging the decision of the CBSE to conduct compartment exams for students of classes X and XII in September and urging for provisional admissions in universities.

A three-judge bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna on Thursday directed the petitioner to serve the copies of the petition to the Union of India to consider their prayer for provisional admissions in universities from such students.

Senior advocate Vivek Tankha, appearing for the petitioners, told the bench that usually compartment exams are held before college admissions take place.

He said its understandable that the CBSE could not hold examinations in the beginning due to the COVID-19 situation. Then there was a hybrid variety of exams and then results were declared and because of that, a lot of people were facing compartment exams, Tankha added.

The most important thing is that if students dont get admission in colleges after the compartment exams are done, then their entire year gets wasted, Tankha contended, while urging the court to create some room for such students to get admission.

Tankha sought that a direction be passed to give students provisional admissions in universities.

Earlier on a similar plea, the CBSE had told the court that CBSE is likely to conduct compartment examination for students of classes X and XII in September end and that the number of examination centres have been increased to 1,278.
AstraZeneca's global human trials of the potential Covid-19 vaccine were paused on Tuesday due to an unexplained illness suffered by one of its participants, but South African volunteers in the study have said they are not concerned about the news.

2,000 AstraZeneca trial volunteers in South Africa

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the AstraZeneca drug - which is being developed by Oxford University - is the world's leading and most advanced candidate vaccine. Around 2,000 volunteers have been participating in the trial in South Africa, but it is set to be on hold for a while until this participant's illness is justified.

A 27-year-old female participant who has been a part of the trial since July said she hadn't been personally told about its suspension, but she is not worried about the unexplained illness since she hasn't developed any symptoms.

Another participant aged 32 said: "It doesn't make me feel afraid particularly since my own experience hasn't yet seen me suffer any negative side effects. I totally understand and respect the need for extreme caution and the following of strict process, so I appreciate the Oxford trial's honesty about this matter".

Over 600,000 coronavirus cases in South Africa

South Africa has been the worst-hit African nation in the pandemic, and the fifth globally, with a caseload of more than 640,000 infections and over 15,000 deaths.
A former federal task force officer who admitted stealing drugs and money while on the job and later was a key witness against indicted Drug Enforcement Administration agent Chad Scott has been arrested again, this time in Texas on charges of trying to traffic more than 17 pounds of cocaine.

Johnny Domingue, 31, was a Tangipahoa Parish deputy sheriff detailed to a south Louisiana federal drug task force before being arrested and pleading guilty to state and federal drug crimes. On Wednesday he was arrested again after picking up a car that had eight kilograms hidden in it, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Ex-Tangipahoa deputy gets 21-month sentence for drug crimes, less than he already served Johnny Domingue, a former Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office deputy who pleaded guilty to federal drug charges in 2018, was sentenced last wee

Domingue is accused of negotiating to buy four kilos of cocaine for about $100,000 in a scheme that began in July, the U.S. attorney's office in Houston said. He also agreed to transport another four kilograms of cocaine, the office said. He allegedly planned to try to sell the drugs in Houston and Louisiana.

Scott, once a decorated DEA agent, was indicted in 2017 on 11 counts including perjury, obstruction of justice, receiving an illegal gratuity, stealing evidence and other crimes. During Scotts two trials, Domingue told jurors that when Scott selected him for the south Louisiana task force, he was excited and looked up to the federal agent.

Former colleague, informant testify against ex-drug agent Chad Scott at federal trial An admitted drug dealer and a convicted cop took the stand Tuesday as the retrial of former federal lawman Chad Scott delved into often conten

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He also admitted on the witness stand that he and another task force officer, fellow Tangipahoa deputy Karl Newman, stole drugs and cash from suspects and falsified evidence in at least one other case. Domingue did not implicate Scott in those crimes but said it was part of the culture of a task force that ran roughshod over the rules.

His testimony was key in helping federal prosecutors net a conviction against Scott for perjury, obstruction of justice and falsifiying government records. Scott is under house arrest, awaiting trial on a second set of charges. It is unclear what effect Domingues arrest might have on Scotts second trial, which is scheduled to start March 8.

Domingue served more than 34 months in prison while awaiting Scott's trials. He was eventually released after a judge sentenced him to 21 months. In July, he requested that U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon end his probation early, arguing that the coronavirus pandemic had made it impossible for him to complete required service hours. Prosecutors in the case did not object to Domingues request, but Fallon denied it.

If convicted of the new Texas charges, Domingue faces 10 years to life in prison. He also could be fined $10 million.
"We are committed to guiding other organizations through their digital transformation. Without a team dedicated to our customers success, we would not have the privilege of being on this list. Supporting our customers ability to stay efficient and productive is our key goal. -Robert Lane, CEO

The Copley Consulting Group: Proud to Have Made the Inc. 5000 List for the fourth time. The Copley Consulting Group has, for the fourth year, landed on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent businesses.

Copley focuses on providing innovative software solutions to its customers. Two key business partnerships are responsible for its impressive 57.3% growth over the past three years: One, Copley is Qliks leading revenue-generating partner for Qliks analytic solution in the public sector market. Two, Copley is also Infors leading channel partner for its CloudSuite solution in highly FDA-regulated industries such as medical device manufacturers and life science enterprise.

We are committed to guiding other organizations through their digital transformation, says CEO Robert Lane. Without a team dedicated to our customers success, we would not have the privilege of continuing to be on this list. In a new digital landscape, supporting our customers ability to stay efficient and productive has been our key goal.

Copley is committed to building and maintaining the technical skills needed to provide its customers with the highest level of service across the Infor and Qlik ecosystems. Its software solutions help streamline the business processes for some of the most innovative and complex environments in the market, whether it is biotech, robotics, or highly predominant state agencies.

To learn more about Copley, please visit copleycg.com.
SRINAGAR: Indian Intelligence agencies have gathered inputs suggesting that Pakistan is providing highly sophisticated weapons to terror groups waging jihad in the Kashmir Valley

Two more US-made M Series rifles were recently recovered from the Line Of Control (LOC). Additionally, three rifles of M Series were recovered in Kashmir in the last two days.

Joint Security forces have recovered arms and ammunition from the Dulanja area of Uri near the Line of Control in Baramullah district in north Kashmir after busting a terror hideout.

In the last two days, security forces have recovered more sophisticated weapons in Kashmir that include three US-made M series rifles. The recoveries indicate that Pakistan is now supplying sophisticated weaponry to the terrorists active in Kashmir.

Today, a terrorist hideout was busted in the Dulanja village of Uri sector of Line of Control and two M Series rifles of Pakistani Origin along with four magazines of M-Series rifles and two pistols with 4 magazines were recovered.

In a joint press conference, the security forces said that they have inputs for a week that a consignment of weapons is being delivered to terrorists active in the area.

On Wednesday, one rifle of M- Series was recovered from a truck at Jawahar tunnel when it was being transported to Kashmir along other arms and ammunition

DIG (Anantnag Atul Goel said yesterday, The weapons were meant for the new recruits of terrorists Until recently, terrorists were mostly seen using AK 47 or AK series rifles but now these recoveries of sophisticated US Made M- Series is a matter of worry for security forces in Jammu Kashmir.

As those weapons are more effective and were earlier used by the top commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammad only. Three years ago, the first M Series rifle was recovered when three terrorists of JeM were killed in south Kashmir including the nephew of the Masood Azhar.

DIG south Kashmir said that the primary investigation suggests that the source of the arms and ammunition recovered origin is Pakistan.

M Series weapons are mostly used by Pakistan Army. That indicates that such weapons are supplied by Pakistan Army to terrorists active in Kashmir.

Its also seen from past few weeks that terrorists and their supporters across the LOC are throwing the weaponry from hills towards the Indian side and the OGWs ( overground workers) of terrorists active in Kashmir collect them and hide them near the villages close to LoC and at an appropriate time they transport it and handover to active terrorists in Kashmir valley.

The weaponry consignments come from LoC in Kashmir as well in Jammu and also international borders of Jammu are also used to transport the weapons.

Pakistan also used drones to deliver the weaponry to this side and till now twice Pakistan drones are shot by security forces which were carrying arms and ammunition.

An Army official said that based on inputs, search operations were carried out along the Line of Control and the recovery is also the result of intense search operation by the security forces.

Such searches will continue and we will not allow terrorists to succeed in their plans, he added.
Alexandra Zarini, heiress to the Gucci fashion brand, has filed a lawsuit accusing her former stepfather of sexually abusing her for 16 years.

The granddaughter of Aldo Gucci, who turned a small Italian leather goods company into a global fashion empire, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles.

In the suit Ms Zarini, now 35, alleges that Joseph Ruffalo sexually abused her from the age of six to the age of 22.

She also alleges complicity and cover-up on the part of her mother, Patricia Gucci, and her grandmother, Bruna Palombo.

According to documents filed with the California Superior Court, Mr Ruffalo, a music manager who worked with Prince and Earth, Wind & Fire, would climb naked into bed with her when she was a child and teenager and grope her breasts and genitals, while also rubbing his penis against her body.

Ms Zarini claims that her mother was aware of the abuse, and her grandmother told her to keep quiet and cover them up.

She maintains that both women threatened her to keep her quiet, fearing that the scandal would tarnish the Gucci name and potentially cost them millions.

The lawsuit also alleges physical abuse on the part of her mother and that Mr Ruffalo, then still married to Ms Gucci, would rescue her and abuse her under the pretense of looking after her.

She also alleges that he encouraged her to use cocaine and crystal meth.

Filing of the lawsuit coincides with the launch of Ms Zarinis anti-child abuse charity, the Alexandra Gucci Childrens Foundation.

In a video released on YouTube , Ms Zarini says that society is failing children. She adds that the problem of child sexual abuse exists everywhere.

The lawsuit was first reported in The New York Times, which also confirmed that Ms Zarini has also filed a report with the Beverly Hills police department.

A statement emailed to the Times from Ms Gucci says: I am deeply sorry for the pain Joseph Ruffalo caused Alexandra. What he did to her is inexcusable and I was devastated when she disclosed everything to me at our family doctors office in London in September 2007.

She added: I immediately initiated divorce proceedings against Mr. Ruffalo and set about healing my family through counseling. I am equally devastated by the allegations against me and her grandmother, which are completely false.

Richard Crane Jr, a lawyer for Mr Ruffalo, said: My client has not been served and has not read the complaint. Therefore, he is not aware of all of the allegations that the complaint contains. What he has been informed of, he vehemently and categorically denies.

He continues: While married to Alexandras mother, Mr Ruffalo and his wife were greatly concerned about the mental well-being of Alexandra and took steps to address her instability. Apparently, their efforts failed.

The Gucci brand is currently owned by Kering, having been taken public by Bahrain-based Investcorp to which the Gucci family divested its final stake in 1993.
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday said its humanitarian operations risked serious disruption as a fire at Beirut port hit a warehouse containing its food aid.

The warehouse on fire is where ICRC stocks thousands (of) food parcels and 0.5 million" litres of oil, ICRC regional director Fabrizio Carboni said. Our humanitarian operation risks to be seriously disrupted."

Lebanons president said the fire could have been an intentional act of sabotage" or an accident, and those responsible must be held accountable.

Todays fire could be an intentional act of sabotage, the result of a technical error, ignorance, or negligence. In all cases, the cause needs to be known as soon as possible, and those responsible held to account," President Michel Aoun said, according to his office.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze just over a month after the August 4 blast which killed more than 190 people, wounded thousands and ravaged much of the capital.

Clouds of dark smoke spilled into the sky above the capital, and were visible from its suburbs, after the army said the fire broke out in a warehouse containing oil and tyres.

Firefighters and army helicopters continued to battle the blaze several hours after it broke out, an AFP photographer said, after security forces cleared surrounding roads.

Haitham, a 33-year-old worker at a company at the port, told AFP how he fled the fire as fast as he could.

We were working when all of a sudden they started yelling at us to get out," he said. There was welding going on and a fire broke out. We dont know what happened.

We dropped everything and started running It reminded us of the explosion."

Interim port chief Bassem al-Kaissi told local the LBC television channel that the blaze started in the free zone, where an importer had stocked cooking oil containers and tyres.

The fire started with oil containers before moving on to the tyres," he said. It was either caused by the heat or by a mistake. Its too early to say."

Cant Take This Much Trauma

Civil Defence chief Raymond Khattar said putting out the fire was taking longer because it was rubber and oil burning.

Flammable materials like this take time to be completely extinguished," he said.

The Lebanese Red Cross said one person was being treated after inhaling smoke.

A judicial source told AFP the public prosecutor had tasked all security agencies to conduct the necessary investigations and determine the type of materials burnt and the causes of the fire breaking out".

President Michel Aoun summoned a meeting of the Supreme Defence Council to discuss to fire, his office said.

Social media users posted video footage of the blaze, which unsettled Beirut residents only just recovering from the countrys deadliest peacetime disaster.

Insane fire at the port, causing a panic all across Beirut. We just cant catch a break," Human Rights Watch researcher Aya Majzoub wrote on Twitter.

We cant take this much trauma," another user wrote.

The August 4 blast sparked widespread outrage after it emerged authorities had been aware for years of the presence of the huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate that blew up.

The scandal forced the government to resign.

Crime Scene

Thursdays blaze comes just two days after another smaller fire at the port, which the army said took hold of a mix of rubbish, wood and old tyres.

Criminology researcher Omar Nashabe tweeted about the latest disaster: Where are we living?"

This is the scene of the crime a month ago! Where is the judiciary? Where is the state? Where is responsibility?"

The August 4 blast had heaped new misery on Lebanese already battling the coronavirus pandemic and the countrys worst economic crisis in decades, which has seen poverty rates double to more than half the population.

Lebanon has launched a probe into the blast, one off the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever, and arrested 25 suspects so far.

Among them are top port and customs officials, as well as Syrian workers who allegedly carried out welding hours before the explosion.

On Thursday, the lead investigating judge listened to the testimonies of caretaker transport and public works minister Michel Najjar and State Security agency head Tony Saliba, the National News Agency said.

Lebanon has rejected an international investigation into the explosion, but its probe is being aided by foreign experts, including from the American FBI and France.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 13:33:06|Editor: huaxia

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SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- South Korea sold 1.45 billion U.S. dollars of sovereign bonds to global investors at a record-low rate, the finance ministry said Thursday.

The foreign exchange stabilization bonds were issued in two classes denominated in the U.S. dollar and the euro, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The FX stabilization bonds are sold by the ministry to raise funds necessary for smoothing operation in the foreign exchange market. The bond's yield acts as a benchmark for debts sold overseas by the private sector.

The 10-year dollar bond worth 625 million dollars carried a yield of 1.198 percent, or 50 basis points of premium on the 10-year U.S. Treasury Bond yield.

Both the yield of 1.198 percent and the yield premium of 50 basis points marked the lowest.

The five-year euro bond worth 700 million euros (about 825 million U.S. dollars) was sold at a yield of minus 0.059 percent, or 35 basis points on the five-year euro mid-swap rate.

It was the first time that the country issued the euro bond at a minus yield. Enditem
Dou Guimei, principal of the Tsinghua University Primary School [Xinhua]

Twelve distinguished teachers, six of whom were women, on September 4 received the honorary title of the National Education Role Model Award ahead of Teacher's Day which falls on September 10.

The recipients were selected from a list of 66 candidates, and they are engaged in different educational sectors, including higher education, vocational education, preschool education and specialized education, according to the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Ministry of Education.

From 2010, the Ministry of Education began to honor 10 excellent teachers who enjoy good reputation every year and awarded them the prestigious title of "National Education Role Models." This year, two places were added to honor the teachers who have made outstanding contribution to the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control.

The followings are the stories of the honored women teachers.

Dou Guimei is principal and Chinese teacher at the Beijing-based Tsinghua University Primary School. She creates innovative teaching methods of Chinese lessons to facilitate the language development of primary school students.

She also developed a "one plus X" curriculum system which has been well-received by primary schools around the country, with an eye on the well-rounded development of students. The school's courses were livestreamed to thousands of remote education centers in the poverty-stricken counties across the country to help the locals shake off poverty through improving education.

During the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the school undertook the responsibility of providing nationwide broadcasts of high-quality online lessons. The school teachers have given a total of 816 lessons in just four months.

Wei Yali, a teacher at Weifang Commercial College, East China's Shandong Province, with her students [bandao.cn]

Wei Yali, a teacher at Weifang Commercial College, East China's Shandong Province focuses on building up students' confidence by unearthing their potential and encourages them to achieve good results by organizing various vocational skills competitions. Some of her students have won world championships in professional competitions.

Meanwhile, she motivates her students to pursue higher education. In the past five years, she and her team members have helped more than 400 students fulfill their dreams of undergraduate education.

Xiao Min, a teacher at a special education school in Luzhou City, Southwest China's Sichuan Province [Chinanews.com]

Xiao Min is a teacher from a special education school in Luzhou City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Southwest China's Sichuan Province. She strived to understand disabled student's needs, design personalized plans for them, and pacify their moods with love and patience.

Also, she spent years fighting for more special education resources to disabled students in the autonomous prefecture and training more special education teachers.

He Mei, a kindergarten teacher in Chengguan Town, Bijie City, Southwest China's Guizhou Province, plays a game with the children. [Xinhua]

He Mei is a kindergarten teacher in Chengguan Town, Hezhang County, Bijie City, Southwest China's Guizhou Province. With a passion for preschool education, she spent years in caring for children from mountainous areas by picking them up and offering free lunches to them.

When the earthquake hit Hezhang on July 2, He rushed into the classroom, leading 32 children to safely evacuate within 17 seconds. "I didn't have time to be afraid. What first came to my mind was the students' safety," she said.

Zhang Guimei, principal of the Huaping High School for Girls in Lijiang City, Southwest China's Yunnan Province [Yunnan Women's Federation]

Zhang Guimei, 63, principal of the Huaping High School for Girls in Lijiang City, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, has been devoting her life to helping local girls receive an education, and she has been offering a warm, loving home to orphans.

Zhang founded the first free-of-charge girls' senior middle school in China in 2008, Given Zhang and other teachers' efforts in helping the students improve their studies, all of the children during the past nine years have been admitted to universities or colleges.

In addition to the next generation's education, Zhang also cared for their lives. In March 2001, supported by the local government, she established the Huaping Children's Welfare Home.

Ding Haiyan, a teacher at a nine-year boarding school in Xunyi County, Xianyang City, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province [For CCTV]

Ding Haiyan is a teacher of Hui ethnic group in a nine-year boarding school in the mountainous areas of Xunyi County, Xianyang City, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. She is considered not only a good teacher but also a "caring mother" of the students.

She emphasizes on cultivating students' characters and morals. After school, she often takes them to help impoverished elderly people do household chores.

In addition, she pays attention to the education of ethnic unity among students and their parents by telling stories and interpreting ethnic preferential policies issued by the CPC and Chinese government.

(Source: CCTV/Translated and edited by Women of China)
U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he stands with local law enforcement and business people while examining property damage while visiting Kenosha in the aftermath of recent protests against police brutality and racial injustice and the ensuing violence after the shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, September 1, 2020.

Most voters in six 2020 swing states give President Donald Trump poor marks on his ability to keep Americans safe and handle a crisis, as the president centers his reelection message around preventing violence, according to a new CNBC/Change Research poll.

In Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, 48% of likely voters said they approve of the job the president is doing on keeping communities safe, the survey findings released Thursday found. Another 52% said they disapprove.

Further, asked if the phrase, "will keep us safe" describes Trump well, 48% agreed. Again, 52% answered that it does not represent the president well.

Even so, a majority of voters stopped short of blaming Trump directly for increased violence in some American cities. Asked if, "at the end of the day, Donald Trump is responsible for the current violence in the country because he is president," 48% of voters agreed and 52% disagreed.

The poll, taken Friday through Sunday, surveyed 4,143 likely voters across the six states and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points. It found Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden leading Trump by at least a narrow margin in all of the states surveyed.

The findings in the six states  all of which will shape the outcome of November's presidential election  come as Trump argues Americans should give him a second term in the White House to ensure their safety. He contends limited destruction of property that has accompanied protests against racial injustice, along with calls from some liberals to defund police departments, will jeopardize security in communities around the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 11:23:50|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Restaurant company Yum China Holdings started trading on the Hong Kong stock market Thursday in its secondary listing.

Shares of Yum China opened at 410 Hong Kong dollars (52.89 U.S. dollars) Thursday morning, slightly lower than its offer price of 412 Hong Kong dollars. The public offering of the company was previously oversubscribed more than 50 times by local buyers and over eight times by global investors.

The company expects to raise 17 billion Hong Kong dollars (2.19 billion U.S. dollars) by issuing 41.91 million shares. If the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the fund-raising will rise by another 2.56 billion Hong Kong dollars (330 million U.S. dollars).

The proceeds from the offering will be used to expand Yum China's restaurant network and invest in digitalization, supply chain and food innovation, among others, according to its prospectus.

Yum China was spun off from U.S. food corporation Yum! Brands and went public in New York in 2016.

The Shanghai-based company has exclusive rights in the Chinese mainland to operate restaurants of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell and owns local brands of the Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang, East Dawning and COFFii & JOY.

At the end of June 2020, the company had 9,954 restaurants in over 1,400 cities and towns in the mainland. Enditem
A Sri Lankan politician sentenced to death for murder was escorted out of prison on Tuesday to become the first convict to be sworn in as a member of parliament, to heckles from opposition MPs.

Premalal Jayasekara from the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) was convicted in August of murdering an opposition activist after opening fire at an election rally in 2015.

But the 45-year-old's conviction and sentence came after nominations for the August 5 poll, meaning he could still contest the election and take up his seat.

Premalal Jayasekara, a convicted murderer, was heckled as he took oath as an MP in Sri Lanka's parliament

Jayasekara was a no-show when the current parliament held its first session on August 20 as prison authorities refused to let him out.

However, he petitioned the Court of Appeal which on Monday held that he should be escorted from prison to exercise his rights as an MP.

Opposition lawmakers wearing black shawls in protest heckled Jayasekara as he took the oath and several staged a walkout.

He is to be escorted back to prison after the day's session.

The 45-year-old was convicted in August of murdering an opposition activist after opening fire at an election rally in 2015

Oposition legislators wearing black shawls in protest in parliament as Jayasekara takes his oaths

Jayasekara became the first convicted murderer to serve as an MP in Sri Lanka. He has been an MP since 2001.

In January 2015, he opened fire at a stage being set up for an election event by a rival party, killing one person. He has appealed the conviction and the death sentence.

Although Sri Lanka hands down death sentences, no one has been executed since 1976.

Jayasekara is not the only legislator to be escorted from prison to parliament in Sri Lanka.

Jayasekara became the first convicted murderer to serve as an MP in Sri Lanka. He has been an MP since 2001

Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, a first-time MP, is awaiting trial for alleged murder and is brought in for legislative sessions.

Brushes with the law are no bar to a career in politics in South Asia.

More than 40 percent of lawmakers in India's parliament face criminal charges -- some as serious as murder and rape -- according to the Association of Democratic Reforms, an electoral reform group.
'Hopeless, negligent and shambolic' - that's how a lawyer has described the crimes of a hapless drug courier sprung trafficking $200million in meth because he crashed into parked police cars.

Simon Tu, 28, was branded 'Australia's dumbest criminal' when he crashed his white Toyota HiAce van into stationary cop cars in Sydney's Eastwood one Monday morning in July 2019.

Tu was cruising past the police station on Ethel Street when he accidentally slammed into two parked NSW Police cars.

But he kept driving until officers spotted his van an hour later.

Tu later said he had suffered a 'microsleep' and made the farcical claim he was delivering 'food around Sydney' - rather than 260kg of crystal methamphetamine.

That humiliating moment brought him in front of a NSW District Court Judge Penelope Hock on Thursday for a sentencing hearing.

Sprung: Simon Tu, 27, accidentally rammed into two parked police cars in broad daylight while driving a car with carrying up to $200million in methylamphetamine in the back

As Tu, dressed in prison greens, watched via video-link from a prison on the NSW mid-north coast, his lawyer Phillip Boulten SC argued his crime was at the lower end of commercial drug supply offending.

He was a simple courier, he said - although not a very good one.

'His driving is what gave it away, and his role was to drive,' barrister Mr Boulten told the court.

'In some senses it was a hopeless execution of the task he was asked to perform,' he said, describing it as 'shambolic' and 'negligent'.

Tu bowed his head and appeared to inspect the back of his hands as the barrister delivered his withering assessment.

Judge Hock told Mr Boulten: 'I accept that submission. Shambolic is a good word.'

Tu has never given a full explanation for how he obtained the drugs or the mysterious criminal syndicate involved.

He only gave police a bare explanation at the time of his arrest, according to an agreed statement of facts tendered in court.

Police noted he was 'fidgety' when officers pulled him over and did not believe his claims he was delivering food.

As officers opened up the cardboard boxes loaded into the back, one policeman told Tu: 'Someone isn't going to be happy. You know how much it's worth?'

Smashed up: Tu's spectacular crash destroyed the front of a police sedan parked out the front of Eastwood Police Station, in Sydney's north-west

What was hiding in the back: Police found 260kg of crystal methylamphetamine in Tu's vehicle

'A lot,' Tu admitted.

'What's the go, you owe people money or just wanted to make some quick cash?'

'Something like that,' Tu said.

Officers found a note in his pocket saying 'Pizza Hut, Eastwood' - where he had apparently picked up the drugs, the court facts said.

It was not clear whether he had collected the drugs before colliding with the police vehicles, or had done so in the hour before he was sprung, the court heard.

Mr Boulten did shed some light into why Tu had become a drug trafficker in the first place, telling the court that he was a drug-user and that both he and his business had financial difficulties.

'He was using cocaine, he was gambling,' Mr Boulten told the court, adding he clearly had owed someone money.

Tu pleaded guilty to a large commercial drug supply charge earlier this year and faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years' imprisonment.

Judge Hock will deliver her sentence on Friday.

BLOW-BY-BLOW: HOW SIMON TU WAS SPRUNG, ACCORDING TO COURT FACTS

An agreed statement of facts said that after crashing his car into the police vehicles at 10.36am on July 22, Tu drove his banged-up van for about an hour before officers pulled him over on Blaxland Road, Ryde.

Tu, dressed in a white business shirt, jeans and loafers, was 'nervous, shaking, fidgety' and avoided eye contact as officers asked what happened outside the police station.

Tu said he had fallen asleep behind the wheel - veering onto the wrong side of the road - and only woke up when he rammed into the cop car, the court facts said.

'Driving and microsleep ... realised I fell asleep,' he said.

Tu, who was being recorded by police body worn cameras, was then asked what he'd been doing in the suburb.

Someone isn't going to be happy. You know how much it's worth? A detective speaking to Tu on July 22

He claimed that he was simply 'delivering food', the court facts said.

The fidgety driver said he picked up food from a warehouse in Eastwood and was running deliveries around Sydney.

But police were suspicious of claims, the fact sheet said, because of his nervy demeanour and the fact he had driven off from a disastrous crash out the front of a police station.

Officers inspected the back of the van and found a series of Bunnings-branded cardboard boxes. What they didn't see was any food, the facts said.

In the hour after the crash, a shaken Tu only managed to get from Eastwood to the nearby suburb of Ryde

The court facts said the purity of the substance was between 71 and 81 per cent

The cardboard boxes were loaded out of the van and meticulously pored through by gloved New South Wales police officers

Police opened one of the boxes and found twenty resealable bags of a suspicious crystalline powder. There were 260 bags of the drug inside in total.

The detectives asked Tu what was in the bags, but he was evasive. 'Not sure,' he said, the court documents said.

Then he made an intriguing admission.

He claimed to have picked up the boxes from a Pizza Hut outlet an hour before - but wouldn't say who had given them to him.

Officers also found a note with the address of the Eastwood, Balaclava Rd Pizza Hut in his jacket pocket.

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing by people involved in the business  only that Tu claims to have allegedly collected them there.

The detective asked: 'Mate, we have a drug dog coming and it's going to be analysed. Is it drugs?'

Tu shrugged.

'What is it ... ice?' the police officer asked.

Tu shrugged again.

'Someone isn't going to be happy. You know how much it's worth?'

'A lot,' Tu admitted.

'What's the go, you owe people money or just wanted to make some quick cash?'

'Something like that,' Tu said.

An address of a Pizza Hut outlet on Balaclava Rd (above) was found written on a note in Tu's pocket, court documents said. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing by people involved in the business

The agreed fact sheet said Tu has accepted he knew the boxes contained prohibited drugs and that they contained a 'large commercial quantity' - a critical legal definition which would allow prosecutors to jail him for up to 20 years.

But he didn't know the exact quantity of drugs in the car.

'There is no evidence ... the offender played any further role other than as the driver of the vehicle which was transporting the drugs at the time he was apprehended,' the agreed facts said.

Tu's truck was fingerprinted extensively and his prints only turned up in the driver's seat and on the front of the truck, not the back, the facts said.

He offered police a 'no comment' in an electronically recorded interview at the station.

Tu's crash was one of the biggest - and easiest - drug hauls in the history of the New South Wales Police Force, with officers valuing the total haul at $200 million at the time.
The China-Europe Railway Express left Chongqing in southwestern China last week, bound for Budapest, Hungary, making it the first train dedicated exclusively to delivering goods ordered by European businesses via e-commerce platforms, according to the General Administration of Customs.

The freight train, travelling on what is known as the Yuxinou international railway corridor, carried 33 million yuan (US$4.82 million) worth of commercial goods  including clothing, shoes and household goods  that European firms ordered from Chinese companies in business-to-business (B2B) transactions.

The dedicated train trip dovetails with the Chinese governments plan to accelerate non-traditional export methods. In June, China announced it would boost B2B exports by streamlining its supply chains and reducing paperwork.

In August, China added Chongqing, along with 11 other cities, to its list of pilot e-commerce hubs that have been awarded preferential tax treatment to support their online trading operations.

Chinese customs authorities say the future looks bright for domestic exports in B2B cross-border e-commerce transactions via the railway. They note that it is a relatively flexible and convenient option for traders, especially given Chinas push to reduce red tape by simplifying customs declarations, speeding up customs clearances, and adding more foreign warehouses to which traders can ship their goods before they are dispatched to end-users.

The model of cross-border e-commerce B2B, plus China-Europe trains, plus the use of foreign warehouses has become a new path for many goods export options, the General Administration of Customs said in a statement. Through this path, foreign trade companies can enter the global market more easily and effectively.

Customs authorities in Chongqing are also planning to expand the number of e-commerce train journeys by attracting more B2B traders to its hub, the administration said. Between May and July, there were 200 China-Europe Railway Express (Chongqing) trips to Europe a month.

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In the first half of the year, Chinas cross-border e-commerce import and export trade increased 26.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, the administration added.

B2B e-commerce trade is set to enter a high-growth period in the next five years, as the internet infrastructure for online trading improves, according to a report earlier this year by Bain & Co and e-commerce firm Alibaba Group. The total value of B2B deals in China could more than triple to 2.4 trillion yuan (US$350.8 billion) by 2024 from 700 billion yuan last year, the report added. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

B2B exports in cross-border e-commerce will be the new mainstream mode of global trade

Diane Wang, DHgate.com

B2B e-commerce platform DHGate.com, whose sales by Chinese suppliers to foreign businesses boomed this spring, has been using the China-Europe Railway Express to send goods to foreign warehouses in Europe. For example, the company has started exporting electric scooters from Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Given the standardised business operations between enterprises and the large volume of order transactions, B2B exports in cross-border e-commerce will be the new mainstream mode of global trade, DHgate.com chief executive Diane Wang predicted.

Other smaller freight trains dedicated to transporting e-commerce goods have also started making the trip to Europe. Last year, a regular e-commerce train began running from Yiwu in east Chinas Zhejiang province to Zhengzhou in central China to Liege in Belgium.

And the e-commerce trade flow is now going both ways.

Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has been moving goods to and from Germany by rail, including food and beverages, home furnishings and automotive supplies.

Chinas rail shipments to Europe set records as demand surges for Chinese goods amid coronavirus

And China-Europe train trips are set to increase, especially after Chinas state-owned railway operator China Railway said two weeks ago that it would accelerate the development of a high-speed freight network to support the nations e-commerce network.

The number of freight trains travelling from China to Europe reached a record high of 1,247 in August, up 62 per cent compared with a year earlier, according to the latest data from China Railway. This marked the sixth consecutive month that China-Europe freight train traffic has registered double-digit percentage growth, year on year.

The increase in demand for freight trains comes amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has restricted international air and sea transport and pushed up associated costs. This has made shipping by train a more competitive option.

But beyond increasing exports and lifting economic activity post Covid-19, trade experts see e-commerce trade delivered via rail as a good way to circumvent geopolitical tensions that may hurt traditional exports. They say it could also help China diversify its trade links among the countries that are part of its Belt and Road Initiative, several of which are along the China-Europe railway route.

The China-Europe Railway Express (Chongqing) line is just one of the many China-Europe freight lines that have been developed as part of the large-scale connective infrastructure phase of the ambitious belt and road project.

Suresh Dalai, senior director for Asia at management consulting firm Alvarez and Marsal, said that even though Chinas push for B2B e-commerce existed before Covid-19, the pandemic has prompted importers globally to become more accustomed to and comfortable with ordering from China online.

The environment created by Covid-19  that is, a critical need by global customers for Chinese products, more comfort with doing cross-border business from China, a push by Chinese e-commerce companies, and the availability of ground transport from China to Europe  does mitigate some of the export delays caused by geopolitical tensions, and [it] increases significantly the value of the [Belt and Road] Initiative, he said.

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The 959 wasnt ready for production and homologation in time, though, and this left Porsche with the Paris-Dakar Rally and the 953. Three cars finished the grueling event in 1984, and next year, legendary racer Jacky Ickx raced the wheels off the 959 that Joe Macari is currently offering for sale.Chassis number 010014 was entered as #185 in the 1985 rally, and its one-of-three examples with the 3.2-liter Carrera engine out of a total of seven development vehicles. The car held the overall lead in the race until late in the 8th stage when it struck a large rock hidden in the sand, forcing Ickx and co-pilot Claude Brasseur to retire. Porsche didnt repair the damaged body shell or the wear and tear of the interior, retaining this scarred 959 until 2014.A private collector subsequently bought number 010014, and Gunnar Racing in Florida repaired the front end and brought the car back to working order without removing the Paris-Dakar patina from so long old. Shown at various events from 2015 to 2018 and exhibited at the Peterson Museum on the German automakers 70th anniversary, the vehicle is described as a significant piece of Porsche development history and a true collectible.The selling vendor doesnt put a price on this incredibly rare all-wheel-drive machine, but it does mention 4,400 miles on the odometer. This car would surely crown any Porsche collection and would be welcomed with open arms into vintage racing, concours, and Porsche events worldwide.One of the most significant technological feats of the 959 program is the Porsche-Steuer Kupplung  also known as the PSK. Capable of distributing the six-cylinder engines torque between the front and rear axles in normal and slip condition, the all-wheel-drive system could send as much as 80 percent of the suck-squeeze-bang-blow to the rear wheels under hard acceleration.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes talks to a reporter at his office in Santa Ana on Feb. 19, 2019. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Orange County Sheriffs Department plans to roll out a body-worn camera program over the next 18 months.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors signaled in a nonbinding straw vote Sept. 1 that it would allocate $679,000 in funding for the programs implementation. Formal approval is expected Tuesday when county supervisors take a final budget vote. The development was first reported by the Orange County Register.

The Sheriffs Department had initially asked to add 13 positions and receive $1.9 million in funding for the programs implementation, but the county chief executive officer recommended that the department instead add 12 positions and receive $679,000 in funding.

That sum will cover the cost of the programs implementation only. The total cost of the program is estimated to be $5 million to $7 million annually, Sheriff Don Barnes told the Board of Supervisors. The cities that contract with the department for policing services are expected to bear about 80% of the annual cost, he said.

Barnes told the Board of Supervisors that the department has been researching the program for several years and plans to start implementing it by January 2022. Officials must first issue a request for proposals, find a vendor, draft policies and train personnel.

Its an issue not only of having a physical device that records, its the storage of that device, the bandwidth of moving that information about, the oversight and management of the program, the appropriate redaction of video for protections that are pursuant to public records request acts and legal representation of video and also working with the courts to make sure that it is appropriately transferred to them for prosecution through discovery, Barnes said.

All of that takes people to be able to manage that program, which is what were moving toward as we go forward.

Barnes said that the department has been able to take a deliberate approach in adopting body cameras because it has had dash cameras in its vehicles for more than 30 years.

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But I think now is the time for all the right reasons  for evidentiary value, for oversight, for transparency  to move toward the implementation of body-worn cameras, he said.

Experts say body cameras are important tools for accountability and transparency, but studies are mixed about how well they work to prevent the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers. Some say the devices are not effective unless they're coupled with appropriate policies and practices.

The Sheriffs Department will join multiple cities in Orange County that have adopted body cameras in recent years, including Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Fullerton. Irvine and Costa Mesa also greenlighted programs earlier this year.

The Los Angeles Police Department began deploying body cameras in 2015, and the L.A. County Sheriffs Department is scheduled to roll out cameras for deputies working at its Century Station by next month. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors recently set aside nearly $35 million to equip 5,200 deputies and security officers with the devices over the next two years.

Times staff writers Alene Tchekmedyian and Dorany Pineda contributed to this report.
Heres an unusual proposition tucked in districts back-to-school newsletters this year: Parents, would you be willing to find alternative transportation for your kids if you get some cash up front?

One of the most complicated and expensive aspects of reopening buildings during a global pandemic has been figuring out how to get kids to and from school.

Now, a growing number of districts are offering to pay parents in an attempt to reduce crowding on buses and slash away at a growing pile of COVID-19-related costs. At the same time, other districts are requiring parents to pony up for a ride on the bus in order to cover their rising transportation costs.

In Philadelphia, parents can get up to $1,500 this school year for opting out of their school bus ride. Watertown schools in South Dakota is offering parents 42 cents a mile if they can manage to get their kids to school on their own, on average a 30-mile round trip. And Mark Twain Union Elementary School District in Angels Camp, Calif., is adding $10 to the annual $130 parents pay this year for transportation costs.

It sets up a potential problematic relationship where a public school system is charging for services, said Marguerite Roza, a Georgetown University school finance professor. But were already charging for lunch and Advanced Placement classes and lockers. Theres already a part of this thats fully normalized.

While no students in South Dakota have signed up to get reimbursed from the state, more than 8,000 families so far have signed up for Philadelphias cash-back program.

Costly Line Item

Aside from paying teachers, transportation is one of the costliest aspects of running a school district, nationally adding up to more than $25 billion a year, more than twice the amount spent in 1980.

Health experts this summer told districts that if kids were going to ride the bus, they should be spaced out, one per seat, every other row.

In order to comply, administrators said theyd have to double, possibly triple their routes, hire more bus drivers, and add buses to their fleets. That could wind up costing districts millions of dollars, a cost many, already undergoing their own budget cuts, cant afford.

To try to even cut the number of kids on a bus each day by half, wed have to buy 20 more buses at $100,000 a pop, said Jeff Danielsen, the superintendent of Watertown school district. That, for, what we hope, is a one-year pandemic, just didnt make a lot of fiscal sense.

Districts also have introduced health and safety measures, installing hand sanitizers on their buses and plexiglass around bus drivers, and employing paraprofessionals to conduct temperature checks of students. In order to cut costs, some districts have instituted fees, like Mark Twain, or increased the distance students must live from school in order to qualify for bus rides.

Transportation costs have gone up and up and up and up, said Roy Blair, the director of business services for Mark Twain Union Elementary School District. For every dollar that we spend on transportation, that takes a dollar away from the classroom.

Transportation to and from schools in many states, is not required by law for students without special needs.

Fiscal hawks for years have been pushing districts to either ax transportation altogether, as many charter schools have done, or design a more efficient system. But a big, yellow school bus rolling through students neighborhoods twice a day is such a staple of the K-12 experience that administrators often have a difficult time making alterations.

Some large urban districts, such as Dayton, Ohio, and Baltimore, have provided students with student passes to ride the public transit system to school.

Administrators worry that if they cut off transportation entirely, parents would fail to get their kids to school every day.

Consequently, theres been a lot of bloat: Buses waste gas and time waiting on students who either regularly miss the bus or, alternatively, find their own ride to school.

There are a lot of redundancies in transportation costs, said Roza, whos consulted with district administrators on ways to cut costs. For districts, its contrary to their thinking to give the money directly to kids families, but I think now, it might be a good idea.

Seeking Alternatives

The idea of paying parents for finding their own transportation was plucked from special education services, where transportation from the front door of students houses to school is mandated by federal law.

For years, districts have attempted several strategies to cut down on costs, including hiring a fleet of taxicabs, reimbursing parents rideshare receipts, and paying parents directly.

Even though outsourcing the job to private transportation is cheaper than hiring bus drivers, buying more buses and paying for gas, there have been no shortage of scandals.

Almost all the taxicab drivers Chicago Public Schools hired in 2009 to get kids with special needs to and from school lacked the proper license, according to a Chicago Tribune investigation.

And in 2018, an investigation by WHYY in Philadelphia revealed that one special education students transportation costs racked up almost $60,000 in just one year.

While Philadelphia public schools remain closed for in-person instruction this month, the district provides transportation for students attending charter schools and some private schools that may be physically open.

To entice families to find their own way to school, the district last month rolled out its Parent Flat Rate Program. Every month, parents who enroll in the program will get $150 per child who opts out of school bus transportation. Students will be required to attend at least 70 percent of class throughout the school year.

This is all new to everyone, said Philadelphia spokeswoman Monica Lewis. Were doing things that have not been done.

The district hoped enough parents would sign up so that fewer children would ride the bus every day.

Our main priority is the safety and well-being of students, said Lewis. We want our families to understand that were there to support them.

In Watertown, S.D., Danielsen realized that in order to reopen his school buildings, as a committee made up of parents and administrators voted to do, hed have to somehow cut down on the number of students riding the bus.

Several South Dakota districts in years past have reimbursed parents for driving their kids to and from school, an option provided by state law for several decades now. But more districts considered the option this year, Danielsen said, when they realized itd be hard to duplicate bus routes.

So far, no parent has asked to be reimbursed by the 4,000-student district, which Danielsen chalked up to parents heavy reliance on public transportation.

With our rural nature, if you lived out in the country, have to go to work at 7 and bus stops at 7:30, youre not going to let your kid sit and wait for the bus by themselves, he said. For a lot of students, the bus is the only way they can get to school.
Trust Millennials to start fires out of nothing.

While gender reveal parties can be a fun way for soon-to-be parents to break the ice over the baby announcements, many expecting Millenials have recently gone so overboard with such celebrations that the result has not just been party overkill but posed a potential danger to life and property.

Take the recent case of a wildfire in California, United States, that recently burnt through 10,000 acres of land. The fire started on Saturday after the fireworks from a pyrotechnic device at one such party went out of hand.

But this is not the only time that gender reveal parties have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Heres a look at all the times that gender reveal party didnt pan out quite like the way some expecting parents had planned.

1. The California Wildfire, 2020

Fireworks at a gender reveal party triggered a wildfire in southern California that destroyed 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares) and forced many residents to flee their homes last week. CAL FIRE Law Enforcement determined the El Dorado Fire, burning near Oak Glen in San Bernardino County, was caused by a smoke generating pyrotechnic device, used during a gender reveal party. The incident occurred in El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa.

2. The Arizona Wildfire, 2017

In April 2017, a wildfire razed through 47,000 acres of land in Arizona. The land was owned by the state of Arizona as well as residents. The fire was started at a gender-reveal party in a desert near Green Valley, Arizona, south of Tucson. In a video that was later released by the US Forest Service showed a man shooting up a makeshift target with the words boy or girl on it. As soon as the man manages to shoot the target, it erupts in into a blue cloud of smoke (indicating a boy). The fire caused damages of $8 million dollars. In September 2018, the man who shot the target, off-duty US Border Patrol agent Dennis Dickey, pleaded guilty to starting the wildfire.

3. Texas plane crash, 2019

Not just a fire hazard, gender reveal parties can be a full-blown safety hazard, depending on the type of party planned. In 2019, it resulted in a plane crash in Turkey, Texas. As part of the party, a planes pilot dropped 350 gallons of pink water from the aircraft. The plane crashed moments after that, taking down the pilot and a co-passenger that was onboard the one-seater aircraft. No fatalities were reported in the crash.

One Injured in GENDER REVEAL PLANE CRASH in Turkey, Texas on September 7th 2019 https://t.co/yoC4FFko28 The Full Story in the ABOVE YOUTUBE LINK! #genderreveal #turkeytexas #texas #planecrash pic.twitter.com/5ic4eSx2By D-Railed News and Podcasts (@Gatekeeper5150) November 10, 2019

4. Iowa pipe-bomb explosion, 2019

Not long after the Texas crash, yet another gender reveal party went south in Iowa in October of the same year when a family ended up creating an inadvertent pipe-bomb to reveal the gender of the expected child. The explosion resulted in the death of a 56-year-old woman from the family itself. The incident occurred at a home in Iowa when the device - that was meant to shoot out a plume of coloured smoke to reveal the gender of the boy - exploded. The flying debris hit a woman and caused her death. Just a day after the death of the Iowa grandmother, another gender party caused a massive fire in nearby Waulkee, Iowa.

5. Queensland car fire 2018

Not just in the US, gender reveal parties seem to be a growing trend in other continents as well, In April 2018, a gender reveal party in Queensland, Australia, led to a car catching fire. The would-be parents were trying to achieve a smoke-trick known as burnout in which the wheels of a stationary car are spun to create smoke. The trick went wrong and resulted in the car catching fire.

Police have stepped in after a gender reveal ceremony took a turn for the worst.The explosive finale was captured on video, with the daredevil driver slapped with a hefty fine: https://t.co/V7DkwMkN2l @njkelly9 #9News pic.twitter.com/voh5QeTRqy  Nine News Gold Coast (@9NewsGoldCoast) July 9, 2019

With rising incidents of gender reveal parties going wrong, the inventor" of the gender reveal parties, Jenna Karvunidis has once again taken to social media and sought an end to these extravagant practices. Karvunidis, who was the first to introduce the concept of a gender reveal party in 2009, said that the way some of the gender reveal parties were executed were a clear mark of toxic masculinity.

Toxic masculinity is men thinking they need to explode something because simply enjoying a baby party is for sissies," Karvunidis wrote in a Facebook post. Stop it. Stop having these stupid parties. For the love of God, stop burning things down to tell everyone about your kids penis. No one cares but you," she wrote.

So the next time someone invites you to a gender reveal party, make sure to check all safety measures are properly in place tbefore participating, especially if you plan to take your kids.
Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

The Inuit are supposed to have dozens of words to describe snow. The Brits have endless ways to talk about rain. Now its time for Americans to delineate all the many ways that Donald Trump is dumb.

If Bob Woodwards new blockbuster teaches us anything new about the character of the 45th president, its that we dont yet have the words to describe the multiple variants of the vacuum inside his head.

Related: Michael Cohen is scathing about Donald Trump. So why did he spend years enabling him? | Arwa Mahdawi

Theres the stupidity of arrogance, the stupidity of ignorance and his old friend: the stupidity of blatant duplicity. Theres his homicidal stupidity, his traitorous stupidity, his criminally corrupt stupidity and his plain old infantile stupidity.

Lets start with the top of this taxonomy: the domain of Donalds dumbness. At his core, the former reality TV star is a particularly stupid man who thinks he is very smart. Or as he prefers to call his own character, a very stable genius.

Perhaps, just maybe, this lies at the root of his monumentally dumb decision to grant Woodward 18 interviews, on the record and on tape.

Maintaining a modicum of self-restraint would be an overwhelming challenge for this president for the duration of just one response to one question. Over the course of many hours of conversation, after business hours in the executive mansion, even the ultra-disciplined Barack Obama would struggle to keep his guard up.

Instead, our very stupid genius vomited up all manner of secrets that collectively prove beyond all reasonable doubt that he represents the greatest single danger to the fate of both the American people and to himself.

How do we classify the stupidity of blabbing the greatest secret of them all: that he knew all along how Covid-19 was deadly and easily transmissible? We now know that in late January, his national security adviser told him the coronavirus was the biggest national security threat of his presidency. A week later, he told Woodward that the disease was more deadly even than your strenuous flus.

Story continues

Did he bother to share this with the American people so they could protect their own lives? Not quite. For the rest of February and March, he told the world it would disappear like a miracle, that it was no worse than the flu. I wanted to always play it down, he told Woodward. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

This from a president whose entire re-election campaign rests on injecting panic in white voters like bleach.

For some time we have misclassified Trumps botched pandemic response as the stupidity of ignorance. But it turns out to be a hybrid specimen of the stupidities of arrogance and duplicity. Certainly within the homicidal genus. The scientific world should take note.

Our proof was on display on Wednesday as it emerged from  where else?  the blabbing hole of the presidential mouth at his own press conference. So the fact is, Im a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I dont want people to be frightened, he told reporters. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength.

Nothing blows up your pushback against Woodward ('another political hit job') like admitting to your arrogance and duplicity at a press conference

Nothing says confidence or strength quite like 190,000 dead citizens. And nothing blows up your pushback against Woodward (another political hit job) like admitting to your arrogance and duplicity at a press conference.

Sometimes there are actual reasons for people to be frightened. Sometimes your citizens need to take appropriate measures to protect themselves and their country. One of those times is when they have a colossally cretinous commander-in-chief.

The stupidity of arrogance is the only way to classify Trumps blithe declassification of the existence of a secret nuclear program, in one of his many happy-go-lucky chit-chats with the man who destroyed the Nixon presidency.

I have built a nuclear  a weapons system that nobodys ever had in this country before. We have stuff that you havent even seen or heard about. We have stuff that Putin and Xi have never heard about before, said the leader of the free world, making sure that the Russian and Chinese leaders have now heard about his super-duper-secret new weapons system. Woodward reports that his sources were surprised that Trump had revealed its existence.

Its hard to be in stealth mode when your leaders loose lips are busy sinking ships.

This possibly sits within the traitorous genus of stupidity, although there are multiple specimens of this. So many, in fact, that the wise old men who sullied their reputations by serving him decided that Something Must Be Done.

Woodward recounts that Jim Mattis, Trumps defense secretary, went to the national cathedral to pray for the nation, and emerged to tell Dan Coats, Trumps intelligence chief, that there may come a time when we have to take collective action. This appears to be a reference to the cabinet invoking the 25th amendment to remove an incapacitated president from office.

In reality, despite all that praying, it was Mattis and Coats who were incapacitated: they knew Trump was a danger to the republic but couldnt bring themselves to say such things to the world in real time. Coats himself came to believe that Putin had something on Trump but couldnt figure out what it was. Whats the point of being smart if youre constantly outplayed by someone so stupid?

Because of their failures to act, we now have an intelligence community that suppresses warnings about Russian election interference and white supremacist terrorists, while hyping conspiracies about antifa. You could say this was an impeachable state of affairs, but Republican senators have developed a new stupidity of cowardice.

Like all truly stupid people, Trump thinks hes rather brilliant at identifying the intelligence of those around him. He thinks that George W Bush is a stupid moron and that Barack Obama isnt smart but instead highly overrated  and a poor speaker to boot. A broken clock may be right twice a day, but it still cant tell the time.

Of course it takes a village of idiots to create this Olympic-sized village idiot. So it is comforting to learn that Jared Kushner has identified the problem in this White House. The presidents son-in-law likes to think of himself as the best and brightest of Trumps bozos, but we can all see him as a classic cross-breed of corrupt and infantile stupidity.

The most dangerous people around the president are overconfident idiots, Kushner told Woodward, apparently referring to people like Mattis.

The irony gods have truly bequeathed us a feast of overconfident idiots. We shall celebrate it each year in November, once we think of the right word to define their dangerous mix of overconfidence and idiocy. Because snowflake seems such an innocent way to describe such stupid men.
I had a minor case of cracking/subsidence at my small terraced home in North London about 10 years ago caused by a tree which has since been removed.

It wasn't a major job and involved material being injected into the brickwork. I have had no problems since.

Because of the claim I pay an extortionate premium for my buildings insurance and I have to use a specialist insurer. Currently, I pay 1,330 for my buildings and contents insurance each year  it would be 840 alone without contents.

There is no statute of limitation for subsidence claims - I have to notify any potential insurers of the claim forever.

Subsidence and cracking can often occur on a property when nearby trees' roots expand

However, builders, insurance companies, surveyors and anyone else involved, by law, only need to keep records of the claim for seven years. And after three or four years insurers would consider a claim for subsidence as a new claim.

How can this be fair? For any other insurance, there is a time limit for having to declare a previous claim.

Grace Gausden, This is Money, replies: Having any sort of building work done to your home is often quite stressful, especially if you have no choice.

You experienced a mild case of subsidence, which is described as the gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land. This in turn caused cracking to the outside of your property.

Although you managed to get this sorted and have not had any similar problems in the decade since, you are still paying a large amount of money on your buildings and contents insurance every month as a result - 1,330 - which equates to 110.83 a month.

Not only are you having to pay over the odds, you have to take your policy out with a specialist insurer which will accept customers who have had to make a claim for subsidence before.

You must still tell any insurer in the future that you had a case of subsidence in your property, despite insurance firms only having to keep records of this for seven years.

This makes it difficult for you to move insure,r as many will not take on properties that have been subject to claims for subsidence before.

It may also make it problematic should you ever want to move house as prospective buyers would have to be made aware of the situation before purchasing.

Those who have previously experienced subsidence find their buildings insurance rockets

One of your main quarrels is that insurance claims made in other sectors have a time limit in which customers have to report previous claims to their insurer, for example, car insurance claims usually need to be disclosed for up to five years after the claim.

You generally wouldn't be asked about previous claims if they're older than five years.

You were also told that any new cracking to the property occurring and claimed against after three years from the original damage would be considered a new claim.

This is Money checked, and it is up to the individual insurer to stipulate how much disclosure they require in order to provide cover.

For instance, if a home was destroyed by an earthquake 20 years ago and no subsequent damage from tremors has since occurred, the insurer would still consider any property built in that location to be at risk today.

It is also important to note that failing to provide accurate and honest disclosure to an insurer could invalidate your policy.

Your question is really - how is this fair?

This is Money asked major UK insurers to explain why they would keep the information on record and why they consider higher premiums for the customer justified.

A spokesperson for Aviva replies: If a property has experienced subsidence once, there is a possibility that it may suffer a recurrence, unless suitably remedied. Therefore, this is something we need to consider when offering cover.

There are various factors which contribute to the cause of subsidence. These include the locality and nature of subsoils, property features, proximity to trees and weather conditions.

In the tree example outlined, removing the tree might eliminate the root cause, but could still leave the property susceptible while the ground recovers, or where trees are no longer present to absorb moisture.

Any instance of subsidence can be complex and sometimes we will need further information to understand the level of risk posed.

For existing customers who have made a subsidence claim with Aviva, we will continue to insure them, as we will have carried out necessary repairs as part of the claim.

For new customers, generally if works have been carried out in the past five years, we will recommend they stay with their existing insurer.

For properties where works were carried out more than five years ago, we may offer cover, but this depends on such considerations as when the damage occurred, the cause and any remedial action taken.

If a property has experienced subsidence previously, we will consider each case individually to understand the circumstances and the potential future risk.

There are various factors considered in the premium, such as location and exposure to weather events. So some customers may pay a higher premium to reflect the risk posed.

Trees near properties are often the cause of subsidence which can prove to be very costly

A spokesperson for Admiral replies: Insurers usually ask a customer if they have made any claim at their property within the past three or five years to help them work out an accurate home insurance price.

Customers will also be asked at point of sale to confirm that the property hasnt suffered from subsidence. Some insurers limit this to within a certain number of years, for example, 25 years.

This is regardless of whether a claim has been made by the customer or any previous owners.

We have specific underwriting criteria that must be met for us to accept a property as new business and are unable to accept customers whose home has had subsidence within the past five years because it takes a long time to know if remedial work has been successful.

In these circumstances, we would recommend the customer stay with their existing home insurer if possible because some will continue to insure the property even if the owner changes.

However, existing customers whose property has subsidence while insured by us will continue to have full subsidence cover.

We take a number of different rating factors into account when we calculate a price, and history of subsidence is just one of them.

Dan Simson, head of home insurance for Direct Line, replies: It can often be difficult for homeowners affected by subsidence to get home insurance, which is why we are committed to ensuring our customers have the peace of mind that Direct Line will continue to cover their property after a claim for subsidence.

We will also offer insurance to a new buyer should they wish to sell their home, in order to make this transition easier for both them and the new owner.

Due to the often complex nature of subsidence claims, we do not offer quotes online, we therefore ask potential new customers to give us a call to discuss their individual situation before we are able to offer a quote.

In the case of complex or long-lasting subsidence issues there are multiple specialist insurers available who are able to offer more tailored policies.

Insurers base premiums on a number of factors including previous claims, therefore if your home has been affected by subsidence, or is in an area often affected by subsidence, then your premium is likely to reflect this.
China in Focus (Sept. 9): Northern China Hit by 3 Typhoons in 2 Weeks

Typhoons are rare in northeast China. But recently, three typhoons made an impact there within two weeks. All of Chinas important grain production areas have suffered either severe flooding or typhoons.

Recent news around Disneys film Mulan has sparked discussion over China exporting its censorship to Hollywood. Similar examples of the U.S. film industry yielding to Beijings demands abound.

The Chinese military appears to have stationed bombers in areas close to the border with India. This, as both sides had their first fire exchange in decades on disputed borders.

And within 2 hours, Chinas fighter jets approached Taiwan 24 times. This, as Taiwan is testing weapons off the islands coast.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:29:48|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's Attorney-General has appointed a special prosecutor for crimes against journalists in the Horn of Africa country.

Abdinur Mohamed Ahmed, director of communications in the Office of the President, said that the office of the Special Prosecutor will oversee justice for journalists and media practitioners targeted for performing their professional duties.

"This landmark decision has been reached after wide consultations with lawyers and media advocacy organizations as part of the fulfillment of the pledge to end impunity against those violating Press Freedom in Somalia," Ahmed said in a statement issued on Thursday.

He said he has had regular conversations and dialogue with the media and civil society stakeholders prior to the Attorney General's initiative to establish this office.

"The newly named Special Prosecutor will ensure injustices are addressed to uphold media safety and freedom in Somalia," said Ahmed.

Over the past three years, the Horn of African nation has consistently recorded the highest number of journalists killed in Africa, accounting for half of all the journalists killed in the continent, according to the UNESCO

Yet, despite the high levels of fatalities, only 11 percent of the cases have been judicially resolved.

Ahmed said Somalia has in the past experienced unresolved cases of attacks against members of the press due to a lack of justice mechanisms for journalists.

He said the setting up of the Special Prosecutor's office is a timely intervention that seeks to ensure Somali journalists and their families find justice against perpetrators of targeted attacks and killings aimed at Somali media professionals.

According to Ahmed, the government will continue to implement measures for a safe environment for journalists and media professionals in Somalia.

"We do firmly believe in the freedom and protection of the press, and we do trust in the willingness of the media to abide by the rule of law as they fulfill their obligations," Ahmed added. Enditem
Congratulations to Abiodun Oladele who raised 1,000 for Rathdowney Saint Vincent de Paul Society.

Abi is a talented seamstress who used her skill to raise money for people in need during the Covid-19 lockdown. She initially made masks for the other residents in the Commercial Inn who, along with her, are living in emergency accommodation in Rathdowney, seeking asylum.

She then provided masks to the local Meals on Wheels volunteers and their clients. She subsequently offered to make more masks to raise money for the local Saint Vincent de Paul Society in Rathdowney in association with Rathdowney Integration Network (R.I.N).

The project was funded by Laois County Council Covid-19 Emergency Fund 2020. Supported by her friend Olga, Abiodun produced over 200 masks which were sold on her behalf to raise money for the Rathdowney branch of SVP.

When asked about her experience, Abiodun said, I am a Nigerian, a computer science graduate (bachelors degree in computer science). Fashion is about uniqueness of which I have been fond since I was a little girl.

"Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new centre of gravity. I was bullied in my previous job, but fashion is the reason I stand tall because I enjoy doing it every day, creating designs, matching colours etc. Helping people makes me feel good and very happy. The community cares so much about the Commercial Inn residents, that making face masks and selling them was a little way of giving back to the community.

"Rathdowney Integration Network is extremely proud of Abiodun and Olgas efforts to help others in need and we commend them for their kindness and desire to help those in need in our community.

"On behalf of R.I.N. we wish Abiodun and Olga every success for the future and thank them for their tremendous efforts!," said the network.
The search continues for an 18-year-old who has been missing for five days.

Thomas A. Green, was reported missing to Auburn police on Sunday, Sept. 6. He was last seen by a friend early Saturday, Sept. 5.

Police on Thursday released video of Green trying to go into a convenience store in the 800 block of Martin Luther King Drive and then leaving after he realized the business was closed. Authorities did not say when the video was taken.

Thomas A. Green (Auburn Police)

Green is described as a Black male, 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighing 140 pounds. He has brown eyes, black hair and was last seen wearing black and white Adidas pants, red and black sneakers and a dark colored hoodie-type shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to cadidll the Auburn Police Division Detective Section at 334-501-3140, the anonymous tip line at 334-246-1391 or the 24-hour non-emergency number at 334-501-3100.
The state Supreme Court cleared the way Wednesday for San Francisco to fund programs for the homeless with hundreds of millions of dollars in business taxes approved by a majority of city voters in 2018  its an important case for tax measures on local ballots throughout California.

Proposition C, which would raise $250 million to $300 million per year with a tax on gross receipts of corporations with annual revenue above $50 million, received 61% of the vote in November 2018. It was immediately challenged by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and other business-supported groups, which argued that Proposition 218, a 1996 state ballot measure, required a two-thirds majority for any tax increase proposed by a local government for specific purposes.

But a state appeals court ruled in June that the two-thirds requirement applied only to taxes proposed by a government body  a city council, school board or board of supervisors  and not to measures like Prop. C, an initiative placed on the ballot by private citizens.

Opponents appealed to the states high court, which denied review Wednesday without comment or any indication of a dissenting vote. The appellate ruling allowing majority approval is now final and binding on trial courts statewide.

San Francisco voters have the right to direct democracy and self-government, City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement. Were pleased that this legal victory will free up millions of dollars to provide services, housing and mental health treatment for those who most desperately need it in our city.

The ruling is not necessarily the last word on the issue. Another appellate court could reach a different conclusion in a future case, returning the dispute to the state Supreme Court.

And the San Francisco precedent does not necessarily apply to a $30 million Oakland tax initiative for school programs that 62% of the citys voters approved in November 2018. An Alameda County judge ruled last October that Oakland was bound by City Attorney Barbara Parkers statement to the voters, in ballot materials, that Measure AA needed a two-thirds majority. The city has appealed the ruling.

But Wednesdays court action allows San Francisco to start spending Prop. C revenue that it had kept in reserve during the legal challenge  so far $492 million has been collected. It also appears to apply to an Alameda County half-cent sales tax increase for childrens health care and other youth services, Measure C, that was approved by 64% of county voters in March.

Jonathan Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said he would await the outcome of other tax cases, including one in Fresno that is now before a different appeals court. But he said his organization was prepared to sponsor another statewide initiative, if necessary, to specify that a two-thirds majority is required for any measure to raise specific local taxes.

I think the voters would be on our side, Coupal said.

Prop. 218, the 1996 measure requiring two-thirds majorities for local taxes funding specific programs, was a follow-up to Proposition 13, the 1978 initiative that slashed property taxes and required two-thirds votes of both legislative houses for new state taxes. Both measures substantially reduced government revenue and raised the bar for future tax increases.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The state Supreme Court has upheld those measures but gave a strict interpretation of Prop. 218 in a 2017 ruling that the San Francisco court invoked in the Prop. C case. In deciding that a Southern California citys tax initiative was not covered by another provision of Prop. 218 that required special elections for local tax measures, the high court said neither the text nor the context of Prop. 218 supports the conclusion that the term local government was meant to encompass the electorate.

Likewise, said the First District Court of Appeal in its June 30 decision, applying the same two-thirds vote requirement to local tax initiatives that Prop. 218 expressly requires for tax measures approved by a local government would be an unreasonably broad construction of the term local government at the expense of the peoples constitutional right to direct democracy.

In California, Justice Alison Tucher said in the 3-0 ruling, quoting the state Constitution, all political power is inherent in the people.

The case is San Francisco vs. All Persons Interested in the Matter of Proposition C, S263753.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, so a documentary film featuring a musical written and performed by six young cancer patients will be available on YouTube from Saturday, Sept. 12, through Wednesday, Sept. 30.

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One of the performers was Katy resident, Christian Spear. When Spear was just 4 years old in 1996, her mom brought her to Texas Childrens Hospital because she wasnt feeling well. She was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, and her chances for survival were low. The cancer had spread throughout her body, except for her brain. Spear participated in a clinical trial for methotrexate, a drug that is commonly used today. As she went into remission, she was told there was a 75 percent chance that the cancer would return. Fortunately, it has not.

Spear has been cancer-free now for 21 years. Music had always been a part of her life. By age 17, she had performed on American Idol and was asked to sing for the patients at Texas Childrens. Returning to the place that had cared for her so well in the past, she was shocked and excited to learn they had added a recording studio.

It was my first time seeing anything like that, a music studio in a cancer center. So I was like, How do I get involved? Who do I talk to? This is amazing. I was just blown away, Spear said.

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She recalled thinking how much her treatment could have been improved if she had gotten the chance to record songs while she was there. She knew she wanted to a part of what was going on.

The nonprofit Purple Songs Can Fly provides music programming at the hospital. Using the studio, patients have recorded more than 2,700 songs since 2006.

Spear left for college at Louisiana State University and then came back to work with the studio. Later, she went to Nashville, where earlier this year she was laid off from her job due to the pandemic. Spear came home to Houston, where she is once again helping with Purple Songs. She called it a full-circle experience.

I went through what I went through; I went through my cancer treatment; I fell in love with music to be able to speak to both sides when Im sitting with a child, you know, to be able to connect with them on that level and to be able to create musically, Spear said.

She explained that the studio gives children forced to learn about death and grow up too early in life an avenue to create songs about lighter subjects like bubble gum, unicorns or rainbows, if they want. They can write songs for their friends or family members or whatever inspires them.

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The documentary Journey to Hope highlights the musical by the same name that was originally performed in 2016. The project gave its young performers an opportunity to put a voice to their individual battles with cancer. At no point did I feel like we had to really truly act. You know, I felt like we were just telling our stories on stage and singing our stories, Spear said.

Anita Kruse, founder and executive director of Purple Songs Can Fly, said the YouTube event comes at a time when people can use some uplifting.

Right now, were all in need of some hope, Kruse said in a news release. The children in this documentary serve as examples to us all with their resiliency and positive outlooks.

Cancer impacts every aspect of a childs life: physical, mental and emotional, said Dr. Susan Blaney, director of Texas Childrens Cancer and Hematology Centers, in the news release. Programs like Purple Songs Can Fly have a tremendous positive impact on their overall healing and outcomes.

COVID-19 and cancer: Houston oncologist says COVID-19 has greatly impacted cancer community

Spear said children with cancer do not get to decide much in their daily lives since they are told when to rest, when to go to tests and procedures and what they will eat and not eat. Purple Songs Can Fly gives them something they can create that is their own. They even have mobile studios that visit patients that are in isolation or are unable to leave their beds.

When we come in, we give them full rein and, What do you want to say? What do you sing or create? And it just changes, in some part, their experience, Spear said.

To learn more about Purple Songs Can Fly, visit www.purplesongscanfly.org.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com


The Walt Disney Company is receiving criticism for filming part of its new live-action movie Mulan in the Xinjiang area of China. The Chinese government has been accused of human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities in the area.

At the end of the film is a message thanking official communications departments in Xinjiang. It also thanked the public security office of Turpan, a Uyghur-majority city in the region.

Mulan was released last week on the streaming site Disney Plus.

Human rights activists and China experts have expressed condemnation on social media sites. They say Disney behaved unethically to gain entrance to Chinas profitable movie market, the second largest in the world.

Amnesty International tweeted a link to a media report on the issue and asked Disney, Can you show us your human rights due diligence report? A Washington Post opinion writer called the movie a scandal. A widely shared tweet suggested the Mulan film crew would have seen re-education camps for Uyghurs on their way to filming locations.

Prison camps or training centers?

Uyghurs and other minorities in China have been detained in camps as part of a government assimilation campaign. The Chinese government says it acted in answer to years of sometimes violent struggle against Chinese rule in the region.

Chinese officials defend the camps as job training centers. But former detainees describe them as prison-like. They report beatings, denial of food and other abuses. Some female detainees say they were forced to have medical treatments to end pregnancies or disable their reproductive ability. In recent months, detainees have been reportedly ordered to drink traditional Chinese medicine to right the coronavirus spread.

There is no so-called reeducation camp in Xinjiang, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Tuesday when asked about the Mulan issue. He said the training centers were a good exploration of antiterrorism and deradicalization methods. There have been no violent attacks in Xinjiang for more than three years, Zhao added.

No comment from Disney

The Mulan team filmed in several other parts of China including the cities of Xian and Dunhuang, director Niki Caros social media messages showed. The movie was also partly filmed in New Zealand.

Disney did not answer The Associated Press's request for comment.

The new film is a remake of the popular 1998 animated Mulan. It is based on the ancient Chinese story of Hua Mulan, a young woman who tricks people into thinking she is a man so she can join the army.

The remake has been the center of other criticism.

'Mulan' criticism not new

Last year, a boycott movement began after the lead actor, Liu Yifei, publicly supported Hong Kong police accused of abuse against pro-democracy demonstrators. Hong Kong activists also criticized another actor in the film, Donnie Yen, for his pro-China position.

Alan Horn is co-chairman and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Studios. He said in February that the company did not want to enter into a political discussion.

I cant speak for what Yifei says in China, we didnt know about it, what she was going to say, and thats up to them, he said during a discussion with industry leaders from Netflix, Warner Brothers and other companies.

Horn did note the importance of the Chinese market, where Mulan opens Friday. If Mulan doesnt work in China, we have a problem, he said with a laugh.

Disney's high hopes for a profitable 'Mulan'

In August, Disney reported sharp financial losses from shutting down many operations and canceling theatrical releases because of the coronavirus.

Disney has high hopes for the Mulan remake, one of its most costly productions ever. It is pushing limited theatrical releases in some countries and has put the movie on its online service for a price of $29.99.

Ferkat Jawdat is a Uyghur-American activist. He said he is usually a huge fan of Disney movies and that Mulan should be a must watch for my family. But he said he would not be watching this Disney remake, describing it as hypocritical.

Activists have renewed calls for a boycott of the film in Hong Kong, where it will be released next week.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

region  n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way

due diligence  n. in law: the care that a reasonable person exercises to avoid harm to other persons or their property

scandal  n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong

location  n. a place or position

assimilation  n. the full acceptance and adoption of the ways of another culture

deradicalization  n. a process or action to change extreme political or social views that are not shared by most people

animation  n. a movie made of a series of drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of objects

hypocritical  adj. describes a person or people who claim or pretend to have certain beliefs about what is right but behave in a way that disagrees with those beliefs
As the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recently released new guidelines on the entry of tourists in tiger reserves, officials at Corbett Tiger Reserve said that tourists above the age of 65 years and below 10 years will not be allowed to visit the reserve.

RK Tiwari, wildlife warden at Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) said, The NTCA has issued new guidelines for visitors who would be allowed to visit tiger reserves and sanctuaries. Following those guidelines, tourists above the age of 65 and below 10 years will not be allowed to visit the tiger reserve keeping safety of both tourists and animals in mind due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Apart from this, the NTCA has also increased the viewing distance of wildlife in protected areas including tigers.

Also read: Cigarette, beedi butts are not toxic, claims study

Usually, tourists were shown tigers from a distance of 50 meters in the past, but now, as per the new guidelines, tigers will be shown from a distance of 500 meters. Many times tourists go too near to the animals, disturbing their privacy and this has led to many attacks as well. So, it has been decided to increase the viewing distance, added Tiwari.

He said that all gypsy drivers in the Corbett landscape are being informed about the new guidelines for safari. The official said that if someone does not follow these rules then a fine of Rs 25,000 will be imposed on them.

According to officials, ten cases of attacks by wildlife have been reported from Corbett Tiger Reserve in the past five years when tourists went too close to the animals during safari.

Uttarakhands Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) has the highest tiger density among Indias 50 reserves with a density of 14 tigers per 100 square kilometres. According to the recent All India Tiger Estimation, Corbett has also recorded the highest tiger population- 231 in the reserve and 266 using the reserve - among all 50 tiger reserves in the country.
ARLINGTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / President and CEO of Norwood Energy Corp., Grant Norwood, shares 3 principles that are driving the success of oil and gas exploration in an economic downturn.

In 2016, Grant Norwood began Norwood Energy Corp. with the goal of buying and selling minerals in house. The company quickly expanded to the consolidation of family assets and presently provide a variety of Oil & Gas related services including Land & Title, Due Diligence, Oil & Gas Exploration, Consulting, and providing capital for Oil & Gas projects. Norwood Energy Corp's customer-focused, compassionate, sustainable approach instantly set them apart from competitors. Over the next 4 years, Norwood partnered with individuals, families, and businesses to provide both exceptional support and profitability for mineral owners. From the inception of the corporation, Norwood has operated off of three main principles. When 2020's unexpected economic crisis rocked the nation, Norwood remained firm in his principles, a decision that has contributed to both the company and the client's success and allowed for the sustentation of profitability while other industries struggled to remain afloat.

Remain a low-cost operation: Accordion to Norwood, water is the harrowing enemy of oil & gas profitability margins. For example, if a well is bringing in 300 barrels of oil but simultaneously pulling in 1000 barrels of water, which must be transported and disposed of, the costs will add up, resulting in a very low margin. For this reason, Norwood advises being mindful of the location of the well site, and ensure that there is an outlet to dispose of water nearby.

High oil production rates: Historically, North Dakota, Texas, and New Mexico were thought to be the oil "hot spots." Companies are often given large amounts of capital to drill in such locations simply because of their reputation but often end up bankrupt if resources can't be produced economically. Norwood however, takes an agnostic approach to his operation location. He keeps his focus clear, unswayed by location reputation, "If I put a dollar into the ground what will come back out?"

Return OF capital is equally important to return ON capital: Norwood utilizes an analogy of a broom seller, when speaking on the shale industry. If the broom-maker is selling broomsticks for $1 would they want to build the devices for .25 cents or .75 cents, before you factor in the additional expenses? The project has to make economic sense at the current commodity price and well below it, because the price is beyond anyone's control. In the same way, Norwood and his team ensure that they are currently seeing a direct return on investment on the funds they have allocated to programs.

When entering into any new partnership with a client, family, or business, Norwood Energy Corp. is committed to upholding a high standard. These standards, alongside their business principles, continue to set the corporation apart from competitors. Firstly, Norwood and his team are ambitious in their goal of profitably producing American energy. Utilizing research, analytics, and industry connections, they are committed to getting the job done.

Secondly, Norwood Energy is dedicated to protecting both investors and clients from both industry risks and larger oil companies that may try to take advantage and withhold due equity. On this same thread, Norwood Energy remains committed to fostering shared success. For many, breaking into the oil & gas industry can be very difficult, if not impossible. Norwood has created an environment in which the barrier of entry is lowered, and new clients can break into an industry that they otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience. Lastly, Norwood Energy is dedicated to tackling environmental challenges. There is no question that there are environmental politics surrounding the oil and gas industry. But unlike some larger companies, Norwood & operating partners never abandon a location. Rather, Norwood enters into each new opportunity with a clear reclamation plan before ever setting a bit to dirt. The goal is to return the surface back to its original state without leaving a large footprint.

For individuals or businesses interested in entering into the lucrative industry of minerals, and families in need of targeted expertise and advice, look no further than Norwood Energy Corp.

CONTACT:

Contact Name: Grant Norwood

Business Name: Norwood Energy Corp.

Address: 1201 East Rd to Six Flags, Ste. 105 Arlington, TX 76011

Phone Number: 817.600.4246

Website Link: http://www.norwoodenergycorp.com/

Send Email

SOURCE: Grant Norwood

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605354/Norwood-Energy-Corp-Oil-Gas-Exploration-How-to-Remain-Successful-in-2020
Beirut: A huge fire broke out at the Port of Beirut on Thursday, triggering panic among residents traumatised by last month's massive explosion there that killed and injured thousands.

It was not clear what caused the fire at the facility, which was devastated by the explosion on August 4 when nearly 3000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonated, triggering a shock wave that blasted windows, doors and walls kilometres away.

Firefighters battle to extinguish a huge blaze at the Port of Beirut on Thursday. Credit:AP

A column of black smoke billowed from the port at midday on Thursday, with orange flames leaping from the ground. The Lebanese Army said the fire was at a warehouse in the duty free zone at the port where oil and tyres are kept.

It added that fighting the blaze was continuing and that army helicopters were taking part in the operation.
Athens: The European Union must impose "meaningful" sanctions on Turkey unless Ankara pulls its maritime assets from disputed areas in the eastern Mediterranean, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an opinion piece published on Thursday.

Greece and Turkey are in dispute over sea boundaries in the region, in the latest manifestation of decades of friction between the two NATO allies. Turkey has dispatched a survey vessel in an area both countries claim is their own.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece's Prime Minister, wants a solution to the stand-off with Turkey. Credit:Bloomberg

"We do need dialogue, but not when held at gunpoint. What threatens my country's security and stability threatens the well-being and safety of all EU member states," Mitsotakis said in an article published in the London Times, Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and France's Le Monde newspapers.

This month, EU leaders are expected to specify their response to Turkey. If Turkey does not withdraw its assets, meaningful sanctions should be imposed, he wrote.
The United States is gearing up for three presidential debates, with the first one in late September, in anticipation of one of the most heated elections in history. We can expect to see insults hurled during the three debates, yet most of the discussion will surround the parties' policy differences. One of the more pressing disputed issues will be the proper approach to criminal justice reform.

Two significant criminal justice reform issues need to be thoroughly discussed by the dueling parties. The first is how politicians have put both federal and state police in formidable positions with policies that force them to make arrests for relatively minor crimes. The second is how politicians have tossed aside traditionally used evidence of testimony and documents in favor of broad inferences based solely on the over-reliance of generalized datasets to make insufficient diversity a crime. Not only have we substituted evidence for statistical overgeneralization, but we use it as an excuse to enforce the church of diversity and corporate affirmative action.

Over-criminalization and the federal government putting criminal penalties on too many activities are problems that politicians do not like to discuss. The blame always shifts to overzealous police forces and tactics rather than politicians' policies that lead to these confrontations. Clark Neily of the Cato Institute wrote on June 7, 2020, that the proper role of government is to "employ state-sanctioned violence and punish conduct that threatens the very fabric of civil society  things like murder, violent assault, theft, and fraud." One problem is that the government has exceeded "the scope of what a criminal justice system may legitimately seek to address while routinely using force against peaceful people in morally indefensible ways." Neily cites an ordinance in Louisiana that makes it illegal to wear saggy pants, which interferes with individual liberty.

An issue that will show some stark differences between President Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden is a policy implemented during the Obama-Biden administration in the Department of Labor. The policy tossed aside real evidence to accuse companies of sex-based or racial bias in hiring and promotion in favor of using statistics. The Wall Street Journal editorial board pointed out, in February of 2019, "Labor's continuing stickup of Oracle over diversity in hiring based on dubious evidence. Mere days before Barack Obama left office, Labor sued Oracle for discrimination. The lawsuit supposedly stems from a routine audit of Oracle's hiring and pay in 2014." The government accused the company of discrimination "solely on statistical analyses of Oracle's workforce."

The Journal pointed out that the government policy allowed the government to use the statistic that "82% of the employees' Oracle hired for a technical position were Asian compared to 75% of job applicants" as conclusive evidence of discrimination. They never reviewed worker applications or performance reviews to see if pay and hiring discrepancies could be based on merit.

This policy is another example of politicians using the laudable goal of equal opportunity as a pretext to toss aside accepted evidence. It is effortless for the federal government to prove discrimination if it needs only to roll out some statistics without ever providing a smoking-gun email or the applications of people who did not get a job or promotion to reveal the truth.

The election this fall should hinge on who has the best policies. Both parties need to do a better job of putting a good portion of the blame for the unrest on the collective shoulders of state and federal politicians.

Stephanie Farmer is a former staffer for the Rand Paul 2016 presidential campaign.
A monitor depicts the structure of SARS-CoV-2 during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing to discuss vaccines and protecting public health, in Washington on Sept. 9, 2020. (Michael Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images)

The National Security Implications of Russia, China Claiming a COVID-19 Vaccine

Are some generals in China or Russia whispering in the ears of their leaders that now is the time to strike?

Commentary

China is claiming that its tested a COVID-19 vaccine on hundreds of thousands of people without a single infection and no side effects. Meanwhile, Russia has released its own vaccine called Sputnik V.

What are the potential national security implications if some countries have a vaccine and others dont?

The Sputnik V was developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute in coordination with the Russian defense ministry. Its based on a proven vaccine against adenovirusthe common cold. Its supposed to protect for two years; China claims immunity from its vaccine lasts for three years.

The timetable for the vaccines full deployment is unclear. Reports from China say by the end of the year, while in the Russian case, testing is incomplete. The Philippines has announced it will start a trial the Russian vaccine in October, but full deployment there wont be until mid-2021.

No matter what the timetable, and providing that neither the United States nor its allies are successful, do Russia and China have powerful leverage that can be used against the United States and its friends? How would they use that leverage? What are the military implications?

Nuclear Examples

At the start of the nuclear age, when the United States was the only country in the world with atomic weapons, its worthwhile to recall that there was a great danger the U.S. side might use them preemptively, in one case against Russia, in another North Korea, and still another China.

Gen. Curtis LeMay, the second chief of the Strategic Air Command, proposed in 1949 that the U.S. Air Force plan to destroy 70 Soviet cities in 40 days with 133 atomic bombs, causing up to 2.7 million deaths and another 4 million casualties.

By 1953, Air Force Gen. James Doolittle proposed giving an ultimatum to the Russians, and if they rejected it, to use atomic weapons to destroy them; President Dwight Eisenhower rejected the proposal.

During the Korean War, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Gen. Douglas MacArthur not only considered but put into motion a plan to use atomic weapons against North Korea, which by that time had almost pushed the allies off the peninsula. B-29 bombers were moved to Guam along with 10 atomic bombs. But President Harry Truman decided not to transfer the fissile weapon cores to Guam, leaving the B-29s without usable atomic weapons.

The worst moment probably came during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 when, in response to the installation of operational nuclear missiles in Cuba, the United States launched a large number of strategic bombers carrying nuclear weapons, readied its land-based and sea-based nuclear strike missiles, and put hard pressure on the Soviet Union to pull its nuclear weapons out of Cuba.

This was the only time the United States raised its alert status to DEFCON 2 (Defense Condition 2). Normally, its set at DEFCON 5, the lowest state of readiness.

The above cases suggest that military planners thought they had an advantage and wanted to exploit it by using atomic and later, hydrogen weapons.

Defending Against Biothreats

In the book Defending Against Biothreats: What We Can Learn from the Coronavirus Pandemic to Enhance US Defenses Against Pandemics and Biological Weapons, my wife, Shoshana, and I wrote the chapter The Future of Biowar: What the Bad Guys Have Learned and How to Combat It. Here are a few of the points we stressed:

1. A virus can delay, repurpose, or simply halt military operations, enabling a potential adversary such as China or Russia to take advantage.

There is plenty of evidence supporting the first point. The most dramatic example is what happened to the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that was forced out of service for months. Just recently, Britains new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, scheduled to go on a training mission, was halted in port at Portsmouth, because of COVID-19 infections.

2. Producing detection systems, vaccines, and effective treatments is time-consuming and uncertain, with the distribution of such solutions adding to logistical burdens and social anxiety.

In any case, all these steps take months, if not years, and therefore, arent going to inhibit the use of biowar under real conditions. This means that other deterrents are badly needed. Right now, there is none that specifically addresses a biowar challenge.

3. Hostile states use disinformation, denial, and deception to hide responsibility while, at the same time, seeking significant political, economic, and military advantages in the midst of a crisis.

Misinformation will always be part of the Great Game (as it always has been). The United States has to be forthright in explaining to its own people and to its allies about what is happening.

When it came to COVID-19, U.S. leaders were split and largely incapable of getting a clear counter-message across. This doesnt bode well for operations in the event of a biowar event. U.S. scientists who work for the government have to get in alignment with government policy and not pursue agendas that undermine the effort of top leaders in assigning blame if a hostile state uses biowar.

This is all-important because biowar is war, even if it is masquerading as unintentional happenstance. Unfortunately, the first U.S. exercise in handling a biowar threat has largely been a disaster caused by conflict between government scientists and government leaders.

4. The Pentagon was totally unprepared to deal with COVID-19. The Navy order for all ships to stay at sea and not return to port because of infections on board meant that the Navy would have to find a way to supply the ships and deal with a spiraling medical crisis. The Pentagon and the U.S. military services need to find ways to secure effective fighting forces under pandemic conditions.

One step would be to pre-position testing kits that are broad enough in application to handle most possible bio-threats. Another is to make sure there is enough decontamination equipment. New consideration must be given to ventilation and air purification, especially in close environments such as ships, submarines, and aircraft.

Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

A particular vulnerability is the shift to telework in the Pentagon, which sounded like a good idea but multiplied the risk of compromising operations because of cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The department has consistently failed to take into account that virtually all its handheld and laptop devices, as well as its desktop computers and local area networks, contain significant Chinese components if not entirely Chinese manufactured.

The department hasnt revealed how many teleworker communications may have been compromised during the pandemic.

The only solution to this is to replace vulnerable devices, internet of things included, and some defense goods that use commercial computers and circuit boards. There is no current plan to do so. This deficit multiplies the risk to U.S. security in unacceptable but preventable ways.

A bigger issue is whether possibly hostile leaders start to think that a biowar scenario is a legitimate part of warfare and can work. Just as Air Force generals and the Joint Chiefs of Staff wanted to use atomic bombs when they thought they could exploit the advantage they then had, it was civilian leaders that tamped down their enthusiasm.

In non-democratic states, the line between civilian and military is perhaps more blurry or at least opaque. Are some generals in China or Russia whispering in the ears of their leaders that now is the time to strike?

Stephen Bryen is regarded as a thought leader on technology security policy, twice being awarded the Defense Departments highest civilian honor, the Distinguished Public Service Medal. His most recent book is Technology Security and National Power: Winners and Losers.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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New Delhi: In a first of its kind of arrangement in the history of Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will have turn-wise sittings keeping in mind the social distancing norms owing to the coronavirus pandemic during the forthcoming Monsoon Session between September 14 and October 1.

On the first day of the Session on September 14, the lower House will meet from 9 am to 1 pm while sitting of the Upper House will be from 3 pm to 7 pm. The Zero Hour will be for 30 minutes.

On subsequent days, proceedings in the Rajya Sabha will be held from 9 am till 1 pm while that of the Lok Sabha will be from 3 pm to 7 pm.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said that social distancing norms will be strictly followed in the Monsoon Session of Parliament in view of the pandemic, adding, "A total of 257 members will sit in the Lok Sabha chamber and 172 in the visitors gallery of the Lok Sabha. In the Rajya Sabha chamber, there are arrangements for 60 MPs whereas 51 can sit in the visitors gallery of the Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha session will go on consecutively. Both houses will have screens for both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings. There are arrangements for having a virtual address in the Lok Sabha. The sound system has been integrated of both houses for all to participate in the session."

The Speaker informed that all employees of Parliament too, will be tested for coronavirus and have to undergo RT-PCR test.

Attendance of parliamentarians will be recorded through a mobile app. There will be fibre-glass sheets separating their seats and those in visitors gallery will need to go to the podium on their turn to speak. Lok Sabha MPs sitting in the Rajya Sabha will have the option to use the sound system as it has been integrated for both houses," he added.

Birla said that parliamentarians and officials will try to limit the use of paper and go digital.

The government had initially decided to do away with the Question Hour, however after protests by the Opposition parties led by the Congress, the Centre later informed that written questions would be allowed during the Session.

Though the Session is being conducted amid escalating tension along the Line of Actual Control with Indian and Chinese troops engaged in violent clashes, including the Galwan confrontation where India had suffered heavy casualties, and the Centres measures to counter the raging pandemic, the possibility of the Opposition bringing the Centre on the mat over these issues, seem remote owing to restricted proceedings of Parliament.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. REUTERS/Leah Millis; REUTERS/Alan Freed; Insider

Foreign hackers are targeting the campaigns of presidential candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden, according to a new report from Microsoft.

Hackers associated with Russia's military intelligence unit "attacked more than 200 organizations including political campaigns, advocacy groups, parties and political consultants," the report said. This is the same unit that successfully hacked Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign.

While hackers linked to Russia appeared to be attacking people affiliated with both campaigns, hackers linked to China tended to focus on Bidens and those aligned with Iran went after Trumps, Microsoft found.

The company said it notified all affected clients of the attempted hacks, adding that the scale of attacks is larger than Microsoft has detected in recent years.

Microsoft's report comes days after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence notified Congress that it would no longer brief lawmakers on foreign election interference threats.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hackers linked to Russia's military intelligence unit have "attacked more than 200 organizations including political campaigns, advocacy groups, parties and political consultants" ahead of the general election, according to a new Microsoft report published Thursday.

Hackers linked to China and Iran have also ramped up their interference activities, the report found.

Microsoft's report confirms warnings that the company and senior intelligence officials have been making since 2016 about increased foreign interference efforts targeting US elections. Officials testified to Congress that Russia and China were the biggest national security threats facing the country and that Russia, in particular, would continue employing the same tactics it used during the 2018 midterms and 2016 general election.

Thursday's report also comes after the nation's top intelligence agency said it would scale back congressional election security briefings, and soon after a former official alleged the Trump administration suppressed intelligence about foreign interference that contradicted the president's talking points.

Story continues

Strontium, the Russia-linked group, was responsible for the 2016 hack of the Democratic National Committee as part of a wide-ranging effort to interfere in the presidential election and propel Donald Trump to the Oval Office, the report said. The finding was previously confirmed in the special counsel Robert Mueller's final report on Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Strontium is alternatively known as Fancy Bear and is the primary hacking unit of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence outfit.

Hackers with ties to China have mostly targeted members of Biden's campaign, while Iran-linked hackers have targeted Trump campaign officials, Microsoft's vice president for security, Tom Burt, said in the blog post.

The Trump and Biden campaigns did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Microsoft monitors hacking attempts through security products that it sells, including its "Defending Democracy" program launched in 2018 that caters specifically to political organizations. The company said it notified all affected clients of the attempted hacks, adding that the scale of attacks is larger than Microsoft has detected in recent years.

"The activity we are announcing today makes clear that foreign activity groups have stepped up their efforts targeting the 2020 election as had been anticipated," Burt wrote.

Zirconium, the hacking cell linked to China, "appears to have indirectly and unsuccessfully targeted the Joe Biden for President campaign through non-campaign email accounts belonging to people affiliated with the campaign. The group has also targeted at least one prominent individual formerly associated with the Trump Administration," the report said.

Microsoft's findings about China-linked hackers appear to contradict a US intelligence assessment last month that said China wants Biden to win the election.

The report also comes on the heels of an explosive whistleblower complaint from Brian Murphy, a former senior official at the Department of Homeland Security who said he was told to suppress intelligence about Russian election interference and instead look into China and Iran.

In mid-May, Murphy said, acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf told him not to produce any more intelligence assessments about Russia and focus on China and Iran instead. He added that Wolf told him "these instructions specifically originated from White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien."

Murphy replied that he would not comply with O'Brien's order because "doing so would put the country in substantial and specific danger."

Microsoft's report said it hadn't found evidence that foreign hacking efforts this year were successful but added that it was difficult to be sure, particularly as it relates to Russia, according to The New York Times.

Thursday's report also comes just days after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence informed Congress that it would no longer verbally brief lawmakers on foreign election interference threats ahead of November.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 17:52:37|Editor: huaxia

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MUMBAI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has tested positive for COVID-19, the mayor said in a tweet on Thursday.

Her rapid antigen test came positive while she claimed herself to be asymptomatic.

"As I don't have any symptoms, I have home quarantined myself as per the doctors' advice," the mayor said, appealing to people to take necessary precautions, who came in contact with her.

India's financial capital is the second worst-hit city by the virus after Delhi, with 7,982 deaths and a total of 160,744 cases, of which 25,659 are currently active. Enditem
New Delhi: A day after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished actress Kangana Ranaut's Pali Hill office citing 'illegal construction' as the reason, the 'Manikarnika' star arrived at her property to take stock of the situation and check on the damages done.

ANI tweeted visuals of Kangana at her Pali Hill office along with her Team members.Take a look:

Maharashtra: Actor Kangana Ranaut arrives at her office in Mumbai, where demolition work was carried out by BMC, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/cvOMuI8wXa  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court granted a stay on the demolition of Kangana Ranaut office, asking the BMC to file reply on actor's petition. Kangana approached the Bombay High Court on challenging the notice issued by the Mumbai civic body for 'illegal construction' at her bungalow and sought a stay on the demolition process.

The court sought to know from BMC how it entered the premises and directed it to file an affidavit in response to the plea.

Today, the Bombay High Court adjourned Kangana's office demolition matter till September 22, 2020. The BMC filed its reply meanwhile Kangana's lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui has sought time to respond to the affidavit.

The demolition notice was issued by BMC on Tuesday under section 351 of the MMC Act and the civic body has given 24 hours to Kangana to respond to the notice. On Tuesday, Kangana took to her social media handles and shared the copy of the reply by her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui to the BMC notice on the demolition of her property in Mumbai.

Kangana got into trouble after her controversial Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (Pok) remark on Twitter against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's threat. She tweeted accusing Raut threatening the actress to not return to Mumbai if she has no faith in the police.

The actress has been naming and shaming several big Bollywood celebrities for fanning nepotism and recently in the drug conspiracy related to Sushant Singh Rajput case.

On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) granted Y category security to Kangana. Sources told Zee News that seven policemen will take care of Kangana's security. Officials of CRPF, Intelligence Bureau and Himachal Pradesh Police arrived at Kangana's Manali home on Tuesday to chalk out plans of the actress' security ahead of her visit to Mumbai on September 9.
MENTOR, Ohio  A motorcyclist was killed late Tuesday night when his motorcycle crashed into the back of a pickup truck on Ohio 2, police say.

Jameil Spikes, 34, of Carrollton, Ohio, was taken to TriPoint Medical Center in Concord Township following the crash but died of his injuries, according to police. The driver of the pickup truck, an 86-year-old man from Arkansas, was not injured.

At about 9:54 p.m. Tuesday, Spikes was traveling east on Ohio 2, just east of Ohio 615, at a high rate of speed on a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle when he crashed into the rear of the 2003 Ford F150, police say.

Its unknown if drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash. Police are continuing to investigate.

More crime-related content on cleveland.com:

Cleveland Clinic nurse arrested on federal child pornography charges

Teenage girls charged as adults in Cleveland home-invasion slaying

Columbus Police arrest couple at state lawmakers house in connection to May slaying

Akron police, DEA seize more than 20,000 THC vapes, 700 pounds of marijuana and 18 guns after investigation into drug-dealing at vape shop

Man accused of hiding in Cleveland womans closet and raping her in 2007 is 800th to be IDd by prosecutors task force
Come one, come all to a one-of-a kind historic medicine show at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, in Stuhr Museums Railroad Town,

The celebrated professor, Lysander B. Jones, will bring his Traveling Medicine Show and Musicale to Railroad Town and will be bringing his miracle cures (or snake oil, depending on your perspective) with him. There will be music, showmanship, feats of strength and possible interference by the authorities, depending on everyones conduct. The members of Railroad Town are excited and a little skeptical of this show that has blown into town, but it will definitely be an interesting afternoon.

The Farm Machinery Building also will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Stuhr Museum asks the public please wear masks and observe proper social distancing guidelines when you visit.

Admission to the museum and the medicine show is $10 for adults, $8 for kids and free for Stuhr Museum Members. For more information call 308-385-5316.

Historical society programs go virtual ... for now
The Jal Shakti department has decided to install CCTV cameras at the spots where construction of the sewage treatment plants (STP), check dams and ponds are underway in various districts of Uttar Pradesh to monitor the progress of the work from the Lucknow office.

Jal Shakti minister, Mahendra Singh on Wednesday reviewed the rural water supply project, Namami Gange and ground water development projects through video conferencing.

He directed the officers to install cameras at the spots where STPs are being constructed under the Namami Gange project in Mathura, Ramnagar, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Etawah, Kasganj, Firozabad, Kanpur and Prayagraj. The cameras will be linked with the Lucknow office for monitoring the work.

CCTV cameras will be also installed at all check dams and ponds constructed in various districts for monitoring from the state office, he said.

He directed the officers to complete the Atal Bhujal Yojana launched in 10 districts on priority basis. The rural water supply projects launched in Bundelkhand, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts should be also completed on schedule.
RENO, Nev.  Republicans planned a protest Thursday night in support of their First Amendment rights as President Donald Trump moves forward with plans to campaign in Nevada this weekend despite the states 50-person cap on public gatherings.

Rallies originally planned at airport hangars in Reno and Las Vegas were scuttled due to concerns about the COVID-19 restrictions, but state Republican Chairman Michael McDonald assured reporters Trump will be in Nevada this weekend. He said details of the campaign events would be forthcoming

McDonald accused Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak of setting a double standard for Republicans and others who want to stage protests, including Black Lives Matter. He said the 50-person limit hasnt been enforced at those events.

We have to have our voices heard, McDonald said. Were going to push back. President Trumps a fighter. Theres no doubt about that. He will be in Nevada this weekend.

Since the governor is allowing protests, we are going to have a peaceful protest. Feel free to try to shut us down governor. You let BLM in. We want our voices heard. This is where we take a stand, he said about Thursdays protest planned in Las Vegas.

Sisolak has limited in-person gatherings indoors and outdoors to 50 people since May, a recommendation based off White House reopening guidelines.

State Democratic Party spokeswoman Madison Mundy said Trump and his allies are trying to turn a public health crisis into a partisan issue.

If Trump had offered leadership and a clear national strategy to contain COVID-19 months ago, instead of intentionally downplaying the virus, these emergency directives would not be necessary and thousands of Americans would still be alive, Mundy said in a statement Thursday.

Keith Schipper, the regional spokesman for the Trump campaign who joined McDonald in a conference call with reporters, reiterated plans for the president to campaign in Nevada this weekend but declined to provide details.

The president loves Nevada, has obviously made it a priority, has been out here numerous times. He totally expects that he is going to come out and he is going to have crowds. And that is what were going to have this weekend, Schipper said.

He noted that Trump has been holding rallies across the country, citing Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who has made it very clear he is not going to impede on peoples First Amendment rights to attend, to assemble for political purposes.

He complained that Sisolak has had no problem when others have politically assembled. Why do you have one set of rules for other folks and another set for Republicans and supporters of the president?

The governors office did not immediately responded to requests for comment on Thursday.
The virus found two ways to get to Colac. One was through a worker at the local lamb abattoir, starting a wave that eventually spread to 108 people and was halted within weeks. The other was through a man who returned from hospital in Melbourne, starting a second wave that has grown to 30 cases. Loading At one point in July, when Vicary wanted to issue a press release about an infected worker at his sawmill, DHHS tried to tell him what to write. He ignored the officialdom and went ahead with his announcement on Sunday, July 26. The department confirmed the infection five days later. One local waited seven days to receive test results, while another waited nine. The centralised system undermined confidence in testing and tracing. This led Colac to set its own rules, like asking people to isolate if their partners seemed sick. When one man became infected but his wife was not able to get a test, she chose to isolate anyway. She tested positive days later. If she had waited for the DHHS, she might have spread the virus for days.

The community had to trade privacy for speed. While officials in Melbourne wanted to keep details private, locals wanted the truth. As Ben Preiss explained in more detail in The Sunday Age, the approach in Colac was to reveal every case as fast as possible. We wanted to be honest with the community, says Vicary. That way, you prevent rumours, you prevent hysteria and you create trust. Andrews has called the state failures unacceptable and apologised to Victorians. He says he is fixing the mistakes. He has signed up Silicon Valley company Salesforce to supply a contact-tracing system. The assurances sound good but Andrews is evasive on key questions. He cannot pinpoint who wanted the 8pm curfew in Melbourne. He is not clear about who was in charge of hotel quarantine. He denies rejecting federal help when documents show that is exactly what happened. The problem for the premier is that NSW did better. It suffered its own quarantine breaches but acted quickly to contain them.

Some disagree on this. NSW isnt the gold standard, NSW is lucky, ABC commentator and doctor Norman Swan said this week. But Victorian officials are heading to NSW to look at the states contact tracing. They would not do that if it was all dumb luck. When Morrison held a phone hook-up with Victorian colleagues on Monday night, there was an air of despair about the state. Morrison warned the MPs against going personal against Andrews. This was good advice. Any attack would only rebound on a Prime Minister more comfortable at Shark Park than the MCG. Yet the national cabinet is crumbling like old chipboard. When Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took a call from Morrison on Thursday about the plight of Sarah Caisip, a woman barred from attending her fathers funeral, the politics began as soon as the phones were down. This was a case of spin or be spun. Palaszczuks team briefed journalists on the call while the premier marched into state Parliament to call him a bully. Taken by surprise, Morrison had to respond on radio station 4BC.

As the October 31 state election draws near, Palaszczuk will do everything to turn Morrison into a Halloween horror. Contact tracing work under way at the Barwon Health University Hospital in Geelong. Credit:Jason South Lost in the politics is any fix to the problems. On contact tracing, the Andrews government missed a chance to adopt the Salesforce system in March and April, when South Australia and Western Australia signed up. The system is now used by 35 states across the United States, as well as New Zealand. A national system is the next challenge. What if there is no vaccine? Or a slow vaccine? Australia will need a very good contact-tracing structure for a long time  and the states will need to talk to each other. There is a role for Morrison in devising a national approach to contact tracing but there is no prospect of a solution if national cabinet breaks down.
The Bombay high court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government about how long it plans to restrict suburban train services in Mumbai in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The court was hearing a petition and related applications seeking that lawyers be permitted to use local train services in the city.

Referring to the state's submission that it does not plan to resume regular suburban train services as yet, a bench headed by Chief Dipankar Datta said, "We have to now live with the virus. How long will this go on? It has been six months."

The petitioners' counsel Shyam Dewani and Uday Warunjikar on Thursday urged the court to give direction to the state to permit lawyers to travel by local trains, as the high court had partially resumed physical hearings.

Lower courts were already holding physical hearings, they argued.

However, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, who appeared for the state government told the court that the COVID-19 situation hadn't improved and resuming normal local train services would result in an "explosion" of new infections.

"When the trains were running normally, they used to be overcrowded. Every day, there were 10 to 12 deaths (due to overcrowding)," the AG said.

Even now with limited services, there are reports of trains being crowded, he argued.



However, the bench said that the current arrangement cannot continue for long.

The state government must think about issuing daily passes or some such system to permit lawyers who have physical hearings on a given day to use trains on that day to reach the

high court, the bench said.



A pass system could be started for lawyers commuting to the high court and if that worked, the authorities could think about a similar system for the lower courts as well, it

said.

"It has been six months. It can't continue for this long. We are not asking you to allow all lawyers together. But you can think about giving electronic passes on an experimental basis," the bench said.

The bench pointed out that although the high court had resumed physical hearings for all criminal appeals, not many lawyers were attending these cases.

"We have started four physical court rooms, but judges are telling me they don't have enough matters because lawyers are not coming," the bench said.

"If physical hearings are not successful, then we will have to revert to virtual hearings. But, how long can we do that for? Gradually, we have to open up," it said.



The AG said that the state will think about the court's suggestion for e-passes and get back in two weeks.
In August and September 2020, several readers have been questioning the accuracy of a Facebook post that has been widely shared, claiming that no less than 27 Republican lawmakers had been endorsing Joe Biden, the presidential candidate of the Democrats.

On August 24, 2020, the post describing the mass endorsement for Democrat presidential candidate as "unprecedented" and listed the names of those who endorsed Biden

The image posted in Facebook was a screenshot of a news release that was sent out on August 24, 2020, by the campaign for the Democrat presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Reportedly, it was true that the Biden has been endorsed by each of the mentioned 27 Republican lawmakers.

Although Snopes.com noted that the meme could potentially misdirect the readers by not specifying that the people on the list who were said to have endorsed Biden were no longer part of the U.S. Congress.

On the other hand, it has been clearly stated by the campaign press release those people on the list who endorsed Biden were former Republican Congress members.

A long list of former Republican lawmakers with the corresponding year they started to serve their state and the year they finished their term were included, and the dates when each of them endorsed Biden were included.

Read also: Fact Check: Were 20,000 Fake IDs Seized as a Voter-Fraud Scheme?

Reportedly, the list of 27 former Republican members of the U.S Congress was reliable and authentic. The group included just one of the hundred endorsements received by Biden from well-known Republicans, whose quantity and importance were accounted for what could be described as an unmatched level of support among officials and lawmakers for the presidential candidate of a rival party.

As reported by CNN, a considerable number of officials of the national security in 1980 broke party lines to endorse and support Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter.

Issues between major parties for supporting a candidate from the opposing party have grown so bitter that resulted in third parties, full-splits, and contested conventions, as noted by the Pew Research in 2016.

The dissatisfaction of the Republicans from actions taken by Trump has not emerged to that certain level in 2020, but the number of cross-party supports received by Biden has been remarkable.

During the 1972 presidential election, Democrat former governor of Texas and U.S Treasury secretary, John Connally, spearheaded a committee that was called "Democrats for Nixon."

Well-known Democratic office-holders asked voters to decline the populist, an anti-war platform of the party's candidate, U.S. Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota, giving support to re-elect Nixon.

The Democrats who gave support to Nixon included Connally himself; Nashville mayor, Beverly Briley; former mayor of Boston, John Collins; former governor of Florida, Farris Bryant; International Brotherhood of Teamsters president, Frank Fitzsimmons; Miami Mayor David Kennedy; and former director of United States Information Agency, which is now a nonfunctional U.S. federal agency for public relations and overseas, Leonard Marks.

In the 1972 presidential election, Nixon also received public support from James and John Roosevelt, sons of former U.S President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.



Related article: Trump Calls Out Biden, Harris on Remarks About COVID-19 Vaccine

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The initial public offer of Route Mobile has been subscribed 2.15 times so far on the second day of bidding i.e. Thursday. The Rs 600-crore public offer of Route Mobile, a cloud communications service provider, received bids for 2.55 crore shares as against the total issue size of 1.21 crore shares, according to data available with the exchanges.

The category meant for non-institutional investors was subscribed 129 per cent, that for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) was subscribed 1.21 per cent, while retail individual investors' portion was subscribed 3.73 times.

The IPO was fully subscribed on the first day. The public offer received bids for 1,22,31,600 shares as against the total issue size of 1,21,73,912 shares. The portion for non-institutional investors was subscribed 46 per cent, that for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) was subscribed 1 per cent. The retail individual investors' portion was subscribed 1.80 times.

Route Mobile on Tuesday garnered Rs 180 crore from anchor investors. The initial public offer comprises a fresh issue of Rs 240 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 360 crore.

Price range for the offer, which will close on Friday, has been fixed at Rs 345-350 per share.

The company proposes to utilise the net proceeds for repayment or pre-payment, in full or part, of certain borrowings of the company, acquisitions and other strategic initiatives, purchase of office premises in Mumbai, and general corporate purposes.

ICICI Securities, Axis Capital, Edelweiss Financial Services and IDBI Capital Markets and Securities are the managers to the offer.

Also read: Happiest Minds IPO subscribed 151 times on Day 3
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough was hospitalized after he was injured in a car accident Thursday morning.

Keoughs staff provided several updates on the first-term judges condition, confirming he was in stable condition at a Woodlands-area hospital.

Keoughs Chief of Staff Jason Millsaps said Keough, 66, will undergo surgery for several broken bones. Millsaps added the judge was alert and in good spirits.

Little information was available, however the accident happened along Grogans Mill Road before 9 a.m. Thursday where Keough and a Precinct 5 deputy collided. The deputy, who was not identified, suffered minor injuries and was also transported to a local hospital.

Millsaps said Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack and his Chief of Staff Evan Besong happened to pass the accident and stopped to help before realizing Keough was involved. He said Noack took charge of the scene to get help for both Keough and the deputy.

The judge is undergoing evaluation at a Woodlands hospital, Millsaps said. We dont know the extent of his injuries at this time. We lift up the judge and the deputy constable in prayer at this time.

Millsaps said Keoughs injuries would not keep him from his duties. However, if needed Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador would be in line to handle any official county business on Keoughs behalf.

This is second car accident Keough has been in and suffered injuries during his time as an elected official.

In March 2017 while serving as the state representative for District 15, Keough was injured when his Lexus SUV collided with a truck at the intersection of South First and West Mary in Austin.

Keough was driving to the state Capitol building at the time of the crash. It was not clear what caused that collision, but either his vehicle or a cement truck apparently passed over the center line of the undivided roadway.

Austin police said Thursday they had no record of any citations being issued. The driver of the truck did not require hospitalization.

Keough was eventually released from the hospital March 30, 2017.

Keough, who took the bench in January 2018 for his first term, defeated one-term former County Judge Craig Doyal with 57 percent of the votes in the March 2017 Republican primary, avoiding a runoff, and beat Democrat Jay Stittleburg in the November 2017 general election with almost three-quarters of the vote.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
We're all aware that you can get ultra budget phones for under 200 or 300. We sometimes think of them as a reasonable thing to hand to a teenager or an elderly parent.

Often, this is a misguided thing to do: many ultra budget phones are junk, incapable of operating basic tasks consistently and reliably. They frustrate Fortnite-playing teens and make senior first-times think that smartphones don't work very well.

This isn't the case with Nokia's 5.3, a large-screen, slim, adequately powered, nicely designed phone that is something of an equaliser for those who can't afford premium handsets.

The design is its main highlight. This looks and feels far beyond its sub 200 price level. Although there's a slim bezel around the 6.5-inch display, it's very nicely finished in a slight (non-touch) curve. This is usually the kind of thing that you'll only find on much higher-end phones.

The rear casing is plastic but very nicely finished and resists fingerprints fairly well. My test model was cyan-coloured, an unusual but nice hue. (Nokia has used it on previous models.)

The inclusion of biometric security on this phone is also impressive at this price point, even if they're a little light. The face-recognition system is slow and wobbly and won't work in substantially different lighting conditions. The fingerprint reader on the back was more reliable.

Nokia claims that this is a "two-day battery life" which isn't quite the case. It's pretty good for a budget phone, at 4,000mAh, though - I always got a full day out of it. And that often included putting it on hotspot mode for a laptop and catching up on some video clips on it throughout the day.

Its engine and storage specifications are totally reasonable for a phone at this price point. Internal storage of 64GB can be augmented with a memory card slot (although I wonder how many people ever do this).

It's a little misleading of Nokia to describe its rear lens set-up as a "quad camera". In normal photography terms, it's actually two main lenses: a 13-megapixel 1x (wide) and a 5-megapixel 0.5x (ultra wide). The other 'two' are a 2-megapixel macro lens for extreme, almost microscopic close-up shots (which can be useful, in fairness) and a depth sensor (intended to give effects like bokeh, where the background to a portrait can be nicely blurred without having to use rough-looking software imitations).

The performance of the two main cameras is very average. There's little or no stabilisation (meaning video and time lapses are shaky) and it's really mediocre in low light. So no, you're not going to get the kind of images you'll get from iPhones or more expensive Android smartphones. But hey, this thing costs 180. And the cameras are totally adequate for casual snaps. It's actually to Nokia's credit that they've kept the megapixel count relatively low on the lenses - it gives them a better chance of (ironically) giving clearer photos by not overloading the images with too much 'noise'.

Every time I review a Nokia, I'm reminded of small nods to its legacy customer base. For example, it has an FM radio built in for those who feels they can't rely on apps or streaming. However, it only works if you physically plug in a set of earphones (in the 3.5mm headphone port), as they act as an antenna of sorts.

The net result of all of this is a thoroughly capable, large-screen smartphone that looks great and will let those on a budget really get in on a lot of the screen-based activity usually comfortably handled only by much more expensive phones.

It's definitely a phone I could recommend for those who need to buy a handset for someone else, such as a teenager or a senior citizen.

From Harvey Norman Rating: 5/5
Many gun owners are facing steep gun replacement costs if proposed EU restrictions on lead ammunition are introduced.

The new rules will ban the use of lead ammunition over wetlands and moved closer to enactment in recent days.

The Irish Farmers Association has said that as the proposal uses the RAMSAR definition of a wetland, over 80pc of the country could be classed as a wetland.

"This will include farmyards and fields where farmers or their agents will need to use a firearm to protect livestock and crops," it said.

Under the new regulation, simply being in possession or using lead ammunition, a farmer or their agent will be breaching the regulations and open to prosecution.

Steel gunshots, which are the most likely alternative to be used, are available at a comparable price, but the IFA has said no consideration has been given to the cost of replacement shotguns, which are capable of firing steel shot.

Shotguns which have the correct safety requirement or which are proofed to fire steel shot have a replacement cost of over 2,000, it said.

IFA Environment and Rural Affairs Committee Chairman Paul OBrien said he has serious concerns regarding the proposed restrictions on lead ammunition over wetlands.

He said the proposal is disproportionate and discriminatory toward farmers. At no point in the proposal is any consideration given to the farmer, landowner or their agent who have a legitimate need to use firearms to protect livestock and crops.

IFA had pointed out to the NPWS on numerous occasions over the last two years the effects the proposed restriction would have on farmers. We are extremely disappointed with Minister Noonan, who had at the first opportunity shown little or no regard for farmers concerns, the custodians of the countryside, he said.
New York: A flawless 102-carat oval diamond will head to auction on October 5 in Hong Kong at Sothebys.

The auction house has not given an official price estimate for the egg-shaped stone of exactly 102.39 carats, which has the highest color grade, D, for a white diamond and is rated Type IIA for its chemical purity and exceptional transparency.

Quig Bruning, Sothebys New York head of jewelry, said the house is letting the market decide what the value of this diamond is."

Historically, diamonds of this caliber and this size have sold anywhere from about $11 million up to $33 million," he told AFP.

Were offering without reserve and without estimate," he said, meaning the highest bid will be the winning bid with no minimum price.

Only seven other white diamonds of more than 100 carats  a carats mass is equal to 0.2 grams  and similar quality have appeared at auction, five of them with Sothebys.

In November 2017, the largest diamond ever presented at auction, with more than 163.41 carats, sold in Geneva for more than $33.8 million, fees and commissions included  a global record in this category.

But its not a record overall for a diamond: in April 2017, the giant Pink Star" pink diamond sold for $71.2 million at a Sothebys auction in Hong Kong.

Collectors will be able to start bidding on September 15, with a starting price of only one Hong Kong dollar, or 13 US cents.

Diamonds, like anything else, arent immune to market fluctuations," Bruning said.

That said, what weve seen in the past six months is a real demand for jewelry and for gem stones."

He said the market, maybe a little counterintuitively, has been very robust in the past six months," saying perhaps people are seeking additional places into which to place their funds."

The diamond will be offered in a stand-alone, single lot live auction in Hong Kong, which collectors will be able to attend in person.

The gem was cut from a 271-carat rough stone discovered in Ontarios Victor Mine, in Canada, where production ceased last year.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands proved her fashion prowess once again when stepping out in Rotterdam today.

The mother-of-three, 49, appeared glamorous in a purple frock as she visited a cleaning industry rental service in the city, under her role as a member of the Dutch Committee for Entrepreneurship.

Maxima visited Doornbos Equipment which specialise in rental and sales of high pressure pumps, vacuum units and accessories, having over 80 years of experience within the industrial cleaning industry.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands (pictured) proved her fashion prowess once again when stepping out in Rotterdam today

The mother-of-three (pictured), 49, appeared glamorous in a purple frock as she visited a cleaning industry rental service in the city, under her role as a member of the Dutch Committee for Entrepreneurship

The royal paired her eye-catching, vibrant dress with a black belt, cinched at the waist to highlight her slender frame.

Looking effortlessly stylish, she added to the trendy look with silver court heels and a fashionable purple clutch bag.

Sporting a natural makeup that complimented her healthy complexion, Maxima opted for a dash of eyeliner and mascara and a light blush for the occasion.

Maxima (pictured) visited Doornbos Equipment which specialise in rental and sales of high pressure pumps, vacuum units and accessories, having over 80 years experience within the industrial cleaning industry

The royal (seen centre, with staff members) paired her eye-catching, vibrant dress with a black belt, cinched at the waist to highlight her slender frame

Looking effortlessly stylish, the royal (pictured) added to the trendy look with silver court heels and a fashionable purple clutch bag

Sporting a natural makeup that complimented her healthy complexion, Maxima (pictured) opted for a dash of eyeliner and mascara and a light blush for the occasion

Her blond locks were perfectly styled in a natural blow-dry and tucked behind her ears so to bring the focus on her purple drop earrings.

Maxima has been very active in the initiative of the Dutch Committee for Entrepreneurship and often visits various businesses involved.

The royal's had a busy week and yesterday she was all smiles as she attended a school concert to mark the nation's Music Table Day.

The royal's (pictured) blond locks were perfectly styled in a natural blow-dry and tucked behind her ears so to bring the focus on her purple drop earrings

Maxima has been very active in the initiative of the Dutch Committee for Entrepreneurship and often visits various businesses involved (pictured)

The royal's (pictured) had a busy week and yesterday she was all smiles as she attended a school concert to mark the nation's Music Table Day

As a member of the Dutch Committee for Entrepreneurship, Queen Maxima visits Doornbos Equipment in Rotterdam, and speaks with staff

The occasion encourages regional representatives, municipalities and teachers to come together and discuss how to best promote music lessons at school.

Mother-of-three Maxima headed to the Theaterhangaar in Katwijk for the event organised by the Meer Muziek in de Klas (More Music in the Classroom) Foundation.

Dressed in a stylish floral silk dress in white and blue, the Dutch royal was treated to a concert by local pupils.
At a solemn meeting on Thursday, the Romanian Senate marked its 30th anniversary in its post-communist design, in the presence of some of its former chairs, including Nicolae Vacaroiu and Petre Roman.

Interim Senate Chairman Robert Cazanciuc, who opened the solemn sitting, said the Senate was and is a point of stability, a balancing factor in Romania."The three decades we celebrate today have passed as if in a moment (...) Even in this complicated context, the Senate has continued to assert its profile as a defender of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens. In its 30 years since the December 1989 Revolution, the Senate has managed to bring to our public space the naturalness of our parliamentary debate. (...) The Senate we celebrate today was and is a point of stability, a balancing factor in Romania, a guarantor of the country's constitution. Adding up to its lawmaking activity in the 30 years we celebrate today, was also parliamentary diplomacy, through which the Senate has constantly supported the interests of the Romanian state. Without a doubt you feel nostalgia; I am convinced that you have each of you has precious memories that you will relive today, memories that we must pass on, we must collect them and cherish them, because they are part of our identity," Cazanciuc said.He mentioned that democracy must be maintained constantly."The democracy we won 30 years ago is a living system that must be constantly kept up. Parliamentarism, debate for the best result must be the supreme energy of democracy. Democracy is a path we must follow carefully, always paying attention to the aspirations and hopes of those who send us to legislate," added Cazanciuc.Nicolae Vacaroiu, the chairman with the longest mandate as Senate chairman, said that in 30 years at least 20,000 were adopted, mentioning also the moment when the Senate relocated from the former Omnia Hall to Parliament Palace."I spent so many days and nights with my colleagues in Parliament, with the architects, to build this beautiful hall, what headaches, combinations of marble, chandeliers, chairs, comfortable armchairs, in other words creating the conditions for senators to meet the obligations on them under the constitution," said Vacaroiu.He noted, however, that "there have been a number of changes over the course of 30 years, some of which have not been very successful," referencing amendments to the 2003 revision of the Constitution. "I never understood, although I did have serious discussions in 2003, how can you lay down in the Constitution the tacit approval of a law with the first notified chamber if 45 days or 60 days of being there have elapsed," said Vacaroiu.Mircea Geoana, currently NATO's deputy secretary general and former chairman of the Senate, sent a message to the solemn sitting, saying that the MPs play a key role in establishing the strategic direction of any country."Parliamentary diplomacy has an extremely important role in supporting foreign policy and security objectives. As former chairman of the Senate, minister of foreign affairs and current NATO deputy secretary general, I want to thank the Romanian lawmakers in the current legislature and the former legislatures from all parties for all their support. (...) I remember with great pleasure an important moment, King Mihai's speech to a joint plenary session in 2011 that the course of today's European Romania is based on the existence of Parliament. Our irreversible path to the EU and NATO would not have been possible without the action for freedom and democracy of the Romanian Legislature after 1989," Geoana said.MEP Vasile Blaga, a former chairman of the Senate in 2011-2012, also sent a message, mentioning that at 30 the Senate reached the age of full maturity."May the Romanian Senate live many more years! (...) On the 30th anniversary of operation after the [December 1989] Revolution, we can say that the Romanian Senate has reached the age of full maturity. It was 30 years in which the Senate started from learning democracy and went on to understand its essential role in the functioning of the state, to watch over the consolidation of democracy. (...) We must honour this institution that is not about us, but about serving the Romanian people and its fundamental interests," said Blaga.Calin Popescu-Triceanu said the Senate "has passed its youth.""We can say that the institution of the Senate has passed its youth in its second life and is entering maturity. I hope that by entering into the fourth decade of its existence it will also remove any question and any intention to question the existence of this institution. It is unfortunate that the Senate came to be used for propaganda purposes: that is the only way to read the attempt to dissolve the Senate at a referendum in 2009. (...) Today, the existence of the Senate is motivated not only by historical argument, but also by the need for the best possible representation of politics and regional communities," said Tariceanu, himself a former chairman of the Senate.The key to the success of the Senate is the ability to negotiate in order to really do things that are reflected in a better daily life of the citizens, Teodor Melescanu underlined in his turn."As a decision-making chamber on very important issues, such as foreign policy, ratification of treaties and others, the Senate obviously has an important role in our work as senators. Of course we are very impressed by the feelings we have, of the ideas we collect from those who voted for us and I would like to tell you very honestly that, from my point of view, we need to overcome feelings and illusions and focus on themes that really address the issues of the Romanian citizens. (...) There is a very simple golden rule of democracy: the majority rules, the opposition or the minority expresses itself. However, that does not mean that when you have a majority you can get over it," said Melescanu, a former chairman of the Senate.
Technavio has been monitoring the floor scrubber battery market and it is poised to grow by USD 139.80 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005719/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Floor Scrubber Battery Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire).

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Berkshire Hathaway Inc., C&D Technologies Inc., CDN Energy and Power Corp., Crown Battery Manufacturing Co., Discover Energy Corp., East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc., EnerSys, EverExceed Industrial Co. Ltd., Exide Industries Ltd., and Exide Technologies are some of the major market participants. Although the increasing adoption of Li-ion battery powered floor scrubbers will offer immense growth opportunities, the development of fuel cell solutions for floor scrubbers will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Floor Scrubber Battery Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Floor Scrubber Battery Market is segmented as below:

Type Lead-acid Batteries Li-ion Batteries

Geography North America Europe APAC MEA South America



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43493

Floor Scrubber Battery Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our floor scrubber battery market report covers the following areas:

Floor Scrubber Battery Market size

Floor Scrubber Battery Market trends

Floor Scrubber Battery Market industry analysis

This study identifies the increasing consumer spending on floor scrubbers as one of the prime reasons driving the floor scrubber battery market growth during the next few years.

Floor Scrubber Battery Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the floor scrubber battery market, including some of the vendors such as Berkshire Hathaway Inc., C&D Technologies Inc., CDN Energy and Power Corp., Crown Battery Manufacturing Co., Discover Energy Corp., East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc., EnerSys, EverExceed Industrial Co. Ltd., Exide Industries Ltd., and Exide Technologies. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Floor Scrubber Battery Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Floor Scrubber Battery Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist floor scrubber battery market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the floor scrubber battery market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the floor scrubber battery market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of floor scrubber battery market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type

Lead acid batteries Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Li-ion batteries Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Type

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Volume drivers Demand led growth

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

C&D Technologies Inc.

CDN Energy and Power Corp.

Crown Battery Manufacturing Co.

Discover Energy Corp.

East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc.

EnerSys

EverExceed Industrial Co. Ltd.

Exide Industries Ltd.

Exide Technologies

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005719/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 01:21:36|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airline Israir announced on Thursday that it will operate direct passenger flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Israir is the first airline to announce a regular direct route between Israel and the UAE which agreed to fully normalize their relations in mid-August.

According to the company, flights from Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's international airport outside Tel Aviv, to Abu Dhabi International Airport will take about three and a half hours, with ticket prices starting from 299 U.S. dollars.

Israir said it will also offer a package of flights and hotel stays in the UAE's capital city.

The direct flights became possible after Saudi Arabia agreed last week to allow Israeli planes to fly over its territory.

Because of low COVID-19 morbidity in the UAE, passengers returning to Israel will not be required to take a 14-day quarantine.

A week ago, Israel's leading airline El Al announced it would operate weekly indirect cargo flights to UAE's city of Dubai via the Belgian city of Liege. Enditem
Washington, Sep 10 : A senior US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that he was pressured to downplay the threat of Russian election interference as it "made the President look bad", it was reported.

In a whistleblower reprisal complaint, the official, Brian Murphy said he was demoted for refusing to alter reports and that the directives were illegal, the BBC reported late Wednesday.

Filed on Tuesday, it was released on Wednesday by the Democrat-led House Intelligence Committee, which has asked Murphy to testify to Congress later this month.

The complaint features a number of allegations against former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, current Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and his deputy Ken Cuccinelli.

Murphy has alleged that between March 2018 and August 2020, there was a "repeated pattern of abuse of authority, attempted censorship of intelligence analysis and improper administration of an intelligence program related to Russian efforts to influence and undermine US interests".

In May, the official claimed that he was instructed by Wolf to "cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference... and instead start reporting on interference activities by China and Iran".

These instructions came directly from White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, according to the complaint.

The complaint also alleges that Nielsen knowingly provided "false material information" about known or suspected terrorists apprehended at the border during testimony before two House committees, in December 2018 and March 2019, the BBC reported.

It also detailed a clash with Cuccinelli over a report in May into the threat posed by white supremacist groups, claiming that he ordered changes "in a manner that made the threat appear less severe".

But the White House and DHS denied the claims.

On Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Matthews said the allegations were "false and defamatory", while DHS spokesperson Alexei Woltornist said the Department "denies that there is any truth to the merits of Murphy's claim".
AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) (the "Company"), a leading provider of high-quality single-family homes for rent, announced today that members of the Company's management team will participate in a roundtable discussion during the BofA Securities 2020 Global Real Estate Virtual Conference (the "Conference") taking place September 15-16, 2020.

The Company's roundtable discussion will begin at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. A live audio webcast will be available on the Company's website at www.americanhomes4rent.com under the "For Investors" tab. A replay of the webcast will be available through September 30, 2020.

About American Homes 4 Rent

American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is a nationally recognized brand for rental homes, known for high-quality, good value and tenant satisfaction. We are an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust, or REIT, focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. As of June 30, 2020, we owned 53,000 single-family properties in selected submarkets in 22 states.

Additional information about American Homes 4 Rent is available on our website at http://www.americanhomes4rent.com.

Investor Relations Contact:

Anne McGuinness

Phone: (855) 794-2447

Email: [email protected]

Media Relations Contact:

Megan Grabos

Phone: (805) 413-5088

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE American Homes 4 Rent

Related Links

https://www.americanhomes4rent.com


A brief and informal guide to the Inheritance Tax in Italy.

Inheritance tax rates and specificities differ from country to country, so heres a brief and informal guide to the Italian Inheritance Tax as it compares with other countries.

What is taxed

There are only a handful of goods or possessions that are deemed taxable, in the succession process. Houses, apartments and land, financial affairs such as trust funds, bank accounts, savings and bonds, as well as jewels and furniture are considered taxable under Italian inheritance laws.

How the Italian inheritance tax works

Italy has a very low inheritance tax rate compared to most countries. While Japan tops the chart at a rate of 55%, and the U.S. and U.K. a slightly lower 40%, Italy only requires 4% of inherited assets for recipients in the first degree of relation. There are fifteen countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) who levy no taxes on estates, and thirteen countries or jurisdictions have repealed their estate or inheritance taxes since 2000 (Tax Foundation).

Also read:

In Italy, assets are only taxable when they exceed a certain monetary value, and the tax applies to assets both in Italy and elsewhere if the deceased was residing in the country. In the case of non-residency, inherited property in Italy is still taxable.

Taxation rates increase as the relation to the deceased is further removed. For surviving spouses, children and parents taxations is 4% on assets over 1,000,000 in value. This is a lofty threshold, but this criterion may be a relief to a single parent supporting children after the death of their spouse.

Siblings of the deceased are required to pay 6% of assets over 100,000 and is determined individually based on the inheritance of each sibling.

Also read:

Cousins, nieces, brother-in-laws, and grand-nephews, are just some examples of relatives that comply with the category of other relatives. These beneficiaries must be related to the deceased up to the fourth degree by marriage or blood and must pay 6% without an allowance like closer linked relatives.

The last bracket fits other recipients who are not related or hold the most distant relation to the deceased  they pay 8% of assets without any allowance. In this category there is an exception: if one or more unrelated beneficiaries is a disabled child, their inheritance is tax free up to 1,500,000.

There are two more taxes that are added to the grand total, and those are mortgage (2%) and cadastral (1%). These regard real estate value and apply to all heirs.

Many lawyers would advise benefactors to create a detailed list declaring all assets and where they will be allocated after death. This prevents the Italian Revenue Office from presumptively taxing all beneficiaries across categories 10% of assets inherited.

Also read:

This presumption is made in the absence of a complete list of assets in order to account for undeclared jewelry or household furniture that may be of value. To avoid this, it is advisable that benefactors compose a very specific ledger where they can keep track of their possessions  this may even make allocating certain items and heirlooms a bit easier once everything is written down.

Lets make an example:

If you are the spouse of the deceased and you inherit 1,200,000, you are only required to pay taxes on 200,000 of your share, since there is a 1,000,000 allowance for spouses, parents and children. Of the taxable sum, 8,000 would cover the 4% inheritance tax, 4,000 would need to be paid as mortgage tax (2%), and 2,000 would be needed for the cadastral tax (1%), bringing the total to 14,000 in succession taxes. It is important to remember that without the comprehensive list of assets you would need to pay 20,000 under the 10% presumption.

Also read:

Legal assistance

There are many other aspects to the succession process that may require legal assistance, especially if you do not speak Italian. Grieving is a difficult process and dividing property and wealth might be the last thing on a familys to-do list in the event of a death.

There are numerous resources from legal groups as well as English speaking Italian lawyers, who are familiar with the Italian system and can assist in the stressful and uncomfortable situations regarding inheritance and even will construction.

Whether you inherit the villa your family used to vacation at, or you receive a fortune from a distant and mysterious relative, understanding the rules and expectations for Italian inheritance can make the process just a bit easier.
Editors note: This review was originally published at the 2020 Venice Film Festival. Kino Lorber releases the film in select theaters on Friday, September 17.

After leveraging his success in J-horror into a string of grounded social dramas that culminated with the 2008 masterpiece Tokyo Sonata, Japanese auteur Kurosawa Kiyoshi seemed to hit the ceiling of his talent or grow bored of himself. Possibly both. The years that followed told the story of a restless artist who was desperate for something  anything  that might live up to the prescient chill of Pulse, or the disquieting uncertainty of Bright Future.

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Kurosawas search led him down an increasingly esoteric path that saw him zig-zag from a pair of lifeless ghost dramas (Journey to the Shore and the French-language Daguerreotype), to an interminable alien invasion throwback (Before We Vanish), a toothless return-to-form (the psychological thriller Creepy), and even the godforsaken wilds of television (Penance, which is somehow one of the only recent Kurosawa projects that doesnt feel like its five hours long). By the time last years odd and comparatively entrancing To the Ends of the Earth found the director trawling for purpose in the arid sands of Uzbekistan, it seemed like he might never find his way back home.

In that light, his Wife of a Spy has to be seen as an extremely pleasant surprise. While (its Kurosawas first period piece), its also just a well-done slab of red meat from someone who hasnt served up a satisfying meal in so long that it seemed as if he mightve forgotten how. Theres never a bad time for a self-possessed marriage story about love, loyalty, and unspeakable war crimes, but Kurosawa shoots this one with the kind of cool-headed resolve that his characters find hard to come by. And while Wife of a Spy isnt quite robust enough to auger a full-blown resurgence, the films best moments shimmer with the anxiety and nebulousness that Kurosawa harnessed so well in the years before it began to seem as if they were harnessing him.

Story continues

But its going to take some patience to see it. Despite an opening shot that seems ripped out of a Spy vs. Spy cartoon and some movie-within-a-movie business that promises a more stylish affair than the one we ultimately get, Wife of a Spy is slow to find its groove. The action begins in Kobe circa 1940, where a wealthy merchant with a good head on his shoulders holds a finger up to the wind and feels a war coming towards his country. His name is Fukuhara Yusaku (stoic TV star Takahashi Issey), and his closest American business partner has been arrested for leaking military secrets. True or not, Yusaku recognizes nationalisms tightening grip, and his first response isnt to pick a side between the Allies and the Axis powers, but rather to go on a shopping spree around Asia while its still safe to do so.

Wife of a Spy

Hes more practical than partisan  the solid, dependable sort of man who should make for a good husband. But his marriage to the smiley and seemingly pliant Satoko (They Say Nothing Stays the Same actress Aoi Yu) is stiff and untested; pleasant, yet porous enough for secrets to seep into the blank space between them. And when Yusaku sends word that he and his nephew Fumio (Bando Ryoto) are going to be away on business in Manchuria for two weeks longer than anticipated, its surprising to see how fast Satokos thoughts flare into suspicions.

Then again, maybe theres good reason for that; rumor has it that Yusaku has returned to Japan shaken and with another woman in tow. Hes also brought home some suspicions of his own, as he doesnt take kindly to the news that Satoko has been visited by her childhood friend Taiji (Asako I+II actor Higashide Masahiro), a handsome military up-and-comer whose nostalgia is almost as strong as his nationalism. When someone winds up dead and Taiji begins to suspect that Yusaku had something to do with her murder  that his Manchurian getaway may have been a cover to collect intel for an enemy country  Satokos begins to wonder if she and her husband have ever been honest with each other.

Is Yusaku faithful? It depends as to whom. Is he a spy? Well, its not quite as cut and dry as the films title might suggest. Is the tension between him and his wife certain to bubble over into betrayal? All signs initially point to yes, but soon become as shadowy as Satokos Lynchian nightmares, and no more real than the Mizoguchi drama Satoko lies about seeing one afternoon. As bad as it might be if Yusaku were keeping a historic secret from Satoko, it could be even worse if he didnt trust her enough to share it. A spy has a choice to make, but the wife of a spy has only a cross to bear.

Shooting in ultra-sharp 8K HD, Kurosawa renders the past in a severe hyper-reality that starkly contrasts against the sumptuousness weve come to expect from movies like this. Noirish silhouettes stalk these characters as they lob accusations at each other across the films small array of interior sets, but the flat and decidedly unromantic lighting keeps things sterile in a way that should frustrate anyone looking for clues on either side of the screen. Yusaku and Satoko have seen (and made) enough movies to think that close-ups and crescendos will help them divine between heroes and villains, but Kurosawa is less interested in raw suspense than he is the sinking feeling that history only reveals itself in hindsight. Even in a heightened situation like this  one involving bio weapons, smuggled reels of surveillance footage, and forged letters of transport  the truth isnt always dramatic enough to see clearly. Until it is.

While Wife of a Spy eventually narrows into a more conventional groove that doesnt benefit as much from Kurosawas restrained approach, the unformed middle portions of this movie are allowed to sink into the same kind of lucid interiority that co-writers Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Nohara Tadashi brought to their monumental drama Happy Hour. Satoko might not seem to have much agency of her own at first, but this film belongs to her, and it turns on the strength of her convictions.

The process by which she makes up her mind and decides which of the men in her life to trust is striking for its radical straightforwardness, and Aois steely performance allows for a heroine who can drop one mask and seamlessly slip on another without ever being at risk of forgetting who she is underneath. When Satoko is shown the truth, she holds on to it with a grip that no one should underestimate. Kurosawa occasionally struggles to balance genre thrills with the films more internalized central conflict, but a haunting coda helps thread that needle and sew this thoughtful war story to a close that makes good on its massive stakes. Return to form or not, it sure is nice to see a Kurosawa movie that feels like hes holding on to something, and not scrambling to figure out where it went.

Grade: B-

Wife of a Spy premiered in Competition at the 2020 Venice International Film Festival.

As new movies open in theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic, IndieWire will continue to review them whenever possible. We encourage readers to follow the safety precautions provided by CDC and health authorities. Additionally, our coverage will provide alternative viewing options whenever they are available.

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Ms Xamon said there were tens of thousands of West Australians desperate to get back home. "Many are being denied entry for, frankly, absolutely spurious reasons," she said. "Other people are being granted entry for absolutely unknown reasons. Sometimes it is because they are high-profile donors, and there has been quite a lot of publicity about that; or because they happen to know the right people. Some decisions are being reversed, but only once the media gets involved. "The way these decisions are being made is absolutely arbitrary. I do not have any confidence in how these decisions are being made."

But Police Minister Michelle Roberts rejected the criticism. She said the government was attempting to balance the need to close the borders according to health advice and managing the return of West Australians for legitimate reasons. "I am incredibly empathetic to the circumstances that I have heard outlined in various cases today," she said. "I cannot imagine what it would be like to not be able to see a loved one  a mum, a dad, a sister, a brother or a child  because of COVID restrictions. "I know that it has been really difficult for people and that they have faced a burden because of it. "We have taken those precautions for the benefit of the whole community, because we do not want to deal with the consequences of COVID getting out of control. We do not want to have a situation such as the one that has evolved in Victoria, which is not as bad as it is in many other places around the world."

West Australians on the wrong side of the hard border The debates followed a report by WAtoday about West Australians outside the state who have been denied permission to come home. In response to the report, dozens of people wrote first-hand accounts of their diffculties obtaining exemptions to cross the border. I was a proud West Australian ... We don't feel much like Western Australians at the moment. A WA retiree stuck in the eastern states There was also angry criticism of the government.

"I was a proud West Australian," one woman, who along with her husband has been denied permission to return home, wrote. "We worked hard in the public service and retired and decided to travel before we got too old. We are self-funded retirees who dont get any government assistance. "We don't feel much like Western Australians at the moment." One woman had returned to Queensland while her husband kept his job in WA. She was 36 weeks pregnant and needed family support for her pregnancy while he worked. If the husband flew to Queensland for the birth, he might not get permission to return to WA for work and lose his job. But if he didn't, he "misses the birth of his son and seeing his children for God knows how long until we can get home too".

"No matter what we do our family is severely put out and we are just trying to do the right thing, but they will not listen or help," the woman said. Loading Another woman said it was "very tough seeing the emotive and political rhetoric from the Premier on the hard border". "My husband and I are from WA and have been living in Sydney for the last few years for work," she said. "We both have secured job transfers over to WA and are expecting our first baby in November. We have been trying to come back home for family support for months. Each time my husband and I have applied to enter WA we were rejected for different and inconsistent reasons with each application, despite our applications being virtually identical." A GP wrote: "Several of my patients are dying and the hard border is making it very difficult for them to see their kids. Some will die before their kids can come. It's cruel."
Los Angeles, Sep 10 : Hollywood star Tom Hanks is ready to resume work on September 23. He will be back to shoot for the untitled Elvis Presley film in Australia. Hanks was in that country filming the project earlier this year when he contracted Covid-19 in March.

Shooting for the Baz Luhrmann directorial will restart on September 23 after six months of the production shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been confirmed.

"We're back to, as Elvis liked to say, 'taking care of business!' It is a real privilege in this unprecedented global moment that Tom Hanks has been able to return to Australia to join Austin Butler and all of our extraordinary cast and crew to commence production on 'Elvis'," Luhrmann said.

"I cannot emphasise enough how lucky we feel in the current climate that the state of Queensland, and Queenslanders in general, have been so supportive of this film... We are all excited to start working with Tom Hanks when he is out of quarantine in two weeks," he added.

The film was in advanced stages of pre-production in March when Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the coronavirus.

The musical drama is about the life and music of Elvis Presley, seen through the lens of his complicated relationship with his manager, Tom Parker. The Warner Bros film stars Austin Butler as Elvis, Tom Hanks as Parker and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley.

The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley's rise to fame to his stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape of the US. Luhrmann is directing the film from the screenplay written by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce.

The film will resume shooting in Queensland, Australia.

Luhrmann also thanked their "partners in the Queensland Government and Queensland Health for their extremely diligent process".

"So that we can be an example how creativity and productivity can proceed safely and responsibly in a way that protects our team and the community at large," said the director.
Quebec to ban karaoke after more than 80 COVID-19 cases traced back to single night

Quebec will soon ban karaoke across the province after one karaoke event in a Quebec City bar was linked to more than 80 cases of COVID-19.

Radio-Canada has confirmed that the Quebec government is preparing to announce the banning of karaoke in the province's bars.

This came after Renaud Poulin, president of an association representing Quebec's bar owners, said he was informed of the decision in a meeting with public health officials earlier Thursday.

Jean-Jacques Beauchamp, CEO of the Corporation des proprietaires de bars, brasseries et tavernes du Quebec, told CBC News in an interview the association is extremely disappointed.

"Why only us? What's the problem with karaoke?" Beauchamp said.

"This is another blow to our industry. No karaoke. No dancing. Fifty per cent capacity. Reduction of opening hours. It means what? Less clients and less revenue," Beauchamp said.

WATCH | Here's how Quebec's new colour-coded alert system works:

Karaoke is extremely popular in Quebec bars, and Beauchamp said between 500 and 600 bars across the province would be affected.

But the practice came under close scrutiny after an outbreak stemming from a karaoke night at Bar Kirouac in Quebec City last month resulted in dozens of cases. The region now has the second-highest number of daily cases in Quebec, after Montreal.

Beauchamp said most bar owners have been taking precautions to protect clients, such as installing plexiglass shields between singers and the audience and disinfecting microphones after each performance.

He said the government is unfairly punishing an entire industry because a handful of bars didn't follow the rules.

He said bar owners are left with many questions.

"How long will this last? Where's the compensation? Are we still going to pay the same amount for the permits?" Beauchamp said.

Premier Francois Legault announced Thursday that the province is also stepping up enforcement of mask rules, with fines issued for those who refuse to comply.
Exploration has been in OPPO's DNA since its inception when it embarked on a journey to explore and pioneer extraordinary technology. The Find series signifies the spirit of exploration and with the unique Find More campaign, OPPO aimed to inspire and empower people, with explorer stories to tell, to find their own X factor and take a step further to push to their full potential.

Ivan Wu, UAE Country Manager for OPPO, commented, "Conveying the spirit to explore more possibilities, our latest Find More campaign saluted these explorers who have pushed themselves to achieve new heights in their respective fields. We also wanted to inspire the UAE to go forward and explore more so we are thrilled with the number of people we were able to reach. OPPO is a youthful brand, for the youth, and we are committed to supporting our future explorers across the region."

Each of the explorers were selected for the unique way they explored in their everyday lives For renowned photographer Jumana Jolie, OPPO enables her to constantly see fresh perspectives and capture anything new that inspires her along the way, whatever location she was in. Emirati Film Director Nayla Al Khaja believes exploration is inescapable  exploring stories, characters and details and the endless possibilities of what she might discover drives her forward. She described the OPPO as "helping me see between the lights and shadows  it is my second pair of eyes where I go."

Commenting on the campaign, content creator EMKWAN had this to say, "I have a constant need to chase what's next and what's new  something which I see in what OPPO brings to the region, so I was honored to partner with them on this campaign. I have always used technology to explore and push the boundaries of what is possible and OPPO allows me to discover more every day."

For more details, please visit @oppoarabia

For more details, please contact



Lucy Aziz

Regional PR Manager

OPPO

Email: [email protected]

About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global technology brand, dedicated to providing products infused with art and innovative technology. Based on the brand elements of leading, young and beautiful, OPPO dedicates to the mission of letting the extraordinary users enjoy the beauty of technology.

For the last 10 years, OPPO has been focusing on manufacturing camera phones, while innovating mobile photography technology breakthroughs. OPPO launched the first mobile phone, the Smile Phone, in 2008, which marks the beginning of a journey to explore and pioneer extraordinary technology. Today, OPPO brings the aesthetics of technology of global consumers through smart devices, ColorOS, and Internet service like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+.

In 2017, OPPO was ranked as the number 4 smartphone brand globally, according to IDC. Today OPPO's business covers 40 countries and regions, and has 6 research institutes and 4 R&D centres around the world, as well as an International Design Center in London, providing excellent smartphone photography experience to more and more young people around the world.

About OPPO MEA

In 2015, OPPO entered the Egyptian market. In 2016, OPPO set up its Middle East & Africa Sales Center in Cairo. The markets OPPO has entered in the Middle East and Africa include: Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Kenya, Nigeria, and the Levant.

OPPO set up its factory in Algeria in 2017, which made OPPO the first Chinese brand setting up factory in North Africa. Based on the insights of local consumers in each country, OPPO MEA has started the progress of localization. And the localization includes all the perspectives towards each market  product localization, to further meet the core needs of users; marketing localization, to better communicate with local young customers; and team localization, to know our local consumers further and provide better service to the consumers.

Within the last year, OPPO has started to adjust its product line in the Middle East region specifically. This has included the launch of its flagship OPPO Find X smartphone and the introduction of the OPPO Reno Series. OPPO will continue to evolve its local product line to offer more premium series to consumers in the region.

SOURCE OPPO
After the successes at the D17/20 - Design in Southeast Asia exhibition held in Bangkok, Thailand in February, the lacquer works of Ha Thai village by Hanoia and three young French designers are attracting the world's attention again at Paris Design Week, taking place from September 3-12, 2020.

Paris Design Week 2020 features the participation of more than 250 famous interior designers from around the world, displaying unique art products used in life and ideas on renovation and interior decoration.

In particular, "D17 / 20 Design in Southeast Asia" project was featured in the event. The project has connected 43 designers from France, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam in 18 local craft workshops, with more than 100 products on display. The project was initiated by the French Embassy in Thailand in 2017. It aims to preserve and develop traditional crafts in Southeast Asia through creating opportunities for young designers to meet and work with local artisans.

Of which, Vietnamese representatives have three works that have been highly lauded in terms of design style and use value, including a vase Sepale by Guillaume Delvigne, a lamp by Pierre Charie and a mirror set by Marie-Aurore. The designers used different lacquer and material skills to create unique and attractive features in each product.

The successful works were created by Hanoias artisans and talented designers Pierre Charie, Marie-Aurore and Guillaume Delvigne at Hanoias workshop in Ha Thai Village and a rattan and bamboo workshop in Ninh So Village over just two weeks.

Their collaboration was supported by the Embassy of France and the French Institute in Vietnam.

Representatives of Hanoia have expressed their hope that Paris Design Week 2020 would bring them in a new direction in terms of the development of their products, along with contributing to the promotion of Vietnamese traditional handicrafts to the world.
Bank Hapoalim, Israels largest bank, is expecting to sign several deals with UAEs lenders in a significant signal of cooperation between Israel and the Gulf country following their August agreements, Time of Israel reports.

Dov Kotler, CEO of the Hapoalim, told the Associated Press that financial agreements would follow the signing of the pact at a White House ceremony on September 15. US President Donald Trump will host next week, the official signing of the agreement at the White House.

The spectrum is huge, Kotler said, involving investment in both countries stock exchanges and joint ventures in financial technology. Wed like to have the [Emiratis] visiting us and doing mortgages in Israel, too.

Kotler traveled to the Gulf country this week with an Israeli business delegation. Three of UAE largest banks, no named, according to Kotler are expected to partner with Bank Hapoalim.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2020) -Northway Resources Corp. (TSXV: NTW) (the "Company") is pleased to report results of the geochemical and geophysical surveys carried out over the Healy Project this summer in Alaska, USA. The work included the collection of 1,820 soil samples, 136 line kilometers of ground EM (VLF) and magnetics as well as an 252 line kilometers airborne magnetic survey.

The results of the 50m x 50m spaced soil survey clearly define multiple robust gold in soil anomalies within three broader target areas (Thor, Bronk, Spike). The high-resolution EM and magnetic data, collected over the same survey areas, clearly delineate both low-angle thrust faults and later high angle shear zones. These structural features are clearly associated with gold anomalism in the soils and present excellent targets for future exploration. A follow-up induced polarization (IP) geophysical survey will be carried out over selected targets in early September to provide critical sub-surface data for drill targeting.





Figure 1. Gold in soils (left) VLF-EM and structural geology (right)



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/63523_e32de89914ec99d5_001full.jpg

Zach Flood, President and CEO of Northway Resources states: "The results from the infill soil sampling program and geophysical surveys have produced very compelling exploration targets. The primary soil anomalies are extremely robust and clearly associated with both low angle and high angle structures previously mapped and now supported by the VLF data. The upcoming IP survey over Thor, Bronk, and Spike target areas will provide the final dataset needed for drill targeting."

About the Healy Project

The Healy Project was first identified and staked by Newmont Corporation ("Newmont") in 2012, following a two-year regional stream sediment sampling program in eastern Alaska. Follow-up prospecting, mapping and systematic soil sampling defined numerous, kilometer-scale gold, arsenic and antimony in soil anomalies. Healy is located along a major northeast trending fault system, as well as the prospective regional contact between metasedimentary rocks and cretaceous intrusive rocks, similar to the neighbouring Pogo and Tibbs areas. The property scale structural geology is defined by numerous low-angle thrust faults cut by steeply dipping northeast trending faults. Gold anomalism seems to be spatially associated with both steeply dipping faults and low angle thrust faults. No recorded exploration work had been done on the Healy property prior to Newmont in 2012 and 2013. The recent 2019 track mounted RC drill program (see press release dated October 21, 2019) completed by Northway was the first ever drill test of this newly identified gold system in the Goodpaster Mining District of Alaska, host of the world class Pogo gold deposit (10+ million ounces of gold endowment).





Figure 2. Location Map of Healy



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/63523_northway2enhanced.jpg

QA / QC and Sampling Protocols

At each sample site approximately 500 grams of soil was collected from B and C soil horizons placed in a bag and sealed. All samples were transported to ALS labs in Fairbanks for entry and sample prep.

Soil samples were prepared at ALS labs in Fairbanks and ALS labs in Tucson, where they were dried at 60C, and sieved to -180 micron (Prep 41). The fine fraction was sent for analysis by fire assay (Au-ICP21) at ALS Labs in Vancouver; a 30g subsample was fused into a lead bead and gold values were determined by Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (Au-ICP21).

Qualified Person

Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo. (OGQ #2200), geologist, Vice President, Exploration of Kenorland Minerals Ltd., Qualified Person under NI 43- 101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

About Northway Resources Corp.

Northway Resources is a Canadian gold exploration company focused in Alaska, USA. The Company is actively exploring the Healy Project, as well as its 100% owned Napoleon Project.

The Healy Project was optioned from Newmont in 2018. Northway has the right to earn up to 70% in the Healy Project by spending a total of USD$4m by Dec 31, 2022.

The Healy Project covers 18,470 ha within Alaska's Goodpaster Mining District. The Goodpaster District is host to the world-class Pogo gold mine, currently operated by Northern Star Mining.

The 100% owned Napoleon Project covers 6065 ha within the historical 40-mile Mining District. An estimated 500,000 ounces of placer gold has been produced from the district.

As announced on July 29, 2020, the Company has entered into a letter of intent with Kenorland Minerals Ltd. to acquire all of its issued and outstanding securities by way of share exchange, amalgamation of such other form of business combination as the parties may determine.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" including, for example, statements relating to the completion of the Transaction and Private Placement and the Resulting Issuer's anticipated share capital. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown. The results or events depicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified herein, assumptions have been made regarding and are implicit in, among other things: receipt of regulatory approvals, the Company's ability to complete the Transaction and Private Placement, the state of the capital markets, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability of the Resulting Issuer to successfully manage the risks inherent in pursuing business opportunities in the mining industry, and the ability of the Resulting Issuer to obtain qualified staff, equipment and services in a timely and cost efficient manner to develop its business. Any forward-looking statement reflects information available to the Company as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

For more information visit our website www.northwayresources.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Zachary Flood

President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (604) 363-1779

All information contained in this news release relating to Kenorland was provided by Kenorland to the Company for inclusion herein. The Company has not independently verified such information and shall bear no liability for any misrepresentation contained therein.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSX-V acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSX-V requirements, disinterested 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 the Company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX-V has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63523
Aurangabad:

A CISF personnel allegedly opened fire at his colleagues, killing four of them at the Navinagar Power Generating Company premises in Bihar's Aurangabad district.

Superintendent of police Satyaprakash said the CISF personnel Balbir was apparently angry over leave issues and fired at his colleagues from his service rifle, killing two of them on the spot at the company campus.

Two others injured by him in the incident were declared brought dead by doctors of Narayan Medical College and Hospital in neighbouring Rohtas district where they were rushed, the SP said.

The incident was reported at about 12:30am on Thursday.

The accused CISF personnel, who hails from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested, Satyaprakash said, adding senior police officials have rushed to the spot to probe the incident.

The four CISF personnel who were killed have been identified as Bachcha Sharma, N Mishra, Arvind Kumar and GS Ram, he said.

Officials said, "Preliminary information states that Balveer opened fire on his colleagues, using a service rifle, in an alleged fratricide incident".

Balveer allegedly used his INSAS rifle to shoot his colleagues who had assembled to leave for the shift change and after the first hit, he was overpowered by others present around.

It is understood that Balveer had come back after a two-month yoga course and had some issues related to leave, they said. The CISF has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the incident.

CISF has been deployed for security at the under-construction thermal power project, a joint venture of NTPC and Bihar government.

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Australia's top fashion bloggers are creating effortlessly stylish looks with a corduroy shirt from Kmart that's currently reduced to just $9.

Available in beige and a rich burgundy, the long-sleeved button-up top is winning praise on Instagram for its comfort, versatility and remarkable affordability.

There are only limited sizes of shade 'Peanut' left in stock online, but 'Shiraz'  named after the popular red wine  is still in available in six, eight, 12 and 14.

On Instagram, Melbourne stylist Maria, who posts as The Budget Savvy Girl, said she loves the 'edginess' the ribbed texture adds to an outfit.

Scroll down for video

Canberra fashion blogger 'This is Genevieve' wears the long-sleeved corduroy shirt from Kmart in shade 'Peanut', currently reduced to $9

Perth fashion blogger Louisa Sabrina agreed and said she is looking forward to summer when she plans to wear it over a crop top and linen shorts.

One follower replied: 'It's such a gorgeous shirt babe. I saw this before the lockdown, now I wish I picked it up. You look fab in it!'

Others said she had inspired them to buy the shirt, which has also been endorsed by up-and-coming influencer 'This is Genevieve'.

The Canberra fashionista - who is known for creating chic outfits from cheap clothing - paired the shirt with a pair of $20 Kmart jeans which have been flying off shelves in recent weeks.

Melbourne stylist Maria, who posts as The Budget Savvy Girl (left) and Sydney blogger Angel Perez (right) wear two looks built around the $9 corduroy shirt

Women have compared the bargain denim to an iconic style of Levi's jeans that retail for $191  more than nine times the price.

The 'Super High-Rise Straight' trousers sit right on the waistline and hang neatly over the legs without accentuating 'problem' areas like the upper thighs.

Australian influencers have been raving about the quality and affordability on Instagram, with Sydney blogger 'Luxe and Lemonade' sparking a rush on the jeans with a recent outfit post.

'Did I need these $20 straight leg, super high-rise jeans from Kmart? No. Did I want them? 1,000 times yes,' she wrote in the caption.

Canberra blogger 'This is Genevieve' wears the $20 Super High-Rise Straight Jeans from Kmart

Brisbane blogger Jasmine Hunt (pictured) said she was 'pretty much obsessed' with the style and fit of the affordable denim

One follower replied: 'After this post, I rushed down to Kmart to purchase - you definitely convinced me!'

Plus-size style blogger Sarah-Elyss said the jeans are 'very similar' to her favourite pair from Next, which are likely to be the remarkably similar Levi's high-rise straight jeans that retail for $191.

Brisbane blogger Jasmine Hunt said she was 'pretty much obsessed' with the fit, while Canberra influencer 'This is Genevieve' has been showcasing the versatility by styling the jeans with cropped jumpers, heeled boots, blazers and belts on her feed.

One woman said: 'My favourite jeans right now! I feel sorry for my other jeans!'
On a Tuesday morning in September 2001, the American experience with terrorism was fundamentally altered. Two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six people were killed as the direct result of attacks in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Thousands more, including many first responders, later lost their lives to health complications from working at or being near Ground Zero.

Nineteen years later, Americans ideas of what terrorism is remain tied to that morning.

The 9/11 attacks were perpetrated by al-Qaida terrorists. They resulted in nearly 18 times more deaths than Americas second most devastating terrorist attack  the Oklahoma City bombing that occurred 15 years earlier. That intense loss of life has meant that the 9/11 attacks have come to symbolize terrorism for many Americans.

But focusing solely on Islamist extremism groups like al-Qaida when investigating, researching and developing counterterrorism policies does not necessarily align with what the numbers tell us. Homegrown far-right extremism also poses a persistent and lethal threat to the lives and well-being of Americans. This risk is often underestimated because of the devastating impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

By the numbers

Historically, the United States has been home to adherents of many types of extremist ideologies. Our 15 years of research shows the two current most prominent threats are motivated by Islamist extremism and far-right extremism.

To help assess these threats, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice have in the past funded our work with the Extremist Crime Database, collecting data on crimes committed by ideologically motivated extremists in the U.S. Our analyses of that data are published in peer-viewed journals and on the website for the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism & Responses to Terrorism.

The ECDB includes data on ideologically motivated homicides committed by both Islamist extremists and far-right extremists going back more than 25 years.

Story continues

Between 1990 and 2019, the ECDB identified 47 events in the U.S. motivated by Islamist extremism that killed 154 people. When you include 9/11 as a singular event, those numbers jump dramatically to 48 homicide events and 3,150 people killed.

The database also identified 217 homicide events motivated by far-right extremism, with 345 killed. And when you include the Oklahoma City bombing, it rises to 218 homicide events and 513 killed.

The locations of violent extremist activity also differ by ideology. Our data show that between 1990 and 2019, most Islamist extremist attacks occurred in the American South (51%), and most far-right extremist attacks occurred in the West (36.7%). Both forms of violence were least likely to occur in the Midwest, with no incidents committed by Islamist extremists and 25 events committed by far-right extremists (11.5%).

Our research has also identified violent Islamist extremist plots against 333 targets that were either foiled or failed between 2001 and 2019. Many of the same Islamist extremists are responsible for plotting against multiple targets simultaneously. On average, 18 various sites in the United States are targeted every year, with civilians and military personnel ranking as the most likely to be targeted, and New York City and Washington D.C. ranking as the cities most likely to be targeted. The FBI was responsible for thwarting two-thirds of the Islamist extremist plots identified by the ECDB during this time frame.

We are still in the process of compiling similar data on far-right plots. Although data collection is only about 75% percent complete for failed and foiled extreme far-right plots, we have already identified over 800 violent far-right extremist targets between the same time period, making clear that the absolute numbers are much higher.

Motives and methods

There are also differences in demographics, motives and methods for different types of extremists. For instance, guns continue to be the weapon of choice in approximately 74.5% of Islamist extremist homicides and in only 54.6% of far-right extremist homicides. We attribute these differences to far-right extremists using forms of violence that include beating or stabbing victims to death.

We have also found that suicide missions are not unique to Islamist extremists.

From 1990 to 2019, we identified ten suicide missions in which at least one person was killed connected to Islamist extremism, including the 9/11 attacks as one event. In contrast, there were 16 suicide missions committed by far-right extremists.

Our analyses found that compared to Islamist extremists, far-right extremists were significantly more likely to be economically deprived, have served in the military and are more involved in the the extremist movement. Far-right extremists were also significantly more likely to be less educated, single, young and to have participated in training by a group associated with their extremist ideology.

Threat to law enforcement and military

Terrorists associated with Islamist extremism and far-right extremist ideologies do not only attack civilians. They also pose a deadly threat to law enforcement and military personnel. During the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 72 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel were killed by members of Al-Qaida. On April 19, 1995, 13 law enforcement officers and four military personnel were killed when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed by an anti-government far-right extremist in Oklahoma City.

Apart from these two events, Islamist extremists are responsible for the murders of 21 military personnel in four incidents, and eight law enforcement officers were killed in six incidents between 1990 and 2019. Far-right extremists have murdered 59 law enforcement officers in 48 incidents, but have never directly targeted military personnel.

Far-right extremists, who typically harbor anti-government sentiments, have a higher likelihood of escalating routine law enforcement contacts into fatal encounters. These homicides pose unique challenges to local law enforcement officers who are disproportionately targeted by the far right.

Moving forward

The events of 9/11 will continue to skew both our real and perceived risks of violent extremism in the United States. To focus solely on Islamist extremism is to ignore the number of murders perpetrated by the extreme far right and their place in a constantly changing threat environment. At the same time, to focus solely on far-right extremism is to ignore the extraordinary lethality of Islamist extremist attacks.

[Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.]

Some experts have even warned that there is potential for collaboration between these extremist movements. Our own survey research suggests this is a concern of law enforcement.

Focusing on national counterterrorism efforts against both Islamist extremism and far-right extremism acknowledges that there are differences between these two violent movements. Focusing solely on one, while ignoring the other, will increase the risk of domestic terrorism and future acts of violence.

Both ideologies continue to pose real threats to all Americans. Evidence shows far-right violent extremism poses a particular threat to law enforcement and racial, ethnic, religious and other minorities. Islamist violent extremism is a specific danger to military members, law enforcement, certain minorities, and society at large. It remains imperative to support policies, programs and research aimed at countering all forms of violent extremism.

This article is based on one that originally ran on Feb. 21, 2017.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.

Read more:



Jeff Gruenewald receives funding from the National Institute of Justice.

Joshua D. Freilich receives funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

Steven Chermak receives funding from the National Institute of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.

Brent Klein receives funding from the National Institute of Justice.

William Parkin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Democrats and their mainstream media consorts would have you watch Joe Biden talking to the press, on those rare occasions when he leaves his basement and favorite chair, and somehow think you're watching a fully functioning human being, ready and able to field that urgent 3:00 A.M. phone call, a man fit to be president of the United States.

To do that, one would have to doubt one's lying eyes. And ears. And brain.

The visuals are frightening and sad. Biden's frail and hunched over, and he "shuffles" more than he "walks." He has that frightened look in his eyes, something everyone who's watched a loved one fade unfortunately recognizes.

That elderly loved one is increasingly scared  too much information incoming, not enough circuitry left to quickly compute it. The world is changing on him, and not in a good way. And you, formerly beloved, are gradually becoming unrecognizable. Biden, at 77, has that look.

Then his wife, Dr. Jill, always nearby, touches him, gets his attention. As the world gets scarier to someone drifting away mentally, his spouse is often the only one who can calm him down. Watching Dr. Jill manipulate and prop up poor old Joe, touching him, guiding him, interceding for him, speaking in his stead, is truly heart-warming, a real love story.

Why, then, is she allowing him to humiliate himself in public in his obvious dotage? Does Dr. Jill herself want to be president? More important, how could any left-leaning voter watch Joe Biden now and not see a doddering, feeble, scared old man, anxiously looking around for his wife?

The media wing of the Democrat party would also have you doubt your heretofore excellent ears.

Joe Biden's a regular FDR, the usual suspects squee, and as president, he's ready to implement the New, New Deal. Only a matter of time before Joe patiently explains all of his policies and goals, guided, of course, by science!

Explain his goals? Heck, Joe can't make toast. The last time, he almost burned down the house.

Joe's not having any original thoughts in public, folks, or at least his handlers certainly don't want him to. He's reading everything off cue cards or teleprompters  and doing that badly.

Watching him lose his place and wander around linguistically, trying to construct a related thought or, frankly, any thought, and failing is ineffably sad. Read the transcripts of some of Biden's latest utterances, and you'll see just how tangled poor Joe's mental web is.

You'd never let the 2020 version of Uncle Joe babysit your kids, much less run the country  especially if you've seen some of the copious video available of Biden macking on children over the years.

Joe Biden, through no fault of his own, is having increasing difficulty merely reading talking points someone else wrote for him. Senility is a punishing condition. Avid readers eventually lose the ability to read, chatterboxes forget how to speak, and eventually, even the TV no longer makes sense.

Joe's obviously failing. Just listen to his increasingly hoarse and whispery voice. All Biden can do now is peddle badly read arglebargle, serve up artisanal word salads, toss around sentence fragments, and blurt cringe-worthy comments out of far, far left field. We've all suffered watching this happen to someone dear to us.

If you somehow observe and listen to Joe Biden yet still see our next president, please use your brain. No one wanted Biden.

Obama certainly didn't, nor the Clintons. The Bernie Bros sure as hell didn't.

Biden was getting absolutely smoked in the primaries  and on the debate stage  when all of a sudden, some guys (D-Swamp) in a smoke-filled room decided he'd be the nominee.

James Clyburn told South Carolinian blacks to vote as a bloc; they did. Mayor Pete, "Combs" Klobuchar, and that sourpuss Steyer all suddenly and suspiciously caved just before Super Tuesday. Fauxcahontas, (D-Cherokee cheekbones) skedaddled soon after, having siphoned off precious votes from Bernie.

Surely one of the best losers in modern presidential history, Crazy Bernie then quit early for the second election in a row, some choice participation trophy no doubt in hand. The fix was in; it could not have been more obvious.

Joe Biden was handed the nomination by...someone. We don't know whom  certainly not the voters.

To those who hate Trump so much that you'd vote for an increasingly senile albeit beloved statesman, let's agree that Joe's simply a puppet, an aging Pinocchio with hair plugs and porcelain teeth.

He's a talking head, reading pre-approved scripts to the American public and understanding little. Should his teleprompter glitch, Biden goes full deer-in-the-headlights. He doesn't have enough neural connectivity any more to ad lib. Sadly, Joe's only important decision as president would be graham crackers or PB&J before beddy-bye?

Tell us, then, Democrats and your grubby media courtesans: who are those men in that smoke-filled room who want poor Joe Biden to be the first puppet president? What are the names of these Beltway power brokers running the Democratic campaign and hoping to rule us from behind a curtain? And what are they smoking?

Image: Kelly Kline via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
A common storyline stretches across the three major telecom companies on the 2020 Top 100: How the COVID-19 pandemic has driven unprecedented numbers of workers to work from home.

I spoke with leading public sector market executives at AT&T, CenturyLink and Verizon to learn more about how those business units have contributed to the larger work of the corporations in running the networks and keeping people connected.

To hone in on CenturyLink also consider that they have been focused in the past two years on putting to work the added capacity and resources gained through the acquisition of Level 3 Communications at the end of 2017.

How has that gone so far? Several large wins under the General Services Administrations massive Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions vehicle for next-generation telco solutions and services across government, including a $1.6 billion ceiling win at the Interior Department secured late last year, bear witness to their strategy.

CenturyLink held steady at No. 29 on the 2020 Washington Technology Top 100 rankings with $1.1 billion in prime contracts. Its share of prime contracts climbed roughly 15 percent year-over-year.

I really think thats the outcome of CenturyLink acquiring the Level 3 assets and organization, said CenturyLinks Dave Young, senior vice president for public sector and now also global hyperscale cloud. The marketplace has rewarded us for what that asset looks like now.

Both the public sector shops access to the resources of and contribution to a global company is not lost on Young. Neither is the reverse angle in how the larger corporation sees what goes on in the nearly 1,000-employee public sector shop.

Were part of a Fortune 500 company that is critical to the economy. Whether its commercial or public sector, were one of the few companies are really enabling commerce to take place across these fiber networks, Young told me.

Within CenturyLink itself, the public sector teams approach is watched by the rest of the company that operates in the consumer and commercial enterprise sectors.

Two examples Young pointed out were that the public sector groups model for taking products to market is being applied across CenturyLink, plus that the companys board of directors also has a subcommittee devoted to public sector.

Our company also has an extreme acumen on the reality that we have a different mission to serve, Young said.

With those previously-mentioned EIS wins in tow, more task orders are the subject of pursuit and capture with team members working remotely and slightly differently to support that push.

As with all organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed the rhythm of how CenturyLinks teams operate even if the jobs themselves remain the same.

Our corporation has set us up with todays technology and were using it, whether thats sharing documents, video calls, virtual capture rooms, weve figured out how to run our business using these tools in order to respond, Young said.

But figuring out how to run the business with those tools and keep the work going meant there was some trial-and-error at first.

Youve got to learn different skills when you use some of the tools, because in a conference room there can be multiple conversations going on. That doesnt really work on a video conference, and so weve had to learn how to take turns, say I have a comment Id like to make, Young said.

Weve been through that learning curve and were pretty happy with our ability to respond to the volume of requirements that are out there now with this new methodology.

That is the internal part of the story regarding CenturyLink keeping people connected. But what of the part of the story regarding CenturyLink keeping agencies connected?

EIS certainly points to the future and Young said the flow of opportunities from there is in a wave crest. But the immediate needs brought by the pandemic created a different demand.

Heres the reality: a majority of us are still under contract on Networx, Young said in reference to EIS predecessor government-wide telco vehicle.

Thats what the services are supplied under, and so thats how we were working with customers. GSA was very much in tune with what was happening, they understood, they worked with the agency and us to make sure we could fulfill mission.

In essence, agencies looked to the contracts they already had access to as the mechanism for making their various work-from-home environments happen in lieu of starting a new procurement.

Agencies and their telco industry partners moved fast to make it happen, including what Young said were a rather hectic first two weeks.

We were compressing work streams that the corporation would normally take 45 days to perform into 48 hours, Young said. It was really amazing to see how our organizations were working from home in support of the government working from home.

How does Young see the current environment from where he stands today, including the CenturyLink public sector team itself and the push for more growth via EIS in particular?

Everybodys figured it out in some regard, Young said. In the past, we would have all been in capture room working face-to-face for big hours and big portions of the day. Weve all figured out how to do that remotely now and we like how thats working for us.

What could that portend for the future of work? Young said there is still a learning curve companies have to do on that front given many are not letting groups of employees back into the office.

That said: some trends are becoming apparent in what he says will likely be a mixed environment.

I dont think that the future environment has a requirement or a need to go in an office to sit in a cube and work, Young said. I think we will have communal spaces that we come to, to collaborate, where we ideate, where we think.

When we work on tasks, we create content ourselves, I think well end up in a virtual environment for that.
A more recent publication of this set of statistics is available. Latest publication: New orders in manufacturing 2021, November

Published: 10 September 2020

New orders in manufacturing fell by 28.5 per cent year-on-year in July

According to Statistics Finland, the value of new orders in manufacturing was 28.5 per cent lower in July 2020 than twelve months earlier. During January to July, orders decreased by 14.3 per cent from the year before. Orders have declined continuously for seven months.

Annual change in new orders in manufacturing (original series), % (TOL2008)

The falling development of new orders in manufacturing in recent months continued in July. In July, enterprises in all examined main industries received fewer orders than twelve months ago. In the chemical industry, new orders decreased by 7.7 per cent from the previous year. In the metal industry, orders declined by 31.4 per cent and in the industry of the manufacture of paper and paper board products by 31.7 per cent from one year ago.

When interpreting these statistics, it should be borne in mind that they typically show strong fluctuations by month. Even new orders of substantial value are not examined over extended time periods but for the statistical reference month only.

Change in new orders in manufacturing 7/2019 7/2020

The index of new orders in manufacturing describes development in the value of new orders received by enterprises for commodities and services that are meant to be produced by establishments located in Finland. These statistics are based on non-probability sampling, in which the basic observation unit is an enterprise or a kind-of-activity unit. The sample comprises monthly 400 to 450 enterprises or their kind-of-activity units. Index point figures and annual change percentages are published monthly for four industry categories. The time series start from January 2005 and their base year is 2015 (2015=100). The index figures may become slightly revised as new data accumulate and enterprises report changes to their data. Due to supplementations, the latest 12 months are revised in the releases. A detailed description of the statistics and the calculation method are included in the quality description on the home page of the statistics.

Source: New orders in manufacturing 2020, July. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Jussi Haavisto 029 551 3341, Maarit Makela 029 551 3324, volyymi.indeksi@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Yla-Jarkko

Publication in pdf-format (254.5 kB)

Updated 10.9.2020

Referencing instructions: Statistics: New orders in manufacturing [e-publication].

ISSN=1798-6737. July 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 21.1.2022].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/teul/2020/07/teul_2020_07_2020-09-10_tie_001_en.html
MORIA, Greece - Thousands of migrants left homeless after fires gutted a sprawling refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos will not be allowed to travel to mainland Greece, the government said Thursday.

Authorities said the fires were started deliberately on Tuesday and Wednesday nights by residents protesting their confinement at the overcrowded Moria camp.. The camp that housed 12,500 people was locked down due to a COVID-19 outbreak this month.

Some people do not respect the country that is hosting them, and they strive to prove they are not looking for a passport to a better life, Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said.

Flames continued to eat away at the remnants of the burned-out camp Thursday, sending black smoke over destroyed container homes and the charred adjacent hillside, where thousands had lived in a tent city.

Some 400 unaccompanied children from the camp were flown to shelters in northern Greece, while other migrants will remain on Lesbos and be put in emergency accommodations, Petsas said.

They will not leave (the island) because of the fire, he told reporters.

A ferry and two navy ships will be used as part of the emergency housing, government officials said. In the meantime, thousands of camp residents were sleeping rough on a roadside near the gutted camp.

On a baking-hot stretch of highway about a mile from the Moria camp, Leonie Raymon, a refugee from Cameroon, said he had not received any help or food since fleeing the fires early Wednesday.

Under the stars, Im going to sleep under the stars like all these people here, he said (Ive) nowhere to go since everything burned so we slept outside and well continue here.

European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas was due on the island to discuss emergency European Union aid to help Greece cope the sudden housing crisis.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to discuss the promised EU support.

There is a terrible reality with these fires. Many children, women, men are in these camps in absolutely terrible conditions. We want to show solidarity with Greece that lives up to European values, Macron said Thursday.

The camp at Moria was set up during a massive wave on migration into Europe in 2015-16 but has been regarded by critics as a symbol of failings in EU migration policy.

The camp accommodated people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia who arrive clandestinely on Lesbos from the nearby Turkish coast. Aid agencies have long warned of dire conditions at Moria, a facility built to house just over 2,750 people.

On Thursday, a group of local residents angered by the situation and the presence of the camp in their area blocked a road leading to the camp to prevent machinery from reaching the camp to clear up.

In the past few days weve been living through unprecedented situations with daily fires, Morias municipal community leader Yiannis Mastroyannis said.

Weve reached our limits. Were anxious, we feel insecure, were fed up, we dont know how to act anymore.

___

Becatoros reported from Athens.

___

Lorne Cook in Brussels, Angela Charlton in Paris, and Nicholas Paphitis and Derek Gatopoulos in Athens contributed to this report.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 01:29:37|Editor: huaxia

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ATHENS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Europe should not turn a blind eye to Moria, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou said on Thursday after the country's largest refugee and migrant camp on the northeastern Aegean sea island of Lesvos turned to ashes.

A series of blazes that erupted in the overcrowded camp housing about 13,000 people over the past three days caused extensive damage, leaving thousands homeless.

As Greek authorities were struggling to accommodate the 3,500 residents who were left without a roof over their heads from the first big fire that broke out on Tuesday night, more flames engulfed on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon whatever had been left, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

The full picture of the destruction and the number of people who are now homeless is not clear yet, government spokesperson Stelios Petsas told a press briefing in Athens on Thursday.

An investigation is underway to determine how the fires have started. Regarding the first blaze on Tuesday evening, Greek officials have said that it broke out while some of the residents were resisting lockdown measures and isolation orders imposed after the announcement that 35 people had tested positive for COVID-19 at the camp.

"There are a few who do not respect the country hosting them. They left homeless thousands, including families with children. They did it because they thought that if they set Moria on fire, they will be all transferred from the island. They did not understand correctly," Petsas said during the briefing, according to an e-mailed statement.

Regardless of the causes, the state mechanism has been mobilized to provide shelter to those affected, with priority given to the most vulnerable, Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi told local TV channel SKAI.

Panic-stricken minors, elderly, people with health problems were among the thousands who fled the flames and sought refuge in nearby fields on Wednesday and Thursday.

A Greek ferry and two Greek navy ships sailed to Lesvos to accommodate some of the refugees and migrants, while temporary shelters were being created in two former military camps.

"The disaster in Moria fills us with pain and concern. The conditions do not permit delays, the refusal or transfer of responsibilities, or belligerent cries. And above all, they do not allow Europe to turn a blind eye. The refugee and migration issues are primarily a European problem and must be addressed as such," Sakellaropoulou said in a statement released on Thursday.

The local community on the island of Lesvos has shown touching solidarity and humanity and taken on a disproportionate burden but is now watching the spread of tension on the island with fear and concern, and this tension was made even greater due to the health crisis, the president added.

Half of the more than a million people, who reached Greece mainly from the Turkish shores since 2015, landed on Lesvos. Most continued their journey to other European countries until the winter of 2016 when borders along the Balkan route were sealed off.

Nearly 100,000 asylum seekers are currently stranded in Greece, according to data provided by the Greek government. Enditem
The matter got out of hand and spilled over onto Twitter, where more than 300,000 tweets related to the issue were posted in less than a day.

Baby-faced online celebrity Bella Poarch, who claims to have more than 15 million followers on TikTok, drew the ire of some patriotic Koreans with a tattoo that resembled the rising-sun flag of imperial Japan, their scourge and former colonizer.

The anti-Korean hashtag #CancelKorea is trending in the Philippines after a storm in a teacup involving a tattoo and a local "influencer."

Poarch, who uploaded a video on Sept. 5 that showed the tattoo on her left arm, was contrite after the initial onslaught by angry Koreans.

"I apologize to Koreans because six months ago I got a tattoo of the red sun with 16 rays. At that time, I didn't know the history," she groveled. "But when I found out, I immediately had it covered and scheduled for removal. I am ashamed of myself for not doing my research."

But that and subsequent apologies failed to appease the warriors. They accused her of "being ignorant of the history," and some soon strayed into flagrant racism, attacking the Philippines as "a poor country [with] non-educated people, short people."

That in turn incensed the proud Filipino nation, who responded with the hashtag #CancelKorea and #ApologizeToFilipinos.

At least one netizen with too much time on their hands pointed out that the Philippines sent 7,420 soldiers to fight during the Korean War, while more than 100 of them died in battle. Another, a self-declared fan of K-pop and Korean dramas, claimed to feel "betrayed."

Local media have greedily embraced the kerfuffle. Online news outlet Coconuts Manila solemnly warned, "You can't badmouth an entire nation based on one person's slip-up."
Baboon matriarchs enjoy less stress

DURHAM, N.C. -- You know the type: Loud. Swaggering. Pushy. The alpha male clearly runs the show. Female alphas are often less conspicuous than their puffed up male counterparts, but holding the top spot still has its perks.

Wearing the crown means privileged access, like never having to wait your turn. And now, a study of female baboons points to another upside to being No. 1: less stress.

In a Duke University-led study, researchers describe how, after 18 years of collecting fecal samples from 237 female baboons in Amboseli National Park in Kenya, they found that alpha females have significantly lower levels of glucocorticoids, hormones produced in response to stress.

Baboon females are a very orderly group, with one reigning alpha who gets her way over everyone else, a second-in-command who dominates all but the alpha, and so on down to the bottom-ranked female, who gets pushed around by most everyone.

Dominance gives baboons a lot of advantages in life. Higher-ranking females get preferential treatment in grooming bouts and first dibs at feeding time. As a result, their babies grow faster and are more likely to survive to adulthood.

Considering all these perks, the researchers say it came as no surprise that higher status means lower glucocorticoids. They found that the larger a female's share of subordinates, the lower her glucocorticoid levels.

But what puzzled the team was why the top-ranking females stood out so much from the rest. Their stress hormone levels were 8% lower than everyone else in their group.

The findings were surprising because baboons aren't like some other species with clear-cut "queens," said first author Emily Levy, a biology Ph.D. student in Susan Alberts' lab at Duke.

Top-ranking baboon females don't claim exclusive rights to reproduction, as in some other species.

"You don't usually look at an alpha female baboon and see a bully," Levy said.

The researchers aren't sure what drives the disparity between leaders and non-leaders in baboon females, but suggest two possible explanations.

It could be that alpha females experience less stress because they hold their position longer than other females, Levy said.

A baboon matriarch rules in a society in which power is handed down from mother to daughter. All but the top-ranking female eventually cede their spot to their daughters as they get older. But once ensconced in power, alphas have been known to rule for eight years or more.

Take Pindua, an alpha female who ruled unchallenged until she died in 1989. Only then did her daughter assume the throne, recalls Alberts, who has spent 30 years studying wild baboons as part of the Amboseli Baboon Research Project.

"She was definitely a Grand Dame -- very calm and non-reactive, but unambiguous about her power," Alberts said.

There's another reason why the alpha female may be different from the others on measures of stress hormones, Alberts said. It's that there's no female above her to push her around.

The alpha female only has herself to answer to, Alberts said. She goes where she pleases. "Nobody's going to mess with her."

Previous research by Alberts and colleagues at Princeton University found the opposite pattern for alpha male baboons. Top-ranked males have the highest levels of stress hormones, presumably because instead of inheriting their status, as females do, males have to fight to stay on top.

"In male baboons you can just watch the alpha for a day and say, wow, that individual is kicking everybody's butt," Levy said. "For females it's a little more nuanced."

###

The findings were published online Aug. 22 in the journal Hormones and Behavior.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (IOS 1456832), the National Institutes of Health (R01AG053308, R01AG053330, R01HD088558, P01AG031719), Duke University, Princeton University, and the University of Notre Dame.

CITATION: "Higher Dominance Rank is Associated With Lower Glucocorticoids in Wild Female Baboons: A Rank Metric Comparison," Emily Levy, Laurence Gesquiere, Emily McLean, Mathias Franz, J. Kinyua Warutere, Serah Sayialel, Raphael Mututua, Tim Wango, Vivian Oudu, Jeanne Altmann, Elizabeth Archie, Susan Alberts. Hormones and Behavior, August 22, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104826

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The novel coronavirus has made an enemy of one of humanity's most reliable sources of comfort: the air conditioner.

Given the airborne nature of the virus, recirculating air has become a dangerous proposition, with at least one example from China showing possible contagion in an air-conditioned restaurant.

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that it's possible to keep cool without recirculating air, and to do so outside in Singapore, a hot and humid tropical environment.

The process, known as "radiant cooling," has taken on new importance in a time when fresh air is practically a health requirement.

The study was originally intended to address another problem posed by air conditioning: energy consumption. With temperatures rising around the world, along with income in some developing nations, air conditioning is expected to grow by two-thirds over the next decade, according to the International Energy Agency, an intergovernmental organization.

But the cost is high: More units mean greater demand for electricity and the refrigerant most air conditioners use: hydrofluorocarbons, greenhouse gases that can leak from the manufacturing or improper disposal of old units.

There are about 2 billion air conditioning units in the world, more than half of which are in China and the United States, according to the IEA. They consume about 9% of total global electricity production, and result in the emissions of 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide.

The study's authors employed the principle of radiant cooling to see whether subjects could be kept cool on hot, humid, sunny days in Singapore without a heavy reliance on electricity. They built a "cold tube" pavilion, made up of 10 panels, each eight feet tall, containing capillaries full of chilled water, insulated and enclosed in a polyethylene membrane that allows for infrared transfer but not condensation.

Radiant cooling is something we regularly experience when we stand in front of an open refrigerator. According to Eric Teitelbaum of Princeton University, one of the study's authors, "You are the sun; you are radiating the warmth, and it's the surfaces around you that take the heat away."

In the cold-tube pavilion, those surfaces are panels full of cold water that formed two sides and a ceiling to resemble a bus shelter. As study participants stood or sat in the pavilion in temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with more than 66% relative humidity and barely a breeze, they reported feeling "cool" and were comfortable.

To feel the cooling effect, people do not need to be near the panels, just surrounded by them, said Adam Rysanek of the University of British Columbia, another researcher on the project.

"In future real-world installations, we will likely rely more on ceiling-based coverage of cold tube panels, which means that sitting or standing will not matter, provided cold tubes are sheltering you overhead like an umbrella," Rysanek said.

Dehumidification, Teitelbaum said, is the main reason air conditioning uses so much electricity. "In tropical locations, dehumidification accounts for 60% of air conditioners' energy budget."

The cold-tube pavilion also uses electricity, to keep the water inside its panels cold. But it does not require dehumidification, which means it uses half the energy of air conditioning.

This is not the first system to use radiant cooling - in fact, there are companies, including Interpanel in Germany, that use this principle to provide "thermal comfort" in indoor environments. The cold tube's innovation was to show that this type of cooling is possible in humid, tropical environments.

While the cold-tube pavilion relies on the same refrigerating hydrofluorocarbons as air conditioners, which have a powerful heat-trapping effect when released into the atmosphere, it could use other coolants, including those with smaller climate change potential, said Forrest Meggers of Princeton University, another of the study's authors.

In international negotiations about these compounds, tensions have arisen over decisions to phase them out in favor of others that are less-warming but more expensive, at a time when many more people in the developing world are newly able to afford air conditioning. Reducing the use of some chemical compounds could avoid an additional 1 degree Celsius of warming. An agreement was reached in 2016 to phase out these chemicals, but the Trump administration has yet to ratify it.

Despite the possible solution presented by the study, Rysanek said, air conditioning carries a social cachet that is important for researchers and policymakers to understand.

"The cultural attachment between air conditioning and affluence, development and modernity in Singapore and Southeast Asia was equally strong in our time in Singapore, and still is - the often cited example is that Singapore's founding father declared air conditioning to be the most important technology of the 20th century," he said.

"There is a reason why there is an emotional attachment to air conditioning and cooling," he said, and that residential buildings might not be the best place for an indoor version, both for cultural and architectural reasons. But, at least in Singapore, "there are in fact a number of spaces where this works quite well culturally and with sensitivity to people's needs," he said, such as schools built without air conditioning.

Exposure to extreme heat and access to air conditioning is unequal in many countries, including the United States, where Black, Latino and other communities of color are disproportionately affected by rising temperatures. Black urban communities in particular are more likely to suffer from extreme heat, a result of redlining and other racist housing patterns that filled those neighborhoods with pavement and buildings instead of cooling green spaces.

Many cities set up "cooling centers" in the summer for residents without air conditioning to seek relief. But this summer, in the middle of a pandemic, cooling centers may not be open, and going to one might not be a risk people are willing to take, especially because those who might need a cooling center may also be especially vulnerable to the coronavirus. Black, Latino and Indigenous groups have been disproportionately affected by the virus as a result of underlying health conditions, unequal access to health care and greater exposure to air pollution.

Climate change and the coronavirus pandemic are making air conditioning use more complicated. In the past, Californians might have gone to the mall or movie theater to find air-conditioned relief from the heat. Instead, during the recent heat wave, people stayed home with their air conditioners on full blast, contributing to the state's most significant energy shortage in 20 years and a round of temporary blackout orders in parts of the state.

In Louisiana and parts of Texas, heat warnings have followed Hurricane Laura, which left hundreds of thousands of customers without power. Without electricity, residents are at home, without air conditioning.

Rysanek said he is cautious about recommending cold-tube use in low-income communities because it may be misunderstood as a different or less ideal form of air conditioning.

As the world warms, there is a need for change in cooling technology, the researchers said.

"We've been working on trying to fight this ever-increasing AC demand curve, and by 2070, cooling demand is predicted to overtake heating demand," Teitelbaum said. "There is this weird interface between climate and comfort and controlling our physical environment, and air conditioning is really intertwined in all of those aspects."
Actor Kangana Ranaut continued her attack on the Shiv Sena on Thursday, accusing it of diluting its ideology to be in power and even called it Sonia Sena. In an indirect reference to Sena chief and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the actor called him an example of dynast. However, so far, no senior leader from the Shiv Sena has reacted to the actors statements.

Taking to Twitter, the actor launched an attack on Sena and Thackeray and said, Because of these petty crimes that they do @Dev_Fadnavis ji must have suggested that BJP does alliance with them, one must never succumb to bullies, after loosing elections Shiv Sena shamelessly made milavat sarkar and turned in to Sonia Sena. (sic).

In her following tweet, the actor added, The ideology on which Shri Balasaheb Thackeray had built Shiv Sena, today they have sold that ideology for power and have become Sonia Sena from Shiv Sena. Dont call the goons who broke my house in my absence a civic body. Dont insult the Constitution in this manner.

In an apparent attack on Thackeray, the actor called him a dynast and questioned how many people will be silenced. Your fathers good deeds can get you wealth, but you have to earn respect on your own. You can silence my voice, but my voice will multiply in thousands and lakhs. How many people will you silence? How long will you run from the truth? You are nothing but merely an example of a dynast.

Sena insiders said the party leadership has asked leaders to not wade into the controversy. Only Sanjay Raut will speak on this matter, if required, a senior party leader said. Raut, who was locked in a verbal spat with the actor for several days now, on Wednesday declined to comment on the ongoing issue. The Sena leader had said, I was in Saamana office since morning, I am unaware of happenings outside.

In the late afternoon, Raut went to Matoshree, Thackerays suburban Bandra residence, for a meeting on the issue.

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The VinFast buys automobile testing centre in Australia

On September 9, VinFast and GM Holden signed an agreement to buy Lang Lang Testing Centre in Australia. The centre will serve to test new VinFast products.

While the dealvalue has not been disclosed yet, according to industry experts, the value of the property is $15-20 million.

Established in 1958 on an 872-hectare site on Westernport Bay, 90 minutes drive south-east of Melbourne, Lang Langs 44km of test roads include a 4.7km high-speed oval and a 5.5km ride and handling course. The site also includes an emissions laboratory. It was most recently upgraded in 2018.

Previously, in June, VinFast officially organised a grand opening ceremony for its office in Australia after several months of operation.

Located at Melbourne city of Australia, VinFast Australia will study and develop new automobile models and set a solid base for VinFast's overseas expansion plans.

VinFast Australia started operations in early 2020 with the key facility of an automobile technology institute. The institute employs nearly 100 official staff, including experts, technicians, and engineers from the worlds leading car makers General Motors (GM), Toyota, Ford, Jaguar, and Land Rover, among others.
We miss our moms and dads!

This has been an especially challenging year for everyone, but even more so for our seniors in elder-care communities who have not received any physical contact in months.

For staff and volunteers at the Jewish Pavilion, touch is our secret ingredient. While our seniors adore their visits from volunteers, their Shabbat services, and holiday festivities, the thing that binds us together is the warm relationships we form. Hugs deepen that bond. Our staff and volunteers miss that touch as much as our residents.

We have spent the last few months focused on alternativ...
On behalf of the Speaker of the Legislative Council of Brunei, the Bruneian Ambassador to Vietnam (L) receives the chairmanship hammer from National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the closing ceremony of the AIPA 41 on September 10 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Speaker of the Legislative Council of Brunei Pehin Abdul Rahman Taib on September 10 appreciated Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngans exceptional leadership, efforts and dedication in fostering parliamentary diplomacy to drive the ASEAN region towards being more cohesive and responsive.



Via teleconference, the top legislator of Brunei delivered a speech on the assumption of the chairmanship of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). On behalf of the speaker, the Bruneian Ambassador to Vietnam received the chairmanship hammer from Chairwoman Ngan at the closing ceremony of the 41st AIPA General Assembly (AIPA 41) in Hanoi on September 10.



In his address, the speaker expressed his honour to assume the role and congratulated Chairwoman Ngan and the Vietnamese NA on successfully convening this years AIPA General Assembly virtually, despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.



In this difficult time, it is even more crucial to strengthen partnerships within AIPA, as well as to reach out strategically to the dialogue partners on issues that are of mutual concern regionally and internationally, he said, noting that during Bruneis chairmanship, the country looks forward to working closely with the AIPA Secretariat as well as member parliaments to continue building on the good work in the past in ensuring the realisation of AIPAs visions and aspirations.



In this light, I would like to seek the support and cooperation from the speakers and parliamentarians of AIPA member parliaments as well as our dialogue partners and relevant stakeholders towards the success of our AIPA Presidency, he added.



With regards to the hosting of the next AIPA General Assembly, the speaker noted that the Legislative Council of Brunei has already started making arrangements for the 42nd AIPA General Assembly in Bandar Seri Begawan next year.



However, with still much uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to strive to meet via whatever available means permitted in the future. Regardless of the situation, however, the Legislative Council of Brunei Darussalam would like to assure you of our utmost commitment to put in our best effort during our AIPA Presidency in the next year, Pehin Abdul Rahman Taib said.



The AIPA 41 from September 8 to 10, held online for the first time in history, took place under the theme Parliamentary Diplomacy for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community.



Earlier, Vietnam served as the Chair of the 23rd and 31st AIPA general assemblies in 2002 and 2010, respectively.
- 73-year-old Former President Jerry John Rawlings' mother has turned 101

- Victoria Agbotui was born on September 9, 1919

- JJ Rawlings and his wife joined the over a century-old lady to celebrate her birthday

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings' mother, Victoria Agbotui, turned 101 on September 9, 2020, as she was born on September 9, 1919.

To mark her 101st birthday, 73-year-old Rawlings and his 71-year-old wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, joined Madam Victoria Agbotui in adorable photos to mark her birthday.

The over a century-old woman was seen on her feet in one of the photos, which signals that she is in great condition despite her age.

READ ALSO: Chris Nunies: Meet the Ghanaian model who keeps melting hearts online with stunning photos

See post below:

Ghanaians have been reacting to the report:

Lawrence Yaw Twumasi remarked that the 101-year-old woman still looked very beautiful

Unique King Boadi-Amofa was extremely excited for the former president to witness such a day in his mom's life

Maame Amoanimaa wished madam Victoria Agbotui a happy birthday, long life and strength

READ ALSO: The Rocks rock: Actor Dwayne Johnson gushes over youthful wife in sweet birthday message

Ghanaians bless 73-year-old JJ Rawlings' mother who has just turned 101 Source: Dailyguidenetwork.com

Source: UGC

Justice Nseigyibuare Akwasi sought to bring people to the reality that although the former president's mother has lived a great life, it might not get much longer from this point.

Pappoe Emmanuel who did not know Rawlings' mother still lived expressed his shock

Utter Dynasty wondered why many people still wished Victoria long life and good health since she has that in abundance.

READ ALSO: Chinese man crowned chief for development at Kwahu Abetifi

In an earlier report, Ghana's National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, celebrated his 101st birthday today, April 23, 2020, with a short surprise party graced by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

The vice president shared heartwarming photos from the short birthday surprise at the residence of the Chief Imam and indicated how his gesture was on behalf of both himself and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In Dr. Bawumia's post, he acknowledged that Chief Imam had contributed immensely to the peace and unity in the country and still continues to play significant roles in the development of the country.

Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

John Mahama's emotional moment on stage at the NDC's manifesto launch | #Yencomgh

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Despite conservation threats posed by encroachment and illegal logging, the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary in western Assam, situated close to the Bhutan border has maintained its stature as the biggest habitat of the golden langur, one of the 25 most endangered primate species in the world.

A survey conducted by a group of wildlife conservationists in Assam has found that the golden langur population in the 45-sq km sanctuary increased by over 17% -- from 474 in 2006 to 558 in 2016-17. The survey report, published in the Primate Conservation journal on Wednesday, said that a total of 558 such langurs were found in 72 groups during the latest survey between 2016 and 2017. The average group size also increased from 7.4 in 2006 to 7.75.

"This minimum population size of 558 indicates that Chakrashila is the biggest habitat for golden langur in the country. Golden langurs are found in Bhutan too but the population there is decreasing due to many reasons and so the growth in the population in Chakrashila is definitely encouraging," said Dilip Chetry, a primatologist with Aaranyak, a wildlife conservation group in Guwahati.

Chetry led the group of researchers comprising Mridupaban Phukan, Rekha Chetry, R. N. Boro, Arup Kumar Das and P. C. Bhattacharjee.

Golden langurs are endemic to Bhutan and India (Assam). The Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary. situated between the Manas river in the east, Sankosh river in the west, and the Brahmaputra river in the south in western Assam's Kokrajhar and Dhubri district, is the species' biggest habitat. A small population of the primate species is also found in Tripura.

The increase in the population of golden langurs in Chakrashila despite the threats posed by encroachment, tree felling has led the conservationists to push for the national park status to the sanctuary.

"The comparative population status clearly shows that the golden langur continues to thrive despite the ongoing habitat loss, encroachment, and other anthropogenic pressures. From the long-term conservation perspective, however, we cannot allow these threats to continue in the coming years. We, therefore, advocate for an integrated management program of forest fragments, using the golden langur as a flagship species to safeguard its conservation and that of the rich wildlife in the sanctuary. The government should take the necessary steps to upgrade and expand the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, to include its adjacent Sreegram Reserve Forest, Katrigacha Reserve Forest, Buxa Reserve Forest and Nadangiri Hill Reserve Forest, to create a full-fledged national park," the researchers said in the report.
New Delhi: Even as India battles to control the rising number of novel coronavirus cases, the Indian Railways announced that 80 more special trains will start operating from September 12. The reservations for these trains will begin from September 10.

These 80 trains are being run in addition to the 230 trains that are already in operation. Railway board chairman VK Yadav said, "Eighty new special trains or 40 pair of trains will start operations from September 12. Reservations will begin from September 10. This will run in addition to the 230 trains already in operation."

Yadav pointed out that all trains that are currently in operation will be monitored in order to determine which trains have a long waiting list. Also, trains will operate whenever a state will demand for it like during examinations or any such purposes.

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According to the Railway Ministry, a new trend in train occupancy was observed due to which this step was taken. The migrant labors, who had left for their native places are returning for work.

The railways decided to run 80 special trains from September 12 so that the migrant laborers do not face any difficulty in reaching the city.
A man who spent his life serving Jacksonville as an electrician and a firefighter died unexpectedly Friday and his family now is raising money to give him a funeral that will honor his hard work and devotion to others.

The family of Harold Means Cookie Cook, 83, started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his funeral. The fundraisers goal is set at $5,000 and $895 has been raised as of Wednesday.

Cook was being helped out of a car Sept. 2 on his way to to register for a routine surgery when he collapsed. Cook died Friday, surrounded by family, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, said Zack Stark, Cooks grandson-in-law.

Born in Sinclair on June 25, 1937, Cooks service started at a young age. After attending Jacksonville High School, Cook joined the U.S. Navy in 1955, a little before his 18th birthday. Cook served in the Korean War, during which he was shot by a sniper and received a Purple Heart. Cook also served in the Suez Canal and in Lebanon before receiving a honorable discharge in 1963.

While he still was serving in the Navy, Cook became a firefighter in Jacksonville in 1960. Cook received an EMT license and was a diver on the departments rescue squad. He served with the fire department for 27 years, until he retired in 1987.

Cook also completed electrical school while enlisted and claimed the second electricians license in Jacksonville. He was a self-employed electrician at his business, Cook Electrical, for more than 50 years, never fully retiring.

Cook also was known for helping the less fortunate whenever he could and volunteering to do electrical projects free of charge, Stark said. Cook also worked several projects for the fire department.

This man worked until his last breath, Stark said. He always tried to give back and always tried to help out. His entire life was Jacksonville and that community.

Stark said Cook usually was upbeat and worked to defuse stressful situations for other people.

He never met a stranger, giving a person in need his last dime to help them. Christina Main, Cooks daughter, wrote on the GoFundMe page.

Cooks sudden death has left his family scrambling to prepare his funeral. The family initially planned to have the funeral on Labor Day but moved it to Friday because of the added cost of holding a funeral on a holiday, Stark said. Funds still need to be raised to give Cook the funeral his family believes he deserves.

Theres actually a chance that hes not going to get the memorial that somebody of that caliber deserved, Stark said.

Along with the GoFundMe, donations to help the family may be made at Darrells Barber and Styling Shop, Caseys General Store on East Morton Avenue or directly to the family.

A funeral is scheduled for noon Friday at Williamson Funeral Home, with burial at Diamond Grove Cemetery. Cook is survived by his wife, Garnet Weyl; seven children; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one brother and one sister. He was preceded in death by one brother.
FOR REAL CHANGE DEPOLITICIZE COUNTY OFFICIALS

If you want to get to the real source of political issues in America, follow the money.

For years, grassroots organizations have been protesting against the Los Angeles County District Attorney (D.A.) and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs department for their actions or inactions.

But what if the D.A. and the Sheriff arent where the real problem lies?

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In order to find the source of the problem, youve got to find the source and required uses for funding these two departments.

Both of these positions are beholden to their funding sources, like Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and other federal and state agencies. If grassroots organizers want to do the real work of breaking through the culture of systemic unfairness and injustice, they must first understand the money that funds the work of both departments. The second step is understanding the associated metrics by which these two elected officials have to respond in order to receive funding. Those metrics offer a true understanding of why the Sheriff and the D.A. operate the way they do.

Both the Sheriff and the D.A. are elected by the voters, but the funds that support their offices are not based on metrics set by voters. The money and metrics are what drives the systemic behaviors and decisions implemented by these departments. If the funding metric is based on arrest and convictions then, as we have seen, thats the business theyll be in. However, if the metric was altered to arrest and conviction, then thats the business they would be in. So at the end of the day, its all about hitting the numbers and keeping the funding flowing in. Once that is understood, there can be a real conversation with those agencies regarding changing the metrics to be more in alignment with the efforts of the County Board of Supervisors (BOS) including issues such as prisoner recidivism, re-entry and other programs.

One such program supported by BOS is the Office of Diversion and Reentry (ODR), which, thus far, has diverted 4,600 people from jail into long-term care and supportive housing with very low rates of reoffending. The cost is $70 per person per day, compared to the $600 per person per day for incarceration.

Considering this cost differential, why would the Sheriff or D.A.s office want to maintain a draconian policy that leads to increasing the prison industrial complex, rather than the reforms that BOS is implementing? I am of the mindset, that until we depoliticize both the Sheriff and the D.A.s office, the full potential of these reforms will never come to fruition. Primarily because these two independent bodies, while funded by the county, can still act on their own accord unlike department heads that the BOS and County Administrative Officer oversee.

Making the Sheriff and the D.A. non-elected department heads would make them more accountable to the various initiatives as set by the County Board of Supervisors and associated oversight commissions to drive justice reform initiatives.

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As it stands today, the D.A. and the Sheriff run for their seats just like city council members or the mayor or county supervisors. If there is a disconnect between the Board of Supervisors and the Sheriffs Department like were seeing right now, the Sheriff, for the most part, is not accountable to the board because he /she will always be the sheriff as long as they are elected and likewise the D.A.

The D.A.s office is in an inherently conflicting position. The symbiotic relationship between an elected official sworn to enforce the law and the elected official sworn to prosecute those who are alleged to have broken the law, prevent the D.A.s office from being more autonomous. This is why its almost impossible for these two offices to have systemic cultural change that would create a true justice system. Currently, what we have is a legal system, not a justice system.

It is my sincere hope and desire that we can begin a discussion that will ultimately lead to a countywide ballot measure to depoliticizing the D.A. and the Sheriff from elected officials to County of Los Angeles department heads.

Robert Sausedo is president and CEO of Community Build, a non-profit organization located in South Los Angeles dedicated to job training, youth development, civic and community engagement and social activism.
With the incumbent president and his main challenger deeply at odds over a 2015 nuclear deal and other aspects of policy toward Tehran, the outcome of the U.S. election on November 3 could play a powerful role in shaping Iran's development for years to come.

President Donald Trump, who is seeking reelection on the Republican Party ticket, wants to maintain sweeping economic sanctions on Iran in an effort to force it to renegotiate the international agreement, which he asserts is badly flawed and threatens U.S. security.

Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden, who worked on the nuclear deal as vice president under President Barack Obama, contends that Trump's policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran has "badly backfired," provoking Tehran's leadership and undermining stability.

The long-negotiated agreement between major global powers and Tehran, the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA), is intended to make it harder for Iran to potentially develop atomic weapons by restricting its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions, subsequently beefing them up. Since then, Iran's economy has been hit hard, with the value of its currency sharply declining, and Washington and Tehran have come close to military conflict on two occasions.

Iran fired missiles at a U.S. base in neighboring Iraq in January 2020 in retaliation for Washington's killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani, a senior commander who led the elite Quds Force, sparking fears of war.

Months earlier, in June 2019, Trump said he called off a military strike at the last minute that would have targeted three sites inside Iran in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. drone by Tehran, citing concerns that many people would be killed.

Biden has said he is prepared to pursue a more diplomatic course with Iran and -- if Iran returns to compliance with its obligations -- have the United States rejoin the JCPOA, whose conclusion was seen by supporters as perhaps the signature foreign-policy achievement of the Obama administration.

"There is a smart way to counter [Tehran] -- and a self-defeating way. Trump's approach is demonstrably the latter," Biden said in January 2020 as U.S.-Iranian tensions escalated.

Trump has laid the blame for the current tensions in the long-sour relationship at the feet of the Obama administration, an indirect swipe at Biden, charging that it agreed to a nuclear deal that benefits Tehran at the expense of U.S. security interests.

The nuclear agreement is hanging by a thread, with Washington's European allies seeking to preserve it. A second Trump term would likely spell its demise, analysts say, but a Biden victory might not be enough to resolve the problems required to keep it alive.

Biden and Trump are expected to spar over Iran policy on September 26, when they face off in the first of three debates scheduled to be held before the election.

'Worst Deal Ever'

Trump's policies toward Iran seem unlikely to have come as a surprise to Tehran.

During his 2016 campaign for the presidency, Trump promised to pull the United States out of the JCPOA. It was negotiated by the five permament UN Security Council members -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France -- plus Germany and the European Union.

As part of the deal, Iran agreed to cap its uranium enrichment and stockpile for 15 years and allow international observers to verify its compliance, including access to undeclared sites. In return the United States and other powers agreed to ease sanctions, unfreezing up to $150 billion of Iranian funds held in banks around the world.

Trump lashed out at the agreement, calling it "the worst deal ever." He said Iran would use the money coming in as a result of sanctions relief to finance its terrorist activity throughout the Middle East.

Iran's activities abroad include deploying military advisers and fighters to Syria to back President Bashar al-Assad's government in the devastating war there, selling advanced weapons to Yemen's Huthi rebels as part of their fight against the Saudi-backed government, financing the militant group Hizballah in Lebanon, and stirring up protests against the United States in Iraq.

The Trump administration has also assailed the JCPOA for incorporating "sunset provisions" that allow restrictions to expire, saying that opens the door to Iran eventually acquiring nuclear weapons, as well for not addressing Iran's ballistic-missile program.

"The JCPOA enriched the Iranian regime and enabled its malign behavior, while at best delaying its ability to pursue nuclear weapons and allowing it to preserve nuclear research and development," the White House said in a May 8, 2018, statement announcing the withdrawal -- a move aimed at forcing Tehran to negotiate a new deal that would address Trumps concerns.

But Iran has taken no steps to seek a new or altered agreement, and soon announced it would step up work on its enrichment program, in violation of the JCPOA.

It didn't take long for tensions to escalate.

Fears Of War

When several oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman in May and June of 2019, the United States pinned blame on Iran. Days after the June tanker attack, a U.S. drone was shot down by Iranian forces, nearly prompting Trump to strike at several targets in Iran, an escalation that could have prompted a tough response by Tehran.

Tensions flared up again in December as the United States carried out strikes against Iranian-backed militias following their attack on an Iraqi base.

Iranian-backed protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy compound in Iraq days later, and the United States killed Soleimani in a drone strike near Baghdad's airport on January 3. The killing made waves in the global community and Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a U.S. base in Iraq, provoking fears of a regional war.

Since the first tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman, the United States had increased the number of troops in the Middle East by about 18,000 to counter Iran.

Trump asserted that Soleimani had planned to carry out attacks on U.S. diplomats and military personnel and said his killing was intended to "stop a war."

Biden suggested it was nearly the opposite. "When the Iran deal was in force, we did not have this dangerous cycle of tit-for-tat provocation and response," he said on January 7, following the Iranian missile attack against the U.S. base.

"A president who says he wants to end endless war in the Middle East is bringing us dangerously close to starting a new one," Biden said.

The Trump administration continues to impose new sanctions on Iran, including measures against another 11 entities and three individuals on September 3, in hopes that the "maximum pressure" policy will force the governments resistance to a new deal to crack.

Critics charge that this may be pushing Iran into the arms of another U.S. adversary, China.

Tehran and Beijing have reportedly agreed to a 25-year, $400 billion deal on energy, infrastructure, and defense that could help Iran lessen the impact of the sanctions.

The Trump administration is now trying to block any arms sales to Iran indefinitely -- and in doing so, some observers say, essentially the JCPOA. As part of the nuclear deal, a UN embargo on arms sales to and by Iran is set to expire in October, a step the Trump administration vehemently opposes.

In late August, the administration filed a complaint with the UN Security Council in a bid to reimpose all UN sanctions on Iran, including the arms embargo, on the grounds that Tehran was not in compliance with the JCPOA.

Uranium Stockpile

The Iranian government has increase enrichment and uranium stockpiles in response to the U.S. sanctions. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on September 8 that the stockpile was more than 10 times the limit set by the JCPOA.

The European states that are parties to the JCPOA "must wake up to the reality that the nuclear deal is history and should join us in imposing strong sanctions," Pompeo said in a tweet.

The UN Security Council has 30 days to pass a resolution waiving the UN sanctions, but it is almost certain to fail as the United States has veto power.

Facing both U.S. and UN sanctions, Iran may decide to exit the JCPOA, some experts say.

Biden has said he would rejoin the JCPOA and build on it if Iran also moved back into compliance with its obligations. "The only way out of this crisis is through diplomacy -- clear-eyed, hard-nosed diplomacy grounded in strategy, that's not about one-off decisions or one-upmanship," he said in January.

However, analysts say that the JCPOA could be dead before the election as a result of the U.S. pressure, and that any new deal could -- like the existing one -- take years to cobble together.

Stalemate, Renegotiation?

Even if the JCPOA is still intact, a Biden administration could face difficulties getting Iran back into compliance, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank.

If Tehran doesn't feel it needs economic relief from sanctions as much as Biden needs a diplomatic achievement, it could hold out for more concessions from the U.S. president, putting his administration in a tough position.

"What would [a Biden administration] do? Revert to the Trump pressure policy? It remains a big question," Taleblu told CNBC in August.

Michael Singh, a managing director at the Washington Institute and former senior director at the National Security Council, said the JCPOA was "effectively dead," regardless of the outcome of the election.

Trump won't return to the agreement should he win, while Biden may face demands from Iran for compensation should he try to preserve the deal, Singh said.

"The U.S. won't make unilateral concessions, so the likely outcome is either a stalemate or an effective renegotiation of the deal," he said in a September 2 tweet.
Ottawa, ON. The Canadian federal government has put residential schools on the official roster of National Historic Events. Two of the schools, one in Nova Scotia and one in Manitoba, have been named National Historic Sites, the first in Canada to...
The Morrison government's push to "ring fence" suburbs with coronavirus outbreaks has been labelled dangerous by the New Zealand government, with its Health Minister describing the Melbourne's postcode lockdown a failure.

New Zealand Health Minister Chris Hipkins said postcode lockdowns had failed in Melbourne and contributed to its "protracted and prolonged stage four-style lockdown". His critical assessment comes as the Australian government pushes for the states to agree to a similar "hotspot" strategy, which "ring fences" suburbs with positive cases and possibly neighbouring postcodes.

Premier Daniel Andrews rejects suggestions he is trying to implement a COVID-19 elimination strategy similar to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's policy. Credit:Scott McNaughton

Victoria released its plan on the weekend for Melbourne exiting its stage four lockdowns based on reducing case infections to "very low numbers", raising questions whether the state was now pursuing an elimination strategy.

On Thursday Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said Victoria was pursuing the national cabinet's goal of suppressing the coronavirus - not New Zealand's elimination strategy.
Panicked Democrats September Surprises Come Fast and Furious

Commentary

Its our quadrennial national sportthe October Surprise  or is it now the September Surprise?

Or, for that matter, the November-December-January Surprise, if, as many predict, the election isnt concluded Nov. 3 and becomes an endless battle of lawyers over every hanging chad or mail-in vote signed, sealed, and delivered by a veteran of the War of 1812.

Recently, the surprises have been coming so fast and furious (dont tell Eric Holder) that the Democrats seem more panicked than they ever were even in the days of Panic in Needle Park, speaking of which, New York is beginning to look more and more as it did in the time of that 1971 film.

So the surprises are rolling in. Just the other day, we were informed President Donald Trump regarded as losersnot worth his time or vaut le detour, as they say in the Guide MichelinU.S. servicemen interred in a French graveyard during World War I. This according to severalneedless to say anonymoussources brought to us by the man who sank The Atlantic (or was it the Titanic), Jeffrey Goldberg.

Never mind that the many who then chose to weigh in on the subject under their own namesthink of thatand actually were present during said rainy French morning, including John Bolton, no friend of Trumps, as we know, heard no such thing. Never mind that Trump himself has done more for servicemen and women than any president in memory, including raising their salaries at greater increments than his predecessors and, most recently, bringing many of them home and out of harms way in the Middle East for the first time in decades.

Goldberg has his sources and hes sticking to them.

Its business as usual for the Dems, which means by any means necessarywhich means, needless to say, anonymous or not  Russia!

Forget that China, the proximate cause of the pandemic sweeping the world, is umpteen times more powerful, which means more dangerous, electorally or otherwise, with concentration camps, forced organ transplants, social credit scores, international Belt-and-Road connections, and so forth.

The Democrats didnt stake their reputation for three years on denigrating China. They, including Joe Biden und Sohne, Michael Bloomberg, and others, played economic footsie with it instead.

They staked that reputation on Russia and came up snake eyes, humiliating themselves with the self-evidently ridiculous Steele dossier. (Wasnt some of it true? Mother Jones said it was. How embarrassing.)

So Russia it has to be  which means Rep. Adam Schiff (who else?) is back on the scene. Somehow, the California Impeachment Kid never goes away, even while his home state is turning into the third rung of Dantes Inferno with record fires, homelessness, taxes, and a fleeing middle class all rolled into one big Lemme outta here!

But Schiff couldnt care less because hes found yet another whistleblower. Will this one also have been an aide-de-camp of then-Vice President Biden? Does it matter? It all comes to the same thing because this man, woman, or child is prepared to avow that information about Russian interference in our election has been suppressed.

Never mind that the Russians have been interfering in our elections since the days of the Cheka. Schiff knows they must be stopped, so help me Santa Monica Boulevard. (Is it still standing?)

But seriously, folksthere are just too many surprises. Like the waves at Malibu Beach, they keep rolling in, one after the other.

On Sept. 9, we had the dooziest. (Is that a word? Evidently not. At least Microsoft Word doesnt recognize it.) The King of the Journalistic Hill, Bob Woodward, himself is weighing in with his latest book. And, as with any Woodward tome, it must have an earth-shattering reveal. But Ill let CNN (who better?) explain:

President Donald Trump admitted he knew weeks before the first confirmed U.S. coronavirus death that the virus was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and more deadly than even your strenuous flus, and that he repeatedly played it down publicly, according to legendary journalist Woodward in his new book Rage.

This is deadly stuff, Trump told Woodward on February 7.

Hey, a mans gotta sell books. Speaking as an author, far less commercially successful than Woodward, I should know.

Nevertheless, I dont want to rain on Woodwards paradeI dont read his books anyway. Im still way behind on Proust and Dostoevskybut no one, repeat no one, I have read or heard, not even the vaunted Dr. Anthony Fauci, has been remotely consistent in his or her view of COVID-19, the disease thats caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Sometimes, its going away. Sometimes, its ravaging everyone from here to Alpha Centauri. To this day, it remains in many ways mysterious.

But if Woodward wants to blame Trump for trying to keep everybody calm in the face of a horrifying and paranoia-inducing pandemic, as I said, a mans gotta sell books, especially now.

But as for the September-October-November-December-January-Surprises, call them what you will; I predict they wont add up to that much in the end. Recall what we all learned in kindergarten: Im rubber and youre glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.

Roger L. Simon is an award-winning author, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, co-founder of PJ Media, and now a columnist for The Epoch Times. Find him on Parler and Twitter @rogerlsimon. Buy his books on Amazon.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Sparking international outrage, 13-year-old Linden Cameron remains in serious condition at the Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a still unidentified police officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department shot him multiple times Friday while he was suffering a mental health crisis in his home.

News of the heinous shooting of a young unarmed child has rippled through the world with autistic persons, their families, friends and community members taking to social media to voice their support and horror. A Go Fund Me page established for Lindens medical bills has already exceeded $75,000 as of this writing.

Linden Cameron, 13, recovering in the hospital after being shot multiple times by an unidentified Salt Lake City Police officer

Exemplifying the brutal class nature of police violence, the shooting of Cameron, who is white, comes less than a week after police body camera footage was released showing the March 23 police killing of Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old black man in Rochester, New York.

In both instances concerned family members reached out to emergency services to assist loved ones experiencing a mental health crisis and in both cases police responded with deadly force, killing Prude and leaving Linden with a long, painful road to recovery.

Golda Barton, Camerons mother, in interviews with KSL TV and KUTV, says her son has injuries to his shoulder, both ankles, intestines and bladder. Barton had called emergency services and requested a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) to assist her in transporting her son, who had previously been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, to the hospital. Barton was under the impression that police would use the most minimal force possible.

Barton had just returned to work for the first time in a year last Friday, leaving Cameron at home. According to Barton, her son "has bad separation anxiety and she received a call at work that he was having an emotional episode. As Barton drove home she called 911 and requested a CIT officer to come help.

According to a spokesman for the Salt Lake City Police Department, detective Michael Ruff, all of the officers are certified in de-escalation techniques and new recruits are required to have 40 hours of crisis-intervention training.

Were very comfortable with the program we used and with the individuals who are teaching it, Ruff said in an interview with the Associated Press following the shooting. While declining to state what steps or decisions might have led the police to unload multiple rounds into a child, Ruff reiterated, theres more than one way to be CIT trained.

While on the phone with emergency services Barton explained that her son was unarmed and that he doesnt have anything, he just gets mad and he starts yelling and screaming. Hes a kid, he's trying to get attention, he doesnt know how to regulate.

According to Barton, once Cameron saw the officers arrive at the house he got scared and ran away. Barton met officers at the front door of her home, who told her to go wait in her car, while they apprehended her son. Barton recalled in an emotional interview that within five minutes she heard officers yell at her son, get down on the ground, followed by several gunshots.

I heard the guns and the yelling and the guns, and then I sat there in my car for what felt like a long time and I was waiting for someone to walk over to me because I didnt know what just happened, Barton explained. And I was like OK, um, OK  they just unloaded a whole clip in my son, and probably hes dead because hes so small.

Barton says she then saw police put handcuffs on her son as he was laying silent on the ground. She says she did not know if he was alive or dead and officers refused to tell her why they shot him. He's a small child. Why didn't you just tackle him? He's a baby. He has mental issues.

Lindens older brother Wesley Cameron spoke to local media regarding Lindens injuries: He said he cant feel any feeling in his left hand. From my understanding he got shot in both feet, Wesley said. So now well never be able to do the things we used to do, like longboard and play video games together.

Barton continued, You are big police officers with massive amounts of resources. Come on. Give me a break.

Data compiled by the US Census Bureau confirms Bartons point. If one were to add up all of the annual budgets of police departments across the US as of 2017 it would total over $115 billion, which is larger than every other country's military budget besides China and US.

While unlimited funding is made available for the special bodies of armed men, as the WSWS has previously reported, funding for vital public health infrastructure, including mental health services has been reduced by billions under both Democratic and Republican administrations in every state for over 30 years.

Police, as is standard procedure when covering up their crimes, are refusing to release any information pertaining to the incident including how many times Cameron was shot or why the officer determined it was necessary to use deadly force on a child who weighs less than 100 pounds. Bodycam footage of the incident does exist, however the department has stated it will not release it for 10 business days...as this is an active investigation.

Immediately after the shooting in an early Saturday morning press conference, Salt Lake City police spokesman Sergeant Keith Horrocks trotted out the standard justifications for police brutality, stating that officers were called to the address for a violent psych issue involving a juvenile having a mental episode and making threats to some folks with a weapon.

As of this writing, no weapon has been recovered. In follow up interviews, Barton has denied that her son was violent towards officers or that he had a weapon.

On Sunday, Salt Lake Citys Democratic mayor Erin Mendenhall issued a brief statement labeling the incident a tragedy while giving her support to the investigation, which she expects to be handled swiftly and transparently for the sake of everyone involved.

Demonstrating the transparent attitude endemic to police departments around the world who routinely cover-up and get away with vicious crimes against working class adults and youth, Salt Lake City Detective Greg Wilking, in an interview with CNN, refused to state whether Cameron had a weapon, or what the officers perceived threats were, adding, Mom can say whatever she wants, but there's this investigation that has to happen and this process that has to take place.

In stark contrast to the brutal indifference the police have shown Barton and her family, on social media thousands of people have come forward to share their outrage and similar stories. One commenter wrote on Facebook, As a father of an autistic 14 year old [who] is very similar, I am more than furious. My son has had a number of run ins with the police, when his emotions overwhelm him, and we have been lucky. However, one deputy warned me to deal with him myself, because Ill hurt him if I do it. Now I am afraid to call them at all. For good reason.

A study conducted by the Treatment Advocacy Center found that people with severe untreated mental illnesses are 16 times more likely to be killed by police and are involved in nearly 1 in 4 fatal police shootings. The question of allocating appropriate and necessary resources and training so that all have access to the necessary health care is a class question. It cannot be resolved through reforming or defunding police who do not exist to protect workers and their families, but to safeguard the interests of the ruling elite and violently dispatch any perceived threats, no matter how small, to themselves.
Singh's stern message came hours ahead of Jaishankar-Wang Yi meeting

Amid the rising border tensions with China at Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Air Force on Thursday inducted five Rafale jets during a glittering ceremony at the Ambala air base. However, the occasion also turned out to be an opportunity for the Indian political establishment to issue a subtle warning to a rampaging China.

In a clear reference to China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the induction of five French-made multirole Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force is a "big and stern" message to those eyeing India's sovereignty.

"This kind of induction is very important for the kind of atmosphere that has been created on our borders," Singh also said at the ceremony.

Interestingly, Singh's stern message to the neighbouring country came hours ahead of an expected meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave in Moscow.

The much anticipated talks are taking place against the backdrop of a massive spike in tension in eastern Ladakh triggered by fresh face-offs between the two armies along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Earlier in the day, amid traditional 'sarva dharma puja', a ceremonial 'water cannon salute' to the Rafale jets and an aerial display featuring various breathtaking manoeuvres by the aircraft, the five Rafale jets were inducted into the 17 Squadron of the IAF.

The multi-role Rafale jets, built by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, are known for air-superiority and precision strikes.

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. A second batch of four to five Rafale jets are likely to arrive in India by November.
All issues of bilateral and regional significance including connectivity were discussed during the meetings External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had with their respective counterparts in Tehran recently, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

On his way to Russia, Jaishankar on Tuesday made a stopover in Tehran and held talks with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif, covering various aspects of bilateral relations and regional developments. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too had made a stopover in Tehran on Saturday on his return journey from Russia, and held talks with his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Amir Hatami.

Asked about the two back to back ministerial meetings, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during these meetings, all issues of bilateral and regional significance including connectivity were discussed.

Particularly on the Chabahar (port) project, both sides noted that the traffic by Chabahar is increasing and we are seeing increased cargo movement through this port," he said. To a separate question on fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modis ongoing extradition hearing related to the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case at a UK court, Srivastava said the hearing started on September 7 and will continue till September 11.

Prosecution has presented its case against Nirav Modi. There are various elements in this case like criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and criminal intimidation," he said. Asked about Vijay Mallya, Srivastava said his application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected in May this year and thereafter we have been in touch with the UK side to ensure his early extradition to India".

On the Kulbhushan Jadhav case in Pakistan, he said, We continue to be in touch with the government of Pakistan through diplomatic channels and as I have said earlier we have raised with Pakistan that certain basic issues need to be addressed by them including, providing unconditional and unimpeded consular access to him, provision of basic documents and appointment of an Indian lawyer to ensure a trial which is free and fair."
My biggest fear about the U.S. election isnt that Donald Trump will win, which is a real possibility given the craziness of American politics these days.

No, my biggest fear is that Trump loses, declares the election rigged  and refuses to leave office.

If that happens, then the U.S. could be facing a constitutional crisis and another civil war  literally  with hardline wacko supporters marching through the streets with their assault weapons at the ready as Trump holes up defiantly in the White House.

An unlikely scenario? Nonsense?

Maybe, but constitutional experts say that if it does happen the U.S. would be in uncharted waters with no real rule book for legally removing him from the Oval Office if he refuses to go quietly.

Increasingly, many Trump analysts express concern over the U.S. presidents strategy of firing up his base by ranting about the Nov. 3 election being rigged because of scandals around mail-in ballots, which would mean it could be months before the final results are available.

As always, Trump has no proof of that, but it doesnt stop him from fomenting anger and fury with his base, which believes he can do no wrong nor say anything that isnt true.

The possibility that Trump would refuse to leave office after the 2020 election has become more serious in the last year. It is gaining credibility by the fact that Trump has said nothing to dispel such concerns.

Michael Cohen, who was Trumps former lawyer and personal fixer, warned during a congressional hearing in early 2019 of trouble ahead. Given my experience working for Mr. Trump, he told lawmakers, I fear that if he loses in 2020, that there will never be a peaceful transition of power.

In an interview this past July with Chris Wallace of Fox News, Trump bluntly refused to say if he would accept the election results. Im not going to just say yes, Trump said, adding and I didnt last time either. He was referring to a 2016 presidential debate in which he also refused to say if hed accept defeat, declaring: Ill keep you in suspense.

One of the top U.S. legal experts on the presidency says it is sheer folly to believe Trump would go easily if he loses.

Should President Trump lose in the 2020 election, dont expect him to concede defeat  it is simply not in his DNA to do so, says Lawrence Douglas, a law professor at Amherst College in Massachusetts, who has written a book about this issue titled Will He Go? Trump and the Looming Election Meltdown in 2020.

Douglas told PBS that Trumps recent comments about possibly delaying the election should concern all Americans, regardless of political affiliation ... The fact that Trump lacks the power to delay an election  only Congress could do that  provides cold comfort. The very idea that he would float the idea smacks of authoritarianism.

Its this authoritarian streak in Trump that most worries constitutional experts. They believes he is capable at stopping short of nothing to keep himself in power.

Indeed, there is no provision in the U.S. Constitution of how a president should be removed if they lose the election and wont hand over power to the winner. But its also hard to imagine the FBI storming into the Oval Office and hauling a handcuffed Trump into a waiting police car.

A more likely scenario is one where Republican congressmen place so much political pressure on Trump that even he realizes his time is up.

Until that happens, though, Trump could certainly make mischief, Douglas wrote recently in the Los Angeles Times. He could, for example, encourage his supporters to take to the streets, triggering counterprotests met with ugly displays of federal force.

Douglas believes the best hope for ensuring Trump goes quietly is for Democratic candidate Joe Biden to trounce him in the election. Anything short of that will aid Trump in rejecting defeat and igniting an electoral crisis the likes of which we have not seen in our history, Douglas argues.

Its a dire thought, and one that makes me even more fearful about this election.

Bob Hepburn is a Star politics columnist based in Toronto. Twitter: @BobHepburn is a Star politics columnist based in Toronto. Twitter: @BobHepburn

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Israels Sheba Medical Center and the United Arab Emiratess APEX National Investment said on Thursday they signed a preliminary agreement to jointly promote healthcare technologies in the UAE and the Gulf region, Trend reports with reference to Reuters.

The memorandum of understanding is the first cooperation announced between an Israeli hospital with an Emirati company after Israel and the UAE agreed to normalise relations last month.

A final agreement is expected to be signed around Sept. 21 in the UAE, said Yoel Hareven, director of Sheba International at Sheba Medical Center.

Hareven said the MOU will pave the way for cooperation on medical innovation, professional training, medical tourism and COVID-19 treatment.

Weve embedded existing Israeli telemedicine (remote treatment) technology which allows us to provide medical care to coronavirus patients while minimising risk to the medical teams - this is of great interest to the Emirates, he said.

Sheba and APEX will form an innovation hub in the Gulf based on Shebas big data platform, a joint statement said.

Since the Aug. 13 announcement to formalise ties, Israeli and UAE companies have started to work towards cooperation in banking and other fields.

Last month, right after the diplomatic deal was announced, APEX signed a deal with Israeli Tera Group to cooperate on COVID-19 R&D including a testing device.

A formal signing ceremony between the UAE and Israel will be hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 15, a White House official said on Tuesday.
Jim Wahlberg shares powerful story of redemption, how God pulled him from life of addiction, crime

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When the Massachusetts State Prison priest offered Jim Wahlberg the opportunity to work as a janitor in the chapel, he readily agreed.

However, his motives werent exactly positive.

I saw this as another opportunity to hustle someone, Wahlberg, brother of actor Mark Wahlberg, told The Christian Post. I knew the priest smoked cigarettes, so I figured it was a chance for me to steal some cigarettes and access his phone. I saw it as a chance to take advantage of him.

Growing up in what he described as a dysfunctional home in Dorchester, Wahlberg  the middle of nine kids  began experimenting with drugs and alcohol at a young age. After running away from home, he found himself a ward of the state by age 12. He dropped out of high school at 15 and spent his teenage years rotating between foster care and stints in juvenile detention.

By 22 years old, Wahlberg had already been to prison twice. At 17, he was sentenced to Massachusetts State Prison for armed robbery. A mere six months after his release, he was arrested for burglarizing a police officers home. Facing six to nine years in prison, Wahlberg decided to do anything within his power to avoid serving the full sentence.

I quietly began attending some self-help groups and things of that nature to pretend like I had changed, he recalled. I was just running game, just trying to create the illusion that I was trying to become rehabilitated. In reality, I wanted to get out and steal and consume as many drugs and alcohol as I could. I didnt think sobriety was an option for me.

After taking on the job at the local chapel, Wahlberg was informed that part of the gig was cleaning after services  meaning he would have to attend mass on occasion.

That was never part of my plan; I did not want to attend any kind of mass or really have anything to do with the church, he said. I thought I was hustling the priest; turns out, he was hustling me.

One day, the priest informed Wahlberg the prison was going to have a special visitor: Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

I didnt know who that was, he admitted, but the second she walked into the room, I knew there was something different about her. She spoke of love and mercy. She gave us hope; she let us know there was nothing too big for God.

Meeting Mother Teresa was a defining moment for him, a moment that made him want to learn more about the God of grace, forgiveness and redemption.

It was a profound experience, he said. I feel like God said, Ive tried to lead you in the right direction many times and you just wont do it. So Im going to send my number one assistant and its going to change you.' And it did change me in a very powerful way. I went to the priest and said, I want to learn more about God. I want to learn more about my faith.

Thanks to positive influences, therapy, and other programs, Walberg finally found sobriety in 1988  and a newfound commitment to his faith.

I finally understood that there was a loving God, not just a god that was out to get me and punish me, he said. Once I understood the beauty of faith and the fact that Jesus gave it all up specifically for me, my life changed. I think if Id understood that earlier, I would have been spared a lot of pain and suffering.

Now sober for several decades, Wahlberg shares his powerful testimony in his new memoir The Big Hustle: A Boston Street Kid's Story of Addiction and Redemption. He also serves as the executive director of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, created to improve the quality of life for inner-city youth through a working partnership with other youth organizations.

My experiences give me more ammunition to reach people that have been through similar circumstances; it gives my message a little more depth and weight than someone that learned answers and solutions from a book, he said. The goal of sharing my story is to let others know that nothing is too big for God. He took the mess of my life, all of my shortcomings and ugliness, and turned it into an asset to glorify Him.

A producer, writer, and director of films, Wahlberg uses his talents and experiences to raise awareness about opioid addiction and point to the hope found in Christ. His latest film, "What About the Kids?" examines the devastating effects of addiction through the eyes of Chloe, an 8-year-old girl whose parents are hooked on opioids.

Wahlberg told CP the film was inspired by the numerous grandparents hes met over the years forced to raise their grandchildren after losing a child to an overdose.

I wanted to tell a version of their stories from a faith-based perspective, he said. In this particular case, this little girl loses her mom and her dad is still using. The grandma is a prayer warrior who is attempting to instill Christian views in her granddaughter. We see all the difficult dynamics between family members and the devastating nature of addiction, but its also a hopeful movie that reminds us of whats possible through faith. Faith plays a key role in achieving sobriety.

For Wahlberg, helping others overcome addiction by sharing his own story of redemption isnt just a passion  it's a God-ordained calling on his life.

God saved me for me a reason, he stressed. The best part is, it has nothing to do with me. Its all by the grace of God. I want others to know there is no situation, no difficulty they cant overcome with God. It doesnt mean its going to be easy. But when you have that undeniable feeling of the presence of God in your life and heart, its life-changing.

God loves you and He can pull you out of the field. No matter what situation youre facing, its not too late.


In a major boost to India's air power capability, the Indian Air Force has inducted the first batch of Rafale Fighter Jets into its fleet, at a time the country is engaged in a tense border row with China in eastern Ladakh. The five French-made Rafale fighter jets had arrived at Air Force Station, Ambala from France on July 29, and were inducted on September 10. The programme included a ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft, a traditional sarva dharma puja, air display by Rafale and Tejas aircraft, as well as by the Sarang aerobatic team. Take a look at the pictures:


Paris: A survivor of the 2015 attack on satirical publication Charlie Hebdo has told a French court how the gunmen said "Allahu akbar" ("God is greatest"), then shot him with their Kalashnikov rifles.

Simon Fieschi was the first employee the two gunmen encountered when they entered the newspaper's Paris offices. He said that after being shot he lost consciousness, and the gunmen moved on to other targets.

"It was all very quick for me," said Fieschi, 36, who limped to the witness box using a crutch but declined an offer to take a seat, saying he preferred to testify standing.

Simon Fieschi survived the Charlie Hebdo terror attack. Credit:Magdalena Nin/Antoine Ligier

"I remember the door opening violently, and gunshots. I remember a man who said: 'Allahu akbar,' and then, 'We don't kill women'," said Fieschi, who was in charge of the publication's digital platforms.
An investment of 7.8m will be announced today to help clear the huge backlog of thousands of children with conditions like autism on waiting lists for an assessment of need.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is understood to have made tackling the delays a priority. The HSE recently revealed that the average waiting time was 19 months but doctors say it is taking more than three years for some children, despite a legal requirement for the assessment to be completed within six months.

The allocation of new funding today will allow clinicians to see more children by working overtime and additional staff will also be hired. There will also be outsourcing to the private sector.

Without an assessment of need, young children can be left in limbo and unable to access supports such as therapies and a psychologist. Some parents are having to resort to legal action to secure services.

Speaking in the Dail recently, Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty said parents were at their "wits' end" waiting for assessments for their children.

He said it has become the default position of the State to force people into expensive legal battles instead of admitting they were wrong.

There were 5,083 overdue assessments at the end of March, less than 3pc of which were because of exceptional circumstances.

Chief executive of the Children's Rights Alliance Tanya Ward said the State should be directing its resources towards getting mass assessments.

Experts said assessments should identify the needs of children and link them to appropriate therapists.

If children are given help at an early age in a timely way, the possibility for them to develop skills that will be essential to them for the rest of their lives is huge. If up to four years is wasted, then all the potential is lost, they warn.
Kansas City Southern rejects $20 billion takeover bid from investor group: WSJ (Reuters) - U.S. railroad operator Kansas City Southern () has rejected a $20 billion takeover offer from an investor group, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Important biz news that our friends in local media were forced to overlooked . . . THANKS to TKC readers who sent an update our way. Read more:
Beginning a new chapter in its illustrious history, the Indian Air Force inducted the first batch of Rafale Fighter Jets into its fleet.

The five Indian Air Force Rafale aircraft that had arrived at Air Force Station, Ambala from France on July 27, was inducted during a programme that included the ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft, a traditional sarva dharma puja, air display by Rafale and Tejas aircraft as well as by the Sarang aerobatic team.

#WATCH Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly, witness the traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja' at the Rafale induction ceremony, at Ambala airbase pic.twitter.com/0z74ECflJd  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly were the chief guests for the event which was also attended by the likes of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO along with other senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces.

The French delegation was represented by Emmanuel Lenain Ambassador of France to India, Air General Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the French Air Force and other senior officials.

'Sarva Dharma Puja' conducted at the Rafale induction ceremony, at IAF airbase in Ambala



Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria present. pic.twitter.com/Bu2A54z8HD  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

The first Rafale jets will become part of the IAF's 17 Squadron, which is based in Ambala, Haryana.

Nicknamed the Golden Arrows, the 17 Squadron which is part of the IAF's Western Air Command was raised in Ambala on 1 October 1951.

Initially it started with US-designed T-6 Texan trainer aircraft commonly known as Harvard IIB and later the de Havilland Vampire aircraft and the British made Hawker Hunter fighter-bomber aircraft.

afp

The 17 Squadron played key roles in the wars in 1961, 1971 and the Kargil War.

In 1991 May, the 17 Squadron which was flying the MiG 21s, were among the first to confirm the presence of Pakistani troops in Kargil.

However later in May, the Squadron suffered a major loss after it was deployed to search for Flt Lt K Nachiketa, who was part of the 9 Squadron and his Mig 27 had suffered a flameout and he was forced to eject.

Sqn Ldr Ajay Ahuja and Fg Offr PG Reddy were on the search for Flt Lt K Nachiketa when his MiG 21 was hit by a missile and he was forced to eject.

While he ejected Sqn Ldr Ahuja was captured and killed by Pakistan.

He was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra, Indias third-highest gallantry award.

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The squadron was disbanded in 2016 after the IAF started gradually phasing out Russian-origin Mig 21 jets, but was revived to induct the Rafale jets.
At an Aug. 22 Save the Children rally in St. Paul, Minn., protesters trumpet elements of the QAnon conspiracy theory

At an Aug. 22 Save the Children rally in St. Paul, Minn., protesters trumpet elements of the QAnon conspiracy theory Credit - Stephen MaturenGetty Images

Kelly Ferro is a busy mom on her way to the post office: leather mini-backpack, brunet topknot, turquoise pedicure with a matching ombre manicure. A hairdresser from Kenosha, Wis., Ferro didnt vote in 2016 but has since become a strong supporter of Donald Trump. Why does the news hate the President so much? she says. I went down the rabbit hole. I started doing a lot of research.

When I ask what she means by research, something shifts. Her voice has the same honey tone as before, and her face is as friendly as ever. But theres an uncanny flash as she says, This is where I dont know what I can say, because whats integrated into our system, it stems deep. And it has to do with really corrupt, evil, dark things that have been hidden from the public. Child sex trafficking is one of them.

Ferro may not have even realized it, but she was parroting elements of the QAnon conspiracy theory, a pro-Trump viral delusion that began in 2017 and has spread widely over recent months, migrating from far-right corners of the Internet to infect ordinary voters in the suburbs. Its followers believe President Trump is a hero safeguarding the world from a deep state cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles, Democratic politicians and Hollywood celebrities who run a global sex-trafficking ring, harvesting the blood of children for life-sustaining chemicals.

None of this is even remotely true. But an alarming number of Americans have been exposed to these wild ideas. There are thousands of QAnon groups and pages on Facebook, with millions of members, according to an internal company document reviewed by NBC News. Dozens of QAnon-friendly candidates have run for Congress, and at least three have won GOP primaries. Trump has called its adherents people that love our country.

Story continues

In more than seven dozen interviews conducted in Wisconsin in early September, from the suburbs around Milwaukee to the scarred streets of Kenosha in the aftermath of the Jacob Blake shooting, about 1 in 5 voters volunteered ideas that veered into the realm of conspiracy theory, ranging from QAnon to the notion that COVID-19 is a hoax. Two women in Ozaukee County calmly informed me that an evil cabal operates tunnels under the U.S. in order to rape and torture children and drink their blood. A Joe Biden supporter near a Kenosha church told me votes dont matter, because the elites will decide the outcome of the election anyway. A woman on a Kenosha street corner explained that Democrats were planning to bring in U.N. troops before the election to prevent a Trump win.

Its hard to know exactly why people believe what they believe. Some had clearly been exposed to QAnon conspiracy theorists online. Others seemed to be repeating false ideas espoused in Plandemic, a pair of conspiracy videos featuring a discredited former medical researcher that went viral, spreading the notion that COVID-19 is a hoax across social media. (COVID-19 is not a hoax.) When asked where they found their information, almost all these voters were cryptic: Go online, one woman said. Dig deep, added another. They seemed to share a collective disdain for the mainstream mediaa skepticism that has only gotten stronger and deeper since 2016. The truth wasnt reported, they said, and what was reported wasnt true.

This matters not just because of what these voters believe but also because of what they dont. The facts that should anchor a sense of shared reality are meaningless to them; the news developments that might ordinarily inform their vote fall on deaf ears. They will not be swayed by data on coronavirus deaths, they wont be persuaded by job losses or stock market gains, and they wont care if Trump called Americas fallen soldiers losers or suckers, as the Atlantic reported, because they wont believe it. They are impervious to messaging, advertising or data. They arent just infected with conspiracy; they appear to be inoculated against reality.

A man in a QAnon shirt appears outside a Trump rally in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20 Sinna Nasseri

Democracy relies on an informed and engaged public responding in rational ways to the real-life facts and challenges before us. But a growing number of Americans are untethered from that. Theyre not on the same epistemological grounding, theyre not living in the same worlds, says Whitney Phillips, a professor at Syracuse who studies online disinformation. You cannot have a functioning democracy when people are not at the very least occupying the same solar system.

American politics has always been prone to spasms of conspiracy. The historian Richard Hofstadter famously called it an arena for angry minds. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Americans were convinced that the Masons were an antigovernment conspiracy; populists in the 1890s warned of the secret cabals controlling the price of gold; in the 20th century, McCarthyism and the John Birch Society fueled a wave of anti-Communist delusions that animated the right. More recently, Trump helped seed a racist lie that President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S.

As a candidate in 2016, Trump seemed to promote a new wild conspiracy every week, from linking Ted Cruzs father to the Kennedy assassination to suggesting Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was murdered. In interviews at Trump rallies that year, I heard voters espouse all manner of delusions: that the government was run by drug cartels; that Obama was a foreign-born Muslim running for a third term; that Hillary Clinton had Vince Foster killed. But after four years of a Trump presidency, the paranoia is no longer relegated to the margins of society. According to the Pew Research Center, 25% of Americans say there is some truth to the conspiracy theory that the COVID-19 pandemic was intentionally planned. (Virologists, global health officials and U.S. intelligence and national-security officials have all dismissed the idea that the pandemic was human-engineered, although Trump Administration officials have said they have not ruled out the possibility that it was the result of an accident in a lab.) In a recent poll of nearly 1,400 people by left-leaning Civiqs/Daily Kos, more than half of Republican respondents believed some part of QAnon: 33% said they believed the conspiracy was mostly true, while 26% said some parts are true.

Over a week of interviews in early September, I heard baseless conspiracies from ordinary Americans in parking lots and boutiques and strip malls from Racine to Cedarburg to Wauwatosa, Wis. Shaletha Mayfield, a Biden supporter from Racine, says she thinks Trump created COVID-19 and will bring it back again in the fall. Courtney Bjorn, a Kenosha resident who voted for Clinton in 2016 and plans to vote for Biden, lowered her voice as she speculated about the forces behind the destruction in her city. No rich people lost their buildings, she says. Who benefits when neighborhoods burn down?

But by far the greatest delusions I heard came from voters on the right. More than a third of the Trump supporters I spoke with voiced some kind of conspiratorial thinking. COVID could have been released by communist China to bring down our economy, says John Poulos, loading groceries into his car outside Sendiks grocery store in the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa. COVID was manufactured, says Maureen Bloedorn, walking into a Dollar Tree in Kenosha. She did not vote for Trump in 2016 but plans to support him in November, in part because he sent Obama a bill for all of his vacations he took on the American dime. This idea was popularized by a fake news story that originated on a satirical website and went viral.

On a cigarette break outside their small business in Ozaukee County, Tina Arthur and Marcella Frank told me they plan to vote for Trump again because they are deeply alarmed by the cabal. Theyve heard numerous reports that the COVID-19 tents set up in New York and California were actually for children who had been rescued from underground sex-trafficking tunnels.

Arthur and Frank explained theyre not followers of QAnon. Frank says she spends most of her free time researching child sex trafficking, while Arthur adds that she often finds this information on the Russian-owned search engine Yandex. Franks eyes fill with tears as she describes what shes found: children who are being raped and tortured so that the cabal can extract their blood and drink it. She says Trump has seized the blood on the black market as part of his fight against the cabal. I think if Biden wins, the world is over, basically, adds Arthur. I would honestly try to leave the country. And if that wasnt an option, I would probably take my children and sit in the garage and turn my car on and it would be over.

The rise in conspiratorial thinking is the product of several interrelated trends: declining trust in institutions; demise of local news; a social-media environment that makes rumor easy to spread and difficult to debunk; a President who latches onto anything and anyone he thinks will help his political fortunes. Its also a part of our wiring. The brain likes crazy, says Nicco Mele, the former director of Harvards Shorenstein Center, who studies the spread of online disinformation and conspiracies. Because of this, experts say, algorithms on platforms like Facebook and YouTube are designed to serve up content that reinforces existing beliefslearning what users search for and feeding them more and more extreme content in an attempt to keep them on their sites.

All this madness contributes to a political imbalance. On the right, conspiracy theories make Trump voters even more loyal to the President, whom many see as a warrior against enemies in the deep state. It also protects him against an October surprise, as no matter what news emerges about Trump, a growing group of U.S. voters simply wont believe it. On the left, however, conspiracy theories often weaken voters allegiance to Biden by making them less likely to trust the voting process. If they believe their votes wont matter because shadowy elites are pulling the countrys strings, why bother going through the trouble of casting a ballot?

Experts who follow disinformation say nothing will change until Facebook and YouTube shift their business model away from the algorithms that reward conspiracies. We are not anywhere near peak crazy, says Mele. Phillips, the professor from Syracuse, agrees that things will get weirder. Were in trouble, she adds. Words sort of fail to capture what a nightmare scenario this is.

But to voters like Kelly Ferro, the mass delusion seems more like a mass awakening. Trump is revealing these things, she says serenely, gesturing with her turquoise-tipped fingernails. Americans eyes are being opened to the darkness that was once hidden.

After yoga in the morning, Ferro says, she often spends hours watching videos, immersing herself in a world she believes is bringing her ever closer to the truth. You cant stop, because its so addicting to have this knowledge of what kind of world were living in, she says. Were living in an alternate reality.

With reporting by Leslie Dickstein and Simmone Shah
Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm began the third phase of a vaccine trial on Wednesday in Peru, one of the first in Latin America, to find large scale testing against the new coronavirus.

German Malaga, professor of medicine at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia and head of the vaccine trials, said that they hope to vaccinate 3,000 people.

Another 3,000 participants will be vaccinated by the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, probably beginning next week.

On Wednesday, 20 volunteers were scheduled to be inoculated, including doctors, veterinarians, lawyers, risk managers from local banks, psychologists and diplomats.

From next Monday Malaga said that 12 per hour will be inoculated, around 90 per day.

"I am here to collaborate," said Marybell Aller, an insurance broker who came to the university located in Lima to receive the vaccine in test.

Phase three of the Sinopharm trial in Peru will include a total of 6,000 people between the ages of 18 and 75.

About 2,000 will receive a virus strain from Wuhan, 2,000 a Beijing strain, and the remainder a saline water placebo.

After receiving the first dose, the 6,000 participants will wait up to a month to receive the second dose.

They will be monitored for up to four months with daily checks on their health.

Malaga explained that neither the patients nor the doctors know if they are inoculating the Wuhan, Beijing strains or a placebo, in order to avoid bias from the volunteers.

"What we know from reports is that the vaccine is very safe," said Doctor Malaga.

"This is a vaccine with dozens of thousands of applied doses in the world without adverse effects. It's now turn to (demonstrate) it is effective," Malaga added.

Sinopharm has applied 30,000 doses to volunteers and another 10,000 participants have received double doses in previous test in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, while further testing will be carried in Morocco and Argentina.

The vaccine has been developed by China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a unit of the state giant Sinopharm.

The Peruvian government is in talks with six laboratories while deciding its strategy to purchase vaccines for its population of 32 million.

Peru is one of the countries hardest hit by the virus since its appearance in March.

It is the second nation with the most people infected and the third with the most deaths in Latin America.

At the moment it has reported more than 696,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 30,000 deaths.
On 8 September, a member of the Armenian National Assembly brought forward a legislative proposal on insult and defamation that aims to increase fines for publishing insults and defamatory comments in the media and social networks. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) join their affiliate, the Union of Journalists of Armenia (UJA), in urging the parliament not to take up the proposal.

The deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, proposed the bill to amend the civil code. The proposal aims to increase compensation for insult or defamation by five times, bringing damages for an insult from one million Armenian drams to five million drams (nearly 9000), and for defamation from 2 million drams to ten million drams (about 18000 Euro).

Simonyan has filed six lawsuits for insult and defamation himself and is confident that the bill would restrain people from spreading insults and fake news, according to Armenian news site News.am.

According to Media Advocate, a project of the Armenian Center for Political and International Studies, the concepts of "defamation" and "insult" are not clearly defined in the Armenia's legal code. This vague definition opens the door for misusing the accusation of insult or defamation for political purposes to silence critical journalists or other individuals.

The Union of Journalist of Armenia said: "This initiative is yet another tool of the incumbent authorities aimed at restricting free speech in general, and freedom of the press in particular. Taking into consideration the pivotal role that the media plays in disseminating information regarding issues of public concern in a democratic society, we condemn any such initiative, including the bill on making an amendment to the relevant Article of the Civil Code that was proposed by Alen Simonyan, today, and urge not to include the bill in the agenda of the National Assembly."

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "Insult or defamation accusations are often used against independent reporting. Journalists must inform the public independently without being threatened by crippling damages for spurious allegations. The proposal sends an alarming signal threatening to punish critical reporting even harder. We call on the National Assembly to reject the legislation."
With 2,564 new COVID-19 cases



reported on Wednesday, Chhattisgarh's total count rose to 52,932, a health official said.

The death toll climbed to 477 after 13 fatalities were reported over the last four days while information about 57 deaths, which had taken place earlier, was also added to the data, he said.

1,146 patients were discharged from hospitals following recovery from the infection. The state now has 28,041 active cases as 24,414 people have recovered and 477 have died.

Of the 2,564 fresh cases found in 27 districts, maximum were reported in Raipur district (869 cases), followed by Durg (308), Rajnandgaon (281) and Bilaspur (225), the official said.

The new cases also included eight persons who arrived in from other states, he added.

"Of the latest 13 fatalities, seven took place on Wednesday, five on Tuesday and one on September 6," he said.

The state has recorded over 40,000 cases just in the last one month, he said.

With total 18,660 cases, Raipur district tops the tally in the state and it has witnessed 218 deaths.

Chhattisgarh's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 52,932, new cases 2,564, deaths 477, recovered 24,414, active cases 28,041, people tested so far 7,19,630.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi/Patna, Sep 10 : Even though the dates for the Bihar Assembly election are yet to be announced, the opposition Grand Alliance, comprising of Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress, Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and the Left parties, is set to hold a meeting in the national capital to discuss the sest-sharing formula.

According to a senior RJD leader in Delhi, the formal discussion over the seat-sharing issue is to be held in the national capital in the next four to five days.

The RJD leader, wishing not to be named, said that leaders of all the parties will be holding an important meeting to discuss the issue, as the Election Commission is set to announce the poll dates for the 243-member Bihar Assembly later this month.

According to a recent statement from the poll panel, the election will be completed in Bihar by November 29 this year.

Another senior RJD leader related to the development said that the party will get the maximum seat share in the state followed by the Congress, Left, the RLSP and the VIP.

Congress Election Campaign Committee chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh in Patna told IANS, "Due to delay in the seat-sharing formula we faced some issues, but we are confident of finalising the seat-sharing in next few days." Singh also said that there is no rift in the Grand Alliance over the issue of seat-sharing.

An RLSP leader told IANS that the RJD would be contesting on over 150 to 160 seats while the Congress will get about 45-50 seats, followed by Left parties, RLSP and the VIP.

He said that the seat-sharing formula will be finalised by September 20.

The RLSP leader also said that the Kushwaha is expecting about 25-35 seats in Bihar.

In the last fortnight, former Chief Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular chief Jitan Ram Manjhi joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state after dumping the Grand Alliance.

In the 2015 Assembly polls, the RJD contested on 101 seats and emerged as the biggest party in the state by winning 80 seats while its then ally Janata Dal-United won 71 seats as part of the alliance.

On the other hand its current ally Congress won 27 out of 41 seats it contested.

The JD-U however, a year later ditched the Grand Alliance and formed the government with the BJP in the state.

The RLSP leader said that this time there is a lot of anti-incumbency against the Nitish Kumar government in the state as he failed on his promises of providing jobs, education and health.

"If the parties keep their egos at bay while discussing the seat-sharing formula, then it is sure that Grand Alliance will be able to defeat the ruling NDA in Bihar," the RLSP leader added.

Meanwhile, the RJD, earlier in the day received a major jolt as the party's veteran leader and former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh quit the party after writing to party supremo Lalu Prasad, who is currently admitted in RIMS in Ranchi and is undergoing a jail term in connection with the fodder scam.

The RJD has faced several resignations in the last one-and-a-half months.

The RJD has been critical of the Nitish Kumar government over the handling of migrant workers' crisis, Covid-19 pandemic and the flood situation in the state.

The RJD also launched '9 Baje, 9 Minute' campaign to demand employment for the youth in Bihar on Wednesday night by lighting lanterns, which is also its election symbol.

(Anand Singh can be contacted anand.s@ians.in and Manoj Pathak can be contacted at manoj.p@ians.in)




Haiti - FLASH : Mexico denies being racist towards Haitians





The Ministry of the Interior, through the National Institute of Migration (INM), specifies that the Mexican Government "is neither racist nor criminal" vis-a-vis the foreign population which enters and passes through the national territory in the context of migration and even less vis-a-vis people of Haitian origin, as some people of this nationality suggest on social networks.



the INM specifies that the care and services provided to the migrant population of Haiti, as to other nationalities, have been permanent and have never ceased, despite the health emergency linked to the Covid-19 pandemic on Mexican territory...



In the case of foreigners of Haitian origin, the Ministry of the Interior specifies that from January 1 to September 8, 2020, it issued 4,061 regular residence cards through the representative office of the INM in Chiapas: 730 in January ; 726 in February; 213 in March; 337 in April; 427, in May; 308 in June; 571 in July and August and the first eight days of September 749. In the State of Baja California, 234 visitor cards were authorized for humanitarian reasons during the same period.



S/ HaitiLibre


















Vanessa Valladares/Instagram; Samir Hussein/WireImage Vanessa Valladares, Zac Efron

Zac Efron is moving on with a new flame.

The actor, 32, was photographed having lunch with Vanessa Valladares on Saturday at a beachside cafe in Australia.

The two seemed to be enjoying each others company after meeting in June while Valladares worked at the Byron Bay General Store & Cafe.

Heres everything to know about the new lady in Efrons life.

1. She's a model

Valladares is an Australian model and has worked for several Australian brands such as Love St., Of the Sun and RVCA. She's also spent some time posing for photographers and sharing artsy photos of herself on social media.

"Floating in ocean water, rocks blanketed in seaweed, watching the sun go down, dancing and laughing," she wrote in the caption of a black and white photo while she waded in water.

2. She loves to travel

On top of loving Byron Bay (she lives in Byron Shire, a small city in Byron Bay as stated on her Instagram bio), Valladares also has an adventurous spirit. The model, who only boasts 95 Instagram posts, has previously shared photos of her travels.

From trips to India to Indonesia, or even just staying in her beloved Byron Bay, Valladares hasn't shied away from sharing photos of her travels and appreciating different cultures.

"Okay, take me on an adventure," she posted in one Instagram photo.

RELATED: Zac Efron Spotted in Australia with Rumored Girlfriend Vanessa Valladares: 'They Are Having Fun,' Says Source

Valladares' adventurous streak might match Efron's as he recently traveled the world for his Netflix show Down to Earth. The model has visited India in the past, writing in a photo caption, "Exploring deserts, cultures, old citys and myself  a long path to go."

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Before the coronavirus pandemic began, Valladares had plans to travel to Africa, although the outbreak changed that.

"Packed preparing to leave to Africa. My flight was scheduled to take off today, now wake up to a rapidly changing reality... Embrace change," she wrote. "I choose to surrender and continue to be love, observing, growing and expanding. Im limiting my phone use, gaining knowledge, empowering myself, remaining present.  Let us lean into this chaotic creative place."

3. She worked at a general store

When Valladares met Efron, they crossed paths while she worked at the Byron Bay General Store & Cafe in June.

"Zac met Ness earlier in the summer," a source told PEOPLE. "They started hanging out in Jul and recently took a ski trip together."

Added the source, "You can tell that they are having fun. She spends a lot of time at his house."

4. She enjoys surfing and the outdoors

Like Efron, Valladares enjoys surfing, sharing a photo of herself holding a surfboard while at Tallow Beach in Byron Bay.

Salty mist in the air & sneaky blue bottle stings from the ocean , she wrote in the caption.

The model frequently shares photographs of herself in nature, whether it's taking a dip in a lake inside a cave in national parks, spending some time at Uluru, a massive sandstone monolith in Australia, or spending time at the beach.
MILTON - State police reportedly are exploring the possibility that two cold cases and a murder from the 1980s are linked.

Investigators will not comment, but PennLive has spoken with two people who have been interviewed recently in connection with the Oct. 12, 1986, disappearance of 2-year-old Corey James Edkin.

They said they were asked about individuals connected to the murder of Rickey Wolfe, whose body was found Dec. 12, 1986, at a state Fish Commission boat ramp along the Susquehanna River, north of Montandon.

Authorities suspect there is a link between Wolfes death and the 1989 disappearance of Barbara E. Miller of Sunbury. Her body has never been found but she has been declared legally dead.

Scott R. Schaeffer, who spent 17 years in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder and related charges in the Wolfe case, confirmed he has been interviewed by Edkin case investigators.

Lynn Miller also confirmed she was interviewed. Miller married Barbara Millers divorced husband in 1982 and helped raise her son after she disappeared.

Miller said she believes there is an overlap of players in the Edkin, Wolf and Barbara Miller cases.

Investigators showed no reaction when asked if they were looking into that, Schaeffer and Miller said.

A third individual known to have been interviewed had family ties to one of the men charged with Wolfs death but then acquitted.

Trooper Brian Watkins, the lead investigator in the Edkin case, issued a news release in June stating he was confident the case would be solved and those who perpetrated this tragedy will be brought to justice. There has been no update since.

Edkin was last seen alive about 12:10 a.m. Oct. 12, 1986, before his mother, Debbie Mowery (then Wise), left for a convenience store in Milton to pick up a pizza.

She told police when she left the Second Street house she shared with Alberta Sones and her two children, Edkin was asleep in her bed.

Sones told police in 1986 she was awake while Mowery was gone and did not hear anything.

Investigators over the years have concluded the little boy neither walked away from the house nor was he abducted by an unknown individual, Watkins said. They will not say if they believe Edkin is alive.

It was the contention of prosecutors during trials that Wolfe was killed while blindfolded and his hands handcuffed behind him because the assailants believed he owed a considerable amount of money to cocaine suppliers and he was a police informant.

Schaeffers conviction was vacated after a co-defendant, Robert Eugene Hummel, admitted he lied when he testified he was present when Wolfe was killed.

Corey Edkin, a 2-year-old boy from Union County, disappeared in 1986. He was born June 11, 1984. This image shows him at age 2 and how he'd look as a young adult. (Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers photos)EJA

He later pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He claims he entered the plea so he would be released from prison.

Schaeffer maintains his innocence and is seeking court approval for DNA testing of evidence he claims will exonerate him. The state attorney generals office opposes the testing.

Barbara Miller disappeared July 1, 1989, after attending a wedding. She never made it to a bar in Mifflinburg where she was to meet friends.

She had received threatening letters of her planning to go to police, a search warrant affidavit states.

Schaeffer is quoted in court documents as saying Miller told his ex-wife after his conviction she had information that would exonerate him but she feared for her life. Shew disappeared two days later.

The attorney generals office took over the Miller investigation after Timothy S. Miller (no relation) resigned as Sunbury police chief in 2018. He had reopened the investigation into the cold case.
After years of negotiations, India and Japan have inked a landmark agreement that will allow their militaries to access each other's bases for logistics support, a key development that comes in the backdrop of growing concerns over China's military muscle flexing in the region.

The acquisition and cross-servicing pact was signed by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Japanese Ambassador Suzuki Satoshi, a defence ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

The agreement provides for creation of an enabling framework for closer cooperation and interoperability, besides allowing militaries of the two countries to use each other's bases and facilities for repair and replenishment of supplies, the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, who held a telephonic conversation earlier in the day, welcomed the signing of the "Agreement on Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services" between the Indian Armed Forces and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan.

The two leaders concurred that the pact will further enhance the depth of defence cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a release from the external affairs ministry here.

The signing of the agreement comes at a time India is locked in a bitter border row with China, and rising concerns among countries in the region over increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

A statement by Japanese foreign ministry said the agreement will promote closer cooperation between the militaries of the two countries, and enable them to actively contribute to international peace and security.

"It is expected that the agreement will facilitate the smooth and prompt provision of supplies and services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Indian Armed Forces," it said.

The defence ministry said the pact will enhance the interoperability between the armed forces, resulting in further expansion of bilateral defence engagement under the Indo-Japan special strategic and global partnership.

"The agreement establishes the enabling framework for closer cooperation between the armed forces of India and Japan in reciprocal provision of supplies and services," it said.

In June, India and Australia sealed a similar Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) while resolving to scale up their overall defence cooperation.

India has already signed similar agreements with the United States, France and Singapore.

India has been signing MLSAs with countries primarily eyeing deeper maritime cooperation which is important considering China's rapid military expansionism in the Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean and South China Sea.

The pacts signed with the US and France provide for accessing various crucial bases by Indian military in Djibouti, Guam and the Reunion Islands among others.

India is also expanding overall strategic cooperation with Japan in the Indo-Pacific region under the framework of four nation coalition 'Quad'.

In November 2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.

The US has been pushing for a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific which is seen by many countries as an effort to contain China's growing clout in the region.

In June, the Indian Navy carried out a maritime exercise with the Japanese navy as part of efforts to bolster military cooperation.

The Indian Navy has significantly expanded its deployment in the Indian Ocean Region, deploying a plethora of warships and submarines following the border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

The maritime space around the Malacca Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, is very critical for China's supply chain through sea routes.
Germanys Ministry of Food and Agriculture said on Wednesday it had a suspected case of African swine fever (ASF) in a wild boar in the eastern state of Brandenburg.

The suspected case concerned a wild boar carcass found near the German-Polish border. A sample of the carcass was being taken for tests at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut laboratory, the ministry said in a statement.

As soon as the analysis is completed, Federal (Agriculture) Minister Julia Kloeckner will provide information about the results tomorrow, the ministry added.

Germany had feared a spread of the disease after cases were confirmed in wild boars in west Poland in past months with one Polish case found only about 10 km (6.21 miles) from the German border. Cases have also been recently confirmed in about 10 other European countries in wild boars which are suspected to be spreading the disease.

ASF is not dangerous to humans but fatal to pigs. Some countries impose import bans from regions where it has been discovered, in non-farm wild boars.

Millions of pigs have died or been culled due to the outbreak in China and other Asian countries. The disease has slashed Chinas pig herd by half since 2018.

There have been fears in Germany that its major exports of pork to China and other Asian regions could be threatened if the disease arrives in the country.

Asian countries including China regularly impose import bans on pork from regions where ASF has been discovered, causing painful loss of business for meat exporters.

Germany exported some 158,000 tonnes of pork worth 424 million euros to China between January and April 2020, double the tonnage in the same time in 2019, Germanys national statistics office said.

Sales were ironically fuelled by Chinas increased import demand because the disease has devastated pig herds.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday acknowledged that he had downplayed the Covid-19 outbreak, repeating and defending an assertion that he first made in American journalist Bob Woodwards upcoming book Rage. Trump said he wanted to prevent the United States and the world from going into a frenzy.

Speaking to reporters just hours after contents of the book were made public, on the basis of recordings from Trumps on-record interviews with Woodward, the US president asserted he had shown leadership by trying to keep things calm and that his administration had done an incredible job with the coronavirus pandemic.

Also in the book, President Trump talks about a previously undisclosed nuclear weapons system, castigates top generals, says he likes calling his predecessor by his first two names Barack Hussein, and gushes about his meetings and relationship with North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un.

Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate for the November 3 US election, assailed Trumps acknowledgement in Woodwards book. He knew and he purposefully downplayed it, Biden said at an election event in Michigan, a battleground state. Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to our country. For months.

Trump told Woodward that he knew exactly how serious the threat from the virus was, and he said in an interview back on February 7, This is deadly stuff. In public remarks though, Trump downplayed the crisis, portraying it as a passing threat in order to insulate his re-election chances.

The fact is, Im a cheerleader for this country, I love our country, and I dont want people to be frightened, President Trump told reporters at a White House event when asked for a response to the book. I dont want to create panic... Im not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy.

Public health experts have advocated a more transparent approach, arguing Americans deserve to know the facts so as to be able to deal with them.

The US president is battling mounting criticism of his administrations response to the pandemic that has killed nearly 190,000 Americans, infected more than 6 million, crippled the economy rendering millions jobless, and left the US isolated in the global search for a resolution.

Woodwards book has cast new light on Trumps response, or the lack of it, and his muddled approach to the worst health crisis confronting the country in more than 100 years.

This will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency, US national security adviser Robert OBrien told Trump in an Oval Office meeting on January 28, Woodward writes in the book. This is going to be the roughest thing you face.

Ten days later, on February 7, Trump called Woodward and said, in an on-record interview, You just breathe the air and thats how its passed.

And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flu... This is deadly stuff, he had said.

But the US president conveyed an altogether different message to the American public then, as now. He said the threat to the US from the coronavirus will be over soon, magically.

I wanted to always play it down, Trump told Woodward in an interview on March 19.
A three-vehicle crash occurred at Truman Elementary School on Shoshone Avenue last Thursday. Green River police report the female driver, driving a pickup pulling a small trailer, suffered a seizure at the wheel. This seizure caused her to loose control of the vehicle. No serious injuries were sustained by any parties involved.

The driver was traveling East bound on Shoshone towards Truman school. The truck then hit a parked car, which then was pushed into another vehicle. The truck continued east then proceeded to jump the curb, sending the vehicle into the chainlink fence, then hitting a...
The Indian Army has further bolstered its dominance over a number of strategic heights overlooking key Chinese-held positions around Pangong lake area in eastern Ladakh even as brigade commanders and commanding officers of the two militaries held separate talks to cool tensions in the region, government sources said. They said additional reinforcements have been made in hill tops and strategic locations around Pangong lake to keep a hawk-eye vigil on Chinese-held position of Finger 4.

The mountainous spurs in the area are referred to as Finger. China has been holding onto Finger 4 to 8 on the north bank of Pangong lake, the sources said. The Indian Army has occupied several key heights in the strategically located Rezang-La and Reqin-La areas on the southern bank of the lake since the end of August.

The sources said the two armies held separate talks at brigade commander-level as well as between commanding officers in the general area of Chushul. The focus was to bring down the temperatures," said a source.

Tension escalated manifold in eastern Ladakh following fresh face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops in Mukhpari area of Rezang-La ridgeline on Monday evening. The Indian Army on Tuesday said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh the previous evening and fired shots in the air, a first such instance of bullets being used along the LAC after a gap of 45 years.

The Army said this in a statement after the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) late on Monday night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and outrageously fired" warning shots near the Pangong lake. The incident of Monday evening was considered serious as the previous instance of shots being fired at the de-facto border was in 1975. Provisions of an agreement of 1996 and another signed in 2005 mandate the two sides not to use firearms during any confrontation.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava at a media briefing on Thursday reiterated Indias position that it is committed to resolve the current situation through peaceful negotiation. Both India and China are in regular touch through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the situation. This was the consensus when the two defence ministers met," he said.

The border situation deteriorated again after China unsuccessfully attempted to occupy Indian territory in the southern bank of Pangong lake on the intervening night of August 29 and 30. India occupied a number of strategic heights on the southern bank of Pangong lake and strengthened its presence in Finger 2 and Finger 3 areas in the region to thwart any Chinese actions.

China has strongly objected to Indias move. However, India has maintained that the heights are on its side of the LAC. India has also rushed in additional troops and weapons to the sensitive region following Chinas transgression attempts.

Following Chinas fresh attempts to change the status quo in the southern bank of Pangong lake, India has further bolstered its military presence in the region.
This article will reflect on the compensation paid to Pete Kear who has served as CEO of D4t4 Solutions Plc (LON:D4T4) since 2016. This analysis will also evaluate the appropriateness of CEO compensation when taking into account the earnings and shareholder returns of the company.

See our latest analysis for D4t4 Solutions

Comparing D4t4 Solutions Plc's CEO Compensation With the industry

According to our data, D4t4 Solutions Plc has a market capitalization of UK81m, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth UK385k over the year to March 2020. This means that the compensation hasn't changed much from last year. Notably, the salary which is UK210.0k, represents most of the total compensation being paid.

In comparison with other companies in the industry with market capitalizations under UK154m, the reported median total CEO compensation was UK254k. This suggests that Pete Kear is paid more than the median for the industry. Moreover, Pete Kear also holds UK3.4m worth of D4t4 Solutions stock directly under their own name, which reveals to us that they have a significant personal stake in the company.

Component 2020 2019 Proportion (2020) Salary UK210k UK177k 55% Other UK175k UK213k 45% Total Compensation UK385k UK390k 100%

On an industry level, roughly 65% of total compensation represents salary and 35% is other remuneration. D4t4 Solutions sets aside a smaller share of compensation for salary, in comparison to the overall industry. If total compensation veers towards salary, it suggests that the variable portion - which is generally tied to performance, is lower.

D4t4 Solutions Plc's Growth

D4t4 Solutions Plc has seen its earnings per share (EPS) increase by 2.0% a year over the past three years. In the last year, its revenue is down 14%.

We would prefer it if there was revenue growth, but the modest improvement in EPS is good. In conclusion we can't form a strong opinion about business performance yet; but it's one worth watching. Historical performance can sometimes be a good indicator on what's coming up next but if you want to peer into the company's future you might be interested in this free visualization of analyst forecasts.

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Has D4t4 Solutions Plc Been A Good Investment?

Boasting a total shareholder return of 33% over three years, D4t4 Solutions Plc has done well by shareholders. This strong performance might mean some shareholders don't mind if the CEO were to be paid more than is normal for a company of its size.

To Conclude...

As previously discussed, Pete is compensated more than what is normal for CEOs of companies of similar size, and which belong to the same industry. But shareholder returns have been positive for the last three years. Albeit, EPS growth has not been as impressive over the same time frame. We'd ideally want to see higher EPS growth, but CEO compensation seems to be within reason, given high shareholder returns.

While CEO pay is an important factor to be aware of, there are other areas that investors should be mindful of as well. We've identified 1 warning sign for D4t4 Solutions that investors should be aware of in a dynamic business environment.

Important note: D4t4 Solutions is an exciting stock, but we understand investors may be looking for an unencumbered balance sheet and blockbuster returns. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 21:04:49|Editor: huaxia

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by Sanaa Kamal

GAZA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Muawiya al-Jbour from the Gaza Strip celebrated his wedding at his small house over the concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 27-year-old computer engineer told Xinhua that his wedding ceremony was limited to the participation of a few of his family members.

"I cannot wait until the virus crisis ends," the groom said, adding that the initial date of his wedding was on Aug. 30, but he decided to postpone it because of the coronavirus outbreak.

On Aug. 24, Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry declared the first four cases infected with COVID-19 inside the community.

As a result, the local authorities have imposed a full lockdown on the entire enclave in order to contain the deadly virus.

Since then, all schools, universities, markets, and private institutions are closed and public gatherings are prohibited.

Ahmed al-Salehi from al-Mughazi refugee camp in central Gaza Strip celebrated his wedding with a special ceremony held in a public street.

"I was so lucky. I had an extraordinary wedding ceremony," the 29-year-old groom told Xinhua.

"Happiness is not linked to specific things. It can occur if a person accepts the reality and puts his or her requirements aside," the young man said.

However, Ibtissam Harara, mother of another groom, refused to give up the traditional wedding party for her eldest son.

The 50-year-old mother of four told Xinhua that she is waiting to participate in her eldest son's wedding.

"I postponed everything, and when Hamas eases the lockdown, we can organize our celebration," the woman explained.

Meanwhile, dozens of owners of wedding halls are expected to suffer significant losses as they are forced to give back the money they received as a deposit for the celebrations.

Alaa Abu Abdu, the owner of Salsabeel's wedding hall in central Gaza, told Xinhua that he lost tens of thousands of U.S. dollars because of the closure.

"Most of my customers asked me to pay back their deposits, while others postponed their celebrations until further notice," the 58-year-old father of four said.

There are about 500 tourism establishments in the Gaza Strip, such as wedding halls, restaurants, and hotels, which have been closed amid the lockdown.

So far, Gaza's health ministry has recorded 1,551 coronavirus cases and 10 fatalities. Enditem
Two general practitioners have said that the redirection of resources for testing from meat plants to the community was the correct thing to do.

Dr Ray Walley, who works in the Covid Centre in North Dublin, and Dr Nuala OConnor, Covid lead with the Irish College of General Practitioners, were speaking on RTE radios Today with Claire Byrne show.

Dr Walley said that the Covid hub had been busiest it had ever been in weeks, and that they were seeing more and more young people.

He also defended the role of GPs in the process, following a suggestion on Wednesday by Dr Tomas Ryan of the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin who had called for the removal of GPs from the testing system.

While the referral rate through GPs was very high, they were "successfully managing the process" and there would be "a loss of control of the system if it was opened up", as had happened in the UK and in France, he warned.

Dr Walley said he was delighted that resources had been redirected from an area with a low infection rate at present (meat plants) to an area where there was a higher infection rate  the community.

He said: "There needed to be flexibility so the medical professionals could say this is where the troops are needed."

Speed trumps perfection, he added.

Dr Nuala OConnor pointed out that when there was a finite set of resources it made sense to direct services where they were most needed.

We need to be agile in our response, she said.

She also said that GPs had noticed a huge increase in people calling about possible symptoms which had coincided with the return to school and that the increase in community testing was needed to know what was happening.

She said that the levels of infection in meat plants were under control and testing there was stopping for "just one week, and that this was necessary to identify the pockets of community transmission.

If we had infinite resources then we could be testing everyone every week.

"An increase in the turnaround time in testing would allow children to return to education and parents to return to work faster," she added.

Both doctors agreed with the call for the cancellation of family events with Dr OConnor pointing out that the virus loves when people get together, especially indoors. Ireland doesnt tend to have small gatherings.
This is a moment when leaders at the Centre and states must show true leadership for the sake of the country.

And it is the top political leaders, not attorney generals or bureaucrats, who should be sitting together and settling this thorny issue of compensation, says Arvind Subramanian, former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India.

IMAGE: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur with state finance ministers after the GST Council meeting in Panaji on September 20, 2019. Photograph: ANI Photo

Acrimony between the Centre and states has brought the Goods and Services Tax (to a crossroads.

Down one path lies the breakdown of the GST, the re-balkanisation of India into segmented markets, and a damaging rupture in Centre-state cooperation, fiscal and beyond.

Down the other path lies the rehabilitation of the GST so that it can deliver on its initial promise. The preferred choice is clear, almost obvious.

The dispiriting news is that it requires good faith on both sides, which seems to be in short supply.

The starting point is the obvious one. COVID-19 is a historically unprecedented economic shock, perhaps the greatest since the First War of Indian Independence in 1857.

The solution cannot, it must be emphasised, be legal-cum-technical, stemming from the letter of the law. It must be political and based on the spirit of the law.

But how did we arrive at such an impasse? History records that it was the Centre that committed the original sin.

First, in 2017-2018, the Centre played fast and loose with the IGST settlement, delaying and reducing the amounts paid to the states.

Second, in 2018, it did something similar, transferring the compensation cess to its own coffers, the Consolidated Fund of India, rather than to the compensation kitty.

And, of course, almost six months into Covid and the financial year, GST compensation has still not been provided to the states.

Although the first two sins were eventually corrected, they nevertheless left a deep residue of distrust in the GST discussions.

That said, the Centre is attempting to find a solution to the current dispute. Yes, its proposals deviate from the pledge to provide states with a guaranteed 14 per cent annual increase in GST revenues.

But COVID-19 is the biggest economic shock, a black swan event. As a result, fiscal revenues have been devastated; the money to pay out the guarantees is simply not there.

Let us be clear: No GST agreement could have catered in advance to a Covid-type situation, and no agreement should have even tried to do so.

Covid is the sort of crisis which forces governments to throw the rule book out.

Given this situation, the Centre's proposal recently could be interpreted as a valiant effort to square the original agreement with the new, fiscally-straightened reality.

In effect, the proposal envisages paying this year's promised amount over time, as the GST revenues become available, financed by the imposition of new cesses.

But given that the states need revenue now, and given the Centre's sins in the past few years, the states have dug in their heels, reacting negatively to the Centre's proposals.

Beyond these concerns, the proposal is also technically flawed. Given the large shortfall in GST collections, some government entity will need to borrow: The plan calls for this to be done by the less-able states, rather than the more-able Centre.

Moreover, the proposal would add to the complexity of the GST by perpetuating cesses, far past the five-year terminal date. And it would complicate the management of state government finances by specifying what and how much borrowing will count towards state fiscal responsibility targets.

Clearly, another strategy is needed. In fact, there is a simple solution, which is easily available, provided both sides exhibit a modicum of good faith.

The Centre must make the first move, come forward and accept the important spirit of the compensation deal, namely that it alone has responsibility to meet the states' shortfall. That burden must not be transferred on the states, especially at a time of extreme fiscal hardship.

In return, the states too must act in good faith. They cannot insist on the letter of the law, demanding 14 per cent increases at a time when revenues everywhere will decline, by perhaps 20 per cent.

Yes, the Centre has a responsibility to the states. But the extent of that responsibility must be assessed in line with fiscal realities.

To insist on 14 per cent compensation when revenues everywhere will decline by 20 per cent is also an act of bad faith.

The Centre and the states should therefore get together and negotiate a one-off political solution, consistent with the spirit of the original agreement but calibrated responsibly to the unforeseen, unforeseeable situation that is Covid-devastated India.

The agreement would have three parts.

First, for fiscal 2020-2021, the states would receive a compensation of X per cent, where X is somewhere in between -Y per cent (the expected shortfall in GST revenues) and 14 per cent, the original compensation guarantee.

Second, for 2021-2022, the Centre should commit to going back to the 14 per cent commitment, recognising that this is the last year of the compensation window.

And finally, to the extent that the agreed compensation exceeds collections, the Centre, not the states, should secure the needed amounts through borrowing in financial markets.

Many possible formulas for X could be envisaged. For example, the Centre and states could agree that X should be: The same level of compensation as last year; equal to the average of -Y per cent and 14 per cent; or sufficient to ensure that state GST receipts are the same as last year.

Without doubt, negotiation on GST compensation will be contentious. But this is a moment when the leaders at the Centre and states must show true leadership for the sake of the country.

And it is the top political leaders, not attorney generals or bureaucrats, who should be sitting together and settling this thorny issue of compensation.

They can do it, they must do it, for the stakes are immense. Because if a compromise is not reached, one of the major, potentially still path-breaking, reforms of the last 20 years could rapidly come undone. And the country will have gone down that first path of folly and devastating loss.

Arvind Subramanian is Professor at Ashoka University, and former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh AlvaRediff.com
Members of the Colorado National Guard in process to state active duty at Joint Force Headquarters, Centennial, Colorado, April 6, 2020. More than 250 Colorado National Guard members have been mobilized to help the State Emergency Operations Center and the City and County of Denver with COVID-19 response. Each servicemember entering SAD completed a medical screening and briefing on current COVID-19 operations.
HunterPark Productions today announced the world premiere of the PSA Inside & Outwards in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC). The film explores mental health and the feeling of isolation created by Covid-19, while celebrating inner strengths that emerged during the pandemic. The film was produced by HunterPark partners Bethanie Schwartz and Lauren Tuttman in collaboration with Marissa Velez.

Narrated by acclaimed actress and producer Sarah Jessica Parker, Inside & Outwards is directed by filmmaker Ezra Hurwitz. The score, by Oscar and Grammy-nominated artist Sufjan Stevens, features music from his recently released album Aporia, and powerfully marries the narration with choreography by Justin Peck (Tony winner; New York City Ballet resident choreographer). Hurwitz created the project in collaboration with creative director Ezequial Consoli and writer Kyle Harrison. The intertwining vignettes are seamlessly woven together by Editor Will Town from Modern Post, marrying the individual worlds of each character into a unified experience.

This film came together in the true spirit of remote collaboration, underscoring the films theme of connectedness amidst isolation  being alone together, said producer Bethanie Schwartz. Our incredible roster of talent generously lent their time and passion, with a common goal of uplifting viewers while inspiring awareness and support to all those struggling with mental health as a result of the pandemic."

Inside & Outwards features performances by Sara Mearns (principal dancer, New York City Ballet), Dharon Jones (Broadway revival, West Side Story), Emma Portner (acclaimed choreographer/activist), Ehlie Luna (artist/musician), Robert Fairchild (Tony-nominated actor/dancer), Gabriel Kane Day-Lewis (actor, model, musician), Brianna Lance (visual artist), Jasmine Rice (artist/performer), Carlos Gonzalez (Steven Spielbergs remake of West Side Story) and Maira Barriga (artist/model). The cast also shares their own personal struggles with mental health in an intimate, behind-the-scenes featurette.

Released on World Suicide Prevention Day, the PSA inspires viewers to embrace their vulnerabilities while celebrating their inner strength, taking comfort and pride in our collective resilience during the pandemic. A call to action caps the film, directing viewers, and anyone struggling with mental health issues, to local NAMI support resources. Additionally, the Inside & Outwards PSA teasers will be shown on select broadcast stations around the country.

Visit http://www.naminycmetro.org/insideoutwards to learn more about Inside & Outwards. Follow on social media using #InsideandOutwards and #MentalHealthForAll.

About HunterPark Productions

HunterPark is a proudly female-owned and operated creative production agency, WOSB and WBENC certified. The company produces a diverse spectrum of work from compelling and powerful original content to nimble and high-end campaigns. The company ethos stands by maintaining the quality of large corporations with the intimate hands-on service of a boutique shop. For more information, please visit http://www.hunterpark.tv.

About the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC)

For nearly 40 years, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of NYC (Matt Kudish, executive director) has offered life-changing support, education, and advocacy programs to families and individuals affected by mental illness. NAMI-NYCs services are free of charge and accessible for anyone who needs them, regardless of age, race, or background. For more information about NAMI-NYC and its programs and services, please visit http://www.naminyc.org/coronavirus.
Sri Lanka: Fishermen left hanging onto overturned boat for hours until rescued by Navy

by Zulfick Farzan

September 10,2020 | Source: News First LK

The two men aged 55 & 45, were returning to shore after setting out to sea from Kalutara North when their boat overturned just two kilometers away from the beach, on Wednesday (09) morning. They were 08 to 09 nautical miles from shore and were provided with all the safety equipment. Due to rough seas and bad weather we instructed them to head to Beruwala. But they decided to come here instead and the boat overturned due to a sudden strong wave,  said the owner the boat.



The incident took place at 07 AM and Sri Lanka Police were on the scene immediately and appealed from the fishermen who were ashore to set out to sea and rescue the distressed men. However, the fisherfolk ashore refused to do so citing the inability to maneuver their boats in such bad weather. Eventually, Sri Lanka Police notified the Sri Lanka Navy of the situation and 10 minutes later a Sri Lanka Navy boat reached the site to rescue the 02 men.
Residents of San Francisco and elsewhere in California woke to a deep orange sky that triggered apocalyptic visions at a time, already rife with disturbing events.

California is currently burning with over 30 wildfires spread out in its various parts, after a lightning storm struck the northern part of the US state earlier this week.

Skies so dark, it appeared more night than day, were accompanied in some places with ash falling like snow, the cause being massive wild fires filling the air with smoke and cinders.

ALSO READ: California Fires Rage On: How Do These Deadly Blazes Start and What Can Stop Them

As viral photos of eerie looking skies and ambiance flooded social media, former US President Barack Obama too shared orange visuals bringing forth the need to address the issue of climate change.

The fires across the West Coast are just the latest examples of the very real ways our changing climate is changing our communities," Obama said.

Drawing a parallel between the wildfires and the 2020 Congress elections, he further said, Protecting our planet is on the ballot. Vote like your life depends on it-because it does."

The fires across the West Coast are just the latest examples of the very real ways our changing climate is changing our communities. Protecting our planet is on the ballot. Vote like your life depends on itbecause it does. pic.twitter.com/gKGegXWxQu Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2020

Obamas tweet went viral with netizens sharing more images of the orange glow.While few compared it with the surrounding of Mars, others thought its a scene right out of a dystopian fiction.

ALSO READ: Viral Photos Showing Ominous Orange Skies in San Francisco Maybe Result of California Wildfires

The orange skies this morning are a result of wildfire smoke in the air," said the San Francisco Bay air quality officials adding, These smoke particles scatter blue light and only allow yellow-orange-red light to reach the surface, causing skies to look orange."

As smoke gets thick in some areas, it blocks sunlight causing dark skies, the officials explained.

In 2018, Trump had denied reports by his own government that warned of devastating effects from climate change. When asked about the findings that unchecked global warming would take a toll on the US economy, he had said, I dont believe it."

Finance officials from the worlds 20 biggest economies (G20) on Sunday referenced climate change in their final communique for the first time in US President Donald Trumps administration, but stopped short of calling it a major risk to the economy.

The United States blocked including climate change on a list of downside risks to global growth that had won agreement by nearly all other G20 delegates, but ultimately agreed to permit a reference to the Financial Stability Boards work examining the implications of climate change for financial stability.
Anti-government protests are being taken place on Thursday in the Bulgarian capital, TASS reported.

Several thousand people gathered at the protest, who for the 64th day have been demanding the resignation of the government headed by PM Boyko Borisov and Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev. The police have built a live blockade around the government and parliament buildings.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev urged protesters not to succumb to provocations.

"There are no smugglers or mafia on the square today, but there are the Bulgarian people, who, according to the constitution, are the only sovereign, and they are determined to regain their state. I urge everyone who is in the square today not to succumb to provocations," the president said.
What happens when one's politics loses all contact with reality? It might look something like what's currently unfolding in Democrat-led cities across the country. These urban centers of America, so-called bastions of progressive thought and ideology, have unraveled before our eyes over the last few months and are now engulfed in widespread violence, looting, and arson. Mobs of rioters, or as CNN calls them, "mostly peaceful protesters," have grown by the day, and so have their menacing antics.

And now, the mayors are fleeing.

The same mayors who have defended, and even promoted, acts of anarchy in their cities in the name of social justice and have repeatedly rejected offers of federal assistance to quell violence are now feeling that it's getting a little too close for comfort. The abstractions of their political revolution have become real, and that reality is apparently a little bit frightening.

In Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler said Tuesday he will move from his $840,000 condominium because of repeated protests there. Wheeler said it would be "best for me and for everyone else's safety and peace" that he find a new home, the Oregonian reported. Before taking refuge, Mayor Wheeler openly rejected help from the National Guard, even posting an open letter online expressing his refusal, despite more than three straight months of protests and violence.

In St. Louis, Mayor Lyda Krewson has temporarily relocated after a string of protests at her Central West End home. Krewson states, "We did it to deescalate the situation, to save police resources, and importantly because our neighbors were being disturbed and threatened."

In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has assigned police officers to block protesters in front of her home, saying she had received threats against herself, the woman she lives with, and the home. After the police had effectively banned protesters from her block, Lightfoot ordered them to arrest anyone who refused to leave. Mayor Lightfoot has also repeatedly ordered Chicago's river bridges raised to keep people out of downtown. She said the move was to protect businesses and residents.

All the while, up the ladder of leadership, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have maintained a discreet silence, offering only vague condemnations of violence and even outright lies about what is truly unfolding on the streets. The Democrats prefer not to grapple with the uncomfortable and disturbing truth that the riots have materially harmed the lives of the vulnerable people they swear to fight for. That struggling small businesses have been crushed, buildings and homes burned to the ground, and innocent lives lost.

What could be more hypocritical and cowardly than (literally) running away from the places and people you have sworn to protect? Perhaps the silver lining here is that these so-called "leaders" have been shown for who they really are. They would rather watch their cities burn to the ground than confront a politically inconvenient reality or accept help that could give President Trump's agenda a boost.

This unprecedented abandonment of responsibility will not go unnoticed or unchecked. Despite the mainstream media's best attempts to hide and disguise facts, or shift blame, the reality that our cities are burning and our mayors are running is too disturbing, both for what it reveals and what it foreshadows, to be ignored. The country is watching.

Image: Needpix.
KENT, Ohio - Black students are protesting at Kent State University today, calling the schools response to repeated racist messages painted on a campus rock lackluster.

The civil rights act was passed in 1964, said junior Maria Finney. Its 2020. Something has got to give.

The campus group Black United Students has submitted a list of demands to the university, urging Kent to find better ways to make students of color, particularly black students, feel comfortable. The list also includes pushing Kent to update policies, so when incidents like this happen, the students responsible can be held accountable.

Kent State upholds the right to free speech and values respectful dialogue from all points of view. This demonstration is not a university-sanctioned event. As a state university, our outdoor spaces are public property, the university told Cleveland.com via email. "External organizers are following university policy for events held on campus by outside organizations and have been asked to follow the Flashes Safe Seven safety principles required of all university community members. We will continue to monitor the gathering to ensure the safety of our university community.

Finney, who is studying business entrepreneurship, transferred to Kent because it was closer to her family and hometown of Akron. Shes been dismayed over the racist messages painted at least three times since mid-August, the most recent over Labor Day weekend.

The KSU rock was placed at the base of Hilltop Drive on the northwest side of campus in 1972, after sitting on the tree lawn of East Main Street. Its been painted and repainted ever since, broadcasting messages about campus events, sports, and more.

Initially, Finney said she didnt feel directly called out as a black student. Then came messages that said, Blacks have no home here and #silvermeadows.

Silver Meadows Apartments are commonly referred to as the projects of Kent.

After the second incident, the university said it would form an Anti-Racism Task Force to make recommendations on how the university can eliminate the challenges and barriers for Black students and make the school a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive institution.

We are appalled that some continue to use the Rock to convey vile, hurtful messages that are threatening to our Kent State community, specifically our Black community, and against our core values, the university said in a statement released on Monday. Because of the repeated nature of these messages, we are investigating several potential actions, including fencing off the Rock, installing security cameras, and even the Rocks removal.

Finney, as well as Black United Students and other affected students, are pushing the university to act.

Were tired, she said.
By PTI

INDORE: A week after former Madhya Pradesh Shiv Sena chief Ramesh Sahu was shot dead, the police on Thursday arrested seven members of a robbers' gang in connection with the killing, an official said here.

Sahu (70) was killed when he resisted a robbery at his house in Umdikheda village near here on the intervening night of September 1 and 2.

Vijay Dhan Singh (19), a member of the gang, was arrested from a village near Dwarka in Gujarat where he was working as a labourer, said Inspector General (Indore Zone) Vivek Sharma.

Six others were arrested from Dhar and Khargone districts of Madhya Pradesh, the IG said.

Earlier it was suspected that the killing was the fall-out of a property dispute.

The police also recovered a four-wheeler, three country-made pistols and four live cartridges from the accused.

Also, gold and silver jewelery looted by the gang from Sahu's house was recovered, the officer said.

Sahu was the MP Shiv Sena unit head in the 1990s.

He was not active in politics in the last many years.
WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz could get a Supreme Court nomination if President Donald Trump gets a second term.

The Texas Republican and former state solicitor general was among 20 potential nominees Trump named Wednesday. The list also included U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, and Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, as well as James Ho, another former Texas solicitor general who is now a judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Cruz, 49, also was a law clerk for Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Over his career, he has argued nine cases before the Supreme Court and authored dozens of Supreme Court briefs.

Whether Cruz would be interested in the job is another matter. The senator has said before that he doesnt want to leave politics  and hes been open about his desire to run for president again.

I dont want to stay out of political and policy fights, Cruz said in a 2018 interview with The Hill. I want to be right in the middle of them. The Senate is the battleground for just about every big policy fight right now.

The senator issued a statement Wednesday that seemed to echo that sentiment:In the Senate, I have been blessed to lead the fight to preserve our constitutional liberties  every day, to defend the rights of 29 million Texans  and I look forward to continuing to do so for many years to come.

FURIOUS: Cruz blames Republican presidents for picking the wrong people to become justices

Cruz nonetheless said he was grateful for the presidents confidence in me and for his leadership in nominating principled constitutionalists to the federal bench over the last four years.

Cruz has been critical of recent Supreme Court rulings  including on immigration and LGBT rights  saying in July that many of the worst judicial activists have been Republican appointees.

Trump naming Cruz as a potential nominee is the latest twist in the former rivals once bitter relationship, which in 2016 saw Cruz brand Trump a pathological liar as Trump called Cruz Lyin Ted.

Cruz has since emerged as one of Trumps closest allies, going so far as to launch a podcast to defend the president during his impeachment.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:43:13|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said on Thursday that robust interventions rolled out by governments and donor agencies to fight desert locusts in the Horn of African region are bearing fruits.

Dominique Burgeon, director of FAO's Emergency and Resilience Division said that timely response to the voracious pests minimized havoc to livelihoods in the region.

"There was a higher degree of preparedness and capacity on the ground to fight desert locusts in the region," Burgeon said during an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Nairobi.

He said that governments were in charge of the bulk of desert locust control operations, adding that COVID-19 related disruptions failed to slow down the momentum towards eradicating the pests.

Burgeon had earlier led a high-level team of FAO officials on a visit to northern Kenya to assess progress achieved in fighting the desert locust invasion since the beginning of this year.

He said the UN agency has rallied behind state-led interventions to eradicate the pests that had ravaged crops and pasture in northern Kenyan counties amid threat to food security and livelihoods.

Burgeon said Kenya had demonstrated commitment to curb the spread of desert locusts through adoption of modern technologies, training of extension workers and public awareness.

"The last time Kenya experienced a major desert locust invasion was 70 years ago but the level of preparedness during the current wave was impressive," said Burgeon.

According to Burgeon, Kenya was on course to eradicate the migratory pests as the number of infested counties reduced from 29 to three, while the country reclaimed 157 acres of land and cushioned 350 tons of cereals from damage that could feed nearly 2.1 million people within twelve months.

He said that Horn of African states grappling with an invasion by desert locusts had also demonstrated zeal to eradicate the pests even as they battled other pressing challenges like climatic shocks, civil strife and COVID-19 disease.

Burgeon said that the UN food agency had been assisting countries in the region to readjust techniques of fighting the desert locust menace to minimize risks to livelihoods and ecosystems.

"We have partnered with governments to ensure that new technologies are adopted to fight desert locusts as opposed to over-reliance on pesticides that can harm the environment," said Burgeon.

This time around, we are using more sophisticated surveillance technologies like Global Positioning System (GPS) that is accurate in tracking desert locusts," he added.

According to Burgeon, every dollar invested in the anti-desert locust fight could multiply to an additional six, adding that solidarity among Horn of African states has revitalized the war against the pests.

He urged enhanced vigilance amid the possibility of another wave of desert locust invasion in the upcoming rain season across the greater horn of African region.

"The expected flooding during the rainy season could create the ideal breeding environment for the desert locusts," said Burgeon.

"We must remain focused since active swarms exist in Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen and can migrate to neighboring countries once the conditions permit," he added.

Burgeon said that building the resilience of local communities will form the next phase of desert locust battle in the region. Enditem
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Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, September 11 2020

Indonesia expects a long road to full economic recovery after Jakarta brought back strict social restrictions measures amid a continued rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

A full economic recovery would take at least two to three years, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Thursday following the Jakarta administrations decision to reimpose large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) relaxed in early June.

If virus cases rise, then the economy will take a hit. The government expects that it will take until 2022 or even 2023 [for the economy] to return to pre-COVI-19 levels, he told a virtual business forum held by Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).

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Illegal Helpers play gives voice to those who aid migrants In Rome on September 11 as part of the Short Theatre festival

(ANSAmed) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 10 - A play by director Paola Rota called Illegal Helpers uses the theatre to give a voice to the men and women who take the risk of using civil disobedience as a way to help migrants and asylum seekers to cross borders, face interviews, and find shelter.



The play, which also involves actress Simonetta Solder and music by Teho Teardo, will go on stage September 11 in the Pelanda space of the Mattatoio modern art museum in Rome as part of the 15th edition of the international Short Theatre festival.



The play comes from a text by the Italian-German author Maxi Obexer, who is part of Fabulamundi, a project to promote and support contemporary playwriting in Europe.



Simonetta Solder told ANSAmed that when she and the others read the text, "it was love at first sight".



She said the play aims to give a voice to the "illegal helpers" who are "normal people: a teacher, a student, a judge, an office worker, who help migrants to find shelter, jeopardising their own position in society".



Solder plays the role of Lucas, who she said is "a young man, the only fictitious character, who brings everyone together by asking questions" with which "the stories of the various characters intertwine".



To write the play, Obexer conducted a series of interviews and gathered stories for four years at the borders between Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.



Solder said the play is "documentary theatre" in which the characters say "true things, real testimonies".



"It was difficult to put a text like this on stage, and we didn't want people just talking. So we chose to use a device, headphones, for the majority of the play. With this tool, the voices of the illegal helpers whisper their stories in the audience's ears, to maintain a certain effect, that of anonymity. Teho Teardo's contribution was essential. He created a true musical dramaturgy that accompanies the voices," Solder said.



"We're talking about civil disobedience, civil courage. The play means that civil courage is increasingly needed, that you have to go back to being humane, and not see people as a mass but as individuals who have faces, names," she said.



She said the project as a personal experience "woke me up, changed me".



"Maxi Obexer is a woman of the mountains, and I see myself in the mountains. I grew up in a border area and I am half Italian and half Austrian. Many of the stories told take place at a border, and I felt a call, I recognised some places, even though there aren't specific references in the text. I felt very involved," she said.



Solder said the play "asks us a big question".



"It asks us to choose what kind of person we want to be. It's a text that talks about them, the illegal helpers, but also about us, we who are often oversaturated by information, anaesthetised. This work pushes you to ask yourself who you are, and above all who you want to be in life as a human being," she said.



"Culture and art in their various forms are necessary tools to get to messages like this. This is possible through culture, telling the stories of these lives and thereby pushing for reflection, planting a seed to take home," she said.



She said the overall goal of the play Illegal Helpers is that of hope.



"I hope that what resonated in us can resonate in others and that change can truly start from the individual," Solder said.



(ANSAmed).




After 10 months of camera surveillance in the Tanzanian rainforest, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have become the first to conclude that female and male leopards are active at very different times of the day. The discovery contradicts prev

Tanzania's Udzungwa Mountains are carpeted by dense rainforest, making the area impossible to reach by jeep or other vehicles. As such, the leopards in this area have never been subject to the prying eyes of researchers. Until now.

After covering 2,500 square kilometers on foot, setting up 164 game camera traps and collecting more than 5000 days worth of footage from the area, the Natural History Museum of Denmark's Rasmus W. Havmller has discovered new and surprising knowledge about these spotted predators.

"I'm the first person to study leopards in this area, simply because it is so inaccessible. It took several pairs of good hiking boots, let me put it that way," says Havmller, who never actually got to see one of the shy leopards with his own eyes. Instead, he had to "settle" for buffalo and elephants.

hile Havmller never caught a glimpse of a leopard himself, his 164 camera traps most certainly did. Using motion sensors, the cameras captured the leopards, as well as forest antelopes, baboons and other leopard prey on film. Camera observations revealed leopard behaviour that contradicts previous assumptions.

"In the past, leopards were thought to be most active at dusk. Very surprisingly, the study shows that leopards hunt and move around at very different times of the day depending on whether they are females or males," says Rasmus W. Havmller, who adds:

"Females are typically active from early through late morning, and then a bit before sunset, while males only really wake up at night."

This is the first time that differences in activity patterns between male and female leopards have been studied.

Differences between male and female leopards have only recently begun to be studied, so there is still much to learn about the animal. But researchers need to hurry. Rapidly growing human populations in Africa and India are the greatest threat to these animals, which are forced from their habitats and shot when they near livestock.

"Globally, things are going awfully for leopards, with sharp declines in their populations over the past 100 years. Furthermore, these animals aren't monitored all that well. In part, this is because it is difficult. But also, because there has been a greater focus on species that are even more endangered, including lions, tigers and cheetahs. Therefore, it might be that the leopards in Udzungwa present the last chance to study these creatures in a diversified environment, one that has only been lightly impacted by humans, before they end up becoming highly endangered" explains Rasmus W. Havmller.

The researcher believes that the results will provide a better understanding of the lives of wild leopards -- an understanding that may help prevent their complete extinction.

"The fact that female leopards are active well into the morning makes them more vulnerable to human activities, since this is when we as humans are most active. To protect something, one needs to have some knowledge about it. During my study, we also discovered that a leopard from the rainforest doesn't move into semi-arid areas or onto the savannah, or vice versa. It's very strange. Why they don't is the next big question," concludes Havmller.

###

Read the scientific article

Contact

Rasmus W. Havmller

Natural History Museum of Denmark

Mobil: 22410431

Mail: rasmushav@gmail.com

Michael Skov Jensen

Journalist

SCIENCE

Mobil: 93 56 58 97

Mail: msj@science.ku.dk
Anne Hathaway and director Doug Liman are teaming up for a timely heist film set within a pandemic, entitled Lockdown.

Liman is set to direct Lockdown as his next film, which will come before his massive outer space movie he's plotting with Tom Cruise, according to Deadline.

This film is set in London, with plans in place to start production by the end of September.

Anne's new project: Anne Hathaway and director Doug Liman are teaming up for a timely heist film set within a pandemic, entitled Lockdown

Next film: Liman is set to direct Lockdown as his next film, which will come before his massive outer space movie he's plotting with Tom Cruise, according to Deadline

While no character details have been revealed, the film is described as a 'heist movie/romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the pandemic lockdown.'

The film is budgeted at a modest $10 million, with Stuart Ford's AGC Studios providing the funding.

There are several other key roles to cast, with sources claiming that Cillian Murphy may be in line for one such role, though it's not clear if that will happen yet.

Lockdown: While no character details have been revealed, the film is described as a 'heist movie/romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the pandemic lockdown

Liman will direct from a script by Steven Knight (Serenity) and P.J. van Sandwijk set to produce.

Liman will also team with van Sandwijk on their ambitious and untitled outer space movie, which they're making in collaboration with Elon Musk and SpaceX.

While Universal Pictures is set to distribute the estimated $200 million space project, Lockdown doesn't have a studio home quite yet.

Doug the director: Liman will direct from a script by Steven Knight (Serenity) and P.J. van Sandwijk set to produce

The project will reunite Hathaway with her Serenity writer-director Steven Knight, with the actress most recently starring in The Last Thing He Wanted.

She'll next be seen in The Witches, an adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1983 novel of the same name, starring alongside Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci and Chris Rock, which was originally slated for release in October.

She is also attached to star in the upcoming Sesame Street movie with Chance the Rapper and Bo Burnham.

Coming soon: She'll next be seen in The Witches, an adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1983 novel of the same name, starring alongside Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci and Chris Rock, which was originally slated for release in October

Liman most recently directed The Wall, starring John Cena and Aaron Taylor-Johnson and American Made with Tom Cruise in 2017.

He has also directed two episodes of Impulse and has the star-studded Chaos Walking due out next year, with Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland and Nick Jonas.

He is also attached to direct a sequel to Edge of Tomorrow, entitled Live Die Repeat and Repeat, along with a remake of The Cannonball Run.
The State Council, China's cabinet, on Wednesday stressed measures to support new industries and patterns to boost new types of consumption and foster economic recovery.

It also specified measures to speed up the innovative development of medical education, ensuring that workers do their best to protect people's health, according to a statement issued after a State Council executive meeting, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

Calling consumption a crucial pillar for economic growth, the statement said the sector, hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic, has become a weak link in the country's economic recovery. However, new types of consumption, supported by new industries and patterns, registered robust growth and had great potential.

Efforts should be made to develop new-type consumption on a larger scale and of higher quality and innovate contactless consumption patterns. Efforts should also go into promoting the development of open online courses as well as online diagnosis and treatment, and a combination of online and offline services in sectors such as fitness and tourism, according to the statement.

The country vowed to accelerate the development of infrastructure to boost new-type consumption. It urged efforts to prioritize the coverage of 5G networks and the Internet of Things in core business districts, industrial parks and transportation hubs, and promote the commercial use of consumption-related data in a safe and orderly manner.

The government will unveil supportive tax policies that foster new industries and patterns for new-type consumption and encourage financial institutions to lower mobile payment costs.

It will also push forward reforms to streamline administration and delegate powers, improve regulation, and upgrade services while simplifying license processing procedures.

Efforts should also be made to allow traditional consumption to play a key role while enhancing the driving forces of new-type consumption.

The meeting pointed out that the number and structure of the country's medical and nursing personnel are yet to meet the needs of building a healthy China as the epidemic exposed the shortage of professionals in public health, critical care, and nursing sectors.

The State Council demanded efforts to strengthen reform and innovation in medical training.

The country will optimize the training structure of medical staff to speed up fostering general practitioners capable of disease prevention and treatment.

More central fiscal support will be extended to the education of medical undergraduates for township hospitals in the country's central and western regions, while enrollment of postgraduates in anesthesia, infection, critical illness and pediatrics will be expanded, according to the statement.

It also detailed multiple measures to enhance the quality of medical staff training.
CHICAGO and NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cressey & Company LP ("Cressey & Company"), a healthcare-focused private investment firm, today announced the promotions of Steve Dildine to Partner and Ryan Moseley to Principal, effective immediately. Mr. Dildine and Mr. Moseley, who have each been with the Cressey & Company team since 2013, will continue to take leadership roles in evaluating investment opportunities and working closely with talented leadership teams to drive value and deliver attractive investment returns.

"Steve has been a key contributor on our investment team for the past seven years, and it gives my partners and me great pleasure to recognize Steve with this promotion," said Bryan Cressey, Partner at Cressey & Company. "Additionally, Ryan has been an integral member of our firm for many years, and we are thrilled to welcome him as a Principal. We look forward to Steve's and Ryan's sustained contributions to Cressey & Company's long-term success."

Prior to joining the Cressey & Company team, Mr. Dildine worked at New York based private investment firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, and as an Analyst in UBS' investment banking group. Mr. Dildine, who is based in Chicago, earned a degree in Economics and Finance from Princeton University, and an MBA, with honors, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Prior to Cressey & Company, Mr. Moseley worked as an Analyst in Barclays Capital's investment banking group. Mr. Moseley, who is also based in Chicago, earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Florida, and a Juris Doctorate from University of Florida's Levin College of Law.

About Cressey & Company LP

Based in Chicago, IL and Nashville, TN, Cressey & Company LP is a private investment firm focused on building leading healthcare provider, service and information technology businesses. With a history spanning more than 35 years, the Cressey & Company team is one of the most experienced and successful in the healthcare private equity field. For more information, visit www.cresseyco.com.

SOURCE Cressey & Company

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With nearly half of California adults reporting levels of anxiety associated with diagnoses of generalized anxiety or major depressive disorder resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, Californias health plans have taken immediate action to address the increased need for mental health and substance use disorder services. This includes expanding mental health support and resources to include more telehealth and virtual options.

While mental health care and parity of care are high priorities that we work on every day, we recognize more must be done to address the ever-growing demand for mental health and substance use disorder care in our state. But this challenge cannot be solved overnight. We make significant strides every year and it will take continued collaborative efforts by all involved to ensure everyone in need of care has access to care.

Senate Bill 855, recently passed by the California Legislature, is purported to address mental health parity. Unfortunately, it will not provide expanded access to the clinically meaningful mental health and substance use disorder care it claims.

Californias health plans already provide comprehensive coverage for mental health and substance use disorders and continually work to ensure patients receive care that is on par with medical and surgical treatment in compliance with well-established state and federal mental health parity laws. Yet SB855 deletes the historic state parity law championed in 1999 by Assemblymember Helen Thomson and Sen. Don Perata. In this drastically shortened legislative session, it just isnt possible to take on such a sea of change in mental health care policy and get it right the first time.

More for you Editorial: Spotty mental health and addiction care worsens COVID pandemics impact

The bill writes into California law a narrow definition of medical necessity that will disrupt the ability of physicians and therapists to determine what is clinically appropriate for their patients. The bill also opens the door for unlicensed mental health providers and facilities to treat those suffering from mental health and substance use disorders, which may put many vulnerable patients at risk.

According to the California Health Benefits Review Program (CHBRP), 99.8% of health plan enrollees already have coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services at parity with coverage of other medical conditions. The bill also will drive up health care costs for all health plan enrollees in the first year alone.

We need to work together to develop sound policy that will ensure the remaining 0.2% of health plan enrollees have the access to mental health and substance use disorder care that they deserve  not disrupt the entire mental health care system, as SB855 would most certainly do.

Californias health plans offered amendments to the author of SB 855 to focus the bill on the goal of extending parity coverage to the remaining 0.2% of enrollees who need it. The Department of Managed Health Care itself opposed the bill unless significant and very constructive recommended amendments were made. But when midnight Aug. 31 came around, the Legislatures capacity to facilitate continued work on the bill was exhausted.

The future of mental health care in our state demands a more thoughtful solution than what is contained in SB855. According to a recent report, California will have 50% fewer psychiatrists and 28% fewer psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed counselors, and social workers by 2028. In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature invested $110 million in mental health workforce development. Health plans and providers alike are also investing hundreds of millions of dollars in a wide variety of initiatives to improve access to care. In addition, 2020 began with Newsom establishing a Behavioral Health Task Force to implement needed reforms to our states mental health system.

These are just a few examples of how health plans, physicians, lawmakers and advocates must continue to work together to implement effective policies that will expand the availability of high-quality, timely treatment for all in need of mental health and substance use disorder care. SB855 is a well-intentioned piece of legislation. But if it is implemented, it will set all of our efforts backward and we will be right back in the Legislature next year fixing the problems it will create.

Lets look to 2021 resolved to find solutions, not repairing the damage that will be done by SB855. It should be vetoed.

Charles Bacchi is president and CEO of California Association of Health Plans.
FALLS TOWNSHIP >> In an effort to be fiscally responsible while ridding Falls Township Community Park of Canada geese, the Falls Township Supervisors approved a multi-faceted, year-long geese mitigation plan at a one percent savings over 2021. Stepped up geese management efforts began in 2015 and have significantly reduced the number of geese at the park, Falls Township Parks and Recreation...
Iran is holding three days of military drills near the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway, state media reported, amid heightened tensions with the United States over Washington's push to reimpose international sanctions on Tehran.

The annual exercises, called Zolfaghar-99, involve naval, air and ground forces and are taking place in a 2-million-square-meter zone in the strategic waters, state news agency IRNA said.

Implementation of tactical plans, pursuing tests of surface-to-surface cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles, rocket launchers, drones  are the main aim of the army maneuver to defend territorial waters, said the IRNA.

The spokesman for the exercises, Adm. Shahram Irani, said the United States had pulled back its drones after warnings from Iran to leave the area.

The Strait of Hormuz, which is situated between Oman and Iran and through which about one-fifth of the worlds oil passes, has been a source of US-Iran tensions. At a different military exercise near the waterway in late July, Iranian forces fired missiles at a replica of a US aircraft carrier.

Last summer, the United States blamed Iran for a flurry of attacks on six shipping tankers near the strait. Iran denied involvement but admitted to downing an American drone it said had violated its airspace.

This years war games come as the Donald Trump administration presses ahead with its plan to restore international sanctions on Iran, including an arms embargo set to expire in October. At the United Nations Security Council, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has attempted to trigger a "snapback" of sanctions, accusing Iran of breaching its obligations under the same nuclear deal the United States withdrew from in 2018.
There has been an outpouring of support for an ABC News reporter who appeared to break down during a live cross while reporting on the axing of jobs at a Queensland meat processing facility.

Michael Rennie was standing outside the Ipswich plant of Australias biggest meat producer, JBS, on Thursday morning when he suddenly stopped talking and placed his head in his hand.

He had just explained that 600 workers of the 1700-strong workforce would be cut, likely having a major impact on the local economy given the company is one of the biggest employers in the area.

ABC News Mornings host Joe O'Brien expressed immediate concern for his colleague, who was shown briefly not moving while hanging his head to the side.

Rennie stopped talking before placing his head in his hand. Source: iView/ABC News Mornings

We'll just make sure Michael is OK there. Um, so we'll get the cameraman to check on Michael and we'll get our bosses there right away to make sure he's OK, OBrien told viewers.

Throughout the morning coverage the host referred back to the earlier on-screen incident, at one stage saying it was really concerning seeing our reporter Michael Rennie there having some issues when he was doing that report.

OBrien later said staff had been in contact with Rennie who they were a bit concerned about but had been assured that he was OK.

We were having a chat to him in the last 5 or 10 minutes or so and he wasn't able to continue. Yeah, we were a bit concerned about him, but he is OK, he said.

The live report was cut short due to Rennie's health issue. Source: iView/ABC News Mornings

And we look forward to having a chat to him again soon.

Following the distressing segment, viewers took to Twitter to express their concern for the reporters wellbeing.

Hoping Michael Rennie is okay after his report, one person wrote.

Watching ABC NEWS 24. Is that reporter OK? That didnt look good. I hope hes all right, someone else said.

Is that reporter from QLD reporting on the meat plant job losses okay? another wrote.

Story continues

Some speculated over the cause of the episode, asking if he was crying or had experienced a heart attack.

Host Joe O'Brien was immediately concerned for his colleagues welfare. Source: iView/ABC News Mornings

Hope your reporter is ok. Fingers crossed. Just saw it and am worried for the poor bugger, one person said.

Rennie took to Twitter himself soon after the incident and clarified what had gone wrong during the live cross.

Thanks for all the concern about what happened on ABC news channel this morning. I was dehydrated and lost my train of thought. But Im fine and Ill be back at work tomorrow. Cheers, he wrote.

An ABC News spokesperson confirmed with Yahoo News Australia he had gone home for a rest and was expected to be back for work on Friday.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
Hundreds of homes in Oregon are gone as growing wildfires, fueled in part by strong winds, 'substantially destroyed' sections of several communities, Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday.

'This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history,' Brown said.

Officials continue to call for mass evacuations.

'We are not getting any relief from the weather conditions,' Brown said. 'Winds continue to feed these fires and push them into our towns and cities.'

Brown mentioned five towns that are 'substantially destroyed.'

The governor didn't provide specifics on how many homes were lost, but emergency management officials said more than 470,000 acres are burning.

WEDNESDAY'S UPDATES

In Oregon, at least 14 large fires burned Wednesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).

Brown says some situations have been dire enough to make even firefighters retreat.

Child dies in Washington fire

Six fire-related deaths were announced Wednesday.

A child has died in the Cold Springs Fire in northern Washington, according to the state Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz.

'My heart breaks for the family of the child who perished in the Cold Springs fire. I am devastated. The (Department of Natural Resources) family is devastated. The pain that family is going through is unfathomable,' she wrote on social media.

The death is the first due to a wildfire in the state.

Two relatives of the child are both critical in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and are suffering from burns, a hospital spokeswoman told CNN.

Three people have died from the fast-moving North Complex Fire burning in Northern California, Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea told reporters.

Authorities were still in the process of recovering the remains, he said.

Wednesday's deaths bring the state's total of fatalities for this fire season to 11.

In Oregon, two people were killed as a result of the wildfires in Marion County, Sheriff Joe Kast said.

'We also fear that this is not going to be the only folks we'll find deceased up there,' Kast added.

California officials say people should be ready to evacuate

Thousands more people in Northern California should be prepared to evacuate if called upon -- including Oroville and part of the town of Paradise -- because one of the state's many major wildfires was burning in their direction, authorities warned Wednesday.

Oroville is a city of 20,000 people some 65 miles north of Sacramento. Just north of Oroville is Paradise, one of the communities devastated by 2018's deadly Camp Fire.

'It's very smoky and snowing ash but no fire in town yet,' said Dan Sauvageau, who lives near Paradise.

The Butte County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation warnings -- meaning people should be prepared to leave if ordered -- for Oroville and one southeastern portion of Paradise, saying they could come under threat by the North Complex Fire, one of the 10 largest fires in state history.

That fire is a group of merged blazes that have burned more than 250,000 acres in Plumas National Forest since a lightning storm sparked them August 17.

Smaller communities near the fire were under mandatory evacuation areas Wednesday, the sheriff's office said.

In California, about two dozen major wildfires are now raging in a year that already has seen 2.5 million acres charred. That's a record for the Golden State for one year, and four months remain in the fire season, Cal Fire said.

'(This is) one of the most challenging -- perhaps the most challenging -- wildfire season California has ever seen,' state National Guard Col. Jesse Miller said Wednesday, citing this year's combination of high temperatures, dynamic winds, low humidity and a drought in northern areas.

Hot, dry and windy conditions are fueling numerous wildfires across the US West -- including Oregon and Washington -- and weather conditions may make things worse.

As of Wednesday night, areas home to more than 10 million people in Washington, Oregon and California were under red flag warnings. These warnings caution that conditions likely to start or spread fires -- strong winds and dry conditions -- were imminent or happening.

Size of Central Park burned every half hour

California has 'fires burning in the north part of the state all the way down to the Mexican border, about 800 miles between the furthest distant fires, so we're stretched across the landscape,' Cal Fire Chief Thom Porter told CNN.

The Creek Fire, racing through the mountains of Madera and Fresno counties in the state's central section, has destroyed at least 360 structures since the flames erupted Friday evening. The fire has burned more than 163,000 acres and has no containment. Since it began, the fire has burned an area roughly the size of Central Park every 30 minutes over the past several days.

'We have 150 million trees that died in the southern Sierra several years ago, and those are fueling the Creek Fire, which is the biggest and most concerning fire to us right now,' Porter said late Tuesday.

About 385 people and 27 animals were airlifted by helicopter over the past several days after getting trapped by the fire in the Sierra National Forest, California National Guard Col. David Hall told CNN. At least 30,000 people have been evacuated, Fresno County sheriff's Lt. Brandon Pursell said late Tuesday.

In the Los Angeles area, Santa Ana winds -- hot, dry air descending from the inland mountain regions -- threaten Wednesday to help start or expand fires, including the Bobcat Fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of the city.

The Bobcat Fire has burned more than 19,700 acres, and forced evacuation orders for Big Santa Anita Canyon, Monrovia Canyon, Mount Wilson and San Gabriel Canyon, according to the NIFC.

In Southern California's San Bernardino County, the El Dorado Fire has burned 11,479 acres and is 19% contained, fire officials said.

The fire, sparked during a gender reveal party, was caused by a 'smoke-generating pyrotechnic device' used at the party on Saturday morning in El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles, Cal Fire investigators determined.

National forests in the state -- about 20 million acres -- are closed due to the 'explosive growth' of ongoing fires, according to the US Forest Service.

California hasn't yet reached what is typically the heart of its fire season, when the Santa Ana winds really begin to add fuel to an already dangerous recipe for fire.

The frequency of fall days with extreme fire weather conditions in California has more than doubled since the 1980s, driven mainly by climate change, a recent study found.

'Urgent and scary to get out'

Brown said Tuesday evening that 'In some areas, the situation is so difficult and dangerous that even firefighters are being evacuated.

Fires were threatening homes in Clackamas County south of Portland and the Medford and Phoenix areas in Jackson County.

Oregon has experienced 'historic wildfires' almost every year in Brown's time in office, but this year's fires are 'unprecedented,' she said. 'This is definitely a once-in-a-generation event.'

Brown said Wednesday that in some areas the worst fire conditions in 30 years exist.

Clackamas County, in northwestern Oregon, declared a state of emergency as a response to several wildfires that prompted evacuations. Across the county, more than a dozen Level 3 -- 'Go! Evacuate now!' -- evacuations were in place, with several other areas ordered to be ready for evacuations, officials said.

In neighboring Marion County -- home to the state's capital city -- another state of emergency was declared Tuesday, with residents across the region forced out of their homes by fires.

One family told CNN affiliate KPTV they had a brief notice to leave their home as nearby flames moved in.

'We drove under a tree that had fallen over and there was burning limbs and it was like urgent and scary to get out,' Sabrina Kent told the news station.

The family is staying in an RV near a local grocery store, according to the affiliate, as they map out their next steps.

'This is the most messed up year, can we just fast forward?' Kent told KPTV.

Oregon's corrections department announced Tuesday they evacuated three Salem prisons following threats from the Beachie Creek and Lionshead wildfires.

A charred Washington state town

In Washington state, more acres were burned Monday than were charred in the past 12 fire seasons, Gov. Jay Inslee said, and dry conditions continue to fuel the blazes. In one eastern Washington town, flames destroyed more than 80% of homes and public infrastructure.

'I just can't reiterate,' Inslee said, 'we think almost all of these fires were human-caused, in some dimension. If you can avoid being outside for anything that would even cause a spark, I hope people can avoid those conditions.'

In the town of Malden, about 80% of the town's homes and public infrastructure were destroyed, including the fire station, post office, city hall and library, authorities said.

'The scale of this disaster really can't be expressed in words,' Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers said.Farther west, in Graham, a fire that ripped through the area left what residents described as a 'war zone,' according to CNN affiliate KOMO. Some lost everything.

At least six houses and three shops were destroyed, according to the news station, along with sheds, equipment and vehicles. The fire department issued evacuation orders for about 100 residents, the station reported.

'It's devastating for the people who live here for sure, and to me, and my heart. This fire came (through) hot and fast,' Graham Fire & Rescue's Assistant Fire Chief Steve Richards told the affiliate. 'It was a firestorm it pushed right through.'

For the country as a whole, the number of fires recorded and the acreage burned in 2020 are below the 10-year average for the same period, according to National Interagency Fire Center. A total of 41,147 fires have been reported so far this year, while the average number of fires through September 9 over the past 10 years is 43,915, the NIFC says.

The total acreage burned since the beginning of 2020 is nearly 4.7 million, compared with the 10-year average of 5.7 million acres at this point of the year, the NIFC said.
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Motorcycle market leader Hero MotoCorp is developing electric two-wheelers at its German tech centre in Munich in close cooperation with a newly opened research and development centre in Jaipur.

A high-powered concept motorcycle called e.US (Electric Ultra Sport) along with electrified drivetrains for affordable motorcycle solutions is under development in Munich. This includes innovations on Heros existing platforms as well as new ones.

These new battery-powered products are being developed using parts from European suppliers but will be produced in India.

Entry planned

Talking to shareholders at the companys recently held annual general meeting, Pawan Munjal, Chairman and Managing Director, Hero MotoCorp, said the company is on schedule to enter the electric two-wheeler segment, in a strategy that will be independent of its associate company Ather Energys launch of electric scooters.

The company is working on different programs in the EV segment. We, at our own R&D centres in Jaipur and in Munich, are developing electric products. We are well on our way to launching electric products  well on time  that we have planned for ourselves. We also are looking out, looking around wherever there are possibilities of bringing in new technologies in the EV segment, Munjal said.

Hero brand out of bounds

But the Delhi-headquartered company, which controls 40 percent of the Indian two-wheeler market, will find it far from easy to commercially launch electric two-wheelers under its own brand. A family pact between the Munjals is stonewalling Hero MotoCorps grand entry into the segment even as its close rivals Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Company start delivering electric scooters to their customers.

The pact states that the Pawan Munjal-led Hero MotoCorp cannot use the Hero brand name to launch electric two-wheelers.

Hero Electric, the company headed by Pawans cousin Naveen Munjal, has the exclusive rights to produce and sell electric two-wheelers under the Hero brand. Hero Electric is also the largest manufacturer of electric two-wheelers in India with an estimated market share of 45 percent, selling more than 50,000 units in FY20, including models such as Photon LP and Optima ER.

Just as Hero Electric cannot enter the petrol two-wheeler segment, Hero MotoCorp cannot launch electric two-wheelers under the Hero brand because of the family settlement. It can create or use any other brand name it wishes to but not Hero, said an official at Hero Electric.

Our internal programme on electric vehicles is progressing as per our plan. We have also made a strategic investment in Ather. We will select the brand names of our internal products closer to the launch. We would not like to comment on that at this stage, Hero MotoCorp said in response to an email by Moneycontrol seeking clarity.

The Ather way

Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup Ather Energy has taken big strides over the past two years thanks to its launches and due to the backing of Hero MotoCorp since December 2016. Through a recent infusion of Rs 84 crore into the company, Hero MotoCorp has hiked its stake in Ather to 38.57 percent (34.58 percent on a fully diluted basis) from 35.10 percent (31.27 percent on a fully diluted basis) giving the startup a valuation of Rs 2,100 crore.

Athers co-founder Tarun Mehta, however, has maintained that Ather will continue to function independently despite Hero MotoCorps significant stake ownership. Though Hero has a substantial stake in Ather, we have a vision that is distinct from Hero Motocorp. Their product portfolio and brand positioning is different from ours, Mehta said in an interaction with Moneycontrol.

We have products in the Rs 1 lakh+ category and you wont see us getting into the Rs 70,000-80,000 price segments, Mehta added.

Hero has built an image as a maker of budget bikes such as the Splendor and HF Delux, which are a huge draw in the rural and semi-urban markets. Its efforts at going premium have not borne fruit.

On the other hand Ather is a premium brand, having priced one of its products, the 450X, at double the price of a Splendor. Hero has better prospects at the budget end of the EV market than at the premium end.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday said that the focus will be on skill development in the second tenure of the AAP government.

Sisodia while visiting ITI schools in Delhi, said, "Delhi has laid a strong foundation for school education. Now, concrete steps are being taken to lift the capital as well as the nation from the economic downturn by encouraging skill development and entrepreneurship."

During his visit to ITI schools in Hari Nagar and Tilak Nagar, he inquired about the educational activities, functioning, and requirements of both the institutions.

Delhi government in 2019 had passed the Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) Bill and now DSEU will coordinate with different foreign institutions for various courses and knowledge sharing.

Sisodia has planned to visit all the ITI, polytechnic, and skill development centres in Delhi over the next few weeks to understand their needs and what is required to bring them up to global standards of excellence.

Sisodia said, "The Delhi government has taken significant steps for skill development and soon we will see its results. Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University will set an example not only for our country but for the whole world. It is our endeavour that every child should get vocational education as per his or her interest and ability so that they can achieve great success in their careers."

As per Delhi government every student will be fully equipped with an adequate understanding of the modern technology and practical training as per the requirement of the industry.

Due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Delhi is fully committed to providing adequate skills and entrepreneurship needed for the economic upliftment of the country.

"Under this, along with the skills training, apprenticeship opportunities will also be given. The main goal will be to provide better placement and attractive salaries to all trainees while winning the trust of the industrial institutions. Financial assistance and scholarships will be available for the students," added Sisodia.
This article by Paul Szoldra originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues.

A former Army sergeant has been accused of fatally stabbing an active-duty specialist at an Army base in Georgia.

Byron Booker, a 27-year-old sergeant who left the Army in May, has been charged with murdering Spc. Austin Hawk sometime in the early morning hours of June 17. Hawk, 21, was found dead that morning in his Fort Stewart barracks room with "multiple stab wounds to his torso and a laceration to his head," according to an incident report prepared by Army investigators.

Booker was arrested and charged with murder the day after Hawk was found dead, according to court records.

It remains unclear why the former soldier was on the base. Booker, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist who joined the Army in February 2015, separated from the service weeks prior to the alleged murder. He was last assigned to the 92nd Chemical Company, 83rd Chemical Battalion, the same unit as Hawk.

Fort Stewart officials would not say how Booker gained access to the base and declined to answer questions about security concerns in the barracks, citing an open investigation.

Hawk was also a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist, according to Army records. He joined the service in July 2017.

After Hawk failed to report to morning formation on June 17, investigators used a master key to gain entry to his room and found the soldier lying unresponsive on the floor, according to the incident report. They found no signs of forcible entry. Hawk was later pronounced dead at Winn Army Community Hospital.

Investigators believe Hawk died sometime between 11 p.m. on June 16 and 6:45 a.m. on June 17, according to the report, which added that "witness statements revealed SPC Hawk had been playing an online video game until around 2300 on 16 Jun 20."

In a victim impact statement filed with the court, Hawk's grandmother Sandra Hodge called him "my hero, my love."

"I am haunted by the horrible attack that took his life. His pain, his suffering must have been beyond belief," Hodge wrote in the July 27 statement. "He was such a strong, amazing young man and had so much to look forward to. He had plans to finish his electrical engineering degree at Arizona State University.

"He was looking forward to beginning a new journey in life. ... I miss him so much, and the pain of his loss will never leave me," she wrote.

The judge authorized a $250,000 bond for Booker on Aug. 5 and allowed him to reside with his mother in Florida, according to court records. The judge further ordered Booker to wear an ankle monitor and abide by a curfew. Booker has not yet posted bond and remains in custody, his attorney said Thursday.

Booker did not respond to phone calls from Task & Purpose. His attorney was not immediately available for comment.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect that Booker has been authorized bond but has not been released.

-- This article originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter.

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New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian issued a stunning ultimatum to her deputy and Nationals MPs in a meeting that lasted just 60 seconds on Thursday.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro and his National Party colleagues threatened to sit on the crossbench because of a dispute over NSW's koala protection policy.

After being blindsided by her coalition partner on Thursday, Ms Berejiklian gave Nationals MPs the choice of declaring support for her government or being sacked from cabinet.

In a media statement she said 'it is not possible to be the deputy premier or a minister of the Crown and sit on the crossbench'.

Mr Barilaro arrived at the Premier's office with ministerial colleagues - Paul Toole, Sarah Mitchell and Bronnie Taylor - at 4.30pm on Thursday.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian issued a stunning ultimatum to her deputy and Nationals MPs in a meeting that lasted just 60 seconds

Deputy Premier and Nationals Leader John Barilaro and his colleagues threatened to sit on the crossbench because of a dispute over NSW's koala protection policy

During the 60-second meeting, Ms Berejiklian expressed her disappointment and told them to abandon their backbench threats or quit by 9am Friday.

She did nearly all of the talking, then sent them on their way, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Her press statement had been issued by the time they made it back to Mr Barilaro's office.

'If required, I will attend Government House tomorrow (Friday) and swear in a new ministry,' Ms Berejiklian said in the statement.

'It is long-established convention that members of cabinet must support government legislation.'

The ultimatum forced the NSW Nationals into an emergency partyroom meeting on Thursday night.

However, MPs reportedly failed to reach any resolution, but would maintain discussions ahead of Friday's deadline.

Mr Barilaro announced the crossbench threat after another partyroom meeting on Thursday morning, saying changes to the Koala Habitat Protection State Environmental Planning Policy are 'wrong' and hurt landowners and farmers.

'We will be abstaining from voting on government bills,' he said.

The National party announced its MPs will abstain from voting on government bills until changes are made to koala protection policy before Ms Berejiklian gave them the ultimatum

Mr Barilaro arrived at the Premier's office with ministerial colleagues - Paul Toole, Sarah Mitchell and Bronnie Taylor - in tow at 4.30pm on Thursday

'By not voting or abstaining from voting from government bills we're effectively on the crossbench.'

He said Nationals MPs also wouldn't attend joint party room or leadership meetings until the issue is resolved.

However, he added Nationals ministers won't be surrendering their portfolios.

The Nationals are concerned the policy limits land use on farms and the ability to rezone areas for development as more trees are classed as koala habitat, which will restrict the clearing of land.

'The National Party stands for a thriving koala population,' Mr Barilaro said.

'We actually want to see the population double. We are not anti-koala.

'This is somehow a way to sanitise the regions, attack the property rights of landholders and do absolutely nothing to support koalas.'

The Nationals have proposed several changes to the policy including ensuring there is a reasonable definition of highly suitable koala habitat, separating private native forestry from the proposal and operating rural regulated land and agricultural production separately.

During the 60-second meeting, Ms Berejiklian took the lead by expressing her disappointment and advising them to make the decision before 9am Friday

NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay accused Mr Barilaro of 'blowing up the coalition' during some 'extraordinary scenes' at the press conference.

She called on the premier to front the public to confirm the status of her government.

'It is my belief that the government is no longer functioning,' she told reporters.

Independent MP Justin Field urged the premier to hold her line and stand up for nature and koalas.

'This is just another ideological political attack on our environment by the National Party whose policies are destroying our rivers and forests,' Mr Field said in a statement.

Mr Barilaro announced the crossbench threat after another partyroom meeting on Thursday morning

The Nationals are concerned the policy limits land use on farms and the ability to rezone areas for development as more trees are classed as koala habitat

Nature Conservation Council chief executive Chris Gambian accused the Nationals of dictating environmental policy in the state for a decade.

'The koala policy is one small measure to ensure koalas don't become extinct in NSW by 2050,' he said in a statement.

NSW Liberal Catherine Cusack earlier blasted Mr Barilaro and called for his resignation.

'This is an excellent government ... but we can't continue on this track that he's put us on,' she said.

The Nationals have 13 lower house MPs, while the Liberals have 35 and Labor 36.

In the upper house, the Nationals have six, the Liberals have 11 and Labor has 14.
If India wants to hold moral high ground along the LAC and counter China, it must aim to be a reliable partner of Tibetans





by Ranvijay Singh





The recent deployment of the mostly Tibetan Special Frontier Force along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), to counter manoeuvres from Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), has renewed attention towards the Free Tibet movement. On most social media platforms and in multiple columns, many commentators had a sudden resurgence of conscience towards the aspirations of the Tibetan community and an equal surge in respect for its place in Indian polity. This was accentuated when news broke out about the death of SFF Company Leader Nyima Tenzin, who stepped on a stray landmine while patrolling the LAC. Images of Tenzins body, draped in the Indian and Tibetan flags, only accentuated solidarity with the Tibetan community. Yet for all this show of sentiment, Indias ambivalence towards the Tibetan cause greatly weakens its legitimacy on the issue. Such retrospective reawakening can only be seen as highly superficial.













After its illegal annexation by China in 1950, a series of aggressive and iconoclastic policies executed in Tibet led to the Dalai Lama taking refuge in India in 1959. Ever since, more than one lakh Tibetans have come to call India their home. While the Cultural Revolution in China attempted at eradicating Tibetan identity, India not only became a physical refuge for its people, but a sanctuary for its rich cultural and religious traditions. During a period when the Communist Party imposed assimilation, India allowed for the integration of the Tibetan community into Indian society at large while aiding it in maintaining its distinct identity. The support provided to Tibetan schools, libraries, cultural institutions and many monasteries are examples of this.





On the political front, however, India has vacillated between occasionally lukewarm to outright apathetic. The fact of the matter is that India has never considered the autonomy of Tibet as a significant objective. Its proximity to the Dalai Lama, and to the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) based out of Dharamshala, is dependent exclusively on its relations with China. This is the harsh truth. The most recent demonstration of this was in 2018. At a time when India was trying its best at mending frayed relations with China, the 60th anniversary celebrations of the arrival of the Dalai Lama in India were rather coldly shifted from Delhi to Dharamshala. An internal memo circulated within the Government prohibited senior functionaries and ministers from attending any of the events. Such unreceptive behaviour is just one example out of many, spanning multiple governments in power, when India postures itself according to what is satisfactory to China with regard to Tibet.





Although realpolitik does have its time and place, it is imperative to give permanent credence to the Tibetan community and its aspirations. While one can debate about the exact legitimacy of Tibet being a separate State (a highly convoluted historical question), what cannot be questioned is the existence of a national identity, which most certainly merits a certain degree of autonomy. Indias support for this notion is integral at a time when China is not only flexing its ambitions across the border but also redoubling its efforts in Tibet. During the 7th Central Symposium on Tibet held on August 29  the highest working body for Tibet  Chinese President Xi Jinping called for sinicizing Tibetan Buddhism and the building of a new modern socialist Tibet. He also stated that Tibet must eventually develop into an impregnable fortress of stability. Responding to Xis remarks, Lobsang Sangay, the president of the Tibetan government-in-exile, said: China has been quietly militarising the Tibetan plateau for over 60 years under the pretext of development and modernisation. For Tibet, this has only led to an influx of soldiers, Han (Chinese) settlers, and weapons. For its neighbours, this militarisation of the Tibetan plateau has led to a military build-up on its borders, jeopardising the already contentious border regions as evidenced by the recent Galwan incident.





Keeping in mind the recent events along the LAC and the timing of this symposium, such a policy outline for Tibet must not be seen independently. Chinas renewed attempt in crushing any form of Tibetan dissent is complementary to its advances along the Indo-Tibetan border. Combined, these thrusts aim to validate Chinese rule in Tibet and further encroach upon Indian territory. Both efforts have very little legitimacy. Chinas control over Tibet is not only highly questionable, the vast number of cultural, socio-political, and humanitarian atrocities it has carried out has made it constitutionally immoral. To counter China, India must not only strengthen its own borders, but also reinvigorate its support for the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration.





Historically, Indo-Tibetan relations date back nearly 2,000 years. Deeper ties can be found in religious texts such as the Mahabharata, which mentions the existence of a realm beyond the Himalayas. Buddhism in Tibet originated from India, and places such as the Kailash Parbat and Manasarovar have a mutual place in the national imaginings of India and Tibet. Shared religious traditions, a common heritage and cultures that are heavily intertwined are just some aspects that have led to historically close relations with the two peoples.





The 60-odd years of Chinese imposition pale in comparison to the shared Indo-Tibetan traditions that have lasted through millennia. This relationship only furthers Indias prerogative to aid the Tibetan people in reclaiming their homeland.





The past few months have demonstrated Chinas intentions and have rather graphically illustrated its perception of the border issue. In response, India must adopt a two-pronged approach, one that involves the strengthening of its borders for tactical superiority whilst furthering the aspirations of the Tibetan people; those that are represented by the Dalai Lama and the democratically elected Central Tibetan Administration. What exactly this might entail will have to depend on what is conceivable in the present strategic situation, but this posturing has to be for the long haul. If India wants to hold moral high ground along the LAC, it must aim to be a reliable partner to the people of Tibet. And do so not out of geo-political convenience but because it is the right thing to do.





(The author is currently at the Department of War Studies, KCL, India)
THREE MEN, including a father and son, have been sent forward for trial at Limerick Circuit Court, charged in connection with a break-in at an accountant's firm last year.

Paddy Brennan, 74, of An Grianan, Westbury; Brendan Wallace, 57, of Fernleigh, Westbury, and Travis Wallace, 25, also of Fernleigh, Westbury, are each accused of burglary at a premises in Dooradoyle in the early hours of June 13.

The three accused appeared in Limerick District Court last Wednesday morning.

They are also accused of cutting phone and power cables at the premises and of being in possession of a burglary kit on the same date.

At a previous hearing at Limerick District Court, it was alleged the burglary kit, which was recovered by gardai, included a con-saw, commercial snips, nail bars, a lump hammer and manhole cover lifter.

At last Wednesdays hearing, the book of evidence was presented, and there was no objection to bail, said Detective Garda Pat Whelan of Roxboro Road garda station.

Judge Marian OLeary issued the three accused notice that they were to be sent for trial on indictment at Limerick Circuit Court. The judge gave the three accused their alibi warnings.

In the case of the accused, Paddy Brennan, the court heard that there was an issue in the summer in relation to his age and his ability to travel to Mayorstone garda station in relation to his bail conditions.
Enbridge will restart the Line 5 pipeline after it won the approval of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. It also won a case at the Michigan Circuit Court that greenlit the restart of work on the pipeline.

The Canadian pipeline operator proposed the replacement of a section of the Line 5 pipes with new ones a few years ago, and the Michigan Legislature approved it in late 2018. Enbridges proposal was motivated by safety concerns: the pipes in that section were 65 years old.

However, the replacement project sparked the outrage of environmentalists and Native American communities in the area. The opponents argued that a proposed tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac to house the pipeline will increase the risk of oil spills in a basin that provides drinking water to some 40 million people.

Lawsuits followed the opposition, but eventually a court ruled in favor of the pipeline builder despite the fight that the new Michigan legislature put up to cancel the project approved by the previous one. The fight included a lawsuit filed against Enbridge by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the suspension of construction work on the underwater tunnel following an opinion by Attorney General Dana Nessel.

This opposition caused the suspension of work on the western leg of the project. Work on the east leg of the pipeline was suspended following damage. Now, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has ruled it is safe to proceed with the work on that section of the pipeline.

The decision to allow the restart of the east segment of Line 5 is very positive for the many residents and businesses in Michigan and the Great Lakes region who depend on the energy Line 5 delivers, said Vern Yu, Enbridge vice president and president of liquids pipelines. Enbridge will continue to focus on the safe operation of the dual Line 5 pipelines at the Straits of Mackinac, ensuring the Great Lakes are protected while also reliably delivering the energy and feedstock that helps to fuel Michigan's and the region's economy.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, September 11 2020

ndonesia has again called on Myanmar to work out its plan to repatriate thousands of Rohingya refugees and address the root cause of a refugee crisis that has spilled over into the rest of Southeast Asia.

Hundreds of stranded Rohingya refugees landed on Indonesian shores just a day before the top diplomats of ten-nation ASEAN virtually convened to thrash out a collective stance on various issues, including the refugee crisis.

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Recent years have witnessed explosive development in electrochemical CO2 reduction into valuable chemicals or fuels. The CO2 electroreduction is considered as a promising route to utilize renewable electricity from intermittent energy, such as solar, winder, geothermal power, etc. Designing high-performance electrocatalysts is pivotal to tune CO2 activation, thus achieving the highly selective CO2 conversion into target products.

However, the rational design of electrocatalysts faces severe challenge, because that most of the catalysts would go through dynamic structural evolution under applied electric field. The ambiguous evolution rules also hinder the uncovering of working mechanism. The established structure-performance relationship based on ex-situ static characterizations does not match realistic catalytic phenomenon. It is highly important yet challenging to operando probe the structural evolution and identify the true catalytically active components under realistic working conditions.

In response to this challenge, in-situ/operando characterization techniques are solid methods to track structural change, identify real active phases and uncover underlying mechanism, thus guiding the structure design of highly active and robust catalysts. In a new research article published in National Science Review, the Li group at East China University of Science and Technology presents a latest advance in comprehensive insights into how the catalyst structure evolves, and how real catalytically active components catalyze CO2 electroreduction by virtue of operando structural identifications at multiscale levels.

"The distinct difference between the operando and ex-situ structural information is displayed, revealing that the real catalytically active phase for CO2 electroreduction is inconsistent with the as-prepared or post-catalyzed catalyst structure. High-performance CO2 electroreduction into formate is actually exhibited onto the operando regenerative structure. More importantly, the operando structural information with atomic level precision is the key to uncover catalytic mechanism," They state.

This work provides insights into structural evolution and activity origin of catalysts under realistic working conditions, and highlights the importance of mechanism study and catalyst design based operando feedback information. The proposed strategy could be widely extended to unravel the structural evolution and working mechanism of catalysts in most of heterogeneous catalytic processes.

###

This research received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Shanghai Scientific and Technological Innovation Project, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

See the article:

Tracking structural evolution: Operando regenerative CeOx/Bi interface structure for high-performance CO2 electroreduction

Ruichao Pang, Pengfei Tian, Hongliang Jiang, Minghui Zhu, Xiaozhi Su, Yu Wang, Xiaoling Yang, Yihua Zhu, Li Song, Chunzhong Li

Natl Sci Rev 2020; doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa187

https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaa187

The National Science Review is the first comprehensive scholarly journal released in English in China that is aimed at linking the country's rapidly advancing community of scientists with the global frontiers of science and technology. The journal also aims to shine a worldwide spotlight on scientific research advances across China.
New Delhi:

Delhi Police on Thursday arrested two terrorists from Mayur Vihar area. One of them is a commander-in-chief of insurgent group Kangleipak Communist Party Meitei, who was also wanted in terror attacks in Manipur.

The two terrorists were wanted by security forces in many cases. Police have arrested the two terrorists with the help of intelligence reports.

Police and additional personnel rushed at Naoremthong about 6 km from the state capital. Two CRPF troopers were seriously wounded when suspected insurgents attacked a group of paramilitary personnel in Manipurs Imphal West district on Jan 7, 2017.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Even as Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops continue to occupy positions on Finger 4 at Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh, Indian soldiers have occupied some heights overlooking PLA positions in the north bank areas, sources said.

"Our troops have occupied some heights overlooking the positions occupied by PLA," said a source adding that it is a precautionary deployment instead of pre-emptive action.

Sources said Indian Army troops that specialise in mountain warfare had managed to take over these vantage points north and south of Pangong lake.

Sources said that now movement of Chinese troops, vehicles, and new Chinese defences are visible at north and south banks of Pangong lake. In some places heavily-armed troops are in close proximity.

The troops are not on high alert at these positions.

The Indian Army has clearly pointed that its forces will retaliate if Chinese troops make provocative military moves.

The Indian Army has occupied heights that allow it to dominate the Chinese Moldo garrison and the Spangur Gap under Chinese control. Both India and China lay claim to some of these heights.

One of the most critical heights the Indian Army is manning is the Rechin La, which the Chinese are protesting against. The Chinese have made multiple attempts to dislodge Indian troops from the mountain heights.

The north bank of the lake is divided into 8 fingers that are contested by both sides.

India claims the LAC at Finger 8 and had been holding on to the area till Finger 4 but in a clear alteration of status quo the Chinese have been camping at Finger 4 and have set up fortifications between Finger 5 and 8.

It has become the new friction point where Indian Army seems be in an advantageous position.

India and China are engaged in a four-month-long standoff at the LAC in eastern Ladakh. Despite several levels of dialogue, there has not been any breakthrough and the deadlock continues.
Midland County recorded five new confirmed coronavirus cases and one probable death linked to coronavirus, according to the Thursday state report.

However, Midland County Department of Public Health Director/Health Officer Fred Yanoski said he believes the deceased already has been recorded in Midland County numbers, and his department is verifying if the state's data is a new death.

In its weekly Thursday posting, the health department listed a pandemic total of 402 confirmed cases, 97 probable cases for a total of 499 cases. The county also lists 342 recoveries and 35 hospitalizations.

Northwood University reported 29 confirmed cases, 13 tests pending and five recoveries, as of Thursday morning. The university reported last Friday an outbreak of coronavirus cases.

In another university outbreak, Central Michigan District Health Department has identified 278 cases (263 confirmed and 15 probable) related to Central Michigan University students returning in August to the Mount Pleasant area.

Both schools resumed face-to-face classes for fall semester.

Thursday, Sept. 10 daily numbers

Bay County: 13 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 803 cases, 91 probable, 45 deaths.

Gladwin County: No cases were added; pandemic total stands at 74 cases, nine probable, two deaths.

Isabella County: 14 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 534 cases, 57 probable, 10 deaths.

Saginaw County: 18 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 2,538 cases, 183 probable, 129 deaths and four probable deaths.

The state on Thursday added 924 new cases and 17 deaths, including nine deaths from vital records reviews.

Overall, Michigan is at 109,519 cases and 6,569 deaths.

Testing

The state report shows as of Sept. 10, Midland County has performed 11,870 diagnostic tests and 790 serology (antibodies) tests, totaling 12,660 tests. Gladwin County is listed as having administered 4,695 diagnostic tests and 132 serology (antibodies) tests, totaling 4,827 tests.

Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on Sept. 7 was listed at 3.7%, and medium risk of spread. Gladwin County was listed at 0.3% and low risk. The Saginaw region, which includes 12-counties including Midland, Gladwin, Bay and Saginaw counties, was listed at 2.8% and low risk and Michigan at 3.4%, a medium risk. A positivity rate of less than 3% indicates a lack of community spread, according to Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Department of Health and Human Services chief medical executive.

As of Aug. 31, MidMichigan Health  which covers a 23-county region and has medical centers at seven sites, including Midland  has completed a total of 20,503 tests. Of those, 19,430 were negative, 237 positive and 836 are pending.

Nursing Homes

Brittany Manor in Midland is listed in the state report as having four cumulative cases and one death among residents as of Sept. 9, and five cumulative cases and no deaths among staff. Midland Kings Daughters is reporting one cumulative case among staff and Medilodge of Midland is reporting two cumulative cases among staff. The other reporting facility, Stratford Pines, is reporting no cases.

Gladwin Pines Nursing Home is listed as having two cumulative confirmed cases and no deaths among residents as of Sept. 9, and three confirmed cases and no deaths among staff. Gladwin Nursing & Rehabilitation Community, the other long-term health facility reporting to the state, is reporting one cumulative confirmed case among residents and three cumulative cases among staff.

Recovered

As of Sept. 10, the Midland County health department website lists 342 recovered cases and 35 hospitalizations since the pandemic start.

The state lists the total recovered at 80,678 cases, as of Sept. 4, which represents COVID-19 confirmed individuals with an onset date on or prior to Aug. 5, according to the state website, mich.gov.

Midland County Health Department data

People younger than 40 make up 56.1% of total Midland County cases, confirmed and probable, as of Aug. 27.

Of Midland Countys 403 confirmed and probable cases, 85 cases are in 0-19 age range; 79 in 20-29 age range; 61 in 30-39 age range; 60 in 40-49 age range; 57 in 50-59 age range; 25 in 60-69 age range; 20 in 70-79 age range, and 14 in 80+ age range, as of Aug. 27.

Of Midlands 11 deaths, five have been female and six male. One was between the ages of 50-59; four were between ages of 70-79, and six were 80 years and older.

As of Aug. 27, 82.1% of cases have fallen within the 48640 and 48642 (mostly Midland) zip codes. Next highest were 48657 (Sanford) with 6.5% of cases and 48618 (Coleman) with 5.7% of cases.

Cases by race, as of Aug. 27: 86.2% were listed as caucasian; 2.6% as Black; 3.6% as Asian; 1% listed as two or more races; and 7% were unknown.

MidMichigan Health statistics

Patient census: MidMichigan Health system is listed as having seven COVID-19 patients, including two COVID-19 patient in ICU, and 53.7% bed occupancy, as of Sept. 10.

PPE days on hand as of Sept. 10: The health system reported 7-14 days for N95 masks; 0-6 days for surgical masks; 7-14 days for surgical gowns; 21+ days for shields and 7-14 days for gloves.

Recommendations for public

 Socially distance at least 6 feet from non-household members.

 Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

 Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

 If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

 Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

 Wear face coverings in public.

 Stay home when sick.

 Covering coughs and sneezes.

 Throw used tissues in the trash right after use.

 Routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning wipe or spray.

Where to get help

If you think you've been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider for medical advice. If he/she isn't available, call MidMichigan Urgent Care in Midland at 989-633-1350 or MidMichigan Medical Center's Emergency Department in Midland at 989-839-3100.

MidMichigan Health has a COVID-19 informational hotline with a reminder of CDC guidelines and recommendations. The hotline can be reached toll-free at 800-445-7356 or 989-794-7600. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also has a hotline number for Michigan residents for questions about COVID-19. The number is 1-888-535-6136 and is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also e-mail COVID19@michigan.gov. E-mails will be answered seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed and feel you need to talk to someone, reach out to Community Mental Health for Central Michigan by calling 800-317-0708.
Top African financial service technology company OPay, and the leading web browser and software company Opera, have made a donation of a hundred thousand medical face masks to support the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana.



The presentation of the face masks was made to the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Health, in Accra on September 9, 2020. The event was attended by Acting Chief Director of the Health Ministry Kwabena Boadu Oku  Afari.



Receiving the items on behalf of the Minister, Acting Chief Director of the Health Ministry Kwabena Boadu Oku  Afari, thanked Opay for the support and stated that now that they are about to set up in the Ghanaian market, he hopes the relationship will be sustained.



Director of Wallets Expansion, Anglophone Africa, Joseph Yendork says OPay has benefited from a vivid market in West Africa and we are committed to serving future customers and market in Ghana. As the Government of Ghana continues to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the country, it is important for companies in the private sector, like OPay, to join in support. Our front-line medical workers are the real heroes here and as such need all the support they can get.



The fintech company OPay, which is incubated by Opera, recently announced a $129,380.25 (750,000 cedis) equivalent fund in Nigeria to provide medical supplies to frontline health workers as well as relief support for the less privileged during the COVID-19 pandemic.



Soon to launch in Ghana, OPay is a leading mobile money (MMO) and financial technology platforms in West Africa, dedicated to accelerating financial inclusion through technology.



It currently has a network of 300,000 agents and 5 million registered users and an ever-increasing range of financial and related services including agent banking, investment banking as well as airtime, data, cable, and power utility subscriptions.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Via teleconference, the top legislator of Brunei delivered a speech on the assumption of the chairmanship of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). On behalf of the speaker, the Bruneian Ambassador to Vietnam received the chairmanship hammer from Chairwoman Ngan at the closing ceremony of the 41st AIPA General Assembly (AIPA 41) in Hanoi on September 10.

In his address, the speaker expressed his honour to assume the role and congratulated Chairwoman Ngan and the Vietnamese NA on successfully convening this years AIPA General Assembly virtually, despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this difficult time, it is even more crucial to strengthen partnerships within AIPA, as well as to reach out strategically to the dialogue partners on issues that are of mutual concern regionally and internationally, he said, noting that during Bruneis chairmanship, the country looks forward to working closely with the AIPA Secretariat as well as member parliaments to continue building on the good work in the past in ensuring the realisation of AIPAs visions and aspirations.

In this light, I would like to seek the support and cooperation from the speakers and parliamentarians of AIPA member parliaments as well as our dialogue partners and relevant stakeholders towards the success of our AIPA Presidency, he added.

With regards to the hosting of the next AIPA General Assembly, the speaker noted that the Legislative Council of Brunei has already started making arrangements for the 42nd AIPA General Assembly in Bandar Seri Begawan next year.

However, with still much uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to strive to meet via whatever available means permitted in the future. Regardless of the situation, however, the Legislative Council of Brunei Darussalam would like to assure you of our utmost commitment to put in our best effort during our AIPA Presidency in the next year, Pehin Abdul Rahman Taib said.

The AIPA 41 from September 8 to 10, held online for the first time in history, took place under the theme Parliamentary Diplomacy for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community.

Earlier, Vietnam served as the Chair of the 23rd and 31st AIPA general assemblies in 2002 and 2010, respectively.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- A court in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, has upheld a lower court decision to fine a journalist whose collarbone was broken by a police officer while being taken into custody in July.



David Frenkel said on Twitter that the St. Petersburg City Court announced its decision on September 10.



In late July, the Dzerzhinskiy district court in St. Petersburg fined Frenkel, a Mediazona news-website correspondent, 2,500 rubles ($33) after finding him guilty of refusing to follow a police officer's instruction, meddling in the work of a polling station, and the violation of coronavirus restrictions on June 30.



Police said that, during his detainment, in which an officer broke Frenkel's collarbone, the journalist "provoked a conflict situation" by resisting law enforcement officers, pushing them, using his feet and leaning against walls even though video presented at the hearing failed to show such a scene.



Frenkel had gone to the polling station to check on possible violations during a national vote on controversial amendments that among other things allowed President Vladimir Putin the possibility of seeking new terms in office after his current one expires in 2024.



Video of the incident posted on social media shows two police officers tackling Frenkel to the ground. A cracking noise can be heard, followed by Frenkel screaming out in pain.

He underwent surgery due to his injury on June 30.



Denis Dmitriyev, the police officer who detained Frenkel, said at the hearing that he detained the journalist at the request of the election commission's chairman because Frenkel "was interfering with the voting process," an accusation Frenkel denies.



Frenkel has filed a lawsuit against the police officer, accusing him of abuse of power, but the city's Investigative Committee refused to launch a probe.



A former city official, Dmitry Abramov, who said he was an observer at the polling station, testified at the hearing that Frenkel "most likely" broke his collarbone when he fell down on the floor and the injury was not inflicted by police.



During the incident, Abramov stepped on Frenkel's leg and pulled the arm affected by the broken collarbone, trying "to prove" that the journalist was faking an injury.



However, the St. Petersburg Public Chamber said Abramov was not an accredited observer, Mediazona has reported, raising questions about why he was there.



On August 28, unknown individuals vandalized Frenkel's automobile, breaking its windows and cutting its tires.
Newsfrom Japan

Tokyo, Sept. 10 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government said Thursday that it has signed an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement with India to facilitate the smooth provision of food and ammunition between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Indian military.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, welcomed the signing of the accord during their 30-minute telephone conversations.

The accord is designed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries. In particular, Japan aims to use the pact to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific while countering China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The signing of the accord took place in New Delhi on Wednesday. Japan already has ACSAs in place with the United States, Britain, Australia, France and Canada.

Abe told Modi that they had elevated the strategic partnership between Japan and India to greater heights. Modi expressed his appreciation for all the efforts made by Abe, who has announced his resignation due to illness.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Pye kiosks have shown a 20% increase in order size, reduced wait times, allow for upsell and cross-selling, and improve labor efficiency.

MagTek, a global leader in retail electronic payments and security technology, and PyePOS, a premier self-service technology company that caters to restaurants, are excited to announce PyePOS QSR kiosks have MagTeks DynaDip and DynaWave secure hardware built-in. This combination of payment acceptance devices meets current needs in quick service restaurants (QSR) looking to create proper social distancing and limited interaction while still providing excellent customer service and payment security.

A restaurants main goal is to sell good food and provide a great customer experience. PyePOS has based their technology on delivering beautiful kiosks that fit comfortably in quick service restaurants and give the customer an excellent experience. Pye kiosks have shown a 20% increase in order size, reduced wait times, allow for upsell and cross-selling, and improve labor efficiency.

The devices can be deployed free-standing, on a countertop, or mounted. This allows QSR to position the kiosks at selected distances that meet their space and proper guidelines. Pye offers a variety of payment acceptance options including cash, magstripe, EMV chip, and NFC which includes contactless chip cards and most mobile wallets. The ability to accept tap and go payments makes the experience faster and cleaner. PyePOS supports most major processors including First Data, TSYS, Elavon, Heartland and Shift 4. This combination of acceptance options, readers, and processors makes integration and installation easy for the restauranteur, while delivering a sleek and clean station for self-service ordering.

Building technology that helps people is our passion, says Jegil Dugger, Founder and CEO of PyePOS, We design our technology to alleviate struggles and to create a seamless customer experience that is enjoyable and keeps people coming back. The flexibility of the devices offers restaurants a choice of how they want to manage their customer experience.

MagTeks DynaDip and DynaWave are engineered with the MagneSafe Security Architecture. The foundation of MagTek hardware is to create payment peripherals that are built for durability, easy integration, and security using encryption, tokenization, and authentication so users can work, play, and shop securely. DynaDip is a hybrid insertion OEM card reader with magstripe and contact EMV reading capabilities. DynaWave is a EMV contactless/NFC reader that accepts contactless card payments and most mobile wallets and wearables including ApplePay, Samsung Pay, and GooglePay.

The cornerstone of MagTek hardware is security, says Rebecca Robinson, MagTeks marketing manager. Its great when we can build a partnership with companies like PyePOS to help deliver secure self-service kiosks that also have the ability to offer a wide variety of payment solutions, including contactless, which make everyone feel a little safer right now.

PyePOS QSR kiosks are available now. To learn more visit http://www.mypyepos.com. To learn more about DynaDip and DynaWave OEM hardware peripherals, visit http://www.magtek.com.

About MagTek

Since 1972, MagTek has been a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and systems for the reliable issuance, reading, transmission and security of cards, checks, PINs and other identification documents. Leading with innovation and engineering excellence, MagTek is known for quality and dependability. Its products include secure card readers, check scanners, PIN pads and distributed credential issuing systems. These products are used worldwide by financial institutions, retailers, hotels, law enforcement agencies and other organizations to provide secure and efficient electronic payment and identification transactions.

Today, MagTek continues to innovate with the development of a new generation of security centric products secured by MagneSafe. By leveraging strong encryption, secure tokenization, real time authentication and dynamic payment card data, MagneSafe products enable users to assess and validate the trustworthiness of credentials used for online identification, payment processing, and other high-value electronic transactions.

MagTek is based in Seal Beach, California and has sales offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, with independent distributors in over 40 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.magtek.com.

About PyePOS

Here at PYE, we have learned that most restaurant owners share a common goal. They want to make food that tastes amazing, and looks good too.

We have also come to find that many restaurants share common struggles like employee turnover, customer service time, food waste, increasing wages, and providing an effortless experience for every customer.

We created PYE for every restaurant owner, designing our company with these common goals and struggles in mind. We alleviate the struggles, creating an effortless customer experience exactly how a restaurant owner would want it done. We keep style at the forefront when designing our food tech. Our self-service solutions are efficient, and we take pride in the technology looking beautiful enough to showcase a restaurants good-looking food.

We have put together a team with more than 100 years of combined experience in the tech and food industry. We have restaurant owners, software engineers, computer nerds, and creative jocks all working together to make amazing products.

Check out our website to see how our self-service solutions can improve your restaurant in style.

Media Contact

Jegil Dugger, Founder and CEO

PyePOS

jegil@mypyepos.com

###
Expect a cooling of the romance with Europes capitals and new affection for less-crowded cities with strong cultural offerings. Id keep an eye on Lyon and Hamburg," said UK-based travel writer Annie Fitzsimmons, who also predicts a rediscovery of less populated European islands. Among them: Germanys 24-mile-long island of Sylt, a Teutonic Nantucket.

2. Alaska will beckon.

The pandemics searing impact will add a FOMO-like urgency to personal bucket lists. The fresh air appeal of Alaska and Montana will propel them into top spots, thinks Erin Francis-Cummings, CEO of travel data company Destination Analysts.

3. As will esoteric food.

Legions more food travelers will seek out the Faroe Islands, predicts TV producer Irene Wong, who travels the globe filming cooking shows. A windy island chain between Scotland and Iceland, it offers a unique cuisine centered on seafood, dairy and hardy root vegetables Any place thats far and hard to get to is what gets people the most excited," said Ms. Wong.

4. Well eye quick check-in.

In 10 years your face could be your airplane ticket," said Andrew OConnor, vice president, airports and borders, at SITA, a Swiss-based information technology provider. Biometric software installed in terminal video cameras will recognize and match your features to your flight while assessing your security and health risks, allowing most travelers to stroll unimpeded from check-in to gate.

5. Well pay for hygiene.

Germophobic fliers might have the option to pay extra for Hygiene Class," a premium cabin that comes with a higher standard of cleanliness, according to Christopher Schaberg, author of Airportness," and, coming later this fall, Grounded: Perpetual Flightand Then the Pandemic." Though the air filters shared equally with economy will still do the real work to prevent illness, these higher-priced seats will come with more frequent sanitization and scented sprays.

6. Well cruise the Arctic.

As pleasure ships steam past the pandemic and implement new health protocols, expect to see new destinations. Cruise industry specialist Clare Weeden sees massive growth in trips through Canadas Northwest Passage from passengers eager to view polar bears and other Arctic species before they vanish.

7. Alterna-tours will rule.

City tour offerings with minority perspectives will flourish, predicts cultural travel consultant Norie Quintos. Black Panther Party tours in Oakland and explorations of Brooklyns Hasidic Jewish neighborhoods will increase in number. Tours that make people think will only grow in popularity," said. Ms. Quintos.

8. Well tip robot-maids.

Hotels will become airy places with AI behind the scenes, said Professor Stephani Robson of Cornell School of Hotel Administration. Open lobbies and guest rooms that allow the outside in will be the blueprint, with frump and fuss banished. Also booted: coffee makers and minibars. Anything hard to clean will be suspect in a post-pandemic-era room. Robots will be present but discreet, vacuuming hallways at 2 a.m.

9. Hover-bags will take off.

Roam Luggage CEO Larry Lein imagines jets of air replacing the wheels on roller bags. Built-in tracking systems would pair the bag with your phone so the hovering luggage would tail you as you walked.

10. Leopards will matter even more.

Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks, a nonprofit that manages 18 national parks and reserves, said countries combining good governance with conservation will become tomorrows stars. Two Mr. Fearnhead singles out: Benin and Malawi. The former, in West Africa, is developing Pendjari and W National Parks that feature elephants and lions, while Malawi, in southeastern Africa, is priming reserves with rhinos and leopards.

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BEIRUT  A large fire erupted in Beiruts port on Thursday, sending up orange flames and a huge plume of black smoke that terrified residents still recovering from the horrific port explosion that devastated entire neighborhoods last month.

The fire appeared to have started in a warehouse belonging to a private company that imported cooking oil. It then spread to a stock of rubber tires, the ports interim general manager, Bassem El-Kaissi, said in a telephone interview. That is why you see the big black clouds, Mr. El-Kaissi said, adding that it was too early to speculate about how the fire started.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, but President Michel Aoun has called for the formation of a committee to ensure general safety in the port and said the fire could have been caused by sabotage, a technical mistake or negligence.

The fire sent up giant orange flames and thick smoke that were visible for miles and spread panic inside the port and in neighborhoods ravaged by last months blast, which occurred after a fire in a hangar that stored hazardous materials. Port workers scrambled to flee their offices and residents fled their homes or hid in hallways, fearing that the fire could cause a new explosion.
The CEO of Winnipeg Airports Authority says the only way to survive a pandemic-sized fiasco is by going back to the basics, but those basics could mean fewer flights at higher costs.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The CEO of Winnipeg Airports Authority says the only way to survive a "pandemic-sized fiasco" is by going back to the basics, but those basics could mean fewer flights at higher costs.

At its annual general meeting held Wednesday at Richardson International Airport, WAA executives laid out their long-term strategy against the eerily quiet backdrop of the departures lounge  emphasizing their survival depends entirely on the return of air traffic.

"Passing costs to passengers will be a complete inevitability," WAA president and CEO Barry Rempel told the Free Press in an interview. "If things remain unchanged, theres really no other way."

"Were going back to our mission statement  those fundamental ideals of innovation and prudency  so we can come up with solutions about how to keep serving our local community."

MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Barry Rempel, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Airport Authority, says passing costs on to passengers will be a complete inevitability.

At the meeting, board members explained how they were initially budgeting for an expected increase in revenue this year up to $142 million. As a result of the pandemic, however, the corporation is projecting to meet only about half of that at $75 million in revenue, which finance director Nicole Stefaniuk said might also decrease.

She said mandated lockdowns, border closures and travel restrictions since March "changed everything" for Canadas aviation industry.

"Unfortunately, our countrys user-pay model for airports  tying our revenue to how many people actually travel  really failed to work in our favour under these circumstances," said Stefaniuk, adding the company went from about $70 million in capital to under $7 million "in mere months."

"We clawed through our reserves to pay for things like safety and ongoing expenses," she said. "Thankfully, we found that we could reduce 25 per cent of our costs."

But Rempel says more than three-quarters of those costs are fixed items the airport must pay to remain operational, such as utilities, personnel employment and federal taxes like the $201 million paid by the WAA last year.

Currently operating at 14 per cent activity, Winnipegs international airport saw its "worst day" when only 56 passengers used its services in July, he said. As restrictions in Manitoba have eased, those numbers have gone up, "but only so slightly and not nearly enough," he added.

Rempel cited economic outlooks suggesting that even if a vaccine for COVID-19 is developed sometime next year, itll likely take until 2025 for airports and other aviation services to return to normal.

Nicole Stefaniuk, Director of Finance for Winnipeg Airports Authority, says mandated lockdowns, border closures and travel restrictions since March "changed everything" for Canadas aviation industry.

As a result, he said Winnipeg's airport will soon undergo a large restructuring and overhaul of services  including an increase in airliner fees, ending contracts that employ hundreds of local workers and cutting down routes to locations around the world. "It might also mean cheaper tickets that passengers have come to expect just wont happen anymore," he said.

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"Were a not-for-profit but that doesnt mean were a not-for-loss. And if no ones taking flights anywhere, what can we do?"

The WAA is now actively lobbying for the federal government to open international and domestic borders to areas with low COVID-19 case counts that Rempel believes could serve as "safe travel corridors."

"I know its a controversial take on this," he said. "But I also know that Ottawa isnt giving us a single cent in direct aid during this time  even when the U.S. is pouring billions to help their aviation industry, so it's the least our government could do."

"Were going above and beyond to follow their rules and regulations, its time they start listening."

temur.durrani@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @temurdur
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- J. Craig Holding Corp., fka Ultra Pure Water Technologies, Inc. (OTC: UPWT), an accelerator and incubator for innovative businesses, intellectual properties and assets, provided an update for its shareholders today as to the current status of their transition from Ultra Pure Water Technologies to One World Universe, Inc.



As of this moment, FINRA has approved the new CUSIP number for the company and the state of Delaware has changed the company name on file from Ultra Pure Water Technologies to One World Universe, Inc.

We have submitted all necessary documents to FINRA for final approval of our corporate name and ticker change. This is the last puzzle piece in our efforts to complete our transition, so it reflects our new business strategy, stated Caren Currier, CFO.

The company is also utilizing a professional graphic design community to create a new logo which will assist in rebranding and future marketing efforts. The new look will be revealed next week. For more updates, please follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/JCHC_UPWT

About J. Craig Holding Corp. (OTC: UPWT)

J. Craig Holding Corp. is a California based holding company that focuses on acquisition and support of both distressed and emerging companies within a multitude of industry sectors. The company actively seeks targets in which it can partner with or acquire to accelerate growth, targeting companies with solid management teams and business models, large total attainable markets (TAM), and lucrative exit opportunities. For more information visit: www.JCHoldingCorp.com

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer:

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. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainty and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release. This press release should be considered in light of all filings of the Company that are contained in the Edgar Archives of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov and in OTC Markets at www.otcmarkets.com

Story continues

Investor Relations Contact

Dana Salzarulo

Director Investor Relations

Info@jcholdingcorp.com

1-833-333-5242 Office




The Scottish Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) are blocking efforts by journalist Craig Murray to access documents necessary for his legal defence against charges of contempt of court. Murray faces up to two years in jail and/or an unlimited fine for his reporting activities during the trial, earlier this year, of former Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, on sex offence charges.

Murray is accused of having impeded or prejudiced the former Scottish National Party (SNP) leaders trial by his reporting and analysis of events leading up to the hearing. His popular blog offered insight into the vicious faction fight within the Scottish National Party and ruling establishment that set current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon against Salmond, her predecessor, and which culminated in the trial.

Craig Murray

Murray is also accused of publishing material which could have led to the identification of one of the complainants in the case against Salmond. Yet Murray identified no-one, nor did he publish material which could allow identification. Any reports he published were less explicit than many published in the mainstream press, none of whose reporters face comparable proceedings against them.

Murray is known internationally for his work in defence of Julian Assange and commentary on the techniques deployed by the British state, judiciary and media against the worlds most famous political prisoner and founder of Wikileaks. He has decided to set aside work on his own defence to travel to Londons Old Bailey to report on the ongoing hearings in the Assange case, which resumed this Monday for three-four weeks. The hearing is the product of years of efforts to dispatch Assange to the United States, where he faces up to 175 years in jail. Murray was recently inexplicably denied the renewal of his membership of the National Union of Journalists, meaning he has had to report proceedings from one of the few seats available in the public gallery.

In his reporting on the Salmond case, Murray, a former diplomat, has exposed the machinations of the powerful forces seeking to silence and jail the former SNP leader. But Murrays own viewshe is a Scottish nationalist, an SNP member, and an advocate of a nationalist uprising for Scottish independenceare themselves dangerous and hopelessly reactionary. He takes a clearly partisan stance in an internecine conflict between two bourgeois factions equally hostile to the working class.

Salmond resigned as SNP leader and first minister following the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, which voted No by 55 to 45 percent. In 2016, Salmond began to drop hints of disagreement with Sturgeon for not forcefully demanding a swift second referendum on independence.

Sturgeon has stated that a new independence poll would have to be approved by the British government and should only take place if there was a sustained majority for it. In the meantime, she sought coalition alliances with the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats and positioned the SNP as a leading force advocating for both Scotland and the UK remaining in the European Unionwith the aim of cultivating support domestically and in Europes capitals. During the pandemic, Sturgeons government has implemented measures every bit as catastrophic as those of Boris Johnson, differing generally only in presentation and timing.

The SNP is far ahead of all its rivals in the opinion polls, despite the partys ever more open assault on workers living standards in the interests of finance capital. The Labour Party, once dominant in Scotland, is in a state of freefall, third in polls, and barely ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

This has emboldened the most hard-line nationalist supporters, associated with the All Under One Banner umbrella group and including the entire Scottish pseudo-left, to demand a new independence referendum, legally recognised by Westminster or not. Many of these forces, including Murray, view Salmond as their leader in waiting.

Scottish independence offers nothing to the working class other than to sow dangerous divisions that undermine a unified struggle against the capitalist enemy on both sides of the border. Whether attached to Britain, Scotlands biggest market, or seeking re-admittance to the EU post-Brexit, the Scottish bourgeoisie will aim to ramp up exploitation, lower corporate taxes, and slash spending on essential services and welfare to compete for inward investment by the transnational corporations and banks and to secure a greater international market share.

In conditions of pandemic and the greatest world crisis of the capitalist system at least since World War Two, the success of independence for the capitalists will be conditional on imposing wage cuts, productivity hikes and an accelerating collapse of already poor living standards for workers.

In 2017, Salmond pitched both the SNP leadership and the British authorities into apoplexy when he struck a lucrative high-profile deal with the Russian state-backed broadcaster RT. His actions flew in the face of British efforts to demonise Russia as part of its foreign policy manoeuvres with the US.

Legal moves to entangle Salmond in sexual harassment cases emerged in this context. In 2019, he won a judicial review against the Scottish government acknowledging that processes utilised to investigate sexual harassment claims against him were unlawful. Salmond won 500,000 in compensation. The matter was expected to be dropped.

Instead, a criminal case was launched against Salmond which went to trial earlier this year. Salmond, however, was acquitted of charges of sexual harassment and attempted rape levelled against him by 14 complainants, most of whom were either civil servants in the upper echelons of the Scottish government or prominent within the SNP.

Salmond, during the trial, had hinted at the operation against him and on his acquittal stated, There is certain evidence that I would have liked to have seen led in this trial but for a variety of reasons we were not able to do so. Those facts will see the light

To date, Salmond has kept silent. But whether he is seeking an opportune moment to attack his enemies in the SNP leadership or secure a favourable compromise with them, his threat is significant. Salmond has been around the SNP a long time and knows where all the skeletons are buried.

While this skulduggery continues behind the scenes, Murray has been left to fight his own corner by those he would have considered to be alliessuch as former justice secretary Kenny MacAskill. Murrays legal team has requested access to the following material from Salmonds trial:

a text exchange between two of the complainants containing the phrase I have a plan... which may have been part of a wider orchestration of the criminal proceedings against Salmond.





a Whatsapp exchange from the day of the judicial review verdict stating, We have lost the battle but we will win the war. The exchange was widely reported as being from the head of the Scottish Civil Service, Leslie Evans, to a colleague.





Scottish government documents and One Notes from the judicial review supporting Salmonds contention that the Scottish governments actions bordered on encouragement in setting legal action in motion.





documents on the circumstances of leaks from the Scottish government to the Daily Record and the Sunday Post in August 2018 including information that proceedings against Salmond had been passed to the police.





All other documents in the possession of the Crown which disclose or tend to suggest the existence of the conspiracy referred to in the articles published by our client [Murray] and proffered by the Lord Advocate as instances of contempt of court.





Whatsapp or similar messages from Peter Murrell (Nicola Sturgeons husband) or Sue Ruddick, leading SNP officials, referring to Salmond or to Police Scotland.

Murray explained on his blog that he was not fishing and was certain that all the requested documentation existed.

In response to the request, Procurator Fiscal Kenny Donnelly wrote that the requested materials were not relevant and the Crown will not be providing any of the items listed.

Craig Murray should be defended, and all charges against him dropped. He should be allowed to continue his work as a journalist. This does not imply any support for the vicious contending factions within Scottish nationalism. Rather, the anti-democratic and right-wing machinations exposed by Murray confirm that democratic rights, including press freedoms, can only be defended by a unified movement of the working class across Britain and internationally, seeking the broadest expansion of democratic rights through the fight for socialism.
CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amlan International, a global leader in developing innovative solutions that improve livestock intestinal health and productivity, is proud to name Fred H. Kao for the new role of Vice President of Global Sales.



The creation of this position further supports the company's investment in the gut health product line for the global market. Driven by increasing consumer demand for protein produced without antibiotics, Amlan International is excited to move confidently forward to provide animal health solutions for their customers.

Kao brings to the company 20 years of expertise in building strong relationships with key integrators in the animal protein business. Kao has worked in Europe, Middle East, African and Asia Pacific regions since 2004. He most recently managed the Asia Pacific business unit for Cobb-Vantress Inc.

In the span of just two years, Kao oversaw changes in the Cobb-Vantress business operations in China that led to significant profitability for the company. He structured operations in the Philippines for long term growth and oversaw the development of Cobb's New Zealand project.

"Fred H. Kao's ability to create relationships with the sales team as well as key integrators will position Amlan International to achieve new heights in emerging markets," says Flemming L. Mahs, President of Amlan International. "Fred is a generator of new ideas and an innovative new business developer. Amlan's growing global sales team is essential to match the demand for our products worldwide. With his leadership, Amlan will be well-positioned to meet the demands of livestock producers for natural alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters and intestinal health."

Prior to his work with Cobb-Vantress, Kao worked for more than 16 years for Aviagen Inc. where he managed a team of eight commercial and technical managers and more than doubled the responsible brand's worldwide Parent Stock shares.

Kao is a 2000 graduate of the University of Arkansas. He is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese and competent in two other languages (Japanese and Spanish), which is an important asset to connecting with a diverse and growing customer base.

Amlan International

Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC), a Delaware corporation doing business as "Amlan International," is a global leader in proven solutions that improve the intestinal health and productivity of livestock. Amlan has grown its product offering across the intestinal health and AGP-alternative market, driven largely by the research conducted at its laboratory campus in Vernon Hills, Illinois. Flemming L. Mahs is President of Amlan International, a subsidiary of Oil-Dri Corporation of America.

Amlan International sells animal health products outside of the United States. Product associated claims do not constitute medical claims and may differ based on government requirements. Product availability may vary by country.

Reagan Culbertson

Media Contact

press@amlan.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e1bd733f-368d-4b9c-a60c-229255e9336a
After a successful rescue operation conducted by Georgias U.S. Marshals, donations are pouring in to help the 39 missing kids who were found with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

The local community has joined in to offer supplies to help them get back on their feet.

We have four children of our own, one couple, dropping off donations, told CBS 46, so just to imagine that they have nothing but the clothes on their backs is heartbreaking.

Operation Not Forgotten, a two-week sting operation conducted late August, retrieved 26 children and located 13 more in connection with a suspected sex-trafficking network.

Bikers Against Abuse International (BAA Intl.) took to Facebook on Sept. 2 after hearing of the U.S. Marshals mission, imploring their followers to contribute whatever they could for the traumatized survivors. They have nothing, BAA Intl. posted. They are being currently housed in crisis centers throughout Georgia.

Unable to accept used items due to health and safety restrictions, the group was collecting gift cards for clothing, school supplies, toiletries, and games.

If we receive more than is needed, we will donate the other items to various crisis centers that also have children, they added, before signing off with a pronouncement, Our community is amazing!

Besides individual donors and BAA Intl., Georgia-based nonprofits such as Gigis House, A Friends House, the Haven House, and the Raise Me Up Foundation have stepped up to offer their support for the rescued kids.

The donation drive is also inspiring acts of generosity aimed at other needy kids in the state of Georgia. All American Pizzeria owner Lauren Williams donated pizzas to a care home for abused and neglected foster kids after a customer made the suggestion.

[W]e said, Sure, of course. As a matter of fact, wed actually like to do one better and get involved, Williams told the news outlet. We quickly realized were going to need more vehicles to drop off donations.

In a statement released on Aug. 27, the U.S. Marshals announced that Operation Not Forgotten resulted in the arrest of nine suspects, all of whom are now facing criminal charges. Some of the rescued children were considered especially vulnerable to child sex trafficking, exploitation, and abuse as a result of medical and mental health issues.

These missing children were considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area, said Donald Washington, director of the U.S. Marshals Service, adding, One missing child is worth thousands, in my mind, of fugitives that we go out and get.

Medical and social workers, reports WSB-TV, are helping the recovered kids work through the trauma of their ordeal. Georgia, meanwhile, continues to shower them with love by donating the clothes and belongings they need to rebuild their lives.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Husky Energy Inc. is asking the federal government and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador to make a "direct investment" in its partly completed $2.2-billion West White Rose offshore oil project.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Husky Energy logo is shown at the company's annual meeting in Calgary, Alta., Friday, May 5, 2017. Husky Energy is re-evaluating a $2.2-billion oil project off the coast of Newfoundland. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Husky Energy Inc. is asking the federal government and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador to make a "direct investment" in its partly completed $2.2-billion West White Rose offshore oil project.

The Calgary-based oil and gas producer said Wednesday it is putting the project  and by extension all of its investments in the region  under review as it deals with a one-year construction delay it implemented in March amid low oil prices linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are asking the government to consider a direct investment in the project, similar to Hibernia," said Husky spokeswoman Kim Guttormson in an email response to The Canadian Press.

"This isn't a handout or a loan, it's an investment that would provide a return to taxpayers."

The Hibernia offshore project led by ExxonMobil Canada is 8.5 per cent owned by the federal government.

The statement confirms speculation by analyst Phil Skolnick of Eight Capital in a report on Wednesday that the review announcement could be interpreted as a call for the province to inject money to ensure West White Rose is built.

He also suggested that under a "worst-case scenario," it could also signal Husky's option to eventually shut down or sell the currently producing White Rose offshore oil project itself.

"West White Rose is critical to the future of the existing White Rose field, which has been producing since 2005 and is in natural decline," said Guttormson in response to the second point.

"There are no additional wells planned for the main field and, in the near term, the field will hit a point where it's too costly to produce those fewer barrels. The West White Rose project is the catalyst for any further investment in the White Rose field and the SeaRose FPSO."

The West White Rose project includes investing in projects that would allow the continued employment of the SeaRose floating production storage and offloading unit to serve the entire field.

If the new project doesn't go ahead, it raises questions about whether those projects are worthwhile to preserve the 20,000 barrels per day Husky gets from its share of the existing project, Skolnick said, which could lead to a scenario where it attempts to sell or shuts down the project in 2022.

Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O'Regan offered no firm commitment to investment in a supplied comment.

"We are at the table with the province right now, hammering out the concrete steps needed to support the offshore," he said, adding the government is working "every day" to sustain the competitiveness of the offshore oil sector.

Newfoundland and Labrador is the third-largest oil producer in Canada and its offshore oil industry has been hit hard by crashing global oil prices.

In mid-March, Equinor and Husky announced an indefinite deferral of the Bay du Nord project, slated to be the province's first deep-water operation.

Drilling on the Hibernia platform was suspended in April, as was a refit for the Terra Nova floating production storage and offloading vessel.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has been imploring Ottawa to help the sector, even holding a news conference in late May to appeal for federal aid.

West White Rose is expected to produce up to 75,000 barrels of oil per day, with Husky collecting 52,500 bpd from its 69 per cent share. It is partnered on the project with Suncor Energy Inc. at 26 per cent and Nalcor Energy, the province's Crown energy corporation, with a five per cent stake.

"A full review of scope, schedule and cost of this project is critical, given the minimum one-year delay to first oil caused by COVID-19, and our priority of maintaining the strength of our balance sheet with ample liquidity," said Husky CEO Rob Peabody in a news release announcing the review Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, the delay caused by COVID-19 and continued market uncertainty leaves us no choice but to undertake a full review of the project and, by extension, our future operations in Atlantic Canada."

The West White Rose project is about 60 per cent complete, with about $1.1 billion in work left to be done in Newfoundland and Labrador and an expected $11 billion in future capital and operating expenditures over its life, Husky said.

Peabody said it will result in "billions" in government taxes and other public benefits, adding: "We need to find a solution now."

The White Rose field and satellite extensions are located in the Jeanne dArc Basin approximately 350 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland.

West White Rose is expected to create about 250 full-time platform jobs and thousands of jobs during construction.

Due to the short offshore weather window needed for construction, the suspension in March meant that the project is delayed for at least a year.

By Dan Healing in Calgary with a file from Sarah Smellie in St. John's.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:HSE)
Two persons, including a Burkinabe, were yesterday granted GHC1.6 million bail for allegedly conspiring to steal 100kg of gold valued at $5.8 million.



Per the bail condition, each of them is to produce two sureties whose net salary should not be less than GHC 1,000.



Seth Owusu and Bashiru Pafadnam, the Burkinabe, would appear again on October 7.



This was after their counsel, Mr George Asomani argued that his clients had persons of substance to stand as sureties and that they would avail themselves in court.



Abubakar Sadick, an accomplice, is currently at large.



The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare told the court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Esaandoh, a high court judge sitting with additional responsibility as a circuit court judge that the accused stole the gold belonging to one Raymond Turckson Kobina, a businessman.



He said Sadick who was an employee of Kobina conspired with Owusu and Pafadnam to steal the 100kg of gold, and, subsequently, caused a company called ITALTEC Ghana Limited to ship 5kg valued at $290,000 (GHC 1,595,000) to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.



ASP Asare told the court that in July, this year, Kobina took delivery of 100 kg of gold from different miners and was awaiting prospective buyers.



The court heard that on July 26, Sadick, who knew where Kobina kept the gold stole and left home.



He said later on the same day, Kobina could not find the gold where he kept it.



ASP Asare stated that Kobina became suspicious and lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.



Thereafter, the prosecutor said attempts to reach Sadick via the telephone were unsuccessful as Sadick failed to answer his phone calls.



ASP Asare said Kobina later got information that Pafadnam was spotted at a refinery with quantities of gold suspected to be that of the complainant.



The policeman stated that Pafadnam was arrested and led the police to arrest Owusu.



The prosecutor said it came to light in the course of investigations that the accused gave the 100 kg of gold to ITALTEC out of which 5kg was shipped to Dubai.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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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Josie Bates shared the sad news on Wednesday that she had suffered a miscarriage.

The 21-year-old Bringing Up Bates star posted a somber photo of her and her husband Kelton Balka embracing while opening up about the loss.

The couple previously welcomed their 13-month-old daughter Willow in July 2019.

In the photo, Kelton sweetly kissed Josie's forehead as she gazed out at the shore.

'Sometimes you have to walk through experiences you never thought you would have to,' she began.

'This has been a very difficult time for our little family. Kelton and I were over the moon excited to be expecting a sweet baby in March, 2021!' she gushed.

'We were filled with anticipation as we began to dream of what it would be like as a family of four and for Willow to have a little playmate. We surprised our family and friends with the news at Willows one year old birthday party! Already, my heart felt an unexplainable amount of excitement!

'Sadly, when I went for a recent ultrasound, we were heartbroken to hear our precious baby had gone to be with Jesus. Our hearts have been completely broken,' Josie wrote.

Sad news: Josie Bates, 21, revealed Wednesday on Instagram that she had miscarried her second pregnancy with her husband Kelton Balka

Loss: 'Ive never experienced the type of pain and loss that Ive had these past weeks. There is an empty spot in our hearts and in our home,' she wrote

'Ive never experienced the type of pain and loss that Ive had these past weeks. There is an empty spot in our hearts and in our home.

'Even though we never got to see our baby face to face or hold its tiny hand, we know God has a purpose for its short life,' she continued. 'In spite of our grieving, we have peace in knowing that our little baby is in heaven with Keltons sweet mom.'

A second photo that Josie posted showed her holding a necklace with two gold charms in her hand.

'I added a charm to my necklace, next to Willows, to help us never forget the memories of how this little one made us feel and how much love and joy it brought to our family. We are grateful for the love and prayers from so many during this time,' she concluded.

Loving couple: Josie and Kelton have been married since October 2018, when they had an outdoor ceremony at Cove Lake State Park in the shadow of Tennessee's Smoky Mountains

New parents: In February 2019, the couple broke the news that they were expecting their first child together on Instagram

Josie and Kelton have been married since October 2018, when they had an outdoor ceremony at Cove Lake State Park in the shadow of Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, and the wedding was later broadcast on Bringing Up Bates.

In February 2019, the couple broke the news that they were expecting their first child together on Instagram with a photo of Kelton holding Josie as she held aloft large balloons announcing the due date.

Josie's parents Gil and Kelly Jo, whose children range in age from 30 to seven, had a one-season TLC show called United Bates Of America, before they began filming Bringing Up Bates for Up TV.

The series followed Josie's parents and their 19 children, none of whom were born in multiples.

According to People, Josie will be featured telling Kelton about her second pregnancy on the September 24 episode of Bringing Up Bates.

Up TV offered to excise the footage from the episode, but the couple made the decision to leave it in as a tribute to their unborn child.
Christopher Dustin, a College of the Holy Cross professor who was accused of sexual misconduct, is no longer employed by the Worcester institution, a spokesman for Holy Cross confirmed Thursday.

Dustins employment with the college ended on Sept. 4, according to John Hill, the college spokesman.

Last year, Dustin, formerly a philosophy professor, was placed on administrative leave. He was found in violation of college policy after an investigation.

I want you to know that over many months, the College conducted a thorough and extensive investigation, and [Dustin] was found responsible and sanctioned for violating our policy, Holy Cross President Rev. Philip Boroughs wrote in an email last year as Dustin was put on leave.

Dustin started teaching at Holy Cross in 1991. In recent years, students detailed sexual harassment allegations against him.

As Dustin was on leave last year, students held a sit-in outside Boroughs' office with a list of demands. Among the list was for Holy Cross to acknowledge that for twenty months while Christopher Dustin was under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct, the college failed to alert the student body, faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees of Professor Christopher Dustins misconduct and that the College should not have allowed Professor Dustin to continue to interact with students, as well as to terminate its relationship with Dustin and revoke the Distinguished Teaching Award he received in 2004.

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But the US presidential election could have a greater influence on the WTOs future than its own deliberations.

The World Trade Organizations (WTO) process to select a new leader enters a new stage this week as ambassadors from 164 member countries meet with senior officials for private discussions to say who they support.

But the politicking in Geneva, the first in a three-stage elimination process, could be a wasted effort according to six former WTO officials and trade experts who say the decisive developments that will shape the future of the embattled global organisation are unfolding thousands of miles away, in Washington, DC.

The US presidential election on November 3 is overshadowing the WTOs efforts to fill the gap left by Roberto Azevedo since he stepped down as director-general on August 31, and could very well end up thwarting the WTOs aim of filling the vacant top spot within the prescribed two months.

The US throwing its support behind a particular candidate is usually a critical element of the selection process, but some trade experts believe the administration of US President Donald Trump is unlikely to throw a lifeline to a multilateral body the president has threatened to leave, particularly during an election campaign in which trade is a hot button issue.

Trump has launched a trade war with China, imposed tariffs on US allies and crushed the WTOs ability to intervene in disputes  a key part of its raison detre  by blocking the appointment of members to its Appellate Body.

I find it hard to imagine that the Trump administration would shift tack and do something very positive for the system, said David Tinline, a former adviser to Azevedo.

The White House referred questions to the US Trade Representatives (USTR) office. The USTR declined to comment, and referred the Reuters news agency to remarks made by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to US lawmakers in June, in which he said the WTO needed a reform-driven leader and that he would veto any candidate who showed any whiff of anti-Americanism.

The US-China economic conflict is a further complicating factor. Any candidate backed by the US could be automatically rejected by Beijing and vice versa, former WTO officials and trade experts say.

In a statement, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would participate constructively in the selection process.

We are willing to work closely with all parties to elect a good director-general through full consultation, ensure a smooth handover and push the WTO to play a greater role in global economic governance, the ministry said.

Mind the gap

Azevedos departure has left a void at the WTO amid the worsening US-China relations and as the coronavirus crisis accelerates protectionism and pulverises the global economy.

Roberto Azevedo, outgoing director-general of the WTO [File: Denis Balibouse/Reuters]

There are currently eight candidates who will be winnowed down to five after the first confessional meetings conclude on September 16. The field will then be cut to two, with the winner due to be confirmed by a November 7 deadline.

Many delegates perceive the main frontrunners as being two women from Africa, Nigerias Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Kenyas Amina Mohamed. Either would be the bodys first female leader.

The final decision is designed to be taken by consensus. The alternative, a vote, has never occurred and is described under WTO rules as a last resort. So, it is possible but unlikely that the organisation would anoint a new director-general without a nod from its largest paymaster, the US.

Choosing a leader can be a messy process at the WTO. In 1999, countries were so evenly split that the selection took a year, creating acrimony and distracting from a global trade round which ultimately failed.

Britains former trade secretary Liam Fox, whom Lighthizer has described as one of the favourites to win the leadership race, was upbeat on Washingtons role in the selection process.

I dont think there is the hostility there that is sometimes mooted, he said of the current administration, describing a strong reservoir of support for free trade and the multilateral rules-based system in both US political parties.

If a favourite candidate does not emerge, some WTO members might prefer to wait until after the US election in case Joe Biden, Trumps Democratic challenger, wins.

They could play a waiting game, but that would push the decision until at least February or March, said Peter van den Bossche, a former member of the now crippled WTO body that adjudicated on trade disputes.

Biden has said the US needs to reduce its reliance on China but he is seen as a more WTO-friendly leader, having emphasised a multilateral approach to dealing with trade issues and criticising Trumps tariffs.

No WTO member has publicly acknowledged plans for a calculated delay although two delegates privately said it would be preferable if the US election winner weighs in. WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said there were no indications of an extension to the selection process.

The WTO has already been through two months of lobbying by candidates, with COVID-19 restrictions meaning the customary large hotel receptions laid on by candidates home countries have been replaced by lower-key functions. Nigerias Okonjo-Iweala did much of her canvassing online while quarantining.

Even though the WTO is member-led, a strong leader who can facilitate decision-making is seen as crucial, particularly with global trade under attack on many fronts.

This year, compromise will be needed to conclude negotiations to reduce tens of billions of dollars in fishing subsidies.

Then there is the budget. Last year, it narrowly passed after Azevedo assuaged US concerns that the WTO was overspending. These are expected to resurface this year.

You need a good person, but this is not about a superman or superwoman to save the multilateral system, said van den Bossche.
Devon Conroy joins Smith, Sovik, Kendrick & Sugnet, P.C.

Most recently, he was an active duty officer in the United States Air Force for five years, practicing law as a Judge Advocate.

Conroy prosecuted and defended Airmen in criminal actions and practiced fiscal and operational law in Afghanistan.

After separating from active duty, he joined the New York Air National Guard.

Conroy attended Syracuse University College of Law, where he was a member of the national trial team and a cadet with the universitys Air Force ROTC detachment.

He is an experienced litigator whose practice focuses on all areas of litigation including premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, products liability, labor law and construction site accidents, medical and professional malpractice and workers' compensation defense.

Do you have a People in Motion item? Send your press release to business@syracuse.com.
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The second round of $1,200 direct stimulus checks are more likely to be sent out after it got bipartisan support from Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Republicans, Democrats, and President Donald Trump have all supported to send a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks to over 160 million Americans. It is also possible that the $300 billion unspent budget will be released to send out another stimulus checks.

Even though it is certain that stimulus checks have bipartisan supports, it is not yet clear as to when it will be released. However, if Congress will not release the unspent $300 billion under the CARES Act, President Trump already said that he would use the best method to deliver relief aids.

After Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unveiled the financial aids of the new stimulus bill on Tuesday, many were worried the stimulus checks were not included. It can be remembered that Pres. Trump asked Congress to release the unspent $300 billion.

This is perhaps one reason why stimulus checks were not included in the new coronavirus relief aid because Trump's administration wants to utilize the unspent budget. This is to avoid additional deficit that continues to increase, according to a recent report.

Meanwhile, the new stimulus bill focuses on education, healthcare, and budget for economic issues. In also continues to send $300 weekly unemployment benefits and the Paycheck Protection Protection Program. The PPP loans are intended for businesses across the country.

Meanwhile, Sen. Mitch McConnell described the proposed relief aid as a "targeted bill" because these are the relief aids that are very urgent for the meantime. He also said that Senate would vote within this week while Congress will resume their session next week.

As much as Pres. Trump wants to immediately send $1,200 direct stimulus checks using the unspent budget before government operations shut down, but he cannot bypass Congress. However, he recently said that he would make sure to deliver it

Trump, who has been very aggressive in pushing for the second stimulus checks, might issue an executive order that diverts some unspent budget to send stimulus checks. The same as what he did with the unspent budget of FEMA to continue the unemployment benefits.

Meanwhile, the co-chair of the Economic Security Project Natalie Foster, said that many polls showed that most Americans favor second stimulus checks. Those surveys also proved that millions of Americans are still waiting for financial aid.

However, some critics said that sending checks to Americans does not target aid at those hurting the most, according to a published article in CNBC News. This is because most of the minorities in the country like Latinos and Hispanics, who play essential jobs amid the pandemic, did not receive the stimulus checks due to immigration status.

Meanwhile, it is also not clear if the second round of stimulus checks will still require Social Security Number or not. It was once proposed that it will be offered to everyone who pays their taxes even though they do not have the Social Security Number.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  Valenzuela City has launched its own contract tracing app that provides the local government information on which city cluster may need to be placed under lockdown due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian says the contact tracing app is linked to the city's maps and helps the local government craft policies to curb the spread of the highly contagious coronavrus.

Itong app na ito ay layered sa mga mapa namin para alam namin kung mayroon kaming cluster na kumakalat na pwedeng i-lockdown, Gatchalian said during a Laging Handa briefing on Thursday.

[Translation: This app is layered to our city maps so we may know if we have clusters that need to be placed under a lockdown.]

According to Gatchalian, they are now partnering with the Department of Science and Technologys Fasterapp which is a COVID-19 preventive tool.

Were working with the DOST on predictive tools. Were connecting with Faster app para maka gawa ng (for us to make) predictive models on case doubling time, he added.

Valenzuela City has also implemented a "no home quarantine" protocol early on to curb the infection in the city. They have been bringing persons under investigation and persons under monitoring to the city's isolation facilities.
Yum China Holdings, the owner of the KFC and Pizza Hut restaurant chains in China, got off to a bumpy start in its Hong Kong trading debut when its stock became the first in a long while to open at a loss.

Shares of the Shanghai-based company began trading at HK$410, a slight discount to the HK$412 that they were offered at in their HK$17.27 billion (US$2.23 billion) secondary listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The stock fell by as much as 6.3 per cent to an intraday low of HK$386.20 in recent trading before ending its first trading day at HK$390.20 to record an unusual loss for retail investors who have subscribed to it.

"The first-day performance was slightly below market expectations, but it would not damp investors' enthusiasm in secondary listings," said He Yan, a hedge fund manager with Shanghai Shiva Investment. "Companies with strong consumer awareness on the mainland are among the favourite stocks for Chinese investors."

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

The flop in Yum China's Hong Kong debut draws a stark contrast with a spate of bumper initial public offerings (IPO) in the city, where stocks gained 50 per cent or more in value when they changed hands for the first time. Just this week, Nongfu Spring successfully completed its HK$8.35 billion IPO, setting the record as the most overbought offer in Hong Kong's financial history with 1,147 times more investors submitting bids than available shares. The water bottler's stock debuted at an 85 per cent premium to its offer price.

Yum China's offering comes as restaurants worldwide are still struggling with social distancing regulations to contain the global coronavirus pandemic.

The chain is betting that its franchise of 10,000 restaurants across 1,400 cities and townships in mainland China stand a better chance of succeeding than other markets, as the nation became the first major economy to emerge from the coronavirus lockdown.

Story continues

Pedestrians walk past a KFC restaurant operated by Yum China Holdings in Beijing on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. Photo: Bloomberg alt=Pedestrians walk past a KFC restaurant operated by Yum China Holdings in Beijing on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. Photo: Bloomberg

The Covid-19 pandemic has posed a huge challenge to the restaurant industry and investors were keen on hearing answers to the question of how the management weathered through the challenges and recovery of operating results, said Huang Peihao, head of equity capital markets in Asia for UBS.

"Through a secondary listing in Hong Kong, the company attracted Asian time-zone investors, including those from Hong Kong, mainland China, and Singapore. The secondary listing also facilitates a closer tie with Yum China's customers," said Huang, whose bank UBS is joint global coordinator with Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and CMB International for Yum China's stock offer. "We believe these will support the company's medium and long-term development."

For now, investors appear unconvinced. The Hong Kong shares fell by as much as 3 per cent on the Bright mart grey market overnight, before transactions formally began in the city, signalling that the stock would open at a discount. Yum China's US-traded American depositary receipts rose 1.7 per cent overnight to US$53.20 in New York.

Yum China posted a 51.5 per cent drop in profit for the first six months of this year, earning US$194 million.

The company granted the underwriters of its international offering an overallotment option to purchase up to an additional 6.3 million shares at the offer price. If the overallotment is fully exercised, the company would raise an additional HK$2.56 billion.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Nak-yon speaks at the National Assembly, Sept. 7. Yonhap



By Do Je-hae



The new ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Nak-yon is getting off to a rocky start.



The former prime minister had an easy win over his competitors in the race for the party leadership last month and took up his job with a focus on overcoming the "national crisis" from the COVID-19 pandemic.



Only a few weeks into the job, the four-term lawmaker is saddled with the challenging task of turning around the declining public support for the ruling party following a series of controversies involving prominent DPK members, including Justice Minister and former DPK chairwoman Choo Mi-ae and Rep. Yoon Young-chan, who served as Moon's first senior presidential aide for public communication.



The new DPK chairman's leadership is expected to face a critical test in the coming weeks as he leads the party's response to the cases of Choo and Yoon, which touch on very sensitive issues for the Korean public, including mandatory military service, education and media control.



On Wednesday, Lee issued a "strong warning" to Yoon and the lawmaker apologized on Facebook. The ruling party has been hit by allegations of attempts to control the media following the rising controversy over Rep. Yoon's telegram message this week to summon the relevant official to his office to protest the arrangement of news content on the portal site Daum. The message has resulted in snowballing suspicions from the opposition and the public that Yoon, a former senior press secretary and also a former Naver executive, may have routinely meddled in media issues while he was serving at Cheong Wa Dae.



For the Korean public, already frustrated with the influence-peddling scandal of Choo's predecessor and former senior presidential aide, Cho Kuk, the Choo case has fanned the growing mistrust toward the Moon administration's self-proclaimed sincerity with regard to advancing Korean society by upholding justice and fairness. Yoon's text message intended to summon an official from a private company to protest its news content management is considered to be reminiscent of media manipulation during the previous conservative administrations.



Public opinion is increasingly turning against the ruling party and President Moon, according to latest surveys. A Realmeter survey published Thursday showed 45.7 percent positively assessed Moon's job performance, down 2.4 percent from a week earlier. The DPK's job approval rating dropped by 4.1 percent to 33.7 percent. The main opposition People Power Party gained 32.9 percent up 1.8 percent from a week ago.



Insiders say the party's response to the controversies could hurt Lee's presidential ambitions. The former South Jeolla Province Governor has been a favorite in candidate favorability surveys in the fight for Cheong Wa Dae in 2022, with Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung quickly catching up with his lead. Speculations are rising that Moon's first prime minister may lose the lead if public opinion toward the Moon administration does not improve in the coming months as Lee's popularity is heavily dependent on the President and his administration. Lee is widely expected to quit his post early next year to prepare for the presidential race.



"Lee does seem to have capacity for management," said Kim Chong-in, interim leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), in a media interview. "But this does not guarantee success in the presidential election. Both Lee and the Gyeonggi governor enjoy some level of public support, but neither has presented a clear vision about the situation that the country faces in various sectors."



The problem is that explanations from leading DPK members regarding the controversies are resulting in even more anger from the public and the opposition. The PPP is demanding Choo's resignation and the appointment of a special prosecutor to ensure an impartial investigation into the suspected influence-peddling by Choo to facilitate some of the special favors her son allegedly received during his mandatory military service which coincided with the time when the five-term lawmaker was serving as the DPK chairwoman a few years ago.



The DPK has bit back at the opposition for politicizing a non-issue to disrupt Choo's drive to overhaul the prosecution, a primary objective of Moon's judicial reform. The ruling bloc is trying to appeal to the public that procedures were carried out within regulations regarding the extended vacation for Choo's son during his mandatory military service and that all suspicions were cleared during the National Assembly's nomination hearing prior to her appointment as justice minister in January.



"It is not desirable to elevate social controversy with unverified suspicions," DPK floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon said during a party meeting, Thursday.


MEXICO CITY - Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Thursday he regretted the killing of a woman and the wounding of her husband in a clash with National Guard troops over water in the northern state of Chihuahua.

The National Guard had said Wednesday that both people had died, but a spokesman said Thursday that the man remained hospitalized and Lopez Obrador said he was in serious condition.

The president maintained that political interests have elevated tensions in Chihuahua as Mexico tries to pay off a water debt owed to the United States. Hundreds of farmers had faced off with National Guardsmen Tuesday at the La Boquilla dam. The troops eventually withdrew and the protesters closed the valves that were releasing water from the reservoir.

If we dont comply with that agreement there could be reprisals for Mexico, Lopez Obrador said.

Mexico has fallen behind in the amount of water it must send north from its dams under a 1944 treaty, and time is running out to make up the shortfall by the Oct. 24 deadline.

In late July, demonstrators in Chihuahua burned several government vehicles, blocked railway tracks and set afire a government office and highway tollbooths to protest the release of water from local dams to pay the U.S.

On Tuesday night, hours after the National Guard had withdrawn from the dam, troops detained three people they said had tear gas canisters and a gun magazine. They were transporting them to the town of Las Delicias when they said they came under fire from four vehicles. The troops returned fire and found the dead woman and wounded man in one of the trucks.

Investigators from the National Guards internal affairs unit arrived Wednesday. The Chihuahua state prosecutors office is also investigating.

Lopez Obrador said the guardsman who allegedly fired has been told to co-operate with investigators. The president said those responsible for the killing would be punished, but also said the investigation must find who is responsible for allegedly manipulating the situation for political gain.

On Wednesday, Chihuahua Gov. Javier Corral said the couple had been attacked by the National Guard after having participated in the earlier protest.

Read more about:
VoC Platform Astute Buys Socialbakers

US-based customer engagement software and Voice of the Customer (VoC) platform Astute has acquired social media monitoring and marketing specialist Socialbakers, for an undisclosed sum.



Launched in 2009 in the Czech Republic, Socialbakers now boasts more than 2,500 clients across 100 countries, and tracks ten million social media profiles across all major social media platforms. Last year, the company launched a content insights and analysis platform called Content Hub, through which marketers can use AI to collaborate, plan and create engaging content for their target audiences. More recently, the company added a feature called Paid Analytics to its platform, to provide paid social media insights across multiple ad accounts.



Socialbakers now joins Astute, whose AI-driven services include first-party consumer data analytics, e-mail automation and social media monitoring. In July, Astute acquired Canadian VoC analyst iperceptions, and with this latest buy the firm will enable global brands to manage research, content, engagement, social media listening and VoC in a single software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform.



Mark Zablan, recently appointed CEO of Astute, says combining the social media marketing capabilities of Socialbakers with Astute's engagement suite marks a major milestone along the latter's journey towards becoming an end-to-end customer engagement platform. Yuval Ben-Itzhak, CEO at Socialbakers, adds: 'We are very excited to be joining with Astute to provide brands with an integrated customer experience platform, enabling them to deliver a best-in-class experience across the entire omnichannel customer journey'.



Web sites: www.astutesolutions.com and www.socialbakers.com .




President Donald Trump (L) boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Md., on July 15, 2020. On right, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks in Dunmore, Pa., on July 9, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images; Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Hackers From China, Russia, Iran Targeting US Election: Microsoft

Microsoft said Thursday that hackers working for China, Russia, and Iran have recently ramped up their attacks, targeting the U.S. election as Election Day approaches.

Tom Burt, the firms vice president of customer security and trust, wrote that there has been an increase in hackers going after both presidential candidates.

In recent weeks, Microsoft has detected cyberattacks targeting people and organizations involved in the upcoming Presidential election, Burt said in a blog post, noting that it makes clear that foreign activity groups have stepped up their efforts targeting the 2020 election.

Microsoft said that the Russian group targeted more than 200 organizations, and many are directly or indirectly affiliated with the upcoming U.S. election as well as political and policy-related organizations in Europe.

It didnt say how many hacker groups were affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or Iranian regime.

Chinese hackers targeted Vice President Joe Bidens campaign and a person who was formerly involved with President Donald Trumps administration, the firm said. Iranian hackers, meanwhile, attempted to log into the accounts of Trump administration staff and Trump campaign staff.

What weve seen is consistent with previous attack patterns that not only target candidates and campaign staffers but also those who they consult on key issues, Microsoft said.

Chinese hackers have launched thousands of attacks and successfully compromised about 150 people between March and September of this year, said Microsoft. The hackers have used known bugs on websites and target specific individuals, the firm added.

As President Trumps re-election campaign, we are a large target, so it is not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign or our staff, said Trump campaigns deputy national press secretary Thea McDonald in a statement to news outlets. We work closely with our partners, Microsoft and others, to mitigate these threats. We take cybersecurity very seriously and do not publicly comment on our efforts.

Democratic nominee Joe Bidens campaign said that we have known from the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks and we are prepared for them.

The company, which has extraordinary visibility on digital threats via its widely used Windows operating system and cloud services such as Office 365, has taken an increasingly active role in calling out state-backed cyberespionage. In 2018, the company launched its Defending Democracy initiative, aimed in part at safeguarding campaigns from hackers.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations from Microsoft as nonsense.

Earlier this year, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report saying that China may pose a greater threat than Russia in 2020.

At this time, were primarily concerned with China, Russia, and Iranalthough other nation states and non-state actors could also do harm to our electoral process, William Evanina, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), said in a statement in July.

Evanina placed China on top of the list of threats, noting that the regime is attempting to counter criticism of the CCP and shape policy in the United States.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Two Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were arrested in a joint operation by the security forces in district of on Thursday.

Police sources said that acting on a tip off, security forces jointly carried out an operation in the border district during which two JeM militants were arrested.

"One AK-47 rifle, one AK magazine, two grenades, 30 AK rounds and cash worth Rs 7 lakh were recovered from their possessions.

"Further investigation is on", police sources added.

--IANS

sq/sdr/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 12:06:47|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The number of children testing positive for COVID-19 has surged 34 percent in Florida since schools across the southeastern U.S. state started to reopen for in-person teaching last month, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

As many as 10,513 children under age 18 have tested positive since schools started reopening in early August in the state, a hike of 34 percent, said the report, citing data from the Florida Department of Health. It's not clear how many of those children were in school or doing remote learning.

A number of schools and dozens of classrooms in the sunshine state have been temporarily shuttered because of coronavirus outbreaks, said the report, noting parents in many parts of the state don't know if coronavirus outbreaks are related to their own schools because the state ordered some counties to keep health data secret.

The state also left it up to districts to decide whether masks should be worn by students and staffers. Some require it, but many don't, said the report.

The state's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed aggressively for schools to offer in-person classes. Florida school districts began opening in early August, and by mid-month about half the state's 4,500 public schools had students in their buildings.

In a statement to Business Insider, the Florida Department of Health said on Wednesday it was working to develop a system to release information pertaining to COVID-19 infections in schools and in daycare facilities and would announce such in "the coming days and weeks."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the World Health Organization, recommend a below 5-percent local COVID-19 positivity rate for the safe reopening of schools. Overall child positivity rate in Florida is 14.5 percent.

A total of 652,148 positive cases have been reported in the state since the pandemic began, with 12,269 deaths, as of Wednesday, according to state data. Case numbers have been steadily declining in Florida since July. Enditem
[UPDATE: Netflix issued a statement saying Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children and encouraged critics to watch it.]

Controversial French film Cuties  about a young Senegalese girl in Paris who joins a free-spirited dance clique to escape family dysfunction  has spawned a new backlash against Netflix by critics who allege it goes over the line in portraying children in a sexualized manner.

The hashtag #CancelNetflix was the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter in the U.S. Thursday, after Cuties premiered Sept. 9 on Netflix.

A petition on Change.org calling on Netflix customers to cancel their subscriptions over Cuties and other content on the streaming service that exploits children and creates a disturbing vibe, currently has nearly 600,000 signers.

Criticism erupted in August over a promotional poster for Cuties depicting its young cast members in provocative poses and revealing costumes. Netflix at the time apologized for the image. Were deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties, a Netflix rep said in a statement to Variety. It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which premiered at Sundance. Weve now updated the pictures and description.

Cuties, from French filmmaker Maimouna Doucoure, premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the world cinema dramatic directing award. The film is based on Doucoures short film Maman(s), about an 8-year-old child furious when her polygamous dad invites his new bride into their Parisian apartment, which won the short film international fiction jury award at Sundance in 2016.

Per the Sundance description of Cuties, the film nimbly depicts the tweens youthful energy and vulnerabilities while exploring their fumbling eagerness to be identified as sexualized. Fathia Youssouf captivates as Amy, shifting like a chameleon between the different identities her character is juggling and deftly anchoring the films immensely watchable, vivacious young cast.

Story continues

Mary Margaret Olohan, a reporter for conservative publication the Daily Caller, early Thursday tweeted a video clip of the girls in the film dancing suggestively and twerking, commenting, Netflix is comfortable with this. Plenty of people will defend it. This is where our culture is at. She added, I understand this video is upsetting and depicts little girls in a gruesome light. I tweeted it for those who will say that Cuties is innocent.

Netflix is comfortable with this. Plenty of people will defend it. This is where our culture is at. pic.twitter.com/UlqEmXALmd  Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) September 10, 2020

Conservative advocacy group Parents Television Council said in a statement Thursday that after reviewing the film, it stands by its earlier criticism that the TV-MA-rated film sexualizes children.

According to PTC, the young female actors were trained in highly sexualized dance routines; were given lines with foul, vulgar language including f; and were made to wear revealing clothing. In addition, in one scene, Amy is shown pulling down her underwear to photograph her genitals to post online, after she tries to seduce a man (who is a family member) to get out of trouble for stealing his cell phone.

By removing the offensive poster and replacing it with a more innocuous one, Netflix might actually have made the situation worse by suggesting that Cuties is nothing more than a cute, coming-of-age movie, Melissa Henson, program director for the PTC, said in a statement. Although the film tackles an important topic  one that under different circumstances we might even applaud  its the way the film goes about it thats problematic. This film could have been a powerful rebuke of popular culture that sexualizes children and robs them of their innocence.

The Cuties description on Netflix currently reads, Eleven-year-old Amy starts to rebel against her conservative familys traditions when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance crew. Previously, the description read, Amy, 11, becomes fascinated with a twerking dance crew. Hoping to join them, she starts to explore her femininity, defying her familys traditions.

Netflix acquired worldwide rights (excluding France) to Cuties prior to its Sundance premiere. The film was produced by Bien ou Bien Productions and co-produced with France 3 Cinema.

In Varietys review of the film, Amy Nicholson writes that Doucoures coming-of-age drama starts with Amy doodling stick figures and climaxes with the kid booty-shaking in hot pants. The choice is also false, but Doucoure believes that todays girls see their options in black and white. Cuties job is to coil the contrasting messages and spin them until her lead falls down dizzy, which can make the film feel as subtle as a headache.
Dr Anthony Fauci said during a panel discussion on Thursday that Americans should prepare to 'hunker down' for the fall and winter as the US heads into flu season.

The nation's top infectious disease expert was speaking on a panel of doctors for Harvard Medical School when he warned: 'Don't ever, ever underestimate the potential of the pandemic. And don't try and look at the rosy side of things.

'We need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter, because it's not going to be easy.'

Fauci, who is the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, also expressed concern over a possible Labor Day surge due to large gatherings across the US.

Fauci's comments come as the US surpassed 191,000 deaths on Thursday. The nation has also reported more than 6.3 million cases of the virus.

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Dr Anthony Fauci said during a panel discussion on Thursday that Americans should prepare to 'hunker down' for the fall and winter as the US heads into flu season

Earlier on Thursday, it was revealed that an official at the Department of Health and Human Services has been trying to stop Fauci from speaking publicly about the risks of COVID-19 in children.

Emails obtained by Politico show that HHS official Dr Paul Alexander has been trying to instruct Fauci's staff about what he should say during media interviews.

Alexander, who is a senior adviser to Trump-appointed HHS assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo, asked as recently as Tuesday for Fauci to avoid advocating for children to wear masks.

'Can you ensure Dr Fauci indicates masks are for the teachers in schools. Not for children,' Alexander wrote in an email to Fauci's spokesperson ahead of an interview with MSNBC.

'There is no data, none, zero, across the entire world, that shows children especially young children, spread this virus to other children, or to adults or to their teachers. None. And if it did occur, the risk is essentially zero.'

In an August 27 email, Alexander wrote that he 'vehemently' disagreed with the infectious disease expert.

That email was in response to a summary from the press office at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases about what Fauci planned to tell a Bloomberg reporter.

'I continue to have an issue with kids getting tested and repeatedly and even university students in a widespread manner and I disagree with Dr Fauci on this. Vehemently,' he wrote.

Fauci, who is the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, also expressed concern over a possible Labor Day surge due to large gatherings across the US

Some emails show that Fauci's aides have pushed back against Alexander's requests.

One scientist at the institute wrote to Alexander in late August, saying she disagreed with his suggestion that COVID-19 posed 'zero' risk to children.

'I am an infectious diseases physician on Dr Fauci's staff,' Andrea Lerner, a medical officer in the Office of the Director, wrote in the email.

Fauci, who has been director of the institute since 1984, denied the suggestion that he was being muzzled.

He said he hadn't seen the emails and that no one on his staff advised him on what to say.

'I would never be muzzled about anything when it comes to science and evidence and the facts,' Fauci told Fox News.

Fauci has, at times, been at odds with the Trump administration during the coronavirus pandemic.

He has previously warned that some schools in certain areas should be more cautious about reopening amid the pandemic.

Fauci said schools in regions with low infections, which would be considered 'green zones', would have no problem reopening.

'If you're in a yellow zone, it's more of a risk, so you may want to modify your schedule,' he said.

More than 6.3 million cases of the virus have been reported in the US. There have been at least 191,000 deaths

'If you're in a red zone, there's a high degree of viral activity, I think you need to think twice before you get children to go back to school.'

On Wednesday, it emerged that Fauci had criticized President Donald Trump as 'rudderless' in dealing with the pandemic, according to Bob Woodward's bombshell new book, Rage.

He made the comment to an associate, Woodward says.

Trump's 'attention span is like a minus number,' Woodward quotes Fauci as saying.

'His sole purpose is to get reelected,' according to the book, which reports Fauci told other players that Trump 'is on a separate channel' and wasn't focused in meetings.

The release of the book excerpts came on a day Fauci said he is 'frustrated' by large political gatherings where many people aren't wearing masks  even as he once again sought to temper what might come off as public criticism of Trump.

Fauci called on public officials to 'set an example' following a Trump rally in North Carolina attended by thousands of people.

Fauci, who for months has tried to balance his desire to share public health warnings without drawing headlines that put him at odds with Trump, was asked on 'CBS This Morning' if it was frustrating for him as an expert to see rallies with large contingents of unmasked people.

'The president continues to hold these massive rallies where people are not wearing masks including the president himself,' interviewer Gayle King asked Fauci.

'Well, yes, it is. I've said that often,' Fauci responded. 'That situation is we want to set an example. Because we know that when you do four or five typical kind of public health measures: mask, physical distance, avoiding crowds, making sure you do most things outdoors versus indoors,' he continued.

'Those are the kinds of things that turn around surges and also prevent us from getting surges. So I certainly would like to see universal wearing of masks,' he said.
Rapp, best known for his work on TV series Star Trek: Discovery, first made allegations against Spacey in October 2017, leading to the actors downfall and banishment from Hollywood.

In a lawsuit filed in New York this week, Rapp says Spacey invited him to a party at his Manhattan apartment in 1986. While there, Rapp alleged, he was the victim of an unwanted sexual advance when Spacey grabbed his buttocks.

He managed to escape to the bathroom, according to the lawsuit, and later left the apartment.

The second accuser is anonymous and identified only as CD in the lawsuit. He alleged he was 12 when he first met two-time Oscar-winner Spacey, who was teaching an acting class in 1981.

Their paths crossed again when the accuser was 14, the lawsuit states, and Spacey invited him back to his apartment.

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Spacey then allegedly sexually assaulted the boy, according to the legal papers. The pair engaged in sex acts on multiple occasions, it is alleged, and during their final encounter Spacey ignored the boys verbal and physical resistance.

Both the accusers are suing Spacey, 61, for unspecified damages, claiming the alleged attacks have caused psychological damage.

After Rapp first made his allegations, Spacey said he did not remember the incident but if it did occur I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour.

Spacey, once of the most decorated stars in Hollywood, has been largely shunned from the industry since Rapps allegations sparked a wave of similar accusations in both the US and UK.

Spacey is yet to respond to the lawsuit.

He has faced legal action in Los Angeles and Nantucket, Massachusetts, but is yet to be found liable in any case. Spacey is also being investigated by Scotland Yard.

Peter J Saghir, the lawyer representing both Rapp and the second accuser, said in a statement to the PA news agency: This lawsuit sends a strong message that no matter how wealthy, powerful or famous you may be you are not above the law.

Our clients are looking forward to their day in court and to obtaining justice for a crime that never should have happened.
Traffic on Oregon 213 slowed to a near stop Thursday afternoon as people flooded north out of Clackamas County in cars stuffed with family treasures, trucks towing campers and trailers hauling livestock as wildfires rapidly spread.

Many were evacuating for a second time as the towering blazes left county officials scrambling to find new shelter space for people who had fled to Canby, Oregon City and Sandy earlier in the week. The majority of the county was under a Level 3  go now  evacuation order, including Estacada, which sits just 30 miles outside the Portland metro area.

Firefighters had been struggling to hold back quickly growing fires in the county of 418,000 since Sunday night. But the circumstances turned even more dire Thursday as it became likely that two of the states largest fires would combine.

The Riverside fire started in Clackamas County and had flared to 125,000 acres. The Beachie Creek fire originated in Marion County and raced over 185,000 acres.

The situation is evolving rapidly and in really unprecedented ways, said Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts.

Firefighters had to pull back completely from the Riverside fire for their safety for more than four hours in the afternoon, said fire spokeswoman Holly Krake. By then, the fire was less than two miles away from Estacada.

I never thought I would see this day as a mayor of my city, but its here and my people are frightened, Estacada Mayor Sean Drinkwine said.

The day brought a cascading rush of orders: Molallas 8,000 residents were told to leave immediately. Oregon City, Canby and Sandy, meanwhile, faced Level 2 evacuation warnings to be ready to head out at a moments notice.

County officials rushed to relocate evacuees staying in shelters in Oregon City and livestock at the fairgrounds in Canby.

Nancy Bush, the countys disaster management director, said officials were working with Multnomah County to relocate at least 100 people staying in a campus building at Clackamas Community College.

They also were working to find a new site outside the county to house hundreds of farm animals that had been at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds in Canby, but Bush said moving the livestock wouldnt be an easy process.

Bill Kimball and his family had loaded more than 20 goats, llamas, pigs and other animals into a trailer Wednesday morning as ash poured down on their home in Molalla. They managed to secure spots for the animals inside the fairgrounds before it reached capacity later in the day. They parked their trailer across the street, prepared to camp out for days if needed.

But Thursday, it became clear that they would need to relocate with their animals again.

We came here thinking it was safe and now, where do we go? Kimball said. I dont know where to go. We have all these animals.

George Wyland, 71, sat outside the fairgrounds Thursday afternoon wondering the same thing for himself. He planned to spend another night in his car with his dog, Barney.

Two days earlier, he was forced to evacuate his familys farm in Molalla, where he has lived his entire life. Wyland had driven back Wednesday to check on his home and cattle and found his barn had already burned down.

I dont know whats going to happen at this point, Wyland said. All Im worried about is having a home to live in right now.

Further north, evacuations were clogging narrow country roads near Carver, on the outskirts of the Portland metro area, as an onslaught of cars and trucks waited in long lines to cross the Clackamas River.

Just want to get the heck out of Dodge, Carla McNatt of the Beavercreek area said, towing a trailer behind her car en route to stay with her mother in Gresham.

County officials said they had made 19,000 contacts regarding evacuations as of Thursday afternoon. They said some of those contacts could be duplicates, which prevented them from knowing how many people had evacuated.

Roberts said that the Sheriffs Office was putting extra patrols on the ground in evacuated areas to prevent looting. By late Thursday, the county had also enacted a curfew for public safety from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for everyone except those trying to save people or property, people trying to relocate and others who must work night-shift jobs.

Along with the Riverside and Beachie Creek fires, firefighters also were battling several other large fires. Fire officials couldnt say Thursday how many houses or buildings had been destroyed or threatened by the flames due to the rapidly changing conditions. As of Wednesday night, over 200 buildings had been damaged or destroyed and more than 940 were threatened.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries as of Thursday, but no one else had reported injuries, fire officials said.

Drinkwine planned to return to Estacada later Thursday night to survey the damage. He wasnt sure what he would find.

Im hoping when I go back, Ill be able to look on my city and see my city still standing, Drinkwine said. The idea that tomorrow my city could be gone is something I dont want to face yet.

Brad Schmidt of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg
Head of Psychology at University of Ghana, Prof. Joseph Osafo has advised Ghanaians not to downplay mental health problems in the country.



He asked the population to be concerned about one another and be each other's keeper.



He warned against judging people who become suicidal as a result of their ordeals.



He urged the citizenry to watch out for people who express intention to die or make depressive comments and show them love and support.



Making his submissions on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Prof. Osafo disclosed how to handle a depressed person or people with psychological problems.



"Be interested in finding out about changes in people's lives. There are people who cry a lot at the slightest minute and make depressive comments. Research shows the chance that a depressed person could commit suicide is high," he said.



To him, "when you see these signs, don't trivialize them. Don't condemn. Don't judge; if you can help, help! . . . Be practically minded . . . Every suicidal person is looking for friendshp''.





Thursday, September 10, 2020 marks World Suicide Prevention Day to raise awarness about suicide and is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) with the World Health Organization (W.H.O) as co-sponsor.According to the W.H.O, ''close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds and there are indications that for each adult who died by suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide''.The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.The theme for this year's World Suicide Prevention Day is ''Working Together To Prevent Suicide''.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Pakistan on Thursday said that it has conveyed the judicial orders to India for appointing a lawyer to represent death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav in the court but New Delhi had not responded yet. Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said at the weekly briefing that Pakistan was committed to the implementation of International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s judgment in the case and would take all measures necessary to implement the judgment.

Yes, we have conveyed the decision of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to India through diplomatic channels. We have not yet received a response from the Indian side, he said. Jadhav, the 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017.

On September 3, the IHC asked the authorities to once again approach India and Jadhav to appoint a lawyer. Chaudhri said that there was absolutely no pressure on Pakistan from India on accepting its demand to appoint a foreign lawyer in the case.

We continue reminding India that for an effective review and reconsideration of commander Jadhav's conviction and sentence, they will have to cooperate with the Pakistanis courts. As per the ICJ's judgment, review and reconsideration in the case can be provided by the Pakistani courts, he said.

He said that India's position in the matter was unfortunately still evasive. We believe that the consular access was unimpeded and uninterrupted; presence of security personnel does not and should not imply that the access was impeded or interrupted, he said.

Our offer of a third consular access is still on the table, he said, adding that as for India's insistence on getting a foreign lawyer appointed in the case, only those lawyers can appear in Pakistani courts who have a license to practice law in Pakistan. He said that cooperation was made available wherever in the investigation of Jadhav was required from Iran.

On July 16, Pakistan provided consular access to Jadhav, but the Indian government said the access was "neither meaningful nor credible" and he appeared visibly under stress. The Ministry of External Affairs said Pakistan is not only in violation of the judgment of ICJ, but also of its own ordinance.

Pakistan has introduced a special law to allow Jadhav to get his sentence reviewed as asked by the ICJ. India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay. Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.
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The ever-increasing bath soap market is estimated to witness a spurting rise due to the recent COVID 19 Pandemic. The reason is quite obvious; the virus spread is increasing the consumption of this essential commodity to an extent. Resultantly, the global bath soap market is expected to deliver high premiums for manufacturers. Also, factors such as the increased adoption of personal care products due to the well-spread awareness for personal hygiene would continue to support the market growth as ever.

According to Market Research Future (MRFR), the global bath soaps market is projected to reach USD 24.8 BN by 2024, registering 5.1% CAGR over the assessment period (2019-2024). The flourishing eCommerce sector is expected to play a causal role in the development of the market. Besides, factors such as rising per capita income of consumers and the availability of a large variety of bath soaps would fuel the growth of the market, offering a wide range of options to consumers worldwide.

Similarly, the growth of the personal care industry and the rising consumer demand are estimated to influence the growth of the market. Over the past few years, the living standard of people across the world is improving continually, which would continue to foster the growth of the global bath soap market. On the other hand, the availability of counterfeit products is expected to hinder the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Global Bath Soaps Market  Segments

The report is segmented into five dynamics,

By Category : Organic and Conventional.

By Form : Solid, Liquid, Powder, and Gel.

By Type : Medicated and Non-Medicated.

By Distribution Channel : Store-Based (Supermarkets, Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, and others) and Non-Store-Based.

By Regions : Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest-of-the-World.

Get a FREE Sample Copy of Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/8118

Global Bath Soaps Market  Regional Analysis

The Asia Pacific region dominates the global bath soaps market, accounting for around 37% of the market share. The market growth attributes to the rapidly expanding population and rising economy in the region. Besides, a rise in online retailing in the APAC is further escalating the growth of the bath soaps market.

Rising per capita income of consumers is a key driving force behind the growth of the regional market. China and Japan are leading bath soaps market in the region. The APAC bath soaps market is estimated to represent the largest market throughout the assessment period.

North America is another prominent market for bath soaps, witnessing the presence of many notable players such as A Wild Bar Soap LLC, Procter and Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive Company, and Botanie Natural Soap Inc. The availability of quality soap brands and high expenditures on wellness are some of the key growth drivers of the regional market.

Also, the rise in the number of organized retail stores and specialty stores is further boosting the sales of bath soaps in the region. The US occupies a major share of the regional bath soaps market. The North American bath soaps market is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The bath soaps market in Europe is projected to grow rapidly. The market is predominantly driven by the presence of major players such as L'Oreal S.A. (France), L'Occitane International SA (Switzerland), and many others. Besides, the rapidly growing personal care industry and increasing number of wellness centers in the region are fostering a large share of the market. Additionally, a large consumer base propels the growth of the Europe Bath Soaps market.

Global Bath Soaps Market  Competitive Landscape

Highly competitive, the bath soaps market represents a bimodal nature due to the presence of many well-established players. Players invest substantially in marketing initiatives engaging celebrities to endorse their products to increase their sales. Also, large social media campaigns are initiated towards the purpose.

Players focus on social awareness to ensure the success of their marketing efforts. Moreover, the selection of a marketing channel and targeted advertisements play a vital role in the success of the products. These efforts are expected to yield higher returns as compared to untargeted mass advertisements. Manufacturers of bath soaps use specialized distribution channels and high-end stores so as to maintain the sanguinity of the product quality.

Browse Full Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/bath-soaps-market-8118

Major Players:

Players leading the global bath soaps market include Unilever (UK), Procter and Gamble (US), Colgate-Palmolive Company (US), Khadi Natural (India), Forest Essentials (India), Henkel AG & Co KGaA (Germany), L'Oreal S.A. (France), L'Occitane International SA (Switzerland), Neal's Yard (Natural Remedies) Limited (UK), Truly's Natural Products (US), Laverana GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Co. (US), Botanie Natural Soap Inc. (US), The Honest Company Inc. (US), and A Wild Bar Soap LLC (US), among others.

Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:

March 2020 ---- L Brands (the US), a fashion retailer with flagship brands such as Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, agreed to sell fragrance and hand soap business to a leading private equity firm in the US - Sycamore Partners. Sycamore Partners has agreed to purchase Victoria's Secret brand USD 525 MN. Ideally, L Brands is shedding a 55% stake in Victoria's and will retain a minority interest in the company.

Note: Our team of researchers are studying Covid-19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required will be considering covid19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

To stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.

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SOMERVILLE, N.J., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies introduces My Health Can't Wait, an educational effort and resource hub, aimed to inspire people to prioritize their health and get the information they need to pursue care with confidence. More than two-thirds of Americans surveyed (68%) say they or someone in their household delayed or canceled healthcare services due to the COVID-19 pandemic and experts believe this could negatively impact patients' health in the long-term.1,2 My Health Can't Wait is a U.S. campaign that provides patients with key resources and information to communicate with their healthcare providers about prioritizing needed care.

"As the largest healthcare company in the world, we are committed to helping people live their healthiest lives, which means getting the care they need, when they need it," said Ashley McEvoy, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chairman, Medical Devices, Johnson & Johnson. "Through My Health Can't Wait, we hope to provide patients and healthcare providers with resources to help stay connected and prioritize their healthcare, both during this pandemic and in the future."

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many Americans to delay healthcare treatment, from standard routine exams to important elective surgeries to ER visits  with physicians sharing concern about the long-term impact of patients delaying care. In fact, a recent survey conducted from July 9-13, 2020 within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies among 2,016 adults ages 18+ found a majority of Americans surveyed consider their overall health (88%), preventative healthcare (73%), and sick care (63%) to be a major or moderate priority during COVID-19, but only 31% say the same of undergoing an elective survey or medical procedure.1 Other key findings include:

81% of Americans surveyed who discussed telehealth options with a healthcare professional during COVID-19 say they would be comfortable using telehealth to manage their care 1

Those who have discussed telehealth services with a healthcare professional during COVID-19 report an increased likelihood of scheduling a necessary surgery or medical procedure if they had the option of staying connected with their healthcare professional via telehealth before or after the procedure (47% vs. 31%) 1

69% surveyed report that there are things that would make them more confident pursuing elective surgery or a medical procedure during COVID-19, such as details on hospital sanitation policies (26%), details of hospital testing policies (22%), or a personal call from their doctor (17%)1

These sentiments, coupled with many states in the U.S. pausing elective surgeries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, have created concern over patients' long-term health.

"Supporting patients and medical professionals during this challenging time is our top priority, as delays in needed care could negatively impact health in the long-term," said Jijo James, Chief Medical Officer, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies. "Because patients and medical professionals put their trust in us, we are committed to doing our best to help patients feel more confident as they re-enter the healthcare system to resume care."

With this in mind, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies compiled information from reputable sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to create an online hub at www.MyHealthCantWait.com to help patients feel more comfortable pursuing their healthcare needs. It provides important resources for patients and caregivers, including:

A Patient/Caregiver Checklist and Discussion Guide to help people have conversations with their healthcare professionals

to help people have conversations with their healthcare professionals Safety FAQs detailing safety measures taken by hospitals and surgery centers to help protect patients from COVID-19

detailing safety measures taken by hospitals and surgery centers to help protect patients from COVID-19 Telehealth 101 Resources to help patients understand the use of telehealth for routine and pre-/post-op care, as nearly three-quarters of the survey participants (73%) say they would be comfortable using telehealth services as a way of managing their healthcare 1

to help patients understand the use of telehealth for routine and pre-/post-op care, as nearly three-quarters of the survey participants (73%) say they would be comfortable using telehealth services as a way of managing their healthcare Patient Stories, and more

Resource materials will also be available to healthcare professionals to strengthen communication between surgeons and patients/caregivers, as well as enable hospitals to promote the safety of their services and help instill confidence.

Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies is working with the Association for Healthcare Social Media (AHSM) to scale My Health Can't Wait to healthcare professionals throughout the U.S. and support them to help patients feel more confident taking a proactive approach to their healthcare. AHSM plays a key role in developing best practices for social media use in health and advocates for the recognition of social media as an important public health tool in the fight to combat misinformation.

"It's crucial for doctors to play their part in reassuring patients that steps are being taken to protect them as they prioritize their health," said Austin Chiang, MD, MPH, President of the Association for Healthcare Social Media. "My Health Can't Wait is an important effort to educate patients and encourage them to seek treatment they may need. We look forward to working with Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies to launch this effort."

About My Health Can't Wait

My Health Can't Wait is a patient education effort and comprehensive resource hub, developed by Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, aimed to inspire people to prioritize their health and reach out to their healthcare professionals about deferred care. My Health Can't Wait will provide patients with key resources and information to communicate effectively with their healthcare professionals about how and when to prioritize needed care. The campaign is currently focused on U.S. audiences. For patient resources and to learn more, visit www.myhealthcantwait.com.

About Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies

At Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, we are helping people live their best lives. Building on more than a century of expertise, we tackle pressing healthcare challenges, and take bold steps that lead to new standards of care while improving people's healthcare experiences. In surgery, orthopaedics, vision and interventional solutions, we are helping to save lives and paving the way to a healthier future for everyone, everywhere.

About the Survey

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of DePuy Synthes, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, from July 9-13, 2020 among 2,016 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the 'My Health Can't Wait' campaign launch. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: uncertainty of commercial success; challenges to patents; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Neither the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

*Jijo James is an employee of Medical Devices & Diagnostics Global Services, LLC.

1 Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies Elective Surgery Survey. Accessed August 4, 2020. About the Survey: This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of DePuy Synthes, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, from July 9-13, 2020 among 2,016 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

2 The Physicians Foundation. "The Physicians Foundation 2020 Physician Survey." Accessed August 20, 2020. Available at: https://physiciansfoundation.org/research-insights/2020physiciansurvey/

151168-200826 DSUS

 Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Media Contacts:

Rachel Hooper

(916) 708-1868

[email protected]



Jessica Castles Smith

(732) 501-8181

[email protected]



SOURCE Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies

Related Links

http://www.myhealthcantwait.com


TORONTO  The charity at the center of an ethics scandal that has ensnared Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his former finance minister said on Wednesday that its co-founders would be stepping away and that the charity would be shutting down its Canadian operations.
Press Release

10 September 2020

Minneapolis MN - Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce it has signed a Master Franchise Agreement with Atlantica Hotels in Brazil. The two companies have held a longstanding relationship for nearly 20 years. Atlantica Hotels was previously a licensee for Radisson Hotel Group's brands in Brazil, including Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, Radisson and Park Inn by Radisson. The Master Franchise Agreement will cover all seven of Radisson Hotel Group's brands. The signing of this agreement will extend this relationship for another 20 years while growing Radisson Hotel Group's presence throughout the country.

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"After 20 years supporting the growth of our brands in Brazil, I am thrilled we have the opportunity to extend our relationship with Eduardo and his fantastic team at Atlantica Hotels," said Jim Alderman, chief executive officer, Americas, Radisson Hotel Group. "Atlantica Hotels has brought our brands to life in vibrant cities throughout Brazil, playing a key role in our strategic growth plan for Latin America. We are excited for what's to come as we continue our expansion and prepare to open three beautiful new hotels in gorgeous locations."

Atlantica Hotels currently has 15 hotels in operation with Radisson Hotel Group in key destinations. Radisson Faria Lima in Sao Paulo, which is now Radisson Blu Sao Paulo, was the first Radisson to open in Brazil in 2001. The hotel boasts stunning views, a modern design and relaxing amenities. As Atlantica Hotels continued growing its extensive portfolio, they opened the first Radisson RED in Latin America. Radisson RED Campinas offers a one-of-a-kind experience for the modern traveler. Additionally, three new build hotels are currently under construction. This includes Radisson Hotel Flecheiras, which is being built near the beautiful beaches along Brazil's northeastern coast with an anticipated opening in 2022. Radisson Hotel Sao Paulo, Pinheiros is also set to open in 2022. Atlantica Hotels also has plans to open the first Radisson RED in Porto Alegre, the biggest city in Brazil's South region, in 2023.

"Providing the best hospitality experience at incredible hotels is the heart of what we do, which is why having this relationship with an exceptional hotel company like Radisson Hotel Group has made us so successful," said Eduardo Giestas, president and chief executive officer, Atlantica Hotels. "We have a bright future ahead with aggressive development plans to build and open hotels in more cities throughout Brazil, giving our guests new experiences while creating memorable moments."
People walk around the terminal at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on March 9, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/File Photo via Reuters)

US Confirms It Will End Enhanced Screening for Some International Passengers

WASHINGTONThe U.S. government confirmed on Thursday it will end enhanced screening of some international passengers for COVID-19 and drop requirements that travelers coming from the targeted countries arrive at 15 designated U.S. airports, starting Monday.

Reuters reported the planned shift Wednesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement it was removing the requirements because symptom-based screening has limited effectiveness because people with COVID-19 may have no symptoms or only mild symptoms.

The administration imposed enhanced screening requirements in February on travelers who had been in China, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, Iran and the Schengen region of Europe, and barred most non-U.S. citizens who had recently been in those locations from coming to the United States.

All of those travelers were required to arrive at 15 U.S. airports including Boston, Chicago OHare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Atlanta, New York JFK, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington-Dulles, Newark, Seattle and San Francisco.

A nearly empty terminal at Miami International Airport on June 4, 2020. (Skye Sherman)

Airlines for America, a group representing American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, said members no longer believe that it makes sense to continue screening at these 15 airports given the extremely low number of passengers identified by the CDC as potentially having a health issue.

A document seen by Reuters said that of 675,000 passengers screened at the 15 airports in the CDC effort, fewer than 15 had been identified as having COVID-19.

Those travelers numbered around 6,750 a day as of late August and anyone showing signs of illness or possible exposure was referred for public health assessments.

Last month, Reuters reported that the Trump administrations efforts to require airlines to collect contact tracing information from U.S.-bound international passengers had stalled, citing five people briefed on the matter and that such a directive is unlikely this year.

By David Shepardson
Iraqi official says Iraq, U.S. agree to cut troops in September

BAGHDAD, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said on Wednesday that the U.S. decision to cut its troops in Iraq came within an agreed timetable between the Iraqi government and the United States.

"The latest step to cut the number of U.S. troops came as a result of coordination and joint work between us and the U.S.-led international coalition forces," Tahseen al-Khafaji, the JOC spokesman, told the official Iraqi News Agency.

Al-Khafaji's comment came after Kenneth McKenzie, the head of the U.S. military's Central Command, said that the Pentagon will draw down the level of U.S. troops in Iraq to 3,000 this month.

"In consultation and coordination with the government of Iraq and our coalition partners, the United States has decided to reduce our troop presence in Iraq from about 5,200 to 3,000 troops during the month of September," McKenzie said in Iraq.

On Aug. 20, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who was on an official visit to the United States, that the U.S.-led coalition forces will rapidly withdraw from Iraq within three years.

The withdrawal came as unidentified militant groups have frequently targeted Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq, as well as the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone, by mortar and rocket attacks.

The troops' cut decision came as the Iraqi-U.S. relations have witnessed a tension since Jan. 3 when a U.S. drone struck a convoy at Baghdad airport, which killed Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

More than 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the Islamic State militants, mainly providing training and advising to the Iraqi forces.
Dallas, Texas, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) Market Size 2019, By Component (Hardware, Software & Services), By Delivery Mode (On-premise & Cloud), By Application (Drug-drug Interactions, Drug Allergy Alerts, Clinical Reminders, Clinical Guidelines, Drug Dosing Support & Others), By Product (Standalone CDSS, Integrated CDSS) By Region and Forecast 2020 to 2026 study provides an elaborative view of historic, present and forecasted market estimates.

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The global clinical decision support system market is anticipated to reach a value of USD 2,581.3 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 11.3% during the forecast period from 2020 to 2026. The growth of this market is driven by critical factors such as growing support from private institutions, keen adoption by government, growing penetration of tools such as mHealth and big data and better ROI statistics.

Based on the components, the global clinical decision support system market has been classified into hardware, software and services. In base year 2019, services segment held a prominent share in the global market. The dominance of this segment is attributed to the incumbent nature of services in this market, which comprise activities such as installation, upgrade, maintenance etc. Furthermore, in terms of product types, the demand for integrated CDSS is the highest and the trend shall persist through the forecast period. Factors such as growing preference of hospitals and large scale healthcare institutions for integrated solutions including interconnected platforms and applications using a common database and interface is mainly attributed to this segment.

Browse the full report with Table of Conntents and List of Figures at https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/industry-reports/clinical-decision-support-systems-market

Adroit Market Research report on global clinical decision support system market gives a holistic view of the market from 2016 to 2026, which includes factors such as market drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges. The market has been studied for historic years from 2016 to 2018, with the base year of estimation as 2019 and forecast from 2020 to 2026. The report covers the current status and future traits of the market at global as well as country level. In addition, the study also assesses the market based on Porter's five forces analysis and positions the key players based on their product portfolio, geographic footprint, strategic initiatives and overall revenue. Prominent players operating in the global clinical decision support system market have been studied in detail.

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Based on regional demarcation, North America is the global leader in the clinical decision support systems market. The significant share of the region is contributed by growing demand for sophisticated healthcare, increased preference of healthcare organizations for patient service and satisfaction and the pre-existing robust healthcare infrastructure. Another factor attributed to the dominance of North America is the growing need to contain healthcare expenditure in the region, along with the growing incidence of medical errors in healthcare administration.

The global clinical decision support systems market is consolidated with a limited number of players offering holistic products in the market. Some of the major players include McKesson Corporation, IBM, Philips Healthcare, Cerner Corporation, Siemens Healthineers, Wolters Kluwer NU, Hearst Health, Elsevier B.V., Medical Information Technology, Inc., NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Epic Systems Corporation and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions.

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Major Points from Table of Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Research Methodology

3. Market Outlook

4. Clinical Decision Support System Market by Component, 2016-2026 (USD Million)

5. Clinical Decision Support System Market by Product, 2016-2026 (USD Million)

6. Clinical Decision Support System Market by Application, 2016-2026 (USD Million)

7. Clinical Decision Support System Market by Delivery Mode, 2016-2026 (USD Million)

8. Clinical Decision Support System Market by Region 2016-2026 (USD Million)

9. Competitive Landscape

10. Company Profiles

11. Appendix

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About Us:

Adroit Market Research is a global business analytics and consulting company incorporated in 2018. Our target audience is a wide range of corporations, manufacturing companies, product/technology development institutions and industry associations that require understanding of a markets size, key trends, participants and future outlook of an industry. We intend to become our clients knowledge partner and provide them with valuable market insights to help create opportunities that increase their revenues. We follow a code Explore, Learn and Transform. At our core, we are curious people who love to identify and understand industry patterns, create an insightful study around our findings and churn out money-making roadmaps.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) is among the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections in the United States. An estimated 20,000 people in the U.S. become infected with it each year, and nearly 10% of people who get it die from it.

These superbugs typically develop from infections in the intestinal tract, where the bacteria become resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin. People who stay in a hospital have the highest odds of getting VRE.

A pair of Purdue University researchers from the College of Pharmacy and the College of Veterinary Medicine developed small molecules to combat deadly, drug-resistant enterococcus.

They created their molecules by repurposing a drug that has been used for more than 80 years to treat glaucoma, congestive heart failure and some other health issues. Their work is published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

"The potency of these molecules and the ability to tune the molecules' properties to target VRE in different compartments of the body make this an exciting project," said Daniel Flaherty, an assistant professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology. "I believe our discovery may help to change the way people treat VRE in the future.

"We can have molecules that can be used to treat deadly systemic VRE infections, or through manipulation of the properties of the molecule, design a compound that will reside solely in the gastrointestinal tract to reduce VRE colonization. By working across disciplines at Purdue, we have been able to improve the effectiveness of this drug 600 times better than where we started in treating VRE."

Mohamed Seleem, a professor of microbiology, who co-created the molecules with Flaherty, said the problem with antibiotics on the market is that they are used for a wide variety of illnesses.

"These antibiotics can really rip apart the guts and destroy good bacteria," Seleem said. "Then someone can develop Clostridium difficile, also known as C. diff, which kills about 30,000 people each year in the United States. Scientists across the globe are working on better solutions, but I think we are far away from seeing narrow-spectrum antibiotics proliferate the market."

The Purdue team's small molecules have been shown to target VRE and have the properties necessary to treat VRE in both systemic circulation or in the GI tract, where all VRE infections originate.

###

The scientists have worked with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization on patenting the technology.

The innovators and OTC are looking for partners to continue developing their technology. For more information on licensing and other opportunities, contact Abhijit Karve of OTC at aakarve@prf.org.

About Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization

The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. The office recently moved into the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District, adjacent to the Purdue campus. In fiscal year 2020, the office reported 148 deals finalized with 225 technologies signed, 408 disclosures received and 180 issued U.S. patents. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. In 2020, IPWatchdog Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation and in the top 20 for patents. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org for more information.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today's toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University 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 purdue.edu.

Writer: Chris Adam, 765-588-3341, cladam@prf.org

Sources: Daniel Flaherty, dflaher@purdue.edu

Mohamed Seleem, mseleem@purdue.edu
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 05:40:56|Editor: huaxia

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PARIS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- France registered 8,577 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the second biggest daily increase since the epidemic outbreak in the country, the Health Ministry said.

On Sept. 4, France recorded 8,975 new positive cases, the highest daily tally since early March.

Health authorities' data showed that the cumulative number of people who have caught the respiratory illness is now at 344,101. Coronavirus-linked fatalities total 30,794, up by 30 from Tuesday.

After steadily falling since mid-April, admissions to hospital for the disease surged to above 5,000, a one-day rise of 386. The number of those who need to be put on a ventilator went up by 71 to 599, confirming a renewed spread of coronavirus.

In a recent interview, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said hospitalization and the number of serious cases were "the reflection of the epidemic situation of two weeks ago," expecting both indicators to worsen further in the next 15 days.

Following a sharp uptick in new cases and hospital-related data, the ministry called on people to follow the anti-virus rules.

"It is imperative to avoid large gatherings. It's necessary to favor small groups, to be equipped with a mask in public places as well with hydro-alcoholic gels...Respect for all barrier gestures, in all circumstances, is fundamental in the fight against the spread of the virus," it said.

Early on Wednesday, the country's scientific council warned that infection rates were "worrying," and that the virus was circulating faster than experts' estimates.

It noted that "the non-compliance with self-isolation measure by a potentially large part ... of people with the virus or contacts weakens the ability to control the chains of transmission."

"France is now at a worrying level which is not far behind Spain, with a lag of maybe two weeks, and much more severe than that of Italy," said Jean-Francois Delfraissy, president of the scientific council.

In this context, the government "will be forced to take a number of tough decisions within eight to 10 days," he added. "Any decision that will be taken will only have a potential benefit in 15 days." Enditem
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Biological sex has a small but ubiquitous influence on gene expression in almost every type of human tissue, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine, the University of Chicago and the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona. Gene expression is the amount of product created by a gene for cell function.

These sex differences are observed for genes involved in many functions, including how people respond to medication, how women control blood sugar levels in pregnancy, how the immune system functions, and how cancer develops.

The study will be published September 10 in Science.

Sex also has a weaker but important effect on how genetic variation between individuals impacts their gene expression levels. The scientists discovered 369 instances where a given genetic variant present in males and females impacted gene expression to a different degree in each sex. This enabled the scientists to discover 58 previously unreported links between genes and complex traits such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, breast cancer and body fat percentage.

"These discoveries suggest the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in human genetics and genomics studies," said project leader Barbara Stranger, an associate professor of pharmacology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

By taking an approach that specifically looks for differences between males and females, the scientists discovered previously unknown links between specific genes and specific human traits that were missed by approaches that considered males and females as a single group. Furthermore, the study reported a portion of previously reported gene-trait links were true only for a single sex.

"The significance of this is if specific genes or genetic variants contribute differentially to a given trait in males and females, it could suggest sex-specific biomarkers, therapeutics and drug dosing," Stranger said. "In the future, such knowledge may form a critical component of personalized medicine or may reveal disease biology that remains obscured when considering males and females as a single group."

Sex differences exist for many human traits and disease characteristics (e.g., age of onset, severity, response to treatment) and have been previously attributed to hormones, sex chromosomes and differences in behavior and environmental exposures. But the molecular mechanisms and underlying biology remain largely unknown.

In this study, scientists investigated sex differences in the human transcriptome, which is the sum of all RNA transcripts in a cell, from 44 types of healthy human tissue from 838 individuals. For each gene, the scientists tested whether the average amount of gene expression in females differed from the amount in males.

They discovered more than a third of all human genes (37%) were expressed at different levels in males and females in at least one type of tissue. Although these effects were abundant, the amount that gene expression differed was mostly small.

The genes with differential expression between males and females represented diverse molecular and biological functions, including genes relevant to disease and clinical traits, many of which had not been previously associated with sex differences.

All of these gene-trait associations suggest a causal link between specific genetic variants and a trait.

"Finding these links helps us to understand the biology underlying the trait," Stranger said. "If we understand the biology of a trait, we can try to use that information for diagnostics, drug development and predicting outcome."

In women, the genetic regulation of CCDC88 expression is strongly associated with the progression of breast cancer. The finding could motivate researchers to assess whether gene expression of CCDC88 is a useful biomarker for cancer progression in women, Stranger noted.

HKCD1 was associated with birth weight in women. Researchers hypothesize that HKDC1 may impact birth weight through altering glucose metabolism in the liver of a pregnant woman.

In men, DPYSL4 was associated with body fat percentage and CLDN7 with birth weight.

The genetic regulation of C9orf66 in males was associated with balding patterns in males. Prior to this study, little was known about the gene. With this discovery, investigators can design experiments to better characterize the role of this gene in balding patterns in males.

The study has some limitations. The researchers note despite extensive sex differences at the transcriptome level, the majority of human biology at all levels is shared between males and females. The findings are based on a snapshot of mostly older individuals. The analysis also does not account for sex differences that occur during different developmental stages or in specific environments.

Explore further Selfish genes take sides in the battle of the sexes

More information: M. Oliva el al., "The impact of sex on gene expression across human tissues," Science (2020). Journal information: Science M. Oliva el al., "The impact of sex on gene expression across human tissues,"(2020). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi  1126/science.aba3066
Lawmaker hit for disregarding press freedom



A ruling party lawmaker has triggered controversy over his mobile messenger conversation that could undermine the freedom of the press. Rep. Yoon Young-chan of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is now under fire from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) as well as the public.



The episode occurred Tuesday after a media camera captured a screenshot of Yoon exchanging messages with his aide through Telegram. At that time he was attending a National Assembly plenary session while PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young was giving a speech. In the messages, Yoon was angry about internet portal Daum for placing news about Joo's speech on its main news page.



Rep. Yoon must have been displeased with Joo's address because it was critical of the Moon administration and its policies. But he should have refrained from taking it out on Daum. Regrettably, Yoon instructed his aide to "complain sternly to Kakao" about the matter, referring to Kakao Corp. which runs Daum. Then he said, "Kakao is going too far. Call them in."



In the face of a strong backlash from PPP members, Yoon explained his messages were only intended to question Daum's fairness because the portal did not post news about DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon's speech on its main page Monday. However, he only verified that he had made the unreasonable complaint. In fact, Daum had placed news about Lee's speech on its main page as it did with Joo's.



There is little room for anyone to call into question whether Daum's news compiling policy is fair or not. As Kakao immediately made it clear, no one can influence the portal's news layout because artificial intelligence has been totally in charge of news compilation since 2015. Yoon might have known that because he worked as vice president of Naver, the country's largest internet portal, before he became senior presidential press secretary in 2017. Prior to this, he had been a journalist at an influential local daily.



As a member of the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, Yoon knows better than anyone else about what to do and what not to do with the media and internet portals. Yet, the episode with Kakao shows his blatant disregard for freedom of the press. He must have been trying to control, or at least tame, the media by censoring news on portal sites. Moreover, his messages are full of arrogance and self-righteousness, possibly stemming from the governing party's unilateral legislating process based on its supermajority.



The reverberating controversy is raising the specter of the military junta's suppression of press freedom 40 years ago. It also reminds people of former lawmaker Lee Jung-hyun who was found guilty of pressuring the state-run KBS not to air reports on the 2014 tragic sinking of the ferry Sewol which killed more than 300 passengers, mostly high school students.



Previous governments made systematic efforts to tame the media in a bid to tighten their grip on power. But under no circumstances can and should any attempt to put a gag on the press be justified. The Moon Jae-in administration should fully guarantee press freedom  one of the key elements of a democracy.






For months, Americans have been served conflicting pronouncements from the Trump administration and lawmakers about foreign efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election  complicating matters for voters seeking a reliable understanding of which countries are actively meddling, and on whose behalf.

President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr, National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien and others have asserted China is mounting an active interference campaign that overshadows even Russia  at times surpassing what the administrations intelligence community has publicly described. When challenged, their response is, essentially: We've seen the intelligence. Trust us.

Democrats have countered with a rejoinder: We've also seen the intel, and it shows Russia poses the most acute threat to the 2020 election. Any other assertions, they say, simply amount to political spin to dull the sting of the intelligence community's findings about Russian support for Trump's reelection, which the president has long sought to downplay or deny. And Trumps focus on China aligns with his campaign message that he has been tougher on Beijing.

I worry a lot that theres just so much noise and disinformation that people may not fully realize the severity of these risks, said Rep. Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

It all amounts to a dangerous and counterproductive spat that has undermined, rather than enhanced, confidence in the 2020 election, veteran intelligence officers say.

Maddeningly, the national conversation around election security has turned vitriolic, diversionary and unhelpful, and we are doing our enemies work for them, warned Sue Gordon, the former principal deputy director of national intelligence who often briefed Trump early in his presidency.

On Wednesday, House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released a whistleblower complaint from a top Homeland Security official that bolstered Democrats case that the administration is downplaying Russias 2020 activity: Senior Trump appointees had for years sought to censor and suppress evidence of the Kremlins malign activities in the United States, said the official, Brian Murphy.

Story continues

Schiff said in a phone interview that the Trump administration's posture toward foreign interference  to emphasize China's activity and downplay Russia's  not only obscures the issue but emboldens the Kremlin.

"Every time the president and his acolytes  the Bill Barrs, the John Ratcliffes and the Robert OBriens  mislead about what Russia is doing or other countries are doing, it only encourages Russian intervention," Schiff said.

Administration officials emphasis on China in their public statements stands in contrast to the increasingly specific details emerging about Russias active role in attempting to damage Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

On Thursday, Microsoft announced that Russian government hackers had targeted at least 200 organizations tied to the 2020 presidential election in recent weeks. The hack targeted SKDKnickerbocker, one of Bidens chief communications and strategy firms, according to people familiar with the matter. The target of that attack appeared to be Anita Dunn, the firms managing director and a senior Biden campaign adviser, according to one of the people with knowledge of the incident. Reuters first reported the cyberattack targeting the firm.

Russia-linked actors have also pushed narratives about Biden being in cognitive decline and abusing his prior position to advance personal interests. On Thursday, the Treasury Department sanctioned Andriy Derkach, a Ukrainian lawmaker who it assessed has been acting as a Russian agent for over a decade, for his efforts to influence the U.S. election by denigrating the former vice president. Hours later, the Justice Department charged a Russian national in connection with an election interference effort.

Although Microsoft also pointed to hacking attempts by China to gain intelligence on organizations associated with the upcoming U.S. presidential election  including the Biden campaign, a former Trump administration official, and several D.C.-based think tanks  and Iran, which attempted to log into the accounts of administration officials and Trump campaign staff between May and June, experts said the scale and motives of the campaigns were not comparable.

The motive for China, based on Microsofts disclosure, seems to be information gathering rather than election interference, said Graham Brookie of the Atlantic Council, which was among Chinas targets. That directly refutes what politically appointed senior administration officials have been saying about ongoing election interference by China.

Asked about the Microsoft revelations, Schiff said lawmakers are "increasingly reliant on the tech sector to tell us what they're seeing" because of slipping confidence in assessments provided by Trump appointees.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and intelligence experts are now concerned that it may be too late to arm Americans with a clear and consistent story about the scale of foreign interference in the election  and which governments are behind it. The intelligence communitys vaguely worded public assessment, coupled with its weaponization by Trump allies seeking to offset claims about Russia, has turned the discussion into yet another partisan skirmish that's unlikely to be settled in time for voters to make an informed judgment.

Maloney said he views this as part of Trumps design.

I think its absolutely part of their playbook to muddy the water and to conceal and deny and misrepresent whats going on, he said.

Democrats have been pushing the Trump administration to disclose additional details about foreign actors interference in the upcoming election, including information about their intentions. They have accused the president and his top officials of seeking to suppress details about Russias interference in this years campaign, which intelligence officials say is intended, again, to boost Trump.

At this point, unless we continue to bring out our own information  if we were to accept just [the administrations] view, it wouldnt be the real view, added New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Republicans, on the other hand, argue that any dispute about the intelligence is the fault of leaks  which they attribute to Democrats  intended to weaponize Russia-related intelligence to harm Trump.

I dont think we have a problem with the intelligence community giving us the straight scoop, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The problem is once its then leaked out into the public, it becomes political and politicized for partisan ends.

Those leaks prompted Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to significantly scale back election-security briefings for Congress, a move that Democrats said was a further politicization of intelligence by the Trump administration that would leave Americans and their representatives in the dark. Dan Coats, Trumps first intelligence chief, spoke out against Ratcliffes move.

Much of the confusion can be traced to the Aug. 7 statement from top intelligence officials that warned of ongoing or potential election interference by Russia, China and Iran. The statement was the first to identify Derkach as an agent of Russias interference campaign and describe the Kremlins ongoing effort to damage Bidens candidacy. But it used more couched language to describe Chinese and Iranian efforts, emphasizing that while both countries have the capacity to interfere, they had largely limited their involvement to public statements and policy pressure  not covert election meddling.

Since that statement, top Trump officials like OBrien, Barr and Ratcliffe have used media appearances to tout the findings on China, when pressed about foreign actors interfering in the election.

Which is the most assertive, the most aggressive in this area? CNNs Wolf Blitzer asked Barr last week.

I believe it's China, Barr replied.

Why do you say that? Blitzer replied.

Because I've seen the intelligence, he said.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah said the Trump administrations approach to foreign interference has been one of total coordination by agencies to thwart potential foreign influence on our elections with their defend forward strategy.

President Trump authorized an unprecedented $805 million for states to secure their election systems, she said. While much of the media only focuses on potential Russian interference in our elections, the president and his entire national security apparatus are working to stop all malign foreign actors, including the Chinese and Iranians.

The intra-administration disputes over the intelligence go back even further, though. Trump has long sought to quash any suggestion that Russias interference helped him win in 2016, and in March he erupted in anger at Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence at the time, for allowing one of his deputies to brief lawmakers about Russias continued meddling in the 2020 race.

The NSC and Office of the Director of National Intelligence were subsequently reorganized, with career national security and intelligence officials pushed out and replaced by Trump loyalists like Michael Ellis, now the NSCs senior director for intelligence, and Richard Grenell, who engineered a shakeup at ODNI as acting intel chief before Ratcliffe arrived as the permanent, Senate-confirmed director.

Meanwhile, the topic of election security has become something of a taboo subject within the Trump administration. The NSCs top legislative affairs official, Virginia Boney, was removed and sent to the Commerce Department because she kept pressing the White House to prioritize election security efforts  and specifically the threat posed by Russia, according to one current and one former senior administration official. To date, while the NSC has held several deputies-level meetings on the topic, there have been no traditional Principals Committee meetings  with senior Cabinet officials and the president  on the subject this year, according to another Trump administration official.

An NSC spokesperson said they do not comment on personnel matters. Boney declined to comment.

Efforts have followed to downplay Russias malign activities in the U.S., according to Murphys whistleblower complaint, and play up the threats posed by China and Iran. Just over a month after Maguires ouster, amid the staff moves on the NSC, acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told Murphy to stop reporting on Russian interference and focus on China and Iran instead, Murphy alleged  a mandate Wolf said came from OBrien.

OBrien has denied Murphys accusations. Miles Taylor, a former senior DHS official who served as former DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsens chief of staff, said that while he did not have firsthand knowledge of most of Murphys claims, what is true is that Donald Trump has created a culture of fear and intimidation toward his own officials when it comes to one of the most important national security threats America faces. The dangers of foreign adversaries meddling in our democracy is high, persistent  and ignored by this president. And he is trying to silence officials raising the alarm about it.

In an interview, Taylor also corroborated one of Murphys major allegations: that the White House wanted to fire the former top DHS intelligence official, David Glawe, in September 2018. Word had gotten back to Trump that in a closed-door briefing with lawmakers, Glawe had concurred with the intelligence communitys assessment that Moscow intervened in 2016 to help Trump win, Taylor confirmed.

Elizabeth Neumann, who served as DHS' assistant secretary for threat prevention and security policy until earlier this year, said she is concerned about the effect the conflicting messages and allegations of politicization could have on DHS key election security partners.

The fusion centers, local and state law enforcement, people who work in critical infrastructure centers, etc.  how do they know that what we are pushing out is true, if there is evidence that there's been this political tinkering?" she said in an interview. Like Taylor, she is supporting Biden in the 2020 presidential election after souring on Trump.

The Senate Intelligence Committee will pursue the claims made in Murphys whistleblower complaint, the panels acting chairman Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) confirmed to POLITICO on Thursday. Well treat it as seriously as any other complaint, Rubio said.

Rubio has been an outlier among the lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who have been accusing each other of manipulating and politicizing intelligence reports. He said oversight of the U.S. intelligence community was in a crisis after Ratcliffes directive to scale back the in-person election security briefings.

Rubio has largely refused to engage Democratic complaints on the issue, arguing instead that Americans should have faith in the federal governments ability to blunt the impacts of foreign interference.

Were way ahead of where we were in 2016, he said, in terms of what we know and our ability to know about it.
Recalling the massive explosion that occurred during the earlier fire, people in the vicinity of the port rushed to evacuate. A video posted on social media showed panicked port workers sprinting from the area as the fire blazed around them. Beirutis nearby piled into cars or walked as fast as they could to get away from the fire, said Dima Abou Abdou, who was serving in a coffee shop and raced outside to her car, joining a throng of honking vehicles and fleeing pedestrians.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Commerce Ministry has called a meeting of Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and industry captains on September 11 to find out issues hindering exports from India to South Korea

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is under review since trade deficit is currently in favour of South Korea

In 2019, exports from India accounted for $5.6 billion while exports from South Korea stood at $15.1 billion

Trade deficit has narrowed in the January-June period of 2020 as exports from South Korea slumped primarily due to coronavirus pandemic

With balance of trade continuing to be in favour of South Korea, Commerce Ministry has called a meeting of Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and industry captains on September 11 to find issues hindering exports from India to the East Asian nation.

The move assumes significance as India is in the process of reviewing the bilateral trade pact with South Korea to protect interest of local traders and industry. "There is a meeting scheduled on Friday. The trade deficit is currently in favour of South Korea and so the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is under review. The Commerce Ministry is holding the meeting with exporters to know as to why our exports are not growing," said an industry executive.

"The Ministry wants to know if there are trade barriers or some testing norms that are impeding the growth in exports from India," he added. The bilateral trade pact CEPA, put in place in 2010, has spurred the trade and investments between the two countries but Korea has had clear edge. In 2019, exports from India accounted for $5.6 billion while exports from South Korea stood at $15.1 billion.

Major items exported from India to South Korea are mineral fuels/oil distillates (mainly naphtha), cereals, iron and steel. As against this, Korea's main export items are automobile parts, telecommunication equipment, hot rolled iron products, petroleum refined products, base lubricating oils, mechanical appliances, electrical machinery & parts, and iron and steel products.

ALSO READ: Global GDP to shrink 4.4%, China to register 2.7% growth in 2020: Fitch

Prashant Patel who runs two chemical factories in Gujarat and exports to South Korea said that in case of various raw materials Chinese exporters get preference over Indian firms because of price advantage. "With government capping export benefits under Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS), Indian firms would be in more disadvantageous position," said Patel, Director of Prashant Industries.

Korea's exports to India stood at $5.36 billion in January-June 2020, down 33% from the same period last year as coronavirus pandemic took heavy toll on the bilateral trade. However, Korea's import from India fell by a lower 5.3% to $2.59 billion and as a result trade surplus narrowed to $2.76 billion which was down by nearly half compared to last year.

ALSO READ: Raghuram Rajan on economy: GDP fall 'alarming'; India needs stimulus now, not later

"In particular, Korea's exports to India declined dramatically compared to last year's levels of trade, declining by 60% in April, 72% in May which was the worst contraction since May 2009 with factory shutdown and delay of construction projects due to the impact of COVID-19 outbreak. But the rate of contraction in exports slightly eased in June since the nationwide lockdown was lifted," South Korean embassy said in a note on bilateral trade.

Meanwhile, eight rounds of negotiations have been completed for review of the India-South Korea CEPA which started in 2016. India has also taken up the review of India-Japan CEPA and India ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA) with its trading partners.
New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) Continuing its attack on the NDA government for its failure to create jobs and the massive job loss caused by the government's handling of the Covid-19 situation, the Congress on Thursday launched an online campaign focussing on loss of employment due to the lockdown.





As part of the online campaign 'Speak Up for jobs', Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in posts on the social media, called upon people to speak for the countrys future.





The policies of Modi Govt have caused loss of crores of jobs and a historic fall in GDP. It has crushed the future of Indias youth. Lets make the Govt listen to their voice, Mr Gandhi said in his tweet.



In a tweet from its official Twitter account, the Congress said, Lakhs of Indians are losing jobs everyday, whether it was in locked down India or unlocked India. All BJP does is silently watch on. The Nation will not stay silent, the Nation will #SpeakUpForJobs.'



Congress has been continuously attacking the NDA government at the Centre on its 'failure' to create jobs and the massive job loss caused by mishandling of the Covid pandemic.



UNI AR SB 1237
S Vijay Kumar By

There is a certain arresting appeal in the art of the Imperial Cholas. Their technical brilliance and artistic prowess when seen in isolation will never suffice, for their true magnificence is in the delightful confluence of devotion, spirituality, art and aesthetics seamlessly interwoven into the fabric of worship. No museum or art gallery can recreate this unique flavour that invades you while viewing Chola temple art in its wombin and around the sanctum sanctorum.

They were not created by the original donors to decorate the bedrooms of Hollywoods rich and famous. What then fuelled this obsession for collecting them in the West, thereby reducing the sacred bodies of our Gods into sensuous showpiece curios? The credit goes to art historians. In this article, we are not just looking at the role of art experts as validators but as value creators, not just catalogue writers but market catalysts. They work in expanding the market, wilfully ignoring clear red flags and certify objects, creating provenancerecord of ownershipwhere none exists.

They use their mastery of flowery language and author monographs using undocumented antiquities from private collections, hiding the real ownership. Some have even received a Padma award for their outstanding contributions to Indian art. In describing the role of experts in their book The Illicit Trade in Art and Antiquities, law professor Janet Ulph and barrister Ian Smith say: In relation to artistic matters, peoples preferences are strongly influenced by institutions or persons who collectively possess a monopoly in relation to taste.

In relation to antiquities, the contributions of archaeologists can heighten interest in material from a particular country or period of history. In other words, the experts opinion is not just affecting the valuation of an art object but is introducing and inducing taste, thereby creating the very market. Here is an example where a celebrated art historian, who has been awarded the Padma Shri, admits to this in his own article about how the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) acquired a group of four bronzes of impressive size representing Krishna Rajamannar (The Cowherd King), his two spouses Rukmini and Satyabhama and his lear-jet the Garuda bird.

He recollects lamenting to a dealer about the omission in LACMAs portfolio of any significant example of a Chola bronze. So the next day, the said dealer produces this rarest of rare Krishna group! How the art expert describes it made me realise the enormity of the issue: They had the usual accretions from being buried in the ground but I could visualise the forms underneath, he says. This is a huge red flag as it is a clear indication of a buried hoard, hidden underground by the erstwhile custodians to safeguard their Gods from pillaging iconoclasts in early 14th century CE in Tamil Nadu.

The expert further talks about haggling over the cost$150,000 (not a huge price). The dealer tells him, Believe me, the owner needs the money but if I had the time to clean these guys up, I would ask double the amount. No discussion on the provenance! The Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878 clearly says anything over 100 years of age found buried under the ground is the property of the Government of India. The key question of legitimate export from India and the actual date are till now not revealed by the expert or LACMA.

What is even more surprising is the evidence that the bronze was cleaned after acquisition in the museums conservation department. It is pertinent to point out that two famous Natarajas who are celebrated for their restitution to India in the 20th century, Pathur and Sivapuram, were both in buried hoards and were sent by their respective Canadian and American buyers to London for cleaning and chemical treatment where they were confiscated by the police based on the evidence of being freshly off the soil. The next example shows how experts colluded to authenticate a purchase by fabricating provenance just by word of mouth.

This pertains to the Nataraja in the Freer Gallery of Art (in picture) purchased from the Doris Wiener Gallery in 2003. Its pertinent to point out that Doris Wiener has since died and the business has passed to her daughter Nancy Wiener, who has been formally charged for cultural property offences in the US. The case is under trial. The Natarajas published provenance: According to Doris Wiener, she purchased the sculpture from Rajrama Art Galleries in 1972. In her letter to the Freer Gallery curator, who is an art expert and Padma Bhushan awardee, Wiener wrote, The sales invoice from the London dealer, Rajrama Art Gallery, from whom I acquired the sculpture.

The invoice is dated 10 March 1973. Please note that I viewed and purchased the piece in London in 1972, several months prior to the date of purchase on the invoice. Notice that though the invoice is supposed to be dated to 1973, Wiener claims to have purchased it in 1972. The year 1972 was when the UN statute on antiquites came into force, which an art expert would certainly be aware of. Yet this expert ignored the serious provenance red flag, pushing back the proof outside India. The gallery of which she was the curator purchased the Nataraja just based on the dealers word.

The provenance then takes an interesting turn. According to the Curatorial Justification written on 19 June 2002, The bronze has been in the collection of Doris Wiener Gallery in New York City since 1973; Dr ***** (art expert) saw it at the gallery at that time. Incidentally this is the same Padma Shri awardee who helped with the LACMA acquisition mentioned earlier. So basically a magnificent Chola Nataraja is said to have been with Wiener galleries from 1973-2003 and was never published, exhibited or sold except for the word of the dealer and the expert.

The curatorial justification claims the Director General of Archaeology of India during those years has examined the Nataraja and assures us that it is not among those bronzes reported as stolen from TN temples. The gallery even gets the designation of the Indian expert, who is supposed to have assured them of the idols status, wrong. We can now confirm that this Nataraja was stolen from a temple. In situ photos while still in the temple have been made available and restitution claims are in progress.

Let us look at the National Gallery of Australias (NGA) acquisitions from the now arrested dealer Subhash Kapoor. The due diligence report submitted by the NGA to the Australian Minister for the Arts on 6 March 2014 says it received an expert letter about the quality and authenticity of two sculpturesarch of a Jain shrine and a seated Jina purchased in 2003from Kapoors Gallery. The expert is the Padma Bhushan awardee referred to earlier.

The provenance lists the previous owner as Raj Mehgoub. She is supposed to have received them from her Sudanese diplomat husband Abdulla Mehgoub, who purchased it between 1968 and 1971. The exact same fake provenance was provided for the now recovered Sripuranthan Nataraja from the same gallery.

These are only a few examples of the many cases where the role of experts has come under scrutiny. India has, for a generation, due to the pursuit of financial stability, neglected studies of the arts; we look up to the work of these celebrated scholars. But these experts appear to have traded their knowledge for personal growth and rewards. They have created a grey market for movable antiquities in the guise of academic studies into Indian art and nurtured it by valuing and authenticating the merchandiseour Gods.

S Vijay Kumar

Co-Founder of India Pride Project, which has helped bring back many stolen idols

(vj.episteme@gmail.com)
Oxford + Richmond, one of Canada's leading retained, boutique executive and management level search firms, is pleased to introduce its new Recruitment-as-a-Service (RaaS) offering.

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The RaaS offering manages the entire recruitment process giving organizations the ability to get the expertise of a search firm + the tight alignment of an internal team while maintaining flexibility + reducing overall costs. This is an ideal solution for organizations that need to hire 6 to 40+ people in a short period of time (3-12+ months).

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Crypto exchange INX, which recently launched its security token initial public offering (IPO), has crossed the minimum $7.5 million threshold imposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The regulator wanted INX to raise the first $7.5 million of its up to $117 million IPO in dollars and not crypto. Now that the minimum requirement has been met, INX will start accepting bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), and USDC stablecoin, beginning September 14.

It means investors will be able to purchase INX tokens with these coins. INX has set the offering price at $0.90 per token with a minimum investment of $1,000. The offering is available in 14 U.S. states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.



INX said over 3,000 retail and accredited investors registered for the INX token offering during its first three days.

The company plans to use IPO proceeds to continue developing INX Trading Solutions, a regulated exchange for cryptocurrencies, security tokens, and derivatives. Founded in 2017, Gibraltar-based INX first revealed its IPO plans in 2018 and filed a draft prospectus with the SEC in August 2019. The company is headed by Alan Silbert, brother of Digital Currency Group's founder Barry.





 2020 The Block Crypto, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
A New Zealand teacher has been found guilty of having sex with an underage student on multiple occasions.

Daniel Bruce McMillan started a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl while teaching at Kingslea School for youth offenders in Christchurch in 2014.

The teenager was from a different school and told Christchurch District Court she had a crush on the 46-year-old, who sent her explicit text messages to spark their relationship.

The pair had sex twice in McMillan's house between 2014 and 2016, with his wife asleep in the home on both occasions.

They also had sex a year later in a cemetery when the teenager was of consensual age.

Daniel Bruce McMillan began a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl in 2014 (stock image)

A mutual friend became aware of their relationship after finding messages the pair had sent each other.

Stuff reported the teenager said she felt 'gross' and 'stupid' after their relationship.

McMillan did not deny his sexual relationship with the young girl, but said it did not begin while she was underage.

The jury found McMillan guilty of meeting a young person following sexual grooming and three charges of sexual connection with a person under 16.

He was let off on another charge of supplying cannabis to a young person.

McMillan will be sentenced in October.

The former teacher stopped working at Kingslea in 2016 after the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal censured him for smoking cannabis.
Proceedings of the House on the third day of monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh assembly was delayed by 25 minutes after Congress leaders objected chief minister Jai Ram Thakurs comments against the Opposition party in reply to adjournment motion.

As soon as the House assembled, leader of Opposition, Mukesh Agnihotri, stood up and objected to the words used by the CM. He alleged that Thakur said that those who are sitting in the well and clapping will also do so in the next birth.

Terminology like shameless and unscrupulous against the opposition members by the CM should be expunged from the proceedings of the House and Thakur should apologise, he demanded.

The CM said that he was replying to an important issue (Covid-19) and the opposition was raising slogans like chor (thief). The CM said that his remark on clapping was taken out of context.

Agnihotri objected and said that the language was unparliamentarily and Thakur should withdraw his words.

Vidhan Sabha speaker Vipin Singh Parmar said that if any offensive remark was made he will look into it.

However, the Opposition didnt budge and demanded apology from the CM. This led to a heated exchange between both sides.

Congress leaders said that when a bill to cut salaries of MLAs was being tabled, the CM wrongly remarked that the Opposition was demanding their money back.

Thakur responded that his intent was not otherwise but the Opposition should also refrain from sloganeering.

The proceedings started after parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj intervened and convinced the Opposition members to let them start the session.

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Former Chief Executive Officer for Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST), Mr. Kwame Awuah Darko has indicated that the manifesto which was launched days ago was drafted by the Ghanaian people.



According to him, the only role played by the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 Peoples Manifesto was practically facilitated it.



First of all, this manifesto was done by the people of Ghana for the people of Ghana. The NDC practically facilitated it. All key members of the team put in a hard and good work. President Mahama was heavily involved. We shared ideas and read through scripts. It is exactly what the people of Ghana are asking for from their political leaders.



The document isnt a tail wagging the dog but the head listening to the body which is how it should be. If you want to lead the people, you must understand not only who they are where they are. And you must have a vision that articulate where well all like to go and well all like to be. Thats exactly what the manifesto entails, the will of the people, he said.



He said in an interview, on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 on Citi TVs Point of View program with Bernard Avle.



Mr Awuah-Darko added that, the key points in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) People manifesto are to look at where it came from as that way will make one appreciate the document.



I think our General Secretary Asiedu Nketia made an interesting remark on how we came about it. Former president Rawlings insisted the 4th Republican constitution be written by listening and consulting with the ordinary people of this country. All the previous constitution that had been written before didnt last 5 years, simply because it was done by intellectuals, people who had arrogated upon themselves the right to rule a country, whereas the people also had their ideas.



Ghana has evolved. Weve gone from 3 to 30 million people, so what you would do in 60s is not what youll do in the 90s. Weve gone from a country where education penetration was about 6% to where it is about 60% today, because more universities have been built and more people have attended school. Most interesting today, theres social media. So you can have a Ghanaian living in some parts of the country and can understand whats happening in the rest of the world. So you got to approach the Ghanaian as if hes intelligent, smart and knows what he wants out of life  And thats what the manifesto is all about, he added.



Meanwhile, the NDC 2020 Peoples Manifesto captured all sectors of the economy and brought some social intervention policies which members of the party say will transform the country better than what their opponents are doing currently.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/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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Azamgarh : , Sep 10 (IANS) In yet another incident of mob lynching, a 25-year-old youth was beaten to death by a girl's family members at a village in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district.

The incident happened on Wednesday.

The police have detained five persons, including the girl, for interrogation.

According to reports, Manish Ram, a Dalit, had an affair with a girl of the same village, but their families were opposed to the relationship.

Manish's family had sent him to Mumbai to keep him away from girl.

Recently, he returned from Mumbai and started meeting the girl again.

Late on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, Manish had gone to meet the girl when her family members caught him. They tied his hands and legs and thrashed him.

Meanwhile, Manish's family members came to know about the incident and they informed the police. But by the time police arrived, the accused had fled the scene.

The police rescued the youth and rushed him to the hospital where he was declared dead.

Azamgarh Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh said that five persons, including the girl have been detained for interrogation. Further investigations were underway.

On Monday, a man accused of murder had been beaten to death by an angry mob in Kushinagar district. The incident led to outrage and the National Human Rights Commission has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, asking it to explain the incident.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Rome  Thu, September 10, 2020 13:39 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4402ca6 2 Lifestyle Kim-Jones,designer,Fendi Free

British designer Kim Jones is to join Italian fashion house Fendi as its lead designer for womenswear while retaining his job as artistic director for Dior, Fendi announced on Wednesday.

Jones, 46, will succeed the late Karl Lagerfeld who was responsible for Fendi womenswear until his death in 2019.

Silvia Venturini Fendi, from the Fendi family, will continue with responsibility for menswear and accessories, the statement from Fendi and parent company LVMH said.

Read also: Indonesian designer receives backlash after human spine handbag resurfaced online

"Kim Jones is a great talent and since joining, he has continuously proven his ability to adapt to the codes and heritage of the LVMH houses while revisiting them with great modernity and audacity," LVMH chief Bernard Arnault said.

Jones, who has already worked on menswear at Louis Vuitton, has been chief designer at Dior since March 2018.
Hang Lung Properties, led by a billionaire developer who frequently calls for dialogue between the United States and China, has stepped in to pick up the US governments residential real estate asset in Hong Kong with a discount, just as US-China relations deteriorated to their worst in decades.

The Hong Kong developer, which mainly develops shopping centres and offices, confirmed that it had won a closed tender for six multi-storey buildings at 37 Shouson Hill Road for HK$2.56 billion (US$330 million).

Hang Lung is pleased to have won the tender for Shouson Hill land, the developer said in an email to South China Morning Post. The price of this rare and premium land lot is reasonable, and the purchase is a vote of confidence in Hong Kongs future.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

The sale price, which works out to HK$54,138 per square foot for one of Hong Kongs most exclusive residential enclaves, was a 20 per cent discount from the low end of market valuation, from HK$3.2 billion to HK$3.5 billion. The projects neighbour at 39 Shouson Hill Road was sold in July 2018 to Chinas state-controlled conglomerate China Resources for HK$86,800 per square foot.

Ronnie Chan Chi-chung, chairman of Hang Lung Properties, at the companys annual result press conference in Central on 21 January 2020. Photo: Jonathan Wong

It wasnt surprising that the bids made were so low when you consider the tensions between the US and China, said Vincent Cheung, managing director at Vincorn Consulting and Appraisal. But its very surprising that the US [government] is willing to sell at this price. Only when you have little confidence in a place are you willing to let it go at whatever price you can get.

Hung Lung said it will redevelop the site into multiple luxury detached houses by 2024, with plans to invest HK$4 billion in the project.

The project was put on the market in May, just as the US government was revoking Hong Kongs special trade status, turning the city into a pawn in the latest power play with china.

Story continues

The US State Department hired CBRE in Los Angeles to handle the tender. The six multistorey buildings comprise 26 apartment units and 52 parking bays between them, measuring 47,382 square feet (4,400 square metres) in total, according to CBRE.

The project offers breathtaking views of Deep Water Bay from a gated community accessible via a private driveway from Shouson Hill Road. A small swimming pool is shared by the two largest of the six buildings, complete with a gazebo between them.

The entire project was estimated at between HK$3.1 billion and up to HK$5 billion according to valuers, less than the HK$5.93 billion fetched in June 2018 at 39 Shouson Hill Road, according to the tender document.

A aerial view of 37 Shouson Hill Road (six multi-storey mansions) on Hong Kong Island on 30 May 2020. Photo: Martin Chan

Hang Lung has been investing in the mainland China since the 1990s, starting with its landmark Plaza 66 and Grand Gateway 66 projects in Shanghai. It has been expanding its presence in other secondary cities such as Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming, Wuhan and Hangzhou with projects under the 66 brand.

China has become an increasingly important contributor to Hang Lungs assets and income. The company achieved HK$4.54 billion revenue from property leasing in China, accounting for 53 per cent of the total for the end year 2019.

Chan, born in 1949, is chairman of the board of trustees of the Asia Society in Hong Kong, a non-profit organisation founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller III, with the mission of educating the world about Asia.

He is a frequently interlocutor on China-related affairs, and doesnt shy from having verbal jousts with journalists on political issues including the Hong Kongs year-long anti-government protests and the national security law enacted by the Chinese legislature for Hong Kong.

The US government bought the land at 37 Shouson Hill Road in June 1948 for an unknown price when Hong Kong was still a British colony, according to public records at the Land Registry. Construction on the site was completed in 1983.

Details of the tender came to light hours after Trump announced that he would revoke Hong Kongs special customs status, in response to the Chinese legislatures announcement last week of introducing a national security law for the city.

The State Departments Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations regularly reviews the US Governments overseas real estate holdings as part of its global reinvestment programme, the US Consulate Genera in Hong Kong said in May when the tender was announced. As part of that programme, the State Department has decided to sell the Shouson Hill property, and at the same time, invest in enhancing other US Government-owned assets in Hong Kong, including the US Consulate Generals office building. The reinvestment programme reinforces the US Governments presence in Hong Kong by ensuring its facilities are able to perform to the highest long-term standards.

Trumps plan would affect a full range of agreements from an extradition treaty to commercial relations, he said, after his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Hong Kong could no longer be considered be a region that is autonomous from Beijings rule.

(Corrects in paragraph eight and throughout story to make clear the project comprises six buildings with a total of 26 flats between them, not six separate mansions.)

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This article Hang Lung picks up US governments Hong Kong assets for HK$2.56 billion, a 20 per cent discount to market valuation first appeared on South China Morning Post

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HHM Certified Public Accountants, a full-service CPA and consulting firm with locations in Chattanooga and Memphis, has added Kimberly (Kim) Lawrence to its Chattanooga office as tax director.Ms. Lawrence brings over 30 years of experience to the firms tax practice. Ms. Lawrence will advise clients in the areas of tax compliance, business and individual tax planning, and organizational restructuring. Prior to joining HHM, Ms. Lawrence was a shareholder with a regional firm where her areas of emphasis included multi-family and commercial real estate, partnership structuring, like kind exchanges and high net worth individuals.Ms.Lawrence is a member of several professional organizations including the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, having served as president and in several other board and committee roles, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Chattanooga Tax Practitioners and Chattanooga Women's Leadership Institute. She also presents on tax topics to professional and community organizations.Ms. Lawrence has been involved in supporting non-profit organizations in the community, including Scenic City Optimist Club, United Way and the Ronald McDonald House. Girls Inc. of Chattanooga has been the closest to her heart over the years, having served on the board of directors and finance committee for more than 10 years.Kims experience and big picture approach on technical details will help us continue to offer a higher level of service to our clients, said Donnie Hutcherson, managing partner of HHM CPAs.
The Sindaa Youth of the National Democratic Congress has challenged the Chief Representative of President Akuffo-Addo in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, Mr.Lawal Tamimu to a debate on development projects in the district.

According to the youth, the so-called infrastructure tracker presented by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumiah is either full of ghost projects or stolen projects of former President John Dramani Mahama.

In an address at the inaugural ceremony of the 'Sindaa Youth for the NDC', the president of the group, Kipo Saaka contested claims made in the tracker about infrastructure projects in the district under the current administration.

He disclosed that it had to take the smart borrowing under President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory and John Dramani Mahama as Vice President to birth the 147-kilometre (91 miles) Sawla-Damongo-Fulfulso road with other massive auxiliary facilities.

Aside from the road project, he counted massive infrastructural projects such as the E/A Primary School and J.H.S at Sindaa, Sawla S.H.S, Sawla District Hospital, Sawla Community Centre, Sawla Market, rural electrification in a good number of communities, CHPS compounds among others as the sole achievement of the erstwhile Mills-Mahama administration which cannot be plagiarised.

He reiterated the fact that the visionary leadership of Ex-President Mahama saw the construction and upgrading of the University of Ghana Medical Center, Bank of Ghana Hospital, Ridge Hospital, the Tamale Teaching Hospital and the Ebola Treatment Center which is now accommodating COVID-19 patients.

The president of the youth group challenged Mr.Lawal,the District Chief Executive to mention a single infrastructure project executed by the current government in the health sector in the constituency, adding that,"we are ready to debate the DCE any day,anytime on development projects in the district".

He mocked at the fact that the best of Akuffo-Addo's achievement of a single ambulance donated to Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency under the One Constituency per Ambulance was long achieved in double folds by the siting NDC MP for Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency, Mr. Andrew Dari Chiwitey.

Madam Kipo Jennifa on her part said the free Senior High School policy is a good programme gone bad through incompetent implementation.

She said for any good policy to yield development, it should produce both quantitative and qualitative improvement in the lives of the people, but the free SHS with its attendant double-track system where student-teacher contact hours have been drastically reduced with overcrowded dormitories can never guarantee quality.

She observed that it was debasing to watch disheartening videos of so-called Akuffo-Addo graduates who were given past questions to read, pass, and shame perceived distracted, disgracing the president at last through demonstrations borne out of frustration because they couldn't answer the questions in the final exams.

On the economy, the young political activist said Dr.Bawumiah and his boss, the president have drained the confess of Ghana with reckless borrowing and mismanagement of the economy and don't deserve a single day at the seat of government beyond January 7, 2021.

The Savannah Regional Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Imoro Seidu said the NPP government has already lost power, encouraging the youth to work more hard towards returning Ex-President John Mahama back on power for a prosperous Ghana.

According to him, farming which is the mainstay of the people of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency has become very unattractive under the current administration, pledging a restoration of the situation should John Mahama win the 2020 polls.

The Savannah Regional Secretary of the party, Mr. Sualisu Biuwurbi said the future of the youth of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency is very bright in politics and under the NDC.

He applauded the courage of the youth in standing up for the truth, adding that, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is returning to government in 2021 with lots of hope and job opportunities for the youth.

The Member of Parliament for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency,hon. Andrew Dari Chewitey disclosed that the youth group has already prepared the grounds for the much awaited victory of the NDC come December 2020.

He said the almighty God has already made the way for the NDC in the forthcoming polls, pledging his full support for the youth group.

Among other things,he said the NDC has embarked on massive visible infrastructure projects in the constituency,unlike others who are touting some nonexisting projects in a so called tracker that cannot be factually tracked.

Also present was the MP for Salaga North, Hon. Alhassan Mumuni,former appointees and Members of Parliament, regional and constituency executives of the party, cadres, chiefs, sympathisers and supporters of the party and the media.
European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic addresses the media as he arrives at the Europa house in London, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Matt Dunham /AP Photo)

EU Calls Planned UK Law a Serious Violation of Brexit Deal

LONDONInstead of closing in on a future trade deal, the European Union and Britain entered a bitter fight Thursday over a planned British law that the EU says would constitute a serious violation of the Brexit divorce agreement and destroy what little trust remains between the two sides.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, center, is surrounded by delegates and pro-EU protesters as he arrives at the Westminster Conference Center in London, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Alberto Pezzali/ AP Photo)

The 27-nation bloc said Britain must withdraw the planned law dealing with Northern Ireland trade by the end of the month or face a legal fight even before the transition period following Britain departure ends on Dec. 31.

By putting forward this bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK. It is now up to the UK government to reestablish that trust, European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said, using acrimonious terms belying decades of cooperation within the EU.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic is watched by photographers as he leaves the Europa house in London, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Matt Dunham /AP Photo)

The EU and Britain have signed and ratified a withdrawal agreement which Britain has acknowledged it will violate with the new planned law. It would diminish the EUs oversight in trading between Britain and Northern Ireland, which has the UKs only land border with the EU.

The EU made the announcement about Britains plan to break part of the Brexit divorce agreement after top officials from both sides held an emergency meeting on the matter in London.

Supporters of Brexit demonstrate outside Europe House in London, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Matt Dunham/ AP Photo)

Britains decision to break international law by overwriting part of the EU Withdrawal Agreement has alarmed European leaders and threatens to scuttle the fragile negotiations on future UK-EU relations currently being held in the British capital.

If the bill were to be adopted, it would constitute an extremely serious violation of the Withdrawal Agreement and of international law, Sefcovic said.

The EU also warned that it would take legal action, if necessary.

A pro-EU protester is seen at the Westminster Conference Center in London, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Alberto Pezzali / AP Photo)

The Withdrawal Agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the textwhich the European Union will not be shy in using, Sefcovic said.

Keeping the EU-UK border free of customs posts and other obstacles is a key aim of the Withdrawal Agreement signed by the two sides less than a year ago. An open border underpins the peace agreement that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, said, If the UK violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday (peace) accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a U.S.-UK trade agreement passing the Congress.

Johnsons Conservative British government announced this week that it plans to legislate to give itself the power to deviate from some of the provisions in the agreement about Northern Ireland trade.

It says its doing so in order to protect the peace agreement in the event there is no deal with the EU. On Thursday, it said it would try to push the bill into law quickly, scheduling it for debate in Parliament starting Monday.

Many British politicians and lawyers also expressed alarm, saying that reneging on a legally binding international commitment would trash Britains reputation for upholding law and order.

If we cant be trusted to abide by our word on this matter, well then why would anyone trust us in the future? said Edward Garnier, a former British solicitor-general.

Britain left the political structures of the EU on Jan. 31 and will make an economic break when an 11-month transition period ends on Dec. 31. The two sides are trying to strike a new trade deal by then, but talks have bogged down over issues including fishing rights in UK waters and fair-competition rules for businesses.

The two sides chief negotiators, David Frost and Michel Barnier, are due to end their latest round of negotiations on Thursday. Both sides say that unless there is an agreement by next month, Britain is facing an economically disruptive no-deal exit on Jan. 1.

By Jill Lawless and Raf Casert
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A former Kalamazoo-area nurse practitioner was sentenced in federal court Wednesday after pleading guilty to health care fraud and the re-using of single-use rectal pressure sensors on multiple patients.

Susan E. Wright was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff Wednesday to three years of probation and ordered to pay $5,000 in fines and $462,000 in restitution.

The restitution, ordered by Neff to be paid jointly by Wright, her husband and co-defendant Dr. Roger Beyer, as well as co-defendant Mark Sabor has been paid in full, according to court records.

Wright pleaded guilty in May to misprision of a felony and adulteration of medical devices. She was ordered by Neff to pay a $2,500 fine per each count and sentenced to three years of probation on each count. She will serve the sentences concurrently.

Conditions of her probation include that she must provide access to any financial information or records to her probation officer upon request; must not apply to any loans or credit transactions without approval; and must not engage in any business that would require participation in medical billing without approval.

Beyer, Wrights husband, was the owner of Urological Solutions of Michigan and Womens Health Care Specialists, located at 7110 Stadium Drive in Oshtemo Township.

Sabor, the office manager at the Oshtemo clinic, was sentenced June 29 by Neff to two years in prison and ordered to pay $914,564 in restitution. Sabor pleaded guilty in December 2019 to committing health care fraud in the case.

Related: Office manager sent to prison for role in Medicare fraud case

Beyer pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to committing health care fraud, a penalty that is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Beyer fraudulently billed Medicare for therapy services, known as pelvic muscle rehabilitation (PMR), using more lucrative and inappropriate diagnostic codes.

The PMR therapy was provided purportedly to treat mostly elderly female patients with fecal or urinary incontinence, primarily in the greater Traverse City, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids areas.

Beyer also has agreed to plead guilty to directing his staff to reuse single-use anorectal manometry catheters on multiple patients as part of an initial diagnostic study with patients with potential fecal incontinence. The act carries a potential penalty of up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Like his wife, Beyer was also scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, but  citing medical concerns  filed a motion to have his sentencing adjourned. Neff granted the motion and reset the sentencing for Oct. 1.

Beyer, according to a court filing dated Sept. 4, stated he would be at substantial risk of mortality if incarcerated."

Beyer, according to the filing, has pulmonary sarcoidosis  a rare disease that can affect the lungs. If Beyer were to contract COVID-19, his physician, Dr. Eric Born, attested it would most certainly put him in the hospital.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services first received a complaint against Beyer on May 21, 2019.

A nurse at Womens Health Care Specialists stated in the complaint she estimated that a single-use rectal pressure sensor was used more than 100 times before being replaced.

Following the complaint, the MDHHS recommended that Beyers patients discuss HIV and hepatitis testing with their current healthcare provider. Blood-borne pathogens can cause disease with little or no symptoms, according to the department.

Dr. Roger Beyer treated the Medicare program like a game and he cheated at that game for almost a decade, resulting in almost a million dollars of criminal health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge wrote in Beyers sentencing memorandum.

Individuals who may have been affected by device adulteration, or fraudulently billed by Beyers office, can contact the U.S. Attorneys Office directly or reach out to victim witness coordinator Kathy Schuette at 616-808-2034.

Also on MLive:

Webcam not mandatory for Kalamazoo students attending virtual school

Michigan will not soften coronavirus response until there is a vaccine, Gov Whitmer says

Alleged intruder in Eminems home told rapper he was going to kill him, according to testimony
Balraj Kundu, the Independent MLA from Meham, was arrested for four hours on Thursday for violating prohibitory orders as he and his supporters were headed for Pipli grain market near Kurukshetra to take part in the farmers rally against the Centres agriculture ordinances.

Kundu, who was arrested at the Makrauli Kalan toll plaza only to be released hours later, said: The police cant stop farmers from raising their voice against these ordinances. I will stand by my farmer brothers and protest against the government until these ordinances are revoked. These bills are being brought to sell farmers rights to big corporates.

Kundu, who left for Pipli with his supporters, condemned the lathicharge. This government is against the farmers. If political leaders can canvass in the Baroda constituency (for the byelection) by defying the district administrations orders (on social distancing), why are farmers not being allowed to hold a rally? he said.

Tosham Congress MLA Kiran Choudhry also took on Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and state agriculture minister JP Dalal for preventing farmers from crossing toll plazas to reach Pipli.

The implementation of these ordinances will lead to the exploitation of farmers at the hands of corporate houses. On one hand, the BJP-JJP leaders are canvassing in Baroda by defying the administrations orders and putting peoples lives at risk, while on the other hand the government has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC to bar the entry of farmers at Pipli. This shows this government is afraid of farmers protesting, she said.

Meanwhile, Dalal said that the government does not plan to end the minimum support price (MSP) for crops and urged farmers to follow the administrations orders on social distancing to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Mulan and Disney Criticized for Thanking Authorities Involved in Muslim Concentration Camps

Disney is facing heavy criticism, and the phrase boycott Mulan has been trending on Twitter after it emerged that they filmed in Xinjiang. This comes after Disney thanked several Chinese government branches involved in the persecution of Muslim Uyghurs in the end credits of the live-action movie Mulan. This includes a thank you to the Turpan Public Security Bureau in Xinjiang. The Turpan Municipality Public Security Bureau was recently included on the US Entity List for its involvement in human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, to gain deeper insights into the power struggles within the Chinese leadership, and the culture and thinking among its top leaders, we had the pleasure of speaking with Kay Rubacek of Swoop Films about her new book, Who Are Chinas Walking Dead? It features personal essays based on exclusive and rare interviews with former Chinese officials, and explains why they refer to themselves as the walking dead.

And in other news, the Chinese government has also now begun using Blockchain to power part of its social credit system. Blockchain is one of the main systems at the heart of the Bitcoin electronic currency, and allows for a type of intranet that can exist between devices. The technology is now being used to extend the governments citizen databases from online monitoring across different provinces in China, so that people cant escape their citizen profiles when traveling to a different province.

These stories and more in this episode of Crossroads.

Crossroads is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube.

Join Patreon to Support Crossroads: https://www.patreon.com/Crossroads_Josh
WASHINGTON - Metro has temporarily reassigned a top rail official and launched an outside review after an independent safety commission alleged interference with its work, according to an email obtained by The Washington Post.

Lisa Woodruff, Metro's senior vice president for rail services, will temporarily serve as a technical adviser while an outside law firm reviews allegations by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission that Woodruff "may have violated safety or other policies or procedures," according to an email Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld sent employees Wednesday.

The commission, in a critical audit released Tuesday, said Woodruff told controllers in Metro's rail operations center not to speak with the commission and "to resist required corrective actions."

Woodruff, who did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday, could not immediately be reached Wednesday.

Woodruff was hired in 2019, becoming one of the top-ranking women at the transit agency.

Congress voted to approve creation of the commission in 2017, having grown frustrated with years of deadly incidents and chronic safety lapses, and a key Capitol Hill backer of that effort had voiced serious concern over the allegations. "If true, it is repugnant, outrageous and frankly that individual should be fired," Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., said Tuesday.

The audit had described a "toxic workplace" at the Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC), the transit system's nerve center, where the commission said employees were bullied, racially and sexually harassed, and told by managers to ignore authorities and operating procedures. The audit also cited "unprofessional behavior such as attempts to manipulate safety event investigations."

On Wednesday, Connolly said he welcomed the steps taken by Wiedefeld and reiterated that Woodruff should lose her job if the allegations are confirmed, "because we cannot have senior Metro managers risking public safety the way she allegedly did."

The commission's audit also "documents a dysfunctionality at the command center that has to be addressed. That goes to a cultural and managerial problem that is systematic," Connolly said, adding that the control center needs to be completely restructured.

"This isn't just about one person. There are chronic problems that have plagued that center for years, and it has to be addressed structurally," Connolly said.

Wiedefeld told employees in the email that Metro takes the allegations seriously. He said Mike Hass, who had served as vice president of rail infrastructure maintenance, will serve as the acting senior vice president of rail services. He will "be responsible for all rail transportation," including the operations center.

The commission said the environment at the control center "includes distractions, fear, threats and conflicting instructions that prevent overworked and undertrained controllers from fully and properly carrying out their duties. These serious safety concerns create a variety of safety risks for everyone who depends on Metrorail."

Metro board Chair Paul Smedberg said Wiedefeld has moved to correct problems at the operations center by replacing its director and assigning a senior official to oversee an overhaul of training and culture there. Still, the board has "grown pretty impatient," he said, and staff members are set provide board members additional details Thursday on their strategy and actions to address the persistent problems.

Montgomery County, Md., Council member Tom Hucker, a Democrat, said he intends to summon Metro officials to a transportation committee hearing to hear what has been done to improve conditions at the ROCC.

"The findings in the audit are absolutely appalling and unacceptable," said Hucker, chairman of the council's transportation committee. "Deeply troubling, completely unacceptable and people need to be removed right away.

"We need to have not only a safe work environment, but they need to have one that does everything possible to retain high quality employees," Hucker said. "When you have a toxic environment like that it puts riders at risk, puts employees at risk and undermines the whole system."

The safety commission said the communication and workplace culture problems detailed in Tuesday's audit echoed those that caused delayed responses to a 2009 crash that killed nine people, and a 2015 smoke incident that killed one passenger and injured scores of others.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigated both incidents, and after the latter said the transit organization lacked "a safety culture," and that senior Metro managers had failed to "proactively assess and mitigate foreseeable safety risks."

Several of those who played key roles in earlier investigations while at the NTSB are now serving on the Metrorail Safety Commission, potentially providing a degree of continuity and focus on long-intractable problems.

The safety commission's chairman, Christopher Hart, helmed the NTSB during the smoke investigation. David Mayer, the commission's chief executive, helped oversee the completion of the crash investigation while he was at the NTSB.

The NTSB, the independent national panel that investigates plane crashes and other transportation disasters, said Wednesday that it supports the commission and its ongoing work tackling safety at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

"They are exercising strong regulatory oversight that WMATA has needed for years," the NTSB said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Mayer did not comment on Woodruff's reassignment, saying it is Metro's responsibility to decide how to fix all the safety issues the audit pointed out.

Mayer said the commission's focus is on the 21 safety findings described in the report, among them: a "lack of safety culture," "training deficiencies," "emergency communications failures" and "investigation interference."

"It is up to [Metro] to determine and propose how to effectively address those findings and related issues for the long term," Mayer said in a statement, "so that all required safety and investigative protocols are in place and complied with."
KAMPALA  Uganda is honouring Ciplas chairman Dr. Yusuf Hamied by renaming the road in which the CiplaQCIL facility is based after him specifically for his ground-breaking humanitarian approach in providing access to quality, affordable healthcare.

Considered a visionary for over 60 years in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, Dr Hamied has dedicated his career to serve humanity, directly combatting the most threatening diseases and epidemics humans have ever encountered. His clear passion for expanding access to medicines has saved millions of people living in some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. Because of his passion for people, Dr Hamied embodies the ethos of Caring for Life and helping to make a difference in the life of a patient.

Dr Hamied graduated with honours from the University of Cambridge in 1957 and completed a PhD in 1960 under the tutelage of the Nobel Laureate Alexander Todd. Many honours have followed including being elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society in 2019 for his service to the cause of science. During his career, Dr Hamied commercially synthesised many essential drugs in diverse therapy areas including steroids, antibiotics, HIV/AIDS, respiratory and oncology drugs.

Changing the face of HIV/AIDS in Africa

Amongst the many essential drugs that he has commercially synthesised, perhaps the most important one for Uganda and Africa has been the worlds first ever recommended fixed dose combination to treat HIV/AIDS. It was made available at less than $1 per day compared to over the $12,000 per patient per year prevailing in most countries throughout the world and saved the lives of millions of people across the developing world.

Together with cooperation from the Ugandan government, Cipla established the CiplaQCIL facility in Kampala  one of the first World Health Organization (WHO) GMP approved factories in sub-Saharan Africa producing antiretrovirals and anti-malarial medicines. This went a long way to helping Uganda become more self-sufficient in healthcare, ensuring that vital medicines were available at affordable prices with guaranteed security of supply.

With actions not words:

Dr Hamied has always been outspoken on his views on the prices charged for innovative medicines by the major pharmaceutical companies and this quote of his to Forbes.com sums his ethos up, My idea of a better-ordered world is one in which medical discoveries would be free of patents and there would be no profiteering from life or death.

CiplaQCIL Chairman, Emmanuel Katongole said  We are proud and honoured that the contribution to saving millions of African lives through making antiretrovirals available at a cost of a $ a day by Dr Youssef Hamied has been recognized in Uganda by the naming the road in his name on which the CiplaQCIL facility is situated. 

Related
The video circulating on social media showed a man pinned to the ground by Colombian police officers, who shocked him repeatedly with a stun gun for more than two minutes. Please, no more, he begged.

The man, Javier Ordonez, a father of two, died shortly afterward in police custody. Within 24 hours, thousands of Colombians had taken to the streets of the capital, Bogota, in protests against police violence that began late Wednesday and continued into Thursday, laying bare months of pent-up tension.

Dozens of police stations were set on fire or vandalized. At least eight more people were killed, and nearly 400 were injured, according to the police. At least 66 people had bullet injuries.

Nearly all of the people killed in the protests were young, between the ages of 17 and 27. The police said the deaths were under investigation, and declined to say whether officers were involved.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 22:53:25|Editor: huaxia

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KIGALI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Rapid urban growth in Africa is providing new opportunities for the continent to transform its agricultural advantages into businesses, according to a new report published here Wednesday.

"Today and even more so tomorrow Africa's rapidly growing cities and food markets offer the largest and fastest growing market opportunity available to the continent's 60 million farms," said the annual Africa Agriculture Status Report by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an Africa-based agriculture institution.

According to the report, released at the 10th African Green Revolution Forum held between Tuesday and Friday, annual urban food sales in African countries amounts to around 200 to 250 billion U.S. dollars, and over 80 percent comes from domestic suppliers.

Cities are shaping the agribusiness environment in Africa by affecting patterns of agricultural production, processing, and distribution, the report said, noting that the most rapidly growing urban food markets include processed, prepared and perishable foods.

The report forecast that the number of traditional markets and small-format shops, the major urban food retailers in African cities, will decline in the coming decades, while the share of supermarkets is likely to increase.

This year's report showed that as the center of gravity in Africa's agri-food systems shifts increasingly towards urban areas, a cohort of new, non-traditional actors, including city planners, district councils and trader organizations are becoming key players in the implementation of agricultural policy, Andrew Cox, AGRA's chief of staff and strategy, said in the report. Enditem
China has launched an initiative to address global data security issues, a countermove to the U.S. clean network program that is aimed at discouraging other countries from using Chinese technology.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced the initiative in Beijing on Tuesday at a seminar on global digital governance.

He said mounting risks for cyber security threaten national security, public interests and personal rights.

The move comes amid a deterioration in U.S.-China relations encompassing trade tensions and competition in telecommunications and artificial intelligence technologies, with the U.S. accusing Chinese technology companies of threatening American national security.

Bent on unilateral acts, a certain country keeps making groundless accusations against others in the name of `clean networks and used security as a pretext to prey on enterprises of other countries who have a competitive edge, Wang said, according to a transcript of his speech released by the ministry. Such blatant acts of bullying must be opposed and rejected.

Wang said that it was important to develop international rules on data security that will reflect the will and respect the interests of all countries through broad-based participation.

Clean Network

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last month unveiled the Clean Network program, saying it is aimed at protecting citizens privacy and sensitive information from malign actors, such as the Chinese Communist Party.

More than 30 countries and territories such as Australia and Britain are participating in that initiative, which seeks to exclude Chinese telecommunications companies like Huawei and ZTE, as well as apps, cloud service providers and undersea cables from their internet networks.

The U.S. has expressed concerns over national security threats from services provided by Chinese technology companies like Huawei, Bytedance and Tencent.

Washington has dissuaded some U.S. allies from using Huaweis technology in 5G networks, saying data potentially could be accessed by the Chinese government. Huawei vehemently denies that.

Washington also has imposed sanctions that restrict Huawei from procuring chips containing American technology. Recently, the U.S. also said it will ban Chinese company Bytedances popular TikTok video app in the country unless it finds an American buyer. It similarly labelled Tencents popular messaging app WeChat a national security threat.

The Chinese initiative opposes impairing critical infrastructure and theft of important data. It also opposes abusing technology to conduct mass surveillance against other states, the transcript said.

Companies should not install backdoors in their products and services to illegally obtain user data, should respect the sovereignty, jurisdiction and governance of data in other states, it says.

The Chinese government has acted in strict compliance with data security principles. We have not and will not ask Chinese companies to transfer data overseas to the government in breach of other countries laws, said Wang.

Politicization of security issues, double standards and slandering others violate the basic norms governing international relations, and seriously disrupts and hampers global digital cooperation and development, he said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cyber USA Tech China
Police in Utah are now required to try de-escalation first in most cases, a new policy that went into effect just hours after officers shot a 13-year-old boy with autism in Salt Lake City.

Golda Barton told local media last week that police shot her son Linden Cameron, who has Asperger's, shortly after she called 911 because he was having a mental health episode. The shooting left Linden with injuries to his shoulder, both ankles, intestines and bladder, according to a GoFundMe.

The policy states that de-escalation tactics are "mandatory prior to using force to effect an arrest unless it would be unreasonable to do so. Officers must also try effective communication to get compliance from a suspect and not contribute to a situation that could lead to use of force by taking unnecessary, overly aggressive action.

A mom called 911 to help her 13-year-old: Utah police shot him

Mayor Erin Mendenhall signed an executive order last month directing Chief Mike Brown to make this and other reforms to the department by Sept. 5, the day after Linden was shot.

But I cant say whether it would have changed anything or not, Detective Michael Ruff, a department spokesman, told the Salt Lake Tribune Wednesday. If theyd already been in place.

The Salt Lake Police Department has about three officers who are crisis-intervention specialists, but they dont respond to every call involving mental health issues, Ruff told the Associated Press. He said every new recruit is given 40 hours of crisis-intervention training at its police academy.

Were very comfortable with the program we used and with the individuals who are teaching it, he told the outlet. Theres more than one way to be CIT trained.

In this Aug. 3, 2020 file photo, Salt Lake City police Chief Mike Brown speaks as Mayor Erin Mendenhal listens during a news conference on Aug. 3, 2020, in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake City Police Department vowed Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, to cooperate with multiple investigations of the shooting of a 13-year-old autistic boy by officers in the Salt Lake City area. The Salt Lake City Police Department said the officers were called to a home in Glendale, Utah, Friday night, Sept. 4 with a report of a boy who had threatened people with a weapon. The boy reportedly ran and was shot by an officer after being pursued by police.

Ruff declined to say what tactics the officers used to deescalate the situation before shooting the boy.

Salt Lake City Police Sgt. Keith Horrocks told reporters last week officers were called to the scene due to a "violent psych issue" involving a juvenile who was "making threats to some folks with a weapon."

Story continues

Horrocks said there was no indication a weapon had been found at the scene but that he did not know for sure if one was found.

Barton, who had just returned to work for the first time in a year, told police her son had "bad separation anxiety" but was unarmed, KUTV reported.

She said two officers entered her home and less than five minutes later she heard them order him to get on the ground followed by several gunshots. Officers didn't immediately say whether her son was alive and later handcuffed him.

"He's a small child. Why didn't you just tackle him?" Barton said. "He's a baby. He has mental issues."

The department says it will cooperate with multiple investigations. Mendenhall said she expects the investigation "to be handled swiftly and transparently" in a statement released to local media Sunday.

The incident drew criticism from advocates as police face renewed scrutiny over their response to mental health crises amid nationwide protests over police brutality.

Police were called because help was needed but instead more harm was done when officers from the SLPD expected a 13-year-old experiencing a mental health episode to act calmer and collected than adult trained officers, Neurodiverse Utah, a grassroots organization that promotes autism acceptance, said in a statement.

Nationwide, advocates are calling for changes to policing, including an end to the practice of having police officers respond to mental health calls following the death of Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old Black man. Prude was suffering from acute mental health problems when he died of asphyxiation after police officers in Rochester, New York, who tried to take him into protective custody pinned him to the ground while restraining him.

Contributing: Steve Orr, The Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle; The Associated Press

Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Utah police require de-escalation after 13-year-old with autism shot
TDT | Manama

The life of a 64-year-old female citizen was taken by the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Bahrain yesterday, the Ministry of Health announced. The deceaseds passing brought the total number of virus-related casualties in the Kingdom to 200. The ministry expressed its condolences to the victims family.

Meanwhile, the ministry announced early this morning that it conducted 10,580 COVID-19 tests yesterday, from which 661 new cases were detected. These included 78 expatriate workers, 579 contacts of active cases, and four travel-related cases. Their detection brought the overall number of confirmed registered cases in the Kingdom to over 56,000 at 56,076, ever since the first case was reported in February.

There were also 294 additional recoveries from the virus yesterday, raising Kingdoms total discharged individuals to 51,240. The total number of current active cases increased once again to 4,636, with 82 receiving treatment, of which 31 are in critical condition.
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned Britain on Wednesday that ignoring some parts of its European Union divorce treaty could imperil any new trade agreement with the United States.

"If the U.K. violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement passing the Congress," the Democratic lawmaker said in a statement.

"The Good Friday Agreement is treasured by the American people and will be proudly defended in the United States Congress," Pelosi said.

Britain quit the EU in January but has remained part of its single market, largely free of trade barriers, under an agreement that expires in December. London says that if it cannot negotiate a favorable trade deal to take effect from Jan. 1, it will simply walk away.

The agreement calls for border-free trade on the island of Ireland, which the EU says should in some cases require checks on goods passing between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain.

Some fear that a failure to agree on border arrangements could jeopardize the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which largely ended three decades of political and sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The number of ongoing projects of the UNDP in Egypt total 50 in more than 20 governorates, with an allocation worth $60 million appropriated in 2019

Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat held a meeting Thursday with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss strengthening the partnership between Egypt and the United Nations in line with Egypt's development goals.

The meeting was attended by Randa Abul-Hassan, resident representative for the UNDP and Ambassador Lamia Mukhaimer, director of international cooperation for development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting comes within Egypts framework of partnership with the United Nations for 2018-2022, which is composed of four outcomes; namely, inclusive economic development, social justice, women's empowerment and sustainable management of natural resources. It aims to accelerate progress in achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Al-Mashat.

The minister noted that the partnership framework with the United Nations through 2022 was designed via inclusive engagement of different stakeholders in society, including ministries, United Nations agencies, civil society organisations and the private sector, ensuring that all development efforts are harmonised and streamlined.

The minister also shed light on development initiatives during the pandemic, which focused on protecting citizens from the virus, accelerating the pace of digital transformation, supporting medium, small and micro enterprises, and supporting the national strategy for the empowerment of women.

During the meeting, the UNDP's Abul-Hassan reviewed the cooperation file with the Egyptian government in several areas, including the comprehensive response to the economic and social repercussions of the pandemic.

Abul-Hassan explained that the UNDP will work to strengthen institutional frameworks and partnerships, through development solutions that reduce poverty by promoting decent work, increasing resilience to climate and health risks, and empowering women.

She also noted that the number of ongoing projects of the UNDP in Egypt total 50 in more than 20 governorates, with an allocation worth $60 million appropriated in 2019.

The current year budget amounts to $66 million, in which $1 million was allocated to support the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Egypt.

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Oil company OMV demobilises staff in Tataouine Due to stoppage on production in sites for over a month

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, SEPTEMBER 10 - Tunisian oil company OMV, a subsidiary of the Austrian OMV, will "demobilise its personnel" in the coming days at the oil fields in Tatouine in southern Tunisia, due to the total stoppage on production at the sites that has been going on for more than a month.



"This decision was taken due to the lack of prospects regarding the continuation of the sit-ins at El Kamour, which was very costly," Hamed Matri, advisor to the industry and energy minister, told TAP news agency.



The oil pumping valve in El Kamour was, in fact, closed on July 16 by protesters calling for improved development and employment for the region and for the complete implementation of the deal signed by the government and labour unions on June 16, 2017.



An OMV official told TAP that the decision to demobilise staff at the fields in Tatouine is "temporary".



However, resumption of the activity remains difficult because interruption of an oil field affects the sustainability of its production. The official said the company is also evaluating the possibility of demobilising staff in the "Nawara" field, a strategic infrastructure project for Tunisia allowing the development of gas resources in the south of the country.



For OMV, this joint project with state company ETAP is an important part of its growth strategy in Tunisia and in its portfolio of international activities.



At least 2,000 employees will be put out of work in the Tataouine region.



The salaries of the company's staff have already been reduced by 40% and another downward revision is still possible.



"The Tunisia site is strategic for the company, since it was the site of the project of the first international exploration and production of OMV in 1971," said OMV Tunisia.



OMV's activities currently focus on drilling and infrastructure development in the country's south.



Tunisia represents an essential source of future potential development, particularly in natural gas, the same source said.



(ANSA).




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - WHILL, Inc. (USA) is recalling WHILL Personal Electric Vehicles, Model Ci citing crash and injury hazards, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recall involves about 1,160 units of WHILL Model Ci vehicle, a personal mobility device that is powered by a lithium ion battery, and is occupant-controlled and motorized. It was manufactured in Taiwan by WHILL, Inc. (Japan), of Japan. The serial number of the recalled device ranges from C_1711188_US to C_1909011_US. The vehicles were sold online at spinlife.com, scootaround.com, accessnsm.com and topmobility.com and other online retailers from November 2017 through September 2019 for about $4,500. The agency noted that the vehicle's control pad can malfunction causing the power to turn on/off and the speed to increase/decrease, causing risks of crash and injury. The recall was initiated after the San Mateo, California-based company received 15 reports of device malfunctions, but no reports of any injuries. Consumers are urged to contact WHILL for a free replacement control pad. In similar incidents, CFMOTO Powersports Inc. on September 3 recalled around 500 units of 2020 ZFORCE 950 Sport recreational off-highway vehicles citing fire risk. Polaris Industries Inc. in July called back about 13,200 units of Ranger Off-Road Vehicles and PRO XD and Bobcat Utility Vehicles for crash hazard. 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.
The wet season has been in full swing across parts of Africa in recent weeks, bringing devastating flooding and causing hundreds of deaths from Senegal to Somalia.

While farmers, especially along the River Nile, rely on some flooding during the rainy season to create fertile ground for growing crops, the flooding this year has left disastrous impacts.

More than 1.21 million people across 12 different countries have been impacted by flooding from August to September, according to The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

A man walks beside a flooded road in the town of Shaqilab, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali)

The Security and Defense Council of Sudan declared a three-month-long state of emergency on Sept. 4 after heavy rainfall destroyed 100,000 homes. At least 99 deaths are being blamed on the flooding, according to the IFRC. By Sunday, Sep. 13, the death toll in Sudan had risen to 106, stated a local report.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

After weeks of persistent downpours, the Blue Nile, a tributary to the River Nile, rose to 17.58 m (57.68 feet) last week. According to a report from Al Jazeera, this flooding exceeds records set in 1946 and 1988.

The pyramids at al-Bajrawiya in Sudan, which usually sit about 500 m (1,600 ft) away from the Nile, are at risk due to the expansive flooding. Officials have built sandbag walls and have been pumping out water in an effort to protect the more-than-2,300-year-old ruins, the BBC reported.

This United Nations-designated world heritage site is located about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of the capital city of Khartoum.

"The floods had never affected the site before," archaeologist Marc Maillot told AFP, according to the BBC. "The situation is currently under control, but if the level of the Nile continues to rise, the measures taken may not be sufficient."

Story continues

South Sudan has also been impacted by heavy rainfall and excessive flooding of the White Nile River. More than 100 people have died and around 600,000 have been displaced due to flooding.

According to CNBC, Senegal, along the western coast of Africa, recorded 124 mm (4.88 inches) of rain over the course of a seven-hour downpour, on Sept. 7. This is the same amount that would usually be expected across the entire rainy season running from July to September.

At least four people have been killed by the heavy rain in Dakar, Senegal, earlier in the month.

No relief from the wet weather is in sight across central Africa as more rounds of rain and thunderstorms are expected through at least the weekend, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Areas of rain are expected to become heavy enough to exacerbate flooding from Senegal to Somalia or create new areas of flooding.

The increase in shower and thunderstorm activity from Senegal to Somalia is referred to as the West African Monsoon, which typically occurs from June through September. This is related to the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) located near the equator. During the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, the ITCZ moves north, bringing tropical moisture to these areas.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Several of Justice Thomass former Supreme Court clerks  including Kate Comerford Todd, a deputy White House counsel who herself was included among the 20  were directly involved in crafting the list, according to a person briefed on the process, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose details about a private process. Thomas is the conservative justice thought most likely to retire in a second Trump term, and six of his ex-clerks were included in Wednesdays list.
Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here.

The first morning of school was a struggle for one second-grader.
Todays business landscape is becoming increasingly fluid, with more people than ever owning and operating professional enterpriseswhether as their main occupation, a side hustle or both. In fact, one report reveals there are fully 582 million entrepreneurs in the world. This includes rental property owners; sellers on eBay, Etsy, Shopify, Amazon and the like; and independents taking advantage of todays burgeoning gig economy thats transcending limitations of yore.

Amid the escalating desire for the independence and control that comes with business ownership, for many there is a downside: compromised privacy. No matter the size of the enterprise or number of employeeseven solo-preneurshipthere are a multitude of situations and reasons one might prefer to keep their business ownership private. Doing so is nothing new and can be hugely beneficial. As one infamous example, in the early 1960s the Walt Disney Company formed various corporations under different names to purchase large parcels of swampland in Central Floridaland that Walt Disney World sits upon today. The plan for the land to be purchased by various shell companies was highly successful. The Walt Disney Company was able to fend off a burst of land speculation that surely would have halted the project before it could get started, had word got out that Disney was expanding to Florida.

Of course, smaller business owners dont need the clout and funds of Walt Disney to achieve some level of privacy and anonymity with their own business endeavors. In fact, the concept is called Anonymous LLC, which is becoming increasingly popular amongst todays breed of business owners. This momentum to shield ones business ownership is due, in large part, to the Internet having reached critical mass ... now a ubiquitous and readily tapped resource. Privacy is no longer as simple as maintaining an unlisted number in the phone book. With the advent of the Internet, anyone in the world can access information about veritably anyone, every day and at any time. Details that, in decades past, would have taken the expertise of a private investigator.

While the growing popularity of business ownership anonymity is an understandable, and even natural, response to todays challenges in an effort to establish and maintain privacy, it has not been without controversy. Some feel the practice of anonymous incorporation is abused or is simply an attempt to cover up illegal practices. To address this misconception and generally explore the benefits of anonymous enterprises, I connected with Law 4 Small Business (L4SB)a business law firm with multiple offices throughout the United Statesfor some clarity on the matter.

At the forefront in helping business owners achieve venture anonymity is L4SB Principal Attorney, Founder and Partner Larry Donahue, who has been a pioneer and preeminent advocate for the Anonymous LLC for nearly two decades. In fact, not only is Donahue credited for giving the Anonymous LLC its name, he is reportedly the first to provide this service to the public. So, its no surprise that, while his firm offers a breadth of business law services, Donahue cites Anonymous LLCs as his firms most requested service. Also notable is the fact that L4SB, one of the few law firms that has tackled the virtual legal landscape, has made it possible for anyone in the world to readily secure an Anonymous LLC online. This as Donahue champions the role an Anonymous LLC plays in protecting legitimate business owners in the modern era. Below are some of Donahues key insights in relation.

MK: First, to cover the most fundamental question, can you elaborate on what an Anonymous LLC is and the process to set it up?

LD: Simply put, an Anonymous LLC is defined as a limited liability company whose owners are not publicly identifiable by the state. It avoids public disclosure of ownership information of the LLC (i.e. Members) in the state in which the LLC is registered. This is accomplished by registering a normal, regular LLC carefully and lawfully in the states that permit anonymity. And/or it can also be accomplished by creating whats called a parent/child arrangement. In this scenario, the parent company is an Anonymous LLC that acts as a Holding Company, which then owns a lawful Operating Company (child) in any state where it conducts business.

To be clear, there is legally no such thing as an Anonymous LLC. Were you to walk into a bank and tell them you have an Anonymous LLC, they will probably look at you like youre crazy. An Anonymous LLC is actually a regular LLC, but one thats registered by our firm in a specialized way that prevents public disclosure of ownership information. Our law firm acts as the organizer and registered agent for the Anonymous LLC in select states and utilizes its status as a law firm to convey attorney-client privilege and confidentiality. Thus, an Anonymous LLC helps preserve the privacy of business owners by not permitting the ownership information to be associated with the LLC filing.

When our firm files an Anonymous LLC for clients in a state where such anonymity is possible, their personal information remains undisclosed and unpublished to the public. Because of this, Anonymous LLCs protect privacy, preserve confidentiality and even prevent harassment.

MK: Are Anonymous LLCs available everywhere in the U.S.?

LD: There are a number of states that permit Anonymous LLCs, but the most popular are Delaware, New Mexico and Wyoming. There are advantages and disadvantages with all three, but New Mexico is considered very private. That being said, for our firms part, L4SB utilizes all states as appropriate for each client, depending on where and how they are conducting business. New Mexico Anonymous LLCs proffer the strongest privacy.

MK: I understand your firm is realizing exponential growth for its Anonymous LLC option. Who exactly is buying them?

LD: Everybody. Seriously. Our own firm has experienced year-over-year sales for Anonymous LLCs, which are growing by triple digits. The types of owners are diverse and include everything from businesses you see when you drive down the street to those who own rental properties and would prefer their tenants utilize their property manager and not contact them personally. Others include those who sell goods online through e-commerce platforms and do not want their names and home addresses published with their seller information. Some of our clients (or their families) were previously threatened, harassed or stalked since their business ownership information was publicly accessible.

Yet other of our clients are abuse victims and want to own a company without disclosing their locations to their former abusers. A portion of our clients are of a higher profile, including celebrities, politicians, Fortune 500 executives and professional athletes who simply do not want to not have every business investment they make publicized.

I can tell you that all our clients place a lot of value in being able to avoid the massive amounts of robocalls and junk mail that commence once a company is publicly formed. Also, let me not forget Asset Protection 101. Many of our clients are sent to us by their CPAs, Estate Attorneys or Financial Planners since the main reason that LLCs exist is to legally separate personal and business assets.

MK: So, to be crystal clear, would you say its a misconception that anonymous business ownership is reserved for those wanting to do something illegal?

LD: (Laughs) Yes, thats a complete falsehood. The urban legend or myth is that Anonymous LLCs are a way for people to evade taxes, for so-called Slum Lords to avoid accountability, or for Dead Beat Dads to flee their child support obligations. The list of presumptions goes on and Im certainly aware of these criticisms. I suppose any procedure or law can be twisted or perverted to try to facilitate an unsavory outcome. At the end of the day, criminals will find a way to commit crime. Remember Enron? That was a very public company. And I should underscore that Anonymous LLCs are not actually anonymous to financial institutions and the IRS.

Moreover, any licensed and upstanding attorney like myself would not facilitate unethical or criminal activity, which could result in disbarment and possibly jail time. These are two scenarios any legitimate and honorable attorney would want to avoid at all costs. I cannot speak for those who are unethical, or even non-lawyers out there who are claiming to sell the same service.

Their objective need not be mal-intent when it comes to an Anonymous LLCs, but rather a feasible tool for legitimate businesses who seek privacy for justifiable reasons through legally-available means. I, myself, have been a business attorney for over 25 years and can tell you that lawyers are not who criminals call up ahead of time to consult with on the best way to break the law.

MK: You mentioned that the facilitating law firm does play a role in the business owners enterprise. Can you expand on that?

LD: With respect to how we approach Anonymous LLCs, the structure is set up to place our law firm as the Registered Agent. This means communications to the companies we have formed flow through the law firm and we, in turn, forward those communications to our clients. It is the modern-day version of a business owner handing out their attorneys card to anyone who has a question about the business. If the concern is legitimate, it will be dealt with timely and professionally. If the interest is simply to pry, solicit or harass, there is nothing there to see, so to speak. Those who have no legitimate need to inquire or poke around in the first place tend to move along, leaving our client and their business undisturbed.

MK: So, why now? If the concept of Registered Agents and shell companies have been around for decades, what is all of the recent attention about?

LD: The foremost driver of the Anonymous LLC has really just been current circumstances. Modern technology makes it too easy for business and personal information to be searched and obtained. The toxic political, societal and other cultural environments also spur folks to seek out their adversaries and make it personalall exacerbated by social media. I do not feel like anyone welcomes the idea of having a public listing of their assets, investments, personal information, phone numbers, photos, addresses, family members and more on display for the entire world to see. Think about it; All this information, if not insulated in some way, is only a few mouse clicks away on, perhaps, all of us.

I unequivocally agree that businesses should be registered with the state and everyone should pay their taxes, but I disagree with the notion that the average citizen forgoes their right to privacy when they decide to form a business entity or invest their assets. I view the Anonymous LLC as a critical instrument helping owners conduct business without placing themselves or their families at risk of harm or harassment.

One would be hard pressed to argue that the rapid sharing of ideas and information has diminished privacy on some level, if not profoundly. On the upside, the Anonymous LLC exists as one of the few legal, viable and readily-accessible tools available to protect it.

~~~ Sources:

https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/entrepreneur-statistics/

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney-shell-companies-20160408-story.html
Ankara on Thursday condemned French President Emmanuel Macron's "arrogant" comments on the simmering eastern Mediterranean standoff, which has pitted Turkey against Greece and the rest of the EU.

"French President Macron has again made an arrogant... statement," the foreign ministry said, adding in a statement that the French leader's comments were a sign "of his own weakness and despair".

Speaking in Corsica, where seven Mediterranean nations are discussing a response to Turkey's search for energy in waters claimed by Greece, Macron said Europe needed "to be clear and firm with the government of President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan".

"The people of Turkey, who are a great people, deserve something else," Macron said while discussing Erdogan's approach to the crisis, which Greece wants punished with biting economic sanctions.

The Turkish ministry accused Macron, who has backed Greece's claims by sending French warships into the region, of inflaming tensions "with his personal and nationalist attitude".

Macron's approach "puts Europe and the EU's great interests in jeopardy", the Turkish foreign ministry said.

Erdogan's top press aide, Fahrettin Altun, responded to Macron through a tweet: "Which E. Macron ought to be condemned for his desperate attacks on Turkey?" he asked.

"Macron, who pretended to be De Gaulle, that announced NATO's brain death? Macron, who armed terrorists in Libya and hurt NATO's southern flank? Or the wannabe Napoleon with his Mediterranean campaign?" he wrote.

Tensions have risen over the last year between Macron and Erdogan, notably when the French leader said that the lack of NATO response to a unilateral Turkish operation in northern Syria showed that the alliance was undergoing "brain death".

Turkey backs the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli in the conflict against eastern based Libyan National Army (LNA) lead by Khalifa Haftar.

France, despite public denials, has long been suspected of favouring Haftar, who has the backing of Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the European Parliament on Thursday that his country was against Macron's "hostile" policies.

"As Turkey and the Turkish government we have no problem with French people, we cannot, we are allies ... but we are against your President Macron's very hostile attitudes toward us," he told the parliament's foreign affairs committee through a video conference from Senegal.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online

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Desigual, an internationally recognised fashion brand founded in Barcelona in 1984, has expanded its presence to South Africa with its first local store opening in Sandton City Shopping Centre.

Creative and colourful

The new store covers an area of 180m2 and carries collections from the Woman, Accessories and Shoes categories. The brand has opted for a franchise format and is entering the SA market through local partner Marian Gaylard, a strategy that has proven successful in other regions, such as Latin America, and which Desigual is now following in Africa.The opening of this first store will allow us to test the acceptance of the brand with our sights firmly set on future openings in other locations like Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban, says Desiguals channels director Jordi Balsells.The South African market has an intriguing potential for growth. The qualities of our collections, such as the vibrant colours, the diversity of the materials and the uniqueness of the designs, match a style that will resonate with local consumers and which, combined with the Desigual DNA, has the potential to build a very strong connection with customers," Balsells adds.Created with the aim of dressing people, not bodies, Desigual is known for the creative individuality and unique character of its creations. The collections are made up of bold and colourful garments that exude non-conformism, rebelliousness and optimism - essential traits of the Desigual DNA.With its expansion into the South African market, Desigual says it is primarily targeting a consumer profile aged 25 to 45 "who likes daring, bold proposals and following trends, whilst remaining an individual. They are also seeking sophisticated and personalised in-store experiences," the brand says in a statement.Desigual has a presence in 92 countries with a network of close to 500 stores that operate through an omnichannel model. It currently has three branded stores in Egypt and one in Tunis. The company initially came to Africa with the opening of its store in Cairo, Egypt in 2010.
There will be no judicial cooperation forthcoming from the United States unless a Spanish judge reveals his information sources in an investigation into alleged espionage against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange while he was living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Judge Jose de la Mata of Spains High Court (Audiencia Nacional) has sent a request for judicial cooperation to US authorities as part of his probe into a Spanish private security company named UC Global S.L. and its owner David Morales, on allegations that this firm secretly recorded Assanges private meetings with lawyers, politicians, relatives and journalists at the embassy, where he took refuge in 2012 to avoid separate legal proceedings against him in Sweden.

Judge De la Mata has asked US prosecutors for the IP addresses of the computers or other networked devices that allegedly connected from American soil to a server in southern Spain

Morales was arrested a year ago and released pending trial. According to testimony from several protected witnesses and former UC Global workers who gave evidence in connection with the case, Morales provided the CIA with recordings, video material and reports detailing the activities of the 49-year-old Australian cyber-activist inside the diplomatic mission, where he lived until his eviction in April 2019.

Judge De la Mata, who is heading the probe into UC Global, has asked US prosecutors for the IP (Internet Protocol) addresses of the computers or other networked devices that allegedly connected from American soil to a server held by the private security firm at its headquarters in the southern Spanish city of Jerez de la Frontera.

That server stored all the recordings made by cameras at the embassy, where UC Global was in charge of security, as well as reports drafted by company employees detailing each visit that Assange received, images of the visitors' passports, and photographs of their cellphones and electronic devices.

According to testimony by several ex-workers as well as e-mails used as evidence in the investigation, US intelligence services allegedly had access to this central server.

Julian Assange gesturing from the window of a prison van as he was driven into Southwark Crown Court in London on May 1, 2019 after Ecuador withdrew his asylum status. Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS (AFP)

US prosecutors have now sent a letter to Maria de las Heras, a liaison judge for Spain in the US, asking her to convey their demands to De la Mata. These include showing proof that the requested IP addresses are relevant and substantial to the investigation. The document requests further details about the Spanish probe, including the sources of information for most of the assertions made in the request for judicial cooperation.

The Spanish judge has been asked to answer a long list of questions regarding every aspect of his investigation, including who he believes that Morales was providing information to, or whether the judge thinks Morales was working for a foreign information service or as an agent for a foreign power  or whether it was simply a case of bribery.

US prosecutors have asked for all this information to be relayed before October 16, otherwise we will assume that Spanish authorities are not interested and the request will be shelved.

The Spanish judge has been asked to answer a long list of questions regarding every aspect of his investigation, including who he believes that Morales was providing information to

The alleged espionage on Assange by UC Global was revealed in 2019 by an EL PAIS investigation that uncovered numerous illegal recordings made while the WikiLeaks founder was living at the Ecuadorean embassy.

Assanges defense later took legal action against Morales, who is a former member of the military, and against his company. Morales is currently being investigated for alleged violations of privacy and client-attorney privilege, as well as for bribery and money laundering.

The cyber-activist was evicted from the embassy after Ecuador withdrew his asylum status, and since then Assange has been held at Londons high-security Belmarsh Prison. He is fighting extradition to the US, where he is wanted on 18 charges of espionage and computer misuse that carry a maximum penalty of 175 years.

WikiLeakss publication of secret US military documents shed light on war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq; the organization also revealed thousands of diplomatic cables and released an operations manual for the US prison at Guantanamo, among other disclosures.

Judge De la Mata has just summoned Michelle Wallemak, the former head of operations at UC Global, to provide testimony in court as one of the suspects under investigation in his probe. Wallemak allegedly ordered the companys security personnel to carry out some of the espionage activities against Assange.

English version by Susana Urra.
The Niger State House Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology says only seven per cent of the N840.516 million education allocation of the 2019 budget was released to the state Ministry of Education.

The chairman of the committee and member representing Paiko Constituency, Suleiman Gambo, disclosed this during the presentation of a report at a plenary in Minna on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House had in August mandated the committee to perform oversight function by interfacing with stakeholders.

They were also mandated to visit affected schools to ascertain the level of development and areas needing improvement.

Mr Gambo explained that the committee discovered that many primary, junior and secondary schools across the state were dilapidated.

He added that the dilapidation was caused by natural disasters, while others were as a result of neglect.

The chairman also said that N1.3 billion spent by the state government to renovate nine schools under the Whole School Development Approach, three out of those schools were yet to be completed.

He listed the schools not renovated to include; Government Day Science College, Baro, Government Girls Secondary School, Tegina and Muazu Ibrahim Commercial Secondary School, Kontagora.

Mr Gambo added that there was inadequate furniture for teachers and pupils as about 70 per cent of pupils in primary schools were sitting on bare floors.

Reading the recommendations of the committee, Abdullahi Wuse, Speaker of the House, said the ministry and the state SUBEB should engage to see to the development of the education sector in the state.

Mr Wuse also urged proper monitoring while carrying out rehabilitation of schools especially in rural areas to reduce cost. (NAN)
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LENSCRATCH, an international online photographic platform, and the National Center For Civil And Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia today announced an exclusive collaboration to support a powerful line-up of lens-based indigenous artists in the month of October with Spirit: Focus on Indigenous Art, Artists and Issues.

The nine artists selected for this project, range from emerging to well-established individuals, and each brings their own unique vision to indigenous issues and history. The roll out will include a week of artist features on LENSCRATCH, from October 12 - October 18, 2020.

Featured artists include:

Kiliii Yuyan (kiliii.com), Shelley Niro, (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelley_Niro), Pat Kane (patkanephoto.com), Kali Spitzer & Bubzee(kalispitzer.photoshelter.com & bubzeeart.com),Will Wilson (willwilson.photoshelter.com), Jeremy Dennis (jeremynative.com), Meryl McMaster (merylmcmaster.com), and Donna Garcia (donnagarcia.com).

"We are thrilled to elevate and support Indigenous photographers and issues with a partner like the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, who is equally committed to providing an inclusive representation of the incredibly diverse community of visual artists creating lens-based work. It is important to us as an institution to shine a light on these powerful projects and recognize the Indigenous voice in the photographic conversation," said Aline Smithson, Founder and Editor & Chief of LENSCRATCH.

The National Center For Civil And Human Rights will host a virtual exhibition of the artists' work from October 12  November 12, 2020 @civilandhumanrights.org. The exhibition will open with a virtual artist talk at 12 pm EST, October 12, 2020 and closing talk November 12, 2020 at 12pm.

"We are so thankful to LENSCRATCH, Donna, and of course these amazing photographers for sharing this opportunity with us. Many people that we come in contact with at the Center see our exhibitions and focus in on representations of their own experience or those they are the most familiar with. As Dr. Martin Luther King is so often quoted saying: 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere'. On October 12th, Indigenous Peoples Day, we encourage you to dig into this exhibit, our programming, and any other resources you have for broadening your knowledge of Indigenous histories and cultures," said David Hopings, Manger of Public Engagement for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Spirit: Focus on Indigenous Art, Artists and Issues will coincide with Atlanta Celebrates Photography, an annual, month long celebration of photography and has designated Spirit as one of this years featured events, @acpinfo.org.

About LENSCRATCH

Since 2007, LENSCRATCH has featured the work of thousands of photographers and has provided a platform to launch portfolios, books, and exhibitions serving as a rich resource for educators and photographers. We provide a forum for critical and cultural discourse on the complex role this medium plays in the world, always aiming to reflect the vast array of voices/ perspectives within our photographic community. LENSCRATCH seeks to uplift emerging and student artists who will be the next generation shaping this powerful medium. We're committed to being an anti-racist organization providing an equitable, inclusive representation of this incredibly diverse community and the wide aesthetic, personal, technical, and conceptual considerations being explored. More at lenscratch.com .

About the National Center for Civil and Human Rights

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a vibrant museum and cultural institution in Atlanta. Our immersive and powerful exhibitions connect US civil rights history to the global struggle for human rights around the world today. We are one of the only institutions in the world where the papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are on permanent display. Our engaging events and conversations, education, and advocacy training bring together leading thinkers on advancing rights. For more information, visit civilandhumanrights.org . Join the conversation on civil and human rights on @ctr4chr (Twitter), @ctr4chr (Facebook), and @ctr4chr (Instagram).

About Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP)

Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP) is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the cultivation of the photographic arts and the enrichment of the Atlanta art community. Celebrating its 22nd year, ACP helps make Atlanta a leading center for the world's fastest growing art form by creating experiences that enrich, inspire and transform. In addition to year-round programs ACP produces the largest annual community-oriented photo festival in the United States each October. More at acpinfo.org

MEDIA CONTACT:

Donna Garcia

404.660.5533

[email protected]

SOURCE Donna Garcia

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The Rays have acquired infielder Pedro Martinez, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Martinez is one of two players to be named later the Rays received from the Cubs in the teams deal Aug. 30 deal centering on Jose Martinez. The identity of the other player still isnt known.

Pedro Martinez, whos just 19 years old, joined the Cubs as an international free agent from Venezuela in 2018. He spent that season and last year producing quality numbers between rookie and low-A ball, where he combined for a .310/.393/.422 line with four home runs and 50 stolen bases on 69 attempts over 461 plate appearances.

While hes still a ways from the majors, Martinez did rank as a well-regarded Cubs prospect before they traded him. MLB.com and FanGraphs are among the outlets that have favorable views of Martinez, as the former placed him 14th in the Cubs system and the latter ranked him 22nd. FanGraphs complimented the switch-hitting Martinezs bat-to-ball skills and suggested he could at least turn into a role player in the majors.
BAGLEY TOWNSHIP, MI  A vehicle crashed into a train after failing to yield, and then hit another vehicle on Tuesday.

Troopers from the Michigan State Police Gaylord Post were called to the crash around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday on Milbocker Road in Bagley Township, Otsego County.

The train was stopped on the Lake State Railway. A 22-year-old Gaylord man traveling westbound failed to a yield at the marked railroad crossing where the train was partially blocking the westbound lane. The vehicle struck the train, continued through the intersection and then struck another vehicle in the eastbound lane on the other side of the tracks.

The Gaylord man told responding troopers that he didnt see the train. He swerved at the last second to avoid it but collided with the leading face of the engine. The vehicle was severely damaged and continued over the tracks until it hit the yielded vehicle on the other side.

The driver was cited for failure to yield at a signed intersection. He was transported to Otsego Memorial Hospital after complaining of shoulder pain. No one else was injured.

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The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners has denied the application to practice medicine for the medical director of a Tuscaloosa abortion clinic.

Dr. Leah N. Torres, who has been serving as medical director of the West Alabama Womens Center under a temporary license, made fraudulent statements in her application, the board said.

The Board denied an application for a certificate of qualification on Aug. 19, and on Aug. 27 temporarily suspended her license to practice medicine until a hearing is held on the allegations against her.

A hearing has been set before the Medical Licensure Commission in Montgomery on Dec. 21.

The letter of notice from the Board of Medical Examiners says that Torres, in her application, gave false answers to several questions including whether her staff privileges had ever been revoked or suspended at any hospital or health care facility.

It also says that Torres has made public statements related to the practice of medicine which violate the high standards of honesty, diligence, prudence, and ethical integrity demanded from physicians licensed to practice in Alabama.

Torres was not available for comment, said Robin Marty, spokeswoman for the West Alabama Womens Center.

West Alabama Womens Center is following all state guidelines regarding its operation, Marty said. We believe the actions taken regarding Dr. Torress licensing application are based on misunderstandings concerning documents she filed with the Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Licensure Commission. We know Dr. Torres to be an entirely honorable and professional doctor and look forward to the resolution of the issues relating to her application and license.

A coalition of anti-abortion groups, including CEC For Life, Life Legal Defense Foundation, Operation Rescue, Pro-Life Tuscaloosa and Alabama Physicians for Life, had filed complaints to the Board of Medical Examiners about Torres.

The abortion industry feels they are not accountable to anyone and you can see it in the way they operate," said the Rev. Terry Gensemer, director of Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life. "They are used to getting away with things like injuring women or hiring doctors who lie on their medical applications. However, in Alabama, citizens are making certain the state holds these places accountable. Abortion is not welcome here, and we are exposing these clinics: prayerfully, peacefully and legally.

Torres replaced previous medical director Dr. Louis Payne, who co-founded the clinic in 1993 and was on duty May 7 when a woman who left the Tuscaloosa clinic after an abortion died at UAB Hospital. An initial investigation of that incident determined no criminal charges were warranted.

The West Alabama Womens Center performed 3,371 abortions in 2018, out of 6,484 that year statewide, according to the Alabama Center for Health Statistics.

The clinic made national news earlier this year when it was purchased by the Yellowhammer Fund, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance for abortions in Alabama.

The Yellowhammer Fund received a large influx of donations after Alabama passed the nations most restrictive law on abortion in 2019. The law would have banned nearly all abortions, but U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson blocked the ban with a preliminary injunction in October 2019, saying it was unconstitutional.

The West Alabama Womens Center has been one of only three clinics regularly performing abortions in Alabama the past two years, along with Alabama Womens Center for Reproductive Alternatives in Huntsville, where 1,823 abortions were done in 2018, and Reproductive Health Services in Montgomery, which did 1,286 abortions in 2018. USA Children and Womens Center in Mobile and Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham each reported performing two induced pregnancy terminations in 2018.

Planned Parenthood Southeast opened its new clinic in downtown Birmingham in July and plans to offer abortion services there beginning this fall.
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.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 10 : Two Special Operation Group (SOG) jawans were killed in an exchange of fire with the Maoists in a forest on the Kalahandi-Kandhamal border, said police on Thursday.

The deceased have been identified as Sudhir Kumar Tudu (28) of Mayurbhanj district and Debasis Sethy (27) of Angul district.

At least five Maoists, including four women had died in the gunbattle that took place in Odisha's Bhandarangi Sirki forest area on the Kalahandi-Kandhamal border on Wednesday.

They belonged to the Bansadhara-Ghumsar-Nagabali division of the banned CPI (Maoist), said police.

On the basis of reliable intelligence input, an operation was launched on the Kalahandi-Kandhamal border on September 8. Two composite teams of the SOG and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) of the Odisha Police participated in this operation.
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology, and next-generation services, today joined Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor to announce that it plans to hire 500 additional tech workers in Rhode Island by 2023.

Infosys President Ravi Kumar will join Governor Raimondo and Secretary Pryor for a fireside chat about Infosys' future in Rhode Island at 1:00PM today. The conversation will be livestreamed on the Governor's Facebook page .

"Infosys has been a critical partner to Rhode Island since setting up shop in Providence two years ago," said Governor Gina Raimondo. "I'm grateful for their contributions to our state, including this commitment to 500 additional tech jobs by 2023, recent work to launch the "CRUSH COVID RI" app that is helping get the pandemic under control, and participation in Back to Work RI. I look forward to continuing to work together to create opportunities for Rhode Islanders in the years to come."

"Rhode Island's strong leadership, positive business climate, and innovative spirit are exactly what Infosys looks for in a host community," said Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys. "We are excited to increase our commitment to the State and continue nurturing design-focused specialists, as well as tech talent to serve the needs of our clients in the U.S."

These 500 new employees are part of Infosys' broader workforce commitment and its recent announcement to hire 12,000 additional workers in the country, bringing the total national commitment to 25,000. In 2019, Infosys opened its Digital Innovation and Design Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

The new employees will work on a variety of tech-focused roles, and Infosys' recently launched Reskill & Restart program will be among the channels used to recruit and train employees. This new initiative, explicitly aimed at reskilling workers who have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, begins with an aptitude and skills assessment, followed by curated job-specific skills training, and culminates in matching them with available positions.

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These filings are available at www.sec.gov . Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

SOURCE Rhode Island Commerce; Infosys
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 15:13 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44084bc 1 National elephant,Sumatran-elephant,aceh Free

A Sumatran elephant was found dead on Wednesday at a community plantation in Pidie regency, Aceh.

Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) head Agus Arianto said he did not yet know the cause the elephants death.

The BKSDAs medical team has been dispatched to the location. We are awaiting the examination results to learn the exact time and cause of the elephants death, Agus said on Wednesday, as quoted by tempo.co.

Agus added that the elephant had sustained an injury to its right leg. However, he could not say if the injury was the cause of the animals death until the results of the examination were known.

The elephants, which are found in the wild only on the island of Sumatra, are a critically endangered species.

The Aceh BKSDA urged the public to preserve the elephants habitat by refraining from destroying the forest.

Destroying elephant habitat could lead to conflict with humans. This conflict could cause financial losses and the deaths of the animals and humans involved, Agus said. (dpk)
The enterprise technology environment continues to grow more and more complex as application and organisational analytical needs develop their own complexities.

Partnering with a business with a deep history and a view of how these environments have changed over time and continue to evolve has become more important than ever before.

GlassHouse Technology has been an integral player in the digital transformation and managed services arena in many international countries.

With its head office in Turkey, it has earned its place as a highly respected technology partner having worked with many global powerhouse brands.

Now offering services to South African clients, GlassHouse brings with it its international expertise and global best practice for business continuity, managed services and cloud architecture and services locally.

With over 300 global organisations on cloud platforms managed by GlassHouse local customers can be assured that their technology solutions are best fit for whatever market or markets they play in, said GlassHouse South Africa Country Manager, Mike Styer.

There is little doubt that digital transformation is on the minds of CIOs , and if it isnt, it certainly should be. According to research by the IDC 97% of organisations in the Middle East and Africa region are already on a digital transformation journey.

The reason for this is that organisations are looking to leverage their technologies to drive innovation, to better service their customers, generate a more productive workforce and build products that ultimately drive the bottom-line.

But understanding how best to manage your technology assets has never been a more intensive process that requires integrative skills that only a very select few technology experts own.

In fact, IDC has determined that as much as 58% of global organisations find themselves stuck in what it terms a digital deadlock either locked in silos or unable to navigate the complexity that comes with deciding how best to deliver on digital transformation.

With either internationally experienced and locally sourced expertise, GlassHouse will apply its own methodologies to your technology environments, helping you to overcome this digital deadlock through our tried and tested strategic and operational processes.

With many customers managed in the cloud and on-premise and with our experience in many other markets, if there is one thing we understand its hybrid cloud. This is aligned to a growing international trend. Working with our vendor partners and our deep experience, we are able to strategically craft your environment to determine what services should be on-premise and which ones should be cloud-based and we deliver our services in record time with the aim to create customer delight, said Styer.

GlassHouse offers an array of technology solutions for enterprise. Indeed, its roots lie in support for Dell systems internationally, particularly in data protection and the company holds unparalleled skills in this arena. Data and data management is in our DNA with business continuity, disaster recovery and backup services being some of our key long term offerings.

But in the South African environment, GlassHouse has placed a strong focus on its SAP services portfolio, holding a Gold Partner level with SAP hosting and S4 HANA certification. When it comes to an organisations SAP environment, GlassHouse does everything except the development and application customisation aspects of SAP.

From ensuring that the SAP environment is in the right place and using the right resources, through to migrations and installations, GlassHouse has acquired and trained top-level skills to ensure that any environment is properly leveraged to meet any companys needs.

With SAP pushing for migration from legacy to S4 HANA and the support timelines for legacy services rapidly shrinking, GlassHouse has placed a strong focus on the development of best practice and fast agile solutions to help customers make that transition effectively and efficiently.

The partnership with SAP is incredibly strong and GlassHouse already fields 7,000 level 1 and level 2 calls annually.

Building a hybrid cloud that best suits an organisations needs requires an agile strategy, and one that can be architected and implemented all while ensuring that business assets are placed where they will be most efficient. That requires partnerships with the worlds best service providers, which GlassHouse certainly has.

As a Gold partner of Microsoft, GlassHouse has a strong partnership with Microsoft locating customers into the Azure data centres in SA. This partnership allows us to provide our customers with the right advice when it comes to how best to implement their digital transformation strategy, said Styer.

Applications requires more and more complex environments to run, GlassHouse is perfectly positioned to create, implement and maintain an optimal managed services strategy for their clients to not only thrive, but also to innovate.

GlassHouse views cloud not as a place, but as an operational model. To support this concept, GlassHouse offers residency services as well as managed services to leading enterprises around the world. We help you not only keep the lights on, but to align to business requirements and innovate, said Styer.

Whether your organisation is looking for managed services, backup, recovery or business continuity, managed SAP services or systems monitoring, GlassHouse is set to become your partner of choice in your environment.

About GlassHouse

GlassHouse is a multi-national company established in 2004, with the South African branch opened in 2019 in Johannesburg. Its South African head office is located at The Campus, in Bryanston.

Glasshouse provides Managed Services into Data Protection and Recovery environments as well as a host of Services into SAP, SAP HANA and Microsoft Azure environments, drawing on the skills of a highly experienced team with a proven track record in delivering quality solutions.

Click here for more information from GlassHouse.
Bjoern Wylezich / TNS

A 25-year-old New Haven man previously convicted on felony charges faces up to 10 years in prison after federal authorities allege he had a 9 mm handgun in his home.

Demetrius Drew was charged Wednesday with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, a press release from the U.S. attorneys office for the district of Connecticut said.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday attacked the government over its assistance to the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, alleging that money given was "niggardly and totally insufficient".

The Finance Ministry on Tuesday said more than 42 crore people have received Rs 68,820-crore financial assistance under the government's Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to protect the poor and vulnerable from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

As part of the Rs 1.70 lakh crore PMGKP, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26, the government announced free foodgrains and cash payment to women, poor senior citizens and farmers.

Attacking the government, Chidambaram asked, "How much did each beneficiary get under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana? Was it 'relief' in any real sense or tokenism?"

Under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), 2.81 crore people got Rs 2,814 crore or Rs 1,000 per person, the former finance minister said and asked, "Could that sum have kept body and soul together".

"Jan Dhan account holding women (20.6 crore) got Rs 30,925 crore or Rs 1,500 each over three months. Could a homemaker have run a family on Rs 500 a month?" he said in a series of tweets.

"Migrants (2.66 crore) got 2.67 lakh MT of food grains over 2 months. That is 5 kg per month. Could it have sustained a migrant and his family? The numbers prove that the money given was niggardly and totally insufficient," Chidambaram said.

"And certainly, the money could not have acted as a 'stimulus' to boost demand and revive the economy," he added.

Under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan', the government announced supply of free food grains and chana to migrants for two months, and the estimate of number of migrants provided by the states was about 2.8 crore.

"During the distribution period up to August, total 2.67 LMT of food grains was distributed to 5.32 crore migrants. This works out to an average of about 2.66 crore beneficiaries per month, which is nearly 95 per cent of the estimated number of migrants," the ministry had said.
HANOI, Vietnam - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked Southeast Asian nations Thursday to reconsider deals with Chinese companies blacklisted by Washington for building island outposts he says Beijing is using to bully rival claimants in the disputed South China Sea.

Pompeo spoke with counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in an annual conference by video due to the coronavirus pandemic. Four of the members  the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei  have been locked in the long-raging territorial conflict with China, along with Taiwan, over the busy waterway, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.

Although the U.S. lays no claim to the South China Sea, the Trump administration has recently imposed sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for Beijings military buildup in the area. It includes airfields and radar and missile stations on islands constructed atop coral reefs, raising fears China may interfere with freedom of navigation in international waters.

I think keep going, dont just speak up but act, Pompeo told top diplomats from the 10-nation bloc, without elaborating. A State Department spokeswoman said he pressed for a peaceful resolution of the disputes.

China does not respect democratic values and principles of sovereignty, quality and territorial integrity enshrined in the ASEAN charter, Pompeo said. He cited the U.S. blacklisting of about two dozen Chinese companies for their roles in constructing artificial islands in the disputed waters that infringe on other states claims.

Reconsider business dealing with the very state-owned companies that bully ASEAN coastal states in the South China Sea, Pompeo said.

Dont let the Chinese Communist Party walk over us and our people. You should have confidence and the American will be here in friendship to help you, he said.

Its not clear how many ASEAN members have dealings with the Chinese construction companies blacklisted by the U.S. Commerce Department. But Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertes administration said last week it would not follow the U.S. move and will allow one of the blacklisted firms or its subsidiary to partner with a local company for an airport project in Cavite province south of Manila.

The U.S. has challenged Chinas sweeping territorial claims by deploying warships and fighter jets for what it calls freedom of navigation and overflight patrols in the disputed waters.

There was no immediate comment from China or its foreign minister, Wang Yi, who was participating in the ASEAN meetings and separately met the groups ministers Wednesday. China has insisted it has right to safeguard its national interests and accuses Washington of interfering in regional affairs.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, whose country is hosting ASEAN meetings this year, warmed up to Pompeos remarks, saying the ASEAN-U.S. relationship has brought about mutual benefit to both sides.

The U.S. role and contribution to maintaining peace, stability and security in the region are encouraged, he said.

ASEAN, founded in 1967, has struggled to stay away from the escalating rivalry between Washington and Beijing. It has often asserted its centrality and regional leadership although some critics dismiss the group as a talk shop that is often vulnerable to the sway of world powers.

Depending on how ASEAN deals with issues, they can either result in disaster or a new dawn of peace and stability for our region, Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told colleagues on Tuesday.

The challenge here is leadership  do we lead or do we follow? he asked. Make no mistake  Southeast Asia intends to remain the master of its own destiny.

___

Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Suicide Awareness Week, which began Sept. 6, aims to erase the stigma surrounding mental health issues and suicide. For African Americans  who are more likely to have mental health issues and less likely to receive care  the need is greater.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, Black adults are 20% more likely to report serious psychological distress than white adults, largely due to the psychological stresses created by systemic racism. The American Psychological Association in 2019 found that viral videos of police killings and violence against African Americans can produce trauma symptoms, including those of post traumatic stress disorder, in Black people.

However, according to Dr. Carrie Dixon of the Indiana Association of Black Psychologists, current events are rarely brought up in therapy sessions, potentially leaving the root causes of someones mental health struggles out of the conversation.

Therapists are not likely to ask you about any type of current events that are taking place, Dixon said. So, if youre Black and your neighbor or cousin has been killed by a white policeman and that is contributing to your depression, you may not realize that its a contributing factor, and you may not bring it up in therapy.

While Dixon believes questions related to racial trauma should be standard for all therapists, she said Black psychologists and psychiatrists are more likely to bring up the issue than white doctors, which is why the need for representation, she said, is so great.

There has to be more of an insistence from the community as a whole for greater representation, Dixon said.

According to Mental Health America, a nonprofit mental health advocacy group, 58.2% of African Americans living with a mental health issue in 2018 did not receive treatment. Dixon said a lack of representation, inaccessibility to health care and historical practices of doctors using Black patients as guinea pigs lead to African Americans in need of mental health care not receiving it.

Dixon said increasing representation will not only make Black patients feel safer and increase the likelihood they will seek help, but it would also prevent incorrect diagnoses.

[Symptoms of mental health issues] are going to be interpreted differently depending on who is doing the interpretation, Dixon said. So, if I as a Black therapist am asking a Black client questions from a standardized test, I might have to go off the script a bit to talk about connection with family and systemic racism issues and what impact that is having on the client.

Dixon said if a white therapist is unaware of cultural differences and doesnt understand the significant impact structural racism can have on someones mental health, they are more likely to diagnose a Black patient with a severe illness and prescribe them stronger, more toxic medication.

Mental Health America found African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and are less often diagnosed with mood disorders compared to white people with the same symptoms.

According to Dr. Dorothy Simpson-Taylor, a member of the Indiana Association of Black Psychologists, 132 Americans die by suicide each day  1 attempt every 28 seconds. Within the African American community, suicide is the third leading cause of death in males ages 15 to 24.

And while, according to Mental Health America, Black people are less likely than whites to die from suicide, Black teenagers are over 5% more likely to attempt suicide than white teenagers.

By reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and making mental health care more accessible and representative of the community, Dixon said we may be able to reverse some of the problems the Black community faces today in terms of mental health care.

Historically, African Americans have been reluctant to seek mental health treatment and medical treatment because of mistrust and mistreatment, Dixon said, citing experiments on enslaved individuals and a lack of empathy toward Black patients from white doctors.  We get the point with COVID. We have a disproportionally higher number of Black folks contracting and dying from COVID because of our health problems being more pervasive.  Why is it were more vulnerable? We havent received the proper treatment. We have good reason to not trust the institutions to do right by us.

Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.

Suicide prevention week
Direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban get underway on Saturday with flickering hopes of ending a devastating conflict, but also a violent reminder of the bitter enmities which casts a shadow over the peace process.

The negotiations were scheduled to begin as Afghanistan marks the anniversary of the assassination of Ahmed Shah Massoud, the renowned Mujaheddin leader whose death was part of al-Qaedas plans to eliminate domestic opposition in the run-up to the 9/11 attacks in New York.

On Wednesday, 19 years to the day Massoud was murdered by suicide bombers, Amrullah Saleh, the countrys senior vice president, an implacable enemy of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, was the target of a lethal assassination attempt.
(Natural News) A hypothetical form of black holes gets a second look after researchers from the University of Hawai?i at M?noa corrected a subtle error on previous models simulating the expansion of the universe.

Scientists call this black hole General Object of Dark Energy (GEODE): It looks like a black hole from the outside but is made of dark energy at its core. Beyond that, however, the nature of GEODEs remains unclear. For one, theres still a lot scientists do not know about dark energy, a mysterious force proposed to explain how the universe expands despite the counteracting forces of gravity.

In a study published in the Astrophysical Journal, the researchers posit that a GEODE may be one possible outcome for dying stars. Large stars that went supernova could either collapse into a black hole or turn into a neutron star, a very dense star predominantly made of neutrons.

The team incorporated the small cores of collapsed, exploded stars. These cores are about the size of Honolulu  so small compared to whats out there in space that astrophysicists are prone to leave them out in simulating cosmic expansion.

But the researchers argue that these little cosmic objects can play a major role in the spread of the universe.

For 80 years, weve generally operated under the assumption that the universe, in broad strokes, was not affected by the particular details of any small region, said co-author and astrophysicist Kevin Croker.

Their adjusted model shows that stellar cores can affect and be affected by cosmic expansion. In particular, they found that if the collapsed cores of ancient stars turned into GEODEs, their average effect on expanding space would echo that of dark energy.

Black holes made of dark energy may explain cosmic expansion

Scientists previously believed that the expansion of the universe is slowing down. Thats due to gravity, whose pull, according to the theory of relativity, would naturally draw cosmic systems and objects together, not away. But in 1998, this theory was proven wrong when two independent teams of astronomers found that the universe is expanding at an accelerated rate.

The finding has puzzled scientists ever since. They posit that theres something unknown and mysterious thats consistent with the expansion of the universe. They gave it a name: dark energy.

Scientists have developed models of cosmic expansion that takes dark energy into account. But it appears that they have neglected the little dense cores that remain after a star went supernova, observed Croker and co-author Joel Weiner.

In their model, Croker and Weiner demonstrated that the expansion rate of the universe can be sensitive to the average contribution of the compact cores. In the same manner, the objects can be affected by cosmic expansion by gaining or losing energy depending on their properties.

This interpretation has compelling applications, said the researchers. For one, it informs what form stars could take at the end of their lives. In particular, it supports an earlier theory that posited the existence of GEODEs. Its proponent was Erast Gliner, a physicist at the Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute in Russia, who proposed that massive stars can collapse into GEODEs.

In turn, GEODEs can help explain the mystery of dark energy. The teams model showed that if a fraction of the oldest stars collapsed into GEODEs, their average effect today would look just like dark energy.

The results of the study also applies to the colliding double black hole system observed by scientists through the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo interferometer. LIGO is the observatory that provided scientists the first piece of evidence of gravitational waves in 2015.

The observed waves were found to have come from the collision and merging of two black holes several light-years away. The pair of objects were roughly five times more massive than predicted by computer simulations.

Croker and Weiner considered whether the double black holes were double GEODEs, instead. Using their adjusted model, they discovered that GEODEs grow together with the universe during the time leading up to a collision. Once two GEODEs collide and merge, their combined mass is estimated to be four to eight times larger, which is around the estimate made through the LIGO-Virgo observations. (Related: Bizarre and fascinating: 9 Incredible things about black holes.)

The team noted that while their findings remain theoretical, they cant be dismissed easily. Croker said, What we have shown is that if GEODEs do exist, then they can easily give rise to observed phenomena that presently lack convincing explanations.

Space.news has more on the peculiarities of black holes.

Sources include:

Science.NASA.gov 1

Science.NASA.gov 2

ScienceDaily.com
Madurai:

The Madras high court dismissed a PIL seeking a direction to the Centre to nationalise the immovable and movable properties of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, saying these were self-earned by her and the court could not interfere.

A division bench of the court here comprising justice A Selvam and justice P Kalaiarasan said the PIL was not maintainable as it did not come under the description given for Public Interest Litigations by the Supreme Court.

Besides, the bench said the properties of Jayalalithaa were self-earned, bought by her in her personal capacity and the court could not interfere and give a direction to nationalise them.

Petitioner KK Ramesh of Tamil Nadu Centre for PIL, an NGO, had submitted that Jayalalithaa owned Rs 72 crore worth properties and did not have any direct heir.

Nor did she mention as to who would inherit her properties. Since she had openly stated that 'she was for the people', it was necessary for the government to take over her properties and use the revenue from them for the welfare of the poor people, he had contended.

Petitioner had also sought appointment of a retired high court judge to manage the properties of Jayalalithaa, who died on December 5 last year. He moved the court as there was no response to his representation made to the Principal Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office on the matter, the petitioner had submitted.

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MEXICO CITY, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A Mexican journalist who wrote about crime in the violent Gulf Coast state of Veracruz was found beheaded on Wednesday, local media reported, the latest grisly murder of a reporter in one of the world's most dangerous nations for journalists.

The body of Julio Valdivia, 44, who specialized in the "nota roja" journalism that focuses on gruesome crime and violence, was found in the remote Tezonapa municipality, about 100 kilometers from the state capital, Veracruz.

A staff member at Valdivia's Diario El Mundo local newspaper in Veracruz said initially it was suspected that Valdivia might have been run over by a train, but that was ruled out by the prosecutor's office.

"Valdivia was found near the train tracks, beheaded and tortured," said the newspaper staff member, who did not wish to be identified.

El Universal and several other local news outlets reported that Valdivia was beheaded, the fourth journalist death in Mexico this year.

In 2019, about half of all murders of journalists around the world occurred in Mexico, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

"We condemn the homicide of Julio Valdivia," the Veracruz government said on its Twitter account.

A local media protection group known as the CEAPP said in a statement that Valdivia did not have extra protection measures as he had not reported facing threats to his security. But the group demanded the authorities "shed light" on the murder. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Drazen Jorgic and Leslie Adler)
WATERLOO  Three tenants at a house in the university campus area face charges after more than 100 students gathered on Hickory Street West for a house party Monday night.

Waterloo Regional Police, along with Waterloo bylaw officers, were called to the house at about 10 p.m. to break up the party.

Police spokesperson Cherri Greeno said three tenants were charged with breaking provincial emergency orders for having more than 50 people gathered at a residence.

Acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang scolded the students and warned of increased enforcement.

Large gatherings and parties will not be tolerated, she said. We are doing this not because we dont want you to have fun, but because this is not the right thing to do when were still in a pandemic.

Disease outbreaks elsewhere have been connected to large gatherings where public health measures were not followed, she said.

Our actions matter. What we do makes a difference in terms of reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community, she said. We all need to keep following the public health measures.

This means avoiding big parties, wearing a mask when required, limiting your social circle to 10 or fewer people, and practising physical distancing with people not in that circle, she said.

We have to be very vigilant, Wang said. I understand its been six months and its hard for people to be under restrictions. But there are ways to socialize and have fun safely ... We dont need to have large parties where the risk is really high.

Police also reminded students not to gather in large groups and to abide by public health guidelines, to avoid putting others at risk.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and e-Gopala App, a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for direct use of farmers, which will do away with the role of middlemen in procurement and purchase.

After inaugurating the projects in Bihar virtually the Prime Minister interacted with many farmers involved in dairy and other animal rearing work. During the ceremony Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister for Animal Husbandry Giriraj Singh were also present.

Speaking on the occasion the Prime Minister said, "India is inching towards a goal where in the village itself there will be food processing clusters and research units." He said the target in 'Blue Revolution' is to double the export of fish products and Ganga rejuvenation plan will help the people involved in the profession.

"The project has been started in 21 states and Rs 20,000 crore will be spend in the next four-five years. An amount of Rs 1,700 cr has been initiated to start the project," said the Prime Minister.

As of now, the Department of Fisheries has approved Rs 1,723 crore worth of proposals for 21 states and Union Territories in phase-I under the PMMSY. Priority has been accorded for income-generating activities under the scheme.

The Prime Minister also interacted with farmers and producers involved in dairy farming and other professions, and told them that the government will arrange a tour to the Amul facility in Gujarat for the farmers to get more experience to increase production.

This is a big ticket launch ahead of the Bihar elections. The Prime Minister emphasized that a lot of effort is being put in to reach the beneficiaries of PMKGY and especially to the migrant labourers who have returned to their native places.

The Prime Minister said that under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN) 10 crore farmers have benefited out of which 75 lakh farmers are from Bihar and Rs 6,000 crore has been deposited in their accounts.

The PMMSY is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector with an estimated investment of Rs 20,050 crore, as a part of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' package. This is the highest-ever investment in the fisheries sector. Of this, an investment of about Rs 12,340 crore is proposed for beneficiary-oriented activities in Marine, Inland fisheries and Aquaculture while about Rs 7,710 crore are proposed for Fisheries Infrastructure.

The PMMSY aims at enhancing fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonne by 2024-25, increasing fisheries export earnings to Rs 1,00,000 crore by 2024-25, doubling the income of fisheries and fish farmers, reducing post-harvest losses from 20-25 per cent to about 10 per cent and generation of additional 55 lakh direct and indirect gainful employment opportunities in the fisheries sector and allied activities, said the government in a release on Wednesday.

In Bihar, the scheme envisages an investment of Rs 1,390 crore with a Central share of Rs 535 crore and the additional fish production target pegged at 3 lakh tonnes. During the current financial year, the Centre has sanctioned the proposal of the Bihar government at a total project cost of Rs 107 crore.

Prime Minister Modi also announced the establishment of a Fish Brood Bank at Sitamarhi, and the Aquatic Disease Referral Laboratory at Kishanganj, for which assistance has been provided under PMMSY.
A court hearing arguments in the case of on Thursday heard expert views on the fugitive diamond merchant's personal family history of suicide and his deteriorating mental health in prison, which would only further deteriorate in solitary confinement.

Justice Samuel Goozee, presiding over the case at Westminster Magistrate's Court in London, was presented with three defence witnesses on day four of the five-day hearing, with each giving expert evidence on the 49-year-old jeweller's severe depression, risk from COVID-19 and the lack of adequate facilities at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai where he is to be held on being extradited.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), appearing on behalf of the Indian authorities in the USD 2-billion Punjab Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, argued that the conditions at Barrack 12 in Arthur Road Jail would be better than those the jeweller is currently faced with in a COVID-19 locked-down Wandsworth Prison cell in London.

"Coupled with a severe condition of depression, in my view, he presents a high risk of suicide albeit not immediately," said Dr Andrew Forrester, a forensic psychiatrist who has examined Modi on four occasions between September last year and August this year.

Referring to the "suicide of his mother", Dr Forrester stressed that as a "significant feature" as Modi's mental health condition was on a deterioration trajectory and meets the criteria for hospital treatment in the absence of a multi-professional plan involving anti-depressants and psychotherapy.

The medical expert revealed that while Modi is currently on anti-depressants, the lack of supportive therapy or counselling due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in prison meant he was displaying signs of psychomotor retardation, a more severe form of depression which involves a manifest slowing down in movement and speech.

"If by contrast, he was given full access to multi-professional mental health care, better than he is currently getting at Wandsworth, would that assurance be helpful, asked CPS barrister Helen Malcolm, implying that the government of India may be open to providing such an assurance.

Forrester agreed to take that into account and discuss Modi's treatment with any medical professionals appointed in India in the future. He separately also dismissed the possibility of Modi faking his symptoms in an attempt to mislead or deceive the court.

His testimony in court followed live videolink evidence from Thailand by Richard Coker, an Emeritus Professor at London School Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and an expert in epidemiology and infectious disease, in support of defence arguments over the high COVID-19 risk Modi would be exposed to at Arthur Road Jail which has had an outbreak back in May.

While the Indian government had earlier submitted data to highlight that the outbreak has been fully contained, Coker countered: COVID spreads extremely effectively through prisons and the risk increases if community prevalence of disease is high."



He assessed a 0.75 per cent risk of death should Modi contract COVID-19 at Arthur Road Jail, a figure the CPS sought to compare with other infectious diseases such as malaria. Better ventilation and space at Barrack 12 was also flagged as a positive, as opposed to the overcrowded setting at Wandsworth Prison in London.

"There is an equal possibility of bringing [COVID-19] into this courtroom, unwittingly, said Malcolm, in reference to the risk factor from coronavirus in the wider community.

Inadequate prison conditions once again remained at the heart of the defence arguments as they also deposed Dr Alan Mitchell, a medical practitioner and prisons expert as chair of the Independent Prisons Monitoring Group in Scotland.

Mitchell, who has in the past given evidence on the unsuitability of Barrack 12 in the case of Kingfisher Airlines boss Vijay Mallya, reiterated some of his concerns around the lack of natural lighting.

Asked about the Indian government's latest video of the Barrack played in court earlier in the week, he said: Those are the elements you don't pick up in a video.

Meanwhile, Modi continued to observe the proceedings via videolink and referred to files laid out before him.

He is subject to two sets of criminal proceedings, the first brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) relating to a large-scale fraud said to have been committed upon PNB and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case, relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud.

A further request relates to allegations that Modi interfered with the CBI investigation by causing the disappearance of evidence and intimidating a witness.

The CPS must establish a prima facie case against Modi to allow the judge to rule that he has a case to answer before the Indian courts. If the judge finds a prima facie case against Modi, it will go to Home Secretary Priti Patel to formally certify his extradition to India to stand trial.

A ruling in the case is not expected before the end of this year or early next year, with a hearing for final submissions tentatively scheduled for December 1.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Bob Woodward

Simon & Schuster. 452 pp. $30

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What new insights does Bob Woodward's latest book, "Rage," offer? We learn that President Donald Trump is not the sharpest tool in the shed; members of his Cabinet consider him a narcissistic fool, devoid of empathy and incapable of distinguishing between truth and falsehood. Trump blithely minimizes the lethality of the coronavirus because he doesn't want to look bad. He takes no responsibility for anything, boasts repeatedly about his wealth and genius, and shows nothing but contempt for those who happen to get in his way.

But we knew all this already, didn't we? We already knew that Rex Tillerson, Trump's former secretary of state, told colleagues that the president was "a moron" and that John Kelly, Trump's former chief of staff, often referred to him as an "idiot." We knew that other senior officials have decried Trump's "amorality" and "erratic behavior," and that Jim Mattis, his former secretary of defense, was "angry and appalled" by what he saw as Trumpian behavior that made "a mockery of our Constitution." We knew about Trump's repeated assurances that the coronavirus would soon "disappear . . . like a miracle" and about his "perfect" phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which led to his impeachment. We even knew that Trump considers America's war dead "losers" and "suckers."

The Age of Trump has been characterized by "shocking revelation" after "shocking revelation," with the occasional "stunning revelation" thrown in for variety. Each new revelation is claimed to be the one that will end Trump's presidency; each time, Trump blithely skips away from accountability, and his base remains loyal as ever.

Viewed in this context, "Rage" offers some fresh details and confirmation of old assumptions, but little that is likely to surprise anyone or change any minds. These incidents have lost their power to shock. What makes the book noteworthy is Woodward's sad and subtle documentation of the ego, cowardice and self-delusion that, over and over, lead intelligent people to remain silent in the face of Trumpian outrages.

Woodward offers a detailed portrait of the president and some of his top aides. He tells us, for instance, that Mattis viewed Trump as "dangerous" and "unfit" for office, and ultimately resigned when he thought that Trump's directives had shifted from merely stupid to "felony stupid." For his part, Trump told White House trade adviser Peter Navarro that he considered his "fucking generals" to be "a bunch of pussies." Meanwhile, Woodward reveals, former director of national intelligence Dan Coats took seriously the possibility that Trump was "in Putin's pocket" and "suspected the worst" of the president. Trump, Coats reportedly told Mattis, "doesn't know the difference between the truth and a lie."Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was no more complimentary, commenting privately that Trump's "attention span is like a minus number."

Woodward similarly offers new particulars about Trump's love-at-first-sight relationship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, gained through access to 25 previously unpublished letters between the two. Trump explains his instant connection to Kim by offering Woodward a creepy analogy: "You meet a woman. In one second, you know whether or not it's going to happen."

Sure enough, the Trump-Kim relationship proceeded to unfold like a Harlequin romance. "I cannot forget that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellency's hand," Kim wrote to Trump on Christmas in 2018. Later, in a letter dated June 10, 2019, Kim added, "Like the brief time we had together in Singapore a year ago, every minute we shared . . . in Hanoi was also a moment of glory that remains a precious memory."

Trump, delighted by these effusions, agreed to meet with Kim in the Joint Security Area between North and South Korea on June 30, 2019. Standing on the South Korean side of the border, he asked Kim coyly, "Would you like me to come in?"

"Yes, I would like you to come in," Kim responded, so Trump stepped onto North Korean soil. That night, he wrote his own gushy letter to Kim: "Being with you today was truly amazing." (That this queasiness-inducing exchange occurred in the context of a deadly serious standoff over North Korean nuclear capabilities adds another surreal element.)

But it's not all candlelight and romance in Trump Land. Trump, we learn, told Woodward that the coronavirus was far "more deadly" than "even your strenuous flus" as early as Feb. 7, 2020, even as he acknowledged his intent to minimize the threat to the American public. And Woodward, for his part, decided to keep this disturbing news to himself; saving it for the book apparently took priority over letting the public know that their president was actively misleading them about a virus that has now killed nearly 200,000 Americans.

"Rage" was written in a hurry, and at times it shows. "Trump called me unexpectedly on Friday, June 19," Woodward relates on Page 356. Eighteen pages later, he writes, "Trump called me unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 8." Six pages after that, he tells us, "Trump called me unexpectedly on the morning of Tuesday, July 21." (You'd think that by then, Woodward might have found Trump's phone calls a bit less unexpected.) The book's narrative structure is disjointed; chapters shift focus seemingly at random.

Still, Woodward's prose offers readers that delicious, vicarious sense of being an insider, right there in the room with Bob, a witness to presidential sulks and boasts. Stung by Woodward's observation that many people considered Barack Obama to be intelligent, Trump declares Obama "highly overrated" and launches into a soliloquy on his own superior genetics and possessions: "I had an uncle who was a professor at MIT . . . and my father was smarter than he was. It's good stock. You know they talk about the elite. . . . Ah, they have nice houses. No. I have much better than them. I have better everything than them."

"Rage" also shows how Trump's massive ego and bullying routinely turned top government officials into cowering enablers. Woodward reports that Vice President Mike Pence never challenges Trump; to Pence's old friend Dan Coats, he seemed to have become "passive, subservient and obedient." Describing White House discussions about whether Trump should fire FBI Director James Comey, Woodward relates that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein thought Comey should instead be allowed to resign voluntarily, but, not wanting to displease Trump, he "stayed quiet." After Comey's unceremonious dismissal, Trump summoned FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and bragged that he had received "hundreds of messages from FBI people saying how delighted they are" about Comey's ouster. McCabe, writes Woodward, believed that most people in the FBI "were upset, not delighted," but he "did not want to say any of this to the president and contradict him," so, like Rosenstein, he kept quiet. Similarly, Mattis and Coats, appalled by the president's behavior, "found themselves often looking across the table at each other in the Situation Room with concern," Woodward tells us - but they too remained silent.

And so, for the most part, does Woodward himself. His scoops derive from his ability to convince people who should know better that he's really on their side; it's a journalistic technique that requires the reporter to flatter rather than challenge.

At times, he even seems to slip from obsequiousness into the role of mentor: listening to Trump's justifications for his request that the Ukrainian president launch an investigation of Joe Biden, for instance, Woodward pauses his questions to offer Trump some unsolicited advice. "I'm going to tell you something from my experience," he says. "I'm telling you, from too many decades of experience in cases like this, if you apologized it would go away." Trump naturally ignores this guidance, but the reader can't help but wonder: Why is a journalist giving political counsel to the subject of his reporting?

Later, in another bizarre exchange, Woodward urges Trump to display a tad more empathy toward racial justice protesters. (The president, true to form, has been exulting in his ability "to send in the military" to deal with the protesters, whom he describes, variously, as "these poor radical lefts" and as "arsonists . . . thugs . . . anarchists" and "very bad people.") Woodward, in response, attempts to explain "White privilege" to an incredulous Trump. "Do you have any sense that that privilege has isolated [you]?" the reporter asks. "And that we [White, privileged people] have to work our way out of it to understand the anger and the pain, particularly, Black people feel?"

But not even Bob Woodward can coax Trump into empathy. "No," Trump informs him. "You really drank the Kool-Aid, didn't you?" He goes on to boast about all he's done for "the Black people."

Still, Woodward's trademark mix of flattery and avuncular guidance does what it's designed to do: It gets Trump talking. And talking, and talking. (Against the advice of his staff, Trump allowed Woodward to tape 18 on-the-record interviews.) If "Rage" breaks little ground, Woodward nonetheless eventually becomes the favored recipient of the ultimate nugget of Trumpian philosophy. Asked if someone else had helped him write his speeches, Trump tells Woodward: "Yeah, I get people. They come up with ideas. But the ideas are mine, Bob. The ideas are mine."

Then, Trump adds a fitting coda: "Want to know something? Everything's mine. You know, everything is mine."

- - -

Brooks is a law professor at Georgetown University and the author of "Tangled Up in Blue: Policing the American City," to be published in February.
The Global Aerospace Summit (GAS) virtual edition, hosted by Mubadala and EDGE and taking place on September 28 and 29 will feature three ministerial keynote addresses.



The ministers include Mohammed Ahmad Al Bowardi, UAE Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman, UAE Space Agency and Perdo Duque, Minister of Science and Innovation, Spain.



Bringing together the aerospace, space, defence and aviation sectors the summit will be a leadership platform as the world adapts to new challenges and opportunities. It will address the critical issues facing aerospace - restoring confidence in air travel, the accelerated uptake of digitalisation, business preparedness and responses to disruption.



In addition, a strategic, invite-only physical Task Force programme will be held (when government regulations permit) to address the most important issues facing the aerospace industry. The virtual track brings you access to the biggest opportunities in the aerospace sector.



The summit will offer an opportunity to understand from a C-Level leadership group how organisations like Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Collins Aerospace, Safran, Saab, Honeywell and Northrop Grumman are responding to one of the most challenging business environments ever experienced.



Highlights include:



 Keynote addresses - see how the UAE's cornerstone aerospace, defence, space and aviation businesses are identifying and capitalising on opportunities in the sector with hard hitting keynotes

 Digital technology in action - hear first hand implementation case studies from Sanad and Strata on how digital technology is changing the fundamentals of how they operate, driving efficiency and enabling production pivots

 Future MRO - understand how MRO operators including Etihad Engineering, Lufthansa Technik, GAL, Sanad Aerotech and AAR are reshaping to meet the massive disruption caused to the sector by Covid-19

 Business resilience - hear from Saab, Mubadala and Lockheed Martin on the lessons learned for business resilience and future planning

 Connectivity - the Covid-19 experience has demonstrated how critical connectivity is. Hear from technology leaders and satellite operators at the cutting edge of ensuring communications are resilient including Yahsat, Thuraya, Intelsat and Honeywell

 The UAE Space Story - in-depth coverage of the importance of the UAE's space programme to national development, including how the Emirates Mars Mission hit its launch window in one of the most challenging operational environments ever experienced.  TradeArabia News Service


The University of Georgia is reporting more than 1,400 new coronavirus cases in the past week, as the virus continues to spread at the university.

The numbers, reported on Thursday, push the 39,000-student university close to 2,600 total infections in the past four weeks, according to the school.

The university's outbreak is now the fastest growing among colleges in Georgia publicly reporting numbers.

President Jere Morehead called the trend 'disturbing' after saying it was 'concerning' last week. He reiterated to students it was their responsibility to follow health rules.

'Each of us must make sound decisions in the coming days and weeks so that we can turn the trajectory, as we have seen at other institutions in the state,' Morehead said in a statement.

But students hit back in the University's student newspaper, The Red & Black, which wrote last week that while a level of blame should fall on students who refuse to socially distance, 'the blame should not rest entirely on students.'

'Attending in-person class a couple times a week is a joke. The thought of Sanford Stadium with a quarter of the typical 92,746 fans is a joke. To-go food from Bolton Dining Commons is a joke,' the University wrote in the strongly-worded editorial.

Students, some wearing face masks, walk on campus at University of Georgia. The University now has the fastest growing campus coronavirus outbreak in the state

'The University System of Georgia decided to have in-person classes this fall despite the blatant risk it poses to the residents of Athens-Clarke County.

'UGA needs to stop pretending to uphold a college experience that is simply unattainable during a pandemic.

'Even bound by the guidelines placed on them by the USG Board of Regents, the administrators at UGA did not create a strong enough plan to keep students and Athens residents safe,' the statement added.

While Georgia College & State University has still recorded a larger share of infections among its campus community since Aug. 1, University of Georgia's outbreak is now the fastest growing.

The surge is clearly reflected in the figures for the broader Athens-Clarke County community, which is 23rd among U.S. counties for the most new cases per capita in the past 14 days, according to figures kept by The Associated Press.

A rising positivity rate suggests things could be getting worse, with eight per cent of surveillance tests conducted to keep an eye on the spread of the virus coming back positive last week, compared to five per cent the week before.

On Tuesday, the university announced that it was ramping up its daily surveillance testing efforts, increasing the number from 360 to 450, and inviting randomized groups of student to take a test, prioritising those in campus accommodation.

Pictured: A student, wearing a face mask, enters the school book store at the University of Georgia in Athens, with a sign on the door requesting people wear face masks in the store

Pictured: Signs mark the entrance to the University of Georgia's COVID-19 testing site in Athens. On Tuesday, the university announced that it was ramping up its daily surveillance testing efforts, increasing the number from 360 to 450

Dr. Garth Russo, executive director of UGA's University Health Center, hypothesised in a news release last week that as only one faculty member had tested positive, the virus was likely being spread somewhere other than classrooms.

But not all staff feel reassured by his comments, according to ABC News, with more than 350 faculty members statewide signing a recent petition organized by the state chapter of the American Association of University Professors, calling for the system or individual institutions to move to fully online teaching.

However, each university is mandated to have at least some in-person classes - as mandated by the Board of Regents - and dorms and dining facilities opening at all schools.

Pictured: University of Georgia students wearing face masks gather to protest at City Hall during a 'Justice for Jacob Blake solidarity with Kenosha' event in Athens

Georgia College and State University freshmen walk across campus. The university has seen 645 positive tests since August 1, which is still the highest share of campus infections

Other Universities in Georgia are also experiencing coronavirus outbreaks. Georgia College & State University has seen 645 positive tests since August 1, which is still the highest share of campus infections - but new cases have slowed.

Meanwhile, cases are still rising at Georgia Southern University, which in recent weeks has reported 942 infections, while Georgia Tech has reported 717 cases since the start of August.

George Tech is urging students who share dorm rooms to move into single rooms.

The growing outbreak at the university comes as case numbers across Georgia continue to fall.

The state is now recording around 1,800 new confirmed cases each day - more than half what was being recorded at its peak in late July.

While this is still above the per-person national average for new infections, Georgia has fallen from being the worst state for new infections to number 11 as of Tuesday.

Over 287,000 infections have been confirmed in the state, which as seen at least 6,128 people die from the virus.

But in a further positive sign, the number of people in hospital with the virus fell below 1,500 on Wednesday, down from the 3,200 peak in July.
FLORENCE, S.C.  A state representative from Florence County supports putting the state's budget surplus in reserve for a rainy day.

State Rep. Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan Jr. said he was of the opinion that the state should save the budget surplus it has this year for a "rainy day" in the future. Jordan provided a legislative update at the Wednesday afternoon meeting of the Florence Lions Club.

The state is still, despite the effects of the COVID-19 shutdowns, projected to have a budget surplus this year, Jordan said.

"I'm going to be a proponent of taking that money and essentially putting it in reserve," Jordan said. "Trying to make sure that if things do get worse or if we don't start digging out of this process like the models say we do, we have some rainy-day money to rely on instead of some of the alternatives."

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Jordan added that in a recent Senate Finance Committee meeting, state Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman Sr., chairman of the committee, had said he wants to save around $500 million from the surplus and proceeds from the state's suit against the federal government from nuclear waste disposal at the Savannah River Site.
Chinas global data security" initiative, announced by its foreign minister Wang Yi, seems designed to fight off concerns over Beijings prying eyes, rather than actually safeguarding anyones privacy. It has been on the defensive globally. The US has had Chinese firms such as Huawei and apps like TikTok under the scanner, on suspicions of sneaking data to Beijing, while India banned several apps that could leak data to a hostile neighbour. Wang Yi acknowledged the threat posed by cyber security breaches, but offered no credible evidence that anything was being done to shield data.

Chinas avowals sound hollow. Its aim seems to be to save overseas markets that Chinese companies could soon lose. Specifically, it might be trying to relieve pressure imposed by the US on TikTok to sell out to local investors. Recently, Beijing made it mandatory for this apps owner, ByteDance, to get its nod for any such deal. Its well known that China is under an authoritarian regime that cares little for the privacy of its own citizens, who are digitally watched and tracked like prison inmates. Only the naive would take its data security pledges at face value.

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On Aug. 21, St. Marys Parish Sheriffs Office hired its first-ever female K9 handler.

Deputy Danielle Wilson graduated from the St. Marys Parish Training Academy in Louisiana and was hired as the handler for Jace, a 5-year-old German shepherd.

I want to welcome Deputy Danielle Wilson and K9 Jace as our new K9 team here at the St. Mary Parish Sheriffs Office, Sheriff Blaise Smith of St. Marys Parish said in a statement. Our K9 program has been very successful and this is just another welcomed addition to our continuing efforts to serve the citizens of St. Mary Parish.

According to WAFB-9, Sheriff Smith has been working to expand the offices K9 section since he took over as sheriff, and is excited about this newest addition to the team.

Wilson has extensive police-related experience. She started out as a dispatcher and first came to St. Marys Parish with four years experience in communications. After being promoted to patrol deputy, she completed her training as a K9 handler.

Meanwhile, her partner Jace is already trained in narcotics detection through the National Narcotics Detection Dog Association (NNDDA), and soon he will also be certified as a dual-purpose K9 officer, expanding his range of abilities as a police dog.

Dual-purpose K9 officers have specialized training in detecting explosives, pursuit and apprehension, and controlled aggression.

When everybodys given up all hope of finding a person who committed a crime or a missing person, the dog is able to put it all together, Riverhead Police K9 handler John Morris told Police1 of the support these dogs provide.

Meanwhile, such K9s offer additional protection to their human counterparts in dangerous situations.

According to Police1, K9 officers are more likely to be shot on the job than other officers, because the nature of their work brings them into dangerous areas more frequently.

That is one of the duties K9 Officer Jace will offer his new partner Deputy Wilson in what could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Jadestone Energy Inc. (AIM:JSE) ("Jadestone" or the "Company"), an independent oil and gas production company and its subsidiaries (the "Group"), focused on the Asia Pacific region, reports today its unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements (the "Financial Statements"), as at and for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, and announces its maiden interim dividend. Management will host a conference call today at 9:00 a.m. UK time, details of which can be found in the release below.

Paul Blakeley, President and CEO commented:

"I'm pleased to provide a first half 2020 report that underscores the resilience of our business. Despite one of the most challenging periods our industry has ever faced, we have not compromised on our commitment to sustainability, and all our personnel remain safe with no recorded incidents of COVID-19, and no lapses in safety or environmental responsibility. Against the backdrop of benchmark commodity prices 40% lower than the same period last year, our assets have remained essentially unimpaired. In addition, through quick action in both managing our capital spending commitments and driving deeper efficiencies and cost savings throughout the entire business, we have kept our balance sheet strong. These decisive steps through the first half of 2020, have ensured we maintain our financial strength and preserve our cash for what we expect to be a market recovery through next year. We generated positive operating cash flows of US$57.1 million in H1 2020, we doubled our net cash position to a record high of US$78.3 million, and we are now in the final phase of repayment of our reserves based loan. We expect to be entirely debt free at the end of Q1 2021.

"I see Jadestone's performance as a strong differentiator, and I am pleased to be able to translate this performance directly into shareholder returns through our maiden interim dividend of 0.54 US cents per share, declared today. In addition, our H1 performance has facilitated ongoing execution of our growth strategy, including the Lemang acquisition in Indonesia, announced in June. We are making excellent progress toward satisfying the closing conditions for Lemang and also for the New Zealand Maari acquisition, which remains on track for completion before the end of the year.

"Our focus on cost containment has extended to the deferment of several well workovers, and other non-critical interventions, as I see little point in chasing short term production volume into a profoundly weak crude oil market. In addition, these activities could only have been achieved, if at all, by spending significant additional dollars to deliver the necessary equipment, spares and manpower, in a world constrained by COVID-19 related restrictions. As a result, we are revising 2020 production guidance downwards to 11,000-12,500 bbls/d, to reflect our conscious decision to curtail all investment for the last eight months, and will only now restart these activities in response to recent price recovery. We're nevertheless re-affirming the Group opex/bbl guidance, despite lower production, in part due to the over US$28.0 million of Project Clover initiatives implemented to date, and the capital expenditure guidance for this year as we target new investment recommencing in the new year.

"With an improved higher oil price, we are now executing a steady stream of workover and growth activities to re-build uptime performance and to grow production. All equipment required for drilling the delayed infill wells from this year has been ordered, and the necessary drill rig availability has been secured for mid-2021. Progress on both the Vietnam Nam Du/U Minh and Indonesia Lemang gas developments provide us optionality in pushing forwards with final investment decisions next year, with more detail on this to come as part of 2021 guidance. These decisions will always be balanced by market conditions, as will our approach to inorganic activity, where we see a number of very material opportunities emerging across the region for 2021. The key will be to remain disciplined, remembering our strict evaluation criteria to ensure ongoing value add for shareholders, but having weathered the storm I'm now excited by what lies ahead."

2020 FIRST HALF RESULTS SUMMARY

H1 2020 production of 12,116 bbls/d, 8% lower than H1 2019 of 13,118 bbls/d, due to weather downtime and increased maintenance activities in Q1 2020, and an intentional pull-back on well workovers and well interventions;

Net revenue for H1 2020 of US$115.7 million, down 33% from H1 2019 of US$171.7 million due to lower oil prices, as a result of the fall in the demand for oil arising from COVID-19, and lower liftings;

Average realised oil prices 1 in H1 2020 of US$46.47/bbl, 34% lower than H1 2019. The average Dated Brent price incorporated into liftings in H1 2020 was US$38.36/bbl in H1 2020, or 43% down on H1 2019, while realised prices included an average premium over the benchmark of US$8.19/bbl (H1 2019: US$3.74/bbl);

in H1 2020 of US$46.47/bbl, 34% lower than H1 2019. The average Dated Brent price incorporated into liftings in H1 2020 was US$38.36/bbl in H1 2020, or 43% down on H1 2019, while realised prices included an average premium over the benchmark of US$8.19/bbl (H1 2019: US$3.74/bbl); Costs of production in H1 2020 of US$44.5 million, a decrease of 28% from H1 2019. This equates to unit operating costs 2 of US$23.27/bbl, down 4% from H1 2019 of US$24.13/bbl, due to better cost efficiency achieved in the current period compared to H1 2019;

in H1 2020 of US$44.5 million, a decrease of 28% from H1 2019. This equates to unit operating costs of US$23.27/bbl, down 4% from H1 2019 of US$24.13/bbl, due to better cost efficiency achieved in the current period compared to H1 2019; Net profit after tax of US$5.4 million, down from US$30.9 million in H1 2019;

H1 2020 positive operating cash flows of US$57.1 million, before movements in working capital, down 41% compared to H1 2019 of US$96.3 million;

 Capital expenditure of US$19.5 million incurred during the period, down 37% compared to the prior period, due to the deferral of Nam Du/U Minh development in Vietnam this year and the 49H infill well last year;

2020 cashflow saving initiatives under Project Clover, the Group-wide efficiency and cashflow savings programme, of over US$24.0 million implemented to date, versus 2020 plan, plus a minimum of another US$4.0 million of savings to come from the change to the shuttle tanker crude offloading strategy at Stag. Over US$10.0 million of the Clover savings was implemented and achieved in H1 2020, and there is a further US$10.0 million of additional Clover opportunities not yet implemented, but being pursued;

 Net cash at June 30, 2020 of US$78.3 million, roughly double the amount at December 31, 2019 of US$39.3 million;

2020 production guidance revised to 11,000-12,500 bbls/d, as a result of a slowdown in well interventions, in part due to the greater costs and inefficiencies amidst the COVID-19 restrictions and a deliberate decision to push back generating additional production when oil prices were at their lowest;

2020 full year opex/bbl and capex guidance re-affirmed at US$20.50-23.50/bbl and US$30-35 million, respectively;

Ongoing execution of the Group's growth strategy with the acquisition of a 90% operated interest in the Lemang PSC, marking Jadestone's re-entry into Indonesia, one of the most prolific oil and gas jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region, on track to close in Q1 2021;

Strong progress towards closing the acquisition of a 69% operated interest in the Maari project, offshore New Zealand, with final government approvals expected Q4 2020; and

 A maiden interim dividend of 0.54 US cents/share has been declared, a total distribution of US$2.5 million, in line with guidance for the year of a full year dividend of US$7.5-12.5 million, split approximately one-third/two-thirds between interim/final.

1 Realised oil price represents the actual selling price, net of marketing fees, and before any impact from hedging.

2 Unit operating costs per barrel excludes workover expenses, inventories written down and movement in inventories, but includes operational right-of-use assets lease payments.

Click on, or paste the following link into your web browser, to view the full announcement.

http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/5950Y_1-2020-9-10.pdf

Enquiries

Jadestone Energy Inc. +65 6324 0359 (Singapore) Paul Blakeley, President and CEO +1 403 975 6752 (Canada) Dan Young, CFO +44 7392 940 495 (UK) Robin Martin, Investor Relations Manager ir@jadestone-energy.com Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Nomad, Joint Broker) +44 (0) 20 7710 7600 (UK) Ashton Clanfield / Callum Stewart / Simon Mensley BMO Capital Markets Limited (Joint Broker) +44 (0) 20 7236 1010 (UK) Thomas Rider / Jeremy Low / Thomas Hughes Camarco (Public Relations Advisor) +44 (0) 203 757 4980 (UK) Georgia Edmonds / Billy Clegg / James Crothers jadestone@camarco.co.uk

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: Jadestone Energy Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605535/Jadestone-Energy-Inc-Announces-2020-Half-Year-Results-and-Dividend-Declaration
Starting with the 96th Academy Awards in 2024, Best Picture nominees will have to meet specific requirements addressing gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and disability

Any change to the Oscars is going get people talking, so the leaders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were not exactly surprised that the new best picture inclusion standards became a trending topic on social media as soon as they were announced Tuesday night.

Change doesnt come without some variation of views, said Paramount Pictures CEO Jim Gianopulos, who co-headed the task force behind the criteria with film producer DeVon Franklin. Nothing is absolutely perfect, but this is a very progressive effort to make change.

Starting with the 96th Academy Awards in 2024, best picture nominees will have to meet specific requirements addressing gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and disability in front of and behind the camera in order to qualify. Films must comply with two of four broad representation categories: On-screen; among the crew; at the studio; and in opportunities for training and advancement.

Some said they went too far and accused the new rules of inhibiting art and artists with quotas. Others, like Stacy L Smith, director of the University of Southern Californias Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, said they didnt go far enough.

Smith said she could find few Oscar nominees from the past 20 years that didnt already meet the new standards.

I want to commend them for trying and for putting together a criteria because we know criteria is a way to counter bias, said Smith. But were not seeing anything that will push conversation forward. Theyre not aspirational in any way.

The Academy leadership team believes the reforms will inspire change, though.

This is about broadening the definition of excellence. This is about inclusion, Franklin said. This is not about exclusion.

The Oscars, and the films and people that get nominated, have been long been used as an indication of the lack of diversity in Hollywood. Five years ago, the film academy endeavoured to significantly diversify its own membership. It is now embarking on a new five-year plan, Aperture 2025, to address deeper inequities in the business. The best picture adjustment is just one of the efforts. Others include implementing a set 10 best picture nominees starting at the 94th Oscars and mandatory unconscious bias training for academy members.

The best picture standards were specifically designed to be flexible and give latitude to filmmakers.

We feel like they give filmmakers and studios an opportunity to make the movie they want to make and have flexibility in how these standards ultimately get applied, Franklin said.

Academy President David Rubin added that the academys board of governors, which includes Whoopi Goldberg, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, producer Lynette Howell Taylor and executive David Linde, understands that creative freedom for filmmakers is essential.

Gianopulos said that they were also mindful of films like Sam Mendes World War I film 1917, which by the nature of its story focused mostly on white men and thus wouldnt meet the first criteria that addresses diversity in front of the camera.

Thats why there are four criteria, he said. If a particular film doesnt lend itself to people in front of the camera in terms of representation, then there are three other categories in which progress can be made.

One of those categories is at the studio level, which requires multiple in-house senior executives in marketing, publicity and/or distribution to be from an underrepresented group. This was directly inspired by an experience Gianopulos had with one of his films.

We made a film with a very prominent African American filmmaker that was made for the African American audience and he came to the marketing meeting and stared at a bunch of white faces, he said. That tells you everything you need to know.

The academys diversity and inclusion standards were inspired by similar efforts by the British Film Institute, which have been a requirement for most public funding in the UK since 2014. But a recent report said that even that has not yet improved racial inequality.

The film academy plans to gather and analyse data over the next few years from confidential surveys to ensure that the standards are defined properly.

It isnt just about meeting the minimum requirements. Its how do we change the intentions in the industry and in filmmaking, said academy CEO Dawn Hudson. We want success across the industry.
Peter Lilley, Instaclustr CEO

Instaclustr taps Peter Lilley as new Chief Executive Officer to steer next stage of international growth.

Instaclustr taps Peter Lilley as new Chief Executive Officer to steer next stage of international growth.

The leading provider of managed open source data-layer technologies taps Peter Lilley as new Chief Executive Officer to steer next stage of international growth



REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Instaclustr , delivering reliability at scale through fully managed open source data technologies, today announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, Peter Lilley.

Instaclustrs business has grown at an annual rate of 70% since launching in 2014, with annual recurring revenue on its managed platform now approaching $20 million. Open source technologies continue to become more and more appealing within enterprise environments, said Ben Levin, Instaclustr board chairman and founder and Co-CEO of Level Equity , an Instaclustr investor. Increasingly, businesses understand just how dramatic a cost and performance impact open source data solutions can have on their cloud transformations. Instaclustr has really cracked the code on how to deliver those mission-critical technologies cost-efficiently, without any vendor lock-in, and through a fully-managed platform. As open source demand among enterprises continues to swell, we expect Instaclustr to see an exceptional and sustained growth trajectory.

Lilley is an Instaclustr co-founder and moves to the CEO position from his previous role as the companys Chief Operating Officer. He brings with him more than 25 years of technical and executive experience in the information services industry. Prior to co-founding Instaclustr, Lilley was CEO of cybersecurity provider Stratsec. He guided the company through startup and growth phases that resulted in Stratsecs successful exit via acquisition to BAE Systems.

Lilley takes over the role from Peter Nichol, who steps down following a planned five-year stint to scale the company internationally. Nichol nearly quadrupled revenue over the past three years as Instaclustr expanded its global team and continued to add new technologies to its open source data-layer platform. As he transitions toward retirement, Nichol will remain with Instaclustr as a senior advisor and board director, helping to look after strategic accounts and working with Lilley on strategy and future growth plans.

Story continues

Im both tremendously excited and deeply grateful for this opportunity to serve Instaclustr as its CEO, said Lilley. Peter Nichol has been extraordinary in building Instaclustr to where it is today, and were all excited to have his insight remain close at hand. Im thankful to everyone here that has worked to make the company all that it is today, and look forward to guiding Instaclustr to its next achievements.

Open source adoption at the data layer is undergoing particularly strong momentum as businesses seek to significantly reduce costs without impacting performance or scalability, said Nichol. Instaclustrs managed platform has reliably delivered those benefits to organizations across industries, and the company will continue to expand its platform ecosystem and international customer base under Peter Lilleys leadership.

Instaclustr is also announcing that its Chief Revenue Officer, Steve Francis, will now lead the companys global go-to-market (GTM) strategy. As CRO, Francis directs Instaclustrs worldwide sales and customer success teams. His responsibilities include revenue growth, customer acquisition, and customer retention, in addition to now driving Instaclustrs GTM capacity.

The fact that Instaclustr provides such a powerful and ever-expanding platform of complementary and 100% open source data-layer technologies  all expertly managed by our extraordinary support team  makes it a pleasure to bring these solutions to our diverse customer base, said Francis. Im excited to steer our GTM strategy and enable more businesses to understand the competitive advantages Instaclustr brings to the table. I also look forward to working with Peter Lilley, who is bringing valuable and proven experience leading and scaling technology service businesses like ours.

About Instaclustr

Instaclustr delivers reliability at scale through our integrated data platform of open source technologies such as Apache Cassandra, Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, Redis and Elasticsearch. We enable companies to focus internal development and operational resources on building cutting edge customer-facing applications. Instaclustr now has more than 70 million node hours and 7 PB of data under management across its open source technology suite.

For more information, visit Instaclustr.com and follow us @Instaclustr .

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db36d1c9-5b2d-466c-ac53-dd526fec427e

CONTACT: Contact Kyle Peterson kyle@clementpeterson.com




OP, you need to put some of this write up behind a cut as well

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[ Spoiler (click to open) ]











Edited at 2020-09-10 09:32 pm (UTC) Her role in the flinstones did something to me a bb bi

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Same and Im a straight woman

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Just here to talk about how good she was in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. Still one of the best HBO original films.

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Wow, I've never heard of it. Presumably it's on HBO Max?

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She looks beautiful but IDK if it's the lighting or her hair color but she looks a little washed out.

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I think it's a bit of both. I have brown skin and if the tone of my colored hair shifts just the slightest, it washes me out. Also staying out of the sun makes me look washed out and makes my skin look dull. I always thought, much to my Indian mom's horror, that a little sun and tan makes us look so much healthier.

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DROP. THE. SKINCARE. ROUTINE.

I wanna look like that at 54 too.



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 is the routine.

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Let me marry rich, then

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Shes so beautiful. I had no business watching Monsters Ball as a child (did it for Heath Ledger lol) but its one of the most unsettling movies Ive ever seen. Dont think I could rewatch it now.

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I still wish we could have gotten the Jinx spinoff. And she's right about Catwoman (they should have had her in a better costume too). Basically she's telling a lot of truths here.

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I think Halle is amazing as an actress, but Catwoman overall was just a bad film.

Granted, she didn't have much to work with, but the writing/etc. mixed with the execution of the lines was just... not good.

The "me-owwww" part always gets me. I think they (maybe she?) tried to incorporate aspects from Michelle Pfeiffer's portrayal, and it didn't translate well. I feel like that movie (MP's) was much more 'campy' and intended to be more comedic than Halle's was, so it worked. I tried to love Catwoman because I adore Halle, but it was just bad overall. The only plus for me is that she's gorgeous and still has her charisma that just shines through all the time for me.

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stunning kween, but always disliked blonde on her

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Beautiful, as always, tho Im not sure Im feeling the hair.



The bit about her Oscar hurt my heart a little. Imagine this moment, that people make such a big deal out of and you hope it signals change and that youve opened a door for others...and then nothing comes of it. Its gotta make a person question their own place, that win, and wonder if it was deserved or a matter of tokenism, and if it actually meant anything at all.

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i can't imagine being on the high of thinking your win opened doors for your folks only to feel like you need to second guess why you won at all. but i'm so happy she got to have that moment. i wish she had gotten it for something else but... you know hollywood.

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"Berry on her expectations after her Oscar win. Berry:"I thought, 'Oh , all these great scripts are going to come my way;these great directors are going to be banging on my door.' It didn't happen. It actually got a lot harder. They call it the Oscar curse.you're expected to turn in award winning performances".



This is true for a lot of actors. But it does affect Black actors more harshly.



She's right, it's expected~ that after you win you should immediately start scoring quality scripts/movies but that doesn't always happen.



I always theorize that some actors who had success post-oscars were ones that already had project lined up in the event of not winning. I think of Leo and Kate. They had a marathon of oscar-bait films that kept them nominated for almost year of the awards until they won.



And its affect women more than men too.

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i agree that some form of this effects all oscar winners. but she's specifically talking about how this effects her as a black actress.

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Yeah I know I mentioned that this affected Black actors more harshly.

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b.a.p.s. is still one of my favorite movies

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BAPS is iconic, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. Mickey and Nisi were truly serving looks.

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absolutely!!! well let me know when it's time to fight then cuz i'll square up for b.a.p.s.

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The fact that TIFF is actually happening...



Good luck, Toronto

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It's mostly virtual tho.

Nobody is traveling to Toronto, unlike Venice.

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Emma Watson?

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i hate this wig on her. like a lot.

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Two new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems, also known as PORTS  , are improving maritime safety near Kings Bay, Georgia, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, near two U.S. Navy installations. NOAA and the U.S. Navy partnered to install the first new PORTS in two years, the 34th and 35th in the nationwide network.

The system near Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, the East Coast home to Americas Ohio-class submarines, is an integrated series of sensors which will provide critical real-time information on oceanographic and meteorological conditions. This will greatly increase the navigation safety of vessels entering and exiting the channels of the St. Marys River and the Cumberland Sound.

The second site is near the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, whose primary mission is the overhaul, repair and modernization of the Navys nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet. A new tide station on Seavey Island along the Piscataqua River will help protect shipyard personnel, critical facilities, and U.S. Navy submarines. Other local mariners and agencies will also have access to the real-time water level information, helping them better plan vessel transits and prevent mishaps.

PORTS is a partnership program with local port authorities, pilot associations, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Navy, academia, and other stakeholders across the nation. In addition to other noted benefits, these systems also improve hazardous spill response and enhance recreational activities.

The first PORTS was established in 1991 in Tampa Bay following a deadly collision that occurred in 1981; an inbound freighter collided with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, causing a bridge collapse that killed 35 people. The accident underscored the need for integrated real-time information to provide comprehensive situational awareness to mariners making safety and operational decisions.
Chhattisgarh government was seriously considering asking the employees to join duty in alternate weeks to break the chain of pandemic.

Bhopal: Growing coronavirus positive cases among the Chhattisgarh government employees have forced them to issue an ultimatum to the state government of going on mass leave from September 14 if no alternative arrangements are made for them to work in a safe environment.

President of Chhattisgarh secretariat employees union Kirti Vardhan Upadhyay told reporters on Wednesday that a representation has been given to the chief minister Bhupesh Baghel urging him to address their grievances as early as possible.

Baghel has asked chief secretary of Chhattisgarh government RP Mandal to work out a plan to ensure protection of the government employees from the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 200 employees of Chhattisgarh state secretariat and office of head of the departments have so far tested positive for Covid-19, leaders of various employees unions of Chhattisgarh government said.

As many as eight employees of these offices have so far succumbed to the virus.

The unions have been demanding to allow the employees to work from home till the pandemic is brought under control.

Sources said the Chhattisgarh government was seriously considering asking the employees to join duty in alternate weeks to break the chain of pandemic.

As on Wednesday, the tally of coronavirus positive cases in Chhattisgarh increased to 50,114 and toll to 407.
The China share market finished in the red for second straight session on Thursday, 10 September 2020, as investors sentiments were dented after regulators move to curb speculation on the tech-heavy ChiNext board.

At closing bell, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.61%, or 19.80 points, to 3,234.82. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, fell 2.14%, or 46.53 points, to 2,129.25. The blue-chip CSI300 index dropped 0.06%, or 2.61 points, to 4,581.98.

Shares in China's start-up firms plunged after some ChiNext stocks, including Xinjiang Tianshan Animal Husbandry Bio-Engineering, were suspended from trading on Wednesday due to "abnormal volatility".

Shares of Chinese telecom firms also tumbled, as pressure widened for Huawei Technologies with major suppliers expected to stop supplying to the telecom giant after new U. S. restrictions.

CURRENCY NEWS: China's yuan eased against greenback on Thursday, despite firmer mid-point fixing by central bank, on caution ahead of European Central Bank meeting to gauge policymakers' views on the common currency's recent appreciation. The People's Bank of China set the midpoint rate CNY=PBOC at 6.8331 per dollar prior to the market open, 0.13% firmer than the previous fix of 6.8423. Spot yuan CNY=CFXS opened at 6.8330 per dollar and was changing hands at 6.8381 at late afternoon, 0.1% weaker than the previous late session close.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Africa: Call to develop mechanisms to aid service delivery

National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chief Whip Seiso Mohai has called for the urgent development of mechanism that will ensure integrated service delivery in local government.

Mohai said this after a presentation from MECs responsible for local government across the nine provinces painted a dire picture of the state of some municipalities.

In their presentation during a virtual Local Government Week (LGW2020) on Wednesday, the MECs raised concerns which include a lack of internal audit functions, non-compliance with supply chain management, and failure to meet financial obligations to suppliers of bulk services like Eskom.

The second day of the weeklong LGW2020 saw MECs presenting under the topic, Plans to Improve Service Delivery, Financial Management and Develop Capacity in the Local Sphere of Government, especially in Municipalities under Section 139 with repetitive disclaimed audit opinions.

MECs observed that the lack of internal audit functions has, in some municipalities, resulted in non-compliance with supply chain management laws. This in turn, led to an escalation in irregular expenditure.

Non-compliance becomes a breeding ground for maladministration, fraud and corruption. Municipalities also failed to address the billing and collection of arrears while also facing challenges in respect of service charges, rates, taxes and levies.

These placed most municipalities in a financial crisis which resulted in them being unable to deliver basic services to the people as required by the Constitution, the MECs observed.

It was also observed that both political and administrative leadership are failing to implement measures to improve oversight, accountability, and remedial actions to improve financial management.

Mohai said that it is clear from the MECs presentations that government is faced with a critical task of urgently developing mechanisms through which to ensure integrated service delivery and implementation across the country.

Although municipalities across the country face common challenges, municipality specific interventions may be necessary and, in this regard, the central role of national and provincial governments in monitoring, supporting and strengthening the capacity of municipalities cannot be overemphasised, Mohai said.

The four-day LGW2020, which started on Tuesday, is held in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) under the theme Ensuring Capable and Financially Sound Municipalities.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A ustralian astronomers who used a powerful telescope to explore the constellations said they found no signs of alien technology in a patch of space known to include 10 million stars.

The researchers used the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) telescope to explore "more than 100 times broader and deeper than ever before" of the sky around the Vela constellation.

The study, published by Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, explained how the scientists searched for powerful radio emissions at frequencies that could indicate the presence of an intelligent source.

CSIRO astronomer Dr Cenoa Tremblay who carried out the study in the outback of western Australia, explained that such frequencies are known as 'technosignatures'.

The MWA is a unique telescope, with an extraordinarily wide field-of-view that allows us to observe millions of stars simultaneously, said Dr Tremblay.

SpaceX launch Starship in 150m 'hop' test flight

We observed the sky around the constellation of Vela for 17 hours, looking more than 100 times broader and deeper than ever before.

With this dataset, we found no technosignaturesno sign of intelligent life.

Professor Steven Tingay, from the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), also took part in the research.

He said despite the broad nature of the search, he was not surprised by the results.

Amazing NASA Space Images - In pictures 1 /80 Amazing NASA Space Images - In pictures Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the lunar surface during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 NASA This 1969 photograph of the eclipse of the sun was taken with a 16mm motion picture camera from the Apollo 12 spacecraft during its trans-Earth journey home from the moon. The fascinating view was created when the Earth moved directly between the sun and the Apollo 12 spacecraft NASA Astronaut Bruce McCandless II photographed 320 ft from the Space Shuttle Challenger during the first untethered EVA, made possible by his nitrogen jet propelled backpack (Manned Manuevering Unit or MMU) in 1984 NASA The brilliant tapestry of young stars flaring to life resemble a glittering fireworks display in the 25th anniversary NASA Hubble Space Telescope image NASA Space shuttle Atlantis blasts off from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2011. This lift off is the last in the 30-year-old shuttle program Getty Images The first teklevision image of Earth from a weather satellite taken by the TIROS-1 satellite in 1960 NASA The Echo 2 satellite in 1960. Once the balloon was launched into orbit, a prerecorded message from President Dwight Eisenhower was transmitted from California and heard with clarity in New Jersey NASA The original seven Mercury astronauts and pioneers in human space exsploration pose in their silver spacesuits in 1961 NASA President John F. Kennedy calls for a moon landing in 1961 durning Congress NASA Astronaut John Glenn climbs into his Friendship 7 space capsule in the Atlas rocket in 1962. Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth NASA A close-up view of an astronaut's bootprint in the lunar soil, photographed with a 70mm lunar surface camera during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the moon in 1969 NASA Man's first landing on the Moon. Lunar Module, "Eagle," touched down gently on the Sea of Tranquility on the east side of the Moon. Astronauts Edwin Aldrin and Neil Armstrong wre the first men to walk on the Moon in 1969 NASA After an 8 month voyage to Mars, Mariner 4 makes the first flyby of the Mars (the red planet) in 1965 and became the first spacecraft to take close-up photographs of another planet NASA Astronaut Edward H. White II, pilot on the Gemini-Titan 4 spaceflight, is shown during his egress from the spacecraft. His face is covered by a shaded visor to protect him from the unfiltered rays of the sun. White became the first American astronaut to walk in space. He remained outside the spacecraft for 21 minutes during the third revolution of the Gemini-4 mission in 1965 NASA The X-15 completed 199 flights to the edge of space from 1959-1968. Neil Armstrong was one of it's budding young pilots NASA Earthrise over the moon from Apollo 8 in 1968 NASA American astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins lift off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in the mammoth-sized Saturn V rocket on their way to the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. saluting the US flag on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 11 lunar mission in 1969 NASA Home View of Moon limb with Earth on the horizon in 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission NASA Apollo XI astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin laugh with President Richard Nixon aboard the USS Hornet in 1969 Richard Nixon Foundation via Getty Images Lunar mission Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, leaps from the lunar surface as he salutes the United States flag at the Descartes landing site during the first Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) in 1972 NASA First image of Viking 1's foot plantid on martian soil foot in 1976 NASA The first ever long distance image of the Earth and Moon together. The image photograph was taken by Voyager 1 in 1977 NASA A dramatic view of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and its surroundings in 1979 NASA The first space shuttle launch Columbia lifts off in 1981 NASA Astronaut Sally Ride on the flight deck of the space shuttle Challenger in 1983. She became the first American woman in space NASA One of the most celebrated images taken by the Hubble called 'Pillars of Creation' NASA Space shuttle Challenger destructs after lift off in 1973 NASA NASA's Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope aboard ESA's SOHO spacecraft took this image of a huge, handle-shaped prominence in 1999. Prominences are huge clouds of relatively cool dense plasma suspended in the Sun's hot, thin corona NASA Trailing a column of flame and smoke that dwarfs it, Space Shuttle Endeavour leaps into the clear blue Florida sky on mission STS-99 in 2000 Space Shuttle Atlantis clears the tower as it roars into space on mission STS-106 after a perfect on-time launch in 2000 NASA 2004 The deepest view of 10,000 galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope called the Hubble Ultra Field Deep (2004) NASA 2005 A new view of the Eagle Nebula, one of the two largest and sharpest images Hubble Space Telescope has ever taken (2005) NASA International Space Station pictured by the crew of Atlantis in 2008 NASA The rim of Gale Crater is visible in the distance, through the dusty haze, in this view of NASA's Curiosity rover of a sloping hillside on Mount Sharp NASA Taken on June 03, 2008 and released by NASA on June 4, 2008 shows US space shuttle Discovery Mission Specialist Michael Fossum being photographed by US Mission Specialist Ronald Garan (reflected in Fossum's face shield) as they work outside The International Space Station during the first of three planned space walks. AFP/Getty Images In celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, NASA's Great Observatories -- Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory -- have produced a matched trio of images of the central region of our Milky Way NASA A striking black and white image showing the detail of the planet Saturn NASA This majestic false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows 'mountains' where stars are born. These towering pillars of cool gas and dust are illuminated at their tips with light from warm embryonic stars NASA The space shuttle Atlantis is seen over the Bahamas in 2011 prior to a perfect docking with the International Space Station NASA Aurora Australis, seen from a point over the southeast Tasman Sea near southern New Zealand. in 2011 NASA NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Expedition 32 flight engineer, appears to touch the bright sun during the mission's third session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During the six-hour, 28-minute spacewalk in 2012 NASA Behold one of the more stunningly detailed images of the Earth yet created. This Blue Marble Earth montage, created from photographs taken by the VIIRS instrument in 2012 on board the Suomi NPP satellite, shows many stunning details of our home planet NASA Numerous recognizable features appear in this detailed view of London, photographed by an Expedition 10 crew member on the International Space Station (ISS). The most striking visual features are green open spaces such as Regent's Park, Hyde Park and St. James's Park east of Buckingham Palace NASA International Space Station image of London at night NASA This image of Tropical Storm Anna taken from the International Space Station in 2015 NASA Pluto's haze layer and its blue colour, taken by the New Horizons Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) in 2015 NASA NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, dark, narrow streaks on the slopes of Hale Crater are inferred to be formed by seasonal flow of water on surface of present-day Mars. These dark features on the slopes are called "recurring slope lineae" or RSL NASA Earth observation taken during a night pass by the Expedition 49 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2016 NASA The moon rises in low Earth orbit by NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik from the International Space Station in 2017 NASA Hurricane Harvey is pictured off the coast of Texas in 2017 NASA The International Space Station continues its orbit around the Earth as Expedition 50 astronauts captured this night image of sparkling cities and a sliver of daylight framing the northern hemisphere in 2017 This composite image made from a series of 2018 photos shows a self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover in the Gale Crater NASA US. National Parks From Space. Mt Saint Helen's looking spectacular from above NASA SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft as it lifts off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in 2018 NASA NASA's Juno spacecraft captures Jupiter's southern hemisphere, as the spacecraft performed its 13th close flyby of Jupiter in 2018 NASA The stunning iamge was shared on social media by astronaut Paolo Nespoli NASA The Bailey's Beads effect is seen as the moon makes its final move over the sun during the total solar eclipse NASA The Moon is seen passing in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse from Ross Lake, Northern Cascades National Park, Washington NASA Swirling cloud belts and tumultuous vortices within Jupiter's northern hemisphere picture taken by NASA's Juno spacecraft as it performed it's 13th flypast. Juno was about 9,600 miles (15,500 kilometers) from the planet's cloud tops. NASA

As Douglas Adams noted in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, space is big, really big," said Dr Tingay.

And even though this was a really big study, the amount of space we looked at was the equivalent of trying to find something in the Earths oceans but only searching a volume of water equivalent to a large backyard swimming pool.

Since we cant really assume how possible alien civilisations might utilise technology, we need to search in many different ways. Using radio telescopes, we can explore an eight-dimensional search space.

Although there is a long way to go in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, telescopes such as the MWA will continue to push the limitswe have to keep looking.

The scientists hope to next use the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope for their studies. The SKA is 50 times more sensitive than the MWA.

Due to the increased sensitivity, the SKA low-frequency telescope to be built in Western Australia will be capable of detecting Earth-like radio signals from relatively nearby planetary systems, said Professor Tingay.

With the SKA, well be able to survey billions of star systems, seeking technosignatures in an astronomical ocean of other worlds.

The MWA is located at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, a remote and radio quiet astronomical facility established and maintained by CSIRO - Australias national science agency.
Irans military Thursday began an expansive annual three-day exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state TV reported, with the maneuvers taking place amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the US.

Units from the navy and air force and ground forces are participating in a nearly 2 million-square-kilometer (772,200-square-mile) area of the Gulf of Oman. State TV said Iranian submarines and drones were being deployed.

Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, commander of the annual exercise dubbed Zolfaghar-99, said Wednesday the operation is aimed at improving readiness in confronting foreign threats and any possible invasion. Sayyaris comments hinted at the threat of military conflict amid tensions between Iran and the US, which has sought to extend a years-long UN weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October.

Last month, US Central Command published a black-and-white video showing what appeared to be Iranian special forces fast-roping from a helicopter onto the oil tanker MT Wila, whose last position appeared to be off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates near the city of Khorfakkan. Iranian state television later acknowledged the brief seizure, referring to the operation as a routine inspection without elaborating.

In July, Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard fired a missile from a helicopter targeting a replica of a US aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz in an exercise aimed at threatening the US

In January, a US drone strike killed a top Iranian general at the Baghdad airport and Tehran responded by firing ballistic missiles at American forces in Iraq.

Irans navy operates in the Gulf of Oman on the eastern side of the strait, through which 20 per cent of all oil shipping passes.

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Trump halts critical race theory training at federal agencies; Christians respond

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Critical race theory was trending on Twitter after President Donald Trump tweeted his plan to halt funding for federal agencies that promote it.

Trump Orders Purge of Critical Race Theory from Federal Agencies https://t.co/ygXcTXRHsQ via @BreitbartNews This is a sickness that cannot be allowed to continue. Please report any sightings so we can quickly extinguish!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2020

The theory is a controversial ideological framework that some legal scholars argue interrogates the relationship between race, law, and power. Trump directed federal agencies to stop teaching government workers about it and other concepts like white privilege because they are divisive, anti-American propaganda, as described by a White House memorandum.

Alberta Civil Liberties Research Center defines white privilege, a component of CRT, as the unquestioned and unearned set of advantages, entitlements, benefits and choices bestowed upon people solely because they are white.

The memorandum was sent to heads of executive departments and agencies on Friday by Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Vought explained that millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on teaching the controversial theory. Vought further noted that the training teaches employees that virtually all white people contribute to racism or are required to say that they benefit from racism.

According to press reports, in some cases these training have further claimed that there is racism embedded in the belief that America is the land of opportunity or the belief that the most qualified person should receive a job, Voughts memorandum read.

We can be proud that as an employer, the Federal government has employees of all races, ethnicities, and religions. We can be proud that Americans from all over the country seek to join our workforce and dedicate themselves to public service. We can be proud of our continued efforts to welcome all individuals who seek to serve their fellow Americans as Federal employees. However, we cannot accept our employees receiving training that seeks to undercut our core values as Americans and drive division within our workforce, Vought said. The President has directed me to ensure that Federal agencies cease and desist from using taxpayer dollars to fund these divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions.

Vought further explained that his office will soon issue more detailed guidance on how to implement the presidents directive.

In the interim, all agencies have been directed to identify spending covering critical race theory, white privilege, or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either (1) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or (2) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil. All federal agencies have also been directed to identify all available avenues within the law to cancel any such contracts and/or to divert Federal dollars away from these un-American propaganda training sessions.

Filmmaker, writer, and policy researcher Christopher F. Rufo noted in a post on his website Saturday that it was his research, conducted over the last several months, that inspired President Trumps decision to abolish critical race theory training at the federal agencies.

Among the training sessions cited by Rufo is one conducted last year at Sandia National Laboratories where, according to Rufo, whistleblowers reported that a three-day reeducation camp was conducted for white males which taught them "how to deconstruct their white male culture" and forced them to "write letters of apology to women and people of color.

Concepts like CRT and white privilege have been points of contention in evangelical circles in recent years. The tension has garnered even more mainstream attention since the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Last June, Pastor Louie Giglio of Passion City Church in Atlanta was forced to apologize after he was accused of trying to make racism more palatable when he suggested to rapper Lecrae Moore, popularly known as Lecrae, that the term white privilege be renamed white blessing because it triggers some white people.

We understand the curse that was slavery, white people do. And we say that was bad but we miss the blessing of slavery that it actually built up the framework for the world that white people live in and so a lot of people call this white privilege and when you say those two words it just is like a fuse goes off for a lot of white people because they dont want somebody telling them to check their privilege, Giglio told Lecrae in a discussion with Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy on how Christians should respond to racism.

The incident highlighted some of the challenges that even Christians have in finding the right language to address issues of race and inequality.

Many conservatives such as Ken Ham, president of the Kentucky-based Answers in Genesis, praised Trumps ban on critical race theory in federal agencies as a good decision.

Good decision. Ultimately, the only way to deal with race issues is to proclaim to the truth of God's Word & the gospel beginning in Genesis. Until people believe God's Word revealing the true history of the human race, what our problem is (sin), and what the solution is in Jesus Christ, race issues will never be dealt with as they need to be, Ham said in a series of tweets Sunday.

Good decision. Ultimately, the only way to deal with race issues is to proclaim to the truth of God's Word & the gospel beginning in Genesis. Until people believe God's Word revealing the true history of the human race, what our problem is (sin), and... https://t.co/eGQhf8hg0j  Ken Ham (@aigkenham) September 6, 2020

Fact is all humans belong to one race (Adam's race), we are all one family, and all are sinners in need of salvation. We need to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12: 30-31) & we need to be reminded of how Jesus taught us as Christians to pray And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors Matthew 6:12, he said.

Pastor David W. Swanson of New Community Covenant Church in Logan Square, Chicago, who is also the author of Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity, disagreed with the response to critical race theory.

White people are expert in using stuff we dont really understand as an excuse to oppose racial justice. Critical race theory is just the latest in a looooong list of excuses, he tweeted.

White people are expert in using stuff we dont really understand as an excuse to oppose racial justice.



Critical race theory is just the latest in a looooong list of excuses.  David W. Swanson (@davidswanson) September 6, 2020

When asked by commenters if critics of the theory could push back against parts of it while learning more about racial injustice, he said: Oh for sure! I hope that's exactly what we'd see, rather than reaching for the latest bogeyman which seems to be our instinct.

Jemar Tisby, president of The Witness, argued that critical race theory has been used unfairly by some fundamentalist Christians to demonize racial justice advocates in recent years.

We watched almost in slow motion over the last few years as some fundamentalist Christians turned Critical Race Theory into the latest label to libel racial justice advocates. Now were seeing it become a kind of Red Scare in the federal government, he tweeted on Saturday.

We watched almost in slow motion over the last few years as some fundamentalist Christians turned Critical Race Theory into the latest label to libel racial justice advocates. Now were seeing it become a kind of Red Scare in the federal government.  Jemar Tisby (@JemarTisby) September 5, 2020

The effectiveness of diversity training is mixed at best. So revising those programs may be necessary. But eliminating them altogether without proposing revisions or alternatives means it's not about making positive change but maintaining the status quo, he argued.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 22:46:05|Editor: huaxia

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DHAKA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Bangladesh Thursday signed agreements for 50 million U.S. dollars in loan to promote, fund and implement public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects in the country.

Fatima Yasmin, secretary of Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Manmohan Parkash, country director of ADB in Bangladesh, virtually signed the loan agreement on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively.

S M Anisuzzaman, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited (BIFFL) signed the project agreement.

ADB said it has been a long-standing partner to support BIFFL to promote PPP program and develop its pipeline of projects. Enditem
ATLANTA, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Veristor Systems, Inc., a leading provider of transformative business technology solutions, today announced its Cybersecurity Tech Summit Express: Digital Transformation with a Security-Focused Mindset. The half-day virtual conference will be held Thursday, September 24, and will feature security experts and thought leaders sharing their firsthand experiences, best practices and lessons learned when implementing security transformation.

"Digital transformation and security must go hand-in-hand to ensure success," said Jackie Groark, Vice President, Security/CISO, Veristor. "Yet, security transformation requires more than technology. It's also about how our teams work within the organization and how security is interconnected between operational organizations and business units. Our upcoming Cybersecurity Tech Summit Express will cover the cybersecurity topics you must consider and will force you to challenge your current mindset to achieve the security posture your company needs to thrive."

Expert speakers for this valuable educational event include:

Scott Wilson , Cybersecurity and Privacy Executive

, Cybersecurity and Privacy Executive Todd Ellison , Director, Networking & Security Architecture, Veristor

, Director, Networking & Security Architecture, Veristor Bruce Cheney , Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at Cyberstone Security

, Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at Cyberstone Security Jackie Groark , Vice President, Security and CISO, Veristor

, Vice President, Security and CISO, Veristor Daniel Martin , Principle Security Consultant, vCISO, Veristor

, Principle Security Consultant, vCISO, Veristor Brian Yost , Cybersecurity, Sales and Business Development Director, Veristor

The virtual event will be hosted from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 24. Spotlight sponsors of the event include OneLogin and Varonis. Highlight sponsors of the event include Arctic Wolf, Exabeam, Remediant and SentinelOne. Additional partners include Digital Guardian and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

To register, visit: https://info.veristor.com/cybersecurity-summit-2020/

About Veristor Systems, Inc.

A leading provider of transformative business technology solutions, Veristor helps its customers accelerate the time-to-value for the software, infrastructure and systems they deploy. We do this by harnessing deep expertise in today's most advanced data center, security, networking, hybrid cloud, and big data technologies and guiding businesses to the right solutions for their most pressing challenges. And with a full suite of design, deployment, support, and managed service offerings, we work shoulder-to-shoulder with our customers at every step of their technology journey to make technology truly work for them. IT's just who we are. Learn more at veristor.com.

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Foreign Minister S Jaishankar met his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet being held in Russia. The two ministers agreed to coordinate closely on regional concerns. Jaishankar on Twitter described the meeting with Kamilov as "cordial" appreciating Uzbekistan's vital role in Central Asian engagement.

Jaishankar also had a fruitful meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart Chingiz Aidarbekov on the SCO sideline where they discussed bilateral issues. He thanked Aidarbekov for facilitating the return of Indian nationals stuck in Kyrgyzstan during the coronavirus pandemic and agreed to enhance strategic ties.

Began the day with a cordial meeting with Uzbek FM @a_h_kamilov. Agreed to coordinate closely on regional concerns. Will take forward our growing development partnership. Appreciate Uzbekistan's vital role in our Central Asian engagement. pic.twitter.com/3jjWDX0aUa  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 10, 2020

Read: Jaishankar Meets His Kyrgyz Counterpart On Sidelines Of SCO Meeting

Jaishankar also met Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Kazakh counterpart FM Mukhtar Tileuberdi, and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Jaishankar is scheduled to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi today, which comes at the backdrop of heightened border tensions between India and China in Ladakh. Jaishankar is expected to maintain India's stance of resolving the standoff at the ground, diplomatic and political level.

Read: EAM Jaishankar Holds Talks With Kyrgyz And Tajik Counterpart On Sidelines Of SCO Meeting

SCO CFM meet

Jaishankar is currently on a four-day visit to Moscow, where he attended the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held on September 9-10. The CFM meeting was the third that India attended as a full member of SCO. Earlier two meetings that India attended were in Beijing and Bishkek in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Read: EAM Jaishankar To Meet China's FM Wang Yi At Sidelines Of SCO Summit Amid LAC Tensions

The CFM meeting in Moscow was held to review the preparations for the forthcoming SCO Summit and also exchange views on international and regional issues. India has been taking an active part in various SCO dialogue mechanisms under the Chairmanship of the Russian Federation in this year. The SCO Summit will be held in the near future.

Read: Subramanian Swamy Questions EAM Jaishankar's Scheduled Meeting With Chinese FM In Moscow
Former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty believes employers are missing out on skilled workers who don't get a traditional four-year college degree.

"As an employer, you have to open up the pathways to bring people in that may have gotten a skill and not through a four-year degree," Rometty said. "One of the things that you have to break through is a paradigm that a company says, 'Boy, if I hire people that are associate degree or come through an apprentice program, I am watering down my workforce.' That is absolutely factually not true."

To help with this goal, an IBM-created program that brings training and job opportunities to high school students from communities with high concentrations of poverty is expanding, Rometty said Thursday at CNBC's Inclusion in Action Forum.

Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, Pathways to Technology, or P-TECH, offers a six-year program for students complete high school requirements and obtain an associate degree. The program focuses on STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and includes mentorship, internship and job opportunities. Each program is done in partnership with a high school, community college and industry partner, and about 600 companies are now participating.

The program will now operate more than 200 schools in the United States and nearly 100 globally. Currently, there are about 100 P-TECH schools operating in 11 states, with the bulk in Texas, New York and Maryland.

Rometty said that its first cohort of students graduated at 4 times the on-time community college graduation rate, while 75% of its total students have gone on to earn their four-year degree.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Prison is next on the route for a Sanitation worker from Great Kills who admitted to attempting to rape a teenage girl last year while he was off-duty.

Sean McDade, 56, was sentenced Wednesday under a plea agreement to 42 months behind bars and seven years' post-release supervision.

The defendant was busted last Sept. 22, the same day he was accused of sexually attacking the victim.

The incident occurred in the early morning hours of a Sunday at an undisclosed location, said authorities.

The girl was under age 17.

McDade pinned the victims arms, pulled down her pants and, by forcible compulsion, subjected her to intercourse without her consent, a criminal complaint said.

The girl knew the defendant.

McDade was out on sick leave when he arrested around 9:20 p.m. that night, according to public records and a source with knowledge of the incident.

After the episode, McDade was listed on the non-pay status of absent without official leave, a Sanitation Department spokesperson previously told the Advance.

He was appointed to Sanitation on Sept. 15, 2014, the spokesperson said.

McDade was indicted on charges of first- and third-degree rape, sexual abuse and sexual misconduct.

In February, he pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to a lesser-included count of attempted first-degree rape to resolve the case.

The defendant admitted to attempting to engage the victim in sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion.

McDade entered his plea after Matthew Zuntag, his lawyer, confirmed the results of a court-ordered psychiatric exam, which found the defendant mentally fit for trial.

Zuntag, who requested the test, also had his own doctor exam McDade.

A 10-year order of protection was issued in the victims favor.

Zuntag has declined comment on the case.

Assistant District Attorney Rhiannon LaTour prosecuted the defendant.
It's been four years since surfing legend Mick Fanning had a terrifying encounter with a great white shark.

And while the 39-year-old has worked hard to deal with the mental anguish that came after the incident, his mates haven't made the healing process easy.

Speaking to The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Thursday, Mick admitted his surfing buddies sometimes prank him by pretending there's a shark in the water.

'I freak out': Mick Fanning has admitted his friends sometimes mock him at the beach by shouting 'Shark! Shark!' - even though he's battling PTSD after his 2015 shark attack

'It still took me about a year or so to get through my PTSD. Even still, I'm very wary of what's in the ocean. People splash behind me, I freak out. My mates do it to me all the time,' he explained.

Radio host Kyle Sandilands asked: 'Does anyone ever yell "Shark! Shark!" when you're out there? And do you think, listen, don't do that?'

'Yeah there's a few here that do that,' Mick replied dryly.

'I had to go through and deal with things in my own personal life': Earlier in the interview, Mick spoke about the long healing process following the shark attack, admitting it took him 'a year or so' to get through his post-traumatic stress disorder

Earlier in the interview, Mick spoke about the long healing process following the shark attack, admitting it took him 'a year or so' to get through his post-traumatic stress disorder.

'I had to go through and deal with things in my own personal life to make sure I was in a spot where I was comfortable with going surfing again,' he said.

It comes after Mick told The Australian that he still 'freaks' out whenever somebody splashes behind him in the water.

Terrifying: Mick was four minutes into the JBay Open surf event in South Africa on July 19, 2015, when a six-metre shark circled him

'I mean, it's like I'm in the actual position I was in, it's a reality dream,' the three-time world champion said.

'You sort of learn your body can do so many things to make things real and not real and I just had to learn, "Okay, that moment's been done. It's not real. These dreams are just coming back."'

Mick was four minutes into the JBay Open surf event in South Africa on July 19, 2015, when a six-metre shark circled him.

'I thought I was going to die': He was able to survive by kicking and punching the shark

He managed to survive by kicking and punching the shark in the nose.

'I thought I was going to die. I guess everyone watching on from the beach that day, and on the live broadcast all over the world, thought the exact same thing,' he told Stellar in April 2019.

Meanwhile, Mick is on the promotional trail for his National Geographic documentary Save This Shark, which premieres on September 15.

The two-part series follows Mick as he conquers his fear of the animal by exploring shark conservation and new technologies helping humans and sharks safely co-exist.

'It was a really personal journey for me to be able to reconnect with sharks in this way,' Mick said in a statement.
BRIDGEPORT  Police are investigating after a victim with a stab wound turned up at a city hospital Thursday afternoon.

Around 12:40 p.m., police officers responded to Bridgeport Hospital for a preliminary report from medical personnel about a stabbing victim.

Police said hospital personnel described the victims injuries as non-life-threatening.

There was no further information immediately available, including where the incident might have occurred.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Bridgeport police tips line at 203-576-TIPS.

This story will be updated as more details are released.
You have to stand up for these animals, said Cangelosi, who estimated he has spent more than $25,000 on Jordans care and legal fees. Someone has to be their voice. I signed up to be with them through thick and thin. Theres no reason he should have to wear a muzzle for something he didnt do.
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said he wont extend his Sept. 15 deadline for ByteDance Ltd. to sell the U.S. operations of its popular TikTok video-sharing app.

Well either close up TikTok in this country for security reasons, or it will be sold, Trump told reporters Thursday before boarding the presidential aircraft for a campaign trip to Michigan. There will be no extension of the TikTok deadline.

Administration officials had been considering whether to give more time to TikToks Chinese owner to arrange a sale of the apps U.S. operations to an American buyer, though a decision hadnt yet been presented to Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.

TikToks owner, Beijing-based ByteDance, is likely to miss Trumps Sept. 15 deadline to strike a deal to divest its U.S. operations after new Chinese regulations complicated negotiations with bidders Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp., Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

Read more: ByteDance Is Poised to Miss U.S. Deadline for TikTok Sale

TikTok is caught in a clash between the worlds two preeminent powers. Trump has ramped up his pressure campaign on China ahead of what promises to be a hotly contested presidential election in November. U.S. officials have criticized the apps security and privacy practices, suggesting that user data collected through it might be shared with the Chinese government. TikTok representatives have repeatedly denied such allegations, noting that its data centers reside entirely outside of China.

Analysts and bankers have estimated TikToks U.S. business is worth at least $20 billion, although the price would vary widely depending on what is included with the sale. The specific offers from Microsoft, which is teaming up with Walmart Inc., and Oracle, which has won support from venture backers such as Sequoia Capital, could not be determined.

Microsoft declined to comment. Oracle and TikTok didnt immediately respond to requests for comments.

Story continues

The real deadline for ByteDance to act remains an open question in the U.S. due to a confusing series of Trump statements and orders. While Trump has said he wants a deal by Sept. 15, the ban on TikToks U.S. operations that he signed last month in a bid to force a sale requires the company to act by Sept. 20.

Documentation implementing that ban, possibly under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which allows the president to regulate international commerce in response to any unusual threat to the country, is expected to be made public in the Federal Register around Sept. 20, Bloomberg News reported Sept. 2.

A subsequent order issued by Trump on Aug. 14 on the recommendation of an interagency national security panel requires ByteDance to sell TikToks U.S. business within 90 days -- giving it until after the Nov. 3 election -- further clouded the timeline for a TikTok sale.

ByteDance probably needs beyond the Sept. 20 date to nail down an agreement with any bidder because of Chinas regulatory review, Bloomberg News has reported, citing people familiar with the matter. In preliminary talks with Chinese officials, ByteDance has been told any proposal must be submitted for approval with detailed information about technical and financial issues, and the review will be substantial and take time, one of the people said. The officials havent been willing to give specific guidance on what kind of deal would work, the person said.

The parties are still racing to present a preliminary deal to the White House before this months deadline, though no agreement could be finalized before Beijings sign-off. Its also possible that ByteDance pulls out of a sale altogether if it determines it cant satisfy both governments, the bidders and its own shareholders.

(Updates with TikTok valuation in sixth paragraph)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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Suicide is a global phenomenon and one of the major causes of death.



According to a World Health Organization (W.H.O) data, "close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year; which is one person every 40 seconds . . . There are indications that for each adult who died by suicide, there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide''.



It is equally established that a lot of people who become depressed are given anti-depression pills to curb their suicide tendencies.



The anti-depressants are medically prescribed for people so as to put them in a state of calmness, hoping they don't process any suicidal thoughts.



Thursday, September 10 marks World Suicide Prevention Day and speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Head of Psychology at the University of Ghana, Professor Joseph Osafo expressed dissenting views over the prescription of anti-depressants to mental health patients.



According to him, there is no pill that can cure people with psychological problems and anti-depressants are not effective medication either.



"There is no medicine that can cure a person who feels suicidal. In fact, those who are depressed can kill themselves. So, some years back, we were giving a lot of anti-depressants. In fact, in Norway, in Sweden for example, they had that that when someone becomes depressed, he/she should be given anti-depressant. Going back, it has been proven that the rampant prescription of anti-depressants can even elevate the risk."



He stressed that an efficient way to help a person overcome the thoughts of suicide or to ensure a sound mental health is to use psychological methods.



" . . when a person becomes so depressed, you give a bit of medical intervention which is anti-depressant, then you add psychotherapy," he said.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
By The Saker

September 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Russians are dumb. Hopelessly stupid. They are amateurs of the worst kind. Ignoramuses on steroids. Why?

Well, for one, their so-called super-dooper biowarfare agent Novichok seems unable to kill anybody. The Russians must have realized that. This is why, when they tried to kill Skripal (after freeing him from jail) they put that Novichok thing all over the place: on the bench near Salisbury, on Skripals door handle, even in some bottle of perfume a local addict found in the trash. Probably all over the Skripal home, and this is why the Brits initially said that they would tear down the extremely toxic place (yet both the Skripal cat and their hamster survived  tells you how utterly useless that pretend biowarfare substance really was).

One would have thought that after this total cluster-bleep the Russians would have learned their lesson.

But no. They are clearly too dumb for that.

So they decided to poison Alexei Navalnyi, a well-know dissident.

And they failed.

Again!

Not only did the use exactly the same Novichok (or so says the German media), they allowed Navalnyis aircraft to make an emergency landing and the FSB did nothing to prevent an ambulance to bring Navalnyi to a hospital. Apparently, the FSB does not even have the authority to prevent such urgent treatment of the man they want to kill. Heck, they can even create a traffic jam to prevent Navalnyi from getting to a hospital.

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How incompetent!

Even worse, these accursed Russki doctors gave Navalnyi atropine, the exact same substance the Germans gave him. Makes me wonder if these doctors were not all CIA/BND agents trying to save Navalnyis life

Clearly, the FSB are also stupid: they cant even get aircraft or doctors to obey them

But it gets worse. In spite of the fact that Navalnyi has broken the terms of his suspended sentence and in spite of the fact that such a person cannot leave the country, these Russian imbeciles allowed him to fly to Germany while his body was still full of Novichok sloshing around.

All the Russians needed to do to kill Navalnyi would have been to give him a heart attack using any one of the many untraceable agents in existence (say, potassium chloride).

In despair, the clueless FSB might have caused Navalnyi do die in a car crash.

But they cant even do that. Shame on you, FSB!

And since Navalnyi is diabetic, killing him ought to be fantastically simple: just give him the wrong dose of meds and, voila, bye-bye Navalnyi. But not, these idiots decided to use the now infamous Novichok.

Obviously, Russians are the dumbest, most incompetent, idiots on the planet! Russian special services and biological research institutes are especially known for the crass incompetence. Proof

They stole the Covid19 vaccine from the Brits, THEN they made it dangerous.

Idiots!

Right?!

Just like the so-called Russian hackers (another Russian category famous for its extremely low IQ!) could not even try to hack DNC computers or steal the 2016 election without leaving their Russian sounding aliases all over the place. Heck, these hackers even worked only during Moscow time office hours.

I am telling you  the Russians are fantastically stupid, the dumbest people on the planet.

Especially their intel and security officers, their biowarfare specialists and their hackers. Morons. All of them!

Lets all repeat it together: the Russians are dumb! the Russians are dumb! the Russians are dumb!

That is very highly likely!
LONDON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Two of the world's greatest vehicle brands  Toyota and Lexus  have selected Feefo, the reviews and customer insights technology company, to transform their respective customer product reviews.

Feefo's AI-powered and totally transparent customer feedback platform provides both companies with a next-generation system fit for a fast-changing global automotive market. Each brand uses the Feefo platform to customise how it requests feedback from genuine customers, promoting their honest and transparent ratings next to each model on their websites.

"We care greatly about what customers think," said Ewan Shepherd, Director, Lexus UK. "Feefo will provide our customers with the trustworthy, independent insights they need, at a time of great change in the automotive market. Feefo shares our focus on innovation and consistent high quality and our collaborative approach gives us a feedback system for a new era."

Feefo's Smart Themes tool gives prospective customers of both brands immediate access to the most relevant feedback insights as they decide which vehicle or specification to buy. The tool provides Toyota and Lexus, with critical insights, revealing trends in what purchasers think about any aspect of a vehicle.

Matt West, CEO at Feefo said: "We're excited to work with such revered brands as Toyota and Lexus. Our cutting-edge insights platform will future-proof customer feedback and intelligence for both companies at a time when consumer habits are changing."

Feefo provides businesses with the tools to collect real, purchase-verified reviews and data-driven insights that build closer relationships with customers. Feefo ensures that all feedback is authentic by matching it to a legitimate transaction, in order to increase consumer confidence and enable businesses to make smarter business decisions from fast access to real customer insights.

About Feefo

Feefo is a leading global reviews and customer insights technology company with a suite of smart solutions that deliver better outcomes in marketing performance and customer experience.

Feefo's actionable insights leverage the full power of real customer insight, empowering brands to make more informed decisions through deep understanding of customer behaviour. Feefo creates trust between consumers and businesses by adopting a unique approach to only collect real reviews from real people.

Feefo's agile platform is trusted by more than 3,500 brands including Next, Expedia, and JCB, who rely on it to supply smart insights that transform their ability to market, sell and build more rewarding relationships with customers.

A trusted partner of Google, Feefo's technology and consultancy team possesses unique expertise and business insight, enabling brands to employ cutting-edge innovation that optimises the delivery of digital marketing and advertising.

Please visit: www.feefo.com

SOURCE Feefo

Related Links

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Today: Payloads - Astrobee: The crew performed various localization and mobility operations for the Astrobee satellite.

This was performed in support of the upcoming Kibo Robot Programming Challenge. The Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Robo-Pro Challenge), also known as Kibo-RPC, allows students to create programs to control Astrobee, a free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This opportunity provides hands-on experience with science, technology, engineering and mathematics in space and inspires the next generation of explorers. This activity is based on Japan-U.S. cooperation through the Japan-US Open platform Partnership Program (JP-US OP3).

MELFI1 Electronic Unit (EU) Swap: As a recovery from the MELFI EU failure on GMT 213, the crew replaced the failed EU with a spare unit. Following the replacement, the MELFI unit will be checked out and will begin cooling to the set point temperatures. The Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) is a cold storage unit that maintains experiment samples at cold temperatures (+2 deg C to -95 deg C) throughout a mission.

Radi-N2: Chris retrieved the eight Radi-N2 detectors from the NODE2 Panel P3 location and handed them over to the Russian crew for processing. The objective of this Canadian Space Agency investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment, define the risk posed to the crew members' health, and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future spaceflight. It's been recognized that neutrons make up a significant fraction (10-30%) of the biologically effective radiation exposure in low-Earth orbit. The bubble detectors used in the investigation are designed to detect neutrons and ignore all other radiation.

Systems

Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Sample Analysis: Today the crew completed post processing analysis of the coliform detection bags. The water samples were acquired on GMT 246 and allowed to incubate to check for the presence of Coliform bacteria. Following the incubation period, the crew visually analyzed the coliform detection bags and recorded the results. Visual confirmation must be performed within 40-48 hours of the initial sample collection.

Completed Task List Activities:

Single Stowage Locker Prep

Audit of Pivot Pins, K-Bars and K-Bars Capture Fittings

Today's Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

PCS Reboots/Log File Downlinks

S-Band Index Change

Primary C&C Monthly File Downlinks

TAS Weekly Vent/Purge

FPMU Activation

Look Ahead Plan

Saturday, 9/5 (GMT 249)

Payloads:

Astrobee Off

Systems:

Crew Off Duty

Sunday, 9/6 (GMT 250)

Payloads:

No Utilization Activities

Systems:

Crew Off Duty

Monday, 9/7 (GMT 251)

Payloads:

No Utilization Activities

Systems:

Crew Off Duty (Labor Day Holiday)

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

. Check - #07 Thermostat Temperature and Keep Out Zones in front of - Inlets and Outlets

Astrobee Stowage Clear

ISS Crew and  (RSA Flight Control Team) weekly conference

URAGAN. Closeout Operations and Teardown of SOVA and Photo Equipment

SM Aft Progress 448 (75P) Transfer Operations. IMS Update

Weekly Checkout of ISS RS Video Equipment Functionality

-1 Storage Battery Current Converter R&R (position 307)

Cleaning of  1, 2, 3 Gas-Liquid Heat Exchanger Removable Screens in the FGB

JEM Airlock Press & Leak Check

Vacuum Cleaning of  in the FGB

Environmental Health System (EHS) - Coliform Water Sample Analysis 44 +/- 4 hours post processing

Vacuum Cleaning of 1 and 2 Air Ducts in MRM2

JPM Thermal Control Assembly for Low Temperature Loop (TCA L) Gas Trap Manual Valves Reconfiguration

IMPACT. Photography of IMPACT Plate Through EV Hatch Window 1 in DC1

MELFI 1 Desiccant Remove

MELFI 1 (JPM1D4) Electronic Unit Swap

BIOMAG-. - #07 Thermostat Transfer and Activation

MATRESHKA-R. Bubble Dosimeters Gather and Measurements. Handover to USOS

Teardown of the Navigation Module and -1/2 Separators from SM Aft Progress 448 (75P)

Astrobee Crew Conference

Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons Hardware Handover & Retrieval/Readout

Biolab TCU Cleaning

Astrobee Free Flyer Localization and Mobility Ops Part 3

URAGAN. Setup and Activation of SOVA and Photo Equipment.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Professor Neil Ferguson has urged workers not to rush back to offices, undermining the Government's public messaging

'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson has urged workers not to rush back to offices because it could propel the current rise in infections and force tougher restrictions.

The Imperial College London scientist's comments undermine the Government's huge drive to get employees back in offices and help kick-start the economy.

Professor Ferguson - whose grim modelling of the pandemic was used to steer ministers through the crisis - said people should 'hesitate' at the 'headlong rush to get everybody back into offices'.

He warned people should wait several weeks to see what effect reopening schools has had on Covid-19 transmission before returning to work.

Scientists believe it is an inevitability that getting schools and universities back up and running will drive up the virus's spread, but the question is by how much.

Nine in 10 home workers want to continue in the future Nine out of 10 people in the UK who have worked from home during lockdown want to continue doing so, according to new research. The report - Homeworking in the UK: before and during the 2020 lockdown - is believed to be the first to analyse survey data focused on homeworking during the coronavirus pandemic. It said working from home in the UK rose from 6 per cent of employees before the start of the pandemic up to 43% in April, with results indicating that productivity mostly remained stable compared with the six months before. The report, by academics at Cardiff University and the University of Southampton, said 88 per cent of employees who worked at home during lockdown would like to continue doing so in some capacity, with 47 per cent are wanting to do so often or all the time. About two-fifths (41 per cent) said they got as much work done at home as they did six months earlier when most, but not all, were in their usual places of work. More than a quarter (29 per cent) said they got more done at home, while 30 per cent said their productivity had fallen. The surge in home working triggered by the lockdown mostly affected the highest paid, the better qualified, the higher skilled and those living in London and the South East. Advertisement

Professor Ferguson - a former member of Government advisory group SAGE - said if schools lead to a significant spike in infections then it's likely the Government will have to try reduce social contact elsewhere, starting with in the workplace.

He warned 'all the analysis' suggested there would be an 'uptick in deaths in the coming weeks'.

The epidemiologist told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'One of the mistakes made early on in this crisis was being cautious in responding to the epidemic and that led to the UK being later than we would have liked in locking down, and therefore we saw the death toll this country did see.

'And I am encouraged that now we are responding in a more timely manner - we have a lot more data available to track the epidemic.'

He said 'all the analysis' suggested there would be an 'uptick in deaths in the coming weeks, so now is the time to respond'.

But Professor Ferguson warned: 'The measures just announced will take some weeks to have an effect, so we need to wait at this point and see how much it will flatten the curve.

'And then if that is not sufficient to bring the reproduction number below one, so the epidemic starts shrinking again, then yes, we may need to clamp down in other areas.'

The Imperial scientist said people should 'hesitate' at the 'headlong rush to get everybody back into offices'.

'The case number increases we've seen in the last two weeks, do not yet account for the reopening of schools. So undoubtedly that may increase transmission still further and there may be a need therefore to reduce contacts in other settings,' he told Today.

Professor Ferguson said he was still working from home, and cautioned: 'Certainly I think we should hesitate and maybe pause at the headlong rush to get everybody back into offices.

'But some people have to work and I completely understand the concerns in many quarters that everybody working at home has an economic impact, particularly on city centres.'

Professor Ferguson formerly sat on the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and had a prominent hand in ministers' decisions early in the crisis.

But he was kicked from the group for flouting stay at home rules to have secret trysts with his married mistress.

He was dubbed Professor Lockdown after his grim mathematical modelling warned that 500,000 Brits may die from Covid-19 without action.
A leading coronavirus vaccine trial spearheaded by Oxford University was put on ice after a British participant developed severe neurological symptoms, AstraZeneca has confirmed.

A spokesman for the pharmaceutical giant said the woman, who had received a dose of the experimental vaccination, reported symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis  a rare inflammation of the spinal cord.

"We don't know if it is (transverse myelitis)," spokesman Matthew Kent told reporters on Thursday.

"More tests are being done now as part of the follow-up."

The vaccine, developed by Oxford University in partnership with Astrazeneca, is being tested in thousands of people in Britain and the US, and in smaller study groups in South America.

On Tuesday, the drug-maker said its "standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data."

It did not provide any details other than to say a single participant had an "unexplained illness."

Hancock: Oxford vaccine setback is 'standard process'

Mr Kent said an independent committee was reviewing the study's safety data before deciding if and when the research could continue.

The study was previously stopped in July for several days after a vaccinated participant reported neurological symptoms.

However, this turned out to be an undiagnosed case of multiple sclerosis that was unrelated to the vaccine.

Late last month, AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the US for its largest study of the vaccine.

Meanwhile trials have entered the late stages in the UK, and smaller studies are being carried out in Brazil and South Africa.

Several other Covid-19 vaccine candidates are in development.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organisation's chief scientist, said the UN health agency was not overly concerned by the pause in the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine trial, describing it as "a wake-up call" to the global community about the inevitable ups and downs of medical research.

Temporary holds of large medical studies are not unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing.
Taiwan's producers see decline in August revenue

10 September 2020

Taiwans Universal Cement Corp has reported a 3.5 per cent YoY decline in August revenue to TWD366.9m (US$12.5m), against TWD380.4m in the same month of 2019. However, in the January-August 2020 period, the company posted an 8.7 per cent YoY rise in revenue to TWD3.44bn from TWD3.16bn.



Elsewhere, Hsing Ta Cement saw a 14 per cent fall in August 2020 revenue to TWD625.7m from TWD727.9m last year. In the first eight months of the year, revenue dipped 7.4 per cent YoY to TWD4.54bn.

Published under
South Africa: Pending COVID-19 vaccine should be equally distributed: President

As the world scrambles to find a cure for the novel Coronavirus, once developed, the vaccine should be equally distributed to all countries in need and not just the wealthy, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The President made the impassioned plea while virtually delivering his opening remarks at the World Health Organisations first high- level meeting of the Facilitation Council of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) on Thursday.

President Ramaphosa, who is also the chairperson of the African Union (AU), is co-chairing the meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Ema Solberg.

The meeting will formally launch the ACT-A Facilitation Council, which is an international collaboration among a diverse representation of global leaders and partners to accelerate the development, production and equitable deployment of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for COVID-19. While 908 000 people across the world have died from COVID-19 related illnesses, 28 million people have contracted the virus. Just over 20.1 million recoveries have been recorded.

While the pandemic has led to economic hardship and insecurity throughout the world, President Ramaphosa said world governments needed to hasten the process of finding tools to combat the virus.

ACT-A, said the President, is a ground-breaking and innovating mechanism, a product of an unprecedented and ongoing collaboration.

Im sure that we will all agree that faced with such a pandemic, it is essential that humanity has a sense that if and when a vaccine is developed, all countries, including those in my continent, should benefit and not be left behind, he said.

Humanity, he said, requires that a vaccine should be regarded a public good to benefit all.

President Ramaphosa said: We cannot achieve universal health coverage when the vaccine is available to only countries that are wealthy and well resourced in terms of research, manufacturing, distribution and service. As long as someone is infected by the virus, no matter how remote they may be, we are all at risk from the resurgence.

Moving swiftly in this regard would ensure that everyone has access to the vaccine once it is developed at the same time.

Countries must together, acting in solidarity, support current global initiatives to develop vaccines, he said.

President Ramaphosa said the initiative was important to achieving this goal.

We should use all available infrastructure to conduct research to find safe vaccines. The efforts by the WHO to enable collaboration among scientists to conduct clinical trials is welcome.

Support for these global efforts are critical, as they are likely to increase the availability of vaccines that are appropriate to specific locations and populations.

We must also incentivise vaccine development, especially for pharmaceutical companies. They may be concerned that if they embark on this every expensive process, it may not be profitable, the President said.

While some countries already do this, the President said governments may have to subsidise the development of vaccines as an incentive to ensure fast and adequate production.

As a global community, we must encourage people to participate in safe clinical trials of vaccines. The act is vital to achieve these goals. It offers us tools at the speed and scale that is needed and but also an equitable mechanism to distribute them.

Now that it is a proven functioning mechanism, we must waste no time in rallying support with the political and financial support it needs to succeed. As South Africa, and on behalf of the AU, we look forward to this cooperation. Working with all States and partners to achieve our collective objectives, Im sure we will succeed, he said.

ACT-A was launched on 24 April and provided with political and financial support through global pledging events of 4 May and 27 June.

In a statement, the Presidency said the ACT-A had already established a dynamic portfolio of vaccine candidates, launched a global facility to optimise vaccine development and use, and has started the rollout of the first proven therapy for severe disease.

This collaboration has also identified a potentially game-changing rapid test and established a framework for equitable allocation of these products globally.

The Facilitation Council, which is expected to be formally established today and adopt Terms of Reference, will work to address key challenges and galvanise global leadership to enable for access to COVID-19 tools for all countries.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Sen. Joseph McCarthy speaks to his chief counsel, Roy Cohn, during the Senate's Army-McCarthy hearings in April 1954. (Byron Rollins / Associated Press)

Joseph McCarthys name long ago became an ism a synonym for reckless accusation, fear-mongering and the obliteration of ones opponents by any means necessary. With the presidential election less than two months away, were seeing Donald Trump take up those tactics.

By now, probably every American has heard the charge that President Trump has denigrated fallen American soldiers as losers and suckers. What people may not know is that McCarthy, the Red-baiting senator from Wisconsin, did something strikingly similar 70 years ago  inexplicably putting the U.S. military in his cross-hairs. While he had gotten away with baselessly accusing the State Department, the Voice of America and other federal agencies of sheltering communists, the Army proved it was too big to bully.

McCarthys wartime diaries show that he hated the military command going back to his World War II days as a tail gunner in the South Pacific. He resented officers supposed sugarcoating of Allied wins and enemy losses, writing, Who the hell do those mental midgets think theyre fooling & why? Most irritating to him were the inter-service rivalries: Sometimes wonder if we are fighting the same war as the Navy & Army.

Later, as a senator, McCarthy placed several Army generals who were venerated by the public  from George Marshall, orchestrator of the Allied victory, to Telford Taylor, head of American code breakers at Englands Bletchley Park  at the center of what he claimed was a vast Communist conspiracy inside the federal government. McCarthys manufactured rage reached a flash point in the fall of 1953 when he charged that Ft. Monmouth in New Jersey was filled with Commie moles. For good measure, he belittled Eisenhower, the war hero president, as a Johnny-come-lately to the Cold War.

Military leaders at first tried to placate McCarthy, but during the famous Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954 both the Army and Ike pushed back, offering reams of evidence of the senators self-serving and reckless actions. At the start of those proceedings, McCarthys popularity had reached 50%; by the end two months later only 34% of Americans supported him, finally giving the Senate the guts to condemn him.

Story continues

Eisenhower, who had enabled McCarthy by refusing to engage with him, at long last was ordering his generals to battle back. And the president personally ended one of his weekly meetings with Republican legislators by asking whether they had heard the yarn going around Washington: Its no longer McCarthyism, its McCarthywasm.

The echoes between McCarthy and Trump dont stop with the maligning of the military, and theyre becoming more alarming as the presidents poll numbers plummet.

Take the way Trump dreams up insulting monikers for every one of his political enemies, from Sleepy Joe Biden to Crooked Hillary Clinton. Low Blow Joe McCarthy used the same bullying tactic, calling Francis Wendt the Pinko Mayor of Racine and branding Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine and her fellow moderate Republicans Snow White and the Six Dwarfs.

Likewise, Trump has vilified as unpatriotic and pro-crime the Democratic mayors he says have lost control over their cities. And he has abetted the same birther lie about Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, that he perpetrated against Barack Obama. Terrifying, but hardly original. McCarthy painted his opponents as red or pink, truth be damned.

Trump, like McCarthy, is a genius at seizing upon public paranoia and claiming evidence of conspiracies when there is none. Both men are adept at inventing figures to fear  in McCarthys case, it was scheming Communists, in Trumps, its immigrants. Both turned their names into universal brands. Neither had a master strategy to govern; the point was only to acquire and cling to power.

The connection between the senator and the president, of course, is more than rhetorical. Roy Cohn, the New York attorney, was the flesh-and-blood through-line. In the 1950s, Cohn served as McCarthys eager protege. Twenty years later, he became Trumps bare-knuckled mentor, channeling the senators ruthlessness to the eventual president.

Never has that been more apparent than in Trumps reported distain for those in uniform. While the president has denied the allegations, calling them Fake News, several media outlets have confirmed that he has derided not just former Sen. John McCain for being a prisoner of war in North Vietnam but other brave G.I.s. There is, however, a difference: Unlike Trump, McCarthy had served in the military machine he would scorn  and he was attacking the brass, not the rank and file.

In contrast to those opposing McCarthy, todays military leaders are understandably hesitant to call out a bully when hes their commander-in-chief. So, with only 54 days left before election day, its up to Joe Biden to drill into voters that their choice is straightforward: Reject McCarthyism again or resurrect it under the new name of Trumpism.

Larry Tye is the author, most recently, of Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy.




The crux of early childhood education is connection. The most rapid and progressive period of brain development happens between ages 0-5. Synapses are the neural connections that guide skill acquisition and development. The limbic system, which in very simple terms regulates our social emotional well being, is the most prevalent of brain systems formed in this period and is formulated by synaptic connections Subsequently, our initial interactions with the world are derived in primal connections.

Physiologically, childrens systems connectwith each other to perform high-level functions such as walking, talking, jumping, etc.  These seemingly menial tasks are complex processes that are only possible by connectingthe responses of each system in a synergetic union. Physiological responses are constantly proliferating and pruning as they react to a myriad of stimuli. These interactions begin to train the muscle memory to interpret the responses in a way that connectsthe child to world around them.

Physically, children connectto their environments as they inherently crave safety, stability and nourishment. Their cries, outbursts and tantrums are the primal communication tools they use to get the attention of those that they are connectedto. Children are unable to thrive in environments where they are not or dont feel connected. Which often is the source for maladaptive behavior. This is apparent as children who may exhibit aggressive or violent classroom behavior are often quelled with some sort of physical connection. This could be getting eye level and close, or a hug or a rub in the small of the back, etc.

Mentally, children learn concepts best when they are able to connectto background knowledge (schema) of a subject. The child brain seeks connectionsin the form of patterns, sequences and order. When children are introduced to a new concept, the memory reserves of the brain are triggered. Learning is extended and seamless as children are able to connect deeper to information that they have previously been exposed to. As much as this is a brain function, pragmatically speaking, even as we learn as adults, we can learn deeper more intensely when the information is interesting and familiar.

Socially, just pay attention to children maneuvering through their learning and living environments. Children intrinsically connect to someone or something that provides them with attention, solace or interest. Social interactions allow children to connectto their environment as the intersection of verbal and sensorimotor skills creates the foundation for developing social skills. In early childhood we study The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD dictates how well a child functions in proximity to their adult. For instance, a child may feed themselves when in the presence of their mother at home, however, at school the same child will rely on the caregiver to feed them. This is tied directly to the safe connectionthe child has created with the parent and the connection the child is attempting to gain with the new environment.

Connectionsare the intrinsic vehicles children use to learn about themselves, environment and everything else. It is quite alarming to acknowledge the disparity of men of color as classroom teachers specifically in early childhood education classrooms. According to the 2014 U.S. Department Education Office for Civil Rights Early Childhood Education Data snapshot, suspension of preschool children (new for 2011-12 collection): Black children make up 18% of preschool enrollment, but 48% of preschool children suspended more than once. Boys receive more than three out of four out-of-school preschool suspensions.

Coincidentally, less than 2% of teachers are males of color.Based on the amount of connectionthat is required just in the fundamental process of growth and development, how is it that our teaching force is so disconnected from its most troubled sect of the classroom? The need to diversify our teacher force, and specifically our early learning workforce, is imperative to offset the alarming trend. In this paradigm that America finds itself reckoning with its wicked past, here is a recommendation to truly impact and change the narrative and trajectory of the historically disenfranchised. It starts with connecting men of color to boys of color, especially in our early childhood classrooms.

Kahlil Mwaafrika is director of Early Learning Educate Me Foundation.
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed authorities to increase the number of ICU beds in hospitals and take steps to contain the spread of the infection, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday.

Interacting with reporters, he also said plasma therapy will continue to be used in as it is proving to be effective in people who are in stage one or two of COVID-19 treatment, but not in stage three or those on ventilators.

He told this to mediapersons when asked to respond about an Indian Council of Medical Research-funded study which has found that use of convalescent plasma therapy in coronavirus-infected patients does not help in reducing mortality or progression to severe COVID-19 stage.

The chief minister had on Wednesday held a review meeting with Jain, Chief Secretary Vijay Dev, senior officials and medical superintendents of government-run hospitals and asked them to take all possible steps to prevent the spread of virus.

"The meeting was held to assess the current situation of COVID-19 and medical superintendents of all hospitals were present in it. The main outcome of the meeting was that CM has directed authorities to increase the number of ICU beds (in hospitals)," Jain said.

reported 4,039 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest single-day spike so far, as thetally breached the two lakh-mark in the city. On Wednesday, a record 54,517 tests were conducted by authorities in 24 hours, the health bulletin had said.

This was the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, that over 4,000 cases were recorded in Delhi in a day. The previous highestsingle-day spike of 3,947 cases was recorded on June 23.

Twenty fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours taking the death toll to 4,638, according to the bulletin issued on Wednesday.

"Delhi recorded highest spike in cases so far. But, it is also because we have gone aggressive on testing, with over 54,000 tests, highest ever in Delhi. And, we had set a target of 40,000 tests per day. So, we do not want to to leave any infected person in tracing," Jain told reporters.

Out target is to ensure "zero mortality" and treatment protocols have been standardised, he added.

The positivity rate on Wednesday was 7.4 per cent which is close to the corresponding figure at a national level (7.5 per cent), Jain said.

On the ICMR-funded study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed and has appeared on medRxiv, a pre-print server, the health minister asked whether the ICMRhas said it is wrong.

Plasma therapy has been in use for many decades for various diseases. As of now there is no standard treatment for COVID-19. And, patients in ICU, who are in first two stages, it is proving effective on them, he said.

"I myself am a COVID survivor and was administered plasma therapy, so I am telling," he said, adding, that roughly 1,000 patients have been administered the therapy in Delhi.

On the provision to getting tests done without any doctor's prescription, Jain said an AADHAAR card or any other identify proof will do. For RT-PCR, AADHAAR card will be required, he said.

Jain also held a meeting with medical directors and medical superintendents of all Delhi government hospitals on Wednesday to review the status of testing, the bulletin had said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two people were hurt following a shooting at a North York restaurant patio Wednesday evening.

Police said they were called to Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue just before 9:30 p.m., after one of the victims walked into a nearby restaurant with injuries.

A man in his early 20s suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and was transported to hospital. Police said the other victim was treated on scene after their back was grazed with a bullet.

Police have little information on the shooter, who may have fled the scene in a red sedan heading north on Collision Boulevard.

Were not aware whether or not this was a targeted shooting, said Edward Parks, Toronto police media relations officer.

Gun violence continues to be near record levels in Toronto.

As of Sunday, Toronto was on pace to match 2019 for the most shooting victims in any year in police data that goes back to 2004. Police say 167 people have been killed or injured in a shooting by Sept. 7 of this year, the same total by that date in 2019.

So far in 2020, police have also recorded significantly more overall shooting incidents  including ones that result in no injuries than in any other year in the data: A total of 345 so far, up from 299 by the same date last year.

Based on the data, shootings in the city have increased steadily since reaching a low in 2014. That year saw 70 people shot by Sept. 7.

Twenty-eight people have been killed by guns so far this year, according to the police data.

Police say they are imploring the public to come forth with any information regarding Wednesday evenings shooting.

Breanna Xavier-Carter is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: bxavier@thestar.ca
Authorities in Beijing have detained an outspoken publisher and her husband on suspicion of running an "illegal business operation" after she made public her support for former Tsinghua University scholar Xu Zhangrun.



Geng Xiaonan and her husband were taken away by police in Beijing's Haidian district earlier this week, a former colleague said.



Tsinghua sociology professor Guo Yuhua said Geng spoke with Xu, who was fired from his position as professor of jurisprudence and constitutional law at Tsinghua earlier this year after penning essays critical of ruling Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping, just before going incommunicado.



"She said she was just stepping out to take care of something, and that she would be in touch again on her return," Guo said. "She has been incommunicado since then. Her husband was also detained at the office."



Geng's defense lawyer Shang Baojun told RFA on Thursday: "Geng Xiaonan is suspected of illegal business operations, and is currently being held in the Haidian District Detention Center."



"That's the only information we have right now."



Their detention came after police began interviewing employees of the publishing house run by Geng and her husband on Monday, sources in the industry told RFA.



A cultural industry insider surnamed Zhang said Geng had been expecting that the authorities would target her through her company, but had continued to speak out anyway.



"This investigation started a while ago, and she had made mental preparation for this," Zhang said. "When Professor Xu Zhangrun was fired, she didn't hesitate to come out and speak on his behalf."



"I think that was amazing."



An art industry business owner surnamed Wang said she had often run into Geng on the cultural and literary scene in Beijing.



"I didn't expect her writing to be so much to the point, and her stance to be so clear," Wang said. "I saw that she spoke out for Professor Xu after he was arrested."



A journalist from Chongqing, who gave only a nickname Xiao Juan, said Geng's detention came after she gave an exclusive interview to RFA when the authorities came for Xu.



"She was worried when she gave the interview to RFA, but she was still speaking out and taking action, and being a thorn in the side of the authorities," Xiao Juan said.



"Chinese intellectuals are getting harder and harder hit by the authorities in today's China, regardless of whether they are in the media, publishing. Religious figures and dissidents, too."



Since party general secretary Xi Jinping began an indefinite term in office in March 2018, his administration has stepped up a purge of liberal intellectuals from higher education institutions.



Authorities in Beijing detained Xu on the morning of July 6 after he called online for political reforms, on allegations of "seeking out prostitutes."



He was released a week later, but later told the media that he had been fired from his teaching post and subjected to public sanctions for "moral corruption" by Tsinghua University's law school.



Charges of "seeking out prostitutes" have been used before by the Chinese authorities to target peaceful critics and activists, or anyone who runs afoul of local officials and powerful vested interests. Xu has lodged a legal challenge, and denies the charges.



Friends said at the time of Xu's detention that it could be linked to the publication of one of his books in New York last month, a collection of some of his most controversial essays and articles.



Xu recently also criticized the Beijing municipal authorities for demolishing an artists' village, and said that Xi Jinping is taking China into "a dead end."



In a 10,000-word essay dated May 21, 2020, Xu described China as isolated from "global civilization," which would de-Sinicize in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.



Xu's essay called for China's leaders to be held politically accountable, for the release of prisoners of conscience, including journalists and human rights lawyers, and for an end to the political targeting of academics.



Xu has also called for amendments nodded through by China's National People's Congress (NPC) in 2018 to be revoked, and for an end to massive international expenditure to boost China's influence overseas, as well as for legislation requiring officials to publish details of their assets and financial interests.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
In its heyday, the WE Charity probably prodded countless young people to pursue lives in global activism. Thanks to recent events, WE Charity has probably done the opposite for politics.

No matter who ultimately gets the blame for the demise of WE Charitys Canadian operations, announced sorrowfully this week, there is nothing in the whole saga that will inspire youthful idealists toward politics.

The founders of the WE Charity, Marc and Craig Kielburger, have paid a steep price for flying too close to political power. Justin Trudeau, the prime minister who saw himself as the champion for young people in politics, has acquired some major brand damage on that score.

Young do-gooders like the Kielburgers used to tell people to think globally, act locally. The WE Charity controversy has effectively lopped off the last part of that slogan. Think globally and steer well clear of the domestic stuff, especially politics.

WE Charitys downfall is actually two stories in one, neatly summed up in the third paragraph of the charitys statement on Wednesday.

COVID-19 disrupted every aspect of our work. The fallout from the Canada Student Service Grant has placed us, as a charity, in the middle of political battles and misinformation that we are ill-equipped to fight.

That, in a nutshell, sums up how WE Charity is a dual casualty of 2020: globally and locally damaged.

Global citizenship has taken a huge hit during this pandemic. Borders are closed, travel is ill-advised and charity truly begins at home, where this virus is robbing people of their livelihoods, their social lives and local businesses.

In that context alone, WE Charity was vulnerable  it is an organization that relies on people feeling comfortable enough at home to think of others in greater need, farther away. A pandemic, unfortunately, tends to turn everyone into isolationists.

So WE Charitys entire raison detre was in peril even before it got entangled in the domestic pandemic-relief program, enlisted by the government to administer aid to students affected by the economic lockdown. What happened afterward gives a whole new meaning to the warning: dont try this at home.

From the moment that WE Charity was designated as a most-favoured charity for COVID relief, the organization learned the fundamental lesson of modern politics: its not your enemies who get you into trouble; its your friends. Or in Trudeaus case, his family. The charitys cosy relationship with the Trudeau family speaking circuit  the prime ministers mother, brother and wife  was a fatal liability for the WE Charity organization and the Trudeau government.

WE Charitys statement cast the charity as a victim of political battles and misinformation: the controversy as a collision between the idealism of global philanthropy and the cynicism of domestic politics.

The victims, of course, are all those students who never did get the jobs and pandemic relief that WE Charity was supposed to administer and all the employees of WE Charity who will soon be looking for other work in the midst of a massive economic downturn.

Several years ago, I was interviewing an MP who got into partisan politics when she was a student, then spent many years after university in the field of international aid. She said she had noticed how students nowadays are more likely to skip that whole step of political clubs in university and choose specific causes, often global ones, as an outlet for their idealism.

Trudeau, campaigning for the Liberal leadership, went to colleges and universities all over Canada too, telling young people that it was his mission to reconnect youthful activism to the cause of politics. When he first came to power, he retained responsibility for youth issues in his cabinet, though he eventually handed it off. (It now belongs to Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity, Youth and Inclusion, and one of the cabinet members at the heart of the WE Charity investigation.)

Up until the WE Charity controversy blew onto the scene this year, COVID-19 had been proving to be an unexpected ally in the cause of reconnecting people  young and old  to politics and government. Suddenly, government mattered in peoples lives; political games were being set aside.

The uproar over WE Charity revived politics as usual, though, and re-toxified the conversation on social media. Any young person looking to get involved in Canadian politics, scrolling through the posts on Twitter or watching the partisan back-and-forth in traditional media, will quickly learn that enemies are everywhere and friends are just trouble  the opposite of optimism.

The WE Charity hasnt totally given up on its causes; its Wednesday statement closed with reassurances of its ongoing commitment to global citizens and shameless idealists. It didnt urge any of its fans and followers to go into politics.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday urged Southeast Asian countries to reconsider business deals with the 24 Chinese companies and individuals that Washington sanctioned last month for their roles in constructing Beijings artificial islands in the South China Sea.

The Chinese state-owned companies strong-arm coastal Southeast Asian nations in the disputed waterway and these countries need to actively preserve territorial integrity, Pompeo said at an online meeting with foreign ministers from the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Reconsider business dealings with the very state-owned companies that bully ASEAN coastal states in the South China Sea, said the top American diplomat at the annual meeting

Dont just speak up, but act.  Dont let the Chinese Communist Party walk over us and our people.

Pompeo further said that China doesnt respect values enshrined in the ASEAN charter, while the U.S. does support Southeast Asian nations sovereignty and growth.

Beijing doesnt respect the fundamental democratic values of those enshrined in the ASEAN charter: independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity. Today, I say keep going, Pompeo said.

You should have confidence that America will be here in friendship to help you just as we have been for the last 3 years.

As many as 24 Chinese firms and individuals were placed on a list of sanctions by the U.S. on Aug. 26 for what Washington said is their involvement in reclamation activities in the South China Sea. Pompeo said last month that the sanctioned firms and individuals were involved in Chinas extensive dredging campaign in the waterway.

Notably, ASEAN member the Philippines said earlier this month it wont cut business ties with the Chinese firms Washington has blacklisted.

The Philippine government said it would work with these Chinese companies because it is in the national interest to complete flagship infrastructure projects in the country involving these firms, said Harry Roque, spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte.

We are not a vassal state of any foreign power and we will pursue our national interest, Roque said. [T]he president was clear, he will not follow the directive of the Americans because we are a free and independent country, and we need Chinese investments.

Rising Tensions

Beijing, for its part, accused the U.S. of continuing to interfere in the South China Sea.

On Wednesday, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi called the U.S. the biggest driver of militarization of the South China Sea, Chinese media reported.

The United States is becoming the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the South China Sea, Wang said at the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Peace and stability are Chinas greatest strategic interest in the South China Sea, he said, adding that those attributes were the common strategic aspiration of China and ASEAN.

China hopes that countries outside the region, including the United States, will fully respect the wishes and expectations of countries in the region, instead of creating tension and seeking profit from it.

China claims most of the South China Sea, saying it has historic rights to the waterway, where it has been building military installations and artificial islands as Beijing expands the footprint of its armed forces in the contested maritime region. Chinas claims are demarcated by a so-called nine-dash line that appears on Chinese maps.

Tensions in the region have been rising since Pompeos declaration in July that Beijings claims to the South China Sea are illegal. Washington, he said at the time, stands with its Southeast Asian allies in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources.

In addition to China and Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have territorial claims in the South China Sea. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesias exclusive economic zone.

Many ASEAN members say they are caught in the middle of the spat between Beijing and Washington.

On Wednesday, the opening day of the ASEAN meeting, Indonesia and Vietnam said the South China Sea dispute threatens regional stability and that countries should settle the acrimonious row by adhering to international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.

Still, on Thursday, Vietnams Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said the ASEAN-U.S. relationship has brought about mutual benefit to both sides, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. role and contribution to maintaining peace, stability and security in the region are encouraged, he said.

ASEAN Joint Communique

The joint communique of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, released Thursday, also highlights the South China Sea issue.

The consensus document from the summit, held Wednesday, expresses concern over increased tensions in the disputed waters and affirms the need for freedom of navigation and overflight.

We emphasized the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities by claimants and all other states, the communique states.

We further reaffirmed the need to pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

Chinas expansive claims in the South China Sea were struck down in a landmark 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, as judges found that Chinas claims didnt hold up under UNCLOS.

ASEAN member states such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have all emphasized UNCLOS and the 2016 ruling when discussing the South China Sea issue in recent months.

Meanwhile, this years communique nearly didnt mention UNCLOS, said Aaron Connelly, a research fellow at the Britain and Singapore-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

There was an early proposal from Laos to remove any reference to UNCLOS, and that was rejected by ASEAN, Connelly told Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews.

He cited an earlier negotiating text he had knowledge of, and said there was a disagreement over the wording around UNCLOS that briefly held up the communique.

Code of Conduct tussle

This years joint communique also lauded the progress of substantive negotiations toward the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (CoC) consistent with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, within a mutually agreed timeline.

In 2002, ASEAN member-states signed a Declaration of Conduct with China, expressing their willingness to peacefully settle disputes over the South China Sea.

Close to two decades later, the group and China have not been able to agree on a follow-on document  called the Code of Conduct, or CoC  that would clearly set out guidelines for how claimants in the South China Sea must behave.

Connelly said some ASEAN members were unhappy with the communiques optimistic statement on the CoC.

China put a lot of pressure on ASEAN member-states to make a statement about progress on the CoC, even though there hasnt been any progress since last year, Connelly said. If you read between the lines you can see some dissatisfaction among member-states on the lack of progress.

While the communique does not mention when negotiations on the CoC will resume, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said during the ASEAN meeting on Wednesday that talks would restart no later than November, Bloomberg News reported.

ASEAN is allowing China to save some face but making it very clear that its unhappy about the current state of affairs, Connelly said.
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BP plans to develop offshore wind projects in the U.S., a move that brings the British energy giant closer to its goal of becoming a net zero emissions company by 2050.

The British oil major on Thursday said it has partnered with Norway-based Equinor to develop four offshore wind projects off the coast of New York and Massachusetts that together will generate enough electricity to power more than 2 million homes. The partnership will be BPs first offshore wind venture, and will help the company toward its goal of developing 50 gigawatts of renewable power by 2030.

This is an important early step in the delivery of our new strategy and our pivot to truly becoming an integrated energy company, BP CEO Bernard Looney said in a statement. Offshore wind is growing at around 20 percent a year globally and is recognized as being a core part of meeting the worlds need to limit emissions.

BP in recent months has moved aggressively toward achieving its net-zero ambitions, shifting spending away from its traditional oil and gas business to renewable energy sources. The company plans to increase its annual low-carbon investment by 10-fold to around $5 billion a year, and over time, lower its oil and gas production.

ENERGY TRANSITION: Oil giant BP is prepping its next step toward cleaner energy

In June, the company announced plans to sell its petrochemicals business to Ineos for $5 billion in a move that strengthens its balance sheet during the coronavirus-driven oil downturn, but also transitions the company away from oil and gas.

In July, BP said it will acquire full ownership of Fowler Ridge 1, a wind farm in central Indiana with 162 wind turbines and a generation capacity that could power as many as 60,000 Texas homes on a summer day.

BP this summer also donated $2 million to the city of Houston and will serve as a strategic partner to help the Houston city government become a net-zero carbon emitter by 2050.

As part of its latest agreement to develop offshore wind projects, BP will pay Equinor $1.1 billion for a 50 percent interest in the companys Empire Wind and Beacon Wind assets off the East Coast. Equinor will continue to operate the offshore wind farms, but over time, the wind farms will be equally staffed by both BP and Equinor. The partnership also plans to develop more wind farms on the East Coast.

The Empire Wind lease area spans 80,000 acres up to 30 miles southeast of Long Island, N.Y.. This area has a potential wind power generation capacity of 2 gigawatts, which can power more than 1 million homes.

The Beacon Wind lease area spans 128,000 acres about 20 miles south of Nantucket, Mass. This area has a potential wind power generation capacity of 2.4 gigawatts, which can power more than 1 million homes.

The deal, pending approval from regulators, is expected to close early next year.
Katie Price shared a glimpse of the horrific aftermath of her accident as doctors removed 50 stitches from her broken feet.

In a video posted to YouTube, the former glamour model, 42, winced in pain as doctors removed each stitch from her feet after hours of surgery to repair the damage.

Katie has been recovering from surgery after breaking both her feet and ankles following a freak accident while on holiday in Turkey, and admitted last week that she feared the accident would leave her paralysed.

Agony: Katie Price shared a glimpse of the horrific aftermath of her accident as doctors removed 50 stitches from her broken feet

The clip shows Katie gripping her boyfriend Carl Woods' hand as doctors removed each stitch from her foot after enduring hours of surgery.

Katie cries out in pain as she struggles to keep her foot still, leading the doctors to pause after removing several of the stitches.

The star can also be heard begging for the doctors to stop as she winces behind her face mask, as beau Carl warns: 'Careful, it's bleeding.'

Ouch: In a video posted to YouTube, the former glamour model, 42, winced in pain as doctors removed each stitch from her feet after hours of surgery to repair the damage

Despite the painful ordeal, Katie also took to Instagram Stories on Tuesday to reveal her feet are finally on the mend, as she shared a video of her plaster-free legs perched on her car's dashboard.

She wrote: 'Trying to wiggle my toes, my feet still swollen but I'm getting better, still no walking or standing allowed though.'

On Saturday Katie took to Instagram to share a snap from her wheelchair as she reflected on her 'tough journey' and reassured fans she's 'feeling stronger and determined' on Saturday.

Supportive: The clip shows Katie gripping her boyfriend Carl Woods' hand as doctors removed each stitch from her foot after enduring hours of surgery

Procedure: Katie cries out in pain as she struggles to keep her foot still, leading the doctors to pause after removing several of the stitches

Painful: The star can also be heard begging for the doctors to stop as she winces behind her face mask, as beau Carl warns: 'Careful, it's bleeding'

One week earlier, Katie announced that she was taking a break from social media to heal after breaking both her feet and ankles in a horror accident.

Katie shared a recent snap of her sat in her wheelchair with her booted feet, and wrote: 'Happy Saturday. Im back online and just want to thank everyone for all the love and support!

'Its a tough journey, but Im feeling stronger and determined to get through this with all the support of my family, friends, followers and my amazing man @carljwoods.

Getting better: Despite the painful ordeal, Katie also took to Instagram Stories on Tuesday to reveal her feet are finally on the mend

On the mend: She wrote: 'Trying to wiggle my toes, my feet still swollen but I'm getting better, still no walking or standing allowed though'

'Carl and I will be posting a lot more content together on our joint page @adventuresofkatieandcarl and look out for our new YouTube travel channel coming very soon.'

Mere hours later Katie went onto share a loved-up snap with her beau Carl and penned the caption: 'Saturday Vibes with my prince @carljwoods.'

It comes after Katie revealed she feared that her horrific foot injury would leave her 'paralysed,' after she plummeted 25ft off a wall at a theme park in Turkey and landed on her feet.

She's back! Katie returned to social media on Saturday, just a week after announcing she was taking a break to recover from surgery, as she shared a selfie with her beau Carl

Katie explained how her feet are 'destroyed' following the incident, and admitted she has returned to The Priory to learn to 'walk again.'

The star, who was on holiday with her boyfriend Carl and her children Princess, 13, and Junior, 15, at the time, said doctors told her they have amputated legs with injuries similar to hers.

Speaking to The Sun, she said: 'The doctors said I'm lucky I'm not dead. I could have hit my head and I could have been paralysed, I am actually lucky I landed on my feet.'

Nasty: It comes after Katie revealed she feared that her horrific foot injury would leave her 'paralysed,' after she plummeted 25ft off a wall at a theme park in Turkey

She added: 'I thought, "I'm never going to walk again". The doctors said they've cut off legs before after seeing injuries like mine.'

Katie underwent an eight-hour operation to rebuild her feet after she was 'mucking about' following a few drinks and jumped off what she thought was a 'small wall' at the Land of Legends theme park.

The model revealed how she has returned to The Priory because her 'mental health' has been 'badly affected' by her injuries.

Take a break: The-mother-of-five announced the week before that she was following doctor's orders and taking a break from social media to heal following the horrific injuries

She last visited The Priory in September 2018 and spent 28 days in the facility after her family urged her to seek help following wild partying antics in Mallorca.

It comes as the star revealed how 'everything' has hit her 'so hard' and she feels 'humiliated' at the prospect of having to learn to 'walk again'.

She spoke of how everyday tasks are 'impossible' including going to the toilet, cooking, reaching for the cupboards and taking a bath where she could 'drown'.

Katie, who is also mother to Harvey, 18, Jett, seven, and Bunny, six, explained how she is 'embarrassed' of having to be pushed around and told how people treat her 'differently'.

She explained how she 'feels sorry' for boyfriend Carl who has doted on her since the accident and said that it is 'demoralising' seeing him push her in the wheelchair.

But the CBB star described how she would be 'lost' without her beau and revealed how she can still 'keep Carl happy in the bedroom' with him having 'no complaints'.

However Katie also vowed that she is 'never drinking again' following the traumatising accident and plans to cover up her 'mangled' feet with tattoos.
People stand near a mattress that was set on fire during a riot in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 6, 2020. (Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images)

13 in Portland Charged With Riot-Related Crimes

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, the prosecutor overseeing Portland, Oregon, filed charges this week against 13 people for alleged crimes committed during violent protests that have plagued the city nightly since May 28.

Several of those charged are accused of committing crimes in early July.

Laurielle Aviles, 28, is accused of trying to make a so-called de-arrest, or trying to free a person who was being taken into police custody, on July 3. When the officer wouldnt release the person from custody, Aviles punched the officer in the face, according to court documents.

Randal Marcus McCorkle, 31, is accused of launching a mortar at police officers during a riot on July 4. He was charged with felony riot, unlawful use of a weapon, and recklessly endangering another person.

Krystyna Mihalovna Solodenko, 31, also was charged with felony riot, among other charges, after allegedly throwing a shield that hit the shoulder of a police officer the same day. She also allegedly kicked an officer in the legs.

Laurielle Aviles (top L), Randal McCorkle (top R), Krystyna Solodenko (bottom L), and Brian Scherner (bottom R) were charged with participating in riots in Portland, Ore., on various dates this year. (Multnomah County Sheriffs Office)

Hannah Baumann (top L), Maurice Monson (top R), Elizabeth Elder (bottom L), and Evan Burchfield (bottom R) were charged for participating in riots in Portland, Ore., on various dates this year. (Multnomah County Sheriffs Office)

The others charged allegedly committed crimes this month.

Brian Scherner, 26, is accused of pushing a female police officer who was arresting another person on Sept. 4. Hannah Baumann, 25, allegedly hit and kicked an officer trying to arrest somebody else during the same riot. The same day, Maurice Reese Monson is accused of refusing to leave the street when law enforcement was dispersing the riot from outside the offices of the police union. Police found Monson, 30, to be wearing body armor, which was prohibited because of a prior robbery conviction.

Elizabeth Elder, 27, is accused of trying to injure someone she knew to be a police officer during a riot the next day. Also on Sept. 5, Evan Burchfield, 34, threw a wooden shield at a police officer who stood about two feet away, before running away, according to the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office. And officers said they found a loaded pistol inside the vehicle of Demetrius Batchelo, a 34-year-old convicted felon, who was driving near a riot that day.

Enzo Zimmerman, 18, allegedly shoved the right arm and twisted the elbow of a police officer who was trying to arrest someone else during mayhem overnight Sept. 5. When an officer tried taking Zimmerman into custody, he tried to hit and kick the arresting officer, police said.

Ty Fox, 23, allegedly used a torch and lit an incendiary device before launching the device on Sept. 6 at Oregon state troopers. Jawad Fakhuri, 35, is accused of hurling a glass bottle toward police during the riot, according to court documents.

Adam Layee, 36, was charged after allegedly setting a mattress on fire in the street on Sept. 6. The fire was lit during a burn ban and near dry brush, houses, and stores.

Demetrius Batchelo (top L), Enzo Zimmerman (top R), Ty Fox (bottom L), and Jawad Fakhuri (bottom R) were charged for participating in riots in Portland, Ore., on various dates this year. (Multnomah County Sheriffs Office)

Adam Layee (top L) and Bryan Kelley (top R) were charged for participating in riots in Portland, Ore., on various dates this year. On bottom is the laser Kelley allegedly shined in the eyes of police officers. (Multnomah County Sheriffs Office and Portland Police Bureau)

Last week, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced charges of assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful directing of light from a laser pointer against Bryan Kelley, 36. Prosecutors said Kelley shined a laser into the eyes of police officers during a riot overnight Aug. 25, during which rioters targeted the Portland City Hall.

When officers arrested Kelley, they allegedly found a blue laser in his back pocket. Law enforcement found the laser was so powerful that it could burn through paper and cause dry material to catch fire, according to court documents.

When a laser pointer is used as a weapon, as alleged in this case, we will continue to take appropriate legal action, Schmidt said in a statement.

Schmidt announced in August that his office would likely not prosecute some cases related to the near-nightly gatherings. That decision sparked the withdrawal of state troopers. Troopers returned late last month but were deputized so that arrests they made could be prosecuted federally.

The FBI, meanwhile, recently stepped up efforts to investigate crimes committed during riots.

Oregons U.S. Attorney Billy Williams has charged 10 people, including Aviles, this month with civil disorder, a federal charge that can result in up to five years in prison upon conviction.

Federal officials have increasingly targeted the rioters as local officials fail to quell the unrest, which takes place nearly every night.
Ulta Beauty CEO Mary Dillon in an appearance CNBC Wednesday said she is "pleased" about the cosmetics retailer's ongoing recovery from the economic lockdown, but the projections are still cloudly due to uncertainty.

Since the brand began reopening stores in July, demand for its products has returned, she told CNBC's Jim Cramer.

"It took some time for stores to ramp up, but now, you know, the last month or so we've only been down mid-single digits," she said in a "Mad Money" interview, adding that it's "a lot better than we thought it would be at this point, although we're cautious about what the second half of the year looks like."

The pandemic created a slate of challenges for cosmetics companies as brick-and-mortar stores were shut earlier this year to stave off the spread of the novel coronavirus. The store closures depleted sales as people sheltered in place.

Ulta locations were shut down in March and rolled out curbside pickup in certain stores a month later. The company began reopening stores in May until all locations were back in action by mid-July, though operations remained limited. About 17,000 furloughed retail workers have returned to work as of late August.

Net sales fell by 26% from the year prior to $1.2 billion in the quarter that ended Aug. 1, a slight miss of analyst estimates. The company produced 14 cents of diluted earnings per share, which was down from a figure of $2.76 a year ago.

After taking a pause due to the pandemic, Ulta began launching new stores again in August. The company had 30 new locations in the U.S. and Canada in the pipeline. Ulta, which has more than 1,200 stores, projects it can grow that count to 1,700.

Outside in-store business, Ulta has seen positive results from its mobile app. The company has been investing in its digital strategy, but is still counting on the physical space and experiences. In the last quarter, e-commerce sales jumped more than 200%.

"We launched [the Ulta app] pre-pandemic, but I'll tell you I'm really glad we've been investing in digital because this uses the combination of AR and AI to both visually see you as well as make personalized recommendations," Dillon said.

The "future of retail for Ulta Beauty is the intersection of the digital and the physical, and I'd say even the emotional," she said.

Shares of Ulta Beauty rose nearly 1% to $235.40 in Wednesday's session. The stock remains down 7% year to date.
By PTI

JAMMU: The Pakistan army opened heavy fire and shelled forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in five sectors in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Thursday, officials said.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, they said.

"The Pakistan army continued unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along LoC in many locations," Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said.

"Around 0530, 1145 and 1215 hours today, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mankote, Degwar and Mendhar sectors," he said.

In the evening, the Pakistan army targeted the Balakote sector.

Again around 2200 hours, it initiated ceasefire violation in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch, he added.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, the spokesperson said.

The exchange of fire between the two sides was still on when last reports came in from the area. On September 2, one junior commissioned officer of the Indian Army was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC in Keri sector of Rajouri.
:2% 20200910 16:01:05  :

:  :2%

Stock Code: 200771 Stock ID: Hangqilun B Announcement No. 2020-53







Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd.



Announcement on the share repurchase ratio reaching 2%



and the progress of the repurchase







The members of the Board and the Company acknowledge being responsible for the truthfulness,

accuracy, and completeness of the announcement. Not any false record, misleading statement or

significant omission carried in this announcement.







Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd. held the second Provisional shareholders' general meeting of

2019 on December 10, 2019, in which the "Proposal on the share repurchase of the Companys

Shares" was reviewed and approved. And disclosed the "Company Repurchase Share Report"

Announcement No.:2019-79.



According to the relevant provisions of the Implementation Rules of the Shenzhen Stock

Exchange on the share repurchase by Listed Companies, During the implementation of the

repurchase, For every 1% increase in the proportion of repurchased shares in the company s total share capital, it should be disclosed within three days from the date of the fact.The progress of

the company's share repurchase is announced as follows:



As of September 10,2020,The Company brought back the 15167269 Company's shares for the

first time through a special securities trading account for shares repurchase, and those shares

account for about 2.01% of the Company's total share capital, with the highest transaction price is

8.52 HKD / share and the lowest transaction price is 7.22HKD / share and the total transaction

amount is 121998498.13 HKD.



The company's repurchase is in compliance with the established repurchase plan disclosed by the

company, The time for the Company to repurchase the shares, the number of repurchased shares,

and the entrusted time period for centralized bidding transactions are all in line with the "Implementation Rules for Listed Companies on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange to Repurchase Shares":



1. Does not repurchase the Companys shares within the following period:

(1) Within 10 trading days prior to the Companys periodic report, performance forecast or performance announcement;

(2) Within 2 trading days after the legal disclosure from the date of the occurrence of a major event that may have a significant impact on the Companys stock trading price or during the decision-

making process,





(3) Other circumstances specified by the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

2. Since the date when the Company implements the share repurchase, the number of shares repurchased by the Company every five trading days has not exceeded one million shares.

3. No entrustment of share repurchase was made during the following trading hours:

(1) Open call auction;

(2) Within half an hour before closing;

(3) Where there is no limit on the rise or fall of stock prices.

4. The price of the Companys repurchased shares does not reach the price limit for the trading increase of the Companys shares on the day.



The Company will continue to implement this repurchase plan during the repurchase

implementation period according to market conditions, and will promptly perform its information

disclosure obligations in accordance with the relevant laws, regulations and regulatory documents.

Hereby, Investors are kindly requested to pay attention to investment risks.







This announcement is hereby made.



The Board of Directors of Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd.



September10,2020









 Stock Code: 200771 Stock ID: Hangqilun B Announcement No. 2020-53Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd.Announcement on the share repurchase ratio reaching 2%and the progress of the repurchaseThe members of the Board and the Company acknowledge being responsible for the truthfulness,accuracy, and completeness of the announcement. Not any false record, misleading statement orsignificant omission carried in this announcement.Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd. held the second Provisional shareholders' general meeting of2019 on December 10, 2019, in which the "Proposal on the share repurchase of the CompanysShares" was reviewed and approved. And disclosed the "Company Repurchase Share Report"Announcement No.:2019-79.According to the relevant provisions of the Implementation Rules of the Shenzhen StockExchange on the share repurchase by Listed Companies, During the implementation of therepurchase, For every 1% increase in the proportion of repurchased shares in the company s total share capital, it should be disclosed within three days from the date of the fact.The progress ofthe company's share repurchase is announced as follows:As of September 10,2020,The Company brought back the 15167269 Company's shares for thefirst time through a special securities trading account for shares repurchase, and those sharesaccount for about 2.01% of the Company's total share capital, with the highest transaction price is8.52 HKD / share and the lowest transaction price is 7.22HKD / share and the total transactionamount is 121998498.13 HKD.The company's repurchase is in compliance with the established repurchase plan disclosed by thecompany, The time for the Company to repurchase the shares, the number of repurchased shares,and the entrusted time period for centralized bidding transactions are all in line with the "Implementation Rules for Listed Companies on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange to Repurchase Shares":1. Does not repurchase the Companys shares within the following period:(1) Within 10 trading days prior to the Companys periodic report, performance forecast or performance announcement;(2) Within 2 trading days after the legal disclosure from the date of the occurrence of a major event that may have a significant impact on the Companys stock trading price or during the decision-making process,(3) Other circumstances specified by the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.2. Since the date when the Company implements the share repurchase, the number of shares repurchased by the Company every five trading days has not exceeded one million shares.3. No entrustment of share repurchase was made during the following trading hours:(1) Open call auction;(2) Within half an hour before closing;(3) Where there is no limit on the rise or fall of stock prices.4. The price of the Companys repurchased shares does not reach the price limit for the trading increase of the Companys shares on the day.The Company will continue to implement this repurchase plan during the repurchaseimplementation period according to market conditions, and will promptly perform its informationdisclosure obligations in accordance with the relevant laws, regulations and regulatory documents.Hereby, Investors are kindly requested to pay attention to investment risks.This announcement is hereby made.The Board of Directors of Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd.September10,2020
Saudi-led coalition accused Houthi movement of deliberately targeting civilian sites in Saudi Arabia but said it foiled most of the attacks before reaching their targets

Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen on Thursday intercepted a bomb-laden drone launched by Houthis toward the kingdom's border city of Najran.

Turki Al Maliki, the coalition spokesperson, accused in a statement on the Saudi Press Agency the Houthi militia of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian sites.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud called during an Arab League meeting on Wednesday upon the international community to tackle the frequent Houthi attacks.

The militia has been targeting the kingdom's cities with drones daily.

The coalition foiled most of the attacks before reaching their targets.

The civil war in Yemen started late 2014, while the coalition intervened in 2015 to support President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

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Google purchased navigation startup Waze in 2013. Brian Ach/Getty Images

Google-owned Waze is laying off more than 5% of its total workforce as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, The Verge reported Wednesday.

Waze CEO Noam Bardin told employees in a memo that the company is refocusing on "product improvements," "technical infrastructure," and sales and marketing in "a small number of high-value countries," according to The Verge.

The company will also shutter offices in Asia and Latin America, The Verge reported.

Waze, like other navigation and rideshare companies, has seen a dramatic drop in users during the coronavirus pandemic as people stay home and avoid unnecessarily sharing public spaces.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories

Waze, the Google-owned navigation app and carpool service, is laying off 30 employees  more than 5% of its total 555 person workforce  and shutting some offices as it reels from the coronavirus, The Verge reported Wednesday.

In a memo to employees, CEO Noam Bardin said that travel restrictions in place around the world had led to a "significant drop" in the number of miles people are driving while using the app, trips taken via its carpool service, and ad revenue, according to The Verge.

"This has forced us to rethink priorities, and we've decided to focus our resources on product improvements for our users, accelerate our investments in technical infrastructure, and refocus our sales and marketing efforts on a small number of high-value countries," Bardin said, according to The Verge.

Waze did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story.

Bardin reportedly told employees that jobs would be cut across Waze's ad sales, partnerships, and marketing teams, and that the company would be closing sales offices in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile.

Employees being let go will be "taken care of [financially] through early 2021 and will be eligible for year-end bonuses," as well as continue to receive "as many continued [healthcare] benefits as possible" and assistance finding jobs either at Google or elsewhere, Bardin said, according to The Verge.

Story continues

Waze, which Google purchased in 2013 for $1.2 billion, has been struggling amid the pandemic, saying in an April blog post that miles driven were down 60% globally.

The company is far from alone. Other mobility and rideshare services, such as Uber and Lyft have been forced to lay off substantial numbers of employees as remote work policies and shelter-in-place requirements have slowed the number of trips people are taking.

Read the original article on Business Insider
At last a glimmer of hope for the 17,000 people, including 4,000 schoolchildren, who once walked across the bridge daily. But last month, just as schools were restarting and commuters preparing to return to offices via Hammersmith Tube, without warning the bridge shut for safety reasons making such journeys near impossible.

The nearest road bridge is nearly four miles away. My teenagers who once walked 10 minutes over the bridge to school now cycle 45 minutes, first along a busy road, dragging heavy bikes and bags (school lockers are banned because of Covid) up and down steep steps at Barnes railway bridge.

Then they cross a park where last year there were 35 arrests for violence and sexual offences and 105 for antisocial behaviour. The river towpath is often flooded, meaning they must bike alongside the six-lane A4.

Hundreds of children, too young or scared to cycle, walk this route for 90 minutes daily. Forget public transport  TfLs provided three buses an hour, carrying only 14 passengers to allow for distancing. Every day brings tales of 11-year-olds waiting two hours-plus at stops as full bus after full bus accelerates past. A car trip in the perpetual gridlock also takes 90 minutes, impossible for parents also trying to get to work.

London gridlock: Grant Shapps during a visit to Hammersmith Bridge / PA

My neighbour in her nineties is no longer visited by her children: journeys take too long. And all the while small businesses in the area are dying from lack of footfall.

Hammersmith and Fulham council owns the bridge; its their decades of negligence which led to it first closing to road traffic 17 months ago and the estimated 141 million repair bill. They cant afford that, nor can TfL. Mayor Sadiq Khans now telling Mr Shapps to put his money where his mouth is.

Locals agree. Were overjoyed at Mr Shappss initiative but we want building on a temporary river crossing to begin now, not more time wasted on bloated task forces. Children, commuters and the elderly cant suffer a second longer.
BROOKLINE, MA  Nearly 50 percent of the 38,610 registered Brookline voters cast ballots in the state primaries Sept 1. That's the largest turnout Brookline has seen at a state primary in at least two decades.

Part of the reason for the record primary turnout this year, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin has to do with to changes in rules during the coronavirus pandemic making it easier for people to vote by mail and allowing early voting in the primary for the first time. Galvin estimated as many as 1.3 million ballots were cast across the state.



Massachusetts primaries have typically seen fewer than 1 million voters, except in 1990 when Democrat John Silber and Republican Bill Weld each won contested gubernatorial primaries. About 1.5 million people voted that year.

In Brookline, as of Sept. 1, some 48.9 percent of registered voters cast ballots. In 2002, the next highest turnout for the town during a state primary, some 33 percent of Brookline voters cast ballots. That year both the races for governor and treasurer were contested.

In the only statewide race this year, Sen. Edward Markey defeated Rep. Joseph Kennedy in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Results in Brookline, where Kennedy and his family member the late President John F. Kennedy once lived, mirrored that of the rest of the state. Some 12,449 people cast ballots for Markey, while just 5,474 voted for Kennedy. Markey will face Kevin O'Connor, an attorney who defeated Shiva Ayyadurai in the Republican primary, in the November general election.



The other hot election for Brookline was the race for the seat Kennedy left behind. Three Brookline residents were vying to represent the 4th Congressional District, including frontrunner Jesse Mermell, who was a former Brookline Select Board member. According to the town results she carried the town with 7,055 votes. Another Brookline resident, Dr. Natalia Linos came in second here. Still, across the district Newton City Councilor Jake Auchincloss ended up winning.

Story continues

Got a tip? Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a press release you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how to post a press release, a column, event or opinion piece.

This article originally appeared on the Brookline Patch
A Project Officer at Friends of the Nation (FoN), a social, environmental Non-Governmental Organization ( NGO) Mr Eric Atsiatorme has said FoN will collaborate with other agencies to conserve and preserve wetlands from becoming extinct.



A Project Officer at Friends of the Nation (FoN), a social, environmental Non-Governmental Organization ( NGO) Mr Eric Atsiatorme has said FoN will collaborate with other agencies to conserve and preserve wetlands from becoming extinct.



He said wetlands required prudent management as the resource contributed to the socio-economic development of the country.



Mr Atsiatorme was speaking to the media when FoN led some government agencies such as the Ghana Wildlife Division, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) to mount a billboard at Butuah wetlands near New Takoradi in the Western Region.



The inscription on the billboard reads "Wetlands Are Not Wastelands-Act Wisely". "Protect Butuah Wetlands, Save Humanity Now".



Mr Atsiatorme bemoaned the fact that developers were fast encroaching on the resource, hence the need to draw the attention of regulating agencies to halt any development at Butuah wetlands.



The Project Officer said the functions and benefits derived from the wetlands such as carbon sequestration, were being de-emphasized.



Mr Atsiatorme admitted that environmental issues were very dear to the hearts of FoN and that it would continue to keep an eye on the resource.



The Planning Officer at the STMA, Mr Kofi Yeboah said activities of city developers have polluted water in the Butuah wetlands, adding that efforts were being made to restore the wetlands to its former glory.



He stressed the need to protect wetlands for the fish stock to get a breeding space.



Mr Yeboah said his outfit did not know about the encroachment at the area, adding that the STMA would factor Butuah Wetlands into its developmental agenda and that STMA has started social and environmental impact assessment of the area.



A Senior Programmes Officer at the EPA in Takoradi, Mr Hakim Seidu denied knowledge on the reclamation of the wetlands area at Butuah and was categorical that he would confirm from the STMA and "if there is no permit, the project will be stopped".



He said the EPA was not against the developers but "development within wetlands must go through proper engagement to avoid encroachment.



The Administrative Officer at the Ghana Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission in Takoradi, Madam Nancy Boakye Ansah said though the Butuah wetland was not listed, there was the need to protect and promote the resource.



According to her, the ecological and socio-economic benefits of wetlands to humanity were enormous, noting that wetlands served as breeding grounds for fishes.



"Wetlands also serve as habitats for small pelagics as well as a resource for education and research purposes".



She reminded society not to overlook and consider wetlands as wastelands, adding that the Wildlife Division would continue to support inland and coastal wetlands conservation.



Earlier, the Executive Director of FoN, Mr.Donkris Mevuta, told journalists that the mounting of the billboard would result in environmental resilience for the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Pay for New Hires Holding Steady Despite Pandemic

Though the pandemic has had a negative impact on the economy, that doesnt mean your paycheck will suffer if you get a new job.

Most companies are still willing to use salary to lure top talent, according to new research by staffing firm Robert Half.

In fact, 44% of senior managers said the starting salaries they are offering new employees have stayed roughly the same since the early phase of the pandemic and 28% said starting salaries have actually gone up.

Employers willing to negotiate

While the unemployment rate has hit record-highs in recent months, new hires may still have some power when it comes to commanding a competitive salary. Half of senior managers (50%) said they are just as willing to talk money with new employees now as they were a year ago, before the pandemic and its resulting economic fallout. On top of that, 36% said they are even more open to the idea of salary negotiation with new hires today than a year ago.

If you live in Texas or North Carolina, you may have even more leverage. Austin, Texas, has the highest percentage of employers (51%) who said they would be more willing to negotiate with new hires this year than last. Austin was followed by Raleigh, N.C., where 48% of employers are more willing to negotiate and Charlotte, N.C., where 45% of employers are more willing to negotiate this year.

Youre also more likely to find that a potential employer is open to negotiating if youre interviewing at a larger company, as 44% of managers at midsize companies with 500 to 999 employees said they were more likely to negotiate now than 12 months ago, compared to only 28% of managers at smaller companies with 20 to 99 employees.

With companies open to accommodate employees, brushing up on your negotiating skills could prove to be profitable. Women and people of color may even find opportunities to negotiate their way out of the pay gap.

Retaining employees may be a challenge

The short-term future may not be as bright for long-time employees. Nearly half of senior managers (47%) said they are very concerned that their firms may not be able to retain valued staff and 41% said they are somewhat concerned.

Story continues

Of those managers with concerns, 39% said a factor contributing to their worry is recent salary reductions and company plans for salary freezes.

Minneapolis had the highest percentage of senior managers (52%) who were concerned that salary cuts and cancelled raises would hurt employee retention. Minneapolis was followed by Tampa, Fla. where 50% of managers had concerns and Portland, Ore. where 49% of managers had some worries.

An earlier survey also found that employees have become less satisfied with the benefits packages offered by their companies since the start of the crisis. That could also impact employee retention.

Methodology: Robert Half surveyed more than 2,800 senior managers between July 10 to Aug. 9, 2020. The survey sample was chosen from companies with 20 or more employees in 28 major cities across the United States.
 Flash

Nearly seven-and-a-half decades since the end of the Second World War (1939-1945), the United Nations remains committed to building a peaceful and cooperative international community, even though the public health emergency and political disputes pose pressing challenges.

To better illustrate the UN's irreplaceable role in world affairs, Chen Junxia, a veteran media person familiar with UN affairs, shared this view drawn from his first-hand experiences in Geneva.

"Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has changed the world in all aspects and given rise to an anti-globalization mentality, the UN remains the most trustworthy and reliable organization to protect people's fundamental interests by steering the world out of this crisis in efficient ways," Chen said.

On Aug. 24, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of World Health Organization (WHO), announced at a press conference that 172 countries and regions were collaborating under the leadership of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi -- a global Vaccine Alliance and the WHO to accelerate the search for an effective vaccine to contain the global spread of the virulent pathogen.

"Led by the WHO, the public health division of the UN, the world can better understand what to do together rather than dealing with the pandemic separately," Chen said.

Thinking beyond the interests of any single country, the WHO alone is capable of taking comprehensive measures to cope with challenges facing the entire globe during the pandemic. It will, on one hand, prevent the disease from further spreading; on the other hand, ensure the world can return to normal living standards, he explained.

Recently, Ren Minghui, the assistant director-general for Communicable Diseases at the WHO, urged a quick recovery of global trade, because, he worried that without sufficient cargoes amid the pandemic, famine may soon sweep the African continent, where the people seldom store food.

Additional divisions in the UN, such as, the Refugee Agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have also provided timely humanitarian, medical and educational aids to the hardest-hit regions since the outbreaks of the pandemic.

"The WHO has taken painstaking efforts in every possible aspect to prevent the social disruptions caused by the pandemic from prevailing," Chen said, noting that the around-the-clock online working style has enabled the organization to respond promptly as usual.

However, no matter how hard the UN tries to contain further infections, its implementations are often challenged by hegemonic interventions that can, in turn, affect the authority and efficacy of the international organization, Chen added.

On June 6, the United States notified the UN that it had decided to withdraw from the WHO, so that its duties and rights entitlements in regard to this organization will expire a year later.

A few days ahead of the announcement, the WHO refused to hold China accountable for the pandemic. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Ghebreyesus have reiterated that the pandemic should not be politicized to aggravate an already uncertain situation.

Witnessing the UN's endeavor in maintaining world peace and stability in this particularly eventful year, Chen said, despite its limited power for some reasons, the all-out efforts taken by the organization deserved respect.

"Had it not been for its incomplete functions, the UN should have been an administration responsible for full-fledged global governance and performed more excellently while combating with the pandemic," Chen continued.

"However, regardless of its incapability, it remains a place where reasons from different voices can be proposed and discussed."

Prior to UN, the League of Nations (1920-1946) was ratified in line with the "Treaty of Versailles" signed after the World War I. However, the league proved short-lived and was nullified as it failed to prevent another global conflict, one of the most destructive and devastating wars in human history, during which hundreds of millions of lives were lost and countless communities were reduced to ruins.

Learning from its predecessor, the UN should fortify its role in today's international community where the unilateralism may lead the world to a precarious future, Chen suggested.

"The essential solution to today's conundrum lies in multilateralism, from which the level playing field can be provided not within individual countries only, but also the entire international community," he stressed.
Joe Biden boards a plane to travel to Warren, Michigan, as he and Donald Trump  and their surrogates  focus on a handful of battleground states. (Getty Images)

Political operatives on both sides see a stable race in which former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant lead on Donald Trump both nationally and in enough key swing states to win. So why does it feel like the president remains in position to secure a second term?

Mr Trump returned to the campaign trail on Tuesday, looking and sounding more like his old self than in recent months when he has questioned his low approval ratings and sometimes done more complaining about his own fate than trying to soothe an uneasy and divided country.

But he continues to campaign mostly on ominous warnings about what a Biden administration would do to the country, distorting what often-vague policy proposals the Democratic nominee has presented and painting an inaccurate picture of his own record since taking office. At several points during his Tuesday night rally in Winston-Salem in battleground North Carolina, Mr Trump very much appeared the underdog  but he also, for the first time, offered a clear picture of how he intends to run against Mr Biden.

Mr Trumps main messages are that he is the law-and-order candidate, while the former Senate Judiciary Committee chairman supporters anarchists and rioters, warning a Biden presidency would automatically bring violence to big cities and smaller ones like Winston-Salem.

Here is the most succinct anti-Biden message Mr Trump has uttered yet on the campaign trail: Joe Biden devoted his career to offshoring you jobs, throwing open your borders, dragging us into endless foreign wars, along with some of his other friends and surrendering our children's future to countries like China. Remember this very simple to remember: If Biden wins, China wins. It's as simple as that.

That biting attack line is vintage Trump. Its also a sign he is finding his campaign legs just when he needs a sprint to the finish.

Everyone is saying, Well, Biden is up by 9 points, and I get why some people look at it and want to think Biden is going to win, said one industry source who tracks political trends for his companys clients. But you cant look at it that way. You have to think about 2016 and look at this way: Trump has f***ed all of this stuff up, royally, but hes only down by 9 points.

Story continues

Mr Biden, in contrast, mostly looks the part of the frontrunner  though he sometimes still makes potentially damaging verbal gaffes and opens the door for Mr Trumps attacks about his age when he looks slightly confused during virtual events.

He has offered few of the deep policy proposals one should expect from an official who has held elected office in Washington for nearly 50 years, trying to stay attractive to right-leaning and moderate suburban voters while placating his partys most liberal wing. The former vice president and longtime Delawares senators main message continues to be that Mr Trump is unfit for office and his presidency would be a return to relative calm and normalcy. At a campaign stop in Michigan on Wednesday, Mr Biden said Mr Trump knows only how to cheat for his own personal benefit.

Both campaigns emerged from Labor Day and headed hard down the homestretch of what will be a lightning round of a campaign. They are both focusing on just a handful of states, so far.Those on both tickets and their top surrogates are, so far, targeting these key battlegrounds: Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina. The Trump campaign is ramping up its presence and efforts in Minnesota, but one Democratic strategist called that a likely head fake, to get the Biden people to spend more there and less in Michigan and Pennsylvania. And Vice President Mike Pence will make a campaign stop next week in Ohio, with aides saying the Trump-PEnce campaign is aiming more to shore up the Buckeye State than hold off Mr Biden there.

At the margins

Even as Mr Trump has closed some ground in several battleground state polls and dominates news coverage because of the raucous and unplugged nature of his rallies, he has plenty of work to do.

He has really only cut into Bidens lead in the swing states that matter at the margins, said James Manely, a Democratic strategist. It is very likely a good thing if Democrats maintain a healthy skepticism, based on what happened in 2016. But I think the Biden campaign is in a really good place right now. They have to be confident two months from Election Day.

Analysts at the independent forecasting organisation FiveThirtyEight have crunched polls conducted since both parties mostly virtual nominating conventions and concluded that Joe Bidens lead in national polls narrowed slightly since the Republican National Convention, but overall, polls show a relatively stable race.

That is based, in part, on 100 simulations of the Trump-versus-Biden race the organisation has conducted. In 74 of them, Mr Biden was the winner.

NBC News earlier this week released an Electoral College map prediction that showed the Democrat cruising to a win with well over 300 votes  far more than the 270 needed to win.

Still, the president seems to realize hes very much in striking distance, much like he was four years ago  albeit against a more popular foe in Mr Biden. Thats why he has cranked up the law-and-order rhetoric in an attempt to scare some crossover voters into thinking Mr Biden cannot stand up to the looters.

And remember this: If Biden wins, the violent mobs, you see these mobs all over the place, they're Biden people. They're Biden states and cities, Mr Trump said in Winston-Salem. They're Democrat states. If they win, the mobs win.

Read more

'Trump lied to the American people': Biden slams president over 'despicable' coronavirus lies and says he cost thousands of lives

'Beau wasn't a loser or a sucker': Joe Biden evokes his dead son to hit out at Trump over comments on veterans

White House insists Trump has 'never' lied to public about Covid after sensational tapes released

Trump concealed real dangers of coronavirus while playing it down publicly, Bob Woodward claims in new book
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries' stake sale in its retail arm will enable the company to pursue other growth initiatives while maintaining zero net debt status and also help solidify its position in the market, global rating agencies Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings said on Thursday.

On September 9, RIL announced the divestment of 1.75 per cent stake in the retail arm to private equity firm Silver Lake Partners for Rs 7,500 crore.

"The transaction is credit positive as it will enable RIL to continue to pursue other growth opportunities while maintaining zero net debt," Moody's said in a note.

In a separate note, Fitch said the sake sale and its proposed acquisition of Future Group's retail businesses will "solidify RIL's position in India's organised retail market and strengthen its consumer business."

"We believe the proposed acquisition of Future Group's retail business will fortify its retail footprint, especially in the grocery retail sub-segment. The equity stake sale will further strengthen RIL's financial profile and competitive position beyond the proposed acquisition," Fitch said.

The Silver Lake deal is the company's first divestment within the retail segment, which is currently wholly owned by RIL.

With this deal, the oil-to-telecom conglomerate has now established an enterprise value for its retail segment, which sets the stage for further stake sales within the segment.

Moody's said Reliance Retail Ltd, going by the Silver Lake deal, is valued at USD 57 billion.

The firm's digital arm, Jio Platforms Ltd - which houses the country's youngest but biggest telecom operator - is valued at USD 65 billion going by the investments made by the likes of Facebook and Google.

RIL values its core oil-to-chemical (O2C) business at USD 75 billion. Fitch said the acquisition of Future Group's retail business will add about 1,700 large stores to RIL's 11,806 stores in its retail segment and increase its organised retail revenue market share by around 5 per cent.

"The Rs 24,713 crore consideration for the acquisition is less than 3 per cent of its FY20 total assets, a relatively small impact on its balance sheet," it said.

Future Group's solid presence in Tier 1 Indian cities with well-established retail formats, including Big Bazaar, Central, FBB, Easyday and Brand Factory, will complement RIL's increasing strength in second- and third-tier cities.

RIL's acquisition of Future Group's warehousing and logistics business, in addition to its stores, will help to expand the scale of JioMart, RIL's online grocery platform, Fitch said.

"We also expect the synergies from the acquisition to enhance RIL's bargaining power with vendors, and offline and online customer reach," it added.

The stake sale in Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd to Silver Lake is in addition to around 33 per cent of Jio Platforms for Rs 1.52 lakh crore.

RIL also completed its Rs 53,124 crore rights issue in June, with Rs 13,300 crore in cash received to date and balance in FY22.

"RIL's net cash position would also be helped by the completion of a Rs 25,200 crore investment by Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP in Tower Infrastructure Trust, which plans to use part of the proceeds to pay down RIL's investment (Rs 12,800 crore as of March 2020) in the non-convertible debentures issued by the trust," Fitch said.

In addition, RIL received Rs 7,600 crore in 1QFY21 from BP plc for a 49 per cent stake in its fuel retail network and aviation fuel business.

The proposed divestment in Reliance Retail, Moody's said, will help to further the company's ambitions within the retail segment without straining its balance sheet.

"Although RIL's capital spending will drop compared with historical levels, the company will continue to incur large capital spending across all business segments for its next stage of growth.

"However, we expect the bulk of this growth to be financed by proceeds from asset sales, which will enable the company to continue with its strategy of maintaining zero net debt," it added.

With RIL's digital services business having achieved a critical mass and strong market position in India, Moody's expected that it will now focus on growing its retail segment.

The company is already the industry leader within the organized retail sector in India, but the contribution from this segment to consolidated Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) remains low at around 10 per cent.

Further growth in the segment will augment RIL's overall earnings base and lead to improved earnings diversification, it said.

"RIL's recent announcement of its proposed acquisition of the consumer businesses of Future Group is a step toward growing its retail business and expanding its retail footprint," the rating agency said.

Including the current transaction and based on RIL's previous announcements, it expected the company to raise around USD 25 billion from further stake sales across various business segments and balance proceeds from a rights issue offering in the next 12-18 months.

With zero net debt, all proceeds from future asset sales can be used for growth initiatives.

"Notwithstanding the company's strategy of pursuing growth while maintaining financial discipline, a rating upgrade is unlikely unless the Government of India (Baa3 negative) is upgraded to Baa2," Moody's said.

"This is because the company's increased linkages with the domestic economy constrain its rating to no more than one notch above the Indian sovereign rating."
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a gammaretrovirus that occurs worldwide in domestic cats, as well as small wild cats. It is associated with various serious, and sometimes fatal, diseases including anaemia, immunosuppression and certain cancers.

First described over 55 years ago, FeLV has been the subject of intense research interest, which has led to increasingly robust diagnostic assays and efficacious vaccines.

While the prevalence of this infection in domestic cats has reduced in many geographic regions, the disease is still something of an enigma and can spread quickly, particularly within naive 'multi-cat' populations such as shelters and breeding catteries, as well as within pet homes with multiple cats.

An important goal in order to reduce the prevalence further is understanding the FeLV status of every cat at risk of infection.

A state-of-the-art Premier Review published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery this month aims to contribute diagnostic expertise to veterinarians in practice by reviewing recent insights into infection pathogenesis, gained using molecular techniques.

Writing for an international audience of veterinary practitioners and feline researchers, Professors Regina Hofmann-Lehmann, of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and Katrin Hartmann, of LMU Munich, Germany, explain that not only are there several different outcomes of FeLV infection, but that these can vary over time.

Newly classified as 'progressive', 'regressive', 'focal' and 'abortive' infection, the authors describe how it can be helpful to think of these outcomes in terms of a set of balance scales, with the cat's immune response on one side and the virus on the other.

From an epidemiological point of view, it is the progressively infected cat that is most significant. In these infections, the virus has the upper hand - these cats shed high numbers of FeLV particles and pose an infection risk to other cats.

Regardless of their health status, progressively infected cats need to be kept apart from FeLV-naive companions. From a clinical point of view, progressively infected cats are a priority too: they are at high risk of succumbing to potentially fatal disease; though, if well cared for, many can continue to live a healthy and happy life, sometimes for years.

Of the other possible outcomes, abortive infection is the most favourable for the cat - these cats have strong anti-FeLV immunity.

Regressively infected cats will have developed a partially effective antiviral immune response that can keep the virus in check; however, they probably never clear the infection completely, and can shed virus, and thus pose an infection risk, in the early phase of infection or if reactivation occurs.

In focal infection, which is comparatively rare, the cat's immune system keeps viral replication sequestered in certain tissues.

When it comes to FeLV testing, seemingly perplexing or 'discordant' test results are not uncommon, particularly in the early phase of infection, and can pose considerable challenges for the practitioner needing to establish the FeLV status and implement appropriate therapeutic and epidemiological measures.

The authors discuss the most frequently used methods for FeLV detection, including free FeLV p27 antigen testing, viral RNA testing and FeLV provirus testing, focusing on when to test and how to interpret a positive or a negative result.

The detection of anti-FeLV antibodies, including a point-of-care test for FeLV p15E introduced recently onto the European market, is also discussed. A diagnostic algorithm produced by the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD) that provides guidance on which test to choose in which scenario is incorporated within the review article.

As well as being expert members of the ABCD, both authors were members of an expert panel for recently published consensus guidelines from the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) on feline retrovirus testing and management,2 and together the guidelines and review article present the current state of knowledge about this potentially deadly virus.

Discussing their ambition for their article, Professors Hofmann-Lehmann and Hartmann comment: 'We hope that this review will not only increase awareness of this fatal but preventable disease, but also help veterinarians in clinical practice when diagnosing this remarkable but tricky infection'.
Photo: PG Citizen

A Nakazdli man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in a grisly, drug-related murder of a Vanderhoof man on the reserve outside Fort St. James more than eight years ago.

James David Junior Charlie entered the plea Wednesday during a brief hearing in Vancouver, Crown prosecutor Wendy Stephen confirmed. It was in relation to the January 2012 death of Fribjon Bjornson.

Following a five-week trial at the Prince George courthouse, a jury found Charlie guilty in October 2017 of first-degree murder.

But in January, the B.C. Court of Appeal overturned the verdict and ordered a new trial. A three-justice panel found the judge overseeing the trial failed to properly explain to the jury the law on liability for murder.

Bjornson, who was 28 years old at the time of his death, had been buying drugs from Charlie and his friends.

Testimony and evidence indicated that the father of two young children was strangled and beaten to death in an unprovoked attack in the basement of a home on the reserve.

It was the Crown's theory that Charlie provided a wire or cord that one of the other perpetrators used to strangle Bjornson while Charlie went out for a drive in Bjornson's truck.

His body was subsequently dismembered and his head wrapped in a blanket and left in an abandoned house near the scene of the murder, the court heard during the trial.

In June 2018, co-accused Wesley Duncan and Jesse Bird were sentenced to life without parole for at least 15 years after they pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Charlie's sister, Theresa, who had been in custody for 3 1/2 years, was sentenced to time served on a count of indignity to a dead body.

A so-called Mr. Big sting, where undercover police pose as high-level criminals coax confessions out of the suspects, was used to bring the four to justice.

Charlie had been serving a sentence of life in prison without eligibility for parole for 25 years along with a concurrent term of three years for indignity to a human body.

Stephen said she will be willing to comment on why Charlie's plea was accepted once he has been sentenced.

Sentencing will occur in Prince George once a Gladue report has been completed. It is type of a pre-sentencing report a court can request when sentencing an offender of aboriginal background.
JERUSALEM  It took nearly four years for the Israeli government to apologize to a Bedouin family from the Negev desert after a relative whose car had fatally run over a police officer, and who was killed by police fire, was hastily and wrongly labeled a terrorist.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally addressed the injustice this week, publicly apologizing to the family of the killed man, Yakub Abu al-Qian. But his presentation outraged many current and former officials, who accused Mr. Netanyahu of cynically exploiting the tragic case as part of his broader campaign to discredit the law enforcement authorities and the judiciary before his corruption trial moves into a critical phase in the coming months.

The clash over the killing, in January 2017 in the Bedouin hamlet of Umm al-Hiran, was just the latest in an increasingly ugly showdown between Mr. Netanyahu and the law enforcement agencies, which he claims are trying to topple him.

I express my apology to the al-Qian family, whose head, an Israeli citizen, was killed, Mr. Netanyahu said on Tuesday. They said he was a terrorist. Yesterday, it turned out that he was not a terrorist.
The whiff of translucent smoke exhaled from the hand-held puff-o-matic, rose several feet toward the bathroom ceiling, and promptly set off the alarms at Wheeler County High School.

The simulated dragnet had sniffed out the fingerprint in the air of a vaping device.

We catch them in the act, declared William Bell, principal at the school in Alamo, Georgia, several hours southeast of Atlanta.

The alert came nearly instantaneous as a text or email on the cell phones and desktops of administrators at the campus, which has 519 students, grades sixth through 12th.

Math teacher Lorraine Adamss classroom is less than 10 feet from the girls bathroom, where some of her students go during class or breaks, she suspects, to vape. "It's addictive, Adams said in an interview in the school hallway. And when someone's addicted to something, that is where their mind is on pretty much a lot of the time."

Sales of Vape Detectors Soar



Schools nationwide are now installing vaping detectors from a wide array of companies. Sales last year at one of them, Soter Technologies, went from 700 to 6,000 devices, according to Derek Peterson, CEO of the New York-based company. Most of them were sold to school districts.

He predicts, the trend will be for every school across America will install vaping detectors.

It costs about $10,000 to equip the average school with enough devices, normally in student bathrooms. The impact of vaping isnt limited to the cost of the detection devices. Suspensions, lost class time and other expenses all take money and time from schools, administrators say.

In response, some districts are suing vaping manufacturers to pay for the consequences of students being sucked in by America's vaping epidemic.

School Districts Sue



The Hearst Television National Investigative Unit found more than 110 federal lawsuits filed by school districts across the country just this year.

A week after a Feb. 5 hearing that saw CEOs of major vaping manufacturers testify before Congress, 17 senators in both parties warned the FDA commissioner in a letter that it is "virtually certain" vaping devices in the marketplace today "have entered illegally.

They want any vaping products that did not meet a Wednesday deadline for seeking FDA review to be "quickly and decisively removed to, in part, reduce usage by young people. On a call with reporters Sept 9, the FDAs Mitch Zeller, director of the agencys Center for Tobacco Products, vowed to prioritizing enforcement for those types of products.

The American Vaping Association, which says it advocates for use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation method, has criticized Senate bill 1253 which seeks to further restrict access of vaping products to minors, saying in a recent news release the legislation is unlikely to reduce youth usage, while increasing costs for adult vapers.

Its an epidemic

At Wheeler County High School in southern Georgia, principal William Bell was succinct about the problem facing his students.

"It's an epidemic, said Bell, who keeps confiscated vaping devices in a draw in his desk. Students, he said, want to be cool, is what we're finding out.

One thing I try to stress is the dangers of vaping."









Mark Albert is the chief national investigative correspondent for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, based in Washington D.C. April Chunko, Travis Sherwin, and Hyojung Kim contributed to this report.





Know of e-cigarette injuries? Have a confidential tip or inside information about the vaping industry? Send information and documents to the National Investigative Unit at investigate@hearst.com.
The Duke of Cambridge talks to a PSNI officer as Chief Constable Simon Byrne looks on

The Duke of Cambridge during his visit to PSNI Garnerville in east Belfast

Help: Duchess also met with officers at Hillsborough Castle earlier this year

The Duke of Cambridge recounted how he was consumed by sadness when he served as an Air Ambulance pilot during a visit to Northern Ireland yesterday.

William spoke about how he struggled to talk about his emotions in a job that saw him encounter tragedy on a regular basis.

He opened up about his experiences flying with the Air Ambulance as he met serving blue light responders while in Belfast to mark Emergency Services Day in the UK.

"I couldn't put my finger on it, but you just felt very sad," he said, reflecting on his time as a helicopter pilot.

"And then you start to see the world very differently...you start just getting very sad that the world is so hurt.

"It's only then you go 'hang on, you've got to look at this' because it's only natural that you sponge it and bring it in."

William's visit to Belfast had a particular focus on the mental health challenges many emergency services personnel face as a consequence of their pressurised and stressful jobs.

Taking part in a training workshop aimed at encouraging first responders to be comfortable sharing their feelings, he said more work was needed to tackle the stigma around mental health.

He acknowledged significant strides had been made in recent years, revealing that not one celebrity was prepared to get involved in the early days of his campaigning, such were their concerns about speaking openly about their struggles.

"This was six or seven years ago and not one celebrity wanted to talk about it in public...and now look at it," he said.

William said he would internalise the horrors he would face doing his job.

"For me it was the sadness, I really felt the sadness, I'd absorb the jobs I'd gone to," he said.

"Sadly with the Air Ambulance you get a lot of deaths and I didn't realise (the impact) - I would go to the next one and the next one."

The duke told the participants in the workshop that it was natural to be upset by what they witnessed on a daily basis.

"We've got to somehow change that culture where we feel it's okay to say 'listen, this was horrendous, I really didn't enjoy seeing that, it was really brutal'.

"How do we talk about it?"

During the visit to the PSNI's training college, he stressed the need for society to look after its 999 responders.

He chatted with and thanked police officers, firefighters and ambulance crew members for their work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

William also met five-month-old Irish setter Tara, who has been trained to provide comfort to those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"This is probably very bad for their training," he joked as he played with and stroked the pup.

In another lighter moment, William laughed with a police officer as he told her of his relief that the schools were open again.

"I think every parent is breathing a sigh of relief that school has started again," he said.

"Five months - it's been wonderful, but it's been a long five months."

In a speech at the close of his visit, the duke said it had been an "extraordinary year" for the emergency services.

"The months ahead will no doubt be uncertain and at points scary," he added. "But, thanks to the dedication and sacrifice of those of you working across the emergency services and in the NHS, I count myself and others in this country very fortunate."

The duke recalled meeting PSNI officers during a visit with his wife Kate to Hillsborough Castle earlier this year.

He referred to the unique challenges they face in policing the region.

"We were struck then, as I am now, by your steadfast commitment to helping others," he said.

"You are a testament to the blue light community across our country, and I can't thank you enough for what you do.

"At one point or another, each and every one of us will meet you or one of your colleagues, speak to you, be comforted by you and benefit from the care and protection you provide.

"Given what we ask of you, we must do all we can to look out for you, and to help you to look out for each other." Sergeant Belinda Mason and PSNI staff member Julie Howell, who are both involved in the police's wellbeing training, were impressed by William's openness during his visit.

"The duke reflected on the impact of a life in both the public eye and a life of public service and that's something that I think the people here today can relate to at times," said Sergeant Mason afterwards

"He talked about sadness and certainly we empathise with that with some of the incidents we go to as part of our role."
The issue of buying the gear became linked to the citys move to also buy body cameras for police officers. There was much more sympathy for the body cameras, and people have been criticizing the city for failing to have body cams already. During public discussions about police procedures held by the city, getting body cameras for officers was a key point raised by people.
The Maratha community cannot be put on par with marginalized sections of the society living in far-flung and remote areas, said the Supreme Court on Wednesday as it restrained the Maharashtra government from implementing a special quota for Marathas in public jobs and education.

The courts formal order, which was released on Thursday, has held that the Maharashtra government has prima facie failed in making out a special case for the Maratha community that could enable it to breach the ceiling of 50 percent reservation in government jobs and education.

Referring to the law laid down by the nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court in the 1992 Indira Sawhney case, the court said that reservation under Article 16(4) of the Constitution cannot go beyond 50 percent but for exceptional reasons. The court noted that the exception to the 50 percent rule has to be in favour of people living in far-flung and remote areas who are still unable to join the mainstream of national life.

In view of the conditions peculiar to them they are entitled to be given relaxation. It was made clear (in Indira Sawhney case) that extreme caution has to be exercised and a special case made out for relaxation of the rule of 50 percent, noted the three-judge bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao.

Applying the law laid down by this court in Indra Sawhneys case, the bench held that it was of the prima facie opinion that the State of Maharashtra has not shown any extraordinary situation for providing reservations to Marathas in excess of 50 percent.

Maratha community which comprises 30 percent of the population in the State of Maharashtra cannot be compared to marginalized sections of the society living in far-flung and remote areas. The State has failed to make out a special case for providing reservation in excess of 50 percent. Neither has any caution been exercised by the State in doing so, it held.

It also found flaws in the Bombay High Court judgment, which had upheld the reservation for the Maratha community but brought down the quota from 16 percent to 12-13 percent.

The top court said the reasons cited by the high court in affirming the reservation exceeding 50 per cent in Maharashtra did not follow the ratio of the 1992 judgment.

The social, educational and economic backwardness of a community, existence of quantifiable data relating to inadequacy of representation of the community in public services and deprivation of the benefits flowing from reservations to the community are not exceptional circumstances for providing reservations in excess of 50 per cent. We are of the prima facie opinion that the High Court committed an error in treating the above factors as circumstances which are extraordinary, warranting relaxation of the strict rule of 50 per cent, said the bench in its order.

It also pointed out that with these prima facie findings, the state cannot be allowed to implement the quota for Marathas under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act since it will cause irreparable loss to the candidates belonging to the open category.

It will be difficult to cancel the admissions made in the educational institutions and appointments made to the public posts by implementing the reservations as per the Act, maintained the bench as it ordered that the quota meant for Marathas in public jobs and education will not be implemented till the matter is finally decided.

Since the issues involved in the clutch of petitions challenging the quota related to interpretation of various constitutional provisions, the bench referred them to the Chief Justice of India for setting up a larger bench of five-judges or more.
New Englanders arent necessarily known for their exuberanceor their attention to what happens on fashion runwaysbut locals couldnt help but lose their cool over menswear designer Todd Snyders fall 2020 runway show. An homage to Maines great outdoors, and the heritage of native brand L.L. Bean specifically, the collection featured haute versions of Beans signature puffer vests, overcoats, duck boots, and tote bags. Portlands Press Herald celebrated the collection with a huge front-page story, and it wasnt just Mainers who took notice. The show won fans from all over.

Fall is now almost upon us, but pieces from the collaborationBeans first in its century-plus historywont be available until October 26, when they arrive in stores (Snyders two New York City boutiques, his recently opened East Hampton pop-up, and Beans Freeport flagship). Now, however, theres a new way for you to get a truly immersive experience of the Snyder x Bean aesthetic.

The luxe Kennebunkport resort Hidden Pond has just debuted Snyders From Away Lodge, a suite that takes its name from the title of his fashion collection. (In regional vernacular, someone whos from away is anyonelike Iowa native Snydernot born in Maine.) Working with local interior designers Louise Hurlbut and Krista Stokes, Snyder translated the look and feel of his collection into the two bedrooms, cozy living room, and pair of screened porches of a 1,100-square-foot cabin tucked into Hidden Ponds 60 woodland acres.

With the lodge, Snyder says he wanted to engage guests in his experience designing the collection, discovering L.L. Beans history and indulging his newfound love of Maine. When he began the collaboration for the clothing line, I didnt know L.L Bean was a real person, Snyder admits. But he was. Leon Leonwood Bean was a guide, and he would bring people from Boston and New York around Maine to show them where to go fishing, where to go campingwhere to go, period. Bean started creating apparel because his clients would come from the city with wool suits and haberdasherynot great clothes for the great outdoors.

Story continues

And so, Snyder explains, Bean decided to take traditional menswear fabrics and turn them into hunting jackets and other pieces that made sense for the wilds of nature, whether that meant making them weatherproof or thornproof, says the designer. The From Away Lodge, like the runway collection, plays with luxury and utility, giving you this very luxurious experience in a very outdoorsman sort of place.

The son of an interior decorator, Snyder, who studied architecture in college, imagined a lodge where Beans clients might have stayed in the latter decades of his long life, from the 1930s through the 60s. (Bean died in 1967 at the age of 95.) Snyder combined favorite suiting fabrics and textures with midcentury finds, largely sourced from 1stdibs, and he worked with ABC Carpet & Home to create patchworks of antique Persian carpets. I wanted the whole thing to look bohemian and eclectic, says Snyder, a mix of all the things from the show.

It feels that way from the minute you catch sight of the lodge. A hunting-blaze-orange front door welcomes you into a petite camouflage-wallpapered foyer, which opens to a living area outfitted with a cream-colored New Zealand wool shag rug, two midcentury-modern wood armchairs with cushions covered in L.L. Beans signature red-and-black plaid, and a gray-flannel daybed topped by plaid and tweed pillows. Snyder had the main bedroom painted a mossy shade (Benjamin Moores Kennebunkport Green, appropriately enough), adding a shearling chair and an industrial-chic brushed-steel dresser made by Simmons Company Furniture in the 1930s. The second bedroom (done in Moores Hale Navy blue) got a cowhide bench plus a George Nelson Herman Miller dresser whose two orange drawer panels recall the front door.

On-point details abound: All the bed linens are from John Robshaw, while the decoupaged trays are by John Derian. The books Snyder picked (about modern art, rock n roll and Maine) are midcentury, and the artworks (a mix of contemporary landscapes and abstract works by local artists) were sourced at Corey Daniels Gallery, in nearby Wells. The artwork pulls it all together, says the designer. Its a bit of a symphony.

Snyders favorite thing about the lodge? It might well be its longevity. When you do a fashion show, theres all this buildup, and then its over in 15 minutesThank God there are photos, he says. This project was intriguing because itll live on. Thats really exciting. hiddenpondmaine.com

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
Many years ago, while participating in a voter registration drive, I came upon a grizzled and disheveled old man sitting in the overgrown and weed-infested yard of his paint-starved house calming smoking his pipe. Despite his gruff demeanor, Ully (Ulysses) was very pleasant and loquacious as we talked for over an hour on topics ranging from the weather to the innate foibles of mankind. It turned out that he had to leave school after the fourth grade in order to work in the fields to help support his family and had toiled in a variety of menial and labor-intensive jobs ever since. Yet, he had a deep and thorough insight into human nature. Among his comments about the rich and ostensibly well-educated was: All the money in the world caint buy a fool a lick of common sense.

I was reminded of that observation after reading an article describing the 131 billionaires who are pouring millions into the coffers of the Democrat party and Joe Bidens campaign in their mindless obsession to defeat President Trump in November. Among the prominent names are Jeff Skoll, a founder of eBay who has contributed $4.5 million; Laurene Powell Jobs of Apple and owner of The Atlantic magazine has donated $1.2 million, and Josh Bekenstein, Chairman of Bain Capital (co-founded by Mitt Romney), $5 million.

Far more Wall Street financers have also jumped on the Biden/Democrat party bandwagon than are supporting Donald Trump, whose policies have overwhelmingly revived the economy after the stagnation of the Obama-Biden years. The tech billionaires, not content to simply cough up untold millions in direct political contributions, are also funding massive voter drives, promoting mail-in balloting, creating divisive partisan news sites, aiding and designing the Democrat partys digital campaigns and unabashedly censoring the social media accounts of the Trump campaign and innumerable conservatives.

The political party they are gleefully underwriting in order to oust Trump is no longer the party of the middle and working class (which is now one and the same) but a two-tier assemblage in which the prey is sleeping with the predator. The witless wealthy and socially aware are in bed with the avowed socialists and militant Marxists. What is holding this marriage of convenience together is a mutual hatred of Donald Trump and the undoable promises made by Joe Biden and the Democrat party hierarchy.

In a 2019 meeting with 100 super-wealthy potential donors, Biden assured the gathering that he would not demonize the rich and would only increase their taxes slightly while ensuring that their standard of living would not be affected by any of his policies. He also stated: Im not Bernie Sanders. I dont think 500 Billionaires are the reason why we are in trouble. Further, he unabashedly emphasized that the wealthy are not the reason for income inequality and If I win this nomination. I wont let you down. I promise you.

Further, the dubious choice of Kamala Harris as the vice presidential nominee was made solely to placate and reassure Wall Street and the wealthy, as she was viewed by them as being very deferential to the mega-rich class based on her days in California.

When the time came to deal with the Marxist/socialist wing of the Democrat partys anti-Trump coalition, policy commitments, many diametrically opposite of what was promised the wealthy donors, were also guaranteed with a non-verbal pledge of we wont let you down.

The first step was a de facto party platform. The 110-page Biden-Sanders Manifesto which includes, among other commitments, a massive job killing $2+ trillion climate agenda to phase out fossil fuel usage within 15 years, the elimination of cash bail, redirecting (i.e. cutting) funding for the police, dismantling all border protections, legalizing virtually all illegal immigrants and massively raising corporate and individual tax rates on the wealthy. This manifesto is a socialist screed that would destroy the middle class and permanently neuter the economy and nation.

An effusive Bernie Sanders proclaimed to the world that Biden and the Democrats have embraced his socialist agenda and that Biden would be the most progressive president since FDR. Sanders exposed not only the behind the scenes reality of todays Democrat party but Bidens figurehead role.

Further confirmation of the radicalization of the Party came about unexpectedly as the militant Marxist faction of the Sanders coalition forced the issue. Impatient and unwilling to wait until after the 3rd of November, Antifa and Black Lives Matter used the death of George Floyd as a pretext to take to the streets and begin their long-hoped for revolution. They claimed that rioting, looting, committing arson and attacking law enforcement was a necessity as this was a systemically racist country. Yet, they openly demanded immediate changes rooted in their radical Marxist ideology of class warfare not so-called systemic racism. As two of their preferred chants and graffiti slogans eat the rich and abolish capitalism now confirms.

Biden, the Democrat party hierarchy as well as virtually all Democrat elected officials refused to address the violence and those responsible. Thus, they tacitly approved of the lawlessness and by doing so flashed a green light to continue the riots. When forced to acknowledge the reality on the streets of the nations cities, they instead blamed Trump, the police, white supremacists and even the Russians. Due to their spinelessness, the armies of anarchy and revolution Biden and the Democrats unleashed will never be defeated or mollified by them.

Considering the vast dichotomy in the litany of promises made and actions taken, it is inevitable that either the moneyed elite or the mob of passionate true believers will be betrayed. There is no middle ground. Who will prevail?

Will it be the elites whose only weapon is money and fleeting political influence or the passionate mob whose weapons are unconstrained violence and intimidation? Will it be those who believe a revolution could never happen here or those who are currently inciting revolution with the implicit blessing of a major political party? Will it be those who believe that Biden and the Democrats, if elected, will be able to forcefully deal with the insurgents or the insurgents who now know that riots and extortion causes Democrat politicians to cower in the corner?

Beginning with the French Revolution and throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, history has recorded that passionate mobs always prevail when dealing with a feckless ruling class or party. And the first casualties have inevitably been the wealthy elites.

I can envision sitting with my old friend, Ully, and asking him if he thought the wealthy elites, indiscriminately tossing money at the Democrats for the sole purpose of defeating President Trump, understood the pitfalls involved. He would lean back, slowly exhale a puff of smoke from his well-worn pipe and with uncontrollable anger in his eyes would say: Nope. Those damn fools aint got a lick of common sense.

Imahge credit: Coastal Elite https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode
The featured event on the Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 9) program at Running Aces was a $11,500 trot for Minnesota-sired freshman colts and geldings, with a field of seven square-gaited rivals lining up behind the gate.

The overwhelming 1-9 favourite in the race was Rush To The Bank (Nick Roland), who was coming into the event with two wins in a row and five wins in 10 career outings.

Driver Nick Roland sent the favourite straight to the front and dominated the affair with moderate fractions of :30.1, 1:02 and 1:32.2 over the rain-soaked oval, which was rated as good.

There was never an anxious moment for Rush To The Bank ($2.10), as he kept his rivals well behind throughout the mile, and kicked home in :30.2 to check in 7-3/4 lengths ahead in 2:02.4.

Half-brother Hide Your Banker (Brandon Jenson) got up for second over Oh Danny Boy (Darrell Wright) to complete a Banker Volo-sired exacta that returned a handsome $71.40.

The winner is a gelding out of the Valley Victor mare Vacation Valley, and is owned by Jeralene Roland and Vikki Rush and trained by Dan Roland.

Trotstyle Takeover (Mooney Svendsen, $13.60) scored her first career win in the $11,500 freshman filly trot in 2:07, closing late to just get up over the Banker Volo filly Its So Fluffy (Dean Magee) by a nose. Sunny P (Darrell Wright) was home third.

The winning filly is by Braggart and is owned by trainer Brett Ballinger, along with Darren and Suzanne Taylor and Benvenga Racing.

P H Kenny (Darrell Wright, $7.20) extended his winning streak to five in a row in a $12,000 claiming pace with another sharp mile in 1:55.4 over the surface that had been downgraded to sloppy. Gerald Longo is the winning owner and trainer, having claimed the horse last time out. Previous connections Jose Cervantes and Edward Hernandez claimed the eight-year-old Lis Mara gelding back today.

Driver Mooney Svendsen led the program with a second consecutive hat trick, and owner Benvenga Racing had two winners on the program.

Live Racing returns to Running Aces on Saturday (Sept. 12) with first post at 1 p.m. CDT and two carryovers featured: $7,374.18 in the Jackpot Pick-5, and $1,458.55 in the Early Pick-4.

(Running Aces)
PHOENIX  Former Missouri legislator and activist Bruce Franks Jr. is seeking $2.4 million in damages from the city of Phoenix, claiming charges against him following his arrest at a protest last month are a case of political prosecution.

Notice of the claim, first reported in Missouri by KMOV, was filed Wednesday after Franks was arrested at a protest marking the sixth anniversary of when Michael Brown was killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.

A St. Louis native, Franks rose to prominence during protests that followed Brown's death. He served in the Missouri House from 2016 to 2019.

After Franks and seven others were arrested at the protest, Phoenix police released an edited video that included a portion of Franks' arrest. In the video, an officer says protesters knocked over a fence and police responded by pushing back the crowd and shooting pepper balls.

Police said the crowd then began to throw items at the police.

The response from the protestors was, predictably, fear and anger, the claim noted, and Franks acted as a peacekeeper when tensions rose between protesters and police.

Unedited and unreleased video of the protest will exonerate Franks and show police escalated tensions, according to Franks' attorney. Franks' attorney said he's asked police to release the video, and police at first denied its existence, then released an edited version.

Initially, Franks faced 13 criminal charges, though the claim notes that a judge dismissed seven of the charges as "meritless." Franks is now charged with aggravated assault, rioting, resisting arrest, unlawful assembly and trespassing by the Maricopa County Attorneys Office in Phoenix.

Those charges, according to the notice, leave Franks' consulting contracts under scrutiny and in jeopardy and harm his reputation of leading non-violent protests.

Franks attorney is Steve Benedetto, a civil rights attorney who previously represented Jamaar Williams, a Black attorney in Phoenix who was arrested at a 2019 protest while serving as a legal observer. Charges were dropped against Williams, and he subsequently filed a $1.2 million dollar lawsuit.

Franks' claim was sent to Phoenixs mayor and city council members.

When those in power target their critics, falsely accuse them of criminal offenses, and seek to neuter their influence through criminal prosecution and incarceration, international human rights organizations sit up and pay attention, Benedetto said.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The bodies of the two Filipinos who died in a gas explosion in Abu Dhabi have been cleared for their return to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.

The DFA says it is coordinating with the Labor Department in working closely with the bereaved families for the acceptance of the remains.

The two agencies, along with Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Hjayceelyn Quintana, have already personally met with the families of the deceased, the DFA added. It said the families are also being assisted in the processing of the death benefits they will receive from the Philippine government.

The two Filipinos were killed in a gas explosion on Aug. 31, which also wounded 10 other Filipinos.

"The embassy expresses thanks to the UAE Government for ensuring that the affected Filipinos are cared for," the DFA said in a statement.

"The embassy also thanks the members of the Filipino community whose prayers and expressions of support lent healing and comfort to the families of the victims."
(Natural News) It has finally been revealed that the participant in AstraZenecas Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine trial who suffered a serious adverse event, causing a global shutdown of the companys entire phase-three trial, developed a spinal inflammatory disorder known as transverse myelitis.

Company CEO Pascal Soriot told JP Morgan and other investors over a conference call that the woman from the United Kingdom developed neurological symptoms consistent with this rare disease almost immediately following injection, though AstraZeneca insists that the experimental vaccine is not to blame.

The woman is said to be improving, and will likely be released from the hospital in the next few days. In the meantime, AstraZeneca, which partnered with the University of Oxford to develop the vaccine that injured her, is trying to figure out when it might resume the phase-three trial to get the vaccine released in time for the election, upon request from President Donald Trump.

Soriots comments, according to one of the investors who participated in the call, were apparently intended to reassure everyone that the company was taking the vaccine safety event seriously. The goal was to convey to investors that everything is just fine and moving right along, despite this minor hiccup.

This is actually the SECOND case of neurological damage caused by AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine

At the same time, AstraZeneca has provided little in the way of actual evidence to show that actual progress is being made. We know this because there was actually an earlier cause of neurological damage caused by AstraZenecas experimental Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine that occurred back in July, but that was never reported.

This individual developed a similar neurological condition that was later dubbed as multiple sclerosis, with AstraZeneca insisting that it had absolutely nothing to do with the vaccine. But our readers and many others know better about this kind of thing.

Like virtually all other vaccines, this one more than likely contains a slew of toxic adjuvants that embed into muscle tissue and cause systemic damage. This damage typically manifests neurologically, leading to long-term and often permanent health problems.

AstraZeneca is not concerned about this, however, and is still planning to continue distributing the vaccine en masse for warp speed release potentially by Nov. 1, which is the goal of the Trump administrations Operation Warp Speed program.

This phase-three trial just began in August, and had thus far reached 62 live testing sites in the U.S. alone. Testing of the vaccine is also taking place in the U.K. and elsewhere, reports indicate.

When all is said and done, some 30,000 participants at 80 different testing sites are expected to receive the jab. And more than likely there will be additional cases of neurological damage that may or may not get reported, depending on how the news affects AstraZenecas bottom line.

As explained by Stat News, transverse myelitis is demarcated by spinal cord inflammation, which can manifest symptomatically as muscle weakness, chronic pain, bladder problems, or paralysis. Though considered to be rare, there are many documented cases of vaccines triggering it, which suggests that AstraZenecas Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine more than likely did the same in this British trial participant.

Acute transverse myeloid can occur with multiple sclerosis also, wrote one Stat News commenter, suggesting that the July multiple sclerosis case was more than likely caused by the vaccine as well, despite AstraZenecas objections to accepting blame. Two cases of CNS demyelination is certainly a warning for concern.

If you look at the stats, unless youre very elderly and/or have co-morbidities your chance of death is very slim, wrote another, denying the need for a vaccine at all.

More related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

StatNews.com

NaturalNews.com
An ABC reporter has appeared to break down live on air while discussing the 'heartbreaking' 600 job cuts hitting Australia's biggest meatworks.

Michael Rennie was reporting from Ipswich, Queensland, at 9am on Thursday when his broadcast was interrupted, with the journalist struggling to speak and dropping his head in his hands.

The job cuts at JBS Dinmore, which is the largest meat factor in the southern hemisphere, comes after the company failed to convince Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to make a JobKeeper exemption.

Rennie struggled to finish his sentence during his live cross and the broadcast was forced to return to the newsroom.

ABC host Joe O'Brien said: 'OK. We'll leave it there for the moment. Michael Rennie reporting there from Ipswich.

'We'll just make sure Michael is OK there. Um, so we'll get the cameraman to check on Michael and we'll get our bosses there right away to make sure he's OK.'

Michael Rennie was reporting live from JBS Dinmore in Ipswich, Queensland, at about 9.10 on Thursday morning when the incident occurred (pictured)

Moments before the vision returned to the newsroom, a sombre Rennie angled his head down and covered his face with his hand.

The confronting moment quickly circulated on Twitter, with ABC viewers posting comments of support to Rennie.

'Hope you are OK there Michael! Love your work,' one person wrote.

'Take care of yourself Michael. You're doing a tough job. I admire you,' another said.

Viewers also debated whether the TV reporter suffered a medical episode or if the news story had made him emotional.

'He started talking a bit strangely, like he'd lost his place, then when they crossed back to check he didn't seem able to talk,' one person said.

'I think he might have become emotional, which is totally understandable, but I hope it wasn't a medical issue.'

ABC host Joe O'Brien (pictured) looked concerned and said: 'OK. We'll leave it there for the moment. Michael Rennie reporting there from Ipswich'

Moments before the vision returned to the newsroom, a sombre Rennie (pictured) angled his head down and covered his face with his hand

Another said: 'QLD reporter on TV just now - is he having a heart attack on live TV? Better check on him immediately.'

A third added: 'What was up with that ABC News reporter? Was he crying?'

O'Brien referenced the 'really concerning' incident moments later to reassure viewers.

'Now, just before we move on, that was really concerning seeing our reporter Michael Rennie there having some issues when he was doing that report,' he said.

'I want to assure our viewers that we're chasing that up right away and getting on top of that and making sure that Michael gets the support he needs at this moment.'

Rennie was live in Ipswich as 600 jobs are cut from the largest beef processing plant in Australia (pictured, a tweet sent before the on-air incident)

Rennie addressed the confronting vision just before 11am and thanked viewers for their support. 'Thanks for all the concern about what happened on ABC news channel this morning,' he said on Twitter

In a later update, O'Brien confirmed his colleague was 'OK' following a catch-up catch.

'Now, I just want to assure our viewers that our reporter Michael Rennie is OK.

'We were having a chat to him in the last five or ten minutes or so and he wasn't able to continue. Yeah, we were a bit concerned about him, but he is OK.'

Rennie addressed the confronting vision just before 11am and thanked viewers for their support.

'Thanks for all the concern about what happened on ABC news channel this morning,' he said on Twitter.

Rennie explained he was dehydrated and lost his train of thought.

'But I'm fine and I'll be back at work tomorrow. Cheers,' he said.

Rennie received numerous responses from followers who said they are 'glad' he is feeling better.

Almost 600 workers at Australia's largest meat processing facility have lost their jobs as the company scales back its operations (pictured, Michael McCormack at the plant)

The company does not qualify for the JobKeeper scheme as its turnover has only dropped 40 per cent this year, and not the 50 per cent required by large businesses.

Bosses blamed JobKeeper for creating an 'inequity' in the market, with some companies propped up by handouts and others struggling to make ends meet.

JBS Australia chief executive officer Brent Eastwood said it hadn't been an easy decision, but bosses had been left with little alternative.

'Already facing a severe livestock supply shortage following an extended period of drought, the COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted the Dinmore business,' he told the Courier Mail.

'The situation has been further exacerbated by the market inequity created by the Federal Government's JobKeeper program.

'The market conditions mean there will be no work for around 600 full time jobs for the foreseeable future.'

The job cuts at JBS Dinmore, which is one of Ipswich's largest employers, comes after the company failed to convince Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to make a JobKeeper exemption

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the company over the past few months, with shifts at the factory cut by 40 per cent and 1,700 workers stood down with no pay for two weeks.

Due to the tumultuous few months, workers have lost more than 70 shifts this year and are classed as daily hire, meaning the minimum period of notice for termination is one day.

Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union and Blair MP Shayne Neumann said it was one of the saddest cases Ipswich had ever seen.

'It's catastrophic for the Ipswich community and it's devastating for these local workers and families.'

Smaller companies, those with an annual turnover of less than $1billion, must show their their turnover has fallen by 30 per cent to qualify.

For bigger companies making $1billion or more annually, this must have dropped by 50 per cent.
Liparis Pygmaea, a rare variety of orchid, has been found for the first time in the western Himalayan region in Uttarakhand. The flower was spotted by a team of the research wing of the Uttarakhand forest department at an altitude of 3,800 metres during a trek to Saptakund in Chamoli district in June this year, Chief Conservator of Forest (Research) Sanjiv Chaturvedi told PTI. Samples sent by the forest department to Botanical Survey of India were confirmed as Liparis Pygmaea and the Pune-based body preserved them in its herbarium, Chaturvedi said.

The discovery made by a two-member team consisting of Range Officer Harish Negi and JRF Manoj Singh has been recognised by French scientific research journal Richardiana, which published a paper on the discovery. Liparis Pygmaea is a small terrestrial orchid with beautiful flowers springing on it in the month of June-July. As it has been found for the first time in the western Himalayas, botanists consider it a very significant discovery, the official said adding it widens the range of distribution of the species in the Himalayas.

Terming it a very important development in the study of rare orchid species whose distribution is restricted to the alpine zone of the Himlayas, Chaturvedi said appropriate measures should be taken to preserve the species which appears in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list. Apart from one location in Uttarakhand the species has been found in the past at three locations in Sikkim and at one in West Bengal in India. It has also been sighted at one location each in Nepal and China, the paper published in the French journal said.

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C omedian Russell Howard said he probably did the right thing in walking off stage mid-set after a woman in the crowd started filming him.

The comic reportedly ended a performance early in Bristol last month after taking issue with an audience member pointing her phone at him.

He reportedly told the woman to live in the moment, before walking off stage.

Howard said other performers would back his decision.

Howard said he was surprised by the "crazy" reaction / Getty Images

He said: I was amazed that it went as big as it did, because you know, theres a lot going on in the world at the moment, but apparently a wonky-eyed comedian telling a lady to live in the moment trumped all of that.

You wont find any kind of artist, or performer, or comedian, or musician that would feel differently. Particularly if youre doing a small gig, and somebodys recording it, its not going to be good for you and its not going to be good for the performer.

Its just pretty simple. But I dunno, I was surprised at how crazy it went. But I think I probably did the right thing.

Getty Images

Pete Davidson reportedly asked fans to sign an NDA before a performance (Getty Images)

Comedians frequently require audience members to leave their phones switched off during gigs.

Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson reportedly asked fans to sign a non-disclosure agreement before a performance in San Francisco last year. The fine for breaking the NDA was one million dollars.

Dave Chappelle also bars phones from his sets, and many performers fear their material leaking.

Series four of The Russell Howard Hour premieres on September 10 at 10pm on Sky One and NOWTV. Howards rescheduled world stand-up tour, Respite, begins February 25 2021.

With reporting by Press Association
By Baek Byung-yeul





Carpene Malvolti's Prosecco 1868 Extra Dry sparkling wine / Courtesy of Interliquor
China is building a new 'COVID-proof' smart city with a self-sufficient neighbourhood designed to make people's life easier in the event of pandemic outbreaks.

The living quarter is part of the blueprint for the Xiong'an New Area, a megacity near Beijing that dwarfs Greater London in size.

Its high-tech facilities, such as larger balconies, shared 3-D printers and communal greenhouses, will allow residents to live more comfortably in case of future lockdowns.

Scroll down for video

Barcelona-based Guallart Architects has designed a self-sufficient neighbourhood for the Xiong'an New Area, a megacity near Beijing that dwarfs Greater London in size

The futuristic community will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, such as larger and drone-friendly balconies, rooftop farms, shared 3-D printers and renewable energy systems

The neighbourhood is designed to let residents live more comfortably in case of lockdowns

The complex in the province of Hebei is set to consist of wooden apartment blocks, rooftop farms and renewable energy, according to its chief architect.

It also features drone-friendly terraces and ample space to cater to the residents' needs when they work from home.

Barcelona-based Guallart Architects last month won a contest to design the community in Xiong'an, which is promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping as 'a new standard in the post-COVID era' that can also be applied elsewhere.

The proposal will enable residents to produce resources locally, and provide all amenities 'even in moments of confinement', according to the firm.

The complex in the province of Hebei is set to consist of wooden apartment blocks, rooftop farms and renewable energy, according to designers at Barcelona-based Guallart Architects

It also features drone-friendly terraces and ample space to cater to the residents' needs

'We cannot continue designing cities and buildings as if nothing had happened,' said founder Vicente Guallart.

'Our proposal stems from the need to provide solutions to the various crises that are taking place, in order to create a new urban life based in the circular bio-economy,' he said.

In a circular economy, resources are kept in use for as long as possible rather than discarded to landfill.

As cities worldwide imposed lockdowns to contain the coronavirus, authorities from Amsterdam to Sydney unveiled measures to improve sustainability, food security and mobility, with more green spaces, bicycle lanes and new technologies.

In China, tech giant Tencent announced plans for a 'smart city' that uses technology to put people and the environment first, a model it said is particularly relevant in the aftermath of the coronavirus.

The competition for the Xiong'an project was held when employees of Guallart Architects were in lockdown in Spain, and that influenced the design 'completely', the firm's founder revealed

The area, that includes wooden buildings with large balconies and shared 3-D printers, will let people produce resources locally, and provide all amenities 'even in moments of confinement'

'Our proposal stems from the need to provide solutions to the various crises that are taking place, in order to create a new urban life based in the circular bio-economy,' said the founder

President Xi unveiled plans in 2017 to create the Xiong'an New Area, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) south-west of Beijing, as an urban innovation zone.

The city occupies 2,000 square kilometres (772 square miles) - almost as big as Greater London and New York combined.

The competition for the Xiong'an project was held when employees of Guallart Architects were in lockdown in Spain, and that influenced the design 'completely', Guallart told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

'We wanted to make a manifesto of those things that we thought were important during lockdown and in the future,' said Guallart, a former chief architect of the city of Barcelona.

'If homes allow tele-work and tele-education, have flexible spaces on large terraces, and cities can grow food on the roofs or print objects in their neighbourhoods, we will be more prepared for the crises of the future,' he said.

The self-sufficient neighbourhood in the Xiong'an New Area is promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping as 'a new standard in the post-COVID era' that can also be applied elsewhere

Xiong'an occupies 772 square miles - almost as big as Greater London and New York combined

Past epidemics also led to significant changes in city planning and urban infrastructure, from sewage systems and public transit to housing regulations.

This time around, fears of contagion may also create 'elitist enclaves that are somewhat self-sufficient', said Tony Matthews, a senior lecturer in urban and environmental planning at Australia's Griffith University.

'People who can afford it will often pay to insulate themselves,' he said, pointing to gated communities as an example.

'Post-COVID enclaves with security, private medical facilities and on-site food production may emerge.'

For Guallart, the coronavirus is an opportunity to promote new urban formats focused on ecology.

'This pandemic has accelerated the future,' he said.

'Cities have seen what they are capable of if they face a challenge, and therefore decisions related to climate change and its impact on the urban model, on the design of buildings, on mobility, should be made immediately.'
Berlin, Sep 10 : The German federal government has extended its travel warning for more than 160 non-European Union (EU) countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic until the end of September.

From October onwards, the travel warnings will be replaced with "differentiated travel and security warnings" applying to individual countries, Xinhua news agency quoted the Federal Foreign Office as saying in a statement on Wednesday.

The previous travel warning was set to expire on September 14.

An early lifting of travel warning in country-specific individual cases would be announced separately, according to the Foreign Office.

Unnecessary tourist travel to countries that were not classified as risk areas would still be discouraged if these countries restricted entry to or from Germany, the government stressed in the statement.

For the evaluation, the government would also consider the overall situation in the respective country, such as the state of health systems, when issuing travel warnings.

Anyone entering Germany from a risk area must go into home quarantine and inform the responsible health authority, according to the government.

Since the beginning of August, all persons entering Germany from a risk area also have to present a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours of taking it or be tested within 72 hours of arrival.

Test centres have been set up at airports and train stations and other easily accessible locations for tests across Germany.

According to the government, the tests for returning travelers are free of charge.

As of Thursday, the total number of coronavirus cases in Germany stood at 256,433, with 9,408 deaths.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Texas is enjoying another great year of a quality harvest. The grapes have been harvested along the Gulf Coast and the Texas Hill County.

The grapes on the Texas High plains have everyone abuzz about 2020 being another awesome year for Texas! About 80 percent of the Texas grapes are harvested on the flat lands of the Texas High Plains. These flat lands make harvesting grapes easy with mechanical grape harvesters. These machines have vibrating sides on each side of the rows of grape vines guided by a wheeled mechanism.

About 100 grape pickers equal the daily output of these mechanical harvesters. With COVID19 and lack of farm hands, Texas is not being impacted unlike California with its steeply sloping vineyards and lack of farm hands during this pandemic. These harvested grapes come into the winery cleaner and faster than hand-harvested grapes. As a result of a faster accumulation of grapes via mechanical harvester, the grapes arrive at the wineries in less than 90 minutes vs. several hours of vineyard storage and accumulation of grapes to justify transportation to the winery by truck.

The grapes that arrive faster from mechanical harvest have a temperature about one to two degrees above ambient air temperature. However, grapes that have to reside in the vineyards for hours start fermentation via rogue yeasts and bacteria. Winemakers have no control over these rogue fermentations and sometime have unusual tastes that the winemaker does NOT want to have in his wines. With this type of mechanical harvesting, Texas wineries are experiencing better quality grapes at the winery. Although the final end of the grape harvest is several weeks away, most everyone agrees that Texas is finding its identity and making lots of award-winning wines. As we look into another quality grape harvest, it appears that Texas is poised to continue to earn the recognition it has earned year after year with more Gold Medals and Double Gold Medals.

On a different note, California is experiencing wild forest fires, especially in the areas of vineyards. Grapes in California have not been harvested to the extent that has been seen in Texas. As a result, these California grapes could experience smoke taint before grapes are harvested.

Bernhardt Winery Concerts

The Bernhardt winery folks are looking forward to sharing their wines, stories, poetry, and music with you! Jerry and Jerri Bernhardt invite you to join them on the north winery lawn for another year of Sunday evening concerts paired with fellowship and great wines. The reputation for the Bernhardt Winery concerts has grown over the years with large crowds enjoying each other, Bernhardt Winery Wines, great foods, and outstanding music. I suggest getting to the winery to stake out your perfect spot with your chairs and tables, foods, and of course your choices in Bernhardt Wines. You can bring your own foods or buy available foods on the winery site. This winery is both kid and dog friendly, but you still must take full responsibility for both! You can bring it ALL to the winery concerts, EXCEPT outside alcohol since the TABC says that is a BIG No-No! There is a cover charge of $10 to $15 depending on the concert for those over 18 with youngsters and dogs free. Upcoming concerts include:

Sept. 13 - Yelba and the Latin Fire

Sept. 20 - Fab Five

To further enjoy these concerts, I suggest bringing lots of friends.

Jerry Bernhardt told me he is now using 100 percent Texas grapes in his award-winning wines. This will be his second harvest with 100 percent Texas grapes. This past year was the first year when Texas actually was able to produce enough grapes to satisfy some of the Texas winery demands.

Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
OTTAWAWE Charity says it will hand over documents it promised to provide to a House of Commons committee whose investigation was disrupted when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued parliament amidst a conflict of interest controversy that has dogged his government.

Conservative MPs on the finance committee that was studying the controversy have been pressing WE Charity to release the documents, which are expected to include  among other things  precise details on how much the Toronto-based organization paid members of Trudeaus family for appearing at its events.

In an interview with the Star, Conservative MP Michael Barrett said he wanted to ensure that WE Charity submits all the documents it agreed to provide even after the organization announced Wednesday that it would shutter its Canadian operations. The decision came in the wake of a political firestorm over the governments decision to outsource the $544-million Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) program to WE, despite the organizations ties to the families of the prime minister and his then-finance minister, Bill Morneau.

The Commons ethics commissioner is now investigating both men under the Conflict of Interest Act  a law that Trudeau has already broken twice as prime minister.

Its clear that the CSSG, from its inception to its cancellation, has been a disaster, Barrett said.

At this point, our focus remains getting answers for Canadians. We want to ensure that the documents that were committed by (WE co-founders Marc and Craig Kielburger) to committee, and documents that were requested from the Kielburgers by the committee  that those are preserved and remitted to the House in a timely fashion, he said.

Barrett and Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre wrote an open letter to the Kielburgers on Aug. 30 demanding the documents, which include  according to a tally of what was promised crafted by independent public servants in the parliamentary library  precise details of how much money WE has paid members of Trudeaus family to appear at its events over the years, as well as further details about communications between various government ministers and staff in the weeks before the grant program was awarded to the organization.

At the time, The Canadian Press reported that a lawyer for WE appeared to reject the request, stating the committee studying the contract ceased to exist when Trudeau prorogued parliament on Aug. 18.

On Thursday, however, a WE spokesperson told the Star by email that Yes, once there is a new committee, WE Charity will be pleased to provide the documents that have been requested.

Liberal MPs on the committee  including chair Wayne Easter  did not respond to requests for comment from the Star Thursday about the future of its student grant investigation.

In the wake of the news that WE Charity, will close its Canadian operations, Conservatives and New Democrats were quick to stress that they wont let the decision dampen the controversy.

In a post on social media, Poilievre was combative. WE closure changes nothing, he wrote on Twitter. Finance Committee will resume once Parliament opens. You can run but you cant hide.

In Brampton, on Thursday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh alleged Trudeaus decision to prorogue parliament amid the WE controversy could jeopardize pandemic emergency benefits for more than 1 million people.

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which pays people who lost work during the pandemic $500 a week, is set to expire on Oct. 3. The Liberals have pledged to replace the benefit for most recipients with a temporarily expanded employment insurance that can be created through regulatory changes. But the government also said it will need to introduce legislation to create three new benefit programs for as many as 1.5 million CERB recipients  something that will only be possible if the government survives the vote on its throne speech.

Singh called for parliament to resume earlier than Sept. 23 to ensure CERB doesnt expire without its replacement in place.

Because the prime minister shut down Parliament, right now were up against a deadline where many people are going to lose their CERB, Singh said.

Were calling on Prime Minister Trudeau to recall Parliament earlier so we can put in place legislation to help out those 1.5 million Canadians who will have no help.

The Prime Ministers Office did not answer a question from the Star Thursday about whether the government would consider recalling Parliament before Sept. 23.

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BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China will work with Saudi Arabia within the framework of the G20 to make COVID-19 vaccines affordable and available to all countries and all people.

In a telephone conversation with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Xi said that China will continue to work with Saudi Arabia on the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines, and the two sides should intensify communication and coordination to promote cooperation within the G20 and help make COVID-19 vaccines a global public good.

Xi said that since the establishment of China-Saudi Arabia diplomatic ties 30 years ago, bilateral relations have made great progress and practical cooperation in various fields between the two sides has seen steady progress.

At present, China-Saudi Arabia relations have entered a mature period of rapid development and are facing new development opportunities, he said, adding that the Chinese side is willing to take the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust and continue to support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns.

The Chinese side is also ready to work with Saudi Arabia to strengthen the docking of the Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, push forward cooperation in all fields, and promote even greater development of the China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership, said Xi, adding that the Chinese side is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to take the China-Arab strategic partnership to a higher level.

Xi also said that in the face of the sudden strike of the COVID-19 outbreak, Saudi Arabia has supported China's fight against the epidemic, and that China has actively provided material assistance to Saudi Arabia while overcoming difficulties, adding that the epidemic is the common enemy of the human race, and only through unity and cooperation can all countries beat the virus.

Xi said that as the outbreak is still spreading around the globe, China will continue to fully support Saudi Arabia's efforts against COVID-19, carry out cooperation in vaccine research and development, and help Saudi Arabia resume work and production.

He also stressed that China appreciates Saudi Arabia's tremendous efforts to promote cooperation within the G20 since it took over the rotating presidency, and stands ready to closely communicate and coordinate with Saudi Arabia to bolster G20 cooperation, help make COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and make them affordable and available to all countries and all people.

China, he added, is ready to work with G20 members, including Saudi Arabia, to increase assistance to developing countries, build an open world economy, maintain stability of global industrial and supply chains, facilitate orderly personnel flow, guide digital economy cooperation, and foster an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory digital economy environment.

For his part, Salman said that bilateral relations have seen sound development and the friendship between the two peoples has been continuously strengthened.

Saudi Arabia, he added, attaches great importance to the development of its comprehensive strategic partnership with China and hopes to strengthen bilateral cooperation in battling the pandemic, especially in vaccine research and development, better synergize its Vision 2030 and China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and deepen practical cooperation in various fields.

Saudi Arabia appreciates China's support and assistance for its work as the G20 presidency, the king said, adding that his country hopes to maintain close communication and coordination with China to promote solidarity and cooperation among the G20 members, and make due contributions to prevailing over the pandemic and restoring economic growth and stability in the world.
In responding to a parliamentary question of how many banks with Qualifying Full Banking Licences currently give out loan grants to local corporations with turnovers below S$10 million, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister and Minister in charge of MAS, said:

small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore are served by a variety of lending institutions and platforms in our financial sector. The three local banks, finance companies and, more recently, crowdfunding platforms, play an active role lending to SMEs and the smaller local enterprises with annual turnover below $10 million. Mr Wee asked specifically about Qualifying Full Banks (QFBs). Five of the nine QFBs currently grant loans to SMEs and local enterprises with annual turnover below $10 million. The remaining QFBs serve other segments of the Singapore market, providing services such as retail banking, wealth management, Renminbi services, securities services, and credit and trade finance for larger corporates. The Government has provided a 90% risk-share on the loans granted under Enterprise Singapores (ESG) Temporary Bridging Loan Programme, which has increased the availability of credit to SMEs. More than 80% of these loans were taken up by local enterprises with annual turnover below $10 million.

The nine QFBs are Bank of China Limited, BNP Paribas, Citibank Singapore Limited, HSBC Bank (Singapore) Limited, ICICI Bank Limited, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, Maybank Singapore Limited, Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited, and State Bank of India.

loan grants

Image credit: aenri05/Flickr

Not all of them provide loan grants to SMEs with a turnover with $10 million or less.

Getting loan grants for start-ups with $10 million or less requires careful planning.

The entrepreneur needs to decide:

How much finance is required?

When and how long the finance is needed for?

What security (if any) can be provided?

Whether the entrepreneur is prepared to give up some control (ownership) of the start-up in return for investment?

Story continues

The finance needs of a start-up should take account of these key areas:

Set-up costs (the costs that are incurred before the business starts to trade)

Starting investment in capacity (the fixed assets that the business needs before it can begin to trade)

Working capital (the stocks needed by the business e.g. r raw materials + allowance for amounts that will be owed by customers once sales begin)

Growth and development (e.g. extra investment in capacity)

One way of categorising the sources of finance for a start-up is to divide them into sources which are from within the business (internal) and from outside providers (external).

Internal sources are a great avenue in raising sufficient finance

The main internal sources of raising sufficient finance for a start-up are as follows:

Personal sources These are the most important sources of finance for a start-up, and we deal with them in more detail in a later section.

Retained profits This is the cash that is generated by the business when it trades profitably  another important source of finance for any business, large or small. N

Share capital  invested by the founder The founding entrepreneur (/s) may decide to invest in the share capital of a company, founded for the purpose of forming the start-up. This is a common method of financing a start-up. The founder provides all the share capital of the company, retaining 100% control over the business.

The advantages of investing in share capital are covered in the section on business structure. The key point to note here is that the entrepreneur may be using a variety of personal sources to invest in the shares. Once the investment has been made, it is the company that owns the money provided. The shareholder obtains a return on this investment through dividends (payments out of profits) and/or the value of the business when it is eventually sold.

A start-up company can also raise finance by selling shares to external investors.

Raising sufficient finance requires the exploration of external sources

Loan grants for capital  This can take several forms, but the most common are a bank loan or bank overdraft.

Bank loan grants provides a longer-term kind of finance for a start-up, with the bank stating the fixed period over which the loan is provided (e.g. 5 years), the rate of interest and the timing and amount of repayments. The bank will usually require that the start-up provide some security for the loan, although this security normally comes in the form of personal guarantees provided by the entrepreneur. Bank loans are good for financing investment in fixed assets and are generally at a lower rate of interest that a bank overdraft. However, they dont provide much flexibility.

A bank overdraft is a more short-term kind of finance which is also widely used by start-ups and small businesses. An overdraft is really a loan facility  the bank lets the business owe it money when the bank balance goes below zero, in return for charging a high rate of interest. As a result, an overdraft is a flexible source of finance, in the sense that it is only used when needed. Bank overdrafts are excellent for helping a business handle seasonal fluctuations in cash flow or when the business runs into short-term cash flow problems (e.g. a major customer fails to pay on time). Two further loan-related sources of finance are worth knowing about:

Share capital  outside investors For a start-up, the main source of outside (external) investor in the share capital of a company is friends and family of the entrepreneur. Opinions differ on whether friends and family should be encouraged to invest in a start-up company. They may be prepared to invest substantial amounts for a longer period of time; they may not want to get too involved in the day-to-day operation of the business. Both of these are positives for the entrepreneur. However, there are pitfalls. Almost inevitably, tensions develop with family and friends as fellow shareholders.

Business angels are other sources besides loan grants. They are the other main kind of external investor in a start-up company. Business angels are professional investors who typically invest $10k  $750k. They prefer to invest in businesses with high growth prospects. Angels tend to have made their money by setting up and selling their own business  in other words they have proven entrepreneurial expertise. In addition to their money, Angels often make their own skills, experience and contacts available to the company. Getting the backing of an Angel can be a significant advantage to a start-up, although the entrepreneur needs to accept a loss of control over the business.

You will also see Venture Capital mentioned as a source of finance for start-ups. You need to be careful here. Venture capital is a specific kind of share investment that is made by funds managed by professional investors. Venture capitalists rarely invest in genuine start-ups or small businesses (their minimum investment is usually over $1m, often much more). They prefer to invest in businesses which have established themselves. Another term you may here is private equity  this is just another term for venture capital.

A start-up is much more likely to receive investment from a business angel than a venture capitalist.

The post Loan grants for SMEs with turnover of $10m or lower are still available appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
World Health Organization-recommended campaigns to circumcise millions of African boys and men to reduce HIV transmission are based more on systemic racism and 'neocolonialism' than sound scientific research, according to a critical appraisal published in Developing World Bioethics.

More than 25 million men and boys have already been circumcised as a result of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) campaigns in eastern and southern Africa, implemented by the United States government and Western non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The critical appraisal examined the history and politics of these circumcision campaigns in the context of race and colonialism, and found that they had been started in haste and without sufficient contextual research. The paper concluded that the campaigns have been carried out in a manner that implies troubling assumptions about culture, health and sexuality in Africa. Africans were underrepresented in the decision making process, and needed a greater voice in the planning of such an intimate health intervention.

Max Fish, lead author and founder of the VMMC Experience Project, a grassroots effort to elevate African voices about the effects of the campaigns on their lives, said: "There has been a global spotlight on systemic racism--and racist institutions--following the death of George Floyd, an African American man, at the hands of a White police officer in May. However, unethical human experimentation on Africans and African Americans remains a pervasive problem in Western medicine that has received relatively little attention."

"Africa was targeted, and it is still being targeted," said Cleophas Matete, a Kenyan bishop interviewed by the VMMC Experience Project, who is quoted in the study. "It is used as a continent to experiment. Should they introduce anything that is [morally questionable], they want to experiment in Africa. So I believe that the entire process of trying to test it in Africa was wrong from the beginning, and I say no to it."

Dr Arianne Shahvisi, Senior Lecturer in Ethics at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and second author, said: "We believe the decision to implement the circumcision campaign in southern and eastern Africa was not based on robust scientific evidence, but instead assumed that the results from clinical trials would safely 'scale' to the real world without thinking through the cultural implications. We argue that as a surgically corrective measure, the present circumcision campaigns hinge on racist, homogenising assumptions about the sexuality of those who are targeted, as well as a belief that HIV risk behaviours can be appraised independently of poverty and systemic factors."

There has been a long history of unethical medical research conducted on Africans and African Americans, including the infamous "Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male," in which African American syphilis patients living in rural poverty were observed but not treated, leading to suffering, the spread of infection and widespread death, and subsequent concerns about medical exploitation among these communities.

The decision to implement the circumcision policies in Africa was based on three clinical trials conducted in South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya, which showed that circumcision reduced men's HIV risk by 50-60% over two years. However, critics have alleged that the trials had serious limitations: they could not be placebo-controlled, and participants were explicitly informed of the study's aim to establish a lower HIV incidence following circumcision.

In addition, HIV prevalence at the start of the campaign was higher in circumcised than uncircumcised men in 10 out of 18 countries where such data was available, including five countries that were targeted for mass circumcision.

A fourth trial seeking to establish an HIV risk reduction for women allowed HIV-positive Ugandan men to infect unknowing partners--one of Tuskegee's ethical violations. This trial was stopped early for "futility" after partners of newly circumcised men became infected at a 55% higher rate, although this has received much less attention from the global public health community.

The critical appraisal was conducted by ethicists, legal and medical experts from the UK, US, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

###

About the authors:

* Max Fish- Founder of the VMMC Experience Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which aims to provide a voice to communities adversely affected by mass circumcision campaigns.

* Arianne Shahvisi- Senior Lecturer in Ethics at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

* Tatenda Gwaambuka- a legal practitioner with the High Court of Zimbabwe, who published a recent article likening circumcision campaigns in Africa to Western colonialism.

* Godfrey Tangwa- emeritus professor of the University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon, where he was Head of the Department of Philosophy from 2004-2009.

* Daniel Ncayiyana- emeritus Vice Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology, emeritus Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, and emeritus Editor-in-Chief of the South African Medical Journal.

* Brian D. Earp- Associate Director of the Yale-Hastings Program in Ethics and Health Policy at Yale University and The Hastings Center, Research Fellow in the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Medical Ethics.
Liverpool have won 196 points across the last two Premier League campaigns, losing just five times in the process and, outside of that streak, also winning the Champions League

And if that isn't momentous enough as a feat, two of those defeats came in what were essentially dead rubbers for Jurgen Klopp's side - Arsenal and Manchester City beat them after they had already sealed a momentous league triumph, Liverpool's first in 30 years.

It is a mistake to think Liverpool's lack of action in the transfer market this summer paves the way for them to surrender their crown. They had the league wrapped up last season with six games to go and a margin of 18 points does not dissolve easily.

But from newboys Leeds, Liverpool's opponents in their season opener on Saturday, to their nearest rivals in City, how can Premier League sides stop Klopp's men? Sportsmail makes an assessment.

Liverpool begin their Premier League title defence on Saturday against newcomers Leeds

BE PREPARED TO RUN

Firstly, as simple as it sounds, teams have to be prepared to run as much as Liverpool do. Liverpool's two matches against Atletico Madrid last season, where Diego Simeone's side eliminated the then Champions League holders 4-2 on aggregate, winning both games, is a case in point.

Atletico are notorious grafters but to outstretch Liverpool the way that they did was remarkable. In the first leg, a 1-0 win for the Spaniards, they ran 113.2km compared to Liverpool's 107.8km.

In the return leg at Anfield, Atletico outran Liverpool by 3.6km, covering an epic 151.1km to the 147.5 of the Reds - those stats, of course, include 30 minutes of extra time.

A slender 1-0 win in the first leg was backed up by an impressive 3-2 win at Anfield in the second. Granted, there were other factors at play - Alisson was injured for the second match - but a basic requirement of getting something off Liverpool is a sky-high work rate.

Jurgen Klopp's side have only lost five matches across the last two Premier League seasons

AVOID VAN DIJK

When Watford inflicted Liverpool's first league defeat of last season upon them in February at Vicarage Road, they utilized a very simple but strong tactic; target Virgil van Dijk's partner.

Troy Deeney and co were helped immeasurably by the fact it was Dejan Lovren on that day, rather than Joe Gomez or Joel Matip. It was Lovren's first game in over a month and turned out to be his penultimate appearance in a red shirt.

Gomez and Matip are no fools - Matip starred in Liverpool's run to Champions League glory and was arguably better than Van Dijk in the 2-0 final victory over Tottenham but week-to-week, they are more fallible than the Dutchman. Gomez struggled in Liverpool's 4-0 defeat by City as well and conceded the penalty that allowed Keven de Bruyne to open the scoring.

Klopp's central defenders of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are Liverpool's vital axis

When Dejan Lovren played ahead of Gomez against Watford, Liverpool were beaten 3-0

It was clear that Tory Deeney (right) targeted Lovren, who lacking match sharpness

As it stands, Liverpool are yet to replace Lovren with a fourth-choice central defender and it remains to be seen if Klopp is going to fill that void with a youngster in his squad.

Ki-Jana Hoever is highly at Anfield but Klopp has hinted before that he sees his as a full-back in the long term. Sepp van den Berg and Billy Koumetio are also options, while Fabinho has also played there before.

Fabinho's role as a defensive midfielder is imperative in the setup of Klopp's Liverpool - he can drop in as a third central defender when Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson push forward, as they often spend so much time doing.

Ki-Jana Hoever (left) and Billy Koumetio are options for Klopp as a fourth-choice defender

PIN ALEXANDER-ARNOLD BACK

Speaking of the two full-backs, clubs also succeed when forcing them back, especially Alexander-Arnold.

Atletico managed to pin him into a more conventional right-back position in the first-leg of their Champions League knock-out clash with Liverpool, which they won 1-0.

Both he and Robertson are absolutely integral to Liverpool's attacking play - the right back provided 13 assists last season while the Scotland star laid on 12.

If their attacking instincts are curbed, then the forward runs they make are not creating space for the front three of Mane, Salah and Firmino to exploit. In turn, it's two less players for an opposing defence to worry about, although that front three are still perfectly adept at winning games on their own.

Diego Simeone's side also did a fantastic job of stopping Trent Alexander-Arnold attacking

SPLIT FIRMINO AND SALAH UP

Another area where Atletico succeeded was disjointing the Liverpool attack. In that very same first leg clash, they stopped Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino exchanging a single pass before Salah was taken off with 15 minutes to go.

The result of this? Liverpool didn't muster a single shot on goal in the match. Sadio Mane was also withdrawn at half-time as Klopp feared his hotheadedness could lead to a red card.

When Liverpool lost to Atletico Madrid, Mohamed Salah was an isolated figure in attack

Roberto Firmino didn't manage to complete one pass to Salah in the first leg in Spain

Of course, not all teams have the nous of Simeone's Atletico throughout the Premier League - opponents of their calibre are rare.

But in Liverpool's two most competitive defeats this year, from Watford to Atletico, there are chinks in the armour of Klopp's men.

Marcelo Bielsa, the Leeds manager associated with a particularly fastidious approach to match preparation, will only be too aware of these aspects of Liverpool's play. It will be fascinating to see if he exposes another flaw in the line-up of the Premier League champions.
Diana Rigg and George Lazenby in a scene from the James Bond film On Her Majestys Secret Service (Archive/PA)

George Lazenby has spoken of his sadness following the death of his James Bond co-star Dame Diana Rigg at the age of 82.

The veteran performer was best known for roles in The Avengers, Game Of Thrones and On Her Majestys Secret Service, where she played Countess Teresa Tracy Bond, the wife of 007.

Dame Diana died peacefully at home after being diagnosed with cancer in March this year, her daughter confirmed.

Lazenby, 81, said on Instagram: Im so sad to hear of the death of Diana Rigg.

She undoubtedly raised my acting game when we made On Her Majestys Secret Service together in 1968-9.

I remember the press conference at the Dorchester in London, knowing she was going to play my wife.

We had fun together on the set of the movie in Switzerland and Portugal.

Her depth of experience really helped me.

We were good friends on set.

Much was made of our supposed differences but that was the press looking for a news story.

I was sorry to have lost my wife in the film at the end.

The death of Contessa Teresa di Vincenzo Draco created a memorable cinema moment over 50 years ago.

As my new bride, Tracy Bond, I wept for her loss.

Now, upon hearing of Dame Dianas death, I weep again.

My deepest condolences for her family.

Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli remembered Dame Diana for playing the only woman to have married 007 on screen.

"We are very sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, the legendary stage and screen actress who was much beloved by Bond fans for her memorable performance as Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majestys Secret Service, the only woman to have married James Bond." pic.twitter.com/nqQCSg35oM  James Bond (@007) September 10, 2020

They said: We are very sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, the legendary stage and screen actress who was much beloved by Bond fans for her memorable performance as Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majestys Secret Service, the only woman to have married James Bond.

Our love and thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.

In fact, 1967s You Only Live Twice saw Sir Sean Connerys Bond marry but only as part of an undercover ploy.

Playwrights Sir David Hare and Sir Tom Stoppard recalled her numerous stage appearances.

Sir David said: Diana Rigg had a dazzling change of direction in middle age as a great classical actor.

When Emma Peel played Euripides Medea, Albees Martha and Brechts Mother Courage she swept all before her.

Sir Tom added: For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a trooper.

She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.

Be a dragon.

The realm will always remember Diana Rigg.  Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) September 10, 2020

In her final decade, Dame Diana was cast as Olenna Tyrell in Game Of Thrones, the witty and sarcastic political mastermind popularly known as the Queen of Thorns.

The HBO fantasy epic paid tribute through a message on its official Twitter account.

It said: Be a dragon. The realm will always remember Diana Rigg.

Diana Rigg was just wonderful. But you all knew that already. Everybody did. Very sad news. #dianarigg  John Bradley (@johnbradleywest) September 10, 2020

John Bradley, who starred as Samwell Tarly in Game Of Thrones alongside Dame Diana, said the actress was just wonderful.

He said: Diana Rigg was just wonderful. But you all knew that already. Everybody did. Very sad news.

What to say about Diana Rigg? I could talk about her incredible career, but for now I'll just say as a lifelong fan, it was beyond a thrill to work with her on her final film. She exceeded all my highest expectations, so blazingly talented, fiery & funny. Miss you already Dame D. pic.twitter.com/3crtUsJhla  edgarwright (@edgarwright) September 10, 2020

Edgar Wright, who directed Dame Dianas final film, the upcoming thriller Last Night In Soho, said: What to say about Diana Rigg?

I could talk about her incredible career, but for now Ill just say as a lifelong fan, it was beyond a thrill to work with her on her final film.

She exceeded all my highest expectations, so blazingly talented, fiery & funny. Miss you already Dame D.

It was my great joy and privilege to have known Diana Rigg. From three slightly hysterical months at the Old Vic in All About Mother to writing The Crimson Horror for Diana and her wonderful daughter Rachael. Flinty, fearless, fabulous. There will never be another. RIP pic.twitter.com/2EGc4MVx0S  Mark Gatiss  (@Markgatiss) September 10, 2020

The League Of Gentlemens Mark Gatiss said there will never be another.

He tweeted: It was my great joy and privilege to have known Diana Rigg.

From three slightly hysterical months at the Old Vic in All About Mother to writing The Crimson Horror for Diana and her wonderful daughter Rachael.

Flinty, fearless, fabulous. There will never be another. RIP.

Actress Mia Farrow wrote: Oh no! She was magnificent!! Gratitude to the great Diana Rigg for so many fearless, fascinating performances. But we wanted more.

We're sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, BAFTA-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the BAFTA Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers. pic.twitter.com/v0tzBczNKU  BAFTA (@BAFTA) September 10, 2020

Bafta, which awarded her two gongs in her lifetime, said in a statement: Were sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, Bafta-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the Bafta Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers.

We were saddened to hear of the death of Diana Rigg. Diana joined us in 1959 and appeared in a number of RSC productions through the years.

Diana is pictured here as Cordelia in King Lear, 1962. Directed and designed by Peter Brook. Photo by Angus McBean (c) RSC pic.twitter.com/A51x74jcvj  The RSC (@TheRSC) September 10, 2020

A statement from the Royal Shakespeare Company said: We were saddened to hear of the death of Diana Rigg. Diana joined us in 1959 and appeared in a number of RSC productions through the years.

The group also shared a photo of Dame Diana playing Cordelia in King Lear in 1962, in a production directed by Peter Brook.

We're very sad to hear of the death of Dame Diana Rigg.



She was an extraordinary actress and appeared in many iconic National Theatre productions.



At the Old Vic: Jumpers (1972), Macbeth (1972), 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (1972), The Misanthrope (1973), Phaedra Britannica (1975) pic.twitter.com/E14Qot1ZP3  National Theatre (@NationalTheatre) September 10, 2020

A statement from the National Theatre in London, where she appeared a number of times, said: Were very sad to hear of the death of Dame Diana Rigg.

She was an extraordinary actress and appeared in many iconic National Theatre productions.

Funny, feisty, beautiful, intelligent & gifted. A whole generation fell for her when we first saw on screen in The Avengers. Its the end of an era - and a special life. A sad day. RIP Dame Diana Rigg. https://t.co/2ezhNbVKyT  Gyles Brandreth (@GylesB1) September 10, 2020

Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth said: Funny, feisty, beautiful, intelligent & gifted. A whole generation fell for her when we first saw on screen in The Avengers.

Its the end of an era  and a special life. A sad day. RIP Dame Diana Rigg.

 We are so sad to hear of the death of Dame Diana Rigg. We want to thank her for her years of enduring support for Macmillan Cancer Support and pass on our condolences to her daughter Rachael and all the family. pic.twitter.com/r5lPsT37cg  Macmillan Cancer Support (@macmillancancer) September 10, 2020

And the Macmillan Cancer Support charity thanked the actress.

A statement said: We are so sad to hear of the death of Dame Diana Rigg.

We want to thank her for her years of enduring support for Macmillan Cancer Support and pass on our condolences to her daughter Rachael and all the family.
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. In addition to our traditional advice, every Thursday we feature an assortment of teachers from across the country answering your education questions. Have a question for our teachers? Email askateacher@slate.com or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group.

Due to COVID, my childs public school in Hawaii is all online this fall, which is understandable, and Im all for it. However, during distance learning my child has to use a program called Acellus to learn on their own. A teacher comes on for 30 minutes at the beginning of class to take attendance, then leaves for the rest of the day, and then jumps back in 30 minutes before class ends to make sure work has been turned in and to say, See you tomorrow. And just like that, class is done. My niece who goes to the same school doesnt even have a teacher that reports in every day. In fact, my niece hasnt seen her teacher at all. Ive asked other parents in the school about this, and theyve all had the same experienceeither no teacher or just a very quick check-in and checkout, with the kids left to do their work entirely on their own.

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Ive contacted the school, but the people in the office Ive spoken with all tell me that distance learning will provide no live instruction. Ive asked for the principal, but hes not there and has not called me back. I really dont want to be That Parent, but Im really worried about how my child will learn. Are there any other options to voice my concern to the school?

The Teacher Is Missing

Dear TTIM,

It is unusual that students are getting so little interaction with their teachers. I wonder if there is a teacher shortage in your area? Or if a significant number of teachers dont have child care? If I were you, I would schedule a phone conversation with your daughters teacher to learn about the rationale for this model. She may be more forthcoming over the phone than in email.

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I dont think youre being That Parent. Youre advocating for quality education for children at your school.  Katie Holbrook

Its also very strange that you cant get the principal to take your calls. Certainly these are challenging times, but school leadership should be communicating the plan with families. If your school has a PTA, that is a venue where parents can band together (virtually, of course) to redress their concerns. You should also contact your school board representativeand encourage other parents to do the same.

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I personally have no experience with Acellus, but a cursory Google search gives me the impression that it is a questionable program. Unfortunately, it is also widely used in your state. Parents may need to voice their concerns with a higher authority, like your state Department of Education and members of Congress.

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In this instance, I dont think youre being That Parent. Youre advocating for quality education for children at your school. I fear this may be an uphill battle, and for that Im sorry. In the meantime, do what you can to get books in the house and encourage your daughter to read every day. Her online program may be subpar, but reading is always beneficial.

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Ms. Holbrook (high school teacher, Texas)

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I have a 7-year-old boy who shows a lot of the classic symptoms of ADHD. Hes unable to sit still or quietly, has so much energy, has a lack of focus, constantly interrupts me, etc. Were doing remote learning this year, and its already a battle every day. He has two 30-minute classes each day, and I have to sit with him to make sure he pays attention, isnt causing distractions, etc.

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Weve been working with a therapist to work on self-soothing strategies and ways to get energy out productively, but its really difficult as that is also remote and its almost impossible to get him to talk to her and listen at all.

I brought this up with his doctor a couple of months ago, and they said they could see some of the symptoms (as he was going absolutely insane during the appointment), but that in order to diagnose him, they would have to have a note from his teacher about how his behavior was affecting him and/or disrupting the class. But since theres no in-person school for potentially the whole year, I dont really know what to do. I am working full time from home and managing his schedule on top of that. Every day is a struggle that often results in tears or tantrums. I feel like Im going crazy, and I dont know what to do at this point.

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Is there another way to convince the doctors to maybe try treatment? Is it bad to consider medication for a 7-year-old? I dont really know what to do, but it does seem to worsen as time passes rather than improve. Any suggestions?

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Yearning for a Diagnosis

Dear Yearning,

You have a couple of options that will likely work.

First, if your son was in school prior to the pandemic, his teacher from last year could provide you with the requisite note, if they noticed the same things then that you are seeing now.

If that doesnt work, I think your sons current teacher will still be able to comment on this, even though school is virtual this fall. As a teacher who taught virtually last spring, I could identify the students who struggled with attention, and I could absolutely identify the students for whom their attention and behavior affected their learning. Youre not asking the teacher for a diagnosisjust an acknowledgment that it appears as if your sons struggles are affecting his learning.

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Ill also add that you may want to get a second opinion. While a teachers input is almost always used as a part of a diagnosis, its not absolutely necessary, and in these unprecedented times, accommodations should be made given the unique circumstances. We cant allow students to go without the assistance they may need simply because of the pandemic. I consulted with a handful of administrators and school psychologists, and they agreed. Best practices dictate the inclusion of teacher input in any potential diagnosis, but its not required. Perhaps the laws in your state are different than mine, but it might be worth checking with another doctor.

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Best of luck.

Mr. Dicks (fifth grade teacher, Connecticut)

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My brother and sister-in-law have two sons, 4 and 5, who I babysit often. My older nephew can be a handful. He throws fits, refuses to eat anything, and generally doesnt listen to them. Recently hes begun hitting other children in day care when they dont want to go along with whatever hes doing. He now has a therapeutic staff support worker that sits with him for some of the day, and he says its because hes bad and the other kids dont like him. Hes smart as a whip and is already reading independently, but socially hes just not there yet.

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Heres the thing: When he comes to my house, he doesnt act like this. Ive set very firm expectations right from the start that fits and hitting will not be tolerated, and he will eat at the table with us or go home hungry. He listens. We play, sing songs, run around, and then he helps me clean up the toys, eats his dinner without complaint, and typically has a great attitude about all of it. Meltdowns are pretty rare. His parents also use an experienced sitter who agrees with me that she has not seen the issues to the extent they describe.

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My brother has confided in me that hes begun taking him to a therapist who has diagnosed him with autism and oppositional defiant disorder. They plan to put him in a special school for kids with behavioral issues when he begins kindergarten this fall, and they refuse to consider letting him start next year. Ive worked in the child development field for almost 20 years and do not agree with this diagnosis at all. Aside from occasionally ignoring you when you call his name while hes playing, he displays none of the indicators for autism.

My brother and sister-in-law both work crazy shifts for their jobs and dont spend as much time with the boys as theyd like. I often see them cave to his demands when he begins to get upset because they want their time with him to be enjoyable. They are rarely on the same page about discipline, bedtimes, feeding routines, etc. They have also started trying to correct the hitting by slapping his hands, so he will see its not nice. They compare him to his little brother who is, by all measurements, an easy kid.

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They see the stark contrast in behavior as proof that there must be something wrong with him.

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Ive tried to gently suggest that they may be making it worse by speaking so openly about and accommodating his so-called problems, but I have no kids of my own so my opinion is dismissed. I also think they have so convinced themselves of his disorders that they look for fault in everything he does.

I know it can be difficult for parents to accept that something theyre doing is contributing to the problem, but it seems the more they reinforce that he has special needs, the worse his behavior gets.

I love this kid and Ive seen how great he can be and, in fact, often is. My question is, do you think my instincts are right? And if so, should I keep speaking up or just keep my mouth shut? My brother and sister-in-law are becoming annoyed with me. I know they think they are doing the right thing (maybe they are?) by carting him around to service providers looking for answers, but Im just not convinced my nephew is the one with the issues. Because of my job, Ive also witnessed a TON of incompetence in my towns mental health service providers (the for-profit school hell be attending routinely takes kids with needs they are not equipped to meet), so its possible that Im looking at this through a biased lens. Please help me get some perspective here.

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Cant See the Forest for the Trees

Dear Cant See the Forest,

I cant diagnose this child, and neither can you. I want to make that very clear. Im not a diagnostician, and even if you are a diagnostician, you know as a worker in the child development field that rule one is that you cannot objectively view those close to you. While we can have our opinions about the diagnosis, we cant really assess it and determine if its the right diagnosis for him.

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Im also not a family counselor, but I can tell you if this disagreement is already causing tension between you and your brother, you trying harder to tell him hes wrong (either more often or more emphatically) isnt going to help. Its just going to make him not trust you and decrease his social supports and, importantly, your nephews supports. It may also make your brother less likely to leave your nephew with you, which doesnt sound like what you want. (The only reason I would intervene more strongly would be if you were concerned for his safetyif, for example the hand-slapping starts to set off a mandated reporter red flag, or if they want to medicate him without trying anything else first. Medication is considered a most restrictive intervention because its chemically changing a childs brain. Often we as a society do medicate kids easily, but we should always try therapy first, especially since many of these medications, such as ADHD meds, have adverse effects on children.) What you can do instead is be there for them and offer help in whatever way is comfortable.

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As for whether your instincts are right? I cant speak specifically to that. But you could look back over the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. When the American Psychiatric Association changed the criteria between the DSM-4 and the DSM-5, it broadened the definition for ASD to incorporate previously separate diagnoses such as Aspergers syndrome, Rett syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, or PDD-NOS, under one umbrella. As a result, a much larger population of kids are being diagnosed with ASD, and many of them dont display the typical or classic symptoms of autism.

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Im not a fan of this change personally, but what I try to tell parents or other professionals who are struggling with it is that diagnosing children is more of a means to an end. When we diagnose adults, we can ask about their experiences (think about those surveys you can take at a therapists office where you rate your depressive or anxious symptomswe dont have those for kids!). When doctors diagnose kids, they often pick a diagnosis that best matches the treatment plan that makes the most sense for a child. In that respect, ASD is the best diagnosis for many kids because it opens the most doors for treatment. Is your nephew autistic? I dont knowIve never met him. Would he benefit from behavioral intervention, parent training, counseling, and speech services (especially for feeding)? Sounds like it. In that case, ASD isnt a terrible diagnosis for him. Im generally wary of an ODD diagnosis because the reality is that oppositional defiance is rare, but its also possible that providers will change that diagnosis if he shows a response to the services provided for the ASD. As long as theyre not medicating him (which is difficult or impossible to reverse, unlike therapeutic intervention), none of the services will harm him and they should all help him improve his daily life, which is a net positive no matter the reason hes prescribed these services.

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Ms. Sarnell (early childhood special education teacher, New York)

My daughter is 6 years old and is starting first grade. She has always been a strong-willed, opinionated, and often recalcitrant child. These strident traits are mixed with amazing creativity, sweetness, and intelligence. She can be quite sensitive to new experiences and criticism. That being said, her former teacher said that she sometimes does not listen to the instructions of adults (for example, she keeps running in the hall despite being told not to), lacks focus during assignments even though she can do the work, and talks too much during work periods. She needs to be reminded repeatedly not to do these things by her teachers.

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Im not at all surprised, as these things also happen at home. She often ignores our requests or dilly-dallies until I have to threaten to take away a privilegethen a meltdown ensues. She can be very difficult to motivate: Sticker charts, earning points, and promises of something special havent worked well in the past. Taking things away (such as TV time) tends to motivate her but also causes a huge eruption. I generally take report cards for first graders with a grain of salt, but her selective hearing and lack of respect for adults is concerning. Is this normal? Do you have any suggestions on how to manage this at school and at home?

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Still Learning to Listen

Dear Still Learning to Listen,

Well, I sure hope its normal, because it sounds like your 6-year-old and my 5-year-old would love to get together and have a grand old time ignoring us both! My daughters temperament is upbeat and mellowstrong opinions and meltdowns would be her younger sisters domainbut her response to rules and directions is often what I would call breezy disregard, and she tends to wander off course from the task at hand. She, too, got fairly regular feedback from her teacher about this last year. (It was a good learning experience for me to be on the receiving end of the pulled-aside hallway update for a change!)

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My primary strategy with my daughter is to set her up for success. So, if shes going to be in a situation where following directions will be a high priority, I set expectations with intention, in advance. That means that I sit with her for a focused conversation; I give her short, clear directions and an explanation of what will happen if the directions arent followed; and I ask her to repeat those expectations back to me. My girl is very responsive to praise, so in these instances I often provide her with some postgame analysis of what she did well, in which I recap the details of her good choices and self-control, and prompt her to recount her successes to her aunt and grandparents. I also regularly prompt her with simple reminders and catchphrases. Some of our favorites are inspired by Daniel Tigers parents in Daniel Tigers Neighborhood, like one-time ask, then stay on task, which is in heavy rotation these days. Setting your daughter up for success also means, when possible, choosing situations that reduce the necessity of directions and correction at all. (There is a reason you will almost always find us taking an afternoon walk on the wide, quiet path through the park rather than on our own fairly busy street, and it isnt the scenery.)

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When all of that doesnt work, I try to make the consequences as closely tied to the behavior and its outcome as I can. The language I use is making it right. So, for example, if something gets broken or spilled after shes been told for, truly, the kajillionth time not to run laps between the kitchen and living room, then she needs to make it right by helping with a chore or a household task. Taking away valued but random privileges like TV time feels arbitrary and lessens the teachable moment of the consequence.

Parenting articles and books can be helpful, too (though I caution you that there is a point of diminishing returns where reading too much feels defeating). A lot of people like Janet Lansburys articles and podcast, and my favorite resource is the down-to-earth and strategy-based How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber and Julie King.

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Finally, though  she is who she is. Your daughter, and mine. Kids come by their personalities naturally, and while we can respond to them in ways that feel more or less effective, the challenging qualities are part of the package. I will note that I am keeping an eye on the potential for ADHD as my daughter grows; her dad has the inattentive type of ADHD, which manifests differently than the hyperactive or combination type, and especially so in girls. But mostly I think you need to keep on keeping on, celebrating her strengths and parenting through the difficulties, supporting and teaching her but also accepting her as is.

Ms. Bauer

More Advice From Slate

My 5-year-old daughter does dance lessons with a teacher she adores, Miss Emma. Emma asked each parent to pay $50 for a recital costume. I just picked up the costume, and it has a price tag for $25 still attached. If Id known she was going to charge us twice the price, I would have gone to the store and purchased it myself. Should I say something to her?
Despite an ongoing plague of doctor suicides, many cannot seek support or treatment without putting their livelihoods in jeopardy. According to a recent survey of 4,500 global doctors by Sermo, one in three said they knew a colleague who has died by suicide, while 64 percent said they would fear professional repercussions if they sought help for suicidal thoughts or "burnout."

Doctors may be reluctant to seek mental health support, but burnout  a state of cognitive, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by sustained stress  is a growing problem for physicians, according to 98 percent of the physicians surveyed by Sermo. Burnout and other complex factors lead an estimated 400 doctors to die by suicide each year, more than double the annual suicides in the general population, according to findings unveiled at the 2018 American Psychiatric Association meeting. That is the equivalent of two full medical school classes lost each year, and the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to exacerbate this crisis.

"Front line physicians are at higher risk for burnout and mental distress, but almost one in two doctors are reluctant to seek mental health support, which could help them cope better, heal faster and be happier," said Dr. Murali Doraiswamy, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. "Removing barriers that prevent physicians from seeking help should be a high priority for the field."

A first-of-its-kind global initiative, "Disappearing Doctors" offers a safe space dedicated to the medical community and their mental health. The campaign was specifically designed to raise awareness about this taboo subject, with the goal of removing stigma around the mental health issues our healers are facing.

"We want to amplify physicians' voices so we can destigmatize mental health issues and work toward a solution," said Mike Devlin, FCB Health New York Executive Creative Director. "We're asking the broader community to join us in this fight to heal our healers."

Through its partnership with Sermo, an online community of over 800,000 anonymous healthcare professionals across 150 countries, Disappearing Doctors is giving doctors a first-of-its-kind refuge. Now, doctors anywhere in the world can rally around each other, speak openly about their experiences with mental health and burnout, and do so without fear of repercussion.

"Our mission is to support physicians globally  including offering a platform for them to share their mental health challenges that have been silenced for too long," said Peter Kirk, Sermo CEO. "Sermo has always been a place where physicians seek support and resources, and we're proud that together, our platform and partnership are trailblazing in the battle against mental health stigma in the medical community."

"FCB Health New York had been planning this campaign prior to the pandemic," continued Devlin, "and the breakthrough came when Sermo joined the partnership to create the safe haven experience, followed by Haymarket Media Group and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline."

Disappearing Doctors calls upon all those dedicated to the mental health of our healers to join the coalition, and help find meaningful ways to support physicians. By raising awareness around these vital issues, medical institutions, professional associations, support organizations, and others can raise awareness to help end the stigma, and also build tools and resources for the global peer support network based within Sermo.

"At FCB Health Network, we are surrounded by medical heroes. They are our colleagues, our clients, family members, and friends. I'm incredibly proud that the team has created this safe haven to give back to those who give so selflessly," said Dana Maiman, President and CEO of FCB Health Network.

For more information or to explore a partnership with "Disappearing Doctors," please visit DisappearingDoctors.com and follow Disappearing Doctors on Facebook.

About FCB Health Network

FCB Health Network is one of the world's most awarded communications networks, focused on creating game-changing marketing solutions for consumers, patients, and healthcare professionals. With specialized units covering a wide range of wellness practices, FCB Health Network employs more than 2,500 people across an extensive global network, delivering multichannel capabilities that include DTC and HCP communications, professional education, branding, scientific services, strategic planning, and media services. Its integrated agency offering includes AREA 23, AREA 23 ON HUDSON, BX  Brand Experience Design Group, FCB Health Amsterdam, FCB Health Brasil, FCB Health Canada, FCB Health Energy Milan, FCB Health Frankfurt, FCB Health Hampshire, FCB Health LL Conseil Paris, FCB Health London, FCB Health Madrid, FCB Health New York, FCB Health Reaktor, FCB Health Zurich, FCBCURE, Mosaic Group, Neon, ProHealth, Solve(d), Studio Rx, Trio, and YuzuYello. The FCB Health Network was named "Agency of the Year" by Med Ad News in 2006, 2009, 2015, and 2017, and by Medical Marketing & Media in 2007, 2010, 2015, and 2017. In eight of the past nine years, an FCB Health Network company has received "Most Creative Agency" honors. Cannes Lions, the world's preeminent annual creative awards festival, named its AREA 23 unit "Healthcare Agency of the Year" in 2017, and named FCB Health Network "Healthcare Network of the Year" in 2018. In 2019, Med Ad News named FCB Health Network "Network of the Year." The FCB Health Network also received "Network of the Year" honors at the 2019 Clio Health Awards.

SOURCE FCB Health Network

Related Links

https://www.disappearingdoctors.com


The German magazine Der Spiegel has reported that the hospitalized Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny has made further progress and is said to be able to speak, although a Navalny spokesperson appeared to downplay the report.

Russian authorities have pressed Germany to share the evidence that led them to conclude "without doubt" that Navalny was poisoned with a military nerve agent from the Novichok group, the same class of Soviet-era nerve agents that British authorities said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018. Russian doctors said they had found no trace of poison in Navalny's system.



Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused critics in the West on September 10 of expecting Russia to accept blame for something it had nothing to do with.

The Kremlin critic is being treated in Berlin's Charite hospital after becoming seriously ill on a Russian domestic flight last month. Germany has demanded Russia explain the affair, though Russia denies any involvement.

"Der Spiegel and Bellingcat understand that Navalny can speak again and can likely remember details about his collapse," the magazine wrote, crediting its investigative website partner. "His statements could be dangerous for people behind the attack."

The German magazine said Navalny's police protection had been stepped up in the expectation that he would be receiving more visitors as his condition improved.

The Insider, a Russian investigative website also involved in the report, said Navalny remembered events up to the illness.

However, Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh appeared to downplay the report.

"In connection with the latest material about Aleksei: that he is conscious and reacting to those around him, we reported that already on Monday, but, in general, the article is very exaggerated and contained many factual errors," Yarmysh wrote on Twitter, without explicitly citing the Der Spiegel article.

There was no immediate comment by the hospital treating Navalny.

The affair has added fresh tensions between Russia and the West.

Lavrov charged that Germany, the United States and other Western allies who have urged Russia to conduct a probe into Navalny's poisoning expect Moscow to accept blame for something it hasn't done.



"Were accustomed to unfounded accusations," Lavrov said. "When the official representative of the German government says that the request from the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office has been directed to independent judiciary agencies and so the German government can do nothing about it while demanding that we conduct an investigation, it resembles the precedent created by our Western colleagues following the Salisbury poisoning incident."



"If such logic prevails, that would only mean that they put themselves above the law, above everyone else," he added.



Germanys Defense Ministry has said the data about Navalny had been provided to the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.



Lavrovs comments come a day after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on September 9 that there was a "substantial chance" his poisoning was ordered by senior Russian officials.

Pompeo said people around the world "see this kind of activity for what it is. And when they see the effort to poison a dissident, and they recognize that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 10 that Moscow viewed that statement as "unacceptable."

Berlin is facing calls for a sharper response to the poisoning. Some opposition politicians have called for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany to be cancelled, even as it nears completion.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was quoted on September 10 as saying Russian President Vladimir Putin had told him he would set up a committee to investigate Navalny's case and "was ready to collaborate with the German authorities."

Peskov later on September 10 appeared to deny that report, saying the Italian minister's remarks could have been based on a "misunderstanding."

Peskov told reporters that Moscow still saw no grounds to open a criminal case into the illness of Navalny.

Peskov said Russia had not seen solid evidence of his alleged poisoning and that it had not received any medical data from Germany.

With reporting by Reuters, Spiegel, Die Zeit, The Insider, and Meduza
The embattled chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa state has said that he remains the substantive party chairman, saying the state governor has no constitutional right to convene the executive meeting of the party.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the party chairman, Habibu Sara, was removed following the partys caucus meeting, which held at the Jigawa State Government House.

Muhammad Badaru, Jigawa State Governor, presided over the meeting.

The states party secretary, Muhammad Umar, was appointed as caretaker committee chairman to oversee the affairs of the party pending further directive.

Mr Sara, in a press conference in Dutse, the state capital, said based on the partys constitution, he is the only person mandated to convene the executive meeting of the party, not the governor.

He said the caretaker committee chairman appointed by the governor cannot replace him as he remains the chairman of the party in the state.

On the 3rd September, the governor convened the partys caucus meeting at the government house without my knowledge, I just heard about the meeting unofficial which I attended.

I entered the venue when the meeting was ongoing, my appearance shocked the nerves of all the caucus and the stakeholders in attendance because they knew that they violated the partys constitution.

Afterwards, I was asked to give a remark which I did, then, the governor took over from me. He said a committee was inaugurated to investigate alleged misappropriation of monthly N13 million partys funds.

I stood up and defended all the allegations against me. The money is being contributed from the states political office holders and appointees, we are paying N9.8 million on salary and spend the remaining on welfare for party members and other vulnerable groups.

The money is not the issue, the issue is that they are accusing me of being loyal to one of the states governorship aspirants come 2023 which they see as an obstacle to their political ambitions.

They have planned remove me seven months ago. In the meeting at the government house, they inaugurated another committee to investigate me and the governor asked me to step down.

At the meeting it was agreed that the issue should not be discussed with the media as all phones were seized prior to the meeting, however, the caretaker committee chairman granted interview that I was removed, the embattled chairman said.

All the contacted caretaker committee executives in the state declined comments.

Also, the governors special assistant on new media, Auwal Sankara, didnt respond to several messages to his phone to comment on the development.
This is why the Justice Departments move to intervene in the defense of President Trump in a defamation lawsuit brought by a woman who says he raped her should have friends of freedom shouting from the rooftops. For the U.S. government to substitute itself for Trump as the defendant puts the department at the disposal of one man, forces taxpayers to cover the costs of the presidents defense in what is a quintessentially private matter and is plainly aimed at preventing the public from learning more about the charges in the lawsuit before the election.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has refused to accept Raghuvansh Prasad Singhs resignation from the party, saying he would speak to the disgruntled senior leader once he is out of hospital.

Singh, the RJDs national vice-president and former Union minister, had resigned on Thursday in a brief one-line letter, written from his bed in AIIMS where he is undergoing treatment for previous Covid-related complications.

Since the death of Jannayak Karpoori Thakur, I stood behind you for 32 years, but not now," he wrote.

Replying to Singh, Lalu wrote: We will talk once you are well. You are not going anywhere.

We will talk once you are well. You are not going anywhere: RJD leader Lalu Yadav in a letter to Raghuvansh Prasad SinghRaghuvansh Prasad Singh had resigned from the party, earlier today and is currently admitted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi. pic.twitter.com/wGu68MTsCJ  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

Singh had earlier announced his resignation as the party vice president on June 23 but was persuaded by Lalu to stay back. Singh, a five-time former MP from Vaishali who held several portfolios in the Manmohan Singh government, including that of rural development, was reportedly unhappy over the proposed induction of alleged mafia don and former Lok Janshakti Party MP from Vaishali, Rama Singh, into the RJD.

Rama Singh had defeated the RJD leader in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, breaking his winning streak since he was first elected from there in 1996. He was also not happy with the style of functioning of Lalus heir apparent and leader of the opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav, party sources said.

The resignation came as a big blow to the RJD ahead of assembly elections, with the NDA constituents hailing Singhs decision.

Raghuvansh babu commands respect of all. Why was he forced to quit the party he nursed with his blood and sweat?" Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.

Anand said Singh was humiliated" by RJD supremos elder son Tej Pratap Yadav after he announced his resignation from the post of party vice president. What difference will it make if a pot of water is taken out of the sea?" Tej Pratap had said.

Singhs resignation will prove to be the last nail in RJDs coffin. This was the natural consequence of the suffocating atmosphere in which he had been living for quite a long time. Finally, he decided to come out of daldal (morass) which is worth welcoming, JD(U) spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said. The JD(U) had said last week it will welcome Singh into the party if he so decides.

Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha said Singhs resignation showed even important people have to face insult in the RJD. I will request Raghuvansh babu to join Nitish Kumar and strengthen his hands for the development of the state. Nitish Kumar is the only option. Come, join us, we welcome you," said Danish Rizwan, the spokesman for HAM(S).
The nanotechnology-based antimicrobial coating is one of the sustainable alternatives of chemically rich disinfectants

Advanced NanoTech Lab, a specialty chemical manufacturer from Mumbai, has developed a durable antimicrobial nano coating branded as Hydraguard Plus that lasts up to 90 days and can be extended up to 365 days.

Antimicrobial coatings became the need of the hour to protect the surfaces and build structures from the virus. The antimicrobial coating has gained more relevance during the current time because of its safeguard and various other functions such as detection of coronavirus. Antimicrobials are generally understood to be chemical substances. Antimicrobial active substances also include ionizing radiation or technically produced surface structures.

The antimicrobial coating is the best possible alternative to these chemically hazardous disinfectants to deal with the rapidly growing problem. Generally, the nanotechnology-based antimicrobial coating is very competent in killing bacteria and viruses. This technology is usually supported by different metal ions such as silver, gold, and other halides, etc. These ions can get attached to the film of cells and intervene with bacterial biotransformation to build pathogen-free surfaces.



The nanotechnology-based antimicrobial coating is one of the sustainable alternatives of chemically rich disinfectants.



HYDRAGUARD PLUS is a durable antimicrobial coating system that is non-toxic, transparent, nano-leaching, self-curing system, and its rare non-migrating technology works 24/7 to constrain bacteria's growth fungi, algae, infection on surfaces like glass, metal, plastic, stones, ceramic, etc. Even after 90 days, it can last without running thin its antiviral potency. It can kill 99.99 % of bacteria and viruses like E-bola, MS2, and many more for 90 days making disinfectants obsolete.


In what is perhaps the most logical occurrence in the history of Bravos Real Housewives franchise, a representative for Denise Richards has confirmed to Variety that she will not be returning to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills next season.

The drama around Richards during the shows tenth season has fueled this seasons ratings  Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has been the top-rated cable show on Wednesday nights this year  but the actor has clearly been miserable throughout. As this season went on, Richards had to fend off nearly the entire rest of the cast, as well as former RHOBH cast member Brandi Glanville, who claimed on camera shed had a one-night-stand with the married Richards.

Denise Richards, right, denies she had an affair with her former

The drama has divided the Housewives fandom into contentious groups, with many viewers being #TeamDenise, others being #TeamBrandi and a third subset of the audience who think Glanville may be telling the truth, but are horrified by her thirsty insistence on spilling Richards business on camera.

In addition to what Glanville said, the RHOBH cast whove pitted themselves against Richards have accused her of trying in her second season of the show to control her image after perhaps being too free-wheeling about her sex life with her husband last year.

HSH Prince Albert II Of Monaco Hosts 60th Anniversary Party For The Monte-Carlo TV Festival - Arrivals (Gregg DeGuire / Getty Images)

The show, for its part, has broken down the fourth wall between production and the narrative as it never has before. Apparently, there used to be a trick the cast would use when they didnt want something to be aired, which was to say, Bravo Bravo Bravo  but that did not work for Richards when she tried to employ that tactic. And after Richards was confronted with Glanvilles allegations again and again during a trip to Rome with the cast, she walked out of a restaurant on the final night, but was then shown being talked by a producer into going back in so they could achieve some kind of closure. (Spoiler alert: No closure was achieved.)

During the finale episode, Richards and longtime friend (ex-friend?) Lisa Rinna had a showdown, during which Rinna asked Richards about sending Bravo a cease-and-desist, which Richards met with an icy stare she had patented in the movie Wild Things.

Story continues

Bravo posted on Instagram Wednesday evening about Richards' departure.

"Shes bold, beautiful, and saying goodbye to Bravo, Bravo, Bravo. Thank you @deniserichards for two amazing seasons of #RHOBH."

A version of this story originally appeared on Variety.com.
The Department of Justice initially intended to use a letter to the public to claim it "could not have done" things differently in relation to the opening of the controversial Skellig Star direct provision centre in Cahersiveen.

It also planned to say there was no link between the Covid-19 outbreak at the centre and an earlier case in a Dublin hotel, where the asylum seekers had previously stayed.

It subsequently emerged a person transferred from Dublin to Cahersiveen brought the virus with them.

However, sweeping changes were made to the letter before it appeared in print.

A revised version of the letter eventually appeared as paid ads in local newspapers.

Early drafts show officials were planning to say there was likely no way they could have done it any differently.

Discussion on what should be included in the letter lasted several days with one internal email on May 14 stating: I havent gone too heavy on the health piece but we can easily add in more if needed".

One section in which then-Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said they had adopted an over-cautious approach ended up being dropped from the final draft.

Please accept my apology once again if perhaps the tension between wanting to protect peoples privacy and establishing what information could be shared perhaps led us in this case, to an over-cautious approach, said the early draft.

Emails between department staff, released under FOI, show they were concerned about striking the right tone with the letter, with the final text eventually appearing much less stark than the early drafts.

It said it was difficult to look at the facts and conclude that there was any link.

The minister's special adviser told staff to make the final version a "bit shorter" and "more direct".

Asked for comment on the records, the Department of Justice said it had nothing to add.
Spanish health officials have shut down a primary school just two days after classes restarted after a coronavirus outbreak among its teachers.

The school - located in the northern town of Zaldibar - reopened on Monday but was shut again by Wednesday after the outbreak was detected.

Health officials have not said how many teachers are infected or how long the school will remain shut, but confirmed that all staff are now being tested.

A primary school in Spain has been closed just two days after reopening after a coronavirus outbreak among its teachers (file image)

The school is believed to be the first in Spain to completely close due to an outbreak, though isolated cases have been reported in dozens of other schools across the country.

'For the time being, the epidemiological study seems to indicate that the infections have occurred outside the school context,' the regional government said in a statement.

Another nearby school, in the town of Mungia, was also forced to cancel most of its classes after another outbreak among non-teaching staff, El Mundo reported.

Classes for children aged up to two years old were allowed to run because they take place in a nursery adjacent to the main school building, the paper said.

A third school in Amezketa, 30 miles north of Pamplona, was also forced to delay the start of its school year after one teacher tested positive.

Despite the infections, Education Minister Isabel Celaa said the reopening of schools had been a success.

Health officials have not said how many staff at the school, in the town of Zaldibar (pictured), are infected, or how long it will remain closed

'We have 28,600 schools...and as of yesterday we had incidents in 53,' she told state broadcaster TVE.

'This means that school management and administrative staff have done a spectacular job.'

A handful of individual classes had been sent home and small groups of teachers quarantined earlier this week, but the Zaldibar primary school in the Basque Country was closed entirely.

The latest official data show Spain has reported 543,379 cases since the onset of the pandemic - the most in Western Europe - with 50,952 in the past seven days.

Twelve deaths were reported on Wednesday, bringing the total up to 29,628.
As progress continues in the massive power restoration effort following Hurricane Lauras devasting impact on south Louisiana, Covington Electric Cooperative will be rotating its line crews assisting Beauregard Electric Cooperative later this week.

The first crew that went to BECI on Aug. 29 will return home this Friday, while a second crew will travel to Louisiana on the same day.

As of Sept. 8, power has been restored to roughly 10,000 of the 43,000 BECI meters with the help of approximately 1,100 line workers and right-of-way crews from multiple states. BECIs power provider has restored service to half of its 22 substations.

Full restoration is expected to take another three weeks, but some areas with heavy damage may wait longer for power to be restored.

CEC Vice President of Operations Bert Champion briefed the CEC crews on what they can expect when they arrive at BECI.

We share information about damage assessments, progress reports, working conditions, hazards, etc., Champion said. Safety is the top priority in these situations and its absolutely critical that everyone keep their minds on what theyre doing.
In the latest of a welter corporate developments since it acquired Endemol Shine Group necessitating a new management structure, Banijay has appointed Lars Blomgren will proceed as head of scripted, EMEA.





Focusing on the non-English side of the companys scaled-up scripted offering, Blomgren will work in partnership with the groups talented producers across Europe, Middle East and Asia, to grow the pipeline of titles in the space. With a burgeoning portfolio of production entities and premium brands  which include Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, Temptation Island, MasterChef, Wallander, The Kardashians, Mr Bean, The Wall, Hunted and Black Mirror  Blomgren (pictured) will be tasked with driving collaboration across the non-English scripted footprint, identifying new prospects and partnerships to optimise investment. Banijays non-English language scripted entities now span the Nordics, Germany, Benelux, France, Iberia, Belgium, Israel, Italy, Poland, Russia and India. The role will also give him responsibility for forging co-production opportunities between English speaking markets and EMEA-based labels.Previously at Endemol Shine Group, Blomgren spent the last two years spearheading the business non-English scripted production engine where in 2019 the company was responsible for 69 productions, growing from 50 the previous year. Notable highlights include Bron, Penoza, Caliphate, Beforeigners and Queens along with highly anticipated new series, Vinterviken 2021, The Idhun Memories and Bombay Begums.In his new role, Blomgren will report to Banijays chief executive officer, Marco Bassetti who, commenting on the appointment, said: Lars is a great addition to our evolving global team. Having been at the forefront of the non-English language scripted operations at ESG, he is well-versed in building partnerships and maximising on investments in this arena and now, with an even broader portfolio of businesses, there is now doubt he can further develop our offering of high-quality content with cross-border appeal.Blomgren added: It is an honour to lead this unrivalled network of scripted producers whose work I so admire. With exceptional talent and a sharp, co-ordinated strategy which encourages independence and collaboration, we are in a brilliant position to offer bold and original programming to all broadcasters and platforms. I am very much looking forward to working with old friends and getting to know new ones across the business.
Opinion Article

10 September 2020

The stakes have never been higher for the hospitality industry than they are today. Businesses of all sizes are having to rethink and reshape their operating models - and fast.

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When some might only see challenges, others will identify opportunities. Perhaps more so than ever before, this is the time for new thinking and fresh approaches - embracing lessons from other fields that could prove transformational.

One might think that lessons in military command are not relevant outside a theatre of war. It conjures up the image of extreme conditions and serious jeopardy, not perhaps a corporate office or the calm and serenity of a luxury boutique hotel.

However, some of the principles of military leadership are universal and far reaching - and we in the hospitality industry could look to channel them to our advantage, particularly in the current operating environment, which bears many of the similarities to combat - fear, uncertainty and unlimited liability all prevail.

This is something I learned from colleague and friend, Stuart Tootal OBE. Stuart is a former army Colonel, best-selling author and currently a partner at Matero Consulting. As the commanding officer for the first UK battle group sent to southern Afghanistan in 2006, he has a wealth of experience in military leadership. He told me that "what distinguishes any military leader with a strong track record of succeeding in challenging circumstances and making order out of chaos is a clear sense of mission - having absolute clarity of mission, purpose and intent is crucial to achieving success in the military arena."

The same is true for hospitality. By communicating the purpose of your organisation, you significantly enhance your ability to get full buy-in for a course of action from your team. That is the first step towards building a group of like-minded colleagues that are all pulling in the same direction  especially when the organisation is being tested.

It is up to a leader to instil that purpose in their team. In the military, 'mission command' is all about making sure that your direct reports know their objectives and, even when you are not around, feel empowered to make their own decisions to achieve it. In doing this you develop vital qualities in your team - you encourage collective accountability, self-leadership and the ability to adapt.

When you are on the frontline, you need a team that can keep a clear head. The hospitality sector itself is facing a period of high stress. Every decision counts, more so than ever before. Leaders need to empower and enable their colleagues to make these decisions without constant reference to senior colleagues in the chain of command. Companies must build an organisational culture that fosters empowered and confident attitudes - which will in turn allow all parts of the company to navigate tough scenarios.

Building this culture cannot happen overnight, it takes time for it to develop and grow. In the military, as in all walks of life, you have people coming from a diverse range of backgrounds - of thought, experience and values. Trying to find an 'instant fit' is impossible and keeping this diversity is crucial for any team. Good leadership is being able to bring different personalities into a culture and induct them into a shared mission.

However, being a part of a team should not undermine one's individuality. In the military, having a clear sense of collective mission purpose unites you but you get to know colleagues personally and individually. You learn their pressure points are and how to play to each other's strengths. It is crucial for leaders to understand their team's individual needs and how they work best. Communication needs to be open, regular, and clear so that each team member knows their point of focus and understands how they are adding value. Communication in the military is also a two-way street and it encourages and codifies permission to challenge, input to the formulation of mission purpose and individual and team initiative.

When building such a culture of trust and empowerment you also need to allow people to experiment and exercise that initiative. Consequently, it requires a tolerance to accept mistakes.

The stakes in the military are life and death. There are now similarities with other industries, including hospitality, with the current, ever present threat of COVID-19. However, cultivating an environment of fear is never going to result in confident, decisive individuals.

Missteps and false judgments are part of the journey, and a company culture that encourages and promotes an environment where every colleague can contribute, needs to take that as a core by-product of the process. It is important for everyone to understand that mistakes will always be part of any learning process - but it is how you respond to those mistakes and progress that is most important. The key thing is to establish a culture that learns from mistakes, shares the learning and, as a result, improves team performance as a whole.

COVID-19 has itself been described in war-like terms - from doctors on the 'frontline' to the 'fight' against the virus. Whether in a pandemic or not, learnings can be taken from military leadership as it provides a powerful perspective of leveraging the experience from an organisation that makes operating in crisis the norm; especially when so many managers today find themselves in uncharted territory.

If core principles of purpose and decision making can be upheld in a theatre of war, then we can certainly deploy them in the hospitality industry to great effect.
Dame Diana Rigg was last night hailed as a 'luminous talent' after her death yesterday at the age of 82.

The veteran actress, who played Emma Peel in 1960s TV series The Avengers, died following a cancer diagnosis in March.

Her other famous roles included James Bond's wife in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969, while recently she had reached a new audience as the cunning and manipulative Olenna Tyrell in hit fantasy drama Game Of Thrones.

This Tuesday she appeared in Channel 5's new version of All Creatures Great And Small as the grand Mrs Pumphrey.

Besides her screen roles, she was feted for her stage work. Director Jonathan Kent said: 'Her combination of force of personality, beauty, courage and sheer emotional power, made her a great classical actress  one of an astonishing generation of British stage performers.'

Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard said: 'Her talent was luminous.' And fellow playwright Sir David Hare said: 'When Emma Peel played Euripides' Medea, Albee's Martha and Brecht's Mother Courage she swept all before her.'

Here, RICHARD KAY looks at the actress's stellar career.

Dame Diana Rigg was last night hailed as a 'luminous talent' after her death yesterday at the age of 82. Pictured: Rigg with Patrick McNee in The Avengers

Anyone of a certain age brought up on 1960s black and white television will remember Diana Rigg as the leather catsuit-clad, high-kicking Emma Peel.

With her blue-stocking delivery, she disarmed villains before polishing them off with the firmest of karate chops while at the same time her witty, sexually laden double-entendres with her co-star left viewers forever wondering if they did, or did not, go to bed.

The Avengers, which made her a star, is still shown around the world and polls regularly vote her the sexiest television star of all time.

Such was her captivating allure that Douglas Fairbanks Junior, a tireless ladies' man, was moved to declare that only an Outer Mongolian monk would not find her 'devastatingly attractive'.

But the Yorkshire-born actress with the cut-glass accent, who died yesterday at the age of 82, was never entirely comfortable with her status as a Sixties bombshell.

Despite being the only Bond girl to get 007 to the altar, she was happier on stage where she enjoyed a remarkable career of theatrical highs.

The critic Bernard Levin described her as a 'force of nature' and, along with Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, she was one of the three great dames of British theatre. Not that she turned her back on television or film.

Anyone of a certain age brought up on 1960s black and white television will remember Diana Rigg as the leather catsuit-clad, high-kicking Emma Peel, writes Richard Kay

Pictured: Rigg as the manipulative Olenna Tyrell in hit fantasy drama Game Of Thrones

She won a legion of new and younger fans as Lady Olenna Tyrell, the bloodthirsty matriarch in Game Of Thrones.

And only the night before her death was announced, she was appearing as the eccentric Mrs Pumphrey on Channel 5 in the latest TV adaptation of James Herriot's All Creatures Great And Small.

In a statement, Dame Diana's agent said she died 'peacefully on Thursday morning at home with her family'.

Her actress daughter Rachael Stirling, who had appeared alongside her mother in a 2013 episode of Doctor Who, said she had been diagnosed with cancer in March and had 'spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words.'

Her co-stars flooded social media with tributes to the 'flinty, fearless, fabulous force of nature' who had a 'dazzling wit and inimitable voice'.

Perhaps the most moving came from George Lazenby whose one outing as James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service saw Diana Rigg not only as his love interest but also acting him off the screen.

'I'm so sad to hear of the death of Diana Rigg,' he wrote on Instagram. 'She undoubtedly raised my acting game.

In a statement, Dame Diana's agent said she died 'peacefully on Thursday morning at home with her family'

Her other famous roles included James Bond's wife in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969

'The death of Contessa Teresa di Vincenzo Draco [her character in the movie] created a memorable cinema moment over 50 years ago. As my new bride, Tracy Bond, I wept for her loss. Now, upon hearing of Dame Diana's death, I weep again.'

But for all the actress's later successes and awards, no role quite eclipsed her breathtaking arrival as the capable and desirable Mrs Peel, leading lady to Patrick Macnee's smoothly debonair John Steed in The Avengers.

Even though the Sixties was a time of cultural change, her role gave her the chance to be one of the first female characters on TV to give men as good as she got.

She rarely lost a fight and was portrayed as a master of martial arts and fencing. She drove a Lotus Elan  the height of Sixties chic  and, with her gamine figure styled in the latest black and white mini-skirts and PVC jumpsuits, she looked fabulous too.

Her favourite guise was that of a women's magazine reporter, trying to interview business tycoons and corrupt playboys. Everything oozed sex appeal.

As to that endlessly fascinating banter with Steed, viewers were left to make up their own minds. To Rigg it was an enjoyable flirtation  but one that went nowhere.

For his part, Macnee thought they slept together all the time, just not in front of the camera. The teasing innuendo between the two helped make the show the international hit it became. In fact, but for one of those chance happenings for which every actor is grateful, she might never have got the part.

Enid Rigg  Diana was a middle name  was born in Doncaster in 1938 but almost immediately moved to India where her father Louis was an engineer on the railways. Pictured with Rachael Stirling in March

Rigg at the 72nd Annual Tony Awards in New York in June 2018 (left) and receiving the Icon Award at the Cannes International Series Festival in 2019

She had already screen-tested for the role  to replace Honor Blackman who had left to play Pussy Galore in 007 film Goldfinger and whom she would later follow as a James Bond love interest.

Despite Rigg's solid accomplishments  she had spent more than five years with the Royal Shakespeare Company  she was not chosen and the role went to another actress, Elizabeth Shepherd. But after two days of filming Brian Clemens, the programme's producer, was not happy.

'She's not a bad actress,' he later recalled of Miss Shepherd. 'But she just didn't have a sense of humour at all  that was essential in The Avengers.

So we scrapped what we'd shot and got rid of her and then tested and out of the tests came Diana Rigg, who was head and shoulders above everybody else.'

Two days later, she was filming. Her performance as the cat-suited Mrs Peel brought her instant fame as The Avengers became as much a symbol of the Swinging '60s as the Mini, The Beatles and the mini-skirt.

Sexy, resourceful and self-assured  along with those deadly fighting skills  Rigg's character became symbol for the growing feminist movement. Her action-girl persona, coupled with that husky voice  the result of a 20-a-day cigarette habit  also brought her plenty of male admirers.

'We had no idea it would be defining,' she later said. 'It was nose to the grindstone  working all hours that God gave.'

She also showed she was capable of taking on the Establishment. During the first series, she discovered she was earning less than the cameramen and insisted on more money before making another episode.

But at the same time Rigg found the sudden stardom difficult to cope with. She recalled having to hide in a bathroom to avoid the attention of crowds. It was partly resentment at the invasion of her privacy that persuaded her that she would spend only two years with The Avengers.

'It was very, very intrusive in those days because I was instantly recognisable,' the actress later told Variety magazine. 'I was grateful to be a success but there was a price to pay.'

Her co-stars flooded social media with tributes to the 'flinty, fearless, fabulous force of nature' who had a 'dazzling wit and inimitable voice'

Diana Rigg as the cutthroat matriarch Oleanna Tyrell in HBO's worldwide hit series, Game of Thrones, a show she admitted in 2019 that she had never watched

She was also keen to keep her stage career alive. 'Some weeks I'd spend four days on the set of The Avengers and then head up to Stratford to be Regan to Olivier's [King] Lear,' she recalled.

But it was not just the lure of the stage. She left The Avengers for the action-packed world of James Bond. Although she and 007 marry, in almost the last clip Rigg, playing a spirited heiress, is machine-gunned down and dies.

Her relationship with Australian-born Lazenby was difficult, although she denied deliberately eating garlic before their love scenes.

Being a Bond girl did not make her a film star, however, any more than appearing with Oliver Reed in The Assassination Bureau or as Vincent Price's daughter in the camp horror film Theatre of Blood did. 'I suppose the thing I regret most is that I never really cracked films,' she once disclosed.

But back on stage it was a different story. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in Abelard And Heloise, although it wasn't all plain sailing.

In New York, her portrayal of Heloise was savaged by acerbic critic John Simon, who described her in a nude scene as 'built like a brick basilica with insufficient flying buttresses'. She later admitted she never felt comfortable removing her clothes on stage.

'I come from Yorkshire and no one from Yorkshire takes their clothes off except on a Friday night,' she said. The episode led her to later publish a collection of scathing theatrical reviews titled No Turn Unstoned.

Enid Rigg  Diana was a middle name  was born in Doncaster in 1938 but almost immediately moved to India where her father Louis was an engineer on the railways. Aged seven, she was brought back to England by her mother Beryl and sent to boarding school in Pudsey, near Leeds. Brother Hugh was at school in Buckinghamshire.

After India's independence her parents returned to Britain but money was tight and she remembers her father eking out his whisky vowing to herself that she would earn enough to give him a bottle every day.

In 2017, that 20-a-day smoking habit brought serious illness and she had to undergo a heart operation

Encouraged by a teacher she applied for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, the acting school, at 16. Hugh, meanwhile, went on to become a test pilot.

After a stint in rep, she was taken on by the RSC in 1959 where the distinguished director Peter Brook patronisingly observed of her: 'If she doesn't waste herself on silly films, she could become something good.' She did, of course, do both.

In 1990, she won a Bafta for the role of an obsessive mother in the BBC drama Mother Love. Four years later, she won a Tony for best actress in one of her most acclaimed roles, that of Medea in the ancient Greek play. In the same year, Rigg was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Despite such a high-profile career and polished image, Dame Diana took refuge in a well-protected private life.

In interviews, particularly with women, she could be brusque to the point of rudeness, especially when questioned about men. At one stage she announced she would never again speak to female journalists whom she crushingly dubbed 'grubettes'.

She was married twice, with both unions ending in divorce.In the 1960s, she had a relationship with the director Philip Saville but her first husband was an Israeli artist Menachem Gueffen whom she married in 1973. They separated a year later with Rigg describing the marriage as a 'grotesque error'.

She then married tweedy Scottish landowner Archie Stirling. It surprised friends because she had been seen as something of a bohemian figure.

They divorced in 1990 after Stirling had an affair with the actress Joely Richardson which left her devastated, and ever since Dame Diana lived either with her daughter Rachael or alone.

In 2017, that 20-a-day smoking habit brought serious illness and she had to undergo a heart operation.

During surgery, the actress's heart stopped and her life hanged by a thread. 'The good Lord must have said, 'Send the old bag down again',' Dame Diana, the devout Christian, later said. 'I'm not having her yet.'

For years, she was pursued by a stalker who sent her unwanted gifts and unsolicited and often deeply unpleasant letters.

And although she had left Emma Peel, the role that brought her public attention, long behind, those silky self-defence skills must have come in handy one last time.
One by one they will resign: Athawale on Maharashtra ministers

Union minister Ramdas Athawale meets Kangana Ranaut in Mumbai

India

pti-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, Sep 10: Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday met Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who has been at the centre of a controversy over her remarks on Mumbai and its police, and whose bungalow here faced BMC action for "illegal" alterations. Athawale, a BJP ally, met Ranaut at her residence in suburban Khar.

Athawales party RPI (A) had come out in support of the actress and offered her security at the Mumbai airport when she returned to the city on Wednesday amid sloganeering against her by Shiv Sena workers.

Sharad Pawar meets Maharashtra CM as Kangana Ranaut row rages on in Mumbai

The Union minister though earlier said his party did not agree with the remarks made by Ranaut, who had engaged in a war of words with the Shiv Sena over the issue. The "Queen" star had likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK).

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

The award winning actress had also said she feared the Mumbai police more than an alleged "movie mafia", evoking strong criticism from the Shiv Sena. On Wednesday morning, the Shiv Sena-controlled BMC had razed "illegal" changes made in her bungalow in suburban Bandra.
By Craig John Murray

September 08, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - I went to the Old Bailey today expecting to be awed by the majesty of the law, and left revolted by the sordid administration of injustice.

There is a romance which attaches to the Old Bailey. The name of course means fortified enclosure and it occupies a millennia old footprint on the edge of Londons ancient city wall. It is the site of the medieval Newgate Prison, and formal trials have taken place at the Old Bailey for at least 500 years, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. For the majority of that time, those convicted even of minor offences of theft were taken out and executed in the alleyway outside. It is believed that hundreds, perhaps thousands, lie buried under the pavements.

The hefty Gothic architecture of the current grand building dates back no further than 1905, and round the back and sides of that is wrapped some horrible cheap utility building from the 1930s. It was through a tunnelled entrance into this portion that five of us, Julians nominated family and friends, made our nervous way this morning. We were shown to Court 10 up many stairs that seemed like the back entrance to a particularly unloved works canteen. Tiles were chipped, walls were filthy and flakes of paint hung down from crumbling ceilings. Only the security cameras watching us were new  so new, in fact, that little piles of plaster and brick dust lay under each.

Court 10 appeared to be a fairly bright and open modern box, with pleasant light woodwork, jammed as a mezzanine inside a great vault of the old building. A massive arch intruded incongruously into the space and was obviously damp, sheets of delaminating white paint drooping down from it like flags of forlorn surrender. The dock in which Julian would be held still had a bulletproof glass screen in front, like Belmarsh, but it was not boxed in. There was no top to the screen, no low ceiling, so sound could flow freely over and Julian seemed much more in the court. It also had many more and wider slits than the notorious Belmarsh Box, and Julian was able to communicate quite readily and freely through them with his lawyers, which this time he was not prevented from doing.

Rather to our surprise, nobody else was allowed into the public gallery of court 10 but us five. Others like John Pilger and Kristin Hrafnsson, editor in chief of Wikileaks, were shunted into the adjacent court 9 where a very small number were permitted to squint at a tiny screen, on which the sound was so inaudible John Pilger simply left. Many others who had expected to attend, such as Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, were simply excluded, as were MPs from the German federal parliament (both the German MPs and Reporters Without Borders at least later got access to the inadequate video following strong representations from the German Embassy).

The reason given that only five of us were allowed in the public gallery of some 40 seats was social distancing; except we were allowed to all sit together in consecutive seats in the front row. The two rows behind us remained completely empty.

To finish scene setting, Julian himself looked tidy and well groomed and dressed, and appeared to have regained a little lost weight, but with a definite unhealthy puffiness about his features. In the morning he appeared disengaged and disoriented rather as he had at Belmarsh, but in the afternoon he perked up and was very much engaged with his defence team, interacting as normally as could be expected in these circumstances.

Proceedings started with formalities related to Julians release on the old extradition warrant and re-arrest under the new warrant, which had taken place this morning. Defence and prosecution both agreed that the points they had already argued on the ban on extradition for political offences were not affected by the superseding indictment.

Magistrate Baraitser then made a statement about access to the court by remote hearing, by which she meant online. She stated that a number of access details had been sent out by mistake by the court without her agreement. She had therefore revoked their access permissions.

As she spoke, we in the court had no idea what had happened, but outside some consternation was underway in that the online access of Amnesty International, of Reporters without Borders, of John Pilger and of forty others had been shut down. As these people were neither permitted to attend the court nor observe online, this was causing some consternation.

Baraitser went on to say that it was important that the hearing was public, but she should only agree remote access where it was in the interests of justice, and having considered it she had decided it was not. She explained this by stating that the public could normally observe from within the courtroom, where she could control their behaviour. But if they had remote access, she could not control their behaviour and this was not in the interests of justice.

Baraitser did not expand on what uncontrolled behaviour she anticipated from those viewing via the internet. It is certainly true that an observer from Amnesty sitting at home might be in their underwear, might be humming the complete soundtrack to Mamma Mia, or might fart loudly. Precisely why this would damage the interests of justice we are still left to ponder, with no further help from the magistrate. But evidently the interests of justice were, in her view, best served if almost nobody could examine the justice too closely.

The next housekeeping issue to be addressed was how witnesses should be heard. The defence had called numerous witnesses, and each had lodged a written statement. The prosecution and Baraitser both suggested that, having given their evidence in writing, there was no need for defence witnesses to give that evidence orally in open court. It would be much quicker to go straight to cross-examination by the prosecution.

For the defence, Edward Fitzgerald QC countered that justice should be seen to be done by the public. The public should be able to hear the defence evidence before hearing the cross-examination. It would also enable Julian Assange to hear the evidence summarised, which was important for him to follow the case given his lack of extended access to legal papers while in Belmarsh prison.

Baraitser stated there could not be any need for evidence submitted to her in writing to be repeated orally. For the defence, Mark Summers QC was not prepared to drop it and tension notably rose in the court. Summers stated it was normal practice for there to be an orderly and rational exposition of the evidence. For the prosecution, James Lewis QC denied this, saying it was not normal procedure.

Baraitser stated she could not see why witnesses should be scheduled an one hour forty five minutes each, which was too long. Lewis agreed. He also added that the prosecution does not accept that the defences expert witnesses are expert witnesses. A Professor of journalism telling about newspaper coverage did not count. An expert witness should only be giving evidence on a technical point the court was otherwise unqualified to consider. Lewis also objected that in giving evidence orally, defence witnesses might state new facts to which the Crown had not had time to react. Baraitser noted that the written defence statements were published online, so they were available to the public.

Edward Fitzgerald QC stood up to speak again, and Baraitser addressed him in a quite extraordinary tone of contempt. What she said exactly was: I have given you every opportunity. Is there anything else, really, that you want to say, the word really being very heavily emphasised and sarcastic. Fitzgerald refused to be sat down, and he stated that the current case featured substantial and novel issues going to fundamental questions of human rights. It was important the evidence was given in public. It also gave the witnesses a chance to emphasise the key points of their evidence and where they placed most weight.

Baraitser called a brief recess while she considered judgement on this issue, and then returned. She found against the defence witnesses giving their evidence in open court, but accepted that each witness should be allowed up to half an hour of being led by the defence lawyers, to enable them to orient themselves and reacquaint with their evidence before cross-examination.

This half hour for each witness represented something of a compromise, in that at least the basic evidence of each defence witness would be heard by the court and the public (insofar as the public was allowed to hear anything). But the idea that a standard half hour guillotine is sensible for all witnesses, whether they are testifying to a single fact or to developments over years, is plainly absurd. What came over most strongly from this question was the desire of both judge and prosecution to railroad through the extradition with as little of the case against it getting a public airing as possible.

As the judge adjourned for a short break we thought these questions had now been addressed and the rest of the day would be calmer. We could not have been more wrong.

The court resumed with a new defence application, led by Mark Summers QC, about the new charges from the US governments new superseding indictment. Summers took the court back over the history of this extradition hearing. The first indictment had been drawn up in March of 2018. In January 2019 a provisional request for extradition had been made, which had been implemented in April of 2019 on Assanges removal from the Embassy. In June 2019 this was replaced by the full request with a new, second indictment which had been the basis of these proceedings before today. A whole series of hearings had taken place on the basis of that second indictment.

The new superseding indictment dated from 20 June 2020. In February and May 2020 the US government had allowed hearings to go ahead on the basis of the second indictment, giving no warning, even though they must by that stage have known the new superseding indictment was coming. They had given neither explanation nor apology for this.

The defence had not been properly informed of the superseding indictment, and indeed had learnt of its existence only through a US government press release on 20 June. It had not finally been officially served in these proceedings until 29 July, just six weeks ago. At first, it had not been clear how the superseding indictment would affect the charges, as the US government was briefing it made no difference but just gave additional detail. But on 21 August 2020, not before, it finally became clear in new US government submissions that the charges themselves had been changed.

There were now new charges that were standalone and did not depend on the earlier allegations. Even if the 18 Manning related charges were rejected, these new allegations could still form grounds for extradition. These new allegations included encouraging the stealing of data from a bank and from the government of Iceland, passing information on tracking police vehicles, and hacking the computers both of individuals and of a security company.

How much of this newly alleged material is criminal is anybodys guess, stated Summers, going on to explain that it was not at all clear that an Australian giving advice from outwith Iceland to someone in Iceland on how to crack a code, was actually criminal if it occurred in the UK. This was even without considering the test of dual criminality in the US also, which had to be passed before the conduct was subject to extradition.

It was unthinkable that allegations of this magnitude would be the subject of a Part 2 extradition hearing within six weeks if they were submitted as a new case. Plainly that did not give the defence time to prepare, or to line up witnesses to these new charges. Among the issues relating to these new charges the defence would wish to address, were that some were not criminal, some were out of time limitation, some had already been charged in other fora (including Southwark Crown Court and courts in the USA).

There were also important questions to be asked about the origins of some of these charges and the dubious nature of the witnesses. In particular the witness identified as teenager was the same person identified as Iceland 1 in the previous indictment. That indictment had contained a health warning over this witness given by the US Department of Justice. This new indictment removed that warning. But the fact was, this witness is Sigurdur Thordarson, who had been convicted in Iceland in relation to these events of fraud, theft, stealing Wikileaks money and material and impersonating Julian Assange.

The indictment did not state that the FBI had been kicked out of Iceland for trying to use Thordarson to frame Assange, stated Summers baldly.

Summers said all these matters should be ventilated in these hearings if the new charges were to be heard, but the defence simply did not have time to prepare its answers or its witnesses in the brief six weeks it had since receiving them, even setting aside the extreme problems of contact with Assange in the conditions in which he was being held in Belmarsh prison.

The defence would plainly need time to prepare answers to these new charges, but it would plainly be unfair to keep Assange in jail for the months that would take. The defence therefore suggested that these new charges should be excised from the conduct to be considered by the court, and they should go ahead with the evidence on criminal behaviour confined to what conduct had previously been alleged.

Summers argued it was entirely unfair to add what were in law new and separate criminal allegations, at short notice and entirely without warning and not giving the defence time to respond to it. What is happening here is abnormal, unfair and liable to create real injustice if allowed to continue.

The arguments submitted by the prosecution now rested on these brand new allegations. For example, the prosecution now countered the arguments on the rights of whistleblowers and the necessity of revealing war crimes by stating that there can have been no such necessity to hack into a bank in Iceland.

Summers concluded that the case should be confined to that conduct which the American government had seen fit to allege in the eighteen months of the case before their second new indictment.

Replying to Summers for the prosecution, Joel Smith QC replied that the judge was obliged by the statute to consider the new charges and could not excise them. If there is nothing proper about the restitution of a new extradition request after a failed request, there is nothing improper in a superseding indictment before the first request had failed. Under the Extradition Act the court must decide only if the offence is an extraditable offence and the conduct alleged meets the dual criminality test. The court has no other role and no jurisdiction to excise part of the request.

Smith stated that all the authorities (precedents) were of charges being excised from a case to allow extradition to go ahead on the basis of the remaining sound charges, and those charges which had been excised were only on the basis of double jeopardy. There was no example of charges being excised to prevent an extradition. And the decision to excise charges had only ever been taken after the conduct alleged had been examined by the court. There was no example of alleged conduct not being considered by the court. The defendant could seek extra time if needed but the new allegations must be examined.

Summers replied that Smith was wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong. We are not saying that you can never submit a new indictment, but you cannot do it six weeks before the substantive hearing. The impact of what Smith had said amounted to no more than Ha ha this is what we are doing and you cant stop us. A substantive last minute change had been made with no explanation and no apology. It could not be the case, as Smith alleged, that a power existed to excise charges in fairness to the prosecution, but no power existed to excise charges in fairness to the defence.

Immediately Summers sat down, Baraitser gave her judgement on this point. As so often in this hearing, it was a pre-written judgement. She read it from a laptop she had brought into the courtroom with her, and she had made no alterations to that document as Summers and Smith had argued the case in front of her.

Baraitser stated that she had been asked as a preliminary move to excise from the case certain conduct alleged. Mr Summers had described the receipt of new allegations as extraordinary. However I offered the defence the opportunity to adjourn the case to give them time to prepare against the new allegations. I considered of course that Mr Assange was in custody. I hear that Mr Summers believes this is fundamental unfairness. But the argument that we havent got the time, should be remedied by asking for the time.

Mr Summers had raised issues of dual criminality and abuse of process; there was nothing preventing him for raising these arguments in the context of considering the request as now presented.

Baraitser simply ignored the argument that while there was indeed nothing to prevent the defence from answering the new allegations as each was considered, they had been given no time adequately to prepare. Having read out her pre-prepared judgement to proceed on the basis of the new superseding indictment, Baraitser adjourned the court for lunch.

At the end of the day I had the opportunity to speak to an extremely distinguished and well-known lawyer on the subject of Baraitser bringing pre-written judgements into court, prepared before she had heard the lawyers argue the case before her. I understood she already had seen the outline written arguments, but surely this was wrong. What was the point in the lawyers arguing for hours if the judgement was pre-written? What I really wanted to know was how far this was normal practice.

The lawyer replied to me that it absolutely was not normal practice, it was totally outrageous. In a long and distinguished career, this lawyer had very occasionally seen it done, even in the High Court, but there was always some effort to disguise the fact, perhaps by inserting some reference to points made orally in the courtroom. Baraitser was just blatant. The question was, of course, whether it was her own pre-written judgement she was reading out, or something she had been given from on high.

This was a pretty shocking morning. The guillotining of defence witnesses to hustle the case through, indeed the attempt to ensure their evidence was not spoken in court except those parts which the prosecution saw fit to attack in cross-examination, had been breathtaking. The effort by the defence to excise the last minute superseding indictment had been a fundamental point disposed of summarily. Yet again, Baraitsers demeanour and very language made little attempt to disguise a hostility to the defence.

We were for the second time in the day in a break thinking that events must now calm down and get less dramatic. Again we were wrong.

Court resumed forty minutes late after lunch as various procedural wrangles were addressed behind closed doors. As the court resumed, Mark Summers for the defence stood up with a bombshell.

Summers said that the defence recognised the judgement Baraitser had just made  a very careful choice of word, as opposed to respected which might seem more natural. As she had ruled that the remedy to lack of time was more time, the defence was applying for an adjournment to enable them to prepare the answers to the new charges. They did not do this lightly, as Mr Assange would continue in prison in very difficult conditions during the adjournment.

Summers said the defence was simply not in a position to gather the evidence to respond to the new charges in a few short weeks, a situation made even worse by Covid restrictions. It was true that on 14 August Baraitser had offered an adjournment and on 21 August they had refused the offer. But in that period of time, Mr Assange had not had access to the new charges and they had not fully realised the extent to which these were a standalone new case. To this date, Assange had still not received the new prosecution Opening Note in prison, which was a crucial document in setting out the significance of the new charges.

Baraitser pointedly asked whether the defence could speak to Assange in prison by telephone. Summers replied yes, but these were extremely short conversations. They could not phone Mr Assange; he could only call out very briefly on the prison payphone to somebodys mobile, and the rest of the team would have to try to gather round to listen. It was not possible in these very brief discussions adequately to expound complex material. Between 14 and 21 August they had been able to have only two such very short phone calls. The defence could only send documents to Mr Assange through the post to the prison; he was not always given them, or allowed to keep them.

Baraitser asked how long an adjournment was being requested. Summers replied until January.

For the US government, James Lewis QC replied that more scrutiny was needed of this request. The new matters in the indictment were purely criminal. They do not affect the arguments about the political nature of the case, or affect most of the witnesses. If more time were granted, with the history of this case, we will just be presented with a sleigh of other material which will have no bearing on the small expansion of count 2.

Baraitser adjourned the court for ten minutes while she went out to consider her judgement. In fact she took much longer. When she returned she looked peculiarly strained.

Baraitser ruled that on 14 August she had given the defence the opportunity to apply for an adjournment, and given them seven days to decide. On 21 August the defence had replied they did not want an adjournment. They had not replied that they had insufficient time to consider. Even today the defence had not applied to adjourn but rather had applied to excise charges. They cannot have been surprised by my decision against that application. Therefore they must have been prepared to proceed with the hearing. Their objections were not based on new circumstance. The conditions of Assange in Belmarsh had not changed since 21 August. They had therefore missed their chance and the motion to adjourn was refused.

The courtroom atmosphere was now highly charged. Having in the morning refused to cut out the superseding indictment on the grounds that the remedy for lack of time should be more time, Baraitser was now refusing to give more time. The defence had called her bluff; the state had apparently been confident that the effective solitary confinement in Belmarsh was so terrible that Assange would not request more time. I rather suspect that Julian was himself bluffing, and made the call at lunchtime to request more time in the full expectation that it would be refused, and the rank hypocrisy of the proceedings exposed.

I previously blogged about how the procedural trickery of the superseding indictment being used to replace the failing second indictment  as Smith said for the prosecution before it failed  was something that sickened the soul. Today in the courtroom you could smell the sulphur.

Well, yet again we were left with the feeling that matters must now get less exciting. This time we were right and they became instead excruciatingly banal. We finally moved on to the first witness, Professor Mark Feldstein, giving evidence to the court by videolink for the USA. It was not Professor Feldsteins fault the day finished in confused anti-climax. The court was unable to make the video technology work. For ten broken minutes out of about forty Feldstein was briefly able to give evidence, and even this was completely unsatisfactory as he and Mark Summers were repeatedly speaking over each other on the link.

Professor Feldsteins evidence will resume tomorrow (now in fact today) and I think rather than split it I shall give the full account then. Meantime you can see these excellent summaries from Kevin Gosztola or the morning and afternoon reports from James Doleman. In fact, I should be grateful if you did, so you can see that I am neither inventing nor exaggerating the facts of these startling events.

If you asked me to sum up today in a word, that word would undoubtedly be railroaded. it was all about pushing through the hearing as quickly as possible and with as little public exposure as possible to what is happening. Access denied, adjournment denied, exposition of defence evidence denied, removal of superseding indictment charges denied. The prosecution was plainly failing in that week back in Woolwich in February, which seems like an age ago. It has now been given a new boost.

How the defence will deal with the new charges we shall see. It seems impossible that they can do this without calling new witnesses to address the new facts. But the witness lists had already been finalised on the basis of the old charges. That the defence should be forced to proceed with the wrong witnesses seems crazy, but frankly, I am well past being surprised by anything in this fake process.

Craig's coverage of Julians case is entirely dependent on your financial support. Unlike our adversaries including the Integrity Initiative, the 77th Brigade, Bellingcat, the Atlantic Council and hundreds of other warmongering propaganda operations, this blog has no source of state, corporate or institutional finance whatsoever. It runs entirely on voluntary subscriptions from its readers  many of whom do not necessarily agree with the every article, but welcome the alternative voice, insider information and debate. - " Source " -

Subscriptions to keep his blog going are gratefully received.
There were reports on September 7 of Turkmen officials approving an amendment to the law that obligates people who suspect they have contracted a dangerous infectious disease to seek medical treatment and also requires people in hospitals with such illnesses not to leave medical facilities.



That seems logical and hardly worth including in the Criminal Code.



Unless you had heard "the rumor."



Whose Story To Believe?



Telling citizens to seek medical help if they have been infected with a dangerous illness might seem unnecessary, especially with the coronavirus pandemic affecting almost every country in the world.



Almost every country



Turkmenistan officially does not have any COVID-19 cases, though they have been warning of potentially harmful effects from "dust" in the air in advising people to wear masks.



But there is an abundance of anecdotal evidence that suggests the illness is raging out of control in the country.



If one believes the Turkmen authorities' claim that there is no coronavirus, or any other dangerous infectious illness present in Turkmenistan, then there should be no need for a sudden amendment to the law that not only obligates citizens to seek medical treatment, but allows punishment of two to five years in prison for those who violate the law.



Anecdotal evidence, essentially testimony from, now, dozens of people inside Turkmenistan, suggests hospitals are already overcrowded due to a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses that many believe is the coronavirus or at least the pneumonia caused by that virus.

There are no free beds, and the relatives of those who fall seriously ill must pay bribes to have their kin admitted to the hospital  and also to get them a respirator.



If one believes this anecdotal evidence, then people seem willing -- even anxious -- to be admitted to hospitals for treatment but the health-care system is overwhelmed.



Turkmen authorities have spent years trying to prevent the outside world from knowing what is truly happening inside the country and that often leaves the outside with only stories and rumors about what is going on in Turkmenistan.



It is impossible to independently verify even something like Turkmenistan's health-care system collapsing.



The Injection



There is a new rumor that has been making its way around Turkmenistan for several weeks, though it is difficult to believe because it is horrible even to consider.



The independent Turkmen.news website reported on September 1 about Major Sapa Gurbangulyev of the Vekilbazar district police.



He is said to have become ill at the end of June and eventually was taken to the regional infectious diseases hospital in Mary where he was treated for a high fever and later fluid in the lungs, though he did not seem to be in serious condition.

Gurbangulyev's condition suddenly took a turn for the worse, though, and he had breathing problems before being transferred to another hospital in Yolotan.



On July 3, he phoned his wife to tell her to come quickly and get him out of the hospital, the website reported.



His wife could not enter the hospital because of quarantine rules and called her husband to tell him.



He reportedly told her, "Then they will give me an injection now and kill me."



A half hour later someone from the hospital staff informed his wife that Gurbangulyev had died.



People from around Turkmenistan have been contacting RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, and other media outlets with similar stories.

Patients are admitted to hospitals with symptoms like those that come with the coronavirus.



They die within a couple of days, sometimes within a few hours of arriving at the hospital, and relatives have to sign a disclaimer saying they have no complaints against doctors or the government in order to receive the body.



Dozens of people have contacted Azatlyk about this and they all believed these patients, who showed signs of being infected with COVID-19, were given injections that killed them.



The bodies are wrapped in plastic and anyone who comes to claim one of those bodies is ordered not to unwrap the body and to bury it immediately.



Again, whether these stories are true or not, the fact is that such tales are spreading around Turkmenistan and people are now afraid to go to the hospital if they are ill, especially if they think they have the coronavirus.



The amendment that not only requires citizens to seek medical treatment if they believe they have a dangerous infectious illness but, more importantly, also forbids people from leaving the hospital without being officially discharged, will only add to people's worries that if they are admitted to a hospital and do have COVID-19, they could be killed.



The Turkmen people are sure the government is lying to them about many things, including about the absence of the coronavirus, and now they are also worried the authorities may kill them if they are unfortunate enough to actually be infected with the disease.
The four men have said in court documents that they all thought someone else was in charge of the scene on May 25  with rookie officers arguing they were deferring to a veteran, and the veteran saying he was simply assisting in an arrest that was in progress. All have said in court documents that the relationship between the veteran officer  Derek Chauvin  and the others is at the heart of the issue, as each officer perceived their role, and who was in charge, quite differently. Chauvin was the officer shown with his knee on Floyds neck as he struggled to breathe in videos of the ill-fated arrest.
New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Indian Institute of Science (IIS), Bengaluru and Indian Institute of Technology in Gandhinagar were among 31 organisations worldwide that will receive more than $8.5 million from Google to aid in Covid-19 response.

Three of these organisations will also receive the pro-bono support of Google.org Fellowship teams, Google said in a statement.

The funding is part of Google.org's $100 million commitment to Covid-19 relief.

The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar will get the funding for modeling the impact of air pollution on Covid-related secondary health exacerbations.

The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru has been chosen for mitigating the spread of Covid-19 in India's transit systems with rapid testing and modified commuter patterns.

The funding focuses on four key areas where new information and action is needed to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic: Monitoring and forecasting disease spread; Improving health equity and minimizing secondary effects of the pandemic; slowing transmission by advancing the science of contact tracing and environmental sensing and supporting healthcare workers.

"Together, these organizations are helping make the community's response to the pandemic more advanced and inclusive, and we're proud to support these efforts," Google said.

Covid-19 has had a disproportionate effect on vulnerable populations.

To address health disparities and drive equitable outcomes, Google is supporting efforts to map the social and environmental drivers of Covid-19 impact, such as race, ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status.

"In addition to learning more about the immediate health effects of COVID-19, we're also supporting work that seeks to better understand and reduce the long-term, indirect effects of the virus-ranging from challenges with mental health to delays in preventive care," the company said.
The Hamilton County Commission had a lengthy discussion about how over $350,000 of grant money would help the county during election season. The resolution read as follows:

A Resolution authorizing the County Mayor on behalf of the Election Commission to accept a

CARES Act Grant in an amount up to $350,721.00 from the Tennessee Department of State for

assistance to the Election Commission to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus

and to amend the FY21 revenue and expense budgets each by $350,721.00.

Commissioner Warren Mackey had election commission administrator Kerry Steelman on the line to explain what the grants would address and how the money would be used.

He said both grants are coming from the state. The first grant is used to enhance the security of election offices. For Hamilton County, this would mean both physical security and cybersecurity.

We will be able to create a secure entrance, Mr. Steelman said about different recommendations the Sheriffs Office had about enhancing security. The second will be a fund allocated to improve video surveillance at the facility. The equipment here at the election commission has not been updated since the building was built in 2006.

Mr. Steelman said the other grant comes through the CARES Act, and it helps election officials adapt to conditions brought about by COVID-19. These unforeseen conditions include the need for social distancing while waiting in line.

Upon certification of the August primary election, we have 124,000 in expenses we are preparing to submit to the state for reimbursement. This would also be in addition to election equipment we purchased earlier in the year to beat the increase in demand for early voting.

Commissioner Tim Boyd asked Mr. Steelman about what Hamilton County is doing to prevent people from voting twice, once as an early voter and then again in the normal election. Mr. Steelman said Hamilton Countys system makes it so that once a voter casts an early ballot, the system will make it impossible for that person to vote again.

On election date, our poll books have been printed after early voting, Mr. Steelman said, so anyone who voted early and everyone who has had an absentee ballot received will be on the pollbook, but it will be noted they early voted or that they have returned their absentee ballot.

He also told Commissioner Boyd that there is no way for someone to request an absentee ballot and then show up and vote like a regular voter.

When they show up on election day, the only way they could vote would be by provisional ballot. Thats the only way, Mr. Steelman said. They are marked as having received an absentee ballot.

Mr. Steelman said Hamilton Countys cybersecurity is at a satisfactory level, when asked by Commissioner Greg Martin. He said the money will be used strictly for enhancing physical security.
An Uzbek tourist fell 50ft to his death from a waterfall in Thailand after he ignored warning signs and climbed it in order to take selfies, police have said.

Soipov Abdullokh, 22, who had been stranded in Thailand due to Covid, plunged to his death in Ngao Waterfall National Park, southern Thailand, on Saturday.

Police say Abdullokh and six Russian backpackers - four men and two women - had rented motorbikes in Phuket and driven 230 miles to the park to view the scenery.

Soipov Abdullokh, 22, from Uzbekistan, fell 50ft to his death from a waterfall in Thailand after ignoring warning signs and climbing it in order to take a selfie

Arriving early on Saturday, the group had hiked down a trail to view the 1,000ft waterfall which gives the park its name.

Abdullokh then left the trail and ignored warning signs in order to climb the falls and take pictures, investigators said.

His friends then watched in horror as he slipped and fell around 50ft to his death, landing on sharp rocks below.

It took emergency services around two hours to reach the remote spot, where they found Abdullokh bleeding heavily from the head and nose.

Chalit Sinrojthanakorn, head government officer for the national park, said: 'The deceased walked off the path set out by authorities to climb the waterfall.

Police said Abdullokh had gone with six Russian friends to view the falls at Ngao Waterfall National Park (pictured) when he slipped and plunged to his death

'He then slipped on a rock and fell.

'His body crashed against the rocks below and he was bleeding through the mouth and nose. The death was very quick.'

The park ranger said that Soipov had 'violated' a ban on climbing the waterfall because he 'wanted to take pictures'.

Police said the tourist's body has been sent to hospital to confirm the cause of death and the Embassy of Uzbekistan has been informed.
 AppGallery helps global brands and locally popular brands such as TomTom, Bolt, Emirates, Sberbank and Kumu achieve business success

 Additional initiatives to work closer with partners include building three new global ecosystem cooperation labs and five new global developer service centres

SONGSHAN LAKE, China, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei today shared important updates on AppGallery at the Huawei Developer Conference 2020 (Together). Delivering his keynote speech, Mr Wang Yanmin, President of Global Partnerships and Eco-Development at Huawei Consumer Business Group highlighted AppGallery's achievements in the first three quarters of 2020, outlined the comprehensive support Huawei provides for its global partners and shared success stories to inspire developers.

"Despite increasing challenges, AppGallery and the Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) ecosystem has continued to show progress this year, all thanks to our global partners. With this strong support and recognition, we will continue to invest in the ecosystem as we build one of the top three app distribution platforms in the world. We are confident that as we continue to work closer with our partners, we can help them to grow and achieve their business goals, especially for those locally popular names who are looking to expand into other global markets," said Mr Wang Yanmin.

AppGallery and the HMS ecosystem continue to flourish in 2020

AppGallery now dedicates itself to meet the diverse needs of 490 million Monthly Active Users (MAUs) in over 170 countries/regions with. Within the first half of 2020, user app downloads reached 261 billion, underscoring the popularity growth of this app marketplace among users.

Currently, 1.8 million developers globally have joined Huawei Mobile Services ecosystem and more than 96,000 applications have integrated with HMS Core worldwide, offering users even more unique experiences.

Meeting user need by bringing diversified local apps

An underlying priority for AppGallery is reaching the diverse needs of users across different regions and provide them with relevant and quality app services. AppGallery's 'Global + Local strategy' is an innovative approach to app listing that provides consumers with an enhanced experience by focusing on popular local apps.

Some globally popular apps and services will always be the preferred choice for consumers around the world. With the support of influential global partners, Huawei's ecosystem continues to grow, with partners such as Bolt, Deezer, Foodpanda, TomTom Go Navigation, LINE, Qwant and Telegram joining AppGallery to make life more convenient for users.

Local developers are quickly realising the wide-ranging benefits of listing with AppGallery as consumers also often prefer their own local apps and services too. In Middle East & Africa, the favourite local messaging app Imo and the well-known online shopping platform noon shopping are available on AppGallery. In Europe, BBVA, one of the largest financial institutions in the world, and Allegro, a popular online shopping app has come on-board the AppGallery platform. In Latin America (LATAM), AppGallery has onboarded Bancolombia, one of the largest banks in LATAM, and Linio, the leading e-Commerce marketplace. In Asia Pacific, the popular travel booking app Agoda and Lazada, one of the top e-commerce sites are listed in AppGallery.

Developers are at the heart of Huawei's innovation

Partners are joining AppGallery to utilise Huawei's innovative technology and HMS core, enabling traditional sectors to fast-track digital transformation. Huawei's fully open HMS Core helps accelerate app innovation and elevate user experience. With these capabilities and services, users will be able to enjoy differentiated experience from apps, thus, to bring more business opportunities for add developers as well.

Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia with more than 67 million active customers locally, partnered with AppGallery to launch its own Near field communication (NFC) contactless payment supported by HMS. Within 11 days, over 21 million users have downloaded the app with 3.2 million installation.

Separately, Grabjobs, a leading recruitment platform in Asia, is integrated with Caas Kit that allows the app to conduct in-app recruitment and interviews. Meanwhile, 3D facial recognition payment via PayBy supported by Security kit makes payment securer. Sweet Selfie also managed to add super night mode and anti-shaking in its features list after integration with Camera kit.

AppGallery's full-spectrum support sees partners achieving business success

AppGallery provides full-spectrum operational support for developers worldwide and assists them to unlock new opportunities, such as cross-region operation and global exposure. To date, several partners from various regions have benefited from AppGallery.

Tom Tom, one of the world's leading navigation brands, has both of its popular navigation apps TomTom Go Navigation and TomTom AmiGO listed on AppGallery. Through joint marketing efforts with Huawei, TomTom AmiGO saw 22 times growth in download rate; Bolt, a ride-hailing application saw an increase of 136 times in European and Africa downloads from week one to week thirteen; Kumu, a TV livestream app from the Philippines, worked with AppGallery to launch a Mother's Day campaign. In the first 15 days, there was 220% increase in Kumu's premium users, and its revenue grew more than 40 times.

Huawei also has extensive support to assist developers explore business opportunities in China and other global markets, by providing relevant consulting service, localisation and integration, marketing and campaign services. A spokesperson from newly joint partner Emirates said: "It's our pleasure to collaborate with Huawei to provide the best possible customer experience. The engaging tools that are available on AppGallery can help us create closer bonds and experiences with more customers, especially in China, which is a significant market for us. The next phase of our collaboration will roll out soon and is aimed at benefitting passengers at every step of their journey, from trip planning to arriving at their destination."

Since last year, Huawei has helped over 700 partners enter the Chinese market.

Huawei pledges to work more closely with developers and partners

Going forward, Huawei continues to expand developer services. Huawei is building three global ecosystem cooperation labs in Russia, Poland, and Germany to serve global developers and provide enablement, testing, and certification services. Five global developer service centres will also be established in Romania, Malaysia, Egypt, Mexico, and Russia, providing local services and platforms to help developers better grow and innovate.

Huawei has always and will continue to welcome global developers to join the HMS ecosystem. We believe that by working closely together, we can bring a better, smarter app experience to global consumers. After all, when tiny stars come together, they form a brighter constellation.

For more information, please visit the Huawei Developer website at https://developer.huawei.com/consumer/en/ or the Huawei Developer Forum at https://forums.developer.huawei.com/forumPortal/en/home

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252010/Huawei.jpg
Today through November 10, Prudential Financial and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) are calling on youth volunteers in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia to apply for scholarships and national recognition through The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

Students in grades 5-12 are invited to apply for 2021 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards if they have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteering within the past 12 months  virtually or otherwise. The application is available at http://spirit.prudential.com.

"More than 25 years ago, we founded The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards to honor young volunteers working to meet the needs of our changing world  a mission that feels especially timely today," said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. "As life evolves due to COVID-19, young Americans are continuing to address urgent issues facing their communities, and we celebrate their service in hopes that they'll inspire others to do the same."

"While this is one of the most unusual times in recent history for American students, we know that young volunteers have a long history of rising to the challenges of the moment," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director and CEO of NASSP. "Today through November 10, we call on parents, educators and local leaders to join us in celebrating the young volunteers who are innovating and adapting to serve their communities, and setting an important example for their peers in the process."

How to Apply

To apply for a 2021 Prudential Spirit of Community Award, students and certifiers must complete the following steps:

Students complete the online application by November 10, 2020 .

Then, students submit the application for certification to their principal or head of a local participating organization.

Certifiers review all applications for their school or organization, then select a Local Honoree to nominate for state-level judging by November 20, 2020 .

Applications can be certified by a middle or high school principal or head of a Girl Scout council, county 4-H organization, American Red Cross chapter, YMCA or a Points of Light Global Network member.

The 2021 Awards Program

In February, the top middle level and high school volunteer from each state and the District of Columbia will be named State Honorees. They will receive a $1,000 scholarship, engraved silver medallions and an invitation to the program's national recognition events in May.

During the national recognition events, a distinguished national selection committee will name 10 of the 102 State Honorees as America's top youth volunteers of the year. These National Honorees will receive additional $5,000 scholarships, gold medallions, crystal trophies for their nominating schools or organizations, and $5,000 Prudential grants for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.

Several Distinguished Finalists in each state will receive bronze medallions, and runners-up will receive Certificates of Excellence. Local Honorees selected by schools and participating organizations for state-level judging will be presented with Certificates of Achievement and, if they have served the minimum number of volunteer hours to qualify, President's Volunteer Service Awards.

About The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards was created in 1995 to recognize the exemplary volunteer work of middle level and high school students. Since then, awards have been granted to more than 140,000 middle and high school students across the country at the local, state and national level. Spirit of Community programs are also conducted in Japan, Ireland, India, China and Brazil, where Prudential has significant business operations.

About NASSP

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for principals and other school leaders across the United States. NASSP seeks to transform education through school leadership, recognizing that the fulfillment of each student's potential relies on great leaders in every school committed to the success of each student. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development, NASSP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Student Council. Learn more at www.nassp.org.

About Prudential Financial

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential's diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential's iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com.

SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.PRUDENTIAL.com


Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told the Arab League in Wednesday's meeting that the Palestinian Authority called for an emergency meeting following the announcement of the UAE-Israeli deal. (AP)

Cairo: The Palestinian foreign minister has called on Arab states to dismiss a deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalise relations, describing the agreement scheduled to be finalised next week as "an earthquake".

The UAE and Israel announced the deal to establish full diplomatic relations on August 13. It reflected a changing Middle East in which shared concerns about arch-enemy Iran have largely overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians.

Most of the Arab world has long rejected diplomatic ties with Israel in the absence of a peace deal establishing a Palestinian state on lands captured by Israel in 1967. That steadfast support for the Palestinians, however, has begun to weaken in recent years, in large part because of shared enmity with Israel toward Iran and Iranian proxies in the region.

The Palestinians have repeatedly voiced their rejection of the US-brokered Israel-UAE deal as trading away one of the few cards they have in moribund peace talks with Israel to establish their own independent state -- the Arab boycott of Israel.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told the Arab League in Wednesday's meeting that the Palestinian Authority called for an emergency meeting following the announcement of the UAE-Israeli deal.

He said one Arab League member opposed a Palestinian request to add an item to the meeting agenda, an apparent reference to a Palestinian-introduced draft resolution on the deal.

Al-Malki did not name the country. The meeting was held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Al-Malki described the deal between the UAE and Israel as "an earthquake" that hit the Arab consensus over the Palestinian cause and he urged Arab foreign ministers to reject the deal, "otherwise our meeting will be considered a blessing or collusion with it, or a cover for it".

Hossam Zaki, the Arab League's deputy secretary general, told a news conference in Cairo that the foreign ministers failed to reach a compromise on a resolution on the UAE-Israeli deal because of differences between the Palestinians and Emirates on the wording of the Palestinian-introduced draft.

"A draft resolution needs more time and extensive consultations... we hope in the future to reach an agreed form," he said.

The UAE presented the agreement, which is scheduled to be signed on September 15, as taking Israel's planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank off the table. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the pause was "temporary".

Al-Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, rejected the argument, saying that Palestinians' resistance to and rejection of Israel's annexation policies were the cause of Israel's suspension of its plans.

He accused the US of pressuring other Arab countries to normalise ties with Israel, which he described as a "colonial and racist occupation".

He was apparently referring to Sudan, which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited last month to push its transitional authorities to establish diplomatic ties with Israel.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister invites Portuguese investors to partake in grand privatization

10:55, 10.09.20 610

The minister briefed the Portuguese side on key cooperation opportunities.
Davina McCall has admitted she isn't 'pert and tight' like she was in her 20s despite her gym-toned physique.

The presenter, 52, who is known for sharing her fitness regime on social media, told the Women's Health Going for Goal podcast that she's embraced her 'sagging' skin and still feels 'the best version' she could be for her age.

Davina also discussed the brazen methods she used to educate her three children about the changes of puberty, as she wanted them to learn that it wasn't 'disgusting.'

Sensational: Davina McCall has admitted she isn't 'pert and tight' like she was in her 20s despite her gym-toned physique

Davina told the podcast that despite her body changing in recent years she still embraces her toned figure.

She said: 'I'm not all pert and tight like I was when I was 20. If I lean overmy skin sags down at the middle, the front, but I feel like I am the best version that I can be for my age, and that gives me confidence.

'You can wear your body well if you've got confidence.'

Incredible: The presenter who is known for sharing her fitness regime on social media, said that she's embraced her 'sagging' skin and still feels 'the best version' she could be for her age

The former Big Brother host added that she was still 'vulnerable and fragile,' during her 20s, and after reaching her 50s she feels better than ever.

She said: 'How attractive you are is entirely based on you feel about yourself, and if I could tell my 20-year-old self that - and really explain it - I think it would have changed my life.

'I was very vulnerable and fragile, and the voice in my head was so loud and so negative, all the time Now I wake up in the morning and I think I look like a supermodel! I walk around my bedroom naked saying ''yeah check you out''!'

Candid: Davina also discussed the brazen methods she used to educate her three children about the changes of puberty, as she wanted them to learn that it wasn't 'disgusting'

During the podcast Lena also chatted about how she's prepared her three children Holly, 18, Tilly, 16, and Chester, 13, for the changes that come with puberty.

The star admitted she was incredibly open with her family about the changes that come with becoming a teenager, even if it meant sacrificing certain parts of her beauty regime.

She added: 'Even down to waxing my privates, when they [her children] were going through puberty and, therefore, their bodies were changing, I kept everything there bar, like, a bikini wax, just to show them what they had was normal, because mummy's got it too.

'Obviously now they can do what they like, they're 16 and 18 , but when they were little - 12, 13, 14 - I didn't want them thinking they were disgusting because they had pubes.'

In shape: The former Big Brother host added that she was still 'vulnerable and fragile,' during her 20s, and after reaching her 50s she feels better than ever

After also gracing the cover of Women's Health magazine, Davina went onto reveal her plans to start a 'sexy, lacey lingerie' business next year.

She said: 'I was going to try and launch this year, but because of Covid and everything I think it's probably best to just see how the dust settles. We will launch next year, and that's a big goal of mine.

'I'm terrified about it, but it's so excitingit's four women, post-baby bodies. It's sexy, it's lacy, it's pretty, it's feminine, but it's like saying to women ''you might feel invisible, but I see you''.'

Listen to the full Davina McCall interview in the Womens Health Going for Goal podcast, available now.
Washington, Sep 11 : US President Donald Trump on Thursday said US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq would soon be reduced to about 4,000 and 2,000, respectively.

"A lot of progress has been made in Afghanistan, but we will be down to 4,000 soldiers in a very short period of time. Likewise Iraq, we will be down to about 2,000 soldiers in a very short period of time," Trump said during the White House briefing, Xinhua reported.

The troop reduction plan that Trump revealed was a step further than the plan the US military announced a day before.

Commander of US Central Command Kenneth McKenzie said Wednesday that US troop presence in Iraq is scheduled to be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September, and that in Afghanistan will be decreased to about 4,500 by early November.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
"It's hard after we have tasted the sweetness of ties with China," she said. "We do get scared about what would happen if there were a referendum. It's overwhelming to think: What if I build up my home, and then it gets transferred to another owner?"
Portland resident Kristina Narayan was told she would be charged with riot, disorderly conduct and interfering with a peace officer when she was placed under arrest Saturday at a protest near a police precinct in Southeast Portland.

The legislative director for House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, Narayan said she was not engaging with the officers or part of the larger protest crowd when she was arrested. After prodding officers as to why she would be charged with all three, she ended up being booked into the Multnomah County Jail on interfering with a peace officer alone, making her one of a growing number of people arrested for a charge that the Multnomah County district attorney has committed to dismissing when not paired with more serious charges.
A senior European Union official headed to London Thursday for an emergency meeting with UK officials over Britains plan to break part of the Brexit divorce agreement.

Britains decision to break international law by overwriting part of the EU Withdrawal Agreement has alarmed European leaders and threatens to scuttle already-fragile UK-EU negotiations on trade and future relations.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic was due to meet Michael Gove, Britains Brexit preparation minister, in a hastily arranged meeting. The two men head a joint committee charged with sorting out post-Brexit rules for Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK to share a border with an EU member, Ireland.

Keeping that border free of customs posts and other obstacles is a key aim of the Withdrawal Agreement signed by the two sides less than a year ago. An open border underpins the peace agreement that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Conservative British government announced this week that it plans to legislate to give itself the power to deviate from some of the provisions in the agreement about Northern Ireland trade.

The announcement brought stern warnings from the EU.

The withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation and we expect that the letter and the spirit of the withdrawal agreement will be fully respected, Sefcovic said.

Many British politicians and lawyers also expressed alarm, saying that reneging on a legally binding international commitment would trash Britains reputation for upholding law and order.

If we cant be trusted to abide by our word on this matter, well then why would anyone trust us in the future? said Edward Garnier, a former British solicitor-general.

Britain left the political structures of the EU on Jan. 31 and will make an economic break when an 11-month transition period ends on Dec. 31. The two sides are trying to strike a new trade deal by then, but talks have bogged down over issues including fishing rights in UK waters and fair-competition rules for businesses.

The two sides chief negotiators, David Frost and Michel Barnier, are due to end their latest round of negotiations on Thursday. Both sides say that unless there is an agreement by October, Britain is facing an economically disruptive no-deal exit on Jan. 1.
A group calling itself the Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers of Unpaid Legacy Arrears has dared the government to publish the names of teachers it said it has paid legacy arrears.

It follows recent pronouncements by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to the effect that, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had cleared arrears owed the teachers from the John Mahama administration to date.

In a post on his Facebook page in July 2020, Dr. Bawumia said John Mahama's government was not paying teachers promotion arrears. Nana Akufo-Addo's government has paid teachers promotion arrears.

The Vice President at the launch of the NPP manifesto reiterated the same claim but that has not gone down well with disgruntled teachers who have been demanding their unpaid arrears which they say go as far back as 2013.

President of the Coalition, Abdulai Muniru wants the Vice President and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the said monies have been duly paid.

How can the Vice President and the Director-General of the GES claim that government has cleared all arrears? The members of this group are thus shocked to the marrow to hear claims that we have been paid all legacy arrears. We are daring the GES, the Controller and the Accountant Generals Department to, as a matter of urgency, publish the beneficiaries of these paid arrears to prove their case.

The group is also calling on the President of the Republic of Ghana to call the GES director to order and direct the settlement of these legacy arrears owed us without any further delay.

Teacher unions in the country  the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT)  have all on several occasions threatened to lay down their tools from over the failure of the government to pay the legacy arrears.

The arrears, which include over two years salary and promotion arrears as well as allowances of some public school teachers have sparked a series of demonstrations in the education sector.

 citinewsroom
OLD BRIDGE, N.J., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- R.J. Brunelli & Co., LLC today announced that Mario Brunelli has been appointed Vice President of Investment Sales and Development Site Acquisitions, as well as a Principal in the retail real estate brokerage.

Mario Brunelli

Mr. Brunelli, 32, most recently served as an Investment Sales Specialist/Sales Associate at the Old Bridge-based firm. As a licensed real estate broker in New Jersey and Florida, he sold more than $100 million of commercial properties in those states during the last five years alone. Those deals, which included a number of 1031 Exchanges, ranged from neighborhood shopping centers to single tenant net leased properties occupied by such tenants as Auto Zone, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, 7-Eleven, and Walgreens.

His 1031 Exchange activity was highlighted by his role in developing a strategic plan for SMA Associates, a New Jersey entity that used the tax-free proceeds from its share of the 2017 sale of The Grove at Shrewsbury lifestyle center to immediately invest double that amount in a diverse portfolio of retail properties in Florida and Georgia. The acquired sites included a shopping center anchored by Best Buy and Barnes & Noble, as well as four single-tenant buildings occupied by Dollar General and Family Dollar.

In his capacity as a tenant representative for the firm, Mr. Brunelli handled the Florida expansion of a medical products company, arranging 14 leases for retail sites as well as the purchase of a warehouse. .

He began working full-time at the firm founded by his father, Richard, after graduating from Florida International University in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Prior to that, beginning at the age of 18, he spent summers at R.J. Brunelli performing market analysis research, studying occupancies at properties on retail corridors throughout New Jersey. Mr. Brunelli earned his New Jersey real estate license at the age of 18 and his Florida license at 22.

With this promotion, Mr. Brunelli joins his father, sister Danielle (President) and CEO Ron DeLuca as principals of the firm, which was founded in 1975. Ms. Brunelli and Mr. DeLuca became Principals along with Richard Brunelli in 2010 when the firm became an LLC. In 2015, her father was elevated to Chairman, Ms. Brunelli was named President, and Mr. DeLuca was appointed CEO.

"It gives me great pleasure to know that with Danielle and now Mario in ownership positions, the next-generation is firmly in place to continue and expand the relationships RJBCO has enjoyed in the retailing, restaurant, personal services, management/development and real estate investment communities," said Richard Brunelli. "Mario has worked very hard to earn this promotion. He genuinely loves what he does, has a thirst for knowledge and takes great pleasure in sharing that knowledge to advance clients towards achieving their investment goals. In executing acquisitions, he brings the know-how to analyze the financials and implement strategies to maximize cash flow for his clients."

Mr. DeLuca added: "I have worked closely with Mario since his earliest days as a summer employee during his college years. Since joining the company full time, I have seen Mario grow into a successful professional, quickly absorbing guidance from our leadership team, and dedicating himself to personal achievement. In 2019, in addition to his continued focus on fulfilling our clients' needs in the investment sales sector, Mario distinguished himself in the brokerage side of our business, fulfilling a difficult client assignment to close deals on up to 14 new retail locations across Florida in less than ten months. I look forward with confidence to Mario's contribution toward the growth of our business, and his addition to our executive team."

About R.J. Brunelli & Co.

R.J. Brunelli & Co. serves as exclusive broker for 31 existing retail properties with a combined gross leasable area (GLA) exceeding 2.0 million square feet, and five properties for sale. The properties are located throughout New Jersey. The firm also serves as exclusive or preferred tenant representative for approximately 20 retail, restaurant and service chains. These include representation in various New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania counties for such companies as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Sally Beauty Supply, Jersey Strong, Urban Bricks Pizza, Modern Acupuncture, European Wax Center, Asian Food Markets, and Legend Parkthe latter, a national account.

Press contacts: At R.J. Brunelli & Co., LLC, Danielle Brunelli, President, (732) 721-5800; at Jaffe Communications Bill Parness, [email protected], (732) 673-6852, or Elisa Krantz, [email protected] (908) 789-0700.

SOURCE R.J. Brunelli & Co., LLC

Related Links

http://www.rjbrunelli.com


Tesla boss Elon Musk clawed back some of his losses last night after seeing 12.6billion wiped off his fortune in just one day.

The electric car magnate suffered the largest single-day wipeout in the history of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index on Tuesday when the stock dived 21 per cent.That took Musk's losses to 22.2billion since Tesla shares peaked last week.

The 49-year-old, who recently became a father for the seventh time with pop star Grimes, clawed back some of those losses last night as Tesla stock rose around 8 per cent.

Out of charge: Electric car magnate Elon Musk has suffered the largest single-day wipeout in the history of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index on Tuesday when the stock dived 21 per cent

That added more than 3billion to his fortune, leaving South African-born Musk sixth on the Billionaires Index, with a total net worth of 66billion.

Tesla shares are still up 325 per cent this year despite losses of almost 30 per cent since they peaked last week.

The Billionaires Index also marked a record gain for a billionaire on Tuesday, as China's Zhong Shanshan added more than 23billion to his fortune.

The entrepreneur listed shares in his bottled water company Nongfu Spring on the stock market on Tuesday, which rocketed as investors began to trade them. Shanshan is now worth 39billion.

Major US tech entrepreneurs have watched their wealth swing wildly in recent months.

The pandemic, which shut millions at home and drove them to shop and do business online, caused investors to pile their money into companies they thought would benefit.

Shares in online video conferencing firm Zoom, which few had heard about before the pandemic, have rocketed 441 per cent since the beginning of the year.

Anyone who had 1,000 invested in the company in January would now be sitting on 5,410.

Amazon, which has seen unprecedented demand during lockdown, is up 73.7 per cent.

This has added to the wealth of its founder Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man, whose 11 per cent stake in Amazon is worth 139billion.

He saw his wealth jump above the $200billion (154billion) mark for the first time last month  a level it would have hit much earlier, if it wasn't for his blockbuster divorce from wife MacKenzie Scott last year.

The break-up left her with a 4pc stake in Amazon, and she is 15th on the Billionaires Index with a 46.5billion fortune.

But even Bezos, who is dating former news anchor Lauren Sanchez, saw 6billion knocked off his paper wealth on Tuesday, as investors pulled back from tech stocks. The rout came as investors fretted tech firms are getting too popular for their own good.

After the recent rally, some market experts think a 'bubble' is forming  meaning shares in the big-name tech companies are too expensive, and could fall in value as investors are no longer willing to stump up the sky-high prices to buy them.
Leopard Solutions The M&A predictability tool is the first release of our business intelligence suite of products. These products will provide law firm decision-makers with the actionable intelligence they need to make informed business decisions. We are excited to be able to support their efforts. Laura Leopard, CEO

Leopard Solutions Announces the Full Release of Its Merger Prediction Tool & Financial Report to law firms and other business development professionals analyze potential opportunities and utilize risk management to facilitate success.

The merger prediction tool is the first tool from Leopard Solutions' highly anticipated Business Intelligence Suite scheduled for limited release by January 2021 and full release by the spring.

The merger tool will provide users the ability to find potential merger and acquisition candidates from the nearly 4,100 law firms Leopard Solutions currently monitors and show predictive outcomes by benchmarking the potential combination against similar mergers and acquisitions over the past 15 years.

Considering growth through combination but do not know where to begin? Have a specific set of requirements? Users can enter search criteria by location, practice area, specialty, percentage of partners, and firm size to help match a firm with a potential merger candidate. The merger prediction also includes,



The projected success rate of the combination

Predicted financial outcomes

Ability to benchmark past similar mergers

Cultural breakdown of the attorneys by law school, JD years, and diversity mix

Predicted attrition at signing and up to four years after the combination

"The goal of the Leopard Solutions Merger Prediction Tool is to help firms and development professionals see beyond firm financials such as profits per partner as a strong indicator of merger success. The merger and acquisition predictability tool is the first full release of our business intelligence suite of products. These products will provide law firm strategic decision-makers with the actionable intelligence they need to make informed business decisions for their organizations and we are excited to be able to support their efforts." Laura Leopard, CEO

About Leopard Solutions

Leopard Solutions has been serving the legal industry for nearly 20 years. We began our journey with a single database of New York Associates in 2002 and have grown each year, developing new, cutting-edge products for the entire industry. Our depth of knowledge allows us to create innovative tools and products that directly and favorably impact the success of our clients. We are proud to be a diverse employer and a certified Womens Business Enterprise.
Children born to mothers who had diabetes during pregnancy may age faster biologically and be at an increased risk for obesity and high blood pressure, according to Rutgers researchers.

The study, published in the journal Epigenetics, explored how more than 1,000 children born to mothers in China aged on a cellular level. Researchers examined their exposure to gestational diabetes in utero and their DNA methylation, or epigenetic age, which indicates how experiences and exposures reflect true biological age even in early childhood.

Accelerated aging, which can be determined by evaluating if a person's estimated DNA methylation age is greater than their chronological age, has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular risks and poor health outcomes later in life.

The researchers measured the epigenetic age of 1,156 children who were ages 3 to 10 in Tianjin, China, to see how it differed from their chronological age. They found that children born to mothers who had diabetes while pregnant had a higher epigenetic age -- or were "older" than their actual age -- and that this epigenetic age is associated with higher weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, upper-arm circumference and blood pressure.

"These findings suggest that gestational diabetes may have long-term effects on epigenetic aging in offspring and lead to poorer cardiometabolic health outcomes," said lead author Stephanie Shiau, an instructor at the Rutgers School of Public Health.

The findings support the need for further studies using longitudinal samples to evaluate the association between epigenetic age and later onset of adult metabolic diseases.

In the United States, between 2 percent to 10 percent of pregnancies are affected by the condition annually, according to the National Institutes of Health.

###

Other study authors include researchers from the Tainjin Woman's and Children's Health Center, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
India is in talks with Russia to explore the possibility of cooperation between the two countries for advancing the Covid-19 vaccine locally, while Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that 3 potential vaccines are in advanced stages of clinical trials. Stay tuned for more updates.
A Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has fixed October 6 to hear the no-case submission arguments in the fraud case involving embattled Yoruba filmmaker, Olajide Kazeem, also known, Seun Egbegbe.

Egbegbe has spent 42 months in prison custody due to his failure to perfect his bail conditions.

The erstwhile Lagos socialite, known for his lavish lifestyle, has been incarcerated since February 10, 2017.

A no-case submission means that the defendant is asking the court for an acquittal without it having to present a defence.

Bail conditions

Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court ruled that the filmmaker be granted bail once he meets his bail requirements.

One of the sureties must be a civil servant who has attained level 16 while the other surety must be a landowner in any part of Lagos metropolis.

The landowner must submit a Certificate of Ownership of the landed property while the civil servant must submit his international passport to the court.

The sureties must swear to an affidavit while the house and office addresses and a telephone number will be verified by the court, the judge ruled then.

Unfortunately, the film-maker who financed the production of several Yoruba films under his Ebony Films Productions imprint, has been unable to fulfill the bail conditions more than three years after.

Egbegbe, whose publicised affair with Nollywood actress, Toyin Abraham, a few years ago shot him into the limelight, has been abandoned by his colleagues & proteges alike.

Alleged crime

Egbegbe, 43, a controversial figure in the Yoruba movie industry, was arraigned by the police for alleged fraud involving N39 million; $90,000 and 12,550.

The police alleged that he fraudulently obtained the money from no fewer than 40 Bureau De Change operators in Lagos over a period of two years  2015 to 2017.

Egbegbe, who once managed Fuji artistes, Wale Ayinde Tekoma and Pasuma, was said to have allegedly swindled the BDC operators.

He was accused of falsely telling them he had naira to change into foreign currencies and vice versa.

On March 10 2017, over 30 BDC operators stormed the court for the trial.

The police had assembled no fewer than 30 BDC operators to testify in the case.

Following the close of the prosecutions case, all the defendants, except Egbegbe, who is having difficulty paying legal fees, filed no-case submissions.

They contended that the police prosecutor, Innocent Anyigor, failed to establish a prima facie case or prove the charges against them.

They are praying the court to dismiss the charges and set them free.

But their no-case submissions have been opposed by the police.

Justice Oguntoyinbo fixed October 6 to take arguments on the no-case submissions.

Back in October 2019, Mr Egbegbes lawyer, Adebayo Onifade, told PREMIUM TIMES that his client has remained in custody because his bail conditions are yet to be perfected.

When this newspaper called him repeatedly on Thursday for an update, he kept terminating the call.

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Serco Inc. is coming off a strong year  a monster year, according its CEO Dave Dacquino  with 20 percent organic growth and the closing and integration of a major acquisition in the Alion Science & Technology marine engineering and sustainment business.

Its vaulted us to a different level, Dacquino said.

The company is ranked No. 35 on the 2020 Washington Technology Top 100 with $869.5 million in prime contracts.

Sercos overall revenue, which includes intelligence work and subcontracting work not counted toward the Top 100 rankings, was $1.2 billion in 2019, up from $860 million year before. The increase was fed by the 20 percent organic growth as well as the Alion acquisition. Profits also grew.

Getting to that level of success was not an overnight occurrence but something that took several years of planning and effort, Dacquino said.

We walked away from LPTA work, he said, referring to lowest price, technically acceptable contracts, where price is the deciding factor. Its just not a customer we want to pursue if it is just LPTA. Thats the biggest change.

The success also reflects the choices Serco made in 2017 and 2018 to pursue larger programs with higher margins. This kind of work also reinforces for employees that Serco offers an upward career path.

When I came on board [in 2017], we as a team got together and said, where are our holes? Where are we short? What are the capabilities that are not allowing us to chase this higher kind of work? he said.

From that candid look, the company made several decisions. As mentioned, it started walking away from the LPTA work and it started filling those capability holes through partnerships, acquisitions, and hiring the right talent, Dacquino said.

In the past, we were just saying, lets bid lower and then well win the work, but thats not a successful formula, he said. It was a change of philosophy and we lost some people as a result of that but we also got some new, great talent.

The company realized it had to take some risks and it had to invest in people, technologies and partners.

The payoff has been some large single award contracts such as a five-year, $162 million Navy contract to support the Amphibious Warfare Program Office and a $57 million U.S. Space Force contract to support a deep space surveillance system.

The company has also won positions on several large contracts where it will compete for task orders to support unmanned surface vessels for the Navy and communications networks for the Army, for example.

The wins are bringing opportunities for Serco to work on engineering sustainment for submarines, operational testing of unmanned systems and much broader sustainment work.

The Navy wins, in particular, are important given the investment the company made when it acquired the Alion business in August 2019 for $336 million. In 2018, Serco also acquired BTP Systems, in a move to add more C5ISR offerings.

Now we are bidding real sustainment work that is much broader because we have the engineering component [from Alion] and our legacy work, he said.

Acquisitions will continue to be part of Sercos growth strategy, possibly another buy to bolster work with the Navy, the companys biggest customer. But we are very judicious about our acquisitions, Dacquino said.

The company has two threshold questions to answer before making a deal. They have little to do with simply bulking up: What capability will the acquisition bring? And how does that new capability combine with Sercos current capabilities to allow both companies to bid on something new?

One area of interest is in the case management business. Were potentially interested in additional acquisitions there so I think you might see one of those fairly soon, he said.

As have other CEOs, Dacquino has taken a keen interest in social justice issues since the death of George Floyd and what that means for his company. Diversity is something hes long been interested in. He added the first two women to the board of Serco Inc. shortly after he became CEO. A third was added in June.

Dacquino also pushes back against those who complain about diversity hires not having the right skills or experience or the right tool box.

But this candidate that I hired thats diverse and different from us, has another whole tool box with whole different set of tools and when you combine those two things together, that richness of ideas and discourse is what will make Serco successful as we go forward, he said.

Simple diversity isnt enough. Its not just hiring people with different backgrounds. Its making sure theyre engaged in dialogues so they can bring that other toolbox and other tools to the solution set, Dacquino said.

Another issue many companies are dealing with is the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given its customer mix and requirements, 60 percent of Sercos workforce did not switch to remote work. But for the 40 percent that did, Serco has stepped up its use of social media and collaboration tools.

Serco also has invested in online training through LinkedIn and professional certifications such as Program Management Professional. The company also created a work well series to support home-based workers with a multitude of concerns.

Its helped us as an organization work better together, he said.

Dacquino expects 2020 to be better for Serco than 2019. I attribute that to innovation, he said. People arent daunted by change anymore. Theyve gotten more creative and courageous.
Forensic police and SES personnel were scouring a property north of Brisbane on Thursday over the suspected 1996 murder of Gregory James Thurlow.

Homicide investigators established a crime scene at the vacant block of land on Anzac Avenue in Mango Hill, 25 kilometres north of Brisbane in the Moreton Bay Region.

Last month, cold-case homicide detectives offered a $500,000 reward and indemnity for information that led to justice in the disappearance and suspected murder of Mr Thurlow.

Police placed a billboard on Anzac Avenue in Rothwell, along with other highway signs, and targeted Facebook posts in the region to prompt people to come forward.
Bark of fallen trees and rotten wood can be turned into beautiful handicrafts through the deft hands of the locals. These skills are our secret of becoming rich, Li Yanhong, a 44-year-old bark painting instructor, told the Peoples Daily.

Li teaches her fellow villagers in Linsu village, Bailang township, Arxan, Hinggan League, North Chinas Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to create bark paintings and handicrafts with materials such as white birch bark, pine bark, and moss.

Li Yanhong creates a bark painting. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Their bark paintings featuring beautiful women, flowers and birds depicted in traditional Chinese style and works featuring landscapes are so lifelike that many tourists are attracted to these products.

Li demonstrated the process steps for making bark painting works during the interview with the Peoples Daily. She first sketched the basic patterns of the painting, and then peeled a piece of white birch bark layer after layer, after which she concentrated on details of the work using tools including scissors and gravers.

In a few moments, various small parts of the painting took shape. Li then pieced these parts together and pasted them onto a background board, and finally finished a simple bark painting after mounting and framing the work.

Li was born in the family of forestry workers and has been interested in bark painting since her childhood.

Endowed with rich forest resources, local people in Arxan often create various articles of everyday use with bark, such as cigarette cases and containers. Since she was young, Li has seen local women make bark paintings to give to their relatives and friends as gifts or to decorate their homes.

Under the influence of the older generations, Li has also created quite a lot of bark paintings featuring beautiful women and cartoon characters when she was young.

Li Yanhong (center) teaches local women to create a bark painting. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

In the mid-1990s, Li went to study tailoring at a vocational school in Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia. After graduation, she worked in a clothing factory and made bark paintings in her spare time.

Although I did not drop bark painting, I couldnt earn a living through my craftsmanship, for there was neither a stable market nor a decent price for my works then, Li said.

Thanks to Chinas natural forest protection project, forests in Arxan were rehabilitated after the year 2000. Tourism industries in the city started to embrace rapid development and many local forestry workers turned from lumbering to tourism for income.

Li also started to ask people to sell the bark paintings she made in her spare time, and has since seen her income increase significantly each year.

At the end of 2017, Xie Caiyun, general manager of a local culture company based in Linsu village, saw Lis works and persuaded her to return to her hometown and help people in the village achieve prosperity through bark painting techniques.

In May 2018, Li returned to Bailang township and became an instructor of the company. However, Li found herself faced with plenty of difficulties as there were not enough trained people on the job, and the bark painting products of the company could hardly find buyers because of the poor quality, outdated style, and high prices.

Realizing that the key to a breakthrough in the business was to find outstanding bark painting craftsmen, Li and Xie started to look for capable artists and invite them to work full-time on bark paintings. Zhao Guihua, a local villager who could make bark paintings since she was young, is one of them.

Under the guidance of Li, Zhaos skills have been constantly improved in the past two years. At first, Zhaos works were a little rough, but now she can make very delicate bark painting works and has become one of the first-class masters of the company.

I devote most of my time to bark paintings now. My works are paid by piece. I can not only enjoy flexible work hours, but earn 40,000 ($5,864) to 50,000 yuan a year, which is much more than I used to make, Zhao said.

In 2018, bark painting of Linsu village was included on the list of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Inner Mongolia. Later in March 2019, the region held a pilot training course for the integration of ICH into poverty relief efforts, inviting experts from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology to train local bark painting producers.

The training broadened our vision, Li said, explaining that she and her colleagues are adding new materials to their products, paying more attention to the styles of their works, and developing various cultural and creative products based on bark painting techniques.

In an effort to involve more people in the business and guarantee stable growth in peoples incomes, Li has designed bark painting products that are easy to make and can be produced in large quantities.

At present, over 100 local people are working in the local bark painting industry, with their works being sold to other regions of the country. Each worker in the business now sees an average income growth of 1,000 to 2,000 yuan per month.

We hold training sessions every month and teach students in accordance with their aptitudes, Li pointed out. She has tried to improve the artistic quality of bark paintings by integrating traditional Chinese painting styles, traditional Chinese cultural elements, and the characteristics of the local forests.

As the products become more beautiful, our sales volume and prices have risen and more people who are attracted to the craft have also increased their incomes, said Li.
Fewer than 10 per cent of New York City's office employees have returned to public workplaces, jeopardizing the city's financial health as office buildings account for almost 10 per cent of total annual revenue.

When the first COVID-19 cases was reported in New York City on March 1, the bustling city soon quieted when the economy screeched a standstill as cases skyrocketed and deaths quickly followed.

The loss in revenue, officials said, would be detrimental to the city's finances and cause a ruinous fallout.

'Thats revenue thats gone that pays for cops, firefighters, teachers, sanitation workers, its gone. And theres no way Im going to get it back,' said Mayor Bill de Blasio said in May when he revealed the city could need $7.5billion in federal aid.

A report from Partnership for New York City found that just eight per cent of New York City's office workers have returned to public workplaces as of August

Optimists hoped that the city's one million office workers would return to skyscrapers as the pandemic progressed, but reports show that is simply not the case.

The 'Return to Office Survey' released by Partnership for New York City found that just eight per cent of staffers have returned to the office as of mid-August.

Employers have lowered their expectations since May by 33 per cent, with only 26 per cent of surveyed employees scheduled to return by the year's end.

That number jumps just over half - or 54 per cent - for a July 2021 return date.

Of the major employers surveyed, a quarter of them said they 'dont yet know their plans for returning employees to the office,' underscoring the uncertainty surrounding new office culture in pandemic.

The demand for office spaces plummeted in tandem with lockdown orders and forced employers to adjust with remote working models.

That's left New York City's reputation as a global business hub and corporate haven in limbo.

The demand for office spaces have plummeted, stoking fears of financial downfall since office buildings account for almost 10 per cent of the city's total annual tax revenue.

Experts have said that companies have postponed their search for new office spaces and some are waiting for landlords to lower rent prices

There is more square feet of work space in the Big Apple than in both London and San Francisco, Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate brokerage firm, told The New York Times.

Office work is vital to New York's economy and, in fact, property taxes from office buildings make up almost 10 per cent of the city's total annual tax revenue.

Perhaps most concerning is that recovery from the pandemic could take longer that the September 11 attacks and the financial crisis of 2008.

Much of that relies on companies, who've had to reevaluate their real estate needs and account for new operating models.

Robert Ivanhoe, a real estate lawyer at Greenberg Traurig, told the publication that around 20 clients had paused their searches for new office spaces.

'They are putting a lot of thought into coming up with a new operating model  how much of my work force is going to work from home and for how much time?' said Ivanhoe.

'It has never been turned upside down like this before.'

Office leases signed from January through last month amassed to 13.7million square feet, but that's less than half as much compared to the first eight months of 2019, reports Colliers International, a real estate brokerage firm.

Leasing reached a 18-year high at the end of 2019 with nearly 43 million square feet on new leases and property renewals.

'When it comes to making decisions about office leases, the words are postpone, adjourn and delay,' Ruth Colp-Haber, the chief executive of Wharton Property Advisors, said.

Ruth Colp-Haber: 'When it comes to making decisions about office leases, the words are postpone, adjourn and delay'

Executives at Freshly, an online meal delivery company, were poised to sign a lease for a 50,000 square feet property in Midtown in March, but the company later 'hit pause' on the transaction.

Michael Wystrach, the founder and CEO, said Freshly is still considering a new office space, but doesn't have a concrete idea as to when.

'We are long-term believers in New York City.'

Politicians, real estate moguls and comedian Jerry Seinfeld have sung New York City's praises, contending that it will bounce back as it did after every other hurdle and crisis its faced.

But pessimists have labeled New York City 'dead' and don't expect to see an improvement any time soon.

Some argued that companies will keep most employees out of workplaces until a vaccine is released.

Investors are of the latter camp, having noted that shares in companies with lots of office spaces like Empire State Realty Trust, which owns the Empire State Building, have plunged.

Co-working companies like WeWork (pictured) were among the biggest renters of office spaces

'I think the New York office market is going to be generally challenged for the next three to five years,' Jonathan Litt, the founder of the hedge fund Land & Buildings told The Times.

A large obstacle standing in the way are companies reluctance to sign new leases.

In the last several years, co-working companies like WeWork, the city's largest private tenant, have emerged as the city's biggest renters of office space

Such companies signed almost eight per cent of new leases in Manhattan in 2019 and 12 per cent the year before that.

Other potential office renters are unsure of how to navigate the pandemic or are waiting for landlords to lower rent costs, accounting for incentives like money for office space improvements and rent-free months.

'Whats the point of signing a lease with a 15 percent decrease in rent if you think its going to go lower?' Michael Colacino, the president of the brokerage firm SquareFoot. told The Times.

Some offices have decided to use short-term extensions for the time being to avoid getting locked down in a location.

Michael Colacino: 'Whats the point of signing a lease with a 15 percent decrease in rent if you think its going to go lower?''

'They see that new leasing activity has dropped off while the amount of sublet space coming into the market is on the rise, so the average landlord wants to keep the tenant in the building,' said Franklin Wallach, senior managing director of the New York Research Group at Colliers.

One large concern is that companies may start subleasing their empty office spaces.

In January, Colp-Haber showed a construction company Manhattan offices that were on the market for a five-year lease.

In August, they signed a sublet for a one-year lease that was 40 per cent less than the original lease.

However, property owners and large financial firms aren't up in arms just yet.

Facebook in August leased all the office space - 730,000 square feet - in the Farly Post Office near Penn Station. Amazon obtained the former Lord&Taylor building on Fifth Avenue from WeWork in March.

'They still believe New York is the place to have their business and grow their business, said William C. Rudin, chief executive of Rudin Management Company.

'The Amazon commitment is amazing; the Facebook commitment is amazing.'
Earn and Paper Boi were last seen flying to Europe on Atlanta, but they wont touch down until sometime next year.

The acclaimed FX comedy starring creator Donald Glover as Earn and Brian Tyree Henry as his rapper cousin will begin its pandemic-delayed production in the first half of 2021, FX Networks chairman John Landgraf said Wednesday.

Glover and the other series writers have completed the scripts for seasons 3 and 4, with plans to tape them back to back.

But COVID-19 safety concerns and the intricate task of co-ordinating a lengthy shoot hindered production, said Landgraf. One season is to be shot primarily in Europe and the other in Atlanta.

A time lag was already expected for the return of the Emmy-winning Atlanta, which last aired new episodes in May 2018. Earlier this year, Landgraf suggested Season 3 would debut in January 2021, with Season 4 likely to follow that fall.

Another FX series, Fargo, suffered less from the industry-wide production shutdown caused by the coronavirus. Nine of the anthology series planned 11 episodes were shot before COVID-19 hit and, with safety protocols in place, taping on the remaining two was completed earlier this week in Chicago, Landgraf said.

The Associated Press

Christopher Plummer and Archie Panjabi will be back for Season 2 of Departure

From planes to trains: the British-Canadian TV series Departure has already started production of a second season in Toronto, Shaftesbury announced Thursday.

Season 1, which will premiere on Global TV on Oct. 7 and on Peacock Sept. 17, is about the disappearance of a passenger jet over the Atlantic; Season 2 will concern the crash of a high-speed automated train travelling from Toronto to Chicago.

Stars Christopher Plummer and Archie Panjabi will return along with Kris Holden-Ried (Umbrella Academy) and Mark Rendall (Dead Still).

Joining the cast are Jason OMara (The Man in the High Castle), Kelly McCormack (Killjoys), Wendy Crewson (Saving Hope), Karen LeBlanc (Ransom), Donal Logue (Gotham), Dion Johnstone (Sweet Magnolias) and Greg Bryk (Frontier).

The series was created by Vincent Shiao (Ransom) and is directed by Canadian Screen Award winner T.J. Scott (Orphan Black).

Debra Yeo

SNL will be back with live episodes Oct. 3

Saturday Night Live is to return this fall with its first new live episode since the coronavirus pandemic started.

NBC says the long-running sketch comedy series will begin its 46th season Oct. 3 but did not immediately announce a host or musical guest performer.

In March, SNL had just aired a new live episode featuring James Bond star Daniel Craig and was preparing for a new show to be hosted by Office alumnus John Krasinski when the pandemic forced the suspension of production.

SNL closed out its 45th season with three biweekly broadcasts of comedy sketches that cast members recorded from their homes.

The New York Times

TIFF films and a Hot Docs winner on long list for Directors Guild Discovery Award

Two of the more anticipated features screening at the Toronto International Film Festival have made the long list for the Directors Guild of Canada Discovery Award: Inconvenient Indian by Michelle Latimer, based on the acclaimed Thomas King book, and Beans by Tracey Deer, a coming-of-age drama set during the 1990 Oka Crisis.

Two other films screening at TIFF 2020 made the list for the annual prize, which highlights emerging directors: Violation, a revenge horror flick by Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer; and No Ordinary Man, a documentary about transgender jazz musician Billy Tipton by Aisling Chin-Yee and Chayse Joynt.

Also on the list are The Walrus and the Whistleblower by Nathalie Bibeau, the Marineland expose that won the Hot Docs Audience Award earlier this year, and Happy Place, the feature film debut of actor and TV director Helen Shaver.

The other longlisted films are Dont Worry The Doors Will Open by Oksana Karpovych; Monkey Beach by Loretta Todd; La Contemplation du mystere by Alberic Aurteneche; The Forbidden Reel by Ariel Nasr; Little Orphans by Ruth Lawrence; Queen of the Morning Calm by Gloria Ui Young Kim; Kenbe la, Until We Win by Will Prosper; and Vagrant by Caleb Ryan.

The prize will be presented along with the rest of the DGC Awards Oct. 26 via Zoom.

Debra Yeo

JFL announces online lineup with Hannah Gadsby, Howie Mandel, Kenya Barris and more

Just for Laughs has unveiled a lineup featuring more than 100 artists for its first free online festival.

After cancelling in-person performances over COVID-19 concerns, the Montreal institution will host standup shows, panel discussions and other events online on Oct. 9 and 10.

Headliners include Australian standup star Hannah Gadsby, Canadian comedian Howie Mandel, Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, Chelsea Lately alum Jo Koy and viral Donald Trump impersonator Sarah Cooper.

Also among the highlights are Nailed It! host Nicole Byer, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt actor Titus Burgess, Late Night With Seth Meyers writer/performer Amber Ruffin and the cast of Canadas Drag Race.

JFL also announced that Kevin Harts Laugh out Loud network will be the official programming partner for the festival, which will include special programming as part of the Comedy in Color franchise.

The Canadian Press
ANALYSIS: Each of the provinces participating in the PNP has its own unique streams designed specifically to meet their market labour needs and to target a particular category of immigrants.

Which province in Canada is easiest to immigrate to? ANALYSIS: Each of the provinces participating in the PNP has its own unique streams designed specifically to meet their market labour needs and to target a particular category of immigrants.

Which province in Canada is easiest to immigrate to? ANALYSIS: Each of the provinces participating in the PNP has its own unique streams designed specifically to meet their market labour needs and to target a particular category of immigrants.

Which province in Canada is easiest to immigrate to? ANALYSIS: Each of the provinces participating in the PNP has its own unique streams designed specifically to meet their market labour needs and to target a particular category of immigrants. Alexandra Miekus Shelby Thevenot Chris Collette Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

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A common misconception on Canadian immigration is that some provinces are easier than others to immigrate to.

Any province can be the easiest to immigrate to if you meet all of the criteria of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that you are applying for. It might be obvious if you already have a job offer in a particular province, but not so much for people who have not yet set foot in Canada.

Finding a PNP that is right for you is a little like finding the right key for a lock. The right fit will depend on your situation, as well as the skills and experience you can offer when it comes to the needs of the local labour market. Most regions in Canada, except for Nunavut and Quebec, have their own PNPspecific streams. These immigration pathways are tailored to meet the specific needs of each province and are intended for a particular category of immigrants, be they skilled, unskilled, entrepreneur or international students.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration program

Aside from federal and Quebec streams, there are currently almost 80 unique streams across the provinces and territories participating in the PNP.

A provincial nomination from an enhanced PNP stream, that is, one related to Canadas Express Entry system, will award an additional 600 points toward the systems Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. If you earn these additional points, it is virtually guaranteed that you will receive an invitation from the Government of Canada to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

T here are numerous options available to you depending on your personal situation:

Y ou dont have a job off er

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Human Capital Priorities stream is one of the more popular options for those without a job offer. The stream has three Express Entry-linked categories and has been actively issuing invitations to immigration candidates in 2020. While a job offer is not required, you do need to have an active Express Entry profile and work experience to be considered and invited to apply to this stream.

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) is another option for international applicants without a job offer. Saskatchewans International Skilled Worker Category has two very active streams that do not require job offers. The first is the Saskatchewan Express Entry-linked stream, which does, however, require one having an active profile in the federal Express Entry system in order to apply.

The second is the Saskatchewan Occupation In-Demand stream, which does not have this requirement. It brings skilled workers who are capable of filling labour needs in Saskatchewan. To qualify an applicant must have at least one year of work experience in one of the positions listed on the In-Demand Occupations List of Saskatchewan.

Lastly, the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) is one of Canadas most extensive and innovative provincial nominee programs. The NSNP uses four streams to select Express Entry candidates. The NSNP searches the Express Entry pool and identifies candidates with work experience in specific occupations. While the Labour Market Priorities for Physicians Stream requires a job offer (specifically, as a physician from a Nova Scotia Health Authority), the Nova Scotia Demand; Nova Scotia Experience; and Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities (other than Physicians) do not require applicants to have job offers.

Y ou speak French

Outside of the French-speaking province of Quebec, there are other PNPs that call for francophone or bilingual applicants. The OINPs Express Entry-linked French-Speaking Skilled Worker allows the province to search the Express Entry pool for candidates who are French-speaking skilled workers and who also have strong English language skills, among other selection criteria. The stream has been active over the past six months issuing close to 700 notifications of interest.

Y ou are a tech worker

Two of the most notable PNP pathways for tech workers are those operated by the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia.

Ontario periodically conducts dedicated Tech draws within the Ontario Express Entry-linked Human Capital Priority Stream. These draws target individuals who have work experience in one of six designated technology occupations, such as computer engineers and web designers. No job offer is required.

B.C.s Tech Pilot, meanwhile, selects immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination, on an almost weekly basis. This pilot operates within the BC Skills Immigration pathway. A job offer in one of the 29 designated technology occupations is an eligibility requirement for the pilot.

Y ou have experienc e in the province or territory

Many PNPs have streams that benefit individuals with experience in the province or territory. The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) Skilled Worker in Manitoba and Skilled Worker Overseas streams both privilege people who have worked in Manitoba as well as have an educational experience. Within its International Education stream, Manitoba also has three distinct sub-streams for individuals who studied or graduated from Manitoba post-secondary institutions.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration program

PNPs are one of the best ways to obtain PR in Canada

Express Entry and Canadas Provincial Nominee Program are set to play increasingly high-profile roles in Canadas Immigration Levels Plan between now and 2022.

Combined admissions for Express Entry-managed programs and Canadas PNP are projected to account for close to half of Canadas newcomer intake.

Despite Canadas temporary travel restrictions spurred by coronavirus, most PNPs are still holding invitation rounds.

Individuals who are seriously considering immigrating to Canada will benefit from examining all possible program and pathway options. Choices abound and exist to suit each individuals diverse circumstances and unique background.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration program

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
There are two main ways to judge Samsung's improved follow-up to its clumsy first screen-bending phone.

One is functionality: does a fold-out screen make sense? Do you end up using it much, if at all? What does it actually improve? What, if anything, do you sacrifice?

The second is simply to assess it as being something exciting and new, regardless of whether it hits every usability metric (but assuming it works).

I've had the Galaxy Z Fold 2 for over a week now.

On the raw functionality of that big foldout screen, I'd give it between seven and eight out of ten. For all the rest, I'd give it at least nine out of ten.

On the higher rating, I'm factoring in its premium aesthetic finish and design. This, quite simply, is a gorgeous handset. The build quality and materials are just stellar. In your hand, it feels every bit the ultra-premium handset you're forking out an ungodly 2,065 for. With every day that passes, this feeling has grown.

What's more, if you only occasionally want the huge fold-out screen, you can use it quite well as a regular-screen smartphone. Its new 6.2-inch high-end front display does everything a normal phone screen does, including the placement of a selfie camera.

But let's be honest: that's not why you'd buy this phone. So the real question is, does the fold-out format actually work?

Overall, it does.

Opening out the inner folding screen to its 7.6-inch high resolution glory has been a largely smooth, faultless experience for me.

Where it comes into its own is when you're browsing on a couch or in bed. Folded out, it can be fairly comfortably held in one hand while you tap or browse with the other hand.

Oddly, the fold out screen isn't quite as much an advantage for films as you'd think. When you watch a movie on Netflix, there's a good chance that the film is a widescreen 'letterbox' (21:9) format. That means it displays at almost the same size on this giant (almost square) fold-out screen as it would horizontally on a regular large smartphone.

TV programmes and YouTube videos are bigger as they're mostly filmed in a 16:9 format. I found that the fold-out display's real strength was for much more general browsing, reading and social media.

For example, there's an undeniable advantage for those with less-than-brilliant eyesight. Readers over 40 (which is most of you) will instinctively know what I mean, here. It's simply easier to consume stuff on a screen like this than on a six-inch smartphone. There's less squinting, less need for glasses and less scrolling.

That said, I found that I only ever folded the screen out when stationary for longer periods of time, like on the sofa or in bed. It doesn't naturally lend itself to situations when you're out walking or just checking on something in a queue. This is partly because you have to physically lever the screen open yourself against its stiff hinge. (When you're at a table, one big advantage of that solid hinge is that you can stand the phone up - either vertically or horizontally - to watch things or take video calls.)

But what about that bending screen itself? I found that the 'crease' in the centre of the display - where the screen actually folds over on itself - was partly noticeable but unintrusive. It's clearly visible when there's a bright light shining directly on it. But it virtually disappears against the background of any video or content you watch.

It's not a totally perfect experience. Because Samsung has to make the screen bend, it feels slightly softer, even mushier, under your finger than glass. Some people refer to this type of surface as 'glasstic', but Samsung has done a very good job in keeping it as glass-like to touch as it possibly can.

It comes with two screen protectors, one for the main foldout display and the other for the front 6.2-inch screen. Unlike the last doomed version of this phone, you can take both off easily. However, you might want to consider the potential high cost of repairs if you dropped it. Samsung has a special deal with the purchase of this phone where it will replace a broken screen for a one-off payment of 150. But crack it after that? You're looking at upwards of 500.

As for the cameras, they're good but are a small step down from Samsung's Note and S20 lines. The Galaxy Z Fold actually has five cameras - a triple rear array and two separate selfie lenses (depending on whether you have the screen unfolded or not). The rear cameras (0.5x, 1x and 2x, each one with 12 megapixels) are very good quality, if not quite at the level of Samsung's other flagship phones. The zoom is lower and the video quality is capped at full HD (unlike, for example, the ludicrous 50x zoom and 8K video on the Note 20 Ultra).

Otherwise, this phone's power and speed are absolutely top notch with a Snapdragon 865+ chip and enormous 12GB of Ram under the hood. It also comes with 256GB of storage.

I wasn't hopeful for its moderately sized 4,500mAh battery, but it's turned out to be fairly reliable for a full day's usage. This is actually impressive given the size of the 7.6-inch screen and the high-end, stunning 120hz refresh rate.

Overall, this is a gorgeous smartphone. It probably only makes compelling sense if you're the type to sit on the couch, browsing your phone for long periods of time. Otherwise, it's just a luxurious version of what you already own.

From main retailers Rating: 4/5
Students walk down South State Street on the University of Michigan central campus in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, June 13, 2018.

DETROIT - The University of Michigan-Dearborn came under fire on social media Tuesday after posting a promotion for two "cafes," one for students of color and the other for white students.

The two virtual "cafes," scheduled to occur at the same time Tuesday via Zoom, were billed as spaces for students to discuss their experiences both on campus and in their daily lives. One was intended for "Black, Indigenous and People of Color" and the other for "Non-POC (People of Color)."

The initiative has since received criticism for being divisive and for making it seem as though white students are oppressed in some manner, thereby necessitating a safe space for them to discuss their experiences.

The university has since issued a statement apologizing for the wording of the posts, specifically using the word "cafe," which did not accurately depict the university's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The use of "cafe" was the cause of much confusion as people online thought the university was building two separate, physical cafes to serve students, said Vice-Chancellor Ken Kettenbeil Wednesday to the Free Press. Tuesday's sessions were one-time events, but Kettenbeil "anticipates the dialogue will continue."

From U of M - Dearborn. The Non-POC Cafe or the White Cafe. Anyway, I wonder what the menu looks like for the Non-POC Cafe at UM-Dearborn. If they have chocolate hummus I am calling for a boycott. pic.twitter.com/8ZegRv7zet  Abed A. Ayoub (@aayoub) September 9, 2020

The statement reads, in part: "University of Michigan-Dearborn is committed to fostering and maintaining an inclusive campus environment and encourages ongoing dialogue amongst our students, faculty and staff on challenging issues. As campus activities continue to operate in a predominantly remote capacity due to COVID-19, our Center for Social Justice and Inclusion has looked to develop virtual spaces that allow for these important conversations to continue."

Story continues

The virtual "cafes" were created to allow students the opportunity to process current events and share their experiences related to race and to "provide students from marginalized communities a space that allowed for them to exist freely without having to normalize their lives and experiences, while also providing students that do not identify as persons of color the opportunity to deepen their understanding of race and racism without harming or relying on students of color to educate them," according to the statement.

The statement goes on to say the events were open to all campus community members and were not meant to be exclusionary, and faculty/staff members facilitated the conversation to ensure a safe space.

Kettenbeil said similar programming will continue, with the university using different language in its next round of promotion.

Follow Miriam Marini on Twitter: @mmarini36

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan-Dearborn apologizes for race-based 'cafes'
The owners of Thai Rock restaurant in Sydney's west - which was the hub of a major coronavirus outbreak - fear it could be out of business in four weeks as social distancing laws and anxious customers drive down trade to a trickle.

Owners David and Stephanie Boyd, 58 and 50, said their business is down by 90 per cent since reopening the Wetherill Park restaurant on September 1.

Thai Rock was closed on July 17 after one of their employees tested positive to the virus, and in the weeks that followed, the Thai Rock cluster grew to 104 cases, making it the biggest in Sydney.

Making matters worse, the couple's second restaurant in Potts Point in the inner east was linked to another six COVID-19 cases.

The Potts Point venue shut its doors on July 26 before reopening on September 3, and is also struggling to win back customers; making less than $200 a day, including online orders.

Stephanie Boyd (third from left) flanked by Thai Rock staff members, a COVID marshal in orange and a musician. Mrs Boyd and her partner David say their business could be forced to shut down in four weeks if low turnover continues

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Boyd said: 'The two opening nights were reasonably good but then it just dropped.

'If these numbers continue, in four weeks of doing less than $200 a day, no business can survive that.

'You can only sustain it for so long when we're paying more out in wages than we're bringing in. We may have to make a tough call and close.'

When COVID struck, the 100-capacity Wetherill Park venue, distancing regulations cut the business to 51 seats, while the 200-capacity Potts Point restaurant dropped to just 61.

'Our maximum earning potential was already down more than half since we had to reduce seats because of of COVID,' David said.

'But now we're doing 10 per cent of what we were even during COVID. We're down 90 per cent.'

Overall, this represents a drop of roughly 95 per cent on pre-pandemic levels.

Stephanie and David Boyd, their 21-year-old daughter and one of their 23-year-old sons. The four of them work at the Thai Rock restaurants along with 14 staff members

Thai Rock's reopening night in Wetherill Park (pictured) was 'reasonably good' but since then, the turnover has dropped, according to Mr Boyd

Prior to the pandemic, both restaurants employed a total of 30 staff, but when table numbers dropped, this was cut to just 14.

Mr and Mrs Boyd and two of their three adult children also work at the restaurant.

If the restaurants were to close, it would leave their family and their 14 staff jobless.

Mr Boyd said the low level of turnover have been 'very tough' for their family-run business.

'This weekend was Father's Day, which is normally one of our busiest days but we were dead,' he said.

'Sunday's a nice day where you have a lot of people coming out - we did under $1,000, we didn't even stay until closing, we had to close early. Some of those days, only have enough to cover two or three staff.'

He said the Wetherill Park location is 'a little busier' than the Potts Point venue, which is only open in the evening.

The Potts Point venue only made $140 on Father's Day, which includes online orders from Uber Eats.

Empty seats can be seen behind Mr Boyd in a promotional picture for Father's Day. Mr Boyd said it is normally one of their busiest days of the year but on Sunday it was 'dead'

Mr and Mrs Boyd believe the bad publicity surrounding their six-week closure has 'significantly contributed' to low levels of business.

'Even to this day we see people holding their nose when they walk by as if they're going to catch something,' Mr Boyd said.

Mrs Boyd said she was 'devastated' by abusive online messages, including one that told her 'to go and die and to burn in hell', and she now sees a psychologist once a week.

'It was quite devastating, there were attacks directly at me personally, that I have allowed an infectious staff member to be working, that I was selfish and greedy, because I still have her employed,' she said.

'None of this is true, we did not know that she was infectious.'

The employee who sparked the outbreak worked five consecutive shifts in July before developing symptoms on July 14 and getting tested.

The restaurant was shut down on July 17 and all staff, including the Boyd family, went into self-isolation.

Mr and Mrs Boyd enjoy a dinner date. Mrs Boyd said she was 'devastated' by horrific messages, including one that told her 'to go and die and to burn in hell', and now sees a psychologist once a week

Mr and Mrs Boyd during a trip to Thailand. The couple have received torrents of online abuse since being linked to Sydney's biggest COVID-19 cluster

Ms Boyd, who fled the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia when she was just 10 years old, does not believe the online attacks were racially motivated.

'People have said that it is my grubby virus, that I should be put in jail, almost alluding that I have cooked it in the kitchen and served it,' she said.

'I've been called all sorts of names, that I'm an ex-sex worker. Recently there was a very dirty email, its just devastating to read that someone has that much hate and anger to someone they've never met.'

She also said there have been a number of fake reviews on Google that they have tried to get removed, but the tech giant refused.

Mr and Mrs Boyd have a daughter Chelsea, 21, and twin sons, 23, one of whom is named Dylan.

Daughter Chelsea (pictured), 21, also works at the restaurant. While in isolation, she was photographed in her bedroom by a photographer, which her mother says was an 'invasion of privacy'

Their children have helped 'shield' them from online abuse but have also received their fair share of flack.

'My son has been looked at like a walking virus, they look at him like he's dirty. It hurts when you see your son seen like that,' Mrs Boyd said.

'There were photos taken of my daughter in her bedroom. There was a photographer camped out of our house for two days, it's an invasion of privacy.'

During the restaurant closures, Ms Boyd said she hardly slept and constantly cried.

'I just thought there was no future because I had no restaurant to go to, I was very, very lost. I was thinking how could we recover financially when we've worked so hard to build this restaurant,' she said.

'Now, I've run out of tears. I just need to move on, I've dusted myself off. I've got two kids relying on me for income, staff members relying on me.'

Both restaurants have FLIR thermal cameras to check the temperature of everyone entering and use ozonated water, which is commonly used by dentists. Pictured: A screen grab from one of the cameras

Since reopening, the restaurant has gone 'above and beyond' with high-tech preventative measures to 'give customers another level of confidence'.

Both restaurants have thermal cameras to check the temperature of everyone entering and use ozonated water, which is commonly used by dentists.

They have also upgraded their alcohol-based sanitiser to Zoono, which provides 24 hours of proactive protection.

Zoono chemicals that last 30 days are also sprayed on tables every 28 days to ensure that the virus does not spread via contact, according to Mr Boyd.

They also have a microbiologist perform unannounced testing to ensure that everything is up to par.

'The cost is a lot, thousands of dollars. The chemicals themselves cost $200, which is five times as much as normal sanitiser,' he said.

'When customers see all the steps we're taking, they say "you're actually one of the safest places to go to".'

Mr Boyd said 'we need customers now more than ever' but 'people are frightened to go out, just in general'.

Son Dylan (pictured), 23, works at the restaurant's bar. Mrs Boyd said people have been looking at her son like he is 'a walking virus' since the cluster

A supportive message from a customer on an Uber Eats order. Mrs Boyd said she appreciates the support from their loyal customers, many of whom have doubled up on visits just to help them

Mrs Boyd said she appreciates the support from their loyal customers, many of whom have doubled up on visits to help boost revenue.

'They all said the same thing, "we're really sorry for what's happened to you",' she said.

'They genuinely cared, they can see that we're in no way being blamed for it.'

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone, who oversees the Wetherill Park area, has called on locals to support Thai Rock and other businesses hit by the pandemic.

'Like many businesses, Thai Rock were simply unlucky to get caught up in the spread of COVID-19,' Mr Carbone said.

'It is important that we support our local businesses during COVID-19. When you go local first, you support local families and jobs.'

Mr Carbone said politicians have been using Thai Rock and his area 'as a stomping ground to promote themselves'.

'The fact is, our city has been the frontline when it comes to the virus,' he said.

'Our city has done a wonderful job when it comes to looking after the virus. It's not our fault that we were the frontline, but it is our fault that we fought hard.'
In the hospital Wednesday, her father struggled with the thought of talking to his other children about their sisters death. He struggled with the idea of Chicago as thin ice, cracking everywhere he walks, and the weight of that now that his daughter is dead.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, during the Rafale induction ceremony into IAF in Ambala, said the Rafale induction is a big and stern message for the entire world, especially to those eyeing our sovereignty. Hinting at escalating tensions over China's aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Singh said: "This induction is important considering the kind of atmosphere at our borders or should I say the kind of atmosphere created at our borders," the Singh added.

Big day for the Indian Air Force! Attending the Rafale Induction Ceremony in Ambala. Watch! https://t.co/pwhn77h1LH Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 10, 2020

He added the induction of Rafale into IAF represents the strong ties between India and France. With the Rafale induction in the IAF , the strategic ties between our two countries have also strengthened, Singh said at the Ambala airbase.

The speed at which IAF deployed its assets at forward bases creates confidence that our Air Force is fully prepared to fulfil its operational obligations, Singh added. "I would like to congratulate our colleagues of the Indian Air Force today. During the recent unfortunate incident at the border, the swift and deliberate action taken by Indian Air Force near LAC shows your commitment," Singh added.

IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria also said the Rafale induction jets could not have happened at a more opportune time considering the current "security scenario".

Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly said France is fully committed to 'Make in India' initiative, as well as, to the further integration of the Indian manufacturers in our global supply chain.

She said today's induction of Rafale in IAF is an achievement for both the countries. "Together we are writing a new chapter in India-France defence ties," she said. Highlighting India and France's friendly relations, Parly said France supports India's candidacy for the UN Security Council. "You can count on us," she said.

Earlier, traditional 'sarva dharma puja' and aerial display was held by the Rafale fleet to mark the event.

About the Rafale deal

In September 2016, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets at a cost of around Rs 59,000 crore. The purchase was made to further strengthen the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.

The five rafale aircraft arrived in India on July 29, 2020. The second batch of four to five Rafale jets is likely to arrive by November.

Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

In total, twelve IAF pilots and engineering crew members have received complete training on the Rafale fighter jets.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will be based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be twin-seater trainers and will have almost all features of the fighter jets.

Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. It has capabilities to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

Also read: Rafale fighter jets to reach India tomorrow; here's how it's better than China's Chengdu J20

Also read: IAF to induct Rafale fighter jets into Golden Arrows Squadron today: Key things to know

Also read: India's Rafale vs Pakistan's JF-17, F-16 vs China's J-20: Which one is better?
Bir Lehlou (Saharawi Republic) 10 September 2020 (SPS)- The President of the Saharawi Republic and Secretary General of Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, affirmed in a letter to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres, that the Saharawi people are determined to take the necessary measures to defend their legitimate rights, stressing that they expect the UN to bring to a successful conclusion the decolonisation of the last colony in Africa.

The letter delivered to Gutteres on Tuesday also reveals Saharawi peoples frustration from the UN inaction and failure to implement the mandate of its Mission, in addition to its tolerance of Moroccan obstacles to peace.

Following is the complete text of the letter, which was also handed to the President of the Security Council to be published as an official document of the Council:

H.E. Mr Antonio Guterres

Secretary-General of the United Nations

United Nations, New York

Bir Lehlou, 7 September 2020

Mr Secretary-General,

Twenty-nine years have passed since the establishment of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) by Security Council resolution 690 (1991) to implement the UN-OAU Settlement Plan that was accepted by both parties, the Frente POLISARIO and Morocco, in August 1988 and approved by the Security Council in its resolutions 658 (1990) and 690 (1991).

As you are aware, the essential aim of the UN-OAU Settlement plan consists in achieving a just and definitive solution of the question of Western Sahara in conformity with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) by means of a ceasefire and the holding of a referendum without military or administrative constraints to enable the people of Western Sahara, in the exercise of their right to self-determination, to choose between independence and integration with Morocco (S/21360; para 1). In line with the UN-OAU Settlement Plan, the UN Observer Group to be established to monitor the implementation of the peace plan will function in accordance with the general principles applicable to United Nations peace-keeping operations (ibid, para 20).

The United Nations however has so far failed in implementing the mandate for which MINURSO was created, and thus successfully completing the decolonisation of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa. What is even worse is that both the United Nations and MINURSO have all along maintained a deafening silence in the face of Moroccos continued annexationist actions whose aim is to impose a fait accompli by force in the occupied Western Sahara and to undermine the legal status of the Territory as a Non-Self-Governing Territory pending decolonisation.

Moreover, the United Nations has chosen to turn a blind eye as Morocco persists in its actions aimed to undermine the exclusive international nature of MINURSO and to handicap the operational capacity of the Mission to implement its mandate. Morocco continues to impose the use of Moroccan vehicle number plates on MINURSO vehicles and it insists on affixing Moroccan stamps on the passports of MINURSO personnel upon their entry to and exit from Western Sahara. Morocco also refuses to allow MINURSO access to any local interlocutors in occupied Western Sahara, which handicaps the Mission in the implementation of its mandate, as highlighted in numerous reports of the UN Secretary-General.

Mr Secretary-General,

When the Frente POLISARIO decided to accept the ceasefire in 1991, it wasand is stillpredicated on the full implementation of the UN-OAU Settlement Plan for which MINURSO was exclusively established. For the Frente POLISARIO, the ongoing ceasefire is an integral part of an integrated package deal, namely the UN-OAU Settlement Plan, which was accepted officially by both parties, the Frente POLISARIO and Morocco, and approved by the Security Council in its relevant resolutions. The ceasefire, therefore, can never be considered as a separate arrangement from the UN-OAU Settlement Plan or an end in itself, but only as a means to create the necessary conditions for implementing the peace plan whose ultimate goal is the holding of the self-determination referendum for the people of Western Sahara in line with the terms of the UN-OAU Settlement Plan.

The failure of the UN Secretariat and the Security Council to act robustly to end Moroccos deliberate attempts to torpedo the mandate of MINURSO and to forcibly entrench and normalise its illegal occupation of parts of our country has severely undermined the credibility of the UN and deepened the loss of faith amid the Sahrawi people in the already fragile UN peace process. In this context, following the adoption of Security Council resolution 2494 (2019) on 30 October 2019, the Frente POLISARIO announced that it was left with no option but to reconsider its engagement in the UN peace process that has been drastically deviated from its agreed course. In our letter (S/2020/66) dated 28 December 2019, we outlined a series of urgent actions that both the UN Secretariat and the Security Council, acting within the scope of their respective responsibilities, should adopt to restore the confidence of the Sahrawi people in the UN peace process.

In our letter, we also emphasised the need to ensure the independence and impartiality of MINURSO, which entails that the Mission should treat both parties equally. It is utterly unacceptable that, because of Moroccos policy of blackmail, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of MINURSO and other senior officials of the Mission cannot meet with the Frente POLISARIO in the Liberated Territories of Western Sahara, despite the existence of documented evidence that former SRSGs had held meetings with the Frente POLISARIO in those areas. We regret that neither the UN Secretariat nor the Security Council has taken any action in this regard.

In concluding, after twenty-nine years since the entry into force of the UN-OAU Settlement Plan and the ceasefire, the Sahrawi people are determined to take the necessary measures to defend their legitimate rights and to ensure that MINURSO fulfils its mandate and functions in line with the general principles applicable to UN peace-keeping operations. What we expect from the United Nations, therefore, is to see concrete and serious actions made towards the full and rigorous implementation of the peace plan by enabling our people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, thus bringing to a successful conclusion the decolonisation of the last colony in Africa.

I would be grateful if you would bring this letter to the attention of the Members of the Security Council.

Please accept, Mr Secretary-General, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Brahim Ghali

President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO". (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
An interactive map has revealed how huge proportions of people do not think vaccines are safe, raising concerns about whether people would get a Covid-19 jab.

Researchers from the UK, US and Belgium compiled data from surveys of nearly 300,000 people in 149 countries to identify vaccine 'hesitancy hotspots'.

They found that European countries were among the least trusting, with just one in five people in Lithuania and Albania agreeing vaccines are safe.

In Ukraine and Turkey, three quarters of the population believe jabs do some form of long-term damage to their health.

The UK has seen a rise in trust in the last year, but still only little over half (52 per cent) agree that jabs are safe.

In the US, Canada and Australia, more than 60 per cent of people had faith in Government vaccination programmes.

Scientists behind the research said scientists and public health experts around the world 'needs to do much better at building public trust in the safety of vaccination', particularly with the hope of a COVID-19 vaccine.

A vaccine is a hope politicians and scientists worldwide are pinning their plans on, with no signs that the coronavirus will go away until one is found.

The UK has seen trust rise in the last year, but still only little over half (52 per cent) agreed jabs were safe. In the US, Canada and Australia, more than 60 per cent of people had faith in Government vaccination programmes

Europe's wariness of vaccines: Just one in five people in Lithuania and Albania agreeing vaccines are safe. In Ukraine, three quarters of the population believe jabs do some form of long-term damage to their health

The research was conducted by teams from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, the University of Washington, and Antwerp University in Belgium.

The scientists analysed data from 290 nationally representative surveys conducted between September 2015 and December 2019.

Modelling was used to estimate trends in public perceptions about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and the importance of vaccinating children.

Poland was one of the countries in Europe which showed 'significant losses' in confidence in vaccine safety  a dip from 64 per cent strongly agreeing that vaccines are safe in November 2018 to 53 per cent by December 2019.

The researchers attribute the fall in confidence to 'the growing impact of a highly organised local anti-vaccine movement'.

But they found confidence in vaccine safety to be increasing in other European countries alongside the UK, including Finland, France, Italy, and Ireland.

In France, confidence in vaccines rose from 22 per cent of those surveyed strongly agreeing that vaccines are safe in 2018, to 30 per cent in 2019.

In contrast, six countries, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Serbia, saw 'substantial increases' in people strongly disagreeing vaccines are safe.

In Azerbaijan, the proportion of those strongly disagreeing that vaccines are safe rose from 2 per cent in 2015 to 17 per cent in 2019.

Researchers described the decrease in confidence as a 'worrying trend', with negative attitudes mirroring political instability and religious extremism.

Indonesia, meanwhile, has seen one of the largest falls in public trust between 2015 and 2019 where the absolute difference in perception of safety fell by 14 per cent percentage points, the team said.

10 COUNTRIES WITH LEAST TRUST IN VACCINES (PERCENTAGE OF POPULATIONS WHICH STRONGLY AGREE VACCINES ARE SAFE) Japan 17% Lithuania 18% Albania 19% Hong Kong 21% Russia 23% Taiwan 25.5% China 26% Ukraine 26% Turkey 27% Mongolia 27% Advertisement

10 COUNTRIES WITH MOST TRUST IN VACCINES (PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION WHICH STRONGLY AGREE VACCINES ARE SAFE) Uganda 87% Bangladesh 85% Liberia 83% Burundi 83% Namibia 83% India 82% Madagascar 81.5% Syria 81% Uzbekistan 81% Gambia 81% Advertisement

They believe negative attitudes may have been partly triggered by Muslim leaders questioning the safety of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The findings, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet, also raise questions over people's willingness to be given a Covid-19 vaccination should any of the candidates currently undergoing trials prove successful.

In 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health.

As the race to find a Covid-19 vaccine continues, the authors said assessing public attitudes on a regular basis and taking swift action when confidence is declining 'must be top priority to give the best chance to ensure uptake of new life-saving vaccines'.

Professor Heidi Larson, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who led the research, said: 'It is vital with new and emerging disease threats such as the Covid-19 pandemic that we regularly monitor public attitudes to quickly identify countries and groups with declining confidence, so we can help guide where we need to build trust to optimise uptake of new life-saving vaccines.'

Professor Larson and her team are currently gathering data on the public's attitudes towards a Covid-19 vaccine through surveys across the UK and worldwide.

She said initial figures show that willingness in the UK has been variable. 'For instance, at the end of March in the UK it was only 5 per cent of the population  when the fatality rates were high  (who) said that they would not take a Covid-19 vaccine,' she said.

'(In) June that had gone up to about 15 per cent as people saw fatality rates dropping  because people are constantly weighing the imminent threat of the disease and the risk of a brand new vaccine so that's going to be part of their decision criteria.'
BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EIT InnoEnergy, the world's largest sustainable energy engine headquartered in Europe, has today announced cleantech capital Boston, MA as the launchpad for its expansion into another primary market, the US. The new office will help entrepreneurs develop their innovations and reduce time to market by providing direct access to 500+ industrial partners in EIT InnoEnergy's ecosystem.

The transatlantic expansion will be mutually beneficial to start-ups and partners on both sides of the ocean, offering access to new markets and resources including investors, educators, and talent. By enhancing its ecosystem in this way, EIT InnoEnergy will further dismantle barriers to innovation spurring a wave of new sustainable energy technologies in areas such as offshore wind, storage, and e-mobility.

Supporting the launch, EIT InnoEnergy has signed a partnership with Greentown Labs, the largest cleantech start-up incubator in North America. EIT InnoEnergy and Greentown Labs are both active members of the Incubatenergy Network, a consortium of US clean energy-focused incubators that have supported more than 500 companies.

EIT InnoEnergy's involvement with the Network, coupled with organic growth in its start-up portfolio, led the accelerator to consider a greater presence in the U.S. to further accelerate innovation. EIT InnoEnergy's new office is led by former Greentown Labs founding team member Mark Vasu, who has been appointed as US Operations Manager while EIT InnoEnergy's Innovation Director Elena Bou has joined Greentown Labs' Advisory Board.

Welcoming the partnership Elena Bou, Innovation Director and Executive Board member, EIT InnoEnergy, said: "Solving the energy transition is a challenge without borders. By expanding our ecosystem to incorporate more diversity and richness, we can ensure that the very best sustainable energy innovations benefit all corners of the world.

Following an extensive search, it was clear that the Northeast US is the best location from which to expand our ecosystem and Greentown Labs is the perfect partner in the region to work with. Together we can create new opportunities for transatlantic partnerships, research and sales, not only shortening time to market, but also substantially increasing the impact of all involved.

"Over the last 10 years we have created a trusted innovation ecosystem in sustainable energy with more than 500 industrial partners, 55 specialized investors and more than 450 ventures and innovative companies. In addition to the Greentown Labs partnership, specialised US VCs including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, TDK Ventures, City Light and Arctern Ventures have already joined our VC Community as more and more US investors recognise Europe's leadership in fighting climate change. It is a win-to-win situation and a boost to amplify the impact of sustainable energy innovations all around the globe.

"I am also thrilled to have Mark join us to spearhead the expansion and benefit from his insight in strengthening the region's cleantech ecosystem by leading business development, partnerships, and international networking for Greentown Labs."

Mark Vasu, US Operations Manager, EIT InnoEnergy, said: "I am excited to bring Europe's most trusted 'go to' ecosystem to the US and leverage the network, knowledge, and depth of partnerships it has built in parallel with my tenure building Greentown Labs.

"EIT InnoEnergy's expansion into the US is an enormous opportunity to help sustainable energy start-ups, both in the US and in Europe, that are looking to diversify geographically and rapidly scale their operations."

Welcoming the news, Peter Rothstein, President, Northeast Clean Energy Council, said: "EIT InnoEnergy could not have chosen a better place than Boston, the hub of the Northeast clean energy economy, to begin its expansion into the US. NECEC looks forward to partnering with EIT InnoEnergy and connecting our hundreds of member companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and market leaders to accelerate clean energy solutions and leverage strengths of ecosystems on both sides of the Atlantic."

EIT InnoEnergy chose Boston, MA, because it is a hotbed for sustainable energy innovation and entrepreneurialism. The city has an active start-up community as well as a vibrant local network of research universities, institutions, and investors. Boston also benefits from supportive public policy at local and state level.

The Boston location joins EIT InnoEnergy's Pan-European business activity via its network of offices in Barcelona, Lisbon, Berlin, Karlsruhe, Grenoble, Stockholm, Krakow, Brussels, Eindhoven and Amsterdam.

SOURCE EIT InnoEnergy

Related Links

https://www.innoenergy.com/


Congress urges PM Modi to order JPC enquiry into Rafale deal after France initiates judicial probe

3 more Rafale fighter jets arrive in India from France

Stunning images of Rafale jet carrying Scalp stealth cruise missile released: See here

New evidence of kickbacks in Rafale deal appears in French journal Mediapart

Rafale to S-400 air defence systems all set to add more firepower to Indian Air Force

Ready to provide more Rafales to India says French Defence Minister Parly

Rafale aircraft gets water cannon salute at induction ceremony in Ambala

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Sep 10: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday formally inducted the five Rafale fighter jets, which arrived in India on July 29, in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The induction ceremony is taking place at the Ambala Air Force base, where Indian Air Force's 17 Squadron, also called "Golden Arrows", is based.

5 Rafale Jets formally inducted today in the Indian Air Force fleet at Ambala airbase|Oneindia News

The Rafale jets were given a water cannon salute at the induction ceremony after stunning air maneuvers were performed by the Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguars.

The French delegation represented by Emmanuel Lenain Ambassador of France to India, Air General Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the French Air Force and other senior officials.

Watch LIVE: Formal induction of Rafale aircraft into IAF at the Air Force Station in Ambala https://t.co/FuLl2Pz6Fy  Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India) September 10, 2020

Ahead of inducting Rafale jets to Indian Air Force, France describes India as strategic partner

A large delegation of senior functionaries of French Defence Industries which includes Eric Trappier Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation and Eric Beranger, CEO, MBDA were present during the ceremony.

Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Florence Parly, Minister of Armed Forces of France, at Palam Air Force Station before leaving for Ambala.

India should convert COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity: Amitabh Kant

The ceremonial unveiling of the aircraft was accompanied with the traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja'. The Rafale and Tejas aircrafts were part of the Air Display following which the Rafale aircraft received a water cannon salute.
Coronavirus cases in the UK have risen by a further 2,919. (PA)

Coronavirus cases in the UK have risen by a further 2,919, the fifth day in a row the number has been above 2,000.

A further 14 deaths were also announced bringing the total number of people who have died from COVID-19 in the UK to 41,608.

Separate figures published by the UKs statistics agencies show there have now been 57,400 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

There were 2,988 new cases on Sunday, the highest daily increase since 22 May, with another 2,948 on Monday, 2,420 on Tuesday, and 2,659 on Wednesday.

Cases stayed below 1,900 each day last week.

On Wednesday, Boris Johnson announced a new law dubbed the rule of six, which limits the number of people who can meet at one time, in response to the recent rise in numbers.

He also announced new coronavirus marshals and more powers for the police to enforce the rules.

Johnson admitted it "breaks my heart" to have to bring in the restrictions and continue to limit peoples ability to enjoy their life.

The new law comes into force on Monday.

COVID-secure venues like places of worship, gyms, restaurants, and hospitality venues can still hold more than six in total, although groups should not mix with others.

Read more: The 13 exemptions when you can still meet up in groups of more than six from Monday

Also on Wednesday, Englands chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said the number of coronavirus cases had been increasing much more rapidly over the past few days.

He pointed out the numbers among older people and children were low but in other age groups there had been rapid upticks.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Witty, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance during the press conference where further lockdown measures were announced. (PA)

Among 17- to 18-year-olds and 19- to 21-year-olds, the numbers had gone up significantly since mid-August.

Prof Whitty said data suggests Britain would be on a path extremely similar to France, where numbers have continued to rise in recent weeks, if we did not take action now.

New Test and Trace figures released on Thursday show that 9,864 new people tested positive for coronavirus in the week ending 2 September.

Story continues

Read more: Matt Hancock jeered as he outlines plan to get closer to normal before Christmas

This represents a 43% increase on the previous weeks figure, when 6,732 tested positive  which marked a 6% rise from the week before that.

The current figure is the highest weekly number since the governments Test and Trace scheme was launched at the end of May.

The stats also show almost 30% of people Test and Trace tried to contact were unable to be reached, significantly below the 20% target.

Dr Daniel Lawson, a lecturer in statistical science at the University of Bristol, said the figures showed that the number of new cases will continue to rise rapidly.

He added: We must get the infection number per infection (R number) below one to prevent a large second wave which will be impossible to prevent reaching vulnerable populations.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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Eleven years after receiving federal funding to replace the states obsolete jobless benefits technology, Oregon has at last settled on a vendor to do the work.

The Oregon Employment Department said Thursday that it has picked Fast Consulting, a Colorado company that has built similar systems in Washington, Michigan and other states. Fast also built a separate computer system for the Oregon Department of Revenue.

Fasts systems encountered major problems with fraud detection in both Michigan and Washington amid bumpy rollouts. Michele Evermore with the National Employment Law Project said getting unemployment benefits technology to work flawlessly is a fraught process regardless of the vendor.

It just seems like every single state that has modernized their IT (information technology) system has come in late and with increased errors, Evermore said.

Oregons selection isnt final. The state has yet to negotiate terms of its contract with Fast, including how much the state will pay and the scope of work. The states internal timeline calls for the project to wrap up in 2025 with a budget between $80 million and $123 million.

In a statement, Fast said it is excited about the opportunity to work with the Oregon Employment Department on its modernization program and we look forward to contract negotiations.

Oregon received $86 million in federal money to upgrade its computers in 2009, but years of dysfunction in the employment department prevented the work from being done. Oregon began choosing a replacement system in 2017 but eventually set a generous, eight-year timetable to complete the project.

As The Oregonian/OregonLive has reported, computer problems are at the heart of the crisis that has embroiled the employment department since the start of the pandemic. The departments systems date to the 1990s and were woefully inadequate for the unprecedented surge of jobless claims.

The antiquated system routinely rejects legitimate claims, sends out erroneous mailings and requires manual adjustments to thousands of applicants before they can be processed. Those failings left hundreds of thousands of Oregonians waiting weeks or months for their benefits through the heart of the pandemic.

The rigid technology has been unable to adapt to recent changes in the benefits program that Congress authorized in March. It took Oregon four months to begin paying most claims from self-employed workers, who are newly eligible for benefits.

Oregon has now paid more than $4 billion in benefits during the pandemic and has addressed the vast majority of claims filed during that time. But tens of thousands are still waiting for their benefits to be adjudicated or otherwise resolved before receiving payment.

And Oregon owes hundreds of millions of dollars to hundreds of thousands of workers who were furloughed or lost their jobs since May. Those workers must typically wait a week before being eligible for payments. Congress funded a waiver in March but Oregons computers have been unable to implement it.

The state says its not aware of any other state that has failed to make the so-called waiting week payments. Oregon hopes to begin paying the federal money in November, eight months after Congress authorized it. If it fails, though, it could miss an end-of-year federal deadline  which may mean the state, and those laid-off workers, forfeit the money.

The new computers wont address the current crisis but could prevent a future recurrence. However, state reports this year found the computer upgrade program is itself in peril.

Four key personnel have left in recent months, including a project manager for the computer upgrade and the modernization program director, who quit in July. A legislative report this summer concluded the employment department has been without the necessary combination of organizational stability and sustained professional and technical capacity needed to ensure project success.

Fast Consulting is a large contractor that builds computer systems for all manner of government agencies. It finished second in the early stages of the employment departments evaluation project for this project, behind Deloitte Consulting, but jumped into first place after Oregon officials visited Fast projects in Michigan and Washington.

Fasts rollout in Michigan began in 2013 and went poorly. The company built that states MiDAS employment system, which incorrectly flagged 34,000 legitimate jobless claims as fraudulent due to a faulty algorithm. Michigan ultimately apologized for the fiasco.

Fasts rollout went better in Washington, according to Evermore, with the National Employment Law Project. She said constituents saw what went wrong in Michigan and demanded a role in the new systems implementation, resulting in a more user-friendly program.

However, Washington suffered a notorious failure this past spring when the state paid out $576 million in fraudulent claims last spring amid the surge in layoffs triggered by the pandemic. Evermore said that debacle was apparently the result of Washington prioritizing prompt payments over fraud detection, rather than a fundamental defect in Fasts systems.

Successful technology upgrades are done with users in mind, Evermore said, especially those from marginalized communities who have historically had less access to benefits. She said Oregon should be thinking especially about people who cant afford a computer and will rely on smartphones to submit their claims, and those who dont speak English.

And Evermore said states should think proactively about the most efficient way to resolve each claim so legitimate benefits applications dont end up getting stuck in a feedback loop, passed around among department adjudicators who work on one element of the claim at a time.

People cant be an experiment after the fact, she said.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway |
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 11:05:13|Editor: huaxia

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by Chanthaphaphone Mixayboua, Zhang Jianhua

VIENTIANE, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The China-aided Mahosot General Hospital project in the Lao capital Vientiane provided real benefits and great opportunity to local staff, Lao workers said.

The large-scale hospital project, upon completion, will be the largest and most advanced hospital in Laos.

Khamsaly Deyu, 30, told Xinhua in late August that he found the job opportunity for the project on social media and decided to apply.

"I am working here since last year. The job is good, so as the income," said Khamsaly, adding the Chinese colleagues helped him a lot to improve his skills and knowledge.

"I heard that China is also to help train doctors, nurses and other hospital staffs for the Lao side. That's a great opportunity for Laos to improve its health service standard," said Khamsaly.

Touy Phonesavanh, a 37-year-old man from Oudomxay province, some 400 km north of Vientiane, said he decided to move to the capital to work for the hospital project because he expected to have a satisfactory salary and welfare, so that he can improve his livelihood and support his family.

"My income is higher than before and the working environment is good," he said.

"I have learned and gained more know-how to use more advanced apparatuses and equipment since I started working here," Touy told Xinhua.

He said the project will help promote the country's social development and improve the living standards of local people.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Thitxay Tamong from Vientiane province described the project as "an exciting place to work," where he gained necessary support and training to improve his skills.

"China will provide the most modern equipment for this project. I hope this will help the Lao government offer the modernized medical service to the people," said Thitxay.

Jong Leng Lor, who is also a local staff for the project, said the project is another manifestation of the mutual trust, mutual assistance and mutual benefit between the Chinese and the Lao peoples.

Jong from Vientiane said he learned different skills from his Chinese colleagues during work, as Chinese technical standards and Chinese equipment were used in the construction.

Jong, 24, said he is happy to work with this project and he has a close working relationship with his Chinese colleagues.

The hospital project, which started construction in December 2018, includes the expansion of the existing Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane and the building of new medical facilities in the hospital, a new 600-bed large-scale general hospital, with a construction area of approximately 54,000 square meters.

As a landmark project in China-Laos cooperation on public welfare, the new hospital is expected to be put into use in 2021. Enditem
The proposed legislation introduced on Wednesday in Parliament could unravel protections previously agreed upon by Britain and Europe to safeguard peace in Northern Ireland. The bill would allow Britain to forgo requirements for inspections and paperwork for goods shipped across the Irish Sea from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom. It would also allow Britain to set its own rules for providing targeted state aid to economic sectors in Northern Ireland, possibly undermining European demands for "level playing fields." Loading The issue of how to manage the border between the Republic of Ireland, which will remain in the European Union, and Northern Ireland, which will leave the EU along with the rest of the United Kingdom, has been one of the most vexing in the long Brexit saga. Downing Street said the legislation, called the Internal Market Bill, is needed to set out trading rules between the United Kingdom and the EU if the two sides do not strike a deal by the end of the year.

Johnson, in Parliament on Wednesday, called the bill a "legal safety net to protect our country against extreme or irrational interpretations of the protocol which could lead to a border down the Irish Sea." The bill would need to be debated and passed in both houses of Parliament before becoming law. Johnson's Conservative Party holds a comfortable majority in the House of Commons, and he can generally bank on support. But this latest move prompted backlash from within the party. Theresa May, who as Johnson's predecessor exhausted many months trying to secure a Brexit deal, implored in the House of Commons, "How can the government reassure future international partners that the UK can be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?" A second former prime minister from Johnson's party, John Major, suggested Britain was selling cheap its hard-won trust. "Our signature on any Treaty or Agreement has been sacrosanct," Major said in a statement. "If we lose our reputation for honouring the promises we make, we will have lost something beyond price that may never be regained."

Tobias Ellwood, a chair of the defence select committee, said to the BBC on Wednesday, "How can we look at countries such as China in the eye and complain about them breaching international obligations over Hong Kong or indeed Russia with ballistic missile treaties or indeed Iran over the nuclear deal if we go down this road?" The head of the government's legal department, Jonathan Jones, quit his post on Tuesday, reportedly because of concerns over the legislation. Loading The prime minister's spokesman said that the EU withdrawal agreement was not like other treaties and was agreed "at pace," containing "ambiguities" that were always going to need clarification. Anand Menon, a professor of European politics at King's College London, assessed that Downing Street's manoeuvrings were aimed at a specific domestic audience.

"They are signalling two things," Menon said. "If there is a no-deal Brexit, Johnson will have been seen to have tried everything he could to stand up for Britain's interests. Even more interestingly, in the event there is a deal that involves a certain amount of concessions made by the prime minister, this actually shields him from accusations of selling out." Rob Ford, a professor of politics at the University of Manchester, said moves by the Johnson administration "sometimes feel like a squid squirting a great pile of ink just to startle its predator. . . . They create a fog of rhetoric that creates a cover for retreating, just as the squid does." He said it is possible Britain could ultimately give ground on key areas in the current divorce talks - fishing rights and state aid are two major sticking points - and "just wanted a big domestic distraction." But, he said, there are consequences. "The cumulative effect is to corrode trust in the administration," he said. "And that's dangerous if you are going to need to negotiate with various other international actors."
I see myself as a proxy for all those who came here with nothing and dedicated their lives so we could achieve, Alvarez said. They are the ones who engineered the building of our city and laid the foundation for what we all enjoy today.

Cesar L. Alvarez, senior chairman of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A., received the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFLHCC) Lifetime Achievement Award Sept. 4 at the organizations Hispanic Leadership Awards reception in Coral Gables, Florida. The award is the SFLHCCs highest recognition for business and community leadership contributions to the South Florida community.

According to the SFLHCCs website, the annual Hispanic Leadership Awards recognize the top Hispanic leaders who have made significant and positive contributions to the community. Honorees are chosen based on their combination of unique leadership achievements and a strong commitment to community service.

It gives me great pleasure that our board selected Cesar Alvarez as the recipient of the SFLHCC Lifetime Achievement Award. Cesar is an extraordinary attorney who led Greenberg Traurig to become one of the most respected global law firms, said Liliam M. Lopez, president and CEO of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Cesar is a community leader, who through his involvement in civic, charitable, and business organizations, has made significant contributions to help make Miami the international city that it is today.

Alvarez previously served as Greenberg Traurig's chief executive officer for 13 years and executive chairman for more than three years. During his tenure as CEO, he directed the firm's growth from 325 lawyers in eight offices to approximately 1850 attorneys and government professionals in more than 36 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, including strategic alliances in Milan and Rome, Italy. Under Cesar's leadership, the firm was recognized as the fastest-growing law firm in the United States and is among the Top 10 law firms in the country.

Alvarez, a Cuban refugee who came to the United States as a teenager, said in his acceptance speech that he was honored to accept on behalf of the many immigrants who came before him.

I see myself as a proxy for all those who came here with nothing and dedicated their lives so we could achieve, Alvarez said. They are the ones who engineered the building of our city and laid the foundation for what we all enjoy today.

Before taking the helm as CEO, Alvarez practiced securities, corporate, and international law for more than 25 years. Throughout his career, he has represented numerous public companies and served on the boards of directors of several publicly traded corporations and charitable organizations. He has been recognized nationally and locally for his professional, business, and charitable leadership. Alvarez has been honored as one of the "100 Most Influential Lawyers in America" by The National Law Journal in 1997, 2000, and 2006 (the last three editions), as one of the top most powerful Hispanics by PODER's Power Issue, and among "The 25 Best Latinos in Business," Hispanic Magazine's Power Issue, both in 2008. He also has been honored by Chambers and Partners with its "Lifetime Achievement" Award and by the American Bar Association with its "Spirit of Excellence" Award.

Alvarez currently serves as Chair of the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Board of Trustees and of the Florida International University College of Law Advisory Board, as well as a member of the Florida International University Board of Trustees. In the past, Alvarez has served as a trustee for Miami Dade College and the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Alvarez also previously served as Chair of the American Bar Associations National Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities, Chair of the United Way of Miami Dade and Chair of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Founded 25 years ago, the SFLHCC seeks to provide opportunities in commerce to the different Hispanic populations that exist in South Florida. With more than 1,200 members and advocates for thousands of Hispanic businesses in Florida, the SLFHCC is recognized as one of the most influential Hispanic chambers in the country and one of the leading Hispanic business organizations in Florida. To learn more, visit http://www.sflhcc.com.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,200 attorneys in 40 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
The lead representative for the local deputies union hammered away during a virtual collective bargaining session Wednesday on working conditions at the Bexar County Jail, comparing detention officers to workers in a coal mine.

You just keep working them, and working them, and working them, and we think thats got to stop, said attorney Ron DeLord, chief negotiator for the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County. We cannot agree to continue a process that allows workers to be worked to a point of exhaustion and have no personal life.

An attorney for the county said it was looking for solutions to address some of the issues raised by the union, but also noted budgetary constraints.

Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News

DeLord said deputies need to earn a better salary.

According to the countys website, cadets who attend a 14-week detention academy at the Sheriffs Office draw a monthly salary of $2,975 while training, and $3,114 upon graduation. After completion of a one-year probation, the salary increases again to $3,309 monthly.

But DeLord said the detention workers need good starting pay and steady raises for the next five years after completing the academy. While its up to the county to decide how much to pay staff, DeLord said the association is proposing a compressed schedule of salary increases, reduced from nine years to five years, to give detention officers motivation to stay.

At the end of the five years, they could be making about $47,000 annually, he said.

On ExpressNews.com: Citizen review panel discussed as part of bargaining agreement

The jail currently has more than 200 staff vacancies, and the association believes about 500 detention officers have resigned in the past four years. Long hours and lack of opportunities for them to transfer to law enforcement are key factors, said DeLord, who also was chief negotiator for the San Antonio Police Officers Association in similar talks with the city in 2015.

Last year, the jail was declared out of compliance with state jail standards. But the Sheriffs Office got the facility back into adherence, in part by no longer using civilians in roles where certified uniformed personnel were required.

County leaders, through jail diversion, conditional releases granted by judges and legal presumption of eligibility for personal recognizance bonds for nonviolent offenders, had reduced the jail population from about 3,900 to 2,900.

That number lately has swelled back to close to 4,000. And with spacing protocols in place during the pandemic, the jail has had to step up staffing to remain in compliance with state standards.

Sheriff Javier Salazar, a Democrat completing his first term and facing Republican challenger Gerard C. Gerry Rickhoff in the Nov. 3 election, has said some detention officers are working three overtime shifts per week.

Whatever Salazar and the county are doing isnt working, DeLord said.

Otherwise, you wouldnt have 238 vacancies and we wouldnt have the turnover rate thats just astronomical, he said, calling the issue our big ticket item in talks over a new collective bargaining agreement to replace a four-year accord that runs through Sept. 30.

Any reduction of overtime will save taxpayers money, he said. County officials budgeted about $5 million for overtime in the Sheriffs Office this year, and had estimated the agencys overtime costs last year would run about $8 million. But DeLord said the problems are ignored because people dont see it.

The amount of work being forced on the jail cannot continue, he said. The people working in the jail are basically no better than working in a coal mine, and nobody cared about their health or safety, because the work is just endless. You cant plan anything, you cant get off, you cant attend family events.

Attorney Sarah Griffin, an associate of Lowell Denton, the countys lead negotiator, said the county negotiating team was aware of resignations at the jail, is looking for good solutions, and would study the associations proposal, considering its costs and the countys available resources in the pandemic.

I fear how this is going to cost out, but we will certainly take a strong look at it and see if its anywhere within the realm of possibility, Griffin said.

In a related matter, the association requested a tweak in policy that the union said interferes with detention officers efforts to secure lateral transfers from the jail to patrol duty. Its deflating, association members said, when a detention officer eyeing a patrol position sees it taken instead by an officer who just resigned from a suburban police department.

On ExpressNews.com: The Judge vs. the judges: magistration services

Griffin said county negotiators and policymakers would have to discuss and consider the effects of seeking the best person for the (patrol) position, versus seeking ways for someone to rise in the ranks within.

I think both are important concepts to consider and weigh. One may or may not be more important than the other, she said. But I understand what youre saying, that you dont want them feeling like theyre stuck in  a dead-end job, and that too is an important stepping stone for them as well.

The session was the eighth publicly posted meeting held via video conference since early June. Under ground rules agreed on by both sides, the public is welcome to observe, but is not allowed to directly participate in the sessions.

People can provide input via email at CBAPublicInput@bexar.org.

Another negotiation session is planned for later this month.

Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. To read more from Scott, become a subscriber. shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA


Assays and Operations Update 64North Project Alaska

Adelaide, Sep 10, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resolution Minerals Ltd ( ASX:RML ) is pleased to update investors with assay results from phase two of drilling on the Aurora Prospect and that the third phase of drilling for 2020 is well underway on the West Pogo Block adjacent to Northern Star's ( ASX:NST ) Pogo Gold Mine, Alaska.Drilling production rates have improved throughout the year and high-quality structural data has been collected from orientated HQ core. The structural information learnt from the drilling is crucial in unlocking the structural controls on mineralisation and will be combined with assay data when it becomes available to enhance drill targeting. A surge in gold exploration in North America has resulted in longer time frames on return of assays from laboratories, the Company has taken steps to minimise time frames and will look to fast track the core from the Reflection Prospect.Hole ID: 20AU07 - Aurora Prospect - currently drillingA track mounted diamond core drilling rig has commenced the third diamond core hole at the Aurora Prospect for this phase of drilling (hole ID:20AU07). The hole is currently at 422m depth and is designed to a depth of ~600m and will test a NE trending structural zone. The hole is located on the central-northern edge of the Aurora prospect, proximal to an outcropping diorite intrusive and coincident with conductive rocks identified by the ZTEM geophysics survey. The Aurora Prospect is road accessible, which allows for year-round drilling.Assay Results Hole ID's 20AU03 and 20AU04Assays from Aurora drill holes #3 and hole #4 indicate minor gold mineralisation as detailed below. The alteration observed in the drill core matched the CSAMT and ZTEM geophysics anomalies. The Company is encouraged by the strong alteration, presence of minor gold mineralisation, para-gneiss host rocks and presence of sulphides indicating the strong fertility of the system. We interpret that correct structural "dilation" event, or opening of "space", to allow thick high-grade gold mineralisation did not occur at these locations. We conclude these holes intersected thick zones that were clearly the fluid pathways for a large mineralising system and further drilling will target potential high-grade zones of gold mineralisation.Intervals Hole 20AU003- 0.86m @ 0.35 g/t Au from 19m depth- 0.86m @ 0.44 g/t Au from 423m depthIntervals Hole 20AU004- 0.78m @ 0.41 g/t Au from 522m depth- 1.19m @ 0.76 g/t Au from 762m depthTo view tables and figures, please visit:About Resolution Minerals Ltd

Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX:RML) is a mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious and battery metals - such as gold, copper, cobalt, and vanadium.

The company is led by Managing Director Duncan Chessell and an experienced team with proven success in corporate finance, marketing, metallurgy and geoscience. This equips Resolution Minerals with the tools to meet the changing demands of the mining markets.

Resolution Minerals Ltd Listed on the ASX in 2017 with a focus on the exploration of the Wollogorang Copper Cobalt Project. It has since aquired the Snettisham Vanadium Project and more entered into a binding agreement witth Millrock Resources to earn up to 80% of the highly prospective 64North Gold Project.
NEW DELHI: The UK government on Thursday announced a new visa route for international students that is to start from 5 October, delivering on its promise to introduce a new points-based immigration system.

The new "Student Route" visa system is based on points  a total of 70  which an applicant is required to secure to gain a visa, a statement from the British High Commision in New Delhi said. The new process is more streamlined for students and their sponsoring institutions, it said.

Students will achieve the required points if they can demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, speak English and are able to support themselves during their studies in the UK," it said.

Students will also now be able to make a visa application up to 6 months before their course starts (up from 3 months previously) and they will not be required to resubmit proof of academic qualifications with their visa application. The new route treats students equally, with all international students using the same, simplified route when it opens for applications no matter where they come from," it said.

According to Jan Thompson, Acting High Commissioner, India is one of the UKs largest source of international students and our world-leading education system has always been a key part of our bilateral relationship."

Last financial year, nearly 50,000 Indian nationals were granted a study visa  they are the ambassadors of the Living Bridge that connects our countries. Now that we have left the EU, we can introduce this streamlined visa route and the Graduate Route in summer 2021, to ensure the brightest and the best students continue to pick the UK," she said.

Barbara Wickham, Director, British Council India, said the new system offered greater flexibility and ease of immigration for applicants."

With the post study work benefits of the Graduate Route and the launch of the Student Route, the UK has further solidified its commitment towards international students, and enabling more than ever, their dreams of pursuing a world-class education," she added.

India has previously urged the UK government to have a relook at its visa policies which had disallowed Indian students from working in the UK after finishing their courses. The UK had the post-study work visa scheme till 2012 when then home secretary Theresa May scrapped it.

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Dame Diana Rigg shot to fame as Emma Peel in Sixties TV series The Avengers and then as a Bond girl.

But she also notched up many Shakespearean roles and enjoyed a long career, appearing recently as powerful matriarch Olenna Tyrell in Game Of Thrones.

Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg was born in Doncaster on July 20 1938.

Expand Close Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Dame Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in the 1960s hit series The Avengers (PA) / Facebook

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She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1959.

The actress quickly made her mark there with important roles in productions of The Taming Of The Shrew, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Macbeth and King Lear.

After that, she was hugely successful in her role as Emma Peel, the secret service agent in The Avengers, co-starring Patrick Macnee.

But Dame Diana was unhappy about the intrusion into privacy that came with being on TV, and she was also critical of the way she was treated by TV bosses.

She also discovered that she was being paid less than a cameraman.

It was very, very intrusive in those days, because I was instantly recognisable, the actress later told Variety.

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I was grateful to be a success, but there was a price to pay.

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In 1969, she played Bond girl Tracy in On Her Majestys Secret Service, opposite Bond actor George Lazenby, with whom she had a difficult relationship.

It was in the 1970s that she joined the National Theatre, where she played major roles in Tom Stoppards Jumpers, The Misanthrope, Pygmalion, Antony And Cleopatra and Stephen Sondheims Follies.

In a nude scene she played in Abelard And Heloise, she was described by one critic as being built like a brick mausoleum with insufficient flying buttresses.

As a result, she produced a book of the worst-ever theatrical reviews, entitled No Turn Unstoned. It was a best-seller.

Dame Dianas many film credits included The Hospital, A Midsummer Nights Dream, A Little Night Music, Evil Under The Sun and A Good Man In Africa.

In 1994, she won a Tony Award for her Broadway performance in the title role of Medea.

And in 2008, as she approached 70, she was appearing in The Cherry Orchard at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

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Her many TV credits included roles in Hedda Gabler, Witness For The Prosecution, Bleak House and Mother Love. It was for her superb portrayal in that BBC production of an obsessive mother who was prepared to do anything, even commit murder, to keep control of her son which won her the 1989 Bafta for best actress.

Dame Diana was married to the Israeli painter Menachem Gueffen from 1973 to 1976, and was later married to Archibald Stirling, a theatrical producer and former officer in the Scots Guards. She had a daughter by Stirling, the actress Rachael Stirling.

She also played the Duchess of Buccleuch in ITV royal drama Victoria, the young queens mistress of the robes, who is renowned for speaking her mind.

In 2015, Dame Diana told Radio Times: A black Bond would be lovely. I wouldnt like to see a female Bond, because we wouldnt want to lose the Bond girls. But we could have a lesbian Bond, why not?

In 2019, she revealed that she suffered a Me Too moment early in her career at the hands of a powerful film director.

Dame Diana said she welcomed the emergence of the Me Too movement as a means for women to speak out following her experience as a young actress.

She also urged women put in a similar position by men to pour their scorn on would-be abusers.
NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cooler temperatures call for colorful leaves, vibrant landscapes, and a vacation or two to take in it all in. With autumn days away, people everywhere are planning their getaways. Whether flying or driving (or flying to drive!), the travel experts at CheapOair are sharing some of their favorite spots for the perfect socially distanced and idyllic fall trip.

"Here at CheapOair, we know that fall vacation destinations are the worst kept secret in travel. Flight prices are down, the weather is beautiful, and many consumers want to get some leisure travel in before the frantic holiday rush. Even in times where we all must be careful, there's still a lot of adventure to be had as long you take precautions," remarked Sam S. Jain, Founder and CEO of Fareportal, owner of travel brands CheapOair and OneTravel.

Stowe, Vermont

This classic New England village sits at the base of Vermont's highest peak, which provides an excellent vantage point for those who want to see the beautiful changing leaves. Visitors are recommended to take a drive through Stowe's scenic back roads to really take in the splendor.

Nearest Airport: Burlington International Airport (BTV)

Travel Advisory: Any out-of-state travelers are asked to quarantine for 14 days when visiting but there is a growing list of exempt states that are eligible for "quarantine-free leisure travel." States and territories on this list include Delaware, Maryland, New England, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. Click here for the latest updates.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Move over, New England. This western park offers vast acres of gorgeous foliage from the Aspen forests. In addition to its over 300 hiking trails, this national gem offers some of most scenic car rides in the country including the not-to-be-missed Trail Ridge Road that offers forest views from an altitude of over 12,000 feet.

Nearest Airport: Denver International Airport (DEN)

Travel Advisory: Rocky Mountain National Park is adhering to a phased reopening schedule with limited access to the park. Currently, visitors must make a reservation ahead of time for two-hour visitation limits. For more information please click here for the latest updates and reservation information.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Northern Michigan offers remarkable drives and seemingly endless acres of forests with a rainbow of colors to see. There are several different routes to take but there is no way of choosing wrong. With a combination of shoreline views, small town ambiance, and unbelievable foliage, there's no doubt that Michigan offers the very best in scenic fall travel.

Nearest Airport: Flint-Bishop International Airport

Travel Advisory: Michigan is open to all travelers but does require face coverings when social distancing is not achievable. For more information visit michigan.gov.

About CheapOair

CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-646-738-4820) or live chat. Part of Fareportal's family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to learn how to travel the world for less.

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Until recently the hardest thing Melburnian Dom Chambers ever did was making glasses of beer appear from an empty paper bag.

But this weekend Chambers, who chalked up millions of views of his beer magic performance last year on Americas Got Talent, will attempt to perform a magic show from lockdown in north-east Melbourne, in tandem with a magician in Beijing, over Zoom.

Dom Chambers practises Zoom magic

Chambers and award-winning Chinese magician Eric Chien have dubbed their idea The Impossible Zoom Experiment. And, even after you discount for the customary magician hyperbole, they have good reasons to call it that.

Days before we announced the show, Zoom was banned in China, Chambers, 28, says. That obviously wasnt favourable, given this was a Zoom show, and [Chien] was broadcasting from China.
A Democratic committeewoman in New Jersey has been censured after she allegedly accused the town's Republican mayor of using his wheelchair as a prop to get elected.

The Rochelle Park Township Committee voted 3-2 to formally reprimand Linda Boniface last week over comments she reportedly made to Mayor Nicholas LiBassi during a meeting on June 24.

Boniface is said to have told LiBassi: 'The only reason you got elected was because of your wheelchair.'

She reportedly added: 'You used that wheelchair as prop during your campaign. There was not one headshot of you, every picture of you included the wheelchair'.

Democratic committeewoman Linda Boniface (left) has been censured after she allegedly accused the town's Republican mayor, Nicholas LiBassi (right) of using his wheelchair as a prop to get elected

According to NewJersey.com, LiBassi has been confined to a wheelchair since 1996, when he suffered a spinal cord injury. He has been serving as Mayor of Rochelle Park since 2018.

In their censure of Boniface, the Rochelle Park Township Committee declared that she failed to 'conform to a high level of personal, moral and ethical conduct, especially while performing the duties and responsibilities of their elected position'.

Boniface has denied making the comments.

However, Michael Kazimir - the Republican committee member who voted to censure Boniface - alleges she has a history of making offensive remarks.

Kazimir claims that Boniface once called former committee member Frank Valenzuela 'a cripple.'

Valenzuela suffers from multiple sclerosis and moves with some degree of difficulty.

Boniface has also been accused of calling former committee member Frank Valenzuela (right) 'a cripple'

Kazimir claims he heard Boniface whisper 'Let's hear what the cripple has to say' as Valenzuela approached the microphone to speak at a separate local meeting.

It's not the first time Boniface has hit headlines.

Last month, the local politician filed a lawsuit against the townships Office of Emergency Management coordinator, Peter Donatello, claiming he tried to run her over with his car.

The pair had reportedly become embroiled in a spat, with Donatello allegedly accusing Boniface of leaking embarrassing photos of his son wearing a yarmulke.

The photos caused controversy as the Donatello family are not Jewish.

NorthJersey.com reported that, prior to that incident, the Boniface and Donatello had quarreled with each other frequently, although it's unclear what their arguments stemmed from.

Boniface's lawsuit claims that the car incident left her 'emotionally and psychologically traumatized' and exacerbated a 'pre-existing psychological condition' she has, although it's unclear what the condition is.

She is asking for unspecified damages and court costs.

Boniface is pictured in a social media snap
The Kremlin's desperate attempt to silence its fiercest critic, Aleksey Navalny, has not changed his stature, even as he lies in a hospital bed in Berlin.

"Navalny is the only threat the ruling party is facing," Serguei Guriev, a Russian economist and former Kremlin advisor, told ABC News in a recent interview.

Navalny, 44, was allegedly poisoned while on his way back to Russia's capital from Tomsk in the vast Siberia region last month, where he was helping independent candidates prepare for upcoming local elections. The prominent opposition leader and anti-graft activist was promoting his controversial tactical voting campaign, "Smart Voting," which proved successful last year in Moscow during council elections when the ruling party lost nearly half its seats.

MORE: Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny out of coma after 'severe' Novichok nerve agent poisoning

Navalny came up with the idea in the fall of 2018 and it was well-received by members of his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), according to Navalny's chief-of-staff, Leonid Volkov.

"At FBK, we do have internal debate but with Smart Voting, everyone liked it," Volkov told ABC News in a recent interview. "It was just smart and brilliant."

Vote for anyone except Putin's party

With the Smart Voting initiative, supporters get an email on the eve of elections informing them which candidate is the strongest to vote for -- that is, the candidate with the best chance to defeat President Vladimir Putin's party, United Russia.

"We can say clearly that in Moscow this result is a triumph for Smart Voting," Navalny reportedly said after the election results were released in September 2019.

PHOTO: Ksenia Fadeyeva, 28, the head of Alexei Navalny's Tomsk headquarters and the city council candidate in Sept. 13 regional elections, distributes campaign leaflets in the Siberian city of Tomsk on Sept. 7, 2020. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

The strategy aims to "short-circuit" a political system implemented by a KGB dynamic that discourages and even forbids any contesters to run for office except Putin allies, according to Russian political analyst Alena Epifanova.

Story continues

"For example, Navalny was never allowed to get a party," Epifanova told ABC News in a recent interview, adding that this only forces the opposition to get creative.

With this pragmatic approach to tackle the various tricks and tools of the Kremlin to preserve power, Navalny has rocked the ruling state, Epifanova said.

The Kremlin's 'terror campaign'

Beatings, false accusations and long detentions are just some of the consequences Russian activists face if they express political freedom.

"It's a terror campaign," Guriev to ABC News. "Today, being a militant or simply having an opinion is dangerous in Russia. Poisoning his most charismatic leader, Navalny, was aimed to send a clear message to activists in Russia: If you fight against us, you can pay for it with your life."

PHOTO: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny delivers a speech during a rally to demand the release of jailed protesters, who were detained during opposition demonstrations for fair elections, in Moscow, Sept. 29, 2019. (Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

Guriev himself experienced persecution before fleeing Russia in 2013. He was repeatedly interrogated by government investigators over a report he co-authored that criticized Putin's imprisonment of oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man.

MORE: Before Navalny, a long history of Russian poisonings

Amid certainty that his next interrogation "could result in the loss of my freedom," Guriev bought a one-way ticket to Paris, where he is now a professor at Sciences Po.

What happened to me is similar to an accident, or a rare disease," Guriev wrote in an op-ed published by The New York Times in June 2013. "Everybody (in Russia) faces the risk of contracting such a disease, but may also be lucky enough to avoid it. There are behavioral traits that reduce the risks -- not speaking out in favor of the rule of law or against corruption, for example."

'He is the bravest of us all'

Navalny was transferred in serious but stable condition from a Russian hospital to one in Berlin after falling ill last month. Germany's federal government subsequently announced that Navalny had been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, developed as part of a secret Soviet chemical weapons program. The Russian doctors who initially treated Navalny have continued to claim that there was no evidence he had been poisoned, while Russia's foreign ministry has accused Germany of an "information campaign" and making allegations without evidence.

Charite University Hospital Berlin, where Navalny is receiving treatment, released a statement Monday saying he has been taken out of a medically-induced coma and that his condition "has improved," though it was still too early to gauge "the potential long-term effects of his severe poisoning."

MORE: Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny was poisoned with Novichok nerve agent, German government says

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Thursday that Russia is ready for international cooperation, including with Germany, to determine the causes of what happened to Navalny. But Peskov said any claims that Russian officials could have had a hand in the alleged poisoning are inadmissible.

PHOTO: Policemen guard the medical vehicle of the German Army which carried the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, in front of the Charite Hospital on Aug. 22, 2020, in Berlin, Germany. (Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)

The alleged poisoning was not the first attempt to discourage Navalny. Since creating the Anti-Corruption Foundation in Moscow in 2011, the father of two has been jailed numerous times, tried for fraud and is partially blind in one eye after a chemical attack in 2017. Yet he has never once retreated from his cause.

"He is the bravest of all of us," Volkov told ABC News, adding that he does not believe Navalny will ever leave Russia.

Volkov described what it's like being an opposition activist in Russia. The 39-year-old has spent a total of 120 days behind bars after being arrested dozens of times for protesting alongside Navalny.

"This is true that if a police officer is getting closer, you already know what will happen," he said. "You know how to react, what you will go through in jail, the questioning."

Navalny's investigative videos rack up millions of views

Despite hostility from Moscow, Navalny has built a massive audience online via the video-sharing platform YouTube, garnering millions of subscribers and attracting swaying voters. His viral videos have disclosed investigations by his Anti-Corruption Foundation on the conspicuously luxurious lifestyles of the Russian elite, prompting outcry and protests.

The target of one those investigations is Moskovsky Shkolnik, a company that provides catering services to Moscow schools and residential care facilities. The company has been linked in media reports to Russian businessman Yevgeny Progozhin, a close ally of Putin. Navalny said he went after the company for its poor quality of food, potentially making children sick, and because it has monopolized the Russian market due to its ties to Putin.

Prigozhin has since vowed to ruin Navalnys life with a court penalty of 88 million Russian roubles (approximately $1.2 million). Recently, Prigozhin said in a statement that if the opposition leader survives, he will ensure that "Navalny will be liable with the full severity of Russian law."

A Russia without Navalny

With Navalny still hospitalized in Berlin, Volkov is currently supervising the "Smart Voting" initiative, which he said he hopes will become even "more successful." The campaign has seen a significant increase in voter registrations and three times more users on social media than the previous week, according to Volkov.

"Of course, the absence of Aleksey in our movement is terrible. He is the charismatic key figure we need, but we are doing everything we can by vowing people to vote," Volkov told ABC News.

"Don't believe that I am used to violence or bad news, such as Aleksey's poisoning," he added. "You never get used to that. Never. And it's always painful."

PHOTO: Alexei Navalny takes part in a rally in Moscow, Feb. 29, 2020. (Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters, FILE)

With Navalny out of the country, political analysts foresee a possible long-term benefit for the Kremlin for not having their toughest critic on Russian soil.

"Navalny abroad has not the same impact. His level of legitimacy and influence is immediately lower," Epifanova told ABC News. "The Kremlin loves this type of geopolitical issue as Putin is reported to be bored of domestic politics. It also shifts the attention away from the bad economy, the pandemic or the lack of structural reforms."

Starting Friday, Russian citizens will vote to elect 18 governors and city councilors over a three-day period. Russia's lower chamber of the parliament, the State Duma, approved an amendment in July allowing elections to be held over the course of multiple days rather than just one, raising fears of the likelihood of possible electoral fraud.

"We don't know what will happen with these ballots at night," Volkov said. "This is dangerous for transparency."

Alexey Navalnys team pushes for successful elections as Russian opposition leader remains hospitalized originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Pantanal is known for its immense biodiversity and is the known habitat for jaguars, a species tagged by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as "near threatened" because of its declining numbers.

The fires that are currently raging here threaten the jaguar population, according to Brazilian authorities.

READ: Providing for Indigenous Property Rights will Help Provide Protection to the Amazon Rainforest



The Pantanal

The Pantanal is an area of over 42 million acres. It is the largest and one of the most pristine tropical wetlands in the world. It encompasses three countries in South America, namely Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia, supporting millions of lives and communities in the Rio de la Plata Basin.

The Pantanal has more land area than 29 states in the U.S., including Wisconsin, Florida, New York, and at least nine European countries, including Ireland, England, Hungary, Austria, and Greece. It is composed of 3 percent of the entire planet's wetlands, and it remains pristine and intact compared to the majority of wetland systems.

It is a refuge for iconic species of wildlife, including the largest crocodile population worldwide, having around 10 million caiman individuals. The largest American felines, the jaguars, prey on caiman in this area; Pantanal also has one of the world's largest jaguars populations.

It also harbors the world's largest parrot, the hyacinth macaw.

Sadly, less than 5 percent of the area is under protection, with the rest of the 95 percent of the site owned privately, mainly utilized for grazing cattle.

The protected areas include parts encompassed by the Ramsar Convention, which requires nations to conserve wetlands. Some are Biosphere Reserves and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The three countries on which it is located, Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia, are finding new means of managing the Pantanal across their respective borders, developing an l mutual agreement for sustainably developing and conserving this globally crucial freshwater resource.

READ ALSO: Small Drought-Resilient Trees May be the Future of the Amazon Rainforest



The Fires

According to the Mato Grosso state government, the military's firefighters deployed two reinforcement teams today in response to a fire in the Encontro das Aguas State Park. Aside from this, there are 46 ground fighters already on the front.

According to satellite data from the INPE, Brazil's national space agency, there were already 12,102 fires this year in Brazil's side of the Pantanal, which is more than all the fires that occurred from 2018 to 2019.

Last July, satellites found 1,684 fires in this region, three times more than the fires in July previous year. It is the worst month INPE has recorded since it started monitoring back in 1998.



Encontro das Aguas State Park

The Encontro das Aguas State Park is crisscrossed by five rivers and spans 109,000 hectares or 270,000 acres. It is located in the western-central region of Brazil. According to state authorities, firefighters are now trying to protect their farms and hotels and the park itself.



Amazon Fires

At the same time, Brazil is also trying to fight the surging fires plaguing the Amazon. Last month, the fires there numbered 29,307, the second-highest number within a decade for August.

Last year, these fires caused widespread international condemnation. They pressured Jair Bolsonaro, president of Brazil, who downplayed the rainforest's destruction and wanted protected lands to be accessible to agriculture and mining.

According to experts, most of these fires are being intentionally set, usually by ranchers and clearing land farmers. Together with the fires threatening the Brazilian Pantanal, this is sad news for the world's biodiversity, its jaguars, and its biological reserves.

READ NEXT: Brazil Records Big Increase in Amazon Forest Fires

Check out more news and information on Natural Disasters on Nature World News.
Gunmen raided Tungan Maje, a suburb of Abuja, early Thursday, abducting an unspecified number of residents, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

One resident said at least 20 people were kidnapped after prolonged shooting in the community that lies near Zuba. This figure could not be immediately confirmed.

The police spokesperson for the federal capital territory, Anjugur Manzah, told PREMIUM TIMES he was working on a statement on the incident.

He did not confirm the number of those kidnapped, or whether there re casualties.

A resident of the area who would not be named for security reasons said heavy shooting started in the community at about 12.15a.m. and lasted more than an hour.

He said members of the local vigilante group were overwhelmed.

We didnt sleep throughout the night. Its this morning that the vigilantes told us about 20 people were abducted, he said.

The attack is coming weeks after reports suggested that members of the extremist group, Boko Haram, had infiltrated the federal capital.

Police have confirmed the attack, saying 10 people were kidnapped and five rescued.
(L): Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Sept. 1, 2020. (Nicholas Kamm-Pool/Getty Images); (R): Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks to reporters at her weekly press conference at the Capitol in Washington, on Aug. 22, 2020. (Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images)

Chances of Stimulus Deal Before November Election Drop as Impasse Continues

Public statements made by members of Congress this week suggest there is pessimism about passing a pandemic stimulus bill, with some warning that the measure wont be passed until after the November election or after the year is over.

Congress isnt going to pass more COVID-19 relief before the election, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) wrote on Thursday morning. And the biggest reason why is [House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi & Senator [Chuck] Schumer believe Trump & the GOP will be blamed for the pain doing nothing will cause & that will help them win the White House & Senate in November.

Most everyone knows how bad its going to get over the next two months without more aid, Rubio also remarked.

Around the same time on Thursday, Pelosi (D-Calif.), in her weekly press conference, made similar accusations about the GOP and White House as the Senate is prepared to vote on a slimmed-down pandemic relief bill later on Thursday. That bill likely will not clear the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster.

She said a bill introduced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) earlier this week is merely the Kentucky Republican being his cynical self, noting that it has no chance of passing in Congress without bipartisan support.

But Pelosi said she is optimistic that Republicans and the White House will pass a funding measure for state and local governments, which Democrats have sought. They included more than $900 billion for those jurisdictions in the House-passed $3 trillion HEROES Act, which passed in May.

However, other top Republicans said CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus relief in the next several months appears dim.

I think theres always some possibility, but  unless something really broke through, its not going to happen, said Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) in an interview with The Hill. I dont think there will be any deal, said Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), adding that there is zero chance of a measure passing before November.

Last month, talks between the White House and Democrats broke down and few conversations have been held between the two parties since then. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rejected a Democrat offer to cut their HEROES Act by about $1 trillion, noting there are differences between the overall price of the bill and key policy provisions such as funding state and local jurisdictions.

(L) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a file photo. (House Television via AP); President Donald Trump in a file photo. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

When asked on Wednesday about a deal being completed by the end of 2020, Mnuchin replied, I dont know. Well see. I hope there is. Its important to a lot of people out there.

Before that, the last statement Mnuchin gave to the media was about funding the government before the Sept. 30 deadline, saying that he and Pelosi came to an agreement to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded without any additional CCP virus-related provisions added in.

Pelosi seemingly acknowledged Mnuchins assertion on Thursday, saying that a clean continuing resolution wont include COVID-19 funding but noted that anomalies may be introduced. COVID would not meet that definition and those negotiations are separate from this, she told a news conference.

Meanwhile, Republicans, with Thursdays vote on a slimmed-down bill, have pushed the claim that some funding is better than no funding. Their bill includes small business loans, $300-per-week unemployment benefits, and funding to reopen schools.

Pelosi, however, rejected the claim, saying in a televised interview this week: No, it isnt. I hear it a lot. And, clearly, it springs from all the good intentions we all have to help people as soon as we can. [But] it does nothing.

The impasse puts at risk possibly trillions of dollars in COVID-19 aid for families and small businesses, including $1,200 stimulus payments for individuals, extra unemployment measures, and billions to help schools amid the CCP virus pandemic.
Of the 385 new cases reported over the past week, 89 have been in healthcare workers. At least 55 of those workers are from the aged care sector, while four work in hospitals. Loading Andrews says curfew key to limiting movement Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews continued his defence of Melbourne's curfew. Key crossbench MP, Fiona Patten, who guaranteed the Andrews governments state of emergency powers wants Melbournes curfew lifted following revelations that neither Victoria Police nor Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton asked for Melburnians to be confined to their homes between 8pm and 5am.

Mr Andrews said there was an "immediate and pronounced and sustained drop in road use" in all council areas between 7pm and 12am, and between 12am and 6am. "What it shows you is quite a massive drop in the amount of movement that we have seen right across Melbourne while the curfew has been on, and what's clear, if you can limit movement, you will limit the spread of this virus," he said. Friday's case tally comes after 51 new infections were reported on Thursday, 76 on Wednesday, 55 on Tuesday and 41 on Monday. Lockdown restrictions will only start to ease significantly in Melbourne from September 28, if Victoria's 14-day case average falls below 50.

The average for metropolitan Melbourne fell to 65 on Friday, Mr Andrews said. Country lockdown set to ease The Premier said regional Victoria's stage three lockdown could be eased as early as next week, despite a mystery case with no obvious source of infection emerging in Echuca near the NSW border. The case was later on Friday confirmed to be a false positive.

Mr Andrews said it would be impractical to police different restrictions across six or 10 different regional zones according to case numbers. "[With] the notion of dividing up regional Victoria for say one week, people would barely be familiar with the rules before we took them off and said, 'all of regional Victoria can open,'" he said. "Let's get to the bottom of that Echuca matter, and hopefully next week we can have good news for regional Victoria." A Roy Morgan poll released on Thursday found that 70 per cent of 2325 Victorians surveyed approved of the way Mr Andrews was handling his job as Premier and 63 per cent said the curfew should remain. Bourke Street, typically one of Melbourne's busiest streets, has been deserted during the extended lockdown. Credit:Daniel Pockett

More than half the participants said Melbourne residents should now be able to visit immediate family members and 46 per cent said the five-kilometre travel limit should be lifted. More than three-quarters said the government should compensate all small businesses forced to close due to lockdown restrictions. Push for every Victorian household to get $100 restaurant voucher Every Victorian household would receive a $100 restaurant voucher under a proposal from the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association to save the hospitality industry. Households of two or more people would receive a $100 voucher, while singles would receive $50. "Restaurants and cafes and caterers want to be serving customers, its in their blood and their DNA, its their life. And the best form of recovery for restaurants is customers," the association's chief executive Wes Lambert said.

Loading Melbourne City Council deputy mayor Arron Wood is also floating an online voucher scheme across the CBD, with ratepayers to receive discounts at restaurants and small businesses. Myer Christmas windows cancelled For the first time in 64 years, children and families will miss out on Melbournes famed Myer Christmas windows. The Bourke Street Mall spectacle is a staple of the citys festive season, with more than 1.2 million Australian and international visitors viewing the windows each year.

Children enthralled by the Myer Christmas windows on December 20, 1991 Credit:Ian Kenins A spokeswoman for Myer said the department store had been "exploring every possible option" for the windows to go ahead, but the state governments road map had made it impossible to proceed. "With the governments latest announcements and recommendations we are unfortunately unable to proceed with the windows like we have done in past years," she said. The Myer Christmas windows have brought joy to children - and their parents - for decades. Credit:Dominic O'Brien The company said it was still working through plans for COVID-safe Christmas shopping inside the store.

"It won't be a normal Christmas," Mr Andrews said. "We don't want it to be a lockdown Christmas. We want it to be a Christmas that can be as close to normal as possible, a COVID-normal Christmas. That means it will look different in lots of different ways. "But the aim is to take these safe and steady steps and find that COVID-normal and have a Christmas that's much closer to last Christmas than it otherwise would be." Victoria by the numbers One woman in her 50, one woman in her 70s, three men in their 80s and four women in their 90s were among those who died overnight. Seven of the nine reported deaths were connected to aged care outbreaks.

There are 1336 active cases in Victoria, including 223 in healthcare workers. There are 140 Victorians in hospital battling the virus, including 12 in intensive care and eight who are on a ventilator. More than 13,300 tests were conducted on Thursday in what Mr Andrews said was a good sign. In regional Victoria, the number of active cases is 74, with four new cases emerging in Colac in the state's south-west, one in Geelong and two in Bendigo. In disability facilities settings, there are 13 active cases, including seven staff six residents.
Department of State says order covers high-risk graduate students and research scholars with ties to Chinese military.

The United States has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a May 29 presidential proclamation to suspend entry from China of students and researchers deemed security risks, according to the US Department of State.

The acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said earlier that Washington was blocking visas for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to Chinas military fusion strategy, to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research.

In a speech, Wolf repeated US charges of unjust business practices and industrial espionage by China, including attempts to steal coronavirus research, and accused it of abusing student visas to exploit US academia.

Wolf said the US was also preventing goods produced from slave labour from entering our markets, demanding that China respect the inherent dignity of each human being  an apparent reference to alleged abuses of Muslims in Chinas far-western Xinjiang region.

A State Department spokeswoman told Reuters news agency on Wednesday that the visa action was being taken under a proclamation President Donald Trump made on May 29 as part of the US response to Chinas plans to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong.





As of September 8, 2020, the department has revoked more than 1,000 visas of PRC nationals who were found to be subject to Presidential Proclamation 10043 and therefore ineligible for a visa, the unnamed spokeswoman said, using the initials for the Peoples Republic of China.

She said the ineligible high-risk graduate students and research scholars represented a small subset of the Chinese coming to the US to study and conduct research and that legitimate students and scholars would continue to be welcomed.

Deteriorating ties

China said in June that it opposed any US move to restrict Chinese students from studying in the US and urged Washington to do more to enhance mutual exchanges and understanding.

Some 360,000 Chinese nationals study in the US, bringing in significant revenue to higher education, although the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the new semesters.

China-US relations have sunk to historic lows, with the worlds two biggest economies clashing over issues ranging from trade and human rights to Hong Kong and the coronavirus.

Trump, who had touted friendly ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping as he sought to deliver on promises to rebalance a massive trade deficit, has made getting tough on China a key part of his campaign for re-election on November 3.

Trump has accused his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, who leads in national opinion polls, of being soft towards Beijing.

Earlier, some Chinese students enrolled in US universities said they received emailed notices on Wednesday from the US Embassy in Beijing or US consulates in China informing them that their visas had been cancelled.

Over 60 students holding F-1 visas including postgraduates and undergraduates said in a WeChat group that the notices stated they would have to apply for new visas if they wanted to travel to the US.

Many said they were studying subjects such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Some said they were postgraduates who obtained bachelors degrees at Chinese universities with links to the Peoples Liberation Army.

A final year undergraduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was shocked to have received the notice.

The only reason he could think of would be his previous experience at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, a Chinese university known for its defence and security technology research.

In May, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Washington was planning to cancel the visas of thousands of Chinese graduate students believed to have links to Chinas military.
Demi Rose has emotionally discussed losing both her parents at 24 and detailed how she copes with her ongoing grief.

The model, 25, appeared on Sky News on Thursday to talk to Kay Burley in a bid to raise mental health awareness on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Demi lost her father Barrie Mawby at the end of 2018, with tragedy striking again soon after when her mother Christine passed away in June 2019.

Heartbreaking: Demi Rose has emotionally discussed losing both her parents at 24 and detailed how she copes with her ongoing grief

Discussing losing both her parents at just 24-years-old, the model said: 'Well, my mother, when I was 17, she had a heart attack which caused a stroke and it left her disabled.

'Then in 2018, my dad passed away from cancer, then my mum, after being sick for so long, she passed away from a stomach infection. So it was really hard.'

Asked how she copes with the grief, Demi said: 'I mean, it was really difficult, I've gone through stages of feeling my worst and now I'm at a place where I feel a lot better. It just takes time really.'

Discussing what helps her manage her grief, the star said: 'I have some amazing friends and I do meditation. I have a lot of faith, so I pray and sound healing. I love sound healing.'

Grief: Demi lost her father Barrie Mawby (pictured) at the end of 2018, with tragedy striking again soon after when her mother Christine passed away in June 2019

Sad: The model, 25, appeared on Sky News on Thursday to talk to Kay Burley in a bid to raise mental health awareness on World Suicide Prevention Day

It comes after Demi admitted that her world 'could have spiralled out of control' following the deaths of her parents

Amid her heartache, the star also discussed her mental health, telling how it almost 'got the better' of her during lockdown, in a candid chat to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Demi shared how she's coping with her personal tragedy and reveals how her heartbreaking loss has in a way made her 'stronger'.

The star revealed how she was forced to 'grow up' from a young age after her mother was left disabled following a heart attack, resulting in a then 17-year-old becoming her carer.

Grief: Asked how she copes with the grief, Demi said: 'I mean, it was really difficult, I've gone through stages of feeling my worst and now I'm at a place where I feel a lot better. It just takes time really.'

She recalled that after losing her loved ones in quick succession left her 'angry, sad, bitter and lonely', but added that she was 'lucky' that she had a 'good support system' around her and didn't 'bottle up' her grief.

Admitting that she could have easily succumbed to her anger and grief, Demi said: 'When my parents died my world could have spiralled out of control but you have to hang on.'

She went on to say that she was helped greatly by doing a lot of self-care and reading books about 'spirituality' and 'enlightenment', while she tried to look at her tragedy as part of 'life's plan'.

Demi added that though she's been through trauma, she's come out 'stronger' and tries to reflect her strength through her positive and 'confident' social media posts.

Candid: It comes after Demi admitted that her world 'could have spiralled out of control' following the deaths of her parents (pictured with her late father) It comes after Demi admitted that her world 'could have spiralled out of control' following the deaths of her parents (pictured with her late father) Candid:

She went on: 'Behind closed doors there's been a lot of torment and I suppose I have turned that into a positive as I feel I have been through so much nothing can push me down again'.

The social media sensation Demi also opened up about her mental health in the interview, and admitted it played a part in her recent move to Ibiza.

She explained: 'During lockdown I lived on my own in London and my mental health really did get the better of me. I had up and down days and with so much time on my hands I obviously had a lot of time to reflect on things.'

After battling her sadness while confined at home, when lockdown restrictions were eased, she made the decision to relocate to Spain, a decision she states is one of the 'best choices' she's ever made.

Demi also suggested that the sunshine and abundance of friends she has in Ibiza have helped her immensely.

Earlier this year, the brunette beauty revealed she is 'healing' from her parents' deaths following a tough year.

The Birmingham native explained how their tragic deaths made her 'grow up really fast' as she opened up about dealing with grief during the recording of her PrettyLittleThing podcast episode.

She said: 'I've lost both of my parents, my dad cancer and my mum had a heart attack which caused a stroke when I was 17 and I was left as her carer as she was left disabled.

Heartache: The star revealed how she was forced to 'grow up' from a young age after her mother was left disabled following a heart attack, resulting in a then 17-year-old becoming her carer

'I was caring for her for so many years, about seven years,' explained the social media star.

Demi then went into detail about the impact the death of her parents had on her and how she aims to help others experiencing the same thing.

She explained: 'Then my dad passed away with cancer and then my mum then sadly passed away seven months after him with a stomach infection, and it just made me grow up really fast and be really really strong about things.

'And I think if I can inspire people by talking about grief, then you know if they can relate to me and they can understand it a little bit and I can help them then that's important to me.'

After experiencing the loss of both of her parents, Demi admitted: 'I've gone through a lot, so I can talk on it.

'I feel like nothing can really affect me now, nothing can really make me feel a certain way - I've gone through it all.'

If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org
The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akure, Ondo state, is on fire. It was gathered that the fire, which st...









The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akure, Ondo state, is on fire.





It was gathered that the fire, which started at about 8pm on Thursday, razed down a container laden with smart card readers.

Card readers meant for the October 10 governorship election were reportedly destroyed in the outbreak.

It is not immediately clear what led to the fire incident.

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, confirmed the incident in a short statement titled Fire at INEC office in Akure.

He noted that the commission would commence an immediate investigation into the cause of the fire.

He said, Fire broke out today (Thursday) September 10, 2020, at the Ondo State Head Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Akure.

The inferno, which gutted the container housing Smart Card Readers, started at 7.30 pm. Men of the Fire Service are however currently containing the fire.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who is in Ondo State in connection with preparations for the Ondo State Governorship election scheduled for October 10, 2020, rushed to the office about 8 pm.

The Administrative Secretary of the State, Mr. Popoola, and some staff of the commission are also there.

Okoye said an investigation into the cause of the fire will commence promptly after the fire has been contained.
PARIS  One by one, the witnesses told a hushed court how their lives were brutally upended on a cold January morning in 2015, when two brothers wielding assault rifles burst onto a quiet Parisian street looking for the newsroom of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical weekly.

Jeremy Ganz, a colleague of Frederic Boisseau  a maintenance worker shot dead as the gunmen searched for the newspapers unmarked offices  recalled how his hands were covered with so much blood that he couldnt unlock his phone to call for help.

Corinne Rey, a Charlie Hebdo cartoonist, spoke tearfully of sheer terror and absolute distress when the attackers, Cherif and Said Kouachi, forced her at gunpoint to guide them to the office doors and punch in the entrance code, before they walked in and started to shoot.

Sigolene Vinson, a lawyer and contributor to the weekly, recounted how the gunmen left behind a cloud of gunpowder and the strong smell of blood. Around her, shards of bullet-torn bones were like shining specks of glitter, she said, while the body of Stephane Charbonnier, the editorial director, was face down like a dislocated puppet.
Lucid Motors CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson had a clear vision for how to take an electric car to another level. The former chief engineer of the Tesla Model S just didn't expect it to take quite so long.

Today, nearly four years since the company first announced its intentions to produce electric vehicles, Lucid Motors revealed the final version of its all-electric luxury Air sedan. The Air has eye-popping performance specs, an estimated range of up to 517 miles and a design that manages to balance technology and luxury without feeling opulent or cluttered.

Two of the four variants  the $169,000 flagship Dream edition and a $139,000 Grand Touring model  will go into production first at its new factory in Casa Grande, Arizona this year. Deliveries of these variants are slated to begin in spring 2021. Two other variants, a Touring model priced at $95,000 and a base model that's a smidge below $80,000, are expected at the end of 2021 and into 2022, respectively. (All prices are before the $7,500 federal tax credit is accounted for.)

The Air is meant to be an EV replacement to the Mercedes S Class  an electric vehicle category that Rawlinson says has not existed until now.

Lucid Motors air EV

Image Credits: Lucid Motors

"Tesla (Model S) is premium, it's beautifully engineered and it's super disruptive, but it is not an S Class Mercedes replacement in the EV space and that's what we're offering," Rawlinson said in a recent interview ahead of the September 9 reveal.

The Air is dripping with luxury in an understated way. It's spacious inside the cabin, the result of what Rawlinson and VP of design Derek Jenkins have described as a clean sheet approach. The company has "redefined the three-dimensional puzzle that is a car through the miniaturization of electric powertrain and that's making the space concept work, where the car is more compact on the outside, and bigger on the inside," Rawlinson said, who added that it's shorter and narrower than the Tesla Model S or the Porsche Taycan.

Story continues

The vehicle's four variants offer a variety of performance levels all via its dual-motor, all-wheel drive architecture. The Dream edition boasts 1,080 horsepower and can travel from zero to 60 mph acceleration in 2.5 seconds. As a result of the power, the Dream edition has 465 miles of range. Meanwhile, the Grand Touring has 800 horsepower and can hit that same acceleration in 3 seconds, but has the highest range of 517 miles.

The Air will be loaded with 32 sensors, a driver-monitoring system and an Ethernet-based architecture all for its advanced driver assistance system, which is designed to support hands-free driving on highways.

Inside, a 34-inch curved glass 5K display sits in front of the driver, and appears to float above the dashboard. Another center touchscreen is retractable, revealing more storage. Meanwhile, a few physical controls remain on the steering wheel and just above the center screen to control volume and activate the ADAS and Amazon Alexa, which is integrated into the vehicle. Below that center touchscreen and moving to the console is a spot for inductive charging, cup holders and USB-C ports, along with additional storage.

Owners of the Air will have an app that will control and communicate with the car, such as locking and unlocking the vehicle. But it will also be equipped with facial recognition that confirms the identity of the owner.

Lucid Motors air EV interior

Image Credits: Lucid Motors

Epic journey

It's been an epic journey for the company that started in 2007 with a different name and mission. Lucid began as Atieva, a company founded by former Tesla VP and board member Bernard Tse and entrepreneur Sam Weng that focused on developing electric car battery technology. That early work would be critically important for the Lucid Motors of today because of the early research, development and eventual progress in the components and overall electric architecture, Rawlinson told TechCrunch. Atieva would go on to become the battery supplier to Formula E, which would also help the company make gains on the design and performance.

But it was in the waning months of 2016 that Lucid came out with a bang and a new publicly stated purpose to make electric vehicles (although the company had already been working quietly at this for a couple of years). Rawlinson, who left Tesla to join Lucid in 2013 as CTO, was one of the driving forces behind this new mission. He later took on the CEO title and responsibility as well. In those early days, Lucid looked well on its way to the difficult and expensive task of becoming a car manufacturer.

"Who would be crazy enough to start a car company?" Rawlinson told TechCrunch recently. "We came out in early 2017 with high hopes and it took us longer to find the right investor."

That is a slight understatement. Soon after the name change, Lucid announced it would build a factory in Arizona and showed off an alpha prototype of the Air (in which I rode in late 2017). But then progress on capturing investors slowed and then stalled altogether.

"At that stage, I think the investment community was in love with the idea of autonomous driving and robotaxis," Rawlinson said. "No one believed there was still some mileage to getting a better electric car. And I kept plugging that it hasn't been done yet. Tesla's doing a great job, but they haven't really cracked it, there's so much more that can come out of the electric car  and it fell on deaf ears."

It would take months to land an investor, putting the factory project in limbo. "Those were our darkest hours as a company," Rawlinson recalled.

In September 2018, Lucid announced that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund had committed to invest $1 billion into the company. The announcement came just six weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share and had secured the proper funding to make the leap. Musk suggested that Saudi's wealth fund, which already owns almost 5% of Tesla stock, was interested in backing the company's move from public to private.

The $1 billion investment deal between Lucid and the Saudi wealth fund closed in spring 2019. The funding was used to complete engineering development and testing of the Lucid Air, construct its factory in Arizona, begin the global rollout of its retail strategy starting in North America and enter production.

With the Air finally on display, Lucid now must turn its attention to the next task  production and delivery rollout.
BRUSSELS - The European Union on Thursday extended for six months its sanctions against scores of people and organizations accused of undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

EU headquarters said in a statement that the travel bans and asset freezes on 175 people and 44 entities, which are usually companies, banks, associations or other organizations, will be prolonged until March 15.

The EU imposed sanctions on Russia after it annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and refuses to recognize Moscows authority there. The bloc has separate sanctions targeting the Russian economy and other restrictive measures linked to the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

Those targeted in Thursdays decision for continuing to undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine include several politicians in Crimea and Sevastopol, and Russian officials accused of supporting the decision to deploy troops to Ukraine or their actions there.
No fewer than 264 suicide cases were recorded in Nigeria within the last 4 years.



The victims, comprising males and females, took their lives between January 2017 and August 2020, according to an investigation by Daily Trust to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, which is today, September 10.



The theme of this years World Suicide Prevention Day is "Working Together to Prevent Suicide.



The number of recorded cases of suicide in Nigeria was arrived at by reviewing newspaper reports within the period. This figure excluded numerous suicide cases that have not been reported by the media.



Nigeria is ranked 10th African country with higher rates of suicide.



The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that close to 800, 000 people die due to suicide every year.



This means at least one person kills self every 40 seconds.



The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) said suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year olds globally.

Source: LIB









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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Montgomery County emergency shelters continue to operate under the Center for Disease Control guidelines and are preparing for the COVID pandemic to affect their clientele for months to come.

Since the CDC released guidelines regarding social distancing, both the Salvation Army shelter and the Montgomery County Womens Center, the only emergency shelters in the county, have been operating at a less than full capacity to allow for social distancing. Both shelters plan on operating this way for the time being even as the need for shelter in the area remains high.

For the Montgomery County Womens Center, the pandemic has caused a significant increase in calls to the domestic violence hot-line the center runs. Between March and July, the hot-line saw an increase of calls by 45 percent over the same period last year.

Calls for help

Between March 1 and July 31 of this year, the hot-line fielded 27,779 calls. During the same time last year, the hot-line had 19,109 calls.

But demand for the shelter beds has not seen the same dramatic increase. Sarah Raleigh, President and CEO of the center, believes it is due to fear of COVID-19 spreading in communal spaces. But the centers legal help department has never been busier.

Weve had an incredible influx of new applications, everything from survivors wanting divorces, custody, protective order, litigation, things like that, Raleigh said.

Earlier this month a former client of the center, Elizabeth Vance, was murdered by her husband. It was a brutal reminder of what the center works for: the end of domestic violence. Raleigh said the centers legal department handled Vances divorce and custody.

Related: Willis man turns himself in for wifes fatal shooting

Dangerous time

That is always such a devastating loss when anyone is killed by their partner and to have it so close to home, and in such a horrific way  but again, I think it just reinforces what we all know, when they leave them or when it is finally over, its such a dangerous time, Raleigh said, explaining that Vances murder was one of two deaths connected to former clients in recent weeks. In two days, we had two traumatic events that again kind of reinforced how important it is that we find a way to continue to get the mission out there and to continue to get help.

The increase in calls to the hot-line was not unexpected when the pandemic started as the center has seen similar increases in calls tied to emergencies.

What weve noticed is that in a time of crisis and stress, domestic violence and sexual assault immediately see a massive increase, Raleigh said. And you also, on the flip side, see an increase in the number of people reaching out.

The center has been finding ways to continue offering its services while following CDC guidelines. Counseling has predominantly moved online or over the phone, as have services like financial counseling. The outreach team moved its training and programs online almost immediately after the pandemic hit the county. But the center knows that some of its clients needs wont be best met virtually.

Virtual assistance

In the coming weeks, Raleigh said, group counseling will be returning on a digital platform. Its one of the few services that the center hasnt been able to transition to a virtual platform until now to meet the need for confidentiality and security while maintaining the positive aspects of the groups.

Financially, the center has seen a decrease in funding but has not yet had to limit or have a reduction in services. The center already runs on a very conscious budget, as many of its programs utilize state and federal grant money that may not always be available.

By shifting staff into areas of high need, like the legal program, the center has been able to maintain the program as the demand increases.

Planning ahead

While it is unknown how long the pandemic is going to affect the area and the center, Raleigh said the organization is trying to plan ahead as much as possible.

Thats what were strategically spending a lot of time on right now, is what does this look like in three more months? What does it look like in six months? A year? she said. We dont see a solution around the corner.

But finances are a concern, a big one, especially as the pandemic continues and grants run out. So is finding a way to bring in more clients to the shelter while still maintaining the CDC guidelines. But Raleigh feels blessed to have a diverse and committed staff and a board of directors that continues to meet virtually.

Related: Montgomery County youth shelter turns to community for help during COVID

Re-opening the centers resale shop has been a big financial help and Raleigh encourages the community to continue to donate and shop at Something Special in Shenandoah.

The CDC precautions seem to be working well for the Salvation Army. James Guzman, the new Commanding Officer for the Salvation Army shelter in Conroe, said the shelter has not had a positive case of COVID-19 among the shelter clients so far.

Financially, the shelter is doing okay, Guzman said, because the Salvation Army is careful about how it is spending its finances.

We know how to take a dollar ad stretch it to its maximum capacity, he said. Were doing okay.

Partnerships and programs

The shelter has been utilizing partnerships with other local organizations, like the Montgomery County Food Bank, to meet the needs of shelter clients, but is always looking for donations from the community too. There are a few volunteer opportunities available that still allow for social distancing, and right now the shelter is gearing up to hold its Angel Tree holiday gift program completely online.

As he takes stewardship of the shelter for his first Salvation Army appointment, Guzman said he plans on going over all of the programs that the shelter does to make sure they are maximizing their positive impact on clients and best utilizing the shelter funds.

We just never thought it would be six months and counting, Raleigh said of working through a pandemic. With other disasters, like a hurricane, services are typically restored within a few weeks and theres a light at the end of the tunnel. With this one, were just not seeing that light, and I think that probably for most of the population that were helping, and for the staff here, thats the uncertainty and the surprise that we are still trying to wrap our minds around.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
BHPs WA-first hiring policy is being replicated across mining, oil and gas companies but the sector has warned that when construction ramps up on major new iron ore mines companies will need the flexibility to bring in workers from the east.

Workers from eastern states have started to relocate to Western Australia as major resource giants flag WA-centric hiring policy. Credit:Rob Homer

On Tuesday BHP revealed it would shift its interstate FIFO workforce to WA and require most new hires to live in the state.

Growing pressure from the state government to hire locally and hard border policies making interstate FIFO more difficult has forced resources companies to rethink their human resources policies.

A survey of WAs biggest mining companies including Rio Tinto, Fortescue Metals Group and Woodside reveal they also have some form of WA-centric hiring policies.
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Wednesday attended the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting during which views were exchanged on the current regional and international developments, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting, held via video conference, was attended by foreign ministers of the EAS participating countries and chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Vietnam Pham Bin Minh, the said in a statement.

The meeting discussed ways and means to strengthen the leaders-led EAS platform and to make it more responsive to emerging challenges on its 15th anniversary, the MEA said.

"The ministers exchanged views on the current regional and international developments, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the cooperation to achieve a speedy and sustainable recovery," it said.

The meeting reviewed the status of commitments made by participating countries under the EAS framework and the progress in the implementation of the Manila Plan of Action (2018-2022) to implement the Phnom Penh Declaration on the EAS Development Initiative, adopted by the EAS Leaders in 2012, the MEA said.

Preparations for the upcoming 15th EAS Summit scheduled in November 2020, were also discussed, it said.

Muraleedharan appreciated Vietnam's efforts, as ASEAN Chair, for providing continued stewardship towards a 'Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN' in the difficult and uncertain times marked by COVID-19 pandemic.

He underlined the key role played by EAS as a leading mechanism of the Indo-Pacific region and reiterated India's support to make it stronger and more responsive.

The East Asia Summit is the premier forum in the Asia-Pacific region to deal with issues relating to security and defence. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia.

Apart from the 10 ASEAN member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Russia.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: India reported 89,706 new cases and 60 per cent of which were reported from five states only. Maharashtra is the worst-hit state with more than 2,40,000 cases.

India reported 89,706 new cases and 60 per cent of which were reported from five states only, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. With 1,115 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the cumulative toll reached 73,890. The total cases in the country stands at 43,70,129 including 8,97,394 active cases, 33,98,845 cured/discharged/migrated.

Maharashtra is the worst-hit state with more than 2,40,000 followed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with more than 96,000 each. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu contribute 61 per cent of the total active cases.

India has registered the highest single-day recoveries of nearly 75,000, the health ministry said. More than 11.5 lakh COVID-19 samples have been tested in the last 24 hours. With 11,54,549 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, India has further strengthened the national diagnostic capacity.

Also read: Today my house is demolished, tomorrow it will be your arrogance: Kangana Ranaut attacks Uddhav Thackeray

Also read: PM Modi to launch PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, e-Gopala App tomorrow

Andhra Pradesh reported 10,418 new COVID-19 cases reported in today. The total number of cases now at 5,27,512 including 97,271 active cases, 4,25,607 recoveries, and 4,634 deaths, according to the State COVID-19 nodal officer. In Karnataka, 9,540 new COVID-19 cases and 128 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

There are 4,21,730 cases in the state now, including 3,15,433 discharges and 99,470 active cases, according to the State Health Department. Kerala reported 3,402 new COVID19 cases today. The active cases now stand at 24,549 in the state.

As many as 160 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Manipur in the last 24 hours. The states tally reached 7,362 including 5,548 recoveries, 1,774 active cases, and 40 deaths.

Punjabs tally has climbed to 69,684, including 2,061 deaths and 50,558 cured patients. The active cases reached 17,065, according to the State Health Department.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput death case: Rhea Chakraborty sent to 14-day judicial custody after Court denies bail plea
Selbyville, Delaware, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to reliable estimates, worldwide fiber optics testing market generated revenues worth USD 272 million in the year 2019 and is expected to showcase a y-o-y growth rate of 8.9% between 2020 and 2027. The growth is primarily attributed to rising adoption of fiber optics in telecommunication industry in order to acquire better speed in data transfer applications.

The document also examines various segmentations of the market which are based on service type, offering type, fiber mode, application spectrum, and regional scope while elaborating on their respective impact on the business vertical. Additionally, the study conducts Porters Five Forces analysis of the companies formulating the competitive landscape, which further allows for effective decision-making during investment assessment.

For those uninitiated, fiber optics testing is used for analyzing the performance of several fiber optic components such as receivers, splices, detectors, connectors, Laser or LED sources, and fibers. The specification and performance of such components are tested in order to determine their working capacities.

Fiber optics testing comprise of verification testers, OTDR (optical time-domain reflectometers) testers and certification testers. These testers are widely adopted in various industry vertical such as telecommunication, defense & military as well as oil & gas in order to troubleshoot any prevalent errors, thereby facilitating the business scenario.

Request Sample copy of this Report @ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/2854775/

Apart from this, rising penetration of fixed broadband subscriptions, growing LTE networks, and sprouting number of data centers are further fueling the market expansion. For instance, Google announced its plans to invest USD 13 billion in data centers across U.S. in the year 2019, which is an increase from its initial investment of USD 9 billion in 2018. The company reportedly plans to develop new data centers in Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, Nevada, Nebraska, and other cities as well as expand its data center capabilities in New Yok, Chicago, and Seattle.

Growing demand for FTTX solutions and escalating investments towards developing 5G infrastructure have increased the adoption of fiber optics testing solutions across the globe, which in turn is augmenting the industry remuneration. In fact, the UK government is reportedly planning to invest over USD 52.28 million in 5G testing as well as in relevant trial projects across the country in the coming years. However, high installation and training cost may act as a restraining factor to the overall market growth.

Regional overview

Global fiber optics testing market is segmented into North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and rest of the world. According to estimates, North America currently accounts for significant market share and is expected to register consistent growth during the study period. Availability of advanced telecommunications infrastructure along with rising adoption of high speed data transfer solutions are augmenting the regional demand for fiber optics testing methods.

On the other hand, Asia-Pacific fiber optics testing market is slated to record highest CAGR through 2026, primarily due to escalating investments towards 5G infrastructure development.

Competitive scenario

The competitive landscape of global fiber optics testing market is defined by companies such as Fluke Corp., L3Harris Technologies, Fujikura Ltd., EXFO, Eurofins Scientific, Viavi Solutions Inc., The TUV Rheinland Group, Intertek Group plc, Element Materials Technology Ltd., and UL LCC among others.

To access a sample copy or view this report in detail along with the table of contents, please click the link below:

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-fiber-optics-testing-market-size-research

Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Service Type (Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

Certification

Inspection

Testing





Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Offering Type (Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

Outsourced

In-House





Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Fiber Mode (Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

Multimode

Single Mode





Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Application Scope (Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

Medical

Railway

Energy & Power

Oil & Gas

Manufacturing

Military & Aerospace

Cable Television

Private Enterprise

Telecommunication

Others





Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Regional Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

North America

Canada

U.S.

Europe

Italy

Spain

France

Germany

U.K.

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

South Korea

Japan

Australia

India

China

Rest of Asia-Pacific

Latin America

Mexico

Brazil

Rest of the World

Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Competitive Scenario (Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

Fluke Corporation

L3Harris Technologies

Fujikura Ltd.

EXFO

Eurofins Scientific

Viavi Solutions Inc.

The TUV Rheinland Group

Intertek Group plc

Element Materials Technology Ltd.

UL LLC

Table of Content:

Chapter 1. Executive Summary

1.1. Market Snapshot

1.2. Global & Segmental Market Estimates & Forecasts, 2018-2027 (USD Million)

1.2.1. Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Region, 2018-2027 (USD Million)

1.2.2. Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Service Type, 2018-2027 (USD Million)

1.2.3. Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Offering Type, 2018-2027 (USD Million)

1.2.4. Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Fiber Mode, 2018-2027 (USD Million)

1.2.5. Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Application, 2018-2027 (USD Million)

1.3. Key Trends

1.4. Estimation Methodology

1.5. Research Assumption

Chapter 2. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Definition and Scope

2.1. Objective of the Study

2.2. Market Definition & Scope

2.3. Years Considered for the Study

2.4. Currency Conversion Rates

Chapter 3. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Dynamics

3.1. Fiber Optics Testing Market Impact Analysis (2018-2027)

3.1.1. Market Drivers

3.1.2. Market Challenges

3.1.3. Market Opportunities

Chapter 4. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Industry Analysis

4.1. Porters 5 Force Model

4.2. PEST Analysis

4.3. Investment Adoption Model

4.4. Analyst Recommendation & Conclusion

Chapter 5. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Service Type

5.1. Market Snapshot

5.2. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Service Type, Performance - Potential Analysis

5.3. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Estimates & Forecasts by Service Type 2017-2027 (USD Million)

5.4. Fiber Optics Testing Market, Sub Segment Analysis

5.4.1. Testing

5.4.2. Inspection

5.4.3. Certification

Chapter 6. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Offering Type

6.1. Market Snapshot

6.2. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Offering Type, Performance - Potential Analysis

6.3. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Estimates & Forecasts by Offering Type 2017-2027 (USD Million)

6.4. Fiber Optics Testing Market, Sub Segment Analysis

6.4.1. In-House

6.4.2. Outsourced

Chapter 7. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Fiber Mode

7.1. Market Snapshot

7.2. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Fiber Mode Performance - Potential Analysis

7.3. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Estimates & Forecasts by Fiber Mode 2017-2027 (USD Million)

7.4. Fiber Optics Testing Market, Sub Segment Analysis

7.4.1. Single Mode

7.4.2. Multimode

Chapter 8. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market, by Application

8.1. Market Snapshot

8.2. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market by Application, Performance - Potential Analysis

8.3. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market Estimates & Forecasts by Application 2017-2027 (USD Million)

8.4. Fiber Optics Testing Market, Sub Segment Analysis

Chapter 9. Global Fiber Optics Testing Market, Regional Analysis

Related Report:

Fiber Optics Market Size & Forecast, 2017  2026

Global Fiber Optics Market is anticipated to reach USD 7 billion by 2026, as per new research report. The market for Fiber Optics is propelled by factors including, increasing penetration of internet, rising government funds for the development of broadband infrastructure, and intense research investments by the companies for development of innovative and new technology in the fiber optic to enable cost-savings. Increased industrialization, increasing adoption of smart devices resulting in high demand for internet, and blooming telecommunication industry are the major factor for propelling market growth in Middle East & Africa.





The plastic optic fiber market is expected to notice a high growth during the projected period. The core material (polymer) used for construction of plastic optic fiber is different from the material (glass) used in single mode and multimode. This provides a dynamic application and helps in saving cost.

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Our customers partner with Market Study Report, LLC. to ease their search and evaluation of market intelligence products and services and in turn focus on their company's core activities.

If you are looking for research reports on global or regional markets, competitive information, emerging markets and trends or just looking to stay on top of the curve then Market Study Report, LLC. is the platform that can help you in achieving any of these objectives.
Transport manufacturers are the largest UK exporters. Credit: Getty.

The EU remains the largest market for UK manufacturers despite a 19% year-on-year jump in goods exported to the US.

The UK Manufacturing Facts report released on Thursday reveals that the top six European markets account for a third of all British goods exports.

The UK manufacturing export industry currently stands at 367bn ($477) with the US being the single largest importer of UK products. But seven of the top ten UK export markets are based in Europe including Germany, France and Ireland ranked in second to fourth place respectively.

China, ranked fifth, is the only top ten destination for UK goods outside of Europe and the US.

Exports to the top six European markets  Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium  are worth 117.4bn alone, according to the report by manufacturers' organisation Make UK and Santander UK.

READ MORE: Amazon services arm pays 14m in UK taxes despite revenues of nearly 3bn

The UK retained position as the ninth largest manufacturer and tenth for global exports.

The data, captured before the coronavirus pandemic, also reveals that among the 2.7 million people employed by UK manufacturers, the average salary stands at 34,538  13% higher than the average UK salary.

Transport manufacturers were the largest exporters (22%); food and drink remained the leading sub-sector for output (17%), while transport also generated the most in terms of research and development (36.4%).

Stephen Phipson, chief executive at Make UK, said the data demonstrated the overwhelming importance of the need to avoid imposing any Brexit trade barriers.

Whilst the United States remains the biggest market and presents significant opportunities for export growth, it is a fallacy to believe that geography is not the biggest factor driving trade. For UK manufacturers, access to their biggest market must be a premium, he added.

READ MORE: Valdis Dombrovskis becomes EU trade chief as Ireland loses crucial portfolio

Paul Brooks, UK head of manufacturing, Santander UK, said: Our manufacturers have shown unyielding resilience over recent months. Retaining our position as the ninth leading manufacturer makes it clear that the UK is still a major player on the international stage, but we must not rest on our laurels. This data underlines the importance of prioritising manufacturing as the UK establishes new trading relationships with partners around the world.
Strongman regimes display weakness in Covid response, say analysts In many countries, health workers speak out at their peril

Posturing, repression and a distaste for facts: the world's strongman regimes have dealt with the Covid pandemic in much the same way they deal with everything else, analysts say.

But the sometimes blatant disregard for the wellbeing of populations, coupled with sheer incompetence, has undermined whatever trust citizens have in such leaders, they say.

"They all have a similar type of leadership behaviour, a macho leadership," said Uma Kambhampati, a development economist at Britain's University of Reading.

"This kind of pandemic must be irritating the hell out of them."

After a strong public presence early in the crisis, leaders like Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are now avoiding the Covid limelight, she told AFP.

- 'Can't blame anybody else' -

"In the initial stages they could blame others but now, six months down the line, they can't blame anybody else," she said.

"It's not a comfortable position for them."

One typical response has been to stifle criticism coming from health workers and other essential personnel, said Amnesty International, citing China, Russia, Malaysia and Pakistan as examples.

In a July report, entitled "Exposed, Silenced, Attacked", Amnesty highlighted cases of governments imposing restrictions to prevent such workers from voicing concerns about policy.

Their worries often relate to unsafe working conditions, lack of adequate personal protective equipment, insufficient training and inadequate testing of health care workers.

- 'Spreading rumours' -

Amnesty cites the case in China of ophthalmologist Li Wenliang, who warned colleagues about Covid and was promptly sanctioned for "spreading rumours".

In Egypt, authorities have used charges of "spreading false news" and "terrorism" to arrest, between March and June, at least nine doctors and pharmacists for speaking out, according to Amnesty.

Story continues

The same charges were brought against Mohamed Mounir, a 65-year old journalist working for Al Jazeera, who died of Covid in prison in July.

In Pakistan, police broke up a protest by doctors against their working conditions and lack of equipment, ploughing into the crowd with batons and arresting dozens, Amnesty said.

"Authoritarian countries have a very particular pattern that was reinforced by the pandemic," said Benno Zogg, a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies in Switzerland.

"They want to give the image of being strong, that was true for Russia and China, to show that authoritarian regimes are better able to manage such a crisis than democratic ones," he told AFP.

"They took several steps to basically control society and make sure that there was no alternative information nor alternative opinions," he said.

- Surveillance -

Abuses against human rights have mostly consisted of restricting free expression and assembly, experts say.

One notable exception is Belarus, where chaotic handling of the pandemic, compounded by fraud allegations in a presidential election, sparked mass demonstrations.

The governments of the Philippines, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and others are guilty of keeping a lid on critical voices concerning the pandemic, they say.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has meanwhile been criticised for the police's heavy-handed handling of confinement and testing rules.

Using a need to stem Covid's spread as a pretext, many regimes have also boosted spending on surveillance equipment, often made in China, such as GPS tracking, CCTV, face recognition and ID checking software.

"Once the surveillance is in place it can be easily used in the next crisis, or even as a permanent measure," said Zogg.

In the meantime, some strongmen will have to confront dwindling public support because of their shortcomings, or even ridicule for backing discredited Covid remedies such as hydroxychloroquine or outlandish ones like hand washing with petrol or herb concoctions.

"I do not think any of the strong leaders has come out of this looking better," said Kambhampati.

fka/jh/sjw/kjm
To limit voter misinformation before Novembers election, Facebook said this week that it would block new political ads from appearing on its site in the week before Election Day.

It was a sweeping action by the social network, which is used by millions of voters. But just how effective could such a move be in minimizing confusion?

The answer: likely not very effective.

Thats because political ads on Facebook are just one piece of content on the social network; political misinformation also flourishes in messages that people post and in discussions in private Facebook Groups. Facebook is not tackling those areas as part of the changes it announced this week.

Political ads have also been on the rise on Facebook already. Many of those ads will likely remain online before Election Day because the company is not removing existing promotions.

At the same time, some new political ads may slip onto the site because the social network has sometimes had difficulty identifying which ads should be categorized as political, researchers said.

They can say they are being proactive, but at the end of the day, this is toothless, Melissa Ryan, chief executive of Card Strategies, a consulting firm that researches disinformation, said of Facebooks preelection ads stoppage.

Andy Stone, a Facebook spokesman, said that blocking new political ads was not a silver bullet. He said the move enables campaigns to make their closing arguments and run aggressive get-out-the-vote efforts on Facebook without making it hard to contest new claims in the final days before the election.

We looked at three different ways that Facebooks political ads block may fall short.

Consider what happened in France.

History can be a useful guide to what might unfold. So we looked at Europe, where election silence laws prohibit campaigning or ads in the immediate days before a vote in countries including Britain and France. In those places, Facebook has stopped political ads and clamped down on campaign content before, in accordance with those laws.

Even so, misinformation has slipped through. In Frances 2017 presidential election, Russia tried to swing voters away from Emmanuel Macron by releasing a cache of his emails, which had been hacked. The emails falsely claimed to show evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Macron and his campaign.

Because Frances election silence laws also ban campaign news in the 48 hours before people vote, most French news outlets did not cover the hacked emails. While Facebook removed attempts by Russian hackers to post the emails, blogs picked up other articles about the emails and then published posts about them on the social network. Many people also posted about what they had read.

Mathias Vermeulen, public policy director at a new data rights agency called AWO in Brussels, said election silence laws also havent covered social media in several European countries, so groups have been able to target voters with campaign content and political ads. While Facebook could have voluntarily adhered to those laws, it didnt.

Political ads have flourished, he said.

Political ads on Facebook have already surged.

The number of political ads on Facebook has increased significantly before Novembers election. And since the company does not plan to take down older ads, users are likely to continue seeing many of those circulate.

Heres how much political advertising has already spiked: In the week before Labor Day in 2018, 76,500 political ads were created on Facebook, according to Laura Edelson, a researcher at New York Universitys Online Political Transparency Project. (Since 2018, Edelson has used Facebooks ad library, a public database of all ads on the platform, to build her own repository of U.S. online political advertising.)

This year, in the week before Sept. 1, 118,239 political ads were created on Facebook, a 54 percent increase, Edelson found.

When Facebook bars new political ads from its site on October 27, politicians will still be able to adjust the amount of money they spend on their existing ads and continue targeting people with those ads. Candidates may simply ensure that more of their ads are running well before the October 27 cutoff, Edelson said.

Facebook may use the ad block period to more closely scrutinize the ads that are already running on the social network, Edelson said. But campaigns would not be able to use ads to capitalize on a last-minute scandal after Oct. 27.

That is just about the only impact I can think of for something like this, she said.

Whats a political ad, anyway?

Facebook has sometimes had trouble catching what is or isnt a political ad, so people end up seeing them without a disclosure anyway.

Around 8.5 percent of political ads in Facebooks Ad Library in 2020 were first run without a disclosure that they were, in fact, political ads, Edelson said. (She said she manually tracked the ads without the disclosure when they appeared as active in Facebooks Ad Library, and then tallied when they were later labeled political ads.)

Edelson said she saw one Facebook ad from a nonprofit that encourages voting, which was published in May. It read: Georgias voter registration deadline has changed! Dont miss your chance to vote in the 2020 primary election. The ad was not categorized as political, she said.

While the ad was not spreading misinformation, Edelson said she was still concerned. Theres absolutely no way that those should have slipped through without a disclosure, she said. Im worried about what else is getting through.

Stone, the Facebook spokesman, said, People can learn more information about the ads theyre seeing on Facebook and Instagram than is available about political advertising on any other platform or medium.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 06:14:32|Editor: huaxia

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ROME, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- By any measure, Italy's tourism sector has been ravaged by the global coronavirus outbreak. But analysts said the sector would be able to snap back once the pandemic is over, though it would need reforms to do so.

Italy was among the first European countries to close its borders to tourists, back in early March as part of the country's national coronavirus lockdown. Although it gradually eased those restrictions starting in June, the number of tourist arrivals has been a trickle compared to the levels in previous years.

There is no precise way to measure the scale of the damage to the sector, but there is no doubt it is large: earlier this week, tourism industry groups Confiturismo and Assoturismo released a report estimating that the economic damage to the tourism industry this year could total a staggering 100 billion euros (118 billion U.S. dollars).

If accurate, that figure amounts to more than 6 percent of the country's gross domestic product at the end of last year or more than half of the total economic losses Italy's Ministry of Finance expects the entire economy to suffer for the year as a whole, based on Minister Roberto Gualtieri's estimate that the economy will contract by no more than 10 percent this year.

Will the tourism sector -- from hotel or restaurant owners to tour companies and airlines -- be able to recover from a blow that large?

"The tourism sector is not going to disappear," Annunziata Berrino, a professor of contemporary history at Federico II University in Naples, told Xinhua.

"The country has suffered huge setbacks in the past. Remember that during World War II, four out of five hotels in Naples were destroyed. Not closed, but destroyed. I don't want to minimize the tragedy we are going through, but hotels and restaurants aren't being destroyed."

That doesn't mean the recovery will be quick, Berrino said. She is working on a book called "Nulla Sera' Come Prima" (Nothing Will Be the Same as Before), which is evidence of that view. Even when the pandemic goes away, people will be timid at first about traveling, and the global economic slowdown that accompanied the outbreak means people who do want to travel will have less money to do so.

"We have to be prepared for a different kind of tourism," she said. "We will also have to adapt, to promote a model for sustainable tourism, to call attention to the riches Italy has beyond the great urban centers like Venice, Rome, and Florence."

Mara Manente, director of the International Center for Studies on the Economics of Tourism at Ca' Foscari University in Venice, agreed, noting that Italy has 55 World Heritage sites as defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, best known as UNESCO. That is equal to the number of sites in China and more than any other country.

"Italy has a great deal to offer tourists but it has to do a better job at promoting certain aspects," Manente said in an interview.

Manente noted that Italy had already begun focusing on sustainability and diversity as part of its national tourism plan for the 2017 to 2022 period. One debate in the field is whether tourism sector strategy should be conducted at the regional level as is the case today, or at the national level, where more aspects can be integrated, which might come at the expense of adapting to local strengths and weaknesses.

"The hope is that during this slow period the reform process will be accelerated," Manente said. "We have to strike the right balance and make the right reforms so that when the tourists start to return in larger numbers, we'll be ready." Enditem
Deputy Prime Minister Raluca Turcan announced on Wednesday evening that the Untold, Neversea, ARTmania, Electric Castle and Summer Well festivals will be supported by the Government.

"The industry organizing large cultural events had to cease its activity completely for at least a year. The losses have been great both for the organizers of the events and for the lovers of music, the national economy and even for the country's promotion. One leu invested in this festival industry can generate ten times higher revenues.The PNL [National Liberal Party] government aims to create a state aid scheme for this industry. In addition, through an inter-ministerial working group, together with the Association of Concert and Event Organizers in Romania, we will prepare a set of health norms so that such events can be safely thought out, starting next year. The cultural environment has a reliable partner in the Romanian Government," said Raluca Turcan in a post on her Facebook page.

She added that "through dialogue and partnership with specialists in this field we will identify and implement the necessary measures to securely resume activities."
BANGALORE, India, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Major factors driving the Calcium Carbonate Market size include growing construction activities and demand from industries, such as paper and pulp, plastic, and construction.

The report provides an in-depth analysis of the global Calcium Carbonate Market size and the current trends and future estimations to elucidate the imminent investment pockets.

The Global Calcium Carbonate Market size is expected to grow from USD 20,686.77 Million in 2019 to USD 28,984.82 Million by 2025 at a CAGR of 5.78% during the forecast period.

Get Detailed Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Calcium Carbonate (CaCO 3 ) Market: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/360I-Auto-2I145/The_Global_Calcium_Carbonate

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE CALCIUM CARBONATE MARKET SIZE

Calcium carbonate is commonly used as a filler material in the process of alkaline papermaking. Rising demand for brighter and bulkier paper is the main factor behind the paper industry's preference for calcium carbonate. This increasing use in the paper industry is driving the calcium carbonate market size.

The plastics industry is also rising at a rapid pace. The high demand for plastics in the packaging, automotive, manufacturing, electrical & electronics, and other industries is expected to drive the Calcium Carbonate Market size. The use of plastics for multiple purposes in these sectors, such as lowering costs in the packaging and construction industries, reducing weight in automobile parts, and as an insulator in electronic devices, drives demand for calcium carbonate.

The growing demand for nano-calcium carbonate in plastics, rubber, and paints is expected to provide further fuel to the Calcium Carbonate Market size. The product is an ultra-fine precipitated form of calcium carbonate used as an additive to change its end-product performance characteristics.

The increasing demand for polyvinyl chloride in concrete, pipes, flooring, and furniture is likely to increase the Calcium Carbonate Market size. In addition, calcium carbonate increases the properties of gap filling and viscosity and prevents the shrinking when used in adhesives and sealants, which drives its demand in the adhesive industry.

Environmental hazards associated with calcareous mining, such as deforestation, vegetation loss, damage to natural aquifers, and others, may hinder market development.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-2I145/the-global-calcium-carbonate

CALCIUM CARBONATE MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

Asia-Pacific is expected to hold the largest Calcium Carbonate market share, with China being the leading consumer in terms of demand for calcium carbonate. The growing demand for paper packaging and tissue products in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to drive the size of the calcium carbonate.

Owing to the high production and sales of paper and pulp products in Canada, North America is the second-largest region on the global calcium carbonate market.

Calcium Carbonate Market by Region

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Middle East

Africa .

Inquire for Regional Data: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/360I-Auto-2I145/The_Global_Calcium_Carbonate

CALCIUM CARBONATE MARKET SEGMENTATION

Based on Type, the Calcium Carbonate Market studied across

Based on Industry, the Calcium Carbonate Market studied across

Adhesives & Sealants

Paints & Coatings

Paper & Plastic.

Key Companies:

Calcinor SA,

Carmeuse,

Excalibar Minerals LLC,

GLC Mineral,

Huber Engineered Materials,

Imerys,

Maruo Calcium Co. Ltd.,

Midwest Calcium Carbonate,

Minerals Technologies Inc.,

Mississippi Lime Company,

Oya AG,

Sibelco.

The report answers questions such as:

What is the market size and forecast of the Global Calcium Carbonate Market?

What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Calcium Carbonate Market during the forecast period?

Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Calcium Carbonate Market?

What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Calcium Carbonate Market?

What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Calcium Carbonate Market?

What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Calcium Carbonate Market?

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SIMILAR REPORTS

Global and Japan Nano Calcium Carbonate Market

The global Nano Calcium Carbonate market size is projected to reach USD 4320 Million by 2026, from USD 2859.3 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.1% during 2021-2026.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-2U351/nano-calcium-carbonate

Synthetic Calcium Carbonate Market

In 2019, the global Synthetic Calcium Carbonate market size was USD 14100 Million and it is expected to reach USD 16560 Million by the end of 2026, with a CAGR of 2.3% during 2021-2026.

Calcium carbonate is usually marketed under two forms, Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) and Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC). Between the two forms, GCC is the most widely used one and contributed 72.87% share in 2017 globally.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-480/global-synthetic-calcium-carbonate

Calcium Carbonate Filler Masterbatch Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-34G2859/global-calcium-carbonate-filler-masterbatch

Calcium Carbonate Filler Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-2U352/calcium-carbonate-filler

Light Calcium Carbonate Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-1S349/light-calcium-carbonate

Heavy Calcium Carbonate Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-3Z313/heavy-calcium-carbonate

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Ten days of Extinction Rebellion demonstrations in London ended with naked protests and an arrest over graffiti daubed on a statue of Sir Winston Churchill.

At least 648 people have been arrested during the environmental action, including one man on Thursday on suspicion of causing criminal damage to the statue of the former prime minister in Parliament Square.

Yellow graffiti was daubed on its plinth, including the words is a racist.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said: This appalling vandalism is completely unacceptable. It will be fully investigated and the statue will be cleaned as quickly as possible.

An Extinction Rebellion protester in a police van outside the Houses of Parliament (Victoria Jones/PA)

The Metropolitan Police confirmed protesters had dispersed after 7pm, in line with conditions imposed on the event.

Earlier, a group of semi-naked protesters who chained themselves to railings surrounding Parliament in a bid to expose what they called the bare truth about the climate crisis were arrested.

At least 13 topless women attached themselves to the outside of the Palace of Westminster, with bike locks around their necks.

They were part of a larger group from the XR campaign, which have used attention-grabbing techniques to highlight their concerns about the threats facing the planet.

A protester standing on the roof of a car in Parliament Square (Luciana Guerra/PA)

The women wore masks with 4C written on them, and with words including drought, starvation and wildfires written on their chests to highlight the anticipated consequences of global warming.

A banner read: Cant bare the truth?

Sarah Mintram, a teacher who took part in the action, said: Now weve got your attention. By neglecting to communicate the consequences of a 4C-world  war, famine, drought, displacement  the Government are failing to protect us.

Officers removed the D-locks from their necks and took the women to police stations in four vans as supporters cheered them on.

Although the XR protests have won some public support as they marched on cities across the UK in the past year, Home Secretary Priti Patel has described the activists as so-called eco-crusaders turned criminals, and pledged to prevent anarchy on our streets.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also criticised their completely unacceptable action in blocking the delivery of some of the UKs major newspapers earlier in the week.
Craig Revel Horwood has risked the ire of BBC bosses after saying he thinks Strictly Come Dancing contestant Nicola Adams will be 'punching above her weight' while Bill Bailey will be a 'terrible' dancer.

The brutally honest judge, 55, didn't hold back when he was asked his thoughts on some of this year's contestants who are yet to take to the dancefloor.

Speaking on Mecca Bingo online, Craig said: 'I think Nicola Adams will be punching above her weight, darling.'

Outspoken: Craig Revel Horwood has admitted he thinks Strictly Come Dancing contestant Nicola Adams will be 'punching above her weight' while Bill Bailey will be a 'terrible' dancer

The phrase is often used for someone who has a more attractive partner, however Craig added: 'But I am looking forward to seeing a same-sex couple. Thats going to be cool.'

The TV star was also asked what he thought of Bill Bailey's chances on the series and said: 'Terrible. Im looking forward to the disasters!'

Craig does have more faith in The Wanted's Max George, who is a trained dancer, saying: 'Oh yeah, he's going to be great.'

An insider told The Sun that Craig's jibe at Nicola was not 'misogynistic', but referred to the fact she has said she is not the best dancer.

Craig said: 'I think Nicola Adams will be punching above her weight, darling. But I am looking forward to seeing a same-sex couple' (pictured in December 2019)

Not confident: Craig was also asked what he thought of Bill Bailey's chances on the series and said: 'Terrible. Im looking forward to the disasters!' (pictured in May 2019)

They said: 'Craig always shoots from the hip, and wont be kowtowed into diplomatic silence.

'On his cutting remarks on Nicola though, Craig wasnt being misogynistic  he was simply referring to her dancing as she has openly said shes not a natural mover.

'Obviously at this stage of the competition, he shouldnt be saying who he thinks the best and worst dancers will be. He is supposed to be neutral  so this isnt great.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Strictly Come Dancing for comment.

High hopes: Craig does have more faith in The Wanted's Max George, who is a trained dancer, saying: 'Oh yeah, he's going to be great'

When asked if he has any favourites yet, Craig said: 'I would have a favourite if I'd seen them dance. I just need to see them walk down a set of stairs to music, then I can judge them. Some people cant even do that.

'And thats before they go on to the dance floor  and then it becomes a complete and utter disaster.'

It's not the first time Craig has risked angering his bosses as he previously landed in hot water for comments he made about former winner Stacey Dooley.

Craig was reportedly forced to issue an apology by show bosses, after a dig at Stacey left her mum in tears.

Remark: An insider told The Sun that Craig's jibe at Nicola was not 'misogynistic', but referred to the fact she has said she is not the best dancer

According to reports, the famously cutthroat star hinted that celebrity contestants should sleep with their professional partners during filming for last year's launch, after Stacey embarked on a romance with pro Kevin Clifton.

Sources stated that the snide remarks stunned the audience and crew members, with filming quickly halted so the comment could be scrapped.

It was then reported that producers rushed to check on a furious Kevin, Stacey and her mum Di, who left the studio in floods of tears.

Bosses quickly told Craig that the comment was unacceptable, and he was reportedly happy to take Stacey to one side where he apologised.
Kimowan McClain, who went by his mothers name, Metchewais. He passed away from cancer and I became aware of his work probably around 2000. He stuck with me and then I did an artist research fellowship through the Smithsonian. I did my research at the National Museum of the American Indian and thats where his papers and his artwork are. When Aperture asked me, he was my number one person that I really wanted because he hasnt really had exposure, but I think his work is so important to the dialogue for both Native artists and artists in general.

Q. How do you edit art?

A. Actually, this was really great because it was pretty freeing. Aperture paired writers with the artists. That was really important. We wanted writers of color, Native writers, but we also wanted writers that werent Native to have to talk about Native artists work. That was something that I really wanted Aperture to push forward, because its part of what happens, especially if you want a career in the arts or anywhere. A lot of times people are afraid to write about Native artists work. Thats something I really wanted to have  a marriage between writers and artists and have that opportunity going both ways.

Martine Gutierrez had a project called Indigenous Woman, which was a magazine that she produced, so she basically sent us that; I already knew about that project. Aperture was always so kind and let me select a wide range of images and then we would go back and forth on the editing process there. With Duane Linklater, he made completely new work. The artists were always allowed to look and give their final say.

Q. Did you have to convince these artists to be a part of the issue or assure them theyd be given free rein to express themselves? For many Indigenous, of color or Black artists attempts at inclusion can also be an attempt to commodify or distort.

A. It happened with almost every artist and it was a very humbling position for myself as an artist of color and having that sensitivity and trying to get away from the surface level and really dig in. It was a lot of cautionary, easing into these conversations and it really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had to have a lot of humility in approaching the artists. Part of that humility was because I have such deep admiration and respect and their work inspires me greatly. Some of the people we couldnt get; Im still reeling from rejection, even if that rejection was just timing.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 07:36:25|Editor: huaxia

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A firefighter sprays water to put out the fire in Anavissos, a seaside village at southern Attica, in Athens, Greece, on Sept. 9, 2020. On Wednesday morning a fire broke out at the area of Anavissos, some 45 kilometers south of Athens, burning trees and bushes, threatening houses and buildings while some villages at the area were precautionary evacuated. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participated in a socially distant conversation with Detroit steelworkers while visiting Michigan.

Biden made several stops throughout the state Wednesday, his first visit to Michigan since March, including a speech at a United Auto Workers hall in Warren and a brief visit to a Detroit clothing store. Biden joined union steelworkers at a home in Detroit for an outdoor conversation about his plan to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.

You guys have been with me from the time I ran for office the first time, I think Ive been with you all those years too, Biden said to open the conversation. So I want to know is: Whats going on? Whats on your mind?

Andrea Hunter, president of United Steelworkers Local 1299, highlighted the planned idling of the U.S. Steel Corporations Great Lakes Works facility in River Rouge. She said between the layoffs, COVID-19 pandemic and issues with securing benefits from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, workers are worried about providing for their families.

I get photographs of empty refrigerators telling me they cant feed their kids, Hunter said. These are people who are hard workers ... This whole thing is causing my people such duress."

Michael Miller worked at USS Great Lakes for his entire adult life but was laid off in April. Miller is old enough to retire, but he expressed concern about younger workers who need will likely need to find employment in another industry.

The USS Great Lakes closure was expected to cause 1,500 people to lose their jobs when it was announced late last year.

Miller also expressed concerns about President Donald Trumps stewardship of Social Security and Medicaid. Miller said he doesnt trust Trump has a plan to protect middle-class jobs.

Im at the end of my career and Im looking forward to Social Security that we paid into, Miller said. Weve earned those rights. You cannot take what is not yours. for some reason, they think they can ... We need people like you to take Michigan back. I want my country back."

Tim Petrowski is president of USW Local 1900 and an employee at MST Seamless Tube and Pipe in South Lyon. He said employment at the plant dropped from 250 employees to 140 employees in the last year.

The promise of building manufacturing jobs in Michigan just hasnt happened here, Petrowski said. If you can find a job, its $12 an hour. For people that have been working 20-30 years, working hard, in a steel mill theyve earned the right to a union wage. What I believe you can bring to Michigan Joe, is good-paying union jobs.

Biden said American workers are at a disadvantage due to tax cuts included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Biden said the cuts reward corporations to move offshore through a loophole that allows U.S. companies to dodge taxes.

During a speech in Warren, Biden outlined his plan to bring American manufacturing jobs through a combination of tax hikes on companies that move jobs overseas and tax incentives for businesses that make investments in domestic job growth.

What Im going to change is make sure that anybody who offshores anything will pay a 10% surcharge to anything they bring back in, Biden said. Conversely, if someone is going to open up a steel mill ... what happens is you get a 10% (tax) credit.

Biden said cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% was a step too far. The former vice president said moving the corporate tax rate back to 28% would raise $1.3 trillion.

These corporations arent hiring more people, you know what theyre doing with the tax credit theyve got? Biden said. Theyre buying back their stock, their CEOs are getting raises and they think their only obligation is to their stockholders. What about the people who work there?

Biden said companies need to pay their fair share." The funds raised from tax hikes on corporations could help schools struggling to purchase sanitation equipment needed to reopen safely.

It just drives me crazy that the country is going to hell and a handbasket economically. and politically and in terms of our health and were doing nothing about it, Biden said. Theres answers to these things.

Biden said Trump is fearmongering about Black Lives Matter protests to distract the public.

Look, violence is violence, Biden said. Anybody who torches a car, smashes windows, breaks into a store -- I dont care who they are -- its illegal. Its wrong. They should be arrested. But notice this guy, all he does is pour fuel on the flames.

The United Steelworkers union endorsed Biden May. United Steelworkers International President Tom Conway also issued a statement Wednesday before Bidens visit expressing support of his candidacy.

American workers need leaders who understand that our economy cannot survive if we continue to ship manufacturing and other jobs overseas, Conway said. Joe Biden and Kamala Harriss vision to protect and create jobs through a combination of tax incentives, infrastructure investment with strong Buy American provisions, and attention to domestic supply chains offers common-sense solutions and a clear path to success.

READ MORE ON MLIVE:

Biden says Trump failed to bring back Michigan jobs and tanked economy with COVID response

Joe Biden says Trump betrayed Americans by downplaying threat of COVID-19

In Michigan, Joe Biden to propose taxing companies that move jobs overseas

Michigan Trump surrogates highlight USMCA at event for farmers and ranchers

Trump and Biden back-to-back visits show Michigan is still a 2020 battleground
The customs in the city of Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province said it has refused the entry of 21.5 tonnes of solid waste into the country.





Accompanied by fake documents, a batch of blue-green powdery lumpy solids, which was suspected to be industrial waste, was seized during checks by customs officers who found the solids did not match their classification as "calcined nickel oxide" on declaration forms.

Relevant departments have identified the substances as solid waste which is prohibited from entering the country in accordance with Chinese law.

According to the customs, long-term storage of the waste could be harmful to the surrounding environment and the waste was returned Tuesday.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has reconsidered its decision and now will open the 17-mile dirt road through Stony Valley  State Game Lands 211 in Dauphin and Lebanon counties  for a one-day driving tour this fall.

The gates on the dirt road, which previously was a railroad grade, will be opened from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, for the tour, which begins at the Ellendale Forge gate, 6 miles east of Dauphin Borough, along Stony Valley Road, and ends at the Gold Mine gate. The tour runs one way, and all participants must exit the tour route by 3 p.m.

The commission previously told PennLive.com it had decided against continuing the popular tradition because of the coronavirus pandemic and staffing concerns in the agency.

Dustin Stoner, information and education supervisor for the commissions Southeast Region, explained last week, "The SGL 211 tour draws 1,000-plus vehicles and several thousand people. With that in mind, we feel that we would be promoting an environment where social distancing would be difficult to maintain at locations along the route where crowds typically gather.

"The railroad grade is narrow, and weve experienced problems in previous years with vehicles breaking down and or getting stuck, which causes backlogs and frustration among the participants.

Additionally, the amount of staffing required to maintain traffic flow along the railroad grade is of concern due to the amount of vacancies we currently have in the region.

But today the commission announced on its Facebook page that the driving tour would be held.

Travis Lau, communications director for the commission, explained, "As you know, its an extremely popular event, and many expressed disappointment when our decision to cancel was announced.

With further review, we determined the tour, in fact, safely could be held while still complying with the Governors guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19, and we hope those who attend will enjoy it.

The commission also plans to hold a driving tour on State Game Lands 110 in Berks County from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, October 18. It will begin at the SGL 110 entrance off Mountain Road approximately five miles west of Hamburg and end at Route 183, four miles north of Strausstown. Travel will be limited to the designated tour route only and off-road vehicle operation is not permitted.

Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.
Dhaka, Sept 9 (UNI) Bangladesh fire service and police have recovered the bodies of 10 people after a passenger boat collided with a sand laden trawler on the Gumiti river in Netrakonas kalmakanda Upazila in Bangladesh.

The incident took place in the Upazila's Barakhapon Union around 10 am Wednesday.

At least 12 others are still missing, Netrokona's Deputy Commissioner Kazi Md Habibur Rahman told this correspondent over mobile phone.

Witnesses said the passenger trawler capsized after colliding with the other vessel. While some of the passengers managed to swim to safety, others drowned as the vessel sank.

Later, police and members of the fire service began a rescue operation with the help of locals.

Three people have been rescued alive so far, according to police. The trawler was heading to Netrokona's Chhakurakona from Sunamganj with around 40-45 passengers on board.

However, the authorities could not immediately identify the victims.

In another major accident, at least six people have died after a head on collision between an ambulance and a covered van in Barishals Uzirpur upazila in Bangladesh.

The accident occurred on the Dhaka-Barishal highway in the Upazila's Jayatri village around 4:45 pm Wednesday, according to Uzirpur Police OC Ziaur Rahman.

UNI MAZ JW2252
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda on Thursday addressed a state executive meeting of the partys West Bengal unit via videoconferencing, attacking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and calling her a barrier between the people of the state and good schemes for the needy.

Mamata didi becomes a barrier between the people of Bengal and good schemes for the needy, the BJP chief said, adding that Ayushman Bharat, a Rs five lakh crore coverage for the poor, provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has not been received by 4.57 crore eligible people in West Bengal.

Nadda further accused the states Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of minority appeasement, remarking that while a lockdown was imposed in West Bengal on August 5-the day foundation stone of the Ram Mandir was laid in Ayodhya-there was no lockdown on July 31, on the festival of Bakrid.

Talking about the alleged killings of BJP workers in West Bengal, Nadda said, More than 100 workers of our party have been murdered here. If this is not jungle raj, then what is? But champions of democracy sitting in Delhi will not say a word on this.

The BJP leader also accused TMC leaders and land mafia of being behind the recent incident of vandalism at the Visva Bharati University.

On the saffron partys success in West Bengal in last years Lok Sabha polls, Nadda said, In 2011, we had a 2% vote share in Bengal with four seats. In 2014, we got two seats but vote share rose to 18%. In 2019, we got a vote share of 40%. We have to continue at the same speed and in the coming elections, weve to defeat TMC.

The West Bengal assembly polls are scheduled to take place next year. The BJP, buoyed by its performance in the Lok Sabha polls, is looking to unseat CM Mamatas TMC government, in power for two successive terms since 2011, and form the first BJP government in the state.
Southern Oregon wildfires this week have plowed through small towns, leveled hundreds of homes and businesses and now threatens part of the states prized  and lucrative  outdoor cannabis crop.

Statewide, an estimated 20 percent of state-licensed marijuana businesses  roughly 408  face some level of evacuation, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission said Wednesday. That includes stores, marijuana processors and producers.
" " Pilots from a Navy aircraft in 2014 described a "little white Tic-Tac-looking object," similar to the one seen here, moving above the water off California before it disappeared. Geraint Rowland Photography/Getty Images

You don't have to be a Steven Spielberg fan to recognize the famous scene  a giant UFO hovering over Wyoming's Devils Tower, dotted with bright neon lights against a black sky. It's from the 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and it's a perfect example of Hollywood science-fiction fantasy.

Or maybe not?

OK  "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" is fiction, but it's inspired by more than just a smart screenwriter. According to both the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) and the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), the remote, northern American West is a hot spot for reports of alien encounters. Of course, not all are close encounters of the "third" kind.

Like the 1977 film, if you're lucky enough to see a creature of this other world, congratulations! That's a close encounter of the third kind. But what about close encounters of the first and second kind? What are those? (We'll get to that in a minute.) And who came up with them?

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J. Allen Hynek and UFOs

A UFO encounter classification system may seem like it was made up by RV-dragging, desert-dwelling conspiracy theorists, but it was created by J. Allen Hynek, a well-respected astronomer, defense researcher, and director of The Ohio State University's McMillin Observatory.

The U.S. Air Force approached Hynek with concerns about a growing number of reports of unexplained aircraft sightings throughout the country in the late 1940s. Hynek studied more than 200 reports and found that about 20 percent couldn't be identified. Hynek reported that he didn't see these "unidentified flying objects" as being of particular interest, but the public did, and the term caught on in the American zeitgeist.

Hynek continued to study well-publicized UFO sightings and consulted on the Air Force's Project Blue Book. But it wasn't until October 1973 when he investigated a Pascagoula, Mississippi, case in which two men reported being abducted by aliens that he decided there should be a classification for UFO sightings. Hynek believed the men were truthful and even gave the press sketches of the aliens who took the men hostage. He launched the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) soon after.

" " A close encounter of the first kind would be described as seeing a UFO that doesn't leave any sort of trace that it was there. David Wall/Getty Images

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Classifying UFO Encounters

The Mississippi event also prompted Hynek to write his 1972 book "The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry," in which he famously laid out the three classes of "close encounters:"

Close encounter of the first kind : Someone simply observes a UFO but it leaves no evidence.

Close encounter of the second kind : A UFO leaves physical traces it was present, such as burns on the ground or broken branches.

Close encounter of the third kind: A person : A person makes contact with a UFO or other life form.

"A close encounter of the first kind is a visual sighting of a UFO. The second kind involves the UFO leaving some kind of a physical effect in its wake, and the third kind would involve the sighting of a UFO occupant," says Dr. Barna Donovan, a professor of communication and media studies at Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, New Jersey. Donovan also teaches a class on the history of conspiracies and is the author of "Conspiracy Films: A Tour of Dark Places in the American Conscious."

Though Hynek died in 1996, other researchers have taken up the charge and since added additional encounter types: a close encounter of the fourth kind covers alleged alien abductions while a close encounter of the fifth type includes  according to most sources  communication exchange between humans and non-Earth creatures.

"This broad five-point typology is the most effective way of categorizing alleged UFO encounters, although by the time researchers get to the close encounters of the fourth and fifth kind, they are dealing with the most controversial aspects of the phenomenon," Donovan says.

Though Hynek's classification system is the one most used by science-based UFO researchers, it's not the only one. Some UFOlogists, as they're called, use sub-classifications within each kind. These subtypes further classify encounter by factors such as where the creature was seen (inside or outside the UFO) and whether lights were seen at night or during the day.

And if you want to get really into it, you can rate each encounter on the Rio Scale, which was developed at the 51st International Astronautical Congress, 29th Review Meeting on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence in 2000. The Rio Scale uses factors like reliability and quality of reporting to give each encounter a rating. Zero means a totally insignificant encounter, and 10 indicates an "extraordinary" sighting worthy of serious study.

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Why Classify UFO Encounters Anyway?

Of course, both of these systems raise a question: Why bother spending much time on classification systems when aliens aren't real? Donovan  who is himself a skeptic  says it's the roughly 10 percent of cases that can't be explained that are of interest to science.

"About 90 percent of sightings are misidentified aircraft, weather phenomena or sleep disorders [like sleep paralysis] of people reporting abduction experiences and experimentation upon by aliens," he says. But the other percentage is proof of one of two things: either a legitimate extraterrestrial presence or some type of phenomenon that science can't yet explain. To enthusiasts with a healthy imagination, either one is a massively exciting prospect.

However, perhaps an equally interesting aspect of alien encounter classifications is just how much the people who report alien abductions vary in age, location and background. While a small percentage actively seek encounters, Donovan says that most people are skeptics who often try to explain away what they've seen.

"It is not good to want to believe too much," he says. "People should be well versed in the ways of skeptical, critical observational methods." That said, Donovan points to cases like the Hill Abduction of 1961 as one of the very few textbook abductions that science can't fully explain more than 60 years later.

Donovan finds the unexplained sightings by the military  which are of the first and second kind only  the most fascinating and most likely to be actual proof of non-Earth-based life. These reports, some of which were confirmed by the Pentagon, are more recent and often recorded by the government via radar and military cameras. The visual evidence is often documented in several places by multiple witnesses removed from one another, which is far harder to explain away than phenomena like the "Marfa Lights" (likely headlines reflecting in the distance) or the 1947 "Roswell Incident."

" " The more rare close encounter of the third kind is when a person reportedly sees or even makes contact with a lifeform from outside of planet Earth. David Wall/Getty Images

Now That's Crazy If you have hope of being in the "lucky" 10 percent of people who report unexplainable encounters, you may actually want to follow in cinema footsteps: the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) has 380 reports of UFO sightings in Wyoming, with reports from the Devils Tower area citing visuals like "multiple orbs of green light frantically moving around in a seemingly random fashion." Though if you want to maximize your chances of a full-on encounter, head to California, which tops NUFORC's list with nearly 15,000 reports since 1975. Take note, Steven Spielberg.

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Originally Published: Feb 18, 2008
By: Laura Warfel

When an ice storm hit her home state of Arkansas in 2009, Kandy Hart encountered the services of the American Red Cross for the first time.

They brought three meals a day to the shelter we had set up in our community, Kandy recalls. In 2012, I became a Red Cross volunteer.

Since that time, Kandy has served in almost every field volunteer position available. From British Columbia to Mississippi to North Carolina to New York to Saipan, she has helped people cope with the aftermath of flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and fires. As a survivor of a life-changing ca accident and the resulting paralysis, she empathizes with those who are going through tragic events.

Surviving that car accident in November 1997 was the first of many victories in Kandys post-trauma life. She was the passenger in a vehicle driven by her nephew. Both were enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the time and were transferring from one base to another. He escaped injury, but the other vehicles impact occurred right behind her seat. Her injuries were severe  traumatic brain injury, paralysis of her arms and legs, inability to speak, loss of memory.

Following four months of intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation, Kandy walked out of the hospital without assistance. No one expected her to be able to do that. Ever. She returned home but as a much different person. She remembered very little from the previous six months of her life.

Experts told her parents that she would have to relearn everything from age five forward. What they didnt consider was her resiliency. Her strong will, determination and faith in God helped prove the experts wrong. In August 1998, I started college as a freshman, Kandy says. I had to learn new study techniques, and the way I learned was totally new for me. I took regular classes with no remediation, but I did take a lighter class load. I earned my associates degree in computer networking. Just a few years later, she earned a bachelors degree in laboratory science.

Memory was and continues to be one of Kandys greatest challenges. She also has some residual hearing loss. Her motor skills have improved to the point that she has no visible physical impairment. Balance issues will sometimes surface when she is tired. Depression resulting from her brain injury is controlled by medication.

In 2012  15 years after the accident  Kandy began volunteering with ARC.

ARC accepts me as a volunteer, even with my limitations, she says. With the help of other volunteers, I have learned to adapt and compensate for my weaknesses. As an ARC volunteer, I have been able to flourish.

Kandy still remembers her encounter with a woman at a disaster site in Arkansas. The woman had lost her sister, mother and father within the same year and was standing near the rubble of her house that had just burned.

She appreciated everything everyone did for her, and she didnt expect the help, Kandy said. She was upbeat and determined to keep going. The resiliency I see in people is amazing to me. We can endure so much and yet come back better than ever.

Working with children and their teachers is one of Kandys greatest joys as a volunteer. She enjoys preparing them so they wont be afraid when disasters come. The Red Cross training she provides helps them have more confidence because they understand what is going to happen and what they can do to make a difference. They develop more confidence than they might otherwise have, and they become positive influencers in their family homes.

Volunteering looks different now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Kandy still encourages people to use their time, talents and skills to help others.
A three-year-long U.S. court battle over a cryptocurrency fundraiser, one of the largest initial coin offerings ever, has ended with a Swiss foundation paying $25 million to participants who lost money and their lawyers.

The litigation followed a Reuters investigation in October 2017 that detailed a bitter feud between the founders of the Tezos cryptocurrency project, Arthur and Kathleen Breitman, and the then-president of the Tezos Foundation, that threatened to derail the blockchain venture. (https://rb.gy/3ffpc0)

The Zug-based foundation had handled the fundraiser, which raised $232 million in just 13 days during a cryptocurrency buying frenzy in 2017.

Lawsuits alleged that the Tezos online offering was an unregistered securities sale. As a result of the settlement, the federal court did not rule on the matter.

The settlement, initially proposed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco in March, received final approval by a federal judge on Friday.

The Tezos Foundation agreed to pay the entire $25 million. The dispute with the founders and the foundations president was eventually resolved. The Swiss entity has continued to promote the Tezos technology and its website states that its assets have grown to $635 million.

The plaintiffs attorneys will receive more than $8.5 million in fees and expenses, according to a court order by the judge. (Reporting by Anna Irrera and Steve Stecklow in London; Editing by Richard Chang)
Tesco will trial grocery home deliveries using drones next month, as it experiments with different ways to reach more customers.

Chief Executive Dave Lewis said the pilot will take place in Ireland, where partner Manna already has a license to operate.

Food retailers across the globe have rapidly expanded their pick-up and delivery services in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with several following U.S. giant Amazon in trialling drones.

Earlier this year, Manna began trialling using drones for takeaway including a trial with Supermacs in the Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall.

The Irish company promises delivery in three minutes or less to the local neighbourhood (within 2km).

During a web event hosted by Tesco, Mr Lewis said Manna have already proven the potential of drone deliveries; The question is how do we take that capability and apply it to Tesco? he said.

The supermarket group's innovation director Claire Lorains said the trial would focus on the delivery of just a few grocery items, such as forgotten recipe items, with deliveries made within 30 minutes to an hour of an order being made.

"We're really interested to see how drones could be part of the solution to deliver to our customers on-demand small baskets," she said, noting the small basket market in Britain was forecast to exceed 10 billion pounds ($13 billion) over the coming years.

"If our trial with Manna is successful, we really think there is an opportunity to reach many customers through our stores extending with a drones service," she said.

Lewis said Tesco had four innovation priority areas: food & drink products and technology; data; robotics and automation; and packaging.

Lewis, who last year declared the group's turnaround complete, is due to step down at the end of September and be replaced by Ken Murphy, formerly of healthcare group Walgreens Boots Alliance.

Additional reporting Reuters
Former Citigroup CEO Sandy Weill told CNBC on Thursday that he was bullish about the bank's future after it tapped Jane Fraser to be its next top executive, calling her a "natural leader" who can bring about future growth.

"I'm thrilled that they chose a woman, but I'm more thrilled that they chose a woman who has done a phenomenal job over the last 16 years at Citi in just everything she's ever had the opportunity to manage," Weill, who remains a shareholder, said on "Closing Bell."

Citigroup, the third-largest U.S. bank by assets, announced earlier Thursday that Michael Corbat intends to retire in February after 37 years at the firm, with the last eight spent as chief executive officer. Fraser, who is currently president and the head of its global consumer banking unit, is set to become the first woman to lead a major U.S. bank.

Fraser, 53, joined Citi in 2004 and has worked in a variety of roles including overseeing its Latin American operations. With banks facing pressure as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Weill said he thought Fraser's background made her well-positioned to navigate the years ahead.

"Jane, after she came to Citi, headed up our strategy for about three years, and she spent time also at [McKinsey & Company] so I think she knows a lot about strategy, but she also knows a lot about how to run the businesses hands on and she has empathy for people," Weill said. "I think Citi has an unbelievable opportunity in the future."

Weill, who left Citigroup as CEO in 2003 and retired as chairman in 2006, was a notable figure in the company's history. He helped turn it into a sprawling financial institution in the late 1990s, upending banking rules when he brought together his Travelers Group and then-Citicorp.

Weill defended Corbat against criticism over how the bank's stock has performed during his tenure, saying he "inherited a real mess from his predecessor." Citi shares are up a little over 40% since Corbat took over in October 2012, while JPMorgan Chase, for example, is up about 140% in that period. Bank of America shares have risen well over 150% in that time.

Citi's stock is down 36% this year alone, as the financial sector faces the burdens of the pandemic's economic consequences. Weill said that if anything, that year-to-date performance gives Fraser "a great opportunity to really have incredibly good performance."

"So I'm happy to be a Citi shareholder with Jane at the helm, and I've been happy with Mike. I think that Citi is in a very good position," he said.
Bengaluru: Foodtech unicorn Zomato has raised $103 million from New York- based investment firm Tiger Global Management as part of its ongoing Series-J financing, according to regulatory filings.

Zomato Pvt. Ltd. has allotted 25,313 class J4 preference shares to Tiger Globals Internet Fund IV Pte. Ltd at an issue price of 3,00,235 per share, regulatory filings sourced from Tofler showed.

With this round of financing, Zomatos valuation has jumped from $3.25 billion to an estimated $3.4 billion, as it closes the gap with rival Swiggy, which was last valued at $3.6 billion.

Swiggy raised $156 million in March quarter of 2020 from Naspers and others.

As Zomato looks to attract new investors to the company, these funds raising efforts might be its last before it hits the public markets.

In an email to employees on Thursday, founder and CEO, Deepinder Goyal has also said that the company will look to go public, by mid-next year, in 2021, according to two individual employees.

Mint has reviewed a copy of the email.

We have raised a lot of money, and today, our cash in the bank (~$250m) is more than ever in our history. Tiger Global, Temasek, Baillie Gifford and Ant Financial have already participated in our current round, and there are more big names joining the round  we estimate that our current round will end up with us at $600m in the bank very soon," Deepinder Goyal told employees.

In addition to this, Zomato will be using this funding, as cash reserves to fight price competition in the market, as well as look at potential acquisitions in the space, which will boost its food delivery capabilities.

The best part is that our burn rate is very low, and our market share is accelerating in all regions [] we have no immediate plans on how to spend this money. We are treating this cash as a war-chest for future M&A, and fighting off any mischief or price wars from our competition in various areas of our business," added Goyal in his memo.

This investment from Tiger Global comes a week after the Gurugram-based foodtech major closed $62 million from MacRitchie Investments Pte. Ltd., a unit of Singapores state investment arm Temasek Holdings.

The company in March raised $5 million from Pacific Horizon Investment Trust, which is managed by UK-based Baillie Gifford & Co. Ltd.

Earlier in July, Zomato said that its revenues doubled to $394 million, although it recorded a loss of $293 million, for the fiscal year 2019-20. In FY19, the food aggregator unicorn reported a revenue of $192 million and a loss of $277 million.

The covid-19 induced pandemic has severely affected the food aggregator business with delivery volumes averaging around 50% for the overall industry, at present.

In its latest report, Zomato estimated that business for the food delivery industry will come back to pre-covid levels in the next 2-3 months, with 70% of restaurants on its platform delivering food at present.

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Hyderabad, Sep 10 : With 2,534 new coronavirus cases, Telangana's tally breached the 1.50 lakh mark on Thursday, while 11 more patients succumbed to the infection, said health officials.

After the addition of 2,534 new cases in the last 24 hours, the tally went up to 1,50,176, officials added.

As many as 11 more persons with Covid-19 infection died across the state, taking the toll to 927.

Telangana became the ninth state in the country to cross 1.50 lakh mark. The state government, however, claims that with low fatality rate and a better recovery rate, the state is on a better footing than many other states in handling the pandemic.

Health officials said the fatality rate in the state declined further to 0.61 per cent against the national average of 1.68 per cent.

Out of the total fatalities, 53.87 per cent had comorbidities.

TelanganaaAs recovery rate at 78 per cent is slightly higher than the national average of 77.83 per cent.

The last 24 hours ending 8 p.m. Wednesday saw 2,071 recoveries. With this the overall recoveries in the state climbed to to 1,17,143.

According to a media bulletin , the number of active cases in the state stands at 32,106 including 25,066 in home/institutional isolation.

Out of the total Covid cases reported in the state so far, 69 per cent (1,03,621) were asymptomatic and 31 per cent (46,555) symptomatic.

The latest figures indicate that the situation continues to be under control in Greater Hyderabad but districts are adding new cases.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) saw 327 new cases during the last 24 hours. State capital's neighbouring districts Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri reported 195 and 132 cases respectively. Sangareddy, another district bordering the state capital, recorded 96 cases.

Outside Hyderabad and surrounding districts, Nalgonda recorded highest single-day jump of 149. Warangal Urban reported 124 new cases, Kamareddy 123, Khammam 109, Karimnagar 107 and Siddipet 103.

Ramping up the testing further, 17 government and 38 private laboratories and 1076 rapid antigen tests centres across the state conducted 63,017 tests. These include 28,358 primary and 8,822 secondary contacts.

The state has so far conducted 19,53,571 tests. However, there was no information available as to how many of these are rapid antigen tests.

The state health authorities said samples tested per million population improved further to 52,619. This is much higher than the daily testing target of 5,600 per day as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark of 140 per million per day.

Age wise Covid positive details show that 65.3 per cent of those tested positive were in the age group of 21-50 years. Officials said that 24.71 per cent are above 51 years of age. About 10 per cent were aged below 20 years.

Officials said 64.41 per cent of those tested positive were male while the remaining 35.59 per cent were female.

Out of 20,396 beds under government, 17,712 beds are vacant including 1,615 ICU beds.

A total of 197 private hospitals treating Covid patients have 10,346 beds, out of which 5,990 are vacant.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
An Australian mother and her three young children have been forced to sleep on the floor of London's Heathrow airport for three days after being bumped from flights because of coronavirus travel caps.

Sheree Richardson, from Perth, posted images to Facebook on Saturday of her children, including and infant, sleeping on the airport floor using winter coats for warmth.

'Homeless now at Heathrow with three children. Have been for three days and watch people paying for business class tickets right in front of me! 14, 11 and 1-year-old it's not right,' she captioned the pictures.

Ms Richardson said she booked her flights well before the Australian government introduced international arrival caps on incoming flights into the country.

The family's ordeal echoes the 2004 film The Terminal in which Tom Hanks plays an Eastern European tourist left stranded in JFK Airport after a coup in his home country.

The film was loosely based on the true story of Iranian refugee Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who lived in limbo at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport from 1988 to 2006.

Ms Richardson, from Perth, posted images to Facebook on Saturday of her children (pictured), including and infant, sleeping on the airport floor using winter coats for warmth

Ms Richardson said she booked her flights well before the Australian government introduced international arrival caps on incoming flights into the country

Planes arriving at Sydney airport are limited to roughly 30 passengers under the travel cap rule, with many economy passengers complaining they are being bumped at the last minute for higher-paying business class customers.

Qantas and Virgin Australia have effectively paused international flights, leaving Doha based Qatar Airways as the main airline flying Australians stranded overseas back to the country.

The travel caps were imposed by the Morrison government because of the policy to quarantine every returned traveler in hotels for 14 days on their arrival in the country.

Allowing more than 30 people on each flight would threaten to derail the complicated system.

Qatar Airways told WA Today that the family have been re-booked on flights home to Australia on September 16 and 17.

'Due to the restrictions on passengers travelling to Australian destinations, Qatar Airways can only carry a limited number of passengers per day to certain destinations,' a spokeswoman for the airline said.

The airline industry has previously said up to 100,000 Australians could be stranded overseas because of coronavirus border closures and travel caps.

The official figure from the Australian government places the number at about 20,000 though these are only the people who have registered with the government.

The family's case was brought to the attention of Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, George Brandis.

'This is obviously extremely troubling and no Australian should  or need be  in this position,' Mr Brandis tweeted on Sunday.

Sheree Richardson (pictured) said she and her three children had been stranded at Heathrow airport for three days after being bumped from flights to Australia for business class customers

A consular assistance team (pictured) has been deployed to Heathrow airport in London on Monday to help stranded Australian travelers

'If the individual has access to email, please ask they email consular.lhlh@dfat.gov.au If not, please DM the details and we'll look into it urgently.'

On Monday a team from the Australian High Commission was sent to Heathrow to assist Australian travelers.

'They're helping to facilitate Australians returning home, and deliver support in the event of disruption. It's tough to head home right now: but we're determined to help and support however we can,' Mr Brandis wrote.

She had previously said she contacted the Australian government for assistance but received a reply that noone could help with her case 'as it's the weekend'.

She provided an update to her followers that she had now been moved to a hotel and that her children were 'safe' while they continue to wait for flights home.
Face masks have become an important tool in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, improper use or disposal of masks may lead to "secondary transmission". A research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has successfully produced graphene masks with an anti-bacterial efficiency of 80%, which can be enhanced to almost 100% with exposure to sunlight for around 10 minutes. Initial tests also showed very promising results in the deactivation of two species of coronaviruses. The graphene masks are easily produced at low cost, and can help to resolve the problems of sourcing raw materials and disposing of non-biodegradable masks.

The research is conducted by Dr Ye Ruquan, Assistant Professor from CityU's Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with other researchers. The findings were published in the scientific journal ACS Nano, titled "Self-Reporting and Photothermally Enhanced Rapid Bacterial Killing on a Laser-Induced Graphene Mask".

Commonly used surgical masks are not anti-bacterial. This may lead to the risk of secondary transmission of bacterial infection when people touch the contaminated surfaces of the used masks or discard them improperly. Moreover, the melt-blown fabrics used as a bacterial filter poses an impact on the environment as they are difficult to decompose. Therefore, scientists have been looking for alternative materials to make masks.

Converting other materials into graphene by laser

Dr Ye has been studying the use of laser-induced graphene in developing sustainable energy. When he was studying PhD degree at Rice University several years ago, the research team he participated in and led by his supervisor discovered an easy way to produce graphene. They found that direct writing on carbon-containing polyimide films (a polymeric plastic material with high thermal stability) using a commercial CO 2 infrared laser system can generate 3D porous graphene. The laser changes the structure of the raw material and hence generates graphene. That's why it is named laser-induced graphene.

Graphene is known for its anti-bacterial properties, so as early as last September, before the outbreak of COVID-19, producing outperforming masks with laser-induced graphene already came across Dr Ye's mind. He then kick-started the study in collaboration with researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Nankai University, and other organisations.

Excellent anti-bacterial efficiency

The research team tested their laser-induced graphene with E. coli, and it achieved high anti-bacterial efficiency of about 82%. In comparison, the anti-bacterial efficiency of activated carbon fibre and melt-blown fabrics, both commonly-used materials in masks, were only 2% and 9% respectively. Experiment results also showed that over 90% of the E. coli deposited on them remained alive even after 8 hours, while most of the E. coli deposited on the graphene surface were dead after 8 hours. Moreover, the laser-induced graphene showed a superior anti-bacterial capacity for aerosolised bacteria.

Dr Ye said that more research on the exact mechanism of graphene's bacteria-killing property is needed. But he believed it might be related to the damage of bacterial cell membranes by graphene's sharp edge. And the bacteria may be killed by dehydration induced by the hydrophobic (water-repelling) property of graphene.

Previous studies suggested that COVID-19 would lose its infectivity at high temperatures. So the team carried out experiments to test if the graphene's photothermal effect (producing heat after absorbing light) can enhance the anti-bacterial effect. The results showed that the anti-bacterial efficiency of the graphene material could be improved to 99.998% within 10 minutes under sunlight, while activated carbon fibre and melt-blown fabrics only showed an efficiency of 67% and 85% respectively.

The team is currently working with laboratories in mainland China to test the graphene material with two species of human coronaviruses. Initial tests showed that it inactivated over 90% of the virus in five minutes and almost 100% in 10 minutes under sunlight. The team plans to conduct testings with the COVID-19 virus later.

Their next step is to further enhance the anti-virus efficiency and develop a reusable strategy for the mask. They hope to release it to the market shortly after designing an optimal structure for the mask and obtaining the certifications.

Dr Ye described the production of laser-induced graphene as a "green technique". All carbon-containing materials, such as cellulose or paper, can be converted into graphene using this technique. And the conversion can be carried out under ambient conditions without using chemicals other than the raw materials, nor causing pollution. And the energy consumption is low.

"Laser-induced graphene masks are reusable. If biomaterials are used for producing graphene, it can help to resolve the problem of sourcing raw material for masks. And it can lessen the environmental impact caused by the non-biodegradable disposable masks," he added.

Dr Ye pointed out that producing laser-induced graphene is easy. Within just one and a half minutes, an area of 100 cm can be converted into graphene as the outer or inner layer of the mask. Depending on the raw materials for producing the graphene, the price of the laser-induced graphene mask is expected to be between that of surgical mask and N95 mask. He added that by adjusting laser power, the size of the pores of the graphene material can be modified so that the breathability would be similar to surgical masks.

A new way to check the condition of the mask

To facilitate users to check whether graphene masks are still in good condition after being used for a period of time, the team fabricated a hygroelectric generator. It is powered by electricity generated from the moisture in human breath. By measuring the change in the moisture-induced voltage when the user breathes through a graphene mask, it provides an indicator of the condition of the mask. Experiment results showed that the more the bacteria and atmospheric particles accumulated on the surface of the mask, the lower the voltage resulted. "The standard of how frequently a mask should be changed is better to be decided by the professionals. Yet, this method we used may serve as a reference," suggested Dr Ye.

###

Dr Ye is one of the corresponding authors of the paper. The other two corresponding authors are Professor Tang Benzhong from HKUST, and Dr Zhu Chunlei from Nankai University. The first author of the paper is Huang Libei, Dr Ye's PhD student. Other CityU team members are Xu Siyu, Su Jianjun, and Song Yun, all from the Department of Chemistry. Other collaborators included researchers from HKUST, Nankai University, as well as Dr Chen Sijie of the Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet.

The study was supported by CityU and Nankai University.
More than half the participants said Melbourne residents should now be able to visit immediate family members and 46 per cent said the five-kilometre travel limit should be lifted. More than three-quarters said the government should compensate all small businesses forced to close due to lockdown restrictions. The curfew will be a major focus of the upcoming sitting week in state Parliament, although the Legislative Council will not have the power to rescind it. But a planned Coalition move to force the government to provide all the advice behind the policy looks likely to have enough crossbench support to overcome any Labor objections. In a separate move, Ms Patten and Andy Meddick, another crossbench MP whose support was vital in the emergency powers vote, want the government to release next Tuesday all advice underpinning the stage four lockdown. Mr Meddick said he was broadly supportive of the curfew but it had not been explained properly to the public.

The Greens' acting leader, Ellen Sandell, said they too wanted to debate lockdown issues such as the single-person bubble restrictions. Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said on Thursday that he was never consulted about the curfew, contradicting the Premier's claim that police told the government it would help them enforce restrictions. ''I was never consulted,'' Mr Patton told 3AW radio. We had never asked for a curfew." Mr Patton said the first Victoria Police knew about it was on August 2 when its policy department received a copy of the guidelines "a couple of hours" before the curfew was due to start.

As the Chief Health Officer said earlier this week that the curfew was not his idea either, Mr Andrews was asked in his daily press conference to reveal exactly who wanted the city shut down at night. Loading "Decisions are made by groups of people," the Premier said. "I can't necessarily pinpoint for you the exact individual and the exact moment that it was suggested that we put a curfew on." He also said the curfew only prevented Melburnians from jogging at night and shopping "if the supermarket were open". Mr Andrews said he might extend the curfew beyond October 26 if the infection numbers weren't low enough: The plan talks about the [26th of October]. It may go beyond that. We will look at the data, we'll look at where we're at, we'll look at how close we are to achieving the very low case numbers that are essential to opening the place up. It's no more complex than that."

The curfew has riled some lawyers. Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns described it as a very dramatic incursion on the right to freedom of movement. Mr Barns said it was valid for governments to restrict peoples movement during a pandemic, but Victoria had reached for the most extreme measures. You perversely encourage disrespect because the longer it goes, people feel a sense of grievance about it and perceive it as wrong, he said. Jeff Rogut, the chief executive of the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores, said the curfew had decimated trade in many of its already struggling stores, particularly those in Melbournes CBD. We absolutely disagree with the curfew, particularly now that it has come out that it wasn't done for health reasons ... or requested by police, Mr Rogut said.

He said while most stores closed during curfew hours, a handful had remained open to serve permitted workers needing petrol and late-night snacks. Loading Mark McKenzie, chief executive of the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association said the curfew had led to a concentration of customers in petrol stations during daytime hours. We [used to] get a lot of traffic to our sites in the shoulder period of 8am to 11pm. That's all now being pushed into that prior period. We're sort of scratching our heads and saying, How does this make sense from a health perspective?  State Opposition Leader Michael OBrien repeated his calls for the curfew to be scrapped.

Today we heard the Premier basically admit that the curfew was all his idea  he has gone rogue when it comes to the curfew. Mr OBrien suggested better police enforcement was the solution to stopping unlawful gatherings. How about you actually target the rule breakers and deal with them, instead of locking everybody down?" Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt urged Mr Andrews to consider removing the curfew because it had not been recommended by Professor Sutton. We would like to see all and as many of the restrictions lifted as soon as the medical conditions allow. If theres no medical basis for something then obviously thats then something entirely within the remit of the Victorian government to address, said Mr Hunt, who earlier this week pressured the state government to release more information about its modelling.
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Kim Myung Soo will transform into a modern kingsman as the main character of the upcoming KBS2 drama "Amhaeng-eosa"!

The idol-actor, prominently known as L, accepted the offer which was in discussion last June. Through his agency Management Leesang, they announced that he finally took the offer. Kim Myung Soo shared, "This is a new challenge taking the role of the modern kingsman. I am excited and a bit nervous to be in character in the historical drama "Amhaeng-eosa."

The actor will take the male lead role as Sung Yi Gyeom. In Joseon dynasty, there lived a secret royal inspector and Junior Sixth Counselor of Hongmungwan. Sung Yi Gyeom works as an ordinary bureaucrat by day, organizing Hongmungwan's library. During night time though, he secretly gambles with other officials and turns into a hoodwinker.

The modern version of the title "Amhaeng-eosa" or secret royal inspector still prevails throughout the country. In the era of Joseon dynasty, "Amhaeng-eosa" were government officials who were appointed by the king and sent secretly to work in local provinces. They listen to the villagers' stories and monitor officials for corruption.

Being a secret royal inspector is not an easy job. They become the voice of the public and become the king's ear and need to hide their identity.

Kim Myung Soo will show a new kind of character in this upcoming drama. He is a representation of Hallyu wave and gets to act a new genre in modern time. This is the second historical drama that he will be starring in after MBC's "The Emperor: Owner of the Mask" in 2017 wherein he played a commoner who disguised as the king.

Kim Myung Soo made his acting debut in a 2011 Japanese drama. The following year, he was cast in MBC's romance comedy series "Flower Band". Since then, acting projects came at his doorstep. In 2019, he played the role of an angel in the romance series "Angel's Last Mission: Love".

His newly-concluded romance drama was "Meow, the Secret Boy".

"Amhaeng-eosa" will be directed by Kim Jung Min and written by Park Sung Hoon and Kang Min Sun.

Are you also excited to see Kim Myung Soo back on the small screen? Share your thoughts with us below!
A novel process to fabricate special optical fiber that is far simpler, faster and cheaper than the conventional method has been developed by Cristiano Cordeiro, a researcher and professor at the University of Campinas's Physics Institute (IFGW-Unicamp) in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Cordeiro created the innovation during a research internship at the University of Adelaide in Australia, supported by a scholarship from Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP and by a partnership with his host, Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem. An article signed by them and a third collaborator is published in Scientific Reports.

"The conventional process requires very large and expensive machinery and takes almost a week. Our process can be completed with bench-mounted equipment that's at least 100 times cheaper and takes less than an hour from feedstock to end-product. It will enable many more researchers and labs to produce their own optical fiber," Cordeiro told.

The procedure roughly resembles the extrusion method used to produce pasta: pressure is brought to bear on a ductile material so as to force it through a die, producing fiber with the appropriate inner structure. "Of course, this is all done with much more rigor and precision," Cordeiro said.

Hundreds of millions of kilometers of optical fiber are installed worldwide, and the amount of data they transport doubles approximately every two years. They are used not only in telecommunications but also for remote sensing to monitor temperature, mechanical stress, hydrostatic pressure, or fluid flow, among many other parameters.

Thanks to their strength and thinness they are effective in hostile environments and barely accessible locations.

These features help explain the importance of innovative fabrication processes. "The conventional process has several stages and requires highly complex equipment, such as a fiber drawing tower," Cordeiro said. "First a preform is produced, a giant version of the fiber with a diameter of between 2 cm and 10 cm. This structure is heated and drawn in a highly controlled manner by the tower. Mass is conserved and diameter decreases as length increases. Our method simplifies the process at an enormously reduced cost. The device we designed carries out a single continuous process starting with polymer pellets and ending with the finished fiber."

The procedure can be used to fabricate not only all-solid fiber, in which light is transmitted via a core with a higher refractive index but also microstructured fiber containing an array of longitudinal holes, which enhances optical properties control and brings an increase in functionality - including the opportunity to guide light with low energy loss in an air channel. To create the microstructures, the researchers used titanium dies with suitable designs.

"To simplify the fabrication of special optical fiber, we deployed equipment and techniques that are becoming more affordable and accessible thanks to the popularization of 3D printing," Cordeiro said. "The only machine required is a compact horizontal extruder similar to the device used to produce filament for 3D printers. It's about the size of a microwave oven and is far less costly than a draw tower. The titanium die with solid parts and holes is coupled to the extruder exit."

Owing to the fiber's intricate inner structure, the researchers produced the dies by additive manufacturing using appropriate 3D printers. Specialist firms can provide additive manufacturing services, so the only item of equipment need to produce the fiber is the horizontal extruder.

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About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at http://www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at http://www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.
Mexican director Michel Franco: 'People are very dissatisfied everywhere and I fear governments are seizing the opportunity to control in a stronger way'

A rich family's wedding erupts into violence in Michel Franco's new film at Venice, a searing indictment of the gap between rich and poor and a wake-up call to the threat of authoritarianism.

"Nuevo Orden,", premiering at the Venice film festival on Thursday, takes place in Mexico but the dystopia it imagines could take place not only there, with its 60 million poor, but in many countries around the world, Franco said ahead of the screening.

Similar dynamics are playing out worldwide -- whether in Chile, Colombia, Brazil or even the United States -- where the masses live without opportunities and the authorities exploit unrest to gain more power, he added.

"Every country for its particular reality is facing something similar," Franco told a press conference. "People are very dissatisfied everywhere and I fear governments are seizing the opportunity to control in a stronger way."

Bloodshed, betrayal, and terror are the ingredients feeding "Nuevo Orden," in which the social order of the privileged few dominating the exploited masses is turned on its head. But in the ensuing chaos and the substitution of one corrupt system for another, neither rich nor poor come out on top.

Franco takes the racial and social inequalities in Mexico today as the spark that propels the movie's action. The wealthy family celebrating a wedding at home is white-skinned, while the servants confined to the kitchen are all of Indian origin. A retired worker for the family who comes to the door to ask for help paying for an operation for his sick wife is handed bills pulled from expensive leather wallets -- and then told to leave.

- 'Good scare' -

Franco has called the movie a warning to his country and the world, and its dire depiction of Mexico -- in which the protests over social disparity end in a bloody coup d'etat -- is only "slightly off from reality".

"We deserve a good scare," Franco told AFP in an interview.

Story continues

"I believe that representing violence on screen and the reasons that provoke it in a realistic and serious way, is the first step to understand what is happening ... and to be able to change things."

Franco described how growing up in Mexico, he saw first-hand how the vast majority of people did not share the same opportunities as those few at the top.

"I have always said, 'One day this is going to burst.' And it is not something that only happens in Latin America," he said.

"Everyone is upside down. And instead of understanding and improving, I think it's going to the extreme, where there's no empathy and if there's no empathy, there's no hope."

While "Nuevo Orden" was in post-production, protests erupted across the world, including the 'yellow vest" movement in France, the student demonstrations in Hong Kong, and the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, Franco recalled.

"The worrying thing is that the authorities control by violating human rights," he said.

"The protests over George Floyd's murder in the United States simply bring more abuses, more human rights violations, more police and military," he said.

"And that's in the United States, which is supposed to be a place with more guarantees."

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During the last 15 years, K-pop idols have suffered an alarming number of injuries while performing. Could negligence be a factor in any of these accidents? Liability issues surrounding such events can even lead to lawsuits, believe those at diamondlaw.ca.

While none of the artists sustained fatal wounds, their injuries were severe enough to get fans worried. Let's take a look at the five types of accidents that caused the most severe harm.

Falling Off the Stage

Falls put performers at risk of serious injury, especially when the platform is high. Such unexpected drops have caused problems for several idols.

During a 2017 concert event, 2PM's Jun.K fell off a moving platform, descending almost nine feet. Medical personnel took him to a local hospital and discovered he'd fractured his right elbow and ring finger. The concert didn't continue, and fans got their money back.

Jun.K wasn't the only one to suffer this type of accident. In 2016, Huihyeon of the group DIA fell from an almost seven-foot-high stage after tripping. She was able to return to the platform and finish the performance, but later discovered she'd broken her leg and bruised her tailbone.

During a live performance in 2011, DalShabet's Subin fell off the stage after getting her foot caught. She hit her face on a metal pyrotechnic outlet, cutting her lips and mouth severely. At the hospital, she needed 16 stitches to close the wounds.

Another accident of this type took place in 2006 when Shinhwa member Kim Dong Wan fell off the platform. Due to low lighting, he didn't see the end of the stage and walked right off. He injured his shoulder but was able to return from the hospital with his arm in a sling and finish the concert.

Platform Lift Collapse

It's not often that a stage lift makes sudden, unexpected movements, and that's a good thing. However, when such an accident happens, it's likely to injure those on the platform.

After a performance at the 2014 Seoul Music Awards, Girls' Generation TTS started to leave the platform. Suddenly, the lift collapsed, and one member slipped, while another fell through the stage. Seohyun sprained her leg, and Taeyeon sustained bruises.

Pyrotechnic Explosion

Fireworks are dangerous wherever they are. In 2007, Seungri of the group BIGBANG learned this firsthand when on-stage pyrotechnics exploded in his face. He received treatment for burns on several parts of his body.

Lighting Structure Collapse

Light fixtures for music shows are massive metal constructions near the platform or above the artists' heads. Boyband SHINee was walking off stage after a 2009 performance when a lighting structure fell, almost hitting Onew.

Nearby Super Junior members sprung to action and grabbed the fixture, so it didn't crush the star. Onew passed out from the shock of the incident and sustained minor bruises.

Slipping on Slick Surfaces

K-pop stars are so eager to please their fans that they sometimes choose to continue performing even in dangerous conditions.

When rain left stages wet, a few performers had the unfortunate luck of slipping and getting injured. In 2010, SISTAR's Bora broke an arm and a thumb. Similarly, Jaeho of History fractured his thumb during a 2016 Show Champion performance.

Even without rain, parts of the platform can be slick. Miss A's Suzy slipped on some stairs on stage during a 2014 concert. She ended up spraining an ankle and cutting her leg and arm.

Conclusion

Performing on platforms high above the fans is risky. That's a big part of why K-pop idols have seen many mishaps while on stage, with some severe injuries resulting. It isn't uncommon to fall off the platform, and lift failure has caused problems, too.

Pyrotechnic displays and lighting structures can malfunction and become hazardous. When the stage is slippery, it's easy to fall and get hurt. Despite a history of such injuries, K-pop artists seem to bounce back and keep performing!
Roger Misso is a Navy veteran of two combat deployments and father of two. He is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and Harvard Kennedy School. He currently serves as Executive Director of Taking the Hill, a group working to elect veterans and military family members of integrity to Congress. He is a former candidate for Congress in New Yorks 24th District.

Before he died, my grandfather liked to tell stories. He was the type to tell the same story over and over again at every family gathering, until you could recite the stories back by heart.

Grandpa was a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam Era, serving in Laos and Cambodia in the months before the official start of the war. By the time I was born, he hadnt worn the uniform in more than 25 years. But service stories were the ones he liked best.

There were stories about the Navy transport ship that took him to Southeast Asia for the first time, about pulling shore patrol duty wrangling drunken GIs, and about wayward lieutenants too proud to admit that they were lost. There were the stories he never told, but were there - those about the friends he lost and the fear he must have felt under fire far from home.

But out of all of his stories, the ones that stick with me the most are those he told of coming back to America after deployment. My grandfather was shocked and disgusted at the way he and his fellow servicemembers were treated upon their return. We didnt expect to be greeted like heroes, but we didnt expect to be spat on and called babykillers, either, hed say.

With little fanfare, my grandfather quietly returned to Orleans County in Western New York, began a new job, and started a family. He did all this while rarely taking advantage of the benefits extended to him for his service - things like education credits, tax reductions, or access to healthcare. I was never sure if this had something to do with how his country treated him after he returned from war, but I knew it was something he talked about often.

In his experience, those who spat on him and maligned his service shared some common characteristics. They were selfish and had a sense of entitlement. Many, in his view, were lucky to have a wealthy father who could bankroll their education or pay their way out of the draft. They didnt understand the meaning of hard work, service, or sacrifice.

But if he were alive today? My grandfather might be describing Donald Trump.

Like my grandfathers stories, a recent Atlantic article recounts the times Trump has maligned or dishonored our troops. There was the time he made up a weak excuse about bad weather to avoid visiting an American military cemetery in Europe, calling the war dead buried there suckers. There was the time he called John McCain a loser and discredited his seven years as a Prisoner of War (POW) in Vietnam by saying hes not a war hero. There was the time he used his daddys influence to claim bone spurs in order to dodge the draft. These stories reflect something far more sinister than simple partisan disagreements over military spending or Forever War. They reveal that Donald Trump is incapable of leading our military. He does not understand the fundamental force that calls young people to places like Parris Island, Great Lakes, and Fort Benning each year to earn the right to wear the cloth of our nation. He does not understand the meaning of service - of dedicating yourself to a cause greater than your own bottom line. He does not understand sacrifice - of months away from home, of long hours and sleepless nights, of worrying for the safety of our children, our grandchildren, and our neighbors.

The contrast in this election could not be more clear. Joe Biden understands service, and he knows sacrifice. He raised two sons who volunteered to serve in uniform. His late son, Beau, deployed to Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star. When elected, Joe Biden will become the first President since Dwight Eisenhower to have had a child deploy overseas. This unique experience will make him a strong Commander-in-Chief, respected by our troops on day one.

There are those who desperately want you to believe otherwise. The presidents supporters want you to believe that money alone makes a strong military. But we know better.

Respect, not wealth, makes our military strong. My grandfather knew this, returning home from Vietnam. Joe Biden knows this as a Blue Star father. It is part of the stories he tells his grandkids, just as sure as they were part of the stories my grandfather told me. Joe Biden is the only candidate who will respect our military, our veterans, and our war dead. He will do this every day, without exception. This isnt the only reason you should vote for him - but its the story my grandpa wouldve wanted you to hear.

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Thousands of Central New York students headed back inside classrooms this week, and more will return next week as they restart school amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Other students are starting their classes through online learning, working from their homes all or part of the time.

"Its the new normal,'' said Jordan-Elbridge Superintendent Jim Froio. Its still not normal, but its more normal than it used to be.

At schools that opened classrooms this week, students, teachers and staff wore masks, got their temperatures checked, filled out wellness forms and refrained from hugging those they missed and hadnt seen in months.

Classrooms have fewer students, with desks spaced six feet apart. For the most part, students stayed in their seats in a classroom and teachers moved from class to class.

Cortney Stetsons son, Owen, could hardly contain his excitement at starting first grade in school in the Jordan-Elbridge district.

"He loved it,'' she said after the first day ended on Tuesday. Masks, temp checks - it didnt bother him at all. J-E did a great job, and Owen and I are so happy its five days a week.

In March, all the schools in New York state shut down for in-person instruction due to the pandemic. Everyone had to adapt quickly to distance learning - which is still being used in many districts and is an option for any parents who chose that path for their kids this fall.

About 20 percent - 13,000 students - have opted to stay at home and do distance learning in Onondaga County. The rest - about 53,000 - will be going to class in schools all or part of each week.

In the Syracuse City School District, all 20,000 students will learn online until at least Oct. 2. Board members made that decision in August due to parents and teaches concerns about the pandemic.

In Onondaga County, some schools  Jordan-Elbridge, Skaneateles, LaFayette and Manlius Pebble Hill  started classes this week right after Labor Day. These schools  along with Fabius-Pompey which starts a bit later  are bringing kids back five days a week for in-person unless parents decide to keep their children home and do distance or remote learning.

Remote learners also started at many schools this week. At J-E, thats about 10 percent of the students. In LaFayette, its closer to 30 percent.

LaFayette Superintendent Jeremy Belfield said it was heartwarming to see students back in the buildings.

"It was a great first day,' he said. Staff is doing an amazing job of connecting with our in-person learners and digital learners.

A sign on the door at Jordan-Elbridge schools reminds people to wear masks.

Most students have to wear masks all day except for occasional breaks - while some districts - about 30 percent statewide - dont require them while kids are seated in the classroom. Some schools are making it more fun by offering masks with school logos.

There were bumps, of course.

At J-E, there was a delay as the youngest kids got off the bus and into the building. Because they didnt know their way around, they had to be escorted with proper social distancing and that took time, Froio said. Now they will have bus aides waiting to take them to their class.

"The kids are just so happy to be back in school,'' Froio said. Even though its not the social atmosphere it was before this, they all seemed to think it was a lot better than not being in school at all.

Schools have pledged to make remote learning more interactive this fall, with more lessons at specific times, more engagement and attendance will be taken.

Some school districts are starting a bit later - Fayetteville-Manlius will start Friday with one group of hybrid students, Jamesville-DeWitt and Liverpool on Monday and some like East Syracuse Minoa are phasing in over the next several weeks. Syracuse is the latest to start with in-person instruction Oct. 2.

MORE STORIES ON EDUCATING CNY

Will CNY schools shut down if a student gets the coronavirus? A look at the rules

Masks, air purifiers could slash odds of coronavirus spread in classrooms: SU report

Rise in coronavirus transmission inevitable when schools reopen, Cuomo says

11 takeaways as New York closes in on fall high school sports guidelines

How do you bus kids to school in the middle of a pandemic? A look inside one districts plans

Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com
Chennai: Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Vaibhav rescued nine fishermen from IFB Jeraldon-2, a fishing boat, that was stranded about 75 nautical miles (139 km) South-East of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu due to engine failure. The information regarding stranded fishing boat and the distressed crew was received by Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC).

The boat was reportedly drifting at sea due to engine failure and was facing the vagaries of the ocean. Owing to strong winds and currents the fishing boat drifted further into the Sri Lankan waters. ICGS Vaibhav rushed to the area and undertook a thorough search.

Subsequently, communication was established with the boat, which was approximately 25 nautical miles (46 km) across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

Continuous communication was maintained with the Fisheries Department, Tuticorin and the boat owner during the entire operation. ICGS Vaibhav towed the boat and handed her (Jeraldon-2) along with her nine crew to another fishing boat which was deployed by the owner for assistance. The safe handover took place about 10 nautical miles inside the Indian waters, on Thursday evening.
- Balanced growth across EY despite a more challenging business environment due to COVID-19

- EY NextWave strategy brings greater focus on long-term value creation with plans for investments of US$1.5b in EY people, technology and audits in FY21

- Two redefined service lines: Strategy and Transactions, which includes the fifth-largest strategy organization by revenue globally through EY-Parthenon, and Consulting, which focuses on transforming businesses

- Investment in diverse and skilled leadership as across EY, 600 people are promoted to partner and 462 additional partners join from outside EY

- Continued people development through virtual programs including credentials known as EY Badges and via launch of first free, fully-credited corporate MBA - EY Tech MBA by Hult International Business School

- 18 acquisitions across cyber security, strategy, change management, design and technology, including SAP digital transformation

- In Q4, introduced 38 new COVID-19-related solutions with 11 alliance organizations to support EY clients, government and communities

LONDON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EY today announces combined global revenues of US$37.2b for the financial year ended June 2020, an increase of 4.1% in local currency despite the global economic impact caused by COVID-19. Over the past seven years, the global EY organization (EY) has recorded strong 7.7% compound annual growth.

Carmine Di Sibio, EY Global Chairman and CEO, says:

"The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people, businesses and communities everywhere, creating new challenges for us all. During this difficult period, our number one priority has been the safety of EY people, clients and communities.

"It is the determination and focus of EY people that enabled us to support EY clients around the world during this unprecedented time. In a matter of weeks, we had nearly 300,000 EY people working remotely and supporting EY clients' business continuity and resilience needs. EY people also created a wide range of pandemic-related solutions for clients and provided pro-bono support to communities and governments. These efforts illustrate the strength of our culture, founded on our purpose to build a better working world.

"While the last few months have been challenging for everyone, we have remained focused on our NextWave strategy, which we initiated last October and affirms our ambition to build long-term value for all stakeholders. Now more than ever, we need to be absolutely focused on investing in EY people and services to help EY clients transform, innovate and address their most pressing issues for the long-term."

The EY NextWave strategy and ambition: building long-term value for all stakeholders

Launched in FY20, the NextWave strategy expands on the EY purpose of building a better working world and has a clear ambition to create long-term value for all stakeholders. The elements of the NextWave strategy will be measured using the EY long-term value framework, which is built on four value dimensions: human/people value; consumer/client value; social value; and financial value.

EY continues to play an active role in supporting the wider move to long-term value creation. In FY20, it contributed to a collaborative effort convened by The World Economic Forum's International Business Council (IBC), which brought together 120 CEOs of the world's largest companies, to agree on a core set of metrics to help standardize disclosures around Environmental, Social and Governance factors and long-term value creation. The proposed disclosures consider a company's impact along four pillars aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs): planet, people, prosperity and principles of governance. Those core metrics are available in the Global Review 2020, published today.

As part of the NextWave strategy and to meet increasing C-suite strategy, transformation and technology needs, EY has introduced two redefined service lines on 1 July.

Strategy and Transactions (formerly Transaction Advisory Services) has an expanded strategy consulting offering, integrating EY-Parthenon with the former Transaction Advisory Services business and strategy capabilities moved from elsewhere in EY. Upon relaunch, EY-Parthenon immediately became the world's fifth largest strategy organization by revenue, and the new service line will focus on helping EY clients transform and execute their strategy to optimize the value of their organization and realize their potential.

(formerly Transaction Advisory Services) has an expanded strategy consulting offering, integrating EY-Parthenon with the former Transaction Advisory Services business and strategy capabilities moved from elsewhere in EY. Upon relaunch, EY-Parthenon immediately became the world's fifth largest strategy organization by revenue, and the new service line will focus on helping EY clients transform and execute their strategy to optimize the value of their organization and realize their potential. Consulting (formerly Advisory) helps EY clients transform and thrive in a market of accelerating, complex change based on three value drivers: humans at the center, technology at speed and innovation at scale. It counts on a unique ecosystem of solutions, technologies and alliances to help companies realize their transformational needs. As part of this new redefined service line, EY is significantly accelerating the expansion of Technology Consulting services through organic hiring and acquisitions.

To accelerate the digital transformation of the global organization, for FY21 there are plans to invest US$1.5b in audit quality, technology solutions, people and the wider EY ecosystem of strategic alliances. The investments will see further build out of the client technology platform which underpins EY services and enables the global organization to drive client service innovation and deliver projects across EY at scale and speed. This proprietary platform has 1m client users in addition to nearly 300,000 EY people in over 150 countries, with upwards of 500m business transactions processed per day. EY is already a top global user of cloud technology, with 80% of EY business-critical platforms hosted on cloud technology across 160 countries. The investments will prioritize four key areas:

High-quality audits : Serving the public interest through the delivery of high-quality audits globally is a key EY priority. EY continues to build on investments of US$700m made in audit innovation and quality since 2015 through its global Sustainable Audit Quality (SAQ) program. SAQ is focused on initiatives including tone at the top, exceptional teams, accountability, technology, innovation and quality support. Priorities include EY Canvas, the global cloud-based audit technology platform which today supports 145,000 EY audit engagements in 134 countries using a single global methodology. Innovations include the auditing of crypto transactions with the EY Blockchain Analyzer and the use of AI and natural language processing to analyze business documents and contracts more efficiently via EY Document Intelligence.

: Serving the public interest through the delivery of high-quality audits globally is a key EY priority. EY continues to build on investments of made in audit innovation and quality since 2015 through its global Sustainable Audit Quality (SAQ) program. SAQ is focused on initiatives including tone at the top, exceptional teams, accountability, technology, innovation and quality support. Priorities include EY Canvas, the global cloud-based audit technology platform which today supports 145,000 EY audit engagements in 134 countries using a single global methodology. Innovations include the auditing of crypto transactions with the EY Blockchain Analyzer and the use of AI and natural language processing to analyze business documents and contracts more efficiently via EY Document Intelligence. New and emerging technology: As EY has continued to use global cloud-based platforms to drive quality delivery and business solutions, EY is now a top 10 user of Azure Cloud in the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, EY saw high demand for managed services as EY clients sought alternative ways to manage new risks, reduce costs and maintain business continuity. EY will continue to focus on AI, machine learning, predictive analytics and other disruptive technologies. Its use of these technologies is improving the quality and speed of services in assurance, tax and transactions.

As EY has continued to use global cloud-based platforms to drive quality delivery and business solutions, EY is now a top 10 user of Azure Cloud in the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, EY saw high demand for managed services as EY clients sought alternative ways to manage new risks, reduce costs and maintain business continuity. EY will continue to focus on AI, machine learning, predictive analytics and other disruptive technologies. Its use of these technologies is improving the quality and speed of services in assurance, tax and transactions. People: EY has an internal ecosystem of more than 44,000 technologists and 22,000 data scientists which it will continue to develop, advancing the digital skills of EY people and continuing recruitment in areas such as data science and digital architecture. As COVID-19 took hold, demand for virtual learning at EY increased by 40%. Today, it operates one of the largest globally integrated learning platforms on SAP's SuccessFactors, where in FY20 EY people invested 16m hours in learning, of which more than half was virtual. It has also announced the EY Tech MBA by Hult International Business School, becoming the first organization to offer an entirely virtual MBA for free to all people irrespective of rank, location or prior qualifications. This builds on the success of the digital credentials program known as EY Badges, which has exceeded 70,000 since the launch in 2017.

EY has an internal ecosystem of more than 44,000 technologists and 22,000 data scientists which it will continue to develop, advancing the digital skills of EY people and continuing recruitment in areas such as data science and digital architecture. As COVID-19 took hold, demand for virtual learning at EY increased by 40%. Today, it operates one of the largest globally integrated learning platforms on SAP's SuccessFactors, where in FY20 EY people invested hours in learning, of which more than half was virtual. It has also announced the EY Tech MBA by Hult International Business School, becoming the first organization to offer an entirely virtual MBA for free to all people irrespective of rank, location or prior qualifications. This builds on the success of the digital credentials program known as EY Badges, which has exceeded 70,000 since the launch in 2017. Ecosystems: Investments will help EY extend the range of digital offerings and client services through a diversified, connected and intelligent ecosystem of strategic alliances and a global innovation network. For instance, EY introduced 38 COVID-19 related solutions with 11 alliance parties to rapidly meet needs brought on by the pandemic in areas like crisis management, telehealth, case reporting and more. In FY20, EY continued to build on its alliance relationships, including expanded alliances with IBM and Procter & Gamble, to cover a range of services for start-ups through to large, complex projects. In total there were seven new alliances in FY20, including new agreements with PROS, Splunk and LeaseAccelerator, expanding the organization's access to professional skills and capabilities in digital, cybersecurity and digital and lease accounting. FY20 also saw 18 acquisitions in areas like cyber security, strategy, change management, design and technology, including SAP digital transformation.

Andy Baldwin, EY Global Managing Partner - Client Service, says:

"At a time when businesses are being challenged to evolve, we are focused on providing innovative, high-quality services and solutions to help EY clients reframe their future. The large-scale investments we will make in FY21 will ultimately help EY clients succeed in this complex environment and bring further trust and confidence to the capital markets through high-quality audits."

Growth across all services lines, geographies, key industries and markets in FY20

In FY20, all EY service lines delivered growth: Assurance grew 3.1%; Advisory 4.9%; Tax 5.1% and Transaction Advisory Services 2.8%, all in local currency. Revenue also increased across all three EY geographic areas: the Americas 3.4%; Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) 3.4%; and Asia-Pacific 8.2%.

Among the top five markets, Japan led with double-digit growth of 10.8% and Greater China delivered another strong year. Elsewhere, Australia, Brazil, Korea and Norway delivered strong growth. Emerging markets also continued their strong growth trend and are up by 6%. EY also recorded strong growth across the Technology, Consumer, Private Equity and Wealth & Asset Management sectors, driven largely by demand for digital and tech-enabled services.

As the COVID-19 pandemic's effects impacted governments and businesses, EY teams reacted quickly to provide vital business continuity and resilience services, including:

Assisting the Government of Chile with the setting up of digital triage tools to screen patients prior to entry in emergency rooms.

with the setting up of digital triage tools to screen patients prior to entry in emergency rooms. Helping Australian Government agencies transition employees to remote working quickly during the pandemic while enabling new service delivery.

Supporting the Canadian Government's supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline services at a time when more than 60 countries halted exports of PPE.

Developing a Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Platform so banks can efficiently meet the unique requirements under the US CARES Act.

Assisting numerous banking clients with loan origination and underwriting surge resources during a period of unprecedented demand.

Service-line investments and growth

Assurance: Through continued investments in digital technology and global methodologies, the cornerstone of the EY organization achieved growth of 3.1% in FY20. The EY Sustainable Audit Quality program and the implementation of digital audit technologies continue to drive the delivery of high-quality audits that enhance trust in business and support long-term value creation. New audit engagements include Daiwa House Industry, Farmers Insurance Group, Jyske Bank, Kone, Nestle and Eastman Kodak. To date the EY Digital Audit has analyzed 582b lines of client data, which brings the total to over a trillion in the past three years.

Through continued investments in digital technology and global methodologies, the cornerstone of the EY organization achieved growth of 3.1% in FY20. The EY Sustainable Audit Quality program and the implementation of digital audit technologies continue to drive the delivery of high-quality audits that enhance trust in business and support long-term value creation. New audit engagements include Daiwa House Industry, Farmers Insurance Group, Jyske Bank, Kone, Nestle and Eastman Kodak. To date the EY Digital Audit has analyzed lines of client data, which brings the total to over a trillion in the past three years. Advisory: Through the EY solutions, technologies and ecosystem of alliances, in FY20 the service line focused on helping companies realize their digital transformation needs. Its newly created Technology Consulting service, which offers technology transformation, data and analytics, digital and emerging technology and cybersecurity services and solutions, was able to support EY client transformation and resilience needs. In FY20, it received several prestigious awards from Gartner, Forrester, IDC, ALM Intelligence and HFS Research.

Through the EY solutions, technologies and ecosystem of alliances, in FY20 the service line focused on helping companies realize their digital transformation needs. Its newly created Technology Consulting service, which offers technology transformation, data and analytics, digital and emerging technology and cybersecurity services and solutions, was able to support EY client transformation and resilience needs. In FY20, it received several prestigious awards from Gartner, Forrester, IDC, ALM Intelligence and HFS Research. Tax: In FY20, business demand for co-sourcing and managed tax services, delivered by the EY Tax and Finance Operate solution and a growing number of other EY Tax managed services offerings, including Legal Managed Services, powered revenue growth. Additionally, it also saw demand for financial tax planning, global compliance and reporting, indirect tax and global trade. In FY20, EY launched TaxChat, the first direct-to-consumer tax service to tackle complex individual tax filings associated with self-employment and investment portfolio changes. It also introduced a Physical Return and Work Reimagined framework to support businesses during COVID-19 and it also expanded the alliances with Microsoft, SAP, Thomson Reuters and WorldAware.

In FY20, business demand for co-sourcing and managed tax services, delivered by the EY Tax and Finance Operate solution and a growing number of other EY Tax managed services offerings, including Legal Managed Services, powered revenue growth. Additionally, it also saw demand for financial tax planning, global compliance and reporting, indirect tax and global trade. In FY20, EY launched TaxChat, the first direct-to-consumer tax service to tackle complex individual tax filings associated with self-employment and investment portfolio changes. It also introduced a Physical Return and Work Reimagined framework to support businesses during COVID-19 and it also expanded the alliances with Microsoft, SAP, Thomson Reuters and WorldAware. Transaction Advisory Services: ?Despite a challenging geopolitical and business climate in FY20, EY advised on six of the top ten deals globally and supported numerous governments, hospitals, life sciences and financial institutions responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The stellar growth of EY-Parthenon has helped it become the world's fifth-largest strategy organization by combined revenue and headcount in more than 120 countries. The acquisition of Port Jackson Partners in Australia in FY20 further expands this leading-class strategy consulting offering.

An outstanding people culture

Overall, headcount increased by 5.3% to 298,965 people globally. Despite the disruption from COVID-19, EY continued its long-standing commitment to internships in FY20, with half of the 15,000 internships taking place on a remote basis.

In FY20, 600 people were promoted to partner and reflected key priorities: with 39% of the promoted partners within Assurance, 37% from emerging markets and women representing 33%. Further senior investments in priorities areas were made through an additional 462 new partners who were directly admitted into EY member firms. The EY Global Executive, the most senior body in EY, is one-third women and the 18 leaders are from nine countries, including four based in emerging markets. Demonstrating the ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, the EY Global Executive signed the EY Global Executive Diversity & Inclusion Statement and established a Global Social Equity Task Force.

EY continues to be recognized on prestigious lists for its outstanding people culture. It remains the world's most attractive professional services employer in Universum's annual "World's Most Attractive Employer" ranking, and second overall behind Google. In the US, EY was recognized in Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" annual list for a record 21-consecutive years.

Building a better working world

In FY20, EY set the ambitious goal of positively affecting 1b lives by 2030 through its EY Ripples corporate responsibility program. More than 1m people will be mobilized globally to drive long-term change by working with impact entrepreneurs, supporting the next generation and accelerating environmental sustainability. In FY20 more than 15.5m lives were positively affected, bringing the total to more than 34m to date.

In FY20, there were investments of a total of US$126m in projects dedicated to strengthening its communities and its people contributed 790k hours of time to a variety of initiatives and value-in-kind projects. EY people have also used their skills and knowledge to help combat COVID-19 challenges via a range of pro bono and voluntary work, including:

EY teams helped the South African Government design and implement the Solidarity Fund to raise more than US$180m in funds from businesses to support the national health response to COVID-19.

in funds from businesses to support the national health response to COVID-19. A crowdfunding campaign using blockchain helped to raise 100,000 in donations for Italian hospitals and a fundraising platform for EY people fund PPE for front-line healthcare professionals in Greater China .

. Grants and collaboration with NGOs in India to help provide India's migrant and casual workers and their families with food and educational support.

At Davos, EY pledged to become carbon-neutral by the end of calendar year 2020 and appointed Steve Varley to the new position of EY Global Vice Chair - Sustainability, with a focus on helping EY and its clients achieve their sustainability goals. EY is on track to meet its carbon commitment and will continue to take action to create sustainable, inclusive growth for future generations.

In the Global Review 2020, EY today reports for the first time on its progress integrating the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Ten Principles and the UN SDGs into EY strategy, culture and operations. As part of its commitment to long-term value creation, EY continues to report on a broad range of financial and non-financial metrics in its Global Review.

Notes to editors

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, transaction and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

EY-Parthenon is a brand under which a number of EY member firms across the globe provide strategy consulting services.

B-roll footage

To watch EY Global Chairman and CEO Carmine Di Sibio discuss its FY20 results, please visit here. For broadcast quality, downloadable b-roll video, please contact alasdair.gee@uk.ey.com.

EY FY20 global revenues

EY revenues by service line - US$ millions

FY20 FY19 % change in local currency FY20 v. FY19 7-year CAGR

(FY13 - FY19) Assurance 12,821 12,646 3.1% 4.6% Tax 9,765 9,460 5.1% 7.5% Advisory 10,559 10,236 4.9% 11.2% Transaction Advisory Services 4,089 4,052 2.8% 12.0% Total 37,234 36,394 4.1% 7.7%



EY revenues by geographic area - US$ millions

FY20 FY19 % change in local currency FY20 v. FY19 7-year CAGR

(FY13 - FY20) Americas 17,187 16,748 3.4% 8.0% EMEIA 14,210 14,149 3.4% 7.1% Asia-Pacific 5,837 5,497 8.2% 8.5% Total 37,234 36,394 4.1% 7.7%







EY people by service line



FY20 FY19 FY20 v. FY19

% change

Assurance 99,239 94,220 5.3%

Tax 63,484 59,577 6.6%

Advisory 71,748 67,477 6.3%

Transaction Advisory Services 18,721 17,461 7.2%

Practice support 45,773 45,283 1.1%

Total 298,965 284,018 5.3%

















EY people by geographic area



FY20 FY19 FY20 v. FY19

% change

Americas 75,951 75,117 1.1%

EMEIA 117,306 114,266 2.7%

Asia-Pacific 58,960 56,253 4.8%

Global Entities 46,748 38,382 21.8%

Total 298,965 284,018 5.3%



Basis of presentation: Revenues are aggregated revenues of the individual EY member firms that have been combined for presentation purposes and include expenses billed to clients. For purposes of reporting combined global revenues, revenues between member firms have been eliminated. Headcount numbers reflect personnel as at the end of June of each financial year.

Global Entities in the People Section represents Global services and functions including the Global Delivery Services (GDS) organization. GDS entities support EY member firms across the world by providing support capabilities to their client-serving account teams as well as internal enablement support services.

Yvonne Diaz

EY Global Media Relations

+44 20 7980 0612

yvonne.diaz@uk.ey.com

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Portland, Oregon officials have passed what could be the strictest municipal ban on facial recognition in the country. Its not just local government units, such as the police, that can no longer use facial recognition under the citys new regulations  private businesses cant deploy the technology in public spaces either. That means places like hotels, stores and restaurants cant use facial recognition where customers will be present. According to CNET, the bill passed unanimously, and it will be enforced starting in January 2021. Businesses caught violating the law could be sued and could pay up to $1,000 a day in fines.

In the document (PDF) detailing the ordinance, the city council noted that Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities have been subject to over surveillance and disparate and detrimental impact of the misuse of surveillance. It added that face recognition technologies have been documented to have an unacceptable gender and racial bias and explained that the city needs to take precautionary actions until these technologies are certified and safe to use and civil liberties issues are resolved.

Portlands officials first revealed that they were working on the bill back in November 2019, and that if the bill passes, it will be the first to prohibit private businesses from deploying facial recognition systems. The legislation other cities approved in the past werent as strict: San Franciscos ban, for instance, only applies to the city government.

A report by Motherboard says Amazon spent $24,000 lobbying council members after that in an effort to convince them to soften the bills language. As the publication explains, the ecommerce giant is most likely worried that Portlands legislation would create a nationwide legal precedent that could affect its facial recognition business.

At a council meeting, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said he hopes his citys legislation would inspire other local governments to pass tougher facial recognition laws. Lia Holland from Fight for the Future agreed and said in a statement:

Now, cities across the country must look to Portland and pass bans of their own. And, Congress should act to pass bans at the federal level. We have the momentum, and we have the will to beat back this dangerous and discriminatory technology."

Back in June, a group of Democratic Senators and House representatives introduced a bill that would prohibit biometric surveillance by the federal government without explicit statutory authorization after a man was arrested due to a faulty biometric match. It would prevent state and local law enforcement across the US from using facial recognition and other similar systems.
L ondon property giant British Land today announced its chief financial officer Simon Carter would take over from long-running boss Chris Grigg.

Grigg's plans to retire emerged early in the year but no successor had been appointed until now.

He oversaw 11 years of dramatic change at the group, including its shift away from retail - a move that has shielded the company from the worst of the rout suffered by Hammerson and collapsed rival Intu.

His time in charge saw it invest in Paddington Basin, Broadgate and Regents Place, which offer a mixture of offices and retail.

However, the company is now heavily involved in the office market at a time of huge uncertainty about how much space companies will need in a post-Covid world.

Carter's biggest role will be wrestling with this issue.

The British Land house view has been that attractive, modern offices like the ones that make up the bulk of its portfolio, will continue to be attractive but a shake-up is inevitable.

British Land has already started launching offices with more flexible space, offering perhaps three year leases rather than 20 years. But there remains a major question over the longer term demand for big corporate offices in city centres as people find working from home is a viable alternative.

Carter has been CFO since returning to the company in May 2018 from stints at Logicor, the business that runs warehouses for Amazon and others, and Quintain Estates. He was finance director at both businesses.

Before leaving, he had been at British Land for more than a decade.

He will be on a salary of 750,000 and the company said his appointment came after a wide search for external and internal candidates. This was thought to have been conducted by search firm Russell Reynolds.

His successor as chief financial officer is yet to be announced.

British Land chairman Tim Score said: "The Board are confident that Simon is the right person to lead British Land forward. He is a proven, growth-orientated business leader with significant Real Estate experience and expertise across various asset classes. We look forward to working with Simon in his new role.

Score credited Grigg for delivering iconic London buildings and securing a promising site at Canada Water. He also credited him for championing diversity in the industry. Property is famed for being "male, pale and stale", as highlighted by the notorious President's Club dinner, but Grigg took a high profile stand for Pride Week and other initiatives.

Carter said: "Like many businesses, we face short-term challenges because of the current covid crisis, and we continue to respond to the longer-term structural changes in the way people are using real estate.

"I am convinced however that this brings opportunity and I am confident that with our expert teams and world class assets we are well placed to continue the evolution of British Land and deliver sustainable value over the long term.
Six days after a multi-agency fugitive task force led by US Marshals tracked down, cornered and killed Michael Reinoehl, the corporate media and the Democrats remain silent on his execution in a hail of bullets in Lacey, Washington.

On Wednesday, OregonLive.com reported, on the basis of search warrants and police affidavits, that a Portland detective assigned to the US Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offenders Task Force obtained pen register and trap and trace warrants from a Portland-area judge one hour and 14 minutes before Reinoehl was shot dead.

A Washington State Patrol Crime Lab worker looks at evidence markers in the early morning hours of Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Lacey, Wash. at the scene where Michael Reinoehl was gunned down by police in a hail of gunfire. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

The court-approved warrants permitted the task force to track the GPS location and cell phone call data from Reinoehls cell phone and pinpoint his precise location.

Although the OregonLive.com report says it appears that the US Marshals already had acted on other information that Reinoehl was in the Lacey area, it is more likely that the warrants were an after-the-fact formality for police electronic surveillance tracking that was initiated as soon as the manhunt for Reinoehl commenced.

Reinoehls killing came several hours after he was charged with the murder of Aaron Jay Danielson, a Trump supporter and right-wing vigilante, at a protest in Portland, Oregon on August 29. Just minutes before Reinoehls death was announced, President Donald Trump tweeted a demand that the police take action to apprehend Danielsons killer. Do your job, and do it fast. Everybody knows who this thug is, Trump declared.

A second report on Wednesday by OregonLive.com included a statement by an eyewitness to the shooting of Reinoehl at an apartment complex in the 7600 block of Third Way Southeast in Lacey. Nathanial Dingess, 39, speaking through his attorney, said he saw Reinoehl walking toward his car holding a cell phone in his hand when two unmarked law enforcement vehicles converged on him and began firing.

Dingess said no warnings or commands were issued as Reinoehl ducked for cover near his car. He was unable to enter his vehicle because it was blocked by the police cars. Officers shot multiple rapid-fire rounds at Reinoehl before issuing a brief stop command, quickly followed by more rapid-fire shooting by additional officers, Dingess said. He added that he never saw a handgun in Reinoehls possession.

As reported Monday by the World Socialist Web Site, Reinoehls death was a state murder carried out with the endorsement of Attorney General William Barr and President Trump. On Monday, Trump hailed the killing of Reinoehl, saying, If somebody is breaking the law, there has got to be a form of retribution.

Taking care not to disrupt their own campaign for law and order in response to the mass protests against police violence across the country, Democratic Party presidential and vice presidential candidates Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris have remained silent on the extra-judicial murder of Reinoehl. They have similarly said little or nothing about the murder of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin last month by Kyle Rittenhouse, a Trump supporter and armed vigilante who traveled to Kenosha to join other far-right vigilantes in attacking anti-police violence protesters.

In an interview with VICE News, published on September 3, Michael Foster Reinoehl, 48, said that he had been identified as the shooter of Danielson within an hour of the incident on August 29. Of the shooting, he said: I had no choice. I mean, I had a choice. I could have sat there and watched them kill a friend of mine of color. But I wasnt going to do that. That was the straw that broke the camels back.

He went on: You know, lots of lawyers suggest that I shouldnt even be saying anything, but I feel its important that the world at least gets a little bit of whats really going on because theres been a lot of propaganda put out there.

Reinoehl described the arrival of the caravan of right-wing counter-protesters in Portland. He said, There were 600 vehicles I saw more of their vehicles than real citizen vehicles. It felt like the beginning of a war. It was a free for all and the police were letting it happen.

Debunking the presentation of the protesters by the right wing and the media, Reinoehl said, What theyve done is theyre trying make it look like we are all terrorists. And theyre trying to make me look like a murderer. Ive noticed that they keep saying that its not clear that its related to the protests. Thats a lie. They know that its related to the protests.

On the question of Antifa, Reinoehl said, They want to paint a picture of Antifa having major involvement. A lot of people dont understand what Antifa represents. And if you just look at the basic definition of it, its just anti-fascist, and I am 100 percent anti-fascist. I am not a member of Antifa. I am not a member of anything. Honestly, I hate to say it, but I see a civil war right around the corner.

Little of this interview has been carried by the corporate news media, which falsely repeated Attorney General Barrs claim that Reinoehl was a member of Antifa. The media reported without criticism the official reports from the US Marshals Service that Reinoehl was gunned down because initial reports indicate the suspect produced a firearm, threatening the lives of law enforcement officers, and that as they attempted to apprehend him, there was gunfire. Officials later acknowledged that they are not able to confirm at this time if he fired shots.

Protests against police violence in Portland and other cities have continued since George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police in late May. With the encouragement of the White House, groups of right-wing militias and vigilantes have carried out acts of violence against the demonstrators with increasing frequency.

In August, a counter-protester was arrested in Portland for firing a weapon into a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators, and Alan Swinney, a member of the neo-fascist Proud Boys, brandished a gun and pointed it at protesters.

Public outrage over the police killing of Reinoehl has been expressed on social media. Portland-area artist and musician David Rovics wrote a song about the murder titled A Song for Michael Reinoehl and posted it on Facebook and YouTube. The lyrics to the song include the following:

For years it was predicted someday Someone would retaliate

With all those weapons on display With that much fear and hate

Michael Reinoehl he was sought For murder, the alleged crime

But he was never caught Or given a chance for prison time

The cops came to the property From local deputies to feds

They came to kill their enemy They wanted this anarchists head

Speaking to the World Socialist Web Site, Rovics said of the killing of Reinoehl: All we know is what the police say, which we also know is completely unreliable. But even according to what the police have said, he did not fire at them, and none of their body cams were on. So, based on that lack of information, my educated guess is Michael was executed.

As for why, Id say thats because many of the cops, at every levelcity, state, federalare sympathetic with fascists and not at all sympathetic with antifascists, and this has been true since fascism has existed as a political philosophy.

When asked about the response of the corporate media, Rovics said, What theyre doing with him, as with so many other cases, is treating the police report as if its remotely believable. They know its notor they should know. Pretending they dont know this is collusion, its a sort of gas-lighting. So, basically, theyre giving us the impression that he did something other than raise his hands up and surrender, and thus, the police had some kind of justification to fire 40 bullets at him.
Washington: Russian military spies who hacked and leaked Democratic emails to inject chaos into the 2016 US presidential election are active again, targeting political parties, advocacy groups and consultants, Microsoft announced on Thursday (on Friday).

China and Iran are also attempting to penetrate the Microsoft email accounts of people affiliated with the political campaigns, though the efforts against the campaigns of President Donald Trump by Iran and the Democratic nominee Joe Biden by China were not successful, the firm said.

The Fancy Bear hacking group is affiliated with Russian military intelligence, the GRU. Credit:AP

The Republican National Committee also was unsuccessfully targeted, said a person familiar with the matter, but it is unclear by which country.

Trump campaign deputy national press secretary Thea McDonald said, "We are a large target, so it is not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign or our staff."
Upon helping to broker peace between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel, a Norwegian official nominated United States President Donald Trump for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, submitted the nomination and praised President Trump for his efforts to resolve protracted conflicts across the globe.

Trump's efforts in maintaining peace

The Nobel Peace Prize nomination prompted shock waves on social media. Conservatives hailed it and liberals were against it.

According to Tybring-Gjedde, "For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees," reported The Hill.

Thousands of people are allowed to nominate Nobel Peace Prize candidates, including members of governments and parliaments, past laureates, and university professors.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which governs the award's deliberation, declined to comment.

"No matter how Trump acts at home and what he says at press conferences, he has absolutely a chance at getting the Nobel Peace Prize," added Tybring-Gjedde, reported Mint.

Previously, Tybring-Gjedde nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for facilitating discussions with North Korea.

Tybring-Gjedde stated that unlike most other Peace Prize nominees, he has done more efforts in creating peace with countries.

According to a White House official announcement, Trump would hold a signing ceremony on September 15 for a Middle East agreement normalizing Israel and the UAE's relations.

Tybring-Gjedde stated that he nominated Trump on Wednesday for the prize because he meets the qualifications.

Also Read: Second Stimulus Check At Risk Again? Democrats, Republicans Disagree On Specifics

The protocol is that nominations should be sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee by the 1st of February. This means that the deadline for nomination for this year's Nobel Peace Prize has passed.

Trump's probability to take home this year's peace prize has improved dramatically upon being nominated by the right-wing, anti-immigration lawmaker in Norway.

Trump's 2018 nomination

According to online bookie Betfair, Trump transitioned from a dark horse to a tie with Microsoft MSFT, 4.99% co-founder Bill Gates. Gates has been a regular media presence during the pandemic as seventh most possibly to win.

Trump responded to reports of his nomination for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize by writing his gratitude on Twitter.

The yardstick for nomination for the prize is low. Nominations are accepted by politicians with positions at a national level or from state heads.

Tybring-Gjedde was one of two Norwegian politicians who nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his efforts to mend ties between North Korea and South Korea.

A member of Parliament for the center-right Conservative Party and Tybring-Gjedde's daughter Mathilde denounced the nomination.

Tybring-Gjedde, in his nomination letter to the Nobel Committee, wrote "As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE, this agreement could be a game-changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity," reported Fox News Channel.

Also cited in the letter was Trump's role in facilitating contact between disputing parties and developing new dynamics in other extensive disputes.

Related Article: Fact Check: 41 Senators Vote to Let Babies Scream Until They Die If Born Alive?

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CINCINNATI, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ohio National Financial Services, Inc. announced today that AM Best has affirmed its Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of a+ of The Ohio National Life Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation. The outlook of these ratings is stable.



In its announcement, AM Best categorized Ohio National's balance sheet as "very strong" and commented on Ohio National's "strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM)." It goes on to note:

The groups balance sheet strength assessment is based on its risk-adjusted capitalization being at the very strong level, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), while maintaining strong liquidity.

The assessment of the groups operating performance considers its long-term positive trend in individual life insurance sales prior to the current disruptions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its stable adjusted GAAP operating results, while the assessment of the groups ERM recognizes its strong risk management framework, including front-end risk management practices and sound governance structure.

We are pleased that AM Best has recognized our balance sheet strength and our capital position by affirming our ratings, noted Gary T. Doc Huffman, CLU, ChFC, Ohio National chairman and chief executive officer. We have a hard working team who is successfully executing our strategy, always focused on delivering on our promises to our policyholders first.



Earlier this summer, Ohio Nationals ratings were affirmed by Moodys, A3, and Fitch assigned the A- Insurer Financial Strength rating. Ohio National also has an "A-" rating from Standard & Poor's.

About Ohio National Financial Services

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Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (1st R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe (2nd R) in Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei, Sept. 9, 2020. (Photo by Xinhua)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept. 9 -- Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah met with the visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe in Bandar Seri Begawan on Wednesday afternoon.

Hassanal said that Brunei treats China as an important partner and sincerely thanks the Chinese government and military for providing support and assistance when Brunei was faced with the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the Brunei side is willing to continue to carry out exchange and cooperation with China in the fields of defense, economy and trade, energy, and humanities. He also hoped that the defense departments of the two countries will continue to promote pragmatic cooperation in the exchange of group visits and joint exercises, so as to push forward the continuous development of the China-Brunei strategic partnership of cooperation.

Wei Fenghe said that under the guidence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and His Majesty Sultan, the relations between China and Brunei have sustained a great momentum of sound development, setting a model for achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration among countries under different social systems.

China is willing to deepen exchange and cooperation with Brunei in the area of defense to promote constant progress in the mil-to-mil relations between the two countries, said the Chinese defense chief.

The stability of the South China Sea is in the common interests of China and Brunei, and the two sides should keep strengthening communication and consultation, promote maritime cooperation, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the South China Sea, said Wei.

On Wednesday morning, Wei Fenghe held official talks with Bruneis Second Minister of Defense Halbi, and the two sides reached important consensus on maintaining strategic communication and deepening military exchanges and cooperation.

Before their talks, Halbi held a welcome ceremony for Wei Fenghe at the compound of Bruneis Ministry of Defense.



Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe (3rd R) holds talks with Bruneis Second Minister of Defense Halbi (3rd L) at the Ministry of Defense of Brunei in Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei, Sept. 9, 2020. (Photo by Xinhua)
NEW DELHI: Indias clean energy space is going through a churn with power procurement curtailment and tariff shopping by discoms making developers; including even some of the large green energy portfolios seeking a flight path for survival. In an email interview, Hero Future Energies chief executive officer Sunil Jain, who had earlier helped set up Green Infra Ltd, talks about India Inc' asks for an investor friendly regulatory policy to make power sector Atmanirbhar and not 'Sarkarnirbhar' (government dependent).

He also responded that in times of pandemic, renewable energy offers a safer haven and that there's an impending need for reforms and reliefs to match the cost of solar panels from China. Jain also talks about the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co., or Masdar, backed firm's plan for its first international solar project commissioning in Ukraine by this year, besides the impending stake sale. Edited excerpts.

How is Indias renewable energy sector and Hero Future Energies in particular faring during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Covid-19 times have made it clear that clean sources of energy are the old-yet-new normal. Although at a national level, power demand was significantly down by almost 25-30% due to the lockdown, the situation has now started to return to normal with the unlocking of the economy. Renewables enjoy a favourable must-run" status and the impact has been minimal as the industry continues to operate in a business-as-usual environment. Revival of renewable sector amidst others, is a safer haven. Also the ministry of new and renewable energy's (MNRE) support in these times was clearly visible to ensure no untoward risks are added to the sector.

The development of new projects, however, has been significantly impacted by the shutdown of projects due to lockdown. Once the national lockdown got localised, it created issues on the logistics and manpower front, which slowed the development process. The return to normal is expected to take longer as the global supply chain limps back to normalcy. Though rooftop installations felt the repercussions too, but the pent-up demand is restoring with the unlocking process. However, at Hero Future Energies, after the initial hiccups during global pandemic, our new capacity addition program is back on track.

Several clean energy projects are in limbo. With fund-starved state discoms unwilling to sign contracts, and the ones already inked not getting honoured, Indias teflon image as a green economy seems to be wearing off. Your views.

The clean energy space in India is going through a temporary setback, I agree. However, the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) is confident that all the signed contracts for projects will be honoured. Also, states cannot afford to not buy such low-cost green energy for 2.50 for the next 25 years. I believe that with our targets set at a reasonably high mark of 175 GW by 2022, such roadblocks are bound to appear. But I have witnessed compelling intent of both industry and our government to work around the challenges and work passionately towards the Honble Prime minister's vision of 175 GW.

Hero Future Energies has been looking to sell a stake in its clean energy business and has asked HSBC to find a buyer. What has been the development on that front?

As an infrastructure outfit, growing capital needs are not uncommon. This directly supports our mission to shape the cleantech sector with differentiated projects both in Indian and global markets.

What is the news on your global expansion plans?

Despite the impact on supply chains and execution due to Covid-19, we will be commissioning our first international solar project in Ukraine of 52 MW capacity by the end of this year. A credible pipeline of wind and solar projects of Hero Future Energies is in the development phase in south east Asia. Presently, the company is also focusing on Indias neighbouring countries to develop differentiated solar projects. Our international project pipeline looks healthy and we are on track with our new capacity addition targets for 2022 based on the two clean resources.

With Indias power sector being weaponised to firm up our economic responses against China, how will this play out for Indias clean energy space?

I have mentioned my key concern across industry forums already, but as your question indicates weaponising of this sector, I do not quite agree to this. As a home-grown company, we enthusiastically support the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. Government of India is now finally scaling up the domestic manufacturing sector. This sector needs doses of reforms and reliefs to match the cost of solar panels from China. And, a long-term perspective to manufacturing industry coupled with tariff and non-tariff barriers can make our domestic manufacturing sector truly Atmanirbhar.

Will the much-anticipated amendments to the Electricity Act (EA) such as appointment of a regulator and setting up of an Electricity Contract Enforcement Authority turn out to be a silver bullet for the sector?

The Honble minister's recommendations in the Electricity Act are path breaking and could be the tipping point for Indian power sector for times to come. Many of the amendments are aimed at fixing the current pressing and prevalent industry issues. The industry asks for an investor-friendly regulatory policy to make the power sector Atmanirbhar and not Sarkarnirbhar. The need of the hour is for states to accept and ensure speedy implementation of EA amendments. These amendments have been demanded by the industry since a considerable time. We believe that the formation of an Electricity Contract Enforcement Authority, maybe not only be a silver bullet, but a golden bullet towards ensuring that contracts are enforced and there is no defaulting on these legally binding contracts by some states. The high consequences for non-compliance with contractual terms should also improve discipline. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is a much-needed initiative which will work for financial sustainability of the discoms, many of which are in dire financial conditions. Encouraging private sector participation in the distribution sector will improve efficiency. With enforcement of DBT, robbing Peter to pay Paul can be done away with. The National Renewable Energy Policy will also boost investor confidence.

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Mumbai, Sep 10 : Asha Ranaut, mother of actress Kangana Ranaut, has thanked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for providing Y-plus category security to her daughter even as her tussle with Shiv Sena leaders escalates. Asha added that the gesture has made her a BJP supporter now.

In a video interview with The Tribune, Asha Ranaut said in Hindi: "The blessings of the entire country are with Kangana. I am proud that my daughter has always stood for the truth. I thank Union Home Minister Amit Shah. We are not even associated with that party (BJP), we were from the Congress. My grandfather-in-law was a member of the Congress party. Even though they (BJP) knew that we were from the Congress from the beginning, they supported us." She added: "Amit Shah supported us and gave security to my daughter. I also thank Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). Just see what happened there (in Mumbai). If my daughter did not have security, God knows what would have happened to her." Kangana tweeted the video and wrote: "When they broke my office, mom's warning face flashed before my eyes " KAHA THA MAINE. Haven't taken her calls ever since, this just flashed on my timeline, pleasantly surprised by her refreshing take on this whole matter #KanganaVsUddhav." Kangana's battle with the Shiv Sena leaders started when she compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and criticised the Mumbai Police in a series of tweets.
EU and Irish leaders are watching carefully to see Boris Johnsons next move. If he persists with plans to break an international treaty guaranteeing the Norths special EU-UK status after Brexit, a no-deal calamity will become unavoidable.

Heres a quick look at the latest state of play.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin followed his phone call to his UK counterpart on Wednesday night with further efforts to publicise Irelands views on the issue internationally.

EU media outlets relayed Mr Martins pessimistic view fearing that a no-deal end to Brexit will be hard to avoid given the UKs move to renege of pledged checks on goods going into the North from England, Scotland and Wales, as guaranteed under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, a veteran of EU negotiations over 30 years, said the only way EU-UK trade talks can be rescued is via an effective climb-down by Johnson. The talks were already struggling to find a new trade deal before a transition period expires on December 31.

Read More

LONDON

The EU registered a big presence in the UK capital as the crisis raged. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is there for the final day of round eight of trade talks with his British counterpart, David Frost.

EU Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic of Slovakia, arrived via the Channel Tunnel for an emergency meeting with UK Brexit minister Michael Gove. This is a meeting of a so-called Joint Committee, a mechanism also provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement and aimed at managing disputes.

Johnson continues to face down strong British criticisms of his action. Former solicitor general Edward Garnier supported comments by former prime ministers Theresa May and John Major that the UKs international reputation is being undermined.

BRUSSELS

Strong criticisms of the UKs planned breach of international law over Northern Ireland continued. Senior official Danuta Hubner said the status given to the North was vital for continued peace and stability in Ireland.

Officials say they will wait to see what final text of Johnsons draft law actually makes it through the London parliament over the next fortnight. They are still allowing leeway for some amendments which could help defuse the row.

But there is growing frustration that London has not met the EU fairly over three years of talks trying to frame a new post-Brexit trade relationship.

Possible international law proceedings by the EU against the UK are being talked about. But this would be a long process and resolve little in the tight timeframe remaining.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 09:44:31|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Phil Murphy, governor of eastern U.S. state New Jersey said Wednesday he would have shut the state down earlier to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus if President Donald Trump did not downplay the virus threat earlier this year.

The Democratic governor's remarks came after local media reported on Wednesday that Trump told journalist Bob Woodward in March that he wanted to downplay the coronavirus threat to the United States in public.

"I wanted to always play it down, I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," Trump told Woodward, an author and associate editor for the Washington Post, in an interview on March 19, according to revelations from Woodward's new book titled "Rage."

Murphy said Wednesday that had he known, as Trump did in February, that the virus was airborne, he would have taken more aggressive measures to fight the pandemic.

"If we had known that earlier, we would have shut the state meaningfully earlier," said Murphy on CNN.

"We would have gone to a mandatory masking policy meaningfully earlier. We would have had a stay-at-home mandate put in place, all of which we did and we did it about as early as any American state, but we would have done it earlier and undoubtedly (it) would have saved lives," the governor continued.

At a White House event on Wednesday afternoon, Trump defended his remarks in the Woodward book, calling himself a cheerleader for the country and arguing he did not want to create panic.

"The fact is I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic, as you say, and certainly I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy," Trump said.

The United States ranks the first in the global coronavirus tally with a total number of over 6.35 million infections and a death toll over 190,600, according to Johns Hopkins University. Enditem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  Multisys Technologies Corporation, the developer of the countrys contact tracing app StaySafe, said about two million Filipinos have registered in the platform since they re-launched on Sept. 3.

Aside from this, Multisys CEO and founder David Almirol, Jr. told CNN Philippines Newsroom Ngayon that about 3,000 businesses have also registered to use the app in their daily operations.

The government launched StaySafe to be able to improve contact tracing efforts as a way to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The app was first introduced in April.

The platform, which can be accessed through its website staysafe.ph or be downloaded on smartphones, requires users to register through their mobile numbers.

Just like a health declaration form, they will be asked to choose which among the symptoms of COVID-19 applies to them to determine their health condition.

Data collected is stored in the Department of Healths database, which could be accessed by contact tracers. Information collected here can help the government determine the COVID-19 response especially in areas with high number of infections.

Users are also notified if there are suspected or confirmed cases in certain areas.

Specifically for establishments, Almirol said that the QR code feature of the system replaces manual logging of customer information through pen and paper, which could be another way to transmit the virus. He noted that information collected is protected by the company itself.

Almirol said this can also be used by ride-hailing services like Grab for health checking. After scanning the QR code of the passenger, a color will indicate if the person is a confirmed case (violet) or not (green).

Meanwhile, Almirol reassured users that surveillance will only be for confirmed cases and that there will be no data security issues since a user only needs his mobile number to register.

By downloading the app, you make sure that you protect yourself and the people around you, he said.
Shilajit Mitra By

Express News Service

Some shows end on cliff-hangers. Hostages, whose debut season premiered last year, had stopped mid-crash. CM Handa (Dalip Tahil) had survived, smuggled out of his deathbed at the last minute to face his past. Season 2 resumes with Handa and his kidnappersled by Prithvi (Ronit Roy)on the run.

As the city unwittingly prepares for the ministers funeral, Prithvi and team head out for Nepal. However, they are ambushed on the highway and take refuge in a dilapidated house.

All this happens in the opening 30 minutes, so youd better be taking notes. Unlike the title of a rival show, Hostages wont let you breathe.

WATCH TRAILER:

The first season of the Hotstar Special series was helmed by Sudhir Mishra. Adapted from the Israeli show Bnei Aruba, it took a curious interest in the warped dynamics of a hostage situation. It was a show where kidnappers offered relationship advice and snuck around for afternoon quickies. Parenting, too, was presented as a mild form of Stockholm syndrome.

The new season, which is directed by Sachin Mamta Krishan (Sudhir is credited as series director), keeps proceedings cut-and-dried.

The main drama ping-pongs between Prithvi and the ATS officers (Divya Dutta, Kanwaljit Singh, and others) closing in on his case.

In a pandemic year, it can get stuffy watching a bunch of people cooped up in a creaky old house. As though to offset this, the writers introduce a chain of side-quests.

A snoopy intelligence officer (Shweta Basu Prasad) joins the fray. Shibani Dandekar plays a businesswoman sent in for damage control. And theres an assassin (Dino Morea) killing people on both sides.

From the start, the show is riddled with small absurdities. We follow these players over four impossibly action-packed days. Its never made clear when they take naps or grab a bite. Surely they charge their always-ringing phones?

How about a bath in the hot Delhi weather? The pace is severely jacked up around midway, with a grand natural gas conspiracy rearing its head.

The plot swings ambitiously in all directions, a blur of pulpy scenarios and standoffs that just about works.

In Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Al Pacino delivered one of his greatest performances as Sonny Wortzik, a first-time bank robber subjected to enormous pressure. Prithvi Singh appears to be the anti-Pacino: a man of unflappable nerve and a stoic, withdrawn cool.

He doesnt break sweat when negotiating with cops or managing sudden crises. Of course, his years in the force explain the ease, but it speaks to Ronits stoutness as a performer that we buy into the character at all.

Whats our plan? Prithvi is asked in episode 8. I dont know, buddy. Im thinking, he replies calmly.

This is a show obsessed with the truth. Youre making a mistake, says a reporter eager to go on air with a half-baked lead. No, Im stopping one, her editor responds. It hardly matters who turns out right in the end. The fact that Indian newsrooms still care for such a discussion is reassuring enough.

Series: Hostages Season 2

Cast: Ronit Roy, Divya Dutta, Dino Morea, Shibani Dandekar, Shweta Basu Prasad

Director: Sachin Mamta Krishn

Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar
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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 13:36 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4401e0d 1 Business Semarang,infrastructure,investment,investor,COVID-19 Free

The Semarang administration offered investors five infrastructure projects worth a total of Rp 17.13 trillion (US$1.15 billion) in a business forum opened on Wednesday, as it seeks to develop the Central Java capital amid the ongoing health crisis.



During the 14th Semarang Business Forum, Mayor Hendrar Hendi Prihadi promoted, among other projects, a light rail transit project estimated to be worth Rp 14.76 trillion, waste-to-energy plant (PSEL) in Jatibarang subdistrict worth Rp 1.2 trillion and an underpass in the citys Simpang Lima traffic circle worth Rp 850 billion.



For investors making a deal to invest in Semarang today, we are ready to give discounts for BPHTB [land and building rights acquisition tax] and PBB [land and building tax], Hendi said in a virtual talk on Wednesday.



The promotion of the investment opportunities comes as Semarang falls short of its investment target this year of more than Rp 35 trillion. The city administration recorded only around Rp 5 trillion in investment in the first half of the year.

It is clear we cannot meet our target," Hendi said.



The COVID-19 pandemic has battered the countrys economy and investment, including in Semarang, worsening the governments struggle to attract investors.

Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) data showed that Indonesia recorded Rp 191.9 trillion in investment in the second quarter this year, 4.3 percent lower year-on-year (yoy) than the same period last year. Domestic investment fell 1.4 percent yoy and foreign direct investment fell 6.9 percent yoy.

Read also: FDI declines for second consecutive quarter

In Semarang, the closure of tourist attractions for around four months to curb the spread of the virus has also affected the citys economy.



Last year, Semarangs economy grew by 6.86 percent yoy, accelerating by 0.34 percentage points than in 2018. The citys growth rate was above that of Central Java at 5.66 percent yoy in 2019.

The Central Java capital citys economy shrank 5.94 percent yoy in the second quarter this year as components of economic activities fell, while the national economy also contracted 5.32 percent yoy in the same period.

"In 2020, we should be able to see growth [in the Semarang economy] by more than 7 percent, said Hendi.



The Semarang administration stated that the investment opportunities could also solve social problems, such as the citys waste management. The Jatibarang waste-to-energy plant project is expected to reduce waste volume at landfills by 80 percent, according to the administration.

The project, to be developed on 4 hectares, is projected to be able to process 1,000 tons of waste per day.



The government has allocated Rp 100 billion for the tipping fee to cover maintenance and operational costs of the project, in a public-private partnership scheme, it stated.



As of June, the government has finished the feasibility and technology studies for the Jatibarang project, according to Julian Smith, the director of consulting service company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Indonesia.



This is a global problem and Indonesia is no different from anywhere else, said Smith. But what we see today is hundreds of tons of waste are being sent to the Jatibarang landfill.



The waste volume is increasing because as the economy grows, people consume more things and they produce more waste. And more and more people live in cities, so that also leads to increasing volumes.
High-ranking Queensland minister Kate Jones has called time on her state political career ahead of next month's election in another major blow to the government's leadership team.

Ms Jones is the third Palaszczuk government minister in less than a week to announce she will not contest the October 31 election, following Anthony Lynham earlier on Thursday and Coralee O'Rourke on Saturday.

Kate Jones and daughter Grace Cronin in 2018. Credit:Tammy Law

The 41-year-old, who was the first Youth Premier of Queensland back in 1995, has long been touted as a potential future leader of the state.

Voted into Parliament in 2006, the same year as future premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Ms Jones was promoted to cabinet in 2009 at the age of 30, making her Queensland's youngest minister to date.
On Friday, Biden and Trump will appear on a field that memorializes the bravery and toughness of ordinary Americans, epitomized by the cry of Lets roll as passengers attempted to retake the cockpit. Trump is scheduled to attend a 9:45 a.m. ceremony, which is closed to the public but will be streamed online. Bidens campaign announced Thursday evening that he would be in New York on Friday morning for a ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, before traveling to Shanksville in the afternoon.
Mumbai police have made security arrangements outside Bollywood actor Kangana Ranauts residence in suburban Khar and her bungalow-cum-office in Bandra, an official said on Thursday. The Queen" actor has already been given Y-plus category security cover by the Centre in the wake of a row over her remarks in which she likened Mumbai to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and criticised the city police. The Shiv Sena has slammed her for her statements.

Ranaut returned to Mumbai from her home state Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, hours after the Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished illegal alterations"at her Bandra bungalow. A police van with officials has been deployed outside her residence in Khar to tackle with any untoward incident. Women constables are also a part of the team," the official said. Besides, outside her Pali Hill bungalow, which was partially demolished by the civic body yesterday, similar security arrangements have been made," he said.

According to sources, the actress likely to visit her Pali Hill property on Thursday. On her return to Mumbai, she had criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, saying his ego will be destroyed" the way her Bandra home was demolished.
A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to at least 16 years in jail for murdering his disabled sister and dumping her body near a dumpster nearly three years ago.

Claude Henderson II, 17, of Reems Creek, North Carolina pleaded guilty on September 8 in Buncombe Superior Court to the second-degree murder of his sister Kayla Dezaray Hensley.

Henderson was just 14 when he killed his sister Hensley, 18, who had cerebral palsy and was deaf, on November 11, 2017.

In this grisly murder, Hensleys body was found near a dumpster near a Weaverville mobile home park suffering several lacerations to the neck with a canvas belt wrapped around it.

On Tuesday Claude Henderson II, 17, was sentenced to 16 to 25 years in jail for murdering his 18-year-old disabled sister Kayla Dezaray Hensley (above) three years ago in North Carolina

In this grisly murder, Hensleys body was found near a dumpster near a Weaverville mobile home park suffering several lacerations to the neck with a canvas belt wrapped around it

Police arrived to a mobile home park on Brinwood Drive in Weaverville around 10.42pm after an emergency call.

In interviews with officers, Henderson confessed to killing his sister.

Hensley was killed inside the family home, according to an investigation.

Deputies seized three knives, a box cutter and a belt found around Hensleys neck.

Henderson was sentenced to 16 to 25 years in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections with credit for three years for time served since the horrific killing, according to the District Attorney's release.

'My heart goes out to Kaylas mother Susan Maltry who has showed great emotional strength and grace in working with both investigators, court personnel and my office throughout this unspeakable tragedy. I wish her peace and healing,' Buncombe District Attorney Todd Williams said in a press release.

Hensley had cerebral palsy and was deaf and had a job working at American Eagle

Hensley posted this picture to her Facebook in 2011, when she would have been 12 years old. Her mother, center, and what appears to be her brother, right, are also in the frame

Hensley shared this photo smiling on top of a turtle sculpture in September 2017

Henderson was charged with first-degree murder at the time of the killing.

That charge required the state to prove premeditation and deliberation beyond a reasonable doubt.

But a defense-initiated forensic psychiatric evaluation questioned whether he possessed the specific intent to premeditate and deliberate the murder due to his youth and immaturity and other diagnostic factors.

If convicted he couldve been released on parole after 25 years because he was a juvenile.

He was eventually charged with second-degree murder, which does not require that proof.

The killing took place in a mobile home park in Weaverville, North Carolina

According to Disability Memorial, Hensley worked at American Eagle where her co-workers remembered her as a 'ray of sunshine'.

At the time of Hensleys death her heartbroken mother released a statement calling her a hero.

'She was the best thing that ever happened to me and will be missed by so many,' Susan Maltry said..

'She is and will always be my hero. In 18 years she has [brought] me so much. Kayla was sunshine in every person she knew.

'She has overcome many downfalls in life. She was born with CP and was told she would never walk, she walked. She was born deaf, and had cochlear implants and was able to hear. If anyone told her she couldnt, she made sure to prove them wrong. She was an amazing girl! Theres nothing I could say to make people see how truly blessed I was to have her in my life. She was and always will be my hero,' she said to WLOS.
Abdul-Razak Lukman

10.09.2020 LISTEN

Integrity is the most valuable quality anyone can have in life. You might benefit from being dishonest but it will never last. Most people pay attention to those you have chosen to associate with, and they will inevitably judge your character by the character of your friends. Behave well and never give a chance for someone to judge your friend unfairly by your conduct.

We live in a society with all shades of characters; some good and some not just worth emulating. The society is getting sick day-by-day. We have left good morals to the dogs whiles chasing paper notes with the highest of dishonesty. I always tell my colleagues that you can never cheat someone and expect to make a lasting fortune out of it. No! No matter how wealthier you become through that filthy money from the sweat of someone, you will definitely suffer for it. Even if you escape it here on earth, you will definitely account for same in heaven. Allah created us at different points in time and at different circumstances. He has already penned down what we would become and our contribution to humanity. He again is the house of WEALTH AND HE GIVES IT TO WHOEVER HE WANTS AT HIS OWN TIME. The are others that Allah blesses through others. So! prayer, goodwill and integrity are fundamental pillars that if practised on daily basis, the good Lord will always direct good people into your life.

I remember a colleague classmate who dropped out of school because he succeeded in duping a foreigner. This friend, I wouldnt like to mention his name here, explicitly told me that: Prof, [as he normally called me] what do I need again?! Is it not because of money that we are struggling in school?! I was shocked when he told me that he is dropping out. He was alleged to have gotten Ghc 90,000 from internet scam. My attempts to advise him to further his education never yield something good. Thereafter, we all went our separate ways. I met him around Accra Mall somewhere late 2019 where he was cruising in the latest 2019 Range Rover with his friends in the fraud industry. There, I was seriously footing with my handkerchief in hand, very wet like that of a fallen towel in an ocean. Probably, he might have felt bad for me for choosing the noble way of life.

Today, as I type, I met him at Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange. He was the one who saw me and called. I was surprised because I never thought I knew someone around that vicinity. I nearly wept seeing him. Is something I cannot perfectly describe here but I tell you, may we continue to remain honest to people regardless of our current predicaments. I was like aaarh... what are you doing here?! He told me that he has regretted a lot for his past life and that all his properties are no more. He told me he bought a land at Sagnarigu Municipality, in Tamale but had to sell it out because of his crippling financial situation. What shocked me was that he said he would wish to get back to school if only his dad would fully accept him back as he did in the past because he cannot bear the cost of education for now. I tried reminding him what I told him just very few years back. You know what! As soon as he began to speak of that, his lips trembled and tears suddenly filled his eyes. It was a time of sorrow but that is the worth of it. Allah will never cheat one for the other, no!

I recall how these fraud boys drive in flashy and latest cars, I have seen most of them disrespect elderly men and women in public and splash solid cash in public like they own the keys to Bank of Ghana. I recall, on a very busy day of mine when I had an appointment with a friend to be introduced to his friend for a temporary assignment which could have fetched me Ghc 300.00, these fraud boys carelessly caused avoidable traffic on the Madina road, causing me to apologise to my friend as first timer and the impression it connotes for a deal. The worst that ever happened to me in the hands of this fraud boys is when a clothes seller refused selling a lacoste shirt to me because of my low bargaining power. I was the first person there and my bargain was agreed by the seller. Unfortunately, the seller didnt have the balance in return as I had a Ghc 50.00 denomination. This fraud boy came with his car, asked of the price and the seller quickly took it from me. He priced him Ghs 60.00 which was thrice of what we agreed on payment. Without any hesitation, this guy paid Ghc 60.00 without looking at his back. I walked home suddenly disappointed.

Dear colleague youngsters, this is a lesson to all of us. We must always remember to do unto others as we would love them do unto us. We need to always put it at the back of our minds to always do good to others regardless of what others have done to us. Lets not transfer the aggression of others to innocent ones. Lets remember that success will come and go, but integrity is forever. Integrity means doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances, whether or not anyone is watching. We need not do good only when people are watching us. What is so fulfilling than doing good for Allahs sake! It takes having the courage to do the right thing, no matter what the consequences will be. Building a reputation of integrity takes years, but it takes only a second to lose, so never allow yourself to ever do anything that would damage your integrity. Integrity is what makes a human being worth living. And when you lose it, you have losen everything because it is the consistency of moral character.

O Allah, guide us among those You guide, grant us safety among those You grant safety. Take us into Your care among those take into Your care. Bless what You give us and direct us unto the right path. Protect us from the evil you have decreed and dissociated us from dishonesty and all its associated evils...Ameen Yaa Rabbi!

Columnist: Abdul-Razak Lukman
Aiming for herd immunity is neither a serious health strategy, nor is it an accurate characterization of what has happened in Sweden.





by Marshall Auerback





There has been a spectrum of actions taken by governments to address near-term prevention of the spread of COVID-19. The extremes have ranged from total lockdowns (e.g., Italy, Belgium and Spain); to legal enforcement of quarantines and contact tracing (e.g., Canada and Germany); to much lighter forms of restriction (e.g., Denmark and Norway); to even more minimal restrictions, but with extensive testing and tracing (e.g., Taiwan and South Korea). There have also been some clearly incompetent policies, notably in the United States, where the countrys public health infrastructure has been eviscerated not just by Trump, but also through decades of adherence to a for-profit health care system in which the bottom line has been prioritized over optimal health outcomes.









On the whole, the shape of the epidemiological curves has been broadly similar, no matter which policy options were selected (although fatality rates varied considerably). Those who initiated stringent lockdowns did so on the strategy that a severe lockdown was required until better scientific understanding, new technologies and medical treatments could be developed (as well as providing breathing space to ensure that their respective health care systems werent overwhelmed). But they have also experienced among the greatest economic damage in terms of GDP growth (e.g., Italy, Spain and France), even when generous support measures to offset the impact of the lockdowns were implemented.





By contrast, the governments that initiated border closures quickly (e.g., South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand and Australia) and combined these with robust contact tracing policies were best able to limit the spread of the virus in its first phase and minimize fatalities. Those countries have attained a kind of international esteem for these results, which are held up as a justification for the idea that policy failures were not inevitable, even if we did not fully understand the underlying pandemic early on. One example is the effective response to COVID-19 by Taiwan using lessons learned from the previous epidemic of SARS. Policies adopted by countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea have also been held up as hallmarks to be emulated.





Then there have been countries have been collectively labeled the herd immunity countries, which is highly misleading, as it combines countries with an incompetent and inept response, notably the United States and the United Kingdom, with those were more successful, such as the aforementioned South Korea and Taiwan, along with at least one country that does not deserve to be placed in this category, namely Sweden.





Sweden has been unfairly painted with this broad brush for its failures, even as some of its European neighbors have started to question whether they themselves went too far in terms of restrictions (notably Germany, Switzerland, and Norway). It has been caricatured as some sort of libertarian paradise devoid of any kind of restrictions, where politicians have recklessly played with human lives in pursuit of some grand scientific field study. In reality, Sweden did introduce restrictions but eschewed many of the more severe measures adopted by their European counterparts, with a longer-term view of what constitutes a successful outcome. However, instead of furnishing careful consideration of Swedens particulars and nuances, much of the media still continues to characterize the countrys approach as a cautionary tale, as the headline of a July article by New York Times European economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman puts it. But the reality is different: Swedens many successes in curbing coronavirus have been overshadowed by its one spectacular failure: namely, protecting the elderly.





Goodmans assessment of Swedens approach as an unorthodox, open-air experiment is not alone; the headline of a Washington Post article by Professor Gina Gustavsson in May termed it an experiment in blind patriotism.





According to a more recent report in the Washington Post by Yasmeen Abutaleb and Josh Dawsey, one of Donald Trumps chief health advisers, Scott Atlas, is urging the White House to embrace a controversial herd immunity strategy to combat the pandemic, which would entail allowing the coronavirus to spread through most of the population to quickly build resistance to the virus. The article goes on to suggest that Dr. Atlas is advocating an embrace of the so-called Swedish model.





Although the Washington Post issued a correction to Abutaleb and Dawseys article about a mischaracterization of the Swedish model (the correction stated, While Sweden did not impose lockdown orders or close most schools and businesses, it did recommend social distancing measures and wearing masks), it is still an oversimplification: Anders Tegnell, Swedens current state epidemiologist, went out of his way to counter the notion that herd immunity per se formed the central thrust of Swedens containment plan, in an April interview with USA Today (even though in July he acknowledged that herd immunity is a long-term, albeit elusive, goal).





But the focus on herd immunity obscures the restrictions that the Swedish authorities did introduce. Swedens emergency measures consisted mainly of Public Health Agency recommendations for social distancing, working at home, school closings, border controls, internal travel restrictions and self-quarantiningsome of which proved surprisingly effective due to the fact that a little more than half of all homes in Sweden are one-resident households (the highest proportion in Europe, according to Eurostat), which in turn facilitated high citizen compliance with working from home. At least a third of Stockholmers are remote working, while Stockholm Business Region, funded by the city council, estimates that levels are well above 90% in the capitals largest companies, according to BBC Worklife.





Bans on public gatherings of more than 500 peopleby the end of March reduced to 50were mandated, not just recommended. Testing was limited to priority cases. And despite having one of the lowest number[s] of intensive care beds in Europe per capita[, Sweden] manage[d] to double it amid a global health crisis, according to the Local, a Swedish news publication. Consequently, ICUs never came close to reaching peak capacity.





Moreover, in adopting less severe restrictions, Swedens economy has likely mitigated the severe economic fallout of other countries that adopted more stringent lockdowns. Whereas Italys GDP is forecast by the IMF to contract by almost 13 percent this year, in Sweden the comparable figure is a 6.8 percent contraction, considerably better than many other European economies and roughly in line with other Scandinavian countries (despite being a small, open economy much more affected by the vagaries of global economic growth than a larger more self-contained economy such as the U.S.). Swedens less severe approach also has likely mitigated the problem of hysteresis experienced in other countries where, by virtue of the lengthy economy-wide shutdowns/restrictions, short-term problems have morphed into longer-term ones, notably in the area of unemployment (because many jobs are unlikely to return at all).





Finally, the middling approach to restrictions has also meant that Sweden has avoided many of the challenges now being experienced in countries such as the UK. As Spiked columnist Tim Black recently observed, Having allowed and fostered the reorganisation of society around the principle of safety, the Conservative administration of Boris Johnson now finds itself vulnerable to attack and revision as the government moved to consider other policies beyond absolute safety in its efforts to normalize the economy. The resultant trade-off is particularly noticeable in the politically fraught area of school reopenings (a problem Sweden didnt experience as it has kept schools open since COVID-19 emerged, without any major adjustments to class size, lunch policies, or recess rules).





Which is not to say that Swedens approach was free of problems: In Swedens case, much like the United States, there was a paucity of preventative measures taken for protecting the elderly, especially in nursing homes, and they proved to be the leading component of the death count. According to political scientist Lisa Pelling, head of research at the Stockholm-based think tank Arena Ide, 90 per cent of those who have so far died from COVID-19 in Sweden were over 70 years old.





Sweden was hardly unique in that regard: In fact, 95% of COVID-19 fatalities on the continent [of Europe] have been people older than 60. Additionally, more than 50% of all deaths in Europe were people aged 80 or older, according to Dr. Hans Kluge, the regional director of WHO Europe. However, in regard to Sweden particularly, Lisa Pelling ascribes the high fatality rate among the elderly to longstanding country-specific problems that Sweden could and should have addressed. These include the lack of personal protective equipment for nursing home employees and the fragmented organisation of eldercare in Sweden, where a free choice voucher system allows for unlimited profit-making private actors to compete for clients.





Ironically, the elderly care fiasco was a direct consequence of the neoliberal economic reforms introduced in the country during the 1990s, which partially dismantled some of Swedens historically strong public health care infrastructure in regard to its nursing homes (and echoed the private equity-led elder abuse in other countries, notably Canada and the U.S.). Unlike many other governments, however, Swedens authorities have acknowledged that the poor shielding of the elderly was a major policy error (by contrast, New York Governor Andrew Cuomos reversal of the nursing home directive to take in COVID-19 patients is an implicit acknowledgment of his initial policy failure here, even as he steadfastly refuses to acknowledge it as such, yet still reaps considerable praise from the U.S. mainstream media).





As for herd immunity itself (the more problematic aspect of Swedens strategy), it is, as Dr. James Hamblin of the Atlantic argues, an important public-health concept, developed and used to guide vaccination policy, which has historically been used for the purposes of vaccination policy to calculate the number of people who need to be vaccinated in order to ensure the safety of the population. But it is useless today because, as Hamblin concludes, it offers little such guidance during an ongoing pandemic without a vaccine.





Originally, herd immunity was based on some relatively narrowly based linear differential formulae developed in a famous 1927 paperby mathematicians W.O. Kermack and A.G. McKendrickto allegedly describe the spread of infectious diseases. These equations have since been greatly elaborated with extra parameters, none of which can be reliably estimated, but which can (and have been) manipulated to produce terrifying predictions. The underlying assumption is the data-free notion that immunity to a virus is binary, i.e., youre either immune or not immuneand non-immune people can only become immune after being infected (if they dont die). In other words, the hypothesized herd immunity percentage is model-defined as the immune populations percentage when the virus starts running out of non-immune people to infect.





This line of reasoning falls apart when you consider a) its impossible to measure or estimate the number of non-immune and immune people in any country with anything approaching usable accuracy (both for past epidemics and doubly so for ongoing epidemics given the challenges posed by testing); and b) essentially no documented epidemics have shown the slightest evidence of reaching the 40 percent to 70 percent immunity required by the differential equation models.





To deal with this problem, later variations of the Kermack-McKendrick introduced a parameter that allowed a sizable (and unmeasurable) percentage of the population to be unsusceptible before the epidemic strikes. That allows the modeler to dial up a predicted herd immunity percentage anywhere between 1 percent and 70 percentand also begs the all-important question: How did all those unsusceptible people become immune well before any outbreak of the epidemic?





To cope with that challenge, researchers have in recent years begun to posit the concept of heterogeneity.





Heterogeneity conveys the idea that immunity is multivalent, not binaryin other words, some portion of infected people will never be infected, some will show no symptoms, some will show mild ones, some will be sick enough to go to the hospital and some will die. Conceptually, that is certainly closer to reality.





But even with this concession, there is a problem: admitting immune multivalency renders the whole concept of herd immunity problematic as a pandemic prevention strategy. Is herd immunity the herd that cant possibly get infected, or the herd that can suffer no worse than mild symptoms, or the herd that goes to the hospital but cant die? Also problematic are questions related to infectiousness of people in each of the multivalent immune categories, which researchers are now seeking to answer. Nor do we know whether herd immunity always confers complete immunity, or merely immunity to outcomes worse than mild. And we still dont know how long the bodys immune response will last. How does one start constructing a sensible public health response based on such ambiguities?





These problems become further pronounced when one examines the complex interaction between B-cells (which make the antibodies that neutralize the microbes, thereby rendering them harmless) and T-cells, which can remember past infections and kill pathogens if they reappear, write Clive Cookson, Anna Gross and Ian Bott in the Financial Times. Researchers such as Dr. Monica Gandhi suggest that the interplay between these groups of cells is what establishes the bodys immune response. However, The immune system is basically a memory machine, according to Alessandro Sette, a professor and member of La Jolla Institutes Infectious Disease and Vaccine Center. And all of us have different experiences with viruses, and other kinds of diseases. Hence, by definition, our respective immune memory machine[s] will not be identical.





Furthermore, the degree of a diseases initial infectiousness per se might not be the best signpost in determining future immune responses, as Dr. Settes colleague Daniela Weiskopf observed: in some people, pre-existing T cell memory against common cold coronaviruses can cross-recognize SARS-CoV-2, down to the exact molecular structures.  This could help explain why some people show milder symptoms of disease while others get severely sick. This means that although the common cold is a type of coronavirus, peoples immune responses to the common cold dont help to pinpoint in advance the kinds of immune responses any given person might have when infected with SARS-CoV-2. Over the course of a lifetime, just about everyone has caught a common cold, but their immune systems do not automatically cross-recognize COVID-19.





All of which points to the futility of asking the question: When do we reach herd immunity? Essentially, we need to understand that mass immunity is not a matter of totalities; rather, it is a continuum that stretches from cant ever be infected to wont be hospitalized or will die if infected. That plain English is consistent with recent epidemiological insights and evidence that may well bear far greater fruit than political modeling, e.g., the continuum of viral immunity can be greatly enhancedor suppressedby a persons history of prior viral exposures all the way back to the womb; likewise, the ultimate outcome if one catches the virus can vary significantly depending on other pre-existing health conditions, such as nutritional status, comorbidities and smoking history.





Unfortunately, much like the climate change debate, responses to COVID-19 have become highly politicized, which partly explains why we have the anomalous sight of libertarian Senator Rand Paul making hagiographicand highly misleadingreferences to social democratic Sweden. As the executive editor of UnHerd, Freddie Sayers, has noted, Sweden is not a libertarian societyfar from it; in reality, they are sticklers for the rules. But Sayers goes on to note that, excluding the elderly care tragedy, Swedens public health infrastructure has effectively institutionalized the countrys broader social cohesion, especially its consensus in regard to health care provision. Sayers contrasts Swedens communitarianism to the fragmented and highly individualistic culture of the UK and US (which helps to explain why it is not feasible to mindlessly adopt the Swedish model lock, stock, and barrel into the U.S.).





The question of what else Sweden did is worth some study and will be lost if it is simplistically caricatured as herd immunity. There is no question that the country did induce changes in behavior on hygiene and social distancing and introduced some other modified forms of restriction. But these moderate restrictions should be viewed as a social contract between the government of Sweden and its citizens. In effect, they represented a compromise to avoid the more extreme heavy-handed responses adopted in other countries. For that moderation, the country has been unfairly maligned. Attacking the myths that governed its policy is a start, as is the recognition that future responses may need to be reassessed in light of what we have learned in regard to treating COVID-19. We cant simply rely on rolling lockdowns or the panacea of a vaccine; a better balance needs to be found. As other countries come to examine their respective policy responses, Sweden, for all of its mistakes, ought to be viewed in a fairer light.





This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.





Marshall Auerback is a researcher at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, a fellow of Economists for Peace and Security, and a regular contributor to Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.
China accused the US of becoming "the biggest driver of militarization" in the contested South China Sea, as tensions between Washington and Beijing look set to swamp a regional Asian summit.

US-China rivalry is expected to dominate discussion at this year's ASEAN conference, which comes just days after Beijing launched ballistic missiles in the flashpoint waters as part of live-fire exercises.

Beijing claims the majority of the resource-rich South China Sea, invoking its so-called nine-dash line to justify its alleged historic rights to the key trade waterway, also contested Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

As tensions simmer, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told an online meeting of foreign ministers from Southeast Asian countries that "the United States is becoming the biggest driver of militarization of the South China Sea."

Wang said that China's greatest interest in the waters was "peace and stability", while accusing the US of "creating tension and seeking profit from it".

"The United States is becoming the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the South China Sea," Wang added, according to state news agency Xinhua on Thursday.

China has reinforced its claim to the South China Sea by building up small shoals and reefs into military bases with airstrips and port facilities.

It rejected a 2016 UN-backed tribunal's ruling that its claims were without legal basis.

This year's ASEAN summit is the first meeting since the US announced sanctions on two dozen Chinese companies over Beijing's construction of artificial islands in the disputed waters, which Beijing blasted as "tyrannical".

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, accused the Chinese Communist Party this week of being engaged in a "clear and intensifying pattern of bullying its neighbours."

A fresh spat between China and the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal -- one of the region's richest fishing grounds -- also hangs over the talks.

rox/tjx/tom
UI Claims Torpedo Markets Market Tea Leaves - 1 hour ago Yesterday the markets faltered due to not too stellar economic news. What will happen today?

Arabica Coffee (KC) Tries Extending Weekly Chart Upchannel Tradable Patterns - Fri Jan 21, 2:06AM CST Arabica Coffee ((KCH22) ) consolidated the upchannel (on the 4hr chart) yesterday closing where KC may form a 2nd data point to a triangle/downchannel resistance (on the daily chart). Significantly,... KCH22 : 239.35 (-1.76%)

California's COVID gun store shutdowns ruled illegal AP - Thu Jan 20, 5:42PM CST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Two California counties violated the Constitution's right to keep and bear arms when they shut down gun and ammunition stores in 2020 as nonessential businesses during the coronavirus... $SPX : 4,482.73 (-1.10%) $DOWI : 34,715.39 (-0.89%) $IUXX : 14,846.46 (-1.34%)
"As this report outlines, the UK and Australia share similar regulatory environments, making London and Sydney RegTechs well suited to expand in each other's markets."

As one of the biggest financial centres in the world, London is an international hub for RegTech firms. RegTech Associates data shows that in the UK and Ireland alone, there are 288 home grown technology products solving regulatory problems from fighting financial crime to regulatory reporting.

Crucially, the UK and Ireland boast governments that are supportive of technological innovation. Financial regulators in the UK such as the Financial Conduct Authority are extremely forward-looking and are actively exploring the use of innovative technologies to address long-standing challenges.

Some key findings from the report include:

The majority of RegTech products in both markets fall into the Financial Crime category, with 27.7% in the UK and 30.4% in Australia respectively

respectively The UK RegTech market is more mature than Australia . 53.6% of Australian products are less than five years old, however only 35.4% UK

. 53.6% of Australian products are less than five years old, however only 35.4% UK Australian RegTech products have the second highest foreign presence in the UK with 9.1% market share, beaten only by USA

Daren Cade, COO of Arctic Intelligence, a Sydney based RegTech firm that has expanded into the UK says:

"The UK presents a unique and sizable opportunity for RegTech vendors from Australia and vice-versa. Close historical ties, relatively unrestricted movement of people, similar cultures and a single language all make this an easier move for expanding vendors than many others."

New South Wales (NSW) is an equally inviting destination for UK and European based RegTechs who want to expand overseas, as Minister Stuart Ayres explains:

"Sydney is clearly the regtech leader not only in Australia but in the Asia Pacific and with investment from markets like the UK, there is enormous potential for jobs generation and investment. From backing the Sydney Startup Hub to launching Tech Central this year, the NSW Government has been right behind NSW's booming tech industry."

With free trade agreement talks between the UK and Australia proceeding well, and in light of Brexit, opportunities to further strengthen trade ties between the two countries are welcomed and the RegTech industry is set to be a big part of that.

Click here for further information and full report - https://www.rtassociates.co/2020/09/regtech-is-a-big-opportunity-to-boost-australia-and-uk-trade-relations/

Contact:

Jason Boud (CEO)

jason.boud@rtassociates.co

About RegTech Associates

Our experienced team has extensive industry and regulatory knowledge and we perform rigorous research, market scanning and analysis of the global RegTech industry. This helps our technology clients better understand how they can grow, and our regulated firm clients discover who really solves their problems.

Media Contact:

Thomas Harding,

thomas@rtassociates.co,

+44-7764560482

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1251900/RegTech.jpg





SOURCE RegTech Associates
Delhi recorded 4,039 cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours -- a record since the outbreak reached the national capital. The previous highest 1-day spike of 3,947 cases was recorded on June 23.

The total number of cases in the city also crossed the 2 lakh-mark.

On Wednesday, the capital tested over 54,000 samples for coronavirus, setting a new record for the most number of tests in 24 hours in the national capital, as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the day sought suggestions from state government hospitals on increasing the number of Covid beds, especially in ICUs.

In Wednesdays meeting with health officials of the state, Arvind Kejriwal took stock of the citys testing appraoch, after which the state health department issued an order that removed the need for a prescription to get tested for coronavirus. He urged all government officers and health care workers to encourage as many people as possible to get tested for the deadly virus.
A Toronto high school teacher has been charged after police say he sexually assaulted two female students.

Police say the alleged assaults took place between 2015 and last year and involved a teacher and students at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts.

They say David Field, who is 56, is charged with two counts each of sexual assault and sexual exploitation.

He is due in court on Nov. 18.

Police say he has worked at the school since 2004 and previously worked at Don Mills Collegiate and Georges Vanier Secondary School.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to come forward.
WASHINGTON  Dr. Francis S. Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, took issue on Wednesday with President Trumps suggestion that a coronavirus vaccine would be available by Election Day, as he sought to reassure senators and the public that a vaccine would not be made available unless it was safe and effective.

Certainly, to try to predict whether it happens on a particular week before or after a particular date in early November is well beyond anything that any scientist right now could tell you and be confident they know what they are saying, Dr. Collins told a Senate panel at a hearing on the effort to find a vaccine.

Wednesdays hearing, before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, came amid growing concern over whether people would be reluctant to take a coronavirus vaccine, and whether Mr. Trump would apply political pressure on his administration to quickly approve one to give him a boost in his re-election bid.

At a briefing on Wednesday, Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, pushed back against that criticism.
A previous Iranian naval exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz in July drew condemnation from Washington when missiles blasted a US aircraft carrier mock-up, seen here in a satellite image obtained courtesy of Maxar Technologies

The Iranian navy began a three-day exercise in the Sea of Oman near the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, deploying an array of warships, drones and missiles.

One of the exercise's objectives is to devise "tactical offensive and defensive strategies for safeguarding the country's territorial waters and shipping lanes," the military said on its website.

The navy will test-fire surface-to-surface and shore-to-sea cruise missiles and torpedoes, and rocket-launching systems fitted on warships, submarines, aircraft and drones, it added.

Dubbed "Zolfaghar 99", the exercise will be held over two million square kilometres (772,000 square miles) of sea stretching from the northern part of the Indian Ocean to the eastern end of the Strait of Hormuz, the sensitive shipping lane from the Gulf through which a fifth of world oil output passes.

The exercise's spokesman, Commodore Shahram Irani, said that foreign aircraft, especially US drones, had been warned to steer clear of the area.

"We saw focused activities by American UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to gather information" on the exercise, he told the armed forces' website, adding that the US aircraft had since left the area.

In July, Iran's ideological force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, blasted a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier with missiles during an exercise near the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Navy condemned those manoeuvres as "irresponsible and reckless", and an attempt "to intimidate and coerce".

Tensions between Iran and the United States have soared since President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement with Tehran in 2018 and unilaterally reimposed crippling economic sanctions.

Their animosity deepened after a US drone strike killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani outside Baghdad airport in January, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile strikes against bases used by the US military in neighbouring Iraq.

amh/mj/kir
Coronavirus continues to dominate much of the news and Brexit has re-emerged as a major news story. As a result, some other issues dont receive the attention they deserve and that was certainly the case with the recent intervention by Simon Coveney in relation to legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

He isnt happy with the approach of the UK Government; he has made that known. And it is clear that he is a politician with an interest in the legacy of the Troubles.

Now theres nothing wrong with that. Many people, on both sides of the border, have an interest in the legacy of the Troubles.

But heres a thought: if Simon Coveney has such an interest in legacy issues, then why can he not apply more of that interest to legacy issues in his own jurisdiction?

As a starting point, he might look at the legacy of 1970. Simon Coveney wasnt born until 1972, but many of those who, as adults, lived through the darkest days of the Troubles will remember that year well.

In April 1970, Garda Richard Fallon was murdered in Dublin, the first member of the Garda Siochana to be killed in the line of duty during the Troubles. The search for justice goes on, but some things we do know.

Garda Fallon was killed by a member of Saor Eire, an urban guerrilla group made up of former IRA members and revolutionary Marxists.

Saor Eire had been carrying out bank robberies since 1967 and had also been procuring weapons for use in Northern Ireland in a future terrorist campaign.

Subsequently, a Fine Gael TD stated in the Dail that one of the three-man gang that shot the police officer had been conveyed out of the Republic secretly, in a government ministers car, with the full knowledge of the minister. That minister was named in the Press as Neil Blaney.

Later, Des OMalley, who had been a Fianna Fail TD back in 1970, said in the Dail that the gun used to kill Garda Fallon had been part of an arms shipment associated with a prominent politician. This time the Press named Charles Haughey.

It has also emerged that intelligence services observed Martin Casey, a member of Saor Eire, in London with Padraig (Jock) Haughey, a brother of Charles Haughey, attempting to purchase guns.

That was in November 1969, just as preparations were being made to launch the Provisional IRA.

They were strange times when senior members of Fianna Fail were collaborating with Marxist urban guerrillas to procure guns for the Provos.

The formation of the Provisional IRA at the end of 1969 was a key event in the Troubles and a number of Fianna Fail politicians played a role in that process. Indeed, Neil Blaney openly boasted about it.

The Arms Trial of 1970 acquitted Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney, along with Belfast IRA man John Kelly and others, but the trial was a farce.

Eventually, financial scandals, corruption, embezzlement and tax evasion destroyed Charles Haughey, but the truth about the Arms Crisis was buried in the quagmire of the Arms Trial.

When it comes to legacy, we hear many allegations about British state collusion with loyalists, but the authorities in Dublin have managed to conceal almost all of the truth about Irish state collusion with republicans.

Terrorist organisations, such as Saor Eire and the Provisionals, didnt keep minutes of their meetings. However, security forces, on both sides of the border, do have records and we hear from time to time of the millions of documents held by the PSNI, or those in the National Archives at Kew in London.

Thats why, year after year, republican researchers are able to seek judicial reviews for the disclosure of police documents, or dredge through the records at Kew.

So, if we were to ask what Simon Coveney and his government colleagues in Dublin could do and should do about the legacy of the past, here is one answer.

Acknowledge that the Dublin Arms Trial, which ended 50 years ago next month, was a farce that concealed rather than revealed the truth and press his government colleagues to initiate a full public inquiry into the criminal conspiracy that played a seminal role in the forming and arming of the Provisional IRA.
Press Release

September 10, 2020 Hontiveros backs Senate audit on BCDA operations amid questions on AFP remittances Senator Risa Hontiveros today sought a Senate-led 'comprehensive audit' of the operations of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) use of its shares in BCDA's earnings over the years, amid questions on the remittances being made by the BCDA to fund the military's much-needed modernization program. The senator filed proposed Senate Resolution No. 520, which calls for an investigation in aid of legislation on the AFP's use of its shares in proceeds derived by BCDA from the sale of military assets, "to ensure that vital national security interests are actually upheld." "Ngayong patuloy ang banta ng terorismo at ang pang-gigipit ng China, kailangan natin siguraduhin na may sapat na pondo para sa modernisasyon ng ating sandatahang lakas. We need to conduct a comprehensive audit of the proceeds from BCDA's operations over the years, to determine whether the AFP has been receiving its rightful share of such proceeds to finance its modernization projects," Hontiveros said. Hontiveros' call came after General Gilbert Gapay, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the AFP, told lawmakers that the BCDA has failed to remit at least P13.2 billion from its earnings to the armed forces, as required by law. The Bases Conversion and Development Act (RA 7898) mandates the BCDA to remit 35 percent of proceeds from the sale of former military reservations to help finance the different projects under the multi-year AFP Modernization Program. The BCDA however denied that it had failed to remit the PhP13.2 billion to the AFP, claiming that the amount was "parked" with the Bureau of Treasury, awaiting appropriation. "The conflicting claims of these two agencies should be investigated and reconciled. Nasaan na ba talaga ang P13.2 billion na hinihingi ng AFP? Bakit hindi pa ito ginagamit para pondohan ang mga kailangan na barko, eroplano, weapon systems at ibang kagamitan?," Hontiveros said. According to Hontiveros, government auditors in the past years have already flagged how the AFP has not been able to receive its share from earnings generated by the BCDA from the sale or disposition of military properties. She pointed to a Commission on Audit (COA) Annual Audit Report in 2017, which found that the AFP had no share in the proceeds derived from BCDA operations in military camps outside Metro Manila, including the Clark Special Economic Zone, and recommended that legislation to correct this deficiency be enacted by Congress. In another report, the COA also found that the AFP was left out and denied its share of earnings when the BCDA donated a property to the City of Taguig in 2008, which the city later leased to SM Prime Holdings Inc. for the development of a community and retail complex which now includes SM Aura. "Despite the BCDA's claims of record remittances, the fact remains that there is still a whopping P300 billion worth of unfunded projects in the AFP Modernization Program which are yet to receive a single centavo from the BCDA. Hindi katanggap-tanggap ito," she said. "Any shortage of funding for the AFP modernization program seriously threatens our ability to protect Filipinos from various threats, including terrorist attacks and aggression by foreign countries in our territorial waters. Ang bawat piso na hindi naibibigay sa modernisasyon ng AFP ay naglalagay sa buong bansa sa alanganin," Hontiveros concluded. *Please see attached Senate Resolution No. 520 in pdf
Police resorted to mild lathicharge on farmers at Pipli Chowk near Kurukshetra on Thursday for defying prohibitory orders as they were headed to the grain market to take part in a rally against the Centres recent agriculture ordinances.

Hundreds of activists, led by Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana president Gurnam Singh Chaduni, blocked the Chandigarh-Delhi national highway (NH-44) in the morning when they were prevented from reaching the grain market, inconveniencing commuters and causing a traffic jam.

A few farmers also sustained injuries as police used force to stop them from entering the grain market. After two-and-a-half hours, the Kurukshetra district administration relented and allowed the farmers to head to the grain market much to the relief of the commuters stranded on the highway.

Deputy commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Brar said, The farmers lifted the blockade and the movement of traffic was restored. The farmers have been allowed to hold the rally but they have to maintain (Covid) norms.

The administration is responsible for this situation. We have a right to protest peacefully but they want to suppress our voice. We will continue our fight and force the Centre to withdraw its anti-farmer and anti-arhtiya (commission agent) ordinances. They are using coronavirus as an excuse to suppress our voice, Chaduni said.

Police also released some farmers who were detained during the protest. While addressing the farmers, Chaduni termed it as their first victory. He said the fight will continue until the Centre withdraws its anti-farmer ordinances and brings in a law to ensure that all farmers get the benefit of Minimum Support Price.

Chaduni, who unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Haryana assembly elections on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket, accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of forcing farmers to hold protests by bringing ordinances in the name of agriculture reforms.

In video message, he said the farmers have decided to protest at district headquarters on September 15 and all roads in Haryana will be blocked if the state government fails to withdraw the ordinances.

The farmers were protesting the three ordinances passed by the Union cabinet in June: The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance; and the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance.

While the government says the ordinances will create an environment where farmers and traders have free choice of sale and purchase, farmers claim that with these ordinances, the government is planning to discontinue the minimum support price (MSP) regime.
Talks come amid intensive diplomatic engagement between key economies

President Xi Jinping will meet via video link on Monday with European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the rotating chair of the regional bloc, the Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The meeting comes amid intensive diplomatic engagement between China and the EU countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic recession due to the impact of the outbreak.

Xi had a video talk with the first two EU leaders in June, when they and Premier Li Keqiang co-chaired the 22nd China-EU leaders' meeting via video link. That was the first talk between Xi and the two new EU leaders, who assumed their posts in December. He also had several telephone talks with Merkel after the COVID-19 outbreak this year.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his five-nation European tour on Sept 1, which took him to Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, France and Germany.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, also visited Spain and Greece last week.

Analysts said the upcoming meeting is significant not only for the China-EU relationship, but will also help boost international confidence in post-pandemic recovery amid mounting tensions between China and the United States.

In a speech delivered at the French Institute of International Relations on Aug 30, Wang said despite the difference in social systems, China and the EU are meant to be comprehensive strategic partners, not systemic rivals.

He called for building a partnership between China and the EU in investment, green and digital economies, multilateral affairs and countering the pandemic.

China and the EU both advocate multilateralism and are committed to safeguarding the United Nations-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law, and the World Trade Organization-centered multilateral trading system, officials said.

During the 8th China-EU High-Level Trade and Economic Dialogue held via video link at the end of July, both sides recognized major progress made in their negotiations on a bilateral Comprehensive Agreement on Investment. They committed to concluding the negotiations and reaching a high-level agreement within the year.

Yao Ling, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Cooperation, said the positive results of the dialogue demonstrated the common responsibility of China and the EU as significant economies and the major driving forces of economic globalization to create a margin of hope for a global economy impacted by the pandemic as well as unilateralism and protectionism.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the EU. Due to COVID-19, a series of planned events have had to be rescheduled. A summit of China and EU countries planned for September in Leipzig, Germany, will be held later. A summit between China and Central and Eastern European countries set for the first half of the year in China was also postponed.

Observers said the global pandemic has become a catalyst for China and the EU to reshape their relationship, and the huge interests they share will bolster their cooperation in the post-pandemic era.

The EU was China's biggest trading partner from 2004 to 2019. In the first half of 2020, it became the second largest after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Wang said in his speech in France that over the 45 years, "an important experience we have gained is: China and the EU are entirely able to enhance trust through dialogues on an equal footing, achieve win-win outcomes through mutually beneficial cooperation, properly address differences through constructive communications and jointly tackle global challenges through stronger coordination".
Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Oxford say they have found a new way to kill some multiplying human breast cancer cells by selectively attacking the core of their cell division machinery.

The technique, so far tested only on lab-grown and patient-derived cancer cells, could advance efforts to find drugs that kill breast cancer cells in a subset of patients, and leave healthy cells unharmed.

A summary of the scientists' findings are published Sept. 9 in Nature.

Some of the most widely used cancer drugs already kill rapidly dividing cells. However, most of these drugs have notable drawbacks, including killing healthy cells, such as fast-multiplying bone marrow cells, along with the cancer cells." Andrew Holland, PhD, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Holland, whose research focuses on mammalian -; including human -; cell division also notes that unchecked mistakes in cell division can fuel genetic errors that, in some cases, go on to develop into cancer cells.

Because all mammalian cells have similar processes for cell division, Holland and his team have looked for cell division mechanisms specific to cancer cells in a variety of lab-grown cells.

During their search, he says, they came across a line of human breast cancer cells that are very dependent on cell structures called centrioles to divide and survive.

Centrioles act as the structural core of centrosomes, which organize thin tubes of proteins that give cells their shape and help separate DNA when the cell divides. However, many cells can divide without centrioles and centrosomes.

Although other cells are able to live without centrioles, Holland's team found that these lab-grown breast cancer cells could not.

Close analysis showed that the centriole-dependent breast cancer cells had a section of genome that had been abnormally copied many times, an alteration found in about 9% of breast cancers.

The researchers studied the genes encoded in the highly copied region and found a gene that was producing high levels of a protein -; TRIM37 -; shown to control centrosomes.

Next, the researchers tested a way to interfere with the cell division process in the cells with high TRIM37 levels. They used an experimental drug called a PLK4 inhibitor, which disrupts proteins that make centrioles.

They added the drug to the lab-grown breast cancer cells with normal TRIM37 levels and found that the cells were able to successfully divide, even though the drug had removed the cell's centrioles.

However, when they added the drug to breast cancer cells with high TRIM37 levels, the opposite happened -; the cells could no longer divide and most cells stopped growing or died.

"The idea would be to identify tumors with high levels of TRIM37 and use a PLK4 inhibitor to selectively kill cancer cells and leave healthy cells relatively unharmed," says Holland.

The Johns Hopkins and Oxford teams also discovered why high levels of TRIM37 leave cells vulnerable to drugs that remove centrioles.

Holland's previous research has shown that normal cells can divide without centrioles, because the material around the centriole, called the pericentriolar material, is able to do the same job as centrosomes.

In the current study, the researchers found that high levels of TRIM37 cause cells to degrade pericentriolar material. Thus, by adding a drug that removes centrioles, the cells have no way -; either with centrosomes or pericentriolar material -; to organize the tubes that help divide the DNA during cell division.

Now, Holland and his team are looking for other, more stable drugs similar to the PLK4 inhibitor used in the current study and are attempting to identify additional human cancer cell lines that are sensitive to these inhibitors.
Of the many disturbing and scandalous stories about Donald Trump in Michael Cohens new book, Disloyal: A Memoir, one in particular sticks out to me. It is a continuation of centuries of white supremacist thought that has handicapped Black people and Black leadership.

It is when Cohen, Trumps former personal lawyer, writes:

As a rule, Trump expressed low opinions of all Black folks, from music to culture and politics. Africa was a hellhole, he believed, and Nelson Mandela, to use but one example, was an object of contempt for Trump. Tell me one country run by a Black person that isnt a shithole, he would challenge me as he cursed out the stupidity of Obama.

He continued:

When Mandela passed away, years later, Trump told me he didnt think the South African founding father and national hero was a real leader  not the kind he respected. South Africa was once a beautiful country twenty, thirty years ago, Trump said, endorsing Apartheid-era white rule.

He directed an expletive at Mandela and said, He was no leader.

This contempt for Black people and Black governance may be experiencing a fresh bloom with Trump, but it has ancient roots, deep and tangled.
Geojit's report on Agri Picks

Rubber prices rose nearly 10% over the past three-four weeks and hit a record high of 140 rupees a kg due to pent-up demand after easing of the pandemic induced lockdowns amid a supply crunch. The momentum is, however, unlikely to sustain. Arrivals of the soybean crop harvested in 2020-21 (Jul-Jun) have started in some markets of Madhya Pradesh, traders said. However, heavy rains have hit the quality of the crop from western parts of the state. India received 3.6 mm rainfall yesterday, 46% below normal, the India Meteorological Department said. Since Jun 1, the country has received 823.4 mm rainfall, 7% above normal, and during the week rainfall was 33.2 mm, 30% below normal. The Gujarat government has decided to procure groundnut harvested in 2020-21 (Jul-Jun) at the minimum support price from Nov 19, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies in the state Jayesh Radadia said. The government aims to add 10 mln ha to the micro irrigation plan in five years to boost yield of crops, Farm Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said. Despite the government's push for natural farming, as little as 2% of the net sown area in the country is organically farmed, according to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment. The study, released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday, noted that just 1.3% of the country's farmers are registered as practising organic farmers.

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Olema Oncology, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of targeted therapies for women's cancers, today announced it has strengthened its executive team with the appointment of Shane Kovacs, M.B.A., as Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer, Kinney Horn as Chief Business Officer, and John B. Moriarty, J.D., as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer. In addition, Pamela Klein, M.D., will serve as Olema's Chief Medical Officer, and David Myles, Ph.D., has been promoted to Chief Development Officer.

Mr. Kovacs will lead Olema's financial strategy, accounting, information technology and human resources functions. Mr. Horn will lead the business and corporate development function, including strategy and partnerships, and will play a key role in business operations. Mr. Moriarty will serve as Olema's chief legal officer, leading all legal, regulatory, governance and compliance initiatives. Dr. Klein will guide Olema's clinical development efforts, including clinical strategy, medical affairs, clinical operations, clinical pharmacokinetics, biometrics, regulatory affairs and quality. Dr. Myles will continue to lead the Company's preclinical development and CMC operations and oversee ongoing discovery chemistry efforts.

"We are building an exciting, patient-centered oncology company with a mission to improve the lives of women affected by cancer, and are thrilled to welcome these industry veterans to the executive team," said Cyrus Harmon, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Olema Oncology. "Shane's experience, energy and enthusiasm will be instrumental as we begin our next phase of growth as a clinical- stage company. Kinney had a strong and tenured business development career with Genentech where he oversaw numerous transactions core to its oncology strategy and programs. His knowledge of the oncology landscape will be invaluable as we look for partnerships and collaborations to further advance our lead program, OP-1250, in breast cancer and work to expand our pipeline. John's extensive legal experience in the biopharma industry will be critical as we aim to reach important clinical and regulatory milestones for OP-1250."

Dr. Harmon added, "Pam is widely recognized throughout the industry for leading the clinical advancement of some of the most important breast cancer drugs brought to market over the past two decades. She has played a critical role in the growth of many biotechnology companies, and her leadership, expertise and knowledge will prove invaluable as we embark on a critical set of clinical trials of OP-1250 for metastatic, estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer that we believe will move us closer to our goal of changing the way breast cancer is treated. David has done a terrific job overseeing discovery chemistry efforts and leading IND-enabling studies and manufacturing efforts for OP-1250."

New and Promoted Olema Executive Team Members

Shane Kovacs , M.B.A., has more than 20 years of biotechnology operating experience, including a strong background in capital markets and M&A. Prior to joining Olema , he was Chief Business and Financial Officer of BlueRock Therapeutics, LP (acquired by Bayer AG), an engineered cell therapy company focused on neurology, cardiology and immunology. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Development at PTC Therapeutics where he helped transform the company into a publicly traded, commercial-stage rare disease company. Earlier in his career, Mr. Kovacs served as Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Banking, at Credit Suisse and Head of Biotechnology Investment Banking at RBC Capital Markets where he worked with a variety of biotechnology boards and management teams on a range of strategic and financial matters. He earned bachelor's degrees in chemical engineering, life sciences and economics from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario , and an M.B.A. from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario . He is a CFA charterholder.

has more than 20 years of biotechnology operating experience, including a strong background in capital markets and M&A. Prior to joining , he was Chief Business and Financial Officer of BlueRock Therapeutics, LP (acquired by Bayer AG), an engineered cell therapy company focused on neurology, cardiology and immunology. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Development at PTC Therapeutics where he helped transform the company into a publicly traded, commercial-stage rare disease company. Earlier in his career, Mr. Kovacs served as Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Banking, at Credit Suisse and Head of Biotechnology Investment Banking at RBC Capital Markets where he worked with a variety of biotechnology boards and management teams on a range of strategic and financial matters. He earned bachelor's degrees in chemical engineering, life sciences and economics from Queen's University in , and an M.B.A. from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the . He is a CFA charterholder. Kinney Horn has 20 years of experience in life science finance, leadership and biopharmaceutical business development roles. During his 16-year career at Genentech, he participated in a number of transactions, including the acquisition of Seragon Pharmaceuticals and key product technology collaborations with Xencor, Affimed, Hanmi, Immunocore, Seattle Genetics, Vernalis , NCM USA , Kasia and Tercica. In addition to corporate transaction responsibilities, he led the annual oncology strategic sourcing process for 13 areas of oncology research and development. Prior to Olema , Mr. Horn was an Entrepreneur in Residence at EcoR1 Capital and held venture and merchant banking positions at Emerging Technology Partners and Oscar Gruss . He earned degrees in economics, international affairs and biochemistry from Mary Washington College and Georgetown University .

has 20 years of experience in life science finance, leadership and biopharmaceutical business development roles. During his 16-year career at Genentech, he participated in a number of transactions, including the acquisition of Seragon Pharmaceuticals and key product technology collaborations with Xencor, Affimed, Hanmi, Immunocore, Seattle Genetics, , NCM , Kasia and Tercica. In addition to corporate transaction responsibilities, he led the annual oncology strategic sourcing process for 13 areas of oncology research and development. Prior to , Mr. Horn was an Entrepreneur in Residence at EcoR1 Capital and held venture and merchant banking positions at Emerging Technology Partners and . He earned degrees in economics, international affairs and biochemistry from and . John B. Moriarty , J.D., has more than 25 years of legal and biotech experience across leading global biotech companies. Most recently, he was Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he was responsible for all legal, governance and compliance matters supporting the company's launch of Andexxa, its corporate strategy, and the build-out of its global operations in the United States and Europe , which culminated in Portola's acquisition by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in July 2020 . Prior to Portola , Mr. Moriarty was General Counsel of Alexion for more than five years during a period of tremendous growth and value creation. He was responsible for overseeing all global legal matters spanning 50 countries, as well as managing Alexion's Global Government Affairs and Global Corporate Communications teams. Earlier in his career, Mr. Moriarty was General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at Elan Corporation plc, and served as a member of Elan's Executive Management team. Prior to joining Elan, he held positions of increasing responsibility and leadership at Amgen. Earlier in his career, he worked as an attorney in the healthcare practice of a national law firm and was a healthcare fraud prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office and in the Virginia Attorney General's Office. Mr. Moriarty earned a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law cum laude. He has served on the Board of Trustees for the American Kidney Fund since 2015 and chairs the Audit and Compliance Committee.

has more than 25 years of legal and biotech experience across leading global biotech companies. Most recently, he was Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he was responsible for all legal, governance and compliance matters supporting the company's launch of Andexxa, its corporate strategy, and the build-out of its global operations in and , which culminated in acquisition by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in . Prior to , Mr. Moriarty was General Counsel of Alexion for more than five years during a period of tremendous growth and value creation. He was responsible for overseeing all global legal matters spanning 50 countries, as well as managing Alexion's Global Government Affairs and Global Corporate Communications teams. Earlier in his career, Mr. Moriarty was General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at Elan Corporation plc, and served as a member of Elan's Executive Management team. Prior to joining Elan, he held positions of increasing responsibility and leadership at Amgen. Earlier in his career, he worked as an attorney in the healthcare practice of a national law firm and was a healthcare fraud prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office and in the Attorney General's Office. Mr. Moriarty earned a B.A. from the and a J.D. from the School of Law cum laude. He has served on the Board of Trustees for the American Kidney Fund since 2015 and chairs the Audit and Compliance Committee. Pamela Klein , M.D., is a medical oncologist and seasoned biotechnology executive and advisor with 20 years of experience in drug development. She has served as Chief Medical Officer/Acting Chief Medical Officer for multiple successful biotech companies including Intellikine (acquired by Takeda) and Syndax Pharmaceuticals. From 2001 to 2008, she held increasing positions of responsibility at Genentech, most recently as Vice President, Development, where she led the development for a portfolio of drugs including trastuzumab (Herceptin), rituximab (Rituxan), pertuzumab (Perjeta) and erlotinib (Tarceva). Prior to that, she was Research Director for the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Navy Breast Care Center, which she co-founded and led until leaving the NCI. She is Founder and Principal of PMK BioResearch, offering advisory and strategic consulting for the biotechnology industry and venture firms, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Argenx, Patrys, Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals and I-Mab Biopharma. She is also a member of several Scientific Advisory Boards. Dr. Klein received a bachelor's degree in biology from California State University and an M.D. from Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago . She trained in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and medical oncology at the NCI in Bethesda, Md. , where she served as Chief Oncology Fellow.

is a medical oncologist and seasoned biotechnology executive and advisor with 20 years of experience in drug development. She has served as Chief Medical Officer/Acting Chief Medical Officer for multiple successful biotech companies including Intellikine (acquired by Takeda) and Syndax Pharmaceuticals. From 2001 to 2008, she held increasing positions of responsibility at Genentech, most recently as Vice President, Development, where she led the development for a portfolio of drugs including trastuzumab (Herceptin), rituximab (Rituxan), pertuzumab (Perjeta) and erlotinib (Tarceva). Prior to that, she was Research Director for the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Navy Breast Care Center, which she co-founded and led until leaving the NCI. She is Founder and Principal of PMK BioResearch, offering advisory and strategic consulting for the biotechnology industry and venture firms, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Argenx, Patrys, Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals and I-Mab Biopharma. She is also a member of several Scientific Advisory Boards. Dr. Klein received a bachelor's degree in biology from and an M.D. from Stritch School of Medicine, . She trained in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in and medical oncology at the NCI in , where she served as Chief Oncology Fellow. David Myles , Ph.D., has more than 20 years of experience in oncology-focused drug discovery and development. Since joining Olema shortly after its inception as Executive Vice President, Drug Discovery and Development, he has led Olema's discovery chemistry, CMC and IND-enabling efforts. Prior to joining Olema , he served as Executive Director at Kosan Biosciences where he was program leader on one of its leading oncology initiatives and led discovery and development chemistry programs, which led to the identification and advancement of clinical candidates in oncology and other indications. Earlier, Dr. Myles was Associate Director of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry at Chiron Corporation (acquired by Novartis), working on oncology and anti-viral programs. Prior to entering the biotechnology sector, Dr. Myles was a member of the faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles . He is an inventor on over 20 issued patents and the author of more than 70 peer-reviewed publications. He earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Yale University and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University .

About Olema Oncology

Olema Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of targeted therapies for women's cancers. Olema's lead program, OP-1250, a complete estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist (CERAN) and a selective ER degrader (SERD), is currently being studied in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced, ER-positive (ER+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer. Olema is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.olema.com.

SOURCE Olema Oncology
Actor Kangana Ranaut's mother Asha Ranaut on September 10 backed her daughter and thanked Home Minister Amit Shah for providing the junior Ranaut with Y-plus category security.

She also said what the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government did was "condemnable".

"What Maharashtra govt did is condemnable. I condemn that in harshest of words. I'm happy that entire India is standing with my daughter and people's blessings are with her. I'm proud of her, she always stood by truth and will continue doing that," the senior Ranaut said.

"I thank Amit Shah for providing her security, had she not been given security, nobody knows what would have happened to her," Asha Ranaut said, according to news agency ANI.

The Shiv Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), on September 9, demolished "illegal alterations" at Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's Bandra bungalow.

The political slugfest caused by Ranaut's comments on Mumbai -- in which she compared the financial capital of India to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) -- took a legal turn on September 9 after the Mumbai High Court putting a stay on the demolition process and asking BMC to file a reply on Ranauts petition.

Earlier that day, the Queen actor had approached the High Court challenging the notice issued by the BMC for 'illegal construction at her bungalow, and sought a stay on the demolition process.
A carer tried to poison a pensioner with antifreeze so she could inherit his house after tricking him into naming her in his will.

The police put a 46-year-old Peruvian citizen under a precautionary house arrest under suspicion of attempted murder.

The woman, according to the indictment, attempted to kill the 88-year-old man she works for by making him drink car liquid in Sant'Antonino di Susa, Turin.

A carer tried to poison a pensioner with antifreeze so she could inherit his house after tricking him into naming her in his will (stock image used)

An investigation was launched after the man was hospitalized having consumed engine antifreeze.

The liquid was mistaken for a drink inside a bottle, according to Huffpost.

The carer had accompanied the man to the hospital in June 2019, where he remained in a serious condition for a long period of time.

The investigation by the Compagnia di Susa police found it was very likely the carer had tricked the man into drinking the fluid.

The police put a 46-year-old Peruvian citizen under a precautionary house arrest under suspicion of attempted murder

She had been having problems with money and had thought that by killing the pensioner it would resolve them.

In 2016 the carer had taken the elderly man to notary and persuaded him to give her the ownership of her home.

The man had not understood what had happened, and the carer feared she would lose the home when a support administrator challenged her on the situation.
Will come back to haunt you: Jaishankar in veiled reference to Pakistan

India-Central Asia dialogue: Need to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to Afghan, says Jaishankar

Jaishankar meets Wang Yi in Moscow amid border tensions in Ladakh

India

pti-Madhuri Adnal

Moscow/New Delhi, Sep 10: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Moscow on Thursday amid hopes of a possible breakthrough in reducing tensions along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

The talks between the two foreign ministers are taking place in the backdrop of a massive spike in border tensions in eastern Ladakh triggered by fresh face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

After fresh tensions in Ladakh, China says it hopes for disengagement soon

Following fresh confrontation around the southern bank of Pangong lake, India has further strengthened its military presence in the region by sending additional troops, battle tanks and other weaponry. The Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) has also beefed up its presence in the area where the situation remained very tense.

"The external affairs minister will be meeting the Chinese foreign minister shortly where he will be discussing this issue," Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a virtual media briefing in the evening when asked whether the four-month-long border faceoff will be raised by Jaishankar at the talks.

Jaishankar and Wang are in Moscow to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. Srivastava reiterated India's position that it is committed to resolve the current situation through peaceful negotiations.

"Both India and China are in regular touch through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the situation. This was the consensus when the two defence ministers met," he said.

Bidens climate plan will give free pass to worst polluters like China

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his Chinese counterpart Gen. Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meet in Moscow last Friday, but apparently the meeting did not yield any tangible outcome.

The Indian Army on Tuesday said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake the previous evening and fired shots in the air, a first such instance of bullets being used along the LAC after a gap of 45 years.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

The Army said this in a statement after the PLA late on Monday night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and "outrageously fired" warning shots near the Pangong lake.
Key benchmark indices continued to trade higher in early afternoon trade. At 12:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 549.88 points or 1.44% at 38,743.80. The Nifty 50 index added 126.50 points or 1.12% at 11,404.50.

Shares witnessed bargain buying after recent losses. The Nifty corrected 2.23% in the past five sessions to end at 11,278 yesterday (9 September) from its recent closing high of 11,535 on 2 September 2020.

In the broader market today, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index gained 0.55% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 1.47%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1761 shares rose and 676 shares fell. A total of 152 shares were unchanged.

Coronavirus Update:

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 27,766,325 with 902,468 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. India reported 919,018 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 75,062 deaths while 3,471,783 patients have been discharged, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Derivatives:

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, tumbled 4.23% to 21.29. The Nifty September 2020 futures were trading at 11,410, at a premium of 5.5 points compared with the spot at 11,404.50.

The Nifty option chain for 17 September 2020 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 9.95 lakh contracts at the 11,500 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 9.13 lakh contracts was seen at 11,300 strike price.

The Nifty option chain for 24 September 2020 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 22.15 lakh contracts at the 11,500 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 29.25 lakh contracts was seen at 11,000 strike price.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Metal index fell 1.52% to 2,360.65. The index rose 0.86% yesterday.

Hindalco Industries (down 3.04%), JSW Steel (down 2.46%), Tata Steel (down 2.3%), NMDC (down 2.07%) and SAIL (down 1.52%) declined.

Welspun Corp (up 3.53%), Hindustan Copper (up 3.04%), Mishra Dhatu Nigam (up 2.17%), Hindustan Zinc (up 1.99%), APL Apollo Tubes (up 1.58%) and National Aluminum Co. (up 0.89%) advanced.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Index major Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 6.60% to Rs 2304. The scrip gained 6.87% to hit the day's high at 2309.75, which is also a record high for the stock.

RIL extended gains for second day after the company yesterday informed about the sale of 1.75% stake in Reliance Retail to Silver Lake for a consideration of Rs 7,500 crore.

State Bank of India (SBI) rose 2.72% after the state-run lender said it sold Rs 4,000 crore of the Basel-compliant Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds at a coupon of 7.74%. While the AT1 instrument is perpetual in nature, it can be called back by the lender after five years or any anniversary date thereafter.

Saregama India added 0.94% to Rs 528.20. The company said it struck a global licensing deal with ShareChat and Moj. The deal will allow ShareChat users to create new content and add to their social experience on the ShareChat and Moj platforms. Saregama will license its catalogue to both platforms allowing for the large community of ShareChat and Moj members to create their own short video content using the Saregama library. The music library offers thousands of songs in diverse Indian languages.

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company rose 2.39% to Rs 444.80. The company has entered into a corporate agency agreement with NSDL Payments Bank, a subsidiary of NSDL, the largest depository of India. Under the agreement, ICICI Prudential Life will provide its protection and savings products to customers of NSDL Payments Bank. The partnership will help ICICI Prudential to increase presence on new-age distribution touch-points.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Despite increasing challenges, AppGallery and the Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) ecosystem has continued to show progress this year, all thanks to our global partners. With this strong support and recognition, we will continue to invest in the ecosystem as we build one of the top three app distribution platforms in the world. We are confident that as we continue to work closer with our partners, we can help them to grow and achieve their business goals, especially for those locally popular names who are looking to expand into other global markets," said Mr Wang Yanmin.

AppGallery and the HMS ecosystem continue to flourish in 2020

AppGallery now dedicates itself to meet the diverse needs of 490 million Monthly Active Users (MAUs) in over 170 countries/regions with. Within the first half of 2020, user app downloads reached 261 billion, underscoring the popularity growth of this app marketplace among users.

Currently, 1.8 million developers globally have joined Huawei Mobile Services ecosystem and more than 96,000 applications have integrated with HMS Core worldwide, offering users even more unique experiences.

Meeting user need by bringing diversified local apps

An underlying priority for AppGallery is reaching the diverse needs of users across different regions and provide them with relevant and quality app services. AppGallery's 'Global + Local strategy' is an innovative approach to app listing that provides consumers with an enhanced experience by focusing on popular local apps.

Some globally popular apps and services will always be the preferred choice for consumers around the world. With the support of influential global partners, Huawei's ecosystem continues to grow, with partners such as Bolt, Deezer, Foodpanda, TomTom Go Navigation, LINE, Qwant and Telegram joining AppGallery to make life more convenient for users.

Local developers are quickly realising the wide-ranging benefits of listing with AppGallery as consumers also often prefer their own local apps and services too. In Middle East & Africa, the favourite local messaging app Imo and the well-known online shopping platform noon shopping are available on AppGallery. In Europe, BBVA, one of the largest financial institutions in the world, and Allegro, a popular online shopping app has come on-board the AppGallery platform. In Latin America (LATAM), AppGallery has onboarded Bancolombia, one of the largest banks in LATAM, and Linio, the leading e-Commerce marketplace. In Asia Pacific, the popular travel booking app Agoda and Lazada, one of the top e-commerce sites are listed in AppGallery.

Developers are at the heart of Huawei's innovation

Partners are joining AppGallery to utilise Huawei's innovative technology and HMS core, enabling traditional sectors to fast-track digital transformation. Huawei's fully open HMS Core helps accelerate app innovation and elevate user experience. With these capabilities and services, users will be able to enjoy differentiated experience from apps, thus, to bring more business opportunities for add developers as well.

Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia with more than 67 million active customers locally, partnered with AppGallery to launch its own Near field communication (NFC) contactless payment supported by HMS. Within 11 days, over 21 million users have downloaded the app with 3.2 million installation.

Separately, Grabjobs, a leading recruitment platform in Asia, is integrated with Caas Kit that allows the app to conduct in-app recruitment and interviews. Meanwhile, 3D facial recognition payment via PayBy supported by Security kit makes payment securer. Sweet Selfie also managed to add super night mode and anti-shaking in its features list after integration with Camera kit.

AppGallery's full-spectrum support sees partners achieving business success

AppGallery provides full-spectrum operational support for developers worldwide and assists them to unlock new opportunities, such as cross-region operation and global exposure. To date, several partners from various regions have benefited from AppGallery.

Tom Tom, one of the world's leading navigation brands, has both of its popular navigation apps TomTom Go Navigation and TomTom AmiGO listed on AppGallery. Through joint marketing efforts with Huawei, TomTom AmiGO saw 22 times growth in download rate; Bolt, a ride-hailing application saw an increase of 136 times in European and Africa downloads from week one to week thirteen; Kumu, a TV livestream app from the Philippines, worked with AppGallery to launch a Mother's Day campaign. In the first 15 days, there was 220% increase in Kumu's premium users, and its revenue grew more than 40 times.

Huawei also has extensive support to assist developers explore business opportunities in China and other global markets, by providing relevant consulting service, localisation and integration, marketing and campaign services. A spokesperson from newly joint partner Emirates said: "It's our pleasure to collaborate with Huawei to provide the best possible customer experience. The engaging tools that are available on AppGallery can help us create closer bonds and experiences with more customers, especially in China, which is a significant market for us. The next phase of our collaboration will roll out soon and is aimed at benefitting passengers at every step of their journey, from trip planning to arriving at their destination."

Since last year, Huawei has helped over 700 partners enter the Chinese market.

Huawei pledges to work more closely with developers and partners

Going forward, Huawei continues to expand developer services. Huawei is building three global ecosystem cooperation labs in Russia, Poland, and Germany to serve global developers and provide enablement, testing, and certification services. Five global developer service centres will also be established in Romania, Malaysia, Egypt, Mexico, and Russia, providing local services and platforms to help developers better grow and innovate.

Huawei has always and will continue to welcome global developers to join the HMS ecosystem. We believe that by working closely together, we can bring a better, smarter app experience to global consumers. After all, when tiny stars come together, they form a brighter constellation.

For more information, please visit the Huawei Developer website at https://developer.huawei.com/consumer/en/ or the Huawei Developer Forum at https://forums.developer.huawei.com/forumPortal/en/home

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252010/Huawei.jpg

SOURCE Huawei
It is the last day of Moses' life. He has one final opportunity to speak to the Children of Israel. He gathers everyone and says, "You are all standing today before your G-d: the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers - all people of Israel." If this sounds like a lot of detail instead of just saying "everyone," you are not alone.

According to one of our most important rabbinic sages, the phraseology here is on purpose. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchai, also known as Rashi, wrote that Moses is not simply gathering the people, but rather charging them to take responsibility for themselves...
A continuous record of the past 66 million years shows natural climate variability due to changes in Earth's orbit around the sun is much smaller than projected future warming due to greenhouse gas emissions

For the first time, climate scientists have compiled a continuous, high-fidelity record of variations in Earth's climate extending 66 million years into the past. The record reveals four distinctive climate states, which the researchers dubbed Hothouse, Warmhouse, Coolhouse, and Icehouse.

These major climate states persisted for millions and sometimes tens of millions of years, and within each one the climate shows rhythmic variations corresponding to changes in Earth's orbit around the sun. But each climate state has a distinctive response to orbital variations, which drive relatively small changes in global temperatures compared with the dramatic shifts between different climate states.

The new findings, published September 10 in Science, are the result of decades of work and a large international collaboration. The challenge was to determine past climate variations on a time scale fine enough to see the variability attributable to orbital variations (in the eccentricity of Earth's orbit around the sun and the precession and tilt of its rotational axis).

"We've known for a long time that the glacial-interglacial cycles are paced by changes in Earth's orbit, which alter the amount of solar energy reaching Earth's surface, and astronomers have been computing these orbital variations back in time," explained coauthor James Zachos, distinguished professor of Earth and planetary sciences and Ida Benson Lynn Professor of Ocean Health at UC Santa Cruz.

"As we reconstructed past climates, we could see long-term coarse changes quite well. We also knew there should be finer-scale rhythmic variability due to orbital variations, but for a long time it was considered impossible to recover that signal," Zachos said. "Now that we have succeeded in capturing the natural climate variability, we can see that the projected anthropogenic warming will be much greater than that."

For the past 3 million years, Earth's climate has been in an Icehouse state characterized by alternating glacial and interglacial periods. Modern humans evolved during this time, but greenhouse gas emissions and other human activities are now driving the planet toward the Warmhouse and Hothouse climate states not seen since the Eocene epoch, which ended about 34 million years ago. During the early Eocene, there were no polar ice caps, and average global temperatures were 9 to 14 degrees Celsius higher than today.

"The IPCC projections for 2300 in the 'business-as-usual' scenario will potentially bring global temperature to a level the planet has not seen in 50 million years," Zachos said.

Critical to compiling the new climate record was getting high-quality sediment cores from deep ocean basins through the international Ocean Drilling Program (ODP, later the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, IODP, succeeded in 2013 by the International Ocean Discovery Program). Signatures of past climates are recorded in the shells of microscopic plankton (called foraminifera) preserved in the seafloor sediments. After analyzing the sediment cores, researchers then had to develop an "astrochronology" by matching the climate variations recorded in sediment layers with variations in Earth's orbit (known as Milankovitch cycles).

"The community figured out how to extend this strategy to older time intervals in the mid-1990s," said Zachos, who led a study published in 2001 in Science that showed the climate response to orbital variations for a 5-million-year period covering the transition from the Oligocene epoch to the Miocene, about 25 million years ago.

"That changed everything, because if we could do that, we knew we could go all the way back to maybe 66 million years ago and put these transient events and major transitions in Earth's climate in the context of orbital-scale variations," he said.

Zachos has collaborated for years with lead author Thomas Westerhold at the University of Bremen Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM) in Germany, which houses a vast repository of sediment cores. The Bremen lab along with Zachos's group at UCSC generated much of the new data for the older part of the record.

Westerhold oversaw a critical step, splicing together overlapping segments of the climate record obtained from sediment cores from different parts of the world. "It's a tedious process to assemble this long megasplice of climate records, and we also wanted to replicate the records with separate sediment cores to verify the signals, so this was a big effort of the international community working together," Zachos said.

Now that they have compiled a continuous, astronomically dated climate record of the past 66 million years, the researchers can see that the climate's response to orbital variations depends on factors such as greenhouse gas levels and the extent of polar ice sheets.

"In an extreme greenhouse world with no ice, there won't be any feedbacks involving the ice sheets, and that changes the dynamics of the climate," Zachos explained.

Most of the major climate transitions in the past 66 million years have been associated with changes in greenhouse gas levels. Zachos has done extensive research on the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), for example, showing that this episode of rapid global warming, which drove the climate into a Hothouse state, was associated with a massive release of carbon into the atmosphere. Similarly, in the late Eocene, as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were dropping, ice sheets began to form in Antarctica and the climate transitioned to a Coolhouse state.

"The climate can become unstable when it's nearing one of these transitions, and we see more deterministic responses to orbital forcing, so that's something we would like to better understand," Zachos said.

The new climate record provides a valuable framework for many areas of research, he added. It is not only useful for testing climate models, but also for geophysicists studying different aspects of Earth dynamics and paleontologists studying how changing environments drive the evolution of species.

"It's a significant advance in Earth science, and a major legacy of the international Ocean Drilling Program," Zachos said.

###

Coauthors Steven Bohaty, now at the University of Southampton, and Kate Littler, now at the University of Exeter, both worked with Zachos at UC Santa Cruz. The paper's coauthors also include researchers at more than a dozen institutions around the world. This work was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), European Union's Horizon 2020 program, National Science Foundation of China, Netherlands Earth System Science Centre, and the U.S. National Science Foundation.
T he majority of claimants who have applied to the Windrush Compensation Scheme have still not received a payment, MPs heard.

Home Office permanent secretary Matthew Rycroft said the initiative had been slow to get going.

He told the Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that more than 2million has now been offered to people.

In total the Home Office expects between 90 million to 250 million to be paid out in total through the scheme.

The scheme, I think it was fair to say, was quite slow to get off the ground, because it was so complex," said Mr Rycroft.

The Windrush scandal emerged in 2018 / AFP via Getty Images

The first million pounds offered took 14 months, the second million pounds offered took less than two months. So, we have now offered over 2 million.

The update came after the Government previously said that as of July, a total of 1,053,223.17 had been paid out in response to 143 claims.

Asked about estimates for the total payout, Mr Rycroft said: Current, updated assessment of that total number is in a range of between 90 million and 250 million.

That is based on 11,500 eligible claims.

And that is an updated number which has changed, and actually reduced slightly from the initial impact assessment published in April 2019 which suggested the range was going to be 120 million to 310 million, based on 15,000 eligible claims.

Windrush: lessons learned from the immigration scandal

MPs have warned that there is a risk of people dying before they receive compensation owed, unless the Government steps up its efforts.

The scheme was set up after hundreds of thousands of people from Caribbean countries, and their families, were wrongly told they were in Britain illegally.

They had been encouraged to come to Britain to help fill post-war UK labour shortages between 1948 and 1971.

The group was called the Windrush Generation after many travelled on the ship MV Empire Windrush, which docked in Tilbury, Essex, on June 22 1948.

Pressed on when he expected at least half of compensation claimants to receive payment, Mr Rycroft said he would have to write to the PAC with that figure.

He said: We are seeking to be as generous as possible, and on the basis of the facts as far as we can establish them.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper said: Given the age of many of the Windrush victims time is a real concern.

Additional reporting by PA Media.
An unofficial meeting of young parliamentarians of AIPA was held in Hanoi under the form of a video conference on September 8 within the framework of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41).

Vietnamese Standing Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, head of the AIPA-41 organising committee, chaired the meeting.

Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, head of the AIPA-41 organising committee, speaks at the unofficial meeting. Photos: VNA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, head of the AIPA-41 organising committee, chairs the unofficial meeting.

Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, head of the AIPA-41 organising committee, with delegates at the unofficial meeting. Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, head of the AIPA-41 organising committee, poses for photo with delegates at the unofficial meeting.

Delegates attend the unofficial meeting under the form of a video conference. An overview of the unofficial meeting under the form of a video conference. Photos: VNA



VNA

Vietnam makes major contributions during its AIPA Presidency Vietnam is making positive contributions during its Presidency of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41) for a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community, the Foreignaffairassia website has said.
This isnt the time for pointless politics, Davis said in a statement released by his campaign. COVID-19 has delivered a heavy blow that is affecting all of us. We must protect our health and safety, replace lost jobs, and ensure all children across Virginia receive the education they need. I am running for Lieutenant Governor because it is time to put Virginians first and get results. I will lead to unite Virginians, provide serious, common-sense leadership, and get Virginia back on track.
Jean Falbo-Sosnovich / For Hearst Connecticut Media file

DERBY  A memorial service marking the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States will be held at 7 p.m. Friday on the Green.

The Derby Fire Department again is playing host to the annual ceremony on Elizabeth Street. Those attending are asked to wear masks and follow COVID-19 guidelines and practice social distancing.
Philadelphia will not reassess properties next year due to operational limitations amid the coronavirus pandemic, city officials announced Wednesday.

That means that most property owners will keep their current assessments  and property tax bills, if the citys tax rate remains the same.

Citywide reassessments completed in 2018 and 2019 sparked complaints from residents and criticism from City Council after thousands of property owners received substantial tax hikes as a result.

The city did not complete a revaluation this year; officials said they were instead focused on implementing a long-awaited technology project known as Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA). Training on that system has been delayed due to the pandemic, city officials said Wednesday. As employees of the Office of Property Assessment worked remotely, other work necessary for a revaluation was also delayed.

 READ MORE: Philadelphia property assessments wont change much in 2021 after city scraps revaluation plans

Im certain that opting to leave property values at current levels is the prudent action in light of a whole host of factors, Mayor Jim Kenney said. It will allow operations that are currently delayed to catch up, and will allow the OPA to ready the new CAMA system for a full reassessment next year  by which point I sincerely hope we will be past the effects of COVID-19.

Properties that have new construction, expiring abatements, renovations, subdivisions, or consolidations  or errors in prior assessments  will still be reassessed. Those property owners will receive notice of their assessments by March 31, and their new values will take effect for taxes in 2022.

While the citys property tax rate has not changed in the last few years, some property owners have had significant tax increases due to changing assessments. Kenney proposed a property tax hike in May to help fund schools. The proposal was met with resistance from City Council, and Kenney withdrew it after additional state funding was made available for the School District.

The median value of a single-family home in the city increased 10.5% in 2019, resulting in tax hikes for hundreds of thousands of homeowners. The median value climbed by an additional 3.1% under the 2020 assessments. An independent audit commissioned by City Council and released last year found flaws in the citys assessing practices. The Kenney administration defended its practices but hired a consultant to recommend improvements.

Kenney said the next citywide reassessment will be completed in 2022 and will take effect for tax bills in 2023.

We owe it to taxpayers to ensure we are making property assessments as accurate as possible, Kenney said, and this decision will help OPA accomplish that.
Apple introduced Dashboard Mode on CarPlay in iOS 13 last year. The new version of CarPlay offered a split-screen view of a map alongside a music menu. Until now, the feature was limited to Apple Maps on CarPlay. Apple extended Dashboard Mode support for third-party apps with iOS 13.4. Now Google has finally implemented a split-screen interface for Google Maps in CarPlay.

Google Map supports CarPlays Dashboard Mode and will let you access turn-by-turn directions, music controls, and other features like calendar appointments. Before this, Google Map users on CarPlay had to switch between different screens to access multiple features. Needless to say, it was very distracting while driving. Starting today, Google Maps can be accessed by CarPlay users in Dashboard Mode.

Google has also launched a new Google Maps Apple Watch app. The app offers step-by-step directions to previously saved locations directly on the Apple Watch. Google Maps on Apple Watch supports walking, driving, biking and public transit modes. The new Google Maps app for Apple Watch is expected to be available globally in the next few weeks.

Apple extended support for third-party mapping apps on CarPlay from iOS 12. However, third-party mapping apps suffered from CarPlay bugs and didnt work with Siri. Due to these limitations, a majority of CarPlay users stuck to Apple Maps. On iOS 13, Apple introduced Dashboard Mode for CarPlay, and initially, it was available only for Apple Maps. Starting from iOS 13.4, the Dashboard Mode on CarPlay was available for third-party mapping apps.

The CarPlay on iOS 14 has improved a lot. It gets new features like wallpaper support, new categories of the app, Siri improvements, and support for Chinese and Japanese keyboards.

[via Google
SirTerry Leahy has emerged as one of the major winners from the 5.4billion float

Sir Terry Leahy has emerged as one of the major winners from the 5.4billion float of The Hut Group.

According to documents filed to the stock market last night, the former Tesco boss owns 17m shares in the online retailer.

In the money: Former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy has emerged as one of the major winners from the 5.4bn float of The Hut Group

That stake will be worth 85million when the Hut lists its shares in London for 5 each later this month.

Leahy, 64, who ran Tesco for 13 years until 2011, will rake in 17million straight away as he sells 3.4m shares.

This will leave him with another 13.6m shares worth 68million  and their value could climb even higher if The Hut performs well when trading begins.

Leahy is just one of a handful of businessmen to cash in from the biggest float in London since 2013, when the Government listed the shares of the Royal Mail.

Founder Matthew Moulding, 48, will be left with a 17 per cent stake worth 918million  which could rise to a 25 per cent stake if The Hut's valuation climbs to 7.25billion in the next two years.

Party time: Hut founder Matthew Moulding, 48, (pictured) will be left with a 17 per cent stake worth 918m

Others to cash in when The Hut floats on September 16 include Oliver Cookson, the entrepreneur who founded nutrition brand Myprotein.

He sold his sport shakes business to The Hut in 2011 for 58million, and will pocket 283million as he sells down his sizeable stake.

Former Debenhams director Terry Green and corporate financier Carl Houghton will cash in 6million and 2.1million of shares respectively.

'Savers beware' warning over shares Savers who buy shares in The Hut Group have been warned they will receive less protection, and no say over any future takeovers. The online retailer has applied for a 'standard' listing on the stock market, rather than the 'premium' listing sought by blue-chip companies of a similar size. It said this 'will afford shareholders a lower level of regulatory protection than that afforded with a premium listing'. The company will not be required to comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code designed to protect investors. But a source close to Hut has said the standard listing will enable it to retain the 'entrepreneurial structure' which has made it a success.

DC Thomson, the family-owned media firm which publishes The Beano, will pocket more than 5.7million while still holding on to shares worth more than 50million.

And board directors Angus Monro, Iain McDonald and John Gallemore will all be making between 4.6million and 5.5million from selling down.

Myprotein entrepreneur Oliver Cookson will pocket 283m as he sells down his sizeable stake

Other individuals, including employees of the group, will sell 10.5m shares worth 52.5million.

Among the institutions which back The Hut, early investor KKR is due to sell out.

It will bag 448million as it sells the entirety of its 89.5m shares  not bad for an investment which only cost KKR 100m six years ago.

And West Coast Capital, the investment firm of Scottish entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter, will sell 52.5million of shares while retaining more than 100million.

The Hut, founded by Moulding and chief financial officer Gallemore in 2004, owns make-up brands such as Eyeko and Illamasqua, and retail websites such as Look Fantastic.

But the governance of the company has raised eyebrows among some in the City.

Moulding plans to keep an enormous amount of control over the company with a 'golden share' that gives him the right to veto any takeovers.

And the so-called 'independent' directors on the board have all worked with the company for a number of years.
US hospitals are still facing shortages of N95 face masks needed to protect frontline workers from coronavirus as manufacturers run out of materials needed to make the personal protective equipment (PPE), health industry insiders say.

And it is costing health care workers their lives.

Rachel Spray is still grieving the loss of her fellow nurse who died after being exposed to the novel coronavirus at Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center. Now, as she stands in front of the gleaming glass and concrete hospital, she says she 'dreads going in there' and fears she'll be next.

That's because like those in many US hospitals, management is rationing supplies, she says, keeping medical-grade masks under lock and key.

White House officials say US hospitals have all the medical supplies needed to battle the deadly virus, but frontline health care workers, hospital officials and even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say shortages persist.

Critical shortfalls of medical N95 respirators - commonly referred to as N95 masks - and other protective gear started in March, when the pandemic hit New York.

Pressure on the medical supply chain continues today, and in 'many ways things have only gotten worse,' the American Medical Association's (AMA) president, Dr Susan Bailey, said in a recent statement.

In this undated photo provided by Outdoor Research in September 2020, a worker handles filter material for face masks in Seattle. A key challenge for N95 mask manufacturers racing to meet spiking demand is scarcity of meltblown textile. (Gerardo Villalobos/Outdoor Research via AP)

'N95s are still in a shortage,' said Mike Schiller, the American Hospital Associations senior director for supply chains. 'It's certainly not anywhere near pre-COVID levels.'

Early in the pandemic the White House failed to heed stark warnings - specifically about N95s - from high-level administration officials.

The Associated Press has found the administration took months to sign contracts with companies that make the crucial component inside these masks: meltblown textile.

Meltblowing is the manufacturing process that turns plastic into the dense mesh that makes N95 masks effective at blocking vanishingly small particles, including viruses.

Even today, manufacturers say the Trump administration hasn't made the long-term investments they need in order to ramp up to full capacity. Meanwhile, the administration allowed meltblown exports to slip out of the country as the pandemic, and the demand for masks, soared.

Manufacturers say they risk significant losses if they invest millions in machinery, raw materials, new employees and factory space to churn out a product projected to have a short-lived demand, without assurances that the government will continue to buy their meltblown textile after the need for N95s recedes post-pandemic.

In this undated photo provided by Outdoor Research in September 2020, N95 filter material for face masks lies on a machine in Seattle. The company used its deep ties in the industry to secure meltblown material and, in the summer, the FDA sanctioned its N95 masks. (Gerardo Villalobos/Outdoor Research via AP)

'I'm not going to sit here and tell you that we're going to guarantee purchases in 2021 or whatever date you pick,' said Rear Admiral John Polowczyk, who heads the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force. He denies there are shortages.

Meltblown textiles are used in everything from diapers to air conditioners. Electrostatically charging meltblown gives it the ability to capture particles too tiny to be filtered by regular masks.

A study published this summer in the medical journal The Lancet found that frontline workers without N95 masks who cared for COVID-19 patients have the highest risk of infection.

'The initial lack of personal protective equipment in nursing homes, and lack of infection control practices in general, contributed to a general community spread across the country,' said Harvard Medical School's Dr Andrew T Chan, one of the authors.

But that personal protective equipment just wasn't available early in the pandemic when demand for the disposable masks and gowns exploded. And it still isn't.

HOW MANY MASKS THE US NEEDS IS UNCLEAR AFTER CDC ALLOWED N95S TO BE REUSED

Before COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the government estimated that the US would need more than five billion N95 respirators per year in a pandemic.

In March, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said the demand would be about 3.5 billion.

Those estimates were based on N95 manufacturer recommendations and hospital best practices that dictated health care workers use one mask per patient visit, so a single nurse could go through perhaps a dozen a day.

But due to shortages, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) instructed health care providers to reuse them.

Before the coronavirus struck, N95 masks were single use. A nurse could use a dozen a day. As the pandemic took hold and shortages of masks hit critical levels, the CDC changed their guidance on the use of the masks in hospitals, allowing for N95s to be reused for days. Now they're sterilized en masse in decontamination units like this one (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Because of this shift in usage, it's hard to accurately estimate the severity of the shortages of medical-grade masks and gowns.

But today, hospital administrators - some of whom are facing new state orders to stockpile supplies - say they can't get as many masks as they want, and the FDA included N95s on its most recent medical supply shortage list.

In Fresno, nurse Rachel Spray typically gets one N95 per shift.

Kaiser spokesman Marc Brown didn't dispute this claim, but said the change in the way masks are used still allows the clinical staff to safely care for patients. The hospital is just carefully managing supplies, he said.

'We continue to prudently manage PPE supplies to ensure they are readily available to protect our health care workforce for the duration of this pandemic,' he said.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro disputes reports of shortages. In an August interview, he said his office responds daily to news stories of ill-equipped medical providers, sending supplies as needed.

'We have what we need to get to people what they need,' he said.

US MAKERS OF MELTBLOWN CAN'T AFFORD TO MANUFACTURE ENOUGH TO ADDRESS N95 MASK SHORTAGE

In 2019, the US produced 15 percent of meltblown in the world while China accounted for 45 percent. Navarro has long advocated moving manufacturing back to the United States, and during the Republican National Convention President Donald Trump pledged to do just that with crucial medical supplies.

'We are taking our business out of China. We are bringing it home,' he said.

But the meltblown example illustrates the failure of this administration to take necessary steps to fulfill this promise.

Meltblown is spun out of plastic pellets made from oil, typically polypropylene or polyethylene. The pellets are fed into a heated metal extruder, and jets of hot air force the liquefied plastic through an array of extremely small holes, producing fine plastic fibers. As the fibers cool, they overlap and stick together, forming a dense mesh.

This year, American meltblown makers have been ramping up supply. But some say they need more government support to meet the demand.

Mike Clark, a division president at Hollingsworth and Vose, a meltblown maker based in East Walpole, Massachusetts, said his company has tripled production of meltblown for masks by ramping up and exiting other markets.

But he and other makers have reservations about investing significant amounts of their own money.

After the H1N1 epidemic in 2009, Hollingsworth and Vose purchased a new meltblown machine, but the demand for N95s plummeted when the virus dissipated, Clark said.

'We're now confronted with the same thing,' he said. 'No one will guarantee volumes past 2021. And the issue is, the lead time for one of these machines is a year, so just as we get that machine set up and installed, that demand might go away.'

The company received a government contract for $1.9 million to produce an additional 27.5 million N95 masks, but it doesn't include long-term purchase guarantees.

'It's half the problem solved,' Clark said.

'If the government bought you a machine thats 100 percent paid for, it still wouldn't make sense to waste space in your plant, just collecting dust.'

A worker at Outdoor Research adjusts material on a machine that makes surgical masks in Seattle. As the city became a major coronavirus hotspot, the clothing and sportswear company also switched gears (Gerardo Villalobos/Outdoor Research via AP)

Lydall, headquartered in Manchester, Connecticut, began the pandemic with one manufacturing line pumping out rolls of meltblown. A second should be online by the end of this year, and a third by May.

'We have one of the most highly sought-after products the world over,' Lydall CEO Sara Greenstein said.

To increase production, Greenstein said the company invested more than $25 million, which she hopes will be offset by a $13.5 million government contract for meltblown materials.

Dan Reese, president of Prestige Ameritech, the largest domestic maker of medical N95 respirators, said he emptied his own savings during the H1N1 flu outbreak to expand operations and boost his output, only to end up near-bankrupt and laying off workers when demand dried up.

He currently buys meltblown fabric from wherever he can get it, and estimates it would cost $15 million and take a year to start producing his own. A machine alone costs $5 million.

'I don't have the cash,' he said. 'If we continue to ramp up our production like we plan, were going to run out of meltblown.' Reese said. Meltblown shortages are 'restricting our ability to do what we need to do for the country.'

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION GAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO N95 MAKERS BUT HAS NOT BLOCKED EXPORT OF KEY MATERIALS

Under the Defense Production Act, a mechanism that allows the US government to compel companies to prioritize federal orders and help manufacturers increase production capacity, some mask and meltblown makers have gotten a boost.

Between mid-April and early May, four N95 manufacturers - O&M Halyard, Honeywell, 3M and Hollingsworth and Vose - received a total of $134.5 million to increase production, including expanding existing operations and setting up new production lines.

The federal government also approved smaller contracts this summer with NPS Corp. and Lydall to bolster meltblown production.

But the Trump administration has not specifically restricted exports of meltblown material, a power it can use under the act. And in the face of shortages, US meltblown makers have continued exporting their goods overseas.

They've sent more than 40 shipping containers of meltblown material and related supplies offshore, with about 40 percent of it going to Pakistan, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from Panjiva, the supply-chain research unit at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

That compares with only six shipping containers during the same period in 2019.

The DPA gives the US government the authority to block exports of crucial products and materials.

Shifting manufacturing overseas made the US medical supply chains vulnerable.

Greenstein of Lydall says if the US wants a stable supply of medical equipment, it will have to produce all of its own meltblown.

'You can't rely on this long-distance supply chain to provide the mission-critical elements that are a matter of life or death,' Greenstein said.

'When it's affecting everybody, the countries that have the domestic supply will prioritize their use over others.'

Moving production back to the US has been a central goal of Navarro, who has warned for years about US dependence on China for manufacturing. This year's pandemic shortages, he said, 'is the type of scenario I was worried about on steroids.'

But Navarro's dream of 're-shoring' is tricky, in part because the costs of end products often rise.

US health care providers are calling for significantly more government investment in domestic medical supply manufacturing, even if it raises costs.

'There's been a big push for years to lower the costs of health care, and one of the ways to do that is to lower the costs of the products, and one of the ways to do that is to manufacture them in a place where labor and materials are cheaper,' said Teresa Dail, chief supply chain officer for Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which includes four hospitals and more than 200 clinics.

'I'm willing to bear the cost,' she said, 'to ensure that we have access to products and have our pipeline more stable than what we've seen in a global failure like this.'

US COMPANIES SHIFT GEARS TO HELP MEET DEMAND FOR MILLIONS OF MASKS

Pre-pandemic, five US producers were making about 42 million N95 masks a month. By October, that is projected to have increased to 11 US producers making 168 million a month, which could amount to two billion a year, according to the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industrys analysis of the impact COVID-19 has had on meltblown markets.

Outdoor Research started with cloth masks for the general public, but soon pursued making medical-grade masks, investing millions to convert an entire floor of its downtown headquarters into an FDA-approved facility (Gerardo Villalobos/Outdoor Research via AP)

Also pre-pandemic, 24 US companies were making meltblown, with 79 machine lines in operation, according to the association's Brad Kalil. But only a fraction of that was going into medical respirators, Kalil said. By the end of 2021, he said, there will be 28 new lines in the US, representing a 35 percent increase, with almost all of the newly produced textile going into medical supplies.

The Trump administration has helped pay for seven of those lines, Kalil said. But mostly they're being built through private investment, which he says may not pay off.

'If every single country and region decides they're going to make their own to be self-sufficient, well have way too much meltblown probably within the end of next year,' Kalil said.

Still, some US companies are rolling the dice.

As Seattle became a major coronavirus hot spot this spring, the clothing and sportswear company Outdoor Research also switched gears. It had the money, two USfactories and highly skilled employees, so it set out to make masks, said Jason Duncan, a company vice president.

The company started with cloth masks for the general public, but soon pursued making medical-grade masks, investing millions to convert an entire floor of its downtown headquarters into an FDA-approved facility.

Outdoor Research used its deep ties in the industry to secure meltblown material and, this summer, the FDA approved its N95 masks.

Where is it getting its meltblown?

'That's a closely guarded secret,' Duncan said.
Photo: (Photo : Photo from Pexels)

A New York student recently got suspended after attending classes on a day designated as a virtual class day.

17-year-old Maverick Stow is now facing a five-day suspension at the William Floyd High School.

The high school student thinks that being suspend is out of line.

READ ALSO: 6 Tricks That Parents Can Use to Encourage Kids to Study





The decision to come to school

In an interview with a news outlet, the New York student shared that he went to school because that is what students are supposed to do.

During the first day of school, Stow decided to come to school and attend all of his classes. However, during his early period, the teacher noticed that the high school senior was not included in the students' roster for that day.

The New York high school student was sent to the principal's office because of this.

READ ALSO: Free School Supplies: Tips for Parents to Save Lots of Money





Advised to go home

When Stow talked to the principal, he was advised to go home. However, the 17-year-old high school student replied to the administrators, "Well, no, I think I need to go to class. This is during class time."

Despite the principal's advice to report home, Stow decided to stay and finish the in-person learning.

Later that day, he was informed of his disciplinary action, which was a five-day suspension.

Stow said, "The virus doesn't discriminate on Mondays or Tuesdays or Thursdays or Fridays. That's not how it works." That is why he prefers to come to school every day.

READ ALSO: Parents Want School to Be Canceled Until Spring, Survey Reveals





The parents' reaction to the New York student's suspension

The Stow's parents fully support their son's decision.

His mother, Nora Kaplan-Stow, thinks that it is ironic that his son is suspended for wanting to go to school. She said, "Kids need to be in school every day. Virtual learning is not learning."

Richard Stow, the father, shares the same sentiments. He believes that their son can make his own decisions, for Maverick is a smart kid. The dad said, "When he said this is how he wanted to handle things, we were like, 'Then go for it.'"

READ ALSO: Back to School: How to Help Kids Adjust to Distance Learning

The school's reply to the incident

Even with the New York student's belief that students should be in school, the school district sticks with the protocols that are put in place to practice social distancing.

According to the school district spokesman, James Montalto, the hybrid schedules are intended to comply with the mandated social distancing measures in New York.

He reiterated that students who will disregard the school district's directives would face disciplinary actions, like that of Stow.

READ ALSO: Children's Passwords: Parents' Monitoring or Security?
The equity market has seen a roller coaster ride. Most investors are likely to have found it too adventurous. They would have looked to exit the market in the first opportunity

After the worst market crash of the decade earlier this year, equity mutual fund investors were waiting to exit the market. Open ended equity schemes saw a total net outflow Rs 3,999.62 crore in August, which was more than net outflow of Rs 2,480 crore registered in July. Barring three categories ELSS, Focused Fund and Sectoral/Thematic Funds, all other categories witnessed net outflows. Large-cap funds saw the biggest outflow of Rs 1,553.50 crore, while multi-cap funds saw the next biggest outflow of Rs 1,157.21 crore.

"This is general investor behaviour, we have also seen in the past that after a fall in the market post-recovery we generally see outflows. This was also seen in post-GFC (Global Financial Crisis) recovery," says Santosh Kumar Singh, Head of Research, Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company. Investors are looking to book their profit and some even fear a market correction.

Many investors stuck during rapid fall

The equity market has seen a roller coaster ride. Most investors are likely to have found it too adventurous. They would have looked to exit the market in the first opportunity. However, a rapidly falling market didn't quite allow them to strategise and implement a gradual exit plan.

Back in March, investors woke up to market hitting new lows. If they thought the worst was over, they had a shock waiting the next day. After all, it took only 12 trading days from March 5 to March 23 for Sensex to fall from 38,470 to 25,981.

Little surprise, many investors found no merit in exiting the market with losses of 25% and above. So, they adopted a strategy to wait and watch, and exit when the loss was minimised.

Is the exit required any longer?

Since the Sensex is now only 9.84% away from its all-time closing peak of 41,952 registered on January 14 this year, should investors exit now, or continue with their investment?

Also read: BT Buzz: 100% growth post-lockdown! How COVID-19 gave a new lease of life to humble bicycles

Cycle of fear and greed often take their turn in the equity market. When the correction started it looked like it would sweep away even the strongest of brands, but it proved to be very short lived. The recovery has been equally impressive since March 23 when Sensex touched this year's lowest level of 25,981. Since then it has grown by an impressive 47% within a span of less than 6 months and reached 38,193 on September 9.

In the early days of coronavirus pandemic, there was a great deal of uncertainty which accentuated market correction. However, sanity eventually returned. As the market recovered, many investors who were desperately waiting to exit found a favourable window. But this is not a trend likely to continue.

"I do not see it anyways as a long-term trend. Once we see clarity emerging we would again start seeing inflows in the asset management industry given financialisation of assets," says Singh of Motilal Oswal AMC.

If you are long-term investor, it may not be right time to exit the market since there is enough evidence that returns are mostly on the higher side in the long-term.

Even during the worst phase in March, the long-term return of most of the well performing large cap diversified funds were giving a return of more than 8% over 10-year period. Mid-cap and small-cap funds which were under-performers before the crash emerged as better performers after the recovery.

"Share market moving up and down is an intrinsic part of investing in markets, but investors need to have a long-term perspective and should focus more on whether they are making progress on their financial goals," says Rishad Manekia, Founder and MD, Kairos Capital Private Limited, a Mumbai-based financial planning firm.

Though corporate earnings still look far from returning to pre-Covid level, investors have by and large figured out the firms which can withstand the pandemic, and are betting on stocks which with best revival possibilities. The price of shares reflect the earning capacity of an organisation for at least next 10-15 years. So, investors find companies positioned to do well in future attractive despite one or two bad years.

Also read: BT BUZZ: Skrubble, Scylone, Fresho - how Amazon, BigBasket, Grofers push private labels

Good to be cautious but stick to your goal

There is a good possibility that many weaker organisations have not been exposed due to global flush of liquidity, and government relief measures like loan moratorium. Such organisation may prove to be wealth destroyers once their actual weakness is exposed after the relief period.

"This is also a function of the uncertain environment where the markets recovered significantly but we are still seeing significant negative data both on the virus and the economy. We have seen multiple market participants advising caution and this is a cautious stance of the investors," says Singh of Motilal Oswal AMC.

While such pit holes will always be there, if you are invested in good equity mutual fund then you should let the expert fund managers take care of such pit holes and the market volatility. As an investor you should rather stick to your long-term investment goals.

"Ideally, the exit from mutual fund investments should be linked to the investor's financial plan and not to short term market movements," says Manekia of Kairos Capital Private Limited, a Mumbai-based financial planning firm.

Right time to realign your investment

Most of the equity mutual funds have made good recoveries and it is the time to check whether you are sticking to the right funds. Such extreme volatility creates big distinctions between well-performing and non-performing mutual funds. If any of your funds have been consistently underperforming the benchmark then rather than exiting it's time for you to switch to a good performing fund. "It is best for an investor to identify well rated funds for investment, evaluate them periodically and stick with the investment generally till they reach their goals. However, there are some circumstances where the rating of the funds have gone down substantially, or the fund mandate or management have changed, or some other factor has impacted the financial situation. That's when investors should consider exiting investments from a mutual fund scheme," says Manekia of Kairos Capital.

When to go for withdrawals

Your decision to increase or decrease equity exposure should ideally be linked to time left to achieve your goal. If your goal is less than 3 years away you can gradually start moving your gains to safe assets like liquid funds or bank fixed deposits. However, if you are still long way from reaching your goals but fearful about a market crash in near term, and want to guard your funds against any such big correction, it would be better for you to liquidate only 25% of your portfolio and park it in liquid funds. Else after some time, say next 6 months, when you get the confidence back you can start a systematic transfer plan to increase your exposure to equity in a staggered manner.

Also read: BT Buzz: What next for Kishore Biyani after selling Future Retail to Mukesh Ambani's Reliance?
Anshu Rajput was 15 when a man disfigured her face with a splash of acid, leaving her blind in the left eye and with little vision in the right. The 55-year-old man, who attacked her after she rejected his proposal, used to stalk her on way to school at her village in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.

But the Class X student didnt tell her family fearing they might discontinue her studies. The fateful incident forced her to drop out, and the hurtful comments of villagers brought suicidal thoughts to her mind. Six years on, she now reaches out to acid attack survivors with financial, ...
SKOKIE, IL  Trustees granted preliminary approval Tuesday to sell village-owned property on the site of a 12-story residential development in downtown Skokie. The 8000 North project's new developers, who agreed to purchase the land for $1.5 million, said they are finalizing a loan and hope to begin work on the building by the end of September.

Plans for the 153-unit apartment building with retail space on the ground floor at the northwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and Oakton Street were first approved in February 2018  more than two and a half years ago. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in May 2018, with village officials initially saying construction on the $64 million project would be complete by the end of 2019.

But the work stalled. The developers selected by village officials for the public-private partnership Greenspire Capital, Pontarelli & Company and Hoffman Homes  took months longer than anticipated to receive approval from state environmental and transportation regulators and never secured financing for the project.

By the summer of 2019, the development team had pushed back the date of expected completion to June 2020. In the fall, developer John Dragic told Patch he was still working on securing a construction loan and the project would not be done before late 2020.

The development team did not manage to receive a construction loan for the project. By the spring, a new lead developer had taken over the project. An April 9 statement on the village website attributed the delay to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The current national uncertainty over COVID-19 is making it necessary to extend the timeline for constructing the 8000 North development at Oakton Street at Lincoln Avenue in Skokie," it said.

John Murphy, chairman and CEO of Murphy Real Estate Services, is the new leader of the development team, while the original trio of investors retained an unspecified stake after they were unable to secure a loan.

Story continues

They were out in the market before the crisis, and as time went on, it became clear that lenders were looking for a little more experience, Murphy told Crain's Chicago Business in April. At the time, he told the Chicago Sun-Times he expects construction to take 15 months and hopes for completion by early 2022. He did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment about the project.

Murphy led the redevelopments of the Old Cook County Hospital on Chicago's Near West Side, which recently opened as a hotel and food court, the 500-unit Paragon apartment tower in the South Loop and the redevelopment of the Oriental Theater building in the Loop.

Participating via phone at Tuesday's Skokie Village Board meeting, Murphy said he is close to securing an approximately $45 million loan to advance the project.

"We're currently finalizing our loan negotiations with WinTrust bank," he told trustees. "We're getting all our documentation lined up and the equity raise has started. At this point, we have probably 75 percent of the equity committed and expect in the weeks ahead to round off and be probably moving forward in earnest with the project physically by the end of the month."



Investor Norm Hassinger, a member of the original development team, said the permitting process contributed to delays in the project.

"It's been a very complicated process with a lot of different governmental agency approvals," Hassinger said. "Even the FAA we had to get approval of, which is kind of ironic in itself."

Related:

Construction On Tallest Building Downtown Slowed Over IDOT Permit

Tallest Building In Downtown Skokie Breaks Ground

Skokie's Plans For 'Luxury Rental Community' Downtown Take Shape

Commission Approves Plans For 12-Story Luxury Apartment Building

A rendering of the 8000 North project shows its height compared to other buildings in downtown Skokie. (Village of Skokie)

The village has so far spent about $6.8 million of nearly $8 million in planned spending on the parking garage, according to Finance Director Julian Prendi.

Michael Lorge, Skokie's village attorney, said the village used a revenue bond structure to finance the garage. He said that money will be partially repaid through lease payments on the garage that increase over the course of 10 years.

Payment of the $1.5 million purchase price and more than $700,000 in permit fees is deferred under the development agreement, which also requires the city to provide up to $7.245 million in tax increment financing money generated by increased property taxes at the site.



But the village is also set to receive a share of the purchase price should the project be sold in the future, ranging from 3 percent to 10 percent depending on the gross sale price, he said. In exchange, the village accepts what the village attorney suggested was a minimal amount of risk.

"The village is likewise participating in the financial structure as a back-back-back-back-backstop in the project," Lorge said. "There is, through the bank financing, some safeguards, and the village participates in those long after any investors are called upon or the developers are called upon or even some of the developers personally are called upon."

According to an unsigned copy of the development agreement included in the agenda of Tuesday's board meeting, if the ownership group defaults on a loan for the project  and Murphy fails to pay it within 10 days of its demand  lenders may demand up to $4 million from the village.

"So the village is really engaged in a real private-public placement effort, which is a very strong model being used all across the country," Lorge said. "We're really celebrating that we're able to build this kind of relationship and not only get the project done but provide an opportunity for the village to participate in any windfall profits at the time of the sale."

According to a statement posted Wednesday on the village's website, the project's financing is "secure," and more than 200 potential residents have "expressed interest" in the property.

Trustees unanimously granted preliminary approval to resolutions clearing the way for the new developer  MDG 8000 North Lincoln Owner LLC has replaced 8000 North LLC  to proceed with construction. Final approval is scheduled for the village board's Sept. 21 meeting.

Mayor George Van Dusen Tuesday praised the work of village staff and the development team on the 8000 North venture.



"I'm not exaggerating," he said, "when I say they have spent evenings working on  not just this particular agreement  but on this project."

This article originally appeared on the Skokie Patch
Family members confirmed a 13-year-old boy and his grandmother were killed by wildfires burning southeast of Salem, the first confirmed fatalities from the multiple wildfires currently raging across Oregon.

Wyatt Tofte and his grandmother Peggy Mosso were killed by fires burning near the Santiam and Lionshead fires, which have together burned about 200,000 acres.

The Enchanted Forest, a popular Oregon theme park south of Salem, confirmed the deaths on its Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon. According to the post, Wyatt was the great-grandson of the parks founder.

Marion County Sheriff Joe Kast separately confirmed two deaths during a press conference Wednesday. It was unclear whether the sheriff was referring to the boy and his grandmother. Kast said he could not confirm the ages of the people killed.

But hours later, the Marion County Sheriffs Office walked back the confirmation of two deaths. The agency would confirm only one fatality. Sgt. Jeremy Landers said deputies believe they had found the remains of an adolescent boy and his dog. Both had been reported missing since the prior night. The statement did not confirm the boys name. Landers said the sheriffs office could not confirm any information about another person being missing or found dead.

Landers would not explain the exact findings from the scene that led the sheriff to make the initial announcement about two confirmed fatalities, but attributed the statement to conflicting information relayed from people at the scene.

At the news conference, Kast noted that authorities expect to find more people killed by the fires.

We are devastated to confirm that Wyatt Tofte has not survived. He was found a short while ago. Wyatt was Rogers Great... Posted by Enchanted Forest on Wednesday, September 9, 2020

The Enchanted Forests Facebook post said Wyatts body was found Wednesday afternoon.

KOIN News first confirmed the fatalities of Wyatt and his grandmother. The news organization also reported a third family member was hospitalized in critical condition.

This story has been updated.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
The Madhya Pradesh police lodged three first information reports in Indore on Wednesday against six BJP workers including the partys district chief for violating prohibitory orders by taking out processions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The police action came after video clips went viral on social media in which a large number of women were seen participating in kalash yatras purportedly organised by BJP workers in different parts of Sanver assembly constituency in the past few days. Sanver is one of the 27 assembly constituencies where bye-elections are due by the end of November.

Minister for water resources Tulsi Silavat is expected to contest bypoll from Sanver to retain his position as the minister as he is not a member of the state assembly.

Deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Indore Harinarayanchari Mishra said, One of the FIRs was lodged by Sanver police station against Rajesh Sonkar and Bhagwan Singh, another by the same police station against Subhash Chaudhary and Vinod and the third FIR was lodged by Chandravatiganj police station against Satish Malviya and Antar Dayal.

Rajesh Sonkar is the BJP district chief in Indore.

The DIG said, There is a ban on procession, gathering and all kinds of public programmes in view of Covid situation. The FIRs were lodged under section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). However, no arrest has been made so far in this connection.

Earlier, police had lodged an FIR earlier against 34 Congress workers on September 2 for organising a rally in the same constituency, under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life).

State Congress presidents media coordinator Narendra Saluja said, The police and administration should act in an impartial manner. They should take action against BJP workers and leaders in the same manner in which they acted against organisers of other programmes. The organisers of Kalash Yatra in Sanver should be booked under the National Security Act.

The BJP denied that it organised the kalash yatra.

BJP didnt organise the Kalash yatra. It was organised by local people, Sonkar said.
Federal officers faced off with protesters calling for criminal justice reforms outside a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement building late Wednesday, hours after the top Department of Homeland official promised to continue protecting federal buildings in Portland and elsewhere.

Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf denounced the citys elected leaders  and praised federal officers  in a videotaped 2020 State of the Homeland address Wednesday.

Federal forces repeatedly gassed and used force on downtown Portland crowds in July after some people within those crowds threw fireworks or lit small fires outside a federal courthouse. Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty repeatedly criticized the response.

Federal officers have been a less frequent presence at recent protests, because demonstrators have concentrated on city and county police buildings.

But the focus shifted Wednesday. Demonstrators gathered outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland. A march arrived from a nearby city park around 10 p.m. A dozen federal Department of Homeland Security officers waited in front of the building. Dozens more officers stood behind a gate.

About 150 protesters stood in Bancroft Avenue and chanted, Youre not wanted. Youre not needed! One person pointed a flashing light at officers 50 feet away.

Eventually, someone started playing music over a loud speaker. Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas started a playlist of songs that continued for hours.

Around 11 p.m., a handful of people started dancing in the sidewalk between protesters and police. More officers streamed out, carrying wooden sticks. The dancers retreated.

Federal officials periodically warned people they could be arrested if they set fire to or damaged the building, dozens of feet away.

The announcements aggravated the crowd. But tensions soon subsided and the dance party picked back up.

Federal officers waited out the demonstration. Many protesters started to leave after midnight.

The subdued atmosphere was a sharp contrast to most late-night interactions between protesters and federal officers this summer.

The protests calling for systemic changes to protect Black people started after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

The demonstration came one day after Portland police clashed with protesters who gathered near the Portland Fire & Rescue headquarters downtown. Protesters eventually walked to the Justice Center, the historic heart of the demonstrations that began in late May.

Read more:

Beth Nakamura of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

-- -- Michael Russell, mrussell@oregonian.com, @tdmrussell

Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
A jailed drug trafficker appealing his conviction because his barrister, Nicola Gobbo, was a snitch wants to know if another of his lawyers acted as a police informer.

Francesco "Frank" Madafferihas served six years of a 10-year sentence after he was found guilty of selling the drug ecstasy following his arrest in connection to the 2007 importation of 15 million pills, hidden in tomato tins, from Naples to Melbourne.

Frank Madafferi Credit:Paul Rovere

Madafferi claims he suffered a miscarriage of justice because he was never told that Ms Gobbo, registered as Informer 3838, was passing on information to Victoria Police while she was his lawyer.

His current lawyer, Catherine Boston, told the Court of Appeal on Thursday that evidence used to convict Madafferi was "fruit from the poisoned tree".
New Delhi:

A Taliban hostage video shows an American and Australian citizen, five months after they were kidnapped from Kabul.

Gunmen wearing police uniforms abducted the two professors at the American University of Afghanistan in the heart of the Afghan capital on August 7, seizing them from their vehicle after smashing the passenger window.

The 13-minute, 35-second video circulated by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday offers the first apparent proof that they were still alive.

Australia said today it "has been working closely with other governments to secure the release" of the hostage, but would not elaborate citing his family's wishes and safety concerns.

The video comes after US Special Operations forces conducted a failed secret raid in August to rescue them.

President Barack Obama authorised the raid in an unspecified area of Afghanistan but the hostages were not there, the Pentagon said in September.

The elite American University of Afghanistan, which opened in 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 students, could not be reached for comment. It has attracted a number of visiting faculty members from Western countries.

The abductions highlighted the growing dangers faced by foreigners in Afghanistan.

The Afghan capital is infested with organised criminal gangs who stage kidnappings for ransom, often targeting foreigners and wealthy Afghans, and sometimes handing them over to insurgent groups.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Connecticut-based investment adviser Hai Khoa Dang with defrauding a retired couple who had been his clients for 20 years.

The SEC's complaint alleges that, in 2018, Dang gained complete control over the couple's brokerage accounts and misled them about his risky trading strategies, hiding the fact that he had depleted virtually all of their retirement savings within ten months. As set forth in the complaint, Dang led the couple to believe that he would invest the majority of their investment portfolio conservatively and would retain a minimum of $250,000 in cash in their accounts. As alleged, Dang instead engaged in a risky and unauthorized options trading strategy, causing the value of the couple's accounts to plummet from more than $2.2 million to approximately $27,000 between February 2018 and November 2019. The complaint alleges that Dang lied to the clients about the losses, including misrepresenting that the value of the client's positions were not reflected in the brokerage account statements. As further alleged in the complaint, Dang misrepresented to the clients that he was associated with a registered broker-dealer, when, in fact, Dang's securities licenses had all lapsed and his last affiliation with any registered entity was in 2006.

The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in Connecticut, alleges that Dang violated the antifraud provisions of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The SEC seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty.

The SEC's case is being handled by David London, Jonathan Allen, Mark Albers, and Michele T. Perillo of the Boston Regional Office.
A high-flying senior BT executive's wife has been found dead with severe head and neck injuries in her 1.6million mock-Georgian home in London.

Suzanne Winnister, 66, who lived with husband Les, was found collapsed at a gated property in a leafy cul-de-sac in Bexley village on Tuesday.

A post-mortem yesterday found Mrs Winnister, who had previously worked for Standard Chartered before retiring, died of severe neck and head injuries.

The Metropolitan Police launched a murder inquiry, while a 68-year-old man, who is said to be known to her, was arrested on suspicion of murder.

A second man, aged 64, who was also detained as part of their inquires, but has been released by police under investigation.

Suzanne Winnister (right), 66, was found collapsed at the gated property in a leafy cul-de-save in Bexley village, south-east London, on Tuesday. She was later pronounced dead by paramedics who attended. He husband Les (left) is a senior BT executive

Police were called at around 9.15pm on Tuesday after the unnamed woman was found collapsed in Bexley village, south east London. Pictured, police at the scene today

Mr and Mrs Winnister are believed to have moved into the sprawling mock Georgian mansion six years ago when they rented out another 767,000 property.

Her husband Les has held high-profile positions at telecoms giant BT, most recently as treasurer while serving on the board of the group but it believed to have handed in his notice.

He once boasted of managing 30billion of debt for the firm as it rapidly expanded into 3G technology in the 2000s.

One retired neighbour at their former home said: 'Les worked for BT - he was in management there about 15 years ago.

'He was a really nice guy. Les and Sue were just a very nice, respectful and friendly couple. I don't remember them having children.'

He added: 'It's so tragic what's happened - it's such a shock.'

Officers were today manning a cordon at the top of Becketts Close, where the horror unfolded

Officers were today manning a cordon at the top of Becketts Close, where the horror unfolded.

A police van was parked outside the early-2000s property and the gates were open but a cordon was draped across it.

The garage door was left open with a white Volkswagen parked outside. The house is in a side street cul-de-sac next door to just one other home in the desirable area.

There are also mock Tudor and white rendered mansions with BMWs, Audis and Range Rovers parked in the street.

One local said: 'It's such a quiet area usually - there are a lot of families and it's a good mix of people. There's no troublemakers.

'But last night there were about four police cars with their flashing lights on and an ambulance. That never happens round here.

'I couldn't believe it when I heard someone had been murdered. It's so tragic.'

Another woman said: 'It's such a peaceful neighbourhood and we all look out for each other. It's a tremendous shock to us all.'

The garage door was left open with a white Volkswagen parked outside. The house is in a side street cul-de-sac next door to just one other home in a desirable area

One neighbour who lives near the property said: 'We are all totally shocked. We can't believe something like this would happen.

'It's such a nice quiet area. We don't know who the lady is but our thoughts are with her poor family. It's a terrible thing to happen.'

A Met Police spokesman said: 'The death is being treated as suspicious at this stage and a post mortem is due to be held to establish the cause of death.

'She has been named as 66-year-old Suzanne Winnister. Her next of kin has been informed.

'A special post-mortem examination held on Wednesday gave cause of death of severe head and neck injuries.

'A 68-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken to a south London police station where he remains at this time. The man and the woman are believed to be known to each other.

'A second man aged 64 who was also arrested in connection with the investigation has been released under investigation.'

A BT spokesman added: 'Our thoughts are with the family at this tragic time.

'As this is a live police investigation, it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment.'
Promoting positive attitudes, providing behavioral health support, and making education attainable are just a few ways tablets are promoting mental wellbeing among incarcerated individuals

FALLS CHURCH, VA / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / GTL, a trusted partner that connects those affected by incarceration with the resources and support necessary to achieve success, today announced its support for World Suicide Prevention Month. Mental illness does not discriminate based on housing location-in fact, over 55% of incarcerated individuals suffer from mental illness, and there are more individuals with mental illness in correctional facilities than in psychiatric hospitals.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 800,000 people die by suicide each year, including 48,000 Americans. For incarcerated individuals, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that suicides accounted for 4% (federal prisons) and 7% (state prisons) of deaths in custody from 2001-2014. However, suicides are the leading cause of death at local jails, accounting for over 35% of deaths in 2014.

"While GTL is more than just a technology company, it is through our technology that we are able to provide solutions that help address mental health issues in incarcerated populations," said Pelicia Hall, GTL Senior Vice President, Reentry Programs. "Within correctional facilities, I have noticed two game-changers in addressing mental health issues. One is the ability to connect with loved ones and the other is the availability of technology as a resource. Using GTL's technology platform to provide positive programming to aid in addressing mental health concerns across the industry is key. Incarceration is one of the lowest points in someone's life, and we need to ensure that every individual is given the help and support they need to climb back up again."

Facilities that have deployed GTL tablets have noted decreases in suicide attempts and ideations, as well as decreases in inmate-on-inmate violence, inmate-on-staff assaults, and behavior code violations. At one facility, the introduction of GTL tablets dropped the facility's suicide ideation and attempt rate. Not only can incarcerated individuals spend their time reading books, watching movies, listening to music, and playing games, they can also take educational courses, read religious texts, and meditate. The Peace Education Program from The Prem Rawat Foundation helps improve mental health and well-being by renewing a sense of purpose in participants. Breaking Free from Substance Abuse assists individuals in achieving and maintaining recovery from dependence on over 70 different substances.

"Suicide in correctional facilities is a national crisis," said Matthew Caesar, GTL Executive Vice President, Customer Solutions. "Both ideations and attempts are a threat to all persons involved in corrections, and the rates of suicide for incarcerated individuals are far higher than the national average. At GTL, we provide resources and support to those affected by incarceration. As part of that, our GTL tablets include applications that promote a positive attitude, increase morale, make books and educational content accessible, and help individuals recover from substance abuse. Our free calling program also now provides weekly contact between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones, boosting morale and increasing positivity."

About Us

For over 30 years, GTL has worked side-by-side with correctional facilities and government agencies to provide imperative technology solutions to the populations they serve. These solutions facilitate meaningful connections, provide educational opportunities, enable successful reentry, and strengthen operational efficiency. GTL is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with an employee presence throughout North America and provides solutions in support of 1.6 million inmates across the globe. To learn more about GTL, please visit www.gtl.net, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Contacts:

Randy Brown

Work: 703-215-5383

media@gtl.net

SOURCE: GTL

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605571/Recognizing-Suicide-Prevention-Month-Using-Technology-to-Decrease-Suicide-Ideations-and-Attempts-in-Correctional-Facilities
The Portland City Council will consider requiring landlords to pay tenants relocation money if they raise the rent by any amount. Current rules require them to pay fees if they increase rent at least 10%.

Mayor Ted Wheeler announced the proposal Tuesday as part of new plans designed to help keep people in their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic. He also said the Portland Housing Bureau would reallocate $500,000 toward housing aid for East Portland residents who pay more than half their monthly income on rent. And he said the city will consider instituting an eviction moratorium that would go through the end of the year, if Gov. Kate Brown doesnt extend the statewide moratorium past its Sept. 30 expiration date.

Currently, Portland and Multnomah County have adopted the states moratorium, which bans evictions of residential and commercial tenants who cant afford rent due to COVID-19 impacts. Multnomah County That moratorium allows a six-month extension from the end of the moratorium to pay all unpaid back rent from April 2020.

The potential change to the citys mandatory relocation assistance rule is planned to be discussed by the Portland City Council next week, according to the mayors office. The modification would go through at least the end of 2020. The current rule calls for landlords to pay $2,900 to $4,500 to help tenants with moving expenses if their rent is increased by 10% or more over a 12-month period.

Right now, with thousands of renters not able to pay their current rent, its likely that any rent increase would force renters to have to relocate, Wheeler said during a news conference Tuesday. While were in the middle of this pandemic, we need to do our part to protect renters from the tidal wave of evictions that we know is coming.

Michael Buonocore, executive director of Home Forward, which acts as Multnomah Countys housing authority, also announced that agency would ban rent increases on rental properties they oversee from this month until the end of 2021. The agency owns and manages more than 100 properties with over 6,700 units and provides thousands of Section 8 housing assistance vouchers.

Wheeler said problematic rent increases, if not addressed, would likely more heavily impact households of color.

According to city data, of around 264,000 Portland households with homes, 47% of them are renters and the other 53% are homeowners. Wheeler said 43% of white households in the Portland area are renters while as many as 74% of Black households rent.

He said a renter in Portland would need to make at least $60,000 a year to afford rent in the city. He said city data showed more than 70% of Black Portland households earn less than that, 65% of Indigenous households, 55% for Latinx, more than 45% of Asian households and a little less than 45% of white households.

Kymberly Horner, executive director of Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, an affordable housing nonprofit, said her nonprofit has seen sharp decreases in rent payments because Black and low-income residents have lost their jobs or had their work hours cut back. She said her group has taken in about $361,000 less than normal since April and its hurt the nonprofit in making its own mortgage payments.

The agency owns 700 units, Horner said. She said her group is working with the city to help provide cash assistance and mortgage counseling for homeowners.

Wheeler, citing survey data from rental industry group Multifamily NW, said 12% to 15% of renters in Portland havent made rent payments between May and July and estimated around $25 million of rent due each month has gone unpaid.

The city announced in August that the Housing Bureau, the county and Home Forward would be deploying $29 million in rent assistance to households, including $25 million in CARES Act funds. He said they wont have enough money to help renters, landlords and property owners without more state and federal help, given that unpaid rent likely totals about $125 million already.

The City Council in April sent a letter to state and federal officials asking that they waive rent and mortgage payments that have accrued amid the pandemic, but Wheeler said the city has since given up on advocating for it. He cited there not being an interest at other levels of government for rent and mortgage forgiveness.

But the work we can do right here and now together in the community through shared sacrifice is keep as many people in their homes as possible throughout the remainder of this public health emergency, Wheeler said. Housing is directly tied to public health in the midst of a pandemic. And we have to acknowledge that is the baseline situation were facing as a community and as a nation.

-- Everton Bailey Jr; ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 | @EvertonBailey

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Marc Kielburger, screen left, and Craig Kielburger, screen right, appear as witnesses via videoconference during a House of Commons finance committee in the Wellington Building in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. WE Charity is closing its Canadian operations. The Toronto-based youth organization dropped the bombshell news to its staff this afternoon, with co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger blaming COVID-19 and the controversy surrounding plans to have it run a federal student-volunteer program. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey speaks during a 2017 news conference. A judge allowed a criminal case against her husband, who faces assault charges for pointing a gun at protesters in March, to proceed Thursday. (AP Photo/Mike Balsamo) (Mike Balsamo / Associated Press)

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge allowed the criminal case against the husband of Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey to proceed Thursday, dismissing a defense argument that the California attorney general's office decision to prosecute the case was improper.

The attorney general's office filed three counts of misdemeanor assault last month against David Lacey, 66, after he pointed a gun at protesters critical of his wife during a March confrontation on the doorstep of the family's Granada Hills home.

Defense attorney Samuel Tyre had argued the attorney general's involvement in the case was improper and violated David Lacey's rights because misdemeanor charges in Los Angeles fall under the jurisdiction of the city attorney's office.

Los Angeles police presented findings of their investigation to the attorney general's office because of the conflict presented by the Laceys' involvement in the case. The charges brought against David Lacey are considered "wobblers" under California law, meaning they can be filed as felonies or misdemeanors.

Superior Court Judge Patricia A. Hunter ruled Thursday that the attorney general's office did not abuse its discretion to oversee the case, noting that the Lacey family's involvement complicated the situation and necessitated an outside review to ensure public trust.

David Lacey's "relationships to the district attorney, the city attorney ... are exactly why the attorney general has this discretion," Hunter said.

Chief Asst. City Atty. Mary Claire Malidor also submitted a letter to the court in late August supporting the attorney general's decision to handle the case.

"We are concerned that our offices involvement in a prosecution of David Lacey could appear biased and reduce public confidence in the impartiality and integrity of the criminal justice system," Malidor wrote, also noting that City Atty. Mike Feuer has publicly endorsed Lacey in the November election where she is seeking a third term.

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On March 2, demonstrators rang the Laceys' doorbell shortly before 6 a.m. after banging drums and chanting in the street. David Lacey opened the door and aimed a handgun in the direction of three protesters, threatening to shoot them if they didn't leave his porch.

The protesters, including Black Lives Matter organizer Melina Abdullah, were unarmed. Later that morning, Jackie Lacey apologized for her husband's actions during a hastily called news conference. She has since defended him as having "acted out of genuine concern" because of threats levied at her in the weeks before the incident.

Lacey is a locked in a tough re-election battle with former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascon in a race that has been shaped as a test of Southern California's appetite for criminal justice reform. Protesters have routinely blasted Lacey for her perceived hesitance to charge police officers in controversial shootings. Sheriff's deputies had blocked the street outside the San Fernando courthouse Thursday morning in anticipation of protesters. No demonstrators appeared.

Tyre said he was disappointed in Hunter's ruling and is considering asking the Appellate Court to stay the criminal case against David Lacey, who has yet to enter a plea in the case. The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 2.
SPRINGFIELD  Voters were told Thursday to expect the familiar red Information for Voters booklets in their mailboxes over the next few days and reminded that they can find an application for voter registration inside.

The booklet explains the two ballot questions voters will decide in November, which deal with ranked-choice voting and access to auto repair data. The latter question pits automakers and dealers against independent repair and parts shops.

Both questions involve complicated topics, Galvin said, made all the more complicated by competing factions and advertising.

Voters are making law, he said. The whole idea of this booklet is so that voters have an idea of what they are deciding before they get their ballot.

The booklets have the entire text of the proposed laws, as well as statements written by groups pro and con, and the exact language that will be on the ballot.

The question on ranked-choice voting  a concept often called instant runoff  demands special attention, Galvin said at an afternoon news conference at the state office building at 436 Dwight St. in Springfield.

If the ranked-choice ballot question passes in November, elections in Massachusetts will be different if there are more than two candidates on the ballot. Voters will rank the candidates in order of preference rather than voting for just one.

If a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, that candidate wins. If no candidate breaks 50%, the lowest-finishing candidate is eliminated and all the people who voted for that candidate as their first choice get their second-place votes counted instead. The process continues until a candidate breaks 50%.

The booklets will be mailed to voters and will be available at the state office building, libraries, post offices, city halls and online. English and Spanish books will be widely distributed. They are available in some other languages by request.

Galvin said he understands that many town halls and libraries are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A separate mailer  also coming soon  will remind voters to request mail-in ballots. Widespread voting by mail is new for Massachusetts in 2020, an innovation responding to the pandemic and safety concerns around large gatherings.

The voter registration deadline is Oct. 24  10 days before the general election. Galvin said Thursday that voters who need to register, or reregister after having moved, should be aware of the deadline this year because it bumps up against early voting and voting by mail.

Im proud of the response for the primary, Galvin said.

A turnout of more than 1.7 million voters broke a primary record set in 1990. And Galvin said that voting proceeded safely given the coronavirus concerns. He expects another big turnout in November.
Military camps should be no-go zones for a possible electronic Trojan horse

The Philippines has a land area of 30 million hectares, with military installations occupying a fraction of it, maybe not even 1/10th of 1 percent of the total.

Dito can build their sites anywhere in this wide expanse of land -- and government should help them -- except in the 25 Navy bases and stations, 53 Army bases, and 17 air bases and stations, which should be declared as no-go zones for this company.

The military is not that big a landlord whose holdings are crucial in a telco's operations. Why insist on building on military real estate?

Should health and environmental rules allow it, Dito should instead explore building towers in the almost 50,000 public school and state university campuses - and pay rent in cash and in kind, the latter in free broadband for the students.

For 50 years now, the military has enjoyed a most-favored agency status, as affirmed in the annual national budget. It does not need a land lease sideline business to augment its budget.

More so if the tenant is 40 percent owned by a state-owned foreign company whose principal allegiance, under the laws of that country, is to its government.

I am not yet ready to fully subscribe to suspicions that having them inside these national security compounds is like letting in an electronic Trojan horse. But it is better to be safe than sorry.
LONGMEADOW  A lone hiker who became lost and confused Tuesday in the Meadows Conservation Area was rescued by police and firefighters along the Connecticut River bank after being directed there by a 911 emergency dispatcher, a fire official said.

Longmeadow Fire Chief John P. Dearborn said rescue personnel found the hiker along the riverbank near the Connecticut line. He was not sure how long she had been wandering around the conservation area, which covers several hundred acres between the river and Interstate 91.

The hiker, whose name was not disclosed, was taken to the hospital to be treated for exhaustion.

Dearborn said rescue personnel in the field were aided by an emergency dispatcher with WestComm Regional Dispatch Center. The dispatcher directed the hiker to the edge of the river, where police and firefighters had been directed in a rescue boat.

If rescue personnel had to go into the Meadows to search for the hiker, it could have taken more than a few hours, Dearborn said.

The hiker called 911 when she realized she was lost in the brush. The dispatcher was able to lock onto the cellphones GPS signal, transfer the coordinates to a map, and then direct the hiker to the river, Dearborn said.

The hiker was only a short distance from the river, but the overgrowth was so thick she did not know where it was, he said.

WestComm Regional Dispatch Center, based in Chicopee, is a regional emergency dispatch center for the police and fire departments in Chicopee, Monson, Longmeadow and East Longmeadow. It has been providing coverage for Longmeadow since the first of the year.
Amid hostilities between the Indian and Chinese troops, Indian Army has put up barbed wires to pose as obstacles at the heights under its control at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This has been done to signal the Chinese troops to not enter its territory after multiple attempts were made by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to take over Indian positions.

"This has been done to discourage them from coming close to areas we are occupying. It's a temporary obstacle to convey our intent to the aggressive manoeuvres by the Chinese. The message is loud and clear, don't come into our areas," an official told India Today.

The news site also stated that in the Brigade Commander-level talks that have been held almost every day since August 29, China has been stressing that India must vacate the positions. India has held on to some strategic heights in the south bank of Pangong Tso Lake.

On September 7, Chinese troops fired gunshots in the air while trying to take over an Indian position north of Rezang La. Indian Army said that it would respond in the same manner.

Since there has been no breakthrough, a consensus has been reached to hold Corps Commander-level talk for future dialogue. So far, five Corps Commander meetings have taken place.

A battle of occupying the heights has ensued after Indian Army dominated heights at both the southern and northern banks of Pangong Tso Lake. The Chinese have been trying to dislodge Indian troops from these positions.

Chinese troops started a fresh build-up on the ridgeline of the finger area on the northern bank of the lake after the skirmish on the southern bank on September 7, stated the news site. With Chinese troops on the Finger 4 ridgeline, the Indian Army has dominated the heights to keep track of the Chinese's movements.

There has also been an enhancement in the deployment of PLA troops and increased activity is clearly visible in the finger area ridgeline.

Indian Army seems to be at an advantageous position in the southern part of the lake.

Also read: China says 'shots fired' at Shenpao mountain in Ladakh; no comments from India yet

Also read: Situation between India-China at LAC 'very serious': Foreign Minister S Jaishankar
(This story has been updated to correct the spelling of a name.)

BURTON, MI -- Consumers Energy says it isnt playing politics, but a flag pushing the re-election of President Donald Trump cant stay on a Burton utility pole.
10 September 2020

Tri-Star Resources plc ("Tri-Star" or the "Company")

Delay to the notification of Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2020



Tri-Star Resources plc (AIM: TSTR), the minerals processing company, wishes to notify shareholders that pursuant to the guidance published by the London Stock Exchange in respect of the temporary measures for the publication of half-yearly reports for AIM companies pursuant to AIM Rule 18 of the AIM Rules for Companies, Tri-Star intends to utilise the additional one month period to prepare and notify shareholders of the Company's interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2020. As such the Company will release its Interim Results no later than 30 October 2020.

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.

**ENDS**

For further information, please visit www.tri-starresources.com or contact:

Tri-Star Resources plc

David Facey, CEO / CFO c/o SBP

Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177 St Brides Partners (Financial PR)

Isabel de Salis / Beth Melluish

Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177 SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nominated Adviser)

Jeff Keating / Caroline Rowe

Tel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470 finnCap Ltd (Broker)

Scott Mathieson / Camille Gochez

Tel: +44 (0)20 7220 0500

Notes to Editors:

Tri-Star's principal interest is in an antimony and gold production facility (the "SPMP Project"). The SPMP Project is based in Sohar, Sultanate of Oman, and is being developed by Strategic & Precious Metals Processing LLC ("SPMP"), an Omani company in which Tri-Star has a 40% equity interest.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 17:03 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4413c02 4 City mask,mask-rule,COVID-19,COVID-19-Jakarta,coronavirus,anies-baswedan,PSBB Free

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has urged residents to comply with the governments mask-wearing protocol, saying that although they may be uncomfortable, masks are an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We have to admit that wearing a mask is uncomfortable. But it is much less uncomfortable than being exposed to COVID-19, Anies said at the Jakarta Police headquarters on Thursday, as quoted by tempo.co.

Anies called on influential figures to convince people to wear masks in public, saying the campaign needed more support.

Read also: Jakarta reimposes PSBB, orders people to stay home

On Monday, Jakarta will reinstate full large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) and end the period of eased restrictions, following persistent increases in COVID-19 cases and a positivity rate  the percentage of those tested found to be infected  above 10 percent.

Violations of the mask-wearing protocol have been rampant in Jakarta. More than 139,000 people have been sanctioned by the Jakarta Public Order Agency, which has collected Rp 2.1 billion (US$141,728) in fines.

The Jakarta administration symbolically handed out five million masks to be distributed to residents during a campaign event on Thursday. The event was attended by executives from several central government institutions.

With the help of the National Police and the Indonesian Military, 34.3 million masks will be distributed to the public via local administrations throughout Indonesia. (syk)
(REUTERS)

The federal government says new financial supports for Black entrepreneurs and business owners is a first step in its plan to tackle systemic racism, while working to identify barriers to success.

Ottawa says COVID-19 has highlighted and exacerbated existing systemic barriers faced by Black entrepreneurs.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced investments of up to nearly $221 million in partnership with Canadian banks, including up to $93 million from the Government of Canada over the next four years. The program is the first of its kind in Canada.

Trudeau says the ideas and the ability to succeed are all there within the Black community, but access to funding remains an obstacle.

What this program will do over the coming four years is ensure, by working with financial institutions there is much greater access to capital for these Black businesses, which face systemic barriers and discrimination every single day, he said, during a news conference.

The program includes up to $53 million to develop and implement a new National Ecosystem Fund to support Black-led businesses. Up to $33.3 million is for the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund, which wil provide loans between $25,000 and $250,000. The government is also partnering with financial institutions to make up to $128 million available in additional lending support.

Up to $6.5 million is for the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, to collect data on the state of Black entrepreneurship and barriers to success as well as opportunities for growth. It will be run by Black-led community and business organizations, in partnership with educational institutions.

The Parliamentary Black Caucus called on governments across the country to immediately address systemic racism in June.

It would be lovely to imagine that, with four years of working with almost all financial institutions on delivering capital it will become very obvious to those institutions, what we and so many of us in this room already know, that investing in black businesses is an amazing way to create wealth and prosperity for everyone, said Trudeau

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And in four years, well look at this and perhaps there will be different challenges we have to invest in because the challenges of access will have been so significantly improved.

Greg Fergus, Liberal MP for Hull-Aylmer, and chair of the Parliamentary Black Caucus called it a positive step in the right direction.

It will not, in one fell swoop eliminate all of systemic racism and the consequences, but weve take a positive step forward. he said during the news conference.

Its a way for Black Canadians to tell a different story to non-Black Canadians about what we want to do and the prosperity we want to create, the opportunities that are before us and now we have the means to do this.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce applauded the announcement.

It aligns with our views on the importance of an inclusive recovery that leaves no opportunity for growth left unpursued, it told Yahoo Finance Canada.

Jessy Bains is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jessysbains.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
We feel now is a pretty good time to analyse De.mem Limited's (ASX:DEM) business as it appears the company may be on the cusp of a considerable accomplishment. De.mem Limited designs, builds, owns, and operates de-centralized water and waste water treatment systems for its customers in industrial, municipal, and residential sectors. The AU$37m market-cap company posted a loss in its most recent financial year of AU$3.5m and a latest trailing-twelve-month loss of AU$3.6m leading to an even wider gap between loss and breakeven. The most pressing concern for investors is De.mem's path to profitability  when will it breakeven? In this article, we will touch on the expectations for the company's growth and when analysts expect it to become profitable.

View our latest analysis for De.mem

Expectations from some of the Australian Water Utilities analysts is that De.mem is on the verge of breakeven. They expect the company to post a final loss in 2020, before turning a profit of AU$800k in 2021. Therefore, the company is expected to breakeven just over a year from today. How fast will the company have to grow each year in order to reach the breakeven point by 2021? Working backwards from analyst estimates, it turns out that they expect the company to grow 63% year-on-year, on average, which is extremely buoyant. Should the business grow at a slower rate, it will become profitable at a later date than expected.

Underlying developments driving De.mem's growth isnt the focus of this broad overview, though, keep in mind that typically a high forecast growth rate is not unusual for a company that is currently undergoing an investment period.

Before we wrap up, theres one aspect worth mentioning. The company has managed its capital prudently, with debt making up 3.8% of equity. This means that it has predominantly funded its operations from equity capital, and its low debt obligation reduces the risk around investing in the loss-making company.

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Next Steps:

There are key fundamentals of De.mem which are not covered in this article, but we must stress again that this is merely a basic overview. For a more comprehensive look at De.mem, take a look at De.mem's company page on Simply Wall St. We've also compiled a list of key aspects you should further examine:

Historical Track Record: What has De.mem's performance been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity. Management Team: An experienced management team on the helm increases our confidence in the business  take a look at who sits on De.mem's board and the CEOs background. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
New Delhi: Shibani Dandekar has shared her response on Ankita Lokhande's letter to her "haters", in which she launched a veiled attack on Rhea Chakraborty. Calling Ankita "princess of patriarchy", Shibani said that the letter was grotesque.

Taking to her Instagram stories, Shibani wrote, "In response to the grotesque letter posted by Ankita Lokhande last night. This princess of patriarchy has clearly never dealt with her own relationship issues with Sushant! she obviously wants her two seconds of fame and has got it by targeting Rhea and playing a major role in this witch-hunt! Rather than recognising this system of patriarchy, Women like Ankita have jumped on the bandwagon and used it to advance their own agenda destroying centuries of work what you need to accept Ankita is this.. Sushant loved Rhea. Period. Before you write a letter to your haters, please note that no one has more hate in their heart than you."

Shibani is Rhea's friend. She earlier accused the media for the 'witch-hunt and vilification of Rhea and her innocent family' in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case.

On Wednesday, Ankita shared a long post, in which she accused Rhea (without taking her name) of being "careless and irresponsible" for letting Sushant Singh Rajput allegedly consume drugs even when he was depressed.

"Should she have allowed a depressed man to consume drugs? How is that going to help?" she asked.

Read her full post here:

Rhea is Sushant's girlfriend. She has been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for her alleged role in the drugs angle that came during investigation into his death case.
REUTERS

Donald Trump has repeatedly called for "opening up" libel laws and eliminating constitutional limits the Supreme Court has imposed on defamation suits brought by public figures, so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.

But Trumps attorney general, William Barr, just declared that nobody can sue the president for knowingly lying about themeven someone who says that Trump raped her before he was in office.

And Trump and Barr just might have the law on their side here; at the very least, the fixers move has bought our creep in chief valuable time, ensuring he wont face any reckoning with his accuser before November. Heres the story:

In 2019, journalist E. Jean Carroll published a book recounting in detail Trumps alleged violent rape of her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room. Trump responded to Carrolls allegations not only by repeatedly denying her allegations of sexual assault, but indeed by going so far as to assert that he did not know her at all, despite the existence of a photograph of the two of them together. Additionally, Trump insulted Carroll, and suggested, without basis, that she had made false accusations against others, stating: I have no idea who she is. What she did isit's terrible, what's going on. So it's a total false accusation and I don't know anything about her. And she's made this charge against others. Trump also called Carrolls book a disgrace and said he could not have raped her because she was not his type.

All of Donald Trumps Accusers: A Timeline of Every Alleged Grope and Assault

Following Trumps denials and attacks on her character, Carroll filed a defamation action against Trump in New York state court. On August 3, Trump, represented by his private counsel, lost a motion to dismiss or stay the case. The court cited a recent Supreme Court decision rejecting Trumps effort to categorically prohibit the Manhattan District Attorney from subpoenaing Trumps financial records from his accounting firm in connection with a criminal investigation.

Story continues

Central to the courts reasoning was that the presidency and the President are indeed separable and thus, the President is presumptively subject to civil liability for conduct that has taken place in his private capacity," such as allegedly lying about his own alleged sexual misconduct. With the New York courts decision, the stage was set for Trump to be ordered to comply with a demand to provide a sample of his DNA; a similar mandate proved critical in the criminal investigation of President Bill Clinton.

But as has occurred so many times, Donald Trump was rescued by his fixer at the Department of Justice, William Barr. On Tuesday, Department of Justice lawyers filed a notice of removal, transferring Carrolls case to a New York City federal court, and a motion seeking the substitution of Trump as a defendant with the United States. The DOJs action was premised on the DOJs certification that Trump allegedly defamed Carroll in his official capacity as an employee of the federal government.

Under the Federal Tort Claims Act, federal government employees enjoy absolute immunity for common law torts, including defamation, committed within the scope of their official duties. If, after a lawsuit against a federal employee is filed in a state court, the attorney general, or an official acting on his behalf, issues a certification that the action arose from the employees performance of their official duties, he can direct the case to be removed to a federal court and to have the United States take the employees place as a defendant. The plaintiff must successfully challenge the attorney generals certification, and if the certification stands in a defamation case like Carrolls, that means the case will ultimately be dismissed, because the United States cannot be sued for defamation.

The DOJs certification that Trump slimed Carroll in his official capacity might actually be found to be meritorious, given the broad scope of the governing law.

Under that law, any activity falling in part within the scope of employment is protected by immunity and, where public officials are concerned, courts, relying on applicable state law doctrines, have broadly defined that scope as regards statements to the press.

For example, in 2006, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals addressed a defamation case brought against former North Carolina Representative Cass Ballenger, who responded to a reporters questions about his recent separation from his spouse by claiming that she feared living near the headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Ballenger was afforded immunity by the the court, which reasoned that, Speaking to the press during regular work hours in response to a reporter's inquiry falls within the scope of a congressman's authorized duties." Furthermore, the court stated, remarks made by a legislator made to assure the public of his ability to carry out his duties, and his fitness for office, are properly subject to immunity, even if they concern the legislators personal life.

That said, Barrs DOJ fails to cite any court decision providing that an officeholders gratuitous insults toward an alleged rape victim fall within the scope of his employment. Furthermore, in issuing its decision in favor of Ballenger, the D.C. Circuit made an important qualification, stating that it did not intend to immunize many federal employees for any gratuitous slander in the context of statements of a purely personal nature." Yet Barr is indeed demanding that the federal courts grant Trump immunity for repeated, and gratuitous, alleged defamations, of his own alleged rape victim no less. Accordingly, if the attorney general has his way, the presidents freedom to defame will be effectively unbounded.

Pressing the law to its limits, and beyond, to serve the president is, of course, nothing new for the nations chief law enforcement officer, who most recently motioned to dismiss charges against Michael Flynn, Trumps former National Security officer, for lying to the FBI about his discussions with the Russian ambassador following the 2016 election about Trumps plans to go easy on Russia once he took office. The DOJs motion was premised on the absurd contention that Flynn, who twice pleaded guilty, is not guilty. The DOJs effort to prevent the trial court from holding a hearing on the departments motion to dismiss before ruling upon it was recently rejected by an appellate court.

Even if the federal courts ultimately reject the DOJs certification that Trump allegedly defamed his own rape victim in his official capacity as the nations chief executive, and deny Trump immunity, Trump will nonetheless obtain the primary benefit the attorney general is seeking for his client in the White House: Delay and escape from a state court judge who ruled against Trump.

Under the governing federal law, the DOJ certification that a defendant employee acted within the scope of his official duties is all it takes to remove a case from a state to a federal court, and to keep it there, regardless of whether the federal courts ultimately agree with the Barr DOJs certification.

Accordingly, even if the courts ultimately determine that Trumps alleged defamations were not sufficiently related to his official duties, and thus that he is not immune from suit, the case will nonetheless remain in federal court. Furthermore, during the crucial weeks leading up to the election, there is virtually no chance that Trump will be called upon to give testimony (or his DNA), which he presumably very much wants to avoid.

In sum, Trump is, once again, the beneficiary of the boundary-free assistance of his favorite law enforcement officer. The attorney generals bad faith misuse of the justice system, in transparent service of the presidents personal and political interests, continues to work a heavy cost upon the nation, and its citizens faith in, and expectation of, equal justice under the law.

Indeed, if Trump has his way and the Supreme Court opens up defamation laws, Trump could well prevail in some of his own threatened defamation actions, and win lots of money, while victims of Trumps own defamations would be left without recourse so long as he remains in office.

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New York:

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) will acquire 48 per cent stake in IT consultancy GlobalLogic from private equity firm Apax Funds.

No financial details of the deal were disclosed. Apax funds will retain an equal stake to CPPIB in the company, a statement said.

Founded in 2000, San Jose-based GlobalLogic is a product engineering services company with over 11,000 employees worldwide. It has a significant presence in India with engineering centres at Hyderabad, Noida, Gurgaon, Nagpur, and Bangalore.

This is a compelling opportunity for CPPIB to back a highly successful management team in what is a rapidly growing and evolving software engineering services sector, CPPIB Managing Director, Head of Direct Private Equity, Ryan Selwood said.

CPPIB looks forward to working with the GlobalLogic management team and Apax on the companys next phase of growth, he added.

GlobalLogic has seen significant returns from early investments in customer focus and in building differentiated capabilities to drive digital transformation for a number of large customers, said Rohan Haldea, Partner, Apax Partners.

Apax had acquired GlobalLogic in 2013 for USD 420 million from a group of financial investors, including a PE fund managed by Goldman Sachs, Westbridge, New Atlantic Ventures and Sequoia.

In the past three years with Apax, weve enjoyed a 20 per cent plus compound annual growth rate (CAGR), consistently outperforming the broader product engineering services (PES) market, said Shashank Samant, CEO, GlobalLogic.
Man Stabbed AutoZone Employee Because Felt Need to Find a White Male to Kill, Police Say

A black teenager allegedly stabbed an AutoZone employee after watching videos of police-involved incidents and had the need to find a white male to kill, said prosecutors.

Police said in court that Jayvon Hatchett, 19, of Columbus, Georgia, allegedly stabbed an AutoZone employee in an unprovoked attack on Aug. 25, according to WRBL.

Columbus Police Sgt. R.S. Mills, in court testimony, said Hatchett, who is black, was asked by officers about why he carried out the attack, saying he felt the need to find a white male to kill after watching police brutality videos.

The victim was initially reported to be in critical condition, but he is expected to recover, officials told WTVM.

Police said Hatchett was smiling and admitted to the stabbing when they arrested him. Officials told WLTZ that he was arrested six months ago for two felonies, including aggravated assault. A judge in the case ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation.

District Attorney-elect Mark Jones said that if the AutoZone stabbing was racially motivated, then it would be a hate crime. He noted that it could fall under Georgias hate crime law that was passed in June 2020.

On the Auto Zone stabbing case, my thoughts are that if the allegations are true, then defendant should be charged with aggravated battery with a hate crime sentencing enhancement if convicted beyond a reasonable doubt. The reports of the Auto Zone incident are deeply concerning to me because I am committed to reducing violence in our great city. However, each case warrants a full and promptly investigation of the incident and we currently dont know the entire story, he said, reported WIS-TV.

Hatchett is also accused of beating a man to death while he was being held at the Muscogee County Jail early Sept. 5. Muscogee County Sheriff Donna Tompkins said Hatchett is the suspect in the beating death of 39-year-old Eddie Nelson Jr., who was recently jailed for a parole violation and failing to register as a sex offender.

Nelsons family and attorney said jailers were negligent in housing him with Hatchett.

If he was a rapist, they wouldnt have put him in a cell with a woman. If he had bombed a synagogue they wouldnt have put him in a cell with a Jewish person. If he had been that white kid up in Wisconsin that shot those demonstrators they would not have put him in a cell with demonstrators, attorney Craig Jones told WLTZ, referencing the Kyle Rittenhouse case. I mean this is either sheer stupidity or meanness thats the only way I can explain it.

He added that if Hatchett had been a member of the Ku Klux Klan, they would not have put him in a cell with a Black person.
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Thursday stated that PNL's (National Liberal Party) objective is to win the local and parliamentary elections, while opinion polls show the Liberals are by "9-10 per cent ahead of the Socialists."

"At this year-end, on September 27, we have local elections, and on December 6 we have parliamentary elections. Our objective is to win both the local and parliamentary elections. Right now, the opinion polls show, and even the ones ordered by the Socialists - which are the lying ones - that we take the one spot by far, for even in their polls we are by at least 6 per cent ahead, while in reality, we are actually by 9-10 per cent ahead of the Socialists," Orban told the meeting of the presidency of the EPP Group, "In solidarity with the recovery of Europe," which took place through videoconference.He said that, after the parliamentary elections, PNL wants PMP (People's Movement Party) and UDMR (Union of Democratic Hungarians of Romania) to be its partners in the government."In terms of who will be our partners in the government, we would first of all want to be partners with the other political parties in Romania that are members of the EPP Group, namely PMP and UDMR. And we will not accept in the government the former communists, today's socialists, and we will try to identify other possible partners if the majority created by the three political parties will not be enough," said the PM.Ludovic Orban stated he was certain the political parties in Romania that were member of the EPP will win the elections.
With recent gains made in the fight against hunger wiped away by the pandemic, it will take a sustained effort from the whole community to help those who have lost jobs and need food assistance.

The collective activities and actions offered by the Oklahoma Food Banks are designed to educate, engage and raise the funds and food needed to meet the increasing need.

Thursday is Hunger Action Day. We urge you to wear orange to mark the day and begin conversations on the issue of hunger.

Ask others to join your efforts. Tell them you support hunger relief efforts and why.

The Oklahoma children and adults who dont get enough to eat have increased risk of adverse health outcomes and diminished productivity in school, work and in their daily routines.

Its not easy for someone to ask for help but it can be easy to help. Our neighbors need your support now more than ever.

Together we can help the increased number of people struggling with food insecurity. Visit okfoodbank.org and feedingoklahoma.org to learn how you can get started today.
Diana Rigg, the British actress who enthralled London and New York theater audiences with her performances in classic roles for more than a half-century but remained best known as the quintessential new woman of the 1960s  sexy, confident, witty and karate-adept  on the television series The Avengers, died on Thursday at her home in London. She was 82.

Her daughter, Rachael Stirling, said in a statement that the cause was cancer.

Ms. Rigg had late-career success in a recurring role, from 2013 to 2016, as the outspoken and demanding Lady Olenna Tyrell on HBOs acclaimed series Game of Thrones. I wonder if youre the worst person I ever met, Lady Olenna once said to her nemesis Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). At a certain age, its hard to recall.

But Ms. Riggs first and biggest taste of stardom came in 1965, when, as a 26-year-old veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company, she was cast on the fourth season of ITVs The Avengers. As Emma Peel, she was the stylish new crime-fighting partner of the dapper intelligence agent John Steed (Patrick Macnee), replacing Honor Blackman, who had left to star in the James Bond film Goldfinger. (Ms. Blackman died in April.)
AstraZeneca should still know before the end of the year whether its experimental vaccine protects people against Covid-19, the drugmaker's chief executive Pascal Soriot said on Thursday, as long as it can resume trials soon.

The British company suspended late-stage trials this week after an illness in a participant in Britain. The patient was reportedly suffering from symptoms associated with a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis.

Soriot said during an online event that AstraZeneca did not yet know the diagnosis, adding that it was not clear if the volunteer had transverse myelitis and more tests were needed.

He said the diagnosis would be submitted to an independent safety committee and this would usually then tell the company whether trials can be resumed.

Soriot said that the potential vaccine, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged as the most promising for coronavirus, that it was usual for a trial to be suspended.

"It's very common, actually, and many experts will tell you this," Soriot said at a Tortoise Media conference, adding: "The difference with other vaccine trials is, the whole world is not watching them, of course. They stop, they study, and they restart."

AstraZeneca would supply vaccines to countries at the same time to ensure a fair and equitable distribution, Soriot said, adding that the company was close to having capacity to produce 3 billion doses at sites set up around the world to prevent governments from restricting distribution.

Shares in AstraZeneca fell on Wednesday after news of the trial's suspension as some observers raised doubts about the timeline for the rollout of a vaccine to help curb the coronavirus pandemic.
In a major success for security forces, two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were arrested in Kupwara of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday (September 10). It is learnt that security forces have recovered huge amount and arms and ammunition from the arrested terrorists.

Sources told Zee Media that Kupwara Police received a specific input that two JeM terrorists belonging to Sopore area are likely to visit Kupwara to conduct terrorist activities and recruit youth in their ranks.

A police statement reads, "Acting upon the said input, Kupwara Police and Army 47 RR established nakas at different locations in the district and intercepted a car Eon bearing registration no. JK05G-0872 near FCI Godown at Drugmullah, Kupwara and during the search Of car two persons affiliated to ( JEM ) jaish Mohammad terror outfit were arrested along with arms and ammunition."

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The arrested terrorists have been identified as 23-year-old Waseem Irshad Gabroo of Arampora in Sopore and 21-year-old Mehrarajuddin Wani of Badshah Masjid, Sopore.

A Jammu and Kashmir police official said, Upon a thorough search of the vehicle, huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from car along incriminating material. The recovered arms include one AK 47 rifle, one AK magazine, two grenades, 30 AK rounds and Rs 7 lakh in cash.

Police have resisted a case in this regard under Indian Arms 7/25 Act and UAPA at Kupwara police station.
As indoor maskless mingling drives up Torontos COVID-19 infection rate, bars and restaurants fear an earlier last call or other restrictions could put them out of business.

Tony Elenis, chief executive of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association, made the warning Thursday after Toronto Mayor John Tory said he called Premier Doug Ford to hash out which government could impose such restrictions.

According to the Stars count, the rate of infections has been rising steadily in Toronto since the city entered Stage 3 reopening on July 31.

On Aug. 1, Toronto reported an average of about 15 new daily cases over the previous week. By Thursday, it had more than tripled to 49 new cases daily.

Torontonians socializing inside, without masks and with people outside not in their social bubbles, along with people returning from other parts of Canada, appears to be driving rising infections, Toronto Public Health told the Star this week.

That socializing could be people at dinner parties, Tory said, or at bars ignoring mask and physical distancing rules as they have more and later drinks. Public health officials are also eyeing large congregate settings such as church services and weddings.

Tory said they agreed to have city and provincial lawyers settle the question of which government has the power to impose limitations on bars and restaurants.

Tory told reporters he was spurred by Fords comments that local authorities have the power to move last call at bars and restaurants from 2 a.m., or impose other restrictions. That is contrary to advice Tory said he got from the city solicitor.

Tory said he told Ford such orders would have to come from the province, while the premier said provincial legal experts assured him local health authorities can make such orders without provincial intervention.

The mayor said he wants to hear from Toronto public health chief Dr. Eileen de Villa on the sources for new infections before deciding whether to push ahead with an early last call  a past Toronto recommendation the Ford government rejected  or other restrictions on bars and restaurants.

I think we have to look at all these things, to slow a rapid rise in new infections, Tory said, as kids head back to school and cooler weather pushes people indoors.

Elenis says most bar and restaurant owners support, and are following, Stage 3 reopening anti-virus regulations. He said he has seen no evidence those businesses are driving up infections in communities including Toronto and Brampton.

Other sectors are recovering, but not the hospitality industry. This is a dying industry and were just adding fuel to the fire, by even talking about further restrictions and making people afraid to dine and drink out, Elenis said.

If it wasnt for the (federal) wage subsidy, many of these patios wouldnt be open right now.

He is hoping the hospitality industry can show its helping keep a lid on virus spread, and get governments to loosen, not tighten, restrictions on venue capacity and physical distancing.

Nobody in the industry wants to go backwards and have to close altogether, like in other jurisdictions, Elenis said.

British Columbia, grappling with a COVID-19 spike, this week ordered nightclubs and banquet halls closed. Numerous American cities that quickly emerged from lockdown were later forced by surging infections to shut bars and eateries.

David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider

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Its not just the lies about Covid-19.

In Bob Woodwards new 392-page chronicle of the Donald Trump presidency, Rage, the veteran Washington Post correspondent and author dives deep into some of the 45th presidents most consequential foreign and domestic policy choices. The book includes widely reported claims that Mr Trump knew how deadly Covid-19 was and chose to deliberately downplay it, putting the lives of millions at risk.

But elsewhere, Mr Woodward reports that Mr Trump had significant trouble distinguishing propaganda and partisan fantasy from reality.

These are some of the most worrying and eye-opening sections of the book.

Trump changed US policy towards the Palestinians after Benjamin Netanyahu showed him a crudely forged video of Mahmoud Abbas ordering murders

During one of his visits to Washington early in Mr Trumps first year in office, the president reportedly told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he believed his government, not the Palestinians, might be the real problem holding back the peace process.

But, as Mr Woodward reveals, Mr Trumps tone shifted markedly after his first visit to Israel as president in May 2017.

During a meeting with Mr Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, White House senior advisor Jared Kushner pulled then-secretary of state Rex Tillerson into a meeting because Mr Trump was upset at a video Mr Netanyahu had showed him.

Watch this! This is unbelievable! Youve got to see this, Mr Trump said to Mr Tillerson, before ordering staff to play what Mr Tillerson believed to be a crudely fabricated video of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas making inflammatory statements.

The video, which Mr Tillerson believed was either faked or manipulated (according to Mr Woodward), showed Abbas supposedly ordering the murder of children by stringing together out-of-context words and sentences.

And thats the guy you want to help? Mr Netanyahu asked Mr Trump.

When the Israeli leader (now being tried on corruption charges) had left the room, Mr Tillerson said to Mr Trump: Mr President, you realise that the whole thing was fabricated?

Well it's not fabricated, Mr Trump replied. They got the guy on tape saying it.

The next day, he privately berated Mr Abbas when the two met in Bethlehem, calling him a liar and a murderer who had tricked [him] into believing that the longtime Palestinian leader could be trusted. The next year, he canceled nearly all US aid to the Palestinian territories and ordered the Palestinian Liberation Organisations office in Washington DC to be shuttered.

After he was warned that Devin Nunes was giving him false information on unmasking, Trump said he should receive the Medal of Honor

California Representative Devin Nunes made headlines early last year for his repeated allegations that Obama administration officials had improperly unmasked the names of Trump associates, including former national security advisor Michael Flynn.

Unmasking is the process by which high-government officials can request to have the names of Americans caught on foreign surveillance  which are normally masked to protect privacy  revealed in order to get a full picture of the conversation being reviewed.

The oft-repeated allegations that unmasking was done improperly on the orders of Obama administration officials, although baseless, have made up the bulk of the amorphous conspiracy theory Trumpworld figures have dubbed Obamagate, and which Mr Trump  without evidence  has called the greatest political crime in American history.

But when then-director of national intelligence Dan Coats tried setting the record straight on unmasking  which is a common occurrence in intelligence collection and analysis  Mr Trump was not receptive to the facts.

Mr president, I know Devin Nunes is trying to be doing everything he can to support you. But he passes information to you that turns out to be false. In the end, it hurts you. Devin has told you something that is not true, Mr Coats said, according to Mr Woodward. He then suggested to Mr Trump that if he were to contact the ODNI to verify information provided by Mr Nunes, it would put [Trump] in a better position because Coatss office could assess whether or not what has been said is backed up by the evidence.

But Mr Trump, Mr Woodward writes, was uninterested in such things, and instead responded: Devin Nunes is the most courageous person in town.

Mr Woodward added that Mr Trump also told others he believed the California Republican  who has never served in the US Armed Forces  deserved the Medal of Honor, which is highest decoration a US service member can be awarded. According to US law, it can only be bestowed upon military personnel for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.

Trump has no interest in listening to national security experts

According to Mr Woodward, Mr Coates said the greatest threat posed to the US national security apparatus is that Mr Trump wanted to ignore any process that utilised the governments many career experts.

In effect, and often literally, he wrote, the president said: I don't need that to be done. I don't need these people. I don't need a National Security Council. I just need myself, and perhaps three or four people I trust and work with.
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One of the fishermen who went missing off the South Australian coast almost a week ago has arrived back on dry land sipping on a bourbon and coke.

Derek Robinson, 48, was greeted by emotional family and friends - including his grandson Hurricane - on Thursday afternoon.

He and his mate Tony Higgins, 57, had made contact with authorities just hours earlier after hope was all but lost for their survival.

They vanished one day into a trip to Goolwa, from Coffin Bay near Port Lincoln, on Thursday, September 3.

After far reaching air and water searches yielded no results, authorities called off the search on Wednesday evening, fearing the worst.

Derek Robinson embraces a family member while holding a bourbon and coke after going missing off the South Australian coast five days ago (left hand)

Two deadpan police officers drive Mr Robinson to shore as the elated fisherman threw threw his hands in the air

Mr Robinson looked thrilled to be home and on dry land again after a fishing trip with his friend went horribly wrong

On Thursday, rescue crews met the men near Salt Creek on the Coorong and found them both in good health and spirits.

Mr Robinson was moved on to a rescue boat and whisked to safety while Mr Higgins stayed behind with his boat, which had become waterlogged.

Arriving back on dry land on Mr Robinson looked thrilled to be home.

Two deadpan police officers drove Mr Robinson to shore as the elated fisherman threw threw his hands in the air

When he took his first steps on land, he quickly embraced family who had come to greet him, gripping an open can of Wild Turkey in one hand.

In one moving photograph Mr Robinson can be seen cuddling his grandson, Hurricane, who was thrilled to see his granddad again.

In one moving photograph Mr Robinson can be seen cuddling his grandson, Hurricane, who was thrilled to see his granddad again

Derek Robinson, 48, was greeted by emotional family and friends - including his grandson Hurricane - on Thursday afternoon

Mr Robinson told SBS he was feeling 'very emotional' when he got back on land.

'I knew I'd see my boys again but I just didn't know when. I'm glad to be back and I'm on steady ground - but it just feels like my legs are wobbling all over the place,' he said as a beer was handed to him.

He told reporters that he felt he needed to take the voyage for 'personal reasons', and he needed 'to get away'.

While he never necessarily feared for his life while lost at sea, Mr Robinson admitted there were definitely 'scary moments', 'like when you see big waves coming at you'.

However he said they were 'good fun' and 'all part of the adventure.'

'It was rough, it was rocky... I don't think I felt scared - just isolated. It felt like the world didn't exist, because we were out in the middle of nowhere,' he said.

'There was no signal, no service. You'd think they'd have service out there - technology and all. My phone was b******d the whole way through.'

Mr Robinson embraces friends and family on Thursday after being rescued from his broken fishing boat

Mr Robinson's brother Ian told The Advertiser he was 'happy as a pig in sh*t' with the outcome.

'I've never been happier, my brother is alive,' he said.

'I am happy as a pig in sh*t. I was losing the plot for the last couple of days. (But) I was not giving up until there was a body, debris, or a boat.

'The anxiety and pain you go through, I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. It's been emotional.'

Mr Robinson and Mr Higgins were just a day into their trip when they experienced engine trouble on Friday last week.

The pair managed to contact a friend to inform them their plans had changed and they would be diverting to nearby Kangaroo Island.

But they had not been heard from since.

Scroll down for video

Derek Robinson (left) and Tony Higgins (right) vanished during a trip to Goolwa, from Coffin Bay near Port Lincoln on Thursday, September 3

The men were headed to Goolwa, from Coffin Bay near Port Lincoln, they told a friend they would try make it to Kangaroo Island after their engine failed but ended up in Salt Creek

Mr Robinson moved on to a rescue boat and was whisked to safety while Mr Higgins stayed behind with his own boat, which had become waterlogged

A massive search operation was launched, involving police, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and members of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Crews spent days searching an area larger than Tasmania covered in an attempt to find the men.

Fears were raised when the men were still not located after several weather warnings and days of treacherous conditions.

On Wednesday night the aerial search was called off after rescue teams failed to find any sign of the men.

'After searching around 104,000 square kilometres, Australian and Maritime Safety Authority advised us last night that they would be suspending any further sea search,' Superintendent Bahr said on Wednesday night.

Derek Robinson, 48, was greeted by emotional family and friends - including his grandson Hurricane - on Thursday afternoon

Mr Robinson moved on to a rescue boat and was whisked to safety while Mr Higgins stayed behind with his own boat, which had become waterlogged

'They have checked every part of the area with no sign of the vessel. The decision has been made, that if nothing comes from tonight we will also suspended any further search activities.'

However, hours later a call came through informing the rescue team the men had managed to raise the alarm.

They had somehow managed to contact their families and Victor Harbour police station to tell them they were still alive.

The men were in a newly purchased 10-metre wooden-hulled boat, which they were planning on fixing up.

Alexandrina Mayor Keith Parkes, who is a former commodore of the Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club, said the pair were lucky to be alive.

He told the ABC they were in 'treacherous waters'.

'We just can't believe how lucky they are to have been found.'
India and Japan on Thursday signed a key defence pact and concurred that the agreement will contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with his Japanese counterpart Abe Shinzo where the leaders reaffirmed their mutual trust and friendship. They also recalled their shared experiences during visits to each other's countries.

An official statement said that the two leaders welcomed the signing of the Agreement on Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Indian Armed Forces and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan.

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"The two leaders welcomed the signing of the Agreement on Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Indian Armed Forces and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan. They concurred that the Agreement will further enhance the depth of defence cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," read the statement.

PM Modi expressed his gratitude to Abe for his personal commitment and leadership in greatly strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

The two leaders reviewed the status of ongoing cooperation, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, under the framework of the India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership. They agreed that the strong and enduring partnership between the two countries will play a critical role in charting the course for the global community in the post-COVID world.

They also expressed appreciation for the support provided to resident citizens in each others countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and agreed that such efforts must be continued to sustain the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.

PM Modi and Abe expressed confidence that the strong momentum attained by the India-Japan partnership in the last few years will continue unabated in the future. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his intention to work closely with the new government of Japan and wished Prime Minister Abe the very best for the future.
Home Search ICH Warrior Steve Bannon Arrested as Trumps America is Crumbling By Andre Vltchek September 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - It often happens this way: extreme right-wingers, or call them ultra-conservatives, either in the United States or Europe, suddenly fall from grace, after committing the most heinous crimes. Sometimes it is child abuse or sexual harassment, but most of the time, it is a corruption of tremendous proportions. In theory, in their own theory, it is not supposed to be this way. Listen to the conservatives, and they will tell you that they are there in order to uphold law and order, as well as the traditional culture of their countries. But the reality is often very far from the theory. Steve Bannon has fallen. He has fallen hard, flat on his face. But definitely not as hard, as others would fall, would they commit crimes of similar magnitude. Steve Bannon was actually not caught and charged with trying to ignite the WWIII or conspiring to overthrow the left-wing governments all over the world. He was not charged with an attempt to destroy China. He was arrested only on charges of defrauding investors, together with his cohort Brian Kolfage. On 28 August, CNN reported: Kolfage was arrested last week, along with Bannon and two others, and charged by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York with defrauding investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars a project pledging to construct a wall along the southern U.S. border. He is due to be arraigned on the charges on Monday in a video court appearance. In February 2020, I wrote for this magazine [NEO}: Steve Bannon, a former White House strategist and Breitbart editor, was finally kicked out of an Italian monastery, which even Newsweek wittily described as a far-right boot camp. Or, as even some of the Western mainstream media outlets defined it  a modern gladiators school. The monastery was supposed to offer classes, which Bannon described as the kind of underpinnings of the Judeo-Christian West. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter That, for already quite some time, means insulting and antagonizing China, as well as several other nations which the Western extremist and often openly racist ideologues have been depicting as hostile to the U.S. and European hegemonic interests. Some of those who oppose Bannons radical political stands are now bringing vast charges against him, both legal and moral, and such charges are ranging from pushing the United States towards the war with the Peoples Republic of China to interfering with internal affairs of other countries, including those in Europe. There are other, unsavory accusations against the former White House strategist and a close ally of President Donald Trump: child abuse and enormous corruption. The question is: how could the individual against whom so many accusative fingers are pointed, survive at the top of the establishment for so many years, in so many different roles and positions? Yes, he gets kicked out from places: first from the White House, then from the gladiator boot camp, and finally from the luxury yacht belonging to an anti-Beijing apostate. But somehow, he always manages to bounce back. Until now. Hopefully, for not much longer. ***** Alarms should have been ringing for so many years. But were they? If yes, no one has been paying much attention. As early as in 2016, even an extreme right-wing FOX News picked up Associated Press report which was accusing Bannon of anti-Semitism: In a sworn court declaration following their divorce, Piccard said her ex-husband had objected to sending their twin daughters to an elite Los Angeles academy because he didnt want the girls going to school with Jews. He said he doesnt like Jews In August 2019, Mail Online raised an alarming issue, connecting Mr. Bannon with an accused child sex trafficker George Nader: A convicted pedophile visited Donald Trumps White House on at least 13 different occasions in 2017 to meet with then-chief strategist Steve Bannon, according to leaked visitor logs. George Nader, who has been convicted of sexually abusing young boys and is now in federal prison awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges, first visited Bannon in the White House in February 2017, the month after Trumps inauguration, the Washington Examiner reported. After that, he kept visiting Bannon, who had a West Wing office yards from the Oval Office, the leaked visitor logs revealed, but it isnt clear if he entertained Nader in his office or somewhere else in the White House. The revelation raises serious questions about how a convicted pedophile could be allowed entry repeatedly to the White House. The Secret Service is responsible for carrying out background checks of all visitors. The revelation also raises questions about whether there have been two tiers of justice: one for the common U.S. citizens, and another one for those who are levitating in the highest spheres of mainly right-wing power. Steve Bannon was also apparently giving false testimonies under oath, related to the Wikileaks and Julian Assange. And if one would think that Steve Bannon is only anti-Semitic, then what about his deep allergy towards the Muslims; and the support for the Trumps so-called Muslim ban and keeping out from the United States all those bad people (meaning non-whites and non-Christians)? His obsession with the wall between the U.S. and Mexico is, of course, related to the topic. ***** But who would be Steve Bannon without China? He is hatred impersonated against China. As for his fellow right-wing crusaders, like Peter Navarro, Marco Rubio, and Mike Pompeo, China is always there, in the middle of vile speeches, dragged through the dirt, belittled. Steeper and faster is a decline of the American Eagle, more confident is an ascend of the Chinese Dragon, louder, more desperate, and bizarre is the anti-Chinese rhetoric of the pro-Western warriors, led by Steve Bannon and his mates. On 08 June 2020, AntiWar.com described something that would be unimaginable just several years ago, but what is turning into a norm, under the present White House administration: New Yorkers looked to the sky in puzzlement the night of 03 June as a fleet of airplanes circled New York Harbor with banners that read Congratulations New Federal State of China. Behind the bizarre stunt was exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon. The duo deemed the Chinese Communist Party illegitimate and declared a new state of China from a boat floating in front of the Statue of Liberty. In a live stream, Guo and Bannon read the Chinese and English versions of A Declaration of the New Federal State of China, a document that lays out their fantastical plan to take out the CCP and form a Western-style democracy in China. The live stream aired in China on 04 June, which marked the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown in Beijing. The Chinese Communist Party is a terrorist organization funded by the Communist International which has subverted the legitimate Chinese government in the past, the document declares. Would this be done the other way around, like if the Peoples Republic of China declared the United States of America a terrorist genocidal and illegitimate state, because it exterminated most of its native population, forced slaves from Africa onto its territory, and then massacred tens of millions of people on all continents of the world, that would be surely considered a declaration of war. But obviously, the U.S. and its leadership are truly spoiled; they are used to getting away, literally, with a murder. Or with a war. Steve Bannon has been twisting the narrative on basically everything that is related to China, from Xinjiang to the South China Sea, an extremist religious cult such as Falun Gong, recent historical events, Chinese Revolution, and the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He and his cohorts are fanatically anti-Communist, as they are outrageously racist. The danger of Bannon lies in the fact that he is an integral part of the extreme right-wing network, which is now spreading from Europe to India, from North and South America to Asia. He is its product, as well as its maker. Whoever is confronting China is his ally: from Indias Modi to Donald Trump. Or all those West-backed rioters and the anti-Beijing individuals like Elmer Yuen Gong Yi. In fact, the Hong Kong riots are direct results of the activities of Steve Bannon and his mates. If they are not stopped, there really may be a war. But that does not frighten Steve Bannon. He has nothing against a war. He desired a war. He is igniting it. Like the crusaders of the middle ages, he thrives on expansions and the conflicts. Forbes reported, somehow sarcastically, on 20 August 2020: The yacht former white house senior advisor Steve Bannon was arrested on recently is the 152-foot-long Feadship Lady May thats reportedly owned by Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese billionaire who has business ties with Bannon. And its for sale. It is all very symbolic. It is shocking. But at least the man who did so much harm to the world, and who has been pushing his country towards direct confrontation with the most populous nation on earth, is under arrest, although presently released on $5 million bail. Associated Press reported on 24 August 2020: U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres said President Donald Trumps former chief strategist can appear in her court along with three co-defendants on a video screen because of the health threat posed by the coronavirus. A lenient treatment. But logical; shockingly, Mr. Bannon is not seen as a delinquent by the U.S. establishment. To many, he is just a pro-Western, pro-Christian, pro-right-wing warrior. As he himself so proudly declares he is. Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Six of his latest books are  New Capital of Indonesia ,  China Belt and Road Initiative,  China and Ecological Civilization with John B. Cobb, Jr.,  Revolutionary Optimism, Western Nihilism, a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction:  Exposing Lies Of The Empire . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and Latin America, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website , his Twitter and his Patreon . - - " Source " - Post your comment below See also The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Search Information Clearing House === The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.
Singh, who quit as the party's national vice-president in June, was reportedly unhappy over the proposed induction of alleged mafia don and rival Rama Singh into the RJD

Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday rejected former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh's resignation from the party, saying that the party members want Singh to be "among them".

In a move that is being seen as a setback for the RJD, Bihar's main Opposition party, ahead of the state Assembly polls, its national vice president Singh resigned from the party on Thursday, sources close to him said.

In a letter to Yadav, the veteran leader wrote he was quitting the party. "Since the death of Jannayak Karpoori Thakur, I stood behind you for 32 years, but not now," he said in his brief one-line resignation letter, written from his hospital bed on a ruled noteboook page.

Yadav is serving sentences in four fodder scam cases in Ranchi.

In the footnote, the once-staunch Lalu loyalist, added,"I got the affection of party leaders and workers, besides common people. Please forgive me."

Hours later, Yadav sought rapprochement. "I don't believe....a letter purportedly written by you is on social media. I, my family, and the RJD family that have nursed the party want you to get well soon and be among us," Prasad wrote back.

The RJD supremo's letter to Singh was posted on the party's media accounts.

"For four decades, we have together discussed political, social and even family matters. You get well soon and we will discuss again. You are not going anywhere, you understand," Prasad wrote in a handwritten letter that had the stamp of the prison authority.

Singh, admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi, because of post-COVID complications, had earlier announced his resignation as the party vice president on 23 June but was persuaded by Yadav to stay back.

Singh, a five-time former MP from Vaishali who held several portfolios in the Manmohan Singh government, including that of rural development, was reportedly unhappy over the proposed induction of alleged mafia don and former Lok Janshakti Party MP from Vaishali Rama Singh into the RJD.

Rama Singh had defeated the RJD leader in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, breaking his winning streak since he was first elected from there in 1996.

He was also not happy with the style of functioning of Yadav's heir apparent and Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, party sources said.

There was no official word from the RJD over Singh's resignation, but NDA parties hailed his move.

"Raghuvansh babu commands respect of all. Why was he forced to quit the party he nursed with his blood and sweat?" Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said. Anand said Singh was "humiliated" by RJD supremo's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav after he announced his resignation from the post of party vice president.

"What difference will it make if a pot of water is taken out of the sea?" Tej Pratap had said, belittling Singh over his resignation and the impact it could have on the RJD.

"Singh's resignation will prove to be the last nail in RJD's coffin. This was the natural consequence of the suffocating atmosphere in which he had been living for quite a long time. Finally, he decided to come out of daldal (morass) which is worth welcoming," JD(U) spokesman Rajiv

Ranjan Prasad said.

The JD(U) had said last week it will welcome Singh into the party if he so decides.

Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha said Singh's resignation showed that even important people have to face insult in the RJD.

"I will request Raghuvansh babu to join Nitish Kumar (Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president) and strengthen his hands for the development of the state. Nitish Kumar is the only option. Come, join us, we welcome you," said Danish Rizwan, the spokesman for HAM(S).
After two tensed nights between India and China, north bank of Pangong Tso was relatively peaceful and incident-free", officials told News18. However, they added that troops on both sides continue to hold on to their respective heights between Finger 3 and Finger 4.

There has been no incident since last night in any sector along the LAC," a security official said, adding that however no significant reduction in number of soldiers could be seen on Chinas side.

About 1,500-2,000 Chinese troops are occupying the ridge at finger 3. India has also deployed equal numbers.

On the evening of September 8, Chinese troops had objected to India taking the heights of Finger 3 and in retaliation had taken the feature between Finger 3 and Finger 4 with their weapons. The aerial distance between the two was less than 300 meters. Indian troops are on the western side of Finger 3 while PLA occupies the height towards the lake. They are carrying their weapons, which is unusual because usually patrol parties are very discreet about their weapons," the officer said.

The tensed situation led the Indian Air Force to increase the sorties in Ladakh. News18 correspondent present in Leh noted that on the intervening night of September 9 and 10 too, air force fighter jets continued to carry sorties well past midnight just like it did on the night of 8.

Officials say they expect the situation to change as External Affairs Ministers of both India and China sit down for talks. Pangong has emerged as the latest flashpoint but we have to be alert in other sectors too, given the Chinese strategy of opening up new fronts every time talks happen," an official said.

S Jaishankar and Wang Yi are slated to meet on the sidelines of the SCO summit on
On Sept. 25, 2020, approximately 70 vintage aircraft will take to the skies over Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Arsenal of Democracy (AOD) Flyover will feature historically sequenced formations representing the wars major battles  from the Battle of Britain through the final air assault on Japan.

More than 20 different types of vintage military aircraft are scheduled to fly in formations beginning over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The airshow is scheduled to begin at 11:30 EST with planes flying in two-minute intervals over the skies of the nations capital. The commemoration is expected to last approximately 70 minutes and will be live-streamed on the AODs Facebook page.

As a principle organizer of this historic event, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF)  the worlds largest flying museum  will send 18 warbirds from 13 units across seven states to participate in the World War II Victory Commemoration Flyover. The CAF aircraft include a range of bombers, fighters and vital transport and support aircraft, all of which played crucial roles in World War II.

Participating CAF aircraft include some of the wars most iconic warbirds, such as the:

B-29 Superfortress FIFI

C-47 Thats All, Brother

P-51 Mustang Tuskegee Airmen

B-17 Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey

T-6 Texan Nella

FM-2 Wildcat

FG-1D Corsair

P-51 Mustang Red Nose

TBM-3 Avenger

B-25 Mitchell Show Me

P-51 Mustang Gunfighter

L-5 Sentinel

P-40 Warhawk

B-25 Mitchell Devil Dog

P-39 Airacobra Miss Connie

B-25 Mitchell Yellow Rose

L-5 Sentinel Gayle Ann

TBM Avenger Doris Mae

The CAF is dedicated to educating, inspiring and honoring through flight and living history experiences, said Hank Coates, president, Commemorative Air Force. Were proud to serve as a principle organizer of the Arsenal of Democracy Flyover to help ensure we recognize and remember the enormous sacrifices of our nations heroes.

Founded in 1957, the Commemorative Air Force has amassed 175 World War II aircraft  the largest collection of vintage military warbirds in the world. Through the work of more than 11,000 volunteers across 83 units, the CAFs educational outreach programs reach an estimated 20 million Americans each year, providing unique, compelling hands-on access to history.

For more information about the Commemorative Air Force, please visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.
Big Y Appoints Cormier as VP

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.  The Board of Directors of Big Y Foods, Inc. announced the appointment of Michael R. Cormier as Vice President of center store.

In his new role as Vice President of center store for Big Y, Cormier is responsible for all center store sales, marketing and merchandising. This includes grocery, health and beauty care, pharmacy, general merchandise, frozen, dairy, retail pricing and space management departments for the 70-store chain. He reports to Guy W. McFarlane, senior vice president of sales and marketing.

Cormier has worked in the grocery business throughout New England and New York for over 23 years. Before that, he worked in both his family's restaurant and construction businesses and also serving in the military.

In 1996, he started full time on the grocery night crew at Price Chopper Supermarkets in Connecticut. One year later, he was promoted to grocery manager and then continued on to additional roles such as assistant store manager and ultimately store manager.

In 2001, he became store manager for Adams Hometown Markets in their West Hartford, Conn. store before becoming grocery category sales manager. He then became director of retail sales for their 35 markets.

Cormier then moved from retail to wholesale through his appointment as grocery category sales manager for Bozzuto's Inc., a Connecticut based wholesale distributor serving retailers in New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

By 2008, Cormier moved back to Price Chopper as a grocery department category sales manager for the chain and continued on to other capacities such as director of center store, vice president of own brands and in 2013, vice president of center store.

In 2016, he was appointed senior director of customer development for C & S Wholesale Grocers of Keene, N.H., the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the U.S., until his appointment at Big Y in 2019 as Senior Director of center store.

Cormier served in the United States Navy both here and abroad as a Hospital Corpsman and was honorably discharged in 1990. He is a member of the American Legion.

In 1998, he served as a selectman for the town of Sandisfield. He has completed Cornell University's Food Executive Program, has attended the University of North Carolina and is the recipient of several supermarket merchandising awards.

He and his wife, Kiren, reside in Halfmoon, N.Y.

Big Y Foods, Inc. is one of the largest independently-owned supermarket chains in New England. Big Y operates 82 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut including 71 supermarkets, Fresh Acres Market, Table & Vine Fine Wines and Liquors and 9 Big Y Express gas and convenience locations with almost 12,000 employees.
The on Wednesday gave its nod to the resumption of interstate bus services.

"In a bid to provide easy and accessible transportation to the public, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given permission for resumption of inter-state bus services to Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi," the Chief Minister's Office said in a tweet in Hindi.

In a statement, Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) Managing Director Raj Shekhar said, " will leave for Delhi from September 10 onwards, while those for Haryana and Rajasthan will depart from September 11 onwards."



He said field officers have been asked to make necessary advance preparations, so that smooth and timely operations can be started.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Tasmanian police officer has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter over a car crash which killed a NSW tourist who was walking with his wife.

Constable Aaron Tasman Bonner, 39, was suspended from duty after the collision at a Launceston intersection in January.

He was allegedly on duty and driving a police car when it collided with another car causing it to flip and spin, and hit the couple.

Constable Aaron Tasman Bonner, 39, was suspended from duty after the collision at a Launceston intersection in January

The man, aged in his 40s, died at the scene while his wife was flown to Melbourne with serious injuries.

Bonner entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of manslaughter on Thursday in Launceston Magistrates Court.

He also pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

He will appear in the Launceston Supreme Court on November 16.

Bonner is yet to enter pleas to charges of causing the death of another person by negligent driving and causing grievous bodily harm to another person by negligent driving. The matters have been adjourned indefinitely.
With an aim to learn the technique for early detection of breast cancer, three specially-abled women from Nepal are undergoing training in India.

NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies in New Delhi is imparting the training to the Nepali women.

"Another batch of three females will go for the same training later this year. After the completion of training, we will have a total of six persons, who will further train another group in Nepal," said Dr Birendraraj Sharma Pokhrel, who initiated the training.

The selected women, who are specially-abled, will undergo six months of theoretical training and one-month practical training, according to Dr Pokhrel.

German doctor Frank Huffman had first started the technique of identifying breast cancer in its initial stage. He also launched a programme named 'Discovering Hands', which gives training to the specially-abled women to become clinical breast examiners.

This is currently in practice in India along with Germany, Austria and Columbia. "As it is easier for us to access New Delhi through every kind of means, our trainers went there," Dr Pokhrel said.

After completing the training in India, the trainees will work as interns in Medicity Hospital of Nepal.

(ANI)
Rajesh Asnani By

Express News Service

JAIPUR: The High Command's effort to send state party in-charge Ajay Maken to patch up the rift in the Rajasthan Congress has suffered a major jolt. While Gehlot and Pilot may no longer be attacking each other in public, their supporters at the grassroots have embarrassingly started clashing.

When Maken went to take feedback from Congress leaders and workers in Ajmer, supporters of Gehlot and Pilot got involved in a clash which forced the police to lathicharge. As a result, at the feedback programme at the Congress headquarters in Jaipur, there was heavy police deployment with several senior police officials present there.

The feedback programme for evaluating the situation of the Gehlot government and the party at the grassroots level in each division of the state has now become a headache for top leaders. With many suspecting that the feedback effort is just a sham, many leaders and workers are said to be upset and factionalism in the state unit is getting worse.

ALSO READ | Faction-ridden Rajasthan Congress turns out to be a tough balancing act for Ajay Maken

Amid massive security at the PCC office, Ajay Maken met party leaders from Jaipur, Alwar and Sikar and took detailed feedback from leaders of both the Gehlot and Pilot camps. There were 50 leaders from each district which included MLAs, MPs, party candidates in the past, previous MLAs/MPs and other senior leaders of each district. There was considerable apprehension of a possible clash since the Congress units in Jaipur and Dausa are split down the middle between Gehlot and Pilot factions.

A day earlier, the feedback programme in Ajmer had taken an ugly turn. Ajmer is the constituency from where Sachin Pilot had become an MP and a central minister. The district unit has a large number of his loyalists though the Gehlot camp also has a powerful presence. Maken was holding a meeting with Ajmer leaders inside a hotel, along with PCC Chief Govind Dotasara and Health Minister Raghu Sharma. However, Pilot supporters who were outside soon got restless and not only raised pro-Pilot and anti-Raghu Sharma slogans. The Health Minister who is also an MLA from Ajmer district had switched loyalties from the Pilot to the Gehlot camp last year. Ultimately, the Ajmer police had to disperse those party workers who allegedly tore posters and raised slogans against Sharma on Wednesday.

ALSO READ | Sachin Pilot's homecoming marred by pro-Gehlot MLA's anger at his return

When a section of party cadres claimed that some workers were detained by the police, Rakesh Pareek, Congress MLA from Masudha, reached the police station and asked to free the workers. Then, along with his supporters, he sat on dharna outside the police station and eventually moved away only after the district police assured that nobody had been arrested and some workers who were tearing posters had only been dispersed as a precautionary step.

Ajay Maken, however, is trying to downplay the incident. While talking to the media, he remarked, When there is an excess of excitement, such things often happen. There is no rift in our party. We are working hard for better coordination between the government and the party. We will present a detailed report on October 2 in which we will tell the people how our government has been performing.

ALSO READ | BJP, Ashok Gehlot extend birthday greetings to Sachin Pilot

When asked why several leaders reportedly asking to meet him in private, Maken said, Ive told all the leaders and workers that I am available to them always. If some workers want to give suggestions on how our government can improve, we will be happy to hear them and I take it in a positive spirit.

However, many from the Gehlot camp are not too happy at laxity being shown to leaders of the Pilot camp as none of them was punished despite their month-long revolt. Its very unfair that Ajay Maken or party High Command are listening so much to people who plotted with the BJP in a bid to bring down the Congress government. For a whole month, we had to live in hotels due to the revolt. We are disappointed that those leaders are being given so much importance which we will not tolerate, said an MLA from the Gehlot camp on condition of anonymity.
Jake and Jamie Hyland and their toddler son Uriel pictured in this undated photo. (GoFundMe/Tammie Mabry)

One-Year-Old Boy Killed in Washington State Wildfire, Parents Critically Injured

A 1-year-old was killed and his parents were severely burned as they attempted to flee a Washington state wildfire this week, officials said Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, officials found the deceased child along with 31-year-old Jacob Hyland and 26-year-old Jamie Hyland of Renton, Washington, on the bank of the Columbia River in Okanogan County with third-degree burns.

According to officials, the young couple and their son abandoned the vehicle they had been traveling in as they attempted to escape the Cold Springs Fire, which erupted in the state on Sunday night.

A search began for the family after someone contacted the sheriffs office on Tuesday afternoon, and a burned truck was later found without the family inside.

The Hylands and their son were taken to Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster, Washington, before the young couple were transported to Seattles Harborview Medical Center to receive treatment for their burns by trauma and burn specialists, ABC News reported. They remain in critical condition.

Its absolutely devastating and heartbreaking, Okanogan County Sheriff Tony Hawley told the news outlet.

The family was attempting to leave their property to get away from the Cold Springs Fire, he said in a statement. This fire was coming and there wasnt much that could be done to stop it. It was going to go where it wanted to go.

An investigation into the childs death is ongoing, the sheriff said. Hawley said the boys death is being probed as a homicide to see whether the fire was human-caused.

This child would not be dead without this fire beginning, he said.

Hylands family said in a statement that the childs father needs surgery on his arms as a result of his injuries.

His chest and face also have patches of burns but we will not know until he is cleaned up. Internally he looks fine, they have his lung inflated, the family said.

Jamie has more burns on her body, and we are waiting on the scans for her. Her burns mostly consist of her upper body. Her arms already had the surgery they will be doing on Jake to help relieve the tension from the burns, they added.

They are both still critical at this point, but Jamie is more so than Jake. Jamies body is at 30-40 percent burned as of now, and Jake is at 15 percent. From what they know now.

A GoFundMe campaign has been created for the family, with donations going to the Hylands.

Authorities said Wednesday that more acres burned in Washington in a single day than firefighters usually see all year. The Cold Springs Fire and the nearby Pearl Hill Fire have burned at least 337,000 acres across several counties.

As of late Wednesday, the Cold Springs Fire was at zero percent containment, according to KING 5.
A Florida personal injury lawyer known for his commercials has been shot dead by his eldest son who then turned the gun on himself.

Robert Fenstersheib, 66, was killed on Wednesday morning by his addict son, Michael in inside his home in the Oakridge gated community in Hollywood, near Fort Lauderdale.

Michael, who suffered drug problems and mental health issues, also shot and seriously injured his dad's longtime girlfriend Hong Pen before killing himself.

Hollywood police were called to the property at around 9:40am where they found the two men dead.

Robert Fenstersheib was killed after his oldest son shot him dead outside his Florida home

Attorney Robert Fenstersheib was shot dead Wednesday morning by his eldest son, who then turned the gun on himself

Robert Fenstershieb was a well-known South Florida personal injury lawyer

'Upon officers' arrival on scene, they did observe two deceased male victims with possible gunshot wounds. We are investigating it. We are trying to obtain witnesses. Trying to obtain any evidence that we can find to get to know what happened in this situation,' said Christian Lata, a public information officer for Hollywood police.

'Further investigation revealed there was a third victim on the scene as well with a gunshot wound. That victim was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in serious but stable condition. At this time, detectives of the Hollywood Police Department homicide unit are investigating the incident. As soon as more information becomes available, we will be forthcoming with that information.

'I believe that once we speak to the third victim and get some information, we might be able to come to a conclusion,' Lata said.

Fenstersheibs girlfriend is recovering at Memorial Regional Hospital. She underwent surgery and is expected to recover.

The shooting happened in the Oakridge gated community in Hollywood, Florida

Officer Christian Lata from Hollywood Police said that an investigation is continuing

Police are yet to uncover a motive in Fenstershieb's (right) slaying and are waiting for Pen to recover so she can be interviewed

Fenstersheib's law firm held a news conference on Wednesday afternoon at the attorney's office in Hallandale Beach during which it was revealed that Fenstersheib's son struggled with mental illness.

Scott Mager, a family spokesperson, said the attorney was shot and killed by his son, who was battling 'a lifetime mental illness and drug addiction', who then turned the firearm on himself.

'Michael lost that battle today,' he said. 'He shot both Robert and his longtime girlfriend Hong Pen and then killed himself using the weapon.'

'He was just an unbelievable human being, an amazing person, an unbelievable father, a great leader, just a phenomenal human being,' Mager said to WSVN. 'If you didn't have a chance to meet him, you really missed a special and unique individual.'

A number of tribute have been paid to the lawyer with many saying how he cared for his clients

Family spokesperson, Scott Mager, said the attorney was shot and killed by his son, who was battling mental health issues and addiction, who then turned the firearm on himself

The police say that they found the two men already dead by the time they arrived on scene

Fenstersheib was well known in the South Florida community and could often be seen on television in his commercials which were known for their catchy jingle encouraging people to 'tell Robert anything'.

'One thing that he really made sure he did was he let his clients know he was there for them,' said Alexandra Arguello, who worked for Fenstersheib as a paralegal.

'I feel for his kids. I feel for his employees, his friends. It's just something that you don't ever think is going to happen to someone you know.'
An American commercial cargo spacecraft bound for the International Space Station has been named after fallen NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first India-born woman to enter space, for her key contributions to human spaceflight.

Northrop Grumman, an American global aerospace and defence technology company, announced that its next Cygnus capsule will be named the "S.S. Kalpana Chawla", in memory of the mission specialist who died with her six crewmates aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 2003.

"Today we honour Kalpana Chawla, who made history at @NASA as the first female astronaut of Indian descent. Her contributions to human spaceflight have had a lasting impact," the company tweeted on Wednesday.

"Northrop Grumman is proud to name the NG-14 Cygnus spacecraft after former astronaut Kalpana Chawla. It is the company's tradition to name each Cygnus after an individual who has played a pivotal role in human spaceflight," the company said on its website.

"Chawla was selected in honour of her prominent place in history as the first woman of Indian descent to go to space," it said.

"While Chawla made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the space programme, her legacy lives on through her fellow astronauts and those she has inspired to follow in her footsteps," it said.

"Her final research conducted onboard Columbia helped us understand astronaut health and safety during spaceflight. Northrop Grumman is proud to celebrate the life of Kalpana Chawla and her dream of flying through the air and in space," it said.

The S S Kalpana Chawla capsule is scheduled to launch on the NG-14 mission atop a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on September 29. The spacecraft will arrive at and be attached to the space station two days later.

For the NG-14 mission, the Cygnus spacecraft will deliver approximately 3,629 kg of cargo to the space station.

Chawla was born in Karnal, Haryana on March 17, 1962. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College in India in 1982.

Chawla then moved to the United States to pursue her graduate education; in 1984 she received a Master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas, and a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado in 1988.

She held commercial pilot's licenses for single- and multi-engine aeroplanes, seaplanes and gliders, and was also a certified flight instructor.

Chawla began her career at NASA in 1988 as a powered-lift computational fluid dynamics researcher at the Ames Research Center in California.

Her work concentrated on the simulation of complex air flows encountered by aircraft flying in ground-effect.

In 1993, Chawla joined Overset Methods Inc. as vice president and a researcher in aerodynamics.

After becoming a naturalised US citizen in April 1991, Chawla applied for the NASA astronauts corps. She was selected in December 1994 and reported to the Johnson Space Center in Houston in 1995 as an astronaut candidate in Group 15.

In November 1996, Chawla was assigned as a mission specialist on STS-87 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, becoming the first woman of Indian descent to fly in space.

Chawla's second spaceflight experience came in 2001 when she was selected for the crew of STS-107. The flight was dedicated to science and research, with approximately 80 experiments completed.

Chawla lost her life during the STS-107 mission when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon reentering the Earth's atmosphere.
Hunterdon County officials have approved more than $300,000 in grants for four projects funded by the countys Historic Preservation Fund and listed in the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in Flemington, Stockton and Kingwood Township.

These grants  recommended to the county board of freeholders by both the Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee and the countys Cultural and Heritage Commission  included $102,200 to the Delaware River Mill Society for the replacement of the roof of the John Prall House in Stockton, $112,415 to Hunterdon Land Trust for the structural repair and improvement of the Case Dvoor Farm Bank Barn in Flemington, $45,000 to Kingwood Township for the site work and structural repair and improvement of the White House in the township, and $64,623 to the Hunterdon County Historical Society for the restoration of the front portico of the Doric House in Flemington.

In alignment with voter approval of past public referendums, a portion of the countys Open Space Tax funds are devoted to historic preservation projects each year.

In a press release shared with NJ Advance Media, Freeholder Board Director Shaun C. Van Doren said projects like these help "maintain the community and connect people to our past.

Maintaining historic structures reminds visitors and residents alike about the vital cultural history of the area, Van Doren said in the release. "We are fortunate to have numerous historic sites located in Hunterdon County which helps to bolster tourism.

Van Doren has served as president of the Tewksbury Historical Society for the past nine years. From 1989 to 1996, he also served as the first secretary of the Tewksbury Township Historic Preservation Commission.

Echoing Van Doren, Freeholder John E. Lanza voiced his approval for these projects in emphasizing both the financial and cultural benefits of historic preservation.

Studies have demonstrated that historic preservation creates positive economic benefits," Lanza said in the release. "Preservation advocates point to the preservation of buildings and heritage for the attraction of visitors and investment.

Preserving these historic buildings, which capture the culture of Hunterdon County, provides a rich legacy of architecture to the county, encourages tourism and increases the value of surrounding homes, he added.

Lanza also expressed the freeholder boards gratitude to members of the Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee and the countys Cultural and Heritage Commission for dedicating their time reviewing the proposed grant requests.

Their volunteer positions contribute to the beautification of the county and improve the experience of all who live in and visit Hunterdon County, Lanza said in the release.

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Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com.
New Delhi:

Rating agency Fitch and the World Bank have explained the impact of the demonetisation move and detailed that how it will drag Indias GDP growth estimate by 0.5%.

World Bank on Wednesday said that its decelerated Indias growth for 2016-17 fiscal to a still robust 7 per cent from its previous estimate of 7.6 per cent due to demonetisation, but asserted that the country would regain momentum in the following years with 7.6 per cent and 7.8 per cent growth.

Further, another rating agency Fitch Ratings also forecasted India's rating to 6.9 per cent for 2016-17 from the earlier 7.4 per cent due to "uncertainty" over the benefits of demonetisation.

Read | World Bank says 'adverse effects' of demonetisation will disappear in medium term

"The demonetisation of large denomination bank notes has caused short-term disruption in India's economy and led us to downgrade our growth forecasts for 2017," Fitch Ratings said in its latest bi-monthly newsletter released recently.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh too cautioned the people that the worst is yet to come in the wake of demonetisation exercise which he termed as a "disaster".

In his address at the 'Jan Vedna' conclave, Singh termed demonetisation as a "disaster" and said things are going from bad to worse and that the worse is yet to come. He dismissed as "hollow claim" of Prime Minister Narendra "Modi's propaganda" that things have started looking up.

At the convention called by Congress on demonetisation, former finance minister P Chidambaram too raised questions on the note ban decision saying there was no record of the cabinet meeting of November 8 when the government had said to have taken the decision to withdraw Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

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LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska voters should get a chance this year to legalize casino gambling in South Sioux City and other cities with horse tracks, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

On a 4-3 vote, the high court overturned Secretary of State Bob Evnen's ruling last month that had kept three casino gambling measures off the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

The Supreme Court ruling, which came one day before the deadline to certify the measure, is a win for Ho-Chunk Inc., which poured millions of dollars into the effort to collect 475,000 signatures to place the initiatives on the ballot.

Ho-Chunk, the economic development corporation for the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, plans to build a casino at its Atokad track if the measures win approval from voters.

The three measures would change Nebraskas constitution to allow casino gambling and create two laws to regulate and tax the industry. If passed, some of the added revenue would be funneled into a state property tax credit.

Evnen took issue with the measure that said casino gambling would only be allowed at state-licensed racetracks. He said the statement was materially misleading to voters because the measure also would allow casinos on tribal lands in Nebraska, even if they dont have a racetrack.

The court rejected Evnen's argument, noting that the measures are broken into three separate items that voters can consider individually.

Opponents, which included Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, had fought against expanded gambling in the state, arguing it will contribute to added addiction and bankruptcies.

Ho-Chunk partnered with the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, along with Omaha Exposition and Racing in conducting the petition drive.

In addition to South Sioux City, racetracks in or near Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Hastings and Columbus also would be able to conduct casino gambling under the proposal.

A similar petition effort launched by Ho-Chunk in 2016 failed before reaching the ballot after then-Secretary of State John Gale's office rejected nearly 42,000 signatures, leaving the initiatives short of the required number. Ho-Chunk later sued the company it paid to circulate the petitions. That lawsuit is pending.

Ho-Chunk, based in Winnebago, acquired Atokad in 2013 after the longtime track closed due to dwindling attendance. Ho-Chunk built a new track at the site where one day of live racing is now held each year, the minimum required by state regulators. Ho-Chunk plans to add a casino and events center at the complex if the move to expand gambling in the state succeeds.

The state Supreme Court on Tuesday also ruled that a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana was unconstitutional.

Justices concluded the medical marijuana proposal violated Nebraska's single subject rule for ballot measures, which bars activists from bunching multiple issues into a single yes-or-no question for voters to address. Specifically, they took issue with provisions that would allow people to use marijuana while also produce it in-state, among other issues.

If voters are to intelligently adopt a state policy with regard to medicinal cannabis use, they must first be allowed to decide that issue alone, unencumbered by other subjects, the court said in its opinion.

The Associated Press and the Lincoln Journal Star's Don Walton contributed to this story.

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DEERFIELD, IL  The lawyer for convicted murderer Marni Yang believes new DNA evidence from the crime scene proves his client is innocent. Jed Stone, who did not represent Yang during her 2011 murder trial in the death of Deerfield resident Rhoni Reuter and her unborn daughter, discussed Thursday new DNA and fingerprint results recently released by state prosecutors.

"Let us be clear, Marni Yang's fingerprints are nowhere at the crime scene. She wasn't there. She is innocent," Stone said during a morning press conference. "Marni Yang's DNA is nowhere at the crime scene."

Yang is serving two life sentences at the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln. Reuter was the girlfriend of former Chicago Bears player Shaun Gayle at the time of her death. Gayle, who played on the 1985 Super Bowl championship team, testified during Yang's trial that he was romantically involved with both women, admitting he had sex with Yang the night before Reuter's death.



"We are not going to litigate this in the media. However, we remind everyone that evidence relesed at trial shows that Mrs. Yang, or Ms. Yang, made statements she wore gloves during the murder," Lee Filas, communications manager for the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, told Patch.

Stone said male DNA discovered at the crime scene, originally attributed to the prosecution's tool marks expert, Peter Stripatis, have now ruled him out as a contributor to the male DNA recovered from the live rounds of ammunition found there. Stone contends Stripatis admittedly handled the rounds without gloves in an "unsterile environment."

On Wednesday, Stone argued in court that Yang was entitled to compliance with Supreme Court Rule 417 and the state was ordered to disclose their complete DNA testing results to the defense.

"The state, rather than examining this case with fresh eyes, continues to obfuscate and to hold back evidence of innocence," Stone said.



Story continues

Photos of what lawyer Jed Stone says are live rounds of ammunition at the crime scene are shown. (WMP Justice Review)

Stone also petitioned the court earlier this year to allow an unknown fingerprint to be run through the AFIS database. According to Stone, the print was found on a doorknob where the killer stood while executing Reuter. A second print found on another doorknob was originally reported to be that of Officer Michael Scarry but recent Automated Fingerprint Identification System and Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System results exclude Scarry as the owner of either print.



"We've uncovered evidence in this case that the shooter had to have been taller than Ms. Reuter. Ms. Reuter was 5-foot-9. Marni is barely 5-foot-tall," Stone added.

Thursday's press conference was organized by Tammy Koelling, CEO of Words Matter Publishing LLC, a downstate Salem-based company. Koelling, who served 29 years for first-degree murder, has been working to prove Yang's innocence since her release from prison in 2016.



According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office also questioned Koelling's credibility amid business ties with Yang and her family, including reported book deals.

"(It) appears that Words Matter Publishing has provided financial compensation or other inducements to the defendant or her children for multiple book deals and media contracts," reads one document, according to the Chicago Tribune. "The People contend that the financial inducements to those witnesses by Words Matter Publishing would relate to the bias, interest and motive of those witnesses."



Stone discussed a story from WAMQ-TV the day following the discovery of Reuter's body that said police were looking for a "muscular-built, African-American male" leaving the scene of the shooting. He said his office is also looking for this man.

In April, Stone filed a clemency petition for his client over coronavirus concerns, asking for her release from the Logan Correctional Center, which was on lockdown at the time. According to the petition, Yang has asthma, Type 2 diabetes and a compromised immune system. He said the petition is currently "sitting on the Governor's desk" despite Yang being at "high-risk" for COVID-19. Stone also said prisoners housed near Yang have tested positive for the coronavirus.



The next court date for the case is scheduled for Nov. 10.

Related:

Marni Yang 'Truthful' In '20/20' Jailhouse Interview: Lawyer

Clemency Petition Filed For Marni Yang Over Coronavirus Concerns

UPDATE: Marni Yang Sentenced to Life in Prison

This article originally appeared on the Deerfield Patch
Koala protection laws that prompted the Nationals' threat to bring down the NSW Coalition will affect only a small portion of farmers proposing significant developments, leaving legal experts and farm leaders questioning the motivation for the move.

This week, Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro said his party would not accept the laws because the impact on the farming industry was too great.

Nationals leader John Barilaro has threatened to leave the Coalition over koala protection laws. Credit:James Brickwood

"This issue alone is now starting to divide our communities. This issue alone takes away hope and prosperity for the future of the regions," Mr Barilaro said.

In fact, the new State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) is limited in its application and only significantly impacts development applications made to local councils.
SPRINGFIELD  With deadlines for the 2020 census approaching, Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin is demanding the U.S. Census Bureau tell him exactly how many Massachusetts households it has visited  and not just rely on percentage completion rates.

I dont trust them, Galvin said Thursday, because theyve told me things in the past that have not worked out to be true.

Galvin  who was in Springfield to talk about the release of the 2020 election booklet with information on the states ballot questions  said hes especially worried about hard-to-count communities already suffering from poverty and a lack of resources, such as Springfield and Holyoke.

Galvin, the states top census official, has criticized President Donald J. Trumps administration and the Census Bureau over the past few years for its handling of the 2020 count. That includes a since-abandoned plan to ask about citizenship, as well as a plan to stop the count at the end of September instead of the original deadline at the end of October.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order ensuring the count continue at least through Sept. 17, when a hearing is set.

They keep giving me rosy reports that everything is going well. I dont know things are going well," Galvin said. "The census is about numbers. You should be able to give me numbers. It is unclear how well they are doing.

If the Census Bureau releases information on how many households it has visited, Galvin said, he can use the information to direct state resources to get those responses completed.

Galvins Thursday letter to Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham also offered the federal government all the states statistics on how many households the state believes exist in its cities and towns.

I dont want Western Massachusetts to be shortchanged, Galvin said, speaking at the state office building at 436 Dwight St.. I know what happens when Western Massachusetts is shortchanged. In the last Census when we lost a congressional district, we lost it in Western Massachusetts.

That district was once represented by John Olver, D-Amherst, who retired.

According to the Census Bureau, Springfield had a 60.3% response rate as of Thursday. Thats under 2010s final response rate of 67.5%. Holyoke is more than 7 points down with a 2020 response rate of 62.3% now, compared with a final 2010 response rate of 70.5%.

Related Content:
Overhill Farms workers take part in an Aug. 31 memorial ceremony in front of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in downtown Los Angeles to honor those who have died of COVID-19. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Californias Division of Occupational Safety and Health has issued its largest fine for coronavirus health violations to a frozen food manufacturer in Vernon, as well as the company's temporary employment agency for failing to take adequate steps to protect hundreds of workers from the virus.

Cal/OSHA announced proposed penalties of $222,075 for Overhill Farms and $214,080 for Jobsource North America, which the companies can appeal. In a statement Wednesday, the agency said that both companies had failed to install barriers, ensure that workers practiced physical distancing and train employees on the dangers of the virus.

The move followed the first fines announced for coronavirus safety violations last week. Cal/OSHA cited 11 employers in industries that included food processing, retail, agriculture, meatpacking and healthcare, and proposed penalties ranging from $2,025 to $51,190.

It is critical that employers evaluate the workplace and take proactive measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace, Chief Doug Parker said in a statement. If a COVID-19 illness occurs, employers must investigate the case to determine if additional protective measures should be taken and report the serious illnesses and deaths to Cal/OSHA."

Overhill Farms said Thursday that it would contest the agency's "erroneous" allegations, adding that Cal/OSHA has falsely claimed that the company failed to install Plexiglas dividers.

The health and safety of our employees is our first priority," the company said in a statement. "Overhill Farms has not only taken steps in line with the constantly evolving federal, state and local guidance, we have gone above and beyond those recommendations as we developed our employee safety procedures."

Officials with Jobsource said they also planned to dispute the citations.

"We take the health and safety of all of our team members very seriously and we believe that we have not done anything that would endanger anyone in our community," the company said in a statement.

Story continues

Cal/OSHA opened inspections into Overhill Farms and Jobsource in late April in response to complaints about coronavirus safety hazards. After visits to two facilities in Vernon, inspectors found inadequate social distancing between workers, including when they clocked in and out of their shifts, in the breakroom, on the conveyor line and during packing operations.

Officials also charged the companies with not investigating more than 20 cases of the coronavirus among employees as well as the death of one Overhill Farms worker who had contracted COVID-19.

Kathy Finn, the secretary-treasurer for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, which represents several hundred workers at Overhill Farms, said she hoped the citation would send a message to other workplaces.

Were really happy that the state finally took some action for the egregious violations that Overhill committed, she said. Its been six months, and theyve been working under horrendous conditions.

In addition to the penalties related to coronavirus safety measures, Cal/OSHA issued citations this week to both employers related to accidents in which two workers had their hands caught in machinery in February. Those included $103,780 in proposed fines to Overhill Farms and $29,700 to Jobsource.
A dozen candidates have filed bids to contest upcoming elections in Guinea against President Alpha Conde, who is seeking a controversial third term, the constitutional court said Wednesday.

The court is now vetting the list after Tuesday's midnight deadline for submitting applications, its chief of staff, Ibrahima Sory Toure told AFP.

The October 18 poll has been overshadowed by a bitter row over Conde's future.

Conde, an 82-year-old two-term president, has pushed through a revamped constitution that opponents say was crafted to reset the term counter.

He last week ended months of speculation by confirming that he would seek a third time in office, despite protests in which dozens have been killed.

The National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), an umbrella grouping of parties, labour unions and civil society groups, has been campaigning against the revision which it has denounced as a constitutional coup.

The group was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to decide whether it will participate in the election.

The opposition is divided over whether to boycott the vote.

Former premier and leading opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, 68, has decided to run after boycotting the March constitutional referendum.

Protests against Conde's suspected re-election plan erupted in October last year but met with a ruthless crackdown, and several dozen people have died.

Under Guinea's constitution, presidents may only serve two terms.

But according to analysts, the new constitution could reset the presidential term counter and enable him to run a third time -- an argument invoked by Conde and his Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) party.

Conde is a former opposition figure who was jailed under previous regimes in Guinea, a country rich in minerals but plagued by entrenched poverty and a history of instability.

Hopes of a new political dawn flowered when Conde became Guinea's first democratically elected president in 2010, but critics say he has become increasingly authoritarian.
A bipartisan group of two dozen New Jersey elected officials, from a former governor to small town council members, are urging Gov. Phil Murphy to sue oil and gas companies over the impacts of climate change.

The group took out a full-page ad in Thursdays editions of The Star-Ledger in an effort to publicly pressure Murphy into taking action. The ad argues that New Jersey will need $25 billion to protect against sea level rise alone  a figure that comes from the advocacy group Center for Climate Integrity  and pushes for the governor to force oil companies to pay up.

Our state will need to spend $25 billion to protect our families, homes, and businesses from sea level rise  and thats just the beginning, the ad reads. New Jerseyans want Governor Murphy to take oil and gas companies to court to make them pay their fair share.

The message is lead by former Gov. Richard Codey, a Democrat who now represents parts of Essex County in the state Senate, and seven other state lawmakers: state Sen. Christopher Kip Bateman, R-Somerset; state Sen. Joseph Cryan, D-Union; state Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex; Assemblywoman Linda Carter, D-Union; Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, D-Essex; Assemblyman Jamel Holley, D-Union; and Assemblyman John McKeon, D-Essex.

The state lawmakers are joined by freeholders from Atlantic and Union counties; the mayors of Dunellen, Kenilworth, Roselle Park, Garwood and Fanwood; and local council members from nine different towns.

The officials were joined by 68 different organizations, including religious groups and environmental advocates.

The Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, an environmental advocacy group that is the parent organization of the Center for Climate Integrity, paid $9,900 for the ad and helped recruit the signatories, according to spokesman Mike Meno.

The Star-Ledgers daily print readership numbered 347,000 in the first quarter of 2020, according to the Alliance for Audited Media. Its an estimate of the total number of people who read a weekday issue of the print edition. The Star-Ledger is affiliated with NJ.com.

We wont be commenting on decisions surrounding potential litigation, said Christine Lee, a spokeswoman for Murphy.

A full page advertisement in The Star-Ledger on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020 urges Gov. Phil Murphy to sue oil and gas companies over the impacts of climate change.The Star-Ledger

The ad comes after Hoboken last week became the first municipality in New Jersey to file such a lawsuit against oil companies. Hobokens action is being funded, in part, by the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Government.

The ad uses the Hoboken lawsuit to put pressure on Murphy to act.

Hoboken just sued Exxon and other oil and gas companies for lying about climate change and the damage they caused, the ad reads. Governor Murphy: Now its your turn.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal declined to comment on Hobokens lawsuit last week, but said the state is exploring all options for protecting New Jersey residents in court.

Over the past two years, weve taken action against some of the nations largest polluters for the damage that they have done to New Jerseys environment, as part of our commitment to ensuring robust environmental enforcement and promoting environmental justice, Grewal said at the time.

In Trenton, state lawmakers are considering a resolution (SR57/AR186) that would urge Murphy and Grewal to sue oil companies for climate impacts. Officials in Atlantic County and Union County have expressed their support for that state resolution.

Separately, the boroughs of Sea Bright and Bradley Beach have also passed their own resolutions urging the Murphy administration to sue the oil giants.

The Star-Ledger ad ran on the same day that Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced her state is suing 31 fossil fuel companies for their role in climate change. Elsewhere, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Minnesota also have similar lawsuits ongoing.

Sea levels in New Jersey are rising at a rate twice the global average, according to research published in December by Rutgers. If global greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, the states seas are expected to creep up 5.1 feet higher by 2100 than they were in 2000, up to 1.1 feet higher by 2030 and up to 2.1 feet higher by 2050.

Beyond that, climate change has already made New Jersey one of the fastest warming regions of the country. The states average annual temperature has already risen 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, and is expected to rise 5.7 degrees by 2050, according to a report released in June by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Heat waves are expected to become more intense in New Jersey, threatening public health. Besides heat waves, higher temperatures could make it harder to breathe. As New Jersey has more hot days, there will be more chances for ozone pollution  or smog  to be created.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com.
The Russian Air Forces attack against positions of the Turkistan Islamic Party coincided with the artillery strikes by the Syrian Army in the Jabal Al-Akrad region, Al-Masdar reports

The Russian Air Force was seen conducting several strikes over the northeastern countryside of Lattakia on Wednesday, as their warplanes struck the positions of the jihadist forces near the Turkish border.

According to reports from the Lattakia Governorate, the Russian Air Force targeted the positions of the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) at the key town of Kabani, which is considered the aforementioned jihadist groups main stronghold in the Lattakia Governorate.

The Russian Air Forces attack coincided with the heavy artillery strikes that were carried out by the Syrian Army in the Jabal Al-Akrad region of northeastern Lattakia.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
STRATFORD  On the day teacher leaders in the district spoke out against what they say is a lack of COVID-fighting cleaning supplies, parents and staff were alerted to a positive case for the virus among a staff member at Second Hill Lane School.

The unidentified staff member is in self-isolation.

Kim Velazquez, a nursing supervisor and COVID-liaison for the district, in the notice dated Tuesday but made public Wednesday, said the Stratford Health Department is working to conduct contract tracing in the case. The staff member reportedly has not been at school since her symptoms appeared.

So at this time no further action is needed, Velazquez said.

Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson said late Wednesday that the female staff member reportedly was not at school when she contracted the virus.

It is not school related, said Robinson. She said at the advice of the health department, there is no need to close the school.

School opened Wednesday in the district, but Thursday is designated as a remote learning day.

Michael Fiorello, president of the Stratford Education Association, the districts teachers union, said he is deeply concerned and wishes the staff member a full and speedy recovery.

We are thankful that decisions are being made in consultation with health care leaders and based on safety and caution, Fiorello said. I hope this is not the first of many.

An hour before the positive case was announced, Fiorello and other teacher leaders spoke on a Zoom call with reporters that was coordinated by the Connecticut Education Association.

The teachers said that since they returned to work last week, they have not received the cleaning supplies that they were promised or that they say will keep them all safe.

We do not have disinfectant cleaners in our classroom that follow CDC protocol, said Kristen Record, a Bunnell physics teacher and Stratford Education Association vice president.

She said there is a lack of consistency, with not all schools and not all classrooms equipped with promised spray bottles, paper towels and soap and water.

Now we are interacting with kids and their families, Record said. I am really concerned that we are not adequately keeping our kids safe in our classrooms right now.

She called it a community health issue.

Contacted afterwards, Robinson said that teachers have been given cleaning supplies and that the district is compliant with health guidelines and that will kill germs.

Its a perception issue, Robinson said.

The superintendent said teachers have cloth masks, face shields and cleaning supplies that the health department has told her is sufficient. In Robinsons view, the concerns have been satisfied.

Weve been working on this for months, Robinson said. They keep bringing up the sanitizing wipes. We got a truck full of them on Friday, full of 75 percent alcohol, OK for hands and surfaces such as desks and keyboards.

The district got in a supply of Clorox wipes as well. Robinson said custodians should have them.

Teachers say they have yet to see them.

Robin Julian, at teacher at Vicki Soto School, said teachers want wipes that specifically can kill the coronavirus.

They also want face shields that are not hand made. While some teachers got proper commercially produced shields, others got ones made of foam, hot glued to a clear shield with stretchable non-adhesive medical tape held on by staples and painters tape.

Fiorello, a Stratford High teacher, said the hand sanitizing fluid comes in one gallon jugs, not dispensers.

The union may end up filing a labor grievance over the matter, he added.

The bottom line is teachers are really scared, Record said. It seems we are getting a lot of .mixed messages, between what district says is acceptable, the department of health says is acceptable and what the CDC says is acceptable. It is in everyones best interest to use the highest standard available. That is what teachers are seeking. We want to keep ourselves safe and our students safe.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck
As companies across the country face heightened scrutiny of their record on racial diversity, Target pledged Thursday to increase representation of Black employees across its workforce by 20% over the next three years.

The big-box retailer's workforce of nearly 350,000 employees skews White, particularly among its top executives. About 75% of its leadership team is White and 8% are Black, based on 2019 data. That rises to nearly a quarter, however, when including all people of color like Latinos and Asians. Its overall workforce  which includes hourly store employees who stock shelves and check out customers  is more mixed, with 50% made up of White workers, 25% Latino and 15% Black, as the top three groups.

While pledging to do better, Target referred to strides it has made. It said it has doubled representation of company non-White officers in the past five years to nearly 30%. Of that, though, only 5% are Black.

It also touted diversity among store managers: More than half of its stores are run by women and a third are managed by people of color.

Walmart has a larger U.S. workforce than Target. About 21% of its employees across the country are Black and 16% are Latino, according to a midyear report that came out this week. About 12% of managers and 7% of its officers are Black.

In the U.S., Black Americans make up more than 13% of the population, according to the Census Bureau.

"Inclusivity is a deeply rooted value at Target and we've had an ambitious diversity and inclusion strategy for many years for our guests and team," chief human resources officer Melissa Kremer said in a news release. "We know that having a diverse workforce and inclusive environment not only creates a stronger team, but also provides the perspectives we need to create the products, services, experiences and messages our guests expect."

Target announced its new goal and shared its latest diversity and inclusion report, after calls for racial equity spread from the streets to the boardroom after the killing of George Floyd. Floyd died while in police custody in Target's hometown of Minneapolis on Memorial Day. The video of him dying as he was pinned down by a police officer's knee prompted widespread protests and a closer look at many inequities, from Black Americans' under-representation in top business roles to their disproportionate death rates during the coronavirus pandemic.

Target said it will emphasize recruiting and hiring Black employees and look for ways to encourage their advancement once they join the company. As part of that effort, it will add anti-racist training for its workforce and develop programs to boost diversity in areas like technology, merchandising and marketing that are predominately White.

Target has taken progressive stances like asking customers not to carry guns into its stores and publicly welcoming transgender customers to use its stores' bathrooms and fitting rooms, a move that prompted conservative groups to call for a boycott. The retailer has expanded its footprint in diverse cities like New York and San Francisco as it opens more small-format stores.

Yet the retailer's record on diversity has been checkered. Two years ago, it agreed to pay $3.74 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that accused it of discriminating against Black and Latino job applicants with its approach to criminal background checks. A few years earlier, Target had paid nearly $3 million to settle similar claims with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. When it settled the lawsuit, Target said in a statement that it had revised its hiring practices and gathered criminal background information in the final stages of the process.

During the Black Lives Matter protests, some of Target's stores were badly damaged. On social media, some people encouraged looters to seek out the company's stores in tweets. The company has been criticized, too, for collaborating with police on public safety initiatives and appearing too cozy with them in Minneapolis.

After Floyd's killing, Target CEO Brian Cornell joined other top executives in expressing pain over the death of Floyd and urging change. He joined a subcommittee of the Business Roundtable, a prominent group of CEOs, to look for policy recommendations to address inequities in the U.S. law enforcement system and create more opportunities for the formerly incarcerated.

Other retailers signaled their support for racial equity, too, by announcing new initiatives, donating to civil rights causes or setting new goals for recruiting and hiring. Among them, Walmart and its corporate foundation committed $100 million over five years to create a new center on racial equity. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said the retailer would also increase recruitment and support for people of color, but he did not quantify that goal.
Patna: First-time Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha is the joint oppositions candidate for the Rajya Sabhas deputy chairman elections scheduled next week, setting up a face-off between the RJD and its prime rival in Bihar, Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United), or JD-U, people familiar with the matter said.

JD-U MP Harivansh, 64, has already been named by the National Democratic Alliance as its candidate for a second term as the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman. Harivansh was first elected to the post in 2018 when he, as a first time MP, defeated the Congress BK Hariprasad who fought as the joint Opposition candidate. Over the next two years, the ruling BJP is only stronger than it was, up from 73 seats in the 250-seat house to 87.

The oppositions decision to project RJDs first-time MP Manoj Jha is seen as an effort to draw support from new quarters and, as one Congress put it, also send a strong message about opposition unity, irrespective of the outcome of the election. Jha entered the Rajya Sabha in Jha in April 2018.

The opposition had initially debated fielding DMK MP Tiruchi Siva but later, settled for Jha, possibly with the Bihar assembly elections in mind where the Congress and the RJD are two major constituents of the much-depleted Grand Alliance. Also, there is a hope that some regional parties that may not support the Congress would lean towards the candidate from the party founded by Lalu Prasad Yadav.

This would turn the RS deputy chairman post a RJD vs JD-U fight and an all-Bihar affair. Both Harivansh and Jha are RS MPs from Bihar.

Manoj Jha, 53, insisted that the election wasnt just between two parties.

It should not be seen as RJD vs JD-U as there are larger issues at stake relating to the health and well-being of the parliamentary democracy. It is not between two individuals. It is for a larger cause and it should be seen in that context, said Jha

Jha is expected to file his nomination on Friday (September 11), the last date for filing nomination. The election will be held on September 14, the day the monsoon session of the Parliament begins. Harivansh, who held the post of deputy chairman till the end of his term, has already filed his nomination.

Manoj Jhas name was proposed after the Congress decided to try for a larger opposition unity on the election of RS deputy chairman.

This is a good sign that the Congress is thinking of opposition cohesion going beyond its own party with a long-term goal. It will send a positive message to the opposition parties that Congress is ready to walk an extra mile, said a senior Congress leader.

A Delhi University professor, Jha has not completed even half his first stint in the Rajya Sabha, but is widely seen as a sharp critic of the centre and articulate politician, inside the House as well as on social media.

The policies of the Narendra Modi government have hurt the people of all strata across the country and it got further accentuated by the inept handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, the political parties supporting the BJP also have to think and we hope they will during the forthcoming RS election for the post of deputy chairman, said Congress leader Premchandra Mishra.

For Jha to have a chance to scrape through, he would require support of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and YSR Congress, as the NDA with 116 members, is much closer to the majority mark.

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During a Wednesday interview, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Anthony Fauci, said he did not believe United States President Donald Trump distorted facts about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exclusive interview

In March, veteran journalist Bob Woodward interviewed President Trump. Audio from the discussions had the Republican reveal that he always wanted to downplay the coronavirus and continues to do so because he wants to avoid a panic.

According to Fox News, "The Daily Briefing" host John Roberts recently asked Fauci on his thoughts of Trump downplaying the potential threat of the coronavirus pandemic. The medical expert said that he did not believe the Republican president distorted the facts about the crisis.

Fauci revealed that during his discussions with Trump, the conversations were always straightforward. The NIAID director said during every briefing that Trump relayed the same concerns to the public.

The medical expert said it might have happened but that he did not see distortion in the president's speeches.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended Trump shortly after the audio of Woodward's interview with the president. She said that the Republican leader continued to be an excellent leader to the American people by remaining calm amid the pandemic and that he has never lied to his people about the virus.

During the interview with Fauci, Roberts also asked the director if Trump discussed downplaying the coronavirus crisis with his advisers. The host noted the medical expert was present during the events and asked whether the US president spoke about it or if it was his own direction.

Fauci stressed that what they discussed behind closed doors was similar to what Trump announced publicly to the American people.

Also Read: Fact Check: Did a 'Trump Train' Truck Get Stuck Under a Bridge

Coronavirus response

President Trump has continued to defend his response to the coronavirus pandemic by showcasing his travel bans on Chinese foreigners due to the virus originating from Wuhan. However, the White House refused to take responsibility for the failed handling of the COVID-19 virus, as reported by Politico.

While Fauci supported Trump, the NIAID director avoided directly commenting on the Woodward interviews. The medical expert said that the downplaying of the virus might have happened but stressed that the discussions were about events that did not involve him.

During Woodward's interview, he quoted Fauci saying Trump was on a separate channel and that he had less than stellar attention span. The journalist also said the NIAID director believed Trump only cared about getting reelected.

Fauci denied the quotes saying Woodward got them from second-hand sources and not directly from him. The medical expert also noted that the drama was a distraction from the coronavirus task force's efforts in battling the pandemic.

According to the New York Post, Secretary McEnany said that NIAID director Fauci has always been full of praise for the US president amid the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The House secretary said that Trump continuously followed his medical advisers' recommendations, including Fauci, who commended the Republican for his response to the virus.

Related Article: 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic Claims He Was Sexually Assaulted in Prison, Asks Trump for Pardon

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The Philippines is expected to gain backing from neighboring coastal countries and several other member states should the government decide to raise the South China Sea arbitral win at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, a former Supreme Court justice said Thursday.

Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said four fellow Southeast Asian nations involved in territorial disputes with China  Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia can help campaign for the enforcement of the ruling when the assembly convenes on September 15.

We ask the civilized community of countries in the world to help us enforce the ruling, to tell China, that China must abide with international law. That China cannot just seize exclusive economic zones of other coastal states, Carpio, a vocal critic of the current administrations policies on the maritime dispute, said in an interview with CNN Philippines The Source.

The world will be a terrible place to live in, and the coastal states know this. Thats why we expect an overwhelming majority of coastal states to support us, because by supporting us they will be preserving the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea which protects them, the former magistrate added. He noted that Chinas possible seizing of the EEZs would mean the UNCLOS will collapse.

Aside from the ASEAN, Carpio likewise cited European nations such as United Kingdom and France, as well as the United States, Australia, and Japan as some of the countries that have previously backed the Philippines 2016 arbitral victory.

We expect a lot of support, and I think, at the very least, we will have a majority on our side, he said.

In a joint statement in August, Carpio alongside former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario called on President Rodrigo Duterte to assert the Hague tribunal's ruling during the UNGA, saying the chief executive must use the remainder of his term to gain the support of the 193 UN member nations on the case.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin, Jr., however, earlier rejected the proposal, warning that bringing up the territorial row could only affect the countrys legal victory. He said raising China's misdeeds before the assembly could only trigger a reopening of the case which could be interpreted differently.

The 2016 ruling by the international arbitral tribunal constituted under UNCLOS invalidated China's sweeping claims to the South China Sea. It also recognized the Philippines' sovereign rights in areas within its 200-nautical mile EEZ where China has built artificial islands, prohibited Filipino fishermen from fishing, and interfered in petroleum exploration.

China, however, has continuously refused to acknowledge the landmark decision, which it labeled as illegal and invalid.

Duterte, who has nurtured close ties with China during his tenure, earlier agreed to set aside the ruling to pursue cordial relations with Beijing.

READ: Duterte on sea row with China: No war, just diplomatic endeavors

World opinion

Carpio meanwhile acknowledged that a possible decision at the UN assembly favoring the Philippines would not necessarily have a legal binding effect.

However, he justified that such development will still have a significant impact on Chinas relations with other member states and countries in the world.

The UN resolution is an expression of opinion of the countries who are members of the United Nations... There are only two ways that China will comply China voluntarily complying, which we do not see happening, and China is forced by world opinion to comply. China needs the world, because China has to export to survive, it has to import to survive, and China wants to show the world it is a model in terms of economic development for a state," Carpio said.

But if China will just seize the EEZ of its neighbors, nobody will respect China. Everybody will be fearful of China. China will not command the respect of its neighbors, he explained.

CNN Philippines' Melissa Lopez and Eimor Santos contributed to this report.
In August this year, Democratic nominee Joe Biden picked California Senator Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2020 Presidential election. This also makes her the first black woman who also has Indian roots on a major partys White House ticket. Her career as a politician has a record number of firsts, but for the past couple of days, Harris has been going viral for an entirely different reason - her uber cool shoes.

Recently, Harris was in Milwaukee, US for some on-ground campaigning for the upcoming Presidential elections. Dressed in a blazer and casual denims, Harris looked cool, calm and confident; but one aspect of her attire stood out - a classic Converse shoe in black and white, identified as the Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoe.

Very soon, visuals of Harris shoes became the talking point of the whole world, so much so that her official campaigning profile decided to cash in and work it in her favour. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram Laced up and ready to win. A post shared by Kamala Harris (@kamalaharris) on Sep 7, 2020 at 2:24pm PDT

Washington Post reported that the total number of views on the video of Harris arrival, posted by reporters, crossed 8 million. That is roughly four times more than the total number of views on the famous socially distance conversation" video featuring presidential candidate Joe Biden and former US President Barack Obama.

Harris preference for comfort shoes, over the more conventional stilletos is well-known and has been documented throughout her political career.

There are two things that need to be addressed here. One, of course, Harris shoes should ideally not be a point of focus given that she is a politician who just embarked on her first solo round of campaigning. In an ideal world, where female politicians would not be judged on the basis of their clothing and their fashion choices are not dissected, the focus would have been on what Harris said to her supporters in the video that went viral.

Not just Harris, women like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who are frequently considered as role models, have a dual role to play - as a politician and a fashion icon. Now, that is not entirely fair given that their male counterparts are spared the constant scrutiny of fashion critics. For instance, when was the last time Donald Trump or Joe Biden were schooled for the wrong choice of tuxes? But when First Lady Melania Trump wore a bright green dress to an event, she was turned into a meme.

READ: Melania Trumps Green Dress to RNC is a Clean Slate for Meme Lords

But keeping the obvious patriarchy aside, you cannot turn a blind eye to the silent protest and revolution by women politicians of today against what convention dictates they should be dressed like.

Soon after Harris shoes went viral, her sister and co-chair of her former presidential campaign, Maya Harris tweeted that these Converse shoes were indeed her go-to pair. Washington Post also reported that Harris has the same kind of shoes in multiple colours and often chooses to wear these for her campaigns.

When influential politicians like Harris normalise wearing comfort shoes and sneakers at official events, it echoes what women over the decades have always said - heels, often considered to be a symbol of patriarchal society, are uncomfortable. Imagine running from location to location, campaign meetings to rallies in stilletos? Hurts, doesnt it?

Not just Harris, AOC too had decided to keep her heels aside during her campaign in 2018 and opted for a more comfortable choice.

Some folks are saying I won for demographic reasons.1st of all, thats false. We won w/voters of all kinds. 2nd, heres my 1st pair of campaign shoes. I knocked doors until rainwater came through my soles. Respect the hustle. We won bc we out-worked the competition. Period. pic.twitter.com/RbpQMYTiWY  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 29, 2018

As a report by GQ noted, politician Elizabeth Warren too opted for sneakers when it came to long meetings and greeting people at campaign rallies.

READ: The Indian Roots of Kamala Harris are Not Just Her Tamilian Mother and Love for Idlis

In short, women like Harris, Warren and AOC have attacked patriarchy through the very thing that patriarchy dictates they be judged on - their fashion choice. So yes, the future is indeed female, albeit, in sneakers.
Shares of Reliance Industries today hit a new high when they rose as much as 2.5% to 2,215.Sentiments were lifted after Reliance Retail Ventures on Wednesday announced $1 billion investment from Silver Lake Partners. Mint reported that Reliance Retail Ventures is set to draw additional investments worth $5 billion from KKR and Co., Mubadala Investment Co. and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), citing two people directly aware of the negotiations said.

California-based private equity fund Silver Lake, an investor in Reliance Industries Ltds Jio Platforms unit, has picked up a 1.75% stake in Reliance Retail Ventures for 7,500 crore, valuing the company at 4.21 trillion, or $57 billion.

In May, Reliance launched online grocery service JioMart. It has been aggressively building its retail presence through acquisitions, moving beyond its mainstay oil and gas business.

The conglomerate has already raised a little more than $20 billion from global investors, including Facebook Inc, by selling stakes in its Jio Platforms digital business.

Powered by Reliance's Jio tech platform, the unit owns retail businesses as varied as grocery stores and fashion chains, and operates close to 12,000 stores.

Shares of Reliance Industries, which has a market cap of over 14 lakh crore, have more than doubled from its March lows of 867. (With Agency Inputs)





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Police are also looking for help from the community and have asked anyone with tips to call Area 2 detectives, 312-747-8271. People also may call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service tip line at 1-877-876-2455 (say Law Enforcement) and reference Case No. 3157692.
The death toll from a massive fire that swept through the mountain communities of Butte, Plumas and Yuba counties has risen to 10, and 16 people remain missing, fire officials said Thursday evening.

The North Complex fire mushroomed in size this week, scorching a total of more than 252,000 acres and forcing some 20,000 residents in Plumas, Butte and Yuba counties from their homes. Officials said the bodies of seven more people were found Thursday as they searched through hamlets where the fire burned.

A hand crew was overrun by flames in the fire's West Zone in Butte County, which had become extremely unpredictable due to erratic weather changes. The crew was able to escape, but two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

The North Complex was one of the fires that exploded in size this week as record-high temperatures and strong winds beset the state. Flames raced through the northern Sierra Nevada foothills before dawn Wednesday  catching crews and residents off-guard as they leaped southwest toward towns in Butte County, including the community of Paradise, which was largely destroyed by the 2018 Camp fire.

Steve Kaufmann, a spokesman for the fire's response team, said 2,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged, though that number may increase after crews further assess the area Friday.

So much smoke enveloped the region that it shaded the fire from the sun, reducing temperatures and increasing the humidity Thursday, according to an incident meteorologist. Though the smoke impedes firefighters' aircraft response, it has helped with the firefight slightly. As of Thursday evening, the North Complex fire is 23% contained.

The incident is now the 10th-largest wildfire in state history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Wildfires have burned more than 3.1 million acres statewide this year  the largest amount on record. At least 19 people have died and thousands of structures have been destroyed.

Story continues

Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said dangerously dry conditions led "to explosive fires that have really just skyrocketed us past the 3-million mark for the first time in our recorded history."

"Unfortunately, with several more months of fire season to go, this number could continue to increase," he said Thursday.

The Dolan fire, which ignited Aug. 18 north of Limekiln State Park in Monterey County, has also seen extreme growth this week. Officials said the combination of high temperatures, dry fuels and wind combined to more than triple the size of the fire, to more than 111,000 acres.

The fire also has spread to the Army's Ft. Hunter Liggett, though that property has not been forced to evacuate, officials said.

Near the Oregon border, the Slater fire has grown to 120,000 acres since it ignited Monday in the Klamath National Forest. The fire is threatening the communities of O'Brien, Takilma, Cave Junction and Gasquet, and destroyed 150 structures in Happy Camp.

Embers fly across a roadway as the Bear fire burns in Oroville. (Noah Berger/Associated Press)

While the mid-August lightning siege set California on the path toward a historic and horrifyingly active fire season, a second salvo of summer infernos has since pushed the toll to more devastating heights.

The unprecedented firestorm prompted the U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday to temporarily close all national forests in California.

Many officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have said the effects of climate change have helped set the stage for this year's prolific fire season.

I quite literally have no patience for climate change deniers, he said Tuesday.

You may not believe it intellectually, he added. But your own eyes, your own experiences, tell a different story.

So far this year, almost 7,700 fires have ignited statewide, according to Berlant.

This year has already been a very destructive fire season, and it is nowhere close to being over, he said Wednesday.

Six of the state's 20 largest wildfires have started in the past month or so, according to Cal Fire. That includes the August Complex, which has burned an all-time record 471,185 acres in a remote area in and around Tehama County.

The smoldering remains of a structure along Auberry Road, where the Creek fire tore through and jumped Highway 168 in Fresno County. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

That complex  which started Aug. 17 as a cluster of 37 distinct fires in the Mendocino National Forest  was 24% contained as of Thursday. The most recent acreage figure pushed it well past the 2018 Mendocino Complex fire, which burned more than 459,000 acres.

Crews have almost completely hemmed in the SCU Lightning and LNU Lightning complexes, which rank as the third- and fourth-largest wildfires in state history, at 396,624 and 363,220 acres, respectively.

The SCU complex  which began as a collection of about 20 blazes in Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties  is now 98% contained. Containment is at 95% for the LNU complex, which has charred parts of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Solano, Yolo and Colusa counties.

Joining those complexes on the distressing leaderboard is the Elkhorn fire, which is burning in the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests. It has scorched 255,309 acres  the ninth-largest burn zone  and was 27% contained as of Thursday.

Firefighters conduct a back burn operation along Highway 68 during the Creek fire as it approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

The massive Creek fire, which has chewed through more than 175,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 360 structures and prompted widespread evacuations in the Sierra foothills northeast of Fresno, is currently the 17th-largest in state history.

The fire caused an explosion in China Peak Mountain Resort, igniting a bunker of explosives that were used for avalanche mitigation, Fresno sheriff's officials said. There was some damage to the resort, but no one was injured.

As is the case for the North Complex fire, the layer of smoke over the Creek fire has helped improve weather conditions. Milder winds and temperatures allowed firefighters to make progress for the first time, increasing the fire's containment to 6%.

Were really trying to start gaining containment on this fire, said Chris Vestal, a spokesman for the Creek fire response. A lot of what we want to do is make sure everything that is standing stays standing.

Firefighters also made progress with the fast-growing Bobcat fire, which doubled in size in one day to nearly 24,000 acres. The fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains is now 6% contained, according to an incident report. The fire's growth was largely in the northeast direction Thursday, sparing foothill residential communities.

The Transamerica Pyramid and Salesforce Tower in San Francisco are shrouded by wildfire smoke. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press )

Six areas remain under an evacuation warning: Duarte, Bradbury, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Pasadena and Altadena.

Near Yucaipa, the El Dorado fire had burned almost 14,000 acres and was 31% contained as of Thursday morning. Though there's no current threat to communities in Big Bear Valley, Cal Fire officials issued an advisory asking visitors to postpone visits to the area in case evacuations are ordered.

In San Diego County near the Mexican border, the Valley fire grew to 17,665 acres and was 35% contained, according to Cal Fire. Officials were reporting 15% containment for the 1,300-acre Willow fire, which sparked north of Smartsville in Yuba County on Wednesday. That fire has destroyed 30 structures, according to Cal Fire, while 700 others are considered threatened.

A firefighter watches flames ignite a tree as fire continues to spread at the Bear fire in Oroville. (Josh Edelson / AFP )

The hope is that weather conditions will "improve across the state today, with most areas experiencing seasonal temperatures and dry conditions," according to Cal Fire.

"Northern California should expect average temperatures through the weekend, with a possible cooling trend next week," officials wrote in a statewide situation update Thursday. "In Southern California, temperatures will be at or slightly above normal."

That would be a boon to firefighters, who have had to contend with a pair of scorching heat waves in the past few weeks. UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said that last month was "the warmest August on record in California."

With fires raging throughout the West Coast, the skies over California have taken an apocalyptic turn  choking the air with ash and smoke in some regions, while snuffing out sunlight in others. Rarely have so many Californians breathed such unhealthy air.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is warning that smoke and ash are likely to hit much of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties Thursday due to the two major fires locally and smoke flowing in from Northern California blazes.

The air districts smoke advisory said that most of the Southern California region will be affected by smoke, with the highest readings of fine-particle pollution, tiny lung-damaging particles known as PM2.5, in areas closest to the Bobcat and El Dorado fires.

Smoke blowing in from Northern California may also contribute to widespread elevated PM2.5 concentrations, the air district said, but due to shifting winds, the smoke impacts will be highly variable in both space and time.

The air district said to expect noticeable smoke and ash impacts in southwest Los Angeles County, Orange County and southwest Riverside County.

The bad air is being generated by fires raging in California, Oregon and Washington that are lofting smoke into the air in a massive plume that is blanketing the entire West Coast and extends far out into the Pacific.

But in Southern California much of that smoke has remained aloft. At the ground level, air quality remained in the good to moderate range Thursday morning across most of the region, except for areas near the Bobcat fire in the Angeles National Forest north of Azusa and Glendora, and the El Dorado fire in the San Bernardino Mountains near Yucaipa, where readings showed air quality in the unhealthy range.

Air quality has been significantly worse in Northern California, where raging fires this week have choked the air with smoke and ash and snuffed out the sunlight, casting a gloomy, orange pall over San Francisco and other areas. Air monitoring data Thursday morning showed unhealthy pollution levels in most of San Francisco and in other parts of the Bay Area.

Times staff writers Anita Chabria, Matthew Ormseth and Joe Mozingo contributed to this report.
Two persons have been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing 100 kilograms of gold valued at $5.8 million.

Seth Owusu and Bachiro Pafadnam have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and stealing.

Accused have pleaded not guilty and have been admitted to bail in the sum of GHS1.6 million each with two sureties each.

The court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essandoh ordered that the accused should have one common surety earning not less than GHS 1,000 a month.

They are to reappear on October 7.

Abubakar Sadick, an accomplice is said to be at large.

Defence Counsel, Mr George Asamani who represented Pafadnam, prayed the court to admit him to bail because he had a fixed place of abode.

Mr Asamani said his client had people of substance to stand as sureties.

Defence counsel raised questions over the charge of stealing adding that at the right time Pafadnam would prove his innocence.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare did not opposed to bail.

ASP Asare who read the facts, said the complainant Raymond Turkson Kobina was a businessman.

Prosecution said Sadick was an employee of the complainant and he resided in the complainant's house.

Pafadnam, is a Burkinabe while Owusu resides at Gbawe in Accra.

Prosecution said in July this year, the complainant in the company of Sadick took delivery of 100kg of gold sourced from various miners awaiting prospective buyers.

ASP Asare said the complainant kept the 100kg of gold in one of the rooms in complainant's house with the knowledge of Sadick.

He said on July 26 this year, Sadick without the knowledge of complainant left home to an unknown destination but complainant later detected the missing 100kg of gold valued USD 5.8 million equivalent to GHS 31,900,000.00 kept in the room.

Prosecution said the case was reported to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service for investigations and several calls to Owusu went unanswered, thus, some gold refiners were alerted of the missing gold.

Prosecution said later, complainant was informed that Pafadnam was spotted at a refinery with the complainant's gold and this led to Pafadnam's arrest and during investigations, he admitted the offense and mentioned Owusu and Sadick as his accomplices.

Pafadnam also led Police to arrest Owusu, Prosecution said.

According to the prosecution, Police investigations revealed that Owusu led Pafadnam to ITALTEC Ghana Limited, a gold dealer to sell the 100kg worth of gold which he had stolen from the complainant.

ASP Asare said Pafadnam admitted the offense and led Police to arrest Sadick, his Ghanaian friend. Prosecution said Pafadnam indicated that he led Sadick to ITALTEC with the 100kg of gold he and Owusu stole from the complainant.

He said it was further established that the accused persons successfully caused 5kg out of the 100kg of the gold to be shipped to Dubai by ITALTEC Company Limited.

Prosecution said Police had since retrieved the remaining 95kg valued USD 290,000 equivalent to GH1,595,000.00 from ITALTEC Ghana Limited.

---GNA
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-09 13:38:19|Editor: huaxia

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Students attend a class on the north campus of Hefei special education center in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Sept. 3, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has sent greetings to teachers and workers in education circles across the country ahead of China's Teachers' Day that falls on Sept. 10.

In the face of the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, teachers across the country braved difficulties, continued working and made important contributions to fighting the epidemic by dedicating themselves to the world's largest-scale online teaching, Xi said.

Teachers across the country devoted their love and wisdom to stopping poverty from being passed on to the next generation, Xi said, noting this year as the time to secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieve the goal of poverty alleviation.

He expressed his hope that teachers will bear in mind their mission of cultivating talent for the Party and the state, develop teaching methods for the new era, and make more contributions to nurturing all-round socialist builders and successors.

Urging more care for teachers, Xi stressed the importance of making teaching the most esteemed and admired profession in society and better coordinating the COVID-19 response with educational work.

First-year students watch the teacher's demonstration in physical education class at Experimental School of Changchun Automobile Economic and Technological Development Zone in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Sept. 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)

China now has 17.32 million full-time teachers at different levels. Through large-scale online teaching, they met a variety of learning needs for 280 million students across the country amid the COVID-19 epidemic, advancing the revolutionary reform in teaching methods.

Meanwhile, teachers working in rural areas as well as in the most remote and impoverished regions have made their contributions to the country's mission of ending poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. 
Ahead of the talks between External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava stated that India is committed to resolving border situation with China through peaceful negotiations.

Addressing a press briefing, Srivastava highlighted that India and China are in touch via diplomatic, military channels to resolve the situation along the Line of Control (LAC), adding that "this was the consensus when defence ministers met".

The MEA spokesperson said, "India-China are in touch via diplomatic, military channels to resolve the situation, this was the consensus when defence ministers met. EAM will meet Chinese foreign minister shortly where he'll discuss it. India committed to resolving the border situation via peaceful negotiations."

Speaking on Jaishankar's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Srivastava added, "There was an excellent discussion on bilateral matters, regional developments and international issues of concern." S Jaishankar met Lavrov and Wang Yi earlier on Thursday in Moscow on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet.

Srivastava spoke about the telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan PM Shinzo Abe calling it "a very warm conversation between the two leaders". He added that they recalled memories of early meetings in Varanasi, Sabarmati, Kobe, Kyoto and PM Modi's visit to PM Abe's ancestral home in Yamanashi.

"PM Modi expressed gratitude to Japanese PM for his personal leadership and commitment to enhance strategic partnership with Japan which covers several domains. Also discussed the status of ongoing cooperation and reviewed various projects including Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed railway project," he said.

He added, "India-Japan agreement on reciprocal provision of supplies & services between Indian armed forces & self-defence forces of Japan also known as ACSA agreement was signed yesterday between Defence Secretary & Japenese Ambassador."

"This agreement is expected to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation as well as peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," added Srivastava.
- Edgard & Cooper, the purpose-driven pet food brand, secures major listing with Europe's largest pet supplies retailer, Fressnapf

- The launch further fuels its rapid European expansion landing distribution across 5 territories and over 245 stores

LONDON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Edgard & Cooper, a purpose driven natural pet food start-up established in 2016, is pleased to announce further rapid expansion thanks to a major listing with the leading pet supplies retailer across Europe. The brand continues to grow rapidly across the continent, with growth in 2019 exceeding 145%.

Tapping into aligned market trends for healthier, humanised pet food[1] - their range of dry food contain fresh meat, nothing processed or dried such as meat and fish meal, boosted with healthy extras then gently cooked with minimal process to retain maximum nutritional value.

The brand also prides itself on ensuring its packaging has as little impact on the planet as possible, with all of its dry food packaging made from 100% biodegradable materials - a mix of FSC paper and an innovative bioplastic made from potatoes. To date the brand has sold over 5 million bags across Europe. As well as it's sustainability credentials, the brand has strong ethics at its core, having recently unveiled its new pledge to donate 1% of its annual sales to its independent charitable foundation, supporting dogs and cats in need across the globe.

The tie up with Fressnapf, Europe's biggest pet supplies retailer, will see the purposeful pet food brand land in over 245 stores across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Republic of Ireland, as well as a full selection online in the retailer's home market of Germany.

The brand also shows its commitment to launch with the unveiling of its first German language packaging and an impressive plan of bespoke activation for the retailer including over 200 displays to support the launch in store.

Jurgen Degrande, one of the founders of Edgard & Cooper, commented "It's a huge milestone for us to be launching our feel good brand with Fressnapf. It means we can provide even more shoppers across Europe with the choice to make healthier, planet friendlier purchase decisions for their pets."

Edgard & Cooper products are now available in 14 markets across Europe with sights firmly set on continued expansion over the next year.

For further information contact us at hello@edgardcooper.com, or visit www.edgardcooper.com.



[1] World Market for Pet Care, Euromonitor, June 2020

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252242/Edgard_Cooper_Retailer.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252243/Edgard_Cooper_Range.jpg
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has strongly suggested that pubs in Dublin will not reopen on September 21 because of rising Covid-19 cases.

Mr Varadkar has also said the Government will be looking at restricting gatherings in homes in the capital, similar to measures that have been taken in Glasgow.

He said the Government is now considering rapid testing in airports to allow for more international travel but is also considering a European map of green, amber, and red zones.

This travel map would allow unrestricted travel between the green zones and then either testing or quarantine for the orange and red zones.

84 cases of coronavirus were announced today with 51 being in Dublin.

On Tuesday, there were 307 cases of the virus recorded, 182 of which were in Dublin. Yesterday, 84 cases were announced, 51 of which were in the capital.

While the Cabinet agreed that all so-called 'wet pubs' should be allowed to reopen on September 21, Mr Varadkar said: "I think based on the numbers you'd be more confident about seeing the pubs in rural Ireland open on September 21, rather than in Dublin.

"If we do have to act we will act and we will act in a way that protects public health and human life."

Asked about the possibility of clamping down on home visits, Mr Varadkar said: "The restriction on home visits is what they're doing in Glasgow at the moment. I don't know how effective that has been actually, they took a decision, rather than closing schools again or closing childcare again and closing businesses again that they would go really hard on gathering within the home, that is an option that I think we'll have to consider if the numbers keep going in the that direction."

But he said he would have "real concerns" for businesses and jobs if there is a second lockdown.

In the Dail, during a debate on the controversial new regulations for pubs announced last week, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the temporary regulations were brought in for the sole purpose of limiting the spread of Covid-19 to save lives, protect health, get our hospitals, schools, and colleges open and allow the economy to function.

He said the Government was opposing the motion to annul these regulations brought by the Rural Independent group.

Mr Donnelly said the rates of transmission of Covid-19 are not at the levels we saw back in April and May but we are on an upward trajectory and this trajectory is causing a great deal of concern.

When restaurants opened, they did not see clusters of cases, but when pubs opened without food being served they did see a rise in the number of clusters of cases. That is what has underlain this measure from day one, Mr Donnelly said.

We therefore introduced a regulation such that the pub in question could be asked to produce proof of sale of the meals. This can be done very simply in the form of till receipts, which every restaurant and every pub already keeps for six or seven years for its Vat returns."
Staff from three separate Sydney hospitals have been redeployed to Concord Hospital's emergency department to help the hospital cope with a staff shortage caused by a COVID-19 outbreak.

People who attended the Eastern Suburbs Legion Club in Waverley on five separate days have also been directed to self-isolate as three cases have now been linked to the club.

NSW recorded seven new cases on Thursday morning. Two cases were linked to the hospitals cluster, taking that outbreak to 14.

One case was in a student from St Paul's Catholic College in Greystanes. NSW Health said the student was already in self-isolation as they were a close contact of a previously confirmed case.
There is an opportunity to turn this newfound determination into effective action. Merkel should agree to at least suspend construction of the pipeline (though its cancellation would be better). With that decision in hand, she should propose to her European and American allies to impose biting sanctions on those responsible for the attempt on Navalnys life. And she should urge President Trump to reverse the announced withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany  a decision that weakens NATO and is widely seen as a strategic gift to Putin.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CTO Realty Growth (NYSE American: CTO) (the Company) today announced the closing of the sale of a property located in Jacksonville, Florida leased to PDQ (PDQ), for a sales price of approximately $2.5 million, reflecting an exit cap rate of approximately 6.1%. The property is currently under a ground lease to PDQ with 6.9 years remaining on the initial term of the lease. The proceeds are expected to be part of a future Section 1031 like-kind exchange. The Company estimates a gain on the sale of approximately $128,000, or $0.02 per share, after tax. Including this transaction, the Company has over $12 million of proceeds held in 1031 restricted cash accounts. Year to date, the Company has completed the sale of seven single-tenant net lease properties and one multi-tenant retail property, for an aggregate sales price of more than $51 million.



About CTO Realty Growth, Inc.

CTO Realty Growth, Inc. is a Florida-based publicly traded real estate company, which owns income properties comprised of approximately 2.3 million square feet in diversified markets in the United States and an approximately 23.5% interest in Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc., a publicly traded net lease real estate investment trust (NYSE: PINE). Visit our website at www.ctorealtygrowth.com .

We encourage you to review CTOs most recent investor presentations which are available on its website at www.ctorealtygrowth.com .

SAFE HARBOR

Certain statements contained in this press release (other than statements of historical fact) are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Words such as believe, estimate, expect, intend, anticipate, will, could, may, should, plan, potential, predict, forecast, project, and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they were made, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words. Although forward-looking statements are made based upon managements present expectations and reasonable beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect upon the Company, a number of factors could cause the Companys actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Such factors may include general adverse economic and real estate conditions, the inability of major tenants to continue paying their rent or obligations due to bankruptcy, insolvency or a general downturn in their business, the loss or failure, or decline in the business or assets of PINE or the Land JV, the completion of 1031 exchange transactions, the availability of investment properties that meet the Companys investment goals and criteria, the uncertainties associated with obtaining required governmental permits and satisfying other closing conditions for planned acquisitions and sales, as well as the uncertainties and risk factors discussed in our (i) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and (ii) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There can be no assurance that future developments will be in accordance with managements expectations or that the effect of future developments on the Company will be those anticipated by management. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release.
Tucker Carlson on Fox News, one of President Trumps most devoted defenders, is pointing a finger at another Trump wingman  Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina  for selling the president on a sit-down with Bob Woodward for his new book.

It is not clear, however, if Mr. Carlson blames Mr. Graham for the 17 other times the president spoke to Mr. Woodward for the book, on the record.

It was Lindsey Graham who helped convince Donald Trump to talk to Bob Woodward, said Mr. Carlson, citing an anonymous source, during his show on Wednesday night. Lindsey Graham brokered that meeting. Lindsey Graham even sat in on the first interview between Bob Woodward and the president. How did that turn out?

He went on to ask, rhetorically, why Mr. Graham (who is supposed to be a Republican) walked the president, the senators golf partner, into a such a trap.
'India is not the India of 1962. We are not carrying that baggage of history anymore.'

IMAGE: General Manoj Mukund Naravane, chief of the army staff interacts with Indian Army soldiers on his visit to Ladakh to review the security situation, September 4, 2020. Photograph: ANI Photo

"China has got a taste of 'India 2020' at Galwan and in the Chushul sector."

"They would look for an honourable exit policy, but at the same time, militarily they will want to continue certain probing actions against India so that they don't look subjugated," says Lieutenant General A B Shivane, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (retd), a second-generation army officer, who served the Indian Army for 40 years.

General Shivane was director general mechanised forces and previously commanded the 50 Armoured Regiment during Operation Parakram.

He has also served as GSO1 in the Srinagar-based XV Corps between 1997 and 1999 and was GOC of the oldest Strike Corps.

The distinguished scholar-soldier has been part of many studies about the future planning, restructuring and rebalancing of the Indian Army.

General Shivane spoke to Rediff.com's Archana Masih about the recent strategic moves by the Indian Army that indicate a transition from a policy of reactive defensive strategy to a pre-emptive offensive against China.

"We pre-empted and dislocated the Chinese from occupying certain heights and we have now the ability to disrupt them," says the general in the first of a two-part interview.

In view of how the situation in Ladakh has been building up after the Galwan clash three months ago, how do you read the confrontation that led to the exchange of fire on September 7, the first time since 1975?

We need to understand two things:

One, the Chinese intent.

Second, the impact of the event of August 29-30 on the Chinese psyche.

The Chinese troops had to step back because they were repelled by the Indian Army and suffered a loss of face.

The Chinese geopolitical intent is based on a culture of expansionism and revisionism.

If you classify that into ways, means and end, then the end is to stymie India's rise as a regional competitor.

China is very conscious of India's global rise.

China is also irked by the strategic bonhomie that is developing between India and the US. These two factors are heavily weighing in on China.

Therefore, they are using coercive diplomacy as a tool, both in the economic and non-economic sphere.

They have created an economic dependency, particularly in the telecommunication sector.

Militarily, they have kept the LAC alive by not wanting to settle the boundary dispute. The abrogation of Article 370 and India's claim to entire Ladakh has further rankled them.

China played its Nepal card when the latter claimed the area close to the Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand.

Subsequently, China started claiming territory in Bhutan near the Tawang sector.

After that they indulged in hostage diplomacy by picking up five porters in Arunachal Pradesh.

These are all means of China's coercive diplomacy, but India is not the India of 1962. We are not carrying that baggage of history anymore.

History is a place of reference, not a place of residence.

India has grown into a powerful and globally respected democracy, professing peace and growth with no extraterritorial ambitions, except what was rightly ours at the time of independence.

Whereas China has grown into a powerful and coercive bully. It uses expansionism and revisionism as a tool.

IMAGE: A tank in the Ladakh sector in 2016. Photograph: Kind courtesy Lieutenant General A B Shivane

What are the key takeaways from the confrontation of August 29-30 when Indian troops occupied dominating heights in the Chushul sector by thwarting PLA's moves?

Firstly, militarily, we transited from a policy of reactive defensive strategy to a pre-emptive offensive defense strategy.

We pre-empted and dislocated the Chinese from occupying certain heights and we have now the ability to disrupt them.

Therefore, operationally we chose the right time to occupy the right positions with the right force, including the use of the Special Frontier Force.

This has come as a setback to the Chinese idea of superiority and invincibility.

Diplomatically, it has given a certain amount of strength and leverage to negotiate from a position of increased strength.

Politically, we have sent a very strong message that we are questioning the one China policy.

When you deploy the SFF, you are playing the Tibetan card and indicating its potential. There were certain messages in the funeral of the SFF company commander Nyima Tenzin.

A sensible nation will pick up the indicators and the strategic messaging that has been conveyed.

China, a nation with a huge ego and centralised leadership, has received a setback.

Does this open up the possibility of greater aggression on the LAC which will include the use weapons and firepower?

The Chinese fired in the air because they realised that the Indian Army had occupied the Spanggur gap in the Karakoram range and were dominating not only their garrisons, but also their approaches into the Chushul sector south of Pangong Tso lake.

This is a huge disadvantage to the Chinese because my military logic says Indian troops would have strengthened those positions to make them untenable for any reposts or counter attacks.

The Chinese would want to try and show some aggressive action to send a message to their domestic audience.

IMAGE: Lieutenant General A B Shivane receiving aiguillette from President Ram Nath Kovind on being honoured by being nominated as honorary aide-de-camp to the President of India. Photograph: Kind courtesy Lieutenant General A B Shivane

Do you think the hostilities will continue to escalate hereon?

The force build-up in close proximity to each other has the potential to ignite. Though I feel a full-scale war in not sensible for either side, especially given both sides are well entrenched.

The Chinese would look for an honourable exit, having realised that their military options cannot be achieved.

They have got a taste of India 2020 at Galwan and in the Chushul sector.

It is about the prestige of two nations with strong leaderships and very high level of nationalism in both sides.

So, they would look for an honourable exit policy, but at the same time, militarily they will want to continue certain probing actions against India so that they don't look subjugated.

Picking up porters in Arunachal is an example of such probing actions. It shows their desperation and their aim to do some pinpricks actions which are likely to continue.

Winter is a testing time, we need to build up and exhaust the Chinese soldiers.

How do Indian troops compare with the Chinese counterparts?

The PLA troops are no comparison to the Indian soldiers. Indian soldiers are well-trained, battle hardened and highly motivated.

We need to exploit this and exhaust the Chinese which is basically an army drawn from conscription. It is not a volunteer army like ours.

At the same time, we need a high level of operation readiness across the Chinese front, whether in Sikkim, the Central sector and Arunachal Pradesh.

IMAGE: PLA soldiers armed with stick-machetes during their deployment along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Photograph: ANI Photo

What are the options ahead?

In my view, war is not desirable because time and cost is prohibitive, but it cannot be ruled out.

Secondly, we could see a limited, localised war in the Ladakh sector, more of exchange of fire and standoff escalation.

In view of how Covid has impacted global economy, both sides will want to control the escalation.

War is fought for political objectives and I don't think the political objectives of either side would be reached by going to war.

Both sides will pick options like we have done in South Pangong Tso and Chushul. Both sides would aim to seek leverages at the diplomatic table.

In the diplomatic talks, the Chinese are going to push for a buffer zone.

A buffer zone is going to be a disadvantage to India, I have no doubt in my mind on that issue, because it would amount to us being pushed back further in our own territory.

It would be an advantage for the Chinese and a de facto loss of territory to India.

It will lead to the Chinese creating problems when we build infrastructure in those areas in close proximity to the buffer zone.

We should be very tough against the creation of a 20 kilometre buffer zone on each side.

Now that we have some leverage (after occupying the dominating heights in the Chushul sector), I feel the status quo ante as of April 2020 should be caveated with reasonable assurance, a roadmap and time specification of the delineation and demarcation of the boundary.

This is important to prevent the Chinese from coming in again in the future with a bolder, bloodier and more escalatory intent.

Any status quo ante must address the root cause, not just the symptoms.

Therefore, it is important that we do not give up this advantage, like we did by returning the Haji Pir Pass (that India had captured in the 1965 War), or by not crossing the LoC during Kargil or by returning 90,000 prisoners of war after the 1971 victory against Pakistan.

Even if the stand-off prolongs to winter, we should not show that we are in a hurry and the diplomatic solution that we arrive at with the Chinese must have a long-term perspective of peace, stability and trust.

It should nullify any intentions of Chinese misadventures in the future.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 13:21 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4400f03 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,virus-corona,South-Sumatra,Lubuklinggau,MUI,ulemas,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,grave Free

The Lubuklinggau, South Sumatra, chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has urged authorities to dig up deceased COVID-19 patients buried at a cemetery in the area because they are not oriented toward the qibla  the direction of the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia.

The request came after several residents complained that the regions COVID-19 cemetery defied Islamic burial rites, which require deceased Muslims to be buried with their heads in the direction the qibla.

MUI Lubuklinggau chapter deputy chairman Fami Atiq said he had delivered the complaints to the city administration and its COVID-19 task force during a meeting on Monday.

We have asked [] the religious affairs ministry and the COVID-19 task force to [] fix the graves positions because they are not facing the qibla, Fahmi said on Tuesday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He added that families of COVID-19 victims should be allowed to bathe and enshroud the deceased as required by Islamic burial rituals.

Read also: Jakarta cemetery space about to run out as COVID-19 burials increase

Responding to the complaints, the Lubuklinggau Public Housing Agency said it would not exhume bodies that had already been interred but would correct the position of bodies in future burials. The agency is authorized to manage COVID-19 cemeteries.

Well make technical improvements regarding the bodies direction. It would not be good if we had to exhume the existing graves, the agencys public road, cemetery and park division head Misno said on Wednesday.

He added that the agency had explained to the MUI that past burials of COVID-19 victims were performed with heavy machinery, so it was difficult to ensure that the bodies were facing the qibla.

The MUI, Misno said, had agreed to the agencys decision to correct the positioning of bodies in future burials. (mfp)
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  September 9, 2020  Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Enphase Energy ENPH, JinkoSolar JKS and Canadian Solar CSIQ.

Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog:

Australia's Solar Boom Draws Attention: 3 Stocks to Watch

Australia has established itself as one of the forerunners in the global transition toward a green economy. Evidently, the country is deploying new renewables 10 times faster per capita than the global average and four times faster per capita than in Europe, China, Japan or the United States, as stated by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in its latest Renew Economic analysis.

Interestingly, about 99% of new renewables in Australia are solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind. In particular, solar rooftop installations grew to record levels in the country. Naturally for solar companies across the globe, the Australian market offers a profitable investment abode.

Secret Behind Australias Solar Success

A combination of natural advantages and favorable policymaking has been driving the solar market boom. Notably, Australia receives an average of 58 million petajoule (PJ) of solar radiation per year, approximately 10 000 times larger than its total energy consumption. However, Australia's current use of solar energy is low with solar energy accounting for only about 0.1% of Australia's total primary energy consumption.

Therefore, there remains ample room for solar expansion in this nation, which is well reflected in the record solar installations. According to the Clean Energy Regulators (CER) latest Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme data, more than 2.46 million solar PV systems were installed in households, community centers, schools and small businesses in the second quarter of 2020. This has resulted in more than 86,000 new installations compared to the first quarter to reach a cumulative installed capacity of 11.4 gigawatts (GW).

Story continues

Apart from the abundance of the natural solar energy, another key catalyst driving such solid installations in the country is the lack of strict regulations for installations, which in turn has kept the price considerably low. Evidently, residential solar systems are currently priced at about 70 cents per watt in Australia, including installation, which is quite lower than the equivalent price of $2.69 per watt in the United States.

Moreover, solar electricity generation is also increasing rapidly backed by government policies, notably the Renewable Energy Target. These include the government's Clean Energy Initiative Solar Flagships Program managed by the Department of Resources Energy and Tourism, which has committed $1.5 billion to support the construction and demonstration of up to four large-scale solar power plants in Australia, using solar thermal and PV technologies. Such investments also play a vital role in the growth trajectory of the Australian solar market.

Will the Solar Boom Continue?

The Clean Energy Regulator projects that Australia will deploy about 22 gigawatts of new solar and wind over 2018-21. According to the Australian Energy Market Operators (AEMO) July Generation Information data, there are currently 95 proposed solar projects with 23 committed and under construction. Considering such an ambitious planned pipeline and current installed capacity, no doubt Australias solar market growth is going to continue in the days ahead.

Stocks to Watch

Considering the aforementioned forecast, solar stocks across the globe have been either investing in or sealing deals with Australia-based solar players.

Below we have mentioned a few such companies, carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which have already set foot in Australias market and are expected to benefit from the boom. Also, their impressive fundamentals make them desirable choices for investors' watchlist.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Enphase Energy signed a supply deal in August 2020 for its IQ7+microinverters with Australia-based solar energy provider, Solargain. Per the terms of the deal, Enphase microinverters will be used as the premium inverter solution for Solargains turnkey retail solar offerings in Australia. In April, Enphase joined forces with Australian solar industry innovator 5B for supplying its IQ7+ microinverters. The company boasts a four-quarter average earnings surprise of 19.59%, while its current-year earnings estimate indicates year-over-year growth of 22.1%.

JinkoSolar in August 2019 announced the supply of its monocrystalline solar panels to its local arm Vena Energy, which is the largest renewable energy company in the Asia Pacific region. In June 2020, JinkoSolar announced that they have confirmed orders totaling more than 100MW with Australias wholesale distributor, Blue Sun Group. The company has a long-term earnings growth rate of 20%, while its current-year earnings estimate indicates year-over-year growth of 8.6%.

Canadian Solar in August 2019 signed a contract for providing Operations & Maintenance (O&M) services to three local solar photovoltaic (PV) plants with an aim to minimize downtime and increase site availability. The company boasts a four-quarter average earnings surprise of 28.26%, while its current year earnings estimate indicates year- over-year growth of 18.7%.

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>

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Mumbai: A special court in Mumbai is likely to pass an order on Friday on the bail pleas of Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik, arrested in connection with a drugs case linked to her boyfriend and actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

Special judge G B Gurao on Thursday heard the submissions made by the lawyer of Chakraborty siblings well as the special public prosecutor in the case.

The bail applications of four other accused in the case were also heard by the judge.

The court then adjourned the matter till Friday, when it is likely to pass an order on all the bail pleas.

Rhea, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday after three days of questioning, is currently in judicial custody.

Showik and Rajput's house manager Samuel Miranda were arrested by the agency last week.

The NCB is probing the drug angle in this case under criminal sections of the NDPS Act after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) shared with it a report following the cloning of two mobile phones of Rhea.

Various angles surrounding the death of the Sushant Singh Rajput are being probed by three federal agencies- the NCB, the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Rajput was found dead at his Bandra flat on June 14.
Twenty-four Lamar Consolidated ISD students and staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since employees and students returned to school, Lamar Consolidated ISD Community Relations Director Lindsey Sanders confirmed via email Thursday. A total of 14 district employees tested positive since teachers and staff reported for back-to-school duties on Aug. 10, including employees from Arredondo Elementary, Culver Elementary, Frost Elementary School, Meyer Elementary, Foster High School, Fulshear High School, the Adult Transition Program facility, Leaman Junior High School, Lamar Junior High, Thomas Elementary School, Wessendorff Middle School and District administrative facilities.

Ten positive cases are confirmed among students since in-person instruction resumed on Aug. 24, including three from Meyer Elementary and one student each from Beasley Elementary, George Junior High, Leaman Junior High, Wessendorff Middle School, Foster High School, Terry High School and George Ranch High School.

At the end of the day, theres absolutely no way that were going to be able to say were not going to have cases pop up over the next week or two. Its how we react to those cases thats important and its also making sure everyone in the organization is complying (with the districts health and safety guidelines) because if they do that, we minimize the opportunity for spread, superintendent Thomas Randle told trustees at the Aug. 20 meeting.

It is important that we follow those guidelines because this is serious. We want to make sure we take care of our staff and we want to make sure we take care of our students, Randle said.

Related: Lamar CISD trustees approve $792.5M school bond proposal

Prior to schools re-opening, parents and students could opt to remain with online classes or enroll to return the classroom. LCISD officials say 15,965 students, or roughly 45% of the total LCISD student population, returned for in-person learning and 19,770 students, 55% of the population, chose to remain with virtual education.

According to a presentation by assistant superintendent and chief of staff Dr. Mike Rockwood at the Aug. 20 trustees meeting, 65 employees tested positive since March 2020 and before schools re-opened. Currently, seven staff members are quarantined at home.

The district is currently developing an online COVID-19 reporting dashboard to launched in the future, Sanders said. The design remains in the planning stages currently.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas officials plan to collect, publish data on school-based COVID cases

Prior to re-opening schools, Lamar CISD officials created extensive health and safety guidelines and posted information online to guide parents, students and educators through the process with the goal to minimize the risk of infection. Among the requirements are that all staff, visitors and students in the fourth grade and above must wear a face covering and pre-kindergarten through third grade students must wear face coverings in hallways, common areas and during arrival and dismissal. Frequent hand washing is required and district guidelines stipulate that hand sanitizer be made available at the main entry to the campus, in classrooms, in office areas, in the cafeteria, outside of the nurses clinic and in common areas throughout the campus. District guidelines also require that each classroom and restroom be disinfected daily.

But, concerns remain for some individuals such as Julie Leahy, attorney for the Texas Classroom Teachers Association, who spoke during public comments at the Aug. 20 trustee meeting, about concerns related to recent changes to the health and safety guidelines for when a student or employee may return to school after having been diagnosed with COVID-19 or those who have come into contact with a COVID-positive person. Leahy also shared concerns about changes made to the guidelines definition of close contact.

The definition for close contact is significant because the person who has come into close contact with an individual who has tested positive will be notified of that fact, Leahy said.

According to the Aug. 10 update to the districts Close Contact and Exposure Guidelines, close contact is defined as being within six feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes. But, the guidelines allow additional factors such as whether a mask was worn to be considered to determine if someone was directly exposed to the virus. As such, the Lamar CISD guidelines are not aligned with guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) which state: While research indicates masks may help those who are infected from spreading the infection, there is less information regarding whether masks offer any protection for a contact exposed to a symptomatic or asymptomatic patient. Therefore, the determination of close contact should be made irrespective of whether the person with COVID-19 or the contact was wearing a mask.

Morning Report: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox

The district guidelines related to when a person known to have COVID-19 can end self-isolation and return to school or work do align with CDC guidelines that require at least ten days must have passed since symptoms first appeared, at least 24 hours have passed without fever (without using fever-reducing medications) and other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.

knix@hcnonline.com
Sirens and bullhorns blared before sunrise, stirring people sleeping in tents and cabins nestled into the lush forest of Silver Falls State Park. By the time the sun rose through smoke-filled skies Tuesday morning, the park was completely empty.

The quick evacuation came as the Beachie Creek fire encroached from the east, quickly spreading on high gusts of wind and catching hold in dry forests. By Wednesday, the fire had reached the parks perimeter, and on Thursday it began to creep in.

Anything could happen to the park, Oregon State Parks spokesman Chris Havel said Thursday. Were watching it, but theres really not much we can do.

Silver Falls is considered the crown jewel of Oregons state parks system, with nearly a dozen beautiful waterfalls cascading into a forested canyon east of Salem. To see the park burn would be devastating for many Oregonians, though its far from the only natural treasure endangered by fire.

With nearly 50 wildfires burning about 500 square miles of land in Oregon, several beloved natural landmarks are in danger of being burned. Some may already be consumed by flames.

Just east of Silver Falls, the Beachie Creek fire appears to have already passed through Opal Creek, a beautiful natural space known for its crystal-clear waters and old growth forests. The fire started near the confluence of Beachie and Opal creeks, just two miles from Jawbone Flats, a 15-acre section of Opal Creek thats home to an old mining camp and the Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center.

Staff at the center evacuated Friday, as smoke filled the air and ash fell from the sky, the organization announced on Facebook. Over the weekend, a crew from the Oregon Department of Forestry cleared debris in the area and hosed down buildings before the fire came through.

We have no news as to whether Jawbone Flats is burned or safe or anywhere in between, the Ancient Forest Center wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. Right now, we continue to choose hope.

Between Opal Creek and Silver Falls are two other natural landmarks threatened by the Beachie Creek fire: Shellburg Falls, which is also within the fire perimeter, and Abiqua Falls, which is less than two miles outside of it.

A little farther east, the Beachie Creek fire has merged with the Lionshead fire, which began on Aug. 16 along the Whitewater River northeast of Mount Jefferson. As winds picked up Monday, the Lionshead fire began to spread west, burning through Jefferson Park, a gorgeous destination on the north side of Oregons second tallest peak.

The fire crossed the Pacific Crest Trail and burned deeper into the Willamette National Forest, passing Breitenbush Hot Springs on its way to Detroit Lake.

At this point unfortunately we have not been able to get a good aerial visual of what that area looks like, Katy OHara, public information officer for the Lionshead fire, said Thursday. Were really still in the planning phase of trying to figure out where the fire is at this point.

OHara confirmed that the fire has crossed through Jefferson Park and Breitenbush Hot Springs, but said heavy smoke has prevented aerial crews from getting a good look at the damage. Firefighters so far have been focused on evacuating people and protecting buildings, she said.

WILDFIRE TRACKER: See all fires in Oregon and across the nation

The same is true for natural landmarks burned by the Beachie Creek fire. Joanie Schmidgall, a public information officer for the Willamette National Forest, said while places like Opal Creek are within the fire perimeter, its impossible to know the extent of the damage.

We really dont know how the fire fared, Schmidgall said. And while it doesnt look good, it doesnt mean that everything is scorched.

The old growth forests of Opal Creek might actually fare better than most. With thick bark and high branches, the old Douglas firs are especially fire resistant, Schmidgall said. With any luck, the Beachie Creek fire will be just another in the forests long history.

Opal Creek is thought to have survived two previous wildfires, in 1550 and 1835, according to the Ancient Forest Center. Many trees in the area are hundreds of years old, and the oldest, a 270-foot Douglas fir, is thought to be 1,000 years old.

That doesnt mean there wont be loss in these natural spaces  there most certainly will be, and it will come with an emotional toll for the Oregonians who have cherished them for generations. Mountains will still stand, waterfalls will still flow, but the landscapes around them may be drastically changed.

And losing natural landscapes will be hard, the devastation of losing family, homes and businesses will be far greater.

The entire Oregon community is going to have to come together to respond to these fires, Havel said. Were just at the start of this awful journey.

We dont yet know their fates, but these are some of the special natural areas endangered by those fires:

Opal Pool's clear waters can been seen a short hike up from Jawbone Flats in the Opal Creek Wilderness.Molly J. Smith/The Oregonian

OPAL CREEK

The Beachie Creek fire appears to have burned through the entire Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area, including Opal Pool and Jawbone Flats, as well as most of the Opal Creek Wilderness, according to the states wildfire map. Known for its old growth forests and beautiful waters, Opal Creek has long been one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the region. The extent of the damage is unknown.

The Beachie Creek fire began in the Opal Creek Wilderness near the confluence of Beachie and Opal creeks, and while it initially sat smoldering for three weeks, heavy winds on Labor Day fanned the fire into a large blaze.

The trail leads behind Shellburg Falls in the Santiam State Forest near Silverton.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

SHELLBURG FALLS

A small, but popular destination south of Silver Falls State Park, Shellburg Falls also appears to be overtaken by the Beachie Creek fire, which crossed Shellburg Creek on Wednesday. The waterfall is a popular destination near Silver Falls State Park.

Mount Jefferson in central Oregon with Jefferson Park in the foreground.LC-

JEFFERSON PARK

The Lionshead fire began on the east side of Mount Jefferson but quickly spread west, crossing along the north side of the mountain across Jefferson Park and the Pacific Crest Trail as it burned nearly 110,000 acres. Jefferson Park is a popular backpacking destination, known for its spectacular views of Oregons second tallest mountain.

A hiker passes behind North Falls in Silver Falls State Park.Jamie Hale/Staff

SILVER FALLS STATE PARK

The Beachie Creek fire spread rapidly northwest Wednesday, and as of Thursday it had reached the perimeter of Silver Falls State Park. The immensely popular and spectacularly beautiful park is home to nearly a dozen waterfalls, nestled into a forested canyon near Silverton. The sprawling park also contains a campground and several buildings, including a visitor center, lodge, cafe and conference center.

A group of friends gathers at Abiqua Falls, a popular and beautiful waterfall near Silverton, found at the end of a short hike along Abiqua Creek.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

ABIQUA FALLS

As of Thursday the Beachie Creek fire was a little more than a mile from Abiqua Falls, which sits along Abiqua Creek northeast of Silver Falls State Park. Though not the easiest waterfall to access, Abiqua Falls is popular for its picturesque nature, pouring from a cliff of columnar basalt.

The Belknap Covered Bridge crosses the McKenzie River in Lane County.Terry Richard/The Oregonian

MCKENZIE RIVER

The Holiday Farm fire began along the McKenzie River east of Springfield, quickly growing to nearly 145,000 acres. So far, the fire has swept through several local parks and campgrounds along the river between the communities of Rainbow and Vida, as well as the southern shore of Blue River Lake. Terwilliger Hot Springs, located less than four miles from the fire, appears to be out of the way.

The view from Cascade Head, a beloved grassy headland astride the Lincoln-Tillamook county line near Lincoln City, on the Oregon coast.Terry Richard/The Oregonian

CASCADE HEAD

A fire burning north of Lincoln City on the Oregon coast has so far remained small. If it grows and spreads north, it could endanger Cascade Head, a grassy headland with sweeping views that is managed as a wildlife preserve.

-- Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB
CARY, N.C., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tramazing and Zealic Solutions have entered into a partnership to engineer a completely new, more efficient way to train salespeople. A way that builds upon the recognized elements of successful sales training while adding innovative learning methodologies to drive sales performance. Engagement leads to learning, learning leads to adoption, adoption leads to application, and that application leads to better sales outcomes. Skill development coupled with a positive change in sales behavior is at the very heart of this partnership.

Tramazing Logo

"There has been a lot of fantastic content and powerful sales training programs produced over the past several decades. The impact of that content and the associated training programs have created enormous wealth for companies and individuals. Some of the teachings are timeless and still work today. However, based on all of the changes happening throughout the world, and the impact on the business community, we felt very strongly that we needed to bring something different to the training industry, and we found that in Zealic Solutions," says Michael Norton, CEO and Founder of Tramazing.

Technology, artificial intelligence, and business intelligence have dramatically altered the way people buy and the way people sell. And now is the time for sales organizations to rise to the challenge by amplifying their selling skills and behaviors through transformative and adaptive learning solutions.

The Buying Journey Has Changed, The Sellers Learning Journey Must Change as Well

By combining decades of sales training experience, new learning methods, and a revolutionary platform, we are able to provide an adaptive learning journey and experience. This combined offering goes beyond meeting expected sales challenges that companies are facing today. This solution will equip sales teams to grow and win in an ever-changing business environment.

"We're here to disrupt the training industry. We began by looking at all the pieces that go into organizational transformation, thinking out of the box, with a focus on creating a dramatically better outcome. While we took all elements into consideration, we started with the creation of an innovative cloud-based platform, zEd . It was engineered to take organizations, like sales, through an adaptive learning journey aimed at the needs of the 'modern-learner' while making it fun and rewarding through a game-based user experience. This coupled with Tramazing's track record in sales training brings all the needed elements together for a complete solution that will change the transformation journey of any sales organization," says Chuck Piccirillo, CEO Zealic Solutions, Inc.

Sales enablement solutions are being developed very quickly to help sales organizations succeed in today's highly competitive market. Regardless of the "cool" factor and how easy-to-use these tools may seem, if the salespeople don't adopt the technology, the tools are no good. Engaging salespeople through asynchronous learning journeys that they can complete at their own pace and coupling it with virtual instructor-led training increases the likelihood of adoption and utilization of the sales processes and methodologies they are trying to learn and apply.

Media Contact

Chuck Piccirillo

919-414-0529

[email protected]

SOURCE Zealic Solutions
Holly Willoughby has lamented the new 'six person rule' as England prepares to face updated coronavirus restrictions on Monday following a spike in infections.

Talking on Thursday's This Morning, the host, 39, asked whether she was going to have to choose between her mother Lynne, 71, or father Terry, on Christmas due to having a family of five.

On Monday, no more than six people will be permitted to gather in England - with a few exceptions, which include going to school, work or 'exceptional life events'.

Family: Holly Willoughby has lamented the new 'six person rule' as England prepares to face updated coronavirus restrictions on Monday following a spike in infections (pictured with mother Lynne, 71)

Breaking these new restrictions will mean fines of 100, doubling for each incident up to 3,200.

Holly has three children - Harry, 11, Belle, nine, and Chester, five, with husband Dan Baldwin meaning just one of her parents would make up the 'six person rule'.

Discussing the new restrictions with Matthew Wright on This Morning, the ITV star said: 'A lot of people are thinking, "What will this mean for Christmas? What will Christmas look like?"

'It's going to be very awkward in my house as I'm a family-of-five, so I'll have to choose between my mum and dad on Christmas day!'

Confusion: Talking on Thursday's This Morning, the host, 39, asked whether she was going to have to choose between her mother Lynne, 71, or father Terry, pictured, on Christmas due to having a family of five

New rules: On Monday, no more than six people will be permitted to gather in England - with a few exceptions, which include going to school, work or 'exceptional life events'

To which Matthew, 55, replied: 'I'm feeling very confused and conflicted. The rules are different everywhere else in the United Kingdom.

'You can't have your parents over on Christmas Day but you can go on public transport? For the life of me, I can't make any sense of it.'

With Holly adding: 'I guess the other thought is how is anyone going to police these rules. The government are going to have marshals to monitor people.'

England will be subjected to new coronavirus restrictions on Monday following a spike in infections.

Boris Johnson said groups of more than six people would be banned from meeting, in what he called a 'rule of six'.

Family-of-five: Holly has three children - Harry, 11, Belle, nine, and Chester, five, with husband Dan Baldwin meaning just one of her parents would make up the 'six person rule'

Discussing the new restrictions on This Morning, the ITV star said: 'It's going to be very awkward in my house as I'm a family-of-five, so I'll have to choose between my mum and dad on Christmas day!'

'I wish that we did not have to take this step, but as your prime minister, I must do what is necessary to stop the spread of the virus and to save lives,' he said.

'I will be absolutely clear. This is not, these measures are not, another national lockdown. The whole point is to avoid a second national lockdown,' he added.

The new rules will be enforced in England and will apply to indoor and outdoor gatherings, including homes, parks, pubs and restaurants.

It comes amid claims that Holly is reportedly preparing for a legal battle against her old talent agency in a disagreement over money.

To which Matthew, 55, replied: 'I'm feeling very confused and conflicted. The rules are different everywhere else in the United Kingdom.'

She added: With Holly adding: 'I guess the other thought is how is anyone going to police these rules. The government are going to have marshals to monitor people.'

The This Morning presenter is taking action against the YMU Group after they are said to be demanding a percentage of her future earnings, despite Holly forming her own agency Roxy.

The TV star is reported to be gearing up to take legal action and has a plethora of support from her showbiz friends, with a source telling The Sun: 'She won't be taken for a fool.'

The source told the publication: 'Holly is a strong, savvy, very successful woman working in a tough industry  she wont be taken for a fool.

'Its a real shame how things have turned out, as she was incredibly loyal to YMU for many years, but now they are demanding commission on future earnings. It is madness.'

Fines: Breaking these new restrictions will mean fines of 100, doubling for each incident up to 3,200 (Holly's husband Dan pictured with their three children)

The insider went on to add that after setting up her 'all-female team' Roxy, Holly is all about 'empowerment' and will not 'roll over on the matter' should the dispute go down the legal route.

MailOnline have contacted a representative of Holly and YMU for comment.

Last month it was reported that Holly had quit the showbiz agency that she shares with This Morning co-star Phillip Schofield.

The mum-of-three is said to have made plans to manage herself within an all-female team, after leaving the agency after 13 years.

'Rule of six': Boris Johnson said groups of more than six people would be banned from meeting, in what he called a 'rule of six' starting on Monday

The Sun reported at the time that the star made the huge career decision after the coronavirus lockdown gave her time to reflect on her future.

The company YMU, who were previously known as James Grant, have a number of big name stars on the books including Ant and Dec, Graham Norton and Claudia Winkleman.

A source told the publication: 'Lockdown has given her time to reflect and think about her future. In many ways, it has become the perfect opportunity to start afresh and it was just time for a change.

'She is really excited about managing herself and having more say over decisions on a day-to-day basis.

'She has always had such incredible business sense and is proud to be a working mum and career woman.'

The insider went on to say that Holly's career decision was the 'logical next step' after she hoped to develop a 'better work-life balance.'
Almost 9 months after being accused of killing her three young kids, footage of a conversation between the Arizona woman and her relative surfaced. In the video, the woman reportedly claimed that she did not know what was happening when the crime happened since she was under the influence of narcotics.

According to 12News, the six-minute conversation between the suspect, Rachel Henry, and the great aunt of the victims, Perla Rebolledo was released by the Sheriff's Office of Maricopa County.

Mom claims she's 'losing her mind'

Over the time span of the call, Rachel stated that she was losing her mind and no one was listening to her. The 22-year-old mother also informed Rebolledo that her family did not take her complaints about her struggles with her mental health seriously. She also added that her family did not want her to leave their home, thus, she felt trapped.

In addition, Henry also told Rebolledo that she did not know what was going on with her, however, every time she sought someone to talk to, they would simply call her stupid or scared. She also said that when she made comments about the status of her mental health, they simply stated that she had no idea what she was talking about.

On top of this, after she was pressed by Rebolledo, Henry also gave a different reason for her actions.

According to her, she badly wanted to go to the store, go outside, and do things that she used to do. However, she stated that Rebolledo told her that she could not leave the house do to the kids and that she was already going crazy due to that.

Henry is being accused of killing her three young kids, Zane Henry who was three years old, Mireia Henry who was one, and Catalaya Rios who was just 7 months old.

Read also: El Chapo Tell-all: Notorious Mexican Drug Cartel Leader Says Women are His Only Addiction

Death of the Three Kids

In a report by Crime Online, Henry's three kids died of asphyxia or oxygen deprivation after their mother suffocated them, just as her aunt left to take the father of the children to work.

Henry reportedly suffocated, Mireia first while three-year-old Zane was punching the mother and was shouting at her to stop strangling the young girl. After this, reports say that Henry briefly played with Zane before leading him to the back room where she killed him by putting her hands on his mouth and nose.

After killing two of her children, Henry reportedly fed her 7-month-old daughter, put her to sleep, and covered the baby's face, leading to her death.

On top of this, the reports stated that Henry even sang a "death lullaby" while choking her children to death.

Not Guilty Plea

As seen on the footage, Henry told Rebolledo that during the day of the murder, she was not herself. She also added that she could not remember anything from the day her kids died, and how she killed them.

The mother has made a not guilty plea in the murder of her three kids.



Related article: Mother Confesses to Forcing Baby Wipe Down 2-Month-Old Son's Throat, Killing the Infant

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The explosion of remote work in government IT during COVID-19 has led to some discussion about whether IT agencies should expand their remote recruiting  both within and outside of state borders.For the most part, folks have been feeling like remote work has been going more smoothly than they had anticipated  it seems that state and local governments are becoming more open to the possibility of more remote work and people working from other areas of the country, said Rivka Liss-Levinson, research director for the Center for State and Local Government Excellence.Liss-Levinson said that although the success of and interest in remote government work varies by department and state, expanding remote recruiting could enhance diversity in agencies and also help leaders attract workers that they often have trouble finding.We know that there are certain job functionalities within state government that are particularly difficult to fill for, she said. The possibility to recruit from outside the immediate area could help with that. It could help with specific skill sets.Missouri now has a plan to open up its state IT positions to remote workers who dont live in or near the capital of Jefferson City, CIO Jeff Wann said. Because of existing technological capacity, Missouri was able to smoothly transition about 17,000 workers to remote work after the pandemic started. The positive experience made the state more comfortable with the idea of broadening the talent pool from which it hires staff.In some cases, we found that efficiency was even better [with remote workers], Wann said.Theres a caveat, though: Wann said his team isnt calling it remote work. The preferred term is distributed teams. From Wanns perspective, the phrase acknowledges that telework requires a different kind of management style and mindset.It places the emphasis on continued teamwork and how were going to work together as teams in a distributed manner, he said. Were kind of excited about the new mantra that weve given it.The main idea behind Missouris plan is tapping into more of the states talent. Wann said cities like St. Louis and Kansas City have a tremendous number of IT professionals. A task force is currently reviewing policies and procedures to ensure that the remote recruitment process aligns with HR requirements.Wann added his team has looked at the possibility of hiring remote staff who live outside of Missouri, but for now, the focus will be on capitalizing on talent within the state.Montana CIO Tim Bottenfield said while hes not sure where his state is heading in terms of remote recruitment, staff are still being directed by upper administration to work from home if it doesnt negatively affect performance. In Bottenfields eyes, the shift to remote work has resulted in greater effectiveness and efficiency.Right now, only 20 of Bottenfields 180 IT staff work in an office, and thats because they have positions that require physical presence. For the remote workers, meetings are shorter, communication and teamwork have improved, and far less paper is used.Everything is digital, Bottenfield said. That happened all over the place. Across the entire world, we basically in a couple of months digitized a whole lot of manual processes. As I reflect on it  thats one of the real great outcomes of this thing that weve gone through.Bottenfield said he has discussed the possibility of recruiting remote workers during this time, but the conversation hasnt quite made it to an official or administrative level. Its Bottenfields understanding that state staff must reside in Montana to be hired, though the Legislature has made exceptions for certain types of workers.Montana will be getting a new administration soon, so that will play a factor in what the state eventually allows on the recruiting front. As far as obstacles are concerned, Bottenfield said that even if technological capability isnt an issue (its not in Montana), expanding remote work would have far-reaching impacts that state leaders will want to consider.For instance, Bottenfield knows from conversations that remote work has been better for introverts, who generally seem to communicate more than they did before, than for extroverts. Another challenge is management. A whole new level of training will have to be implemented for managers to understand what productivity means, Bottenfield said.Additionally, leaders must consider the long-term ramifications of using less office space. Commercial real estate stakeholders will feel the impact if government rents fewer buildings.If I was in that sector of business, I would be a little bit worried right now, Bottenfield said.Rhode Island CIO Bijay Kumar said that while he has seen benefits to remote work, he also wants to be cautious about telework when it comes to recruiting IT staff.People work harder, Kumar said. I just want to make sure people arent burning out because there is no separation between work and not working at this point.Once the pandemic settles, Kumar said the plan is to employ a hybrid model where both onsite and offsite work can be performed. For Kumar, the vision should be enabling the local workforce to work remotely as opposed to hiring remote talent.Because Rhode Island IT doesnt have a big team, its important for staff to be able to collaborate in person when necessary, Kumar said. He has no issue with hiring people from the tri-state area of Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, but workers should be able to commute to work.The logic is simple: If he hires someone who works remotely from, say, San Francisco, there would be less incentive for that person to continue working for Rhode Island if they happen to see a great opportunity nearby in California.Kumar, however, said he is open to hiring remote contractors who live as far away as Hawaii.Some states have shown far less interest in expanding remote recruiting. Nebraska CIO Ed Toner said in an email that his division gets enough high-quality workers from within the state and that there are no plans to continue remote work for current staff.We have [eight] service center locations across the State of Nebraska that our workforce can work in person, he added.New Jersey Chief Technology Officer Christopher Rein said theres no plan for his office to expand remote recruiting and that there has been no discussion to move in that direction, either.Liss-Levinson said one factor that may discourage agencies from hiring people from far away is the traditional connection between public workers and communities within their state of residence. If one doesnt live in the immediate area, the dedication or connection to community may not be as high.I see that as being a downside, Liss-Levinson said.Government TechnologyGoverning
DGAP Post-admission Duties announcement: Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd. / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]

Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd.: Release according to Article 50 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution



10.09.2020 / 17:00

Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG

Announcement on Receiving the Acceptance Notice from the China Securities Regulatory Commission

Qingdao / Shanghai / Frankfurt, 10 September 2020 - Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (the 'Company', D-Share ISIN CNE1000031C1, A-Share ISIN CNE000000CG9) published an announcement on Shanghai Stock Exchange with regard to Receiving the Acceptance Notice from the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. recently submitted the application materials to China Securities Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as the 'CSRC'), which were related to the issuance of overseas listed foreign shares (H-Shares) and the listing on the Main Board of Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (hereinafter referred to as the 'Hong Kong Stock Exchange') by the way of introduction and the issuance of corporate bonds that can be converted into overseas listed foreign shares (H-Shares) (namely the proposal of the exchangeable bonds (EB) to the convertible bonds (CB)) (hereinafter referred to as 'this Issuance of H shares and H-Shares Convertible Bonds'). On 10 September 2020, the Company received the China Securities Regulatory Commission's Acceptance Notice of the Application for Administrative Approval issued by the CSRC (Acceptance No.: 202398).

This Issuance of H-Shares and H-Shares Convertible Bonds by the Company are conditioned upon the privatization of Haier Electronics Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as 'Haier Electronics'). The relevant matters are uncertain as it is still subject to the approval, permission and/or filing of relevant government agencies and regulatory authorities such as the CSRC, Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Supreme Court of Bermuda (hereinafter referred to as 'Court'), as well as the fulfillment of the conditions such as the approval of the general meeting of Haier Electronics and the Court's meeting. The Company will perform its information disclosure obligations in a timely manner based on the progress of the matters, and investors are kindly requested to pay attention to the investment risks.

Board of Directors of Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.

10 September 2020



About Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.:

Haier is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household appliances with a focus on smart home solutions and customized mass production. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. develops, produces and distributes a wide range of household appliances. These include refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, kitchen appliances as well as smaller household appliances and an extensive range of intelligent household appliances. The Company distributes its products through leading household brands such as Haier, Casarte, Leader, Candy, GE Appliances, AQUA and Fisher & Paykel. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. has launched Smart Home Experiential Cloud, which connects homes, users, enterprises and ecosystem partners, and facilitates the integration of Haier's online, offline and micro-store businesses and supports user interaction to further optimize the user experience.

IR contact:

Yao Sun (Sophie) - Haier Smart Home Germany

T: +49 6172 9454 143

F: +49 6172 9454 42143

M: +49 160 9469 3601

Email: y.sun@haier.de

10.09.2020 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


Amaravati, Sep 10 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former Minister Alapati Rajendra Prasad on Thursday advised the state government to distribute land to the poor without making any excuses that litigation in the courts was delaying it.

"Stop making baseless allegations and start distributing the house sites that were not stuck in any sort of litigation in the courts as of now," said Prasad.

The court's stay applied to only 4,000 of 40,000 acres of land, leaving the balance 36,000 acres free for the government to distribute to the poor, the TDP leader added.

Prasad demanded that the government explain why it was delaying the distribution.

The TDP leader alleged that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government was using the house site distribution programme as a means to indulge in corruption, starting from land acquisition to identification of beneficiaries.

"Thousands of crore of public funds were misused in this. The YSRCP leaders had looted more than Rs 10,000 crore which comes to nearly 40 per cent of the funds spent by the government," he claimed.

Promising to give one cent land to each poor family, the TDP leader alleged that the YSRCP leaders were grabbing three cents of land.

Recalling the setbacks the state government has been facing in the courts such as in the state Election Commissioner case, English language as a medium of instruction and others, Prasad said the government order allowing poor families to sell their sites after five years also faced "rough weather".

"Just like in Amaravati capital issue, the Jagan Reddy regime was making all sorts of illegal policies in each and every programme which was eventually drawing adverse orders from the courts," he observed.

He questioned the Chief Minister why he was also not handing over more than three lakh houses which were already completed under the poor people's housing programme.

"Another six lakh houses were at various stages of completion but this government did not bother to spend a single rupee to complete them for distributing the same to the poor beneficiaries," he said.
ALBANY  Dozens of voting and civil rights advocacy groups sent letters this week to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo urging him to issue an executive order so that voters wont have to pay for the postage needed to mail absentee ballots in November's general election.

Access to absentee ballots was extended to all voters in New York this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Voters who do want to vote at a polling place are instructed to select Temporary illness or disability on the form to request an absentee ballot, which is available in an online portal at absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov.

Cuomo had ordered the state to pre-pay for the postage of those voting in Junes primary, but has not yet done so for the general election.

"At the very least, the pandemic - universally recognized as an unprecedented health emergency - justifies, as long as it lasts, the continuity of accommodation to all voters," a letter from the Let NY Vote coalition says.

As a result, the percentage of those voting remotely was roughly 10 times higher in this Junes primary than in previous years. Turnout across the country also is expected to be extremely high in November as a record number of voters have told pollsters they are energized to cast a ballot and that they believe the election is important.

The letters note that the cost of buying stamps to send in a ballot is a financial issue and also creates the inconvenience of an additional step for voters. Older voters whose health risks are higher may not want to go out and buy stamps in the midst of the pandemic, and younger voters who use the mail less may not have stamps and could decide voting isnt worth the hassle.

Having to pay postage is a greater regressive burden on low-income voters and voters from historically marginalized communities, therefore posing disproportionate impediments upon these populations for voting, the letter states.

Three Democratic lawmakers issued statements supporting the letters.

"Many older New Yorkers are on fixed incomes and with limited mobility, making it difficult for them to return a ballot to their poll site or to buy postage. All absentee ballots should have their postage pre-paid so that everyone can be confident their vote will be counted and they can remain safe and healthy, said state Sen. Rachel May, D-Syracuse, who chairs the Committee on Aging.

The governor has already taken steps to make voting easier for New Yorkers, said Division of the Budget spokesman Freeman Klopott. Those steps, he said, include an advertising campaign to raise awareness of early and absentee voting and an executive order requiring county boards of elections and polling locations to accept absentee ballots dropped off in-person.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"These efforts have been undertaken even as the state is facing a $62 billion revenue decline over four years and the funds initially provided by Congress that supported pre-paid envelopes for New Yorks primary in June have largely been spent, highlighting once again the need for the federal government to deliver necessary funding to states," Klopott wrote in an email.

Both letters commended the governor for the steps the state has taken to streamline the voting process but insisted that prepaid postage is an additional step that should be taken.

We think this is going to be confusing and in some instances may end up with people not using absentees or not voting at all. And this is something we believe the governor should fix immediately, said Susan Lerner, executive director of the voting rights group Common Cause New York. He needs to take care of this right now.

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis and economic calamity, the state is facing a multi-billion dollar gap between its expected revenues and the amount it had planned to spend. The governors office has already made extensive cuts in the amount of money given to cities and counties, and his administration is looking for more areas to cut spending or raise revenues to close the deficit.

Lerner said she thinks the holdup on the absentee ballot postage question is because of cost, although she noted that there are several million dollars left over in federal funding from earlier this year that was earmarked for use on election costs associated with the pandemic.

I think its just a misunderstanding on the part of the governor on what the impact would be of failing to do this, she said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav has written a letter to Raghuvansh Prasad Singh trying to pacify him after he sent a handwritten resignation to him.

In his letter to Singh, Lalu said, "Dear Raghuvansh Babu, a letter said to be yours is circulating in the media. I cannot believe it. My family and the RJD family wants to see you back soonest after recovery. For four decades, we have taken every political, social and even family decisions together. First you get better, then we will sit and talk. You are not going anywhere."

Lalu Yadav is serving a prison term after being convicted in a multi-million fodder scam.

Earlier on Thursday, senior leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh sent his handwritten resignation to Lalu Prasad Yadav saying that "After (former Chief Minister and socialist icon) Karpuri Thakur's death, I stood by you for 32 years, but no more."

At present, Raghuvans Prasad Singh is admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi following some health issues.

RJD leaders are silent over Singh's resignation but the BJP and JDU said that his decision is correct.

RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said, "I got to know about his resignation from the media. I have not received any official information."

"I'll only give any statement after official information is received," he added.

Angry over former MP Rama Singh's reported entry into the RJD, Singh had earlier resigned from all party posts. However, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had met him in the hospital and tried to convince him but the efforts were futile.
Two Milwaukee police officers have resigned amid an internal investigation over their treatment of a homeless man.

Eric Ratzmann and Eric Fjeld both quit the Milwaukee Police Department on August 5 - six weeks after they were caught on bodycam punching the man - who has not been publicly identified.

'Both members resigned in lieu of termination,' a police spokeswoman told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Wednesday.

According to an official statement 'Fjeld was discharged for violating the Department's Code of Conduct core values Competence, Courage and Integrity' while 'Ratzmann was discharged for violating core values Competence and Respect.'

Both officers submitted resignation documents prior to being terminated.

Eric Ratzmann (left) and Eric Fjeld (right) both resigned from the Milwaukee Police Department amid an internal investigation over their treatment of a homeless man

The violations occurred on June 30, Officers Ratzmann and Fjeld were called to a restaurant on Milwaukee's southwest side after witnesses reported that the homeless man was assaulting another male outside the premises.

While en route to the restaurant, the two cops spotted the alleged perpetrator and pulled over to handcuff him.

Bodycam footage shows the homeless man spit on Ratzmann who, in turn, grabs the man by the hair and forces him into the back of the patrol car.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Officers Ratzmann and Fjeld then headed to the restaurant where they interviewed employees and the male who had allegedly been assaulted.

The alleged victim claimed the homeless man stole his cigarettes before physically assaulting him.

The two cops considered possibly charging the homeless man for robbery, but instead decided to cite him and take him to a shelter in the downtown area.

However, when they later arrived at the shelter, the man refused to get out of the patrol car and spat at Fjeld.

Fjeld is seen handcuffing the homeless man in footage recorded on Officer Ratzmann's body camera

Fjeld retaliated by punching him, and the officers then decided to drive the homeless man to a random location miles from where he was picked up.

Bodycam footage recorded the officers saying: 'We'll go a little bit more north'.

After arriving in Milwaukee's north side, the cops took the handcuffs off the man - who subsequently spat once more in Ratzmann's face.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'The officer cursed and lunged at the man, grabbing the man's hair and slamming his head into the squad's partition as he shoved the man into the backseat. ... He twisted the man's arm behind his back.'

The homeless man was pushed down by the head inside the patrol car, before his hair was pulled back

'I can hold you like this forever, you hear me?' Ratzmann reportedly said.

One eyewitness reported what she saw to police, who then retrieved the officers' body cameras later that day.

The Internal Affairs commenced an investigation the following day, and immediately flagged that Ratzmann and Fjeld had acted outside department rules.

'They had did not notify a supervisor about their use of force, nor did they act with fairness, self-control and tolerance,' the report - obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - stated.

While Ratzmann and Fjeld will not face charges over the incident because 'their conduct was not a use of force that rose to the level of criminal behavior', their actions were grounds for dismissal.

Both officers had been reported for their conduct on previous occasions.

In 2011, Fjeld was suspended alongside a larger group of officers for 'failing to fully investigate a hit-and-run crash that killed a veteran'.

Officer Ratzmann is pictured in a social media snap. In 2012, Ratzmann was investigated after a cellphone video showed him pulling a suspected drunken driver from a car and physically hitting him

In 2012, Ratzmann was investigated after a cellphone video showed him pulling a suspected drunken driver from a car and physically hitting him. He was eventually cleared of wrongdoing.

Acting Police Chief Michael Brunson hit out at the two officers after their resignation.

He made supervisors show their cops the bodycam video showing Ratzmann and Fjeld's conduct.

'If anyone engages in the type of behavior that you will see displayed on this video, you will be separated from the Milwaukee Police Department,' he stated.

'There is no place for individuals who treat people like this in our city,'
Since then, they have been startled by loud noises and reluctant to play outside, where they were in the moments before the explosion, their parents said. What makes us sad is to see that this is how they spend what is supposed to be these beautiful days of their lives, said Nicole, 53. The family, like many others here, is encouraging the children to think about pursuing their studies and careers abroad.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:43:34|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will beef up the capacity of hospitals to further facilitate COVID-19 patients whose number has spiked as of late along with new record high of additional cases.

The Indonesian COVID-19 Response Team's Chairperson Airlangga Hartarto said on Thursday that the government pledged to maximize all the health facilities nationwide, including those in the country's capital of Jakarta which has decided to re-impose a partial lockdown policy as cases are surging.

"The government has sufficient funds and will persistently raise the capacity of (hospitals') rooms to meet the demands," the chairperson told a virtual press briefing.

The statement came after Jakarta's Governor Anies Baswedan on Wednesday evening warned that about 70 percent of the 4,053 COVID-19 isolation rooms of the hospitals in the city have already been occupied, saying that a partial lockdown must be applied again as of Monday since the number of the cases has been alarming.

In addition, Hartarto who is concurrently the Indonesian chief economic minister said that the government will boost the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran's capacity and set up more isolation rooms.

The Wisma Atlet Kemayoran is a former athlete village in central Jakarta, which has been turned into an emergency hospital for COVID-19 patients.

"The facilities including the number of rooms will be boosted. The government stresses that there are no limited health facilities," he expounded.

Several hotels would also be used as health facilities in dealing with the battle against the virus outbreak, Hartarto said.

The government has paid more attention to fighting against the virus transmissions as of late in the hope it would create a strong basis for the recovery of the economy which has been dashed by the virus pandemic.

President Joko Widodo has set up a task force to speed up efforts to procure vaccines for the virus.

Since days ago, Indonesia has made daily new record high of additional COVID-19 cases. On Thursday, the country also posed a new record high of the daily confirmed cases of 3,861, bringing the total to 207,203 with 147,510 people recovered and 8,456 dead.

Indonesia is to begin mass vaccination for the COVID-19 in January 2021, according to the president. Enditem
Consultation launched on proposed changes to beneficial ownership law

Feedback is being sought on proposed amendments to legislation which aim to ensure the Isle of Man remains fully compliant with international standards on beneficial ownership.

A consultation exercise has been launched by the Cabinet Office and asks for peoples views on the Beneficial Ownership (Amendment) Bill 2020.

The proposed changes follow the Islands Mutual Evaluation Report 2016, conducted by MONEYVAL, and are intended to further improve the accuracy of the database which records beneficial ownership  defined as the natural person or people who ultimately own or control a company, limited partnership or foundation.

The beneficial ownership database is currently accessible only to Isle of Man law enforcement and regulatory authorities and this Bill would not change that position.

It is anticipated that a consultation will take place later in 2021 to inform the introduction of a public register of beneficial ownership, in line with commitments given by the Isle of Man Government in June 2019.

The consultation can be found by visiting the Isle of Man Governments online consultation hub at https://consult.gov.im/

For those unable to access the consultation hub, a paper version of the consultation can be requested via amlcft@gov.im, or by calling 698369.

The process will run for 6 weeks and conclude on Wednesday 21 October 2020.
Read your overview of news on Thursday, September 10, 2020.

Several schools around Slovakia have had to close some classrooms after coronavirus infection was detected or suspected there. (Source: SME)

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This is your overview of news on Thursday, September 10, 2020. Today in Slovakia is a news digest prepared by the Spectator staff at the end of every working day and accessible to all readers free of charge. If you appreciate our service, buy our online subscription to support our work. Thank you for being our reader.

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Flu vaccinations to start in October

Experts point out that the vaccination against flu may be more important in the year of the coronavirus pandemic than in any year before.

The Health Ministry said that there will be 240,000 vaccines against flu delivered in Slovakia which is a similar number to that of 2019.

Pharmacists noted that they order the vaccines based on how many people were vaccinated in the previous year. Slovakia is among the populations in the EU with the lowest vaccination rate, around 4 percent.

Mijatovic writes to Slovak MPs about abortions

After 111 international organisations expressed their concern about the draft amendment changing the rules on abortion, the Council of Europes Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, has warned against the planned changes.

The new draft law again intends to introduce restrictions on accessing safe and legal abortion services, Mijatovic wrote in a letter addressed to Speaker of Parliament Boris Kollar and three other chairs of the parliamentary committees, referring to the proposal intended to extend the mandatory waiting period from 48 to 96 hours and expand its application to all situations except when a womans health is at immediate risk.

Abortions are a hot topic now in Slovakia since the parliament is dealing with a draft amendment to the law on abortions in the second reading and is expected to vote on the legislation during its September session.

Coronavirus in Slovakia:

Slovakia reported 178 new coronavirus infections as of Thursday morning.

The crisis staff has added the northern-Slovak district of Tvrdosin to the red list, for at least ten days. Read more about measures in red-listed districts here. (TA3)

Speaker of Parliament Boris Kollar is in voluntary five-day quarantine as of Thursday, after he returned from a foreign country not on the red list.

Several schools have closed entire classrooms after coronavirus infections were detected among pupils. This has occurred around Slovakia - reports of closed classrooms are from the Zilina district, Trnava, the Bratislava district of Vrakuna and others.

In other news:

The largest distributor of foreign press in the country, Interpress Slovakia, announced the termination of its business and the start of liquidation after nearly 30 years on the market. This makes foreign press hard to get in Bratislava.

President Zuzana Caputova suggested the family of Jozef Chovanec, who died following an incident at the Brussels Charleroi airport in 2018, should request that a Slovak expert join the Belgian investigation team. I will ask the Belgian side to consider this request by the bereaved, the president told the press on Thursday.

The parliamentary constitutional affairs committee has started grilling applicants for the post of Constitutional Court judge which has been vacant since the resignation of Mojmir Mamojka over his contacts with Marian Kocner.

The police have brought charges in a major drug case. Two members of the international organised group operating in several countries, both Dutch citizens, have been detained in the Netherlands, awaiting the decision of the Dutch bodies about extradition to Slovakia. The case is linked to the seizing of a record amount of meth originating from Mexico in Nitra in July.

The Presov regional veterinary authorities have ordered measures aimed at preventing the spread of the American foulbrood disease that affects bees. An apiary in the village of Dulova Ves in the Presov district has been identified as a hotspot of the infection. (SITA)

Two Slovak women have received the European Tech Women Awards during London Tech Week. The award went to Petra Kotuliakova of the Aj Ty v IT organisation and Maria Vircikova from the Matsuko company.



Do not miss on Spectator.sk today:

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African National Congress (ANC) secretary general, Elias Ace Sekgobelo Magashule, says special envoys sent to Zimbabwe by South Africas ruling party are expected to return to the neighboring nation within the next three weeks to discuss the political situation in the country where opponents are being allegedly brutalized by President Emmerson Mnangagwas government.

Magashule told the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Wednesday evening, when his delegation arrived home, that they had frank discussions with Zanu PF officials about the political situation in Zimbabwe.

He said, In terms of meeting other stakeholders and other political parties, because of time we have agreed that we go back or they will come to us. They (should) give us two to three weeks  We have communicated with them that we are definitely going to be back and we have communicated such an interaction with all of them and we have informed Zanu PF. There is no problem with that.

Magashule also told the SABC that they had a fruitful meeting with Zimbabwes ruling party.

It was a lovely meeting, very candid, frank, robust, open and Zanu PF did not have any problem for us to meet with other political parties as well as other stakeholders  Our agreement is we are going back  And we will arrange the meeting, the meeting is not arranged by Zanu PF. So, those stakeholders, those political parties, we are going to meet them.

He made these remarks a couple of hours after the ruling Zanu PF party indicated that the ANC delegation was in Zimbabwe for a solidarity meeting with its sister liberation movement.

The ANC special envoys to Zimbabwe are Magashule, Lindiwe Zulu, Gwede Mantashe, Tony Yengeni, Enock Gondongwana, Nosiviwe Nqakula, Nomvula Mokonyane and Dakota Lekgoete.

Zanu PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, who chaired the Zanu PF session in Harare on Wednesday, declined to comment, saying he was attending a meeting in the countrys capital city.

Representatives of several organizations including the Zimbabwe Peoples Union (Zapu), Transform Zimbabwe Party, Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, Mavambo/Kusile Dawn Party, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum and others want to meet with the special envoys.

Many activists, opposition parties and other stakeholders say there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe where some of them have been arrested for attempting to stage protests. Some claim that they have been tortured by suspected state-security agents. But the government says there is no crisis in Zimbabwe.
Households face a cliff-edge, a think tank has warned. Photo: Karol Serewis/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Millions of UK households will take a 1,000-a-year hit to their incomes as government crisis support is wound down next year, a think tank has warned.

The Resolution Foundation said low-income working families with young children were among those most likely to take a fresh income shock under plans to slash benefit levels next April.

The UK government increased welfare support when the virus and lockdown hit millions of workers jobs and incomes earlier this year.

But the hike to universal credit and working tax credits was only temporary, leaving households facing a 20-a-week cut to their incomes when the top-up expires next year.

The wind-down of Britains furlough scheme has sparked a backlash amid warnings of widespread job losses. But the looming fall-off in benefit support has received less attention, despite widespread pay and job cuts and expectations of rising unemployment later this year.

READ MORE: UK vacancies up by 53% since May to hit half a million

Separate research by the think tank in July found average incomes have suffered their steepest hit in half a century. Most economists expect the unemployment rate will still stand at 6.5% in late 2021, up by almost two-thirds on levels seen in the three months before Britain went into lockdown.

The Resolution Foundation said in a new report the UK governments 71.5bn ($93.1bn) of income support so far had been evenly shared between generations. But it warned younger people were not only more likely to risk job loss as furlough grants are cut, but also to be hit by the loss of welfare support next year.

The think tank has previously estimated around six million households will be affected by the benefit cuts, including more than one million people in their early 30s.

The chancellor should use his upcoming Budget to extend the temporary benefits boost so that millions of families dont suffer a fresh income shock next April at a time when unemployment is still likely to be high, said Karl Handscomb, a senior economist at the foundation, which focuses on living standards.

Story continues

READ MORE: Tory peer tells government to ditch benefit cuts

Philippa Stroud, a Conservative peer who helped introduce universal credit in government in the early 2010s, also told Yahoo Finance UK last month the top-up should be extended.

This would reflect the investment that was intended when universal credit was first designed, and would help to protect those who have been hit hardest by the financial and employment impacts of the pandemic, which are likely to last for some time, she said.

A DWP spokesperson said: Government policies, in particular those related to the pandemic, are under constant review.

We have provided 9.3bn extra welfare support to help those most in need, including increasing Universal Credit by up to 20 a week, as well as introducing income protection schemes, mortgage holidays and additional support for renters.

This government is wholly committed to supporting the lowest paid families and has already taken significant steps including raising the living wage, ending the benefit freeze and increasing work incentives.
New evidence of kickbacks in Rafale deal appears in French journal Mediapart

Rafale to S-400 air defence systems all set to add more firepower to Indian Air Force

Ready to provide more Rafales to India says French Defence Minister Parly

Rafale jets induction to IAF: Top quotes from Rajnath Singhs address

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Sep 10: As many as five Rafale fighter aircrafts were on Thursday formally inducted into the Indian Air Force's 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows'.

The induction ceremony held at the Ambala Air Force station was attended by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and other senior officials.

Rafale aircraft gets water cannon salute at induction ceremony in Ambala

Singh had earlier held a brief conversation with Parly at the Palam Air Force station in New Delhi where the two ministers discussed ways to further boost bilateral defence cooperation.

Here are the top quotes from the Defence Minister's address:

a. Indian Air Force (IAF) represents the strong ties between India and France. the strategic ties between the two countries have also strengthened.

b. The induction of these fighter jets is a big message to the entire globe especially to those eyeing India's sovereignty, This induction is important considering the kind of atmosphere at created at our borders.

Ahead of inducting Rafale jets to Indian Air Force, France describes India as strategic partner

c. Singh congratulated the IAF by saying that during the recent unfortunate incident at the border, the swift and deliberate action taken near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) shows the commitment of the air warriors.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

d. The speed at which IAF deployed its assets at forward bases created a confidence that it is fully prepared to fulfil operational obligations.

e. In my recent foreign trip, I put the point of view of India in front of the world. I also made everyone aware of our resolve to not compromise our sovereignty and territorial integrity under any circumstances. We're committed to doing everything possible towards this.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 13:41 [IST]
This comes even as reports from Beijing cited the Chinese Foreign Ministry as saying there would be a RIC foreign ministers luncheon

At a bilateral meeting on Thursday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers meeting in Moscow, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is expected to clearly tell his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that peace on the borders is closely linked to development of bilateral ties between the two Asian giants and that China must de-escalate by dis-engaging its troops to restore the April status quo in the Ladakh sector.

This comes even as news agency reports from Beijing cited the Chinese Foreign Ministry as saying there would be a Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral foreign ministers luncheon meeting in the Russian Capital on Thursday which is being seen by observers as an effort by a worried Russia to encourage and persuade both Asian neighbours to reach a compromise and avoid a devastating war in the Ladakh sector.

The RIC is an already-existing trilateral format and the luncheon meeting will obviously be hosted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov which will give the Indian and Chinese foreign ministers another opportunity to interact apart from their own bilateral meeting.

EAM Jaishankar had made it clear last week that what happens at the border will impact the (Sino-Indian) relationship. Blaming China for the situation of the last four months in the Ladakh sector that was a direct result of the Chinese side trying to unilaterally change the status quo at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India had also last week clearly said the way ahead was negotiations through both military and diplomatic channels. New Delhi added it is firmly committed to peaceful dialogue and called on China to sincerely engage India in order to restore peace and tranquillity at the LAC. New Delhi also made it clear that Beijing should not take any provocative action or escalate matters, which comes after the latest round of Chinese military provocations at Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh both on the night of August 29 and on August 31.

The EAM meanwhile began his bilateral meetings on Wednesday in the Russian Capital by holding talks with his Kyrgyz and later Tajik counterparts. The SCO is an eight-member predominantly Central Asian Grouping that comprises China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan became SCO members in 2017.

EAM Jaishankar tweeted, A fruitful meeting with FM Chingiz Aidarbekov of Kyrgyz Republic on SCO sidelines. Thanked him for the support in facilitating return of Indian nationals. Discussed issues of bilateral and regional interest. Agreed to further enhance our Strategic Partnership in all spheres. He added, A warm meeting with Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Pleased with our growing bilateral and regional cooperation. Highly value this strategic partnership.
Pronab Mandal By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: Giving a roadmap to party functionaries in poll-bound Bengal, BJPs national president JP Nadda on Thursday asked the newly-selected state committee members and leaders to play the Covid-19 pandemic card while sharpening attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Nadda instructed Bengal functionaries to showcase how Prime Minister Narendra Modis successful "bold decision" of imposing the nationwide lockdown had helped to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and highlight Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees attempt to stop migrants return to Bengal.

"Other countries and WHO appreciated the way the Prime Minister is fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic. When he initiated an effort to help migrants to return to their homes, CM Mamata Banerjee tried to resist the poor workers from entering West Bengal. She was not allowing special trains for migrant workers. Besides, she labelled the 'Shramik Special' trains as Corona Express. All BJP karyakartas must highlight it before the people of West Bengal who will overthrow her government in the coming election," said Nadda, while addressing the newly-formed state committee on a virtual platform on Thursday.

ALSO READ | Mission 2021: BJP brass summons Bengal leaders to firm up poll plans

The BJP president asked party functionaries to attack Mamata Banerjee on the line of Hindutva too. "West Bengal government had deliberately imposed lockdown norms on August 5, the foundation stone laying ceremony day of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. In the same month, she cancelled lockdown on Bakrid. Wasnt it an anti-Hindu decision? Raise this issue before the Assembly election in Bengal," he said, adding, "The TMC-led government is not only anti-Hindu, it is against the poor as well as it is not allowing several central governments projects in West Bengal."

The BJP president also asked the party functionaries to encourage people to produce the local products which help to build up 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

ALSO READ | BJP to fight Bengal elections without projecting CM face, says Kailash Vijayvargiya

In his speech, Nadda gave a clear message that the party high-command would not tolerate any intra-party rift ahead of the crucial election in the state. "I am asking the state president to involve all the MPs and karyakartas in the partys regular affairs by giving them certain responsibilities. "Each MP should be given responsibilities of four mandals. All the karyakartas must start door-to-door visit campaign and highlight the issues," he said.

Recently, the rift in the saffron camps Bengal unit surfaced after senior party leader Mukul Roy expressed discontent when the state president Dilip Ghosh claimed it would pick up as many as 190 Assembly seats out of 294 during a meeting at the party's head office in Delhi. Besides, a section BJP MPs met Nadda and expressed their displeasure over the issue of Ghoshs dominance in the partys regular affairs.
09.09.2020 LISTEN

We Akyems, are a litigious people, ooooo - so those across Ghana, who think they can toy with our dignity, and get away with it, ought to tread cautiously; and not venture where even the Devil himself fears to go, wai. Yooooooo...

For the information of all Ghanaians, the so-called Akyem-Mafia (the shameless and disgraceful thieves-in-high-places, in the president's inner-circle, who are now making hay, asset-stripping the enterprise Ghana by stealth, while the African sun shines on their family trees, and are busy backstabbing President Akufo-Addo, while at it), most certainly don't represent us, Akyems, at all, oooooo. Yoooooo...

It is rather the serious-minded, dynamic and hardworking, no-nonsense Minister for Roads and Transport, Hon. Kwesi Amoako-Atta, who exemplifies us. So let that positive message go forth, from today.Yenpe, rough, koraaaaa, oooooo. Yooooooo...

Any Ghana-busybody-Agyemang-or-Gariba, who seeks to insult all of us , Akyems, by trying to stick that badge-of-dishonour-and-shame, on us, collectively, will have to answer, not only to Assaaseyaa, but will also have to account to Agyapaaaapabi, too, ooooo. So they had better stop the Anti-Akyem name-calling. Now. Fast. Case closed. Hmmmmm. Eeiiii, Oman Ghana - eyeasem oooo: enti yewieye, paaaaaa, enei? Asem kesie ebeba debi ankasa, oooooo. Yoooooo...
LVMH yesterday broke off its $16.2 billion engagement to Tiffany & Co., and then the two sides sprinted to file competing lawsuits in Delaware.

What we learned: The French government may have played a key role in the split, asking LVMH to delay the deal close for two months past the agreed-upon deadline.

Details: The request came via an August 31 letter from France's foreign affairs minister, who is the equivalent to the U.S. secretary of state. According to an English translation disclosed by Tiffany, it reads in part...

"The American government has decided to implement an additional customs duty on the import of certain French goods, in particular goods in the luxury sector, in reaction to France adopting a digital services tax, with the U.S. deferring the application thereof until January 6, 2021.

France considers these measures legally objectionable. ... Because the implementation of these tariffs may affect Frances external relations ... proposed investments by French companies in sectors that could be subject to such sanctions must be reevaluated in light of this new context.

You should defer the closing of the pending Tiffany transaction until January 6, 2021. I am sure that you will understand the need to take part in our countrys efforts to defend its national interests."

Basically, LVMH told Tiffany: "I really like you, but my parents hate your parents, so I just don't think it'll work out right now."

Tiffany didn't take the rejection in stride. It seems to believe LVMH is using the French government request as cover for its own cold feet, referencing how LVMH previously tried to negotiate deal terms under the guise of "U.S. social justice protests and the COVID-19 pandemic."

It wants Delaware Chancery Court to enforce the deal.

It also got some backup via a new Bloomberg report that LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault "asked for help from the French government in an effort to pull out of [the deal]."

LVMH this morning said not only that it will "defend itself vigorously," but also that it will file a lawsuit of its own  claiming Tiffany violated the deal terms through "crisis mismanagement."

Specifically, LVMH says it will cite dividend distributions during the pandemic.

The bottom line: Breakups can be messy, particularly when there's a third party involved.


He is working on a more difficult problem.  Albert Einstein, of his son, Hans Albert Einstein, a famous hydraulic engineering professor who developed important equations for sediment transport in rivers.

By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Todays post is about restoring naturally meandering streams in the Anthropocene, a topic that fits well with my tendency to perambulate through intriguing topics in the biosphere. And I wont make jokes about A Sedimental Education, or Market Sediment, because Im serious about my adulting. First, and with the soil fans among us in mind, Ill look at how sediment is defined and classified. Then, Ill summarize a scholarly controversy about stream restoration, which centers on the question: Restore to what? Finally, Ill look at the The Big Spring Run Project, implemented by the winners (as I believe) of that controversy, which I think offers a lot of hope about what our streams (and wetlands) could become. (There is an enormous liternature on stream restoration, much of which is mandated by Federal anti-pollution requirements, and which also involves all the usual suspects, including real estate developers, Federal and state agencies, NIMBYs, environmental activists, and so on, as well as propertarianism as an ideology. My focus in this post will not be on those topics, but only on the substances, the sediment and the streams involved. However, if any readers have been involved in stream restoration, especially the permitting process, please speak up!)

So, let us wander over to the Oxford English Dictionary for a defintion:

sediment noun & verb. m16. [ORIGIN: French sediment or Latin sedimentum settling, from sedere sit: see -i-, -ment.] A. noun. 1. Matter composed of particles that settle to the bottom of a liquid; dregs. m16. B. verb. 2. verb intrans. a Settle as sediment. e20. b Of a liquid: deposit a sediment. m20.

(Sediment (dregs) is also what an Oxford don finds at the very bottom of his bottle of port, but as we shall see, river sediment can cover other soil, which is bad.)

The National Geographic is a bit more abstract:

Sediment is solid material that is moved and deposited in a new location. Sediment can consist of rocks and minerals, as well as the remains of plants and animals.

And the United States Geological Service (USGS) provides this definition and vivid description:

Rocks as small as tiny clay particles and larger that are moved by the water are called sediment . Fast-moving water can pick up, suspend, and move larger particles more easily than slow-moving waters. This is why rivers are more muddy -looking during stormsthey are carrying a LOT more sediment than they carry during a low-flow period. In fact, so much sediment is carried during storms that over one-half of all the sediment moved during a year might be transported during a single storm period. If you scoop up some muddy river water [musical interlude] in a glass you are viewing the suspended sediment in the water. If you leave your glass in a quiet spot for a while the sediment will start to settle to the bottom of the glass. The same thing happens in rivers in spots where the water is not moving so quicklymuch of the suspended sediment falls to the stream bed to become bottom sediment (yes, mud ). The sediment may build up on the bottom or it may get picked up and suspended again by swift-moving water to move further downstream.

(Our Oxford don might agree with the National Geographic, but certainly not with the USGS!)

This being geology, there is a classification scheme[1]. Again from the USGS:

Nomenclature describing sediment texture distributions is important to geologists and sedimentologists because grain size is the most basic attribute of sediments. Traditionally, geologists have divided sediments into four size fractions that include gravel, sand, silt, and clay, and classified these sediments based on ratios of the various proportions of the fractions. Definitions of the fractions have long been standardized to the grade scale described by Wentworth

Here is the Wentworth scale:

I think its very funny that boulders can be classified as sediment, although here our Oxford dons dissent would become vehement. I added the highlight for mud, which aggregates particles of Wentworth sizes, and clay. Mud, too, has a definition:

Mud is defined as a mixture of mainly fine-grained sediments (clays, silt and sand), organic matter and water, where the cohesive properties of the clay fraction, enhanced by the properties of the organic matter, dominate the overall behaviour. Studies on erosion behaviour of sand-mud mixtures indicate that the bed exhibits cohesive behaviour for clay contents above 15-20%. In daily language mud refers to the deposited state of mud particles. In this state mud can occur as a fluid-like of soil-like entity. The dynamics of mud then refers to the formation, deformation and erosion of such layers.

(One recalls that if mud is thrown, it may stick. Thats why!) The formation of such layers is called sedimentation. From the Penn State Extension, What is Sediment and Why is it a Stormwater Pollutant?:[2]

Sediment can also blanket the stream bed in a process called sedimentation. Over time, this process of mud building up on the stream bottom can reduce viable habitat for aquatic insects, fish, amphibians, and other wildlife by clogging the spaces between larger gravel, cobble, and boulders. Overall, the population of more sensitive species will be reduced, leading to a less diverse aquatic community.

What we have here is sedimentation. From the The Big Spring Run Project:

The photo caption:

Meters of mud had buried the rich, black soil (bottom layer) that typified Big Spring Run before Europeans arrived. The black soil contained seeds that revealed what plants had once grown along the stream.

That brings us tp the Big Spring Run project. The important question that the scientists doing real science asked, for that project, was the origin of the layers that were built (not having been turned into rock) in historical, not geological, time. From this wonderful, heartening article in Science, A secret hidden in centuries-old mud reveals a new way to save polluted rivers:

Brown water might not hold much interest for many researchers. But a dozen years ago, it catapulted [geologists Robert Walter and Dorothy Merritts] to scientific prominence. The pair, professors at Franklin & Marshall College (F&M), showed that Big Spring Run and many other meandering, high-banked streams in the eastern United States look nothing like the low-banked, marshy waterways that existed when European explorers first arrived nearly 500 years ago. The original streams, Merritts and Walter argued in an influential 2008 paper published in Science, are now buried beneath millions of tons of legacy sediment that was released by colonial-era farming and logging, and then trapped behind countless dams built to power flour, timber, and textile mills. We realized, Walter says, that the [streams] had been completely manufactured and altered.

And there were rather a lot of those dams. Here is a map from The BSR Project:

So, if youre going to restore Big Spring Run, youd better restore it to its pre-colonial state. Back to Science:

The finding challenged decades of conventional scientific wisdom and sparked pushback from researchers who said the pair had overstated its case.

Walter and Merritts, in other words, initiated if not a paradigm shift, something beyond normal science. More from Science:

It called into question expensive efforts to restore rivers by using heavy equipment to resculpt them into what practitioners believed had been their natural shapes. And the work raised concerns that a massive, multibillion-dollar effort to clean up the nearby Chesapeake Bay would fail if planners didnt figure out how to prevent massive slugs of legacy sediment, which also carries harmful nutrients, from sloshing down the bays many tributaries. It was uncomfortable, Merritts says, because I knew that my colleagues had other ideas. New research is settling many of the debates that Merrittss and Walters paper touched off. Although dams are not solely to blame for legacy sediment, its now clear colonial-era erosion did dramatically alter streams in much of the continents tectonically quiet eastern half, says Ellen Wohl, a geomorphologist at Colorado State University, Fort Collins. Theres been an accelerated recognition of how ubiquitous this sediment is, she says. And that recognition has been driven by Walter and Merritts, says Noah Snyder, a geomorphologist at Boston College. Their study is one of the most influential papers Ive seen. Now, the duo is hoping to inspire a new approach to stream restoration by turning back the clock at Big Spring Run. By removing centuries of mud, they have returned the stream to its marshy, precolonial glory, and are now demonstrating the environmental payoff such strategies can deliver.

So, they scraped off the top layer of mud and revealed the soil. With happy results. Again from Science:

As the debate swirled, Merritts and Walter decided to put their ideas into practice. During their research, they had met Joe Sweeney, a farmer who owned land that encompassed Big Spring Run, and Ward Oberholtzer, an engineer at LandStudies, a river restoration firm. Sweeney had hired Oberholtzer to examine why trees he had planted on Big Spring Runs high banks to prevent erosion were dying. The conclusion: Their roots couldnt reach the groundwater; trenches dug by Merritts, Walter, and their students suggested several meters of legacy sediment caked over the site. To restore such connections, the team proposed re-creating the kind of languid wetland that Walter and Merritts believed had once existed on the spot. But first they would monitor it for several years, to establish a baseline that could be used to evaluate any postrestoration changes. In 2011, after more than 2 years of planning and assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USGS, and others, bulldozers began to remove 22,000 tons of legacy sediment along 4 square kilometers of the valley. (The silt was trucked to F&M and used as fill beneath a new building.) A layer of rich, black, precolonial soil emerged from beneath the legacy sediment. In it, researchers found seeds that provided an archive of the wetland plants that had once grown along the stream. Although federal regulations required the restoration team to carve a single new channel, they built low banks and installed stumps and other obstacles that would encourage high waters to jump the banks, transforming the stream into a multithreaded wetland. Within 1 year, the banks bloomed with sedges like a Chia pet. Today, bog turtles scuttle and geese nest in thick native vegetation that has put down roots that hold sediment in place. Theres room for floodwaters to slow down and spread out, instead of sweeping away bankside trees and plants. The biology does not have to re-establish itself after every severe storm, Oberholtzer says.

Importantly, they monitored the process:

Monitoring shows the restoration has also altered the streams biogeochemistry. Storage of organic carbon tripled in the restored area and levels of nitrate, a key pollutant, dropped sharply, soaked up by the wetland plants. The load of sediment swept downstream from the restored area declined drastically, by 85%, according to a USGS report published this year. Polluting phosphorus, which hitches a ride on silt particles, dropped 79%. Ken Forshay, a research ecologist with EPA based in Ada, Oklahoma, says he was skeptical hed see such improvements. But the data have turned a nonbeliever into a believer, he says.

Those data:

Even before all the results were in, the Big Spring Run project prompted similar restorations in Pennsylvania and Maryland, with 20 now completed and 10 more underway. Its simple to see why: Though the project would have cost $1 million in todays dollars to restore its 800 meters, it was at least 16 times more cost effective at reducing pollution than other techniques, found Patrick Fleming, an agricultural economist at F&M. This practice blew the other ones away.

Actual monitoring turns out to have been another novel aspect of the project. From Jeffrey L. Hartranft, Dorothy Merritts, Robert C. Walter, and Michael Rahnis note rather caustically in The Big Spring Run Restoration Experiment: Policy, Geomorphology, and Aquatic Ecosystems in the Big Spring Run Watershed, Lancaster County, PA (Sustain, Spring/Summer 2011):

The unglaciated mid-Atlantic region is a hotspot of stream restoration in terms of cost and number of projects (Bernhardt et al, 2005; Hassett et al, 2005), but the practice of aquatic ecosystem restoration has outpaced scientific investigation and our understanding of the full benefits (NRC, 2010). As noted by Palmer and Filoso (2009), stream restoration practices to date consist largely of reshaping a channel and adding wood or rocks [oof], but actual improvements to water quality or biodiversity are uncertain (Bernhardt et al, 2005; Palmer, 2009). Due to insufficient monitoring, it is difficult to assess most of these restorations. In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, for example, less than 6% of recent river restoration projects reported that monitoring occurred (Bernhardt et al, 2005; Hassett et al, 2005)

And from the same source, here is more data, married to an aesthetic outcome:

Since removal of historic sediment and construction of small, sinuous channels with low banks in late 2011, a multi-channel system has evolved with lower water depth, flow velocity, and boundary shear stress than the former incised single channel with high banks. Post-restoration monitoring indicates significant reduction in mean particle size of bed load in comparison to pre-restoration high-flow conditions. Analysis of sediment load data acquired over the past 4 years from 3 USGS gauge stations equipped with turbidity sensors both upstream and downstream of the study reach, along with repeat RTK-GPS cross section surveying, reveals a marked reduction erosion and increased retention of fine sediment within the restoration reach, decreasing the sediment load transported downstream.

A photo of the small, sinuous, meandering channels:

(The BSR Project also has an achingly beautiful drone video of Big Spring Run on its home page.) Honestly, the photo, with its golden haze, looks like an aerial shot of The Shire. Where are the hobbit holes with round doors?

* * *

Of course, the geology of Pennsylvania will not be the same as the geology of New England, or of the West, so scraping off sedimentation built up by old dams isnt a panacea. Geology is hard! That is, I dont want to inflict a heartwarming post on the readership, but I find the story of Big Spring Run project heartening. Its a victory for science involving something very like a paradigm shift, others were persuaded by it, water get cleaner, and a river got more beautiful. Those are all good outcomes! One might wonder, metaphorically, how much more fertile soil would be revealed if other colonial deposits were removed[3]

NOTES

[1] Chester K. Wentworth, A Scale Of Grade And Class Terms For Clastic Sediments, The Journal of Geology, Vol. 30, No. 5 (Jul.  Aug., 1922). In no other science does the problem of terminology present so many difficulties as in geology. Classification and ontology stans who have a free minute should enjoy reading this for the method. The prose is crystalline.

[2] Importantly (for funding) sediment, albeit in origin soil, is considered a pollutant. The Penn State Extension:

Once sediment reaches our waterways, it can degrade water quality in many ways. Small sediment particles may remain suspended in the water column or deposited onto the streambed. Suspended sediments increase the turbidity of the water, which causes the water to be cloudy, obstructs sunlight and limits photosynthesis of aquatic plants, reduces biologically available oxygen, and increases water temperature. Increased turbidity can also make it more difficult for fish gills to absorb oxygen and makes it harder for visual predators, such as brook trout or largemouth bass, to forage. Additionally, the cost of treating a source of drinking water with high levels of sediment is greater than the costs to treat clearer, cleaner water. Sediment poses a greater water quality risk than just soil particles alone, because it often carries other pollutants, such as nutrients, heavy metals, organic chemicals, bacteria and other pathogens along with it. These pollutants originate from sources such as agriculture, industrial waste, mine spoils, and urban contaminants and can have short-term and long-term effects. Some will be dissolved into the water and washed downstream quickly, while others may remain stuck to sediment on the bottom of the stream bed for years.

[3] Readers: My sediments exactly!
Members of Parliaments Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have questioned the basis for which state-owned Exim Bank allegedly paid about 2 million to dancehall artiste, Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr. aka Shatta Wale and others as brand ambassadors.



Ras Mubarak, a member of the Committee said it makes no economic sense for the company to pay such an amount to an artiste to promote made in Ghana goods.



I mentioned 2 million that went to Shatta Wale but the Deputy CEO says they wouldnt know who the vendor selected and this is not to say that we have a problem with Shatta Wale getting some amount of money to do whatever work.



But the Ghanaian public deserves to know how much went out and who got it because their answers were not satisfying.



Mr. Mubaraks concerns follow media reports suggesting that the bank paid some huge sums of monies to Shatta Wale and actor and comedian, Kofi Adu, popularly known as Agya Koo to be its brand ambassadors.



But responding to the matter at PAC sitting Wednesday, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer with oversight of the Finance and Administration Division, Kwame Adu-Darkwa said the bank only engaged the services of a media consultant to support them in promoting their product since it was necessary.



He, however, insisted that he has not signed or sighted any cheque doling GH2 million to any artiste.



You will be surprised how brand ambassadors can be good for promoting a particular sector. Sometimes what needs to be done is that if you have done incredible work, it will be good for people to know what their options are, and having a good brand ambassador to do that makes sense.



But Ras Mubarak who is MP for Kumbungu believes the money could have been invested in provision of water and other basic amenities for rural communities.



He tells JoyNews, compared to other mature artists, Shata Wale does not deserve the GH2 million given to him.



Meanwhile, Chairman of PAC, James Klutse Avedzi said the Committee will invite officials of the bank to present details of the said payments to Shatta Wale and others.



Background



The Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM) was established by the Ghana Export-Import Bank Act 2016 (Act 911) to support the Government of Ghanas quest for a feasible and sustainable export led economy.



The banks vision it to become a strong financial institution that will be a key engine in the development of Ghanas export trade, facilitate cross border trade and make Ghana a pillar in regional and continental trade



The mission of the bank is to facilitate the transformation of Ghanas economy into an export one by supporting and developing trade between Ghana and other countries, overseas investments by Ghanaian companies, and eliminate critical market failures in the Ghanaian economy thereby making Ghana competitive in the global marketplace.

Source: Myjoyonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Some of the major mobile learning market players include Adobe Inc., Microsoft Corporation, AT&T Inc., Upside Learning Solutions Pvt. Ltd., El Design Pvt. Ltd., Dell Inc., SAP SE, Cisco Systems Inc., IBM Corporation, Citrix Systems Inc., Skillsoft, and NetDimensions.

Selbyville, Delaware, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Global Market Insights, Inc. has recently added a new report on mobile learning market which estimates the global market valuation for mobile learning will cross US$ 55 billion by 2026. Incorporation of technology enabled training methods into both corporate and education sectors will boost the industry growth.

E-books have gained popularity as students and reading enthusiasts prefer downloading books online instead of buying hard copies. Soft copy of books enables the reader to delete the file after reading, freeing up space for further downloads. The vast library of e-books online also benefits the users as they get access to books that are not easily available in the market. Bookbon, an online e-book publisher, offers free e-books for students and professionals with textbooks written by professors from renowned universities globally.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/4810

Government organizations are also encouraging the adoption of e-books. Several e-books have been uploaded by ministries on the National Portal of India, providing information on the countrys corporate sector, services, national schemes, and policies.

Academic institutions adopting advanced mobile learning technologies for training the K-12 grade will drive the mobile learning market growth. High Tech High (HTH) is a network of eleven California charter schools that offer project-based learning opportunities to students in grades K-12. HTH makes resources available online including student and teacher portfolios, lessons, and videos. Use of tablets and smartphones in classrooms enables K-12 grade teachers to provide a more interactive and live environment in classrooms as they can engage students with the attractive mobile learning portals, specifically designed for children.

Story continues

North America is expected to provide growth opportunities to the mobile learning market due to the high internet penetration in the region coupled with the growing adoption of smartphones. There were around 33 million internet users in Canada in 2018. Around 91% of the Canadian population used internet services in 2019. The advent of 5G in the U.S. will support the adoption of mobile learning techniques as students can view content online with minimal buffering time. Advanced technology landscape in the region with presence of technology providers, such as Amazon Web Services and IBM Corporation, will support the R&D of sophisticated mobile cloud learning platforms.

Browse key industry insights spread across 300 pages with 357 market data tables and 27 figures & charts from the report, Mobile Learning Market Share & Forecast, 2020  2026 in detail along with the table of contents:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/mobile-learning-market

Some major findings of the mobile learning market report include:

The advent of digitalization across academic and corporate sectors will drive the mobile learning market growth. Educational institutes are offering online training platforms that can be accessed on portable devices to enable students to gain access to high-quality education even in remote areas.





The ongoing covid-19 pandemic has stressed the need for social distancing to contain the virus spread. Corporate organizations and educational institutions are leveraging the benefits of electronic learning technologies to train employees and educate students while working remotely during the pandemic.





Organizations benefit from mobile learning as they offer customized training to employees, saving time spent on employee training. Busy employees can undertake training post work hours as per their convenience.





Players are focusing on enhancing their mobile learning platforms to strengthen and improve the quality and quantity of content offered. They are also leveraging cloud technologies to expand their offerings.





Latin America and Asia Pacific markets are offering several growth opportunities to the mobile learning market players due to the growing penetration of internet and smartphones coupled with favorable government initiatives supporting digitalization and the advancement of educational systems.

Browse complete reports table of contents (ToC): https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/mobile-learning-market

Partial chapters of report table of contents (TOC):

Chapter 3. Mobile Learning Industry Insights

3.1. Industry segmentation

3.2. Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

3.2.1. Global outlook

3.2.2. Regional outlook

3.2.2.1. North America

3.2.2.2. Europe

3.2.2.3. Asia Pacific

3.2.2.4. Latin America

3.2.2.5. MEA

3.2.3. Industry value chain

3.2.4. Competitive landscape

3.2.4.1. Strategy

3.2.4.2. Business growth

3.3. Industry ecosystem analysis

3.3.1. Evolution of mobile learning

3.3.2. Vendor matrix

3.4. Technological & innovation landscape

3.4.1. Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR)

3.4.2. Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)

3.4.3. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

3.4.4. Cloud LMS

3.4.5. Mobile multimedia learning environments

3.4.6. Collaborative Learning

3.4.7. Interactive SMS

3.4.8. Pervasive games

3.5. Mobile learning platform

3.5.1. Device

3.5.1.1. Mobiles & Tablets

3.5.1.2. Handhelds &Personal Digital Assistants(PDAs)

3.5.2. Operating system

3.5.2.1. Windows

3.5.2.2. Android

3.5.2.3. iOS/MacOS

3.6. Regulatory landscape

3.6.1. North America

3.6.2. Europe

3.6.3. Asia Pacific

3.6.4. Latin America

3.6.5. MEA

3.7. Industry impact forces

3.7.1. Growth drivers

3.7.1.1. Improvement in network connectivity across the globe

3.7.1.2. Proliferation of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices

3.7.1.3. Government initiatives and investment towards digital education system

3.7.1.4. Corporate focus on BYOD model to optimize operational expenses

3.7.1.5. Increase in number of E-books and rise in content digitization

3.7.1.6. Higher education institutes are implementing mobile learning solutions in their system

3.7.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges

3.7.2.1. Lack of peer to peer interaction

3.7.2.2. Unavailability of reliable supporting infrastructure

3.7.2.3. Adaptability issues

3.7.2.4. High mobile data costs

3.8. Growth potential analysis

3.9. Porters analysis

3.10. PESTEL analysis

Browse related report:

E-Learning Market Size By Technology (Online E-Learning, Learning Management System (LMS), Mobile E-Learning, Rapid E-Learning, Virtual Classroom), By Provider (Service, Content), By Application (Academic [K-12, Higher Education, Vocational Training], Corporate [SMBs, Large Enterprises], Government), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2020  2026

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/elearning-market-size

About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision-making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

CONTACT: Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com




It's a dismal time at our universities, with the sector predicting 21,000 jobs will be lost in six months. As is the case at tertiary institutions around the country, hundreds of casual staff have been let go at La Trobe University, but the university is facing a loss of $120 million to $150 million this year and has instituted a second redundancy round. So, how thoughtful of vice-chancellor Professor John Dewar, an Oxford University graduate, to send all staff a special message for RU OK? Day. La Trobe University vice-chancellor John Dewar. Credit:Jeremy Piper The email was summarised: "At a glance" with the first bullet point item "RU OK?" swiftly followed by the next item "Second round voluntary redundancy program - EOIs now open". The latter situation would tend to suggest the answer to the former item would be a consensus "No", from most La Trobe staff.

"Staff have been aware of the voluntary redundancy program for some weeks," a spokeswoman told CBD. "The message to staff announcing that expressions of interest for voluntary redundancies had opened yesterday happened to coincide with another important staff message about RU OK Day." La Trobe Universitys marketing slogan, CBD kids you not, is "Were celebrating all kinds of clever". Star turn The pandemic might have put a broom through the social and corporate calendar, but its great to see Treasurer Josh Frydenberg showing up where it counts. Staff inside law firm Lander and Rogers are still talking about the firm's corporate event in the last week of July, when the Treasurer made time in his hectic schedule to host an intimate Q&A event for senior staff and clients.

Josh Frydenberg makes a guest appearance. Credit:John Shakespeare No doubt, the Treasurer has a lot on his plate. Then again, it's likely the call of duty was too loud to ignore. Frydenbergs wife, Amie, is a special counsel inside Lander and Rogers' workplace relations and safety team. Apparently the Treasurer has made special guest appearances at client events in the past, not that the team at Lander and Rogers were prepared to say anything about it on Thursday. But its worth noting, the event wasnt the first appearance the Treasurer has made time for during the pandemic for causes that count.

Frydenberg raised eyebrows  and even generated some laughs  hosting a Zoom workout event for a Melbourne gym's "Celeb Saturday" in July. Criticised by some as a frivolous display, in fact, it was a favour for the gym owner  Frydenbergs friend  at a time when he was doing it tough. Worthy. Super stoush It wasn't only industry super funds in Liberal MP Tim Wilsons firing line on Thursday as the House of Representatives economics committee convened. News outlet The New Daily also emerged as a contentious topic. The New Daily is owned by Industry Super Holdings, an investment company whose shareholders include AustralianSuper, HESTA and CBUS. The New Daily tends to be pretty supportive of the industry super funds. It has also become a punching bag for those conservatives such as Wilson who regard the industry funds (which are partly backed by unions) unfavourably. The industry funds have historically done a good job for their members investing in ports, property, bonds and stocks. So why do they own The New Daily, which generates paltry earnings? The answer, as AustralianSuper chief executive Ian Silk once explained, is to increase financial literacy and "demystify superannuation".

Tim Wilson chairs the House of Representatives standing committee on economics. Credit:AFR Which brings us back to Wilson, who grilled ISH company secretary Joshua Lim about its support of The New Daily. Does the super group provide revenue, funding, sponsorship, marketing fees to the online publication, he asked. "No we don't. But we contribute capital to The New Daily as required," Lim said. "What the hell does that mean?" Wilson responded, indelicately. "It means when they've run out of money," Wilsons Liberal colleague Jason Falinski interrupted. Sadly, Lim wasnt prepared to divulge just how many times the publication had needed money "as required".
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has exempted Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut from the 14-day home quarantine rule for those arriving from outside the state, an official said.

Ranaut, who is currently in news because of the controversy over her remark comparing Mumbai to Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir and the BMCs demolition of illegal structures at her bungalow, arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon.

As I am all set for Mumbai Darshan on my way to the airport,Maha government and their goons are at my property all set to illegally break it down, go on! I promised to give blood for Maharashtra pride this is nothing take everything but my spirit will only rise higher and higher. pic.twitter.com/6lE9LoKGjq  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 9, 2020

Also see | Anurag Kashyaps daughter Aaliyah shares emotional birthday wish for him: Love you and miss you. See pics

A senior BMC official said she had made an online application for the exemption from home quarantine as she was on a short visit. Since she is staying here for less than a week, she was exempted under the short-term visitor category, the officer told PTI.

According to BMC officials, Ranaut is scheduled to leave Mumbai on September 14.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Fear and mistrust in rural Punjab: Villages in Punjab have issued resolutions, signed by the local Sarpanch, that Covid tests will only be performed voluntarily and nobody will taken to quarantine centres agains their will. These orders were issued after high levels of panic and misinformation among villagers.

Some of them have alleged that non-Covid patients have been forcefully quarantined along with infected ones while others point towards rumours of illegal organ harvesting in hospitals. The level of mistrust is so high that medical teams have been attacked and not allowed entry into ...
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Thursday accused West Bengal Mamata Banerjee chief minister of timing the Covid-19 lockdown in the state last month to coincide with the launch the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5 and earlier lifting it for Eid.

By imposing the lockdown, she [Banerjee] crushed the wishes of crores of people. It is a different matter that the lockdown was lifted [for] Eid on July 31This is a politics of appeasement. This politics of vote bank appeasement needs to be exposed, Nadda said in his address to BJP workers via video-conferencing.

Also read: Congress Bengal president pick sends clear message to Mamata Banerjee

The West Bengal government imposed a state-wide lockdown on seven non-consecutive days in August to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The BJP has been upbeat over its prospects in the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls since its performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Its vote share in the state increased to over 40% in 2019 from a mere 2% in the 2011 assembly polls. The BJP won 18 out of West Bengals 42 Lok Sabha seats to emerge as the second-largest party after ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state.

The BJP has repeatedly targeted the TMC government over its vote bank politics in the state, where Muslims account for 27% of the population. In 2017, the BJP targeted the TMC for imposing restrictions on idol immersion during Durga Puja celebrations as it coincided with Muharram. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims take out processions to mourn the killing of the Prophets grandson, Hussain, and other members of his family in the Battle of Karbala in the seventh century.

Nadda credited blessings the BJP got from people in Bengal to the partys rise in the state, with an increase in vote share from 2% in 2011 to 18% in 2014 and over 40% in 2019.

This is how we have to proceed and throw out the TMC. Mamata Banerjee knows the ground beneath her feet has shifted. She knows people are ready to welcome the Lotus [BJPs electoral symbol] in West Bengal.

Nadda accused Banerjee of blocking the implementation of schemes like Ayushman Bharat that benefit the poorest of the poor. Nearly 45 million people in West Bengal have been deprived of up to Rs 5 lakh [500,000 insurance cover] that the scheme offers, he said.

Nadda said the state government has not even shared the list of farmers eligible to get three instalments of Rs 2,000 in their accounts under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme annually. She has not let the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana [crop insurance scheme] be implemented in West Bengal is it not her duty to worry about the fate of farmers? She changed the name of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana [housing scheme]... the money is coming from the Centre but she has put her stamp on the scheme. 

Nadda said Banerjee was not even sharing Covid-19 data. They stopped a team that had come from Delhi to collect data even as dead bodies remained unattended. This is anti-humanism of Mamata Banerjee.

He referred to political killings in the state and said politics of criminalisation is being encouraged and people are being intimidated. But in the elections, it is the very same people who will raise their voice and send you home and bring the BJP to power.

TMC lawmaker Saugata Roy rejected Naddas comments as communal statements. Enforcing lockdown or cancelling it has nothing to do with a programme that was held in another state. Lockdown is imposed or withdrawn by a government based on administrative convenience and on the advice of experts.

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The top winners of Asia-Pacific Property Awards 2020-2021 will go on to participate in the International Awards

This year, there are 628 winners from across the Asia-Pacific in the Architecture, Development, Interior Design, and Real Estate categories. China bagged the most awards (146 awards), followed by Thailand (69 awards). They were followed closely by Singapore (58 awards) and Hong Kong (54 awards). Other important markets including Vietnam (44 awards), India (26 awards), the Philippines (26 awards), and Indonesia (27 awards) also made a mark at this years edition.

In these challenging times, the award ceremony was held online with the participation of many renowned names in the architecture and design community. All the top winners for 2020-2021 in the Asia-Pacific region will be part of the International Awards, celebrating their achievements in a virtual ceremony held on September 7, 2020.

The Asia-Pacific Property Awards are one of the biggest and most established awards in the industry, receiving over 900 entries each year from countries across the entire region. The awards provide recognition to the best companies in architecture, interior design, real estate, and property development.

Sponsored by LIXIL Asia through its power brands GROHE and American Standard as part of a three-year partnership as Headline Sponsor from 2019 until 2021, the Asia-Pacific Property Awards are the largest branch of the International Property Awards (IPA).

LIXIL, as a global market leader in the water technology industry, recognises the increasing concern around hygiene globally and is pre-empting consumers needs for touchless, IoT-enabled hygiene solutions (technologies and products).

Through its portfolio of power brands, LIXIL offers pioneering technologies that promote health, hygiene, comfort, and sustainability. Each of the power brands have their own star products, including American Standard HygieneClean Technology, award-winning Genie hand shower and Aqua Ceramic; GROHE SmartControl Kitchen Collection and sensor faucets; INAX 3in1Jet Bowl; as well as the SPALET range and the recently launched SATO Tap.

Against the backdrop and uncertainties of the ongoing global pandemic, the awards mark a celebratory milestone for the community and for LIXIL Asia to continue providing consumer-centric products across different price points, designs, and technologies.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners and hope that this memorable moment will be a reminder that good design will shine even during tough times. At LIXIL, consumer centricity is a big part of who we are and what we do as a purpose-driven company. Our industry leading brands cater to consumers across all lifestyle needs, from affordable to luxury ranges, functional to precision technology, and classic to modern design," Satoshi Konagai, CEO of LIXIL Water Technology Asia-Pacific, said. "By awarding these professionals with this industry honour, we want to empower them to rise to the challenge and provide award-winning designs that address specific consumer needs. This partnership continues to provide us an excellent opportunity to connect with the best developers, architects and designers in the Asia-Pacific and work together to bring LIXILs water and housing solutions to more people through our well-loved brands. Especially in the time of this global pandemic we are geared more than ever towards making better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere.

Adele Tao, CEO of LIXIL Water Technology Greater China, said, The pandemic resulted in unforeseen circumstances and challenges around the world. Despite that, we remain focused and committed towards our goal in delivering safe and comfortable products and services through responsible, sustainable innovations to improve the quality of our consumers lives. That said, we also plan to make significant investments to introduce new categories and products to our consumers, and going beyond that we would also dial up service level to our consumers with industrial best-in-class brand and product experience throughout before, during, and after sales. We will work more closely with the developer, designer, and architect community at a strategic cooperation level to achieve the bigger goals.
We should be doing more (for farmers) and we did some in the CARES Act but theres more we had in the HEROS Act that if the Republicans in the Senate dont pass we are not going to have additional help for those family farmers in Wisconsin, he said.

Pocan was also asked about President Donald Trumps proposed payroll tax cut, which would delay the tax being deducted out of paychecks until the end of the year but paid back starting in early 2021. Pocan said the measure is in limbo because Congress doesnt have any guidelines on how to implement the measure. He called the measure kind of bogus.

Pocan said Trump cannot cut payroll taxes without Congressional approval. The money from the tax also funds social security, which could create fund balance issues with the program, he said.

Its an awful idea to say youre just going to withhold it for some period of time and you still have to pay it back because now employers dont know how to handle it, he said.
(Alliance News) - British supermarket Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC on Thursday said it was hiring about 6,000 new permanent staff to help meet booming online demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The food retailer said in a statement it was keeping 25,000 of the 45,000 temporary staff it hired in March amid Britain's Covid-19 lockdown.

A company spokesman told AFP that it had now handed permanent contracts to about "one quarter" of those 25,000 employees.

The retail sector enjoyed soaring online sales during the nationwide lockdown, which ran for about three months from late March, as consumers were forced to shop via computer screens and smartphones.

It comes as US e-commerce giant Amazon last week announced 7,000 new permanent jobs in the UK by the end of the year, as the coronavirus pandemic fuels online shopping, but hurts bricks-and-mortar businesses, which by contrast are shedding thousands of positions.

The biggest surge in new UK jobs fuelled by online demand has come from supermarket giant Tesco, with Britain's biggest retailer planning 16,000 new permanent roles.

Morrisons also said that it took a GBP155 charge in investment costs related to the Covid-19 pandemic.A

That was heavily offset by a GBP93 million benefit from the government's tax break for virus-hit businesses.

source: AFP

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Vaccines are said to have prevented at least 10 million deaths worldwide between 2010 and 2015 alone. (Getty Images)

A global study into vaccine confidence has revealed some hesitancy hotspots.

Scientists from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) analysed surveys and interviews from more than 284,000 adults across 149 countries between 2015 and 2019.

Results  published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet  revealed confidence in vaccine safety remains low but varies across Europe, with less than one in five (19%) Lithuanians strongly agreeing immunisation is safe compared to two thirds (66%) in Finland in 2019.

In the UK, just 52% of Britons strongly agree vaccines are safe  up from 47% in May 2018. The proportion who tend to agree with jab safety fell, however, from 43% to 34%.

Read more: Multiple concerns over Russian coronavirus vaccine studies

Confidence is faltering in other parts of the world, with nearly one in five (17%) in Azerbaijan strongly disagreeing vaccines are safe in 2019, compared to just 2% four years earlier  mirroring trends in political instability and religious extremism.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, an effective jab has often been hailed a route back to life as we once knew it. The LSHTM scientists stressed identifying countries with declining confidence will help guide where we need to build trust to optimise uptake.

Vaccines are rigorously tested for safety, with any complications being exceedingly rare.

Scientists around the world are racing to develop a coronavirus vaccine. In the meantime, preventative measures like face coverings help ward off the infection. (Posed by a model, Getty Images)

Rapid and global spread of misinformation

The invention of vaccines as we know them took place in the 18th century.

Edward Jenner, the father of immunology, noticed milkmaids who overcame the mild cowpox virus did not develop smallpox  which killed around 30% of those infected.

Jenner inserted pus from a cowpox pustule into an eight-year-old boys arm, leaving him immune to smallpox.

Fast forward more than 200 years, vaccines prevented at least 10 million deaths worldwide between 2010 and 2015 alone.

Despite the enormous success of immunisation, public mistrust is a growing issue, with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring vaccine hesitancy one of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019.

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Refusals or even delays to vaccinations contribute to outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles, polio and meningitis, according to the WHO.

Read more: Two in five with lung condition will shield until coronavirus vaccine

One of the main threats to the resilience of vaccination programmes globally is the rapid and global spread of misinformation, said Professor Heidi Larson, co-lead author of the LSHTM study.

When there is a large drop in vaccination coverage, it is often because there's an unproven vaccine safety scare seeding doubt and distrust.

Sometimes there is a genuine small risk that gets rapidly spread and amplified to appear to be a much larger risk.

There are also cases where vaccine debates have been purposefully polarised, exploiting the doubting public and system weaknesses for political purposes, while waning vaccine confidence in other places may be influenced by a general distrust in government and scientific elites.

It is vital with new and emerging disease threats such as the COVID-19 [the disease caused by the coronavirus] pandemic, that we regularly monitor public attitudes to quickly identify countries and groups with declining confidence, so we can help guide where we need to build trust to optimise uptake of new life-saving vaccines.

Dr Edward Jenner performs the first vaccination against smallpox on eight-year-old James Phipps on 14 May 1796; painting by Ernest Board. (Getty Images)

Although immunisation coverage is reported across the world, data on vaccine confidence that could be compared between nations was not recently available.

To plug this gap, the LSHTM scientists combined information from nearly 250,000 previously published surveys with an additional 50,000 interviews carried out in 2019.

Models estimated trends in public attitudes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines, as well as the importance of immunising children.

The results revealed confidence in vaccine safety remains low in Europe but appears to be increasing in several countries, including Finland, France, Italy, Ireland and the UK.

In France, which has previously been linked to anti-vaxx sentiments, the number of adults strongly agreeing jabs are safe rose from 22% in November 2018 to 30% in December 2019.

In the UK, this increased from 47% in May 2018 to 52% in November 2019.

Read more: Infection of volunteers for coronavirus vaccine is 'ethical'

Among the Polish, however, strong vaccine safety confidence dipped from 64% in November 2018 to 53% in December 2019, reflecting the growing impact of a highly organised local anti-vaccine movement, according to the scientists.

Six countries in particular have experienced substantial increases in people strongly disagreeing vaccines are safe (i.e. not just being less convinced, but actively against vaccines), they wrote.

As well as Azerbaijan, these were made up of Afghanistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Serbia.

This worrying trend mirrors political instability and religious extremism, according to the LSHTM scientists.

Safety concerns may not block parents from having their children vaccinated, however.

Nearly all the respondents in Iraq (95%), Liberia (93%) and Senegal (92%) agreed it is important for children to have jabs.

Our findings suggest people do not necessarily dismiss the importance of vaccinating their children even if they have doubts about how safe vaccines are, said co-lead author Clarissa Simas.

The public seem to generally understand the value of vaccines, but the scientific and public health community needs to do much better at building public trust in the safety of vaccination, particularly with the hope of a COVID-19 vaccine.

With every crisis comes opportunity

The overall confidence in vaccinestaking into account safety, effectiveness and importancefell in Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan and South Korea between November 2015 and December 2019, the results show.

In the Philippines, risks around the dengue jab Dengvaxia caused one of the largest falls in vaccine confidence and subsequently affected uptake of routine vaccines.

Dengvaxias manufacturer Sanofi announced in 2017 the jab posed a risk to individuals who had not been exposed to the dengue virus, prompting outrage and panic across the population where nearly 850,000 children had been given the new vaccine the previous year.

Writing in a linked Lancet comment, Dr Daniel Salmon from Johns Hopkins University stressed situations such as Dengvaxia  where a vaccine was linked to complications  are exceedingly rare.

Unlike this example, most vaccine safety scares are not supported by scientific evidence, he added.

In South Korea, the LSHTM scientists partially pointed the finger at communities like ANAKI  translates as raising children without medication.

In Muslin nations like Indonesia, leaders have questioned the safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

They also issued a religious ruling called a fatwa that claimed the MMR jab was haram (forbidden) and contained ingredients derived from pigs.

The scientists found an association between minority religious groups and lower vaccine uptake.

A stronger link was found, however, between being male or less educated and not having jabs.

Trusting a healthcare worker for medical advice over family or friends was associated with increased vaccine uptake.

Dr Salmon added: Vaccines have a remarkable safety record, based on rigorous processes of phased randomised controlled trials and on licensure requirements, which have ensured that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.

He concluded global investment into vaccine safety and communication infrastructure is required.

Without substantial global investment in active vaccine safety surveillance, continuous monitoring of public perceptions, and development of rapid and flexible communication strategies, there is a risk of [coronavirus] vaccines never reaching their potential due to a continued inability to quickly and effectively respond to public vaccine safety concerns, real or otherwise, wrote Dr Salmon.

With every crisis comes opportunity; it should not be ignored.
Students make their way through the USC campus. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: The N-word in the English language has a history in this country connected to racism, slavery, cruelty and violence. Those who use the word do so with a specific intent to denigrate, hate and harm. ("Controversy over USC professors use of Chinese word that sounds like racial slur in English," Sept. 5)

However, in the case the Mandarin word meaning "that," whose first syllable is pronounced "nay" or "nah" and not "nih," not a single one of those facts applies. The Mandarin word is not a racial slur, nor do its speakers use it with hateful intent. It just means "that."

There is no defensible reason why USC professor Greg Patton, who used a word with a wholly different history and language in a lecture on communication in international business, should be removed from teaching his course.

Linda Williamson, Granada Hills

..

To the editor: I am a Black man who has lived in China. I have never even thought about the Mandarin word "nei ge" or "na ge" sounding like the N-word  until now.

When Greg Patton, a communication specialist who is not a native Mandarin speaker, says the word, it sounds more like the N-word than it does when I hear people in China say it.

I understand how it is possible that the Black students in Patton's class might have wanted to know more about the word, but I think the Marshall School of Business at USC went too far in removing him from teaching the course. An opportunity to enhance communication has been lost.

Roland Nicholson Jr., New York

..

To the editor: Is there evidence that Patton used a Chinese filler word to insult his Black students on purpose? If not, he should not be punished for citing a good example in his communication class just because some students did not like it.

Otherwise, as a Chinese American, I would be afraid of speaking my native language from now on because I might offend someone unintentionally.

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The school can acknowledge hurt feelings as an unintended consequence, but I believe the students should also learn that accusing someone of racism is not the way to deal with feelings or solve issues in life. Blatant discrimination should not be tolerated, but we do not need to see everything through the lens of race.

Delicia Hsu, Irvine

..

To the editor: In 2003 I was sent to work at a truck factory in rural China as part of an effort to integrate accounting systems in a new joint venture. For more than two hours I presented our plans, translated into Mandarin, to the dozens of assembled factory accountants and managers.

At the end of my presentation I asked if anyone had questions. I vividly remember the first gentleman standing up and repeatedly saying what sounded to me like the N-word. I was stunned.

Later, I learned that this was their version of "um"  nothing more, nothing less.

So in reading about Patton, I believe his error was not warning the students ahead of time that the equivalent of "um" in China sounds extremely unpleasant to us. After all, condemning another language strikes me as perpetuating American cultural supremacy.

Denis Cagna, Los Angeles
Oyster Financial is a neobank that has developed its own core banking technology platform to solve key pain points for sole proprietors and SMBs in Latin America. We can open business banking accounts for all corporation types and do that for customers in 24-72 hours instead of waiting the typical 4-6 months, or even longer, to do so," said Vilash Poovala, co-founder and CEO of Oyster Financial.

Despite Mexico being the worlds 11th largest economy and its 15th largest exporter, a vast majority of Mexican sole proprietors and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are still unbanked or underbanked. Oyster Financial (oyster.io), a fintech startup co-founded and led by CEO Vilash Poovala  who co-founded Clip (formerly PayClip), a late-stage B2B electronic payments startup thats on a fast track to become Mexicos first unicorn  aims to change that stark reality for small to medium-sized businesses, startups and individual entrepreneurs.

Today, Oyster Financial  a neobank that has developed its own core banking technology platform  announced it has raised US$14 million in seed funding, the largest venture capital seed round in Latin America to date  per LAVCA, led by monashees in Brazil and SV Latam Capital in San Francisco. Other investors participating in the seed round include FJ Labs, Fintech Collective, Kevin Efrusy, Redpoint eventures, S7 Ventures and Ulu Ventures. The new funding will be used to accelerate Oysters growth in Mexico, and make it fast and seamless for sole proprietors and small and medium-sized business owners to access financial services.

Traditional banks in Mexico have not focused on small business accounts and financial services in the past, which has created a barrier for entrepreneurism and jobs creation in the country. And, new jobs are badly needed. Last year, Mexico created the fewest jobs since the financial crisis caused by the Great Recession, and its now impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. More than half of Mexicos GDP is generated by small and medium-sized businesses.

Recently, new laws have been introduced to address the widespread lack of financial inclusion in Mexico, including Mexicos landmark FinTech Law enacted in March 2018 that paved the way for open banking in Latin America this year and helped spur a surge in fintech startups after it passed. At the end of 2016, Mexico enacted a much faster way for individuals to start their own companies via a new business entity for corporations called a Simple Stock Corporation or SAS.

The arrival of this new incorporation type called SAS was a huge opportunity for us because Mexicos banking system was not prepared to handle on-boarding them into the financial system, said Vilash Poovala, co-founder and CEO of Oyster Financial. We can open business banking accounts for all corporation types and do that for customers in 24-72 hours instead of waiting the typical 4-6 months, or even longer, to do so. And, with the current pandemic, who wants to spend hours in line at a physical bank instead of signing up with us online so quickly.

In addition to fast access to setting up business accounts within three days, Oyster Financial provides debit cards for its customers, which can take more than a year or more to attain as a small business in Mexico. Oyster Financials own high-quality customer support is available 24/7 and it does not charge customers a fee for bank transfers that typically cost 3-4 pesos each.

"Oyster is solving a key pain point and delivering something that's entirely new to Mexico: a fast track for entrepreneurs and small business owners to generate revenues and new jobs that the country's archaic banking system simply does not address today," said Consuelo Valverde, founder and managing partner at SV Latam Capital. "Oyster has the most experienced fintech team in Mexico, with a strong track record in startups and global tech companies, including Visa, PayPal, Clip, and Naspers/PayU. I met Vilash when he co-founded Clip, the first investment from our Fund 1. When he called me to share his vision about Oyster, it was a no brainer writing the first check."

Latin America represents a huge growth opportunity for fintech entrepreneurs to introduce new technologies that traditional financial institutions in Mexico and beyond have not been able to keep pace with despite increasing demands for innovation, said Marcelo Lima, partner at monashees. The Oyster team has a strong vision, deep tech expertise and quite a head start, as the only neobank for SMBs with its own robust BaaS platform, to deliver an outstanding experience for their customers within Mexico.

Our vision is to be long-time partners to our small business customers. First, with fast, easy access to B2B financial services at a fair cost, and then through the creation and rollout of innovative services that drive more stickiness by helping small business owners maintain the health and wellness of their companies and provide them with ingenious new products that integrate with Oysters core offerings and drive growth for their bottom lines, said Poovala.

About Oyster Financial:

Oyster is a global fintech company that is creating a new financial system for entrepreneurs.

The neobank, co-located in Mexico City and San Francisco, has developed its own core banking platform for small to medium-sized businesses in Mexico to quickly attain a business banking account and debit card within days, not months or even years. Its vision is to continue creating and rolling out new financial services and products for SMBs that increase revenues and ensure the health and well-being of businesses as they grow over time.

The company is backed by investors that include FinTech Collective, Kevin Efrusy, monashees, Redpoint eventures, S7 Ventures, SV LATAM Capital and Ulu Ventures with a total of US$14 million in seed funding as of September 2020.

For more information, please visit: https://oyster.io

About Monashees Capital:

monashees is a LatAm venture capital firm that invests in entrepreneurs committed to creating innovative solutions for a new world. We invest in the beginning stages and follow alongside the companies that are revolutionizing markets, creating value, and improving peoples lives through technology, such as Addi, Fazenda Futuro, Frubana, Grupo Zap, Loft, Loggi, MadeiraMadeira, Neon, Neoway, Oyster Financial, Rappi and TrueHome.

About SV LATAM Capital:

SV LATAM Capital is the first early-stage VC firm born in Silicon Valley with a distinct focus on investing in Latin American entrepreneurs. Its investments produce great financial returns while being a growing force for good in the world. The San Francisco, Calif.-based firm invests in science and technology startups focused on solving difficult problems that promise to transform society at large, including innovations to ease climate change, promote sustainability, cure diseases and improve healthcare on a global scale. SV LATAM Capital partners with entrepreneurs who demonstrate grit and ambition to solve these important issues and problems.

Media Contact:

Chris Knight, U.S. PR director for Oyster Financial

Based in San Francisco, California

(415) 786-9226 c. (on WhatsApp)

chris@divinogroup.net
Bob Woodward became Bob Woodward thanks to his reporting on Richard Nixons White House. All the Presidents Men chronicles Woodward and Carl Bernsteins race to confirm stories about the Watergate scandal and get them into print as quickly as possible. Those stories, when published by the Washington Post, altered the course of American history.

In his many books since the 1990s, Woodward has taken a different journalistic approach. To get those stories, hes made agreements with presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, and members of their administrations, that rely on delaying publication. Presidents and administration officials have agreed to speak freely with Woodward, and Woodward has waited to publish their comments until his books get released.

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This practice has led to criticism that Woodward sits on material thats in the public interest to goose his book sales. In 2005, for instance, he apologized to his editors at the Post for withholding information about the Valerie Plame case for more than two years.

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The latest such controversy emerged on Wednesday, when an excerpt from Woodwards forthcoming book Rage revealed that Donald Trump knew the coronavirus was much deadlier than the common flu as far back as February. (This is more deadly, Trump told Woodward. This is 5 peryou know, this is 5 percent versus 1 percent and less than 1 percent. You know? So, this is deadly stuff.) Trumps interviews with Woodward directly contradicted the presidents repeated public statements in the first crucial months of the pandemic. And yet, Woodward withheld them, until now. In interviews on Wednesday, Woodward said he didnt reveal the contents of his conversations with Trump in part because he wasnt sure whether the president was telling the truth.

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This revelation ignited a lively discussion among Slates writers and editors, who weighed in on Slack on the journalistic ethics of Woodwards approach as well as the potential political and medical impact if hed revealed his conversations with Trump as they happened. A portion of that conversation is transcribed below. It has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Ben Mathis-Lilley: Respectfully, to Twitter  Bob Woodward reporting this in March would not have changed the course of history.

Josh Keating: Does the part about him knowing COVID was bad seem  actually damaging to Trump? I cant tell anymore.

Jeremy Stahl: I just think it would be so easy to contrast these clips in a 60-second ad. So easy.

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Trump on March 4 comparing COVID to the flu and saying of death rate, "personally, I'd say the number is way under 1 percent." https://t.co/aDgyWRi9hT

Trump on Feb. 7 saying "this is more deadly, this is 5 percent versus 1 percent and less than 1 percent."https://t.co/VpYtVLzsv0  Jeremy Stahl (@JeremyStahl) September 9, 2020

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In this clip, Trump:

1. Denies WHO's coronavirus death rate based on hunch"

2. Calls coronavirus "corona flu"

3. Suggests it's fine for people w/ Covid-19 to go to work

4. Compares coronavirus to "the regular flu," indicating he doesn't get the difference pic.twitter.com/uC9c03zX31  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2020

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On March 4, President Trump downplayed the deadliness of the coronavirus, saying it was way under 1 percent [plays clip]. But one month earlier, in private, he told Bob Woodward the truth [plays clip]. He knew how deadly it was. He lied. He did nothing. Would you trust him to keep you safe another four years?

It would take a few minutes to turn the contradictory statements into an ad.

Thats where the potential damage lies, IMO.

Mathis-Lilley: My brain schema for this stuff right now is opportunity cost.

Stahl: That too, a lot.

Mathis-Lilley: Does it dent his 4042 percent, no, nothing does, because there is no God and no justice, but he will obsess over it for four days that he should be spending talking about jobs numbers and sending out another round of checks.

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But yes, [it] definitely seems like it will be used for ads to make the virus salient, which is what Joe Biden wants.

Tom Scocca: Its bad for him.

Stahl: Also, though, you dont have to dent the 4042 number. You just have to reinforce and solidify the 5052 number. These things will do that.

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Mathis-Lilley: Yep.

Scocca:

Stupid Woodward lost out on ~180k potential sales.  Matt Haber (@Matthaber) September 9, 2020

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Keating: Aside from the Woodward aspect of it, interested in the psychology of knowing that theres a deadly thing thats going to kill lots of people and then deciding not to make a big deal of it. Even assuming hes purely self-interested, in what world doesnt that catch up to him eventually?

Seth Maxon: One day its going to magically disappear.

Susan Matthews: That seems very normal Trump-psychology to me; he exists on the constant edge of potential catastrophe.

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Stahl: From Woodwards perspective, how the hell is he supposed to know the truth of what Trump is saying?

Like, if it were me, I would probably just assume Trump was lying to me.

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Matthews: Yeah, I think this too.

Keating: Trueand the juxtaposition of this with how close we came to war with North Korea really hammers that home. That shoe didnt drop. This one did.

Julia Craven: I mean I dont think it would have altered history.

Its still irresponsible.

Mathis-Lilley: I agree that its a bad norm, that reporters do this.

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I just dont think [Woodward] has 180,000 deaths on his hands.

Jordan Weissmann: No.

Also, can we admit that this might actually do more good for humanity landing close to the election, even if it just eats up a couple news cycles?

Mathis-Lilley: Now theres the #slatepitch.

Craven: I dont think [Woodward] has 180,000 deaths on his hands either.

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Still, if you have proof the president is lying about the severity of COVID, reporting that might convince just a few more people to listen to the scientists.

Weissmann: Maybe. But also, many of those people who need convincing are so far gone it might not.

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This is, of course, completely unknowable. And the principled move here would be to report it at the time.

Stahl: Normally I am a strong proponent of the book deal sourcing thing being OK and respecting it. I dont know what I think here.

Weissmann: Im just saying, its plausible Woodwards timing here will work out marginally better for the country.

Maxon: I dont know. Were a month ahead of the Access Hollywood tape anniversary. That didnt kill thousands of people, but still.

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I am skeptical it will change more minds now.

People already know hes been lying.

Sam Adams: It was incredibly obvious he was lying all along. I wish I believed this would have been the silver bullet that changed things, but he was on tape admitting to assaulting women and 

Weissmann: Right.

Craven: It was obvious to us.

Maxon: This is confirmation of an assumption many more hold right nowafter tons of people have diedthan held at the time.

Stahl: I think its a different thing to have Slate.com assume and tell you hes lying, and then to hear the back-to-back clips that show plainly that hes lying.

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And to hear that over and over and over again, because its constantly on your TV, because Joe Bidens war chest is currently $360 million that he is going to spend on ads for the next two months.

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Craven: And the COVID stuff bothers people more than the sexual assault allegations, I think, because more of his constituents are feeling the brunt of COVIDwhich is gross because you shouldnt need to experience something personally to get it. But a lot of people do.

Mathis-Lilley: To take the other side of my own argument, a sound clip of its way deadlier than the flu could have pushed Fox coverage in a certain direction that had utility.

Of course, him saying its the same as flu at the same time  muddles.

Weissmann: He also could have just said, Ive received new information and changed my mind. Though I guess the playing-it-down part makes that trickier.

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Josh Levin:

Imagine sitting on that interview for SEVEN months.  Pamela Colloff (@pamelacolloff) September 9, 2020

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Maxon: Yeah, I am more mad now than I was when this conversation started.

Craven: Well never know how that tape could have shifted the political support he got from governors or anything.

Keating: A world in which Woodward does stuff like burn source agreements is not a world where Trump tells him stuff like this. But also I get the argument that as a one-time thing this was worth it.

Slates editorial director for podcasts is Bob Woodwards son-in-law. He did not participate in this conversation or have any role in editing this article.
Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign returns next week to support 550 charities, hospitals and community programs across Canada, including Project Share and Brain Injury Community Re-entry (Niagara).

From Monday through Sunday, restaurant owners will donate the full $1 from every freshly baked chocolate chunk Smile Cookie purchased to support charities in their communities.

Tim Hortons restaurants in Niagara Falls are supporting Project Share and Brain Injury Community Re-entry (Niagara).

Project Share provides emergency food and services to 126 families on average per day who are living below the poverty line. It also helps less fortunate in the community with various services such as utilities and housing.

Brain Injury Community Re-entry (Niagara) provides support services and rehabilitation to people living with the effects of an acquired brain injury.

Pam Sharp, interim executive director for Project Share, said the agency is again grateful to be part of the Smile Cookie campaign.

We are relying on the support of our community partners now more than ever and we cant thank our local Tim Hortons owners enough for their continued support, she said.

September is Hunger Action Month and we encourage our community to take action against hunger by purchasing smile cookies in Niagara Falls and helping us to ensure none of our neighbours go hungry.

Hugh Newell, a Tim Hortons restaurant owner in Niagara Falls, said communities coming together during difficult times is more important than ever.

Our restaurant team members and I are excited to continue working with our local charity partners, Project Share, to raise as much as possible to support their local programs, he said.

Hope Bagozzi, chief marketing officer for Tim Hortons, said since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant chain has been treating local food banks, hospitals and charities to its coffee trucks and baked goods as they support their communities.

Were continuing to support these organizations as we kick off our annual Smile Cookie week, one of our largest restaurant owner-led initiatives, that continues to support local charities who need it most.

This will be the campaigns 24th year. Last year, Tim Hortons restaurant owners and customers across the country raised a record $9.8 million.
The Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye says former President John Dramani Mahama will not apologise over the Akyem Sakawa boys tag.

The Chiefs and people of Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku and Akyem Bosome issued an ultimatum to the NDC flagbearer to retract and apologise for the tag or risk being banned from campaigning in the area.

They demonstrated against the NDC and its flagbearer at Asamankese on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, over the issue.

They argued that it has the tendency to plunge the nation into chaos if not condemned by all Ghanaians.

But the Odododiodoo legislator in a Citi News interview said the call on Mr. Mahama to apologise is misplaced.

Our flagbearer will not apologise for anything. The people who vote for us in the Akyem area will continue to vote for the NDC irrespective of what has happened.

We have much more respected members in the NDC who hail from that area. Our National Chairman is an Akyem, the Chairman of our Manifesto Committee is an Akyem and a Royal so, there are people in our party who are Akyem.

The NDC Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo used the descriptor in a write-up critiquing the Agyapa Royalties deal.

The write-up was shared on John Mahama's Facebook page.

Other condemnations

Mr. Mahama's comments and his subsequent defence of the tag have been condemned by President Nana Akufo-Addo who said: that is the kind of language we don't want in our politics.

The President also said he expected more outrage over the comments.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) had also condemned Mr Mahama over the tag.

The Foundation insisted that Mahamas sharing of the article on his Facebook page amounts to republication and an endorsement of the ethnocentric comments.

---citinewsoom
A carriage clock or perhaps a nice bottle of whisky were once traditional gifts to recognise long- serving staff.

But for Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteer Mike Jones a rather different tribute marks 40 years of rescues  a giant mural of his face gazing out to sea, painted by a graffiti artist.

The artwork  43ft high and taking up the entire gable end of a terraced house  is titled 'unsung hero'.

Yesterday Mr Jones, 58, of New Brighton RNLI on the Wirral, said: 'I only found out it was going to be painted last week. It was a bit of a surprise to say the least.

'They told me what they were doing and said they hoped I didn't mind. I could hardly say no.'

Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteer Mike Jones, 58, was honoured with a giant mural to mark 40 years of rescues

He added: 'It's an amazing accolade, I think it's brilliant. But the stick I've been getting from people over the last few days is amazing!'

Mr Jones  whose day job involved supporting teenagers with special educational needs at a school  has been volunteering for the lifeboat station since he was a teen himself.

Over the years he has carried out hundreds of rescues.

Since he turned 55, he has been restricted to shore duties, responsible for launching the lifeboat, which has made more than 60 rescues so far this year.

'It's hard seeing them heading off to sea without me, but apparently the mural is the last thing they can see, so at least I'm going to be looking out for them,' he said.

Mr Jones  whose day job involved supporting teenagers with special educational needs at a school  has been volunteering for the lifeboat station since he was a teen himself (station boat pictured)

The artwork is one of 25 commissioned by regeneration firm Rockpoint Leisure as part of efforts to revive New Brighton's Victoria Quarter.

Welcoming the mural, Ian Thornton, lifeboat operations manager for New Brighton, said: 'This is a fantastic and fitting tribute to an amazing person who has volunteered for 40 years with the RNLI.

'Due to the location of the mural, Mike will always be looking out to sea to keep an eye on what's going on.'

The painting is the handiwork of 'Smug One', also known as Sam Bates.

Based in Glasgow but born in Australia, he has been hailed 'a genius' for his hyper-realistic photograph-style murals on buildings around the world.

'I hope that the work draws attention to the bravery and personal generosity of the service,' he said.
Actor Ankita Lokhande on Wednesday said that she never claimed that Sushant Singh Rajput was murdered" but wanted justice" for her late friend" and his family. Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment in June. His death has sparked a lot of controversy in the media.

Lokhande, who met Rajput on the sets of Pavitra Rishta" and dated him till 2016, had posted Justice" on her Twitter wall after Rajputs purported girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Chakraborty, who has been accused of abetting Rajputs suicide by his family, was arrested on Tuesday, by the NCB in a drug case linked to the late actors death.

Following Chakrabortys arrest, Lokhande tweeted, Nothing happens by chance, by fate. You create your own fate by your actions. Thats Karma."

Now, Lokhande has opened up about her reasons to stand with Rajputs family as she shared a statement on her social media handles.

I again clarify, for the reason time and again being asked by the media to me on whether I feel its a murder or suicide? I have never said its a murder or anyone, in particular, is responsible.

I always have encouraged justice for my late friend SSR and stood by the bereaved family and truth should be brought out by the investigating agencies," Lokhande wrote in her statement.

Calling herself a Maharashtrian and an Indian citizen", the actor said she has total faith in the state government and central investigative agencies. Lokhande also said that many people have called her names but she never responded to anything and came forward to speak about Rajput when they were together.

I only came forward to narrate about SSR and his mental health till 2016," she added. While taking an indirect jibe at Chakrabortys close friend, actress Shibani Dandekar, and addressing her haters", Lokhande said Chakraborty was the closest person to the actor and so she should not have let him consume drugs.

When she very well knew about his mental state by publicly stating that he was in depression. Should she have allowed a depressed man to consume drugs? How is that going to help? His condition would deteriorate to a level that would make a man take the action that SSR has allegedly taken. She was the closest person to him at that time," Lokhande claimed.

The actor said that on one hand, Chakraborty was coordinating with Rajputs doctors regarding his health issues, but on the other hand, she was coordinating drug logistics for him".

Would anyone, who claims to have loved someone so deeply, allow the other person to consume drugs claiming to know his mental state and condition? Would you do that? I dont think anyone would. So how can it not be seen as an act of carelessness and irresponsibility?" Lokhande claimed.

The actor also raised questions as to why Rajputs family was not informed about his depression as well as his issues with drugs.

As per her, she informed his family about his ongoing treatment but did she ever inform them about his drug consumption? I am sure she didnt because maybe she, herself, enjoyed consuming it. And this is why I feel its Karma/Fate," she added.

Lokhande said she will continue to support Rajputs family while asking her haters to maintain civility. Her post comes after Shibani Dandekar indirectly slammed Lokhande for knowing a lot about fate and karma." Even though Dandekar didnt mention Lokhande on her post, she did write that, you know who you are."

Rajputs sister Shweta Singh Kirti supported Lokhande even as she commented on the latters post: Bang on."

(with inputs from PTI)
A judge in Boston federal court says he likely will deny a request from landlords to block the Massachusetts eviction moratorium that allows people to stay in the apartments they rent even if they cant afford to pay rent due to COVID-19.

U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf on Thursday weighed arguments on the request for a preliminary injunction, the Baker administrations motion to dismiss and other requests related to the legal fight over the moratorium that took effect in April.

Wolf held off on blocking the eviction moratorium, said Jordana R. Greenman, a lawyer representing landlords suing the state. He will issue a written decision, though he told both parties theres a small chance he could change his mind as he writes the decision.

Wolf also warned the ban could go on for too long, saying a pandemic is not a blank check for state elected officials," according to Law360.

Wolfs comments suggest the initial ruling isnt a total loss for landlords fighting the eviction moratorium, Greenman said.

It would be really good if this case causes the governor to not extend, she said. This isnt an easy case for anybody, the judge included. Its extremely complex. I think were going to know a lot from the written decision he issues.

The landlords' First Amendment violation and compelled speech argument might also move forward, Greenman said. She said shell wait to read the written decision when its issued before deciding whether to consider an appeal.

Wolf held arguments about whether to issue a preliminary injunction in late August but held off on deciding the preliminary injunctions fate then. He rejected the commonwealths motion to issue a stay on the case.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court also sided with the Baker administration in August. Judge Paul Wilson, author of the decision, said the emergency law doesnt interfere with core judicial powers nor blocks access to the courts. He says landlords can still sue for breach of contract or take other legal action besides eviction.

Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, signed the eviction moratorium into law in April over concerns that renters who lost work through the coronavirus pandemic would have to scramble to find homes in the middle of the public health crisis.

The housing moratorium sparked criticism from a coalition of landlords who say theyre losing money they rely on and that some tenants are taking advantage and not paying even if they can afford rent. Marie Baptiste, the plaintiff named in the lawsuit, said her tenants owe her more than $20,000 in unpaid rent.

Housing advocates say the moratorium staved off thousands of evictions, which could resume as soon as the moratorium lifts. Baker extended the moratoriums expiration date from Aug. 18 to Oct. 17.

A coalition of tenant rights organizations and state legislators, including Rep. Mike Connolly, are pushing for a bill that would extend the moratorium up to a year after the COVID-19 state of emergency ends, create a fund to help landlords who own 15 or fewer units and expand other protections for tenants who arent paying rent during the pandemic.

This afternoon were expecting a ruling on the landlords lawsuit to undo the eviction moratorium. Im hopeful the court will rule in our favor AND this is a reminder that we must pass H.4878, the #COVID19 Housing Stability Act to effectively #CancelRent and offer #ReliefForAll. pic.twitter.com/L5KzrQTBD3  Mike Connolly (@MikeConnollyMA) September 10, 2020

Related Content:
BEIJING, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- China Renaissance Holdings Limited ("China Renaissance" or the "Company", stock code: 1911.HK) announced today the final closing of Huaxing Growth Capital's USD Fund III with more than US$600 million in committed capital, backed by top-tier global institutional and individual investors from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, fund of funds and family offices.

The close of the USD Fund III marks another fundraising milestone for Huaxing Growth Capital following the close of the RMB Fund III which raised over RMB6.5 billion last year. To date, China Renaissance's private equity funds have approximately RMB40 billion of assets under management ("AUM") in total.

After the final close of USD Fund III, Huaxing Growth Capital's single investment size can be up to US$50 million. The Fund will continue to focus on New Economy growth-stage companies that are benefitting from the structural evolution of technological innovations, consumption upgrade and industrial transformation.

Fan BAO, Chairman and CEO of China Renaissance, Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Huaxing Growth Capital, said, "I would like to extend my appreciation to our global LPs. Thanks to their unwavering support and trust, we were able to close our third USD fund during a period of mounting geopolitical uncertainties and a global pandemic. Our world-class information system and in-depth industry research capabilities are the foundation of our successful investment management business. Over the past seven years, China Renaissance has invested in over 100 New Economy entrepreneurs and home-grown champions, and helped more than 30 of these companies go public in China and international markets. China's structural changes continue to create significant new investment opportunities. As we deploy our capital, we will adhere to our proven investment philosophy of bringing value to our portfolio companies and delivering strong returns to our investors."

John Hsin, Managing Partner of Huaxing Growth Capital, said: "In spite of the persisting global pandemic, China's economy  especially the New Economy sectors  have outperformed the global market, demonstrating resilience and huge potential with exceptional growth. China has become the world's largest single market of Internet-related industries where innovative companies are increasingly favored by global investors. China's New Economy sectors are still at an early stage of development. We will continue to broaden our global perspectives and strengthen our capabilities to provide full-cycle financial services to the best entrepreneurs."

China Renaissance launched its investment management business in 2013, and currently manages Huaxing Growth Capital and Huaxing Healthcare Capital. As of June 30, 2020, China Renaissance's private equity funds had an average multiple of invested capital ("MOIC") of 2.5x and internal rate of return ("IRR") of 33%.

Huaxing Growth Capital manages a total of six private equity funds, namely USD Fund I, USD Fund II, USD Fund III, RMB Fund I, RMB Fund II and RMB Fund III. Huaxing Growth Capital's portfolio companies include Meituan Dianping, Didi Chuxing, WuXi AppTec, MiningLamp Technology and Medlinker.

Despite the challenging market conditions in 2020, China Renaissance has invested in a number of leading companies across various flourishing sectors, such as eRoad Software, Xingsheng Youxuan, MGI Tech (Huada Zhizao), HiRain Technologies and Insgeek. In addition, a number of China Renaissance's portfolio companies have successfully listed in the public markets this year, including Li Auto, Beike Zhaofang and Dada Group.

SOURCE CHINA RENAISSANCE (HONG KONG)
South Africa: Justice Minister sends condolences to Bizos family

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has conveyed his heartfelt condolences and that of the ministry to the Bizos family and the entire legal profession following the death of Advocate George Bizos on Wednesday.

Lamola lauded Bizos, 92, as an erudite advocate, whose record in the profession was impeccable.

He devoted his phenomenal intellect and legal prowess as an advocate to the marginalised.

We commiserate with his family, loved ones, colleagues and all who knew him. The outpouring of grief in the legal profession and throughout the country bears testimony to the noble role that Adv. Bizos played, Lamola said.

Bizos was a legal giant. Born on 15 November 1927 in Kirani, Greece, he was 13 when he arrived in South Africa as a refugee with his father.

In 1950, he completed his law degree at the University of the Witwatersrand and held BA and LLB degrees, along with three LLD (Honoris Causa) degrees.

In 1954, Bizos was admitted to the Johannesburg Bar and he practiced as an advocate until 1990.

From 1991, he served as counsel at the Legal Resources Centres Constitutional Litigation Unit and he was made an Honorary Life Member of the Johannesburg Bar in 2004.

During the apartheid years, Bizos dedicated his life to fighting for human rights, freedom and democracy.

After the dawn of democracy, he continued his efforts to ensure that all South Africans equally enjoy those rights enshrined and guaranteed by the Constitution.

In his legal career, Bizos has represented many political activists in high-profile trials. He was a member of the ANC defence team in the Rivonia trial where Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki and others faced the death penalty.

In addition, Bizos acted as counsel in numerous political trials, such as that of Bram Fischer and the inquests of Steve Biko, Ahmed Timol and Neil Agget.

He also represented the families of stalwarts of the liberation struggle at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as the leader of the team to oppose applications for amnesty on behalf of the Biko, Hani, Goniwe, Calata, Mkonto, Mhlauli, Slovo and Schoon families.

He gained prominence through arguments in cases that were driven by the apartheid regime in its quest to derail the freedom struggle. These cases thrust Bizos in the public eye and also made him an enemy of the apartheid regime.

Not many legal practitioners confronted the injustices faced by political activists more than Bizos.

His work will continue to inspire a generation of upcoming practitioners. We are grateful for the lasting legacy he has left, said Lamola.

Bizos was the recipient of many prestigious awards, such as the Order For Meritorious Service Class II Medal, awarded to him by President Nelson Mandela in 1999; the Bernard Simon Memorial Award from the International Bar Association in October 2004; the Sydney & Lady Kentridge Award and the Duma Nokwe Human Rights and Democracy Award 2004.

Bizos played a monumental role in the drafting of South Africas Constitution, as a key member of the ANCs Legal and Constitutional Committee, as advisor to the negotiating teams at Codesa and in shaping the Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights.

In April 2016, at the University of the Witwatersrand, Bizos left the audience with a challenge when he said:

The challenge is this: I want you to think of one way in which you can advance the values of our Constitution in your community. Keep track of it, record your progress, and whenever you believe you have achieved what you set out to do, challenge yourself to do something more.

Do that in the name of our Constitution and the aims and values that underpin it, and be unrelenting in your pursuit of this.

This is a promise that we will keep as we advance the values of the Constitution. Adv Bizos was a selfless servant of the legal profession and we owe a great gratitude to him, said Lamola.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
He fought competition, cerebral palsy, dyslexia and dysarthria to crack CAT-2019 with 92.5 per cent marks.

Yash Avadesh Gandhi, 21, is now a student of IIM-Lucknow and has been attending online classes from his home in Mumbai for the past one month.

I face problems with numbers. So, I had to put in extra effort, particularly in the quantitative ability section. It was tough, but not impossible," he said in an interview to a local daily.

Yash needed a writer to take the written examinations. He has difficulty in walking, but still travels on local trains in Mumbai. He speaks with a slur, but conveys his thoughts and emotions with clarity.

His story is inspirational, to put it rather mildly.

Yash had started preparing for CAT in July 2018, when he was still in the second year of his graduation.

His hard work paid off and after clearing the CAT, he got interview calls from several IIMs, including Kozhikode and Indore, but he chose Lucknow because it is ranked higher.

He was admitted to IIM-Lucknow under the persons with disabilities quota for the academic session 2020-22.

Yash has cerebral palsy, dyslexia and dysarthria, a condition that weakens the muscles needed to speak.

Yashs parents have expectedly been his main support system.

When he joined the school, he faced difficulty in learning and was not able to compete with his peers. But he picked up gradually. He has always had to work harder than normal children," Avadhesh Gandhi, his father, who works in a private firm.

He said that while studying for CAT, there came a point when Yash was so depressed that he almost decided to give up.

I told him that he has the capability to do anything and should not stop making an effort. After this, Yash started all over again," said his mother Jignasha, who works as a supervisor in a kitchen where midday meals are cooked.

The young man has a special place in his heart for his mentor and spiritual brother", Harshit Hindocha.

Yashs success is a perfect story of grit and commitment. He remains calm and composed even in the most trying circumstances, he never gives up. Even when I exempted him from taking notes due to his writing issues, he would always jot down points," Harshit said.

Yash did his graduation from Mithibai College in Mumbai with accounting and finance and ranked among the top five.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Even as the monsoon session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly was in progress, 40-year-old Nagulu on Thursday attempted suicide by setting himself on fire after dousing his clothes with petrol, demanding that the government provide him a job.

Immediately, the police rescued him by putting out the flames and rushed him to Osmania General Hospital for treatment.

According to police, Nagulu is a qualified teacher but could not get a government job.

Nagulu, who came from his native village of Kadthal to the city in the morning, purchased petrol. Later, he went to Ravindra Bharathi, which is close to the Telangana Assembly, and attempted suicide.

In the incident, Nagulu suffered burns. He kept shouting that even after Telangana was formed, youth continued to remain unemployed.

The incident caused a traffic snarl for some time at Ravindra Bharati.

Canteen operator dies after consuming poison

Upset over the poor business during the lockdown, a 23-year-old man and his father consumed poison at their residence in Punjagutta police station limits.

While the son Aneesh Reddy died, the father Ram Reddy is undergoing treatment in the hospital and his health condition is stated to be critical.

Aneesh Reddy's mother Allampati Sarvani Reddy, a resident of Khairatabad, lodged a complaint with police stating that her son was running canteens in IT companies. Due to the lockdown, his business was badly affected.

On Wednesday, Aneesh Reddy brought home some liquid and he said that it was COVID-19 medicine. Trusting him, Ram Reddy took it and later Anish Reddy also took it.

Later, she found that her husband and son were vomiting and they collapsed on the ground. She then shifted them to a hospital where doctors declared her son as brought dead while her husband is under treatment.

Police have registered a case of suspicious death.

(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
[street noise] matina stevis-gridneff Kalispera. Kalispera. [interposing voices] matina stevis-gridneff There are hundreds, if not thousands, of asylum seekers sleeping rough. Theyve pitched up tents with bamboo and other dried leaves. There are a lot of children here. I can see a tiny, tiny baby, I think no older than three months thats crying. Some of the people here have small backpacks with whatever belongings they were able to rescue. Some are looking at their asylum papers, which are actually probably the most valuable thing they own. [street noise] matina stevis-gridneff And now I think Im entering the segment of this street thats occupied by Afghans. I can see a mom helping her little girl pee and pouring some water on her. And this is really, really grim.

megan twohey

From The New York Times, Im Megan Twohey. This is The Daily. Today: Thousands of refugees are on the streets in Greece after a massive fire burned down their camp. My colleague, Matina Stevis-Gridneff, on how they ended up there in the first place. Its Thursday, September 17. Matina, tell me about Moria.

matina stevis-gridneff

Moria is a place in Greece, a vast, sprawling space in the hills of Lesbos, which is a really picturesque island in the Northeastern Aegean. Where over the years, among the olive groves, this sort of slum city of huts and tents and containers has sprung up. Where thousands and thousands of asylum seekers, coming from countries of conflict or abject poverty, or people facing other kinds of persecution in their homelands  in the Middle East, in Africa, or elsewhere  travel, go through Turkey, get on boats and end up on this island.

megan twohey

And how exactly did this happen? How did so many people end up in one place?

matina stevis-gridneff

So in order to answer that question, we need to go back to the summer of 2015 and examine what happened then. That was the height of the so-called European refugee crisis.

[music]

It was a moment when the Syrian conflict was really flaring up.

archived recording 1 Hundreds of thousands of people, fleeing violence and terror in places like Syria and Iraq. archived recording 2 Some have come from other parts of the world and are looking for better economic opportunities in Europe.

matina stevis-gridneff

People were making their way out of Syria and other parts of the Middle East, and transiting through Turkey to the Greek islands.

archived recording 1 And in Greece, desperate people are putting their lives at risk on rubber dinghies. archived recording 2 These people, families have just risked their lives, everything they own, everybody they love, to cross this narrow strait here to arrive here in Greece. archived recording 3 More than 50 bodies of refugees recovered from the sea after failed attempts to get to Europe over the last three days. Once again, the Greek island of Lesbos saw the most of the misery.

matina stevis-gridneff

There were up to 3, 4,000 people arriving every day on these tiny, tiny islands.

megan twohey

Right. I remember. There was that photo of the three-year-old Syrian boy who drowned in the Mediterranean.

matina stevis-gridneff

That photo was so important. It was such a turning point in the development of the early stage of the refugee crisis. Because it caused this moral pressure on richer, northern European countries  in particular, Germany  to open their doors to these people. And thats exactly what happened.

archived recording 1 German Chancellor Angela Merkel says her country will not limit the number of refugees it takes in. Shes calling for other E.U. members to do the same. archived recording 2 Germans gathered at the station to cheer and clap as refugees went through a temporary processing center set up outside.

matina stevis-gridneff

By 2016, about one million Syrian refugees had left the Greek islands, transited through Europe, and reached safe haven and a new life in Germany.

megan twohey

And how does Moria fit into these efforts?

matina stevis-gridneff

At the beginning of the crisis, the authorities thought they had to do something that normally happens when you have a humanitarian disaster of this scale flare up. They thought, we will create some basic facilities on this island, which is the first port of entry for these thousands and thousands of people. And what well do is well try and offer them some basic things like shelter and food. And we will register their asylum applications. And hopefully, the plan was back then, these people will then quickly transit through an asylum system to new homes around Europe.

megan twohey

And what is the attitude of the Greeks? What is their response to all of these people passing through?

matina stevis-gridneff

So one of the really heartwarming things about this was seeing Greeks step up and the people of Lesbos just really opening their arms and their hearts to the refugees who were overwhelming their island. Remember, Greece had just been through one of the worst financial crises in modern history. People were poor. They were devastated and exhausted themselves. But still, they offered everything they could. And then, in early 2016, something happens that makes things worse.

megan twohey

What is that? What happens?

matina stevis-gridneff

Well, the European Union sees a situation of dozens of thousands of asylum seekers in Greece, just as even more are continuing to arrive on Lesbos.

archived recording 1 Well, as the refugees move North through the European Union, theyre enduring terrible conditions and resistance. archived recording 2 Germany has just registered its one millionth refugee. [CROWD CHANTING] And these people want to send them home. archived recording 3 Germany, which had opened its doors, now appears to be closing them.

matina stevis-gridneff

And Germany, as well as other countries, they dont want to take more people in. So they start to close their borders. And collectively, theyre looking for a way to just lessen the flow of refugees and asylum seekers into Europe. And what they do is they strike a deal with a country that these people are arriving through, which is Turkey.

archived recording Its a deal that will affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of stranded refugees and migrants, a game changer in a crisis thats shaken the very foundations of the European Union.

matina stevis-gridneff

This deal is struck in April 2016. And 

archived recording 1 Under the plan, starting at midnight on Sunday, all migrants who reach Greece will be sent back to Turkey if their asylum claim is rejected. archived recording 2 In return, Turkey gets political and financial rewards.

matina stevis-gridneff

Basically, what it is is that Europe hands a few billion dollars to Turkey to help them fund facilities and services for the more than three million refugees theyre hosting, to stay there instead of coming to Greece and moving on into Europe. And Turkey starts to slow down this flow of migrants into Greece. But it doesnt entirely stop. People still do cross over to Greece and end up in Moria. So theyre just stuck. And by the beginning of 2020, it already looks like something is going to go terribly wrong.

archived recording President Erdogan says the E.U.s aid has been slow to come. But Angela Merkel says more than three billion euros have been paid out. And she expects Erdogan to uphold the deal.

matina stevis-gridneff

Tensions between Greece and Turkey and the European Union and Turkey begin rising. And Turkey, at the very end of February 2020, says weve had enough. Were opening our borders. If youre a refugee, if youre a migrant, please go to Europe. Our doors are wide open.

megan twohey

Wow.

matina stevis-gridneff

And not only that, but it actually helps people get to the border with Greece. It buses thousands of people from Istanbul and other parts of the country into Greece. And the people on Lesbos are looking at this situation unfolding. And theyre thinking, Turkey is going to start releasing boats full of more asylum seekers who will come here. And our island is already overwhelmed. By the time I visited Lesbos in March this year, the camp had swelled to more than 20,000 people.

megan twohey

And how are things for the migrants in the camp? I mean, that sounds like an absolutely chaotic, difficult combination of forces that these migrants are dealing with on the island.

matina stevis-gridneff

Well, of course, theyre extremely frustrated and living in these squalid conditions. But they dont realize its actually about to get worse. Because Covid hits. The first case of Covid-19 is detected in Moria. And in response, the Greek authorities put the whole camp on lockdown. And that sets off a lot of anger and a lot of fear in an already really tense environment. And then it all comes to a head. A small group of migrants set fire to the camp. And everything burns to the ground.

megan twohey

Well be right back.

archived recording 1 [SIRENS BLARING] archived recording 2 [COMMOTION] archived recording 3 What is the situation in Lesbos tonight? archived recording 4 Its very, very, very, very, very, very difficult. They see the smoke. The situation is very bad. archived recording 5 A massive fire has almost completely destroyed Greeces largest refugee camp on the island of Lesbos. archived recording 6 [FLAMES BLAZING]

megan twohey

Matina, what happened with this fire?

matina stevis-gridneff

It was scenes of complete chaos.

archived recording 1 The fire start to come on this side. Look, even on the floor. There is little fire. Ah! Ah! Come back! archived recording 2 [PEOPLE YELLING] archived recording 3 Come back! Come back!

matina stevis-gridneff

Of course, flames engulfing this really combustible set of materials  you know, you have tarpaulin, gas canisters at nearly every tent used for cooking and sometimes heating. And these thousands of people just grabbing everything they could and running out of the camp. And it went on for two nights as the first big blaze on the first night burned down the majority of the camp, and then additional fires the second night finished it.

archived recording My house is finished. House fire is many  all finished. [FLAMES BLAZING]

megan twohey

And what caused this fire?

matina stevis-gridneff

Based on testimonies, both from Greek officials but also other asylum seekers and aid workers, what happened was that a small group of irate, angry asylum seekers who were being asked to quarantine themselves because members of their family had tested positive for Covid, they started rioting. And according to these witnesses, this is how the fire started.

megan twohey

And why would this group of migrants set fire to their own camp?

matina stevis-gridneff

People were just extremely upset. Not only about the overall poor conditions of the camp, but because they felt that Covid was being used to hurt them even more. The authorities had tried to prepare some plans for a Covid response at the camp. But at the end, not much seemed to really be there. So when the outbreak started growing in the camp, and 35 people were tested positive for Covid, and many more people were told they have to quarantine, not in an isolation clinics, but in some container, people were very angry. And so after the fire has decimated Moria, I go to Lesbos to see whats happened.

[crowd commotion] matina stevis-gridneff So weve just arrived at one of the spots where asylum seekers who have been displaced by this fire have gathered. Theyre being blocked by the riot police from going further into town. There are people coughing. There are people who have clearly slept here for the last three nights and are just waiting to see where theyre going to go next.

matina stevis-gridneff

And it was just thousands and thousands of people on the street. I remember quite immediately seeing a mother with a very small baby on the street. They had put down a few blankets that they were using as mattresses. And thats where they had spent the night before. And thats where they were going to spend the night after.

matina stevis-gridneff And others are trying to clean their tiny piece of street that theyre sleeping on with makeshift brooms. crowd commotion matina stevis-gridneff Yes. car honking matina stevis-gridneff So a woman on a scooter just drove past and screamed, filthy dogs at the asylum seekers. How are you? speaker Im fine, thank you. matina stevis-gridneff Youre OK? Whats your name? speaker My name is [INAUDIBLE]. matina stevis-gridneff What was the last name? speaker [INAUDIBLE].

matina stevis-gridneff

And I stopped in front of one family. It was a dad, actually, with his little girl and 

speaker One baby, 13 months. matina stevis-gridneff Uh huh. Its a tiny little girl whos walking very well. speaker Thank you. matina stevis-gridneff Well done. Oh, youre beautiful. speaker Thank you. matina stevis-gridneff I love her shoes. Very nice shoes.

matina stevis-gridneff

And he said to me, when the fire started I just grabbed her and took my wife and we just ran.

matina stevis-gridneff I see. And you just ran? speaker Yes, yes. Running fast, baby, my wife, running in the outside, away from area. matina stevis-gridneff And what do you think will happen now?

matina stevis-gridneff

And within 10 minutes, our tent was burned. The fire was everywhere.

speaker We want just freedom. matina stevis-gridneff Where do you want to go? speaker I dont want a new camp. I dont want Moria now. matina stevis-gridneff You dont want  speaker I just want freedom.

matina stevis-gridneff

And at that point, this family, with some of their relatives and other people they knew, they had been sleeping on that road for four nights. But he tells me that hes been in Moria for a year. And hed actually rather stay on the streets.

crowd talking and children screaming matina stevis-gridneff Good luck. speaker Thank you. matina stevis-gridneff Thanks for talking to me. speaker Glad to meet you. matina stevis-gridneff And you. speaker Goodbye. matina stevis-gridneff Take care.

megan twohey

What does that mean when he says he wants to sleep on the street? Why would he want that?

matina stevis-gridneff

The Greek authorities had been feverishly putting together a temporary tented shelter for these people so they wouldnt have to sleep on the street. But people were so suspicious, so angry, so traumatized by living in Moria and by the fire that they just didnt want to go to the new camp. This man told me, I am not going to this new camp. And this was something I heard over and over again.

speaker From Turkey? iram Yeah. speaker And your English is not bad, huh? matina stevis-gridneff Very good English. interposing voices matina stevis-gridneff Whats your name? iram My name is Iram (ph). speaker Iram? matina stevis-gridneff Iram. iram Yeah.

matina stevis-gridneff

I remember this 13-year-old girl 

matina stevis-gridneff Ayyubi? (ph) iram Yeah.

matina stevis-gridneff

 who was carrying her little brother. And then she was actually very upbeat and quite enthusiastic.

matina stevis-gridneff He is very, very cute. You look similar. iram Not cute. matina stevis-gridneff Very cute. So how long have you been on the island? iram The Lesbos? matina stevis-gridneff Yes. iram The Lesbos is nine months. matina stevis-gridneff OK. Nine months. And were you with your family when the fire started? iram Yeah. When the fire starts, we come to here. matina stevis-gridneff I heard that they are making new tents for you. Do you want to go there? iram No, no, no. The tent is not good. I want to go to [INAUDIBLE] and the Germany and the France. matina stevis-gridneff But until you go there, should you not have somewhere to sleep where youre covered and safe? iram No problem.

matina stevis-gridneff

And she said to me, listen. I dont want to go to this new camp. I dont want to go to this place that the Greek government is building.

iram I dont like the tents. We dont. We dont  we dont go to the tents. matina stevis-gridneff You dont  iram The tent is the problem. matina stevis-gridneff And Moria, you did not like living there? iram No, no, no. I dont like. I dont like living here. Because here is where problem is. And you understand? Its not good. Its very problem here. matina stevis-gridneff I understand. Im sorry. Thank you very much. Good luck.

megan twohey

So these refugees are desperate not to end up back in a camp. And so how is this resolved and who resolves it?

matina stevis-gridneff

Its not resolved, Megan. Its not resolved. The only positive news has been that 400 unaccompanied minor refugees, children that had arrived in Greece on their own and had been living in Moria on their own without parents or other family, they have been taken to other European Union countries where, hopefully, theyll start a life. And Germany stepped up and said they would relocate 1,500 people. That leaves around 10,000 people still in need of resettling. But whats also been clear, as a message from the Greek authorities, is that theyre also not in a rush to get people off Lesbos, which is what both the locals and the migrants themselves are demanding. The reason for that is they dont want to send a message that, if a refugee camp burns down, then you get to be relocated to Germany or another country. So there is clearly an element of management  and some say punishment  in this pace at which people are being resettled.

megan twohey

And Matina, youve covered the refugee crisis and Moria since 2015. I mean, seeing what its come to now, what do you think happens next? Well, part of me thinks that, if in 2015 and 2016 Europe was able to deal with more than one million refugees arriving, then surely it can humanely handle 10,000 people. This isnt the same kind of crisis. But the cynical side of me wonders if this new tented camp on Lesbos will just become another purgatory. Theres this Greek proverb that goes a bit like this: It says, there is nothing more permanent than whats temporary. And I think of that when I think of Moria.

mahbube You can get selfie here? matina stevis-gridneff Ah, yes. How are you? You speak some English? mahbube Yes. matina stevis-gridneff Oh, very good. Whats your name? mahbube Mahbube (ph). matina stevis-gridneff Mahbube. Whats your family name? mahbube Afzali (ph). matina stevis-gridneff Afzali. How old are you? Youre very young? [yelling in background] mahbube 15. matina stevis-gridneff 15. And youre from Afghanistan? mahbube Yes. And you? matina stevis-gridneff Im from Greece, actually. mahbube Greece. matina stevis-gridneff Yes.

matina stevis-gridneff

I interviewed this really dynamic 15-year-old girl. And she was full of energy.

matina stevis-gridneff How many months have you been on the island? mahbube 10 months. matina stevis-gridneff 10 months? mahbube Yeah. matina stevis-gridneff OK.

matina stevis-gridneff

She said shed been on Lesbos for 10 months. She came from Afghanistan.

mahbube And we are coming in here because we want a future. And we are waiting because Moria, its building again. matina stevis-gridneff You dont want to go back to Moria? mahbube No, I dont want. matina stevis-gridneff And what about the new tents that theyre making, do you want to go there? mahbube No, I dont want anymore. matina stevis-gridneff She said she wanted to go to Germany to have a future, to build a life. mahbube I want to go to Germany, French. Like, country I can make a future. I want to go. And I think Greece not lot like me.

matina stevis-gridneff

But what struck me was that even someone this young, who clearly had so much hope for the future, in that moment in time, she was beginning to give up on that hope.

mahbube And coming in here, but I think now, I wish had not come. matina stevis-gridneff You wish you had not come to Greece? mahbube Yeah. matina stevis-gridneff You wish you were back in Afghanistan? mahbube Yeah. matina stevis-gridneff She felt that after living in Moria for 10 months without school, after this fire, after everything that had happened to her, she just wasnt sure it had been worth leaving Afghanistan in the first place. Good luck. Thanks for talking to me. mahbube Thank you.

matina stevis-gridneff

I think I feel two things about the situation I witnessed. The one is that theres just so much human energy and potential among these people that no country will accept. And theyre stuck in some of the worst conditions. And the other thought was that precisely because no country will accept them, Moria, which was supposed to be this transitory place, will never really be a transitory place. Theres always going to be these places where hopes end rather than begin.

megan twohey

Well, thank you so much, Matina.

matina stevis-gridneff

Thanks for having me.

megan twohey

Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today.

archived recording (dr. robert r. redfield) Today, and even after we have a vaccine, C.D.C. encourages all Americans to embrace the powerful tools that we have right now, to wear a mask, particularly when theyre in public.

megan twohey

During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, the Director of the C.D.C., Robert Redfield, told lawmakers that wearing masks is the single best way to slow and potentially even stop the spread of the coronavirus.

archived recording (dr. robert r. redfield) I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against Covid than when I take a Covid vaccine. Because the immunogenicity may be 70 percent. And if I dont get an immune response, the vaccine is not going to protect me. This face mask will.

megan twohey

Redfield also said that a vaccine could be available for limited use by the end of the year and for wider distribution by the middle of 2021. This contradicted what President Trump said the day before during an ABC town hall event, when he claimed a vaccine could be ready in three to four weeks. And 

archived recording [RAINS AND WINDS BLOWING]

megan twohey
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Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 14:12 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44047e6 1 Food #life,#food,#cooking,#Charity,#health,#COVID19,#Asia Free

When medical workers are in overdrive to help contain the onslaught of COVID-19 worldwide, many from the public have shown their appreciation in various forms, from scheduled rounds of applause to attractive financing deals on a new car.

But rather than clapping or payments in a time of global uncertainty, sometimes a nice, hot meal is whats perfect after a long day. Thats where Asia Cooking Journey comes in.

Initiated by Natalia Tjahja of the Maria Monique Last Wish Foundation in April this year, the program aims to provide delectable meals free of charge for healthcare workers as well as people with disabilities affected by the pandemic.

She said the idea came from her own home, when during the pandemic, her domestic workers returned to their hometowns.

I had no choice but to go to the kitchen myself, as my domestic workers usually do the cooking. It was a first for myself, and I learned many recipes, she said in an interview with The Jakarta Post.

Natalia explained that after tasting one of her meals and finding it delicious, she thought about donating some of the food she made to medical workers, as the Maria Monique Last Wish Foundation already had a program donating vitamins and supplements to doctors.

On a break: Singaporean doctor Kenny Ee Teong Tai enjoys lunch prepared by Singaporean chef George Lee Kim Teck. (Courtesy of Asia Cooking Journey/-)

Natalia also cited a dear friend of hers who declined to be named as an inspiration, saying the friend did many things successfully by himself, including cooking.

Because of the pandemic, we could only do it on the weekends. When we did a trial run, the doctor was very pleased with the food. Seeing the doctors happy reaction propelled this project forward, she said.

The title of Asia Cooking Journey was also chosen because of Natalias love for the Asian Paralympics. Even though the program started in Indonesia and is now included in other countries continents like Australia and South Africa, she kept the name because of that love.

When the program reached the United States, I considered changing it to World Cooking Journey, but my friend insisted I stick with the original name.

There are some 100 supporters of the program in Indonesia, ranging from home cooks sharing their homemade dishes to restaurateurs offering their full menu sets.

One of them is Yenny Sutanto, owner of the Horapa and Shabu Zen restaurants in Semarang, East Java. Natalia specifically praise Yenny as someone with a beautiful heart because of her goodwill and kindness.

We cant buy food or pay chefs, so its not easy. What we look for are chefs and home cooks with beautiful hearts that can also create delicious food. Even just one portion is hard, Natalia said.

After a meeting in Semarang, Yenny immediately agreed to support Asia Cooking Journey, all the while providing the healthcare workers the luxury of choosing whatever dish they want from her two restaurants, with the best quality possible.

Yenny said she became a supporter of Asia Cooking Journey because she can understand the plights of doctors and nurses during a major health crisis.

With all of this going on, not many are thinking about [doctors and nurses] and whether they are hungry or what they wanted to eat. With the current condition, people only think about themselves because of fear, anxiety and confusion.

Cooking with love: Thai celebrity Chayada "Bo" Liewchalermwong cooks for Thai para powerlifting athlete Arawan Bootpo. Support from Thai celebrities came with the help of Nandhamalee "Bing" Bhirombhakdi, general manager of Cavallino Motors, the official distributor of Ferrari in Thailand. (Courtesy of Asia Cooking Journey/-)

As soon as the program ran successfully in Indonesia, Natalia immediately thought about expanding to other countries.

She sees Asia Cooking Journey as a mission driven by faith, citing the efforts of a Filipino woman named Louise who became the sole representative of the program in the Philippines.

She looked for others who might be interested, but none answered the call. In the end, Louise told me Im happy to represent you in the Philippines. I am willing to cook every week. I was shocked, but she really persevered and even received recognition from the city hall, Natalia said, adding that Louises efforts only stopped when the region was put into lockdown.

In Thailand, Natalia started with the help of Munish Mukki, an Indonesian chef who devoted his time to supporting Asia Cooking Journey full time. However, the Thai response to the pandemic was swift and effective, so there is no longer the need for the program to donate food en masse to hospitals as medical workers have gone back to their normal routines.

Instead, Natalia enlisted the help of Chutinant Nick Bhirombhakdi, president of the Paralympic Committee of Thailand, suggesting donating the food to his athletes alongside medical workers.

Support later came from Nandhamalee Bing Bhirombhakdi, general manager of Cavallino Motors, the official Ferrari distributor for the country. Through their network, the program managed to receive the support of celebrities like Chayada Bo'' Liewchalermwong and Polpat Moo Asavaprapha.

Sharing is caring: Thai fashion designer and restaurateur Polpat "Moo" Asavaprapha cooks for Thai para archery athlete Boonyarit Chaipoon. Asavaprapha joined in the movement to share joy through his food. (Courtesy of Asia Cooking Journey/-)

Asavaprapha, a fashion designer and restaurateur, told the Post via email that he was moved to accept the offer to participate because he felt that eating was not just about sating ones hunger but also feeling the joy of experiencing flavors.

And for those who love to cook, to be able to spread the joy to others through your food is even more meaningful. When your cooking means something to others, even though it is just a little thing, that time and feeling are considered a wonderful experience for us, he said.

Though Asavaprapha is aware that the pandemic will inevitably bring stress and anxiety, he is adamant that programs like Asia Cooking Journey can bring about a positive change.

To have such a good activity where we can share and spread happiness to others is a way to provide emotional support and relieve depression during times of hardship. (ste)
A Pakistan anti-corruption court indicted Asif Ali Zardari and Yusuf Raza Gillani, while it declared Nawaz Sharif an absconder in the Toshakhana graft case which allegedly caused a heavy loss to the national exchequer, as per a PTI report. Judge Asghar Ali who was presiding, also sought details of the movable and immovable properties of Sharif, 70, who is in London for treatment, and asked all of the accused to be presented in court within seven days.

The case is on alleged relaxation of rules by Gilani for the benefit of Zardari and Sharif to buy vehicles gifted by foreign countries. Sharif is charged with obtaining luxury cars from the treasury house by paying only 15 per cent of the price.



IANS

Similarly, Zardari and Gilani, are also accused of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from the treasure house. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in March had filed the case on the alleged violation of the rules of the Toshakhana which it argued had caused a heavy loss to the national exchequer.



According to the NAB, Gilani had facilitated Zardari and Nawaz to obtain the vehicles. The court has directed the Foreign Office to execute the arrest warrants against Sharif through the Pakistan High Commission in London.



AFP

During the hearing on Wednesday, Anwar Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed, the two businessmen who are also accused in the case, were indicted. All four men including Zardari and Gillani pleaded not guilty. Since Sharif failed to present himself before the court as he is in London for his treatment, he was declared a proclaimed offender and his case was separated from the other accused.



He was also asked to appear within seven days. The court also asked to provide details of Sharif's movable and immovable properties and warned that his properties will be frozen if he failed to appear.



AFP

After the indictment, the court adjourned the case until September 24 and ordered the NAB to present its witnesses.


First-in-class bi-specific antibody BI 905711 activates a pathway in TRAILR2 and CDH17 co-expressing tumor cells that leads to their destruction

May result in a more tolerable and selective therapy for patients affected with gastrointestinal cancers by avoiding liver toxicity commonly observed in other therapy approaches targeting TRAILR2

Adds a promising candidate to Boehringer Ingelheims multipronged oncology portfolio that combines cancer cell-directed and cancer immunology approaches to develop novel therapies for previously hard to treat cancers

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced the advancement of the bi-specific and tetravalent therapeutic antibody, BI 905711, to its first-in-human clinical trial for patients with advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. The first-in-class BI 905711 antibody is designed to recognize both the pro-apoptotic tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2 (TRAILR2) and the tumor cell anchor cadherin 17 (CDH17) to activate the self-destruction (apoptosis) pathway in co-expressing tumor cells found mostly in the GI tract. For patients suffering from these types of cancers, the advancement of the Phase 1 trial marks an important milestone in the continuing development of more tolerable innovative therapies to address diseases with high unmet need.

We are proud to advance BI 905711 into Phase 1 clinical trials as we continue to grow our oncology pipeline to transform patients lives. This bispecific platform has the potential to target complex mechanisms that may not be accessible with traditional antibody formats," said Norbert Kraut, Ph.D., Head of Global Cancer Research at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Gastrointestinal cancers are a leading cause of cancer-related deaths throughout the world. Of gastrointestinal cancers, colorectal cancer, a focus of this Phase 1 trial, is the third most common cancer with more than 1.8 million cases and the second most deadly cancer with more than 880,000 deaths globally in 2018 (Globocan 2018). To date there have been few innovative treatment options available for patients diagnosed with GI malignancies, making chemotherapy, despite its known severe side effects, the backbone of treatment. A proven targeted therapeutic option that does not require chemotherapy efficacy support could provide patients with an alternative, innovative and potentially non-toxic treatment option.

James Harding, M.D., Principal Investigator, Department of Early Drug Development and Gastrointestinal Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA, said, Targeting TRAILR2/CDH17 co-expressing cancer cells has exhibited preclinical antitumor activity. We look forward to evaluating this molecule with Boehringer Ingelheim in the ongoing Phase 1 study.

Patients with tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are underserved by recent innovations in cancer therapy and are in critical need of new treatment options. Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to addressing the unmet need in these patients lives and continues to develop innovative drug candidates, such as BI 905711, providing potentially powerful and previously untested approaches to cancer treatment.

Boehringer Ingelheim Oncology is taking cancer on by leading the science with cancer cell directed agents, immuno-oncology therapies, and their combinations to address unmet needs in lung and gastrointestinal cancers. The company invests significantly in early stage research to identify unexplored and undrugged pathways of cancer. In 2019, Boehringer Ingelheim advanced six molecules to first-in-human studies, including two further first-in-class compounds targeting the Wnt/-catenin pathway (BI 905681) and KRAS-driven cancers (BI 1701963), demonstrating the companys long term commitment to leading science, improving clinical practice, and ultimately transforming the lives of patients  helping them to win the fight against cancer.

Learn more about Boehringer Ingelheims innovation in oncology here.

Please click on the following link for Notes to Editors:

http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/trailr2-cdh17-antibody-phase1-trial

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005531/en/
Disgraced former FBI agent Peter Strzok claims he knows 'things' that could harm President Trump's reelection campaign - but is choosing not to go public with the information.

The former deputy assistant director made the declaration as he explained to CBSN that his own personal bias had no implications in how he handled the investigation into Trump when he was the Republican nominee.

The comments come as his new book, Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump, hit the stands on Tuesday - tracing his arc from veteran counterintelligence agent to the man who came to embody Trump's public scorn of FBI and his characterization of its Russia investigation as a 'witch hunt.'

'To this day, there are things that I know, that others know, that aren't public at all... appropriately not known to the public, that nevertheless would harm the Trump campaign in the 2020... right now... if we released it..Yet none of us did that because that is our duty. That is the oath we swore to uphold,' he said.

Peter Strzok said that he and others knew 'things' that if made public, could ruin President Trump's election campaign

Strzok's time investigating as a part of Robert Mueller's team was cut short in 2017 after an inspector general discovered anti-Trump text messages he'd exchanged during the campaign with an FBI lawyer with whom he had had an extramarital relationship. The texts cost Strzok his job and drew vitriol from Trump.

But even with those, Strzok asserted that he was still able to focus on his job and not act with 'nefarious' intent.

Strzok said: 'The fact that throughout 2016... I and others knew and had information that would absolutely be devastating to Trump's campaign if it became public and yet it never came out.'

'To this day, there are things that I know, that others know, that aren't public at all...that nevertheless would harm the Trump campaign in the 2020,' he said

'Any one of us could have gone to the press, could have gone to Congress and provided information that could have destroyed his candidacy. That never happened.'

He later added: 'What I can tell you is every agent in the FBI has a political opinion, but each and every day what I saw in myself and others over the course of 20 years was that when people walk in the doors, they set that aside,' Strzok said. 'They walk in, they do their job and pursue the truth objectively.'

Strzok also expressed uneasiness at Attorney General WIlliam Barr's willingness to 'improperly' act on behalf of the president.

The former deputy assistant director was fired in the summer of 2017 after it was revealed he was sending anti-Trump text to an FBI lawyer Lisa Page

'I'm concerned,' Strzok told CBSN's Vladimir Duthiers. 'The things that I have heard the attorney general say, some of the actions of the Department of Justice  unfolding or rolling back the prosecution of General [Michael] Flynn, the sentencing of Roger Stone  give me great concern.'

He added that the DOJ's actions in recent months 'smack of political partisanship.'

Strzok assertion comes on the release of his new book, Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump

Strzok's anti-Trump texts on a government phone to an FBI lawyer gave Trump and his supporters a major opening to undercut the bureau's credibility right as it was conducting one of the most consequential investigations in its history.

Trump's attacks have continued even as two inspector general reports found no evidence Strzok's work in the investigations were tainted by political bias and multiple probes have affirmed the Russia probe's validity.

Strzok expresses measured regret for the texts in 'Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump,' out now.

'I deeply regret casually commenting about the things I observed in the headlines and behind the scenes, and I regret how effectively my words were weaponized to harm the Bureau and buttress absurd conspiracy theories about our vital work,' Strzok writes.

Before becoming a virtual household name, Strzok spent two decades at the FBI toiling in relative anonymity on sensational spy cases. He helped uncover Russian sleeper agents inside the U.S., worked the Edward Snowden case and led the investigation into whether Hillary Clinton mishandled classified information. (She did, he writes, but not in a way meriting prosecution).

After the Clinton case concluded in July 2016, Strzok opened an investigation into whether the campaign of her Republican opponent was coordinating with Russia, conceiving the 'Crossfire Hurricane' codename he says proved prescient.

Strzok said he intended for his book to lend insight into the Clinton probe, Russian election interference and, 'first and foremost, the counterintelligence threat that I see in Donald Trump.'
File image

A recent report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago suggests that India is the second-most polluted country in the world, with almost all its people living in areas where the annual average particulate level exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Pollution caused by fossil fuel vehicular exhaust is a big part of the problem, contributing a significant percentage of greenhouse emissions, and a much larger percentage of carbon monoxide pollution.

Are EVs The Solution?

Electric mobility is touted by many as a long-term solution to this problem, and the Government of India is trying to incentivise the creation of a robust ecosystem for electric vehicles (EVs). It is, however, improbable that EVs will ever replace petrol and diesel vehicles in sufficiently large numbers to achieve the desired reduction in vehicular pollution.

Moreover, EVs do not exactly come with zero environmental impact; the additional electricity for a nationwide EV fleet will majorly come from thermal power plants, which are major contributors to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

India should not rely entirely on EVs to address its pollution problems, but adopt multiple solutions that work for the existing vehicular fleet as well. The use of biofuels, such as ethanol, provide an extremely viable and eco-friendly solution. Ethanol-blended fuel makes internal combustion highly efficient; it reduces the formation of greenhouse gases up to 90 percent as compared to conventional fuels, and reduces particulate pollutants to zero. Moreover, it does not require any design changes to the existing internal combustion engines.

The Benefits Of Ethanol

The EV ecosystem is presently at a nascent, nebulous stage in India. Ethanol is a low-hanging fruit, with both environmental and economic benefits. India has been producing surplus sugarcane for many years now. This surplus yield can be diverted to produce ethanol. Doing so will generate additional income for farmers and more employment opportunities in rural areas.

Ethanol can be made from not only sugarcane but also waste feedstock such as corn, maize, potatoes, and rice. This waste feedstock is usually thrown away; using it for ethanol production can ensure that farmers get a price for it.

Domestic biofuel production and consumption can also help in offsetting oil imports and enhancing demand for important agricultural commodities. The use of biofuels can reduce emissions from sectors such as heavy-duty vehicles, aviation, and shipping, which are difficult to bring into the ambit of low-carbon electricity.

India can look to Brazil for proof of the efficacy of ethanol. Brazil implemented an ethanol blending programme over 40 years ago, and the results are there for all to see. Air pollution levels in Sao Paulo have halved in the past 20 years despite an 80 percent increase in car fleet. Besides a large number of flex-fuel vehicles that can run on either ethanol or petrol, Brazil also has a 27 percent blend of ethanol with petrol  significantly higher than India, where it is 5.8 percent. Meanwhile, Brazil substituted 48 percent of its oil requirements with ethanol last year.

The Way Ahead

Clearly, ethanol can be a game-changer for not just transportation and environment, but also for agriculture and trade. However, there are some things that need to fall into place first.

It is important to have a robust biofuel policy in terms of pricing, procurement, and blending. This will attract investments to scale up ethanol production and make prices of sugar and ethanol competitive. Sugar mills must be incentivised to redirect sugarcane juice and other by-products towards ethanol production. It requires only a marginal investment to set up distilleries attached to sugar mills.

At a national level, a tax differentiation should be provided between fossil fuels and renewable fuels to encourage the use of ethanol. Such measures, together with mandatory ethanol blending, could help India become one of the largest producers and consumers of ethanol in the world. The National Policy on Biofuels, introduced by the government in 2018, is significant in this context. It has set a target of 10 percent ethanol blending with vehicle fuel by the year 2022, and 20 percent by 2030. It will also play an important role in Prime Minister Narendra Modis goal of making India a $5 trillion economy.

India must keep its sights trained on a future where mobility will have a healthy and sustainable mix of EVs, hybrids, and biofuel-based vehicles.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When hi-tech international businesses look outside their borders for manufacturing solutions, they look to Costa Rica first. The proactive Central American nation is at the forefront of meeting the advanced manufacturing needs of a wide gamut of multinational corporations. From complex medical devices to aerospace technology and precision equipment  diversity, innovation, and targeted solutions are the national manufacturing trademarks.

A highly skilled, multi-talented local workforce, coupled with competitive pricing and quick turnaround, are the determining linkages that solidify Costa Rica's place on the advanced manufacturing map. Furthermore, their strategic placement in the heart of the Americas and access to both Atlantic and Pacific trade routes make supply and demand logistics a one-stop-shop operation.

"In 2006, Samtec was looking to open an operation in the Americas that would balance its global supply strategy and provide better redundancy. Costa Rica's highly skilled labor force and political stability played a big part in site selection. Today, Samtec Costa Rica has over 1000 skilled people who support the company's design for new products and represent over 60% of its global software programmer's staff. They include industrial, materials, and metal mechanic engineers," notes one Samtec Costa Rica operations representative.

According to the World Economic Forum, Costa Rica ranks #1 for innovative project development in the Latin American Region. With over 50 years of accrued experience, local suppliers have achieved the capacity and know-how to meet complex customer demands, including prototyping and access to research and development academia. Decades of production also resulted in the development of a solid multi-network supply chain for Tier II and Tier III original equipment manufacturing (OEM) capacity.

"Costa Rica is now the second-largest exporter of medical devices in Latin America and among the top seven suppliers to the US market," says Pedro Beirute, CEO of Costa Rica's Export Promotion Agency (PROCOMER). "We produce Class I to Class II medical devices for markets in America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania."

Quality and safety assurances are equally paramount to the country's successful manufacturing processes. Companies comply with highly technical and demanding certifications, including AS9100, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 17025, ISO 14001, ISO/TS 16949, NADCAP, J-STD-001, FAA, EASA, among others.

Costa Rica provides a complete solution for international business partners looking for diverse products and services. Multiple regional and global free trade agreements allow national suppliers to offer preferential deals to their commercial partners. And established trade routes facilitate the expedited delivery of crucial industrial goods and equipment.

PROCOMER, the government trade and commerce agency responsible for promoting advanced manufacturing services to the world, assures that national suppliers live up to international expectations. Companies must adhere to the country's brand standard of excellence, known as Essential Costa Rica, and follow strict protocols for Excellence, Sustainability, Innovation, and Social Progress in their operations, products, and services. For more information on how PROCOMER can satisfy your business's needs, visit Procomer.com.

Contact: Seth Artavia / [email protected]

SOURCE Essential COSTA RICA

Related Links

http://Procomer.com


The bill presented to the House of Commons on Wednesday is primarily about ensuring market access across the UK after Brexit.

We always knew it was going to be controversial. It gives powers to Westminster, or more specifically to Ministers of the Crown, that directly impinge on the competence of the devolved regions and nations. Ministers in Scotland and Wales have vocally denounced what they see as a brazen power grab.

What we didnt expect was for the bill to spark alarm across the EU and across the Atlantic. Why such a reaction? Because of what it is attempting to do when it comes to the Northern Ireland/Ireland Protocol.

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Northern Ireland was always going to be awkward for the UK internal market. The Protocol means that nothing is to enter or be on sale here unless it meets EU standards, even if it comes from GB. There is nothing in this UK internal market bill to prevent a so-called race to the bottom.

And if goods from there dont come up to measure, they are not meant to be here. To be fair, these are the standards we currently hold to and there is little clamour from consumers to see a reduction in those standards. But it does make that UK market access promise a little lopsided.

This bill does not change that situation. It does say, though, that the UK authorities implementing the Protocol should show special regard for NIs integral place in the UK internal market as they do so. But if such special regard extends as far as turning a blind eye, Northern Ireland will be considered a risk for the EU (which, put simply, will be bad for the NI brand) and the UK will find itself in breach of international law

Mind you, this is apparently no longer a No-No for this government. Hence the consternation from Brussels and backbenchers alike.

This bill contains provisions that are to have effect even if they are (to quote section 45) inconsistent and incompatible with international or other domestic law. The specific law it intends to disapply is the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement  the one approved by a stomping majority in the Commons at the end of January.

In theory, Brandon Lewis could find himself one of the most powerful men in Europe. The Secretary of State for NI would have the powers to ignore any EU requirements for paperwork for goods moving from NI into Great Britain. And, secondly, he could act to reduce the scope of EU state aid rules applying through the Protocol, including averting their application in GB. You can probably guess which is the power the UK government is most keen to exercise  and at such risk, including reputational.

This 52 page bill has reached heights of controversy that are immense even in Brexit terms. Even though the parliamentary timetable will be tight, it will surely not become law without considerable amendment.

In the meantime, the one thing most hoped for from this bill  certainty  has become an even more distant prospect.

Professor Katy Hayward (Queens University Belfast) is Senior Fellow in the UK in a Changing Europe think tank
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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden campaigns in Warren, Mich., on Wednesday. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

The worst strategic mistake Hillary Clinton made in her 2016 campaign for president, many analysts believe, was overconfidence about three states Democrats had won in every presidential election since 1992  Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

No one is going to accuse Joe Biden of taking those states for granted.

The Democrats presidential nominee is showering money, staff and time over those states  the blue wall that crumbled when Donald Trump's victories by tiny margins in all three propelled him to the White House.

By this weekend, Biden will have made five trips to those battleground states in less than two weeks.

He traipsed across Pennsylvania as he began venturing from quarantine in his Delaware home last month. On Friday, both he and Trump are scheduled to be in the state to commemorate the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Biden's first trip further afield was to Wisconsin. Hes deployed hundreds of campaign staff and spent millions on advertising.

On Wednesday, he went to Michigan to unveil a new economic policy to discourage the outsourcing of jobs  a scourge of the manufacturing sector across the industrial belt.

Make it in Michigan, make it in America, Biden said in Macomb County near Detroit  home to many of the white working-class voters he aims to bring back into the Democratic fold.

For all that, Biden has yet to lock down those crucial states. He has held a consistent polling lead over Trump in each of them, but not enough to feel confident.

Trump and Biden have been shadowing each other in campaign appearances across the region. In addition to Friday's Pennsylvania trips, both went to Wisconsin last week, two days apart. Both are in Michigan this week, one day apart.

You cant take any of these Midwestern states for granted, said Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), who in 2016 pleaded for Clinton to do more to communicate with white working-class voters in her state.

Clinton famously made no campaign stops in Wisconsin, which critics blamed for a drop in Democratic turnout. She put plenty of resources into Pennsylvania  including a star-studded election-eve rally in Philadelphia  but it was not enough to overcome the surge of rural blue-collar voters turning out for Trump.

Story continues

The result was a shocking triumph for Trump in three states that few Democrats believed were in question. In an election in which more than 130 million people voted, Trump won those three states by fewer than 80,000 votes.

Job one for Biden has been to win them back.

His claim to have special appeal in the region  as a Scranton, Pa., son of a working-class family  was a big part of his case against his Democratic primary rivals.

Some Democrats have downplayed the importance of the region, arguing that the party's best path to victory runs through diverse Sun Belt states that could be flipped from the GOP rather than recovering lost ground among the white working class in the Midwest.

Bidens campaign has tried to do both, making some efforts to compete in states like Florida, Arizona and Georgia that Trump won in 2016. Biden plans to make his first trip to Florida next week. But campaign investments in those states pale compared with what he has poured into rebuilding the blue wall.

The campaign has fielded 242 staffers in Wisconsin and 347 in Pennsylvania  compared with 112 in Georgia.

In September so far, the Biden campaign had more ad airings in each of the three blue-wall states than any state but Florida, according to data compiled by Advertising Analytics. Taken together, Bidens campaign had four times as many ad airings in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania as the Trump campaign.

Polling averages put Biden ahead of Trump by mid-single digits in all three states. That is close enough to spook Democrats, who remember Clinton leading polls by similar margins.

Its close, and it is tightening, said Michelle Deatrick, a Democratic National Committee member from Michigan. We need to work very hard in Michigan. The fact that the Biden campaign is coming shows that they are very aware of it.

One advantage Biden has over Clinton is a spike in voter interest in the election.

The dynamics are completely different between 2016 and 2020 in terms of motivation to vote, said Richard Czuba, a nonpartisan pollster whose survey for the Detroit News this week showed Biden with a 5-percentage-point edge in Michigan.

Its the single highest level of motivation in Michigan Ive seen in 37 years of polling.

In Michigan, Biden is banking on goodwill generated by his role, as Barack Obamas vice president, in overseeing an auto industry bailout and other economic relief in 2009. The states former governor, Republican Rick Snyder, has endorsed Biden.

Trumps remaining strength in the region: many voters prefer him to Biden for handling the economy. Biden worked to close that gap in his Michigan speech Wednesday by arguing that Trump had failed to make good on promises to protect American jobs and keep manufacturing from moving overseas.

President Trump has broken just about every promise he's ever made to the American worker, Biden said. He's failed. He's failed our economy and our country."

The Trump campaign has been buoyed this week by new internal polls showing Biden's lead in Michigan, which appeared insurmountable through much of the summer, narrowing in recent surveys, one official said.

But amid an effort to curtail spending under new campaign manager Bill Stepien and a still unsettled swing-state strategy, it's unclear how hard Trump will fight to keep Michigan in his column this fall. The campaign may intensify focus on states like Wisconsin or even Minnesota, if they seem more likely to remain or become red.

In Pennsylvania, Biden faces a fight despite many assets. He was born there, located his national headquarters in Philadelphia, kicked off his campaign in Pittsburgh, and held more events in the state than any other since COVID-19 hit, due to its proximity to his home in Delaware.

When he traveled to Pittsburgh last week, in a speech about racial justice, protests and urban violence, Biden dropped in a shout-out to a core local economic concern: He declared that he was not calling for an end to all fracking, as Trump ads in the area have contended. Stopping short of the full ban many progressives want, Biden has said he wants to block new federal permits for drilling on public land.

Biden's clarification was welcomed by those like Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County executive, who thought support for a fracking ban would crush his chances in western Pennsylvania.

There's no way we could have been able to sell those policies and candidates who back those policies in western Pennsylvania," said Fitzgerald, who met with Biden after the speech and thanked him for refuting the Trump ads on the topic. He may have to say it again in debates," he added.

In Wisconsin, the outlook remains clouded. Republicans had thought the unrest in Kenosha, in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, would create a promising environment for winning over swing voters with Trump's hard turn to a law and order message.

That seems not to have happened. A new Wisconsin poll from Marquette University Law School found the presidential contest essentially unchanged.

Wisconsin voters support for racial justice protests and the Black Lives Matter movement has dropped in recent months, but that did not translate into changed views of the presidential contest. It may, however, have helped consolidate GOP support for Trump. The poll found that Republicans approval of how Trump has been handling recent protests rose to 87%, up from 65% in August.

Democrats had hoped for a boost in Wisconsin from their convention, originally scheduled to be held in Milwaukee. But the pandemic forced the cancellation of the in-person convention in favor of an online affair. The Marquette poll found that neither partys convention produced any significant shift.

Despite all those real world events, there's very little change in this poll," said Charles Franklin, director of the poll.
US President Donald Trumps nomination for Nobel Peace Prize is a "hard-earned and well-deserved honour, said the White House on September 9. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement that Trump was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his work in brokering an Israel-United Arab Emirates peace deal.

It was a historic deal and the first such deal in over two decades. This is a hard-earned and well-deserved honour for this President," she added.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, nominated Trump after he successfully brokered the deal for the normalisation of ties between the two Middle East nations. Public figures, including national politicians, professors and former prize winners are eligible to nominate someone for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Read: Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich Denounces Belarus 'terror', Urges People To Unite

Read: Who Nominated Donald Trump For Nobel Peace Prize? All You Need To Know

'Key role' in Israel-UAE deal

Tybring-Gjedde, who serves as the chair of the Norwegian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, credited Trump for playing a key role in the full normalisation of diplomatic ties. Hailing Trump for the withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East, the Norwegian politician told Fox News that the Republican leader has done more to create peace between warring nations than most other Peace Prize nominees.

As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE, this agreement could be a game-changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity," he wrote in his nomination letter.

While no Arab countries have publicly shown willingness to normalise ties with Israel, reports suggest that Oman and Bahrain might be the next countries following the UAEs lead. The 57-year-old politician wrote that the last US President to avoid a war or preventing America from entering international armed conflict was Jimmy Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The nominations will be shortlisted in February and March next year and the winners will be announced in October.

Read: Donald Trump Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize For His key Role In UAE-Israel Agreement

Read: China Warns Norway Against Awarding Nobel Peace Prize To Hong Kong Activists
Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Hon. Isaac Adongo

10.09.2020 LISTEN

Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Hon. Isaac Adongo still stands by his "Akyem Sakawa" tag.

He said he will never apologise to the Akyem Tribe for calling some of politicians in the ruling NPP regarding the Agyapa Royalties Gold deal as 'Akye Sakawa mafias'.

Hon. Adongo posted on his Facebook wall which he described those in the Agyapa deal as Akye Sakawa Mafias who are looting the state.

The same post was given a boost by former President John Dramani Mahama who reshared it on Facebook.

This has angered a group calling itself Okyeman Youth Association who demonstrated yesterday 9th September 2020 against him and the entire National Democratic Congress [NDC].

The group has given former President Mahama and Hon. Adongo 72hours ultimatum to come out and apologise or never step a foot on their land.

But Hon Isaac Adongo in an interview on Pure Fm's morning show in the Ashanti Region on 10th September 2020 has stated that he will never apologise to them because he sees nothing wrong with it.

He said he will even call them the same name if he meets them face to face because those involved in the Agyapa deal have still not changed their mind.

The lawmaker added that as for the calling of names, he learnt it from his senior brother Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

He said until Dr Bawumia stops calling John Mahama and the entire NDC names, he is also not going to change.
(Photo : (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: A video surveillance camera hangs from the side of a building on May 14, 2019 in San Francisco, California. San Francisco could be the first city in the United States to ban facial recognition technology by police and city agencies. The San Francisco board of supervisors will vote on the measure today. (Photo : Unsplash)

The municipality of Portland, Oregon, passes new ordinances and legislations that protects its citizens from unlawful identification and branding from the United States' Facial Recognition system, dubbed as the 'most aggressive ban' on the technology. The city council achieved a feat that protects its citizens from third-party and private stakeholders of the system.

According to Portland's Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), the ordinance was deliberated on September 9, on the city's council hearing. The hearing resulted in a success that passed the rule prohibiting the use of Facial Recognition Technologies in any of the Bureaus in the City of Portland.

Local city departments, agencies, law enforcement, and even private stakeholders such as restaurants, hotels, and shops are prohibited from using facial recognition technology, once made available for everyone.

ALSO READ: Apple Treats Employees with Customized Face Masks Suitable for 5 Uses Along With First FDA-Approved Clear Masks

BPS and Portland City Council's Effort to Remove Facial Recognition

Portland's BPS is now working alongside the Office of Equity and Human Rights to create awareness and enforce actions towards the new policy banning Facial Recognition software. Portland's city council believes that the technology is harmful, unlawful, and may even lead to bias against marginalized sectors.

The city saw the bias against people of color, women, and the elderly, with Facial Recognition technology. This bias led to the decision of the town to ban and remove anything related to the process. Portland believes that the use of this technology prohibits its citizens from utilizing and accessing the city's services reasonably.

The city ordinance protects its citizens, mostly from law enforcement, in case damages are done on innocent people causing irreversible effects. False identification from facial recognition is possible and will cause potential harm.

Gender and Skin Color Bias on Facial Recognition

A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds that skin color and gender to be huge factors that trigger facial recognition systems to report false positives and show an error.





Light-skinned men only have a small 0.8 percent error rate. Error rate meaning the probability of a specified population to be incorrectly identified or tagged as a criminal. On the other hand, dark-skinned women are more likely to be misidentified with 34.7 percent error rate.

The US Federal Government even observed this trend and error rate, transcending in facial recognition systems, in a separate study that aims to test the technology. The study found that demographics present an essential factor in the facial recognition systems that somehow triggers incorrect profiling.

Portland is the Fourth to Ban Facial Recognition System

The city of Portland is the fourth to raise this concern and ban the facial recognition system that is deemed unlawful and biased. Portland shares the same sentiments with Oakland, San Fransisco, and most recently, Boston, who all initially filed their bans.

These cities across the country all attest to the same problem facial recognition systems bring: Bias. The first three to pass this prohibited its government from accessing the technology to protect its citizens from racial and criminal discrimination.

Portland's actions and efforts, on the other hand, is considered to be the most extensive of them all for banning even the private sectors from access. Third-party stakeholders are now prohibited to gain access from facial recognition systems as much as the local government of the city.

ALSO READ: Artificial Intelligence Solved the Puzzle of DNA Activation Code for Identifying 75% of Human Genes

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Alonzo



 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NAMI and Designer Kenneth Cole Team to Fight Mental Illness

Even before COVID-19, mental illness was one of the most prevalent public health crises, affecting hundreds of millions of people globally.

As the pandemic has claimed more than 177,000 Americans with over 5 million confirmed cases, mental illness remains a public health emergency.

The World Health Organization notes that 1-in-4 people globally will be affected by a mental disorder at some point in their lives.

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However, fashion designer and industry icon Kenneth Cole says that 4-in-4 people are significantly impacted, if not directly themselves, but by the fact that its happening to someone they know.

We say if you consider people you love and people in the family, in the community, in the workplace, everybody is living with mental health issues, Cole told BlackPressUSA.

And, everybodys contextualizing it daily, and its overwhelming. Two-thirds of those people doing it are living in the shadows because they dont know how to confront it. They dont know how to deal with it, he pointed out.

Early this year, Cole started the Mental Health Coalition and joined forces with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to help shift the narrative and preconceived perspectives.

Together, the organizations want people to know that theyre not alone in their struggle with mental illness. They are encouraging everyone to vocalize their battles and seek assistance.

Silence is worsening this global crisis. People are afraid to speak up, fearing they will be judged and persecuted, Cole stated. Thats why there is a pressing need to destigmatize this public health threat, which starts with changing our cultural narrative and creating a safe and supportive community.

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Daniel Gillison, the CEO of NAMI, told BlackPressUSA that lifting the stigma surrounding mental illness  particularly in the African American community  is as relevant now than ever.

Especially during this time of isolation, uncertainty, and tragedy, it is vital that no one feels alone in their mental health journey, emphasized Gillison. The COVID-19 crisis shines a spotlight on our need for social connectedness and our need for real mental health resources. we need to raise awareness to change our fragmented mental health system into one that serves everyone, so people can get the care they need.

Gillison said COVID-19, social unrest, job loss, and business closures are all forces that have come together to create more trauma in the African American community.

The African American community is going through an extremely painful experience, Gillison pronounced.

Its pain thats been inflicted upon the community throughout and magnified by what we see in the mass media. What it brings to bear is repeatedly seeing the events. We are already underemployed, under-resourced in terms of access to mental health care before the pandemic, and when you think about what was under-resourced then, and now look at COVID and Black lives lost. At the same time, we are a much lower percentage of the population, and we are a much higher percentage of those losing their lives to COVID.

Gillison added that African Americans are affected mostly partly because many tend to work in the service industry, are essential employees, and live in households that include grandparents.

We bring COVID into the house, and our parents and grandparents are there, and theyre in the vulnerable group that has pre-existing conditions and their age, Gillison said.

Suicide is also on the rise, according to statistics provided by NAMI.

In Black youth ages 10 to 19, suicide was the second leading cause of death, and in 2017: over 3,000 youth died by suicide in this age group. The Black youth suicide rate rose from 2.55 per 100,000 in 2007 to 4.82 per 100,000 in 2017. Black youth under 13 years are two times more likely to die by suicide, and when comparing by sex, Black males, 5 to 11 years, are more likely to die by suicide compared to their White peers. The suicide death rate among Black youth has been found to be increasing faster than any other racial/ethnic group.

For Gillison and Cole, the primary message both want to send today to all who are suffering with a mental illness is, you are not alone.

Fifty-percent [of African Americans] are less likely to seek help. Theres an inherited unconscious bias in the community. There are socio-economic disparities and culturally inappropriate care, Cole added.

He continued:

There needs to be a bottom-up and top-down approach to this problem. Whats going to happen right now after quarantine is what happened after the SARS pandemic. Of those in quarantine, one-third came through it with PTSD, and one-third came through with depression. I think itll be significantly higher this time because we are focusing on the virus that we dont understand, and we are not addressing mental health, which is absolutely concerning. We are now about to see this take on a whole other dimension that we are not prepared for. It will affect people in ways that they have a hard time understanding.

Through The Mental Health Coalition, Cole is championing a cultural shift. He wants people to hold hands and circle the wagons.

Cole authored the #howareyoureallychallenge, where friends and loved ones ask, How are you, really?

Cole noted that many habitually respond to the simple question of how are you? with a short answer like, Im fine. He said that sort of response could indicate a defense mechanism and that the individual may not have responded honestly  thus, the more probing question, how are you, really?

Said Gillison: Theres no physical health without mental health.

For more information about The Mental Health Coalition, visit www.thementalhealthcoalition.org, or www.kennethcole.com.

For the NAMI COVID-19 information and resource guide, visit NAMI.org/covid-19. For You Are Not Alone resources, visit NAMI.org/MentalHealthMonth.

@StacyBrownMedia @NNPA_BlackPress @kennethcolereal @NAMICommunicate @DanielGillison
Madrid, Sep 10 : LaLiga club Huesca striker Shinji Okazaki has said his personal goal is to score more than 10 goals this season as the club gets ready to play in the top division from this season.

Huesca secured promotion to LaLiga for the 2020-21 season after they defeated Numancia 3-0 to seal second spot in the Segunda division table after their closest rivals Almeria and Real Zaragoza dropped points "It was a collective effort from the entire team, but to play in the first division is a dream come true," LaLiga quoted Okazaki as saying.

"We have a very important season ahead of us and we will do everything possible to stay up in LaLiga Santander, which is our objective," said the 34-year old Japanese who won the English Premier League title with Leicester City in the 2015-16 season.

"In my opinion, Huesca's style of playing needs a player like me and me as a player, I need a team like Huesca." He said he has confidence in himself and the fact that there are other Japanese players in the league like Takefusa Kubo motivates him to do well.

"To know that there are Japanese players in the league both excites and motivates me as a player. On a personal level, one of my objectives is to tally up more than 10 goals."
A vigilante couple tracked down burglars who ransacked their dream holiday home in Victoria using their son's $299 smart watch.

Samantha and Adam Riddle took the law into their own hands when they noticed the GPS had been switched on the stolen watch sold at Officeworks.

The pair followed the thieves, who allegedly stole valuables from their home in the Latrobe Valley in their car, before alerting cops who arrested them after a dramatic police chase.

Samantha Riddle (left) and husband Adam (right) were at home in Latrobe Valley when an alert showed the watch was turned on and in another town

Samantha Riddle bought the spacetalk watch for her son Jack (pictured) so he could ride his bike safely in near their holiday home in East Gippsland and she could contact him

Samantha, a mother-of-three, told Daily Mail Australia: 'All of a sudden the Spacetalk watch activated on our phones. We looked at each other knowing it could only mean one thing.

'Im doing the navigating, yelling and talking to police at the same time,' she said.

'I'm in tears about my little house, saying to my husband "there they are, follow that car", there is a lag time with the watch so we were driving about a minute behind them.'

The device is a phone, GPS tracker and security features that allow Samantha to see where he is riding his bike - and so Jack can call if he is in trouble

When the thieves turned on the smart device it sent an alert to Samantha and showed GPS coordinates on a map

The Riddle family only bought their 'little dream home' in East Gippsland as COVID-19 struck.

'I actually used to holiday there as a child, my family had a holiday house there when I was young, its like going back in time for me. Its a beautiful place,' said Samantha.

After they bought the house, the nurse was out shopping and saw the $299 Spacetalk watch and thought it would help keep their son safe while he rode his bike near their home.

The watch for young children also acts as a phone, GPS tracker and features in-built security measures like an SOS or call for help function.

'These people obviously didnt know what this thing was, they turned it on and we tracked them to their location and they had no idea we knew exactly where they had been, they could not lie.

'It has just been one of the worst things to have happened to us but with the greatest outcome,' said Samantha.

'We just couldnt believe it, we didnt buy the watch for that obviously, what we had bought it for was already enough, it has already been a fantastic little device.'

Victorian Police confirmed a 36-year-old Morwell man has been charged with a number of Burglary related offences and is expected to appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court on 29 September.

They also arrested a 40-year-old woman with handling stolen goods.

The frantic mother called police as they left the house, trying to explain why they thought their house had been burgled, she said 'Im doing the navigating, yelling and talking to police at the same time,'
Her father, Earl Rectanus, said she loved literature and was intensely involved with writing of all sorts. As a child, she would read Harry Potter books to her younger sister. She kept journals; they have dozens of them. When she read books, she would write all over the margins. Right now, he is reading Rabbit at Rest by John Updike, a book his daughter had recommended to him years ago.
By PTI

AMBALA: French Defence Minister Florence Parly on Thursday said India will have an edge over the entire region in defending its people with the induction of Rafale fighter jets, an event she described as a symbol of the relationship between the two countries.

Speaking at the ceremony at Ambala airbase where five France-made aircraft were inducted into the Indian Air Force, she said India and France are now writing a new chapter in their defence ties.

She said the programme to deliver the 36 aircraft to India meant a lot.

"In military terms, it means that India will acquire a world-class capability, truly among the best in the world that would give your air force an incredible sovereign tool," she said.

"In strategic terms, it means India will have an edge over the entire region to defend itself and protect its people," Parly added.

Parly said `Rafale' literally means a "gust of wind" or a "burst of fire".

"Both meanings express an incredible strength," she said, adding, "It is also a symbol of the strong ties between two countries."

She expressed French support for Delhi's Make in India plan.

ALSO READ | Hope Rafale beats service record of Mirage 2000, wishes MS Dhoni

"We are fully committed to the Make in India initiative as well as to the further integration of Indian manufactures into our global supply chains," she said.

She added that Make in India has been a reality for the French industry for several years, particularly for defence equipment like submarines.

"Many French companies and design offices are now established in India and now I hope that others will come to offer their support and services," she said.

At a joint press conference later with her Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh, Parly said the event marked a step forward in strategic partnership that dated back to 1998.

"The strategic partnership between France and India is based on common values and friendship forged over several decades," she said.

"Since India's independence, our two democracies have been cooperating very closely. France has always stood beside India in good and bad times," she said.

Parly said both countries have shown solidarity by supporting each other in the management of the COVID 19 health crisis.

ALSO READ | Induction of Rafale jets into IAF crucial considering atmosphere on border: Rajnath Singh

"At the peak of the epidemic in France, India supported us by sending essential medicines," she said, adding that France recently sent to India medical equipment for patients in intensive care.

"The Rafale aircraft which you see here is a practical symbol of the road that we have travelled together and the vitality of our relationship," she told reporters.

"Indian pilots train regularly with our air force and navy pilots. We will be proud to see Indian Rafale aircraft flying on both sides in the training exercises next year," she said.

The French minister said the strategic cooperation is progressing well as the two countries cooperated on an equal footing and are "very respectful of our strategic autonomy and sovereignty".

Parly said the two countries have common goals on maritime security and preserving freedom of navigation.

She described the relationship between both nations as "excellent, concrete and ambitious".

ALSO WATCH:

She said the Indian-France strategic partnership will be even more crucial in the post pandemic scenario.

"And I am very confident that we will emerge from this current challenge, more resilient and more innovative than before," she added.

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of them at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

The Rafale jets, produced by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, are known for air superiority and precision strikes.
By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan is peppered with incredible monuments, spanning centuries and architectural styles. The country is home to many impressive fortresses waiting to be explored.

Bughurt fortress in Shamakhi is just another example of historical monuments must be seen in the Land of Fire.

The fortress placed on the top of a high mountain is surrounded by dense forests. Located in a strategically advantageous location, the fortress is visually hidden even at close range. It is believed that the history of the fortress dates back to 13th century.

The villages of Galaderesi, Kechmedin and Galibughurt are located around the fortress. The main roads to the fortress pass through the village of Galaderesi. There is also a small castle near the fortress called the Maiden Tower.

Bughurt fortress was a medieval fortified city with a developed infrastructure, an extensive water supply and sewerage system and numerous buildings.

The fortress walls are made of large boulders and cobblestones. For the free movement of the guards, the double walls of the fortress were connected by stairs.

The walls of the fortress were covered with a domed roof, which did not allow the enemy to observe the movement of the guards.

The total area of the fortress is 17 hectares. Nearly 30, 000 people could live inside the fortified city. Houses belonging to residents were located in the lower part of the fortress. The buildings were built of cut stone and baked bricks.

Bughurt was a shelter for Shirvanshah during Mongol conquest. The fortress was also used during the period of Shirvanshah Kequbad and Kavus. When Shah Ismayil attacked Shirvan in 1509, Shirvanshah Shaykhshah was defended at Bughurt fortress.

In 1518, the Safavid armies attacked Shirvan under the leadership of Alqas Mirza Safavid. Shahrukh and lawyer Hussein Bey, who retreated into the Bughurt fortress, could resist the Safavids for several months.

In 1538, the Bulgar fortress was captured and destroyed by the Safavid Shah Tahmasib I. The last Shirvanshah Shahrukh was killed during the capture. Thus, the state of Shirvanshahs, which had existed for more than five centuries, ceased to exist.

Initially, research in the Bughurt fortress was carried out by archaeologist Huseyn Jiddi in the 70s of the last century.

After fifty years, the archeologists has resumed archaeological research in the fortress, Trend reported.

The last residence of the Shirvanshahs in Shamakhi is being conducted by head of the Numismatics and Epigraphy Department at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography Akif Guliyev.

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Patty Ram doesnt have time to stay glued to TV news coverage for the latest information on a new stimulus bill for Americans. Shes too busy working from home and corralling her four children, who are studying remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ram was left out of the first round of government stimulus checks, so she isnt expecting Congress to do much, especially in the final run toward the November elections. Ram is a U.S. citizen and so are all of her kids, but she was excluded from the first round of stimulus assistance because she filed her 2019 tax return jointly with her husband, who was undocumented at the time and worked as a line cook in a local restaurant. He used an IRS-issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to file his taxes.

Ram is one of more than 2 million Texans living in a mixed-status family in which at least one person is undocumented, according to the Center for American Progress. But under the March CARES Act, which provided stimulus checks of $1,200 to qualified adults and $500 for each of their children, her husband's status disqualified Ram and their children.

I never expected anything for my husband, she said. But regardless of me being married to him, I was born here and my kids were still born here. The agenda thats being pushed is that were not even second-class citizens because we married foreigners.

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote this week, possibly as early as Thursday, on another round of financial aid because of the pandemic. But the $500 billion proposal does not include stimulus payments, and it includes $300 in weekly unemployment support, compared with $600 in the first aid package, which expired at the end of July. Its been labeled a nonstarter by Democratic leaders, who call it little more than a show vote to put pressure on Democrats.

But some Texas business leaders are calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells efforts a starting point for what could become a more inclusive stimulus package.

Juan Carlos Cerda, an outreach manager for the Texas Business Immigration Coalition who is based in Dallas-Fort Worth, said Texans should be optimistic because Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, supports a bill by Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis that would retroactively give U.S. citizens who lost out during the last round the $1,200 payments that most others received. The GOP-sponsored legislation hasn't received any pushback from Democrats, Cerda said.

Cornyn is facing a serious challenge in November from Democrat MJ Hegar, a former U.S. Air Force veteran and teacher who said in a statement Tuesday that Cornyn has abandoned Texans on COVID-19 relief.

"He left millions of Texans in danger of infection, eviction, and poverty by going on [Senate] recess break without securing critical COVID-19 relief," she said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Cornyn reiterated his support for the Rubio-Tillis bill, the American Citizen Coronavirus Relief Act.

This pandemic has hit all Texans hard, and we shouldnt make it harder by withholding recovery resources based on the status of a U.S. citizens spouse, he said in a statement.

Cornyn's office added that he doesnt think the Senate proposal goes far enough and he supports provisions in a different Republican-backed bill called the HEALS Act, which includes a $1,200 payment to citizens who earn less than $75,000 annually, more aid for students through student-loan deferment and funding for vaccine development and testing.

A vote this week could give people like Ram a closer look at what relief may look like for her and thousands of other Texas families. Stimulus money could be the difference between making ends meet or piling more debt onto her credit card, she said. Thats because shes not only supporting her family in Texas but helping her husband, whos been in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, since November waiting on a visa that would give him legal status in the U.S. His interview at the U.S. Consulate has been delayed since the pandemic began.

"When you have five in your household and another household [to support], some stuff is getting on the credit card, she said.
The Mediterranean island -- less than half the size of New Jersey -- was effectively partitioned in 1963 when fighting erupted between its two main groups: Greek and Turkish Cypriots. It was fully divided in 1974 after Turkey intervened, capturing the northern third of the island, saying it intended to protect the minority Turkish Cypriots following an Athens-backed coup by supporters of union with Greece. That brought the two neighbors close to war. To this day, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey, while the Republic of Cyprus, which is internationally recognized, officially has sovereignty over the entire island but is only able to govern in the south. Turkey doesnt recognize the ROC. Unification efforts have stalled. Adding new strains, the U.S. eased its decades-old arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus in September, a move condemned by Turkey.
The World Health Organisations (Who) reports that 58 countries have so far introduced laws that will protect 3.2 billion people from harmful trans fat by the end of 2021.

This happened in two years since who launched an ambitious effort to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from the global food supply.

But more than 100 countries still need to take actions to remove these harmful substances from their food supplies.

Consumption of industrially produced trans fats are estimated to cause around 500,000 deaths per year due to coronary heart disease.

In a time when the whole world is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, we must make every effort to protect peoples health. That must include taking all steps possible to prevent noncommunicable diseases that can make them more susceptible to the coronavirus, and cause premature death, said Who Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Our goal of eliminating trans fats by 2023 must not be delayed.

Fifteen countries account for approximately two thirds of the worldwide deaths linked to trans fat intake. Of these, four (Canada, Latvia, Slovenia, United States of America) have implemented Who-recommended best-practice policies since 2017, either by setting mandatory limits for industrially produced trans fats to 2% of oils and fats in all foods or banning partially hydrogenated oils (PHO).

But the remaining 11 countries (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Republic of Korea) still need to take urgent action.

The report highlights two encouraging trends. First, when countries do act, they overwhelmingly adopt best-practice policies rather than less restrictive ones. New policy measures passed and/or introduced in the past year in Brazil, Turkey and Nigeria all meet Whos criteria for best-practice policies. Countries, such as India, that have previously implemented less restrictive measures, are now updating policies to align with best practice.

Second, regional regulations that set standards for multiple countries are becoming increasingly popular, emerging as a promising strategy for accelerating progress towards global elimination by 2023. In 2019, the European Union passed a best-practice policy, and all 35 countries that are part of the Who American Region/Pan American Health Organisation unanimously approved a regional plan of action to eliminate industrially produced trans fats by 2025. Together, these two regional initiatives have the potential to protect an additional 1 billion people in more than 50 countries who were not previously protected by trans fat regulations.

With the global economic downturn, more than ever, countries are looking for best buys in public health, said Dr Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. Making food trans fat-free, saves lives and saves money, and, by preventing heart attacks, reduces the burden on health care facilities.

Despite the encouraging progress, important disparities persist in policy coverage by region and country income level. Most policy actions to date, including those passed in 2019 and 2020, have been in higher-income countries and in the Who Regions of the Americas and Europe. Best-practice policies have been adopted by seven upper-middle-income countries and 33 high-income countries; no low-income or lower-middle-income countries have yet done so.-- Tradearabia News Service
Chris McLennan has had his eyes on ears for a long time.

Before starting Ears Canada  his newly opened independent hearing clinic in St. Catharines  he worked as a marketing and sales executive with a hearing aid manufacturer for 15 years.

I think it all came down to the entrepreneurial spirit that made him decide to go into business for himself, he says.

Ears Canada, on Fourth Avenue west of the hospital, has been seeing patients since July and will have its official opening Sept. 22.

McLennan says it treats people of all ages, including some who arent having problems but come in for a simple benchline test. That can be used as they get older, to measure their hearing loss against.

What happens around the age of 50 is something called presbycusis, thats just naturally induced hearing loss  everyone will start experiencing hearing loss to some degree, he says.

Or sometimes its just wax buildup affecting hearing. The clinic takes care of that, too.

McLennan says only about 20 per cent of people who need hearing aids actually wear them.

A lot of people dont believe they need them, or they dont want to pay for them. Theyre not cheap, he says, but adding there is government assistance available and many private insurance plans provide coverage.

He originally planned to open early this year, then a couple of delays pushed it to February  then by that time all hell had broken loose, he says with a laugh.

While COVID-19 precautions slowed everything down, he kept working with contractors to get the business ready for a soft opening in June.

I think some people were just happy to be able to continue to work while the emergency measures were in place, he says.

Ears Canada is at 1338 Fourth Ave.

Community service a winner for Port Dalhousies Chz Plz

A little community service goes a long way, a St. Catharines company has learned.

Chz Plz, a Port Dalhousie catering and food services business, was selected from 70 local businesses to receive the Trinity Capital Community Award, which comes with a $5,000 grant.

During COVID, when everything first started happening we made it our priority to try to help others as much as we could, says owner Marissa Hartley.

After two years of catering, on Feb. 1 she opened to the public at 15 Lock St. suite 103, next to Lock Street Brewing Co.

The unfortunate timing was quickly apparent.

Then we had to shut back down, says Hartley. It was really emotional and definitely a hard thing to think of. I was scared I might have to close the business after just opening.

But, luckily, the community had our backs.

With all the perishable food on site, we bundled it up, I believe we ended up getting about 28 bundles of food baskets that we dropped off to people in need or families that  had to quarantine and didnt have time to go grocery shopping.

Chz Plz couldnt allow customers inside, but it could offer free delivery. It made it a point each week to support a different local small business by buying its supplies there.

Hartley says shes better prepared if a second COVID-19 wave hits, and has all Chz Plzs services online. Meanwhile it is open seven days a week now.

The (award) selection process was based on three principles, which are the same that we apply while making our investment decisions: innovation, sustainability and people, says Trinity Capital International president Omar Gonzalez Pardo.

Trinity Capital International, in St. Catharines, was founded in 2017 and is a subsidiary of Trinity Capital, a Colombian business group.

NOTL decor company gets financial boost to see it through COVID-19

A Niagara-on-the-Lake company was recently picked as one of 30 businesses from across Canada to get a $5,000 boost from FedEx.

Simply Beautiful Decor, which specializes in event rentals and was founded by Angelica Sala in 2004, had its business plans for 2020 thrown into upheaval when COVID-19 struck.

It had a full calendar of events planned through the summer but was forced to adapt to public health rules that prevented large gatherings.

The $150,000 FedEx #SupportSmall grant initiative was formed to help small businesses like Simply Beautiful Decor that were affected by the pandemic.

Salas company plans to use the $5,000 award to grow and expand its e-commerce platform.

Simply Beautiful Decor is on Westwood Court.
The man in his 20s who was called Australia's youngest COVID-19 victim was suspected by senior health officials to have died from another cause, possibly a drug overdose, at the time Premier Daniel Andrews publicly linked his death to the coronavirus.

There is no suggestion Mr Andrews was aware of the possible involvement of drugs or another cause of death before his August 14 daily briefing, but The Age has been told by people familiar with the case that officials in the Health Department had discussed the circumstances of the man's death as being indicative of an overdose.

Daniel Andrews at his press conference on August 14. Credit:Jason South

The young man was infected with coronavirus when he died, but the State Coroner, John Cain jnr, has in recent days decided to classify the case as a "reportable death" requiring a coronial investigation.

Judge Cain's decision is significant because the Coroners Courts general advice to doctors is to regard COVID-19 deaths as being from natural causes, which would not be "reportable", and not prompt an inquiry.
President Donald Trump is feuding with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo again over the federal and state responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the WORST governors in the USA. Caused 11,000 deaths in nursing homes alone due to his bad moves and incompetence. At least he said I did a phenomenal job. But he didnt!!! Trump said in a Twitter rant about Cuomo Thursday.

The New York Post reports Trump shared tweets from former House speaker Newt Gingrich criticizing Cuomo over New York Citys crime rate and a Daily Mail story about residents of highly taxed states like New York, Connecticut and New Jersey moving to Florida.

Cuomo has completely lost control, Trump tweeted. Sad!

The president also called Cuomos announcement that NYC restaurants can reopen indoor dining with Covid-19 restrictions on Sept. 30 a step in the right direction, but should go faster!

Trump now criticizes me b/c I speak the truth. He cant handle it," Cuomo responded on Twitter. He said my COVID leadership was great, I was working hard & applauded me for my bold response. FACT: NYers flattened the curve FACT: Trumps failed leadership & incompetence cost thousands of lives.

Cuomo also fired shots over Bob Woodwards tapes, released Wednesday, where Trump admits he knew Covid-19 was deadly on Feb. 7 but continued downplaying it for weeks to avoid a panic.

Trump doesnt know when hes lying anymore, the Empire State governor wrote. He admitted on tape to Woodward he lied to Americans about COVID, costing thousands of lives. Concerned about public safety, Trump? 1K Americans are dying a day from COVIDmore than any other Western Countryb/c of your incompetence.

One of the WORST governors in the USA. Caused 11,000 deaths in nursing homes alone due to his bad moves and incompetence. At least he said I did a phenomenal job. But he didnt!!! https://t.co/6FYYHJEeQB  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2020

Trump doesn't know when he's lying anymore.



He admitted on tape to Woodward he lied to Americans about COVID, costing thousands of lives.



Concerned about public safety, Trump?



1K Americans are dying a day from COVIDmore than any other Western Countryb/c of your incompetence  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) September 10, 2020

Trump and Cuomo have repeatedly clashed on a number of issues beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump, a Republican, has previously claimed New Yorkers are leaving the state like never before and refused to allow New Yorkers to enroll in Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs. Cuomo, a Democrat, has accused Trump of inciting hate and doing nothing but tweet when it comes to gun control, and also irked the president when he signed a law preventing presidential pardons for state crimes, including his associates like former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Cuomo called Trump a maniacal tabloid cartoon last week after the president threatened to cut off federal funds to his hometown over rising crime.

Were talking about the worst president for New York City in history, Cuomo said. Those who know him best, like him least. Thats true of New York City, thats true of his own family... Forget bodyguards, he better have an army if he wants to walk down the streets in New York City."

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Stuart King, cofounder of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), has passed away at the age of 98. A Royal Air Force engineer who fought for Britain in World War II, King devoted his life after the war to taking light aircraft to the remotest parts of Africa.

Kings life and ministry were recognized by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

Today, MAF flies to more than 1,400 remote locations in 26 developing countriesmore destinations than the six largest airlines in the world, combinedto support more than 2,000 missionary and humanitarian aid organizations, including the United Nations Childrens Fund, World Health Organization, the Red Cross, Medair, Tearfund, and Samaritans Purse.

MAF-UK began in 1948, when King, who landed on Normandy on D-Day, and former RAF squadron leader Jack Hemmings flew across Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, and the country now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a six-month survey, they studied how aircraft could serve humanitarian needs across the continent. The pair flew in the small Miles Gemini with just bare essentialsa map and compass.

At the end of the trip, they crash landed into a banana tree and finished their trip on foot. They were convinced, nonetheless, that airplanes would provide a great service in the region where roads were few and far between.

In 1950, King launched an MAF site in Sudan, where he met his wife, Phyllis, who was serving there as a missionary. In 1958, he flew his family on a 12-day journey there from the UK on a Cessna 180.

We stopped at many bizarre and outlandish places along the West African coast, spending nights in strange hotels or little rest houses, King recalled later in his book Hope Has Wings. Wed wash the childrens nappies at night and spread them over our knees during the next days flight, turning on the cabin warm air to help speed the drying.

Over the next several decades, King helped the organization expand across the world, modernizing MAFs aircraft and increasing its capacity. He copiloted other survey trips to Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, and Tanzania. After more than a dozen years in Sudan, in 1973, King returned to the UK to lead MAF-UK and became the president emeritus in 1987.

King received a number of awards throughout his life, including the French government appointing him the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre National de la Legion dHonneur in 2016 for his military service in helping liberate France during WWII.

He also received an award of honor in 2019 from the Honourable Company of Air Pilots. In their remarks honoring King, the organization highlighted MAF's partnership in enabling a variety of ministry and humanitarian endeavors, its high standards for pilots and for aircraft maintenance, its intentionality in hiring locals, its refusal of bribes, and its sound financial management.

Although Stuart is no longer out there conducting operations, it is his vision and his integrity that created the ethos and the professionalism that is MAF today, and it is his fundamental Christian values which guide it to remain the kind of organisation he founded, it stated.

King was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis, and leaves behind three children, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 16:06:45|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israel will hold first trials of a COVID-19 vaccine with 100 volunteers, Sheba Medical Center in central Israel said on Thursday.

The trials are scheduled to begin in October at Sheba hospital and Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, both selected for the task because they have large centers for clinical trials.

The vaccine, developed by Israel's governmental Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), is based on another virus that is not harmful to humans.

One component of this virus has been replaced by a component of the novel coronavirus, which is responsible for its binding to human cells.

The body's immune system is supposed to identify the binding site and develop antibodies against it, preventing the coronavirus from binding to the cell.

In June, the IIBR announced success in the vaccine trials on hamsters, as it was that the vaccinated hamsters' blood did not contain residues of coronavirus, and they also developed antibodies against the virus.

In the first stage the safety of the vaccine will be tested, after the volunteers will receive the vaccine at one dose, through a muscle, hand or buttocks.

If it is proven that the vaccine has no significant side effects, the trials will be expanded to hundreds of volunteers, and then its effectiveness will also be tested.

Zeev Rotstein, director general of Hadassah, told the Hebrew news website "Ynet" that the hospital staff is ready, including special facilities needed for the first phase of the complex trials.

"We will have to do it according to the rules and in a perfect way that will be good, efficient and without additional risks," he added. Enditem
At the start of 2020, Covid-19 was still an unknown illness to most of the world but now there have been more than 110 million confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide and a global death toll that exceeds two million.

Much is still not known about the long-term impacts of the virus - in February 2020, the government believed it was similar to known respiratory illnesses, like the flu, which is why they adopted a well-tested flu pandemic model. Now it is clear that coronavirus operates differently.

Another aspect of the virus which is becoming more well-documented is its duration.

In December, data released by the Office for National Statistics showed that one in 10 people infected with coronavirus experience symptoms that last for three months or longer.

Back in August, Downing Street was forced to deny claims that Boris Johnson could quit as prime minister within six months because of ongoing health problems due to coronavirus. The father-in-law of Dominic Cummings was reported to have told a holidaymaker that Mr Johnson was still struggling after he became ill in April.

The long-term impacts of coronavirus are increasingly noted by experts and survivors. A study released on 20 August found nearly three quarters of coronavirus patients admitted to hospital suffer ongoing symptoms three months later - many were unable to carry out daily tasks such as washing, dressing or going back to work, the study found.

On 7 September, a study reported up to 60,000 people in the UK have been suffering from long-Covid for more than three months.

The NHS has announced it will spend 10m to help fund a network of 69 long-Covid rehabilitation clinics.

So what is long-Covid and why does it happen to some patients and not others?

What is long-Covid?

The term long-Covid (also known as long-haul or long-tail) is not an official medical term. It is used by people suffering symptoms of the virus for longer than the official WHO-endorsed two week period, which is meant to be long enough for the virus to come and go.

Sufferers report a huge spectrum of problems beyond the three NHS-approved symptoms (persistent cough, fever and loss of taste or smell). These include fatigue, breathlessness, muscle aches, joint pain, 'brain fog,' memory loss, lack of concentration, and depression. It is not thought that people are infectious for the long period, but just suffer long-term effects.

Jennifer Forbes 41, from Cornwall got ill with Covid-19 in mid-March. She toldThe Independent, despite having no underlying conditions, she did not expect to get back to her former fitness for six months. There is some slight change over the last few weeks, but it feels very slow, and still backwards and forwards, she says. I kept saying I was better, only to slip back again.

Although the term is still colloquial rather than universally medically-approved  several celebrities including actors Alyssa Milano and Emma Samms have shared experience of issues like hair loss  there is increasing scientific evidence to support the idea of a long illness.

In August last year, a study published by Southmead hospital in Bristol found that a total of 81 patients out of 110 discharged from the hospital were still experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, including breathlessness, excessive fatigue and muscle aches, after 12 weeks.

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Separate data from the Covid Symptom Study app, being run by Kings College, suggests a significant number of people report symptoms for a month. The app, which has been downloaded more than 3,000,000 times, found that one in every 20 people experience long-term symptoms.

Another study, developed by health app ZOE and endorsed by NHS Wales and NHS Scotland, found one in 10 are ill for more than three weeks and some may suffer for months.

The same pattern has been seen elsewhere in the world. Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a team of researchers from Italy reported that nearly nine in 10 patients (87 per cent) discharged from a hospital in Rome were still experiencing at least one symptom 60 days after onset.

They found that 13 per cent of the 143 people were completely free of any symptoms, while 32 per cent had one or two symptoms, and 55 per cent had three or more.

And it's not just sufferers reporting it; a third of doctors have treated patients with long term covid-19 symptoms, including chronic fatigue and anosmia, a survey conducted by the British Medical Association (BMA) found.

The emergence of these official figures has led to these long-term sufferers coming together and forming support networks, such as the Facebook group 1 in 20 (a name inspired by the findings of the Kings survey).

Why is Covid lasting longer for some people?

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The Royal College of General Practitioners said it expects GPs to see an influx of patients with "lingering" illnesses but there is less certainty as to why some people suffer for longer.

A report from Kings suggested that those with longer-term symptoms could be related to the severity: Evidence is mounting that some people who have had relatively mild symptoms at home may also have a prolonged illness.

Although we know that lasting fatigue can sometimes follow other viral infections, detailed mechanistic insight is, for the most part, lacking. An ongoing viral infection in lung, brain, fat or other tissue may be one mechanism. A prolonged and inappropriate immune response after the infection has been cleared might be another."

And a previous study into post-illness chronic fatigue has shown that some patients may just be biologically predisposed to such a response. "When a chemical called interferon-alpha was given to people as a treatment for hepatitis C, it generated a flu-like illness in many patients and post-viral fatigue in a few.

"Researchers have studied this artificial infection response as a model of chronic fatigue. They found that baseline levels of two molecules in the body that promote inflammation  interleukin-6 and interleukin-10  predicted peoples subsequent development of chronic fatigue," says the report.

What help is available for people with long Covid?

It has now been announced that patients in hospital with coronavirus should be offered a follow-up as early as four weeks after developing the illness to check for symptoms of long-Covid.

Guidance drawn up by health officials across the UK states that the long-term effects of the virus can be significant.

The guidelines were developed collaboratively by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

NHS England said it is spending 10m to help fund a network of 69 long-Covid rehabilitation clinics, with another 12 sites planned for January.

Patients must be referred by their GP.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said: The NHS is taking practical action to help patients suffering ongoing health issues as a result of coronavirus.

"Bringing expert clinicians together in these clinics will deliver an integrated approach to support patients access vital rehabilitation, as well as helping develop a greater understanding of long-Covid and its debilitating symptoms.

Prior to this, the NHS launched a Covid-19 rehab service for people who have been suffering with the long-term effects of the virus.

Your Covid Recovery Service initially launched online but it will become a face-to-face portal at a later date when it is safe to do so. People without online access will be provided with printed materials, depending on demand.

The government has also provided 8.4m in funding for the Phosp-Covid study, a UK-wide consortium led by researchers at the University of Leicester, that will investigate the long-term health outcomes of the disease. Around 10,000 patients are expected to take part.

An all parliamentary group (APPG) of MPs has also been hearing from Covid survivors about long-term symptoms in a bid to better respond to the growing crisis. Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, a member of the APPG, revealed that he had been unable to shake his own coronavirus symptoms for 18 weeks.

Claire Hastie, the founder of the Long Covid Support Group, warned that GPs were regularly misdiagnosing ongoing problems as anxiety or ME, telling politicians: "The science needs to catch up with us.
Robots could be introduced to care homes across the UK after a study showed they can improve mental health and have the potential to reduce loneliness in older people.

The robots, called Pepper, can move independently and gesture with robotic arms and hands. They are also designed to be culturally competent, which means that they have the ability to learn about the interests and backgrounds of care home residents.

Scientists say this allows them to start basic conversations, play a persons favourite music, teach languages and offer practical help including medicine reminders.

The study, involving the University of Bedfordshire, Middlesex University and Advinia Health Care  one of the largest providers of dementia care in the UK  is the first time researchers have collaborated to explore the possibility of developing culturally competent robots.

The robots were tested in care homes across the UK and researchers found that older adults who used them for up to 18 hours across two weeks saw a significant improvement in their mental health.

After two weeks of using the system there was also a small but positive impact on loneliness severity among users, and the system had a significant positive impact on participants' attitudes towards robots.

Participants said that some of the robots limitations included their conversations feeling superficial and lacking richness. They also said Pepper lacked personalisation and that its head movements and hand gestures were often distracting.

The study's lead author, Dr Chris Papadopoulos from the University of Bedfordshire, said the research was ground-breaking.

The results show that using the Caresses artificial intelligence in robots such as Pepper has real potential benefit to a world that is witnessing more people living longer with fewer people to look after them, he said.

Pepper the robot with an elderly man (PA)

Poor mental health and loneliness are significant health concerns and we have demonstrated that robots can help alleviate these.

Irena Papadopoulos, professor of transcultural health and nursing at Middlesex University, added that the trial was not intended to explore the replacement of human carers with robots, but to help combat loneliness when staff do not have enough time to keep residents company.

Socially assistive, intelligent robots for older people could relieve some pressures in hospitals and care homes, she said.

No-one is talking about replacing humans  the evaluation demonstrates that we are a long way from doing that  but it also reveals that robots could support existing care systems, she said.

Dr Sanjeev Kanoria, surgeon, founder and chairman of Advinia Health Care, said that it hopes to introduce the robots into more of its care homes.

This is the only artificial intelligence that can enable an open-ended communication with a robot and a vulnerable resident, he said.

We are working towards implementing this into routine care of vulnerable people to reduce anxiety and loneliness and provide continuity of care.

The robot was tested in Advinia's care homes in the UK. Now we are working towards bringing the robot into routine care, so it can be of real help to older adults and their families.
LAFAYETTE, LA  EatLafayette, in partnership with the Lieutenant Governor's office, is kicking off a Louisiana State Park Trip Giveaway on Monday, August 24.

The giveaway will last through Sunday, September 13, when they will select two winners to receive a two-night stay at a Louisiana State Park of their choosing. One of the winners will also receive a free shrimp boil for 10 friends from an EatLafayette restaurant courtesy of Louisiana Seafood.

The public can register by eating at a locally owned restaurant from the list available at EatLafayette.com, look for the QR code or website on the giveaway poster or flyer located at participating restaurants, and fill out the digital registration form every time you EatLafayette for a chance to win.

With the Taste of EatLafayette Kick-Off and Louisiana Seafood Cookoff being canceled, we wanted to create something that would help give one last push for the campaign and encourage everyone to continue to eat local. We reached out to the Lieutenant Governor's office, and they quickly helped by providing the Louisiana State Park giveaway and topped it off with a shrimp boil. Retail sales showed record-breaking restaurant sales in June, the highest amount recorded during the pandemic, and the most ever recorded in the month of June. Hopefully that trend will continue through September, and we hope the giveaway will assist in driving traffic to our locally owned restaurants as well," says Ben Berthelot, President/CEO of Lafayette Travel.

About EatLafayette

EatLafayette is a summer-long celebration of Lafayette's local restaurants that takes place each year from June to September. Diners are treated to deals offered by some of the EatLafayette restaurants as well as culinary events throughout the campaign. With over 200 locally-owned eateries ranging from Cajun, Italian, Mediterranean, Asian, BBQ, and everything in between, you can be sure there's something for everyone's taste buds.
Man arrested in Washington state as wildfires rock state (Washington State Patrol)

A man has been arrested in Washington state for allegedly setting fires close to a road, as wildfires ravage the region.

Reports said the individual was detained at Puyallup, 35 miles south of Seattle, after state troopers were alerted by smoke coming from a fire that had been set on the median of highway 167, close to the location of an ongoing fire, visited this week by the states governor.

Local media said the man was arrested and taken to jail.

The arrest came as many western states, including California, Oregon, and Washington scramble to respond to hundreds of wildfires that are raging across the region.

Officer Ryan Burke with the Washington State Patrol said on Twitter that the 36-year-old was caught in the median of the road.

The Washington State Patrol, the Fife Police Department and the Puyallup Police Department all assisted in making the arrest.

Joint team effort!! WSP, Fife Pd and Puyallup PD just arrested a 36yr old Puyallup resident, tweeted Mr Burke.

He was caught in the median on SR-167@ Meridian setting a fire! He is currently on his way to jail! Great job everybody!

Fox News pointed out that since Monday, more than 50 fires have been ignited in Washington state, burning more than 300,000 acres.

It not immediately clear if the man arrested was being questioned over any of those fires.

Most of the biggest fires have been in the east of the state near Spokane.

However, firefighters have also been tackling blades at Bonney Lake, close to where the man was arrested.

On Wednesday, Washington governor Jay Inslee visited that area and addressed the crisis.

California, Oregon, and Washington: we are all in the soup of cataclysmic fire, and the reason we are in the same soup is because the grass is so dry, the temperature is so hot, and the winds are so heavy, he said.

And these are conditions that are exacerbated by the changing climate that we are suffering.
They recently returned from a sun-soaked getaway to the Greek island of Mykonos.

And Jess and Eve Gale kept the good times rolling on as they dined at Sumosan Twiga in Knightsbridge with their fellow Love Islanders on Wednesday evening.

Turning heads, former VIP hostess Jess, 21, put on a busty display in a black satin bralet, while her twin exuded confidence in tiny Daisy Dukes to showcase her lean legs.

Girls just wanna have fun! Jess and Eve Gale kept the good times rolling on as they dined at Sumosan Twiga in Knightsbridge with their fellow Love Islanders on Wednesday evening

The winter Love Island finalist highlighted her curvaceous figure in clingy PVC-style jeans, and boosted her frame in clear perspex heels.

Glamorous waves, a Louis Vuitton purse and dewy make-up rounded off Jess' stunning appearance.

Influencer Eve, meanwhile, dared to be bold in her barely-there denim shorts, which she dressed up with an asymmetric white top and similar footwear to her sister.

Proving less is more, the reality star carried her essentials in a tiny Fendi clutch and opted for minimal accessories.

Turning heads: Former VIP hostess Jess, 21, put on a busty display in a black satin bralet, teamed with clingy PVC-style jeans

Leggy: Influencer Eve, 21, meanwhile, dared to be bold in her barely-there denim shorts, which she dressed up with an asymmetric white top and similar footwear to her sister

Catching the eye: Francesca Allen looked typically chic in straight-leg trousers, a cropped blouse and a brown leather jacket

Fashion savvy: The 24-year-old toted her belongings in a powder blue handbag

Siblings: Francesca held hands with her sister Claudia as they left the venue

Ooh-la-la! Joanna Chimonides amped up the sex appeal in an off-shoulder black dress and lace-up heels

Showstopping: Joanna put her best foot forward as she left the swanky eatery

They were joined by 2019 contestants Maria Wild, Francesca Allen and Joanna Chimonides, Georgia Steel from the 2018 series and their pal Rebecca Ryan.

Jess has been trying to move on since her split from Love Island beau Ched Uzor, 23, during the pandemic.

It's been reported that lockdown made it impossible for the couple to 'build a relationship' as they were unable to meet up with one another.

In a statement shared with MailOnline, the blonde beauty confirmed the COVID-19 lockdown played a role in the demise of their romance, but insisted they continue to be friends.

Home time: The stunner flashed a peace sign as she climbed into her car and headed home

Figure-hugging: Georgia Steel from the ITV2 show's 2018 series exuded confidence in a ribbed white dress

What a babe: The former barmaid, 22, flashed her sleek pedicure in nude strappy heels, which coordinated with her accessory

Chilly? The beauty later covered up in a white blazer as she strutted down the street

Lets go: Georgia led the way as she, Jess and Joanna head home after their night out

Great mind think alike: Maria Wild and Rebecca Ryan were also in attendance, looking phenomenal in bodysuit, shorts and jacket combos

Here come the girls: The ladies beamed with delight as they took time away from their schedules to catch up

The statement read: 'After a whirlwind romance in the Love Island villa, unfortunately Jessica Gale and Ched Uzor have made the mutual decision to split.

'They have unfortunately felt the effects of lockdown separation but will continue as friends.

'They wish nothing but the best for each other and full success in each others careers.'
BEREA, Ohio -- If COVID-19 infections in Cuyahoga County continue to trend downward, Berea City School District students could transition in early October from all-remote learning to a two-days-per-week hybrid model.

Superintendent Tracy Wheeler told the Board of Education at its board meeting Tuesday (Sept. 8) that the number of new cases, positivity rates, number of ventilators in use, hospital bed capacities, etc., all went down last week in the county.

She noted, however, that the three ZIP codes that comprise the districts three communities all showed increases.

With recent Labor Day gatherings added to the mix, Wheeler said its important to monitor the situation over the next few weeks.

What I would like to do is watch this data, get through September  and hope we dont have spikes, Wheeler said, noting that the county considers two cases in a classroom to be an outbreak.

We know the best place for our kids (to learn) is in person. My goal would be to have the kids back in school no later than Oct. 5 in a hybrid format. We could be in a hybrid for a while, she said.

If the numbers really start to decline, then were going to look to bring back the kids full time, she added.

The color-coded Ohio Public Health Advisory System currently has Cuyahoga County listed as orange, or Level 2 Public Emergency. If infection rates were to increase and prompt a Level 3 red status, Wheeler said the district may stay hybrid because it may be working for us.

Under the hybrid model, there would be a phase-in week for students to transition from remote learning to in-person instruction.

If the health advisory system lowers the county to Level 1 yellow status, the district will begin preparing to bring back students five days per week, except for the 140-plus students enrolled in the districts Titan Virtual Learning Academy, Wheeler said.

Should a massive outbreak occur in the future, she said any decision to shut down the district will be made jointly by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and district officials.

Read more stories from the News Sun.
A special delivery was made to N.B. Mills Elementary late last week and not a single student went home empty-handed.

Last Thursday, COSTCO of Mooresville delivered a donation of a backpacks to all 379 students that attend N.B. Mills with some students receiving their bag on Friday and the rest getting theirs Tuesday.

The kids were surprised and thrilled to be getting a brand new backpack, N.B. Mills Principal Jonathan Nicastro said. As we were handing them out, we heard both students and staff saying Wow, these are really nice bags!

Over the summer, COSTCO reached out to Nicastro to let him know that his school had been chosen to receive the donation, the principal was surprised and immediately accepted the gift.

I said Yes, please!, Dicastro said. I know our students and parents were extremely excited.

The backpacks were originally planned to be handed out at the schools open house, but the warehouse store ran into a delay with their distribution and had to delay the delivery until last week.
Editor's note: This report contains graphic content. Discretion is advised.



The estranged husband of a woman killed at her workplace on Tuesday was in court for her fatal shooting.

Sylvester Ofori was subdued and quiet while facing a judge.

He's accused of murdering his wife, Barbara Tommey, as she went to work, at Navy Federal Credit Union.

Prosecutors told the judge the killing was caught on video.

Video surveillance, which shows Mr. Ofori not only shoot his wife but then stand over her body and put additional rounds into her head, the prosecutor said.

Ofori is pastor of the Floodgates of Heaven on Coburn Avenue in Orlando.

On his Facebook page, Ofori calls himself a prophet.

He does have quite a large social media following where he speaks to his followers. Calls himself a prophet; his followers call him a prophet, Orlando police Det. Matthew Rogers said.

After the shooting, police went to an apartment building where Ofori and Tommey had, at one point, lived together. Investigators said they brought the SWAT team and eventually found him in the home.

We had a good feeling he was going to be in there. We don't believe there was any risk to the public or immediate danger to the public, Rogers said.

Police have not said what led up to the attack but sister station WESH-TV was informed Tommey and Ofori were getting a divorce. Court records also show that in 2016, Ofori was arrested for resisting an officer who responded to an argument between the two.

Someone committed a heinous act of violence towards a loved one and there's no excuse for that, Rogers said.
Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said that it succeeded in training more than 2,500 employees working in the health field virtually from April until today (September 10).



Meaad Al Ali, head of the training section at the Human Resources Department at the DHA added that the authority is planning to train 4,000 additional employees by the end of this year within 100 training programsthat have been prepared according to the needs of the authoritys employees.



Al Ali said that despite the circumstances the world is facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the DHA spared no effort in providing training programmes in order to maintain the distinguished level of services and to meet the authoritys goals and strategic plans regarding training and qualifying its human cadres across all of the DHAs departments and sectors.



Al Ali said that the DHA has provided more than 80 training programmes, which benefited 2,500 employees. These include free administrative training programmes provided internally by DHA trainers in cooperation with government agencies and departments as well as training programmes provided by private training centres.



She said that the training programs focused on a number of topics related to self-development, public health, the environment, patient safety, dealing with fires, leadership, creativity, innovation, emotional intelligence, artificial intelligence, customer care and customer happiness, quality in the health field, partnership management, legal, accounting, and procurement.  TradeArabia News Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is asking Congress to please take action to help the millions of women business owners struggling to remain open as the pandemic stretches into its sixth month. According to a recent NAWBO survey, 60% of respondents still see a decrease in their revenue.

"It's simpleour women business owners need help. We need Congress to act," explains Cristina Morales Heaney, NAWBO National Board Chair. "While some of our members are in better shape than others, the ones that are hurting need assistance immediately. Our recent survey results showed that if states must shutter again, 38% are concerned about their business failing with the vast majority of those believing they only have 3 to 9 months to stay afloat," Heaney continued.

Other highlights from the survey included:

NAWBO members received assistance from federal programs: 41% applied for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and 56% applied for a PPP loan.

Of the respondents, who are mothers, more than 50% described themselves as "I am business owner, mom, and teacher with no break in sight."

To survive the pandemic, 20% say they need access to capital, almost 20% said they need additional resources to expand online, and 25% of respondents said they need more time to work on their business.

Before the August recess, NAWBO sent two letters outlining concerns for the organization and its members. On July 24, 2020, NAWBO requested for Congress to include the Ensuring Increased Disaster Loans (EIDL) for Small Businesses Act (S. 4227) and the Small Business Expense Protection Act of 2020 (S.3612) into the next relief package. The organization also signed on to a letter requesting that lawmakers include 501(c)(6) organizations in the next round of relief.

About NAWBO

Founded in 1975, NAWBO is the unified voice of America's more than 10 million women-owned businesses representing the fastest-growing segment of the economy. NAWBO is the only dues-based organization representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries. NAWBO develops programs that help navigate women entrepreneurs through the various stages of their business growth. To learn more, please visit www.nawbo.org.

SOURCE National Association of Women Business Owners

Related Links

http://www.nawbo.org


Megyn Kelly is launching a new podcast called The Megyn Kelly Show.

The podcast is the former talk show host's latest venture as an independent journalist as she launches her media company called Devil May Care Media.

Kelly tweeted the news on Thursday, writing: 'Some news: I am launching a podcast this month. It'll be free & available pretty much everywhere. No B.S. No agenda. No corporate overlords. Should be fun!'

The podcast is expected to be launch the week of September 28 with three new episodes per week and guests that are 'newsmakers, thought leaders and compelling voices'.

Journalist Megyn Kelly is launching a new podcast called The Megyn Kelly Show. This is the former talk show host's latest venture as an independent journalist as she launches her media company Devil May Care Media

Kelly tweeted the news on Thursday, writing: 'Some news: I am launching a podcast this month. It'll be free & available pretty much everywhere. No B.S. No agenda. No corporate overlords. Should be fun!'

Kelly said in a press release, 'Every journalist's dream is to cover the biggest stories and talk to the most interesting people without the shadow of a politicized media institution hanging over them. That's what I'm about to do.

'With Devil May Care Media, I answer only to my audience and my conscience. Those who like what I have to say will find the experience deeply rewarding. Those who don't can look elsewhere.

'The point is to give the audience authentic content that goes places where traditional media can't or - more often - won't. It's a great challenge that will reconnect me with my audience and I'm excited to get started.'

The name Devil May Care Media is a slight dig at mainstream media, with the full saying as 'the devil may care, but I do not'.

It's meant to show that Kelly's company is not limited to talking about difficult issues in the way mainstream news outlets may be.

In addition to the podcast, the media company will also produce other shows discussing the latest news, current events, legal and cultural issues with the same 'tough, fair, smart perspective that has made Kelly one of America's most respected broadcast journalists,' according to a press release.

The name Devil May Care Media is a slight dig at mainstream media, with the full saying as 'the devil may care, but I do not'

Kelly was previously a star at both Fox News as a host for 12 years and NBC, where she had her own talk show until 2018

Steve Krakauer is the executive producer and the show will be in conjunction with production company Red Seat Ventures

Kelly told the Wall Street Journal, 'The number one thing I wanted to do was control my own editorial. To not be doing anyone else's bidding, not having the pressure of corporate overlords over me, that means one has to be entrepreneurial.'

'I don't want the political pressures of working for someone who's dedicated to taking down Trump or defending him. I don't want pressure to not say the right thing because it's going to tick off one group or another,' she said. 'You can't criticize Black Lives Matter because it's going to upset some corporate sponsor. You can't have an honest conversation about transgender rights without upsetting one group or another.'

She was previously a star at both Fox News as a host for 12 years and NBC, where she had her own talk show until 2018.

Now she's making her own rules for her show where listeners can expect interviews that 'transcend the superficiality and sound-bite driven confines of traditional broadcast and cable news, and instead deliver in-depth, uncensored, thought-provoking conversations.'

Steve Krakauer is the executive producer and the show will be in conjunction with production company Red Seat Ventures.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A Black couple who got into a fight with white customers at a Little Rock steakhouse who werent wearing masks and stood too close filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing the restaurant of discrimination and not enforcing coronavirus safety rules.

The federal lawsuit stems from a June 27 fight at the Saltgrass Steakhouse that was caught on cellphone video and widely shared on social media. Shayla Hooks and Tyrone Jackson accuse the restaurant of negligence, racial discrimination and defamation over its handling of the confrontation.

The lawsuit says the couple was sitting in the restaurants bar area when a group of white people from a Louisiana tour bus entered and asked if they could sit close to them, despite social distancing restrictions. Arkansas allows bars and restaurants to open but with capacity limits and distancing rules.

The lawsuit says the restaurants staff didnt intervene as the customers harassed and intentionally stood near the couple when Jackson said he didnt want them sitting nearby because of COVID-19. The lawsuit says some of the white customers intentionally coughed on Hooks and that one punched her in the face during the fight that ensued, giving her a black eye.

What that manager was making my clients do was choose between aggression and possible violence on the one hand, and their own personal health and safety on the other, Mike Laux, an attorney for the couple, said.

Landrys Inc., the steakhouse chains parent company, called the lawsuit frivolous and cited videos that it said show Jackson hitting people at the beginning and the end of the brawl.

Saltgrass Steakhouse supports the movement to end racial injustice and denounces intolerant and violent behaviour of any kind in its restaurants, the company said in a statement. Saltgrass will not compensate these individuals for a fight that began and ended with their violent acts.
He popped the question on a romantic holiday in Greece.

And James Dunmore shared a snap taken moments after he asked Lucy Watson to be his wife in a sweet post on Thursday.

Taking to Instagram, the former Made In Chelsea star mused: 'As days go, this was a good one'.

Cute couple: James Dunmore shared a snap taken moments after he asked Lucy Watson to be his wife in a sweet post on Thursday

In the shot, the newly-engaged couple snuggled up to one another on board a boat as they watched the sunset.

Lucy, 29, looked incredible in a brown bikini that showcased her toned physique as she toasted the engagement with a glass of champagne.

Cheekily, James, 29, was seen squeezing his new fiancee's derriere as she rested on his lap.

Finally: Lucy and James have been going strong ever since meeting on the E4 series back in 2015 and decided to take their romance to the next level whilst holidaying in Greece

Lucy announced their engagement on Tuesday as she shared a sweet picture of the couple captioned: 'heres to forever [ring emoji].' (sic)

Toasting to the occasion with glasses of champagne, the vegan restaurateur enthused she was having 'the best day ever' as they watched the sun set.

Lucy later revealed that the surprise proposal also helped clear up why James had been so insistent that they get an early night the day before.

Sharing a picture of the pair heading out, she penned: 'the night before @jamesdunmore proposed & I decided to get white girl wasted. The concern on his face & forcing me to bed all makes sense now [sic]'.

Sweet: Lucy announced their engagement on Tuesday as she shared a sweet picture of the couple captioned: 'heres to forever [ring emoji].' (sic)

Lucy and James have been going strong ever since meeting on the E4 series back in 2015, following her ill-fated flings with Andy Jordan, Jamie Laing, Spencer Matthews and Oliver Proudlock.

The loved-up duo left the show just a year after embarking on a relationship and bought their first home in London in August 2017.

Nowadays, the influencer focuses on her accessory brand Creature Jewellery and vegan ventures, while the hunk is signed to Models 1 Management.
The Tennessee Air National Guards 118th Wing reported the loss of three airmen on Sept. 8, in a civilian aircraft accident in McMinnville.

The three Airmen were all members of the 118th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group. Lt. Col. Shelli Huether, director of operations for the 118th Intelligence Support Squadron; Capt. Jessica Wright, assistant director of operations for the 118th ISS; and Senior Master Sgt. Scott Bumpus, chief of current operations for the 236th Intelligence Squadron.

Words cannot begin to explain the shock, grief, pain and dismay we feel having lost three remarkable members of our Guard family, said Col. Todd Wiles, commander of the 118th Wing. All three were dedicated to the service of our nation. Their families are in our hearts and our prayers.
Chinese President Xi Jinping presented medals to four individuals, including Chinas renowned respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan, for their outstanding contributions to the countrys fight against the COVID-19 epidemic at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 8.

In sharp contrast, a tired-looking Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was forced to refute conspiracy theories on Fox News Live, explaining to the public that there are no political choices for coronavirus vaccines.

On the same day, confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. exceeded 6.5 million, along with about 200,000 deaths and 24,000 new cases.

In China, society respects science and gives scientists due respect and honor. Confronted by the unknown virus, China has followed science during the whole process of its response to COVID-19, in everything from the governments decisions and command, diagnosis and treatment of patients to technical research and social governance.

Thanks to the effective promotion of knowledge about epidemic prevention, even kids in kindergartens understand the importance of washing hands frequently and wearing masks to prevent the spread of the virus. This is also the result of the fact that the government has long encouraged respect for science and common sense.

In the U.S., basic common sense in epidemic prevention has been labeled as conspiracy, and anti-intellectualism prevails. For example, some suspect the metal strips in medical masks as being 5G antennas for monitoring.

In another extreme case, a pastor was invited onto a TV program during which he executed judgment on COVID-19. What a ridiculous performance!

There have been calls for the arrest of Bill Gates on social media tagged #ArrestBillGates in America, with posters suspecting that he wanted to use coronavirus vaccines to implant tracking devices in people.

In the face of the most extensive global pandemic to afflict humanity in a century, almost all scientists around the world have upheld the tenets of science and followed their conscience. They quickly carried out genetic analyses, devoted themselves to vaccine research at the earliest possible time, and took every opportunity to spread basic knowledge of epidemic prevention, unwilling to get involved in some Western politicians dirty politics.

However, this intention seems to be the original sin of some scientists. Dr. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of medical journal The Lancet, has been calling on all countries to take the coronavirus seriously through various channels since the COVID-19 outbreak. Unfortunately, he has become unpopular among major Western media due to his praise of Chinas epidemic response in several interviews.

Things were even worse for Fauci. A national hero in the Bush and Obama administrations, he was threatened with dismissal by the White House. Under the instigation of some Republican politicians, he has been attacked on American social media, with some users even demanding that Fauci be expelled from the U.S.

One Chinese netizen wittily commented on Chinese social media, Studying medicine cant save the U.S.

We do not gloat at Americas current COVID-19 situation, and will never do that, because every Chinese knows that all human beings are in a community with a shared future, that no country can tackle major crises on its own and cooperation and solidarity are the only way for mankind to overcome crises.

Certain politicians in the U.S. would do well to stop playing their political tricks, cherish peoples lives, and return to the right track of respecting science and scientists.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said only a few thousand customers who lost power in recent planned fire-prevention outages should be without power Thursday after crews inspected thousands of miles of lines for damage.

The utility had hoped to restore power throughout its system by the end of day Wednesday, but the strange atmospheric conditions over much of Northern California, as well as the possibility of greater wind damage than expected, delayed some of the work.

The process began at daybreak  if you could call it that, given the orange, smoke-filled skies  on Wednesday for customers in Sonoma and Napa counties, the Sierra foothills and Sacramento Valley. Power had been shut down in stages, starting late Monday and continuing into Tuesday morning, as part of the utilitys program to prevent its lines and equipment from sparking wildfires in windy, dry weather.

PG&E gave the all-clear signal for several counties overnight Tuesday, meaning the danger posed by gusty winds that billowed overnight had passed. The utility said it assigned a crew of 3,000 personnel to inspect some 10,750 miles of transmission lines by foot, in vehicles and in the air. Only a part of its air fleet could patrol because of the smoky, hazy conditions.

The shut-offs affected about 172,000 customers in parts of 22 counties, including 17,000 in Sonoma and 5,000 in Napa as well as some in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba counties.

By Wednesday evening, PG&E had restored power to roughly 147,000 out of the 172,000 customers included in the planned outages, said utility incident commander Mark Quinlan. The company said it hoped to have most of the rest restored by the end of the the day.

Roughly 4,000 customers  largely in the Humboldt area, the Sierra foothills, Butte County and adjacent areas in the central Sierra, Quinlan said  are expected to have power restored by noon Thursday. Approximately 800 of those customer accounts are located in Napa County, PG&E officials said.

Those customers were affected by damage that required repairs, as well as air inspections hampered by the smoke and haze, spokesperson Lynsey Paulo said.

Thirty-four helicopters were able to conduct inspections on Wednesday, but another 16 were grounded because of the incredible smoke that we saw in the atmosphere here today, Quinlan said.

Utility crews found 27 incidents of damage or hazards, such as downed trees or branches on wires, and Quinlan said officials expect that number to rise as inspections continue. Quinlan said each of those incidents could have started a fire that could have been very, very difficult to control.

Brittany Hosea-Small / Special to The Chronicle

He also pointed to dry vegetation and wind gusts that reached as high as 66 mph in Butte County as crucial reminders of why the utility cuts off electricity for public safety.

We have not found any evidence that our facilities were involved in any wildfire ignitions through this most recent windstorm, Quinlan said during a live-streamed news conference Wednesday. He added that he did not expect lingering smoke to impede the remaining inspection work.

Michael Cabanatuan and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan, @ByLHernandez
We have very little precedent to go by. I have studied the Derrick Smith transcripts all weekend long and were going to follow precedent. And we have to make sure we contact the U.S. attorneys office and get a response before this committee can do any work further, Welch said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A retired FDNY lieutenant and 9/11 responder was allegedly killed over the weekend following reports of a verbal dispute at a party in upstate New York, according to the Hudson Valley Post.

Scott Krempler, 50, of Patterson, N.Y., was fatally shot at about 8:30 p.m. in Herkimer County, about 300 miles north of the city, the report said.

Police allege Stephen Swanto, 43, fired shots that killed Krempler and injured a 55-year-old man who resides upstate. He has been charged with murder and attempted murder, the report said.

Authorities said the gunfire erupted outside Swantos home after an argument involving all three men at a nearby party, according to the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-09 22:49:03|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) provides a strong platform in which regional countries will come together to find possibilities of development, prosperity and connectivity.

In a video message before embarking on a visit to Russia to represent his country at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the SCO, Qureshi said that the forum has the potential to address the problems faced by the regional countries.

"Another significance of the SCO is that many countries will be in attendance, which have interest in peace in Afghanistan, and the issue can be discussed to find a solution," Qureshi said, adding that he will meet foreign ministers of such countries at the sidelines of the meeting.

He said that the meeting would also give him a chance to meet foreign ministers of Central Asian countries and discuss with them the prospects of increasing bilateral trade. "We will discuss how the region can be promoted and prospered by doing trade through Gwadar port."

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that Qureshi was invited to attend the event by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"Since becoming a member in 2017, Pakistan has been actively contributing in working towards achieving SCO's multi-sectoral agenda through participation in various SCO mechanisms," the statement added. Enditem
Tel Aviv, Israel  September 9, 2020. Global Kabbalah Centre (www.kabbalah.com) Teachers Yosef & Michal Shneor have announced an exciting 10 week online Kabbalah 1 class on September 15, 2020 that will be available to anyone in the world who is actively looking to improve any aspect of their life. Whether its to better understand how all the current chaos and crisis in the world is an illusion that 
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Community leaders in an Arkansas region that has struggled with racism and white supremacists over the years on Wednesday endorsed an effort by the governor and lawmakers to enact a hate crimes law.

The leaders of Harrison and surrounding Boone County signed resolutions denouncing bigotry and racism, and urging state lawmakers to pass substantive, comprehensive" hate crimes legislation. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson and a bipartisan group of legislators earlier this month unveiled a proposal to enhance penalties for crimes motivated by the victim's race, religion, sexual orientation or other factors.

I am hoping now that our community can come together, respect everyone and move forward in one positive direction," Harrison Mayor Jerry Jackson said at a ceremony with Boone County's judge and the head of the Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Harrison, which has a population of about 13,000 was the site of riots in the early 1900s that drove out most of its black population. The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, one of several Klan factions, uses a Harrison post office box for its mailing address and its national director lives in a nearby town.

Billboards with white supremacist messages have appeared in the city over the years. The city's leaders have said their reputation is being unfairly tarnished by a small group of people, and have tried to counter the messages with their own Love Your Neighbor" billboards.

Arkansas is one of three states without a hate crimes law, and the proposal has the backing of major companies including Bentonville-based Walmart. South Carolina and Wyoming are the other states without a hate crimes law.

Past efforts to pass hate crimes legislation in Arkansas have stalled over opposition to a law against crimes motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity. Some conservative lawmakers in the majority-Republican Legislature have signaled opposition to the latest effort on similar grounds.

Story continues

Hutchinson praised the city and county for their resolutions.

I commend Boone County for affirming that we are at the point in our history that we must hold to a greater degree of accountability those people whose violent acts against another are born of a hatred for their victims race or religion," Hutchinson said in a statement.

___

Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/ademillo
WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank , announced today that its Retail Card Services business has signed with Loves Furniture & Mattresses.

TD will provide tailored financing options to Loves - a growing furniture retailer that provides a high-quality furniture and mattress shopping experience with storefronts throughout Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio  as the company continues its expansion throughout the US.

Through the partnership, TD Bank will provide in-store financing, including a private label card offering, leveraging the bank's deep expertise in creating tailored solutions for partners in the furniture sector and ability to implement technology to improve the customer experience and approval process.

"Customer service is at the center of everything that we do, and we needed a partner that holds the same principles and priorities at the core of their business," said Jeff Love, Founder of US Assets, Inc., the parent company for Loves Furniture. "We believe that TD demonstrates this human-first, customer-centric approach and that the team's flexibility, depth of their offering and ability to bring our vision to life in a seamless, efficient way is unmatched in the market."

The partnership will launch in-store this month, which entailed adherence to an aggressive timeline from both Loves and TD.

"We're excited to work with Loves Furniture as they make their mark as a retailer focused on the personalized customer approach that TD is deeply familiar with," said Mike Rittler, Head of Retail Card Services, Personal Lending and Business Development at TD Bank. "At TD, we're committed to working with retailers nationwide to create accessibility and affordability for their consumers through unique financing programs that meet business' individual needs. Custom programs matter now more than ever."

TD Bank's U.S. Partnerships business (www.tdpartnershipprograms.com) launches and administers new credit card portfolios for merchants across all sales channels, and acquires retailers' existing credit card portfolios.

About Loves Furniture

Loves Furniture, Inc. was founded in 2020 by its President, Jeff Love. The company is headquartered in Royal Oak, Michigan. Loves Furniture is owned by US Assets, Inc. of Dallas, TX. Visit lovesfurniture.com for more information.

About TD Partnerships

TD Bank Group's credit card business is a top 10 card issuer in North America with over $24B in card receivables. TD Bank's credit cards are distributed nationally, leveraging our retail distribution network, direct response channels and through hundreds of partnership programs with financial institutions, retailers and other third party organizations.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9.5 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,220 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US .

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com/us.

SOURCE TD Bank

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"The concentration of advanced semiconductor manufacturing in South Korea and Taiwan, combined with US dominance of key parts of the semiconductor supply chain, has created a major vulnerability for Chinas technology ambitions."

The $500 billion semiconductor industry has become a key focus of US-China strategic competition, explains a new report on the geopolitics of semiconductors from Eurasia Group.

This report, by analysts Paul Triolo and Kevin Allison, explains how the concentration of advanced semiconductor manufacturing in South Korea and Taiwan, combined with US dominance of key parts of the semiconductor supply chain, has created a major vulnerability for Chinas technology ambitions. It analyzes the potential implications of recent moves by the Trump administration to restrict shipments of semiconductors to Chinese technology company Huawei for the US, China, and Taiwan. It also explains how a new US industrial policy on semiconductors will help shape the industry well beyond Novembers election.

A strong reaction to recent US moves targeting Chinese companies access to cutting-edge chips would roil markets, provide added impetus to US attempts to bring advanced semiconductor manufacturing to US shores, and throw industry supply chains into turmoil, accelerating the bifurcation of the US and Chinese tech ecosystems. For leading technology firms in China, such as Huawei, the search is on for an alternative semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Chinas advantages in this global competition will eventually produce breakthroughs, but the US will continue to hold key advantages and harbor a willingness to use punitive measures.

Some Key Findings from the report:



Semiconductors are a strategic vulnerability for China and its most important tech company, Huawei, which relies on cutting-edge manufacturing facilities in Taiwan to make the chips it needs to remain globally competitive.

The Chinese technology sector is likely to remain dependent on access to foreign chips for the foreseeable future, despite massive government investment in chip development.

US moves to restrict Huaweis access to cutting-edge chips have given Washington the upper hand in convincing key European allies and other major economies to ban or sharply restrict Huawei from their 5G rollouts.

As the US presses ahead with stricter and broader controls over semiconductors, it will hasten the decoupling of the two countries tech sectors while further spurring Chinas attempts to establish a separate R&D and production system.

Founded in 2016, Eurasia Groups Geo-technology practice helps clients navigate the complicated intersection of technology and geopolitics globally  from the political risks associated with emerging technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence, to global regulatory and technology policy developments.

For additional information or to request an interview with the reports authors, contact Gregory Roth, director of communications, at Roth@EurasiaGroup.net.

***

Eurasia Group is the world's leading global political risk research and consulting firm. By providing information and insight on how political developments move markets, we help clients anticipate and respond to instability and opportunities everywhere they invest or do business. Our expertise includes developed and developing countries in every region of the world, specific economic sectors, and the business and investment playing fields of the future. With our best-in-class advisory and consulting offerings and GZERO Media, the Eurasia Group umbrella provides the marketplace with a complete political risk solution. Headquartered in New York, we have offices in Washington DC, London, San Francisco, Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Singapore, and Tokyo, as well as on-the-ground experts and resources in more than a hundred countries. "Politics first grounds our work: Politics is the lens through which we view the world, and we are committed to analysis that is free of political bias and the influence of private interests.
Laboratory facilities at Portlaoise hospital are set to be upgraded as part of construction work which has just got underway.

The HSE's Dublin Midlands Hospital Group has confirmed that the capital development underway at the front of the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise involves an expansion of lab facilities with new to buildings added. It says the project includes the reconfiguration and extension of the existing laboratory and associated works. A spokesperson added It also involves the relocation of Medical Secretariat accommodation.

"The laboratory reconfiguration project will be a combination of concrete build and modular build. The main extension to the front of the existing laboratory will be a concrete build. The relocation of other office accommodation to facilitate this extension will be provided by way of modular construction," said a statement.

Heretofore, lab services have been located in ageing prefab accommodation facing onto the Dublin Road. Lab staff have played a key role in hospital's response to the coronavirus pandemic with testing of swabs carried out on site.

The project is one of a number of new capital developments in the works for the Laois hospital. The HSE has invited bids for builders to convert a former Chapel to office accommodation. Meanwhile, Laois County Council has also granted permission for a phased expansion of car parking for staff, patients and visitors.

The hospital has undergone expansion and reconfiguration in recent years. An Acute Medical Assessment Unit went into operation last year while a key link corridor was built to link it with the Emergency Department.

More recently, work was carried out internally to facilitate changes required by the Covid-19 outbreak. This included the relocation and expansion of the intensive care unit.
The market barometers traded with strong gains in mid-afternoon trade. At 14:24 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 520.63 points or 1.36% at 38,714.55. The Nifty 50 index added 131 points or 1.16% at 11,409.

In the broader market today, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index gained 0.39% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 1%. Both these indices lagged the Sensex.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1669 shares rose and 912 shares fell. A total of 170 shares were unchanged.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 959.09 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net sellers to the tune of Rs 263.97 crore in the Indian equity market on 9 September, provisional data showed.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Media index rose 1.46% to 1,646.55. The index has added 2.65% in two sessions.

Hathway Cable (up 4.86%), TV18 Broadcast (up 4.06%), Dish TV India (up 3.61%), Sun TV Network (up 3.52%), Inox Leisure (up 3.03%) and Jagran Prakashan (up 1.44%) edged higher.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Index major Reliance Industries (RIL) added 6.93% to Rs 2311.10, leading the benchmark indices higher. The scrip gained 8.45% to hit a fresh record high of Rs 2343.90 in intraday trade today.

The stock extended gains for second day after the company yesterday informed about the sale of 1.75% stake in Reliance Retail to Silver Lake for a consideration of Rs 7,500 crore.

State Bank of India (SBI) added 0.64% to Rs 196.15 after the state-run lender said it sold Rs 4,000 crore of the Basel-compliant Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds at a coupon of 7.74%. This is the lowest pricing ever offered on such debt, issued by any bank since the country started implementing the stringent Basel lll capital rules in 2013. As the aggregate bids were in excess of Rs 6,000 crore, the bank exercised the full green shoe option of Rs 3,000 crore over and above the base issue size of Rs 1,000 crore, SBI said in a statement after trading hours on Wednesday (9 September).

Control Print spurted 5.92% to Rs 237. Yesterday, India Max Investment Fund bought 1.62 lakh equity shares (0.99% stake) of Control Print at Rs 217.96 per share via bulk deal on the NSE. Concurrently, Grovsnor Investment Fund sold 0.99% stake of the company at Rs 217.96 per share via bulk deal on the NSE.

Natco Pharma rose 2.15% to Rs 778. The drug maker will purchase equity shares in Time Cap Overseas, Mauritius, a subsidiary of the company, from the other shareholder Venkatachari Madhusudhan who holds 6.10% shares of the company. This amounts to 72,710 equity shares of $10 face value amounting to $7,27,100.

Numbers to Track:

In the foreign exchange market, the partially convertible rupee edged higher to 73.46 compared with its previous closing 73.55.

The yield on 10-year benchmark federal paper rose to 6.053% compared with previous closing of 5.989% in the previous trading session.

MCX Gold futures for 5 October 2020 settlement gained 0.08% to Rs 51,443.

In the commodities market, Brent crude for November 2020 settlement shed 36 cents to $40.43 a barrel. The contract rose 2.53% or $1.01 to settle at $40.79 in the previous trading sessions on Tuesday.

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T he Babysitter was a Netflix hit upon its release in 2017, starring Samara Weaving as a babysitter hiding a dark secret.

The film, directed by Charlies Angels helmer McG, is a teen comedy horror in which 12-year-old Cole (Judah Lewis) discovers his babysitter Bee (Weaving) is part of a satanic cult.

Now, Netflix have released the sequel to the film, plunging Cole back into danger.

When is The Babysitter: Killer Queen released on Netflix?

The Babysitter: Killer Queen premiered on Netflix on Thursday, September 10 and is now available to watch.

Andrew Bachelor, Bella Thorne and Robbie Amell in The Babysitter: Killer Queen (TYLER GOLDEN/NETFLIX ) / TYLER GOLDEN/NETFLIX

The film takes place two years after the events of the original, with no one believing Cole about what happened on that traumatic night.

When his neighbour and love interest Melanie invites him to a party at a nearby lakehouse, Cole once again finds himself facing up against old foes as the cult makes an unexpected return.

Who is in the cast?

American actor Judah Lewis returns in the lead role of Cole.

American actress Emily Alyn Lind, who has a role in the upcoming Gossip Girl reboot, plays Melanie.

The Flash star Robbie Amell plays Max, while model and actress Bella Thorne plays Allison and Andrew Bachelor plays John.

Pitch Perfects Hana Mae Lee plays Sonya, while Samara Weaving returns as Bee.
As COVID-19 began to surge in the Boston area earlier this year, new infection control measures were put in place at Brigham and Women's Hospital to protect patients and staff. Over the ensuing weeks, infection control policies continued to evolve, eventually encompassing:

Universal masking of all patients, staff and visitors

Dedicated COVID-19 units with airborne infection isolation rooms

Personal protective equipment in accordance with CDC recommendations

A restricted visitor policy

Daily symptom screening for employees and patients

Testing of all patients being admitted to the hospital

A new study addresses a critical question: Were these infection control measures successful in preventing transmission of COVID-19 to patients in the hospital? In a paper published in JAMA Network Open, a team of investigators from the Brigham report on an analysis of all cases in which a patient tested positive for COVID-19 three days or later after coming to the hospital and up to 14 days after discharge during the first 12 weeks of the surge in Massachusetts.

They found that although the Brigham cared for over 9,000 inpatients during this timeframe -- including nearly 700 with COVID-19 -- only two patients likely acquired the disease within the hospital, including one who likely acquired it from his visiting spouse prior to universal masking and restriction of visitors, and one with no clear exposures within or outside the hospital.

Our data show that in a hospital with robust, rigorous infection control measures, it is very much possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to patients.This is an important finding as we know that many patients are avoiding essential care due to fear of contracting COVID-19 in health care settings. Our study shows that the hospital is in fact very safe, and if people need to go the hospital for care, they should go." Chanu Rhee, MD, MPH, Corresponding Author, Infectious Disease and Critical Care Physician, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Rhee is also an associate hospital epidemiologist at the Brigham.

Rhee and colleagues conducted their study on data from all patients seen at the Brigham beginning March 7 (when the first patient with COVID-19 was admitted) through May 30, 2020.

During that 12-week period, 9,149 patients were admitted to the hospital. More than 7,300 diagnostic COVID-19 tests were performed, with 697 people testing positive.

Twenty-three patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 after the third day of hospitalization or within two weeks after discharge. All cases were reviewed in detail by Rhee and hospital epidemiologist and co-author Michael Klompas, MD, MPH, to assess the most likely source of each patient's infection.

Of these 23 patients, 14 had symptoms on admission and were deemed to have been infected prior to admission, while seven were diagnosed following high-risk, post-discharge exposures.

Of the remaining two patients who may have acquired their infection in the hospital, one likely acquired his, prior to visitor restrictions and universal masking, from a visiting spouse who was found to have COVID-19. There was only one other patient without a clear exposure who may have been infected in the hospital.

Rhee characterized the team's findings as "an exceedingly low rate of infection" and a "near-zero incidence" of COVID-19 acquisition among patients seeking care at the hospital during the surge.

The authors note that their study cannot determine which infection control measures in place at the hospital were most critical. In addition, while the researchers comprehensively analyzed and reviewed each case, they could not definitively determine the source of infection in every case.

Results were also limited to the Brigham and may not be applicable to hospitals that have adopted other infection control measures. The study did not examine infection among health care workers, and the authors believe that this important topic warrants a separate, detailed analysis.

"Overall, our results should provide confidence to clinicians and patients around the country that currently recommended infection-control measures -- if carefully implemented and followed -- can prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the hospital," said Rhee.
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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 10:21 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f3270 1 National jakob-oetama,Kompas-Gramedia,anies-baswedan,National-Police,argo-yuwono,Moeldoko,puan-maharani,Asrul-Sani,condolences,death Free

Government officials and lawmakers are mourning the death of Jakob Oetama, the cofounder of Indonesias largest media and publishing company, Kompas Gramedia.

The 88-year-old died on Wednesday at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. He will be buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta on Thursday.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan extended his condolences on Wednesday through his Twitter handle @aniesbaswedan.

Farewell, Pak Jakob Oetama. His services and contributions to the nation were extraordinary. Its a big and noble task to continue his legacy, the governor tweeted.

The National Police also expressed their condolences over Jakobs death, with spokesperson Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono calling him Indonesias best press figure.

Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko called Jakob a person who stressed the importance of having a conscience above all. Thank you for your services in journalism in Indonesia.

Read also: Jakob Oetama bids farewell, leaving journalism legacy

House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) also extended her condolences.

She said Jakob was very close to the nations first president and her grandfather, Sukarno, who suggested the name Kompas" upon the foundation of the newspaper in 1965.

At that time, Bung Karno said, Do you know what a compass is? Its our direction across the ocean and jungle, Puan said, quoting Sukarnos words.

Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) deputy speaker Asrul Sani said Jakob inspired him to fight for peoples interests and to maintain idealism when the politician served as a Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) lawyer in the 1980s.

His passing is a loss for us all. Pak Jakob doesnt only belong to Kompas Gramedia or Indonesian journalism but also to many different elements of society, as well as any religion, ethnicity and political group, the United Development Party (PPP) politician said.

Read also: Jusuf Wanandi mourns death of Kompas Gramedia cofounder Jakob Oetama

Jakob graduated from Yogyakartas Gadjah Mada University in 1961. He started his career in journalism with Petrus Kanisius Ojong  among the countrys active figures in journalism and politics  to publish Intisari magazine.

The magazine paved the way for the establishment of Kompas newspaper in 1965.

The Kompas Gramedia group has expanded to other sectors, including printing, hospitality and television.

Jakob is well known for his philosophical, thoughtful and polite writing style, which bordered on non-confrontational and humble, yet supported by logical arguments.

He received the Mahaputra Utama award from the government in 1973. He was also awarded an honorary degree in communications by his alma mater on April 17, 2003.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump promoted a new campaign ad that, once again, attempted to position him as the law and order savior of the United States. The one-minute ad, which the president tweeted this afternoon, shows footage from nationwide uprisings, including protestors coming face-to-face with police in riot gear and engaging in property destruction. But what is perhaps most confusing about the ad is its title: This Is Joe Bidens America.

The video starts with the sound of protestors chanting, 1,2,3,4 slavery, genocide, and war, and 5,6,7,8 America was never great as the title fades into the frame. It goes on to show an American flag burning on the ground with images of police cars set on fire and storefronts damaged. In between these images, Joe Biden appears saying my fellow citizens, exercising their right to peacefully protest followed by alarming doomsday-inspired music. As the camera continues to zoom in on Bidens mouth saying the words peacefully protest, over and over, Trump paints a misleading picture that this is what Joe Bidens America looks like, with the words only you can stop this new normal strung across footage of a burning country.

But what Trump so obviously misses in his 60-second after school special is that all of the things that happened in this video  and are still happening  occured during his presidency. He is literally showing us what Trumps America looks like, replete with the division and white supremacy his administration has sowed for years.

This line of attack isnt new for the Trump administration, which has attempted to paint anti-racist dissent as a far-left contingent of the Democratic party, despite the fact that establishment Democrats  like Joe Biden  have mostly rejected further left political goals. Still, Trumps campaign has latched on to the narrative that protestors fighting police brutality are a product of anarchist cities run by Democrats, and that the partys presidential nominees are radical left and socialist candidates who will enable them.

Story continues

At the Republican National Convention, Trump described Bidens campaign as a socialist agenda to demolish our cherished destiny. He has used that same line of reasoning to repeatedly connect Biden to the ongoing uprisings, telling rally-goers in North Carolina earlier this week that far left protestors will be in charge of your government if Biden wins. All this despite the fact that Biden, too, opposes the protests and has condemned them many times.

Trump needs to rely on this messaging, though, so he can maintain his preferred reputation as a law and order president. But weve seen time and time again what Trumps law and order presidency looks like in the face of dissent. Federal prosecutors charged 230 people who protested the presidents 2017 inauguration with rioting and conspiracy that would have landed them each in prison for decades. The whole world watched as the president unleashed his federal troops in Portland over the summer, where demonstrators were abducted off the streets by officers in unmarked vans.

The president might want voters to believe they are safer in his hands, but Trumps America is the one that reeks of the very danger and violence he is accusing Biden of.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Twitter Is Going To Fact-Check Trump's Tweets

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Who Would Nominate Trump For A Nobel Peace Prize?
The five Rafale aircraft which arrived on July 27 at Ambala Air Force Station have been formally inducted to the Indian Air Forces 17 Squadron Golden Arrows on Thursday at Air Force Station in Ambala.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Sun-seeking behavior is linked to genes involved in addiction, behavioral and personality traits, and brain function, according to a study of more than 260,000 people led by King's College London researchers.

This means that people's behavior towards seeking sun is complicated by a genetic predisposition, and this needs to be taken into account when designing skin cancer awareness campaigns.

The researchers studied detailed health information of 2,500 twins from TwinsUK, including their sun-seeking behavior and genetics. Identical twins in a pair were more likely to have a similar sun-seeking behavior than non-identical twins, indicating that genetics play a key role.

The team then identified five key genes involved in sun-seeking behavior from a further analysis of 260,000 participants from other cohorts. Some of these genes have been linked to behavioral traits associated with risk-taking and addiction, including smoking, cannabis and alcohol consumption and number of sexual partners.

Senior author Dr. Mario Falchi from King's College London said: "Our results suggest that tackling excessive sun exposure or use of tanning beds might be more challenging than expected, as it is influenced by genetic factors. It is important for the public to be aware of this predisposition, as it could make people more mindful of their behavior and the potential harms of excessive sun exposure."

Dr. Veronique Bataille, Consultant Dermatologist involved in the research from King's College London added: "It is clear that we see individuals who have very unhealthy sun behavior and are fully aware of it. They will continue to expose themselves excessively even if they have clear skin cancer risk factors. Our research shows that genes regulating addiction and other risky behavior are important and may explain some of the reticence in changing behaviors in the sun."

Explore further Is there such thing as an addictive personality?

More information: Sanna Marianna et al, Looking for Sunshine: Genetic Predisposition to Sun-Seeking in 265,000 Individuals of European Ancestry, Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2020). Sanna Marianna et al, Looking for Sunshine: Genetic Predisposition to Sun-Seeking in 265,000 Individuals of European Ancestry,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2020.08.014
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  Guidelines are out on antigen testing for domestic air travelers, a faster alternative to the reliable swab or real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.

Inter-Agency Task Force spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday said IATF Resolution 69 allows the use of antigen tests instead of RT-PCR as a pre-boarding requirement for asymptomatic local tourists.

It can also be integrated as part of the requirements before a person can enter the destination as long as a confirmatory antigen testing will be done 3 to 5 days after their arrival.

Roque added antigen tests can be used to test domestic tourists who suddenly show flu-like symptoms in instances where there are no available RT-PCR test kits, which remains to be the "gold standard" in detecting the virus.

The antigen test works by looking for a unique part of the novel coronavirus, such as a specific protein on one of its namesake "corona" spikes. If that specific protein is present in detectable quantities, then the test will show a positive result. The government previously issued a guideline that rapid antibody testing cannot be used to screen the presence of SARS-CoV-2 as it can only detect if the person has developed antibodies against the virus.

The government earlier allowed select areas in Northern Luzon to reopen their doors to domestic travelers.
Stephen Colbert, of all people. In the years Ive written this column, I never thought I might start one with the famous late-night talk show host. Yet here we are. This is prompted by a conversation he had a few weeks ago with Laura Linney, star of the hit series Ozark.

Colbert tells Linney that he has a present for her: a loaf of bread that he has baked. But not just any loaf. This is sourdough bread, baked using a blend of flour, water and bacteria known as a starter". The blend is alive"  like yogurt cultures are alive  and thats why it acts as a catalyst for baking the bread. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary so far. But the sourdough starter Colbert used, he tells a visibly moved Linney, is 150 years old.

What can this possibly mean? You create a sourdough starter typically by mixing whole wheat (atta) and water, then letting it stand for some days so that bacteria can settle into it. Then you use a bit of it  as you would yeast  when you want to bake. You replace that in your starter with more flour and water. This is why the stuff is alive"because it grows and is regularly fed water and flour. You do the same every time you bakeand pretty soon, 150 years have gone by.

But is this stuff in your fridge actually 150 years old? It traces its origin back that long, sure. Theres an unbroken thread of life in it that goes back that long, sure. But consider you, meaning the human being you are. You owe your existence to your parents, who owe theirs to theirs, and on and on in an unbroken thread of life stretching back to the dawn of human history itself. Now that is a humbling, awe-inspiring thought. But would anyone say you are several million years old? Probably not.

And yet there is still charm and nostalgia, in assigning an age to a sourdough starter. A San Francisco bakery called Boudins is still using the same yeast culture that Isidore Boudin collected 160 years ago", said one breathless report. A Canadian woman uses homegrown sourdough that, another report told me, at 120 years is much older" than she herself is.

And theres a physicist called Seamus Blackley. Last year, from some samples of ancient Egyptian pottery in two Boston museums, he collected some 4,500-year-old yeast. He wrote: Using careful technique... and sterilized, freshly milled Barley and Einkorn flour, I awoke and fed the sample organisms. Although this sample surely contains contaminants, it also likely contains actual ancient yeast strains." A week later, he had a starter that was bubbly and ready to try baking with". About the loaf he baked, he said: The aroma is amazing and new. Its much sweeter and more rich than the sourdough we are used to."

Now theres something astonishing. Who would expect to breathe life into organisms that youd think, after 4,500 years, would in all respects be dead? Also, is this reference to yeast thats 4,500 years old more or less reasonable than saying your sourdough starter is 150 years old?

But wait: in a similar vein, researchers in Israel have grown dates from 2,000-year-old seeds. Edible and delicious dates.

Some quick history: In the 1st century AD, the occupying Romans faced fierce Jewish resistance in what is modern-day Israel. But the Romans proved too powerful for the Jewish fighters. Their last hold out was the desert fortress of Masada, on a plateau 400 metres above the nearby Dead Sea. By 73 AD, Roman forces had surrounded Masada and were building a massive ramp for a final assault. When they eventually swarmed into Masada, they found everyone dead. These last 1,000 Jewish rebels had preferred suicide to capture by Rome.

Masada was excavated in the 1960s. Today, it is a spectacular, profoundly moving place, and a popular tourist attraction. In 1998, a special someone and I camped below, and hiked up the hill early one morning. From the top, the old Roman encampments are still visible. So is the ramp. Looking at it all, you feel an involuntary frisson of the same sense of doom the rebels must have felt. Masada is so remote that hardly any humans came up here between 73 AD and the excavation. For that reason and because of the dry climate, most artefacts had survived in remarkable shape for nearly 2,000 years.

As for dates: they are among the earliest fruits mankind domesticated. Date palms once grew all over the arid lands that stretch from North Africa in the west, through the Middle East to the Indus Valley in the east. Dates from whats now Israel  Judean dates"  were celebrated even two millennia ago for their taste, size and medicinal properties. But pitched warfare destroyed the Judean date plantations. By the 19th century, none remained. But the excavation of Masada in the 1960s turned up several date seeds. In 2005, Dr Sarah Sallon from the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem got herself a few of them. She and Dr Elaine Solowey, an expert in agriculture in arid conditions, planted some of them at a kibbutz in southern Israel. Dr Solowey told The New York Times that she wasnt really expecting them to germinate, but she did use a few horticultural tricks" anyway: Warming, careful hydration, a plant hormone and enzymatic fertilizer."

Miraculously, and in just weeks, one had germinated. However, it was a male, and male date palms dont produce much and need to be mated with female palms. So these seed enthusiasts got themselves 32 more date seeds from Masada and other archaeological sites in the area, including Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1946. More miracles: after those 32 were planted, six germinated, and two were female.

Six years after they germinated, one of the female palms produced yet another miracle: flowers. An excited Dr Solowey took some pollen from the male palm and spread it on the flowers of this female. This mating-by-hand was successful: flowers turned into dates. A few months later  and only a few days ago  they were ready to be picked. Dr Sallon called the dates beautiful", and as The New York Times reported: The honey-blonde, semi-dry flesh had a fibrous, chewy texture and a subtle sweetness." They were not as sweet as the popular medjoul" variety, from Morocco, but reminiscent of a less-sweet Iraqi date called zahidi". All that, from seeds nearly two millennia old. To my mind certainly, and unlike sourdough starters, there is a real sense in which these dates are really that old.

How did the seeds retain some spark of life for that long? In a paper about their findings, Solowey, Sallon and several colleagues write that seed longevity has been related to the ability to remain in a dry quiescent state [and] low precipitation and very low humidity around the Dead Sea could have contributed (too)." They also speculate that other extreme environmental conditions" in the area might have helped: At 415 m below mean sea level, the Dead Sea and its surroundings have the thickest atmosphere on Earth, leading to a complex haze layer associated with the composition of the Dead Sea water."

We will need plenty more investigation to understand why the seeds survived so long. Still, the date palm is a remarkable model for seed longevity research", they write. Whats more, the sheer quality of the fruit they produced suggests that aspects of ancient cultivation (are) of potential relevance to the agronomic improvement of modern dates". History coming to the aid of modern science: what a thought.

As Dr Sallon remarked: To pollinate and produce these incredible dates is like a beam of light in a dark time."

Quotes from Origins and insights into the historic Judean date palm based on genetic analysis of germinated ancient seeds and morphometric studies", Sarah Sallon, Elaine Solowey et al, Science Advances, 5 February 2020.

Once a computer scientist, Dilip DSouza now lives in Mumbai and writes for his dinners. His Twitter handle is @DeathEndsFun

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Chairman of the Supreme Council of Justice Andriy Ovsiyenko refutes any pressure on him personally or on council's other members.

In an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine, answering a question of whether he is influenced or pressured personally as Chairman of the Supreme Council of Justice or his colleagues, members of the council, in making any decisions, Ovsiyenko said: "I am not personally aware of the pressure."

"There was no political, economic, physical or any other pressure against me personally. I have not come across this. From sources I know, there was no such pressure on the members of the council either," he said.

Chairman of the Supreme Council of Justice said that "if the law enforcement agencies have more complete information on this matter, then this is already their competence."

Answering a question of whether the members of the council are ready to cooperate with the investigation in the case of judges of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv, since they have already been summoned for questioning as witnesses, Ovsiyenko said: "Surely, members of the council, like ordinary citizens, are obliged to comply with the requirements of the law and the Criminal Procedure Code."

He also said that the issue of the personal attitude of the council's members to summons for questioning is a personal matter of the council's members. Ovsiyenko did not say whether the council's members were summoned for questioning again and added that the Prosecutor General's Office had not yet reacted to the statements of the council's members about the first summons as pressure on them.
UN seeks 'quantum leap' in funding for virus fight Jonathan, 30, sits on his bed behind a plastic protection as doctors make a round of visits in Ate, on the eastern outskirts of Lima

The UN on Thursday called for an immediate "quantum leap" in funding to fight the new coronavirus as the death toll crossed 900,000 six months after the pandemic broke out.

Alarming figures cropped up, with France registering a record of almost 10,000 new Covid-19 cases over the last 24 hours ahead of a key meeting to decide a toughening of coronavirus measures.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged countries to find $15 billion over the next three months to fund the ACT-Accelerator programme, a global collaboration to hunt for a vaccine and treatments led by the UN's World Health Organization (WHO).

"Either we stand together or we will be doomed," Guterres said, calling the virus the "number one global security threat".

"We need a quantum leap in funding to increase the chances of a global solution to get the world moving, working and prospering again," he said.

He said the near $3 billion contributed so far had been critical but $35 billion more was needed to shift from start-up to scale-up -- beginning with $15 billion in the next three months.

- Tightened restrictions -

He said typical aid budgets would not cover the costs, urging donors to "go deep" into money set aside for combating coronavirus.

As the infections burgeoned, countries began to scale up restrictions.

Portugal tightened curbs ahead of the start of the school year, limiting gatherings to 10 people rather than 20 previously -- a cap already in force in the capital Lisbon since late June.

Sales of alcohol will be barred from 8 pm as will drinking in public spaces.

Britain said it was reinstating mainland Portugal and adding Hungary to its coronavirus quarantine list, while Spain's Balearic Islands region said it will impose restrictions on over 20,000 people in tourism hotspot Palma de Mallorca due to a surge in infections.

People living in four working class neighbourhoods of Palma will not be allowed out from 10 pm Friday except to go to work or school or seek medical care.

Story continues

Gyms and parks in the areas must close, while the capacity at bars, cafes and restaurants will be capped at 50 percent. Gatherings will be limited to a maximum of five people.

A new study by US health authorities meanwhile provided more data showing that Covid-19 spread far more easily at bars and restaurants than going shopping, working from an office or using public transport.

The new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed the participants who tested positive and those who tested negative reported similar mask-wearing behaviour and similar levels of exposure in all the settings, except bars and restaurants.

- 'Start saving lives' -

The virus has killed more than 904,500 people and infected at least 27.9 million since the outbreak emerged in China last December.

According to the WHO's latest overview, 35 candidate vaccines for the virus are being tested on humans, of which nine have reached Phase III trials where they are tested on tens of thousands of people.

A further 145 candidate vaccines are in earlier testing phases. Typically only about 10 percent of candidate vaccines succeed.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the speed at which vaccines, diagnostics and treatments were being developed but said much more needed to be done.

"We need to rapidly scale up our clinical trials, manufacturing, licensing and regulation capacity so that these products can get to people and start saving lives," he said.

"Fully financing the ACT-Accelerator would shorten the pandemic and pay back this investment rapidly as the global economy recovers."

The pandemic has continued to wreak economic mayhem.

Europe's top economy Germany said it would see a massive drop in tax revenue this year and next due to the impact of the coronavirus and won't return to pre-pandemic federal intake until 2023.

It will take in 275 billion euros ($327 billion) in federal tax revenues in 2020, down from 329 billion euros last year, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said.

Airline giant IAG, the owner of British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia, said it was cutting more flights because of coronavirus restrictions and quarantine rules.

Singapore Airlines, the city-state's official carrier, said it was cutting about 4,300 jobs -- around 20 percent of its workforce.

rjm-ach/har
I packed up the half-completed lesson plans, the incomprehensible math text books and the hidden stash of tranquilizers that I needed to survive the previous three months. I congratulated the two students in Our Failing Homeschool (OFHS) for our most amazing accomplishment -- i.e., not killing each other -- and then offered these five words as a commencement address.

Well, thank God thats over!

This was late June, and I was certain that OFHS was not only closing for the summer, but closing forever. I felt a profound sense of relief. To be clear, I wasnt certain that either of our students actually had, you know, learned something, but was it ever really about that?

This was about survival. This was about doing our part to contain the wildfire that was the coronavirus. We had made it to the summer, and surely, we would all be laughing someday about the three months we spent together pretending school could happen at our dining room table.

Hahaha. Im laughing so hard now that Im crying!

Oh, wait. Check that. Im just crying.

By now, of course, you probably have guessed that OFHS is reluctantly open for business again. The schools in our town are closed indefinitely due to inadequate HVAC systems, which I found interesting given that the HVAC system in many classrooms at our kids elementary school is also called the window.

Hey. Cut the town some slack! Its not like they had six months to identify this problem and come up with a solution. Todays vocabulary lesson in many New Jersey communities: Clusterf---!

Then again, its hard to blame one suburb when most of the world figured out how to get the coronavirus under control and are sending their children back to the school while we continue to argue over wearing the stupid masks.

(In a related note, Ill be teaching a special seminar called Controlling Your Bitterness. All parents are invited. Bring your own wine. And whine.)

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

So now the objective is simple: How can we make the cruel oxymoron of virtual learning into something resembling an education without losing our you-know-what in the process? What will be different this time around at OFHS?

As always, you should take advice from someone else on this topic. But, since youve already read this far, I have a few ideas:

1. Actually try this time. I know, I know. Lets not get crazy here and make promises that we cant keep, but it seems like the approach I championed last spring -- I called it stop giving a s---! -- was, in hindsight, not good over the long haul.

It was easy to dismiss the final few months of the spring as a no-win situation, but this could drag on into the winter. The kids cant keep falling behind. As a result, OFHS has decided to break its strict screen-time limit of one hour per hour. Its time to get serious-ish!

2. Foster better communication. Perhaps, when our students ask me how to solve a math problem involving fractions, the appropriate answer is not HOW THE HELL SHOULD I KNOW?! I have learned that in these situations, there is a better response, one that could result in a positive result that includes completing the assignment.

I will now respond like this: Ask your mother.

3. Implement a reward system. When I first wrote about OFHS, I spoke to two of my own elementary school teachers seeking advice. They both suggested a rewarding the kids with a prize for good behavior and hard work, including a treasure chest where students can pick out a small toy for notable achievements.

So, effective immediately, OFHS is adopting a special rewards policy I am calling You Wanna Eat? Didnt finish todays reading assignment? Huh. Thats too bad. Ive got pizza over here for dinner. You Wanna Eat?

4. Reward independent thinking. Look, half of our education is learning how to deal with other people, and with all this isolation, our kids are losing out on that. What do you remember most about grade school? The lesson plans? Or the time when you and your friends hid in the supply closet and missed a spelling quiz? Exactly.

So, for now on, OFHS will award gold stars for innovation. If our students figure out a way to prop an American Girl doll in front of the laptop screen to get out of a Zoom call, well, who are we to deny them this valuable life lesson?

5. If all else fails, start cheating. Oh, come on. Im just kidding. OFHS would never encourage such behavior, but I may have pointed out that a substitute teacher named Alexa has the answers to most of the questions if you just ask nicely. Shell also play music when we leave the room.

So thats it. We made it through virtual learning the first time without killing each other. That amazing accomplishment feels like its within reach again. But its still early.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com.
Human Rights Council commission concerned with discrimination of Russians in Ukraine

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

18:21 09/09/2020

MOSCOW, September 9 (RAPSI)  The Standing Commission on International Cooperation in Human Rights of Russias Presidential Human Rights Council has expressed its deep concern over violations of the rights of Russians residing in Ukraine, according to its Wednesday statement.

According to Council member Alexander Brod, since September 1 education in all Russian-speaking schools has been kept only for grades until the fifth; all next grades will be taught in the state language as the Ukrainian law on education, criticized and recommended to be significantly amended by the Venice Commission, and strongly challenged by parents of schoolchildren, entered in force.

At the same time, the rights activist notes, educational establishments for other minorities using official European Union languages will be able to continue education in these languages for another three years of a special transition period.

Brod believes the law on education contradicts the Ukrainian Constitution proclaiming protection of minorities languages, among them the Russian language, which is the native language for 14.3 million of Ukrainian citizens, or 29.6% of the countrys total population according to a survey of 2001, and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which Ukraine ratified in 2003.

In this situation, the deprivation of children from Russian-speaking families the opportunity to be educated in their native language is aimed at the suppression of their national and language-based identity, what, given the multinational and multilingual nature of the Ukrainian society, may lead to unfathomable consequences, the rights activist believes.

In relation to these facts, the Commission is turning to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic calling them to intervene in the situation and protect the rights of Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine to education in their native language.

The Commission also calls European and international human rights advocacy structures and organizations to give a clear and principled assessment of the actions undertaken by the Ukrainian authorities in violation not only of the national Constitution, but of the countrys international obligations in the sphere of human rights and protection of national minorities, the statement reads.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Foreign trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands amounted to $55.6 million during the period of January-July 2020, Trend reported with the reference to the State Customs Committee.

During the reporting period, export of Azerbaijani products to the Netherlands amounted to $4.2 million, versus $60.2 million during the same period of 2019.

Meanwhile, import of Dutch products to Azerbaijan decreased from $81.4 million in 2019 to $51.3 million in 2020.

Export-import ratio in foreign trade relations of the two countries, during the reporting period was 7.5 and 92.5 percent respectively. It should be noted that during the same period last year, export-import ration was 42.5 and 57.5 percent respectively.

Thus, the balance of foreign trade turnover between two countries for the reporting period remained positive and made $36.2 million.

Italy was Azerbaijans main trading partner in the period between January and July 2020. The trade turnover with Italy accounted for $3.7 billion out of Azerbaijans overall trade turnover of $15 billion in the first seven months of the year. Azerbaijans second largest trade partner during the reporting period was Turkey with the trade turnover of $2.5 billion. In addition, Russia was the leader among Azerbaijans trade partners among the CIS countries as well as the countrys third largest trade partner, amounting to $1.5 billion.

The volume of Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover amounted to $15 billion in the period between January and July 2020. During the reporting period, export amounted to $9.1 billion, which is 61.46 percent of the total volume of foreign trade. The volume of imports amounted to $5.9 billion.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
GREAT KINMEN ISLAND, Taiwan - From here, China feels palpably close. So does the memory of war.

Anti-landing barricades and rusting tanks on the beach stare down a Chinese metropolis hovering on the horizon. Soldiers from the Taiwanese garrison thunder down the road, still on guard for another attack. In rural villages dotted with bomb shelters, older residents speak of Chinese artillery regularly piercing the quiet evenings on their sleepy island and reciting a four-character declaration of loyalties: "Kill pigs, root out Maoists!"

From 1949 - when China's civil war officially ended - until the 1970s, the strategic cluster of the Kinmen Islands, controlled by Taiwan but nestled just three miles off China's coastline, was the site of three amphibious assaults and repeated shelling in the Cold War that pitted Communists against Nationalists, Chairman Mao Zedong against Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Today, as tensions soar in the Taiwan Strait and relations plummet between China and Taiwan's military backer, the United States, talk is again stirring in Taipei, Washington and Beijing of the possibility of China attacking Taiwan, which it claims as its territory, or seizing one of its vulnerable outlying islands while the world is occupied by the coronavirus pandemic.

But a half-century after the Chinese guns fell silent, the prevailing sentiment of Kinmen residents toward their massive neighbor isn't historical enmity or fear. It's fraternity, said Xu Jicai, a 45-year-old lion dancer and village chief.

Sitting outside his office, Xu marveled at the twist of history that turned his war-scarred island into the most pro-Beijing constituency in Taiwan. In many ways, Kinmen is a geographic and political outlier in Taiwan, a vibrant democracy that has generally voted to shift away from China's orbit. In other ways, it's a microcosm of Taiwan's existential and generational debates over China - and all the insoluble questions of politics and commerce, of culture and shared blood.

"Could you point a rifle at someone whom you've eaten with, whose temple you've visited?" said Xu, dismissing talk of the Chinese threat as fearmongering by politicians in Taipei, the Taiwanese capital that's an hour-long flight away.

"If Taiwanese politicians complain that we're drawing too close to China," Xu growled, "perhaps they could tow our island across the strait. Or at least invest more in our economy."

- - -

The thaw began in 2001, when Kinmen opened transportation and trade links with the mainland. Since then, roughly 20 million Chinese tourists have streamed in from southern Fujian province, where the language, food and bowed "swallowtail" roofs on traditional homes are all recognizable on Kinmen. Until the 22-minute ferry rides were stopped during the coronavirus outbreak, Kinmenese made countless trips the other way for weekly shopping or visits to ancestral homes and temples. Those trips are welcomed - and assiduously courted - by Communist Party-linked liaison groups.

Beginning in 2018, China has provided Kinmen with fresh drinking water through an undersea pipeline. Talks are underway for Kinmen to import two more crucial resources, electricity and natural gas. The Kinmen proposals have been applauded by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who has made absorbing Taiwan and reclaiming all of imperial China's lost territory, including Taiwan, a centerpiece of his national rejuvenation project.

In recent years, Kinmen officials have mulled the once unthinkable: building a bridge to the mainland, or turning Kinmen into a free-trade zone that attracts Chinese investment and accepts Chinese currency. Both proposals stalled, but they raised intense debate - and suspicion - in Taiwan about Kinmen's loyalties and its political status, which have never been settled.

Arguments over Kinmen's relationship with China swing between "accusing someone of either jeopardizing the most crucial geopolitical relationship of all or committing treason," said Michael Szonyi, director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University and the author of "Cold War Island," a book about Kinmen.

"Virtually every local issue on Kinmen, no matter how small, gets linked to the larger geopolitical context of how to relate to a rising and changing China," Szonyi said. "These are exactly the same questions that Taiwan, that Africa and Latin America, that even the United States are increasingly grappling with."

Part of the uncertainty over Kinmen stems from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which leans toward Taiwanese independence from Beijing but has not clearly specified whether it envisions Kinmen and Matsu, the two island groups closest to China, as part of an independent state. Some DPP leaders have suggested that in the event Taiwan declared independence - which could trigger war with Beijing - it should cede the militarily indefensible and politically wavering islands to China.

Part of the murkiness is historical. The United States, which is legally required today to take "appropriate action" in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, did not include Kinmen under a foundational defense treaty with Taipei in effect from 1955 to 1979.

Beijing sought to test whether Washington would defend Kinmen. When China bombarded the island in late 1954, killing two American military advisers, the Pentagon raised the possibility of using nuclear weapons against China, but the idea was rejected by Eisenhower.

Mao again probed U.S. commitment in 1958 with shelling and an amphibious assault on Kinmen that Taiwanese troops repelled. Again, the U.S. military did not strike back but supplied Taiwan with artillery and missiles. As the Cold War deepened, whether to defend Kinmen became an issue in the 1960 presidential debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

America's answer to that question remains ambiguous today, long after Taipei pulled most of the 100,000-strong military garrison from Kinmen following years of campaigning by democracy activists against the repressive military rule enforced by the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party.

- - -

But ask locals, and they say the troop withdrawal in the 1990s gutted the economy. Restaurants serving roast chicken and fiery sorghum liquor failed. Laundromats closed. There were no real estate projects to speak of. But tourism was a way out. To attract ever-growing numbers of mainland visitors, Kinmen shopkeepers last year hung the Communist Chinese flags along an entire street, sparking outrage across Taiwan.

Around the corner from village chief Xu's office, Yung-hsung Chen nodded at the hiring agencies lining the anemic streets. On an island bereft of growth prospects or young people, the place is left with mostly elderly residents - and a gaping demand for agencies providing caretakers.

"There is no dynamism, no circulation of people or investment," Chen said. "Without the mainland, there is no future."

Near the beach a few miles north, across the street from a bullet-ridden house that was the site of fierce fighting in 1949, Lin Rongguan, 92, was more pointed. He was 21 years old and hiding under a bed when Communist troops landed, sparking a firefight before their capture. Today, Lin is a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of the KMT, which advocates closer relations with China and maintains a firm hold over hearts and minds in Kinmen.

Last month, Lin saw on television that the de facto American ambassador to Taiwan, Brent Christensen, traveled to Kinmen to commemorate the 1958 casualties and show solidarity with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who leads the DPP. Lin shook his head.

"The Americans are the worst," he said. "They get involved because they don't want a unified China."

On the opposite end of the political spectrum is Weng Mingzhi, a major democracy activist from the 1990s who pushed to end decades of military rule under the KMT and to start free elections in Kinmen. These days, he's a senior official in Kinmen for the DPP, a party that finds it "hard to get votes," as he bluntly acknowledges.

It hasn't helped, Weng said, that Kinmen has been the site of intense political influence campaigns that urge unification with China and are believed to be connected to the Communist Party. In recent years, small political parties with known ties to mainland-linked mafia or even murkier provenance have pushed ideas like holding a local referendum on combining Kinmen and the Chinese city of Xiamen into a "Peace Experimental Zone."

The DPP's job is to show that it, not the KMT or even China's Communist Party, is best for Kinmen's future, Weng said.

"When we've been in power, infrastructure, education, the county budget - all that's gone up," he said. "We can value economic prosperity and feel friendship toward China, but that doesn't mean we accept their political rule. Why put ourselves back in a cage?"

- - -

But peel back the jockeying among political parties, the talk of war or subjugation, and what remains is what many Kinmenese say is a basic fact: They simply don't feel Taiwanese.

Clarissa Chen, a 25-year-old sociology student, grew up in Kinmen hearing stories about Communist attacks and how Kinmen sacrificed for Taiwan. When she moved to Taipei for college, she was constantly reminded of how far off Kinmen was in the Taiwanese imagination when students asked if she rode cows to school or why she spoke Mandarin like mainland Chinese.

"They would get frustrated when I would say I'm Kinmenese - and a citizen of the Republic of China," she said, referring to Taiwan's formal name.

These days, when she sees news about China's crackdown in Hong Kong or its desire to annex Taiwan by 2049, she worries deeply about Chinese aggression. But she says she and her relatives also feel dubious about the notion of a Taiwanese national identity and worry about antagonizing China. "Is our government peddling fear?" she said.

Chen's friend Wang Ling, a 35-year-old entrepreneur in Kinmen who runs a cafe and workspace that's a hub for the few young creative types on the island, said she has more clear-cut sympathies for the independence-leaning camp after she spent years living in Taiwan.

When DPP leaders visit, Wang and her peers who voted for Tsai ask them to pay more attention to Kinmen, to promote investment that could lure young Taiwanese to settle there or young Kinmenese to move back. Maybe one day, she says, young people might start building up a community on Kinmen and shift its politics.

But she's not overly optimistic.

"It's hard after we have tasted the sweetness of ties with China," she said. "We do get scared about what would happen if there were a referendum. It's overwhelming to think: What if I build up my home, and then it gets transferred to another owner?"
(Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic) A 3d printed Tik Tok logo is seen in front of a displayed Indian flag and a "Banned app" sign in this illustration picture taken July 2, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Adnan Abidi) A boy plays Tencent Holdings' PUBG videogame on his mobile phone at a cafe in New Delhi, India, September 3, 2020.

After India banned TikTok, PlayerUnknown's Battleground (PUBG), and the rest hundred apps, the government is now focusing on adding another protective layer for user protection. Through planning to remove the pre-installed apps on phones. Here's why this decision is important.

India plans to remove apps that collect user info

From the past months, the second-most populated country in the globe, India, has been doing massive changes in its relationship with the tech world.

So far, a total of 224 apps (mostly from China-based companies) were removed from India's play stores. The government cited 'security' concerns behind the said decision.

But now, Tech Radar via The Economic Times said that India is about to take another possible additional precautionary measure. The Indian government now targets pre-installed applications on phones.

As the name suggests, pre-installed apps are the applications that are originally installed on smartphones, before you even get to buy them.

These apps are commonly understood as essential software that the phone requires to function properly.

However, India believes otherwise. Since these apps are pre-installed, users have no choice to use them. Most of them cannot be deleted or be uninstalled from the phone.

Worse, the report notes that alleged companies create their own Android-based firmware for smartphones, disguised on the said pre-installed apps.

And this news is no longer new.

The United States also experiences pre-installed malware

Early July, ZDNet reported about the harm behind pre-installed malware.

Back in January, cybersecurity researchers from Malwarebytes found a bundle of unremovable malware in a budget Android phone connected to Assurance Wireless by Virgin Mobile.

Malwarebytes said that there was no way to remove the said malware, even by experts themselves.

Another security firm Kryptowire launches its own investigation regarding Android malware. Last year, the agency found malicious pre-loaded apps in at least 29 phone brands.

These apps can modify the settings and phone system, or even record audio without seeking authorization from the owner.

India bans 224 apps in 2020

Going back to the India ban, it is somehow surprising that their government is now strictly looking for flaws in most phone brands.



Before the country announced the ban of TikTok, for example, reports speculated that this type of behavior stirs from their torn relationship with the Chinese government.



We don't really get a straight answer from the Indian government, except that they see Chinese apps as dangerous for national security. What do you think India will do next?

ALSO READ: PUBG Let Go 'Chinese Brand' Tencent From Its Name Over India Ban

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Jamie Pancho

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The attacks on Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic continued from both ends of the political spectrum on Thursday with Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying 'people died' under his watch and John Bolton claiming the president 'just wanted it to go away.'

Both were responding to excerpts from Bob Woodward's forthcoming book 'Rage,' where Trump, in recorded interviews, gave a frank assessment of the dangers of COVID while publicly saying the disease was under control.

'Trump lied, people died. We're in a very sad situation here because it's about the role of government to protect the American people,' Speaker Pelosi said at her press conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

'The fact that the President knew he had been saying for a long time, the whole thing was a hoax is delayed denial and distortion of what was happening is caused many deaths,' she said.

'This is a tragedy beyond words. What the president did show, yes, in those comments, showed his contempt, contempt for the American people and their health, contempt for science, contempt for any real effort to crush the virus,' she concluded.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of President Trump's response to the COVID pandemic: 'Trump lied, people died'

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton said the president just wanted the virus to go away

The speaker's words came shortly before Senate Republicans' failed to pass their plan for a 'skinny' coronavirus relief measure. The legislation was a scaled-back version of a $1 trillion plan the GOP tried to push through earlier this summer, which also failed.

The outcome of the vote was not in doubt. Republicans needed support from some Democrats to get the necessary 60 votes to move the measure through the legislative process and Democrats, en mass, opposed it, saying it didn't do enough to help those suffering from the effects of the pandemic.

Negotiations for another round of relief are in limbo after Democrats made it clear they were not backing down from their $2 trillion measure.

Meanwhile, more details are expected to emerge over the next few days. Woodward is scheduled to be on CBS' '60 Minutes' on Sunday night where the author will play some of the recordings he made of the president during their 18 interviews for the book.

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton, a staunch conservative who wrote 'The Room Where It Happened' - a book critical of Trump, said the president's failure to be upfront about the severity of COVID 'almost certainly' cost lives and 'will affect him politically.'

'He never developed a strategy,' Bolton told Yahoo News 'Skullduggery' podcast. 'He doesn't develop strategies, he doesn't think in strategic terms, he doesn't think in philosophical terms, he doesn't think in policy terms. Everything is a day-to-day decision.'

He dismissed Trump's claim that he wasn't candid in public because he didn't want to cause a panic over the disease.

'A real leader knows how to communicate 'We've got a serious problem here and we're going to address it seriously,' Bolton said. 'That doesn't cause a panic among the American people. They're not children. But Trump knew that if he were truly candid about the nature of the threat we faced and what might have to happen that he would bear negative consequences.'

Bolton also blamed Trump's close relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the president's initial handling of the disease.

'It was very clear to me that Trump didn't want to hear anything bad about this disease, didn't want to hear anything bad about his friend Xi Jinping, didn't want to draw any conclusions about China covering up or conducting a disinformation campaign,' Bolton said. 'And he particularly did not want to hear that something bad might happen to the economy here in the United States that he saw as his ticket for reelection. Trump just wanted it to go away.'

Details from Woodward's book, which were excerpted Wednesday in The Washington Post and from CNN, showed Trump, in private, had a different view of the virus than he was offering in public.

President Trump admitted he downplayed the threat of the coronavirus in order not to cause panic

In this White House photo from December 2019 provided by Bob Woodward, President Donald Trump is seen speaking to Woodward in the Oval Office, surrounded by some aides and advisers, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, then acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, then-White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and then-deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley. On Trump's desk is a large picture of Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

'This is deadly stuff,' Trump told the author in February during one of their 18 interviews.

'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed,' he said. 'And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.'

But while Trump admitted privately to the dangers of COVID less than two weeks later he said publicly that 'we have it very much under control in this country.'

The president admitted on Wednesday he downplayed the threat of the coronavirus in order not to cause panic.

'I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love this country. I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic,' he told reporters at the White House.

'Certainly I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength, we want to show strength as a nation. That's what I've done,' he added

Bob Woodward's new book'Rage' comes out September 15

'Leadership is about confidence. Confidence is confidence in our country,' he noted.

Trump didn't deny the comments - he has previously blasted stories he doesn't like as 'fake news' - but offered an explanation instead.

'We don't want to instill panic. We don't want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a tremendous problem, scare everybody,' the president explained when asked about the discrepancy between the remarks he made to Woodward and the remarks he made in public at the time.

And when asked by DailyMail.com how the American people could trust what he says going forward, Trump said: 'It's a big part of trust. We have to have leadership, show leadership. The last thing you want to do is create a panic.'

He said repeatedly his public statements in February downplaying the threat of the coronavirus, which has taken 200,000 American lives to date and counting, was to avoid causing chaos and confusion.

'We don't want to have to show panic. We're not going to show panic. That's what I did,' he said.

And he called the book - the latest in a series of books painting his administration in a poor light 'another political hit job.'

'Whether it was Woodward or anybody else, you cannot show a sense of panic or you're going to have bigger problems,' the president said.
A local mental health advocacy organization is finding new ways to spread awareness and support to the community for World Suicide Prevention Day 2020.

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This article was published 10/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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A local mental health advocacy organization is finding new ways to spread awareness and support to the community for World Suicide Prevention Day 2020.

Normally, the Brandon and Area Suicide Prevention Implementation Network, best known as SPIN, would mark the day  today  with a luncheon to highlight community members, organizations and agencies that work to make Brandon safer.

Billboards part of Buddy Up, a mens suicide prevention campaign, are seen in Brandon. (Submitted by Melanie Martinos-Wutzke)

This year, due to COVID-19, the organization has had to rethink its usual approach to suicide prevention awareness.

One way SPIN has achieved this is through the recent installation of two digital billboards on 18th Street, which are two-sided.

The billboards are part of Buddy Up, a mens suicide prevention campaign originally created by the Centre for Suicide Prevention in Calgary.

"Its encouraging men to have real conversations and support their buddies when theyre struggling," Gagnon said. "Men have a suicide (death) rate three times higher than women, and we believe that suicides can be prevented when have real conversations."

According to Statistics Canada, suicide rates among men are approximately three times higher than among women.

Billboards part of Buddy Up, a mens suicide prevention campaign, are seen in Brandon. (Submitted by Melanie Martinos-Wutzke)

Each billboard includes images from the Buddy Up campaign, as well as the phone number for the Manitoba Suicide Prevention and Support Line.

The billboards are just one way that SPIN has found to continue spreading its message of suicide prevention in the absence of physical gatherings.

"Were usually attending different events ... in the community to promote the crisis lines and identifying where you can go for support," Gagnon said. "This year were doing as much as we can virtually."

SPIN Brandon will be sharing information about the day on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Billboards part of Buddy Up, a mens suicide prevention campaign, are seen in Brandon. (Submitted by Melanie Martinos-Wutzke)

Gagnon said that the COVID-19 pandemic has definitely had an impact on peoples mental health. Stay-home orders and social distancing isolate people further, putting that more at risk for depression and anxiety.

Janet Smith, the community outreach manager for Klinics Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services, agrees.

"I think COVID has really, for many people, created a sense of hopelessness for the future, and helplessness," Smith said. "Were certainly seeing people struggling with their mental health in lots of different ways."

Smith said those seeking support  including those struggling with suicide ideation, survivors of suicide and those concerned about a loved one  should access Reason To Live, the Manitoba Suicide Prevention and Support Line at 1-877-435-7170, or visit reasontolive.ca.

Billboards part of Buddy Up, a mens suicide prevention campaign, are seen in Brandon. (Submitted by Melanie Martinos-Wutzke)

Through the hotline, people can access free, confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"People need to know that there is help available, that it is accessible to them and theres always a reason to live," Smith said.

World Suicide Prevention Day comes once a year, but Smith emphasized that suicide prevention is something that should be paid attention to year-round.

"World Suicide Prevention Day in itself, its just a day to pay closer attention to this very important issue and ensure anyone whos at risk knows there are places that they can turn to get the help that they need," Smith said.

"Every day we should be aware of suicide and the risk and also the opportunities that are around us to reach out for help."

 eklatt@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: emdashklatt
Editor's Note: Today's profile is of Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party vice presidential nominee. Check in tomorrow for a profile of first lady Melania Trump.

Presidential candidate Joe Biden made history by choosing California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate. The Democratic Party nominee asked her to serve as the candidate for vice president.

Harris is the first Black woman  as well as the first Asian American - to compete on the presidential ticket of a major U.S. party. Last year, Harris entered the presidential race herself as a Democrat. This put her in direct competition with Biden.

The 55-year-old Harris is in her first term in the Senate. Her mother was a cancer researcher who came to the United States from India. Her father was an economist from Jamaica. The two met at the University of California, Berkeley and married in 1963. They divorced in 1971, when Kamala was seven.

Harris has often spoken about the deep relationship she had with her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, whom she has described as her single biggest influence.

When explaining to a crowd last year why she had decided to seek the presidency, Harris said she remembered her mothers solution to any serious test. Shed say, Well, what are you going to do about it? Harris said. So, I decided to run for president of the United States.

One memorable incident in her presidential campaign came when Harris criticized Biden during a debate among the candidates. She accused Biden of making very hurtful comments about his earlier work with segregationist senators. She also condemned his opposition to busing students to schools outside their community in the 1970s.

There was a little girl in California who was a part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day, she said. And that little girl was me.

Shocked by the attack, Biden said her comments had misrepresented his position on the issue.

Harris decided to end her presidential campaign last December after struggling to raise money and rise to the top of the field in surveys of likely voters.

Harris is the fourth woman to appear on a U.S. national ticket. The others  two vice presidential candidates and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016  all lost. If the Biden-Harris ticket wins, Harris would become the highest-level female official in U.S. history.

She became the second Black woman to ever win a Senate seat when she was elected in 2016.

Harris supports a ban on assault weapons, citizenship for undocumented immigrants and workplace equality for women and gays. However, some Democrats have questioned her record as a prosecutor in San Francisco and, later, her policies as Californias top law enforcement official.

At one point, Harris declared, "If you carry an illegal gun in the city of San Francisco and your case is brought to my office, you are going to spend time in jail. Period." Another time, she said, "It is not progressive to be soft on crime."

The Biden-Harris campaign website says that as Californias attorney general, Harris worked to protect Obamacare, helped win marriage equality for all and defended the states climate change law. Obamacare is another term for the Affordable Care Act, which expanded the U.S. health care system. Top Republican Party lawmakers have sought to end the Affordable Care Act.

Kamala also fought for California communities and prosecuted transnational gangs who drove human trafficking, gun smuggling and drug rings, the campaign website said.

Bidens choice of Harris for vice president was not unexpected since he had been under pressure to choose a woman of color. His decision came as demonstrations continued across the country. Protesters were hoping to direct attention on racial injustice and police violence.

Harris has taken a stronger position on policing since the killing of George Floyd. The Minnesota man died in May after a police officer held his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

Harris co-wrote legislation that would ban police from using chokeholds and no-knock arrest raids. The measure would establish national use-of-force rules and create a national police misconduct registry, among other things. It would also reform current rules that can shield police officers from liability.

Some political observers have suggested that Biden, who would be 78 if he wins and takes office in January 2021, might only serve a single four-year term. This would immediately set up Harris, who is over 20 years younger, as a leading choice for president in 2024.

In announcing her nomination, Biden called Harris a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the countrys finest public servants.

Harris said she was honored to join Biden on the Democratic ticket. "Joe Biden can unify the American people because he's spent his life fighting for us," she wrote on Twitter. She said she thinks Biden can help build an America that lives up to our ideals.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports by VOAs Ken Bredemeier, The Associated Press, Reuters and the Biden-Harris campaign. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

ticket  n. the candidates nominated by a political party during an election

divorce  v. to end a marriage through a legal process

segregation  n. the separation of one group of people from another, especially one race from another

survey  n. an examination of people's opinions or behavior made by asking people questions

gay  adj. sexually attracted to someone of the same sex

prosecutor  n. a lawyer who represents the side in a court case that accuses a person of a crime and who tries to prove that the person is guilty

chokehold  n. a way of holding someone with your arm tightly around their neck so that they cannot breathe easily

no-knock  adj. a law that authorizes law enforcement officers to enter residences announced and without identifying themselves

liability  n. legal responsibility for something
Veteran journalist Kwaku Baako Junior has praised Deputy Education Minister Dr. Yaw Adutwum for his communication on matters concerning governments flagship education policy Free SHS.



According to the Editor in Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Dr. Adutwums clarity and in-depth responses when engaging the public and the media over the policy is admirable.



The Deputy of Napo, Dr. Adutwum, very sharp brain, he's one of those I admire in this administration. A clear mind, the clarity with which that man speaks, the depth is something else, he's a fantastic gentleman, Mr. Baako noted on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo" on Wednesday.



In 2019, Chief of Pramso in the Bosomtwi District of the Ashanti Region, Nana Gyampo-tua also commended the deputy minister for his performance.



He said Dr. Adutwum has distinguished himself as an astute politician in both the executive and legislative arms of government thereby bringing great honour to the people of Bosomtwi.



Speaking to the media in Kumasi, Nana Gyampo-tua ll described Dr. Adutwum as God-sent to the people of Bosomtwi considering the massive infrastructural development, especially in the area of education since becoming their member of parliament.



According to the chief, not only had he contributed immensely to the transformation of the education sector under the NPP government but had also done exceptionally well for his constituents.



He said Dr. Adutwum has demonstrated a high level of competence and commitment to impact society by playing key roles in the implementation of several educational interventions at both national and constituency levels.



We are very lucky as people to have Dr. Adutwum as our MP. He is development-oriented and passionate about addressing the pressing needs of the people, Nana Gyampo-tua ll observed.



The chief disclosed that the MP once handed over his private property to the government for the purpose of educating children in his constituency free of charge.



"This and many other selfless gestures by Dr. Adutwum make him not only unique among his peers but also, a true nationalist who genuinely means well for the people", he said.







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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More than 85 percent of the worlds wetlands have been lost over the past 40 years, threatening the existence of countless species.

Al Jazeera travelled to the last surviving wetlands of Mexico City, where conservationists are racing to save an endangered species they believe is vital to the regions biodiversity.

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The FBI is warning police nationwide to expect an increase in election-related threats  and, potentially, violent attacks  from domestic extremists, according to a recent bulletin reviewed by Yahoo News.

Domestic violent extremists across the ideological spectrum likely will continue to plot against government and election-related targets to express their diverse grievances involving government policies and actions, the FBI says in a recent election-focused bulletin sent to law enforcement across the country.

Protesters exchange words and rude gestures in front of the Ohio Statehouse during a right-wing protest on July 18. (Jeff Dean/AFP via Getty Images)

The FBI document says that as of the beginning of August, the bureau has observed violent extremists threatening 2020 political candidates or events, including threats against current candidates for President, presidential conventions, and counter protestors at campaign rallies, as well as individuals committing arson or sending threatening packages targeting political party offices.

Those threats, the FBI document continues, likely will increase as the election approaches, despite the current focus of many [domestic violent extremists] on the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest.

This uptick in threats is coming from some of the same groups that showed up at protests in recent months looking for opportunities to become violent, according to Nate Snyder, a former Obama counterterrorism official who reviewed the FBI bulletin.

Theres real concern that violence is going to escalate with these domestic terrorist groups with the election coming up, Snyder told Yahoo News.

Snyder pointed to doubts already being planted about the validity of the election, which could motivate some groups to take matters into their own hands, a concern also reflected in the FBI bulletin.

My biggest fear is that the White House and the president, coming up to Election Day, is that theyll be saying we need to protect our elections, protect our polls, Snyder said. Then were going to see these groups potentially showing up at polling stations, and youll see voter intimidation and suppression.

Story continues

President Trump announces his list of potential Supreme Court nominees at the White House on Wednesday. (Doug Mills/Getty Images)

While the bulletin, which is dated Aug. 21, refers only to extremists and does not specify left- or right-wing groups, two of the cases cited in the document are individuals or groups concerned about a potential Trump electoral loss. The FBI refers to one case from this summer when members of a self-described violent extremist militia discussed plans to attack elected officials or storm the state capitol building while the legislature was in session, with the intent to kill all inside.

Members stated the need to act prior to a possible democratic presidential administration, due to the belief that stricter firearms regulations would be enacted quickly thereafter, according to FBI reporting, the bulletin states.

In a separate case from late last year, an unnamed Ohio-based extremist discussed plans to set off a homemade bomb in the hopes of starting a race war. The extremist, the FBI bulletin reads, stated an intent for his group of followers to be operationally ready for the 2024 election, based on a belief that the President would win re-election in 2020; if the President did not win in 2020, however, the plan would be accelerated, according to FBI reporting.

Though the FBI does not identify the individuals involved in those threats, the document indicates that investigations are ongoing.

Another case cited in the bulletin is an incident from February of this year, when a man drove his car into a Republican-run voter registration event. The man later reportedly told investigators he was motivated by a dislike of President Trump.

In August, Yahoo News reported that a former top Trump counterterrorism official was worried that a Trump defeat could prompt right-wing extremists to commit violent attacks. In that case, however, the former official specifically identified white supremacist and other right-wing terror groups as the main threat.

On Wednesday, the House Intelligence Committee released a whistleblower complaint filed by a Department of Homeland Security official who alleges he was told to downplay intelligence that would make Trump look bad, such as threats from white supremacists.

The FBI, in response to queries from Yahoo News, declined to discuss the bulletin. While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, the FBI routinely shares information with our law enforcement partners in order to assist in protecting the communities they serve, a spokesperson wrote.

The FBI report was prepared by the bureaus counterterrorism and criminal divisions and Cincinnati field office and circulated as the Republican National Conventional was underway. However, its unclear what local law enforcement could do with this information.

I put myself in the place of a young police officer trying to protect his community and reading this report, said former FBI agent and counterterrorism expert Michael German, who reviewed the FBI bulletin. It really doesnt provide anything to do other than to be afraid.

German, who is a fellow with the Brennan Center for Justice, questioned the utility of the bulletin for local police responsible for responding to such threats.

Theres nothing about preparing law enforcement for the threat or what to look for. It is just saying bad things will happen.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
PARIS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- French companies need to be prepared for the risk of no trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK), as the two sides are conducting the eighth round of discussions over new trade arrangements, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness Franck Riester said on Wednesday.

"In case of no-deal, we must prepare for the consequences which will be difficult," Riester told BFMTV Business. He added that the French government was working on "a whole plan of action, border management and product control" to help domestic companies, ports and airports cope with hard Brexit.

France has already triggered a plan to mitigate difficulties linked with a hard Brexit. It included an investment of 50 million euros (58.9 million U.S. dollars) in ports and airports.

Britain ended its EU membership in January this year, but is still following EU rules during the transition period until Dec. 31 of 2020 to allow both sides to bridge differences on the post-Brexit relationship, and forge a permanent future trade deal. During this period, Britain would have to pay into EU funds but have no say in laws imposed by Brussels.

On Tuesday, European and British negotiators launched a new round of talks in an attempt to seal an agreement before the European Union summit on Oct. 15-16. Both sides hope to start implementing the new deal from January 2021.

"We need to make sure that our British partners respect their commitments," Riester said.

On Monday (Sept. 7), British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wanted a post-Brexit trade deal agreed with EU by an Oct. 15 deadline, warning that a failure of that could mean London ending its EU membership with no deal.

Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost called for realism from the EU side before the talks started in London on Tuesday, insisting there was still time for the two sides to agree on a post-Brexit trade deal.

Frost has declared that this week is make-or-break for trade talks with the EU if the UK is to avoid leaving the transition period with no deal, Sky News reported.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), which introduced the Lilly Insulin Value Program $35 copay card in April 2020 to help people struggling financially during the COVID-19 crisis, today announced the program has been added to the company's comprehensive suite of insulin affordability solutions. Anyone with commercial insurance, and those without insurance at all, can continue filling their monthly prescription of Lilly insulins for $35 through this program.

The copay card is being added to Lilly's suite of solutions to help people with high-deductible insurance plans who otherwise face challenging out-of-pocket costs and those who don't have insurance because of their income or job status.

"No one should ever have to ration their insulin. That's why we are committed to including the copay card in our ongoing suite of solutions," said Mike Mason, president, Lilly Diabetes. "Making insulin affordable at pharmacies through programs like the Lilly Insulin Value Program helps reduce the financial burden some people face at the pharmacy counter."

The copay card can be accessed immediately through the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center. Numerous programs  such as help for people with immediate needs, automatic caps at retail pharmacies and donations to nonprofit organizations such as Lilly Cares  are helping up to 20,000 people each month access Lilly insulins at lower costs. The $35 copay card can be accessed by calling the Solution Center at (833) 808-1234 or by downloading the copay card at insulinaffordability.com.

Earlier this year, Lilly announced plans to make its insulins available through the Medicare Part D Senior Savings Model, allowing seniors to purchase their monthly prescriptions for $35. Collectively, the Lilly Insulin Value Program and Medicare Part D Senior Savings Model provide options for anyone using Lilly insulin to purchase their monthly prescription at retail pharmacies for $35 starting in January 2021.

"Shifting costs from healthy people to those with chronic conditions such as diabetes is a persistent trend that must be reversed," Mason said. "The Part D Senior Savings Model is a solution-oriented approach to a problem that has affected seniors for a long time. This program will help people living with diabetes who use insulin."

Lilly also provides penny-priced insulin to all 340B covered entities. Additionally, following the Administration's recent executive order requiring Federally Qualified Health Centers to pass 340B discount pricing for insulin onto patients, Lilly announced last week it will continue selling insulin at 340B prices to only those contract pharmacies that agree to pass discounts onto patients with no mark-ups, dispensing fees or duplicate billing.

Awareness Campaign

Today's announcement ties to the start of a new awareness program launched by Lilly. Throughout the program  Insulin Affordability: Learn, Act, Share  Lilly will collaborate with numerous national, state and local organizations to educate people using Lilly insulin how to take action and save money at the pharmacy.

"We've launched this awareness initiative as part of our ongoing commitment to help people using Lilly insulin access it at an affordable out-of-pocket cost," said Adrienne Brown, vice president, U.S. Connected Care & Insulins. "Although we offer several affordability programs, we know there are people who have not taken action to get help. Our goal is to encourage people who use Lilly insulin and need help to take actions that may lower their out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy."

"Everyone in the health care community must work together to help patients understand their options if they use insulin," added Elena Rios, M.D., President and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association. "Too many people continue to face high costs because they don't have insurance, or because they have inadequate insurance. Making our communities aware of the $35 copay card and other programs available  and how to access them  will help ensure people can afford their insulin."

Other Savings Options for Patients

A separate copay card for Humulin R U-500 (insulin human injection, 500 units/mL) allows for a monthly prescription fill for as little as $25 for people with commercial insurance and can be accessed at Humulin.com. Additionally, people with commercial insurance who use Baqsimi (glucagon) nasal powder 3 mg can pay as little as $25 for up to two devices with a copay card, which was first made available in August 2019.

Terms, conditions, and limitations apply to the Lilly copay cards. Not available to those patients with government insurance such as Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Part D, TRICARE/CHAMPUS, Medigap, DoD, or any State Patient or Pharmaceutical Assistance Program.

PURPOSE and SAFETY SUMMARY

Important Facts About BAQSIMIa (BAK-see-mee). It is also known as glucagon nasal powder.

BAQSIMI is a prescription medicine used to treat very low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia) in people with diabetes ages 4 years and above.

It is not known if BAQSIMI is safe and effective in children under 4 years of age.

Warnings

Do not use BAQSIMI if:

you have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys (adrenal gland) called pheochromocytoma.

you have a tumor in your pancreas called insulinoma.

you are allergic to glucagon, or any other ingredient in BAQSIMI.

BAQSIMI may cause serious side effects, including:

High blood pressure. BAQSIMI can cause high blood pressure in certain people with tumors in their adrenal glands.

Low blood sugar. BAQSIMI can cause certain people with tumors in their pancreas to have low blood sugar.

Serious allergic reaction. Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have a serious allergic reaction including:

rash

difficulty breathing

low blood pressure

Common side effects

The most common side effects of BAQSIMI include:

nausea

vomiting

headache

runny nose

discomfort in your nose

stuffy nose

redness in your eyes

itchy nose, throat, and eyes

watery eyes

These are not all the possible side effects of BAQSIMI. For more information, ask your doctor.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before using

Before getting BAQSIMI, tell your health care provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

have a tumor in your pancreas.

have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation).

are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if BAQSIMI passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you can use BAQSIMI while breastfeeding.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

How to use

Read the detailed Instructions for Use that comes with BAQSIMI.

Use BAQSIMI exactly how your doctor tells you to use it.

Make sure your caregiver knows where you keep your BAQSIMI and how to use BAQSIMI the right way before you need their help.

you need their help. Your doctor will tell you how and when to use BAQSIMI.

BAQSIMI contains only 1 dose of medicine and cannot be reused.

be reused. BAQSIMI should be given in one side of your nose (nostril) but does not need to be inhaled.

BAQSIMI will work even if you have a cold or are taking cold medicine.

After giving BAQSIMI, the caregiver should call for emergency medical help right away.

If the person does not respond after 15 minutes, another dose may be given, if available.

Tell your doctor each time you use BAQSIMI.

Store BAQSIMI at temperatures up to 86F (30C).

Keep BAQSIMI in the shrink wrapped tube until you are ready to use it.

Keep BAQSIMI and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Learn more

For more information, call 1-800-545-5979 or go to www.baqsimi.com.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. Do not use BAQSIMI for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give BAQSIMI to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them.

This summary provides basic information about BAQSIMI but does not include all information known about this medicine. You can ask your pharmacist or doctor for information about BAQSIMI that is written for health professionals. This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor or other health care provider about BAQSIMI and how to take it. Your doctor is the best person to help you decide if BAQSIMI is right for you.



Please click to access the Baqsimi full Prescribing Information and Patient Information.

GN CON BS 24JUL19

PURPOSE and SAFETY SUMMARY

Important Facts About Humulin (HUE-mu-lin) R U-500. It is also known as insulin human injection (500 units/mL).

Humulin R U-500 is a prescription insulin used in adults and children who need more than 200 units of insulin a day to control high blood sugar for their diabetes mellitus. It is more concentrated than standard insulin. It has 5 times as much insulin in each mL as standard insulin.

It is not known if Humulin R U-500 is safe and effective when used with other insulins, when used in an insulin pump, or in children. There were no studies done in children, so your doctor will give you special instructions for use in children.

Warnings

Humulin R U-500 may cause serious side effects, including:

Severe low blood sugar, which can lead to seizures, unconsciousness, and death.

Severe allergic reactions. Get medical help right away if you develop a rash over your whole body, have trouble breathing, have a fast heartbeat, or are sweating.

Swelling of your hands and feet. Tell your doctor if you are short of breath, have swelling in your ankles, or have gained weight suddenly.

Heart failure when taking a medication from a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones (TZDs) with Humulin R U-500. This may occur in some people even if they have not had heart problems before.

Low potassium in your blood (hypokalemia). This can lead to severe breathing problems, irregular heartbeat, and death.

Do not share your Humulin R U-500 KwikPen or U-500 syringe with anyone. Even if you have changed the needle, you or the other person can get a serious infection.

When using the Humulin R U-500 KwikPen: The Humulin R U-500 KwikPen is made to dial and deliver the correct dose of Humulin R U-500 insulin. Do not remove Humulin R U-500 from the KwikPen to inject with any syringe. This could cause severe overdose and may lead to death.

When using the Humulin R U-500 vial: There is a special syringe to measure Humulin R U-500 called the "U-500 insulin syringe." Only use the U-500 insulin syringe to inject Humulin R U-500. If you do not use the right syringe, you may take the wrong dose of Humulin R U-500. This could cause severe overdose and may lead to death.

Do NOT perform dose conversion when using the Humulin R U-500 KwikPen or U-500 insulin syringe.

Do not use Humulin R U-500 in an insulin pump or inject it into your vein or muscle.

Do not take this medicine if you have low blood sugar.

Do not change the insulin you use without talking to your doctor. Changing insulin may lead to low or high blood sugar.

Do not drive or use heavy machinery until you know how Humulin R U-500 affects you. Do not drink alcohol while using Humulin R U-500.

Common side effects

The most common side effects of Humulin R U-500 include:

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Talk to your doctor about low blood sugar symptoms and treatment. Symptoms may be different for each person.

Allergic reactions, such as redness and swelling at the site where you inject.

Skin thickening or pits at the injection site (lipodystrophy).

Itching and rash.

These are not all the possible side effects of Humulin R U-500.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effects. You can report side effects at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Before using

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Also tell your doctor about:

Any allergies you have. Your doctor can check if the medicine has ingredients that may cause a reaction.

Any medical conditions, including problems with your liver, kidney, or heart.

All the medicines you take, especially a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones, or TZDs. Be sure to include the over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take.

How to take



Read the instructions that come with your Humulin R U-500 carefully. Take it exactly the way your doctor tells you.

Know how much Humulin R U-500 you are supposed to take. Do not change your dose unless your doctor tells you to.

change your dose unless your doctor tells you to. Check the label of your insulin each time you use it. This will help you make sure you are using the right one.

Test your blood sugar before you take Humulin R U-500. Do not take it if your blood sugar is too low.

before you take Humulin R U-500. Do not take it if your blood sugar is too low. Do not mix Humulin R U-500 with any other insulin.

mix Humulin R U-500 with any other insulin. Always use a new needle when injecting Humulin R U-500. This will help you avoid infection.

Inject Humulin R U-500 under your skin. Change (rotate) where you inject your insulin with each dose. Do not inject your insulin into the exact same spot. Avoid injecting your insulin into areas where the skin has pits or lumps, or is thickened, tender, bruised, scaly, hard, scarred, or damaged. This will help reduce your chance of getting pits, lumps, or thickened skin where you inject your insulin.

Learn more

For more information, call 1-800-545-5979 or go to humulin.com.

This summary provides basic information about Humulin R U-500 but does not include all information known about this medicine. Read the information that comes with your prescription each time your prescription is filled. This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider about Humulin R U-500 and how to take it. Your doctor is the best person to help you decide if Humulin R U-500 is right for you.

Please click to access the Humulin R U-500 full Prescribing Information and Patient Information.

HM CON BS 15NOV2019

Humulin, KwikPen, and BAQSIMI are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.

About Diabetes

Approximately 34 million Americans1 (just over 1 in 10) and an estimated 463 million adults worldwide2 have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type internationally, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes cases in the United States alone1. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body does not properly produce or use the hormone insulin.

About Lilly Diabetes

Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research, collaboration and quality manufacturing we strive to make life better for people affected by diabetes and related conditions. We work to deliver breakthrough outcomes through innovative solutionsfrom medicines and technologies to support programs and more. For the latest updates, visit http://www.lillydiabetes.com/or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes and Facebook: LillyDiabetesUS.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly is a global health care leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at lilly.com and lilly.com/newsroom. P-LLY

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Lilly Insulin Value Program and other insulin and glucagon affordability programs, and reflects Lilly's current beliefs. There is no guarantee that our insulin and/or glucagon affordability programs will significantly lower or cap monthly out-of-pocket costs for people who use these medicines. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

PP-LD-US-2219 09/2020 Lilly USA, LLC 2020. All rights reserved.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020. Atlanta, GA : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services; 2020. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 9th edn. Brussels, Belgium : International Diabetes Federation, 2019. Available at: http://diabetesatlas.org.

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company

Related Links

http://www.lilly.com


This is the frightening moment two brothers were kidnapped from their Cancun home in broad daylight by three armed men.

The shocking incident took place Tuesday afternoon in the 232nd region of Cancun.

The family told investigators that the kidnapping was sparked by the siblings' refusal to comply with an extortion payment required by a criminal organization in order to freely operate their shop.

Authorities did not release the names of the two missing men.

Cancun authorities launched a search for two brothers (pictured left and right) who were kidnapped by three gunmen Tuesday. The family told investigators the abduction was caused by the siblings' refusal to pay an extortion fee to a criminal group for the right to operate a business

One of the three kidnappers attempted to use a metal object to break into a Cancun home Tuesday and kidnap two brothers

The footage shows the moment the abductors approached the home and used a long metal object to break the entrance gate open before one of the gunmen fired several shots at the lock and barged inside the house.

The kidnappers led both brothers out of the house and forced them into a red vehicle before speeding away.

Video of the abduction was released by the worried family in hope that the police could rescue the two business owners and arrest the suspects.

For almost two decades now, law enforcement and the government agencies in Cancun and other cities in the Caribbean state of Quinta Roo have struggled to contain the criminal organizations that have imposed their feared authority on merchants, demanding payment for the right to run their businesses.

The same organizations, most often cartels, have engulfed the area with murders sparked by warring battles with rivals over the control of lucrative drug turfs.
A Peterborough lawyer is concerned after more than 100 people from about six states south of the border contacted his law firm about a new type of phishing scam that used his firms name.

In the scam, people were sent an email stating they are the beneficiaries in an estate matter worth about $10 million.

Miskin Law Professional Corp.s website was also duplicated by the scammers, said Murray Miskin, managing partner and founder of the Charlotte Street law firm.

The scammers replaced the numbers on the website and kept the names the same and added LLP to the name of the fraudulent website.

They are pretending to be Miskin Law firm in Peterborough telling people there is all this money they can get if they work with them, Miskin said. They are using my name; they faked the website and all that stuff.

Miskin is concerned and troubled by the lengths the scammers have gone to in taking advantage of people, especially during the hard economic times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

They set up a fake website with phoney contact information, he said. People would see their information and not mine, but they had the right address, but then they sent out these letters to people telling them that they can get all this money.

Miskin said it wasnt just individuals who received the scam emailed letters, but businesses as well.

This is from people all over the U.S., he said. I havent had anyone from Canada yet, but they have contacted me and some of them are lawyers themselves and all kinds of businesses have gotten this letter, not just individuals.

People in at about six U.S. states were targeted by the scam, he said, and that by Sept. 3, the firm was flooded with emails and live chat messages on the firms website from people wanting to confirm their suspicions that they were targeted by a scam.

Most people didnt believe the scams, he said, and those calling knew it was a scam and wanted him to know.

There were people who were suspicious that received a letter, Miskin said. They Googled me, and they would find that I have a different website, or a different phone number and I appeared to be a legitimate lawyer, and this is from people all over the U.S.

Miskin said he is working to get the website, which was still up and active on Wednesday, taken down by the company that is hosting the fraudulent site.

What we have been doing is trying to trace the website, we have traced it to a website host in Germany, he said.

I think the site is still up, we are working on it to get them to take it down, we have also involved the police, the RCMP said to file a report with the Peterborough Police.

Police told him these things happen and that his computer security system was fine, he said.

They said these things happen, not much that they can do about it, Miskin said. They havent hacked into my system or anything like that. It isnt a hacking thing; it is a copycat; they are using my good name to do evil.
Global wildlife populations have fallen by two-thirds in 50 years, while some Australian animal populations have been almost entirely wiped out.

Deforestation, illegal wildlife trade and unsustainable agriculture are the main causes for the crisis and are also contributing to the emergence of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19, according to the long-running Living Planet report from World Wide Fund For Nature.

The rare northern quoll. Credit:Jonathan Webb

Globally, climate change has not been the most important cause of the loss of biodiversity to date, yet in coming decades it is projected to become as important, or more, than the others, the report finds.

In Australia, climate change, habitat destruction and feral species have taken a heavy toll on native animals. Australia has the highest rate of vertebrate mammals extinction in the world.
The Saudi-led coalition, which has been at war with the Iran-aligned group since 2015, did not immediately confirm the attacks

Yemen's Houthis said they had attacked an "important target" in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Thursday using a ballistic missile and drones.

The Saudi-led coalition, which has been at war with the Iran-aligned group since 2015, did not immediately confirm the attacks.

Yahya Sarea, a spokesman for the Houthi military, said the group used a Dul-Faqqar ballistic missile and three Samad3 drones to attack an important target in Riyadh, without giving more details. The group have attacked Riyadh several times before.

"The attacks are a response to the enemy's permanent escalation and its continuing blockade against our country," Sarea said in a statement posted on Twitter.

He promised more attacks if Saudi Arabia "continues its aggression" against Yemen.

The Houthis took over the Yemeni capital Sanaa and most cities in 2014 after ousting the Saudi-backed government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The Western-backed coalition that Saudi Arabia leads intervened to try to restore Hadi to power but the war, which has killed 100,000 people, has been stuck in a stalemate for years.

The conflict has led to what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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The Delhi High Court Thursday questioned Arnab Goswami for running a parallel investigation and trial in the Congress leader Shashi Tharoors wife Sunanda Pushkars death case and directed the journalist to be bound by his undertaking on showing restraint and bringing down the rhetoric while covering the matter.

Justice Mukta Gupta said the court was not saying that anyone will gag the media but at the same time, sanctity of investigation must be maintained.

Please show restraint. Once the police investigation is going on in the criminal case, there cannot be a parallel investigation by the media, the judge said and remarked that people must take a course in criminal trial and then get into journalism.

The high court referred to December 1, 2017 order in which it was stated that Press cannot convict anyone or insinuate that he/she is guilty or make any other unsubstantiated claims. Press has to exercise care and caution while reporting about matters under investigation or pending trial. I

t has been noted in the 2017 order that the counsel for the journalist and channel has assured the court that in future they would exercise restraint as well as bring down the rhetoric.

On Thursday, the judge said, Defendants (Goswami and his channel) are thus directed to be bound by the statement made on their behalf by their counsel till the next date of hearing.

On the channels claim that they have evidence with them, the judge questioned them saying were you at the spot? Are you an eye witness? There is some sanctity attached to the investigation. To this, advocate Malvika Trivedi, representing Goswami, said there was evidence from AIIMS, based on which certain broadcast was aired.

The judge said it was for a court of law to decide what was evidence in a criminal trial and there are statements from here and there which are not evidence.

Can the media sit in appeal against the charge sheet filed by an investigating agency?, the judge asked.

It is not a reflection on the Plaintiff (Tharoor) but the investigating agency. Can there be a parallel investigation or trial?.. Would you not like the courts to take their own course?, the judge said.

The high court was hearing an application by Congress MP Tharoor seeking interim injunction against Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, from making defamatory remarks against the leader.

Tharoors grievance relates to broadcast of the programmes naming him on the TV channel in July and August and in the telecast, the journalist has claimed that they have investigated Sunanda Pushkar case better than the police and that he still has no doubt that Pushkar was murdered.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Vikas Pahwa, representing Tharoor, said charge sheet has been filed by the police in the case and he has been summoned for the alleged offence of abetment to suicide then how can the journalist abuse him and allege that there was a murder.

The application, filed through advocates Gaurav Gupta and Muhammad A Khan, sought that the journalist should be directed to report only on matters which are factually correct or established.

The high court noted that the Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet in the trial court which has taken cognisance of it and he has been summoned under Sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 498A (cruelty to married woman) IPC in the light of the investigation done by the agency.

The high court sought response of the journalist on Tharoors application and listed the matter for further hearing on November 20.

In the December 1, 2017 order, the high court had said Goswami and his channel have the right to air their stories and the same cannot be curbed, but it has to be tempered and balanced.

The courts 2017 order had come on three different applications filed by Tharoor in his Rs two crore defamation suit against Goswami and the channel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against him while airing news relating to the mysterious death of his wife.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a five-star hotel in south Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014 under mysterious circumstances. Tharoor has alleged that they continued to engage in defaming and maligning him despite an assurance given by their counsel in the court on May 29, 2017.

The court had on May 29, 2017 said the journalist and his news channel could put out stories stating the facts related to the investigation of Pushkars death but could not call the Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram a criminal. The Congress leader has sought a direction to them that they should not mention the expression murder of Sunanda Pushkar anywhere, since it is yet to established by a competent court whether her death was a murder.
Equine and pet nutrition enthusiasts came together on August 15 to learn more about nutrition topics from experts around the world at the virtual Fuelling Wellness Symposium, co-hosted by Equine Guelph and the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition. The event was a great success and provided attendants with practical information related to the nutritional needs of each species.

The talks on equine nutrition subjects were engaging and delivered many real-world tips to take back to the stable. Dr. Wendy Pearson provided great information related to the hindgut microbiome and tools for equine assessment, like body condition scoring and cresty neck scoring. Dr. Paul Sharpe, who is also an upcoming guest speaker in Equine Guelphs Equine Nutrition course, presented a meticulous talk on evaluating horse hay that was packed with helpful information and pictures. Kayla Johnson, Donkey Welfare and Education Manager at the Donkey Sanctuary, gave a fantastic and insightful talk on the assessment and nutrition of our other equine friends  the donkeys.

Equine Guelph was delighted to co-host the symposium and deliver a presentation on the horses digestive system. The presentation was originally planned to be an in-person experience that featured Equine Guelphs interactive, life-size model of the horses digestive system. The model was developed by Equine Guelphs director, Gayle Ecker, and gives people a chance to see what the organs in a horses digestive system really look like  without the need for an actual dissection. Plans quickly had to change when the current state of affairs meant that the conference would become a virtual event. Cue Trouw Nutrition Canada to the rescue. The organization generously stepped up to the plate and made it possible to create a series of videos that would take viewers on a 'Journey Through the Horses Digestive Tract.'

Nutrition enthusiasts who were unable to attend the symposium are in luck as the Journey Through the Horses Digestive Tract videos will be released as a three-part series in Equine Guelphs monthly communications in October, November and December. The videos feature Gayle Ecker and a new rising Standardbred star (is there anything those Standardbreds cant do?!) named 'Jack.' Make sure to tune in as we learn what the horses digestive system looks like, just how big it actually is, what makes it unique and how nutrition and management strategies can keep it healthy and happy! Watch the video above for a sneak peek!

(Equine Guelph)
Moodys Analytics has won Best Decision Management Solution at the 2020 AI Breakthrough Awards. We won this award for the QUIQspread solution, our automated financial spreading tool, and for our CreditLens credit lifecycle management solution.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005314/en/

The QUIQspread solution uses machine learning to understand an institution's financial data spreading policies. The tool is built on our financial spreading expertise and expansive data resourcesits trained on the financials of more than 22 million private firms, which helps immediately improve the accuracy of clients spreads. The more spreads it runs, the smarter it becomes and the less time and resources it requires. To ensure scalability, the QUIQspread tool was built as a software-as-a-service solution.

The QUIQspread solution integrates easily with clients' internal loan systems, and seamlessly with the Moodys Analytics CreditLens solution. This cloud-based solution combines access to our unparalleled data and analytics with digitization and automation capabilities, enabling businesses to make better, faster credit decisions. Firms using the CreditLens solution are able to run financial statements through the QUIQspread tool without leaving the platform.

"We're honored to win this AI Breakthrough Award," said Eric Grandeo, Senior Director at Moody's Analytics. Across everything we do at Moodys Analytics, our shared goal is to help customers make better decisions. Taking the prize for Best Decision Management Solution is especially gratifying.

The QUIQspread solution was developed by the Moody's Analytics Accelerator, the companys innovation engine. The Accelerator uses emerging technologies to create new risk management solutions.

Last year, we won Best Financial Services AI Solution at the Artificial Intelligence Awards for the QUIQspread solution.

Learn more about the AI Breakthrough Awards.

This win adds to our growing list of industry recognition.

About Moodys Analytics

Moodys Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moodys Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moodys Corporation reported revenue of $4.8 billion in 2019, employs approximately 11,200 people worldwide and maintains a presence in 40 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005314/en/
The proposal would apply to officials with official or diplomatic passports, international organizations, experts, managers, high-skilled workers, investors and their family members. The proposal has not yet been extended for foreign tourists at this moment.

"Right now, the demand of experts, businesses and investors to come to Vietnam for surveillance purposes is high," Mai Tien Dung, Chairman of the Government Office, said at a Thursday meeting regarding quarantine extensions for foreigners and Vietnamese entering the country.

He noted that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's instruction calls for a step-by-step reopening of international flight routes, ensuring that the process is neither too lax nor too strict to hamper development opportunities.

Specifically, for about three days prior to getting on planes to fly to Vietnam, passengers would need to test negative for the novel coronavirus at their embarkation points.

After entering Vietnam, they would be quarantined in accommodations like hotels and resorts for a period deemed appropriate. During this quarantine period, they would be tested twice. If both test results are negative for the novel coronavirus, they would be allowed to self-monitor themselves at home. They would have to pay for the tests and quarantine fees.

People entering Vietnam after transiting through a third country would have to be quarantined in centralized facilities for 14 days.

The Government Office is expected to submit the proposal to the Prime Minister at a Friday meeting on Covid-19 prevention after consultations with ministries, businesses and tourism associations.

Dung also noted that once international flight routes are reopened, the influx of passengers entering Hanoi and HCMC would be high, so the two cities need to increase the number of quarantine accommodations and make sure that quarantine fees are transparent and made public. Accommodations will be requested to offer discounts, provide good services and take effective measures against the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Vietnam suspended international flights in late March.

After the country managed to bring the second outbreak of the pandemic under control, the Transport Ministry earlier this month proposed reopening flight routes to certain destinations in mainland China, Japan and South Korea starting September 15, followed by Laos, Cambodia and Taiwan starting September 22. The ministry estimates the number of arriving passengers to be quarantined per week at about 5,000 in Hanoi and HCMC.

Vietnam had earlier this month lifted the requirement of 14-day quarantine at centralized facilities for foreign experts, investors, managers, and diplomats entering the country for less than 14 days, but required them to comply with all Covid-19 prevention measures including wearing masks and refraining from shaking hands.

The country has recorded 1,059 Covid-19 cases so far, 128 of which are active. So far, 35 people have succumbed to the pandemic, many of them elderly patients with underlying conditions like diabetes and/or kidney failure.

There has been no new local transmission case in Vietnam for a week now.
PALM BEACH, Fla., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, has become a household name over the past few years and it is gaining popularity at a substantive pace. The purported therapeutic and health benefits of CBD, one of many compounds found in cannabis and hemp plants, has created a growing demand for infused products. CBD oil has entered the marketplace in the form of tinctures, infused edibles, topicals and more. The growth of CBD oil products has been so immense, in fact, that industry analyst BDS Analytics predicts the U.S. CBD market will reach $20 billion in sales by 2024 according to multiple reports. One such report by leading cannabis researchers BDS Analytics and Arcview Market Research, projects that the collective market for CBD sales in the U.S. will surpass $20 billion by 2024. Another report by DBMR analyzed the CBD infused edible market and projected it will grow at a CAGR of 25% in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Active companies in the Cannabis market this week include Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG), MariMed Inc. (OTCQX: MRMD), CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI), Puration, Inc. (OTCPK: PURA), Kona Gold Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: KGKG).



Needless to say, society is growing more open-minded and accepting of CBD. Many individuals are turning to it for pain relief, stress management, better sleep, and more; and many gas stations, restaurants, and local CVS stores now sell it. Some trends the CBD market might experience in 2020 are increased potency of products, more brick-and-mortar CBD shops, more pharmaceutical CBD products, and more access to products online through CBD websites and e-commerce shops. In fact, Loud Cloud Health said that CBD online sales currently account for 60% of the sales channels. The BDS report also stated: "We're witnessing CBD maturing from a cannabis sub-category into a full-blown industry of its own," said Roy Bingham, Co-Founder and CEO of BDS Analytics. "Our growth forecast for the CBD market, across all distribution channels, predicts a compound annual growth rate of 49 percent by 2024."



Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) BREAKING NEWS: Tauriga Sciences Inc. Now Registered Supplier for Kohl's Department Stores - Tauriga Sciences, Inc. ("Tauriga" or the "Company"), a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, with a proprietary line of functional "supplement" chewing gums (Flavors: Pomegranate, Blood Orange, Peach-Lemon, Pear Bellini, Mint, Black Currant) as well as two ongoing Biotechnology initiatives, today announced that it is now a registered supplier for Kohl's Department Stores ("Kohl's"), a national department store retail chain.

The Company's information is now part of the Kohl's Supplier Database and accessible to Buyers.

Management is pleased about this opportunity and views Kohl's as a market-leading retailer with a strong national footprint. This achievement follows previously disclosed supplier certification(s) and registrations approval(s) from a number of other major national retailers for Tauriga, including Walmart, Inc. (WMT), Whole Foods Market, Inc, CVS Health Corp. (CVS), and AHOLD USA (which includes: Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant, Hannaford, and Martin's and Peapod). Get more information about TAUG by visiting: http://www.tauriga.com/

Other recent developments and major influences in the cannabis industry include:

Puration, Inc. (OTCPK: PURA) and UC Asset (UCASU), a real estate investment and redevelopment company, recently announced entering into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI). UC Asset, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Atlanta Landsight LLC, agrees to sell its 72 acre farmland located in Farmersville, TX to PURA for total consideration of $1.3 million.

UC Asset, through its wholly owned subsidiary, acquired that farmland at the price of $805,216, in September, 2016. As of June 30, 2020, the total historical cost occurring to UC Asset in holding this property (including commissions, taxes, consulting fees etc.) is approximately $55,000. Gross rate of return is approximately 55% for the period.

"This property had been a great investment for us in sense that we are now selling it at a reasonable price and can still earn a good return," explains Greg Bankston, managing partner of UC Asset's GP. "The price we paid in 2016 was 4.2% lower than the price this property had been purchased nine years ago." The land was sold last time at approximately $838,000 in 2007.

CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI) recently announced the launch of its new corporate website reflecting the Company's refreshed brand positioning, core values and mission. As highlighted on the new website: "CV Sciences has initiated research, conducted clinical trials, published studies, and is the first company to achieve GRAS safety status for hemp-derived CBD. CV, or Curriculum Vitae, is Latin for "course of life", and science is the pursuit of truth. CV Sciences: our name is our mission  improving quality of life through nature and science."

"Since 2012, CV Sciences has been a pioneer in the CBD industry, taking extraordinary efforts to make high-quality, safe, and effective hemp-derived CBD products. We have been a leader in shaping the regulatory pathway for hemp-derived CBD products and continue to build awareness and acceptance around this remarkable plant and what it has to offer," said Joseph Dowling, Chief Executive Officer of CV Sciences. "The launch of our new website marks an important inflection point for CV Sciences, reflecting our mission and core values as we build our portfolio of CBD products under the PlusCBD and Happy Lane brands and expand our portfolio into new categories with CV Acute, the first of several products to be launched under our new Immunity product line  as well as future product lines under the CV brand. The new corporate website also offers a fully integrated customer friendly shopping experience for all of CV Sciences brands, including PlusCBD, CV Acute and Happy Lane."

Kona Gold Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: KGKG), a holding company focused on product development in the hemp and CBD functional beverage sector, recently announced it has entered into a distribution agreement with Carolina Cannatech. Carolina Cannatech, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a seed-to-sale industrial hemp company that also manufactures and sells its own line of premium CBD products under their Nature's Highway brand.

Nature's Highway is dedicated to introducing consumers to the life changing potential of CBD and its family of other relevant cannabinoids. They pride themselves on providing the purest, highest quality hemp products at the most competitive prices. A promise made possible by keeping every step of production in-house and operating with full transparency. Each CBD wellness product is pharmacist formulated, ensuring the highest quality product from their farm to you and your family. Their hemp is organically grown in Neeses, SC on their 3rd generation family farm, Carolina Fresh Farms, founded in the late 1940's. Nature's Highway founders come from humble beginnings uniquely similar to the founders of Carolina Fresh Farms, the Fogle family.

MariMed, Inc. (OTCQX: MRMD) a leading multi-state cannabis and hemp operator focused on health and wellness, recently announced that Betty's Eddies, one of its proprietary, in-house award-winning cannabis brands has seen its monthly unit sales increase 20X in Massachusetts alone since April 2020. Based upon the success of this brand in Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Nevada, MariMed is anticipating Betty's Eddies to be the top selling edible in Massachusetts. MariMed's strategic plan includes increasing the licensing and distribution of its top brands across strategic and high-growth medical and recreational markets in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

One of the top performing cannabis brands in the United States, and the LeafLink Winner for Best Selling Medical Product in 2019, Betty's Eddies are gluten-free, vegan fruit chews made from organically grown fruits and vegetables. Containing full spectrum cannabis oil, they are available in a variety of flavors, including berry, orange, lemon, lime, grape, and peach mango.

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Andrew M. Stroth, the attorney representing the teen and her family in the lawsuit, declined to comment on the probability of being able to collect such a sum from the defendant but said he views the judgment as a positive development for the overall case against the school district and city.
Steven R. Drexel, president and CEO of the Cornerstone Staffing Solutions family of companies COVID-19 has created the need for pivoting and flexibility, remarked Steve Drexel, president and CEO of Cornerstone Staffing Solutions. Sometimes it takes good old-fashioned face-to-face/mask-to-mask exchanges to accomplish the task quickly and efficiently.

Cornerstone Staffing Solutions, among the largest staffing firms in the United States, announced the started to host drive-through job fairs to simplify the job application process. Several branch locations have held these quick screening activities in corporate and warehouse parking lots. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the staffing firm wanted to streamline the screening process for unemployed individuals hopeful of finding employment. The company fills a variety of open positions including administrative and professional, warehouse, IT/Engineering, human resources, accounting and finance, and logistics and transportation.

People who have been unemployed for some time really appreciate this novel way to find a job, commented Gaby Campos, area operations manager for Cornerstones southern California region. For one, it gets them out and actually meeting someone which is a boost in their job search process. We have even hired some folks on the spot.

The process is straightforward. Candidates drive up and provide their contact information, answer some questions, and leave their resume if they have one. A branch representative will follow up with candidates on the next steps such as completing an online application or discussing open job assignments that require immediate help.

COVID-19 has created the need for quite a bit of pivoting and flexibility for businesses and workers, remarked Steve Drexel, president and CEO of the Cornerstone Staffing Solutions family of companies. Im truly inspired by my team and their creative recruitment ideas to get out into the community and find great talent for our clients staffing needs. Sometimes it takes good old-fashioned face-to-face exchanges, or mask-to-mask in this case, to accomplish the task quickly and efficiently. Job applicants remember these types of outreach activities.

More About Cornerstone Staffing

Cornerstone Staffing Solutions an award-winning staffing firm with branches across the U.S. It has achieved ClearlyRateds Diamond Award for Best of Staffing Client Satisfaction; the company has received the award every consecutive year since 2016. Cornerstone was also one of 138 staffing firms recently named to Forbes inaugural list of Americas Best Temporary Staffing Firms 2020. Since 2003, Cornerstone has grown from a neighborhood staffing provider to a national firm that employs thousands of people at hundreds of companies from coast to coast including California, Nevada, Illinois, Texas, Michigan, New Jersey, Maryland, and Florida. The Cornerstone family of companies also includes Dallas, Texas-based RightStone (http://www.rightstone.com), and Chicago, Illinois-based Arlington Resources, Inc. (http://www.arlingtonresources.com) and Casey Accounting & Finance Resources (http://www.caseyresources.com). Providing candidate searching and job placement for administrative, professional, industrial, technical, sales and transportation positions, Cornerstone truly is where talent and jobs meet. Visit Cornerstone at http://www.cornerstone-staffing.com.

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Facepalm: Not for the first time, Microsoft has released a Windows 10 update that fixes one problem while introducing another. This time, a patch for the notorious SSD issue has broken Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2).

Windows Latest reports that the September 2020 cumulative update (KB4571756) has had an unwelcome impact for some. Users on Microsoft's Feedback Hub and Github bug report forum note that after installing the update, they're receiving an "Element not found" error when trying to run WSL.

While the problem seems to mostly affect devices running Windows 10 version 20H2 (19042), there are reports of it appearing on some machines with version 2004 (May 2020 Update) installed.

"After the KB4571756, I also got this error. I deleted the docker folders in AppData, then uninstalled and reinstalled docker but it didn't fix. It finally worked when I uninstalled the latest windows quality updates. (docker is associated with WSL in this case," wrote one user.

The SSD bug this update fixed was one of the many issues introduced by the Windows 10 May 2020 update. It affected the Defrag utility app in Windows 10 2004the tool failed to flag the fact that it had performed a scheduled defragmentation on an SSD. This meant that it could end up repeatedly defragging an SSD, thereby potentially shortening its life span.

Microsoft has yet to acknowledge the new problem, so if you've found WSL2 isn't working after installing KB4571756, the only fix right now is to remove the update.

This is the second time in a week that a Windows update has borked a major feature. The September 2020 optional update is affecting some machines' Sleep Mode, with cases of computers repeatedly waking up for no reason, or the low power state not working at all.
A lot of the problem, said Wallace, "is that people will come in and try to tell organizers' stories 'Talk me through your process really quickly and then Im going to leave'  instead of staying around. A lot of reporters that Ive encountered over these last few months, I see the same reporters almost every week at this point and they barely know my name or cant pronounce it. They dont know anything about me, they only know the trauma that theyre taking in bits and pieces.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Ohio state lawmakers made their case for repealing House Bill 6 on Thursday before a legislative panel, noting the scandal surrounding its passage and questioning whether the owner of two nuclear power plants needs the laws $1.3 billion public bailout.

Republican state Reps. Laura Lanese and Dave Greenspan, as well as Democratic state Reps. Mike Skindell and Michael OBrien, testified before the Ohio House Select Committee on Energy Policy and Oversight in favor of their respective bills that would repeal the controversial legislation.

HB6 has come under severe scrutiny since state Rep. Larry Householder (the former House speaker) and four allies were arrested for an alleged $60 million bribery scandal to pass the legislation on behalf of FirstEnergy Corp., whose former subsidiary  now a separate company called Energy Harbor  owns the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear plants that stand to receive bailout money starting next year.

Lanese, who represents a suburban Columbus district, noted in her testimony that Energy Harbor, previously called FirstEnergy Solutions, moved earlier this year to buy back hundreds of millions worth of its stock, calling into question whether the company actually needs the bailout money in order to keep the plants in operation.

Greenspan, of Westlake, questioned in his testimony whether the word bailout should be used to describe House Bill 6, saying the money for the nuclear plants should instead be called a grant with no accountability.

How many other Ohio businesses would like to qualify for a grant with those criteria? Greenspan asked. The answer is simple: All of them.

Both Republicans also questioned a separate part of HB6 called decoupling, which gives FirstEnergy Corp. and other Ohio utilities permission to collect a guaranteed amount of revenue per year through at least 2024.

House Bill 746 would repeal all of HB6. We must have a clean slate to start from, Greenspan said.

Skindell, a Lakewood Democrat who is sponsoring an identical repeal bill, House Bill 738, testified that Legislation adopted by means of corruption, in and of itself, is corrupt.

He continued: The confidence and trust of Ohioans cannot be restored until there is a complete and immediate repeal of legislation founded in corruption.

OBrien, of Warren, called HB6 corporate welfare and the worst energy legislation passed by any state in the 21st Century.

One ongoing item of debate is whether HB6 actually saves Ohioans money.

HB6 proponents point to an analysis from the non-partisan Legislative Service Commission concluding that the law lowers Ohioans' utility bills (by gutting the states green-energy mandates).

But Skindell said that argument is incorrect because it doesnt factor in the savings the public sees from the energy-efficiency mandate. He cited an Ohio Environmental Council analysis showing that each Ohio family will pay an average of $7.01 more per month thanks to HB6.

State Rep. Dick Stein, a Norwalk Republican who voted for HB6, pushed back on the lawmakers' testimony, saying that it would be wrong to repeal the law without replacing it, as theres good policy within it.

HB6 was not about saving jobs, Stein said, saying it was instead about saving nuclear plants that provide the large majority of Ohios carbon-free energy. He said some other states' nuclear subsidies are larger than what HB6 provides for, and that the renewable-energy standards that HB6 killed off sent a lot of money to renewable energy outside of Ohio.

Democrats on the select committee unsuccessfully attempted Thursday to report HB 746, the GOP-authored HB6 repeal bill, to the House floor, but majority Republicans on the panel voted to continue hearings in the select committee.

Its unclear how long hearings will continue, though new House Speaker Bob Cupp, a Lima Republican, said he hopes to address the issue before the current legislative session ends in December.

Read more Ohio politics and government stories:

Gov. Mike DeWine hires South Carolina official as new Ohio health director

Ohio unemployment claims continued to fall last week

Ohio consumer watchdog requests utility agency review of FirstEnergy amid federal corruption investigation

Ohio Senators Portman and Brown divided over new coronavirus bill that would pay unemployed $300 a week
Subhash Kamath, Chief Executive Officer at BBH & Publicis Worldwide, India, has been unanimously elected chairman of the board of governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). The vote was held at the board meeting that followed the 34th annual general meeting this afternoon. Kamath is an industry veteran, having spent more than 32 years building brands across various sectors.

NS Rajan, Managing Director, Ketchum Sampark P. Ltd. was elected the Vice-Chairman and Shashidhar Sinha, CEO, Mediabrands India P. Ltd was reappointed as honorary treasurer at the same meeting.

The Board of Governors includes: Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Co-Chairman & Board Member, ISWAI; D Shivakumar Group Executive President, Aditya Birla Management Corporation P. Ltd; Girish Agarwal, Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group ; Harish Bhat, Director, Tata Consumer Products Ltd; KV Sridhar, Chief Creative Officer (Global), Nihilent Ltd; Madhusudan Gopalan, CEO, Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd; Rohit Gupta, President - Network Sales & International Business, Sony Pictures Networks India P. Ltd; Prof SK Palekar, Centre For Developmental Education, IFIM Business School; Priya Nair, Executive Director Beauty and Personal Care, Hindustan Unilever Ltd; Prasun Basu, President  South Asia, Nielsen (India) P. Ltd; Sivakumar Sundaram, President Revenue, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd; Umesh Shrikhande, CEO, Taproot India Comm. P. Ltd.

Incoming chairman, Subhash Kamath said: Its a genuine privilege to accept this role as Chairman of ASCI. Having served ten years on the board, I have had the honour of working and learning from very senior and experienced leaders of the industry. More importantly, I have learned the immense value of self-regulation and the far reaching impact of the work ASCI has done over the years. Our industry today is at a crucial stage. With the digital revolution influencing brand messaging and engagement with consumers, advertising is evolving rapidly. And with the recent formation of the Central Consumer Protection Authority constituted by the government, self-regulation will be even more crucial in promoting consumer confidence and trust. As I have always said, with great creative power, comes great responsibility. So I look forward to working closely with the ASCI team to continue the good work set up by my predecessors and to introduce some newer, more future-facing initiatives as well.

Recalling his year-long tenure at ASCI, outgoing chairman Rohit Gupta, said: I thank all my colleagues, ASCI members and everyone who was part of this incredible journey. I am glad I was given an opportunity to drive the body that spearheaded important changes in the advertising industry. This year has been the most eventful for ASCI as we tackled several challenges. The pandemic saw many misleading ads, which were dealt with immediately. The Ministry of AYUSH reached out for help in flagging misleading advertisements regarding prevention and treatment of COVID-19. We also signed up with TAM to monitor 3,000 digital portals for misleading claims. We successfully met the three objectives we had set: increasing our consumer base, monitoring the digital space and working closely with government bodies. I wish Kamath and the board the very best.

Over the past year, ASCIs independent Consumer Complaints Council met 45 times and deliberated on complaints pertaining to 3,773 advertisements.

Complaints were upheld against 2,126 advertisements (versus 1,486 in 2018-19) while those against 298 were not Upheld as the advertisements in question were not considered to be in contravention of ASCIs codes

192 advertisements were found to be prima facie in violation of The Drugs and Magic Remedies (DMR) Act or The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules (Schedule J). These were promptly escalated to the Ministry of AYUSH or the Ministry of Health for their immediate attention

In several cases, state AYUSH officials, the FDA or the Central Council for Indian Medicine issued show cause notices to the advertisers.

It concluded with a touching tribute to Brahm Vasudeva, non-executive chairman of Hawkins Cookers and the first chairman of ASCI, who passed away in July. His commitment to self-regulation in advertising and to the ASCI cause was recalled fondly.
Tia Mowry-Hardrict revealed she and her identical twin sister Tamera Mowry-Housley were once told they could not appear on the cover of a popular teen magazine 'because we were Black and we would not sell.'

As she reflected on the painful experience, the 42-year-old child star divulged to ET's Unfiltered that being devalued over her skin color, at such a young age, 'still affects' her to this day.

'It was around Sister, Sister days,' Tia said, referring to their hit sitcom, which aired from 1994-1999. 'The show was extremely popular. We were beating, like in the ratings, Friends.'

Still affected: Tia Mowry-Hardrict tearfully recalls being denied a magazine cover due to her race at the height of her and identical twin Tia's stardom

'So, my sister and I wanted to be on the cover of this very popular magazine at the time  it was a teenage magazine,' she recalled. 'We were told that we couldn't be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell.'

The mother-of-two tearfully continued that even 'as an adult' remembering being demeaned by her skin color makes her emotional.

'I will never forget that. I wish I would have spoken up. I wish I would have said something then. I wish I would have had the courage to speak out and say that isn't right,' she said.

Hurtful: As she opened up about the painful experience, the 42-year-old actress revealed being devalued over her skin color, at such a young age, 'still affects' her to this day; pictured in 2012

'It was around Sister, Sister days,' Tia said of their hit Nineties sitcom, which became available to stream on Netflix. 'The show was extremely popular. We were beating, like in the ratings, Friends'

While she can't go back in time, the Family Reunion actress has worked hard to pass down self-worth to her two children - son Cree, 9; and daughter Cairo, 2 - with her husband of 12 years, The Outpost action star Cory Hardrict.

'To this day, I'm always telling my beautiful brown-skinned girl that she is beautiful,' Tia said. 'And the same thing even with my son. I tell him how handsome he is, I tell him, you know, he is smart.'

She added: 'Because I know what it feels like for someone to devalue your worth, and I don't want my children to ever, ever, ever, feel that. And not have the strength, or the foundation, to not believe it. To believe that they are worthy.'

'We were told that we couldn't be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell,' she revealed; seen in 2012

'To this day, I'm always telling my beautiful brown-skinned girl that she is beautiful,' Tia said. 'And the same thing even with my son. I tell him how handsome he is, I tell him, you know, he is smart' (seen in 2013)

From ages 15 through 20, the German-born Army Brats starred in the successful sitcom, which aired for six seasons spanning 1994-1999 on ABC and The WB.

Thanks to Netflix, younger generations can now stream all 119 episodes of Sister, Sister.

Mowry-Hardrict's 'dream' recently came true when she closed a 'three-picture deal with the A+E network to star in and produce three holiday movies for their It's a Wonderful Lifetime slate.'

Meanwhile, the Daytime Emmy winner announced on July 13 that she quit Fox's The Real following seven years as co-host of the all-female panel talk show.
SEOUL, South Korea  South Koreas daily count of new coronavirus cases is under 200 for a ninth straight day, continuing a downward trend in fresh infections for the country.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the 176 cases added in the previous 24 hours took the national tally to 21,919, with 350 deaths.

South Koreas daily caseload was above 400 in late August, with clusters of new infections in churches, schools, restaurants and other spots, mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area. The outbreak has gradually slowed after authorities imposed stronger social distancing rules.

Health official Yoon Taeho says the government believes the countrys caseload is in general on a downward trajectory though he urges people to keep trying to reduce face-to-face contacts with others and follow social distancing guidelines.

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HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

 UN Secretary General appeals to donor countries for $35B for WHO virus initiatives

 New York City to fine subway, bus riders $50 for not wearing masks

 University of Wisconsin-Madison moves all classes online

 Drugmaker AstraZeneca says it halted a coronavirus vaccine study because woman who received the experimental shot developed severe neurological symptoms.

 The coronavirus pandemic is reshaping how the U.S. is observing the anniversary of 9-11. The terror attacks 19th anniversary will be marked Friday by dueling ceremonies at the Sept. 11 memorial plaza and a corner nearby in New York.

 Football returns with the start of the NFL season, but many worry that attending games or get-togethers will lead to a new surge in coronavirus infections.

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Follow APs pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

NEW ORLEANS  New Orleans will not follow the rest of Louisiana in easing up on public gathering restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell staked out that position Thursday hours after Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that the state will ease restrictions starting Friday. The governor gave no details on what the new phase will look like, saying he would provide more information at a news conference Friday.

New Orleans city was the epicenter of a spring outbreak of COVID-19 that made Louisiana one of the nations hot spots. The resulting shutdowns, including an off-again-on-again closure of bars, have damaged the citys tourism-dependent economy. Bars that dont serve food remain closed in the city under current guidelines.

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OKLAHOMA CITY  Oklahoma officials say claims for unemployment benefits in the state are declining after reaching record levels during the coronavirus pandemic.

The state Employment Security Commission reported Thursday that first-time weekly claims for the week ending Sept. 5 totalled of 5,241 and continuing claims numbered 103,903. That was down from 6,019 initial claims and 119,571 continuing claims a week earlier.

A record 93,885 initial claims were filed in early May and there more than 182,000 continuing claims in late June as the state reopened after a shutdown of many businesses in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.

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CONCORD, N.H.  The New Hampshire state health commissioner said Thursday that there have been no cases of the coronavirus linked to President Donald Trumps rally two weeks ago, and only one person who attended another large event - Motorcycle Week in Laconia - has since tested positive.

About 1,400 people attended the presidents rally in an airport hangar in Londonderry Aug. 28. Many were not wearing masks, despite Gov. Chris Sununus order making them mandatory for gatherings of more than 100 people.

Sununu was asked a few days later what did it make you feel to see people ignoring the mandate, and said he felt frustrated, just as he does when he sees someone grocery shopping without a mask.

On Thursday, Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette said officials arent aware of any attendees testing positive after the rally. Asked if passing someone in a grocery store was equivalent to sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with others for several hours, she said, Any time youre within six feet people of someone and not wearing a mask, you increase your risk of exposure to COVID-19.

The annual Motorcycle Week was held Aug. 22 to 30, and Shibinette said she knows of one attendee who has tested positive. In contrast, health officials across 12 states have found more than 300 people with infections who attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota in August.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D.  Federal regulators said Thursday they have cited Smithfield Foods for failing to protect employees from exposure to the coronavirus at the companys Sioux Falls plant, an early hotspot for virus infections that hobbled American meatpacking plants.

The nature and timing of the violation wasnt immediately clear from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, but the announcement included the latest assessment of the virus impact in Sioux Falls.

Four plant workers were killed by the virus during the spring and at least 1,294 workers were sickened. Only two deaths among employees had been previously known.

Smithfield Foods, which is based in Virginia, said it plans to contest the citation and $13,494 fine.

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FORT MYERS, Fla.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday he plans to soon ease restrictions imposed on the states restaurants and has asked President Donald Trump to allow more travel from Europe and Brazil, saying he believes the current coronavirus restrictions are now too strict.

DeSantis told a meeting of restaurant industry executives in Fort Myers that the current limitation of 50% capacity for indoor dining and requiring that tables be kept 6-feet (2-meters) apart seems arbitrary.

DeSantis suggested eateries will know best how to govern their behaviour as they dont want to scare off customers by becoming coronavirus hot spots.

DeSantis gave no specifics on when the restrictions would be eased, but said it will be soon.

DeSantis also said he supported the European and Brazilian travel restrictions, but they have served their purpose.

I have told the president we would like to see those lifted, said DeSantis, who is a strong Trump ally. He said he sees no difference if someone travels across the border from Georgia to visit Florida than if they arrive by plane from a foreign country. I am comfortable with it.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. health officials have started two new studies to test various blood thinners to try to prevent strokes, heart attacks, blood clots and other complications in COVID-19 patients.

Doctors increasingly are finding blood clots throughout the bodies of many people who died from COVID-19 along with signs of damage they do to kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, the heart and other organs.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Director Dr. Gary Gibbons says that hospitals have been giving seriously ill patients anti-clotting drugs to try to prevent this, but quite frankly, we didnt know how best to treat it in terms of which drugs or doses to use and at what stage of illness.

The National Institutes of Health will co-ordinate a study in hospitalized patients comparing low and regular doses of the blood thinner heparin. The study will involve more than 100 sites around the world participating in a research effort with various governments, drug companies, universities and others to speed coronavirus therapies.

A second study in COVID-19 patients not sick enough to need hospitalization will test various strategies against placebo pills: baby aspirin or low or regular doses of the anti-clotting drug apixaban, sold as Eliquis in the United States. The goal there is preventing blood clots or hospitalization.

A third study starting later will test blood thinners for people who have recovered and no longer test positive for the coronavirus. Evidence is building that they may remain at higher risk for blood clots.

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UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. envoy for children in conflict says attacking schools and teachers seems to be an emerging tactic of war, particularly in Africas Sahel region, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made things worse.

Virginia Gamba told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that in the Sahel, schools are targeted precisely because they are schools, and even more if they cater to girls.

In Mali, for example, she said that in the last two years teachers were threatened and killed, education facilities demolished, and learning materials burned, leading to the closure of over 1,260 schools, even before COVID-19.

Similarly, the last 12 months in Burkina Faso have seen increasing attacks including the burning of schools and kidnapping of teachers forcing 2,500 schools to shut down, depriving hundreds of thousands of children from education, Gamba said.

Elsewhere in the world, especially in Asia and Latin America, she said, we are also seeing an increase in attacks to education in indigenous communities.

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JERUSALEM  Israel has reported more than 4,000 new coronavirus cases, setting a record as authorities consider imposing another full lockdown ahead of Jewish High Holidays.

The Health Ministry on Thursday reported at least 4,013 new cases. The number of patients in serious condition has risen to 488.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the countrys coronavirus czar and hospital directors have waved a red flag and warned that the situation could rapidly worsen, overwhelming hospitals and leading to many severe cases and many deaths.

But he appeared hesitant to push for another lockdown, saying we need to take action sagaciously and not recklessly.

Israel largely contained its initial outbreak after imposing sweeping closures last spring, bringing new daily cases down to double digits. But the number of cases has steadily risen since authorities abruptly reopened the economy in May.

The coalition government formed that month has been paralyzed by internal bickering, and political leaders are hesitant to take any action that could further harm the economy after the earlier lockdown caused a spike in unemployment.

Israel has reported a total of more than 144,000 cases and 1,075 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The Israeli military has recently stepped in to assist civilian authorities, and said it carried out a record number of tests on Thursday, which could account for some of the rise in cases.

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PARIS  French health authorities have reported on Thursday 9,843 infections from the coronavirus in 24 hours, the highest daily tally since the end of Frances lockdown in April.

France has seen a sharp uptick in new cases in recent weeks and hospitalizations have started to increase steadily, reaching now over 5,000 including 615 people in ICU.

Increased testing could partially account for higher numbers in recent weeks. But relaxed social distancing measures since summer holidays and a return to work sites by many are also seen as contributors.

Over 30,800 people have died in French hospitals and nursing homes since the start of the pandemic, among the highest rates in Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron is to hold a defence council focusing on the COVID-19 crisis on Friday that may lead to new measures to fight the spreading of the virus in the country.

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NEW ORLEANS  Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says hell ease public gathering restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

Details on Louisianas version of Phase Three restrictions will come Friday. Edwards says a statewide mask mandate will remain in place.

Current regulations limit restaurants to 50% capacity for in-person dining, restrict bars to takeout and delivery only and place occupancy limits on gyms, salons and other businesses. Indoor gatherings above 50 people are banned.

Edwards has expressed concerns about another surge in cases following the return of students to school and college campuses and the recent Labor Day holiday weekend.

The percentage of positive tests dropped below 10%, a key threshold used by the state, on Aug. 10. It has declined steadily to just below 7% on Sept. 4, according to the state health department website.

Louisianas health department reported 499 new confirmed cases Thursday, bringing the states total to 155,419. Hospitalizations dropped to 762, the lowest since late June. The number of deaths rose by 21 to 4,991.

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ALBANY, N.Y.  New York City commuters who refuse to wear a mask on subways, trains and buses could be fined $50 starting Monday.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Patrick Foye says the agency just needs to file emergency regulations with the secretary of state. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he hopes the penalty will help encourage New Yorkers to return to public transit by lowering the possibility of getting infected while using transit.

New York City Transit interim President Sarah Feinberg says compliance with New Yorks mask requirement is very high on public transit at a time when ridership is picking up. But Feinberg says some passengers refuse to wear a mask even when offered one by a transit worker.

Officials say the penalty will be enforced by MTA police, but New York Police Department officers can also enforce it.
The repercussions are felt in places like the Philippines, the source of a vast migrant labor force that keeps industries ticking, from health care in the West to construction and domestic help in the Middle East. A steady income put many of these workers on their way to a better life, despite difficult conditions, allowing them to send money home or save for a deposit on a house, car or their childrens education.
Julian Assange's extradition hearing has been halted over fears a prosecuting lawyer may have been exposed to coronavirus.

The Wikileaks founder, 49, is wanted in the US for allegedly conspiring with army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to expose military secrets between January and May 2010.

The husband of a junior prosecuting lawyer started suffering 'Covid-like symptoms' and is currently awaiting the results of a test, a judge heard at a case management hearing at the Old Bailey.

Washington DC-based attorney Eric Lewis was due to testify today but District Judge Vanessa Baraitser excused him and called the hearing instead.

Julian Assange (pictured in 2017), 49, is wanted in the US for allegedly conspiring with army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to expose military secrets

Edward Fitzgerald, QC, for Assange, said: 'I have had the opportunity to speak to Mr Assange and Mr Lewis and we respectfully invite you not to go ahead until they have had a (test) result.

'We have to move ahead on the assumption they have Covid.

'Firstly, we shouldn't really be here today. Covid would be here in the court room and it is not possible to tell how far it has extended.'

He added that there were members of the team who were in a high risk category - meaning they would likely suffer severe symptoms if exposed to Covid.

'Our client Mr Assange - whose vulnerabilities you are aware of - would be at risk because we have had to consult with him,' he said.

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Assange protest outside the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court ahead of a hearing to decide whether Assange should be extradited to the United States, in London yesterday

'We reached a principle decision some time ago that this hearing shouldn't continue in the present circumstances.

'Trying to conduct this in a remote way would not be fair or appropriate.

'If the lawyer is negative we can carry on. If it is positive we can make submissions to you then.'

James Lewis, for the US government, appeared on the virtual link from his London flat.

He said: 'We agree with Mr Fitzgerald it would be best if we adjourn until Monday to know whether or not the test is positive.

Washington DC-based attorney Eric Lewis was due to testify today but District Judge Vanessa Baraitser excused him and called the hearing instead. Pictured, Assange's partner Stella Moris and Assange's lawyer Jennifer Robinson arriving at the Old Bailey yesterday

'We are having a number of technical difficulties. All I can see is the back of Mr Fitzgerald's jacket frozen in mid-air and it is completely unsatisfactory to deal with it in that way.'

Judge Baraitser said she was told last night that one of the barristers in the case could have been exposed to coronavirus.

She added: 'I'm told it is anticipated that the testing process will take place today and the outcome will be known at some time tomorrow.

'I had intended to take matters one step at a time and to manage tomorrow's hearing over the video-link but I hear the objections now from both sides against that course of action.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's father John Shipton spoke to reporters outside the Old Bailey in London yesterday

'Can I make it clear if I accede to the request that does not indicate I have made an interest of justice decision going forward about attendance of parties attending by CVP in the future.

'I accept the hearing should be postponed until the outcome is known.

'I'm willing to accede for the time being to adjourn this case until Monday at 10am.'

Mr Lewis was due to tell the court about Assange's likely pre-trial conditions, sentence and place of imprisonment in the US should he be extradited and convicted.

The lawyer was to join professors Paul Rogers and Mark Feldstein, as well as Reprieve founder Clive Stafford Smith and journalist Trevor Timm in arguing the prosecution is politically motivated.

A supporter of Assange ties a US flag to a lamp post outside the Old Bailey. A US grand jury indicted Assange on 18 charges - 17 of which fall under the Espionage Act

The attorney would also have attested to the difficulties of preparing a legal defence among a swathe of classified evidence, the document said.

He will instead be first up to give evidence on Monday morning should the hearing go ahead.

A US grand jury indicted Assange on 18 charges - 17 of which fall under the Espionage Act.

He is accused of publishing un-redacted US government documents and faces a maximum 175-year prison sentence if convicted.

The four week extradition hearing at the Old Bailey - sitting at Westminster Magistrates' Court continues on Monday.
Whistle-blower claims White House urged Homeland Security to stop reporting on issues not in line with administration.

A US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official has said top officials within the department asked him to suppress facts in intelligence reports that President Donald Trump might find objectionable, including information about Russian election interference and the white supremacist threat in the country.

According to a whistle-blower complaint released on Wednesday, Brian Murphy, a former DHS deputy under-secretary for intelligence, said acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told him in mid-May to begin reporting instead on political interference threats posed by China and Iran, and to highlight the involvement of left-wing groups in domestic disorder.

The instruction had come to Wolf from White House National Security Advisor Robert OBrien, Murphy cited Wolf as saying.

The complaint purported that Wolf told Murphy on a second occasion  in July  that an intelligence notification on Russian disinformation efforts should be held because it made the president look bad.

Murphy also said he was told to modify a report section on white supremacists in a manner that made the threat appear less severe, as well as include information on the prominence of violent left-wing groups.

He said he was also instructed by senior officials to ensure that intelligence assessments he produced for former Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen supported administration claims that large numbers of suspected terrorists were entering the country over the US border with Mexico.

Murphy also said he was demoted for refusing to go along with the changes in reports and for filing confidential internal complaints about the conduct. He added that he was banned from some meetings as a result of his refusal.

Murphy filed the complaint, which outlined other allegations of misconduct by Trump administration officials, on Tuesday with the DHS Office of Inspector General. It was released a day later by the intelligence committee of the Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives.

Acting US Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is accused of putting pressure on DHS officials [AP]

Washington denies claims

The White House and Department of Homeland Security each denied the claims.

Ambassador OBrien has never sought to dictate the Intelligence Communitys focus on threats to the integrity of our elections or on any other topic; any contrary suggestion by a disgruntled former employee, who he has never met or heard of, is false and defamatory, said White House spokeswoman Sarah Matthews.

Homeland Security spokesman Alexei Woltornist added: We flatly deny that there is any truth to the merits of Mr. Murphys claim.

200909174106560

US intelligence assessments that a Russian influence operation aimed at swaying the 2016 election in Trumps favour has overshadowed much of his presidency with a series of investigations being dismissed by Trump as a hoax. Trump has expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose government denied election meddling.

US officials say Russia, China and Iran have been working to influence the 2020 election in which Trump is being challenged by Democrat Joe Biden.

Senate Intelligence Committee member Angus King, a political independent, told the Reuters news agency that the alleged DHS actions described by Murphy should be condemned on a bipartisan basis.
Isabelle Papadimitriou was one year away from retiring after having worked for nearly 30 years as a respiratory therapist when the coronavirus pandemic started killing people in her home state, Texas.

Her son, who lived with her, tried to get his mother to retire early, but she refused.

She said: "My co-workers need me. My hospital needs me. I'll be OK," her daughter, Fiana Tulip, recalled. "She said she was stronger than an ox, and we believed her, because we knew she was strong."

Papadimitriou died at age 64 alone in a hospital bed on July 4 after having spent a week battling COVID-19.

"I don't think she knew she was going to die, but I think she wanted to be able to say 'bye' just in case," Tulip said.

IMAGE: Isabelle Papadimitriou (Courtesy Fiana Tulip)

Papadimitriou, who was of Mexican descent, was born in Brownsville, Texas, and had moved to Dallas for work. She was one of the many essential workers working during the pandemic.

She is among the more than 13,500 Texans who have been killed by the virus after Republican Gov. Gregg Abbott started reopening the state at the urging of President Donald Trump earlier this summer, when the numbers of new cases were still rising.

Abbott put a mask mandate in place just two days before Papadimitriou died.

"Just having a mask mandate at least a month earlier, I truly believe, could have saved my mom's life, and it could have saved a lot of Texans' lives," Tulip said.

Texas has reported at least 641,791 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic. About 40 percent of those infected are Latinos.

Latinos account for about 56 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in Texas, even though they're only 39.6 percent of the state's population.

"With my mom's death, I've got the challenge of her being a Latina. I've got the challenge of her being a front-line worker. I've got the challenge of her being a Texan," Tulip said. "I want the leadership in Texas and the federal government to know that my mom's life mattered and she did not deserve to die alone in a hospital."

Story continues

'My mom's life mattered'

During her last week, Papadimitriou spent hours on the phone talking to as many people as possible and sending packages to her daughter.

"My husband and I were always getting Amazon packages from my mom, and it would be the most random things," Tulip said. From white towels and floss to hand sanitizer and pink shoes for her 1-year-old daughter, Lua, she always found herself needing the seemingly random stuff her mother would send to her while sick in bed, Tulip said.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Papadimitriou was a bank teller when she decided to become a respiratory therapist three decades ago "because she wanted to help people." She went back to school to switch careers, all while Tulip and her brother were still young.

"She stuck with it for a very long time until she became very well regarded as a respiratory therapist," Tulip said.

IMAGE: Isabelle Papadimitriou and Fiana Tulip (Courtesy Fiana Tulip)

Papadimitriou's seeming ability to anticipate other people's needs didn't go unnoticed by those who knew her.

Tulip has met an array of people who say her mother helped them through various hardships. Papadimitriou helped a woman go through a separation after meeting her at a car dealership. She printed out her personal workout regimen to share with co-workers who couldn't afford trainers. She sent baby gifts to a new mother she had never met.

"Her patients adored her," said Tulip, referring to notes she has gotten from patients who kept in touch with her mother.

"I got a message from a woman in Hawaii, because my mom worked in Hawaii for about a year or two," Tulip said. The woman said she remembers her father "'telling me about a woman who sat by his bedside and who kept him company and talked to him.' I am pretty sure that was your mom."

'A COVID death is like no other'

It's been two months since Papadimitriou's death. The grief weighed so heavily on Tulip that she was unable to celebrate her 40th birthday in July and Lua's first birthday in August.

Papadimitriou had said she had plans to visit her only granddaughter, whom she had long prayed for, in New York to celebrate her first birthday.

"It's heartbreaking," Tulip said. "She could have seen her grow up to be a teenager. She could have seen her go to prom. She could have seen her get married and go to college. ... That is what gets me the most, that she can't see Lua grow into a young woman."

The grief has also pushed her to become more politically active.

"If I hadn't have lost my mom to COVID, my experience might've been calmer. But because it's COVID and because COVID has become political, my grief has just really turned into action and trying to get justice for my mom," she said.

In an obituary published in The Dallas Morning News, Papadimitriou's family said her "undeserving death is due to the carelessness of the politicians who continue to hedge their bets on the lives of healthcare workers through a lack of leadership."

The Urquiza family in Arizona also wrote an obituary in the Arizona Republic calling out "the carelessness of the politicians who continue to jeopardize the health of brown bodies through a clear lack of leadership" after their father died of COVID-19 around the same time.

Kristin Urquiza was compelled to start a social media campaign called Marked By Covid to amplify the stories of families that have gone through the pain of losing loved ones to COVID-19. Tulip recently joined the campaign.

"As a result of my work with Marked By Covid, I've had a number of people reach out to me" who were also unable to say goodbye or unable to freely gather to mourn, Tulip said. "When you lose someone to COVID, it's hard to relate with someone who has lost someone to something else."

"A COVID death is like no other," she said. Such deaths are particularly painful, she said, because they're preventable  and sudden.

Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Now Open

10 September 2020

Tequila's newest boutique hotel invites guests to experience Mexican hospitality along with the history and craftsmanship of the region's native spirit. Located within picturesque grounds adjacent to the La Guarrena distillery, home of tequila brand El Tequileno, Casa Salles immerses visitors in the culture of this historic town and the spirit of El Tequileno. Each floor has a window that looks out onto the distillery. You will smell agave cooking as you relax by the pool in the afternoon and sip it in cocktails underneath the hotel's 150-year-old-mango trees in the evening. Not only for tequila aficionados, Casa Salles provides an escape for culture-seekers, families, staycationers, and everyone in between.

The property takes its name from a family of tequila craftsmen, icons in the town where the spirit was born. Over 60 years ago, it was master distiller Don Jorge Salles Cuervo that you'd find at family celebrations on the grounds that now house the hotel. Today, his grandson, third generation Master Distiller, Jorge Antonio Salles, works the copper stills at the neighboring operation.

You'll get a taste of the history and authenticity of the region in Casa Salle's brand of hospitality, but the decor of the hotel is distinctively modern. The 25 guest rooms are sleek and well-appointed with Ashley beds and rainfall showers, while you'll find industrial design flourishes and exposed brickwork in the communal spaces. Overall, think contemporary luxury, with a Mexican twist.

Many of the rooms feature balconies with views of the signature mango trees that grow throughout the property. They provide the canopy in the hotel's courtyard - cooling shade for a quick drink with friends, or a picturesque backdrop for larger events and weddings. You can spend your day lounging poolside at an oasis that offers soothing waterfalls, chic chaises and a loveseat dangling from the sturdy branches of one of those near mythical trees. The Reposado Spa offers a tranquil sanctuary as well, with massages and facials available in luxurious surroundings.

Of course, no visit to this region is complete without a taste of the namesake spirit. You can delve into the liquid legacy of the Salles family by booking a private distillery tour and sample a variety of El Tequileno's expressions with a tasting at Mango Cocina de Origen, the property's restaurant and culinary heart.

Any tequila will pair nicely with the cuisine here. The menu showcases a celebration of regional Mexican fare with international twists. Executive Chef, Sergio Perez Dominguez has honed his craft in some of his native country's best kitchens (K'u'uk, Mundo Cuervo) and notable eateries in the U.S. (Chicago's Michelin-starred Mexique) and he's created a destination that is popular with locals and hotel guests alike. Find a seat in the 40 seat dining room or on the 24 seat patio and enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner amongst newfound friends. "Our door is open to everyone and everybody comes," says Executive Chef Sergio Perez Dominguez. "We aim for quality cuisine and attentive service, complemented by the relaxing surrounding. People come here for an unforgettable experience."

Once you're done touring La Guarrena and the other nearby distilleries, Casa Salles will work with you to coordinate a wide range of activities. Perhaps you'd like to ride a horseback ride through nearby agave fields or take a guided hike down into the tequila canyon to visit the Loz Azules waterfalls. These flow with the same spring water from El Volcan de Tequila which is used in El Tequileno's production process.

And of course, you can always explore the cobblestoned streets of the historic town itself. Casa Salles is within walking distance of Tequila's town square, so book a walking tour or just amble over. You'll find plenty of sights that showcase the magic of this World UNESCO heritage site, and surely you'll sample a few drinks along the way.

Any stay at Casa Salles will ensure you experience every side of this renowned region. "Tequila for me is not just a spirit, it's a culture," says Gina Quirarte Salles, Director of Experiences for Casa Salles. "Casa Salles immerses you into the culture of tequila - you can see it made, you can smell it, you can feel it. A visit here really makes you part of this historic story."

For more information, visit www.casasalles.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @CasaSallesHotel
Libya: Italy to support farming in the south CIHEAM Bari and Italian Cooperation in Fezzan

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 10 - An initiative is underway to support farming in southern Libya, financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and in collaboration with CIHEAM, the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, which confirmed to ANSAmed the news, recently relaunched by a Libyan media outlet.



The 32-month programme, called "Prosar", aims to support farming communities in the Fezzan region through 2023, with the Libyan Farm Ministry and Local Government Ministry as main partners.



The universities of Tripoli and Sebha will provide technical and scientific support on the Libyan side.



CIHEAM Bari will provide "technical and scientific expertise and will make human resources available in Italy", said a presentation document.



The goal of the programme is to "support agricultural production chains to generate employment and more efficient production, in particular increasing food security and sustainable agricultural production in three districts (Sebah, Murzuq, and Oubari)", the document said.



The deal was made on the request of the Libyan government of Tripoli, said the website Libya Herald, reporting the agreement.



In the images, some typical products from the area of the Prosar programme (CIHEAM Bari archive).(ANSAmed).




At difficult times, the Ukrainian people support, and will support the people of Belarus, Kuleba added.

Citizens of Belarus are allowed to cross into the territory of Ukraine out of humanitarian considerations, but the Ukrainian government will not allow any attempts by Belarus or Russia intelligence agencies to exploit the country's openness for provocations.

That's according to Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who spoke at a joint press conference in Madrid with Arancha Gonzalez Laya, Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation, on Thursday, September 10, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

In assessing the Belarus developments, Ukraine shares the position voiced by the European Union, Kuleba noted.

"Amid crisis in Belarus, Ukraine is trying to provide maximum support to the people of Belarus. That's why the citizens of Belarus [...] can freely enter the territory of Ukraine for humanitarian reasons. At the same time, we do not allow attempts [...] by the intelligence services of Belarus or Russia to exploit our openness to pursue with their provocations," the top diplomat stressed.

At difficult times, Kuleba stressed, the Ukrainian people support, and will support the people of Belarus.

Read alsoLukashenko accuses Ukraine of interfering in Belarus' internal affairsBorder issues: background

The statement comes amid earlier reports that the Belarusian security agency, which has retained its Soviet name KGB, abducted and then allegedly attempted to throw one of the Belarusian opposition leaders, Maria Kolesnikova, out of the country before she tore her passport at the border, thus thwarting the plot.

At the same time, two other opposition activists, Anton Rodnenkov and Ivan Kravtsov, were told, also by security services, to leave country. They arrived in Ukraine on September 8.

Kolesnikova later resurfaced at a Minsk detention center where she is being held on charges of destabilization threatening national security.
A photo contest has exposed some of the nation's messiest bedrooms - including clothes stored on the 'floordrobe', week's worth of old pizza boxes, and too much clutter.

BedSOS is scouring the UK to find the most offending rooms, with the competition closing on the 14th September, and the lucky winner receiving a brand new bed worth up to 400.

Danny Richmond, Managing Director of Bed SOS, said: 'We've seen a lot in our time, but even we were shocked by the state of some of the bedrooms in the entries so far.

'With all the extra time people have been spending at home recently, it does make sense that things will be a little more cluttered than usual, but some of these take the cake!'

Below, FEMAIL takes a look at some of the untidiest entries so far and if nothing else, at least they know they're in good company!

Louise Merrick from Hampshire's teenage son doesn't seem to mind the clutter - as long as he can play his video games

Complete with a messy bed and trip hazards all over the floor, Emily Parkin, from London, claims this is her 'friend's bedroom'... but we're not sure if we believe her

Leeds dad, Phil Newis, sent in this shot of his 10-year-old daughter's messy den

Thomas Hall's bedroom in Boston, Lincolnshire, could definitely do with a little TLC

Clearly a fan of pink, Becca Walton from Doncaster's little girl needs a bigger wardrobe

Another keen gamer, Michelle Baker from Birmingham's son could definitely do with a de-clutter

Doncaster local Sally-Ann Johnston has documented her son's pigsty from every angle

London girl Elaine Hamilton's daughter has a special place to keep her hair extensions, but could do with the same attitude for the rest of her bedroom

Heather Kinsman's bedroom in Stanstead Abbotts seems to have everything except the kitchen sink
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Researchers are developing a new cyber-security deception solution that uses artificial intelligence to lure hackers away and prevent breaches of network systems.

Cybercriminal activity costs the UK billions of pounds annually and according to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2020 almost half of businesses reported having cyber security breaches or attacks in the last 12 months.

The "Lupovis" solution under development by the team at the University of Strathclyde's Center for Intelligent and Dynamic Communications makes the hunter become the hunted.

Sophisticated narrative

Once an attacker has penetrated a network, the system entices them by creating a sophisticated narrative designed to make the hacker believe they are successfully accessing and progressing through the system.

Lupovis, an amalgamation for the Latin words for wolf (lupus) and sheep (ovis), also offers the attacker incentives and steers them in a certain path.

The team is in the process of creating a Strathclyde spin-out company to commercialize the system focusing on critical infrastructures, starting with the energy sector as an initial market as a way of protecting energy supplies.

Principal investigator and entrepreneur Dr. Xavier Bellekens from the University of Strathclyde, said: "A successful breach can cost a company millions of pounds in terms of loss revenue, can compromise trust and cause reputational damage. After a hack, it can take a company up to hundreds of days to get back to full operation. Our solution provides an offensive deception environment, which engages with the attacker from the minute the attacker moves within the network. Lupovis deploys decoys to engage with the attacker when a breach occurs. These decoys lure the attacker away from the assets, whether it be personal data or sensitive information, or hackers trying to shut down the system to damage business continuity. "

Artificial intelligence

The system uses Artificial Intelligence to create scenarios which lures the attacker into believing they are progressing towards assets, but which mirror the existing infrastructure. In reality, the cyber-criminal's breach into the network is being monitored by the company's Security Operations Center.

Dr. Bellekens added: "Hackers are highly sophisticated and skilled, and so for Lupovis to succeed we need to build a convincing narrative. The system engages and understands their next moves through the network and what their behavior patterns are, to divert them away from valuable assets and arrest the breach effectively. We respond to their behavior and skills level by using incentives and gamifying vulnerabilities. The gamification aspect is important as you need to keep offering incentives if you want them to move down a particular path. The longer we keep them engaged, the longer we are keeping them away from assets and are blocking the malicious actions that would stop the network functioning, maintaining business and operational continuity."

The team say the software actually keeps on learning and becomes more accurate as more data is collected by the system.

Professor Ivan Andonovic from Strathclyde, who will be a director of the spin-out company, said: "There are currently no similar solutions, as decoys are usually static, and once a decoy is exploited by a cyber-criminal, they can continue moving toward valuable assets in the network. Lupovis offers a dynamic system turning networks from a flock of sheep to a pack of predators."
Impeached President Donald Trump is on an early morning Twitter rampage. Between retweeting fat jokes about himself and copy-paste Russian disinformation about voter fraud, he said this.

"Kim Jong Un is in good health. Never underestimate him!"

So, that's where we are. There are 90 or more wildfires on the West Coast, 190,000 or more Americans have died of coronavirus, our economy is shredded, but our mass-murdering man in North Korea is in good health.

Got it, boss.
Travelholic apologized in an Aug. 29 statement for mistakenly uploading a porn video to the company's Instagram. Capture from Instagram



By Dong Sun-hwa



Jo Jun-ki, CEO of Travelholic  a travel marketing agency followed by more than 2 million people on social media  died Wednesday, about a week after an apparent suicide attempt.



According to police, Jo, 31, died at a hospital in Seoul. After leaving a message on Instagram hinting at committing suicide, he was found unconscious at his home in Yongsan-gu.






Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/09/2020 -- AMA Research added a comprehensive research document of 200+ pages on 'Bow Ties' market with detailed insights on growth factors and strategies. The study segments key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific with country level break-up and provide volume* and value related cross segmented information by each country. Some of the important players from a wide list of coverage used under bottom-up approach are Charvet (France), Valentino (Italy), Turnbull & Asser (United Kingdom), LVMH (France), Marwood (United Kingdom), Hackett London (United Kingdom), Brooks Brothers (United Kingdom), Loreal (France), Brackish (United States), Vineyard Vines (United States), The Tie Bar (United States).



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Bow tie is a necktie tied on the collar in the shape of the bow (which has two opposite end forms loops). Bow Tie is made from the fabric tied such as silk, polyester, cotton and others. It is worn especially by men on a formal occasion. The bow tie Market is expected to grow significantly owing to the rise in population and growing awareness for a bow tie in the emerging countries.



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Influencing Trends in Buzz: Know More

Growing Demand for Active Wear



Changing Consumer Preference



Growth Drivers in Limelight: Celebrity Endorsement of bow tie



Rising E-Commerce Sales



Major Roadblocks Worthy Attention: Availability of Counterfeited Products



Check Complete Table of Content @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/21687-global-bow-ties-market



Country level Break-up includes:

North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Nordic, Others)

Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, Australia, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Middle East & Africa, Others)



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Chapter 5-7: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region 2014-2019. Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Bow Ties market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile. Market Estimates by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various countries (2020-2025).



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'I express my sincere solidarity with the brotherly Sudanese government and people amid the heavy rains and flash floods that have ravaged their country, causing devastation and tragic loss of life,' El-Sisi tweeted

Egyptian Minister of Health Hala Zayed left Khartoum on Wednesday after a two-day visit during which she met her Sudanese counterpart Osama Abdel-Rahim.

The two ministers' talks touched upon the conditions in Sudan after rising floodwaters hit swaths of the country in recent days. The weeks of heavy flooding have left dozens of people dead and destroyed tens of thousands of homes.

Zayed reaffirmed Egypts readiness to support Sudan in such critical times, as the two ministers witnessed the delivery of a new aid shipment from Egypt on Wednesday.

On Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi expressed support to Sudan.

I express my sincere solidarity with the brotherly Sudanese government and people amid the heavy rains and flash floods that have ravaged their country, causing devastation and tragic loss of life, El-Sisi tweeted.

While the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday while Egypt expresses its sincere condolences to the victims of the floods that swept through brotherly Sudan, it affirms its readiness to coordinate with its brothers in Sudan necessary humanitarian relief efforts to face the repercussions of the floods.

Upon directives from El-Sisi, Egypt sent on Wednesday two additional military aircraft, part of Egypts ongoing aid airlift operation to Sudan, loaded with foodstuffs and medical supplies, the Egyptian health ministry said in a statement.

On Tuesday, three Egyptian military planes carrying 42 tonnes of food, medical supplies and medicine arrived in Khartoum. According to Egyptian Charge dAffaires to Sudan Nader Zaki, who was quoted by Sudanese news agency SUNA, this was the largest humanitarian shipment Egypt has sent since the beginning of the crisis in Sudan.

Egypt has sent Sudan over 80 tonnes of humanitarian aid so far, Zaki said on Tuesday, adding that this amount is less than half of the total amount scheduled to be sent.

During her two-day visit, Zayed was accompanied by an Egyptian medical team consisting of 20 doctors and nurses, who will be deployed in the four most affected areas in Khartoum State, the health ministrys statement said.

Sudan's Security and Defence Council declared a national state of emergency for three months on Saturday because of the floods, which have killed 99 people, and designated Sudan a natural disaster zone, Sudans state news agency SUNA said.

The levels of floods and rain this year have exceeded the records set in 1946 and 1988, with expectations of continued flooding, Al-Sheikh added.

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ACI's Airport Health Accreditation programme supports airports assessing the new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with ICAO Council Aviation Restart Task Force (CART) recommendations and in alignment with the joint EASA and ECDC Aviation Health Safety Protocol.

The AHA program recognizes airports' commitment to the safety of passengers, airport employees, and the general public. All passenger areas and processes are considered including terminal access, check-in areas, security screening, boarding gates, lounges, retail, food and beverages, gate equipment such as boarding bridges, escalators and elevators, border control areas and facilities (in collaboration with authorities), baggage claim area and arrivals exit.

"Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico reaffirms its commitment to the health and safety of passengers and employees by accrediting the 14 airports of the group (12 in Mexico and 2 in Jamaica) in the ACI Accreditation of Sanitary Measures (AHA) program. GAP becomes the first Airport Group in the world to demonstrate that all its airports have successfully implemented their health measures in accordance with the recommendations of the ICAO CART and aligned with the best practices of the industry", said Rafael Echevarne, Director General of ACI-LAC.

"Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico's priority is to give its passengers a safe and pleasant travel experience. As proof of this is the present accreditation, which keeps us in the leadership of health security at an international level, applying the best protocols and measures in all our airports", added Raul Revuelta, CEO of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico.

About ACI

Airports Council International (ACI) is the international airport organization, with 1,960 airports in 176 countries. The Latin American and Caribbean office (ACI-LAC) has 270 airports in 34 countries that manage 95% of air traffic in the region.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. of C.V. (GAP) is a Mexican company that develops its activity in the airport sector. GAP operates 12 international airports in Mexico and two in Jamaica, serving more than 300 destinations, through 35 airlines. Its shares are listed on the stock exchanges of Mexico and New York.

In 2019, GAP served 48.7 million passengers, 8.4% more than in 2018.

The airports managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico are located at:

Guadalajara and Tijuana , serving the main metropolitan areas.

and , serving the main metropolitan areas. Mexicali , Hermosillo , Los Mochis , Aguascalientes , Guanajuato and Morelia , serving medium-sized developing cities.

, , , , and , serving medium-sized developing cities. La Paz , Los Cabos , Puerto Vallarta , Manzanillo and Montego Bay , serving some of the most important tourist destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean .

, , , and , serving some of the most important tourist destinations in and the . On October 10, 2018 , GAP signed the concession contract with the government of Jamaica in order to operate, modernize and expand the Norman Manley International Airport ("KIN") located in the city of Kingston .

The airports managed by GAP in Mexico are owned by the Mexican government and have been allocated in a 50-year concession starting in 1998, as part of a domestic initiative to privatize and improve the quality and security of the country's airport services.

In Jamaica, the government owns the Montego Bay Airport and the concession granted for its operation is for a 30-year period, which will conclude on April 2033. The Kingston Airport was granted for a 25-year concession. GAP took control of the operation and administration this past October 2019.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico believes in the value of each individual and seeks to trigger his or her potential through education. Better-educated Mexicans will raise their quality of life and contribute towards the country's development. GAP, in line with its business model and through its Foundation, is committed to be a factor of change. We work on two strategic pillars: work with the community, through the GAP Schools, and on training the airport community, with Community Training Centers.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252162/Prevenci_n_AIG_4.jpg

SOURCE Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico
Public Safety Union Opposition

(TNS)  The Sacramento, Calif., City Council appears to be moving forward with a plan to redirect money from the city budget toward a new participatory budget fund.However, it appears unlikely the council will reduce its public safety budgets to support the new fund, despite recommendations from a citizen committee and requests by some activists. The citys two largest public safety unions sent a letter to the council on Tuesday opposing reductions to their budgets.The citys Measure U Community Advisory Committee recommended the council remove $15 million from the city budget to put into a new fund to allow the public to decide how to spend it. The committee suggested the money come from the police and fire budgets, or from money set to fund capital improvement projects and pay down debt.The idea, called participatory budgeting, is used by dozens of cities to get input from underserved communities who do not typically come to council meetings or seek out existing options for providing public input, said committee member Debra Oto-Kent. Mayor Darrell Steinberg expressed strong support for the idea, but is seeking to start with $5 million, not $15 million.Instead of the police and fire budgets, Steinberg proposed the city get the $5 million by not filling some vacant positions. The temporarily unfilled vacancies would not be sworn police and fire positions, but could be non-sworn positions in the police and fire departments, he said. The council will consider that idea at a future meeting.The community is crying out for more of a voice, Steinberg said. This has the potential to create more trust and even a bond between elected officials, overall city government and all of the people.Flojaune Cofer, chairwoman of the Measure U Committee, which provides advice on how to spend revenue from a sales tax increase, said she was pleased the council took a step forward. However, she is urging them to set aside the full $15 million by reducing funds from the police and fire budgets. The committee singled out those departments because they receive large shares of the citys general fund budget and have also received Measure U funds, Cofer said.The committee is tasked with helping the council decide how to spend the estimated $50 million per year in tax revenue from the Measure U sales tax increase voters approved in 2018. Throughout 2018, Steinberg said the Measure U money would be largely used to uplift under served communities, but when the pandemic hit, the city quickly diverted it to fund core city services instead, without getting formal committee input.The police departments current budget is an all-time-high $157 million  up from $131.6 million in fiscal year 2017-18.To make up for the Measure U redirect, Steinberg said the city spent most of its $89 in federal coronavirus stimulus funds toward helping under resourced communities. Cofer has said the city needs to also give back some of the Measure U funds that were used for core city services.There is still a disconnect between what people have asked for, which is more investment in their communities, Cofer said after the meeting, pointing out that $5 million is far less than $50 million.The council might not end up approving the $5 million, however. Council members Jeff Harris and Larry Carr said they need to know more about participatory budgeting before they would approve it.This whole discussion about participatory budgeting presupposes the council is not getting it right, Harris said. To craft a city budget that meets our constituents needs, thats basically our job description.Cofer said that the city should not listen to all residents complaints equally, but listen to the voices of people more in the communities that are hurting the most.The status quo isnt gonna cut it, Cofer said. We have to do something different if were going to be addressing the needs of people who have been left out.Participatory budgeting will also become part of the city charter if voters approve a strong mayor initiative Nov. 3. The committee wants it to be part of the charter even if voters reject strong mayor.About five hours before the meeting, the Sacramento Police Officers Association and the Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522 issued a joint statement strongly opposing the idea to remove funding from either department.As you know, the City Councils goal is to ensure that the overall needs of every community member is met, not just the demands of a small, but very vocal group of people making demands that could set back the progress our city has made, the statement said.More than 300 people earlier this year submitted written comments to the Measure U committee saying they wanted either less city money or no city money going to the police, Cofer said previously.The union statement also said previous budget cuts following the Great Recession resulted in violent crime investigations to stop, response times to increase, public counters to close and response to burglaries and traffic collisions to be cut back.The statement also claimed that defunding the police would decrease diversity on the force because the most diverse officers are the newest officersThe defund movement has been causing cities to reduce police funding this summer in the wake of police brutality protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. That city is disbanding and recreating its police department. In July, the Los Angeles City Council removed about $150 million from its police department budget.Sacramento has not yet removed any police funding, though a plan to overhaul the 911 response system will shift money from the police over two years, Steinberg has said.Law enforcement unions have given roughly $305,000 to City Council members, candidates and ballot measures over the last decade; that includes nearly $265,000 from the city police union, according to campaign finance records.
The United Jewish Community of Ukraine condemned the incident at the grave of Rabbi Nachman in Uman, JewishNews reports.

UNIAN cites the text of the UJCU statement:

"Jewish wisdom says that it is necessary to observe the laws of the country in which the Jew is. Given the current situation, when the pilgrimage is significantly limited, those who were able to get to Uman should all the more behave appropriately."

Read alsoJews of Ukraine received 17,000 desk calendars from UJCU on Rosh Hashanah (photo)In addition, UJCU turned to the Rabbi Nachman Foundation, which officially represents the interests of the Breslov Hasidim in Ukraine:

"UJCU condemns this behavior and publicly appeals to the Rabbi Nachman Foundation, which officially represents the interests of the Breslov Hasidim in Ukraine, with a request to provide information on what measures were taken in relation to the Hasidic pilgrims who were involved in the incident."

The United Jewish Community of Ukraine also called for punishment of young pilgrims so that the situation would serve as a lesson for them:

"We ask you to do everything possible so that they are punished and not allowed to the complex of Rabbi Nachman, in order to show the others the inadmissibility of such behavior and the seriousness of the consequences of such behavior.

Previously, the young Breslov Hasidim made a disorder and tried to break the fences installed in order to comply with anti-epidemic measures.
Donald Trump and his administration are now planning to issue more additional executive actions to reinforce more benefits and relief aids to millions of Americans.

Pres. Donald Trump and his administration are now planning to issue executive actions to circumvent Congress on pandemic aid measures, according to a published report in the Washington Post. This is a day after the Senate went back to discuss the new stimulus bill.

Even though, the new relief aid Republican Senator Mitch McConnell introduced on Tuesday is more likely to pass but Congress seems quite hesitant to adopt the bill. The Democratic-dominated Congress is pushing for more stimulus package.

Meanwhile, Pres. Trump and his administration plans to issue more executive actions on unemployment benefits and bail out struggling industries like the airlines and other businesses to make sure that the country's economy is working amid the global pandemic.

Pres. Trump already urged Congress to release the $300 billion unspent budget under the CARES Act and use it to send $1,200 stimulus checks to over 160 million Americans. Moreover, the unspent budget is more than enough to millions of Americans who first received the stimulus check.

Other measures that Trump's administration is looking into are the payroll taxes and additional funds for school vouchers. This is to make sure that millions of Americans will receive the help that they need amid the pandemic before the government operations shut down and the partisan issue in the stimulus package.

Stephen Moore, an outside economic adviser to the White House, said , "They're trying to figure out what they can do legally, what authorities they have, and there are differences of opinion on that. Trump would like to do another flurry of executive orders that would jump-start the economy."

Pres. Trump also knew the limitations of his executive power. It is the reason why he is seeking approval from Congress. It can also be remembered that when Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin testified before a Congress subcommittee panel he said that the President does not have the power to send the Federal Budget but Congress does.

Additionally, Pres Trump also said last Friday during a press conference that he would rather seek Congressional authorization to use the money. Trump does not want to bypass Congress but will assure that there will be second stimulus checks.

It can be remembered that Pres. Trump issued four executive orders after his request to Congress to act on the second round of the stimulus package failed. These executive orders include the extension of unemployment benefits using the unspent fund of FEMA, freezing of student loans, delaying the collection of payroll taxes, and house eviction moratorium.

Meanwhile, Senate is expected to cast their votes on the new "targeted bill", as Sen. McConnell described, on Thursday. On the other hand, Congress will discuss the bill on Monday. There is a big chance that many of those who are seeking reelection are more likely to vote for the new coronavirus relief aid.

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SIERRA VISTA, Ariz.  An Arizona grand jury has indicted a Sierra Vista caregiver and her father for alleged financial exploitation of an elderly victim, authorities announced Wednesday.

State prosecutors said Heather Buhr and Isaac Butts are accused of stealing more than $53,000 from the 83-year-old victim between February and March of 2018.

They said Butts and his daughter are facing one count each of theft/financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

It was unclear Wednesday if either Buhr or Butts has a lawyer yet who can speak on their behalf.

Authorities said the victim hired a company to provide a caregiver to assist with daily living services.

Buhr was a caregiver working for the company and began providing living assistance to the victim in December 2017.

While working for the victim, Buhr allegedly introduced her father to the victim.

The case is being prosecuted through the state Attorney Generals southern Arizona office in Tucson.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Though originally planned for ArtPrize, a special exhibit led by Degage Ministries is on display in Grand Rapids.

Over the past three weeks, Degage has collected thousands of decorated and handmade pillowcases for the exhibit. The Pillowcase Project, which opened Thursday, will be on display in Ah-Nab-Awen Park through Oct. 1

The Pillowcase Project is in honor of the 4,700 women who have accessed Degage Ministries Open Door Womens Center since 2003. The pillowcases include decorated linen as well as homemade donations from community organizations and partners as well as individual donors.

The exhibit was intended to be part of ArtPrize, but the international art competition held in the fall in Grand Rapids was canceled for 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Degage did a project asking community volunteers, church groups, youth groups, to decorate (pillowcases) ... to visibly show people the magnitude of the problem here in Grand Rapids and what were doing to help combat it," said Mary Swanson, a volunteer with Degage.

Several community partners provided donations for the exhibit over the past few weeks. Partners include the YWCA, YMCA, Eagle Village and Byron Center Manor and more, according to Kristen Aidif, Degage volunteer.

This a very generous community," said Swanson. "Even in this pandemic, we can still see volunteers and donations coming forward.

As the pillowcases will be exposed to the elements while they are on display through the fall, Aidif says Degage will determine if, once washed, they will be viable for future use by patrons of the womens center. Otherwise, the pillowcases will be used for smaller, future exhibits to raise awareness for the issue of homelessness.

Degage held several events this week in advance of the exhibition opening, including an opportunity for the community to participate in pillowcase decorating.

Blank pillowcases, art supplies and gloves were available Wednesday and Thursday at the park, at 220 Front Ave. NW. Volunteers assisted with the installation of the pillowcases this week.

I think anybody that comes down to see the Open Door Pillowcase Project ... is really going to be able to find something that appeals to them," Aidif said.

In celebration of the exhibit opening on Thursday, vocal and saxophone performances were scheduled for Thursday evening.

There will also be an audiovisual portion of the exhibit. A QR code will allow visitors to listen and view clips featuring patrons of the womens center.

Theres a lot of great messages of hope on here which I think right now is something that we need during COVID-19, said Aidif.

Visitors are asked to practice social distancing and wear face coverings when in larger groups.

The community can continue to decorate and donate a pillowcase through Oct. 1 at the park. Fencing panels and pins to display the pillowcases are available throughout the exhibition.

I think youre really going to walk away with an appreciation of how the community can come together to make it happen, said Aidif.

Degage expects a surge in the need for emergency shelter and other services for West Michigan women due to issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. They hope the exhibition will bring light to the issues surrounding homelessness.

More on MLive:

MHSAA: 4 different types of face coverings allowable for football players, for now

Michigans weekend weather has 24 hours enjoyable weather, 12 hours wet weather

Western Michigan suspends all athletic activities amid positive COVID-19 tests
After his discharge from the Army, Al & Ruby returned to Billings and purchased stock in the New Method Shoe Store. Eventually the name was changed to Al's Bootery, and the business expanded to include a Red Wing Shoe Store and Al's Bootery West. After 38 years in business, they retired in 1983 and believed every day thereafter was a bonus.

Al was a mechanical genius, especially on antique Fords, and he was always willing to lend a hand to fellow car enthusiasts. He had served as president and was an honorary lifetime member of several car clubs including the Goggles & Dusters, Early Ford V8, Roaring 20's, and Montana Pioneer & Classic Auto Club and was co-founder of the Billings All Original Car Show. Additionally, Al was a lifetime member of the Elks Club and Billings Rod & Gun Club having served on the gun club's board of directors for decades. He was instrumental in the U.S. Supreme Court lawsuit that opened the Big Horn River access for public fishing.

Our dad was respected for his honesty, integrity and independent spirit, always doing things his way! He was a loyal friend, a family man, and a hard worker. He was most happy fishing, hunting, driving his old Fords,' and traveling with his beloved Ruby.
Harare City Council town clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango was yesterday arrested in Gweru over a series of alleged land scams unearthed in the capital.





Eng Chisango was arrested while attending a town clerks forum and is reportedly detained at Gweru Central Police Station.





The Eng attended the morning session of the forum being held at a local hotel before disappearing.





Later it was learnt that he had been picked up by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit and was taken to Gweru Central Police Station.





Special Anti-Corruption Unit head Mr Thabani Mpofu said details of the arrest would be availed at a later date.





Yes, I can confirm that I have received a report concerning the arrest of the Harare town clerk.





He was picked up while in Gweru and is detained there. His arrest is in connection to cases of land scams, he said.





He said the Special Anti-Corruption Unit is also on its way to attend to allegations of land scams at Gweru City Council.

Although he didnt state when, he just said: We are coming to Gweru and we are going to arrest a lot of people.





Sources close to Eng Chisangos arrested are alleging that he converted an open space into 13 residential stands in Kuwadzana 3.





Eng Chisango in November 2019 signed 13 offer letters for the stands which he sold and pocketed the money. The layout plan TPF/WR/85/17 was not in the approved plans register, said the source.





There was also no authority granted from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works for change of use from open space to residential, therefore the plan is null and void.





The source added that Eng Chisango also non-procedurally facilitated the allocation of two residential stands to his wife and a suspected girlfriend in the affluent suburbs of Harare without following due processes.





Our publication is in possession of one of the offer letters issued for a Bluffhill residential stand on March 27, 2020 to Kadiyo Melissa ID number 63-1420328-I-68.





Kadiyo was ordered to pay $150 000 being a provisional deposit for land at Malbereign District Office within seven days from the date of collection of the offer letter.





Part of the offer letter reads: Please be advised that you have been selected for the offer letter of stand number 3316 depicted on layout plan number TPF/WR/02.20 in Bluffhill Township, Harare.





Former Harare mayor Herbert Gomba, housing director Addmore Nhekairo, Human Resources Manager Matthew Marara and seven councillors that sit in the Housing Committee and several other council junior employees have been arrested and are facing allegation of prejudicing the local authority of millions of United States dollars in illegal land sells.





In Gweru, there are also fresh land scams involving members of the management who have been allegedly allocating themselves more than two stands against the council policy of one stand per employee as a service package.





Councillor Albert Chirau of Ward 2 allegedly allocated two stands to his 13-day-old and a 4-year-old children in Senga Infill.





Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe also said heads are going to roll at Gweru City Council.




Chief Minister



on Thursday spoke to his counterpart Uddhav Thackeray about the supply of oxygen, which he said has been halted from the western state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to reporters here, Chouhan said shortage of oxygen cylinders was a cause for concern and Thackeray has assured him of maintaining the supply to the state.

"The shortage of oxygen was worrying me a lot. I spoke to Uddhav Thackeray and requested him not to stop the supply at this difficult time," the chief minister said.

Chouhan said his counterpart had said that he too was facing difficulties due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in his state, but has assured of working towards maintaining the supply.

"We have also made alternate arrangements. Earlier, had oxygen production installed capacity of 50 tonnes, which has now been increased to 120 tonnes. We will take it to 150 tonnes by September 30," Chouhan added.

A company called INOX used to supply oxygen from its Nagpur-based plant in Maharashtra, Chouhan said, adding that the firm would now continue the supply from its plants in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

The state government has also asked small oxygen plants in to increase their production from the present 50 to 60 per cent, the chief minister said.

Short-term arrangements have been made to ensure that COVID-19 patients are not affected, he said.

"As part of our long-term planning, we have given a green light to INOX to set up an oxygen plant with an installed capacity of 200 tonnes in Mohasa near Babai in Hoshangabad in the next six months," he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A traditional sarva dharma puja was performed at the Indian Air Forces (IAF) Ambala air base on Thursday ahead of the induction ceremony of the Rafale fighter jets into the force.

#WATCH Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly, witness the traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja' at the Rafale induction ceremony, at Ambala airbase pic.twitter.com/0z74ECflJd  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat were among those who attended the induction ceremony. The French minister was, in fact, the chief guest at the event.

The five Rafale fighter jets arrived in India on July 29, and will be a part of the 17 Squadron, also called the Golden Arrows, which is based at the Ambala air base. Their induction into the IAF assumes significance as it comes in the backdrop of the ongoing military standoff with China across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

31 more Rafale fighters will arrive in India as part of a deal signed between India and France in September 2016. The deal, worth over 60,000 crore, is the biggest-ever defence deal signed by India.
C hina has demanded that Twitter investigate after the official account of its ambassador to the UK 'liked' a pornographic post.

The UK embassy said Liu Xiaoming's account had been "viciously attacked" and reserved the right to take further action after the account 'liked' a pornographic video and several tweets criticising the Chinese government.

The 'likes' remained active for around an hour before they were 'unliked', after which a spokesman for the UK embassy released a statement condemning the "hack".

The spokesman said: "Recently some anti-China elements viciously attacked ambassador Liu Xiaomings Twitter account and employed despicable methods to deceive the public.

The Chinese embassy (Matt Writtle)

"The Chinese embassy strongly condemns such abominable behaviour.

The embassy has reported this to Twitter company and urged the latter to make thorough investigations and handle this matter seriously.

"The embassy reserves the right to take further actions and hope that the public will not believe or spread such rumour.

Liu reposted the tweet, adding: A good anvil does not fear the hammer.

Twitter is banned in China but many of the country's diplomats abroad use have accounts. Liu's account, which has more than 85,000 followers, usually shares content that is favourable to China.

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Twitter has been contacted for comment.
File image: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

With the festival season kicking in next month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged people to take precautions against COVID-19 infection.

"Many festivals are approaching in the coming months. While the COVID-19 pandemic is under control in Delhi, it is important to have preventive measures in place to contain the spread of COVID-19 at religious places of worship," he said.

The Navratri festival that involves temple visits and fasts for nine days will begin from October 17. It will culminate with Vijaya Dashmi or Dussehra on October 25.

The festival of Diwali will be celebrated in the month of November.

"I would like to appeal to the general public as well as the organisations managing religious places to adhere to all the preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the religious places during the upcoming festival season," the chief minister said in his appeal.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Delhi has witnessed a spurt in number of COVID-19 cases in the last few days with daily testing of virus doubled from 15000-20,000 to now over 40,000 by the city government.

Delhi government''s health bulletin on Wednesday recorded 4,039 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, as the tally breached the 2 lakh mark.

Also, the highest ever number of tests at 54,517 were conducted on the day.

Kejriwal said that it is important that everyone visiting religious places follows preventive measures like maintaining a minimum distance of six feet, using face masks and washing hands frequently with soap or alcohol-based hand sanitisers.

"Visitors and workers at all religious places must observe respiratory safety etiquette to reduce the risk of COVID-19 at all times. All religious places will also be required to comply with the preventive measures inside their premises," he said.

The religious places in the city were closed with the announcement of lockdown as the coronavirus cases spread in March.

Under the unlockdown process, the religious places opened in August and various festivals like Janmashtami, Eid and Bakrid were celebrated with temples and mosques putting in places various preventive measures.
The Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) on Wednesday joined the call by Trades Union Congress-Ghana for Government to immediately convene a stakeholder meeting to discuss and resolve issues involving the Three-Tier Pension Scheme without delay.



The Union claimed the paramount aim of instituting the Three-Tier Pension Scheme under Act 766 had not been realized and asked Government to address the concerns in time.



Mr Reynolds O. Tenkorang, the General Secretary of the Union, speaking at a media briefing to commemorate this years HSWU Week celebration, noted that retirees had been made worse of under the Three-Tier Pension Scheme.



He said reports received from some members who had retired showed that the lump-sum benefit received from the Tier Two Pension arrangements in comparison with the Social Security Law, 1991, (PNDCL 247 of 1991), was low.



Mr Tenkorang, on behalf of the leadership of the Union, commended all health workers in Ghana for their sacrifices and hard work, promoting healthcare delivery in the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.



In commemoration of the 2020 Unions week celebration, the Health Services Workers Union of TUC (Ghana) salutes all its past leaders, existing and past members, and other health workers as they risk their lives to save others who have contracted the virus.



We also want to express our deepest condolences to the bereaved families of our fallen heroes who lost their lives in fighting this pandemic. May their departed souls rest in perfect peace, he added and urged the Government to make good its promise to settle families who lost their loved ones and those who were infected while performing their legitimate duties.



The General Secretary noted that 2020 had been a difficult one with COVID-19 casting and commended the Government for efforts curtailing the spread of the COVID-19, since Ghana recorded its first case in March.



Mr Tenkorang said admittedly, the drop in the COVID-19 infection rate was a sign that measures adopted were working but cautioned the Government and the public not to be complacent.



Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union would like to encourage the government to invest massively in the Public Health System of Ghana in line with the Abuja declaration where African Union countries met and pledged to set a target of allocating at least 15 percent of annual budget to improve the health sector, he said.

Source: GNA









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Foreign minister S Jaishankar met Russias foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday and discussed strategic ties focusing on special and privileged strategic partnership between both the nations.

Both foreign ministers also spoke about the current international situation.

Following the meeting, the union minister for foreign affairs tweeted, Pleasure to meet FM Sergey Lavrov, this time in person. Excellent talks that reflect our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Value our exchanges on the international situation.

Pleasure to meet FM Sergey Lavrov, this time in person. Excellent talks that reflect our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Value our exchanges on the international situation. pic.twitter.com/e9ztsiuy8l  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 9, 2020

Russian foreign minister Lavrov said that Russia highly appreciates the discussions and looks forward to further developing strategic bilateral ties across all areas including BRICS and UN.

The Russian Embassy in India said in a statement, We highly appreciate an opportunity to discuss the development of Flag of RussiaFlag of India strategic partnership in all areas: bilateral relations, cooperation within the frameworks of #SCO, #BRICS, #UN.

 Russian foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the meeting with EAM @DrSJaishankar: "We highly appreciate an opportunity to discuss the development of  strategic partnership in all areas: bilateral relations, cooperation within the frameworks of #SCO, #BRICS, #UN pic.twitter.com/vGsxEEjj1M  Russia in India (@RusEmbIndia) September 9, 2020

Jaishankar had earlier met the foreign ministers from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. He called his meeting with his Kyrgiz counterpart C Aidarbekov fruitful and then later on went to meet Tajikistan foreign minister S Muhriddin.

Jaishankar is on a four-day visit to Russia to attend the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Routine clean up, fogging and sanitisation activity in the Bihars capital came to a grinding halt after almost all the staff of Patna municipal corporation (PMC) went on an indefinite strike on Thursday in the midst of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak and prolonged water logging.

Around 8,500 staff of PMC, including daily wagers and outsourced workers, joined the strike on the call of Patna Nagar Nigam Sanyukt Karmchari Samiti (MNNSKS) in protest against the state governments alleged reluctance in fulfilling commitments.

MNNSK chairman Chandra Prakash Singh claimed that the PMC had agreed in February to regularise services of qualified daily workers, increase remuneration and salaries and ensure withdrawal of urban development departments (UDD) order to replace daily wagers with outsourced staff after a weeklong strike, when heaps of garbage were seen strewn on the streets in various localities for days.

However, none of the commitments were fulfilled, said Singh, adding that an 18-point charter of demands had been submitted to the PMC commissioner.

PMC commissioner Himanshu Sharma said a dialogue was being held with the agitating employees and their leaders to resolve the issues at the earliest. I appeal to all the workers to join work in a critical phase caused by Covid and monsoon. All their reasonable demands will be considered seriously, said the commissioner.

The employees leaders, on the other hand, alleged that they had signed an agreement with the PMC commissioner in presence of UDD secretary Anand Kishore over their longstanding demands on February 8.

Also Read: Before big battle for Bihar, a JD-U vs RJD face-off in Delhi next week

Payments of salary to outsourced and regular staff are held up for the past four months. Moreover, there is a glaring disparity in the payment of outsourced staff vis-a-vis committed perks by their respective agencies, alleged Singh.

The indefinite strike is set to have its toll on cleanliness of the city, ranked among the dirtiest cities of the country during the latest Swachhata Sarvekshan, at a time when sanitation and sanitisation are needed to help contain Covid spread. The efforts to pump out stagnant rainwater from various localities and roads have also been suspended along with door to door collection of municipal waste.

Also Read: PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate 30 projects worth Rs 4366 cr in Bihar beginning today

Amit Prakash, a native of Postal Park locality, feared an outbreak of waterborne disease in the area after the PMC discontinued spraying of disinfectants and bleaching powder to contain growth of mosquitoes. Stench emanating from the stagnant rainwater has further forced us to stay indoors, said Prakash.
ALPHARETTA, Ga., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Archima Solutions has launched a new and improved Salesforce-based website that digitally connects users to their customers via tailor-made experiences.

ArchimaSolutions.com demonstrates a renewed focus on technology  one size never fits all. It breaks down services that make for enhanced customer-employee communication as well as maximized productivity and profitability. As a platform for collaboration, this website segues into best-fitting solutions for each and every client  reflecting each business's culture and processes to boost customer retention as well as streamline the upsell and cross-sell advantages.

Each page of the website gives Salesforce professionals the insight into managing every component of their business. Examples of management agility are weaved throughout the tabs. Examples include incorporating specific elements of innovative technology to become an industry leader and pave the way for future organizational needs.

One of Archima's newest tools  prominently displayed on the website  is ArchiMeta Studio. As the only definitive 360-degree view of Salesforce object schema on the market, it is the pinnacle of Archima's ability to customize services for every client.

"We are here to show our clients and their customers that there is no level of engagement that technology cannot reach," said Managing Director Chris Thompson. "Archima identifies a business and builds the platforms that help it grow. It all starts on our website  the hub of our cost-saving, brand-building, process-focused strategies."

For more information, visit ArchimaSolutions.com or call (201) 431-7552.

About Archima Solutions

Founded in 2017, Archima Solutions is a Salesforce professional services firm of highly productive subject matter experts, technologists and specialists. Teams pride themselves on successful Salesforce implementations, managed and strategic staffing services  all tailored solutions for optimizing customer-related initiatives. This ranges from a user-friendly approach to the ability to reach business targets in a quicker way. Archima is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia. Call (201) 431-7552. Online at ArchimaSolutions.com.

CONTACT: Kaitlin Sherman, Spiro & Associates

(239) 481-5511, Ext. 225

[email protected]

SOURCE Archima Solutions

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A pair of collaborative milestones have been reached between Duke Energy and third-party solar developers as well as industry organizations to create a pathway for more solar energy in the Carolinas.

"These agreements continue to advance renewable energy in the Carolinas," said Stephen De May, Duke Energy's North Carolina president. "Collaborative engagement was key to taking this important step forward."

First, Duke Energy and most of the major solar industry developers in North Carolina and South Carolina have agreed to a defined process and timeline by which a substantial additional amount of solar generation will be interconnected to the Duke Energy distribution system.

Solar projects totaling several hundred megawatts (MW) will be targeted for completion in 2021 and 2022 (in addition to those projects already in process). The parties also agreed to resolve several long-standing formal and informal interconnection disputes.

The parties have filed notice of the settlement with the N.C. Utilities Commission (NCUC) and the Public Service Commission of S.C. (SCPSC) requesting regulatory approval of certain limited waivers necessary to implement the agreement.

"We're very pleased to have reached this agreement with Duke Energy," said Steve Levitas, senior vice president for Strategic Initiatives at Pine Gate Renewables, a fully integrated utility-scale solar developer based in Asheville, N.C. "It took a lot of hard work, creativity and good faith by both sides. We look forward to continuing to work with Duke to meet the need for clean energy resources in the Carolinas."

In the second major milestone, Duke Energy has reached a resolution with the North Carolina Clean Energy Business Alliance and the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association to implement a fundamental change to the interconnection process.

This change  commonly referred to as "queue reform"  transitions the interconnection process from analyzing each request one by one to a more efficient process of studying interconnection requests in clusters.

The cluster study method has been adopted by several states and system operators around the nation and provides a more predictable path to interconnection  studying only those projects that are committed to becoming operational within a certain period.

This new study process will eliminate the backlog that was created when "ready" projects were delayed while the utility studied sometimes speculative projects that were in a higher spot in the utility interconnection queue. The result was a slower process for all.

Queue reform has been under development in the Carolinas for more than a year and is the product of a broad stakeholder process that resulted in the consensus approach.

Implementation of queue reform will require approval by the NCUC, SCPSC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Also included in the filing was a proposal to provide more certainty regarding future interconnection costs for third parties.

The Carolinas region is one of the fastest-growing solar power areas of the country. North Carolina is No. 2 in the nation for overall solar power.

Overall, Duke Energy has more than 3,500 MW of solar capacity connected to its energy grid in the Carolinas  roughly the amount to serve more than 600,000 customers.

The company has connected more than 500 solar facilities operated by other companies in the Carolinas.

The settlement only involves utility-scale solar facilities and not residential solar owners. Duke Energy has more than 25,000 rooftop solar customers in the Carolinas and continues to see healthy and steady growth in that sector along with a quick and efficient interconnection process.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states  North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states  North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2020 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Randy Wheeless

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

Twitter: @DE_RandyW

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

www.duke-energy.com


By Michael J. Brenner

September 08, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Americas Common Man exists no more  gone and forgotten. Once he was lauded as the salt of the earth.

He was the U.S.s embodiment of what made us Americans special, attested to what made the great democratic experiment successful and the most potent symbol of what made of the United States the magnetic pole for the worlds masses.

A stunning disappearance act

While politicians paid their rhetorical respects, Aaron Copeland composed a Fanfare to the Common Man suite. It was an honorable term, an affective shorthand for the Working Man, the Artisan and the Shopkeeper, the clerk.

To add insult to the injury, they are politically marginalized by a party system that serves up a restricted menu of options which effectively disenfranchises 25% or so of voters.

The Common Man has lost the attention of the countrys elites. Today, to call a person common is an insult, just as we have degraded the term working class.

Natural selection

The connotations are heavily pejorative  they are deemed failures and losers. They may have had the American Dream within reach, but lacked the will and the spirit to grab it. Its their own fault, following a process of natural selection.

This Victorian ethic grounded in Social Darwinism has now been restored as part of the national creed. Fitted out in the post-modern fancy dress of market fundamentalist economics, this beggar-thy-neighbor ideology dominates our public discourse.

All this is no accident. Powerful interests have orchestrated a relentless campaign for more than forty years to reconfigure American life in accord with their reactionary aims and principles.

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Heartless America

The distressing truth of our times is that the Common Man has been abandoned by those elites  in politics, in government, in journalism, in professional associations, in academia.

Those elites care little, are preoccupied with their own careers and pastimes, possess only a feeble sense of social obligation, and are smugly complacent. Money is the common denominator in all of this.

But why? Simple, avarice and moral courage are not compatible human traits. The plutocratic structures that control our public affairs offer no relief to the vanishing common man.

Pervasive status anxiety

This is due to a crude political-economic calculus. At the heart of American carelessness is pervasive status anxiety. In a supposedly grand nation that is equipped only with a scant safety net, all layers of society struggle with status deprivation or status insecurity.

It always has been a hallmark of the United States that inherited class position has never been wholly secure and easily uprooted by the winds of a constant social shuffling.

That is a key reason why Americans have always been so consumed by an endless, open ended status competition. That generates anxiety since there is never enough positive status to go around.

Moreover, status is a finite commodity, as most are destined to find out to their surprise and frustration. The constant deepening of our narcissistic culture has not helped. It has only uprooted us even more.

We are now a society where growing numbers recognize no external communal standard to measure and appraise their conduct  or worth.

Godfather ethics

With all that heartlessness, Americas collective superego has shriveled. The new categorical imperative is to think of oneself alone whenever and wherever possible. To give priority to any other claim is taken as unnatural.

The Godfathers self-serving plaint that I did it for my family is widely adopted as the elites all-purpose excuse American credo.

The idea to let humanity be the ultimate measure of all that we do, once viewed as enlightened social humanism during the second half of the twentieth century, is viewed as some self-destructive form of European socialism.

The days when an idea like this balanced and oriented us Americans is long gone.

This leads to temptations that further erode the U.S. social and political fabric. Why not trade in my senior government post, the rationale goes, for a lavish corporate life style?

In a country where notions of the collective good and of the public trust are now almost considered subversive, total emphasis on the individual enterprise is totally ok. Isnt that what makes our country great?

Academia is similarly infested. Egregious examples abound: Why not be accomplice to torture when doing so opens a spot at the Pentagon trough for the American Psychological Association?

Why should a law school Dean or senior faculty stick his neck out when the Koch Bros are offering lush funding to establish Law & Economics programs that just happen to promote market fundamentalist principles?

Toward social degeneration

To their own mind, these are also the persons who will stand up front before history  never mind that they knew better, should have known better, were expected to know better.

If I have good reason to sublimate all this, such a person rationalizes, why do I have a duty to the Common Man  the ordinary citizen? My status, my rank, do not depend on it. My financial well-being does not dictate it.

Amidst all these ever crasser displays of raw self-interest, we know one thing for certain: When the common man dies, the America that the world marveled at for 250 years dies with him.
Eminem came face-to-face with an intruder in his home at around 4am on April 5 (local time) after 27-year-old Matthew Hughes allegedly snuck past security and broke a window to gain entry.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the police officer who responded to the scene testified that Hughes had told Eminem that he was there to kill him when asked by the rapper why he was in his house.

Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, reportedly discovered the stranger in his living room after at first believing it was his nephew.
Director Shahram Mokri: Iran sanctions big obstacle for joint film projects

07/22/20

Source: Tehran Times

Iranian director Shahram Mokri, whose latest drama "Careless Crime" was screened at the 77th Venice Film Festival, has said the U.S. sanctions on Iran have put a big obstacle in the way of the countries and companies eager to cooperate with Iran in the film industry. He made the remarks in the program "European Union for the Future of World Cinema" held at the Spazio Incontri on Sunday on the margins of the festival.

Mokri called Iran a land of rich literature full of myths and legends, enjoying a four-season climate, with cinema experts and a 110-year-long history in filmmaking.



He also talked about Iranian's higher regard for cinema, Iran's good film market for mutual film projects, and the higher rate of speed of film production in Iran compared to European and American countries as positive points for joint productions.



However, he said that the U.S. sanctions on Iran have been a big obstacle impeding the transfer of money and assets between the Iranian banks and other countries, leading to less interest by Iranian producers and managers to invest in other countries for joint productions.



"Careless Crime" is competing in the Orizzonti section of the 77th Venice Film Festival, dedicated to films that represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends in international cinema.



"Careless Crime" goes back forty years ago, during the uprising to overthrow the Shah's regime in Iran, when protestors set fire to movie theaters as a way of showing opposition to Western culture. Many cinemas were burned down. In one tragic case, a theater was set on fire with four hundred people inside, most of whom were burned alive. Forty years have passed and, in contemporary Iran, four individuals also decide to burn down a cinema. Their intended target is a theater showing a film about an unearthed, unexploded missile.

In addition, two more Iranian films, "Sun Children" and "The Wasteland" were screened in various sections of the festival.



Directed by Majid Majidi, "Sun Children", also known as "The Sun", was screened in the official competition of the event.



The drama about child labor in Tehran won the Crystal Simorgh for best film at the 38th edition of the Fajr Film Festival in Tehran in February.



"The Wasteland" by Ahmad Bahrami was competing in the Orizzonti section.



It is about an old brick manufacturing factory that is going to be shut down, and all that matters to the factory supervisor is to keep his lover unharmed.



Iranian filmmakers are frequent visitors to the Venice Film Festival.
Matters often become tense in the final straight before US presidential elections, but never as tense as they are now

I wonder whether there are presidential elections in the world more exciting than those in the US, despite their many stages and complexity. Every time you follow one, you get the feeling that it will mark a turning point in history, despite the USs reputation as an institutionalised estate where the constitution is the algorithm that steers the US polity towards a bright and glorious future. Yet, anyone following the current stage in the presidential elections will have noticed how history as a term and concept has cropped up repeatedly to suggest that the US is looking at something unprecedented this time around.

Perhaps not since John Kennedy and, to a certain extent, Ronald Reagan has the personality of a single candidate dominated the electoral process as much as the character of the incumbent, Donald Trump, is doing today. The Kennedy-Nixon competition in 1960 seemed to be walking a historical tightrope between two generations, the World War II and the 1950s/1960s generations. Strangely, though, the pendulum began to swing back after Kennedys assassination, firstly with Lyndon Johnson and then with the rise of the Republican Richard Nixon for two terms (until he stepped down due to the Watergate scandal).

As with all electoral cycles, September is when the gloves come off. This time the US is so divided and the competition so intense that it feels like the US is on the brink of a civil war. Indeed, since the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, it actually looks like the country has been girding itself for Civil War II (the first took place in 1860-65). The US has plunged into waves of violence and counter violence that have spread to many cities, adding another contentious subject to dozens of other seething controversies.

The Republicans have moved onto the offensive, constantly accusing the Democrats of encouraging violence and anarchy despite how often the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, not only denies the charge but condemns the violence. The Democrats, in turn, maintain that Trumps political statements and positions have incited White extremist violence against Blacks, non-Christians and minorities in general.

The question as to who is racist brings us to certain basic facts regarding the electoral process as it has evolved over the years. While the Republicans have long relied on the White Protestant majority, Democrats have forged a majority of their own consisting of the hodgepodge of ethnic/religious minorities in the US. In this, as in every round, victory will be contingent on the extent to which the parties can mobilise their supporters to report to the polls.

What is new this time around is that the campaigns are unfolding against a backdrop of a maelstrom of crises in which the current question of racism and intolerance of the other seems like only one facet of a larger syndrome that both preceded and will continue beyond the current election season. The nature of this syndrome begins with the question as to whether the US is still the worlds military, economic and technological leader. Is the American Dream still a source of inspiration to others in the world? Or has it been superseded by others, such as a dream born in China?

Domestically, the deeper problem is that the political polarisation has persisted so long that there is no longer a middle ground between the left on the Republican scale and the right on the Democratic scale on essential issues of concern to the US public, be it healthcare or, more significantly, immigration. The US was built on immigrants. But a significant portion of the migration was compulsory in the form of slavery which generated a chronic injustice that has remained unsolved, whether by civil war or by civil rights legislation.

This problem grew more complex with other waves of immigration from Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. From the Republican perspective, immigration no longer means just people looking for work or a better life. It means more votes for Democrats, which Republicans are determined to prevent, even if it takes building dozens of walls.

Structural crises are not the only cause of the fraught situation in the US. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, it caught the US unprepared. In this years electoral climate, above all, it turned attention to the White House and its role in addressing this crisis. However, this president, who is seeking a second term, did not regard the virus that has afflicted the entire world as a major concern that required his leadership. In all events, wherever the responsibility should lie, the US, with its various federal and state bodies, has so far failed to develop a federal plan for contending with this national enemy.

On 29 August, Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin enumerated The five dumbest Republican arguments for Trump. Firstly, contrary to what the Republicans claim, Trump (if elected of course) will not give Americans law and order, not as long as Covid-19 continues to reap twice as many lives per week as the 11 September attacks and not as long as he contributes to inciting racist violence against minorities and makes political capital of disorder and mayhem. Nor is it true that he has been great for the economy.

Not only has it been demonstrated that the economy under Obama was stronger by multiple measures than the economy under Trump, Trump made it worse through tariffs that amounted to tax hikes for US consumers. Then he crashed the economy by ignoring the Covid-19 pandemic which put millions out of work, forced thousands of companies to close shop and left the federal government saddled with a record debt.

Thirdly, it is not true that Joe Biden is a socialist or that he will be lured by leftist forces into promoting more big government. For one, Rubin writes, the claim ignores Bidens long record in office and his policy choices in the campaign. More importantly, if Republicans are worried by government interventionism they should look at the behaviour of Trump and the conservatives, such as his widespread abuse of executive powers and his meddling to benefit friends and cronies.

The fourth falsehood Rubin cites is that Trump has vanquished the pandemic. The amount of delusion needed to sustain this fiction is unfathomable, she writes. We have more deaths due to the disease than any other country on the planet, many more deaths per capita than many advanced countries and no national testing-and-tracing programme.

As for the fifth and dumbest argument in favour Trump, it is that he is pro-life. If Trump were more than just a token anti-abortionist and truly believed in the sanctity of life, he would not refuse to denounce the killing of unarmed Black Americans or trivialise the nearly 180,000 deaths caused by Covid-19 in the US so far. When one party wilfully ignores a pandemic and treats Black lives as expendable, it loses any moral authority regarding the sanctity of human life. In refusing to be guided by scientific facts (be it on air and water quality, climate change or Covid-19), Trump puts at risk the health and lives of millions of people here and around the world.

Of course, the Republicans have a number of points that they, in turn, are holding up like a mirror to the Democrats. They say, among other things, that the Democrats are anti-freedom and unpatriotic and that they have a candidate that is too old and unable to lead. Regardless of truths or falsehoods, one wonders: can the gloves get any more off than this?

*The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Legal clashes over reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic are continuing, but challengers of state executive orderswhether to open schools or keep them closedare having trouble getting any practical relief from the courts so far.



The California Supreme Court late Wednesday denied relief to a Fresno-area private Christian school that had asked the court to overturn California Gov. Gavin Newsoms orders that limit public and private school reopenings in the counties that have been on the states monitoring list for the previous 14 days. The state high court also denied relief to one county education agency and a charter school.

In Iowa, meanwhile, two state judges this week issued separate rulings favorable to Republican Gov. Kim Reynoldss order requiring school districts to hold at least 50 percent of classes in person.

In Florida, meanwhile, challengers to a state executive order requiring all schools to offer in-person instruction five days a week won a hard-fought injunction blocking the policy from a state trial judge in August. But a state appellate court soon stayed the effect of that decision and issued an opinion last week indicating that the policy of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantiss administration had a strong likelihood of being upheld.

Those legal battles, among several around the country , all come as the traditional school year is opening.

In the California case, Immanuel Schools in Reedley, Calif., and a handful of other private schools filed their challenge directly in the state supreme court, arguing that Newsom exceeded his authority under the state constitution and that his closure orders violated the state constitutional right to education and the right of private schools to contract. A similar challenge was filed by the Orange County Board of Education and the Palm Lane Charter School in Anaheim.

The school took it as a good sign when the state high court required the state to file a brief defending the orders.

On Sept. 9, after receiving briefs from both sides, the California Supreme Court issued a short order denying the request of Immanuel Schools and the Orange County board that it take up the constitutionality of Newsoms orders.

The petition for immediate stay and peremptory writ of mandate in the first instance is denied, the state high court said in Immanuel Schools v. Newsom.

Robert Tyler, a lawyer for the schools, told The Fresno Bee that the schools would proceed with challenging the governors orders in lower state courts.

In the meantime, the 600-student school opened Aug. 13 in defiance of the orders and has remained open since then. The school even defeated a separate effort by Fresno County authorities for a temporary restraining order to shut down the school. But proceedings in that separate lawsuit will continue with a Sept. 15 hearing on a preliminary injunction sought by the county to close the school.

In Iowa, state trial judges issued preliminary rulings this week that rejected efforts by the 33,000-student Des Moines and 14,000-student Iowa City school districts, along with the Iowa State Education Association, to block Reynoldss school reopening orders.

In Des Moines Independent Community School District v. Reynolds , Judge Jeffrey Farrell of Polk County District Court said the Des Moines district was using a more robust collection of risk factors than the simplistic model used by state education officials.

But school districts cannot reverse orders by the state Department of Education because it disregarded the facts, the judge said.

School districts are a creation of state law and have no rights beyond those given by the legislature, Farrell said.

The Des Moines districts request to move to remote learning is well-supported by the facts, the judge said. I am sympathetic to its arguments of local control, as its board and management staff are in a better condition to understand the conditions and obstacles in the district than officials at the state level. However, [the education departments] decision is not really one of fact, but one of policy as directed by the legislature and the governor.

In Iowa State Education Association v. Reynolds, Judge Mary E. Chiccelly of Johnson County District Court held that the state constitution gives the governor broad emergency powers. She noted that state officials have given the Iowa City district temporary approval for all-remote learning because Johnson County has a COVID-19 positivity rate that exceeds the 15 percent threshold in the governors order, which cut against its need for emergency injunctive relief.
Photo: (Photo : Youth Villages on Facebook)

A 12-year-old foster child, at last, finds his forever home. After his second adoption didn't materialize, his best friend's family decided to adopt him.

In 2018, a family from Tennessee opened their home to Andrew - a foster boy living in foster care since he was six years old. Dominique and Kevin Gill told Today Parents that when the state terminated Andrew's parents' parental rights, Andrew's four siblings were adopted soon after.

The first time wasn't easy

The first week with Andrew wasn't easy, the young parents recalled. The then 10-year-old was reclusive and would mostly sit in his room with the door closed. Dominique said Andrew "behaved badly" at the start. He would shout and push them away. However, the couple didn't give up on him. They were determined to provide him the love and care he needed.

Neither did he and Dominique's son, Joc, become close the first time they met. That day will not come until they realized that they have some things in common. It turns out, both of them love playing video games, particularly Minecraft. Also, for snacks, they both love Pop-Tarts. That sparked the friendship that would lead to Andrew finding his forever home and new family.

Adopting Andrew wasn't the original plan

Eventually, Andrew left after spending more than a year with the Gills, but the boys remained friends. Dominique and Kevin said they didn't really plan to adopt a child. Fostering is just their way of helping as many kids as they can. It was a sort of tradition started by Dominique's parents that the couple now continuous.

As much as they love Andrew, all they wanted was to help him find a family that would open their doors for him. However, after Andrew's second adoption didn't happen, Dominique and Kevin knew that Andrew belongs to them.

Foster boy no more

One day, Andrew got the surprise of his life while walking through the park with Youth Villages Counsellor, Molly Parker. He turned around and saw familiar faces holding balloons and signs. When the Gills asked him if he wanted to become part of the family, Andrew didn't hesitate and said, "yeah."

Youth Villages shared the heartwarming moment in a Tweeter post. "We don't know which is sweeter," they wrote, "Andrew and Joc's love of @KelloggsUS PopTarts, or the bond these two share!"

pic.twitter.com/1w0uqDLtcc We dont know which is sweeter: Andrew and Jocs love of @KelloggsUS PopTarts, or the bond these two share! We are thrilled that Andrew has found his forever family with his best friend and new brother, Joc, and the Gill family. Thx @WSMV for sharing! https://t.co/OystsoBfwd  Youth Villages (@youthvillages) September 1, 2020

#ThankYou Gill Family What a wonderful story Joc and Andrew. And I'm with them #FrostedCherryPopTarts! | A dream come true: Adoption unites best friends https://t.co/ZMmpI7PacO  Karen Bowman (@KBow5) September 7, 2020

Andrew was thankful to the Gills, who never gave up on him and accepted him. People still stare at them when they are out in public  because the Gills are black, and Andrew is white, Dominique said. However, race was never an issue with Andrew or the Gills. They are a family, and their love knows no color.

There are over 415,000 children in foster care across the U.S., and about 8,000 are in Tennessee. Sadly, less than 4,000 families have chosen to open their homes, Adoption.com says. And the pandemic even made the situation worse. Youth Villages said that calls from families willing to provide homes to these foster kids slowed because of economic uncertainty.

Watch the video from WBIR here.



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Masked demonstrators outside the National Human Rights Commission office in Mexico City, which protesters have been occupying since Sept. 3. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

Dressed in black hoods and armed with spray paint, the women stormed into Mexico's National Human Rights Commission and seized control.

They evicted government workers, ripped paintings of revolutionary heroes from the walls and declared that from now on, the federal building in downtown Mexico City would be a shelter for female victims of violence.

The dramatic takeover last week was the latest in a series of bold actions by feminist collectives in Mexico that have grown increasingly confrontational over the last year.

In a series of demonstrations beginning in August 2019, masked protesters have defaced national monuments , attacked the attorney generals office and splashed blood-red paint on the doors of the National Palace.

The activists say their tactics are justified in a country where an average of 11 women are slain daily and the perpetrators are rarely brought to justice, and where President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and other officials frequently dismiss their demands for protection.

"We're here so that the whole world will know that in Mexico they kill women and nobody does anything about it," said Yesenia Zamudio, who is still seeking justice for the slaying of her 19-year-old daughter four years ago.

Zamudio, a member of Not One More Woman, a group that gets its name from a protest movement that emerged in Argentina about five years ago, helped lead the takeover of the human rights commission building on Thursday.

She has been living there since, camped out on cots along with 30 other women and several children.

Gender violence activist Yesenia Zamudio, standing beside an image of her 19-year-old daughter, who was killed in 2016 in a suspected femicide, throws office supplies out a window at the National Human Rights Commission building. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

The activists have transformed the building  covering the facade with anti-police slogans and posters commemorating women who were killed or disappeared. "My friend didn't die," each poster says. "She was murdered."

To the hordes of national news media posted outside 24 hours a day, the activists have showed off the generous cuts of beef that they discovered in the office freezers  proof, they say, that public officials were living the high life.

Story continues

Freshly adulterated portraits of Mexican historical figures are also on display. In one, Francisco Madero, a leader of the Mexican Revolution who became president and was later assassinated, appears with green eyeliner, red lipstick and purple hair.

Those actions have outraged Lopez Obrador, who has so far resisted sending in police to clear out the activists.

"Of course I don't like it," he said at a news conference this week. "How could I like seeing Madero defaced?"

He expressed sympathy for the plight of the activists, but said their strategy of seizing the building was "the wrong way" to protest.

The activists say the president's focus on property destruction rather than on their demands simply proves their point.

He thinks a painting has more value than a womans life," said Erika Martinez, who joined the protest movement three years ago after she told police that her 7-year-old daughter had been molested by a relative and authorities refused to act.

She said she had come to the realization that extreme acts of protest were the only effective means of bringing attention to a cause that feminist activists have pushing since the slayings of hundreds of women in the border city of Juarez beginning in the 1990s.

"I spent three years getting nowhere," Martinez said in an interview outside the commission's offices, where she is living with her two daughters. At least the president knows about my case now.

In addition to relatives of crime victims, the protesters include a generation of younger student activists spurred to action by the inadequate response of institutions and public discourse they view as anti-feminist.

They are questioning the effectiveness of politics," said Daniela Cerva Cerna, a professor at the National Autonomous University of Morelos who has studied the feminist movement on Mexican college campuses. "They are tired of not being heard."

She pointed to the first round of street protests that erupted in August last year, after a teenage girl alleged she had been raped by four police officers and officials publicly blamed the victim.

There is a long history of social activists seizing property as a form of protest in Mexico. Lopez Obrador did it in 2006, when he and his supporters blocked Mexico City's main avenue for months to critique what he believed were flawed presidential election results.

Still, not all feminists in Mexico support the actions of Not One More Woman and other collectives that have embraced radical tactics. Some say they worry that confrontational approaches won't bring real change  and may not be worth the negative reaction they may provoke among more conservative segments of society.

It's a debate that in many ways mirrors one playing out in the United States, where many have questioned the effectiveness of demonstrations against police violence.

Like in the U.S., where a series of recent killings has thrust the issue into the national spotlight, several recent acts of violence in Mexico have provoked national outrage.

In February, the abduction and killing of a 7-year-old girl and the death of a young woman whose husband disemboweled her and skinned her corpse led to a one-day national women's strike, in which hundreds of thousands of women stayed home from work and school. It was followed by a massive march in Mexico City that drew the support even of conservative female politicians.

During that protest, on March 8, a contingent of more radical activists broke into businesses, set fires and defaced monuments. Some of those same women are involved in the occupation of the human rights commission building.

Karla Daniela Garcia Tello, a 35-year-old nurse, attended the protests and became acquainted with the more radical feminist collectives that day. She is now living at the human rights commission office, dealing with the media and helping to manage the constant flow of donations that is arriving from sympathizers.

The cause is personal, she said. Her husband started abusing her three years ago, shortly after she told him she was pregnant. He beat her, raped her and once tried to run her over with a car.

She went to police, but they didn't help. "He's your husband," they told her, implying that he could treat her as he wants.

She left him two years ago, fearing that he might kill her. "I didnt want to be another statistic," she said.

In her effort to maintain custody of her son, she has pushed for her former partner to be prosecuted. It's been a lonely, and so far unsuccessful, battle. Being with the women at the protest site has been transformative, she said.

"I don't feel alone," she said. "These are my sisters."

Women protest on behalf of victims of violence outside the National Human Rights Commission in Mexico City. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

Cecilia Sanchez of The Times' Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.
Ituri provinces interior minister says 23 killed in Irumu territory on Tuesday, followed by 35 on Thursday.

Fifty-eight people have been killed in two attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congos (DRC) Ituri province, the provincial interior minister said, attributing the attacks to the armed group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

Twenty-three people were killed in Irumu territory in southern Ituri on Tuesday, followed by 35 on Thursday, Minister Adjio Gidi told AFP news agency.

It was ADF, fleeing military pressure in [neighbouring] North Kivu province, namely in Beni, Gidi said.

Our forces are already in the area and are in contact with the enemy, he said.

ADF is a Ugandan armed group operating in eastern DRC for more than 30 years.

Among the dead are unfortunately three village chiefs, Gili Gotabo, the head of a civil rights group in Irumu, said.

Rachel Tarwayi, the administrator of Irumu territory, said on Thursday: They finished off the poor civilians with knives and firearms. People have been panicking since this morning and are already fleeing.

The attacks were the latest in a string of massacres the United Nations has said may constitute to war crimes.

The UN says violence attributed to the ADF has soared since the start of the year following the launch of a large-scale army campaign to wipe it out.

The UN says ADF fighters have killed more than 1,000 civilians since the start of 2019.

Several attacks attributed to the ADF have also been claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group, although researchers and analysts say there is a lack of hard evidence linking the two groups.

Since the start of 2020, violence committed by a constellation of more than 100 armed groups has forced more than half a million people in the east of the country to flee their homes.

However, the military and security forces have also committed grave violations, including killings and sexual violence, the UN has said.
A Boeing 737 MAX jet has returned to the skies over Vancouver this week as part of an effort to determine if it's safe for the model to begincarrying passengers again after two fatal crashes.

A 737 MAX landed at Vancouver International Airport on Tuesday to be used in test flights conducted by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, agency spokesperson Jagello Fayl told CBC in an email.

"We have been working steadily, in close cooperation with the FAA [U.S. Federal Aviation Administration] and Boeing, to return the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to service as soon as possible, but only once we are convinced it is safe," Fayl wrote.

"While Boeing still has some final actions to close off, we judge the overall maturity of the redesign process to be sufficient to proceed to flight tests."

Vancouver was chosen as the site for the test flights because of COVID-19 travel restrictions between Europe and the U.S.

The MAX was grounded in March 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people.

An Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed outside the capital Addis Ababa killing all 157 people onboard. Five months earlier, a MAX owned by Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea after taking off from Jakarta, killing 189 people.

In both crashes, investigators found faulty sensors activated the plane's automated anti-stall system, known as MCAS, that repeatedly pushed the jetliner's nose down. Pilots tried to fight the system, but eventually lost control.

Foreign regulators have been scrutinizing proposed software changes and training revisions for the aircraft, which may only return to service in 2021.

Transport Canada began performing test flights in August at Boeing's facilities in Washington state as part of an "independent review" on whether to validate Boeing's proposed changes.

The FAA, which is tasked with certifying the aircraft, began test flights earlier this summer.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstans AK Altynalmas JSC company is taking measures to reduce potential environmental impacts, Altynalmas representative told Trend.

The official said that Altynalmas signed the International Cyanide Management Code.

"Joining the International Cyanide Management Code is a voluntary initiative of the company to improve health safety standards for our employees, local communities and reduce potential environmental impacts," the official said.

The official also added that in order to obtain a certificate of compliance with the Code, the company will have to pass an audit and thorough examination of all procedures and documentation related to the transportation, storage and use of cyanide in gold production within next three years.

"Thus, the code measures implementation will affect all processes related to gold production," the official said.

The company official also noted that companys certification for compliance with the principles and standards of the International Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI) will allow the company to stand on a par with global gold producers and cooperate with international financial institutions.

The International Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI) has been founded to administer the fulfillment of the Code provisions, promote its principles, evaluate the use of the Code, and to certify Companies signed given document.

AK Altynalmas JSC is a company of a full geological, mining and gold processing cycle.

The core business of the company includes: mining and processing of gold ore; exploration; design, construction and installation; financing of research, design and survey work, construction and upgrade of facilities for exploration, mining and processing of precious metals.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
The first case of coronavirus transmitted in the UK was reported on 31 January 2020. Since then, there have since been more than 140,000 deaths across the nation.

In March 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the nation in lockdown, a move which was eventually reversed that summer with people being urged to return to offices to work and to Eat Out To Help Out at restaurants and pubs.

But by winter, Covid-19 case numbers were rising again, resulting in further lockdowns. These lockdown restrictions began to lift in England in March of this year and have, so far, remained lifted.

However, that could be about to change. Earlier this week, scientists called for a 10-day circuit break lockdown to quell the rapid spread of Omicron, the new variant that has been spreading quickly across the UK in the past few weeks.

On Friday 17 December, a record number of daily coronavirus cases were reported across the UK for the third day running, with 93,045 new infections confirmed.

The spike in cases has led Dr Jenny Harries, the head of the UK Health Security Agency, to dub Omicron the biggest threat of Covid pandemic so far.

While little is known about this strain of Covid-19, in terms of transmissibility and severity, the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron. In other words, people who have previously had Covid-19 could become re-infected more easily with Omicron.

Englands chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has said the Omicron variant could rise incredibly fast but that its peak should subside quickly due to the governments booster programme.

The booster jab, launched earlier this year to offer further protection to fully vaccinated people, has also been found to create significant protection against Omicron, a new Israeli study confirmed.

Additionally, many people have compared Omicron symptoms to those related to the common cold.

Nonetheless, the WHO has been keen to state that the risks of the new variant should not be underestimated. We have to be really careful that there isnt a narrative out there that its just a mild disease, said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHOs Covid-19 technical lead.

So, 21 months after Covid-19 first reached UK shores and multiple variants later, were beginning to wonder whether the pandemic will ever end. Surely there must be an expiration date?

To find out more, weve asked experts how much longer can we really expect the coronavirus outbreak to continue in the UK and what the proposed exit strategies are in order to return to normal life.

When will coronavirus be over?

Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton said that there is never a strict definition for declaring the end of a pandemic.

We tend to look towards statements from the WHO, and the end of previous pandemics have been defined by a satisfactory decline in transmission across countries, he explained

With swine flu in 2009, with clear seasons and evolution onto the next years strains of influenza, this was more straightforward. For this novel coronavirus, there will be no clear ending.

In light of this, Head suggests referring not to an end per se but to a shift onto a new global and national phase where Covid-19 is clearly under control. However, this is some way off yet, he added.

For example, the UK could in theory declare itself to be comfortable with any self-declared position, but would still be vulnerable to imported infections and the international presence of new variants of concern.

In order to end the pandemic, we need to think globally, rather than nationally. Vaccine inequity is one key issue that needs to be resolved.

Will we need to continue having booster jabs?

We should expect to have further booster jabs in the future, said Head. This third dose generates an excellent and very protective immune response in most people, but the longevity of that protection is a current unknown.

Aside from vaccination, Head added that non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) will play a crucial role in the short-term when it comes to the battle against Covid-19.

These include face masks, and requirements to prove vaccination when travelling, he noted. I can also foresee a useful longer-term role for the continued use of face masks, for example donning a mask if we have a minor respiratory infection when popping to the shops. This can help to protect those around us.

Robert Dingwall, professor of social sciences at Nottingham Trent University, said, however, said that regular boosters may not be the best route forward. I have heard respected immunologists say privately that it may be better in the long-term to be exposed to infection as an infant and develop a lasting immune response, which is topped up by periodic mild reinfections, he explained.

This is what happens with most other respiratory viruses. We might need to boost immunity in older people with generally weaker immune systems, as we do with flu, but we should think very hard before embarking on any further mass vaccination campaigns.

Will we need more lockdowns?

I find it hard to see that more lockdowns would be politically tenable, even if there were to be a change of government, said Dingwall.

We do need a step change in investment in health and social care so that the NHS is more resilient in winter but we cannot fund that without a functioning economy which is not ripped apart every few months.

Head agreed that further lockdowns are unlikely. They are clearly undesirable, but will remain a vital intervention of last resort, he added.

Are there any other solutions?

I suspect that hybrid working will carry on until the costs in terms of innovation, informal learning and collaboration become clearer, said Dingwall.

Particularly risk-averse people may derive some individual psychological benefit from face coverings and other forms of distancing but I think the evidence of the last few months is that large-scale anxiety gradually subsides and there is little appetite for permanent changes to the way we organise our lives.
LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / NQ Minerals Plc (AQSE:NQMI, OTCQB:NQMLF, US ADR OTCQB:NQMIY) ("NQ" or the "Company") announces that it will be presenting at John Tumazos Very Independent Research's conference in New Jersey via webinar on Thursday 10 September at 4pm (EST) which is 9pm UK time.

Should shareholders wish to participate, they are invited to register for NQ Minerals Plc & John Tumazos Very Independent Research, LLC on Sep 10, 2020 4:00 PM EDT at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7904120121056131851



After registering, shareholders will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The new NQ Minerals corporate presentation that will be presented is now available on the Company's website.

About NQ Minerals

NQ Minerals Plc is listed on London's Aquis Stock Exchange (AQSE) under the ticker NQMI and has it's 1:100 ADR traded on the US OTC QB under ticker NQMIY and its ordinary shares are dual traded on the US OTC QB under the ticker NQMLF.

NQ Minerals operations are in Australia. NQ commenced base metal and precious metal production in 2018 at its 100% owned flagship Hellyer Gold Mine in Tasmania. Hellyer has a published JORC compliant Mineral Resource estimated at 9.25 Mt which is host to Gold at 2.57 g/t Au for 764,300 oz Au, Silver at 92 g/t Ag for 27,360,300 oz Ag, Lead at 2.99% Pb for 276,600 tonnes and Zinc at 2.57% Zn for 217,400 tonnes. In addition to these resources, the Hellyer assets include a large mill facility and full supporting infrastructure, including a direct rail line to port. The Company is also planning to re-open the historic high-grade Beaconsfield Gold Mine in Tasmania, which has a JORC (2012) compliant Mineral Resource Estimate of 1.454 Mt at 10.3 g/t Au for 483,000 ounces of gold. Regular updates on the progress of the Hellyer Gold Mine and Beaconsfield can be viewed on NQ's website at www.nqminerals.com.

For more information, please contact:

NQ Minerals plc

David Lenigas, Chairman

lenigas@nqminerals.com

Colin Sutherland, Chief Financial Officer

colin.sutherland@nqminerals.com

Tel: +1 416 452 2166 (North America)

Media Enquiries

IFC Advisory Limited

Graham Herring / Tim Metcalfe

graham.herring@investor-focus.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 203 934 6630 (United Kingdom)

Corporate Adviser

First Sentinel Corporate Finance Limited

Brian Stockbridge / Gabrielle Cordeiro

Tel: +44 (0) 207 183 7407 (United Kingdom)

Corporate Broker

VSA Capital Limited

Andrew Monk/Maciek Szymanski

+ 44 (0) 203 005 5000 (United Kingdom)

The Following section relates to NQ Minerals Plc's news releases distributed in the United States:

Cautionary Note to US Investors

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") permits US Mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Any estimates of mineral resources shown in this press release or on NQ Minerals PLC's website have been prepared in accordance with definition standards of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves produced by the Australasian Joint Ore Reserves Committee, which may differ from definition standards of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Industry Guide 7. We may use certain terms which the SEC guidelines strictly prohibit US registered companies from including in their filings with the SEC.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include, but are not limited to, any statements based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections, including those related to our growth strategy, mineral estimates and any other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated are: risks related to our growth strategy; risks relating to exploration, development and/or extraction; our ability to obtain, perform under, and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; our ability to attract, integrate, and retain key personnel; global demand for mineral resources; our need for substantial additional funds; government regulation; as well as other risks. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

SOURCE: NQ Minerals Plc

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605488/NQ-to-Present-at-US-Investor-Conference-Today-New-NQ-Minerals-Corporate-Presentation
Struggling restaurants in Melbourne have been dealt another blow after being allegedly vandalised by a vegan activist.

Greta Izurit, 28, is accused of using a street sign to smash windows belonging to ten restaurants in Clayton South, on Monday evening.

She was charged with ten counts of criminal damage and has been remanded in custody to face Moorabbin Magistrates Court on October 6.

CCTV footage allegedly shows Greta Izurit, 28, allegedly vandalising various restaurants in Melbourne

CCTV footage obtained by 7News allegedly shows Izurit allegedly slamming the sign attached to a metal bar through windows.

The animal rights advocate allegedly targeted meat-selling businesses.

Kebab shop owner Sophia Eroglu, whose store was damaged, said the woman had earlier inquired about what goods she sold.

'She asked, Do you sell any animals?' Ms Eroglu said.

'We said 'Yeah, lamb and chicken'.

'Some people are vegetarian but we have to respect each other, you know what I mean?'

The alleged late-night rampage took place during Melbourne's strict curfew, which demands residents remain at home between 8pm and 5am.

The affected businesses include a butchers, restaurants and takeaways.

The alleged crime spree targeted meat-selling businesses along a strip in Clayton South. Pictured: One of the store allegedly damaged in the late-night attack

One shop owner said the alleged crime spree would have a devastating impact on businesses already struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It is not the first time animal activists have taken to vandalising businesses for the sake of their cause.

In June last year, the glass of Brisbane-based Clancyjames Butchery was smashed with the graffiti 'meat is murder' smeared on the front window in red.

A 24-year-old man was charged with willful damage.
Senate Democrats united Thursday to block the roughly $500 billion Republican COVID-19 stimulus package from advancing.

The final vote on the bill, which needed 60 votes to move forward, was 52 to 47, effectively killing the narrower so-called skinny package that Democrats mocked as inadequate and emaciated," and placing any potential stimulus deal further in doubt.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the targeted proposal was focused on areas of bipartisan agreement including extended unemployment insurance, education funding, vaccine development and a boost to small business loans.

The coronavirus is the enemy, McConnell said, blasting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers recent comments that GOP lawmakers were the enemy during negotiations for a comprehensive package. These families I represent are not burying their loved ones because Republicans or Democrats are the enemy. Theyre burying their loved ones because of this virus. Were not each others enemies.

Every Senate Democrat just voted against hundreds of billions of dollars of COVID-19 relief. They blocked money for schools, testing, vaccines, unemployment insurance, and the Paycheck Protection Program.



Their goal is clear: No help for American families before the election.  Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) September 10, 2020

Democratic leaders and the Trump administration failed to produce a comprehensive deal over the last several weeks, prompting McConnell to force a vote Thursday on a narrower list of items that have gained bipartisan support. He alleges Democrats are ignoring working families and small businesses by insisting on a more expansive, and costly, deal.

The GOP package included enhanced unemployment benefits through the end of 2020, at $300 weekly instead of the $600 that expired at the end of July.

A non-starter for Democrats, who passed a $3 trillion package in the House back in May, was that the bill included zero new funding for state and local governments, which have seen unprecedented budget shortfalls and layoffs during the pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program, which provides small business loans, would have receive a $250 billion boost. The GOP plan also provided more aid to schools as they reopen this year, and $10 billion apiece to the U.S. Postal Service and to support child care.

McConnell also included liability protections for businesses to avoid lawsuits by people infected with coronavirus, as well as a two-year tax credit, proposed by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, for donations to state scholarship funds.

Its long past time for Republicans in Congress to step up to their responsibility, set politics aside and put the health and economic well-being of the American people first, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said after the vote.

Its long past time for Republicans in Congress to step up to their responsibility, set politics aside, and put the health and economic well-being of the American people first.  Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) September 10, 2020

Sen. Ed Markey this week revived a push for a bill he proposed alongside Sens. Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris that called for $2,000 in monthly checks throughout the pandemic.

If Donald Trump and Leader McConnell were actually committed to helping Americans, they would work with Democrats on bipartisan legislation that includes robust and monthly direct cash assistance," Markey told MassLive on Wednesday.

Schumer argued McConnell attempted to jam through his GOP COVID bill that doesnt help renters keep a roof over their heads or families put food on the table. He isnt searching for progress  he is looking for political cover. Democrats wont stop fighting for people and families.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a news conference, said, Lets not have a skinny bill when we have a massive problem.

She said Republican lawmakers and the Trump administrations delay, denial and distortion has caused many deaths.

Both Schumer and Pelosi are pushing for at least $2 trillion in aid, including millions more in food and housing assistance, and funds to state and local governments whose budgets have seen unprecedented shortfalls since the pandemic began.

Related Content:
A research team from the Nanjing Agricultural University in Nanjing, China, and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, showed that isothiocyanates produced by cruciferous plants to fend off pests serve as oviposition cues. The plant defense substances serve as odor signals for females of the diamondback moth to lay their eggs on these plants. The scientists identified two olfactory receptors whose sole function is to detect these defense substances and to guide the moths to the ideal oviposition sites. They uncovered the molecular mechanism that explains why some insects that specialize in feeding on certain host plants are attracted by substances that are supposed to keep pests away (Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.047, September 2020).

From repellent to attractant

Cruciferous plants, such as cabbage, rape, mustard and horseradish, produce glucosinolates. Upon mechanical damage of the plant tissues, e.g. caused by a chewing insect, glucosinolates are hydrolyzed by the endogenous plant enzyme myrosinase. This leads to the formation of a variety of toxic breakdown products, mainly isothiocyanates, to defend themselves against voracious insects. This defense mechanism is very effective against most herbivores. The diamondback moth Plutella xylostella, however, has evolved mechanisms of its own to outwit this defense: It is able to feed successfully on plants of the cabbage family and make use of the plants for its own reproductive purposes.

"We wanted to know whether the moths use isothiocyanates as odor cues to locate their host plants. In fact, behavioral experiments showed that three isothiocyanates are key signals for female moths to locate and lay eggs on cruciferous plants," says study leader Shuang-Lin Dong from Nanjing Agricultural University.

Two olfactory receptors specialized on isothiocyanates control egg-laying

The main scientific question was, what are the molecular mechanisms on which female Plutella xylostella moths base their choice of the oviposition site? The researchers therefore analyzed, which olfactory receptors were highly expressed in female moths, and studied the function of these receptors in the frog oocytes. "With this method, we were able to investigate which odors an individual receptor was responding to. We showed that two receptors, OR35 and OR49, responded to the three isothiocyanates that we had previously identified as being crucial for oviposition," says Markus Knaden from the Max Planck Institute in Jena. These two receptors did not respond to any other plant-related odors or to the sex pheromones of the moths. Presumably, OR35 and OR49 evolved to detect precisely those egg-laying signals. "We were surprised that even two receptors are specifically tuned to the isothiocyanates. The two receptors, however, detect the isothiocyanates with different sensitivities. We hypothesize that the more sensitive receptor could make sure that female moths locate plants from a distance, while the other may help to provide a more accurate detection of the isothiocyanate concentration. This will give the female moths more information about the substrate on which they will lay their eggs," says Shuang-Lin Dong.

Validation of gene function using CRISPR-Cas9 gene knockout techniques

The researchers used the CRISPR-Cas9 genetic scissors to knock out the genes encoding the two receptors in moths. This method is used to test the function of a specific gene. For egg-laying assays, they used plants of the thale cress Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant that belongs to the cruciferous plant family. Some of these plants were unmodified and produced isothiocyanates that were attractive to the moths, whereas the others were mutants that were unable to produce isothiocyanates. When one of the two receptors was inactivated, the moths laid considerably fewer eggs on the isothiocyanates-emitting plants. When both receptors were knocked out, the moths were unable to discriminate between unmodified Arabidopsis plants and the mutant plants.

Cheaters in plant-insect interactions

In the course of evolution, plants have developed various strategies to defend themselves against herbivores. A crucial part of plant-insect interaction is chemical communication. "In most cases, it is useful for a plant to communicate to potential herbivores that its defense system is already activated. However, there will be always someone who misuses the communication for its own benefit, like in our case the diamondback moth, which uses a plant defense signal as an attractant and lays eggs and spreads on this plant," says Markus Knaden. Finding out how these "cheaters" outwit plant defenses and even use these defenses for their own purposes could help improve the control of global crop pests (such as the diamondback moth): "Our results offer various approaches to control this pest: On the one hand, we could use the identified isothiocyanates or other attractive substances as attractants to trap these pests. On the other hand, we could try to develop chemical agents to interrupt or block the perception of the isothiocyanates and thus interfere with the females' location of their host plants," summarizes Shuang-Lin Dong.

Further investigations are planned to study whether other insects that attack cruciferous plants also use special receptors to detect isothiocyanates and to locate the plants for oviposition. The results may provide information on the extent to which the perception of these odors by specialized receptors is also conserved in other species.

###

Original Publication:

Liu, X.-L., Zhang, J., Yan, Q., Miao, C.-L., Han, W.-K., Hou, W., Yang, K., Hansson, B- S., Peng, Y.-C., Guo, J.-M., Xu, H., Wang, C.-Z., Dong, S.-L., Knaden, M. (2020). The molecular basis of host selection in a crucifer-specialized moth. Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.047

https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.047

Further information:

Dr. Shuang-Lin Dong, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 Jiangsu, China, E-Mail sldong@njau.edu.cn

Dr. Markus Knaden, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoll-Strae 8, 07745 Jena, Germany, Tel. +49 3641 57-1421, E-Mail mknaden@ice.mpg.de

Contact and Picture Requests:

Angela Overmeyer M.A., Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoll-Str. 8, 07743 Jena, Germany, Tel. +49 3641 57-2110, E-Mail overmeyer@ice.mpg.de

Download of videos and high-resolution images via http://www.ice.mpg.de/ext/downloads2020.html
Farm income could be $19 billion higher than the 2019 level of $83.7 billion. That is a larger gain than was projected earlier this year, largely due to a nearly $15 billion jump in government payments relative to 2019. Thats according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its recently released estimate of 2020 U.S. farm income.

What about dairy?

Although the level of U.S. dairy farm income is not provided explicitly in USDAs numbers, dairy cash receipts are expected to decline by nearly $900 million this year relative to 2019. That is far less than the catastrophic decline of nearly $14 billion that occurred from 2014 to 2015. However, there is a pathway that dairy income could be higher.

In fact, adding the $1.7 billion Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments made to dairy through August means the dairy industry could end up with total receipts higher in 2020 and in better financial shape than many expected a few months ago. It remains important to note that aggregate U.S. numbers often mask individual effects felt by dairy producers and that the 2020 outlook could still change dramatically depending on new cases of COVID-19 for the remainder of the year.

Even though USDA does not project state-level farm income data, they are reporting the 2019 state-level data for the first time in this release. This state-level data highlights some of the challenges different parts of the country are facing. Even though U.S. dairy cash receipts rose by 14.9% above in 2019 when compared to 2018 levels, some states did not fare as well.

Louisiana (-1.6%)

Arkansas (-1.8%)

Tennessee (-3.2%)

South Carolina (-6.8%)

Alabama (-8.2%)

Delaware (-8.7%)

West Virginia (-9.4%)

A generalization would suggest the southeastern states continue to struggle, though there are exceptions as Georgia increased cash receipts by 17.8% in 2019. On the other side, Texas, South Dakota, Idaho, Colorado, Michigan, and Iowa all improved 2019 cash receipts by more than 18% in 2019.

These recent trends in dairy cash receipts are similar to longer term trends. Over the 2011 to 2019 period, only Colorado, South Dakota, and Texas have experienced a greater than 30% increase in dairy cash receipts, while Delaware, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Arkansas, and Alabama all experienced a 30% or greater decline in cash receipts.

It is good to see better news for agriculture given the volatility experienced thus far in 2020. However, agriculture, including dairy, must remain prepared for more financial pressure as the effects of COVID-19 are not over just yet.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2020

September 7, 2020
EASTON  Several hundred people are expected to gather Saturday to celebrate the towns 175th anniversary.

The townwide party kicks off at 1 p.m. outside the Ashlar-Aspetuck Masonic Lodge No. 142. Local bands, The Brotherhood and Hitch & Giddyup, are scheduled to perform throughout the day.

Various food trucks will be available and residents can bring blankets and chairs.

Tickets can be purchased online and will be scanned at the 200 Center Road entrance. Masks will be required and designated spaces will be 6 feet apart, according to Masonic lodge event coordinator Steven Tramposch.

The event was originally planned pre-COVID, but organizers adjusted the venue to ensure safety protocols, including enough social distance, are followed.

Im excited people can get together and have an experience like this in our town, and to raise money for what we do and give back to the community, Tramposch said.

The event will culminate with a fireworks show at Samuel Staples Elementary School. Gates to the event will open at 7:45 p.m.

The fireworks show is a celebration coupled with a fundraiser for the towns volunteer EMS department. Tickets cost $40 and are available online.

Easton EMS Chief Jon Arnold encouraged residents to purchase tickets online in advance. However, tickets will be available for purchase with exact change at the event gate.

The event will be open to a maximum of 500 people, according to the states COVID-19 guidelines.

The fireworks will be a drive-in where people can park and observe the show from the car. People are allowed to stand next to their cars during the fireworks, but walking over to others and mingling is prohibited and residents are encouraged to bring their own food.

To maintain social distancing, everyone will remain in their car, we are not selling food. In better times, we would definitely be doing all that, we would have had food trucks and a lot of other stuff. But unfortunately, this year we just cant do it, Arnold said.

Were glad to provide these fireworks in a safe family atmosphere and were just excited about it. Were hoping we can raise a few bucks for our cause and get the community to come out and support us. Its been a rough nine months and I think we just need a reason to get out and have a good time.
LOS ANGELES"Specialty prank" site Vitaly Uncensored has created what it claims will be "the future of online content creation" with the launch of its new social platform Vitaly Girls, which can be found at Vitalyuncensored.com/girls.

Since launching Vitaly Uncensored, X-rated social prankster and media influencer Vitaly Zdorovetskiy says he has gotten positive feedback, which has driven me to push the boundaries and create bigger and better episodes; from climbing the Pyramids in Egypt to stealing the BangBus and blowing it up, I want to continue to give you all the absolute best quality and content I can.

Zdorovetskiy launched his career on YouTube, building his channel to 10.2 million subscribers and 1.7 billion views. In 2019, Zdorovetskiy launched his own subscription site, powered by Skinfluential Media (skinfluentialmedia.com), the company set up to provide space for influencer websites by SK Intertainment, home to the world-famous celebrity nudity platform MrSkin.com.

For the past several months Zdorovetskiy and his team have reportedly been working on major site upgrades, and Vitaly Girls is the result: a social media platform, featuring fans most-requested models from past and future episodes.

Members can now unlock the most private and uncensored content from their favorite girls right from Vitaly Uncensored, Zdorovetskiy said. Its been awesome to see other mainstream stars taking the leap into starting their own platforms as well as adult stars breaking away from shooting content for others and monetizing it themselves.

Recently though, Ive seen some people taking advantage of the system; many companies are not supporting the models that helped build their platforms in the first place. I know many people who have been negatively impacted by this, and I knew I needed to do something to help.

Having worked in both the mainstream and adult industries, Zdorovetskiy said he has been encouraged to see more people taking the leap and making the most out of their content: Im honored to have started that trend and blazed a trail for people to see that you dont have to rely on massive companies to make money from your content.
Grant supports expanded COVID-19 testing for Jackson County, SIU

CARBONDALE, Ill  A $2.8 million grant resulting from a partnership between the Jackson County Health Department, Southern Illinois Healthcare and Southern Illinois University Carbondale will bring expanded COVID-19 testing to the county and SIU campus.

The grant was made to the Jackson County Health Department by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Funding came to the state through the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security CARES Act.

The grant will allow SIH to expand testing at off-site locations, including the SIU campus. It also provides additional resources for contact tracing, equipment and staff.

Bart Hagston, administrator of the Jackson County Health Department, said the department developed the grant application with input from SIH and SIU and submitted it this summer.

The health department saw the university and SIH as logical partners in efforts to expand testing and tracing, said Hagston. SIH was already positioned as a regional leader in conducting COVID-19 testing but was looking for ways to increase efficiency and volume. The university wanted to make testing more widely available to faculty, staff and students.

The grants impact will be highly visible when SIH begins twice-weekly, on-site testing on the SIU campus beginning Monday, September 14. Tests will be available by appointment for any student, faculty or staff member regardless of symptoms. Locations, times and registration information will be posted on the universitys coronavirus website on Friday, September 11.

SIH officials indicate results will be available in 24 to 48 hours. SIH has already worked with the university to provide drive-through testing for students, faculty and staff at its testing site at 500 W. Main St.

The partnership with SIH and the Jackson County Health Department has been critically important to the safety of the campus community since the onset of the pandemic, said SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane. The availability of on-site testing for all students, faculty and staff is one more example.

To date, SIH has conducted nearly 33,000 COVID-19 tests, increasing from 500 a week at the start of the pandemic to 2,700 now, says SIH Chief Medical Officer Marci Moore-Connelley, MD.

The grant allows for further growth by supporting the purchase lab and testing equipment that will expand in-house and testing and decrease the turnaround time for results. SIH will receive $567,000 from the grant, which will also fund SIH staff working to expand testing, including testing at off-site locations. In addition, funding will help cover testing costs for individuals who are uninsured.

SIU will receive $149,000 from the grant to purchase equipment and supplies that will allow medical staff to get on-site test results for symptomatic students who visit the Student Health Center for tests. Currently, tests taken on campus are sent to SIH for a final diagnosis. Funding will also support the hiring of a nurse to help coordinate testing on campus, purchase quarantine kits to support students placed in quarantine, and purchase additional COVID-19 signage for the campus.

Hagston said $2.1 million of the grant will be used to fund the health departments contact tracing efforts through May 2021. Fifteen new employees have joined the departments existing team dedicated to reducing transmission of COVID-19 through contact tracing, isolation and quarantine, coordinating resources and providing up to date information.
FILE PHOTO: A LVMH luxury group logo is seen prior to the announcement of their 2019 results in Paris

NEW YORK (Reuters) - LVMH's plans to end its $16 billion acquisition of U.S. jeweler Tiffany & Co follows roughly 1,900 deals that have been cancelled, renegotiated or disputed around the world since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The following are some of the high-profile deals that were scuttled or faced turmoil this year after they were signed:

Auto parts maker BorgWarner in March threatened to end its agreement to acquire UK-based smaller rival Delphi Technologies, but in May resolved the issue and was on track to acquire it by the second half of 2020. The amended merger terms reduced Delphi's equity value by 5%. The revised deal values Delphi at $1 billion.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc sued 1-800-Flowers.Com Inc for failing to close a $252 million deal by March 30. The two sides agreed in July to a reduced $245 million price for the Pmall.com business of Bed Bath & Beyond.

U.S. printer maker Xerox Holdings Corp walked away from its $35 billion hostile cash-and-stock bid for HP Inc in late March, after the coronavirus outbreak weighed on its campaign to take over the PC and printing equipment manufacturer.

Forescout Technologies Inc sued private equity firm Advent International in May for pulling out of a deal to buy the cybersecurity firm for $1.9 billion. The two settled in July for a reduced $1.43 billion acquisition price.

The largest U.S. mall owner, Simon Property Group Inc, in June ditched its $3.6 billion deal for competitor Taubman Centers Inc, citing the beating the retail sector has taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taubman vowed to fight Simon's move, and litigation is ongoing.

Telefonica sued Millicom International Cellular of Luxembourg for backing out of a $570 million deal for the Spanish company's operations in Costa Rica. While Telefonica is pursuing breach of contract damages against Millicom in state court in Manhattan, it struck a deal in July to sell the business to Liberty Latin American Ltd for $500 million.

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Juweel Investors Ltd sued an affiliate of Carlyle Group Inc for failing to close the purchase of a significant stake in American Express Global Business Travel, a deal that was estimated at $1.5 billion. The deal expired without closing and the two sides are scheduled to go to trial next year to determine if the pandemic constituted a "material adverse event" that would have allowed the buyers to back out.

L Brands Inc in May called off the sale of its majority stake in Victoria's Secret lingerie business to Sycamore Partners, after the retail operator and buyout firm sued each other over the $525 million deal. Sycamore fired the first legal shot, alleging in an April lawsuit that L Brands breached the deal by closing nearly all of its about 1,600 Victoria's Secret and PINK stores globally without Sycamore's permission.

WeWork is ensnared in a lawsuit against its majority owner SoftBank Group Corp after the Japanese conglomerate backed out of a $3 billion tender offer to the co-working office company's existing shareholders. SoftBank provided WeWork with a separate $1.1 billion financing in August. WeWork and Softbank are still locked in a court battle over the tender offer.

(Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York and Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Tom Brown)
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Luminex Resources Corp. (TSXV: LR) (OTCQX: LUMIF) (the "Company" or "Luminex") announces the results of its annual general meeting of shareholders held on September 10, 2020 in Vancouver (the "Meeting"). Luminex's shareholders voted in favour of each of the matters considered at the Meeting, including electing each of Marshall Koval, Lyle Braaten, Donald Shumka, David Farrell and John Wright as directors of the Company to hold office for the ensuing year, and appointing auditors for the ensuing year and authorizing the board of directors to set their remuneration.

Additionally, the Board of Directors has approved amending the Company's stock option plan (the "Plan") to increase the maximum number of common shares in the capital of the Company reserved for issuance pursuant to the exercise of options granted under the Plan from 4,000,000 common shares to 9,000,000 common shares. The amendment remains subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Luminex Resources

Luminex Resources Corp. (TSXV:LR;OTCQX: LUMIF) is a Vancouver, Canada based precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on gold and copper projects in Ecuador. Luminex's inferred and indicated mineral resources are located at the Condor Gold-Copper project in Zamora-Chinchipe Province, southeast Ecuador. Luminex also holds a large and highly prospective land package in Ecuador, including the Tarqui and Pegasus projects, which are being co-developed with BHP Group plc and Anglo American respectively.

Further details are available on the Company's website at https://luminexresources.com/.

To receive news releases please sign up at https://www.luminexresources.com/contact/contact-us/.

LUMINEX RESOURCES CORP.

Signed: "Marshall Koval"

Marshall Koval, CEO and Director

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Luminex Resources Corp.
Pope Francis Preparatory School announced Thursday that a student has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

This note is to inform you that the school received a call from a parent informing us that their student has tested positive for COVID-19, Head of School Paul Harrington said in an email to parents obtained by MassLive.

The email said the student has not been on campus for the past six days and that there is no indication or evidence that the students contraction of COVID-19 occurred at school or at a school-sponsored event.

The school will also be following protocols issued by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Public Health, which includes contacting close contacts of the students. Close contacts are those that have been within 6 feet of the individual for at least 15 minutes, while the person was infectious.

Based on this definition, the school is working to determine which students, if any, may be considered a close contact, the email states. If it applies, these students will be notified by email individually to both the student and the parent by the end of the day.

Pope Francis Preparatory School reopened its doors for the new school year on Aug. 27 using social distancing and other safety measures.

Staff and students said they were cautious but excited to be back in school at the time.

I think COVID is a concern in the back of everyones mind right now, Julia Calderon, 17, said on the first day of school. As a student, Im not so much concerned for myself as I am for my family or any other high-risk individuals I might come into contact with. Despite my worries, I do think that our school has pulled out all the stops when it comes to safety precautions.

Public schools in the area have delayed their starts and many will start remotely. But the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield announced this summer it would reopen all of its private schools for in-person learning. Pope Francis, which operates independently from the diocese, had followed suit and reopened for in-person learning.

The diocese has also seen an increase in those interested in attending its schools. As of Thursday, the diocese has seen 700 students transfer this year. They said they are still getting calls with many of their waitlists already full.

But some parents have been concerned about the reopenings.

A group of parents told MassLive in August that they confused about exact protocols and worrying some schools have better options than others.

One parent said they called Daniel Baillargeon, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Springfield, but that he wasnt able to give direct answers to their questions or conflicted things previously told to parents.

How do we as parents know it is safe? asked one parent from St. Marys Academy in Longmeadow.

Were not getting answers, another added.

Related Content:
Genus plc (LON:GNS) just released its full-year report and things are looking bullish. It was overall a positive result, with revenues beating expectations by 5.4% to hit UK551m. Genus also reported a statutory profit of UK0.62, which was an impressive 24% above what the analysts had forecast. Following the result, the analysts have updated their earnings model, and it would be good to know whether they think there's been a strong change in the company's prospects, or if it's business as usual. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year.

See our latest analysis for Genus

Taking into account the latest results, the consensus forecast from Genus' five analysts is for revenues of UK572.8m in 2021, which would reflect an okay 3.9% improvement in sales compared to the last 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to step up 18% to UK0.71. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of UK563.9m and earnings per share (EPS) of UK0.67 in 2021. So the consensus seems to have become somewhat more optimistic on Genus' earnings potential following these results.

The consensus price target rose 5.4% to UK37.57, suggesting that higher earnings estimates flow through to the stock's valuation as well. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. The most optimistic Genus analyst has a price target of UK41.20 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at UK34.70. Even so, with a relatively close grouping of estimates, it looks like the analysts are quite confident in their valuations, suggesting Genus is an easy business to forecast or the the analysts are all using similar assumptions.

Taking a look at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can understand these forecasts is to see how they compare to both past performance and industry growth estimates. We would highlight that Genus' revenue growth is expected to slow, with forecast 3.9% increase next year well below the historical 6.8%p.a. growth over the last five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 1.1% next year. So it's pretty clear that, while Genus' revenue growth is expected to slow, it's still expected to grow faster than the industry itself.

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The Bottom Line

The biggest takeaway for us is the consensus earnings per share upgrade, which suggests a clear improvement in sentiment around Genus' earnings potential next year. Fortunately, they also reconfirmed their revenue numbers, suggesting sales are tracking in line with expectations - and our data suggests that revenues are expected to grow faster than the wider industry. We note an upgrade to the price target, suggesting that the analysts believes the intrinsic value of the business is likely to improve over time.

Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. We have estimates - from multiple Genus analysts - going out to 2023, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Genus that you should be aware of.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
(TNS) - The Bear Fire burning in Northern California exploded Tuesday night and into Wednesday, destroying the rural Berry Creek community above Lake Oroville in Butte County, and prompting evacuation orders for at least 20,000 people lower down the hill in the Oroville area and surrounding towns.Berry Creek, a secluded rural area of about 1,200 people, was in ashen ruins Wednesday, hours after a midnight firestorm and frantic evacuation.Ive only seen three homes left standing, said Sacramento Bee photographer Jason Pierce Wednesday afternoon, reporting from the hill town. Dozens of houses and businesses are destroyed. Every house is just dust.Fire officials evacuated people from the Berry Creek area late Tuesday. An undetermined number suffered burns. On Wednesday afternoon, the area was desolate, and blanketed in heavy smoke. A fire crew was in town working on remaining spot fires, and Butte Sheriffs deputies were patrolling the area.2:39 p.m.: COVID-19 fouls up evacuation shelter plansButte County Supervisor Doug Teeter, who lost his home in the Camp Fire, said theres a major issue with trying to find evacuees shelter. Because of COVID-19, they cant stay in traditional shelters.The Red Cross is trying to find them lodging, but some have pets and livestock, which makes it extra challenging and many dont want to leave the county.He noted Butte County has been through a lot the past few years, starting with the Oroville Dam spillway failure in 2017 that forced Oroville to evacuate, followed by the Camp Fire in 2018 that burned the town of Paradise and surrounding communities.He said that at least the Oroville Dam failure was a one-time deal. The fires, he said, are only going to continue if California doesnt become much more proactive about managing its forests to prevent wildfires.Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly, whose district includes Berry Creek, was even more frustrated. He said the U.S. Forest Service let that fire burn for days when they should have put it out. He said he hasnt gotten an official report from the sheriff or fire officials, but theres probably deaths; a lot of homes burned down.They let this fire smolder for weeks, he said. They could have put it out. ... This is procrastination from the U.S. Forest Service, and were paying the price.Like Teeter, he said hes frustrated with officials letting the woods surrounding Butte County communities becoming so badly overgrown.Its time to get the environmentalists out of the forests, he said.Regarding Butte County getting hit by yet another tragedy, he said, It weighs on you, and it weighs on these people. Its tough.2:32 p.m.: The sky was ... turning redVanessa Reeves-Farry fled Berry Creek late Tuesday afternoon, with ash falling from a bright orange sky. By Wednesday afternoon, she was bracing herself for the fact that her home of the past 15 years was likely gone.Pretty much, from what Ive heard, our whole town or 90% of our town was destroyed, she said in a phone interview.Reeves-Farry lamented the damage done to the community.It was great. Mountain living, she said. Your dont have a lot of people bugging you.Another evacuee, David Tonick, didnt have to be told twice to leave. A former volunteer fire chief, he packed up and went to a friends house after the evacuation order arrived.He recalled that as he was leaving Tuesday afternoon, the sky was kind of turning red. Ive never seen the sky turn red before.2:30 p.m. Oroville residents safe, but trappedWith freeways blocked off to the east and to the west, many Oroville residents were essentially safe but trapped, said Wagon Wheel Market deli manager Rachel Johnston.The roadside general store had sold lots of ready-made meals such as sandwiches and rotisserie chickens to people living nearby as well as those who evacuated to Gold Country Casino Resort, where the dining rooms were closed due to COVID-19.Trauma isnt new here, Johnston said. A perennial Cal Fire sign outside warns wildfire is coming. Is your home ready? The town notably made national news three years ago with a frantic Sunday night evacuation when officials feared the Oroville Dam spillway failure might led to a dam failure.Unfortunately, people in this area are kind of use to (evacuating), Johnston said. Theyre a little more tired, a little more quiet than normal. But in Butte County, weve gotten used to it.2 p.m. Fighting fire on the ridge above OrovilleAfter spending Tuesday night evacuating residents in the now-devastated Berry Creek, fire crews on Wednesday worked to keep the fire out of the rural but populated Kelly Ridge area on the northeast flank of the city of Oroville.The fast-moving fire burned around that edge of Lake Oroville during the night, forcing evacuations of a section of Oroville. But as of Wednesday afternoon, the fire was no longer making the progress it had the day before in high winds.The weather is not as dynamic today, so the fire is not moving like it was yesterday, Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart said. We are making sure to keep the fire out of the Kelly Ridge area. That has been our target today.1:05 p.m.: 50-year resident watched Berry Creek burn, wont returnJohn Sykes, a 68-year-old construction worker who has lived in Berry Creek for 50 years, said he fled town Tuesday afternoon with his wife and a woman they are caring for, then watched from about a mile away as the Bear Fire tore through the community, obliterating everything, including his home.Berry Creek is gone, Sykes said in a telephone interview from his vehicle-turned-home. Were all OK, but were traumatized.We had enough time to get out OK. We have our car and a pair of clothes and thats it.Sykes said the group slept in the car overnight, then drove to Nevada on Wednesday morning to start the process of looking for housing.Im homeless right now, he said. Were going to find shelter. Were not destitute or anything.But he said he was shaken by watching overnight from about a mile away as the flames swept through.The school is gone, the fire departments gone, the bars gone, the laundromats gone, the general stores gone, he said.Now, after half a century of living in the Butte County town and surviving countless wildfires, Sykes said he has made a decision.Ill never go back, he said. I dont want to see it. Thats why Im leaving. I never want to see California again.11:55 a.m.: Oroville may escape damage from fire, mayor saysOroville Mayor Chuck Reynolds said just before noon Wednesday that the Bear Fire appears to have spared much of his city, although other areas such as Berry Creek have been completely burned through.The fire turned through the east foothills last night, but it has made it down to the east side of the lake, Reynolds said in a phone interview from City Hall. It seems to have run out of fuel at this point, although there are some spots that are still burning. It has not jumped the lake.The wind has really died down. In fact, its almost non-existent.Reynolds said he is hopeful the fire will not pose further threat to Oroville if the winds do not resume, but added that he had heard other communities were hit hard overnight.Berry Creeks been burned through, Brush Creek, Feather Falls, Forbestown, Clipper Mills all have been burned through.Reynolds said he had not heard any reports of burn victims coming to Oroville Hospital, and that most residents of the city stayed in place overnight rather than evacuating. Most of the evacuations he was aware of were in the Kelly Ridge neighborhood, he said.We have seen any fire victims yet, were not aware of any as of yet, he said.11:30 a.m.: Mandatory evacuations expanded in Plumas CountyEvacuation orders have been extended, now in place for all residents and campgrounds in the Bucks Lake area and the nearby stretch of Highway 162 near the Plumas-Butte county line, according to Plumas County officials.11 a.m.: Berry Creek damaged, Oroville threatenedCarin Dorghalli, a reporter with the Chico Enterprise-Record, reported on Twitter on Wednesday morning that the hamlet of Berry Creek is leveled. She also reported that firefighters rescued a hundred people from the #BearFire, including burn victims.U.S. Forest Service and emergency authorities havent yet issued official reports or estimates regarding property destruction.Berry Creek is about 25 miles northeast of Oroville, at an elevation of 2,000 feet. Its population is estimated at 525. The town has an elementary school, a mini-mart and two churches.Cal Fire officials warned that the fires edges near Oroville are unsecure after a wild night Tuesday above Lake Oroville that firefighters were forced to flee.Fire spokesman Bruce Prudhomme said firefighters are headed back into the burned Berry Creek area now to make an assessment of damage, which is said to be extensive.We dont know anything yet about structures or injuries, we are assessing today, Prudhomme said. We pulled them out of the way. It was a roaring fire with extremely hazardous field conditions. Very aggressive fire.The fire burned 30 miles long and 25 miles wide Tuesday and early Wednesday in what Prudhomme described as a sprint that consumed 80,000 acres. The southern perimeter, next to Oroville is unsecured, he said.Four burn and trauma victims form the Bear Fire have been taken to the UC Davis Medical Center burn unit and are all currently in critical condition, spokeswoman Karen Finney said.11 a.m.: Bear Fire growing at furious, unprecedented speedThe Bear Fire, a southwest extension of the North Complex that sparked in mid-August at Plumas National Forest, has burned at an unparalleled rate since flaring in extremely gusty wind Tuesday.The U.S. Forest Service as of 11 a.m. Wednesday estimated the fire complex size at approximately 254,000 acres  nearly 400 square miles  after giving an early estimate of 150,000 acres around 8 a.m.Nearly all the North Complex growth Tuesday and Wednesday has been from the Bear Fires unprecedented runs. As recently as Tuesday morning, the Forest Service reported the complex at just over 40,000 acres.That means the North Complex has exploded to become at least the ninth-largest wildfire in state history, according to Cal Fire records; and the 214,000 acres that have burned in a little more than 24 hours would, on their own, represent Californias 12th-biggest fire ever. The rest of the Top 12 took several days, if not weeks or longer to grow beyond 200,000 acres.Topography, high winds, and dry fuels aligned to produce unprecedented fire behavior, the Forest Service wrote in a Wednesday morning incident update. ... Multiple communities have been evacuated with a likelihood of additional evacuations today.10 a.m.: Evacuations, warnings issued in Oroville area, parts of ParadiseThe Butte County Sheriffs Office has issued a flurry of evacuation orders and warnings, primarily near the south corner of Lake Oroville, extending west along Highway 162 as far as Foothill Boulevard on the outskirts of Oroville. Evacuations are also mandatory in a less-populated area north of the Feather River, east of Cherokee Road and west of the lake.The entire city of Oroville, except the immediate area of Oroville Municipal Airport thats located across Highway 70 from the rest of the city, was under a voluntary evacuation warning as of Wednesday morning. The Butte County Courthouse in Oroville has closed because of the fire.The town of Paradise issued its own evacuation warning separate from those of the county for Zone 14, the towns southeast corner east of Pentz Road and south of Pearson Road, at 8:45 a.m.Shortly before 8 a.m., sheriffs officials issued an evacuation warning for lower Concow on the north side of Highway 70. One live AlertWildfire camera maintained by PG&E located in Jarbo Gap, between Highway 70 and the Concow Reservoir, showed thick orange smoke blanketing the surrounding hills shortly after sunrise.Extreme smoke from the fire, mixed with the morning sun, have turned the skies orange or even blood red in those areas, as well as near Chico, as seen on multiple cameras with the AlertWildfire network.A vast patch of sparsely populated land east of Highway 70 extending south nearly to the Butte-Yuba county line is also under a warning.Oroville has a population of close to 20,000. The evacuation warning for the city came around 2 a.m. and had not been upgraded to a mandatory order as of 9:30 a.m., but Mayor Chuck Reynolds ordered all city staffers to remain at home and prepare to evacuate if necessary.I am at work and will do what I can from here in the event we have to leave, Reynolds wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday morning. The big concern for City Hall is the computer servers.If we have to leave I am going to have the IT team pull the servers in an attempt to preserve our data if the unthinkable were to occur.Reynolds added that the Oroville Hospital plans to shelter in place and that some areas of the city have shut down.It appeared the businesses that are usually open at 530 a.m. are not open today, he wrote. I think most people are preparing to evacuate or have evacuated.Reynolds also said the city is working to get homeless residents out and are encouraging them to leave if possible or gather at one place so we can get them transported if it becomes necessary.In Yuba County, mandatory evacuation orders were ordered Tuesday for the area of La Porte and New York Flat roads, north of Brownsville. The area includes the communities of Forbestown, Woodleafe, Clipper Mills and Strawberry Valley.The Bear Fire is part of the North Complex, a lightning-ignited group of fires that started more than three weeks ago in the Plumas National Forest area. The cluster of fires stayed concentrated in Plumas County prior to this week, but the western side of the complex flared up dramatically Tuesday, producing a massive, dark smoke cloud that blanketed the area.Wind gusts exceeded 50 mph in Northern California throughout much of Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.A frightening sight for Camp Fire survivorsLocals impacted by the Camp Fire tragedy two years ago know the peril of Northern California wildfires all too well.The sky is completely red; its raining like snow, the ash, said Bill Hopper, a Paradise resident whose home burned down in the 2018 Camp Fire.Hopper said he and his neighbors are anxiously tracking the progress of the fire and are worried about the prospect of another fire sweeping through Paradise. The Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed most of the town.We have the car and the truck loaded and ready to go, Hopper said. All the neighbors have been up ... roaming and chatting with each other.Hopper has spent the past year building a new home on his property and is anguished about the possibility of another fire.Not again  theyre going to burn it down before we get to use it? he said, referring to his new home.Peggy Mattier, who lives on the east side of Paradise, said she and her neighbors have been outside all morning watching the sky. Its dark, its pitch black, she said. Lots and lots of ash coming down. We can see an orange glow ... but I dont see any flame.She said everyone is on edge.Were ready  cars packed.Cal Fires Butte Unit posted photos around 1:30 a.m. from Highway 162 and Forbestown Road, showing the fire has crested the hill across the lake from that location. The photos show deep orange flames lighting up the hill.The Bear Fire jumped the Middle Fork of the Feather River around 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Forest Service said in an evening incident report.A dry cold front passing over the fire with very high winds and low humidities rapidly drove the high-intensity crown fire to the southwest, the Forest Service said.The Forest Service reports the North Complex is collectively 150,140 acres with 38% containment as of Wednesday morning. It has burned brush and timber since sparking in Plumas National Forest on Aug. 17. The eastern half of the fire complex held within its containment lines Tuesday, authorities said.More than 1,400 firefighters are assigned to the North Complex.A separate incident in Yuba County first reported Wednesday morning, the Willows Fire, caused the evacuation of approximately 3,000 residents from Loma Rica, Cal Fire said. By afternoon, officials said smokey conditions and cooling weather helped tamp down the blaze.Temporary evacuation staging areas for the Bear Fire have been established, at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds and Dobbins Alcouffee Center in Yuba County, and at the Gridley Fairgrounds in Butte County. Numerous road closures are in place throughout both counties.2020 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.)Visit The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) at www.sacbee.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
KABUL, Afghanistan  Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are expected to begin on Saturday in Doha, Qatar, officials announced on Thursday, in a historic negotiation between the two sides after nearly two decades of bitter war.

The release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the government opened the way for the breakthrough, after months of delay and recrimination. The prisoner release was agreed to by the United States in its historic deal with the Taliban in February, at talks in which the Afghan government was not present. Under that agreement, the Americans also promised a phased withdrawal of their remaining troops in exchange for guarantees that the insurgents would reduce their attacks and no longer permit the country to serve as a haven for terrorists.

Now, finding a compromise between the Taliban and the government on issues of power sharing and civil liberties, including the role of women and minorities, will be no easy task, and it will be made more difficult by years of bloodshed and grievances.

In Washington, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who will be in Qatar for the talks, said on Thursday that the opportunity for peace must not be squandered.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

A strong majority of likely New Mexico voters across all age groups, regions of the state and political parties approve of the way the police in their communities are doing their jobs, according to a recent Journal Poll.

And the majority said they oppose cutting some funding from police departments and shifting it to social services.

Its consistent that if people have strong approval ratings for the police, they would also oppose (cutting) funding, said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc., which conducted the statewide survey. If youre very concerned about crime  Albuquerque, as an example, has a high violent crime rate  many people would therefore oppose cutting the department.

The poll asked likely voters whether they approve or disapprove of the way the police in their community are doing their job. It found that 74% approve, compared with 12% who disapprove; 11% said they had mixed feelings and 3% wouldnt say or didnt know. Among both male and female, and Anglo and Hispanic respondents, 73% to 74% approve of the police.

Respondents in more conservative, rural areas were significantly more likely to approve of their local police compared with those in urban areas and Democratic strongholds. But even in the states biggest cities, the majority said they approve. In northwestern and eastern New Mexico, 84% and 89%, respectively, approve, compared with Albuquerque and Las Cruces, where the respective figures are 67% and 64%.

It doesnt surprise me, Sanderoff said. People in more conservative areas, people in more rural areas tend to be that much more supportive of their police. Urban areas tend to have high crime rates and more controversy regarding police.

He added that party and political ideology are also predictors for how people feel about police, but even so, the majority of Democrats and self-described liberals approve of the job theyre doing.

Among those with a high school diploma or less, 86% approved of the police in their community and 5% disapproved. Approval dipped among respondents along each additional level of educational attainment, but even among those with graduate degrees, 66% approved, compared with 12% who disapproved.

Sanderoff has said that in todays political climate, those at lower education levels tend to be more conservative  therefore, they are also more likely to approve of law enforcement.

Sanderoff said his firm has not asked this question before, but its clear that attitudes on policing reflect whats going on at the time.

Weve had some controversy with police in Albuquerque; I think the James Boyd incident was probably the low point for police image in Albuquerque, Sanderoff said. Then, one year later, a couple of police officers were shot in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, and we noticed an increase in support levels for police after that. You will see public opinion shift somewhat based on current events and news.

After protesters and activists across the country began calling for cities to defund the police this summer after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, Mayor Tim Keller said his administration would build a community safety department whose personnel could be dispatched to some calls in place of police officers or firefighters.

Last week, Keller said that under his proposed budget, the new department would cost an estimated $7.5 million and have around 100 employees, with the funding coming from other city departments that are doing similar work.

Under Kellers proposal, the Albuquerque Police Departments budget would increase from $205 million to $212 million.

The Journal Poll asked respondents whether they support or oppose cutting some funding from police departments in their community and shifting it toward social services, and found the majority of likely voters  61%  opposed the idea, while 24% supported it, 11% said they had mixed feelings or it depends, and 4% were undecided, didnt know or wouldnt say.

As with the question on police approval, those in rural and conservative areas are significantly more likely to oppose cutting funding  among those in northwestern New Mexico, 71% oppose it and among those in eastern New Mexico, 87% oppose it  compared with Albuquerque and Las Cruces, where opposition was 54% and 48%, respectively.

Among men, 64% opposed cutting funding, compared with 58% among women. The majority of both Hispanic and Anglo respondents  61% and 60%, respectively  opposed cutting funding.

Sanderoff pointed out that while this question was framed as an either/or of reducing police budgets to put toward social services, it doesnt have to be that way. He referred to previous years in which voters have approved funding for a 24/7 homeless shelter in Albuquerque and behavioral health services in Bernalillo County.

I think that for many New Mexicans, its not an either/or situation, he said. I suspect the majority of New Mexicans support both maintaining or increasing police funding, and increasing behavioral health programs and social service programs to reduce crime.

Methodology

The Journal Poll asked respondents: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in your community are doing their job? and Do you support or oppose cutting some funding from police departments in your community and shifting it to social services?

The poll is based on a scientific, statewide sample of 457 likely general election voters who also voted in either the 2016 and 2018 general elections  or both.

The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples.

The poll was active from Aug. 26 through Sept. 2, and all interviews were conducted by live, professional interviewers, with multiple callbacks to households that did not initially answer the phone.

Both cellphone numbers (74%) and landlines (26%) of likely general election voters were used.

Coming Friday

See what New Mexicans think about COVID-19 restrictions, and about how Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and President Donald Trump have handled the pandemic
Does the beautiful in Beautiful Destinations stand for the places they cover, or for the face that fronts it? A sharp-tongued colleague asked me this question when we met Jeremy Jauncey at an international bloggers event a few years ago. A few minutes later, as she inspected a picture I had taken of her and Jeremy, she pointed to an overexposed cut-out of Katrina Kaif that had found its way into the frame, and said, See, even Katrina cant take his megawatt smile!

Good-looking brothers Jeremy and Tom Jauncey are the guys behind Beautiful Destinations, a social media-led travel community started in 2012, that is today a marketing platform for travel businesses around the world. In 2017, Fast Company magazine rated them as one of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies.

As it happens in the world of digital media, hundreds of clones have since then popped up, replicating the platform the Jaunceys had founded. Yet, the two brothers have managed to keep themselves distinguishable from the competition. Innovative photography, daredevilry and adventure, and clever integration techniques have kept their content relevant and unique. But many would agree that the people skills of the two brothers and their willingness to face the camera when needed on their own social media or otherwise, is the driving force.

Investing in undiscovered talent around the world, building relationships with platforms and tech companies and innovating in the space is at the core of what we do

Jeremy is a former rugby player and often dispenses advice on health and fitness. He is also a global ambassador for the World Wildlife Foundation and advocates sustainable tourism.

As he kicks off his fortnightly Q&A column for Hindustan Times Brunch on 13 September 2020, Jeremy answers a few questions reflecting his excitement at connecting with fans and readers from a country thats actually a continent: India!

Jeremy, you started Beautiful Destinations as a passion project that has become a model for start-ups worldwide. Tell us briefly how it came about. Did you expect it to become so big?

It started as a passion project without a business plan, but with a strong belief that travel was a force for good in the world, and that inspiring people to travel, respecting others and the environment would be something of value some day. Thankfully, others felt the same!

Clockwise: Jeremy Jauncey with his partner Pia Wurtzbach in Santorini (Inset); The blogger horseriding in Giza; His first trip out of New York after the coronavirus lockdown (Inset); with Pia in Milos, Greece; His company was rated as the Worlds Most innovative companies in 2017

How have you managed to keep Beautiful Destinations a notch above the other travel and adventure content companies that have come up as copies of BD?

Being at the cutting edge of content is something we pride ourselves on. So investing in undiscovered talent around the world, building relationships with the platforms and tech companies and innovating in the space is at the core of what we do. My brother Tom leads all these efforts.

Tell us about your experiences in India.

Ive been to New Delhi many times and mentioned in interviews in the past how much I enjoy meeting Indian people; the warmth, hospitality and pride always comes through. That said, there really is so much more for me to do in India and we are planning on stepping up our presence in the country very soon.

Tell us about those plans.

Id love to connect with Indian content creators, hospitality leaders and entrepreneurs all over India, so please reach out, as were looking for partners. A direct message on Instagram is the best way ;)

Congrats on your new column with HT Brunch. What kind of questions are you hoping to address as you connect with your Indian fans?

Thank you to Hindustan Times and Brunch for inviting me to be involved. As I answer questions, Id love to also learn more about where to travel, particularly the non-tourist spots, and places that would benefit most from new tourism development. Also, I look forward to connecting with entrepreneurs and business leaders who would like to learn from me about how to grow a global digital business, and vice versa.

Jeremy Jaunceys new bi-weekly column in HT Brunch, where he will answer all travel-related queries, debuts on September 13. Reach out to HT social media handles to get in touch

Follow Jamal Shaikh on Twitter @JamalShaikh

From HT Brunch, September 13, 2020

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch

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How to navigate Trump's temporary payroll tax break

A tax cut meant to help workers struggling through the coronavirus crisis will need to be repaid early in 2021  so if you're affected by it, you'll need to do some planning.

The payroll tax holiday declared by President Donald Trump could give you larger-than-usual paychecks through the end of 2020, but much skimpier ones for the first four months of the new year.

Financial experts say the smart approach is to think of the payroll tax holiday as a loan, and that means using the money wisely while preparing for payback.

How the payroll tax cut works

An executive order that Trump signed last month allows employers to hold off on collecting some federal payroll taxes through the end of the year, to give plumper paychecks to Americans who earn $4,000 or less every two weeks.

Specifically, the president's memorandum lets bosses temporarily stop dinging their employees for a 6.2% tax that funds Social Security. A worker making the $4,000 threshold amount at a participating business would get an extra $248 in each biweekly paycheck, through Dec. 31.

But the order doesn't cancel the taxes  it just delays them. The IRS says payroll taxes deferred between September and December of this year under Trump's order will have to be paid between January and April of next year, "or interest, penalties, and additions to tax will begin to accrue on May 1, 2021."

The official White House memo says Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin will "explore avenues, including legislation" to permanently wipe out the tax debt, but there's no guarantee Congress will agree.

Major business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have balked at the payroll tax holiday. Workers won't have anything to worry about if their employers don't participate.

But Trump's order will apply to an estimated 1.3 million federal employees and more than 1 million U.S. service members, starting with the pay period ending Sept. 12, according to The Washington Post and other media outlets.

Story continues

What to do if your payroll taxes are deferred

Luca Santilli / Shutterstock

The payroll tax deferral has been described as a "payroll tax loan" by Janet Holtzblatt, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, in multiple interviews. Holtzblatt says affected workers who treat it that way should be fine.

This kind of no-interest loan may be welcome relief for people who have been racking up debt during periods of unemployment. But if they don't plan ahead, wintertime will be a shock as their paychecks suddenly come up short. Here are a few coping strategies:

Put the excess pay into savings.

If the money is a loan, "pay it back" as you go. During the months payroll taxes are deferred, examine each pay stub and find the "gross pay" amount, before taxes. Multiple that by 0.062 (6.2%) to determine how much you didn't pay into Social Security, as you normally would. Then, deposit that amount into a high-yield savings account.

You'll need that stash to get through the winter and early spring, when your paychecks shrink to make up the unpaid payroll taxes from the fall. And, you might as well earn some interest on the money while you sit on it.

Use the extra cash to pay down debt.

If you've got a lot of debt from credit cards, follow the advice above to see how much additional pay you're receiving while your payroll taxes are cut temporarily. Apply the amounts to your debt, to help reduce your balances and your minimum payments. You will experience a pay cut early in 2021 as the deferred payroll taxes are paid back, but you should find yourself paying smaller bills.

Make a New Year's resolution to be more responsible with debt, and consider taking out a debt consolidation loan to help shrink your credit card balances to zero.

Devote some of your padded pay to new financial habits.

Calculate how much extra pay you're getting and squirrel away most of it into savings for the first part of next year. But spend a small amount on a financial goal you haven't been able to get around to, like buying life insurance to protect your loved ones if something happens to you, or getting into investing if you've wanted to put money into stocks.

Life insurance policies can be surprisingly inexpensive; the industry nonprofit Life Happens says you can pay as little as $13 a month, depending on your age and desired coverage level.

And, today's investing apps allow you to start with as little as $1, and you can find yourself paying no fees or commissions.

The fate of the payroll tax deferral

Though White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters last week that the payroll tax break will be "extremely helpful" for workers, members of Congress are unconvinced.

More than 20 mostly Republican members of the U.S. Senate have signed a letter urging the administration to let federal government employees and members of the military say no thanks, and opt out.

"Federal workers and service members should not be used as pawns for a payroll tax scheme that many private-sector employers are unlikely to join and where key questions remain unanswered," the letter says.

Republicans say they plan to introduce legislation to forgive the deferred taxes, as the White House wants. But since that proposal is likely to face resistance in the House, which is controlled by Democrats, the safe move for affected workers is to put at least a little extra aside.
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Surprising! 13 million year old fossil ape found in Uttarakhand



An international team of researchers has unearthed a 13-million-year-old fossil of a newly discovered ape species in Uttarakhand, which is the earliest known ancestor of the modern-day gibbon. The finding, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, fills a major void in the ape fossil record and provides important new evidence about when the ancestors of todays gibbon migrated to Asia from Africa.



The fossil, a complete lower molar, belongs to a previously unknown genus and species (Kapi ramnagarensis), and represents the first new fossil ape species discovered at the famous fossil site of Ramnagar in nearly a century.



The researchers, including those from Arizona State University in the US and Panjab University in Chandigarh, were climbing a small hill in an area where a fossil primate jaw had been found the year before. While pausing for a short rest, the team spotted something shiny in a small pile of dirt on the ground.



We knew immediately it was a primate tooth, but it did not look like the tooth of any of the primates previously found in the area, said Christopher C. Gilbert, from City University of New York in the US. From the shape and size of the molar, our initial guess was that it might be from a gibbon ancestor, but that seemed too good to be true, given that the fossil record of lesser apes is virtually nonexistent,? Gilbert noted.



He explained that there are other primate species known during that time, and no gibbon fossils have previously been found anywhere near Ramnagar. Since the fossils discovery in 2015, years of study, analysis, and comparison were conducted to verify that the tooth belongs to a new species, as well as to accurately determine its place in the ape family tree, the researchers said.

The molar was photographed and CT-scanned, and comparative samples of living and extinct ape teeth were examined to highlight important similarities and differences in dental anatomy, they said.



Read More...


Bob Woodward - JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Donald Trump sat down for 18 interviews with Bob Woodward, a veteran US political journalist best known for his reporting of the Watergate scandal, for his upcoming book on the US president and his administration.

The interviews took place over the course of several months - both in person and over the phone - with Mr Trump reportedly calling Woodward late at night from the White House residency.

The ensuing book, Rage, explores Mr Trump's handling of the pandemic, his views on America's race relations, diplomacy with North Korea and a range of other national security issues.

The book also includes brutal assessments of Mr Trump from members of his inner circle, including his former defense secretary General Jim Mattis, the former director of national intelligence Dan Coats and others.

The book, which hits bookshops next Tuesday, has already caused a stir in Washington and comes just weeks before the US presidential election. Here are all the most explosive revelations.

Trump admitted downplaying coronavirus threat

Mr Trump acknowledged that he knew in February how deadly and contagious Covid-19 was but revealed he played it down when discussing it in public because he did not want to create a panic.

"It goes through the air," Mr Trump told Woodward on February 7, according to a recording of the interview obtained by CNN. "That's always tougher than the touch. You don't have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that's how it's passed.

"And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus."

A week after that interview, Mr Trump said at a White House briefing that the number of coronavirus cases in the US would be "close to zero" within a couple days.

In a recording from a conversation on March 19, Mr Trump told the journalist: "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."

Story continues

Mr Trump also told Woodward that some "startling facts" had just come out about the virus' targets: "It's not just old, older. Young people too, plenty of young people."

Trump called his own military chiefs 'p-----s'

According to leaked extracts of the book, Mr Trump made disparaging remarks about US military leaders.

The book cites an aide to General James Mattis, the former Defense Secretary, who reportedly heard Mr Trump say in a meeting: "my f------ generals are a bunch of p-----s", adding "they care more about their alliances than trade deals".

General Mattis asked the aide to document the comment in an email, CNN reported.

Defence chiefs said Trump was 'dangerous' and feared Putin 'had something' on him

Mr Trump has enjoyed a warm relationship with Mr Putin - Pablo Martinez Monsivais /AP

Several former defence and intelligence chiefs suggested Mr Trump was a dangerous, untruthful leader who was unfit for office, according to the book.

Dr Anthony Fauci, a leading member of the White Houses coronavirus response team, is also quoted reportedly saying that Mr Trump's attention span is like a minus number and his sole purpose is to get reelected.

In the book Dan Coats, Mr Trump's former director of national intelligence, said the president doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie.

General Mattis reportedly told Mr Coats: There may come a time when we have to take collective action because the president was dangerous" and "unfit.

According to CNN, who have seen an early copy of the book, Mr Coats could also not shake his "deep suspicions" that Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, "had something" on Mr Trump.

As a top intelligence official, Mr Coats and his staff examined any intelligence on any potential Russian connections, and according to CNN he "still questions the relationship" between Mr Trump and Mr Putin despite the apparent absence of intelligence proof.

Trump revealed 'secret' new US weapons system

Mr Trump also reportedly revealed to Woodward that the US government has built a secret new weapons system that nobodys ever had in this country before."

"We have stuff that you havent even seen or heard about. We have stuff that [Russian president] Putin and [Chinese leader] Xi have never heard about before. Theres nobody  what we have is incredible.

Woodward said the existence of the secret new weapons system was later confirmed to him by unidentified officials, who expressed their surprise that Mr Trump had disclosed it.

'I don't feel that at all': Trump on white privilege

As the Black Lives Matter protests took place in June, Woodward asked Mr Trump his views on the concept of white privilege and whether he feels isolated by that privilege from the plight of Black Americans or needed to "understand the anger and pain".

"No. You really drank the Kool-Aid, didn't you? Just listen to you," Mr Trump replied, according to a recording published by the Washington Post. "Wow. No, I don't feel that at all."

Trump claimed Kim Jong-un thought Obama was an 'ass----'

Mr Trump was dismissive of his predecessor, Barack Obama, telling Woodward that he liked to refer to him by his first and middle names, Barack Hussein, but did not do it in his presence to be very nice.

I dont think Obamas smart, Mr Trump reportedly told Woodward. I think hes highly overrated. And I dont think hes a great speaker.

Mr Trump also disparaged former Republican president George W Bush, telling Woodward the journalist had made him "look like a stupid moron, which he was."

He went on to claim that Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, thought Mr Obama was an ass----.

Kim wanted second Trump meeting to be like 'a fantasy film'

Rage reveals new details about the letters Mr Trump exchanged with Kim, including that the North Korean autocrat told the president he wanted another historic meeting between myself and Your Excellency reminiscent of a scene from a fantasy film.

Mr Trump described his meeting with Kim Jong-Un to Woodward - AP

Kim also said his meetings with Mr Trump were a precious memory that underscored how the deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.

For his own part, Mr Trump told Woodward he approaches the North Korean leader and his nuclear arsenal like a real estate target, saying: Its really like, you know, somebody thats in love with a house and they just cant sell it.

Mr Trump reportedly also boasted to Woodward that Kim tells me everything, including a graphic account of the leader having his uncle killed.

Trump is like the Cheshire Cat

One of the more unusual assessments of Mr Trump's presidency came from his own son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who also serves as a White House adviser.

Mr Kushner told Woodward that four texts were key to understanding Mr Trump, including Alice in Wonderland. He singled out the book's smiling Cheshire Cat character, highlighting the character's strategy of endurance and persistence, rather than direction.

"If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there," Mr Kushner said.
Elizabeth Huntley and James Pratt are members of the Auburn University board of trustees and serve as co-chairs of the trustee task force for diversity and inclusion.

1987 was a quiet year for elections across America but not at Auburn. That was the year Harold Melton, a student in international studies and Spanish, launched and won a campaign to become the first African American president of the Auburn Student Government Association, winning with more than 65 percent of the vote.

This was just the first of many important roles Harold Melton would play at Auburn and in an extraordinarily successful legal career in his home state of Georgia, where his colleagues on the Georgia Supreme Court elected him as chief justice.

Last week, the Auburn Board of Trustees unanimously named the Auburn student center for Justice Melton, the first building on campus that honors a person of color. The decision was reached as part of a larger effort to demonstrate Auburns commitment to diversity and inclusion.

In June, Auburn named two task forces to study diversity and inclusion issues. We co-chair the task force for the Auburn Board with our work taking place concurrently with that of a campus-based task force organized by President Jay Gogue. Other members of the Board task force are retired Army general Lloyd Austin, bank president Bob Dumas, former principal and educator Sarah B. Newton and Alabama Power executive Quentin P. Riggins.

These groups are embarking on a process that offers all Auburn stakeholders a voice, seeking input from students, faculty, staff, alumni, elected officials and more. It will include a fact-based review of Auburns past and present, and we will provide specific recommendations for the future.

We are committed to making real progress based on solid facts. Unlike other universities in the state, Auburn has a presence in all 67 counties through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Our review has included not only our campuses in Auburn and Montgomery but all properties across our state. To date, we have found no monuments or statues recognizing the history that has divided our country. We will continue our fact-finding mission with input from the academic and research community.

Our university and leadership are committed to doing the right thing, for the right reasons, at the right time. We believe now is the right time, and we are already seeing results.

In addition to naming the student center for the Honorable Harold Melton, we have taken steps to highlight the significant role played by Harold Franklin, the student who integrated Auburn. We are working to enhance the historical marker that pays tribute to Mr. Franklin, and we are raising its visibility in campus tours as we pay homage to his contributions as our first African American student. Last month, we awarded Mr. Franklin, now 86, a long-overdue masters degree for the studies he completed at Auburn so many years ago.

We likewise endorsed a student-led initiative creating the National Pan-Hellenic Council Legacy Plaza, which will recognize the contributions of Black Greek organizations and African American culture on our campus.

In the coming months, Auburn men and women will work together to promote inclusion to further enhance our student experience and build on our strength through diversity. The results of this work will be seen and felt throughout the institution in how we recruit our students, provide scholarships and other financial support and ensure a culture of inclusion in all walks of university life.

Our goal is to identify and implement substantive steps that will make a real difference at Auburn, impact our communities and stand the test of time.

Naming the student center for Justice Melton is but one example. In response to this decision, he said, Auburn University has already given me everything I ever could have hoped for in a university and more. This honor is beyond my furthest imagination.

Our job as leaders at Auburn is more than honoring the Harold Meltons and Harold Franklins who played a significant role in the history of our university. It is also to create an inclusive environment that serves our student body and to establish a lasting legacy where all members of the Auburn Family reach their fullest potential in their careers and in life.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 15:44:39|Editor: huaxia

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by Chen Jiabao

BANGKOK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- In a muddy camp ground surrounded by the vast greenness of northeastern Thailand's Khao Yai national park, scented candle seller Paul smiled with relief when seeing streams of tourists entering the park deserted due to COVID-19 for months.

The 30-year-old was invited to the "Stress Free Festival" in one of the most visited national parks held by the country's tourism body.

"I started my business six months ago, the time when COVID-19 broke out. I can't afford to rent a shop front," said the man who set up a lovely stall displaying home-made scented candles with different aromas against the backdrop of a fresh forest.

"I sell online. To my surprise, the sales volume is threefold of my goal," Paul told Xinhua.

"I'm glad to see people travel again, much more beyond my expectation. The festival and the long holiday drive tourists here. It's a good chance to set up a booth here to promote my products," said the man with a black mask, yet his smile could be read in the eyes.

The festival during the Songkran (Thai new year) holiday was packed with concerts, cloth mask fashion shows and workshop activities as an effort to boost local tourism.

Thailand's tourism industry had previously been buoyed by foreign tourists. But the government has been halting international passenger flights to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since April.

In an unprecedented scenario of no foreign tourists, the government has devised campaigns to fill the void and to encourage Thais to travel as much as possible inside the country.

Nestled in the lush, mountainous getaway destination of Khao Yai, a mango orchard saw a temporary tourism boom after a two-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Bookings return. We have guests every day, especially during holidays and weekends, though the mango season passed," said orchard owner Waraporn with a bright, contagious smile.

"It happened to be the harvest when we closed," she said, showing Xinhua some tiny baby mangoes in the tree.

"We make the surplus into mango products, such as honey and dried fruits. We've been trying to use agriculture technology to ensure productivity as we open for tourists again after the mango season," said the owner whose family business narrowly pulled through without dismissing any of her staffs.

"Online sale and domestic tourism boost help a lot. It's an undoubtedly hard time, we hope economy activities pick up soon," said the always-smiley owner.

For Wipa, a hotel owner in southern Thailand's once bustling island destination Koh Pha Ngan, the pandemic has wiped smiles from her face.

Compared to Khao Yai which is just three hours drive from the capital city Bangkok, the island sitting at the Gulf of Thailand that takes a one-hour flight from Bangkok faces a bleak outlook.

Wipa said her hotel saw occupancy of only 10 percent during the four-day holiday since Sept. 4.

Wipa has been running the hotel for 30 years. "We have 124 rooms and more than 90 staffs. The revenue falls to less than 200,000 baht (about 6,700 U.S. dollars) monthly since March. About 90 percent of our customers are foreigners."

Best known for the boisterous night celebration "the Full Moon Party" and barely developed beaches, Pha Ngan Island is a tropical paradise for foreign tourists. The costly flight fare and accommodations often keep local tourists away from the island.

"The pandemic cuts off our income. We hope tourism rebound by the end of the year, or we may face closure," said the owner with a bitter smile.

In a country known as the Land of Smile, Thais have built an admirable reputation for making life fun and easy-going, and the smile is a key ingredient.

Though the country's tourism-reliant economy has been battered by COVID-19, Thai smiles have never lost out to the pandemic. However, something is missing.

"We have two foreign tourists since the lockdown measures eased. A Cambodian on his private jet using a long stay visa, and an ex-diplomatic personnel from Mexico who is an elite card holder under special arrangement", said the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Yuthasuk Supasorn with a wry smile.

Thailand welcomed more than 39.8 million foreign tourists last year, equivalent to half of the country's population. The TAT predicted the number of international arrivals this year may plunge 80 percent, with international air traffic regaining just 10 percent of the pre-pandemic volume.

In order to help the ailing tourism sector and save millions of jobs, the government plans to reopen the resort island of Phuket in the south as a model to welcome back foreign visitors.

However, the governor said the plan has hit a snag after the country recently saw the first case of local COVID-19 infection in more than three months.

He said stringent quarantine measures, divided local opinions and the capacity of medical service are factors to consider, which will set back the Phuket reopening plan.

"As a result, we need to focus on domestic tourism boosting plans. But we found domestic travel less than robust despite of government subsides. People still prefer short trips within three hours drive. Many destinations couldn't enjoy the tourism income," said the governor.

In addition to domestic tourism stimulus, the TAT tries to offer the two million expats in Thailand special travel deals. At present, the agency partners with Alipay and Fliggy -- a travel platform from China -- to promote domestic tourism campaigns for Chinese expats.

"We believe the pandemic will pass, the tourism boom will return someday. However, we don't know how many business can survive by that time," the governor gave a sad smile. Enditem
Specialty insurer Ascot has started an Excess & Surplus Casualty division for the U.S. and appointed Matthew Roy as senior vice president for the new wholesale unit.

Writing exclusively on a wholesale basis, the division will focus on middle market business in targeted industry groups including construction, manufacturing and hospitality. The new division will initially focus on general liability and auto liability, along with supported and unsupported excess liability.

Roy joins Ascot from AXA XL where he was assistant vice president of E&S Primary Casualty. Prior to this, he served as vice president and Northeast regional manager for Wholesale Casualty at Everest Insurance.

Based in New York, he will be supported by underwriters in New York, Chicago and Atlanta.

Jonathan Zaffino, Group president, said Ascot has many years of casualty underwriting experience, and can now combine this experience with a new, legacy free, U.S. division which complements our existing digital small-excess-casualty suite.

In the U.S., Ascot provides insurance and underwriting services through its managing general underwriter, Ethos Specialty.

Source: Ascot

Topics Excess Surplus AXA XL Casualty
New Delhi:

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) sought on Thursday a report from the home ministry on the complaint by a BSF jawan that poor quality food was being served to security personnel posted along the border.

Following the PMO's intervention, the home ministry will soon submit a detailed factual report on the incident and the action taken on it.

"We have to give reports to all concerned," a senior home ministry official said when asked about the PMO's request.

The ministry's report to the PMO is expected to be on the allegations made by BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav in a video that was uploaded on social networking sites.

The jawan, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle, claimed that while government procures essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers "sell it off" in an "illegal" manner in the market and the personnel have to suffer.

He also posted other videos in which he claimed that the quality of food served was not good.

The BSF has maintained that there was no shortage of ration and security personnel deployed along the border never complained about food.

The border guarding force also came out with fresh guidelines for maintaining high quality of food for its personnel.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said the government is taking all such incidents seriously and corrective steps are being taken to improve the working conditions of the personnel and their food.

"The report to PMO will incorporate all such details," the official said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Chinese telecom company on Thursday said it is opening its Harmony operating system for all mobile device makers.

had announced its own operating system after US-based were barred from supplying software and hardware to it in 2019.

"Today we are releasing HarmonyOS 2.0. Starting from next year, we will see smartphones with HarmonyOS 2.0. Today, HarmonyOS will be open sourced for devices with RAM with 128kb-128 MB.

"From April, it will be available with larger RAM and from December even with more large RAM," Executive Director and Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu said.

He was speaking at an event held by Huawei in China.

Huawei said developers will need to develop their app only once for HarmonyOS and the operating system will adapt it for all screen sizes with seamless integration.

"Huawei has the ambition to help overseas developers to serve We will be the bridge," Yu said.

Huawei CBG Software Development President Wang Chenglu said HarmonyOS will be available to all the hardware manufacturers.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


I bought a bottle store last year. The business, not the property. I didnt expect to make more than a tiny bit of money  bottle stores dont any more -after rent and other operating expenses, and given the very small mark-up allowed by the wholesalers.

But I didnt expect to make the losses, now mounting big-time. However, it did give two good people a job, which was the original purpose, and I hope I will slowly claw back the money lost.

Some will argue at the outset  you have a conflict of interest so keep your mouth shut. Yes to the first part, and no to the second. Its no different to the owner of a motor vehicle expressing a view on the increase in the price of fuel (especially when the world crude oil price is still below US$50 a barrel).

The government statement on Saturday, accompanying the extension on the ban on alcohol, contained very well-captured supportive arguments that technically, scientifically, medically and from a humanistic perspective, were entirely valid. And I am certain that those who motivated and designed the arguments had the very best of intentions. But in the context of an attempted elimination in the consumption of alcohol, the arguments are entirely irrelevant. Because unless you confine everyone to their homes and micro-monitor the streets and borderlines you will not stop people from having access to alcohol.

During this ban there is widespread drinking of alcohol. The evidence is all around. If you ignore that then you have your head in the sand. Consumers are either drinking illegally-imported alcohol from neighbouring countries or alcohol produced from various natural products, much of which can be life-threatening or leave the consumer blind. You honestly think youre going to stop alcohol which is currently pouring through our porous borders? And sold on to our people at ridiculous prices which in the end has a serious impact on the dependants of the drinkers.

Experience

One of the most compelling reasons for not banning alcohol is the experience obtained from the disastrous era of Prohibition in the United States 100 years ago. It created a whole new and highly prosperous livelihood for the bootleggers and a totally illegal, and particularly dangerous new industry. And, of course, nothing for government coffers and thus zero in the way of resources available to assist those in need. And we have plenty of those.

Is there possibly in evidence the puritanical view that alcohol is detrimental to mankind and should be banned permanently, or for long enough to force all the retailers and bar owners to close down and thousands to lose their jobs? In which case Im afraid were a couple of centuries too late. Consumption of alcohol is part of society in most countries of the world today and nearly all of those countries have allowed the retailing of alcohol during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

For the reasons given above. And if those deeply committed to the fine words of the Bible claim the good book is against alcohol, let us reflect on the ambivalence regarding that issue and that the only enduring message there is to avoid drunkenness. And, whatever our religious beliefs, we surely all agree with that.

In reality, many people in this country drink alcohol very sensibly. A glass of red wine with your evening meal  you cant beat it. Moderate consumption of it is widely recognised as actually good for your health. There is of course, and rather sadly, widespread binge-drinking. Ditto the rest of the world where alcohol is allowed.

But you arent going to eliminate consumption  which is the overriding objective of the ban - with a stroke of the pen. Far better to have the formal supervision of legally sold alcohol  with substantial government revenue - than to encourage an informal creation of dangerous substances and a criminality that didnt exist before. Arguably the most notorious gangster of all time, Al Capone, started up and grew in a spectacular manner during the period of Prohibition in the USA of the 1920s.

Signals

If you ban the sale of alcohol in this manner you are also sending out the wrong signals. One significant effect would be on foreign direct investment, where your big interested investor learns that he wont be able to enjoy a glass of lager, or a gin and tonic after a long day at the office.

The new image being developed through the consultants hired for the purpose  invest in Eswatini, an efficient and welcoming business environment - will have to include sorry about your glass of wine; here yesterday, gone today and possibly tomorrow.

Let us please acknowledge the existence of alcohol and bring it up and out of the underground, then control it in the manner required to respect proper conduct and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. South Africa got the message on this issue. Why cant we?
Washington: A massive fire destroyed Europe's largest camp for asylum seekers on Wednesday local time, displacing 12,500 migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos who were supposed to be under coronavirus quarantine and leaving them with no obvious place to go.

After helicopters doused the final embers, authorities said some camp residents appear to have started the fire as a protest over new mandatory quarantine measures amid a coronavirus outbreak at the site. But they said the investigation was not complete.

Migrants flee from the Moria refugee camp during a second fire, on the north-eastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece. Credit:AP

"The combination of migration and the pandemic in these conditions creates a situation that is extremely demanding to manage," said George Koumoutsakos, Greece's deputy migration and asylum minister.

Video showed people fleeing the camp overnight, the sky orange and yellow, as the camp's tents and shipping containers were engulfed in flames.
New Delhi: Actor Adhyayan Suman has urged people not to drag his name in 'toxicity and negativity', a day after the Maharashtra government ordered a probe in actress Kangana Ranaut's alleged link in drug nexus. The probe was ordered after a 2016 interview of Adhyayan, who is her ex-boyfriend, went viral.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the Mumbai Police will probe allegations by Adhyayan Suman that Kangana Ranaut took drugs. He said Adhyayan was once in a relationship with Kangana and he had alleged that she used to take drugs.

In a social media post, Adhyayan pleaded with folded hands not to drag his name in the case. "Whatever I had to say I had said in 2016. As a consequence of which, me and my entire family were ridiculed on national television. I have forgotten that case and moved forward in life. Please don't take me to that dark past again. I have suffered a lot," he said.

"I don't have any relation with Kangana Ranaut. But we are fighting for the same cause which is justice for Sushant Singh Rajput," Adhyayan, son of actor Shekhar Suman, added.

Here's his post:

The probe was ordered at a time when Kangana and the Maharashtra government have been locked in a bitter face-off. It began after Kangana stated that she doesn't trust the Mumbai Police in its investigation in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case.

Her remark was strongly contested by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who said it was 'an insult to the Mumbai Police' and asked her not to come to Mumbai.

The actress then launched a scathing attack on the politician by tweeting, "Why is Mumbai feeling like Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir?" Her tweet evoked strong reactions from Shiv Sena leaders.



Ahead of her arrival in Mumbai on Wednesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also demolished a part of Kangana Ranaut's office in Mumbai.
He tearfully announced his resignation from Studio 10 live on air this morning.

But it seems Joe Hildebrand hinted at his departure a day earlier, when he wrote a scathing op-ed about the state of the Australian television industry.

In an article published by Adelaide Now on Wednesday, the 44-year-old journalist blasted TV networks for failing to provide creative and groundbreaking content.

'If something works, you do it over and over again': Joe Hildebrand blasted the Australian TV industry in a scathing op-ed published just a day before he resigned from Studio 10 live on air

The local TV industry was described in the article's URL and page title as a 'joke', but this description was tellingly omitted from the copy.

'If something works, you do it over and over and over again. And then if it stops working you keep doing it until it starts working again,' Joe wrote, describing what he believes is the 'philosophy of every TV network in Australia'.

Joe provided several examples to support his argument, including Karl Stefanovic's return to Nine's Today show earlier this year, just 12 months after he was axed.

Fed up? In an article published by Adelaide Now on Wednesday, the 44-year-old journalist blasted TV networks for failing to provide creative and groundbreaking content

'When Channel Nine dared to try something new for its breakfast line-up it was a disaster, but they fixed it by making it the same again,' he wrote.

He also scorned Seven for mimicking Channel 10's MasterChef by creating My Kitchen Rules, before going even further and 'buying the MasterChef judges themselves' to launch Plate of Origin, which ended up being a ratings flop.

He also said that Seven was being uncreative by purchasing the rights to The Voice, which aired on Nine from 2012 to 2020, rather than coming up with something new.

'They fixed it by making it the same again': Joe provided several examples to support his argument, including Karl Stefanovic's (pictured) return to Channel Nine's Today show earlier this year, just 12 months after he was axed

Same recipe: He also scorned Seven for mimicking Channel 10's MasterChef by creating My Kitchen Rules. Pictured: former MKR judges Pete Evans and Manu Feildel

The article was published just 24 hours before Joe broke down in tears live on Studio 10 as he announced his resignation on Thursday.

'I do have some news. I want to say it here first before you saw it or heard it anywhere else,' he began.

'I am leaving Studio 10. I have given it a huge amount of thought. It's been really hard, but also really lovely to be able to look back on all the things we have done.

'We all know the show is getting a bit of a shake-up. Channel 10 and my lovely bosses asked me if I'd stay on in a new role. We talked about it openly and warmly about what that might look like.'

Speaking of his bosses' reaction when he told them he was leaving Studio 10, Joe said: 'They're really lovely about it, so don't lash out at them!

'I just thought, it's probably just better to draw a line under this amazing little story that I've been lucky enough to be a part of.

'[I want to] give the show a chance to breathe and have a fresh start without me hanging around. With all painful things you want to rip the Band-Aid off quickly and not make it any harder than it otherwise would be.'

'My time here has been wonderful': The article was published just 24 hours before Joe broke down in tears live on Studio 10 as he announced his resignation on Thursday

He continued: 'It's just been an amazing... I promise I wouldn't use the word "journey"... but [it's been] such an amazing time!'

The presenter's position on the morning talk show had been up in the air ever since Channel 10 announced its latest round of redundancies last month.

Joe's Studio 10 co-hosts Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Natarsha Belling lost their jobs and will depart the network this week.
Costa Cruises Presents New Itineraries For Winter 2020-2021

After this month's restart with Costa Deliziosa and Costa Diadema, Costa will gradually increase the number of ships that will resume operations, offering cruises on sale for residents in Europe as prescribed by the decree of the Italian government

The Italian cruise line offers its most popular itineraries in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, as well as its World Cruise

The debut of Costa Firenze in the Mediterranean is big news for winter 2020-2021.

GENOA, Italy, Sept. 10, 2020 -- Costa Cruises, the leading cruise line in Europe and a part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is ready to set sail for a 2020-2021 winter season rich in exciting holiday opportunities. After announcing in recent days the restart of its cruise operations starting this month with Costa Deliziosa and Costa Diadema, the Italian company has redesigned its itineraries from October 2020 to March 2021 with the gradual return of an increasing number of ships, always offering enhanced safety as a result of new health procedures.

Costa cruises in winter season 2020-2021 will be open to European citizens residing in the countries included in the decree of the Italian Government*, while limitation to Italians only is confirmed in September for the first three departures of Costa Deliziosa (September 6, 13, 20) and the first departure of Costa Diadema (September 19). Details and opening of sales of the new winter itineraries will soon be available on the company's website and from travel agencies. Costa is working with the national governments and the local authorities to offer a safe and positive experience for all its guests through the effective implementation of the Costa Safety Protocol in all destinations.

The big news will be the debut of the new ship Costa Firenze, under construction at Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera (Venice), representing inimitable Italian taste and drawing inspiration for her design from the beauty of Florence during the Renaissance. Starting December 27, guests will be able to discover this latest generation vessel on a seven-day tasteful holiday experience in the Mediterranean, visiting Savona, La Spezia, Naples, Valencia, Barcelona and Marseille.

The one-week itinerary of Costa Deliziosa from Trieste, dedicated to the rediscovery of the best of Italy, will be available also for European residents on September 27 and October 4. Starting from October 10, Costa Deliziosa will sail on one-week cruises from Trieste to Greece.

Costa's offer in the Mediterranean will be further enriched by the flagship Costa Smeralda, the first Costa ship fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG), planned to depart on October 10 from Savona for itineraries in the West Mediterranean. Starting from November, Costa Diadema will offer two wonderful travels: a 12-day itinerary to the Canary Islands and a 14-day itinerary to discover Egypt and Greece. The World Cruise is also confirmed with Costa Deliziosa, departing on January 3, 2021, for its 13th edition.

Apart from the itineraries included in this announcement, all the other cruises scheduled from October 2020 to March 2021 are canceled. Costa is informing the impacted guests and travel agents. They will be guaranteed a reprotection in accordance with the applicable legislation. Costa Favolosa cruises in the Caribbean are also excluded from cancellations; the company will give information about these cruises as soon as possible.

With the aim to provide the latest health safety procedures for guests, crew and local communities, the Costa Safety Protocol will be implemented on 2020-21 winter season cruises. The Costa Safety protocol is a comprehensive set of procedures in response to the COVID-19 situation, relating to all aspects of the cruise experience, both on board and ashore. The protocol measures include antigen swab tests for all guests before embarkation and protected shore excursions. Supported by a panel of independent scientific experts in public health, the Costa Safety Protocol is consistent with the health protocols defined by the Italian government and European authorities, and goes even beyond. The protocol will be constantly updated based on the evolution of the scenario and medical knowledge.

*In September Costa Deliziosa first three departures (September 6, 13, 20) and Costa Diadema first departure (September 19) are reserved for guests residing in Italy. Starting from September 27, 2020, cruises will be on sale also for residents in the European countries included in Annex 20 of the Italian Prime Minister's Decree of September 7, List A and List B, namely: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Should new Government Decrees or provisions on the subject be issued, Costa will immediately adapt its regulations and inform its customers.

SOURCE Costa Cruises

CONTACT: Costa Cruises Press Office - Tel. +39 010 5483523 / 010 5483068 - costapressoffice@costa.it; Gabriele Baroni - Communication Director - cell. +39 3497668013 - baroni@costa.it; Rossella Carrara - V. P. External Relations & Sustainability Costa Group - Cell. 3497668005 - rossella.carrara@costa.it; Davide Barbano - Media Relations manager - cell. +39 334 6525216 - barbano@costa.it; www.costapresscenter.com
Why did India take a far bigger COVID-hit to its GDP than other major economies in the world? How and why did the fastest growing economy legitimately aspiring for higher growth and prosperity flounder, ending up in a big economic mess and robbing millions of aspirational Indians of their dream?

That growth had slowed down even before the pandemic hit and an untimely, unplanned and sudden lockdown delivered the knockout punch is known. That there have been many economic misadventures in the past six years that put a heavy cost is often lost sight of. Those misadventures deserve to be retold and reassessed to save India from a further encore.

The best way to begin this is to take a close look at the GDP growth ever since the incumbent government took charge. The graph below highlights some of the key misadventures that shocked the Indian economy.

New GDP 2011-12 series sets the tone for data fudging

Contrary to popular belief, the first major shock to the economy was not the demonetisation of November 2016, it was the introduction of a half-baked, highly defective new GDP series of the base year 2011-12 in January 2015 that shattered credibility of the Indian economic statistical system.

The new GDP series dramatically increased the growth rate which for FY14 jumped from 4.7% (under the old 2004-05 GDP series) to 6.9% and that of FY13 from 4.5% to 5.1%, taking it past China's growth and creating a false narrative of India being "the fastest growing economy".

Since multi-lateral agencies like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and UN bodies use official data, India got a fresh coat of paint overnight. It was no longer a "fragile economy". (For more read " Data fudging: Dressing up GDP and budget numbers does no good to economy ")

Four years later in June 2019, the then Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian, who had resigned by then, wrote a paper for Harvard University saying India's growth had been exaggerated by around 2.5 percentage points between 2011-12 and 2016-17. When he was challenged, he delivered another shock: "Since the underlying data are not available publicly, nobody outside the CSO can "estimate GDP".

The second shock was because India had never used a secret database to bring in a new GDP series until January 2015. This secret database was untested and turned out to be highly defective and completely unreliable. Subsequent years would show a similar brazen data fudging would occur again and again to render the GDP data meaningless.

The secret database was MCA-21, a self-populated site of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) containing the output of corporate entities in manufacturing and services, which has never been made public.

Also Read: Rebooting Economy XXIII: What stops India from taking care of its crisis-hit workers?

Four years later, in April 2019, the MCA-21 database was exposed by none other than the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), a government body which has been dismantled now.

Its report, "Technical Report on Services Sector Enterprises in India 2016-17", pointed out that when its data was verified for accuracy, 45% of units in the services sector alone (it did not check the manufacturing units) turned out to be defective.

It said: "About 45% of MCA units were found to be out-of-survey/casualty...". What it meant was that 45% of the units in the MCA-21 database don't exist, don't operate or are engaged in unrelated activities.

It also pointed out that such errors in other databases used earlier, the Economic Census (EC) and Business Registers (BR) of states, had an error margin of 18%.

Not just an artificial boost to the GDP, the highly defective MCA-21 data also drastically altered the structural composition of the economy. It cut the share of services and boosted manufacturing by a huge margin. A comparative analysis of the fiscals for which the old 2004-05 and new 2011-12 GDP series provide data is presented below to show the dramatic overnight change.

For FY14, the last year for which comparable data exist under the two GDP series, the share of services fell to 59.9% from 67.4% and that of manufacturing went up from 14.9% to 17.2%.

By then, a new flagship programme 'Make in India' had been launched (September 2014) to turn India into a manufacturing hub and raise its share in GDP to 25%. With the flawed new GDP series (2011-12 base), manufacturing's share had inched 2.3% closer to 25% without making anything in India.

The 'Make in India' and similar hyped programmes like 'Skill India' and 'Stand up India' have been given a quiet burial.

Also Read: Rebooting Economy XXII: Why is India reluctant to provide unemployment allowance?

Demonetisation that shocked India's growth

This was a "shock and awe" operation. Suddenly, at 8 pm on November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi banned high-value currency in circulation from midnight with less than 4 hours' time.

The demonetisation killed 86% of cash in circulation in a very much cash-based economy. All of India queued up outside banks for months to withdraw their own money by exchanging old with new notes because the government ordered rationing of cash. The central bank RBI, operational since 1935, couldn't print enough notes in time or notes that would fit millions of ATMs across the country which had to be recalibrated.

It killed all work at once; millions of casual and self-employed workers lost livelihoods in four hours. Many died in queues or starved to death. It killed small businesses and derailed big businesses. Nobody knows the extent of economic devastation it caused because the government didn't want.

More than two years later, on November 27, 2018, a highly respected national daily revealed: "Reversing its earlier report that conceded for the first time that demonetisation had affected millions of farmers, the Union Agriculture Ministry has submitted a fresh report claiming that there was no "adverse impact". Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal informed the Parliamentary Panel on Finance that show-cause notice had been served on two directors and a joint secretary for the earlier report."

The quarterly GDP graph presented at the beginning gives a flawed picture; the damage was far more severe and derailed the Indian economy.

Whose idea was it? Who drafted and vetted it? Who all were consulted? How much time was given to prepare? What were the precise goals and economic logic to support? Nothing is known for certain because the government refused to answer any questions, not even under the Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2005.

Also Read: Rebooting Economy XXI: Will NEP 2020 bring quality and equity in education?

It was presented as a major economic reform that would (i) end corruption in India (ii) end black money in India, extinguish Rs 4.5 lakh crore in the process (iii) end terror funding and (iv) turn India into cash-less economy overnight, among others that kept piling up as days went by.

Who provided the calculation that demonetisation would extinguish Rs 3-4 lakh crore, resulting in a windfall gain to the RBI and government?

That is difficult to answer but some indications do exist.

The following is an extract from the leading public sector bank SBI's March 2016 newsletter EcoWatch. It raised an interesting point, provided detailed arguments with mathematical formula to justify it and 8 months before the demonetisation was thrust on unsuspecting Indians, it used the word "demonetisation".

Later, on November 14, 2016 (a week after demonetisation) SBI's chief economic adviser Soumya Kanti Ghosh revealed more. In his article in a business daily, "Demonetisation and note burning", he wrote: "Based on such estimates (three plausible scenarios), roughly around Rs 4.5 lakh crore of money could disappear from the system."

On November 23, 2016, he wrote again in the same daily, "Grappling with demonetisation windfall".

Confident that windfall gain had already been made, Ghosh discussed its "end-use", tentative about the amount, but more certain that "money (Rs 2.4-4.8 lakh crore) will not be converted and remain outside the banking system".

That never happened, the money came back and SBI never spoke about it again.

In the meanwhile, something weird happened.

The Income Tax department set out to search the missing windfall gain. Forbes magazine ran a headline on January 10, 2017, that captures the essence well: "India's Demonetisation - 3-4 Lakh Crore Untaxed Cash Deposited, IT Department To Investigate".

This loss of windfall gain would eventually set the Centre after the RBI and demand this amount from its reserve money. A committee under former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan would facilitate but set the bar lower following which the RBI decided to transfer Rs 1.76 lakh crore in August 2019.

Also Read: Rebooting Economy XX: Do developed economies depend on private schooling and funding for quality education?

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was asked by reporters what would she do with it. She said she had no idea ("abhi bol nahi sakti" were her exact Hindi words).

That was August 27, 2019.

Less than a month later, on September 20, 2020, the Centre announced a massive corporate tax cut of Rs 1.45 lakh crore.

Another development took place on the same day (September 20, 2019).

Sitharaman told states at the GST Council meeting in Goa that the Centre was facing financial difficulties in paying the GST compensation and in November 2019, she wrote to them saying that their demand for the agreed compensation (legitimate demand) is "unlikely to be met". This would snowball into a major confrontation in August 2020.

How much damage the demonetisation caused?

The then CEA Subramanian had resigned by now, published a book (November 2019), "Of Counsel: The Challenges of the Modi-Jaitley economy", and touring India describing demonetisation as "a massive, draconian, monetary shock" that plunged GDP for the next 7 quarters. He said, in six quarters before the demonetisation growth averaged 8% and in the seven quarters after, it averaged about 6.8%.

The quarterly GDP graph at the beginning does not show it. Quarterly GDP started rising three quarters later. Was Subramanian lying?

No. The GDP data has undergone multiple revisions since then to resemble reality.

Also Read: Rebooting Economy XIX: How India relies on low-paid ad hoc teachers for schooling children

The demonetisation happened during his tenure but he never disputed or protested. He did not disclose why he allowed it or whether he was consulted at all. Two years earlier, in 2017, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan had gone back to teaching at the Chicago University and wrote a book "I do what I do", revealing in it that he had opposed demonetisation.

Urjit Patel replaced Rajan as RBI Governor in September 2016. Two months later, on November 8, 2016, demonetisation was declared. For the first time in its history, the RBI failed to print adequate currency notes for months, leading to cash rationing at banks. The RBI also failed to print notes that fitted the millions of ATM cash dispensers all around India, leading to recalibrations of these dispensers.

Patel resigned in December 2018 and has authored a book "Overdraft: Saving the Indian Saver' (released in July 2020). He talks of his fight to save the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in the book but not the most critical decision he took that destroyed the livelihoods of millions and derailed the Indian economy in an instant.

Why did he allow demonetisation? How did RBI fail in its routine business of printing currency notes and why did it design notes that didn't fit the ATM dispensers? He is not revealing.

Here is another interesting side. Under Patel, the RBI took 21 months to count the already counted money to declare that 99.3% of currency notes had come back in its report in August 2018.

For the uninitiated, the RBI gets such details every day from banks; banks count money before taking it from people and record it electronically. Besides, the Centre had also rushed tax officials by January 10, 2017, to search for the missing windfall gain.

GST further damages organised and unorganised businesses

The GST was ushered in at a midnight session of Parliament on June 30-July 1, 2017, just like India's independence had been on the night of August 14-15, 1947 with Nehru's famous "tryst with destiny" speech.

That is because it was billed as the "second freedom fight", advancing the celebration (midnight session of Parliament) to the starting point of that imaginary fight though. Like demonetisation, the GST was supposed to end corruption and black money. Plus, it would epitomise "cooperative federalism" and boost GDP. It was supposed to merge 17 Central and state indirect taxes.

It achieved none of it. Instead, it is facing an existential crisis now.

Also Read: Rebooting Economy XVIII: Does quality education really matter to India?

By the last week of August 2020, states had started demanding its roll-back and threatened to derail "cooperative federalism" because the Centre is asking them to borrow money from the RBI in lieu of GST compensation it was to pay them.

Explaining the Centre's failure to honour a legally binding provision of compensating states - GST Cess is meant to raise that money for five years for states sacrificing their right to tax and source of revenue - Sitharaman described the economic crisis as an "Act of God".

Sitharaman was economical with truth. She didn't explain why the Centre gave a massive tax cut of Rs 1.45 lakh crore to corporate entities on September 20, 2019, the day she was telling states at the GST Council meeting in Goa that she had no money to pay them GST compensation.

Ironically, the corporate tax cut was sold as a move to boost investment and employment.

Nothing could be farther from truth.

The RBI nailed it in its 2019-20 annual report made public on August 25, 2020.

It said: "The corporate tax cut of September 2019 has been utilised in debt servicing, build-up of cash balances and other current assets rather than restarting the capex cycle. These underlying developments suggest that the appetite for investment is anaemic and in need of more reforms."

Meanwhile, the GST is deeply flawed in both design and implementation, imposing high cost on businesses and incentivising tax evasion. (For more read " Rebooting Economy XXIV: 7 critical GST flaws govt needs to address at the earliest ")

Also Read: Rebooting Economy XVII: Why governments promote shadow banking

It is not fully operational yet, tax refund claims are granted without verification, its IT backbone, GSTN is not fully operational and all filing requirements (GSTR-2 for inward supplies and GSTR-3 for summary of outward supplies not yet issued) and tax audit compliances (GSTR-9C) are not yet in place.

Like demonetisation, GST was brought in without preparation. It ended up damaging both unorganised and organised sector enterprises. Businesses also shifted from unorganised to organised sector, damaging further those who had suffered huge losses due to demonetisation a few months earlier.

Part II of the article will look at some other economic misadventures that derailed the Indian economy.
(Natural News) An upcoming bombshell book from Breitbart News investigative reporter Allum Bokhari interviews a source that has worked at both Google and Twitter, who exposes how the AI algorithms used by Big Tech platforms are being trained to target conservatives.

(Article republished from Breitbart.com)

The book, #DELETED: Big Techs Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal the Election, will be published by Center Street on September 22, and is currently available for preorder. Sources close to Google and other tech giants say the book will shake the foundations of Silicon Valley.

One former Twitter and Google employee, who spent over a decade working in Big Tech companies, spoke to Bokhari about the quality ranking that major tech companies assign their users.

This secret score, which has eerie similarities to Chinas social credit system, is used by tech platforms to determine whether their users are a source of value for the company, or whether they are abusive, and a detriment to other users.

The source reveals how the term abusive, which previously only applied to non-political behaviors like spamming and the posting of obscene content, has been turned into a tool to train AI algorithms to censor the right.

These algorithms are being taught, by Big Techs most anti-Trump employees, that abusive behavior includes things like hate speech, misinformation, the posting of conspiracy theories, and other behaviors subject to highly political definitions.

The source also alleges that an accounts quality score can be lowered simply by following or sharing material from other accounts considered abusive, allowing algorithms to censor entire networks of people at the same time.

The insider goes on to explain how these algorithms are being rolled out across multiple tech platforms, and will result in the wholesale suppression of the Trump movement  just in time for the election.

Read more at: Breitbart.com
The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics both released separately their recommended daily screen time for children.

The global pandemic has drastically changed things around us in a manner that we did not expect. Aside from the economic impact, the educational system is also affected. From the traditional in-person classes, the teaching and learning process now goes through modular and online.

The paradigm shift in education has led to different problems. Aside from access to gadgets and a stable internet connection, parents recently raised concerns about their children's health due to their exposure to computer screens.

In April 2019, the World Health Organization released the following daily screen time guidelines from infants to children aged four years old:

Infants (less than 1-year-old)

Should be physically active several times a day in various ways, particularly through interactive floor-based play; more is better. This includes at least 30 minutes in a prone position (tummy time) spread throughout the day while awake for those not yet mobile.

Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., prams/ strollers, high chairs, or strapped on a caregiver's back). Screen time is not recommended. When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged.

Have 14-17 hours (0-3 months of age) or 12-16 hours (4-11 months of age) of good quality sleep, including naps.

Children (1 to 2 years old)

Spend at least 180 minutes in various types of physical activities at any intensity, including moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day; more is better.

Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., prams/ strollers, high chairs, strapped on a caregiver's back) or sitting for extended periods. For 1-year-olds, sedentary screen time (such as watching TV or videos, playing computer games) is not recommended. For those aged two years, sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better. When inactive, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged.

Have 11-14 hours of good quality sleep, including naps, with a regular bedtime and wake-up times.

Children (3 to 4 years old)

Spend at least 180 minutes in various types of physical activities at any intensity, of which at least 60 minutes in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity spread throughout the day; more is better.

Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., prams/ strollers) or sit for extended periods. Sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better. When inactive, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged.

Have 10-13 hours of good quality sleep, including a nap, with a regular bedtime and wake-up times.

The World Health Organization also added, "For the greatest health benefits, infants, and young children should meet all the recommendations for physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in 24 hours. Replacing restrained or sedentary screen time with more moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, while preserving sufficient sleep, can provide additional health benefits."

Check these out!

These Small Everyday Activities Put You at COVID-19 Risk

More Latinos in California are Dying of COVID-19

Port of LA, Shipping Companies Donate 75K Respiratory Masks for Farm Workers
By Jose Luis Gonzalez

LA BOQUILLA DAM, Mexico (Reuters) - Two people died in a gunfight with Mexico's military police near a protest at a dam that diverts water to the United States, the National Guard said on Wednesday, as tensions rose between protesters and officials in the drought-hit region.

Mexicans in the northern border state of Chihuahua, angry at the water being funneled across the border, on Tuesday evening hurled Molotov cocktails and rocks at security troops, eventually occupying the La Boquilla dam and closing the sluice gates.

The violence, which Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called "regrettable," comes amid plans to divert additional water to the United States due to the so-called 'water debt' Mexico has accumulated as part of a 1944 bilateral treaty that regulates water sharing between the neighbors.

The National Guard said on Twitter that some of its agents from La Boquilla on Tuesday night detained three people found with tear gas and a firearm ammunition magazine, and took them for processing to the city of Delicias.

There, the National Guard unit was shot at and "repelled the aggression," according to the statement. One person died at the scene and another from their injuries later in hospital, it said.

Chihuahua Attorney General Cesar Peniche told reporters that investigators called to the scene found a car hit by at least three bullets. Inside the vehicle, a woman had been killed by gunfire while a man was injured. Local police told investigators that the National Guard had left the scene shortly before, Peniche said.

News channel Milenio named the two killed as Jessica Silva and Jaime Torres, a couple who worked in agriculture and who had protested at La Boquilla.

A Reuters witness said groups of residents in towns surrounding the La Boquilla dam clashed with National Guard troops earlier on Tuesday after they refused to turn off the dam floodgates.

The residents lobbed Molotov cocktails, rocks and sticks at the security forces, who were clad in riot gear and retaliated with tear gas, the witness said and images show. Eventually, the protesters stormed the dam premises and shut the floodgates themselves.

Story continues

When asked about the situation at his regular news conference on Wednesday, Lopez Obrador said the National Guard had been "prudent" to withdraw to avoid inflaming tensions.

He did not mention the deaths, which the National Guard reported on Twitter after the briefing.

Lopez Obrador has sought to assuage concerns of Mexican farmers and voters about water rights, while protecting delicate relations with the United States.

He has also warned that Mexico could face sanctions if it did not divert water, after building up a deficit in recent years by receiving more water than it has given back.

(Additional reporting and writing by Drazen Jorgic and Daina Beth Solomon, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Although she lamented that the child had suffered horrible sexual abuse, a federal judge Thursday dismissed a lawsuit the boy filed against a central Pennsylvania county whose agents placed him in a home with a twice-convicted sex offender.

The sexual abuse the boy suffered occurred years after he was placed in that home with his step-grandfather, who had prior convictions for molesting children, U.S. Middle District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson noted in voiding the suit against York County and several of its Office of Children, Youth and Families workers.

CYF was no longer involved with the family when the abuse occurred, the judge added. She noted the boy and his sister, who had suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of other relatives, had repeatedly told caseworkers they preferred living with their grandmother and step-grandfather.

The step-grandfather pleaded guilty to abusing the boy in 2017 and is serving a 10- to 15-year prison sentence. PennLive is not naming him so as not to also reveal the identity of the boy who filed the suit.

This is a sad and disturbing tale.

According to Wilsons 55-page opinion on the case, the decision to place the boy in the home with his step-grandfather was made after the child was abused by both of his parents. The child had been living on an off with the grandmother and step-grandfather for several years without any abuse, the judge noted. The grandmother and step-grandfather were granted custody of the boy, although he later began living part-time with his mother.

Wilson wrote that CYF officials knew at least some of the step-grandfathers criminal background when the custody decision was made. The man had pleaded guilty to molesting a 4-year-old boy in 1989 and in 1991 was sentenced to 6 months in prison after pleading guilty to molesting a 12-year-old boy, the judge noted.

The boy who filed the lawsuit came under CYF supervision in late 2012 after the agency received a report that his mothers boyfriend had physically abused him. In considering placement options, caseworkers learned at least of the step-grandfathers 1991 child-sex conviction, Wilson wrote. The step-grandfather lied when asked if he had any such convictions. A child abuse clearance evaluation didnt turn up either the 1989 or 1991 convictions because they had been expunged, the judge wrote.

So, the step-grandfather was assessed by CYF to be a low risk for committing child abuse. In 2013, the boy, his brother and his sister were placed in the custody of the grandmother and step-grandfather. Months later, county Judge Andrea Strong concluded the arrangement was working well.

Wilson noted that when an attorney suggested the step-grandfather should undergo a threat evaluation, Judge Strong responded that the court had already determined that (the step-grandfathers) past criminal convictions (from 1989 and 1991) did not indicate that he would possess a threat of harm to the children.

In 2014, CYF oversight of the family was terminated. The boy admitted that neither he nor his siblings suffered any abuse by the step-grandfather while under that agencys supervision, Wilson noted.

That changed in January 2017 when the step-grandfather commenced four months of horrifying sexual abuse of the boy that ended only when the boys sister witnessed it and told their mother, Wilson wrote.

She noted that a year earlier CYF received a report that the step-grandfather was bathing and sleeping with the boy. The agency investigated that 2016 report, validated the allegations, but took no action, the judge said.

The boys guardian filed the federal lawsuit later in 2017, claiming his civil rights were violated because county officials didnt take adequate steps to ensure his safety.

In dismissing the suit, Wilson found the boy cant hold CYF and the county legally liable for the harm he endured because he was no longer under the agencys supervision when the sexual abuse occurred.

Because the boy was not molested by the step-grandfather for years after the agencys supervision ended, no reasonable juror could conclude that the agencys actions precipitated or were the catalyst for (the boys) harm, Wilson concluded.
narvikk/iStockBy DR. ALEXIS E. CARRINGTON and DR. JAY BHATT, ABC News



(NEW YORK) -- Lisa Fitzgerald and her husband Chip came down with COVID-19 at around the same time. Both experienced those telltale symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue, and both tested positive for the virus in July. But even as Chip began to recover from the illness, Lisa experienced persistent symptoms.



Her fatigue got worse, and she even started to lose her hair.



"My symptoms started pretty mild at first," recalled Lisa, a counselor in Chicago. "Even after the 14 days of staying isolated, I was feeling it in my chest, almost in a different way, almost like I have been in a smoke-filled room long after those first couple of weeks."



Today, she says, the lingering effects are taking a toll on her daily life.



"I can still function, but I feel markedly more tired at the end of the day," she said. "By 5 or 6 in the evening, I'm ready for bed."



Some COVID-19 patients are paying for something they didn't ask for: a long-term illness that affects their day-to-day life. These COVID-19 sufferers, dubbed "long-haulers," experience a multitude of long-term symptoms, which has created a new unknown for doctors trying to combat the virus -- and new challenges for patients trying to return to work or school, or just live their lives in a normal fashion.



In a multi-state survey report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35% of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 with symptoms had not returned to their usual state of health when interviewed two to three weeks after testing. Experts don't yet know the exact percentage of people who are likely to suffer these long-term effects, or how long the symptoms last.



According to a survey conducted by the British Medical Association (BMA) and reported in the BMJ, one-third of the 3,729 doctors surveyed have treated patients with long-term COVID-19 symptoms, including chronic fatigue and loss of the sense of smell.



"I would probably see a patient who has complaints of an atypical story of COVID, which is now becoming typical," said ABC News Medical Contributor and board-certified ER physician Dr. Darien Sutton, who served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. "The symptoms that bring them is shortness of breath. Patients don't seem to get back to normal."



"The common symptoms are lethargy and chronic fatigue," explained Sutton.

But the problem, he said, is that the medical community still doesn't understand why this happens to some patients and not others, and how long it might last.



"We don't have enough cases to develop a trend and don't have enough research to develop a fact," Sutton said.



In addition to fatigue, some of the common symptoms that patients have experienced during their recovery from COVID-19 include muscle weakness, loss of sense of smell, and concentration difficulties. But experts say it's too soon to know if some people will have persistent symptoms that last for months or years, because the pandemic is only about six months old.



Sutton is hopeful that eventually, even long-haulers with persistent symptoms will recover.



"Some people have a longer story than others," he said. "I don't think this is something that is permanent. I think this is something they have longer than others."



Other doctors are less optimistic, saying COVID-19 might cause permanent damage in some people.



"The important thing to note is that statistically, long haulers may be charted as folks who have recovered from the illness -- but in reality, their life is forever changed and they will likely never be the same," said Dr. Sunny Jha, an anesthesiologist caring for COVID-19 patients in a special hospital in Los Angeles.



Some universities are creating clinics and centers to assist and monitor patients with symptoms persisting after COVID-19. For instance, the University of Miami's Dr. Raul Mitrani, a cardiologist who specializes in electrophysiology, created a post-COVID-19 cardiac clinic to screen patients for residual heart problems. A center for post COVID-19 care was also created at Mount Sinai in New York City.



In today's new normal of interacting with friends and family, as well as returning to work or school, experts are grappling with the question of how to treat people who persistently experience symptoms. Dr. Rebekah Gee, clinical associate professor at the LSU Schools of Public Health & Medicine, says doctors need to support those in recovery from the virus.



Health authorities outside the United States are also taking notice. Last month, LongCovidSOS, a patient advocacy group composed of long-haulers in the U.K., had an invitation-only meeting with top officials from the World Health Organization (WHO). Earlier this spring, scientists met with WHO and CDC officials to discuss how to help long-haulers lead healthier lives.



For Lisa Fitzgerald, who does not have any underlying medical conditions, it was confusing to experience COVID-19 symptoms that lingered for months after her diagnosis.



"The one thing for me was trusting your instinct about what's going on in your own body," she said.



For now, doctors are continuing to monitor Lisa and people like her to see if they can learn more about the long-haul phenomenon. They're hoping people who experience long-term symptoms will eventually recover, and that eventually there might be new treatments for people who continue to feel sick months later.



"Even though it's improved and I can function and get through my day, I do worry about the long-term damage," said Lisa. "It's a little stressful worrying about that."



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Police in Pakistan said 12 men have been detained for questioning after two armed men allegedly raped a woman at gun point in front of her children after her car broke down on a deserted highway.

The alleged rape in Lahore-Sialkot motorway on Wednesday night led to outrage in the country, with people from all walks of life demanding the apprehension of the suspects.

Inspector-General of Punjab Police Inam Ghani said on Thursday they have obtained evidence that will lead them to the culprits.

We have done great work so far in the motorway rape case. We have located the village from which the suspects were from, Ghani told Geo Pakistan channel.

The woman was allegedly assaulted while waiting for help with her car, which stalled as she crossed a toll plaza on the motorway.

She got a call from a male relative in the nearby city of Gujranwala, who asked her to call the police helpline for help while he also left from home to reach her. When he reached the location, he reportedly found the woman terrified, with her cloths stained in blood.

Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh initially blamed the woman for the incident, for driving on the motorway late at night.

Musarrat Cheema, a spokesperson in the eastern Punjab province, said earlier that raids were being conducted to trace and arrest the culprits.

Human rights minister Shireen Mazari said her ministrys regional office has asked for an action report from the police.
Never the right time

Regarding Turner questions the Postal Services refusal to display voter registration materials in city, (A3, Sept. 9): Somewhat more than a decade ago, prior to online capability, the U.S. passport renewal function got delegated to post offices. My nearest post office branch had a prominent station for such, with travel poster displays and related materials on its counter. Needing a renewal, I went there several times, and the station was never staffed. The nearby clerks always had ready explanations: They dont do it on Thursdays, or the hours cut off at noon today, or he ran out of the forms and had to go downtown. Good luck, Mayor Sylvester Turner, with dealing with the post office.

J. Reynolds, Houston

Pandemic crosses state lines

Regarding A national license heals across state lines, (A23, Sept. 6): Requiring a barber from Florida or California to obtain a license in Texas to cut hair is ridiculous. Requiring a local license for a trained and licensed nurse whose skills are urgently needed anywhere is deadly. In current times and for the rest of time we must free our nurses from such nonsense. States might standardize a bit, but lets get on with it as life is short.

Why do state regulators all agree that the standards in the other states are inadequate?

Richard E. Ralston, executive director for Americans for Free Choice in Medicine

Election outcomes

Regarding What will you do if Trump doesnt leave, (A13, Aug. 8): Oh please, stop your scare tactics, David Brooks. If President Donald Trump loses the 2020 presidential election, he will gracefully leave the presidency and return to being a private citizen. You know thats the honest fact.

Have you no shame?

Mike Gonzales, Houston

Houstons human values

A tale of two cities. One part has the city cheering and bragging about a new salary of $39 million per year for a man to throw an accurate ball in a game that makes millions for millionaires. The other part watches a young father, pushing a stroller with his familys worldly possessions in it, as he is evicted from a cheap apartment because he has lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some wonderful citizens have stepped in to help put a roof over this family and food on the table. This represents the human value that most people in Houston believe in. Thank you to them.

Lea S. Pheeney, Houston
Despite an announcement to the contrary earlier this week, on Wednesday the deputy minister of Health at the Junta de Andalucia regional government, Catalina Garcia, rejected the claim that there was community transmission of Covid-19 in Malaga province.

This was in direct contradition to the announcement made by Junta spokesman Elias Bendodo on Tuesday after the Cabinet meeting. Bendodo said that prevalence of Covid-19 was now considered so widespread that infections could no longer be tracked to a specific source.

Garcia admitted that the incidence of coronavirus is higher in Malaga than in the rest of the Andalusian provinces, but insisted that this does not mean community transmission.

She explained that the Junta had access to an epidemiological report that looked into care home access that suggested that there was community transmission, but that the author of this report did not have access to the data from all of Malaga province.

Links to tourism

Garcia and Bendodo, however, do share the view that tourism is most likely to blame for the sharp rise in cases and hospitalisations in the area.

Bendodo said that Malaga was under observation from the Junta this week because we are very concerned about the evolution of the pandemic in the province.

He added that the Junta would be observing whether the decrease in visitors now will be reflected in the case numbers.

Bendodo also went as far as announcing a series of recommendations to town halls in a bid to control the spread of the virus.

Bendodo asked town halls to limit events to those that are strictly necessary and didnt rule out other measures next week if the number of infections is not contained.

Garcia, however, said on Wednesday at present this is not a reality.

For his part, the regional Minister of Health, Jesus Aguirre, said that there are community infections, as there are everywhere, but he clarified that there is no community transmission yet anywhere in Andalucia.

Aguirre went even further than that, saying that Andalucia continues to be a privileged land.

Despite being the most populated autonomous community, we have the second fewest infections per inhabitant and we are the region with the fewest people admitted to hospital per inhabitant, he said.
A former Essendon footballer has petitioned Premier Daniel Andrews and the state government to allow tattoo parlours to reopen in late October.

Hal Hunter, the first Essendon player to sue the club and the AFL who reached an out-of-court settlement from the drugs saga that stretched from 2013 until 2016, has launched a petition online that garnered more than 11,000 signatures since Sunday night.

Hal and Bella Hunter at their tattoo parlour. Credit:Simon Schluter

Hunter, who operates and co-owns the Carlton Tattoo Co. in Carlton North with his wife Bella and fellow tattooist Bobby Skins, says that tattooists were disheartened to learn that their industry would need 14 consecutive days of zero COVID-19 cases in Victoria from November 23 before they would be permitted to operate again.

"We could then open on November 24 at the earliest,'' said Hunter, a tattooist since he finished in football in 2013 without playing at senior league level. "For an industry we've been closed for every week since March, except the five weeks in June and July that we were allowed to reopen.''
Funding, led by aMoon, will advance the clinical development of MiNA's new class of RNA therapeutics for cancer treatment, and further expand its R&D pipeline in additional disease areas

MiNA Therapeutics, the pioneer in RNA activation therapeutics, announced today the completion of a 23 million ($30 million) Series A equity financing led by aMoon, Israel's largest healthtech and life sciences venture fund, with participation from existing investors. The proceeds from the financing will be used to advance MiNA's pipeline of proprietary, first-in-class, small activating RNA ("saRNA") therapeutics, and to support the continued clinical development of MiNA's lead candidate, MTL-CEBPA, as a combination treatment in cancer. As part of the Series A financing, Dr. Gur Roshwalb, M.D., M.B.A., Managing Director at aMoon, has joined the Board of Directors at MiNA Therapeutics. MTS Securities, LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent in connection with the financing.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005043/en/

"Since the inception of MiNA Therapeutics, we have been focused on advancing the Company by validating our innovative therapeutic approach in patients and establishing strategic collaborations with leading academic institutions and industry partners," said Robert Habib, CEO of MiNA Therapeutics. "This financing represents an important step in our evolution that will not only fund our continued clinical development in patients with cancer but will also enable us to further explore the potential of our pioneering approach in therapeutic areas beyond oncology. We are grateful for the support from our existing investors and are honoured to welcome aMoon to MiNA."

"To date, MiNA's innovative small activating RNA therapeutic approach has demonstrated the potential to modulate previously undruggable targets in difficult-to-treat indications such as liver cancer," said Dr. Gur Roshwalb, Managing Director at aMoon. "We strongly believe in the potential of this new class of medicines and look forward to collaborating with the team at MiNA to support the continued growth of this technology platform."

saRNA medicines have the potential to transform the therapeutic landscape of cancer and other severe metabolic and genetic diseases. MiNA's lead candidate, MTL-CEBPA, is a first-in-class therapy that reduces immune suppression in the tumour microenvironment. MTL-CEBPA has been studied in clinical trials in more than 70 patients with advanced liver cancer, demonstrating unprecedented initial results. Used in combination with the standard primary cancer treatment drug, sorafenib, MTL-CEBPA improved the rate, duration and depth of response when compared to data independently reported from third-party studies with single agent sorafenib therapy. The additional funding will enable MiNA Therapeutics to conduct a Phase 2 study of MTL-CEBPA in combination with sorafenib in patients with advanced liver cancer and TIMEPOINT, an ongoing Phase I/Ib study of MTL-CEBPA in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumour malignancies. Additionally, the proceeds will fund research activities to advance a pipeline of novel small activating RNA therapies for the treatment of cancer, metabolic and genetic diseases.

About MiNA Therapeutics

Harnessing an innate mechanism of gene activation, MiNA Therapeutics' platform enables the development of new medicines that restore normal function to patients' cells. We are applying our technology and clinical know-how to transform the therapy landscape of cancer and other severe diseases. www.minatx.com

About aMoon

aMoon is a global healthtech and life sciences VC fund based in Israel. The fund aims to accelerate cure for life-threatening diseases and reduce major cost-drivers in healthcare, by leveraging the growing convergence of healthcare and technology. Learn more by visiting the website, www.amoon.fund.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005043/en/

Contacts:

MiNA Therapeutics

Robert Habib, CEO

Phone: +44 208 811 6700

E-Mail: info@minatx.com

Media contact for MiNA

Trophic Communications

Joanne Tudorica or Gretchen Schweitzer

+49 171 351 2733

tudorica@trophic.eu

Media contact for aMoon

GK for aMoon

Julie Steigerwald

+972 54 8360371

julie@gkpr.com
Logo Noesis

International tech consulting company Noesis continues expanding its presence in the USA, strongly supported on OutSystems projects. The two organizations have maintained a long-lasting partnership, starting in 2008, with Noesis consistently reinforcing its position of leadership and expertise throughout countless projects.

The strategic focus in the region allowed Noesis to achieve the official OutSystems partnership certification in the USA, making it one of the most recognized companies working with OutSystems technology in the country. The company is growing steadily in the region, and U.S. operations are expected to represent 15% of Noesis' Low-Code Solutions business area revenue in 2020. Customer adoption for OutSystems solutions in the USA has been increasing and as a result it is expected Noesis operation in the region to grow around 40% by the end of 2020.

To achieve this goal, Noesis moved its office from Boston to Raleigh, North Carolina, in search of a less mainstream region, with access to important sources of talent. Raleigh is an important technological center where some renowned companies are located and, for this reason, Noesis considered that it is the ideal place to establish itself.

According to Homero Figueiredo, Noesis Low-Code Solutions Director, The strong partnership with OutSystems, achieved through the delivery of several successful projects in Europe, as well as proximity to customers and the Noesis team's abilities are a decisive factor for the growth in the US. We believe that our ability to fulfill our offer, both in quality and in scale, will contribute to the success of this new challenge, he says.

As Noesis main goals until the end of the year, the company intends to hire a local team, which will allow it to be closer to the American based client, and also provide the possibility to increase the number of companies using this technology. Furthermore, Noesis aims to become a household name in the USA, opening doors to new opportunities, both in OutSystems as well as other areas of expertise.

Besides OutSystems, Noesis has fueled digital transformation in other areas, including Quality Management and DevOps & Automation, actively developing integrated solutions to face each clients specific challenges. For example, Noesis developed NTX - Ngine Testing Experience - its own test automation tool with a specific algorithm to identify OutSystems objects. This is a game-changer in the Industry and makes NTX a one-of-a-kind test automation tool that really differentiates itself from other solutions available in the market.

Noesis and OutSystems partnering to fuel digital transformation

OutSystems platform provides a unique way to address new and challenging business scenarios that are part of the digital transformation in a much faster way. Noesis is the right partner for companies of all sizes wanting to differentiate and provide best-in-class solutions to their customers. The benefits of agility include lower risks in developing new solutions, investment of time and resources, as well as quicker time-to-market.

This year, OutSystems NextStep - #1 low-code event in the World - will go virtual on the 15th and 16th of September with an audience composed by more than 25 industries from over 70 countries.

Noesis, NextStep's Premium Sponsor, has already been distinguished with 12 Innovation Awards and currently has a team with more than 240 certifications that guarantee agility and speed in the digital transformation of renowned companies in Portugal, USA, and the Netherlands.

As part of the event strategy, Noesis is offering 6 POCs (Proof of Concept) based on OutSystems technology. This way, any Company can submit their idea, project or business challenge and apply for a proof-of-Concept using OutSystems technology, for free. Noesis will select the best 6 ideas and develop a Beta version of those applications, without commitment. Noesis' objective is to accelerate Companies Digital Transformation, by showing the advantages of OutSystems technology, as well as Noesis's skills and experience.

For those reasons, Noesis continues to be an active partner in contributing to the success of this great event, which promises 2 days with more than 50 sessions and 100 hours of content that will take Developers, Solution Architects Technology Leaders and other stakeholders in an immersive low-code experience.

# # #

About Noesis

Founded in 1995, Noesis is an international tech consulting company offering services and solutions to support clients in digital transformation and the development of their businesses. In order to obtain sustained value that is transversal to all sectors, Noesis is focused on infrastructures, software, quality and people. The organization is based on highly specialized talents, operating in nine business units and six countries  Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Brazil, Ireland, and the USA.

https://www.noesis.pt/en/

Visit us on Facebook and Linkedin:

https://www.facebook.com/NoesisPortugal

https://www.linkedin.com/company/noesis-portugal/
Federal authorities search the MSC Gayane container ship at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in South Philadelphia on June 18, 2019. Read more

A ships electrician from Montenegro became the third member of an international cargo vessels crew to admit playing a role in the smuggling of a record-breaking 20-ton cocaine haul seized by federal authorities at the Port of Philadelphia last year.

Aleksandar Kavaja, 27, pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy charges Thursday and told a federal judge he and three other crew mates aboard the MSC Gayane were recruited by drug smugglers in their native country before the ship set out on its journey.

His guilty plea is the latest sign of progress in an international investigation into one of the largest cocaine busts in U.S. history. Since the June 17, 2019, discovery, the probe has spanned from the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in South Philadelphia to southern Europe and South and Central America.

But after announcing the record haul at a splashy news conference where law enforcement officials posed for photos next to stacks of cocaine worth an estimated $1 billion, the investigation has largely proceeded out of public view..

At least seven of the Gayanes crew of roughly 20 were arrested at the time, though most of the court filings in their cases remain under court seal. And families of the men, from Montenegro and Samoa, have reported difficulty finding out what has happened to their loved ones since they were booked into the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia over a year ago.

Appearing in a public court hearing for the first time since his arrest last year, Kavaja responded Thursday to a series of routine questions from U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III in clipped, accented English.

He described signing on with the Switzerland-based shipping conglomerate Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) soon after leaving high school and working on other six-month, long-haul voyages before his trip on the MSC Gayane.

Though Kavaja admitted hed been recruited while still in the Balkans to help smuggle the drugs aboard, neither he nor the court documents shed any light Thursday on who was ultimately behind the shipment.

His attorney, Andres Jalon, declined to discuss the specifics of how his client had become involved in the smuggling effort, citing fear of retribution against his client and his family in Montenegro.

Still, he said, the drug smugglers who recruited Kavaja in the Balkan nation put him in a tough spot.

They knew he was going to be on this boat [and] he was approached to do this, Jalon said. If he says yes, he has to be out there on the ocean with them for six months and do what they say. If he says no, hes still going to be out there on the boat with them. Theyd throw him over the side. Wheres he going to go?

His plea agreement did not include requirements that he cooperate with the ongoing probe.

Other crew members have said they were paid at least 50,000 euros (roughly $55,000) to join in the smuggling effort, according to sealed court filings from last year obtained by The Inquirer.

They used burner phones to communicate with drug suppliers in South America and coordinated the loading of the drugs from speedboats that approached the cargo vessel several times under cover of night.

The central group of four crewmen recruited in Montenegro also persuaded other members of the crew mid-journey to help them load and conceal the drugs, Kavaja admitted Thursday. Using the ships crane, they pulled duffel bags filled with wrapped cocaine off the smaller boats and onto the Gayanes deck before splitting the individual bricks among seven cargo containers carrying wine, vegetable extract, Chilean dried nuts, scrap metal, and other legitimate goods bound for Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Ultimately, authorities have said, the drugs were bound for Rotterdam, Netherlands, but were intercepted in Philadelphia. U.S. customs officials spent nearly a week in June 2019 searching the ship after detecting the Gayanes illicit cargo.

Since the seizure, two other crewmen  Nenad Ilic, 40, and Vladimir Penda, 27, both of Montenegro  have also pleaded guilty to drug smuggling conspiracy charges.

The other previously arrested crewmen include Ivan Durasevic, 30, and Bosko Markovic, 38, both of Montenegro, as well as Samoans Fonofaavae Tiasaga, 29, and Laauli Pulu, 34. All seven remain in custody at the Federal Detention Center in Center City.

Kavaja, Penda, and Ilic face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
RJD vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh quits party, Lalu says you are not going anywhere

India

pti-Madhuri Adnal

Patna, Sep 10: In a setback to Bihar's main opposition RJD ahead of the state assembly polls, its national vice president and former Union Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigned from the party on Thursday, sources close to him said, but party supremo Lalu Prasad rejected it, insisting he was not going "anywhere".

In a letter to jailed RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, the veteran leader wrote he was quitting the party. "Since the death of Jannayak Karpoori Thakur, I stood behind you for 32 years, but not now," he said in his brief one-line resignation letter, written from his hospital bed on a ruled noteboook page, to Prasad, who is serving sentences in four fodder scam cases in Ranchi.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

Lalu Yadavs bail plea adjourned; Jharkhand high court to hear it on Sept 11

In the footnote, the once staunch lalu loyalist, added," I got the affection of party leaders and workers, besides common people. Please forgive me." Thakur was a prominent socialist leader and former state chief minister. Hours later, Prasad sought rapprochement. "I don't believe....a letter purportedly written by you is on social media. I, my family, and the RJD family that have nursed the party want you to get well soon and be amongst us," Prasad wrote back.

The RJD supremo's letter to Singh was posted on the party's media accounts. "For four decades, we have together discussed political, social and even family matters. You get well soon and we will discuss again. You are not going anywhere, you understand," Prasad wrote in a handwritten letter that had the stamp of the prison authority.

Singh, admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi, because of post- COVID complications, had earlier announced his resignation as the party vice president on June 23 but was persuaded by Prasad to stay back. Singh, a five-time former MP from Vaishali who held several portfolios in the Manmohan Singh government, including that of rural development, was reportedly unhappy over the proposed induction of alleged mafia don and former Lok Janshakti Party MP from Vaishali Rama Singh into the RJD. Rama Singh had defeated the RJD leader in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, breaking his winning streak since he was first elected from there in 1996. He was also not happy with the style of functioning of Prasad's heir apparent and leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav, party sources said. There was no official word from the RJD over Singh's resignation, but NDA parties hailed his move. "Raghuvansh babu commands respect of all. Why was he forced to quit the party he nursed with his blood and sweat?" Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.

Anand said Singh was "humiliated" by RJD supremo's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav after he announced his resignation from the post of party vice president.

9 of Lalu Yadav's security personnel test COVID positive; relieved from duty

"What difference will it make if a pot of water is taken out of the sea?" Tej Pratap had said, belittling Singh over his resignation and the impact it could have on the RJD. "Singhs resignation will prove to be the last nail in RJDs coffin. This was the natural consequence of the suffocating atmosphere in which he had been living for quite a long time. Finally, he decided to come out of daldal (morass) which is worth welcoming, JD(U) spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said.

The JD(U) had said last week it will welcome Singh into the party if he so decides. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha said Singh's resignation showed even important people have to face insult in the RJD. "I will request Raghuvansh babu to join Nitish Kumar (Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president) and strengthen his hands for the development of the state. Nitish Kumar is the only option. Come, join us, we welcome you," said Danish Rizwan, the spokesman for HAM(S).
Bengaluru:

French DJ David Guetta's concert, scheduled in Bengaluru for Thursday, has been scrapped with the organisers citing "law and order situation" following the molestation incident during New Year's Eve as the reason.

The DJ, 49, is on a four-city tour which was expected to begin from Bangalore and then move to Mumbai, Hyderabad and New Delhi.

"Due to the present law and order situation in Bengaluru following the events that transpired around New Year's Eve, the authorities have recommended against holding the David Guetta concert in the city.

Read | Bengaluru's New Year horror: Women groped, molested in streets despite heavy police protection

"We at Sunburn tried our very best to make it happen but the authorities understandably are not prepared to take any chances. Hence today's concert unfortunately stands cancelled," Karan Singh, CEO, Sunburn, said in a statement.

The organisers said they hope to "reschedule" the concert if they get permission from the authorities and the artiste but there is no clarity at the moment. "Other shows in Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad are on as per schedule," Singh said.

Read | Bengaluru molestation row: CCTV video shows girl groped, assaulted by 2 scooter-borne men

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Guns have been prominent at demonstrations in Richmond this year, starting with an event in January that drew as many as 20,000 gun rights advocates from around the country to the city to protest efforts by the General Assembly to limit access to firearms.
Bishop Daniel Obinim, the Head Pastor of the International God's Way Church has been slapped with fresh criminal charges in the ongoing forgery trial at the Kaneshie District Court.



He has been charged with four counts of conspiracy to publish false news, conspiracy to forge other documents, publication of false news and forgery of other documents.



He has since pleaded not guilty to the charges, reports Graphic Online's Justice Agbenorsi.



The new charges were slapped on Bishop Obinim when the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at the Kaneshie District Court.



Charged alongside Bishop Obinim as an accomplice is Kwabena Otchere, who is the second accused person and four other persons who are at large.



The prosecution withdrew the old charges with the explanation that it had consolidated Obinims charge sheet with the charge sheet of the other accused persons.



Bishop Obinim was initially standing trial on charges of publication of false news and forgery.



Arrest



Obinim was picked up by the police on an arrest warrant issued by the court on May 19, 2020.



Obinim was sent to the court and was granted bail in the sum of GH100,000, with three sureties, one to be justified.



According to the police, Obinim is also under investigation for other offences leveled against him.



Brush with the law



This is not the first time that Obinim has had a brush with the law.



In 2018, he, together with two of his pastors, stood trial at the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly assaulting his adopted children  a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy  in the presence of his congregation.



They were, in September of that same year, subsequently fined a total of GH12,000 for the assault on the two teenagers at a church service held in August 2016.



Again in August 2016, Obinim was arrested by the Tema Regional Police for allegedly defrauding a man of GH11.6 million.



Brief facts in the new case



The facts under the fresh charges were not presented in court on Wednesday but under the old charges, Graphic Online gathered that it was explained that Obinim is in court for publishing in November 2019 that one Isaac Opoku was a wanted person by the police, a statement the prosecution say he well knew was false.



In addition, he is said to have forged a police Wanted Persons form alongside other documents, contrary to section 159 (c) of Act 29/60.



Isaac Opoku, a resident of Kumasi complained to the police that on November 14, 2019, Obinim deposited GH51,280 into his bank account at Fidelity Bank and subsequently transferred GH49,160 out of the account to his Kaiser Bank account in Spain.



The money was however returned into Opokus account in Ghana and Opoku withdrew the money for his personal use based on a promise Obinim is said to have made to him in front of his congregation to buy him a car.



Obinim according to the facts the prosecution has presented in court demanded that the money should be refunded but Opoku refused.



Obinim reportedly sent an audio via WhatsApp to threaten Opoku that he would make the police to declare him a wanted person on social media if he refused to return the money.



Subsequently, according to the prosecution, Opoku saw a publication on social media, on the Facebook accounts of Apre Zeremiah, Chris Diggs, Kobby Fireman, Benjamin Owusu and Miriam Gilberts who are all followers of Obinim, according to Opoku.



Also under the publication was a phone number of someone the publication said was the police officer handling the case but the prosecution said that number indeed belonged to a police officer but that officer has since denied causing the publication that said Opoku was a wanted person.



According to the prosecution, even though Obinim has denied causing the said publication, he has however admitted knowing the said persons whose Facebook accounts published it and explained they were his church members.



Based on that the police arrested him and arraigned him in court.

Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Every now and again I receive an email that brings a smile of positivity to my face and to my being! And although I am by no means a negative person (my better half might not always agree) like many of us, I can do with all the positivity I can get. Heres one of those emails.

One day a professor asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. He handed out the question paper with the text facing down as is normal.

Once the papers were handed out he asked his students to turn the page and begin.

To everyones surprise there were no questions, just a blank page with a black dot in the centre of the page. The professor then said: I want you to write what you see there.

The students, somewhat confused, got started on the strange task. At the end of the class the professor read each one of the papers aloud in front of all the students. Each one of them, with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the blank sheet and what it might stand for.

After all the papers had been read, the room fell silent as the professor began to explain.

I am not going to grade you on this, he said, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper, everyone focused on the black dot.

Focus

The same happens in our lives. We always focus on the dark spots. Life is a gift given to us and we always have reasons to celebrate. However, we tend to focus only on the dark spots: the health issues that bother us, money problems, the complicated relationship with our partner or family member, our disappointment with a friend and so on.

The dark spots are very small, he continued, compared to everything we have in our lives. But the dark spots are the ones that pollute our minds. Take your eyes away from the black spots in your life. Enjoy each and every one of your blessings, enjoy each moment that life gives you. Be happy and live life positively.

I love it.

However, if Im to be honest, as much I believe in, and embrace, positivity, occasionally I am prone to pondering the dark spots. They seem to have a habit of commandeering the entire white page.

So, with a view to flattening the spot! Im adopting as my mantra Lady Macbeths famous line Out damned spot or rather: Out damned dot.

Pale blue dot

From black dot to Pale Blue Dot. Pale Blue Dot is one the most perceptive and thought-provoking perspectives on our planet, and the species who inhabit it (i.e. us) that I have ever come upon.

Pale Blue Dot (available on Youtube) refers to planet Earth which is essentially nothing more than a tiny speck of blue in the vast cosmic dark.

The man behind Pale Blue Dot is the late American astronomer, cosmologist and science communicator Carl Sagan (1934 1996) who co-wrote and narrated the award-winning 1980 TV series Cosmos, A Personal Voyage which became the most widely watched series in the history of American public television.

As Sagan tells it: The earth is a very small stage in a vast Cosmic arena..a lonely speck in the enveloping cosmic dark. In a three minute, 27-second video he puts into focus how petty a species we are  how violent, selfish, greedy and how we are so unaware of our brief stay on planet earth.

Cherish

The underlying message of Pale Blue Planet is simple - we need to cop ourselves on, we need to cherish and preserve this pale blue dot, our only home.

We are not the Masters of the Universe as believed in the time of Galileo (1564-1642) who was tried by the Catholic Church for heresy for suggesting that the earth was not the centre of the then known Solar System but rather the Sun.

Found guilty, Galileo retracted his writings but spent the rest of his life under house arrest, but in fairness, the Church officially pardoned him a mere 350 years after his death!

In the meantime keep your eye off the black dot and focus on the wholesome whiteness around it and check out Pale Blue Dot on Youtube. Black Dot, Pale Blue Dot, food for thought. A lot!
Could 2020 get any eerier than the smoke-coated skies over the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday? Temperatures dropped as much as 40 degrees from the record triple-digit temperatures over the weekend. Wildfires continued to roar across the state, having blackened more than 2 million acres in California this year, a record even as the state has only begun to reach peak fire season.

Do we need any more all-time records to establish that climate change is here, is intensifying and is only going to get much worse unless it is treated as the crisis it is. As tempted as folks may be to hashtag 2020 as #WorstYearEver, it may be merely a glimpse of what is in store for the planet.

What were saying in editorials

Oblivious to pandemic: The unofficial end of summer brought an unusual moment of cultural-divide-crossing consensus. Unfortunately, the unifying cause was social irresponsibility and self-indulgence. Our editorial

The freedom to vote: After having served their time in prison, released inmates are back in the world, ready to work, settle into society and resume life. But they cant vote as long as they remain on post-prison parole. Proposition 17 would lift that unwarranted restriction. Our editorial

Yes on Prop. 18: The measure would validate a constitutional change approved by the Legislature to allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries and special elections if they turn 18 at the next general election such as Nov. 3. Our editorial

Guest opinions

Chesa Boudin: When I walked in to my first meeting of the California District Attorneys Association I was surprised that I agreed with every single other elected district attorney in the state on the need for prosecutors to have greater access to information about officers with known misconduct. Nine months later, that legislation is sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsoms desk. He should sign it. Read his piece

Mark McCormick: San Franciscans are intelligent, critical thinkers. Consider how we rightly criticize anti-vaccine parents and climate change denialists as anti-science. But isnt public policy that claims to be based on scientific evidence, but is not, somehow suspect? Author argues that San Franciscos mask restrictions go too far. Read his piece

Rafael Mandelman and Joanne Hayes-White: As we look back on the tragedy in San Bruno a decade ago and to the climate emergency we face today, its time for San Francisco to once again lead California and the world toward a safer, more resilient future. Authors make the case for banning natural gas in new construction. Read their piece

Sacramento Press Club

I was honored to join fellow journalists Carla Marinucci of Politico and Nikki Laurenzo of Fox40 in interviewing Rep. Eric Swalwell in a Facebook Live session for the Sacramento Press Club on Wednesday. Swalwell spoke about his experience with impeachment (promoting his new book Endgame), the culture of an increasingly younger House (there were just 10 of his thirtysomething peers when he was elected; there are now 50 under 40 years old  he turns 40 in November), his concern about what the U.S. will look like if President Trump wins a second term (more like Turkey, Russia, Philippines), his own abbreviated quest for the presidency and the problem Gov. Gavin Newsom will face in choosing among many ambitious, talented California Democrats to succeed Sen. Kamala Harris if she is elected vice president. I say: Give us that problem, he said.

I had to ask about a rumor that Carla and I have been hearing: that he was thinking of running for Alameda County district attorney at some point. He didnt exactly deny his potential interest  he spoke of his experience there and familys reverence for law enforcement  but made plain that he expected D.A. Nancy OMalley to seek another term and, besides, he has plenty more goals to achieve on Capitol Hill. So its not happening anytime soon, but never say never.

David Moller of Larkspur responded to a Sept. 8 letter, Feel the heat, people, with a proposed solution:

The writer is spot-on in his assessment of the critical state of our climate crisis. As he notes, we already have the tools to address the crisis, and what it really comes down to is, will we use them? He is also right that we need political leaders who will lead the charge. But equally important, we each need to make the responsible decisions in our own lives that cumulatively will make the difference.

In the end, its not some unseen them causing the problem, its us! With almost one-third of Californias greenhouse gas emissions now coming from passenger vehicles, commit to making your next vehicle electric so you can stop using our atmosphere as an open sewer for your cars exhaust. There are more than 40 electric vehicle models now available from several manufacturers. Many of these have driving ranges greater than 200 miles and prices comparable to gasoline-fueled vehicles. And electric vehicle charging is becoming faster and more available every day. Check it out for yourself online. By switching to an electric vehicle, you will cut your personal carbon footprint about in half!

And please check out our other letters of the day responding to this and other matters. You can send us a letter via this form.

Where to follow us

We have a Twitter channel, Opinion Central (@sfc_opinions). Please add it to your stream. Youll catch our editorials and opinion pieces, as well as our drive-by comments on assorted subjects in the news. Follow me on Twitter: @JohnDiazChron

Just a reminder

The Chronicles editorials represent the collective judgment of our Editorial Board, which includes the publisher as well as the writers and editors from the opinion team. Our editors and reporters on the news side are not involved in those decisions (including election endorsements). They are charged with reporting fairly and objectively without regard to our editorial positions. It is one of the core values here at Fifth and Mission streets.

Opinion Central is a thrice-weekly newsletter from John Diaz, The Chronicles editorial page editor, and the rest of the Editorial Board. Follow along on Twitter: @sfc_opinions
Nicola Sturgeon's new rule of six will not include children under 12. (PA Images)

Scotlands new rule of six, which will limit gatherings in a similar way to Englands restriction, is not going to include children under 12.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has said people will only be able to meet in groups of six or under as the country tries to keep its COVID-19 cases down.

It means three couples could meet with any number of children under 12 in Scotland, as they will not count towards the limit of people.

That compares to Englands absolute ban on gatherings greater than six people, except for certain situations like work or education, or weddings, funerals and organised sport.

Sturgeon also warned the R number  the average number of people infected by someone with the coronavirus  could be as high as 1.5

The announcements I have made so far are hard for people to hear, she said.

I know that after six long, hard months, we are still asking the public to make a lot of difficult sacrifices.

Read more: Newly-released figures show huge leap in coronavirus cases

Scotland is in a precarious position, she said, but in a much better position than in late March and the rise in cases is not as rapid.

Elimination (of the virus) is still, and must still be, our objective, she said.

But the reason we are being cautious again today is that we must continue to bear down on the rates of infection.

Before this rule change, up to eight people from three households could meet indoors, and up to 15 people from five households could gather outside.

Now, the six people can only be from up to two households, Sturgeon said, and while it will not enter force until Monday, people should follow these stricter new limits on gatherings immediately.

Read more: What are coronavirus compliance officers and what will they do?

Exceptions in Scotland include organised sports, places of worship, and up to 20 people will be able to go to weddings, civil partnerships and funerals.

Face coverings will also need to be worn for customers in Scotlands hospitality sector when they are moving around and not eating or drinking.

Story continues

Sturgeon has also said the rise in coronavirus cases  which increased by 161 in the past 24 hours to 22,039  means putting reopenings of theatres, soft play centres and stadiums in Scotland back to 5 October at the earliest is the only responsible decision we can reach.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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(Repeats with story tag)

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Kay Johnson

BANGKOK, Sept 10 (Reuters) - At a university campus demonstration in Bangkok on Aug. 10, the images of two men were projected onto a giant screen against a shimmering golden background as protesters mockingly chanted Long live the king.

The images were not of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who holds a place of revered worship in the Thai constitution and whose image is omnipresent on city streets, schools and businesses, but of two exiles who have openly criticized the monarchy.

Former diplomat Pavin Chachavalpongpun and historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul have not been involved in organizing a recent series of demonstrations and show no sign of working together, but some protesters said their writing and social media posts have helped to loosen the taboo on questioning the monarchy, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison under Thailands lese majeste law.

"The fact that the public discusses the monarchy institution more is because of them," said Panusaya Sithijirawattankul, a 21-year old student at Thammasat University in Bangkok.

"Previously, we were unable to say any of this and if we did, we would risk becoming another exile," said Panusaya, who read out a 10-point demand for palace reform at the Aug. 10 protest. It was based on a reform proposal by Somsak, which he wrote a decade ago and revised and published on Facebook last year, where Panusaya first saw it.

Somsaks proposal called for the abolition of the lese majeste law and the end of what he called one-sided public relations campaigns promoting the monarchy, among other things.

The government's deputy spokeswoman, Ratchada Thanadirek, said the two mens online criticism of the monarchy was inappropriate.

The monarchy is loved and revered by Thais. Insults to the monarchy can upset another group of people. Expressions should take other peoples feelings into consideration too, she told Reuters.

Criticising the monarchy is a legitimate act, Pavin told Reuters. Somsak did not respond to requests for comment.

Story continues

Since July 18, a growing number of mostly young protesters have gathered on Bangkoks streets and university campuses calling for changes to a political system they say assures prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha a hold on power. The protests have focused on Prayuth, but some protesters have also called for reform of the monarchy. More than 10,000 people attended the biggest of the rallies on Aug. 16. Another big gathering is planned for Sept. 19.

Prayuth, who led a military coup in 2014, says elections held last year were fair. His security forces have arrested more than a dozen leaders of the demonstrations for breaching internal security laws and defying an emergency decree banning public gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. All protesters have been released on bail.

Pavin and Somsak, who now live in Japan and in France, respectively, have been singled out for attack by Prayuth.

"Where are they now and how are they taking responsibility for the damage afflicted on our country?" Prayuth said on Aug. 25, referring to the two men specifically, when asked about royal criticism on social media.

The Royal Palace in Bangkok declined to comment on the recent protests and on overseas critics of the monarchy. In addition to Pavin and Somsak, at least 102 other Thais have gone into exile since the 2014 coup, mostly for fear of prosecution for lese majeste, according to campaign group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

In April 2017, Prayuth's military government said anyone sharing what it described as false information from the two men, as well as UK-based author and former Reuters journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, could face prison under the Computer Crime Act. Later that month, police arrested and detained four people after they shared a Facebook post by Somsak but did not proceed with charges, according to legal group iLaw, which keeps track of the Thai governments moves to restrict freedom of expression. Thai police did not respond to questions from Reuters.

The threat of prosecution has not deterred many Thais. Each of the three men has hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook, many of whom share and comment on their material.

Royalist Marketplace, a private Facebook group set up by Pavin in April, had more than 1 million followers before the Thai government demanded that Facebook make the page unavailable within Thailand. Facebook, which complied on Aug. 24, said it was compelled by the government to make Pavins group inaccessible. Within a week Pavins replacement group on Facebook, with an almost identical name, had attracted more than 1 million followers.

The Royalist Marketplace group and its successor provide a platform for Thais to discuss the countrys traditional culture that promotes the monarch as a semi-divine leader of the nation who must never be questioned, even though it leaves them open to prosecution under the lese majeste law if they criticize the monarchy.

The movement's real catalyst is Royalist Marketplace, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University. This is the main reason why the government wanted to shut it down."

Pavin and Somsak are reviled by Thai traditionalists who believe the monarchy must never be questioned.

"They are exiles because they have committed illegal actions and have illegal thoughts," said Warong Dechgitvigrom, a politician who launched the Thai Pakdee (Loyal Thais) group in response to the student protests. "They're dangerous because they incite hatred and bully and smear the monarchy."

Pavin, who has not been charged with lese majeste, rejected Warongs accusation.

Somsak was charged with lese majeste in 2011 over two articles he posted on Facebook about Vajiralongkorns sister. He denies wrongdoing in the case, which remains open, saying the lese majeste law only applies to the king, queen and heir to the throne.

PARODY AND HISTORY

Pavin, 49, is a former Thai diplomat who quit the foreign service in 2010. He told Reuters he left because during a posting in Singapore, he was upset at having to defend the military coup in 2006 that removed populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power. Thai authorities declined to comment on why Pavin left the foreign service.

He worked as an academic in Singapore before moving to Japan in 2012 and is now an associate professor at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University in Japan.

I'm only glad that whatever I've been fighting for so long, that those people (protesters) begin to appreciate whatever I paved the way for them, Pavin told Reuters. He said he is not involved in organising any protests but once addressed a demonstration for a few minutes via video link at the request of students.

Almost half a million Thais read his analytical Facebook posts on the monarchy and thousands watch his TikTok videos in which he lip-syncs to songs and acts out soap opera dialogues to mock the royal family.

Somsak, 62, cuts a more solemn figure. Still, his face and shock of white hair are a popular image on peoples T-shirts at demonstrations.

Many protesters say he is respected for his historical knowledge of Thai monarchs and his knowledge of the inner-workings of the royal family and its spending.

In 1976, he was one of the 2,000 pro-democracy students at Thammasat University that were attacked by state forces and royalist supporters which accused them of being anti-monarchist, communist sympathisers. Dozens of protesters were killed. He fled to France after the Prayuth-led coup in 2014.

Marshall, 49, was a Reuters journalist for 16 years until 2011, mostly in Asia including two years in Bangkok. He has written two books on Thailand, the latest called "A Kingdom in Crisis," which is banned in Thailand. He moved back to his native Scotland in 2016 and is now a journalism lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University. He has not been charged with lese majeste.

One of the most striking developments of the past few years is the collapse of royalist mythology, Marshall told Reuters, adding that many Thais, especially younger people who spend time online, no longer believe what he described as palace propaganda.

Government spokeswoman Ratchada said the government respects young Thais freedom of expression but said they should not cross the line into illegality by criticizing the monarchy.

At the Aug. 16 demonstration, protesters carried large, gilt-framed portrait photographs of Pavin, Somsak and Marshall.

Now they put me on a gold frame and raise it, just like what true royalists would do the royal family, Pavin told Reuters. It's parody. It's a part of the political tactic. (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Kay Johnson in Bangkok Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Bill Rigby)
The Make in Vietnam online learning platforms offer an effective tool that helps people learn from anywhere, thus narrowing the gap between rural and urban areas.

With the strong development of technologies and internet, e-learning has become more common in the world and in Vietnam. Vuihoc.vn, developed by a group of Vietnamese startups, is one of the best platforms now available in the market.

In September 2018, the founders of Vuihoc.vn project met and realized that online education is a market with potential in Vietnam and still lacks high-quality products.

In the large cities of Hanoi and HCM City, exam preparation classes run by excellent teachers are always overcrowded. Students from cities and provinces flock to the cities to attend the classes, because they cannot access high-quality lessons in their localities.

The outcome of the meeting was the establishment of Vuihoc.vn. This is a website developed as an online school which creates an open space for students to study in an internet environment.

The founders spent six months to design the product, which officially became operational in March 2019. The platform targets primary and secondary school students.

The currently used version of Vuihoc.vn was created after referring to online education models in China, India and Singapore. Vuihoc also applies advanced methods globally available, such as Mastery Learning, Individualization, Blended Solutions and Ebbinghaus.

Vuihoc.vn reported that to date the online learning platform has been chosen by 100,000 parents across the country.

Many parents are reluctant to allow their children attend online training courses. They fear that online learning will not be effective because their younger children would not be interested in online lessons.

The parents reluctance, according to Do Ngoc Lam, CEO of Vuihoc.vn, is the first question that vuihoc.vn has to solve. Vuihoc cooperates with leading teachers and uses the most advanced technologies to build a platform suited to students.

Vuihoc.vn uses many images and examples to help students better understand the lessons. The website also uses a system of bonus marks and online tests to encourage learners.

Vuihoc is upgrading the adaptive learning system which, after analyzing the learning results of every student, gives advice on the best learning roadmaps for students.

Vuihoc.vn was the only education platform reaching the final round of the competition Searching for Innovative Solutions 2019, the forerunner of the Viet Solution competition organized by the Ministry of Information & Communications.

Asked if Vuihoc would become the national digital transformation platform, Vuihocs CEO Dang Ngoc Lam said: Vuihoc will firmly go step by step, but how far it can go will depend on many factors. Ambitions exist, but one needs to be practical and stand on his own feet."

Le Huyen

Online teaching to continue post-COVID General schools and universities have organized online teaching for the last six months because of Covid-19. However, even when the pandemic ends, online teaching will still continue.
To the editor:

Sometimes I find myself wishing that politicians were more like me. That they could step into my shoes, take a walk through my day  be me. Or that they could be forced to live the life of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and bartend for a day. All so they would get it  to represent their constituents. Rather than simply having their job because they had the funds and resources to run that average people almost never do. I believe Im not alone in feeling this frustration.

I met Sarah Schulz right before she started her run for state representative. When she announced her candidacy, I had gotten to know her and already knew she was different. She was not an out-of-touch, millionaire politician. She was a mom, with a job at a non-profit. She is a leader, and incredible at every one of those things I listed. From her everyday life, to her campaign, she wants to listen, help, bring people together, and represent and speak to every one of her constituents. She is willing and wants to hear what matters to them, and most importantly, does so.

And though she is not average in the best possible way, she is an average person. She has had crappy jobs, was affected by the floods, has been affected by COVID-19, has friends and family of all shapes, sizes, races, politics, sexualities and genders. She lives all the things that make an average person, well, average. Sarah gets it, brings people together, and Sarah needs to be elected so that we can have a politician that is more like us and has walked through days like we have.

I support Sarah Schulz for the 98th district whole-heartedly, and I hope you choose to vote for her this November.

ARIA SEGURA

Midland
George Floyd's family are considering legal action after Minneapolis healthcare workers improperly accessed his medical records.

Attorney Antonio Romanucci said family members received a letter from Hennepin Healthcare notifying them of the breach which happened in the last 30 days

It comes after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's lawyers filed a motion requested a judge dismiss murder charges against him at the end of August.

The motion claims Mr Floyd's death was caused by drugs in his system, not Chauvin pressing his knee into Floyd's neck for an extended period on May 25.

Mr Romanucci said Hennepin Healthcare's letter says those involved 'no longer work at the organization' but Mr Floyd's family are considering suing the healthcare system.

George Floyd's family (pictured at the Lincoln Memorial during the march on Washington on August 28) of received a letter from Hennepin Healthcare saying employees of the Minneapolis healthcare system improperly accessed his medical records in the last 30 days

Mr Romanucci (pictured) said the letter says those involved 'no longer work at the organization' but Mr Floyd's family are considering suing the healthcare system

He said the letter provided few other details, including how many people were involved and what information was accessed.

Romanucci told KARE 11: 'They feel it's a continued assassination of George Floyd, his character.

'It's a non-stop issue. And they were very upset, very disturbed, disappointed that even in death, that George Floyd's character is being maligned by people that didn't have any business looking at his private medical record.'

Mr Romanucci did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hennepin Healthcare said it does not comment on specific cases to maintain patient confidentiality.

The healthcare system conducts privacy access audits, and when employees access medical records, the action is tracked and logged.

Hennepin Healthcare said: 'Any breach of patient confidentiality is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.

'If it is determined that a violation has occurred, disciplinary action up to and including termination can be used.'

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin (left) asked that a judge dismiss his murder charges in the death of George Floyd (right) claiming Mr Floyd's death was caused drugs in his system

The healthcare system said it complies with federal regulations that require patients to be notified in the event of a confirmed breach of privacy.

It comes after former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin's lawyers filed a motion claiming Mr Floyd's death was caused by drugs in his system, not Chauvin pressing his knee into Mr Floyd's neck for an extended period.

Chauvin, 44, requested a judge dismiss the murder charges on August 28 as prosecutors push for long prison sentences.

An attorney for Chauvin filed a motion in court that argued there was no probable cause to support the second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges pinned to his client.

'Put simply, Mr. Floyd could not breathe because he had ingested a lethal dose of fentanyl,' the filing said, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The filing also argued that pre-existing conditions like sickle cell trait, heart disease and COVID-19 could have exacerbated the drugs.

Chauvin, 44, was first charged in June after Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died while in police custody on Memorial Day in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Footage taken by witnesses showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds while he pleaded 'I can't breathe'.
From Left: Michelle Vu, 19, Sophomore. There are a lot of people here on the weekends doing their part quarantining, but there are other people going downtown to parties. Its kind of crazy. Coronavirus, when it doesnt affect you, feels like its not really here. When you know someone who has it, suddenly it becomes real. Klaudia Bak, 18, Sophomore What really is the most frustrating part is the administration is not doing much to break up gatherings. I would prefer to stay on campus, but I feel like the measures are not strong enough. Credit - Eva O'Leary for TIME

The typically bustling main campus of Pennsylvania State University is quieter than normal. Many students are tuning in to classes online from their dorm rooms. A town ban on gatherings of more than 10 people limits social life off campus. Mask requirements make recognizing faces and making friends more challenging.

I can tell that the university is trying their best to give returning and new students the full experience that Penn State has the potential to bring, says Sophia Melocchi, 20, a junior. Its just not the same.

Across the country, colleges have taken a range of approaches to the fall semester. A Chronicle of Higher Education tracker of nearly 3,000 colleges found that of those with firm plans, 19% are opening primarily in person; 27% are primarily online; and 16% are, like Penn State, a mix.

But all are facing a semester unlike any other.

Schools that brought students back to campus quickly have run into problems controlling their behavior. Some have criticized universities for shifting blame for coronavirus outbreaks onto the returning students. Penn State recently suspended a fraternity that threw a party with about 70 people, and it reprimanded other students for gathering, without masks and close together, in large crowds outside a residence hall. I ask students flouting the universitys health and safety expectations a simple question: Do you want to be the person responsible for sending everyone home? Penn State president Eric Barron said in a statement. As of Sept. 4, more than 200 students at Penn States University Park campus had tested positive for COVID-19 since Aug. 21, and Barron said that trend could force a shift to fully online classes.

Story continues

Thats already happened at other colleges. Several clusters of coronavirus cases in dorms at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill led the school to cancel in-person classes and move to a fully remote model on Aug. 19, a week after classes began. At the University of Alabamas Tuscaloosa campus, more than 1,800 students have tested positive for COVID-19 since returning to school.

The 40,000 undergraduates at Penn States University Park campus are hoping their institution does better. I originally thought that we would be sent home or moved completely online within the first two weeks of school, but well see how it goes, because it seems like the school has it under control, says CJ Scoffone, 20, a junior. I hope it gets better and goes back to normal.

Katie Reilly, with reporting by Paul Moakley/New York

Esther Gershenson, 18, Freshman. "Coming straight out of high school, it's been nice to get some freedom. We didnt get the graduation we really wanted so we're gonna take anything we can get at this point. Its just a hard transition because everything is unknown. Eva O'Leary for TIME

Michelle Mariette, 21, Senior. Liza Vecchiarello, 21, Senior Jordan Kalfon, 22, Senior Im personally kind of worried for my future and everyone elses, Vecchiarello says. Im a microbiology major, and I want to go into the medical research side of things. COVID is preventing me from attending a lot of these hands-on courses. Eva O'Leary for TIME

Cole McNair, 18, Freshman. Its just hard to go out and do things with the virus, but you gotta do what you gotta do till the virus is done. You just have to respect the guidelines. Eva O'Leary for TIME

Sophia Melocchi, 20, Junior. Im thankful that I get to experience Penn State, even if its only a percentage of the Penn State that I knew in the years previous. Eva O'Leary for TIME

Grant Davis, 21, Junior. You honestly dont feel as if youre in school. You simply feel like youre watching videos and youre not part of the class. Eva O'Leary for TIME

Nichole Jiang, 19, Junior. Honestly, Im expecting to do worse this year, grades-wise, because its kind of different with everything being online." Eva O'Leary for TIME

Parker Gould, 18, Freshman. In high school, I liked being able to ask teachers questions and talk to them at the end of class and get to know them, and thats really hard to do now." Eva O'Leary for TIME

Kaleigh Quinnan, 21, Senior. Im staying an extra semester because the economy just crashed, so Im going to take some business classes. Im hoping by the time I graduate, the dust will have settled a little, but mostly its a lot of anxiety. Eva O'Leary for TIME

Aidan Brandt, 18, Freshman. There is kind of a general fear of going home because people choose not to wear the masks, and there have been block parties and stuff. Eva O'Leary for TIME
WASHINGTON - About six in 10 registered voters nationwide say they want to cast their ballots before Election Day, a significant departure from previous years that will force the candidates to reshape how they campaign in the election season's final weeks, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll conducted by Ipsos.

Fear of the coronavirus and doubts about the reliability of mail voting after months of attacks from President Donald Trump are weighing heavily on Americans as they decide how to safely ensure their vote will be counted in this fall's presidential election, according to the survey. In 2016, about 4 in 10 ballots were cast early.

The likely surge in early voting and mail ballots will test election systems nationwide, many of which are ill-prepared to contend with an unprecedented volume of early votes or help voters who are struggling to learn the rules around mail ballots.

Even as more voters want to mail their ballots than in 2016, just over 3 in 10 say they are "very confident" that their vote will be counted accurately if they vote by mail, compared with nearly 7 in 10 who say the same about voting in person on Election Day.

"It's going to be pretty messy," said Michael Hanmer, a government and politics professor at the University of Maryland and the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement's research director. "I don't have a lot of confidence that things are going to go smoothly. The sheer volume of mail, the number of people who don't know what the rules are and are going to request ballot too late - we're going to see more of those issues come up."

The survey also reveals a sharp racial disparity in perceptions of election integrity, with 71% of Black Americans saying it is easier for White citizens to vote than Black citizens compared to 34% of Whites who believe that to be the case. Similarly, 71% of Black voters say they prefer voting before Election Day, whereas 58% of White voters say the same.

The disparity is not as great when it comes how Latino and White voters perceive access to the polls, with 42% of Latino voters saying it is easier for White citizens to vote in elections than Latino citizens, roughly similar to 37% of White voters who hold that view.

More than 190 million Americans are now eligible to vote by mail this fall, after many states relaxed their rules because of the pandemic, according to a Washington Post tracker.

The poll finds a sharp increase in the percentage of voters who prefer to use an absentee ballot. Thirty-two percent want to send their ballot through the mail, while 17% want to take their ballot to an election office or place it in a drop box. That is nearly double the 26 percent of 2016 voters who cast ballots by mail or by dropping off a ballot, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

Still, Trump's unfounded claims that mail voting will lead to widespread fraud, along with the political storm that has engulfed the U.S. Postal Service, have helped fuel distrust about sending ballots via mail, the poll finds. Among those who plan to vote before Election Day, 24% say they prefer to cast their ballots via an official drop box, while 28% say they would like to show up in person at an early-voting location.

The finding suggests that a smaller proportion of the electorate will vote by mail in the general election than in some of the spring primaries, when several states saw majorities of voters turn to mail voting for the first time in history. In Wisconsin's April 7 primary, for instance, 62% of voters cast their ballots by mail, according to the state election commission.

It also shows that election officials who have been gearing up for an influx of mail voting need to brace for huge turnouts at early-voting locations in the weeks leading up to Nov. 3.

"Voter confidence is a struggle for me at this point," said Joseph Johnson, 50, of Palm Bay, Fla., an acquisitions manager and an independent who said he plans to vote early and in person for the Democratic nominee, former vice president Joe Biden.

"Mail will definitely be an issue, just because of what they're doing with the post office," he said. "My personal mail has been delayed for days on end, and I'm sure everybody else's mail is the same. And I think that's purposeful."

The Post-U. Md. poll finds that 46% of voters say they are uncomfortable going to a polling place this fall, and a majority are worried about their family being infected by the coronavirus.

Those competing fears - of coronavirus infection and of untested mail-voting systems - have collided as Nov. 3 draws near, leaving voters two unpalatable options: choosing between the healthiest or what they perceive to be the most secure way to vote.

About 1 in 7 voters are concerned about both the risk of the coronavirus at in-person voting locations and the possibility that their vote won't be counted if they vote by mail, the survey finds.

How voters feel about that choice depends heavily on their support for Trump, according to the poll, which finds that among voters who want to vote on Election Day, 48% say they definitely will vote for Trump, compared with 37% who want to cast their ballot on Election Day and say they definitely will not vote for him.

And although 71% of Republicans prefer to vote in person, that drops to 39% for Democrats, among whom 40% want to vote by mail. There is also a racial divide among Democrats, with Black Democrats much more likely to prefer voting in person than White Democrats.

One possible consequence of that partisan divide could be that initial election returns on the evening of Nov. 3, based primarily on Election Day vote tallies, could skew Republican, with the race narrowing as more and more mail ballots are counted.

It's similar to a scenario that played out in the 2018 midterm election - prompting Trump to accuse Democrats of stealing several close congressional contests in California in which Republicans were ahead on the night of the election but lost after all ballots were counted.

This year, however, the majority of voters are already aware that the November vote tally could take far longer than in the past. According to the poll, 53% of voters expect it to take at least two to three days before the winner of the presidential race is known, and 25% say it could take a week or more.

The poll finds that Americans' overall confidence in the election is roughly similar to that of four years ago; 62% are at least somewhat confident that votes for president will be counted accurately nationwide, on par with 63% in a Post-ABC survey in September 2016.

But partisanship shapes voters' faith in election integrity, with Republicans far more likely than Democrats to say that voter fraud occurs often, while Democrats are similarly more likely to say that voter suppression and disinformation occur.

"I'm pretty confident my vote will count as long as I do it in person," said Mike Bell, 42, a Republican radio station engineer from Enid, Okla., who said he definitely plans to vote for Trump. "That's my main concern - mail-in ballots. I believe, like, they can be sent to deceased people. I've heard of people getting them in their cat's name. People are getting double and triple votes. I don't think that's fair."

In fact, states that have embraced universal mail voting have documented tiny rates of ballot fraud, data show.

Such views suggest that Trump's attacks on mail voting have sunk in, with far fewer voters saying they are confident that their ballots will be counted accurately if they vote by mail than if they do so in person.

The poll reveals an additional force shaping voter attitudes: faith in the U.S. Postal Service, which under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has faced recent operational changes, such as a reduction of overtime and limits on mail trips, that postal carriers said created backlogs nationwide.

The survey finds that 32% of voters are not confident that the Postal Service will deliver election ballots in a timely manner this fall, while 47% are "somewhat confident" and 20% are "very confident."

The survey offers stark evidence that the 2020 presidential race's final stretch could unfold unlike any in modern history, with a majority of voters making up their minds and casting their ballots long before Nov. 3.

Mail voting began last week in North Carolina, where by Thursday election officials had mailed about 737,000 absentee ballots, representing more than 10% of registered voters, according to data compiled by Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C. By mid-September, 20 more states will begin mailing ballots.

"A lot of these voters are wanting to get their ballot banked and be done with it," he said.

The high number of ballot requests is a measure not just of fear of the coronavirus but also of voter enthusiasm and engagement, Bitzer added.

Both the Biden and Trump campaigns have put an increased emphasis on early voting in voter contacts this year, with Republicans telling supporters in states such as Pennsylvania to request absentee ballots as far back as the spring. For voters who prefer to cast their ballots on Election Day, the campaigns are suggesting ways to do so safely through ads and direct outreach.

Still, the Post-U. Md. poll points to the potential for widespread confusion this fall, too, finding that upward of 3 in 10 registered voters are unsure who is allowed to vote by mail in their state, whether election offices will automatically deliver ballots or ballot applications, and when ballots must be submitted.

Almost 1 in 5 voters from states where a ballot must be requested erroneously believe a ballot or ballot application will be sent to them automatically.

Such confusion was probably inevitable in a year when election administrators and voters alike have embraced new methods of voting for the first time amid the coronavirus, said Hanmer, the University of Maryland political scientist.

The findings suggest that infrastructure and planning at the state and local levels will be crucial - such as the number of hours and locations for in-person early voting, or drop boxes where voters can deposit their ballots rather than trust the Postal Service. Some states don't allow drop boxes at all.

Another urgent need, election officials say: more voter education in the campaign's final stretch to reduce the risk that votes won't be counted if voters make mistakes such as not signing their names on a mail ballot.

Already, election officials are coming up with creative ways to capture the attention of voters and teach them the rules. One election administrator in Dane County, Wis., produced a "Star Wars"-themed YouTube video this week featuring "Chad Vader" explaining how to vote by mail.

Hanmer, meanwhile, thinks the speed at which new voting systems have been adopted this cycle to accommodate the pandemic means there is only so much anyone can do to prepare.

"With so many people engaging in a process that they haven't used before, there are going to be honest mistakes on their part," he said. "There are going to be honest mistakes on the part of election officials. That's inevitable. But the scale is going to be hard for us to predict and understand."

The survey of 1,672 registered voters was conducted online among a random national sample from Aug. 24 to Aug. 31 by Ipsos for The Washington Post and the University of Maryland's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement. The margin of sampling error for overall results among registered voters is plus or minus three percentage points.

- - -

The Washington Post's Michael Scherer contributed to this report.
Rahimah Rahim, the mother of Usaamah Rahim, said her son was a good man and cared about other people.

He cared about the people that were homeless, the people who didnt have shelter, the people who didnt have food, and he reached in his pockets many times to dole out money for people who didnt have what he had, she said Wednesday at a rally in front of the State House.

Usaamah Rahim was shot and killed by a Boston police officer and an FBI agent in 2015 after police officials say he approached officers with a knife. Rahimah Rahim attended the rally organized by Mass. Action Against Police Brutality to call on Gov. Charlie Baker to assign a special prosecutor to reopen all past cases of police brutality in the state.

Among the cases the group wants a special prosecutor to investigate are the deaths of Massachusetts residents Terrence Coleman, Eurie Stamps, Usaamah Rahim, Burrell Ramsey-White, and Juston Root.

The protest comes just over three weeks after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot Jacob Blake, whose severe injuries furthered nationwide protests calling for an end to systemic racism and police brutality. The protest on the State House steps Wednesday was held in solidarity with Blakes shooting.

Rahimah Rahim said she raised her five children to be respectful citizens and to look out for other people who didnt have the privileges they had.

How many other mothers have to lose their children to this brutality? How many more of us have to lose our relatives, our families? Its genocide, Rahimah Rahim said. We cry out as Americans about whats going on in other countries. We cry for the people who are being persecuted there. What about us? Cry out for us. Cry out for us.

At a press conference earlier in the day, Baker said he didnt know if he had the authority to reopen closed cases.

Its always been my impression that the state official who has the most latitude with respect to reopening cases is the attorney general, he said. And I do know the attorney general can choose to take cases that DAs either dont take or arent interested in. I dont know if the attorney general has the authority under existing law to reopen a case thats been closed. And as I stand here, I dont if I do either.

Organizers of the rally said their effort had the support of nine families of men shot by police in the state, some of whom showed up to share their stories. Among them was Hope Coleman, the mother of Terrence Coleman.

Terrence Coleman, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was shot in 2016 by Boston police after his mother called for an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Prosecutors allege he attacked personnel responding to the call with a knife.

All I heard was two shots, Hope Coleman said Wednesday. I didnt hear him holler.

Brock Satter, co-founder of Mass. Action Against Police Brutality, started off the evening with a chant, Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail. The whole damn system is guilty as hell. As he called on Baker to appoint a special prosecutor, Satter responded to the governors comments from earlier in the day.

He was under some question about whether he had the power to reopen the cases. So who knows? Who knows in government how to run it? he said. But what you and I know is what needs to happen is that when police commit crimes, they need to be held accountable for the crimes they commit. So they need to figure it out ... whoever has the power, they need to figure it out.

Jennifer Root Bannon, whose brother Juston Root was killed by police in February, filed a wrongful death suit in U.S. District Court in Boston on Aug. 10. Police shot at Root 31 times after he led them on a chase from Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston into Brookline with a replica gun. The six Boston and State Police officers involved in the shooting were cleared by prosecutors.

On Wednesday, Root Bannon called for an end to police brutality and for officials to hold accountable officers who break the law. She said the departments need mandatory independent investigations by an impartial department for incidents involving deadly and excessive force.

Not only here in Massachusetts but across this country. Today, the message I want to make very clear: law enforcement cannot, I say cannot, be investigating themselves. Continuing on this current path will never bring about justice, she said. Gov. Baker, Im going to ask you again, reopen my brothers case for an independent investigation. Reveal the truth.

Two pieces of legislation to reform police accountability and curb use of force tactics remain in conference committee, where lawmakers negotiate differences between bills behind closed doors. The Senate first passed its version on July 14 and the House followed suit with similar legislation on July 24.

The bills largely do the same thing -- set up an independent body to certify and decertify police officers in the state. The bills also limit the use of chokeholds and tear gas, and restrict qualified immunity from civil lawsuits for police officers accused of alleged misconduct.
The Chinese Communist Party "Big cannon" is accused of embezzlement and graft. He faces the death penalty for a year in prison. Banned by the Party for calling Xi Jinping a "power hungry clown". He is considered the most important and resolute exponent of a group that wants to introduce constitutional democracy in China.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The trial of dissident billionaire Ren Zhiqiang on charges of corruption opens tomorrow. The news was announced yesterday by the second Intermediate People's Court of the capital. Ren, nicknamed the "party Big cannon" for his attacks on the leadership, is accused of appropriation of public funds, abuse of office and of power. Offenses that he would have committed as a manager of a state-owned enterprise.

The tycoon disappeared from circulation on 12 March. According to his family, he has not yet been able to meet his lawyers. The penalty for the crimes he is accused of ranges from one year in prison to the death sentence (usually commuted to life imprisonment): it is rare for a person with such charges to be acquitted in China.

Ren, a member of the Communist Party of China (CCP), belongs to an important family of revolutionary leaders. In the past, he led a large state-owned construction company (Huayuan Real Estate Group). Shortly before his disappearance, he had risen to prominence for publishing an article on the web in which he spoke of the "power hungry clown" Xi Jinping. Without ever naming him, but calling him "the emperor", the tycoon criticized the Chinese president for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the conflicts with the US and those with Taiwan.

As a result, Ren was banned by the Party in August. The CCP Disciplinary Commission investigated him for violating the "four cardinal principles", the theoretical basis on which the undisputed leadership of the Party is based, and for having damaged the image of the regime.

For friends and observers, the charges of embezzlement and graft are an excuse to damage Ren's standing. Cai Xia, a former teacher of the Central Party School, expelled from the CCP on 17 August for attacking Xi and defending Ren, has said the billionaire is the most important and resolute member of a group that wants to introduce constitutional democracy in China.
OTTAWAWE Charity proposed using public money for short-term contracts ranging from $30,000 to $125,000 for its own workers to administer a government program for students volunteers that was scrapped amidst a political firestorm, documents obtained by the Star reveal.

Dated May 4, the proposal gives the most detailed picture yet of how the Toronto-based charity planned to use millions of dollars in payments from Ottawa to design and deliver the $543.5-million program, which was cancelled this month in the face of a conflict of interest scandal for the Liberal government.

The revised proposal from May 4 outlines an initial budget of $19.5 million to deliver the program to a first tranche of 20,000 student volunteers  an amount that matches the minimum payment granted to WE Charity when it was awarded the contract in June.

The document spells out how WE Charity could use this money for remuneration of more than 190 workers to administer the initial phase of the program. In an emailed response to questions from the Star, WE said these amounts include compensation and all employment related costs like pension and employment insurance payments, as well as recruitment and training costs.

The budget outlines how 175 program managers would cost $30,000 each for four and a half months work. Ten supervisors would cost $45,000 each for five and a half months on the job, while five group leaders and two project leaders would each cost $70,000 and $125,000 for six and eight months work respectively, the proposal says.

In its email, WE Charity described the May 4 document as a working draft with a proposed budget that was being regularly changed in discussions with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the federal department responsible for the grant program.

The charity said its proposed budget was calculated based on expected expenses determined by our team according to the parameters of the program provided by the government. The federal program  called the Canada Student Service Grant  would have given student volunteers $5,000 for 500 hours of service, payouts that translate to less than minimum wage in every province and territory.

WE said payments from government were only meant to cover eligible expenses to deliver the program and that the charity would not have profited from administering it.

Dani Keenan, a spokesperson for Diversity, Inclusion and Youth Minister Bardish Chagger, said by email Wednesday that the COVID-19 cabinet committee endorsed WE Charity as a third party to deliver the program on May 5, while the entire cabinet approved the plan on May 22.

Keenan said the total payments to WE under the contract would have represented about eight per cent of the maximum $543-million program budget, and that those costs were in line with those of other similar programs ... delivered by third parties in previous years.

She did not say whether the government signed off on budget details contained in the May 4 proposal, but said the government sets high level funding parameters in third-party agreements like this and that any administrative costs like salaries must be reasonable.

The May 4 proposal outlines several other budget items from the initial payment of $19.5 million, including:

$2.5 million for admin costs for WE Charity;

$295,000 for recruitment and advertising;

$280,000 for human resources support participants;

$120,000 for social media co-ordination;

$120,000 for story telling and content sharing.

Alongside budgetary details, the May 4 proposal shows the charity was willing to white label the national program  a marketing description for when an entity makes a product but doesnt place its brand on it.

The June 23 funding agreement refers to a white label for the online platform created by WE Charity to connect students with volunteer opportunities.

Neither Chagger nor Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned WE Charity was running the grant program in their prepared remarks when they announced the program on June 25, leaving the information to background documents released online.

In its response to a question from the Star about the white-label offer, WE Charity said it would not have sought any branding recognition for its role and that this was at the direct request of ESDC.

Keenan said that WE Charity offered to deliver the program under the governments branding.

The decision to award the program contract to WE sparked questions and accusations against the Liberal government over ties between the charity and family members of Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

Trudeaus wife, brother and mother have collectively received more than $280,000 to appear at WE events, the charity has said. Morneau disclosed that he had repaid more than $40,000 to the charity to cover costs of international trips that he and his family took with the organization.

Both politicians have admitted they took part in the Liberal cabinet decision on May 22 to award the contract for the student volunteer program to WE Charity and have apologized. Meanwhile, the House of Commons ethics commissioner is investigating them for potentially breaking Parliaments conflict of interest law.

The Commons finance committee has held hearings on the matter, and will hear Thursday from Trudeau and his chief of staff, Katie Telford.

According to previous testimony from several people  including Morneau, WE Charity founders Marc and Craig Kielburger, and public service staff  and documents tabled with the committee, WE became involved in the program as the government tried to create a program to pay post-secondary students for volunteer work this summer amid the pandemic.

Appearing at the committee on July 22, Michelle Kovacevic, an assistant deputy minister in the finance department, said she received a copy of a May 4 proposal from WE Charity to deliver the volunteer grant program on May 7. Testifying that same day, Morneau told the committee that Chagger presented her initial proposal for WE Charity to administer the grant initiative to the governments COVID-19 cabinet committee on May 5.

The written proposal obtained by the Star is dated the previous day, and includes more than 60 pages detailing how WE Charity would deliver the program. It proposed that Ottawa pay WE $19.5 million to deliver the program for the first cohort of 20,000 students, with $5 million of that money going to partner non-profits that would host volunteer gigs. The document also proposed WE receive another $13.7 million for each additional tranche of 20,000 volunteers.

In the funding agreement inked on June 23  and released publicly by the Commons finance committee  the government agreed to pay WE $19.5 million for the first cohort. It would get another $13.5 million if there was a second tranche of 20,000, and $10.5 million for volunteers beyond that.

The total budget was for $543 million: $500 million directed through WE Charity to up to 100,000 student volunteers, and up to $43.5 million to pay the charity for its work. Keenan, Chaggers spokesperson, said Wednesday that it was possible the budget would increase if there was further demand for positions; the initial budget for the program was earmarked at $912 million when it was first envisioned in April.

The agreement also said WE Charity would get $30 million of this money upon signing the contract. During their appearance at the finance committee on Tuesday, the Kielburgers acknowledged receiving this money and said the charity is refunding it now that the program has been cancelled.
DC church, vandalized during riots, offers message of 'togetherness' with racial justice-themed murals

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A historic Washington, D.C., church that was the subject of arson and graffiti during the summer riots recently had its protective plywood panels painted with racial justice imagery.

St. Johns Episcopal Church of Lafayette Square, a congregation located not far from the White House, had the murals painted onto the panels, which had been installed to protect their windows from vandalism, at an event on Saturday.

The Rev. Rob Fisher, rector at St. Johns Church, told The Christian Post in an interview on Tuesday that the event was coordinated with a local arts group called the P.A.I.N.T.S. Institute and with the DowntownDC Business Improvement District.

Fisher said that the event was aimed at turning something that is a bit of an eyesore into colorful images offering message of love, healing, togetherness and peace in Jesus name.

The artists really put their hearts and souls into the works they created. Many expressed to me what an honor it was to decorate the boards on such a historic place, explained Fisher.

One of our central themes is the Hebrew word shalom, which means more than the English translation peace but wholeness or completeness.

Another major theme was the concept of ubuntu, or our lives are inextricably bound together, which was championed by noted South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

One thing I hope for with the murals is that while the nature of stained glass windows is to bring light and beauty into a room or worship space, were able to flip that script by sending light and beauty outward to our surrounding neighborhood, continued Fisher.

The visuals are like the bell we ring in our steeple  they remind us that God is present, that God loves us all, and that it is important, especially in difficult times, to look up! To remember that we are all part of something greater.

Representatives of the Smithsonian also attended the mural painting event on Saturday, reportedly expressing an interest in having the painted panels once they are eventually removed.

During the months of protests and demonstrations across the United States over racism and police brutality, St. Johns Church found itself in the epicenter of the debate.

During a protest in late May, the building was victim of an arson by an unknown party, in which the nursery caught fire. Later in June, protesters sprayed graffiti on the pillars.

In response to repeated attacks on its property, the church placed plywood over their windows and grudgingly agreed to have security fencing placed around the building.

While we hate both the fencing and the boarded-up windows, one of our main responsibilities as rector and wardens is to protect the buildings. Our hope is to remove both the fencing and plywood as soon as practicable, stated a letter to the congregation from late June.

The church was the subject of controversy during the summertime when President Donald Trump posed with a Bible in hand in front of the structure.

The presidents actions came after U.S. Park Police and National Guard units cleared away protesters, reportedly using violent tactics to accomplish the task.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, expressed outrage over the presidents decision to hold the photo-op in front of St. Johns.

The President just used a Bible and one of the churches of my diocese as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for, she stated at the time.

Fisher told CP on Tuesday that while there have been some dramatic moments for the church during the demonstrations, the vast majority of gatherings that have taken place on the corner where we are located have been peaceful.

We are incredibly grateful that the fire was limited to just one room, which was in the church office building and not the church itself, said Fisher.

There has been an outpouring of love and support from people near and far and from all kinds of backgrounds since the fire, which we truly appreciate.
A sickening racist letter has been posted on the window of a Chinese family business in southeast Melbourne.

City of Monash Mayor Stuart James described the note found at the Clayton store as 'filthy and disgusting'.

Police are now scouring CCTV in the local area to try and identify those responsible.

Investigations are also underway to determine whether the letter is an isolated case or linked to a spate of vandalism in the local area.

'You take our jobs, our land, our business! And our lives. Please p**s off,' the racist letter said.

'You will never be Australian. You don't look like us and you don't accept or respect us. 'Please F**k off to your own s**t-filled China!'

A man wearing a face mask crosses a quiet road in Melbourne's Chinatown on August 13, 2020

The author of the poorly-written note appears to blame all Chinese descendants for the coronavirus pandemic.

'You have contaminated the whole world, killed millions. You are murderers. We don't want you here. We hate you Chinese,' the letter says.

'Why don't you bloody bird and wild animal-s**t-eating Chinese go back to where you came from.

'You are greedy, corrupt criminals.'

Mayor James condemned the anonymous author of the letter and said Australia had no tolerance for racism.

'The author of this cowardly anonymous, vile and pathetic attack on a fellow Australian needs to pull his/her head in,' Mr James said.

'This country has been built on the back of migrants from all around the world who came here seeking a better life for them and their families.'

'Being born in Australia does not make you any more Australian than anyone else,' he said. Nor does it give you the right to make unprovoked racist attacks on innocent people.'

Investigations are also underway to determine whether the letter is an isolated case or linked to a spate of vandalism in the local area

The author of the poorly-written note appears to blame all Chinese descendants for the coronavirus pandemic

In a survey conducted by the Asian Australian Alliance between April 2 and June 2 this year, data revealed 'a clear pattern of racist attacks against Asians and Asian Australians as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and that they are not isolated incidents.'

In total, 377 cases of racism were found - including verbal attacks and racial slurs, physical acts of intimidation and some individuals of Asian descent were even coughed and sneezed at.

Relations between Australia and China have soured over recent months in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The diplomatic spat has seen China slap Australia with a number of trade sanctions on beef, wine and barley, after Scott Morrison called for an independent inquiry in to the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.

Beijing's increasing crackdown on pro-democracy advocates in the former Commonwealth colony Hong Kong, has also ratcheted up tensions.

Meanwhile, security agencies are currently investigating alleged efforts by the Chinese government to influence Australian politics.

Director of the Australia-China Institute James Laurenceson told Daily Mail Australia 'it is very sad' to see the diplomatic tensions spilling over in the community.

'Despite the political side of the relationship being tense, the economic and the people-to-people ties provided some real strength for the relationship,' Mr Laurenceson said.

'These instances are a tragedy for Australia's national interest because these aspects of the relationship are what held things together.'
CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- After celebrating 10 years of being a public company in July, Envestnet, Inc. (NYSE: ENV) is commemorating the 20-year anniversary of its unified advice platform with a microsite featuring a timeline that highlights major growth and innovation milestones over the past two decades.

Envestnet https://www.envestnet.com/20/

Since it first launched its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering for wealth management in 2000, Envestnet has grown to become a leading platform and financial wellness network empowering advisors and financial service providers with innovative technology, solutions, and data-driven intelligence. Over 103,000 advisors across more than 4,900 companiesincluding 16 of the 20 largest banks, 46 of the 50 largest wealth management and brokerage firms, over 500 of the largest registered investment advisors (RIAs), and hundreds of FinTech companiesleverage the Envestnet platform to grow their businesses and strengthen client relationships.

Envestnet's unique network was built through a multi-pronged strategy, which included organic initiatives, strategic acquisitions, and a core goal of integration. This is the same approach the firm employs today as it continues to disrupt the industry and deliver the technology advisors need to help their clients achieve their financial goals. To learn more about Envestnet's 20-year journey, please visit https://www.envestnet.com/20/.

"As we celebrate two decades of enhancing financial advice and look ahead to more of the same, we want to take a moment to say 'thank you' to our clients, and the entire industry, for supporting us over the years as we worked together to help to improve the lives of more people," said Bill Crager, CEO and Co-Founder of Envestnet. "Since our founding more than 20 years ago, Envestnet has and will continue to be a champion for wealth management professionals. We are guided by our mission to deliver cutting-edge technology fueled by intelligent data, which advisors need to drive better financial outcomesand ultimately, make financial wellness a reality for everyone."

Below are some of the key events and milestones from Envestnet's first two decades:

1999Envestnet Founded: Envestnet is founded by Jud Bergman , Bill Crager , Brandon Thomas , and Jim Lumberg . Together with a team of other seasoned industry peers, they begin development of a wealth management platform to provide advisors with the tools they need to compete in an ever-evolving marketplace.

, , , and . Together with a team of other seasoned industry peers, they begin development of a wealth management platform to provide advisors with the tools they need to compete in an ever-evolving marketplace. 2000Investment Services: Envestnet launches its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) unified advice platform for wealth management in 2000 with two major custodial partners. Headquartered in Chicago and with an office in New York , Envestnet starts small with only 50 employees.

and with an office in , Envestnet starts small with only 50 employees. 2001PMC Acquisition: Envestnet's business begins to grow, as it signs service agreements with two major securities broker-dealers with nearly 5,000 financial professionals nationwide. The firm also acquires Portfolio Management Consultants (PMC), a pioneer in managed accounts.

2002The First Advisor Summit: In 2002, Envestnet hosts its first national conference, the Advisor Summit, in Denver with nearly 200 attendees.

with nearly 200 attendees. 2004Welcome Oberon & NetAssetManagement: Envestnet acquires Oberon Financial Technology and NetAssetManagement, two providers of innovative turnkey, unified wealth management solutions.

2008Socially Responsible Investing: Envestnet introduces the first Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) platform in the industryThe Sustainability Platformgiving financial advisors overlay capabilities to filter out inappropriate stocks from portfolios and choose from a selection of SRI products managed by pioneers in sustainable investing.

2010Going Public: On July 29, 2010 , Envestnet goes public, trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ENV.

, Envestnet goes public, trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ENV. 2012Welcome Tamarac: Envestnet announces the acquisition of Tamarac, the premier portfolio management platform provider for independent RIAs.

2015Welcome Yodlee: Envestnet announces the acquisition of Yodlee, the leading cloud-based platform for data aggregation, data analytics, and personal financial management apps. This marks Envestnet's first acquisition of another public company. The acquisition enables investors and the advisors who serve them to access and make better sense out of their disparate and complicated financial picture.

2016Welcome Wheelhouse Analytics: Envestnet acquires Wheelhouse Analytics, a technology company that provides data analytics, mobile sales solutions, and online education tools to financial advisors, asset managers, and enterprises. By combining Wheelhouse Analytics' tools with Yodlee's industry-leading data and analytics solutions, Envestnet strengthens its data-driven insights that enable firms to better manage their businesses and deliver better outcomes to their clients.

2019Welcome MoneyGuide: Envestnet acquires MoneyGuide, bringing the series of industry leading goals-based financial planning solutions into its ecosystem.

2020Continuing to Lead the Industry Forward: With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Envestnet takes the lead on helping advisors adapt to significant changes in the industry and client expectations brought about by this crisis, publishing The Advisor's Playbook for Leading Your Clients Forward.

"We've come an incredibly long way and we cherish and celebrate each 'leap and bound' made during our journey," said Mr. Crager. "Today, our unified advice platform and financial wellness network empower advisors to expand their definition of advice to address their clients' entire financial livesa paradigm which embodies the future of wealth management. We are beyond proud to be already delivering it."

About Envestnet

Envestnet, Inc. (NYSE: ENV) is transforming the way financial advice and wellness are delivered. Our mission is to empower advisors and financial service providers with innovative technology, solutions, and intelligence to make financial wellness a reality for everyone. Over 103,000 advisors across more than 4,900 companies including 16 of the 20 largest U.S. banks, 46 of the 50 largest wealth management and brokerage firms, over 500 of the largest RIAs, and hundreds of FinTech companies, leverage the Envestnet platform to grow their businesses and client relationships.

For more information on Envestnet, please visit www.envestnet.com, subscribe to our blog, and follow us on Twitter (@ENVintel) and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Dana Taormina

JConnelly for Envestnet

973.647.4626

[email protected]

SOURCE Envestnet, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.envestnet.com


Re: 'Too young' to be disabled

I just wanted to state that I also am a disabled person who lives in the Okanagan and one woman stood next to me and said "Oh, honestly, how can 'they' get a driver's licence! I am physically disabled.

I also had a man stop me at Home Depot and give me heck for using the disabled parking spot. I just asked him if he was a doctor, when he said "no," I told him to then maybe mind his own business!

There are some really sick ugly people who live in the Okanagan. I tried getting a mortgage for a house I was building, and the person at the credit union forced me to sell my revenue property because I was disabled.

It's pretty horrible here with some of the mentally sick people who believe they have the "right" to judge anyone else.



Kerry Kozak, Peachland


News LATEST Trends Rhea Chakraborty's bail plea to be heard today: All you need to know Feedback

Rhea Chakraborty's bail plea to be heard today: All you need to know

Chakraborty was arrested on Tuesday by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for procuring drugs for late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14

Rhea Chakraborty was moved to the Byculla Jail, the only women prison in Mumbai on Wednesday
In principle, taxing higher incomes at higher rates seems fair. But in this case, I dont believe anyone living in Illinois should be asked to pay more than they do now. The Illinois legislature has never been responsible with our tax dollars. Even in goods times they cannot budget and spend responsibly. Their response to shortfalls is always to raise taxes rather than manage expenses. A constitutional amendment giving them additional taxing ability seems foolhardy at best.
The Nebraska Supreme Court has reversed the opinion of Secretary of State Bob Evnen to put medical marijuana legalization to a vote of the people in November.

With dissenting opinions from two justices, the court issued an order for Evnen to withhold the initiative from the ballot. Evnen said he will comply with that.

In July, supporters turned in more than 182,000 signatures to get the issue on the Nov. 3 ballot. The number needed was about 122,000 signatures, more than 10% of the voters in the state.

After Evnen certified the signatures, Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner challenged his decision to put it on the ballot, arguing the question was confusing and created voter doubt, and that it violated the single subject requirement of a constitutional question.

Lincoln Sens. Anna Wishart and Adam Morfeld, who sponsored both the petition initiative and a legislative bill to legalize medical cannabis, said in a news release they were "deeply disappointed" by the ruling. It is legally sufficient and should be on the ballot in November, they said.

"We want to thank all of our dedicated volunteers and supporters," they said. "Do not despair  we are going back to the ballot and to the Legislature."

The court agreed the ballot issue violated the single subject rule because its general subject and various other provisions lacked natural and necessary connection with each other. It determined, in fact, the act has eight subjects.

The initiative would grant rights to use, possess, access, purchase and safely produce an adequate supply of cannabis and its products to alleviate serious medical conditions.

The court found the general purpose of the initiative was to create a constitutional right for people with serious medical conditions to produce and medicinally use cannabis, subject to a recommendation by a licensed physician or nurse practitioner.

But subsections of the act would allow private entities in Nebraska a constitutional property right to legally grow and sell the substance to those who qualify to use it and would civilly and criminally immunize those entities to do so.

Evnen found the secondary purpose connected and sufficiently supported the general subject, but the court disagreed.

The justices, instead, agreed with Wagner that clauses in subsections of the act, such as disallowing the smoking of cannabis in public or the operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by cannabis, represented distinct constitutional rights and policies not naturally connected to the general subject of the act.

Justice Jonathan Papik wrote a dissenting opinion, and Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman joined the dissent, saying they disagreed the act violated the single subject rule.

Everyone involved in this case  the initiatives sponsors, Wagner, the secretary of state, and the majority of the court  more or less agreed as to the act's primary purpose, Papik said.

That purpose is to create a constitutional right for persons with serious medical conditions to produce and medicinally use cannabis, subject to a recommendation by a licensed physician or nurse practitioner.

And all the details of the act, Papik said, relate to the same general subject.

In a separate decisions by the court, all three gambling initiatives will be placed on the November general election ballot, as will the payday lending initiative.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSLegislature

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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the global platform for accelerating sustainable development, will be held from January 18 to 21, 2021 and reimagined virtually.



Ensuring the safety of all participants, ADSW 2021 and related high-level events during the week are set to take place virtually. In addition, partners including its host Masdar will collaborate on all events, including the ADSW Summit, reported Emirates News Agency WAM.



The ADSW Summit hosted by Masdar will be held on January 19. Dedicated to ensuring a green recovery, the summit will feature three sessions of speeches, presentations and panel debates, reaching a global audience across multiple time zones.



Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, said: "Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week embodies the UAEs proactive and forward-thinking approach to sustainability and its commitment to furthering our understanding of the major social, economic and technological issues shaping the world today.



"Holding ADSW in a virtual format in 2021 will allow us to continue to drive the sustainability agenda forward in the line with the vision of the UAE, ensuring that the worlds attention remains focused on the actions required to achieve a healthier, safer and more sustainable future for all."



ADSW 2021 will reinforce the message that a decade of concerted action is required to deliver on the Sustainability Development Goals, and that the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19 have further illustrated the critical importance of achieving a truly sustainable recovery for all  one that combines the commitment, ambition and collaboration of governments, businesses and community stakeholders.



Meanwhile, the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) Assembly takes place each year in the context of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.



Irena Director-General Francesco La Camera said: "The annual Assembly is the supreme decision-making body of IRENA, tasked with addressing the most pressing matters on the global energy agenda and establishing the Agencys priorities. As ever, the Agency remains responsive to the needs of its global membership. Despite the exceptional circumstances, we are confident that the next Assembly will embody the inclusiveness and transparency that has come to define it, while ensuring that Irena retains a position at the forefront of a sustainable recovery and the broader global energy transformation.



The 2020 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week hosted around 45,000 attendees from 170 countries, with more than 500 high-level speakers from around the world.








TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - CannTrust Holdings Inc. ("CannTrust," or "the Company") today announced that the Company is seeking an order in its proceeding under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA") extending the time for CannTrust to call the next annual meeting of shareholders to a date 120 days following the completion of the Company's CCAA proceedings. The motion is scheduled to be heard before a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Commercial List, on September 16, 2020 at 12:00 p.m., judicial videoconference via Zoom due to the COVID-19 emergency.

In support of the motion, CannTrust will today file with the Court the following materials (collectively, the "Court Materials"): a Motion Record containing the Notice of Motion, the Affidavit of Greg Guyatt, sworn September 9, 2020 and a draft Order and Factum.

The Court Material, together with details relating to CannTrust's CCAA proceeding, are available on the website of the Court-appointed monitor in CannTrust's CCAA proceedings at https://documentcentre.ey.com/#/detail-engmt?eid=370

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward looking statements, including statements with respect to the CCAA proceedings. These forward-looking statements reflect CannTrust's current views and are based on certain assumptions, including assumptions as to future operating conditions and courses of action, sale or refinancing alternatives, economic conditions and other factors CannTrust believes are appropriate. Such forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in these statements, including the risk that a sale of, investment in, or refinancing or other strategic alternative may not be available on terms acceptable to CannTrust, or at all, or that any such disposition or other strategic alternative would yield proceeds sufficient to the satisfy CannTrust's obligation to other creditors or any distribution to CannTrust's shareholders; the risk that litigation or defence proceedings involving claims against CannTrust may involve substantial expense and, if successful, could require CannTrust to pay substantial damages; and those risks and uncertainties disclosed in CannTrust's most recently filed prospectus and other regulatory filings posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Unless required by law, CannTrust does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or other factors.

SOURCE CannTrust Holdings Inc.

Related Links

https://www.canntrust.ca/


Chandigarh, Sep 10 : The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Thursday held a state-level protest at Pipli town near Kurukshetra in Haryana, rejecting the farm ordinances promulgated by the Union government.

Police had to use force to disperse the protesters and restore the traffic on the Ambala-Delhi national highway.

Farmers and commission agents associations extended support to the protest against three Ordinances -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance.

Protesters were saying that the Ordinances were not only against the interest of the farmers but were also against the Constitution of India.

A large number of farmers and commission agents from Hisar, Sirsa, Rohtak, Bhiwani and Jind districts were not allowed to reach the protest venue.

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala condemned the police action at the 'Kissan Bachao- Mandi Bachao' rally.

Challenging the BJP-JJP state government to refrain from its crude attempt to undermine the joint strength of farmers, traders and labourers, Surjewala said the venue of the public meeting was converted in to the police cantonment and the shopkeepers of the grain market were served notices for closing their shops.

He said the Khattar government should know that Haryanvis would not be deterred by such attempts and they will vigorously fight in a united way against the Modi-Khattar governments.
SPRINGFIELD  Republicans in the Illinois House on Thursday unveiled a single charge they hope to bring against Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, accusing him of conduct unbecoming to a legislator or which constitutes a breach of public trust.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, introduced that charge during the first day of hearings of a special investigative committee that is looking into Madigans role in a bribery and extortion scheme involving utility giant Commonwealth Edison.

As was stated earlier, this is a unique proceeding. It has only been invoked once and that was back in 2012, Durkin said, referring to hearings that led to the expulsion of former Rep. Derrick Smith, who was then under federal indictment for accepting a $7,000 bribe from a confidential informant in exchange for legislative favors.

But unlike the Smith case, Madigan so far has not been charged with any crime and he has strenuously denied engaging in any wrongdoing, a fact that Democrats on the six-member panel pointed out repeatedly.

This case is unique to previous special investigating committees, in that the member that is subject of the petition has not been accused by federal prosecutors of any criminal activity, committee Chairman Emanuel Chris Welch, D-Hillside, said at the outset of the hearing.

Tracking the news WHAT HAPPENED: The top Republican in the Illinois House filed a breach of public trust charge Thursday against Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan. THE BACKGROUND: A special committee is investigating Madigan's alleged role in a decade-long bribery scheme at the state Capitol. Republicans asked the committee to probe Madigan's activities in the scheme centered on ComEd. WHAT'S NEXT: If the committee finds grounds for the charge, a second committee is chosen to conduct a hearing on potential discipline, which could include reprimand, censure or expulsion.

Madigan was implicated in the scheme when officials at ComEd entered a deferred prosecution agreement in July with the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District in Chicago. In that agreement, the company admitted that over a period of years, it awarded lobbying jobs and contracts to close associates of Madigan in an effort to win his favor for legislation that benefited the company.

Although Madigan has not been charged with a crime, U.S. Attorney John Lausch has said there is an ongoing investigation into the matter and his office has issued a subpoena to Madigans office for documents and records of communication related to efforts to secure jobs at ComEd or its parent company Exelon for several named individuals.

So the charge is based on criminal activity, criminal activity that has not been charged, Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, said about the charge being considered by the committee.

But Ron Safer, an attorney and former federal prosecutors who is working with the House Republicans, said the deferred prosecution agreement contains evidence that is stronger than a criminal charge.

The deferred prosecution agreement contains actual evidence, actual admissions by Commonwealth Edison, agreed to by the United States of America, he said. That is quite different and more substantial than a mere charge.

Safer also noted that the committees job is not to determine whether Madigan committed a crime, but rather whether he engaged in conduct unbecoming to a legislator of which constitutes a breach of public trust.

Welch noted the same thing in his opening remarks.

This is a political process, not a legal proceeding. We are not a court of law, he said. As such, this committee is not bound by traditional rules of evidence. However, we are bound to adhere to the rules of decorum.

In addition to the formal charge, Republicans also said they are seeking voluntary witnesses to testify and produce documents. Those include Madigan himself and several people mentioned in the U.S. Attorneys subpoena.

Among those are Michael McClain, a ComEd lobbyist who has been a close confident of Madigan, as well as Fidel Marquez, a former high-ranking ComEd official who was charged last week with conspiracy to commit bribery, and former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore.

The committee adjourned without setting a date for its next meeting. Welch said that he and the ranking Republican member, Rep. Tom Demmer, of Dixon, first need to consult with the U.S. Attorneys office in order to avoid interfering with the ongoing federal investigation.

Before we take any substantive action, we must consult with the U.S. attorney for the Northern District, Welch said. This committee must avoid taking any action that can be an interference with an ongoing federal investigation or investigations.

Durkin noted that was the same process used in the case of former Rep. Smith in 2012 as well as the impeachment proceedings against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2009.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Gallery: The 4 Illinois governors who have been convicted

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2020) - SKRR Exploration Inc. (TSXV: SKRR) ("SKRR" or the "Company") is pleased to report results from a Phase One geological and geophysical program completed on the Olson property (the "Property"). The Property is located within the Trans Hudson Corridor 100 km east of La Ronge, Saskatchewan and 80km south of SSR Mining's Seabee Gold Operation. Under the terms of the option agreement with Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. ("Eagle Plains"), SKRR may earn-in up to a 75% interest in the Property.

Sherman Dahl, CEO stated:

"The large amount of historical data has taken quite a while to review and evaluate. With this process nearing completion along with our summer results, some very exciting drill targets are evolving. We look forward to commencing our drilling program in the next few weeks on the Olson property."

The 2020 exploration program defined widespread gold mineralization in both soil samples and in rock channel samples. Assay results include 17 rock samples over 1.0 g/t Au and 35 soil samples values over 0.1 g/t (100 ppb) Au. Each showing inspected in 2020 returned samples with favourable assay results and the fieldwork conducted furthered the geologic vectoring of gold mineralization. With the information gathered in the first phase of exploration work, the upcoming second phase drilling program at Olson will target historically drilled zones, as well as previously undrilled and underexplored showings, both with a new understanding of gold mineralization controls.

Phase One Work Summary

Phase One fieldwork was designed to define targets for a Phase Two diamond drilling program planned for late September 2020. Discovery International Geophysics recently completed 13 lines (8.6 line kilometers total) of combined IP/ DC Resistivity over the Point, Tuscan and Juba areas. This was followed by a 13 day geological field program carried out by Terralogic Exploration Inc. Soil sampling, prospecting, field mapping, and channel sampling were undertaken to delineate new areas of gold mineralization as well as advance known showings to identify and prioritize drill targets.





Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6952/63552_1a0b80c3d4515ae9_001full.jpg

In total, 484 gridded soil samples were collected at the Point, Tuscan, Ackbar, Jena and Juba showing areas. Mapping and prospecting work was conducted to confirm gold mineralization at known showings and in underexplored areas of the property, including the Juba, Jena, Point, Ackbar, Tuscan, Olson, and Dosko-Siskin showing areas. Based on a synthesis of historical results, and exciting findings made during the first half of the phase one program, prospective targets within the greater Point and Juba showing areas were subjected to channel sampling.

Phase One Results

Juba - Jena

Of the 27 rock grab samples[1] collected in the Jena-Juba trend, 4 returned assay results over 1 g/t Au. The highest value was OMOLR014 which returned 14.7 g/t Au from a sample of quartz vein hosted in pelitic schist. This sample was collected approximately 400m south of the historic Juba showing in an area identified by 2018 soil sampling.

Rock channel sampling at the Juba showing tested a shear-vein system hosted in pelitic schist. Assay results from the 16 channel samples returned between 0 and 2.9 g/t Au. The best result was EMOLR071 which returned 2.9 g/t Au from a 0.75 meter channel sample containing sheared quartz vein material associated with massive arsenopyrite.

The soil geochemical grids established at the Jena-Juba area in 2020 clearly identify a strong northeast trending gold-in-soil anomaly over and along strike from the known workings. The surface vein expression and coincident soil geochemical anomaly, trends along strike in tandem with magnetic geophysical lineaments that delineate the contact between the Brownell Lake pluton and the surrounding Brownell Lake Group which is coincident with increased shearing, alteration intensity and quartz veining. The combined data outlines a testable mineral strike length in excess of 1 km.

Point - Ackbar

Centered 1500m southwest of the Jena showing, the Point-Ackbar grid area is underlain by granite in contact with pelitic schist and volcanics. Prospecting, mapping, channel sampling, and infill soil geochemical sampling was completed in this area to test coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies adjacent to contacts with pelitic schist at the Point, and shear/vein systems in granodiorite at the Ackbar.

At the Point showing, soil geochemical results highlight three parallel NNE Au-anomaly trends that coincide with geophysical anomalies trending parallel to the granite contact. 2020 channel sampling focused on targets areas at the intersection of these NNE geochemical trends with mapped east-west trending shear zones. Channel sampling completed over one of these intersections comprised 20 samples over a continuous 17m length. Assay results from the channel samples range from 7 to 1540 ppb Au (EMOLR068 1.54 g/t Au / 1.05m), averaging 377 ppb gold over the entire 17m length, from granodiorite hosting parallel moderately north-dipping shears with associated sub-parallel quartz veinlets and arsenopyrite mineralization.

The 43 grab samples taken from the Point area during prospecting traverses returned values from 0 to up to 4.4 g/t Au (OMOLR021).

Of the 7 grab samples collected from Ackbar, 3 returned values greater than 900 ppb Au with a best assay of 2.5 g/t Au (JBOLR023). Prospecting and mapping confirmed that northwest and north trending fractures and quartz veins in granite are important carriers of mineralization in the Ackbar area. Results of the soil geochemical infill program indicate strong north-trending cohesive anomalies with results as high as 3500 ppb (3.5 g/t) Au (OLL077 05+75E).

Other Highlights

Field work was also undertaken at the Olson and Dosko-Siskin zones. At the Olson, a grab sample containing massive arsenopyrite hosted in schistose volcanics collected from the main historical trench returned 38.6 g/t Au (EMOLR007). At the Dosko-Siskin showing, a grab sample of tightly folded volcanics containing massive arsenopyrite returned 1.6 g/t Au (OLOLR008). 2020 geological mapping and interpretation indicates a strong structural control of the gold mineralization, with recognition of a previously un-reported structure that may have property-scale ore-shoot control.

The data from the IP Resistivity geophysical survey is undergoing detailed interpretation. The final inversion models will be integrated with the soil, rock, and channel results, and the geological mapping to pick the collars for the upcoming diamond drill program.

Olson Project Summary

The Olson project is host to regionally-sheared, highly-strained meta-volcanic and adjacent intrusive rocks which are considered to be prospective for orogenic gold mineralization. The Olson project area is host to 29 mineral occurrences defined by historical geological mapping, prospecting, trenching and 4700 m of diamond drilling. Historical drilling at Olson Lake has intersected 7.5 m grading 2.07 g/t Au including 13.00 g/t Au over 0.65 m, and grab samples of up to 105.52 g/t Au have been collected at the Kalix occurrence. The project is considered to be significantly underexplored, with known gold occurrences open at depth and along strike. These results are historical in nature and have not been confirmed by Eagle Plains/SKRR but are considered to be reliable and will form a basis for ongoing work.

In 2018, Eagle Plains and a previous partner completed a detailed compilation of existing data, followed by a 2- Phase, $150,000 field program which consisted of geological mapping and prospecting and the collection of a total of 862 soil samples and 126 rock samples.

The 2018 field program verified the results of historical work and identified additional targets in areas that were previously underexplored. Grid soil geochemistry at the Jena and Point areas returned extensive gold in soil anomalies. Soil geochemical values ranged from below detection to a maximum of 2704.6 ppb Au, with 6 samples returning greater than 1000 ppb Au. In the Jena area, soil geochemistry delineated a 1.4 km strike length of anomalous soil results greater than 80 ppb Au with a maximum of 1346 ppb Au. The Ackbar-Tuscan-Point area also returned promising results, with a 300m by 100m zone returning values greater than 80 ppb Au and a maximum of 2704.6 ppb Au. Despite widespread gold bearing outcrops, soil geochemistry at the Olson and Juba showing areas returned lower values, likely related to thick clay and soil cover in these areas.

Prospecting in the areas of anomalous soil geochemistry identified gold mineralization associated with shear-hosted quartz veins. Analytical results from outcrop ranged from below detection to a maximum of 45.1 g/t Au, with 20 grab samples returning greater than 1000 ppb Au. The Olson area had a maximum assay of 41.0 g/t Au from an outcrop grab sample of sheeted veins. The Jena area had 20 samples in excess of 1000 ppb Au with a maximum assay of 15.7 g/t Au from quartz-arsenopyrite veins. At the Juba occurrence, a grab sample returned 13.1 g/t Au. Mineralization at the Point and Tuscan area returned maximum values of 9.8 g/t Au at the Point and 45.1 g/t Au at Tuscan.





Figure 2

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6952/63552_1a0b80c3d4515ae9_002full.jpg





Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ross McElroy P.Geol, a director of the Company and a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. McElroy verified the data disclosed which includes a review of the analytical and test data underlying the information and opinions contained therein.

About SKRR Exploration Inc.:

SKRR is a Canadian-based precious metal explorer with properties in Saskatchewan - one of the world's highest ranked mining jurisdictions. The primary exploration focus is on the Trans-Hudson Corridor in Saskatchewan in search of world class precious metal deposits. The Trans-Hudson Orogen - although extremely well known in geological terms has been significantly under-explored in Saskatchewan. SKRR is committed to all stakeholders including shareholders, all its partners and the environment in which it operates.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Sherman Dahl

President & CEO

Tel: 250-558-8340

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements that address the planned drilling on the Olson property, work on other properties, other statements relating to the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its projects and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company 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 the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of metals, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather conditions, decrease in the price of gold and other metals, equipment failures, failure to maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, the impact of Covid-19 or other viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, failure to maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law.

[1]Rock grab samples are selective samples by nature and as such are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted across the Property.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63552
The dismissal of 10 Discovery Health employees over messages sent on a WhatsApp group has highlighted the importance of refraining from making defamatory remarks on online-based platforms.

These employees were fired after it was discovered they had created a WhatsApp group in which they shared information and messages that were clearly prejudicial to and derogatory of the company.

The employees had created the group as a support platform after contracting COVID-19, but Discovery Health CEO Ryan Noach said one of the members of the WhatsApp group shared the content of the conversations, which included planning and initiating efforts to maliciously shut down the company.

In its letter to one of the affected workers, Discovery Health accused them of making false and damaging statements about the company to an external party and attempting to organise a shutdown of Discovery offices in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.

Discovery Health further indicated that the employees did not use the internal processes available to them to lodge their grievances.

This matter is just one real-life example of how behaviour on social media like WhatsApp could have severe, life-changing ramifications for its users.

South Africans should be aware that they can also be sued for defamation or charged with crimen injuria for comments made on the platform.

MyBroadband spoke to social media law expert at the Digital Law Company Emma Sadleir about how defamation on WhatsApp is dealt with in South Africa.

WhatsApp defamation criteria

Sadleir explained there were three requirements to sue for defamation in South Africa:

Publication  Defamatory remarks are shared with or published to a third party.

 Defamatory remarks are shared with or published to a third party. Reference  The statements clearly refer directly or indirectly to a particular person, even without specifically naming.

 The statements clearly refer directly or indirectly to a particular person, even without specifically naming. Defamation  It must hurt the reputation of the ordinary-thinking third party.

Sadleir elaborated on how these conditions are applied with regards to WhatsApp.

In a one-on-one message on WhatsApp, there is no defamation, because you are sending it directly, Sadleir explained.

However, if you send it on a WhatsApp group, even a private one, there is publication. Therefore, you can be sued for defamation on WhatsApp groups, Sadleir warned.

Whether its sharing with one person or a million other people, youve met the first requirement, Sadleir said.

In addition, she warned that sharing or forwarding the content in question also makes you responsible for that content, which could make you party to the defamation.

Crimen injuria

It should be noted that serious infringements on someones dignity could amount to crimen injuria, which does not require any publication.

In these instances, direct messages would be enough to get you in even deeper trouble, as you are now dealing with a criminal offence.

One example of this would be the use of racial slurs, such as in the case of Adam Catzavelos, who was criminally charged for a rant in which he repeatedly used the k-word.

Catzavelos was sentenced with a fine of R50,000 or two years imprisonment, both wholly suspended for five years.

As opposed to crimen injuria, defamation is a civil and not a criminal offence. However, this does not mean that the punishments are less severe.

If defamation is found, the court can order the payment of a hefty fine for damages, in addition to an apology, and certain efforts to be made to correct the statements.

Former finance minister Trevor Manuel was awarded R500,000 in damages in a case against the EFF in 2019.

The party had falsely claimed that Manuel was a business associate and relative of SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter.

Sadleir said that she believes in most instances fines are not the best outcome, however.

For me, defamation is much better cured by apologies, retractions, deleting the original content, or making corrections, rather than being paid money, Sadleir said.

Defences

Sadleir noted that defamation is an area of law which tries to balance two conflicting rights.

On the one hand youve got the right to freedom of expression, on the other hand youve got the right to dignity, which encompasses the right to reputation, she explained.

In the event that you are sued, the law provides for two primary defences for defamation  truth and public interest. If both requirements are met, it may amount to justifiable defamation.

Youve got to be exposing somebody for a legitimate reason, Sadleir said.

For example, if you are just going on a rant about what a big loser your ex-boyfriend is, theres no public interest, youre airing your dirty laundry, Sadleir said.

But if youre talking about the fact that he was a domestic abuser, or violent, or partook in illegal behaviour, then that would be public interest.

When employees get fired

When it comes to employees who are typically disciplined or dismissed because of what they say about their jobs or employers on social media, there are generally two categories of offenders:

Employees who bring the companys name into disrepute.

Employees who breach their duty of good faith towards a company.

Back in 2017, for example, FNB fired four employees for racial comments on WhatsApp and via company emails.

Sadleir said that as defined by the relevant codes of conduct, people must avoid publishing any behaviour which makes their company look bad.

Dont bite the hand that feeds you, she cautioned.

We live in a capitalist world, and you cant go on Facebook and post about how much you hate your boss or clients, or how incompetent your colleagues are, because you are going to get fired.
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Cloudy skies with a few snow showers this afternoon. High 38F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%..

Tonight

Snow showers this evening. Becoming partly cloudy later. Low 27F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
A sturdy telescope stands tall on a tripod in one corner of Kerry and Angela Steins living room, a sign that life in the country is filled with things to see: rainstorms brewing in the distance, wildlife meandering through grassy fields and birds flitting in and out of a small pond or perched in the limbs of sprawling trees.

The Steins lived in a midcentury-era ranch home on Houstons west side, and a yearning for land had the couple first looking in the Hill Country, then settling on land closer to Houston since Kerry Stein hasnt yet retired from his job in the oil and gas industry.

Kerry, a native of San Antonio who grew up visiting his paternal grandfathers farm in Castroville, knew that someday hed have his own spread of land, even if farming wasnt going to be his profession.

Just a few years ago they moved into their modern, minimalist farmhouse, a simple blend of glass and steel, Lueders limestone, and cedar, poplar and pecan woods.

Set back off a farm-to-market road in Washington County between Chappell Hill and Navasota, the low-slug ranch-style home is an odd sight after miles of old-style farmhouses, trailers and traditional, wood-framed homes. Designed by the San Antonio-based Lake Flato architects, the home is actually a series of indoor and outdoor spaces, that include what surely is the most eye-catching barn in the region.

Theyd never hired an architect or even built a home, but after seeing a couple of homes they liked and finding out that Lake Flato designed both, they knew who their architects would be  even if they didnt know that much about the award-winning firm at the time.

This 256-acre property is in a new community of small farms known as Gates Ranch  many of which are second homes for Houstonians wanting to get out of the busy city on weekends or easing into semi-retirement. The land was once owned by Amos Gates, a land scout for Stephen F. Austin and part of the Old Three Hundred, the settlers who received land grants in Austins first colony back in the 1820s.

In the spring, the Steins farm is filled with the purple, pink and yellow of wildflowers, including a small hill covered in bluebonnets. At other times, Stein works hay fields with another farmer, giving his tractor a good workout as he sells 1,500-pound bales of hay to neighbors who raise cattle.

Theres a steady stream of bird life, from a bald eagle who nests nearby and visits to roost in their trees, to ducks, egrets, cranes, roseate spoonbills and even white pelicans who plunk down in their 14-foot-deep pond.

For a handful of years the Steins lived in New Orleans and their home was in a bird sanctuary, so they started learning the species that were all around them. That unofficial hobby has grown to a new level.

We are, by default, birders now, quipped Kerry. The birds were a big surprise. I didnt expect to see a bald eagle out here. We have a pretty nice spotting scope, and we watched the bald eagle every morning for a few months. He liked to perch in a particular spot and when hed take flight, all of the ducks would scatter.

Laura Jensen and Gus Starkey, the Lake Flato project architect and designer, respectively, for the Steins home, said projects are borne from the natural features of each location, so a visit to the site started the process.

Our roots are agrarian and industrial in nature, so this is a homecoming of sorts, Starkey said. The firm is really rooted in finding the architecture within the landscape, melding those two together.

Our first reaction is always to the site, appreciating the land and trying to identify whats unique about the property. We wanted to find the right location to take advantage of the lake and give the home an anchor, and a few trees around that pond gave us enough of a moment to tie into, Starkey continued.

Since the Steins 256 acres felt wide open, the goal was for the home to feel that way, too. The main part of the home has a primary bedroom suite, plus an open concept living-dining-kitchen area and a large pantry/laundry room. A carport, then a dogtrot building with two smaller bedroom suites form a courtyard, where the Steins have planted lush zoysia grass, so soft and thick that its hard to imagine its real grass.

In the distance is that striking barn, covered mostly in corrugated Corten that naturally ages to a rusty red color that youd expect to see on a traditional, painted barn. Its where Kerry, a geophysicist, keeps his tractor and his pride and joy: the 1985 Jeep CJ7 that he bought when he graduated from Texas A&M University.

Large sliding panels open up to let natural breezes come through, so Kerry, who enjoys woodworking, can spend hours in his woodshop more comfortably.

Theres a hayloft higher up, but its mostly used for storing wood that Kerry uses when making cabinets or other pieces of furniture. And in the center of the barn, mounted in the ceiling beams and rafters, is an unusual steel contraption.

The Steins were watching HGTVs Salvage Dawgs, which chronicles the escapades of the team at Virginia-based Black Dog Salvage as they remove architectural elements from older homes and other structures. In one show they talked about an old carriage lift theyd taken out of the historic Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia.

More than 250 years ago, vacationers would arrive there to spend the summer in the cooler temperatures of the Allegheny Mountains and their carriages would be stored in a warehouse, heaved to an upper level with a manual lift.

Kerry now jokes that maybe hed had a little too much wine that night, but he doesnt regret calling Black Dog Salvage to purchase the lift, and then asking his Lake Flato team to design a barn around it.

Its a little cumbersome to use  it takes a lot of manpower  so Kerry is working on a counterweight system to make the job a little easier for him to do alone.

And the carport serves a function other than sheltering vehicles. Theyre hard to see because of the pitch of the roof, but its covered in solar panels that so far have provided all of the electricity the Steins home has used.

A cornerstone of our design perspective is sustainability in all forms and phases, Starkey said. We encourage as many clients as possible to include solar panels.

At a glance, the home appears to have a roof that hovers above the structure, an illusion prompted by a series of clerestory windows that wrap around much of the home. Inside, that upper level has exposed steel trusses that visually form criss-crosses through the length of the home.

In the main house, Lueders limestone was used around the fireplace and on the walls of the kitchen. Smooth slabs of it serve as counters in the pantry, kitchen and bathrooms.

Kerry bought wood from old boxcars and shaped it together to create a giant cutting-board style top for the large kitchen island. Other wood in the home includes poplar in the cabinets, which Kerry made himself over the course of about a year, working on it evenings and weekends.

The pecan wood floors came from a huge tree that fell on Kerrys grandfathers farm, so every time he looks at them he remembers the joys of being outdoors on the farm.

At one end of the living room are four glass panels. One a door that can open wide and the other three that fold up accordion style so that the living room and the covered outdoor patio seem as one.

A pretty blue swimming pool provides fun for their 19 nieces and nephews, and the Steins fire up their outdoor pizza oven when his big, extended family visits. It takes about 90 minutes to get hot enough, but then it takes just 90 seconds to bake a pie.

A small orchard of olive trees is still maturing, but when they start producing fruit the couple will either learn to brine them or find a press to extract their own olive oil.

For now, they appreciate the view from their living room, a picture perfect sunrise every single day.

diane.cowen@chron.com
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has refused to say when he will release the Productivity Commission's report on mental health, despite growing calls to make it public before the October 6 federal budget.

The report, which was handed to the government on June 30, is expected to contain recommendations for significant structural reform that experts would like addressed next month, as frontline mental health services report a spike in need driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Minister Greg Hunt will not say when the government will release the Productivity Commission report on mental health. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Ian Hickie, co-director of Sydney University's Brain and Mind Centre, said it was "essential" the government release the report "because we need a large, systematic and informed response in the October budget".

"Postponing action will cost lives," Professor Hickie said. "We don't want Band-Aid solutions, we want things that build towards serious, systematic reform."
Raveena On Drugs Usage In The Industry

Earlier, Raveena Tandon also called out the authorities and weighed in on the discussion of drugs being consumed by film industry professionals. "Drugs, ruins entire generations.Time to unearth/uproot this from the base. Lets not stop at Bollywood, sandalwood or all collective woods. Get after it with a vengeance.get it out from colleges, parties, politics, hotels, everywhere.It took #SSRDeathCase for authorities to wake up," Raveena tweeted after Rhea's arrest.

Kangana Arrived In Mumbai With Level Y Security

On the other hand, Kangana is currently involved in a war of words with Maharashtra's ruling government, after she likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir and criticised the Mumbai Police. After her office was demolished, she went on to compare her suffering to the Kashmiri Pandits exodus of 1990.

Rhea Was Arrested By NCB On September 8

For the unversed, after Showik's arrest, Rhea was also arrested by the NCB in the drug angle linked to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. The arrest was made under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Her bail was rejected on Tuesday and she was brought to the Byculla jail on Wednesday morning.
CAIRO: Palestinian leaders won renewed Saudi support for Palestinian statehood at a Wednesday meeting, but did not persuade the Arab League to condemn last months normalisation deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

At a video conference of foreign ministers, the Palestinian leadership softened its own censure of the UAE for the US-brokered August 13 accord, which is to be formalised at a signing ceremony at the White House next week, but to no avail.

Discussions regarding this point were serious. It was comprehensive and took some time. But it did not lead in the end to agreement about the draft communique that was proposed by the Palestinian side," Arab League Assistant Secretary General Hossam Zaki told reporters.

The UAE-Israel accord was the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than 20 years, and was forged partly through shared fears of Iran.

Palestinians were dismayed by the UAEs move, fearing it would weaken a long-standing pan-Arab position - known as the Arab peace initiative - that calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory and acceptance of Palestinian statehood in return for normal relations with Arab countries.

We have asked to have a clear condemnation of any breaking out of the Arab peace initiative and we didnt get it," said Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in comments published by the Palestinian WAFA news agency.

But we also succeeded in preventing the issuing of any statement that supports or allows the Emirates to go to Tuesdays signing with Arab backing for normalising ties with Israel."

SAUDI SUPPORT

A Saudi statement on remarks made by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud included no direct mention of the normalisation deal.

But the prince said Riyadh supported the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the borders in place before the 1967 Middle East war, with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to the statement.

The United States, Israel and the UAE have urged Palestinian leaders to re-engage with Israel. On a trip to the Emirates, US President Donald Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner said Palestinians should not be stuck in the past."

In televised comments at the meeting, Maliki referred to the accord as a surprise," and an earthquake" for Arab consensus, and voiced dismay at the failure to call an emergency Arab summit after the deal was announced.

But he avoided stronger words such as betrayal" that Palestinian leaders had used in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.

The language of denunciation and condemnation prevented agreement," said UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash, in an interview with Al Arabiya TV late on Wednesday, referring to the Palestinians.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
While New York Fashion Week is still taking place next week, due to the COVID-19 pandemic it won't look the same.

In lieu of traditional runway shows, designers are altering how they will be presenting their latest collections for buyers, editors and stylists.

But with change comes innovation and opportunity.

'At Pamella Roland, like many other brands, we are stepping back and focusing on whats most important the clothes themselves and our customers,' Pamella Roland told the Daily Mail.

'This season we opted to take a simpler approach to showcase our new collection in beautiful images and a video.'

New norm: While New York Fashion Week is still taking place next week, due to the COVID-19 pandemic it won't look the same. In lieu of traditional runway shows, designers are altering how they will be presenting their latest collections for buyers, editors and stylists

Destination: In response to the unprecedented situation, The CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) created RUNWAY360, a digital platform which allows brands the flexibility to show their collections in a variety of formats to a global audience

In response to the unprecedented situation, The CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) created RUNWAY360, a digital platform which allows brands the flexibility to show their collections in a variety of formats to a global audience.

RUNWAY360 is the also beneficial for domestic and international press, consumers, and retailers that are currently unable to travel to New York.

'The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the global fashion industry and hit New York particularly hard,' said Steven Kolb, Chief Executive Officer of the CFDA.

Steven is proud of how quickly the CFDA pivoted to support the needs of the industry by creating RUNWAY360.

While in-person shows are exciting, there is a silver lining to going virtual.

15 new American brands are on the NYFW schedule who Steven says ' might not have had the opportunity to share their collections to a global audience without access to RUNWAY360.'

The digital platform will serve as a permanent fixture for brands to use, complimenting physical events and shows throughout the year, in addition to press and retailers who want to engage with American collections.

All about the clothes: 'At Pamella Roland, like many other brands, we are stepping back and focusing on whats most important the clothes themselves and our customers,' Pamella Roland told the Daily Mail

Visuals: This season Pamella Roland opted to take a simpler approach to showcase her new collection in beautiful images and a video with Alanna Arrington (pictured)

Reevaluating: 'Regardless of what every designer chooses as the best option for their brand this season, we are all definitely still adjusting,' said Pamella

While the CFDA (chaired by luxury designer Tom Ford) owns the Fashion Calendar for NYFW, IMG is the biggest producer of the shows.

'For September 2020, we have created a variety of new options that include live and virtual presentations, digital content and distribution, programming and experiences, which will continue to evolve based on the governments latest health and safety guidelines,' Matthew Orley, vice president, designer relations and business development, IMG, told WWD.

IMG anticipates just eight to 10 live events (starting with Jason Wu) and roughly 15 presentations, compared to 150 in previous years.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York Fashion Week will operate in full compliance with the existing State Department of Health's issued standards for public health and safety during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Outdoor events capped at 50 persons and indoor events at 50 percent capacity and no spectators.

Inspiring a new generation: Tom Ford is the acting chairman of the CFDA

Panels and events: While the CFDA owns the Fashion Calendar for NYFW, IMG is the biggest producer of the shows, who have created a variety of new options for designers

Bronx and Banco SS21 collection presentation will be showing at Spring Studios and streamed on NYFW.com.

'We are looking forward to incorporating new innovative ways to show the collection this season,' Natalie De-Banco, Founder and Designer of Bronx and Banco told the Daily Mail.

'We will be shooting with multiple cameras and we will be using a drone so viewers will see the runway from every angle including panoramic views of the iconic NYC skyline.

The brand is excited to premiere a virtual show for the first time and for the opportunity to invite the world to celebrate the excitement of their latest collection.

Chocheng will also hold a virtual show that will be broadcasted through the official NYFW digital hubs: Runway360 and NYFW.com

Like the founders at Bronx and Banco, designer Cho Cho Cheng believes there's a silver lining in all of this.

'For me personally, I only see positives,' he shared with the Daily Mail. 'I welcome the opportunity to edit the video before releasing it and the possibility to do retakes.

'It really takes the pressure off the models and they seem genuinely happier and more relaxed.'

Half full outlook: 'We are looking forward to incorporating new innovative ways to show the collection this season,' Natalie De-Banco, Founder and Designer of Bronx and Banco told the Daily Mail

Front row: 'A drawback of virtual shows is that fashion is not just about seeing the clothes, its also about feeling and living with them. We are finding ways to adapt to this era and interpret our vision through the virtual world,' FAITH CONNEXION co-creative directors Alexandre Bertrand & Myriam Bensaid told the Daily Mail

Kicking things off: The official spring/summer 20201 NYFW Schedule launches on Sunday, September 13th, with Jason Wu (pictured) and Harlems Fashion Rows virtual fashion experience

Rookies: With fifteen names new to the schedule: Aknvas, Anne Klein, Colleen Allen, Dur Doux, Duncan, Frederick Anderson, Frere, Imitation of Christ, Oak & Acorn, Theophilio, Venicew, Wiederhoeft, and Wolk Morais

For the first time ever, FAITH CONNEXION will showing at NYFW. The label will hold a digital presentation in partnership with IMG.

'We strongly support the digital presentation format,' FAITH CONNEXION co-creative directors Alexandre Bertrand & Myriam Bensaid told the Daily Mail.

'Our top priority is health and safety and we believe that showing the collection digitally is best way to ensure this.'

But of course, showing without an in-person audience does have its limitations.

'A drawback of virtual shows is that fashion is not just about seeing the clothes, its also about feeling and living with them. We are finding ways to adapt to this era and interpret our vision through the virtual world.'

Up close look: 'The most gratifying benefit is the ability to give our customers and fans of the brand visuals that really showcase the workmanship and quality of each garment

The official spring/summer 20201 NYFW Schedule launches on Sunday, September 13th, with Jason Wu and Harlems Fashion Rows virtual fashion experience.

While big brands like Marc Jacobs and Fenty are not on the schedule, Alice + Olivia, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Bibhu Mohapatra, Carolina Herrera, Chromat, Claudia Li, Concept Korea, Dennis Basso, Eckhaus Latta, Jonathan Simkhai, LaQuan Smith, Marchesa, Naeem Khan, Nicole Miller, Veronica Beard, and Zero + Maria Cornejo, will be participating.

And there are fifteen names new to the schedule: Aknvas, Anne Klein, Colleen Allen, Dur Doux, Duncan, Frederick Anderson, Frere, Imitation of Christ, Oak & Acorn, Theophilio, Venicew, Wiederhoeft, and Wolk Morais.

Leslie Russo, the executive in charge of global fashion events for IMG, says she expects a big future for live streams where products can be purchased.

Monse spokesperson Marco D'Angelo revealed that the label will be selling its already-produced autumn collection direct to show guests next week, and be taking pre-orders for its Resort 2021 collection.

Miley modeling for Marc: While big brands like Marc Jacobs (runway pictured) and Fenty are not on the schedule, Alice + Olivia, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka and Bibhu Mohapatra are



'We have seen a trend over the last several years that fewer designers are opting to do fashion shows,' shared Pamella Roland.

'With the global pandemic, fashion shows have become even less important. Whether they are live or virtual, many designers are opting not do shows of any kind.

Pamella's attention to detail is unparalleled. She is known for her evening wear decorated with heaps of embellishment, including intricate beadwork and frothy feathers.

'The most gratifying benefit is the ability to give our customers and fans of the brand visuals that really showcase the workmanship and quality of each garment.

'The creative flexibility and control behind a campaign video and look book also allows us to give a close-up look at the design details and the fit of every piece.

In lieu of a show, PatBo is launching their lookbook and content with IMG.

Christina Cowan revealed to the Daily Mail that he wanted to take this opportunity to do something 'cool and fresh.'

'So this season we are doing a super special collaboration with someone, and releasing it with a video and fashion campaign. Weve also got a bunch of special guests and appearances that I think everyone will love,' he said.

Alternative: In lieu of a show, PatBo (pictured) is launching their lookbook and content with IMG

New era: To succeed, designers must embrance the change and run with it

They say to succeed in business you must run toward it.

'This period will definitely impact the future of Fashion Week, as we are going into a new revolutionary era of being more involved in the digital world, said Alexandre Bertrand & Myriam Bensaid of FAITH CONNEXION.

'To move forward, we must embrace this new form of presenting collections.'

The new normal can be a great thing for many U.S. brands. The shift to digital presentations reaches a broader audience and large volumes of people around the world.

'Its amazing that thousands can tune in, I love fashion being accessible to all,' shared Christian Cowan.

'We are grateful to now have the capabilities to welcome buyers, editors and our Bronx and Banco customers who previously could not attend NYFW access to the show with virtual platforms now easily in place,' said the label's founder and designer.

'We have faith the world will come back stronger than ever and we can celebrate with our dear fashion friends from around the world again next season as we have done previously.'

In addition to global exposure, 'There are clear benefits for designers, the press and buyers who would normally attend the shows,' Cho Cho Cheng told the Daily Mail.

'There will be less stress, less traffic, less party supplies, less CO2. It feels clean and comfortable. I feel very positive about it and I am curious about how other people respond to a virtual show.'

Pamella Roland believes that this Fashion Week will set the tone for the new normal.

'Regardless of what every designer chooses as the best option for their brand this season, we are all definitely still adjusting,' she said.

'This will remind people that you can write your own rules,' added Christina Cowan.
Mumbai, Sep 10 : Union minister of state for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Thursday met actress Kangana Ranaut, in the wake of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolition action at her office building in Bandra the day before.

Athawale was spotted at the actress' residence at around 6.30pm on Thursday, just hours after she visited her office. He has been quite vocal in his support for the actress.

On Wednesday, members of Athawale's party, Republican Party of India (RPI), were spotted outside Mumbai airport when the actress was due to arrive in the city from Chandigarh, to show solidarity.

Several videos of Athawale's visit at Kangana's residence on Thursday are doing the rounds of social media. In one video from the meeting, Athawale tells Kangana not to get stressed, with Kangana agreeing and giving him assurance.

A person accompanied the politician then narrates to Kangana how the party members had been around at the airport the day before.

In another video, Kangana tells the minister that she is proud of the Constitution by Babasaheb Ambedkar.

"We are honoured that you came to our house, and need your blessing. When you come to Himachal Pradesh, please give us a chance to host you," she added.

On Wednesday, BMC partially demolished her Bandra office citing illegal construction. The office was demolished while the actress was flying down from Chandigarh to Mumbai.

The BMC demolition activity happened days after the actress engaged in a spat with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who took offence when Kangana stated that the situation in Mumbai had become as bad as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, and compared the ruling Maharashtra government with Taliban.
Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday discussed ways and means to further the cooperation in the aviation sector, keeping in view the enormous potential existed in the field of tourism

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2020 ) :Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday discussed ways and means to further the cooperation in the aviation sector, keeping in view the enormous potential existed in the field of tourism. Secretary Aviation Hassan Nasir Jamy, during a meeting with First Deputy Minister for Transport Ilkhom Mahkamov who called on him here, highlighted that the two countries shared immense potential for developing a robust Aviation industry for mutual benefit.

He was of the view that the coronavirus pandemic had devastated the Aviation industry worldwide and stressed the need for concerted efforts to reinvigorate the sector on both sides.

It was underlined that the tourism sector possessed enormous potential for growth.

Jamy said any proposal for further enhancing the bilateral relations in the aviation sector would be appreciated.The Uzbek minister thanked the Secretary Aviation and his team for their keen interest in enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The development comes as a final hurdle to the start of the talks  fate of six Taliban prisoners  have been resolved.

Doha, Qatar  The long-awaited talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban will take place in Qatars capital Doha from Saturday.

Qatars foreign ministry made the announcement on Thursday as a final hurdle over the release of six Taliban prisoners appears to have been resolved.

The State of Qatar is pleased to announce that the Afghanistan Peace Negotiations will commence in Doha on Saturday the 12th of September 2020, the ministry said in the statement.

These vitally important direct negotiations between the different Afghan parties represent a step forward in bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan.

The Taliban, while confirming the talks, said the dialogue intends to advance the negotiation process in an appropriate manner and bring about comprehensive peace and a pure Islamic system in the framework of our Islamic values and higher national interests.

A permanent ceasefire is expected to be at the top of the agenda as well as a political settlement to end the years-long conflict in the country.

The intra-Afghan talks were set to take place in March but have repeatedly been delayed over a prisoner exchange agreement made as part of the United States-Taliban deal signed in February.





In the agreement, the Taliban had agreed to release 1,000 Afghan troops, while the government said it would release 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

France and Australia objected to freeing six of the Taliban prisoners who were involved in the killing of their nationals.

Taliban and Afghan government sources told Al Jazeera a compromise was reached by sending the six prisoners to Qatar where they will remain in custody.

Our six brothers [Taliban prisoners] arrived in Qatar a little while ago in good health, Taliban spokesman Naeem Wardak said in a statement on Thursday.

As part of the February agreement, the US will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees from the Taliban.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Doha to take part in the peace talks.

Pompeo welcomed the start of negotiations, saying they will mark a historic opportunity for Afghanistan to bring an end to four decades of war and bloodshed.

The Afghan government backs the current political system, while the Taliban wants to reimpose its version of Islamic law as the countrys system of governance.

The armed group has, however, given vague comments on adopting a less strict stance towards women and social equality than during their 1996-2001 rule during which women were banned from attending school, working, taking part in politics or even leaving their homes without a male family member.

The Taliban will be led by Mawlavi Abdul Hakim, the armed groups chief justice and a close aide of the groups chief Haibatullah Akhunzada.

The Afghan government negotiating team, including Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the National Reconciliation Council which has been tasked to hold talks with the armed group, is planning to fly to Doha on Friday.

The team also includes womens rights activists.
Mumbai-based cloud-communication platform provider Route Mobile's maiden public offer has been subscribed 4.15 times so far on September 10, the second day of bidding.

The IPO has received bids for 5.05 crore equity shares against offer size of over 1.21 crore equity shares, the data available on the exchanges showed.

Retail investors' reserved portion got fully subscribed on the first day itself. At the time of writing this copy, it had been subscribed 6.7 times. Non-institutional investors have put in 203 percent bids against their reserved quota and the portion set aside for qualified institutional buyers has been subscribed 1.25 times.

"We expected the IPO to receive good traction as a lot is left on the table for the investors. We also expect the IPO to be subscribed manifold," Keshav Lahoti - Associate Equity Analyst at Angel Broking told Moneycontrol.

"As we are positive on the future outlook for the industry as well as the company, we have recommended subscribing to the issue for long-term as well as for listing gains," he said.

Route Mobile IPO to open on September 9: 10 key things you must know before subscribing

Through the public issue, Route Mobile aims to raise Rs 600 crore which consists of a fresh issue of Rs 240 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 360 crore by promoters - Sandipkumar Gupta and Rajdipkumar Gupta.

The company will utilise the proceeds for repayment or prepayment of certain borrowings, acquisitions and other strategic initiatives, purchase of office premises in Mumbai and general corporate purposes.

Before the issue opened, Route Mobile raised Rs 180 crore from anchor investors at the higher end of the price band i.e. Rs 350 per share.

Route Mobile IPO opens today: Should you subscribe?

"At the upper price band of Rs 350, RML is available at a P/E of 28.8x and when we annualise Q1 FY21 numbers, we arrive at a P/E of 18.5x for FY21E on a post-issue basis. Given that there is no listed peer to compare, and based on stable financial performance and niche business model, we assign a subscribe rating to the IPO," Geojit Financial Services said.

Route Mobile is one of the most prominent and largest CPaaS (cloud communication platform as a service) players in the world, leading in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

It provides services to enterprises, over-the-top (OTT) players and mobile network operators (MNOs). Their range of services includes messaging, voice, email, SMS filtering, analytics and monetisation. It has over 300 employees and has served over 30,150 clients since inception. They have access to more than 800 networks across the globe, over 255 direct connections to Telecom operators and more than 3,000 active monthly billable clients.

As per ROCCO 2020 report, the company is ranked as a tier one A2P (application to peer) service provider internationally. Close to 85 percent of its revenue is generated from export markets like Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

The company uses a prepaid business model where the clients pay upfront helping in reducing the overall working capital cycle. For FY18-20, its revenue grew at a CAGR of 38 percent due to its association with marquee clients while the PAT grew at 22 percent CAGR.

In Q1 FY21, Route Mobile reported a profit of Rs 27 crore on revenue of Rs 310 crore and, as per management, the company was able to manage traffic during the pandemic.
Security forces have recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including two US-made M16 rifles, in a search operation on the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmirs Baramulla district on Thursday, Army officials said.

A joint search operation was launched at Dulanja sector in Baramullas Uri on Wednesday after information from Jammu and Kashmir police about dumping of arms near the LoC was received.

A cache of weapons was recovered on Thursday, Armys strategic Chinar Corps tweeted.

The cache included two M16 rifles of Pak origin, two pistols of Pak origin, four magazines of M16 Rifle and four pistol magazines. (The) Joint operation (has been) completed, the army said.

Besides this, two Jaish-e-Mohammad militants were arrested along with weapons and cash in another operation in the neighbouring district of Kupwara, the officials said.

Also read: Pakistan main force behind drive to create so-called Khalistan - Canadian think tank

SSP Kupwara Shriram Ambarkar Dinkar said that they received a specific input about two JeM terrorists who belonged to Sopore area and were likely to visit Kupwara to conduct terrorist activities and recruit youth in their ranks.

The police and the Armys 47 RR acted on the tip and established checkpoints at different locations in the district. They successfully intercepted a car near FCI Godown at Drugmullah, Kupwara.

Two terrorists namely Waseem Irshad Gabroo, 23, and Mehraraj Ud Din Wani, 21, were apprehended from the car, he said.

The forces recovered an AK 47 rifle along with a magazine, two grenades, 30 AK rounds and cash worth Rs seven lakh from the vehicle.

The SSP said that an FIR, under the Indian Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been registered at Kupwara police station and an investigation has been set into motion.

For the past few days, security forces have been able to arrest militant sympathisers along with arms and ammunition.

On the intervening night of September 8 and 9, police in South Kashmirs Kulgam, along with other security agencies, arrested two militant associates of banned organization JeM and recovered arms and ammunition from their possession.

The duo was travelling in a truck from Jammu to Srinagar carrying an AK rifle (short Butt) with two magazines (rounds 59), an M4 Carbine with three Magazines (rounds 90), six Chinese pistols with 12 magazines (rounds 84) in the vehicle.
SARS-CoV-2 arrived in Washington State somewhere between late January and early February 2020, sparking rapid community transmission of the virus that went undetected for several weeks before this community spread became evident, prompting a change in testing criteria to emphasize individuals with no travel history. That's the scenario proposed by Trevor Bedford and colleagues after their analysis of the genetic sequences of 455 SARS-CoV-2 viruses from the Washington State outbreak collected between January 19 and March 15, 2020. Their results highlight the critical need for widespread surveillance for community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, even after the pandemic is brought under control, say the authors. They note that several factors could have contributed to the delayed detection of presumptive community spread in Washington, including limited testing among non-travelers. Their analysis of 455 SARS-CoV-2 viruses from Washington State reveals that 84% of the genomes studied fall into a closely related group that the researchers call the Washington State outbreak clade, and they are derived from a variant of the virus from China. This pattern suggests that most of the early SARS-CoV-2 cases in the state came from a single introduction of the virus, probably between January 22 and February 10, Bedford et al. conclude. The first confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States, identified in Washington State on January 19 in an individual returning from Wuhan, belongs to the Washington State outbreak clade, but the researchers say the genomic information is too incomplete to know whether this case was the single introduction that led to community spread, or if the introduction might have come from very closely related virus variants sampled in British Columbia. The first case of community spread was detected on 28 February. To better understand the transmission chain that led to it, Bedford and colleagues analyzed more than 10,000 specimens collected as part of the Seattle Flu Study between 1 January and 15 March 2020. They find evidence for SARS-CoV-2 a few days before the first previously reported community case in Washington. Refining the time and geographic origin of the introduction into Washington State will require a combination of earlier samples and samples from other geographic locations, the authors say. They note that other states in the U.S. have shown different genetic histories from Washington State, with a majority of SARS-CoV-2 sequences from New York and Connecticut clustering within European lineages, for example.

Michael Worobey and colleagues analyzed collections of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from around the world to decipher their viral family trees and to determine whether introductions of the virus in early January 2020 in Washington State and in Germany led to major outbreaks in the U.S. and Europe. In the U.S., their reconstruction of events suggests that the first confirmed U.S. case in Washington State in early January prepared the local and state response so that state officials were relatively successful initially in slowing the virus' spread, compared to places like New York City. However, an influx of returning travelers in late January or early February, who were only loosely monitored by public health officials, may have led to multiple introductions of the virus that sparked community spread in Washington State and California, the researchers say. Worobey et al. also took a closer look at the first confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in Europe, and whether this late January case in Bavaria, Germany, might be have sparked Italy's major outbreak in Lombardy in February. They conclude that the Bavarian virus variant is unlikely to be the cause of the northern Italy outbreak. While genomic data have suggested differences in the timing, spatial origins and transmission dynamics of early SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, particularly in the U.S., Worobey and colleagues say their findings emphasize that epidemiological linkages inferred from genetically similar SARS-CoV-2 associated with outbreaks in different locations can be "highly tenuous," given low levels of sampled viral genetic diversity and insufficient background data from key locations. They say their findings highlight the potential value of establishing intensive, community-level respiratory virus surveillance architectures, such as the Seattle Flu Study, during a pre-pandemic period.

###
ROCKY HILL, Conn., Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Marla Pantano, a Connecticut native with more than 30 years of experience in the health care sector, has been appointed president of CarePartners of Connecticut, a local health plan offering affordable, comprehensive Medicare Advantage plans in Connecticut. Pantano will oversee all aspects of the health plan's growth and performance, including strategy, marketing and sales, quality, provider network and medical cost management.

"Marla is a visionary leader, known for bringing thoughtful innovation to the companies where she has worked," said Patty Blake, acting president of CarePartners of Connecticut. "Her expertise and knowledge of the market will help the organization continue to grow and improve the way care is managed and coordinated for older adults in Connecticut."

Pantano's career has spanned both the payer and the provider side of health care and she has extensive experience in analytics, actuarial, population health, product development, provider contracting and performance management. She knows the Connecticut provider community very well, having lived and worked there her entire career.

"CarePartners of Connecticut is a unique alliance between two leading health care organizations in New England with like-minded missions," Pantano said. "I am honored to lead this forward-thinking team and contribute to the health and wellness of Connecticut's Medicare beneficiaries. I am looking forward to engaging with our members and providers in the communities we serve."

Pantano most recently served as senior vice president of clinical analytics and operations at agilon health. She has also served in leadership roles at Ascension, ConnectiCare, and Aetna. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in math and economics from the College of William & Mary. She is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the Academy of Actuaries. She resides in Portland, Connecticut.

About CarePartners of Connecticut

Created by two-leading health organizations, Hartford HealthCare, Connecticut's most extensive health care provider, and Tufts Health Plan, a Massachusetts-based health plan nationally recognized for excellence in quality, CarePartners of Connecticut's network includes thousands of doctors, specialists, hospitals and other medical professionals across the state. For more information visit www.carepartnersct.com or call 1-844-267-1361 (TTY: 711). Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

CarePartners of Connecticut is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in CarePartners of Connecticut depends on contract renewal.

Contact:

Kathleen Makela

Tufts Health Plan

Cell: 617-480-9590

[email protected]

Tina Varona

Hartford HealthCare

Cell: 860-310-7640

[email protected]

SOURCE CarePartners of Connecticut
Amsterdam, 9 September 2020 - Heineken N.V. (HEINEKEN) today announced it is entering the Peruvian beer market through the acquisition of local beer brand Tres Cruces and the incorporation of its local operating team in Lima. HEINEKEN aims to build a diverse portfolio in Peru consisting of local beer brands, complemented with its range of leading international brands.



To support its strategy in Peru, HEINEKEN is entering into a strategic partnership with Peruvian beverage player AJE Group (AJE). AJE is a leader in numerous non-alcoholic beverages, with a strong route-to-market and distribution network across Peru. AJE will be our local sales and distribution partner in the highly relevant traditional channel in the country.

Marc Busain, President Americas at HEINEKEN said: While we are navigating the global COVID-19 crisis, we are also building for the future. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that we continue to expand our footprint in South America entering a strategic market such as Peru. Peru has favourable demographics and is a promising beer market. Our partnership with AJE will be instrumental to grow our business in the country. We are pleased that our investment will significantly expand the beer category in Peru. Given that these are challenging times also for Peru, our thoughts remain with all those affected by COVID-19 in the country.

Mr. Angel Ananos, President of the Board of AJE said: We are delighted to team up with HEINEKEN in the beer market in Peru. We believe AJEs local knowledge and strong access to the market in combination with HEINEKENs leading brand portfolio and commercial capabilities will benefit customers and consumers in the country. Our partnership will bring more choices into the Peruvian beer market.

Peru is one of the largest beer markets in South America with around 14 million hectolitres of annual beer sales of which about 40% are sold in Lima alone. It is the largest market in the region where HEINEKEN did not yet have operations. The premium beer segment is significantly underdeveloped, representing less than 4% of the total market. Peru has a population of 32 million and has solid macroeconomic fundamentals, attractive development of consumer demographics and a stable local currency.

As in other markets where HEINEKEN operates, the company will ensure in Peru that employees working in its local operations follow strict hygiene and social distancing guidelines and will receive support to do their jobs safely. HEINEKEN will also work closely with its suppliers and customers and listen to their concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses.

Financial terms are not disclosed.

-ENDS-

Press enquiries

Tim van der Zanden / Michael Fuchs

E-mail: pressoffice@heineken.com

Tel: +31-20-5239-355



Investor and analyst enquiries

Federico Castillo Martinez/ Janine Ackermann / Robin Achten

E-mail: investors@heineken.com

Tel: +31-20-5239-590

About HEINEKEN

HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. HEINEKEN is committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. It employs over 85,000 employees and operates breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY). Most recent information is available on HEINEKEN's website: www.theHEINEKENcompany.com and follow us on Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp.

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The Kenyan government has disbursed a total of Sh300 million to the African Union COVID-19 Response Fund and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said Sh200 million (2 million USD) had already been donated to the African Union.

On our part as a member of the Africa Union and as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya has donated $2 million (Sh.200 million) to the Africa Union COVID-19 response fund and pledged a further $ 1 million (Sh.100 million) to support the Africa CDC, said Ababu Namwamba, the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The CAS noted that Kenya is not just a beneficiary of donor funds but is also giving out to others to combat a common enemy.

Ieleweke sisi sio wa kupokea tu, tunapokea lakini tunasaidiana (It should be understood that Kenya is not just a receiver. We receive but we also help others where we can) in the spirit of continental and global solidarity, said Ababu.

He spoke during the daily briefing on COVID-19 status alongside Health CAS Dr Rashid Aman where they received donations from the Government of Egypt that were handed over by its representative Ms. Nelly Elorabi, Charge dAffaires, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Kenya.

Ababu said they will continue to partner with like-minded countries in the fight against the virus.

He said the donations of assorted Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) which includes protective gown suits, face shields, protective Goggles, rubber boots, and sterile gloves, among other items, all valued at approximately USD 150,000 (KSH 15,000,000)will be put to good use in combating the pandemic.

This donation is within the framework of the decision of the Bureau of the African Union to come up with a coordinated continental strategy in combating COVID-19. Following the decision, H.E. Abdel Fattah El Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt pledged to contribute medical equipment worth 4 Million USD to assist fellow African countries combat the pandemic and another 2 Million USD to support the Africa Centre for Disease Control CDC, Ababu said.

The CAS stressed the importance of mobilizing resources from development partners but also emphasized the need to combat existing diseases.

Since the outbreak of the Novel Corona virus in Kenya in March 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been actively engaged in the mobilization of medical supplies and other resources from development partners to the tune of over Ksh. 1 billion. The Ministry will remain seized of this matter of resource mobilization until we find a lasting solution to the challenge of COVID-19, Ababu said.
A journalist was found decapitated Wednesday in a violence-plagued area of eastern Mexico, police said, the latest in a string of killings in one of the world's most dangerous countries for reporters.

Hugo Gutierrez, security minister and head of the police in the eastern state of Veracruz, condemned the "cowardly murder" of Julio Valdivia, who worked for the newspaper El Mundo de Veracruz.

"In coordination with the state attorney general's office we will exhaust all resources to find those responsible," he said in a statement.

Valdivia's body was found with his motorcycle on a train track in a mountainous area of the municipality of Tezonapa, according to his newspaper.

He is the fifth journalist killed in Mexico this year, according media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, which urged the authorities to investigate whether the 41-year-old was murdered because of his work.

Mexico is regularly rated by the media watchdog as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.

More than 100 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000, with only a fraction of those crimes resulting in convictions.

In one rare such sentencing, a man convicted of ordering the 2017 murder of prominent journalist Miroslava Breach was condemned last month to 50 years in prison.

str-sem/dr/ch
Sony is all set to launch its next noise-canceling headphones Sony WH-1000XM4 in the Indian market. The headphones are expected to arrive on September 18 but ahead of the launch, we have got a massive scoop about the pricing of the device. Contrary to the claims, the Sony WH-1000XM4 could be priced below Rs 30,000 in India.

As per sources, the Sony WH-1000XM4 would be priced more than Rs 25,000 but less than Rs 30,000. It could also be priced similar to its predecessor Sony WH-1000XM3 that currently sells at around Rs 26,000. If we look at the global pricing of the device, the Sony WH-1000XM4 was launched for $350 (Rs 25,600 approximately). The headphones will be sold through Amazon and other online and offline stores as well.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Specifications and features

Sony is known for producing the best-in-class noise-canceling headphones and with Sony WF-1000XM3, it has even conquered the TWS earbuds market. Now, Sony is gearing to release its next headphone with Active Noise Cancellation technology and improved specifications.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 will be the successor to the WH-1000XM3 active noise-canceling headphones that were launched in 2018 for around the same price we are expecting the Sony WH-1000XM4 to be.

If we go by the looks of the headphones, there is clearly no difference between the WH-1000XM4 and the WH-1000XM3. It looks identical to its predecessor and it is powered by the same QN1 noise-canceling processor that powered the WH-1000XM3. Sony could launch the device in two colors such as black and gold and beige and copper.

For connectivity, Sony WH-1000XM4 will come with support for the latest Bluetooth codecs including the SBC, AAC, and LDAC. It has features including the ambient sound control, adaptive sound controls, wear detection that will pause the music when you take off the headphones, and a new feature called "Speak to Chat" that will pause music when the headphones hear your voice. It also comes with support for voice assistants including Google Assistant, Alexa, and others.

Apart from specifications and features, the Sony WH-1000XM4 comes with gesture controls that will help in playing and pausing music by simply tapping on the headphones.
JERUSALEM (JTA)  Only 6 percent of voters who cast ballots for Barack Obama in 2008 voted for Donald Trump in 2016. Im one of them.

Political affiliation played no role in my decision. Im a registered Democrat who often votes Republican. I was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family in North Jersey. We cried when Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and exulted when Ronald Reagan routed Jimmy Carter in 1980.

This year poses a fresh dilemma.

President Trump has proven himself as a consistent supporter of Israel. We feel an affinity to the presidents cadre of Orthodox Jewis...
COVID-19 is on the march again, and at precisely the wrong time.

The number of cases is rising, around the world and close to home, just as schools reopen and fear about a dreaded second wave of the disease is increasing by the day.

With a lot of effort and sacrifice we succeeded in flattening the curve. But now its going in the wrong direction. The number of new COVID-19 cases being reported every day in many parts of the country is back up, to levels we havent seen since mid-July.

Its a worrisome time, and a particularly bad moment for governments to be sending mixed messages about the best way to respond.

In British Columbia, for example, public health authorities are so alarmed about COVID-19 being spread in social settings that they shut down nightclubs and banquet halls this week. And theyve told bars and restaurants to stop selling alcohol at 10 p.m. and close earlier. Theyre trying to stop the kind of boozy late-night sessions that are breeding grounds for the disease.

But in Ontario, where the numbers are also going up, the government isnt planning any new measures. Its declared a pause on any further steps toward reopening, but seems to be relying mainly on finger-wagging from Premier Doug Ford, who threatens to bring the hammer down on anyone who breaks public health rules.

Ford is right that the key to successfully reopening schools is to stop further spread of COVID-19 in the community. Even if school boards do the best possible job inside their own buildings, they wont be safe if the disease gets out of control in the rest of society.

So its particularly disappointing to see him and some local authorities getting into a war of words over whose job it is to take any new steps to stamp out the latest upsurge in cases among mostly young people who are apparently getting it in social situations like private parties and bars.

Toronto Mayor John Tory says restrictions on bars like the ones brought in by B.C. might be necessary if things get worse. In fact, he recommended doing that back in July when the province moved into Stage 3 of reopening, and he was right. But the government didnt listen.

Now Ford is insisting that its not up to him to crack down if things get out of hand in a particular region. The upsurge in COVID-19 is concentrated mainly in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa, and the premier says local mayors and public health authorities have all the powers they need under provincial health laws to tighten things up if they want to.

Youre the mayors, he said bluntly on Wednesday. Its up to you.

Trouble is, the cities say they dont have the power to regulate the hours of establishments (like restaurants and bars) that operate with a provincial liquor licence. So were back to square one, with each level of government saying its up to the other to take action.

At the same time, its not clear the provinces guidelines for public gatherings are tight enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in social settings.

As part of moving into Stage 3 of reopening, the province allowed gatherings of up to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors. But in Brampton, one of the hotspots for new COVID cases, Mayor Patrick Brown is calling the decision to allow as many as 100 people to get together in the midst of a pandemic a head scratcher. Its too high, in other words, at a time when social settings like parties and weddings are precisely where the disease is getting its second wind.

Once again, Ford says regional authorities can change the numbers for their area if they want to. But why have a patchwork of rules that varies from town to town? Even if COVID-19 is hitting different parts of the province in different ways, the rules should be clear and consistent to make it easy for the public to understand and follow them.

The premier and local officials need to get on the same page. Ontarians deserve a unified fight against the pandemic, not a running quarrel over who gets to call the shots.
British actor Colin Firth will celebrate his 60th birthday on September 10. The recipient of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, two BAFTA Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, he has also won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival.

Colin Firth started with romantic films and rom-coms and eventually forayed into dramatic roles in action and thriller films. He has established himself as one of the most successful and renowned British actors. Firths portrayal of King George VI in Tom Hoopers The Kings Speech was what got him the Academy Award for Best Actor.

On his 60th birthday, here are his top 5 performances that established him as a star.

Bridget Joness Diary

The film is one of the more popular movies of all time and had received immense love from the audience. It is based on the novel of the same name by Helen Fielding. The film also starred Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant. Zellweger was even nominated for an Acadamy Award for portraying the titular role in the film.

Conspiracy

Based on World War II, the film was directed by Frank R. Pierson and released in 2001. Set in 1942, the film is based around a meeting between Adolf Hitlers closest employees as they debate the implementation of Hitlers Final Solution. The film was praised by critics for its strong cast, plot and direction.

1917

A Sam Mendes directorial based on the British war, 1917 released in 2019. Since its release, the film has become one of the most groundbreaking cinematic experience in recent years. The film revolves around two young soldiers as theyre given a dangerous task for which they have to cross No Mans Land. Apart from Colin Firth, Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Andrew Scott were also seen in the film.

A Single Man

Fashion Designer Tom Fords directorial is based on a novel by Christopher Isherwood of the same name. Colin was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his superb performance in the film. He portrayed the role of a depressed, homosexual British university professor living in Southern California in 1962.

The Railway Man

The film is an adaptation of the 1995 autobiography of the same name by Eric Lomax. Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky, the film was released in 2013. It starred Colin Firth Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgard, Jeremy Irvine in the pivotal roles. The film saw the actor play a British officer who is captured by the Japanese in Singapore and sent to a Japanese camp.
Washington, Sep 10 : The US state of Oregon is currently battling unprecedented record-breaking wildfires, which have so far killed three people, according to the National Fire Information Centre.

"This could be the greatest loss of human life and property due to wildfire in our state's history," the BBC quoted Oregon Governor Kate Brown as saying at a news conference on Wednesday.

The fires are blazing across the state's valleys and along the coast, causing mass evacuations.

According to the Centre, wildfires are currently raging in nine other western states, including Washington.

One person has died due to the fires in Washington which were unusual due to the region's cool, damp climate.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee said on Tuesday that more than double the acreage had been torched in the previous 24 hours than had been burned during all of last year in his state.

Meanwhile, the worst-hit state of California, in the middle of a 20-year mega-drought, is experiencing more than two dozen wildfires, including three of its five largest ever, the BBC reported.

Since mid August, fires in California have killed 11 people, destroyed more than 3,600 structures, burned old growth redwoods, charred chaparral and forced evacuations in communities near the coast, in wine country and along the Sierra Nevada.
Actor Swara Bhasker has said that the great irony in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case is that, if the actor was alive, hed have been charged with drug consumption as well. Sushant died on June 14. His girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty has been arrested on drug-related charges by the Narcotics Control Bureau in connection to his case.

Swara told journalist Faye DSouza, What does this drug angle show that Rhea has not already said? The irony is that if Sushant was alive, he would have been probed for the same thing. Swara said that the charges against Sushant would have probably been harsher, as he would have been tested for having consumed those drugs, while Rhea has been charged only with procurement.

She said that we dont know if the Mumbai Police had also stumbled upon the drug angle in their investigation. But the topic was only brought to the forefront after Rheas chat messages were leaked by the agencies to the press. Why are the agencies leaking what is under investigation to the press? she asked.

Swara, who has previously stood in support of Rhea, said that anyone could be put in the same situation as her. She said that she feels horrible for Rheas family, for what has happened. My father has been so disturbed, Swara said. It could have been any of us. What are the priorities in our country? It feels like we are in this weird world of surveillance, she added.

Also read: Swara Bhasker defends Rhea Chakraborty, says no proof of murder, but evidence that Sushant Singh Rajputs family lied is emerging

Previously, Swara wrote a column in The Week, where she noted that watching the narrative around Rhea unfold in the news, she was reminded of Arthur Millers play The Crucible, a dramatisation of the Salem Witch Trials that saw 20 women being executed on suspicion of practising witchcraft.

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Deborah Boateng, a cleaner at Churchill High School, wipes down high-touch areas at the school in Winnipeg on Sept. 2.
He had written a last letter to his family. "A man dies sooner or later," he wrote. "I am very proud to have lived a meaningful life. This is an honorable way to die."

He climbed into his Mitsubishi Zero airplane, flew away east toward the rising sun, south toward Okinawa and the American enemy. He was a kamikaze pilot, it was May 11, 1945, and it was suicide.

He dived straight down on the carrier Bunker Hill, dropped a single bomb, never pulled out of the dive, crashed into the ship. He died instantly; every bone in his body was broken. The attack set off huge fires and explosions. Four hundred and ninety-six Americans died with him.

The Bunker Hill, badly damaged, was knocked out of the war.

His name was Kiyoshi Ogawa. To Americans, he was a fanatic. To his countrymen, he was a hero. He was 22 years old.

On Tuesday, at a restaurant in the San Francisco Hilton, nearly 56 years later, Ensign Ogawa's war finally ended.

Dax Berg, who develops computer games in Redwood City, returned all that is left of Ogawa's life to the Japanese man's family and friends.

"A gift," Berg said, "from the bottom of my heart. From my family to yours."

Included were the name tag from Ogawa's flight jacket, a letter he'd carried with him on his last mission, some photographs of his friends, the buckle from his parachute harness, a smashed pocket watch, a fair amount of money. Some items were stained with the kamikaze pilot's blood.

The material had been taken from Ogawa's body by Robert Schock, a Navy salvage diver on board the Bunker Hill. He had volunteered to get down to the crashed Zero on a lower deck of the carrier. The plane was half awash in water,

and live wires sparked all around.

Schock climbed into the cockpit and looked at the dead pilot. He had never seen the enemy so close before. He reached inside the man's flight jacket and took out photographs and the letter, picked up the other material and put it in his own pocket.

When the war was over, he moved back to the little town of Haysville, Kan. He was a boxer, an aircraft engineer and the mayor of Haysville. He was Berg's grandfather.

"We were very, very close," Berg said, "He was like a father to me." But the old man seldom talked about the war. He did talk about the dead pilot but never showed his grandson the material he had taken. He kept the items, Berg said, in a cardboard box in the garage with his own Purple Heart medal.

Schock died last November at the age of 72, and Berg delivered the eulogy.

He was 27, ready to move on, and soon afterward he got a job with the 3DO Co. in Redwood City. He moved to Los Gatos and took the box with him.

He kept thinking of that dead Japanese pilot, wondering. He sent an e-mail to his new colleagues, hoping someone could translate the letter.

As it happened, Paul Grace, Berg's boss, is married to a Japanese woman -- Mickie, a professional translator. Something in that box from the dead past spoke to them both. They decided to try to find the pilot's family.

First they worked on the name tag and discovered the man's family name and his rank, ensign in the Imperial Navy. Then Mickie Grace noticed that the letter Ogawa carried was from a noted poet in the Gumma prefecture. Now they had a name, a rank and a general area to search.

With the help of the Japanese defense force and the efficient Japanese post office, they found Kiyoshi Ogawa's family in Takasaki, north of Tokyo.

Mickie Grace wrote the family. As it turned out, the family never knew what happened to Kiyoshi Ogawa, except he never returned from his last mission. But they had not forgotten him. They had a gravestone and a shrine. They said they felt his spirit around them.

Masao Kunimine, who is now 79, was an old college friend of Ogawa's and had spent 50 years trying to find out what happened to him. Then, out of the blue, came the letter from America.

Yoko Ogawa, 41, the pilot's grandniece, her mother and Yoko's son all decided to come to California to get the material. Kunimine came as well. Before they left, they went to the family shrine and prayed to Kiyoshi's spirit.

At the same time, an ocean away, Berg thought of what he would do. He would give the material back to the family. "I know my grandfather," Berg said. "This is what he would want me to do."

The gift, the small pieces of Kiyoshi Ogawa's life, were accepted with deep bows and tears.

"I know nothing of the war," said Yoko Ogawa. "All I knew is that he died near Okinawa. I know Kiyoshi-san died for his country and his people.

"It is not something the younger generation can do. We are very proud of him, and I want to say to him, 'Thank you for your good work.' "

The material from his suicide flight, she said, was "a national treasure."

Mickie Grace read aloud from Ogawa's last letter, and pictures of the pilot were passed around. Kunimine talked about what they were like when they were young men, a lifetime ago. He began to weep.

Berg made a little speech later. He said he had received a draft notice once and was prepared to go to serve his country as his grandfather had. He said he was willing to lay down his life. But that call never came. No one is drafted anymore.

The Americans, who spoke no Japanese, and the Japanese, who spoke no English, passed around the dead pilot's possessions, and looked at a book with pictures of the burning American ship from that day in May, 55 years ago.

All the while, Yoko's 3-year-old boy, Rurito, talked away about child's things, paid no attention to talk about death and fires and war. Instead, he let out little cries and ran around the restaurant.

No one would ever ask him to commit suicide for his country.

"Perhaps," said Berg, "that war did really end all the wars."
'One Electric Motorcycles' announced today that they have completed the Homologation process and on-road trials of their Made in India Electric Motorcycle, KRIDN.

The deliveries of the first production batch will commence in October 2020, covering four cities for the initial launch.

Dealership applications and pre-booking registrations (which are free, no deposits needed) are open now for Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

YouTube Link for the Video: youtu.be/j_3frnstzcM.

For bike taxi and last-mile deliveries, the company is working on strategic partnerships with established players for their KRIDN-R Model.

"With the speed of 95 Kmph and torque greater than 165 Nm, KRIDN will be one of the fastest and most powerful electric motorcycles currently available for sale in India. These specs make it the perfect electric ride for city commutes of less than 100 Km per day. With high performance, we also wanted to make a motorcycle that lasts for many years. Suspension from Munjal Showa, wide tyres from CEAT, lighting from FIEM Industries, and in house developed heavy-duty chassis ensures this, along with making spares easily available," informed Gaurav Uppal, CEO of One Electric Motorcycle.

The IP protected design of KRIDN has also been developed in house by One Electric Team.

"Localizing our Motorcycle has been a challenging and rewarding experience at the same time," said Abhijeet Shah, COO of the company.

"By designing, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing everything from the ground up, we now have the capability to make fast modifications required for constant evolution. This is enabling us to make advancements easily on regular basis. Looking forward, we are able to adapt any battery cell type or motor technology which are evolving at a fast pace, without worrying about the fitment issues. We believe this is going to enable us in creating cutting edge technology and realize our vision of being a global player for electric motorcycles," added Abhijeet.

"KRIDN is our flagship model for city commute and KRIDN R will be focused on taxi services and last-mile deliveries. We plan another entry-level model in 2021 with 75 Kmph top speed from a 2 Kw motor. Our target price of this model will be under Rs 1 lakh," added Gaurav.

The company plans to launch KRIDN at Rs 1.29/- lakhs ex-showroom price with a 2+1 year warranty.

One Electric is also in talks with many institutions and startups to offer innovative finance options to their customers since they believe that finance will be a key component for the mass adoption of electric vehicles in India.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police in Lagos on Thursday arrested four journalists, alongside 14 protesters, during a peaceful protest at the Ojuelegba area of the metropolis.

The police officers said they were acting according to an instruction from above.

We are doing our work, that is the instruction given, one of the police officers who pushed reporters into the police van said.

The arrested journalists are PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Ifeoluwa Adediran; Abiodun Ayeoba of Sahara Reporters; Daniel Tanimu of Galaxy TV and Awoniyi Oluwatosin of ObjecTV.

Despite the reporters showing their identity cards, the aggrieved team led by an officer identified as T.J Fatai, said the arrested journalists alongside the protesters had to be taken to the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, as this was the instruction.

The three male journalists were manhandled by the police.

Protest

The protest which was organised by the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) over the recent increase in fuel price and electricity tariff, and the deregistration of the political party garnered the support of passers-by, traders, and motorists along Yaba to Ojuelegba, where the protest held.

The protest which initially took off at the Tai Solarin Statue, Yaba bus stop around 9:30 a.m. was disrupted by the police.

The group, however, reconvened at the Nigerian Labour Congress, at Yaba where they called on the Ayuba Wabba led NLC to organise a warning strike nationwide against the state of the nation.

Speaking during the protest, Chinedu Bosah, the National Secretary of SPN said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to obey a court order which directed SPN and 22 other political parties to be re-registered.

He said the party in power is trying all it can to muzzle opposition.

If there is any party to be de-registered in this country, it is the APC and PDP, these are the parties that have brought hardship, joblessness and sufferings on the Nigerian people, he said.

Another leader of the group identified as Comrade Bayo said the present government has failed to deliver on its promises for the Nigerian people.

This government of APC and Buhari came to power deceiving Nigerians that he meant well for us, but five years down the lane, we have seen that he never meant well for the people. Under his government, he continues to increase our burden and we say no to that.

Confrontation

While the protest progressed from the NLC house at Yaba inward Ojuelegba, police officers had mounted a barricade at Ojuelegba to prevent the protesters from moving into the highway. Not less than four police vans were parked at the junction with officers numbering up to 15.

As the protesters drew near the police officers, some of whom were holding guns, they were undeterred and kept chanting solidarity songs. Seeing the increase in support for the protesters near Ojuelegba under bridge, the officers resorted to arresting some of their leaders.

However, the arrest did not come easy as the protesters kept shouting at the top of their voices, now, with support from other citizens.

Round them up, arrest them, the police officer who led the team said, while the protesters kept sharing fliers.

After a prolonged confrontation with the protesters, the police was able to arrest a number of them, while journalists and other protesters followed them to the Area C Police Command where the arrested protesters were taken.

The visit by journalists and others to the command was short-lived as the team leader, Mr Fatai, ordered the seizure of cameras and phones and arrest of journalists using them.

The surprised journalists, alongside the protesters, were transported to the police command, Ikeja in the police vehicles.

You cannot use your phones for security reasons when you get to the command, you will explain that you are journalists, Mr Fatai defended his actions.

After a long wait at the police command, the journalists were freed by the police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

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Protesters arraigned

While journalists were set free at the command, the 14 arrested protesters were transported to the Lagos State mobile court, Oshodi where they faced a magistrate.

Some of the arrested protesters include Dagga Tolar, an SPN member; Hassan Taiwo Soweto, the National Youth Coordinator; Chinedu Bosah; the National Secretary, Ayo Ademiluyi, the legal counsel for the party, and several others.

They were arraigned on a one-count charge for conduct likely to cause public disorderliness.

Mr Soweto told PREMIUM TIMES that they all pleaded not guilty and the prosecutor then withdrew the case.

The case was struck out and 14 protesters released. We were placed under caution, but we remain undaunted, he said.
YPSILANTI, MI  Eastern Michigan Universitys aviation program has signed a five-year partnership agreement with flight training school Crosswinds Aviation.

According to a press release from the university, Crosswinds Aviation has three locations  Livingston County Spencer J. Hardy Airport in Howell, Bishop International Airport in Flint and Oakland County International Airport in Waterford  that will offer easier access to commuter students living in Livingston, Genesee and Oakland counties.

There is also a plan to add a location at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, the release said, and EMU aviation students will have four locations for training instead of one.

We are thrilled to partner with Crosswinds Aviation and know that this strategic partnership will ultimately ensure that (EMU) aviation students can graduate with the highest standard aviation education and training, said Aviation Program Coordinator Jerard Delaney. Crosswinds' resources, access to the latest avionics technology and its commitment to encouraging middle and high school students to careers in aviation is a natural fit with (EMUs) commitment to shaping the next generation of leaders  in aviation and otherwise.

The partnership with Crosswinds Aviation comes after EMU ended its relationship with Eagle Flight Centre, which was located at Willow Run and closed permanently Aug. 10. The university and Eagle Flight Centre had partnered for more than 15 years.

Eastern Michigan University ends partnership with Eagle Flight Centre

At Crosswinds Aviation, students will have the opportunity to train in a wider variety of aircraft, and the hands-on training in multiple aircraft will ensure students are well-versed upon graduation and entering the field, the release said.

Crosswinds has also been running a high school program since 2013, and more than 80 high school students have completed the program and went to EMU for their aviation degree, the release said.

At Crosswinds Aviation, we are committed to working with young students and helping them get started on their aviation career, said Crosswinds Aviation owner Matt Dahline. The partnership with (EMU) will allow us to connect with, and help, even more students beyond high school who desire a career in aviation. We look forward to the opportunities this partnership will open up for aspiring pilots.

More information on Crosswinds Aviation can be found here.

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https://www.aish.com/h/hh/yom-kippur/theme/The-Right-to-be-Forgotten.html

Erasing your actions is a lot harder than deleting an internet post. Here's what it takes.

In March of 2008, two brothers in their 70s had an argument about money at a seaside restaurant in the Italian coastal town of Pescara. One brother stabbed the other with a fish knife and was arrested. Alessandro Biancardi, a journalist in the small town, heard the details from the police and knew he had a hot story for his small news website. Fast forward a decade and that journalist is now unemployed and at the center of a huge debate over internet privacy laws. What happened?

Several years after the stabbing story was published, one of the brothers demanded that it be deleted. Biancardi refused. True, the brothers were arrested after the fight, but the assault-related charges against them were effectively dropped when the authorities did not pursue them. The brothers sued Biancardi, claiming the article was damaging their reputation, and cited Europes right to be forgotten law. The law goes back to the 90s and says a citizen can request that a company or website take down material considered old, irrelevant, inaccurate, or excessive. A few years ago, the European courts ruled the law could even be used to force Google to delist material from its search engine results.

In 2013, an Italian judge ruled against Biancardi and ordered him to delete the stabbing story, saying the information in it was old and the brothers had the right for it to be forgotten. Mr. Biancardi appealed the judges decision to Italys highest court. In 2016, the appeal was rejected. Last September, exactly 13 years after his news site was started, he had run out of money from all the litigation and had been ordered to remove so many stories, he had to shut down the site. In the US, lawmakers are looking at Europes privacy laws, including the right to be forgotten, as a model and are considering similar legislation.

Is the right to be forgotten in fact a right? According to the Torah, are we entitled to have our actions, our behavior, our conduct be erased and forgotten?

Teshuva: The Ultimate Delete Button, with Conditions

In the second chapter of The Laws of Teshuva, the Rambam writes that even though we can do teshuva, repentance, the entire year, the Ten Days of Teshuva culminating with Yom Kippur, are designated times to reflect and feel remorse for mistakes we made and things we did wrong. If we do, our efforts are accepted immediately, and we are granted forgiveness and pardoned. What we have done to God is forgotten.

But then the Rambam qualifies his words:

Teshuva and Yom Kippur are effective for the things you did to violate God's trust and expectations, but the hurt you caused, the damage you did against other people, that requires you to not only ensure full compensation, but make sincere amends. If you make the effort and ask three times and the other person doesnt forgive, then they in fact become the transgressor.

We do subscribe to a right to be forgotten and forgiven. However, unlike the European law, that right has a condition, a prerequisite. There must be sincere remorse, genuine regret, true commitment not to repeat the mistake, and importantly, a heartfelt and authentic apology. Then and only then does the perpetrator have a right for his or her misconduct to be forgotten, so much so that after a sincere apology, the burden shifts to the aggrieved to forgive.

Moreover, according to Jewish law there is prohibition to cause one pain through verbal mistreatment. For example, one may not remind someone of their past misdeeds.

We can erase the parts of our lives we are not proud of, but we have to put in the hard work.

Judaism does recognize a right to be forgotten, but it is not a blanket entitlement; it must be earned. We can erase the parts of our lives we are not proud of. We can edit our history and we do have a right for our mistakes, poor judgment and bad decisions to be forgotten. But we have to put in the hard work.

Teshuva is not as simple as deleting a post, clearing our browser history, or doing a hard reset on our device. It is about transforming ourselves, taking stock of our lives, using the feelings of shame and regret not to get stuck in the past, but to shape a brighter, better future. The best way to have parts of the past forgotten is to become a different person in the present, not the same one who did, said, or wrote those things.

That is exactly how the Rambam describes teshuva working:

Teshuva occurs when one distances himself exceedingly from the thing wherein he sinned, to the point his identity changes, as if saying: I am now another person, and not that person who perpetrated those misdeeds, to completely change his conduct for the good and straight path.

It isnt enough to do the right thing going forward, we have to take responsibility and be accountable for what we did in the past. We have to find the people we have hurt with our nasty emails, nasty looks, or nasty behavior and we must ask forgiveness. For the behavior we regret to be forgotten, we need to find the people we injured in business, socially, online, or offline and we must make real and meaningful amends.

The Right to Forgive and Forget

While the right to be forgotten or forgiven isn't simple, the Torah does encourage the right to simply forget. We should be predisposed to forgive, let go, and look the other way.

Let's not use our selective memory to overemphasize the bad, the shortcoming, the hurt, the times people didnt show up and we forget their virtues, their good, the times they came through. It has been said, Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Forgiveness ultimately is about us, not them.

We always have the right to forget, even when it is not earned by making nothing of the hurts or insults. Our sages say that if we expunge the negative from the files we have on others, God will expunge the negative from our own files.

Last year a former Dallas police officer, Amber Guyger, was sentenced on Wednesday to serve 10 years in prison for the fatal killing of an innocent man she shot when she mistakenly entered his apartment believing it was her own. The victims 18-year-old brother, Brandt Jean, took the witness stand and spoke to Guyger, saying, I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you I personally want the best for you. Brandt then asked the Judge if he could give Guyger, the woman who killed his brother, a hug. The judge said yes, Brandt stepped off the witness stand, they embraced and Guyger broke into tears.

If this man could forgive the person who killed his brother and give her a hug, we can forgive the small slights, hurts and injuries we have incurred. We can dig deep and hug the people who didnt really mean to hurt us, maybe they were insensitive or thoughtless because in fact they were just hurting themselves. So we werent invited to someones wedding. So our birthday came and went and our children or grandchildren didnt even call. So we extended ourselves for a friends and it wasnt reciprocated. So someone walked by and didnt say hello. There are so many broken relationships and so much dysfunction because we choose to remember instead of forget.

Dont hold a grudge or look for the fault. Let go and move on, and you'll feel a huge relief. We dont have a basic right for our wrongs to be forgotten. We need to own up, seek forgiveness, and make amends. But we absolutely have the right and even responsibility to forget. Lets use it to let go of things that dont matter in the long run and to avoid drinking a poison that will only prove lethal to us.
Kwame Awuah-Darko says he has not been charged with anything relating to theft after he left his position as the Managing Director (MD) of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) in 2016.



According to him, the assertion by Kennedy Agyapong, the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) that some money was missing after he left the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Co Ltd (BOST) and TOR are untrue.



Kennedy Agyapong was saying that 300 million dollars is missing in BOST, 200 million has been traced to an account of mine. I sued him. I think we are still in court for that. I have not been charged with any theft or anything of that nature, Awuah-Darko stated on Citi TVs Point of View programme.



He indicated that his motivation for suing the MP is not the GH5 million monetary value attached to it but he needed to correct his reputation which has been damaged by the MP.



I am not driven by money but the most important thing is the wrong to be put right, he explained.



When asked if he has been cleared of the allegations against him, Awuah-Darko responded: I have gone through a process and I know I do not have any outstanding issues with any of the authorities in the country. EOCO did investigate me, but they have finished their investigations.



When asked by the host whether or not he has been shown the final report of the EOCO investigation, he indicated that he has seen the final report, has read it and it is okay with him.



Kingsley Kwame Awuah-Darko in July 2017, sued Kennedy Agyapong for GH5 million over some defamatory statements made against him.



Awuah-Darko also sued Multimedias Asempa FM as well as Kennedy Agyapongs Madina-based Oman FM, for using their platforms to tarnish his reputation.



The suit which was filed by his lawyer, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, at the Accra High Court stated Kennedy Ohene Agyapong on Accra based Asempa FMs "Ekosii Sen" programme, on June 29, 2017, accused the former MD of BOST and TOR of misappropriating some 100 million dollars during his time as the MD of BOST and TOR from the year 2013 to January 2017.



Awuah-Darko said Kennedy Agyapong, while on Asempa FM said: Kwame Awuah-Darko, when we searched his account, we found 100 million dollarsHe has run away, now living abroad...He shuttles between Virginia, South Africa and Dubai. I have been monitoring him seriouslyThese people are wicked people.



He noted in the suit that the legislator, that evening on Oman FM, added: The crimes these people commit must not go unpunished. So far, the documents I have in my possession shows embezzlement of 230 million dollars recorded as losses for BOST under Awuah-Darko... and then his own bank account after we tracked him down, we discovered an amount of 100 million dollars. These guys dont even know how to steal. He didnt even know that we could track him 100 million dollars yes 100 million dollars.



Awuah-Darko is, therefore, seeking a declaration by the court that among other things, Kennedy Agyapong renders an unqualified apology to him.

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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Ali Mirza, the Urbana campus' student representative on the UI Board of Trustees, says UI students consider Champaign and Urbana their home  a different picture than that painted by a recent Guest Commentary in the N-G.
Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer

Houston police released bodycam footage Thursday showing several officers who shot and killed 27-year-old Nicolas Chavez and drew ire from the Houston cop union.

Chavez was killed in early May when several officers opened fire as he grabbed an empty Taser outside a northeast Houston restaurant. He was apparently going through some kind of crisis, police said.
By Brian Ellsworth and Mayela Armas

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition must stop "playing at government" and start focusing on elections, two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said on Wednesday, in a rare public swipe at congress chief Juan Guaido's parallel presidency.

Guaido last year declared President Nicolas Maduro a usurper and assumed an interim presidency that was recognized by dozens of countries including the United States, but Maduro has held on as Guaido's virtual government has become increasingly isolated.

Capriles and legislator Stalin Gonzalez have been in talks with the government over possible participation in the upcoming congressional election, despite a boycott supported by Guaido - opening a rift within the opposition.

"We can't keep playing at government on the internet," Capriles said in an internet broadcast. "Either you're government, or you're opposition. You can't be both."

His statement marked the first significant questioning by an opposition leader of Guaido's 2019 decision to assume the presidency amid a groundswell of street mobilizations that renewed hopes for a change of government.

The move led dozens of countries to disavow Maduro in favor of Guaido, and allowed his allies to control crucial offshore Venezuelan assets including U.S. refining subsidiary Citgo. But the fervor of 2019 has faded, and many of Maduro's critics have grown disillusioned with the arrangement.

Guaido's press team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier in the day, Guaido said Venezuela needs unity and solutions to the crisis rather than "bombastic disagreements between leaders."

Capriles, in his first address to the public since news emerged that he was in talks with the Maduro government on elections conditions, said the opposition needed to ensure basic conditions for the vote.

"I call on the country to mobilize and fight," he said. "We're not going to resign. We will not give the National Assembly to Maduro."

He stopped short of giving details about which candidates would run, and acknowledged there were still "some roadblocks" regarding appropriate conditions for the vote, including assurances on international observers.

(Reporting by Brian Ellsworth and Mayela Armas; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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Automotive intelligence battery sensors (IBS) are used in determining the correct state of voltage, current and temperature of the battery, that too, reliably and precisely. It also measures the state of the battery. The global automotive intelligence battery sensors market is expected to register a 11% CAGR during the forecast period (2018-2023). Market Research Future (MRFR) in their recent article on the automotive intelligence battery sensors market have raised their concerns regarding factors that can impact the coming years.

The automotive intelligence battery sensors market is gaining momentum owing to factors like increased sales in premium cars, automotive markets expansion in the developing countries, and surge in demand for electric vehicles and hybrid ones. This sensor plays an integral part in curbing the carbon dioxide emission by timely stating the exact condition of batteries. But its high price makes it difficult for the low-priced cars to get hold of it. This can dampen its market prospect in the coming years. However, government regulations regarding emission is expected to steer back the automotive intelligence battery sensors market on the track in no time.

ALSO READ:

https://www.openpr.com/amp/1624510/automotive-intelligence-battery-sensor-market-size-growth-demands-key-players-analysis-industry-trends-global-forecast-to-2023.html

Segmentation:

MRFR, to analyze the global automotive intelligence battery sensor market in a detailed manner, segmented it by technology, voltage, vehicle type, and electric vehicle. This segmentation provides a much closer look at market dynamics.

Based on the technology, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market can be segmented into motor controller unit (MCU), controller area network (CAN), and local interconnect network (LIN).

Based on the voltage, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market includes 12 volt, 14 volt, 24 volt, and 48 volt.

Based on the vehicle type, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market comprises passenger car and commercial vehicles. The passenger car segment is gaining substantial ground owing to the hike in disposable income of the populace.

Based on the electric vehicle, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market consists battery electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The hybrid electric vehicle model is gaining momentum owing to the rise in the demand for eco-friendly cars.

Regional Analysis:

Geographically, the global automotive intelligence battery sensor market is segmented in the MRFR report into four important regions namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW).

The APAC region is in a dominating position and during the forecast period it is going to retain its rank. Europe is expected to follow the APAC in terms of revenue generation. The APAC market is witnessing exponential growth in the automotive industry owing to the growth in the number of factories as many of the market titans are trying to gain mileage from the available cost-effective labor in the zone. It is mostly happening in India, China, and Japan.

Europe has a robust automotive industry, and high investment capacity of locals are allowing increase in sale of premium cars. These two factors, together, are the primary reasons leading the regional market. At the same time, the region has high demand for hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. These types of cars also exhibit a strong demand for automotive intelligence battery sensors for better performance.

Competitive Landscape:

Major players impacting the global automotive intelligence battery sensor market are HELLA GmbH and Co. KGaA (Germany), Continental AG (Germany), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands), Inomatic GmbH (Germany) Furukawa electric co., ltd. (Japan), ams AG (Austria), DENSO CORPORATION (Japan), Vishay Intertechnology Inc. (U.S.), MTA S.p.A. (Italy, and others. These companies are influencing the global market by employing strategic decisions that are expected to take respective companies forward. However, these moves are also putting a mark on the market as a whole.

In 2018, Mercedes launched Tourismo that is using this latest technology to identify the exact state of the automotive battery. This is to ensure consumer management and maximize battery charge usage.

FOR MORE DETAILS 

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/automotive-intelligence-battery-sensor-market-6905
Commuters wait on a train platform in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at Circular Quay in Sydney

By Colin Packham and Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's conservative government clashed with state lawmakers on Thursday over how fast to relax social distancing restrictions, as the number of new COVID-19 cases showed a steady decline.

Australia in March created a national cabinet which includes federal, state and territory leaders to coordinate measures to stop the disease spreading, closing international and domestic borders, suspending schools and closing businesses.

The steps taken have helped Australia record far fewer COVID-19 infections and deaths than many other developed nations, and the divisions in the national cabinet are emerging at time when the infection rate is coming down.

The federal government is now struggling to persuade states to relax restrictions in order to get the economy moving, especially after Victoria suffered a second wave of infections last month.

On Thursday, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said Victoria - the epicentre of the country's COVID-19 outbreak - should consider lifting a night curfew, just days after the state kept the curfew among other tough measures extended until Sept. 28.

And Queenland's state premier snapped back at Prime Minister Scott Morrison, after he chided the state for refusing to let a woman from a virus-free part of the country attend the funeral of her father.

"To use the tragedy of this personal family is disgusting," Queensland state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told state lawmakers in Brisbane.

"I will not be bullied nor will I be intimidated by the prime minister of this country."

Australia on Thursday reported 58 new cases in the past 24 hours, down on the 76 infections detected on Wednesday.

Victoria accounted for the bulk of the cases, with 51 cases, well down on the more than 700 infections recorded in one day in early August.

Home to one-quarter of Australia's 25 million population, Victoria accounts for about 75% of the country's more than 26,000 COVID-19 cases and 90% of its 788 deaths.

(Reporting by Renju Jose; editing by Chris Reese, Richard Pullin & Simon Cameron-Moore)
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday the USP faction leader in parliament, MP Claudius Toontje Buncamper forwarded a letter to the Minister of TEATT, the honorable Ludmilla de Weever.

MP Buncampers letter to the minister is prompted from the fact that on August 25th, various MPs requested a meeting of parliament with the ministers of TEATT, VSA, and Finance, which never took place.

Unfortunately, the urgency of the said meeting has not been underscored and I have therefore decided to submit my questions to you in writing as time is not on our side. MP Buncamper stated in his letter to the minister.

The MP questioned the minister about the whereabouts of the economic recovery plan and the existence of an economic recovery committee.

If such a committee does indeed exist, the MP wants to know who comprises this committee and the expertise of these persons.

Is there a plan to prioritize and execute the capital and/or structural investments, should we obtain the financing? the MP queried.

Another concern raised by MP Buncamper is if any facilities are being created to attract investments and what economic activities are we focusing on?

MP Buncamper reminded the minister that the cruise lines have been telling St. Maarten for years to diversify the product, move towards experience rather than selling merchandise

and questioned the developments, if any, as it pertains to this recommendation.

What is being developed at our ports of entry, the airport, and the harbor, as alternative revenue streams? and when can we expect cruise ships to return to our shores? are among the questions posed by MP Buncamper.

The MP asked the minister if Front Street will be changed into a supporting aspect of our destinations culture and heritage instead of just jewelry, perfume, and T-shirts location.
India will cease imports of silk yarn from China in yet another economic response against the neighbouring country following a surge in military tensions between the two nations this year.

The government will also strive to improve quality of domestically-produced cotton and wool to cut imports as part of a broader plan to achieve self-reliance under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative.

The decision was announced by the government before the standing committee of labour which met on Monday. The move will be a blow to China as it is the worlds second-largest producer of silk yarn and India one of the biggest importers.

According to the plan of the union government, the government wants to stop import of silk yarn from China in the next one year while also improving the production of silk yarn in the country. The silk yarns imported from China is of low quality and is impacting the products being produced with use of Chinese silk yarn. So now the union government has set up a timeline to end the import," said a senior parliamentarian who was part of the meeting.

Representatives of the Union government told members of Parliament (MPs) that the government now wants to change Indias status as a major importer of silk yarn.

This will add to steps taken recently by the Modi administration to increase the economic costs on China after a deadly border clash in June that led to the killing of 20 Indian soldiers. India has already banned a total of 224 mobile apps that have links to China including the popular game PUBG, Bytedances TikTok and Alibabas UC Browser. It has also put curbs on imports of colour television sets and cancelled railway and road tenders secured by Chinese firms .

India imported raw silk worth $99 million from China in FY20 which declined by 31% from the previous year.

The government representatives also informed the panel that they are working on a plan to improve the quality of Indian wool.

The wool which is produced in the country is of low quality and most of it is not used for production of woollen clothes. The wool produced in India is mostly used to make carpets. The union government is now trying to reverse it in the days to come. The government is working on plan to reduce its import of wool in the coming days," said the member of the parliamentary panel.

Similarly, the government is also working on a plan to improve the quality of cotton that is produced in India. The immediate challenge for India has come from countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam which have a better quality of cotton produce and Bangladesh has also opened its market to the European countries which has benefitted it," said the parliamentarian.

Asit Ranjan Mishra contributed to this story.

gyan.v@livemint.com

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Patricia Gucci, the daughter of Aldo Gucci and Bruna Palombo, circa 1987. (Bryn Colton / Getty Images)

For nearly a century, the Italian fashion house of Gucci has supplied the world's affluent with the clothing and leather accessories to cultivate a beautiful, luxurious life. Along the way, the family behind the fashion dynasty prospered but saw its share of acrimony and scandal: infighting over inheritances, a murder-for-hire plot, federal tax charges and, for a time, Aldo Gucci's secret second family.

One of Aldo Gucci's granddaughters, Alexandra Zarini, this week spotlighted another horror in the family history with a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Zarini, 35, alleged that from the time she was 6, her former stepfather, Joseph Ruffalo, sexually assaulted her at home in Beverly Hills  abuse that she typically knew was coming when she heard the ice clinking in his glass of scotch as he made his way toward her bedroom, according to court papers.

Zarini also accused her mother, Patricia Gucci, of enabling her now ex-husband's alleged molestation, and singled out her grandmother, Bruna Palombo, for knowing about the sexual assaults but instructing her granddaughter "to keep quiet and cover them up," the lawsuit states.

The filing of the 21-page lawsuit was paired with a rollout of the heiress' anti-child-abuse nonprofit, the Alexandra Gucci Children's Foundation, and although Zarini expects to be disinherited from her family's fortune for proceeding with legal action, her attorney, Deborah Mallgrave, said any monetary award from the case would go toward the new nonprofit.

"If you think this doesn't happen here in Beverly Hills, then you should know that my perpetrator still lives in California, spends time at the Bel-Air Country Club, and volunteers in your children's hospitals," Zarini said in a video released by her lawyers. "This is not something that only happens to other families, other neighborhoods or other countries. It is everywhere."

Ruffalo, whose long career in the music industry saw him managing Prince and Earth, Wind & Fire, among other acts, could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Richard P. Crane Jr., referred to a statement provided to the New York Times, which first reported on the lawsuit. Crane told the newspaper that his client was not formally served with court papers nor was he familiar with its full allegations.

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"What he has been informed of, he vehemently and categorically denies. While married to Alexandra's mother, Mr. Ruffalo and his wife were greatly concerned about the mental well-being of Alexandra and took steps to address her instability. Apparently, their efforts failed."

Patricia Gucci, who resides in Switzerland and last year launched a high-end luggage company, also could not be reached for comment. She told the New York Times in a statement that her daughter disclosed Ruffalo's conduct in 2007, at a doctor's office, and that she "immediately initiated divorce proceedings."

"I am equally devastated by the allegations against me and her grandmother, which are completely false," Patricia Gucci told the newspaper.

The shadow of Aldo Gucci's messy life looms large in the case. He was the son of Gucci's founder, Guccio Gucci, and the former chairman of the Gucci clothing empire. Aldo Gucci had three sons by marriage, but at a time when adultery was illegal in Italy, he began an affair with a much younger staffer, Bruna Palombo. She secretly gave birth to his only daughter, Patricia, and over time, the second family became something of an open secret, with Patricia Gucci rising to a spot on the company's board and Palombo remaining a beloved paramour. The family was ousted and sold their shares, and today, Gucci is a subsidiary of a French company.

Zarini's first memories of abuse date to when she was 6, about the same time that her grandfather died. In the lawsuit, Zarini recounts that after she awoke in the night and sought comfort from her mother, Patricia Gucci allegedly invited her daughter into bed, which she shared with her naked then-boyfriend, Ruffalo. After she fell asleep, Zarini awoke to her hands wrapped around Ruffalo's genitals, and she was scared and confused, the suit states.

When her mother married Ruffalo two years later, the abuse "continued and escalated." Ruffalo, she alleged, "would stumble down the hallway" toward her bedroom, remove his bathrobe, climb into her bed, and touch her, and the lawsuit describes molestation that occurred "on a somewhat regular basis throughout her childhood and as she became a young adult."

Zarini framed her mother's alleged physical abuse  striking her daughter in the face, pulling her by the hair  as setting the stage for Ruffalo's "rescue," where he'd intervene, isolate his stepdaughter, and allegedly assault her.

The mistreatment fueled mental health troubles: Zarini said she became obsessed with showering and bathing, scrubbing her skin raw; pulled her hair out; and attempted suicide while in high school.

When she was 16, her grandmother, Bruna Palombo, asked Zarini directly if Ruffalo touched her inappropriately, according to the lawsuit. After Zarini confided in her grandmother, Palombo "stiffened and became obviously uncomfortable," then told her granddaughter to keep the matter a secret.

In later years, as Zarini considered reporting Ruffalo to the police, Palombo told her granddaughter that alerting authorities would be the "ultimate betrayal," according to the court filing.

Mallgrave, her attorney, said the Gucci family was more concerned "about publicity, image and money." She added, "They were protecting other interests instead of protecting Alexa."

Bringing a case from so long ago was not previously viable in California. But a change in state law that took effect this year, AB 218, provided a three-year window to file cases that otherwise would have expired because of the statute of limitations.

Mallgrave said another factor drove her client to proceed with a case. On occasion, Zarini would research Ruffalo online and see what he was up to. She saw something that made her suspect her former stepfather was volunteering at a children's hospital, and felt compelled to file a crime report with the Beverly Hills Police Department, which she did in 2019. That case remains open.

"It's a not-uncommon survivor's curiosity," Mallgrave said of the internet sleuthing. "It's a nagging feeling, that someone who sexually assaulted her and inflicted all these injuries is still out there free."
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Members of the public trained on how to collect health information in Ghana are enabling early detection and reporting of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, a study says.

The system, called community-based surveillance, allows disease outbreaks to be picked up by eagle-eyed members of the public.

"The community members, who may be professionals or otherwise, are engaged and trained to collect health information from their communities and report it for public health surveillance purposes," the study adds.

"Community-based surveillance detected 26 percent of all suspected vaccine-preventable disease cases that were reported," says the study, adding that within 48 hours of detection, 87 percent of the health issues detected were responded to. This demonstrates that community-based surveillance is effective in capturing disease cases that may have been otherwise missed by the routine disease surveillance system," says Sharifa Merali, the study's lead author and an epidemiologist at the Division of Viral Diseases at the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also demonstrates that the diseases detected through the surveillance were responded to rapidly, which reduces the potential for spread and more severe outcomes for those affected."

Routine surveillance, often limited to healthcare facilities, is inadequate for patients who come to seek treatment. Community-based surveillance can capture disease outbreaks in hard-to-reach populations, Merali adds.

Ghana implemented a modified community-based surveillance program, and the evaluation data showed improved detection of vaccine-preventable diseases, according to the study published in PLOS One last month (11 August).

"Community-based surveillance functions well as an early warning system that complements the existing routine surveillance system in Ghana," Merali tells SciDev.Net.

"We found it pertinent to study how to build and improve surveillance capacity at the community level in Ghana  to provide evidence for other countries to enhance these capacities."

According to the study, community-based surveillance detected 317 cases that might otherwise have been missed by the routine surveillance system.

Merali explains that the study occurred in two phases. Phase I took place in two districts between June 2017 and March 2018 and the second phase was implemented in 30 districts between June 2018 and March 2019.

She tells SciDev.Net: "The WHO conducts joint external evaluations to assess country capacities to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to public health risks. Gaps revealed in Ghana's most recent evaluation are similar to those in most countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. Recent public health happenings, including the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa as well as the current COVID-19 pandemic, have exposed the urgent need for countries to bolster their surveillance to include early warning and response mechanisms."

Pauline Bakibinga, associate research scientist at Kenya-based African Population Health Research Center, says: "This is an important study as it focuses on community-based surveillance, an initiative that enables effective communication of unusual events or changes in the health status of community members to authorities for further action, there are lessons that can be used even in the current [COVID-19] pandemic crisis."

Bakibinga calls for more concerted efforts in improving users' understanding of the value of reporting as well as accommodating them in the design of the study to aid better uptake of the innovation.

More information: Sharifa Merali et al. Community-based surveillance advances the Global Health Security Agenda in Ghana, PLOS ONE (2020). Journal information: PLoS ONE Sharifa Merali et al. Community-based surveillance advances the Global Health Security Agenda in Ghana,(2020). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237320

Provided by SciDev.Net
The Chairman, Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps, Kunle Togun, said that 47,000 job seekers have applied to work with the agency.

Mr Togun, a retired officer of the Nigerian army, made this statement in Ibadan on Wednesday.

He said that the 47, 000 candidates are jostling for only 2,000 slots in the state.

Mr Togun, while speaking during the screening and verification exercise that commenced on Wednesday across the state, disclosed that a background check on criminal records of the applicants will also be done.

Over 47,000 persons applied, while we are to take 2,000 for now. Graduates, school certificate holders and those that do not have any educational background applied.

We asked them questions on what operations they had done in the past. We want to know if they are experienced and active, what role they played in their various groups. Well also check to know if they have had criminal records.

Some gave incoherent information about where they came from; some did not give facts about the local government areas they claim to hail from.

He noted that the screening, which began on Wednesday, will span till Monday, September 21 for applicants from Ibadan main city and less city.

He added that this will be followed by the screening of applicants from Ibarapa zone from September 22nd to 24th.

READ ALSO:

Premium Times gathered that the creation of Amotekun corps in the six South-Western states was necessitated by the security challenges facing the region.

The six South-Western states are Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos and Ekiti.

Our correspondent recalls that Governors from the six states had earlier agreed to set up a joint security outfit to be known as Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) code-named Amotekun.

Amotekun, according to them, will complement the efforts of the existing security agencies in the six states.

In January this year, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state hosted his colleagues and other prominent Yoruba leaders and traditional rulers to launch the Amotekun corps in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
STOCKTON, Calif.  With the massive Creek Fire closing in on a lake high in California's central Sierra, crew members on a California National Guard Chinook helicopter knew the stakes.

A reported 50 people were trapped at or near Lake Thomas A. Edison. The Creek Fire had exploded across a region choked with dead trees, creating its own weather and ambushing locals and visitors. An air rescue was their only hope. But on Monday night, attempts to reach them by air from Fresno had failed twice.

The only word that I can use to describe it is apocalyptic, Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Rosamond, the pilot in command, told The Stockton Record of the USA TODAY Network. Every piece of vegetation was burning.

Members of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter crew from Stockton that took part in recent dramatic rescues of those trapped by wildfires: CW5 Joseph Rosamond; CW2 Brady Hlebain; Sgt. George Esquivel; and Sgt. Cameron Powell.

He said federal and state fire officials made clear the risk of flying again that night. Things could go very, very wrong.

They informed us of the situation  they are the fire experts, right  and they know fire behavior, they know fire weather, and fire conditions out there, Rosamond said in a Zoom interview Wednesday. They advised us of the hazards that were out there.

Rosamond's crew had already done this  and had been lucky to make it out alive.

The four crew members were among those who airlifted campers from another lake on a different edge of the Creek Fire between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Those three flights to Mammoth Pool were harrowing, but successful, extracting more than 200 people along with a Black Hawk crew.

From the weekend: More than 200 campers rescued by helicopter as Creek Fire prompts state of emergency in California

Was it worth the risk again?

The crew met and made the decision together. They would fly.

Rosamond, who went to high school in Lodi, has been with the National Guard for 23 years and served two missions in Afghanistan and one in Iraq; hes seen a lot.

But nothing of this magnitude, nothing of this level, he said. This was the highest level of personal risk that we have decided to put ourselves into.

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In the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, the Chinook lifted into the sky above Fresno and headed northeast.

A Chinook and a Blackhawk helicopter airlift individuals trapped by the Creek Fire on Sept. 6.

The crew was equipped with night-vision goggles, but the fire proved useful as they flew higher.

Those embers and those little fires they kind of illuminated the terrain so that we could see where we were going and what we were doing, said Rosamond. Still, visibility was no more than a quarter-mile at times, he said.

Rosamond and his crew had good reason to play it safe. Before he left for the Creek Fire, his 5-year-old son provided a reminder. Luke had been bugging his dad for a couple of days to play Zelda on his Nintendo.

And I told him, Hey, Luke, I know that I promised you that I was going to play some Zelda with you he got really excited. But I said, but theres some people that are trapped in a fire right now and I need to go get them. And he begrudgingly accepted that and I just asked him, I said, Hey do you mind if I go? And he said, Yeah, dad, thats OK. 

Tracker: California fire map traces current fires burning across state in real-time

A successful third flight and recognition

Dozens of evacuees are flown to safety by a Cal Guard CH-47 Chinook after being trapped by the Creek Fire.

On that third flight, the crew made it through and loaded the Chinook. As they landed in Fresno, cheers erupted from behind them.

Everybody was just so happy to have gotten out of there and be safe on the ground, Rosamond said. We know that they were really grateful. We could tell by their applause when we landed, and thats really all we needed.

The human toll of Creek Fire: 'Our entire community is gone'

As morning broke, the crew continued to wait for breaks in the weather. Each time, they flew back for more people. Over and over until they could barely stay awake.

Im not a medical expert, but this is the worst thing I had seen, even though my combat deployments, Rosamond said. I am fairly confident that at least a few people probably would not have survived the night.

Rosamond and the others have been hailed for their bravery.

40th CAB would like to introduce you to the real heroes during the recent Mammoth Pools rescue, the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade said in a Facebook post. Among our best, they faced treacherous inflight conditions and displayed sound judgement during the rescue which lasted well into the night.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, too, praised them.

People are remarkable in these moments and selfless in these moments, he said, reflecting on the Mammoth Pool flights. They very easily, very easily, could have turned around and said the smoke made that mission too dangerous but they went in anyway. They saved many, many lives.

But Rosamond would like everyone to remember that support personnel, maintenance technicians and a whole crew of people behind the scenes had a vital part in the rescues.

The three other members of the Stockton, California-based Chinook crew were Chief Warrant Officer Brady Hlebain and Sgts. George Esquivel and Cameron Powell.

Were from California, we know the area, its our backyard, too, and this is where we get our most fulfillment in our job is when were able to help our own citizens here in our state and try to keep California safe, Rosamond said.

My crew, I just want to give them extra accolades, he said. They were strong, they were focused and they were doing the exact right thing at every step of the way. I couldnt have done it without them.

For now, theyll stay in Fresno. By Wednesday evening, the Creek Fire had consumed more than 166,000 acres and was 0% contained.

For now, The Legend of Zelda will have to wait.

Follow reporter Elizabeth Roberts on Twitter @eroberts209.

'I never want to see California again': Wildfires in California, Oregon, Washington turn deadly

More: Trump's tensions with the military grow after reports that he disparaged soldiers, generals

This article originally appeared on The Record: Creek Fire: Helicopter rescue brings people to safety in California
Kolkata: Amid the rising cases of coronavirus in West Bengal, Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. While speaking to our correspondent he said, Mild symptoms and fever. Got result today. Working from home.

Meanwhile, those who came in contact with him have been asked to quarantine themselves. Soon after Sharmas reports arrived, his chamber on the first floor of the main building at Lalbazar - Kolkata Police Headquarters was sanitised.

Sources in the police department said that he did not attend office in the last couple of days ever since he had symptoms.

IPS Sharma along with other senior IPS officers had been active in the social media platforms especially on Twitter in the past few months responding to the urgent need for plasma donors for COVID-19 patients.

Sharma had been responding to all such requests where men from his own force, after recovering from COVID-19 would reach hospitals to donate plasma to the patients.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday (September 10) fixed the price of COVID-19 test at Rs 1600 in private laboratories of the state. It has also warned that strict action will be taken against the private laboratories if they charged more than the fixed price.

The state government order was issued by Additional Chief Secretary Health Amit Mohan Prasad here today.

Earlier, the state government had earmarked Rs 2500 for the COVID-19 RT PCR tests.

Notably, the state government today asserted that surveillance and contact tracing are essential for Covid-19 control. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the officials concerned to focus on contact tracing of Corona positive patients beside his or her treatment.

Live TV

Presiding over a high-level unlock review meeting today at Lok Bhawan, he said that testing labs should work with full capacity with adherence to all Covid-19 norms. Taking cognisance of more than 1.49 lakh COVID testings in the state on Wednesday, Yogi asked to ramp up RTPCR and Rapid Antigen tests.

The CM directed to take extra care in Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Gorakhpur and Prayagraj districts and prepare an action plan to strengthen health services in these districts. He asked to increase COVID beds in Prayagraj.

He said that the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) set up during Kumbh in Prayagraj should now be used as COVID Command and Control Centre.

Laying emphasis on caution and protection, the Chief Minister said there should be constant mass awareness programmes to sensitise people about COVID-19. He asked to ensure that serious patient faces no problem in getting admitted to the hospitals.

He said that treatment facilities should be further strengthened to bring death rate lower.
CALGARY - Enbridge Inc. says it will restart the east segment of Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac after winning approval from the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Michigan Circuit Court.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A photo shot from a television screen provided by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy shows damage to anchor support EP-17-1 on the east leg of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline within the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, in June 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy via AP

CALGARY - Enbridge Inc. says it will restart the east segment of Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac after winning approval from the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Michigan Circuit Court.

The Calgary-based company shut down both legs of the pipeline in June after noticing a disturbance to an underwater anchor supporting the eastern line.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The west leg was restarted, then ordered shut down by a judge at the request of Michigan state Attorney General Dana Nessel, then started again, but the east leg has remained closed.

Line 5 moves crude oil and propane from Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ont., passing through parts of Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. A 6.4-kilometre-long segment divides into two pipes that cross the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Great Lakes Huron and Michigan.

Vern Yu, Enbridge vice-president of liquids pipelines, says the decision to allow the restart is good news for Michigan residents who depend on the energy Line 5 delivers.

Enbridge says it has been assured by the pipeline administration that there are no integrity issues with Line 5.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ENB)
When Ray Donovan, former Secretary of Labor under Ronald Reagan, was acquitted of corruption charges, he had a reaction that has become legend. Asked by a reporter if he felt relieved, Donovan replied: What office do I go to, to get my reputation back?

It was reminiscent of Cassios lament in Othello. After losing his military rank because he engaged in a drunken brawl, Othellos lieutenant cried out:

Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.

My thoughts turned to Donovan, Cassio and anyone who has ever been slandered, particularly when the accusations are launched from the shadows by anonymous enemies, as I watched certain members of the media, the Democratic Party and even some Republicans accuse Donald Trump of calling dead soldiers suckers.

It doesnt surprise me that there are people who believe the claim. Trump has alienated more Americans than perhaps any president in recent times, and some of my countrymen are so angered and repelled by him that they will cling to anything that discredits him. They are like survivors of a shipwreck, holding on to the driftwood of their hostility to survive the storm. Trump is their perfect storm, and they are holding on to that hostility until November (if not beyond).

There are others who try and justify the truth of these unsubstantiated claims by saying, well, we know he attacked John McCain as not being a true hero so we absolutely have every right to believe he called dead soldiers suckers. For them, I have a bit more respect because at least in their minds they are trying to be fair. Their search for other evidence of cruelty in the president is a tacit acknowledgement that they reject anonymous sources and nameless accusations.

And I can even agree with them to a certain extent: Trump did disparage Sen. McCain in a blatant and classless manner. Ive written more than one column attacking him about it. But there is a difference: Trump insulted a specific man he didnt like. He did it in front of cameras. He had a political target with a name. And that target was alive to respond.

But Jeffrey Goldberg and those who support the truth of the Atlantic story want us to believe that Trump is so beneath contempt that he would call fallen soldiers buried in foreign battlefields suckers. They want us to accept, on the words of anonymous accusers, that he has such hatred for the men who made the supreme sacrifice that he would openly slander them in a room full of people. It advances their political narrative.

I personally dont believe he said it. I didnt need the denials from John Bolton and Sarah Sanders and John Kellys assistant and virtually every other earwitness. I think its just too strange and discordant a comment for even Trump, who isnt shy about launching insults, to make.

More importantly though, since we are talking about suckers, I think its sad that so many Americans allow themselves to believe stories built on shifting sands because the alternative-namely, Trump might not be evil-is untenable. They have abandoned the faculty that I think is even more important than the tragic Cassios reputation: their own independent judgment. When that is lost, so is self-respect. Reputation is what others think of us. But to lose the ability to think well of ourselves is, to me, infinitely worse.

In the end, the true tragedy of Suckergate is not whether a president made cruel claims about fallen heros, and how we reacted. He might indeed have made those claims, or they might be the figment of Joe Bidens imagination.

The tragedy is what it says about everyone not named Donald Trump. Its that some people will abandon their reasoning and their conscience if they are told a story that pleases their hearts.

Even if the narrator of that story never emerges from the safety of the shadows.

Christine Flowers is an attorney and a Delaware County resident. Her column usually appears Sunday. Email her at cflowers1961@gmail.com.
Actor Kevin Spacey was sued on Wednesday by actor Anthony Rapp and a second, unnamed person for assault and battery in the 1980s, when both were under the age of 18.

The civil lawsuit was filed in New York State court in Manhattan. Both men are seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress.

In October 2017, Rapp told BuzzFeed that Spacey allegedly made a sexual advance towards him in 1986, when Rapp was 14.

Spacey at the time said on Twitter that he did not remember the alleged incident, adding: But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.

The Independent has contacted Spaceys attorney for comment.

Prosecutors in Massachusetts in 2019 dropped a criminal case in which Spacey was accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man in a bar in 2016.

Spacey had pleaded not guilty to the charges of felony indecent assault and battery. The case was dropped after the alleged victim declined to testify.

In November 2017, after Rapp came forward, an anonymous man told Vulture that Spacey allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with him in the 1980s, when he was 14. An attorney for Spacey told the publication at the time: Mr Spacey absolutely denies the allegations."

Reuters contributed to this report
With the recent news that Wyoming will be eliminating funding for programs that serve seniors citizens, Golden Hour Senior Center needs the communitys help. The funding is being eliminated due to the first round of budget cuts caused by the novel coronavirus.

The center will host a drive through fundraiser in hopes to receiving funding to continue the centers services. During the pandemic, the center has has served over 20,000 meals to seniors in the Green River area. The center has also been providing daily activities, outreach and opportunities to combat social isolation.

The staf...
Nicusor Dan, independent candidate supported by the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity Alliance (USR PLUS Alliance) for the Bucharest City Hall (PMB) stated, on Thursday, that the auction for the contract for 100 trams for Bucharest was targeted, "an act of corruption", and that prosecutors should clarify the issue.

"Two days ago, the Bucharest City Hall was obligated by the court to award the contract for the 100 trams to Astra Arad. It was a targeted auction. It was an act of corruption and I am convinced the Prosecutor's Office will start proceedings ex officio. It was an auction in which the Bucharest City Hall favored, blatantly, a Turkish company to the detriment of a Romanian company," said Nicusor Dan, in a conference organized in front of the Central Workshops Repair Plant of the Bucharest Transport Company.

He mentioned that the National Council for Solving Appeals (CNSC), as well as the Bucharest Court of Appeals "unveiled this act of corruption" and canceled the initial attribution to the Turkish company.

"In such a situation, in any normal country, the incumbent mayor would have resigned. It's not the case with the current mayor. What's clear is that the Bucharest City Hall desired from all its heart that the Turkish company win, the CNSC has found six infringements in the auction procedure and, although these infringements were evident, the Bucharest City Hall appealed to the Court of Appeals and was practically, in front of the Court of Appeals, the attorney for the Turkish company that initially won the auction," Nicusor Dan also said.

He expressed hope that prosecutors will clarify why Turkish companies always win auctions in the case of buses, trolleys or trams in Bucharest.

"Additionally, the Bucharest City Hall classified the auction's documentation, which is a new abuse, I promise to declassify the entire documentation, so that the public opinion and the authorities can conduct their own analysis. (...) Bucharesters could have had these trams and didn't, for four years, the City Hall lost two years understanding that there's European money for them, lost another year with the auction and lost another year after refusing to offer the contract to the company that won the auction," Nicusor Dan showed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:31:02|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Thursday lowered its coronavirus alert by one notch on its four-tier scale as weekly infections have marked a downward trend.

The four-level virus warning system was introduced on July 2, and the metropolitan government raised the alert to the highest level, meaning "infections are spreading," on July 15.

It was at that time when the local government confirmed 165 new COVID-19 cases in the capital.

The second-highest level, where the alert level now stands, means "caution is necessary" against a resurgence of infections.

The decision to lower the alert level was reached by the Tokyo metropolitan government after consultations to assess the exact virus situation in the capital of 14 million with public health and infectious disease experts.

During the consultations, Masataka Inokuchi from the Tokyo Medical Association, explained to those convened that the average number of new cases in the past week had decreased to 149, compared with 183 in the previous week.

Inokuchi warned, however, that the pace of decline remains slow and the situation requires continued vigilance, adding that a fresh resurgence of COVID-19 cases would result in the alert level being raised back to the highest level.

The decision to lower the alert level, however, came as the local government reported 276 new virus cases on Thursday, bringing the capital's cumulative total to 22,444, the highest among Japan's 47 prefectures.

The number is a distinct increase of Monday's tally of 77 daily infections, which marked the lowest number of new infections since July 8 and the first time in two weeks that cases had remained below the 100-mark.

Infections in Tokyo have briefly climbed above both the 300 and 400-mark, with the peak reached on Aug. 1 at 472 new daily infections.

"We need to remain vigilant for a possible resurgence," Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told a press conference on the matter, adding that residents in the capital and people coming to Tokyo must keep their guard up against the virus.

Koike also said there was a need for the city to expand social and economic activities while keeping up efforts to combat the coronavirus.

She indicated that the metropolitan government next Tuesday plans to withdraw its request for establishments serving alcohol, such as restaurants, bars clubs and karaoke parlors, in the capital's 23 central wards, to close by 10 p.m.

In terms of those hospitalized by the virus and designated as "severely ill," the metropolitan government reported on Thursday that the numbers had dropped by one compared to a day earlier to 23 patients.

The metropolitan government has maintained its assessment for 10 weeks that medical facilities in Tokyo have "been under prolonged strain and are in need of support." Enditem
As a researcher, Juveria Zaheer spent a large portion of her time at the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario, transcribing notes by hand that were left by people who died by suicide in Toronto in the years prior.

The suicide notes, which were included in the files of people who died between 2003 and 2009, were a window into better understanding the experiences of those individuals, how much mental illness played a role and whether their deaths were ultimately preventable.

The idea was that if we can read those notes and honour their stories, we can find ways of accessing people who are suffering right now and improving their treatment, said Zaheer, a researcher with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Zaheer examined around 300 notes, focusing on 36 that explicitly mentioned mental illness or mental health. What she found is that many who died by suicide felt like a burden to their families, were too emotionally exhausted to engage in mental health treatment and felt like their problems were unsolvable. Many ultimately fought against those thoughts alone.

It broke my heart that those were people we couldnt help and that their stories were over, she said.

Now, Zaheer is part of a team heading the largest suicide prevention campaign in CAMHs history. The campaign, titled Not Suicide, Not Today, launched on Thursday, and will consist of TV advertisements, social media posts and billboards that will be visible in the following months across the Greater Toronto Area.

The goal of the campaign is to normalize talking about suicide, Zaheer said, both in CAMH as a research institution, but also among families and friends, community members, religious institutions and the workplace so that those who are struggling can access treatment sooner.

If we change the way to have the conversation, it may make it easier for people to ask for help and for us to improve the treatments we do have, Zaheer said.

For Zaheer and others at CAMH, the campaign signals a shift in openly and honestly talking about suicide  a topic that has been traditionally taboo in mainstream media with beliefs that talking about suicide ideation, even in clinical settings, can worsen those thoughts

But through Zaheers studies and other leading literature on suicide, researchers say there is growing evidence that open and responsible conversations about suicide ideation can lead to a higher chance of being able to prevent deaths altogether.

We are afraid to talk about it because were not sure how, she said. This can propagate this myth that suicide isnt preventable, or that suicide is something to be ashamed of.

It is estimated that 11 people die from suicide a day in Canada, and one in 20 Canadians suffer from suicidal ideation. Indigenous communities have been disproportionately hit by these statistics over the years, where the suicide rate is three times higher than those who are non-Indigenous.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also posed a significant threat to peoples mental health, with growing concern that suicide rates will increase as people lose employment and experience a heightened sense of isolation and loneliness.

Zaheer said her research on suicide notes helped her understand the importance of tackling suicide ideation head on, and where better intervention methods could have saved lives. Those methods include connecting those who are suffering with loved ones who can help them feel worthy, or better treatment options that can give them renewed hope even when they feel theyre at their lowest.

Though the campaign has been 18 months in the making, spokespeople at CAMH said they recognize the importance of launching it in September amid the pandemic to encourage timely conversations about suicide prevention and mental wellbeing.

The campaign was also created in consultation with other suicide experts, Aboriginal services at CAMH, clinicians and people who have suffered through suicide ideation and recovered.

One of those individuals is Angie Elliott, a 47-year-old Bolton mother who struggled with thoughts of suicide and a gruelling battle to access treatment for her severe panic attacks and anxiety.

Her life was seemingly ordinary with the usual stresses of life; maintaining a career, raising a family and grappling with her parents growing into old age. But Elliott began experiencing extreme panic attacks at age 44.

A funeral director, Elliott quickly stopped attending work and getting out of bed altogether as the attacks became more frequent  reaching up to 15 to 20 times a day at one point.

I was incredibly healthy and sicker than I had ever been in my life, and nobody could pin it down and tell me what was happening, Elliott said.

A doctor then notified her that she may be suffering from anxiety, and referred her to a mental health clinic. But she was told there was a wait time for about a year before she could access treatment. Elliott then began to feel withdrawn and anxious, and couldnt help but think of the challenges her condition had posed on her family and loved ones.

My husband said he had noticed a darkness that had come across my eyes, Elliott said. After one of my episodes I just sort of shook my head and said, I think youre better off without me. 

Elliott said shes thankful her husband took her suicidal ideation seriously, and he drove her straight to CAMH to get treatment. He said, We cant wait a year, please help her now,  Elliott recalled.

She was then officially diagnosed with Severe Panic Disorder and was told she would be put on treatment that includes medication and intensive counselling with a social worker.

I collapsed to tears with those words, Elliott said. Finally someone knew what was going on, and not only knew, but that it was treatable.

Elliott now hopes her story can be used through CAMHs campaign as a light to those who were severely struggling as she once was. She added she hopes the campaign will give people suffering from suicidal ideation the chance to pause, reflect and reach out to loved ones or professionals who can help them.

Ive been through a war, Elliott said. But Ive come out on the other side and Im ready to help people fight their wars now.

If you are thinking of suicide or know someone who is, there is help. Resources are available online at www.crisisservicescanada.ca or you can connect to the national suicide prevention helpline at 1-833-456-4566, or the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.

Nadine Yousif is a Toronto-based reporter for the Star covering mental health. Her reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Follow her on Twitter: @nadineyousif_
A medical staff waits to take samples for Covid-19 tests in Hanoi, April 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

ASEAN and China discussed their cooperation in the fight against Covid-19 and a number of other issues at a minister-level summit held online on Wednesday.

Speaking at the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting under the aegis of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, ministers of member countries emphasized China's role as the blocs biggest trading partner and one of the largest sources of tourists to the bloc.

China should proactively take part in the blocs initiatives such as the ASEAN Fund to respond to Covid-19, the medical materials stockpile and developing an overall recovery framework, a statement from the Vietnamese Foreign Affairs Ministry quoted them as saying.

They hailed the two-way initiatives launched so far this year, including the China-ASEAN Year of Digital Economy Cooperation, the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on synergizing the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity and the Belt and Road Initiative to guarantee connectivity and supply chains.

The two sides agreed to continue their cooperation in priority areas such as digital economic development, cybersecurity, maritime issues, disaster response, and people-to-people links and soon complete the ASEAN-China Plan of Action for 2021  25.

The ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting is held on September 9, 2020. Photo by AFP.

Representing Vietnam at the meeting was Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Pham Binh Minh.

He co-chaired the 21st ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers Meeting with South Korea, China and Japan as well as the ASEAN - Japan Foreign Ministers Meeting.

He sought Japans support for the establishment of the ASEAN center for public health emergencies and epidemics in 2020. Japan is the blocs fourth largest trading partner and third largest foreign investor.

ASEAN also hailed South Koreas support for the response to Covid-19 such as a commitment to provide $1 million to the ASEAN Fund and donating $5 million worth of medical equipment and supplies to member nations.

Its members wanted South Korea, as one of leading nations in terms of the digital economy and innovation, to give ASEAN a helping hand with digital transformation, adopting new technologies, strengthening connections, and taking advantage of opportunities arising from the fourth industrial revolution.

Covid-19 has affected more than 200 countries and territories, which have reported 28 million cases and nearly 908,000 deaths so far.

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines is the worst affected nation with more than 245,000 cases and almost 4,000 deaths, followed by Indonesia with more than 203,000 cases and more than 8,300 deaths.
CEO Shane Roybal takes Denver-based 54th Place Investments to new heights following a series of recent successes in the bustling Colorado capital's thriving real estate market.

WHEAT RIDGE, CO / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / From partnering with a leading local construction company to securing a record price for a custom new build in one of the area's most sought-after neighborhoods, under founder and CEO Shane Roybal, 54th Place Investments continues to go from strength to strength. Now a little over five years in the making, the organization is today regarded as one of the Midwest's top modern home developers, and Denver's premier new design-build firm.



"Our projects embody a vision of modern luxury. Here in the Denver-Metro area, most developers build traditional homes with contemporary accents. While you can find many beautiful contemporary style homes in the area, our Denver niche favors a European-modern appeal, with bright, neutral palettes, ample natural light and exposed organic materials," explains 54th Place Investments CEO Shane Roybal. "It's a combination of both artistry and real estate development expertise."

Shane Roybal and 54th Place Investments' unique approach to real estate investing, he says, involves a mix of design-build and residential development. Custom home builds and semi-customized spec projects make up the larger majority of their work, in addition to multi-family projects and the occasional renovation or addition when requested. Indeed, Shane Roybal and 54th Place Investments can offer a broad depth of knowledge and expertise, specializing in the Denver Metropolitan Area's thriving residential market. "We design, build, buy, and fund both single-family and multi-family properties," Roybal explains, "yielding incredible returns on each of our carefully considered investments."

Now considered the area's premier new home developer, 54th Place Investments' projects are widely praised for their unique designs and exceptional levels of quality. The most recent semi-custom spec home in Denver-a five-bedroom, seven-bathroom, 4,200-square-foot custom new build property in the neighborhood of Sloan's Lake-sold in late July for $2,000,000 - a record for the area, according to Shane Roybal.



With CEO Shane Roybal at its helm, 54th Place Investments not long ago partnered with leading local builder Superior Image Construction, whose residential and multi-family experience is the perfect complement for the 54th Place portfolio with an unparalleled level of quality-control and design standards. Together, the two are set to take on larger multi-family projects and work with local investors in a combination of design-build construction support.

Involved in real estate and construction since 2005, Shane Roybal established 54th Place Investments in 2014 to focus solely on top quality, high-end projects. CEO Shane Roybal holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder. During his time at the public research university-the flagship of the University of Colorado system-Roybal also simultaneously led as President, a pair of popular engineering societies at the institution.

With a passion for community presence, Shane Roybal has also served as the head of the Midwest region chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, covering Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming, among a wealth of other personal and professional achievements.

CONTACT:

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC

+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Shane Roybal

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605696/Shane-Roybal-and-54th-Place-Investments-now-premier-new-home-developer-in-Denver
After years of negotiations, India and Japan have inked a landmark agreement that will allow their militaries to access each other's bases for logistics support, a key development that comes in the backdrop of growing concerns over China 's military muscle flexing in the region.

The acquisition and cross-servicing pact was signed by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Japanese Ambassador Suzuki Satoshi, a defence ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

The agreement provides for creation of an enabling framework for closer cooperation and interoperability, besides allowing militaries of the two countries to use each other's bases and facilities for repair and replenishment of supplies, the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, who held a telephonic conversation earlier in the day, welcomed the signing of the "Agreement on Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services" between the Indian Armed Forces and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan.

The two leaders concurred that the pact will further enhance the depth of defence cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a release from the external affairs ministry here.

The signing of the agreement comes at a time India is locked in a bitter border row with China, and rising concerns among countries in the region over increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

A statement by Japanese foreign ministry said the agreement will promote closer cooperation between the militaries of the two countries, and enable them to actively contribute to international peace and security.

"It is expected that the agreement will facilitate the smooth and prompt provision of supplies and services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Indian Armed Forces," it said.

The defence ministry said the pact will enhance the interoperability between the armed forces, resulting in further expansion of bilateral defence engagement under the Indo-Japan special strategic and global partnership.

"The agreement establishes the enabling framework for closer cooperation between the armed forces of India and Japan in reciprocal provision of supplies and services," it said.

In June, India and Australia sealed a similar Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) while resolving to scale up their overall defence cooperation.

India has already signed similar agreements with the US, France and Singapore.

India has been signing MLSAs with countries primarily eyeing deeper maritime cooperation which is important considering China's rapid military expansionism in the Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean and South China Sea.

The pacts signed with the US and France provide for accessing various crucial bases by Indian military in Djibouti, Guam and the Reunion Islands among others.

India is also expanding overall strategic cooperation with Japan in the Indo-Pacific region under the framework of four nation coalition 'Quad'.

In November 2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.

The US has been pushing for a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific which is seen by many countries as an effort to contain China's growing clout in the region.

In June, the Indian Navy carried out a maritime exercise with the Japanese navy as part of efforts to bolster military cooperation.

The Indian Navy has significantly expanded its deployment in the Indian Ocean Region, deploying a plethora of warships and submarines following the border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

The maritime space around the Malacca Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, is very critical for China's supply chain through sea routes.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Made By Us, First Book and AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate announced they are now accepting submissions for the Wishes For Books giveaway. Eligible Title I teachers are encouraged to share their classroom's wish for the future of the country on Made By Us' digital platform My Wish For U.S. by visiting bit.ly/wishesforbooks . The giveaway will remain open to teachers through September 21st for a chance to win a library of books based on the topic of their wish.

Later this fall, 1,000 randomly selected participating teachers will receive First Book gift credits to order books for their classrooms from genres including Activism and Civic Engagement, Making a Difference, Biographies, and more. Any teacher at a Title I school can enter, whether schools are fully in session, remote, or a hybrid of both. It is estimated that a total of 20,000 books will be gifted. Students will have access to these new books in their classrooms, via remote learning read-alouds and in some cases, getting them delivered to their homes or picking them up at grab-and-go feeding centers.



"Learning and engaging with history at an early age can have a profound impact on young people," said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the New-York Historical Society, a founding member of Made By Us. "Through this partnership with First Book and AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate, we have an exciting opportunity to inspire young people and provide them with resources that will help them shape the future."

"Now more than ever, we need to provide all students with the resources and encouragement they need to join the national dialogue," said Kyle Zimmer, President, CEO and Co-founder of First Book. "Thanks to our partnership with AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate and My Wish For U.S., thousands of kids in need will have the tools they need to share their dreams for the future with the rest of our nation."

AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate, a Mars Wrigley brand, has long been committed to inspiring the love of learning and providing equal access to education. "The Mars family has a passion for education and actively supports institutions who advance the learning process," said Gail Broadright, Director Sponsorships and Mars Family Properties. "Funding this initiative is a major step in the family's long-standing legacy and their on-going support of First Book's work in communities in need across the country."



"One of AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate's key brand pillars is Education, and that includes providing students with the essential resources and opportunities they need to learn," said Kelly Lynch, Senior Brand Manager, AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate. "We are excited to partner with My Wish For U.S. and First Book to meet students where they are and make history and civics relatable and relevant."

My Wish For U.S. is the first initiative launched by Made By Us, a coalition of over 75 civic and history organizations across the country with a mission to present history to the next generation in relevant, provocative and surprising ways. Committed to putting the needs of young Americans first, My Wish For U.S.' collaboration with First Book is an effort to bring student voices to the decision-making table and help build the next generation of civic leaders.

About Made By Us

America's national motto, e pluribus unumout of many, one is also the ethos of this group. Driven forward by a coalition of more than 75 history and civics organizations nationwide, and led by nine of America's leading history museums, Made by Us harnesses the power of the many to better connect younger generations with history for informed civic participation. The history institutions involved recognized the opportunity presented in this transformative moment and have come together in an unprecedented way, pooling resources and bringing the best each has to offer, so that they might harness the spirit of collaboration and tap into their varied strengths. Made By Us is modeling a new path forward for the ways in which history serves the people. For more information, visit https://historymadebyus.com/ .

About First Book

Founded in Washington, D.C., in 1992 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is a leader in the educational equity field. Over its nearly 30 year history, First Book has distributed more than 200 million books and educational resources, with a value of more than $2 billion. First Book believes education offers children in need the best path out of poverty. First Book breaks down barriers to quality education by providing its network of more than 475,000 registered teachers, librarians, after school program leaders, and others serving children in need with millions of free and affordable new, high-quality books, educational resources, and basic needs items through the award-winning First Book Marketplace nonprofit eCommerce site. The First Book Network comprises the largest and fastest-growing community of formal and informal educators serving children in need.

First Book also expands the breadth and depth of the education field through a family of social enterprises, including First Book Research & Insights, its proprietary research initiative, and the First Book Accelerator, which brings best-in-class research to the classroom via relevant, usable educator resources. First Book Impact Funds target support to areas of particular need, such as rural communities or increasing diversity in children's books.

For more information, please visit firstbook.org or follow the latest news on Facebook and Twitter .

About AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate:

The AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate brand was developed in 2006 by Mars Chocolate North America (now Mars Wrigley) to help educate consumers about the history of our multicultural nation through the engaging story of one of our most beloved foodschocolate! With a flavor profile drawn directly from the archives of chocolate's historic past, AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate provides an artisanal, versatile way to eat, bake or drink a sweet taste of history. Rainforest Alliance Certified and made with no preservatives, AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate currently comes in four NEW unique formats: Tasting Squares, Tablet Bars, Grated Chocolate for baking/drinking and Gourmet Hot Cocoa. AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate is sold in over 200 fine gift shops at historic sites, museums and historic inns across the USA and Canada. The brand can also be found on Amazon.com, at M&M's World in New York City and Las Vegas, and at the Ethel M chocolate store in Henderson, Nevada.

Learn more about AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate at www.Facebook.com/AmericanHeritageChocolate , on Instagram at @AmericanHeritageChocolate, Twitter @ Choc_history , Tumblr @americanheritagechocolate.tumblr.com, and on Pinterest @Chochistory.

About Mars, Incorporated

Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world's best-loved brands: M&M's, SNICKERS, TWIX, MILKY WAY, DOVE, PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN, WHISKAS, EXTRA, ORBIT, 5, SKITTLES, UNCLE BEN'S, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl, VCA and Pet Partners. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles  Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom  inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com . Join us on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and YouTube .

Contact: Angelina Franco Valerie Donati

Mars Wrigley Brand Building Communications

[email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Mars Wrigley
Mumbai, Sep 10 : Popular TV actor Karan Mehra will be seen in a short film on issues related to menstruation.

The film titled "Mahina" features actress Anjali Pandey and Karan, an urban couple who decide to travel to a village. Their trip turns into a nightmare when they witness an absurd and monstrous act towards a woman during her periods.

Anjali has also directed and produced the film. "Lockdown gave me a lot of time to think about important topics which need change. Menstruation is definitely one of them. Conversations around menstruation have finally entered mainstream cinema and punched holes in the culture of silence around the subject. Slowly and gradually things are changing. 'Mahina' is my contribution to this change. Let's fight the stigma around menstruation together," she said.

Karan said he is proud of Anjali for putting together a "film on a topic that needs our attention. Not many people talk about it. 'Mahina' is a realistic film which shows the ground reality of how women are treated during menstruation".
CAIRO (Reuters) - Palestinian leaders won renewed Saudi support for Palestinian statehood at a Wednesday meeting, but did not persuade the Arab League to condemn last months normalisation deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. At a video conference of foreign ministers, the Palestinian leadership softened its own censure of the UAE for the U.S.-brokered Aug.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Palestinian leaders won renewed Saudi support for Palestinian statehood at a Wednesday meeting, but did not persuade the Arab League to condemn last months normalisation deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

At a video conference of foreign ministers, the Palestinian leadership softened its own censure of the UAE for the U.S.-brokered Aug. 13 accord, which is to be formalised at a signing ceremony at the White House next week, but to no avail.

"Discussions regarding this point were serious. It was comprehensive and took some time. But it did not lead in the end to agreement about the draft communique that was proposed by the Palestinian side," Arab League Assistant Secretary General Hossam Zaki told reporters.

The UAE-Israel accord was the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than 20 years, and was forged partly through shared fears of Iran.

Palestinians were dismayed by the UAEs move, fearing it would weaken a long-standing pan-Arab position - known as the Arab peace initiative - that calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory and acceptance of Palestinian statehood in return for normal relations with Arab countries.

"We have asked to have a clear condemnation of any breaking out of the Arab peace initiative and we didnt get it," said Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in comments published by the Palestinian WAFA news agency.

"But we also succeeded in preventing the issuing of any statement that supports or allows the Emirates to go to Tuesdays signing with Arab backing for normalising ties with Israel."

SAUDI SUPPORT

A Saudi statement on remarks made by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud included no direct mention of the normalisation deal.

But the prince said Riyadh supported the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the borders in place before the 1967 Middle East war, with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to the statement.

The United States, Israel and the UAE have urged Palestinian leaders to re-engage with Israel. On a trip to the Emirates, U.S. President Donald Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner said Palestinians should not be "stuck in the past."

In televised comments at the meeting, Maliki referred to the accord as a "surprise," and an "earthquake" for Arab consensus, and voiced dismay at the failure to call an emergency Arab summit after the deal was announced.

But he avoided stronger words such as "betrayal" that Palestinian leaders had used in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.

"The language of denunciation and condemnation prevented agreement," said UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash, in an interview with Al Arabiya TV late on Wednesday, referring to the Palestinians.

(Reporting by Ali Sawafta, Ahmed Tolba, Nidal Al Mughrabi, Maher Chmaytelli, Ulf Laessing, Stephen Farell, and Alaa Swilam, Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Matthew Lewis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The decisions you make will count as Council Leader & Chief Executive warn we dont want Caerphilly style local lockdown here

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 10th, 2020

There has been a strong appeal this afternoon from leadership at Wrexham Council for Wrexham not to follow Caerphilly into a local lockdown.

The move follows a similar warning from Public Health Wales that highlights lack of social distancing as a cause of suspected community transmission further south.

Councillor Mark Pritchard, Leader of Wrexham Council, said: If we dont all do our bit, we could go backwards very quickly and find ourselves dealing with a second wave. If it got bad enough, we could lose some of our freedoms again and the local lockdown in Caerphilly illustrates this.

But more importantly, more people could lose their lives.

So dont make this the autumn of regret. Stick to social distancing, and help keep Wrexham safe.

The decisions you make will count.

The council says there is a concern that some people dont feel too worried about Covid-19 anymore, and theyve forgotten how serious the pandemic is. Wrexham Councils Chief Executive, Ian Bancroft, says: Its possible that some people are getting bored or frustrated with all the rules, and they feel like theyre healthy enough to cope if they catch it.

But nobody is invincible, and they could pass on the disease to other peopleincluding friends, parents and grandparents. So please dont take unnecessary risks. Help keep the people you love safe. Help keep everyone safe.

In a statement earlier today Public Health Wales have pointed to lack of social distancing by people of all age groups for issues starting to surface in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf: We are concerned at the significant rise in positive coronavirus cases in the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf areas over the past few days, and our investigations indicate that a lack of social distancing by people of all age groups in a range of different locations has resulted in the spread of the virus to other parts of the population.

It appears that as lockdown restrictions have eased, people have taken advantage of the greater possibilities for activities, but they seem to have forgotten the importance of social distancing  resulting in possible transmission in the wider community.

It is clear that the virus spreads more easily in indoor settings, and people should take extra care to socially distance in these cases to keep themselves and their friends and families as safe as possible.

As a result temporary testing centres are being setup in those locations, similar to what was setup in Wrexham and has been seen more recently in Caerphilly. In both Wrexham and Caerphilly more testing took place, and thankfully locally that did not find more cases. Caerphillys results contributed to the decision to introduce a so called local lockdown of extra measures.

Cllr Pritchard added: Keep your chances of catching or transmitting the virus as low as possible. Keep apart whenever you can.

That friendly arm around the shoulder or pat on the back with friends or colleagues? Dont do it. It might seem harmless, but it could help spread the diseaseand someone, somewhere, could pay the price.

Earlier this week in the lunchtime Welsh Government briefing Health Minister Vaughan Gething shared an example of how easily the virus can spread. Its a reminder of how vigilant we all need to be

I want to share this example with you from the last few weeks. A group of friends returned from a short holiday in Ibiza last month  three of them came home with coronavirus.

When they came home, one of the group passed the virus on to their partner and his father. Another person in the group had a party the day after coming home and four people caught coronavirus.

One of these then passed the virus on to their brother who then passed it to a friend by sharing a car. Another party guest passed it on to their sister, who in turn infected a friend on a night out.

Within just a few days of the friends return home, 13 people had coronavirus.
femdot. was named "Chicago's New Rap Sensation," according to Nylon Magazine When Play Together came to me with the idea to collaborate with a talented artist to drive support for Delacreme Scholars, I saw it as a great opportunity to invest in the next generation of Chicago artists of color.

Chicago-based artist advocacy nonprofit, Play Together, has onboarded two respected local artists: femdot., a first-generation US-born Chicago rapper and social activist, along with the sought-after fine artist, muralist, and TedX speaker, Liz Flores, for its next audio-visual collaboration to benefit the nonprofit Delacreme Scholars. Delacreme Scholars was founded by femdot. and will direct funds provided by the Play Together collaboration to offer art scholarships to Black and Brown youth artists of Chicago.

femdot. has committed to releasing two singles as a part of the Play Together collaboration. "Back Home" and "Lifetime", featuring fellow Chicago rapper Saba, explores elements of who femdot. is and hopes to set up a larger story down the line. Its rooted in experiences that he feels embodies his current mindset and will be released November 5th. Flores will draw inspiration from the music to create a painting and a mural dedicated to the project located in Chicagos Uptown neighborhood.

Collaboration artwork will be released as limited-edition premium denim jackets as well as signed art prints, available for purchase. The original Flores painting will be available for purchase through the collaboration. After covering the costs of the project, including fair compensation to the artists for their time and artwork, all remaining proceeds from the collaboration merchandise will be directed to Delacreme Scholars. Play Together has furthermore pledged a minimum $5,000 distribution to Delacreme.

As a thank you for significant donations provided, key donors will be given exclusive access to a virtual roundtable discussion on equity and arts education with Chicago nonprofit leaders and Collaboration artists. Key Donors will also have their name included in the mural to commemorate their support for the project.

The mission of Delacreme Scholars is to provide micro-scholarships to Black and Brown students of Chicago and abroad who require mid-semester funds to remain in their college education. Proceeds of Play Together Collaboration #2 will be directed to art students of color (writing, music, visual arts, performing arts, and design) through Delacreme scholarships.

As a Black man in America, who has seen what wealth looks like and what poverty looks like, I understand that gap and how we are left without resources, femdot. said.

College was a struggle for me to afford; becoming an artist was even more challenging. Ive lost so many friends to violence or jail. With friends who sell drugs, friends who go to school, and friends who are forced to sell drugs to afford to go to school, I am motivated to drive another path to well-being and education through Delacreme Scholars.

When Play Together came to me with the idea to collaborate with a talented artist to drive support for Delacreme Scholars, I saw it as a great opportunity to invest in the next generation of Chicago artists of color.

Flores was selected by femdot. and his team from a list of potential artists, as they felt her colorful, minimalist and humanistic artwork would be the perfect stylistic match to accompany and bring the music to life. Flores showcases the shared complexities of being human, the female form and the importance of connection and community. This unique perspective is what attracted large brands such as Jack Daniels and Lululemon to commission her to create original murals for their commercial spaces, as well as is what fuels a loyal following of her work, who support her vision with purchases of canvas and prints on her site: lizfloresart.com.

I really resonate with Play Togethers mission to help the next generation of Chicago creatives, Flores said. I always want my art to have meaning and life behind it  to have a purpose.

Being able to partner with Play Together on a project like this gives me that opportunity to give back. Im also really fascinated with the opportunity to bridge two creative industries in Chicago by collaborating with femdot. and bringing our communities together.

One of the things that I love about femdot.s music is his ability to storytell and articulate unique human experiences. This is something Im excited to bring into my work as an artist, visualizing his music and bringing his work to life in a whole new medium.

The concept of Play Together is to unite artists and donors mutually concerned with social impact. The nonprofit provides the artists a one-stop shop to give back to their communities by raising proceeds for a Chicago youth arts program of their choice. "Chicago is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, yet also is one of the most segregated," said Play Together founder Jessica Tenuta. "Throughout history, artists have been at the forefront of challenging systems of power -- we're proud to be their platform to invest in the next generation of Chicago creators."

The collaboration with femdot. and Liz Flores builds on the positive momentum of its initial collaboration. In 2019, Play Together paired Chicago-based soul-inspired Indie rock act, Violet Crime, with Chicago fine artist, Julius Bautista. Together, they raised funds for Intonation Music, which funds instructional hours and instruments for Bronzeville students in after-school music programming. The collaboration was featured in the Chicago Sun Times and Substream Magazine which led to a sold-out collaboration release show at the Bottom Lounge, featuring Intonation Music students playing alongside Violet Crime.

To learn more about this collaboration, the timing of femdot.s Play Together releases and how to secure your pre-order of the limited-edition merchandise, please visit http://playtogether.co/femdot-flores-delacreme.

About Play Together

Play Together is a 501(c)(3) artist advocacy nonprofit organization that provides leading Chicago artists a platform to invest in our city's youth arts programs through the release of audio/visual collaborations. Each Play Together collaboration strategically pairs a musician with a visual artist to benefit a chosen nonprofit cause in Chicago. Play Together is backed by the music and tech community of the Chicagoland area.

Play Together is backed by Howard Tullman (co-founder Tribeca Flashpoint Academy and former CEO of 1871); Gregg Latterman (angel investor and founder of Aware Records, which discovered and signed John Mayer); Eric Montanez, co-founder of Nicework and manager of Chance The Rapper) and Dan Dal Degan (former CEO of SpringCM, which was acquired by DocuSign for $220M). Dan has also volunteered to be a board member for Play Together.
London: Coronavirus has halted Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition hearing in London.

The wife of one of the barristers for the US may have had exposure to the virus. Tests are being taken and the outcome will be known on Friday.

A demonstrator holds placards in support of Julian Assange near the Old Bailey in London this week. Credit:AP

Assange's barrister Edward Fitzgerald, QC, asked district judge Vanessa Baraitser at the Old Bailey on Thursday morning, London time, to suspend the hearing until the result was known.

"We shouldn't really be here today. COVID would be in the courtroom and it's not possible to tell how far its extent is," Fitzgerald said.
Next CDS of India: Rajnath Singh to receive list of probables soon

India tells France, have the political will, ability to counter misadventure by China

Want to manufacture BrahMos so that no country has audacity to cast evil eye on us: Rajnath Singh

IAF chopper crash: Rajnath Singh likely to be apprised of probe team's findings in next couple of days

To further boost defence bi-lateral cooperation, Rajnath holds conversation with Parly

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 10: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a brief conversation with his French counterpart Florence Parly here on Thursday on ways to further boost bilateral defence cooperation.

The talks took place at Palam Air Force station soon after Parly arrived on a day-long visit to participate in a ceremony in Ambala to mark formal induction of the first batch of Rafale aircraft into the Indian Air Force.

The French defence minister was also given a ceremonial guard of honour at the airport.

Later, both Singh and Parly left for Ambala.

Rafale aircraft gets water cannon salute at induction ceremony in Ambala

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

Singh and Parly are scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks in Ambala after the Rafale induction ceremony.

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Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 11:51 [IST]
T wo Tory grandees today called on Justice Secretary Robert Buckland to fall on his sword and resign over Boris Johnsons threat to break international law.

Senior MP Sir Roger Gale told LBC: I would expect the Justice Secretary, under these terms, to fall on his sword.

He went on: One of the Governments senior legal advisers (lawyer Jonathan Jones) has already done.

It comes amid a searing row over the Internal Markets Bill, which would override parts of the UKs Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union. Sir Roger called the Bill unacceptable internationally.

Robert Buckland (Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images) / Getty Images

Former solicitor general Lord Garnier said the Governments law officers, including Mr Buckland, should ask themselves some very deep questions over their position after ministers admitted the Internal Markets Bill will breach international law.

This breaches the rule of law, the job of the law officers amongst many other things is to maintain the rule of law in

government  to make sure that ministers behave by it, he told the BBCs Today programme.

And if they insist in not doing so then ones advice would conflict with the clients instructions and you would have to go...I think the law officers need to ask themselves some very deep questions.

Britains closest ally in the European Union today heaped more pressure on Mr Johnson to back away from breaching international law by reneging on the deal he struck with the EU.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte appealed in his countrys Parliament: I call on the British to continue to act in the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement, which is legally binding, and to do nothing to contradict it.

The clear disapproval from one of the UKs staunchest friends in past disputes within the EU came before a showdown meeting between Cabinet minister Michael Gove and European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic.

The pair were holding one-on-one talks in private before leading formal discussions between working groups in an effort to overcome the row over Britains new Bill.

This would over-ride parts of the Withdrawal Agreement (WA), which has the status of a treaty in international law, dealing with trade between Northern Ireland and the mainland.

Michel Barnier leaves his hotel in Westminster on Thursday / PA

Cabinet sources were insisting ahead of the talks that the UK was taking limited and reasonable steps to create a safety net that removes ambiguity in the WA.

But threats of Tory rebellions in both the Lords and Commons were stepped up. Paul Goodman, the former Tory MP who edits ConservativeHome, wrote that he sensed there would be trouble in both Houses.

Mr Johnson, he said, was vulnerable to a pincer movement from his Left and Right at once; the Left saying that the Withdrawal Agreement must be honoured; the Right arguing that it must be abandoned.

The Irish premier said that trust had been eroded in recent days.

Michael Martin said he had expressed outright opposition to Mr Johnsons tactics in a phone call. I made it very clear to him in no uncertain terms our outright opposition to the decision that he and his government took yesterday, and the unilateral nature of the British Governments decision to break an international treaty.

The PM is facing growing unrest among his own MPs over the issue / AFP via Getty Images

Later this afternoon, the final day of this weeks eighth round of post-Brexit talks on a possible deal covering trade and future relations will get under way between UK negotiator Lord Frost and his counterpart Michel Barnier.

But the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, warned there was absolutely no chance of Congress passing a US-UK trade deal if the Northern Ireland peace process was imperilled.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was very concerned by the new Bill and the Commissions chief spokesman, Eric Mamer, tweeted last night: The EU seeks clarifications from the UK on the full and timely implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer warned Mr Johnson: If you fail to get a deal, Prime Minister, you own that failure.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 17:53:09|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China maintained the top spot as the leading export market for Namibian products, representing 40.1 percent of the total exports, the latest Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) data for July showed.

NSA Statistician-General Alex Shimuafeni in an announcement Thursday said that South Africa claimed the second spot with 18.3 percent of the total exports, while Belgium (six percent), Spain (5.9 percent), and Zambia (5.2 percent ) made it to the top five export destinations.

According to the statistics, Namibia's exports in July were down to 5.9 billion Namibia dollars (352 million U.S. dollars) which were 23 percent lower than 7.6 billion Namibia dollars in July 2019.

Shimuafeni said that exports were dominated by non-ferrous metal, ores, metal scraps, non-monetary gold, and inorganic chemicals, among others.

Meanwhile, during the period under review, Namibia's imports were mainly supplied by South Africa (37.4 percent), Zambia (14.8 percent), DRC (7.4 percent), Chile (6.2 percent), and Bulgaria (5.2 percent). Enditem
Shes about as far right as you can go of any candidate in the country, he said. But compounding that, I think she disqualified herself from any public office with that ad she ran two years ago, which to me reflects really poor judgment, particularly the fact that she never disavowed it after Republicans and Democrats condemned it.
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Linkedin Paul Ricard and Issam Ahmed (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France/Washington, United States  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:28 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43efd51 2 World coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-vaccine,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

The halting of clinical trials for one of the most advanced experimental COVID-19 vaccines shows the importance of safety in developing new medicines despite overwhelming international pressure, experts said Wednesday.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford said Tuesday they were "pausing" trials of the vaccine after a volunteer developed an unexplained illness.

AstraZeneca said in a follow-up statement that a participant in Britain had been taken ill during large-scale Phase 3 testing.

It called the move to pause the trial "a routine action", but the setback briefly spooked markets as the world races for a vaccine that could signal the beginning of the end of the pandemic.

"It's a totally reasonable measure of caution," immunologist Alain Fischer told AFP.

"This should be seen as the proper functioning of a vaccine evaluation system."

The vaccine in question is one of nine that are undergoing the final phase of clinical testing, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Phase 3 trials see experimental vaccines tested among tens of thousands of volunteers to check if they are effective and safe on a large scale.

Fischer said an inquiry would determine if the volunteer in question got sick because of the vaccine or from something else.

Pressure

David Lo, a professor of biomedical sciences at University of California, Riverside, told AFP that there had been reports of mild side effects among volunteers during previous trial phases.

"During the earlier stages of the clinical trial into this vaccine, patients reported side-effects classed as mild and moderate, but none that were severe," he said.

Lo said that it was common for trials to be paused when one volunteer experienced adverse effects to allow time to see if any other participants also fall ill.

"Probably right now it's just being cautious -- it's a pause, it's not the same thing as saying, 'We can't move forward,'" said Lo.

While the developers appear to be exercising caution, the pause comes at a time when scientists are under enormous pressure to push through a COVID-19 vaccine.

Competition is fierce and the stakes could hardly be higher.

Russia has already approved a vaccine -- albeit with some question marks from international observers -- and the European Union on Wednesday reserved another 200 million doses of a potential vaccine from AstraZeneca rivals, BioNTech-Pfizer.

Several candidates

"While we share with everyone the need to move fast, we can't risk the safety of the [trial] participants," Bruno Hoen, director of medical research at Paris' Institut Pasteur, told AFP.

The WHO says there are currently 35 candidate vaccines for COVID-19 in human trials and another 145 in the pre-clinical stage.

"The more candidates we have that use different techniques, the greater the chance of having a vaccine that works and which is well-tolerated," said Daniel Floret, vice-president of France's technical committee for vaccines.

Ohid Yaqub, senior lecturer at the University of Sussex's Science Policy Research Unit, said AstraZeneca's pause may in fact end up benefiting the search for COVID-19 immunization.

"Suspending the trial gives time to investigate whether the incident is related to the vaccine or is happening by coincidence," he said.

"In some senses, it is good that such a routine event is being publicized because it helps to build trust as it provides an opportunity for people to see the procedures at work."

Amid the frantic race, the European Medicines Agency sounded a note of caution.

It said that we may see no widely available vaccine for COVID-19 until "at least" the beginning of 2021.

In order to officially endorse it, the EMA said it "will need to have strong evidence from clinical trials on the safety, efficacy and the quality of this vaccine."
New Delhi: The standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has spurred Indias efforts to forge greater cooperation on security issues, connectivity and trade with other countries that are equally concerned about Chinas aggressive actions across the region.

While a lot of attention has been focused on the response of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad  which brings together India, Australia, Japan and the US  to Chinas actions, India has been quietly working with other key players such as Japan and Indonesia to build on cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.

On Thursday, India and Japan announced they had signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), a pact for reciprocal provision of supplies and services between their defence forces with an eye on security across the Indo-Pacific.

Also read: Strategic Paris-Delhi-Canberra axis gets off to a flying start amid China tension

The development is significant as India is only the sixth partner with which Japan has signed such an agreement, after Australia, Canada, France, the UK and the US, and in light of the Japanese Constitutions commitment to pacifism.

Sameer Patil, fellow for international security studies at Gateway House, said it was significant that India now has concluded logistics support agreements with all the members of the Quad. India and Australia signed the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) in June during a virtual summit.

This increases the scope for interoperability between the navies of all the members of the Quad, and basic standard operating procedures are in place, especially for them to operate in a region such as the Indian Ocean, Patil said.

On the same day that the agreement with Japan was signed, India, Australia and France held their inaugural senior officials trilateral dialogue, with the focus again on convergences in the Indo-Pacific and enhanced cooperation in maritime issues. France thus became the first European power to formally partner with India on a mechanism focused on the Indo-Pacific.

Not many are aware that France has good reasons for this focus on the Indo-Pacific  the presence of 1.5 million French citizens on island territories, and its exclusive economic zone of more than 11 million sq km, the second largest in the world, with 93% or 9 million sq km m in the Indo-Pacific.

France has also been at the forefront of countries that have backed India in its current border standoff with China. French defence minister Florence Parly, who was in India on Thursday for the induction of the first batch of Rafale combat jets into the Indian Air Force, said in an interview that no country can use the fait accompli policy even as she pushed for disengagement and de-escalation along the LAC.

Also read: Can count on us, France tells India as Rafale fighters take to the skies

Parly also noted that the induction of the Rafale jets meant India will have an edge over the entire region to defend itself and protect its people.

In the pipeline are the maiden virtual meetings of the foreign and defence ministers of India, Australia and Indonesia. The meeting of the foreign ministers could happen within this month, and once again the focus will be working towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

As in the case of the trilateral dialogue between India, Australia and France, these upcoming meetings too will work toward increased cooperation through regional organisations such as the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) and the 22-member Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

Patil noted that external affairs minister S Jaishankar has pointed out that Indias foreign policy options will revolve round working with other countries that have similar interests.

After the 9/11 attacks on the US, president George W Bush had talked about establishing a coalition of the willing instead of relying on other formal mechanisms and coalitions. We are in an era when such interest-based partnerships are a reality, he said.

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Coronavirus outbreak: Madhya Pradesh CM talks to Uddhav Thackeray about oxygen supply to State

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Bhopal, Sep 10: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday spoke to his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray about the supply of oxygen, which he said has been halted from the western state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to reporters, Chouhan said shortage of oxygen cylinders was a cause for concern and Thackeray has assured him of maintaining the supply to the state.

"The shortage of oxygen was worrying me a lot. I spoke to Uddhav Thackeray and requested him not to stop the supply at this difficult time," the chief minister said. Chouhan said his Maharashtra counterpart had said that he too was facing difficulties due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in his state, but has assured of working towards maintaining the supply.

Ahead of Dussehra festivals, Delhi CM Kejriwal urges people to take precautions against COVID-19

"We have also made alternate arrangements. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh had oxygen production installed capacity of 50 tonnes, which has now been increased to 120 tonnes. We will take it to 150 tonnes by September 30," Chouhan added.

A company called INOX used to supply oxygen from its Nagpur-based plant in Maharashtra, Chouhan said, adding that the firm would now continue the supply from its plants in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The state government has also asked small oxygen plants in Madhya Pradesh to increase their production from the present 50 to 60 per cent, the chief minister said.

Explained: Researchers show how chest X-rays help in diagnosis of COVID-19

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Short-term arrangements have been made to ensure that COVID-19 patients are not affected, he said. "As part of our long-term planning, we have given a green light to INOX to set up an oxygen plant with an installed capacity of 200 tonnes in Mohasa near Babai in Hoshangabad in the next six months," he said.

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Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 14:49 [IST]
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Tributes have poured in for the 'flinty, fearless, fabulous force of nature' James Bond actress and Game of Thrones star Dame Diana Rigg, who died today aged 82 following a short battle with cancer.

The British actress made her name in the cult 1961 TV series The Avengers, before going on to star as the cutthroat matriarch Lady Olenna Tyrell in HBO's Game of Thrones, a show she later admitted she had never watched.

Confirming her death, her agent said that Rigg had died 'peacefully' on Thursday morning, adding that she had been 'at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time'.

Starting out as a classically trained actress in the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dame Diana's engrossing stage performances were said to come from her 'funny and feisty' personality.

Jonathan Kent, who directed Rigg in a production of Medea said that her 'combination of force of personality, beauty, courage and sheer emotional power, made her a great classical actress - one of an astonishing generation of British stage performers'.

More recently, Rigg appeared as Queen Victoria's Mistress of the Robes - The Duchess of Buccleuch - in ITV's Victoria alongside Jenna Coleman, and as the eccentric Mrs Pumphrey in the adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small - which aired last night on Channel 5.

The star, who won Bafta, Emmy and Tony awards, also earned worldwide acclaim for her turn as a Bond girl Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969, where she became only the second Bond girl to marry 007.

In a heartfelt Instagram tribute, her co star George Lazenby wrote: 'I'm so sad to hear of the death of Diana Rigg. She undoubtedly raised my acting game.

The generous tribute comes despite long-held rumours that the pair feuded on set, including over a fake report that Rigg deliberately ate garlic before filming their love scenes in order to throw him off.

While Lazenby slapped down the claim a decade after filming, it is believed he might have actually fuelled the rumours in the first place, with Rigg condemning stories he had spread about her in the Daily Sketch in 1970.

'Im tired of reading those paranoid statements to the press wherein you were solely surrounded by hostile people,' she wrote. 'I agree that by the end of the film most of the crew were hostile, but only because of your extreme behaviour.

'No, George, I did not eat garlic on purpose. No, George, I was not, as you said, guzzling champagne in some warm bar when we had the row.'

Last year, Rigg, who was made a dame in 1994 for services to drama, revealed that she 'suffered a Me Too moment' early in her career at the hands of a 'powerful' film director.

Speaking on Newsnight last year, the actress said she welcomed the rise of the #MeToo movement following her own experience as a young actress and revealed she felt like a 'lone voice' after she discovered she was being paid less than her male co-stars.

Dame Diana, who had a long career both in film and on stage, died peacefully at home with her family, her agent confirmed.

Her daughter, Tipping the Velvet actress Rachael Stirling, said she died of cancer that was diagnosed in March.

Diana Rigg as the cutthroat matriarch Oleanna Tyrell in HBO's worldwide hit series, Game of Thrones, a show she admitted in 2019 that she had never watched

Rigg became the second Bond girl to marry 007 when she starred in James Bond 's On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969

Rigg starring alongside co-star Patrick Mcnee in the original TV hit series, The Avengers in 1966

Rigg at the 72nd Annual Tony Awards in New York in June 2018 (left) and receiving the Icon Award at the Cannes International Series Festival in 2019

Her daughter, Tipping the Velvet actress Rachael Stirling (pictured together in 2014), said she died of cancer that had been diagnosed in March this year

Dame Diana Rigg as Mrs Pumphrey, with Tricki Woo in the recent adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small, from James Herriot's collection of stories about life as a Yorkshire vet

The Yorkshire lass who went on to become a star of the silver screen and James Bond's first wife Dame Diana shot to fame as Emma Peel in Sixties TV series The Avengers and then as a Bond girl. But she also notched up many Shakespearean roles and enjoyed a long career, appearing recently as powerful matriarch Olenna Tyrell in Game Of Thrones. Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg was born in Doncaster on July 20, 1938. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1959. The actress quickly made her mark there with important roles in productions of The Taming Of The Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth and King Lear. After that, she was hugely successful in her role as Emma Peel, the secret service agent in The Avengers, co-starring Patrick Macnee. But Dame Diana was unhappy about the intrusion into privacy that came with being on TV, and she was also critical of the way she was treated by TV bosses. She also discovered that she was being paid less than a cameraman. 'It was very, very intrusive in those days, because I was instantly recognisable,' the actress later told Variety. 'I was grateful to be a success, but there was a price to pay.' In 1969, she played Bond girl Tracy in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, opposite Bond actor George Lazenby, with whom she had a difficult relationship. It was in the 1970s that she joined the National Theatre, where she played major roles in Tom Stoppard's Jumpers, The Misanthrope, Pygmalion, Antony And Cleopatra and Stephen Sondheim's Follies. In a nude scene she played in Abelard And Heloise, she was described by one critic as being 'built like a brick mausoleum with insufficient flying buttresses'. As a result, she produced a book of the worst-ever theatrical reviews, entitled No Turn Unstoned. It was a best-seller. Advertisement

Her former co stars have flooded social media with tributes to the 'Flinty, fearless, fabulous force of nature', who had a 'dazzling wit and inimitable voice.'

'The death of Contessa Teresa di Vincenzo Draco created a memorable cinema moment over 50 years ago. As my new bride, Tracy Bond, I wept for her loss. Now, upon hearing of Dame Diana's death, I weep again.'

Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg was born in Doncaster on July 20, 1938.

She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1959.

She has been remembered as an actress who 'swept all before her'.

Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli remembered Dame Diana for playing the only woman to have married 007.

They said: 'We are very sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, the legendary stage and screen actress who was much beloved by Bond fans for her memorable performance as Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the only woman to have married James Bond.

'Our love and thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.'

Game Of Thrones also paid tribute to on the show's official Twitter account after her death.

It said: 'Be a dragon. The realm will always remember Diana Rigg.'

The actress's agent Simon Beresford said: 'It is with tremendous sadness that we announce that Dame Diana Rigg died peacefully early this morning.

'She was at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time. Dame Diana was an icon of theatre, film, and television.

'She was the recipient of Bafta, Emmy, Tony and Evening Standard Awards for her work on stage and screen.

'Dame Diana was a much loved and admired member of her profession, a force of nature who loved her work and her fellow actors. She will be greatly missed.'

Dame Diana was married to the Israeli painter Menachem Gueffen from 1973 to 1976, and was later married to Archibald Stirling, a theatrical producer and former officer in the Scots Guards.

She had a daughter by Stirling, the actress Rachael Stirling who shot to fame in Tipping the Velvet.

Rigg and Mr Stirling divorced in 1990 after his affair with actress Joely Richardson.

She also played the Duchess of Buccleuch in ITV royal drama Victoria, the young queen's mistress of the robes, who is 'renowned for speaking her mind'.

In 2015, Dame Diana told Radio Times: 'A black Bond would be lovely. I wouldn't like to see a female Bond, because we wouldn't want to lose the Bond girls. But we could have a lesbian Bond, why not?'

In 2015, George Lazenby addressed the rumour that Rigg, 'would eat garlic before their love scenes', after she wrote an open letter to the Daily Sketch in 1970 about working with him.

He said in an interview with the Daily Mail: 'Not true. We were in the canteen once before a love scene and she stood up and said out loud, 'I've ordered something with garlic in it - I hope you have too!' just as a joke, but it got made into something bigger.'

Writing on Instagram today, Lazenby wrote: 'I'm so sad to hear of the death of Diana Rigg. She undoubtedly raised my acting game when we made On Her Majesty's Secret Service together in 1968-9.

'I remember the press conference at the Dorchester in London, knowing she was going to play my wife. We had fun together on the set of the movie in Switzerland and Portugal.

'Her depth of experience really helped me. We were good friends on set.

'I was sorry to have lost my wife in the film at the end. The death of Contessa Teresa di Vincenzo Draco created a memorable cinema moment over 50 years ago. As my new bride, Tracy Bond, I wept for her loss. Now, upon hearing of Dame Diana's death, I weep again. My deepest condolences for her family. Love George xx'

After eight years living with married director Philip Saville, Dame Diana wed the Israeli painter Menachem Gueffen in 1973, but the couple divorced in 1976

In 1982 she married Archibald Stirling, a theatrical producer and former officer in the Scots Guards. They had a daughter, Rachael, who has gone on to become a film actress. Their marriage ended in 1990 after Stirling had an affair with actress Joely Richardson

Rigg and her co star George Lazenby in the 1969 James Bond movie, On Her Majesty's Secret Service

As Mrs Peel in 'A Touch of Brimstone', the 21st episode of the fourth series of the 1960s cult British spy-fi television series The Avengers, Rigg donned a risque 'Queen of Sin' costume - which she designed herself

On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Diana Rigg and George Lazenby in the 1969 James Bond movie

The British actress made her name in hit TV shows including The Avengers, pictured here in 1967

Dame Diana Rigg meeting the Queen at the Royal Festival Hall after attending a Royal Gala Concert in 1997 to mark her Majesty's Golden Wedding Anniversary

Rigg with her 17-year-old daughter Rachael, at Buckingham Palace where she was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire

Rigg at the Garrick Theatre in London in 2011 (left) and with her honourary degree from the South Bank University at Southwark Cathedral

Rigg looking fabulous as she posed on the pink carpet before the opening ceremony of the Cannes Series Festival in April 2019

Speaking on Newsnight in 2019, Diana Rigg revealed that she 'suffered a Me Too moment' early in her career at the hands of a 'powerful' film director

Speaking to the BBC in 2019, Dame Diana said: 'I had one experience, which I'm not about to talk about but when I was very young, with a director who was very powerful.

'I simply, hardly acknowledged it was happening. I think scorn is quite a powerful tool. I would urge women to use scorn whenever possible, because it sort of scorches the gentleman.'

'I'm all for the women who speak out, and I'm very glad that they now have a platform to speak out.'

During her time on the Avengers - when she played Emma Peel from 1965 to 1968 - the star was stunned to discover that she was being paid significantly less than her male co-stars, and threatened to quit unless producers gave her a pay rise.

Bosses on the show obliged, thanks to the show's incredible following in America.

She added: 'I was a lone voice in the wilderness, nobody backed me up. Pat Macnee kept his head well below the parapet when I stepped forward and said ''I think it's quite wrong that I'm being paid less than the cameraman.''

'Of course then I was painted as this sort of mercenary woman, and hard headed and money grabbing and all the rest of it. But it struck me as being unfair so I spoke out.

'I've always thought that equal pay gets you a long way to being treated equally by a man.' #

The Macmillan Cancer Support also charity thanked Dame Diana Rigg for her support.

A statement said: 'We are so sad to hear of the death of Dame Diana Rigg. We want to thank her for her years of enduring support for Macmillan Cancer Support and pass on our condolences to her daughter Rachael and all the family.'

'She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone': Dame Diana Rigg is remembered as an actress who 'swept all before her'

Playwrights, co stars and producers have paid tribute to the Dame Diana Rigg following her death today, fondly remembering the Yorkshire-born actress who enjoyed a career spanning more than five decades.

Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli remembered Dame Diana for playing the only woman to have married 007.

They said: 'We are very sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, the legendary stage and screen actress who was much beloved by Bond fans for her memorable performance as Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the only woman to have married James Bond.

'Our love and thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.'

Game Of Thrones also paid tribute to on the show's official Twitter account after her death.

It said: 'Be a dragon. The realm will always remember Diana Rigg.'

f Dame Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell in the HBO series Game of Thrones

Bafta also paid tribute to Rigg, writing on Twitter: 'We're sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, Bafta-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the Bafta Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers.'

Dame Diana Rigg's Game Of Thrones co-star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau wrote on Instagram: 'Dame Diana Rigg. She always raised the bar with her incredible talent, intelligence and wit. An absolute joy and honor to work with. May her soul Rest In Peace.'

Playwright Sir David Hare said: 'Diana Rigg had a dazzling change of direction in middle age as a great classical actor.

'When Emma Peel played Euripides' Medea, Albee's Martha and Brecht's Mother Courage she swept all before her.'

Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard added: 'For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a trooper.

'She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.'

In the 1969 movie, Contessa Teresa 'Tracy' Draco - played by Rigg - became only the second Bond girl to marry 007

Theatre director Jonathan Kent said: 'Diana Rigg's combination of force of personality, beauty, courage and sheer emotional power, made her a great classical actress - one of an astonishing generation of British stage performers.

'I was so fortunate to direct her in a series of great classical roles - Medea, Phedre - in Ted Hughes' version, specially written for her - Mother Courage and Dryden's Cleopatra. Her dazzling wit and that inimitable voice made her an unforgettable leading figure in British theatre.'

Actor Mark Gatiss tweeted: 'It was my great joy and privilege to have known Diana Rigg. From three slightly hysterical months at the Old Vic in All About Mother to writing The Crimson Horror for Diana and her wonderful daughter Rachael. Flinty, fearless, fabulous. There will never be another. RIP'.

John Bradley, who starred in Game of Thrones alongside Diana Rigg, said the actress was 'just wonderful'.

Posting a tribute to the actress on Twitter, he said: 'Diana Rigg was just wonderful. But you all knew that already. Everybody did. Very sad news.'

Afterlife actor Tony Way tweeted: 'A true icon. I met her a couple of times on Game of Thrones. I played Backgammon with her once. She called me a c**t for beating her. She was fantastic.'

Dame Diana Rigg and Sean Connery at the 1996 Evening Standard Drama Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London

Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth said: 'Funny, feisty, beautiful, intelligent and gifted. A whole generation fell for her when we first saw on screen in The Avengers. It's the end of an era - and a special life. A sad day. RIP Dame Diana Rigg.'

Stuart Antony, who has starred in Eastenders, the Bill, Silent Witness and Holby City, tweeted: 'Saddened to hear that Dame Diana Rigg, known for roles from The Avengers to Games of Thrones, has passed away aged 82. She was a lovely lady, fabulous actress with a wealth of stories. Always enjoyed chatting to her.'

Actress Mia Farrow wrote: 'Oh no! She was magnificent!! Gratitude to the great Diana Rigg for so many fearless, fascinating performances. But we wanted more.'

Edgar Wright, who directed Dame Diana's final film, the upcoming thriller Last Night In Soho, said: 'What to say about Diana Rigg?

'I could talk about her incredible career, but for now I'll just say as a lifelong fan, it was beyond a thrill to work with her on her final film.

'She exceeded all my highest expectations, so blazingly talented, fiery & funny. Miss you already Dame D.'
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Linkedin James Pearson and Khanh Vu (Reuters) Hanoi, Vietnam  Thu, September 10, 2020 11:15 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f638e 2 SE Asia ASEAN-Summit,US-China,US-China-tension Free

Southeast Asian foreign ministers kicked off a series of regional summits on Wednesday expected to seek collaboration to fight global threats and to try to de-escalate a tit-for-tat US-China rivalry as the world's two biggest economies vie for influence.

Russia, Japan, Australia, South Korea and India were among other countries remotely joining an event hosted by Vietnam that will include a 27-nation security forum, as concern grows about rhetoric and accidental conflict, and about other countries being caught up in the fray.

"The regional geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape, including the South China Sea, are witnessing growing volatilities that are detrimental to peace and stability," Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in opening the summit.

Vietnam's foreign minister, Pham Binh Minh, said the role of international law and multilateral institutions was being "greatly challenged".

The US State Department said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined several countries from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and "many other partners" in raising concerns about China's "aggressive actions" in the South China Sea.

Pompeo and several countries voiced concern about China's imposition of a new national security law on Hong Kong, the arrests of pro-democracy students, postponement of the territory's elections and disqualification of pro-democracy electoral candidates, department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said.

Pompeo and other ministers also called for a cessation of violence and a negotiated solution to escalating violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State and for North Korea to abandon its weapons of mass destruction, she said.

China's top diplomat, State Councilor Wang Yi, accused the United States of intervening directly in disputes among claimants in the South China Sea and of being the biggest driver of its militarization.

"Peace and stability is China's greatest strategic interest in the South China Sea," he told the meeting, according to China's foreign ministry's website.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in an interview with Reuters cautioned the United States and China against entangling Southeast Asian nations in their geopolitical battle.

"We don't want to get trapped by this rivalry," she said on Tuesday, describing militarization of the waterway as "worrying".

Us-China tensions

President Donald Trump has trumpeted his tough approach to China in the run-up to his November re-election bid and his administration has spoken out strongly against Beijing over issues from ranging from trade to espionage and China's maritime conduct.

Washington has accused Beijing of bullying its neighbors by sending ships close to their offshore energy operations, and of opportunism in holding military exercises and testing new defense hardware in disputed locations, while rival claimants battle coronavirus outbreaks. China says its actions were lawful.

Since mid-August, the United States has repeatedly riled China by sending warships to the South China Sea and the sensitive Taiwan Strait and flew a reconnaissance plane over Chinese live-fire drills.

It blacklisted 24 Chinese entities over their involvement in building and militarizing artificial islands.

"There's no desire to take sides - or to be seen to be doing so," said Collin Koh, a security expert at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

ASEAN would instead discuss with China the advancement of a code of maritime conduct and access to a COVID-19 vaccine, and talk to the United States about increasing investment from corporate America.

ASEAN would try to "de-focus on the intensifying rivalry", he said.

Ortagus said Pompeo praised ASEAN unity and transparency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and underscored the US commitment to partnering with ASEAN countries in economic recovery efforts.
Perth property groups have blasted the state government's decision to extend rental moratoriums for commercial and residential properties, describing the move as "meddling in the free market".

Attorney-general John Quigley announced on Thursday the tenancy laws and supports brought in at the peak of the pandemic lockdown in WA to stop mass evictions would be extended for six months until March next year.

WA has extended supports for residential and commercial tenants. Credit:graham.tidy@fairfaxmedia.com.au

That means under commercial tenancy laws the moratorium on evictions, freeze on rent increases and code of conduct for small business, commercial lease rent relief negotiations, will continue to apply.

For residential tenants, it means the moratorium on rent increases and some evictions of tenancies will stay in place until March 28, 2021.
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio

Domestic violence: Cedarbrook Road

At 11:45 a.m. Sept. 4, a woman, 49, reported that her sons, ages 15 and 16, were fighting in her home. Police removed the younger boy from the home so that he could spend the weekend with his father. Police took a report and made a referral on the matter to juvenile court.

Then, at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 5, police were called to the same home, where the 16-year-old boy had gotten into a physical altercation with his girlfriend, 18, of Cleveland, over respect. The boy had left the house before police arrived, but was soon after located on Lee Road and Washington Boulevard. Both the boy and girlfriend refused to pursue charges against each other, but the boy was taken by EMS to the hospital for a psychological evaluation.

Police were again called to the house at 2:50 p.m. Sept. 6, when the mother reported that the 16-year-old was in the back yard, breaking the homes windows. Police arrested the boy for criminal damaging and felonious assault.

The juvenile detention center in Cleveland refused to house the boy, who was taken to a Children and Family Services building for placement.

A report was filed with the city prosecutor, and the detective bureau is following up on the incidents.

Disturbing the peace: Kerwick Road

At 10:20 p.m. Aug. 31, police received a complaint of a loud house party taking place on Kerwick Road. It was learned that a birthday party, attended by several John Carroll University students, was in progress. Police cited the homes resident, a Canfield, Ohio, woman, 21, for disturbing the peace.

Harassment: Cedar Road

At 3:45 p.m. Sept. 2, a man, 39, reported that his former girlfriend, 39 -- the mother of his daughter, 20 -- had come to his home and harassed his current girlfriend, 28. The man wanted the incident documented, as the former girlfriend stated that she would return.

Stolen vehicle recovery: South Taylor Road

At 12:40 a.m. Sept. 3, police patrolled the University Corners parking lot and located a car reported stolen in Willoughby. The car was towed to the Willoughby Police Station.

Assault: Cedar Road

At 4:25 a.m. Sept. 3, a woman, 44, reported that she had been assaulted by her former boyfriend, a Cleveland man, 49, who was no longer on the scene. The woman was taken to the hospital, and an investigation was started.

Grand theft: Tullamore Road

At 8:45 a.m. Sept. 3, a woman, 39, reported that her 2011 car had been stolen from her driveway sometime between 10:15 p.m. Sept. 2 and the time she called police.

Theft: Cedar Road

At 2:20 p.m. Sept. 5, a man, 21, reported that his handgun had been stolen from his apartment sometime after 1:30 p.m. Sept. 4.

OVI: Cedar Road

At 2:10 a.m. Sept. 6, police responded to a single-car crash at 14020 Cedar Road. The driver, a Fremont, Ohio, woman, 27, was found to be intoxicated and was arrested for OVI. The woman was also cited for failure to control.

Theft: Cedar Road

At 12:45 p.m. Sept. 6, police were called to Target, 14070 Cedar Road, where a Cleveland man, 35, was arrested for shoplifting $320 worth of merchandise.

Read more from the Sun Press.
A former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Betty Mould-Iddrisu, has urged all women in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Ghana, in general, to support one of theirs who has been nominated the Vice Presidential Candidate of the leading opposition party in this years elections.



She said Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has demonstrated that she is capable of being the Vice President of Ghana and also work to benefit all Ghanaians.



She noted that all the women in the NDC will push and encourage the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast to succeed and ensure victory for the NDC in the elections.



She was speaking when former women appointees in the Mahama administration called on Professor Opoku-Agyemang at her residence in Accra.



The meeting was to discuss the way forward and the role the women can play in ensuring victory for the party.



Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said: All of us have to get involved right from the base. Where it matters now is the branches and this is where we have seen the optimum love and outpouring of delight to have a woman and a woman of substance as our Vice Presidential Candidate.









Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has arrived in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital, to begin a two-day working visit to the region.



The Vice-President on the first day would visit and interact with displaced flood victims at Anateem, a community in the Bolgatanga Municipality, and make a donation of relief items to the affected persons.



Dr Bawumia would proceed to the Kobore Bridge in the Bawku West District to have an overview of the affected area, where torrential rains and the spillage of the Bagre and Kompienga Dams, in Burkina Faso, had submerged the bridge and several hectares of farmlands.



The flood also washed off parts of the Bolgatanga-Bawku road.



The Vice President would return to Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality to inspect development projects and interact with chiefs and people of the area.



On the second day of the tour, the Vice President would visit the Kassena-Nankana West District, where he would inspect projects and interact with the chiefs and people of the area.



He would proceed to the Bongo District to inspect projects such as the Bongo-Balungu Bridge and interact with the chiefs and people of the district.



The Vice President would end his tour at Nangodi in the Nabdam District.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ukraine and Spain discussed expanding cooperation in investment, energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, transport infrastructure and tourism, the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine has reported.

These issues were discussed during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture and Ukraine's Trade Representative Taras Kachka and the State Secretary for Trade at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain, the co-chairman of the Spanish side of the Ukrainian-Spanish Mixed Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Industrial Cooperation, Xiana Mendez Bertolo.

Ukraine and Spain have good prospects for the dynamic development of bilateral trade and economic relations. In particular, the Ukrainian-Spanish Mixed Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Industrial Cooperation is an important tool for successful cooperation. Ukraine is interested in further intensifying economic dialogue, attracting investments and increasing trade in agricultural products, Kachka said.

At present, Spain ranks 6th in terms of bilateral trade in goods between Ukraine and European countries. For six months of this year, the volume of trade in goods and services between Ukraine and Spain amounted to USD 1,087.8 million, of which the export of Ukrainian goods and services totaled USD 721.6 million.

The parties discussed key agreements based on the results of the last meeting of the Ukrainian-Spanish Mixed Intergovernmental Commission, in particular, on promoting the expansion of cooperation in the fields of investments, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, transport infrastructure, tourism, and climate change.

ish
By Neha Arora and Aftab Ahmed

NEW DELHI, Sept 10 (Reuters) - India is planning to raise surveillance of copper and aluminium imports while developing policies to curb shipments from China and other Asian nations to protect domestic producers, said two government sources and an industry official.

Officials in New Delhi are expected to soon ask importers to register with authorities as a first step towards tighter controls that would require permits for individual shipments of the two metals, government sources said. The sources declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.

The move for greater screening is aimed at pushing economic self-reliance, the federal mines ministry said in a letter to the commerce ministry late last month. The letter reviewed by Reuters refers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to reduce imports and increase exports of value-added products.

"The purpose of (the) system is to have adequate information ... so that an appropriate policy intervention could be devised," the mines ministry said in the letter.

Government sources said the aim of the tighter surveillance would be to move copper and aluminium imports onto a restricted items list, which would require importers to get a government-issued license for every shipment.

India's federal mines and commerce ministries did not respond to requests for comment. "The screening will help us devise policies like adding one or both the metals to the restricted list of goods as we will have enough data to see what is being dumped into the country," one government official said.

China, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand are among the major exporters of copper, accounting for 45% of India's $5 billion in copper imports for 2019/20, government data showed.

India plans a similar mechanism for aluminium imports, which mainly come from China, the sources said.

"China is a huge threat for India's aluminium industry," B.K. Bhatia, joint secretary general at Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), the country's biggest mining lobby, told Reuters.

Since April, about 58% of India's aluminium demand has been met by scrap imports, at prices 22% cheaper than domestic primary aluminium, according to industry data.

India imported around $4.4 billion worth of aluminium in 2019/20, government data showed. China was the biggest supplier, shipping aluminium worth just over $1 billion.

India has increased its trade and investment barriers against Chinese firms after a deadly clash in June along the disputed Himalayan border. (Reporting by Neha Arora and Aftab Ahmed; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Very careful attention to all the issues and very comprehensive solutions that greatly address the concerns of driving in today's complex world.

The International Business Awards are the worlds premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide  public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small  are eligible to submit nominations. The 2020 IBAs received entries from organizations in 63 nations and territories.

As the ongoing COVID-19 crisis will prevent winners from receiving their awards on stage during a traditional gala IBA banquet, winners will be celebrated instead during a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, 1 December.

More than 3,800 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. eDriving was nominated in the Governance, Risk & Compliance Solution category for its comprehensive driver risk management program, Mentor by eDriving. The global provider of driver risk management programs was also nominated in the COVID-19 Most Valuable Corporate Response category for the extensive range of resources it provided through its COVID-19 Resource Center to support organizations in their efforts to protect the safety of those required to drive for essential work purposes through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Were absolutely thrilled that eDriving has been recognized in the International Business Awards, not only for our driver safety solution, Mentor by eDriving, but for our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Ed Dubens, Founder/CEO of eDriving. Organizations around the world rely on us to help ensure that those who drive for work purposes make it home safely to their loved ones every day and  while the risks facing drivers have increased  this has remained our absolute mission throughout. It is testament to the passion and dedication of our team that, during our own adjustment to home-based working for our employees globally we were able to produce award-winning resources to help organizations navigate these difficult times.

eDrivings COVID-19 Resource Center included live webinars (now available to view on demand), two complimentary eLearning courses for an unlimited number of drivers, best practice guides, a Q&A section with risk management and EHS&S experts, videos and articles.

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 250 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process from July through early September.

Judges comments about Mentor by eDriving included:



A great solution to encourage safe driving. Youre super!

Very careful attention to all the issues and very comprehensive solutions that greatly address the concerns of driving in today's complex world.

A great driver risk reduction program. A driving FICO score would be a great tool.

This is a much-needed product to reduce road accidents. FICO Safe Driving Score will definitely motivate drivers to be more vigilant.

Very clear explanation on the risks this technology solves. I really liked that there are personalized insights for driving events both positive and negative. There was good data backing up conclusions from the pilots, and customer feedback was positive. The video was excellent and very professional, it clearly demonstrated the risks and that the technology was user friendly. Great stats on reduced collisions and ROI. This technology is definitely needed, addressing important driving risk and something that can be used by all drivers. Overall, excellent submission.

Judges comments about eDrivings COVID-19 response included:



eDriving has developed a comprehensive range of materials and updated its existing policies effectively to keep fleet drivers safe during the Covid 19 pandemic. These learning materials and policies must be a source of great reassurance to fleet drivers who use their services.

Excellence in motion... a terrific submission with a clear mission to get workers home safely to their loved ones during these COVID ridden times.

In difficult times, it is key to redirect the business to where humanity needs it. Thanks for this work! I really enjoyed reading it.

The dedicated resource center is an effective and focused approach to dealing with a crisis. The awareness initiatives address various areas as required and cover a huge network of fleet drivers. This is commendable.

Despite the unprecedented impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on organizations and working people worldwide, the number and quality of nominations we received in this years International Business Awards attests to the continued outstanding performance of many organizations. The commitment weve seen through these nominations to maintaining the success, health, and safety of employees, customers, and communities is truly impressive, said Stevie Awards President Maggie Gallagher.

Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

About eDriving

eDriving helps organizations to reduce collisions, injuries, license violations and total cost of fleet ownership through its patented driver risk management program.

Mentor by eDriving is a smartphone-based solution that collects and analyzes driver behaviors most predictive of crash risk and helps remediate risky behavior by providing engaging, interactive micro-training modules delivered directly to the driver in the smartphone app. As part of its broader risk management platform, Virtual Risk Manager, eDriving provides organizations with everything they need to establish safety as a strategic imperative, and support drivers and managers as they strive to create a crash-free culture.

eDriving is the driver risk management partner of choice for many of the worlds largest organizations, supporting over 1,000,000 drivers in 96 countries. Over the past 24 years, eDrivings research-validated programs have been recognized with over 90 awards around the world. Learn more at http://www.edriving.com.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for- Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
Our nation is in chaos. Theres civil unrest in cities from coast to coast as Black Americans continue to be killed by police. Families are being ripped apart by partisan politics. And disagreement reigns on how to stop a pandemic that has killed nearly 200,000 people, infected nearly 7 million, thrown our entire educational system into disarray, destroyed thousands of businesses and created the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression.
File Form 5156, Request for Tax Clearance Application if you:

Want to know your current total tax liability with the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Are selling all or part of your business.

Are dissolving or withdrawing a corporation from Michigan.

Have sold your business and need a certificate to present to the purchaser, so that any funds held in escrow can be released and the purchasers successor liability can be relieved.

When discontinuing your business, please attach a copy of Form 163, Notice of Change or Discontinuance with your request for tax clearance.

A business owner may request that the Department of Treasury conduct a review of the business tax account for tax clearance purposes. The Department's review will provide the taxpayer with information regarding any outstanding tax liabilities and missing returns. If there are no outstanding liabilities for the period of operation, the Department will issue a Tax Clearance Certificate stating that no taxes are due. This certificate should be provided to the buyer of a business.

To obtain clearance statements related to unemployment taxes, contact the Unemployment Insurance Agency - www.michigan.gov/uia.
A student in Ohio who tested positive for coronavirus told police officers 'that's why I'm at my house' when they questioned why he was hosting a party for 20 people during his 14-day quarantine period.

Over the Labor Day weekend, six Miami University students received citations for the party which breached the state's cap on ten people at gatherings.

Oxford police officers noticed the crowd in the house on E. Walnut Street at around 4pm Saturday and body cam footage shows the astounded officer uncovering the host had coronavirus.

It comes as Miami University experiences a troubling spike in cases but announced Wednesday that it still plans to begin limited in-person classes.

Scroll down for video

Officers found 20 Miami University students at a party where the host had coronavirus

A resident of the house admitted he had coronavirus and should be quarantining

The recording of Saturday's party shows police approaching the group of young men sitting outside the house and asks to talk to a person who lives there.

One man steps forward and identifies himself, admitting that he knows he's broken the state's law on gatherings with no more than ten people.

According to Cincinnati.com, the man said that eight people lived in the house and the others had stopped by.

As the officer took his ID and ran it through the police database, he made the surprising discovery of the party host's coronavirus diagnosis.

'I've never seen this before. There's an input on the computer that you tested positive for COVID,' the officer says, which the student confirms, revealing he had received the diagnosis just a week before.

'Are you supposed to be quarantining?' the officer asks.

'Yeah. That's why I'm at my house,' the student states.

'So you have other people here, and you're positive for COVID? You see the problem? How many other people have COVID?' the officer then asks.

The student initially claims that they all do but then back tracks to say he thinks just two.

'That's what we're trying to prevent, man. We're trying to keep this town open,' the officer states.

'I know. That's why I'm staying home,' the student claims.

Five residents of the house and a sixth man were cited a civil penalty that carries no criminal charge but comes with a $500 fine. One of the people cited was 20 years old and the other five were aged 21.

Oxford police officers noticed the crowd in the house on E. Walnut Street at around 4pm Saturday. When they approached to break it up, they found 20 young men inside

Six people who were at the party were cited and received a $500 fine

The resident who had coronavirus appeared to believe he was quarantining by staying at his own home despite there being 20 people at the party at the house

Cincinnati.com says that one of the residents of the house came to the police department after the citation and attempted to press trespassing charges against those who did not live there and were at the home.

The police report states that this resident claimed he had finished a coronavirus quarantine on September 4 and did not participate in Saturday's party.

He was told he could not file charges on behalf of the entire household and to instead appeal the citation allegations.

The report adds another resident claimed they were in bed sick and did not participate in the gathering.

Oxford police said the citations would also be reported to university officials. It is not known what action the school may take against the students.

They have asked those who may have been at the party earlier and left when police arrived to now get tested.

'We do not know if anybody else at that party was aware of the COVID-positive residents because some of them left while the officer was there,' Lt. Lara Fening told Local 12.

'We want to stay safe; we want to be healthy; we want everyone around us to be healthy; we want this town to be thriving; we don't want this town to be shut down again. We want the underclassmen to come back.'

It comes as Miami University experiences a troubling spike in cases as students returned to the town but announced Wednesday that it still plans to begin limited in-person classes

The university said it will continue to bring 40 percent of classes back to campus this month

Nearly one in every 17 students at Miami University has now tested positive with coronavirus as cases rose to 1,117, many of them in the last two weeks, according to WCPO.

Miami University president Gregory Crawford claims off-campus parties are linked to most of the cases.

Despite the university delaying the start of the school year, students began to return to the town in late August when partying began.

'Those early weekends in August, we saw an uptick in parties and gatherings,' Crawford said. 'I think that's what is responsible for the surge today.'

Other universities in the area have not seen the same spike with the University of Cincinnati, which is similar in size, recording only 147 cases in the last two weeks.

Yet, Miami University has chosen to continue with its plan to begin in-person classes again from September 21, it announced Wednesday.

The on-campus population will be reduced to 40 percent through remote learning.

Students returning to live on campus will have to be tested immediately while those living off campus will be tested at random. The school says it will be working to ensure students quarantine if they test positive.

Ohio has 126,046 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 4,034 deaths.

On Thursday, the United States reached over 190,900 coronavirus deaths. There are more than 6.36million confirmed cases.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic when people are losing their livelihood, a 27-year-old woman has started a unique venture of spinning yarn from the stalks of lotus in Bishnupur district of Manipur.

Bijayashanti Tongbram has also involved women of her village in making the yarn, with the hope that it will help generate income for them.

I got the idea from an elder, did research on my own, and was able to produce yarn out of lotus stalks. Before this, I tried making lotus tea, she said while speaking to ANI.

To successfully make the lotus tea, I have placed an order for some equipment from Kolkata. But, due to the COVID lockdown, the delivery has been delayed, Tongbram added.

ANI took to Twitter to share some images of Tongbram and her venture:

Manipur: 27-yr-old woman starts venture to make yarn from lotus stalks at a village in Bishnupur district. Bijayashanti Tongbram says,"I got the idea from an elder, did research on my own&was able to produce yarn out of lotus stalks. Before this, I tried making lotus tea."(09.09) pic.twitter.com/CXkchn5PH6  ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2020

People were extremely impressed and expressed the same while commenting on the post:

Great work. Such a creative mind will surely do wonders . Good luck   Neha (@nehawavre) September 10, 2020

amazing. keep up the good work  HippoGandhi (@tbothernot) September 10, 2020

Innovative ..keep it up !!  Billu Bhai (@smellybilla) September 9, 2020

Waah.. All the best..  I am Staying Home (@corona_wl_loose) September 9, 2020

The young entrepreneur has requested the government to sanction funds under Manipur Start-up-Idea Stage so that she can maintain her lotus farms.

I have already started preparing nurseries for the farm and I am waiting for the funds to be sanctioned under Manipur Start-up-Idea Stage, she said and reiterated that the money will be of great help to carry out her business hassle-free.

Tongbram, who has keen interest in promoting agro-tourism, also said that she is in contact with entrepreneurs in the field to help market her produce. A necktie made out of the lotus yarn would cost around 100 dollars. I am in talks in with some of the successful entrepreneurs.

Clothes that are made up of lotus yarn have medicinal value and have high demand in foreign countries.

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The gynecologist accused of sexual assault by the wife of former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang was indicted on federal charges for the sexual abuse of six women over nearly two decades, according to federal prosecutors.

Former Manhattan doctor Robert Hadden is charged with six counts of enticing women to engage in illegal sex acts, Audrey Strauss, the acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Wednesday at a joint news conference with FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney Jr.

Hadden, 62, was arrested by federal authorities at 6 a.m. in New Jersey, Strauss said.

Prosecutors allege that Hadden sexually assaulted dozens of women who were his patients at his OB/GYN practice from 1993 to 2012 "under the guise of purported medical examinations," Strauss said.

"Hadden acted as a predator in a white coat," Strauss said.

At least one of the victims listed in the indictment, whom Hadden had delivered himself, was underage during the alleged assault, Strauss said. It was not immediately clear why federal prosecutors listed six of the growing number of women who have accused Hadden, and the U.S. attorney's office declined to comment further.

Hadden targeted unwitting women, according to Strauss, including many victims who saw Hadden as their first gynecologist.

"Many of Hadden's victims did not know what to expect during an OB/GYN examination and were less likely to challenge Hadden when he engaged in sexually abusive behavior," she said. "As a result, some of his victims immediately identified Hadden's conduct as abusive but many didn't know that his examinations were inappropriate, and so [they] returned to see him for years."

The new charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. At a bond hearing later Wednesday, Hadden's lawyer, Isabelle Kirshner, argued before Magistrate Judge Robert Lehrburger that Hadden should be released from detention because he is caring for ill family members including his son with mental disabilities. Lehrburger agreed to his release on a $1 million bond and pretrial restrictions on where Hadden is allowed to go.

Kirshner declined to comment to The Post about the allegations presented at the news briefing Wednesday, saying she is representing him only for the arraignment thus far.

Alleged victims also spoke during the bond hearing, including three who shared statements with Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey under the pseudonym Jane Doe. Citing the precedent of the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Comey argued that the anonymous women could also be able to give their side to the court.

"I don't think [Hadden] deserves any opportunity to prevent justice," one woman said in a statement. "The court needs to ensure he has no chance to leave or hurt himself."

Hadden previously pleaded guilty in 2016 and was given a deal by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., which has been criticized as lax for the allegations levied. Hadden was forced to give up his medical license and register as a Level 1 sex offender but did not serve time in prison.

Strauss declined to comment on the 2016 deal. Vance's office told The Washington Post it was involved in the federal investigation.

"Our office provided substantial assistance leading to today's indictment, and our continuing investigation - which examines potential failures by Dr. Hadden's employer and hospital to disclose additional incidents of abuse to our office and to regulators when required - is intensely active and ongoing," Vance's spokesman Danny Frost wrote in an email.

Anthony DiPietro, an attorney who represents more than 100 women accusing Hadden of assault, said he was thankful for the renewed effort to prosecute Hadden after the case languished for years.

"In some ways, this has been a long time coming, but in others, maybe things are just getting started," DiPietro said in an interview. "We're just grateful that prosecutors at the SDNY are taking a close look at this."

On behalf of the victims, DiPietro is also suing Columbia University, accusing the administration of knowingly allowing the abuses to continue unfettered for decades.

"To me, what happened was, Hadden was allowed to negotiate something that closely resembled an early retirement than a criminal sentence for a sexual felony," DiPietro said of Hadden's earlier plea deal.

In an emotional interview with CNN, Evelyn Yang called the punishment a "slap on the wrist." Yang said she was seven months pregnant when Hadden assaulted her at the end of a routine appointment.

"I just kind of froze, like a deer in headlights. Just frozen," she told CNN in January. " . . . I remember trying to fix my eyes on a spot on the wall and just trying to avoid seeing his face as he was assaulting me. Just waiting for it to be over."

Marissa Hoechstetter, another Hadden accuser, called the indictment an example of "the collective power of survivors' voices."

Hoechstetter echoed Yang's frustrations with the plea deal, saying the federal case offers the victims a second chance at justice.

"At a time when the world is focused on criminal justice reforms and the power of district attorneys, the Hadden story is a shining example of our flawed two-tiered system of justice," she wrote in an emailed statement. "I hope that today's revelation offers hope and encouragement to any of Hadden's other former patients who wish to come forward."

- - -

The Washington Post's Shayna Jacobs and Allyson Chiu contributed to this report.
 Flash

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday issued the Position Paper of the People's Republic of China on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations (UN), expounding on China's position and proposals on various issues, including the UN's role, the international situation, sustainable development and cooperation on COVID-19 response.

The paper points out that the 75th anniversary of the UN presents important opportunities, and the international community should jointly uphold the outcome of World Anti-Fascist War and reject unilateralism, hegemonism and power politics.

Rather, the international community should champion multilateralism, safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and defend the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law, according to the paper.

China is ready to work with all countries to build a community with a shared future for humanity, the paper says.
Technavio has been monitoring the outdoor apparel market and it is poised to grow by USD 3.90 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909006013/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Outdoor Apparel Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. Technavio's in-depth research has all your needs covered as our research reports include all foreseeable market scenarios, including pre- post-COVID-19 analysis. Download a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts

Frequently Asked Questions-

Based on segmentation by distribution channel, which is the leading segment in the market?

The offline segment is expected to be the leading segment in the global market during the forecast period.

At what rate is the market projected to grow?

Growing at a CAGR of over 5%, the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be USD 3.9 billion.

Who are the top players in the market?

adidas AG, ASICS Corp., Columbia Sportswear Co., G-III Apparel Group Ltd., Hanesbrands Inc., Newell Brands Inc., Outdoor Research, Patagonia Inc., Under Armour Inc., and VF Corp. are some of the major market participants.

What are the key market drivers?

Rise in the number of private-label brands is one of the major factors driving the market.

How big is the APAC market?

The APAC region will contribute 32% of market growth.

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. adidas AG, ASICS Corp., Columbia Sportswear Co., G-III Apparel Group Ltd., Hanesbrands Inc., Newell Brands Inc., Outdoor Research, Patagonia Inc., Under Armour Inc., and VF Corp. are some of the major market participants. The rise in the number of private-label brands will offer immense growth opportunities. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free.

View market snapshot before purchasing

Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations.

Outdoor Apparel Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Outdoor Apparel Market is segmented as below:

Distribution Channel Offline Online

Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40137

Outdoor Apparel Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The outdoor apparel market report covers the following areas:

Outdoor Apparel Market Size

Outdoor Apparel Market Trends

Outdoor Apparel Market Analysis

This study identifies awareness among people about fitness and healthy lifestyles as one of the prime reasons driving the outdoor apparel market growth during the next few years.

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Outdoor Apparel Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist outdoor apparel market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the outdoor apparel market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the outdoor apparel market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of outdoor apparel market vendors

Table of Contents:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

Preface

Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

Value chain analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market outlook

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL

Market segmentation by distribution channel

Comparison by distribution channel

Offline Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Online Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by distribution channel

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Growing tourism industry

Adoption of omni-channel retailing

Rise in number of private-label brands

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

adidas AG

ASICS Corp.

Columbia Sportswear Co.

G-III Apparel Group Ltd.

Hanesbrands Inc.

Newell Brands, Inc.

Outdoor Research

Patagonia Inc.

Under Armour Inc.

VF Corp.

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909006013/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

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UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday summoned a senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission here to register its protest over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

The Foreign Office in a statement said that due to "indiscriminate and unprovoked firing" in the Bedori Sector of the LoC on Tuesday night, three civilian sustained serious injuries.

The Indian forces along "the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons, it alleged.

It claimed that 17 people have been killed and 171 others injured in 2,199 incidents of ceasefire violations this year.

The Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB, the FO added.
A day after the Serum Institute of India (SII) was issued a show cause notice by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), it said it was pausing Covid-19 vaccine trials in the country.

The SII is manufacturing Oxford Universitys Covishield vaccine in collaboration with UKs AstraZeneca.

We are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials till AstraZeneca restarts the trials. We are following Drug Controller General of Indias (DGCI) instructions and will not be able to comment further on trials, the Serum institute said.

The DGCI issued the notice to the Serum institute for not informing them about AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials in other countries and for not submitting casualty analysis of the reported serious adverse events.

An immediate reply from the Serum institute was sought saying else it shall be construed that you have no explanation to offer and action deemed fit will be taken against you.

We are going by DCGIs direction and so far were not told to pause the trials. If DCGI has any safety concerns, we will follow their instructions and abide by the standard protocols, the Serum institute had said after receiving the notice on Wednesday.

The UK-based pharma giant paused the trials of the vaccine on Sept 8 after one of its recipients in the United Kingdom developed an unexplained illness.

In India, out of the 100 volunteers, 34 were from Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and hospital in Pune, who have been administered vaccine shots after trials for phase 2 began on August 26.

None of these volunteers have shown any sign of health-related complications, with all their vital parameters appearing normal, doctors at the medical college and hospital said.
As global brands seek innovative customer experience solutions during the pandemic, HGS announces plans to add more than 2,000 U.S.-based jobs through Q2

CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) (listed in BSE & NSE), a global leader in business process management (BPM) and customer experience solutions, today reported strong growth in 2020 as companies continue to look for business partners to help enhance customer experience (CX), satisfaction and loyalty amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, HGS has signed 32 new customer engagements in 2020. To manage this growth, HGS has committed to hiring more than 2,000 additional employees through September 2020 in the U.S.

"HGS provides CX services on behalf of a wide range of companies, including some of the most well-known brands in the world, with tech-enabled business process management services, cutting edge digital and traditional customer experience solutions, and social media-based customer care solutions," said Narasimha Murthy, President, HGS Inc. "As more companies look for innovative CX and BPM solutions to not just weather the storm but plan for growth beyond the COVID-19 crisis, we're adding customer care professionals, engineers, and IT support personnel to our staff to keep up with demand."

Innovative CX and BPM solutions from HGS include:

The HGS EPIC Social Care solution, which uses artificial intelligence to quickly and effectively engage customers on social media channels. Frost & Sullivan recently awarded HGS the North America Customer Service Leadership Award for Social Media Consulting and Management for EPIC (Engage, Protect, Inform and Create). The EPIC Social Care solution received the award for its superior AI and speed when compared to other solutions, cutting in half the industry average response time while also using advancing AI technology to filter out spam posts.

recently awarded HGS the North America Customer Service Leadership Award for Social Media Consulting and Management for EPIC (Engage, Protect, Inform and Create). The EPIC Social Care solution received the award for its superior AI and speed when compared to other solutions, cutting in half the industry average response time while also using advancing AI technology to filter out spam posts. Business continuity solutions to help customers navigate the COVID-19 crisis, including HGS QuickEntry chatbots to help employees screen for coronavirus symptoms, check-in with HR team members to report illness, and access health benefit information

An enhanced global [email protected] program to enable more than 21,000 HGS employees to perform contact center tasks from home

to enable more than 21,000 HGS employees to perform contact center tasks from home The Nurse Triage solution for the healthcare industry, offering 1,200 registered nurses on hand to provide front-line support to healthcare providers for COVID-19-related calls, enabling healthcare providers and health insurance plan staff to focus on critical case requirements.

"Companies today struggle with how to create truly memorable customer experiences and lasting impressions  ones that help build brand affinity and loyalty, said Michael DeSalles, Frost & Sullivan principal analyst, information and communication technology. "HGS has developed an industry-leading social media customer engagement offering, including a world-class talent profile for hiring agents who are best-suited for social media work. The approaches to both social media and agent recruitment are clear competitive differentiators."

Anyone interested in pursuing US career opportunities with HGS are invited to apply at https://www.joinhgs.com/us.

About Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS):

A global leader in business process management (BPM) and optimizing the customer experience lifecycle, HGS is helping make its clients more competitive every day. HGS combines technology-powered services in automation, analytics and digital transformation, with deep domain expertise focusing on back office processing, contact centers, traditional and digital customer care, and HRO solutions to deliver transformational impact to clients. Part of the multi-billion dollar conglomerate Hinduja Group, HGS takes a true "globally local" approach, with over 37,165 employees across 60 delivery centers in seven countries, making a difference to some of the world's leading brands across nine key verticals. For the year ended 31st March 2020, HGS had revenues of US$ 737 million.

Visit https://www.teamhgs.com to learn how HGS can help make your business more competitive.

HGS Media Contacts:

Andrew Kokes

+1 888 747 7911

[email protected]

Harvey Henao

+1 773 766 5501

[email protected]

SOURCE HGS Digital

Related Links

https://www.teamhgs.com


An SK Bioscience plant in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of SK Bioscience



By Nam Hyun-woo



SK Bioscience is facing growing doubts over its market valuation, as the firm's COVID-19 vaccine-manufacturing deal with AstraZeneca has hit a stumbling block after AstraZeneca's abrupt decision to pause global trials of the vaccine.



After the announcement that SK Bioscience had been selected as the global supplier of AstraZeneca's vaccine, investors had high hopes on the company's potential for growth as the agreement led to expectations of a smooth supply of the COVID-19 vaccine here. Industry officials, however, said the pause shows the risks of the commercial drug manufacturing business.



Reports said AstraZeneca paused global trials of its COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, due to an illness in one of the volunteers of the phase 3 trials. The participant was "a woman who experienced neurological symptoms consistent with a rare but serious spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis," AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot was quoted as saying in U.S. media outlets.



Soriot said the woman will likely be discharged from hospital soon, with the Financial Times reporting the company could resume the trials next week. But concerns are growing as Soriot confirmed that the trials had been halted once previously in July after a participant experienced neurological symptoms.



This has also raised concerns in Korea as the country was hoping to supply a viable COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, with the SK-AstraZenaca deal playing a pivotal role in the government's plan.



SK Bioscience's plant is located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Aug. 24 that Korea has "a reliable company which can manufacture vaccines." The halt is expected to take a toll on SK Bioscience as its book value has been on a steady growth trajectory following the deal with AstraZeneca, because AZD1222 is believed to be one of the most advanced of the COVID-19 vaccines in development. The deal was signed in July this year.



Because SK Bioscience isn't a listed company, its parent SK Chemicals, which holds a 98 percent stake in SK Bioscience, has become the biggest beneficiary from the agreement in terms of rising share prices.



According to Korea Exchange (KRX), the country's main bourse operator, SK Chemicals closed at 178,500 won on the day of the agreement, rising to 310,000 won on July 27, 412,000 won on Aug. 19 and reaching 416,500 won on Aug. 25. The upturn was snapped this week on the news of the pause with the price dropping to 318,000 won on Wednesday.



SK Discovery, which is the parent of SK Chemicals with a 33.47 percent stake, also showcased a similar pattern, shedding 4.65 percent on Wednesday. Share prices of the two listed SK affiliates recovered slightly on Thursday on the report that AstraZeneca may resume the trials next week.



Industry officials said this showcased the risks lurking in the business of drug making.



"Making a new treatment or vaccine always takes time and is exposed to great risks," a biopharmaceutical company official said. "In this regard, the recent rise in the value of drug makers seemed excessive."



SK Bioscience said it will try to address outstanding concerns, claiming it has other manufacturing contracts with other vaccine developers. Last month, the company signed a contract manufacturing deal for U.S. biotech Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine.



"At this stage, we have no additional matter to talk about other than that we are monitoring the progress of the situation," an SK Bioscience official said. "We don't believe there will be major changes in the deal with AstraZeneca and the company's growth momentum."


As uncertainty continues regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, concern is growing at Niagara Region about next years Canada Summer Games.

I really believe it should be delayed a year, St. Catharines Coun. Brian Heit told members of the municipalitys corporate services committee Wednesday.

If it takes place in 2021, its going to become a burden on the taxpayers of Niagara.

Even before the pandemic Heit said there were concerns about completing facilities for the event on time, and suggested the virus likely further delayed projects including the construction of Canada Summer Games Park near Brock University.

Heit said the Region is expecting the event will benefit local businesses, generating millions upon millions of dollars by having athletes and their families visit Niagara for a week or longer.

But if a safe and effective vaccine for the virus is not available, he fears people will not feel comfortable travelling to Niagara, hampering the tourism that was anticipated.

We were looking at a return on investment, generating revenue to offset some of the expenses, he said.

Meanwhile, he said, the decision to delay the 2020 summer Olympics until 2021 will also have an impact on Niagaras event by affecting the number of athletes as well as fans who will choose between visiting the region or Tokyo.

Having the Canada Summer Games on a different year would have given us a better opportunity for more participants  more families members coming to Niagara, Heit said.

The impact the virus has had on Canadas economy might also have an impact.

At a time when companies across the country are struggling with lost income, Heit said its going to be extremely difficult for this organization to get the kind of funding we were looking for.

Although Heit requested a report looking into his concerns, Niagaras acting chief administrative officer Ron Tripp said answers to many of his questions should be addressed at the next corporate services meeting in October.

RELATED STORIES Niagara Region Volunteers will be the heart of Canada Summer Games

We share the same concerns, Tripp said.

He said the board of directors for the local Canada Summer Games will meet Wednesday to discuss many of the issues Heit raised.

Tripp said work is continuing on the construction of the new facility for the event, and he expects to be able to provide an update on that project at the October meeting.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker plans to deliver COVID-19 updates Thursday from Medford.

Baker will join Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack and Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn at noon Thursday at the restaurant Bistro 5 to discuss the Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program.

Thursdays news conference can be watched live on MassLive.

The Baker administration launched the $5 million grant program in June to help fund outdoor improvements for businesses and municipalities to safely attract business.

Medford was approved in the first round of funding and used the funds to add barriers for outside dining, temporary ramps to make the spaces accessible and other equipment.

In July, Medford also received $233,000 to create a dedicated inbound bus lane on Route 38, helping essential workers and other residents more easily travel to the Orange Line, and $15,000 for pavement markings, cones and flex posts near the Columbus Elementary School.

After being approved for state funding, Medford announced a local pilot in the summer. The city offered assistance to restaurants seeking help building outdoor dining, residents whose streets need sidewalk improvements or whose streets were reported high-speed traffic zones.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation awarded grants to other communities to improve their streetscapes, including Northampton, Easthampton, Orange and Lee.

Related Content:
Mike Pompeo will leave Washington on Thursday to attend the long-delayed peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators which will begin Saturday in Qatar

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will leave Washington on Thursday to travel to Doha to take part in the start of long-delayed intra-Afghan peace talks, President Donald Trump said.

"Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be departing this evening on a historic trip to Doha ... for the beginning of intra-Afghan peace negotiations," he said

"I urge the negotiators to demonstrate the pragmatism, restraint, and flexibility this process will require to succeed," Pompeo earlier said in a statement on Thursday.



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The recent conviction of lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan for contempt of court has brought into focus not only the case itself, but the very law of contempt of court, too. To that extent, the case is a timely reminder of the friction that exists between individual freedoms, particularly freedom of speech as is guaranteed by Article 19(a) of the Constitution, in a modern democracy -- indeed, one touted as the worlds largest democracy -- and the law of contempt of court. To understand the issue in its entirety, one must have an understanding of what the contempt law states and the rationale for it; only then can one determine the merits of the law and its place in a modern liberal democracy.

There are two kinds of contempt of court -- civil and criminal. Civil contempt is when one willfully disobeys a court order or breaches an undertaking given to the court. Criminal contempt has been defined as the publication (whether by words, spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise) of any matter or the doing of any other act whatsoever which (i) Scandalises or tends to scandalise, or lowers or tends to lower the authority of, any court, or (ii) Prejudices, or interferes or tends to interfere with the due course of any judicial proceeding, or (iii) Interferes or tends to interfere with, or obstructs or tends to obstruct, the administration of justice in any other manner.

Its raison detre flows from the clauses listed above. As Rajeev Dhawan wrote in his essay in the edited volume by K N Harikumar, Courts, Legislatures, Media Freedom, it serves the purposes of (i) discipline inside courts (ii) compliance with court directions and orders (iii) exclusivity and integrity of the justice system and (iv) (maintaining) the prestige and reputation of the judges and the courts.

It is as a result of the anachronism of the fourth of those purposes -- maintaining the prestige and reputation of the judges and the courts -- that Prashant Bhushan got into hot water with the court, and it is the first of the clauses of criminal contempt  scandalising the court -- under which he was convicted.

Many of the clauses of the contempt law are justified. However, the clause against scandalising the court, for the purpose of maintaining its prestige and reputation, has obvious problems. For one, both the clause and the purpose it serves are far too vague and all-encompassing. Furthermore, this portion of the law is out of sync with prevailing trends in society.

The contempt law has its origins in the common law of Victorian-era England and its raison detre -- upholding the prestige and reputation of the court -- is steeped in Victorian mores. I would argue that the courts prestige would go up, not down, immeasurably in the eyes of the common man were it to expose itself to critique, rather than resorting to convicting people for mean tweets. In the age of social media, the principles of free speech should be bolstered, and the courts should show restraint in exercising the contempt law.

The onus of maintaining the image and prestige of the courts (and of the judges) must lie primarily with the courts and judges themselves. However, because judges are also human, the only surest guarantee of being able to do so is for the courts and judges to keep themselves open and responsive to criticism. Who can argue that a judge sitting on judgement on his own ruling, instead of recusing himself, or a chief justice facing sexual harassment allegations sitting on the bench hearing that very case, add to the prestige of the courts? Indeed, it is mere common sense, and a fundamental principle of natural justice, that no one may be the judge in his or her own case. However, the contempt law enables just that as it stifles dissent and criticism and the judiciary sits in judgement on itself.

Finally, one must observe the tension between criminalising scandalising the court and freedom of speech. Of course, freedom of speech in India is not absolute and is bound by reasonable restrictions. However, the keyword in that phrase is reasonable. Indeed, the Supreme Court, which has for long protected and expanded the ambit of free speech, seemed to give a nod to this standard even in the Prashant Bhushan case when it let him off with a nominal Re 1 fine.

One may take the United States and the United Kingdom as examples of liberal democracies in which there is no law at all on contempt of court involving scandalising the judiciary. In the United States, thanks to the First Amendment, freedom of speech is paramount, and the notion of contempt is limited to behaviour carried out in the direct presence of the courts or so near thereto as to obstruct the administration of justice. Courts in the US now limit contempt citations for criticism when necessary to avoid clear and present danger.

In the UK, contempt laws currently are restricted to: (i) Contempt "in the face of the court" (not to be taken literally; the judge does not need to see it, provided it took place within the court precincts or relates to a case currently before that court); (ii) Disobedience of a court order; and (iii) A breach of undertaking to the court. There is no clause on contempt for scandalising the court or bringing down its reputation or prestige. India, too, would be well served, as an evolving liberal democracy, if the clause on scandalising the court is done away with in our contempt law.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is fighting back against a coronavirus relief bill, saying its too little, while U.S. Sen. Rob Portman says its better than nothing.

Whos right? Were debating on This Week in the CLE.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour coronavirus news podcast, with crime editor Kris Wernowsky and me, answering all sorts of questions from the news.

Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom account, in which he shares once or twice a day what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802.

And youve been offering all sorts of great perspective in our coronavirus alert account, which has 13,000-plus subscribers. You can sign up for free by texting 216-279-7784.

Here are the questions were answering today:

How big of a deal is it that Ohio highway officials are putting together the money to widen Interstate 77 in Fairlawn and Bath is Summit County? Officials have been talking about this since I lived there, in high school. ODOT is planning to add lanes to a 9.2-mile section of Interstate 77, between Ghent Road and the Ohio Turnpike, which local officials say could support economic development in the Greater Akron region.

How can people watch the funeral of slain Cleveland Police Detective James Skernivitz, now that we know the service at Rocket Mortgage Field House will be closed to the public? Anyone wishing to watch the funeral can do so on the Cleveland Police Departments Facebook page. People can also line streets for the procession from the funeral home in Middleburg Heights to downtown Cleveland.

Was Julys record haul by Ohio casinos a fluke, or did the record-setting continue in August? People are really into gambling this year. Ohios 11 casinos and racinos set an August record with $172.1 million in gambling revenue. Monthly gambling highs have now been set for each of the four full months the casinos and racinos have been open this year.

Why do Ohios U.S. Senators have such differing opinions on a bill that is aimed at helping people cope financially with the coronavirus pandemic? Likely because of partisan politics. Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman will back a coronavirus relief package even though it doesnt contain everything on his wish list. While Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown sees the bill as dead in the water.

Whos the influential voice who announced she is leaving the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Wednesday? Karen Herman, the vice president and chief curator, has been working at the Rock Hall since 2014.

How many people have not been accused of sex crimes as a result of the DNA analysis of rape evidence kits that had sat untested for many years? 800. The latest case is an August 2007 attack on a woman inside her home on East 43rd Street in Cleveland, where a man is accused of crawling through a window and hiding in the womans bedroom closet.

How did it go for the Cleveland Public Schools Tuesday, the first day of the new academic year, with students learning remotely? The Cleveland Metropolitan School District started with helping students explore learning tools and making sure they work before launching into classwork.

How many people have requested absentee ballots so far, and how does that compare to the 2016 presidential election? Just more than 1 million Ohioans have requested to vote by mail. That already nears the total number of mail-in votes cast in the November 2016 election.

Want more? You can find all our past episodes here.

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The family of a missing Australian has pleaded for efforts to rescue their 27-year-old son to continue after Japanese authorities called off the full-time search for a cattle ship missing in a typhoon off the Japanese coast.

William Mainprize, from Avalon in Sydney's northern beaches, and Queensland vet Lukas Orda are still missing after the football field-sized Gulf Livestock 1 cargo ship capsized in 200 km/h winds last Wednesday, with 43 crew and almost 6000 cattle on board.

Will Mainprize.

"There are 40 men still at sea and one lifeboat missing along with life rafts," a spokesman for the Mainprize family said on Thursday. There are still so many unanswered questions and this is a time sensitive matter."

Mainprize's father Andrew, mother Belinda, and siblings Sarah, Tom and Emily thanked the Japanese Coast Guard, Department of Foreign Affairs and Australian Maritime Safety Authority for their assistance but expressed regret at the decision to suspend the full-time search on Wednesday.
Australian shoppers are obsessed with Kmart's new black and rust-coloured off the shoulder crop, which at $12 is one-tenth of the price of designer label versions.

The Active Womens Youth Seam Free One Shoulder Crop Top is stealing hearts across the nation because of its seam-free material and added stretch.

While it is made to be worn during light to moderate exercise, others have fashioned it into a 'going out' look - and have been wearing it with clean cut trousers and denim jeans.

The Active Womens Youth Seam Free One Shoulder Crop Top is stealing hearts across the nation because of its seam-free material and added stretch

On September 9 the bargain retailer shared a photo of nurse Steff Denham (right) to Instagram wearing the crop top in black with a pair of Kmart trousers

On September 9 the bargain retailer shared a photo of nurse Steff Denham to Instagram wearing the crop top in black with a pair of Kmart trousers.

'This top! I can't believe how cheap it is. Kmart strikes again,' one woman commented on the ensemble.

'I feel like I definitely need this top,' said another. A third added: 'Wow, Kmart is getting stylish!'

Fashion brands like Are You Am I and Revolve are selling very similar crop tops for between $96 and $106, making Kmart the budget winner.

Fashion brands like Are You Am I and Revolve (pictured) are selling very similar crop tops for between $96 and $106, making Kmart the budget winner

Zac Efron's rumoured love interest Vanessa Valadares has also been seen in a white version of the crop with a pink Alice McCall skirt, proving it's the upcoming trend for spring

Zac Efron's rumoured love interest Vanessa Valadares has also been seen in a white version of the crop with a pink Alice McCall skirt, proving it's the upcoming trend for spring.

Earlier this week the $18 Active Women's Ankle Length Yoga Legging from Kmart received similar high praise on Facebook after one woman said the budget tights are better than her expensive alternatives.

'I bought these leggings from Kmart and they are amazing,' Sydney mum Andrea wrote.

'I normally wouldn't buy leggings from Kmart but the material felt really nice! They are better than my overpriced expensive pair.'

A pair of $18 leggings from Kmart has caught the attention of shoppers online for their comfortable fit and ankle-length coverage

The Active Women's Ankle Length Yoga Legging (pictured) received praise on Facebook after one woman said the budget tights are better than her expensive alternatives

Other customers agreed and said the pants are 'true to size' and 'hug' the abdomen area.

'I have the same pair in black and absolutely love them, I wear them every day around house. So comfortable,' one woman said.

'I got a size 12 and they fit well,' another said.

A third added: 'I'm wearing a pair of Kmart leggings... it just feels like they're lovingly hugging my unhappy abdomen.'

On the Kmart website the product has received an average of 4.5 stars out of five and happy customers said the material is 'good quality', 'good value' and 'holds everything in'

Customers can choose to purchase black or khaki green leggings, which are available in sizes six to 20.

The leggings are also made with a 'yoga performance' hip print on the side and an elastic waistband for added comfort.

The fitness tights are made from polyester and elastane and have a crisscross detailing at the bottom, but don't have pockets.
A standard brain image from Dr Rae's laboratory (not from study). Credit: Dr Charlotte Rae

People who binge-drink show more extensive dysfunction across their brains than previously realized, a new study from the University of Sussex has shown.

The research shows that binge-drinkers' brains have to put more effort into trying to feel empathy for other people in pain.

The paper "Differential brain responses for perception of pain during empathic response in binge drinkers compared to non-binge drinkers" is published in the October 2020 edition of the Neuroimage: Clinical journal. The study involved 71 participants (from France and the UK) whose brain activity was observed in fMRI scanners while undertaking a pain perception task. Half of these people were classified as binge-drinkers and half were not. The binge-drinkers were sober while they were being observed.

In the task participants were shown an image of a limb being injured, and asked to imagine either that the body part was theirs, or that of another person, and to state how much pain was associated with the image. The binge-drinking participants struggled more than their non-binge-drinking counterparts when trying to adopt the perspective of another person experiencing the pain: they took more time to respond and the scans revealed that their brains had to work harderto use more neural resourcesto appreciate how intensely another person would feel pain.

A further standard brain image from Dr Rae's laboratory (not from study). Credit: Dr Charlotte Rae

The study also revealed a more widespread dysfunction than previously realized; a visual area of the brain, which is involved in recognizing body parts, showed unusually high levels of activation in the binge-drinkers. This was not true in the non-binge drinkers who looked at the same images.

When the binge-drinkers were asked to imagine the injured body part in the picture as their own, their pain estimate was not different from that of their non-binge drinking counterparts.

Professor Theodora Duka from the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex said, "I have been studying the effects of drinking excessive alcohol for many years. In that time I have built up a strong body of evidence about the widespread way in which binge-drinking is associated with brain dysfunction in areas supporting self-control and attention. Our aim with the present study was to examine whether binge drinkers show less empathy and their brains show different responses to non-binge drinkers, when they imagine another person in pain. Reduced empathy in binge drinkers may facilitate drinking as it can blunt the perception of suffering of self or others during a drinking session. We have shown with this study that dysfunction associated with binge drinking is even more extensive than previously known. A region of the brain called the Fusiform Body Area associated with recognition of body parts showed hyperactivity in binge-drinkers in a situation in which feelings of empathy are experienced."

Dr. Charlotte Rae from the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex noted, "Our results are quite surprising. Our data show that binge-drinkers need to work harder to feel empathy for other people in pain. They need to use more resources in terms of higher brain activity than non-binge drinkers. What this means in everyday life is that people who binge-drink might struggle to perceive the pain of others as easily as non-binge drinkers do. It's not that binge drinkers feel less empathyit's just that they have to put more brain resource into being able to do so. However, under certain circumstances when resources become limited, binge drinkers may struggle to engage in an empathic response to others."

Bring drinking is defined as consuming more than 60 g of pure alcohol(equivalent to about three quarters of one bottle of wine, or 2 1/2 pints of lager) on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. About 30% of all adults (over 15 years of age) who drink alcohol in UK and France meet this criterion.

More information: Charlotte L. Rae et al, Differential brain responses for perception of pain during empathic response in binge drinkers compared to non-binge drinkers, NeuroImage: Clinical (2020). Journal information: NeuroImage: Clinical Charlotte L. Rae et al, Differential brain responses for perception of pain during empathic response in binge drinkers compared to non-binge drinkers,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102322
Supporters of 1492 Land Back Lane continue to be picked up by police for visiting the disputed Caledonia construction site.

Const. Rod LeClair of the Haldimand OPP said a total of 21 people have been arrested in connection with the occupation of McKenzie Meadows by a group of Six Nations land defenders who moved in July 19.

At least five arrests have taken place since a music concert and lacrosse game at the site on Saturday, which attracted performers and supporters from around the region.

I can confirm that the number of people that were arrested is 21, LeClair said in an email. Im aware that there has been exaggerated and inaccurate information on social media.

Land Back spokesperson Skyler Williams said the number of arrests is 27, with reports reaching the camp of another supporter arrested on Thursday.

Williams said the arrests contradict the OPPs stated desire to continue what LeClair described as open and peaceful dialogue between the land defenders and the OPPs provincial liaison team, which engages with Indigenous groups through the provinces framework on Indigenous policing.

I think theres an increased level of frustration, (after) hearing from the OPP that, as long as negotiations were happening, they were going to take a mediation approach to enforcing the injunction, Williams said.

And to see media people, non-native supporters, as well as people from Six Nations and other native folks from around Ontario being targeted to enforce this injunction in whatever way they see fit, I think is a serious escalation of tactics by the OPP.

There is a Superior Court injunction in force that makes it a crime for anyone but authorized users connected to the developers of the planned 218-unit subdivision to step foot on the McKenzie site.

A 35-year-old from St. Catharines was arrested on Tuesday, following the arrest of a 35-year-old from Hamilton and a 36-year-old from London on Monday. Each was charged with mischief and disobeying a court order, while the Hamiltonian was also charged with failing to obey a release order.

The mischief charges refer to interfering with the lawful use of a property.

Among those already facing charges are Oneida journalist Karl Dockstader and Mohawk researcher Courtney Skye.

For a lot of people, (being arrested) is a very new experience, and its traumatizing, said Williams, who was arrested when the police moved land defenders off the site on Aug. 5.

For folks thatve been pulled over like gangbusters  (the police) rolling up with six cars on the highway in formation to pull them over because they were here watching a band play, watching lacrosse  absolutely thats traumatizing, Williams said. Its absolutely ridiculous.

In his emailed response, LeClair declined to comment on police tactics, citing the pending court cases.

Im not able provide information on circumstances that led to the charges or any operational information, he said.

Williams said he expects more people will be arrested.

Our stance has been and will continue to be one of peace and of de-escalation, he said.

As of Thursday, an online legal fund for 1492 Land Back Lane had raised nearly $115,000, and Williams said every penny will be needed to see the court cases through.

He added that it is a morale boost for land defenders to see people risk arrest by visiting the site, donating supplies and money, and supporting their claim to the land as unceded Haudenosaunee territory.

That really lights a fire under us, he said.






By Brandon Friedman



When the Military Times released new survey results last week showing President Donald Trump's falling support among service members, it seemed like that would be Trump's worst military news of the week. Then came Thursday.



Senior administration officials shared with The Atlantic a slew of incendiary and derogatory comments Trump has made in the last three years against U.S. service members, past and present. The comments are, predictably, bad.



The first took place on Memorial Day 2017 in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery _ where veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. Trump arrived with then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and others. Kelly's son Robert, also a Marine, is buried in Section 60. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2010.



While visiting the younger Kelly's gravesite, Trump reportedly turned to his future chief of staff and said, "I don't get it. What was in it for them?"



As bizarre and hurtful as that comment presumably was, The Atlantic says Trump saved special vitriol for the late Sen. John McCain. McCain, of course, is widely regarded as an American hero for enduring torture for five years in a North Vietnamese prison. When McCain died in 2018, Trump told his close circle, "We're not going to support that loser's funeral." When he saw flags lowered to half-staff, Trump demanded to know "what the fk are we doing that for? Guy was a f-king loser."



I never agreed with McCain on anything policy-related, but this boggles the mind. Of course, it didn't end there.



In 2018, Trump was scheduled to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris. That was until he reportedly asked senior officials that morning, "Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers."



He apparently made the same remark about former President George H.W. Bush, calling him a "loser" for being shot down by the Japanese in World War II.



When Trump speaks of American military dead, Republicans and Democrats alike, it's always about "losers." But that's not the only word he uses. On the same trip, according to The Atlantic, he referred to the more than 1,800 marines killed at Belleau Wood as "suckers." And because there is no bottom, it gets worse.



In 2018, as Trump was planning a military parade at the White House, he asked senior staff not to include wounded veteran amputees because people would feel uncomfortable around them. "Nobody wants to see that," he reportedly said.



All this invective aimed at the military was confirmed by The Associated Press. The Washington Post also confirmed Trump's statements, adding an absolute doozy that would end any other presidential administration. Of course Trump and administration officials vehemently dispute the claims.



According to the Post, a former senior administration official said Trump referred to soldiers missing in action, again, as "losers." The source told the Post that Trump said MIA troops "had performed poorly and gotten caught and deserved what they got."



Losers, losers, losers, losers, suckers. They "deserved what they got." If you're in the military, that's what Trump thinks of you. These are his words, not mine. If you have a family member in the military _ a child, a parent or a sibling _ then this is what Trump thinks of them.



Unfortunately, none of this is surprising; the scandalous private comments are only versions of what we've all heard him say in public. Trump has disparaged the military time and again, from when he said, "I like people who weren't captured" to his denigration of the Khan family, whose son was killed in Iraq.



His actions are even worse. He deeply offended the U.S. Army by abandoning our Kurdish allies in Syria and Iraq. He said nothing to Vladimir Putin when it was reported that the Russian government had paid bounties for the deaths of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.



I was standing in Section 60 at Arlington when Trump's motorcade arrived with Kelly that Memorial Day in 2017. It was my last Memorial Day in Washington before moving back to Texas after eight years. As soon as he stepped out of the limo, my friends and I began walking toward the exit. Unlike most veterans at the time, we knew he would defile the moment and the sacred ground on which we stood. We didn't want to stick around for it.



Trump still had the support of most of the military on that day. Even earlier last week, he could've counted on the 37% of service members who said they were going to vote for him. But most of that has to disappear now. And he has no one but himself, in all his broken sullenness, to blame. The thing about Trump's disdain for the military is that it goes both ways.



Brandon Friedman is an entrepreneur and former Obama administration official. He served as an infantry officer in the Army's 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan and Iraq. This article appeared at the New York Daily News and was distributed by Tribune Content Agency.




'X' marks the sweet spot in the increasingly busy and lucrative world of designer-brand collaborations.

A new Irish collaboration, 'Lucy x Pippa', launches here on September 23 and is the product of two fashion powerhouses, Lucy Nagle and Pippa O'Connor Ormond.

Collaborations are a highly visible brand strategy that can mean a useful pooling of customers, not to mention millions of social media followers.

The 'Karl Lagerfeld x H&M' collaboration in 2004 marked the first of the Swedish brand's now annual big-name designer collaborations.

Irish designer JW Anderson has also been successful after collaborations with both Uniqlo and Converse.

Lucy Nagle is creative director of her own luxury brand where womenswear sweaters sell for around 295.

Pippa OConnor was a customer of the brand and has her own lifestyle e-commerce business and an eye-watering 527,000 Instagram followers.

The two have brought a range of cotton/cashmere blend t-shirt tops and merino wool sweaters and loungewear to market to feed the seemingly never-ending appetite for leisurewear. To bring it together they collaborated on Zoom, WhatsApp and emails, and exchanged samples via courier. The range launches with pieces selling for 55 to 110 on lucynagle.com.

Lockdown certainly triggered a commercial demand for cashmere.

Lucy Nagle had to design a second Autumn Winter collection for her own eponymous brand after the original one sold out early following its launch online in April.

Meanwhile, another Irish creative collaboration launches tomorrow and marks an entry into the very busy homewares/interiors market.

Former Primark buyer, Hannah Murphy set up her own business, Amurelle, concentrating on top-end bedlinen in cotton and linen.

To date it has been solely available from her website, amurelle.com, but from tomorrow, in a collab that takes online to bricks and mortar for the customer experience, it will be sold at CA Design on Dublins Dunville Avenue in partnership with interiors expert, Carol-Anne Leyden.

Retail futurist Matthew Brown says the concept of a collaboration is to create something special, an extra element of interest and says combining two voices is more likely to be stronger than one.

I think the opportunities now to generate stories and do them cost effectively through social media and to have a global reach, you can be an entrepreneur no matter where you are, he said.

Brown cites H&M and IKEA as having done some really good, limited edition, collaborations with designers. Whats nice is when you get a mid market or even a value fashion brand having high-level collaborations with top-end designers, you get a real sense of buzz and a whole secondary retail market, he said.
Vietnam has been warned of great challenges when developing online teaching, but it believes that these can be overcome.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) plans to issue a circular on online teaching at general schools to help local authorities and schools apply this teaching form under their respective conditions.





As for tertiary education, MOET is working on amending the regulations to allow training establishments at a certain level to build online teaching management systems and switch to a training mode with both online and offline training.



Parents concerns



The new academic year has begun amid the second Covid-19 outbreak. Thanh Lan, a parent in Ba Dinh district, is worried as about online classes.



My son had online classes in April and May. At that time, my husband and I had to sit in front of the computer to study with him because he could not concentrate, Lan said.



He could not understand the lessons well and we had to explain again, she said.



Lan and her husband worked from home in April and May, so they could support their son. Lan wonders what will happen if he has to study online again without parents by his side.



I have heard that MOET plans to set online teaching as part of curriculum. But I am afraid a lot of problems will arise, especially for primary schools, because small children are usually distracted, Lan said.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) plans to issue a circular on online teaching at general schools to help local authorities and schools apply this teaching form under their respective conditions.

Le Quynh Hoa, a parent in Cau Giay district, said online teaching would be ineffective for primary school students.



It would be okay if small children study online with the parents supervision. However, parents dont have time to do this because they have busy working days."



Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Long, a parent in district 10, HCM City, is worried about how to control the time his son uses computer.



His son, a ninth grader, is allowed to use the computer one hour a day in the evening.



If online teaching hours are in the daytime, when we are at work, we wont be able to control the time my son uses the computer, Long said. "Using a computer too much wont be good to my son. Besides, I am afraid he will use it to access websites with bad content."



School managers concerns



Huynh Thanh Phu, headmaster at Nguyen Du High School in HCM City, said not all teachers have computers or laptops. He said that it would take time for teachers to practice using the teaching software. And it is not clear who will pay for the software.



Truong Thi Bich Thuy, headmaster of Trung Vuong High School, said the school is using Microsoft software and the cost is VND900,000 for each teacher. As such, the school has to spend VND100 million to pay a fee for its 120 teachers.



Well have to think about the financial sources for the spending items. If we spend the states money, we will have to ask for permission from the education department. If we collect the fees through tuition, there must be a decision by the municipal authorities, she said.



Trung Vuong School has conducted a survey on the readiness of online learning and found that 95 percent of the schools 1,900 students have computers or smartphones with an internet connection.



Teachers concerns



Nguyen Van Luc, a teacher of history at Dien Khanh Secondary School in Khanh Hoa province, who has been working for 34 years, said: "To prepare for one 45-minute teaching period, I have to have a 2-day preparation."



I feel under pressure. I have to practice many times to be sure that my words match with the slide shows, he said.



According to Do Anh Duc, a lecturer at the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the Hanoi National University, the biggest difficulty is that teachers need to have imagination.



You will have to change your teaching method if you face a camera and not the students, he said.

Ngan Anh - Le Huyen

Online teaching to continue post-COVID General schools and universities have organized online teaching for the last six months because of Covid-19. However, even when the pandemic ends, online teaching will still continue.
DENVER, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pie Insurance, an insurtech that offers workers' compensation insurance to small businesses, today announced the growth of its agency channel to more than 1,000 partners, representing a nearly 200% increase since the start of 2020.

With more than 6,000 agents nationwide, agencies in Pie's partner program have submitted thousands of their small business clients for quotes through its online portal in the three months since it launched. The partner portal features an integrated appetite checker, provides an auto-decision for 73% of class codes, and allows partners to see the status of their submissions in real time.

Pie was founded to improve the insurance experience for small business owners, offering them coverage directly on its website and through independent insurance agents. To date, Pie has partnered with both retail agencies and wholesalers with small business clients in 36 states and Washington, DC, to distribute its first product offering, workers' compensation insurance.

"Since inception, we've known agency partners would play a critical role in our growth," said Dax Craig, co-founder and president of Pie Insurance. "We sold our first agency policy in June 2018, and we're thrilled with the significant growth of our agency channel ever since. A key ongoing priority for Pie is making our offering compelling and easy to use for agents and their small business clients."

Agencies can learn more about partnering with Pie Insurance and connect with its business development team at agencies.pieinsurance.com .

About Pie Insurance

Pie Insurance provides workers' compensation insurance directly to small businesses and also partners with local, regional, and national insurance agencies to provide coverage to their clients. Headquartered in Washington, D.C. and Denver, the company began offering policies in 2018 with a goal of helping small businesses experience up to 30% savings and outstanding service. Pie operates as a managing general agency for Sirius America Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Sirius Group, offering A.M. Best A- (Excellent) rated workers' compensation insurance. Pie's investors include SVB Capital, Gallatin Point Capital, Greycroft, Aspect Ventures, Sirius Group, Moxley Holdings, and Elefund.

SOURCE Pie Insurance

Related Links

pieinsurance.com


The White House asked the Department of Justice to intervene in the defense of President Trump's defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who's accused him of rape, Attorney General William Barr said Wednesday.

Driving the news: Carroll said the DOJ's move to replace Trump's private lawyers in the case shows that he "will do everything possible, including using the full powers of the federal government," to block her. But Barr said the intervention was "a normal application of the law."

What he's saying: "The law is clear. It is done frequently," Barr said during a news conference in Chicago. "And the little tempest that's going on is largely because of the bizarre political environment in which we live."

He told "NBC Nightly News" Wednesday evening that it's "not particularly unusual" for the DOJ to intervene.

Barr said officials followed the Westfall Act, "which says that if someone is an employee of the executive branch or the legislative, and they are sued for a state tort that occurred in the course of them working for the government  of their duties for the government  then they can have it certified to be moved to federal court, and the United States is then substituted as the party."

"This is done frequently. It's been done for presidents. It's been done for congressmen. The normal process was followed in this particular case."

 Bill Barr

Background: The DOJ and White House said Tuesday that Trump was "acting within the scope of his office as President of the United States" when he said last year that Carroll was "totally lying" about claims that he raped her in the mid-1990s.
Florida residents are among the people that are most financially distressed amid the pandemic, according to a study.

WalletHub found in an analysis of all 50 states and Washington D.C. that Florida had the fifth most residents who were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The firm looked at credit scores, people with accounts in distress, and the average number of accounts, bankruptcies filed in January versus July.

It also includes search trends for "Debt" on the web in each state.

Rankings on the WalletHub "States Where People Need Loans the Most Due to Coronavirus" list were also used to generate a score for each state.

The analysis also showed that Florida best performed with credit scores, being no. 45 with the sixth-best score on the list.

States with the most bankruptcy fillings in July versus January were South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Florida, meanwhile, ranking on the 24.

Most recent data from Florida Department and Economic Opportunity showed that around 1.16 million Florida residents were unemployed.

This with an unemployment rate of 11.5 percent.

Metro Orlando recorded 2016, 554 unemployed people in July, with an unemployment rate of 15.3 percent.

The metro area has the highest unemployment rate of all Florida metros.

However, the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area had more total of unemployed residents at 402, 316.

The two metropolitan areas have bigger workforce than Orlando.

Later in August, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday that Florida would apply for enhanced unemployment benefits signed by President Donald Trump.

Florida made it 33rd state to apply for it.

Florida state Senator Jason Pizzo, a representative of District 38, earlier said that it would likely be at least a week before those who qualify for the benefits to receive the money.

Pizzo said in a report that it is really unfortunate as many will be put behind past rent.

"Remember you have thousands of my constituents who owe rent on the first without a moratorium extension, without this money in hand - and that's the issue. The governor took a long time to make this decision," Pizzo was quoted in a report.

In a previous report, Florida was ranked as the slowest state to process unemployment claim with 86 percent still waiting.

"Nearly 7 out of 8 residents of Florida are still waiting to have their claims processed, most of which were filed from mid-March to early April," the report said.

More than 650,000 Floridians filed for unemployment benefits since March 15.

The state's unemployment system has long had problems. Florida released it online unemployment portal in October 2013.

The system had many occasions of crashes that prevented people from claiming unemployment benefits.

With this, DeSantis then ordered the Labor Department to provide paper unemployment benefit forms to residents.

The forms could be downloaded from the online portal and have it mailed in.

Independent contractors and freelancers were also qualified to apply through the exisiting application system.

Check these out:

FEMA Reveals the Date You Are Expected to Receive $400 Unemployment Benefits

Unemployment Benefits May Be Cut as High as $400, GOP Leaders Said

No Need to Certify Qualifications for California Unemployment Benefits for Now
French Defence Minister Florence Parly arrived here in the capital on an official visit on Thursday morning, ahead of the formal induction of the first five jets at Ambala.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly will be the Chief Guest for the induction ceremony at Air Force Station in Ambala.

This will be Parly's third official visit to India since 2017.

To be formally inducted in the IAF, the fighter aircraft will be part of 17 Squadron, the "Golden Arrows." The first five Rafale aircraft arrived at Air Force Station, Ambala from France on July 27, 2020.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary Department of Defence R & D and Chairman DRDO along with other senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces will be present to mark a very important milestone in the history of the IAF.

The French delegation will be represented by Emmanuel Lenain Ambassador of France to India, Air General Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the French Air Force and other senior officials.

A large delegation of senior functionaries of French Defence Industries which includes Eric Trappier Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation and Eric Beranger, CEO, MBDA will be present during the ceremony.

At Ambala the program will include the ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft, a traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja', Air Display by Rafale and Tejas aircraft as well as by 'Sarang Aerobatic Team'.

Afterwards, a traditional water cannon salute will be given to the Rafale aircraft. The programme will culminate with the ceremonial induction of Rafale aircraft to 17 Squadron.

After the ceremonial events, the Indian and French delegation will have a bilateral meeting.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 05:16:56|Editor: huaxia

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BOGOTA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed in violent protests against police brutality Wednesday night in Colombia's capital Bogota, the Colombian National Police said on Thursday.

Protests took place after the death on Tuesday of a man at the hands of police. Lawyer Javier Ordonez, a father of two, was repeatedly tasered by police before he died later in hospital, according to media reports.

The deputy chief of police, Gustavo Moreno, accompanied by Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo, told reporters more than 140 people were injured in the protests, including 87 police officers and 55 civilians, and 70 people were arrested.

Protesters set fire to 17 police stations and posts in different parts of the city, and vandalized 77 vehicles and 25 public transit buses, setting nine of them on fire, according to the authorities.

Police motorcycles and patrol cars were also targeted, and various ATMs looted, they said.

The minister of defense said the government would beef up security by deploying hundreds of soldiers to the streets of Bogota.

He called on citizens not to condemn the entire police force for the actions of two officers, who have been suspended.

Protests also broke out in other major cities, such as Medellin and Cali in Colombia. Enditem
India will participate in a study being done by National Institutes of Health (NIH), the national medical research agency of the US, which is to track the prevalence and impact of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnant women from seven low- and middle-income countries.

NIH is to track the impact of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing covid-19, among approximately 16,000 pregnant women. The study will follow women through pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth to compare maternal, foetal and newborn outcomes of participants infected with the virus to those of pregnant women who have not been infected.

The study is being conducted by the Global Network for Womens and Childrens Health Research (Global Network), a group of clinical sites funded by NIHs Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The countries participating in the study are Guatemala, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

At delivery, women enrolled in the study will receive an antibody test to determine if they have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Researchers aims to determine if infection increases the risk of complications such as preterm birth, foetal growth restriction, stillbirth, newborn death and birth defects, NIH said in a statement.

Scientists also hope to assess the knowledge of participants about covid-19 and their attitudes during pregnancy, including safety, protective practices and prenatal care. Women in the study will also be invited to participate in a follow-up analysis to determine if maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection influences infant outcomes such as cerebral palsy, developmental delays and hearing and vision abnormalities, NIH said.

Global Network is a partnership dedicated to improving maternal and child health outcomes and building health research capacity in resource-poor settings by testing cost-effective, sustainable interventions that provide guidance for the practice of evidence-based medicine. The collaboration includes eight multidisciplinary research sites and a data coordinating centre. Scientific oversight for the Global Network comes from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD, which is part of the NIH within the US department of health and human services.

The Global Network study is important, as we need information on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy for women in low- and middle-income countries where these data are scarce," Diana W. Bianchi, Director, NICHD said.

In India there has been no study on the impact of covid-19 on pregnant women and newborns. Some Indian studies have attempted to review available literature about case studies of covid-19 in pregnant women from various hospitals of China. According to a study published in the June issue of the Indian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research, it is important to study the effect of coronavirus on pregnancy. The study done by the department of biotechnology at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, summarized that there is no evidence to suggest that pregnant women are more likely to contract the virus and SARS-CoV-2 might not get transmitted from the mother to the neonate. The study, however, concluded that it is "important to include a big cohort to study the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection systematically in pregnant females".

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Master comic book creator Stan Lee said that his superhero comics are the greatest stories ever told but Latino comic book creators and fans rarely saw their stories reflected in mainstream superheroes.

Three Latino comic book conventions this monthall virtual because of coronavirus and free to everyoneare showcasing the creativity and diversity of the space created by Latino comic book artists.

When we started our Expo adventure in 2011, people asked: Why are you doing this? Why are you separating yourselves? Why are you not trying to go to Marvel and DC?, said Ricardo Padilla, Mexican-American co-founder of The Latin Comics Expo, the oldest and biggest Latinx comic book convention today.

I think people can see now the importance of having a creative space to tell your story," said Padilla. "Comic books bring people together as a community. They celebrate who we are, especially when other spaces do not tell our stories.

The three conventions this year will be hosted online via webinars, YouTube, and social media. SOL-CON kicks off first in Ohio (September 10-12), followed by the Latino Comics Expo in California (September 13-19), and then the Texas Latino Comic Con (September 26).

While the Latinx community is sometimes described as a small country that exists inside a much bigger America, convention organizers say that their experience cannot be reduced to a one-size-fits-all story.

Participants at the Texas Latino Comic Con. (Texas Latino Comic Con)

There are many Latino stories. You can find autobiographical ones about growing up speaking Spanish, horror stories, historical pieces, superheroes, Latinas living in a macho society, you can find everything in Latino comics, said Javier Hernandez, Mexican-American comic book creator of the Aztec zombie superhero El Muerto and co-founder of The Latin Comics Expo. "But theres no one defining story of a Latino creator or fan, and there shouldnt be. Just like theres no one defining story of a white creator.

Hernandez says that kids can use almost any kind of story as a springboard for their imagination. But when they see themselves inside a story it makes a lasting impression.

Story continues

As a kid, I enjoyed reading Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman. I loved all those white guys in colorful costumes, said Hernandez. But there was one issue in a Spider-Man comic where the superhero White Tiger showed up. He was the first Puerto Rican superhero in Marvel. He spoke Spanish like me with my family at home. And that was a big deal.

Participants at the Texas Latino Comic Con. (Texas Latino Comic Con)

Hector Rodriguez is the Mexican-American comic book creator of the cross-border superhero El Peso Hero and co-founder of the Texas Latino Comic Con.

Hosting a Latino comic book convention in Texas was a tremendous accomplishment for us, he said. A lot of shows can cost between $35 and $45 a day," said Rodriguez, who is also an educator. "Our objective is to break down pay walls so that our community doesnt have to pick between buying groceries and seeing their stories reflected in comics.

Experts say that when children see themselves in stories it can plant the seeds for a lifetime commitment to reading. Latinx convention organizers see comic books as a bridge to literacy.

Comic books are a great point of entry for anyone to read, said Rodriguez. And within our community, literacy is a gateway to other worlds that we havent been exposed to, especially with many of our urban school children who have limited education experiences.

Some experts point out that language proficiency can be a determining factor for why students drop out of school. The Latino dropout rate has declined significantly, from 21 percent in 2006 to 8 percent in 2018, but it's still higher than the national average of 5.3 percent. Convention organizers say that comics can help Spanish-speaking students become bilingual.

I come from a generation of monolingual kids that spoke Spanish and were trying to become bilingual, said Frederick Luis Aldama, author of Your Brain on Latino Comics and co-founder of the SOL-CON comics expo at Ohio State University. Schools were really failing us. We were told not to speak Spanish, not to speak English with an accent, and sometimes we were even punished for it. So comics became a refuge for me.

Aldama, whose parents were Guatemalan-Irish and Mexican, says that his love for comics started in the mid-1970s with the corner shop and the comic book spin rack. He recalled how superhero comics cost only a quarter. These stories helped him gain a level of literacy in English by learning how to match words with images. Ultimately, comic books became a valuable space in college that fostered his sense of identity.

Back then, I wasnt really going to comics to learn about my ancestral roots. I wanted to get out of my space as a little boy growing up in the Central Valley of Sacramento, said Aldama. But in college, I started awakening to the significance of what it means to be Latino, Latina, Latinx in this country. And from a comic book perspective, I started looking into what it means to be a creator, a thinker, a doer, someone who shapes history, but has also been willfully, deliberately erased.

Today, Aldama says, many Latinx comic book creators are still unable to tell their stories in the mainstream. So they rely on their communities to lift up their stories.

Latinx comic cons exist because we continue to hit barriers, gatekeepers, in mainstream spaces, said Aldama. "Events like the San Diego Comic Con have become so interested in big tent Hollywood blockbusters that unless youre a big name in DC, Marvel, or IDW, youre not going to get any attention. So we need our communities to help us dissolve boundaries.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 23:24:56|Editor: huaxia

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DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian police said on Thursday they had found eight dead bodies in a forest reserve in Tanzania's central region of Tabora.

Barnabas Mwakalukwa, Tabora regional police commander, said the eight bodies, including five children aged between two and ten years old, were found dumped in the Isawima forest reserve in Kaliua district in Tabora region.

"The eight victims allegedly from the same family were severely burnt," he told a news conference.

Mwakalukwa said a livestock keeper found the bodies when he was grazing his animals in the forest and reported to the police.

The police have launched investigations into the deaths of the villagers. Enditem
Roger Ng, a former banker for Goldman Sachs Group Inc., left, exits from federal court in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., on Monday, May 6, 2019.

Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng has asked Malaysian prosecutors to review criminal charges against him for allegedly abetting the sale of $6.5 billion in bonds tied to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), his lawyer said on Thursday.

The request from Ng, a Malaysian national, comes days after prosecutors dropped criminal charges against Goldman Sachs following a deal which would see the U.S. investment bank pay $3.9 billion to the Malaysian government.

Ng's lawyer Tan Hock Chuan told a Kuala Lumpur court he had applied to the country's attorney-general to have four charges against his client lessened or dropped.

"On the instructions of my client, we have sent a letter of representation to the A-G to review the charges against him," he told reporters after the hearing.

The court proceedings will continue on Nov. 20.

Ng is currently in the United States, where he has been charged for conspiring to launder money and bribe government officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi through bond offerings that Goldman Sachs had handled.

Under an extradition deal, Ng will be returned to Malaysia after the completion of his trial in New York, which is due to begin next year.

Ng has pleaded not guilty to the charges in both countries.

The U.S. Department of Justice estimates $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB between 2009 and 2014, including some of the funds that Goldman Sachs helped raise. The bank has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Critics have dubbed it a festival of Brexit and pilloried it as a waste of 120m of public money, but the first plans for the festival of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  will officially launch on Wednesday. Using the working title Festival UK * 2022 organisers have opened applications for teams who wish to be commissioned to come up with ideas for the event. (In fact, Theresa May first proposed the arts festival, but just about everyone associates it with Boris Johnson.)  The Guardian
Two residents of a condominium in Hanoi were found dead after an apparent fall from an upper floor on Wednesday night.

The incident occurred at around 10:00 pm when residents of the apartment building at 29 Lieu Giai Street in Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District heard two loud thuds.

They rushed to the source of the noise and found two badly deformed bodies.

The duo were pronounced dead on the spot.

Police officers of Ngoc Khanh Ward arrived shortly after to cordon off the scene and coordinate with the Ba Dinh District Police and related agencies to investigate the incident and determine the cause of the fall.

The building managers, along with authorities, are currently examining the apartment building to verify the identity of the victims

An investigation into the case is ongoing.

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Hala, the joint venture between Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Careem, has announced that in line with RTA guidelines, four passengers will be allowed to travel in Hala (Dubai Taxi) v ans booked on the Careem app. Previously, all taxi travel had been restricted to two passengers per vehicle.

Due to the two rows of passenger seating present in Hala van taxis, four passengers can sit two to a row, to maintain social distancing. The price for the van service is identical to the price for a regular taxi.

With limited Dubai taxi vans available for street hail in the city, booking on the Careem app allows riders to secure their personnel ride from the comfort of their homes, and see their waiting time and fare upfront. Average arrival times for Hala vans currently sit at 6 minutes.

Clemence Dutertre, CEO of Hala, said: As ever, we remain committed to using technology to unlock easy movement around Dubai. We are pleased to announce this positive move and hope it can make travel that little bit simpler for those of our riders who need to travel in groups, whether that be friends or families. -- Tradearabia News Service
Dear Cultures Gerren Keith Gaynor and Mariel Turner are unpacking Black political history in the podcasts latest episode

From musician SPICE endorsing the youngest member of Jamaicas parliament Lisa Hanna to Kamala Harriss vice presidential nomination, history has been in the making for Black women recently.

In a time of #BlackLivesMatter, the voices and concerns of Black peopleand Black femmes especiallyare gaining headway in our nations larger discourses with plenty of progress and pushback. So, Dear Culture hosts Gerren Keith Gaynor and Mariel Turner have slowed down the pace, unpacking some of these issues on the latest episode of the podcast.

They ask the historically apt and critical question, Dear Culture, do we truly know the history of Black presidential politics?

Before Harris made her mark, there was Shirley Chisholm who was striving to break multiple glass ceilings in the mid-20th century. In 1968, Chisholm became the first back woman elected to the United States Congress representing New Yorks 12th congressional district for seven terms until 1983.

The first time in the history of this nation, a person of color and a woman is running for the highest office of this land, said Shirley Chisholm said about her historic run for president in the 1970s. In spite of the many obstacles, there is such a large cross section who is behind, that is saying, Why not dare to dream?

Though Chisholm has been referenced more for her amazing feat and contribution to American history, she isnt regularly given her flowers, according to our Dear Culture hosts. From a gendered and color-hierarchy perspective, Gaynor notes that, we think about the history of Black politics through the framework of Barack Obama, when actually Black history is unbound with Black femmes often setting the groundwork for generations to come.

A U.S. Capitol Police Honor guard participates in a memorial service for former U.S. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm February 15, 2005 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

How much courage [Chisholm must have had] to announce as a Black woman that you will run for U.S. president amidst the civil rights movement, Turner adds.

Story continues

Dear Culture also unpacks the legacy of Black Republican leader Herman Cain, who recently died from COVID-19 complications, and his presidential candidacy in 2012. A business executive, writer, Tea Party activist and Morehouse alumni, Cains political legacy is often shadowed by his support of Trump.

Read More: Kamala Harris slams Trump, Barr for denying systemic racism in justice system

However, as the Dear Culture podcast explains, its in part due to the rap sheets of our current political party system and the historical cut-back in social wealth programs for marginalized peoples. Though Cain is said to be in the wrong side of history by many Black Americans, his presidential campaign did make history, even if its on the Republican side.

Continuing with Black Republican history, Dear Culture touches on the life of Charlotta Bass, the first Black femme to be nominated as vice president in 1952 as a progressive. The changemaker began her political career as a conservative Republican as politics was disbanding and reforming during that time. Bass abandoned the Democratic party because of its failure to address the concerns of Black peoples and women. Though her legacy is rarely mentioned, Harris nomination opened the floodgates to search for the Black women who came before. Turner reminds us of that we need to acknowledge the courage it takes to do and say what Bass was doing in the mi- 20th century.

Its obvious that we have a lot of work to do when it comes to educating ourselves and young people [regarding] the strides Black people have made. It goes so much deeper than Kamala Harris, it goes so much deeper than Barack Obama, Gaynor explains.

Jesse Jackson attends an International Conference Is #Auschwitz only Sleeping? during the celebration of European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day in Krakow, Poland on 5 July, 2019. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Jesse Jackson and his 1984 Democratic presidential run is one of the more well-known occurrences in Black political history. Winning five primaries and caucuses, with more than 18% of votes cast, Jackson was highly successful until alleged anti-semitic comments cost him votes and subsequently the campaign. Loyal to the Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakan, Jacksons language caused controversy. However, he remains influential in Black American politics as an activist, representing the old guard figure in the Black community.

All these strong Black men and women have helped shape and mold our government, society, and political identity in this nation, Gaynor says.

Read More: Obama, in scathing Trump rebuke, warns democracy on the line

Talk of Black political history in America requires mention of the first Black president, Barack Obama. Becoming the 44th President of the United States in 2008, Obamas impact and legacy in the Black community continues to be a sweet memory to both old and young alike.

Many people can remember with crisp detail where they were when Obama was elected, as both hosts note in the podcast. Though Obamas election did not single-handedly change Americas racial landscape as many hoped, it was still a powerful moment, touching many hearts in America.

Sundus Hassan is a creative writer and digital storyteller. Shes a recent graduate from Vassar College with degrees in Africana Studies, Comparative Politics, and Literary Theory. She is deeply driven by the art of truth-telling and poetry. Currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

Have you subscribed to theGrios new podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Kamala Harris isnt the 1st Black woman to run for VP, have you heard of Charlotta Bass? appeared first on TheGrio.
[September 10, 2020] Celonis Continues Global Expansion with Opening of Canadian Office in Toronto Celonis, the market leader in AI-enhanced Process Mining and Process Excellence software, today announced its latest global expansion. The hypergrowth 'unicorn' has unveiled an important enlargement of its North American footprint by establishing a Toronto presence to serve the Canadian market and will accelerate local hiring. Despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, Celonis continues to hire rapidly and aims to hire an additional 600 employees globally by the end of the fiscal year. The company is already actively recruiting for several roles across Canada, including sales and customer success, with plans for further headcount growth at an office in Toronto, pending developments of the COVID-19 crisis. "We are pleased to welcome Celonis to Ontario," said Vic Fedeli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. "The strength and depth of the province's innovation ecosystem is the reason why world-class companies like Celonis choos our province as a hub for their operations. We are proud of our role in helping the company choose Toronto. Our government will continue to promote Ontario as a prime destination for investment to ensure we continue on our path to economic recovery." Celonis entered the North American market in 2017 with the creation of its second headquarters in New York City, rapidly followed with offices in San Francisco, California, Raleigh, North Carolina, Ann Arbor, Michigan and Miami, Florida. Its new presence in Toronto represents an investment in a rapidly growing strategic market for Celonis. The expansion is also a testament to Celonis' powerful technology, which helps organizations streamline operations and remove barriers to execution, resulting in millions of dollars saved. "As Canadian businesses emerge from the pandemic, Celonis is seeking out partnerships and solutions to help companies become more resilient and run more efficiently," says Sam Masri, Chief Operating Officer for SAP (News - Alert) Canada. "Alongside the company's SAP platinum partnership, Celonis' renewed commitment to the Canadian market and the relevance of their offerings to customers across all industries show tremendous growth potential and continued partnership opportunities. We are excited for what the future holds." Miguel Milano, Chief Revenue Officer and Co-Owner at Celonis, said: "Canada is a highly important market for Celonis and we are proud to be part of the community here. As this expansion demonstrates, Celonis' proposition for customers is so strong, that, despite COVID-19, we still have very ambitious growth and hiring targets. As the market leader in one of the most dynamic and value-creating areas of the business transformation market - AI-enhanced Process Mining and Process Excellence - we are among the fastest growing companies in the world." Celonis was founded in Munich, Germany, in 2011 and has already rapidly expanded across the globe. In 2019, Celonis established a presence in Tokyo, Japan, and has plans to open additional offices in different regions in the near future. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005559/en/

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More school closures could happen if infections among school aged children rise, the chief medical officer hinted last night.

Professor Chris Whitty said the Government's policy on schools may be 'looked at again' if the coronavirus crisis deepens.

His comments come as at least three schools closed due to Covid-19 outbreaks this week, while dozens more reported cases.

Hundreds of pupils are being forced to isolate. Some schools have sent home large groups of students or delayed reopening.

Professor Whitty was answering a question from a member of the public at the Downing Street press conference. He said coronavirus rates are 'still very low'.

More school closures could happen if infections among school aged children rise, the chief medical officer hinted last night

But 'if there were to be a change in that, there were to be a much broader increase in rates including of school age children, I think the current policies would have to be looked at again'.

This is despite experts suggesting that coronavirus could be viewed as a 'disease of old age' because the risk of under-55s dying is so small.

One study by Cambridge University found that just one in every 2.4million schoolchildren died from coronavirus at the height of the epidemic, compared to one in every 50 people in their nineties.

Researchers calculated that 80-year-olds are 1,000 times more likely to die if they get Covid-19 than 20-year-olds. They said the extent to which old people were disproportionately affected was 'staggering' and unlike any other known infectious disease.

His comments come as at least three schools closed due to Covid-19 outbreaks this week, while dozens more reported cases

The death rate among working-age adults is extremely low, which experts said highlights how the damage from lockdown was worse than the disease for most adults.

The analysis, published in the British Medical Journal, looked at the 49,607 coronavirus deaths in the UK over a 16-week period at the height of the epidemic.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Labour MP Matt Western said: 'Just in the last week we've had 46 cases in schools across the UK. In Scotland, there were 86 cases, a total of 158 schools already have cases.'

But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson insisted the Government is 'very much' in control of the 'safe' return of students to lessons.

As many as 200 pupils across eight Liverpool schools are self-isolating after confirmed coronavirus cases.

The JCB Academy in Rocester, Staffordshire, shut on Friday after a pupil tested positive for coronavirus  and around 100 students were told to self-isolate.

Dont send sick students home, universities told

Universities were yesterday told not to send students home in the event of a coronavirus outbreak.

Boris Johnson said the guidance was necessary to avoid spreading the virus across the country.

He urged undergraduates to protect their families by not socially gathering 'in groups of more than six, now and when term starts'.

However, institutions will be expected to care for them if they fall ill  isolated from other students.

Under further clampdowns, students were yesterday told they could be excluded from campus if they do not follow rules on social distancing. They were urged to act responsibly and not 'pile' into each other's rooms or flout guidance during freshers' week.

Universities were yesterday told not to send students home in the event of a coronavirus outbreak (stock picture)

The Prime Minister said: 'Opening universities is critical for students' life chances and, again, the health risks to individuals are low.'

The University and College Union condemned Mr Johnson's plan to force students to stay on in the event of an outbreak.

Spokesman Jo Grady said: 'Even by the Government's standards, these plans are ridiculously irresponsible. Students and their parents will be rightly worried about being locked down in an unfamiliar area, possibly over Christmas.'

Government scientists say there is a 'critical risk' that students could seed outbreaks nationally, putting vulnerable relatives at risk.

Universities have planned social distancing measures such as grouping students into 'bubbles' that live and study together.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 01:01:22|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A photography and video contest for the youth in China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) was launched in Beijing on Thursday to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

The contest, which is open to short video creators, shutterbugs, internet bloggers, and relevant institutes in China and the ROK, solicits short videos and photographic works, with themes including anti-epidemic stories, city construction, social development, and cultural communication.

Entries can be sent via e-mail (touchchina@naver.com) until December 10, and awards will be presented at the end of December.

The event is organized under the guidance of the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, the Chinese Embassy in the ROK, and the ROK Embassy in China. Enditem
The poll of 190 executives at agri-foods firms by Amarach Research found high levels of resilience among firms, despite their expressions of pessimism and doubts about their preparations for Brexit

The overwhelming majority of food producers and other agricultural firms expect to retain and even grow staff numbers despite the Covid-19 crisis, according to an industry survey.

The poll of 190 executives at agri-foods firms by Amarach Research found high levels of resilience among firms, despite their expressions of pessimism and doubts about their preparations for Brexit.

Just over half of firms said they expect their trade to recover fully within 12 months. A further 14pc said this could take up to three years, while 7pc said they would "never fully recover".

About half said their turnover had declined in the past year, while more than a third said their profit margins were narrowing. Just 13pc reported higher costs.

Among exporting firms, finding a distributor has overtaken currency exposures as their biggest concern.

Nearly two in five firms export to Northern Ireland, a third to Britain, and less than a quarter to other EU countries. Among those not yet exporting, 18pc plan to start shipping to Northern Ireland, 13pc to the EU and 11pc to Britain.

Amid high unemployment nationwide, most firms report that it's become less difficult to recruit staff with the desired skills. Only 6pc expect to cut headcount over the coming year, while 26pc plan to boost the size of their workforce.

"Over the coming months, dealing with the twin challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit will be very challenging for the food and agribusiness SME sector," said Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.

"It is encouraging to see that nine out of 10 businesses intend to maintain or grow employee numbers over the next year," he said.

Farming accountancy firm Ifac, which commissioned the survey, said the Covid crisis had sparked a 54pc surge in firms starting to sell their food, drink and other products online.

"Embracing digitalisation has become a must-do at this stage," said David Leydon, head of food and agribusiness at Ifac. "It now impacts every part of businesses, not just front-end online trading but also all associated processes.

"While investment in automation is still low, a quarter of those surveyed believe investment in new technology and automation will be one of the long-term impacts from Covid," he said.

This would allow firms to "save costs, build resilience, and redeploy their teams to higher-value work", he said.

Ifac - short for Irish Farms Accounts Cooperative - provides accountancy services to farms and other rural firms.

The survey had an error margin of 6.85 percentage points.
By PTI

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Thursday declared 130 taluks in 23 districts as flood-affected in the state, and has ordered the local administrations to take up necessary relief measures there.

The government has made a declaration to this effect following the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) report.

In the backdrop of large-scale destruction caused to lives, houses, crops and basic infrastructure due to torrential rain and floods in this August monsoon season, 130 taluks in 23 districts of the state have been declared flood-affected with immediate effect until further orders, the government order said.

The government has ordered the district administration to take necessary relief measures in the taluks that have been declared flood affected in accordance with State disaster relief fund (SDRF)/NDRF norms and by strictly following the orders or circulars issued by the government from time to time, it added.

The government noted that due to torrential rain in the state in August and heavy inflow from neighbouring Maharashtra into the Krishna basin there were floods in several parts of north Karnataka, and during the same time there were floods in coastal and Malnad region too causing large-scale destruction.

Belagavi district has the highest number of 14 taluks that have been declared flood affected, while the least is in Chamarajanagara and Mandya with one taluk each.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had on Monday told a central team that visited the state to assess the damage that Karnataka has suffered a loss of Rs 8,071 crore due to the recent floods.

Heavy rainfall since August 1 has killed at least 20 people, displaced thousands, damaged more than 10,000 homes and crops in about 4.03 lakh hectares, and wrecked 14,182 km of roads.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov have discussed bilateral economic issues, cooperation in nuclear and space sectors during their first in person meeting here since the COVID-19 outbreak, a senior Indian official said on Thursday.

Jaishankar and Lavrov met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers of the eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Russian capital. Bilateral economic issues, cooperation in development of the Far East region of Russia, cooperation in nuclear and space sectors were also discussed, Spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said in a readout of the meeting between Jaishankar and Lavrov.

The two ministers followed up on outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Vladivostok for the fifth edition of Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) which was held in September last year, he said at the online briefing.

The two ministers agreed to work closely in the UN Security Council during Indias forthcoming tenure as a Non-Permanent Member, Srivastava said in New Delhi during an online briefing. In June, India was elected as a non-permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council for a two-year term, winning 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. India will sit in the most powerful UN organ, for two years beginning on January 1.

Pleasure to meet FM Sergey Lavrov, this time in person. Excellent talks that reflect our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Value our exchanges on the international situation," Jaishankar tweeted on Wednesday after his talks with Lavrov.

On his part, Lavrov said, It is a very good, and almost forgotten, feeling to meet in person. We appreciate this opportunity to discuss prospects for developing our strategic partnership in all areas: bilateral relations and cooperation within the SCO, BRICS, the UN and via other international platforms, he said.

This was the first physical meeting between the two leaders after the COVID-19 situation and there was excellent discussion on bilateral matters, regional developments and international issues of concern, Srivastava said. The SCO meeting could not be held earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

India and Russia have a special and privileged strategic partnership and this year marks the 20 years of their strategic partnership. Last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Russian counterpart Gen. Sergey Shoigu in Moscow during which he appreciated the steadfast support provided by Russia in response to the countrys defence and security needs.

Singh, who was on a three-day visit to Russia to attend a crucial meeting of the SCO, pressed for expediting supply of a number of weapons systems, ammunition and spares to India by Russia under contracts which were concluded earlier.
With things getting crazier and crazier with every passing month this year, it feels like a real version of an apocalyptic show that we were all living through. I mean, that's the only way to explain the year, right?

And now, it looks like we're approaching the finale of 2020 and everything looks like the world is about to end. As wildfires spread through Oregon, the blood-red sky is something straight out of an 'end of the world' movie and it's as terrifying as it is fascinating.

 Reuters

What is even happening anymore?

 Reuters

This is all due to wildfires raging across the Pacific Northwest, burning thousands of acres of land and forcing hundreds to evacuate their homes.

As soon as the sky turned orange, pictures popped up online and honestly, it just seems too unbelievable to be true. But, it is, for real, happening and we should all be worried about the environment way more than we are.



Someone tell Elon Musk it looks like Mars on Earth.



Hmm.

Oregon looks like Mars right now pic.twitter.com/MiFXT1VR62  Secular Talk (@KyleKulinski) September 9, 2020

Even California is not behind.

It is LITERALLY Blade Runner 2049 in California right now. pic.twitter.com/FAggbTQeNB  Kevin L. Lee (@Klee_FilmReview) September 9, 2020

It has such an eerie vibe to it.

Took these all around 10am today on the Oregon Coast, absolutely no filter #OregonFires pic.twitter.com/JIfoSbYUed  Emily Adams (@thisemily1) September 9, 2020

It's so sad.

Medford, Oregon my heart breaks for your loss. pic.twitter.com/2ul7v8phmB  Elisa (@tigerdevonshire) September 9, 2020

That place with a red sky? Nope.

#OregonFires Enchanted Forest in Salem Oregon looks downright Apocalyptic today. pic.twitter.com/DzgaJzuoFo  Jesse (@UglyBoyJ2) September 8, 2020

What are you even supposed to do when the sky turns red?

Shocking images from Salem Oregon today at 4 p.m. via @Clypian pic.twitter.com/INIogRAq40  Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) September 8, 2020

Great pictures, terrifying reality.

Scenes from around Salem, Oregon today as smoke and ash move into the area from the #SantiamFire. pic.twitter.com/0QjS5omX6G  Abigail Dollins (@abigaildollins) September 9, 2020

It honestly looks like a filter and that makes it scarier.

This is an unedited photo of the sky near Salem Oregon at around 7 pm today. pic.twitter.com/SayT87BDY2  RyanToh911 (@RyanToh911) September 9, 2020

Oh wow.

It definitely does.

oregon looks like something out of blade runner 2049 right now pic.twitter.com/Xen7kPwwSV  meg (@exblvdes) September 8, 2020

Should be here soon.

The view near Salem, Oregon this evening thanks to the wildfires. What time does the Devil arrive? pic.twitter.com/eulOPUqurH  Ryan Man, MD (@RyManMD) September 9, 2020

Sorry to quote One Direction but, "Oh how fast the night changes."

Salem, Oregon yesterday vs Salem, Oregon today pic.twitter.com/IrPbbJj37Q  D R E A @ OREGON LAND OF BIGFOOT (@amiawerewolfyet) September 8, 2020

Wow.
Senior congress leader Digvijaya Singhs offer to Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan to join the Grand Alliance (GA) in Bihar has drawn flak from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents in Bihar.

Addressing the partys virtual rallyBihar Kranti Mahasammelanwith members and people of Sitamarhi, Singh, also a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, had on Tuesday given an open invitation to Paswan and his party, which is at odds with the ruling JD(U) for the past few weeks, to join hands with the old partners.

The LJP, which is planning to field its candidates on all seats having candidates of the JD(U) and Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), was a constituent of United Progressive Alliance (UPA), comprising of Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), till it finally walked out to join the BJP-led NDA in 2014 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Rebuffing the Congresss bid to aggravate the divide within the NDA, senior BJP leader and minister Prem Kumar said that the Congress which is fighting for its revival in Bihar is indulging in daydreaming. Everything in the NDA is well and under control. Paswan ji is a seasoned leader and knows how to respect the popular sentiments, said Kumar

Echoing similar feelings, JD(U) leader and minister Neeraj Kumar said that the Congresss bid to woo the LJP exposes the waning confidence of the party which he claimed survived on compassion of the RJD in Bihar.

The Congress itself is driven by the compulsion of seeking guidance for Bihar from a leader jailed in corruption cases. The NDA is intact and united under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, which has been reasserted by BJP seniors like Amit Shah and JP Nadda time and again, said the minister.

The RJD, however, said that the party would welcome any initiative from the LJP to return to the old coalition, of which it was part for 12 years. Let him come out with the joining offer. GA leaders would definitely take a call on it, said senior RJD leader and former minister Alok Kumar Mehta.

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It's an ugly spat for such a glamorous industry: French luxury powerhouse LVMH and US jeweler Tiffany & Co. are blaming each other for the collapse of what would have been the sector's biggest-ever buyout deal.

Paris-based LVMH had announced Wednesday it was abandoning the USD 14.5 billion takeover plan because the French government had requested a delay to assess the impact of proposed U.S. tariffs. Tiffany sued to enforce the deal, and on Thursday LVMH lashed back.

The Paris-based conglomerate whose holdings including Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon, Bulgari and Sephora issued a statement threatening legal action of its own, accusing Tiffany of mismanaging the financial crisis prompted by virus lockdowns.

LVMH criticised Tiffany for issuing dividends even as it was losing money, and Tiffany's performance in the first half of this year was significantly worse than that of other LVMH brands during the period. "LVMH confirms that the conditions are not met" to close the deal, it said.

Even before Wednesday's announcement, the deal's value had been eroded by wider industry troubles caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused retail sales to plunge around the world. Tiffany, based in New York, said LVMH's argument for halting the buyout has no basis in



French law, and that LVMH hadn't attempted to seek the required antitrust approval from three jurisdictions. LVMH disputed that, and said the necessary approvals were expected in October.

Tiffany, known for its delicate jewelry, distinctive blue boxes and an Audrey Hepburn movie, had been trying to transform its brand to appeal to younger and more digital shoppers. LVMH, had thought the deal would strengthen its position in high-end jewelry and in the U.S. market.

The pandemic threw all those assumptions and plans in doubt, and the threat of new tariffs between the U.S. and Europe was cited as a further complicating issue.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Microsoft on Thursday joined hands with industry-driven learning ecosystem Nasscom FutureSkills to launch a nation-wide initiative that aims to skill 10 lakh students in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by 2021.

Commencing from September 21, this initiative called "AI Classroom Series" will be paced in three modules.

The online classes will include live demos, hands-on workshops and assignments through self-learning, virtual instructor-led training, and mentoring.

These introductory sessions on AI will be available for undergraduate students at no cost and will cover the basics of data science, machine learning models on Azure, and understanding of cognitive services to build intelligent solutions, Microsoft said.

The partnership with Nasscom FutureSkills is an extension of Microsoft's global skilling initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire new digital skills, needed to thrive in a digital economy.

"As economies start to recover from the pandemic, expanded access to digital skills will be one of the key drivers of an inclusive economic growth," Rohini Srivathsa, National Technology Officer, Microsoft India, said in a statement.

"Technologies like AI are becoming enablers for every business today, making the need for creating an AI ready ecosystem vital for India's economic and social value creation." The teaching sessions will be conducted by various experts, including experts from Microsoft and Nasscom.

Students will have the option to choose from multiple time slots and plan their own learning pace.

Registered students will also have access to content and developer tools from Microsoft and GitHub, the company said, adding that participation certificate from the Indian IT industry's apex body and Microsoft will be awarded to students at the end of the series.

"The joint initiative with Microsoft aims to not only build future AI skilled talent but also nurture job creation through constant reskilling and upskilling for the years to come," said Amit Aggarwal, VP and CEO, IT-ITeS Sector Skills Council, Nasscom.

The partnership will also steer collaboration with various academic institutes and colleges to integrate new Cloud and AI technologies into the curriculum.
Due to safety concerns, county council has unanimously agreed to establish a permanent no-trespassing zone on the south portion of the James A. Gifford Causeway and a temporary no-trespassing zone on the north portion on the Bridgenorth side.

During councils virtual meeting on Wednesday morning, council members agreed that from Garthorne Avenue to the bridge on the Bridgenorth end, individuals will indefinitely be prohibited to access the area and for the rest of 2020 from Kelly Boulevard to the bridge, access will be banned due to lack of physical distancing.

New and improved signage directing anglers to areas that are safe and that can be maintained by county staff will also be installed.

Council also agreed to a county staff recommendation to ban camping at the causeway, which crosses Chemong Lake, as well as at the Gannons Narrows Causeway between Selwyn Township and Trent Lakes.

Selwyn Township Deputy Mayor Sherry Senis, who had tried unsuccessfully to convince council last month to ban fishing on the causeway, said shes happy council has now supported the trespassing ban.

The end result is what I was trying to accomplish in the first place, she said.

Otonabee-South Monaghan Township Mayor Joe Taylor said hes not surprised, but its unfortunate that the county had to act after investigating problems with littering by some anglers.

A big part of the recommendation to close it is because of littering. I would like the folks who are responsible for that littering to know that they are also responsible for the recommendation to close it, Taylor said.

Taylor said signs stating Due to excessive littering, this area is now a No Trespass zone should be posted.

I would like those folks to know that, and perhaps the message is there so that if it does reopen, they understand that if littering becomes a problem again, it can become closed, he said.

Drew Sinclair, owner and operator of Chemong Shores Marina, said hes grateful for Senis support relating to the ongoing issues which had threatened to drive away boaters from mooring at the marina.

She was calling several times and kept us updated on progress. I thought it was wonderful that she actually stood behind us and certainly was in our corner every step of the way, he said.

Concerns with aggressive anglers using his docks next to the south side of the Chemong Lake causeway have been constant this season, Sinclair said.

I had to go and remove two gentlemen this morning around 5 oclock. Its an ongoing thing. We have a small day shift, but a big night shift for the fishing people, he said.

Sinclair said he thinks councils decision to create no-trespassing zones is wonderful, as long as they can get it to work.

I hope they expedite it. Its now going to boil down to enforcement. They can put up chains and signs and everything else, but whats going to be the end result in success would be the enforcement end of it, Sinclair said.
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PEOPLE in Mangwe District in Matabeleland South province are now living in fear following the gruesome murder of an elderly couple at their home last week. Mr Nicholas Nleya (83) and his wife Margaret (78) were murdered in cold blood by suspected robbers who after killing them, burnt their bodies to ashes. The couple was buried in one grave at Empandeni Mission Cemetery on Monday.





Speaking at the burial, Headman Zibuyeni appealed to the police to get to the bottom of the murder saying as villagers they were now living in fear.





Zimbabwes communal areas have over the years been very peaceful and safe places but the scenario has now changed. Criminals are now targeting villages as well hence the increasing robbery and murder cases being recorded in communal areas.





Villagers need to be assured of their safety as has been the case in the past when they could freely visit each other and interact even at night. We therefore, want to appeal to the police to step up investigations and bring to book the murderers of the Mangwe elderly couple in order to restore the villagers confidence in the security forces.





What is however, comforting is that police have of late been scoring major successes in apprehending dangerous criminals that include armed robbers. The success has been attributed to co-operation from members of the public that have been providing vital information.





Recently police accounted for eight notorious robbers that have been terrorising people around the country. The robbers were fished out of their hiding place in Beitbridge town after members of the public provided the information.





At the weekend police accounted for two criminals that shot and killed a soldier in Chivhu and injured another two. Members of the public again provided the vital information that assisted security forces to track down the criminals.





We therefore want to appeal to Mangwe people who might have the vital information leading to the arrest of the murderers of the elderly couple to come forward.





We have said it before that criminals live among communities and the communities can only rid themselves of these criminals by reporting them to the police.





Relatives of the late couple should not hesitate to report suspects to the police as such information might provide vital leads to the investigations.





The Mangwe murder mystery has to be resolved to enable villagers to once again sleep soundly without fearing night intruders.




Donald Trump Jr. sounded like his dad when he put himself in the shoes of Kyle Rittenhouse  a teen accused of killing two people  in an appearance on Extra that aired Tuesday, saying, "We all do stupid things at 17."

Speaking with host Rachel Lindsay Abasolo, President Donald Trump's eldest son spoke about Black Lives Matter, racial unrest and Rittenhouse, who is charged with killing two men at a Wisconsin demonstration last month.

Rittenhouse  who had traveled to the protest from a nearby part of Illinois to, in his words, protect businesses and "run into harm's way"  has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and other crimes in the Aug. 25 shooting, which left two people dead and one other person injured.

Video and news reports show the deadly alternation unfolded chaotically.

Rittenhouse's attorney has said it was self-defense while he was being attacked by others.

Critics say Rittenhouse was the provocateur and that his behavior and the fact that he was armed with an assault-style rifle were the basis of any danger.

The two men who died  Anthony Huber, 26, and 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum  were in the area of the protest, held in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot seven times in his back by police in front of his three children.

ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Donald Trump Jr.

RELATED: Trump Defends Teen Charged with Killing 2 Kenosha Protesters: 'That Was an Interesting Situation'

"If I put myself in Kyle Rittenhouse['s shoes], maybe I shouldn't have been there  he's a young kid, I don't want 17-year-olds running around the street with AR-15s  maybe I wouldn't have put myself in that situation, who knows," Don Jr. said on Extra. "But we all do stupid things at 17."

When Lindsay Abasolo pointed out that it was "a little bit beyond stupid," Trump Jr. concurred, adding, "Really stupid, fine, but we all have to let that process play out and let due process take its course."

Trump Jr.'s words echoed those of his father, the president, who denounced violent protesters but demurred on Rittenhouse, recently telling reporters the alleged shooter was "violently attacked" and calling it "an interesting situation" that was "under investigation."

In his Extra interview, Trump Jr. also touched on police brutality and Black Lives Matter in general, saying that he "agreed" with the sentiment behind the movement and that the tagline is "a very good marketing message," but he doesn't agree with the sentiment behind the message.
Housekeepers who work in hotels and casinos often face harassment on the job, studies have shown, but it is not clear how often cleaners face harassment in private homes. Hotels usually employ their cleaning staff, and some municipalities require them to protect cleaners from harassment or even give them panic buttons to use while working. But workers who find cleaning gigs through Handy have fewer protections.

In Ms. Criss case, she said, she told the naked man that she was a Handy worker, but he said he had not requested an apartment cleaning. She quickly left and emailed Handy to report the incident that day, she said, then left a flurry of voice mail messages and follow-up emails when the company did not respond  and docked her pay for not completing the job.

Eventually, she said, a Handy representative said a record of the booking could not be found. That was the last straw for Ms. Cris, who said she had dealt with a litany of issues while working for Handy and decided to quit the platform after about eight months.

Other Handy workers who spoke to The Times, as well as workers whose stories were included in the Public Rights Project complaint, said Handys policy of billing workers who left a job early put pressure on them to stay in uncomfortable situations. They said customers also sometimes threatened them with negative ratings if they spoke up about misbehavior  a consequence that could cause the workers to be kicked off Handys platform.

Handy said it regularly removed customers ratings and reviews of workers upon a workers request.

Legislators and regulators in California have tried to force gig companies to be more accountable for their workers through A.B. 5. But ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft, which use gig workers as drivers, have protested the employment law and threatened to suspend service in California if they were forced to undertake what they said would be a costly reclassification.

Handy has a far lower profile than the two transit giants, but an employment reclassification would be no less significant for its workers, the Public Rights Project argued.

Handy has sort of been hiding behind Uber and Lyft  theyre less on the radar potentially for some enforcers, Ms. Montoya Tansey said. But theyre no less clear in their desire to flout the law.
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. You will need to purchase shares before the 15th of September to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 30th of September.

Fidelity National Financial's next dividend payment will be US$0.33 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$1.32 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Fidelity National Financial has a trailing yield of 3.9% on the current stock price of $33.57. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

Check out our latest analysis for Fidelity National Financial

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Fidelity National Financial paid out a comfortable 43% of its profit last year.

When a company paid out less in dividends than it earned in profit, this generally suggests its dividend is affordable. The lower the % of its profit that it pays out, the greater the margin of safety for the dividend if the business enters a downturn.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Fidelity National Financial, with earnings per share up 7.8% on average over the last five years.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Fidelity National Financial has delivered an average of 8.2% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.

Story continues

Final Takeaway

From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Fidelity National Financial? It has been growing its earnings per share somewhat in recent years, although it reinvests more than half its earnings in the business, which could suggest there are some growth projects that have not yet reached fruition. We think this is a pretty attractive combination, and would be interested in investigating Fidelity National Financial more closely.

In light of that, while Fidelity National Financial has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. For example, we've found 3 warning signs for Fidelity National Financial that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
One victim was found unconscious and not breathing while another was found conscious and breathing near the Brookland Metro station after a shooting that was believed to have happened in the 900 block of Irving Street NE about 4:30 p.m., said Officer Hugh Carew, a D.C. police spokesman.
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The third week of September is Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week: a time to fundraise, light up buildings in green, and hold events that highlight mitochondrial disease research and awareness.

My family has never heard of mitochondrial disease until 2017, when our newborn daughter, Miriam, tragically died from it at seven weeks old. Our family felt a profound sense of loss and tried out best to participate in awareness and fundraising efforts in Miriams memory.

We have held several fundraisers for mitochondrial disease researchers and patient advocacy organizations. We have also organized mitochondrial disease awareness event in our city hall for the past two years. Our mayor has been incredibly supportive and gladly hosted us and our family and friends and read a proclamation declaring Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week. Last year, our congressman, Joe Kennedy, as well as a well-respected mitochondrial disease doctor and researcher, Dr. Amel Karaa, joined and spoke at our event.

We went even further. Knowing how much awareness and publicity is needed, we were able to get in touch with Mayim Bialik, actress, neuroscientist, and a star of The Big Bang Theory, and asked her to record an awareness video for mitochondrial disease. Very kindly, she agreed and recorded the video highlighting the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, which was shared and had over a thousand views and hundreds of shares. Congressman Kennedy also shared the video on his own social media page.

I work in a pharmaceutical company, where I do data analysis for clinical trials, and after the death of my daughter, I have switched from vaccines where I previously worked to the rare disease unit. In addition to this work being incredibly interesting and meaningful, I also believed it would help me raise extra awareness and have more opportunities to help professionally with my daughters disease. Trying to find further use for my professional experience and knowing that rare disease always has lots of data that needs to be analyzed and not enough funding or resources to do it, I have connected with United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) and offered my experience as a volunteer.

UMDF has asked me to look at the data for their patient registry, which was collected over four years by that point and has never been analyzed by anyone. I have taken that responsibility seriously. I spent many late nights over the next year and a half working hard on the data, on top of my own demanding full-time job and family responsibilities. My work resulted in a paper, Mitochondrial Disease Community Registry: First look at the data, perspectives from patients and families, which was published in March 2020 in the Journal of Mitochondrial and Metabolic Medicine. The focus of the paper was a discussion of patients experiences and perspectives. The paper also discussed the limitations of the currently collected data and suggestions for improving the registry in order to get more meaningful and accurate data in the future.

I have had several opportunities to present the paper, and feedback from both patients and the medical community was most positive. I was told that this research is very interesting, important, and much needed. I was very honored to be invited to present the paper at the International Conference on Targeting Mitochondria 2020, a conference organized by the World Mitochondrial Society, which is usually held in Berlin, Germany, but will be virtual this year. I look forward to that presentation coming up in October 2020. I have also developed collaborations with other rare disease organizations and have other projects coming up. I was asked to and joined the board of directors of two organizations: the New England Regional Genetics Group and Rare New England. Both of these are meaningful opportunities to connect further with the rare disease community, which I value and appreciate very much.

Yet, my unusual situation of having both personal and professional experience put me into a unique position, which turned out to be challenging at times. I viewed my work on the data and patient registry as giving my professional expertise, which was made stronger by having additional motivation and perspective coming from personal experience. However, I discovered that some of those involved in the mitochondrial disease field saw me as fully a member of the patient community, whos just doing some volunteering with the data on the side. It was difficult to work collaboratively.

I did not know how common my experience was, however. I found similar thoughts shared in the book, Chasing My Cure by Dr. David Fajgenbaum. Dr. Fajgenbaum got sick with a rare disease, Castlemans disease, while in medical school. He became very engaged with research and finding a cure to his own disease. Dr. Fajgenbaum wrote in his book, that despite being a medical student and a future doctor, he too was at times told that he should stick to patient advocacy, rather than professional involvement. However, this is not where he saw his role, so he continued often without disclosing that he himself had the disease, even presenting his own case at conferences and describing it as the case of his patient.

I, too, had to change my approach. I somewhat drifted away from patient advocacy types of activities, and now, when I talk to someone about my work with patient registries, I either dont mention the personal connection at all or only mention briefly that I lost a daughter to this disease while focusing on my professional experience and involvement.

As Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week again approaches this September, it has a different feel to my family than in the past two years. For me personally, I enjoy the current professional and collaborative opportunities that I have and plan to continue on that path giving it my best effort, hard work, perseverance, and integrity.

Sophia Zilber is a patient advocate.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 23:23:11|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Zhao Yanbo (1st L) speaks at a handover ceremony of donations from China, in Gaborone, Botswana, on Sept. 10, 2020. Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Zhao Yanbo on Thursday handed over donations from China to Botswana to help the Southern African country fight against the deadly coronavirus in Botswana. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

GABORONE, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Zhao Yanbo on Thursday handed over donations from China to Botswana to help the Southern African country fight against the deadly Coronavirus in Gaborone Botswana.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony, Zhao said fighting COVID-19 is a major battle that concerns the health and well-being of all human being, including the peoples of China and Botswana. "Confronted by the ravages of the pandemic, our two countries have tackled the virus head-on and forged extraordinary solidarity in this fight with mutual support."

For his part, Kabo Morwaeng, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration said the Chinese government is doing a great job for the nation of Botswana.

On behalf of the President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi, the government and the people of the Republic of Botswana I wish to express delight and sincere gratitude for the continued support extended to us by the People's Republic of China.

"Botswana prides herself in the mutually beneficial relations with local and international communities of Chinese people who are always willing to extend a helping hand to Botswana. Without a doubt, our Nations have formed solid partnerships at many levels, and we cherish them all," added Morwaeng. Enditem
An easyJet passenger with lung damage was hauled off a flight for not wearing a face mask as staff allegedly refused to accept his medical exemption without certification.

Brian Spinks, from Falkirk, Scotland, boarded a flight from Luton to Edinburgh on Tuesday but was asked to leave the flight despite having a medical condition.

The 46-year-old explained to staff that he did not have medical letter, as they are not being issued by the Scottish Government, video footage shows.

Mr Spinks claims he has lung damage from a bout of whooping cough two years ago.

But the easyJet website states that passengers who are exempt from the face mask regulation must have a 'medical certificate, a document from a government website or a lanyard' that is to be 'available on request for airport staff and crew'.

Brian Spinks, 46, was removed from an easyJet flight from Luton to Edinburgh for not wearing a face mask. Mr Spinks claims he has lung damage from whooping cough two years ago

In a video, Mr Spinks talks to the camera and explains the situation, claiming that a passenger also tried to 'assault' him by grabbing his phone.

He films as police officers walk down the aisle on the plane and he informs that he has paid for the 82 flight.

But the police woman responds: 'I understand that sir, but if you're not willing to wear a mask on the flight I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us.'

Mr Spinks reiterates that he has an exemption but the officer says that without certification he will have to disembark.

ICT engineer Mr Spinks continues to debate with the officer, claiming that he legally does not need to show a letter due to GDPR 'under Government advice'.

Mr Spinks goes on to question officers about why they need to see his ID before he is removed from the flight.

The police conclude that easyJet's rules apply as the aircraft is private property.

Mr Spinks was removed from the plane on Tuesday, as easyJet rules state those who are exempt must have a 'medical certificate, a document from a government website or a lanyard' readily available

As Mr Spinks leaves, other passengers call him a 'time-waster' and hurl sarcastic remarks at him and begin applauding while calling him a 'selfish p*' and 'an absolute d***head'.

Mr Spinks is met by a group of officers who await to take him off the tarmac and put him in a police van.

He says: 'I've just been ejected from the flight and I am sitting in the back of the police van. They tried to put me in the cage but I objected. So just on the way back to the terminal just now.'

Mr Spinks claimed he was left 'physically shaken' by the ordeal which left him 'stranded' in London. He ended up forking out an extra 70 to get the train home.

Mr Spinks said: 'It was actually horrendous, I can't believe the way people speak to each other and the torrent of abuse I received. How have we as a society got this point?

'I'm already vulnerable because of my condition. They are picking on the most vulnerable in society and it is sickening. It is so discriminatory.

'Wearing a mask on a plane for me is an impossibility because of my condition.

'By the end of it I was in quite a bad way and just absolutely exhausted.'

Video footage shows police officers remove Mr Spinks from the plane and other passengers can be heard applauding while calling him a 'selfish p*' and 'an absolute d***head'

The video was shared on Twitter on Wednesday by Mr Spinks's friend Philip MacFarlane, who complained to easyJet.

EastJet's social media team responded to the clip explaining their safety regulations.

Mr Spinks said: 'I explained that the Government advises that I do not not need a doctor's letter for air travel. Which is why doctors do not issue letters.

'This was when the air steward became quite aggressive and thrust a mask towards my face.

'Other passengers began to shout abuse at me at this point also and the steward did nothing to intervene.

'I became very concerned for my safety at this point and started filming. The air steward became even more aggressive when I started recording.'

But the video has prompted a backlash from social media users, with many of them backing easyJet's position over the rules.

The video was shared on Twitter on Wednesday by Mr Spinks's friend Philip MacFarlane and easyJet responded

But the video has prompted a backlash from social media users, with many users backing easyJet's position over the rules

One user said: 'Well I'm sorry but I actually support Easyjet on this. In the end the safety of all on the flight must be paramount.

'Perhaps those who have a genuine medical reason for not wearing a mask should not fly.'

Another person added: 'Well done easyJet, people need to abide by the new rules to keep others safe.'

WHAT ARE EASYJET'S FACE MASK RULES? EasyJet's website states that passengers need to wear a suitable protective face mask for boarding at the gate and throughout your flight. This is mandatory on all easyJet flights and passengers will not be permitted to board if they arrive at the gate without one. Masks are required when entering and traveling through the airport terminal at the departure and arrival airport. Only children under the age of six, and those with a valid medical reason supported by either a medical certificate, a document from a government website or a lanyard are exempt (the requirements are different by country). This must be available on request for airport staff and crew to see. EasyJet add that people must check government websites for the latest local government policies before you travel. The airline added that masks should typically be replaced every four hours, urging passengers, and those you are travelling with, have an adequate supply for the entire duration of the trip. Source: easyJet Advertisement

But one person backed Mr Spinks, writing: 'Hopefully he takes legal action.'

An easyJet spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The primary responsibility of our crew is for the health and wellbeing of all customers onboard. During the pandemic this is more important than ever.

'As Mr Spinks refused to state a reason for exemption or provide any exemption documentation, we were unable to allow him to travel and as a result of disruptive behaviour towards our crew, police were required to attend the aircraft and escort him from the flight.

'For the safety of all onboard and in line with EASA guidelines, all customers are required to wear a face covering. We know some passengers may not be able to and so we inform all customers of this ahead of travel and of what to do if they require an exemption.

'As well as a medical certificate, customers can alternatively provide a relevant document from a government website or lanyard.'

A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Police said: 'Officers were called to assist airport staff on Tuesday (8 September), after a man failed to comply with easyJet policy as he boarded a flight to Edinburgh. The man was escorted back into the airport and no offences occurred.'

This comes soon after an easyJet pilot was accused of 'ambushing' a passenger with chronic asthma after he demanded the man wear a mask or be thrown off his flight.

Nick, who spoke under partial anonymity, was told by the plane's pilot that would have to don a face covering, despite saying he had chronic asthma.

He told the BBC he was heckled by the other passengers on the hour-long flight from Jersey to Gatwick and was left with no other choice than to wear a mask - which made him hyperventilate.

'Whether it's a polo neck or a scarf round your face, the sensation is stifling. I just find it increasingly difficult to breathe,' he said.

Nick showed the plane's crew an official exemption card he had printed out from the Government's website before flying to the island of Jersey to see his family last month.

Nick's flight was delayed by 30 minutes, something he said the other passengers blamed him for.

In a 30-second video other passengers cheered and applauded the pilot after he told Nick he would be kicked off the flight.

Nick, who spoke under partial anonymity, was told he would have to don a face mask despite saying he would not be able to breathe during the hour-long flight from Jersey to Gatwick

His exemption letter was accepted on the way to the island but disputed on the return journey - with Nick facing confrontation with staff 'around six times'.

He added: 'I was insulted, shouted at, laughed at. It felt like everybody was against me.'

Footage filmed on Nick's phone showed the pilot telling Nick if he didn't put on a mask he 'was off'.

EasyJet said all customers are required to wear a face covering but acknowledged some passengers can't.

A statement from the airline said: 'We have recently updated our policies in line with recent UK government guidance so that as well as a medical certificate, customers can alternatively provide a relevant document from a government website or lanyard.

'We are sorry that this new policy was not recognised by the crew on this occasion.'

Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation's head of policy, Sarah MacFadyen, said for a small number of people with asthma it is 'impossible for them to breathe' while wearing a mask.

She added: 'That's why these exemptions are in place, so they can still go out and live their lives.'
San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on Wednesday evening - AP

Residents of San Francisco woke on Wednesday morning to an apocalyptic orange sky as smoke from catastrophic wildfires in California blanketed the air and choked the sun.

Fires have ravaged the state in the past month, burning at least 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) of land. A heatwave at the weekend provided perfect conditions for an eruption of new and dangerous blazes across the state.

Three people were found dead on Wednesday evening in Butte County, where the North Complex fire  one of more than two dozen in California  has spread at a ferocious rate.

The fire, in Northern California, has been burning for more than three weeks before high winds and soaring temperatures helped it surge back again this week, crossing about 25 miles (40 kilometres) of mountainous terrain to destroy scores of homes.

Historically, California's fire season does not start until autumn.

The devastation in Butte County is catastrophic - GETTY IMAGES

But since August, fires have already killed at least eight people here, destroyed more than 3,500 homes and ripped through the state's iconic and beautiful redwood forests, some of which have stood for thousands of years.

In San Francisco, where residents are largely protected from the fires but not from the toxic smoke, ash and fumes from the flames mixed with clouds and fog to paint the sky a dark, terrifying orange.

But in other parts of the state conditions are drastic. One hundred and fifty miles north, in Oroville, thousands of people were ordered to evacuate on Wednesday as the North Complex fire roared towards their communities.

Fire spreads to the Bidwell Bar Bridge near Oroville - GETTY IMAGES

Just up the road is the town of Paradise, which was largely destroyed by wildfires in 2018. Panicking residents caused a traffic jam on Wednesday as they fled for their lives.

The spread and speed of the hurtling flames are defying the efforts of rescue teams. Daniel Swain, a scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the fire had burned about 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometres) in the past 24 hours. He tweeted: "The unbelievable rates of spread now being observed on these fires... is historically unprecedented."

Story continues

Three of the five largest fires in California's history are burning now and more than 14,000 firefighters are overwhelmed.

Firefighters tackle the Bear Fire in northern California - GETTY IMAGES

Three firefighters were injured along the Central Coast on Tuesday when they were overrun while trying to protect a fire station near Big Sur. Andrew Madsen, the Los Padres National Forest spokesman, said the injured firefighters and 11 others had to deploy emergency fire shelters  a foil shield that firefighters carry to use as a last-gasp safety measure  when winds unexpectedly shifted and trapped them.

Mr Madsen told the Associated Press: "It's a really harrowing experience for those who go through a close encounter like that and we're very grateful that the injuries are such that all three who were hospitalised are going to recover and return to work."

That fire doubled overnight on Tuesday and burned land that had not seen fire in 40 years, destroying an office and two fire engines. The fire also burned down a barracks, destroying all of the firefighters' personal belongings.

The view east from San Francisco's Embarcadero - GETTY IMAGES

The Creek fire, in the Sierra national forest, is still out of control, and has grown to nearly 153,000 acres. More than 30,000 people in Madera and Fresno counties have been forced to evacuate.

Governor Gavin Newsom, who last month declared a statewide emergency and begged for federal help, said on Tuesday that this is "the largest fire season weve had in recent recorded history" and blamed "unprecedented temperatures, a heat dome, 14,000 lightning strikes over a 24-hour period and 150 million-plus dead trees related to a multi-year drought.

North of California, in Washington, more acres burned on Tuesday than usually seen in a year. People have also been forced to flee in Oregon and Idaho.

People really dont know what to do right now. Everyone on the Embarcadero is stopping to record the sky and chit chatting in a way I havent seen since pre-pandemic @sfchronicle pic.twitter.com/ueKQ4g7WTD  Jessica Christian (@jachristian) September 9, 2020

Oregon's governor told citizens to prepare for "the greatest loss of life and structures due to wildfire in state history".

Authorities hope that a surge of cold air in Colorado and Montana might slow the fires in those states to free up firefighters to help beleaguered colleagues in the west. Officials in California are also hopeful that slowing winds and dropping temperatures will help to fight back the flames.

"We're encouraged that the wind activity appears to be dying down," Mr Newsom said. "The rest of the week looks a little more favourable."

It's 12 p.m. in #SanFrancisco and here's what my neighborhood looks like right now. @sfchronicle pic.twitter.com/XhBg2b4kpG  Santiago Mejia (@SantiagoMejia) September 9, 2020

In Paradise, where 85 people were killed and nearly 19,000 buildings were destroyed in 2018, the town's former mayor said the orange sky on Wednesday brought back horrific memories.

"It was extremely frightening and ugly," Mayor Steve Culleton said. "Everybody has PTSD and whatnot, so it triggered everybody and caused terror and panic."

A power outage to prevent electric lines from sparking flames  which caused the Paradise fire two years ago  scared many residents into fleeing, Mr Culleton said.

They created a traffic jam leading out of town, similar to the bottleneck in which several residents died in 2018.

In Southern California, fires burned in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. People east of Los Angeles were warned to be ready to flee.

The US Forest Service for the first time in its history ordered all 18 of its forests to close.
Depending on who you ask, Josephine Scheid is either a selfless woman who moved from Florida to New Jersey to care for her dying mother, or a money-hungry murderer who overdosed her mom with medication to get her inheritance faster.

Wherever the truth lies, Scheid will now be able to fight the charges from home instead of the county jail. Her attorney said she was freed Tuesday.
Padres outfielder Tommy Pham is less than a month out from a broken hamate bone, but hes making rapid progress. Pham resumed live on-field batting practice today, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on Twitter. The 32-year-old had been off to a sluggish start to the year but will still have some time to make his presence felt as the Pads try to angle for postseason position.

More injury updates from the National League 
A glamorous fitness model was roped into an elaborate drug trafficking syndicate by her muscle-bound ex-boyfriend, a court has heard.

Mary Molloy was handed a three-year suspended sentence in April for her role in Jason Atkins' MDMA operation, which ran across Brisbane between 2016 and 2018.

Fresh details of Molloy's involvement can be revealed after Atkins was sentenced to seven years jail at Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday.

Glamorous fitness model Mary Molloy (pictured) was roped into an elaborate drug trafficking syndicate by her ex-boyfriend who will serve seven years behind bars

Mary Molloy (front) was enlisted to help recover drug debts when her then-boyfriend Jason Atkins (back) operated street-level trade of the party drug MDMA across Brisbane between 2016 and 2018

At the height of his powers, Atkins was making bank transactions of up to $200,000 while trafficking party drugs across the Queensland capital, the court was told, according to news.com.au.

But when a stockpile of pills was seized by police from a house in Brisbane in 2017, his supplies dried up - and so too did his cash flow.

Atkins enlisted his then-Instagram-famous girlfriend to help him recover drug money owed to him.

He was worried he would not be able to meet his own debts and would face repercussions, the court heard on Thursday.

'This resulted in him liquidating various assets, including a significantly valuable engagement ring that was in the possession of his partner,' crown prosecutor Michael Gawrych told the court.

'He engaged her in assisting him in the trafficking business where she chased debts owed.'

The pair - who had broken up before their arrests - were separately taken into custody in April 2018.

Molloy (pictured) was roped into helping her buff former-boyfriend to recover debts when his drug supply dried up

Crown prosecutor Michael Gawrych told Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday Atkins' drug trade netted him transfers of up to $200,000 at the time. His then-girlfriend is pictured

A year later Molloy pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including supplying and trafficking dangerous drugs and failing to properly dispose of a needle.

Atkins pleaded guilty in March to trafficking drugs.

He was handed a seven-year sentence on Thursday, but will be eligible for parole in two years, with Justice Helen Bowskill taking into account his mental health and personal circumstances.

The pair - who had broken up before the arrest - were separately taken into custody in April 2018. Molloy is pictured in a social media photo

Defence lawyer Arjun Chhabra told the court Atkins was not a 'kingpin' in the Brisbane drug trade and had a difficult upbringing.

Atkins had struggled through bullying and a difficult home life, which caused him to develop depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts, the court was told.

Mr Chhabra told the court Atkins had attempted suicide twice before he was arrested in 2018 and was seeking treatment for his issues.

Justice Bowskill said the seven-year sentence was to send a 'message of deterrence' to the community.

'I cringe when I hear the word "party drug" being used. It might seem fun at some point in peoples lives but we see day in, day out in this court the misery and destruction being caused by drugs like these,' Justice Bowskill said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 18:33:00|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government decided to increase defense budget by over 3 billion new shekels (880 million U.S. dollars), the state's Prime Minister Office and the Ministry of Finance said on Thursday.

This raises Israel's annual defense budget to about 22 billion dollars in 2020.

The defense supplement is one of a variety of special new plans, totaling 11 billion shekels (3.22 billion dollars) approved by the government as part of a detailed action plan for the 2020 continuing budget.

As part of the total supplement, the government also approved 900 million new shekels (264 million dollars) to increase disability benefits.

The government also approved acceleration programs for the energy economy, energy efficiency programs, investments in the natural gas economy, promotion of clean transportation and special budgets for research and development. Enditem
Chairwoman of Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan transferred 2021s AIPA Presidency (AIPA42) to Brunei Darussalam today at the closing ceremony of the 41st ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly General Assembly.

Chairwoman of Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (right) hands over a hammer which is the symbol of AIPA Presidency to Pengiran Haji Sahari bin Pengiran Haji Salleh, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to Viet Nam.  VNA/VNS Photos

After three working days with six sessions focusing on ASEAN and AIPAs issues, the 41st AIPAs General Assembly wrapped up with success, Chairwoman Ngan, president of AIPA41, said.

The success of AIPA is the active participation of delegates via teleconference in spite of limited time while member countries are giving priority to COVID-19 pandemic containment and economic recovery. Resolutions approved at the 41st AIPA General Assembly highlighted the roles of AIPA in making commitments to ensure peace, security and sustainability of the region, she said.

She noted that AIPA attaches great importance to strengthening partnership and dialogue with ASEAN on various levels and looked forward to physical meetings to be held next year during Bruneis presidency.

Pehin Dato Abdul Rahman Taib, Speaker of Legislative Council of Brunei Darussalam, said the council had already started making arrangements for the 42nd AIPA General Assembly in Bandar Seri Begawan next year.

He pledged utmost commitment to put in the best effort during their AIPA Presidency in the next year in spite of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

During our presidency of the 42nd General Assembly of AIPA, we look forward to working closely with the AIPA Secretariat as well as AIPA member parliaments to continue building on good work in the past in ensuring the realisation of AIPAs visions and two aspirations.

I would like to seek the support and co-operation from the speakers and parliamentarians of AIPA member parliaments as well as our dialogue partners and relevant stakeholders towards the success of our AIPA Presidency, he said.

The 41st AIPA General Assemblys closing ceremony witnessed the admission of parliaments of Morocco and Norway as new AIPA observers.

The admission ceremony of AIPA new observers is chaired by NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

NA chairwoman Ngan presented devotion awards to Pany Yathotou, President of the National Assembly of Lao PDR and Tong Thi Phong, vice chairwoman of Vietnamese National Assembly for their excellent contributions to the AIPA.

AIPA cooperation crucial in mitigating COVID-19s impact on society

A consistent approach and cooperation between member parliaments of the ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly in tackling COVID-19 and post-pandemic recovery is among suggestions proposed by delegates to the virtual meeting of the Committee on Social Matters



Addressing the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of Vietnams National Assembly Tong Thi Phong stressed that AIPAs support and effective collaboration among AIPA member parliaments is a decisive factor in realising the goal of building a people-centred and socially-responsible ASEAN Community.

During the event, participants discussed challenges brought by COVID-19 for labour, employment, social welfare, culture, education, vocational training, biodiversity, waste treatment and other social matters. They also exchanged experiences and know-hows applied by their respective countries in tackling the aforementioned matters.

Delegates to the meeting proposed multiple approaches and responsive measures to protect lives and health of people, as well as environment, aiming at sustainable development in the region and the world.They affirmed the determination of AIPA Member Parliaments to support the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community in responding to COVID-19 ensuring that no one is left behind during epidemic outbreaks and other public health emergencies.

Nguyen Hoang Mai, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assemblys Social Affairs Committee to the Committee on Social Matters of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly informed delegates on the Vietnamese legislatures efforts in assisting people through the pandemic.

Specifically, the Vietnamese National Assembly has ensured a legal framework for implementing measures in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Assembly also approved a support package worth 62 trillion VND to assist people and enterprises affected by the pandemic. It also adjusted the state budget towards promoting public investment and economic recovery. Resolutions on removing obstacles facing enterprises hard hit by the pandemic have also been issued by the National Assembly in a bid to facilitate post-pandemic recovery.

The meeting adopted a draft resolution on Advancing AIPAs Role In Supporting ASEAN Socio-cultural Community in Responding to COVID-19. The final resolution is expected to be approved by the 41st General Assembly of AIPA.

AIPA-41 Joint Communique approved with e-signatures of AIPA legislative leaders

A joint announcement of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) was approved with e-signatures from legislative leaders of AIPA members at the second plenary session of AIPA 41, which took place virtually on September 10.

The second plenary session of AIPA, chaired by Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, saw the participation of legislative leaders of ASEAN member countries.

Delegates spoke highly of Vietnams efforts in realising the General Assembly of AIPA in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.

At the event, participants heard and approved reports of the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians of AIPA (WAIPA) AIPA Committees, the Unofficial Meeting of Young Parliamentarians of AIPA, and AIPA Committees on Political, Economic, Social and Organisational Matters.

The AIPA 41 General Assembly was held in the ASEAN spirit of friendship, brotherhood and cooperation, to cohesive and responsive of the ASEAN Community.

Vietnam receives international acclaim for hosting of AIPA-41

Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotou voiced her strong support for the theme Parliamentary Diplomacy for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community which she stated expresses the AIPAs desire to further strengthen co-operation between ASEAN member states and partners through parliamentary diplomacy whilst uniting to tackle emerging challenges in the ASEAN region.

The Lao politician went on to signal her countrys great appreciation of ASEANs timely response measures against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, especially those introduced by Vietnam in its role as the Chair of ASEAN 2020. Vietnam hosted the 36th ASEAN Summit, Special ASEAN + 3 Summit, and the Meeting between AIPA and ASEAN leaders via an online format, in which leaders of ASEAN Governments, Parliaments, and partners reaffirmed their commitment to co-operating in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discussing the general theme of the meeting, Cambodian National Assembly Chairman Samdech Heng Samrin stated that the events theme can be considered appropriate as it serves to reflect the blocs desire to move towards building a single, united, and resilient community that is capable of seizing upon the opportunities and effectively handling challenges as they emerge.

As the COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenges both in economic and social terms, Chairman Samrin called on the individual Parliaments of ASEAN to strengthen their co-operation and solidarity to promote the blocs common interests.

Furthermore, the meeting also saw Puan Maharani, Speaker of Indonesias House of Representatives, share the view that as the COVID-19 epidemic takes its toll on regional and global economies, the individual Parliaments of ASEAN member states should put forward appropriate policies. This should be done with the aim of cushioning the impact of the pandemic and benefitting both the economy and the livelihoods of citizens throughout the region.

The Indonesian speaker also suggested ways of building trust among nations whilst promoting ASEANs central role in settling regional disputes. Indeed, it is imperative to comply with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of countries with sea boundaries.

Expressing his honour at participating in the AIPA-41, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Martin Chungong spoke highly of Vietnams role as AIPA Chair in 2020, and noted the resonance between the IPU and the AIPA has further benefitted parliamentary diplomacy as it helps the Parliaments of both sides co-operate closely at multilateral forums.

With the world dealing with many crisis simultaneously, including the COVID-19 pandemic, parliamentary diplomacy must play an important role in each countrys foreign affairs to ensure all institutions operate effectively and dynamically, according to the IPU President. He therefore suggested that Parliaments strive to fully co-operate across many areas, such as global peace, stability, and on women-related issues.

At the meeting, Fabrizio Hochschild Drummond, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, stated the great value of ASEANs commitments towards the United Nations and multilateralism. Amid the context of global turmoil, he said the interaction between the United Nations and Parliaments will serve an important role, especially in the ASEAN region.

According to the UN official, the US Secretary-General stressed the importance of having a multi-stakeholder, people-centered approach, while also promoting multilateralism in a bid to deliver better results for citizens. VNS/VNA/VNN/VOV
Grieving relatives of seniors living in Camilla Care Community, a Mississauga long-term-care home, are looking to sue it for $25 million for failing to protect its residents from the deadly COVID-19 virus.

At least 68 residents died there from the virus during the pandemics first wave.

Filed in Toronto by law firm Thomson Rogers, the lawsuit alleges that Camilla Care, operated by Sienna Senior Living, the class action lawsuit has yet to be certified by a court.

It was filed by the estate and family of 93-year-old Mehri Armand, who lived in a room with three other residents and died on May 28 after testing positive for COVID-19.

The nursing home, now partnering with Trillium Health Partners, is also the focus of a Peel Regional police investigation into alleged abuse of residents during the spring outbreak

On Thursday, Peel police said the investigation is ongoing.

Thomson Rogers partner Stephen Birman said his firm has been contacted by several families of Camilla Care residents and is launching the class-action proceedings, because a lot of these families are vulnerable and the residents are vulnerable and probably would not be able to bring claims on their own.

In a news release, the law firm alleged that Camilla Care failed to use COVID-19 screening measures for staff, and, once the outbreak began, did not separate infected residents from those who did not yet have the virus.

It also alleged that the home failed to give its workers basic personal protective equipment and did not renovate its building to eliminate the four-resident rooms that contributed to the mass spread of the virus.

Birman said it usually takes a year to get a class-action lawsuit certified in order to proceed, and, if it succeeds, the claims of each family must be tested in court.

Nursing homes across Ontario are the focus of several other class-action lawsuits along with an investigation by Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube, who is examining the oversight of nursing homes by the provincial Ministry of Long Term Care.

This is the fifth class-action lawsuit Thomson Rogers has filed; three are targeting individual Sienna homes: Weston Terrace Community; Woodbridge Vista Care Community, and Altamont Care Community in Scarborough.

A Sienna Senior Living spokesperson said, We are aware of the proposed class actions. We are reviewing the claims and intend to respond in due course through the appropriate court processes.

At all times, our highest priority is the health and safety of our residents and team members, the spokesperson said in a written statement.

We continue to work closely with public health authorities and our healthcare partners to implement all necessary precautions, protocols and directives to protect our residents and team members throughout the pandemic.

Reveras Carlingview Manor in Ottawa is also facing a Thomson Rogers class-action lawsuit. In a statement yesterday, Reveras spokesperson said the company will review the matter and respond in an appropriate way at the proper time.

Right now, we are focusing our efforts on caring for our residents, protecting our residents and employees from the ongoing pandemic, and preparing for possible future waves of COVID-19.

Many of the lawsuits claims against Camilla Care are noted in a June 15 interim report from Trillium Health Partners, which was asked by the ministry to work with Sienna as part of a voluntary agreement, which officially began on May 31. Trillium medical staff had already been helping Camilla, as part of Premier Doug Fords hospital swat teams of volunteers sent into struggling long-term care homes.

Trilliums interim report said that residents were left in wet incontinence briefs for extended periods; staff were forceful, rushed and/or aggressive when helping residents eat. Some nursing staff were unaware of how and when to swab residents for COVID-19 testing, the report said. Staff were not proficient in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Some were seen caring for COVID-positive residents then going to the nursing station without removing PPE. Others initially wore garbage bags over their clothes and on their feet, the report said.

Lawyer Birman said the lawsuit sends the message that many of these homes were completely unprepared for a first wave.

He said he hoped the hospital reports and lawsuits will make sure that all steps are in place to prevent these issues being repeated, if there is any sort of second wave.

Sienna said the company is making every effort to prepare for a potential second wave with the focus of keeping residents and team members at Camilla safe.

Revera said its Donway Place Retirement Residence in Toronto, a retirement home, not a nursing home, has confirmed that one resident and five employees received positive test results for COVID-19 on Sept. 5. Toronto Public Health has tested all residents, with results pending, while remaining staff are in the process of being tested, a spokesperson said.
UK Students Should Not Go Home If CCP Virus Outbreak Occurs on Campus

Students at UK universities should not go home in the event of a CCP virus outbreak on their campus, the government said on Wednesday, as the new academic year gets set to begin.

In an announcement at Downing Street of new rules for social gatherings in England, Prime Minister Boris said that to prevent spreading the disease around the country, according to new guidance, if cases on campuses rise students must stay put and not return home.

The guidance comes as cases of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus in younger people are rising sharply.

In this file photo, students arrive for their graduation ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Oct. 13, 2015. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

There has been mixed response from universities to the new government guidelines for the re-opening of universities.

The University and College Union (UCU), the UKs largest academic union, has criticized the guidelines as ridiculously irresponsible.

The prime minister cannot in good conscience tell students to go back to university when he knows more outbreaks are likely and that would result in them being locked down hundreds of miles from home, UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said in a statement.

The Russell Group, representing 24 leading UK universities including the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, however, backed the governments new guidance.

We welcome the updated guidance from the DfE [Department of Education], which recognizes the work our universities have been doing to ensure campuses are ready and safe for the new academic year, a spokesperson for the group told The Epoch Times in an email.

The steps taken by universities will help to reduce transmission on campus and in the wider community, so students will be able to benefit from a blend of high-quality online and face to face teaching delivered in a safe and effective way, the spokesperson said.

UCU, however, who last month said universities default position should be remote learning, is calling for learning to be moved online for the beginning of the new term.

Data shared at the Prime Ministers briefing showed that the infection rate among 17 to 21-year-olds is at 50 in 100,000 and increasing sharply. These are the main age groups found in colleges and universities, the union said in a statement.

UCU said they will ask Englands Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries on Thursday if colleges and universities should move to learning online.

The sensible thing to do is to move most teaching online for this term and look to reopen campuses more widely only when that can be done safely, Grady said. This is not business as usual.

Students should also be released from accommodation contracts and staff given assurances that they will not have to provide in-person teaching that could be delivered online, Grady said.

Teaching in Person

The government highlighted the detriment to the mental health of students if they do not return to in-person learning.

The SAGE group has made clear that teaching in person is important and fully online provision would have an impact on students mental health, the Department of Education said in a statement.

Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said that universities had made a mammoth effort to ensure a safe return to more normal academic life for students.

The safety and wellbeing of university staff and students is our priority, she said in a statement.

The updated guidance includes the recent SAGE advice and will help university leaders access the information they need, and assist their existing plans to keep students and staff as safe as possible, she said.

The Russell Group additionally called for the government to make sure there was adequate testing capacity in local areas.

Our universities will continue to work with local authorities to set up a coordinated approach so transmission risks are minimized and any outbreaks can be managed appropriately, they said.

Contradictory Advice

Grady said the government had given mixed messages and contradictory advice.

Her comments follow the governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advising last week of the likelihood of cases increasing in higher education settings. Health Secretary Matt Hancock also reportedly warned people in younger age groups not to kill your gran by catching and spreading the disease to older people.

The Russell Group emphasized supporting students themselves to take individual responsibility for their behavior while away at university.

Our members are also working with students to remind them of their duty to the wider community and the importance of following government guidance, with many putting in place new or enhanced agreements on responsible behavior, they said.

Johnson said on Wednesday, My message to students is simple. Please, for the sake of your education, for your parents and your grandparents health, wash your hands, cover your face, make space, and dont socially gather in groups of more than six now and when term starts.
RTHK: US firefighters battle wildfires under orange skies

Entire communities have been razed by wildfires raging in the western United States, with officials warning of potential mass deaths under apocalyptic orange skies.

At least six people were confirmed dead by Wednesday, with officials warning that more deaths would likely be reported in the coming days as many areas were currently impossible to reach.

Five towns were "substantially destroyed" as widespread evacuations took place across the northwestern state of Oregon, governor Kate Brown said.

"This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history," she told a press conference.

Two deaths were confirmed in the Santiam Canyon region, 60 miles south of Portland, and Marion County sheriff Joe Kast warned the death toll would likely rise further.

Only "smoldering ruins" remained of large parts of the town of Talent, said local resident Sandra Spelliscy.

"There are numerous neighbourhoods where there are no structures left standing... dozens of homes (gone) and literally nothing except the skeletons of a chimney or an appliance," she said.

Emergency officials ordered the evacuation of Estacada -- a small, rural city 30 miles southeast of Portland.

Neighbouring California and Washington states have also been scrambling to contain the rapidly spreading wildfires since the weekend due to unprecedented heatwaves followed by intense, dry winds.

Wednesday's fatalities included a one-year-old baby boy who perished while his parents suffered severe burns as they attempted to flee an inferno 130 miles east of Seattle, in Washington state. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
As part of his visit to Balkan province, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the ceremony of laying foundation of new power units at the Turkmenbashi complex of oil refineries.

Speaking at the ceremony, the President of Turkmenistan noted that two new gas turbines with the design capacity of 70 megawatt per hour and reconstruction of the existing power plant will ensure the reliable supply of electricity to new production units being built at the refinery.

The head of state stressed that Turkish company "Chalyk Holding" was tasked with building new power units fitted with modern equipment that should be put into operation in 18 months.

Large-scale projects currently being implemented in Turkmenistan despite the ongoing difficult situation in the world, modern facilities and buildings that are under construction or have been already commissioned, this is all done with the view of accelerating the pace of development of the national economy and ensuring the prosperous life of the people, the Turkmen leader said.

Then, the head of state walked to the construction site and gave a symbolic start to construction by throwing a handful of cement with a shovel into the foundation of the facility.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2022
FILE PHOTO: The Boeing logo is displayed on a screen, at the NYSE in New York

By Joey Roulette

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Boeing Co is submitting to an independent review of its compliance and ethics practices, according to an agreement struck with NASA and the U.S. Air Force and seen by Reuters, part of widening fallout from its behavior in bidding to supply lunar landing vehicles.

The agreement, signed in August, comes as federal prosecutors continue a criminal investigation into whether NASA's former human exploration chief, Doug Loverro, improperly guided Boeing space executive Jim Chilton during the contract bidding process.

By agreeing to the "Compliance Program Enhancements", the aerospace heavyweight staves off harsher consequences from NASA and the Air Force - its space division's top customers - such as being suspended or debarred from bidding on future space contracts.

The agreement calls for Boeing to pay a "third party expert" to assess its ethics and compliance programs and review training procedures for executives who liaise with government officials, citing "concerns related to procurement integrity" during NASA's Human Landing System competition.

Since Loverro resigned in May, Boeing has fired one company attorney and a group of mid-level employees, three people familiar with the actions told Reuters.

Boeing has also revised its internal Procurement Integrity Act procedures, and disseminated new training materials to employees, according to the agreement.

"We did not meet our own high expectations, or those of our customer, in the (human landing systems) procurement," Boeing spokesman Damien Mills told Reuters on Wednesday.

"We appreciate the productive dialogue we have had with the agencies and believe that the agreement will help to ensure that we will meet those expectations in the future," Mills added.

Boeing's space business was already under NASA scrutiny for its botched 2019 test flight of its Starliner space capsule.

NASA did not return requests for comment. An attorney for Loverro declined to comment. The Air Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The agreement requires Boeing to meet quarterly with NASA and Air Force officials through 2022 to provide updates on its ethics and compliance improvement efforts.

The agreement and criminal probe stem from NASA's most ambitious space exploration endeavor: sending humans back to the moon by 2024 under a hastened timeline set by the Trump administration in 2019.

In April, NASA bypassed Boeing and awarded contracts worth a combined $1 billion to Elon Musk's SpaceX, Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, and Leidos Inc affiliate Dynetics to build lunar landing vehicles that can carry astronauts to the moon by 2024.

(Reporting by Joey Roulette in Washington; Additional reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Greg Mitchell and Lincoln Feast)
Their high-profile split has been full of drama.

And it seems that tensions may once again be ramping up between celebrity exes Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Relations between the former couple who share six children have deteriorated to the point where they are no longer engaging in family therapy ahead of a custody trial slated for next month, UsWeekly reported Thursday.

More drama: Tensions between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are said to have escalated to the point where 'family therapy is no longer taking place,' UsWeekly reported Thursday

'Tensions have escalated between Brad and Angelina, with family therapy no longer taking place,' a source exclusively told Us Weekly.

Pitt and Jolie had appeared to reach a cordial understanding about co-parenting their kids, with the Once upon A Time... In Hollywood actor spotted leaving the actress' LA home in June after spending time with the children.

However, UsWeekly claims they are now at odds again over how much time they each get with Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and 12-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

Eldest child Maddox, 19, is allowed to choose his own timetable and is rumored to no longer have any contact with his father.

'Brad wants 50/50 joint physical and legal custody of the kids. Angelina has been unagreeable to those terms,' a source told UsWeekly.

The insider added that Jolie 'will only agree to talk about an agreement if the home base for the children isn't Los Angeles. The younger kids are in school in Los Angeles, which Angelina has always been opposed to.'

It's previously been suggested that Jolie wants to relocate to the UK and base the children with her there.

DailyMail.com has reached out representatives for Pitt and Jolie seeking comment.

Dispute: 'Brad wants 50/50 joint physical and legal custody of the kids. Angelina has been unagreeable to those terms,' a source told UsWeekly. The insider added that Jolie 'will only agree to talk about an agreement if the home base for the children isn't Los Angeles (Jolie is seen with the children in France in January 2017)

Detente: It had seemed earlier this year that the celebrity exes had reached a cordial understanding about co-parenting their kids, with the Once upon A Time... In Hollywood actor spotted arriving at the actress' LA home in June (pictured) to spend time with the children.

Pitt and Jolie - who enjoyed the moniker Brangelina during their time together - separated in September 2016 when the Maleficent star filed for divorce following an incident aboard a private jet involving son Maddox and Pitt.

The two had met on the set of the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith that was released in June 2005.

Several months before the movie's debut, Pitt and then wife Jennifer Aniston had announced they were separating after five years of marriage, with the Friends star subsequently filing for divorce in March 2005.

On January 11, 2006, Jolie finally confirmed the romance with Pitt when she confirmed she was pregnant with his child.

The way they were: Jolie and Pitt, pictured in 2015, met on the set of the 2005 movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Together they share children Maddox, 19, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and 12-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne

Their daughter Shiloh was born in Namibia in May 2006 and two years later, in July 2008, the couple welcomed twins Knox and Vivienne, who were born in Nice, in the south of France.

In early 2006, Pitt also officially adopted Jolie's adopted son Maddox, born in Cambodia, and daughter Zahara, born in Ethiopia. In 2007, they adopted son Pax who is from Vietnam.

On August 23, 2015, the couple officially wed at Chateau Miraval, their estate in Provence, saying at the time that they had made their union legal for the sake of their children.

Fast forward five years, and the pair, who were declared legally single last year, have still not been able to finalize terms regarding custody and support of the children.

Wedding venue: On August 23, 2015, the two stars married at Chateau Miraval, their estate in Provence, saying at the time that they had made their union legal for the sake of their children

New romance: The reports of renewed friction between the exes come after Pitt, 56, visited Chateau Miraval at the end of August with rumored new girlfriend, German model Nicole Poturalski, 27 (pictured in an Instagram snap she posted Thursday)

Business trip: Pitt visited the estate and its vineyard that produces a celebrated rose ahead of the launch next month of its Rose Champagne, Fleur de Miraval. He and Jolie purchased the property in 2011 for $60 million

The reports of renewed friction between the exes come after Pitt, 56, visited Chateau Miraval at the end of August with rumored new girlfriend, German model Nicole Poturalski, 27.

He and Jolie had purchased the estate including the Chateau and vineyard in 2011 for $60 milljon after leasing it for three years.

'Taking Nicole to Miraval on their former wedding anniversary, Brad knows exactly what he is doing and the reaction it's going to get from Angelina,' a source told UsWeekly at the time. 'He just doesn't care if Angelina is going to lash out. He expects she will.'

Britain's The Mirror reported that Jolie, 45, was 'furious and utterly stunned Brad could stoop this low.'

Pitt and Poturalski, who is married with a son, were spotted arriving in the south of France on a private jet.

'They were kissing and Brad was being super attentive to her,' a source told OK! magazine.

'He was in a semi public place but didnt seem to mind people seeing him. Shes a real beauty and obviously a lot younger than him.'

It's believed that the pair may have been dating for the best part of a year, as they both attended a performance of Kanye West's opera Nebuchadnezzar at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2019.

The model, who is currently signed to Next Management in Los Angeles and A Management in Germany, is married to Berlin-based restaurateur Roland Mary, 68, with whom she's allegedly in an open relationship.

VIP date: It's believed Pitt and Poturalski may have been dating for the best part of a year, as they both attended a performance of Kanye West's opera Nebuchadnezzar at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2019, pictured

Tangled web: The model, who is currently signed to Next Management in Los Angeles and A Management in Germany, is married to Berlin-based restaurateur Roland Mary, 68, pictured right in 2015, with whom she's allegedly in an open relationship

Meanwhile, a trial has been scheduled for October in Los Angeles where a judge will adjudicate on the child custody and support issues that remain unresolved between Jolie and Pitt.

The two had previously signed off on the appointment of retired Superior Court Judge John W. Ouderkirk to oversee the proceedings; he had presided over their marriage in 2014.

However, last month, Jolie requested he be removed from the case claiming she feared he would be 'biased' against her because he had failed to disclose an existing relationship between himself and Pitt's lawyers.

Pitt's legal team accused the actress of making a 'transparently tactical gambit' to delay matters, adding that it will be their own children who are 'hurt most' by the hold up.

Ouderkirk denied Jolie's request that he recuse himself, stating that he is within his rights to continue working as the celebrity divorce continues to drag on and declaring that he can and will be impartial.

Headed to court: A trial has been scheduled for October in Los Angeles where a private judge will adjudicate on the child custody and support issues that remain unresolved between Jolie and Pitt (pictured with their children in February 2014)

The fairytale romance between Jolie and Pitt had come to an end in September 2016.

There was an alleged 'altercation' that involved Pitt and Maddox aboard a private jet that was heading from Nice, France to Los Angeles, California; after they landed, Angelina 'kicked him out,' according to Vanity Fair.

Brad was cleared of any wrongdoing but the stage had been set for a very acrimonious divorce.

Jolie filed legal documents straightaway and sought custody of the six children. Pitt countered by asking for joint custody.

In August 2018, the divorce battle between the pair exploded in public with Jolie accusing her ex of being a deadbeat dad and Pitt revealing he has paid millions of dollars to the actress including money to buy a new home in LA.

A judge overseeing the case previously cautioned Jolie for allegedly not helping the kids have a relationship with Pitt and threatening to reduce her time with them.

The two reached an interim custody agreement and have engaged in family therapy since then as they seek to find a way forward.
Pesky, yet dangerous ticks are no longer latching exclusively onto hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Milder winters and disrupted habitats have driven them out of the woods, with Lyme disease cases in the United States tripling since the late 1990s.

Now researchers at West Virginia University are working toward a vaccine that prevents humans from contracting the tick-borne illness that afflicts more than 300,000 Americans a year.

Mariette Barbier, assistant professor in the School of Medicine's Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, is leading the five-year project, which received $1.9 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Joining her on the project are Timothy Driscoll, assistant professor of biology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, and Heath Damron, assistant professor and director of the WVU Vaccine Development Center.

Despite the annual rise in cases, no vaccine exists for Lyme disease.

"The tick population is increasing in the U.S. and the impact of Lyme disease is expanding over Appalachia, in particular West Virginia," said Barbier, who's researched vaccines for whooping cough, lethal pneumonia and other infectious diseases. "We're trying to develop a vaccine that would be broadly protective against various species of Borrelia (the bacterium that causes Lyme disease)."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categorizes West Virginia as one of 14 states with a "high incidence" of Lyme disease cases. As of 2016, 11 counties - Berkeley, Hampshire, Hancock, Jefferson, Kanawha, Marshall, Mineral, Morgan, Roane, Wetzel and Wood - are considered "endemic."

Lyme disease is commonly spread through the bite of infected ticks, which carry Borrelia. After bitten, a red rash can emerge on the skin and resemble a bull's-eye. If untreated, Lyme disease can lead to debilitating conditions such as arthritis, muscle pain, meningitis and heart and brain inflammation.

What makes researchers tick

Through RNA sequencing, Barbier and her team will examine how pathogens respond in both infected ticks and mice to determine what's needed for Lyme disease vaccine development. Researchers hope to identify relevant antigens - substances that cause the immune system to produce antibodies against it - during the infection phases.

"When we design a vaccine, we usually aim for proteins that appear on the surface of whatever pathogen we want to vaccinate against," explained Driscoll, who runs the Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory in biology. "In the case of Borrelia, certain of those proteins are required for the normal functioning of the bacteria. In vaccine development, what we try to do is identify those proteins and target them in hopes of clearing the pathogen out, killing it, essentially. If a protein is essential for survival, it makes it harder for the pathogen to change it and evade the immune system."

Driscoll's role will primarily involve studying Borrelia during its passage through black-legged ticks, which primarily feed on mammals ranging from rodents to deer. That's how Borrelia survives over the winter, Driscoll added, as ticks attach to animals such as mice and infect them with the bacterium, which is then picked up by the next generation of ticks.

"My part of this project is looking at what proteins are made by Borrelia during the tick life cycle, in order to identify targets that the pathogen needs to survive in this environment," he said.

For Barbier, the challenge to develop a vaccine is also one of personal and professional curiosity. She's spent her career studying bacterial pathogens, one of them being Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes respiratory and skin infections.

We figured out which antigens could be used to formulate a vaccine, and found the Achilles heel to the bacteria to use against it. We focused on one system, which is the iron acquisition system of Pseudomonas." Mariette Barbier, Assistant Professor, West Virginia University

To grow and infect their host, bacteria such as Pseudomonas must acquire key nutrients such as iron.

Barbier recognized one exception: Borrelia. The causative agent of Lyme disease does not use iron.

"That's really piqued my interest," Barbier said. "If it doesn't use iron, what else can we use against it? By bringing in the expertise of others, we're going to crack the problem."

The vaccine will be a preventative measure against Lyme disease, not a treatment, researchers said. When detected early enough, infections with Borrelia can be stopped with antibiotics. However, the pathogen can often go undetected, leading to the development of Lyme disease. An effective vaccine would prevent infections from happening in the first place.

Once a vaccine has been tested and proven successful in pre-clinical models, the WVU Vaccine Development Center will work with potential commercial partners to put the vaccine through clinical trials, and eventually on the market," said Justin Bevere, assistant director of the Center.

"One of the goals of the Vaccine Development Center is to help researchers move their vaccines out of the academic lab and into the market," Bevere said. "We do that by partnering with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. We are actively seeking collaborators for this Lyme disease vaccine project."

Until then, Driscoll recommends everyone to take the necessary precautions in preventing tick bites: using insect repellent and checking for ticks on the body after spending time outdoors.

"As we get milder winters, ticks tend to be more active," Driscoll said. "We're also seeing an increase due to disrupted habitats. As we build roads and neighborhoods in forested areas, mice and rabbits and other animals that harbor borrelia are coming in close contact with humans."
A protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd takes place in front of Los Angeles City Hall on June 4. (Los Angeles Times)

COVID-19 has not been an equal opportunity pandemic.

The virus and its economic impacts have disproportionately hit low-income residents and communities of color, which has only worsened existing fault lines and inequities baked into Southern California institutions and communities.

The region cannot truly heal by simply returning to the pre-COVID status quo. Thats the argument put forth in No Going Back: Policies for an Equitable & Inclusive Los Angeles, a new report from USCs Equity Research Institute, UCLAs Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Committee for Greater LA, which is made up of political, philanthropic, business and labor leaders.

The report's authors make the case that 2020 should mark the turning point when Southern California begins to dismantle policies and institutions that have created inequities and rebuild a more just, inclusive society. And they offer dozens of ways to do so.

We agree. This is a moment when it should be impossible to ignore racial and economic injustice in our backyard, and when lasting change is within reach.

COVID-19 cases and death rates were disproportionately high among Black, Latino and Pacific Islanders  many of them "essential workers" on the pandemic's front lines  in low-income neighborhoods in South L.A., East L.A. and cities along the Alameda corridor. At the same time, many of these same communities were getting hit especially hard by the economic fallout from the COVID closures. For example, nearly half of Black workers in the state have filed for unemployment benefits, compared to 27% of white workers.

The disparities spilled into education when students were sent home for distance learning, a shift that lower-income families were ill-equipped to support. The Times found that during the spring, large numbers of low-income students and Black and Latino students did not regularly participate in remote classes.

Then the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody brought outrage to the streets, as marchers demanded an end to systemic anti-Black racism that fuels police brutality, profiling and an unequal criminal justice system.

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Structural racism underpins so many of the disparities on display. Thats one reason why the reports first principle for reinventing L.A. calls on the regions leaders to address anti-Black racism. That includes decriminalizing homelessness and investing in healthcare and mental health services, alternatives to incarceration and home ownership assistance.

The report also calls for a more inclusive economy, one in which workers have safety nets and supports to earn a good living. That means ensuring paid sick leave, unemployment benefits, affordable childcare and reliable public transit. And every household should be able to get high-speed internet service, which has proven essential for workers, job seekers and students.

The pandemic and the protests made it obvious that there are two Los Angeles Counties  one for the haves and one for the have nots. The report lays out how the regions economic, health, educational and criminal justice systems have been designed to maintain privilege of the haves while intentionally excluding and marginalizing the have nots. We ignore the divide at our peril.
She's been living it up on a two-week cruise in Croatia with her multi-millionaire husband Christian Richard.

But Thursday marked the end of Christine Quinn's trip with the retired tech entrepreneur as they were seen heading to an airport in Split.

The Selling Sunset star, 31, quenched her thirst with a can of Coca Cola as she engaged in conversation with the businessman, 41, after revealing her outfits on the series cost $1,000 (781) per day.

Off they go: Thursday marked the end of Christine Quinn's trip with her husband Christian Richard as they were seen heading to an airport in Split, Croatia

Cutting a typically chic figure, the real estate agent stunned in a white crop top and a cowboy-inspired skirt.

The reality star nailed daytime glamour by wearing nude heels, and accessorising with oversized shades and a floppy hat.

Christian, meanwhile, dressed down in a white T-shirt, grey jeans and black canvas trainers,

'My glam isnt cheap if I go all out': The Selling Sunset star, 31, recently revealed her outfits on the series cost $1,000 (781) per day (pictured)

Following his lead: Cutting a typically chic figure, the real estate agent stunned in a white crop top and a cowboy-inspired skirt as she engaged in conversation with the businessman, 41

Season three of Selling Sunset saw Christine tie the knot with her partner at a downtown Los Angeles cathedral in December 2019, following a whirlwind romance.

Earlier this week, Christine detailed the ins and outs of her daily routine on the show in an interview with Vogue magazine.

The Oppenheim Group employee told the publication: 'I tell people all the time: I got my boobs done, I get my lips done, tons of Botox, tons of makeup. How I look on [Selling Sunset] is not how I look when I wake up in the morning.

'When it comes to the show, I dont do my own hair. I do my own makeup because I love doing it. The full start to finish, including wardrobe, is around two and a half to three hours. My glam isnt cheap, either  $1,000 a day, if I go all out. Its expensive to look this cheap.

'When it comes to the show, I dont do my own hair': The media personality is known for her Rapunzel-inspired tresses

'Its important in a world where theres this facade of social media causing people to have body dysmorphia. People think that [things are] real, and theyre not.'

The blonde recently admitted she has shed a tear or two over 'hurtful' trolls reacting to her role on the Netflix hit.

The siren told The Sunday Times: 'People that don't know me say hurtful things. I'm just like, "Ugh, whatever." I don't know these people.

'But when I hear stuff from other people That's upsetting. Sometimes, it hurts my feelings. Sometimes, it makes me cry.'

Although she's as vulnerable as the next person, Christine clarified she has no intention of toning down her villainous persona.
Bids for the contract for the design and execution of the Drajna subway can be submitted in about three weeks, Transport Minister Lucian Bode announced on Thursday, on a visit to Ialomita County together with the Minister of Economy, Virgil Popescu.

"I said that I am bringing good news to the people of Ialomita about an extremely important project for them, namely the underway at Drajna. I am telling them in this way that this year, in early October, meaning in about three weeks, bids for the design and execution contract will be submitted for this infrastructure project. Funds are secured from European funds, of 133 million lei , VAT included, under operational programme large infrastructure 2014-2020. The technical and economic indicators were approved by Government decision on May 28, 2020," the minister said.Bode underlined that the subway is part of a development strategy for this area and will be an integral part of the future TransRegio (TR ISTER) Braila-Slobozia-Calarasi-Chiciu road, of approximately 142 km, of which 35 kilometres are inside Ialomita County.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has started her election tour of the country from her parents home in rural Waikato in the upper North Island. According to The Guardian, Arden chose Waikato to kick start her re-election campaign as her parents can babysit her 2-year-old daughter Neve while she tours.

The New Zealand leader is reported to have said that she had decided to stay in Morrinsville with mum and dad so her parents could help. Ardern has toured the entire district, including visiting the site of last years devastating volcanic eruption.

Read: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Wins Internet With Surprise Twitch Cameo

Read: New Zealand Reports First COVID Death In Over Three Months, Auckland Lockdown Lifted

Jacinda Ardern begins campaigning

New Zealand's general elections have been postponed multiple times due to the coronavirus pandemic and are now scheduled to take place on October 17. According to John Hopkins tally, New Zealand has reported a total of 1,788 coronavirus cases with 24 casualties.

Jacinda Ardern had earlier had considered postponing the elections by just 14 days. However, New Zealand's election commission said the short delay does not provide enough time for them to prepare for the updated poll date.

The postponement announcement came after her coalition partner, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters called for the same. Initially, the elections were rescheduled to September 17. However, Peters had suggested October 17 and November 21 as the alternative dates.

As per reports, the ballot paper will contain two referendum questions, asking the people of New Zealand to vote yes or no on whether to legalise cannabis and medical euthanasia. Issues like housing, the environment and child poverty will also play an important role in the upcoming New Zealand election.

Read: New Zealand PM Says She's Making Her Own Face Covering To Help Curb COVID-19 Spread

Also Read: New Zealand Reports First COVID Death In Over Three Months, Auckland Lockdown Lifted

(Image Credits: AP)
So, you see, while nearly 200,000 Americans have died from a virus that President Trump knew was deadly while he was still planning rallies and calling it something that would just go away, and while he admittedly downplayed the seriousness of the virus, he succeeded at not scaring people. Do you know how many Americans die each year from being scared? Probably millions.
NASA's Aqua satellite analyzed Tropical Storm Paulette in infrared imagery as it moved through the Central Atlantic Ocean. At NASA, the imagery was false-colored to show cloud-top temperature gradients and identify the locations of the strongest storms. The imagery also indicated Paulette was being affected by wind shear.

Infrared Imagery and Paulette's Strength

One of the ways NASA researches tropical cyclones is using infrared data that provides temperature information. The AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a look at those temperatures in Paulette and gave insight into the size of the storm and its rainfall potential.

Cloud top temperatures provide information to forecasters about where the strongest storms are located within a tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclones do not always have uniform strength, and some sides have stronger sides than others. The stronger the storms, the higher they extend into the troposphere, and the colder the cloud top temperatures. NASA provides that data to forecasters at NOAA's National Hurricane Center or NHC so they can incorporate in their forecasting.

On Sept. 9 at 12:47 a.m. EDT (0447 UTC) NASA's Aqua satellite analyzed Tropical Storm Paulette using the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument. AIRS found coldest cloud top temperatures as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 degrees Celsius) northeast of the center and in a band of thunderstorms south of center. The center is near the southern side of a large thunderstorm cluster, with the bulk of deep convection in the northeastern quadrant of the cyclone.

NASA research has shown that cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms that have the capability to create heavy rain.

Paulette had maximum sustained winds near 60 mph (95 kph) at the time of the AIRS image. Wind shear continued to affect the storm and weakened it over the next day.

What is Wind Shear?

In general, wind shear is a measure of how the speed and direction of winds change with altitude. Tropical cyclones are like rotating cylinders of winds. Each level needs to be stacked on top each other vertically in order for the storm to maintain strength or intensify. Wind shear occurs when winds at different levels of the atmosphere push against the rotating cylinder of winds, weakening the rotation by pushing it apart at different levels. Wind shear from the west-southwest was pushing the bulk of strong thunderstorms northeast of Paulette's center.

Paulette's Status of Sept. 10

By 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on Sept. 10, although Paulette's center of circulation had separated farther south from the cloud mass during the early morning hours, infrared imagery showed the cyclone was still producing an area of deep convection and strong thunderstorms consisting of minus 79 degrees Celsius (minus 110.2 degrees Fahrenheit) cold cloud tops.

Robbie Berg, hurricane specialist at NOAA's National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, noted at 11 a.m. EDT on Sept. 10, "Southwesterly shear has increased over the cyclone as expected, with the latest University of Wisconsin-Madison-CIMSS analysis now between 35 and 40 knots." The wind shear is expected to peak by 11 p.m. EDT on Sept. 10, so a little more weakening is anticipated over the next day or so. The shear is then forecast to gradually abate.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), NHC reported the center of Tropical Storm Paulette was located near latitude 21.5 degrees north and longitude 49.1 degrees west. That is about 935 miles (1,510 km) east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands. Paulette is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph). A west-northwestward or northwestward motion with some increase in forward speed is expected through the weekend. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts.

Paulette's Forecast

NHC expects a west-northwestward or northwestward motion with some increase in forward speed through the weekend. Some additional slight weakening is expected during the next day or so, but Paulette is then forecast to re-strengthen by Saturday. Paulette could become a hurricane by Sunday or Monday.

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. Interests in Bermuda should monitor the progress of this system. Ocean swells forecast to spread across the southwestern Atlantic through the weekend.

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The AIRS instrument is one of six instruments flying on board NASA's Aqua satellite, launched on May 4, 2002.

For more than five decades, NASA has used the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA brings together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation. Advancing knowledge of our home planet contributes directly to America's leadership in space and scientific exploration.

For updated forecasts, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

By Rob Gutro

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
It looks increasingly unlikely that the U.K. will reach a trade agreement with the European Union  and that could also harm the chances of a future deal with the United States.

The U.K. government outlined on Wednesday how it plans to manage trade following its full breakup from the EU at the end of the year with two significant announcements.

Firstly, it proposed legislation, called the Internal Market Bill, which gives the U.K. government stronger powers over trade rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - something lawmakers in these countries have issue with.

Secondly, the government said the U.K. would not follow EU rules for state aid  a key stumbling block in the negotiations with Europe to date. Instead, it will apply state aid rules agreed at the World Trade Organization level, which are less strict.

"It's a recipe for disaster," Paolo Palmigiano, head of the U.K. competition, EU and trade practice at the law firm Taylor Wessing, told CNBC.

The proposed legislation has to be approved by the U.K. Parliament before becoming law.

However, it raises questions about the U.K.'s ability to apply a WTO framework  which is meant to solve trade issues between two different nations  to its unique four-nation formation. In addition, the publication of the Internal Market Bill puts ongoing trade talks with the European Union at risk.

Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, said on Wednesday that she was "very concerned about the announcement from the British government."
Ex-President Kufuor was spot on when he said elections can be irrational.

The ex-President said in his most recent interview that elections can be highly influenced by emotions. In my view, when emotions dominate elections, NPP is at a little disadvantage.

No logical examination of the current political situation in Ghana should lead to any preference for the National Democratic Congress (NDC). However, whether fair or otherwise, Ghanaians trust the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to do what is right by Law & morality; the slightest sign that NPP is engaged in wrongdoing or up to no good affects the NPP more disproportionately than it would for NDC in similar circumstances, for, to whom much is given, by way of respect, much is expected.

When people vote on tribal lines, NPP tends to suffer more. NPPs support base at such times tend to be more apathetic. There is a little possibility that Voltarians may behave similarly this time round  that is, play the apathy game. Otherwise, my instincts and analyses will hold true. If it were not so, the NDC would have lost the 2012 elections when the song Woyome, Woyome was in vogue.

NPPs 2020 election battle has been made tougher now by those whose actions will be examined by the electorate, the real political actors, and incidentally, the beneficiaries of the better tomorrow we all await. These actors are operating on the premises that people will be balancing the books of Good and Bad and juxta positioning it on NDCs. That is the logical exercise, but elections do not easily run that way. Our standards have fallen but Ghanaians may yet still subject the NPP to a higher test. NPP came to power with an excess of goodwill which, appears to have been substantially consumed, albeit, not exhausted, but if 2008 is anything to go by, then 2020 is not over until it is over. We must work hard for victory. Nana Addos hard work will be flushed down the pan by the few Ghanaians who are just after instant gratification if we do not rise.

Like elections, the stock market is also well known for its occasional irrationality. It can be a very unpredictable market even if from time to time, people are able to master the trade in such a way as to make a killing from it, if not by pure luck.

I am no stockbroker, but I can say without any fear, favour, or equivocation, that the timing of Agyapas floatation is such that the NPPs fortunes can be said to have been tied to its prospects of success. That is, her likelihood of raising funds from the market. If successful, the status quo may be maintained, however, if it fails, there will be no time for the party to recover.

The unnecessary and untrue insistence that Kofi Osafo-Marfo is our Countrys best choice for CEO for Agyapa, that only Data Bank could be found to offer the best transactional support and that Gabbys Law firm and their associate English Law firm

 White & Case are the best Legal Advisers in a matter like this, means that a lot will turn on the success of the exercise.

Should this have happened this side of the elections? In my view, however long negotiations may have been ongoing, as soon as any evidence emerged that there would be opposition from the CSOs, NPPs managers and strategists should have dropped this deal in a pool of iced water to await better times. Our own Finance Minister and Ace Ankomah, the other Lawyer involved in the transaction, were staunch members of Occupy Ghana, a CSO too; they have not suddenly become misfits.

Ken Ofori Atta admits himself on radio that the biggest problem with the Agyapa deal is the conspicuous lack of public consultation (which Nay Sayers have capitalised on to harp on a perception of corruption). If our government admits we could have done better on the question of consultation then a suspension on the basis of "further public consultation " could in all likelihood score very bright brownie political points for us as being a listening government. As at now, it appears the deal is proceeding, though consultation is admitted to be inadequate. This is not a subject to be hurried. It would unnecessarily be perceived as indecently hasty. No matter the success story that Vodaphone may have turned out to be, its timing and unseemly speed are not dissimilar from Agyapa no. Vodaphone was akin to political suicide.

Are our decision-makers not unduly influenced by their emotions rather than on the future of Ghana, which seriously hangs on the continuity of an NPP Government?

Suspend Agyapa no w.
Donald Trump boasted that he protected Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from US scrutiny following the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to new excerpts from Bob Woodwards upcoming book.

"I saved his a**," Mr Trump bragged in 2018 following the Americans murder, according to an advance copy of Rage obtained by Business Insider.

"I was able to get Congress to leave him alone. I was able to get them to stop."

Mr Khashoggi, a Washington Post writer known for criticising Saudi Arabia, was lured to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2018 where he was assassinated at the personal order of the Crown Prince, according to the Central Intelligence Agency.

In an interview about three months later on 22 January, Mr Woodward told the president that staff at The Washington Post were upset about the gruesome murder.

"Yeah, but Iran is killing 36 people a day, so " the president began.

Mr Woodward wrote that he steered the conversation back to the murder and continued pressing the president on the Crown Princes alleged role in ordering the assassination.

"Well, I understand what you're saying, and I've gotten involved very much. I know everything about the whole situation," Mr Trump is quoted as saying.

"He will always say that he didn't do it," Trump reportedly said of MBS. "He says that to everybody, and frankly I'm happy that he says that. But he will say that to you, he will say that to Congress, and he will say that to everybody. He's never said he did it."

When asked if Trump believed he did it, Mr Woodward writes that the president said the prince insisted that he didnt.

"I know, but do you really believe " Mr Woodward began before he was cut off by the president. Mr Trump then added that the Saudi very strongly says that he didn't do it.

Bob, they spent $400 billion over a fairly short period of time," Mr Trump said, according to the book excerpt.

"And you know, they're in the Middle East. You know, they're big. Because of their religious monuments, you know, they have the real power. They have the oil, but they also have the great monuments for religion. You know that, right? For that religion."

Following Mr Khashoggis murder, Mr Trump vetoed a bill to stop American support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting a war in Yemen. He also pushed through an $8 billion arms sale the Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, vetoing resolutions that would have blocked the sale.
They left their homeland decades ago, and for a time found a future in Thailands tourism industry.

But the pandemic has changed all that.

Now many Kayan Long Neck women have lost their jobs, their homes and their dreams.

Fleeing internal political unrest and violent clashes between the Myanmar military regime and several ethnic minority armies in the 1980s, Kayan refugees settled in northern Thailand, where they have relied on tourism for a big part of their income. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in March of 2020. Travel restrictions and business closures were enforced across the kingdom.

The restrictions reduced the spread of the virus but also reduced the flow of tourists to a mere trickle. High losses in the tourism industry over the past months have left many Kayan Long Neck women jobless and even homeless.

When ethnic groups fled conflict in Myanmar in the 1980s, many settled as refugees in the border province of Mae Hong Son.

The resettlement introduced their distinctive Kayan culture to the region. Iconic images of Kayan women with their traditional dress, including big earrings, brass neck coils and knee coils, soon made it around the globe. As a result of this exposure, the refugee settlements became a big attraction for travelers to Thailand.

Several cultural attractions, geared toward both domestic and foreign tourists, were developed. Kayan women posed for photo opportunities, sold traditional handicrafts and souvenirs, and collected entrance fees to the tourist attraction. That proved to be a lucrative source of funds for the refugee communities, with the income motivating the Kayan to preserve their traditional ways.

Initially, there were only three Kayan villages open to tourists: Ban Nai Soi, Ban Huay Pu Keng, and Ban Huay Seau Tao. Later, Thai authorities allowed expansion into bigger cities like Chiang Mai and other parts of Thailand to take advantage of the interest on the part of tourists. It is estimated that about 600 Kayan people currently reside in Thailand.

When they were flourishing, these tourist hotspots generated substantial revenue. That meant income for the Kayan. Some received a minimum salary of 9,000 Thai baht per month. Others, however, only received a 1,500 Thai baht stipend. And still others were only given a place to stay, their income relying solely on the selling of goods.

The settlements also provided Kayan families with access to basic health and educational facilities.

Now with the continued closure of Thailands borders, many tourist-based businesses have been forced to shut down. As a result, many migrant workers have become unemployed or their income has been dramatically reduced.

Ma Ngi, a 21-year-old Kayan woman in traditional dress and brass coils living in Ban Nai Soi village, agreed to talk to The Irrawaddy. She said she had lost her job at the Long Neck Tribal Village in Chiang Mai.

Trading with tourists is the only way we know how to make a living. Nowadays, we have nothing to do and are running out of money, she said. We hope things will get better.

Because of their status as Thai residents without citizenship, the Kayan ethnic group doesnt qualify for the special assistance announced by the government during the pandemic.

Others have lost their homes with the closing of the tourist attractions.

Thats led some who couldnt find temporary shelter to return to their former homeland in Myanmars Kayah State.

A return to Myanmar, however, brings still more uncertainty. Those returning to Myanmar dont know when or if theyll be able to return to Thailand, where they have come to feel most at home.

You may also like these stories:

Tourist Arrivals in Myanmar Will Drop 50% Over COVID-19: Tourism Ministr

Thailand Puts Border on Alert Amid COVID-19 Surge in Myanmar

Thailand Detains 15 Rohingya Migrants for Illegal Entry
"PenFed's mission has long included serving America's national defense community and first responders," said James Schenck, President and CEO of PenFed Credit Union and CEO of PenFed Foundation. "Hanging the American flag from our building reminds us that freedom isn't free, and we owe a debt of gratitude to those who serve and have served our country. Every year on September 11, we honor the brave military heroes and first responders who gave their lives so that others would survive. We will never forget."

Schenck was working at PenFed in Alexandria when he heard the news of the attacks on 9/11/2001. Schenck and several PenFed volunteers walked seven miles to the Pentagon to see how they could help the branch team and others who were immediately impacted. PenFed reopened for business the next day and provided continuous service and support to the Pentagon community.

PenFed has invited employees and media to attend a brief, socially-distanced outdoor ceremony Friday at 8:30 a.m. The ceremony will include remarks from PenFed Board members, employees, military and first responders sharing their experiences on 9/11. PenFed will also announce $10,000 in donations to support first responders and their ongoing life-saving efforts.

Among those speaking will be retired Command Sgt. Maj. David Clark, an Army veteran who served eight combat deployments and who currently serves as Director of Outreach for the PenFed Foundation. "It's a tough day for veterans," said Clark. "I think not only about the lives that were lost in 2001, but the lives that were lost in the years following. I lost a lot of service members and close friends throughout many deployments. I reflect on their sacrifices, too. A lot of them were young  they never had opportunities to start families. They never made it back to kiss their families. But they answered the nation's call, raised their right hands and committed to serving and doing their part."

Charlie Miles, PenFed's Director of Military and College Employment Programs, will also be giving remarks. Prior to joining PenFed, he was a Marine Corps officer and pilot and flew 45 combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq in support of the War On Terrorism during his military career. On 9/11/2001, he was stationed near Manhattan, New York. "I was 40 miles north of the city, but we could see the smoke coming off the towers all the way from Manhattan," Miles said. "I flew over Ground Zero not long after that, and it was an incredibly moving experience. My Marine Corps contract ended in 2001, but I stayed for another 11 years. I'm very proud to work with PenFed now, because at PenFed, we remember those sacrifices, and we get the opportunity to continue serving every day."

Terry Williams, retired Marine Corps Brigadier General and PenFed's Senior Vice President of Global Fixed Assets, was serving as an aide-de-camp to a combatant commander in Hawaii on 9/11. "In the weeks following the attacks, the commander I was working for was summoned for a meeting with the President, the National Security Council, and other combatant commanders. I remember the urgency all of us felt on 9/11. It's important for people to remember what so many men and women voluntarily do every day to protect the nation. No one makes them do it. They do it willingly."

Retired Army General John W. Nicholson Jr., President of the PenFed Foundation, was moving into a new house that day. His desk in the Pentagon was 100 feet from where the nose of the plane hit the building. "Everyone between my desk and the plane perished. You don't forget something like this. It stays with you forever. What I do every day, I do now in honor of those people we lost."

Before or after the ceremony, attendees are invited to view the 252 Engine, a fire truck that was used in the rescue efforts on 9/11/2001, that will be located on site. The highly trained unit included six New York City Fire Department crew members who arrived at the North Tower of the World Trade Center shortly after the attacks and were making their way through the building to help other firefighters. All the members of the 252 Engine crew made the supreme sacrifice and died in the line of duty on the morning of 9/11. Alongside the truck will be commemorative signs to ensure we never forget the fallen heroes.

Founded in 1935 as the War Department Credit Union, PenFed's core membership is comprised of members of the national defense communities and all who support them. Following the attacks of 2001, PenFed launched the PenFed Foundation to support service members, veterans and their families. Over 142,000 members of the military community have received assistance through the PenFed Foundation's financial education, credit-building, homeownership, short-term assistance and veteran entrepreneurial support services. To learn more about PenFed's history, visit penfed.org/about-penfed . To learn more about the work of the PenFed Foundation, visit penfedfoundation.org .

About PenFed Credit Union

Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving over 2.1 million members worldwide with over $26 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services. Our mission is to empower members of our community to achieve their financial well-being. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org , like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter . Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn . We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

SOURCE PenFed Credit Union

Related Links

http://www.PenFed.org


Mick Schumacher's entourage has denied reports that the young German will make his F1 race weekend debut at Mugello.

Germany's RTL and n-tv broadcasters reported that the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher will drive an Alfa Romeo or Haas car in Friday practice.

"I have no idea how RTL came to that assumption," said Schumacher's press spokesman Timo Gans.

"We haven't heard anything about it."

And Mick's manager Sabine Kehm told Sky Deutschland when asked about the story: "No, I cannot confirm that."

It is possible the sources got confused about news that 21-year-old Schumacher will demonstrate his father's 2004 Ferrari this weekend at Mugello.

Also possible is that the Formula 2 driver, whose Monza win last weekend put him second overall in the standings, will step up to Formula 1 next year.

But former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, who was famously close with seven-time world champion Schumacher, said the youngster should not debut for Ferrari.

"I am simply not objective in my assessment because I have such a personal relationship with him," he told RTL.

"A Schumacher in a red car would trigger unbelievable feelings for everyone in Italy, but it is too early for him and it must not happen only for marketing reasons."

More likely for Schumacher is a seat at a Ferrari-linked team, namely Alfa Romeo or Haas.

"If you assume that Ferrari can occupy at least one place at Alfa, then he has a very good chance there for next season," said former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld.

"Mick has tough competition in the Ferrari junior program, but with his strong development he has probably managed to use his name to his advantage for the next step."

(GMM)
Black jogger detained for matching suspect description offered job with sheriff's office

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A black jogger who matched the description of a recent burglary suspect and was detained by sheriff's deputies last month in Florida has been offered a job by the same department that detained him.

Bodycam footage released by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office shows Joseph Griffin, a black registered nurse and military veteran, out jogging on Aug. 27 when he was approached by a deputy.

The officer told him he matched the description of a recent burglary suspect  a black male with a white tank top, dark shorts, and a beard  and assured him multiple times that he was not under arrest.

Youre not in any trouble or anything. There was a burglary that happened, you kind of fit the description. Let me just make sure youre not him, OK, an officer told Griffin.

The full video from the officers body camera shows the officer's approach, conversation and departure.

The last minute of the video shows the actual suspect, not Griffin, being arrested.

WTSP, also known as local television news channel 10 Tampa Bay, told The Christian Post that the bodycam footage it obtained was verified by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

Im gonna detain you. Look, you're not under arrest. I'm detaining you right now because you fit the description, a deputy told Griffin as his hands were cuffed behind his back.

Griffin can be seen in the recording starting a Facebook Live video, capturing the scene and telling the officer: I just had a daughter born two days ago, so just have this on Live."

While Griffin was being handcuffed, he looked at his phone on the ground and said, If something happens to me, yall better raise Hell, addressing those who were watching the video.

Today, while jogging in my neighborhood; I fit the description... I remained compliant and the situation was not escalated... @nursej504 Posted by Joseph Griffin on Thursday, August 27, 2020

Griffin was compliant the entire time, as the officer assured him that he was not being arrested but detained while they use his identification card to verify whether he was involved in the burglary.

While Griffin was released without arrest or conflict, he told Orlandos Fox 35 that his experience was unnerving.

Witnesses' descriptions are never perfect, and it is very scary when your future is in the hands of that nonperfect identification and description, he said. When you see your neighbor get pulled over and talk to the cops, perception is reality at that point, and youre gonna automatically assume that theyre doing something.

Griffin served as military police in the U.S. Army and was offered a job with the Volusia County Sheriff's office after the event took place. He declined the offer since he has a job in healthcare already.

In a tweet thread Saturday, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood acknowledged how both parties were cooperative and professional during the interaction. The sheriff also announced that Griffin will be participating in implicit bias training with the department.

"Joseph Griffin is going to come out and join us during implicit bias training, and tell this story from his perspective, Chitwood tweeted. I think we can all learn from his point of view, just like he has listened to ours. Mr. Griffin is a military veteran and a medical professional, and I told him we'd train and hire him as a deputy in a second if he ever wants a new job."

Chitwood added that he is proud of the way his deputies handled the situation.

Granted, nothing like Facebook Live existed when I was starting out, but I dont know if a young Mike Chitwood would have kept a live video running for somebody I was detaining, the sheriff explained. These guys did it because, in that moment, they understood what it meant to Mr. Griffin, who was going out of his way to be cooperative and respectful."
Facing growing wildfire threats, Gifford Pinchot National Forest is planning to close all developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, day-use areas, wilderness areas and all forest roads and trails within the southwestern portions of the forest.

Nearly one day after announcing the forest closings, National Forest officials could not predict when they will occur, as the Big Hollow Fire continued to grow.

If you have plans to be in this area of the forest, please consider making alternate arrangements, National Forest officials said in a Tuesday press release.

There is also a forest-wide campfire ban that went into effect Wednesday. Local fire officials encouraged Cowlitz County residents to sign up for emergency alerts through the Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management. Follow this link to do so: https://signup.hyper-reach.com/hyper_reach/sign_up_page_2/?id=99002.

The Big Hollow fire is burning east and north of the Trapper Creek Wilderness. It was reported early Tuesday morning and is estimated to be about 6,000 to 10,000 acres in size and growing.

Gifford Pinchot National Forest crews are assessing the situation and assisting with evacuations and clearing road corridors of downed trees resulting from recent heavy winds, the press release said.

Wednesday afternoon, the Department of Natural Resources recommended a Level 2 evacuation notice for the Cougar area. A Level 2 means to be ready to go on a moments notice, or to leave immediately if extra time is needed. The area under the order is from Speelyai Park east to the Cowlitz County line and Merrill Lake south to Cowlitz County line.

And the Woodland School District announced Yale Elementary School will be closed Thursday due to heavy smoke and the evacuation alert.

The Longview Police Department said the local area will see more smoke blowing in with shifting winds Wednesday. The departments asked in a Facebook post that people not call 911 to report smoke unless they see an actual fire.

It is highly advised not to do any activities that may cause a spark, including running power equipment, lawn mowers or having any kind of open flame outside, the department post added.

The Southwest Washington Clean Air Agency listed Longviews air quality as unhealthy, close to very unhealthy, as of 5 p.m. Wednesday. The agency issued an air quality health advisory, recommending the people avoid outdoor activities.

All burning in the city limits of Kelso, Longview, Kalama and Castle Rock is banned, including recreational fires, the Cowlitz County fire marshal announced Wednesday afternoon.

The potential fire threat is extreme, given weather conditions in the area. Fire Chiefs within the county will be working together to support Cowlitz-Skamania Fire District 7 as the Big Hollow Fire burns toward the Yale Reservoir either by direct support with personnel and apparatus or by backing up agencies that are sending resources, a Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue press release said.

The main issue right now is that the danger of fire threat in our area is unprecedented. How we have moved through this without an incident so far is beyond me, Fire chief Dave Lafave said in the press release.

He said the current probability of ignition is at least 95%, meaning if 100 embers land in a fuel bed at least 95 of them would cause ignition to the fuel causing rapid fire spread.

We saw the impact of fires in March of 2019 within developed areas with less dangerous conditions, LaFave added. This fire threat is significant in the rural and city interface areas throughout our county.

He said the Big Hollow Fire is burning toward Chelatchie Prairie and local departments may soon be engaged or supporting that fire in various ways.

I think well be out of this pretty soon, but until then, were asking the public to please be smart, LaFave said. Dont burn anything, dont run equipment or lawnmowers if possible and recognize this weather and the potential threats associated with it.

Forest Supervisor Eric Veach said in the release that the current focus is in on keeping firefighters and the public safe. He asked that visitors avoid the area.

A Type II fire team has been ordered and will take over management of the fire once they arrive on scene, the press release said. And effective Wednesday morning the entire Gifford Pinchot National Forest is at a Industrial Fire Protection Level IV, meaning a general shutdown of the area. It is the highest protection level.

It is important to note that the local area remains under threat of dangerous fire conditions with a combination of extreme heat, significant wind events, dry conditions, and firefighting resources that are stretched thin across the region and nation, the press release said.

The cause of the fire is unknown, according to the press release. However, in a Tuesday TDN story, Washington Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Thomas Kyle-Milward said firefighters suspect the fire was human-caused, though it is still under investigation.

Kyle-Milward previously told TDN the fire is in an area of steep terrain that is difficult to survey and to access. it is the largest active wildfire in Southwest Washington by acreage, he said.

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NORTHBROOK, Ill., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Global has issued a timely report on the current state of retail inventories and how the ongoing, pervasive environment of uncertainty is likely to impact the disposition of merchandise into the off-price market moving ahead.

Weighing Retail Inventory Monetization Options is Critical as COVID-19 Persists, co-authored by Marc Caplan and Ray Armendariz of Hilco Wholesale Solutions, looks at how alternative strategies and creativity in monetizing these inventory assets can play an important role in providing the liquidity needed by many retailers and manufacturers during this unprecedented period.

The report also explores how controlled environments and customized strategies can be leveraged in the current environment to protect a seller's brand and fetch a higher consumer purchase price.

"Many manufacturers and retailers are currently sitting on significant volumes of seasonal or trend-based inventory," says Caplan. "Ensuring the most profitable margin requires a firm understanding of how and where opportunities exist to move the merchandise quickly and in a way that yields the highest return possible."

To obtain a copy of the report or schedule an interview with Marc Caplan or Ray Armendariz, contact Gary Epstein- Chief Marketing Officer, Hilco Global at [email protected].

About Hilco Global : Hilco Global (www.hilcoglobal.com) is a privately held diversified financial services company and the world's preeminent authority on maximizing the value of assets for both healthy and distressed companies. Hilco Global operates as a holding company comprised of over twenty specialized business units that work to help companies understand the value of their assets and then monetize that value. Hilco Global has a 30-year track record of acting as an advisor, agent, investor and/or principal in any transaction. Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing them strategic insight, advice, and, in many instances, the capital required to complete the deal. Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has 600 professionals operating on five continents.

SOURCE Hilco Global

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LONDON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent research shows that the RegTech (regulatory technology) sector is a huge opportunity to strengthen trade ties between the UK and Australia. Commissioned by the New South Wales Government and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, the research by RegTech Associates highlights the advantages of the UK and Ireland as a market for regulatory technology firms.

Stuart Ayres, the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney says:

"As this report outlines, the UK and Australia share similar regulatory environments, making London and Sydney RegTechs well suited to expand in each other's markets."

As one of the biggest financial centres in the world, London is an international hub for RegTech firms. RegTech Associates data shows that in the UK and Ireland alone, there are 288 home grown technology products solving regulatory problems from fighting financial crime to regulatory reporting.

Crucially, the UK and Ireland boast governments that are supportive of technological innovation. Financial regulators in the UK such as the Financial Conduct Authority are extremely forward-looking and are actively exploring the use of innovative technologies to address long-standing challenges.

Some key findings from the report include:

The majority of RegTech products in both markets fall into the Financial Crime category, with 27.7% in the UK and 30.4% in Australia respectively

respectively The UK RegTech market is more mature than Australia . 53.6% of Australian products are less than five years old, however only 35.4% UK

. 53.6% of Australian products are less than five years old, however only 35.4% UK Australian RegTech products have the second highest foreign presence in the UK with 9.1% market share, beaten only by USA

Daren Cade, COO of Arctic Intelligence, a Sydney based RegTech firm that has expanded into the UK says:

"The UK presents a unique and sizable opportunity for RegTech vendors from Australia and vice-versa. Close historical ties, relatively unrestricted movement of people, similar cultures and a single language all make this an easier move for expanding vendors than many others."

New South Wales (NSW) is an equally inviting destination for UK and European based RegTechs who want to expand overseas, as Minister Stuart Ayres explains:

"Sydney is clearly the regtech leader not only in Australia but in the Asia Pacific and with investment from markets like the UK, there is enormous potential for jobs generation and investment. From backing the Sydney Startup Hub to launching Tech Central this year, the NSW Government has been right behind NSW's booming tech industry."

With free trade agreement talks between the UK and Australia proceeding well, and in light of Brexit, opportunities to further strengthen trade ties between the two countries are welcomed and the RegTech industry is set to be a big part of that.

Click here for further information and full report - https://www.rtassociates.co/2020/09/regtech-is-a-big-opportunity-to-boost-australia-and-uk-trade-relations/

Contact:

Jason Boud (CEO)

jason.boud@rtassociates.co

About RegTech Associates

Our experienced team has extensive industry and regulatory knowledge and we perform rigorous research, market scanning and analysis of the global RegTech industry. This helps our technology clients better understand how they can grow, and our regulated firm clients discover who really solves their problems.

Media Contact:

Thomas Harding,

thomas@rtassociates.co,

+44-7764560482

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1251900/RegTech.jpg




The U.S. emergency department, long an imperfect shelter for those with non-urgent medical needs, is perhaps the last place you want to be amid a pandemic.

COVID-19 has aggravated an already broken U.S. health-care system in which at least 30% of emergency department visits were deemed unneeded before the virus' arrival. Patients with less urgent conditions often wait hours for care, and theyre usually left with a hefty bill.

Now, a new heath-care model is seeking to bridge the gap between clinical care and telemedicine, offering hands-on medical aid inside people's homes.

In a time of COVID, a company known simply as Ready is logging more than 15,000 visits and 10,000 COVID-19 tests a month to patients in New York City; Los Angeles; Washington; Reno, Nev.; Miami; and even the marshy bayous outside New Orleans. When called, Ready quickly dispatches an EMT or paramedic to a patients home. There, its so-called responders work with doctors linked through iPads to take vitals, diagnose problems, prescribe therapies or, if needed, escalate cases to the closest ER.

Although this may sound like a concierge service for the rich, Readys target market is Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans that has accounted for about half of its patient visits.

COVID accelerated a trend that had already begun, which is a shift from institutional brick-and-mortar urgent care to the home setting, according to Julian Harris, a Ready board member. Its impressive to see the organization rise to the challenge of providing care in the most difficult of times, in places and to populations that other companies have not focused on.

That's "compelling for an investor," he said.

In Readys latest Series C fund-raiser, to be announced last week, investors, including GV, the venture-capital arm of Google parent Alphabet Inc., pumped in $54 million more to help boost Readys valuation to $354 million. Other repeat investors included Deerfield Management Co. and Town Hall Ventures, the fund launched by Andy Slavitt, the former acting administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Obama administration.

The idea for Ready came during a trip to Israel by serial entrepreneur Justin Dangel, 46, now the company's chief executive officer. Dangel was galvanized by a nonprofit that equipped Israeli EMTs with motorcycles and defibrillators, with the objective of beating ambulances to patients and victims of trauma.

A health-care outsider, Dangel later spoke with EMTs in the U.S. about the service. That sparked talks about ways to utilize EMTs to relieve pressure on the U.S. system and, eventually, to the birth of Ready, which treated its first patient in 2018.

But its been the pandemic that has validated the business model, drawn new capital and talent, and fueled the companys growth. With COVID-19, telemedicine use has reached record highs. Ready, meanwhile, has seen a fivefold surge in demand for its services since March. This is a social impact project thats gotten out of control, Dangel said.

On the last Monday of March, as a flood of virus cases pushed New York to a breaking point, Gov. Andrew Cuomo pleaded during a news briefing for health-care workers to come to the city to help.

Ready had planned to begin services in New York in 2021. But hearing that call spurred the company to contact Cuomos office with an idea: Ready could conduct COVID-19 tests within the citys public housing complexes.

"It was the perfect fit," said Gareth Rhodes, deputy superintendent to the New York State Department of Financial Services. "It wasn't just about bringing a test, it was about providing an opening to a whole plethora of health-care services."

Abel Collado, 25, is a paramedic and firefighter from the Bronx. He was just weeks into his new job at Ready when the partnership was launched. The company had fewer than 15 responders in the city at the time, and Collado was tasked with conducting testing in the communities he grew up in.

Words cant describe what its like to be a young adult who is born and raised, and grew up on these streets, and is still living in them, to serve these people, Collado said. Treating patients from within their homes has allowed Collado to better address the socio-economic factors that influence health outcomes. Some have little means of transportation, while others lacking a primary-care physician arent able to easily get their medications. Many cant speak English.

Collado has since become a supervisor, and has been pivotal to the recruitment of 150 full- and part-time responders employed by the company that have conducted more than 5,500 visits and 3,600 COVID-19 tests for New York City Housing Authority residents. Now, Ready is seeing New Yorkers outside of the partnership with the state, as well.

More than 1,300 miles away in Louisiana, Ochsner Health System Inc. has also turned to Ready to conduct COVID-19 tests. In this case, theyre not just for symptomatic patients, but for the immunocompromised preparing for surgery or chemotherapy. Ready also handles follow-up when patients are discharged.

Well before the virus swept the nation, Louisianas largest health system decided to take a chance on a start-up headquartered in New Orleans after struggling for years to reduce unneeded ER visits. Ready was integrated into Ochsners medical triage platform in 2018, creating a pathway for responders to beeline directly to some of their first patients' homes. It also created an appointment-based community health-care program for Ochsners Medicaid frequent-fliers  underserved patients who often seek care in the ER.

Alexi Deville is a 26-year-old EMT from Metairie, La. She meets with Medicaid patients identified by Ochsner once a week for as long as three months. Working with doctors online, she treats their allergies, coughs, and rashes. She also finds them in-network primary-care doctors, schedules appointments and gets prescriptions refilled, she said.

"I've been here all my life," Deville said. "I know these faces."

Ochsner saw a 70% reduction in non-emergency ER visits between June 2018 and Dec. 2019 as a result of this service, said Harry Reese Jr., the systems vice president of post-acute and home care. We saw it as a cost-effective model that could be scaled quickly, Reese said.

New York and Ochsner don't pay Ready directly for these services. Instead, the company gets reimbursed by insurers. Its pitch to health-systems: Give us access to your patients and we'll take care of the rest. Its pitch to payers: We're cheaper than the ER.

The average ER bill is $2,000 a visit, according to Premier Inc., which helps thousands of hospitals and health systems manage costs. Premier estimates that if those 3 in 10 unnecessary visits could be prevented or managed in lower-cost settings, $2.5 billion could be saved yearly.

Readys services cost payers $150 to $200. For patients seeking COVID-19 tests who dont have insurance, Ready is reimbursed by the U.S. government under a series of recent economic stimulus packages.

Its cheap in comparison because Ready has little overhead, employing about 70 physicians, clinicians and nurse practitioners who squeeze plenty of 20-minute stops into the workday, a time frame Dangel said is more than two-times longer than the average ER or urgent-care visit. Ready contracts with Teledoc Health Inc. when it needs additional licensed medical officials.

Meanwhile, its 450 full- and part-time EMTs and paramedics  a cheaper form of medical labor  are able to deliver the care in person. That gives the company a structural advantage over an emerging field of rivals, Dangel said.

Its not like the hospital, where brick-and-mortar business is such that it loses money on Medicaid, but makes it on commercial patients, said Harris, the board member who is also a partner at Deerfield, and who was the federal governments chief health-care financial officer from 2013 to 2015.

In 2021, Ready plans to launch a pilot program that will allow more than 100 doctors to dispatch responders into their patients' homes. Were building a technology platform that can be sold separately, and scaled nationally, Harris said. You can expect that, ultimately, people will have access to Ready responders in every city in America.
Rebecca Judd has been left heartbroken after four children were refused entry into Queensland from Sydney to say their final goodbye to their dying father.

Brisbane truck driver Mark Keanes was diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer in his brain and lungs last month and is not expected to make it to Christmas.

Despite the 36-year-old's family applying for an exemption to enter the state a month ago, Queensland Health have so far denied their request.

Reaction: Rebecca Judd (pictured) has said 'the country is broken' after four children were refused entry into Queensland from Sydney to say their final goodbye to their dying father

New South Wales Health has proposed allowing one of his children into Queensland to say their final goodbye.

The department suggested the child could see their father for a supervised one-hour visit before going back across the border.

Rebecca, 37, shared the heartbreaking story to her Instagram on Thursday and wrote 'the country is broken'.

News: A Brisbane father's family applied for an exemption to enter the state one month ago but Queensland Health have so far denied their request

Meanwhile, anyone entering Queensland is required to complete mandatory $2,800 two-week hotel quarantine.

The state had briefly reopened its southern border in July before shutting again amid a spike in cases in New South Wales.

Rebecca's post comes after she spent quality time with her three-year-old twin boys Tom and Darcy at her $7.3million Melbourne mansion.

Creative: The footy WAG's post comes after she spent quality time with her three-year-old twin boys Tom and Darcy at her $7.3million Melbourne mansion

On Tuesday, Rebecca shared a video to Instagram stories while completing creative activities with her boys.

In the video, Bec is seen watching the little ones have a ball as they played with pipe cleaners, paintbrushes and more.

Tom let his mother know he was making a Bart Simpson-inspired puppet while Darcy looked to be equally creative at the dining table.
COVID-19 may only be the beginning of global pandemics  a future scenario in which climate change may also play a role.

"We have entered a pandemic era," said a recent study in the journal Cell. Written by Dr. Anthony Fauci and medical historian Dr. David Morens, both of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the study paints a picture of a future where pandemics become more numerous.

I dont have a crystal ball, but what we are seeing looks very much like an acceleration of pandemics, Morens told BuzzFeed News. Causes he cited include deforestation, urban crowding and wet markets for wild game.

How might climate change impact future pandemics?

But climate change's possible role is complicated: We know that the virus survives longer in cold temperatures than hot, so that could mean that a warmer planet would slow the spread of the disease, said meteorologist Jeff Masters, who writes for Yale Climate Connections. On the other hand, he said heat waves cause people to spend more time indoors in air-conditioned spaces, where the spread of the disease increases.

Unsuitable for 'human life to flourish': Up to 3B will live in extreme heat by 2070, study warns

"Thus, Florida had a difficult time with COVID-19 this summer, despite the fact that some parts of Florida recorded their hottest summer on record," Masters told USA TODAY. "These complexities make it difficult to judge how climate change may be affecting COVID-19."

Warming creates 'opportunity' for pathogens

Some scientists do believe warming will play a bigger role in future pandemics.

"We do know that climate change alters how we relate to other species on Earth and that matters to our health and our risk for infections," said Dr. Aaron Bernstein, director of Harvard University's T.H. Chan C-CHANGE program.

"As the planet heats up, animals big and small, on land and in the sea, are headed to the poles to get out of the heat," he said. "That means animals are coming into contact with other animals they normally wouldnt, and that creates an opportunity for pathogens to get into new hosts."

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In addition, Masters said the diseases of most concern globally that are worsened by climate change are the ones spread by mosquitoes, since mosquitoes like it hot and wet  conditions that are becoming increasingly common because of global warming. Malaria, Zika, chikungunya, dengue fever and the West Nile virus are all expected to spread into areas where they currently are not endemic, he said. Tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease will also spread.

Bernstein said climate change has already made conditions more favorable to the spread of some infectious diseases, including Lyme disease, waterborne diseases such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus (which causes vomiting and diarrhea) and mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.

"Future risks are not easy to foretell, but climate change hits hard on several fronts that matter to when and where pathogens appear, including temperature and rainfall patterns," Bernstein said. "To help limit the risk of infectious diseases, we should do all we can to vastly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees."

Fact check: The coronavirus pandemic isnt slowing climate change

As for whether climate change could exacerbate future pandemics, Morens told USA TODAY it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.

"One might imagine that if climate change causes further environmental degradation and change (beyond what humans are already doing), then we are likely to see more of these diseases," he said. "But one could equally argue that we will see less. These are big questions to which we may not have good answers for decades, or even centuries to come.

"But at the end of the day, for many reasons, it is hard to imagine that climate change will be anything good for human health."

Climate change is a 'threat multiplier'

One expert said that almost certainly, the impacts of pandemics such as COVID are exacerbated by climate change.

Meteorologist Michael Mann of Penn State University called climate change a "threat multiplier," meaning "it amplifies existing challenges and threats by increasing our vulnerability and reducing our adaptive capacity."

He said to consider, for example, the situation in Puerto Rico, where many people have died of COVID-19 for the simple reason that they have not yet recovered, in terms of their public health infrastructure, from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Maria three years ago.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the storm was made more destructive by unusually warm tropical Atlantic sea-surface temperatures, which provide more energy and moisture for the storm," Mann said. "This anomalous warmth can only be explained taking into account human-caused climate change."

UN report: Planet is 'way off track' in dealing with climate change, UN report says

He said a case can also be made for at least an indirect connection between COVID-19 and climate change. Environmental degradation, including deforestation, the destruction of rain forests and natural habitats for development may be displacing exotic disease-carrying creatures in a way that does favor increased human contact.

"These same activities  deforestation in particular  are also leading to increased carbon emissions, which are behind human-caused climate change," Mann said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Climate change and COVID-19: Does global warming fuel pandemics?
WESTPORT  Since Sept. 11, 2001, the nation has come together each year to commemorate the anniversary of a moment that forever changed America.

This years ceremony will also reflect the current challenging times.

On Thursday, the states 19th Sept. 11 memorial ceremony will be held at Sherwood Island State Park and include safety measures because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Social distancing is at a premium, Max Reiss, a spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont, said. Where instead of having an audience of people there, instead of having people stand close to each other, the goal is to have people stay as far apart as is reasonable to make sure we prevent the possible spread of COVID-19.

The event will be held outdoors and face coverings are required for attendees in addition to maintaining proper social distancing.

While the event may be scaled back for safety reasons, Reiss said it was important to continue the ceremony. Just as the nation has adapted to a new normal under COVID-19, there is a parallel to how life changed after two planes crashed into the Twin Towers and one into the Pentagon, he said.

Your experience going to the airport changed, your experience going to a sporting event changed, your experience maybe even going to school changed, Reiss said. Its important to continue these type of ceremonies in the safest possible way to make sure we are not forgetting what the impact of what that day is and was.

The ceremony will be live streamed on Connecticut Network tomorrow for those who cannot attend in person, he said.

The events of 9/11 made a huge impact on the residents of the tri-state area and certainly to the residents of Connecticut, and specifically Westport, said First Selectman Jim Marpe, who will be attending the ceremony for the eighth time.

More Information Sept. 11 ceremonies across the region Branford: Pre-recorded ceremony will air at 8:30 a.m. Fridayon BCTV or Facebook.com/MyBCTV Friday and will be rerun throughout the day. Brookfield: In-person, 10 a.m. Saturday at Town Hall. Also recognizes the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Masks and social distancing required. Danbury: Video, released Friday morning. Fairfield: In-person, 9 a.m. Friday in front of the fire department headquarters. Greenwich: In-person, 8:30 a.m. Friday at Cos Cob Park, where the memorial is; 7 p.m. Friday at the Glenville firehouse. Masks and social distancing required, no chairs. Milford: Virtual ceremony on Facebook and YouTube at 8:46 a.m. Friday. New Fairfield: In-person, ceremony beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the 9/11 Memorial Park, limited to 100 people. New Milford: In-person, 8:46 a.m. Friday, the time the first plane crashed into the North Tower. The public may gather in masks starting at 8 a.m. at the town's memorial in Patriot's Way. Ridgefield: In-person, 6:30 p.m. Friday at the 9/11 memorial beside the walking trail around the Recreation Center property off Danbury Road. State: In-person, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sherwood Island State Park, Westport, masks, social distancing required. See More Collapse

When the Twin Towers were struck, people who made their way to Sherwood Island were able to see the smoke and fire in New York City from miles away, he said. A memorial was erected in the location many stood to witness the tragedy from afar.

As a result, I think Westport is honored to be the site of the Connecticut memorial in remembrance of all the people who were sadly killed on that tragic day, Marpe said.

He said the ceremony causes everyone to think about the importance of human life.

It reminds us how fragile life can be and consequently how we need to be sure each day were considering the importance and challenges of all our fellow human beings, Marpe said.

Reiss shared similar sentiments.

People still get asked where were you when (9/11) happened and we know people are going to be asking where were you when the pandemic happened, he said. This is the kind of moment to commemorate and show how we all came together.

dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com
Singapore MoH is planning to prioritize the COVID-19 vaccine for vulnerable or at high-risk individuals who are more likely to be exposed

Singapore's government is closely monitoring the global progress in the development of COVID-19 vaccines, and taking active steps to ensure that Singapore has timely access to an effective and safe vaccine when available. During a recent interaction with the media on 4th Sep 2020, Member of Parliament, Mr Leon Perera shared Singapore's strategic plans to deliver a potential COVID-19 vaccine to its population, upon its reach to the market.

Leon Perera, MP Singapore GRC said, MOH is working on plans for the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine when it is assessed to be safe and effective for use and has received the appropriate approvals by the Health Sciences Authority. This will take into consideration the characteristics of the vaccine, suitability for different population subgroups, and availability of the supply and other factors. Our priority is to protect individuals who are most vulnerable or at high risk from the disease, as well as those who may be more likely exposed to infection while working progressively towards a high level of vaccination in the population. We will need to refine and adapt our vaccination strategy as more clinical data from the various vaccine candidates become available in the coming months.

Singapore is actively pursuing the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines with a number of pharmaceutical companies while keeping abreast of the progress of the various vaccine candidates under development. Singapore is actively engaged in international discussions, such as with the WHO, CEPI and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), as well as like-minded countries to look into early, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility.

Additionally, Singapores Duke-NUS Medical School is collaborating with a United States biotechnology company, Arcturus Therapeutics, to co-develop a COVID-19 vaccine. The school supported the pre-clinical studies by conducting rapid screening of potential vaccine candidates for effectiveness and safety, and by conducting animal trials. Phase 1 human clinical trials for this vaccine started in early August at the SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit (IMU).

Singapore is also participating in the discussions led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the multi-country Solidarity Vaccine Trials.
Political operatives on both sides see a stable race in which former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant lead on Donald Trump both nationally and in enough key swing states to win. So why does it feel like the president remains in position to secure a second term?

Mr Trump returned to the campaign trail on Tuesday, looking and sounding more like his old self than in recent months when he has questioned his low approval ratings and sometimes done more complaining about his own fate than trying to soothe an uneasy and divided country.

But he continues to campaign mostly on ominous warnings about what a Biden administration would do to the country, distorting what often-vague policy proposals the Democratic nominee has presented and painting an inaccurate picture of his own record since taking office. At several points during his Tuesday night rally in Winston-Salem in battleground North Carolina, Mr Trump very much appeared the underdog  but he also, for the first time, offered a clear picture of how he intends to run against Mr Biden.

Mr Trumps main messages are that he is the law-and-order candidate, while the former Senate Judiciary Committee chairman supports anarchists and rioters, warning a Biden presidency would automatically bring violence to big cities and smaller ones like Winston-Salem.

Here is the most succinct anti-Biden message Mr Trump has uttered yet on the campaign trail: Joe Biden devoted his career to offshoring your jobs, throwing open your borders, dragging us into endless foreign wars, along with some of his other friends and surrendering our children's future to countries like China. Remember this, very simple to remember: if Biden wins, China wins. It's as simple as that.

That biting attack line is vintage Trump. Its also a sign he is finding his campaign legs just when he needs a sprint to the finish.

Everyone is saying, Well, Biden is up by 9 points, and I get why some people look at it and want to think Biden is going to win, said one industry source who tracks political trends for his companys clients. But you cant look at it that way. You have to think about 2016 and look at this way: Trump has f***ed all of this stuff up, royally, but hes only down by 9 points.

Mr Biden, in contrast, mostly looks the part of the frontrunner  though he sometimes still makes potentially damaging verbal gaffes and opens the door for Mr Trumps attacks about his age when he looks slightly confused during virtual events.

He has offered few of the deep policy proposals one should expect from an official who has held elected office in Washington for nearly 50 years, trying to stay attractive to right-leaning and moderate suburban voters while placating his partys most liberal wing. The former vice president and longtime Delawares senators main message continues to be that Mr Trump is unfit for office and his presidency would be a return to relative calm and normalcy. At a campaign stop in Michigan on Wednesday, Mr Biden said Mr Trump knows only how to cheat for his own personal benefit.

Both campaigns emerged from Labor Day and headed hard down the homestretch of what will be a lightning round of a campaign. They are both focusing on just a handful of states, so far. Those on both tickets and their top surrogates are, so far, targeting these key battlegrounds: Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina. The Trump campaign is ramping up its presence and efforts in Minnesota, but one Democratic strategist called that a likely head fake", to get the Biden people to spend more there and less in Michigan and Pennsylvania. And Vice President Mike Pence will make a campaign stop next week in Ohio, with aides saying the Trump-Pence campaign is aiming more to shore up the Buckeye State than hold off Mr Biden there.

At the margins

Even as Mr Trump has closed some ground in several battleground state polls and dominates news coverage because of the raucous and unplugged nature of his rallies, he has plenty of work to do.

He has really only cut into Bidens lead in the swing states that matter at the margins, said James Manley, a Democratic strategist. It is very likely a good thing if Democrats maintain a healthy scepticism, based on what happened in 2016. But I think the Biden campaign is in a really good place right now. They have to be confident two months from Election Day.

Analysts at the independent forecasting organisation FiveThirtyEight have crunched polls conducted since both parties mostly virtual nominating conventions and concluded that Joe Bidens lead in national polls narrowed slightly since the Republican National Convention, but overall, polls show a relatively stable race.

That is based, in part, on 100 simulations of the Trump-versus-Biden race the organisation has conducted. In 74 of them, Mr Biden was the winner.

NBC News earlier this week released an Electoral College map prediction that showed the Democrat cruising to a win with well over 300 votes  far more than the 270 needed to win.

Still, the president seems to realise hes very much in striking distance, much like he was four years ago  albeit against a more popular foe in Mr Biden. Thats why he has cranked up the law-and-order rhetoric in an attempt to scare some crossover voters into thinking Mr Biden cannot stand up to the looters.

And remember this: if Biden wins, the violent mobs, you see these mobs all over the place, they're Biden people. They're Biden states and cities, Mr Trump said in Winston-Salem. They're Democrat states. If they win, the mobs win.
Officials of the secondary and basic education departments of Uttar Pradesh will work together as part of a joint initiative to put a check on children dropping out of schools.

As part of a unique state-wide initiative to be undertaken across all 75 districts, these officials will ensure that all successful class 8 students of upper primary schools, including government-run, government-aided and unaided institutions, enrol in class 9 this year to continue studies, officials said.

This step is being taken by the state government to put a stop on the high count of students who drop out of schools in UP at this level, they add.

Director (Basic Education) Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh has sent a missive in this regard.

I have instructed all block education officers to implement this order on a priority and intimate regarding the steps undertaken, said Praygraj basic shiksha adhikari (BSA) Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha while confirming the development.

As part of the initiative, principals/headmasters of the over 55,000 upper primary schools  including government-run and government-aided ones  will prepare a list of students of class 8 passing out of their respective institutions this year and also mark details regarding students among them who have taken admission in class 9, he said. The wardens will prepare this information at Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls Schools running in the state, he added. The missive makes plain that principals of government-aided and non-aided schools will prepare and provide information to the district inspectors of schools (DIOSs) while the department of basic education will also make its information available to the respective DIOSs. The DIOSs will then provide the information received from both sources to the camp office of the state director (secondary education), Lucknow.

After analysing the data, the two departments will zero in on students who after passing class 8 have failed to take admission in class 9 and then undertake a special drive to get all such students enrolled in schools so that they continue their education.

Under the right to education (RTE), education till class 8 is free but class 9 onwards parents have to bear the cost of not just the school fee but also books, school uniforms, school bags etc and a large number of students end up discontinuing studies.

According to an estimate, the net enrolment rate (NER) in UP at the elementary level is 79.86% 9 percentage points lower than the all India average of 88.94%. The state has an annual dropout rate of 8.58% at the primary level, which is the 6th highest in the country and more than double the all India average of 4.13%. Also, the states primary to upper-primary transition rate of 79.1% is the 4th lowest in the country11.04 percentage points below the national average of 90.14%.

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Migrant workers lay bricks at a construction site in Seoul in this undated photo. Korea Times file



By Kim Se-jeong



Korea is home to almost 2.5 million people who were born outside the country, with almost half coming from China and Vietnam, followed by the Philippines and Bangladesh.



However, the lives of those coming from developing countries are fragile here. They are usually manual workers with lower wages, and often came to Korea alone to send money back home to support their families. Even for those staying with family in Korea, the money they earn is far from enough to provide them with a decent living.



Then came the COVID-19 pandemic which made their lives even more precarious. The Korea Times reached out to a couple of workers from developing countries to hear their stories. All the names have been changed to protect their privacy.



Jose, from the Philippines, used to work at a shipbuilder in Mokpo, but lost his job in July when the company went bankrupt. He used to earn 1.8 million won a month, out of which he sent about 1.4 million back home to Cebu where his wife and daughter live.



He has been without any income for two months; but earlier this week, with the help of a local Korean resident, he was able to sue the company for his unpaid salary and severance pay of about 6 million won.



"My family is now relying on savings. I don't know how long this will last, but I need to earn money again soon to send to them," Jose told The Korea Times during a telephone interview Tuesday. He had a job interview coming up later in the week but wasn't so thrilled. "The company handles oil and chemicals and I am afraid I could get injured at work. But, there aren't so many opportunities right now. So, I will go for the interview and see."



Neil, also from the Philippines, is lucky enough to have a job. He works in Ulsan at a company making machinery that produces auto parts for Hyundai Motor. He is also suffering from the pandemic which has reduced the automobile sales.



"People are staying home and don't buy cars. That means we don't do so much work." He used to earn 2.4 million won per month on average when things were good, but now is paid only 1.8 million. He keeps about 500,000 won for himself and sends the rest back home to Bicol to support his family. "We've got a mortgage and other spending and 1.3 million won isn't enough."



Cao is an ethnic Korean from China. She and her family moved to Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, eight years ago. But, her husband died a few years back and now she is the breadwinner for the family. She works at a factory that assembles phone batteries and gets paid by the hours on minimum wage. Although her company hasn't been shut down by the pandemic, she lost all her overtime hours which badly reduced the amount of money she takes home.



"I am worried but at the same time, I think things will be alright," she said during a phone interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.



But she can't stop worrying about her two children who are staying home. "My first daughter takes online classes. But honestly, I don't know if she's catching up with school," she said. Cao is not in a position to help her daughter because she has to work and doesn't speak the language fluently.



The experience of Alexandr offers a unique glimpse into the life of an immigrant family which is strongly affected by the pandemic.



Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the 18-year-old moved to Korea with his parents and his older brother. In July, he and his family traveled back home to change their visa status. What was supposed to be a one-month-long trip made them into nomads as the Korean Embassy in Almaty was closed due to the pandemic.



"It's still closed, and we don't know when it will open back up," the boy said. Luckily, they had a place to stay in Kazakhstan, but the family members are simply waiting to get back to Korea without knowing when.



What keeps Alexandr busy is his school work. From Monday to Friday, he wakes up at 6 a.m. to take online classes offered by his Korean high school in Ansan.



"I want to go back to Korea soon so that I can meet my friends and hang out with them."




A campaign-advisory company working for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was targeted by suspected Russian state-backed hackers, a Reuters report has found, which the Kremlin dismissed as "nonsense."

Microsoft recently alerted the company about the hacking attempt. The U.S. software company identified hackers tied to the Russian government as the likely culprits, three sources briefed on the matter told Reuters.

The hackers failed to gain access to the company's networks, according to a source familiar with its response, Reuters said.

"They are well-defended, so there has been no breach," the person said.

The company said to have been targeted was Washington-based SKDKnickerbocker, a campaign strategy and communications firm.

The attacks included phishing, a method to trick users into disclosing passwords, the sources said.

SKDK Vice Chairwoman Hilary Rosen declined to comment. A Biden spokesman did not respond to a request for comment, and Microsoft spokesman declined to comment, according to Reuters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on September 10 rejected the report.

"It looks like more nonsense that, unfortunately, respected news agencies publish sometimes," Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

U.S. intelligence agencies have raised alarms about possible efforts by foreign governments to interfere in the November 3 presidential election.

Based on reporting by Reuters
Universities were yesterday told not to send students home in the event of a coronavirus outbreak.

Boris Johnson said the guidance was necessary to avoid spreading the virus across the country.

He urged undergraduates to protect their families by not socially gathering 'in groups of more than six, now and when term starts'.

However, institutions will be expected to care for them if they fall ill  isolated from other students.

Under further clampdowns, students were yesterday told they could be excluded from campus if they do not follow rules on social distancing. They were urged to act responsibly and not 'pile' into each other's rooms or flout guidance during freshers' week.

Universities were yesterday told not to send students home in the event of a coronavirus outbreak (stock picture)

The Prime Minister said: 'Opening universities is critical for students' life chances and, again, the health risks to individuals are low.'

The University and College Union condemned Mr Johnson's plan to force students to stay on in the event of an outbreak.

Spokesman Jo Grady said: 'Even by the Government's standards, these plans are ridiculously irresponsible. Students and their parents will be rightly worried about being locked down in an unfamiliar area, possibly over Christmas.'

Government scientists say there is a 'critical risk' that students could seed outbreaks nationally, putting vulnerable relatives at risk.

Universities have planned social distancing measures such as grouping students into 'bubbles' that live and study together.

A paper by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), published on Friday, warned such outbreaks could coincide with Christmas and pose 'a significant risk' to extended families.

Speaking as students prepare to return to campuses for the autumn term, Mr Johnson said: 'Opening universities is critical, again, for students' life chances and, again, the health risks to individuals are low.

'Of course, many university students are in the age bracket where we have seen the infection rates rise recently ...

'My message to students is simple - please, for the sake of your education and your parents' and your grandparents' health, wash your hands, cover your face, make space and don't socially gather in groups of more than six, now and when term starts.'

His comments came as university leaders said they do not believe coronavirus outbreaks will occur as a result of academic lessons restarting - but they did express concerns about student activity off campus.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, vice-chancellor of Manchester University and chairwoman of the Russell Group, told MPs that students could be excluded if they do not follow rules on social distancing.

Universities in England are awaiting updated guidance on how they can reopen ahead of freshers' week.

Labour has written to the Government asking it to urgently implement 'a credible plan' for the reopening of universities, which would ensure that students and staff have access to testing.

Shadow universities minister Emma Hardy has called on the DfE to explore a programme of mass testing for all students on campuses which would include those who do not have symptoms.

Ms Hardy said: 'With only a matter of weeks until campuses reopen, the Government must act now to ensure that universities are able to reopen safely.

'With the number of coronavirus cases rising, the Government must get a grip before it is too late.'

More schools face shutdown if coronavirus infections among children rise, chief medical officer Chris Whitty suggests

More school closures could happen if infections among school aged children rise, the chief medical officer hinted last night.

Professor Chris Whitty said the Government's policy on schools may be 'looked at again' if the coronavirus crisis deepens.

His comments come as at least three schools closed due to Covid-19 outbreaks this week, while dozens more reported cases.

Hundreds of pupils are being forced to isolate. Some schools have sent home large groups of students or delayed reopening.

Professor Whitty was answering a question from a member of the public at the Downing Street press conference. He said coronavirus rates are 'still very low'.

More school closures could happen if infections among school aged children rise, the chief medical officer hinted last night

But 'if there were to be a change in that, there were to be a much broader increase in rates including of school age children, I think the current policies would have to be looked at again'.

This is despite experts suggesting that coronavirus could be viewed as a 'disease of old age' because the risk of under-55s dying is so small.

One study by Cambridge University found that just one in every 2.4million schoolchildren died from coronavirus at the height of the epidemic, compared to one in every 50 people in their nineties.

Researchers calculated that 80-year-olds are 1,000 times more likely to die if they get Covid-19 than 20-year-olds. They said the extent to which old people were disproportionately affected was 'staggering' and unlike any other known infectious disease.

His comments come as at least three schools closed due to Covid-19 outbreaks this week, while dozens more reported cases

The death rate among working-age adults is extremely low, which experts said highlights how the damage from lockdown was worse than the disease for most adults.

The analysis, published in the British Medical Journal, looked at the 49,607 coronavirus deaths in the UK over a 16-week period at the height of the epidemic.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Labour MP Matt Western said: 'Just in the last week we've had 46 cases in schools across the UK. In Scotland, there were 86 cases, a total of 158 schools already have cases.'

But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson insisted the Government is 'very much' in control of the 'safe' return of students to lessons.

As many as 200 pupils across eight Liverpool schools are self-isolating after confirmed coronavirus cases.

The JCB Academy in Rocester, Staffordshire, shut on Friday after a pupil tested positive for coronavirus  and around 100 students were told to self-isolate.
They aren't two activities that typically go hand in hand. But for this team of nature lovers, the best way to go litter picking is by limbering up with some yoga.

Waste-fighting organisation Plastic Patrol hosts regular yoga sessions designed to educate people about the environment and the scourge of waste.

They are free but attendees must pay a 'nature tax' by litter picking afterwards and logging the waste they collect on the Plastic Patrol app. This is designed to gather the world's largest data sample of plastic pollution.

It comes just ahead of the Great British September Clean campaign, which begins tomorrow.

Waste-fighting organisation Plastic Patrol hosts regular yoga sessions designed to educate people about the environment and the scourge of waste

The annual litter pick, organised by Keep Britain Tidy and backed by the Daily Mail, encourages volunteers to help clear their local area of discarded rubbish.

It's already had the backing of the Prime Minister, prominent environmental groups and, of course, the Wombles of Wimbledon Common.

And yoga litter picking is just another way to get involved. Instructor Sarah Malcolm, 29, said that from her experience yoga was an effective way of making people care more for their surroundings.

She said: 'Yoga generally attracts those who have a broader mindset about how we can be better. We're very much friends of the planet.'

Miss Malcolm, from Hackney, east London, is one of several instructors for Plastic Patrol.

The group, which hosts events across the country, also runs classes in paddle boarding, canoeing and plogging, which involves jogging and litter picking.

Founder Lizzie Carr, 34, said the activities had helped to get a range of people involved in litter picking.

They are free but attendees must pay a 'nature tax' by litter picking afterwards and logging the waste they collect on the Plastic Patrol app

She said: 'I have found that our sessions are really educational as it gives people the chance to see the problems first hand.

'I think people soon realise small actions can have an enormous ripple effect.' Miss Carr, of Purley, south London, set up Plastic Patrol after she battled thyroid cancer and became inspired to begin a new way of living.

She started out with paddle boarding and became the first woman to paddle board solo across the English Channel.

Almost 300,000 pieces of litter have been logged on the Plastic Patrol app across 85 countries, providing valuable data on where waste originates.

Miss Carr is backing the Great British September Clean and said it was needed now more than ever as the easing of lockdown had seen a spike in wasteful behaviour.

She added: 'It really felt like in lockdown people were starting to really appreciate nature and their time outdoors because it was limited. And it feels like that lesson has been forgotten now.'

As part of the September Clean you can pledge to litter pick alone, with those you live with or with up to five others.

Keep Britain Tidy has always said the groups should be no bigger than six, so it will not be affected by the ban on larger gatherings from Monday.

You must also observe social distancing  a good method is to stay at least a litter-picker length away from each other. There will no public events to join this year.
A political opponent of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro left the Chilean embassy in Caracas for the first time in three years Wednesday after being pardoned by the leftist leader.

Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara took refuge at the embassy in November 2017 after being charged with inciting months of anti-government street riots that left 125 people dead.

"I am coming out to say that I continue the struggle, but this time in the field, because I have the opportunity to do so," Guevara, 34, told reporters after leaving the embassy.

"I'm aware that I may not be able to do and say everything I want, but I am going to fight," vowed Guevara, a founding member of the Popular Will party headed by opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Guevara is also close to Leopoldo Lopez, who took refuge in the Spanish ambassador's residence in Caracas after leading a failed military uprising against Maduro in April last year.

Maduro pardoned more than 100 lawmakers and Guaido associates on August 31, saying he wanted to bring "reconciliation" to the deeply polarized South American country ahead of December legislative elections.

Lopez was not among those pardoned.

Guaido dismissed the reprieves as an attempt by Maduro to "legitimize a farce," referring to the elections, which the main opposition parties are boycotting.

Guaido's chief sponsor, the United States, also dismissed the pardons, saying Maduro continues to hold hundreds of political prisoners.

The US is one of more than 50 countries that recognize National Assembly leader Guaido as Venezuela's interim president.

The opposition argues the December 6 elections are rigged in favor of Maduro's ruling Socialist Party.
COTTON TREE, Guyana  The gruesome murders of two teenagers and the apparent reprisal killing of a third have plunged Guyana into its worst racial unrest in years, coming just weeks after the nation emerged from a disputed election that had deeply divided its two dominant groups over the countrys newfound oil wealth.

The unrest is raising fears of a return to the violence between Guyanese of Indian and African descent that split the small South American nation in the 1960s, and has unsettled it periodically since.

President Irfaan Ali, who took office in August after a monthslong standoff over the election results, said he would call on Britain and Caribbean nations to help investigate the killings to ensure impartiality.

This is basically two countries living under the same roof, said Ralph Ramkarran, a veteran Guyanese politician who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in March as an independent on a multi-race platform. You dont have people who are trusted by both sides. Theres no Mandela here.
Press Release

September 9, 2020 Rosy GDP forecasts sans COVID component is 'rearranging furniture in Titanic': Pangilinan THE recovery of Philippine economy is anchored on how well the government manages the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan at the briefing of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee on the Proposed 2021 National Expenditure Program. "Are we progressing [in containing COVID-19]? Where are we headed? I think we have to answer these questions first before we talk about [economic] projections in the budget and how much are we going to spend where. The elephant in the room is: where is our campaign to address the COVID spread headed?" Pangilinan asked the government economic managers who presented the assumptions for the P4.5-trillion government budget for next year. In his presentation, Director General Karl Chua of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the Philippines has a promising outlook for the next two years with GDP growth assumptions of 6.5% to 7.5% in 2021 and 2022. "Sabi nga ni Senator [Imee] Marcos, very rosy yung projections. But the response of Secretary Chua is it was based on their assessment of how we are progressing on our campaign against COVID," Pangilinan said. But, the senator said, "Given that we have 241,987 cases as of yesterday and 3,281 new cases. Is the Economic Team happy with the situation in terms of how we are managing the spread of the disease? Are we content? What are our benchmarks in terms of establishing that we are actually effectively managing the spread of the disease? As pointed out by Senator [Ralph] Recto and Senator [Franklin] Drilon, do we have the confidence of investors and consumers?" Over the last several years, consumer spending and services has driven Philippine economic growth. With the pandemic, economic decline coincided with the drop in people's mobility and the service sector. Record-high unemployment has paralyzed consumption because of consumers' lack of income. Pangilinan also pointed out that the proposed 2021 budget of the Department of Health of P131 billion is lower than this year's P181 billion when the impact of the pandemic is still expected to carry over to next several years. "We have reduced the health budget for 2021...Number 5 sa budget hierarchy ang DoH (Department of Health). How do we re-imagine the [COVID] campaign? The Senate has already asked for the resignation of Secretary [Francisco] Duque since last April. The Committee of the Whole has found him liable and negligent and we are still projecting a rosy picture for 2021 with this kind of management," he said. "The future of the economy depends precisely on how we are going to manage COVID in the next several months or years. And if that is the elephant in the room, I hope the Economic Team could come up with a stronger position on how we are going to manage the spread of the disease. If we don't address that, sad to say we are just re-arranging the chairs in the Titanic," he added. The Philippine GDP has dropped by 16.5% in the second quarter of 2020, the biggest drop on record and the worst downturn since World War II. It is the worst performer in ASEAN for the second quarter of 2020.
The Bombay High Court (HC) on Tuesday directed Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) authorities to file an affidavit regarding the cause behind a frequent collapse of retention walls by various property developers that caused several fatalities and injuries to poor construction workers over the past three years.

The two-member HC bench, comprising Justices SJ Kathawalla and Riyaz Chagla, also directed PMC authorities to explain its reasons behind permitting the developers to proceed with their projects without approving structural stability of such walls.

The civic body has also been asked to state in its affidavit whether it had taken adequate steps to ensure that the retention walls constructed by developers for their ongoing projects were in conformity with the accepted safety norms.

The court gave its order while hearing three petitions filed by Alcon Group, a property developer, challenging the stop work notices issued by PMC following the Kondhwa wall collapse on June 29, 2019.

The tragedy had claimed the lives of 15 construction workers, including two women and four children, after a retention wall collapsed on their makeshift shanties at the project site.

Alcon Group prayed before the court that it should be allowed to carry out construction activities at other projects because they were in no way linked to the Kondhwa incident.

The bench will hear the petitions next on September 22.

Earlier last November, the court had struck down the stop work order issued by PMC in July 2019 for the Aspiree project, which Alcon Group had jointly undertaken with Kunal Housing, and allowed the construction activities to be completed.
The Bachelorette couple Angie Kent and Carlin Sterritt announced their split in early July, following weeks of speculation they had quietly called it quits.

And on Wednesday, Carlin broke his silence on hurtful rumours that their entire relationship was a carefully orchestrated 'showmance'.

The 32-year-old, whose acting credits resurfaced while he was on the dating show last year, said on Beyond the White Room that his intentions were always genuine.

Scroll down for video

Hitting back! On Wednesday, The Bachelorette's Carlin Sterritt broke his silence on hurtful rumours that his relationship with Angie Kent was a carefully orchestrated 'showmance'

'People give those of us who have done acting and stuff in the past such backlash, but we're genuinely putting ourselves out there,' Carlin told host Sophie Budack.

He said he 'was constantly bombarded with people's opinions' about his character and intentions while The Bachelorette was airing on TV.

'This show, it's you, you're putting yourself out there... I'm not portraying a character,' Carlin said, responding to critics who accused him of being 'fake'.

'People give those of us who have done acting and stuff in the past such backlash': The 32-year-old, whose acting credits resurfaced while he was on the dating show last year, insisted that his intentions were always genuine

'That was challenging': Carlin confessed he found it extremely hard being judged on social media because he really was putting his heart on the line. Pictured with Angie Kent (right)

Carlin confessed that he found it extremely hard being judged on social media because he really was putting his heart on the line.

'I'm not being judged on a character I am portraying; I am being judged on me and my character, and that was challenging,' he said.

Before making his debut on The Bachelorette, Carlin removed 'actor' from his Instagram bio and also deleted his Facebook fan page and StarNow profile.

He had previously featured in campaigns for menswear brand Tramps The Store, and also appeared in short films like Red Zone, Divided and Graveyard Shift.

Furthermore, he had a lead role in the 2018 Australian drama Out of the Woods, which appears to have never been officially released.



Screen star! Before making his debut on The Bachelorette, Carlin removed 'actor' from his Instagram bio and also deleted his Facebook fan page and StarNow profile. He had previously featured in campaigns for menswear brand Tramps The Store, and also appeared in short films like Red Zone, Divided and Graveyard Shift

He failed to mention his acting career to Angie on the show, and she didn't find out until his brother warned her during hometown week that Carlin could be using the show as a career stepping stone.

It was a devastating blow for Angie, who had previously been warned about Carlin's secret by ousted contestant Jamie Doran.

Earlier this month, Carlin told the How to Life podcast that his relationship with Angie began to fall apart after he discovered she was texting runner-up Timm Hanly.

Offering her side of the story, Angie said on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday that things fizzled out gradually after they left the reality TV 'bubble'.
Listen to Outbreak Alabama: Stories from a Pandemic, above.

Today, we hear from Elizabeth Cross, a client experience consultant who lives in Salem, Ala., part of Lee County, where her 19-year-old daughter attends Auburn University.

Recently, Elizabeth and her family of five all contracted COVID-19. She turns 37 today and her husband is 48, and they have lived what she calls a pretty dull life. They practice social distancing, they dont leave the house often, only for groceries and takeout food. They avoid going out. Theyre playing by the rules of the pandemic.

But two weeks after the fall semester began at AU, they had their daughter back for dinner with the family. While her daughter had been responsible and adhered to the same guidelines they did, she and her friends held a party at their apartment prior to the dinner, and then the following Sunday, she had symptoms. Sure enough, she tested positive, and the rest of the family also contracted COVID.

Its been two weeks since their exposure, and Elizabeth says she and her husband are in a world of hurt. She took him to the ER last Friday night and said she feared for his life. Her daughter is now fully recovered. Elizabeth reached out to share their story partially because she doesnt think college students fully understand the gravity of the COVID situation, and how their actions have consequences for their families and surrounding communities.

I spoke to Elizabeth about her familys experience with COVID-19, the challenges she and her husband continue to face after infection and how college students' actions on and off campus impact their families and communities.

Outbreak Alabama will release two or three episodes per week, chronicling the experiences of those directly impacted by COVID-19s spread, including health care professionals, business owners, city leaders, artists, AL.com reporters and many others.

If you or anyone you know is affected by coronavirus and want to share your story, please email bflanagan@al.com. For all of our coverage on the outbreak and how it continues to impact Alabama, visit AL.com/coronavirus.

Listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Acast or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like the show, please rate it and write us a review. Thank you for listening.

More from Outbreak Alabama:

UA students are anxious

Sidewalk at the drive-in

The situation at Auburn

A cluster at UA

Finally, some good news

How are our schools doing so far?

Going back to college

Why do we suck at this?

Close one restaurant, open another

Being black with COVID-19

Are bars really the problem?

Historic theaters in grave situation

Will the college football season really happen?
Philadelphia City Council voted Thursday to expand paid sick leave to include workers in the city not covered by federal sick leave legislation.

The bill, introduced by freshman Councilmember Kendra Brooks in May, requires employers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave to their workers until the end of the year.

It will cover gig workers, like those working for Uber, GrubHub, and Instacart, and gives workers access to sick leave immediately rather than requiring them to accrue it.

App-based gig workers are classified  or misclassified, worker advocates argue  as independent contractors and generally do not have access to the kinds of protections to which employees are legally entitled. Still, there has been a push to grant them more protections  such as unemployment compensation  during the pandemic.

The bill is designed to help workers like Shaheed James, an Uber driver who tested positive for COVID-19 after a few days on the job. At Thursdays Council hearing, James, a father who has diabetes, said he got about $400 worth of sick pay from Uber, far below what hed usually make, as hes worked more than 60 hours a week for the transportation company for several years.

We deserve protection doing this dangerous job," said James, a member of the Philadelphia Drivers Union, which organizes Uber and Lyft drivers.

The bills swift passage by a 16-1 vote despite opposition from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce showed how times have changed since 2015, when the citys first paid sick leave bill was passed. It had taken seven years. Then-Mayor Michael Nutter vetoed it twice.

 READ MORE: Why the gig workers delivering your groceries and beer dont have any labor rights

Nonunion, low-wage workers now wield more power in City Hall, successfully lobbying Council to pass worker protection laws in the last few years. And the pandemic shined a light on how many workers were lacking such safeguards as paid sick leave or whistle-blower protection.

Philadelphias original paid sick leave law did not cover independent contractors or employees of companies with fewer than 10 workers. It only required employers to let workers accrue five days of paid sick leave, far short of the coronavirus quarantine period of 14 days.

In the weeks following stay-at-home orders across the country, Congress passed a federal paid sick leave law. But 75% of American workers were employed by companies that qualify for exemptions to the federal legislation. In Pennsylvania, three million workers werent covered by the federal bill, according to the Center for American Progress.

Before voting on Brooks bill, lawmakers debated how to handle an ambiguity in the wording of the legislation concerning how to assess the leave currently available to workers whose companies lump all paid time off into one category, rather than designating time for vacation or sickness.

 READ MORE: Philadelphia set to be first U.S. city to protect workers against retaliation for calling out coronavirus conditions

Citing the urgency of the pandemic and the fact that the legislation sunsets on Dec. 31, they decided to pass the bill as is and let Mayor Jim Kenneys administration  which mayoral spokesperson Lauren Cox said supports the bill  sort out the ambiguities through regulations.

The bill was opposed by business owners who testified that they are already suffering in the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.

Were just trying to make it day by day, said Blane Fitzgerald Stoddart, CEO of BFW Group, a 15-person construction management company.

William Carter, the chamber of commerces vice president of local government affairs and former City Council chief operating officer, sent letters this month to Council members urging them to amend the bill, which he said duplicated federal efforts.

Given the tremendous task facing our city, this legislation, although well-meaning, could be a complex and costly impediment to recovery, read the letter, obtained by The Inquirer.

Educating workers about their new sick leave rights will be key to the effectiveness of the law. From baristas to retail workers, many say they did not know about the citys original sick leave law. Just 31 sick leave complaints were filed with the citys Office of Labor in the first six months of 2020, suggesting that workers still do not know about their sick leave rights.

Councils first session back

Thursdays virtual Council meeting was its first since lawmakers returned from summer vacation. It was also the first since the pandemic started in which Council President Darrell L. Clarke did not limit the agenda to bills related to the coronavirus or police issues.

Councilmember Cherelle L. Parker introduced a bill that would make it a hate crime to misuse the 911 system with malicious intent based on a characteristic of a person being reported, such as race or gender. The proposal follows a series of widely criticized incidents in which white people have called the police to report behavior by Black people that was neither illegal nor dangerous.

Councilmember Allan Domb called for hearings on the problem of residents illegally riding off-road vehicles such as ATVs and dirt bikes and on creating a safe area in the city where those vehicles can be used legally.

And Councilmember Cindy Bass proposed banning the use of toxic herbicides in parks and other city lands.

Also on Thursday, Councilmembers Helen Gym, Brooks, and Jamie Gauthier all introduced legislation on landlord-tenant relations, continuing their push to protect Philadelphians facing possible eviction during the pandemic. Gyms proposal would extend a moratorium on evictions through the end of the year.

The Philadelphia Inquirer is one of 21 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the citys push toward economic justice. See all of our reporting at brokeinphilly.org.
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Birdie COO Ted Clark As a new partner and member of the executive team, Clark is charged with overseeing operations, leading the client services team, and driving Birdies growth and business development.

Birdie, the technology company revolutionizing CPG brands access to insights via Artificial Intelligence, today announced the appointment of Ted Clark as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As a new partner and member of the executive team, Clark is charged with overseeing operations, leading the client services team, and driving Birdies growth and business development. Clarks appointment follows Birdies $1.6M seed round announcement, made a few weeks ago.

Clark has more than 19 years of experience managing operations, client service, and solutions consulting on both the agency and supplier sides of research. Throughout his career, Clark has worked with class defining brands like Amazon, AT&T, Converse, CVS, Disney, HP, Kelloggs, Nestle, P&G, PepsiCo, and Walmart.

Most recently, as Tolunas SVP of Client Solutions, Clark led the companys digital product sales engineering and customer success verticals, developing growth strategy initiatives and custom innovation outside the traditional book of business to increase new client opportunities by 27%, win rate by 21%, client retention by 43%, and revenue by 41%.

Prior to Toluna, Clark led operations for The Pert Group, Survey Sampling International, Greenfield Online, and JD Power & Associates. A native of the Northeast, Clark earned his bachelors in psychology and 1930s film history from Sarah Lawrence College, he currently resides in Dallas, Texas with his family.

As Birdie continues to work toward our mission in helping CPG brands optimize their market research through our AI-based Insights-as-a-Service platform, we look to bring in leaders who share the same commitment we do. Ted is an accomplished and trusted leader with a proven track record in the market research industry of driving business growth, and we are thrilled to welcome him to our team. We look to Ted to help guide our corporate and client strategies and execute against it, said Alexandre Hadade, Co-Founder and CEO, Birdie.

I found Birdies offer fascinating! Their AI makes sense of the universe of consumer opinions across e-commerce reviews, social media, and discussion boards. We are living in the validation economy, where online research is embedded in every purchase journey. Brand and product information has been decentralized by the ubiquity of user reviews and consumer-generated content. Shoppers have never had more voices to consult, and brands have never had less control or visibility into the themes being messaged. Using machine learning and NLP, Birdie spots themes in user feedback, showing brands what matters to their customers, and the trends shaping shopper perceptions, said Clark.

He continued, Birdies solution offers huge advantages over social listening, the learning AI performs autonomous collection and analysis  out of the box, you see what people are really talking about, in real-time, without the limits, labor or biases of user-defined queries. Im delighted to join Birdie on this journey and look forward to working with the stakeholders, current and future clients.

ABOUT BIRDIE:

Birdie is the AI-based Insights-as-a-Service (IaaS) platform that helps CPG brands extract actionable consumer insights from unstructured data to predict category trends, anticipate product crises, and discover promotional opportunities in key retail channels in real-time. Developed in collaboration with industry-leading veterans of the CPG and AI technology worlds, Birdie offers brands a powerful new system of intelligence that puts valuable, but previously neglected, data to use. Today, Birdie works with some of the worlds leading brands like Samsung, P&G, Whirlpool.

Founded in 2018 by Alexandre Hadade and Patricia Osorio, Birdie is headquartered in Palo Alto with offices in Miami, Dallas, and Sao Paulo, and is backed by ASTELLA and private investors. For more information, visit Birdie.ai or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
On April 5, world-famous rapper Eminem woke up and discovered a man standing behind him, said a police officer from Clinton Township on Wednesday.

Initially, Marshall Mathers first thought the man was his nephew. He later discovered it was a stranger who broke into his home. Police officer Adam Hackstock identified the man as Matthew David Hughes.

Eminem's life at risk

According to The News, during a preliminary examination held in the Macomb County District Court, Hackstock said that when Mathers questioned Hughes' reason for being in his home, the suspect replied that he was there to kill the rapper.

Since the incident, police officers have taken Hughes into custody and charged him with first-degree home invasion and malicious property destruction. On Wednesday, the suspect appeared in court in cuffs wearing a prison jumpsuit after his first appearance in June.

Eminem was not inside the court during the hearing on Wednesday, but his attorney watched the judge's proceedings on video.

The official in charge of the case, Judge Jacob Femminineo Jr., found probable cause to proceed with Hughes's trial. He scheduled an arraignment for September 28 in the Macomb County Circuit Court.

Testifying in court, Hackstock said he arrived at Mathers' residence in a Clinton Township community and discovered a security guard and Hughes wrestling on the ground. When the suspect saw the officer, he muttered "friend," and stated he was a resident in the area.

After the security guard detained Hughes, Hackstock spoke with Eminem for over an hour and a half, as reported by USA Today.

Also Read: Fact Check: Did the Aunt of Jacob Blake's Ex Malign Him on Twitter?

Escorting the invader

Mathers revealed that he escorted the suspect inside his home, through several rooms, and finally towards the house's exit. Hackstock said that during the incident, Hughes was not found to have a weapon.

However, authorities discovered a reddish-colored brick inside one of the home's windows on the west side. Dan Quinn, a Clinton Township detective, testified that security cameras placed around the residence captured the incident. The video footage showed Hughes was on the premises for quite some time before going through the busted window.

Authorities placed Hughes on a $50,000 cash bond. Hughe's attorney, Richard Glanda, requested to reduce the bond, but Judge Femminineo Jr. denied it. He said Eminem's fame and popularity does not affect his decision.

Prosecutor Paul Bukowski told the court that the suspect was currently homeless. Court authorities appointed Glanda as Hughes' attorney, who initially requested the suspect to conduct a competency evaluation, which he turned down.

Outside the courtroom on Wednesday, Glanda said he believes Hughes had some sort of mental issue that would explain his actions.

According to The Sun, the world-famous rapper was the victim of a death hoax last month. On Twitter, social media users were alarmed after the viral post #RIPEminem began spreading around the internet.

The rumors began after one Twitter user posted that he killed Eminem, resulting in fans worldwide scurrying about to find the truth behind the rapper's condition.

There have been several past occasions of death rumors surrounding the famous artist. However, Eminem and his team have never publicly entertained the hoaxes.

Related Article: Michigan Man Beats Girlfriend's Baby, Leaving the Child Face Down in Bath Water

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ALTON  An Illinois-American Water Company employee had to be rescued from a box culvert in Alton Thursday morning.

At about 11:10 a.m., Alton firefighters responded to Martin Luther King Boulevard just south of 20th Street where a worker who was apparently standing on top of a large box culvert on the east side of the roadway, slipped and fell into the wooded area below, which also contaions a small creek.
United States President Donald Trump admitted earlier this year that he knew how deadly and contagious the coronavirus was but did not convey this to the American people because he did not want to create panic, according to interviews for a new book by the legendary journalist Bob Woodward.

The recorded interviews, released by CNN on Wednesday and based on Woodwards new book titled "Rage", came out just weeks before the 3 November presidential election and as Trump's efforts to battle Covid-19 have come under intense criticism as being too little too late.

The Republican president, who has been hammered by Democratic opponent Joe Biden over the slow US government response to the pandemic, played down the virus for months as it took hold and spread quickly across the country.

"This is deadly stuff", Trump told Woodward in February

"I wanted to always play it down," Trump told Woodward on 19 March, days after he declared a national emergency. "I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."

In that conversation, Trump also told Woodward that some "startling facts" had just come out about the virus' targets: "It's not just old, older. Young people too, plenty of young people."

According to the interviews, CNN and The Washington Post reported, Trump knew the virus was especially deadly in early February.

"It goes through the air," Trump told Woodward on 7 February. "That's always tougher than the touch. You don't have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that's how it's passed.

"And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus."

Trump added: "This is deadly stuff."

Trump says he "perhaps" misled public to "reduce panic"

Reacting to the release of the interviews in a news conference on Wednesday, Trump said he had perhaps misled the public to avoid panic. Well, I think if you said in order to reduce panic, perhaps thats so, he told reporters.

The fact is, Im a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic [] and certainly I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy."

Trump has betrayed the American public, says Biden

Speaking at a campaign event in Warren, Michigan, Biden accused Trump of a "life and death betrayal" of the US public. "He knew how deadly it was, that it was much more deadly than the flu. He knew, and purposefully played it down," the former vice-president said.

"Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months. He had the information, he knew how dangerous it was, and while this deadly disease ripped through our nation he failed to do his job on purpose. It was a life and death betrayal of the American people.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) - A bill has been filed in the Senate requiring government officials and employees to annually submit a medical certificate proving they are physically fit to perform their duties.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday filed Senate Bill 1818 or Fit-to-Work Act."

Intelligence and skills alone are not enough to carry out his sworn duty. A good state of health is of equal importance and critical factor in discharging ones function, yet often overlooked, read the bills explanatory note.

The bill also said that the submission of a medical certificate would promote transparency as to health status of public officials and employees.

Under the proposed measure, the certificate must be issued by a government physician after evaluation of the physical examination and laboratory test results.

The medical certificate, along with the laboratory test results, must be submitted on or before April 30 every year. The requirement will cover elective and appointive officials and employees,

Concerns have been raised earlier over President Rodrigo Dutertes health condition. Unverified reports last month that have since been denied by the palace said Duterte was airlifted from Davao City to Singapore due to a medical emergency, prompting clamor for disclosure of his state of health. Malacanang has, however, assured the President remains fit for his age and there was no need to release a medical bulletin.

Under Section 12, Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution, the President is mandated to inform the public of his health condition in the case of serious illnesses.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 10, 2020 - 23:55 | All, World, Japan

Amazon.com Inc.'s Japan unit has pledged to return around 2 billion yen ($18.8 million) to around 1,400 suppliers after having them shoulder part of the costs to cover discounts the online retailer applied on goods, the antitrust watchdog said Thursday.

The pledge was part of Amazon Japan G.K.'s proposed reforms submitted to the Japan Fair Trade Commission in late August. The commission, which investigated the online retailer in 2018 on suspicion of violating the antitrust law, accepted them on Thursday.

With the reform plan approved by the commission, Amazon Japan is exempted from penalties and there will be no decision on whether it has violated the antitrust law.

The law prohibits companies from abusing their superior positions to illicitly earn profits from other parties by making demands, including for money.

The suppliers are thought to have complied with Amazon's demand to cover discount costs to continue selling their products through its wide sales network.

The Japan unit started asking them to shoulder part of the costs around 2016. The repayment, which covers up to a three-year period, is unusual for its scale.

According to the commission, Amazon Japan forced suppliers in 10 industries, including electronic goods and pet items, to shoulder part of the cost to cover discounts the online retailer applied on products.

In addition, the Japan unit asked suppliers to pay fees for system usage and marketing costs that amounted to up to 10 percent of their delivery prices, without giving detailed reasoning.

There were also cases in which Amazon Japan returned inventories when they were overstocked, and confiscated unused savings from suppliers that they were told to accumulate every month as advertising expenses.

"

The commission was able to reach a deal in a relatively short time frame, as it did not have to go through providing detailed evidence to prove there was violation of the law under the new settlement procedure, which was introduced in December 2018 when the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership took effect.

Amazon was required to compensate the suppliers, instead of paying monetary penalties to the government as in a normal decision involving the violation of the law.

But Masayuki Funada, a professor emeritus at Rikkyo University specializing in economic law, has expressed criticism of the new procedure, saying, "(The commission) shouldn't cut corners just because finding evidence is difficult and they don't want the case to become protracted."

Amazon Japan has vowed to correct the practices in the proposed reforms, according to the commission.

"We make every effort to comply with laws in all regions where we operate, and to our knowledge there has been no illicit conduct recognized (by the committee)," Amazon Japan said in a statement.

Concerns have mounted globally over the power that digital giants including Google LLC, Apple Inc., Facebook Inc. and Amazon hold over individuals' private information and business competition, prompting laws and regulations around the world to be tightened.

The IT giants have been criticized over collecting and disclosing users' personal information without clear consent, and abusing their increasing dominance in the digital marketplace by making unfair demands on smaller companies that do business on their platforms.

Related coverage:

Amazon's Japan unit submits set of reforms to antitrust watchdog

G-20 warns of sharp global growth contraction due to pandemic

Japan enacts law toughening regulations on tech giants
A South Carolina police chief was stabbed in the face by a man who told him that he was going to die today when he answered the door, authorities said. (Bonneau Police)

South Carolina Police Chief Stabbed With Icepick After Answering Door

A South Carolina police chief was stabbed by a man after he answered the door, officials said.

Bonneau Police Chief Franco Fuda said that he went out to meet the suspect, identified later as Forrest Bowman, according to WCIV.

Fuda alleged that Bowman told him that he was going to die today before stabbing him under the eye with an icepick, the outlet said.

The assailant ran off and went back into his mobile home. A standoff between the suspect and authorities ensued, officials told WCSC.

A SWAT team was called to the scene, ordering Bowman to surrender several times. The team then made entry into his home and took him out, adding that Bowman was allegedly found hiding between a wall and a mattress.

Bowman was recently arrested after allegedly threatening a pastor at a nearby church, officials told WCSC.

Bowman now faces charges for assaulting a police officer and attempted murder.

A judge denied bond Tuesday night for Bowman, officials told Fox News.

Other details about the incident were not released.
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Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 08:14 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43e674c 1 City #Jakarta,anies-baswedan,#AniesBaswedan,PSBB,#COVID19,COVID-19 Free

The healthcare system in Jakarta is at risk of collapsing as hospitals are reporting alarming shortages of beds needed to treat COVID-19 patients.

On Wednesday, Jakarta recorded 1,026 new cases and 17 deaths -- bringing the tally to 49,837 confirmed cases, 11,245 of which are active cases. About 4,554 active cases are hospitalized.

With the worsening COVID-19 situation particularly observed after the gradual easing of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in June, bed occupancy rates -- the number of people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 -- in the city's hospitals are increasing.

The citys isolation bed occupancy rate stood at 77 percent and the intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy rate at 83 percent as of Sunday. The city currently has 4,456 beds in isolation rooms and 483 beds in ICU rooms. The COVID-19s task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito recently said that 80 percent of bed occupancy is considered a safe rate so that hospitals could carefully and promptly treat patients.

Jakarta also reported a positivity rate of 12.2 percent for the past week, well over twice the World Health Organization standard of 5 percent, after the city met the WHOs minimum testing rate of one test per 1,000 people per week.

Jakarta recorded a positivity rate below 5 percent a week before reopening the economy in June. The ratio gradually increased starting from the second week of July.

Despite the rising number of positive cases, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has extended the so-called transitional PSBB phase five times since June, with the latest being at the end of August. His move sparked concerns from experts who demanded he reinforce stricter social restrictions in the city.

Read also: Jakarta on right track in COVID-19 handling, Anies says, despite rising numbers

A projection by researchers from Social Resilience Lab, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), in collaboration with the LaporCOVID (Report COVID-19) community, shows that the healthcare system in Jakarta may collapse by the end of the year unless a massive intervention is made to curb transmission of the disease.

The modeling, which analyzed data from Aug. 1 until Sept. 3 using the Gaussian equation, predicted up to 3,000 deaths by the end of October as more people requiring hospitalization were unable to access treatment because hospitals had run out of beds, according to NTU researcher Fredy Tantri.

We developed the best- and worst-case scenarios for the next two months. The [worst-case scenario] model shows that the city's healthcare capacity would be fully occupied in the fourth week of September, Fredy said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

By Wednesday, Jakarta had reported a total of 1,347 deaths since the outbreak emerged.

Around 37 percent of positive cases in Indonesias capital have shown medium to severe symptoms that require treatment in hospitals, prompting the Jakarta Health Agency to consider increasing bed capacity.

It is planning to allocate more beds in 13 city-owned hospitals for COVID-19 patients, add beds in 67 referral hospitals, as well as cooperate with private hospitals for additional referral hospitals, Jakarta Health Agency head Widyastuti said. With the scheme, Jakarta will have an additional 851 beds, bringing the total number of beds for COVID patients to 5,432 -- comprising 4,807 isolation beds and 636 intensive care beds.

Read also: Patients crowd hospitals as Indonesia loses 183 'priceless' medical workers

Widyastuti, however, said that to increase the number of medical workers was never an easy task.

The agency earlier this week recruited 1,174 new medical workers, including pulmonologists, internists, anesthetists, pediatricians, nurses, midwives and public health educators who came from across the country.

Indonesia, home to 271 million people, has 0.13 specialist doctors per 1,000 people, fewer than half the government's target of 0.28 per 1,000 people as part of its health reform program, according to National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) data cited by the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI). The figure for general practitioners is 0.52 per 1,000 people, fewer than half the ideal target of 1.12.

On Wednesday evening Anies eventually decided to reinforce stricter restrictions that will take effect starting next Monday due to the surge in COVID-19 deaths and rising hospitalizations since mid-August. He cited the city administration's projection that isolation beds would be fully occupied in mid-October and ICU beds on Sept. 25 unless the city returned to stricter PSBB.

Without strict restrictions, it [a collapsed healthcare system] is a disaster waiting to happen, he said while announcing his decision on Wednesday night.

Read also: Testing disparity looms over Greater Jakartas efforts to break chain of transmission

Widyastuti, meanwhile, suggested the central government and other regions adopt a more universal policy to curb the outbreak given the high mobility of people entering the capital.

[Comprehensive policies] must not only apply to Greater Jakarta but also Indonesia as a whole, as [people from] one province also have the potential to transmit COVID-19 to other people in other provinces, she said, citing that 30 percent of confirmed cases in Jakarta originated from outside the city.

In an attempt to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission, Anies recently revealed a plan requiring all people in need of mandatory self-isolation to be quarantined at facilities run by the city administration. The plan was a response to the lack of discipline among self-quarantining individuals who occasionally failed to abide by the existing health protocols.

The makeshift hospital at the Kemayoran former athletes village in Central Jakarta will open this month another two towers within its compound to accommodate up to 4,000 patients with mild or no symptoms who need no hospitalization but must self-isolate.
The 'Om' and the three 'shanti' with which she ends her classes have become the mantra of the lockdown. Xuan Lan, born in Paris to Vietnamese parents and living in Barcelona, left her office job in the banking sector to dedicate herself to teaching yoga.

She is already well-known in Spain and has demonstrated that this discipline can be practised online. Throughout the quarantine her classes have served as a balm for thousands of people who not only found yoga asanas a way to exercise but also as a way to alleviate the stress caused by the unusual situation.

Her tone of voice, her humility, her closeness - "I am not searching, it's just the way I am" - and her way of transmitting this philosophy of life has passed through the doors of thousands of homes across the world closed by the pandemic, among them Malaga residents who have started or become more involved in yoga through Xuan Lan.

Are you aware that thousands of people have become hooked on yoga during lockdown thanks to your social networking sites?

It was an initiative that I started just a few days before lockdown started. At first, I didn't intend to do live classes every day, but given the response of the people and the messages I received, I decided to do so. In the front line of fire were health workers, but I thought that as a yoga teacher I could also help from home in another way. When I realised that the online classes were starting to get such a large audience I said: I'm not going to stop until we come out of lock down, and so I did so for ten weeks. I have entered the lives of many people and their families, for me it was so nice to be able to do it, so important to be able to help.

It must have been a challenge at a professional level.

Yes, it has. To create classes every day, to be prepared and punctual, with what it entails at a technological level, and to put oneself in front of a camera. Although I was used to it, I hadn't done so many live classes before... more recorded tutorials. I hope that yoga is not just an anti-Covid pill, and that with the return to a certain normality people will continue to practise and enjoy it.

On YouTube it brought together 12,000 people in one class and on Instagram 7,000. What did you think when you saw those figures on the screen?

I was impressed, but it also gives you a boost of energy to know that what you're doing is helping, is interesting and serves people. You're so excited, it's like receiving a gift. It was my intention to create a healthy-living routine every day at six-thirty in the evening and I succeeded.

How do you think yoga helps in a situation like the one we are currently going through?

We are facing a very hard emotional time and thanks to yoga we have the tools to calm down, to return to a state of balance, of harmony, so that we do not let ourselves be carried away by fear, stress or anguish. Yoga is a discipline of prevention, of maintaining good mental and physical health, and I advise those who have noticed some benefit, a sense of wellbeing with yoga during confinement, to integrate it into their daily lives and not wait for the next crisis to come along. This way you will be prepared.

Could it be said then that this period of quarantine has confirmed that it is possible to teach yoga online?

In my case, I have a lot of experience teaching students yoga, face to face - I don't just do online classes. I don't just talk to the camera but to the people that are there at the moment or are going to watch the videos later. I know what common mistakes students make, the doubts they may have, and I understand that it is even more difficult when they are alone and at home, without the teacher there to watch and correct them. I think that there is a big difference between an online yoga teacher and someone who postures on social networks. The methodology is very important, the rythmn, the way of connecting with people so that they understand the instructions and that they also understand that they have to listen to their bodies. I'm not here to give orders; I don't want people at home try to do too much and hurt themselves. Bodies are sometimes not ready for certain things.

Your passion for yoga led you to launch an ambitious project just as lockdown was coming to an end.

It has been five months of hard work, remotely because of the quarantine, but I am very proud because it has gone very well. Studio Online is a tool that helps people to maintain a relationship with yoga in an easy way through a platform and a mobile application. For me, it's like the Netflix of yoga in which you have different themes, you can store favourites, use filters... and through the app you have the option of offline downloads to practise yoga wherever you want without having to connect to the internet. It's a project that offers people new tools and quality content, in which I add three new videos every week, as well as workshops, webinars, live shows, series like Ashtanga Yoga... Now I'm preparing new projects for the Online Studio after the holidays focused on people discovering new facets of yoga. And I keep publishing on Youtube every week.
It goes without saying that our family are not at all proud of the fact that our forebears in Virginia were involved in the institution of slavery, Nicholas Fairfax says in a recorded endorsement. I am, however, very proud indeed to become connected with Justin and to have seen for myself his exceptional qualities, talents and leadership. Our familys glad and honored to have got[cq] to know Justin and his extended family, and are proud and happy to call them our Virginia cousins.


MANZINI  Police heightened security during the court appearance of former Minister of Public Works and Transport Ntuthuko Dlamini yesterday.

Dlamini made his first court appearance at the Manzini Magistrates Court before Acting Magistrate Thami Ndlovu.

The former minister stands accused of killing two men and attempting to kill another. He appeared in court after spending two nights in police holding cells following accusations that he pulled the trigger and killed two men of Luyengweni on Monday in an ongoing land dispute saga.

Dlaminis relatives, friends and former colleagues arrived at the court as early as 8.30am, in anticipation for his arrival. This was after they were left dejected on Tuesday when they were informed by police officers that the former minister would make his court appearance the following day (yesterday), as it transpired that investigations into the case were still ongoing.

The former minister eventually arrived in a white police van shortly after 9am.

Dramatic

His arrival was nothing short of dramatic, as the police van transporting him was accompanied by two police vehicles. Shortly after his arrival, a dozen members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) alighted from the vehicles, armed with guns, batons and shields. They littered the court premises, apparently for security reasons.

Before making his appearance in open court, relatives of Dlamini were seen greeting him through windows of the police van while his friends and former colleagues, including former Mkhiweni Member of Parliament (MP) Machawe Mavuso had a brief chat with him.

Dlamini spent about an hour in the police van, which was under heavy police guard. From time to time, the plain clothes officers were seen controlling the former ministers relatives and friends who surrounded the police van upon its arrival. While court officials and police officers prepared for Dlaminis appearance, members of the public who had come to court for the former ministers case and other matters, crammed the court corridors.

Support

However, they could not realise their goal of providing moral support to the ex-minister as the armed police officers, who were deployed along the court corridors and entrance, turned them back when they tried to enter the courtroom.

Only a selected number of relatives and supporters were allowed into the courtroom.

Dlamini was then transported to the underground entrance of the courthouse, where accused persons usually enter the court to make their appearances. The underground entrance was heavily guarded as well.

Although Dlaminis court proceedings were set for Court Three, with court officials occupying the court while awaiting further instructions, the proceedings were hastily moved to Court One.

As Dlamini entered the courtroom while wearing a pin-striped suit, he appeared calm as he received counsel from his attorney Noncedo Ndlangamandla. He was also seen greeting reporters from various media houses who captured pictures of him in court.

The former minister was heard cracking jokes, while questioning the reporters if they had taken enough pictures of him.

Solo aneneli? Havent you taken enough pictures of me? When something good happens, you would expect reporters to capture even that moment, he said each time a photographer tried to taken his picture.

Thereafter, Dlamini appeared concerned about the whereabouts of his wife, as he pleaded with former MP Mavuso to negotiate with police officers to allow her inside the courtroom.

He was heard saying he did not want his wife to learn of the court proceedings from other people and that he wanted her presence in court.

The police officers allowed a woman and Dlaminis brother to enter the courtroom, and they sat in the public gallery while waiting to follow the court proceedings. Attempts were made to verify if indeed the woman was Dlaminis wife but none of those present wanted to confirm this information.
He represented Mandela from his treason trial in 1964 until the former South African presidents death in 2013. Mr. Bizos is credited with getting Mandela to add the words if needs be to his speech from the dock in which he said he was prepared to die for his ideals. The addition was seen as an escape clause, avoiding any impression that Mandela was goading the court to impose the death penalty.
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Market Research Future (MRFR) study covers the COVID-19 analysis on the global pillow market and offers a detailed overview of market segments, current trends, growth forecasts, and market challenges from 2017 to 2023 (forecast period) to identify the current market opportunities.

The pillow is a support for the head used to sleep on the bed. The pillow is a kind of sleeping tool. Generally, the pillow could provide the comfort of sleep. It includes a cotton pillow, a down pillow, a memory foam pillow, and others. From the point of view of modern medical research, the human spine is a straight line from the front aspect, but three physiological curves from the side view. The pillow should be used while sleeping to protect the usual physiological neck bending protection. The pillow industry is composed of a large number of competitors, none of whom are dominant. As raw materials are readily available, and the downstream market is wide, the manufacturers of pillows are distributed around the world. With rapid economic growth and a steady increase in people's living standards, global demand for pillows is on the rise.

Get a FREE Sample Copy of Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2766

Market Dynamics

The global pillow market has seen substantial growth over the last decade due to the growing use of decorative and sleeping pillows. The filling material used in the pillow offers unique features for the pillow that is used for various applications. Growing awareness among consumers about the option of a pillow that fits their sleeping position has changed the dynamics of the pillows. In North America, square and rectangle-shaped pillows dominate the market and are expected to remain dominant in the forecast period. Huge potential in the Middle East and Africa regions is attracting major players to enter that pillow market, which will drive the market growth.

Moreover, with the emergence of different technologically advanced gadgets, consumers around the world are making the most of their convenience in doing hassle-free shopping. Rising urbanization, along with the introduction of Internet-enabled advanced transaction channels, further drives the growth of the industry. In addition, this growth is also complemented by the high discounts offered by various online retailers. As a result, more retailers are selling a wide range of pillow items online, which, in effect, is driving the global demand for pillows during the forecast era.

Segmentation

The global pillow market is segmented into material, filling material, shape, feature, and application.

Based on material, the global market for pillow has been segmented into 100% Cotton, 100% Bamboo fiber, 100% Silk, 100% Polyester, and others.

Based on filling material, the global market for pillow has been segmented into memory foam, hollow fiber, latex, microfiber, and others.

Based on shape, the global market for pillow has been segmented into square, u-shape, rectangle, wave, round, convex, and others.

Based on the feature, the global market for pillow has been segmented into therapy, cooling, anti-static, anti-bacteria and others

Based on the application, the global market for pillow has been segmented into decorative, sleeping, bedding, travel, massage, and others.

Regional Analysis

Region-wise, the global pillow market is segmented in North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and the rest of the world.

Asia Pacific has the highest market share, followed by Europe. The population in the Asia Pacific region contributes about half of the world 's population, creating a large consumer base for pillows. Innovation by key players in the filling of pillows and appealing designs and shapes of various pillows draws buyers from Europe and North America.

Key Players

The major participants profiled in the pillow market are Hollander (U.S.), Wendre (Estonia), American Textile Company (U.S.), Hunan Mendale Hometextile Co., Ltd (China), Luolai (China), Romatex (South Africa), and Dohia Home Textile Co., Ltd (China).

Access Full Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/pillow-market-2766

Note: Our team of researchers are studying Covid-19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required will be considering covid19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

To stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.

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President Donald Trump admits he tried to minimize the seriousness of the threat from Covid-19 at the outset of the pandemic in audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews with veteran US journalist Bob Woodward.

"I wanted to always play it down," Trump said in an interview with Woodward on March 19, according to a CNN preview of the book "Rage," due to be published September 15.

"I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," he said in the conversation with Woodward, which was recorded.

In another recorded interview, on February 7, he told Woodward the virus "goes through the air" -- despite repeatedly mocking people who wear masks in the weeks and months after. It took until July before he was seen publicly wearing a mask.

Coming eight weeks before the November 3 presidential election, the revelations add new pressure on Trump. Opinion polls show around two thirds of Americans disapprove of his handling of the virus and he has often been accused of minimizing the crisis in order to try and boost his reelection chances.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump denounced the book as "another political hit job" and said if he'd downplayed Covid-19 it was to prevent a "frenzy."

"I don't want people to be frightened," he said.

"I'm not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy," he said. "We have to show leadership and the last thing you want to do is create a panic."

He slammed Woodward for doing "hit jobs with everybody" and said he "probably, almost definitely won't read it because I don't have time to read it."

However, "Rage" will give fresh ammunition to the Democrats arguing that Trump failed to prepare Americans for the severity of the coronavirus outbreak or to lead them into a proper response.

In the interviews with Woodward, Trump made clear he'd understood at the outset that the virus was "deadly stuff" -- far more dangerous than the ordinary flu.

Story continues

In public, however, Trump repeatedly told Americans during the initial weeks at the start of 2020 that the virus wasn't dangerous and would "disappear" by itself.

"He knew how deadly it was," Democratic presidential challenger Joe Biden said while campaigning in Michigan. "He lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months."

"It was a life and death betrayal of the American people," Biden added.

"It's disgusting," Biden later told CNN. "Think about it. Think about what he did not do." Biden slammed Trump's behavior as "almost criminal."

- Mixed messages -

But there was support for Trump from the highly respected infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci, who has consistently told the public that the coronavirus requires a tough response -- even when the president appeared to be saying something different.

"I don't recall anything that was any gross distortion in things that I spoke to him about," he told Fox News.

Trump was keen to stop the country from getting "down and out," Fauci said.

The president has repeatedly insisted that he has successfully managed the Covid-19 pandemic, which is on track to take 200,000 lives in the country.

He points to early decisions to ban travel from China, where the virus first appeared, and from hotspots in Europe.

However, at minimum Trump delivered mixed messages at a time when the country was looking for guidance.

He veered from declaring himself the equivalent of a war-time president to contradicting government scientists and calling for early reopening of the economy.

In February -- well after he had been briefed by advisors on the dangers posed by the novel coronavirus -- he said that the virus might go away by April "with the heat."

In March, he described the government's "tremendous control over" the situation and said: "It will go away. Just stay calm."

That same month, Trump compared the coronavirus to the common flu, which he noted kills "between 27,000 and 70,000 per year" yet "nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on."

At the end of March, a grim-faced president announced that a death toll of 100,000 was looming. Shortly before, he'd been talking up the idea of people ending social distancing in time for Easter in mid-April.

Early on, he also frequently praised the Chinese government's response, only later pivoting to ferociously blaming Beijing for the global health crisis.

Should Woodward have released his information earlier, and not held it until his book publication in September?

"This question, a good one, has emerged frequently lately," tweeted David Boardman, dean of the Media and Communication college at Temple University.

"In today's life-and-death situation, is this traditional practice still ethical?"

Without giving a firm answer, he said it is "a serious and nuanced question worth discussing, especially among journalists."

sms-mlm-jca/ch/st/jh
An inmate, Charlie Franklin Stevenson, at the Bradley County Jail has died after attempting suicide Wednesday evening.



At approximately 8:45 p.m. Stevenson was found in his cell, suffering injuries from an apparent suicide attempt. He was found in this condition roughly 40 minutes after the pod officers cell check, which is conducted every hour on the hour. Immediately after discovering the inmates condition, the pod officer called for emergency assistance, receiving an urgent response from several corrections officers. Officers responded by calling 911, administering first aid and performing CPR until EMS approximately six minutes after being notified of the emergency.



Stevenson was transported via EMS to Tennova Hospital, at which time, he had a pulse and breathing had returned. He later died.

Sheriff Lawson had worked with judges in both sessions and criminal court to temporarily release the inmate from custody so that his family could be present.



I came onto the scene at the jail as soon as I was informed what was happening, said Sheriff Lawson. I have reviewed the video footage and my officers reports and can confirm with 100 percent certainty that the corrections officers involved did their job to the best of their ability. I stand by them. Our thoughts and prayers go out to this inmate and his family.



Stevenson was taken into custody by the Cleveland Police Department and booked at the Bradley County Jail at 1:58 a.m. on Tuesday. His charges include manufacturing/selling/delivering/possession of Schedule 2 (meth), possession of controlled substance with intent to manufacture/deliver, simple possession/casual exchange and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He appeared in Sessions Court at 9 a.m. the same morning of his arrest, at which time the judge assigned a bond of $200,000. He was scheduled to appear in criminal court on Friday, Sept. 18; he was held on no bond for these charges.

At the request of Sheriff Lawson, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted an investigation.
The Maharashtra government has launched a new initiative Vikel Te Pikel (sow that sells) to connect farmers with over 1,370 value chains, which will be developed across the state. The system will enable the farmers to grow crops based on the demand of end consumers, and established supply chains will guarantee the sale of their produce at competitive rates.

State officials said that this will also help farmers to minimise the post-harvest loss of crops as produce can be stored properly and sold without delay.

The initiative was inaugurated by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday.

Farmers are worried about minimum support price but we want them to move from guarantee price to good price against their produce. We have thus come up with this initiative through which demand-based farming will be promoted, said Thackeray, while addressing a group of farmers, virtually.

Eknath Dawale, secretary, state agriculture department said that the government is planning to develop 1,370 value chains that will be linked to the agricultural markets. They will be developed with the help of farmer-producer groups and self-help groups that are into the business. Our approach is market linkage of the crops, and market access to the farmers by connecting them with these value chains. The farmers will take up crops based on the demand from the value chains, and thus wont have to face hardships in selling the produce, said Dawale.

Besides, farmers will be able to get proper remuneration against the yield, as against the present situation. They can also minimise post-harvest losses, which come to around 30% of their total produce, as their produce will be bought without delay. This means farmers can earn more and also avoid losses, he added.

The state agriculture department has called for applications on its portal  www.smart-mh.org  from farmers groups, self-help groups and others that are in the business.

The farmers are working blindly as they are unaware of the demand at both the fronts  quality and quantity. They need to work like a business that does research before starting. Whats the point if, after so much hard work, the agrarian community doesnt get proper remuneration and cannot take care of their families, Thackeray added.

Dawale also said that till date, the approach of the agriculture department was to increase yield but now it has been changed to realisation of the produce.

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The Motorola Moto G9 Plus has appeared on the Google Play Console, following its sighting on Orange Slovakia. The latest outing for the device confirms yet more aspects about its hardware ahead of its inevitable unveiling, like the chipset that has been chosen by Motorola.

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It has only been a few days since Orange Slovakia listed the Moto G9 Plus, but Motorola's upcoming mid-range handset has now been seen on the Google Play Console, too. According to the listing, Motorola has codenamed the Moto G9 Plus "odessa", which tallies with information provided by XDA Developers. The listing confirms multiple aspects of the device, although most of these had already been revealed by Orange Slovakia.

While the Google Play Console does not reveal many other details about the Moto G9 Plus, Orange Slovakia has. According to its listing, the device will measure 169.98 x 78.1 x 9.69 mm, within which Motorola has included a 6.81-inch display. There is also a 5,000 mAh battery, a 64 MP primary rear-facing camera, 128 GB of storage and a microSD card slot. The Moto G9 Plus will also have dual nano-SIM card slots. It remains to be seen whether the device will have three dedicated card slots though, or a hybrid second slot that houses a second nano-SIM or a microSD.
By PTI

PUNE: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Maharashtra police has arrested two directors of Samruddha Jeevan Foods Pvt Ltd in an alleged multi-crore chit fund scam.

The CID is conducting a probe in four cases pertaining to a scam involving Samruddha Jeevan Foods India and Samruddha Jeevan Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society, an official said.

"We arrested two absconding directors -- Hrishikesh Kanase and Supriya Kanase -- in Pune on Tuesday," the senior CID official said.

"Both were produced before a court here and remanded in police custody for seven days," he said.

Samruddha Jeevan Foods India is accused of luring investors by promising high returns in fraudulent schemes.

As per the CID, the total scam is worth Rs 3,500 crore and 25 people including the company's chairman and managing director Mahesh Motewar and his wife Vaishali Motewar have been named as accused in the cases registered by it.

Motewar, his wife, some other family members and a few company officials have already been arrested.
Even for an artist of prolific energy, the past year has been an unusually fast-paced creative whirlwind for Dav Pilkey, and the remaining months of 2020 augur more of the same. Heres a recap of some of the megaselling childrens authors recent publications and his artistic endeavors in these unsettled and unsettling times, and a peek at whats new from Pilkeywhich includes a graphic novel series launch and a reveal of the title for his next Dog Man caper.

A flashback to August 2019 reveals the curtain rising on TheaterWorks USAs production of Dog Man: The Musical, which debuted in New York City before embarking on a North American tour on which the not-for-profit theater company offered subsidized tickets to communities in need. That same month, Scholastics Graphix imprint released the seventh adventure starring Pilkeys half-canine, half policeman superhero, Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls, which the author promoted on his Do Good Tour, making stops in various U.S. cities, followed by appearances at the Shanghai Childrens Book Fair and in Singapore and Mumbai.

Last December, Dog Man reappeared in Dog Man: Fetch-22, which debuted at the number one spot on the major national bestseller lists and was the top-selling book overall in the U.S.childrens and adult books combinedfor four straight weeks. Dog Man fans enthusiastically rally around the good-doing superhero, noted Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic Trade. We continue to see tremendous growth book after book for Dog Man series, she said. Sales of each successive release of a new Dog Man title increase by double digits percentages over the prior title. Four years after the series launched, the Dog Man books now have more than 30 million copies in print and have been translated into 38 languages.

Capping off the year, in December Pilkey was named PWs Person of the Year for 2019, a well-deserved accolade given all of the above and his ongoing, unwavering commitment to childrens literacy and fostering a love of reading through his pioneering illustrated novels. The creator of more than 60 books, Pilkey broke ground in the format two decades ago with his Captain Underpants series, whose 12 installments have an in-print tally of 90 million copies.

Another Banner Year, a New Role for Lil Petey

This years pandemic crisis inspired Pilkey to find a new channel for his creativity when stay-at-home dictates prevented him from working in his studio. The author decided to create, edit, produce, and voice videos for kids who were similarly confined to their homes after schools were shuttered. Among his productions was a Flip-o-rama music video featuring Flippy, one of his characters from the Dog Man books. According to Ken Geist, v-p and publisher-at-large, Pilkey Publishing and Picture Books, Dav wanted kids to be able to take a break and have a little bit of fun after a long day of being home. These videos were the beginning of the Dav Pilkey at Home initiative, which offers free content online in collaboration with the Library of Congress. The program has reached and continues to reach and engage millions of kids and families, not just around the U.S., but worldwide.

Meanwhile, Scholastic Graphixs production of new Pilkey titles proceeds apace. Dog Man: Grime and Punishment published earlier this month with a five million-copy first printing and is currently the #1 bestselling book overall in the U.S. and Canada. A new graphic novel series debuts in December with Cat Kid Comic Club. Incorporating elements of comics, photography, painting, Claymation, and film animation, the series stars Dog Man character Lil Petey, who teams up with Flippy the Fish and Molly to teach 21 baby frogs how to create their own comics.

I wanted to create a new storyline for Lil Petey, a character who is based on my mom and who embodies love, optimism, and hope, Pilkey explained in a statement. In Cat Kid Comic Club, Lil Petey keeps his promise to his best friend Molly that they will teach everyone how to make comics. Together with their new friends, they make mistakes but with practice and persistence, they learn and become better artists. My hope is that kids everywhere are inspired to write their own stories, appreciate different ways of thinking and approaching art, and feel empowered to be creative.

The new series meshes popular Pilkey creative traits and some innovative storytelling devices. Cat Kid Comic Club combines the humor and heart that is Davs signature for his Dog Man and Captain Underpants series, as well as his Dragon early chapter book series, Geist said. Yet he stretches his imagination even further in this book, as he shows various ways to tell one story with mini-stories utilizing different art mediums and encouraging budding artists to not be confined to one way of creating a story. Without patronizing his readers, Dav shows his characters progression through practice and persistence.

Looking ahead, Dog Man fans will welcome his spring 2021 return in his 10th adventure, whose title is revealed here for the first time: Dog Man: Mothering Heights. During these extraordinary times, the demand for Dog Man continues to rise, Berger said of the series relevance today. The themes and messages in the Dog Man bookshumor, friendship, empathy, and doing goodare ones we can all get behind, politics aside. Were thrilled that more books from Dav are forthcomingmore stories that kids love and families can read together.

Reflecting on Pilkeys widespread appeal to readers of all ages, Geist noted, Davs love for and commitment to young readers is beyond reproach. He navigates readers through tough subjects with humanity that respects children and adults. Dog Man stories and the complexity of the characters have evolved with each book. This year, for her virtual graduate MIT commencement speech, Nobel Prize-winning professor Esther Duflo held up Dog Man: Fetch-22 and read from itnot for humorous effect but for the seriousness of the passage in the book. I think that says it all.
At the Symposium " Which target to protect and preserve lung health?" we talked about the management of patients with chronic lung diseases and new evidence in COVID-19 scientific research

Internationally renowned experts discussed the relationship between oxidative stress and lung health and the potential benefit of chronic therapy with antioxidant drugs in the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic lung diseases.

MILAN, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Symposium, "WHICH TARGET TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE LUNG HEALTH?", sponsored by Zambon, was held this morning during the ERS International Congress 2020. World-renowned experts discussed high social-welfare impact lung diseases, such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and IPF (Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis), and some evidence that has emerged during the management of the global health emergency from SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19).

In particular, the scientific debate focused on the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and on the observation of the common denominator between COPD and IPF: oxidative stress, currently identified as a key element for understanding the onset and chronicity of various clinical conditions.

The COVID-19 epidemic has reconfirmed the importance of maintaining an effective protection system at the pulmonary level: the viral insult generates an imbalance between the antioxidant system and free radicals, which, if perpetuated, is one of the causes of post COVID fibrosis. An early restoration of this balance with antioxidant therapy is hoped to limit both the onset and the perpetuation of the damage.

The Symposium experts shared significant updates on oxidative stress and lung damage and discussed possible future developments in clinical research. A potential role of antioxidant therapy is the protection and preservation of lung function, for the frailest patients.

"It is possible to prevent acute exacerbations in some lung diseases and in particular in COPD, thanks to the use of antioxidants and their anti-inflammatory action[1],[2] - stated Prof. Alberto Papi, Pneumological Clinic of the S. Anna University Hospital, University of Ferrara, Chairman and speaker of the Symposium. "Viral infections are some of the main causes of COPD exacerbations [3], that cause the development of oxidative stress and start a vicious cycle that leads to an increase in inflammation and the severity of the infection.[4], [5] Antioxidant molecules such as glutathione can block this cascade of inflammatory events and thus potentially prevent the risk of exacerbation as well. [6], [7], [8], [9]. Physicians should inform COPD patients of the role of NAC in reducing the number of exacerbations and its high safety profile".

"The imbalance of the oxidant-antioxidant regulatory mechanism is one of the factors contributing to the progression of the disease in patients with pulmonary fibrosis. The most severe form of pulmonary fibrosis is the idiopathic one, which accounts for about 20% of cases[10]. For its treatment, two drugs are now available that can reduce the progression of the disease. NAC, currently being tested, could represent an additional therapeutic option for these patients - stated Prof. Luca Richeldi, A. Gemelli Polyclinic Foundation IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome. "The search for new drugs in order to treat pulmonary fibrosis is still open and is receiving a further impulse from the new form of pulmonary fibrosis that can follow coronavirus infection SARS-Cov-2. In this direction, an Italian study is being evaluated to verify the efficacy and safety of NAC administered orally compared to placebo in patients with a history of SARS-Cov-2 infection and pulmonary fibrosis. One of the potential advantages of this therapeutic approach is represented by the fact that NAC is a drug with an excellent safety profile, already well known by the medical profession".

The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan turned into a world-wide public health emergency. The virus causes acute respiratory syndrome in affected patients, which in severe cases is characterized by pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and multiple organ failure.

"In order to manage patients who are very serious or already in intensive care affected by COVID-19, it was essential to try to reduce oxidative stress in the lungs - said Prof. Joan B Soriano, epidemiologist at the Pneumology Service of the Hospital de La Princesa in Madrid. "In pneumonia caused by COVID-19, we have seen how the bronchi and lungs are often covered with secretions that resemble 'mucus or snail slime' and which make bronchoscopies very difficult to perform. We also found that this phenomenon is accompanied by an inflammatory outbreak, called 'cytokine storm syndrome'. NAC has been shown to inhibit the reproduction of the influenza virus[11] and thus represents a safe and effective alternative to currently available antithrombotic agents to restore patency of vessels after arterial occlusion. By analogy, therefore, various groups have explored the use of NAC in severe COVID-19 pneumonia".

Prof. Papi, Chairman of the Symposium concluded: "this symposium highlighted how the maintenance of oxidant-antioxidant homeostasis is essential to preserve lung function and prevent the progression of chronic diseases and the role it could play in the treatment of IPF or for other forms of fibrosis following COVID-19 infection".

Zambon Spa

Zambon is a multinational pharmaceutical company that focuses on innovation and development with the aim to improve patients' lives. Based on a valuable heritage and strongly focused on the future, its goal is to improve people's health through the development of innovative and quality health care solutions. For further information please visit www.zambon.com

References

[1] Rushworth GF. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 141(2):150-9.

[2] Bavarsad Shahripour R. Brain Behav 2014; 4(2):108-22

[3] GOLD 2017

[4] Papi A, Johnstion SL. FASEB J 2002

[5] Papi A, Contoli M. J Biol Chem 2008

[6] Casoni et al CEA, 2003

[7] Sadowska AM, et al. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2006;1:425-34.

[8] Dekhuijzen PN, van Beurden WJ. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2006;1:99-106.

[9] Hutter D, Greene JJ. J Cell Physiol 2000;183:45-52.

[10] Lederer DJ and Martinez FJ, N Engl J Med 2018

[11] Mata M, et al. Biochemical Pharmacology 2012
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is mainly a respiratory illness. However, as the global pandemic evolves, many other manifestations appear, including neurological symptoms.

Previous reports show that COVID-19 does not only attack the lungs but other vital organs, too. These include the heart, kidneys, and the brain.

Now, a team of scientists at Yale University revealed the changes that happen in the brain caused by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that has caused over 27.86 million people and claimed over 903,000 lives.

Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, isolated from a patient. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

Brain effects

Though COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease, SARS-CoV-2 affects multiple organ systems, including the circulatory system, the urinary system, and the central nervous system. Amid the pandemic, there is still no clear basis that the virus can infect the brain.

The researchers wanted to see what the virus does to the brain and how these changes manifest as symptoms. The study appears on the preprint server bioRxiv* prior to peer-review.

The study

To arrive at their findings, the scientists first used human brain organoids and found clear evidence of infection in the tissues, along with metabolic changes in the infected neurons. However, there is no evidence for the type I interferon responses, which have long been heralded as key contributors to effective antiviral responses.

Further, the team also examined the neuronal infection, which can be prevented either by blocking ACE2 with antibodies by administering cerebrospinal fluid from a patient with COVID-19.

In the second experiment, the researchers used laboratory mice, which have overexpressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The team has found that in vivo, the SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion and not respiratory infection, is tied to mortality or death.

The team explained that the brain is a site for the high replicative potential for SARS-CoV-2, which can cause neuronal death in human brain organoids. The team also used electron microscopy and identified viral particles coming from the endoplasmic reticulum, showing the ability of the virus to use the neuron cell machinery to replicate and spread.

The experiments also showed that single-cell RNA sequencing of the infected organoids exhibited metabolic neurons without interferon, which may indicate that the virus may trigger neuroinvasive consequences. The infected cells can also cause changes to their surroundings, which may impact the survival of nearby cells.

Viral infection may induce locally hypoxic regions which aid in lowering the threshold for tissue damage in the context of an already oxygen-deprived state, the team added.

In the third experiment, the team studied brain autopsies of patients who died from COVID-19. The team has detected SARS-CoV-2 in the cortical neurons, and they noted pathologic features tied to infection, with few minimal cells infiltrates.

These results provide evidence for the neuroinvasive capacity of SARS-CoV2, and an unexpected consequence of direct infection of neurons by SARS-CoV-2, the team wrote in the paper. We examined the potential for SARS-CoV-2 to infect neural tissues of both mice and human origin and demonstrate the potential consequences of its neuroinvasion. Our results suggest that neurologic symptoms associated with COVID-19 may be related to consequences of the direct viral invasion of the CNS, they added.

Contradicting results

However, interestingly the results of this Yale study differ from another recent study by researchers at the Barts Health NHS Trust and the University of Cambridge. In that study, the researchers did not detect viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in the brain tissue of parents who succumbed to COVID-19.

The studys findings suggest that the brain may not be affected by the direct effect of the virus or its spread. The viruss effect on the brain may be due to a para-infectious phenomenon, linked to systemic hyperinflammatory and hypercoagulable syndromes.

The prevention and treatment of these two conditions would be diametrically different, and only the correlation of post-mortem examination with antemortem clinical features and imaging will provide a robust understanding of the pathophysiological heterogeneity in what may superficially seem like a homogenous clinical phenotype, the researchers wrote in the paper.

*Important Notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) has urged government to include first-year Junior High and Senior High Schools students in the October 5 reopening of schools, to enable them to complete the academic calendar.



Naphtali Kyei Baffour, Public Relations Officer, CHOPSS, who made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday said, even though the CHOPSS was impressed with the October reopening for second year JHS and SHS students, adding on the 1st year students would facilitate proper planning ahead of the new academic calendar.



To be honest we are partially impressed. What we are saying is that it is good that we have reopened for the second year students for the JHS and SHS, but unfortunately, we were expecting the total reopening for first year JHS and first year SHS to equally join them because these two groups are almost at par and are all supposed to exhaust the academic calendar as far as the 2nd term and 3rd term are concerned so that if we are thinking of the next academic calendar, we know that they are moving together, he said.



Mr Kyei Baffour further urged government to consider the economic impact of the closure of schools on private schools and staff and speed up processes of reopening other levels of the school system.



He said a continuous closure would lead to massive job loss in the sector. Due to inadequate funds, most private schools across the country have been compelled to lay off staff to free up their wage bill to avoid total collapse.



If we are going to keep the students home, lets think about the economic effect and the hardship that this has brought to private schools as well.



As we speak some teachers from private schools have not been paid since April, so if we are extending it to January, it means that this whole month, they wont be paid. The impact is massive, he added.



On Sunday, August 30, President Akufo-Addo, in his 16th address to the nation on the measures taken by the government to curtail the spread of COVID-19, announced the reopening of schools for second year JHS and SHS students effective October 5, to enable them to complete their academic calendar.



He further postponed the rest of the academic calendar for pre-JHS schools and first year JHS students to January, 2021.

Source: GNA









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Pope Francis has said that the pleasures of a well-cooked meal or loving sexual intercourse are 'divine' in a newly-published book of interviews.

He believes they have unjustly fallen victim to 'overzealousness' on the part of the Catholic Church in the past.

'Pleasure arrives directly from God, it is neither Catholic, nor Christian, nor anything else, it is simply divine,' the Pope told Italian writer Carlo Petrini.

Pope Francis has said that the pleasures of a well-cooked meal or loving sexual intercourse are 'divine' in a new book by Italian writer Carlo Petrini

He said there was no place for an 'overzealous morality' that denies pleasure, something which he admitted had existed in the church in the past.

The 83-year-old, born in Jorge Bergoglio in Argentina, insisted that this was 'a wrong interpretation of the Christian message' according to RTE.

'The Church has condemned inhuman, brutish, vulgar pleasure, but has on the other hand always accepted human, simple, moral pleasure,' he said.

'The pleasure of eating is there to keep you healthy by eating, just like sexual pleasure is there to make love more beautiful and guarantee the perpetuation of the species.

He added: 'The pleasure of eating and sexual pleasure come from God.'

Pope Francis added that opposing views 'have caused enormous harm, which can still be felt strongly today'.

The book 'TerraFutura, conversations with Pope Francis on integral ecology', written by Petrini, was published on September 9.

The book 'TerraFutura, conversations with Pope Francis on integral ecology', written by Petrini, was published on September 9

Mr Petrini is the founder of the global 'slow food' movement created in the 1980s in opposition to 'fast food'.

The interviews focus on the pope's vision of environmentalism with a social face, outlined in his 2015 encyclical 'Laudato Si'.

This comes days after the pontiff told an audience at the Vatican that 'coronavirus would be defeated by God's love' and removed his mask to chat with worshipers.
Soil depletion has been challenging for many Illinois farmers as the state's annual rainfall causes vital, nutrient-rich soil to erode into nearby waterways, inhibiting crop production and contributing to organic carbon loss. Thanks in part to Kellogg's support, cover cropping implemented by S.T.A.R. farmers has prevented more than 5,440 tons of CO2e from entering the atmosphere, or the equivalent of removing more than 13 million vehicle miles off of the road.

"We had gullies and water collecting across parts of our land for some time, which prevented crops from being able to grow," said farmer Carter Morgan of Georgetown, Illinois. "Once we eliminated tillage and implemented cover crops, we got erosion under control, soil health improved and our herbicide use went way down." Morgan grows corn for several Kellogg's cereals such as Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks and Corn Pops.

No-till farming and planting cover crops help to keep important nutrients like organic carbon in the soil, which promotes soil health. And because cover crops suppress weeds and disease, they can also help reduce the need for inputs like fertilizer, which also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

As a peer network leader who encourages use of the S.T.A.R. framework, Morgan is training farmers to adopt conservation practices. "Farmers want to hear from farmers who have already experienced success," added Morgan. "Through peer-to-peer training, we can get others to adopt new practices much quicker because the risk to trial has been removed." With Kellogg's support, S.T.A.R. now reaches over 200 farmers, representing more than 83,000 acres of Illinois farmland.

"We are grateful for Kellogg's collaboration and their support of S.T.A.R.," said Megan Baskerville, Illinois Ag Program Director at TNC. "With this grant we can connect even more farmers, helping them to grow robust crops while protecting our water and creating fields that are more resilient to climate impacts."

"We invest in programs that are proven to help farmers continue their mission to be good stewards of the land," said Mary Gallagher, Responsible Sourcing Senior Manager at Kellogg Company. "Our support of S.T.A.R. is one aspect of our larger Supporting U.S. Farmers collaboration with TNC to drive positive impact through conservation programs on 255,000 acres of land across Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan and Nebraska."

You can hear more from Carter Morgan about this impactful program here.

About Kellogg Company

At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), we strive to enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter. Our beloved brands include Pringles, Cheez-It, Special K, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Eggo, Mini-Wheats, Kashi, RXBAR, MorningStar Farms and more. Net sales in 2019 were approximately $13.6 billion, comprised principally of snacks and convenience foods like cereal and frozen foods. Kellogg brands are beloved in markets around the world. We are also a company with Heart & Soul, committed to creating Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 through our Kellogg's Better Days global purpose platform. Visit www.KelloggCompany.com or www.OpenforBreakfast.com.

1 S.T.A.R. Annual Report-2019 Crop Year - https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/45c3f789-47fb-40df-9bb7-3dc4d7bf6c2f/downloads/Star%20report%20FINAL%202020.pdf?ver=1597671964705, https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

SOURCE Kellogg Company

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South Africa: SA over the surge, but remain cautious, urges Mkhize

The number of confirmed Coronavirus infections has risen to 642 431 after 1 990 new cases were recorded on Wednesday, said Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.

Meanwhile, 82 more deaths were reported in a space of 24 hours.

Of the latest fatalities, 27 are from Gauteng, 22 from the Western Cape, 10 each from KwaZulu-Natal and the North West, eight from the Free State, and five from the Eastern Cape -- bringing the death toll to 15 168.

Speaking to Radio Islam earlier this week, Mkhize said he was positive about the slowing rate of Coronavirus infections.

We can safely say that were over the surge. June, July and August were the worst of our months, as predicted by our models. However, we found that it was not as many people as the model had suggested would be infected.

Mkhize thanked citizens for taking heed of governments precautionary measures.

In the past week, South Africa dropped further in ranking and it is now eighth in the world when it comes to the number of COVID-19 cases.

However, people should remain cautious to avoid a possible second wave of infections that some countries like Spain, Iran, Korea and the US are experiencing.

Mkhize expressed gratitude to religious leaders for the major role they played in curbing the further spread of the virus, and for the prayers and support they offered to those who were in distress.

He told listeners that people should get used to wearing masks, as they are here to stay.

In January, when we didnt have COVID-19, five people came from China wearing masks in a flight that landed in Cape Town. There was panic in the entire country and today, everyone is wearing a mask and if youre not wearing a mask, you look abnormal and that is the nature of evolution.

He said wearing masks had made a huge contribution in the fight against the deadly virus and contributed towards the country escaping the flu season.

Social distancing, handwashing, sanitisers and masks are all our new normal, and we must get used to that before we get the vaccine.

The second wave remains the risk citizens must keep in mind, he warned.

Currently, the hardest-hit provinces are Gauteng with 213 741 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 115 372, the Western Cape 107 624 and Eastern Cape 87 040.

The total number of tests conducted to date is 3 842 898, with 21 736 new tests conducted since the last report, Mkhize said.

A total of 569 935 patients have recovered, which translates to a recovery rate of 88.7%.

According to the World Health Organisation, there have been 27 486 960 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 894 983 deaths reported globally.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
10.09.2020 LISTEN

Kumasi Street Children Project (SCP), a subsidiary of the Roman Catholic Church, Kumasi Archdiocese, has donated assorted food items to over 200 street children, mostly female head potters (Kayaye) in Kumasi.

Each beneficiary got a box of rice, cooking oil, tomato paste, tins of sardines and mackerel, sugar and gari, and was presented at the Saint Peter's Cathedral Basilica at Roman Hill in the Kumasi, Ashanti Region, on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.

The Chairman for Kumasi Street Children Project and the Administrator for Saint Peter's Cathedral Basilica, Rev Msgr Gabriel Senior Acheampong, addressing the beneficiaries said the SCP will continue to assist the vulnerable in the society with limited resources.

Street Children Project will continue to address the needs of the vulnerable children who live in the streets of Kumasi, particularly young males and females. We will do anything within our reach to support anyone of you who may want to be trained in vocational skills, Msgr Acheampong assured the head potters.

He then appealed the government to strengthen the various social intervention policies on children to help street children, and called on cooperate organizations and individuals to support the poor in society.

The excited beneficiaries who could not control their tears when receiving the items thanked the management of SCP for their benevolent asked them to always assist them to overcome their poor living conditions.

Street Children Project (SCP), a non-governmental organization (NGO), was established in 2005 by the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi to address the needs of vulnerable children who live in the street of Kumasi.

---OtecfmGhana.com
Saudi Arabia's cabinet has given the go ahead for the kingdom's Ministry of Tourism to open a regional office of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Riyadh and also set up a global academy for tourism.

The approval was given at the weekly session of the cabinet chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The meeting also decided to establish a global academy for tourism training in Saudi Arabia, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb was quoted as saying by Saudi Gazette

He pointed out that the ministry, in cooperation with UNWTO, would work to lay the foundations and standards that enable the proposed academy to be among the best tourism academies in the world.

Al-Khateeb said the kingdom has put in place initiatives for the recovery of the global tourism sector, which was the worst hit sector from the coronavirus pandemic. These initiatives include creating a platform for the exchange of experiences in this field worldwide, he noted.

The minister said the initiative to revive the domestic tourism sector with the launching of the Saudi Summer season has received tremendous response from both citizens and expatriates.

Al-Khateeb hoped that the Kingdom, together with UNWTO, will launch a set of initiatives to develop the tourism sector in the region.
Marconia's 12,000 residents said to be reeling after news of the crime emerged

They were rushed to hospital in the city of Matera where they remain

The tourists were punched and kicked by a group of boys during the ordeal

Two British girls have been hospitalised after they were allegedly gang raped following a party while on holiday in Italy.

The teens remain in hospital after they were punched and kicked by a group of boys, in the small town of Marconia in the southern region of Basilicata.

The tourists, whose ages have not been revealed, were attending a house party on the edge of town when they were attacked.

It is not clear if the alleged rape took place at the event itself or somewhere nearby.

The 12,000 residents of Marconia are in deep state of shock, according to the local paper which called it an 'extremely shameful' case (pictured: the main street in the little town)

The girls were able to make it back to their accommodation where police were alerted and they were then rushed to a hospital in Matera, around 40 miles away.

The girls were suffering from both 'physical pain and shock.'

The 12,000 residents of Marconia are in deep state of shock, according to local paper La Gazetta Del Mezzogiorno which called it an 'extremely shameful' case.

The Pisticci State Police Commissioner is leading the investigation and few details have been released due to young ages of the alleged victims.
If notorious killer Charles Manson can get a fair trial then so can Ghislaine Maxwell, lawyers for her accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre have said.

Giuffre's lawyers rejected Maxwell's claim that releasing a trove of documents from their 2016 lawsuit would lead to a storm of negative publicity and prejudice her trial.

Maxwell last month pleaded with judges not to 'let the cat out of the bag' by unsealing the documents, after she denied charges of helping Jeffrey Epstein to recruit and abuse young girls.

But Giuffre's lawyers wrote in a Wednesday court filing: 'Other high-profile cases where courts successfully managed extensive pretrial publicity - and rejected defendants' arguments that it compromised their right to a fair trial - include the trials of al-Qaeda affiliate Khalid al-Fawwaz, labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa and murderer and cult leader Charles Manson.'

Quoting from a ruling in the Manson case which ended with the killer being sentenced to life in prison in 1972, Giuffre's lawyers said that massive pre-trial publicity 'does not automatically translate into prejudice'.

Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured in a court sketch during a July 14 hearing) is battling to block the release of documents from her 2016 lawsuit against Virginia Roberts Giuffre

Maxwell's deposition was taken in April 2016 for a now-settled defamation case brought by Giuffre, who alleges that Epstein kept her as a 'sex slave' with Maxwell's assistance.

A US district judge ordered the deposition to be released earlier this year, and some of the documents were published on July 30.

They included emails between Epstein and Maxwell, who were identified respectively as 'jeffrey E' and either 'Gmax' or 'G Maxwell.'

Other unsealed materials included emails from Giuffre to the FBI in 2014, in which she expressed an interest in pursuing a case against Epstein.

But other documents remain hidden after Maxwell filed an emergency motion to block their release - and her lawyers are now seeking to overturn the lower court's decision.

Opposing Maxwell's motion, Giuffre's lawyers said in a 51-page filing that there was no basis for her 'speculative' fear that bad publicity would prejudice the jury.

Cases where negative coverage has mattered 'have typically occurred in small communities, and not in large cities such as New York',' they say.

Maxwell's case was compared by lawyers to that of notorious cult leader and killer Charles Manson (pictured in prison months before he died in 2017)

'The size and heterogeneity of such communities make it unlikely that even the most sensational case will become a cause celebre where the whole community becomes interested in all the morbid details,' lawyers Sigrid McCawley and David Boies said.

'Maxwell's vague argument about privacy interests cannot justify total closure of the deposition materials,' they said.

Invoking the Manson case, they told the Manhattan appeals court that 'the fact that a case receives enormous publicity does not by itself establish error'.

Manson was found guilty in 1969 of ordering his followers to carry out seven murders in one of the 20th century's most notorious crime sprees.

Manson was sentenced to death but this was commuted to life in prison after California abolished capital punishment in 1972. He died in 2017.

The lawyers also pointed to the case of Khalid al-Fawwaz, who was sentenced to life in prison five years ago in connection with the 1998 US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.

Prosecutors said he was Osama bin Laden's 'bridge to the West', disseminating the terror leader's violent messages in London.

Giuffre has been one of Epstein's most visible accusers, and her lawyers have said the public has a right to see Maxwell's deposition.

Maxwell has said her deposition contained 'intimate, sensitive, and personal information,' and whose release would cause irreversible, negative publicity.

Her lawyers say this would undermine her constitutional rights to remain silent and obtain a fair trial by an impartial jury.

Giuffre (pictured) has been one of Epstein's most visible accusers, and her lawyers have said the public has a right to see Maxwell's deposition

Maxwell, 58, has pleaded not guilty to helping Epstein recruit and eventually abuse three girls from 1994 to 1997.

She also denies committing perjury by denying her involvement with the late financier under oath.

Her trial is scheduled for next July. She was arrested in New Hampshire on July 2 and is being held in a Brooklyn jail after a judge deemed she was a flight risk.

A grand jury returned a sealed, six-count indictment against Maxwell on June 29, almost a year after Epstein was charged.

It alleges that Maxwell groomed three unnamed girls, all under the age of 18, in London, New York, Florida and New Mexico between 1994 and 1997.

She is accused of having befriended them by taking them to the movies or on shopping sprees and 'normalized' abusive behavior by getting undressed in front of them.

Maxwell's lawyers have tried to distance their client from Epstein, saying she'd had no contact with him for more than a decade.

Epstein killed himself at age 66 in August 2019 at a federal jail in Manhattan while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

He had previously pleaded guilty in 2008 to a Florida state prostitution charge, and completed a 13-month jail sentence now widely considered too lenient.

Before Epstein's conviction, he and Maxwell had a network of powerful friends including Prince Andrew, Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.

Giuffre claims that she had sex with Andrew in the early 2000s. He denies this.
Kolkata, Sep 10 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda on Thursday slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal's Trinamool Congress government for its 'vote bank' politics and 'appeasement theory' especially for a particular community in the state.

He said that the incumbent Trinamool government is encouraging an anti-Hindu mind set in West Bengal.

"Mamata didi imposed a lockdown on August 5, on the occasion of Ram Mandir's foundation stone laying ceremony. She trampled the religious sentiments of millions in the state. It is unfortunate. The lockdown ended on July 31 throughout the country then what was the point in imposing partial lockdown on Aug 5," the BJP president questioned.

Nadda said that people of West Bengal have showered blessings on the lotus brigade.

"The vote percentage has climbed to about 40 per cent from a mere 2 per cent in the past. We need to put in our best effort to live up to people's expectations in the state and uproot the Trinamool government in the coming Assembly polls scheduled in 2021 with an increased voting share," he said, while addressing a virtual meeting of the newly-formed BJP state committee here.

He also took a dig at the state government's role in the Amphan cyclone relief fund and the irregularities in its distribution in the rural areas.

He also condemned the Visva Bharati incident saying that Trinamool Congress-backed land mafias are trying to threaten the varsity authorities in Santiniketan.

"Educated residents of Bengal will never pardon them for such political atrocities. I wonder what is happening here in West Bengal," Nadda said.

A large number of people had ransacked the Visva Bharati campus protesting against the construction of a boundary wall at the Pous Mela ground. The incident took place last month as the Visva Bharati authorities decided to fence off the Pous Mela ground by erecting a boundary wall and began the construction work there on August 17.

Hundreds of irate locals, under the banner of Save Pous Mela Committee, barged into the fair ground and vandalised temporary shelters. They were seen breaking plastic chairs and some structures that were installed there on a temporary basis. They also dismantled one of the varsity gates using a JCB machine.

According to sources, the Visva Bharati authorities had decided to scrap Pous Mela after their 'bitter experience' with the local traders in the last two years while organising the fair. There were tussles between the authorities and the local traders and artisans in the past for making the latter comply with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines.
Image: Instagram/sanjanasanghi96

Since actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death, there have been relentless attacks on the reputation of the Indian film industry, the Producers Guild of India has said in an open letter. It noted that the tragic death has been used by some as a tool to defame and slander the film industry and its members.

The death of the Chhichhore actor has left the Bollywood shaken with debates on nepotism and hypocrisy.

The organisation has said that the industry is projected to be a "terrible place for outsiders to aspire to, a place that threatens those who dare to enter it with contempt and derision; a murky den of substance abuse and criminality". However, this is untrue, it said.

The Guild accepts that the film industry has its imperfections like any other sector. There must always be an ongoing attempt to improve, it added.

Listen | Business has recovered fast to pre-COVID levels: Urban Company Co-founder Abhiraj Bhal

But to paint an entire industry with the same brush is a gross misrepresentation of reality," it states in the letter.

The organisation highlights the positive side of Bollywood and says that it is one of the most important sources of soft power for India.

The film industry employs hundreds of thousands of people, boosts travel and tourism and is one of the most important sources of soft power for India across the world, the letter says.

It further states that the film industry has welcomed and embraced talent from across the country - from the worlds of literature, poetry, art and music - and has drawn them in to create a unique cinematic language. This has ensured that we are one of the few countries in the world to still have a vibrant and thriving local film industry across multiple languages, despite the decades-long onslaught of Hollywood.

The letter also mentions the contribution by the film industry to national causes in times of need.

It has readily offered its resources - name recognition, time and funds - whenever called upon to do so, and often even without having to be called upon, the Guild said.

Hinting at the nepotism theory, the Guild says: Being born into the industry most definitely affords you the privilege of access and a first break, but after that it is up to each individuals talent, hard work and drive to propel them forward.

The organisation says that the letter is to let all aspirants to the film industry know that they should not be misled by the clickbait journalism currently being peddled to advance the sensationalized narrative that the film industry is a terrible place to aspire to work in.

This is a place that ultimately rewards your talent, work ethic and ability to connect with an audience - regardless of your religion, gender, caste or economic strata, said the letter.

The letter further says that the threats given to the members are unacceptable.

Members of the industry on both sides of this debate, especially women, have been subjected to rape threats and death threats. This is unacceptable and must stop now, it states.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 00:40:08|Editor: huaxia

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British Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove walks to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, Sept. 8, 2020. Senior officials from the European Union (EU) and Britain met in London on Thursday for hastily arranged talks over a controversial Brexit bill as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intended to override key parts of the Withdrawal Agreement previously agreed with Brussels. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

LONDON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from the European Union (EU) and Britain met in London on Thursday for hastily arranged talks over a controversial Brexit bill as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intended to override key parts of the Withdrawal Agreement previously agreed with Brussels.

British Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove talked with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic in an "extraordinary meeting", overshadowing the latest crucial round of negotiations between Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost and his EU counterpart Michel Barnier, which entered its final day in London on Thursday.

Sefcovic told Gove that violating the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law and jeopardize trade talks, according to an EU statement.

"In no uncertain terms" that the "timely and full implementation" of the divorce deal is "a legal obligation," said the statement.

Sefcovic urged the British government to withdraw these measures that break international law from the bill "by the end of the month", adding that the Withdrawal Agreement "contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text - which the European Union will not be shy in using".

Issuing its own robust response, the British government said it would "discharge its treaty obligations in good faith," but added that "in the difficult and highly exceptional circumstances in which we find ourselves, it is important to remember the fundamental principle of parliamentary sovereignty."

Rejecting Britain's arguments that the bill is designed to protect peace in Northern Ireland, the EU argued that "it does the opposite".

Britain on Wednesday published the controversial bill, known as the UK Internal Markets Bill, which overrides elements of Johnson's Brexit deal with Brussels, despite a senior minister explicitly acknowledging that the plan would breach international law.

The new bill will be formally debated by MPs in the British parliament for the first time on Sept. 14. It is intended to ensure Northern Ireland can continue to enjoy unfettered access to markets in the rest of Britain.

The bill was published amid the EU's growing anger after Britain brushed aside warnings from the regional bloc that breaching the treaty would prevent any trade deal being struck. The British government has said it is prepared to walk away with no deal if progress is not made soon. Enditem
Dear Editor:

Arguments made during a recent Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce webcast by the developers of the proposed Kingstonian project pointed to the expected increase of visitors to the Uptown area.

While COVID-19 has universally impacted businesses, those Uptown already were better capitalized and more visible than in other neighborhoods in Kingston. This is reflected in the fact that one of the developers of the Kingstonian project already owns businesses and properties in Uptown and will see a direct benefit from the increased traffic into the neighborhood.

The beneficiaries of this increased revenue live in a handful of already over-priced (and getting pricier) residential neighborhoods, or, increasingly, not in Kingston or even in New York state. The increased sales and occupancy tax revenue promised as the eventual public-good payback for tax breaks requested by the developers is not directly beneficial to our public schools the way the nearly $30 million in property taxes would be. This money would be pumped out of our schools and into private pockets outside of our community.

The type of jobs that will be created by the Kingstonian development were described as full-time equivalent. Having worked in both food service and retail in Uptown businesses, I expect these jobs will be more of the same: part-time, under living wage, and without access to health insurance. And this says nothing of their proposed annual internships, which presumably will be unpaid and therefore only accessible to young adults with external financial support.

Maggie Mitchell

Woodstock, N.Y.
DUBLIN, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Duodenoscope Market - Analysis By Type, By Treatment, By Region, By Country (2020 Edition): Market Insights and Outlook Post Covid-19 Pandemic (2020-2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global Duodenoscope Market was valued at USD 151.23 million in the year 2019. Rising prevalence of life threatening diseases such as pancreatitis, gall bladder and biliary diseases, pancreatic cancer coupled with technological advancements in duodenoscope design or structure and rising demand for healthcare infrastructure and facilities are the major factors impelling the market growth. Further, growing acceptance of innovative endoscopic surgery systems by physicians and increasing health expenditure will facilitate duodenoscope demand during the forecast period of 2020-2025.



Factors such as rising geriatric population, practice of unhealthy lifestyle such as alcoholism, smoking tobacco are crucial factors for life threatening diseases such as pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis and gall bladder and biliary diseases. The growth of the market is hampered in 2020 due to the occurrence of coronavirus pandemic in which all worldwide business activities are put at hold for the first few months of the year. Also, the patient volume has declined and all the surgeries postponed due to the severity of the coronavirus. However, the impact of Covid-19 will not majorly impact the endoscopic diagnosis and treatment.



Under the Type Segment, Flexible Video Duodenoscope dominates the overall Duodenoscope market as continuous and increasing demand for high definition images provide detailed endoscopic visualization during ERCP procedures. As a result, key players in the industry are making investments in R&D to introduce more enhanced structures of duodenoscope that can overcome the challenges associated with current duodenoscopes. Therefore, enhanced video duodenoscopes are accelerating the market growth due to which it may witness the fastest growth in the forecast period.



On the basis of Treatment Type, the Diagnostics segment held the largest market share and value during the historical period as it is highly used by the physicians in order to detect the serious and life-threatening illness at an earlier stage. The continual research and development in the designing and structure of duodenoscopes by the market leaders are expected to propel market demand of Duodenoscope in diagnostics.



Scope of the Report

The report analyses Duodenoscope market.

The report analyses Duodenoscope Market By Type (Flexible Video Duodenoscope, Flexible Non-Video Duodenoscope)

The report assesses the Duodenoscope market By Treatment Method (Diagnostics and Therapeutics).

The Global Duodenoscope Market has been analysed By Region ( North America , Europe , Asia Pacific ) and By Country (US, Canada , Russia , UK, Italy , Germany , China , India , South Korea , Japan ).

, , ) and By Country (US, , , UK, , , , , , ). The key insights of the report have been presented through the attractiveness of the market and presented By Type, By Treatment Method and By Region. Additionally, the major opportunities, trends, drivers, challenges and pipeline products of the industry has been analysed in the report.

The companies analysed in the report include Karl Storz , Olympus Corporation, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Ambu, Sonoscape, Custom Ultrasonics Inc., Boston Scientific, Vimex Endoscopy, Pentax Medical and EndoMed.

, Olympus Corporation, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Ambu, Sonoscape, Custom Ultrasonics Inc., Boston Scientific, Vimex Endoscopy, Pentax Medical and EndoMed. The report presents the analysis of Duodenoscope market for the historical period of 2015-2019 and the forecast period of 2020-2025.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Report Scope and Methodology

1.1 Scope of the Report

1.2 Research Methodology

1.3 Executive Summary



2. Strategic Recommendations



3. Global Duodenoscope Market: Product Outlook



4. Global Duodenoscope Market: Sizing and Forecast

4.1 Market Size, By Value, Year 2015-2025



5. Global Duodenoscope Market Segmentation By Type (By Value)

5.1 Competitive Scenario of Global Duodenoscope Market - By Type (2019 & 2025)

5.2 Flexible Video Duodenoscope - Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025)

5.3 Flexible Non Video Duodenoscope - Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025)



6. Global Duodenoscope Market Segmentation By Treatment (By Value)

6.1 Competitive Scenario of Global Duodenoscope - By Treatment (2019 & 2025)

6.2 Diagnostics - Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025)

6.3 Therapeutics - Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025)



7. Global Duodenoscope Market: Regional Analysis

7.1 Competitive Scenario of Global Duodenoscope Market: By Region (2019 & 2025)



8. North America Duodenoscope Market: Segmentation By Type, By Treatment (2020-2025)

8.1 North America Duodenoscope Market: Size and Forecast (2020-2025)

8.2 North America Prominent Companies in Duodenoscope Market

8.3 Market Segmentation By Type (Flexible Video Duodenoscope and Flexible Non Video Duodenoscope)

8.4 Market Segmentation By Treatment (Diagnostics and Therapeutics)

8.6 North America Duodenoscope Market: Country Analysis

8.7 Market Opportunity Chart of North America Duodenoscope Market - By Country, By Value (Year-2024)

8.8 Competitive Scenario of North America Duodenoscope Market: By Country (2019 & 2025)

8.9 United States Duodenoscope Market: Size and Forecast (2020-2025)

8.10 United States Duodenoscope Market Segmentation By Type, By Treatment(2020-2025)

8.11 Canada Duodenoscope Market: Size and Forecast (2020-2025)

8.12 Canada Duodenoscope Market Segmentation By Type, By Treatment(2020-2025)



9. Europe Duodenoscope Market: Segmentation By Type, By Treatment (2020-2025)



10. Asia Pacific Duodenoscope Market: Segmentation By Type, By Treatment (2020-2025)



11. Global Duodenoscope Market Dynamics

11.1 Global Duodenoscope Market Drivers

11.2 Global Duodenoscope Market Restraints

11.3 Global Duodenoscope Market Trends



12. Market Attractiveness

12.1.1 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Duodenoscope Market - By Type (Year 2025)

12.1.2 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Duodenoscope Market - By Treatment (Year 2025)

12.1.4 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Duodenoscope Market - By Region, By Value, (Year-2024)



13. Competitive Landscape



14. Company Profiles (Business Description, Financial Analysis, Business Strategy)

14.1 Olympus Corporation

14.2 Karl Storz

14.3 Pentax Medical

14.4 Fujifilm Holdings Corporation

14.5 Ambu

14.6 EndoMed

14.7 Sonoscape

14.8 Custom Ultrasonics Inc.

14.9 Boston Scientific

14.10 Vimex Endoscopy



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hvx1vh

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

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"Rob's solid track record of success in sales, marketing, product development and strategic planning will be a tremendous asset to MetTel," said Marshall Aronow, CEO at MetTel. "His deep knowledge of voice, data networking, mobility solutions and applications will complement our high-performing federal team."

Dapkiewicz joins MetTel from AT&T, where he held numerous senior executive positions in both the commercial and government sectors. He brings more than three decades of experience in civilian and military leadership roles.

"MetTel is a rising star in the federal space," said Robert Dapkiewicz, general manager and senior vice president, MetTel's Federal Program. "I'm committed to building on MetTel's success by bringing transformational IT communications technologies to help federal agencies prepare for the digital future."

MetTel has a rapidly growing government practice. In December 2019, MetTel received full authority to operate (ATO) under the General Services Administration's 15-year, $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) program. As part of the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions program, MetTel is now fully authorized to provide federal agencies with voice, video, data transport, hosting and cloud services, as well as call centers, associated labor services, cable and wiring, and managed network and managed security services.

Among the recent MetTel Federal Government IT Communications Projects:

In August, the United States General Services Administration selected MetTel for two awards for nationwide data and voice services.

The United States Mint awarded MetTel a contract to provide broadband and wired services.

MetTel announced that it was an awardee under a $994 million contract for wireless services and devices by the U.S. Navy.

contract for wireless services and devices by the U.S. Navy. The United States Marine Corps Recruiting Command and the United States Navy Recruiters selected MetTel to provide broadband internet services to recruiting command centers around the globe.

To learn more about how MetTel helps government agencies turn expiring telecommunications contracts into opportunities for digital transformation, join an upcoming MetTel webinar September 16 at 1 pm EST.

About MetTel

MetTel is a leader in communications and digital transformation (DX) solutions for enterprise and government customers. By converging all communications over a proprietary network, MetTel gives enterprises one, unified view and control point for all their communications and advanced network services. MetTel's comprehensive portfolio of customer solutions can boost enterprise productivity, reduce costs, and simplify operations. Combining customized and managed communication solutions with a powerful platform of cloud-based software, the company's MetTel Portal enables customers to manage their inventory, usage, spend and repairs from one simple, user friendly interface. For more information visit www.mettel.net, follow us on Twitter (@OneMetTel) and on LinkedIn, or call us directly at 877.963.8663. MetTel. Connect Smarter.

Media Contact:

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347.420.0957

SOURCE MetTel
President Trump and aides leave the White House for a photo op at St. John's Church after federal agents forcibly cleared out protesters. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark A. Milley, right, later called his participation in the walk "a mistake." (Associated Press)

Anybody who doubts that American democracy could fall if President Trump wins reelection should take it from someone who knows, John Dean says. He believes a budding dictator occupies the White House.

I worked for the last authoritarian president, and he was dangerous enough, said Dean, the Watergate cover-up co-conspirator who served as chief White House counsel to Richard Nixon and testified against him during Senate hearings. "Trump makes Nixon look like a choirboy.

"If we get four more years of him," Dean said, "then our democracy will be gone.

The notion of a U.S. president bringing about the nations downfall could be easily dismissed as breathless hyperbole, business as usual in Americas super-heated political climate.

But Dean and other critics of the Trump administration  former government officials, historians whove tracked the rise of dictatorships in other countries  see an increasingly bleak future for America if voters don't come to terms with Trump's recent behavior.

The president has encouraged voters in both North Carolina and Pennsylvania to cast ballots twice, floated the idea of delaying the election  something he has no legal authority to do  and when Fox News anchor Chris Wallace asked whether he'd accept the results if he loses, Trump answered, "I have to see." He's spread baseless theories about voter fraud and threatened to withhold aid to the U.S. Postal Service during an election year when tens of millions of voters are expected to cast their ballots by mail due to a deadly pandemic.

Even with so many signs that Trump is operating out of bounds, Republican leaders and rank-and-file members often seem unwilling to stand up to him.

It can be easy to view some of this as science fiction, doomsday stuff, but there is really something extraordinary and extraordinarily worrying going on, said Michael Waldman, president of the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. The checks and balances, the legal constraints, the unwritten norms  theyre all under enormous pressure.

Story continues

The Trump campaign says the real danger to the nation's core principles is Democrats and their nominee, the longtime moderate and former vice president.

In a statement that offered no evidence for its claims, spokeswoman Thea McDonald said, "The only threats to America's Democratic principles are Joe Biden with his socialist manifesto and the Democrat party with their endless attempts to throw our election system into chaos and trample our one person, one vote' foundation with their ballot harvesting schemes.

Trumps attempts to sow distrust in the most basic functions of a democratic society  in particular voting  should give all Americans pause, Waldman said.

Thats what a dictator does, he said. Its utterly foreign to the entire 244-year history of the country. Theres been ugliness. Theres been racism. But to have a leader try to undermine the vote, as a part of his core strategy, is something thats never happened.

That is a sign of a shaky democracy.

Trump hasn't just undermined the election process. He's portrayed protesters against police brutality as "thugs" and "domestic terrorists" while defending armed supporters who demonstrated inside the Michigan statehouse over pandemic lockdown measures and those who went to Portland, Ore., and Kenosha, Wis., during civil unrest.

Militarized federal agents deployed by President Trump to Portland, Ore., in July fire tear gas against protesters. (Dave Killen / Associated Press)

Former CIA Director Michael Hayden, a retired four-star general, said he was especially stunned at Trump's threats to use the military to quell unrest, which have so far been rebuffed.

Speaking by phone recently, Hayden said he could hardly stomach the sight of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark A. Milley, the nation's top military officer, standing with the president during Trump's Bible-holding photo op near the White House in June, moments after federal officers forcibly cleared the streets of peaceful anti-racism demonstrators.

Hayden witnessed authoritarianism firsthand when he worked inside the Soviet Union. Now, he said, its the possibility that Trump will be reelected that gives him chills.

Im going to be gone sooner or later, said the 75-year-old Hayden, who recently suffered a stroke. But I thought America would be OK  Im a little bit scared now.

The same week that Trump accepted his partys nomination for reelection, Hayden voiced his concern to a panel of experts on democracy. If the president wins a second term, he told them, "I don't know what will happen to the American republic."

Grave warnings such as Dean's and Hayden's are notable because they don't just emanate from Trump's detractors on the left but in many cases from within conservative ranks  and from people who served in Republican administrations.

Hayden was one of 73 former national security officials from the Trump, Reagan and both Bush administrations who endorsed Biden in a letter in the Wall Street Journal.

What also galls Hayden, who served as national security director under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush before Bush appointed him to lead the CIA, are Trump's penchant for lying and his attacks on the free press. Hayden said the president has committed an abuse of power used by despots all over the world by trying to distort the nature of reality itself.

Hayden recounted a dinner conversation he had with a military leader during the Cold War when he was a diplomatic attache in Bulgaria. The man explained his definition of "truth."

He said, Truth is what serves the party, Hayden recalled. I think about that time, and now my own government is doing something similar. Truth is what serves Trump.

Dean has also been struggling to make sense of how the worlds most successful democracy, one thats championed the idea of free and fair elections, constitutional checks and balances, civil discourse and the idea that no one is above the law, could be threatened even more than during the Nixon administration.

Those who say this election is a defining election, theyre not spoofing," Dean said. "Its a shame that more people dont see it.

Protesters in Huntington Beach in April decry the lockdown and the closure of businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event drew a large number of Trump supporters. The president has repeatedly spread false information about the pandemic. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

In a book he co-wrote, Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His Followers, Dean tries to explain the appeal to some Americans of a president who has expressed good will and even praise for strongmen like North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump went so far as to boast about his cozy relationship with Kim in recorded interviews with Bob Woodward for the veteran journalist's upcoming book "Rage."

"It's funny, the relationships I have, the tougher and meaner they are, the better I get along with them," Trump said of authoritarian leaders to Woodward.

If Trump is reelected, Dean said, he would be like a toddler "in the terrible twos with the keys to the tank and nobody restraining him.

Democracy is fragile. There are traditions and norms and guardrails that have always been respected, and he just ignores them.

Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow in the governance studies program at the Brookings Institution, is taken aback by Trump's seeming affinity for autocrats and his attacks on the press, and said his attempts to undermine mail-in voting are "just criminal."

Protesters demonstrate in support of the Postal Service on Aug. 25 in Miami. President Trump has threatened to withhold aid from the service, with tens of millions of people expecting to vote by mail in November. (Associated Press)

But Kamarck believes that even though Trump is "the most authoritarian man we've ever had in this office," he may end up being more bark than bite  a feckless and desperate leader who tweets conspiracies that have no merit and makes threats that he doesn't back up.

The flip side of all of that is he has not, as far as I can tell, made any substantive legal changes to our system of checks and balances  in spite of his rhetoric," said Kamarck, who served in the Clinton administration as leader of its "reinventing government initiative." "The press seems to be doing its job. The House of Representatives did go ahead and impeach him. The courts have consistently thwarted him, including his Supreme Court. The separation of powers is intact. So basically, hes a lot of bluster.

Hes a TV performer  not a doer, Kamarck said. In that way, the countrys lucky.

Still, Trump's failure to respect democratic norms has become so routine, such a feature of his leadership style, that it's easy to lose sight of the damage he can do to people's faith in their power to check the government even if the rule of law survives his presidency, Yale historian Timothy Snyder said.

If you go back to what the Founders were saying, it was that regular elections are like fresh air," said Snyder, who's an expert on the rise of tyrannical rulers. "Theyre a way of keeping leaders honest and accountable. Messing with that is messing with something thats fundamental to democracy.

Snyder said Americans should heed efforts in some states to close polling places and impose burdensome voter ID rules. No one should take the idea of a free and fair election for granted, he said.

He agrees with Dean that it is voters who will decide whether America holds tight to its democratic values.

If Trump persists in subverting the democratic process by interfering with the election  or resists stepping aside if he loses to Biden  Americans have to be willing to take to the streets in protest if need be, he said.

They must be ready show the president that while he may act as if hes above the law, hes not above reproach by the American people, Snyder said.

The only guardrail left, said Dean, is the voters.
Bogota: Nine people have died in Colombian capital Bogota and satellite city Soacha following violent overnight protests against police brutality, as city authorities called on residents to stay indoors on Thursday evening.

The demonstrators were protesting the death this week of law student and father-of-two, Javier Ordonez, 46, in police custody. A widely-shared video filmed by Ordonez's friend showed Ordonez being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun by police.

A police officer fires tear gas against demonstrators protestng the death of a man after he was detained by police in Bogota. Credit:AP

Some 175 civilians and 147 police officers have been injured in the protests, according to authorities in Bogota, while dozens of stations and public vehicles were damaged or set alight, the national government said.

Bogota's mayor Claudia Lopez said people should return to their homes by evening, to ease tensions.
Lawyers for the four police are taking a blame the victim approach, which experts say can be effective in trial.

A lawyer for one of the four former Minneapolis officers charged in George Floyds death is highlighting the latters past crimes and history of drug use, calling him an ex-con and evident danger to the community.

Another is seizing on Floyds medical issues and addiction, saying he likely died from fentanyl, not a knee on his neck.

Some court filings by defence lawyers in recent months are taking a blame-the-victim approach. It is a common defence strategy that legal experts say will be used to show officers acted reasonably, and to counter widely seen bystander video showing a white police officer kneeling on Floyds neck for nearly eight minutes.

Feeding stereotypes

Experts say the strategy may resonate with a potential jury pool, even if much of what is said now never comes up at a trial set for next year.

Don Lewis, a prominent Twin Cities lawyer who is not connected to this case, said it is usual for defence lawyers to feed the stereotype of the dangers of a Black man to a jury to show that any use of force by law enforcement is justified. He said only one or two jurors need to have doubts.

Floyd, a Black man who was in handcuffs, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyds neck as Floyd said he could not breathe, called out for his mother and became motionless.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Raucous demonstrations have been taking place in Oregons largest city for more than two months following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis [Twitter: Grave Morgan via Reuters]

Thomas Lane, J Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest circulated around the world, sparking protests and leading to increased support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Mike Brandt, a defence lawyer not connected to the case, said countering that video with Floyds past is a good strategy.

You are trying to push the pendulum back  from those damning videos of Chauvin with his knee on Floyds neck, he said.

The former officers are expected in court on Friday for a hearing on several issues, including a prosecution request to try the men together and defence requests to move the trial away from Minneapolis. Defence requests to dismiss charges will not be addressed at the hearing.

In documents requesting dismissal, Lanes lawyer, Earl Gray, wrote about Floyds prior charges of armed robbery and drug possession in Texas. He called Floyd an ex-con, a violent defendant, a liar, an addict, a drug distributor, and a danger. Mr Floyd was, as the Officers had suspected, an addict, Gray wrote. He was worse than that.

Ben Crump, a lawyer for Floyds family, rejected that approach.

Everything you need to know is on that horrific video, Crump said. When police do inexcusable things, the defence is always to kill the victim all over again by dredging up their history and assassinating their character.





The Texas robbery is unlikely to come up at trial because it would not be relevant unless the officers had prior knowledge of it.

Kelly Keegan, another lawyer not connected to the case, said prior incidents cannot be brought up in court just to smear people, and a judge must weigh whether the information will help the jury find facts or just leave a negative impression.

Previous police interaction

One past arrest that could come up at trial is a May 2019 incident in which defence lawyers say Floyd acted in a similar way.

Body-camera footage from the day Floyd died shows Lane and Kueng approaching a panicked Floyd, who says, Im not a bad guy! and struggles, begging not to be put in a squad car. Gray wrote that the video shows Floyd had something in his mouth that looked like a fentanyl pill, which disappeared. Autopsy reports show Floyd had fentanyl in his system.

Gray and Eric Nelson, Chauvins lawyer, wrote that during a May 2019 arrest, Floyd would not listen to officers commands, put something in his mouth, had to be physically removed from a vehicle, then began to cry. In that case, several opioid pills were found, along with cocaine, they wrote.

Nelson compared Floyds behaviour in both arrests, saying: Clearly, Mr Floyd had a modus operandi in the way he acted when approached by police officers while attempting to conceal narcotics.

US Attorney General William Barr confers with US Secret Service and other officials in the centre of Lafayette Park shortly before riot police cleared it and the surrounding area across from the White House of demonstrators in a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd [Ken Cedeno/Reuters]

Keegan said even if the officers had no knowledge of the 2019 arrest, defence lawyers could argue Floyd had a habit of swallowing drugs, acting scared, crying and struggling when approached by police.

Gray wrote that Floyd shares blame for his death.

All he had to do is sit in the police car, like every other defendant who is initially arrested, Gray wrote. While attempting to avoid his arrest, all by himself, Mr Floyd overdosed on Fentanyl. Given his intoxication level, breathing would have been difficult at best. Mr Floyds intentional failure to obey commands, coupled with his overdosing, contributed to his own death.

Nelson also honed in on Floyds past drug use, writing that bringing up Floyds history of drug addiction is not an attempt to assail Mr Floyds character. But, he said, Floyd most likely died of fentanyl or a combination of fentanyl and methamphetamine in concert with his underlying health conditions.

Questionable strategy

The county medical examiner classified Floyds death as a homicide, with his heart stopping while he was restrained by police and his neck compressed. A summary report listed fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use under other significant conditions but not under cause of death.

According to prosecutors notes, Hennepin County Medical Examiner Andrew Baker told prosecutors that absent other apparent causes of death, it could be acceptable to rule the death an overdose, based on the level of fentanyl in Floyds system.

A separate autopsy commissioned for Floyds family concluded he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression.

Protests against police brutality continue in Rochester, New York, where Daniel Prude, a Black man who had run naked through the streets of the western New York city, died of asphyxiation after a group of police officers put a hood over his head, then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes, according to video and records [Adrian Kraus/AP Photo]

Lewis and Keegan said Floyds cause of death will be up to a jury. They said it would be tough to eliminate all biases from a potential jury, and questions asked during jury selection will be important.

While a blame-the-victim approach might seem questionable to some, Lewis said a defence lawyers job is not to foster racial harmony or to further criminal justice reform. His job is solely to get his client acquitted.
Darcey and Stacey Silva now have their very own 90 Day Fiance spinoff, called Darcey & Stacey. Darcey finally has a new love interest in a man named Georgi Rusev who lives in Washington, D.C., and hails from Bulgaria. They met on social media, and theyve actually seen each other in person once before during the Super Bowl in Miami.

After postponing their impending meet-up because Darcey felt she needed to go to therapy, shes ready to meet up with Georgi again. How do things play out? Read on to learn more.

Darcey meets up with Georgi for the weekend

Darcey Silva | Raymond Hall/GC Images

Darcey and Georgi rescheduled their meeting, and they meet up in New York City. Georgi picked a meeting point, and when Darcey sees him, she heads toward him as he opens his arms for an embrace. Hes holding a bouquet of roses, and the sparks fly. Georgi even holds Darceys purse as they head off to their next destination.

They walk to a nice Italian restaurant, where Darcey is about to get wined and dined. They toast with some wine, and it looks like the night is going the way everyone is hoping it will.

Im in New York City with an amazing man I feel a connection with. You know, being open with me and trusting in me and trusting in each other, Darcey tells the cameras.

The food gets brought out, and they enjoy their meals. Georgi even feeds Darcey, and she feeds him in return. They kiss at the table, and Georgi produces a gift for Darcey. Its Bulgarian rose oil, and he says, Thats pure. Its like more expensive than gold.

Georgi mentions that when Darcey smells the rose oil, shell think about him. I would slather it on all over, Darcey replies.

Georgi asks Darcey if shes talking with someone else

RELATED: Darcey & Stacey: Darcey and Stacey Silva Discuss Going to Los Angeles

Darcey seems really pleased with her date, and lets Georgi know it. Out of my 45 years, I think this was the best date yet, Darcey tells him.

Georgis response is priceless. Thats because with the Bulgarian Georgi thats why, he replies.

Georgi asks Darcey if shes talking with someone else, and she says hes the only guy shes corresponding with. He says, Thats good. Darcey tells Georgi that shes grateful for him, and almost tears up a little bit at the thought.

Georgis making all the right moves, and they head off to a hotel. Once inside, they begin to kiss, and Georgi carries Darcey into the bedroom.

Where do things go from here for Darcey and Georgi? Well have to wait and see, but its clear they have some major chemistry.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - When it comes to California wildfires, it now takes days, not decades, to produce what had been seen as a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Last weekend, a fire burning in Californias Sierra National Forest exploded in size, trapping hundreds of Labor Day holiday campers who could only be rescued by helicopters that made a series of white-knuckle flights into the smoke. Fire officials said theyd never seen a fire move so fast in forestland  15 miles (24 kilometres) in a day.

On Wednesday, a wildfire in Plumas National Forest northeast of San Francisco spread 25 miles (40 kilometres) in a day and devoured an estimated 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometres),

In between those events, a massive fire in Monterey County doubled in size overnight, trapping 14 firefighters who had to deploy their emergency shelters; one was critically injured.

They are only the latest examples of what a half-dozen fire experts agreed is more extreme fire behaviour driven by drought and warming temperatures they attribute to climate change. Among the most concerning developments is that fast-moving wildfires leave less time for warnings or evacuations.

Recently we have seen multiple fires expand by tens of thousands of acres in a matter of hours, and 30 years or more ago that just wasnt fire behaviour that we saw, said Jacob Bendix, a professor of geography and the environment at Syracuse University who studies wildfires.

Hotter temperatures, longer fire seasons and an estimated 140 million dead trees from a five-year drought mean that fires in California are moving faster and growing larger, said University of Utah fire expert Philip Dennison.

Mike Flannigan, who directs the Western Partnership for Wildland Fire Science at Canadas University of Alberta, remembers the first report of a fire-created thunderstorm in 1986.

They were rare events, and now theyve become commonplace, he said. Its because these fires are higher intensity.

A prime example is the so-called Creek Fire in Sierra National Forest near Yosemite National Park, which exploded through miles of drought- and beetle-killed timber, moving so fast that it trapped hundreds of campers.

When you have a fire run 15 miles in one day, in one afternoon, theres no model that can predict that, U.S. Forest Service forester Steve Lohr said. The fires are behaving in such a way that weve not seen.

The phenomenon isnt restricted to California. Doug Grafe, chief of Fire Protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry, said it was unprecedented in his state for fires this week to spread from the crest of the Cascade Mountains into the valleys below, and so quickly, carrying tens of miles in one period of an afternoon and not slowing down in the evening  (there is) absolutely no context for that in this environment.

California already has seen a record 3,900 square miles (10,100 square kilometres) burn and its only now is entering what traditionally is the most dangerous time for fires. Labor Day weekend brought record-breaking temperatures across the state that exacerbated what already are drought conditions in a large swath of the state.

On Thursday, a Northern California wildfire was threatening thousands of homes after winds whipped it into a monster that incinerated houses in a small mountain community and killed at least three people.

University of Colorado-Boulder professor Jennifer Balch said measurements of how quickly the hot, dry air is sucking moisture out of fuels are the highest seen in at least four decades across major parts of the West.

The abundant dry tinder produces more heat energy, which in turn super-heats the air so it becomes more buoyant and creates a strong updraft that condenses with the smoke plume, creating its own wind to feed that thunderstorm, Flannigan said.

The cloud itself is called a pyro-cumulonimbus, which may or may not produce lightning, and strong winds that can pick up burning embers and ignite new fires far in front of the initial blaze.

An extreme example in July 2018 spun off what was then only the second documented firenado, killing a firefighter as he helped evacuate residents from a fire in the Northern California city of Redding.

Yet just this month a fire north of Lake Tahoe spun off at least two and as many as four firenadoes, while the Plumas National Forest fire appears to have produced a handful overnight Tuesday, said Neil Lareau, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The Creek Fire produced at least two firenadoes that appeared to touch down Saturday, he said, one straddling an access road to a popular campground at Mammoth Pool Reservoir where 214 people became trapped.

Its really kind of a testament to the remarkable extremes that were seeing right now, Lareau said. It really is kind of this vicious cycle that it gets into, and thats when the fire really takes off and becomes these unstoppable infernos.

Two California National Guard helicopters called in to rescue the trapped campers Saturday night found visibility deteriorating so swiftly that the crews opted to load their aircraft to the absolute maximum and well beyond normal safety limits in an unprecedented mission.

On one trip, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joseph Rosamond and his three-member crew took on 102 desperate campers in a CH-47 Chinook twin-rotor helicopter designed for 30 passengers. A UH-60 Black Hawk ferried 22 evacuees in a helicopter with a normal operating capacity of 11 or 12 passengers.

The overloaded Chinook slowly climbed to 8,000 feet (2,440 metres) to clear surrounding mountains and dense smoke.

It was an absolute emergency and peoples lives were at stake, Rosamond recalled. It was pretty dicey. The charts dont go that high.

Such harrowing escapes are only likely to become more common, the experts said.

Columbia Universitys Williams said Californias record heat and record acreage burned already this year are part of a trend that has been accelerating for 50 years due to global warming.

So, while the magnitudes of the current heat wave and the resultant wildfires have been shocking, theyre consistent with what scientists have been predicting for decades, Williams said in an email.

___

This story has been corrected to say Sierra National Forest, not Sequoia National Forest.
Kentucky congressman against mandates says he has COVID-19
Contributed Photo / Bjoern Wylezich - TNS

HARTFORD  A city man linked to a cocaine trafficking operation in the Hartford area will serve nearly four years in prison for his role in drug sales, according to federal authorities.

Federal Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on Wednesday sentenced 38-year-old Brandon Gineyard to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
It took only one day of classroom instruction before Manitoba had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in a school building.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It took only one day of classroom instruction before Manitoba had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in a school building.

Public health issued a notice Wednesday afternoon to alert the public of a positive case connected to Room 20 in Churchill High School.

The case involves a Grade 7 student who was asymptomatic when the student visited the school for a "limited time" on Tuesday  the first official day of classes across the province. The student also took Winnipeg Transit on Sept. 8.

"The risk is deemed low as physical distancing was maintained while at school and a mask was worn on the bus and in school the entire time," states the release, in which public health notes its investigation indicates transmission was not acquired at school.

School administration and the students cohort have been notified.

There are no close contacts connected to the case and no one has been advised to self-isolate at present, according to public health. Anyone who attended the site this week is asked to self-monitor for symptoms.

Winnipeg Transit has also notified the public that a potential exposure took place on Route 16 when the student boarded the bus at approximately 7:51 a.m. from the Graham Avenue and Vaughn Street stop to Churchill High School.

The City of Winnipeg said in a release the bus has been thoroughly sanitized, employees who were in contact with the bus have been made aware of the situation and appropriate follow-up measures are being taken.

"Obviously, its unfortunate that we have to so quickly be dealing with a case of COVID in one of our schools but were very confident in our ability to follow all of the public health protocols and recommendations," said Radean Carter, spokeswoman for the Winnipeg School Division.

Carter said rigorous cleaning with a fogging machine is already underway. The school is expected to remain open.

Similar to all schools in the province, Churchills back-to-school plan includes strict stay-at-home protocols for anyone feeling unwell, daily health screenings, mandatory masks, physical distancing where possible and frequent cleaning and disinfecting. Manitoba Public Health is to lead all contract tracing and self-isolation directions once a case is connected to a school.

"Our school community and society are preparing for a school year that will be unlike any other. We recognize that our strength comes from our combined efforts and support for each other as we deal with the unprecedented circumstances before us," Principal Ryan Hughes wrote in a letter to community members attached to the schools plan.

Meantime, a health-care worker at the Northern Lights Manor personal care home in Flin Flon has tested positive for COVID-19.

While a single case of the novel coronavirus has prompted public health officials to issue a "critical" code red response at seven personal care homes in Manitoba, no such order was issued for the 36-bed home in Flin Flon, a Northern Health region spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"It is because the worker did not work during the infectious period, and because of this there was very low risk to the residents and staff at the facility," Twyla Storey said in an email.

"While the risk to the residents and staff at the home are extremely low, out of an abundance of caution, to assist with contact tracing, and to help stop the spread of the illness, visiting was restricted immediately and will be reevaluated as required."

Northern Health was notified Saturday the worker had tested positive. The worker immediately began self-isolating and is recovering at home, Storey said. Contact tracing has been done and close contacts have been identified, she added.

Meanwhile, 16 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported by Manitoba public health officials Wednesday.

Fourteen occurred in the Winnipeg health region, with one in Prairie Mountain Health, and one in Southern Health.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Manitoba's case total now stands at 1,365.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 1.3 per cent. There were 653 laboratory tests completed Tuesday.

Twelve people are in hospital in Manitoba with COVID-19, with three people in intensive care, officials said.

Public Health said a possible exposure to the virus may have occurred Sept. 2-5 at the Tim Hortons at 3296 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg. Times of the potential exposures can be found at www.gov.mb.ca.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Maggie Macintosh

Reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Winnipeg Free Press. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative. Read full biography
Four EMTs and paramedics who were present when 20-year-old special-needs woman from Michigan was pronounced dead, only to be found alive hours later at a funeral home, are suing to stop their licenses from being suspended.

Michael Storms, Scott Rickard, Phillip Mulligan and Jake Kroll, who all work for the Southfield Fire Department, filed their lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday.

The 30-page complaint, which names multiple agencies, officials and doctors as defendants, alleges that the plaintiffs were denied their constitutional right to due process by having their professional licenses suspended without giving them the chance to defend themselves.

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Four Michigan EMTs and paramedics who were present when 20-year-old Timesha Beauchamp, pictured in this undated photo with her brother, was wrongly declared dead last month, are now suing multiple agencies over their license suspensions

Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee, pictured during a news conference on August 26, disagreed with the findings of state authorities concerning the conduct with his paramedic

Firefighter-paramedics Storms and Rickard were deprived of their licenses last month, while firefighter-EMTs Mulligan and Kroll received letters of intent warning them of coming suspensions.

TIMELINE OF TIMESHA BEAUCHAMP CASE: August 23, 7.27am: A 911 call comes in about a 20-year-old female who's unconscious, unknown if breathing 7.34am: Southfield firefighters arrive on scene to find an unresponsive, non-breathing woman 7.35am: Paramedics begin life-saving procedures and spend about 30 minutes trying to revive the patient 8.07am: Southfield police arrive on the scene 8.09am: Southfield firefighters contact Providence Hospital emergency room physician and report their findings 8.38am: Southfield Fire Department paramedics leave the scene 8.53am: Southfield police leaves the scene after contacting the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office 11.25am: Beauchamp is picked up by staff from James H Cole Home for Funerals 11.45am: Mortuary worker discovers the woman is alive and breathing Advertisement

The lawsuit alleges the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services 'exerted pressure on the [Oakland County Medical Control Authority] to act swiftly because the MDHHS had already decided that it was going to take action against the plaintiffs,' as The Detroit News reported.

The firefighters are asking the court to reinstate their licenses immediately, enter an injunction barring the defendants from taking further action against them, declare that the defendants deprived them of their 'property interests' and order themb to pay the plaintiffs' court and attorney fees,

The four responded on August 23 to a report of an unresponsive woman at a home. Timesha Beauchamp has cerebral palsy and her family called 911 because of what appeared to be serious breathing problems.

A doctor at a Southfield hospital who didn't attend the scene pronounced Beauchamp deceased after Storms reported by phone that she had been unresponsive for 30 minutes and showed no signs of life.

Beauchamp wasn't taken to a hospital until James H Cole Home for Funerals in Detroit called 911 hours later. Funeral home staff actually saw her chest moving earlier when they picked up the body at the Southfield home, according to the state.

But Beauchamp's family said they were assured by the medical crew that she was dead.

She was taken from the funeral home to a Detroit hospital and remains in critical condition. The famil's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, has said only her brain stem is functioning.

A state license suspension filed against Storms said he repeatedly failed to recognize that Beauchamp was alive and that he misled a doctor by phone about her condition.

According to the documents filed last month, Storms stopped performing CPR early, failed to use a stethoscope to check the patient's breathing and ignored data on a monitor that 'clearly showed' Beauchamp was not dead.

Michigan authorities that have suspended the licenses of two paramedics after Beauchamp was found alive say that one of them, Michael Storms, failed to recognize that the patient was alive and misled a doctor by phone about her condition

The license suspension from the health department alleged that Storms stopped resuscitation efforts six minutes before getting permission from a doctor who was contacted by phone.

'At no point did [Storms] attempt to verify circulation or respiration' with a device such as a stethoscope, according to the documents. 'The vital signs and description depicted to the physician were inaccurate.'

Minutes later, Storms went back into the home when family members said Beauchamp appeared to be breathing and had a pulse. He placed her on a monitor, which 'clearly showed' electrical activity and revealed she 'was not deceased.' Apparently no action was taken.

Storms went inside again when relatives noticed signs of life, including pulse and breathing.

Beauchamp's body was released to the family who arranged for her to be picked up by James H Cole Home for Funerals that afternoon. Staffer there discovered she was still breathing

'Both times [Storms] failed to recognize the patient was still alive' and indicated that chest movement was normal due to her medication, the document stated.

The state said Storms changed his report when it was uploaded a second time to an incident database the next day.

Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee told the AP last week that the state's version of events is 'very alarming and very concerning.' But at the same time, he said it's 'not how we understand what happened.'

'I am seeking the truth in what happened,' the fire chief said Wednesday night. "We're looking at everything here. This is a terrible thing that's happened. This is tragic.'

The state's Health and Human Services department, the Oakland County Medical Control Authority, executives, doctors and others are named in the lawsuit.

The Health and Human Services Department oversees licensing. Spokesman Bob Wheaton told the newspaper that the agency does not discuss pending litigation.

State hearings on licenses held by Storms and Rickard are scheduled for September 29-30.

WHAT IS THE LAZARUS SYNDROME? Timesha Beauchamp, 20, is not the first person who has come back to life after being proclaimed dead. There have been several similar cases reported around the world, most recently in Russia earlier this month, when an 81-year-old woman woke up after spending a night in a morgue. In 2014 in Mississippi, a 78-year-old man who had been declared dead woke up in a funeral home in a body bag, reported The Guardian. Such instances are known as Lazarus syndrome or phenomenon, when circulation spontaneously returns to the body long after CPR has stopped. The syndrome is in reference to Lazarus, the man that Jesus Christ allegedly rose from the dead, according to the New Testament. According to Medical News Today, Lazarus syndrome was first reported in medical literature in 1982 and there have now been at least 40 reported cases. Doctors are unsure of why the rare phenomenon occurs, but there are some theories. One is that CPR builds up pressure in the chest and, when CPR stops, it goes down and give the heart a reboot, according to a 2016 article. Another is that the dead person merely looks dead and is actually suffering from catalepsy, a neurological disorder in which the muscles become stiff and remain whatever position they are placed, breathing slows and a heartbeat is at nearly undetectable levels. Advertisement

Menifee has said the city is investigating. He told reporters in late August that Beauchamp might be alive because of 'Lazarus syndrome,' a reference to people who come back to life without assistance after attempts to resuscitate have failed.

'This appears be one of the worst cases of gross negligence that I've ever encountered,' said Fieger, Beauchamp family's attorney. 'She wasn't dying or near death. Had they got her to the hospital none of this would have happened.'

Beauchamp's mother, Erica Lattimore, had called 911 to report that her daughter was unconscious and possibly not breathing just before 7.30am on August 23.

Fieger, the family's attorney, alleged that the paramedics dismissed a relative's assertion that she had seen Beauchamp breathing and felt a pulse.

Menifee vehemently denied Fieger's claims of misconduct at a press conference last week, describing the first responders as good paramedics who never faced any disciplinary issues.

They included a lieutenant with 18 years of experience, a paramedic who has been on the job for seven years, and two EMTs with two years and six months of experience, respectively.

Menifee said the medics performed life-saving procedures for 30 minutes and checked Beauchamp's vital signs on three separate occasions.

'Each time, Ms Beauchamp didn't show any signs of life,' he stressed.

The official acknowledged that as the first responders were about to leave, they were approached by a relative, saying that they heard Beauchamp breathing.

'The fire department immediately grabbed their equipment, went in and reassessed her,' Menifee stated. 'At no time did they find her breathing.'

A short time later, a family member approached a police officer on the scene and said they thought they had felt a heartbeat on Beauchamp.

The patient was checked a third time, but again no signs of life were detected, according to the chief.

'What transpired with Ms Beauchamp is unique and unsettling, we know there is evidence out there that this sort of thing happened before,' Menifee said.
UK office workers do not feel as though they have clear, formalised communications around working hours, availability, productivity and ability to withstand economic turmoil

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, organisations across the world have had no choice but to close their offices and switch to a work-from-home model. However, six months since the wide-spread adoption of remote working began, many UK workers are still unsure as to what their employer expects of them.

Wrike, the most versatile collaborative work management platform, today announced the findings from its 2020 global remote work survey. According to these, 47 per cent of UK office workers still do not feel as though they have had clear, formalised communications around working hours, availability and productivity. In addition, more than half (54 per cent) admit to not understanding the current state of the business as well as their employer's overall plan to survive the economic toll of COVID-19 due to a lack of communication.

Information flow failure

With many businesses struggling to survive the initial wave of the pandemic, communication appears to have taken a backseat and, in the majority of cases, important information is not being disseminated throughout the workforce. In fact, Wrike's survey reveals that in 42 per cent of cases it is only management that is being directly briefed on plans to survive the economic toll of the pandemic before being asked to pass this information along.

Many organisations are yet to take steps to tackle the problem, with just 35 per cent of HR teams putting centralised projects and initiatives in place to encourage company communication. As a result, the majority (60 per cent) of organisations are also failing to share experiences and examples of best practice from team to team, which could have a negative impact on overall productivity and development.

To make matters worse, this communication barrier doesn't stop at employees feeling kept in the dark by their managers and HR teams. They are also not feeling listened to. Wrike's survey found that over half (49 per cent) of workers do not feel as though their feedback is being used to improve processes while working remotely. This could help to explain why 41 per cent of those surveyed still feel as if they do not have all the infrastructure, hardware, data and platforms they need to be productive when working from home. This includes broadband internet, monitors, VPN access and desk set up.

Technology and transparency: the keys to productivity

For many, remote working is here to stay in some form or another and so supporting employees and ensuring that they are able to continue to deliver as they would have done in the office environment should be a key priority for all businesses. Yet, these findings show there is still a long way to go.

David McGeough, Director of International Marketing at Wrike, said: "For many UK organisations, ensuring continuity and survival was understandably the first concern when the pandemic struck. However, as the months go by, and many employees continue to work remotely, leadership teams will need to find new ways to set expectations and be more transparent around how they plan to survive any resulting economic downturn."

"It's really important for businesses to be able to communicate effectively, regardless of where their employees are working from. As well as modern technologies that enable this, centralised projects and initiatives will be essential in order to nurture a working environment in which everyone feels both fully informed and listened to. It is only then that businesses can future-proof their remote working business model and achieve the same or greater levels of productivity that they would have before the pandemic."

Methodology

Research commissioned by Wrike and conducted via Survey Monkey, which surveyed 500 UK employees. Individuals with jobs not allowing them to work from home were screened out of the study.

About Wrike

Wrike is the most versatile work management platform for the enterprise. It can be easily configured for any team and any use case to transform how work gets done. Wrike's feature-rich platform puts teams in control of their digital workflows, enabling them to focus on the most important work, maximize potential, and accelerate business growth. More than 20,000 customers, including Hootsuite, Tiffany Co., and Ogilvy, and 2M+ users across 140 countries depend on Wrike to help teams plan, manage, and complete work at scale. Wrike is headquartered in San Jose, CA. For more information, visit: https://www.wrike.com/.

Follow Wrike via:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wrike

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/WrikeTeam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wrike/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrike

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wriketeam/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909006118/en/

Contacts:

Hannah Lock

Programme Director, Hotwire

WrikeUK@hotwireglobal.com
NORRISTOWN  Montgomery County leaders gave the all-clear to allow the Whitpain Township Police Department to become a county booking center.

Solicitor Josh Stein relayed that the Montgomery County Commissioners initially established a countywide booking center plan in 2009 after learning of a Pennsylvania General Assembly mandate. He added that booking centers serve as places where individuals are processed following [an] arrest.

The states third most populous county identified 13 booking locations, according to the resolution.

More than a decade later, the Whitpain Township Police Department at 960 Wentz Road in Blue Bell, has obtained all the requisite equipment, and acknowledge[d] that it shall fully comply with the terms of the countywide booking center plan, the resolution states.

Additionally, the municipal law enforcement agency would need to assume fiscal responsibility for the annual equipment maintenance fee.

The areas criminal justice advisory board endorsed the initiative after going over the proposal, Stein said.

By adding Whitpain Township Police Department to the booking center community that would relieve further strain from the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, Stein said.

Montgomery County Commissioners Chairwoman Valerie Arkoosh moved to approve the resolution, which Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence, Jr. seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Motorola Moto G9 Plus and Moto E7 Plus are the two upcoming phones from the company

Motorola Moto G9 Plus and Moto E7 Plus are the two upcoming phones from the company in the mid-range and budget smartphone segments respectively. Details about the Moto G9 Plus and E7 Plus have been leaked earlier as well and this new leak sheds some more light on the pricing and specifications of the G9 Plus and E7 Plus.

Motorola Razr 5G was announced just the other day as an upgrade to the Moto Razr 2019 as it brings about a lot of minute but necessary changes to the design as well as internal hardware. According to a report by WinFuture, Moto G9 Plus is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor with 64MP quad cameras on the back. The new leak reveals details about the camera setup used by the G9 Plus along with pricing.

The Moto G9 Plus is expected to be priced starting at EUR 250 for the base variant and the maxed out variant with 128GB storage is expected to retail for EUR 299. The Moto E7 Plus is priced at EUR 149 for the single 4GB+64GB variant. It is currently unclear as to when Motorola plans to launch the Moto E7 Plus and Moto G9 Plus. Lets take a look at the leaked specifications of the Moto G9 Plus and E7 Plus.

Moto G9 Plus leaked specifications

Moto G9 Plus features a 6.8-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution display with a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. As per the listing, the Moto G9 Plus measures 9.69 millimetres in thickness and weighs 223 grams.

The G9 Plus is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor. This could be paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage and there could be multiple variants made available at the time of launch. Moreover, the phone supports microSD cards of upto 128GB for users to expand the storage further. T

he phone is rumoured to come with a quad-camera setup that consists of a primary 64MP camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro lens. On the front, there could be a 16MP selfie camera housed within the notch cutout.

The Moto G9 Plus has been rumoured to come fitted with a 5,000mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging out-of-the-box.

Moto E7 Plus leaked specifications

The Moto E7 Plus features a 6.5-inch HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels) resolution display with a waterdrop notch cutout for the selfie camera. The phone has a squircle camera module on the back followed by the iconic Motorola Batwing logo in the centre that doubles up as a fingerprint reader.

The E7 Plus is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor and is paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Theres an option to expand the storage by using a microSD card slot.

On the back, theres a 48MP primary camera along with a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is an 8MP selfie camera.

The Moto E7 Plus is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery with normal charging speeds of 10W.
The fifth edition of EGYPS (EGYPS 2021), Egypts top oil and gas show will take place from May 31 to June 2, 2021, according to dmg events, organisers of the show.

The May-June dateline strategically provides the opportunity for key international, regional and local stakeholders to reconnect face-to-face in a safe show environment organised under the globally recognised framework and guidelines of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) and the World Health Organisation (Who).

Additionally, May offers safer planning for international travel and a more appropriate timeline to reconnect face-to-face with a wider and larger network of existing stakeholders and forge new business relationships as the world and industry looks to move on from the Covid-19 pandemic.

EGYPS 2021 will continue to contribute to the development of the industry, providing the regional platform to address current global challenges, promoting constructive partnerships and facilitating the exchange of technical expertise to innovate and create new opportunities to steer a sustainable energy future for the Eastern Mediterranean region and the world.

Tarek El Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and Chairman of EGYPS said: The Egyptian government is looking at additional ways to encourage international investments in the oil and gas sector to achieve high growth rates and boost Egypts global and regional position as the energy hub of choice.

El Molla continued: Holding EGYPS 2021 in May next year is an opportunity to highlight the status of the oil and gas industry and ongoing collaboration in light of current global circumstances, and discuss the solutions and more importantly partnerships that will contribute to achieving progress in the industry.

dmg events Global Energy President, Christopher Hudson said: We are pleased to be hosting the fifth anniversary edition of EGYPS in May 2021. The important role played by the Egyptian government, represented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, is reflected in the multilateral partnerships being implemented on a regional and international level to harness Egypts potential and industry positioning.

We look forward to welcoming the global oil and gas community to Cairo in 2021 and are also pleased to advise the Show will return to its traditional February timeline from 2022, he added.-- Tradearabia News Service
By Elizabeth Piper and William James LONDON (Reuters) - Britain plunged Brexit trade talks into crisis on Wednesday by explicitly acknowledging it could break international law by ignoring some parts of its European Union divorce treaty, prompting a rapid rebuke from the EU's chief executive. Brushing aside warnings from Brussels that breaching the treaty would prevent any trade deal being struck, London said in the proposed legislation that it would ignore parts of the Withdrawal Agreement, which was only signed in January. The Internal Market Bill spells out that certain ...
We know there will be some things we need to do differently in Chicago than they have done in other cities," Andrea Cheng, an assistant water commissioner, said in an interview. We need to work on our coordination with other utilities. We are going to need a lot of public outreach. Learning how it all works on this one block will inform our bigger program in the future."
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dominguez Firm, a California based personal injury law firm, is very happy to announce that Ibrahim Djebbar has been selected as the winner of its Fall 2020 Collegiate Scholarship Award. Ibrahim will receive $5,000 towards his college tuition.

Ibrahim Djebbar

With this scholarship, The Dominguez Firm continues its tradition of giving back to the community and working to bring about positive change. J.J. Dominguez, Founder and CEO of The Dominguez Firm established this scholarship to encourage and assist exceptional students who share this same mindset. Today, The Dominguez Firm Collegiate Scholarship Award has evolved to shine the spotlight on two deserving undergraduate students per year.

This fall's scholarship recipient, Ibrahim Djebbar shared his incredible story of perseverance and personal growth with us. He and his family were forced to endure a civil war in their native Algeria which made it very difficult for him to attend school. With their help, Ibrahim graduated high school with an eye towards becoming an electrical engineer. But he was forced to cut his education short and go to work to help his parents. He found a job at an appliance factory, which gave him further insight into the career he wanted to pursue.

Ibrahim's life changed completely when he won the U.S. Immigration Diversity Lottery. Encouraged by his parents, he embarked on a new chapter in his life and arrived in Boston knowing no English. Undeterred, he worked 35 hours a week while taking on a full course load at Bunker Hill Community College. Ibrahim worked diligently on his English while also finding time to volunteer as a math and physics tutor for his fellow students at BHCC. Upon reading his essay, it's safe to say that today, Ibrahim's English language skills are impressive. Recently, he was able to transfer to USC where he's majoring in electrical engineering.

"I am very excited to be one of your recipients for the fall 2020 semester. Getting this scholarship during this pandemic will help me a lot to save my time and focus more on my education," Ibrahim said. Given his determination, we're confident he will finish his studies and obtain his master's and Ph.D. degrees as he wrote. His main objective is to help Algeria and other countries improve or build reliable electrical systems. We wish him all the best and know we'll be hearing great things about him in the years to come.

The Dominguez Firm is a powerhouse personal injury and employment law firm that has been helping clients for over 30 years. The firm's award-winning attorneys have recovered over $750 million for deserving clients with a focus on outstanding customer service. For a free consultation, call 800-818-1818. Available 24/7.

Contact:

Rosalia Rodriguez

8008181818

[email protected]

SOURCE The Dominguez Firm, LLP
By ANI

NEW DELHI: India and China are in touch with each other through military and diplomatic channels to resolve the ongoing situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

"Both India and China are in regular touch through military and diplomatic channels to resolve the situation. This was also the consensus when the two Defence Ministers met," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during virtual weekly briefing.

"As we have reiterated several times in the past, Indian side is committed to resolving the current situation on India-China border through peaceful negotiations," he said.

ALSO READ | Indian army further strengthens dominance in strategic heights in eastern Ladakh

Chinese soldiers fired in the air while attempting to close in on Indian positions across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the Indian Army said on Tuesday adding that Chinese troops have been "blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres."

In a statement, the Army said on Tuesday that the Chinese troops were "attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops, People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate."

India recently outflanked China by taking control of strategic height near Pangong Lake's southern bank. It thwarted an attempt by the Chinese soldiers to transgress into Indian areas near the southern bank of Pangong Tso near Chushul in Ladakh.

ALSO READ | S Jaishankar to meet Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow: MEA

India and China have been engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot springs and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June.

Last Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the SCO dialogue in Moscow that attempts by Chinese troops to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC was in violation of the bilateral agreements, and Beijing should work with New Delhi for complete disengagement from all friction areas including Pangong Tso.
The starting point for the virtual adventure was the current-gen Tacoma , in SR5 form (this is the medium-level trim of the truck).Digital artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel, who is responsible for the project, made most of the changes underneath the vehicle rather than focusing on items such as overfenders and other hardware of the sort, which are extremely popular these days (that path usually sees workhorses going down rather than up).The areas touched by the transformation involve the axles, the suspension, the wheels and, of course, the go-anywhere Bogger tires.Having dealt with that part of the task, the digital master gifted the Toyota Tacoma with a massive bull bar, while a winch and extra lights also adorn the front end. The same bar design can be found in the bed, while those lights have also made their way to this part of the vehicle.We cant overlook the grey hue, which seems to fit this bad boy like a glove  from the certain angles, the overly glossy finish of the truck will easily capture ones attention.Now, this Toyota Tacoma heavy terrain update can also serve as a tutorial for those wishing to improve their pixel skills. So, while the Instagram post below is a visual treat, there's also a YouTube clip underneath it.The vid takes us into the Corona Renderer universe, which is where this toy was born. And, as the artist suggests in the description of the clip, setting the playback speed to 0.25 will allow this to help with the knowledge transfer.
India-Japan sign mutual logistics pact amidst Chinas expansionist behaviour

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 10: India and Japan have signed a mutual military logistics pack. The pact was signed by defence secretary Ajay Kumar and Japanese ambassador Suzuki Satoshi.

The agreement signed in the midst of China's expansionist behaviour provides for the creation of a framework for closer cooperation, interoperability and use of each other's military facilities by the armed forces of the two countries.

The agreement establishes the enabling framework for closer cooperation between the armed forces of India and Japan in reciprocal provision of supplies and services while engaged in bilateral training activities, the defence ministry spokesperson said.

Amidst tensions with China, why the Indo-Japan ACSA agreement is important

Similar agreements have been signed by India with US, France, South Korea, Singapore and Australia. The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement which is linked with the US in 2016 gives India refuelling facilities and access to American bases in Djibouti, Diego Garcia, Guam and Subic Bay.

The pact with France extends the Indian Navy's reach in south western IOR. The MLSA with Australia will help us to extend the reach of our warships in the Southern IOR as well as the Western Pacific Region.

On the other hand Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe listed actions taken by India and Japan to realise the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and also the elevation of the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries.

Abe made the remarks during a 30 minute phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a readout from Japan's foreign ministry. The two leaders made it clear that change in Japan's leadership will not affect the overall bilateral relations.

The Japanese readout said, "both Prime Ministers affirmed that the basic policy of Japan-India-emphasis remains unchanged, and concurred with each other that the two countries continue to work closely in such areas as security, economy, and economic cooperation including the high-speed rail project."

Abe said, both Prime Ministers, "took actions towards realising the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and the special strategic and global partnership between Japan and India was elevated to greater heights."

"This agreement will facilitate the smooth provision of supplies and services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Indian armed forces. It will also promote closer cooperation between the forces on the ground, thereby contributing further to global peace and security," the readout also said.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

While explaining his decision to step down, Abe expressed gratitude for the friendship and relationship of trust. PM Modi expressed his appreciation for the overall efforts by Abe and recalled the time spent together, the readout also said.

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Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 15:37 [IST]
American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG), today announced that Chris Rash has been appointed Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of Talbot Underwriting Ltd ("Talbot"), which operates within the Lloyd's Insurance Market through Syndicate 1183. Mr. Rash has also been appointed to the Talbot Underwriting Board. Subject to regulatory approval of both appointments, Mr. Rash is expected to join Talbot by January 1, 2021 and will be based in London.

Mr. Rash will report to the Talbot Underwriting Board and to Jon Hancock, Chief Executive Officer of AIG International General Insurance. In this role, he will oversee all aspects of Talbot's operations. Upon Mr. Rash's arrival at Talbot, acting Talbot CEO, David Morris, will be appointed Talbot's Chief Underwriting Officer.

Mr. Rash joins Talbot from StarStone Group, where he was most recently interim Group CEO, having previously served as CEO of International and Deputy Group CEO. A seasoned executive with extensive international leadership experience in insurance and finance, Mr. Rash joined StarStone in August 2018 as Executive Chairman before assuming the newly created role of President in October 2018 to lead execution and operational capabilities. Formerly, he was Group CFO for MS Amlin plc and previously served as Commercial Director and CFO at the National House Building Corporation, and prior to that as Group Chief Accountant at RSA Group.

Mr. Hancock said: "I am pleased to welcome Chris to Talbot. His significant international leadership experience in insurance and finance ideally suit him to serve as CEO of Talbot. I look forward to supporting Chris' leadership at this pivotal time, as we continue to position AIG's businesses at Lloyd's to deliver innovation and sustained profitable growth."

Mr Rash said: "I am delighted to join Talbot and its talented team of colleagues at this moment of profound opportunity in the insurance industry. I look forward to positioning Talbot to provide unique expertise and strategic value to our clients and stakeholders."

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading global insurance organization. AIG member companies provide a wide range of property casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement solutions, and other financial services to customers in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions. These diverse offerings include products and services that help businesses and individuals protect their assets, manage risks and provide for retirement security. AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Additional information about AIG can be found at www.aig.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/aig Twitter: @AIGinsurance www.twitter.com/AIGinsurance LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aig. These references with additional information about AIG have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty, life and retirement, and general insurance operations of American International Group, Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aig.com. All products and services are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. Products or services may not be available in all countries and jurisdictions, and coverage is subject to underwriting requirements and actual policy language. Non-insurance products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Certain property-casualty coverages may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds, and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005493/en/

Contacts:

AIG:

Sabra Purtill (Investors): +1-212-770-7074; sabra.purtill@aig.com

Hannah Scott (Media): +44 20 7954 7289; hannah.scott@aig.com

Talbot:

Graham Keast: +44 20 7550 3773; graham.keast@talbotuw.com
German investigators believe Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a new deadlier, slow-acting form of novichok, according to a report.

Navalny, 44, was roused from an induced coma in Berlin this week after falling ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow on August 20. He has been able to talk but it is unclear whether he will suffer from long-term nerve damage.

Germany's chemical weapons laboratory in Munich is certain that it found novichok in samples of Navalny's blood, urine, skin and a bottle he was drinking from.

The compound is a slow-acting form of the nerve agent that was used against Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the Salisbury attack in 2018, German paper Die Zeit reported.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at a rally to mark the 5th anniversary of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov's murder and to protest against proposed amendments to the country's constitution, in Moscow, Russia February 29, 2020

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Russia has 'very serious questions to answer,' while Vladimir Putin's office has poured scorn on the allegations

The new structure of the nerve agent, originally formulated by Soviet chemists in the 1970s, is believed to have been previously unknown to Western agencies.

What is Novichok and how does it kill? The Novichok family of nerve agents were secretly developed over two decades at a research facility 50 miles outside the Russian capital. Many times more potent than other better known chemical weapons, Novichok agents can render gas masks and protective equipment useless. Sometimes described as 'gases' they are in fact liquid, intended to be delivered as a fine spray. A series of poisons, known as Novichok 5, 7, 8 and 9 to identify them, were produced amid conditions of complete secrecy. They all kill the same way. By inhibiting enzymes that control nerve receptors in the brain. One expert said victims simply 'forget to breathe'. A tiny drop, almost undetectable, placed on the skin or inhaled can cause death within minutes. Advertisement

The German government has given evidence to the Bundestag intelligence committee that toxicology results point to a Russian state agency such as the FSB, MPs have revealed.

It is believed that an agent tailing Navalny slipped the poison into his drink at the airport and that he would fall severely ill on his plane with no chance of survival at 30,000ft.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said last week: 'There are very serious questions now that only the Russian government can answer, and must answer.'

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that allegations of Kremlin involvement 'absolutely cannot be true and are rather an empty noise'.

After Navalny fell ill, the aircraft made an emergency landing in Omsk and he was rushed to hospital in the Siberian city.

The following weekend he was airlifted to Berlin, where doctors at the Charite treated him with the antidote atropine and kept him in a medically induced coma.

The hospital said in an initial statement last week that clinical tests 'indicate poisoning with a substance from the group of cholinesterase inhibitors', which are used in medicines and insecticides but also in nerve agents.

News of his gradual recovery came as Merkel indicated that she might be willing to rethink the fate of a controversial German-Russian gas pipeline project  a sign of Berlin's growing frustration over Moscow's stonewalling about the case.

German foreign minister Heiko Maas said on Sunday that the Russian reaction could determine whether Germany changes its long-standing backing for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which brings Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine.

Navalny being taken to an ambulance in Omsk (left) after falling ill on a plane following a trip to an airport cafe (right) where his friends suspect he could have been poisoned

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny - pictured, centre, shortly before he fell ill on August 20 - is in a coma at a German hospital after allegedly being poisoned

'The chancellor also believes that it's wrong to rule anything out,' Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters on Monday after being asked about Mr Maas's comments.

Previously, Mrs Merkel had insisted on 'decoupling' the Navalny case from the pipeline project, which the US strongly opposes.

In August, three US Republican senators threatened sanctions against the operator of a Baltic Sea port located in Mrs Merkel's parliamentary constituency for its role as a staging post for ships involved in building Nord Stream 2.

Mr Seibert cautioned that it was premature to expect Moscow to respond to the matter within a few days, but made it clear that Berlin wants answers soon.

'I can't express a clear, time-limited expectation, except that we are certainly not talking about months or the end of the year,' he said.

German diplomats rejected the Russian suggestion that Berlin was to blame for any delay in investigating the case, noting that Mr Navalny was first treated for suspected poisoning in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20.

'All evidence, witnesses, traces and so forth are in the place where the crime was committed, presumably somewhere in Siberia,' said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Christofer Burger.

The co-leader of Germany's opposition Green party, Robert Habeck, called on the government to take a stronger stance and 'bury' the pipeline project.

Russian double agent Sergei Skripal (right) and his daughter Yulia were taken ill in Salisbury in March 2018, causing a political storm when their identities were revealed

The project 'divides Europe, it is economically nonsensical and oversized, and it is wrong in security policy terms', Mr Habeck said.

Completing it 'would mean that Russia can do what it wants. This signal must not be sent'.

Mikhail Ulyanov, the Russian envoy to international organisations in Vienna, voiced suspicions about the timing of demands to link the pipeline with the Navalny case.

'Suspicious coincidence of Navalny case and the final stage of Nord Stream 2 construction, which some states desperately want to be closed. I am not fond of conspiracy theories but it is obvious that the tragic events with Navalny are very timely and helpful for opponents of NS2,' he tweeted.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers in China have applied an array of sensorsan electronic nosethat can sniff bouquet of rice wine and offer an estimate of the vintage. Writing in the International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, the scientists explain how their artificial olfactory system takes data from sensors sampling a rice wine and uses a computer to carry out a statistical analysis of the signals to give an essentially 100 percent accurate age for the wine.

Wei Ding, Peiyi Zhu, and Ya Gu of the Changshu Institute of Technology in Jiangsu explain how they can quickly record a profile of the volatile substances present in a rice wine sample using a Taguchi Gas Sensor. The data from samples of known vintage can then be used to train an algorithm that applies a range of analytical statistical methods to find a correlation between the chemical profile of those volatile compounds and the age of the rice wine. When the system is then presented with a sample of an unknown wine the training process works in reverse to extract a profile and suggest a vintage.

The team reports that their early tests using Linear Discriminant Analysis as the statistical method could give them an accuracy a little short of 100 percent and at that level could not distinguish between wines that were made within a year or so of each other. They used a more sophisticated analysis based on a Back Propagation Neural Network and this improved the results so that they could give a vintage for any rice wine sample to the precise year it was produced, thus with 100 percent accuracy. Knowing the precise year in which a wine is produced is key to its value and to its consumption.

Explore further New model gives wineries better data from existing tests

More information: Wei Ding et al. Age identification of Chinese rice wine using electronic nose, International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology (2020). Wei Ding et al. Age identification of Chinese rice wine using electronic nose,(2020). DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2020.109345
The Woodlands Township Board of Directors election is picking up steam as the final few weeks of campaigning will be capped by a series of online forums hosted by The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

On Tuesday, members of a new political action committee in The Woodlands  the Township Future PAC  unveiled their endorsements for the 2020 board races, choosing three candidates but not making an endorsement in the Position 1 Seat race.

Related: Woodlands residents form new TownshipFuture PAC

Several candidates had also been endorsed in August by the members of The Woodlands Professional Firefighters Association. That entity, said President Erik Secrest, chose all four incumbents as their selections for township board.

Township Future tabs 3 candidates

The newly formed PAC, which is comprised of an array of local figures from political parties across the liberal and conservative spectrum, formed a vetting committee, said PAC Board Member Ted Stanley, who is also heavily involved in the Village of College Park local village association. The group sent out questionnaires to all 10 candidates across the four seat races and received seven responses. Of those seven, five were interviewed by the committee in Zoom online sessions before endorsements were made.

Related: Candidate slate set for Nov. 5 Woodlands board election

Township Future spokesperson Amy Lecocq said the group only chose endorsements for three seats because they were unable to offer support to any of the Position 1 seat candidates based on their platforms and interactions, or lack of, from the three seeking that seat.

Through our vetting process for Position No. 1, although each candidate fit some of our criteria, the vetting committee did not uncover a candidate who met our very high standards for an endorsed candidate and therefore we did not endorse in Position No. 1, Lecocq said. There were candidates that did not return their forms.

The Position 2 seat endorsement was for Jimmie Dotson, a long-time police veteran who is the first Black candidate in the history of the township. Officials said Dotsons long record of service at the Houston Police Department, the Chattanooga, Tenn., Police Department and the Houston Independent School District was pivotal iin their choice. Dotson is opposed to incorporation of The Woodlands, a view that some members of the new PAC also share.

Related: Dotson is first Black candidate for Woodlands Township board

In Position 3 seat, the group went with the only candidate in the race: John A. Brown, calling him a defender of the people.

Stanley said Brown was active in community issues and embodies leadership and is not afraid to, tackle tough issues. Brown is also a member of the Development Standards Committee and the Village of Alden Bridge Association board.

Related: Hannon to challenge Rieser for Woodlands Township board seat

For Position 4 seat, the group opted for The Rev. Daniel Hannon over incumbent Bruce Rieser. The PAC committee felt Hannon was a better representative for the residents than Rieser, saying he had a long and successful career as the founding pastor of one of the largest churches in The Woodlands. The group also said Hannons 30-year residency in the township shows he knows the community; they also touted what they claimed was his belief in limited government.

Firefighters choose incumbents

Similar to what they did in the 2018 and 2019 township board elections, The Woodlands Professional Firefighters Association has endorsed only incumbents in the 2020 election.

Erik Secrest, president of the firefighters union, said the group has endorsed Gordy Bunch for Position 1, Jason J. Nelson for Position 2, John A. Brown for Position 3 and Bruce Rieser for Position 4.

In 2018, the group endorsed Brown, Bunch, Rieser and Boniface. Only Boniface and Rieser faced challengers that year.

In 2019, the firefighters endorsed incumbent Ann Snyder, but because two sitting board members that year opted to not seek re-election  John McMullan and Carol Stromatt  the group picked only one challener, Bob Milner in the Position 7 race. The firefighters did not endorse any candidate in the 2019 Position 5 seat race.

For the 2020 election, Secrest said the organization representing more than 145 firefighters in the township felt the four incumbents best represented their interests as first responders.

We endorsed (the four incumbents) based on their past support of public safety, Secrest said. Bruce (Rieser) and Gordy (Bunch) have been on the board a long time and theyve both been pivotal in the department getting that ISO 1 rating.

Secrest said the group was also very appreciative of Browns efforts to help the department and they were appreciative of Jason Nelsons commitment to the township in his first months on the board as an appointee.

Voter outreach

The Township Future PAC will host a voter outreach effort and awareness booth at The Woodlands Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 19. The booth will have information on local candidate for the township board as well as information on voting locations, mail-in voting and other issues.

The township election is Nov. 3, with early voting beginning Oct. 13, and continuing through Oct. 30.

jeff.forward@chron.com
He also co-chaired the 21st ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers Meeting and the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting, and attended the ASEAN-RoK Ministerial Meeting. At the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting, the ministers shared the view that the strategic partnership between ASEAN and China has brought about practical interests to both sides. ASEAN applauded Chinas cooperation and support in the fight against COVID-19, and suggested the country actively participate in the groupings initiatives like the COVID-19 response fund, regional reserves of medical supplies and recovery framework.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting. (Photo: VNA)

The two sides agreed to step up cooperation in such priority areas as digital economic development, cyber security, natural disaster response, people-to-people exchange and maritime collaboration, while pushing ahead with the building of the ASEAN-China action plan for 2021-2025.

At the 21st ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers Meeting, Minh said this is time for the ASEAN+3 mechanism to prove its value and capacity in the pandemic combat, and suggested China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) continue their coordination with ASEAN in this regard, towards sustainable regional recovery.

The ministers consented to continue implementing the resolutions adopted by leaders at the Special ASEAN+3 Summit on COVID-19, and committed to enhancing cooperation in food security via the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), digital transformation, regional financial and economic stability through the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) Agreement, and health care.

They were also resolved to soon conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.

At the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting, Minh called on Japan to continue its support to and engagement in ASEANs initiatives relating to COVID-19 and soon help with the establishment of the ASEAN centre for public health emergencies and emerging diseases in 2020.

He also suggested the two sides make the best use of the ASEAN-Japan Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Meanwhile, during the ASEAN-RoK Ministerial Meeting, the two sides affirmed their resolve to enhance cooperation to consolidate the strategic partnership.

ASEAN lauded the RoK for its support in the pandemic combat and called on the country to assist the grouping in digital transformation, the application of new technologies and optimising opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The ministers approved the action plan between ASEAN and the RoK for 2021-2025.

In the discussions, the ministers of China, Japan and RoK expressed their desire for strengthening the cooperation among the sides, their high valuation of the ASEANs effective response to the COVID-19, and readiness to support ASEANs initiatives in the pandemic fight.

On regional and international situation, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and partner countries exchanged ideas on issue of common concern like the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Rakhine state and the East Sea. They stressed the need for close coordination, strengthened dialogues and cooperation on the basis of upholding the rule of the law and common standards. They shared a joint viewpoint on maintaining peace, stability, safety and security, freedom of navigation and aviation in the region, including the East Sea; and stressed the importance of settling the disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of international law.

Speaking at the meetings, Minh affirmed that as the Chair of the ASEAN 2020, Vietnam will, together with other ASEAN members, actively work out measures and policies to further deepen the relations of strategic cooperation with the partners. He asked the partner countries to continue supporting ASEAN in the building of the Community, and proposed to intensify the cooperation among the sides in the research and production of vaccines and medicines against COVID-19.

On international and regional situation, Minh expressed his concerns on the complicated development in the East Sea while states are focusing their efforts against the pandemic. Legitimate rights and interests of the sides must be ensured, and differences and disputes settled on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, he stressed.

The official asked the sides to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of the Sides in the East Sea (DOC) and to soon resume the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)

Repeating ASEANs stance on the East Sea at the 36th ASEAN Summit in June 2020, Minh called on the sides to intensify the building of trust and mutual trust, and to prevent the acts that complicate the situation and affect peace and stability.

There must be no militarisation while the disputes must be settled through peaceful measures with respect to international law, he stressed./.
TIAST Group, a Chinese owned company on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Stanbic Bank to provide massive boost for the cassava industry in the agricultural sector.

Cassava, one of the main tuber crops cultivated by farmers in almost every part of Ghana has since time immemorial provided food for all kinds of people in the country.

Unfortunately, the larger population of cassava farmers has little or nothing to show for themselves when compared to cocoa farmers and others.

Every year, almost half of the cassava produce harvested by farmers go waste because of the lack of processing factories to process the tubers into starch and other products for exportation.

Following several engagements, TIAST Group and Stanbic Bank have come together to cushion cassava farmers to transform the industry with the hope of making it boom like cocoa one day.

For the start, the equipment suppliers and the financial services providers have by the signing of the MoU agreed to resources actors in the cassava industry value chain for the setting up of as many processing factories with very low risk.

TIAST and Stanbic Bank has entered into a strategic partnership to provide financial support by granting the buyer with 2-5 years of equipment financial leasing service.

This service is different from other commercial services, loan service. It is a complete investor closed-loop support service from starting up the factory to off-take, Lisa Hao, Chief Business Officer at TIAST explained to stakeholders at the signing ceremony.

Lisa Hao

According to her, TIAST will help value chain actors to design capacity to match the standardized production line equipment, to supply spare parts, to train the local technicians, to provide equipment maintenance service regularly with the local team, and to provide off-take service to ensure the processing factories see the light of day once an interested party takes advantage of the partnership.

Mr Alhassan Andani who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Stanbic Bank, said his outlet is excited to be working with TIAST and hopes the venture will replicate another COCOBOD story in the cassava industry.

This is an opportunity for us working with TIAST to ensure that we can have the appropriate equipment that the suppliers stand by it and committed to support and maintain of this equipment and committed to helping us to build a global market for the final output of this cassava, the starch or the ethanol, he added.

Mr. Alhassan Andani

Representing the Minister of Trade and Industry at the ceremony, Mr Patrick Nimo noted that the Ministry welcomes the partnership between TIAST Group and Stanbic Bank.

According to him, it is partnerships like this that will support the modernization of the entire cassava value chain and empower farmers to invest their all to ensure higher production.

Reading a speech on behalf of the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Richard Twumasi-Ankrah stressed that the Ministry through its policies and program interventions will support the initiative.

He continued, It is gratifying to know that the partnership between SIAST and Stanbic Bank in making cassava processing equipment available to value chain actors is focused.

There are huge opportunities to be exploited through this initiative which will go a long way to reduce post-harvest losses and in the process create jobs.

Key details about the TIAST-Stanbic Bank partnership:

Basically what the MoU seeks to achieve is for TIAST as a technology provider to facilitate value addition in the cassava value addition chain.

Stanbic Bank will serve as a financing partner to help farmers in financing the equipment farmers, entrepreneurs, actors in the value chain will be purchasing from TIAST.

Stanbic Bank is ready to finance up to 85% of whatever machine or equipment the farmer will want to purchase from TIAST Group for the setting up of the cassava processing factory

Funding will be spread between 2-5 years for the repayment to allow the farmer or entrepreneur to have enough time to pay from the profit generated.

The agreement is to help all actors in the value chain of the Cassava industry to benefit as well as the country at the end of the day.
New Delhi/Mumbai, Sep 10 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which registered a case of money laundering in connection with the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, is soon likely to register another case on the basis of the findings of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The NCB arrested the late actor's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty on Tuesday The ED has registered a case of money laundering on July 31 on the basis of an FIR filed by the Bihar Police on the complaint of Sushant's father K. K.Singh.

Singh in his complaint to the Bihar Police had alleged that Rs 15 crore was withdrawn from the account of the late actor to other bank accounts of which the family has no connection. A top ED official said that the agency is looking at all the angles to register a fresh case of money laundering on the basis of the findings of the NCB.

The official said that the financial probe agency is taking legal assistance to understand the legality for registering a fresh case as the case of NCB has been registered under the NDPS Act.

The official said, "Earlier we registered a case on the basis of Singh's complaint, which dealt with the money laundering in relation to Sushant's bank account. While the new case will be based on the findings of the NCB, as it has made several arrests." The official further said that the ED will also look after the angle of money generated through the drug trafficking and drug procurement. The money generated through drug sales, purchase and trafficking will be considered as proceeds of crime in the new case, another official said.

The official also said, "We will take the copy of the investigation of the NCB and then study that. After studying the documents, we will decide to register a fresh case," the official added.

Sushant was found dead on June 14 in his Bandra flat.

The NCB has registered a case against Rhea, her brother Showik, Goa based hotelier Gaurav Arya, talent manager Jaya Saha and Sushant's house manager Samuel Miranda and others.

The NCB has arrested Rhea, Showik, Miranda, Sushant's personal staff Dipesh Sawant on the charges of procuring drugs. A Mumbai court has sent Rhea to judicial custody till September 22. Rhea, her family members, including her father Indrajit, mother Sandhya, brother Showik and others are being investigated by the CBI, ED and the NCB.

The ED has already recorded the statements of Rhea, Showik, Indrajit, Sushant's ex-manager Shruti Modi, Sushant's flatmate Siddharth Pithani, Miranda and others. The ED has also recorded the statement of Sushant's father K. K.Singh, sisters Priyanka Singh and Meetu Singh.

A team of the CBI's SIT is camping in Mumbai along with a team of the forensic department since August 20. They have visited the flat of Sushant in the Bandra area, Waterstone resort and Cooper Hospital several times. The CBi has also recorded the statement of several people in connection with the case.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery
Stock pickers are generally looking for stocks that will outperform the broader market. And in our experience, buying the right stocks can give your wealth a significant boost. To wit, the GlaxoSmithKline share price has climbed 19% in five years, easily topping the market decline of 7.6% (ignoring dividends).

Check out our latest analysis for GlaxoSmithKline

To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

During five years of share price growth, GlaxoSmithKline actually saw its EPS drop 7.7% per year.

Since the EPS are down strongly, it seems highly unlikely market participants are looking at EPS to value the company. Given that EPS is down, but the share price is up, it seems clear the market is focussed on other aspects of the business, at the moment.

We note that the dividend has not increased, so that doesn't seem to explain the increase, either. But it's reasonably likely that the 7.7% annual compound revenue growth is considered evidence that GlaxoSmithKline has plenty of growth ahead of it. In that case, the company may be sacrificing current earnings per share to drive growth.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on GlaxoSmithKline

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 is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. As it happens, GlaxoSmithKline's TSR for the last 5 years was 56%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

While it's certainly disappointing to see that GlaxoSmithKline shares lost 3.3% throughout the year, that wasn't as bad as the market loss of 11%. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 9.3%, each year, over five years. In the best case scenario the last year is just a temporary blip on the journey to a brighter future. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand GlaxoSmithKline better, we need to consider many other factors. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for GlaxoSmithKline you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit unpleasant.

GlaxoSmithKline is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on GB exchanges.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Chinese fighter jets approached Taiwan on Thursday for a second day in a row, the island's defence ministry said, urging China to stop 'destroying regional peace' in a further ratcheting up of tension across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has held numerous military exercises up and down its coast and near the island in recent weeks.

The defence ministry said Su-30 fighters and Y-8 transport aircraft were among the Chinese aircraft that entered Taiwan's air identification zone to its southwest on Thursday morning.

Taiwan's defence ministry said China's Su-30 fighters and Y-8 transport aircraft entered the island's air identification zone to its southwest on Thursday morning. In the file picture above, a Chinese Air Force Su-30 fighter is refueled during a routine combat simulation drill in 2016

'The Defence Ministry once again urged the Chinese Communist Party must not to repeatedly destroy regional peace and stability,' it said, adding that the action has triggered antipathy among the people of Taiwan.

Taiwan scrambled aircraft to intercept the Chinese planes, the ministry added, saying it was able to track the 'enemy's movement' quickly. China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Taiwan has repeatedly complained that China, which has not ruled out the use of force to bring the democratic island under its control, has stepped up military threats in recent months as the world tackles the coronavirus pandemic.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (pictured on August 12 this year) has warned of a rising risk of accidental conflict over the disputed South China Sea and around Taiwan

Beijing routinely says such exercises are not unusual and are designed to show its determination to defend its sovereignty.

Taiwan is carrying out livefire weapons tests off its southeast and eastern coast.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has warned of a rising risk of accidental conflict over the disputed South China Sea and around Taiwan, saying communication must be maintained to cut the risk of miscalculation.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, today announced the appointment of Hope Mehlman as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, as well as Corporate Secretary of BNP Paribas USA Inc, the holding company that oversees its retail and wholesale banking activities. She will lead Bank of the West's legal activities, regulatory relations and government affairs functions and serve as a member of the Bank's Executive Management Committee. As an integral part of the BNP Paribas Americas legal team, Mehlman will work closely with BNP Paribas Group legal teams. She will also serve as a member of the BNP Paribas USA Executive Management Committee.

Mehlman will succeed Vanessa Washington who will retire from the Bank at the end of the month after 14 impactful years.

"Hope will take on the critical role of designing and executing the Bank's legal and regulatory strategy in line with our business goals, while fostering a culture of risk awareness and accountability," said Nandita Bakhshi, President and CEO at Bank of the West. "I am thrilled to welcome her to Bank of the West."

A veteran in the financial services industry, Mehlman joins Bank of the West from Regions Financial Corporation. During her 14 years at Regions, she held significant and wide-ranging roles most recently as EVP, Corporate Secretary, Chief Governance Officer and Deputy General Counsel. She has led teams who specialized in corporate governance; securities law; Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, reporting, and disclosures; legal and regulatory compliance; employee benefits; and intellectual property portfolio management and related litigation. Prior to Regions, Mehlman was a partner in a private practice focused on a full range of corporate governance, regulatory, compliance, and other issues affecting financial institutions' operations.

"Hope's expertise in both private practice and financial services will serve her well in this position, and she will play an important role in continuing the strong collaboration between Bank of the West and BNP Paribas," said Peter Cooke, Managing Director, Americas General Counsel, BNP Paribas.

Mehlman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, a juris doctor degree from Seton Hall University Law School and a LL. M. from NYU Graduate School of Law.

About Bank of the West

At Bank of the West, we know money deposited in a bank has the power to finance positive change. So we are taking action to ensure our activities help protect the planet, improve people's lives, and strengthen communities. We are redefining banking for a better future by focusing on areas where we believe we can have a real impact: supporting energy transition, helping enable women entrepreneurs, and financing innovative start-ups. As the bank for a changing world, Bank of the West is committed to sustainable finance along with our parent company BNP Paribas. Through Digital Channels and offices across the U.S., Bank of the West provides financial tools and resources to more than 2 million individuals, families and businesses.

 2020 Bank of the West. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California.

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Linkedin Cecile Mantovani and Michelle Nichols (Reuters) Geneva, Switzerland/New York, United States  Thu, September 10, 2020 12:00 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f87ae 2 Environment greenhouse-gas,climate-change,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-lockdown,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona Free

Concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere hit a record high this year, a United Nations report showed on Wednesday, as an economic slowdown amid the coronavirus pandemic had little lasting effect.

The sharp, but short, dip earlier this year represented only a blip in the build-up of climate-warming carbon dioxide, now at its highest level in 3 million years.

"We have seen a drop in the emissions this year because of the COVID crisis and lockdowns in many countries ... but this is not going to change the big picture," Petteri Taalas, head of the World Meteorological Organization, a U.N. agency based in Geneva, told Reuters Television.

"We have continued seeing records in atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide."

While daily emissions fell in April by 17% relative to the previous year, those were still on a par with 2006  underlining how much emissions have grown in recent years.

And by early June, as factories and offices reopened, emissions were back up to within 5% of 2019 levels, according to the report by several U.N. agencies.

Even if 2020 emissions are lower than last year's output by up to 7%, as expected, what is released will still contribute to the long-term accumulation since the industrial era.

"The consequences of our failure to get to grips with the climate emergency are everywhere," said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, launching the report in New York.

"Whether we are tackling a pandemic or the climate crisis, it is clear that we need science, solidarity and decisive solutions."

Carbon Dioxide levels rising

Presenting the latest data on emissions, global temperatures and climate impacts on Earth's oceans and frozen regions, the report showed atmospheric concentration of CO2 hit 414.38 parts per million in July, compared with 411.74 ppm a year earlier.

Scientists say they consider 350 ppm, breached in 1988, a safe limit.

As CO2 levels have increased, global temperatures have also risen by about 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Scientists say a temperature rise beyond 1.5 or 2 degrees will lead to far worse impacts across the world, including droughts, stronger storms and extreme sea level rise.

"We are really only adapted and able to deal with a very small range of possible weather," Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at the University of Oxford, told Reuters.

"Even if this is just perturbed a little bit, we come very quickly to the edges of what we as societies can deal with."

The report detailed how climate change is expected to put hundreds of millions more people at risk of flooding. Access to fresh water is also projected to worsen.

The number of people living in water-scarce areas by mid-century is now estimated to reach up to 3.2 billion, up from the previous estimate of about 1.9 billion.
Toby Antony By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The NIA Court discussed threadbare all 12 types of evidence against Alan Shuhaib and Thwaha Fasal, the two youths arrested last November under terror charges, and found not even one to be sufficient enough to deny them bail.The lengthy verdict  it contained 64 pages  pronounced on Wednesday examined every charge invoked against the two accused youngsters.

The court observed that a number of persons are attracted to Maoist philosophy because of the oppression of the weaker section which they might have witnessed in the social setup. It is impossible to treat them as members of a terrorist organisation or liable for punishment for having faith in such a philosophy or sympathy towards people spreading such a philosophy, the court said.The NIA Court judge, Anil K Bhaskar, categorised evidence in 12 parts.

These include pamphlets and writings seized from the accused, participation of the accused in programmes conducted by frontal organisation of CPI (Maoist), banners prepared by the accused, literature seized from the accused, writings supporting forces in Jammu and Kashmir who are attempting to destabilise India and files with code languages.

One of the key observations by the court was regarding the banners soliciting support for the freedom struggle of Jammu and Kashmir, opposing the control of the Indian government there and fighting against the Hindu Brahmin fascist government seized from Thwaha. It is to be taken note that these banners were prepared in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 (A) of the Constitution by the Parliament. Any evaluation diverted from the context will lead to bad conclusion, the court said.

Adding to it, the court observed that protesting against government policies even if it is for a wrong cause cannot be termed as sedition. The right to protest is guaranteed by the Constitution. A contextual evaluation of the objectionable writing does not prima facie prove any attempt to create any hatred or contempt to the Government of India, nor does it excite disaffection, the court observed.

Similarly, on the seizure of a notice titled People should rise against Maoist hunt, it said, A perusal of the notice prima facie does not indicate any attempt to excite people to violently protest against the government. By this notice, people were not called upon to support the CPI(Maoist) movement but only to protest against the government action which they claimed to be wholly unjust, the verdict said.

KEY OBSERVATIONS

People are attracted to Maoist philosophy due to oppression of weaker sections

Impossible to treat them as members of terrorist organisation

Right to protest is guaranteed by the Constitution.

Chennithala hails bail

TPuram: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala has hailed the bail granted to Alan and Thwaha. He said the duo has been victims of CPMs double stand. While CPM at the national level was against slapping of UAPA, it supported the law when it came to power in the state.
The future of the boss of Rio Tinto was hanging in the balance last night as the crisis over the destruction of two 46,000-year-old Aboriginal cave shel- ters intensified.

The FTSE 100 mining giant's board met overnight in Australia to determine whether chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques and other senior figures should be sacked.

Two of the most powerful independent directors, former Centrica boss Sam Laidlaw and ex-Royal Dutch Shell finance head Simon Henry, want tough action.

Sacred site: Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto admitted damaging the the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelter in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia

It follows outrage over a bungled response that saw Rio cut the bonuses of Jacques and two other executives  but let them keep their jobs.

The crisis has infuriated shareholders in the UK and Australia, where Rio has vast operations.

The Church of England pensions fund is the latest investor to speak out, declaring that the decision merely to cut bonuses was 'not sufficient'.

Adam Matthews, director of ethics and engagement on the Church's pensions board, said: 'It's very much a test for the board how serious their response is.

'It's clear that investors don't feel that the measures they've outlined are sufficient.'

Bigwigs lead boardroom revolt Board members Sam Laidlaw, 64 (left) and Simon Henry (right) are leading the backlash against over the destruction of the Juukan Gorge caves The boardroom backlash over the destruction of the Juukan Gorge caves has been led by City heavyweights Sam Laidlaw and Simon Henry. Both have been non-executive directors at Rio Tinto since 2017 and are calling for stronger disciplinary action. Old Etonian Laidlaw, 64 (above left), was the chief executive of British Gas owner Centrica from 2006 to 2014 and has held senior positions at Chevron, HSBC and Hanson and has served on the UK Prime Ministers business advisory group. Henry, 59 (above right ), spent more than 30 years at Royal Dutch Shell, most notably as chief financial officer from 2009 to 2017. He also sits on the board of Lloyds Banking Group and the Governments defence audit committee.

Rio destroyed the sites in the Juukan Gorge, Western Australia, in May as part of plans to expand an iron ore mine.

Archaeologists insisted the caves were of immense value, with one showing evidence it had been occupied for 46,000 years by the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people. The PKKP people said the destruction was 'soul-destroying'.

The industry's relationship with indigenous communities has been slammed by politicians including ex-prime minister Kevin Rudd, who said the firm would be known as 'Rio TNT'.

He said: 'Rio Tinto has blown up its own reputation as anything approximating a responsible corporate citizen in Australia.

'The executives responsible for this decision should no longer be executives. For the company, I think their reputation now is mud.'

Rio Tinto's board met overnight in Australia to determine whether chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques and other senior figures should be sacked

Indigenous leaders on the National Native Title Council have demanded a management 'clean-out'.

They said: 'What led to the catastrophic destruction of Juukan Gorge was a result of the enormous cultural and values deficit within Rio Tinto.

The decision to slash executive bonuses has been rightfully regarded as falling significantly short of anything approaching appropriate accountability.'

Rio had permission from the regional government to blow them up but following the outcry its heritage laws are being redrafted.

Jacques and two other executives  Chris Salisbury and Simone Niven  could be asked to stand down. After an internal investigation they have had their 2020 bonuses docked. In 2019 the equivalent bonus was about 4million.

Jacques, 48, has earned 17.2million since he took over as chief executive in 2016.

Laidlaw and Henry are said to be at loggerheads with other board members and are urging the chairman to take a hard line. Rio declined to comment.
T his is the moment a sign language interpreter translated a heckler shouting "f*** you" at a Hawaii mayor during a coronavirus press briefing.

The heckling came as the Mayor of Honolulu Kirk Caldwell answered questions from the press about Covid-19 restrictions in the area.

As the mayor explained the importance of not mixing households during the pandemic, he was interrupted by the sound of a man shouting "f*** you in the distance.

A sign language interpreter, who stood two metres apart from Mr Caldwell, did not skip a beat as she broke from translating the mayor's responses to hold up her middle finger to the sky to show what the heckler had yelled.

"Someone with strong opinions about what we're doing," said Mr Caldwell as he pointed behind him in reference to the heckler.

He added that he had been recently experienced a lot of heckling when protesters against the lockdown came by his house.

"We allow that in our country," said Mr Caldwell. "Free speech is critical, and I understand how upset people are."

The sign language interpreter translated the passerby's comment / Mayor Kirk Caldwell

During the briefing, the mayor also announced that parks, beaches, and hiking trails would reopen for solo activities that include meditation, reading and jogging.

However, gatherings remain strictly banned.

Hawaii has recorded a total of 10,025 infections and 88 deaths since the Covid-19 outbreak.
Su-30 fighters and Y-8 transport planes were among the Chinese aircraft that entered Taiwans air identification zone.

Chinese fighter jets approached Taiwan on Thursday for a second day in a row, the islands defence ministry said, urging China to stop destroying regional peace in a further ratcheting up of tension across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has held numerous military exercises up and down its coast and near the island in recent weeks.

The defence ministry said Su-30 fighters and Y-8 transport aircraft were among the Chinese aircraft that entered Taiwans air identification zone to its southwest on Thursday morning.

The defence ministry once again urged the Chinese Communist Party must not to repeatedly destroy regional peace and stability, it said, adding that the manoeuvres had triggered antipathy among the people of Taiwan.

Taiwan scrambled aircraft to intercept the Chinese planes, the ministry added, saying it was able to quickly track the enemys movement.





Chinas defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Taiwan has repeatedly complained that China, which has not ruled out the use of force to bring the democratic island under its control, has stepped up military threats in recent months as the world tackles the coronavirus pandemic.

Solid air force

Beijing routinely says such exercises are not unusual and are designed to show its determination to defend its sovereignty.

Taiwan is carrying out live-fire weapons tests off its southeast and eastern coast.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has warned of a rising risk of accidental conflict over in the disputed South China Sea and around Taiwan, saying communication must be maintained to reduce the risk of miscalculation.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (right) speaks during the presentation of Taiwans newly built Indigenous Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) named Yung Yin or Brave Eagle in June [File: Ritchie B Tongo/EPA]

In late August, Tsai promised to defend the island with a solid air force as she launched a maintenance centre backed by the United States for the islands fleet of upgraded F-16 fighters.

The US last year approved an $8bn sale of F-16s to Taiwan, a deal that would increase the size of the islands F-16 fleet to more than 200 jets, the largest in Asia.

In recent days, China has also been angered over the announcement by the US that it will establish a new bilateral economic dialogue with Taiwan.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, David Stilwell, said Washington is intensifying support to the island because of the increasing threat posed by Beijing to peace and stability in the region.

Taiwan has also opened its doors to pro-democracy activists who fled Hong Kong following Chinas imposition of the new national security law, which critics say marks the end of freedom of expression in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
SANTA FE  With New Mexicos coronavirus growth rate at its lowest level since April, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday the states trend is incredibly good news that could lead to additional state restrictions being gradually relaxed.

But the governor said her administration will proceed cautiously, raising the possibility of a COVID-19 resurgence during the coming winter months.

We have to be vigilant, prudent and keep our guard up, Lujan Grisham said during a remote news conference at the Roundhouse that was broadcast online.

After peaking in July, the states number of new COVID-19 cases has steadily decreased, prompting the Lujan Grisham administration to recently relax some business and travel restrictions.

The governor said allowing restaurants to resume indoor dining at limited capacity  effective Aug. 28  has been successful so far, citing a week-over-week decline in state rapid responses that are launched when a restaurant employee tests positive for the virus.

Im seeing data indicating its going very well, Lujan Grisham said.

She also said existing restrictions dealing with youth sports and camping could be eased in the coming weeks, though no official decisions have been made yet.

The governors news conference came after she had remotely testified before Congress earlier Thursday about New Mexicos budget situation.

Specifically, the first-term Democrat told members of the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services that New Mexico and other states need more financial help from the federal government to maintain essential services amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Budget cuts alone, she said, wont be enough to help New Mexico withstand the economic damage triggered by the pandemic and a collapse in revenue from oil and gas production.

Cost-cutting measures will not be enough to weather the storm, Lujan Grisham said. An umbrella is not enough protection in a hurricane.

Roughly six months after the pandemic hit New Mexico, the states death toll from the COVID-19 outbreak currently sits at 816 people.

One of the three adults whose death was reported Thursday was under 30, Lujan Grisham said, a sign of the risks to young people, not just older New Mexicans. All three of the latest fatalities were people with underlying health conditions.

This is a deadly virus, Lujan Grisham said, and it doesnt care about your age.

But she said New Mexico is otherwise showing strong progress in combating the disease. The seven-day rolling average of daily cases is at its lowest point in months  to just 89 cases a day over the last week.

Human Services Secretary David Scrase thanked New Mexicans for their work slowing the spread of the disease. The rate of spread, he said, is at its lowest point  just 0.76, well below the states target of 1.05 or less.

However, Scrase said the state may not know until October whether the recent reopening phases have resulted in an unacceptable spike in cases.

In all, state health officials reported 161 new cases Thursday, led by 31 infections in Chaves County in southeastern New Mexico. In addition, De Baca County, which had been the states only county without a single COVID-19 case, reported its first positive test result.
The Persian Invasions of Greece Reconsidered: Online talk by Professor Nicholas Sekunda

07/22/20

Source: Iran Heritage Foundation

Organised by: The Iran Heritage Foundation



Date: Wednesday 23rd September, 17.30 (London, BST)



Venue: This is an online event. Register here for free.



Description:



The 2500th anniversary of the Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis in 2021 and that of Plataea in 2022 provides a good opportunity to reconsider the Persian invasion of Greece in the light of modern scholarship and a critical analysis of the Greek texts. This lecture seeks to demonstrate that the number of Achaemenid forces sent against Greece is unknown, and that the figures given by Herodotus are falsely constructed. The defeats of Salamis and Plataea are undeniable, but they have to be put into their context of an already overstretched Empire fighting on the absolute periphery of its possibilities.



Biography:



Prof. Nicholas Sekunda studied Ancient History and Archaeology at Manchester University, going on to complete his PhD in 1981. Since 1994 he has lived in Poland, where he has taught at the Nikolaus Copernicus University, Torun, and currently is the Head of Department of Mediterranean Archaeology at Gdansk University. He has participated in numerous excavations in England, Poland, Iran, Greece, Syria and Jordan, and now co-directs excavations at Negotino Gradiste in the Republic of North Macedonia. He is the author of several of books on ancient Greek warfare.



Tickets & info: This is a free online talk. Register here to receive details of how to join.



For any inquiries please contact info@iranheritage.org

Tel: +44 (0)20 7493 4766

About:



The Iran Heritage Foundation is a non-political UK registered charity with the mission to promote and preserve the history, languages and cultures of Iran and the Persianate world. The objectives of the Foundation are achieved by organising and supporting activities of cultural or scholarly merit. IHF programmes include sponsoring teaching posts and fellowships at universities and museums, giving grants for academic research and cultural activities, and organising regular events and conferences, both in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Please Support Iran Heritage Foundation

IHF receives its funding from individuals, businesses and philanthropic institutions. We accept no funds from any government or political organisation. Please support IHF by clicking on the link below. For other ways of giving, and for US donors please visit our Giving page.
A banner erected by the Indian Army stands on a ridge around the Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. India and China are engaged in a standoff around the lake in Ladakh. (AP)

New Delhi: The Indian Army has reportedly occupied heights on the north bank of Pangong Tso which overlook Chinese positions on the ridge lines in the Finger 4 area. This means that the Indian Army now has a tactical advantage on both the north and south banks of the Pangong Tso.

Mountain warfare is all about dominating the heights, and since they have come under the Indian Armys control, there are reports that China has started building up its forces on the north bank of the Pangong Tso and is trying to come closer to the Indian position at Finger 4.

The whole Pangong Tso area in the Ladakh sector is on edge with expectation of some kind of action from the Chinese Army to regain lost ground on the south of the lake where India had in a pre-emptive move occupied two dozen strategic heights.

What has added to the tension is the fact that now all the action in the Pangong Tso area is being controlled directly by commanders in Beijing and its no longer in the hands of local PLA officers.

To put pressure on India, China had also brought forward its 15-20 tanks near Spanggur Gap, a mountain pass on the LAC, between China and India. India too has deployed its battle tanks.

In its Moldo garrison, China has now deployed 5,000-7,000 soldiers and India has a similar number in the area.

Chinese troops are on a daily basis trying to threaten Indians positions. India has built defences and put barbed wire around its positions and has warned the Chinese that crossing these wires will attract strong reaction from the Indian Army.

On Monday night the Chinese Army tried to remove the barbed wire but were warned to go back. Chinese troops then fired in the air to intimidate Indian soldiers. PLA troops were carrying what looked like traditional Guandao weapons (a single-edge sword-like blade on the end of a pole) and had automatic rifles.

In May, the Chinese Army had crossed the LAC on the north bank of Pangong Tso and occupied 8 km between Finger 4 and Finger 8 areas. In all diplomatic and military talks between the two countries since, China has bluntly refused to vacate the occupied area.

The Finger Area refers to a set of eight cliffs jutting out of the Sirijap range overlooking Pangong lake (tso). Before the PLA grabbed positions on Finger 4 overlooking Indian deployments, the Army would patrol right up to Finger 8 that New Delhi considers within Indian territory.
By Trend

A draft law On the approval of the Agreement on the interaction of customs authorities of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on the protection of intellectual property rights, was submitted for discussion at a meeting of the Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship of Azerbaijans Parliament, Trend reports.

The agreement, signed at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the CIS member states on May 31, 2019 in Ashgabat, has a clause of Azerbaijan.

According to the clause, none of the rights, obligations and provisions set forth in the agreement will be applied by Azerbaijan to Armenia, as well as to activities carried out in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, until their liberation by Armenia and the complete elimination of the consequences of the aggression.

After discussions, the bill was recommended for consideration at the plenary session of the Parliament.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
France has told Britain that it would be unacceptable to violate the terms of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, which British officials have admitted breaks international law. The European Union has threatened legal action unless the UK backs down on its plans to rewrite the divorce deal.

"Unacceptable," was the term used by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to describe Britain's plans to tear up parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

Le Drian made the comments on the sidelines of a meeting on Iran with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, during a routine visit to London on Thursday, according to a statement from the French Foreign Ministry.

The intervention shows the risk of the dispute over Brexit bleeding into other areas of UK diplomacy.

It came after the UK government tabled legislation to alter key elements of the Withdrawal Agreement that Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed with Brussels earlier this year.

The move has whipped up a storm of anger both at home and from the EU.

Ultimatum deadlock

During emergency talks Thursday, European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic warned that unless the new British measures are withdrawn "by the end of the month", Brussels will consider taking legal action, saying the plans had "serious damaged trust".

Senior government minister Michael Gove rejected the EU call, saying that the UK "would not and could not" withdraw the relevant parts of the draft law as requested.

Despite the lack of progress, EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier insisted Brussels remains "determined" to find a deal.

The draft Brexit bill at the centre of controversy would give British ministers unilateral powers to regulate trade among England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, once the force of EU law expires after a post-Brexit transition period at the end of this year.

But under the EU withdrawal treaty, Britain is meant to liaise with Brussels on arrangements for Northern Ireland, which will have the UK's only land border with the EU, and where 30 years of bloodshed were ended with a landmark peace deal in 1998.

Story continues

Eyeing US trade

EU diplomats -- and Johnson's many critics at home including in the UK's devolved governments -- have ridiculed Downing Street's argument that the EU treaty was rushed through and contained unforeseen problems relating to Northern Ireland.

Critics reckon the new bill is aimed at torpedoing any future trading relationship with the EU after the transition period expires to allow Britain to forge ahead with other trade pacts, not least with the United States.

However, House of Representatives Speaker Pelosi gave short shrift to any British hopes of Congress ratifying a future trade deal if it ploughs ahead with the new Brexit bill, warning it to honour its obligations to Northern Ireland.

The House of Commons will have its first chance to vote on the bill on Monday, with further debates scheduled for September 15, 16, 21 and 22.
10.09.2020 LISTEN

The Member of Parliament for Asene Akroso Manso Constituency in the Eastern region Hon. George Kwame Aboagye has urged Ghanaians to vote massively to retain President Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP administration in power come December 7th 2020 Elections.

According to him, the president has been the best President so far in the history of Ghana.

"Nana Addo has the country's best interest at heart and if given the second term he will transform this country for good. Per what I have heard and seen in Ghana's politics, I will say he is the best President in the history of Ghana.".

Accessing his chances as the MP and that of the president, he said they both stand a great chance of winning this year's polls, not just that but with a huge margin.

"This year we are winning hands down with a huge margin. This government has done a lot. Comparing what the previous administration did to what the current administration is doing you see a big difference so I will urge Ghanaians and my constituents to vote massively come December 7th for myself and the NPP to do more," Hon. George Kwame Aboagye

Touching on the recently launched NDC People's Manifesto, the NPP MP punched holes in the manifesto insisting that the NDC has nothing good to offer the people of Ghana.

"Ghanaians shouldn't fall for their Manifesto, because governing a country is not a joke to be jolted about," he said.

Asene Akroso-Manso was one of the newly created constituencies or district by the Akufo-Addo administration and is one of the fastest-growing constituency.

Highlighting some of the development projects brought to the constituency under his term as MP, he cited some including the construction of two dormitories at two different senior high schools with a 6 unit classroom; 12 unit storey building; 7 ICT Centre for 7 JHS; Teachers Bungalow; the establishment of an educational fund for needy but brilliant students.

Others are the construction of roads; distribution of hundreds of street lights; 3 by10 sitter toilets facility at Akroso Anomabo; mechanic boreholes, construction of male and female wards; expansion of Manso Health Centre and Akroso health centre; distribution of over 100,000 palm seedlings to the farmers in paving way for the construction of oil palm factory.

He revealed that the oil palm factory is expected to be completed in the next two to three years.

On tourism, he stated that the constituency can boast of the biggest tree in West Africa and the area is under innovation to be suitable and accommodating enough to receive more tourists.

He noted that most of the projects were funded by GETFund, MP's Common Fund, and the allocation of one million dollars per one constituency.
New Delhi: Amid the rising tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India and China on Thursday agreed to hold Corps commander levels talks soon. While the date and time of the meet are yet to be decided, it will be the sixth such meet since June. The talks have taken held five times so far on June 6, 22 and 30, July 14 and August 2.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the situation remains tense even as at some places Indian and Chinese forces are just 300 meters away. No fresh aggressive action by the Chinese side has been observed, which on September 7 and 8 indulged in "provocative" action according to the Indian Army.

Live TV

Indian and Chinese Brigade Commander and Commanding Officers interacted on Thursday for three hours from 11 am to 2 pm and the status quo continues. A govt source said that the aim is to "keep lines of communication open" between the two sides. A massive spike in border tensions in eastern Ladakh was triggered by fresh face-offs between the armies of India and China along the LAC.

The development on talks comes at the backdrop of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar holding talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow, Russia on Thursday. Earlier MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said "this issue will be discussed" when asked at a media briefing whether the four-month-long border faceoff will be raised by Jaishankar at the talks.

Jaishankar and Wang are in Moscow to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. The focus of the bilateral talks between the two leaders is expected to be on finding a breakthrough to cool down tensions in eastern Ladakh.

A meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meet in Moscow last week apparently did not yield any tangible outcome.

The Indian Army on September 8 said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh the previous evening and fired shots in the air, a first such instance of bullets being used along the LAC after a gap of 45 years.

The Army said this in a statement after the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) late on September 7 night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and "outrageously fired" warning shots near the Pangong lake.

The Indian Army in a release on September 8 said, "PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air" and "despite the grave provocation, own troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner".

India has occupied several dominating heights close to China's existing positions at Finger 4, north bank of Pangong Lake. The development gives the Indian Army an edge over the Chinese even as PLA troops continue to indulge in provocative actions.

The Chinese have occupied Finger 4 to Finger 8 in the north bank of Pangong Lake. As part of disengagement, India has repeatedly asked Chinese forces to go on its side of LAC and vacate the area.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The chief of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) assured that the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City will be completed by the end of next year.

The rehabilitation of Marawi City is on track and we can state that the rehabilitation will be completed by December of 2021, Secretary Eduardo del Rosario told the House Committee on Appropriations at the hearing of the departments 2021 budget on Thursday.

In the most affected areas where there are a number of structures and public infrastructure that's being constructed, the construction is ongoing and more will follow within the month or by next month," he also said.

Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo requested Del Rosario to submit documents that will support the latters statements.

It has been more than three years since the Maute rebels, inspired by international terrorist group ISIS, attacked the capital province of Lanao del Sur.

The groups clash with the military left over 1,100 people dead, with majority of the Islamic city still in shambles.

A United States cable report earlier stated that public anger over rehabilitation delays has bolstered the recruitment of extremist groups.

WATCH: Residents decry rehabilitation delays two years after Marawi siege

Meanwhile, Rep. Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna Partylist, called out DHSUD officials for the slow progress of the rehabilitation of the war-torn city.

Nagkaroon na nga ng bagong departamento, wala pang katiyakan ang nangyayari doon sa Marawi after it was razed to the ground, Zarate pointed out.

The DHSUD was formed in February 2019 to lead the housing development in the country, including Marawi.

Del Rosario responded by saying that the December 2021 target is achievable as the displaced residents of the ravaged city are gradually returning by batches.

He explained that families can start reconstructing their damaged homes as long as they obtained building permits from the local government.

For those residents who do not have the capacity for the construction and restoration of their respective houses or buildings, theres a compensation bill pending in Congress and hopefully it will be approved as soon as possible, Del Rosario said.

Zarate asked the DHSUD chief if some of the private sectors recent fund donations on the reconstruction of the citys mosques can be used to build new houses too. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said he wanted to prioritize the repair of the citys mosques including the iconic Dansalan Ali Bato Mosque.

Del Rosario replied by saying the United Nations Human Settlements Program will provide for the building of 1,500 free housing units for residents who have no lots before the siege.

Since they will not be allowed to go back because they have no lots and they are living in danger zones, they will be given priority, he assured.
Current disinfectant products for killing viruses like coronavirus take minutes to fully sanitize surfaces, which isn't practical on high-contact areas such as door handles, elevators and bannisters.

That's why the University of Central Florida is co-developing a new, rapid-acting, long-lasting disinfectant spray that instantly kills viruses without using harsh chemicals.

The project is led by Christina Drake, a materials science engineer and owner of Orlando-based Kismet Technologies, Ltd., and includes UCF Department of Materials Science and Engineering chair and Professor Sudipta Seal and UCF Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences director and Professor Griffith Parks.

The National Science Foundation recently awarded a more than $250,000 grant to the team to advance the project.

Kismet Technologies is a research and development technology company that specializes in ideation and creation of engineered materials and sensors for use in defense, health technologies, and automotive safety.

Spray and wiped-based disinfectants require a surface to stay wet, usually on the order of minutes, in order to get to the 99.9 percent killing of viruses and germs.We are creating a rapid-acting disinfectant spray that will disinfect faster than current disinfectants and that leaves behind a temporary, yet continually, disinfecting film post application." Christina Drake, Materials Science Engineer, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, UCF

The transparent film is not sticky and will not be obvious when applied to a surface due to the nanoscale size of the disinfecting particles it contains, Drake says. It is planned to continuously sanitize because of the regenerative nature of the nanoparticles.

Drake got the idea for the spray while grocery shopping during the early days of the pandemic. She noticed an employee spraying disinfectant on a surface, but then immediately drying it, thus eliminating the spray's effectiveness.

"I realized that was a real pitfall of disinfectants," Drake says. "Leaving surfaces wet for minutes in high traffic areas, while people are present and shopping, is just not practical."

Afterward, Drake reached out to Seal, her doctoral advisor during her graduate studies at UCF, to start developing ideas. Parks, who is also working with Seal to develop a virus-destroying face shield material, joined the team to bring his virology expertise to the project.

The disinfectant they are developing works by using cerium oxide nanoparticles developed by Seal, which prior research indicates could be lethal to viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles have been shown to have a wide range of therapeutic properties from healing diabetic wounds, to reducing harm from radiation, helping kill cancer cells and working as an antibiotic.

The nanoparticles have a unique ability to act as a powerful antioxidant in healthy human cells and also to generate protective hydroxyl radicals to defend against pathogens.

"We've been working on using these nanoparticles to kill cancer cells and other things, and we thought, why not create a separate formulation that can hopefully deactivate the virus in the same way, using its redox ability," Seal says.

The approach is novel because of the multiple disinfecting mechanisms that are built into the nanoparticles and because they will be incorporated into a formulation that allows a temporary, disinfectant film to form.

The researchers are actively working to synthesize initial formulations that Parks will test on a panel of different viruses, including coronaviruses related to SARS-CoV-2.

"I'm very excited to be a part of this terrific multi-discipline team of scientists addressing an important question in safety," Parks says.

The disinfectant spray could be sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval at the end of the one-year project, after which it could appear on the market, the researchers say.

Seal joined UCF's Department of Materials Science and Engineering, which is part of UCF's College of Engineering and Computer Science, in 1997. He has an appointment at the College of Medicine and is a member of UCF's prosthetics Cluster Biionix.
She had been planning an extravagant party in a plush Essex mansion to ring in her 34th year,

But thanks to the updated coronavirus restrictions limiting gatherings to up to six people, Lauren Goodger has been forced to cancel her big birthday plans.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the former TOWIE star, 33, told how she now plans to downscale her ideas, suggesting a day of Go Karting followed by a meal at TGI Fridays instead.

Cancelled: Thanks to the updated coronavirus restrictions limiting gatherings to up to six people, Lauren Goodger has been forced to cancel her big birthday plans

This week Boris Johnson announced that on Monday, no more than six people will be permitted to gather in England - with a few exceptions, which include going to school, work or 'exceptional life events'.

Breaking these new restrictions will mean fines of 100, doubling for each incident up to 3,200.

After after hearing the news, Lauren decided to put a halt to her grand plans for a big party with her pals.

Writing on her Instagram story, she said: 'Hey everyone due to new Borris rules (6 people) I won't be having a birthday party this year so everyone I've mesaged and who is coming it's no longer going ahead.

Change of plan: Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the former TOWIE star, 33, told how she now plans to downscale her ideas, suggesting a day of Go Karting followed by a meal at TGI Fridays instead (pictured in November 2019)

'Thank you to everyone though I no it was going to be lit. Love LG.' [sic]

She then asked her followers for any ideas of what she could do, offering up her own ideas of Go Karting and theme parks, followed by a meal at American restaurant chain TGI Fridays.

She said: 'I want to do something fun and active for my birthday was thinking go karting?

'Has anyone any good ideas? I love theme parks go karting etc.

'My bday falls on a Saturday and then a meal after like TGis lol I'm like a kid'.

News: Writing on her Instagram story, she said: 'Hey everyone due to new Borris rules (6 people) I won't be having a birthday party this year so everyone I've mesaged and who is coming it's no longer going ahead'

Downscale: She then asked her followers for any ideas of what she could do, offering up her own ideas of Go Karting and theme parks, followed by a meal at American restaurant chain TGI Fridays

The reality star then added: 'Different type of bday this year' alongside a purple heart emoji.

Lauren has previously made grander plans for her big day which included the idea of renting a huge Essex mansion and hiring a private chef.

Keen to make it a night to remember, she called for suggestions of a mobile hairdresser and make-up artist as well as her outfit and mini vans hire.

Meanwhile, brunette beauty recently received criticism for sharing a throwback picture from TOWIE with her ex-boyfriend Mark Wright after some fans thought it was disrespectful, given that he is now married.

Elaborate ideas: Lauren has previously made grander plans for her big day which included the idea of renting a huge Essex mansion and hiring a private chef

Childhood sweethearts Lauren and Mark, 33, became engaged on TOWIE, after both starring since its inauguration in 2010, and were a couple for 11 years before suffering an extremely acrimonious break-up in 2012.

But Lauren shared a slew of throwback snaps at the weekend - including pictures of her ex - to celebrate the 10 year anniversary special of TOWIE.

The reality star took to Instagram to thank the famous show for providing her with meaningful 'memories' and insisted she's 'proud' of all her castmates.

The media personality wrote in an accompanying caption: '10 years ago changed my life we created a show called "the only way is Essex" I was 22 when I first started filming and what an amazing journey this has been !!

Former flames: Lauren caused a social media stir by sharing snaps with her ex fiance Mark Wright to mark The Only Way Is Essex's 10th anniversary at the weekend (pictured in 2011)

'I put my life on national television and we won a BAFTA - not a lot people can say that! You've seen me laugh, cry, engaged, break ups and make ups ! I've grown up on the screens and it was all real!

'Congratulations to all the OGs @towie these images are from google thank you for memories and well to all my costars im proud of you all and always will be.' (sic)

Mark and Lauren have been on bad terms ever since they called it quits, and the former Extra host went on to tie the knot with actress Michelle Keegan, 33, in May 2015.

Lauren previously branded their marriage 'weird' and claimed they don't speak to each other.

Speaking to Heat Magazine, she said: 'I saw them both in the gym. They don't talk it's really weird. I was like 'F**king hell, we weren't like that'. It's like they don't know each other. I can't go into that though. I'm just so glad that ain't me'.
TDT | Manama

The National Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus (COVID-19) called on Bahrains citizens and residents to strictly adhere to all precautionary health measures and avoid gatherings, particularly during the next two weeks, following the alarming recent spike in active COVID-19 cases.

The appeal was made by Ministry of Health undersecretary Dr Waleed Al Manea during the national taskforces press conference, held yesterday at the Crown Prince Centre for Training and Medical Research at the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Hospital.

Dr Al Manea was joined as speakers by fellow-national taskforce members, including BDF Hospital Infectious Disease Consultant and Microbiologist Lt Col Dr Manaf Al Qahtani and Salmaniya Medical Complex Infectious and Internal Diseases Consultant Dr Jameela Al Salman.

Speaking on the current state of transmissions, Dr Al Manea noted that contact-tracing has detected a strong correlation between private gatherings and the recent rise of cases. He therefore urged the strict adherence to precautionary guidelines, especially in the next two-week period, in order to break these chains of transmission.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2020) Russia is on Thursday resuming flights to the Maldives interrupted due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Russian carrier Aeroflot starts flights to Male.

As Aeroflot reported earlier, flights to the Maldives will be carried out from September 10 from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport according to the following schedule: flight SU0322 Moscow-Male on Thursdays and Sundays, return flight SU0323 Male-Moscow on Fridays and Sundays.

On March 27, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Russia stopped regular and charter flights with other countries.

The exceptions were flights to take citizens home, as well as cargo, mail, sanitary and humanitarian flights, flights of empty planes for maintenance, transit flights with landing for refueling or changing crews in Russia and flights carried out in line with individual decisions of the Russian government.

On August 1, Russia resumed flights to Turkey's Ankara and Istanbul, as well as to the UK. In addition, flights to Tanzania were allowed, but so far there are no such flights. Flights to Turkish resorts - Antalya, Bodrum and Dalaman - were resumed on August 10. Flights to Switzerland resumed on August 15.
Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators.

New Jersey students returning to school after six months of upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic may soon take a new standardized exam to assess whether theyve fallen behind on their learning.

The Start Strong tests are being developed by the state Department of Educations assessments office and should be available to all public schools by the end of the month, state officials said. Schools can give the optional test in person or remotely if their buildings have not reopened yet.

Its a snapshot, benchmark assessment so that they can understand where that student is relative to the skills needed to be on grade level, interim state Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said during a legislative budget hearing Thursday.

The exams will take between 45 and 60 minutes to administer, so they can be given within one class period during the school day, Dehmer said. The tests will be much simpler than the multi-day, multi-part standardized assessment exams students usually take each spring.

It can be turned around quickly, so that the educators that are working with those students know where each student sits relative to the necessary skills, Dehmer said.

The Start Strong exams will be available for:

 English language arts, known as ELA, in grades 4-10.

 Mathematics in grades 4-8.

 Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II.

 Science in grades 6, 9 and 12.

The exams will be free for public schools, though they will not be required, education officials said. Many teachers and schools already have their own tests and systems to gauge whether students are on grade level when they start school.

We dont want to require districts to do this because we want this just to be available as a tool, Dehmer said of the Start Strong tests.

Sen. Teresa Ruiz, chair of the state Senates Education Committee, questioned why the state was developing an optional test for school districts instead of a required statewide exam. Because not all schools will administer the exams, the Start Strong tests will not give educators an overall picture of how New Jersey students are doing or help guide new policies, she said.

Im asking for a diagnostic tool that checks in academically to see where our students are, that we can break down by zip code, that we can break down by race, ethnicity and gender," said Ruiz, D-Essex.

It is unfair for the state Department of Education to tout New Jerseys recent No. 1 ranking by Education Week as the best state in the nation for public education when some districts are doing far better academically than others, she added.

If we dont have baseline data to show to us what is it that we need to do, we will be perpetuating a fraud of being No. 1 in the country. And that has got to stop, Ruiz said.

The Start Strong assessment  which will be available in English, Spanish and Text to Speech for students with disabilities  comes as many parents and educators have expressed concerns about learning loss in students who either couldnt do their school work or did not adapt well to remote learning during the pandemic.

In March, New Jersey schools were forced to quickly switch to all-remote classes due to the coronavirus shut down even though an estimated 230,000 students didnt have either computers or internet access to connect with their teachers. More than 500 New Jersey school districts started the 2020-2021 school year with either all-remote learning or hybrid plans that combine in-person classes with at-home assignments.

Studies show students who learn at home via Zoom meetings and online assignments do not learn as well as students who attend in-person classes, state officials have said.

The statewide New Jersey Student Learning Assessment, formerly known as the PARCC test, was canceled last spring due to the COVID-19 crisis. That left teachers without a statewide measures to track how students were doing in their studies.

State education officials have not said whether the standardized tests will be given this spring or how they will administer the exams if some students are still at home learning remotely.

The Start Strong exam is not designed to replace the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment or other standardized tests, education officials said.

The reports provided by these assessments are only one piece of the puzzle used to holistically understand a students academic performance. They should only be used with other supporting evidence (assignments, homework, etc.) when drawing conclusions about a students overall academic performance without these assessments, according to an announcement about the tests sent to schools.

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Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.

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The two companies sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to make green hydrogen a financially feasible option for customers across industries

COLLINGWOOD, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Global technology company ABB and Hydrogen Optimized have agreed to jointly explore the development of large-scale green hydrogen production systems connected to the electrical grid to offer a clean, sustainable and affordable energy source.

Hydrogen Optimized has ambitions to use its high current water electrolysis technology at scale to produce green hydrogen for emerging clean applications across industries, including chemical, utility and transportation. ABB's hydrogen research team will explore electrical power supply optimization through projects involving ABB high power rectifier (HPR) systems.

Together, the companies plan to prove that Hydrogen Optimized's RuggedCell water electrolysis technology can be used to develop an integrated product solution based on a 100MW single module plant design concept.

ABB is a leading worldwide supplier of high power rectifiers for any industrial application, providing maximum availability, highest productivity and with a high priority on personnel safety. Within its HPR range, rectifier systems provide DC current in the range of 5,000A to 550,000A, as single or multiple units and as such can provide nearly unlimited current and voltage combinations and meet most plant specific requirements.

"ABB is a world leader in the control and electrification solutions designed for large-scale electrochemical processes," said Andrew T.B. Stuart, President and CEO of Hydrogen Optimized. "Such technology is an excellent fit with our patent pending RuggedCell. Together these technologies create a continuous reduction in the installed capital cost as the scale of the green hydrogen project increases.

"Our joint work will lay the foundations for single-plant sizes up to the hundreds of MWs input power range. Demonstrating the scalability of these two key components of a water electrolysis installation is vital to economic green hydrogen and we are excited about the potential benefits for customers."

The MoU signed by the companies formalizes the agreement to explore the implementation of a demonstration system as well as the preparation of a 100MW plant design and commercialization strategies.

"This project plays to our strengths of building large, highly efficient, customized HPR systems, pushing the boundaries of what is possible from one rectifier unit," said Charl Marais, Global Product Manager, Process Industries, ABB. "Based on our many years of experience in providing control and electrical system solutions for electrochemical industries, we understand that HPR systems have the characteristics required for successful large-scale project deployment.

"This collaboration advances the commercial availability and feasibility of large-scale green hydrogen systems. We have been exploring this type of project for more than two years and the synergies with Hydrogen Optimized have been very apparent. We have a clear vision, and the results could be significant."

Applications using green hydrogen include zero emission transportation fuel supply, ammonia and other chemical production with non-fossil sources of hydrogen, and green metal production with hydrogen instead of a coking-type process.

Hydrogen Optimized, founded in 2017, is a private hydrogen technology company commercializing proprietary green hydrogen production systems. Our vision is that by 2030, the adoption of clean hydrogen processes for energy, chemical, and industrial purposes, will improve the quality of life for all individuals worldwide. Our pedigree dates to 1905 when Alexander T. Stuart, Canada's hydrogen pioneer, concluded that hydrogen and oxygen were the key building blocks to a sustainable clean energy and industrial world. With the world's premier hydrogen heritage, we develop, design, and build green hydrogen systems. We implement these with our partners and customers. www.hydrogenoptimized.com.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB's success is driven by about 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

For more information please contact:

ABB Ltd

Chris Brand

Phone: +44 (0)7523 919978

Email: chris.g.brand@gb.abb.com

Affolternstrasse 44 8050 Zurich Switzerland

www.ABB.com

Hydrogen Optimized Inc.

Harry De Rose

Phone: 1 705 444 7992 ext 101

Email: Harry.derose@hydrogenoptimized.com

40 Sandford Fleming Drive Collingwood ON, Canada L9Y 4V7

www.HydrogenOptimized.com

SOURCE: Hydrogen Optimized

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605573/ABB-and-Hydrogen-Optimized-to-Explore-Development-of-Large-Scale-Green-Hydrogen-Production-Systems
Three top Republicans are seeking to limit a liability shield for tech platforms while maintaining some key protections through a new bill that would reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

The Online Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity Act aims to maintain key provisions of Section 230 that would allow platforms to keep operating openly while limiting the types of content they could moderate if they wish to maintain their liability exemption. The bill was introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and Judiciary Committee Tech Task Force leader Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

"We do think that it is important that there be a revisit and not a repeal of Section 230," Blackburn, who sits on the Commerce and Judiciary Committees, said in a phone interview Wednesday. Blackburn said the modern internet is not the same as the one that existed when Section 230 was created, saying tech companies are no longer in their "infancy."

Section 230 was enacted in the 1990s to protect tech platforms from being held liable for their users' content. It also allowed platforms in the burgeoning tech industry to engage in good faith content moderation without taking on responsibility for their users' posts.

It is considered to be one of the key pillars of the modern internet. The tech industry has long held that Section 230 is what enables players like Facebook and Google to continue running their businesses without fearing a deluge of costly, petty lawsuits. The law is even more important to smaller tech start-ups, larger platforms argue, that can't bear the cost of such legal expenses.

But in recent years, Section 230 has garnered criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike who believe its protections are now outdated as tech platforms have grown to become some of the most valuable companies in the world. The law has also become a target for President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order this summer directing the Federal Communications Commission to create new rules on Section 230 protections and the Federal Trade Commission to take action against companies engaging in "deceptive" acts of communication. The order, however, has little power without action from Congress.

The new Republican bill would primarily revise three aspects of Section 230:

It would narrow the scope of the types of content that tech platforms could not be prosecuted for removing. Currently under Section 230, platforms have a long leash to limit the reach and availability of any "material that the provider or user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected." But under the new bill, "otherwise objectionable" would be replaced with specific categories of content that is "promoting self-harm, promoting terrorism, or unlawful."

Currently under Section 230, platforms have a long leash to limit the reach and availability of any "material that the provider or user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected." But under the new bill, "otherwise objectionable" would be replaced with specific categories of content that is "promoting self-harm, promoting terrorism, or unlawful." It would seek to remove subjective judgment by tech platforms on what types of content falls into these buckets by replacing the standard of what the platform "considers to be" objectionable to what it "has an objectively reasonable belief is."

by replacing the standard of what the platform "considers to be" objectionable to what it "has an objectively reasonable belief is." It clarifies the definition of an "information content provider" as any person or entity that "editorializes or affirmatively and substantively modifies the content of another person or entity" besides cosmetic changes to the format or layout of the content. That could deny 230 protections to platforms that delete user comments that are not covered by the Good Samaritan clause, for example.

Blackburn said the reasonableness standard and more specific language is meant in part to address bias in content moderation. Blackburn and other conservatives have repeatedly accused tech companies of building biased algorithms or employing moderators whose choices reflect their own leanings. While tech companies have apologized for several incidents in which content was mistakenly or unfairly removed, they've held that their moderation practices are consistent with their policies.

"We know that there are not going to be other alternatives to these platforms until we get these liability protections brought up to date, and we also think that there is not going to be accountability for bias until we get this brought up to date," Blackburn said.

But narrowing the scope of what can be considered "objectionable" content could make it more risky for tech platforms to remove borderline content or content that falls into a gray area of the law. For example, while there are laws that prevent companies from promoting products with false health claims, they likely wouldn't prevent a celebrity from sharing provably bogus health information that could pose a danger to their followers. While unforeseen circumstances can always happen, Blackburn said the categories in her bill would cover much of the harmful content shared online.

"Through the growth, development, evolution of the online space, is it conceivable that something else at a future date would be added? Of course," Blackburn said. "What this does is take away the generality and putting in its place something specific because one of the objections that we've heard regularly and one of the shields that Big Tech would use is to say, 'Well, our content moderators considered this to be objectionable. So to begin to put some language in place that is more definitive is, I think, a step in the right direction."

Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel of the tech industry group NetChoice, said the bill would prevent tech platforms from removing exactly the type of content Congress has warned them about.

"This bill would thwart social media's ability to remove Russian or Chinese election interference campaigns, misinformation about Covid-19, and cyberbullying from their services," said Szabo, whose members include Amazon, Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter. "Furthermore, the bill would prevent online services from removing the very content Congress demands they remove  notably medical misinformation and efforts to undermine our elections."

Blackburn brushed off such criticisms as nitpicking. She said much of content people would worry about would fall under the terms included in the bill and said her focus was on bringing a bill that would revise Section 230 without repealing it.

"What I was seeking to do is to modify this and bring it to a point that we can get agreement and we can reform and not repeal because our innovators in this space are still going to need Section 230 protections," Blackburn said, highlighting the need to give innovators opportunities to benefit from protections that give them a chance to compete with the dominant players.

But such specificity could prevent many Democrats from getting on board with the bill, which is notably missing any Democratic co-sponsors. While Blackburn said she's confident it will receive bipartisan and bicameral support, Democrats have pressed tech platforms throughout the election cycle to apply more fact checks on medical misinformation and misleading election content and have shrugged at accusations of bias.

Several other bills reforming Section 230 have been introduced or are in the works. Graham introduced a separate bill, the EARN IT Act, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., which would tie the liability protections to efforts to report child sexual abuse material. Industry critics claimed the bill would undermine encryption that protects users' privacy, but the bill passed in the Judiciary Committee with a unanimous vote in July with amendments that watered down, but failed to eliminate, some of their concerns.

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The TMC claimed the Rhea Chakraborty episode has once again brought into the open the BJP's 'inherent dislike' for Bengalis

Kolkata: Parties cutting across the political divide in West Bengal on Thursday evoked Bengali sub-nationalism, asserting that the "vilification campaign" against actor Rhea Chakraborty "proved" Bengalis are a soft target of the BJP, which is looking to cash in on this narrative ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls.

Bengali sub-nationalism is also slowly emerging as a rallying cry ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections due next year.

The ruling TMC and opposition Congress and the CPI(M), despite their sharp political differences, have equivocally slammed the saffron party for "using" a Bengali woman as a "soft target" to score brownie points in the run up to the Bihar polls later this year.

The BJP leadership, however, has declined to comment on the accusation.

The TMC said BJP's inherent dislike for Bengalis has again come out in the open due to the Rhea Chakraborty episode.

"I feel that as Rhea is a Bengali, she was victimised even before she was proven guilty in court. The vilification campaign once again proves the sheer hatred of the BJP towards the Bengalis. We had witnessed something similar in the Assam NRC, too," senior TMC leader and national spokesperson Saugata Roy said.

On Wednesday, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and newly-appointed West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had described her arrest over drug charges as "ludicrous".

"Rhea's father is a former military officer who served the nation. Rhea is a Bengali Brahmin lady; justice to actor Sushant Singh Rajput should not be interpreted as justice to a Bihari.

"The father of Rhea is also entitled to demand justice for his kids, trial by media is an ominous portent for our judicial system. Justice for all is one of the basic tenets of our Constitution," he had said in a series of tweets.

Chowdhury said Rajput was an Indian actor, but the "BJP turned him into a Bihari actor" only to score electoral brownie points.

"Rhea Chakroborty has been indicted not for abetment of suicide or murder or any economic offences; she has been arrested under NDPS, ludicrous," he said.

Narratives themed around 'Bengali pride' and 'natives versus outsiders' are slowly gaining momentum, with various outfits raising the pitch for reservation for domicile Bengalis in jobs and education in the state, where, until a few years ago, cultural sub-nationalism was an alien concept.

The latest to add fuel to the fire was the alleged online vilification of Bengali women in the aftermath of Rajput's death, with many fans of the deceased actor calling his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and others from the community "gold diggers" and "witches".

After the electoral reverses in the Lok Sabha polls last year and the rise of the BJP as a prime contender for power, TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has often invoked Bengali sub-nationalism, and called the BJP a party of "outsiders".

"The way BJP had attacked Bengali women reflects its hatred for our sisters and daughters. The BJP, which is dreaming of capturing power in Bengal, doesn't have an iota of respect for Bengal or Bengalis," Kaushik Maiti, a senior leader of 'Bangla Pokkho', an organisation fighting for the rights of Bengalis, said.

When contacted, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha declined to comment on the matter.

After three days of interrogation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday arrested Chakraborty, 28, in a drugs case linked to Rajput's death, following which she was sent to judicial custody till September 22 by a local court.
UPPER THUMB  After growing up in Adrian and graduating from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Julia Deer was searching for the perfect small town to settle down, practice, and raise her family.

After a summer trip to Pigeon, she knew she had found the perfect place. Deer moved to Pigeon in 2004 and opened Pigeon Chiropractic. Soon, she expanded her practice to Bad Axe, Bay City, and Harbor Beach. Although she has since moved to Bay City, Deer continues to commute multiple days a week to accommodate the needs of her Thumb patients.

I dont see myself ever not practicing in Pigeon, Deer said. The town and community have my heart.

Pigeon Chiropractic expanded to include Deer Holistic due to Deers interest in the human body and natural medicines. With traditional chiropractic dealing strictly with the bodys muscles and bones, Deer has a unique approach that also includes services such as non-force adjusting, muscular retraining, organ balancing and regulation, and nutritional assessment.

After the initial state shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, essential chiropractic services could open back up on a limited basis. Deer was able to see one to two patients a day who were experiencing high levels of pain. At that time, it was just Deer in the office, seeing patients and implementing the CDC recommended guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting.

As non-essential businesses started to reopen, Deer was able to welcome her employees back into the office setting and increase their patient caseload to every 20 minutes. Patients were asked to wait until the previous patient had left, after which they would be called into the office. Office staff were maintaining sanitary guidelines following each patient.

Now, her chiropractic and holistic practice can schedule patients at a relatively normal pace of 15 minutes apart. They maintain mandatory employee self-screening for coronavirus symptoms and the screening of patients coming into the office.

On Monday July 13, both Deer and her employee tested positive for the coronavirus after losing their sense of taste and smell. They believed they had possibly been infected while outside the office over the holiday weekend and were presumed positive the week prior.

With the help of the health department, they were able to notify 130 patients that had been seen throughout the week of a possible exposure to the coronavirus. Many patients tested negative, with only one family testing positive around the same time as Deer and her employee. It is uncertain whether they were positively exposed in the office or elsewhere.

I think the protocols we had in place ensured that exposure was limited, Deer said. Everyone has been very patient with the changes made in the office and were very understanding after we tested positive and needed to temporarily close.

The whole experience showed me that I am an intricate part of the community, she added. I have a great set of clients.

According to Deer, both her and her employees symptoms were mild. Along with losing sense of smell and taste, they both experienced some fatigue and mild congestion. They have both since tested negative and the office is back open.

I think it's essential that people stay aware to any changes in their health, Dr. Julia said. If it hadnt been for my employee having similar symptoms, I may have assumed I was merely experiencing seasonal allergies.

Neither of us experienced a change in temperature or shortness of breath, like many would assume, she added. The virus seems to present in different ways for different people.

Dr. Julia currently sees patients in Pigeon Mondays and Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. She also sees patients in Harbor Beach every first and third Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Her Thumb patients are also able to see her in Bay City Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., every first and third Friday 4 to 6 p.m., and every second and fourth Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy and Naval Station Rota in Spain both have space and are close enough to Africa to fly small teams in and out easily, Ham said. But considering the cost and economic benefits, Congress is just as likely to want to move it stateside, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 00:09:41|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (4th L) and other delegates pose for a photo ahead of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

MOSCOW, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to coordinate closely with its partners to guide the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) toward dealing with risks and challenges in a more effective manner, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday during a meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers.

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the world profoundly, the global economy is suffering unprecedented recession, unilateral bullying is intensifying, and global governance is in deep waters, Wang said.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit remain the irreversible trend of the times, that coordination among countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic shows the great strength of multilateralism, and that building a community with a shared future for mankind has become the firm choice of more and more countries, he said.

At the meeting, the Chinese senior official made five suggestions on strengthening cooperation within the framework of the SCO.

Firstly, SCO member countries should firmly support one another and safeguard each other's core interests. Foreign forces have never stopped interfering in the internal affairs of SCO member countries, and resisting foreign interference is a common challenge that all SCO member countries are faced with, Wang said.

We must firmly establish a sense of a community with a shared future for mankind, firmly support each other in following a development path that suits one's own national conditions, as well as maintaining political security and social stability, and never allow external forces to intervene in the internal affairs of SCO member countries, a "color revolution" to succeed in this region, or the regional peace and stability to be undermined, he said.

As long as we unite as one and cooperate sincerely, the future of our countries can be held by our own peoples, and the hard-won regional stability will be maintained effectively, he said.

Secondly, SCO member countries should persist in unity and cooperation to jointly defeat COVID-19, Wang said, adding China is willing to deepen cooperation with all parties in the fight against the pandemic, continue to promote the establishment of joint prevention and control mechanisms in border areas, and prioritize the needs of SCO member countries after China successfully develops and puts into use COVID-19 vaccines.

We should strengthen cooperation in the field of public health, implement the results of the SCO online forum on traditional medicine, and help all countries defeat the epidemic as soon as possible, he said.

We should also push the international community toward adhering to the general direction of cooperation in the fight against the epidemic, opposing the politicization of the epidemic, the labelling of the virus and the wrong words and deeds that interfere with the global anti-epidemic fight, supporting the World Health Organization to play its due role, and promoting the building of a global community of health for all, he added.

Thirdly, SCO member countries should persist in sharing weal and woe to resolve various security risks, Wang said.

We should practice a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, maintain a high-pressure posture against the "East Turkistan" and other violent and terrorist forces, and strictly prevent the "three forces" from using the epidemic to cause chaos, he said.

We should also focus on the regional security situation, improve the SCO's law enforcement security cooperation mechanism, implement the organization's anti-extremism convention, resolutely curb the spread of all types of extremist ideas, and oppose double standards on anti-terrorism issues, he said.

Noting that China recently proposed the "Global Initiative on Data Security" to ensure the safe and orderly flow of data, providing a blueprint for the formulation of international rules for digital security, Wang said the initiative responds to the general concerns and meets the common needs of all parties, adding all SCO member countries are welcome to join the initiative.

Fourthly, the SCO should adhere to coordinated development and boost economic recoveries in the member states, Wang said.

He said the SCO members should balance curbing the pandemic and developing the economy, strengthen the coordination of macro-economic policies and the alignment of development strategies, create "express corridors" for personnel exchanges and "green corridors" for cargo transport, and ensure the stability and competitiveness of industrial chains and supply chains in the region, and continue to facilitate trade and investment, and comprehensively promote the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road.

China is establishing a new development pattern featuring dual circulation, which takes the domestic market as the mainstay and allows domestic and foreign markets boost each other, Wang said, adding that China will open up the economy further and stands ready to share new business opportunities with partners.

Fifthly, the SCO should stick to multilateralism and improve global governance, Wang said.

He said that countries have reached the consensus that the international system with the United Nations (UN) at its core and the international order with international law at its basis should be preserved.

Adhering to multilateralism has become a foundation of national self-reliance, especially for many medium- and small-sized countries in the international community, Wang added.

As a super power, the United States stubbornly sticks to the "America First" policy, practicing unilateralism, repeatedly withdrawing from international organizations and treaties, he said, adding that the United States abandons its due international obligations and seeks its own benefits at the cost of other countries' rightful interests.

The United States is becoming the "biggest destroyer" of the contemporary international order, he said.

Wang added that the SCO should invariably stand with multilateralism, fairness and justice, and move in the direction of the history.

The SCO should firmly defend the core position of the UN, protect the authority of the international law, prevent power politics from dragging the world back to "the law of the jungle," and resist unilateral bullying that hinders the democratization of international relations, he said.

During their addresses, foreign ministers of other SCO members fully recognized the positive role of the organization in maintaining regional security, bolstering development, and fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.

They voiced readiness to strengthen cooperation on combating the epidemic, including vaccine and drug research and development.

The participants supported closer policy coordination to push forward post-pandemic economic recoveries and sustainable development.

As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN, the SCO members underlined the need to preserve the norms of international relations with the UN Charter at its basis, defend the core position of the UN, firmly uphold multilateralism and oppose unilateralism, and resist interference by external forces in the internal affairs of countries in the region.

The SCO members said they are committed to countering all forms of terrorism and promoting political settlements of regional hotspot issues through dialogue.

They agreed to intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges among the member states, deepen interactions between the SCO and other international organizations, and promote the SCO to play a bigger role in international affairs.

The meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers made full preparations for the summit of the SCO in November. Enditem
CEO Cheryl McCants and Impact's Media Innovator Award Communication and clarity guide our efforts now more than ever before, said Impact President and CEO Cheryl McCants. CVMs recognition of our work comes at a time when the world struggles to respect diversity of thought and accept differing perspectives."

Impact Consulting Enterprises (Impact), a strategic communication, marketing and public relations firm headquartered in East Orange, N.J., won three Media Innovator Awards from United Kingdom-based Corporate Vision Magazine. Corporate Vision selects winners based on merit and demonstrated excellence in the media industry. Impacts media relations, events, website design, crisis communication and public relations team received the following awards:



Best Strategic Marketing & Communications Firm - North Atlantic USA

Best Event Management & Creative Services Firm - North Atlantic USA

Client Service Excellence Award - New Jersey

These awards recognize and reinforce Impacts continued prominence in strategic marketing, communication, and event management. With more than 30 years of success, Impact, led by communication strategist and public relations guru Cheryl McCants, develops diverse and innovative strategies that transcend trends and turn heads. Corporate Vision Magazine (CVM) highlights Impacts agility and ever-evolving approaches that set this full-service agency apart, and make them worthy of these accolades. CVM recognizes the immense value that Impact, a Black woman-owned firm, derives from their diverse team, and salutes their unyielding dedication to customer satisfaction.

Communication and clarity guide our efforts now more than ever before, said Impact President and CEO Cheryl McCants. CVMs recognition of our work comes at a time when the world struggles to respect diversity of thought and accept differing perspectives. My teams ability to swivel and create effective and innovative initiatives for our clients starts with the diverse perspectives and inclusive approaches we take in our campaigns. We always maintain high standards of excellence and put clients first. There is no greater reward than having our efforts noticed and praised by an international magazine.

CVM publishes monthly editions to a worldwide circulation of over 155,000 business leaders and experts. Their awards are earned based on evidence of extensive expertise and skills as well as excellent customer service and ongoing innovation. CVM states that the awards recognize leaders who keep ahead of the constant shifts within the industry. Impact truly embodies the Media Innovator Award ideals through their client-first approach, diverse and creative workplace, and endless progress.

At a time when racial tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affect businesses around the world, McCants and her teams successes serve a testament to their perseverance and values. Through these turbulent times, Impact continues to support the community and help others. When COVID-19 first hit the country, McCants expanded Impacts service-oriented business to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to first line responders. After successfully transitioning back to their Newark, NJ satellite office, Impact released their Reawakening Plan as a free digital asset to help organizations reopen. Team Impact also developed the Virtual Communication Kit, which offers expert communication in a premium, customizable package. Impact uses their communication knowledge to share untold stories and amplify diverse voices, via client projects and through their award-winning blog. For Impact, good business and good deeds go hand-in-hand. Impact Consulting Enterprises continued dedication to making a positive impact drives their progress leading to ongoing success and a growing list of awards and recognitions.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Calik Holding will complete construction of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line in Turkmenistan on schedule, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenistans State News Agency.

The progress of implementation of TAP was reviewed during a meeting of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with Board Chairman of Calik Holding Ahmet Calk.

Ahmet Calk spoke on the progress of a number of joint projects. In particular, about the construction of the TAP power transmission line, the construction of which is entrusted to a Turkish company.

Earlier, the Turkmen Energy Ministry has signed an agreement with Turkeys Calik Holding A.S. on the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) project for the construction of a power transmission line.

In addition to the energy supply of all infrastructure facilities of this power line, the future power transmission line will allow exporting electricity to Pakistan and other countries of South Asia in transit through Afghanistan.

The construction of the TAP will give a powerful impetus to the economic development of the region, it will be possible to increase the level of employment of the population, to create the appropriate electricity, transport, communication and social infrastructure, the report said.

Earlier, Turkmen Ministry of Energy said that there are opportunities to transit Turkmen electricity through Afghanistan to Tajikistan, Pakistan and India.

Turkmenistan plans to generate up to 35.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity by 2030.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
I wish Mr. Julfalakyan success, and Im certain that we will have the opportunity to discuss the matter. This is what deputy of the My Step faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Sofya Hovsepyan told reporters in parliament today.

If he pays heed to my request and returns, I will be the one of the happiest deputies. I am ready to publicly ask him to reconsider, return and be a part of the strong team of the standing committee on education, she said.

Asked if Arsen Julfalakyan, who has dropped his mandate, will cooperate with the political team or not, Sofia Hovsepyan said she couldnt answer that question.

The deputy also said she feels there is a need for the steering committee of the National Assembly to call Arsen Julfalakyan and Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan and understand what the problem was. She added that the My Step faction also has to listen to them.
Member of Parliament for Subin Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Hon Eugene Boakye Antwi has described as disgusting and distasteful endorsement given to Isaac Adongos Akyem Sakawa Boys post by former President John Dramani Mahama.



According to the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, the endorsement of the Akyem Sakawa Boys by the Presidential Candidate of the NDC has exposed him to be an indiscipline father who condones wrongdoings of his children.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Hon Boakye Antwi said that inasmuch as Hon. Adongos ethnocentric comment is condemnable, he is not as significant as the former President who is supposed to know better to reprimand the Bolgatanga Central MP and not to fuel the insensitive comment.



The Akyem Sakawa Boys comment is disgusting which must not be condoned. Adongo is fluent in twi dialect and he understands what he said very well. I keep saying that we dont have a bad child in this world but we have a bad father in the world because it is the duty of the father to discipline the child, he slammed.



So, former President John Dramani Mahama is an indiscipline father . . .  he lambasted.



He was of the view that it would have been something else in the country if an Akan speaking person had made such a slippery or ethnocentric comment like the Akyem Sakawa Boys.



He stated that the justification of former President John Dramani Mahama that he was referring to some selected Akyem people involved in the Agyapa Royalty deal is immaterial as it is goofing enough to use Akyem Sakawa Boys.



We dont need any explanation from him again to try to justify the use of Akyem Sakawa Boys. He has already goofed for using Akyem Sakawa Boys. If I had said Adongo Frafra, the issue would have been blown out of proportion and they would have held to it to the day of election, he asserted.



He wondered the essence of the reposting of Hon. Isaac Adongos distasteful comment by the former President who had enjoyed votes from Akyem people and still works with some of them in the NDC.









Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









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CLEVELAND, Ohio  Downtown Cleveland is likely not returning to normal until the coronavirus pandemic is behind us, though boosters of this and other urban cores they believe such places are far from dead.

Downtown Cleveland Alliance President and CEO Joe Marinucci said during a forum Thursday that many cities bounced back after the influenza pandemic of 1918, a catastrophic event that many historians and doctors have compared to the worlds current situation. He said he had every reason to believe cities will recover this time.

The downtown executive appeared virtually, along with speakers from Denver and London, during the annual State of Downtown forum hosted by the DCA, whose mission is to boost downtowns prospects, and the City Club of Cleveland.

They came back through that resiliency. They came back because people want to continue to interact in core cities like Cleveland, like Denver, like London, and we strongly believe that that will be the case in years to come, Marinucci said of cities after the 1918 pandemic.

The forum, hosted by WCPNs Sound of Ideas host Rick Jackson, was held at a tough time for downtown Cleveland. The coronavirus led companies with offices to have employees work from home starting in March, at the same time most governors enacted stay-at-home orders to prevent the spread of the virus and millions were laid off. With downtown hollowed out, many restaurants and businesses suffered from state-enforced restrictions on their operations and a lack of foot traffic.

The mass movement of employees to home offices has led many developers and businesspeople to wonder whether companies will find that the pluses outweigh the minuses in giving up an office and whether the effect on downtown will be permanent.

Cleveland is not unique, though, noted Downtown Denver Partnership President and CEO Tami Door and Ojay McDonald, the chief executive for the Association of Town & City Management in the United Kingdom. The fellow panelists said many cities, including Denver and London, are having similar experiences.

While the pandemic continues to rage, some businesses have begun moving employees back into offices. Marinucci said, however, that those companies doing so in Cleveland appear to be in the minority.

He estimated that companies with downtown offices only have about 30% of its employees working there.

Other metrics also do not bode well for downtown, at least in the short term. The Downtown Cleveland Alliance said in a report this summer that 13.7% of apartments were vacant in the neighborhood at the end of June, compared with 7.8% during the same period last year. The organization has pushed for years to reach a milestone of 20,000 residents living downtown by 2020.

Downtown will recover more as workers return, as it will translate into more people patronizing restaurants and shops, Marinucci said. He also said he believed that many companies will still want employees to work from offices when it is safe.

Will there be some changes in the five-day workweek? Marinucci said. We dont know. But what we do know is people want to be with other people. Thats where theyre most creative. Thats where theyre most entrepreneurial.

Door agreed, saying she has heard from technology companies who see some signs of unproductiveness as employees work from home, and that seasoned employees struggle with giving new workers a taste of the workplaces culture when theyre not in the same place.

The topics at Thursdays forum ranged to many of the ones weighing heavy on the minds of workers, residents, landlords and developers. That included the effects of demonstrations on May 30, when thousands gathered outside the Justice Center to protest the death of a man at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Groups broke off from the crowd that night and made their way east, smashing windows and looting stores.

Marinucci said in July that downtown business and property owners lost an estimated $6.3 million  $3.38 million in physical property damages and a little under $3 million in lost revenue. He said the DCA worked on a project to give another means of expression to Black artists, who painted some of the plywood covering boarded-up windows at the time.

He also noted that the organization is trying to highlight tourism opportunities at a time when the Indians are playing to an empty ballpark and Playhouse Square is closed. Marinucci highlighted the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which is open, and the Take a Hike self-guided walking tours as ways the city can hopefully help people come down to visit, if not to work.

In an effort to attract more residents in the long term, he also said that the DCA is advocating for developers to build buildings with cheaper apartments so a more diverse renter base can afford to live downtown.

Regardless, the panelists were optimistic about the need for a central business district. Even if a city loses population like Cleveland has for decades, the visual of downtown is still powerful for many companies, they said.

You may travel all over the world recruiting companies to come to your region, Door said. But what theyll envision is center city, Cleveland. Thats the brand. Thats the identity.
COLUMBIA  U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Monday again lamented the failure of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site, suggesting the world is in a more precarious position without the nuclear fuel endeavor.

The South Carolina Republican, speaking at a Statehouse press conference with U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette looking on, said he was heartbroken by the abandonment of MOX, a project the National Nuclear Security Administration officially axed in October 2018.

"My goal was to keep the program alive," Graham said Monday, "because the world needs this program."

The NNSA  the Energy Department's weapons-and-nonproliferation arm  and the U.S. Department of Defense two years ago recommended repurposing MOX infrastructure for plutonium pit production, the crafting of nuclear weapon cores or triggers.

"But what does that mean?" the senator rhetorically asked. "We'll be making nuclear bombs in the facility that we were going to dismantle nuclear weapons. This is not a good day for the world."

Eighty plutonium pits could be made at the Savannah River Site every year. The goal, per the 2018 joint recommendation, is at least 50 by 2030, an uphill sprint.

"So we've gone from swords, to plowshares, back to swords," Graham said Monday.

The U.S. and Russia roughly two decades ago agreed to eliminate 34 metric tons of plutonium  enough material for thousands of nuclear weapons from their respective defense programs. The arrangement, known as the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement, gave rise to the MOX project at the Savannah River Site south of Aiken.

The U.S. and Russia disagree on the current status of the disposition agreement, according to a study handled by the National Academies, as Moscow suspended its participation in 2016. The Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance's April 2020 Compliance Report said there was "no indication" Russia has violated the pact. But the pause has raised red flags about Russian willingness to cooperate in the future.

National Nuclear Security Administration chief Lisa Gordon-Hagerty in an interview with the Aiken Standard last summer said the U.S. was not backing out of the PMDA and welcomes a dialogue with the one-time Cold War rival.

Graham on Monday said MOX was meant to make the world safer  and that effort has unraveled.

"We failed to make the world a safer place, because I don't know what Russia's going to do with their 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium they promised to do away with," the senator continued. "We'll see how all this plays out."

MOX was more than a decade in the making, and still incomplete, when it was canceled in late 2018. Costs had ballooned. Progress was flagging. And the venture was disfavored by then-Energy Secretary Rick Perry as well as Gordon-Hagerty.

MOX Services, the lead contractor, in a 2019 lawsuit alleged construction was hamstrung by inadequate congressional funding levels.
As a committee appointed by Napa plots a possible road map for the next two decades of development, residents of three western neighborhoods are asking that future growth avoid taking over some of the citys remaining open lands.

On the western edge of the Browns Valley area, homeowners alarmed by the prospect of even small-scale home construction near Timberhill Park have formed an action group to call for land protections in the neighborhood  largely by distributing door hangers and lawn signs calling on the city to Zone Timberhill Green.

Near Old Sonoma Road on the way to the Carneros wine country, residents who have successfully repulsed two attempts to build homes in the nearby hills over the past two decades have joined their Timberhill peers in promoting a greenbelt designation sharply limiting construction, in hopes of blocking further attempts to build the Napa Oaks development.

The third area under review is 144 acres along Foster Road and Golden Gate Drive, west of Highway 29 in south Napa. Proposals released by the city would change the current mix of single- and multi-family zoning to medium-density housing on Golden Gate Drive, along the freeway, and low-density housing along Foster Road.

Last week, advocates for both communities appeared to gain support from Napas General Plan Advisory Committee, the team of 15 volunteers tasked with shaping a new set of zoning and development rules with community input. Its recommendations will be shared with the Planning Commission and the City Council, which may approve a general plan to govern growth and land use through about 2040.

At the committees online meeting Aug. 31, creating greenbelts around both Timberhill and the Napa Oaks site appeared to win strong support from members, who doubted whether home builders could overcome residents worries about steep slopes, earthquake faults and vulnerability to wildfire  or whether housing affordable to service and tourism workers was likely to develop there.

I just dont believe it will help our community goals and mission, said Ricky Hurtado during the meeting, which was conducted via Zoom teleconference. ... Although we need an array of housing, I dont think its appropriate for this area. I understand there are people commuting to Napa that wish to live here, but I dont believe that this will meet that criterion in supporting our blue-collar workers, or our work force in general.

Committee member Lauren Ackerman hoped that greenbelt zoning for the 81-acre Napa Oaks site would put to rest neighbors fears of another attempt by the developer Davidon Homes  which backed home-building projects the City Council rejected in 2002 and again in 2018 over concerns with fire safety, seismic safety and emergency access  to revive its plans in the future.

The fact its been before the City Council before, and the City Council has twice turned this down based on the recommendations of people living in the area, is enough for me to say there shouldnt be a third time, she said.

Perhaps the most energetic push for greater land protection has grown around Timberhill Park, where neighbors quickly organized an action group after the city in February issued a proposed land-use map that could change the zoning of the area. Currently designated a resource area with no more than one home allowed per 20 acres, Timberhills environs would have been mapped for very low density housing  allowing one or two residences per acre.

Residents appeared in force to oppose a rezoning at the general plan committees meeting in February  the bodys last before the coronavirus pandemic forced government meetings and other assemblies onto the internet the following month  and then created a website, a sign campaign and an email list to keep up pressure on Napa officials to keep open space open. A report compiled by the group and submitted to the city also outlined the natural features in the area, as well as the various conservation easements created since 1970.

The presence of the West Napa Fault, which triggered the August 2014 earthquake, presents one major hazard to new construction around Timberhill  but the wave of wildfires that have menaced Napa County and much of California over the past month may be an even more persuasive argument now, according to Andrew Healy, a resident and representative for Browns Valley Action Group.

Those who have lived here for a number of years, we have a long list of reasons why building doesnt make sense, and fire is at the top of the list, he said last week.

After the action group presented an alternative map to mark Timberhill as a greenbelt, city staff, in a memorandum before last weeks meeting, recommended moving away from rezoning the area for more housing, even at very low density.

The general plan committee has struggled to agree on how to rezone the acreage along Foster Road and Golden Gate Drive, west of Highway 29.

While the area currently does not have the same restrictive zoning as Napa Oaks and Timberhill, several residents urged Napa leaders to protect its open space and valley views they said make it a vital southern gateway into the city. In addition to worries about increased traffic on two-lane roads, Foster Road-area residents shared many of the same concerns about earthquake vulnerability, of the kind that led to the rebuilding of Snow Elementary School farther from the West Napa Fault.

We need to preserve the natural resources that we have, said Katherine Lambert. Water is an issue; earthquakes are an issue; traffic is an issue. There are so many issues around this particular site.

Committee members did not make a united stand for or against restricting development near Foster Road, describing a difficult balance between land preservation and the scarcity of land for new homes.

Regardless of what happens, were always going to have groups of people who dont want housing in their area, said committee member Tony Zand. ... At the end of the day, Napa has only so much space, and as a community we have to decide if we want to make it more affordable to live here.

Theres never a good spot for housing. People dont want it on their block, thats just the reality of it. Its unfortunate, but its part of the reality we all face, Zand said.

No development applications are pending for the Timberhill, Napa Oaks or Foster Road areas, city senior planner Michael Walker said last week.

The Planning Commission is scheduled to take up the Napa general plan at its next meeting, to be held at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 17 via Zoom. No vote is scheduled.







Watch Now: Burned-out Lake Berryessa residents return to homes turned to rubble

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The national capitals civic bodies have launched a mosquito terminator train that will spray anti-larvae chemicals up to 60 metres on both sides of the railway tracks across Delhi to mitigate the threat of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya.

The chemical will be sprayed from a power sprayer mounted on a truck placed over the special train. Civic officials said the train would spray insecticides for 10 days until October 2, including 10 round trips.

Also read: BJP leaders, mayors hold protest against AAP for not releasing full funds to civic bodies

The train would spray anti-larvae chemicals in water bodies, pits and jhuggi jhopri (JJ) clusters along railway tracks, where it is risky for personnel of the three civic bodies to manually spray the chemicals, they added.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) authorities had started the drive from early September.

Civic officials said that a truck mounted with a power sprayer would be loaded on an open railway wagon, which has a low flat surface to accommodate the vehicle. The terminator train would move at a speed of 20 kilometres (km) per hour and would cover a distance about 150 km in each round, they added.

Delhi has recorded 96, 42 and 97 cases of dengue, chikungunya and malaria, respectively, until September 5. No death due to these vector-borne diseases has been reported to date.

Anamika Mithilesh, mayor, SDMC, said the special train would run from New Delhi railway station. It would also cover areas under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), she added.

It will cover areas such as Hazrat Nizamuddin, Lajpat Nagar, Sewa Nagar, Lodi Colony, Safdarjang, Patel Nagar, Delhi Kishanganj, Sadar Bazar, Sarai Rohilla, Inderpuri, Mayapuri, Dayabasti, Delhi Cantonment among others following which it will return to New Delhi railway Station. Besides water bodies, the train will spray insecticides over depression created on both sides of railway tracks, where chances of mosquito breeding remain high during monsoon, she said.

In East Delhi, the train will spray larvicides around the tracks of Shahdara railway station, Vivek Vihar, Anand Vihar and Mandawali.

Nirmal Jain, mayor, EDMC, said that during monsoon, mosquito breeding intensifies because of accumulation in water in pits around railway tracks.

It is an effective effort to eliminate the menace of dengue, malaria and chikungunya. Precautionary measures will save thousands of people living near railway tracks from these vector-borne diseases, Jain said.

On August 25, the three civic bodies -- North, South and East -- had launched an awareness campaign about dengue, chikungunya and malaria diseases.

Similarly, the Delhi government had on September 6 launched the second edition of its 10 Hafte-10 Baje-10 Minute campaign to tackle vector-borne diseases.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had urged the public to check their houses every Sunday at 10 am for 10 minutes for the next 10 weeks in a bid to prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes that cause vector-borne diseases.
Rights advocates have called for criminal proceedings to be initiated against ousted Kampong Thom police chief Ouk Kosal, who was fired by the Ministry of Interior on Monday after being accused in July of physical harassment by four of his officers.



The Ministry of Interior released a document on Monday removing Ouk Kosal from his position as Kampong Thom police chief and also made a request to demote him from the rank of lieutenant general to colonel.



Four police officers, who worked with Ouk Kosal, wrote a letter to Interior Minister Sar Kheng on July 30 accusing the police chief of physically assaulting them while on the job, including accusations of inappropriate touching and non-penetrative sex acts.



Chak Sopheap, who heads the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said the use of partial administrative measures were insufficient punishment and that the former police chief should face criminal charges.



We must follow legal procedures to ensure that all abuses draw attention from the government, she said. We must follow the legal procedures by not creating an atmosphere where we see the continuation of the culture of impunity.



A 2015 report from rights groups Licadho showed that victims of rape and indecent assault were often pushed to settle their cases for monetary compensation and also pointed to the prevalence of impunity experienced by offenders in these cases.



Bunn Rachana, the director womens rights group Klaahan, said that it was clear Ouk Kosal had committed a criminal offense and that he should be charged and made to stand trial.



She said senior officials will feel a greater sense of impunity if they know these crimes would result in only an administrative punishment.



Bringing this case to be tried [by the court] is the right move according to the law. This is a criminal offence, which should not be solved through a comprise outside court, she said.

Ouk Kosal and the four female officers could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Following the release of the letter accusing him of indecent assault, Ouk Kosal released a video on social media claiming the charges were untrue and that he was being framed.

Reacting to rights advocates, Interior Ministry spokesperson Khieu Sopheak said removing Ouk Kosal from his position was sufficient and severe action against the errant police official.

But I just would like to clarify that submitting a complaint to the court is OK but I think that this resolution is proper and severe for the police officers, he said.

National Police chief Neth Savoeun told Voice of Democracy on Tuesday that Ouk Kosal's case could not be sent to the court because "it was difficult for the authorities to compile the documents and elements of the case and that it authorities wanted to protect the dignity of the female police victims."
YEREVAN, 10 SEPTEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 10 September, USD exchange rate down by 0.48 drams to 488.33 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 3.01 drams to 578.09 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.04 drams to 6.48 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 3.14 drams to 635.95 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 539.64 drams to 30571.38 drams. Silver price down by 2.61 drams to 416.6 drams. Platinum price up by 221.60 drams to 14381.36 drams.
Waves of soldiers marching in double time open the new documentary by Gianfranco Rosi at the Venice film festival, but the Italian filmmaker's aim is not to depict war, but those caught in the crossfire.

Whether mothers mourning sons killed in prison, children drawing in crayon the horrors they've seen, or survivors left languishing in psychiatric wards, the suffering witnesses of decades of Middle East conflict are Rosi's interest, and their silence tells more than any battle scene could possibly convey.

Rosi spent three years in the borderlands of Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan and Lebanon, shooting 90 hours of footage that became "Notturno," a 100-minute documentary greeted by sustained applause at a press screening Tuesday.

The 56-year-old filmmaker said he was tired of the "breaking news" of war -- seeing people shot, bombs exploding or buildings collapsing.

"I said I want to do a film that doesn't cover this. I want to do a film of the people who somehow are the victims of all this," Rosi told AFP on Wednesday.

Just beyond the destruction, normal life ensues.

"But we never see that," said Rosi. "So I wanted to start this film where the breaking news stopped."

In 2013, Rosi's film about Rome's periphery, "Sacro GRA," won the prestigious Golden Lion, the first time the Venice competition had awarded a documentary its top prize.

- Deserted prison -

In "Notturno," a child in a classroom explains to his teacher that his colourful drawing of mountains, sun and a cluster of homes depicts the day the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) came to "exterminate" his Yazidi village.

The stuttering child then calmly explains his classmates' drawings taped to a wall: beheadings, hangings, women chained, or being burned alive.

In another scene, a line of black-clad women enter an abandoned building, silently exploring its empty rooms. Then a wail is heard, and a woman begins caressing the concrete wall: "Son, I feel your presence. My son, this prison is for the wicked and you were good."

Despite the pervasive suffering, Rosi finds intimate, transcendent moments of humanity in the lives of the people he called "archetypes".

A duck hunter paddles through reeds in his boat at nightfall as mortars illuminate the sky. A young mother and her children wordlessly set up mattresses and blankets on the floor in preparation for a night's sleep. A Kurdish tank gunner complains of back pain, jokingly accusing his comrade of deliberately driving over potholes.

- Patience and time -

Rosi said he spent months with his subjects before beginning to shoot, observing and understanding their daily rituals, so that his camera was ignored when it was time to film. Much time was spent waiting.

"Sometimes I'd wait one month to do one shot because the light was not right," said Rosi.

His patience paid off. Weeks spent at a psychiatric hospital yielded little before Rosi discovered that a doctor was putting on a play about current history with his patients as actors.

"I don't know our destiny, my Homeland," recites one of the actors in rehearsal, uttering the question the director himself leaves unanswered.

Rosi finds a silent protagonist in "Ali," a child who never utters a word while working to support his large family with a noticeably absent father (although we don't know why) -- fishing, shooting birds, or waiting for hunters before dawn to find work as a guide.

Ali and other "victims of history" are living in a world where the future is on hold, said Rosi, adding that the film's final moments lingering on Ali's solemn face should leave audiences wondering what fate has in store for him.

"Every time I put the camera in a close-up on him, it felt that moment was worth 100 interviews."
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are encouraged to review the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects the Company's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

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.
When Tara Sargent re-purposed $10,000 intended for an overseas trip into launching her own bikini line as a student at age 21, she could have had no idea just how big it would be.

But fast forward three years, and the 26-year-old Australian entrepreneur is now the CEO of the multi-million-dollar swimwear business TJ Swim, beloved by the likes of Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Addison Rae.

Tara was also named as one of the 30 most influential people in business under the age of 30 for 2019.

A swimwear label founded by a university student in her parents' laundry has become a multi-million-dollar company called TJ Swim (Tara's designs pictured)

Tara Sargent (pictured) launched her business with $10,000 that was originally saved up for an overseas trip

The 26-year-old began her lucrative business in her parents' laundry when she was just 21.

Spotting a 'gap in the market' when it came to quality swimwear, Tara told FEMAIL she wanted to make bikinis with cheeky Brazilian coverage that lasted 'more than one summer'.

My sole priority has always been to produce premium quality swimwear that complements all body shapes and sizes,' Tara told Daily Mail Australia.

'Our suits are specifically designed to empower women to be confident with their curves.'

Each bikini and swimsuit is handmade in Bali, a destination that Tara used to visit often, with premium quality fabrics to ensure a unique standard of sophistication.

The 24-year-old entrepreneur is now the CEO of J Swim , beloved by the likes of Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Addison Rae (designs pictured)

Spotting a 'gap in the market' for quality swimwear, Tara said she wanted to make bikinis with cheeky Brazilian coverage that lasted 'more than one summer' (Tara's designs pictured)

My sole priority has always been to produce premium quality swimwear that complements all body shapes and sizes,' Tara (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia

Within months of launching TJ Swim, the business took off, with thousands of shoppers rushing to the young designer's website to snap up some high cut swimwear.

TJ Swim is currently valued at around $3million, and has a cult following of celebrities and influencers.

Tara has also made a splash at international fashion weeks, including Miami Swim Week, with her new capsule collection set to launch this October.

Within months of launching TJ Swim, the business took off, with thousands of shoppers rushing to the young designer's site to snap up some high cut swimwear (designs pictured)

When it comes to the top swimwear trends of 2020, after a summer of bright numbers and bold colours last year, this season is set to see more of a return to neutral hues and pastel shades (TJ Swim designs pictured)

When it comes to the top swimwear trends of 2020, after a summer of bright numbers and bold colours last year, this season is set to see more of a return to neutral hues and pastel shades.

According to TJ Swim, one-shouldered styles will be popular, especially one-shouldered one pieces.

High-cut one pieces will also continue to dominate, after proving popular in summer 2019.
First-grader April Alvarez enjoys an online class from her desk at the Delano Recreation Center in Van Nuys, one of L.A.'s Safer at Parks: Alternative Learning Centers. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to overturn Gov. Gavin Newsom's directives limiting in-classroom instruction to slow the spread of COVID-19.

During a private conference, the state's highest court rejected without comment lawsuits brought by the Orange County Board of Education and others to reopen schools statewide.

Robert Tyler, one of the lawyers who brought the cases, said the legal fight was not over.

"It simply means that we will have to start the litigation by filing our claims in the Superior Courts because the court is not willing to permit this case to skip the lower courts," Tyler said. "Once we proceed through the normal process, we believe we will still be victorious in the end.

The high court summarily denied the challenges after reviewing written legal arguments.

Jennifer Bursch, Tyler's co-counsel, said the legal team had not yet "exactly decided our next move."

"Be assured we are prepared to continue fighting for the rights of the vulnerable children of California," she said.

The lawsuits, one to reopen private schools and the other aimed at public schools, were supported by Advocates for Faith & Freedom, a nonprofit religious liberties group.

Legal experts said the suits were always a long shot. Courts have been giving elected leaders flexibility during the pandemic to restrict activities to reduce the spread of the disease.

Orders by Newsom and the California Department of Public Health allow for limited in-classroom instruction in counties where the spread of the virus has slowed.

On Tuesday, Orange County moved into Tier 2 of the state's monitoring system, which gauges a county's ability to reopen more fully. The reclassification allows for more businesses  including movie theaters, restaurants and places of worship  to ease restrictions and open in limited capacity.

State officials have also told Orange County it is eligible to reopen schools Sept. 22 following its reduced COVID-19 infection rate.
By Natasha Lindstrom, The Tribune-Review

Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday afternoon that he chose to visit a Beaver County natural gas well for one reason: Pennsylvania and America need four more years of President Donald Trump in the White House.

Im here to roll up my sleeves up because the road to victory goes straight through Pennsylvania, Pence told several hundred Trump supporters at the Penn Energy fracking site in New Sewickley. You said yes to President Donald Trump in 2016, and from where I stand, I think Pennsylvania is going to say yes to four more years.

Pences roughly 30-minute remarks touched on many of the same topics Trump did during his rally that drew some 5,000 attendees to Latrobe last week, including restoring law and order, clamping down on sanctuary cities and increasing the nations energy independence by supporting the likes of fracking-related companies.

We ended the war on coal, Pence told the crowd. We unleashed American energy.

Energy workers in hard hats sat in risers on either side of Pence as he spoke against a large banner draped across water tanks and flanked by yellow cranes spelling out the events theme in all caps: JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!

Its a good setting for this because it gives Mike Pence the chance to show an example right here on a well pad, said Ed Eisenbrown, 56, whose 64-acre farm in New Sewickley was able to benefit financially from the fracking industry by selling drilling rights.

PennEnergy employees listen as Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a "Workers for Trump" rally at PennEnergy Resources well site in Freedom, Pa., Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)AP

This company has created a ton of jobs in this area and made life better for a lot of folks, said Eisenbrown, who sported a Penn Energy ball cap. So thats why were here to support both Penn Energy and the Trump administration and Mike Pence to continue that, and in a safe manner, too.

Despite Democrat Joe Bidens recent pledge in Pittsburgh that he does not intend to ban fracking, Pence painted the choice between Trump and Biden as one between supporting natural gas industry jobs and threatening to eradicate them.

To me, he just forgot what he said before, said Pence, citing prior remarks by Biden earlier this year and last year related to rolling back the reliance on fossil fuels and limiting new fracking projects.

Joe Biden wants to bury our economy through an avalanche of red tape, like his own version of the Green New Deal, Pence said, prompting a barrage of boos. We rolled back federal red tape, we unleashed American energy like never before.

Pence on pandemic, vaccine

Pence lauded the Trump administrations response to the covid-19 pandemic, including Trump shutting down travel to China and ramping up the availability of testing in more recent months. He pledged to get businesses open as quickly as possible.

We are opening up America again, and we are opening up Americas schools, Pence said to loud applause.

Now, our hearts go out to all of the families who have lost loved ones during this pandemic, including more than 7,000 families still grieving in Pennsylvania, he said. "We want them to know they will always be in our hearts. And theyre in our prayers.

But were continuing to work our way through this time as a nation.  Even though Joe Biden said no miracle is coming, were on track to have a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine this year, he said to loud applause and chants of, Go Trump!

Vice President Mike Pence greets supporters after a "Workers for Trump" campaign event at a PennEnergy Resources site on Wednesday Sept. 9. 2020, in Freedom, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)AP

Pence criticized Biden and vice presidential running mate Kamala Harris for questioning whether the Trump administration had the ability to oversee the safe rollout of a vaccine.

After praising the sacrifices of law enforcement and the importance of First Amendment rights, Pence criticized protests that do not remain peaceful.

Rioting and looting is not peaceful protest, he said. Burning businesses is not free speech.

He also pledged to get more conservative-minded Supreme Court justices, touched on his pro-life stance and ended with a focus on God and prayer.

"Its so wonderful to hear a leader of our country to thank God and to be able to say God and Merry Christmas, " said Constance Purdy, 71, a retired school bus driver of Hanover. "  And you know one thing about President Trump, you know where you stand with him. Hes not a polished politician per se, but you know where you stand with him."

When asked if she had anything critical to say about the Trump administration, Purdy replied, Not a thing.

President Trump is the greatest president weve had, said Shelley Buchanan, 62, office manager of Burgettstown. Hes made promises and hes kept them. Hes the most pro-life president weve ever had. Hes not afraid to stand up to what he believes him, and he fights back because hes attacked first.

Pence gave nods during his speech to Sean Parnell, the GOP challenger to U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon. Parnell took the stage to introduce Pence, as well other Republican guests Congressmen John Joyce and Mike Kelly.

To secure Pennsylvanias 20 electoral votes, Trump needs to retain or expand his slim 2016 lead of 44,000 votes. Biden must close the gap by reaching out to wavering Republicans and getting more people in general to vote.

Republican leaders argue Trump strongholds remain around the state and support is growing in some areas, buoyed by GOP platforms such as promoting more natural gas industry development and deregulating businesses.

Its not just about Trump. Its about the idea that the country has to come first, said Ann Murphy, 60, of Sewickley. She pointed to the appreciation of Trump and Pence taking the time to visit struggling suburbs and towns outside of major cities. And she said that Pences devotion and respect for Trump gives her confidence that Trump is a good man behind closed doors.

Although the president lost Allegheny County and Philadelphia in 2016, large margins in the states rural and suburban counties pushed him over the top.

Polling in recent weeks shows Biden with a 3- to 8-point lead statewide, with at least one Rasmussen poll in late August finding the candidates tied at 46% each.

Its on, Pennsylvania, Pence told the crowd. I need you to bring it.
Evangelical pastor, 2 others killed in Nigeria in Fulani attack; 7 abducted

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The Rev. Alubara Audu from the Evangelical Church Winning All denomination in Nigeria was murdered along with two others during a raid conducted by suspected Fulani radicals on Sunday morning as deadly violence against Christians in the Kaduna state continues.

Three were killed and seven were abducted during attacks by armed assailants said to be of Fulani ethnicity on two Adara communities in the southern Kaduna state.

The London-based human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide notes that the attack began around 2 a.m. local time when a militia swarmed into the Buda community in Buda ward of the Kajuru local government area, a region that has been hit hard in recent years by deadly communal violence perpetrated by suspected radicals from the Fulani herding community.

The United Nations-accredited nongovernmental organization that works in over 20 countries reports that those killed have been identified as Audu, the 45-year-old father of five; 40-year-old Adamu Tata, a father of four; and 37-year-old Ishaku Peter, a father of five.

Those who were reportedly abducted from the community during the attack are 25-year-old Sani Peter and 20-year-old Esther Sani Peter.

The assailants also attacked the neighboring Kemara Rimi community in the Buda ward, where they abducted 16-year-old Grace Mathew, 35-year-old Ojo Aminu, 37-year-old Danfulani Makaranta, 36-year-old Namiji Gwamna and 36-year-old Ali Musa.

CSWs heart goes out to those affected by the continuing violence in southern Kaduna, CSW Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said in a statement. We express our deepest condolences to all those who have lost loved ones in the recent attacks, and continue to call for effective action on the part of the Kaduna State and Nigerian Federal governments to secure the immediate, unconditional, and safe release of all those abducted, and to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

In a statement shared by Nigerian media, Adara Development Association President Awemi Dio Maismari called Sundays attack premeditated and unprovoked.

Maismari decried the violence that the Adara community has suffered in recent years. In 2019, a representative of the Adara community traveled to Washington, D.C., to testify about the plight the community faces as hundreds have been killed and thousands displaced from their ancestral lands.

The Kaduna state is not alone as thousands of others across Nigerias farm-rich Middle Belt states have been displaced or killed in recent years during attacks carried out by suspected herdsman radicals.

These callous and barbaric attacks sometimes abate but never really stop in Adara community, Maismari said, recalling another fatal attack that occurred on Aug. 16 in the Kallah village on the banks of the Kaduna River.

This resulted in the death of Mr. Danladi Abashi, a 50-year-old farmer who ventured near the villages that were invaded and are still occupied by Fulani herdsmen in the Kallah/Gefe/Libere area of Kajuru LGA. His body was only recovered with the help of the police because the herdsmen disallowed Adara people from even approaching the occupied enclave.

Maismari stressed that the trend of people being abducted for ransom has also been troubling as of late. He said four people were kidnapped on Sept. 2 and before that, on Aug. 27, five people were kidnapped in the Kasuwan Magani ward of Kajuru.

With the continuation of such hostilities by Fulani herdsmen even when various peace moves are being initiated, it is becoming clearer that the purported dialogue is serving as a diversion to enable the attackers to continue their diabolical activities, the Adara Development Association president said. We are left wondering whether it is worthwhile engaging in such dialogue and peace talks if this continues.



CSWs Thomas said the situation in southern Kaduna should be of the utmost concern to the international community.



We continue to call on the U.N. Human Rights Council to convene a special session with a specific focus on the ongoing violence, and urge U.N. member states to raise these concerns with Nigeria at every opportunity, including during the upcoming Human Rights Council session, Thomas stressed.

Nigeria ranks as the 12th worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List.

Human rights groups and bodies like Jubilee Campaign and Christian Solidarity International have issued warnings stating that the violence suffered by Christians in Nigeria at the hands of radical herdsmen and Islamic extremists is reaching the level of genocide.

Additionally, the U.K. All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief reported in June that the violence against Christians in Nigeria can pave the way for genocide.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/10/2020 -- A new business intelligence report released by HTF MI with title "COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Industry Market Report-Development Trends, Threats, Opportunities and Competitive Landscape in 2020" is designed covering micro level of analysis by manufacturers and key business segments. The COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market survey analysis offers energetic visions to conclude and study market size, market hopes, and competitive surroundings. The research is derived through primary and secondary statistics sources and it comprises both qualitative and quantitative detailing. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Walt Disney, NBC Universal Media, CCTV, Time Warner, Viacom & CBS.



What's keeping Walt Disney, NBC Universal Media, CCTV, Time Warner, Viacom & CBS Ahead in the Market? Benchmark yourself with the strategic moves and findings recently released by HTF MI

Get Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/2829151-covid-19-outbreak-global-television-broadcasting-industry-market



Market Overview of COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting

If you are involved in the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting industry or aim to be, then this study will provide you inclusive point of view. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Applications [Commercial, Residential, Government, Airports, Hospitals, Institutes & Others], Product Types [, Radio Stations & Radio Networks] and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.



This study mainly helps understand which market segments or Region or Country they should focus in coming years to channelize their efforts and investments to maximize growth and profitability. The report presents the market competitive landscape and a consistent in depth analysis of the major vendor/key players in the market along with impact of economic slowdown due to COVID.



Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows:

Historical year  2014-2019

Base year  2019

Forecast period**  2020 to 2026 [** unless otherwise stated]



**Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players.



Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/2829151-covid-19-outbreak-global-television-broadcasting-industry-market



The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below:

The Study Explore the Product Types of COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting Market: , Radio Stations & Radio Networks



Key Applications/end-users of COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television BroadcastingMarket: Commercial, Residential, Government, Airports, Hospitals, Institutes & Others



Top Players in the Market are: Walt Disney, NBC Universal Media, CCTV, Time Warner, Viacom & CBS



Region Included are: North America (Covered in Chapter 7 and 14), United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe (Covered in Chapter 8 and 14), Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others, Asia-Pacific (Covered in Chapter 9 and 14), China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, Others, Middle East and Africa (Covered in Chapter 10 and 14), Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Others, South America (Covered in Chapter 11 and 14), Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Chile & Others



Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report:

 Detailed overview of COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting market

 Changing market dynamics of the industry

 In-depth market segmentation by Type, Application etc

 Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value

 Recent industry trends and developments

 Competitive landscape of COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting market

 Strategies of key players and product offerings

 Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth

 A neutral perspective towards COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting market performance

 Market players information to sustain and enhance their footprint



Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/2829151-covid-19-outbreak-global-television-broadcasting-industry-market



Major Highlights of TOC:

Chapter One: COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market Industry Overview

1.1 COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting Industry

1.1.1 Overview

1.1.2 Products of Major Companies

1.2 COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting Market Segment

1.2.1 Industry Chain

1.2.2 Consumer Distribution

1.3 Price & Cost Overview



Chapter Two: COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market Demand

2.1 Segment Overview

2.1.1 APPLICATION 1

2.1.2 APPLICATION 2

2.1.3 Other

2.2 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market Size by Demand

2.3 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market Forecast by Demand



Chapter Three: COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market by Type

3.1 By Type

3.1.1 TYPE 1

3.1.2 TYPE 2

3.2 COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting Market Size by Type

3.3 COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting Market Forecast by Type



Chapter Four: Major Region of COVID-19 Outbreak- Television Broadcasting Market

4.1 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Sales

4.2 COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Revenue & market share



Chapter Five: Major Companies List



Chapter Six: Conclusion



Complete Purchase of Latest Version COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market Study with COVID-19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=2829151



Key questions answered

- What impact does COVID-19 have made on COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting Market Growth & Sizing?

- Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting market?

- What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting market?

- What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Television Broadcasting market?

- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?



Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.



About HTF Market Report

HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the "Accurate Forecast" in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their "Goals & Objectives".
The police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has not acted on the curious case of the Ghanaian who paraded himself falsely as a UN and Kofi Annan Ambassador.



Although the CID is yet to state an official position on the matter, GhanaWeb looked into what the fate of Kwame Owusu Fordjour would be if the police were to act.



Kwame Owusu Fordjour, who precedes his name with a Dr, dominated the headlines of major news outlets recently after it emerged that the awards and citations he presented to notable personalities in various fields of endeavour were all a sham.



Under the guise of working with the United Nations and the prestigious Dr Kofi Annan Foundation, his outfit, the Global Blueprint Excellence, organised an awards ceremony and presented trophies and citations to over 20 accomplished Ghanaian personalities who he described as having achieved extraordinary feats in their endeavours.



The UN and the Kofi Annan Foundation have since dissociated themselves from Dr UN.



According to a GhanaWeb source in the police, a cursory look of the issues presented by Mr Fordjours case suggests that his actions fall under fraud, which is one of the many types of Economic Crimes.



Fraud occurs when an act is done by one person with the intention that it should deprive another person of some value to which the person is otherwise entitled and when it, in fact, causes such loss.



So, for instance, assuming he [Dr UN] had told anybody that he worked with the UN and based on which the person parted with money and led to losses, then criminal charges could be brought against him.



They [the victims] could have paid money but it is important for the person to show proof that he dispensed with the money because of a misrepresentation he [Dr UN] made that turns out to be false, the police source told GhanaWeb.



It has been alleged that some notable people who received the award paid various sums of money to support the awards scheme after being nominated, although GhanaWeb cannot independently authenticate this claim.



The police source told GhanaWeb that it is likely that the matter has already been taken up by the CID.



Because fraud is a criminal offence, the police can act even if a complaint has not been brought by an alleged victim of the fraud.



If found guilty of fraud by a court, 'Dr UN' could face a jail term or a fine.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Nationals MPs will abstain from voting on NSW coalition government bills as they fight changes to the state's koala protection policy, effectively robbing the Berejiklian government of its majority.

Rebel NSW Nationals leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro says the changes to the Koala Habitat Protection State Environmental Planning Policy are 'wrong' and hurt landowners and farmers.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian was blindsided by the loss of her coalition partner, finding out about the dramatic move when the Nationals' leader shared the explosive news at a press conference.

AAP understands Mr Barilaro has been summoned to a meeting with the premier later on Thursday afternoon.

The National party has announced its MPs will abstain from voting on government bills until changes are made to the koala protection policy

'This is a National Party decision. We are not the coalition today. We are today clearly identifying ourselves as an independent party that has the ability to make decisions that are important,' the deputy premier told reporters on Thursday.

Mr Barilaro says Nationals MPs feel their concerns have not been heard and that they've been 'betrayed', and decided to take action at a party room meeting earlier on Thursday.

'We will be abstaining from voting on government bills,' he said.

'By not voting or abstaining from voting from government bills we're effectively on the cross bench.'

Nationals MPs also won't attend joint party room or leadership meetings until the issue is resolved.

However, he said Nationals ministers won't be surrendering their portfolios.

Mr Barilaro flagged his party will also introduce a repeal bill for the policy when parliament resumes on Tuesday.

The Nationals are concerned the policy limits land use on farms and the ability to rezone areas for development as more trees are classed as koala habitat, which will restrict the clearing of land.

NSW Nationals leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro (pictured)says the changes to the Koala Habitat Protection State Environmental Planning Policy are 'wrong' and hurt landowners and farmers

The decision has effectively tumbled the state government's coalition majority. Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) is understood to be holding a meeting with Mr Barilaro on Thursday afternoon

'The National Party stands for a thriving koala population,' Mr Barilaro said.

'We actually want to see the population double. We are not anti-koala.

'We think a SEPP like this is somehow a way to sanitise the regions, attack the property rights of landholders and do absolutely nothing to support koalas.'

The Nationals have proposed several changes to the policy including ensuring there is a reasonable definition of highly suitable koala habitat, separating private native forestry from the SEPP and operating rural regulated land and agricultural production outside of the SEPP.

NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay accused Mr Barilaro of 'blowing up the coalition' during some 'extraordinary scenes' at the press conference.

Ms McKay called on the premier to front the public on Thursday afternoon to confirm the status of her government.

'It is my belief that the government is no longer functioning,' she told reporters.

Independent MP Justin Field urged the premier to hold her line and stand up for nature and koalas.

Nature Conservation Council chief executive Chris Gambian said 'the koala policy is one small measure is become extinct in NSW by 2050'

'This is just another ideological political attack on our environment by the National Party whose policies are destroying our rivers and forests,' Mr Field said in a statement.

Nature Conservation Council chief executive Chris Gambian accused the Nationals of dictating environmental policy in the state for a decade.

'The koala policy is one small measure to ensure koalas don't become extinct in NSW by 2050,' he said in a statement.

NSW Liberal Catherine Cusack earlier blasted Mr Barilaro and called for his resignation.

'This is an excellent government ... but we can't continue on this track that he's put us on,' she said.

The Nationals have 13 lower house MPs, while the Liberals have 35 and Labor 36.

In the upper house, the Nationals have six, the Liberals have 11 and Labor has 14.
How Mainstream Media Have Skewed Their Coverage of Trumps China Policy

Commentary

The upcoming presidential election will be a watershed moment in American history. The China policy is a major focus and the highlight of President Donald Trumps campaign platform.

Recently, The New York Times published in its Chinese language outlet an article titled The Trump Administrations Strategic Misjudgment of the CCP. It presents ambiguous arguments on Trumps China policy that could unintentionally mislead Chinese readers in the international community.

Misconception No. 1: The article stated that the Trump administrations first misjudgment of contemporary China/Chinese Communist Party policy is that the engagement policy failed, and the United States didnt change China. The author stated that the failed engagement policy is the key to the Trump administrations new China policy and gave four reasons.

First, he says that the engagement policy has nurtured generations of peoples basic recognition of universal values such as freedom of speech, equal rights, and the rule of law, and even fostered a small anti-communist force.

Second, in opening up its markets with the West, China has also established preliminary market rules and mechanisms.

Third, after more than 40 years of reform and opening up, Western democratic countries planted the seeds of freedom and democracy that have germinated and grown in the Chinese people, especially among the middle class, including the ruling Party.

Fourth, for a large country such as China, which has a long history of imperial dictatorship, it is unrealistic to expect its social system and regime to go through fundamental change.

These arguments are specious. The failure of the engagement policy is a fact, and even the author admits that from the current situation, China has not become the free and democratic country that the West expects, and under Xi Jinping, it seems to be farther and farther away from freedom and democracy.

The core of the failure of the engagement policy is not to say that the policy didnt bring hope and great changes to the Chinese people, but that the CCP manipulated the engagement policy to strengthen its iron-fisted rule. As a result, the CCP has not only become a bottleneck and shackle for Chinas further development, but also the greatest threat to the United States.

At the same time, theres another aspect of the facts: In terms of the balance of Chinas domestic political power, the CCP has reached a time when its ruling power is at its weakest. The Chinese peoples desire, determination, and ability to abandon the CCP have never been so strong and powerfulthe historic opportunity to change China has once again appeared.

Therefore, the key to the U.S. policy toward China is to distinguish the CCP from China: to assist the Chinese people in disintegrating the CCP and to rebuild China and help it to return to the international family under the guidance of universal values. This is exactly what the Trump administration is undertaking while it counters the CCPs infiltration and expansion.

Misconception No. 2: The author claimed that the Trump administrations second misjudgment was an overestimation of Chinas strength, and its threat and challenges to the United States. The author gave three reasons to support his claim.

First, he points to the puffiness component of Chinas huge size.

Second, he holds that even if the CCP has the strength to challenge the interests of the United States, it lacks the ability to persist.

Third, if China is allowed 10 more years of peaceful development, then perhaps the possibility that its GDP will catch up with the United States cant be ruled out. But mistakes accumulated over those 10 years could cause great trouble after Xi steps down, and even before Xis rule is over.

The author ignored (or deliberately concealed) the reality and madness of the CCPs challenge to the United States. First, although Chinas GDP is only 60 to 70 percent of that of the United States, China and the United States are the only two countries in the world with a GDP that exceeds $10 trillion; and Chinas GDP is equivalent to the sum of the four countries that were ranked third to sixth in GDP. Judging from the GDP alone, the CCP is capable of challenging the United States.

This relevant strength has surpassed the economic power comparison between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and the economic power comparison between Japan and the United States in the 1980s.

Second, the CCP isnt a normal regime, and its policies have always had an irrational aspect, which must be fully recognized. Here is just one example. According to a report published by AidData, a research lab based at College of William & Mary, over the 15 years from 2000 to 2014, the CCP has steered $354.3 billion in grants and loans to countries in Africa and Asia, a figure approaching the $394.6 billion disbursed by the United States over that same time frame.

According to official reports, in 1972, 1973, and 1974, the CCPs foreign aid expenditures accounted for as much as 6.7 percent, 7.2 percent, and 6.3 percent, respectively, of fiscal expenditures. During the same period, the domestic economy was struggling, and most people were struggling to put food on the table.

Misconception No. 3: The author claimed that the third misjudgment of the Trump administration is that the CCP isnt an expansionary regime, and that its wolf warrior diplomacy is essentially pretending to move ahead in order to hide the intention to retreat.

For this, the author didnt give a reason but simply a general discussion: The collapse of the Soviet Union and its block placed the CCP on the defensive because it feared becoming the next victim of the Western peaceful evolution, while in the Xi era, the increase in national power has helped to build confidence to counter the Western peaceful evolution and maintain its own intereststhats the essence of the CCPs advancing foreign policy. That is to extend the boundary of Chinas interests and use this boundary to consolidate the rule of the CCP.

This kind of general statement is a totally misleading interpretation of the nature and history of the CCP. In essence, based on the offensive, subversive, and expansive nature of communist ideology, a communist regime is an expansive regime, and history has repeatedly proved that. Out of the ruins of World War I, the Soviet Union came to the world; after World War II, a communist camp was formed. The most significant achievement was the success of the CCP in stealing China. In the Mao era, the CCP wanted to be the leader of the third world, leading the worldwide rural siege of the citysurrounding the city (in this case, the free world) by taking over the countryside (less developed nations). In the Deng Xiaoping era, the CCP talked about hiding ones capacity and biding time and making a difference.

Under Xi, the CCP depends on Chinas expanded economic strength, it has talked about the new type of relations between major powers and the community with a shared future for mankind, while vigorously expanding its armaments, and seeking to provoke war. This is by no means just the public opinion propaganda bubble.

Looking at the CCPs bloody suppression of the Chinese people, is it hard to understand that the CCP is a wolf in sheeps clothing?

As long as there is a powerful United States in the world, the CCP wont feel safe. The CCP is a mature hooligan, with many disguises and tricks, far more than the Soviet Union and North Korea, and is the most dangerous enemy of the United States and the international community.

Misconception No. 4: The author claimed that the fourth misjudgment of the Trump administration is that it didnt distinguish between the national China in the geographical sense and communist China in the ideological sense. The author gave two reasons.

First, he said its difficult or even impossible to distinguish between the national China and communist China, and that the Trump administrations attack victimizes the Chinese people.

Second, the approach to target the CCP as a whole, instead of the powerful factions that are harmful to the interests of the United States, is having the majority of ordinary Party members pay for the Partys rich and powerful. Therefore, it stated, the harder Washington hits China, the more Chinese people are pushed to the side of the CCP, at least thats what it is like for now.

This view is also specious. First, the difference between the CCP and China is real, concrete, and clear, rather than virtual, empty, and vague. In view of the CCPs Party-state unity and the extreme social control, China has almost no independent private companies operating in the Western sense, and its difficult for the Chinese people to freely communicate in the international arena without being subject to CCPs high-tech surveillance and grid management.

Therefore, in the name of national security, the Trump administrations restrictions on private technology companies and U.S.-listed companies, tightening of visas on Chinese students and visiting scholars, and even sanctions on WeChat are reasonable, necessary, and beneficial.

Second, the CCP is hopeless, and the disintegration of CCP is the only way out. Infighting is an inherent feature of the CCP. No matter which political faction within the Party comes to power, it will be a disaster for China. There is no power group in the CCP that doesnt harm the interests of the United States, even though factions may differ in their specific policies toward the United States. If the majority of ordinary Party members dont want to pay the bills for the rich and powerful within the Party, they must take their own decisive step to walk away from the CCP.

In summary, the Trump administrations strategic judgment on China is on the right path, and there is no misjudgment. Trumps current China policy is precisely activating the dormant democratic and free forces in China and attracting more Chinese people to join the force. Trumps campaign platform shows that in the new term, his China strategy will go even further.

Wang He has a masters degree in law and history, with a focus on the international communist movement. He was a university lecturer and an executive of a large private company in China. He was imprisoned in China twice for his beliefs. Wang lives in North America now and has published commentaries on Chinas current affairs and politics since 2017.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - The Japan Fair Trade Commission has announced the approval of the Commitment Plan submitted by Amazon Japan G.K. The JFTC found that the commitment plan of Amazon Japan would conform to the requirements and approved it. Earlier, the JFTC investigated Amazon Japan and suspected that activities of Amazon Japan violated the Article 19 of the Antimonopoly Act. Amazon Japan G.K. made an application for approval of the JFTC in response to the notice which the Japan Fair Trade Commission issued in accordance with the Commitment Procedures on July 10, 2020. 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.
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SEATTLE  The Ambaum Townhomes, at 12404 Ambaum Blvd. S.W., sold for a little over $3 million, according to King County records.

The sellers were two LLCs that acquired the property in 2016 for $2.2 million.





. . .
Kangana Ranauts sister Rangoli Chandel has reacted to Kubbra Saits latest tweets about the actor. Kubbra had raised concern over the Y-plus security being provided to Kangana by the home ministry and had asked if as a taxpayer she was footing the bill.

Just checking, is it going out my taxes, Kubbra had written in her tweet. Now, Rangoli has reacted to this with a post shared on her Instagram Stories. Sharing a news clipping on Kubbras comment, Rangoli wrote, Just out of curiosity, how much tax have you paid?

Just checking, is it going out my taxes? https://t.co/z6xYxXPqEv  Kubbra Sait (@KubbraSait) September 7, 2020

Kangana was provided the additional security as she was engaged in a war of words with Shiv Sena leaders. After she made a comment comparing Mumbai to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, enraged Shiv Sena leader, including Sanjay Raut, told her not to come to Mumbai. Kangana announced that she would arrive back home on September 9, Wednesday, challenging them to try and stop her.

Under the Y-plus category, Kangana got 10 to 11 armed commandoes guarding her in three shifts, with two or three Personnel Security Officers (PSOs) accompanying her round the clock and one security personnel deployed at her residence.

After Kanganas office was partially demolished by the BMC on Wednesay, Kubbra had tweeted that it was abominable. Politics is what are led us to where we stand today. Politics will make things worse. The current scenario needs attention to real problems, not the creation of more issues.This is abominable. Not cool BMC, not cool, she had written.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Shweta appalled at demolition of Kangana Ranauts office: What kind of gunda raj is this?

Kubbra was recently blocked on Twitter by Kangana. Shed reacted to the development by tweeting in shock, Aiyo! I was silent all along. Not one tweet to her. We are katti and she didnt even tell me. Told her its not personal bro!

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A Belarusian miner in the city of Salihorsk, 130 kilometers south of Minsk, chained himself for several hours to a piece of equipment in a mine more than 300 meters below the surface while demanding the resignation of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.



Yury Korzun said in a letter on September 10 that the president was "illegally" holding his position and that Lukashenka should stop threatening striking workers and miners, release jailed members of the strike committee of the Belaruskali factory, stop abductions of ordinary people by unknown individuals and stop attacks against peaceful demonstrators across the country.



The strike committee was reported to have said that Korzun was forcibly removed after spending more than four hours in the mine before being taken to a local hospital, which he left after a medical examination.



Employees at many state enterprises have gone on strike in Belarus to support demonstrations against the results of an August 9 presidential election that they say was rigged.



Lukashenka, who has ruled the country since 1994, was declared the winner with just over 80 percent of the vote, while the opposition says its candidate won and that the figures were falsified.



Since the balloting, thousands of protesters, including factory workers who once formed the backbone of Lukashenka's support, have taken to the streets calling for the president's resignation and fresh elections.



Lukashenka has refused to meet with the opposition or agree to a new election.
Intensive care staff were the least likely health workers to contract coronavirus at the peak of the pandemic - despite dealing with the sickest and most contagious patients, a study has found.

Researchers say ICU staff may have been shielded from infection because they were first in line for personal protective equipment (PPE), which the UK was in dire shortage of during the darkest days of the crisis.

Cleaners were twice as likely to get the disease as ICU staff or frontline doctors and nurses, possibly because they were bottom of the pecking order when it came to accessing PPE.

The findings come from a study at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT), one of the worst-hit trusts in the country.

National guidance says hospital workers must wear different grades of PPE depending on the section they work in. Pictured: A healthcare worker in Britain putting on PPE, May 5

Pictured: Cleaners ('housekeeping') were most likely to test positive for antibodies (34.5 per cent). The lowest 'seroprevalence' was found among staff working in intensive care medicine/ICU (15 per cent), emergency medicine/ED (13 per cent) and general surgery (also 13 per cent). OBGYN is obstetrics and gynecology while R&D is research and development

Antibody testing was done on more than 500 workers, finding a quarter had been infected with the coronavirus at some point in the past - four times higher than in the general population of the West Midlands at the time.

The overall prevalence of antibodies was 24 per cent, compared with six per cent generally in the Midlands at the time, as determined by research by PHE.

When the researchers looked at the figures by department, 'striking' differences in antibody positivity emerged.

Cleaners were most likely to test positive for antibodies, with 34.5 per cent having the blood proteins, followed by clinicians working in acute medicine (33 per cent) or general internal medicine (30 per cent).

The lowest 'seroprevalence' was found among staff working in intensive care medicine (15 per cent), emergency medicine (13 per cent) and general surgery (also 13 per cent).

ONE IN 50 NHS PATIENTS HAVE WAITED A YEAR FOR PLANNED SURGERY One in 50 NHS patients have now been waiting a year or more for planned surgery due to treatment delays caused by coronavirus. NHS England data released today shows 83,000 patients (2.1 per cent) referred for routine operations have still not been treated after 52 weeks. Those most affected include people waiting for hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery or to have painful kidney stones removed. Statistics also show the number of those waiting for elective ops for more than 18 weeks is at a 12-year high, with more than two million Britons now overdue. Hospitals are struggling to get through the slog of patients waiting for ops because they shut down all non-emergency treatment for months during the crisis. They are still only running at a fraction of their usual capacity. There are currently four million people on waiting lists for elective surgery but NHS bosses expect that number to grow to a record 10million by the end of the year. Advertisement

Those in intensive care had to cover themselves head-to-toe in multi-layers of medical protective gear - face masks, visors, goggles, gloves and more.

But outside the Covid-19 high-risk areas, hospital staff may have only required a standard face mask.

The study also found those of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds were nearly twice as likely to have already had the infection compared to their White colleagues.

Study lead author Professor Alex Richter explained that, at the height of the pandemic, five patients with serious Covid-19 infection were being admitted every hour.

But there was no national NHS staff testing capacity, so no way of knowing who was infected.

Professor Richter, of the Clinical Immunology Service at University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, said: 'You've got to remember that we are all key workers, so travelling on public transport, and out and about.'

To find out how coronavirus was spreading in the hospital, she offered to test staff with no COVID-19 symptoms for a study - published today in the British Medical Journal 'Thorax'.

The study would look for active infection with an antigen test, that uses swabs. It would also detect previous infection that the person has since recovered for, using blood, called an antibody test.

The antibody test was a highly sensitive ELISA test, developed inhouse by the University of Birmingham Clinical Immunology Service. ELISA tests are considered high standard and are used by Public Health England (PHE).

Professor Richter said: 'I've never recruited to a study so fast in my life. We recruited 545 staff in 20 hours.'

All the staff were at work over the course of 24 hours between Friday 24 and Saturday 25 of April, around a month after Britain went into lockdown.

They were asked to report any illnesses consistent with Covid-19 that they had had in the previous four months. Information on ethnicity and department of work was also collected.

Professor Richter said: 'We presumed intensive care workers would be at highest risk. But workers in ITU are relatively well protected compared with other areas.

'The reasons underlying this are likely to be multifactorial.'

For example, she noted that in accordance with national guidelines, intensive care units were designated high-risk environments and were given 'enhanced PPE', such as high-grade medical masks.

In contrast, fluid-resistant surgical masks were recommended in other clinical areas. These are the blue ones you tend to see among the public.

There was also an ethnic divide in antibody rates, according to the findings, with workers of BAME backgrounds nearly twice as likely to have already had the infection as their white colleagues (23.2 per cent).

This was even after accounting for where people lived, considering Government research has found those who live in poorer areas are more at risk of Covid-19.

Those with Black African heritage had the highest seropositivity (50 per cent), followed by those of mixed heritage (40 per cent) and Asian British Pakistani (36.4 per cent).

The findings showed nearly one in 40 staff (2.3 per cent) with no symptoms tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19 infection, during the study period.

Staff with previous symptoms were 'significantly more likely' to have antibodies (37 per cent) than those who hadn't had symptoms (17 per cent)

Of these, 38 per cent subsequently developed Covid-19 symptoms, meaning 62 per cent of people who got a positive result never showed signs of the disease.

Just over a quarter of the workers said they had previously had symptoms consistent with Covid-19 infection.

Staff with previous symptoms were 'significantly more likely' to have antibodies (37 per cent) than those who hadn't had symptoms (17 per cent). And they had higher levels of antibodies.

Those whose who had a positive test and also remembered having symptoms were most likely to say they were sick in the week beginning 28 March - a week before deaths soared to their peak in the hospital.

Professor Richter pointed out the study was observational, meaning they can only make conclusions based on what they observe without intervening.

And not all participants provided all the information requested. Nor is it known whether symptomless infection among staff puts hospital patients at risk.

However, Professor Richter said: 'Our data would support the assessment of widespread healthcare worker testing, including track and trace, on viral transmission during future waves of a pandemic.

'All these factors are important for considering what's going to happen this winter.

'Cases are on the rise. Are we going to have another surge? If there is one, how do we protect healthcare workers this winter?

'And let's think not just about SARS-CoV-2 and the lessons we can learn for other pandemics, but seasonal infection. Influenza has a massive impact on the NHS every winter.'

The findings could be particularly relevant for any second coronavirus surge or seasonal flu this winter, the researchers said.

UHBFT is one of the biggest hospital trusts in Britain with more than 20,000 employees caring for 2.2million people every year.
Representative Max Rose (D., N.Y.) is calling fellow Democrat Bill de Blasio the worst mayor in the history of New York City in a series of digital ads released Wednesday.

The first-term Staten Island congressman is fighting a close race for re-election against Republican state assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis in the 11th congressional district, which covers Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.

Bill de Blasio is the worst mayor in the history of New York City, Rose says in a six second video as he looks into the camera. Thats the whole ad.

In another 15-second ad he repeats the accusation and says, Thats it guys. Seriously. Thats the whole ad.

Bill de Blasio is the worst Mayor in the history of New York City. Just stating the facts in my latest ad #NY11 pic.twitter.com/SHfBEix5l6  Max Rose (@MaxRose4NY) September 9, 2020

A spokesman for de Blasio pushed back on Twitter, asking whether Rose prefers Fernando Wood, the citys 1850s-era mayor who wanted the state to secede during the Civil War.

Rose has accused the mayor of failing to offer a concrete plan to reopen schools and of actively trying to kill New York City restaurants by prohibiting the reopening of indoor dining for months.

The congressman, who is a military veteran who served in Afghanistan and a member of the National Guard, criticized de Blasio as having lost control of the situation after protesters and rioters looted the city in the wake of the death of George Floyd and called on the National Guard to enforce curfew.

Malliotakis ran against de Blasio for mayor in 2017 and though she lost, she garnered 70 percent of the vote in conservative Staten Island. In 2018, Rose defeated former Representative Dan Donovan, a Republican, by just under 4 points.

Story continues

Malliotakis and the GOP have run ads trying to connect Rose to the mayor on rising crime and anti-police protests, as well as ads blasting the congressman for voting to impeach President Trump.

The Malliotakis campaign expressed amusement with Roses efforts to separate himself from the Democratic mayor.

Its fun to watch two far-left politicians like Max Rose and Bill de Blasio squabble over whos worst. The question Max Rose needs to answer is if he joined the nearly 70% of his constituents who voted for Nicole Malliotakis in the 2017 race for mayor, Malliotakis spokesman Rob Ryan told the New York Post.

More from National Review
As The Indian Air Force formally inducted the Rafale aircraft on Thursday into the Golden Arrows, heres a look at the Ambala-based squadron that will fly these fighter jets. The Golden Arrows was formed in 1951. It was disbanded in 2016 after the Air Force began to phase out MIG-21 which was then being operated by the Golden Arrows. However, in 2019, the squadron was resurrected in Ambala for Rafale jets and five fighter jets were included.

Key operations undertaken by the Golden Arrows include the Goa Liberation war in 1961, India-Pakistan war in 1965, Battle of Longewala in 1971 and most notably the Kargil war in 1995. During the Kargil war, the 17 Squadron won the most number of gallantry awards from the IAF.

The 17 Squadron has many firsts to its credit; in 1955 it was equipped with the first jet fighter, the legendary De Havilland Vampire. The Golden Arrows has also operated a range of aircrafts such as Harvard- II B from 1951 to 1955. Between 1955 to 1957, it flew the De Havilland Vampire. It operated the Hawker Hunter from 1957-1975 and MIG-21 from 1975-2016.

The first batch of five Rafale fighter jets was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force on Thursday at the Ambala airbase at a time India is engaged in an escalating border row with China in eastern Ladakh. A galaxy of dignitaries, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his French counterpart Florence Parly, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, attended the ceremony.

The Rafale jets, produced by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, are known for air-superiority and precision strikes. IAF Spokesperson Wing Commander Indranil Nandi said a traditional water cannon salute will be given to the fleet before its ceremonial induction into the 17 squadron of the force.

The first batch of the five jets arrived in India on July 29, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. The French delegation at the ceremony will include French envoy Emmanuel Lenain, Air Gen Eric Autellet, Vice Chief of French Air Force, Chairman and Chief Executive of Dassault Aviation Eric Trappier and CEO of missile maker MBDA Eric Beranger.

(With PTI inputs)
The UPSEE 2020 exam will be conducted on 20 September for admission to degree level engineering institutions and other professional colleges

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) on Thursday released the Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination (UPSEE) 2020 admit card. Candidates who have applied for the entrance test can the same from upsee.nic.in.

The UPSEE 2020 exam will be conducted on 20 September for admission to degree level engineering institutions and other professional colleges. The exam was earlier scheduled to be held on 2 August but was postponed after the government's decision to defer JEE Main, NEET UG, and JEE Advanced exams.

According to report by Hindustan Times, over 1.60 lakh candidates will be appearing for the exam that will be conducted at 206 centres.

The offline exam will be held in three shifts. The first shift will be from 9 am to 11 am during which paper 4, paper 5 and paper 7 will be held.

Paper 1 and 2 will be held in the second shift that will be from 12 noon to 3 pm. In the third shift from 3:45 pm to 6:15 pm candidates will have to write paper 3 and 6.

A report by The Times of India said that the downloaded admit card will be considered as a valid hall ticket.

Admit card is a mandatory document for UPSEE 2020 exam and candidates must carry them to the exam hall, failing which they will not be allowed to write the exam.

The admit card will have the candidate's name, roll number, photo, signature and details of examination centre and test time.

Steps to download UPSEE 2020 admit card

Step 1: Go to the website - upsee.nic.in

Step 2: Scroll down on the homepage and click on the link that mentions download admit card.

Step 3: Enter your application number, password and other detail to login.

Step 4: UPSEE JEE 2020 admit card, or hall ticket, will appear on your screen. Download and take a print out.

Here's the direct link to download the admit card - https://upsee.nic.in/webinfo/public/home.aspx

The UPSEE 2020 question paper will be objective type except for the Drawing Aptitude test. There will be separate papers for different courses. All the exams will be OMR-based. Candidates who qualify the examination will be called for counselling process by AKTU.

The entrance examination is being conducted to fill up engineering seats in government and private colleges in Uttar Pradesh.
HOBOKEN, N.J., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Messaging Architects, an eMazzanti Technologies Company and data compliance solution provider, discusses the outlook for new data protection legislation in a new article on the Messaging Architects website.

The informative article first reviews the major legislative milestones of the past two years. The author then summarizes proposed federal data protection legislation. A state-by-state rundown of pending state data protection legislation follows.

"GDPR and CCPA set the precedent for data and privacy regulations," stated Greg Smith, Vice President of Services Delivery at Messaging Architects. "Other countries and states are sure to follow with similar legislation."

Below are a few excerpts from the article, "International and U.S. Data Protection Legislation Outlook."

"One of the broadest online privacy laws in the U.S., the CCPA regulates organizations nationwide that do business with California residents. In 2019, Nevada and Maine enacted consumer privacy protections similar to the CCPA."

Federal Data Protection Legislation

"Just days before the lockdowns began, Congress introduced the "Consumer Data Privacy and Security Act of 2020" (CDPSA). The CDPSA integrates themes from the CCPA and GDPR and corrects some of their shortcomings."

2020 State Data Protection Legislation

"In 2020, at least 30 states and Puerto Rico introduced bills. The proposed state legislation covers everything from the privacy of consumer data and data broker regulation to biometric data and other consumer privacy concerns."

Data Protection Experts

Organizations that seek to navigate the complicated landscape of data protection regulations turn to the information governance experts at Messaging Architects. With decades of data compliance experience, they guide IG policy formulation and implementation in a close partnership with internal teams.

Have you read?

Law Firm eDiscovery Technology Adoption Accelerates

How to Solve COVID-19 Record Retention Issues

About Messaging Architects

With over 20 years of information management and technology consulting experience, the Messaging Architects team has provided corporations, educational intuitions, health care facilities and nonprofits with methodologies, procedures and technology to keep their data organized, compliant and secure.

About eMazzanti Technologies

eMazzanti Technologies has made the Inc. 5000 list 9X, is a 4X Microsoft Partner of the Year, the #1 ranked NYC area MSP, NJ Business of the Year and 5X WatchGuard Partner of the Year! Contact: 1-866-362-9926, [email protected] or http://www.emazzanti.net Twitter: @emazzanti Facebook: Facebook.com/emazzantitechnologies.

CONTACT: Kent Sorensen, [email protected]

SOURCE Messaging Architects
The contentious relationship between University of Massachusetts administration and unions representing its workers reached a new chapter this week when the Professional Staff Union filed charges against the administration with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations.

The charges accuse the administration with violating labor law and bargaining in bad faith by failing to provide relevant and necessary financial data, and violating earlier agreements by using threats of permanent layoff and loss of health coverage.

The filing covers grievances by both the PSU and the University Staff Association (USA), both of which are listed as filers. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is also mentioned.

The filing accuses the administration, which is led by Chancellor Kumble Subbasaway, of "engaging in regressive bargaining by going back on an earlier proposal in the bargaining process. A letter to union members that reported the filing was sent by PSU Amherst co-chairs Risa Silverman and Brad Turner.

According to the letter to members, the filing of charges was done as a last-resort response to the looming prospect of short-term, long-term, and indefinite furloughs for hundreds of long-term workers.

The letter also says the union was given until Friday to accept the administrations most recent proposal - to avoid issuance 300 layoff notices on Monday.

The union has scheduled membership meetings on Friday and Monday to discuss the situation.

UMass administrators have maintained that the wrenching financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic is forcing an unprecedented look at all aspects of college life, including finance and jobs. The union says it has countered with proposals that would provide alternatives other than furloughs.

In a recent letter to media, Silverman asked Subbaswamy to put the brakes on furloughs because they ignored reasonable alternatives." The union is encouraging members to contact local legislators for support.

The union has asked for what it terms "creative, voluntary cost-savings measures before any management-imposed cuts are enacted. These include 3-or-4 day work weeks with WorkShare, a separation incentive program and cuts to hours, but not full furloughs.

Among other proposals was a request for sharing (the) burden and economic pain equally across union membership with up to two 5-day furloughs.

According to the union, the administration responded that nearly all union members take 10 furlough days before the end of the year. Indefinite furloughs for some workers and the prospect of permanent layoffs to begin January 15.
By Finian Cunningham

September 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - If Donald Trump was genuinely against endless wars  as he claims to be  then he would do the decent thing and call off the persecution of Julian Assange.

The extradition trial of the Australian founder of Wikileaks resumed in London this week. In the coming weeks, Assange faces the prospect of being extradited to the US where he will be prosecuted on espionage charges carrying a sentence of 175 years in prison.

The legal proceedings and charges against Assange are a sham. His vindictive detention in solitary confinement at a maximum security prison for over a year amounts to torture. Every day of his incarceration for the past 16 months has been a grotesque abuse of human rights. And this barbarity is all due to the fact that Assanges whistleblower site Wikileaks exposed monumental war crimes committed by the American and British governments and their militaries.

Julian Assange is a hero to truth-telling and holding tyrannical powers to account. His Wikileaks organization not only exposed illegal wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also massive criminal espionage against citizens around the world perpetrated by Washington and its Western allies.

Arguably, Donald Trump benefited greatly from Wikileaks blistering exposes of political corruption that tainted the election campaign of Hillary Clinton in 2016. This, by the way, had nothing to do with the bogus so-called Russiagate scandal. Wikileaks exposed Clinton and her Democratic cronies as Wall Street flunkeys using internal sources that had nothing to do with supposed Russian hackers. Those bombshell revelations no doubt served to substantially damage votes for Clinton, thereby benefiting Trump. This is not to suggest Assange was campaigning for Trump. Wikileaks was simply letting citizens know about the corruption swilling around Clinton and the Democrat establishment.

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Trump even declared on several occasions that he loved Wikileaks. Well, no doubt, he appreciated the beneficial fallout from its exposes.

However, subsequently, it is the Trump administration which has gone after Assange with a vengeance. It was Trumps Department of Justice that greatly loaded the prosecution case against him when it filed 17 charges under the archaic World War One-era Espionage Act. Instead of a facing relatively minor charges of computer hacking with five-year imprisonment (still unjustified, mind you), Assange is being hounded by the Trump administration with the threat of 175 years in prison. A de facto death sentence.

In other words, the Trump administration has ensured the trashing of any due process and Assanges legal rights in order to pursue his destruction. And of course the British vassal state has dutifully obliged the American tyranny against this innocent and imminently honorable man.

This is important proof of Trumps charlatan character. This week the American president sought to pose as being against endless wars and of being on the side of ordinary troops. Having been accused of disparaging American war dead as losers and suckers, Trump no doubt felt under pressure to appear as the champion of the troops.

In doing so, Trump took aim at the military top brass at the Pentagon and the military-industrial complex.

Im not saying the militarys in love with me  the soldiers are, said Trump during his Labor Day address on Monday. The top people in the Pentagon probably arent, because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.

Trump is reprising his populist 2016 election promises of ending endless wars in the interest of protecting soldiers lives.

That posturing doesnt sit well with the fact that Trump has done nothing to stop American militarism around the world since be took office nearly four years ago. As for the Pentagon war machine, this president has greatly expanded the taxpayer-funded bloat of the military-industrial complex.

But perhaps the most telling test is the fate of Julian Assange. He exposed criminal US endless wars more than anyone. If there were any justice, Assange should be freed and feted as a hero serving the good of the public and the cause for peace. Trumps callous persecution of Assange shows that his rhetoric about ending wars is empty, cynical posturing.
On September 9, the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the Vietnam Trade Office in Japan, and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) held an online trade conference to connect investment between Vietnam and Japan with the participation of hundreds of enterprises from the two countries.



At this event, Director General of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency Vu Ba Phu affirmed that Japan is always one of the major investors in Vietnam in both terms of the number of projects and the total investment capital.



According to Mr. Vu Ba Phu, the wave of Japanese investment in Vietnam has constantly increased in both the number of enterprises and investment capital.



Specifically, in 2018, Japan led the list of countries investing in Vietnam with US$8.59 billion, accounting for 24.2 percent of the total investment capital among 112 countries and territories with investment projects in Vietnam.



By the end of 2019, more than 2,000 Japanese enterprises were investing in Vietnam, and the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) from Japan continued to increase strongly. In terms of FDI capital attraction by the end of 2019, Japan ranked second with a total registered capital of $59.3 billion, accounting for 16.7 percent.



According to experts, the Vietnamese market has great potential to attract Japanese enterprises to invest in production expansion. Not only large enterprises and corporations, but now small and medium-sized enterprises of Japan have also increased investment promotion in Vietnam.



Japanese enterprises also tend to invest in other provinces in Vietnam, instead of focusing only on Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.



According to JETRO's survey on Japanese enterprises investing in Asia and Oceania in February this year, 63.9 percent of Japanese enterprises doing business in Vietnam will continue to expand their business, the highest rate in the ASEAN and the third in Asia and Oceania region.



The MoIT affirmed that in the coming time, Vietnam will continue to complete institutions and policies to improve the quality and efficiency of foreign investment cooperation to focus on attracting foreign investment cooperation selectively with quality, efficiency, technology, and environmental protection being the main evaluation criteria. The country will prioritize projects with advanced technology, new technology, high technology, clean technology, modern governance, high added-value, spillover effects, and connection to the global production and supply chains. This is also the strength of Japanese enterprises. This investment cooperation will complement and help each other to develop together.



The MoIT of Vietnam and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency are ready to support and create favorable conditions for Japanese enterprises to expand their investment and business relations with Vietnam in the coming time.





By Van Phuc  Translated by Bao Nghi
There is almost no other country in the world where I'd wish to live with a mental illness. Yes, there is still not enough funding to match the rights, opportunities and expectations that we have for our mental health, but there is more funding almost every year from state, territory and national budgets.

Fifteen years ago, aged 36, near the top of my career and a step away from being premier of NSW, I tried to end my life by suicide. I wanted to die. I didn't reach out for help. I thank God every day that I didn't complete my suicide.

John Brogden is the chairman of Lifeline.

In a favourite song, Powderfinger sings: "These days turned out nothing like I had planned."

I am a 51-year-old man with depression and suicidal ideation. I live with these illnesses every day. Note, I say with them, not through them. I am medicated daily and probably will be for the rest of my life. I see my psychiatrist every fortnight. I try to look after myself physically through exercise and diet. I was not a big drinker, but I haven't drunk alcohol for 15 years.
After 10 years, a chase for hidden treasure in the Rocky Mountains has come to an end.

Forrest Fenn, a New Mexico art collector who created the treasure hunt, announced this weekend that someone had found the bronze chest that he had buried in the mountains, filled with gold nuggets, coins, sapphires, diamonds and pre-Columbian artifacts that together he estimated were worth $2 million.

It was under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago, Fenn, 89, said on his website.

He did not elaborate on the exact location.

I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot, said Fenn, who lives in Santa Fe.

A man who did not want to be named found the chest a few days ago, Fenn told a local newspaper, The Santa Fe New Mexican. Fenn said that the chests discovery was confirmed through a photograph the man had sent him. He had previously told the newspaper that the bronze chest alone weighed 20 pounds, and its contents another 22.

Fenn, a former Air Force fighter pilot who runs a gallery in Santa Fe, hatched the idea for the hunt decades ago, after he learned he had kidney cancer. He had planned to have his remains interred with the riches, but when he recovered from the disease, he buried the box to give families a reason to get off their couches, he said in 2016.

He announced the quest to the world in a self-published 2010 memoir, The Thrill of the Chase, and provided clues to the location in 24 cryptic verses of a poem.

He said that the treasure was hidden in the Rockies and 5,000 feet above sea level, hints that have sometimes led hunters into dangerous and remote stretches of wilderness. Since then, tens of thousands of people have searched for the chest, according to Fenn  who eventually specified that the valuables were not in an area that an octogenarian would find hard to reach.

But at least two people have died trying to follow his clues. In 2017, the chief of the New Mexico State Police urged Fenn to stop the hunt, saying that people were putting their lives on the line.

If someone drowns in the swimming pool we shouldnt drain the pool. We should teach people to swim, Fenn told The New York Times that year, saying that the hunt would continue.

On his website this weekend, Fenn commended all the thrill seekers who had tried to find the chest over the years.

I congratulate the thousands of people who participated in the search and hope they will continue to be drawn by the promise of other discoveries, he said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Democrat Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 12 percentage points nationally among likely US voters, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll that also showed the number of persuadable voters had shrunk compared with four years ago.

Democrat Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 12 percentage points nationally among likely US voters, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll that also showed the number of persuadable voters had shrunk compared with four years ago.

The poll found 52pc of likely voters planned to support Mr Biden, while 40pc would back Mr Trump.

Three per cent said they would vote for another candidate, and just 5pc said they remained undecided with less than two months to go until the November 3 presidential election.

The survey showed the number of voters who had not yet backed a major-party candidate to be less than half of what it was in 2016, and that Mr Biden currently had the advantage in securing the national popular vote.

Read More

Even if the remaining undecided voters threw their support behind Mr Trump, the poll showed, he would still lose the popular vote to Mr Biden.

Mr Trump can still win re-election, however, without winning the national popular vote. US presidential elections are not decided by the national vote but rather who wins the Electoral College, a contest based on a tally of wins from state-by-state contests.

Four years ago, Democrat Hillary Clinton got almost three million more votes than Mr Trump, only to see her Republican rival narrowly win the Electoral College and the presidency.

This was the first time the Reuters/Ipsos poll measured support for the 2020 candidates among likely voters.

When measured by registered voters who include those less likely to vote, Mr Biden leads Mr Trump by eight percentage points, versus his seven-point lead in a similar poll last week.

The poll showed likely voters being primarily motivated by the coronavirus pandemic - which has killed more than 190,000 Americans and put millions out of work - and restoring trust in government.

When asked what was informing their decision on whom to back for president, 28pc said it was the candidate's perceived ability to handle the coronavirus, and 23pc said it was the ability to restore trust in government.

An additional 19pc said it was the candidate's ability to boost the economy, and 14pc said they were looking for a candidate who is "tough on crime".

Fifty-one per cent of likely voters said Mr Biden would be better at handling the US coronavirus response, while 38pc said Mr Trump would be better.

But Mr Trump has the edge when it comes to their perception of who would be "tough on crime and civil unrest", with 45pc choosing Mr Trump, while 40pc said Mr Biden would be better.

On the economy, neither candidate has the upper hand among likely voters: 45pc of likely voters said they thought Mr Biden would be better for the national economy and expanding the workforce, while 45pc said they thought Mr Trump would be best.

Mr Biden, who has led Mr Trump for much of the year in most national opinion polls, has benefited from a recent migration toward the Democrats among some of the most reliable voters in the United States: college-educated whites.

While non-college whites still largely support Mr Trump over Mr Biden, the president has not consolidated the dominant level of support he enjoyed with that group four years ago when he was running against Mr Clinton.

So far, opinion polls by other media outlets show Mr Biden with a small edge over Mr Trump in a handful of competitive states, including Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida.

That advantage also appears to have narrowed in some cases over the past number of weeks.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States. It gathered responses from 823 likely voters, including 390 who identified as Democrats and 351 who identified as Republicans.

The poll has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of about four percentage points.
One-size-fits-all educational content unlikely to be effective in promoting acceptance of best available COVID-19 evidence

Washington, September 10, 2020--The effectiveness of educational content aimed at correcting misconceptions about the risks, transmission, and prevention of Covid-19 is largely influenced by a person's prevailing moral values, according to a new study published today in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association.

Study authors Gregory Trevors and Melissa Duffy, both of the University of South Carolina, found that people with strong moral concerns for the well-being of individuals were more likely to update their existing Covid-19 beliefs when presented with new information. Conversely, people who place strong moral value on protecting group cohesion and people who value protecting individual freedoms were more likely to reject new information and maintain Covid-19 misbeliefs. The three moral orientations examined are commonly associated with, respectively, liberal, conservative, and libertarian ideologies, according to the authors.

"Our results indicate that messages relaying basic facts about Covid-19 risks and prevention may be rejected by individuals when they are perceived to conflict with strongly held moral values," said Trevors, an assistant professor of educational psychology and research. "Perceived conflicts between public health messages and moral values evoke negative emotions, such as doubt, anger, or confusion, which spark cognitive disbelief and rejection of new information."

"A one-size-fits-all approach to communication is not likely to succeed with the general public," Trevors said. "Instead, information and calls to action need to be framed differently to connect with various moral beliefs."

For example, for people who value social cohesion, Covid-19 messaging could highlight mask wearing as a patriotic act. For people who value individual liberty, messaging could emphasize mask wearing as self-protection that enhances personal freedom to participate in work or recreational activities.

"The public health responses to the pandemic, such as mask-wearing, stay-at-home orders, business closures, may be viewed as undermining social cohesion or personal autonomy, depending on a person's moral orientation" said Trevors.

For their study, Trevors and Duffy surveyed a sample of 518 U.S. adults recruited online from 12 states--Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. These states have been identified in previous research as among those whose residents are most likely to favor an immediate return to normal economic activity and most likely to travel outside the home. The study authors surveyed respondents on the importance of providing for the vulnerable, obeying authority, and protecting personal liberties, to assess their prevailing moral orientation. The authors then examined respondents' knowledge of Covid-19 risks and prevention and their responses to messages correcting common Covid-19 misconceptions.

"Our findings come at a time when disagreements over Covid-19 knowledge are undermining collective action, and shared understanding and consensus are crucially needed," said Trevors. "It is clear that messages about evolving evidence and practices during the pandemic need to take into consideration the moral values of the intended audiences and their potential cognitive and emotional reactions to those messages."

"We will need to promote the acceptance of the best available Covid-19 evidence in ways that allow Americans to act in accordance with differing moral values," said Trevors. "This will take creativity, patience, trust, mutual respect, and communication between elected policymakers and public health officials at the national, state, and local levels."

###

This study was supported by funding from the College of Education at the University of South Carolina.

Preferred citation: Trevors, G., & Duffy, M. (2020). Correcting COVID-19 misconceptions requires caution. Educational Researcher. Prepublished September 9, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X20953825

About AERA

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
A man who had been drunk and could not remember a high-speed garda chase the morning after his 40th birthday has lost a 60,000 compensation claim in court.

Martin O'Donnell, who denied he had been involved in an all-night drinking celebration, told Judge John O'Connor he did have drink taken when a friend and neighbour offered him a lift at 10am on October 15, 2015. He was 40 on the day before.

He told the Circuit Civil Court yesterday he had no memory of a high-speed chase through roundabouts near Blanchardstown to escape gardai.

It ended in a head-on collision on the wrong side of the road with a Range Rover and a serious head gash that required 10 stitches.

Conor Kearney, for the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland and FBD Insurance, told him in cross-examination he was a serial road traffic offender and claimant.

Gunshot

Mr O'Donnell agreed he had been treated for frontal gunshot wounds to his lower limbs, abdomen and chest in 2001 and again in 2003 when he had been shot in the lower limbs and back.

He also agreed he had been injured in a knife and machete attack to his head and left arm in 2004 as well as in road traffic accidents in 2009, 2010, two in 2012, another in 2014 and three, some still pending, in 2015.

The 44-year-old had already obtained 7,000, 10,000 and 14,000 pay-outs but in some cases had not taken a claim, the court heard.

Mr O'Donnell, of St Philomena's Park, Ballycoolin, Blanchardstown, said he had no memory of having threatened to hit Detective Garda Stewart Gleeson over the head with a full two-litre bottle of vodka, which he had in the car with him, before smashing it on the ground. He told the court his friend and neighbour Patrick Mongan had given him a lift in a Ford Fiesta car which, Mr Kearney pointed out, had no number plates, was entirely unroadworthy and had a smashed windscreen.

He said Mongan had not been drinking with him and another friend earlier that morning.

Detective Garda Gleeson said he and Detective Garda Bernard Connaughton had been in an unmarked garda car when he recognised Mr O'Donnell and Mr Mongan pass him in a car.

He suspected the vehicle was stolen as the top of the driver's door had been bent outwards as if forced open in a break-in, the court heard.

When the blue lights had been switched on, indicating that the Fiesta should stop, the car had taken off at high speed, sometimes reaching 130kmh in 60kmh zones and forcing other vehicles to take evasive action, the court was told.

When it crashed on the wrong side of the road Mr O'Donnell and another passenger, John Maughan, had been taken to hospital by ambulance. Detective Garda Connaughton arrested Mr Mongan.

Fatality

Judge O'Connor dismissed Mr O'Donnell's 60,000 compensation claim and he told him to pay the legal costs of the court case as he had been drunk and had got into a car driven by a man he knew to be very drunk and to have no insurance and had failed to co-operate with gardai.

"I really have to compliment the gardai for the manner in which they intercepted this vehicle and probably avoided a fatality taking place," Judge O'Connor said.

The Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland's acceptance to indemnify uninsured drivers says that a claimant shall co-operate fully with the gardai and anyone entering a vehicle they know to be uninsured shall be excluded from cover for injury.
Representative image

COVID-19 patients who are 80 or older are hundreds of times more likely to die than those under 40.

Thats partly because they are more likely to have underlying conditions  like diabetes and lung disease  that seem to make the body more vulnerable to COVID-19.

But some scientists suggest another likely, if underappreciated, driver of this increased risk: the aging immune system.

The changes that ripple through our network of immune cells as the decades pass are complex, resulting in an overreaction here, a delayed response there and, overall, a strangely altered landscape of immunity.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Scientists who study the aging immune system say that understanding it may lead not only to a clearer sense of how age is tied to disease vulnerability, but to better strategies for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

I felt like I was shouting at people, This is whats going on! but no one was listening, said Arne Akbar, a professor of immunology at University College London who recently published an article in the journal Science explaining the state of research on the aging immune system.

When a virus infiltrates the body, cells in the first line of defense act swiftly and violently  sending out alerts and instructions to other cells, and provoking inflammation to start knocking down the virus.

The innate immune system, as its called, also happens to be responsible for cleaning up damaged cells, misfolded proteins and other detritus in the body, even when theres no infection to fight.

In older people, such waste seems to outrun the immune systems ability to clear it, said Dr. Eric Verdin, the chief executive of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, California. The innate immune system grows overwhelmed, and slides into a constant state of alert and inflammation.

At same time, elderly cells in tissues throughout the body are thought to change with age, releasing inflammatory substances of their own.

They are not just benign, like old nice grandparents, Akbar said. Theyre actually very cantankerous.

As a result, even perfectly healthy 65-year-olds usually have higher levels of immune proteins, like cytokines. This heightened state of chronic inflammation, sometimes called inflammaging, is linked to frailty  older adults with higher levels of it may be more fragile and less mobile.

It also means that fighting off pathogens becomes more complicated: This inflammatory chaos in an aging body makes it harder for the messages sent out by the innate immune system to reach their targets.

On top of that, theres the danger that the innate immune system may overreact.

We think that this is one of the reasons older individuals respond poorly to COVID-19, said Verdin.

Verdin and other experts said the aging immune system might be linked to reports of severe COVID-19 culminating in a cytokine storm, a reaction that causes high numbers of immune messengers to flood the body and can lead to organ failure.

This inflammation may also be part of why vaccines, whose effectiveness relies on a robust reaction from the immune system, dont work as well in older people  an effect thats likely to extend to COVID-19 vaccines. Akbar and his colleagues have found that people with high levels of inflammation tended to have weaker immune responses to the chickenpox virus, for example. And when they took an anti-inflammatory drug for four days before being injected, their immune responses improved.

A Second Wave

Several days after the innate immune response begins, the body starts a second wave of attacks against the viral invader. This adaptive immune system response is more targeted than the first, destroying cells infected by this specific virus.

But in older bodies, the adaptive response not only takes longer to get into gear, it arrives to find a scene of inflammatory pandemonium, said Amber Mueller, a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School who co-wrote a paper published in May about COVID-19 and aging. Think of firefighters coming to put out a house fire, she said.

You have a whole neighborhood of pedestrians or bystanders that are just hanging around, screaming their heads off, causing chaos, she said. To the point that it makes it harder for the firefighters to find the fire  to find the infection  and then put it out effectively.

These delays mean that the pathogen has already made many copies of itself by the time the adaptive immune system gets to work and gains a foothold that might not have been available in a younger person. Additionally, older people have fewer fresh T cells, important players in the adaptive response that are trained to hunt down cells infected with a specific pathogen. When everything is working correctly, successful T cells make copies of themselves so that at the height of the infection, the body is swarming with them. Afterward, a few remain to prime us against return attacks from the same virus.

The supply of T cells that havent already been assigned a pathogen dwindles over the decades. Those that remain may not be as good at copying themselves. And they may have trouble making the transition to patrolling the body against future attacks, said Dr. Shabnam Salimi, a professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who wrote a recent paper about the interaction between aging and COVID-19.

All these together make the immune system less functional during aging, Salimi said.

Drug Potential

Research investigating COVID-19 treatments will have to take into account the specific cells and substances that go awry when the immune system ages, and drugs under investigation for fighting aging may be useful against the coronavirus, write Salimi and her colleague John Hamlyn in their article.

So far, little has been straightforward when it comes to treatments for COVID-19. Since it became clear that the virus sometimes provokes an out-of-control immune response, researchers have been testing whether reducing inflammation might help. Drugs that tamp down the levels of cytokines, like those used for treating rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, have not shown success in fighting the virus. Whats more, chloroquine, which can help inhibit the aging of cells, caused increased mortality in COVID-19 clinical trials.

But the steroid dexamethasone, a potent anti-inflammatory, has been shown to reduce deaths from the virus. It resulted in one-third fewer deaths in people on ventilators and one-fifth fewer deaths in those on oxygen, according to a study published in June. (The drug may be ineffective, or even harmful, for patients in the early stages of the disease, however.)

At this point, its important to design studies that take into account the special immune status of aging populations. Understanding these immune changes may help in finding treatments that work for older COVID-19 patients, but, Salimi said, it may also help younger people who may have some of the same problems without knowing it.

Its not just older people who have abnormally high levels of inflammation, or chinks in their immunological armor. It can happen to younger people as well.

In one recent study, for example, researchers found that young men with severe COVID-19 had mutations in the gene for a certain cell receptor. This receptor, some researchers suspect, grows scarcer as we age.

This particular immune alteration seems linked to why, in this case, the virus caused serious disease in young people with no pre-existing conditions and in apparent good health.

Even younger people may experience a similar pattern of severe disease as older people, Salimi said.

c.2020 The New York Times Company
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Russia increased the export of textile materials for technical purposes to Turkmenistan by 3.5 times in 1H2020, Trend reports with reference to the Eurasian Economic Commission.

During this period, the export of textile materials for technical purposes to Turkmenistan from Russia amounted to 24 tons, for a total of $122,657, which is also 5.2 times more than the amount of exports of the same material from Russia to Turkmenistan in 1H2019.

Also, having increased the export of women's knitwear to Turkmenistan by 5.5 times, Russia delivered 66 pieces of the above-mentioned products to the country, totaling $486, which is 2.9 times more than the amount of exports of women's knitwear to Turkmenistan from Russia for the same period of last year.

In addition, statistics show a 56.5 percent increase in exports from Russia to Turkmenistan of knitted sweaters, pullovers and vests. In particular, during the specified period, 144 pieces of these products were exported, totaling $773, which is 32.8 percent more than the amount of exports in 1H2019.

According to statistics, Russia was also an exporter of 213 pieces of knitted jerseys to Turkmenistan, for a total of $1,042.

Turkmenistan increased the export of clothing to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) from January through May 2020.

During this period, Turkmenistan exported 139,927 pieces of men's textile clothing to Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, which is 4.5 times more than the same period last year.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
Two of Oregons largest wildfires were likely to combine, officials said at a Thursday news conference, as evacuation orders inched closer to the Portland area.

The Beachie Creek and Riverside fires, which started in Marion and Clackamas counties, respectively, have scorched more than 300,000 acres, said Doug Grafe, chief of fire protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry.

We fully expect those two fires to combine, Grafe said. This fire will continue to push near Molalla. We really need these winds to stop for the forward spread to stop.

Statewide, the rash of wildfires has burned nearly 900,000 acres, or nearly twice the yearly average over the past 10 years, in just the past week, Gov. Kate Brown said.

As of Thursday morning, the five largest fires  each more than 100,000 acres  are collectively about 1% contained. Wind and unstable air conditions are making it impossible for firefighters to begin to contain many of the most threatening fires, officials said.

We have never seen this amount of uncontained fire across our state, she said.

About 3,000 firefighters are actively working to respond to the fires, but Grafe said it will likely take twice that number over the coming weeks to get the fires under control.

Amid the frantic push to safely evacuate residents  as many as 40,000 have been forced to flee their homes, Brown said  little opportunity has been available to assess property damage or loss of life.

Oregonians are eager to get all of the information as quickly as possible. Right now our firefighters are focused on saving lives, and we want them to stay focused on that critical work, Brown said. As we get more information about fatalities, we will provide that to the public as quickly as possible.

At least three people have died, and Brown said officials were working to establish a statewide registry for people to mark themselves as safe so an accurate account of missing people could be determined.

With evacuations ordered for Molallas 8,000 residents Thursday afternoon, Grafes main concern remained with the Beachie Creek and Riverside fires.

Its all going to be about those winds, Grafe cautioned. If the down-slope winds continue, he said, those fires will continue to move westerly for miles, as it will be unsafe for firefighters to make serious efforts to contain them. But Grafe also noted that crews have begun to make slight but encouraging progress containing some of the fires in southern Oregon, in Washington County and at the coast.

Grafe said he was hopeful that a coming shift in wind and weather would help fire crews shift from facilitating evacuations to proactive fire suppression. Onshore winds were expected to take hold Friday, according to the National Weather Service, along with cooler temperatures.

Hopefully this is the last day of that weather push, he said.

-- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and e-Gopala App, a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for direct use of farmers, which will do away with the role of middlemen in procurement and purchase.

After inaugurating the projects in Bihar virtually the Prime Minister interacted with many farmers involved in dairy and other animal rearing work. During the ceremony Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister for Animal Husbandry Giriraj Singh were also present.

Speaking on the occasion the Prime Minister said, "India is inching towards a goal where in the village itself there will be food processing clusters and research units." He said the target in 'Blue Revolution' is to double the export of fish products and Ganga rejuvenation plan will help the people involved in the profession.

"The project has been started in 21 states and Rs 20,000 crore will be spend in the next four-five years. An amount of Rs 1,700 cr has been initiated to start the project," said the Prime Minister.

As of now, the Department of Fisheries has approved Rs 1,723 crore worth of proposals for 21 states and Union Territories in phase-I under the PMMSY. Priority has been accorded for income-generating activities under the scheme.

The Prime Minister also interacted with farmers and producers involved in dairy farming and other professions, and told them that the government will arrange a tour to the Amul facility in Gujarat for the farmers to get more experience to increase production.

This is a big ticket launch ahead of the Bihar elections. The Prime Minister emphasized that a lot of effort is being put in to reach the beneficiaries of PMKGY and especially to the migrant labourers who have returned to their native places.

The Prime Minister said that under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN) 10 crore farmers have benefited out of which 75 lakh farmers are from Bihar and Rs 6,000 crore has been deposited in their accounts.

The PMMSY is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector with an estimated investment of Rs 20,050 crore, as a part of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' package. This is the highest-ever investment in the fisheries sector. Of this, an investment of about Rs 12,340 crore is proposed for beneficiary-oriented activities in Marine, Inland fisheries and Aquaculture while about Rs 7,710 crore are proposed for Fisheries Infrastructure.

The PMMSY aims at enhancing fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonne by 2024-25, increasing fisheries export earnings to Rs 1,00,000 crore by 2024-25, doubling the income of fisheries and fish farmers, reducing post-harvest losses from 20-25 per cent to about 10 per cent and generation of additional 55 lakh direct and indirect gainful employment opportunities in the fisheries sector and allied activities, said the government in a release on Wednesday.

In Bihar, the scheme envisages an investment of Rs 1,390 crore with a Central share of Rs 535 crore and the additional fish production target pegged at 3 lakh tonnes. During the current financial year, the Centre has sanctioned the proposal of the Bihar government at a total project cost of Rs 107 crore.

Prime Minister Modi also announced the establishment of a Fish Brood Bank at Sitamarhi, and the Aquatic Disease Referral Laboratory at Kishanganj, for which assistance has been provided under PMMSY.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstan has exported 3,802 tons of petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons worth to Romania countries to 1.1 million euros in June 2020, Eurostat representative told Trend.

In turn, overall 1H2020 petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons export from Kazakhstan to Romania amounted to 47,025 tons worth 18.1 million euros.

Thus, compared to May 2020 the export volume decreased by 26.6 percent (5,184 tons), whereas compared to Jan. 2020 the volume decreased by 63.8 percent (10,526 tons).

The value of petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons export from Kazakhstan to Romania was 7.2 percent less than in May 2020 (1.2 million euros), and 77.02 percent less than in Jan. 2020 (4.9 million euros).

The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Romania amounted to $779.4 million over 1H2020, compared to $885.4 million during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export to Romania amounted to $738.7 million over the period from January through June 2020, compared to $848.5 million during the same period of 2019.

In turn, Kazakhstans imports from Romania stood at about $40.6 million over the reporting period, compared to $36.8 million during the same period of 2019.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2020) - Biocure Technology Corp. (CSE: CURE) (OTCQB: BICTF) ("CURE" or the "Company") BiocurePharm, Korea ("BPK"), a subsidiary of Biocure Technology Inc. ("CURE") is pleased to announce that they have been actively pursuing Joint Venture opportunities with several overseas companies including a strategic alliance with the University of Malaya Hospital to move forward with a compassionate human clinical trial (CT) before the end of 2020.

BPK is fully ready to implement a clinical trial in Korea once the Investigational New Drug (IND) approval is obtained from Korean FDA, which is expected imminently. BPK is also pleased to announce that there was positive efficacy of its CAR T, from a recent clinical trial at one of major hospitals in China. The trial demonstrated a success rate of 94% of Complete Remission (CR) from 59 ALL (Acute Lymphocyte Leukemia) patients out of a total of 63 patients in terminal stage of ALL.

Concurrently, BPK has been in discussion with two major hospitals in Korea, Asan Medical Center and The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital to commence a clinical trial of CAR T in Korea. Upon obtaining IND approval from the Korean FDA, these two hospitals are prepared to begin a clinical trial.

BPK is working on additional animal research requested by the Korean FDA to satisfy their guidelines for clinical trial. All requested tests shall be completed by the end of November 2020 and the human clinical trial ("CT") is expected to start by late 2020 or early 2021.

Dr. Sang Mok Lee, CEO and President of Biocure and BPK, states: "I am pleased to report that all members of CURE and BPK are working hard to move forward our CAR T project so that we can supply CAR T for ALL patients in terminal stage at far more affordable prices than the ones from current suppliers. I strongly believe that our hard work and dedication will be a pathway to save more ALL patients' lives by offering more competitive prices and making recovery possible. Biocure will continue to make every effort to commercialize CAR-T products as soon as possible to meet the expectations of our shareholders."

Story continues

About Biocure

Biocure is a South Korean based Bio Pharmaceutical company specializing in the development and potential commercialization of biosimilar pharmaceutical products. Biocure is in the process of pre- clinical trials of five major biosimilar products in South Korea, including Interferon Beta 1b, PEG- Filgrastim and Ranibizumab as well as CAR-T Cell Therapy. Interferon Beta 1b is used for treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis ("MS") Filgrastim is used to treat neutropenia, a lack of certain white blood cells caused by bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy, and other conditions. Ranibizumab is used for treating macular degeneration. It is also used to treat a type of eye problem known as macular edema, as well as certain eye problems caused by diabetes. Biocure is also developing a foot and mouth disease vaccine, and a hair growth production product.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

/S/ "SANG MOK LEE"

CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

Biocure Technology Inc. Telephone: 604-609-7146, or info@biocuretech.com

Certain statements in this news release, which are not historical in nature, constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of that phrase under applicable Canadian securities law. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements or information concerning the Company's proposed activities under the Agreement and the expectations of the Company regarding funding payments due pursuant to the Agreement. These statements reflect management's current assumptions and expectations and by their nature are subject to certain underlying assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Except as required pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Company will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada) 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/63553
Bravo released the first trailer for The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and one cast member is already going viral: Mary Cosby.

Fans who wanted to learn more about the RHOSLC crew headed over to the networks website to check out their bios. While Cosbys marriage is what has everyone talking, theres some family drama behind the scenes that stretched out for years.

Mary Cosby of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City | Bravo via Twitter

RHOSLC Mary Cosby married a family member

Youve probably heard the news that Mary Cosby married her step-grandfather, Bishop Robert Cosby. According to her Bravo bio, she inherited her familys churches and financial fortune on the condition that she marry the man. Theyve been together for 20 years and share one child.

But theres more. Her maiden name is Mary Martha Harris and according to a lengthy 1999 article in the Salt Lake Tribune, she wed Cosby in September 1998 when she was about 24.

In 1999, Cosby was a 45-year-old widower whose wife was 20 years his senior. Her name was Rosemary Mama Cosby and its her fortune that set off a major family conflict.

Just because they say prayers, doesn't mean they're angels. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City premieres 11/11! Full trailer at: https://t.co/y5ShEgM6aK #RHOSLC pic.twitter.com/hI3BZ13S2z  Bravo (@BravoTV) September 9, 2020

RELATED: What Will Bravos The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Look Like?

One of Rosemary Cosbys daughters accused Robert Cosby of forgery, foul play

Rosemary Cosby was an affluent Pentecostal pastor who acquired millions of dollars worth of land, homes, churches, businesses, cars, jewelry, and other items. She founded her the Faith Temple Pentecostal Church in 1968, after moving her four children to Utah.

Per her obituary, after marrying Robert Cosby in 1975, they started other churches in other cities. She died in 1997 at age 65 and thats when trouble began. Daughter Rosalind Cazares accused her stepfather of forging documents to claim property. Cazares asserted certain assets belonged solely to her mother.

Using the help of a forensic expert to examine the documents, she filed a civil suit against him and his church member/business manager. During all this, Cazares split from the familys church and in a show of solidarity, half the congregation defected with her.

According to Deseret News, she also requested her mothers body be exhumed for an autopsy, as she suspected Cosby had something to do with her death.

A Utah judge ordered the exhumation. The findings were revealed in 2000 that Rosemary Cosby died of natural causes at her home in Florida. The legal war raged on.

Cazares filed another lawsuit over the estate

In 2007, Cazares filed another suit against Cosby alleging that he mishandled the estate and denied her of her portion of her mothers wealth.

She claimed he engaged in fraudulent activity and at one point, a jury awarded $1.2 million in damages to be paid to her through the estate. It is unclear whether she ever received the funds from Robert Cosby.

The #RHOSLC premieres on Bravotv November 11. Here is a first look at the upcoming season: https://t.co/ncyCRZGuUH pic.twitter.com/EAkjUAhpLC  Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (@RHOSLCity) September 9, 2020

Mary Cosbys complicated family history will probably play a role in the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and fans are eager to find out how shell address it.

Will she limit her discussions to the show or will she take it to social media too? The newest addition to the franchise premieres on Nov. 11 on Bravo.
GRIGGSVILLE  A Griggsville resident is among 27 people or businesses honored for their community work.

Lloyd Lawber of Griggsville received the Governors Volunteer Service Award for his work at the Pike County All Wars Museum.

Lawber was one of more than 215 nominations. Awards are given in each of five regions in several categories. Winners are selected by Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.

The awards will be presented during a ceremony Wednesday.

 Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree
The consequences of whats come to be called the civic engagement gap can be especially apparent during major election years.

Research has consistently found that people who make more money are more engaged than people who make less money, as measured by working for a campaign, serving on a board of directors and contacting elected officials, among other things. Researcher Eric van Holm from Arizona State University also found cities with increasing income inequality have lower rates of civic participation.

Perhaps no act signifies civic participation more than voting. Black voter turnout took a sharp dive to 59.6% in 2016, Pew Research Center found. It was the largest decline on record between general election years. Thats compared to a 65.3% voter turnout for whites in 2016.

In the end, campaigns and news media focus the bulk of their election strategy and coverage on what white suburbanites want.

Narrowing the engagement gap isnt as simple as lecturing people on the importance of voting or getting involved. It takes real work.

Lesley Gordon, a board member for IndyHub, believes part of the challenge is getting rid of intimidation.

A lot of times we think civic engagement gets very formal, she said.

IndyHubs flagship event, IndyVolved, features virtual events throughout September to help millennials and Gen Zers  people in their 20s and 30s  get connected to volunteer and service opportunities. Its a chance to find a passion and get involved.

Gordon, event chair for IndyVolved, said theres an indirect tie to direct political engagement, with some participants finding their voice in policy ideas or get-out-the-vote campaigns.

Voting is one of the simplest things you can do to get engaged, said Joanna Nixon, director of 10 East Arts. The organization set up a voter headquarters at 2301 E. 10th St. to encourage people to register to vote, as well as keep voters educated about the basics.

Knowledge about things such as voter ID laws and early voting opportunities is pretty low in the near east side area, Nixon said, but thats likely in part because voter registration is so low. If people arent registering to vote, they dont have a reason to know how to request an absentee ballot.

The voter headquarters will focus on voter registration until Oct. 5, the last day to register to vote in Indiana, and then will shift more to voter education and removing barriers such as transportation. Anyone in Marion County can go to the headquarters.

Educations role in civic engagement

Studies show parents who talk with their children about current affairs can have a positive influence on their civic development, but thats often a luxury reserved for affluent families.

In her book, No Citizen Left Behind, Meira Levinson from Harvard University writes that civic education should be an ongoing part of school curriculum, just like students have a math and English class almost every semester.

Levinson and others advocate for urban schools, especially those that serve students from historically disenfranchised groups, to take on a bigger responsibility in teaching the role of political action and other civic duties.

But thats a fairytale land for under-resourced and over-tested American schools.

Shawnta Barnes, a dean at Enlace Academys middle school, said the school doesnt have specific civics curriculum but has added a social justice component to homeroom classes.

Ideally, Barnes said a good civics education would teach students about themselves, their place in society and how government works. It would also teach that adults arent the only people who can get involved and make change.

I want students to know you dont have to become an adult to have power, she said. You can use your voice now.

Indianapolis Public Schools offer two classes  Citizenship and Civics, along with Applied Citizenship and Civics  with similar descriptions. Basically, students learn how to get involved in policymaking, the relationship between society and government, and their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

Many high schools dont have specific civics curriculum, instead requiring students to complete some form of volunteering or service learning before graduating or brushing over the subject in a U.S. government or history class.

There is very little incentive for schools to provide a robust civics education, especially as urban schools often face pressure to focus on raising test scores.

Graduation requirements laid out by the Indiana State Board of Education include references to civic life and civic identity in the social studies section, but the only reference to civic engagement simply says students should explain why its important.

The states ISTEP+ tests, given to students starting in 10th grade, only include English and math.

Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.

A woman takes a picture of workers at a voter registration booth on Indiana Avenue. (Photo/Tyler Fenwick)
Destitute: People sleep outdoors after fire gutted the Moria migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. Photo: ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS/REUTERS

Thousands of migrants were left without shelter yesterday after fires gutted their overcrowded camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Authorities have also warned that some asylum seekers who tested positive for Covid-19 could spread the virus.

The Moria camp, which hosts more than 12,000 people, was "probably totally destroyed", one Greek migration official said.

Athens declared a state of emergency on Lesbos and sent police reinforcements to the island to help keep order.

As migrants camped out in fields nearby or sifted through smouldering debris in search of possessions, Deputy Migration Minister George Koumoutsakos said about 3,000 people affected by the fires would be temporarily housed in tents.

"The situation in Moria cannot go on (as it is) because it is simultaneously a public health and national security issue," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised address, adding that managing migrant flows was a "European problem".

The cause of the fires, which broke out soon after midnight, remained unclear but authorities were investigating whether they were started deliberately after Covid-19 tests led to the isolation of a number of refugees.

The camp had been placed under quarantine last week after an asylum-seeker tested positive for Covid-19. As of late Monday 35 migrants had been confirmed as having the virus.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas said camp residents would not be allowed to leave Lesbos due to the pandemic, though EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said the European Union had agreed to fund the immediate transfer of 400 unaccompanied children and teenagers to the Greek mainland.

Some migrants tried to head to the town of Mytilini early yesterday but police stopped them, eyewitnesses said.

Aid groups have long criticised conditions at the camp, which hosts more than four times its stated capacity.

They say it is impossible to implement social distancing and basic hygiene measures there.

Mr Mitsotakis said EU Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas would visit the island of Lesbos today, while the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, said the 27-nation bloc stood ready to mobilise support for Greece.
White Catholic swing voters more crucial to Trumps reelection than evangelicals: policy scholar

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White Catholic voters, rather than white evangelicals, will be the deciding factor as to whether President Donald Trump is reelected, according to a public policy scholar.

Evangelical voters are unlikely to abandon Trump, according to Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, who said the voting block to watch are white Catholics in the Midwest, especially those living in the Great Lakes states who propelled Trump to victory in 2016 and might do it again in November.

In 2016, Mr. Trump won Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin  states with heavy concentrations of Catholic voters  by merely 107,000 votes combined, Rozell wrote in an op-ed published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Clinton handily won the national popular vote and Mr. Trump won the majority of Catholic voters. Exit polls had Mr. Trump holding a 52%-to-45% edge among Catholics.

Rozell attributed this success to white Catholics voting in large numbers while Latino Catholics voted in smaller numbers than 2012, with more voting Republican.

Rozell said that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, himself a Catholic, must hold down his losses among white Catholics and get a strong turnout among the largely Catholic Latino population.

Rozell warned that Biden cannot merely rely on his own religious identity for a win, as most Catholics voted for Methodist George W. Bush in 2004 rather than fellow Catholic, John Kerry.

The loosening of Democratic ties and the movement toward the GOP for many Catholics have largely been the result of two factors: economic success and the issue of abortion, he continued.

 with the open embrace of abortion rights by the Democrats and the Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade decision, many Catholics questioned whether the party any longer represented their values.

Much has been made about the strong support for Trump among self-identified white evangelicals, who voted for the Republican nominee in large numbers in 2016.

For example, Pew Research Center released a report in July which found that 82% of white evangelicals plan to vote for Trump and approve of his job performance.

In analyzing the reasons for Clintons defeat in 2016, some pointed to the conservative Catholic voters in swing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio as an important factor.

Daniel R. Kempton, a political science professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, argued this point in a 2016 piece published by the National Catholic Reporter.

Specifically, Kempton cited Clintons pro-abortion stance and her support for measures he considered a threat to the religious liberty of Catholic organizations.

Maybe  next time all Catholics can search together for a candidate without a trace of intolerance, racism, or misogyny, but also a candidate respectful of freedom of religion and who is not seeking to expand access to abortion, he wrote.

If not, I will stand with you when I can to protect the environment, to fight intolerance, to prevent racism, and to treat the poor and the immigrant community with kindness. But I still won't vote for candidates who threaten our freedom of religion and seek to expand federal support for abortion abroad and at home.

In an analysis published in July, Frank Newport of Gallup wrote that it was unlikely that Biden's Catholic religion will be a significant factor in the election  in either direction.

Highly active Catholics are disproportionately likely to be Trump supporters and tend not to share Biden's position on the hot-button issue of abortion, wrote Newport.

Less active and Hispanic Catholics are more Democratic, which is good for Biden, but it's not clear that his Catholicism per se will increase their enthusiasm for his candidacy or increase their likelihood to turn out and vote.
Samsung is releasing a new update to its Galaxy Watch Active 2 that brings a bunch of new features for users. The watch will now be able to provide a detailed running report, measure VO2 max, detect if the user has suffered a fall, see chat history from instant messaging apps and more.

With Samsungs Running Analysis feature, users of the Galaxy Watch Active 2 can get detailed reports on various metrics of their run, including asymmetry, regularity, stiffness, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, etc. Samsung has also added the ability to measure VO2 max, so that athletes can stay on top of their oxygen levels during workouts.

A really useful feature added in this update is Fall detection, especially for users who belong to the senior citizen age group. When a fall is detected, the watch can send an SOS notification to up to 4 four pre-designated contacts, alerting them of a potential need for help.

The watch can now show the chat history for a given chat when a notification arrives, making it easier for the to follow the conversation. Received photos can be viewed directly on the smartwatch now, reducing the need to pull up the smartphone every time.

Scroll Capture has been introduced for the Watch Active 2, allowing users to capture message threads, workout information, etc. from the smartwatch and have it sent as an image to the phone. The music control panel has also been revamped to be more seamless for the user.

The update will be coming to all Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 users starting today, first arriving for the Bluetooth variants and then later to the LTE variants.
French Defence Minister Florence Parly on Thursday reiterated her country's support to the candidature of for a permanent seat in Security Council (UNSC).

Speaking at the induction ceremony of the first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft at Ambala airbase, Parly said it is a stellar achievement for and and a new chapter is being written in the bilateral defence ties.

" supports India's candidacy for (permanent seat) in the UNSC," she said.

The French Defence Minister highlighted India's election as a non-permanent member in the UNSC for a two-year term beginning in January 2021, saying it "represents an opportunity to promote peace and security together."

is among the five permanent members in the UNSC apart from China, the UK, the US and Russia.

Parly described the Rafale as a "powerful military aircraft" and said they have successfully performed in French operations.

"Rafale has taken a leading role in Mali, helping destroy armed terror groups and support friendly troops in contact. As part of military intervention against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, they operate in difficult conditions far from their bases, taking advantage of their huge operational range of striking distant targets with surgical precision," she said.

"We are proud to share our knowhow with you, our friendship is rock solid and time-tested. I am happy that our strategic partnership is based on mutual understanding, common interests and deep trust," the French Minister remarked.

She underlined that France is fully committed to the 'Make in India' initiative and further integration of Indian manufacturers into the global supply chains.

"The Make in has been a reality for the French industry for several years particularly for defence equipment such as submarines. Many French companies and design offices are now established in India and I hope that will offer their support and services," she said.

The French Defence Minister said it is a great pride to see the first five Rafale jets inducted in time in the Indian Air Force despite the COVID-19 crisis.

"We are particularly attentive to the respect of the delivery deadline. We will ensure this as France is determined to support the Indian Air Force to touch the sky with glory with the remaining 31 Rafale jets as soon as possible," he stated.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present on the occasion, presented a memento to the French Defence Minister.

Water cannon salute was given to the five Rafale aircraft at the Ambala airbase during the induction ceremony.

Both Singh and Parly also witnessed the traditional 'Sarva Dharma Puja' at the venue.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi group said it had attacked an "important target" in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Thursday using a ballistic missile and drones.

A Saudi-led coalition, which has been at war with the Iran-aligned group since 2015, did not confirm an attack on Riyadh, but said it had intercepted and destroyed a number of ballistic missiles and explosive drones launched towards the kingdom on Thursday.

Yahya Sarea, a spokesman for the Houthi military, said the group used a Dul-Faqqar ballistic missile and three Samad3 drones to attack an important target in Riyadh, without giving more details. The group have attacked Riyadh several times before.

"The attacks are a response to the enemy's permanent escalation and its continuing blockade against our country," Sarea said in a statement posted on Twitter.

He promised more attacks if Saudi Arabia "continues its aggression" against Yemen.

A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said Houthi forces had launched the missiles and drones at civilian targets in Saudi Arabia, without giving more details.

The Houthis took over the Yemeni capital Sanaa and most cities in 2014 after ousting the Saudi-backed government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The Western-backed coalition that Saudi Arabia leads intervened to try to restore Hadi to power but the war, which has killed 100,000 people, has been stuck in a stalemate for years.

The conflict has led to what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli and Lisa Barrington, writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Gareth Jones and Hugh Lawson)
ALBANY  A judge tossed the felony drug conviction of a man found guilty of moving heroin through the Capital Region, ruling that Albany County prosecutors failed to disclose the disciplinary history of a decorated State Police investigator who was their star witness at trial.

State Supreme Court Justice Peter Lynch dismissed the conviction of 42-year-old Dimitrius Smith on Tuesday, making it the second time since early July that the judge tossed a defendants drug conviction because of the history of seasoned State Police Investigator Samuel Mercado.

In a ruling sharply critical of District Attorney David Soares office, the judge said prosecutors made a wholly unpersuasive argument that they did not know about Mercados prior disciplinary issues. Lynch said Soares office also showed a blatant denial of an obvious violation of what is known as the Brady rule that require prosecutors to disclose evidence or information to the defense that can help the defense impeach the credibility of a prosecution witness.

The Albany County district attorney's office had a duty to inquire about any misconduct, necessarily including the censure history, which would have been directly relevant to impeach the opinions he gave at trial," Lynch stated. "The Albany County district attorney's office breached this duty."

On Aug. 21, 2017, State Police stopped Smith on Interstate 787 in a Range Rover. Police said Smith was carrying 19.5 grams of heroin, hundreds of glassine envelopes and hydrocodone pills. Mercado testified at Smith's trial that the drugs "looked like very good heroin" and looked like it was packaged to be sold, not used for personal consumption, the decision said.

The judge said Mercado had a commanding presence in court and "made the People's case" against Smith.

"There is a reasonable probability that the jury verdict would have changed, had the impeaching evidence been properly and timely disclosed," Lynch wrote. "Absent disclosure of the censure record, defendant was denied the opportunity to impeach Mercado as a liar; denied the opportunity to challenge the credibility of the People's key witness as a liar. Such failed disclosure undermines the integrity of the verdict."

Lynch and prosecutors for Soares have clashed often since Lynch was elected to County Court in 2012 and later to Supreme Court - typically when Lynch has shown leniency to defendants. The tension between prosecutors and the judge, which appears to be escalating, was displayed last month when Lynch cut 10 years off the low end of the potential life sentence for Isis Knight, 25, a woman convicted of luring 22-year-old Ty-Son Williams to his murder in Albany. The judge ripped Soares' office for a "myopic focus on maximum sentences."

And last year, Lynch cut the 25-year manslaughter sentence of Jah-Lah Vanderhorst, who at 16 was caught on video fatally stabbing 17-year-old Albany High School track star Tyler Rhodes in 2011. Lynch reduced Vanderhorst's sentence to 12 years. The judge said Soares' office had a "non-progressive approach," with Soares' responding that Lynch is an "outlier judge."

In a statement Thursday on the Smith ruling, Soares' spokeswoman Cecilia Walsh said: We became aware of the disciplinary issues related to this investigator long after using him as a witness. As soon as we found out, we advised several defendants of the new information and have joined in their motions for new trials.

Lynch's decision explained that Soares' office did not oppose the dismissal of the case, but that prosecutors denied any Brady violation. Lynch will allow prosecutors to bring their case again against Smith, who previously served time in state prison for an earlier drug conviction.

Mercado, a trooper of 35 years who for 15 years worked dangerous undercover assignments in New York City infiltrating Dominican and Columbian drug trafficking cartels, coordinates an undercover school for State Police. On March 5, the Times Union reported that Mercados history included three letters of discipline for administrative errors involving documentation and record-keeping. The Times Union reviewed copies of the censures in a motion filed by a defense attorney who sought the evidence under discovery reforms that went into effect Jan. 1. Prosecutors must now disclose to the defense 21 kinds of material, which includes anything to cross-examine an officer at trial to impeach their credibility.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Such histories also used to typically be shielded from public disclosure under New York's Civil Rights Law 50-a, which blocked release of information that might be used in personnel decisions. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law to repeal the law following the police killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd.

In Lynch's decision, the judge questioned why Assistant District Attorney Vincent Stark did not submit an affidavit from the trial prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Alexander Scher, to support the office's argument that there was no failure to disclose evidence. The judge mentioned that Soares' office includes investigators who previously worked as Albany police officers and were part of the same law enforcement community as Mercado.

"A reasoned inference to draw from their failure to make an inquiry of investigative staff, is that the prosecutor simply doesn't want to know if his investigative staff knew about the Mercado censures, yet failed to disclose same," the judge stated.

In an affidavit, Stark stated that under Brady, prosecutors are required to disclose evidence in their custody, possession, or control" and not required to comb through officers' personnel records on fishing expeditions to find possible misconduct.

In early July, Lynch dismissed the 2017 felony drug conviction of Hector Gomez of New York City, who was serving a nine-year prison sentence for allegedly moving 2,195 bags of heroin through the Capital Region. In that case, Lynch also said Mercado "made" the prosecution's case.

In the decision, Lynch noted that Scher did submit an affirmation in the Gomez case denying any knowledge of Mercados censure. The judge  while slamming the district attorneys office as arrogant  said he had confidence in the prosecutors integrity and had no doubt that if Scher had been aware of Mercados disciplinary history he would have disclosed it.
A half-year after they were picked for jury duty, 12 jurors returned to a Brampton courtroom this week  but this time they were wearing masks and rather than sitting together in court, they went their separate ways.

Three plunked down in the jury box, one in front, two at either end of the back row. Four jurors sat at tables normally reserved for prosecutors and one settled into a seat at the end of the empty prisoner box. Nearby, but socially distanced, four jurors sat at the front of the public gallery inside a spacious empty courtroom marked with fluorescent taped arrows and Xs indicating where spectators can and cannot sit.

Several metres away, near the front, lawyers and court staff took their positions behind recently installed plexiglass partitions. Superior Court Justice Jamie Trimble presided from a shielded dais.

What are the odds youd be sitting on a jury during a pandemic, defence lawyer Christien Levien remarked to the jury during closing arguments he figured he would have made back in March.

Six months after the coronavirus triggered a countrywide lockdown, jury trials are starting up in a new COVID-19 world. The federal justice department has described the restart as one of the greatest challenges facing our criminal courts in the pandemic.

Court administrators are grappling with a ballooning caseload and face an array of challenges getting jury trials back on track. They must protect the health of jurors and justice system participants, while at the same time ensuring defendants, some of them behind bars, have their constitutional right to a speedy trial.

Tens of thousands of notices have already gone out to Ontario residents, with some being told to report to places other than courthouses so social distancing can be accommodated. In Toronto, some residents receiving summonses are being told to report to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre starting next week, with a reminder to bring masks or face coverings. On entering, prospective jurors will have to complete COVID-19 screening, notices say.

In a very few cases, such as the Brampton drug trafficking trial, jurors selected before the pandemic lockdown are being recalled to finish their civic duty.

Literally, COVID set in on the day that we heard from our final witness, Levien explained this week after court adjourned for the day.

On that day in March, the judge told jurors the proceedings would adjourn indefinitely and court staff would follow up to see about their availability at a future date. When the green light was given for the trials resumption this week, Levien was shocked by the response.

It was crazy because all jury members returned. All 12. Kind of mind-blowing because the thought is a lot of people dont even want to be on juries.

The jurors arriving at the A. Grenville and William Davis Courthouse, at 7755 Hurontario St., found it nearly deserted. Nevertheless, cleaning staff were wiping down door handles and court staff on high alert if someone unexpected showed up. In this case, a visitor wanting to enter court was told the judge would need to give his permission  which he did.

A sign on the courtroom door said a maximum of 35 people would be allowed. There were fewer than 30 people present during Tuesdays proceeding, including the jury, staff, lawyers, accused and two court security officers.

Levien and prosecutor Ostap Melnik wore their black lawyers robes and were allowed to make seated submissions without wearing masks. Levien removed his while he ran through the reasons the jurors  all of them wearing marks  should find his client not guilty of heroin trafficking.

Its not an ideal way to argue a case, he says.

The masks, the plexiglass barriers, and the scattered seating of the jury made it much more difficult to see whether the jurors were receptive to my submissions.

On Wednesday, after hearing the judges charge, the jury retired to deliberate in the courthouses new extension in a room big enough that they can be socially distanced, said Levien. He believed it was the first time the room has been used.

After a few hours, the jurors returned to court and convicted his client of some drug trafficking charges and aquitting him of others.

The 33-year-old Brampton native, who has been practising law for five years, says he is looking forward to more trials this fall, even in a pandemic, so he can fight for clients, some who have been languishing in jail waiting for their day in court.

Hes not worried about his own safety.

Im relatively young, he said. Younger people can get seriously ill and die from the disease but, he said, I think the likelihood of it being fatal to me or me getting seriously sick, is less than people older than me.

Read more about:
September 10 is globally recognised as World Suicide Prevention Day. This day was introduced by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) alongside the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness and in so doing, support advocacy for suicide prevention. By dedicating an entire day to suicide prevention, the IASP and WHO aim to change the narrative around mental health, counter misconceptions and address poor understanding surrounding this highly stigmatised condition.

Mental health is a global issue of concern and constitutes a key public health challenge for most countries in the world. Statistics say that one in four people will develop a mental health condition in their lifetime. WHO statistics further reveal that each year, an estimated 800,000 people die around the world, due to suicide. To put this into perspective, one person dies from suicide every 40 seconds. Low and middle-income countries are said to have a higher rate of suicide with a significant 79 per cent of global suicides occurring in these countries.

Nigeria is a lower-middle-income country where cases of suicide are increasingly being reported in the media in the recent past. With an estimated population of 200 million people, leaving aside neonates and under-fives, approximately 45 million Nigerians can be said to be at risk of mental illness and hundreds of thousands at risk of suicide.

Increasing concern about the mental health of Nigerians and the role of the media in reporting recent cases of suicides constituted the impetus for pioneering an online conference organised by The World Health Organization Collaborating Centre of Excellence in Mental Health Neuroscience and Substance Use Disorders, University of Ibadan; the UCH/College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry; the Asido Foundation and Stablemums Foundation on September 8.

The director of the WHO Collaborating Centre of Excellence in Mental Health Neuroscience and Substance Use Disorders, Oye Gureje, who opened the training, noted that while there is a paucity of data on suicide rates in Nigeria, most recent data indicate an incidence of 17.3 suicides per 100,000 people. He went on to note that there seems to be an increase in reporting in the media on suicide. The question of whether increased reporting was a reflection of a rise in suicide rates or a rise in public interest was discussed and the implications of responsible reporting explored.

The media certainly has a crucial role to play in disseminating information with reference to health; particularly as this is known to improve health literacy. The online conference noted this is especially the case on the sensitive subject of suicide in Nigeria.

Adetoun Faloye, a psychiatrist, stated that the media has long had a significant role to play in reporting of health-related content and have the power to shape perceptions around mental health conditions as well as the portrayal of suicide. It was noted that in framing reports, the media have been known to use language which promotes stigma and shame, referring to people with mental health conditions as mad or psycho. Mr Faloye urged the media to adopt the expression death by suicide instead of committed suicide.

Journalists were advised to not sensationalise, glamourise and trivialise suicide as this could lead, to what the experts refer to as  suicide contagion. Suicide contagion is defined by direct or indirect exposure to detailed content on suicide which triggers suicidal behaviours in at-risk populations.

This tendency to inadvertently glamourise suicides in the Nigerian public is evidenced by the continuous reference in the media to details of how the suicide was achieved. For example, when photos appear in the press or on-line stories and the continuous mention of the use of a particular brand of poison sniper. As a result of media sensationalism, the brand is seen by most Nigerian to be synonymous with suicide whenever brought up. Further, there are what some might label unethical instances of suicide notes being read or published by the new media.

Another expert in the conference, Olayinka Egbokhare from the Department of Communications and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, stressed that media practitioners must then learn to strike a balance between being newsworthy reports and raising the issues of the need for suicide prevention. If suicide is covered carefully, and with a public duty to educate, the media can encourage vulnerable and at-risk individuals to seek out help rather than harping on the details of the act.

Responsible reporting

The media has a duty to frame mental illness as a societal issue and one of grave importance to the entire population in Nigeria. The media needs to frame mental illness in the same light as physical illnesses are framed, that is by presenting factual information including the cause, various presentations and treatment options.

According to Opeyemi Lawal, the Founder and CEO of StableMums Foundation, it is important and necessary for media practitioners to tread with caution when reporting on death by suicide. They should refrain from displaying graphic content; giving personal details about the individual or their family to avoid stigmatisation. The media should also refrain from providing details about the methods of suicide and location it took place. The use of sensitive language and emphasizing hope and recovery should be an overarching theme when reporting on suicides.

If news reports aim to raise awareness, Mr Lawal noted, then warning signs must be mentioned as well as information on available resources, support and treatment options for the people who have thought about suicide. Likewise, Jibril Abdulmalik, a psychiatrist and the Founder of Aisdo Foundation, underscored the importance of the media in amplifying the issue appropriately. The media can fill in the gaps in suicide prevention that relate to awareness, he noted. According to Mr Abdulmalik, the media has a critical window of opportunity between when an individual considers suicide or suicide ideation to when the actual act takes place.

Despite Nigerias inadequate and overburdened health infrastructure, it is imperative that media practitioners do their research and provide information on treatment centres and stories of hope when reporting on suicides.

The key message from this important online conference in honour of World Suicide Prevention Day is that it behoves the media not to exacerbate the problem and to support mental health professionals to be part of the solution when reporting on such a sensitive area of public health.
President Hassan Rouhani is facing criticism for reopening schools while the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic that has killed over 22,000 people so far.

In his latest speech Sept. 9 at a Cabinet meeting, Rouhani addressed some of the criticism he is facing by saying the health of students is a priority for the administration, but he said they do not want students to be held back from their studies from six months or a year. "This would be difficult on families, said Rouhani.

He continued, At the same time, there is nothing mandatory about this, adding families did not have to choose in-person school if they did not want to. The other options for students are online learning and educational programming through state television. Rouhani, however, said the government prefers students to do in-person schooling. "Keeping a student imprisoned inside an apartment will also create problems, he said.

Rouhani immediately faced criticism for reopening schools after his address at the beginning of the school year was given virtually rather than in person. Many questioned how it could be safe for schools to open when it apparently was not safe for the president to address schools and staff in person. Mahmoud Vaezi, Rouhanis chief of staff, said the president was simply observing the health instructions and protocols that were determined by the National Headquarters for Combatting Coronavirus.

Conservative politician and member of the hard-line Endurance Front, deputy speaker of parliament Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, wrote a public letter to Rouhani criticizing the decision to reopen schools. He said given the situation in the country with the coronavirus, the Education Ministry has not been able to adequately create the conditions for safe in-person learning at schools.

Education Minister Mohsen Haji Mirzani went on national television to defend the decision to reopen schools. He said all schools were required to follow strict health guidelines, even in provinces with low infection rates  these provinces are referred to as white zones. Mirzani said all schools will be social distancing and have eliminated all sports and physical activity, and both teachers and students are required to wear masks.

Recess for each class will be separate from the others, said Mirzani, and all classrooms will have open windows. He said they have studied the reopening of schools in Europe and South Asia and have learned from their experiences.

Mirzani said 62% of schools have fewer than 100 students, so social distancing can be observed without even having to break up the classes into groups or scattered schedules. He said 8% of schools  due to the size of the student body  would have to break their schools into three different groups rather than two groups.

He said parents who want to keep their students home for online learning can do so freely while other students learn in classrooms.
Our resort is fully open, and we are following best practices for sanitation and cleaning as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Those heroes who continue to work through the pandemic we hope will consider taking some time off this coming weekend.

The Comfort Inn and Suites Daytona Beach Oceanfront announces their newest promotional rate to honor first responders including retired and active duty military, firefighters, law enforcement, EMTs, the Coast Guard and the National Guard. This special 911 remembrance rate includes a discounted nightly rate of $91.00 for our oceanfront guest room, featuring two queen beds, microwave, mini-frig and oceanfront balcony. Book your guest room for 9/11-14 online here or call the hotel directly 386-252-2378 and ask for promo code L911.

For emergency personnel looking to travel any time in September, the Comfort Inn and Suites Daytona Beach Oceanfront is offering 20% off their best available rate for the entire month of September 2020. Travelers interested in taking advantage of this special offer can book online or ask for promo code LHERO when making their reservations over the phone.

General Manager, Jeff VanDiver, stated, Every year we try to create a way to show our collective appreciation for emergency responders and the ultimate sacrifices they made on September 11th and continue to make every day. Although summer may have officially ended in other parts of the U.S., we continue to have summer-like weather here in Daytona Beach well into the fall months. By offering the 911 and HERO rate specials we hope our community heroes will take time and enjoy our beach, the weather, and relax with us.

Emergency Responders can expect to enjoy unlimited beach and pool access, Wi-Fi, daily grab and go breakfast, and free parking when staying at the Comfort Inn Daytona Beach Oceanfront. Local events for vacationers the weekend of September 11th include the Friends of the Bandshell Concert on September 12th featuring a Billie Joel Tribute Band, and featuring a Led Zeppelin Tribute Band on September 19th. Admission is $2.00 and includes a chair that will be provided. Tickets and event details can be found here.

VanDiver added, The coronavirus pandemic left many travelers with canceled vacation plans this past summer. Our resort is fully open, and we are following best practices for sanitation and cleaning as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Those heroes who continue to work through the pandemic we hope will consider taking some time off this coming weekend. We wanted to offer special promotional rates to allow anyone who needs a late-summer vacation the opportunity to take one. Being footsteps from the beach, its easy for guests to take full advantage of our beach for as little or as long as they like during their stay. If youre flying in, you dont even need to rent a car. There are several ride share services that offer transportation from the Daytona Beach Airport to our hotel. If you havent stayed with us yet this year, now is a great time to visit the beach!

Vacationers with a valid Florida drivers license can also take advantage of the current Florida Resident discount of 20% off best available rate* with a 2-night minimum length of stay. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at 386-252-2378 and mentioning the rate code LRESID or booking online. This rate is valid both weekend and weekdays, based on availability, not valid over special events, cannot be combined with any other discounts. VanDiver explains, With school starting back up all over the state, it might be a great time to give parents a break. Allow your kids to go to school virtually, from the beach! Or if youre still working remotely, our free Wi-Fi can help make any room your office! Dont miss out on a chance to take a quick trip.

The Comfort Inn and Suites Daytona Beach Oceanfront is located at 103 South Ocean Avenue in Daytona Beach, Florida 32118. Their central location makes it convenient for travelers to see nearby area attractions including the Daytona Beach Pier, The Daytona Lagoon Water Park and Arcade, the Marine Science Center, the Dine in Cruise Along the Intercoastal and much more. This resort is also located just over 5 miles from the Daytona Beach International Airport.

For more information or to make a reservation, travelers are encouraged to call the hotel directly at:

(386) 252-2378 or visit online.
Senators are expected to vote on Thursday over the new stimulus bill that Senator Mitch McConnell introduced on Tuesday after returning from the August recess.

McConnell, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, finally unveiled the details of the new targeted bill and said that he is optimistic that the Republican Senators would deliver strong support in the new relief package.

After the failed talks between the top negotiators of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the Trump administration did not stop pushing for another relief aid that millions of Americans need amid the economic fallout the country experienced because of the global pandemic.

After a series of talks and many proposals from the White House and the Republicans, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continued to decline and reject the offer and asked for a bigger package. But when asked about the details of the amount, Pelosi cannot provide specific answers.

Even if the targeted bill passed in the House or Senate, it seems that Congress will play delaying tactics and will have it discussed after the election.

According to an Associated Press report, Democrats have indicated that they will shelve the Republican measure as insufficient and leave lawmakers at an impasse.

Meanwhile, Senator Richard Shelby, R-Ala., chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: "Unless something broke through, it's not going to happen." He added that stalemate is politically risky for all sides as the election nears.

Millions of Americans are waiting for the federal aid and financial support. This could mean that whoever among the lawmakers will not support the new stimulus or targeted bill, they will not have the support of the qualified voters in the country as well.

The proposed targeted bill includes the following:

Provide $105 billion to help schools reopen.

Enact a shield against lawsuits for businesses and others moving ahead to reopen.

Create a scaled-back $300-per-week supplemental jobless benefit.

Write off $10 billion in earlier debt at the U.S. Postal Service.

Set aside $31 billion for a coronavirus vaccine, $16 billion for virus testing, and $15 billion to help child care providers reopen.

Provide $20 billion for farmers.

Devote $258 billion for the second round of paycheck protection subsidies.

It can be observed that the second round of $1,200 direct stimulus payment is not included in the list because Trump wants to utilize the unspent $300 billion under the CARES Act. The said amount is more than enough for 160 million people who received the checks during the first round.

If ever the bill will not be approved in Congress, the Trump administration has already said that they will find ways to deliver the relief aid to millions of Americans. The President might divert and use some unspent budget in other agencies and prioritized the stimulus checks.

It can be remembered that Trump signed and issued an executive order last month that extended the unemployment benefits using the unspent budget of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Check these out!
LITTLETON, Colo., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSE American:URG, TSX:URE) announces that its Chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Klenda, will present on September 14, 2020, at the 22nd Annual Global Investment Conference, sponsored by HC Wainwright & Co., which this year is being conducted virtually. The Company will also participate in virtual one-on-one meetings during the conference, on September 15, 2020.

Mr. Klenda will provide an overview of the Company's business during the presentation and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors who are registered to attend the Conference.

Ur-Energy's presentation will begin at 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, September 14, 2020. You may join the webcast at https://wsw.com/webcast/hcw7/urg/1486718. The presentation will be webcast live or you may view it on the event site (www.hcwevents.com) for 90 days following the live presentation. The presentation also will be available on our website, www.ur-energy.com.

If you are an institutional investor, and would like to participate in the conference, including scheduling a time to meet with Mr. Klenda, please click on the following link to register for the conference www.hcwevents.com. Once your registration is confirmed, you will be prompted to log into the conference website to request a one-on-one meeting on September 15, 2020 with the Company.

About Ur-Energy

Ur-Energy is a uranium mining company operating the Lost Creek in-situ recovery uranium facility in south-central Wyoming. We have produced, packaged and shipped more than 2.6 million pounds from Lost Creek since the commencement of operations. Applications are under review by various agencies to incorporate our LC East project area into the Lost Creek permits and to operate at our Shirley Basin Project. Ur-Energy is engaged in uranium mining, recovery and processing activities, including the acquisition, exploration, development and operation of uranium mineral properties in the United States. Shares of UrEnergy trade on the NYSE American under the symbol "URG" and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "URE." Ur-Energy's corporate office is in Littleton, Colorado; its registered office is in Ottawa, Ontario. Ur-Energy's website is www.ur-energy.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Jeffrey Klenda

Chairman & CEO

866-981-4588

[email protected]

SOURCE Ur-Energy Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ur-energy.com


Bloomberg Philanthropies Strives to Increase Black Physicians by Donating to Historically Black Medical Schools

Charles R. Drew University is a recent recipient of $7 million in donations.

Inequality in education is one of the most fossilized civil rights issues that one can still witness today. There is a lot of discourse and imbalance found in the unequal funding and lack of federal or state priority within community-driven colleges of color. Recently, there has been meteoric change in social awareness, which is bringing more light to the current state of the educational system for people within the Black Community.

On September 3, Bloomberg Philanthropies took their first steps in the Greenwood Initiative and donated $100-million dollars to four historical Black medical colleges, one of them being Charles R. Drew University (CDU), located in the Watts-Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles. CDU will use the 7.7-million-dollar contribution towards scholarships, providing up to $100,000 ($25,000 per academic year) to over 50 percent of the medical students who are enrolled and receive financial aid over the next four years.

Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) weathered many socially-charged storms throughout American History. The strive for Black excellence burrowed through the segregated lines of Jim Crow, inadequate funding, lack of resources, and accreditation issues. The underrepresentation traveled through specialized fields of study such as medical graduate programs.

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Due to a pivotal point found on the axis of the current global pandemic and the ongoing racial disparities, social equity for people of color has been flagged down to receive more attention. Other historical Black medical colleges that will see this grant include Howard University of Medicine in Washington D.C. and Meharry Medical College in Atlanta, Georgia.

The mission behind this massive seed is to accelerate the growth in financial wealth in communities of color. It responds to the disproportionate size in support for better quality of life for Black Americans.

Education in America projected exclusivity since the act of reading and writing were illegal for slaves. That resistance proved the connotation that knowledge is the Great Equalizer. The challenge for social equity amid the Black community is still being met with lack of monetary support for institutions that focus on the betterment of the collective culture. For decades, there has been a known imbalance in the funding of Historical Black Colleges and Universities. States have gone years failing to meet the required 100% match of federal funding that are owed to HBCUs.

The role of funding is crucial to the progression and longevity of colleges that focus on demographics that have been chronically underserved. These institutions become the main vehicle for 1st generation students and families that need help putting their future through a higher educational system.

Due to the reliability of federal and state funding, community-based colleges of color see the steepest decline in national budget cuts. This widens the preexisting condition in lack of finances and resources within these public and private institutions.

Monetary support is also associated with the progression of research conducted by these community-driven colleges; the process of collecting data and concluding results about the critical issues within the collective culture comes with a price tag.

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Bloomberg Philanthropies recognized that issue and responded with a wrap-around service of contributions. Spreading 100-million-dollars throughout multiple HBCUs, the Bloomberg firm is striving to reduce health and wealth disparities in Black Communities by improving health outcomes for Black Americans.

There are five key areas that Bloomberg has taken under closer examination to find how they can exercise their social responsibility; two of those pillars are education and public health. Referencing back to the Bloomberg press release, their studies show a relationship of the ethnicity of the doctor influencing the outcome of the patients life. Black patients have a higher chance of living when their doctor is Black.

Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP, and a three-term mayor of New York City stated, COVID-19 has been especially devastating for the Black community, and the scarcity of Black doctors practicing in Black communities is one reason for it.

Bloomberg continued, More Black doctors will mean more Black lives saved and fewer health problems that limit economic opportunity. But right now, the burden of student debt and lack of financial aid means that the shortage of Black doctors could get even worse. During my campaign for President, I proposed a set of bold policies  which we called the Greenwood Initiative  to increase generational wealth among Black families and shrink the racial wealth gap 

Colleges selected like CDU will be able to determine the eligibility of grants among students enrolled within their institutions. Pupils that are currently on their second or third year will still be considered for retroactive funding; they can still receive the full amount of the grant to support their studies.

According to the Bloomberg press release, there is data showing that this seed will aid the burden of debt for medical students. This wrap-around grant not only includes the monetary support but offers the professional council in finances and other mentoring fields.

The Charles R. Drew Universitys vision is, Excellent health and wellness for all in a world without health disparities. CDU has established themselves as the leader in research on cancer, cardiometabolic studies, and HIV/Aids. Their mission as a private, non-profit, student-centered university, is to show commitment to cultivating diverse health professional leaders who are dedicated to social justice and health-equity for underserved populations through outstanding education, research, clinical service, and community engagement.

Between 2018-2019, ninety percent of their undergraduates applied and received financial aid. The total cost of expenses for an average CDU student is approximately $37,000. Programs that are being orchestrated at CDU include an MPH study of urban health disparities, a masters program in public health, and a full doctors MD field of study.

President and CEO of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Dr. David M. Carlisle explained what this kind of charitable act embodies and produces to the collective community. Dr. Carlisle said to Bloomberg media, Since studies have demonstrated that African American patients are more likely to follow an African American physicians orders, particularly on preventive measures, this scholarship gift to help increase the number of Black doctors will be transformative in creating greater health in communities of color.

Dr. Carlisle shared the following statement of gratitude of the donation, We feel tremendously gratified; this is the biggest all-time donation to Charles R. Drew University. I think its going to really transform the lives and careers of many of our medical students.








TOKYO, Sept 10, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited and Toyota Systems Corporation successfully demonstrated optimization of supply chain and logistics network operations essential to support automobile production in a joint trial leveraging Fujitsu's Quantum-Inspired Digital Annealer computing solution.The Digital Annealer solves complex combinatorial optimization problems at speeds not possible with current conventional computing technologies, and was used to rapidly calculate variables including the number of transport trucks, total mileage, and package sorting tasks, determining the most cost-effective approach for an automotive parts supply chain optimization problem with more than 3 million possible delivery routes to dozens of factories.Ultimately, the trial revealed it was possible that within 30 minutes an optimal route was calculated that can potentially reduce logistics costs by approximately 2 to 5% by discovering effective, previously unidentified distribution routes, thereby improving loading efficiency and streamlining transportation-related expenses.In the future, Fujitsu and Toyota Systems will further verify and refine the solution with the aim of commercializing it for real-world supply chain and logistics operations.BackgroundWhile logistics has become an increasingly vital part of the infrastructure supporting society, factors including driver shortages, traffic congestion, and increased CO2 emissions present an urgent and persistent challenge to businesses in the logistics and supply chain industry. The management of manufacturing supply chains represents one area for possible improvements in efficiency and cost reductions, which may also contribute to solving more fundamental logistics and environmental issues. Nevertheless, conventional technologies remain ill-suited to solving these problems due to their scale and complexity, requiring enormous amounts of time for parameter-adjustments and calculations.Outline of the Field TrialWith these challenges in mind, Fujitsu and Toyota Systems endeavoured to find a solution through joint trials and the development of innovative technologies.Toyota Systems was first established in January 2019 as an IT solutions company to support Toyota Motor Corporation and its group companies in the development of technology offerings. Since prior to the establishment of the company, Toyota Systems has been conducting research with Fujitsu on the use of quantum computing.During the trial Toyota Systems and Fujitsu applied Fujitsu's Digital Annealer quantum-inspired technology to formulate and solve an optimization problem involving a large-scale logistics network with more than 3 million route candidates. The objective of the trial was to quickly determine the route with the lowest distribution cost from millions of potential candidates for procuring parts from hundreds of suppliers and delivering them through several transit warehouses to dozens of factories. Distribution costs were calculated based on variables including the number of trucks, total travel distance, and the amount of work done in sorting packaged parts.In order to apply this technology to real-world operations, a new system was developed that incorporates a large-scale problem-solving technology (Figure 2, Left)(1) previously developed by Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd., and the following two technologies:- Global Search Technology: searches a wide range of possible solutions while efficiently escaping from a local solution groups (Figure 2, Center)- Dynamic Multipoint Search Technology: dynamically determines search starting points based on the current search status and interim results (Figure 2 Right)Trial ResultsThe application of the Digital Annealer and new solving techniques made it possible to calculate a new route within 30 minutes, leading to the potential for significant overall cost reduction.During the trials, simulations using the newly discovered routes proved that this method can reduce costs by approximately 2-5% compared to conventional methods.Future PlansBased on these results, the two companies aim to use the Digital Annealer to calculate logistics routes related to automobile manufacturing distribution chains, and they are working to further verify and identify opportunities for additional practical applications.As the automotive industry progresses toward a new paradigm, CASE (Connectivity, Autonomous, Sharing, Electrification) promises to redefine the concept of mobility itself, and a demand for unprecedented technological innovation and the creation of new mobility services has emerged. Based on the technology accumulated during this trial, Toyota Systems will promote the use of quantum inspired computing capabilities in the automobile industry, with the aim of creating new mobility services and contributing to the resolution of societal problems.Fujitsu will support Toyota Systems in this domain with new solutions based on its Digital Annealer technology and contribute further to digital innovation in the automotive industry.Fujitsu additionally plans in 2020 to offer the developed solutions from this trial as part of the existing Fujitsu Digital Annealer Cloud Service, with the aim of expanding application of the solutions to a variety of other industries and business domains.(1) a large-scale problem-solving technology "Fujitsu Technology to Solve Combinatorial Optimization Problems for Medium-Sized Drug Discovery" https://bit.ly/35nxWQoAbout Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 130,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.9 trillion yen (US$35 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
The Nigeria Police have confirmed that at least 10 people were abducted in Tungan Maje, a suburb of Abuja early Thursday.

PREMIUM TIMES broke the story after receiving a distress call from a resident.

The attack by gunmen lasted hours in the community that lies near Zuba and Niger State.

One resident said at least 20 people were kidnapped after prolonged shooting in the town. At least two children were amongst the victims.

A source in the town told PREMIUM TIMES that intense shooting started in the community at about 12.15 a.m. and lasted more than an hour.

He said members of the local vigilante group and police were overwhelmed.

We didnt sleep throughout the night. Its this morning that the vigilantes told us about 20 people were abducted, he said. He said so far the families of two children who were taken away had been identified.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, the police spokesperson for the FCT, Anjuguri Manzah, a deputy superintendent, said police had rescued five out of 10 abducted residents.

The FCT Police Command wishes to assure the public that protection of lives and property remains the core of its policing mandate and it will continue to inject fresh strategies that will place the security of the Federal Capital Territory at its optimum, the statement said.

The Command wishes to inform the public that when it received a distress call on Kidnap of some persons on 10th September, 2020 at about 0130hrs in Tungan Maje, a village bordering FCT and Niger state, a joint team of Police operatives from the Command Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Rapid Response Squad and Zuba Police Division responded swiftly to the occasion.

During a fierce gun confrontation with the heavily armed hoodlums, the Police team successfully rescued five of the kidnapped victims.

Meanwhile, a concerted effort has been deployed to rescue the remaining five victims that are still with the hoodlums who escaped into Niger state through a nearby forest that is surrounded by rocky terrain.

The Command reassures members of the Public with its commitment to deploy proactive crime-fighting measures to ensure the security of lives and property in FCT.

The attack is coming days after reports suggested that members of the extremist group, Boko Haram, had infiltrated the federal capital.
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic enters its ninth month, scientists continue to debate the origin of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) intensely. A new preprint* published in September 2020 by molecular biologists at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, and the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi discusses the current issues with the bat coronavirus (CoV) strain that is often considered to have very close homology with the above-mentioned virus, concluding that there are inadequate grounds to consider it to be the ancestral pool of SARS-CoV-2.

Many scientists mention the genome sequence of this bat CoVs, RaTG13, as being part of the ancestral descent of the current virus. A recent paper in the journal Nature also mentions its 96.2% homology with SARS-CoV-2, considering it to be a fossil record of a strain whose current existence is doubtful, but which may have been the original pool from which the current virus developed.

The scientists assembled the viral genome from scratch, performed a metagenomic analysis, and looked at data quality. They concluded that the RaTG13 genome had serious issues and all data related to it required a full review.

The researchers say, This work is a call to action for the scientific community to better collate scientific evidence about the origins of SARS-CoV-2 so that future incidence of such pandemics may be effectively mitigated.

Poor Reproducibility

COVID-19 is a complex disease, and so is its ancestry. However, several groups have discussed the similarities and dissimilarities between these two viruses. The focus of the current paper is on the accuracy of the data on these sequences.

The same group of researchers initially published both sequences, but there is a qualitative difference between the papers. Full experimental details backed up the published genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2, but not so that of the RaTG13. This is documented by several papers that have shown up the holes in the dataset underlying the published genome of the bat virus.

The researchers comment, Since this has been the single most important piece of evidence about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2, our work highlights the need to examine this data closely prior to basing further scientific studies on it.

The dataset that has been published in support of the RaTG13 genome, almost 30 kb long, has been found inadequate to reproduce the sequence or the experimental observations based on this dataset. While the dataset is unique and contains much information beyond the fragmented coronavirus sequence, not much is known about how it was generated. This information is vital to the quest for the origin of the SARS-CoV-2.

De novo RaTG13 Assembly Not Possible

The researchers found that using the available data, they were unable to detect any contiguous sequences larger than 17 kb, using several different settings. Several matching sequences were found, but none over a fifth of the length of the reported sequence. A gap spanning 111 positions was found, and it is unclear on what basis this was filled in the published sequence.

Contamination Likely

The researchers also uncovered proof that DNA contamination is likely to have occurred. For instance, the largest contig contains genetic material with 98% similarity to the full-length mitochondrial sequence of the Chinese rufous horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus sinicus), an unlikely event since a complete assembly of such a sequence is typically interrupted by stop codons.

Secondly, non-adapter-related repetitive sequences were found in most reads, often at the same end of the read, comprising one G-quadruplex sequence and its reverse complement. This is unlikely to happen on the same end of an RNA sample since only one strand is dominant. The researchers say more information about how the experiments were carried out is crucial to rule out the possibility of gross RNA sample contamination by DNA.

Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus sp.). Image Credit: Hugh Lansdown / Shutterstock

Poor Data Quality

The researchers also calculated that the average coverage is 9.73, indicating a low value. This may be why only partial segments of the RaTG13 sequence are assembled. The coverage is only 2 or less for about 3,000 bases, which could markedly impair the accuracy. They draw attention to multiple ambiguous bases in the first end that could prevent de novo assembly, and to many unreliable second end reads as well.

Again, the researchers point out that sequence length distribution in the first end is quite different in one segment concerning the rest, lacking sequences of read length 151, 149, or between 18 to 39. While this might be attributed to post-generation processing or to sequence trimming, the unusual distribution is unlikely to be explicable this way. Ambiguous base calls are also found to be distributed in a non-random tile-wise manner.

Another example is the presence of a 150 bp 18S rRNA segment, which is present in almost 15,800 times in the sequence, of which ~4,300 are 151 bp long. In all of the latter, a base-calling error was found at position 151, indicating a non-random error. The same is reflected on end 2, with another read number.

Experimental Procedural Concerns

The significantly large differences in the bacterial content of the two referenced datasets are surprising, say the researchers, since both purport to be from similar sites, fecal and oral samples. One has only 0.65% bacteria, and ~68% Eukaryota, with the rest being unidentified. The other is ~91% bacteria and ~4% Eukaryota. This concern has been raised before.

Again, 0.1% of the first dataset is similar to plant genomes like rice and maize, which is unexpected from bat samples from creatures like the intermediate horseshoe bat Rhinolophus affinis. The researchers attribute this to contamination by possible index hopping because of evidence that the same platform has been used to sequence maize earlier. Multiplex sequencing of maize and the CoV genome of interest could lead to such contamination.

Again, the dataset also contains material identical to that of the Malayan pangolin Manis javanica, a totally different order. This again could be due to index hopping of some fragments for the same reason. This could have misdirected the discussion on the origin of the novel CoV, as some have reported that pangolin CoV genomic sequences also have close homology with that of the former.

Pangolin (Manis javanica). Image Credit: Artem Avetisyan / Shuttersock

Thus, the inference could also be that contamination accounts for the presence of various portions of the RaTG13 in the dataset, accounting for 0.0008% of the total.

The second run also has sequences resembling another virus accession number, apart from its own accession number. This dataset is supposed to have a separate lane, and index hopping may be supposed not to have occurred here, but cross-contamination still seems to have occurred. The researchers note that this raises a distinct possibility that sample from previous runs might not have been guarded against either index hopping or cross-contamination.

This could explain the discrepancies in the earlier dataset. Furthermore, some sequences seem to have been derived from retroviruses such as the greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, but a whole virus could not be assembled.

Implications

While most work on the origins of SARS-CoV-2 has focused on the human CoV sequence, the current study shows that equal importance must be given to the other half of the equation, namely, RaTG13, in order to justify giving it a role in the narrative. Secondly, discussions may instead be withheld, while the precise details of the methods used to generate the RaTG13 are awaited. And thirdly, this genome should not be used in further studies until its scientific reliability is established in entirety, by independent researchers with access to the full dataset and methods used for its generation.

The researchers conclude: In this paper, we report that the currently specified level of details are grossly insufficient to draw inferences about the origin of SARS-CoV-2. This work is a call to action for the scientific community to better collate scientific evidence about the origins of SARS-CoV-2.

*Important Notice

Preprints publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
trump-mail-in-voting

A locked cage at a secure county supervised storage facility on Sept. 8 in Davenport, IA, includes everything a precinct will need on election day, including a voting machine and signage thats all been prepped for delivery Credit - David Guttenfelder for TIME

After months of watching commenters flood his offices social-media posts with voting myths and fielding calls about election conspiracies from constituents, Brian Corley finally got fed up. In July, the supervisor of elections in Floridas Pasco County decided to shut down his offices Facebook and Twitter accounts to stop false claims from spreading. I just got tired of the misinformation and the partisan bickering back and forth, says Corley, a Republican with 13 years on the job. I saw no value in it as an election administrator.

If 2016 showed how foreign operatives were exploiting social media to influence the U.S. election, the lesson of 2020 is already clear and even more worrisome: the greatest threat to a credible vote is homegrown. From the White House on down, Americans have taken a page from the Kremlins playbook by weaponizing misinformation online to advance their political goals. Election officials like Corley are struggling to break through an avalanche of falsehoods about mail-in ballots, doubts about the integrity of voting systems and skepticism about the validity of the results.

No one has done more to sow suspicion or spread lies than President Donald Trump, whose aggressive attacks on mail-in voting and false allegations of widespread voter fraud have capitalized on fear and uncertainty about holding a presidential election in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. On television, at rallies and on Twitter, Trump has falsely claimed that mail-in ballots lead to massive corruption and fraud, that foreign powers will forge ballots and that the only way were going to lose this election is if the election is rigged. He has falsely implied that ballots are being sent to undocumented immigrants in California and even suggested delaying the election, which he has no authority to do, until Americans can safely vote in person.

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None of this is new, exactly. As a candidate in 2016, Trump pushed baseless claims of voter fraud, including that hordes of dead people and noncitizens would vote for Democrats. Now, with the weight of the most powerful office in the world, his allegations are being parroted by federal and state officials, GOP activists, local campaigns, small-town radio shows and national media outlets. Vice President Mike Pence has backed up his unfounded claims, and Attorney General William Barr has alleged that mail voting opens the floodgates to fraud.

"The way you disenfranchise voters is by confusing them." - Roxanna Moritz, auditor, Scott County, Iowa (Democrat) David Guttenfelder for TIME

Election administrators from both parties, as well as nonpartisan officials in Trumps own government, insist voting by mail is safe. The FBI says it has found no evidence of coordinated fraud with mail-in ballots and emphasized such a scenario would be very unlikely. It would be extraordinarily difficult to change a federal election outcome through this type of fraud alone, a senior FBI official told reporters in an Aug. 26 briefing.

But a claim doesnt have to be true to affect an election. U.S. national-security agencies and social-media companies, which spent the past four years working to weed out false claims perpetuated by foreign adversaries, say the domestic disinformation this year presents a new challenge. Because of the constitutional right to free speech, it can be nearly impossible to police bad-faith claims, whether the speaker is an Internet troll or the Commander in Chief.

The result threatens not only the perceived legitimacy of this election but also Americans broader faith in U.S. democracy. We have seen already that the Presidents rhetoric is affecting the confidence that voters have in vote-by-mail, particularly, and also in elections in general, Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at Common Cause, testified to Congress on Aug. 4. Gallup found last year that 59% of Americans are not confident in the honesty of the nations elections, third worst among the worlds wealthy democracies. While Trump and his allies have propagated misinformation about voting, the Gallup poll found that Trumps critics are most distrustful: 74% of those opposed to the U.S. leadership reported a lack of confidence in the honesty of American elections. The Trump Administrations attacks on the Postal Service exacerbated the problem, raising the question of whether the agency is capable of delivering ballots before state deadlines.

Even as officials scramble to fight back by explaining that voting by mail is secure, they worry about the stakes for the nation. The prospect of misinformation drowning out credible facts and eroding voters faith in elections keeps me up at night, says Corley, the Pasco County Republican. Its tough to put the genie back in the bottle.

The threat is an order of magnitude greater now than four years ago. In 2016, a hostile foreign adversary tried to sway Americans to vote for one candidate over another; this year, that candidate is calling into question the integrity of the vote itself.

Trumps fearmongering about the need to fight voter fraud has given new life to decades-old tactics like voter-roll purges, stringent voter-ID laws, poll watchers who try to intimidate people from casting ballots, and other measures that reduce turnout. 2016 was the fake news election, but 2020 makes it look like nothing in comparison, says Samuel Woolley, project director for propaganda research at the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin. This infrastructure that has been scaled up since politicians started figuring out social media has now become concretized under Donald Trump down to the state level, the city level. Its the democratization of propaganda.

Last month, former Nevada Republican Senator Dean Heller claimed without evidence that a new state law, which would send every registered voter a ballot in the mail, would allow Nevadans to vote twice. Theyre going to allow anonymous people to walk into any home, any facility, to help you fill out your ballot and take it with them, Heller said, echoing arguments made by the Trump campaign in a suit seeking to block the law. Hellers claims were repeated in television interviews and widely shared on social media, even as the states Republican secretary of state, Barbara Cegavske, tried to reassure voters such claims werent true.

Trumps rhetoric has also been adopted by Republican candidates. Election fraud should concern each and every voter in this country, wrote Margaret Streicker, a Republican running in Connecticuts Third Congressional District, in a post shared more than 100 times on Facebook. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican running in New York, took it up a notch, paying for Facebook ads claiming she had stopped the liberal Democrats plan to automatically register illegal aliens to vote in our elections.

The purpose of such claims is hardly subtle. In early April, Georgia state speaker of the house David Ralston said the quiet part out loud when he argued that if the state allows mail-in ballots, it will be extremely devastating to Republicans and conservatives because it will certainly drive up turnout.

This combination of disinformation, uncertainty and valid concerns over the logistics of holding an election during a pandemic also has many Democrats on edge. The Trump Administration is a corrupt Administration, Berthilde Dufrene said on Aug. 28 at a racial-justice protest on the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. I see what they are doing with the post office and voter suppression, so I am concerned that they will cheat, they will steal, they will lie to keep this man in power.

These fears were worsened by Trumps recent promise to send law enforcement to the polls to monitor for voter fraud. Were going to have sheriffs, and were going to have law enforcement, and were going to have hopefully U.S. Attorneys, Trump said on Fox News on Aug. 20. The President has no control over local law enforcement, yet the mere threat could depress turnout if voters believe it.

"Its tough to put the genie back in the bottle." - Brian Corley, supervisor of elections, Pasco County, Florida (Republican) Christopher MorrisVII for TIME

Voter fraud is exceedingly rare in the U.S., according to a 2017 Brennan Center for Justice review of more than a dozen studies. A Trump-appointed commission disbanded in 2018 after it was unable to find evidence of widespread voter fraud. The truth is that after decades of looking for illegal voting, theres no proof of widespread fraud. At most, there are isolated incidentsby both Democrats and Republicans, veteran GOP election lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg wrote in the Washington Post on Sept. 8.

Yet Trumps claims have found a willing audience in his party. The GOP has long promoted the idea that fraud is ubiquitous in order to support legal efforts to restrict ballot access, which disproportionately affect voters of color who tend to vote Democratic, and to justify a need for close election monitoring. While both parties regularly use poll watchers, this year will mark the first presidential election in decades in which Republicans will have the freedom to pursue their poll-monitoring plans without prior approval from a court, after a federal consent decree that limited the Republican National Committees operations ended two years ago. The consent decree had its roots in voter intimidation. It was put in place by a federal court when the party was accused of menacing minority voters in the 1980s with a National Ballot Security Task Force in New Jersey. We were really operating with one hand tied behind our back, Trump deputy campaign manager Justin Clark told the Conservative Political Action Conference this year, detailing how Republicans planned to leverage an army of 50,000 volunteer poll watchers in 2020.Theres all kinds of ways people can steal votes, said Clark. We are going to have scale this year. Were going to be out there protecting our votes and our voters.

The misleading claims promoted by Trump and other politicians have dominated national headlines. But their effect at the grassroots level is no less important.

In Davenport, Iowa, Roxanna Moritz, a Democrat who serves as the Scott County auditor, has decided not to bother with social media as a primary method of communicating information to voters. Misinformation is too rampant. In one Facebook post, a man shared a photo of an address with seven absentee-ballot requests, claiming this was their plan to rig the election and calling the applications a danger to democracy. Moritz looked up the address and found a simple explanation: there were seven voters registered to that address.

Ten years ago, perhaps your normal citizen would get a lot of their information from their local news channel, but now they get most of their information from cable news channels, says Moritz. Whatever the narrative is from the national level is how theyre driven to receive their information.

The constant onslaught of misinformation about mail-in ballots led to a trend this summer where users who said they were Trump supporters posted videos of themselves throwing their absentee or mail-in ballot requests in the trash and encouraged others to do the same. This was especially frustrating for election officials in states that have long offered mail-in voting, like Colorado, where counties began using it for some elections in 1993. I can no longer listen to the rhetoric that Colorados mail ballot system is at risk in the upcoming general election, Fremont County clerk Justin Grantham, a Republican, wrote in an op-ed. I feel it is my duty to assure you that your right to vote is protected and secured.

According to an August WSJ/NBC poll, just 11% of Trump supporters said they planned to vote by mail, compared with 47% of supporters of Democratic nominee Joe Biden. State and local officials are trying to explain to Republican voters that mail-in ballots are safe and legitimate, often contradicting the Presidents words. In one case, a mailer sent to GOP voters in North Carolina by the Trump Victory Fund featured Trumps face and a partial quote from one of his tweets asserting, incorrectly, that voting absentee is secure, while voting by mail is not. The mailer included the part of Trumps tweet declaring that absentee Ballots are fine but blurred out the rest of it, which read, Not so with Mail-Ins. Rigged Election!!! 20% fraudulent ballots? The confusion forced Darryl Mitchell, chairman of the Johnston County Republican Party, to post on Facebook, reassuring voters that the mailer was real. But in the comments section below, voters insisted theyd vote in person.

A lot of the canards and falsehoods being spread about 2020 have targeted Black and Latino communities. That was true in 2016 as well: according to a Senate Intelligence Committee investigation into Russias Internet Research Agency released last year, no single group of Americans was targeted by IRA information operatives more than African-Americans. Foreign operatives stoked anger over police brutality and economic inequity, often pretending to be Black Lives Matter activists.

These tactics are still in use today. Far-right Republican Laura Loomers Twitter army used messaging that was squarely targeting Black and Latino voters, according to an analysis shared with TIME by Win Black/Palante, a group that focuses on combatting disinformation targeting these communities. Accounts supporting Loomer, a congressional candidate in Florida, did so by seeding false claims using the hashtags #JohnLewis, #JimCrowJoe and #BlackLivesMatter. Misinformation is the next major barrier to the right to vote for Black and Latino people. We see it in the same trajectory as a poll tax or a literacy tax, says Andre Banks, a co-founder of Win Black/Palante. Theres a sustained campaign around the election now where you have all the bad actorsforeign agents, trolls, all the way to the U.S. President at the topdrowning out all of the attempts to help people get the real information.

Targeted misinformation campaigns have proved effective. More than 35% of registered voters say they are not confident the election will be fair, according to an August Monmouth University poll. Republicans say the problem is voter fraud; Democrats say its voter suppression. And while there are reasons to worry that every American will not have access to the polls, both concerns underscore the task that election officials now face. If the perception is there, then people believe that its a fraudulent election, Kim Wyman, the Republican secretary of state in Washington, told TIME in June.

Officials are countering with the facts. The National Association of Secretaries of State launched a social-media campaign with the hashtag #TrustedInfo2020 to amplify credible sources of voting information. The Center for Internet Security, a nonprofit that helps governments share information on cyberthreats, is working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other U.S. agencies on a Misinformation Reporting Portal where election officials can flag suspected false claims and get a quick response from social-media platforms. Perhaps the biggest challenge that we face as a nation going forward, the groups president, John Gilligan, told lawmakers on Aug. 4, is how we address the impact of mis- and disinformation on elections.

Social-media companies have belatedly begun to address the problem, with Twitter taking the most aggressive actions. On Aug. 23, after the President tweeted multiple false claims about mail-drop boxes, including that they would make it possible for people to vote multiple times, Twitter obscured his tweet and added a label saying that it had violated Twitters rules on civic and election integrity. To read the presidential tweet, users had to click on the message.

Facebook says it is labeling voting-related posts so users are warned before sharing potentially misleading information. It also announced that it will block new political ads the week before the election, which critics say is too little, too late. This comes after a scathing civil rights audit of the companys policies in July. Ironically, Facebook has no qualms about  limiting misinformation about COVID-19, the report found, but when it comes to voting, Facebook has been far too reluctant to adopt strong rules to limit misinformation and voter suppression.

Ultimately, whether Americans believe Novembers election to be free, fair and valid is being challenged by one of the two men on the ballot. Four years ago, Russia subverted American democracy with a campaign to elect Donald Trump. This year, the Kremlin is taking its cues from him. On Sept. 3, DHS issued an intelligence bulletin warning that Russia is once again seeking to undermine faith in the U.S. electoral process. Among its methods? Amplifying criticisms of the integrity of expanded and universal vote-by-mail, claiming ineligible voters could receive ballots due to out-of-date voter rolls, leaving a vast amount of ballots  vulnerable to tampering. Not much question where the Kremlin came up with that.

With reporting by Brian Bennett, Mariah Espada and Abby Vesoulis
Boston Dynamics this morning announced that its bringing Spot robot to a number of new markets, following sales in the U.S. Interested parties in the European Union, U.K. and Canada can now purchase the technologically advanced quadrupedal robot.

Spot is Boston Dynamics first commercially available product, building on a quarter century of pushing the boundaries of robotics for DARPA and beyond. The company has spent a good deal of time over the past couple of years demonstrating a variety of different jobs for the bot, ranging from construction surveying to security.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put increased focus on the robotics sector, as companies are looking for a way to increase automation to keep the lights on, while reducing the risk of transmission. Boston Dynamics has used the opportunity to put Spot to work in a number of new scenarios, including teleoperation in hospitals.

Boston Dynamics notes a number of third-party partners designed to help improve the robots functionality going forward, including Cognite, Energy Robotics, Clearpath Robotics and Reply. The company has long looked to position the robot as a kind of platform, open to a variety of different tasks. The setup takes some of the onus off of Spots creator to program new functionality and will hopefully demonstrate how capable the $74,500 robot (prices vary by market) can really be.

Additional markets will also have access to Spot through the companys limited Early Adopter Program. For more on Boston Dynamics and Spot, be sure to catch our interview with new CEO Rob Playter next week at Disrupt 2020.
(TNS) - As students head back to school, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will send 6.9 million cloth face coverings to New York this month for distribution to students, teachers and staff at schools across the state.Masks arriving in September may prove useful to some schools, but most schools offering in-person learning have already had to procure thousands of face coverings and districts are unsure if they'll get reimbursed for those new costs, amid state budget cuts and limited federal aid.The state's interim health guidance for school reopenings requires face coverings on school grounds, except during meals and instruction. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also recommended mask wearing in schools to prevent spread of the coronavirus.The federal mask shipment is part of an effort by the federal health agency to send up to 125 million cloth masks to states for distribution in schools. The masks are intended to be prioritized for schools with low-income and high-needs students and also schools that are holding in-person learning, a senior HHS official said. Theyre also intended for both private and public schools, the official said.Many schools in the state opened their doors to some students this week and have already shelled out thousands of dollars to buy masks, gloves, face shields, wipes, cleaning solutions and plexi-glass dividers, among numerous other new coronavirus expenses. In the Capital Region, many schools had donated their extra masks and gloves to local hospitals facing shortages at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.Before Rensselaer city schools reopened Tuesday, the district coordinated with the county and the local BOCES to locate a reliable and affordable vendor for personal protective equipment, something the district never had to buy in such bulk, said Superintendent Joseph Kardash and School Business Official Meghan Heimroth.The district has spent about $45,000 on personal protective equipment and additional cleaning supplies from spring until now and anticipates those costs to go up, Heimroth said. They already bought 4,000 child-size masks and 1,000 adult-sized coverings.Kardash said the influx of masks from HHS will help his district but "it would have been more useful a month ago.""Our masks will run out and our students are coming in with masks, but those masks will have to be replaced," Kardash said. "Anything is actually still helpful. Even the cloth masks have a life. They shouldn't be worn every day without being washed. So having students have more masks will still be helpful. It would have been more helpful if we had more planning, but that's not the nature of the times we're in right now."Bob Lowry, communications director for the New York State Council of School Superintendents, noted that when disasters occur, responders urge individuals to donate money, not clothes or food.It is a bad thing to send masks? No. Is it the best use of resources? Districts need a lot of things," Lowry said. Districts had to be ready for the opening of schools and make purchases already. They may already be adequately supplied with masks.New York schools missed out on the first wave of stimulus money because the state deducted the relief money from districts' annual foundation aid allowances. The state also froze foundation aid amounts this year due to the financial crisis brought on by the pandemic and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has said that state education aid could be slashed by up to 20 percent mid-year if the state fails to meet its revenue goals.We need PPE. We need teaching spaces that are safe, said Lori Caplan, superintendent of Watervliet City Schools, in a press conference Wednesday. Face masks, hand sanitizers, this all comes at a cost. We cant absorb that cost as well as cuts to our aid from 2019-20.Democrats and Republicans in Congress are concerned that the federal funding for education awarded to date is not enough. Both parties have proposed additional funding for schools in new coronavirus legislation, but they havent been able to agree on how much  among many other conflicts in the month-long negotiation.The Federal Emergency Management Agency clarified its public assistance policy last week, stipulating it will not cover coronavirus-related expenses stemming from the daily operations of government and school activities as of Sept. 15.After that date, FEMA will not pay for PPE for education institutions, unless its in connection with disaster response like an emergency feeding program, said Keith Turi, FEMA assistant administrator for recovery. It also wont cover cleaning costs for schools. The agency will continue to pay for PPE for health care workers.Turi insisted the policy change was not sparked by the Trump administration decision in August to shift $44 billion from FEMAs disaster relief fund to pay for unemployment benefits.This is not a cost-saving measure, said Turi. Even in our non-covid disasters, our guidance is clear that we dont cover the cost of day-to-day government functions or government facilities even if they are directly related to the disaster, the activities eligible are those direct actions for immediate threats to life and property.The face coverings from HHS will be shipped to New York and distributed by the state health department. The masks will come in child and adult sizes, a senior HHS official said.2020 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)Visit the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) at www.timesunion.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda hit out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal and asked state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh to ensure separate WhatsApp groups of each booth in the state with good national, state and district contents to highlight the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the failure of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Addressing a virtual Karyakarini Sabha on Thursday with the state BJP leadership, Nadda said that Mamata was depriving the poor from Central schemes. Nearly 4.57 crore poor people were deprived from Centres schemes due to Mamata dis adamant attitude by not implementing them. Take this anti-people stand of the Bengal government to the people. Make them understand that its the TMC who dont want to see their development," he said.

Dilip da is sitting here and I would like to tell him to start working on WhatAapp groups for each booths in Bengal to highlight how Mamata di became a hurdle before the development of Bengal. She is depriving the poor and downtrodden people from Centres schemes. Lets expose Mamata dis failure at booth level and highlight the achievements of PM Modi," he added.

We should follow lock, stock, and barrel to oust the TMC government from Bengal in the upcoming Assembly Polls," Nadda said, adding that the BJP will target 50 per cent vote share during the elections.

He commended the achievements of the state BJP and said, In 2011 assembly polls our vote share was only 4 per cent. In 2014, it went up to 18 percent and in 2019 it was 40 percent. This is really commendable and we should now work on achieving the target of 50 percent vote share in the upcoming state polls."

Accusing Mamata of indulging in appeasement politics to secure her chair, Nadda said that no one would be able to save her this time.

She (Mamata) lifted lockdown on August 31 (Eid) to appease one sections of society and on other hand she announced lockdown on September 5 (launch the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5). No one can save Mamata this time as people have realised that she is only concerned about her chair and nothing else," he said.
A look at the shareholders of Grit Real Estate Income Group Limited (LON:GR1T) can tell us which group is most powerful. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. Warren Buffett said that he likes "a business with enduring competitive advantages that is run by able and owner-oriented people." So it's nice to see some insider ownership, because it may suggest that management is owner-oriented.

With a market capitalization of UK178m, Grit Real Estate Income Group is a small cap stock, so it might not be well known by many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions own shares in the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Grit Real Estate Income Group.

View our latest analysis for Grit Real Estate Income Group

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Grit Real Estate Income Group?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

Grit Real Estate Income Group already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Grit Real Estate Income Group's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Grit Real Estate Income Group. Our data shows that Public Investment Corporation Limited is the largest shareholder with 28% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 7.7% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 6.2% by the third-largest shareholder. Furthermore, CEO Bronwyn Corbett is the owner of 2.2% of the company's shares.

Story continues

We did some more digging and found that 6 of the top shareholders account for roughly 51% of the register, implying that along with larger shareholders, there are a few smaller shareholders, thereby balancing out each others interests somewhat.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. We're not picking up on any analyst coverage of the stock at the moment, so the company is unlikely to be widely held.

Insider Ownership Of Grit Real Estate Income Group

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

I can report that insiders do own shares in Grit Real Estate Income Group Limited. In their own names, insiders own UK14m worth of stock in the UK178m company. Some would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. But it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, with a 33% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Private Company Ownership

Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 7.7%, of the company's shares. Private companies may be related parties. Sometimes insiders have an interest in a public company through a holding in a private company, rather than in their own capacity as an individual. While it's hard to draw any broad stroke conclusions, it is worth noting as an area for further research.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 5 warning signs for Grit Real Estate Income Group (of which 1 can't be ignored!) you should know about.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Municipalities on the French side of the border regularly raise concerns over the amount of waste dumped by Luxembourg residents along roadsides or in woodland.

Recently, the mayor of Redange in France published a post on Facebook denouncing those who dumped their waste over the border, and included images of the most recent fly-tipping incident.

The mayor, Daniel Cimarelli, went on to say he had lodged a complaint with police and the perpetrators had been contacted.

 Ce matin, un elu Redangeois a decouvert parmi les ordures au niveau du croisement de la rue de la cote et de la D326... Gepostet von Mairie de Redange am Mittwoch, 9. September 2020

Illegal disposal of waste can be subjected to fines of up to 1,500, according to a municipal order.

The perpetrators of this particular waste disposal were careless enough to leave an envelope with their address in Belvaux, Luxembourg.

Cimarelli added that he would not hesitate to contact the mayor of Sanem if the person responsible did not respond to the summons.

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MISSION, Kan., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ScriptPro announces that it has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to deploy ScriptPro Inventory Management software (SIM) to manage pharmacy inventories enterprise wide. ScriptPro has been at the forefront of developing and providing operating systems for VA outpatient pharmacies for over 20 years. According to ScriptPro CEO Mike Coughlin, "This experience gives us a clear understanding of the needs of VA pharmacies, and SIM is an example of our motivation and dedication to meet those needs."

As stated in the contract award, "An inventory management system that incorporates industry best practices would allow pharmacy personnel to manage the inventory through aligning the inventory with the current mission, optimizing the theoretical turn rate and minimizing shrinkage and spoilage rates leading to a more efficient and effective use of the pharmacy budget."

This is the culmination of an effort that started in 2008 when the U.S. Office of Inspector General issued an audit report calling for better management of VA drug inventories. ScriptPro responded by working with VA leadership and front line personnel to develop a government-ready inventory management solution that functions inside its SP Central robotics-enabled workflow platform that, according to the award, "is currently installed in over 90% of VA pharmacies and the inventory management system, upon which SIM is based, delivers best-in-class inventory management functionality." Coughlin explains, "ScriptPro adapted SIM from its commercial sector SP Central software that powers pharmacies in leading hospitals in the U.S. and other countries. The adapted version has undergone several years of testing in almost 50 VA pharmacies."

According to Coughlin, "This is an excellent example of private industry and government working together to adapt and carefully test successful private-sector solutions to meet the needs of government healthcare systems. SIM is also working well in other government sectors."

ABOUT SCRIPTPRO: ScriptPro provides a comprehensive, integrated platform of robotics-enabled hardware and software systems to optimize retail and ambulatory pharmacy operations, promoting safe and effective medication use, automating inventory management, enabling telepharmacy and telecommunications with patients, and supporting specialty pharmacy clinical documentation and case management. ScriptPro drives customer financial success with built-in 340B and third-party payer and vendor management solutions. For more information, go to www.scriptpro.com.

SOURCE ScriptPro

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An Alabama prison inmate and the man Birmingham police say he hired to kill 24-year-old Raven Swain swapped a flurry of messages via text and Facebook messages before and after the shooting, according to testimony today in a preliminary hearing.

State prison inmate Demarcus Chandler, Swains on-again, off-again boyfriend, is accused of hiring Solomon Minatee III to kill Swain for $8,000. Both are charged with capital murder in the 24-year-olds shooting death on July 28 in Underwood Park on Birminghams Southside.

Minatee, 24, went before Jefferson County District Judge Katrina Ross Thursday to hear the evidence against him. In the two-hour hearing, Birmingham homicide Det. John Osborne outlined the case against Minatee. Chandlers preliminary hearing has not yet been held.

The shooting happened just after 7 p.m. that Tuesday night. Swain was found unresponsive in her Hyundai Sonata, which had apparently rolled into foliage after she had been shot. She was slumped over in the drivers seat leaning toward the passengers seat. Her window was rolled down, and she had been shot under the left arm, with the bullets penetrating her heart and lung. Swain was pronounced dead on the scene.

Detectives recovered Swains cell phone from her vehicle after her death. The Alabama Department of Corrections, at the request of police, searched Chandlers cell and recovered a contraband cell phone there as well. After obtaining search warrants for the phones and examining them, Osborne testified, they found multiple phone calls in the minutes before and after Swains death to one number that they later determined to be a cell phone used by Minatee. Technology also placed that phone to have been in the area of Underwood Park at the time of Swains killing.

From the messages between Chandler and Swain, Osborne said, detectives were able to determine that Chandler had sent Swain to the park to deliver something to someone at the park.

Authorities did not say what was supposedly being delivered, and said they found no packages inside Swains car.

Osborne testified that Chandler texted Minatee at 6:46 p.m. saying, Im on the phone with Raven.

At 6:57 p.m., Chandler texted Minatee, Ill call you when she pulls up. Then, at 7:02 p.m., Chandler texted Minatee, She out there.

Moments later, the shooting happened. Osborne said there were two eyewitnesses in the area at the time. One woman, who flagged down an officer, said she saw a man running from the scene and gave a description of the man. A second woman, who called 911, told police she heard three gunshots and saw a man holding a black semi-automatic handgun wearing a gray hoodie and dark pants. Both women gave police the same description, the detective testified.

Investigators also retrieved surveillance video from a nearby business and an apartment building. Those videos, Osborne said, showed Swain pulling into the parking lot of the park, but said she was out of camera view when the shooting actually happened. Her vehicle reappeared on the footage after the shooting when it rolled into the foliage.

Footage also showed a man walking down 26th Street and then into the park. Moments after Swains vehicle rolled into the foliage, that same man was seen running out of the park and he matched the description given by the witnesses.

There was then a message to Chandler from Minatee that said, Bro, we need the money for work done.

He told police he was dropped off near the park by another man. That man told police he saw Minatee walking toward the park, heard gunfire and then saw Minatee running from the scene. That man then fled the area.

Three people told detectives Chandler had reached out to them from St. Clair Correctional Facility via Facebook or text in the moments after Swain was killed. In one of the messages, he wrote, Your sister has been shot. You need to go find her in the park by Southtown.

To another person he communicated from prison, "She got what she deserved,'' Osborne testified.

Police interviewed Minatee on Aug. 20 after he voluntarily came in for questioning. He told investigators that he had connected with Chandler through Facebook messenger in July and Chandler told him he would pay him 8 racks to pick up a package from a female that Chandler said he had been messing with.

Detectives showed Minatee footage that showed him in the area at the time and Minatee admitted it was him. Under questioning from Minatees attorney, Osborne said that no one was able to pick Minatee out of a lineup, and that investigators did not recover a weapon from the scene or a subsequent search of Minatees home.

"He told you Chandler was trying to get him to go get drugs,'' Emory Anthony, an attorney for Minatee, said to the detective. He never said he went there to kill anyone or did kill anyone right?

Osborne said that was correct. Minatee also told detectives that he was running from the scene because someone else in the park started shooting while he was there to pick up the package.

The judge ruled there was enough evidence against Minatee to send his case to a grand jury for indictment consideration. He remains held without bond.

Minatee pleaded guilty in 2017 to felony burglary and he received a 36-month suspended sentence. His probation in that case ended Dec. 16, 2019. Also in December, however, he was indicted on a robbery charge in which he is accused of robbing another man at gunpoint of cigars, cigarettes and $150. Prosecutors this week requested his bond in that case be revoked pending his new capital murder charge.

Shortly after the deadly shooting, investigators quickly began to receive information from Swains mother, brother and friends pointing them to Chandler as a possible suspect in her death.

They told police Chandler had previously made threats against Swain and, in fact, court records show at the time of her death he was still awaiting trial on felony charges of domestic violence strangulation/suffocation in which Swain was the victim. Swain had also in 2019 sought a protection from abuse order against Chandler, citing multiple examples of violence including pistol-whipping and shots fired at her car. That request was ultimately dismissed earlier this year.

Chandler, who has an extensive criminal history dating back to when he was just 16 years old, is now behind bars at William Donaldson Correctional Facility after being sent back to prison last year for violating his parole in previous violent crimes was revoked. He was moved to Donaldson from St. Clair after Swains death.

The case is being prosecuted by Jefferson County Assistant District Attorney Kandice Pickett. Minatee is represented by Anthony and Gloria Sellers.
The bypolls which are to be conducted for the eight vacant seats in Uttar Pradesh is being considered as a significant litmus test before the UP Assembly Elections in 2022.

The political activity of the opposition parties has also intensified in the state ahead of announcement of dates for bypolls. Out of the eight assembly seats which will go through bypolls in UP, six are in the possession of Bharatiya Janata Party and two are held by Samajwadi Party.

Though the results of these eight seats will not affect the majority in the assembly, there will be a big political message for the upcoming assembly elections. The by elections are also being seen somewhat as a semifinal before the state assembly polls.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is going to be the biggest challenge for any political party in these bypolls when establishing a direct dialogue with the public is going to be a serious challenge.

As such, the party leaders are busy strategizing moves to reach out to the public. Social media has been the primary tool for many opposition leaders who have lashed out at the Adityanath-led government. Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav has hit out at the government over rising crimes on Twitter, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and state party Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu have also been aggressive on several issues lately. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has also attacked the government through Twitter.

Speaking to News18, Samajwadi Party leader and MLC Sunil Kumar Sajan said the Yogi government failed on all the major fronts.

Corruption during the coronavirus pandemic is now being exposed. The government has no answer on issues like development, unemployment, collapsing law and order in the state. The government does not have a single job to show. They have been inaugurating the work done during the SP tenure and we will go to the public on these issues. We are continuously working towards strengthening the organization. Workers up to the booth level are working hard, and we will contest and win the by-elections with the help of our booth level workers.

Elsewhere, the Congress party hasnt held back punches either. State Congress Committee Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu has also been working on ground in many different regions in the state.

At the same time, UP in-charge and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is constantly making her presence felt by tweeting on various incidents from Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking to News18, Congress leader Surendra Rajput said, The team of Congress party is being restructured. Our committees are in electoral mode. The Congress workers are on road and are exposing this government on its fallacies. Former MLAs are being killed. The Unnao incident has made it clear how the officers are seen standing with the culprits. Everything is happening under the patronage of the Yogi Adityanath government. The farmers are not getting paid for their dues, the youth is not getting employment. This government has proved to be completely inept and we will go into the by-elections with all these issues.

However, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is quite confident about its performance and has claimed that opposition parties are only active on Twitter.

Speaking to News18, BJP State Vice President Vijay Bahadur Pathak said, The BJP government and organizations are continuously working, while the opposition is doing the politics of Twitter. The oppositions job is to criticize, they are doing just that. Be it the matter of giving money to the poor in their bank account or sending money to the account of the farmers or even giving food to the poor, the BJP has been constantly communicating with the people even during the coronavirus pandemic."

We are in constant touch with the workers through digital medium and we are updated on the publics needs. We are still training our workers on how to take care of the publics interest and work. In such a situation, the public understands everything and we are preparing to win the by-election.

The Tundla seat of Firozabad got vacant after the resignation of BJPs SP Baghel after being elected as MP. Abdullah Azam, son of Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan, won from Swar seat of Rampur, but his membership was cancelled by the High Court after the dispute related to his date of birth.

Meanwhile, BJPs Kuldeep Singh Sengars seat Bangarmau of Unnao has been vacant since his membership was cancelled after he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Unnao rape case.

Apart from this, after the demise of Parasnath Yadav of Samajwadi Party, the Malhani assembly seat of Jaunpur fell vacant. The seats of BJPs Janmejaya Singh from Deoria Sadar and Virender Sirohi from Bulandshahar are also vacant due to their deaths, while Ghatampur seat of Kanpur has been vacant since the death of BJPs Kamal Rani Varun who recently died after being tested positive for Covid-19 infection.

The Naagwaman seat in Amroha went vacant after BJPs Chetan Chauhan died due to coronavirus infection.
Just days into their fall semester, students attending HACC, Central Pennsylvanias Community College, got word via email on Wednesday that classes and student services will remain online throughout the spring semester.

Hands-on/experiential components of programs will be the only exception to online learning.

This decision comes at the recommendation of the colleges COVID-19 Task Force as well as from feedback from students and employees and after reviewing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Health guidelines, according to a news release.

The safety and well-being of our students and employees continues to be our top priority, stated HACC President and CEO John Ski Sygielski. I know it has not been easy for our students and employees to juggle family, school and work responsibilities while maintaining their and their familys well-being. However, I continue to be impressed and inspired by our students and employees who have worked so hard to make the successful transition of HACCs instruction and services to online.

Sygieldski announced in June that a decision was made to continue holding fall semester classes and student services online after watching how the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout. He concluded it was too risky for the Harrisburg-based community college to reopen its campuses and classrooms this fall, calling it a moral responsibility to put the health of students and staff first.

The community college first halted in-person classes on March 16 and extended that throughout the rest of the spring semester and summer.

The community colleges foundation, which was in the middle of a fundraising campaign when the pandemic hit, has pivoted its focus to meeting student needs. Its foundations executive director and vice president of college advancement Linnie Carter said it is now offering grants that include 40 $1,000 tuition giveaways, 40 $2,000 tuition giveaways, and five full-ride scholarships.

It is our responsibility as a community college to give our students every opportunity to succeed with their education, Carter said.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

to focus on meeting ititon has offered special fun
Trump administration officials are reportedly mulling whether they might delay or further reduce the number of refugees who are allowed to enter the United States over the next year.

The possible delay is one of several options officials are discussing internally. It would, if implemented, mean some refugee admissions would be frozen until a federal judge resolves a challenge to a 2019 Donald Trump-signed order. The potential move aligns with the presidents hardline immigration policies and was leaked to Reuters less than two months before an election in which Mr Trump needs a big conservative turnout in a handful of battleground states.

A decision on the possible move will come, an official told the wire service, when the legal challenge is settled with some greater degree of finality.

Mr Trump has long argued that too much immigration means workers from other countries will take jobs that otherwise would go to US citizens.

Pro-immigration advocates argue that is false, saying most Americans do not want the jobs taken by most immigrants.

After contending they were looking to mostly crack down on illegal immigration, Trump administration officials have increasingly moved to alter the countrys legal immigration system, angering Democratic lawmakers and advocates.
At Texas A&M University, officials have created a "street team" that hands out masks and encourages their fellow students to follow social distancing guidelines.

Students have returned to Texas A&M for a blend of in-person and remote classes. The university, like others in Texas, is trying to curb house parties and Greek rush events that could spread the coronavirus.

A recent Business Insider report ranked College Station among the 30 college towns in the nation that'd be most affected if its university was forced to shutdown again.

READ ALSO: This gorgeous Texas home is crazy cheap but spent 972 days on the market. Here's why.

The website based its ranking on undergraduate enrollment - specifically students that are taking in-person classes - as a share of each place's population, noting that student spending contributes to local economies.

The University of Maryland topped the ranking, with students making up 93.7 percent of College Park's population.

Here are the three Texas schools that made the list:
The three kidnapped and murdered Israeli teens, Eyal Yifrach, Gil-ad Shaer (misspelled in above photo) and Naftali Frenkel.

(Israel Hayom via JNS) - The families of three Israeli teenage boys who were abducted and murdered by Hamas terrorists in Judea and Samaria in June 2014 - sparking "Operation Protective Edge" later that summer - filed a lawsuit against the terrorist group on Sunday morning, seeking NIS 520 million ($155 million) in damages.

According to the families of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach, who are represented by attorneys Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Avi Segal and Avi Gaz from the Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center, the purpose of the lawsuit is to stop the Palestinian Authority, which con...
American Airlines joins the growing number of companies that have recognized Black Lives Matter and will allow its employees to wear insignia on their uniforms.

American Airlines believes in equity and inclusion for all, said Sarah Jantz, spokesperson for American Airlines. In light of the appropriate attention to lives of Black Americans, we will allow team members who wish to wear a Black Lives Matter pin to do so if they choose.

In a statement from June, the airline addresses the problems that have particularly plagued the United States for more than 400 years and pledged that the companys leadership would work towards breaking down barriers to success for those less privileged.

American Airlines joins other companies that have also changed policy to show support for the BLM cause and addresses the climate in the U.S. at the moment.

Starbucks pledged to make 250,000 custom-designed BLM t-shirts for employees in the U.S. and Canada.

Wear your BLM pin or t-shirt, read a memo to employees at Starbucks. We are so proud of your passionate support of our common humanity.

The move at American Airlines comes after Black employees saw workers at other airlines wearing BLM insignia and asked management if they could do the same.

One of the airlines that allows BLM insignia is Delta Airlines. Delta Vice President Shawn Cole is shown on a video on the companys website raising a BLM flag at Deltas world headquarters in Atlanta.

We must grapple with our past to make sense of our present in order to course-correct the future, said Keyra Lynn Johnson, Delta Airlines chief diversity and inclusion officer in a statement on Juneteenth. Whether in our homes, communities, workplaces, or more, we must become anti-racists. Anti-racism, an important step beyond pro-equality, helps abolish silent oppression. It bridges the gap between knowing whats right and doing whats right, especially when equity is within reach.

Spirit Airlines had previously disciplined a flight attendant after a passenger was angered about a button she wore on her uniform that said, Black Lives Matter, White Supremacy Kills.

If you have something offensive on your uniform, youre going to offend customers, said passenger Robert Coil in an interview with Fox News. The customers pay the bills.

Coil was removed from a flight in Tampa, Fla. after the captain became involved.

American Airline decision isnt new or without precedent. They have allowed employees to wear pins representing recognized groups based on beliefs or backgrounds including religious faiths, nationalities, military service and LGBTQ pride.

Flight attendants can wear up to three pins on their uniform and the airline is now working with its Black Professional Network to design its symbolic BLM pin.
Apex bank Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s loan restructuring plan should have happened along with the announcement of the moratorium on loan repayment to benefit maximum number of companies impacted by COVID-19 triggered economic disruption and loss of business, according to Pronab Sen, former Chief Statistician of India.

In an interaction with BusinessToday.In, Sen says that once the moratorium is lifted interest payments will be due and a lot of troubled companies may unable to make payments until economic growth picks up.

"The loan restructuring that the banks are going to do, should have happened earlier. That process should have started while the moratorium was still on. The restructuring of loans is a time-consuming process, it cannot be done overnight and over a particular limit, these things have to go to the Board (for approvals). These things take time," Sen said. According to him, a lot of companies for no fault of theirs could be declared non-performing assets (NPAs) if the process took more than three months. He says such firms would have survived, if the restructuring had happened earlier and done by the time the moratorium ended.

Also read: How banks will restructure your home and auto loans

Sen, however, was not in favour of a very long moratorium either as a two-year moratorium would mean banks remaining in the dark without any information about the financial health of those companies that are availing such benefit. "It is a bad idea for the very simple reason that banks will get absolutely no information, they wouldn't know which company died, and which one is going to be an NPA. It will have a serious information gap for the banks and the banks' decision-making ability would simply get wiped out," he says.

According to Sen, moratorium should not be for too long. "Three to four months is fine, it just gives you time to get your act together. Extensive moratorium is a serious problem," he adds. Early this week, RBI had released the recommendations of the K V Kamath led committee on the framework that should guide the "Resolution Framework for Covid-19 related Stress". The committee had proposed loan restructuring plan for 26 industrial sectors including hard hit sectors like power, real estate, hotel and tourism, and aviation.

Also read: Five ratios by RBI's KV Kamath panel for 26 COVID-19 hit sectors

The moratorium on loan repayment was first announced in March 2020 to provide relief to the lockdown hit industries and business establishments. RBI had later extended till August 31, 2020.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday wrote to Raghuvansh Prasad Singh stating that he would discuss with Singh on the resignation as soon as he recovers. Weeks ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the RJD got a big jolt with former Union Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigning from the party on Thursday. Singh, who is considered close to RJD founder Lalu Prasad Yadav's family, is currently admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday wrote to Raghuvansh Prasad Singh stating that he would discuss with Singh on the resignation as soon as he recovers. The letter from the former chief minister of Bihar Lalu Prasad Yadav in Hindi read, A letter written by you is making rounds in the media. I cant believe it.

He also stated, I, my family and the RJD family would like to see you get well soon and be among us. In the last four decades, we have discussed every political, social and even family matters together. Get well soon and we will talk. You are not going anywhere, understand this.

Also Read: Monsoon session: In a first, MPs to go digital, follow social distancing norms and undergo RT-PCR tests

Weeks ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the RJD got a big jolt with former Union Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigning from the party on Thursday. Singh, who is considered close to RJD founder Lalu Prasad Yadavs family, is currently admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi where he is undergoing treatment for some health complication. With a handwritten note, Singh conveyed the decision of his resignation to the RJD founder.

According to reports, Singh was unhappy with talks of former Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP from Vaishali, Rama Singh, joining the RJD.

Earlier in June, Singh had resigned from the post of the National Vice President of the RJD.

He had then raised questions over the style of work of Bihar RJD President Jagdanand Singh. (ANI)

Also Read: PM Modi dials Shinzo Abe, reviews India- Japans ongoing cooperation
Travel-savvy foodies have always been well served by Houstons international restaurant scene. Cant hop on a flight to Tokyo this weekend? No problem, you can find superb omakase in H-town. Today, our wanderlust remains strong but our ability to travel is grounded. Still, were able to take flight at the dining tables that make Houston a city of multicultural culinary riches. Travel never tasted so good.

Restaurateur Mike Trans collection of Asiatown restaurants includes Night Market Thai, a slim, shotgun space brimming with fully flavored dishes such as coconut chicken soup with galangal and lemongrass; massaman curry beef; pork larb salad; wok-tossed squid with chile and basil; and stir-fried ginger chicken with pineapple and bell pepper. 9630 Clarewood, 713-492-2835; nightmarketthai.com

FRANCE

Feel, see and taste a slice of Paris at Cafe Poetes, a charming near-Midtown outpost for perfect bites of quiche, salad, frites and duck confit. But the cafe excels in its patisserie offerings  Madeleines, chocolate tarts, shortbread cookies, croissants and extravagant eclairs, both sweet and savory. Bring on the champagne. 122 W. Gray, 346-802-4969; cafepoetes.com

KOREA

MDK Noodles in Asiatown specializes in kalguksu, or fresh, knife-cut noodles that star in a variety of soup bowls, including chicken broth with pork dumplings, spicy chicken with pork dumplings, and anchovy broth. MDK stands for Myeng Dong Kyoja, a Seoul-based mini chain known for its exquisitely silken wheat noodles and dumplings. 9798 Bellaire, 281-888-3141; mdknoodles.com

INDIA

Houston already knows Kirans as a fine-dining destination for thrilling Indian fare. But when chef/owner Kiran Verma acquired the space next door, she inherited two wood-burning pizza ovens, which she now uses to bake stuffed naan as well as a variety of pizzas, some with Indian flair, such as chicken tikka, tandoori chicken alfredo, and vindaloo bison meatballs. 2925 Richmond, 713-960-8372; kiranshouston.com

SPAIN

Its a mad world indeed at Madrid-inspired MAD, the Spanish restaurant at River Oaks District where design razzmatazz is matched by the culinary fireworks from chef Luis Roger. Modern tapas and inventive presentations of Spanish classic flavors abound, as well as the showy wood-roasted rice dishes (si, paella) such as langoustines with cuttlefish and peas. 4444 Westheimer, 281-888-2770; madhouston.com

SOUTH AFRICA

Spice route flavors fire up the food at Peli Peli restaurants that specialize in dishes such as bobotie (curry pie), rissole (Portuguese-style empanadas) and trinchado (Mozambique sliced meats in creamy garlic sauce). The signature Peli Peli chicken, marinated in peri peri (birds eye chile) is grilled over a wood fire. 5085 Westheimer at the Galleria and 1201 Lake Woodlands Drive in The Woodlands; pelipeli.com

JAPAN

Tobiuo Sushi & Bar is already known as one of the more accomplished sushi restaurants in the Houston area. But things recently got more interesting with pastry chef Jiolo Dingayans new addition to the dessert menu: a Japanese souffle cheesecake  jiggly, light as air and available as preorder only. Save room for dessert. 23501 Cinco Ranch at LaCenterra, 281-394-7156; tobiuosushibar.com

VIETNAM

Houston is blessed with Vietnamese restaurant riches, but only one chef finds himself in the countrys most elite circle of culinary top dogs. Trong Nguyen, chef-owner of Crawfish & Noodles, is a 2020 finalist for Best Chef Texas for the James Beard Awards. And he got there via Vietnamese rice and noodle dishes, hotpots and his Viet-Cajun menu of crawfish, shrimp, and knockout salt-and-pepper blue crab. 11360 Bellaire, 281-988-8098; crawfishandnoodles.com
A "shambolic" and "negligent" drug courier who was found with hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in his van after hitting two police cars in Sydney's north-west may have collected the drugs after the crash, a court has been told.

Simon Tu, 28, was behind the wheel of a white Toyota HiAce van on the morning of July 22, 2019, when he drifted to the wrong side of the road and crashed into two cars parked outside Eastwood police station, causing extensive damage. He did not stop to provide his details.

About an hour later police saw a damaged van driving along in Ryde and pulled it over.

A nervous, shaking and fidgeting Tu was asked what happened at Eastwood and he claimed he had a microsleep. He said he had picked up the cardboard boxes he was carting from Pizza Hut in Eastwood about an hour earlier.
(Newser)  Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler had already told police in the Oregon city to go easy on the tear gas during demonstrations. He got a dose of it himself in July when he stopped by one of the protests. So now he's leaving police no wiggle room, telling them Thursday to "end the use of CS gas for crowd control," NPR reports. "During the last 100 days, Portland, Multnomah County and state police have all relied on CS gas where there's a threat to life safety," Wheeler said. "We need something different, and we need it now." Last Saturday marked the 100th straight day of demonstrations in Portland since the death of George Floyd. Wheeler spoke out against violence in the city, per CNN, saying he still expects police "to arrest people who engage in criminal acts."

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The city's use of tear gaswhich can burn skin, eyes, and airwayson demonstrators has been criticized as even more dangerous during the coronavirus pandemic. "There are sufficient data proving that tear gas can increase the susceptibility to pathogens, to viruses," a Duke University professor said. The chemicals used against the crowds in Portland, which include a compound with chlorine, are prohibited in battle, per NPR, but not against civilians during unrest. Wheeler, who doubles as Portland's police commissioner, wants all sides to de-escalate. "I call on everyone to step up and tamp down the violence," the mayor said. "I'm acting. It's time for others to join me." (Wheeler has argued about the unrest with President Trump.)
New Canaan has one new COVID positive test result since First Selectman Kevin Moynihan reported five new cases in his evening update to town residents about the coronavirus last Friday, Aug. 28.

The new case is a college age individual who is currently residing outside of Connecticut, Moynihan told the residents in his update for Friday, Sept. 4.

The new case also follows information from Moynihan in his update from Aug. 28 that the town anticipates more positive cases of the virus in the future from the college-age group because there is increased testing for the disease the virus causes for many of the residents who are in college, and who may not be currently residing in the town. The testing is also part of protocols for the testing for the disease at colleges throughout the U.S.

A total of 140 additional negative tests of the disease have also been reported to the Connecticut Department of Public Health this week for the towns residents, according to New Canaans Health Director Jen Eielson, Moynihan also said.

All residents can visit the towns COVID-19 page on its website at www.newcanaan.info for complete information about the towns cases of the disease since the pandemic from the virus started in the middle of March.

RELATED: New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihans update to the towns residents about the coronavirus for Friday, Sept. 4.

If residents are traveling to any of the states on Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamonts list of hot states, (except if they are staying in the state for less than 24 hours), they must quarantine for 14 days when they come back to Connecticut from their trip, and fill out a travel form that can be found on Connecticuts website for the virus.

The most current, and complete list of states that are on the list of hot states can also be found on the website.

We wish everyone a fun, relaxing weekend with the beautiful weather that we have in store, Moynihan said.

Moynihan also acknowledged, and gave his thoughts about the 2020-21 school year, and its start.

We hope all the students, and parents had a successful first week back to school, and wish everyone a healthy, and successful rest of the school year. Stay safe, New Canaan, Moynihan said.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids is looking for a cannabis manager.

The position, recently created through a budget amendment, is tasked with administering and enforcing the citys codes and policies around recreational and medical marijuana.

The cannabis manager would largely serve as the citys chief point person for all things marijuana, both medical and recreational, for city departments, businesses and the community.

Additional tasks include tracking and enforcing social equity commitments of businesses and coordinating across departments on marijuana-related activities, such as facility inspections.

The salary for the position in the Planning Department is listed between $76,649 and $97,749 a year. The application window closes just before midnight on Sunday, Sept. 13.

The Cities of Denver, Aurora, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland and the State of Washington have created similar positions and there is agreement that the position facilitates a positive and collaborative relationship with the cannabis industry and protects the general health, safety and welfare of the community, city staff wrote in their recommendation for the position.

While the city has a few medical marijuana provisioning centers currently operating, there are no recreational marijuana dispensaries at this time.

The city is currently considering recreational licenses and, soon, special land use permissions for some existing medical marijuana provisioning centers that have requested transitioning to selling recreational marijuana.

A public hearing is scheduled for the city commissions Sept. 15 meeting on whether the city should require marijuana businesses to seek a sensitive-use waiver if they are located within 1,000 feet of a youth center.

The hearing will also cover proposed changes that would allow provisioning centers with other sensitive-use waivers the ability to request a transfer of those waivers to a recreational marijuana operation.

The change would allow seven approved provisioning centers to pursue selling recreational marijuana, should they choose.

Read more:

7 factors that will determine how Michigans economy fares this fall

Coronavirus cases at Grand Valley State surpass all other universities in Michigan

Man convicted of killing in-laws in their Kent County home
MBABANE  The failure by popular gospel artist Thabile Tebenguni Myeni to restore conjugal rights as per a court order has resulted in the issuance of a final decree of divorce between her and her husband.

Mbabane Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati had ordered Myeni to restore conjugal rights within seven days after her husband, Sonnyboy Justice Tsabedze, who is a businessman instituted divorce proceedings on the basis of malicious desertion.

The final decree of divorce was issued by Magistrate Vilakati.

After the court had issued the order, the parties then presented a deed of settlement in terms of which they agreed that Myeni will keep their immovable property at Fairview and that she will have custody of the children but Tsabedze will have visitation rights.

In terms of maintenance, including school fees, they will both contribute towards the upkeep of their two children.

Myeni who is a police officer rose to fame while she was a member of popular gospel group, Ncwandweni Christ Ambassadors.

Property

Tsabedze of Mndobandoba and Myeni of Ncwandweni were married by Civil Rites and in community of property on February 15, 2003. There are reportedly two children who were born of the marriage.

In his particulars of claim, Tsabedze who is a businessman alleged that the original marriage certificate was in the custody of his wife till to date.

He narrated that during the subsistence of their marriage, they established their matrimonial home at his parental home at Mndobandoba- Big- Bend in the Lubombo Region.

According to Tsabedze, they also acquired an immovable property which forms part of their matrimonial assets, which is Plot No.1449. Extension 15 situated at Fairview.

He recounted that on December 2007, without good cause and with a fixed settled intention of permanently bringing the marriage relationship to an end, Myeni allegedly maliciously deserted him. According to Tsabedze, the defendant (Myeni) left the matrimonial home at Mndobandoba and never returned.

She has been staying at her parental home at Encandweni area in the Lubombo Region and at her place of employment since then. Over and above that, ever since then, she has unreasonably and unlawfully refused and/or failed the plaintiff conjugal rights, submitted Tsabedze.

He went on to inform the court that he had been lonely for 12 years and he had tried engaging his wife towards convincing her to come back and in an endevour to protect and keep the marriage relationship running.

These are allegations contained in particulars of claim.

Neglected

Nonetheless, the defendant has failed, refused and/or neglected to co-operate. She has also refused to make ends meet with the plaintiffs faithful efforts, reads part of Tsabedzes particulars of claim. Tsabedze claimed that he saw it incumbent upon himself to enquire about his wifes conduct and had on several occasions engaged the two families to discuss the matter.

Nevertheless, the first defendant (Myeni) has shown no interest in reconciling the matter, submitted the husband.

He averred that in an endevour to protect the marriage he sought counseling from a marriage officer but there were no fruitful results. The plaintiff contended that this was allegedly due to his wifes unbecoming behaviour.

Tsabedze contended that he had neither expressly nor impliedly condoned his wifes alleged malicious desertion.

Due to her unbecoming conduct the marriage relationship between the parties has irretrievably broken down and there are no prospects of reconciliation between the parties, submitted Tsabedze.

He told the court that by virtue of the fact that his claim was based on malicious desertion as a ground of divorce, he would first pray for a restoration of conjugal rights order failing which a final decree for divorce as an established practice and to take the court into confidence.

Tsabedze also wanted to be awarded the custody of their two children, that Myeni be granted visitation rights or reasonable access to the two children and that the matrimonial property in particular, Plot No.1449 situated at Extension 15, should be sold and its proceeds be shared equally between the parties.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 01:26:29|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan met with Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Sardor Umurzakov here on Thursday, the Prime Minister Office of Pakistan said.

In the meeting with Umurzakov who arrived in Islamabad along with his delegation on an official visit on Thursday, Khan highlighted the potential for enhanced bilateral trade with increased regional connectivity as a result of different railway projects, the office said, adding that both sides also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected both the countries.

In a meeting with Umurzakov, Abdul Razak Dawood, advisor to Pakistani prime minister on commerce, textile, industry and production, and investment, said that to further trade and investment with Uzbekistan is part of Pakistan's strategy for geographical diversification into the Central Asian countries.

On the occasion, Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding for establishment of Joint Working Group on Trade and Economic Affairs to work together for trade enhancement, promotion of inter-governmental projects in different sectors and improvement of connectivity, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan.

Both the countries agreed to start negotiations for a bilateral early harvest plan, proceeding to preferential trade agreement to provide increased market access to each other's products, said the statement from the ministry. Enditem
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

Total assets under management (AUM) for Europe-based alternatives funds have reached 2.00tn ($2.36tn) for the first time as of the end of 2019.

This is up from 1.79tn at the end of 2018, and 1.39tn at the end of 2015, said Preqin's third annual Alternative Assets in Europe report.

The report finds that private equity (795bn) and hedge fund (609bn) sectors making up the majority of the Europe-based alternative asset funds.

"The growth of the European alternatives industry has been impressive, with an increase of more than 200bn in just 12 months," the report highlighted.

In fact, AUM has grown by 44% between December 2015 and December 2019, and Europe now accounts for 21% of the global industry. This is overseen by a manager universe of more than 6,900 firms and backed by almost 3,000 institutional investors in the region.

UK is the largest market, France and Germany stand out

The UK is the largest market, with 1,180bn in AUM, followed by France (242bn); since the beginning of the year, Germany overtook the UK as the most active private capital market by total deal value for the first time.

"The European alternative landscape is as complex and dynamic as the countries within it. Although the UK commands over half of all assets in Europe, we are seeing other countries such as France and Germany growing in influence," the report said.

France is the largest alternative asset market in mai......................

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In an August letter to the governor, the Joliet Area Chamber of Commerce and 11 neighboring chambers urged the governor to walk back the mitigations and follow the same plan then used in Region 4, encompassing the St. Louis metroplitan area. There, when positivity rates increased, indoor dining and bar service were initially allowed to continue with lower capacities. Region 4, however, is now under the same mitigations as Will County.
MINNEAPOLIS - A white police officer accused in the death of George Floyd had used neck or head and upper body restraints seven times before, including four incidents in which prosecutors say he went too far, according to prosecution documents released Friday in the case against four former Minneapolis officers charged in Floyds death.

In one July 2019 arrest, prosecutors say, Derek Chauvin kicked an intoxicated male in the midsection, then applied a neck restraint until he fell unconscious. In June 2017, Chauvin restrained an arrested female by placing his knee on her neck while she was prone on the ground, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said in those cases and in two others, Chauvin held the restraints beyond the point when such force was needed under the circumstances.

The list of Chauvins arrests involving restraints dates to 2014. It was made public on the same day that Chauvin and three other former officers appeared in court for a hearing on the prosecutions request to hold a joint trial, a defence request to move the trial out of Minneapolis, and other issues. Judge Peter Cahill took most issues under advisement.

Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs, died May 25 after Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyds neck even as Floyd said he couldnt breathe. Floyds death was captured in widely seen bystander video that set off protests, sometimes violent, that spread around the world. The officers were fired. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and other crimes; Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting.

Chauvin appeared in court for the first time after attending previous hearings via videoconference from the state prison where hes being held. He didnt make eye contact with other defendants as he arrived.

The Associated Press has made requests for detailed personnel records of Chauvin and the other officers, including any complaints and disciplinary action. The police reports mentioned by prosecutors in their court filing were not immediately available Friday. Chauvins attorney, Eric Nelson, had no comment on the prosecution document.

Prosecutors said in their filing that they intend to offer evidence of these incidents at trial, because they anticipate Chauvin will claim he didnt intentionally assault Floyd in a way thats inconsistent with his training. Prosecutors plan to file a more detailed memorandum in the future.

In addition to the arrests in which Chauvin used neck or head and upper body restraints, prosecutors also listed an August 2015 incident in which Chauvin saw other officers place a suicidal and intoxicated male into a side-recovery position after using a stun gun on him. Prosecutors noted the officers received a commendation, after medical professionals said the male could have died if they prolonged his detention.

Similar documents were filed in the cases against Thao and Keung. Prosecutors listed nine incidents in which Thao was reprimanded for not responding appropriately to a scene, intentionally avoiding police response or falsifying reports. The documents say that in two cases, in 2012 and 2017, Thao tried to manipulate domestic-abuse victims to answer questions in a way that would allow him to avoid filing a domestic abuse report.

Prosecutors said Kueng was involved in one arrest in December 2019 in which he and other officers struck an intoxicated and unco-operative individual and pinned the person to the ground in a prone position to apply handcuffs, then brought him to his feet after he calmed down.

During Fridays hearing, prosecutors told Cahill that the four former officers should face trial together because the evidence and charges against them are similar and multiple trials could traumatize witnesses and Floyds family.

Neal Katyal, an outside special attorney for the prosecution, said multiple trials would place a heavy burden on the court and witnesses, and could delay justice for months or years. He also raised the possibility that a verdict in an initial trial could prejudice the jury pool for later trials.

A joint trial would allow the community to absorb the verdicts at once. ... We dont think they should be put through the trauma of four different jury verdicts, he said.

But defence attorneys argued for separate trials, saying they would likely offer antagonistic defences and that the evidence against one officer could hurt another.

The officers have already done plenty of finger-pointing in court filings. Attorneys for Lane and Kueng argued their clients were rookies who followed Chauvins lead. Thaos attorney, Bob Paule, said his clients role was absolutely distinct from the others, because he was on crowd control while the others restrained Floyd.

Nelson, Chauvins attorney, wrote that the other men are already saying that if Chauvin committed a crime, they didnt know about it or assist.

They blame Chauvin, he wrote.

But Chauvin pointed fingers, too. Nelson wrote that Lane and Kueng  the officers who responded to a forgery call  initiated contact with Floyd and that while they called for a paramedic and believed Floyd was on something, they didnt elevate the call to one of more urgency or give medical assistance.

If EMS had arrived just three minutes sooner, Mr. Floyd may have survived. If Kueng and Lane had chosen to de-escalate instead of struggle, Mr. Floyd may have survived. If Kueng and Lane had recognized the apparent signs of an opioid overdose and rendered aid, such as administering naloxone, Mr. Floyd may have survived, Nelson wrote.

Ben Crump, an attorney for Floyds family members, told a crowd gathered outside the courthouse that defence filings highlighting Floyds drug use amount to killing him a second time.

They are trying to claim some asinine theory about an overdose. I want to be clear about this. The only overdose that killed George Floyd was an overdose of excessive force and racism by the ... Minneapolis Police Department, Crump said.

Who are you going to believe, your eyes or these killer cops? he said.

Cahill took the issue of a joint trial under advisement. He also deferred discussion on whether the trial should be moved from Minneapolis. Attorneys for all four men have said pretrial publicity has made it impossible for them to receive a fair trial in Hennepin County. But Cahill said he would like to send out questionnaires to potential jurors to find out whether theyve been affected by pretrial coverage.

Cahill granted a defence request to remove a local prosecutor from the case. Cahill said Friday that four Hennepin County prosecutors, including County Attorney Mike Freeman, are disqualified because they met with the medical examiner to discuss autopsy results. Cahill said they could be called as witnesses because the cause of Floyds death is in dispute. Freeman has long been out of favour with local activists for the way his office has handled cases against police officers.

Freeman issued a statement saying his office did nothing wrong and followed the rules, and that hes confident Cahills order will be withdrawn or changed.

Before the hearing, a few dozen protesters gathered in front of the courthouse, chanting No justice, no peace. One carried a Black Lives Matter flag and wore a black helmet with swim goggles around the back of his head. By the time the hearing ended, a large, loud crowd had gathered outside. Some beat drums while others chanted anti-police slogans. They loudly jeered defence attorneys as they left the courthouse.
London: More than 100 British lawmakers signed a letter to the Chinese ambassador Wednesday condemning what they described as 'a systematic and calculated programme of ethnic cleansing against the Uighur people' in China's far western Xinjiang region.

"When the world is presented with such overwhelming evidence of gross human rights abuses, nobody can turn a blind eye," said the cross-party letter, which was signed by 130 lawmakers.

"We as Parliamentarians in the United Kingdom write to express our absolute condemnation of this oppression and call for it to end immediately."

The letter referred to reports of forced population control and mass detention of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, as well as video apparently showing a large number of blindfolded and shaven men waiting to be loaded onto trains.

The lawmakers said the video which was recently shown to Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming during a BBC interview bore 'chilling' similarities to footage of Nazi concentration camps.

Chinese officials have repeatedly derided allegations of genocide, forced sterilisation and the mass detention of nearly 1 million Uighurs in Xinjiang as lies fabricated by anti-China forces.

They maintain that the Uighurs are treated equally and that the Chinese government always protects the legitimate rights of ethnic minorities.

Asked Wednesday about whether he would take action on the issue, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain raises such concerns "directly with the Chinese authorities and we'll continue to do so in the G-20, at the UN and in every other context."
An Alabama family owe their lives to their beloved great Dane, Ralph, after the 4-year-old dog alerted them to a house fire. Woken in the nick of time, Derek Walker and Maria Gilbert managed to escape with their two children and one of their pet pigs before the blaze consumed the property and everything inside.

Ralph was in his kennel outside the home in Birmingham, Alabama, when the fire started shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 8.

The dog sensed trouble before anyone else did.

[W]e heard him barking, Walker recalled, speaking to AL.com. He usually doesnt make a sound at night, and it was a different kind of bark.

Walker got out of bed to investigate and heard a noise in the kitchen before catching his first glimpse of flames licking the kitchen window. His children, aged 9 and 12, were both sound asleep. He knew he had to act fast.

The father of two yelled Fire! to rouse his family. After rousing, Gilbert fetched the couples daughter and whisked her to safety before heading to the boys bedroom on the ground floor.

He was still asleep, unaware of the danger. The fire was right outside his wall, Walker recalled. He wasnt awake because he sleeps covered with his blanket.

Gilbert woke her son and escorted him out to the yard. Then Walker went back inside to the sunroom in an attempt to rescue the familys two miniature pigs; however, only one made it out alive.

Then the family released Ralph from his kennel and awaited emergency services. The North Shelby Fire Department (NSFD) arrived on the scene just four minutes after receiving a 911 alert and found the entire rear part of the home engulfed in flames.

NSFD battalion chief Robert Lawson later told AL.com that the housefire likely started on the kitchen grill and then spread quickly. A self-professed animal lover, Lawson then praised the great Dane for keeping his family alive.

There was so much smoke I dont know if we would have made it out, Walker reflected. The rented homes smoke alarms, he explained, didnt sound until the house was already filled with smoke.

Without Ralph, I dont think we would have made it, he added. I dont think my son would have made it.

Valleydale Church, the familys place of worship, is providing support as the foursome and their two surviving pets recover from the ordeal.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced from the floor of assembly setting up of a task force headed by an IAS officer to monitor the treatment and the charges made by corporate hospitals in the state. (DC Photo)

Hyderabad: The state government on Wednesday constituted a task force with three IAS officers to monitor the treatment provided by the private hospital to Covid-19 patients.

The government issued orders constituting the Task Force with IAS officers Rahul Bojja, Sarfaraz Ahmad and D Divya. They will monitor the treatment and bills charged by private hospitals and also look into whether the private hospitals are following the Covid protocol or not and report compliance to the Chief Secretary periodically.

During the day, the chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced from the floor of assembly setting up of a task force headed by an IAS officer to monitor the treatment and the charges made by corporate hospitals in the state.

He assured the House while replying the short discussion on Covid-19 pandemic that the suggestion of CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka for constitution of Task Force immediately to keep tab on exploitation of Covid patients by Private Hospitals.

The chief minister said that the task force will release weekly reports which will also be sent to the leaders of main opposition parties in the state to create wide social awareness about their cruel ways of exhorting money from the victims of the pandemic.

KCR said sensing the danger from Corporate hospitals exploiting the Covid patients we tried our best not to allow them for the Covid treatment. But We have no other option than allowing them to admit Corona patients after the Court ordered for it.

Stating that now that they are found to extort money in the name of treatment that too at this troubled time, the government will now initiate stern action on them. He questioned Is this the time for the corporate hospitals to make money out of the misery of the people?

Accepting some of the suggestions made by AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin and Bhatti Vikramarka, the Chief Minister said that the government will examine the possibility of including Corona in the Aarogyasri list to help the poor.

He said we also see if we can release money towards paying bills of white card holders who avail medical treatment for Covid in private hospitals.

He said that the Covid -19 teaches lessons to states governments and the Centre about the poor medical infrastructure in the country.

While suggesting that the centre increase the budget for medical infrastructure, the chief minister told the House that the state government is also mulling to increase the medical and health budget considerably to be ready to tackle any medical emergency like Covid in future.

Participating in the short discussion, BJP MLA T Raja Singh demanded for construction of Osmania Hospital and the MIM floor leader requested the CM not to demolish Osmania Hospital building.

He said that we have a responsibility to protect our heritage and OGH is a prestigious heritage institution established by the Nizam. Reacting to the request of members, the Chief Minister said that a decision on that will be taken after the high court delivers its verdict.

Replying to the query raised by Akbaruddin on the Centres assistance to the state government to fight with the Covid pandemic , the Chief Minister pointed out that the union government which should have come to the rescue of the State during the Covid times, has in fact released only Rs 256 crore under National Health Mission and 647 ventilators.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. High 64F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
New Mariners Church Leader Stresses Importance of Accountability to Prevent Pastor Scandals

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The new senior pastor for the California-based megachurch Mariners Church has stressed the importance of accountability, in light of recent scandals elsewhere in the evangelical world.

During the summer it was announced that Eric Geiger, senior vice president of LifeWay Christian Resources, was going to become the new senior pastor of Mariners Church of Irvine, California.

Geiger took the helm of the megachurch, which averages between 9,000  10,000 worship attendees every weekend, in September, replacing the retiring Kenton Beshore, who had led the congregation for nearly 35 years.

Geiger is becoming senior pastor at Mariners at a time when many institutions, secular and religious, are seeing abuse scandals make national headlines.

For example, recently allegations of sexual misconduct have surfaced against Willow Creek Community Church founder and newly retired senior pastor Bill Hybels.

In an interview with The Christian Post on Thursday, Geiger explained that Mariners has a group of elders that he is accountable to, who he meets with on a monthly basis. It is a system that was in place while his predecessor was heading the congregation.

"When I first was interviewing here, that's one of the questions I asked. What am I evaluated on? What are those elders going to be stepping into in my life, and what's a win here? What's that look like? Really, a big portion of that is health of my marriage, the health of my walk with Christ," noted Geiger.

"Am I growing, am I maturing in my faith, am I a man of integrity? So those structures in place that really serve Kenton as the pastor of over 35 years, served him really well. You and I know that people can work around structures and they can look people in the eyes and lie to them, but there are structures in place at Mariners that are designed to care for the heart of the leader."

Lessons From LifeWay

Geiger explained to CP that becoming the new senior pastor last month, the adjustment process has been going "great," with Mariners leadership having "built a plan before I got here of what integration into the life of Mariners would look like."

"I really feel like they just built a very wise plan that would allow me to learn the church and get to meet as many people as possible. We've just been executing that plan. It's been as smooth a transition as I've had," said Geiger.

Geiger's previous position at LifeWay has taught him many lessons that he hopes to apply to his new position at Mariners, with one example being the research he did on people's spiritual growth.

"Every research study we led showed the importance of helping people engage in scripture and just read the Bible. So that impacts, of course, how I teach and preach on our weekend services, but also impacts how I view small group life, how I view kids ministry, student ministry," explained Geiger to CP.

"In my old role at LifeWay, each year we'd served about 60,000 churches and so because of that, I was able to see church life from a very broad perspective. Look over the shoulder and watch different churches so there's lots of lessons that I learned during that time."

A Family of Churches

Some multisite megachurches have taken the route of making their campuses autonomous from the main church. The Village Church in Texas is one example, having announced last year that they will make all of their campuses autonomous by 2022.

Mariners Church presently follows a more autonomous model for their campuses, with each location having its own pastor and sermons.

Geiger likened Mariners Church to a "family," noting that they were "connected relationally" and that he was "already enjoying relationships with those other churches."

"Mariners several years ago started down the path of transitioning their campuses to autonomous churches that still retain the name Mariners and were part of a network of a family of churches and so I'm honored to be part of that family," Geiger said.

While saying he supported other, less autonomous multisite church models, Geiger added that he has no intentions of offering major changes to Mariners Church while serving as senior pastor.

"I'm not coming with a new playbook or a template I've used somewhere else that I'm going to unroll here. It's more of continuing the DNA and the mission of Mariners," said Geiger.

"It's really a continuation of the mission that has driven Mariners for many years. And in time, there will be new ideas that flow out of that and problems in our community that we want to solve that flow out of that. I'm joining the mission that already exists here."
At least 51 passengers who arrived at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport to catch their flights this year were carrying ammunition in their luggage, knowingly or unknowingly, police said. Police said all such passengers faced criminal proceedings under the Arms Act and were stopped from boarding their flights.

On Thursday, police issued an advisory reminding passengers that carrying bullets was a non-bailable offence and requested them to thoroughly check their bags before proceeding for security checks.

They said that in most cases, the passengers claimed they had borrowed the bags and were unaware of the bullets while packing their luggage. Delhi police records show that every year, there are about 100 such cases of bullets found in luggages.

In a similar incident recently, police said, a 41-year old man from Gujarat, who had arrived at the Delhi airport to board a flight to Ahmedabad on Tuesday, was arrested after five bullets were recovered from his luggage. Police said the man had an arms license which was valid only in Gujarat and had forgotten to remove the bullets from his luggage.

Deputy commissioner of police (IGI Airport) Rajeev Ranjan said the passenger was a labour contractor. During his luggage scanning at Terminal 3, police found five bullets and two used bullet shells in his bag.

On questioning, he said he was not aware of the bullets in his bag. He even produced his licence but it was valid in Gujarat only. Hence, a case under Arms Act was registered against him and he was offloaded, Ranjan said.

The DCP said that till date, 51 such cases have been registered under Arms Act at IGI Airport in the current year.

Whenever a bullet is detected in luggage, as per the legal provisions, an FIR is registered against the passenger for illegal possession of ammunition and he/she has to face criminal proceedings before the court of law. He/she is also not allowed to continue with their journey, the DCP said.

Ranjan also exhorted passengers to be very careful while packing their luggage since carrying ammunition at the airport is a non-bailable offence.
Drastic changes in land and sea use, overexploitation of species, high pollution levels and climate change has led to an average decline of 68% in the global vertebrate population between 1970 and 2016. Besides, the freshwater biodiversity saw an average decline of 84% at a rate of 4% each year since 1970. These grim findings have been revealed by the World Wildlife Funds (WWF) biennial Living Planet report, 2020.

The decline in the population of the wildlife species signifies that the average proportional change in animal population sizes and not absolute numbers of individual wildlife lost, the report said. It (report) shows that the main cause of the dramatic decline in species populations on land observed in the Living Planet Index (LPI) is habitat loss and degradation, including deforestation, driven by how we as humanity produce food, the report said.

Invasive species and emerging diseases have also been considered as one of the key drivers of the decline in the worlds wildlife and biodiversity. To study the decline in species, WWF relies on wildlife population datasets that are gathered from almost 4,000 sources. Most of these are publicly available and are found in scientific literature and online repositories of wildlife census data, WWF said.

For the 2020 editions LPI, about 21,000 populations of more than 4,000 vertebrate species were tracked for the period 1970-2016. For the freshwater living planet index 3,741 populations of 944 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fishes were monitored. Among freshwater species, the decline is reflected in one instance in the case of the Chinese sturgeon found in the famous Yangtze River, whose spawning population has declined 97% between 1982 and 2015 due to damming of the waterway, the report said.

Most of the decline was seen in freshwater amphibians, reptiles and fishes; and theyre recorded across all regions, particularly Latin America and the Caribbean.

Species population trends are important because they are a measure of overall ecosystem health. Measuring biodiversity, the variety of all living things, is complex, and there is no single measure that can capture all changes in this web of life. Nevertheless, the vast majority of indicators show net declines over recent decades, the report said.

Like it was seen in the 2018 report, Indias ecological footprint per capita continues to be low at 1.6 global hectares/person, which is the lowest among many large countries, the report said. However, with a high population, the challenges of an ecological deficit remain. One of the key reports WWF relied on to look at the health of wildlife in India was the pioneering State Of Indias Birds citizen science initiative.

The report had assessed 867 species and for 261 species, for which long-term trends could be determined, 52% had declined since 2000. Current trends were available for 146 species and 80% of them were in decline, News18 had reported in February.

The focus of the report is to reiterate a scientific case for the urgent action we need to protect and restore nature and biodiversity. This year has seen catastrophic events across the country and the world  forest fires, cyclones, locust plagues and the COVID-19 pandemic. These events have shaken the worlds environmental conscience and forced us to rethink and reset our relationship with nature, said Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF India.

The link between new infectious diseases and wildlife

Released amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic, the WWF report has sought to stress on the intricate links between anthropogenic changes, exploitation of resources and emergence of infectious diseases. SARS-CoV-2 reportedly is likely to have crossed over into humans either via bats or pangolins, scientists have said. The report said that even as the origins of Covid-19 remain uncertain, 60% of infectious diseases do come from animals, and nearly three-quarters of these are from wild animals.

This was the case for Nipah in Malaysia in 1998, SARS in China in 2003, Ebola in West Africa in 2013-16 and many others, the report said.

The Living Planet Report 2020 underlines how humanitys increasing destruction of nature is having catastrophic impacts not only on wildlife populations but also on human health and all aspects of our lives, said Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday conducted a mock session to take stock of special arrangements put in place for holding the monsoon session of Parliament from September 14.

The mock session of the House was conducted, with him in the Chair, and the Chamber and the four galleries of the House occupied by the staff of the Secretariat, as per the seating arrangements already earmarked keeping in view the social distancing norms.

Staff members were also made to sit in and participate from the Chamber of the Lok Sabha, which becomes a part of the House for the entire session.

Interpretation signals were also found to be working well. People sat in the Chamber of the House were asked to participate in the discussions. A sample voting process was also conducted by distribution of slips in all the three places, said officials from Rajya Sabha secretariat.
A New Jersey knife shop garnered severe backlash after a sign posted in its window asked customers to 'speak English' or pay an extra $10.

Cutter's Edge, a small knife and sword sharpening businesses, has sat in Clifton, New Jersey, since 1975 and remained as the city's demographics shifted over nearly 50 years.

Owner Dave Feinberg, 71, said he's gotten along well with many of his new Latino and Arabic neighbors, but some were outraged after he hung a controversial sign outside the shop.

'Speak English or Pay $10 Extra,' the scraggly, handwritten sign read.

Clifton Council member Rosemary Pino criticized the note by saying 'messages like this put us back centuries.'

Dave Feinberg of Cutter's Edge (pictured) has received a wave of angry voicemails after he placed a controversial sign outside his store

The sign read 'Speak English or Pay $10 extra' and was hung in the store's window about three weeks ago (pictured)

But according to Feinberg, he was surprised by the swift criticism and told New York Daily News that he wrote the sign after becoming frustrated with a Spanish-speaking customer.

'I had an impossible time understanding somebody, and the communication between this guy and myself was virtually none, and I tried,' he said.

'And he made no attempt to communicate with me in a language I understood.'

He admitted that his irritation got the best of him, but denied being discriminatory or racist.

Dave Feinberg (pictured) said he wrote the message after struggling to communicate with a Spanish-speaking customer in Clifton, New Jersey

'I guess the frustration factor got to me, but it had nothing to do with speaking English or Spanish or any other language,' he told the publication.

'It was about when were here, we are able to understand each other.'

Feinberg added that he didn't think the sign would offend anyone or cause such a reaction.

'I thought it would be laughed off, pretty much, I didnt think it would insult anybody. I didnt think I was stepping on anybodys toes,' he said.

The sign attracted little attention at first, but over Labor Day Weekend a resident snapped a photo and shared it to social media.

When Feinberg opened up shop on Tuesday, he was hit was a flurry of irate voice messages from all over.

'All hell broke loose,' said Feinberg. 'Ive been getting phone calls from all over the place, Ive had people walk in and tell me they were going to close my business down.'

Feinberg (pictured): ''Ive been getting phone calls from all over the place, Ive had people walk in and tell me they were going to close my business down'

Regular customers of Cutter's Edge have even distanced themselves and condemned the sign.

'Ive had calls from them, that they said "oh, youre a racist, Ill never come back again."'

Social media users further disparaged the sign - and Feinberg - in shared replies that tagged politicians like Governor Phil Murphy and Senator Cory Booker.

'Shut them down for being racist pieces of s***,' one Twitter user wrote. 'Racism is not welcomed in NJ!'

Another resident noted that he lived by Cutter's Edge and said he's avoided the shop.

A number of residents and critics have condemned the sign on social media for being discriminatory

'I live 2 min from here and [to be honest] I've never been there I ignore establishments like this,' he wrote. 'Not my problem people choose to be ignorant.'

One woman added: 'This is disgusting! They deserve a huge fine for this!'

Similar messages were left on the shop's Yelp page as some people 'review-bombed' Cutter's Edge with negative one-star ratings.

One person said they live near Cutter's Edge and noted they 'ignore establishments like this'

Social media users tagged New Jersey officials in posts that sough to condemn the sign

'Racist owners who are being boycotted, enough said,' one person wrote. 'Go somewhere else and buy from people who have morals.'

Another reviewer warned others that 'ANYBODY with a parent, sister, friend or associate who speaks another language should feel enraged by this.'

'I'd rather go to a business that fully understands we are living in a country where 350 different languages are spoken and nobody should be charged for simply that.'

Feinberg later removed the sign and replaced it with a hand-written apology hung in the same spot.

'Sorry about the speak English sign,' it read. '[Please accept out heartfelt sadness it may have caused.]'

Feinberg later removed the initial sign and replaced it with an apology (pictured)

Sara Cullinane, director of Make the Road New Jersey, told NorthJersey.com that she planned to file a complaint with the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights.

But Feinberg also had his fair share of supporters, with some calls applauding him and noting it was 'about time someone spoke up.'

Mayor Hector Lora of Passaic argued that Feinberg was within his rights to post the sign.

Lora's parents were immigrants who came to the US as non-English speakers and Passaic, just 10 minutes from Clifton, is a heavily Hispanic city.

'I believe everyone should understand and speak English in America, and there is a process,' Lora told NBC New York.

Although Feinberg has received a lot of backlash, he claimed to have also gotten support and praise from people who noted 'it was 'about time someone spoke up'

Lora admitted that he doesn't completely agree with the sign, but decried 'cancel culture' against Feinberg's freedom of speech.

'What I get concerned is the escalation. Well stand in front of a business and shut it down because I didnt like his sign,' he said.

Per the US Census, Clifton in 2019 reported that 37 per cent of the population was Hispanic or Latino, while 45 per cent was white alone.

There's been an uptick in Arabic-speaking residents in recent years, and local schools have dozens of different languages spoken inside students' homes.
To The Eagle:

Let's ignore politics. When I was younger I used to debate political ideas with my family pretty much every dinner we had. It was great! I remember when the Patriot Act was in the news we delayed dinner over 30 minutes just because we wanted a family friend to join the discussion.

Since then I've redirected my thought process from the political topics to the political system. We can all have opinions on whether an idea will have a net-positive or net-negative effect on our lives and our country. These issues are important, but how can we fix a broken law without a properly functioning lawmaking tool? The problem? Technology. Not like a Ted Kaczynski problem. Just an accidental oops type of technology problem.

You see, When the constitution was created the best source for news was a local newspaper. That newspaper would target their audience which was regularly very small. So when election time came through they would focus on local elections. Specifically the House of Representatives, the person who represents you (it's literally in their job title). The branch of government with the most actual power by design.

When national news became a thing the national news organizations needed to target as many people as possible. If they cover the House of Representatives election in Wahkiakum County no one from Ohio would watch. So they were forced to find some way to engage the entire country: The President. This caused the accidental re-education of the country. They now seem to believe the President is important. I've got great news for you. The President isn't important. Stop worrying about it. The president has very little actual power. If we all start forcing our Representatives to do their actual job by illuminating their importance we can fix the tool that is supposed to fix the problems.

I know this next idea will sound shocking. But, lets take the president off the ballot. The truth is the president is a face for the government, not the people. So lets have the representatives and senate (government) pick the president. Then if you don't like the president you can blame your representative and we can replace them a lot easier.

Kyle Rogers

Cathlamet
Figure 01.

Aurora, Echo & Reflection Prospects - West Pogo Block, 64North Project Alaska, current drilling focus.

Aurora, Echo & Reflection Prospects - West Pogo Block, 64North Project Alaska, current drilling focus.

Figure 02.

Quartz and sulphide veins at 1,060m Hole ID 20AU04 - typical of this hole.

Quartz and sulphide veins at 1,060m Hole ID 20AU04 - typical of this hole.

Highlights:



The planned program of 2,300 meters is nearing completion.

Assay results from the first two holes have been received; results indicate anomalous gold and pathfinder values; further drilling is required.

Geophysical surveys and field exploration at the Boundary Prospect, East Pogo Block are in progress and showing interesting targets.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Millrock Resources Inc. (TSX-V: MRO, OTCQB: MLRKF) ("Millrock" or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on drilling and other exploration at its 64North Gold project. Exploration work is being funded and managed by Resolution Minerals (Resolution ASX: RML) in a collaborative arrangement with Millrock as the project operator. The 64North Gold Project is a very large tract of claims in Alaskas emerging Goodpaster Gold District. Drilling has been ongoing since early June and continues at present.

The current drilling program is focused on the Aurora, Echo, and Reflection targets, all of which are adjacent to and generally west of the Pogo Mine property, which is owned and operated by Northern Star Resources Ltd. (Northern Star). Northern Star has previously reported a gold resource of 5.95 million ounces of gold in a series of veins grading 9.6 grams per tonne gold (Source: Northern Star website). More than four million ounces of gold has already been mined at Pogo and Northern Star has recently announced a new gold discovery called the Goodpaster deposit a short distance away from the mutual claim boundary. Millrock cautions that mineralization on the nearby Northern Star property is not necessarily indicative of gold mineralization hosted on the Companys property. Presently, Millrock and Resolution are testing the Aurora Target southwest of the Goodpaster deposit held by Northern Star. Northern Star has recently indicated they will devote $21 million to perform delineation drilling at Goodpaster.

Story continues

Holes 20AU001 and 20AU002 have been previously reported. Holes 20AU003 and 20AU004 are reported in this press release. Holes 20AU005 and 20AU006 have been recently completed and hole 20AU007 is in progress. Hole locations are shown in Figure 1.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0db5da0e-b47b-40b3-9d00-b54e241c6565

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/130a7d66-11fa-48c9-aeb5-a74d4cb5ca14

Assay Results Hole IDs 20AU03 and 20AU04

Assays from Aurora drill holes 20AU003 and holes 20AU004 indicate minor gold mineralization as detailed below. The alteration observed in the drill core matched the CSAMT and ZTEM geophysics anomalies. The Company is encouraged by the strong alteration, presence of gold, para-gneiss host rocks, and presence of sulfides indicating the strong fertility of the system.

Intervals Hole 20AU003

0.86m @ 0.35 g/t Au from 19m depth

0.86m @ 0.44 g/t Au from 423m depth

Intervals Hole 20AU004

0.78m @ 0.41 g/t Au from 522m depth

1.19m @ 0.76 g/t Au from 762m depth

Boundary Prospect

A ZTEM / MAG airborne geophysical survey and a ground-based CSAMT survey were recently completed. Conductive zones were identified in areas where geochemical anomalies and gold-anomalous intersections had been identified by prior explorers. A field team of geologists is presently conducting sampling and mapping operations.

Earn-In Agreement Terms

Resolution can earn up to a 60% interest in the 64North Gold Project through exploration expenditures of US$20 million, payment of US$200,000 cash, and issuance of 38 million Resolution shares. The minimum commitment for 2020 is US$5.0 million. The partners are developing plans for further drilling and other exploration to be carried out in fall of 2020. Other details of the agreement between Millrock and Resolution are documented in Millrocks announcement made on December 16, 2019.

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Millrock adheres to stringent Quality AssuranceQuality Control (QA/QC) standards. Drill core samples are kept in a secure location at all times. For this program two laboratories were used; some samples were sent to ALS Chemex prep laboratory in Fairbanks, Alaska USA, and others were sent to Bureau Veritas also in Fairbanks, Alaska. Representative half-core samples underwent sample preparation in Fairbanks. Prepared samples sent to ALS Chemex were subsequently analyzed at ALS Chemex laboratories in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. Gold was analyzed by Fire Assay (specifically ALS code Au-AA25  Au) by fire assay and AAS using a gram nominal sample weight). Prepared samples sent to Bureau Veritas were sent to the Bureau Veritas laboratory in Reno, Nevada (BV code FA430/AA). The following QA/QC protocols were been adopted for this program: 1) Duplicates created as coarse crush duplicates on every 50th sample (2% insertion) in the sample preparation process at the laboratory, and 2) Blank material inserted at a rate of 2 blanks per 100 samples (2% insertion) and 3) StandardsCertified Reference Material (CRMs) every 20th sample (5% insertion) plus additional random insertions at the supervising geologists discretion. All results from duplicates, blanks, and standards were reviewed and found to be accurate and within acceptable tolerances

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information disclosed within this document has been prepared, reviewed, and approved by Gregory A. Beischer, President, CEO, and a director of Millrock Resources. Mr. Beischer is a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101.

About Millrock Resources Inc.

Millrock Resources Inc. is a premier project generator to the mining industry. Millrock identifies, packages, and operates large-scale projects for joint venture, thereby exposing its shareholders to the benefits of mineral discovery without the usual financial risk taken on by most exploration companies. The company is recognized as the premier generative explorer in Alaska, holds royalty interests in British Columbia, Canada, and Sonora State, Mexico, and is a significant shareholder of junior explorer ArcWest Exploration Inc. and has a shareholding in Resolution Minerals Limited. Funding for drilling at Millrocks exploration projects is primarily provided by its joint venture partners. Business partners of Millrock have included some of the leading names in the mining industry: EMX Royalty, Centerra Gold, First Quantum, Teck, Kinross, Vale, Inmet, and Altius, as well as junior explorers Resolution, Riverside and PolarX.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Gregory Beischer

Gregory Beischer, President & CEO

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Melanee Henderson, Investor Relations

(604) 638-3164

(877) 217-8978 (toll-free)

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation) including, without limitation, managements expectation that the planned drilling program will successfully be carried out. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, Millrocks ability to mobilize the drill rig and camp and complete the drilling work and other customary risks of the resource industry.




The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has announced that PM Narendra Modi will be addressing the Conclave on "School education in 21st Century" under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The PM will be speaking at 11:00 am on September 11 via video conferencing.

The recently rechristened Ministry of Education is organising the two-day conclave which will be held from September 10-September 11. The conclave is part of MoE's Shisha Parv program which aims to educate principals, peachers, parents, students and schools about NEP 2020.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had delivered the inaugural address at the 'Conclave on Transformational Reforms in Higher Education under NEP-2020' on 7th August 2020. Then on September 7, the PM addressed the Governors' Conference on the NEP 2020.

NEP-2020 is the first education policy launched by a BJP-led government. It came 34 years after the last revision which was under the National Policy on Education 1986. NEP-2020, according to the centre is a move towards major reforms in both school and higher education level.

"The new National Education Policy aims at making India into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society. It envisions an India-centred education system that contributes directly to transforming India into a Global Superpower," read a press release by the PMO on the NEP.

Major changes to the education infrastructure being made by the NEP 2020 include - universalisation of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for children up to the age 8., replacing the 10+2 structure of school curriculum with the 5+3+3+4 structure, developing a new National Curricular Framework for School Education and vocational integration from class 6 onwards.

"The comprehensive transformation aimed in the NEP will bring about a paradigm shift in the country's education system and create an enabling and reinvigorated educational ecosystem for a new Atmanirbhar Bharat envisaged by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India," read the press release.

Also Read: Centre's policies caused loss of crores of jobs, historic GDP fall: Rahul Gandhi

Also Read:RIL share hits all-time high, market cap above Rs 14 lakh cr for second day
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Californians for Real Privacy  No on Proposition 24 -- Opposition to Proposition 24 grows as The League of Women Voters of California, California Nurses Association, and Courage California (formerly known as Courage Campaign) announced their opposition to the misleading, self-styled "privacy" initiative in the past week.

It its analysis, the League of Women Voter of California states:

"Among the troubling aspects of Prop 24 is its expansion of "pay for privacy" through the addition of loyalty and rewards programs, allowing businesses to charge consumers more or provide worse service if they choose to exercise their privacy rights. The initiative also allows businesses to require consumers to direct each individual website and app not to sell information - weakening the current legal requirement that companies respect a global opt-out for all services. These burdens are fundamentally inequitable, placing the onus on the average consumer to protect their own privacy."

https://lwvc.org/vote/elections/ballot-recommendations/prop-24consumer-data-privacy

The California Nurses Association also announced its Vote No on Prop 24 endorsement. CNA represents over 100,000 registered nurses.

Endorsing No on Prop 24, the 1.4 million member Courage California (formerly known as Courage Campaign) stated, "Vote NO on Prop 24 to protect consumers' personal informationProp 24 erodes a consumer's request to delete their data and would completely end CCPA protection of biometric informationProp 24 would disproportionately affect working people and families of color Prop 24 caters to tech companies by allowing them to upload a California resident's personal information as soon as that resident's device, computer, or phone leaves the state's borders, and permits tech companies to completely ignore a programmable universal electronic "do not sell my information" signal. Under current law, privacy follows a Californian wherever they go, and businesses must honor the electronic signal."

https://progressivevotersguide.com/california?utm_source=courage_main_site&utm_medium=header_link&utm_campaign=ProgressiveVoterGuide2020

Proposition 24 is written and funded by one man, a wealthy landlord worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Privacy, consumer, and civil society opponents of Prop 24 include ACLU of California, Consumer Federation of California, Color of Change, labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, Consumer Action, California Alliance for Retired Americans, Public Citizen, TURN  The Utility Reform Network, Media Alliance, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Council on American-Islamic Relations-California, and many others.

SOURCE Californians for Real Privacy - No on Proposition 24
All the county clerks said they have systems in place to winnow out any multiple ballots someone might send in. They all pointed out that while their offices mailed out applications for mail-in ballots, so have political organizations or candidates themselves, which means people might have gotten more than one application for a mail-in ballot.
An Alabama woman who turned her life around after a drug addiction and a series of arrests recently saved the life of one of her arresting officers by donating him a kidney.

Jocelynn James spent years in and out of jail, and landed herself on a local most wanted list after being handcuffed 16 times between 2007 and 2012, according to KTBC.

More than once, her arresting officer was Terrell Potter, a former cop with the Phil Campbell Police Department.

I didnt care about anything in life, and who I wronged, James told NBC News. Robbery, theft, receiving property Everything but murder, pretty much.

James said she hit rock bottom nearly a decade ago, and managed to turn things around; in November, shell celebrate eight years out of jail, and eight years sober, KTBC reported.

Im very thankful to be alive, she told NBC affiliate WVTM. Because I should be dead.

RELATED VIDEO: Teacher Who Never Thought Hed Be a Dad Adopts Student After Getting Him a Life-Saving Kidney

Teacher Who Never Thought Hed Be a Dad Adopts Student After Getting Him a Life-Saving Kidney

This inspiring teacher donated a kidney and then decided to adopt one of his students

With the desire to get back on track, James spent the next few years rebuilding her life  and in December, stumbled upon a fateful Facebook post from Potters daughter that would set her next chapter in motion.

Potter, now retired, had recently learned that his kidney was failing, and though he was actively searching for a donor, had been warned by doctors that his hunt could take up to seven or eight years, KTBC reported.

When James discovered this  and later found she was a perfect match for Potter  committing to giving him her kidney was a no-brainer.

RELATED: New Jersey Infant Who Died from Car Crash Injuries Saves Lives of 3 Other Babies with Organ Donation

I just knew that it said he needed a kidney, and the holy spirit told me right then that I had that mans kidney, James told NBC News.

Story continues

She and Potter underwent a successful transplant surgery on July 21, and now, he has more than a new kidney  he has family in James.

Its like shes another daughter. I mean, shes just a part of us, he told NBC News, adding to KTBC: Its made a great relationship and a bond between us that can go forever. Theres no doubt about that.

RELATED: Florida Widow Donates Kidney to Same Man Who Received Her Husbands Organs 16 Years Ago

James, who runs a nonprofit that helps women seek treatment called The Place of Grace, says her goal is to remind others that hope is never lost, even in the darkest times.

I want people to realize that there is help out there for them. It doesnt matter what happens in your life, she told KTBC. You can always turn it around."

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 16:37:36|Editor: huaxia

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SUVA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's Health Ministry continues its clean up and awareness campaigns to reduce leptospirosis and dengue fever cases on the island nation, a Fijian official said on Thursday.

According to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), Fiji's Acting Permanent Secretary for Health Ministry James Fong said as of July there were over 3,000 cases of dengue fever and over 1,000 cases of leptospirosis in Fiji.

"We are quite successful in both programs and because this is a problem that happens year in and year out and it has a lot to do with the weather and everything that comes with the weather in terms of the rainy season, we are quite prepared every time we have an episode of this, in terms of managing it."

Fong also highlighted the ministry has a few other programs that facilitate early diagnosis and referrals for leptospirosis and dengue fever.

Fiji had declared an outbreak of dengue fever and leptospirosis diseases in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic in August.

The health ministry announced at the time that four people had died from dengue while 10 others died from leptospirosis this year.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease which, without treatment, can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress and death.

The bacteria is often spread through the urine of infected animals, which can get into water or soil and can survive for weeks.

Dengue is a debilitating mosquito-borne disease.

Fiji's Health Minister Ifereimi Waqainabet said he was concerned at the spike in cases and urged the public to remain cautious. Enditem
Laurence Fox has apologised to actress Rebecca Front and deleted a tweet of a 'private message' revealing she had blocked him on Twitter over his 'AllLivesMatter' posts.

The star of ITV drama Lewis said on social media earlier today that it is was the 'most painful cancellation I've had yet' after The Thick of It actor disagreed with his #AllLivesmatter posts.

But he has since apologised for posting screenshots of his private conversation with Front to Twitter.

He wrote: 'Earlier I tweeted a private text message. It isnt true to my values to make a private conversation public just to make a point.

'I regret it. I would like to apologise to @RebeccaFront for doing so. Im going to delete the tweet and try to build bridges rather than burn them.'

The star of ITV drama Lewis said on social media today is was the 'most painful cancellation I've had yet' after The Thick of It star disagreed with his #AllLivesmatter posts

Laurence Fox has since apologised for posting screenshots of his private conversation with the actress Rebecca Front to Twitter

The actor courted controversy in June this year month after a tweet he posted, which said: 'Every single human life is precious! The end!' It is a clear nod to the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by killing of George Floyd by police officers.

He also penned a piece for The Spectator saying he would continue to speak out against the 'inconsistent god of progressivism'. Since then the 44-year-old actor has been using the #AllLivesmatter on his social media account.

Front has since accepted Fox's apology. On Twitter she penned: 'Thank you to my many lovely friends, old and new. An apology has been made, so lets all move on.'

Earlier today, Fox shared a screenshot of a conversation with Front. In the messages, Fox said: Why would you block me? Have I said anything that could upset you? What a shame. Anyway, you are never blocked from me.

The actor posted on Twitter today showing his exchange with The Thick of It star Rebecca Front

Rebecca Front has blocked Laurence Fox for his views about the Black Lives Matter movement

Front replied: Oh Lol, I think it was the #AllLivesMatter stuff that finally tipped me over the edge It seems to me so glaringly obvious that All Lives Matter  youd have to be a psychopath to disagree  that it should be equally obvious it doesnt need a slogan.

Black Lives are systematically undervalued. Their work opportunities are fewer, their health outcomes far worse, the criminal justice system works against them. I think the least we can do is let them have a f***ing slogan.

But there are many, many things we clearly disagree on and, fond as I am of you, looking at your Twitter feed I just felt uncomfortable about the company youre keeping.

Front has since accepted Fox's apology. On Twitter she penned: 'Thank you to my many lovely friends, old and new. An apology has been made, so lets all move on'

'Im sorry. I wish you and your lovely boys well. Well just have to agree to differ.

Fox replied: The least were can do is let them have a f***ing slogan. Jesus/ Its ok to disagree. But its the right thing to do to talk first before you cancel me.

'Especially given how racist the phrase you just wrote is. I thought we had more in common.

It's not the first time the actor has courted controversy. In January this year Fox was involved in a heated debate with the academic and ethnicity lecturer Rachel Boyle after she called him 'a white privileged male' on BBC's Question Time.

The actor courted further controversy after a recent tweet he posted, which said: 'Every single human life is precious! The end!

Fox is pictured arriving at the Good Morning Britain studios in central London in January this year

Laurence Fox and his past controversies January 16, 2020: Fox was involved in a heated debate with the academic and ethnicity lecturer Rachel Boyle after she called him 'a white privileged male' on BBC's Question Time. The 41-year-old accused Ms Boyle, an academic at Edge Hill University on Merseyside, of 'being racist' after she called him 'a white privileged male' for denying the Duchess of Sussex was hounded from Britain for being mixed-race. As the row continued the following day he quoted Martin Luther King's 1963 'I have a dream' speech about living in a nation where children 'will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character'. He said: 'This is the position I took last night and I live by in life. If you can improve on it, I'm all ears. Or you can keep screeching ''Racist!'' at me and I can carry on having a jolly good giggle at your expense. The tide is turning'. January 17, 2020: The actor later went on to reveal that he does not date women under the age of 35 because they are 'too woke' and many of them are 'absolutely bonkers' during an interview with the Delingpod podcast. During the podcast , Fox said that he called off a relationship with a former partner because she praised a Gillette advert which highlighted 'toxic masculinity.' January 23, 2020: Fox apologised for his comments about the inclusion of a Sikh soldier in the First World War film 1917 by Sir Sam Mendes. The actor had initially referred to 'the oddness in the casting' of a Sikh soldier and was met by widespread criticism by historians who confirmed that Sikhs had served in the British Army. Fox later tweeted: 'Fellow humans who are Sikhs, I am as moved by the sacrifices your relatives made as I am by the loss of all those who die in war, whatever creed or colour. 'Please accept my apology for being clumsy in the way I expressed myself.' June 18, 2020: In a piece for the Spectator, Fox, questioned if Meghan Markle stepped down as a working royal because she did not get the 'limelight' Advertisement

The 41-year-old accused Ms Boyle, an academic at Edge Hill University on Merseyside, of 'being racist' after she called him 'a white privileged male' for denying the Duchess of Sussex was hounded from Britain for being mixed-race.

As the row continued the following day he quoted Martin Luther King's 1963 'I have a dream' speech about living in a nation where children 'will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character'.

He said: 'This is the position I took last night and I live by in life. If you can improve on it, I'm all ears. Or you can keep screeching ''Racist!'' at me and I can carry on having a jolly good giggle at your expense. The tide is turning'.

Later that month he went on to reveal that he does not date women under the age of 35 because they are 'too woke' and many of them are 'absolutely bonkers' during an interview with the Delingpod podcast.

During the podcast , Fox said that he called off a relationship with a former partner because she praised a Gillette advert which highlighted 'toxic masculinity.'

Late in January he apologised to the Sikh community after he sparked a race row by claiming the inclusion of a turban-wearing soldier in Sam Mendes film 1917 was 'incongruous'.

The outspoken actor made the comment about the critically-acclaimed film in a podcast on Saturday while being interviewed by James Delingpole.

Sikh historian Peter Singh Bance told MailOnline that Fox should 'check his facts', saying: 'Laurence Fox is incorrect with his facts as Sikhs did fight with British forces, not just with their own regiments.'

Fox later posted on his Twitter account and apologised for the 'clumsy way' he expressed himself.

He said: 'Fellow humans who are #Sikhs. I am as moved by the sacrifices your relatives made as I am by the loss of all those who die in war, whatever creed or colour.

'Please accept my apology for being clumsy in the way I have expressed myself over this matter in recent days.'

Prior to his apology Fox said that 'forcing diversity on people' is 'institutionally racist' after saying that the inclusion of Nabhaan Rizwan portraying Sepoy Jondalar was not in keeping with the film's surroundings.

Speaking on podcast, The Delingpod, Mr Fox said: 'It's very heightened awareness of the colour of someone's skin because of the oddness in the casting. Even in 1917 they've done it with a Sikh soldier.

'Which is great, it's brilliant, but you're suddenly aware there were Sikhs fighting in this war. And you're like 'ok'. You're now diverting me away from what the story is.'

Laurence Fox apologised to the Sikh community after his outburst about the Sam Mendes

The 41-year-old actor questioned the credibility of the storyline and said the casting of Mr Rizwan caused 'a very heightened awareness of the colour of someone's skin' because of 'the oddness of the casting'.

He praised the performance of Mr Rizwan himself, saying it was 'great', adding that the inclusion of a Sikh soldier in the ranks 'didn't bother me particularly'.

But he added that the inclusion 'did sort of flick me out of what is essentially a one-shot film [because] it's just incongruous with the story'.

Sikh soldiers were present at some of the conflict's bloodiest battles, including Ypres and the Somme.
She officially debuted her new romance with Matt Poole when they cuddled up at Brisbane airport on Thursday.

And Tammy Hembrow looked smitten with the hunky Ironman as they chartered a luxury yacht to the Whitsundays with friends on Thursday.

Several pictures of the fitness guru and her new man were featured in one of her pal's Instagram videos.

They're smitten! Tammy Hembrow and her new boyfriend Matt Poole lived it up as they chartered a luxury yacht to the Whitsundays on Friday

The group hired a luxury vessel from Big Blue Charters, where rates begin at $1,000 per hour.

One video showed Tammy and her friends boarding the boat and receiving champagne and watermelon slices on arrival.

Matt was also seen enjoying a few sips of a cold beer as his friend raced him to finish his entire drink before the boat set sail.

Luxe: The group hired a luxury vessel from Big Blue Charters, where rates begin at $1,000 per hour

What a welcome! A video posted by one of Tammy's friends showed the blonde bombshell and her friends boarding the ship and receiving champagne and watermelon slices on arrival

The group packed food and plenty of drinks for the voyage, enjoying a few beverages before heading out to open water.

Later in the evening, Tammy posted a video of the stunning sunset as they left the marina.

She also shared a short clip of herself cuddling up to a gal pal and showed a quick glimpse of the group - making sure Matt was not in full view.

Bottoms up! Matt was also seen enjoying a few sips of a cold beer as his friend raced him to finish his entire drink before the boat set sail

Celebration! The group packed food and plenty of drinks for the trip

Tammy's trip to the Whitsundays comes after she and Matt were spotted packing on the PDA at Brisbane Airport, earlier on Thursday.

Her ex-fiance Reece Hawkins's recent baby announcement with London Goheen seemed like the last thing on Tammy's mind as she cosied up to her statuesque new lover.

New couple alert! Tammy's trip to the Whitsundays comes after she and Matt were spotted packing on the PDA at Brisbane Airport, earlier on Thursday. He protectively slung his arm over the curvaceous blonde as they strolled together through the bustling terminal

Triathlete Matt protectively slung his arm over the curvaceous blonde as they strolled together through the bustling terminal.

The pair's fledgling new romance was on full display Matt lovingly kissed Tammy's forehead.

The trip appears to be Tammy and Matt's first holiday as a couple.

The pair have yet to confirm their romance on social media, but influencer Tammy made her first appearance on Matt's Instagram page in a group snap shared at the end of August.

There she is! The pair have yet to confirm their romance on social media, but influencer Tammy made her first appearance on Matt's Instagram page in a group snap shared at the end of August. Pictured is Tammy in the centre beside Matt in the brown cap

Matt was previously in a relationship with Maddy King - the model ex of Kris Smith.

Tammy's new man Matt is a firm departure from the long list of rappers she has been linked to in previous years.

The bombshell had a brief relationship with American rapper Tyga in early 2019.

Sources told Daily Mail Australia at the time that the Rack City star and Tammy had 'hooked up' at the Rolling Loud festival in Sydney.

She has a type! Tammy's new man Matt is a firm departure from the long list of rappers she has been linked to in previous years. The bombshell had a brief relationship with American rapper Tyga [pictured] in early 2019

Failed attempts at love: In March of this year, hip-hop star Jahkoy Palmer [pictured] confirmed he had split from Tammy. It was then believed Tammy was in a relationship with NYC-based rapper Erick Delgado during the early COVID-19 lockdown period

In March of this year, Canadian hip-hop star Jahkoy Palmer confirmed he had split from Tammy following their on/off romance which first began in June 2019.

It was then believed Tammy was in a relationship with New York-based rapper Erick Delgado during the early COVID-19 lockdown period. Their romance was never confirmed.

Tammy's happy relationship news comes less than two weeks after her ex Reece revealed that he was expecting his first child with London Goheen.
The Palestinian governments in Gaza and the West Bank demanded that the Arab League denounce the recent peace deal between the UAE and Israel. The Arab League refused. At the same time Palestinians admitted that most Arab states had stopped providing financial support for the them. Left unmentioned was the reason why the Palestinians have lost the political and financial support of the Arab nations. Its the corruption, lack of unity, and refusing to accept any peace deal with Israel that did not include the destruction of the state of Israel. The Arabs are tired of this mess and need Israel as an ally to deal with the growing threat from Iran.

In Lebanon Iran-backed Hezbollah is under growing threat from the Lebanese people and security forces. After decades of Iran-sponsored intimidation, Lebanese are talking back and telling Hezbollah and Iran that Israel is not the enemy, Iran and its Lebanese followers are. A lot of those pro-Iran Lebanese were in it for the money and in the last year Iran has cut its cash contributions by more than half. This is because of an economic crisis back in Iran. It was discouraging for Iran when they realized how many supporters Hezbollah lost because Iranian payments had ceased.

The catalyst for the current anti-Iran movement was the August 4th explosion that obliterated the port of Beirut. Buildings were obliterated or badly damaged and windows blown out more than five kilometers from the explosions, which was later calculated to be equivalent to a 1.2 kiloton nuclear bomb. There was also a mushroom cloud characteristic of all large explosions, nuclear or conventional. Over 200 died and at least 6,000 were wounded, mostly by the flying glass. Israel immediately denied any involvement, followed by Hezbollah, which has been accused of storing rockets and other Iranian munitions in the port area. The cause of the huge explosion, which created a mushroom cloud from water and dust, was apparently the large quantities of explosive materials stored in the port area. One warehouse exploded and that set off others nearby, triggering a slow explosion that could be felt 25 kilometers away in the countryside. The main culprit turned out to be 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate explosives used for mining operations and left in a warehouse for seven years. Hezbollah insisted the explosion was not their fault but few Lebanese believed that and now there is more popular enthusiasm for confronting and disarming Hezbollah than ever before. Lebanese dont want another civil war like the 1975-90 one, but dont want Hezbollah anymore either.

Syria

The war in Syria should be over by now but it isnt because the foreign factions, especially the Iranians and the Turks have unresolved issues. Iran is obsessed with destroying Israel and is not having much success at all. Turkey wants to eliminate Kurdish separatists (both Turkish and Syrian) from Syria and that is proving very difficult. The Americans want to keep ISIL down and support their Kurdish allies while Russia wants to prop up the Assad government in order to keep the airbase and port facilities arrangements they have obtained from the Assads.

Which is the most dangerous faction in Syria? Probably Iran, which is becoming increasingly aggressive and desperate. Iran needs a win against Israel and all it is getting in Syria is an endless string of defeats. Because of its death to Israel obsession Iran is destroying its alliance with Turkey and Russia. Yet Iran is not the only one with an Israel obsession.

There are other sources of disagreement. Turkey, Iran and Syria are angry at Russia over the poor performance of Russian air defense systems. The Syrians frequently claim to have intercepted Israeli air-launched, often from inside Lebanon or Israel, missiles but the reality is that few of the Israeli missiles fail to hit their targets. Commercial satellite photos are available to determine damage and there is always a lot of it. Iran and Syria complain that the formidable Russian air defense system in Syria is not used to stop the Israelis. The Russians dont want a fight with the Israelis, if only because the Israelis might publicly demonstrate the ineffectiveness of Russian air defense systems. These systems are a major export item for Russia and the Israelis could reduce those export sales with demonstrations of how Israelis get past the Russian air defenses. Iran offered to provide Syria with Iranian-made air defense systems. That was not appreciated because the Iranian systems are seen as old tech and more propaganda than performance.

September 5, 2020: Israel revealed that it had arrested an Israeli Bedouin and nine of his family and charged them all with spying for Hamas. Some of those arrested were also charged with planning a bombing within Israel. This began in 2019 when one of the Bedouins was recruited by Hamas to gather information on Israeli military activities in the south, mainly the Negev desert where the Bedouin family lived. Smuggling has long been a popular Bedouin profession, aided by the fact many Bedouin families have members on both sides of the Israel/Egypt border. One of the arrested Bedouin had entered Gaza several times and in one visit was given bomb building training.

September 4, 2020: An American brokered peace deal between Christian Serbia and Moslem Kosovo in the Balkans includes both nations agreeing to move their Israel embassies to Jerusalem. Kosovo is the first Moslem majority nation to move its Israel embassy to Jerusalem.

September 3, 2020: In central Syria, Israeli airstrikes again hit the T4 airbase in Homs province, as well as air defense systems outside Damascus and Iranian bases in eastern Syria. At least sixteen Iranians or Iranian mercenaries were killed. Israeli warplanes launch air-ground missiles while still in Israel or just across the Syrian border in areas not covered by Syrian air defenses. Syrian usually claims to intercept all these missiles but commercial satellite photos reveal that the Israeli missiles usually get through and inflict significant damage. The T4 airbase, i n central Syria near Palmyra, was hit by Israeli airstrikes several times in 2019, at least twice in 2020 and many more times in earlier years. The T4 airbase is the largest in Syria and Iran is building new structures for storing weapons and housing personnel. This is where Iran moved its UAV operations in 2018 after its original UAV base in Syria was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. Meanwhile Israel is gradually destroying most of Syrias SAM (Surface To Air Missile) capability.

The Persian Gulf Arab nation of Bahrain announced it would allow Israeli commercial aircraft to fly across Bahrain. Saudi Arabia has apparently agreed to do this as well.

September 1, 2020: In the south (Gaza) Hamas agreed to another ceasefire following three weeks of renewed Hamas attacks on southern Israel using fire balloons and rockets launched from Gaza. This led to dozens of Israeli airstrikes against terrorist facilities in Gaza. This ceasefire, like so many others, will probably not last long. As soon as Hamas needs another political distraction in Gaza, where Hamas is increasingly disliked and attacked by the population in general as well as smaller rival Islamic terror groups. Hamas declared victory because the ceasefire included Israel allowing more goods to get into Gaza, including fuel for the power plant. Hamas ignored the fact that their three-week balloon campaign delayed the restoration of more commercial traffic into Gaza.

August 31, 2020: In southern Syria Israeli aircraft used missiles to attack several targets, killing eleven people. It was later revealed that one of the dead was a civilian who died when their house was hit by a defective Syrian anti-aircraft missile. This was only the second Israeli airstrike for August in Syria. Syrians and Arab journalists in Syria report that the Israeli air strikes are doing serious damage to the Iranian efforts to establish a formidable military force in Syria. Israel attacks nearly all Iranian arms shipments entering Syria as well as many of the Iranian mercenaries, along with the smaller number of Iranian personnel. Commercial satellite photos show that the Syrian airbases Iran uses to fly in personnel and equipment are out of action most of the time because of the Israeli airstrikes and tend to get bombed again shortly after they are repaired.

August 30, 2020: In Egypt (Sinai) a 39-day anti-terrorist campaign concluded. The operations included raids on 317 locations and many of them did contain armed Islamic terrorists. Those battles left 77 terrorists dead. Seven soldiers were killed. Many of the 317 locations were storage sites for equipment and weapons. These were sized or destroyed on the spot. Many motorcycles and vehicles were destroyed, including 19 four-wheel drive models. During this time an airstrike in western Egypt destroyed nine four-wheel drive vehicles trying to smuggle weapons and ammo from Libya via unpopulated (and roadless) portions of the border. Egyptian aerial surveillance has been able, for several years now, to detect these desert convoys and provide target information for airstrikes. Ground troops are sent in, sometimes via helicopter, to search the disabled vehicles for useful information and any survivors.

In southern Israel (Gaza) Israeli firefighters reported that they were called to deal with 21 small brush fires ignited by dozens of Hamas fire balloons that blew across the border earlier in the day. In three weeks Hamas has released over a thousand fire balloons, although some of them carried small explosive devices and many were single balloons carrying a burning string or a lit cigarette. Less than half the balloons start fires or put explosives on the ground. Three weeks of this effort caused no casualties on the Israeli side but did keep firefighters, troops and civilians busy putting out all the small fires. The fires caused no property damage, just a lot of burned grass, brush and a few trees. An unknown number of the fire balloons landed in Gaza when the wind shifted unexpectedly. The unguided balloons cannot be controlled once they leave the ground.

August 29, 2020: Israel and the UAE are apparently planning to establish a joint ELINT (Electronic intelligence) operation on one of the Yemeni Socotra Islands. The main island is in the Gulf of Aden, 380 kilometers south of Yemen and 240 kilometers from the northeast tip of Somalia. The population is 60,000 and the island (and a few much smaller ones) lies within busy shipping lanes from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea. In early 2019 the Yemeni government accused the UAE of supporting southern separatists and continuing to expand its military presence and influence in Socotra Island. Yemen accused the UAE of seeking to support Socotra separatists, which were then few in number, to demand more economic links with and investment from the UAE. In early 2018 the UAE withdrew its troops from Socotra after having been there for two weeks. This brief occupation angered many Yemenis who felt the UAE was trying to annex Socotra. Saudi Arabia stepped in and agreed to take over the economic development program for Socotra which the Yemeni government saw the UAE turning into an effort to make Socotra economically and politically dependent on the UAE. The UAE has always been more aggressive in this regard. The UAE subsequently used massive economic investments and well-placed bribes to gain control of the Socotra Islands government. The ELINT facility keeps track of Iranian and Yemeni Shia rebel activity around the islands. This involves Iran smuggling weapons and other military gear to the Yemeni rebels.

August 28, 2020: In Egypt (Cairo) Moslem Brotherhood supreme leader Mahmoud Ezzat was arrested. The 76-year-old Ezzat has been a Brotherhood member since the 1960s. Egypt fears this latest arrest may prompt the Brotherhood to move their senior leadership to Turkey or Qatar, two nations that support the Moslem Brotherhood, especially the Egyptian branch. The Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 as a political movement stressing clean government and the use of Islamic law. That has not worked out. In mid-2012 Egyptian election officials declared Islamic Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi the new president. A week earlier the military commission (temporarily running Egypt) took away many powers from the president and transferred them to the military. The Egyptian military did not want a true democracy. It appears that the military, which took over as a "caretaker government" after long time president-for-life Mubarak was tossed out in 2011, was trying to get Mubarak cronies back into power. The military has long been known as just another part of the corrupt dictatorship, and many generals feared prosecution for that if a true democracy was established. The major rebel and reform groups ha d not decided what to do about this counter-revolution before t he newly elected Moslem Brotherhood president solved the Mubarak cronies problem in an unexpected way. Before president Mursi could go after Mubarak allies the Moslem Brotherhood radicals got violent in their demands that Egypt be ruled with Sharia (Islamic) law. That was what Saudi Arabia has used for decades but Sharia was very unpopular with most Egyptian voters. By 2014 angry voters had forced Mursi out and new elections put a former general (Sisi) into power. The Moslem Brotherhood once more became the enemy, except in Turkey, where a Moslem Brotherhood-like government had ruled Turkey since 2000 and had not had any problems with radicals. But Turkish voters were getting tired of their increasingly corrupt and inept Islamic government that seems to have declared just about everyone an enemy of Turkey.

Every time a moderate Moslem Brotherhood government gains power it fails because the radicals (there is always a radical faction) demand that an Islamic religious dictatorship be installed and this always triggers popular resistance. Iran wants a more Islamic government in Syria, which has long been a secular dictatorship led by the Shia Assad clan. The Assads always hated Islamic movements, be they Moslem Brotherhood or anything else with Islamic attached to it. One of those Egyptian radical factions, which went rogue in 1987, had established itself in Gaza as Hamas. In 2005 Hamas took over Gaza and turned it into a sanctuary for all many of Islamic terror groups including, by 2014, ISIL.

The Moslem Brotherhood hurt its reputation in the early 1990s when radical factions, frustrated at their inability to achieve peaceful reforms, turned to terrorism and were defeated after a bloody terrorism campaign failed. Two decades later the Islamic terrorists are again attacking the Egyptian economy, especially tourism which accounts for 11 percent of the GDP and provides jobs (directly or indirectly) for 12 percent of the work force. This time there are still radical factions of the Moslem Brotherhood but most of the damage was done by ISIL which continues to function in Egypt (especially Sinai) largely because there are so many potential recruits in Gaza. Sisi is still popular because he has managed to revive the flow of foreign tourists to Egypt and obtain foreign aid from Arab oil states (especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE).

August 27, 2020: In northwest Yemen an Iranian naval mine was found offshore by the naval blockade force. The rebels are trying to disrupt Red Sea traffic, which is essential for Saudi Arabian imports and even more critical for Egypt. Nearly 20,000 ships a year pass through the Red sea headed for the Suez Canal, which earns Egypt nearly $6 billion a year in transit fees. Naval mines have been put into offshore waters by Shia rebels before but so far none have succeeded in disrupting shipping.

August 26, 2020: In central Israel a local rabbi was killed by a Palestinian armed with a knife. The killer was caught and admitted that the murder was a terrorist act against Israel and Jews.

August 25, 2020: In the north (Lebanese border) someone on the Lebanese side fired at an Israeli patrol. There were no casualties and the Israelis carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in the area. Hezbollah controls most of the Lebanese border with Israel, along with most of southern Lebanon.

Turkey does not seem to fear an Egyptian military response to their invasion of western Libya even though Egyptian forces are gathering at the Libyan border. The official Turkish view is that Egypt is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudis Arabia and the UAE who have been backing the anti-Islamic terrorist/Moslem Brotherhood LNA in Libya for years. The Turks may underestimate the Arab hostility towards their aggression in North Africa. Iranian involvement is more recent and after the religious dictatorship took power in the 1980s Kaddafi was one of the few Arab rulers the Iranians could do business with. Because of that, Iranian interference is not welcome either.

August 24, 2020: In the south (across the border in Gaza) four Islamic Jihad terrorists died when a bomb they were building went off. One of the dead was known as an experienced bomb and rocket builder.

August 23, 2020: There was a tentative peace deal in Libya. LNA (Libyan National Army) supporters Egypt and the UAE praised the new agreement, as did the UN, which also demanded that all foreign troops leave Libya. That demand was mainly about the Turks who have no intention in leaving.

August 21, 2020: In Libya Turkey is negotiating with the GNA to obtain a 99-year lease on part of the port of Misrara for a naval base. Turkey is also seeking control of the al Watiyah airbase, which its forces already control. Al Watiyah air base is 135 kilometers southeast of Tripoli and controlled by the LNA until Turkish forces captured in May. Egypt and other North African countries oppose any Turkish bases in Libya, as do Italy, France and Spain. Turkey is also offering to make major economic investments in Libya and wants assurances that these investments would be protected. A Turkish military base in Libya would help with those security needs and would be staffed with Turkish, not mercenary troops.

August 20, 2020: In the West Bank a Palestinian man, trying to use a bomb against Israeli police, was killed by police after the bombing effort failed.

August 19, 2020: Israel revealed that it was using a new laser weapon to shoot down dozens of Hamas fire balloons before they could start fires in Israel. The laser weapon is very quick and accurate, destroying 90 percent of fire balloons (actually clusters of balloons carrying an incendiary device) within range. The main shortcoming of the laser weapon is short range of about 2,000 meters.

August 18, 2020: Egypt is organizing a military training program for a tribal coalition in eastern Libya. Some of the tribesmen will receive military training in Egypt. The ten Libyan tribes involved have ancient links with Egypt and some of the tribes straddle the border. About 14 million Egyptians have family or ancestral ties in Libya. Before the civil war a million Egyptians worked in Libya, and accounted for over 80 percent of the foreign workforce. This large foreign workforce is typical of Arab oil states. Foreign workers handle skilled jobs that few locals are qualified for and many more jobs that Libyans disdain. Over 80 percent of the Egyptian workforce in Libya lost their jobs due to financial problems or anti-foreigner violence. Egypt wants peace and prosperity to return to Libya because that will also mean the return of Egyptian workers. Before the 2011 war began the 6.5 million Libyans had a per capita GDP of about $10,000 (50 percent more if adjusted for purchasing power parity). Many Libyans were content to get by on a low-stress government job and let foreign workers keep the economy going.

August 17, 2020: In the West Bank a Palestinian manned stabbed a policeman and was in turn shot dead.

In Germany six Israeli F-16Cs (and four support aircraft) arrived for two weeks of joint training with the German Air Force. This was the first time Israeli warplanes trained in Germany. The German air force will participate in the Israel-based Blue Flag exercises in 2021. This joint training takes place so the two air forces will know how each other operates. That means cooperation will be more effective if the two air forces are called on to operate together in some future conflict.

Blue Flag is based on the American Red Flag international training exercises that have been held since 1975. Since 2013 Israel held its Blue Flag every two years. The multinational Red Flag events were meant to improve coordination among allied air forces in combat. Because of that until the 1990s nearly all the foreign air forces were those closely allied with the United States and able to practice using classified equipment and techniques. Since the 1990s some of these international Red Flag have included frenemies and thus lacked the use of classified items. Often described as more diplomacy than training these unclassified exercises were nonetheless useful, at least to let these nations get a close look at each others aircraft and pilots.

Before Blue Flag the Israeli Air Force has, since 2011, hosted foreign fighter pilots for tactical training using locally developed Red Flag technology. Israeli fighter pilots are considered the best trained in the world and one reason for that is use of the best training methods available. As part of that Israel maintains a special training program, complete with pilots trained and equipped to operate as likely foes would, to train their own pilots. Initially the Israelis hosted fighters and pilots for training from Poland, Italy and Greece. This was a good source of income and also good diplomacy as these were countries that Israel was on good terms with.

Blue Flag are free for participants and by invitation. This became a good way to note which countries Israel could depend on militarily. Israel continues to attend the American Red Flag events and recently those have included Middle Eastern nations that Israel is technically at war with (over the Palestinian issue). But because Israel and these other Middle Eastern nations have some common enemies (Iran and Islamic terror groups) and Israel is the most powerful and technologically advanced military power in the region a growing number of Arab states are openly working with the Israelis.

August 15, 2020: In the eastern Syria (Deir Ezzor province) an airstrike, apparently by armed Israeli UAVs, attacked an Iranian base, killing 23 Afghan and Iraqi mercenaries and destroying large quantities of ammo and weapons. This could be seen by the number of secondary explosions (caused by the UAV missiles). These Afghans are Shia recruited from Afghan refugees in Iranian camps or Afghan Shia living in western and central Afghanistan.

August 13, 2020: Israel and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) agreed to establish diplomatic relations. They also agreed to call this new agreement a peace treaty, which will be signed in United States in September. Some economic agreements are being signed before that. Other Arabian states are expected to follow. Israel and the UAE have had covert relationships for over a decade but making it formal is all about Iran and Turkey. These two nations aspire to lead the Moslems in the region, at the expense of Arab Moslems. This new alliance is, in part, because of the realization that Israelis are also Semites while the Turks are Turks and the Iranians are Indo-European. Such differences matter, especially in the Middle East.

In Sudan the government and its National Security and Defense Council said that Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt must reach a comprehensive and binding agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Ethiopia has begun filling the dams reservoir. All three nations agreed to begin negotiations to settle the dispute over how much water GERD would withhold from Egypt, the major downstream user.

August 12, 2020: Israel has reduced the number of airstrikes inside Syria because there are fewer targets. Meanwhile there is more activity on the Israeli border with Syria and Lebanon as well as in the south (Gaza) where Hamas and other Gaza-based Islamic terror groups have become more active. During the past three years Israeli forces, mainly the air force, have used over 5,000 missiles to hit about 950 Iranian targets in Syria. During this period Syria fired 844 SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles) at Israeli aircraft. Only one of these missiles damaged an Israeli F-16 and that was in 2018 because the pilot did not, as he was trained to do, carry out evasive maneuvers when his missile warning system alerted him to the threat. The pilot tried to complete his mission first and then evade. The F-16 was damaged and crashed in northern Israel. The pilot safely ejected. This incident demonstrated that the Syrian Air Defense systems could be dangerous if a pilot did not pay attention. As a result, more attacks (firing long range missiles) were carried out from Israel, Lebanon or Jordan, with missiles launched near the border. With new missiles Israeli aircraft were still able to hit anywhere in Syria. Israeli did attack Syrian air defense units that were particularly dangerous. These SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) missions are difficult and dangerous but Israel managed to destroy a third of Syrian air defense systems (launchers and radars) without losing any aircraft.

August 10, 2020: In eastern Syria (Deir Ezzor province) an airstrike, apparently Israeli, killed 14 Iranians and Iranian mercenaries, some of them from Iraq.

August 6, 2020: In northwest Yemen a Saudi jet fighter shot down a Shia rebel UAV, apparently carrying explosives and headed for Saudi Arabia. The Iranian UAV was apparently programmed to fly offshore in an effort to avoid Saudi air defenses. These defenses have been upgraded over the last few months to include radars and other sensors that can detect low and slow flying UAVs. The Saudis have not revealed where they got these new UAV detection systems but it is known that Israel, the world leader in developing such systems, offered to help out, openly or otherwise. Otherwise Yemen is still a stalemate.
Myanmar Reports Its Seventh COVID-19 Death; First in Over Four Months
The release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the government opened the way for the breakthrough, after months of delay and recrimination. The prisoner release was agreed to by the United States in its historic deal with the Taliban in February, at talks in which the Afghan government was not present. Under that agreement, the Americans also promised a phased withdrawal of their remaining troops in exchange for guarantees that the insurgents would reduce their attacks and no longer permit the country to serve as a haven for terrorists.
A Polish national, sentenced to 15 years for the attempted murder of his wife after hitting her over the head with a lump hammer while she slept on her birthday, is claiming he did not intend to kill her at the time of the attack.

Lawyers for Andrzej Benko (48), of Ladyswell Road, Mulhuddart, Dublin, claim his conviction following a jury trial at the Central Criminal Court in April 2014 for the attempted murder of his wife, Joanna, at their home on July 5, 2010, is unsafe.

At the Court of Appeal yesterday, Sean Guerin SC, for Benko, questioned whether on the circumstances of the case the jury was entitled to infer that death was a natural and probable consequence of his client's actions.

He acknowledged his client had made admissions to gardai that he had intended killing his wife at several stages but said it was not clear from the evidence Benko held that intention at the time he committed the physical assault on her.

The original trial heard the couple had been having marital problems.

Ms Benko, now 41, suffered life-changing injuries and requires full-time care.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh, reserved judgment in the case.
KYIV, Ukraine, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At the beginning of the 20th century, one Jew out of four in the world was living on the territory of present-day Ukraine, which made it the largest Jewish country in the world. After a near total extermination, the Ukrainian Jewish community is now witnessing a true renaissance.

"The revival of the Ukrainian Jewry was made possible by the inner strength of our community, but also by the immense support we have received from our brothers and sisters from Israel, the United States and Europe; now it is time for us to give back to the world," declared Boris Lozhkin, President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and Vice-President of the World Jewish Congress, at the opening of the Kyiv Jewish Forum.

This global online conference to debate the future of world Jewry was organized on September 8-9 by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine in partnership with the Jerusalem Post. The event featured global leaders discussing ways to fight anti-Semitism, the memorialization of the Holocaust, the future of US-Israel relations, the Iran deal, the future of Judaism and many other topics.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Israel Reuven Rivlin, Alternate Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Gantz, President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism Elan Carr, US Congressman Ted Deutch, UK Lord Jonathan Mendelsohn and UK Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks were among the numerous leaders who participated in the Forum. They vowed to fight anti-Semitism and urged for unity between Israel, its diaspora and partners.

President Zelensky, declared that the Kyiv Jewish Forum illustrates the strategic importance of the relationship between Ukraine and Israel. "It is essential that we work together to prevent xenophobia, intolerance and anti-Semitism [and] work together to promote tolerance and respect for all ethnicities and religions," Zelensky stated.

President Rivlin sent a special address where he called for unity to counter rising anti-Semitism, hatred and discrimination. "We must be clear and united when we say  zero tolerance for racism or xenophobia in any form and place," Rivlin stated. Alternate Prime Minister Gantz urged Jewish people within and outside of Israel to "listen closely to each other" and unite to remain strong through these uncertain times of the pandemic.

The conference can be watched online:

https://kyivjewishforum.com

https://congress.jpost.com/jcu2020/

[email protected]

SOURCE Kyiv Jewish Forum

Related Links

https://kyivjewishforum.com


Journalist Bob Woodward takes part in the TV show "Le Grand Journal" on Canal+ channel, in Paris, on April 7, 2011. (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Revealed Existence of Secret Weapons System, Bob Woodward Claims in New Book

President Donald Trump reportedly revealed the existence of a secret weapons system to veteran journalist Bob Woodward, according to Woodwards new book.

According to excerpts from the Watergate journalists new book Rage, published on Sept. 9 in The Washington Post where he is an associate editor, Woodward writes that the president reportedly spoke about the so-called secret weapons system when reflecting on the United States relationship with North Korea around 2017.

I have built a nucleara weapons system that nobodys ever had in this country before, the president reportedly said.

We have stuff that you havent even seen or heard about. We have stuff that [Russian leader Vladimir Putin] and [Chinese leader Xi Jinping] have never heard about before. Theres nobodywhat we have is incredible.

Woodward then wrote that unnamed sources later confirmed that the U.S. military did have a secret new weapons system but did not share further details. The sources were reportedly surprised that Trump had spoken about it.

It is unclear when Trump mentioned the secret weapons system to Woodward. However, the new book is based on 18 on-the-record interviews Trump did with Woodward between December 2019 and July 2020. Woodwards new book will be available in bookstores on Sept. 15. President Trump has already called the book fake.

The Pentagon said in a statement to media outlets that it doesnt comment on a book that hasnt published yet. The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for comment.

Super-Duper Missile

The Bob Woodward book will be a FAKE, as always, just as many of the others have been, Trump wrote on Twitter in mid August.

Trump back in May at a White House event spoke about a super-duper missile.

Were building, right now, incredible military equipment at a level that nobody has ever seen before. We have no choice. We have to do itwith the adversaries we have out there, Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on May 15.

We have aI call it the super-duper missile. And I heard the other night, 17 times faster than what they have right now, Trump added.

And you take the fastest missile we have right nowyouve heard Russia has five times, and China is working on five or six timeswe have one 17 times, and its just gotten the go-ahead.

The Pentagon confirmed the development of various hypersonic weapons the same day, with Jonathan Hoffman, the Defense Department press secretary, saying on Twitter, The Department of Defense is working on developing a range of hypersonic missiles to counter our adversaries.
At least 11 minors, between the ages of 15 and 17 years, were found working at various establishments in the automobile and hospitality industry in the city on Wednesday, officials said, following which their employers were issued show cause notices.

In a joint effort of the Noida police department, the anti human trafficking unit, the labour department and the Childline India Foundation, raids were conducted at several establishments in the city area including sectors 5, 9, 31, 140, among others.

On August 26, the state government had instructed all districts to conduct a No child labour campaign in the month of September in which market areas, railway stations, bus stands, hotels as well as road side eateries and factories, among others, would need to be covered. The instructions also said to take action against offending employers under the Child Labour Act, relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Human Trafficking Prevention Act.

We already had received a tip about a restaurant. A total of 11 minors, aged 15, 16 and 17 years, were found working at separate establishments. Of these, four were from Nepal, one from Haryana and the rest were locals. Proper procedure needs to be followed after such raids. The minors have to be removed from the place of exploitation and sent to a place of safety. They also need to be presented in front of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in case of exploitation. These days it is also important to verify whether they were employed before the pandemic broke out or afterwards, and then they have to be handed over to their families, said Satya Prakash, programme manager, FXB India Suraksha, an NGO that manages the Noida chapter of the Childline.

He said cases of child labour are expected to rise as the unlock progresses, with many wanting to earn a quick buck and employers looking for cheap labour to save costs.

The fact that some minors are from outside the district also suggests the presence of an agent of human trafficking which needs to be looked at, said Prakash.

Police officers said that as the industries, where these minors were found working are non-hazardous, show cause notices have been sent to the employers according to procedure. They will have about a week to reply and provide explanations. If they are found liable and negligent, court cases will be registered against them, said Vrinda Shukla, deputy commissioner of police, women and minors safety, who also heads the anti-trafficking unit of the district.

She said they will continue with these raids.

Officials also said that they will work on verifying how the minors from Nepal came to work here and necessary action will be taken.

Shukla also said that due to the informal nature of the work, it will be difficult to ascertain whether the minors started working post unlock. The minors have been sent back to the care of their guardians, she said.

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Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Fraudsters on Wednesday swindled off Rs 6 lakh from the savings accounts of Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, meant for the collection of funds for the construction of Ram temple, with the trustees being completely unaware of the transaction.

The trust has accounts in the State bank of India in Ayodhya.

When informed, temple trust general secretary Champat Rai lodged an FIR at the Kotwali police station in Ayodhya stating that Rs 6 lakh was withdrawn from the bank account of the trust using fake cheques. The FIR was lodged late on Wednesday night.

ALSO READ | With mission Ayodhya fulfilled, seers' body now mulling movement to liberate Mathura, Kashi

The district police have set up two teams of IT cell along with local cops to probe into the matter. The police teams were scanning the CCTV footage of the SBI branch in Lucknow from where the money was transferred.

The cybercrime experts of UP Police have also alerted about the breach of the bank account.

As per the sources, the amount of Rs 6 lakh was withdrawn from the trust account in two transactions of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh each conducted through cloned cheques from Lucknow.

The incident came to light when another cheque worth Rs 9.86 lakh was submitted at a Lucknow branch of State Bank of India following which the bank contacted Trust for confirmation.

ALSO READ | Ram Mandir construction after 'Pitra Paksha', dilapidated shrines razed to pave way for temple

Ayodhya DIG Deepak Kumar said investigations are underway.

The trust account with number 39200 235 062 was opened at the Naya Ghat branch of SBI in Ayodhya. Trust general secretary Champat Rai and another trustee Dr. Anil Mishra are co-signatories of the account.

Under the first transaction, Rs 2.50 lakh was transferred to Punjab National bank through cheque no 740799 on September 1. The second transaction pertaining to Rs 3.50 lakh was also transferred to Punjab National Bank through cheque no. 740 800 on September 8.

ALSO READ | Draw global publicity plan for brand Ayodhya, develop it as solar city: CM Yogi to officials

When the swindlers tried another transaction of Rs 9.86 lakh through cheque no 740798, the bank called up trust general secretary Champat Rai informing him of the details of the cheque and asking him if the payments has to be transferred.

As per the trust sources, when Rai checked with the checkbook he had all the original cheques with the above-mentioned numbers. The police and the bank authorities inferred that the swindlers used cloned cheques to withdraw the money.
Devaraj Reddy on Thursday surrendered himself before police in the suicide case of Telugu television actor Kondapalli Sravani.

Devaraj, who is facing allegations in the case, reached SR Nagar Police Station and gave himself up.

Circle Inspector V. Narasimha Reddy said on the direction of the police, Devaraj Reddy reached Hyderabad from Kakinada and appeared before them.

The 26-year-old TV actor was found dead at her house in Madhuranagar on Tuesday night. Police said she hanged herself after her family members objected her friendship to Devaraj.

The family members, however, alleged that she took the extreme step due to harassment by Devaraj.

Based on the complaint lodged by Sravani's parents, a case under Section 306 (Abetment to suicide) of Indian Penal Code was registered against Devaraj.

However, the case took a new turn after Devaraj alleged that one Sai Krishna Reddy is responsible for Sravani's suicide. He claimed that Sravani telephoned him to complain that her family members and Sai Krishna Reddy were torturing her.

Sai Krishna Reddy, however, denied the allegations. He said he is a family friend of Sravani but he is not responsible for her suicide.

Police said they will record the statements of Devaraj and Sravani's family members.

According to police, the family members had pulled up Sravani for again moving around with Devaraj Reddy and after an argument with her mother and brother over the issue late Tuesday night she went into her room and hanged herself.

Sravani, who also hailed from Andhra Pradesh, had come to Hyderabad with family eight years ago and was working in TV serials.

She came into contact with Devaraj through TikTok few months ago and their friendship developed into love.

Devaraj Reddy was arrested on a complaint by Sravani's family members in June that he was pestering her to marry him.

Sravani's family said he was harassing her for money. They said he had threatened to post on social media her personal photographs and videos. Devaraj had agreed to delete the photographs on payment of Rs 1 lakh and they had paid the money in installments through Google Pay.

However, he allegedly continued to harass her even after receiving Rs 1 lakh and she lodged a complaint against him at SR Nagar police station on June 22.

The police, however, claimed that there was no mention of videos and photographs in the complaint.

Sravani had played roles in popular serials like "Manasu Mamatha" and "Mounaragam".
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

People who are admitted to hospital with COVID-19 can be divided into four distinct groups, according to data from the world's largest study of patients with the disease.

Researchers identified the groups using clinical information and tests carried out upon arrival at hospital to predict the patients' risk of deathranging from low to very high.

A COVID-19 risk identification toolthe most accurate to datehas been designed using the groupings to help clinical staff choose the best course of treatment for patients admitted to hospital.

The tool was built by the ISARIC Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium involving researchers from Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Imperial College London using data from some 35,000 patients admitted to hospital between February and May 2020 who met the criteria for one of the four groups.

The tool was then tested and confirmed to be accurate using data from a further 22,000 patients hospitalised from the end of May to the end of June 2020.

Some of the data used to identify which group a person falls intoand, therefore, their risk of dyingincluded age, sex, the number of pre-existing conditions, respiratory rate on admission, and the results of two blood tests.

One in every hundred patients in the low-risk group was found to be at risk of dying. It was 10 in a hundred patients in the intermediate-risk group, 31 in a hundred in the high-risk group and 62 in a hundred in the very high-risk group.

The categorisations make new treatment pathways possible, researchers say.

For example, it might be more appropriate for those who fall into the low-risk subgroup to be treated at home. In contrast, people in the high or very high risk groups could benefit from more aggressive treatment, such as the use of antivirals and early admission to critical care.

Until now there has not been an accurate risk tool for COVID-19 patients. Existing tools for pneumonia or sepsis do not offer accurate predictions due to the differences between diseases.

Previous attempts to build a risk prediction tool for COVID-19 have had limited success due to small sample sizes and lack of formal validation. One limitation of this new tool, however, is that it can only be used on hospital patients and not within the community.

The work is the latest result from ISARICa global network of clinicians and scientists who have been preparing to prevent disease and death from severe outbreaks since 2012 in readiness for a pandemic such as this. It involved 260 hospitals across England, Wales and Scotland. The ISARIC 4C study includes two thirds of all people admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

The research was funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and by the Department of Health and Social Care through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) as part of the UK Government's COVID-19 rapid research response.

The research findings are published in the BMJ.

Professor Ewen Harrison, Senior author and Professor of Surgery and Data Science at the University of Edinburgh, said: "As doctors, we want to identify groups of patients most at risk of dying from COVID-19. If we can do that at the front door of the hospital, then treatment can be better planned. This easy-to-use tool will help doctors make decisions to provide patients with the optimal care."

Dr. Antonia Ho, Co-Lead Author Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the University of Glasgow, said: "This simple tool will help doctors at the front door to make informed decisions on how to manage patients with COVID-19. On one hand, allow targeting of early treatment and admission to critical care in patients at high risk of dying, and conversely, identifying low-risk patients that may be safely managed at home."

Professor Calum Semple, Chief Investigator and Professor in Outbreak Medicine and Child Health at the University of Liverpool, said: "This winter is likely to see great pressures on our health services, with staff being redeployed to less familiar acute care areas. In these difficult circumstances the 4C mortality score is likely to be a valuable tool for supporting decisions that allowing prompt escalation of care to those most likely to benefit. The scale of success of the ISARIC 4C study is testament to the group's commitment in preparing for pandemic public health research."

Dr. Stephen Knight, Co-Lead Author and NIHR Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said: ""This accurate and simple risk identification tool, applicable across all groups within society, will help detect at risk individuals quickly on arrival to hospital. As importantly, we will be able to reassure and potentially treat at home those patients who fall within the low risk group."

Professor Fiona Watt, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, part of UKRI, said: "These results highlight the benefits of being prepared in advance of the emergence of new pandemics such as COVID-19. ISARIC is a global network of clinicians and scientists that was set up in 2012 in readiness for a pandemic such as COVID-19, and its value is evident from the findings described today."

Minister for Innovation Lord Bethell, said: "Protecting the most vulnerable from COVID-19 is a priority which is why we're supporting valuable research like this to help doctors make the best possible decisions for NHS patients, and I am delighted to see my former University leading the way on it. We look forward to seeing how this new tool can help clinicians target treatments more effectively for coronavirus patients admitted to hospital now and in the future, potentially saving countless lives."

More information: Risk stratification of patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 using the ISARIC, BMJ (2020). www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3339 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Risk stratification of patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 using the ISARIC,(2020). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m3339
LANSING  As schools embark on a new academic year, faculty, students and others face unique challenges due to COVID-19.

But Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reminding everyone that Michigans student safety program, OK2SAY, remains in operation throughout the pandemic and is still a valuable resource to help keep students safe.

OK2SAY has been a violence prevention tool for more than six years, and the Attorney Generals office today began a social media campaign to remind everyone of the programs important role in student safety.

OK2SAY gives students the ability to report concerns directly, confidentially and with the understanding that caring adults will be involved and provide help, said Nessel. Lets face it  students know, long before adults, whats occurring in their school and community because they have witnessed the behavior in-person or online. OK2SAY gives students a voice to break the code of silence by equipping authorities with the information needed to respond to threats and avert tragedy.

To minimize the spread of COVID-19, some schools are hosting classes remotely, and technology may be more heavily used by students, potentially opening the door wider to cyberbullying. Meanwhile, some students may feel more isolated from friends and classmates, which could cause feelings of anxiety or depression.

OK2SAY has received nearly 26,000 tips since the program was launched. Tips are submitted in 31 categories. The top five tip categories include: suicide threats, bullying, other (e.g., anxiety, depression, harassment, and stress), drugs and self-harm.

Update school emergency contact information

Additionally, Attorney General Nessel and Michigan State Police Col. Joseph Gasper remind Michigan principals to fill out or update the online OK2SAY School Contact Form per Public Act 670 of 2018. This emergency after-hours contact information will allow OK2SAY technicians to efficiently communicate with school personnel about potential harm or criminal activities directed at school students, school employees and schools.

How To Submit a Tip

Tips can be submitted the following ways:

Call: 8-555-OK2SAY, 855-565-2729

Text: 652729 (OK2SAY)

Email OK2SAY

Visit the OK2SAY website.

OK2SAY Mobile App: Available for download in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for iOS and Android mobile devices.

Michigans OK2SAY program will be promoted online at the Attorney Generals Twitter account, Facebook page and Instagram account.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Laura caused significant damage at a site holding about 30% of the nations store of emergency crude oil, but three other sites still have plenty of petroleum, U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said Wednesday.

The damaged Strategic Petroleum Reserve site in West Hackberry, Louisiana, holds nearly 8.2 billion gallons (31 billion liters) of crude oil in 21 huge caverns deep underground. Brouillette did not specify the exact nature of the damage or say how much it would cost to fix it, but said he planned to tour it later Wednesday.

More than any worries about damage to the federal repository, My concern is with the people who work at that site because so many homes were damaged and destroyed, Brouillette said during a livestreamed news conference with Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Restoring power is our top concern right now, Edwards said. He noted that 90% of Calcasieu Parish, the most populous parish in the southwest Louisiana area where the storm slammed ashore, remains without power.

Brouillette also said that because the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced demand for oil and gas so much, there is no shortage of gasoline, jet fuel and other refined products, even though two large refineries in the Lake Charles area havent been able to reopen since the hurricane.

Citgo and Phillips 66 have large refineries in the area; a third, run by Calcasieu Refining, is much smaller.

Edwards and Brouillette spoke after a closed roundtable discussion with the owners of the large Lake Charles refineries and officials from the Port of Lake Charles, utility companies and three state agencies.

Edwards said that one of those refineries shut down for the second time in 76 years. But because they shut down the way they did, they did not suffer catastrophic damage, he said.

Brouillette said some refineries expect to resume operation as soon as power has returned.

We are still weeks away from total restoration, Edwards said.

He said the big problem is that Laura damaged or destroyed 1,000 or more power transmission towers. These are very, very difficult things to replace, he said.

Story continues

He said Brouillette signed an emergency order letting Louisiana use some power generated in Texas, kind of like an extension cord.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was created after the 1973 energy crisis. Two sites in Louisiana and two in Texas currently hold about 27.2 billion gallons (103 billion liters) of crude. The oil is held in caverns hollowed out of salt domes  mountainous salt deposits that are almost entirely underground.

The four sites include a total of 70 such caverns. Together, they can hold nearly 30 billion gallons (113.6 billion liters) of oil.
The issues identified by the OIG are minor, mostly aesthetic issues, commonly found throughout the Metro system and easily remedied, said Keith Couch, project director for CRC. The project does not pose any safety concerns, nor does it pose any long-term maintenance issues outside of the ordinary for the Metro system. We have already completed repair of many of the issues that are identified. Any additional remedies required will be completed without schedule delays.
Donald Trump has weighed in on New York City's indoor dining plans and slammed New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as 'one of the WORST governors in the USA' in the latest spat between the two leaders.

Cuomo said Wednesday that restaurants in the Big Apple can welcome diners back indoors from September 30 at 25 percent capacity and with 'strict restrictions' in place to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak.

His announcement came just 24 hours after the Democrat governor said it couldn't be done because it would double the number of bars currently open and the city does not have the resources to enforce social distancing standards.

Restaurants have been urging Cuomo to reopen indoor dining in the city, with several businesses going under and the clock ticking on outdoor dining as the fall weather trickles in.

However, the governor has been cautious about restaurants reopening their doors after cases spiked in many southern states following such moves and as health experts warn indoor settings are riskier than outdoors.

Donald Trump has weighed in on New York City's indoor dining plans and slammed New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as 'one of the WORST governors in the USA' in the latest spat between the two leaders

Trump welcomed NYC's indoor dining plans but called for the city's reopening to be 'faster'

Trump waded in on the matter Thursday - one day after Cuomo announced the plans - welcoming the move but calling for the city's reopening to be 'faster'.

'New York City indoor dining to reopen on September 30, at 25% capacity. A step in the right direction, but should go faster!' the president tweeted.

He then launched into a series of Twitter attacks on the governor, saying he has 'lost control' and calling him 'one of the worst'.

Trump retweeted a post sharing a DailyMail.com article about swathes of Americans moving from cities such as New York and Connecticut to Florida.

'Governor Cuomo has completely lost control. Sad!' Trump wrote.

Moments later he retweeted a tweet from former congressman and Trump ally Newt Gingrich which hit out at Cuomo over New York City's crime wave and his plan to have state police enforce social distancing in reopened restaurants.

'Shootings in new york city are up 166% over last yesr so Governor Cuomo wants 4,000 police assigned to checking restaurants for covid enforcement. Is he just deranged or so arrogant no one can talk sense to him?' wrote Gingrich.

Trump retweeted Gingrich's post and blasted Cuomo over the COVID-19 nursing home deaths and raged that he didn't praise the president for doing 'a phenomenal job.'

'One of the WORST governors in the USA,' Trump fumed.

'Caused 11,000 deaths in nursing homes alone due to his bad moves and incompetence. At least he said I did a phenomenal job. But he didnt!!!'

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday that indoor dining can resume in New York City from September 30 at 25 percent capacity

Trump also made a series of Twitter attacks on the governor, saying he has 'lost control' and calling him 'one of the worst'

Cuomo said Wednesday indoor dining can resume in the Big Apple at the end of September so long as 'strict restrictions', including that restaurants have to close by midnight, are in place.

All diners must have their temperatures checked at the door and one member of each party has to provide contact information for tracing should there be a COVID-19 outbreak originating from a restaurant.

There can also be no service at the bar.

Cuomo said the city would contribute 400 personnel to an existing task force made up of the State Liquor Authority and state police to ensure compliance with the rules.

Cuomo said that if infections rates were still low by November 1, he would reassess if NYC restaurants could open at 50 percent.

The infection rate in New York City has been less than one percent for a month.

Cuomo said the state would establish a whistleblowing system whereby New Yorkers can report restaurants not in compliance.

'New Yorkers themselves will help with compliance,' Cuomo said. 'New Yorkers will keep new Yorkers safe.'

The city's outdoor dining scheme is due to expire in October. It is not yet clear if that will be extended.

In a statement New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio acknowledged that dining at 25 percent capacity will not mark a full return to normal but characterized it as a starting point and a way to lift the city's economy.

Cuomo said indoor dining could reopen end September with 'strict restrictions', including that restaurants have to close by midnight

'We are continuing New York City's economic recovery by bringing back indoor dining,' de Blasio said.

'This may not look like the indoor dining that we all know and love, but it is progress for restaurant workers and all New Yorkers.'

The abrupt announcement marked a backpedaling for Cuomo, coming just one day after he insisted indoor dining could not resume unless the city - i.e. de Blasio - came up with a unique task force to enforce the rules.

'We have seen that opening bars has created a compliance and enforcement nightmare,' Cuomo said.

'From our experience Upstate, opening indoor dining caused issues. I beseeched the local governments to help and they did not.

'I would need additional enforcement capacity. It could be a local police department or it could be local health inspectors.'

Prior to Wednesday's announcement, New York City was the only place in the state of New York that had not been allowed to welcome diners inside again.

Cuomo and de Blasio halted a plan to reopen indoor dining in the city two months ago as cases and deaths surged in states such as Texas and Florida where officials rushed to reopen their economies.

Restaurant and bar owners in NYC have been crying out for months now for some form of break.

A conglomerate of bar and restaurant owners had recently filed a lawsuit against the state for $2billion in damages, claiming they were being unfairly shackled and stopped from making money due to the lack of indoor dining.

A New York State Restaurant Survey on September 3 revealed that a staggering 64 percent of restaurants said they would not be able to stay open if indoor dining wasn't allowed soon.
A beloved mother and owner of a high-profile music venue in New Zealand has died after a gruelling battle with cancer.

Gabrielle Mullins, 61, was diagnosed with stage four cancer in her lungs, brain and other areas around her body in March before the country was placed into lockdown.

The mother-of-one was due to undergo experimental treatment but tragically died on August 27 surrounded by loved ones.

Ms Mullins has since been remembered as a 'force of nature' who fought her illness to the end.

Gabrielle Mullins (pictured) has died after a gruelling battle with stage four cancer

The 61-year-old had ran the gig venue, Powerstation, along with her partner Peter Campbell in Auckland since 2009.

The venue had welcomed the likes of international stars like Lorde and Kendrick Lamar, and had been voted Best Large Music Venue in New Zealand in 2014.

A GiveALittle fundraiser had been set up to raise money so Ms Mullins could undergo the highly expensive Keytruda treatment.

Keytruda, which is unfunded by the government, is an immunotherapy treatment which helps the immune system detect and fight cancer cells.

The treatment however, can also affect normal healthy organs affecting the way they work and can lead to life-threatening side effects in severe cases.

More than $16,000 was raised for Ms Mullins to undergo the treatment before she passed away.

On top of her diagnosis, the coronavirus pandemic effectively forced Powerstation to close.

A fundraiser had been set up to raise money so Ms Mullins (pictured) could receive experimental treatment for her cancer

A close friend, Carmel Bennett, said the cancer had come on aggressively.

'She fought the hell out of it, she truly was a force of nature,' Ms Bennett told Stuff.

'She was just so passionate about the Powerstation and about life in general. Everything was detailed.'

When speaking about her daughter Coco, partner and two dogs, Ms Bennett said 'they were the loves of her life'.

Another 'heartbroken' friend, Lizzie Garneau who started the fundraiser, said Ms Mullins would be forever missed.

'I am so grateful to have found my soul sister here,' she wrote.

The mother has been remembered as a 'force of nature' in moving tributes given by friends and family

'And what a sister, Gabrielles amazing spirit, compassion, energy and wisdom has imbued me with resilience through all of our lives and I can feel her around me right now - to soothe understand laugh love encourage and know that everything will be ok.

'Gabrielle is a true icon, a woman of incomparable spirit music style grace generosity wit sparkle. For ever and ever missed.'

Powerstation also paid tribute to the 'heart and soul' of the venue.

'The many people who have had the privilege of knowing this formidable, caring and beautiful woman will know that without Gabrielle, The Powerstation would not exist today,' the group wrote on Facebook.

'Gabrielle had a truly generous spirit and an infectious, irrepressible energy. Her shining, sparkly legacy can be seen and felt through every part of our venue, and our lives  from the incomparably electric atmosphere, to the artwork, adornments and smallest touches that she created with such love and care that make our space so special to us all.'

A funeral was held for the Ms Mullins on September 4.
The man accused of barricading himself for about six hours inside a home in the 8800 block of Shalom Circle appeared in federal court on Wednesday.

An arrest affidavit filed on Tuesday charged Isaiah Delgado, 38, with felon in possession of a firearm. Delgado remains in federal custody pending a preliminary examination and detention hearing set for Sept. 16 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos.

The case unfolded on Sept. 3, when a woman called Laredo police at about 5:35 p.m. regarding a male who was banging at a door at Oasis Apartments on 8915 McPherson Road. Authorities would identify the male as Delgado. He was allegedly holding a gun while banging on the door. The woman stated that she did not know the suspect.

Moments later, police received another call regarding the incident. The caller stated that he had observed Delgado racking a gun and banging on a door. Authorities also learned from a third person that Delgado pointed a gun at her as she drove off from her residence. Delgado allegedly yelled Hey as she drove away, according to court documents.

Responding LPD officers spotted Delgado driving a Jeep Cherokee in the 1200 block of Shiloh Drive.

Police attempted to pull over the vehicle, but Delgado refused to stop and drove into a cul-de-sac in the 8800 block of Shalom Circle. Delgado turned the Jeep around and drove back in the other direction.

Delgado then exited the Jeep and went inside a residence on Shalom Circle, where he barricaded himself. Police said they located a firearm in the cul-de-sac on Shalom Circle, where Delgado had turned around in the Jeep.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the intersection of Shalom Circle and Shiloh Drive to assist Laredo police with a barricaded armed felon. ATF special agents identified the recovered firearm as a 9mm Smith & Wesson.

LPD SWAT team arrived at the scene after Delgado had barricaded himself. Negotiators arrived and made contact with Delgado. He first identified himself as Dennis. Authorities would identify Delgado through his mother. A six-hour standoff followed.

LPD then executed a search and arrest warrants with the assistance of the SWAT team. Delgado surrendered immediately after authorities raided the home. A search of his Jeep yielded an empty 9mm magazine on top of the front passenger seat, according to the affidavit.

Special agents said Delgado has three felony convictions. The following two convictions were sentenced concurrently: Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with two years in prison and aggravated robbery with 15 years in prison. Both are from Houston.

Following the standoff, LPD charged Delgado with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief evading arrest with a vehicle, evading arrest and failure to identify fugitive with intent to give false information.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said Delgado had an active absconder warrant that was issued on June 21, 2018.
Rafale Jets induction ceremony India LIVE Updates: Congratulating the Armed Forces and the countrymen on the formal induction of Rafale in the Indian Air Force (IAF), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that it sends a big and bold message to those who are eyeing our sovereignty.

Its induction today is a big and bold message to the whole world, especially to those who are eyeing our sovereignty. This induction is especially important because of the existing situation at our borders, which if I put in simple words has been created in the last few days. We fully understand that with the changing times we will also have to keep preparing ourselves, the Defence Minister said.

He also asserted that with Rafales induction the IAFs capabilities will be revolutionalised with the technological edge and said that it marked strengthening of India-France relations.

Haryana: Water cannon salute given to the five Rafale fighter aircraft at Ambala airbase pic.twitter.com/EeOO3rSbNf  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

Also read: Donald Trump nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

Also read: French Defense Minister to visit India for induction ceremony of Rafale fighter jets

Rafales induction in the Air Force is an important and historical moment and it is a matter of pride for us to be witness to this moment. I congratulate the Armed Forces, and all countrymen on this occasion. The induction of Rafale in IAFs fleet shows the strong relations between India and France. India and France have been economic, cultural and strategic partners since long. Our faith in strong democracy and a wish for world peace are the basis of our relation, Singh said at the induction ceremony being held at the IAF airbase in Ambala.

The Defence Minister recounted the feats achieved by the IAF using earlier French fighter aircraft during the war with Pakistan in 1965, and then again during the 1999 Kargil war. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his far-sightedness which has resulted in India getting the aircraft within the right time.

Singh further said that Indias responsibility was not limited to just its territorial boundaries but to the whole of Indo-Pacific region and Indian Ocean Region as a responsible nation, and it was committed to maintaining world peace and cooperating with the international community.

I am pleased to say that India and France have the same perspective on this regions security concerns, under which we are cooperating with each other to deal with common challenges like maritime traffic security and piracy. We also have common views on UN Security Councils fight against expansion and terrorism. Shakti, Varuna and Garuda series of exercises, shows our efforts against non-state actors by our armed forces, Singh said.

He added that the two countries also had partnerships in Defence Cooperation in other areas, mentioning the building of six Scorpene-class submarines in Mazagaon docks, under technology transfer, under implementation.

The Defence Minister also invited French Defence Industries to invest in the Indian defence sector, and spoke about manufacturing defence-equipments under the strategic-partnership model, through the automatic route with 74 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

I have full faith that French Defence Industries will take benefit of this and France will be a partner in our journey of indigenisation. Scorpene and Rafales experience will definitely give speed to increase our defence partnership. Our relations have reached a new level of cooperation. I hope that the MoUs signed between our countries will boost the economies of both the nations, and will set up and a complete eco-system of aerospace MSMEs in India, he said.

Earlier, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria had also spoken at the Rafales induction ceremony.

Water cannon salute was given to the five Rafale aircraft at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base, Ambala during the induction ceremony on Thursday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly also witnessed the traditional Sarva Dharma Puja at the Rafale induction ceremony.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, among other senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, were also present to mark a very important milestone in the history of the IAF.

Also read: Covid-19 Vaccine: AstraZeneca says trial paused due to unexplained sickness of participant
Some thugs suspected to belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) clashed violently on Wednesday evening.

The clash which occurred at the Alade Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area of the state led to the death of one person.

The deceased simply identified as Taiye was said to have put on a branded fez cap of the ZLP.

Sources, who pleaded not to be named while speaking with PREMIUM TIMES for security reasons on Thursday, said the thugs engaged in physical combat with cutlasses.

Mr Taiye was hacked to death, this newspaper learned.

The thugs were wearing APC and ZLP branded clothes. The guy who was macheted was putting on a ZLP cap. Others from different camps also sustained severe injuries, a source told this newspaper.

Our correspondent gathered that the body of the deceased was later taken to a morgue at the General Hospital, Alade Idanre.

The incident was confirmed to this newspaper by the state police command spokesperson, Tee-Leo Ikoro, in an interview on Thursday.

Some political boys had clash yesterday and it led to the death of one person, he told our correspondent.

Mr Ikoro said the force had launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the death and also ensure that perpetrators face the law.

Parties trade blames

Residents literally shut down the town on Thursday in protest of the killing.

The publicity secretary of ZLP, Olatunde Felix, said information gathered by the party indicated that Mr Taye was attacked by the APC thugs for daring to put on the ZLP fez cap in the area.

They attacked him and beat him to death because they saw him wearing a face cap with the ZLP logo, said Mr Felix.

The APC have signed up for violence especially with the statement by a chieftain of the party, Kekemeke, who vowed to unleash violence in the coming election.

We will not sit back and allow our members to be killed like fouls, even though we do not subscribe to violence.

We are going to follow this up to its logical conclusion to ensure that those involved are punished.

However, the APC denied that its supporters actually carried out the killing.

Alex Kalejaiye, the publicity secretary of the party, said it was the ZLP supporters who chased away APC members who arrived the area to place Gov Akeredolus posters in the area.

After chasing away the APC supporters some sympathisers got involved and the violence erupted, he said.

It is unfortunate that somebody died in the process and our hearts go out to the family of the victim.

But we must state that the ZLP are known for violence and they were the assailants. It is not true that the APC supporters killed the man.

Mr Kalejaiye called on security agencies to immediately investigate the matter and unravel those behind the killing in order to bring them to justice.

Ademehintoye Claudus, the Chairman of the ZLP in Idanre, who confirmed the incident, alleged that the thugs who killed Mr Taye were sponsored by the chieftains of the APC who had been attacking members of the opposition parties in the Idanre community.

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Taye was killed by the APC thugs yesterday because he was canvassing support for the ZLP being a member of our party, he said.

And what happened has also confirmed that the APC is calling for war in this election because they have been attacking us unchallenged.

In fact, the party has broken the peace accord reached at the palace of the Monarch of Idanre with other political parties ahead of this contest.

Although, we have appealed to our members and supporters to remain calm even in the face of this provocation and asked them not to take laws into their own hands.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the state Police Command, Teo-Leo Ikoro, said a detachment of Policemen had been sent to the town to maintain law and order.

Investigation in the incident has commenced with intention to arrest culprits involved in the incident.

Concerns

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had expressed worry that the October 10 governorship election in the state may be marred with violence.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there are 17 political parties with candidates contesting for the governorship seat.

The major candidates are Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC, Agboola Ajayi, of the ZLP and Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Kim Kardashian shared three sultry photos to Instagram on Thursday where she was in her underthings.

The 39-year-old Mrs Kanye West looked every inch the Hollywood pinup as she modeled SKIMS to celebrate the one year anniversary of the brand.

'The SKIMS Special Anniversary Drop!' the mother-of-four said in her caption, adding there were four new shapewear styles, a new color, and 'a restock of our classic styles.'

Hot look: Kim Kardashian shared three sultry photos to Instagram on Thursday where she was in her underthings

She puts the KIM in SKIMS: The 39-year-old Mrs Kanye West looked every inch the Hollywood pinup as she modeled SKIMS to celebrate the one year anniversary of the brand

The siren added that the items provide 'comfortable and smoothing support.'

She also said in a video that it was very exciting to be at her one year anniversary and she was proud to introduce a new marble color.

This comes after the shocking news that her series Keeping Up With The Kardashians will end in 2021 with season 20.

The iconic reality TV series has followed the lives of the Kardashian-Jenner family - including sisters Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe Kardashian, half sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, brother Rob Kardashian, and mother Kris Jenner - for 20 seasons aired over the past 14 years.

Kim announced the news on her Instagram account, where she wrote in a statement: 'It is with heavy hearts that we've made the difficult decision as a family to say goodbye to Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

The plug: 'The SKIMS Special Anniversary Drop!' the mother-of-four said in her caption, adding there were four new shapewear styles, a new color, and 'a restock of our classic styles'

'After what will be 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of episodes and numerous spin-off shows, we are beyond grateful to all of you who've watched us for all of these years  through the good times, the bad times, the happiness, the tears, and the many relationships and children. We'll forever cherish the wonderful memories and countless people we've met along the way.'

Kim went on to thank everyone who has been a part of the E! reality show over the years, and credited the series with 'changing [her] life forever'.

She added: 'Thank you to the thousands of individuals and businesses that have been a part of this experience and, most importantly, a very special thank you to Ryan Seacrest for believing in us, E! for being our partner, and our production team at Bunim/Murray, who've spent countless hours documenting our lives.

And she made a new video as well: The star is seen here at home as she introduced the marble color for SKIMS

'Our last season will air early next year in 2021. Without Keeping Up with The Kardashians, I wouldn't be where I am today. I am so incredibly grateful to everyone who has watched and supported me and my family these past 14 incredible years. This show made us who we are and I will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever.'

Since finding fame on the show, each of the Kardashian-Jenner clan have gone on to forge their own careers in the fashion and business worlds, whilst each of the siblings - excluding Kendall - now have families of their own.

It has also been said that Khloe 'hasn't stopped crying' over the end of the show.

She is hot for her new line: In this image the cover girl is seen drinking a beverage as she said she is 'excited' for her shapewear

The Good American founder who has taken the change hardest.

Kris said: 'We had to tell the crew yesterday, so we were all crying. But I think Khloe...is probably the one who is taking it the hardest and really hasn't stopped crying since we announced. She's been so sweet and just emotional about it.'

Kris admitted it has been a 'hard' decision to make, but she felt it was the 'right time' to end the show.

DONE: This comes after the shocking news that her series Keeping Up With The Kardashians will end in 2014 with season 20

Speaking to creator and executive producer Ryan Seacrest on his radio show, she said: 'I think the number 20, well it used to sound good until 2020, but the number 20, it just seemed like the right time.

'I think for us to take a minute and breathe and everybody slow down a bit. Not slow down professionally, but just you know figure out what our next steps are.

'We've had such an amazing run and so grateful for every single moment and everyone we work with.'

Another new product: Also on Thursday Kim was seen in a fresh image for KKW Fragrance

She is in an emerald state of mind: The pinup from Calabasas said she loves creating new fragrances with floral notes

But the 64-year-old momager admitted she and her family are still processing the change. Asked if it has sunk in yet, she admitted it 'really hasn't'.

She added: 'It's funny, when we talked yesterday, I kinda had my wits about me and I thought I was really strong. And, you know, this is the right decision.

'Today I wake up and I was thinking about the first time you and I ever did an interview on the air, and I was so excited and so nervous.

'I woke up and was in the gym at 5 o'clock with Khloe and Kim and we just kind of sat there and looked at each other and said, 'Whoa, what a ride.' It was quite the morning.'
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Linkedin A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020

An ongoing report by environmental groups suggests that the banking and financial services sector should be liable for deforestation, as they continue to provide services to clients driving massive fires that raze swathes of land and tropical forest cover in countries like Indonesia.

According to forestsandfinance.org, a website run by multiple civil society groups from around the world, nearly US$154 billion in credit lines and loans were granted between 2016 and April 2020 by banks to companies that are prone to driving deforestation and land degradation.

Among the creditors named are three Indonesian state-owned banks  Bank Mandiri, Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) and Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI)  which, together, provided more than $8 billion in loans and underwriting, according to Forests and Finance.

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Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, who took a forefront role in the Baker administrations response to COVID-19 in the commonwealth, is on medical leave.

The Department of Public Health confirmed Thursday morning that she is on leave and said it is unrelated to COVID-19. She is expected to return to work in early October.

All of us wish Commissioner Bharel a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming her back to the Department, said Secretary of Health & Human Services Marylou Sudders. In the interim, I have every confidence in Acting Commissioner Cookes ability to provide the executive leadership for the Department during this time.

Margret Cooke, general council for DPH, will serve as acting commissioner in her absence. She joined the department five years ago, previously serving as deputy bureau chief in the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau in the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office.

Bharel tested positive for COVID in late March, one of the first 4,000 confirmed cases in the state. She was cleared to return to work four weeks later.

As a medical doctor and as the states chief medical doctor, it was my duty and my job to learn everything I could and understand COVID-19, and I didnt expect to have it myself, she said in an interview with MassLive. As I was experiencing all the symptoms I read about, I was learning firsthand what it felt like, how intense the muscle aches could be, how the eye pain could keep you up all night, what it means to try to eat when youve lost your sense of smell.
The pause on AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trials in India as well as other countries has shown that this vaccine can't be developed in haste, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson and MD, Biocon, has said. She added that the actual safer vaccine may be looked at for approval only in March or April next year.

"This is the reality check that everyone has been talking about in the medical and scientific world. People need to understand that vaccine trials have to be carefully conducted and every serious adverse has to be investigated while the trial is going on because this is actually being inoculated on healthy people. So, that is why we have to be very careful," Shaw told The Economic Times.

On Wednesday, AstraZeneca announced that it had "voluntarily paused" a randomised clinical trial of its coronavirus vaccine in what it called a routine action after a volunteer developed an "unexplained" illness. The company, which has partnered with the University of Oxford for the vaccine, is a frontrunner in the global race for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Also read: Don't panic! Oxford coronavirus vaccine trials halted not cancelled

"As part of the ongoing randomised, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee," an AstraZeneca spokesperson said.

In India, Serum Institute of India, one of the partners of University of Oxford, also decided to pause the trials being conducted across 17 sites till AstraZeneca restarts the trial process.

Also read: Serum pauses India COVID-19 vaccine trials till further instructions from DCGI

Following a show-cause notice from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Wednesday, the Serum Institute of India said it is following the DCGI's instructions on this. "We are following DCGI's instructions...we are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials till AstraZeneca restarts the trials," it said.

Director-General of Health Services notice pulled the SII for not informing the central licencing authority regarding pausing of clinical trial by AstraZeneca. Meanwhile, Biocon in July had also received the DGCI approval to market Itolizumab injection solution for curing cytokine release syndrome in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome patients, which is triggered by coronavirus.

Also read: Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw tests positive for coronavirus
In a major boost for the Indian Air Force (IAF), five high-profile Rafale fighter aircraft were formally inducted into the IAF's famous 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows', at the Ambala airbase in Haryana on Thursday (September 10).

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Florence Parly were the chief guests for the event, which was also attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and several other senior officers of Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces.

The first batch of five incoming Rafale fighter jets landed at the Ambala Air Force base around 3.14 PM on July 29, 2020, amid a ceremonial welcome and unprecedented security. The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft.

Nearly four years ago, India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

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Of the 36 jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. The IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgrades at the Ambala base for the deployment of the first Rafale squadron.

Built in 1948, the airbase is located on the east side of Ambala and is used for military and government flights. The airbase has two squadrons of the Jaguar combat aircraft and one squadron of the MIG-21 'Bison'. Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh was the first commander of the base.

The Rafale aircraft will give India a strategic advantage in case of any aerial combat with China in the mountainous Tibet region as the fleet will be able to use the terrain to its advantage, destroy enemy air defence and incapacitate the surface-to-air missiles, former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal (retd) BS Dhanoa had said to news agency PTI in August.

Dhanoa, known as the architect of the Balakot strikes, had said the Rafale jets along with S-400 missile systems will give the Indian Air Force a major combat edge in the entire region and that India's adversaries will think twice before starting a war with it.
He recently confirmed his relationship with stunning Byron Bay waitress Vanessa Valladares.

And Hollywood stud Zac Efron looked very happy while out shopping in the NSW coastal town, on Wednesday.

The Baywatch star beamed as he stocked up on items from local clothing brand Afends at their HQ store and cafe.

Like the cat who got the cream! Zac Efron beamed during a solo shopping trip in Byron Bay on Monday after confirming his relationship with stunning waitress Vanessa Valladares

The High School Musical hunk dressed low-key for his solo shopping trip, showing off his buff body in a black T-shirt teamed khaki trousers.

Zac was high spirits as he browsed the racks in the store and chatted to staff.

At one point he seemed to be having an animated conversation with one of the staff members.

Happy: The Baywatch star beamed as he stocked up on items from local clothing brand Afends at their HQ store and cafe

Friendly: Zac was high spirits as he browsed the racks in the store and chatted to staff

The employee looked to be at ease and not at all starstruck as he chatted with the Hollywood star.

Zac's trip to the clothing store comes after he recently confirmed his relationship with Byron Bay local Vanessa, when they were spotted holding hands at The Farm, a popular eatery in the area.

Who have reported that Zac was introduced to his girlfriend, 25, through her boss at the cafe where she worked as a waitress.

Approachable: The employee looked to be at ease and not at all starstruck as he chatted with the Hollywood star

Handsome: The High School Musical hunk dressed low-key for his solo shopping trip, showing off his buff body in a black T-shirt teamed khaki trousers

Confirmation: Zac's trip to the clothing store comes after he recently confirmed his relationship with Byron Bay local Vanessa, when they were spotted holding hands at The Farm, a popular eatery in the area

Vanessa was working at the Byron Bay General Store cafe and the Light Years restaurant when she met the High School Musical hunk in July.

'They were introduced by her boss,' a source told the publication. 'Lucky girl!'

Meanwhile, another source told People the couple 'are having fun' at the moment, but they're not ruling out the possibility of a serious relationship.

'Zac met Ness earlier in the summer,' the insider said.

They added: 'You can tell that they are having fun. She spends a lot of time at this house.'

The new couple's romance seems to be going from strength to strength after they recently returned from a romantic ski trip to Australia's Thredbo village.
PATNA: Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigned from the party on a bitter note on Thursday, more than two months after quitting as its national vice president, stoking speculation that he could join the ruling Janata Dal ( United) ahead of upcoming assembly polls in Bihar.

Singh, 74, sent a handwritten resignation letter addressed to RJD chief Lalu Prasad. The veteran socialist leader is undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit unit of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for some recent ailments. Copies of the letter were distributed to media outlets by his aides. Attempts to reach him on the phone through his close aides in Delhi were unsuccessful.

 Yes, Raghuvansh ji has resigned from the RJD. It is confirmed , said Ashok Singh, an aide to the former member of Parliament.

Hours after Singh quit the party, RJD chief Lalu Prasad responded in a statement issued by the party. One letter written by you is circulating in the media. I cannot believe it. Me, my family and the RJD family want to see you recover soon. We will talk after you recover. You are not going anywhere. Just mind it, Yadav said.

The RJD chief s statement underlines how the RJD is still making last ditch attempts to mollify Singh and keep him in the party.

RJD state spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwary declined to comment on Singhs exit.

In his letter, Singh expressed his pain over leaving the party, underlining his socialist background, loyalty to and long association with the RJD chief.  I have stood solidly behind you for 32 years after the death of Jannayak Karpoori Thakur. But not anymore. I have received lots of affection from the party, supporters and people. Forgive me, he wrote.

The exit of Singh is seen as a setback for the RJD, which has been trying to patch up with the five- term Vaishali MP and prominent Rajput face after he opposed the imminent induction of another former MP, Rama Singh. Rama Singh also is a strong Rajput leader from Vaishali.

Singh, who held the rural development ministry in the first term of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, steering its flagship rural jobs guarantee scheme, has been upset with the RJD leadership for many reasons, including the denial of a Rajya Sabha berth after he lost the 2014 and 2019 parliamentary polls.

The appointment of another Rajput leader and former MP, Jagdanand Singh, as RJDs state president last year did not go down well with Singh, who also opposed the RJDs decision to project of leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Lalu Prasads son, as the CM face.

People familiar with the situation in RJD said the veteran socialists decision to quit the party has much to do with the likely induction of Rama Singh in the coming days;he may have realised that staying put in the party could undermine his stature in his own home turf and in the party hierarchy, the people said, requesting anonymity.

Singhs decision to exit from the RJD triggered speculation about his next course of action. The political grapevine is abuzz that he may join the JD(U) and could be offered a Rajya Sabha berth or made a member of the legislative council from the governors quota in the coming days. There is also speculation that Singh could be made chairman of the Bihar legislative council. Awadhesh Narain Singh is acting chairman of the council.

The possibility of Singh joining the National Democratic Alliance was evident from the reactions of JD(U) and its partner in the Bihar government, the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP).

Senior JD(U) leader and MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lallan Singh, said:  RJD could not give respect to one of the prominent socialist leaders of Bihar though the party talks big about protecting the dignity of masses. I salute Singh for leaving the RJD, which is stuck in the quagmire of arrogance and corruption, he said.

BJPs state spokesperson Nikhil Anand said Singh was a very respected leader of the state but had been insulted by the RJD.  Singh commands respect across all parties. But the veteran socialist was insulted by the RJD, which used him for long and then dumped him.

D M Diwakar, a political observer and former director of the A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies in Patna, said the veteran socialist was unlikely to leave the RJD, noting that his resignation had not been accepted and Lalu Prasad had made a fervent appeal to his old-time colleague to stay in the party.

I still feel Raghuvansh would go nowhere and stay in the RJD. This I say because Raghuvansh has played principled politics all his life and raised issues, no matter if it has offended the partys top leaders. He is not one who believes in opportunistic politics and there is no party which is free from certain shortcomings or faults, Diwakar said.

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Photo taken on May 18, 2020 shows a logo in front of AstraZeneca's building in Luton, Britain. AstraZeneca, which is developing a possible vaccine against COVID-19 in partnership with the University of Oxford, on Wednesday put on hold the phase-3 trial of its vaccine following an unexplained illness in one trial participant in Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

LISBON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Wednesday said it's "bad news" that British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca decided to suspend trials of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, local media reported.

AstraZeneca, which is developing a possible vaccine against COVID-19 in partnership with the University of Oxford, on Wednesday put on hold the phase-3 trial of its vaccine following an unexplained illness in one trial participant in Britain.

"Last week, there was enormous optimism that the process of advancing vaccines was fast. Today, we all wake up with bad news that at least one vaccine process had to be suspended. It is an uncertain factor," Antonio Costa told reporters during a visit to the Contemporary Textile Art Biennial in north Portugal.

"We don't know -- nobody knows -- when the pandemic ends, but we know that until there is a vaccine, it will not disappear," the prime minister was quoted by Portuguese Lusa news agency as saying.

At a virtual briefing on Aug. 6, Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Program, said that six COVID-19 vaccine candidates had entered phase-3 trials.

Of the six vaccine candidates, three are from China -- made by Sinovac, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products/Sinopharm, and Beijing Institute of Biological Products/Sinopharm, said Ryan.

The other three are made by the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna/NIAID, and BioNTech/Fosun Pharma/Pfizer, he added. Enditem
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies during a House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Feb. 28, 2020. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Pompeo Criticizes Chinas Hypocrisy in Choosing to Reject US Ambassadors Op-ed

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called out Beijings hypocrisy in a statement reacting to a Chinese media outlets decision to refuse publishing an op-ed drafted by the U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad.

Pompeo said the outlet, the Chinese Communist Partys official mouthpiece, Peoples Daily, cited a litany of grievances while explaining its rationale for rejecting Branstads op-ed in a letter addressed to the U.S. Embassy in China.

The Peoples Dailys response once again exposes the Chinese Communist Partys fear of free speech and serious intellectual debateas well as Beijings hypocrisy when it complains about lack of fair and reciprocal treatment in other countries, stated Pompeo in a statement on Sept. 9.

The Chinese Communist Party complains about a lack of fair and reciprocal treatment with the U.S. At the same time the CCP refused to run Ambassador Branstads op-ed in the Peoples Daily, while their ambassador is free to publish in any U.S. media outlet.  Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 10, 2020

Pompeo pointed out that in contrast, Chinas Ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, has given exclusive interviews to, and published five op-eds on, prominent U.S. news outlets, such as Washington Post, CNN, and CBS, this year.

Branstads proposed op-ed, titled Resetting the Relationship Based on Reciprocity, noted that the Chinese regime has exploited the United States open society, while preventing U.S. officials, including Branstad himself, from engaging freely with the Chinese people. Beijing also recently placed restrictions on U.S. journalists reporting in China.

For example, he wrote, Chinese companies listed on the U.S. stock exchanges have refused to submit to U.S. auditing rules that all other companies must follow. A small number of Chinese students and researchers have also stolen American intellectual property to benefit Beijing, while either studying or working at U.S. schools, companies, or research institutes.

Branstad also addressed a Chinese propaganda talking pointthat the United States was trying to contain Chinas risesaying that such a claim was categorically false.

For example, at our universities, we continue to welcome the vast majority of Chinese students, but we have taken action to deny visas to those who illegally acquire U.S. intellectual property and research results.

On Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson said that the U.S. government revoked more than 1,000 visas of Chinese nationals over their ties to the Chinese military. The U.S. Department of Justice also recently prosecuted several Chinese researchers who concealed their ties to the Chinese military when obtaining their non-immigration visas.

The root cause of the current tensions in the relationship is Chinas longstanding strategy of only selectively coupling with the United States and systematically controlling the access of Americans to Chinese society, Branstad said.

Branstad ended his op-ed by calling on Beijing to address U.S. concerns about the imbalance in the relationship, and allow people in both countries to build relationships through unrestricted engagement and uncensored discussion.

In a letter addressed to the spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy in China, Peoples Daily rejected Branstads proposed op-ed, accusing it of being full of loopholes and seriously inconsistent with facts. It said publishing the article would be akin to doing propaganda for the United States.

In an apparent suggestion of tit-for-tat retaliation, Peoples Daily listed examples of how Chinese media institutes were subject to U.S. suppression, such as by designating them as foreign missions.

Earlier this year, the State Department named nine Chinese media outlets, including CCTV, CGTN, and Peoples Daily, as foreign missions, identifying them as propaganda organs of the CCP. These media are required to register their employees and U.S. properties with the State Department.

However, the designation does not stop these Chinese media outlets from continuing to operate in the United States.

In his statement, Pompeo called on Beijing to allow Western diplomats to speak directly to the Chinese people. Additionally, Beijing should stop intimidating and harassing both foreign and Chinese journalists who strive to uphold the integrity of the fifth estate to serve the public good, he said.

Cheng Lei, a Chinese-born, naturalized Australian citizen, was arrested in China this August. She works as a news anchor for CGTN, Chinas English-language state-run broadcaster. She has since been placed under residential surveillance at an unknown location.

And earlier this week, China correspondents for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Australian Financial Review returned to Australia under consular protection, after Chinese officials knocked on the doors of their Chinese residences and told them to submit to interrogations regarding Cheng.

In response to Chengs arrest, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement, saying her arrest was unjustified. Cedric Alviani, head of RSFs East Asia bureau, called on democracies to step up their pressure on the Beijing regime so that it releases Cheng Lei and the 115 other jailed journalists and press freedom defenders.
Among the revelations in Rage, veteran journalist Bob Woodwards new book on president Donald Trump, are blunt accounts of his conduct as told by former administration officials.

Woodward includes accounts by former defence secretary Jim Mattis, and former director of national intelligence Daniel Coats, concerning the discontent and exasperation they felt working with the president.

At one point, Woodward recounts General Mattis telling Mr Coats that he thought the president was dangerous and unfit and that they may have to take action, according to excerpts published by The Washington Post.

General Mattis, Mr Coats, along with former secretary of state Rex Tillerson, were often referred to as the adults within the Trump administration, and were thought to be able to rein in the president.

Woodward writes that General Mattis quietly went to Washington National Cathedral to pray about his concern for the nations fate under Trumps command.

He told Mr Coats: There may come a time when we have to take collective action because the president is dangerous. Hes unfit.

On another occasion, Mattis said that the president has no moral compass.

The director of national intelligence replied: True. To him, a lie is not a lie. Its just what he thinks. He doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie.

A wide range of topics are covered by Rage from the handling of the pandemic, racial justice, North Korea, and others from the last two years.

Woodwards previous book on the Trump White House, Fear, was released two years ago.


BIRD's business model





TOKYO, Sept 10, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701), OBAYASHI CORPORATION, Japan Industrial Partners, Inc., Japan Investment Adviser Co., Ltd., ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation and AOI Fund 1, operated by UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd., has announced the establishment of BIRD INITIATIVE, Inc. (BIRD), a new company that will create new businesses from collaborative R&D among businesses, financial companies and academia, and will begin operations in October.In recent years, the importance of research and development for speeding up problem-solving has been increasing as the issues facing society and organizations have become more and more complex with the advance of digitalization and the acceleration of social change. Under such circumstances, BIRD, representing a combination of Business Innovation powered by R&D, aims to promote a new research and development framework called "Co-creative R&D" in which issues and technologies are brought together from industry, government and academia.At the start of a project, BIRD uses advanced AI technologies (Intelligent Simulation and Automation) obtained through the AI research collaboration between the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research and NEC to clarify any issues that customers experience in relation to applied research and development. In addition, BIRD provides consulting services to help clients solve the challenges they have identified, and to prototype development services to prepare a research and development environment for testing.Through these services, BIRD establishes a research theme, forms a research team, conducts research and development, and prepares for commercialization, in order to achieve the fastest possible solution for an issue and to create a new business.BIRD's leading-edge AI technology: Intelligent Simulation and Automation1. Combining Simulation and Machine LearningUnlike big data analysis with deep learning, combining simulation and machine learning supports optimal decision making, even with small data, by automatically generating and complementing simulation data.2. Combining Simulation and Automated NegotiationUnlike centralized control or mere matching technologies, AI systems independently negotiate agreeable terms and conditions with each other to coordinate detailed behavior and interests between systems that are working with different objectives.The technologies handled by BIRD will initially be core technologies obtained through research collaboration, and will be gradually increased in conjunction with businesses, financial companies, academic investors and alliance partners. BIRD aims to create 6 new businesses by 2025 through carve-outs."I'm very pleased to see that we have established a mechanism to translate our research of the NEC-AIST AI Cooperative Laboratory into societal impact," said TSUJII Jun-ichi, Director, Artificial Intelligence Research Center, Fellow National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology."Simulation, machine learning, and automatic negotiation are areas where collaboration between industry, government, and academia can be very effective, and I expect that the process from technological development to social implementation of AI can be greatly accelerated," said SUGIYAMA Masashi, Director, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP).About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.About OBAYASHI CORPORATIONObayashi Corporation has handed down its DNA of honest craftsmanship and technology since its founding in 1892. We have relied on that DNA to complete buildings and infrastructure emblematic of their era. We completed Tokyo Central Station (currently Tokyo Station) in 1914. We later went on to rebuild the Main Tower of Osaka Castle and construct the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line expressway. In recent years, we have engaged in the construction of Roppongi Hills (a complex building in a large-scale redevelopment project) and TOKYO SKYTREE (the world's highest free-standing tower).Obayashi aims to be a leading sustainability company. Meanwhile, we are developing next-generation technologies including energy conservation tech and expanding our business into new domains. For example, we are leveraging the technology we have learned from the construction business to get into the renewable energy business.About Japan Industrial Partners, Inc.Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) is a private equity fund management company established in 2002.JIP has strong track records in supporting strategic carve-outs that realize growth potential and encourage autonomous growth.JIP's main philosophy in investing in Japanese companies is to realize the continuous growth of the business by bringing better products and services to the users and customers and by creating a productive and rewarding workplace for its employees.About Japan Investment Adviser Co., Ltd. (JIA)Japan Investment Adviser Co., Ltd. (JIA) provides beneficial financial solution services through our operating lease and other financial businesses, and media-related business. We, JIA, plan strategies for the group; develop business investment opportunities such as in Private Equity Investment, Real Estate Investment and handle Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) deals. Being a Type-2 FSA-registered financial instrumentals firm, our subsidiary JP Lease Products & Services handles creation, sales, operation, exit and other related activities related to Operating Lease products and selling beneficial interest of funds for such as Solar Electric Plants.About ITOCHU Techno-Solutions CorporationITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation is a comprehensive IT services company that partners with its customers. From consulting to design, development and construction, operational and maintenance support, ITOCHU Techno-Solutions combines sophisticated IT solutions and cloud services to find solutions to customer issues. Providing optimum services in all fields including communication, broadcasting, manufacturing, finance, logistics and retail, public services, life sciences, science and engineering.About UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. ("UTokyo IPC" for short) is the venture investment arm for the University of Tokyo, the world-leading research university having main campuses in Tokyo, Japan. Since its incorporation in 2016, UTokyo IPC has been taking key partners such as venture capitals and industries into the innovation ecosystem organically evolved around its campuses.It invests in more than 20 university-driven tech startups across all stages, via mutually complementing IPC Fund 1 and AOI Fund 1. Beside investments, the team members passionately support entrepreneurs in various aspects.Source: NEC CorporationCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
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The has



suspended proceedings and shut down its premises till September 16, as 12 of its employees have tested positive for coronavirus, an official said on Thursday.

As per a circular issued by the Registrar General of the High Court on Wednesday, even virtual hearings of the court have been suspended till September 16.

Notably, only important and urgent matters are being heard by the High Court via video-conferencing in view of the outbreak, while the staff continued to visit the premises for routine judicial work.

As the High Court had decided to resume physical functioning in limited courts from September 14, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation conducted antigen tests there on Wednesday, in which 12 employees were found to be infected, the circular said.

Following this, the High Court asked the civic body to sanitise the court premises, including the auditorium, bank, post office and court rooms, it was stated.

Since the entire exercise will take around four days, the standing committee of the High Court "resolved that the entire premises of the High Court be shut down from September 12 to 15", the circular said.

Moreover, all the judicial work, both virtual and physical, will also remain suspended in this period.

The functioning of Court after sanitisation will resume from September 16, the circular said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three kids from the north-central Vietnamese province of Nghe An are dead following their fall into a local stream on Wednesday.

The tragic incident happened at 4:30 pm, when a group of three elementary school students were playing around the Cultural House near Khe Ngang Bridge in Vinh Tien Village, Vinh Son Commune.

The childrens parents began a search for the children after they never returned home from school that day.

Their bodies were recovered at 8:00 pm the same day in a stream near where they had been playing, according to the Peoples Committee of Vinh Son Commune.

The victims were identified as D.T.Ng., D.T.N., and D.T.D.L., aged six to nine.

All were students at Vinh Son Elementary School.

Local officials visited the victims families that same day to express their condolences and arrange funeral rites for the children.

The area has been battered by torrential rain recently, causing water levels in many local streams to rise.

Drowning is among the leading causes of accidental death among children in Vietnam, accounting for around 48.8 percent of all injury-related fatalities, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs said in a report last year.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
She has voiced her irritation over Melbourne's draconian lockdown.

But Rebecca Judd is doing her best to make the most of her time at home, soaking up the sun poolside at her Brighton mansion on Thursday.

The 37-year-old flaunted her amazing figure in a striped bikini while working on her tan.

Sunshine in darkness: Rebecca Judd flaunted her amazing physique in bikini as she sunbathed poolside on Thursday

The mother-of-four showed off her cleavage in the revealing apricot two-piece and shaded her eyes with a pair of white cat eye sunglasses.

The post appeared to be a sponsored one, as she spruiked a brand of sunscreen.

'Sunny Days + @theskincarecompany Dry Touch SPF50,' she captioned the photo.

Isolation activities: The WAG has voiced her irritation about Melbourne's draconian lockdown measures, but is doing her best to make the most of her time at home

The day before Bec shared the secrets behind her luscious bouncy locks.

She took to her Instagram Stories to credit a newly released dry shampoo from French botanical haircare brand, Klorane Australia, in keeping her tresses immaculate for days without a wash.

The beauty gushed about the brand's new dry shampoo, saying: 'It's really invigorating and refreshing. It's a great cooling sensation.

Mane attraction: The day before Bec shared the secrets behind her luscious bouncy locks

'You are going to love it! And I have not washed my hair in, like, four days. I've been using this every day. It's like magic!'

She also added a similar caption to the photo, which read: 'Ladies, there's a new @kloraneau dry shampoo available. Introducing detox dry shampoo with aquatic mint

'Invigorating with an amazing cool sensation,' she continued before adding '#partner' to let readers know the brand sponsored her.
Borrowing is the only option for states to overcome the crisis they face as the Centre is unable to finance the Rs 2.35 lakh crore GST shortfall in the current fiscal, said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, the chief minister said that the only way to overcome the crisis is borrowing.

Out of Rs 2.35 lakh crore GST shortfall in the current fiscal, about Rs 97,000 crore is on account of GST implementation and rest Rs 1.38 lakh crore is due to the impact of COVID-19 on states' revenues, as per the Centre's calculation.

In late August, the Centre gave two options to the states, to either borrow Rs 97,000 crore from a special window facilitated by the RBI or Rs 2.35 lakh crore from the market and has also proposed extending the compensation cess levied on luxury, demerit and sin goods beyond 2022 to repay the borrowing.

The Centre has also asked the states to go for additional borrowings. As we cannot tax people more, we are working on possible additional revenue-generating options, Reddy told the publication.

Reddys comments came at a time when some states are at loggerheads with the Centre as they oppose the latters option of borrowing.

Chief Ministers of at least six non-BJP ruled states of West Bengal, Kerala, Delhi, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu have written to the Centre opposing these options which require states to borrow for meeting revenue shortfall.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also targeted the Centre and said it was "paap" (sin) that the Centre had not given Maharashtra its due GST share of Rs 22,000 crore, but is instead asking the state to seek loan.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the centre not giving full GST compensation to the states, saying this "act of sovereign default" runs against the very spirit of the cooperative federalism.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot urged the Centre to fulfil the promises made to the state governments while implementing GST and leave it to them to have the right to some taxes levied by the Centre. He demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter "to maintain confidence in the financial relations between the Centre and states".

(With inputs from PTI)
As we climbed out of the car for an impromptu field trip, Didi asked if Id remembered to bring their bathing suits.

Its not that kind of beach, I said. Youll see.

Wed had a trying morning. In our district, Mondays have been reserved for what they call asynchronous learning. Aside from a morning meeting with their homeroom and a music class, the students are left largely on their own with different assignments, different apps and different log-ins.

Like many families during the first weeks of school, weve been getting the hang of the technology. I appreciate the hard work of the teachers and staff, but its been a steep learning curve. A sampling of the messages sent by students in a recent discussion included: Every time I try to get in, it says back to classes; We have the same problem  class not found; Every time I tap onto my name it takes me to the same spot, and This is what it says: class not found.

And were the lucky ones. Though juggling work with distance learning is exhausting, I worry deeply about families with language barriers, unreliable internet, food and housing insecurity or myriad other barriers.

Even still, as Gege told my husband, Im more stressed than anyone at (your company)!

With everyones frustration mounting, I decided the kids should finish their assignments later so we could go on a quick field trip. Thats how we ended up on a desolate stretch of waterfront between an EBMUD facility and Costco in Richmond, in search of whats known as TEPCO Beach.

From 1930 to 1968, TEPCO  Technical Porcelain and Chinaware Company  turned out sturdy cups and dishes from its El Cerrito factory, beloved among collectors. The factorys former dumping ground for broken and flawed pieces has become a destination for those of us with a fascination for the postindustrial.

A remote mountain lake or thick stand of redwoods deep in the forest has a timeless, pristine beauty, but Im also compelled by decay and erosion, by reminders of the fleeting nature of life.

Even at low tide, TEPCO Beach is narrow, covered in thousands upon thousands of shards. Seaweed draped across chunks of concrete, getting reclaimed by nature. Walking on the broken porcelain conjures the most enchanting crack-crunch-tinkle.

Squatting down, I examined what could have been the handle of a coffee cup, which now looked more like a bone. Intricate green flowers curled on the shard from the edge of a plate, salmon-colored speckles on another. Another fragment featured a streak of bubblegum pink against dark gray.

Gulls wheeled overhead and, in the distance, traffic hummed on the freeway.

When do you think something becomes a relic? I asked.

When its one of a kind, Didi said. With the gleam in his eye he usually gets when hes attempting to skip a rock, he hefted a piece of broken crockery.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Dont break it, I warned.

If I break it, then theres more relics, he said.

He had a point, I conceded, but he agreed to set it back down intact.

Later, I researched famed sea-glass beaches from around the world and learned that many also had their start in dumps. The pounding waves tumble sharp edges smooth, and the relentless sun and salt turn glass translucent.

Im not proposing we create new dumps along the water to seed future finds, but while they still exist  and if people take only pictures and leave only footsteps  such sites provide an opportunity to contemplate our connections across time  especially now, when many of us feel isolated and unmoored because of the pandemic, racial strife and wildfires.

It steadies me to consider how decades ago, TEPCO craftspeople developed the designs that ended up on these cups, bowls and plates, whose remnants ended up on this beach. Their hands touching mine. Their imaginations touching mine.

Vanessa Hua is the author of A River of Stars. Her column appears Fridays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com
Amidst wild expressions of sorrow, the Osun State Government on Wednesday received 15 women who returned from Lebanon where they had been trafficked and stranded for months.

The returnees were welcomed at the state government secretariat, Abere in Osogbo, Osun capital on Wednesday, by the states Commissioner for Women, Children and Social Affairs, Olubukola Olaboopo, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Diaspora Matters, Titi Fadahunsi-Ajayi.

While addressing the women, Mrs Olaboopo said they would be made the states ambassadors on issues of trafficking.

She also said the government would assist them with jobs in line with their various qualifications.

You have had the experience firsthand and you are going to be the states ambassadors on issues of trafficking. The state government expects you to put in diligence in serving your motherland. You have seen the other side of life, and of course, you can see that there is no greener pasture anywhere.

We want to know your qualifications to know how the government can assist you. Besides, we have organised an empowerment programme for you, and your resource persons are on ground to take you through the training.

One of the women, Amina Kajobola, said the state government responded early enough when it got wind that they were stranded until they returned safely.

She warned against trafficking, saying many are dying from inhumane activities.

In August, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that 30 Nigerians who were trafficked and stranded in Lebanon had been rescued.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) said the rescue became necessary after video footage of the stranded Nigerians making an appeal to the federal government surfaced on social media.

They were thereafter rescued by officials of the Nigerian mission in Lebanon.
The craving to bask in the sun and soak up the rays might be genetic, scientists say.

Researchers have found genes associated with addiction, behaviour and brain function which are linked to a penchant for sunbathing.

They are also the same five risk-taking genes which lead people to experiment with drugs, smoking and even multiple sexual partners.

Researchers have found genes associated with addiction, behaviour and brain function which are linked to a penchant for sunbathing. They are also the same five risk-taking genes which lead people to experiment with drugs, smoking and even multiple sexual partners (stock)

The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, looked at the genes of more than a quarter of a million people and revealed the genetic predisposition.

As a result of the genetic role, not everyone is at equal risk of the hazards posed by excessive sun exposure.

To find out if and how sun worshipping was influenced by genes, researchers looked at detailed information on identical and non-identical twins.

The TwinsUK study, run by King's College London, provides detailed health information on 2,500 individuals.

It revealed identical twins in a pair were more likely to have a similar sun-seeking behaviour than non-identical twins.

As identical twins are, by definition, identical, they can be used to see if a trait is due to genes or if it is unrelated to a person's genetic code.

As a result of the genetic interference, not everyone is at equal risk of the hazards posed by excessive sun exposure. Researchers say that, based on their findings, genetic predisposition to sun-seeking behaviour needs to be taken into account when developing skin cancer awareness campaigns (stock)

More evidence vitamin D can help against coronavirus More evidence has emerged which suggests COVID-19 patients with high vitamin D levels are more likely to survive the disease. A study from the US found patients with a severe deficiency are twice as likely to experience major complications and die. Researchers led by Northwestern University say the observational evidence is still preliminary and caution against raiding the supplement aisles. They call for more research to understand what causes this connection between vitamin D and coronavirus mortality. Vitamin D can make its way into the human body either through certain foods, such as fish and mushrooms, or can be produced by skin cells when exposed to sunlight. The NHS says adults should have around 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day. Advertisement

When both exhibit the same behaviour, but fraternal twins do not, it often indicates a trait or behaviour has genetic roots.

The study then branched out and looked at 260,000 people and found five genetic variants which played a part in influencing sun-seeking behaviours.

Some of these genes have also been linked to behavioural traits associated with risk-taking and addiction, including smoking; cannabis and alcohol consumption; and number of sexual partners.

Researchers say that, based on their findings, genetic predisposition to sun-seeking behaviour needs to be taken into account when developing skin cancer awareness campaigns.

Senior author Dr Mario Falchi, from King's College London, said: 'Our results suggest that tackling excessive sun exposure or use of tanning beds might be more challenging than expected, as it is influenced by genetic factors.

'It is important for the public to be aware of this predisposition as it could make people more mindful of their behaviour and the potential harms of excessive sun exposure.'

Dr Veronique Bataille, a consultant dermatologist from King's College London, who is also one of the authors on the study, said: 'It is clear that we see individuals who have very unhealthy sun behaviour and are fully aware of it.

'They will continue to expose themselves excessively even if they have clear skin cancer risk factors.

'Our research shows that genes regulating addiction and other risky behaviour are important and may explain some of the reticence in changing behaviours in the sun.'
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Sandalwood drug racket has caught the attention of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as some of the accused in the case are allegedly involved in money laundering.

The ED officials, who met senior officers of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) on Thursday, are believed to have exchanged information about the case.

Sources said a team of ED officials arrived at the CCB office on Thursday morning and held discussions with senior officers regarding the drugs case.

As some of the accused, who have been arrested in the case, were arranging lavish parties across the country and sourced narcotics from abroad, huge money has changed hands, a source said.

Arrested actors complain of health issues

The ED officials believe that this may have been done through hawala channels. Besides, their line of investigation is where the accused got the money from and whether they are involved in money laundering, the source said.

The central agency is said to be particularly interested in Viren Khanna, as currencies of different countries were found during a raid on his house by the CCB.

Further, it is said that accused Rahul Thonse, who is a close contact of actor Sanjjanaa Galrani, runs a casino in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Several male stars from Kannada film industry had reportedly attended events at the casino.

Besides, some of the accused allegedly have links with those arrested in the recent Kerala gold smuggling case too.

The ED is most likely to start probe into the money-laundering angle soon, the source added.

Meanwhile, actors Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani, who have been arrested in the drugs case, were taken to KC General Hospital after they complained of health issues.

After treatment, they were again questioned by the police. Raginis police custody ends on Friday and the police may not seek further extension of her custody.

The actress has moved a bail petition in court and it may come up for hearing on Friday.
Earlier this week, Midland Health CEO Russell Meyers was asked about the importance of a flu shot this year.

That sounds like a planted question, Meyers said during the weekly presser. Yes, you should get a flu shot this year, you should not hesitate to get one, and you should do it as soon as they're available.

This will be the first full flu season when coronavirus (COVID-19) also is in the community. The Mayo Clinic said it is possible for both viruses to spread in a community at the time, and in both cases, people who become seriously ill could cause hospitals to become full.

Not surprisingly, many of the same steps one takes to avoid COVID-19 will help reduce the risk of infection from the flu  avoiding large events and mass gatherings, social distancing, washing your hands, covering your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you sneeze or cough, cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces and, yes, wearing a mask.

The viruses spread through respiratory droplets or aerosols released through talking, sneezing or coughing, the Mayo clinic reports on its website. These droplets can land in the mouth or nose of someone nearby or be inhaled. These viruses can also spread if a person touches a surface with one of the viruses on it and then touches his or her mouth, nose or eyes.

There are going to be many who have grown tired of being on high alert when it comes to coronavirus. The expectation here is the same people wont be particularly thrilled that flu season  and all that means  is fast approaching.

But here is what we know. The flu is bad news. Meyers said so during his news conference, If you get the flu, you want it to be a minor case, that's for sure. Having gotten once in my life, I never want to repeat it again. And I've never missed a flu vaccine since the one year that I had the actual flu.

The Mayo Clinic reports that both COVID-19 and the flu can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, organ failure, heart attacks, heart or brain inflammation, stroke, and death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 12,000-61,000 deaths associated with the flu annually since 2010. The number of deaths associated with coronavirus in the U.S. is just shy of 190,000, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine website.

Reviews of past studies have found that the flu vaccine is about 50 percent to 60 percent effective for healthy adults who are between 18 and 64 years old, the Mayo Clinic website states. Even when the vaccine doesn't completely prevent the flu, it may lessen the severity of your illness and reduce the risk of serious complications and serious illness requiring hospitalization.

And while the flu vaccine does not protect you from getting COVID-19, the Mayo Clinic reminds people that it's especially important to get the flu vaccine this season because the flu and coronavirus disease cause similar symptoms.

Flu vaccination could reduce symptoms that might be confused with those caused by COVID-19, the Mayo Clinic reports. Preventing the flu and reducing the severity of flu illness and hospitalizations could also lessen the number of people needing to stay in the hospital.

Sounds like a good enough reason for me. Heres hoping Midlanders put their own health and the health of others first and get their flu shots.
Some of the behaviors and the resistance to putting on masks  I think its gotten better, but theres an unbelievably significant amount of people that just feel like they are not getting treated well because they dont have the freedom to do what they wish to do, Khare said. Thats always to me as a public health person a little bit disturbing. But that continues. Thats America.
Sedgwick Acquires Nationwide Appraisals

Sedgwick has acquired Nationwide Appraisals, a national auto damage appraiser based inElgin, Illinois.

Sedgwick said the Nationwide Appraisals purchase brings a nationwide network of claims professionals that will optimize the appraiser dispatch process. Nationwide uses technology that directs claims to the appropriate pathways for resolution, including appraisals, photo estimates, repairs and car rentals and replacements, the company said.

Jim Ryan, president of casualty at Memphis-based Sedgwick, said Nationwide broadens our solutions in the personal claims space.

Automotive claims have historically been completed by third-party vendors, but by joining forces with Nationwide Appraisals, Sedgwick will now be able to process them quickly and effectively for our clients, he said in a press release.

Nationwides offerings include first- and third-party claims handling, intake, appraisal, repair, vehicle replacement, salvage, quality control and liability assessment, Sedgwick said.

Investors Pump $1M Into Malpractice Analytics Startup

Justpoint, a New York City-based startup that uses artificial intelligence for faster analysis of individual medical malpractice claims, said investors have provided $1 million in seed money.

The funds come from Vivek Garipalli, founder and chief executive officer of Clover Health, and Harry Langenberg, founder of Optima Tax Relief, Justpoint said in a press release. Amino Capital and Whoa Ventures participated.

Justpoint said its software improves the medical malpractice litigation process on both sides: Its system allows plaintiffs who have legitimate claims to identify and retain the best attorney for their case and quickly identify claims that dont have legal merits, the company said. The process will decrease frivolous lawsuits against health care providers and insurers, the company said.

The seed money will be used to hire more engineers and designers, expand customer acquisition and customer support and develop partnerships with insurance companies and self-insured hospitals, Justpoint said.

Justpoint has identified a big inefficient market in medical claims and malpractice that is ripe for disruption, Langenberg said in a statement. He said Justpoint can analyze performance data from more than 900 plaintiff law firms.

California FAIR Plan Selects One Inc.

The California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan, which manages the states residual market for property insurance, has selected One. Inc. to expand payment capabilities and streamline reporting.

By adding the new digital payments platform, California FAIR Plan has been able to accept credit card payments for the first time in the organizations history, One Inc. said in a press release.The payments software was integrated into FAIR Plans existing systems, which helped limit costs and minimize disruption for current users, the company said.

In the second phase of the implementation, California FAIR Plan will expand payment channels to include One Incs Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, One Inc. said. FAIR Plan President Anneliese Jivan said the One Inc. software makes it easer for customers to make on-time payments and streamlines internal processes.

FAIR Plan was established in 1968 as a syndicated fire insurance pool consisting of all licensed property and casualty (P&C) insurers in the state. One Inc., based in Folsom, California, is a technology company founded in 2012.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

France on Thursday registered a record of almost 10,000 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours ahead of a key meeting to decide a toughening of coronavirus measures.

Officials are increasingly concerned about the high number of infections in France, even if the death toll and admissions to intensive care are way off the hights recorded in March and April.

The health ministry said 9,843 new coronavirus infections had been recorded, the highest number since large scale testing began, with 71 new clusters confirmed.

Over the last week, 48,542 new cases have been counted, out of over a million tests carried out. The proportion of tests coming in positive has now risen to 5.4 percent.

Nineteen more people died after a COVID-19 infection, bringing France's total toll from the pandemic to 30,813, the ministry added.

French ministers and health experts will meet Friday to decide what measures are needed, with President Emmanuel Macron vowing they would give a clear idea to the public what can be expected over the next weeks.

"We need to be as transparent and clear as possible," Macron said Thursday. "We need to be demanding and realistic without giving in to any kind of panic."

The head of the scientific council advising the government on the pandemic, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, said Wednesday that "tough" decisions may be required at the meeting.

People at high risk because of old age or health problems including diabetes, obesity and respiratory issues may require a protective "bubble" around them.

The government may also have to become more forceful in some areas about imposing confinement measures for infected people and those they have been in touch with, he said, although this was not for now an official recommendation.

There was the danger of a "very rapid, exponential rise" in some places, Delfraissy said, singling out the French Riviera and Provence region.

Prime Minister Jean Castex is himself in a seven-day period of self-isolation, having spent part of the weekend with the boss of the Tour de France who tested positive for COVID-19.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
George Bizos, an anti-apartheid icon and renowned human rights lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela on treason charges for which he escaped the death penalty, died on Wednesday aged 92.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced rights lawyer's passing during a media conference.

"I have just received news that legal eagle of our country George Bizos has passed away," Ramaphosa said.

"This is very sad for our country."

Bizos represented Mandela during the Rivonia Trial which saw Mandela and seven others sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 on charges of seeking to overthrow the racist apartheid government.

Many had expected the death penalty.

Ramaphosa described Bizos as one of the lawyers who "contributed immensely to the attainment of our democracy".

"He had an incisive legal mind and was one of the architects of our constitution," the president during an online media briefing.

Bizos arrived in South Africa as a 13-year-old war refugee from Greece and became one of its most respected lawyers.

In a long career dedicated to defending democratic values and human rights, the soft-spoken Bizos represented a series of activists against the white minority regime and later helped to finalise the constitution of post-apartheid South Africa.

A beloved national figure, he continued working into his late 80s. One of his last major trials secured government payouts in 2014 for families of 34 miners shot dead by police at Marikana northwest of Johannesburg two years earlier.

Defending Mandela

Bizos was in his mid-thirties when he was chosen in 1963 to join a team of advocates that represented Mandela and other leading activists in one of the most important political trials in the history of South Africa.

Although a junior member of the defence team, Bizos was credited with the tactic of proposing that Mandela deliver a statement from the dock to present the group's cause, rather than submit him to cross-examination.

The speech was electrifying, notably Mandela's often-cited lines on his hope for democracy: "It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

Bizos would say later that he advised Mandela to avoid challenging the court over the possibility of a death sentence by adding the tempering words "if needs be".

In his autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom" (1994), Mandela describes the advocate as a lifelong friend and "a man who combined a sympathetic nature with an incisive mind".

Bizos continued to represent Mandela throughout his 27-year jail term and also acted for his then wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, on more than 20 occasions.

Young lawyers

Bizos and Mandela met as law students at a Johannesburg university in the 1950s and later worked together.

Admitted to the Johannesburg Bar in 1954, Bizos took on cases that challenged the apartheid system, attracting the ire of the government but establishing the track record that led to his joining the Rivonia Trial team.

During South Africa's transition to democracy from 1990 to 1994, he helped to write up a new bill of rights and to have the new constitution certified. By GULSHAN KHAN (AFP)

Among his other high profile work, Bizos defended the family of Black Consciousness Movement leader Steve Biko, who died in 1977 in police detention, and communist leader Chris Hani, assassinated in 1993.

He was later involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up to investigate apartheid-era political crimes.

In 2004 he represented the now late leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change's Morgan Tsvangirai, on a charge of plotting to kill then president Robert Mugabe, for which he was acquitted.

"However oppressive a regime might be, the court is the last forum in which an oppressed person has an opportunity to speak out," Bizos said in a television interview at the time.

Escape from the Nazis

Bizos arrived in South Africa in 1941, having fled Nazi-occupied Greece with his father, mayor of the Greek village of Vasilitsi where he was born.

His date of birth was not certain. He says in his autobiography "Odyssey to Freedom" (2009), that his father claimed to have forgotten and the Nazis burned the village records.

But his office later said his date of birth was accepted have been November 14, 1927.

George Bizos during an on-site inspection in 2014 as part of his defence of miners shot by police at the Marikana mine in 2012. By MUJAHID SAFODIEN (AFP/File)

On the run after his father helped a group of New Zealand soldiers escape the occupiers, they went to Egypt and then found a boat to South Africa's city of Durban.

Penniless and with no English, they moved inland to Johannesburg, and Bizos fell out of education for several years.

After an article on his dramatic story appeared in a local newspaper, Bizos was recognised by a teacher while working in a store. She organised his enrolment in school, a gesture he would always salute.

Bizos married Arethe Daflos in 1954 and they had three sons.

There was no immediate word on the cause of death, or whether Bizos had been ill.
BarcelonaEven though it has been nearly eighteen months since Barcelonas Examining Court 13 pressed charges against 30 current and former Catalan government officials over the 2017 independence referendum, the judicial probe is far from over and the start of the trial is nowhere in sight. Now the Prosecution has requested a one-year extension of the examining phase, in light of its high complexity and the large number of individuals being probed.

In a statement published by Spanish newswire EFE which Public Prosecution sources have confirmed to this newspaper, the Prosecutor assigned to the case has asked the court to extend the investigative phase. The request was submitted to Court 13 on August 4 and our sources claim that it hasnt been examined yet.

The case being handled by Barcelonas Court 13 stems from a complaint filed by a private lawyer in early 2017 following a public statement by judge Santiago Vidal, the former ERC senator, who asserted among other things that the Catalan government had used Catalan taxpayers records in order to prepare the independence vote slated for October that year. The investigation led to a case involving over forty defendants, although charges have been dropped for about ten of them (including Vidal) since the inquest was launched over three years ago.

However, the Guardia Civil and Prosecution reports became the basis of the Supreme Court case which eventually led to the conviction of Oriol Junqueras, Carme Forcadell, Dolors Bassa, Jordi Sanchez, Jordi Cuixart, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, Raul Romeva and Quim Forn, who were sentenced to serve between 9 and 13 years in jail. Other former Catalan ministers were barred from holding public office: Meritxell Borras, Carles Mundo and Santi Vila.

The Prosecutors latest statement over three and a half years since the inquest kicked off claims that there is still evidence to be gathered because new indictments have been issued and Spains Audiencia court still needs to examine several appeals, including the one which the Prosecutor intends to file against the closure of the examining phase. The Public Prosecutor claims that, unless the probe is granted an extension, there will be no time to gather all the evidence and the right of the defendants to a fair trial will be infringed upon.
Asus Vivobook X540YA: It is on the heavier side but for that you get a 15.6-inch display along AMD's Dual Core E1-7010 processor with a clock speed of 1.5GHz. With these specifications, users can do official work comfortably. It has 4GB RAM and 1 TB storage to support the memory needs of users. Besides, the laptop comes with 3 Cell Li-Ion battery for providing back up for several hours.
Kathleen Donahue Bruyere, 76, a trailblazing Navy officer who was named among "Women of the Year by Time magazine and helped win the right for women to serve at sea, died Thursday, Sept. 3, at Paradise Valley Hospital in San Diego.

The official cause of death had not been determined but was expected to be cancer, said Capt. Bruyeres sister, Lucia Donahue ODwyer.

A graduate of Chestnut Hill College when it was an all-womens school, Capt. Bruyere was just very much for womens rights," ODwyer said. We lived through the Sixties. It was just extremely important to her.

So was the military. Born in Norfolk, Va., to Army officer Joseph Donahue and Lucille Alessandroni Donahue  a Philadelphia native  Capt. Bruyere grew up in a very patriotic family that moved frequently due to their fathers reassignments, ODwyer said. The eldest of six, Capt. Bruyere helped her mother mobilize her siblings to relocate across the United States and to Greece and Germany.

It was difficult, ODwyer said. But it made the siblings  especially Kathy"  flexible, and immersed them in military life.

She knew what she wanted to be, and where she wanted to go, ODwyer said.

After attending the former Trenton Cathedral High School for Girls while her father was stationed at Fort Dix, Capt. Bruyere  who completed high school in Germany  went on to Chestnut Hill College. She remained a loyal alumna, returning to give talks and for reunions.

While commuting to the college from Overbrook, where she was staying with her aunt and uncle, Capt. Bruyere met Suzanne Stanton Regan, a fellow Chestnut Hill student living with her parents in Havertown. They became fast friends; Capt. Bruyere later moved in with Regan and her parents, filling a gap after Regans siblings left home.

She was so outgoing, Regan said, recalling how quickly Capt. Bruyere came to know all of their classmates at Chestnut Hill. She was not afraid to talk to anybody.

After graduating in 1966, Capt. Bruyere joined the Navy. In 1968, she married Navy officer Kellie Byerly. She remained on active duty  ignoring popular convention, according to a 1991 Orlando Sentinel article.

She rose in the Navys officer ranks, becoming the first female flag secretary, managing staff for an admiral who oversaw nine Pacific training commands, according to the Sentinel.

In 1976, Capt. Bruyere  then Kathleen Byerly  was one of 12 women featured on the cover of Time as Women of the Year," described by the magazine as symbolizing the new consciousness of women amid the feminist movement. Then 31, she was featured with women including Billie Jean King and Betty Ford.

She didnt find out until the magazine came out," ODwyer said, adding that her sister had been one of many interviewees for the piece and kind of forgot about it."

She was undaunted in suing the Navy and Defense Department the following year, joining with five other Navy women in arguing their chances for promotions were limited because they were not allowed to serve on ships. A federal judge in 1978 declared the ban unconstitutional.

She took a risk," but it was very, very important to her, ODwyer said. She was just going to go for it, no matter what came of it.

She never went to sea, but she was promoted to captain. Throughout her career, Capt. Bruyere continued to address barriers women faced in the Navy, helping conduct a study that opened up 9,000 jobs for women on ships and taking on a new role overseeing womens policy issues for the service, including the handling of sexual harassment and assault.

It was hard not to be proud of Kathy" ODwyer said. "She excelled at everything she did, but in a way that was sweet and kind.  She never let it go to her head. She just did her job.

Capt. Bruyere, whose first marriage ended in divorce, met Capt. Thomas Bruyere while both were assigned to the Navy recruiting district in New York. During her time stationed in Philadelphia in the 1980s, they hosted chili parties for Army-Navy games at her home in Fairmount. They married in 1988.

She retired from the Navy in 1994. The two lived in Chula Vista, Calif., where Capt. Bruyere cared for her husband for 15 years while he lived with Parkinsons disease. His death in 2009 didnt end her involvement on the board of the Parkinsons Association of San Diego, or with support groups for families impacted by Parkinsons and Alzheimers disease, which had afflicted both her parents.

Even in retirement, I could never find her at home," ODwyer said. Her sister wouldnt get bored, thats for sure.

Capt. Bruyere had been sick since July with cancer in her brain and other parts of her body, ODwyer said. Even while hospitalized, she continued to run support group meetings on Zoom, her sister said.

In addition to her sister, Capt. Bruyere is survived by brothers Joseph, Paul, Timothy, and Matthew Donahue; stepsons Brett, Trent, and TJ Bruyere; and 10 grandchildren. Her former husband, Kellie Byerly, died in 2018.

Burial with military honors will be in Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego.

Correction: This story has been changed to correct the high school she attended in Trenton.
Coronavirus Updates: Despite a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases in Delhi, the AAP government has ruled out the possibility of another lockdown, asserting that the economy 'cannot be kept shut for eternity'

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"This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials."

"As part of the ongoing randomized, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee," a spokesperson said.

The company, which is developing the drug alongside the University of Oxford, is a frontrunner in the global race for a Covid-19 vaccine.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it had "voluntarily paused" a randomized clinical trial of its coronavirus vaccine in what it called a routine action after a volunteer developed an unexplained illness.

Russia denounced criticism as an attempt to undermine Moscow's research and a Russian investor claimed vindication when Britain's prestigious Lancet published research that showed patients in early tests developed antibodies with "no serious adverse events."

This raised concerns among Western scientists over a lack of safety data, with some warning that moving too quickly on a vaccine could be dangerous.

Russia announced in August that its vaccine, named "Sputnik V" after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957, had already received approval.

Early tests of a Russian coronavirus vaccine showed encouraging results when details were published Friday, but experts said the trials were too small to prove safety and effectiveness.

"2,479 fresh COVID-19 cases, 2,485 recoveries and 10 deaths reported in Telangana on 8 September," said the state health department.

With nearly 2,500 new COVID-19 infections in Telangana, the overall count in the state climbed to 1,47,642 on Wednesday. Of the total, there are 31,654 active cases.

As part of stage-I of resuming metro services, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) restarts operations on its Blue Line on Wednesday, ANI reported.

As many as 2,579 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Assam on Tuesday, taking the total number of positive cases to 1,30,823 in the state. The total number of cases includes 99,073 recoveries, 378 deaths, and 31,369 active cases, said State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Over 5.18 crore COVID-19 samples have been tested till now, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), adding that 11,54,549 samples were tested on Tuesday alone.

"The Blue and Pink lines resumed services today. Slowly and steadily, Delhi Metro will be back to take you places! #MetroBackOnTrack," the DMRC tweeted.

Trains are to operate in batches of four-hour each from 7-11 am in the morning and 4-8 pm in the evening in the first.

Delhi Metro's Blue Line and Pink Line resumed services with curtailed operation timings on Wednesday after being closed for 171 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said.

Tamil Nadu recorded 87 deaths on Tuesday, putting the state toll at 8,012. 84 of them had succumbed due to comorbidities. The state discharged 6599 patients following treatment, putting the total number of recoveries at 4,16,715.

Tamil Nadu recorded 5,684 positive cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the overall count to 4,74,940. Among these, Chennai reported 988 positive cases, bringing the citys total to 1,43,603.

Of the total, there are 8,97,394 active cases, 33,98,845 cured/discharged/migrated and 73,890 deaths, said the health ministry on Wednesday.

India's COVID-19 cases exceeded 43 lakh on Wednesday after 89,706 more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours. The COVID-19 toll climbed to 73,890 after 1,115 new deaths were recorded.

With 33,98,845 COVID-19 patients being cured, India's recovery rate increased to 77.77 percent on Wednesday. While, the fatality rate stood at 1.69 percent after nearly 74,000 patients succumbed to the highly infectious disease.

In early August India became the third country in the world to pass two million cases.

Although India has a low death rate from COVID-19 disease, nearly 1,000 deaths have been recorded every day from across the country for the last nine days. On Wednesday, the toll due to the infectious disease has risen to 73,890 with 1,115 more fatalities.

Twelve fatalities each have been reported from Chhattisgarh, Puducherry and Uttarakhand, 11 from Goa, 10 from Telangana, nine from Tripura, eight from Assam, five from Himachal Pradesh, four each from Bihar and Chandigarh, two from Sikkim, while Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur have registered one fatality each.

Of the 1,115 fresh COVID-19 deaths in India, 380 are from Maharashtra, 146 from Karnataka, 87 from Tamil Nadu, 73 from Andhra Pradesh, 71 from Uttar Pradesh, 67 from Punjab, 57 from West Bengal, 25 from Haryana, 20 from Madhya Pradesh, 19 from Delhi,14 each from Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand, 13 each from Gujarat, Odisha, Kerala and Rajasthan.

So far, 1,609 people have died of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh, 1,164 in Rajasthan, 916 in Telangana, 854 in Haryana, 815 in Jammu and Kashmir, 765 in Bihar, 569 in Odisha, 496 in Jharkhand, 407 in Chhattisgarh, 378 in Assam, 372 in Kerala and 360 in Uttarakhand.

Of the total 73,890 COVID-19 deaths in India, Maharashtra has reported the maximum at 27,407 followed by 8,012 in Tamil Nadu, 6,680 in Karnataka, 4,618 in Delhi,4,560 in Andhra Pradesh, 4,047 in Uttar Pradesh, 3,677 in West Bengal, 3,133 in Gujarat and 1,990 in Punjab.

One more fatality has taken the northeastern state's coronavirus toll to nine, a health official said. The fresh infections have pushed Arunachal Pradesh's caseload to 5,402, State Surveillance Officer Dr L Jampa said.

Arunachal Pradesh reported 221 fresh COVID-19 infections for first time in single day, taking the overall count to 5,402 on Wednesday. Of the new cases, 59 security personnel have also tested positive in the state.

India has the second-most reported cases in the world and the third-most reported deaths behind the United States and Brazil.

More than 10 lakh people have tested positive for the coronavirus in India in less than two weeks with the total caseload exceeded over 43.7 lakh on Wednesday. Testing has been ramped up to more than 10 million daily, with cumulative testing exceeding five crore.

"Students of Class 9 to 12 shall be permitted to visit their school on voluntary basis for taking guidance from their teachers. This will be subject to written consent of their parents/guardians. Such visits and teacher  student interaction must be organized in a staggered manner," stated the guidelines issued by the health ministry.

The government also said that online or distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.

However, only schools outside the containment zones will be allowed to open. Assemblies, sports and events, which can lead to overcrowding, are strictly prohibited in the schools that are opting to start operations.

In the backdrop of the ongoing 'Unlock 4', partial resumption of activities in schools for students of Classes 9-12 will be allowed from 21 September, the union health ministry said on Tuesday.

Odisha has reported 3,748 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 1,35,130 on Wednesday. Of the total, there are 1,02,185 recoveries and 32,312 active cases, said the state health department.

"Sorry, we are not inclined to entertain, the bench said.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said that authorities will take all necessary steps for conducting the NEET-undergraduate exam amid the COVID-19 pandemic for admission in medical courses.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a batch of pleas seeking deferment or cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) scheduled for 13 September.

"4.5 lakh street vendors were registered in Madhya Pradesh, with more than 4 lakh vendors having been given identification and vendor certification," the press note stated.

According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Centre had launched the PM SVANidhi scheme on 1 June, 2020, to help poor street vendors, impacted by coronavirus, to resume livelihood activities.

The lockdown due to COVID-19 has affected the businesses of street vendors. The purpose of this 'Svanidhi Samvaad' scheme is that those people can start afresh and begin their work again easily, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Sixty percent of the total cases are recorded only in five states, said the health ministry.

Maharashtra reported more than 20,000 COVID-19 cases alone of the total 89,706 fresh infections reported in past 24 hrs, said the health ministry on Wednesday. This was followed by Andhra Pradesh for recording more than 10,000 cases.

The number of people recovered from COVID-19 in India has surged to 33,98,844, further improving the recovery rate to 77.77 percent, while the case fatality rate has dropped to 1.69 percent, the Union Health Ministry said Wednesday.

The health ministry on Wednesday said that 60 percent of the total 43.7 lakh COVID-19 infections in India were reported in five states. This included Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

The COVID-19 cases in Himachal Pradesh, with just about 70 lakh population, have reached 7,832, according to the data provided by the state health department till Tuesday.

"The coronavirus cases are increasing day by day and neither their index cases nor travel history is being found which establishes its community spread," she added.

Shimla Chief Medical Officer Surekha Chopra said the recent data of COVID-19 cases established community spread of the virus.

"Total number of positive cases in the police force rises to 17,972, including 3,523 active cases, 14,269 recoveries and 180 deaths so far," said the Maharashtra Police.

With 533 more cops testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Maharashtra, the overall count in the police force has risen to 17,972 on Wednesday. The death of three more police personnel has increased the COVID-19 toll to 180.

Over 78,700 international passengers submitted their self-declaration form through the portal, the DIAL said in a press release.

The government had said last month that from 8 August, if any arriving international passenger has a negative report from an RT-PCR test done 96 hours prior to the journey, he or she need not undergo institutional quarantine in India. Delhi airport had launched an online portal for this purpose.

Delhi airport's online portal has received approximately 45,288 applications from international passengers since 8 August to avail exemption from seven-day institutional quarantine, said its operator DIAL on Wednesday.

The state also reported 728 new cases taking the total number of infected people to 94,854. As per the bulletin, 76,624 people have been discharged after treatment till now

Rajasthan recorded seven more fatalities due to the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the toll in the state to 1,171, according to a health department bulletin.

Over 11.5 lakh COVID-19 samples have been tested for the first time in single day, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. So far, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has tested over 5 crore samples.

The minister's aide said that Kanwar Pal's report came positive in the morning and he was currently in Chandigarh.

"After some symptoms, I got my Covid test done and it returned positive. I request all those who might have come in my contact to isolate themselves and get their tests done," the minister tweeted.

Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal said on Wednesday that he has tested positive for coronavirus. He requested all those who might have come in his contact during the past few days to isolate themselves and get their tests done.

With the addition of 1,392 fresh cases of COVID-19, the tally in Maharashtra's Thane district has reached 1,36,429, an official told news agency PTI. Apart from this, the district also recorded 24 fatalities on Tuesday that has taken the toll to 3,774, the official said.

A sum of Rs 10,339 crore has been released during COVID-19 period under the simplified payment process as envisaged in ambitious Aatm-Nirbhar Bharat scheme. Another sum of Rs 2,475 crore is being processed and likely to be released soon," ANI quoted Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as saying.

Amid a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed medical superintendents and senior officials to take every possible step to prevent the spread of the virus in the city.

This is the fourth part of the video series launched by the former Congress president on the economy and the lockdown.

"The lockdown was an attack on labourers, farmers and small shopkeepers. It was an attack on our unorganised sector. We have to understand this. We all have to stand against this attack," he said. "Whatever was done in the name of Corona was the third attack on the unorganised sector," he also said.

"The lockdown was not an attack on corona. The lockdown was an attack on the poor of India. It was an attack on the future of our youth," Gandhi said in a video series on the lockdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the lockdown was not an attack on coronavirus but on the poor people and proved to be a "death sentence" for the unorganised sector as it "finished" jobs and small businesses. Everyone should stand against the attack, he said.

"To defeat coronavirus anywhere, we need to defeat it everywhere."

"Our chances to develop and deploy a safe and effective vaccine have never been higher, both for Europeans here at home, or for the rest of the world," European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

The European Commission announced Wednesday it has reached a deal with a sixth pharmaceutical firm, this time BioNTech-Pfizer, to reserve a further 200 million doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine.

Journalist Rana Ayyub tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday,. She took to Twitter to share her test result and inform that she was has found a hospital bed in Navi Mumbai.

The Union health ministry says Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu account for 61% of the total active cases in the country.

He said the state government was committed to protect the people from the infection and provide better treatment to all.

"Contact tracing has an important role in controlling the spread of COVID-19 infection. This work should be conducted in a systematic and effective manner. In Lucknow, Prayagraj and Kanpur, contact tracing should be increased," a statement quoted the chief minister as saying. He was speaking at a COVID-19 review meeting here.

According to the health department, the state reported 6,743 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, out of which, 887 cases were found in Lucknow, 431 in Kanpur Nagar, 306 cases in Allahabad, among other places.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday called for increasing contact tracing of coronavirus patients in Lucknow, Kanpur and Allahabad.

The Serum Institute of India says it will continue trials of the Oxford vaccine despite AstraZeneca pausing the study. We cant comment much on the UK trials, but they have been paused for further review and they hope to restart soon, the institute says. As far as Indian trials are concerned, it is continuing and we have faced no issues at all.

Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday expressed happiness after six members of the dwindling Great Andamanese tribe, who tested positive for coronavirus, recovered and returned to their island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

As many as 582 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Wednesday, pushing the state's tally to 16,739, a health official said. Tripura's coronavirus death toll rose to 161 as nine more people succumbed to the infection, he said.

As many as 533 policemen in Maharashtra test positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours. The forces tally rises to 17,972. Three more deaths push the toll to 180.

Metro Rail officials said these trains will operate only during peak hours from 8 am to 11 am and 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm.

However, the services are yet to attract large number of passengers as most have apparently kept away due to Covid-19 apprehensions,according to officials.

As part of gradually restoring Metro rail operations,the Bangalore Metro Rail on Wednesday commenced services on another sector--the Green line-- two days after resuming it on another one.

Nine out of the total deaths on Wednesday occurred in Puducherry and the remaining one was reported from Karaikal region. Of the total 18,084 cases, 4,770 were active while 12,967 patients recovered and discharged so far.

Five women and as many men succumbed to COVID-19 in Puducherry on Wednesday while 341 more people contracted the virus, pushing the tally of infections to 18,084. A release from Health and Family Welfare department said 341 new cases were reported at the end of testing of 2,560.

Of the total number of cases, 2,470 patients have already recovered from the infection and discharged from hospitals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said. The number of active cases in Dharavi climbed down to 99 on Wednesday.

Dharavi, the largest slum in Mumbai, reported nine new coronavirus positive cases on Wednesday, which took the count of patients to 2,839, a senior civic official said.

In the first eight days of the month, Delhi registered 22,378 fresh coronavirus cases, including 3,609 fresh coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest single-day spike in 76 days, as the city moved towards two lakh-mark with over 4,618 deaths due to COVID-19 so far.

The minister also asserted that "extreme caution and not panic" should be the response of the city, and people should exhibit greater alertness and responsibility in public places to deal with this health crisis.

Despite a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital over the last fortnight, the Delhi government has ruled out the possibility of another lockdown, with Health Minister Satyendar Jain asserting that the economy "cannot be kept shut for eternity" as livelihoods of millions depend on it.

"I wanted to give you an update. I had to go for 'Roadies' and before that I had to test for COVID-19. Two of my tests were negative, but the result which came today was positive. "BMC has asked me to self-isolate. So I am home quarantining," Raftaar shared in a video posted on his Instagram Story.

Rapper Raftaar on Wednesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently home quarantined. The 31-year-old rapper said he was supposed to start shooting for the latest season of MTV's reality show "Roadies" and therefore got himself tested for coronavirus.

The number of active cases in the state rose to 97,271 after a total of 4,25,607 patients recovered and 4,634 died.

The latest bulletin said 9,842 patients had recovered in 24 hours ending 9 am on Wednesday, while 74 more succumbed to the pandemic in the state.

The Coronavirus graph of Andhra Pradesh continued its progression on a steep incline and reached 5,27,512 on Wednesday as 10,418 cases were added anew.

Jain asserted that Delhi government is committed to taking measures for ease of doing business to catalyse industrial growth, the statement said.

The Industries minister also suggested that there may be a moratorium of no or minimal government interference for at least a year to help the industry get back to growth, said a Delhi government statement.

The COVID-19 pandemic-induced uncertainties has led to a "drastic" drop in the average spend of people, Delhi minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday and emphasized that there is need to work towards building consumer confidence to avoid a long-term downward spiralling effect on the industry.

With this, the state has achieved a recovery rate of 82.01 percent. Like Tuesday, the number of recovered cases exceeded the new cases on Wednesday.

As many as 1,336 patients were discharged during the day, which pushed the number of recovered cases to 88,815, the department said in its release.

Gujarat's coronavirus tally rose to 1,08,295 with the addition of 1,329 new cases on Wednesday, the state health department said. With 16 fatalities, the death toll rose to 3,152, it said.

A total of 281 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recoveries to 17,156, he said. As many as 2,608 swab samples were tested, of which 1,502 were negative, 621 were positive and 485 reports are awaited, he said.

At least 621 persons tested positive for coronavirus in Goa, while six patients died of the infection on Wednesday, an official from the health department said. With the addition of 621 new cases, the tally in the coastal state rose to 22,251, the official said.

With 121 patients being discharged after treatment in the day, the number of recoveries rose to 27,145 in the district, the department said. Of the 171 fresh cases, Ahmedabad city contributed 149 patients while 22 cases were reported from rural areas. All four deaths occurred in the city.

The COVID-19 tally in Ahmedabad district crossed the 33,000 mark and reached 33,037 on Wednesday with addition of 171 new cases, Gujarat health department said. The cumulative toll rose to 1,760 with four new fatalities, it said.

Karnataka on Wednesday reported a spike of 9,540 COVID-19 cases and 128 fatalities, taking the total infection count to 4,21,730 and the toll to 6,808. The day also saw 6,860 patients getting discharged after recovery. Out of new cases reported on Wednesday, 3,419 were from Bengaluru urban alone.

The Chief Minister, who inaugurated the hospital through video conferencing, thanked the Tata Group for showing interest in the health sector of Kerala.

Built by the Tata Group using prefabricated containers in just five months at a cost of Rs 60 crore, the 551 bed hospital has 36 ventilators for the patients.

The first dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Kerala, built by the Tata Group, was inaugurated here on Wednesday by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said it was an excellent example of how Public Private Partnership can be put to good use.

The central drug regulator has issued a show-cause notice to Serum Institute of India (SII) for not informing it about pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in other countries and also for not submitting casualty analysis of the "reported serious adverse events". The show-cause notice was issued following reports that human trials of the most promising COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed by the University of Oxford, have been put on hold after a UK participant had an adverse reaction to it.

In the first eight days of the month, Delhi registered 22,378 fresh coronavirus cases, including 3,609 fresh coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest single-day spike in 76 days, as the city moved towards two lakh-mark with over 4,618 deaths due to COVID-19 so far.

The minister also asserted that "extreme caution and not panic" should be the response of the city, and people should exhibit greater alertness and responsibility in public places to deal with this health crisis.

Despite a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital over the last fortnight, the Delhi government has ruled out the possibility of another lockdown, with Health Minister Satyendar Jain asserting that the economy "cannot be kept shut for eternity" as livelihoods of millions depend on it.

"I wanted to give you an update. I had to go for 'Roadies' and before that I had to test for COVID-19. Two of my tests were negative, but the result which came today was positive. "BMC has asked me to self-isolate. So I am home quarantining," Raftaar shared in a video posted on his Instagram Story.

Rapper Raftaar on Wednesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently home quarantined. The 31-year-old rapper said he was supposed to start shooting for the latest season of MTV's reality show "Roadies" and therefore got himself tested for coronavirus.

The number of active cases in the state rose to 97,271 after a total of 4,25,607 patients recovered and 4,634 died.

The latest bulletin said 9,842 patients had recovered in 24 hours ending 9 am on Wednesday, while 74 more succumbed to the pandemic in the state.

The Coronavirus graph of Andhra Pradesh continued its progression on a steep incline and reached 5,27,512 on Wednesday as 10,418 cases were added anew.

Jain asserted that Delhi government is committed to taking measures for ease of doing business to catalyse industrial growth, the statement said.

The Industries minister also suggested that there may be a moratorium of no or minimal government interference for at least a year to help the industry get back to growth, said a Delhi government statement.

The COVID-19 pandemic-induced uncertainties has led to a "drastic" drop in the average spend of people, Delhi minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday and emphasized that there is need to work towards building consumer confidence to avoid a long-term downward spiralling effect on the industry.

With this, the state has achieved a recovery rate of 82.01 percent. Like Tuesday, the number of recovered cases exceeded the new cases on Wednesday.

As many as 1,336 patients were discharged during the day, which pushed the number of recovered cases to 88,815, the department said in its release.

Gujarat's coronavirus tally rose to 1,08,295 with the addition of 1,329 new cases on Wednesday, the state health department said. With 16 fatalities, the death toll rose to 3,152, it said.

A total of 281 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recoveries to 17,156, he said. As many as 2,608 swab samples were tested, of which 1,502 were negative, 621 were positive and 485 reports are awaited, he said.

At least 621 persons tested positive for coronavirus in Goa, while six patients died of the infection on Wednesday, an official from the health department said. With the addition of 621 new cases, the tally in the coastal state rose to 22,251, the official said.

With 121 patients being discharged after treatment in the day, the number of recoveries rose to 27,145 in the district, the department said. Of the 171 fresh cases, Ahmedabad city contributed 149 patients while 22 cases were reported from rural areas. All four deaths occurred in the city.

The COVID-19 tally in Ahmedabad district crossed the 33,000 mark and reached 33,037 on Wednesday with addition of 171 new cases, Gujarat health department said. The cumulative toll rose to 1,760 with four new fatalities, it said.

Karnataka on Wednesday reported a spike of 9,540 COVID-19 cases and 128 fatalities, taking the total infection count to 4,21,730 and the toll to 6,808. The day also saw 6,860 patients getting discharged after recovery. Out of new cases reported on Wednesday, 3,419 were from Bengaluru urban alone.

The Chief Minister, who inaugurated the hospital through video conferencing, thanked the Tata Group for showing interest in the health sector of Kerala.

Built by the Tata Group using prefabricated containers in just five months at a cost of Rs 60 crore, the 551 bed hospital has 36 ventilators for the patients.

The first dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Kerala, built by the Tata Group, was inaugurated here on Wednesday by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said it was an excellent example of how Public Private Partnership can be put to good use.

The central drug regulator has issued a show-cause notice to Serum Institute of India (SII) for not informing it about pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in other countries and also for not submitting casualty analysis of the "reported serious adverse events". The show-cause notice was issued following reports that human trials of the most promising COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed by the University of Oxford, have been put on hold after a UK participant had an adverse reaction to it.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates: Despite a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases in Delhi over the last fortnight, the AAP government has ruled out the possibility of another lockdown, with Health Minister Satyendar Jain asserting that the economy "cannot be kept shut for eternity" as livelihoods of millions depend on it.

However, the Bengaluru metro services are yet to attract large number of passengers as most have apparently kept away due to Covid-19 apprehensions,according to officials.

According to the health department, the Uttar Pradesh has reported 6,743 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, out of which, 887 cases were found in Lucknow, 431 in Kanpur Nagar, 306 cases in Allahabad, among other places.

"The lockdown was not an attack on corona. The lockdown was an attack on the poor of India. It was an attack on the future of our youth," Gandhi said in a video series on the lockdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Over 11.5 lakh COVID-19 samples have been tested for the first time in single day, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. So far, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has tested over 5 crore samples.

The death of three more Maharashtra Police personnel in the past 24 hours has increased the COVID-19 toll to 180.

Maharashtra reported more than 20,000 COVID-19 cases alone of the total 89,706 fresh infections reported in past 24 hrs, said the health ministry on Wednesday.

Although India has a low death rate from COVID-19 disease, nearly 1,000 deaths have been recorded every day from across the country for the last nine days.

On Wednesday, the toll due to the infectious disease has risen to 73,890 with 1,115 more fatalities.

India's COVID-19 cases exceeded 43 lakh on Wednesday after 89,706 more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

Delhi Metro's Blue Line and Pink Line resumed services with curtailed operation timings on Wednesday after being closed for 171 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it had "voluntarily paused" a randomized clinical trial of its coronavirus vaccine in what it called a routine action after a volunteer developed an unexplained illness.

India's daily coronavirus cases on Tuesday saw a slight dip with 75,809 cases reported in 24 hours as against the 90,802 recorded on Monday, but the toll due to COVID-19 surged to 72,775 with a record 1,113 patients succumbing to the virus.

Amid rising cases, the Central Government underlined increasing reports from state governments about people becoming lax in taking precautions against COVID-19, and how it is hampering the efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

The number of recoveries on Tuesday surged to 33,23,950 pushing the recovery rate to 77.65 percent, according to the health ministry data.

The data showed that there are 8,83,697 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprise 20.65 percent of the total caseload of 42,80,422.

During a media briefing, the Centre claimed that India's COVID-19 cases per million population (now at 3,102), is among the lowest in the world.

Niti Aayog member Dr VK Paul also urged people to get themselves tested, stating that the government had facilitated extensive testing and also allowed testing on demand.

Paul, who also chairs the national expert group on COVID-19 vaccine administration, said that the government was considering Russia's request for conducting phase-3 clinical trial and manufacturing its COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik V' in India.

The health ministry also released guidelines for the partial re-opening of schools on a voluntary basis, stipulating disinfection of the premises and stressing on ensuring proper distance between students and teachers,

In Delhi, the high court, expressing concern over the sharp rise in cases in the National Capital, said that doctor's prescription will no longer be mandatory for those who want to get themselves tested for COVID-19.

Health minister Satyendra Jain, in an interview with news agency PTI, however, said that there was no reason to panic and that the spike in cases will "plateau" after 10-15 days.

Five states account for 70% deaths, 62% active cases: Health ministry

In a briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that India's COVID-19 fatality rate is among the lowest globally and currently stands at 1.7o percent.

"The COVID-19 deaths per million population in India is 53 as compared to the world average of 115 deaths per million. This is also among the lowest in the world," he said.

Giving a state-wise break up of India's coronavirus cases and deaths, Bhushan said that five states  Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh account for approximately 70 percent of total COVID-19 deaths in the country.

"A total of 28 states and UTs have COVID-19 case fatality rate lower than the national average of 1.70 percent," the official noted.

He added that the five states also account for 62 percent of total active COVID-19 cases in the country. "While 14 states and UTs have less than 5,000 active COVID-19 cases, Lakshadweep has no active cases," Bhushan said.

Responding to a question, the health secretary said that six persons from a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands had tested positive for the coronavirus but all have recovered now. In the Nicobarese tribe which is not a PVTG, there are still 15 active cases, the official informed.

Jammu and Kashmir reports record spike

Meanwhile, states and Union Territories continued reporting more cases and deaths due to the infection. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed its biggest single-day spike of 1,355 COVID-19 cases, pushing the Union Territory's infection count to 45,925. Among the new cases, 785 were from the Jammu region and 570 were from the Kashmir Valley. The toll in the UT rose to 815 with 14 more dying of the disease.

Maharashtra recorded 20,131 new COVID-19 cases, taking its caseload to 9,43,772, while the toll increased to 27,407 with 380 persons succumbing to the disease.

For the fifth day in a row, Andhra Pradesh, the second worst-affected state in the country by the virus, saw more number of coronavirus patients getting discharged than the addition of new cases. On Tuesday, 11,691 COVID-19 patients got discharged from hospitals in the state while 10,601 fresh cases took the overall count to 5,17,094.

In Tamil Nadu, the toll crossed 8,000 with 87 more fatalities, while 5,684 fresh cases pushed the cumulative case count to to 4,74,940. The toll now stands at 8,012. Recoveries outnumbered new infections for the third successive day with 6,599 people getting discharged, taking the total number of people who have recovered from the disease to 4,16,71, said the state health department.

Delhi also saw a spike of 3,609 fresh coronavirus cases with over 45,000 COVID-19 tests being conducted in 24 hours. According to the latest health bulletin issued by the state government, the total cases crossed 1.97 lakh while the toll mounted to 4,618, with 19 more fatalities.



No prescription needed for testing in Delhi

The Delhi High Court noted that there was a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases from 31 August in the National capital and said that the figures were rather alarming.

To prevent any delays given the situation, the court said that those who want to voluntarily get themselves tested need not obtain a prescription from a doctor. The person concerned will only be required to fill an ICMR form and attach Aadhaar card with Delhi address as proof, the bench of justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said.

The bench also asked private laboratories to allot 2,000 RT-PCR tests per day for those who want to undergo the test. The bench directed the Delhi government to ramp up the mobile facilities from two to four and said that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) should display advertisements about the nearby COVID-19 testing camps at prominent spots near the entry and exit area of the stations.

While the Yellow Line of the Delhi Metro resumed services with restricted timings from Monday as part of the fourth phase of 'unlocking' activities, the Blue and Pink Line are set to start operations on Wednesday.

Cases will plateau soon, says Delhi health minister

Meanwhile Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain sought to allay fears over the rapid spread of the infection, saying that "the current situation is far better than in June" when the city witnessed a big wave of infections.

He also attributed the rise in cases to an increase in testing.

In an interview to PTI, Jain said,"One of the main reasons why we are seeing such a rise in the number of fresh cases is because we are going aggressive as far as testing is concerned. We have been conducting tests in markets, crowded places, Mohalla Clinics, hospitals, and many other places.

"The scale of testing per day has been almost quadrupled than what was in June," Jain said, claiming that Delhi is doing more tests per million people than any other state.

"There is a spike in the number of cases, but the fact is that we have also increased the scale of testing as we don't want to leave even a single person who has been infected untraced, including asymptomatic ones. This spike will come down in the next 10-15 days, and cases will sort of plateau and stabilise by then," Jain asserted.

When asked about the most effective strategy of the government, Jain said, "home isolation was our biggest strategy, and it proved to be a game-changer. We are on the right course, and we will continue to pursue that strategy for effective COVID-19 management."

Centre issues SOPs for partial re-opening of schools

Even as state governments and UTs released their daily figures on COVID-19, the health ministry issued SOPs for the partial re-opening of schools from 21 September. Under the Unlock-4 guidelines, schools outside containment zones have been allowed to partially reopen for students from Classes 9 to 12 who want to take guidance from their teachers.

Disallowing sharing of notebooks, pens/pencils,water bottles, etc, among students, prohibition of assemblies and sports, encouraging online learning, entry of asymptomatic persons are some of the health ministry's guidelines

However, written consent of the students' parents or guardians will be required and the teacher-student interactions must be organised in a staggered manner, the guidelines stated.

According to the 'SOP for partial reopening of Schools for students of Classes 9 to 12 on a voluntary basis', the seating arrangement has to be made to ensure a distance of six feet between chairs, desks, etc, and the faculty will ensure that they themselves and students wear masks throughout the teaching/guidance activities.

Sanitiser dispensers and thermal screening provisions should be made at the entrance and frequently touched surfaces must be regularly disinfected with one percent sodium hypochlorite, the guidelines stated.

Schools that were used as COVID-19 quarantine centres should be properly sanitised and deep-cleaned before partial functioning is resumed, the document stated.

The guidelines also called for ensuring regular counselling for students and teachers reporting mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. It is advisable that teachers, school counsellors and school health workers should work in unison to ensure emotional safety of the students

With inputs from PTI
We all know it's an election year, even those of us watching AFN commercials instead of politically charged ones on cable. But here's the important question, dear military spouse: Are you registered to vote?

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook regularly prompt us to register or request an absentee ballot, but those notices usually default to the state from which you're logging into the site. For military spouses, this can get confusing.

Hear me, please. Voting is important. It's a right and a responsibility. It's something women, in particular, can celebrate this year, with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

But voting yourself may not be enough. You may want to help others learn how important it is to vote, how they can vote or -- in the case of new military spouses -- where they should register to vote. Here are ways you can encourage others to vote, without taking sides.

Register to Vote

First, make sure you are registered to vote. This gets complicated sometimes as military spouses keep moving. Here's a quick refresher:

According to the Federal Voting Assistance Program, military spouses have three options on where to vote. You can retain your sponsor's residency or domicile; keep your own current, established one; or take steps to make your current state your residency or domicile.

You cannot pick a random state, and you should check the deadlines. Because while you may want to vote in the state you just moved to, you may have missed the cutoff. So double-check all the dates.

Send Postcards

There are a few organizations sending reminder postcards to registered voters, emphasizing the importance of voting this year. The messages are nonpartisan in nature and focus on getting more people to vote. There are a few options on organizations you can join, including Postcards for Swing States and MomsRising.

Army spouse Margarita Cambest filled out cards through the Postcards for Swing States program. "It's an uncertain time for a lot of people right now, but I think the pandemic shouldn't keep anyone from accessing their ballots and knowing how they can perform their civic duty," she said. "Whether that be voting by mail or absentee (as many military families already do), dropping off ballots at drop-off boxes or voting in-person, I wanted people to know that there are plenty of ways people can exercise their rights safely. With so many choices, there really isn't a reason why anyone should let this election go by without doing their part."

Rock the Vote

For the last 30 years, Rock the Vote has used popular cultural influences to build the political power of the younger generations. From music to art to technology, the focus has been on young voters. This year, Millennials and Generation Z will make up almost 40% of voters.

You can participate with Rock the Vote in a variety of ways, including financially. You can volunteer by helping people get registered, remind friends to vote and plan activities in your local community to encourage people to use their ballot. There are also opportunities to create and share content.

Work the Polls

Some people like to volunteer to work the polls on Election Day. This sometimes is difficult for military spouses because such volunteers are required to be registered to vote in a state in order to volunteer in that same state, even if they are already registered to vote in another state. Members of the Military Vote Coalition recently sent a letter to states with large active-duty military populations, including California, Virginia, Florida, Texas and North Carolina, asking that they waive this requirement to allow military families to work as poll workers.

Marine Corps spouse Natasha Harth planned to work the polls this year, but the pandemic, virtual schooling for her kids and a geobachelor assignment have changed her plans. She was originally motivated because of her interest in politics and elections.

"I've always had an inquiring mind about why laws are the way they are, how they're made and how they can be changed," she said. "I'm also typically a kind and patient person, something we need more of at the polls. I believe if a citizen wants to have their voice heard, then it starts with a vote. Whether or not 'your' candidate wins the election, every vote does count, and it provides valuable data for ALL policymakers and those working alongside them."

Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life

For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox.

--Rebecca Alwine can be reached at rebecca.alwine@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebecca_alwine.
BANGALORE, India, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Algorithmic Trading Market size is expected to grow from USD 11,846.92 Million in 2019 to USD 22,092.37 Million by 2025 at a CAGR of 10.94% during the forecast period.

Major factors driving the Algorithmic Trading Market size are quick, efficient, and successful order execution, cutting transactional costs, increasing government regulations, and increasing market surveillance demand.

The Global Algorithmic Trading Market report provides comprehensive information on the key players' market, along with detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments.

Get Detailed Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Algorithmic Trading Market: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/360I-Auto-2W81/The_Global_Algorithmic_Trading_Market

COVID-19 EFFECT ON ALGORITHMIC TRADING MARKET

In March 2020, financial markets plummeted due to coronavirus spread, causing circuit breakers that stopped market-wide Trading. After the lows in March, Algorithmic Trading contributed to the market recovery. As a consequence, algorithmic foreign-exchange execution resources have increased dramatically since March 2020.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-2W81/the-global-algorithmic-trading

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE ALGORITHMIC TRADING MARKET SIZE

It is expected that the advent of AI in the financial services sector will be a major factor in the growth of the algorithmic trade market size. As a result of developments in artificial intelligence, regulators are also beginning to notice how individuals communicate with the market.

Algorithmic Trading can also analyze every quote and trade in the stock market with the aid of predefined rules, backtested, and placed at predefined levels. Thus, these systems detect opportunities for liquidity and turn the knowledge into smart trading decisions. These factors are expected to further fuel the algorithmic trade market size.

Cloud-based algorithmic trading platforms are expected to play a major role in algorithmic trade market size growth. This growth is attributed to the various benefits offered, such as maximum profit gains, as cloud-based trading systems help traders automate their trading processes, simple trading data maintenance, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and efficient management. Cloud-based trading works on the model of cloud computing, which uses remote server networks typically accessed over the internet to store, manage, and process data.

ALGORITHMIC TRADING MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

North America is expected to hold the largest Algorithmic Trading Market share during the forecast period. North America's dominance is attributed to the growing investment in trading innovations such as blockchain, increasing involvement of algorithmic trading companies, and rising government support for global Trading.

Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth due to the private and public sectors' heavy investments to upgrade their trading technologies.

Based on trading type, the Exchange-Traded Funds is expected to witness the highest growth due to the increasing demand for automated Trading and enhanced trading experiences.

Inquire for Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/360I-Auto-2W81/The_Global_Algorithmic_Trading_Market

ALGORITHMIC TRADING MARKET SEGMENTATION & COVERAGE

This research report categorizes the Algorithmic Trading to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:

Based on Trading Type, the Algorithmic Trading Market studied across

Bonds,

Cryptocurrencies,

Exchange-Traded Funds,

Foreign Exchange,

Stock Markets.

Based on Component, the Algorithmic Trading Market studied across

Services

Solutions.

The Services further studied across Managed Services and Professional Services. The Solutions further studied across Platforms and Software Tools.

Based on Deployment, the Algorithmic Trading Market studied across

Cloud

On-Premises.

Based on Organisation Size, the Algorithmic Trading Market studied across

Large Enterprises

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

KEY PLAYERS

63 Moons

Argo SE

Automated Trading SoftTech

InfoReach

iRageCapital

Kuberre Systems

MetaQuotes Software

QuantCore Capital Management

Software AG

Symphony

Tata Consultancy Services

Tethys

Thomson Reuters

Virtu Financial.

THE REPORT PROVIDES INSIGHTS ON THE FOLLOWING POINTERS

Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments

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SIMILAR REPORTS :

High-frequency Trading Market

The major factor driving the growth of High-frequency Trading Market size is that it has increased market liquidity and eliminated bid-ask spreads that would have previously been too small.

The High-frequency Trading Market report studies the High-frequency Trading market using different methodologies and analyses to provide accurate and in-depth information about the market.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-17T1844/global-high-frequency-trading

Automated Algo Trading Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-4B2935/global-automated-algo-trading

Cryptocurrency Market

The global Cryptocurrency market size is projected to reach USD 884.6 Million by 2026, from USD 852.3 Million in 2020

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-3O145/global-cryptocurrency

Foreign Exchange Market

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-2C350/foreign-exchange

ABOUT US:

Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs.

Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs.

To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains detail research methodology employed to generate the report, Please also reach to our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources

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SOURCE Valuates Reports
(Natural News) The Walt Disney Corporation is back in the news after it was revealed that its new live-action remake of Mulan was filmed in Xinjiang, a province in communist China that is jam-packed with Uyghur Muslim concentration camps.

After earlier threatening to cease all business in Georgia due to the states efforts to protect the lives of the unborn, Disney is now proudly filming movies in partnership with one of the most oppressive regimes in the world.

According to reports, Disney is well aware of the widespread human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang, where millions of Muslims and other oppressed people groups are subjected to torture, forced organ harvesting, forced sterilization, forced abortions and other horrors. But the company appears not to care.

This is another terrible example of corporate hypocrisy, says David Quinn, director of the Dublin-based Iona Institute for Religion and Society.

Disney threatened to boycott Georgia because of its religious freedom law, but then thanks officials in Xinjiang province for their help in making Mulan, even though the worst human rights abuse in the world today, and the worst attack on religious freedom is taking place in that province, he adds. It is scandalous.

Disney offers special thanks to communist China in movie credits

At no point in time has Disney even addressed the fact that communist China continues to enslave people who resist its tyranny, let alone threaten not to do business there like it did to the state of Georgia.

Disney and Marvel are inclusive companies, and although we have had great experiences filming in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law, a Disney spokesperson stated last year.

Disneys inclusivity policies apparently do not apply to Uyghur Muslims, Falun Gong Buddhists, or anyone else on communist Chinas extermination list. Not only that, but Disney is actually proud to do business with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), giving special thanks to eight different government entities in the films credits, including the public security bureau in Turpan, a city in eastern Xinjiang where several re-education camps are located, writes Dr. Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D., for Breitbart News.

Disney also made sure to thank the publicity department of CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomy Region Committee, which is nothing more than the propaganda department of the CCP in Xinjiang.

Roughly a year ago, the U.S. Department of Commerces Bureau of Industry and Security made a declaration that the Turpan Municipality Bureau of Public Security, which Disney specifically thanked in Mulans credits, is acting contrary to the foreign policy interests of the United States.

These contrary actions include human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of Chinas campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups, according to the Department of Commerce.

The truth of the matter, as stated perfectly by Quinn, is that corporations like Disney make moralistic, woke noises, but they only care about the bottom line. Disney is also guilty of catering to CCP interests at the expense of American interests, which could implicate the company in committing treason.

It almost seems intentional that Disney chose to praise Xinjiang authorities and run production there at a time when most of the global discussion about Xinjiang is about appalling mass detention of people outside of any legal process on the basis of their ethnic and religious identity, about forced labor, torture and unparalleled destruction of religious freedom, says Human Rights Watch China director Sophie Richardson.

More related news stories about the hypocrisy of multinational corporations like Disney that pretend to care about human rights can be found at Deception.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
Using Yardi, the company will gain complete visibility of portfolio performance across its properties. It will implement Yardi Voyager for property management and accounting as well as ancillary products to fully connect the resident lifecycle and maximise returns. With 1.6 billion assets under management, Fresh will eliminate a number of disparate systems thanks to Yardi's single connected platform.

Fresh will achieve marketing automation with Yardi's RENTCafe Suite. It includes RENTCafe for property marketing, website optimisation, online leasing and resident services; RENTCafe CRM Flex for prospect management and flexibility to handle workflows for multiple lease types; and MyCafe by RENTCafe, a white-label app that provides a full range of resident services plus community engagement.

"Our focus on exceptional resident experience will be enhanced by Yardi's RENTCafe functionality. Our residents will be able to download the MyCafe app, which will reflect our upcoming brand refresh, to give them one-touch access to a full range of bespoke services. It will also help our property teams provide an unrivalled level of community engagement," said Jane Crouch, COO of Fresh Property Group.

"Yardi's comprehensive marketing solutions were a pivotal draw in our decision. RENTCafe will give us the ability to offer booking journeys which will improve engagement, increase leads and ultimately fill buildings quicker," continued Crouch.

Fresh will also adopt Yardi Job Cost for project cost control, Yardi Procure to Pay to streamline procurement and vendor managment, and a facility management solution for maintenance management and mobile inspections.

"We are delighted to welcome Fresh Property Group as our latest client in the UK. Our RENTCafe platform has been designed to meet the needs of the student and residential markets, providing greater operational flexibility and enabling our clients to provide a better experience for their residents, while improving operational efficiencies," said Neal Gemassmer, vice president of international for Yardi.

About Fresh Property Group

With 20,000+ units under management acoss 66 schemes in UK and Ireland, Fresh Property Group maximises the net operating position and value of assets whilst providing residents with an exceptional living experience. From pre-mobilisation to day-to-day operational management, Fresh drives value to the asset by working collaboratively and providing professional end-to-end services. freshpg.com

About Yardi

Yardi develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. Established in 1984, Yardi is based in Santa Barbara, Calif., and serves clients worldwide from offices in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. For more information, visit yardi.co.uk.

SOURCE Yardi

Related Links

https://www.yardi.co.uk/


Police are on the hunt for a 'hit-and-run' driver who struck an officer and left him 'screaming for help' at the scene of a stabbing in London last night.

The officer was responding to reports of a stabbing at around 2am outside Manor House station in Finsbury Park when he was reportedly hit.

Witnesses claim that they saw a white car speed through a police cordon which had been set up to investigate the incident at around 2.35am.

Police are now searching for the driver of the white car. No arrests have been made. It is understood the collision and the stabbing are not related.

The officer has been treated for shock, a spokesman for the force added.

'At approximately 02:35hrs an officer responding to the incident came in close contact with a car travelling past the scene,' the Met Police said.

A police officer 'screamed for help' after he was hit by a car following a stabbing in north London last night, it has been claimed. The officer was responding to reports of a stabbing outside Manor House station in Finsbury Park when he was reportedly hit

'Fortunately, the car only brushed past the officer and did not fully collide with him. He wasn't injured but was treated by paramedics for shock.

'Enquiries to locate the driver of the car involved in the incident with the officer are ongoing. No arrests have been made.'

Community reverend Efrayim Goldstein said he was one of the first to help at around 2am, unzipping the officer's jacket so he could breath properly.

He said the officer had been standing behind the cordon and had signalled to the car to stop before it swerved at the last second and clipped him.

'He was not breathing properly,' Mr Goldstein told the Mirror.

'He said 'please help me'. He was kneeling onto the other officer and then went back on to the ground. I then supported his back with my body so he could open his zip.

'He was lucky. He could've died. He was screaming and crying.'

London Ambulance Service took over at the scene.

The Met Police said: 'Police were called at 01:55hrs on Thursday, 10 September to reports of a stabbing at the junction of Green Lanes and Seven Sisters Road, N4.

Witnesses said they saw a white car speed through a police cordon that had been set up to investigate the incident. The officer suffered injuries to his arm and leg

'Officers and London Ambulance Service attended. A 28-year-old man was taken to hospital with a stab injury. His condition is not life-threatening. No arrests have been made and enquiries by the Central East Command Unit continue.'

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'We were called at 1.49am today to reports of a stabbing outside Manor House Station.'

'We dispatched an ambulance crew, a medic in a car and an incident response officer, with the first of our medics arriving within six minutes.'

'We treated a man at the scene and took him to a major trauma centre. We also assessed a police officer following an incident at the scene, but did not take him to hospital.'
New Delhi:

The Supreme Court sought on Thursday the response of the Centre on a plea seeking its direction for allowing private FM radio stations, including community radios, to broadcast news like television channels.

A bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud asked the ministry of information and broadcasting to file its reply within four weeks.

The bench was hearing a PIL, filed by NGO Common Cause in 2013, seeking a direction to the Centre that private radio stations and community radios be also allowed to broadcast news as they are more accessible for the masses, particularly the poor.

The apex court had earlier issued notice to the Centre on the PIL way back on October 17, 2013. The plea said unlike television channels, none of the 245 private FM channels and 145 community radio stations in the country are allowed to broadcast their own news and current affairs programmes, which was the monopoly of government broadcaster Prasar Bharati.

"India is perhaps the lone democracy where dissemination of news and current affairs programmes on radio remains a monopoly of the government-owned broadcaster, which owns and operates All India Radio/Akashvaani," the NGO has said.

Separate guidelines for community and FM radio were "discriminatory" as they imposed "unreasonable restrictions" on the broadcast of news and current affairs programmes by them, especially when TV channels and the print media were not subject to such prohibitions, it said.

The petition also submitted that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which took over the regulatory duties for broadcasting in January 2004, has recommended to the government that rules restricting private and community radio channels from broadcasting news and current affairs programmes be removed.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Like almost every COVID-19-affected retailer, Myer is promoting its online credentials as its central strategy pitch. But the 98 per cent explosion in Myers online revenue in the six months to July 31 only mitigated its financial predicament rather than providing salvation.

The department store group turned in a full-year net loss of $11.3 million on total sales that were down 15 per cent for the year to July 31. And Myers largest shareholder, Solomon Lew, is not having a bar of it  labelling the result a shameful disaster.

Please explain: Premier Investments chairman Solomon Lew slams Myer's strategy. Credit:Liz Main

After his anti-Myer campaign slumbered in hibernation for a year, Lew launched into battle again on Thursday, calling for the scalps of the entire board and chief executive John King. One would have to think that Lew would now be canvassing shareholders about their level of support for a vote to make good on his comments.

He has missed the deadline for board nominations at this years annual meeting, but he could move to call an extraordinary meeting of shareholders.
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Dear Prudence,

My girlfriend, Jane, and I moved in together during the pandemic, since her roommate was an essential worker and I lived alone. We figured it wouldnt last that long (yeah, yeah), and it would be better than being all by ourselves. Weve fought a bit, but mostly in a way that confirmed we were good for each other, and overall things have been great. Except for this: Jane doesnt believe that men can or should do any domestic chores. She thinks we should leave it to women to do it right. I drew up a chore schedule so wed both know what needs doing, and she does my share while Im working. Anything I do manage to finish, she redoes with a sigh. I realize not having to do chores isnt much to complain about. But even though part of me is glad I dont have to scrub the toilet, I still feel like its unfair. Plus, what kind of life can I really build with someone who thinks Im genetically incapable of wiping a plate?

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Ive spent a whole pandemic trying to convince her Im capable of basic housekeeping, but it hasnt worked. I dont see how I can continue to date Jane, even though this is our only real problem. It sounds stupid, but I would just feel like such a weird throwback. Plus my family would hardly respect this lifestyle, and that matters to me. Am I missing something? I didnt live in a pit before Jane moved in with me. I didnt have a house cleaner, either; I paid a neighbors kid $20 to water the plants and open the windows when I traveled for work. Everything else I took care of myself.

No Cleaning, Please, Im a Man

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I dont think what youre concerned about is just not having to do chores. Your girlfriend doesnt listen to you, overrides your attempts to divide and share tasks, and makes a production out of redoing your work with a Jim Halpertstyle sigh directed at an invisible documentary crew. That sounds baffling, condescending, and frustrating, and I dont wonder if it gives you pause. The fact that this is your only problem right now doesnt mean its trivial or unimportant, and if youve spent six months trying to get her to listen to you to no avail, I think youre running out of options. Even if she thought your cleanliness standards werent up to snuff, thats grounds for a conversation, not, Dish-washing isnt something you learnyoure either born with the gift, or youve got to get out of the kitchen.

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At this point, the only option you havent tried yet is to tell Jane just how close you are to ending things over this. You can tell her you love her but that her insistence on shutting you out of household management, that youre incapable of having a discussion about which order floors should be dry-mopped and wet-mopped, has given you serious concerns about your future together. Either shell realize youre serious and reconsider her stance, or shell double down and youll save yourself years of frustration. Imagine trying to build a life with someone whose approach to conflict is Youre a fool and I dont have to listen to you. Even if she only uses that approach some of the time, it will quickly prove wearing and intimacy-destroying most of the time.

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Get Dear Prudence in Your Inbox We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

Dear Prudence,

Im unexpectedly pregnant. Im almost 40, and in my 20s I was told it would be practically impossible to conceive naturally. I met my husband, Charlie, 10 years ago. He was a single father to Lily, whom Ive since adopted. I was worried he wouldnt want a future with me if I told him I was infertile, but he was adamant about not wanting more kids. Lilys mother abandoned them shortly after Lilys birth, and raising her alone was incredibly difficult for him. This baby feels like a miracle to me. I want to keep it so badly. But Im almost certain Charlie will ask me to have an abortion. And if it came down to it, Id choose him and Lily, but it would break my heart. I choke on my words when I try to tell Charlie Im pregnant, because I know one of the most difficult discussions of my life will follow. Where do I begin?

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Unexpected Conundrum

I can understand why youre in no rush to start a conversation you have reason to fear will be painful, even agonizing. But you dont have to start it perfectly, or even very well. You can start by crying, by blurting it out, by telling your husband you dont know what to do next, by telling him youre afraid of how hell respond. You do not have to task yourself with sharing this news composedly or with great poise. Just make sure that Lily is out of the house, or at the very least out of earshot, beforehand. If you need additional support before, after, or both, I hope youll consider sharing this with a trusted friend. Part of you may be tempted to spare yourself the grief of what you believe his response will be, to act as if youd already heard him say I want you to get an abortion, and try to keep your pain to yourself. But whatever you and your husband decide to do next, whether you find yourself in accord or painfully divided in spirit, I want you to at least be able to discuss your feelings with him, instead of suffering in silence.

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How to Get Advice From Prudie

 Send questions for publication to prudence@slate.com. (Questions may be edited.)

 Join the live chat every Monday at noon. Submit your questions and comments here before or during the live discussion.

 Call the voicemail of the Dear Prudence podcast at 401-371-DEAR (3327) to hear your question answered on a future episode of the show.

Dear Prudence,

My roommate in my new apartment says she has pet allergies and that I cant get a cat. I do not know her personally, as she is a subletter brought in by my former roommate. Previously I had received permission from my landlord to have a cat, and my former roommate had agreed to it. I went through the adoption process and was preparing to bring my cat home, but when I told my new roommate, she said no. I offered to keep the cat in my room and buy Claritin monthly. I am conflicted, because I want to respect her health, but I am also struggling to be told what to do in my own room. Should I give up and face deep disappointment, or put up a boundary and prioritize myself? I feel territorial because I own the living room furniture, and allergies were never mentioned in her sublet agreement.

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I Get by With a Little Cat Friend

I can understand your frustration, given how long youve been looking forward to bringing a cat home, but your roommate cant help her pet allergy, and you cant keep dander and other allergens confined to a single part of the house, even if your cat never ventures from your bedroom. (And what kind of life would that be for a cat?) The resulting haziness, itchiness, red eyes, and congestion and pain often can be unbearable. Over-the-counter treatments might make the difference between completely unlivable and I can sort of make it through the day for some people, but its a pretty serious quality-of-life issue and not something you should treat casually.

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I imagine your new roommate never mentioned her allergies when she moved in because you didnt have any pets at the time, so she didnt think it would come up. The fact that you dont know her personally, or that your previous roommate was fine with the idea, or that you own the living room furniture simply doesnt enter into it. You know this woman is allergic to cats, and you shouldnt bring a cat home while you two are living together. That probably means you wont want to renew with her at the end of her subletting term, so be upfront about your plans to get a cat in the near future, so she can make her own arrangements to find a new place to live (or you can start looking for a different apartment). You can get your cat without making this womans life suddenly and unnecessarily harder. Be patient a little longer, and youll all get what you want.

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Help! Ive Had a Secret Lover for 15 Years.

Danny M. Lavery is joined by A.E. Osworth on this weeks episode of the Dear Prudence podcast.

Subscribe to the Dear Prudence Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dear Prudence,

I recently became the supervisor of an employee who loves self-deprecating humor. This, combined with high anxiety, makes it difficult for me to know if shes having a panic attack every time I assign her a task. Ive tried to explain that its difficult for me to trust her with this attitude she has for herself. She continues to panic that shes going to get fired every time she makes a mistake or thanks me for putting up with her all the time. Its emotionally exhausting for me to feel like I have to pause my day to make sure shes OK. Ive tried giving her specific positive feedback, an employee appreciation prize, and publicly praising her in meetings. How can I be a supportive boss without suggesting she go to therapy or find a job that doesnt cause her so much distress? Shes been with our company for over a year and her attitude hasnt changed.

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Endlessly Epinephrinated Employee

You dont have to (and probably shouldnt!) suggest that she see a therapist or look for work elsewhere, especially since youve only recently started supervising her, but that doesnt mean you have to start making up fake prizes to keep her from panicking that shes going to get fired every week, either. Your problem right now is that you know way too much and are too personally invested in your employees internal emotional state. Since your ultimate goal is to pull way back, anything that invites greater emotional intimacy or prolonged back-and-forth is counterproductive. That doesnt mean you should start treating her like a robot or snap at her when she displays vulnerability. If she starts to spiral when youre in a meeting together or having an otherwise neutral work conversation, be polite but firm and ask her to stop: Weve talked about this before. If you need a minute to compose yourself, please take it, but Im not going to have another conversation about something weve already discussed. It might feel tempting to throw another brief hit of affirmation while youre at it, like Dont worry, or Youre doing great, but I think that just adds fuel to the fire (and its not entirely true). But dont overexplain yourself either or say that shes making it difficult to trust herwhat you need is for her to find a way to regulate her own fears and feelings, not work through them again with you in a different framework. She just needs to stop.

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If you dont see any progress in a few more weeks, by all means ask your own supervisor or mentor for advice and consider putting her on an improvement plan, offering her an official warning, or whatever the next escalation might be. But I hope she can shed this nervous tic with your calm guidance.

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Dear Prudence Uncensored

You will not do her any favors in her next job if you try to accommodate her this much.

Danny Lavery and Nicole Cliffe discuss this letter in this weeks Dear Prudence Uncensoredonly for Slate Plus members.

Dear Prudence,

I adore my best friend Jordan. Weve been friends for over six years, used to live together, and have a very healthy relationship. But one thing drives me nuts about them: They litter. They throw cigarette packages on the ground and walk away and toss receipts onto the sidewalk once we leave a store. Recently they threw half a sandwich (still in a plastic bag!) out of a car window when we were in the parking lot. I got out and put it in a trash can in a huff. Jordans normally a progressive person. Weve talked about this multiple times, from many anglesfrom environmental concerns, to Native American land stewardship, to the law, to simply looking like a good person in front of your friends. (Im not very proud of that last one.) Jordan just argues that it doesnt matter because the world is going to shit anyways and shrugs it off. What do I do? I love this person but this habit violates some really fundamental beliefs that I have about consumerism, the Earth, land, and respect.

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Litterbug

If you love Jordan, and you want to prioritize the 95 percent of your relationship where theyre not tossing garbage on the ground, I think theres a viable way forward here: We might never agree on whether the world going to shit justifies throwing garbage on the ground, but you know at this point that it really bothers me. So Id like to ask you, as a personal favor, if you think you can see your way toward not littering when were hanging out together. If they claim that even that small concession is too much for them, and you want to draw the line somewhere, I think thats fair. If they do it again and youre too frustrated to either clean up after them or speak up, that would make sense. Maybe if they realize what they stand to lose if they insist on their right to throw Subway sandwiches out of a Honda before all else, theyll reconsider. But I think youve expended enough time and energy on this subject that now seems like a good opportunity to conserve your own resources.

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Dear Prudence,

I recently moved into a tiny studio apartment with my partner. (We live in an expensive city and will only be here for a few months, as we are planning to move elsewhere after the pandemic abates.) Ive always had a weak stomach, and I get easily grossed out by the noises and smells of even typical restroom use. My partner has a chronic illness that means they have to use the restroom frequently and for long periods of time. We are both working from home together, all day, every day. I cant work elsewhere due to the pandemic, and Ive tried to work outside, but logistical issueslike weather and spotty Wi-Fimake this an untenable long-term solution. Do you have any recommendations for what else we can do to address this issue? I love my partner a lot, but hearing them use the restroom all day is making me feel less attracted to them, which I hate.

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Uncomfortably Eavesdropping

There are absolutely options available to you, all of which are relatively low-impact and inexpensive, although they do require you and your partner to at least occasionally acknowledge a gross reality in a frank, unflinching, nonjudgmental fashion. You can get a small white noise machine (or even download a white noise app on your smartphone) and set it by the bathroom door and ask your partner to turn it on before going in, especially if your bathroom doesnt have a fan. (If your bathroom does have a fan, they should also flip that on!)

There are tons of odor-neutralizing products specifically designed for the bathroom, from the most natural of essential oil sprays to charcoal bags to candles to UV air sanitizers. Get as many as you like and see which ones work best for you. And dont get precious or avoidant out of fear that drawing any attention to the bathroom will automatically upset your partner. You live in a very small apartment, they have to use the toilet often, and youd like to minimize how much you have to hear and smell as a result. Its that simple! Youre not asking them to stop using the bathroom or to wrap your home in a series of elaborate, reality-denying euphemisms or berating them for a medical condition they cant help. You can address this! Good luck!

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Classic Prudie

My mother has always had an unreasonable dislike for excess weight. She hardly eats and harangues her daughters and daughters-in-law each time they have a baby to lose the weight immediately. Three years ago, my eldest son brought home his bride-to-be, a sweet, lovely, voluptuous girl. My wife and I loved her instantly, but we worried about my mothers reaction. Sure enough, she made some comments, to which my son calmly replied that if she was not polite to his beloved, she would not be invited to the wedding. My mother was furious, and my son ended up having a destination wedding to avoid the drama. Though we see my son and DIL regularly, he has not spoken to his grandmother since. They spend holidays with my DILs family. My mother will not promise to hold her tongue about my DILs horrid fat. In desperation, I at one point offered to pay for a personal trainer or even gastric bypass, but that only led to a huge argument with my son. Now, my mother has cancer and just months to live. I would love to have one final family gathering with every member in attendance, but my son will not attend without his wife, and he will not bring her if it means she will be subjected to unkind comments. I cant persuade my mother to change her ways, but is there something I could say to my son to convince him to suck it up this once for the sake of family harmony and good memories?
T he chief executive of AstraZeneca has said it is "still feasible" for the Oxford vaccine to be approved by regulators by the end of this year.

Pascal Soriot made the comments during an event hosted by media organisation Tortoise on Thursday.

It comes after AstraZeneca said on Tuesday night that the late-stage studies of the vaccine had been paused while the company investigates whether a patients reported side effect is connected with the vaccine.

A review is being conducted by an independent panel of experts to determine whether the patient's illness is linked to the trial.

Mr Soriot said: Then of course it depends on how fast the regulator will review and give approval, so we could still have a vaccine by the end of this year or maybe early next year."

He added that more tests were needed before a diagnosis could be made of the volunteer's condition.

The vaccine, developed by Oxford University, is being tested in thousands of people in Britain and the US, and in smaller study groups in South America.

A scientist working on the vaccine at the Oxford Vaccine Group's facility at the Churchill Hospital / Getty Images

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock raised hopes of a vaccine being available early in the new year on Monday.

He said it was looking up that the vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca would be granted approval for use soon after trials in several countries.

Speaking about the pause in the trial, Mr Soriot said: At AstraZeneca we put science, safety and the interests of society at the heart of our work.

Hancock: Oxford vaccine setback is 'standard process'

"This temporary pause is living proof that we follow those principles while a single event at one of our trial sites is assessed by a committee of independent experts.

"We will be guided by this committee as to when the trials could restart, so that we can continue our work at the earliest opportunity to provide this vaccine broadly, equitably and at no profit during this pandemic.

Prof Farrar told BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Wednesday that there are "often pauses in vaccine trials".

For me it underlines just how important it is that these vaccine trials are done properly, that they have independent oversight, that the regulator is involved and we can trust and support that regulator and that we take these sorts of pauses seriously," he said.

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Yes, they do happen quite commonly in vaccine trials when youre offering a vaccine to tens of thousands of individuals, but each one must be taken seriously.
Moscow: Belarus opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova said security officers put a bag over her head and threatened to kill her when they tried to forcibly deport her to Ukraine earlier this week, according to a complaint filed by her lawyer on Thursday, local time.

Kolesnikova, one of the most prominent leaders of month-old protests against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, prevented the attempt to expel her by tearing up her passport.

Maria Kolesnikova speaks at a news conference in Minsk, Belarus in August. Credit:AP

She has emerged as a hero for the protest movement trying to bring down the curtain on Lukashenko's 26-year rule, and a chief target for the authorities who have detained her over accusations of an illegal attempt to seize power in the former Soviet republic.

She said in her statement that she had genuinely feared for her life during the failed deportation attempt.
Nigeria reported 176 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total infections in the country since late February to 55, 632.

It is now about three weeks since Nigeria recorded new cases above 300, with record 779 daily infections seen on June 28.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control confirmed three coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the death toll to 1070.

The update came as the ongoing strike by Nigerian doctors, the first responders to the deadly contagion, entered its third day.

The doctors resolved to call off the strike on Thursday following an understanding reached with the federal government.

According to the NCDC update, new infections were found in the following 17 states: FCT (40), Lagos (34), Plateau (26), Enugu (14), Delta (12), Ogun (12), Ondo (9), Oyo (8), Ekiti (6), Ebonyi (4), Adamawa (2), Nasarawa (2), Kwara(2), Rivers (2), Edo (1), Osun (1), Bauchi (1).

Abuja, Nigerias capital with the second largest toll of over 5, 000 and 69 deaths also came tops in Wednesdays figure with 40 cases.

While it came second with 34 new cases, Lagos remains Nigerias COVID-19 hotspot with over 18, 000 infections and deaths.

The NCDC in its daily update of the infection on its verified Twitter handle @NCDCgov stated that out of the over 55, 000 infections so far, 43, 610 persons have recovered and have been discharged.

Nigeria is the third most impacted country in Africa with South Africa recording the highest number of COVID-19 cases on the continent.


Drug-maker AstraZeneca has temporarily suspended its COVID-19 vaccine tests after an unexplained illness in a person who took the treatment.

In a statement released Tuesday, the company said, This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials. The announcement came shortly after the drug-maker joined eight other companies in a promise to follow safety measures in vaccine development.

AstraZenecas vaccine candidate is being developed with the University of Oxford. It has been described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as probably the worlds leading vaccine candidate to fight COVID-19.

On Wednesday, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the WHOs chief scientist, said for drugs and vaccines which are given to people, you have to test their safety, first and foremost.



Possible problems in large trials

Late last month, AstraZeneca began looking for 30,000 volunteers in the United States for its large Phase 3 trials of the vaccine. It also is testing the vaccine in thousands of people in Britain, and in smaller studies in Brazil and South Africa.

Two other COVID-19 vaccine candidates with large Phase 3 trials in the U.S. include one made by Moderna and the other by Pfizer and Germanys BioNTech.

During Phase 3 trials, researchers look for any signs of possible side effects. The trials also judge effectiveness by studying who gets sick and who does not among patients taking part in them. People in one group get a real shot and people in another group receive an inactive shot as part of the test.

AstraZeneca pointed out that In large clinical trials, illnesses will happen by chance and must be independently reviewed. And the company said it is working to limit possible impact on the trial timeline.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the top infectious disease expert in the U.S. He told CBS News on Wednesday that it is not uncommon for vaccine makers to suspend trials. He added, Thats the reason why you have various phases of trials, to determine if in fact these candidates are safe.

Dr. Ashish Jha, a researcher with Brown University, said on Twitter, We have no idea whether this is a big deal or not. Science is hard. This is why we have to let the trials play out. He added that he was hopeful: I remain optimistic we will have a vaccine found to be safe and effective in upcoming months.

Britains medical agency said it is reviewing the information to decide whether trials can restart as quickly as possible. The U.S. National Institutes of Health, which is providing financial support for AstraZenecas trials, did not comment.

The suspension of the trials followed reports that the United States was aiming for quick approval possibly before the November 3 presidential election. AstraZeneca has already agreed to supply nearly three billion doses to governments around the world.

What is the unexplained illness?

The New York Times reported that a volunteer in the Britain trial was found to have transverse myelitis. It is an inflammatory problem that affects the spinal cord and is often started by viral infections. The information came from an unidentified person with knowledge of the situation. AstraZeneca did not comment.

The Reuters news agency also reported that the illness happened in the British trial. The large trial began in May with more than 12,000 volunteers who were between five and at least 70 years of age.

Stat News was the first news organization to report AstraZenecas decision to suspend the trials. It said the decision has affected trials being carried out by other vaccine makers, which are now looking for signs of similar reactions.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

routine n. a regular way of doing things, something that is usual

potentially adv. something that could be, a possibility

foremost adj. most important

clinical adj. related to work done on real patients

reviewed v. looking again at information or studies to make sure they are correct

doses n. the amount of a medicine or vaccine needed to produce the correct result

inflammatory adj. causing swelling or inflammation of tissue

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Toshiba is looking to stage a return with a range of Smart TVs in India. Dubbed the Toshiba Ultimate 4K series, these TVs will hit the market on September 18. The Toshiba Ultimate 4K series will run on an updated version of Vidaa smart TV OS

As a prospective TV byuer in India in 2020, youd spoilt for choice with the many television sets from different companies available in the market. From Nokia to Xiaomi and even OnePlus, the there are a ton of great TVs to choose from. Adding another name to that list is famed electronics company, Toshiba. The company is back in India with a range of Smart TVs that will launch on September 18. The company was acquired by Hisense in 2017, and Toshiba Visual Solutions is looking to the Indian market with a bunch of TVs across different screen sizes, resolutions and display tech.

Toshiba is looking to make a comeback in India

In terms of operating systems, these Toshiba TVs run on an updated version of the internally developed Vidaa smart TV OS. The OS was originally developed by Hisense in 2014. As usual, it supports OTT services such as Netflix, Prime Video and more. Also, if you do purchase any of the Toshiba Ultimate 4K TV series between September 18 and September 21, theres a four-year warranty on the panel. As of now, there is no word on the pricing on any of the models, but we will definitely update you guys when we do find out more. From what we know, the Toshiba Ultimate 4K series will come in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch models. All four models will launch on September 18.

In other news, Xiaomi has launched the 32-inch and 43-inch Mi TV 4A Horizon Edition in India starting at Rs 13,499. You can read more about that here. In fact, the Realme Smart TV 55 was traced at IFA 2020 and you can read more about that here. And finally, Compaq (yes, the same Compaq from back in the day) has also launched its range of Android TVs in India. You can read more about that here.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:02:00|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- As Chinese university students return to campuses after months of school suspensions due to the COVID-19 epidemic, most say they value their relationships with their teachers more than ever.

According to a survey of over 2,000 university students, published in Thursday's China Youth Daily, about 78.8 percent of students have plans to visit their teachers while they are back.

The newspaper report quoted a student in North China's Hebei Province as saying that he found his bonds with teachers to be especially precious during the epidemic.

A student in Central China's Hunan Province told the newspaper that she had missed her teachers and classmates during her school's closure, and she plans to send her teachers greeting messages on Teachers' Day, which falls on Thursday.

Over 40 percent of respondents said that cherishing their bonds with teachers and classmates would be an important theme in their studies and lives on campus this semester. Enditem
A commercial manager working on the Grenfell Tower refurbishment was promised a 'very nice meal' by the cladding supplier after securing a deal to use the flammable product on the tower, the inquiry into the blaze has heard.

Mark Harris, who worked in sales for Harley Facades, agreed he had a 'close relationship' with cladding manufacturer Alcoa, now Arconic, and supplier CEP, but denied there were any 'incentives' to use Reynobond aluminium composite material (ACM) panels in the tower block's revamp.

In an email exchange in June 2014 between Deborah French of Alcoa and Geoff Blades of CEP, Mr Harris is thanked by Mr Blades for his business.

Mark Harris, who worked in sales for Harley Facades, had a 'close relationship' with cladding manufacturer Alcoa, now Arconic, and supplier CEP, but denied being offered any 'incentives' for using their flammable product

Mr Blades writes: 'Mark, all I can say is that you'll be taken out for a very nice meal very soon somewhere very nice.'

Mr Harris told the inquiry on Thursday: 'Debbie had been really good, proactive in providing information.

'You build up that relationship with somebody and you start to trust them so she'd been very good for us.'

Inquiry lawyer Richard Millett QC asked: 'Were any incentives provided for you to use Alcoa and their Reynobond product over any other product made by other manufacturers?'

Mr Harris said: 'No.'

In an email exchange in June 2014 between Deborah French of Alcoa and Geoff Blades of CEP, Mr Harris is thanked by Mr Blades for his business, adding 'you'll be taken out for a very nice meal very soon somewhere very nice'

There was no written formal contract between external wall specialist Harley and main design and build contractor Rydon, but a scope of works was agreed for the job in July 2014 for a figure of around 2.6 million, the inquiry has heard.

Asked if Harley was 'influential' in choosing Reynobond for the project, Mr Harris said: 'No. I think we were part of a process ... If the specification for zinc had held then the contract value would have been much higher.

'There's no interest to Harley in having a much lesser contract value, it was the client budget that drove it away from that so we were just being helpful.'

The inquiry has heard that Rydon submitted a 9.2 million quote to complete the Grenfell Tower revamp, but the client, the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), then told Rydon it needed to save a further 800,000 on the project, resulting in a process of 'value engineering' to get the job done at a cheaper cost.

The tragedy claimed 72 lives (pictured) due to a devastating fire on June 14 2017, but survivors from the tower block blaze are not allowed to attend the inquiry due to social distancing rules

In addition, Rydon had made a pricing error in its submission, requiring it to find another 212,000, which it sought to do by passing altered cladding figures to the TMO in order to take 'some of the savings for themselves' and cover the error, the inquiry has heard.

The ACM Reynobond PE panels used in Grenfell's cladding system had a heat combustion akin to diesel and close to lighter fluid, and possessed a high-calorific value compared with other construction materials, the hearing has been told.

They were found to have fuelled the fire's rapid spread at the 24-storey west London block in June 2017, in which 72 people died.

It was sparked by an electrical fault in a fridge-freezer.
KABUL, Afghanistan - Six Taliban prisoners accused of involvement in the killings of American, French and Australian nationals were from Afghan custody Thursday and flown to Doha, Qatar, according to two Afghan officials, paving the way for formal peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government to begin in the coming days.

The high-value prisoners will be placed under temporary house arrest, according the two officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Doha for the talks, President Donald Trump said during a news conference Thursday, adding that "we're getting along very, very well with the Taliban and very well with Afghanistan."

The talks are a key foreign policy objective for the Trump administration as it looks to withdraw American troops from the country.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani "wishes success to the negotiating team of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for achieving lasting peace and stability in the country, which is the long-standing desire of our people," the presidential palace said in a Twitter statement.

Afghan presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi tweeted that the country's negotiating team will travel to Doha on Friday.

After the prisoners arrived in Doha, the Taliban announced that it was ready to begin official direct peace talks with Afghan government. Taliban spokesman Muhammad Naeem Wardak said in a tweet that the initial meeting would be held Saturday in Doha.

The announcements follow six months of delays, most recently over a handful of high-value Taliban prisoners accused of killing American, French and Australian nationals.

The talks were mandated by the deal signed by the United States and the Taliban in February and were to have begun in March. Political turmoil in Kabul and escalating violence countrywide have also contributed to delays.

The Trump administration has applied pressure to both the Afghan government and the Taliban to begin talks immediately. Despite objections from U.S. allies to the transfer of the men accused of killing American, French and Australian nationals, U.S. officials did not raise formal concerns.

The six men who landed in Doha are the last of thousands of Taliban inmates released by the Afghan government in a prisoner swap process that was the central issue delaying peace talks for months. The U.S.-Taliban deal called for the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban fighters in exchange for 1,000 members of their security forces.

In Doha, the six prisoners will be kept under house arrest through the end of November, after which their stay could be extended or they could be returned to Afghanistan, according to one of the two Afghan officials. It is unclear if the prisoners would be placed under house arrest if returned to Afghanistan or if they would be set free like thousands of other Taliban fighters, the same official said.

Initially, French and Australian objections to the temporary nature of the house arrest scuttled a plan to transfer the men earlier this week, according to the first Afghan official.

The prisoners were issued restricted passports for the trip and a chartered plane was scheduled to fly from Doha to Kabul on Sunday to collect them. Airspace permissions had been obtained, but on Sunday the operation was put on hold and the plane never left Doha, he said. French and Australian officials later agreed to the transfer after an option to extend the house arrest was added into the deal, the official said.

Launching official, direct negotiations is one of the few demands of the deal signed between the United States and the Taliban, which sets a timeline for the full withdrawal of American forces. The deal also calls on the Taliban to pledge to cut ties with international terrorist groups. Despite concerns that the group is not upholding that pledge, President Donald Trump is pushing for further troop reductions.

The top American commander in the Middle East, Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie Jr., said Monday that troop levels in Afghanistan would drop to 4,500 by November.

Three of the six prisoners slated to be transferred to Doha are accused of involvement in what are known as insider attacks against U.S. troops. The assaults, conducted by Taliban infiltrators of the Afghan security forces against foreign forces, sowed deep distrust and undermined the U.S.-led military and training missions there.

The launch of talks also comes just days after an unexpected shake-up within the Taliban's negotiating team. A Taliban spokesman announced Saturday night that Chief Justice Abdul Hakim would replace Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai as the lead negotiator. Hakim's background in Islamic jurisprudence is thought to make him a more successful negotiator on issues of Islamic law, which are expected to play a prominent role in the talks.

- - -

The Washington Post's Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.
"This document provides guidance for schools to help them follow best practices for food allergy safety, even as adjustments must be made due to COVID-19. - Julie Wang, MD, FAAAAI

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and National Association of School Nurses (NASN) have released Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis in School during COVID-19, a document that provides guidance for school nurses regarding food allergy management during COVID-19. This guidance comes on the heels of another document, School Attendance, Asthma and COVID-19, which provides school nurses with a summary of overall recommendations for asthma management in schools during the pandemic.

The new document covers important considerations for students with food allergies that are attending school in-person during COVID-19. Safe practices when it comes to food allergies are addressed as well as additional considerations for students with allergies and asthma. In the time of social distancing students may not be eating meals only in the cafeteria, and this document details how normal food allergy safety procedures must continue no matter where mealtimes are taking place.

A case scenario is also presented concerning a student with peanut allergy who complains of abdominal discomfort during lunch. It lays out what should be done in the situation, including the personal protective equipment (PPE) that should be used, the administration of epinephrine, and how the student should be cared for while awaiting emergency services.

Julie Wang, MD, FAAAAI, who helped create the document, discussed why food allergy is an important topic to be discussed as students return to in-person learning. During COVID-19, specific processes when it comes to food allergies and anaphylaxis need to be addressed and reinforced so that students with food allergies can attend school safely. This document provides guidance for schools to help them follow best practices for food allergy safety, even as adjustments must be made due to COVID-19.

Donna Mazyck, NASN Executive Director, also commented on the joint document. School nurses are front-line providers of healthcare in schools and are in a unique position to be responsible for student health, safety, and learning. It is vital to have evidence-based considerations for managing students with food allergies during COVID-19. Food allergies have increased significantly for students over recent years and providing a science-based approach to guide school nurse practice improves the health, safety, and wellbeing of students.

You can also learn more about COVID-19 and food allergies on the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology website, aaaai.org.

About AAAAI

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 7,100 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAIs Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.

About NASN

The National Association of School Nurses is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, first organized in 1968 and incorporated in 1977, representing school nurses exclusively. NASN has more than 17,000 members and 50 affiliates, including the District of Columbia and overseas school nurses. The mission of NASN is to optimize student health and learning by advancing the practice of school nursing. Please visit us at http://www.nasn.org.

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Depression is one of the most common psychiatric conditions, and probably caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors. (Photos.com)

COVID-19 and Lockdowns Impacting Mental Health in Australia

The mental health of Australians has become worse since the CCP virus pandemic swept across the nation according to one of the countrys leading mental health experts.

Patrick McGorry, a professor of youth mental health at the University of Melbourne has said that population surveys show a very substantial rise in distress.

What my colleagues tell me on the frontline is about a 20 percent increase in people presenting, McGorry said. Often in quite acute and complex presentations now too.

McGorry, who is an executive director of Orygen, a youth mental health group, believes that Australias first economic recession in 28 years is exacerbating the problem. He argues that it could become a powerful driver for suicide in the coming months.

We have already seen a rise in self-harm and suicidal behaviour, he said.

Recent modelling (pdf) by the University of Sydneys Brain and Mind Centre has noted that the best case scenario, for the next five years, is that Australia will see an estimated increase of 13.7 percent in suicide rates, or close to 20,000 deaths.

In 2018, 3,046 Australians lost their lives to suicide.

The report stated: Uncertainty regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic will evolve, with associated lockdowns, physical distancing, and quarantine measures, is driving uncertainty around the extent and duration of the resulting economic breakdown, further exacerbating psychological distress and mental health problems among previously healthy people.

On Thursday, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the Morrison government would also be establishing suicide prevention aftercare services in six states and territories. They will also extend another $19 million to leading national suicide prevention services.

Suicide prevention is a key priority for the Australian Government, said Hunt. Each death is a national tragedy and has a devastating effect on friends, families, and communities,

Mental health has become a priority for the federal government during the pandemic with the government stating they had allocated an extra $500 million for mental health services and support since the beginning of 2020. This extra funding includes $64 million for suicide prevention and $74 million for preventative mental health services.

This builds on the already record spending on mental health, with the Australian government expected to contribute $5.7 billion towards mental health in 2020.

However, McGorry argues that the recent mental health packages from state and federal governments will not be not enough and that Australia is desperately lacking in mental health infrastructure.

He likened the governments efforts to firing a hose into a raging bushfire.

Weve got to build the right infrastructure for the 21st century, McGorry said, calling for more digital-friendly mental health support centres.

Anyone experiencing mental health issues can seek immediate advice and support via Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the national digital mental health gateway, Head to Health.

If you are thinking about suicide, living with a person who is considering suicide, or are bereaved by suicide, the Suicide Call Back Service is accessible at 1300 659 467.
Benchmark indices have rallied by about 50 percent each from March lows and a similar momentum was seen in stocks that are likely to benefit from the outbreak of COVID-19 and from the 'Make in India' initiative.

Indias economic situation is improving but not fast enough for us to take a more positive view on the market, especially when quality consumption stocks are already factoring in a sharp normalization in demand, suggest experts.

The reward-risk balance is a bit muddled at current prices and a lot will depend on the performance of the financial sector, which in turn will depend on the extent of normalization of economic activity over the next few months, Kotak Institutional Equities said in a note.

Recent data suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic in India is yet to peak with a record number of new cases daily. The continued increase in cases will restrict activity in the labour-intensive services sector, which in turn, will cramp recovery in household income growth and thereby consumption.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Most stocks in the COVID proof sectors (consumer staples, IT, pharmaceuticals, and telecom) trade at full valuations on FY22E basis. Stock prices have rebounded from their March 2020 lows to pre-COVID levels in most cases and above pre-COVID levels in the case of IT and pharmaceuticals stocks, said the Kotak Institutional Equities note.

COVID-recovery stocks (consumer discretionary, financials, industrials/capital goods/construction materials) are still evolving and will largely depend on the eventual impact of Covid-19, it said.

Economic activity is recovering but at a slow pace. Most analysts are factoring in robust earnings growth in FY22. To leverage any upside in the markets, investors should try and allocate capital towards sectors that will produce tomorrows leaders.

Sectors with global exposures have been the most resilient and likely to remain so as despite the fall in global trade, competition has indeed intensified more.

Sectors that are emerging to play the China substation story viz., Pharma, Chemicals, Auto ancillary too are well-positioned. Commodity could be an interesting anti-consensus play in case of a faster than expected global recovery becomes a reality, Rajesh Saluja, CEO & MD, ASK Wealth Advisors told Moneycontrol.

Global plays including direct global allocation should play an important role in any portfolio. Domestically non-bank sector including insurance remains a long term play while we are cautious on banks because of NPA overhang, a judgment needs to be taken how much of it is already in the price, he said.

Experts have handpicked seven stocks that are from sectors such as IT, consumption, media, chemicals, and the Make in India theme. Most of the stocks mentioned have rallied in double digits post-March 23 when Nifty hit a low of 7,500. The stocks mentioned are a long term play.
And the Google-owned company is now trying to deal with the whole thing using a restructuring plan that would eventually affect some 5 percent of its global workforce.According to a report from The Verge , Waze, which was taken over by Google seven years ago, plans to let go of 30 out of 555 employees worldwide, with the company to also close a series of offices in Malaysia, Singapore, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina.Waze CEO Noam Bardin told the staff in an internal memo that the restructuring is a consequence of the application being used less these days, something which in turn has generated a significant drop in kilometers driven (KMDs), Carpools, and Ad revenue.This has forced us to rethink priorities and weve decided to focus our resources on product improvements for our users, accelerate our investments in technical infrastructure, and refocus our sales and marketing efforts on a small number of high-value countries. These investments ensure the long-term success of Waze and that we exit this pandemic stronger than we entered it, Bardin explained.The layoffs affect teams in the sales, marketing, and partnership divisions, but the good news is that Waze wants to hire more people for the technology and engineering teams. The company says itll focus on high-profile countries where Waze is generating revenue, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, and Mexico.In theory, the restructuring shouldnt affect the application in the long-term, especially because Waze plans to invest more in tech and engineering. The company will be hosting a dedicated event on September 15 where itll discuss new features coming to the app, but it remains to be seen if more information on the layoffs is shared during the presentation.
WASHINGTON  The first week of campaigning after Labor Day is now halfway over, and President Trump is once again playing defense  on the Bob Woodward book, on another whistleblowers allegations, and on a report that an administration official was trying to muzzle Dr. Anthony Fauci.

It comes after he was already on his heels over the Atlantic article that accused him of disparaging U.S. war dead.

And it comes after Trump tried to play offense on law and order after the James Blake police shooting in Kenosha  and hes still trailing in all-important Wisconsin.

No, this presidential contest isnt over. But Trump, with 54 days until Election Day, is running out of time to turn the race from a referendum on him to a choice election against Joe Biden.

And what has to concern Trump is that a lot of people in his orbit are talking to Congress (like with the new whistleblower), to the Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg, and to Bob Woodward.

Including the president, who spoke to the famed Watergate journalist 18 different times.

Tweet of the day

A big reason why Trump is behind: Hes underperforming with white voters

For all the attention our recent NBC News/Marist poll of Florida got showing Joe Biden slightly trailing President Trump among state Latino voters was an equally important finding that didnt get as much notice.

Trump is losing Florida seniors by 1 point among likely voters (when he won them by 17 points in 2016, per the exit poll).

Whats more, Biden is getting 41 percent among all white voters in Florida (when Hillary Clinton got 32 percent of them in the Sunshine State).

And its just not Florida.

In Pennsylvania, per our NBC/Marist poll, Biden was tied among all white likely voters in the state, 49 percent to 49 percent (when Trump won by them 16 points in 2016).

And in Wisconsin, according to yesterdays Marquette Law poll, Biden and Trump were also tied among the states white voters, 46 percent to 46 percent (when Trump won them by 11 points four years ago).

Story continues

So for all the attention on Bidens demographic weaknesses in a race hes winning, maybe the most important demographic weakness of all is Trumps underperformance with white voters.

Its why hes behind  in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and nationally.

Data Download: The numbers you need to know today

6,388,621: The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States, per the most recent data from NBC News and health officials. (Thats 32,265 more than yesterday morning.)

191,937: The number of deaths in the United States from the virus so far. (Thats 1,038 more than yesterday morning.)

83.94 million: The number of coronavirus tests that have been administered in the United States so far, according to researchers at The COVID Tracking Project.

More than 900,000: The number of people worldwide who have now died of the virus.

47 percent to 43 percent: Joe Bidens vs. Donald Trumps share of support in Wisconsin, according to a new Marquette Law School Poll. (Thats within the margin of error.)

62 percent: The share of Americans in a new Washington Post poll who say professional athletes should use their platform to express their views on national issues.

2020 Vision: Biden seizes on Woodwards book

Joe Biden upped his rhetoric Wednesday against President Trump after the revelations from Bob Woodwards interviews with Trump.

Before boarding a flight back to Delaware, Biden had been in Michigan today for a few campaign stops, Biden said he blamed the president for unnecessary lost lives from COVID-19 and that he should be kicked out of office for downplaying the virus danger.

NBCs Marianna Sotomayor reports on Bidens remarks: The idea that he knew what was going on, he denied that he was briefed, remember he said he wasn't briefed by the intelligence community how bad it was. He didn't read it. It's just flat lies. That's wrong. It's totally irresponsible. Totally irresponsible. He added, Kick him out of office.

On the campaign trail today

President Trump speaks in Freeland, Mich., at 7:00 pm ET.

Ad Watch from Ben Kamisar

Todays Ad Watch highlights a Democrat on Democrat attack in New York, where Rep. Max Rose is looking for a re-election win in a district President Trump won by 10 points.

Bill de Blasio is the worst mayor in the history of New York City. Thats it guys. Seriously, thats the whole ad, Rose says in a new digital ad.

Rose has made a name for himself as one of the more unfiltered members of Congress, befitting of the congressman representing Staten Island. But this is still one of the more blunt ads weve seen in a while.

For their part, Team de Blasio questioned whether Roses analysis ranks de Blasio below Fernando Wood, who mused about secession in order to keep trading with the Confederacy during the Civil War.

The Lid: Burb appeal

Dont miss the pod from yesterday, when we looked at how Bidens lead in Pennsylvania is built on his support in the suburbs.

ICYMI: What else is happening in the world

Bill Barr is defending the DOJs involvement in a lawsuit against President Trump alleging sexual assault.

VP Mike Pence and other Trump administration officials are set to attend a fundraiser hosted by a couple who have circulated QAnon posts.

Heres whos on Trumps new list of potential Supreme Court justices.

Without guidance from Washington, states are facing a hard choice: Keep bars and restaurants shuttered, or risk spreading the virus in them?

Trump is resuming something that looks like his favorite form of campaigning: Political rallies. But its not always going smoothly.

POLITICO reports that Medicaid chief Seema Verma billed more than $3.5 million in taxpayer dollars on Republican-aligned consultants to boost her profile.

Is Trump losing some ground with Christian voters?

Should Bob Woodward have released Trumps comments about downplaying the coronavirus sooner? Heres what he told the Washington Post about it.
Why did they wait until right before the election? The Labor Party has been left scrambling to find three solid candidates to replace the high-profile retiring members, seven weeks out from the election. Former Speaker and Labor elder John Mickel, who is now an adjunct professor at QUT, said there was never a good time to announce retirement from public life. "But if you can get the Parliament out of the way and finished, that is as good a time as any," he said. "Because if they had have announced it a month ago, people would be asking why they were staying on as minister.

"I think pyschologically it is far better [that they waited], because once you have announced your resignation, and I know from personal experience, mentally you start dropping off." Will this hurt Labor's chance of winning the election? Queenslanders will cast their votes in 93 electorates on October 31 to decide who they want to govern the state for the next four years. Professor Mickel said the loss of Ms O'Rourke in the Townsville-based seat of Mundingburra has Labor exposed. Known as a bellwether seat, Mundingburra has been held by the government of the day since 1995.

"Mundingburra is the seat that is causing me to sit up and look," he said. The seat is held by a 1.1 per cent margin. Professor Mickel said he did not think Dr Lynham's inner-north Brisbane seat of Stafford was in "any immediate danger", held on a 12.1 per cent margin. He said the loss of Ms Jones in Cooper, who he dubbed the "premier-slayer" after she wrested the seat - then known as Ashgrove - off Campbell Newman in 2015, would be massive. "You have got a big personality packed into a little person, there is a big story to be told there," Professor Mickel said.

"I expect the Labor Party primary vote will haemorrhage a bit there with the departure of Kate Jones." He said parts of the electorate - which includes Bardon, Ashgrove, Paddington and Kelvin Grove - did not perform well for the party at the March council elections, with the Greens out-polling Labor in a number of booths, but preferences would be enough to get the ALP over the line in October. Who will replace them? The Labor Party was yet to make official announcements as to who was replacing the outgoing ministers, but the political rumour mill was flying on Thursday. Two names have come up to replace Ms Jones in her inner-west seat.

The first was Jonty Bush, who ran for the party at the council elections and was Young Australian of the Year in 2009. The second was Ali France, who unsuccessfully ran against Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton at last year's federal election. Jimmy Sullivan has been named by senior Labor sources as the likely successor in Stafford; his father Terry held the seat from 2001 to 2006. Townsville councillor Les Walker and nurse Simon Mitchell have been tipped as potential candidates in the ultra-marginal seat of Mundingburra. Who will replace them in cabinet if Labor wins?

Scoring a promotion to a Labor cabinet is not just about earning your stripes, but how you stack up in the complex game of factional politics. The partys powerful Left faction boasts 23 caucus votes compared with the Right faction's 17. The smaller centralist faction known as the "Old Guard" has just seven votes in the caucus, discounting Speaker Curtis Pitt. Each faction has lost a ministerial position with the resignation of Ms Jones (Old Guard), Dr Lynham (Right) and Ms O'Rourke (Left). Logan's Linus Power and Greenslopes' Joe Kelly are frontrunners for a promotion within the Right.
The German government has announced the country's first ever case of African swine fever in a wild boar near the Polish border.

The ministry of agriculture has unveiled a series of strict measures to avoid any contamination, and the activation of a crisis management plan.

Measures announced today (10 September) will mostly address wild boar population management in the region.

The virus was found in a wild boar near the city of Cottbus, in the eastern state of Brandenburg, just 6km from the Polish border.

Germany is one of the worlds biggest pork exporters, and there are fears that a confirmed case could damage trade, with a wider knock-on effect on the German and EU pork market.

EU agricultural co-operative Copa and Cogeca said the news was a 'course for concern' for the whole of the European pig sector.

Pekka Pesonen, Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General said: Nevertheless we should be reassured. Germany proved its capacity for rapid response and effective actions while the Brandenburg region has a low pig production.

"The recent and positive management by Belgian and Czech authorities of ASF shows that biosecurity measures taken by farmers and public authorities are efficient in the EU.

The co-operative called on the European Commission and national authorities to take 'quick and efficient measures' to support the pig sector.

It comes as the UK government launched an awareness campaign warning travellers at UK ports and airports of the dangers of bringing in African swine fever.

The campaign aims to safeguard the UKs pig industry by targeting anyone who has the potential to introduce the virus.

African swine fever can only be transmitted to pigs and wild boars, and does not affect humans.
The cost came to about $3,500 for Haygood in Baltimore County. He spent nearly nine months on home detention while awaiting trial for assault, gun and drug charges. He had worked 20 years cleaning and repairing the roads for the State Highway Administration, but says he lost his job when he was locked up and unable to make it to work.
USD $250K CommitmentWill Help Meet Needs of Vulnerable International Students in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the U.S. and the UK

The Western Union Foundation has announced a commitment of USD $250,000 to provide aid for international students struggling to fund tuition and basic needs such as healthcare, wellness, food, and housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Western Union Foundation's grant will deliver support to up to 25 students in need, who will each receive USD $10,000. Priority will be given to refugees and migrants in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom, some of the world's leading host countries of international students.

The Foundation will work with the Institute of International Education (IIE) to deliver the grants. IIE's recent research on the impacts of COVID found that while colleges and universities are prioritizing the health and wellbeing of their international students, travel restrictions and fewer options for jobs have left some of the most vulnerable international students with a significant financial need.

More than five million international students pursuing higher education contributed to an estimated global economic impact of $300 billion in 2016, driven largely by students from lower-income countries in search of better education, careers, and life, according to StudyPortals.

"COVID-19 has upended the entire world, including the plans and wellbeing of international students. Behind every international student statistic, there is a story of a young person who made the brave decision to leave their home and travel abroad, and often their families have made real sacrifices to make that possible," said Elizabeth Roscoe, Global Head, Corporate Brand and Purpose for Western Union and Executive Director of the Western Union Foundation.

"The Western Union Foundation believes that international students are an integral part of a growing community of global citizens. They are international ambassadors leading academic excellence, research, and cultural experiences. They contribute to an inclusive, innovative, and interconnected society and workforce, both globally and locally," Roscoe continued.

This initiative builds upon the success of the Foundation's WU Scholars Program, which over the past three years, has helped more than 500 students with their international studies in 100 countries at more than 150 colleges and universities.

"We are proud to partner with the Western Union Foundation to provide this significant funding to students in need of assistance to continue their education," said Dr. Allan Goodman, President, and CEO, Institute of International Education (IIE). "The COVID-19 pandemic has created chaos, and we have heard directly from thousands of students that their financial needs are greater than ever and that many are at risk of not completing their degrees."

IIE is accepting nominations for the WU Scholars grants through September 30, 2020. Students can be nominated by their universities or other higher education institutions, as well as IIE's partner institution network. Eligibility requirements include:

Must be an international student already enrolled in the 2020 academic year and already residing in the country of study.

Must be able to demonstrate a severe disruption to their ability to pay for expenses (tuition fees, health insurance, housing).

Western Union and the Western Union Foundation have supported COVID-19 relief from the earliest days of the pandemic, kicking off a USD $1M matching appeal in February. To date, their relief efforts have supported global healthcare systems, domestic hunger-relief, and education for vulnerable populations, including refugees and migrants, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Western Union Foundation invites the world community, including corporations and foundations, to come together to support the most vulnerable populations seeking to better themselves through education and job skills training by donating through its website, rounding up on the Western Union mobile app or by reaching out via email at wufoundation@westernunion.com.

WU-G

About the Western Union Foundation

The Western Union Foundation believes that education is the surest pathway to economic opportunity. After nearly 20 years of impact, we are continuing to deliver against our mission with our Opportunity Beyond Borders commitment, with a focus on empowering forcibly displaced and marginalized youth with the training and education needed to succeed in today's technology-driven global economy. The Foundation also provides funding to communities in crisis through disaster relief and other humanitarian efforts, a key reason for forced migration. To date, more than $126 million granted to fund projects and scholarships in 174 countries across the globe. The Western Union Foundation is a separate charitable corporation that is tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code and receives support from The Western Union Company, its employees, agents, and business partners. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible for US income tax purposes. To learn more, visit wu.com/foundation or follow us on Twitter @TheWUFoundation.

About IIE

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in providing international education strategies and program services. We work with policymakers, educators and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that protect students, scholars, and artists in danger, expand teaching and learning across cultures, and provide opportunities to underserved populations. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 18 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,300 member institutions.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005156/en/

Contacts:

Media contacts:

Western Union Global Communications

Pia De Lima; Pia.DeLima@westernunion.com



Western Union Americas

Margaret Fogarty; margaret.fogarty@wu.com



Western Union Foundation

Emily Larson; emily.larson@wu.com



Western Union Middle East Africa

Mohamed El Khalouki; Mohamed.ElKhalouki@wu.com



Western Union Asia-Pacific

Karen Santos; Karen.Santos2@westernunion.com



IIE

Clare Overmann; Covermann@iie.org
We've reached the end of another working week on the blog. Today marks six months since The Age newsroom in Melbourne was last together as a group - that's at least six months of us bringing you this blog from our kitchen tables, bedrooms and sparerooms.

Thanks to all of you for reading and commenting along each day - for your news tips and support.

I wish you all a good weekend, the COVID-19 blog will be back early tomorrow morning.

What made COVID-19 news today?

This is Rachael Dexter signing off. Please stay safe, look after one another and goodnight.
ByteDance Ltd. is increasingly likely to miss a Trump administration deadline for the sale of its TikTok U.S. operations after new Chinese regulations complicated negotiations with bidders Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp., according to people familiar with the matter.

ByteDance probably needs beyond the U.S. executive order ban on Sept. 20 to nail down an agreement with either party because of the regulatory review, said the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. In preliminary talks with Chinese officials, ByteDance has been told any proposal must be submitted for approval with detailed information about technical and financial issues, and the review will be substantial and take time, one of the people said. The officials havent been willing to give specific guidance on what kind of deal would work, the person said.

Microsoft and Oracle, which had submitted proposals before the Chinese regulations hit, both continue to be interested in buying the U.S. arm of the hit video app and have not been dissuaded by Beijings involvement, the people said. The bidders have asked ByteDance to get as much clarity as possible from Beijing on the new regulations, which prohibit the export of certain artificial intelligence technologies that TikTok uses, they said.

The parties are still racing to present a preliminary deal to the White House before this months deadline, though no agreement could be finalized before Beijings signoff. Its also possible that ByteDance pulls out of a sale altogether if it determines it cant satisfy both governments, the bidders and its own shareholders.

A company representative offered no immediate comment.

ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming has been caught in a clash between the worlds two preeminent powers. The serial entrepreneur has been reluctant to give up U.S. TikTok from the start because he sees the business as a viable long-term competitor to Facebook Inc. and Google. He came under pressure to cede control when the Trump administration said it would ban the app and his own venture investors pressed for a sale to salvage some value from the operation.

The Trump administration is divided over whether to give ByteDance more time or simply proceed with the ban. Donald Trump himself has called the app a national security risk, passing an executive order to ban the service this month and approving a separate decision by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, to force a sale by mid-November.

ByteDance has sued in the U.S. to block the executive order ban, arguing that putting it out of business without adequate notice and a fair chance to respond deprives it of its due-process rights in violation of the Constitution. The Beijing-based company has also denied its app represents a security threat and said no data from American users is shared with China.

In negotiations earlier this year, ByteDance had attempted to work out a U.S. sale that would allow it to retain a substantial interest in the American operations, but the Trump administration has pushed back on that idea. Zhang would still like a small slice of the operation, the people said. But Microsoft and its partner in the deal, Walmart Inc., want full ownership of the business, one person said, while Oracles stance isnt clear.

Analysts and bankers have estimated TikToks U.S. business is worth at least $20 billion, although the price would vary widely depending on what is included with the sale. The specific offers from Microsoft, which is teaming up with Walmart Inc., and Oracle, which has won support from venture backers such as Sequoia Capital, could not be determined.

China made its 11th-hour entry into the TikTok process the last weekend of August, just as ByteDance had two offers in hand and planned to review them in hopes of making a final decision by the close of Sunday, a different person said. Beijings move blindsided the company, this person said.

Without any discussion or public announcement, China posted notification of new restrictions on the export of artificial intelligence technologies, including speech recognition and techniques for personalizing content. The aim of the rules is not necessarily to block a sale of the U.S. operations, but to ensure Beijing is actively involved and to slow down the process, one person said. The review may well push finalization of any agreement beyond the U.S. elections in November, the person said.

TikToks algorithms are not a big sticking point for the bidders, the second person said. Both Microsoft and Oracle have the technical chops to build their own algorithms and would get data to fine-tune them, the person said.

ByteDances regulatory team and deal negotiators have discussed whether its still possible to craft a sale that can win approval from both governments, an acquirer, venture investors and ByteDance itself.

Zhang is still operating from a position of strength. Privately held ByteDance is already worth $140 billion, according to startup tracker CB Insights, and is said to have generated more than $3 billion of net profit on more than $17 billion of revenue in 2019.

Investment bankers have begun pitching Zhangs team on going public in China or Hong Kong, even amid growing scrutiny in the U.S., and demand for initial public offerings from technology companies in the market is surging. Zhang stands to make billions no matter what happens with Trump and TikTok U.S.

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New Delhi: Markets ended in red on Wednesday tracking losses in index heavyweights amid weak cues from Asian peers.

The 30-share BSE index ended 171.43 points or 0.45 per cent lower at 38,193.92. The NSE Nifty settled 39.35 points or 0.35 per cent down at 11,278.

Here are Stocks in focus on September 10, 2020

RBI OMO: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under the Open Market Operation (OMO) for Rs 10,000 crore each on September 10. The RBI on August 31 had announced special simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under Open Market Operation (OMO) for an aggregate amount of Rs 20,000 crores in two tranches of Rs 10,000 crores each.

Indiabulls Housing

Indiabulls Housing Finance launched its QIP (qualified institutional placement) on Wednesday and set the floor price at Rs 206.70 per equity share for the issue. The Securities Issuance Committee of the company''s board at a meeting held on September 9, 2020 approved the floor price, it said in a regulatory filing. In a separate filing, the company said the Securities Issuance Committee will have a meeting on September 14 to approve the issue price, including a discount, if any, for the equity shares to be allotted to the qualified institutional buyers.

Bharat Dynamics OFS

The over Rs 900-crore Offer for Sale (OFS) of government shares in defence firm Bharat Dynamics got off to a smooth start with the portion reserved for institutional investors oversubscribed 1.40 times. The government is selling over 2.74 crore shares of Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) at a floor price of Rs 330 apiece.

Happiest Minds Technologies IPO

The initial public offering of IT services firm Happiest Minds Technologies garnered massive response from investors as it was subscribed a whopping 151 times on the last day of bidding on Wednesday. According to data available with the NSE, the Rs 702-crore IPO received bids for over 351 crore shares against the issue size of 2.33 crore shares. The qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) portion was subscribed 77.43 times, non-institutional investors 351.46 times and retail individual investors 70.94 times, as per the data.

Route Mobile IPO

Route Mobile initial public offer (IPO) worth Rs 600 crore was fully subscribed on day 1 of the bidding on Wednesday. Today is the second day for subscription.
BERKELEY, Calif.  In 2010, LeBron James made The Decision, leaving his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat and upending the N.B.A.

Several months ago, Tom Brady shocked the N.F.L. by choosing to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and leaving his longtime team, the New England Patriots, with whom he had won six Super Bowls.

And on Thursday, Tyler Blevins, a 29-year-old video game superstar known as Ninja, made a choice that set off similar reverberations in the gaming world. The Fortnite player, who became famous by livestreaming his play to millions of fans, said he was returning to stream exclusively on Twitch, the Amazon-owned platform where he built his enormous following.

I am excited to get back to streaming full time and connecting with my loyal fan base, Mr. Blevins said in a statement.
A little girl's world has been shattered after her dad died moments after seeing her on Father's Day.

Richard Stockdale, 40, was killed when the electric scooter he was riding along High St at Waterford, south of Brisbane, lost control and crashed into a metal pole.

The Sunshine Coast man was on his way home from seeing his daughter, 12, for Father's Day when the tragedy occurred about 2pm on September 6.

Richard Stockdale (pictured), 40, was killed when the electric scooter he was riding along High St at Waterford, south of Brisbane, lost control and crashed into a metal pole

The Sunshine Coast man was on his way home from seeing his 'princess' for Father's Day when the tragedy occurred about 2pm on September 6. Pictured: The scene of the accident

His grieving family said the loss was 'heart wrenching' for his unnamed daughter, who shared a bond with him 'like no other'.

Her older sister, Chantel Farleigh, has started a Go Fund Me page on her little sister's behalf to raise money for 'a beautiful final goodbye' for Mr Stockdale.

'Anybody who has experienced a loss would know funeral expenses aren't cheap nor are their many payment options,' Ms Farleigh wrote.

'I'm reaching out for my baby sister, so she can create the goodbye she believes her father deserves, in which he very much does deserve it.'

Mr Stockdale's grieving family said the experience was 'heart wrenching' for his unnamed 12-year-old daughter, who shared a bond with him 'like no other'. Pictured: Mr Stockdale with his 'princess'

Ms Farleigh said the thought of explaining to her little sister her father's body would be handed over to the state to be cremated, instead of buried, if arrangements could not be made 'absolutely breaks her heart'.

'With both of Richard's parents deceased, he doesn't have a large network to cover the expenses, and it is with such little financial option that we reach out for donations to give Richard and my baby sister the goodbye they both deserve,' she said.

'It's a Father's Day she will never forget, and this day truly deserves to be remembered for her.

'There is no amount of appreciation in the world to give for even just cents of donations and to share this story as far as you can.'
In a series of letters reportedly obtained by Bob Woodward for his new book, Rage, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un called President Donald Trump Your Excellency and said their relationship was like a scene from a fantasy film.

The Washington Post and CNN published details from more than two dozen letters the leaders sent after the 2018 summit in Singapore, the first time a sitting US president had met with a leader of the North. The missives add new context to the cordial relationship between Trump and Kim and feature deep flattery towards the president.

I feel pleased to have formed good ties with such a powerful and preeminent statesman as Your Excellency, Kim wrote in one letter, per the Post. In another, the North Korean leader said he was thinking of that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellencys hand at the beautiful and sacred location as the whole world watched with great interest and hope to relive the honour of that day.

Trump did not share the letters with Woodward, who told the Post he obtained them independently. CNN acquired transcripts of two letters, sent in December 2018 and June 2019. However, Trump hinted at the content of the letters in late 2018, saying the pair fell in love after Kim wrote him beautiful letters.

The diplomatic relationship was a swift change from the early days of the Trump presidency. Then, the leaders swapped increasingly acidic names, with Trump calling Kim Little Rocket Man and Kim describing Trump as a dotard.

In an interview with Woodward, Trump described his later chemistry with Kim, saying it was near-immediate.

You meet a woman. In one second, you know whether or not its going to happen, Trump told Woodward of his relationship with Kim, per The New York Times. It doesnt take you 10 minutes and it doesnt take you six weeks. Its like, whoa. OK. You know? It takes somewhat less than a second.

The Trump administrations relationship with...

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Facebook has launched Facebook Campus, a space on its main app designed to better let students connect with one another.

Many students are set to start university courses in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, with many usually in-person events expected to take place over video calls.

In the early days, Facebook was a college-only network, and now were returning to our roots with Facebook Campus, the company says in a blog post.

A Facebook Campus profile is different from the main Facebook profile; on Campus, students only need to input their college email and graduation year.

Their college email (@.edu) will be used to verify the students Campus profile, and is used as a part of a classmates directory to make it easy to find and meet new people.

Students can input their major, classes, hometown, and minor, although these are optional.

The social media giant also says that students can use the Campus profile to set up groups and events unique to their college.

Campus events and groups are not able to be made public, as those on the standard Facebook platform are.

There is also a chatting function in Campus, but it is separate from Facebooks messenger service. Instead, users find a particular group and can choose to join the conversation.

If a user is blocked on Facebook, they will also remain blocked on Campus.

Campus is rolling out to 30 universities in the US, including Brown, Georgia State, Lincoln, Florida International, and more.

Notably Harvard, where Facebook was first developed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, will not have access to Campus.

Much like Facebooks other products, data generated by Campus will be used to improve its advertising technology, but Campus itself does not show adverts according to Techcrunch.

The announcement comes as Facebook is losing ground to other social apps such as YouTube and Snapchat.

A survey from 2018 shows that only half of teenagers in the US use Facebook, compared to 69 per cent who say they use Snapchat and 85 per cent who use YouTube.

Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, is used by 72 per cent of US teenagers, but there appears to be no integration between it and Campus apart from linking their Instagram and Facebook profiles, as you can with the standard Facebook profile.

We wanted to create a product where it was easy for classmates to meet each other, foster new relationships and also easily start conversations, said Facebook Campus Product Manager Charmaine Hung.

With COVID-19, we see that many students arent returning to campus in the fall. Now, classes are being held online and students are trying to react to this new normal of what its like to connect to clubs and organizations that you care about, when youre not together,

Hung also said that Campus has not been tested prior to the announcement today, with the launch being considered as a pilot, although the company did conduct roundtables with universities and students when building the function.
The Government will adopt on Monday the decision regarding the extension of the state of alert on the Romanian territory.

In the context in which the Secretary of State with the Ministry of Interior, Gheorghe Sorescu, informed us that the project regarding the extension of the state of alert does not have the approval of the Legislative Council, the Prime Minister Ludovic Orban showed that it will be discussed on Monday."If we do not have the approval of the Legislative Council, we will not be able to adopt it today. This means that on Monday we will have to hold the National Committee for Emergency Situations and also a Government meeting so that we can adopt the extension of the state of alert. Ask the Legislative Council," said Orban, at the beginning of the Government meeting.
The Central Bank governor, Martin Galstian, told reporters on Tuesday that the deferments benefited about 550,000 individual borrowers and 17,000 firms. As a result, the commercial banks temporarily lost an estimated 100 billion drams in revenue, he said, according to the Armenpress news agency.

The banks began deferring loan repayments in March as the Armenian government imposed strict restrictions on peoples movements and ordered the closure of most firms to tackle the spread of the coronavirus. The lockdown plunged the Armenian economy into recession, leaving many people without jobs and income.

The government lifted the ban on virtually all types of business activity by the beginning of May. Most banks resumed loan repayments at around the same time.

The government and the Central Bank have since faced opposition calls for imposing a prolonged freeze on all loan repayments. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and other government officials have opposed this, saying that the banks should deal with defaulting clients on a case-by-case basis.

Galstian also argued against such a freeze still advocated by some opposition figures, saying that additional financial losses could deal a serious blow to the Armenian banking sector.

Can banks constantly and continuously make expenditures without expecting any revenue in return? In our view, that would be a bit reckless, he said.

Galstian also pointed out that since March the banks have extended a total of 80 billion drams ($165 million) in loans subsidized by the government as part of its efforts to mitigate grave socioeconomic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

The governments stimulus package, worth about 150 billion drams, has also included cash handouts to various categories of the vulnerable population as well as grants to some struggling businesses and farmers.
Acapulco man arrested for impersonating Cancun city employee

Cancun, Q.R.  Elements of the Quintana Roo Police arrested a man after receiving the report of a suspicious person. Police responded to the report in SM 68, where upon arriving at an address, a man requested police support, pointing to a male who was wearing a uniform of the Benito Juarez City Council.

Police saw the man was wearing a shirt with the General Directorate of Legal Affairs logo and also carried a card identifying him as a public official. After an interview, police found the card was not real, which lead to his arrest.

The complainant said that the alleged city hall employee had requested 6,000 peso in fines since store employees were not wearing mouth masks. Police verified that the man did not work for the municipality of Benito Juarez.

Police say 40-year-old Alejandro N, who is from Acapulco, was taken into custody for the crime of usurpation of functions.
Talks on a trade deal between Britain and the EU are getting increasingly fraught and this has implications for investors.

The government has denied its new proposed bill will 'tear up' the Brexit deal but there is no doubt the stakes are high over the next couple of months.

According to analysis from Joachim Klement and David Mak at brokerage Liberum, the strategy is incredibly risky and reminiscent of the final scene in Hollywood movie Thelma & Louise.

Liberum, said the strategy is reminiscent of the final scene in Hollywood movie Thelma & Louise.

Having killed a man who attempted to rape them, the two protagonists are surrounded by the police and have to choose between turning themselves in or driving their car off a cliff.

Klement and Mak write that 'unlike in the movie, where the scene ends with Thelma & Louise in mid-air over the Grand Canyon, real life doesn't stop, once you have jumped off the cliff.

The report says that the economic damage of a hard Brexit could be five times worse for the UK than the EU

'Instead, if this negotiation tactic backfires and the EU abandons the negotiations, the UK and the UK would face a hard Brexit, with dire consequences for the economy.'

They add: 'If we accept that this bill is not to be taken literally...then the UK government must be remarkable naive or inept at strategic games.'

They estimate that the chances of the EU accepting the UK offer is about 10 per cent, because of the outsize harm that the lack of an agreement will cause the UK economy.

They also say that the economic damage of a hard Brexit could be five times worse for the UK than the EU, and twice as bad than the harm caused by the Covid-19 pandemic over 15 years.

Suppose the country leaves without a trade deal in place. In that case, the stock market will be hit on both sides of the Channel, and the pound will probably depreciate as it did after a majority of British voters voted to leave the EU in 2016.

Of course, not all shares would dramatically suffer. Liberum has created a list of 20 publicly traded firms that it believes would 'hold up better than the market' in the case of a hard Brexit.

A stock with a beta above 1.0 is one that is more volatile than the market. They tend to be riskier, but contribute higher returns, while a stock below 1.0 is safer, but with lower returns

It examined which stocks rely wholly on the UK for their revenues and a very low share price beta to sterling. The share price beta is a measure of a share's volatility in relation to the wider stock market.

A stock with a beta above 1.0 is one that is more volatile than the market. They tend to be riskier, but contribute higher returns, while a stock below 1.0 is usually safer, but low return.

Almost all companies listed by Liberum have a positive beta number, which they say indicates that a devalued sterling would result in share prices declining.

Only motor insurer Sabre Insurance Group - with a market capitalisation of 662.5million - has a negative beta value to sterling. The other insurer on the list is Admiral, which has a beta score of 0.23

Only motor insurer Sabre Insurance Group has a negative beta value to sterling, which is minus 0.31. The other automotive insurer on the list is Sabre's much-larger rival Admiral with a beta score of 0.23.

Which stocks are rated BUY by Liberum? - Spire Healthcare Group - Primary Health Properties - Wincanton - Pets at Home Group - Hollywood Bowl Group - Morgan Sindall Group - Kier Group - Go-Ahead Group - Gym Group - Civitas Social Housing

No particular industry is strongly represented on the list. But it includes many well-known businesses such as supermarket chain Morrisons, Pets at Home Group, construction giant Kier Group, and ten-pin bowling firm Hollywood Bowl.

Of the twenty firms listed, Liberum has given a Buy recommendation for half of them, including leisure firm Gym Group and building company Morgan Sindall.

The report insists though 'these stocks can only be considered safe havens in a relative perspective, since they don't lose as much as the market.'

So, even if certain investments do well in a post-Brexit future, the withdrawal process has created so much uncertainty for the British economy and virtually all economic forecasts suggesting the country will be poorer in the long run.

As Klement and Mak put it: 'If it [the UK] goes for a hard Brexit, the economy will suffer for years to come. If it turns around, the EU negotiators will know that the UK government isn't willing to risk a hard Brexit and become even less willing to make compromises.'
 Bryce Baschuk

Think this has been a wild year for trade already? Some battles are just heating up.

The witches brew of a global pandemic, the worst recession since the financial crisis and deteriorating relations between the worlds top two economies have combined to make this the most consequential year for trade in a generation.

The world economy is at an inflection point. The U.S. election, a year-end Brexit deadline and a host of other developments have the potential to deliver a new dawn for global cooperation and integration or, alternatively, to accelerate the global trading regimes slide towards dysfunction and chaos.

Heres a quick look at the five key 2020 events in trade to watch out for:

Aircraft dispute: The World Trade Organization will soon determine whether and how much the EU can retaliate against the U.S. for its illegal subsidies to Boeing. The ruling could result in an escalation of a long-simmering transatlantic rupture or result in a landmark agreement that sets new rules of the road for industrial subsidies.

Digital-tax fight: The U.S. and European policy makers are sleepwalking towards a damaging trade conflict over foreign taxes on tech companies. If an agreement is not made by year-end, a new salvo of tariffs and taxes will begin to weigh on the worlds anemic economic recovery.

The U.S. election: If President Donald Trump is re-elected in November, its likely the U.S. will increase tariffs as a means to reshore manufacturing and diversify Americas supply chains  particularly for medical goods. As Trump not-so-subtly hinted on Monday, his second term would likely see an escalation the dispute with China, which Trump holds responsible for spreading the Covid-19 pandemic and economic misery in the U.S.

Brexit: New and significant trade barriers between the U.K. and the European Union look to be coming at year-end. The U.K.s exit from the EUs single market and customs union means British exporters must endure new customs paperwork that many fear will create border queues and persistent delays at the worst possible time.

WTO leadership race: This fall, WTO members will endeavor to select a new chief to help revive the ailing trade body. It will be critical to fill the organizations current leadership vacuum and ensure the global arbiter of trade doesnt become an ineffectual monument to the flaws of globalization.

: bloomberg.com
Starbucks is bidding farewell to straws ... for the most part.

The Seattle-based coffee chain announced back in July 2018 that it would commit to banning plastic straws worldwide by 2020, and two years later, the company is making good on its promise.

On Thursday, Starbucks said in a press release that strawless, sippy cup-style lids will now be standard for iced beverages at stores across the U.S. and Canada, replacing plastic straws that typically cannot be recycled.

The clear lids are made of polypropylene, another type of plastic that can be recycled. The coffee chain claims the lightweight lid, which was modeled after hot beverage lids, was designed to use about 9% less plastic than previous flat plastic lids and straws combined.

Recyclable, strawless lids for customers across the U.S. and Canada is another step in our journey to reduce our environmental footprint, said Starbucks' chief sustainability officer Michael Kobori, in a statement.

Starbucks' strawless lid is made of polypropylene, a type of recyclable plastic. (Starbucks)

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Andy Corlett, director of global packaging solutions and innovations at Starbucks, added, A recyclable, strawless lid becoming the standard for iced drinks is one small way we can give more than we take from the planet. This is a significant moment for Starbucks as we work to reduce waste and safeguard the environment.

Customers can expect strawless lids on all iced coffee, tea, espresso and Refreshers drinks. For drinks like Frappuccinos with plastic dome-shaped lids, Starbucks will continue to provide straws unless prohibited by local law.

Last year, Starbucks expanded their market test of strawless lids, introducing them to stores in seven additional cities, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.

Plastic straw prohibition has been heralded as a move toward a more sustainable future, beneficial to both people and animals, but it has also drawn criticism for its negative impact on people with disabilities. Some say straws are life-changing and inclusive of people who rely on straws to drink beverages. Starbucks maintains that straws will still be available to any customer who requests one.

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The coffee company has previously announced other initiatives aimed at improving the company's sustainability footprint. These included a contest that would find an "innovative cup solution" for America's daily coffee habit. In early March, Starbucks also revealed it would test a biodegradable hot coffee cup that can be recycled. But, around the same time, the coffee giant also announced that it would suspend its reusable cup program due to coronavirus concerns.

Other companies have also announced bans on certain types of plastic products. McDonald's in the U.K. and Ireland said it would remove plastic straws in all of its stores by the end of last year. IKEA pledged to cut all single-use plastic items like straws and plates, both for sale in stores and in its restaurants, by this year. Kroger, the largest U.S. grocery chain, said it would phase out single-use plastic grocery bags by 2025.

Starbucks anticipates the national rollout of strawless lids to company-operated and licensed Starbucks stores to be completed by the end of September, catching up to other markets in countries like China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy chairs a review meeting on design of the infrastructure at Farmer Assurance Centers on agriculture, horticulture and dairy, in Vijayawada on Sep 10, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Amaravati, Sep 10 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to hand over the probe into the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple's chariot blaze in East Godavari district to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"As per the instructions of the Chief Minister of AP, the Director General of Police has written a letter to the central home ministry seeking a CBI inquiry," said an official.

The CBI move comes five days after the incident happened under mysterious circumstances which the local police department could not crack.

Reddy has been facing pressure over the incident in which a six-decade-old seven-tiered wooden chariot was gutted around Saturday midnight.

Meanwhile, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janasena are targeting the state government for allegedly being lax in protecting Hindu temples.

The opposition parties have siezed the opportunity to corner the government.

On Wednesday, state BJP president Somu Veerraju visited the temple to take stock of the developments. He followed it up with a sit-in protest in Rajamundry party office and called on BJP supporters to do the same at their homes amid the Covid pandemic.

A few BJP national leaders have also chipped in with similar demonstrations in Delhi.

Scenic Antarvedi is located in the lush green Konaseema region of East Godavari district, 57 kms southeast of Bhimavaram. The temple is located near the confluence point of the mighty Godavari river and the Bay of Bengal on the east coast of India.
Alleged hacker to go on trial on $140K cyber fraud allegations

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

13:10 10/09/2020

MOSCOW, September 10 (RAPSI)  Alleged hacker Alexander Feshchenko will stand trial in Kovrov, a town in Russias Vladimir Region, in a case over embezzling 10.8 million rubles ($130,000) from three local enterprises through hacking attacks, the press service of the Prosecutor Generals Office reports.

According to investigators, between September and November 2018, Feshchenko conspired with unidentified persons to distribute on the Internet malicious software and receive illegal access to local computers of the towns commercial organizations. Using forged documents, accomplices stole 10.8 million rubles from the businessmen, the statement reads.

Feshchenko stands charged with cyber fraud and hacking.

Investigation into unidentified persons involved in the crime is ongoing, according to prosecutors.




Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) - The National Privacy Commission (NPC) on Thursday ordered businesses to refrain from collecting signatures and other unnecessary personal information in contract tracing forms.

The commission's move came after receiving complaints that private establishments and even some government offices are collecting signatures and personal data that are considered immaterial in contact tracing efforts.

In every aspect of the data processing cycle, activities must observe the basic principles of transparency, legitimate purpose, and proportionality, said lawyer Stephen John Duma of the NPC Compliance and Monitoring Division.

The NPC reminded businesses to comply with data privacy standards.

Duma said data privacy officers (DPO) have the responsibility to provide a clear and accessible privacy notice which gives the data subjects enough information on data collection, processing, storage, and disposal activities to know the risks of giving their personal information.

Detailed information on the relevant personal data flows must be provided, he said. You should have a clear way of employing these activities and show in your privacy notices that they have adequate organizational, physical and technical capacity to protect data from collection to disposal.

The NPC also said that privacy notices should specify the parties and authorities to whom the data will be disclosed to or shared with, and for what purposes.

Duma added that the name and contact information of DPO must be included in the privacy notices to enlighten the prospective data subject of the establishments data protection measures.

The commission is more than willing to provide businesses and agencies the required guidance in formulating policies and implementing measures that capture the privacy and protection needs of their data subjects, he said.
Disturbing footage has showed Canberra Raiders centre Curtis Scott writhing on the ground in severe pain after being pepper sprayed and tasered by police.

The 22-year-old had been charged with seven offences - two of assaulting a police officer and one of resisting arrest - after officers found him asleep under a tree in Sydney's Moore Park following Australia Day celebrations on January 27.

All but two charges though have been dropped as confronting body cam footage emerged showing Scott crying out in agony after being subdued.

The vision played in court on Thursday showed Scott being told by an officer 'it's not that bad' after he was pepper-sprayed in the face, 7News reported.

Scott's lawyer argued the decision to taser the NRL star was disproportionate considering his client had only raised his voice and was following the police order not to resist arrest.

The rugby league player can be heard in the footage saying repeatedly he had 'done nothing wrong'.

Magistrate Jennifer Giles said the vision was so difficult to watch the footage she did not want to see it a third time and criticised police for claiming they acted appropriately in handcuffing an unconscious man.

Magistrate Giles said that argument was 'a very long and frightening bow'.

'Being capsicum sprayed whilst you are handcuffed and not decontaminated for some 19 odd minutes, thats much worse than anything I can do to you,' she said.

Disturbing footage has emerged showing Canberra Raiders centre Curtis Scott writhing in pain after being pepper sprayed and tasered by police

'Convicting you and fining you would serve absolutely no purpose.'

The judge added Scott had since been sober for five months.

Scott's lawyer Sam Macedone said the NRL player had feared he may have jeopardised his future in the league following the arrest and also lost a Nike sponsorship deal.

Vision played in court on Thursday showed Scott being told by an officer 'it's not that bad' after he was pepper-sprayed in the face

Scott pleaded guilty to the remaining two counts of behaving in an offensive manner in a public place.

Prosecutors withdrew the two counts of assaulting a police officer, one of resisting an officer in execution of duty, one of behaving in an offensive manner and one of remaining on Trust lands after being requested to leave.

Mr Macedone said he and Scott would consider taking legal action against police.

The 22-year-old's legal team have also called for police to cover more than $100,000 in legal fees - with Magistrate Giles due to return a decision on the matter on September 25.
A Tinder user has revealed how bogus black professor Jessica Krug spewed anti-white hate and lectured him for hours about systemic racism on a 'date from hell'.

Musician Ken Pazn, 30, was expecting an afternoon of flirty fun after he swiped right on Krug's profile and suggested a romantic stroll in Manhattan.

But he was soon regretting the February 2018 hook-up after Krug began boasting of her hatred of white people and attacked him for being too 'passive' in the 'war' on gentrification.

'I have never met anyone more racist than her,' Pazn, who is Afro-Latino, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.

'It was all F whites, F the police, F capitalism, all of that stuff. You could not believe the look on her face when I revealed I had friends of all races.

'I feared she was ready to fistfight me if challenged any of her views. I would have liked some physical action  but not that kind.'

Musician Ken Pazn, 30, matched with race faker Jessica Krug on Tinder and met for a date in Manhattan in February 2018

Krug began boasting of her hatred of white people and attacked him for being too 'passive' in the 'war' on gentrification during their date

Krug was a little too political for his taste when he came across her profile in which she begins by describing herself as a dancer and historian living in 'El Barrio'

Pazn votes Democrat and says he's a believer in the principles behind Black Lives Matter but not the violence and angry rhetoric adopted by some protestors.

He wondered if 38-year-old Krug was a little too political for his tastes when he came across her profile in which she begins by describing herself as a dancer and historian living in 'El Barrio'.

Pazn, who performs under the moniker King Pazn, said he backed off after Krug began saying 'some pretty wild things'

'Please be about something larger than yourself. I am all about surviving pending revolution,' Krug goes on.

'Your passion for moving our people forward together will hook me; paving your way to other countries will not. Upwardly-mobile bougie types, swipe left.'

Pazn changed his tune, however, when he randomly passed by Krug in the street and noted how attractive she was.

'She had said some pretty wild things when we began talking so I backed off a little bit,' said Pazn, who performs under the moniker King Pazn.

'I think it's a little hypocritical when people resent individuals for being a different ethnicity. They throw around terms like white privilege but I myself feel very privileged to be Afro-Latino.

'To be honest her opinions are pretty standard in the New York arts and music scene. I don't agree with them but these are the sorts of people Tinder routinely matches me up with.

'When I passed by her in person, I thought wait a minute, she is very fit, she has a great figure. I thought why not her send her a message and see how things go.'

Pazn said settling on a venue was far from straightforward as Krug refused to go to 'gentrifier spots', warning him in a message that she wouldn't deal with 'stupid nasal voices talking about how edgy our hoods are.'

In Krug's Tinder bio she writes, 'Please be about something larger than yourself. I am all about surviving pending revolution'

Krug described herself as a 'dancer, historian, organizer' in her Tinder profile and used this mirror photo in shorts and a crop top

Eventually they agreed to meet for a walk in Fort Tyron Park, in upper Manhattan's Hudson Heights neighborhood.

Like the numerous academics and students who spent years interacting with Krug, Pazn said he had no reason to think that the identity politics firebrand was faking her race.

'At no stage did I question her authenticity. There are many pale Latinos in my neighborhood, we come in many shades and colors. I didn't really pay much attention to her accent,' he said.

'Jessica was wearing short shorts and a red top, she looked good, she was showing off her legs. There was something off about her demeanor though, she didn't smile much, she wasn't very tactile.

'The conversation immediately turned to politics. She asked me about the neighborhood and I told her a little bit about the history.

'She then started questioning why I was referring to it in such a ''passive'' way. She wanted a stance, she wanted a stronger opinion. It became pretty clear she wanted me to criticize white people.

'I tried to switch the topic to salsa dancing but it was soon back to politics. She told me this story about how she had encountered a white guy at some event and almost started a fight with him.

'I asked if she had white friends at the college where she worked. She said she worked with whites but didn't trust them.

'We covered the history of world colonization, the European invasion, Christopher Columbus  I was there for a date and instead I was getting a lecture.'

Pazn said settling on a venue was far from straightforward as Krug refused to go to 'gentrifier spots', warning him in a message that she wouldn't deal with 'stupid nasal voices talking about how edgy our hoods are'

Pazn decided to tell Krug how some kids at his black and Hispanic-dominated school had been picked on or even beaten up because they were white. She replied: 'Ok, so what?'

With the date descending into frosty awkwardness, he tried to impress her by revealing he could speak fluent Russian because his parents had lived there for a while.

'I noticed she had a Marxist symbol, maybe a hammer and sickle tattoo, on her back. I thought telling her this could boost the attraction levels,' he said.

Krug revealed on last week that she has lied about being black her entire career

'She responded by attacking my parents for 'poisoning my upbringing' and 'kissing white a**' by taking me to a predominantly white country.

'I asked her what she thought of about Che Guevara. She didn't like him either - because he was too white.

'I stuck it out for a few hours hoping it would go somewhere. But unless that meant going to war against white people and taking back what had been stolen from Indigenous people, it wasn't happening.'

Pazn said he was so despondent after he got home from the disastrous rendezvous that he decided against further Tinder dates.

He says it's becoming impossible to meet people within liberal arts circles who do not have some degree of sympathy with Krug's radical anti-white positions.

Pazn actually Tweeted about his 'date from hell' last Wednesday, coincidentally one day before Krug outed herself as a white Jewish woman from Kansas City, Missouri who had spent decades posing as a black and later black-Hispanic academic and prominent opponent of systemic racism.

In a lengthy confession titled 'The Truth, and the Anti-Black Violence of My Lies', she wrote: 'For the better part of my adult life, every move I've made, every relationship I've formed, has been rooted in the napalm toxic soil of lies.

'To an escalating degree over my adult life, I have eschewed my lived experience as a white Jewish child in suburban Kansas City under various assumed identities within a Blackness that I had no right to claim: first North African Blackness, then US rooted Blackness, then Caribbean rooted Bronx Blackness.'

Pazn said he was so despondent after he got home from the disastrous rendezvous that he decided against further Tinder dates

Krug was spotted for the first time since the scandal broke last week and since resigning from her post as a professor of African American studies at George Washington University

After Krug's mea culpa made global headlines, some fellow academics cast doubt on her honesty, saying she only came clean because Hispanic scholars were about to out her. George Washington University has said Krug will not be teaching in the Fall however her outraged colleagues are pushing for her time at the DC-based school to be put to a permanent end.

'I think it's hilarious this whole time she was masquerading as a Latina. It also explains why her butt was flat, she wasn't packing much peaches,' Pazn joked.

'I had always thought that maybe she hated herself because she was so light-skinned. Now it's obvious that was the case.

'What most disappointed me about all this is that she's a college professor. To think of someone teaching this racist ideology  because it is racist  to impressionable young people is really worrying.

'I did actually come across Jessica's dating profile again but quickly swiped left. I don't think she's going to find what she's looking for unless Malcolm X pops up on Tinder.

'She's actually more suited to the blackface character Robert Downey Jr plays in Tropic Thunder.'
By Tom Polansek and P.J. Huffstutter

CHICAGO, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Labor Department said on Thursday it cited Smithfield Foods for failing to protect employees from the coronavirus, making it the first major U.S. meatpacker to face a fine after outbreaks at slaughterhouses infected thousands of workers this spring and caused meat shortages.

The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for "failing to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that can cause death or serious harm," according to a statement.

At least 1,294 Smithfield workers contracted coronavirus, and four employees died from the virus this spring, the statement said.

OSHA proposed fining Smithfield $13,494, the maximum allowed by law. The citation comes as companies are facing increasing litigation over worker infections and mounting pressure to protect employees.

Smithfield, owned by China's WH Group Ltd, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company can contest OSHA's findings.

"Employers must quickly implement appropriate measures to protect their workers' safety and health," said Sheila Stanley, OSHA Sioux Falls Area director.

President Donald Trump in April ordered meat-processing plants to stay open to protect the nation's food supply, despite concerns about coronavirus outbreaks, drawing a backlash from unions that said at-risk workers required more protection.

Nearly 20 plants run by companies like Smithfield, Tyson Foods Inc and JBS USA closed temporarily because of outbreaks.

California's Occupational Safety and Health Administration this month cited and proposed fines against one frozen food manufacturer, two smaller meat packers, and eight agriculture or farm labor contracting firms, after the agency determined the companies failed to protect employees from exposure to COVID-19.

Cal/OSHA has issued citations to frozen food manufacturer Overhill Farms Inc and its temporary employment agency Jobsource North America Inc. The agency proposed over $200,000 in penalties to each employer for failing to protect hundreds of employees from COVID-19 at two plants in Vernon.

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The companies could not be reached immediately for comment.

The employers did not take any steps to install barriers or implement procedures to have employees work at least six feet away from each other and they did not investigate any of their employees COVID-19 infections, including more than 20 illnesses and, in the case of Overhill Farms, one death," the agency said in a statement.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek and P.J. Huffstutter in Chicago; Editing by Leslie Adler)
On August 30, tanker Yuan Dong Hai of China COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation Co., Ltd. got its certificate of nationality from the port of Yangpu in South Chinas Hainan Province as soon as it was delivered, thanks to the efforts of the province to promote institutional innovations in the construction of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics.

With a maximum loading capacity of 150,000 tons, Yuan Dong Hai made the port of Yangpu one of the ports that have large vessels with a loading capacity of over 100,000 tons.

We didnt even actually go to the port of Yangpu to go through the formalities for the certificate, yet we received the first certificate of nationality issued by the port of Yangpu in three workdays, said Dong Yuhang, deputy general manager of COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd.

The Hainan free trade port has adopted more open shipping policies, which allow domestic ships engaging in transport of goods for both domestic and foreign trade with the port of Yangpu as a transit port to replenish bonded oil for the voyage, according to Dong.

A cargo ship with slots for 5,400 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers on the route from Jinzhou, Northeast Chinas Liaoning Province to the port of Yangpu is allowed to replenish 553 tons of bonded oil, which means it can save about 600,000 yuan ($ 87,600) in a single trip, Dong noted.

As of August, the working committee of Hainan free trade port had rolled out 85 programs targeting institutional innovations in areas including business system reforms, talent cultivation, as well as international trade and economy.

Three cargo ships registered at the port of Yangpu within three months, during which the shipping routes of the port for domestic and foreign trade increased from 22 to 31 and the monthly container handling capacity of the port surpassed 100,000 TEUs, said Zhou Junping, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) committee at the working committee of Yangpu Economic Development Zone.

All these are gratifying changes brought about by the construction of the Hainan free trade port, Zhou added.

In addition to boosting institutional innovations, Hainan has also made unswerving efforts to safeguard the red line for ecological conservation during the construction of the Hainan free trade port.

One month after the release of the master plan for the Hainan free trade port, Hainan Province set up ten supervision and inspection teams and sent them to various cities and counties of the province for a 100-day supervision and inspection operation for ecological and environmental protection.

From the end of July to mid-August, officials of the Hainan provincial government supervised and inspected relevant tasks in cities and counties, aiming to go all out to resolve the tough issues in ecological governance.

Because of these efforts, the long-standing problems troubling the management of the Xiaohai Lagoon and Laoyehai Lagoon in Hainans Wanning city started to be solved step by step. Besides ecological rehabilitation and tail water treatment, the city has also accelerated the formulation of maricultural plans and improvement in infrastructure in the surrounding areas.

Lingshui Li autonomous county in Hainan province has started to remove the fish breeding rafts, fishing nets, and fixed nets in the lagoons of Xincun township of the county, cleaning 21.97 square kilometers of sea areas.

At present, Hainan province is ramping up efforts to draw a red line for ecological protection and the bottom line for environment quality, define the upper limit on utilization of resources, and make a list for environment access, trying to release relevant results and put them into practice by the end of the year.

The province is also integrating the aspirations and needs of the people into the construction of the Hainan free trade port.

During this summer vacation, a family inn adjacent to the mangrove wetland in Dongzhai harbor and Meilan International Airport has been packed with tourists.

Huang Yang, manager of the hotel, was a villager of Shanweitou village, Yanfeng township, Meilan district, Haikou, capital of Hainan Province.

Since February, business of Huangs family inn has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just when staff members of the hotel were at loose ends, the local government rolled out favorable policies on offering a 50 percent tax cut for hotels and holding free online training courses for employees of hotels.

The training, which advocates learning in slack season and working in peak season, is one of the 85 programs of institutional innovations launched during the construction of the Hainan free trade port.

In fact, Hainan Province has been providing degree courses and vocational training for tourism practitioners since 2019. This year, the number of participants in the training has grown from 3,000 to 5,000.

Thanks to the timely policies, Huangs family inn didnt just survived, but sees new prospects, as the provinces new policy on offshore duty-free shopping has significantly boosted business of the hotels and rural tourism routes near Meilan International Airport. Shanweitou village has been a popular destination for visitors attracted by the duty-free shopping policy.

Hainan Province is now making all-out efforts to enhance its infrastructure for fiber optic networks, power grids, road network, gas pipelines, and water supply systems.

On April 13, comprehensive construction of the key projects of the Hainan free trade port kicked off, with projects concerning infrastructure construction and public service facilities for improving peoples livelihoods accounting for 70 percent of these key projects.

Water conservancy projects of the province have prepared the province well in coping with the drought that lasted for two month in this year.

Grasping the opportunities generated by the construction of the Hainan free trade port, the province has taken multiple measures to improve education and medical services.

So far, the province has introduced 102 schools and more than 40 hospitals, allowing students to go to schools near home and residents receive treatment for major and serious diseases without leaving the province.

Hainan is optimizing its economic structure, in a bid to consolidate the foundation for improving peoples livelihood through promoting economic development.

The province had seen its volume of fixed-asset investment grow by 5.6 percent year on year during the first seven months this year, when investment in areas other than real estate became the main driving force for the growth in fixed-asset investment, and 75 percent of the economic growth in the province was contributed by the tertiary industry.
Traffic passes close to the border between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA)

The Irish premier has said that trust has been eroded over Boris Johnsons move to override key parts of the Withdrawal Agreement with Brussels.

Micheal Martin said the decision by the British Government to alter key elements of the Brexit deal is likely to have an impact on future talks.

The Taoiseach contacted Mr Johnson by phone on Wednesday evening to express his outright opposition to the move.

A meeting of the Joint Committee between the UK and EU is being held in London after the British Prime Minister announced proposed legislation to alter key elements of the Brexit deal with Brussels regarding Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said on Tuesday that legislation to change the Withdrawal Agreement would go against international law in a very specific and limited way.

Mr Martin said that his British counterpart assured him that the UK is fully committed to meeting its obligations in relation to the protection of the single market.

However, Mr Martin said the legislation published on Wednesday runs counter to that.

Obviously the Joint Committee is meeting today and will have that tested in full by the European Union leadership, Mr Martin told RTE Morning Ireland.

Any negotiation process can only proceed on the basis of trust. When one party to a negotiation decides that they can change whats already agreed and incorporated into law, it really undermines trust. This is a critical time in the #Brexit process and the stakes are very high.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) September 9, 2020

I made it very clear to him in no uncertain terms our outright opposition to the decision that he and his government took yesterday, and the unilateral nature of the British Governments decision to break an international treaty.

I pointed out very strongly to him that this was very unsettling for Northern Ireland.

It was dragging Northern Ireland back into the centre stage, that it was bad Northern Ireland politics and would be divisive .

But more fundamentally, I made a point to him that we all have obligations as political leaders to protect our people from the worst effect of a no-deal and that this intervention was very, very serious and has raised a fundamental issue of trust between the European Union negotiators and United Kingdom and ourselves.

He said that the international agreement has been undermined, which has implications for the conduct of negotiations into the future.

Mr Martin added: Britain signed up for this because Britain has said consistently that it wants access to the European market for its goods and services, and to maintain the jobs that they have in the United Kingdom in all range of companies and sectors, and thats why this particular mechanism was put in in the first place.

He said that the mechanism is there to enable good conduct of business between Ireland and Great Britain.
Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody in connection with a case related to northeast violence, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted before the High Court on Thursday.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, said that Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody by a trial court today and the agency did not seek his further custody. Raju said that Hussain has been handed over to Tihar Jail authorities.

A single-judge bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna, which was hearing Hussain's plea against a trial court order extending his ED remand in the case, adjourned the matter for detail arguments on November 24 after hearing the submissions.

The ED custody of Tahir Hussain, a key accused in the northeast violence which took place in February this year, was earlier extended by three days. The accused had moved a plea in the High Court claiming the extension of ED remand was illegal.

Senior advocate KK Manon, representing Hussain, submitted that the order of extended three-day ED remand was illegal and said that he wanted to argue on the law. He said that the trial court has erred in deciding the ED's application.

The economic offences wing had arrested Tahir Hussain in a case and made him accused of various other fraudulent acts of cheating, falsification/forgery of documents and criminal conspiracy.

Advocate Amit Mahajan and Advocate Naveen Kumar Matra, who appeared for the ED in a trial court earlier, had submitted that accused has entered into a criminal conspiracy by fraudulently transferred money from the accounts of many companies.

"The money so obtained are proceeds of crime which were then used for committing various other scheduled offences. We need further remand of him to confront him with several documents, etc," the ED counsels had said.

Earlier, ED had submitted that accused has also been arrested in connection with northeast Delhi violence case. Lawyers representing the ED had also submitted that scheduled offences are attracted in the present case and it is suspected case of money laundering.

The lawyers had also submitted that ED has also conducted searches at various premises and several incriminating documents and digital devices were recovered and seized from the accused's possessions.

Recently, a Delhi court had taken cognizance on a chargesheet filed against Tahir Hussain and others in a case related to the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma during the northeast Delhi violence in February this year.

According to the Delhi Police, Tahir Hussain is one of the prime accused in connection with northeast Delhi violence, in which at least 53 people lost their lives.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In this April 14, 2020 file photo, the thumbs up Like logo is shown on a sign at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Facebook may be forced to stop sending data about its European users to the U.S., in the first major fallout from a recent court ruling that found some trans-Atlantic data transfers don't protect users from American government snooping. The social network said Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020 that Ireland's Data Protection Commission has started an inquiry into how Facebook shifts data from the European Union to the United States. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Facebook may be forced to stop sending data about its European users to the U.S., in the first major fallout from a recent court ruling that found some trans-Atlantic data transfers don't protect users from American government snooping.

The social network said Wednesday that Ireland's Data Protection Commission has started an inquiry into how Facebook shifts data from the European Union to the United States.

The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said Ireland's data commission gave Facebook until mid-September to respond to a preliminary order to suspend the transfers.

The result could be that the U.S. tech giant, which has data centers around the world, is forced to undertake a costly and complex revamp of its operations to ensure that European user data is kept out of the U.S. It's unclear, however, what impactif anythere would be on Facebook users.

"A lack of safe, secure and legal international data transfers would damage the economy and hamper the growth of data-driven businesses in the EU, just as we seek a recovery from COVID-19," Facebook's vice-president of global affairs and communications, Nick Clegg, wrote in a blog post.

The Irish data commission suggested that a type of legal mechanism governing the data transfers, known as standard contractual clauses, "cannot in practice be used for EU-U.S. data transfers," Clegg said.

The commission, which did not reply to a request for comment, is Facebook's lead privacy regulator in Europe and can fine companies up to 4% of annual revenue for data breaches.

It's the first major move by a European regulator after the EU's top court issued a ruling in July on the two types of legal mechanisms used to govern data transfers.

The European Court of Justice invalidated an agreement known as Privacy Shield and decided that the standard legal clauses were still OK. But in cases where there are concerns about data privacy, EU regulators should vet, and if needed block, the transfer of data.

It's the latest development in a case that originated more than seven years ago, when Max Schrems, an Austrian privacy activist, filed a complaint about the handling of his Facebook data after former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed the American government was eavesdropping on people's online data and communications. The revelations included detail on how Facebook gave U.S. security agencies access to the personal data of Europeans.

Though the case specifically targets Facebook, it could have far-reaching implications for other tech giants' operations in Europe. In Facebook's case, for example, messages between Europeans would have to stay in Europe, which can be complicated and require the platform to be split up, Schrems has said.

The outcome of the case could also affect other companies doing business across borders, Clegg said, giving as examples a German startup not being able to use a U.S.-based cloud provider and a French retailer unable to maintain its Moroccan call center.

Explore further Facebook US data transfer case goes to Europe's top court

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 10, 2020 - 19:18 | World, All, Japan

Japan and India have signed a military pact enabling them to exchange logistical support, the Japanese government said Thursday, as part of efforts to step up security cooperation in the face of China's growing assertiveness.

The countries had intended to sign the acquisition and cross-servicing agreement last December during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's scheduled visit to Guwahati in eastern India. But, the trip was canceled after violent protests broke out in the city over a controversial immigration law.

In a phone call on Thursday, Abe and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi agreed on the importance of their countries' close security and economic cooperation, and shared the view that the signing of the pact the previous day will help realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the Japanese government said.

The agreement provides a framework for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Indian Armed Forces to provide each other with supplies and services including food, fuel and spare parts, as well as provide transportation and use of each other's facilities during joint exercises and U.N. peacekeeping operations.

Both countries must conclude domestic procedures for the pact to enter into force. Japan already has similar arrangements with the United States, Britain, France, Canada and Australia.

In the 30-minute call, Abe briefed Modi on his decision to resign due to health concerns, to which the Indian prime minister responded by thanking him for his leadership in strengthening bilateral relations, the government said.

The two also agreed on cooperation on delayed plans to introduce Japanese high-speed trains to India in 2023.

Both countries are concerned by Beijing's ambitions in the region, with Tokyo protesting the sending of Chinese ships near the Senkaku Islands, a group of Japanese-controlled, Chinese-claimed uninhabited islets in the East China Sea.

India has a long-standing border dispute with China in the Himalayas that turned deadly in June when a clash between their troops left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead.

Related coverage:

Leaders, gov'ts around world express concern about Abe's health

India to lock down whole country to battle coronavirus
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has given the NSW Nationals an ultimatum to withdraw their threats to sit on the crossbench by first thing Friday morning or she will swear in a new ministry.

In an escalation of a Coalition crisis, Ms Berejiklian said she would not tolerate the Nationals remaining in her cabinet while refusing to support the government.

The fracturing of the Coalition was sparked by a policy designed to protect koala habitat, which the Nationals say would severely limit the way property owners could manage their land.

Open warware: Liberal Gladys Berejiklian and Nationals' MPs Sarah Mitchell, John Barilaro and Bronnie Taylor. Credit:Janie Barrett, Kate Geraghty, Jessica Hromas

"It is not possible to be the Deputy Premier or a Minister of the Crown and sit on the crossbench," Ms Berejiklian said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
Hundreds of thousands have signed a petition protesting against the release of Cho Doo-soon - Chung Sung-Jun /Getty Images AsiaPac

There is growing public anger in South Korea after judicial authorities confirmed there is nothing they can do to halt the release of one of the nations most notorious criminals, who will in December complete a 12-year prison term for kidnapping, assaulting and raping a girl aged 8 in 2008.

Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have signed petitions on the web site of the Blue House demanding that 69-year-old Cho Doo-soon remain in prison and criticising the legal system for its lenient treatment of a man who had 17 previous convictions, including for rape and assault resulting in death.

Cho was convicted of kidnapping and raping the girl in a toilet in a church in the town of Ansan. The girl was severely injured during the attack but survived. In the trial, prosecutors demanded a life sentence for Cho, citing his previous crimes, while an online petition demanding the death penalty attracted nearly 300,000 signatures.

The presiding judge said in mitigation that Cho was drunk at the time of the attack and sentenced him to 12 years in prison. The punishment provoked a furious response at the time, with that anger spiking again now that Chos release is imminent.

While judicial authorities cannot stop Chos release, they have emphasised that he will be required to wear an electronic anklet to track his movements for the next seven years, a probation officer will be assigned solely to him and his personal details, including his residence, will be published online, KBS News reported.

Given Chos history of committing crimes while intoxicated, the ministry is also to apply for a court order limiting the amount of alcohol that he can drink, imposing a ban on him entering facilities for children and limiting his outdoor activities.

Politicians from both main political camps are also working on bills that would increase punishments for people convicted of sexual crimes against minors.

Many people insist that the measures are insufficient to protect children, particularly as he is expected to return to live with his wife - who defended him in a letter submitted to the trial as a polite person - whose home is just minutes away from where the victim still lives with her family.

Interviewed for a television news programme, the father of the victim said the family is in shock, adding, I dont know how to express in words how we feel. Should we move? Why should the victims have to pack up and run away?

Our reality is that the offender is protected in the name of human rights and the victim has to go into hiding.
TORONTO, Sept. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VitalHub Corp. (the Company or VitalHub) (TSXV: VHI) is pleased to announce, further to its press release of August 31, 2020, that it has completed the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares (the Acquisition) of Transforming Systems Ltd. (Transforming Systems).



Total consideration paid by VitalHub was 5,951,820 (the Purchase Price). The Purchase Price is composed of a 1,900,000 (the Share Component) issuance of common shares of VitalHub (Common Shares) and a cash payment (the Cash Component) of 4,051,820, of which 300,000 is entered into for customary post-closing adjustments. Common shares of VitalHub issued pursuant to the Share Component were issued at CAD $2.11 per common share, resulting in a total of 1,566,827 common shares issued.

Further details of the Acquisition are available in the Companys August 31, 2020 press release.

With completion of the Acquisition and issuance of the Share Component, the Company currently has 28,238,539 Common Shares issued and outstanding.

ABOUT TRANSFORMING SYSTEMS HEALTH INFORMATICS INC.

Transforming Systems was founded in 2009 to help the NHS solve a fundamental challenge surrounding lack of access to real-time information across its multitude of services. Developed over the course of a 6-year R&D process, Transforming Systems product portfolio, SHREWD, aims to solve the challenge of capturing and transforming high quality data on fluctuating scales, from varying sources.

The product portfolio facilitates secure, real-time data collection, analysis and forecasting, at a price that is accessible to all health and social care commissioners. Once captured, data collected via the SHREWD empowers NHS teams to determine actionable insights from a wide range of healthcare data, leading to improved organizational efficiencies and resource utilization, ultimately aiming to improve the delivery of patient care.

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ABOUT VITALHUB

Software for Health and Human Services providers designed to simplify the user experience & optimize outcomes.

VitalHub provides technology to Health and Human Services providers including; Hospitals, Regional Health Authorities, Mental Health, Long Term Care, Home Health, Community and Social Services. VitalHub solutions span the categories of Electronic Health Record (EHR), Case Management, Care Coordination, Patient Flow & Operational Visibility, and DOCit Mobile Apps.

The Company has a robust two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product suite, and pursuing an aggressive M&A plan. Currently, VitalHub serves 275+ clients across Canada, USA, UK, Australia, Qatar, and Latvia. VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore development hub in Sri Lanka. The Company is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol VHI.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the transactions and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. 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 press release.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Dan Matlow

Chief Executive Officer, Director

(416) 727-9061

dan.matlow@vitalhub.com




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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Venice, Italy  Thu, September 10, 2020 21:05 497 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c441b57c 2 Entertainment Donald-Trump,Frederick-Wiseman,director,Venice-Film-Festival Free

US President Donald Trump often tries to "create chaos" when he opens his mouth, Oscar-winning director Frederick Wiseman said Wednesday.

The veteran American famous for his painstakingly detailed documentaries on the country's institutions, lashed out at Trump as his latest, "City Hall", was premiered at the Venice film festival.

Wiseman, 90, followed Boston's Democratic mayor Marty Walsh and his team for the best part of a year.

The resulting four-hour film has been hailed as "a testament to American democracy" when so many of its tenets seem to be under threat.

"Mayor Walsh and Trump represent two extremes," Wiseman told reporters.

"Every time Trump opens his mouth he says something idiotic which is either racist or divisive, or with the intent to create chaos.

"Someone like Mayor Walsh is interested in bringing people together and negotiating and finding ways of resolving problems," said the director, who was born in Boston but now lives mostly in Paris.

Wiseman said his sprawling portrait of local authority is "an example of democracy functioning.

"Does it function perfectly? Obviously not but I do not know any form of government that does," he added.
DENVER, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- David "Mac" McDaniel, Director of Cloud Professional Services and Anthos Practice Lead at Qwinix, has been named a Google Certified Fellow in Hybrid Multi-Cloud. With his achievement, McDaniel joins a group of 26 Google Cloud Certified Fellows in the world.

David "Mac" McDaniel Named Google Cloud Certified Fellow

McDaniel has over 30 years of experience in the technology industry. In his role at Qwinix, he leads tactical and strategic implementation projects and cloud migrations with organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 50 companies. McDaniel is also a passionate thought leader with over a decade of experience as a speaker, writer, and cloud educator.

The Google Cloud Certified Fellow program was created in 2019. It is an invitation-only program designed to identify and empower technical leaders who have demonstrated immense leadership, business impact, and technical acumen.

The Hybrid Multi-Cloud Certification is the first certification at Google that focuses on hybrid multi-cloud technologies. It assesses cloud expert's multi-cloud capabilities and holds a large focus on Anthos. Google Cloud Anthos is a fully managed hybrid cloud platform launched in 2019 that emphasizes workload deployment on-prem and across public clouds such as Microsoft Azure and AWS. Google Cloud Certified Fellows in Hybrid Multi-Cloud must possess an ability to:

Design hybrid and multi-cloud solution architectures with Anthos

Design for security and compliance

Provision a solution infrastructure

Optimize technical and business processes

Ensure solution and operations reliability

As a Google Cloud Certified Fellow, McDaniel will work closely with other fellows and related Google Cloud product teams to shape the future of hybrid and multi-cloud. He will also continue to act as a thought leader in the space  helping IT decision-makers and technologists at-large bring the power of open cloud technologies to their organizations.

"Becoming a Google Cloud Certified Fellow is a huge honor," said McDaniel. "I am proud to have a seat at the table and am excited to use my expertise to help more organizations find the freedom, flexibility, and control that a leading-edge hybrid or multi-cloud environment can bring."

This recognition comes at a pivotal time in the cloud technology landscape. Technical leaders are increasingly turning to this strategy to derive the most value from multiple cloud environments, improve the developer experience, and reduce infrastructure costs while keeping some workloads on-prem for compliance.

"Mac is an authentic leader and a remarkable problem solver," said Darshan Puttannaiah, CEO and founder of Qwinix. "Qwinix is proud to have Mac on our side; driving new possibilities within our clients and elevating innovation with an open, connected, and strategic approach to hybrid and multi-cloud adoption."

McDaniel will debut as a Google Certified Fellow as he co-hosts the upcoming NextGen Hybrid Cloud: Google Anthos on AWS, On-Prem Webinar on Oct. 8, 2020, alongside Ed Mikuszewski, Customer Engineer at Google Cloud. This digital event will explore hybrid and multi-cloud strategies and demo Anthos capabilities for organizations with AWS or on-prem workloads. Learn more and register for the webinar: bit.ly/gcp-anthos.

About Qwinix

Qwinix is a cloud-native product engineering firm and Google Cloud Platform Partner. The firm focuses on digital transformation enablement with a leading-edge suite of engineering and cloud solutions. Founded in 2012, Qwinix is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with facilities in India and Costa Rica. www.qwinix.io

Media Contact:

Sarah Hall

Email: [email protected]

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David "Mac" McDaniel Named Google Cloud Certified Fellow

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The owner of a San Francisco salon where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received a blowout last week has revealed that she will be closing her doors because she's too afraid to do business in the city.

Erica Kious, who has lived in San Francisco for 15 years, told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that she has been receiving a 'ton of phone calls, text messages [and] emails,' following Pelosi's visit to her salon.

Kious said that people have said that they 'hope I go under and that I fail'. Kious, who owns eSalon SF, said she was forced to shutter her business after she received threats.

She told Carlson that due to all of the negativity, she's 'actually done in San Francisco and closing my doors unfortunately'.

'I'm actually afraid to go back just because of the messages and emails that I've been getting. It's a little scary and sad.'

Scroll down for video

Erica Kious (right), the owner a San Francisco salon where Nancy Pelosi received a blowout last week, said Wednesday that she will be closing her salon because she's afraid to do business in the city

Kious said that people have said that they 'hope I go under and that I fail'. Kious said she was forced to shutter her business (pictured) after she received threats in the wake of exposing Pelosi's trip to the salon

Kious and her salon became the subjects of headlines after Pelosi was seen flouting pandemic health guidelines inside the business on August 31 when she received a blowout.

Pelosi argued that she was 'set up' by the owner, but Kious has denied those claims and called them 'absolutely false'.

Pelosi said she had been to the salon several times over the years.

'I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighborhood salon I've been to over the years many times, and when they said we're able to accommodate people, one person at a time, and that we can set up that time, I trusted that. As it turns out, it was a setup,' she said. 'It was a set up, and I take responsibility for falling for a setup,' she added.

Since the incident, a petition demanding Pelosi be prosecuted for 'COVID violations' was launched.

At least 16,000 people have signed the petition with a 20,000 signature goal urging San Francisco Police Chief William Scott to prosecute the Speaker of the House.

'Not only did Nancy Pelosi knowingly violate health ordinances, but just destroyed a business because she couldn't take a ounce of responsibility.

'At a very minimum, Nancy Pelosi must be prosecuted by San Francisco for her flaunting of COVID regulations. Now!' the petition reads.

Pelosi (pictured on Tuesday) has argued that she was 'set up' by the owner, but Kious has denied those claims and called them 'absolutely false'

The petition was posted by the Media Action Network, which vows to 'expose and replace' liberal media.

'The ''mainstream'' media pretends to be unbiased referees while they operate as an arm of the Democrat party. As long as they're still faking objectivity, we'll be there to remind them,' the site says.

A GoFundMe was also set up to in the wake of the scandal and surpassed its goal of $300,000.

Many have deemed Pelosi a hypocrite for flouting face mask guidelines after criticizing Trump for not wearing one.

When he was pictured in one in July, she said: 'He's crossed a bridge. So hopefully by his example, he will change his attitude, which will be helpful in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.'

A GoFundMe was also set up for Kious (pictured) in the wake of the scandal and it has surpassed its goal of $300,000

Also in July, Pelosi announced that all members will be required to wear a mask when voting on the House floor. She said failure to wear would be 'serious breach of decorum' for which members could be removed from the chamber.

'It's a sign of respect for the health, safety and well-being of others present in the chamber and in surrounding areas,' she added.

Meanwhile, Trump spewed attacks against Pelosi on Twitter, where he questioned how'd she fare in global negotiations given claims the incident was a 'set up'.

'Nancy Pelosi said she got 'set up' by the owner (a very good one) of a beauty parlor,' Trump wrote.

'If so, how will she do in negotiations against President Xi of China, President Putin of Russia, or Kim Jong Un of North Korea. Not so well, I suspect, but far better than Joe Hiden' would do!'

Trump is just one of several Republicans who have leveraged Pelosi's controversy as a criticism against Democrats ahead of the November election.

Utah Sen Mitt Romney took a dig at Pelosi earlier this week as he shared a photo of his wife giving him a haircut at their home.

'Getting cleaned up for resumption of the Senate. Better salon than Pelosi's!' Romney tweeted on Monday.
President Trump at a March 18 news conference at the White House. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

To the editor: Why does the president have so little faith and trust in the American people? Does he think we are children who have to be shielded from the truth so we wont panic at disturbing news? Did we panic when we fought wars or had economic depressions? No, we have always faced facts and done what was necessary to fix our problems.

A leader would have understood the strength and resilience of the American people, and helped us face the pandemic and fight it. Mr. Trump, as always, cares more about his poll numbers than the health and survival of the American people.

Elaine Lubkin, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Trump's stated reason that he downplayed COVID-19? Because the public might panic?

How insulting to our true American grit, bravery and determination. When did our feisty populace ever panic in the face of adversity?

Did we panic when FDR announced the attack on Pearl Harbor? Of course not. We mobilized and defeated tyranny and its armies. Can you imagine President Roosevelt saying, Well, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, but dont worry, I'm sure they wont do it again.

The worst thing was Trumps callous disregard for the health of the American people. Hes directly responsible for tens of thousands of deaths from COVID-19  and counting.

Joe Hartnett, Pacific Palisades

..

To the editor: Minimizing potentially tragic events is often a strategy used to avoid otherwise worse consequences. Back in February, when Trump supposedly knew how deadly COVID-19 was, not even the scientific community could assess with a high level of certainty how dangerous the new virus was.

At most, Trumps infamous gut feelings might have led him to believe that the new malaise was a very serious one. And, for once, the president decided to not verbalize his intuition devoid of scientific rationale.

Raising the alarm at an earlier stage when so much about the virus was still unknown would have provoked more harm than good.

Story continues

Berta Graciano-Buchman, Beverly Hills

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To the editor: Instead of going with FDR, We have nothing to fear but fear itself," Trump went with Jack Nicholson: YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH!

Ellen Polsky, Huntington Beach




A physical therapist in Butte says she spent $500,000 acquiring and fixing up a partially vacant, run-down building on Harrison Avenue and is operating a good business there, but is now getting grief from county officials over a simple sign.

Jacqueline McAdam, owner and operator of Copper City Physical Therapy, also feels like shes being targeted because there are numerous businesses in the same area along Harrison Avenue alone that have frontage signs and side signs just like she does.

We were really excited about this, said McAdam, who opened the new location at 1826 Harrison Ave. in June. We wanted to make this a nice location and be supportive of the community and Im both frustrated and surprised that it has come to arguing over a sign.

County planning officials say they are simply enforcing a zoning ordinance written in part to prevent a proliferation of signs, and gave McAdam three options to comply with local laws or policies, but she chose instead to appeal the matter to the countys Zoning Board.

They acknowledge that other businesses have frontage and side signs, but say many were grandfathered in under the ordinance, took advantage of an unwritten department trade practice or have received zoning variances.

There are still some violations, they said, and those only reinforce the need for the kind of stepped-up code enforcement Butte-Silver Bow has undertaken over the past two years.

Code enforcement, especially on stuff like signs, has been an issue and we are working toward bettering that, said Senior Planner Dylan Pipinich, adding that when they come to our attention, they are being enforced.

The bottom line, said Planning Director Lori Casey, is that McAdam is out of compliance with the zoning ordinance.

McAdam has appealed that decision to the Zoning Board, which will hear both sides during a videoconference meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. It can rule in several ways and if McAdam disagrees with the board, she can appeal to District Court.

McAdam used to operate her business at Big Sky Senior Living, but bought the space on Harrison Avenue in January, made major renovations inside and out, and opened on June 1. She has a Copper City Physical sign on the front of her building, the frontage, and one on the side corner, facing a parking lot but visible to motorists heading north on Harrison.

She said a code officer with Community Enrichment visited in July and told her the side sign was out of compliance. The county cites ordinances that say one or more wall signs per building frontage facing a public right-of-way are permitted. Therefore, they say, those are the only wall signs allowed.

McAdam said the side sign helps people locate her business, she spent lots of money on it and lights to illuminate it, and there was nothing in local laws saying it wasnt allowed. She contacted Pipinich and was told it was a violation, she said, even without a written notice saying so.

She contacted attorney Angie Hasquet, who reviewed the code and didnt see a violation because it wasnt a frontage sign.

There are no other provisions in the code that prohibit or regulate signs located specifically on the sides of buildings, Hasquet said in a missive that McAdam has included in her appeal.

McAdam said the county told her the ordinances in question took effect in 1986 and 1992 but there are numerous businesses in her immediate area with frontage and side signs, including some too new to have been grandfathered in.

If you take a walk in a two-block radius, there are 10 signs facing north or south, she told The Montana Standard. They are everywhere. It appears to me to be unequal enforcement.

Planning officials say they gave McAdam options that were acceptable, such as placing the sign on the roof or on a free-standing pole.

They also told her about a department policy that allows businesses to trade a frontage sign for a side sign, as this does not add to the proliferation of signs within the community.

McAdam said she spent considerable money putting and lighting the side sign where it was. A roof sign would require more work and could lead to roof damage, she said, and a pole would require new mounting and lighting.

In her appeal documents, she included letters from nine people, including patients who said the side sign was helpful in locating the building. Others, including dentist Paul Sims, noted that McAdam had spent thousands of dollars remodeling an old building and creating a new business when there are so few in Butte.

I cannot believe you are giving her grief about advertising her new business, Sims wrote. You should be thanking her for spending her hard (earned) money establishing a business that serves and benefits so many residents of Butte.

Planning officials say they are simply trying to enforce an ordinance.

We hope it doesnt come across like we dont appreciate development in Butte  that is 100 percent not the case, Pipinich said.

The department only looks to zoning compliance, not how much someone has spent or other factors, he said.

We are a regulatory department in zoning, Pipinich said. It is black and white.

The countys zoning laws, Pipinich and Casey said, specify what is allowed, not what isnt.

In a residential neighborhood, just because it does not say you cant have an automotive repair (shop), does not mean that its allowed, Casey said.

Like frontage signs, there are ordinances that allow business signs on roofs and free-standing poles, they said, and McAdam was told about those options.

Our ordinances arent any different than most other cities, Casey said. It is where they want the signs located so there is not a proliferation of signs.

The option to trade a frontage sign for a side one isnt a written policy anywhere, Casey said, but the practice is an example of trying to work with businesses.

They said county officials track commercial projects as they are undertaken and in doing that with Copper City Physical, learned of the side sign, so it was not a case of singling anyone out.

We do our very best to catch the ones that come to our attention and this is one we caught, Pipinich said. Other ones have been caught in the same manner.

The ordinance has been enforced in past cases, too, and the county is trying to improve in that area going forward, they said. But violations are violations.

I dont agree with the logic that if other people are breaking the law, I should get to break it, too, Pipinich said.

To attend the Thursday meeting virtually, go to https://co.silverbow.mt.us/2149/media and public comments can be made by calling 406-497-5009. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m.

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Amitabh Bachchan is shooting for quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati with all necessary precautions but his fans continue to remain worried about his health amid Covid-19 pandemic. The actor has assured them that he is in safe hands and shared several pictures as proof, asking them to see the care and caution.

Sharing a picture from the set on Instagram, he wrote, Be safe .. be in precaution .. work continues as must it should .. It shows him getting ready for a shot, surrounded by crew members, all of whom are in PPE kits and masks.

Talking about the concern of his fans, Amitabh wrote on his blog, The many concerns that pour out on the health and to take care are taken with love and concern .. it is understood how you wish all to be well .. the precautions on set are there for all to see .. and work continues .. that cannot stop .. it rumbles along .. see .. see the care and caution ..

Amitabh Bachchan checks his look in the mirror.

Amitabh Bachchan on KBC sets.

Amitabh had announced last month that he has started filming the 12th season of the popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) with proper protection amid the coronavirus pandemic. Amitabh, who recovered from Covid-19 earlier last month, visited a set for the first time since the coronavirus-induced lockdown in March forced shut film and TV shoots.

Also read: Ankita Lokhande on Rhea Chakrabortys arrest: Should she have allowed a depressed man to consume drugs?

The 77-year-old veteran actor observed a loss of camaraderie on set as no one spoke to each other, unless it was work related. Its like a laboratory where some rather deep scientific experiments abound. This was never expected, never the time to see such visuals, but there it is, he earlier wrote on his blog.

Recognised faces now unrecognisable and the doubts whether we are in the right place, with the right people but we muster up the fears and be on. There is great consideration and care being extended. All precautions carefully worked out and followed, he added.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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A new graded Covid-19 alert system will allow the Government to introduce local lockdowns based on the level of coronavirus in a county or region.

Under a soon-to-be published plan for living with the virus, five levels of restrictions will be introduced - with one being the least severe and five the most.

Restrictions will be imposed depending on various factors but the key criteria will be the amount of new cases per 100,000 people over a two-week period.

Incidents of community transmission and the number of people hospitalised in a region will also be taken into account.

Counties will be able to move up and down the new levels which will be set out in the Government's Medium Term Plan for Recovery and Resilience which is due to be published next week.

Read More

There will be a national rating under the plan but the graded system will allow for the introduction of regional restrictions when there are localised outbreaks.

"We are tying to prevent the introduction of national measures where localised measures can be used," a Government source said.

The plan is set to detail a pathway for living with the virus over the next nine months and will replace a previously proposed colour-coded system.

Yesterday, the Taoiseach and Tanaiste sought to allay fears over the possibility of lockdowns being imposed in Dublin and Limerick as the rates of new cases spiked in both counties.

Micheal Martin said "no specific decision" has been taken in relation to those two counties but admitted "there are a lot of concerns in terms of rising numbers in Dublin and Limerick".

Leo Varadkar said he would want a "very good reason" for applying new restrictions in Dublin that were any more 'drastic' than in any other EU country.

The Government hope its new plan will give the public more clarity on restrictions and highlight a path for dealing with the virus over the coming months.

Meanwhile, the Government is also set to significantly ease travel restrictions for people flying in and out of Ireland when it adopts a new traffic light system for international flights.

The existing 'Green List' system is expected to be ditched in favour of adopting a plan for European travel proposed by the EU Commission.

The traffic light system will see countries rated green, orange, red and grey according to their 14-day incidence rate of the virus.

People would be free to travel between member states as long as the number of new cases in a country is equal to less than 50 per 100,000 people during a 14-day period or the percentage of positive Covid tests of all tests taken is less than 3pc.

Each country would be free to set its own regulations, but the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control would produce a weekly map with every region or country's status indicated green, orange or red.

Anyone travelling from a red or grey country would be required to either quarantine or undergo a Covid-19 test on arrival.

Anyone travelling from an orange list country would be asked to take a test either before departure or on arrival.

Member states could require people arriving from an area classified as red, orange or grey to fill out passenger locator forms.

Travellers with an essential function or need - such as workers with critical occupations, frontier and posted workers, students or journalists performing their duties - would not be required to undergo quarantine.

The Commission's proposals are being discussed at the highest level of Government.

Mr Martin, Mr Varadkar and Transport Minister and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan are also believed to be interested in signing up to the Europe-wide travel regime.

Read More

The three will discuss the plan at a Cabinet subcommittee on Covid-19 today.

They will also seek to finalise the new graded system for introducing restrictions.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) will also hold its weekly meeting to discuss the Government's plan for living with the virus.

Yesterday, the Government came under attack over its mixed messages on the coronavirus.

Labour TD Sean Sherlock criticised Health Minister Stephen Donnelly saying he "needs to get out and start meeting real people, because I feel that he's been cocooned to use that unfortunate phrase himself".

Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane was critical of the Government's "mixed messages" during the pandemic and also accused Mr Donnelly of "scaremongering" about a second lockdown.
For Dr. Pamela Elfenbein, two facts are clear and relevant. About 30% of the population areas of our region will be 65 or older in the next decade, and that generation will need a workforce to meet its needs.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) has taken proactive steps to educate and supply those workers and serve the growing senior citizen population by upgrading its Center for Healthy Aging to an Institute for Healthy Aging.

Dr. Chaudron Gille, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, said the Center for Healthy Aging had grown under Elfenbein's leadership as its director. While its outreach programs and partnerships thrived and expanded, the center couldn't award certificates or degrees.

"Recently, we explored introducing a nexus degree in caregiving. It's more than an associate degree but less than a bachelor's degree," Gille said. "As it was the brainchild of the Center for Healthy Aging, then we thought the center should offer that, which meant it needed to be an institute."

She took the proposal to UNG's cabinet, which reclassified the center as an institute. Under the new designation, the Institute for Healthy Aging oversees the academic gerontology programs, develops major programs of study and confers certificates and eventually degrees. The institute now may progress with the proposal to implement a Nexus degree at UNG.

Elfenbein said a new degree would directly meet the workforce need in the community.

Dr. Pamela Elfenbein is the director of the newly reclassified Institute for Healthy Aging. UNG upgraded the program from a center to an institute, which can now award certificates and eventually degrees.

"As an Institute for Healthy Aging, we will streamline our ability to grow the academic programs for gerontology within UNG," she said.

Currently, UNG offers a trio of studies in gerontology, including an interdisciplinary gerontology minor, an undergraduate gerontology certificate and a graduate gerontology certificate. All courses are fully online in the fall, spring and summer semesters.

The online graduate certificate helped Courtney Fleming re-enter the workforce after a 14-year hiatus to raise her family.

"I wanted to pursue a career in gerontology to advocate for older adults," said Fleming, who has a master's degree in social work from Louisiana State University. "This certificate program allowed me to ease back into the classroom with online coursework."

Fleming earned her graduate certificate in gerontology in May 2020. Then the 42-year-old from Suwanee, Georgia, got a job at Forsyth County Senior Services following her practicum there.

"I knew that it was a fit for me, and I knew I had a lot of ideas to contribute," Fleming said.

Elfenbein said many graduates with the gerontology certificate or minor find employment quickly. The U.S. Department of Labor has stated the gerontology industry is among the fast-growing occupations, Elfenbein said.

"We see a high need for academic programs focused on gerontology," Elfenbein said. "Gerontology touches on all academic programs from engineering to nursing to art. If you are an engineer for an automotive manufacturer, you will need to design an ergonomic seat that allows an older adult to sit comfortably and see over the steering wheel. If you are an artist, that field is expanding with older adult programming."

The increase in older adult programs and services is confirmed by the rise in the baby boomer population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 54 million Americans were age 65 and older in July 2019. That is a 34% increase from the 40.3 million Americans in that demographic in 2010.

"The Institute for Healthy Aging embraces all of the community's needs by enhancing the quality of life of older adults through programming, research, and education," Elfenbein said.
The Dassault-Made 4.5-gen multi-role fighter jet Rafale will be formally inducted in the Indian Air Force at the Ambala Airbase. India received the first batch of five fighter jets a few weeks back as the fighter jets flew from France to reach the Ambala airbase following a two day journey over multiple countries. Rafale was escorted by Sukhoi Su-30MKI inside the Indian airspace.

The fighter jet will be inducted in the presence of Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly and Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh. The induction is seen as a major boost to the Indias air power and strategic edge over our two neighbouring countries on eastern and western borders. The Ambala airbase is well within the reach of both the borders.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh earlier received the first of 36 Rafale fighter jets and flew a sortie in the MMRCA fighter jet from a French airbase in Paris to gain first-hand experience of the aircraft. Rafale is handed over to Singh on the foundation day of the Indian Air Force. The first Rafale bears a tail number RB 01, where RB stands for Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria, who played an important role in negotiations for procuring 36 Rafale jets in the flyaway condition.

Heres a look at the history and specifications of the Dassault Rafale to understand what makes this Fighter Jet so special for the Indian Air Force-

Importance of Rafale

After the Indian Air Force struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot in February this year, Prime Minister Modi said, Rafale fighters could have delivered even better results". His reference was apparently to the stealth of Rafale, an air-dominance aircraft manufactured by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation. Since India was waiting for deliveries of Rafale when the attacks happened, the Indian Air Force deployed a dozen Mirage-2000 aircraft, made by the same company to hit the targets.

Rafale is a Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) that is said to boost Indias air dominance exponentially, currently safeguarded by fighter jets like Russia made Sukhoi Su-30MKI and MiG 29, along with French Mirage-2000 and indigenously built HAL Tejas.

A look at why India wants the Rafale combat aircraft. (Image: Network18 Creative)

Origin of Rafale

Rafale is a French word meaning gust of wind" and is a French-origin Delta winged, twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured and designed by Dassault Aviation. The initial requirement of Rafale came into light in the mid-1970s, when both the French Air Force and Navy expressed a requirement for a new generation of fighters. In early 80s Dassault was formally announced to build aircraft for the French government and the testing started in 1991. The production of the first aircraft series started in late 1992 but was suspended in 1995 due to political and economic uncertainty.

The production was restarted in 1997 after an initial order of 48 aircraft was placed by the Ministry of Defence followed by further order of 59 Rafale in 2004 and 60 aircrafts in 2009. The French Air Force first operational Rafale squadron, EC 1/7 Provence, was stationed at Saint-Dizier airbase in 2006. Along with the French Military including Air Force and Navy, countries like Egypt and Qatar are the current operators of the Rafale MMRCA, while India will join the list this year itself.

File photo of a Rafale fighter jet.

Combat Proven

The Dassault Rafale has been combat-proven and has actively taken part in many wars in the last 13 years. From 2006 to 2011, French Air Force and Navy Rafale fighters were engaged in countless combat missions in Afghanistan where they demonstrated a high proficiency. In 2011, French Air Force and French Navy Rafale fighters were engaged in coalition operations over Libya. They were the first fighters to operate over Benghazi and Tripoli and carried out the whole spectrum of missions. French Air Force Rafales have taken a leading role in Mali, helping destroy enemy infrastructure and support friendly troops in contact. More recently, Rafales were engaged in support of peace-keeping operations in the Central African Republic, and as part of a wide international coalition in Iraq.

#RafaleInduction : BRIEFED & READY!!!The Honble Raksha Mantri, all set to fly the Rafale jet at French Air Force Base Bordeaux, France.The Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal HS Arora, accompanies him for the induction ceremony. pic.twitter.com/Xo5qIhs9ng Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) October 8, 2019

India and Rafale Deal

Though the idea to induct additional fighter jets in the IAF has been since 2001, the actual process began in 2007. The current IAF fleet largely consists of heavy and light-weight combat aircraft. So the defence ministry considered bringing in intermediate medium-weight fighter jets. The Defence Acquisition Council, headed by then Defence Minister AK Antony, approved the Request For Proposal to buy 126 aircraft in August 2007. This kick-started the bidding process. The plan included acquiring 126 aircraft, 18 of them in fly-away condition and the rest to be made in India at the Hindustan Aeronautics facility under transfer of technology.

Dassault Rafale cockpit. (Image: All Things Aviation/ Flickr)

Dassaults Rafale was not Indias only choice as several international aviation manufacturers expressed interest upon knowing the Indian governments mammoth plan to revamp its air force fleet by introducing MMRCAs. Six renowned aircraft manufacturers competed to bag the contract of 126 fighter jets, which was touted to be the largest-ever defence procurement deal of India. The initial bidders were Lockheed Martins F-16s, Boeings F/A-18s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russias MiG-35, Swedens Saabs Gripen and Dassaults Rafale.

All aircraft were tested by the IAF and after careful analysis on the bids, two of them  Eurofighter and Rafale  were shortlisted. Dassault bagged the contract to provide 126 fighter jets as it was the lowest bidder and the aircraft was said to be easy to maintain. After Rafale won the contract, the Indian side and Dassault started negotiations in 2012. Though the initial plan was to buy 126 jets, India scaled it down to 36, that too in ready condition. The first squadrons of the Rafale are set to join the IAF fleet by 2019.

A Dassault Rafale fighter jet performs his demonstration flight at Paris Air Show, in Le Bourget, east of Paris, France. (Image: AP)

Specifications

The Rafale is a modern fighter jet known for its agility, speed, weapon holding capacity and attack capability. The Dassault Rafale has a delta wing design and is capable of g-forces as high as 11g (in case of emergency). The Rafale is available in both single and dual seating cabin (India ordered 28 single and 8 dual seater Rafale). The Rafale is 15.27 metre long and a wingspan of 10.80 metre. The empty weight of Rafale ranges from 9900 kg to 10600 kg depending on the variant and maximum take-off weight of 24500 kg.

The Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines, each capable of providing up to 50 kilonewtons (11,000 pounds-force) of dry thrust and 75 kN (17,000 pounds-force) with afterburners. The engines push the Rafale to attain a high speed of 1.8 Mach (1912 kmph) and a range of more than 3700 km with 3 drop tanks.

A view of Rafale Jet at its Dassault Aviation assembly line, in Bordeaux, France. (Image: PTI)

Dassault has also loaded the Rafale with a Martin-Baker Mark 16F zero-zero" ejection seat, capable of operation at zero speed and zero altitude. In terms of weapons, the Rafale can be equipped with air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and air-to-surface missiles along with Nuclear weapons. For avionics, the Rafale is also equipped with AESA radar, SPECTRA Electronic Warfare System and IRST System.

The Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra red search and tracking systems among others.

With Input from PTI
The lingering coronavirus outbreak may have kept Cedar Grove High School students out of their school and in front of their laptops at home, but that didnt stop their efforts to keep an annual tradition alive: Creating a somber, but colorful, memorial honoring the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Students at the school have spent several days planting a U.S. flag for each American life lost in the attacks, and flags representing the home nations of foreign nationals who perished in the attacks. In all, the lawn is being sprinkled with 2,977 flags honoring the victims and helping to educate students about the depth of the fateful day in history 19 years ago.

Inspired by the Waves of Flags Display at Pepperdine University in California, Cedar Grove Board of Education Vice President David Schoner created Cedar Grove Waves in an attempt to honor and remember the lives lost on 9/11.

It was something that stayed with me for years, Schoner said after seeing the Pepperdine display for the first time nearly a decade ago.

In the years afterward, Schoner believed that many younger students didnt truly have a firm understanding of just how serious the attacks and their effects were.

They really didnt grasp or understand the magnitude of that day, Schoner said about the genesis of the high school memorial. I started thinking, Were a very visual society, so lets do something like (Pepperdines display) at Cedar Grove and call it Cedar Grove Waves' ".

After raising funds through the community, Schoner was ready to put his plan into motion, organizing the display for each of the last six years.

The yearly tradition continues on, having students who werent yet born when the terror attacks occurred attend a 20-minute seminar discussing the physical and emotional tolls caused by the attacks before planting flags honoring the victims.

When you look back on it, we made a promise to those people that day that we would never forget them," Schoner said. "As time goes on, as human beings with a human condition, you let things go. And this is about making sure that we remember them.

Because as human beings we do that," he added. "And I dont mean that in a bad way, but you have to let things go. So, maybe we get over the grieving process, but at the same time, we really owe it to the victims to remember them.

Despite students attending school virtually as a result of the pandemic, students in 9th through 12th grade have been allowed to participate in the 2020 memorial, arriving to contribute to the construction of the display as well as pay respects to those lost.

Each flag is placed in a display that has the name of a person who died as a result of the attacks, with the plots placed in alphabetical order so people in the community who lost a loved one can find the tribute specifically for that person.

Everyone wants to find the name of the person that they knew or heard of," Schoner said. "People want that connection.

Cedar Grove Board of Education Vice President David Schoner stands in front of the high school's 9/11 memorial.

After the first year of the display featured a flag for each person killed, Schoner added the alphabetized nameplates.

When the students go outside and put the flags in the ground, theres more of a personal connection because theres a name attached to it, he said.

The entire process of installing the display takes about two weeks to complete, with the schools front lawn being divided into 18-inch by 18-inch grids before the nameplates are placed in each square.

When you see the magnitude of all the flags, it takes your breath away," Schoner said. People talk about it and it stays with them.

New this year, the high school is also planting two trees, honoring two members of the Cedar Grove community who lost their lives after 9/11.

Though the flags will be removed after two weeks, Cedar Grove will remain the site of a permanent 9/11 memorial, displaying a piece of metal recovered from the World Trade Center wreckage donated by the Port Authority PBA and the World Trade Center Memorial Fund in 2018.

People stop and look at it and pay attention to it, Schoner said about the permanent memorial, which sits outside the auditorium entrance. "Its about keeping that conversation going. Adults are going to keep the conversation going, but we want to keep it going with young people.

If kids are walking into that auditorium and see the monument and they ask a question about it and the parent tells them what was going on, then I consider this very successful, he added.

A piece of metal recovered from the wreckage of the World Trade Center is displayed outside of Cedar Grove High School.

With the outbreak of COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions, Schoner received a magnitude of phone calls and emails asking if the display would return this year.

In my mind, we would never not do it, the school board official said. "I do believe that kids, students, society, while being conscious of social distancing, social protocols, you also need some sort of normalcy and to come back to some sort of structure.

I dont mean that all in a bad way, I mean we need that as a society," he added. "We need to learn to live with COVID in a responsible way. But we cant stop all the things that we do and just completely give into it.

The terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 killed 2,753 people in New York City and 2,977 overall, when hijacked planes slammed into the twin towers, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Casey Roland may be reached at croland@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (September 10) said that the formal induction of five Rafale fighter jets in Indian Air Force is a stern message to those who are eyeing the sovereignty of India.

Rajnath's message comes at a time when the border tension between India and China is at its peak with both sides deploying thousands of troops along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

Speaking at Rafale induction ceremony, which was held at Ambala Air Base and was attended by French Defence Minister Florence Parly, Rajnath Singh said, Rafale induction is a big and stern message for the entire world, especially to those eyeing our sovereignty. This induction is important considering the kind of atmosphere at our borders or should I say the kind of atmosphere created at our borders.

Rajnath added that the Rafale deal is a game-changer for India's national security. Induction of the Rafale jets is an example of India's commitment to border security and ensuring territorial integrity. We have to prepare ourselves with the changing times and national security is a major priority for PM Modi, he noted.

The Union Defence Minister asserted that India's is not responsible for safeguarding only its territorial boundary but the government is committed to maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean Region too.

Induction of Rafale into IAF is a historic moment. I congratulate the armed forces and people of the country on this occasion. Induction of Rafale into IAF reflects deep ties between India and France and we are successful in creating future-oriented ties, said Rajnath Singh.

Earlier, five high-profile Rafale fighter aircraft were formally inducted into the IAF's famous 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows'. The first batch of five Rafale fighter jets landed at the Ambala Air Force base around 3.14 PM on July 29, 2020, amid a ceremonial welcome and unprecedented security. The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft.

Nearly four years ago, India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A couple, their daughter and a family member have been arrested by slueths of the Central Crime Branch for allegedly cheating a man to the tune of Rs 58.48 lakh, promising a seat for the latters son in the Harvard University.

The accused were identified as Sembaiya Viswanathan (51) of Korattur, Dharshini (47), Akshaya Ashwanti (21) and one T Rajasekaran (42) of Vanagaram. They are natives of Sri Lanka, but have been staying in the city for about 15 years, said police.

The victim Sunil Kumar Handa (52) of Nungambakkam was introduced to the family by Rajasekaran in 2018 as the former wanted to get admission for his son in Harvard University, to pursue computer science engineering.

The couple had told Sunil Kumar that their daughter Akshaya Ashwanti is pursuing journalism in Harvard and that she can help them get a seat. Believing them, Sunil Kumar Handa gave Rs 52.48 lakh and in return received receipts.

Sunil Kumar later found out that the receipts were forged and lodged a complaint with the Central Crime Branch (CCB), said a police officer. After investigation, the Endowment Document Fraud prevention wing registered a case and arrested all four. They were remanded in judicial custody.

History-sheeter hacked to death, 8 surrender

Chennai: A 34-year-old man was hacked to death by a gang in Pulianthope on Tuesday night and eight suspects surrendered at Red Hills police station on Wednesday. The deceased, E Ramesh Babu, has several cases including murder charges, pending against him and police suspect that he could have been murdered for revenge. Ramesh Babu was walking home around 9.30 pm when the gang wyalaid him at Gurusamy Nagar and attacked him, said a police officer On information, Basin Bridge police registered a case and launched a hunt for the suspects with the help of CCTV footage.


CHENNAI: While the spread of COVID-19 continues to make life miserable, the 133 crore relief fund announced by the state government for the 13.35 lakh certified differently-abled people remains undistributed despite three months.

It was on June 16 Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced that people with disabilities in Tamil Nadu who hold identity cards would be given Rs 1,000 as financial assistance to survive pandemic blues.

The Chief Minister had also said that officials from the Civil Supplies Department will disburse funds at their doorsteps in Chennai and parts of three neighbouring districts - Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram districts from June 22.

P. Simma Chandran, President, Tamil Nadu Differently-Abled Federation, said they did get only 60 percent of the declared relief so far, but officials had no clue on when the rest of the amount will be distributed.

"The Chief Minister said that officials would distribute the fund at doorstep, but none of them have come to our house with the fund. We were forced to travel to the Commissionerate of the Welfare of the Differently-abled to get the amount. We were asking for the rest of the amount for more than a month now. But when we asked the Commissioner of Differently-Abled , he used to tell us that it would be disbursed after approval from the district collector. When we contacted the collector, they told us it would be under the purview of the Corporation Commissioner. The reality is we have still been left unpaid," said Chandran.

Chandran also said most of the differently-abled people stranded at the home for many months as they were unable to get their walking supports repaired due to cash-strapped.

Johny Tom Varghese, Commissioner for Differently-Abled, when contacted, admitted the pendency in the disbursal of und by saying that it was under process. "There are few pending, in Chennai especially. Any differently abled with an NIDC (National Identity and Disability Certificate) card can claim. The eligible people can make a call to the helpline number 18004250111," he said.
TDT | Manama

Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF) secretary-general Dr Mustafa Al Sayed received yesterday Sudanese Ambassador Ibrahim Mohammed Al Hassan Ahmed. They discussed the current humanitarian situation in Sudan and the suffering of the countrys people due to the recent floods. Dr Al Sayed commended the efforts exerted by the ambassador to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation across various fields.

He lauded the depth of the fraternal Bahraini-Sudanese relations and wished Sudan and its brotherly people further progress and prosperity. The Sudanese ambassador lauded the interest of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, RHFs honourary president, in charity and humanitarian work, as well as his keenness to provide relief aid to needy and stricken people in various countries.

He paid tribute to HM the Kings Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs representative and RHFs Board of Trustees chairman His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa for leading the RHFs humanitarian and charity work.

In this regard, he praised the RHFs achievements in delivering services and implementing development projects in various countries, which, he said, has contributed effectively to strengthening the psychological security and stability of the beneficiaries.

He affirmed that Bahrain is a leader in supporting stricken people across various countries, and noted that, under the leadership of HH Shaikh Nasser, the RHF has implemented its projects with outstanding professionalism.

The Sudanese ambassador said that the devastating floods in his country, which has affected most states, have led to the injury and death of hundreds of citizens, the destruction of homes and agricultural crops, and the death of a large number of animals.
Judge Catherine Staines issued a warning about the dangers of drug taking during last week's sitting of Tullamore District Court.

A number of young people were before her for drug possession offences and she issued warnings to each of them, pleading with them to give up what could be a damaging habit.

For your own sake stop taking these drugs, she told one young woman.

To a young man, she pointed out that a bad ecstasy tablet can cause psychosis and you could end up in a psychiatric hospital. It could damage you for the rest of your life. You are obviously an intelligent young man; please start acting intelligently.

The Judge asked another woman if she knew about the origins of cocaine. Cocaine is a very serious drug, said the Judge. It's produced in a number of countries in South America. These countries are plagued by drug gangs who murder and rape.

"These drugs gangs sell cocaine to the West where it is consumed by the young and the privileged, to people like yourself. In the West, the young and the privileged think cocaine is a glamorous drug. It is not. It is the most unglamorous thing you could think of.
(Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration is considering whether to give more time to TikToks Chinese owners to arrange a sale of the popular video-sharing apps U.S. operations to an American buyer, according to people familiar with the matter.

TikToks owner ByteDance Ltd. is likely to miss President Donald Trumps publicly stated deadline of Sept. 15 for the company to strike a deal to divest its U.S. operations after new Chinese regulations complicated negotiations with bidders Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp., Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

In preliminary talks with Chinese officials, ByteDance has been told that any proposal must be submitted for approval with detailed information about technical and financial issues, and the review will be substantial and take time, according to the Bloomberg report.

Advisers havent presented Trump with the decision yet on whether to extend the deadline, the people said. For now, the deal isnt a top priority for the president, according to another person familiar with the matter. All of the people spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing nature of the discussions.

The White House referred questions to the Commerce Department, which didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Microsoft declined to comment. Representatives for TikTok and Oracle didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

TikTok is caught in a clash between the worlds two preeminent powers. Trump has ramped up his pressure campaign on China ahead of what promises to be a hotly contested presidential election in November. U.S. officials have criticized the apps security and privacy practices, suggesting that user data collected through the app might be shared with the Chinese government.

The real deadline for ByteDance to act remains an open question in the U.S. due to a confusing series of Trump statements and orders. While Trump has said he wants a deal by Sept. 15, the ban on TikToks U.S. operations that he signed last month in a bid to force a sale requires the company to act by Sept. 20.

Story continues

Documentation implementing that ban, possibly under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which allows the president to regulate international commerce in response to any unusual threat to the country, is expected to be made public in the Federal Register around Sept. 20, Bloomberg reported Sept. 2.

A subsequent order issued by Trump on Aug. 14 on the recommendation of an interagency national security panel requires ByteDance to sell TikToks U.S. business within 90 days -- giving it until after the Nov. 3 election -- further clouding the timeline for a TikTok sale.

The parties are still racing to present a preliminary deal to the White House before this months deadline, though no agreement could be finalized before Beijings signoff. Its also possible that ByteDance pulls out of a sale altogether if it determines it cant satisfy both governments, the bidders and its own shareholders.

(Updates with sale not being a top priority for Trump in fourth paragraph)

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Dallas megachurch pastor steps away from pulpit due to sin of pride

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After more than 20 years at the helm, Todd Wagner, senior pastor and co-founder of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas, announced Sunday that he is temporarily stepping away from his pulpit due to the sin of pride.

For the first time in 20 years, Im stepping back from what I usually do so I can do the hard work of hard work. So dont be looking for some scandal. Dont even think this is scandalous. What is scandalous is when a Christian plays with, overlooks or welcomes sin, respectable or not, Wagner told his megachurch, which averages about 11,000 weekly worshipers across four campuses.

I thank God I have friends to help me. Pride kills. And I would call what Ive heard my friends describing and telling me, pride. Thats the sin. And its really interesting because you know I dont think of myself or I fool myself into thinking Im not a prideful person because I never look in the mirror and clap, he explained.

Wagner explained that he and his elders have been in talks about his sin since June and they have walked through a period of repentance and he was now asking church members for their forgiveness.

I need to take some of your time to ask for your forgiveness for several things. First, for not being sooner and more attentive to myself especially during this season but for a while, maybe even years I have known I needed just to slow down. And Ive been encouraged to slow down, Ive even been given opportunities to slow down and yet these last months, all Ive done is speed up, he said.

"It's not paid leave so I can read and write and relax as a reward for 20 years of service. What it is is a temporary rest from teaching and leading and anything else in the way of my letting the Lord strengthen me, restore me, and lead me to daily greater repentance."

Wagner explained that he got to a point in ministry where he was just not listening enough to his leadership team and failed to lead with the usual grace in my relationships with my closest friends.

Ive been short and irritable, Im invalidating at times, Im impatient, enough that people were noticing a difference and worse I didnt hear them when they asked me and said things like  are you OK? he explained, saying that he was dismissive at times.

This is enough for me to say enough, to sharpen the axe more and cut less. I have not been asked to step down. I am not by Gods grace needing to step down but I have been asked and I agree I need to step back, step away and Im glad. We all agree this is whats best for me and for you and I think for us, he said.

Wagner, who is a married father and grandfather, pointed out that despite his struggle with pride, his relationship with his family remains solid and he was thankful for that.

Wagner also explained that several current and former elders who have served with him will be helping him on his journey of recovery and continual repentance to keep him grounded and accountable.

Beau Fournet, a church elder, said, Just want to be clear, we share in unity because we always have unity if were at the foot of the cross. Weve repented of every sin that was brought before us and thats what Todd has done and thats what we are doing with one another as often as we get together.
The City Colleges of Chicago organization wants to hire a firm to refresh the outdated brand of its seven community colleges and five satellite facilities.
As part of a special series for Mint, Ashi Mehta, a student at the National Law School of India University, looks at how the right to privacy deeply intersects with other rights such as the right to information and right to free speech. In the second piece in the series, Mehta looks at why delisting a search result instead of erasing it is perhaps the more balanced solution:

At the height of the Indian #MeToo movement in 2018, multiple allegations were made against influential artist Subodh Gupta by an anonymous Instagram handle. Almost a year later, the Delhi high court directed the account to stop posting about Gupta and asked tech behemoths Google and Instagram to take down the defamatory content against him. In 2016, a banker approached the Delhi high court to prevent details of his marital dispute from surfacing every time he looked up his name online. The common thread running through both these cases is the fact that search engines today function as extraordinary repositories of memories.

Some privacy advocates believe that in order to protect privacy we should be looking to artificially create gaps in those memories.

The EU Court of Justice first brought this form of privacy protection to the fore when it ruled in the case of Google Spain vs Costejas, that if an individual makes a request for delisting news of his bankruptcy, search engines must remove the requested web addresses from search results. Costejas case reminds us of how much laws rely on the fallibility of human memory to protect our reputation. The passage of time makes it difficult for people to recall factsremoving them from public domain makes it harder still. When we think about the tools we use daily to remember information on our behalfnavigation apps tell us how to get to our destinations, or our contact book stores phone numbers and birthdays for usthis becomes all the more evident.

Paradoxically, being the face of a seminal litigation has etched Costejas previous state of bankruptcy in history books. But his legal expedition has been the dawn of a new chapter for privacy rights.

While famously known as the Right to Be Forgotten, the delisted information continues to be available on the internet even after it has been removed from search engines. A more effective solution might be the provisions under the California Consumer Privacy Act, EUs General Data Protection Regulation, and Indias Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, which give data principals the right to ask for the erasure of their personal data under certain conditions.

On the other hand, delisting search results invokes the power of obscurity. This privacy measure looks to make information safer by making it hard to obtain. When information is hard to come by, the only people who will seize upon it are those with sufficient motivation to expend the necessary effort and resources. Advocates of this method argue that given the magnitude of information competing for our attention and the powerful inertia of human behaviour, we should not underestimate the deterrent power of this measure.

But as courts in India start warming up to this method of privacy, it would bode us well to keep certain things in mind. Judges must first identify where the information in question lies along the spectrum of total oblivion or completely public. Keeping information nowhere except in your mind would ensure the total oblivion of that information. On the other hand, having it appear as the first search result on Google would make it public. Most information lies somewhere in this spectrum. It is only once this evaluation has been successfully done, can the other interests (such as to whether the public is entitled to know this information because it concerns a public figure, etc.) be determined.

This process is vital because the right to privacy deeply intersects with other rights such as the right to information and the right to free speech. Considering the operation of these competing rights, adopting a modest measure such as delisting a search result instead of erasing it entirely is perhaps the more balanced solution. Complete erasure could have the effect of chilling free speech in more restrictive regimes. Obscurity walks the thin line between two extremes.

The measure is rarely presented as the definitive solution to protect privacy, even by its own advocates. However, by embracing obscurity, we can truly come to terms with the reality of our modern lives  that with sophisticated technology at our fingertips, information may slip through the cracks of our mind, but our actions will never be truly forgotten.

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Caili Quan conducts a virtual rehearsal from her New York apartment in Queens. The newly retired BalletX dancer is now a full-time choreographer. She has filmed a dance that will premiere this month as part of the BalletX Beyond virtual series and is shown here working on her next video, with the Owen/Cox company in Kansas City. Read more

BalletX dancer Caili Quan had long dreamed of choreographing a piece that would honor Guam, where she grew up. When company artistic director Christine Cox commissioned the project for Quans retirement performance this summer, it was the perfect parting gift. Then the pandemic took it away.

Quan, 32, is naturally resilient  shed attended two open calls for BalletX before being invited to re-audition and join the company in 2013. Still, she faced moments of existential panic when lockdown started. She wondered, Where is my life going? What will happen to dance?

She took solace in words from a friend, Life doesnt stop, so art shouldnt either.

BalletX eventually pivoted to an online season. The summer performances would instead become films for BalletX Beyond, the companys virtual subscription series. The new online platform that will host the series launches Sept. 10 at balletx.org/beyond with previews, behind-the-scenes features, and other material. The first performance is Sept. 23.

Quan held onto her original idea of what she called a love letter to Guam. She had spent months searching for the right music and had curated an island-inspired soundtrack that included songs from Harry Belafonte and Guam-born musician Micah Manaitai. She was also set on presenting strong women characters to celebrate the matriarchal values that have persisted since Guams precolonial times.

Unable to meet in person, Quan and the BalletX dancers started Zoom rehearsals in June for the piece, titled Love Letter. She called the process a steep learning curve.

Zoom flattens three-dimensional movements, and image latency obscures the choreographys timing with the music. Even determining whether a move happens with the left or right side of the body becomes tricky because the dancers have to reverse what they see on screen. Finding enough space to dance is another obstacle, as is figuring out where to position the camera so that the full body remains in frame.

Working from her living room in New York City, where she now lives with her husband, Quan has hit her face and collided with her couch and walls. She once had to balance her phone between two cans of Spam.

Sea Isle City as stage

After rehearsing the dancers in confinement, Quan chose to film together outdoors and socially distanced, which introduced a new set of challenges. The films cinematographer, Elliot deBruyn, explained that the filming locations needed to be wide enough to allow the dancers to remain six feet apart but also long enough for the camera to capture the expanded formations.

One scene was filmed on the beach in Sea Isle City. Unable to bring a large speaker onto the sand, Quan had to hold a small Bluetooth one as close to dancer Francesca Forcella as possible without getting in the shot. With Hurricane Isaias approaching the coast, wind and waves thundered through the set. Honestly, there were times I couldnt hear the music at all, Forcella said.

"We had a bunch of curve balls, deBruyn acknowledged.

But while creating physical art in a socially distanced world had its challenges, Quan said, In a weird way, it helped.

Her dance film centers on the feeling of mahalang, a Chamorro word that she defined as to yearn, to long for, or to miss something, someone, or some place  [in a way that is] both happy and sad. The closest English word might be nostalgia, but Quan explained that mahalang is more visceral and heartfelt than that.

While Quan originally envisioned her work to convey mahalang for Guam, it became mahalang for everything, she said. Its what were all going through right now  missing family, missing friends, missing what we had before the pandemic.

An incredible way to retire

Quan didnt get a final onstage performance but creating her film made up for it. Never in my whole life did I think Id make a 15-minute dance film, she said. Getting to make one with the BalletX family was an incredible way to retire.

After viewing early drafts of Quans film, Cox was blown away. I was concerned that dance would not be able to penetrate like it can in a live performance, she said. But I was lifted. Her film is going to surprise and delight the audience.

The film will be released through BalletX Beyond on Sept. 23. Also screening that day will be videos of Quans final performances as a BalletX dancer in work by Penny Saunders and Rena Butler.

Now that shes retired from performing, Quan plans to work full-time as a choreographer.

She first expressed her interest in choreography to Cox three years ago, and soon began creating small pieces for BalletX pop-up performances. Christine has been a huge support, she said.

Caili created a duet that I just fell in love with, and I saw the beginning of her next big career move, Cox said. Shes incredibly musical, inventive, and creative with a great sense of space and time, and she is not afraid to entertain an audience.

Gradually Quans desire to choreograph outgrew her desire to dance. She also knew she wasnt built for a decades-long performance career. Ive been pushing to keep up physically for a while, she said. I knew I wanted to finish off strong and retire.

Since concluding filming with BalletX, Quan has started Zoom rehearsals for her next project, a video with Kansas Citys Owen/Cox Dance Group. Were very fortunate she has this experience under her belt as we move into this process, artistic director Jennifer Owen said.

Looking ahead, she yearns for the chance to experience live dance on stage again. I do think theres going to be a huge surge in creativity after everything opens, she said. It might be too much  an overload of emotions, physicality, and heart. I totally look forward to it.

BalletX 15th Anniversary Season

The BalletX Beyond platform launches Sept. 10, with previews, a documentary, and other features. A $180 subscription includes access to four programs of world premieres, with additional digital features and dance films. You can also subscribe by the month for $15 a month.

Sept. 23, virtual premieres of works by Penny Saunders, Rena Butler, Caili Quan, and Loughlan Prior

Nov. 18, virtual premieres of works by Francesca Harper, Robbie Fairchild, and Mariana Oliveira

Jan. 20, virtual premieres of works by Amy Hall Garner, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, and Tsai Hsi Hung

March 10, virtual premieres or works by Maddie Hanson, Stephanie Martinez, and Manuel Vignoulle

BalletX will also premiere five features virtually and onstage (conditions permitting) by Hope Boykin, R. Colby Damon, Matthew Neenan, Dwight Rhoden, and Alia Kache in the spring and summer of 2021.
Head of the My Step faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Lilit Makunts today said she wouldnt like to comment on deputy of the faction Arsen Julfalakyans decision to drop his parliamentary mandate.

Im not going to comment on the topic now. The only thing I would like for you to take note of Mr .Julfalakyans public statement, she said.

Yesterday, Greco-Roman style wrestler, world champion and deputy of the My Step faction Arsen Julfalakyan posted on his Facebook that he had addressed Speaker of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan with regard to dropping his parliamentary mandate and stated that the reason was his fundamental disagreement with Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Arayik Harutyunyan in regard to his approaches to management of the sectors under his subordination.


By Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen and Vikas Nagal





Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen Vikas Nagal
Bollywood veteran Paresh Rawal was on Thursday appointed as the new chairman of the National School of Drama by President Ram Nath Kovind. Rawal replaces veteran theatre artist Amal Allana as the chairperson of the esteemed institution.

Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel took to Twitter to make the announcement.

The National School of Drama too tweeted welcoming Rawal's appointment.

We are glad to inform " Honble President of India @rashtrapatibhvn has appointed renowned actor & Padma Shri @sirpareshrawal as chairman of @nsd_india."NSD family welcome the legend to shower his guidance to NSD for achieving new heights.@prahladspatel @MinOfCultureGoI  National School of Drama (@nsd_india) September 10, 2020

Founded in 1959, the National School of Drama has churned out many of the best known faces of Indian cinema till now; some of them being Ashutosh Rana, Adil Hussain, Anupam Kher, Pankaj Tripathi and Om Puri. The drama school runs under the auspices of Sangeet Natak Akademi - the apex culture body of India.

Rawal's appointment is interesting as the BJP-led Centre has in the past appointed people considered close to the ruling dispensation. In 2015, it appointed Gajendra Chauhan as the director of FTII, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It later appointed veteran actor Anupam Kher as the director but he resigned after a year.

Rawal's appointment is, however, also significant as he is a former BJP Lok Sabha MP from Ahmedabad East and a known supporter of Narendra Modi.
An aerial view of protesters during a demonstration on Aug.16, 2020 in Minsk, Belarus. (Getty Images/Getty Images)

Nobel Laureate Warns Arrests Wont Stop Belarus Protests

KYIV, UkraineBelarusian authorities on Sept. 9 detained one of the two last leading members of an opposition council who remained free, moving methodically to end a month of protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Lawyer Maxim Znak, a member of the Coordination Council created by the opposition to facilitate talks with the countrys leader of 26 years on a transition of power, was taken out of the councils office by unidentified masked people, associate Gleb German said.

Znak only had time to text message masks before they took the phone away from him. German said.

Unidentified people also attempted on Sept. 9 to enter the apartment of writer Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature, and now the only member of the councils executive presidium still free in Belarus.

Diplomats from several European Union nations converged on Alexievichs apartment in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, to try to prevent her detention.

The rising pressure on activists comes as Belarus marks a month of massive demonstrations protesting Lukashenkos reelection to a sixth term in the Aug. 9 vote, which the opposition rejects as rigged. The protests that drew up to 200,000 on Sept. 6 cast an unprecedented challenge to the Belarusian leaders iron-fist rule.

Lukashenko, 66, a former state farm director, has dismissed the opposition as Western stooges and rejected demands from the United States and the European Union to engage in a dialogue with protesters demanding his resignation. The U.S. and the EU have criticized the Belarusian election as neither free nor fair.

The Interior Ministry said that 121 people were detained in the capital and other cities on Sept. 8 for taking part in unsanctioned demonstrations. On Sept. 9, hundreds of protesters again formed chains in solidarity in several parts of Minsk.

The foreign ministers of the Nordic-Baltic nations, meeting in Estonia on Sept. 9, urged Belarusian authorities to end a police crackdown on post-election protests and the prosecution and forcible expulsions of activists.

We demand the immediate release of all those detained on political grounds before and after the falsified presidential election, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said after the meeting.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said the members of the opposition council only want to allow the people of Belarus to choose their future themselves. Thats the least they are asking, and the least they deserved.

In August, Nobel laureate Alexievich was questioned by Belarusian investigators, who have opened a criminal investigation into members of the Coordination Council, accusing them of undermining national security. Several council members were arrested and others were forcibly expelled from the country.

Alexievich dismissed the official accusations, saying in a statement released on Sept. 9 that the council was seeking to defuse the crisis sparked by Lukashenkos reelection to a sixth term by offering to foster a dialogue between authorities and protesters.

We werent preparing a coup, we were trying to prevent a split in our country, Alexievich said.

She warned that the arrests of opposition activists will not end protests.

They have stolen our country, and now they are trying to abduct the best of us, Alexievich said. But hundreds of others will come to replace those who have been taken away from our ranks. It wasnt the Coordination Council that rebelled, it was the entire country that raised.

Speaking to reporters from her apartment, she said she doesnt plan to leave the country despite the official pressure.

This is terror against our own people, she said.

Maria Kolesnikova, a leading member of the council, was detained on Sept. 7 along with two other council members and then driven early on Sept. 8 to the border, where authorities told them to cross into Ukraine.

When they arrived in a no mans land between the countries, Kolesnikova ripped her passport into small pieces to make it impossible for the authorities to expel her. She was put into custody on the Belarusian side of the border.

Kolesnikovas father said investigators called him on Sept. 9 to say that she was moved to a jail in Minsk on charges of calling for undermining national security. She could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Her father, Alexander Kolesnikov, said he admired his daughters courage.

Im very proud of her, he said outside the prison where Kolesnikova was being held. She said she would stay in Belarus and go until the end. I know her character.

Kolesnikovas lawyer, Lyudmila Kozak, who visited her in prison, said she was feeling relatively well. The last few days have been tough for her, she said.

Another of her lawyers, Ilya Salei, was arrested on Sept. 9, and authorities raided Kolesnikovas apartment.

Several hundred women gathered in central Minsk on Sept. 9 in a show of solidarity with Kolesnikova. They held signs reading Maria, you are my hero! and Maria, you are cooler than all Marvel characters, a reference to comic book heroes. Police moved quickly to disperse the women, rounding up at least a dozen.

On Sept. 9, Lukashenkos main election challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, visited Poland to receive the symbolic keys to a new Belarusian center in Warsaw from Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Tsikhanouskaya left Belarus after the election, under official pressure.

Poland is an open home for all Belarusians who need help, Morawiecki said.

Tsikhanouskaya expressed gratitude for Polands support in this difficult time for Belarus.

President Lukashenko has no mandate anymore, we cannot treat him as a president, we cannot entrust the future of our country in his hands, she said, stressing that a new election is needed.

By Yuras Karmanau
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2020) - Ynvisible Interactive Inc. (TSXV: YNV) (OTCQB: YNVYF) (FSE: 1XNA) (the "Company" or "Ynvisible") is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Robinson as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Mr. Robinson will join the Company's management team with responsibility for global operations and innovation development. The Company's previous COO, Dr. Ines Henriques, is stepping down. The Company maintains her services as a consultant to the management team. She is also a director nominee for the Company's Board of Directors at the Company's annual general meeting on September 16, 2020, 11:00 am Pacific Time.

Mr. Robinson joins Ynvisible Interactive Inc. with over ten years of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), Luxury, and Innovation experience. He brings operational skills at integrating business, design, and technology to bring new products to the market. Michael Robinson joins the Company from L'Oreal USA. As Operations Business Development and Open Innovation lead for L'Oreal USA, his role centered on breakthrough and transformational technology scouting & strategy, business development, and blending business, design, and technology to accelerate and launch new packaging, products, and experiences. Mr. Robinson has been an independent Director of the Company since November 2019.

"Michael brings Ynvisible a wealth of experience from the branded products world and introducing product innovations to the market. Despite COVID19, Ynvisible's income from client projects and services has grown throughout the year. We now take systematic steps to build off lessons learned, strengthen our products and technology platform offering, and accelerate time to revenue. Michael brings valuable operational leadership to this transition," said Jani-Mikael Kuusisto, CEO of Ynvisible, "Our entire team is grateful for the systematic work and devotion Ines has brought to Ynvisible since its founding. We look forward to working together with her in her new role."

Mr. Robinson is moving into a role previously held by Ynvisible's co-founder Dr. Ines Henriques, who served as CEO from Ynvisible's creation to closing the RTO transaction with Ynvisible Interactive Inc. in January 2018. Since then, she has held the position of COO. Her leadership and achievements include helping to found Ynvisible, organizing and integrating the Company's research, development, design and manufacturing operations, developing the Company's core IP portfolio and building Ynvisible's first partner networks.

"I strongly believe that Ynvisible is poised for great success as it enters an exciting growth phase, with Michael at the helm of Operations and Innovation", said Dr. Henriques. "He has a proven track record of developing, building, and bringing new products to market. Michael brings knowledge, experience, skills and tools to transform Ynvisible into a fully integrated, more mature and efficient organization positioned for growth", continued Dr. Henriques. "I also believe Michael has the right human values that are crucial for running an organization that relies, above all, on its human capital as its main asset. Bringing out the best from the amazing team we have at Ynvisible will be a critical ingredient for achieving success. I am excited to continue working closely with Michael and the leadership team to support Ynvisible's success."

"I am honored to follow in Ines' footsteps and build on the foundation created by her and the world-class Ynvisible Interactive team. We have the opportunity to build on successes, integrate new ways of working and accelerate speed to market for our customers. We will create business growth for Ynvisible Interactive, and most importantly, for our customers," continued Michael Robinson.

GRANT OF STOCK OPTIONS

Ynvisible Interactive Inc. also announces that it has granted in total 300,000 new stock options to officers of the Company. The options will vest pursuant to the stock option agreements between Ynvisible and each optionee. They may be exercised at CAD$0.24 per common share for a period of 5 years from the date of issuance or earlier in accordance with Ynvisible's stock option plan.

ABOUT YNVISIBLE INTERACTIVE INC.

Ynvisible is a leading company in the emerging printed and flexible electronics sector. Given the cost and power consumption advantages over conventional electronics, printed electronics are a key enabler of mass adoption of the Internet of Things ("IoT") and smart objects. Ynvisible has experience, know-how and intellectual property in the field of electrochromic materials, inks, and systems. Ynvisible's interactive printed graphics solutions solve the need for ultra-low power, mass deployable, and easy-to-use electronic displays and indicators for everyday smart objects, IoT devices, and ambient intelligence (intelligent surfaces). Ynvisible offers a mix of proprietary materials and technologies, plus design, prototyping and contract manufacturing services to brand owners developing smart objects and IoT products. Additional information on Ynvisible is available at www.ynvisible.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Jani-Mikael Kuusisto"

CEO

For further information, please contact:

Elyssia Patterson

Investor Relations

+1 778-683-4324

ir@ynvisible.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.

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 Ynvisible Interactive Inc. 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 Ynvisible Interactive Inc. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Ynvisible Interactive Inc. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63573
Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties?

No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer.

Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties.
KALAMAZOO, MI  Another round of blistering comments filled the Kalamazoo City Commissions virtual meeting space Tuesday, as citizens complained that city leaders are not doing enough to address the failures by police.

Many of the public comments offered near the end of the Tuesday, Sept. 8, meeting focused on the controversial police response on Aug. 15 to a Proud Boys rally and counterprotest held in Kalamazoo.

Multiple callers during the virtual Kalamazoo City Commission meeting demanded the resignations of top city officials and police officials. City Manager Jim Ritsema provided some updates during the meeting on what the city is doing to address some of the areas of concern.

Citizens have complained that police were absent when violence broke out between counterprotesters and Proud Boys on Aug. 15. People have complained that police improperly arrested Kalamazoo citizens, including a legal observer and an MLive reporter, but did not arrest anyone associated with the Proud Boys.

Speaking during the public comment portion, Shardae Chambers said public safety and leadership needs to do better and be held accountable. Leaders need to apologize, Chambers said.

I have no respect for officers and they will fail us, she said.

Leadership needs to work on race, equality, working with the public and other issues, Chambers said.

The city of Kalamazoo and its police department have released statements about what happened during the Aug. 15 event. In the days following the event, KDPS Chief Karianne Thomas apologized for the arrest of the MLive reporter.

KDPS has proposed a number of changes, including a proposal to provide training for journalists, and discussions of media credentials to help identify members of the media working to cover protests and other events in Kalamazoo.

Bailey, a Kalamazoo resident, said she is fully against Chief Thomas' proposed media credentialing process after the police departments abysmal handling of the Aug. 15 event. The credentialing process improperly puts the blame for the arrest on media rather than police, she said.

Despite (Sam) Robinson saying he was press several multiple times as well as having credentials, he was detained for hours. And now they are saying the media needs to go through a credentialing process so the police can better identify them? No. This is unacceptable, she said.

Media and others should not have to jump through hoops to do their jobs, she sad.

The media doesnt need a credentialing process," Bailey said. KDPS needs to take responsibility and make some changes starting with resignation of Chief Thomas.

Thomas has said previously she has no plans to resign in response to those calls, which have also been voiced at prior Kalamazoo City Commission meetings.

Bailey criticized the police for placing blame on counterprotesters, with no blame placed on hate groups that invaded the city. She highlighted what she sees as a total lack of accountability on the part of the department.

Sarah Ruggles of Kalamazoo complained that officials are not taking enough action after police officers used tear gas on people in Kalamazoo during protests earlier this summer.

On Aug. 18, a subcommittee consisting of Vice Mayor Patrese Griffin and Commissioners Chris Praedel and Eric Cunningham met to speak about police reform.

City Manager Jim Ritsema said the city has received critical comments about the media credentialing proposal, and addressed that and, more generally, the topic of police reform during Tuesdays meeting.

Its never been nor will it ever be our intent to regulate the media," Ritsema said. By credentialing, we were thinking about a way of identifying media in these large scale events.

The goal, the city manager said, is to identify journalists and protect them as they do their jobs.

He emphasized that safety is the top priority, and that the city needs better communication before, during and after events, with media, organizers, observers and others.

We also need to make sure there is fairness, Ritsema said, and that rules, policies and enforcement actions are applied fairly.

There needs to be a community conversation about First Amendment assembly events and how they are handled, he said.

A preliminary report released on the citys website on Aug. 28, city officials said, showed several areas for improvement for Kalamazoo Public Safety and the city government it plans for the possibility of future public protests, demonstrations and rallies. An additional review of the events of Aug. 15, and several video clips showing the clashes, where released on the citys website Wednesday, Sept.9.

But city leaders have also committed to hiring a third party to investigate the police response to protests in late May and early June of this year, as well as the police response to the Aug. 15 violent clashes between Proud Boys and counterprotesters.

A request for proposals will go out next week seeking that independent investigator, Ritsema said Tuesday. The city is also in the midst of hiring a public information officer, as part of an effort to increase communication, the city manager said.

Work continues on how the city engages with the community. he said, and several options are being discussed.

The Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeals Board will also be involved as the conversation moves forward, he said. There also needs to be accountability, and building out that accountability has to be a part of what the city does, Ritsema said.

Read more:

Chief explains use of crowd management team at Kalamazoo protests

Saginaw County gears up for President Trump visit, supporter says Hes done a lot for us

Webcam not mandatory for Kalamazoo students attending virtual school

16-year-old girl 1 of 3 to die in Lake Michigan over Labor Day weekend
Road trips arent just about dining out and relaxing - they're about exploring something new! Historical walking tours are a great way to learn about a place and understand its unique history and culture. Many famous American cities and towns offer fun and engaging tours that take you right into the sights, sounds, and smells of the past. Best of all, many of the tours welcome dogs to join in, making them a perfect activity to enjoy with your furry sidekick!

War Eagle Cavern Tours

Part historical tour, part nature excursion, War Eagle Canyon tour offers a novel experience through a lush Arkansas landscape. Located at the edge of Beaver Lake, War Eagle Canyon is the only Arkansas canyon to feature a lakeside entrance. Follow your guide down wide, easy-to-navigate passageways along stream edges, where youll see breathtaking cavern formations, and learn how early man (and dog!) lived. The tour is an hour long, and afterward, you and your pooch can try out the attractions Lost in the Woods Maze, or hike the surrounding forest trails.

Skaneateles Historical Walking Tour

This one-of-a-kind, self-guided tour takes people and their pets along the picturesque Skaneateles Lake through the Skaneateles village. As you wind through the charming old streets, youll learn about the villages earliest settlers. There are historic homes, inns, and churches to see while touring, some of which date all the way back to the 18th century.

Oliver Bentleys Historic Dog Walk Tour

Shrouded in history and mystery, Savannah is one of the Souths most beautiful and iconic locations. The city offers a number of historic tours, but Oliver Bentleys is tailored to those visiting the Hostess City with their pooches. This mile-long walk through the Historic District begins at Oglethorpe Square, and takes you through 7 of Savannahs 22 iconic squares. These lush green spaces are staggered throughout the downtown area, and feature colorful azaleas, live oaks draped with Spanish moss, and centuries of history to explore. The tour lasts roughly 90 to 120 minutes, and there are plenty of places for you and your dog to stop and rest. And if your pup is feeling peckish, no worries--Oliver Bentleys makes their own premium dog treats!

Tombstone Walking Tour

Tombstone is one of Americas most iconic Western sites, and you and your pup can learn all about its fascinating history together! This highly-acclaimed walking tour is popular with visitors, and not just because it explores Tombstones landmarks, gunfights, and famous residents. The tours guide, Dr. Jay, has perfected the art of balancing fun and information, by offering visitors a memorable experience in a style he calls edutainment.

Bulldog Walking Tours

Bulldog welcomes well-behaved, leashed dogs to join in several different outdoor tours of historic Charleston, as long as they are not disruptive to other visitors. Together, you and your pup can uncover centuries-deep layers of Charlestons storied past, and see some of the citys best-loved sites. Bulldogs founders have a deep and genuine love for the people, culture, food, and history of Charleston, and it shows - they were voted best tour company

for nine years in a row!

Moonshine + Whiskey History Walking Tour

This self-guided tour is a memorable trek through one of the Souths most fascinating historical periods. You and your pup will learn all about Tennessees spirited past as you visit three distinct distilleries that form part of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. See how whiskey shaped Tennessees history before, during, and after Prohibition, and discover the secret to why the Smoky Mountains were so integral to Gatlinburgs moonshine culture. Plus, get a peek into a present-day working distillery to see how the process has changed, and how it has stayed the same!

About TripsWithPets

TripsWithPets has been helping pet parents find pet friendly accommodations since 2003. TripsWithPets provides online reservations at over 30,000 pet friendly hotels & accommodations across the U.S. and Canada. You'll find thousands of pet-friendly destinations like Greensboro, NC, Atlantic City, NJ, and Flagstaff, AZ. When planning a trip, pet parents go to TripsWithPets.com for all they need to book the perfect hotel for their pet -- including detailed, up-to-date information on hotel pet policies and pet amenities.

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TEHRAN, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will visit European countries next week, Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday.

During his European tour, Zarif will visit Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

The imminent trip of the minister comes at a time when the United States has mounted pressures on the UN Security Council for the return of pre-2015 nuclear deal sanctions against Iran.

He would likely to discuss the Europeans' help to block the U.S. fresh initiative against the Islamic republic.

Recently, the UN Security Council voted against Washington's move to extend a UN arms ban against Tehran, and has opposed the return of pre-2015 sanctions.
A Texas Ranger plied an 80-year-old serial killer with pizza, Dr Pepper and art supplies over 700 hours of interviews to get him to confess to killing 93 people across the US.

Last year, the FBI declared that Samuel Little was the most prolific serial killer in the country. Little confessed to 93 murders - mostly of women - across the US between 1970 and 2005.

And one Texas Ranger by the name of James Holland has revealed just how he managed to get Little to make those confessions.

Holland told CBS News' 60 Minutes that he and FBI agent Christie Palazzolo spent 48 days straight interviewing Little, who eventually started to talk about killing three people in Texas.

Scroll down for video

Texas ranger, James Holland (right), has revealed how he plied Samuel Little (left), 80, with pizza, Dr Pepper and art supplies over 700 hours of interviews to get him to confess to killing 93 people across the US

Holland (pictured) told CBS News that he and FBI agent Christie Palazzolo spent 48 days straight interviewing Little, who eventually started to talk about killing three people in Texas

Over 700 hours of interviews, Little confessed to 65 of his murders. According to Holland, Little started to confess to the murders in May 2018, telling the ranger that the killings occurred in 19 states

Palazzolo told the network: 'All of a sudden, we turned to each other. "Oh my gosh, he's talkin' about Odessa." And we grab our files and start goin' through and checking what he's talkin' about and verifying.'

Over 700 hours of interviews, Little confessed to 65 of his murders. To get him to continue, Holland plied Little with pizza and Dr Pepper.

According to Holland, Little started to confess to the murders in May 2018, telling the ranger that the killings occurred in 19 states.

In one interview, Holland recalled asking Little: 'Where did you kill the most?'

'Oh that's easy, Florida and California,' Little responded.

Holland then asked Little which city he killed the most in.

'Miami and Los Angeles,' Little said, adding that he killed 20 people in Los Angeles alone.

Holland told CBS that Little preyed on prostitutes, drug addicts and women he believed police wouldn't work hard to find in order to not get caught.

The ranger also described Little as a 'genius'.

'The photographic memory, his memory for details. You know, like, Sammy, tell me what's around her? There's three tombstones over there. There's a caliche road. Drive down a quarter of a mile, there's a white Baptist church that needs to be whitewashed. Phenomenal,' Holland explained to CBS.

Investigators eventually discovered that Little enjoyed sketching.

Holland gave him art supplies to see if he would be able to sketch his victims. According to Holland, Little sketched around 50 of his victims.

Little, 80, confessed to 93 murders - mostly of women - across the United States between 1970 and 2005. The FBI released several of Little's chilling videotaped confessions last year

Federal crime analysts believe all of his confessions are credible. Last year, the FBI released several of Little's chilling videotaped confessions.

Investigators also released sketches drawn by Little of people he claims to have murdered.

Little's taped confessions were made to a Texas Ranger from prison where he has been serving a life sentence since 2014 after being convicted of three of the murders.

The FBI has set up a website - Confessions of a Killer - showing his videotaped recollections of unidentified killings, as well as the sketches, as they try to identify the remaining victims he claims to have killed.

Little also gave investigators details about each victim he sketched.

In one of the video confessions, Little calmly described killing a black woman in New Orleans back in 1982 who he recalled meeting at a birthday party.

He said he drove the woman, aged in her 30s or 40s, from the party to a canal that was being dredged at the time.

'I grabbed her by the legs and pulled her to the water. That's the only one I ever killed by drowning,' Little said in the video confession. 'I left her with her head still in the water. Half her body under water and the thighs and legs on the bank.'

Pictured left: Black male, age 18, killed in 1971 or 1972 in Miami. Victim possibly called Mary Ann or Marianne. Pictured center: Black female killed in 1992 or 1993 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Pictured right: White female between 23-25 years old killed in 1996

Left: Female, possibly of Cuban descent, between 25-35 years old. Killed in 1971 in Kendall, Florida. Victim possibly called 'Sarah' or 'Donna'. Center: Black female between 30-40 years old killed in 1982 in New Orleans. Right: Black female, age 40, killed in 1993 in Las Vegas

Left: White female killed in 1984 in Kentucky. Met victim in Columbus, Ohio. Body disposed of somewhere in Northern Kentucky. Center: Black female killed in 1974 in Ohio. Right: Hispanic female in her 40s. Killed in 1988 or 1996 in Arizona. Victim possibly from Phoenix

Left: White female between 33-44 years old. Killed in 1982 in New Orleans. Center: Black female between 28-29 years old killed in 1984 in Arkansas. Victim picked up in Tennessee. Right: Black female, age 24, killed between 1987 and the early 1990s Monroe, Louisiana

He also admitted to dragging a teenage transgender woman's body into thick, muddy water near a swamp in Miami, Florida in about 1972.

Little said the woman's name was Marianne and that he doesn't believe her body was ever found.

Little also was filmed confessing to strangling a black woman to death in North Little Rock, Arkansas, at some point between 1992 and 1994.

He recalled the woman, who he believed was named Ruth, was 'too big for me to carry' so he dumped her body on a pile of branches near a corn field.

The FBI said the deaths of many of the victims Little confessed to killing were originally ruled overdoses or were attributed to accidental or undetermined causes.

Some of the bodies Little said he dumped have never been found.

'For many years, Samuel Little believed he would not be caught because he thought no one was accounting for his victims,' said FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program crime analyst Palazzolo.

Left: Black female killed in 1984 in Tampa Bay, Florida. Center: Black female between 22-23 years old killed in 1974 in Savannah, Georgia. Right: Black female killed in 1977 or 1978 in Plant City, Florida. Met victim in Clearwater, Florida

Left: Black female between 26-27 years old killed in 1987 in Los Angeles. Center: White female between 20-25 years old killed in 1972. Victim possibly from Massachusetts. Right: Black female between 35-45 years old killed in 1977. Met the victim in Gulfport, Mississippi

Left: Black female between 35-40 years old killed in 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia. Center: Black female age 23 killed in 1984 in Savannah, Georgia. Right: Black female killed in 1992 or 1993 in Los Angeles

Left: Black female between 23-25 years old killed in 1996 in Los Angeles. Victim possibly called "Sheila'. Right: Black female between 23-25 years old killed in 1984 in Atlanta, Georgia. Victim possibly a college student

'Even though he is already in prison, the FBI believes it is important to seek justice for each victim to close every case possible.'

Authorities began unraveling his serial killing spree after he was arrested at a homeless shelter in Kentucky in 2012 and extradited to California to face drug charges.

When he was in custody, authorities found DNA evidence that linked him to three cold case murders in Los Angeles between 1987 and 1989.

The three women had all been beaten and strangled with their bodies dumped in an alley, a dumpster and a garage.

Little, a 6ft 3in former boxer, was sentenced in 2014 to life in prison for the three murders.

The FBI had been working on a full background check of Little and found links to other murders that he may have committed.

The FBI had been working on a full background check of Little and found links to other murders that he may have committed. Pictured is a timeline of his past mugshots dating back to 1966

Authorities only recently began unraveling his serial killing spree after he was arrested at a homeless shelter in Kentucky in 2012 and extradited to California to face drug charges

They found a link to a murder in Odessa, Texas and had Texas Rangers come to California to interview him in May 2018 in prison.

The FBI said Little was trying to get moved out his prison and agreed to talk if he could be relocated.

He ended up being indicted in the Odessa murder and was extradited to Texas a few months later.

He gave authorities a list of the 93 victims and the name of the city in which he killed them. Little can recall his victims and the killings in great detail but he is hazy on the exact dates.

Little grew up in Ohio, dropped out of high school and lived a 'nomadic life,' shoplifting or stealing to buy alcohol and drugs.

He was accused of murdering women in Mississippi and Florida in the early 1980s but was not convicted.

The FBI said Little is currently in poor health and will likely remain in the Texas prison where is now until he dies.

Authorities are still working to identify his victims and provide closure and justice in unsolved cases. To report potential case links to Little, contact ViCAP at 800-634-4097.
International experts boarded an oil tanker stricken off Sri Lanka to begin salvage operations, the navy said Thursday, as firefighters looked to contain a large oil slick in the Indian Ocean.

A huge week-long blaze aboard the New Diamond was finally extinguished Wednesday and though 270,000 tonnes of crude oil were unaffected officials said, diesel fuel had leaked into the water, creating a significant and expanding slick.

"The firefighting is over," said navy spokesman Captain Indika de Silva.

"We are taking a step back and now it is up to the owners to decide how they want to take it from here."

Officials said the fuel slick had reached 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) in length after doubling in size overnight, as the tanker drifted around 20 kilometres north of its Wednesday location.

The tanker is tied to a tug and keeping a distance of just under 100 kilometres from Sri Lanka's shoreline.

On Wednesday, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said it was deploying an aircraft to spray chemicals and minimise the impact of the fuel that leaked from the tanker.

The salvage experts who boarded the vessel reported that toxic gases had filled the stern section of the ship and that they will be removed using air blowers, Sri Lanka's navy said.

A powerful tug boat commissioned by the Dutch salvage company SMIT arrived from Singapore on Thursday to boost their efforts, it added.

The tug has specialised equipment to drain the sea water -- used to flood the engine room during the firefight -- and remove the gases.

It was not immediately clear what the salvage company would do with the Panamanian-registered tanker, but Sri Lankan authorities have asked them to tow it away from the island's waters.

The New Diamond issued a distress signal a week ago while passing Sri Lanka on its way to the northeast Indian port of Paradip when a boiler exploded killing a Filipino crewman. The remaining 22 crew were rescued.

Both Sri Lanka's navy and the ICG said the tanker's cargo of 270,000 tonnes of crude oil were still on board despite the fire that ravaged the vessel.

Sri Lanka also plans to seek compensation for the diesel spill and recover the cost of responding to the fire and preventing a break up of the 330-meter (1,100 foot) tanker.

aj/tom
WEST NORRITON  With a focus on social distancing and mask-wearing by all students and staff, Visitation BVM in Trooper, which serves pre-K through eighth grade, reopened for in-person learning last week.

According to Principal Matt Joram, the parish and school communities collaborated on the reopening project, with a highly successful fundraiser supporting the addition of essential safety measures such as touchless bathroom fixtures, hand sanitizer units, water bottle refilling stations, and an upgraded internet infrastructure to support virtual learning as well.

On its website, visitationbvm.org, is described as a Roman Catholic Parish of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, founded in 1954.

The schools Facebook page noted, We are in good hands with morning drop off: Mr. J (Joram) and Fr. (father) Bob jumping in to help with temp checks and Visi welcomes! Fr. Bob transitioned from car line to steeple balcony in record time! #visifamily Archdiocese of Philadelphia Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools  AOPS.

All of our faculty and staff worked hard to create a strong plan for the safe return to school, Joram said. We have a dedicated faculty and amazing students and families  we are Visi Proud.
Theres been a lot of hat-tipping toward the West since Erin OToole was elected leader of the Conservative party, but some in Alberta are skeptical about his ability to meaningfully address their concerns.

On Wednesday, OToole met his caucus in Ottawas Sir John A. Macdonald Building, where he pledged that national unity would be a focus going forward.

It was his first caucus address as leader and the speech featured themes that touched on Western alienation, a problem that OToole has made central to his messaging to Canadians all year.

After four years of Justin Trudeau, Canada has become more divided, less prosperous, and less respected on the world stage, he told his caucus.

We have become so divided that a Canadian Armed Forces veteran that I met in Nisku, Alberta, in January told me he was giving up on our country.

OToole has pitched policies that are supported on the Prairies, such as legislation that would make it easier to build pipelines and repealing laws that restrict tanker traffic off the B.C. coast.

Hes also promised to rework the federal equalization formula, a complex system by which federal funds get transferred to struggling provinces, and which some Albertans believe discriminates against them.

But for Albertans considering pushing for an independent country of their own, there needs to be structural reform and Vitor Marciano, a former Conservative strategist and political operative in Alberta, says hes not confident that the Conservative party can do it.

Fixing the relationship between Alberta and Canada will require major structural changes, like giving the province more seats in the Senate, he said.

Some Albertans would also like to see their relationships redefined with provinces like Quebec and British Columbia, whose opposition to pipelines make it harder to get energy development projects off the ground. Marciano said there could be a series of constitutional meetings that address provinces feeling like theyre being interfered with by others, as well as to encourage free trade between them.

By comparison, he said, much of what OToole is offering is small policy that could be easily scrapped when a Conservative government loses power.

Even if OToole won a majority, said Marciano, and starts the process of trying to do the right things, Alberta would still be blocked from shipping its oil overseas by B.C. or across the country by Quebec.

These are things that are hard to fix with just policy change, he said.

Hes on the fence about separating from Canada but says there are real grievances held by those who support independence. One Abacus Data poll last November pegged support for secession in Alberta at around 20 per cent.

I dont think Albertans will vote to leave until weve tried to fix Canada, he said. I think Albertans are going to be pushed out of Canada.

The rise of the federal Wexit Canada party, which is currently being led by former Conservative cabinet minister Jay Hill, could prove disastrous for the Conservatives, who are likely to face a tight race against the Liberals in the next election.

But Conservative MPs from Alberta who were appointed to shadow cabinet positions this week told the Star theyre optimistic about OTooles plans for dealing with issues in the West.

The newly appointed shadow minister of transport, Stephanie Kusie, said OToole has definitely put his money where his mouth is when it comes to the 43 members of his shadow cabinet, 23 of whom are from the West.

Its impossible for you not to look at your portfolio from the lens of the region where youre from, Kusie, MP for Calgary Midnapore, told the Star.

For the items which he has outlined, specifically around the natural resources sector, that was a major part of his platform and I expect he will follow through on that.

Prominent positions have been given to Westerners. Michelle Rempel Garner, MP for Calgary-Nose Hill, will lead the health portfolio for the Conservatives; Greg McLean, MP for Calgary Centre, is the natural resources critic; Pat Kelly, MP for Calgary Rocky Ridge, is critic for small business and Western economic diversification.

Kusie also said OTooles platform addresses Western issues in a meaningful way and that he is doing all of the right things.

Conservatives have warned Wexit supporters that a vote for separation could mean a win for Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberals. Garnett Genuis, MP for Sherwood Park  Fort Saskatchewan, says that voting for Wexit could jeopardize hotly contested ridings through splitting the vote.

I dont think thats actually going to happen because I think most Albertans would see that possibility and recognize that Wexit isnt going to serve them well, he said.

But the smart play for Wexit would be to only run in Western ridings where theres not a risk in splitting the vote, said Marciano. The party could then act like the Bloc Quebecois of the West by only voting for Western interests in Parliament, he said.

I think they can do what (the Reform Party) did, Marciano explained. Reform got everybodys attention in the 88 election but didnt win any seats ... and then crushed in Western Canada in 93.

I think that same model is available for Wexit if they play their cards properly.

Read more about:
(Natural News) According to The Epoch Times, a significant number of residents in Kenosha, Wisconsin have privately expressed how thankful they are that the National Guard arrived in their city to restore peace and order. These same residents have also talked about how much they dislike the rioting that occurred in their own hometown.

Over the span of several days, The Epoch Times spoke with over a dozen local residents. Many declined to speak due to concerns over their privacy and due to their fear that the local Antifa and Black Lives Matter cadres might retaliate if they say anything negative about the two organizations.

One small business owner who requested anonymity in exchange for an interview said that he felt that Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, should have called in the National Guard to Kenosha sooner. If this happened, the resident believes that the riots would either not have happened or not have caused as much damage as they did. (Related: Wisconsinites begin grassroots effort to recall Gov. Tony Evers over disastrous handling of coronavirus pandemic, Kenosha riots.)

When [the National Guard] came in on Wednesday  boom, it stopped, he said.

Listen to this episode of the Health Ranger Report, a podcast by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he talks about how Black Lives Matter is not an movement dedicated to promoting racial equality, but is instead a domestic terrorist organization advocating Black supremacy and anti-White bigotry.

Kenosha residents united in desire to see violence end

One other Kenosha resident who was willing to be interviewed talked about how much they appreciated President Donald Trump coming to Kenosha to survey the damage. Both Trump and his opponent in the Democratic Party, former vice president Joe Biden, went to Kenosha days after the worst of the rioting and looting took place.

Both presidential candidates toured the neighborhood and listened to residents talk about how their businesses were ransacked and how they feared for their lives. Trump flew to Illinois and then was driven to Kenosha on September 1. Biden, not wanting to miss out on the possibility of getting photographed in the city, went to the city two days later to speak to community leaders, law enforcement officials and business owners within the safety of the Grace Lutheran Church in uptown Kenosha.

Many residents said that Trumps visit was crucial because they believe its important for the president to see the destruction brought upon their city by Antifa and Black Lives Matter.

Meanwhile, several supporters of Biden who talked to The Epoch Times said that Trumps visit to Kenosha was very divisive.

But as the supporters of the Democrats were focused on getting angry at Trump for surveying the damage to Kenosha and for talking with community leaders to figure out a path forward, John Sherlock, a local, was worried about what will happen to his small business  a cleaning service  if the riots get out of hand.

Sherlock, who said that he did not identify as either a Democrat or a Republican, said that he could not understand why some people acted like they did not care about the damage the rioters inflicted upon their private property. He was also concerned for how really wrong it was that agitators and rioters from outside the state are coming into Kenosha to destroy it. Other business owners have expressed similar views.

We live here together in one city and know how to communicate different views without leaning towards violence, said Kelly Deem, owner of a baking and canning shop in Downtown Kenosha. So, we were very saddened to see people from other cities come in and take a lot of negative actions towards our town.

Deem also said that she really appreciated how Trump was willing to come to the city and open dialogues with the residents.

Everyone has to come [to Kenosha] and meet, said Deem. The governors need to meet with the president; these need to be conversations that are happening.

In closing, Deem asked the rioters to take all of their anger and hatred and urge to destroy and put it into something thats positive. [Put it into] good deeds.

Damage to private property in Kenosha worth over $50 million

On Tuesday, September 8, Heather Wessling, vice president for economic development for the Kenosha Area Business Alliance told the Kenosha County Board that the damage to businesses and other private property is currently estimated at $50 million, with over 100 business receiving either minor, moderate or heavy damage, while as many as 40 other businesses were classified as out of business for good.

It could be as high as $50 million of losses, together with the businesses, the public infrastructure, the public buildings and what the tenants have lost, said Wessling.

One of the businesses that lost the most was a car dealership which burned to the ground, along with a huge chunk of their inventory, during the first night of the rioting. According to the owner, they sustained over $1.5 million in damages  around $500,000 in property damages and between $900,000 and $1 million in inventory damage.

Kenosha County Board Supervisor Terry Rose called for the board to ask both state authorities and the federal government to provide the county with funding in order to rebuild not just the small businesses in Uptown and Downtown Kenosha, but also several public facilities that were burned down during the riots, such as the Wisconsin Department of Corrections which was burned to the ground.

The county needs to assist the city in bolstering the Uptown community, said Rose. We need to seek federal funds, state funds or local funds.

Earlier in the meeting, the board listened to Wisconsin National Guard Major Gen. Paul Knapp inform the county that all of the National Guard troops have disengaged from their mission to supplement the countys overworked law enforcement and other first responders. Knapp said that, at one point, there were over 2,000 National Guard troops in Kenosha.

Rose thanked Knapp, as well as all the other local, state and federal law enforcement units in the county, as well as residents, who volunteered with cleanup efforts and providing aid. Rose stated that this unity sent a message that Kenosha was strong and that it was not a racist community.

But the one issue that we need to make very clear to the people here whose lives have been endangered, whose property has been destroyed, who lived in nightly fear, is the same message we need to send to people who might come here from out of town or elsewhere. Our message has to be very clear: Never again, never again, never again.

The board did not vote on any recommendation or resolution, but Rose called upon the board to draft a resolution that they can consider as early as next week in order to show that the county was united in wanting to enact policies that work for the best interests of all of the countys residents.

While the worst rioting in Kenosha may have ended, many violent demonstrations are still ongoing in places like Portland and Seattle. Learn more about what Antifa and Black Lives Matter are doing in these places by reading the articles at Rioting.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

KenoshaNews.com

ABC7Chicago.com

FoxBusiness.com

JSOnline.com
Reopening

10 September 2020

The Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Lorrach, which is located in the south west of the State of Baden-Wurttemberg and is operated by the RIMC Hotels & Resorts Group, has now successfully reopened. It has been welcoming guests again since 1 September, and the entire team is delighted to be able to offer its usual high level of hospitality services once more.

Olga Zielinski will take charge of the hotel with effect from 18 September 2020, when she takes over as General Manager from Sascha Nemeth. Ms. Zielinski has been working for RIMC for several years and has recently completed a highly successful stint as Director of the hotel the YARD in Berlin.

Lorrach lies in the Markgraflerland Region at the heart of the famous tri-point where the borders of Germany, France and Switzerland meet. A Mediterranean climate and gentle natural surroundings make the town an ideal destination for both domestic travellers and guests from the neighbouring countries. The sunny weather which the area typically enjoys provides an inviting backdrop for a varied selection of walks and cycle tours. Visitors can also stop off at one of the numerous restaurants and seasonal wine taverns to savour a range of culinary delights.

"Lorrach is a wonderful destination for leisure travellers," said Olga Zielinski. "We are also sensing that day-to-day business is starting to recover. This is why we chose to wait until after the summer holidays before reopening the Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Lorrach. We will now be able to offer the very best quality of service to both our private and business visitors." Ms. Zielinski added: "We have very much missed the daily contact with our guests."

Extensive hygiene measures have now been introduced at the Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Lorrach as it ends a period of enforced closure following the impact of the corona pandemic. The hygiene and safety concept introduced by Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts has proved a practical success, and compliance with these regulations is the top priority in order to protect guests and staff.

The Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Lorrach is located only five kilometres from the tri-point of the borders between Germany, France and Switzerland and first opened for business on 1 June 2017. The city's premier hotel offers 178 modern and generously equipped rooms and suites arranged over 20 storeys. An adjacent Boarding House provides 49 further studios and apartments, which are ideal for longer term stays. The Hebel Restaurants and Bar 1760 are both on hand to cater to the culinary well-being of guests. A conference facility able to accommodate up to 440 persons extends over an area of around 450 square metres on the first and second floors. A separate events room for special occasions is also available on the 20th floor. Finally, superb panoramic views can be taken in from a sauna and gym area on the 19th floor.
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, may go the Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL) way to raise funds from a series of strategic private equity investors and sovereign wealth funds. To start with, Silver Lake Partners has already picked up a 1.75 per cent equity stake in Reliance Retail for Rs 7,500 crore ($1 billion). Now, KKR is also in active talks with the company to pump in around $1.5 billion, and a formal announcement could come before the month-end.

As reports suggest, RIL has invited all 13 JPL investors, including Facebook and Google, to pump in money in the Reliance Retail Ventures subsidiary, and plans to raise around Rs 63,000 crore in total for a minority stake of about 15 per cent, The Economic Times reported cited sources familiar with the plan. However, none, except Silver Lake, have confirmed that they are in talks with Reliance. RIL also refused to comment saying it keeps on evaluating opportunities on an ongoing basis.

After Silver Lake, KKR, L Catterton, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) could also follow the suit. According to the Financial Times, ADIA and PIF are planning to infuse funds worth $750 million and $1.5 billion, respectively. If these deals fructify, roping in of the global tech investors could give RIL a much-needed boost to take on multinational giants like Amazon Inc and Walmart in India, believe analysts.

Also read: Mukesh Ambani on shopping binge; Reliance buys into 23 firms in 3 years

Notably, Facebook, L Catterton, PIF and KKR were among 13 investors that pumped in over $20 billion in Reliance Jio Platforms for an over 30 per cent stake earlier this year.

Silver Lake investment in Reliance Retail has valued the company at a pre-money equity value of Rs 4.21 lakh crore. The investment also marks another big boost for RIL that acquired Kishore Biyani's Future Group for Rs 24,713 crore last month.

As part of the RIL-Future Group deal, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd will acquire the retail and wholesale business and the logistics and warehousing business from the Future Group, which would give it sway over 1,800 Future Group stores and bring in Rs 26,000 crore worth additional revenue.

Future Retail owns BigBazaar that sells everything from groceries to cosmetics and apparel, and Future Lifestyle Fashions that operates fashion discount chain Brand Factory. Reliance will also take over Future Consumer, which sells food, home and personal care products.

Also Read: Reliance Retail buys Future Group's retail business for Rs 24,713 crore

With this acquisition, Reliance Retail has become around seven times bigger than the second biggest retail store chain in India, Avenue Supermarts that runs D-Mart.

Meanwhile, RIL share closed 2.68% up at Rs 2,163.55 on the National Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Edited by Manoj Sharma
In mid-summer, Evelia Saenz started a 25-mile journey that she hoped would save her husband's life: it was time to cross from the United States to Mexico.

"I was quite scared, I'm not going to hide it," Saenz told Noticias Telemundo and NBC News about her husband's delicate health situation.

Her husband had contracted COVID-19 and was having difficulty breathing, but the Texan family has little income and does not have health insurance. So the best bet was to look for medicine on the Mexican side, across the border from their home in Texas.

In the following weeks, Saenz and her daughter also became infected; it was in Mexico where they were able to pay for a doctor's visit. The father, mother and daughter recovered, although they are still dealing with some lingering effects of the virus.

"The consultation costs $25" and the drugs "are cheaper in Mexico," Saenz said before a medical follow-up Tamaulipas. In Texas, a doctor visit without insurance could cost up to $100, according to some estimates.

When the income is barely enough to live week to week and when there is no health insurance, going to the doctor is not an option for many families. The concern is greater during the pandemic, which has impacted the economy and has led both countries to partially close their border.

Image: Medicine in pharmacies on the Mexican side of the border can cost up to 10 times less. (Telemundo News)

This is the reality for a large part of the population in places like Texas' Rio Grande Valley, where more than a third of residents are not insured, there are few hospitals and many suffer from diseases like diabetes and hypertension that makes people more vulnerable to getting coronavirus' effects.

"We have all, and I hate to use cliches, but we have all the parameters for a perfect storm," said Dr. Ivan Melendez, a family medicine specialist in the city of McAllen. "Poverty, diabetes, hypertension, multigenerational families...We were perfect for this, for this to spread the way it did."

Story continues

In the four counties of Rio Grande Valley, more than 55,000 cases of coronavirus have been registered, according to local authorities.

Several people, like Saenz, have found a solution: cross the border to Mexico.

Health tourism in the time of COVID-19

Medical tourism to Mexican border cities has been common for years, since treatment in the U.S. can cost more than twice than it does in Mexico and medicines can be up to 10 times more expensive in the U.S.

The organization Patients Beyond Borders, which promotes medical tourism, estimates that in medical centers in Mexico it is possible to save from 40% to 65% on a treatment compared to the U.S., and they tout the quality of medical care as usually "first class."

Between one and 2.5 million tourists make the crossing each year, according to Patients Beyond Borders and tourism authorities for the Mexican border state of Baja California.

It is both a resource for Americans and low-income valley dwellers and an important source of money for cities on the south side of the Rio Grande, such as Nuevo Progreso, Monterrey and Tijuana.

The latter is among the top three world destinations for medical tourism. Revenues there reached $1.2 billion in 2019, according to state data, which includes fees for doctors or pharmacies and also hotel lodging for patients.

The greatest demand is usually for dental services, plastic surgery, and bariatric operations (such as a bypass for weight loss).

The pandemic significantly impacted medical tourism in the first months of the year, but in recent weeks surgical interventions and hospital services that don't have to do with COVID-19 have begun to increase, according to the Baja California Medical Cluster located in Tijuana.

Medical personnel wear personal protective equipment and there are new protocols for American medical tourists.

At least 10 days before a scheduled consultation or surgery, patients must undergo a PCR-type coronavirus test, and when they arrive in Tijuana they are sometimes also given a rapid antibody test to rule out infections, according to Ricardo Vega, president of the Baja Health Cluster, who was interviewed in the newspaper El Sol de Tijuana.

"What is reviving the economy comes from health tourism," he said. "Hotels, restaurants, pharmacies, laboratories, are also being reactivated by health tourism."

Seeking help in Texas

Elvira Espino, who does not have health insurance and was infected with coronavirus shortly after her father died from the disease, told Noticias Telemundo that she normally goes to the Mexican side to buy medicines at a good price, but this time she found help on the U.S. side.

Telemundo and NBC News accompanied her to a clinic in McAllen, Texas, where free tests for COVID-19 are performed regardless of whether the person is insured or their immigration status.

That's what we are here for, to help. One of the biggest barriers we have is that many people are intimidated by seeing so much paperwork," said Marisol Resendez, executive director of the clinic, El Milagro, which means The Miracle. "We have people who help patients navigate this entire health system."

They have plans to put mobile units in remote parts of the Rio Grande Valley to serve communities where there are no hospitals.

Meanwhile, families like the Saenz and Espinos know that a possibility to access medical help when they cannot get it in the U.S. is 25 miles away, across the U.S. border.

This report is part of the new collaboration NBC News and Noticias Telemundo Report, which showcases both networks' stories in English and Spanish.

A previous version of this story was first published in Noticias Telemundo.

Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Luke Harding is a foreign correspondent for The Guardian, who was expelled from Russia in 2011 for a scandalous interview with disgraced oligarch Boris Berezovsky.

He is the author of the book "Mafia State" in which he argued that in Russia it is impossible to separate the government from the criminal world as organized crime and law enforcement agencies have become one entity. Harding was one of the journalists to whom Edward Snowden passed classified information from the U.S. National Security Agency. In 2011, Harding and David Leigh published a book entitled "WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy" about Julian Assange. The film "The Fifth Estate" was partly based on the materials of the book. Harding's book "The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World's Most Wanted Man" was published in 2014. It also served as the basis for the blockbuster film "Snowden." In his new book, "Shadow State," he writes that back in 2017-2018, representatives of Yevgeny Prigozhin's Internet Research Agency discussed the possibility of stoking racial tensions among African Americans. Tetiana Popova, a TV presenter of the Dom television channel, was talking to Harding.

Question: How is it to be a personal enemy of Putin? What were the methods for assessing Putin's wealth which you describe in your book "Mafia State"?

Answer: I guess it's a mixture of sort of personal experience and also having sources inside Russia plus people, who were part of the regime, who, when I was in Moscow, wouldn't talk to me. And then, of course, they all run away to London and then they will talk openly about what's going on.

I mean just to say briefly I was or I am a career foreign correspondent with The Guardian newspaper.

I arrived in Moscow, having previously worked in Berlin and in Delhi. And I thought that Russia was a sort of semi-democracy.

And it became pretty clear that it's not. That it's a corrupt and aggressive revisionist power run by ruthless people.

I found this out because there were a series of break-ins at our Moscow apartment which, we were told by the British embassy, were carried out by the FSB  Putin's spy agency.

Question: As far as I understand, you communicated personally with Assange and Snowden. Who are these people in communication, in life?

Answer: I never met Mr. Snowden because by the time Snowden went to Moscow I was already expelled from Russia. As far as I'm aware, you know I'm blacklisted and I can't actually travel to Moscow anymore.

I met Julian Assange in 2010 when he was working with a number of journalists, including from my newspaper, on the release of classified U.S diplomatic cables, which painted a pretty unflattering portrait of Russia and described Vladimir Putin as head of a mafia state. I worked with Julian on that and wrote a book about it. Subsequently, he fell out with The Guardian, but I have to say I do support his struggle to avoid being extradited to the United States which is going on at the moment. For what he did in 2010 which I think really was journalism rather than anything else.

Right that was a huge victory for Edward Snowden because if you remember back in 2013 the reason he decided to leak all of these secrets from the National Security Agency in America. And fly to Hong Kong where he met with my colleagues from The Guardian.

Question: A court in the United States declared illegal the surveillance of the special services uncovered by Snowden. Because collecting records of telephone conversations of U.S. citizens without the permission of the courts violates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. What do you think about the fate of Edward Snowden?

Answer: Snowden thought the U.S government was doing basically spying not only on American citizens, but on everybody including citizens of my country, of Ukraine and elsewhere. He thought this should not be done without a kind of proper conversation and what he has started at least is a discussion about the boundary between privacy in the 21st century and modern technology and the capacity for nation states to seize all of our communications, our emails, our phone data and so on.

I really think he is a great figure. He's paid a big price. I think he's stuck in Russia forever. People accuse him of being a Russian spy but I really don't think he is a Russian spy. I think he is a genuine whistleblower and we should all be grateful to it.

Question: Your professional activities and high-profile publications do not cause optimism among the leaders of a number of countries. In addition to the ban on entry to Russia, did you feel other elements of the attention of the special services, and how was this experience?

Answer: It's pretty clear that Kremlin doesn't like me very much and obviously I was case out of the country and I get pretty frequently attacked on social media by Russia's famous kind of troll army based in Petersburg. Also I have to say I'm not very popular in America, at least with the kind of Trump administration.

One of my sources from my books is Christopher Steele, a former MI6 British spy, who wrote the famous dossier, which said that the Russians had compromise on Donald Trump.

Therefore, I get regular abuse from Trump supporters who say that I'm fake, it's a hoax and so on.

It does not really bother me because I think actually that my kind of portrayal of Russia is a kind of dark state that wants to reshape the world it is right. And you know, of course, you get a little bit of abuse but I think it we carry on and it's important more than ever in a time when we have politicians all over the place who lie routinely.

Question: During our first conversation, you said that in the Western countries Russia used the methods of hybrid warfare, which were tested in Ukraine. Which instruments did you mean?

Answer: What I meant, Tetiana, was this mixture of force for military solutions with quite sort of sophisticated social media targeting. It's almost as if you know with one hand you are using tanks, heavy artillery, men who are sort of formally not associated with the Russian army but are clearly linked to Russian military structures. On the other hand, you have young cynical people sitting in a troll factory, pumping out anti-Ukraine messages, and it's a form of sabotage because it's a sort of war for physical territory.

We've seen Ukraine's borders changed by force in 2014 in the annexation of Crimea, but it's also a war for the mind, it's an attempt to create a kind of different reality in people's heads and to push narratives which have got nothing to do with truth.

This has really been perfected by the Kremlin in the near broad in Ukraine in particular and then it's been rolled out into western countries. I think most people only woke up to this after 2016 when Kremlin trolls massively played with the minds of American voters to try and discredit Hillary Clinton and to help Donald Trump.

Question: How can the Western world find a balance between the need to adequately respond to the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation and at the same time comply with the requirements for the observance of basic human rights?

Answer: It's a very good question and I think one thing that we have learned from people like Christopher Steele who wrote the Trump dossier and from others is that Russian spies are not like something from an old movie where they appear as these stiff figures wearing a military uniform with epaulets. They are oligarchs or regular people or businessmen or students or whatever. Who are clever, they read books, they love their children. But actually what they're doing is a form of espionage and they are kind of informal or formal Kremlin assets.

I think western society, including in my country, hasn't really understood this sufficiently. We had a big report recently published by the British parliament's intelligence and security committee it was called the "Russia report."

It essentially said that that London was Londongrad, had become a haven for money laundering for people from Moscow, not all of them bad but many of them linked to the Kremlin. That there was a whole network of British people lawyers, real estate people, PR people who had been hired by the Kremlin.

Essentially by Kremlin figures to advance Russia's geopolitical agenda and I think it's a sort of dangerous situation. Everybody is broken. Western countries need money and investment we have the coronavirus. At the same time, so much of this money that comes from Moscow is black money which comes with a political agenda.

Question: Active preparations are underway for the November G20 summit. The Russian Federation did everything (the poisoning of Navalny, the ongoing annexation of the Republic of Belarus, the ongoing occupation of Crimea and Donbas, Russia's interference in the internal affairs of Syria, Lebanon, Libya and dozens of other countries) so that international security issues would definitely be the focus of this meeting. What is your prediction: will the international community be able to find methods to stop Russia? What could they be?

Answer: I think two things, first of all, is to understand what's going on and how Putin and the people around him think. And essentially, you know, Vladimir Putin is not interested in win-win mutual solutions. He is a classic zero-sum thinker. He thinks that what is bad for Ukraine and the west is good for Russia and vice versa.

He has a kind of paranoid mentality - KGB mentality. Going back to the Cold War where he really sees Russia surrounded by enemies and in the state of permanent of unofficial war with western countries.

So, first of all, politicians need to understand that and, secondly, of course, no one wants conflict with Russia especially after what happened in Ukraine.

So the answer is sanctions! We have some sanctions already against Kremlin figures but they need to be bigger and broader and include family members, travel bans, freezes on bank accounts.

Because what do you have to understand about the Russian regime it is at home hyper patriotic, very nationalistic. You know "Crimea is ours" and so on. But in reality, the people at the top what they really care about is their money. They're billionaires and to lose their money, to lose access to western markets is very very painful.

Question: In your book "Shadow State" you write that back in 2017-2018, representatives of Prigozhin's Internet Research Agency discussed the possibility of provoking African Americans into interracial conflicts. Do you think it was expressed later in the Black Lives Matter Movement?

Answer: We have to be clear that Putin is not an all-knowing evil genius who sort of sits behind the desk, with a console of red flashing lights pushes a button, so that something will happen in Kyiv or in London, or in Washington and so on.

That's not right. He is a classic KGB opportunist whose attitude is "let's try it and see if it works." And what he does in the way the KGB used to do is to identify sniff out weaknesses in other societies, other people's countries and to try and exploit them.

So Putin doesn't start the fire but he's the person who kind of creeps out from the side and puts paraffin on the fire.

That's what we've seen in America with Black Lives Matter. These racial tensions exist regardless of Putin or not. But what he's been trying to do is to sort of create a state of almost cold civil war in America. Ethnic war, political war and so on. And to exacerbate those problems which are there already.

I have to say that Donald Trump has been an accomplice in this. Putin has been so successful that actually he can almost step out.

Question: In your latest book, you also point to the rather active influence of Russians in the Brexit campaign. Could you tell the audience what exactly was going on?

Answer: What you have to understand is that the same push that happened in America by Kremlin spies and social media trolls also happened in the United Kingdom, in my country, because Putin hates the European Union and supports Brexit.

Because he thinks it will damage Brussels, damage the EU and weaken Britain economically and politically. What we saw in 2016 was, first of all, a big huge social media campaign to push hot button issues like immigration from the EU, from Syria and so on. And to push pro-leave, pro-Brexit messages.

So there was social media but there was also classic espionage involving the Russian embassy in London. Even the Russian ambassador at the time, Alexander Yakovenko, who met with key figures from the Brexit campaign one of whom gave an enormous political donation of about almost nine million pounds. Yakovenko was offering this individual called Aaron Banks a gold deal opportunity. To invest in Siberia gold mines. Then a diamond deal and then another gold deal.

There was even a Russian spy at the leave victory party in the summer of 2016. What I find very depressing is the British government of Boris Johnson does not want to investigate what happened because they support Brexit. So for political reasons they are looking the other way if you like.

Question: Luke, you have been studying the methods of Russian influence for a long time. And perhaps you have recommendations on how to resist it. As you know, the ceasefire lasted for about 1.5 months in Ukraine. Several days ago, the head of the so-called "DPR" announced the planned shelling of Ukrainian positions. And the positions were shelled in several places. One soldier was killed and one was wounded. All this is happening against the background of local elections, where it is beneficial for the Russians to promote the pro-Russian party of Viktor Medvedchuk. How do you think the situation may develop further and how should Ukraine react to such Russian operations?

Answer: Ukraine has been on the front line and is on the front line. You know I've been to Donetsk and Luhansk. I was reporting for The Guardian from Ukraine in 2014 and saw everything happen there but also figuratively I mean Ukrainian struggle more than any other country from Russian interference. What Vladimir Putin is very good at is tearing the dial up and then turning it down depending on his strategic need. With elections coming up, of course, he wants to kind of interfere and undermine some candidates and to push other candidates that he prefers.

I think there are no easy solutions. The answer for Ukraine, which your viewers will perfectly understand, is reform that actually Ukraine needs to kind of reform itself it needs to have.

I mean it's not for me to kind of give advice but maybe to try and clean up corruption. To adopt kind of European standards of transparency. To ensure that the courts are fair, that you can't buy justice.

I think the more that actually Ukraine can move away from the kind of Russian model towards European model, the better it will be in the long term and the easier it will be for Ukraine to stand up to Russian abuse.

The other thing I would say is media. It's important that there's this good free fair impartial media in Ukraine which too often in the past has been run by and owned by oligarchs. So good media and good governance is the answer in my view.

Dom television channel

Photo credit: White Noise, Hameen Sanomat
As a rezoning plan remains under discussion for the Trenton City Council, two state lawmakers are weighing in on the issue before any final decision is made.

State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) and state Rep. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Twp.) recently sent a letter to Mayor Steven Rzeppa and the council to express their thoughts on the future use of land along the riverfront.

Residents have voiced their concerns with a plan to change the mix-use property to allow for it to be a heavy industrial intermodal shipping site in the area of the former McLouth Steel property.

According to the letter, the lawmakers have heard from numerous residents expressing concerns about the ordinance and the impact on the quality of life, public health and the environment it might have.

The council was urged to think creatively and imagine what can be possible for that area in particular.

Chang and Camilleri said they understand that there are no solidified plans for the former McLouth Steel site in particular, but believe given the location on the river and the existence of a rail line, they understand that the intended future use is likely to include some form of industrial transport.

We have heard time and time again from Trenton residents that the master plan adopted years ago intended for the riverfront to include more public access and recreational areas, the letter said. We understand that many residents feel that the rezoning ordinance and, in particular, the new industrial waterfront zoning designation, contradict the master plan. We believe that increasing public access and recreation along the riverfront would be ideal and support

these goals and we also understand the difficult realities that come with this particular piece of property.

Rzeppa acknowledged that the letter was received, but said it has not yet been discussed at a public meeting.

Nevertheless, he said much of what Chang and Camellari are requesting are things they are considering already.

He said issues such as traffic studies, trucking routes and the public health aspect are all things that have been and will continue to be part of their discussion.

No decision, according to the mayor, is expected to be made on the rezoning ordinance for perhaps a few weeks.

We are open to do whatever we can to maintain the quality of life for residents, Rzeppa said.

The letter stresses their request that the rezoning ordinance explore all options and allow some public access to the river or other non-industrial uses, even if only for some portion of the

areas targeted for industrial waterfront designation.

Overall, Chang and Camilleri said they support the calls from residents who want a brighter future for the waterfront and applaud their activism.

Nevertheless, if the council decides to move forward with the rezoning ordinance, the letter requests the following three related actions at the same time:

Truck routing: Amend the rezoning ordinance or pass a resolution for a regional, intergovernmental truck routing study that would include state, county, and multiple Downriver city governments working together. This truck routing study should include thorough and genuine community engagement processes, an analysis of anticipated truck volume on major roadways, and recommendations for changes to truck routes in order to best protect residents living nearest to these roadways. Other states have implemented regional truck routing studies and we should do the same. This truck routing study should be at least partially paid for by the owners of the McLouth Steel site.

Public health: Related to the truck study, the city should also consider working with residents and environmental and public health experts to develop recommendations for vegetative buffers, noise walls, and possibly, voluntary buy-outs or home insulation and air filtration upgrades for residents whose primary residences are located within 500 feet of the heaviest industrial truck traffic. Residents are urging more open green space along the riverfront. These recommendations should become part of a community benefits agreement with the current owners of the McLouth Steel site before any site plans or other related permits are approved by the city.

Green port policy: Pass a resolution and take all necessary steps toward Green Port policies and practices.

The Port of Long Beach in California is the first zero emissions port in the world and became a global model for other ports to follow. The port has reduced air pollution, restored water quality, protected wildlife habitats and utilized clean technologies, by implementing innovative programs like a clean trucks initiative, retrofitting of older ships, requiring vessel operators to slow their speed in the harbor to reduce emissions, and much more. Over time, the port banned certain older more polluting trucks from their terminals and now instead have newer, more environmentally friendly trucks. We are committed to working with the all levels of government and the owner of the McLouth Steel site to make this model a reality here in Michigan if a port is the ultimate outcome.

Rzeppa said the green port policy is a rather new concept to him that will require more study.

We will have to see what is possible for us there, the mayor said of the port policy. There is nothing outlandish about the three related actions. They are reasonable things.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday published the results of part two of the first national population-based sero survey to check the transmission of Covid-19 in the country.

The findings of the survey, conducted between May 11 and June 4 in 21 states, indicated that 0.73 per cent of adults in India were exposed to Covid-19 infection, amounting to 6.4 million infections in total by early May.

"The findings of the sero survey indicated a low prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population in India in early May 2020. As most of the population remains susceptible to infection, our public health strategy needs to plan for an inevitable increase in transmission," the sero-survey revealed.A A total of 30,283 households were visited and 28,000 individuals were enrolled in the survey, who were tested for IgG antibodies.

The seroprevalence ranged between 0.62 per cent and 1.03 per cent across the four strata of districts.

Population-based estimates of seroprevalence provide information about the state of the epidemic in the country.

"The findings of our survey indicated that the overall seroprevalence in India was low, with less than 1 per cent of the adult population exposed to SARS-CoV-2 by mid May 2020," ICMR stated.

The low prevalence observed in most districts indicates that India is in early phase of the epidemic and the majority of the Indian population is still susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, it added.

"It is therefore necessary to continue to implement the context-specific containment measures including testing of all symptomaties, isolating positive cases and tracing high-risk contacts to slow transmission and to prevent the overburdening of the health system," ICMR said.

The survey also found out that for every RT-PCR confirmed case of Covid-19, there were 82-130 infections in India. The high infection to case ratio in India could be on account of the prioritisation of testing among symptomatics or the variability in testing rates across the states.

It further stated that the seropositivity was highest in the age-group of 18-45 years at 43.3 per cent, followed by those between 46 and 60 years (39.5 per cent) and the lowest seropositivity was detected in those aged above 60 years (17.2 per cent).

The findings pointed out that the seropositivity was highest at 69.4 per cent in the rural areas, while in the urban slums it was 15.9 per cent and in urban non-slums, it was 14.6 per cent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) urged governments to begin careful planning with industry stakeholders to ensure full preparedness when vaccines for Covid-19 are approved and available for distribution.

The association also warned of potentially severe capacity constraints in transporting vaccines by air.

PREPAREDNESS

Air cargo plays a key role in the distribution of vaccines in normal times through well-established global time- and temperature-sensitive distribution systems.

This capability will be crucial to the quick and efficient transport and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines when they are available, and it will not happen without careful planning, led by governments and supported by industry stakeholders.

Safely delivering Covid-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry. But it wont happen without careful advance planning. And the time for that is now. We urge governments to take the lead in facilitating cooperation across the logistics chain so that the facilities, security arrangements and border processes are ready for the mammoth and complex task ahead, said Iatas Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.

Delivering billions of doses of vaccine to the entire world efficiently will involve hugely complex logistical and programmatic obstacles all the way along the supply chain. We look forward to working together with government, vaccine manufacturers and logistical partners to ensure an efficient global roll-out of a safe and affordable Covid-19 vaccine, said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Facilities: Vaccines must be handled and transported in line with international regulatory requirements, at controlled temperatures and without delay to ensure the quality of the product. While there are still many unknowns (number of doses, temperature sensitivities, manufacturing locations, etc.), it is clear that the scale of activity will be vast, that cold chain facilities will be required and that delivery to every corner of the planet will be needed. Priorities for preparing facilities for this distribution include:

*Availability of temperature-controlled facilities and equipment - maximising the use or re-purposing of existing infrastructure and minimising temporary builds;

*Availability of staff trained to handle time- and temperature-sensitive vaccines;

*Robust monitoring capabilities to ensure the integrity of the vaccines is maintained;

Security: Vaccines will be highly valuable commodities. Arrangements must be in place to keep ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and theft. Processes are in place to keep cargo shipments secure, but the potential volume of vaccine shipments will need early planning to ensure that they are scalable.

Border Processes: Working effectively with health and customs authorities will, therefore, be essential to ensure timely regulatory approvals, adequate security measures, appropriate handling and customs clearance. This could be a particular challenge given that, as part of Covid-19 prevention measures, many governments have put in place measures that increase processing times. Priorities for border processes include:

*Introducing fast-track procedures for overflight and landing permits for operations carrying the Covid-19 vaccine;

*Exempting flight crew members from quarantine requirements to ensure cargo supply chains are maintained;

*Supporting temporary traffic rights for operations carrying the Covid-19 vaccines where restrictions may apply;

*Removing operating hour curfews for flights carrying the vaccine to facilitate the most flexible global network operations;

*Granting priority on arrival of those vital shipments to prevent possible temperature excursions due to delays; and

*Considering tariff relief to facilitate the movement of the vaccine.

CAPACITY

On top of the transport preparations and coordination needed, governments must also consider the current diminished cargo capacity of the global air transport industry.

Iata warned that, with the severe downturn in passenger traffic, airlines have downsized networks and put many aircraft into remote long-term storage. The global route network has been reduced dramatically from the pre-Covid 24,000 city pairs.

The Who, Unicef and Gavi have already reported severe difficulties in maintaining their planned vaccine programmes during the Covid-19 crisis due, in part, to limited air connectivity.

The whole world is eagerly awaiting a safe Covid vaccine. It is incumbent on all of us to make sure that all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to the initial doses when they are available. As the lead agency for the procurement and supply of the Covid vaccine on behalf of the Covax Facility, Unicef will be leading what could possibly be the worlds largest and fastest operation ever. The role of airlines and international transport companies will be critical to this endeavour, said Henrietta Fore, Unicef Executive Director.

The potential size of the delivery is enormous. Just providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 747 cargo aircraft. Land transport will help, especially in developed economies with local manufacturing capacity. But vaccines cannot be delivered globally without the significant use air cargo.

Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge ever. In planning their vaccine programmes, particularly in the developing world, governments must take very careful consideration of the limited air cargo capacity that is available at the moment. If borders remain closed, travel curtailed, fleets grounded and employees furloughed, the capacity to deliver life-saving vaccines will be very much compromised, said de Juniac. -- Tradearabia News Service
ATLANTA, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Joe Beverly announced today the founding of a new virtual startup incubator, The Cranium Incubator, whose purpose is to help underrepresented founders receive business knowledge crucial to help start and grow their businesses and to receive mentoring and exposure to investors.

"I founded The Cranium Incubator because I have a strong desire to help underrepresented entrepreneurs be prepared to fund and grow their business ideas. We have developed sessions which cover all the major topics needed to start, fund and run a business," said Beverly who is an entrepreneur and has been investing in startup businesses since 2013.

The 12-week program includes fourteen 1.5-hour sessions taught by Joe Beverly and other subject matter experts, question and answer sessions to review information, mentoring sessions and exposure to potential investors. Topics will include strategy, market and customer discovery, steps required to set up a business, unit economics, accounting, how to present to investors, financing, business operations and management, sales, marketing and others. Ten partial or full scholarships will be given based on entrepreneur potential and need. The deadline for applications is 9/28/2020 at 5:00 PM.

About Joe Beverly

Joe Beverly graduated summa cum laude from UGA with a BBA in International Business. After being a successful business owner since 1984 and being an angel investor for over seven years who has made more than 15 angel investments, he understands there is a void in the startup ecosystem as it relates to helping underrepresented entrepreneurs. The Cranium Incubator is intended to fill that void.

For entrepreneurs interested in becoming a member of The Cranium Incubator, a "Brainiac" as we like to call them, please visit the website at www.cranium-incubator.com or contact us via email at [email protected] to learn more about scholarships, curriculum and registration.

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SOURCE The Cranium Incubator
Joe Exotic, the subject of Netflixs Tiger King, has asked Donald Trump for a pardon in a letter, in which he pleads with the president to be my hero.

Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was sentenced in January this year to 22 years in prison. A jury convicted him of two counts of murder-for-hire, eight counts of violating the Lacey Act for falsifying wildlife records, and nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act.

According to a letter shared on Wednesday by CBS News, Maldonado-Passage urges the president to grant me a miracle by way of a pardon.

If I have ever looked up to anyone it would be you, the missive begins. Not because I need you to save my life but because you stand for what you believe no matter what anyone thinks.

The letter states that Maldonado-Passage, who briefly ran for president in 2016  the same year as Trump  ended up voting for the current president.

I grew up having faith in our system until I became trapped in it, I see what they do to you and cant believe it, the missive adds.

It ends with the following plea: Allow me to make you proud, to make America proud, to make the world proud. Be my hero please.

When previously asked about the case, Trump has said hed be willing to take a look into it. However, the president also stated that he knew nothing about the situation at the time.
A small village has been left divided by the local lockdown in Caerphilly after half the community was forced into heavy restrictions while those on the other side of the river continued with their daily lives.

The River Ebbw marks a dividing line in the village of Aberbeeg, with residents on one side living in Blaenau Gwent and the other side in Caerphilly.

It's left most feeling uncertain and confused as they rearrange their businesses and social lives around the new coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Tougher measures were brought into Caerphilly at 6pm on Tuesday.

It came after a huge spike in coronavirus infections in the area - sandwiched between Glamorgan and Monmouthshire - with 133 new cases in the last week.

The River Ebbw marks a dividing line in the village of Aberbeeg (pictured), as on one side residents live in Blaenau Gwent and the other side in Caerphilly

Health minister Vaughan Gething said Caerphilly County Borough will be locked down until October 'at the very least'.

It means the more than 180,000 residents who live in the former medieval kingdom will be cut off from the rest of the country for weeks and potentially months.

Childminder Clare Wilkinson runs her business Bobl Bach Clare from her home on Pendarren Road in Aberbeeg.

She lives in the borough of Blaenau Gwent, so has not been put into lockdown, but is on the border with the Caerphilly and faces the uncertainty of caring for many children who are under increased restrictions.

For the last few days she has been desperately seeking clarification about whether she is able to carry on as normal and accept her clients from over the border.

The River Ebbw (seen in red) marks a dividing line between those in lockdown and those who are still free to move around as the rest of the country does

Childminder Clare Wilkinson (pictured) runs her business Bobl Bach Clare from her home on Pendarren Road in Aberbeeg

She said: 'There's very little guidance, I've had no-one to call to ask questions. It's quite a scary time for me.

'It already has had an impact on me to the point where some parents are no longer employed and no longer need childcare. Some have sought support from friends and family.'

It's not just her business that was affected - two of her three children get a bus from Caerphilly to go to high school 16 miles away in Crickhowell in the county of Powys.

Ms Wilkinson, who now spends one day each week deep cleaning, said: 'I had parents to get through to on Monday to work out whether they were still happy for their children to attend the setting.

'A lot of children live in Blaenau Gwent and obviously my house is situated on the border of Caerphilly.

'I am doing school runs across the different schools at six different times so my school run this morning took me an hour and a half.'

Next door to Ms Wilkinson, 78-year-old grandfather Glyn Elsey is spending his retirement working on a detailed model ship - after he was once again banned from visiting his family.

Living metres from the boundary, he can't visit areas of the village only minutes away without a reasonable excuse.

As of 6pm on Tuesday residents were told they would have to wear a face mask inside shops and can't visit other households.

Next door to Ms Wilkinson, 78-year-old grandfather Glyn Elsey (pictured) is spending his retirement working on a detailed model ship - after he was once again banned from visiting his family

Mr Elsey said: 'My youngest daughter had a child on February 29 and we have had to stop visiting her. We didn't see the child for three-and-a-half months and now we have gone to see her two or three times.'

He also won't see his son who works in the Royal Navy because the village has been locked down.

And his church in Abertillery is now off-limits, making it impossible to go to an up-coming funeral there.

For Mr Elsey the lockdown announcement on Monday came as little surprise after what he described as a lack of social distancing in shops, roads and on the news.

It means that while he has been busy arranging for scaffolding to be put up at the back of his house, his builder from Blaenau Gwent can't come and start the job modifying part of the chimney.

He added: 'You have to walk around people in the road sometimes but they don't seem to be bothered with it. That's not only young people, it's older people too.'

At the end of Pendarren Road, Bryn Jenkins, 69, was clearing his hedge cuttings on his own after his helper was banned from travelling over from Cwmcarn.

Mr Jenkins said: 'The lockdown has impacted me immediately. The help I was expecting this morning to cut my hedge couldn't come from over the border so I've had to carry on on my own. It's fair enough but it's nice to have help.'

At the end of Pendarren Road, Bryn Jenkins (pictured), 69, was clearing his hedge cuttings on his own after his helper was banned from travelling over from Cwmcarn

Bryn said he and his wife, who is disabled, have remained at home over lockdown and have food delivered to the house.

His life, and the area he walks in, all revolves around the Caerphilly side of Aberbeeg, he said.

'If people are being sensible now then that's good to hear. People stopped being cautious, got comfortable and a bit lackadaisical with it, hence we have got a second lockdown.

'People have got to start to realise this is a plague, it's a brutal virus that leaves people in a shocking state.'

Despite being split down the middle, it's not just Aberbeeg thrown into a difficult situation with the new rules.

Two miles down the A467 to Llanhilleth, and businesses are suffering too despite being in the borough of Blaenau Gwent.

In between deliveries, Gareth Short, of Short's Butchers, said: 'Business was really good but now lockdown has lifted it's gone quiet.

'I've got customers out of the borough, out of Blaenau Gwent, I just don't know what's going to happen. They come from Newbridge, Oakdale, Trinant, Risca.

Two miles down the A467 to Llanhilleth, and businesses are suffering too despite being in the borough of Blaenau Gwent

'I take orders to people, to customers, but this week I've not had an order at all. It's knocked a lot of people, this Covid.'

Next door Mr Short's nephew Ashley Trow runs his salon The Hair Lounge.

Like many of his clients he lives across the borough in Cwmfelinfach but travels to Blaenau Gwent for work.

It's his biggest fear that local lockdown may see stricter measures imposed, stopping him from commuting across.

Ashley said: 'We have been shut for six, seven months so it has had a massive financial impact on everyone so we need to make sure everything stays the same.

'I have got a lot of people from Caerphilly that do come to the business so lockdown would probably financially impact us.

'As I've said on social media and emails sent to Caerphilly residents, if you have got an appointment that needs to be rescheduled in October we will try to sort it out.

'I live in Caerphilly so I just need to be extra careful about what I do and who I speak to. I don't want it to be a lockdown permanently where they say you can't go to work properly and I'd have to shut.'

In between deliveries, Gareth Short (pictured), of Short's Butchers, said: 'Business was really good but now lockdown has lifted it's gone quiet'

Speaking about the previous lockdown, Ashely said government grants were useful but didn't go the whole way.

He said: 'Bills still had to be paid, I went to work in Asda in Blackwood doing to keep the business ticking over otherwise I didn't know where we would be.'

The health minister Mr Gething told BBC Radio Wales the Covid rate is 'expected to rise' after community testing on Saturday showed a positivity rate of 4 per cent.

He said: 'Even a week ago, we comfortably had the lowest rate of coronavirus of any of the UK nations.

'We're now in a position, a week later, where we've seen a significant spike in activity.

'That shows that coronavirus, over the course of a couple of weeks, can build up very quickly.

'If we don't address the issue in Caerphilly, we'll see wider community transmission within the Caerphilly area, but that will spread to other areas as well.

'The reasons for the local lockdown are a spike in transmission that, if left unaddressed, will go out of control.

Mr Short's nephew Ashley Trow (pictured) runs his salon The Hair Lounge. Like many of his clients he lives across the borough in Cwmfelinfach but travels to Blaenau Gwent for work

'We'll see more people get it, we'll see more people go into hospitals, being seriously unwell, and it will then have national consequences.'

Mr Gething said a 'significant cause' of the virus spreading was a lack of social distancing, with people socialising in each other's households in larger numbers.

He told the BBC pubs and bars would remain open in the Caerphilly area, as significant transmission is not taking place there.

The lockdown measures, which are being enforced by the local authority and police, will be reviewed every couple of weeks.

Mr Gething said: 'But the evidence and advice that I've had from our scientific and medical advisers is that we're unlikely to see a significant change until two to three weeks, to see the impact these measures are having.

'So we're in it for several weeks, at least in Caerphilly.'

Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire in the west of Scotland saw new restrictions imposed, with a similar clampdown for Caerphilly county in south Wales on Tuesday at 6pm

Asked if that meant the local lockdown would remain in the area until October, Mr Gething replied: 'Yes, at the very least - I can't overstate the seriousness of the position that we're in.'

Community testing was introduced in Caerphilly over the weekend, with 450 people tested on Saturday. Of these, 19 had the virus.

A similar number of people were tested on Sunday, with results expected shortly.

Travel restrictions included in the lockdown mean people cannot enter or leave Caerphilly County Borough Council area without a 'reasonable excuse'.

Excuses might include work, making a compassionate visit to a loved one or to provide care.

Residents descended on the high street and filled car parks and shops during an 11th-hour dash to get goods before the new restrictions at 6pm on Tuesday

People will only be allowed to meet others outdoors, with indoor meetings and gatherings restricted.

Caerphilly Council has already introduced measures such as suspending care home visits, and introducing weekly testing for care home staff, in response to the increase in cases.

On Monday, Public Health Wales reported the highest number of positive Covid-19 cases in months.

It said that a further 133 people had tested positive for coronavirus, representing the highest daily figure since June 27, when 140 cases were reported.

There were no further deaths in people with coronavirus, with the total in Wales since the beginning of the pandemic remaining at 1,597.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething (pictured) told BBC Radio Wales the rate is 'expected to rise' after community testing in the area on Saturday showed a positivity rate of 4 per cent

Numerous schools have been affected by coronavirus since the start of the autumn term, including one class of 21 pupils at a primary school in the Caerphilly area being told to self-isolate for 14 days.

Professor Van-Tam said the public had 'relaxed too much' over the summer and described the rising number of cases as of 'great concern'.

There were a further 2,948 lab-confirmed cases of the virus in the UK as of 9am on Monday, following the 2,988 reported on Sunday - the largest daily figure since May.

In an interview with journalists, Prof Van-Tam said: 'This is a big change. It's now consistent over two days and it's of great concern at this point.

'We've been able to relax a bit over the summer, the disease levels have been really quite low in the UK through the summer but these latest figures really show us that much as people might like to say 'oh well it's gone away' - this hasn't gone away.

There have been 133 new Covid-19 cases in Caerphilly county borough over the past seven days, equivalent to a rate of 55.4 cases per 100,000 population

'And if we're not careful, if we don't take this incredibly seriously from this point in we're going to have a bumpy ride over the next few months.'

He said that the rise is 'much more marked' in the 17-21 age group, but noted there is a 'more general and creeping geographic trend' across the UK.

'People have relaxed too much,' Prof Van-Tam said. 'Now is the time for us to re-engage and realise that this is a continuing threat to us.'

He urged politicians and public health officials to think how to manage the crisis not in the short term but through 'the next six months and how we get through this until the spring'.

The professor added it was 'clear' that the level of compliance with restrictions 'is very variable indeed'.
Long before he declared a national emergency over the spread of the coronavirus in March, President Donald Trump said in a taped interview with journalist Bob Woodward that he knew the virus was airborne, highly contagious and far deadlier than the flu.

After hed declared a national emergency March 13, Trump said he was downplaying a virus that has now killed 190,000 Americans.

I always wanted to play it down, Trump told Woodward in a March 19 interview, according to CNN. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

Trump Interviewed 18 Times By Watergate Vet: This is deadly stuff, Trump said of COVID-19 in a Feb. 7 interview with Woodward.

You just breathe the air and thats how its passed. And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.

The quote comes from Woodwards upcoming book Rage, the contents of which CNN and others reported on Wednesday.

With fellow Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein, Woodward famously cracked open the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, which led to President Richard Nixons resignation.

Woodward's 'Rage': Woodward faced some criticism Wednesday over keeping the revelations in Rage under wraps until now. The book is set for release Sept. 15.

Woodward interviewed Trump 18 times between Dec. 5, 2019, and July 21 of this year and recorded the interviews with Trumps permission, according to CNN.

I just asked a very close friend of @POTUS why on earth would he give NUMEROUS interviews to @realBobWoodward who didnt write such nice things about him the last time. Answer: Donald thinks he can pick up any girl, and convince any guy about anything  Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) September 9, 2020

Biden Says Trump Betrayed America: Trumps acknowledgment of the true nature of the coronavirus to Woodward early in the pandemic stands at odds with his public statements, which have included assurances that COVID-19 was going to disappear and that it would all work out fine.

Story continues

Trump has not worn a mask in public with few exceptions, pressured states to reopen their economies from public health lockdowns and held large, in-person rallies during the pandemic.

On Wednesday, Trump called Woodwards book a political hit job, adding: I dont want to create panic.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, speaking at a campaign event in Warren, Michigan, said Trump failed to do his job  on purpose. It was a life-and-death betrayal of the American people.

Trumps actions are beyond despicable, he said. Its a dereliction of duty.

Related Links:

Why AstraZeneca's Coronavirus Trial Halt May Not Be As Bad As It Sounds

3 ETFs For Biden's Infrastructure Ambitions

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on Sept. 3. White House photo by Tia Dufour.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Yet, they are under investing in disruptive technologies compared to their U.S. peers, finds the Enterprise reboot report which explores both the investment and progress in adopting 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, edge computing, hybrid and/or multi-cloud, process automation, and smart analytics.

U.S. companies currently spend on average US$17 million per technology  30 per cent more than what Canadians spend  underscoring the importance they place on the agility and competitive edge that disruptive technologies can deliver to the organization.

"We're starting to see a sea-change in how the C-suite views technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over four in five Canadian CEOs now prioritizing technology investments," says Stephanie Terrill, business unit leader, management consulting, KPMG in Canada. "Canadian CEOs recognize they need to make the right investments to help them build resilience and emerge stronger from this crisis."

KPMG's recent Global CEO Outlook found that 84 per cent of Canadian CEOs are now prioritizing their technology investments to meet growth and transformation objectives, and the vast majority (92 per cent) say COVID-19 has accelerated the digitization of their operations.

The Enterprise reboot report notes that CTOs in Canada say that the main barriers for investing in emerging technologies are fear the technology won't work, challenges in changing the organizational culture, and the lack of talent or skillset in implementing the technology to achieve business outcomes.

The report also finds that Canadian and American companies differ in their digital transformation objectives. Canadians cited "cost reduction" and "improving decision making" as their top reasons for investing in emerging technologies. By contrast, their U.S. counterparts identified "future survival" and "business model transformation" for investing in emerging technologies. On both sides of the border, "improving brand value" was a common goal.

Six in 10 (63 per cent) technology executives in Canada believe that the combined use of emerging technologies is much more beneficial than using any of these technologies in isolation. But, that's significantly below the 75 per cent of U.S. respondents who see a benefit in the power of multiple technologies.

Cloud on the rise

The report also finds that hybrid or multi-cloud, which refers to the use of both private and public cloud services, will become the predominant app, data, and computing infrastructure over the next five years. Six in 10 (61 per cent) respondents in Canada hold this view, compared to 70 per cent in the U.S.

And, more than half (56 per cent) of respondents in the U.S., U.K., and Germany called cloud migration "an absolute necessity" due to COVID-19, underscoring the growing importance of cloud transformation.

"The shift to working from home and dealing with customers online is motivating companies to embrace cloud solutions," says Amardeep Johar, partner and head of KPMG in Canada's cloud-based Powered Enterprise team. "The cloud helps organizations to be more agile in response to their customer needs, scale quickly to meet market demand, and operate more securely."

Indeed, more than half (55 per cent) of Canadian technology executives say they are already seeing tangible value to the business from their hybrid cloud and/or multi-cloud investments.

The research also points out that for Canadian companies, one of the most-important advantages for deploying the cloud is so-called "containerization" in which software code is packaged or encapsulated into a "container" that is separate and portable from the host operating system and can run uniformly and consistently across any platform or cloud, free of issues.

About the Enterprise reboot survey

Between March and June, KPMG International and HFS Research surveyed 900 technology executives at enterprises with more than US$1 billion in annual revenue across nine countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S. In Canada, 48 technology executives were surveyed in March and April during the COVID-19 economic lockdown. Survey data was supplemented by qualitative interviews with enterprise leaders who oversee the investment and adoption of these emerging technologies in their organization.

ABOUT KPMG IN CANADA

KPMG LLP, an Audit, Tax and Advisory firm (home.kpmg.ca) is a limited liability partnership, established under the laws of Ontario, and the Canadian member firm of KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"). KPMG has more than 7,000 professionals/employees in over 40 locations across Canada serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently recognized as an employer of choice and one of the best places to work in the country.

The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

SOURCE KPMG LLP

For further information: Caroline Van Hasselt, National Communications & Media Relations, KPMG in Canada, (416) 777-3288, [email protected]
LONDON - Instead of closing in on a future trade deal, the European Union and Britain fought bitterly Thursday over a planned British law that the EU says would constitute a serious violation of the Brexit divorce agreement and destroy what little trust remains between the two sides.

The 27-nation bloc said Britain must withdraw the planned law dealing with Northern Ireland trade by the end of the month or face a legal battle even before the transition period following Britains EU departure ends on Dec. 31.

By putting forward this bill, the U.K. has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the U.K.. It is now up to the U.K. government to reestablish that trust, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said, using language that, by the EUs diplomatic standards, was furious.

He spoke after meeting Britains chief Brexit minister, Michael Gove, at a hastily arranged meeting in London.

Less than a year ago the two sides signed and ratified a withdrawal agreement that Britain now acknowledges it will violate with its Internal Market Bill, which would diminish the EUs oversight of trade between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland. Thats a sensitive issue because Northern Ireland has the U.Ks only land border with an EU member state, Ireland.

If the bill were to be adopted, it would constitute an extremely serious violation of the Withdrawal Agreement and of international law, Sefcovic said.

He said that if Britain didnt change course by the end of September, the Withdrawal Agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text  which the European Union will not be shy in using.

The British government announced this week that it plans to legislate to give itself the power to deviate from some of the provisions in the agreement about Northern Ireland trade.

The U.K. has acknowledged that the proposed legislation breaks international law in a very specific and limited way. But it argues that it is acting legally under British law because according to the fundamental principle of Parliamentary sovereignty  treaty obligations only become binding to the extent that they are enshrined in domestic legislation.

Britain and the EU have jointly promised in the Brexit divorce agreement to ensure there are no customs posts and other obstacles on the Northern Ireland-Ireland border.

An open border underpins the peace agreement that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland. Any hardening of the border could anger nationalists who want a united Ireland. But any new barriers to trade across the Irish Sea would rile Unionists who want Northern Ireland to stay British.

Both Britain and the EU claim to be acting to preserve peace.

Britain says its law is intended to ensure there are no barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. in the event that there is no deal with the EU. On Thursday, it said it would try to push the bill into law quickly, scheduling it for debate in Parliament starting Monday.

Gove said Britain could not and would not withdraw the bill.

This legislation is critical to ensuring there is unfettered access for goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the United Kingdom, he said.

Sefcovic said the EU does not accept the argument that the aim of the draft Bill is to protect Northern Irelands peace agreement.

In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite, he said.

The EU has an ally in Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. She said Britain would have no chance of striking a coveted trade deal with the United States if it breached an international treaty and undermined Northern Irelands peace accord

How can they walk away from an international agreement? How do you trust that? Pelosi said at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Thursday.

What were they thinking? Pelosi said. Theyre not thinking of the U.K.-U.S. bilateral trade agreements.

Many British politicians and lawyers have also expressed alarm, saying that reneging on a legally binding international commitment would trash Britains reputation for upholding law and order.

The top civil servant in the governments legal department resigned this week, reportedly because of opposition to the proposed law.

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard, a supporter of Brexit, said the government was damaging our reputation for probity and respect for the rule of the law.

How can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards, when we are showing such scant regard for our treaty obligations? he said in Parliament.

Britain left the political structures of the EU on Jan. 31 and will make an economic break when an 11-month transition period ends on Dec. 31. The two sides are trying to strike a new trade deal by then, but talks have bogged down over issues including fishing rights in U.K. waters and fair-competition rules for businesses.

The two sides chief negotiators, David Frost and Michel Barnier, are due to end their latest round of negotiations on Thursday. Both sides say that unless there is an agreement by next month, Britain is facing an economically disruptive no-deal exit on Jan. 1.

___

Casert reported from Brussels. Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.
Myanmar soldiers videotaped confessions that they committed atrocities against Rohingya Muslims during army sweeps of their villages in 2017 are not true, an army spokesman said Wednesday, dismissing the admissions recorded by the rebel Arakan Army (AA) as coerced.

Privates Myo Win Tun and Zaw Naing Tun confessed in video interviews to killing villagers during operations three years ago in Rohingya communities in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, after they deserted the government army and contacted the AA for assistance.

The AA, which has been fighting a 21-month-long war with Myanmar forces in Rakhine state, recorded their confessions that they took part in violence  which included torture, mass rape, indiscriminate killings and arson  targeting Rohingya communities in northern Rakhine state.

The recordings were obtained and analyzed by the Southeast Asian group Fortify Rights, while the two privates are now in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands.

Myanmar military spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said officials have reviewed the AAs videos recorded when the two privates were captured and detained by rebel troops, and concluded that their statements are false.

There is the possibility that they were giving the testimonies as they were taught out of fear of being killed by enemy troops, he told Radio Free Asia (RFA), a sister entity of BenarNews. This is very common in armed conflicts.

We also have investigated the confessions from the AAs videos, so we can briefly confirm that what they have stated in them is not true, he added.

RFA has not seen the video interviews and has been unable to independently verify the soldiers accounts.

Rights activist Nickey Diamond from Fortify Rights told RFA on Tuesday that the confessions by Myo Win Tun and Zaw Naing Tun match records, reports, and testimony from survivors and witnesses to specific atrocities.

After all examinations, we have concluded that the confessions of these two soldiers are credible, so we released the statement, he said.

In mid-August, the two former soldiers turned up on the Bangladesh border and asked Bangladeshi authorities for protection, Fortify Rights said.

As a state party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, Dhaka notified the tribunal of the presence of the two men.

The international court in November 2019 authorized an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity perpetrated by Myanmar soldiers against the Rohingya.

Myanmar demands soldiers return

AA spokesman Khine Thukha told RFA that the two soldiers were not detained by the rebel force, which safeguarded them.

He also said the AA has cooperated with the international community to ensure justice and has transferred evidence regarding mass killings committed by the Myanmar military to credible international organizations.

The two privates were in battalions that were active in northern Rakhine state during military-led clearance operations against Rohingya civilians in 2016 and 2017, during which thousands were killed and about 840,000 others fled to neighboring Bangladesh where they live in massive displacement camps.

Myanmar  which also faces genocide-related charges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the U.N.s top court  last year defended the militarys actions against the Rohingya, saying it occurred during operations to sweep northern Rakhine of Muslim insurgents who had attacked police.

Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun urged the international community to return the pair to Myanmar so authorities can investigate and prosecute them there.

Both the military and the government have announced ongoing inquiries and investigations regarding conflicts in Rakhine state, so these privates can give their testimonies in Myanmar, he said. These two privates should be transferred to Myanmars government.

ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah referred questions about the investigation to the Office of the Prosecutor.

In order to do that, you need to write them an email, he said.

RFA repeatedly called and sent emails to the office, but did not received a response before publication.

Domestic investigations

The military is proceeding with its investigations according to the recommendations in the report of the Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) that the Myanmar government set up to probe a military-led crackdown on the Rohingya in 2017, Zaw Min Tun said.

We are focusing on the areas outlined in the ICOE report, he said. Since we have started the court of inquiry, we have widely invited the submission of evidence and witness testimony.

RFA could not reach government spokesman Zaw Htay for comment.

Monywa Aung Shin, spokesman for the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party, said it is too early to reach a conclusion on the two privates.

We need to assess why they went there, how they got there, and what kind of pressures they are being subjected to, he told RFA. Instead of assuming everything they said is right, we need to check the conditions they are in.

Thein Tun Oo from the pro-military think tank Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies said people should remember that the government has declared the AA a terrorist organization when assessing the soldiers confessions.

We should argue to what extent we can trust the testimonies of deserters who have sought refuge with a terrorist organization, he said, noting that the confessions have yet to be independently confirmed.

I think these are just plots to try to pressure Myanmar authorities, he said.

Muslim-majority Bangladesh, the soldiers conduit to the ICC, may have cultivated close relationships with insurgent groups including the AA and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a militant group whose attacks on police outposts triggered the 2017 crackdown, Thein Tun Oo added.

Muslim leader Aye Lwin, who was a member of a commission headed by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan that called for an end to restrictions on the Rohingya minority to prevent further violence in Rakhine state, said ICC judges should determine whether the video can be admitted as evidence.

It is best if the judges decide whether their testimonies are admissible, he told RFA. There are judges who have worked on similar cases and war crimes. There are standards for admitting or dismissing witness testimony.

So far, Myanmars armed forces have conducted only two rare courts-martial of officers and other soldiers accused of committing grave rights abuses during the 2017 crackdown on the Rohingya.

In one case, four officers and three soldiers were each sentenced in March 2018 to 10 years in prison for killing a group of Rohingya men and boys in Inn Din village in a massacre revealed by Reuters news agency. But in November of that year, Myanmars military commander-in-chief pardoned and freed them.
The 2018 Gubernatorial election in Georgia was a mess, in which then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp allegedly used his position to aggressively purge voter rolls in order make sure he "defeated" Democratic candidate Stacy Abrams, a Black woman who was hailed at the time as being "unapologetically progressive." The Georgia GOP's tactics were not only egregious, they were also sloppy. But in the end, it didn't matter  they got what they wanted. Kemp "won" by 55,000 votes, and accused the Democrats of meddling or hacking or whatever other excuse he could come up with at the moment. The GOP was already in control of the state (and Kemp himself was already in a position of power within the state), so they could stonewall any effort to stop them from retaining power. Which is precisely what they did. And what they have continued to do.

Now, the ACLU has published a comprehensive new report that analyzes 7 years of voter meddling by the GOP in Georgia  and it's every bit as ugly as expected. From the Executive Summary:

In October 2019, the Georgia Secretary of State published a list of 313,243 citizens purged from the state's voter rolls on grounds they had moved from their registration address. [] We found 198,351 Georgia voters who supposedly moved from their registration addresses who, in fact, have not moved at all, and therefore were wrongly purged, a 63.3% error rate. Again, this is not a "sampling" of the list, but a detailed name-by-name review of the addresses of the citizens that the Secretary of State eliminated from the state's voter rolls. The conclusion is conservative, because the 63.3% error rate does not including the of tens of thousands of other citizens who have moved within their neighborhood, some within their buildings. (The National Voter Registration Act prohibits cancelling the registration of those who move within their voting jurisdiction.)

So at least 200,000 voters. And Kemp won by 55,000 votes. Convenient!

The Georgia GOP, of course, insists this was not a "purge" but simply "routine maintenance" on voting lists, something they've done since the passing of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. According to Georgia law  written by the GOP that's long controlled the state  a voter is deemed "inactive" if they haven't participated in an election or had contact with the board of elections in three years.

Just so we're clear: only about 25% of people across the country on average vote in primary elections, and a little more than half of the population votes in Presidential elections every 4 years. So unless you were part of that 25%, the Georgia GOP would actively try to deny your ability to vote.

In order to maintain the maximum plausible deniability, the GOP-controlled government would send out a "confirmation card" to "inactive voters," asking them to confirm their addresses before ultimately purging them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many don't fill these things out  likely, they just glance at the information, see that it's correct, and move on with their lives. And that's exactly what the GOP counted on. "This combination of non-voting and failure to return a postcard cannot be used if it is not 'reasonable' information," ACLU investigator Greg Palast told Hill Reporter. found in its investigation. "As the Georgia confirmation-by-postcard purge captures voters who did not move, Georgia's method is, on its face, unreasonable."

Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia, told CNN, "The real takeaway from this is the state of Georgia is using a methodology for maintaining its voter rolls that is both more expensive and less accurate than what industry would use to maintain a high-quality mailing list."

"More expensive and less accurate" is sadly indicative of many GOP governing practices. They insist "Private industry is the best!" then deliberately go out of their way to sabotage government, just like this.

Georgia Voter Poll Purge Errors [ACLU]

Georgia likely removed nearly 200k from voter rolls wrongfully, report says [Annie Grayer and Pamela Kirkland / CNN]

The Georgia ACLU Just Published Its Shocking Seven-Year Study of State Republicans' Unconstitutional Voter Disenfranchisement Scheme [Brandon Gage / Hill Reporter]

Image: Bill Smith / Flickr (CC 2.0)
The Dublin Simon Communitys review for 2019 found that its out-of-hours suicide prevention service averaged this amount of interventions per day as the wait time for its non-crisis counselling service has increased by 240 per cent over the past two years.

CEO Sam McGuinness has warned of the need to avert a health crisis amongst the homeless population as a consequence of health underfunding and increasing homelessness numbers.

Demand for treatment services to meet the critical health needs of our homeless population has grown throughout 2019 with further growth experienced this year due to the impact of Covid-19, Mr McGuinness said.

Within our own treatment services we are presently faced with an ongoing funding deficit of at least one million euros per year.

The charity provides services across Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and has reported major growth in demand for all health supports.

Wait times

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In 2019, Dublin Simon Community saw an 18 per cent increase on demand for homeless healthcare services and provided access to treatment to 1,281 people.

Its counselling service, Sure Steps Counselling, provided 2,850 hours of counselling in 2019, an increase of 17 per cent. Almost 20 per cent of these hours were crisis interventions for suicidality.

The charity says that more than half of emergency accommodation residents require mental health support while its healthcare provisions such as residential detox, addiction recovery and blood borne virus services are also in high demand, with an increase in wait times seen over the previous year.

It comes as the charity says health funding for homeless services has plummeted by 54 per cent per person since 2014 as it is not increasing in step with the growth in homelessness.

Estimated public health funding for people experiencing homelessness:

2014 29.9 million for 3,738 people 2019 36 million for 9,731 people

Since 2014, health spending in homeless services stagnated while homeless numbers accelerated. It is not even close to meeting the needs of the sector. What is now needed is the dedicated funding line and resources to deliver physical and mental health supports, as per the promise in the Programme for Government 2020, Mr McGuinness said.

The charity says the Covid-19 pandemic has also created new challenges for the physical and mental health of the homeless population, with many services and supports being moved online.

In 2019, the most prevalent primary reason for admission to our in-patient Step-Up-Step-Down Unit was a respiratory condition, this highlights the extreme vulnerability of our clients during the pandemic, Head of Treatment Services at the charity Majella Darcy said.

The charity resettled 2,435 people and prevented a further 1,016 people from entering homelessness in 2019.

Its annual review was launched today by Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu, who said the charitys vital role... in serving and safeguarding some of our citys most vulnerable people has never been more evident.
(Alliance News) - Rio Tinto PLC on Thursday said it has agreed a funding plan with Turquoise Hill Resources for the Oyu Tolgoi underground project in Mongolia.

Rio Tinto holds 51% stake in Turquoise Hill Resources.

The FTSE 100-listed miner said a memorandum of understanding reflects the parties' agreement that, subject to timing, availability and terms and conditions being acceptable to both parties.

The parties will seek to raise up to USD500 million in additional lending under the existing project financing arrangements from selected international financial institutions.

In addition, both companies will pursue re-profiling of principal debt repayments with lenders under the existing project finance arrangements to better align with the revised mine plan, project timing and cash flows.

Finally, Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill Resources acknowledged that any balance of the funding required for Oyu Tolgoi to achieve completion of the underground mine will need to be met by way of a Turquoise Hill Resources equity offering.

"We will continue working with Turquoise Hill Resources and the government of Mongolia to progress the underground project, which has the potential to unlock the most valuable part of the mine for the benefit of all stakeholders," said Rio Tinto Chief Executive Of Copper & Diamonds Arnaud Soirat.

Rio Tinto shares were trading 0.3% lower in London on Thursday at 4,776.00 pence each.

By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Two Koreans aboard a Ghanaian flagged tuna fishing vessel, the AP 703, were kidnapped while navigating 110 nautical miles south of Keta within Ghanas Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).



The incident, which occurred about 7:35 a.m. on August 28, 2020, saw the pirates abandoning the vessel and its remaining crew of Ghanaians in Togolese waters and left with their captives, made up of the captain of the vessel and the chief engineer.



Attack

A source told the Daily Graphic that the pirates, numbering about eight, accosted the vessel using a speed boat, hijacked and took control of it.



They then moved the vessel about 106 nautical miles across the border into the EEZ of Togo, where they took away the two Koreans, leaving the remaining crew of Ghanaians.



It said the Ghanaian crew retreated into Ghanaian waters, where officers of the Ghana Navy took over the vessel and sent it to the Tema Fishing Harbour.



Second incident



The incident is the second in three months after a similar one saw five Koreans and some Ghanaian crew members kidnapped aboard a Panofi Frontier vessel in Beninois waters on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, with the victims being released nearly three weeks ago.



Deployment





According to the source, the pirates were believed to have taken the two hostages to the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria.



The owners of the vessel, BSK Marine, and the Korean Embassy in Ghana are making frantic efforts to negotiate for the release of the two victims.



The Daily Graphic was told that there had been deployments within Beninois and Nigerian sea borders to facilitate the rescue of the victims.



The Navy has tasked all Forward Operations Bases to conduct coastal patrol to locate the pirates and the kidnapped crew, while another vessel has been dispatched to conduct a search with the Benin Navy ship along the Nigeria-Benin border, a wireless security message sighted by the Daily Graphic read.



The Crime Officer of the Marine Police Unit at the Tema Port, Superintendent Mr. Felix Asare, confirmed the incident and said the unit was working with other agencies and the Korean Embassy towards the safe release of the victims.



Concerns



The Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission, Mr. Michael Arthur Dadzie, described the incident as one of national security that ought to be taken seriously and addressed.



He told the Daily Graphic that the tuna sector produced some 70,000 tonnes per annum, generating in excess of $350,000 million for the economy annually.



However, uncertainties over the security issues are causing the Koreans, who are major players in the sector, to withdraw from investing further, and the implications could be dire if these security challenges are not addressed, he said.



He was also worried that while the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the sector significantly, the present situation could cause a further decline should the foreign partners withdraw their expertise and investments.



Implications



A maritime security expert, Dr. Ali Kamal-Deen, sharing his opinion on the latest development, said while the incident might not be an isolated case, judging from similar attacks from 2018 to June 2020, there was the need for Ghana to have a high level of maritime domain awareness by way of monitoring, receiving reports from vessels and other crafts at sea and, more importantly, a legal system which could deal adequately with pirates when they were arrested.



There are open sources of tracking vessels, just like aircraft, but the question is: are these gangs just using open source information or they are using higher intelligence that is available to them? he queried.



Legal regimes



Dr. Kamal-Deen also said in most of the attacks, the pirates often struck based on the availability of foreign crew in vessels.



The more foreign crew are available on the vessel, the more susceptible it is to attack, since those are the dynamics for the demand of ransom, he said.



He lamented Ghanas legal regime when it came to handling cases of piracy each time they occurred.



The type of piracy that the world is dealing with today is very sophisticated and there are no provisions for them in our laws, he said.



The law is a major deterrent for crime, and when criminals know that they can be promptly prosecuted, they are unlikely to perpetrate their activities, or even if they do, they will know the law will deal with them, he explained.



Petition



Meanwhile, the Ghana Tuna Association, in a petition to the President and some relevant bodies, has expressed concerns over the incident.



The petition, signed by the Secretary of the association, Mr. Richster Amarh Amarfio, said the practice, if not addressed, could go to incentivise particularly unemployed youth to do same, especially as the countrys oil exploration and production activities continued to rise.





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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NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past 17 years, the Peter C. Alderman Foundation (PCAF) has highlighted individuals that play a key role in helping to heal the lives of those impacted by violent conflict. This year, HealthRight has joined with PCAF to host its first-ever Peter C. Alderman Health + Human Rights Awards. The Gala held in honor of Peter Alderman will focus on raising awareness of human rights issues and survivors of conflict.

While working for Bloomberg Media, on the morning of September 11th, 2001, Peter died tragically during the attack on the Twin Towers. Two years later, in 2003, The Peter C. Alderman Foundation (PCAF) was founded to honor the life of Peter Alderman. PCAF has focused on community-based mental health issues and areas devastated by violence.

"I learned that there were one billion people who had directly experienced torture, terrorism and mass violence around the globe  one-sixth of humanity," Peter's mother Liz Alderman said in an interview with HuffPost. "50-70% had such traumatic depression they could no longer lead functional lives. If we could bring these people back to life in Pete's name, what better memorial for him than that?"

Colbeck Capital Co-Founder Jason Beckman was a close friend of Peter Alderman. Colbeck has been sponsoring the event for many years and is continuing its support for this year's virtual gala in memory of Peter.

Entry to the humanitarian event is free and open to the community as a virtual event. HealthRight is excited to open the event to anyone able to attend, donations are encouraged. The Live event will start Thursday, September 10, 2020, at 6:45 PM EDT. Special sponsorship opportunities are available to encourage donations.

A Presenting Sponsor, Hero for Human Rights Sponsor, Champion for Global Health Sponsor, Advocate for Access Sponsor, Partner in Community Care, Benefactor, and Supporter slots are all open with the donation level starting at $500. To make contributions via check or wire transfer, please contact [email protected].

HealthRight International has taken on the Peter C. Alderman Program for Global Mental Health as one of the few non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that seek to address mental health for vulnerable groups.Their programming includes the United States, as well as efforts in Uganda, Ukraine, Kenya, Burundi, Nepal, Vietnam, and more. The focus on mental health is key to helping people find a deeper will to rebuild their war-torn communities and seek the treatments they need for fuller lives. Without hope, these devastated communities have many who stop caring if they live or die. The goal of the nonprofit global organization is to bring the basic mental health care that every human should have access to in a time of trauma and need.

About HealthRight International

For the past 30 years, HealthRight International (www.healthright.org/) has been committed to helping marginalized communities and delivering programs that support rights-based care. All over the globe, there are communities that have been excluded, persecuted, or forgotten by the broader community. HealthRight was started by Dr. Jonathan Mann in 1989 and continues to bring sustainable health solutions to areas challenged by a lack of access or impacted by unusual difficulties.

For the 30th anniversary of HealthRight, they chose to honor the work of Peter C. Alderman with the virtual gala and Peter C. Alderman Health + Human Rights Awards. HealthRight merged with PCAF as a natural fit with similar project goals and backstories. HealthRight Founder Jonathan Mann and his wife Mary Lou died in 1998 on an airplane heading to the Geneva World Health Organization conference.

The merging of HealthRight and PCAF opened more doors for larger programs and coordinated global relief efforts to support mental health services.

About Colbeck Capital

Colbeck (www.colbeck.com) is a strategic lender that partners with companies during periods of transition, providing creative capital solutions to meet their evolving needs. Founded in 2009 by Jason Colodne and Jason Beckman, Colbeck's principles have over 75 years of experience managing credit investing businesses and have underwritten over $22B of total loan volume. Colbeck has offices in New York City, and Los Angeles. Read Colbeck Capital's weekly newsletter Limited Liabilities on Medium .

Media Contact:

Morris Beyda, Colbeck Capital Management

212.603.2818

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Legal analysis of interview of TOAZ beneficiary Sergey Makhlai

 pixabay.com

10:25 10/09/2020

In the end of August, the former chairman of the board of directors of PJSC Togliattiazot Sergey Makhlai gave an extended commentary to the media regarding the details of the proceedings, in which he is a participant. In his statements, he accused Uralchem JSC of a number of offenses, and tried to present himself as a victim of a hostile takeover. RAPSI has studied the legal basis for the statements made by the convicted in absentia owner of TOAZ.

The interview with Sergei Makhlai was published in Gazeta.ru. In it, he added a number of new details to one of the longest-running in the history of Russia corporate disputes over the control of the TOAZ chemical concern, one of the world's top-10 producers of ammonia.

Deportation

Wed like to remind you that Makhlai is now hiding abroad. That is why he was not present at the hearing, during which, among other members of an organized group, he was found guilty of embezzling 85 billion rubles (about $1.2 billion at the current exchange rate) from Togliattiazot. Under the Article 159.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, Makhlai was sentenced in absentia to 9 years in prison.

At the same time, Makhlai claims that he was forced to emigrate under the pressure from the Uralchem Company, whose management allegedly made him leave Russia. This statement immediately forms a certain level of mistrust in the words of Makhlai, since all open sources clearly indicate that he moved to the United States for permanent residence in 1994, while Uralchem was created only 13 years later  in 2007.

Shareholders interests

Makhlai's statements about him being the owner of TOAZ look no less paradoxical. At the beginning of the interview, he denies this, ...They perceived me as the owner of the plant. I am not. But, as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ToAZ, I represented the interests of the majority shareholders." However, in the end, justifying his actions, he actually asserts the opposite in the wording of the rhetorical question "how can a business owner steal from himself?"

However, even in the first formulation, Makhlai's attempt to evade responsibility is meaningless. After all, the results of the consideration of the Uralchem claim proved that the majority shareholders of TOAZ (whose interests, according to his own statement, Makhlai represented) acted as if they were the sole owners of the enterprise and its property, thereby violating the rights of minority stakes holders.

As the court established, in 2007, the majority shareholders took the proceeds and property of TOAZ offshore. For example, settlement and foreign currency accounts of Togliattiazot were opened with Togliattikhimbank owned by Sergey Makhlai, to which proceeds from the sale of ammonia and urea to Nitrochem Distribution AG were credited. Part of the profits regularly remained at the disposal of the defendants and did not return to the enterprise, that is, the money actually went not to TOAZ but to the criminal group of the defendants.

Thus, representing the interests of majority shareholders, Makhlai facilitated theft from other shareholders, and from the state, destroying a key enterprise for the economy by reducing the value of Togliattiazot's assets, illegally withdrawn from the balance of the plant to offshore companies controlled by a criminal group.

Taxes and investments in the Russian economy

As his main merit, Makhlai mentions that TOAZ is one of the largest taxpayers in the Samara region. This is true, but this fact is more of Makhlai's failure than a merit. After all, he repeatedly tried to prevent additional accrual and collection of taxes from the enterprise: in 2009-2013 alone, the amount of unpaid taxes collected from the enterprise through the courts amounted to 3 billion rubles.

Moreover, the investigation found that the ex-head of Togliattikhimbank Alexander Popov, presumably on behalf of Makhlai, tried to bribe the judges of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation with $1.2 million in an attempt to have them cancel the decision to charge ToAZ with 161 million rubles in 2010 taxes.

At the same time, Makhlai expressed the opinion that Uralchem "practically does not pay taxes." In its press release, Uralchem proves that it is a bona fide taxpayer, Based on the audited consolidated financial statements, the amount of income tax paid by Ualkhim, JSC for the period 2008-2011 amounted to 7.43 billion rubles. In 2019, the enterprises of the Uralchem group paid 3.7 billion rubles in income tax."

Makhlai, who has spent 26 years abroad, tries to present himself in an interview as a patriot of Russia, claiming that he is investing in its economic development. TOAZ is implementing new projects  it has invested $300 million in the construction of a new port terminal in Taman, has approved the Investment Program until 2029 with a total investment of 39 billion rubles, Makhlai says.

In fact, information has long been publicly available that all this is just a cover for the withdrawal of large amounts of money to offshore companies. In particular, illegal construction in Taman has been going on for almost 20 years and brings only new losses to the plant. By a court decision, most of the buildings are subject to demolition and transfer to the ownership of the Krasnodar Territory administration.

The investment situation looks even more deplorable. Makhlai claims that "everything is fine-tuned at the enterprise, the units are upgraded every year". However, it is known from open sources that billions of rubles are withdrawn from the plant through fictitious construction contracts, the purchase of outdated technologies for treating domestic wastewater, etc.

As a result, in winter, by a court decision, in order to avoid a man-made catastrophe threatening the life and health of the residents of the Samara Region, the operation of the warehouse of raw acid and alkali at TOAZ was suspended. The situation with the technical condition of the plant continues to worsen. This year it has already faced several group accidents with fatalities.

International justice

Probably, the main task of this interview for Makhlai was to demonstrate the intention to bring the trial into international jurisdiction and politicize the process, claiming that the actions of Uralchem negatively affect the image of Russia and the judicial system.

If we talk about plans for further litigation with Uralchem, I repeat that now the TOAZ case has ceased to be exclusively Russian and has shifted to the level of courts of foreign jurisdictions, Makhlai said bluntly. In particular, he announced an attempt to apply the American "RICO Act" (the law on combating corruption and racketeering) to this case.

To add weight to his words, Makhlai mentions some victories in foreign courts. In reality, his claims against Uralchem in the courts of Ireland and the United States did not come to trial. A court in Ireland cannot decide for four years whether a case is subject to review in its jurisdiction. The US courts even gave Uralchem information that Makhlai's offshore company Lawton Lane Chemical had been receiving multimillion-dollar remittances from the Swiss distributor of TOAZ products, Nitrochem Distrubutions AG, for several years.

In this regard, a claim under the RICO Act against Makhlai himself looks much more promising. Moreover, in the near future he may be accused of tax evasion in the United States, since he does not declare the income he receives from TOAZ, by registering his US companies in the Caribbean offshores.

In turn, Uralchem has already made an official statement that it does not exclude filing claims in the US courts in order to compensate for damage from the activities of the majority shareholders of PJSC Togliattiazot, including by applying to them the US RICO Act aimed at combating organized crime groups, corruption and money laundering. The company is not aware of any claims filed against Uralchem in the US courts.

Prospects

The provision of information by the American courts to the representatives of Uralchem about the illegal activities of Makhlai and, probably, other majority shareholders of TOAZ, in the absence of any progress in the claims filed by the beneficiary of the plant, prove that the interview given to him is rather a gesture of despair.

None of the statements made by him are confirmed by the investigation in Russian or foreign jurisdictions. At the same time, according to lawyers, there is every reason to believe that in the near future Makhlai will nevertheless be brought to justice, if not by Russian courts, from which he is hiding, then by American.

We shouldnt forget that on November 26, 2019, the verdict of the Komsomolsk District Court of the city of Togliatti came into force against Sergei Makhlai and other defendants in the case on charges of large-scale fraud committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy. Uralchem JSC, as a minority shareholder of TOAZ, was recognized as an injured party, as was PJSC Togliattiazot itself. The court ordered the convicts to reimburse 77.3 billion rubles of damage in favor of TOAZ, and 10.3 billion rubles in favor of Uralchem. The court appointed Uralchem JSC as a claimant for damage in favor of Togliattiazot.




In a bid to support agri sector amid COVID-19 crisis, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development on Thursday said it aims to disburse Rs 1.20 lakh crore to for meeting production expenses this fiscal.

Apex agriculture financial institution annually disbursed Rs 90,000 crore at a concessional rate.

"It has been enhanced to Rs 1.20 lakh crore this fiscal. Of this, Rs 40,000 crore has already been disbursed," National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) Chairman G R Chintala said.

Speaking at CII event, he said, the pandemic saw a paradigm shift in the functioning of the agriculture sector, and with the help of Rs 1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package will foster infrastructure for the sector.

Under the scheme, Rs 10,000 crore has been earmarked for the current fiscal and Rs 30,000 crore each year for the next three years, said in a statement.

"It will play a crucial role in flowing credit for setting up critical agriculture infrastructure at the ground level and it will create 25 lakh tonnes of capacities under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. We are also partnering with most commercial banks to provide credit to micro food processing units associated with the local Kirana units," Chintala said.

With the upcoming launch of the scheme for promotion of 10,000 Producer Organisations (FPOs) in the country, the agriculture sector will experience quality production combined with an industry-centric vision, he added.

Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala suggested to digitise the subvention scheme process, so that the can settle the loans at zero per cent in real-time and seamlessly.

ITC Chairman and managing director Sanjiv Puri said COVID-19 pandemic has made businesses emerge from survival to revival phase, and now post COVID-19, there will be the 'Next Normal' where path-breaking digitally-driven reforms will change the trends forever.

"A key achievement has been the speed and alacrity of the digital penetration that has been achieved, which otherwise might have taken years to achieve. In fact, 10 years' worth of digital penetration has been achieved in the matter of weeks of the pandemic," Puri said.
twitter Shanna Hogan

The literary world was rocked this week by the death of Shanna Hogan, a popular true-crime author whose tome on the headline-grabbing Jodi Arias case made her a New York Times bestselling author.

Hogan, 38, died on Sept. 1 after she slipped, hit her head and became submerged in a pool at her Phoenix home while swimming with her 14-month-old son, Zander on Aug. 27, her friend and former colleague Kathleen "Katie" Mayer told PEOPLE on Tuesday.

She spent several days in the ICU in critical condition before she died, after which her donated organs saved the lives of at least four people, said Mayer, who who set up a GoFundMe page on behalf of Hogan's family.

"At a time where human kindness is so desperately needed, we've lost one of the people who gave that to our world, but Shanna's writing will live on, the lives she saved will live on and her greatest creation  her little boy  will live on to inspire all of us," Mayer said.

Heres everything to know about the late author and journalist.

She Was a Proud Wife and Mother

Hogan and her husband, Matt LaRussa, welcomed son Zander Matthew in June 2019  and spent much of their time doting on the tot.

Hogan frequently shared happy family photos to social media, showing off smiling pictures of little Zander and family outings to places like the zoo.

On Halloween, she and Zander dressed in matching dog costumes, and on Easter, he was outfitted in a sweet bunny costume.

Hogan posted videos of Zanders firsts, too, like the first time he wore a pair of shoes, and the first time he experienced rain.

"For someone who accomplished so much as a young true-crime author, she above all, cherished motherhood," Mayer told PEOPLE. "She became a mom later in life but flourished in this role with a true grace that was breathtaking to see."

Story continues

Baby Z gets his first pair of shoes! pic.twitter.com/U33t5ivN5h  Shanna Hogan (@shannahogan) August 20, 2020

Hogan and LaRussa, who married in October 2003, even had matching tattoos in honor of their son.

I hope one day my little love muffin brags that both his parents got Z and Zander tattoos on our arms. He will grow up knowing hes the center of our world. , Hogan wrote on Instagram on Aug. 21. I would be happy if one day Zander is embarrassed by how much we adore him!

In December, Hogan called 2019 the hands down best year of my life thanks to the addition of Zander, and in an emotional Facebook post following Hogans death, LaRussa called him their little miracle.

Biggest and best change: I had the most adorable baby boy, Hogan wrote on Instagram in December. My days used to be all about writing and true-crime. Now its all about, well writing, true-crime and diapers  lots and lots of diapers!

As for the rest of her family, Hogan was also devoted to her two dogs, Milo and Fiona, as well as LaRussa, whom she thanked for making my life so happy in an Instagram post celebrating their anniversary.

In his Facebook post, LaRussa called his late wife the light of my life.

RELATED: Best-Selling Author Shanna Hogan Dies at 38 After Pool Accident in Front of Toddler Son

She Started as a Journalist and Then Moved to Books

Hogan was best known for her four true-crime books, all of which fleshed out chilling murders. Her first, Dancing with Death, was published in 2011, and told the story of art dealer Jay Orbins murder at the hands of his wife.

Then in 2014, she published Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story, which covered the murder of Travis Alexander by Arias, his ex.

She also wrote The Stranger She Loved about the murder of Michele MacNeill by her husband, Martin, as well as her final book, Secrets of a Marines Wife, which told the story of the death of young Marine wife Erin Corwin.

gofundme Shanna Hogan and her son

Before she was an author, though, Hogan, a native of Kansas who moved to the Scottsdale, Arizona area as a child, began her career in journalism as a reporter for the East Valley Tribune.

She worked there for two years before becoming an executive editor and writer for the Times Media Group, according to her resume.

In addition to freelancing for Phoenix Magazine and Phoenix New Times, Hogan was also an adjunct journalism professor at Arizona State University, from which she graduated in 2005. Shed been teaching at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism since 2015.

Hogans work earned her frequent guest appearances on shows like Dateline, Dr. Oz, 20/20 and The View, as well as a handful of awards, including Arizona Press Club Journalist of the Year in 2009.

She Was Planning for the Future

Mayer told PEOPLE that Hogan had another book planned, and was also hard at work on a screenplay when she died.

She was so excited about these projects, Mayer said.

According to her obituary, her books The Stranger She Loved and Secrets of a Marines Wife were both optioned to become movies.

gofundme Shanna Hogan with her family

Hogans obituary also laid out her many hobbies, and said she loved Harry Potter, horror movies, buying gifts for others, amusement parks, popsicles, home-designed projects, high tea, mentoring young writers and planning for Zander to go to space camp.

Shanna had an imagination with no bounds, a brain filled with profound thoughts, and a nurturing, caring devotion to family and friends with the goal of helping everyone live their best lives, the obituary read.

Those interested in helping Hogan's family in the wake of her death can so here.
SECAUCUS, N.J., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, today updated its financial outlook for full year 2020.

Since the company reported its financial performance for the second quarter of 2020 on July 23, 2020, organic testing volumes in its base business (excluding COVID-19 molecular and antibody testing and the impact of acquisitions), continued to recover faster than anticipated through the end of August. Organic base testing volumes declined high single digits in July and mid-to-high single digits in August on a percentage basis versus the prior year. COVID-19 molecular and antibody testing volumes remain consistent with the company's previous outlook.

Updated Outlook for Full Year 2020

The company revised its full year 2020 outlook as follows:



Current Outlook

Previous Outlook

Low

High

Low

High Net revenues $8.4 billion

$8.8 billion

$8.0 billion

$8.6 billion Net revenues increase 8.7%

13.9%

3.5%

11.3% Reported diluted EPS $7.42

$8.92

$5.66

$7.66 Adjusted diluted EPS $7.50

$9.00

$6.60

$8.60 Cash provided by operations At least $1.45 billion

At least $1.25 billion Capital expenditures $375 million

$400 million

$375 million

$400 million

The company is scheduled to participate in the Wells Fargo Virtual Healthcare Conference today at 1:20 p.m. Eastern Time. The presentation will be webcast live during the conference and will be available on the company's investor relations page which can be accessed at ir.QuestDiagnostics.com. During the discussion, the company's management plans to discuss its current perspective on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Management continues to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on its future operating results, cash flows and/or financial condition will be primarily driven by a number of factors beyond the company's knowledge and control, including: the pandemic's severity and duration; the pandemic's impact on the U.S. healthcare system and the U.S. economy; and the timing, scope and effectiveness of federal, state and local governmental responses to the pandemic.

Note on Non-GAAP Financial Measures

As used in this press release the term "reported" refers to measures under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). The term "adjusted" refers to non-GAAP operating performance measures that exclude special items such as restructuring and integration charges, certain financial impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, amortization expense, excess tax benefits ("ETB") associated with stock-based compensation, a gain on the remeasurement of an equity interest, and other items.

Non-GAAP adjusted measures are presented because management believes those measures are useful adjuncts to GAAP results. Non-GAAP adjusted measures should not be considered as an alternative to the corresponding measures determined under GAAP. Management may use these non-GAAP measures to evaluate our performance period over period and relative to competitors, to analyze the underlying trends in our business, to establish operational budgets and forecasts; and for incentive compensation purposes. We believe that these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors and analysts to evaluate our performance period over period and relative to competitors, as well as to analyze the underlying trends in our business and to assess our performance. The additional table attached below includes a reconciliation of non-GAAP adjusted measures to GAAP measures.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 47,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

The statements in this press release which are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date that they are made and which reflect management's current estimates, projections, expectations or beliefs and which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to be materially different. Risks and uncertainties that may affect the future results of the company include, but are not limited to, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken in response, adverse results from pending or future government investigations, lawsuits or private actions, the competitive environment, the complexity of billing, reimbursement and revenue recognition for clinical laboratory testing, changes in government regulations, changing relationships with customers, payers, suppliers or strategic partners and other factors discussed in the company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and in any of the company's subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, including those discussed in the "Business," "Risk Factors," "Cautionary Factors that May Affect Future Results" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of those reports.

ADDITIONAL TABLES FOLLOW

The outlook for adjusted diluted EPS represents management's estimates for the full year 2020 before the impact of special items. Further impacts to earnings related to special items may occur throughout 2020. Additionally, the amount of ETB is dependent upon employee stock option exercises and the company's stock price, which are difficult to predict. The following table reconciles our 2020 outlook for adjusted diluted EPS to the corresponding amounts determined under GAAP:



Low

High Diluted EPS $ 7.42



$ 8.92

Restructuring and integration charges (a) 0.50



0.50

COVID-19 impact (b) (0.48)



(0.48)

Gain on remeasurement of equity interest (c) (0.45)



(0.45)

Amortization expense (d) 0.63



0.63

ETB (0.12)



(0.12)

Adjusted diluted EPS $ 7.50



$ 9.00



















(a) Represents estimated full year pre-tax charges of $90 million primarily associated with systems conversions and integration costs incurred in connection with further restructuring and integrating our business. Income tax benefits were calculated using a combined statutory income tax rate of 25.5%.

(b) Represents the impact of certain items resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic including income recognized attributable to the receipt of funds from the government that were appropriated to healthcare providers under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, partially offset by expense associated with a one-time payment to eligible employees to help offset expenses they incurred as a result of COVID-19, certain asset impairment charges, and incremental costs incurred primarily to protect the health and safety of the company's employees and customers. Income tax impacts, where recorded, were primarily calculated using a combined statutory income tax rate of 25.5%.

(c) Represents the estimated gain recognized based on the difference between the fair value and the carrying value of an equity interest. On August 1, 2020, the Company completed its acquisition of the remaining 56% interest in Mid America Clinical Laboratories, LLC ("MACL") from its joint venture partners. As a result of the transaction, the company will remeasure its previously held minority interest in MACL to fair value and recognize a gain. Income tax expense was calculated based on an effective income tax rate on the transaction of 11.8%, which is lower than the statutory income tax rate due to a permanent difference in the financial reporting and tax basis of goodwill.

(d) Represents the estimated impact of amortization expense for 2020 on the calculation of adjusted diluted EPS. Amortization expense used in the calculation is as follows (dollars in millions):



Amortization of intangible assets $ 103

Amortization expense included in equity in earnings of equity method investees, net of taxes 11

Total pre-tax amortization expense $ 114





Total amortization expense, net of an estimated tax benefit using a combined statutory income tax rate of 25.5% $ 85



SOURCE Quest Diagnostics

Related Links

www.questdiagnostics.com


Senior Australia Post officials have been told to front a parliamentary probe next month following revelations the postal service demanded the delivery of more than 100 One Nation-branded stubby holders to residents of a locked-down public housing tower.

The federal opposition has demanded chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo and general counsel Nick Macdonald front the upcoming Senate estimates hearing along with under-fire chief executive Christine Holgate to face a grilling over a series of scandals that has engulfed the organisation in the past months.

The federal opposition has demanded chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo and general counsel Nick Macdonald front an upcoming Senate estimates hearing along with under-fire chief executive Christine Holgate (pictured). Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Senior government sources told this masthead on Thursday patience was "wearing incredibly thin" over Ms Holgate's "calamitous" interventions.

A spokesperson for federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said Australia Post's day-to-day operations were the responsibility of its board and management.
Mandating warp-speed coronavirus vaccines heralded by Donald Trump could create a huge amount of blowback, increasing the number of people who resonate with anti-vaccine sentiments.

In the face of potential coronavirus vaccine mandates, upwards of one-third of all Oregonians could end up identifying as being anti-vaccine.

The general public has been losing trust in vaccines for some time now, but not without good reason. Clinical trials that seek to establish vaccine safety almost never use inert placebos in their control groups, and this practice makes it nearly impossible to determine the true safety profile of a vaccine.

This is also the case for most warp-speed coronavirus vaccines currently being tested and rushed through development. Giving pharmaceutical companies that manufacture vaccines indemnification from lawsuits only furthers public distrust.

There is a historical precedent of pandemic flu vaccines not panning out as anticipated. For example, the 1976 swine flu vaccine was fast-tracked and given to more than 40 million Americans before federal health officials realized that the vaccine was associated with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious and potentially deadly neurological disorder.

It took almost 30 years for the scientific community to definitively conclude that this correlation was not mere coincidence, and that the swine flu vaccine did indeed increase the risk of developing GBS.

In light of failed pandemic vaccines of the past, legislators and public health officials would be wise to avoid mandating liability-free coronavirus vaccines, lest they create even greater vaccine hesitancy among the public at large.

Luke Yamaguchi

Albany

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In its efforts to boost the morale of small retailers, who had to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 outbreak, American Express has launched its Shop Small campaign in India.

The initiative is aimed at small and medium-sized merchants across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, covering retail shops, healthcare services, restaurants and hotels.

American Express is providing merchant recovery kits to small businesses with a range of Shop Small POP, social distancing materials and hygiene supplies such as hand sanitiser sprays, masks, and face shields to help them maintain in-store hygiene and restart their business with confidence while ensuring the safety of their customers.

To encourage consumers, American Express is offering cashback of Rs 300 for the enrolled card members after they spend Rs 1,500 or more at any eligible small merchant when they shop in-store, up to five times beginning now until November 30.

Card members can also locate small merchants that are open for in-store purchases in their vicinity through a Shop Small Map.

"Small businesses are the backbone of the Indian economy and have been impacted the most during the pandemic. Through our Shop Small initiative, we are reinforcing our longstanding commitment to support small businesses by bringing them closer in the safest possible way to consumers and providing them the required resources to revive their business with confidence," said Manoj Adlakha, SVP and CEO, American Express Banking Corporation India.

American Express has also created an online hub 'All for Small', which will host turnkey marketing tools, expert insights and advice, special savings on curated solutions to help them market their business and other resources.

American Express has tied up with Google, Facebook, Amazon and PayPal to provide online marketing tutorials and tools.

"The pandemic has changed the way all of us live, eat and shop. Shop Small by American Express is a welcome initiative as it encourages us to get back to our lives and livelihoods and also ensures that small shops are supported. These kinds of initiatives help in bringing back the cheer to one of the largest growing economies of the world," said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India.

Follow our coverage of the coronavirus crisis
DGAP-News: Honoris United Universities / Key word(s): Personnel

Honoris United Universities Announces Senior Leadership Appointments



10.09.2020 / 09:30

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.







Honoris United Universities Announces Senior Leadership Appointments

Promotion and additions to the leadership team will contribute to Honoris' core mission of developing world-class human talent in Africa

Laura Kakon named Chief Growth and Strategy Officer

Luis Ramirez-Alonso appointed Chief Human Resources Officer

Pepe Peran appointed Chief Business Development Officer

Casablanca / Durban / Tunisia / Abuja, September 09, 2020 - Honoris United Universities, the first and largest pan-African network of private higher education institutions, today announced a series of significant additions to its senior leadership team as the organization expands across Africa, with Laura Kakon promoted to the role of Chief Growth and Strategy Officer, Luis Ramirez-Alonso moving from interim to permanent Chief Human Resources Officer and Pepe Peran joining as Chief Business Development Officer. The new appointments, with effect as of September 1, 2020, will all report to the Chief Executive Officer, Luis Lopez.

Download Image: Laura Kakon - https://bit.ly/2FkAKD7

Download Image: Luis Ramirez-Alonso - https://bit.ly/3bKAolo

Download Image: Pepe Peran - https://bit.ly/3m1d07X

Taking on her new role, Laura Kakon is charged with identifying and steering Honoris' long-term growth strategy and driving value creation across the network through differentiation, competitive advantage and innovation. Having been at the forefront of Honoris' emergence as a pioneer in 21st century skills development across the network, Laura will continue to play a critical leadership role by spearheading the Marketing and Public Affairs function of the organization. In addition, she will now drive digital, skilling and employability initiatives that reflect Honoris' commitment to embracing the digital transformation across the student journey and its strategy to reshape and rethink education to continually improve learning outcomes and graduate readiness for the future of work.

Previously the Chief Marketing Officer of Honoris, Laura shared, "It has been exceptionally fulfilling to serve as one of Honoris' pioneers, helping to define the mission, vision, and core values of the organization, whilst also partnering with the network's member institutions in the establishment of their respective brand initiatives. As Chief Growth and Strategy Officer I look forward to driving organic and strategic growth across the network and to making a meaningful contribution to building the next generation of African graduates equipped with the skills they need to flourish in the 21st century world of work."

Laura has more than 20 years of experience in senior executive positions. Previously, Laura served as VP of Marketing and Sales at Laureate International Universities (LIU) where she successfully participated in the launch of a multi-disciplinary university in Morocco, the first country-level greenfield for LIU. She also spent 11 years within the L'Oreal Group where she held several global management positions covering USA, Europe and Asia - where she developed a high agility to work across markets, and to grow her brand building and customer acquisition expertise. She also serves as a board member of non-profit organizations, focusing on youth mental health and is involved in international initiatives to promote women empowerment and leadership.

The Honoris senior leadership team is also enhanced by the appointment of Luis Ramirez-Alonso as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). Ramirez-Alonso brings 30 years of experience in Human Resources from an extensive career in international organizations, including the last 13 years in the higher education sector. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Human Resources, Financial Services Vertical at Adtalem Global Education (ATGE).

Ramirez-Alonso commented, "My work in aligning human capital strategies with Honoris' long-term objectives will contribute enormous value to students and the organization as a whole. It is a very exciting, newly created role that will enable me to call upon my past experience in order to provide strategic leadership in all people-related initiatives which will generate positive impact, fuel growth, and increase engagement and commitment among colleagues."



Prior to joining the network, Ramirez-Alonso worked at Laureate International Universities in various leadership roles, most recently as Vice President Human Resources, Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa and also worked at Motorola, Inc (MSI) for 13 years.

The latest addition to the Honoris' senior leadership team is Pepe Peran, who has assumed the position of Chief Business Development Officer. Peran has 20+ years of experience in senior executive positions in Business Development, Finance and Operations, including Mergers & Acquisitions Lead, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at an international level.

Peran will be at the forefront of evaluating new markets, segments and geographies, whilst building new strategically important relationships as well as developing new expansion initiatives to bring into the network. Commenting on his appointment, Peran said, "This is an incredibly exciting time to join Honoris as its network expands across the region. I look forward to working alongside the talented Honoris team as I develop its expansion strategy in current and new geographies as well as identify new investments and partnerships in order to secure the best opportunities to drive financial performance and accelerate innovation throughout the network."

Peran has previously spent 15+ years in the higher education sector focusing on profitable growth and transformational initiatives, as well as acquisitions and digital transformation in large multinational organizations. He has also served as a board member for profit and non-profit institutions.

Commenting on the move to enhance the senior leadership team, Luis Lopez, CEO of Honoris United Universities said, "I welcome Laura, Luis and Pepe to their new roles; their significant track-record will accelerate our prospective plans and execution. Honoris' Executive Committee now stands stronger, with the expanded leadership team prepared for new opportunities to grow and to enable world-class African human talent."

About Honoris United Universities

Honoris United Universities is the first and largest pan-African private higher education network committed to educating the next generation of African leaders and professionals able to impact regionally in a globalized world. Collaborative intelligence, cultural agility and mobile mind-sets and skills are at the heart of Honoris' vision of higher education. Honoris United Universities joins the expertise of its member institutions to develop world-class African Human capital that is competitive in today's fast-paced, demanding and increasingly digitized labour and start-up markets.

Honoris United Universities gathers a community of 45,000 students on 60 campuses, learning centres and via on-line, in 10 countries and 32 cities. The network counts 11 institutions: multidisciplinary universities, specialized schools, technical and vocational institutes, contact, distance, and online institutions. Students have an opportunity to experience exclusive partnerships and exchange programs in more than 60 universities across Europe and the United States. Over 280 degrees are offered in Medicine, Health Sciences, Engineering, IT, Business, Law, Architecture, Creative Arts and Design, Media, Political Science and Education.

www.honoris.net

Media Relations

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Marjorie@djembeconsultants.com (French)

10.09.2020 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

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Tape recordings and extracts from the veteran Watergate reporter's forthcoming bok Rage make a series of bombshell revelations.

CORONAVIRUS

Trump told Woodward o February 7 that coronavirus was 'deadly.'

'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff,' he said - but did not tell the public what he knew

COVER-UP

On January 28, Robert O'Brien told Trump coronavirus 'will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency,' and said: 'This is going to be the roughest thing you face.' Trump then told Americans it was 'under control' and would 'go away.'

And on March 19 Trump said: 'I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.'

NORTH KOREA

Trump says Kim is 'far beyond smart,' and says that the dictator told him 'everything,' boasting about how he described the brutal execution of his uncle in a power struggle.

Woodward reveals Kim Jong-Un's 'love letters' to Trump gushing to 'Your Excellency' about 'holding your hand' and calling their summit 'a fantasy film.'

But Woodward also reveals that when Trump was tweeting about 'Little Rocket Man' Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was so concerned about escalation that he slept in his clothes.

TRUMP ON THE MILITARY

'My f***ing generals are a bunch of p***ies,' Trump ranted in the Oval Office, and said their backing for NATO and an alliance with South Korea was 'stupid. Costs us $10 billion. We're suckers.'

...AND HIS PREDECESSORS

Trump said Woodward made George W Bush 'look like a stupid moron, which he was.' Of Obama he ranted: 'I don't think Obama's smart ... I think he's highly overrated. And I don't think he's a great speaker.' And he added that Kim Jong-Un called Obama 'an a**hol.'

WHAT AIDES SAID ABOUT HIM

Jim Mattis called him 'dangerous' and 'unfit,' went to pray in Washington National Cathedral, left government because he was 'basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid' in reference to pulling troops from Syria, and suggested 'collective action' after leaving.

Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, had 'deep suspicions' that Putin had something on him and 'could not shake them.'

Dr. Tony Fauci called his leadership 'rudderless,' his attention span 'like a minus number' and said: 'His sole purpose is to get re-elected.'

Jared Kushner - his son-in-law - said Alice In Wonderland is the key to Trump, saying: 'If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there.'

RACE RELATIONS

Trump described the term 'white privilege' as 'drinking the Kool-Aid' and repeated his claim he had done more for black Americans than Lincoln, adding: 'And, honestly, Im not feeling any love.'

NUCLEAR SECRETS

Trump used his private cellphone for late-night calls and revealed he had a 'weapons system' which Putin and Xi did not know about.
Two men have been acquitted of the execution-style murder of former Sydney bikie boss Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi two years ago.

Yusuf Guney Nazlioglu, 39, was accused of being the shooter while Jamal Eljaidi, 32, was said to be the getaway driver.

But a NSW Supreme Court jury on Thursday found them both not guilty of murder after five days of deliberation following a three-and-a-half week trial.

Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi, (picturd with wife Carolina Gomez) who became Comancheros national president aged just 22 before relinquishing the role in 2009, was shot dead in his black Mercedes parked outside a Fitness First gym in Rockdale on February 15, 2018

Mr Hawi's sister Zeinab was heard yelling in the courtroom after the verdict was delivered, described the acquitted men as 'motherf---ers', the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

'F*** you both,' she screamed. 'F*** the Crown too, motherf****g s**t prosecution.'

She was heard ranting as she left the court surrounded by media.

Mr Hawi was shot multiple times in the head, face and shoulder while sitting in his black Mercedes in broad daylight outside a Fitness First gym in Rockdale on February 15, 2018.

Hawi was rushed to hospital, where he later died.

The jury saw CCTV of the masked gunman, dressed in black from head to toe, leave the murder scene in a car driven by another man.

DNA found in another car alleged to be the assassin's second getaway vehicle matched Nazlioglu and Eljaidi, 32, the jury was told.

Nazlioglu and Eljaidi pleaded not guilty to murder, with barristers for the pair contending neither were the right height to be the men captured in CCTV.

Zeinab Hawi, the sister of Mick Hawi leaves a Sydney court on Thursday after two men were acquitted of her brother's murder

Photos taken by police and tendered to the court during the trial showed Hawi's luxury 4WD riddled with bullet holes and shell casings.

Gyn receptionist Stephanie Nicolaou was working at the front desk when she saw a man dressed in a black hoodie walk towards Mr Hawi's car, which was parked within metres of the gym's front doors.

'The next minute, I heard bang bang bang,' she told the NSW Supreme Court during the trial.

'I didn't know what was happening until I saw the bullet holes on the other side.'

Bikie Mick Hawi was shot multiple times while sitting in his black Mercedes (pictured) outside a gym in Sydney's south in early 2018

No eyewitnesses positively identified Nazlioglu or Eljaidias being at the scene, with the Crown relying on circumstantial evidence, including a balaclava found in the second vehicle.

That mask had Nazlioglu's DNA on one side and gunshot residue on the other.

There were innocent explanations for why their DNA was found inside the second car, the defence barristers argued during the trial.

Mr Hawi had been a rising star of the Comancheros bikie gang before having to relinquish his title as national president in 2009 when he was jailed over his role in an infamous Sydney Airport brawl where Hells Angel member Anthony Zervas was bludgeoned to death.

He was released on jail in 2015 and was very close to Nazlioglu before a falling out on a fishing trip in the summer of 2016/17.

A third man, Ahmad Doudar, pleaded guilty just before the trial began to being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Shiv Sena turning into 'Sonia Sena' for power, says Kangana Ranaut; Attacks BMC over demolition

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, Sep 10: The war of words between the Shiv Sena and Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has taken a serious turn after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished a part of her bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra, Mumbai on Wednesday.

In a fresh attack on the BMC and the Shiv Sena, the Bollywood actor on Thursday said that the party is ready to sell its ideology for power and become "Sonia Sena" from Shiv Sena".

She also went on to refer the officials of BMC to as "goons" after the partial demolition of her office in Mumbai.

Rafale aircraft gets water cannon salute at induction ceremony in Ambala

"The ideology on which Balasaheb Thackeray build the Shiv Sena, the party, today, is ready to sell its ideology and become "Sonia Sena" from "Shiv Sena", Ranaut said in a tweet.

Calling BMC officials "goons", Kangana Ranaut, "The goons who demolished my house behind my back, don't call them civic body."

Ahead of inducting Rafale jets to Indian Air Force, France describes India as strategic partner

"Because of these petty crimes that they do, Devendra Fadnavis ji must have suggested that the BJP does alliance with them. One must never succumb to bullies. after loosing elections Shiv Sena shamelessly made milavat sarkar and turned in to Sonia Sena," the Bollywood actor said in another tweet.

Slamming the Shiv Sena, Ranaut said, "Your father's good deeds can only give you wealth but respect, you have to gain yourself. How many mouths you'll shut? How many voices you'll suppress? For how long you'll run away from the truth?"

Earlier, on Wednesday, the BMC pulled down "most of" the alleged illegal alterations at the Bandra bungalow of Kangana Ranaut by the time the Bombay High Court ordered a stay on the process.

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Story first published: Thursday, September 10, 2020, 11:58 [IST]
Mutant, muscly mice sent to the International Space Station stayed as bulky as when they set off  keeping their physiques, unlike their smaller colleagues who also lived on the floating lab, according to a new study.

The findings could help inform future decisions about long trips into space, during which human travellers could experience potentially dangerous muscle loss and related problems.

It could also serve to help people on Earth who are confined to bed or use wheelchairs, and may experience some of the same problems.

A research team led by Dr. Se-Jin Lee of the Jackson Laboratory in Connecticut sent 40 young female black mice to the space station in December, launching aboard a SpaceX rocket.

In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Lee said the 24 regular untreated mice lost considerable muscle and bone mass in weightlessness as expected  up to 18%.

But the eight genetically engineered "mighty mice" launched with double the muscle maintained their bulk. Their muscles appeared to be comparable to similar "mighty mice" that stayed behind at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

In addition, eight normal mice that received "mighty mouse" treatment in space returned to Earth with dramatically bigger muscles. The treatment involves blocking a pair of proteins that typically limit muscle mass.

A SpaceX capsule brought all 40 mice back in good condition, parachuting into the Pacific off the California coast in January. Some of the ordinary mice were injected with the "mighty mice" drug after returning and quickly built up more muscle than their untreated companions, Lee said.

The scientists completed the experiment just as the coronavirus was hitting the U.S.

"The only silver lining of COVID is that we had time to write it up very intensively" and submit the results for publication, said Dr. Emily Germain-Lee of Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Lee's wife who also took part in the study. Both are affiliated with the University of Connecticut.

While encouraged by their findings, the couple said much more work needs to be done before testing the drug on people to build up muscle and bone, without serious side effects.

"We're years away. But that's how everything is when you go from mouse to human studies," Germain-Lee said.

Lee said the experiment pointed out other molecules and signaling pathways worth investigating  "an embarrassment of riches ... so many things we'd like to pursue." His next step: possibly sending more "mighty mice" to the space station for an even longer stay.

Three NASA astronauts looked after the space mice, performing body scans and injections: Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, who performed the first all-female spacewalk last fall, and Andrew Morgan. They are listed as co-authors.

Additional reporting by agencies
Three men are vying for the title of Japans new prime minister after Shinzo Abe said he would step down for health reasons, Vice writes in the article Japans All-Male Political Battle to Become Prime Minister.

After four terms in office - officially making him the longest serving prime minister in Japanese history, Abe announced his shock resignation on August 28 due to chronic health reasons that have plagued the 65-year-olds political career for years. I apologize to the people of Japan for leaving my post with a year left in office amid the coronavirus woes, said Abe, a staunch conservative and nationalist known for his aggressive signature economic policies known as Abenomics.

His governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will now move to replace him in a leadership vote on September 14 - and three names keep cropping up as frontrunners: current chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga, widely tipped by observers and experts to win, and former ministers Shigeru Ishiba and Fumio Kishida, each championing their own causes and expertise.

No female candidates are in the running (an accurate reflection of political patriarchy in Japan, analysts and experts say).

Whoever succeeds Abe to become Japans next leader will have their work cut out for them. The current coronavirus, the upcoming Tokyo Olympic games [postponed to 2021] and ongoing tensions with China and North Korea, these are all issues that Abe will be handing over to his successor, said Yuki Tatsumi, director of the Washington-based Stimson Centers Japan program.

Yoshihide Suga, Abes right hand man

All bets are on Abes top aide Suga, who is currently serving as chief cabinet secretary - a position he has held since December 2012. Born to a family of strawberry farmers in Yuzawa city, the 71-year-old Suga is expected to cruise to victory in next weeks vote, according to analysts and experts. The Stimson Centers Tatsumi said that political continuity remains a top priority for the party during this crucial period. Suga has seniority and continuity, making him the perfect candidate to succeed Abe because he knows the ins and outs of the party and how best to execute policies, Tatsumi told VICE News. Japan is battling efforts to combat the coronavirus and despite that, has committed to hosting the Olympics. If Abe had resigned a year ago, this would be a very different picture but now is not the time for the party to bet on a new leader who may have different ideas or radical visions.

According to Koichi Nakano, dean and political science professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Tokyos Sophia University, Suga had already won the race.

There is no other scenario. Suga was picked as Abes successor by party bosses and is in the best position to serve as prime minister because he will ensure a smooth power transition and continuity of Shinzo Abes policies.

Shortly after registering his candidacy on Tuesday, September 8, Suga reiterated his commitment to fighting the coronavirus in Japan and reaffirmed that he would stay on course with Abenomics. Suga secured the necessary support almost immediately, said political scientist Charles Weathers from Osaka City University. I believe the current contest now will just be for show, mainly the chance for Sugas rivals and former ministers Shigeru Ishiba and Fumio Kishida, to assert their presence in the party while giving them useful public exposure.

Shigeru Ishiba, military otaku and the popular vote

The 63-year-old self-professed military otaku (a Japanese term for geek obsession) is said to be fond of building his own miniature model aircrafts and warships. From the Yazu district in the Tottori Prefecture, Ishiba is known for his knowledge in the defence realm. His expertise could prove invaluable as Tokyo navigates tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea.

A regular favorite in opinion polls, the former Japanese defence minister presents himself as a rare critical party voice against outgoing leader Shinzo Abe, even taking to the popular Animal Crossing game to build support for his bid to succeed Abe.

The Japanese public still wants an LDP-led government but after Abe has resigned, they will ask: Who has a different style?, Ishiba previously told Reuters. Ive continuously challenged Abe and have more support than those who havent. This is not based on performance but on expectations.

One early poll, conducted in August by the Kyodo News agency, picked Ishiba as the candidate most likely to succeed Abe. But Suga quickly overtook Ishiba, dominating party support and outperforming his rival in media coverage. Shigeru Ishiba used to be ahead of other candidates but that is no longer the case. Japanese media plays a big role in shaping public opinion and perception and continues to lead their broadcast coverage on Suga as the clear party favorite. Because of this, he overtook Ishiba, Nakano told VICE News.

Shigeru Ishiba still remains popular among the general public but not among long time LDP supporters, said the Stimson Centers Tatsumi, who highlighted a 2015 incident which saw Ishiba, despite being a vocal critic of party factionalism, launching his own faction with the aim of succeeding Abe. This is the kind of thing that the party wouldnt forget. It can be counted as a cardinal crime, Tatsumi said.

Fumio Kishida, a passionate voice against nuclear power

During his time in office, Abe proved to be a smooth international operator - forging key diplomatic alliances with many countries like the U.S. and other world leaders while campaigning for Japans causes, particularly against China and North Korea.

He carried out this work closely with his former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, a staunchly conservative and pragmatic politician, according to Tatsumi who met Kishida back in February 2013 when he was accompanying Abe on an official trip to Washington. He came across as being very earnest and sincere. If anything, he was a very loyal foreign policy diplomat during his time in office, Tatsumi recalled. He comes from a very different wing of the LDP.

Kishida may be known best as Japans former foreign minister but others from his hometown of Hiroshima will know him for being passionate about nuclear disarmament. He penned a 2016 opinion piece for CNN in which he expressed his views about Japans nuclear power ahead of hosting historic G7 talks in the city.

The issue of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation has always had a special resonance for myself and others living in my hometown of Hiroshima, he wrote in reference to the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I listened to young people who gathered in the city to talk about how they might help make progress in achieving their wish for a world without nuclear weapons  I am determined to discuss the issue thoroughly.
Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) received a major jolt on Thursday as former union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigned from the party. The senior leader is currently admitted in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital where he is undergoing treatment due to his ill health.

In a handwritten note on plain paper to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Singh said, "32 years after Jannayak Karpoori Thakur stood behind you but not now."

He apologized to Lalu Prasad Yadav by writing his resignation on the paper adding, "I have always stood behind you for the party for many years but will not be able to stand anymore. I apologize for that. I have received a lot of love from the party workers and the public for which I'm grateful."

According to people close to Singh, the doctors have said that his health has not improved and his health is not good for which he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as a precaution. It has been reported from the sources that his health is continuously deteriorating.

The deterioration of health may be the reason for the resignation, however, many more matters are being extracted as the election is near, many parties of the ruling party are in touch with Singh.

According to news agency ANI, Singh was unhappy with talks of former Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP from Vaishali, Rama Singh, joining the RJD. Earlier in June Singh had resigned from the post of the National Vice President of the RJD. He had then raised questions over the style of work of Bihar RJD President Jagdanand Singh.
Image: Instagram/rhea_chakraborty

Actor Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on September 8, following three days of questioning and was charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

Rejecting the actors bail application, the court remanded Chakraborty to 14-day judicial custody. This culminated the narcotics angle to actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death.

NCB alleged that Chakraborty, who was Rajputs girlfriend, procured drugs for the actor who was found dead in his Mumbai residence in June.

Also read: What do Indias laws say about the use of ganja and charas?

What is the NDPS Act?

The Act prohibits any person from producing, manufacturing, cultivating, possessing, selling, transporting, storing and/or consuming any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.

The NDPS Act is also meant to meet India's treaty obligations under the global Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, Convention on Psychotropic Substances and United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. However, the law was amended in 1988, 2001 and 2014.

The NCB, established in 1986, uses this law as its foundation.

A large number of narcotic drugs and substances including cannabis, heroin and opium are covered by the law. However, bhang is excluded.

The maximum punishment that can be given under this Act is the death penalty. But the law says that such a punishment can be given to repeat offenders, on the discretion of a judge.

NDPS Act and Chakraborty's case

Chakraborty was reportedly booked under Sections 8(c), 20(b)(ii), 22, 27 A, 28, 29 of the NDPS Act.

Section 8(c) of the Act bars production, manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation and consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substances.

Section 20(b)(ii) allows punishment for production, sale, purchase, etc., of cannabis.

This section says that anyone caught with a small quantity of the drug can be punished with rigorous imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 10,000. In 2008, a court had ruled that the punishment under NDPS Act would depend on the quantity of the drug seized by the police.

However, the Supreme Court reversed this judgement in April 2020 saying that traces of an offending drug in the seized mixture will be sufficient to declare the entire quantity to be an offending drug under NDPS.

While reports suggest that Chakraborty herself and her brother Showik Chakraborty were not caught with any drugs, the agency reportedly discovered 59 grams of curated ganja from two others identified as Abbas Lakhani and Karan Arora. The duo was allegedly linked to Rajput.

Section 27A allows punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders. This could attract a jail term of 10 to 20 years and a penalty of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

Sections 28 and 29 of the Act deal with attempts to commit offences, abetment and criminal conspiracy.

How stringent is the law?

According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau, 81,778 persons were arrested under NDPS Act in 2018. Of these, 79,028 were male and 2,750 female. About 568 persons were above the age of 60  about 87 percent of them were male.

According to data from NCRB, there were 63,137 cases of drug smuggling and drug abuse across India in 2018 -- marginally lower than the 65,436 cases registered in the previous year.

Punjab and Maharashtra top the list of states with the highest cases of drug smuggling, the data shows.

Maharashtra recorded 11,708 cases of drug possession for personal use, followed by Kerala (8,095) and Punjab (5,925). Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu had reported 4,032 and 1,578 cases of possession for personal use, respectively.

Punjab, with 5,729 cases, topped the list of states with the highest cases of drug smuggling. This was followed by Uttar Pradesh (4,789), Tamil Nadu (2,139) and West Bengal (1,226).

Data from NCRB shows that 3.9 lakh kg of ganja was seized by authorities in 2018  highest quantity for any narcotic drug in the country. This was followed by Acetic Anhydride (9,717 kg), Opium (4,307 kg), Hashish (3,911 kg), Heroin (1,258 kg) and Ephedrine /Pseudoephedrine (337 kg).

According to the NCB, total 49,450 cases were registered for drug seizure in 2018. These cases involved 60,156 people, including foreign nationals.
After one of the summers best games on Wednesday night  a double-overtime thriller which Toronto eventually pulled out  the Raptors and Celtics are headed for a Game 7 on Friday. It may not be the only second-round series to ultimately go seven games, but its the first one to get there.

Prior to 2020, the Raptors and Celtics had never met in the postseason, but this series has been worth the wait. The Atlantic Division rivals were fairly evenly matched during the regular season, buoyed to the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds in the East by their lockdown defenses, and those defenses have been on full display this series.

Pascal Siakam, an All-Star this season for the Raptors, has struggled immensely against Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and the rest of Bostons defenders in the second round, averaging just 15.2 PPG on .378/.129/.722 shooting, a significant step down from his season averages of 22.9 PPG on .453/.359/.792 shooting.

Fellow All-Star Kemba Walker, meanwhile, has had some big games and hit some big shots in the series, but has struggled at times to get things going against the likes of Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, and OG Anunoby, even facing a box-and-one defense on Wednesday. In Game 6, he scored just five points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Lowry and Jayson Tatum have had productive series, and Brown and Smart have had some big-time performances for the Cs, while Anunoby and Norman Powell have hit some series-saving shots for the Raptors, who are also getting solid production from Serge Ibaka. But Nick Nurse and Brad Stevens havent been relying too much on their benches  in Wednesdays game, Marc Gasol was the only starter on either team who didnt play at least 47 minutes.

Of the series six games so far, two have been blowouts  both Celtics wins. The Raptors have won three of the four close games. Those numbers would seem to favor Boston, and the Cs are indeed viewed as more likely to advance. Most oddsmakers have the Celtics listed as at least two-point favorites for Game 7.

With over 24 hours to go before Game 7 tips off, we want to get your predictions. Will it be the Raptors or the Celtics that comes through on Friday and advances to play Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
The meteorological peak of hurricane season is Sept. 10, and it sure looks like it in the Atlantic basin.

The National Hurricane Center is tracking six systems, with the newest one added at the 8 a.m. update. Two of them are tropical storms, and one is poised to strike Bermuda.

The closest system to Florida is an area of low pressure a couple of hundred miles northeast of the Central Bahamas. Forecasters expect the system to cross the Bahamas and Florida on Friday before moving into the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. It has a 50% chance of developing into anything stronger during that time.

The newest system, another low pressure area, popped up in the Gulf on Thursday morning. The hurricane center said it could move west and south for the next few days without much chance of development  10% in the next two days and 20% in the next five.

The hurricane center stopped tracking a trough of low pressure hovering near North Carolina as of the 2 p.m. update.

More heat, less Florida: Advocates draw attention to climate changes main impact

Meanwhile, forecasters have ratcheted up the chances of formation for the tropical wave thats been moving off the coast of Africa this week. Now it has a 90% chance of turning into a tropical depression this weekend as it moves west. Chances of formation in the next two days are medium at 60%.

The final wave (for now) had yet to emerge from Africas coast Thursday morning. But when it does, the hurricane center will find favorable conditions for growth and could form a tropical depression early next week. The center gave it a 40% chance of formation in the next five days.

The next two storm names are Sally and Teddy. Once the hurricane center hits the final name, Wilfred, storms will be named after Greek letters.

Although Sept. 10 is the statistical peak of the hurricane season, the National Weather Service of Miami pointed out that this date bears little significance for mainland South Florida, because most of the hurricanes that made landfall here occur after this peak. The local peak, the service said, is more like Oct. 20.

Story continues

The National Hurricane Center is tracking six systems, but the closest one to Florida appears to only be a rainmaker.

And then there are the tropical storms.

Tropical Storms Paulette and Rene were in the center of the Atlantic Ocean, far from most land, and were forecast to strengthen into Category 1 hurricanes in the next few days.

As of 11 p.m. Thursday, Paulette strengthened and was expected to become a hurricane this weekend.

Paulette was moving northwest near 10 mph with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph with higher gusts. The tropical storm was about 850 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and about 1,075 miles southeast of Bermuda. Its tropical-storm-force winds extended up to 205 miles from the center.

Tropical Storm Paulette could become a powerful category 1 hurricane by Saturday.

Forecasters say those with interests in Bermuda should continue monitoring the storms progress. Swells caused by Paulette were also forecast to reach portions of the Leeward Islands Thursday night and Friday and spread westward to portions of the Greater Antilles, Bahamas and Bermuda into the weekend. These swells will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, according to the hurricane center.

Tropical Storm Rene continued to move west-northwestward across the Atlantic near at 12 mph. It was about 925 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands Thursday night. The storms maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph with higher gusts, according to the hurricane center.

Renes forecast no longer showed it briefly becoming a Category 1 hurricane.
President Trump acknowledged Wednesday that he intentionally played down the deadly nature of the rapidly spreading coronavirus last winter as an attempt to avoid a frenzy, part of an escalating damage-control effort by his top advisers to contain the fallout from a forthcoming book by The Washington Posts Bob Woodward.

Trumps comments came hours after excerpts from the book and audio of some of the 18 separate interviews he conducted with the author were released, fueling a sense of outrage over the presidents blunt description of knowing that he was not telling the truth about a virus that has killed nearly 190,000 Americans.

Democrats, led by presidential nominee Joe Biden, denounced Trumps actions as part of a deliberate effort to lie to the public for his own political purposes when other world leaders took decisive action to warn their people and set those nations on a better path to handling the pandemic. (Washington Post)

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6 Wildfires in Lincoln County

Senior DHS official alleges in whistleblower complaint that he was told to stop providing intelligence analysis on threat of Russian interference (Washington Post)

The massive West Coast wildfires have killed 7 and forced hundreds out of their homes (CNN)

After calling for double voting, Trump says he may cast his ballot in person in Florida (NBC News)

National news

Senate paralyzed over coronavirus relief (Politico)

U.S. daily death toll from COVID-19 shoots back up over 1,000 (ABC News)

Emails show HHS official trying to muzzle Fauci (Politico)

COVID-19 at college: Shaming and blaming students can make it worse, experts say (NBC News)

Andrew Cuomo reinstates indoor dining in New York City -- but restrictions apply (CNN)

Facebook engineer quits, accusing the company of profiting off hate (CBS News)

Salt Lake police shot 13-year-old boy with autism hours before new de-escalation policy took effect (Salt Lake Tribune)

Professor who lied about being Black resigns from George Washington University (CNN)

World news

Brexit: UK and EU set for emergency talks as tensions rise (BBC)

Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova being held on suspicion of state treason (The Independent)

Pompeo: substantial chance senior Russian officials behind Alexei Navalny poisoning (The Guardian)

We Charity to exit Canada amid Trudeau scandal probe (BBC)

Chinese fighter jets buzz Taiwan for a second day as tensions rise (Reuters)

Crime victims, women activists take over human rights office in Mexico (NBC News)

An 80-year-old who disappeared while out hiking turned up at his own missing person appeal (CNN)
Wang said that the cultural consumption in the post-epidemic era, like other types of consumption, needs to be analyzed in conjunction with the general trends influencing both the domestic and global economic cycles. "On one hand, new habits that have developed around the cultural consumption during the epidemic are expected to become the norm," Wang said. "On the other hand, economic 'internal circulation' will create a market that demands more high-quality cultural products, which will bring more opportunities for culture industry in the future."

The e-sports industry has grown rapidly over the past two years. The prize pool of the International DOTA 2 Champions (TI10) now has broken the US$35 million mark, exceeding the US$34.33 million for TI9 last year and once again setting a new record in terms of the amount and speed of the crowdfunding for a single e-sports competition.

However, the industry still needs to be viewed rationally and objectively. As Wang further explained, the e-sports industry today is facing two challenges as a result of the rapid development, which are talent shortage; and the younger generation's hesitation before taking the brand new career.

"It is necessary to establish a sound education and training system," Wang suggested, adding that a pilot program comprised of an Education Certificate plus Several Vocational Skill Level Certificates (the 1+X Certificates Pilot System) is helpful in training more professional talents for e-sports and digital cultural and creative industry.



The program was launched by China's State Council in January 2019.

Wang also noted that as a natural data base, e-sports integrates with new technologies such as 5G and Artificial Intelligence. Driven by new technologies, AI rivals will be introduced for common players, in which AR/VR is used to create immersive experience. In the future virtual studios will also be created, and virtual anchors will watch games and provide the dialogue for gamers, which will bring e-sports sector a bigger market and more development opportunities.

SOURCE Perfect World Co., Ltd.
French President Emmanuel Macron will host leaders from six Mediterranean states on Thursday for a summit set to be dominated by growing tensions over Turkey's oil and gas ambitions in the east of the sea.

French President Emmanuel Macron will host the leaders of Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus for a EuroMed 7 meeting in Ajaccio, Corsica on Thursday. Turkey is not a member of the union which was created in 2016.

Before the summit, Macron will hold talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

France has strongly backed Greece and Cyprus in a growing standoff with Turkey over natural resources and naval influence in the eastern Mediterranean that has sparked fears of conflict.

The aim of the talks is to "make progress in the consensus on the relationship of the EU with Turkey above all ahead of the 24-25 September EU summit," a French presidential official said.

Strain on Nato

Reaffirming Macron's policy towards Turkey, the official said that France wants a "clarification" in relations with Ankara which should be an "important" partner.

Turkey has sought to join the EU for many years and while its membership bid has stalled badly in the last few years, and is no longer seen as realistic in some quarters, it remains a candidate to join the bloc.

Turkey's hunt for gas and oil reserves in waters claimed by Greece has severely strained the relationship between the two NATO members.

Increased Military exercises

Turkey last month deployed its exploration vessel Oruc Reis in waters between Greece and Cyprus, which prompted Athens to stage naval exercises.

At the end of August, France joined Cyprus and Italy for military exercises in the east Mediterranean.

Some member states will be pressing for sanctions against Turkey at the EU summit, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian saying at the weekend such measures were on the table.

Another cause of tension between France, as well as its EU allies, and Turkey has been Libya, where Ankara has engaged militarily in support of the UN-recognised Tripoli-based government.

In an interview with AFP last week, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades denounced Turkey's "aggressiveness" which he said masked "an intention to control the whole area".

(with AFP)
Nancy Pelosi has warned the UK there will be "absolutely no chance" of a trade deal with Washington passing Congress should the government override the Brexit withdrawal agreement signed by Boris Johnson.

The Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives said Brexit could not be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement - brokered to establish peace in Northern Ireland after years of sectarian conflict.

It comes after Mr Johnson unveiled plans to override key elements of the Brexit deal with the EU regarding Northern Ireland.

In a statement on Wednesday Ms Pelosi said: "The Good Friday Agreement is the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and an inspiration for the whole world.

"Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the stability brought by the invisible and frictionless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. 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Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A killer whale (orca in the fjord of Skjervoy, northern Norway AFP/Getty

"The UK must respect the Northern Ireland Protocol as signed with the EU to ensure the free flow of goods across the border.

"If the UK violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a US-UK trade agreement passing the Congress.

"The Good Friday Agreement is treasured by the American people and will be proudly defended in the United States Congress."

While the balance of power in the House remains tipped in the favour of the Democratic party, the approval of Ms Pelosi and her majority will be vital in securing any trade agreement between the two nations.

Speaking on Newsnight on Wednesday evening, one of the most senior Democratic congressmen, Richard Neal, echoed Ms Pelosis words.

"There will be no trade agreement on a bilateral basis with the UK, if they re-establish a hard border.

This idea you could arbitrarily determine that you could re-establish the border after giving repeated assurances that that would not happen is a violation of the good faith that we all entered intoin this remarkable achievement called the Good Friday Agreement.

The UK government is pushing forward with a new internal market bill, which will allow ministers to override its treaty agreement with the EU by unilaterally waiving customs documents on goods travelling from Northern Ireland to the British mainland and tariffs on exports travelling the other way.

The policy also limits the EUs ability to curtail the use of state aid subsidies. Talking through the legislation with the Commons on Tuesday, Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said the bill would break international law in a very specific and limited way.

However, the government has argued the legislation is a necessary step towards protecting the Northern Ireland peace process in a situation where London and Brussels are unable to hash out a free trade deal before the transition period runs out.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday held a virtual meeting with union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri and said that Ayodhya and Chitrakoot airports would spur religious tourism while Sonbhadra airport would boost conventional tourism.

During the meeting, Adityanath and Puri reviewed the progress of Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, and Myorpur (Sonbhadra) airport projects.

Three-and-a-half years ago, the state had only two active airports, now seven airports are functioning and the state government is working on developing 17 airports in the state, Yogi said.

Once all the 17 airports become functional, the state will get a connectivity boost, upswing in tourism, employment generation that will add to the states development, the chief minister said while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hardeep Puri for the airports.

Also read: Amid surge in Covid-19 cases, CM Yogi calls for special attention to 4 districts

As per the statement issued by the CMs office, Adityanath said, The state government will extend full cooperation to the central government in the airport projects. The state government wants these projects to be completed as soon as possible.

CM Yogi also requested Puri to initiate the development work for the airports in Bareilly, Hindon, Saharanpur, Meerut, Lucknow and Varanasi. Air travel facility and air connectivity would improve once flights become operational from Bareilly, Hindon, Saharanpur and Meerut, the chief minister said, adding that the remaining work of the Kushinagar airport project was progressing as per the schedule.

Puri thanked the state government and the chief minister for extending full cooperation with the projects. When all 17 airports will be functional, air connectivity will increase in the state, he said.

Ayodhya and Chitrakoot are important from a religious point of view, while Sonbhadra has immense tourism potential. Ayodhya airport will be developed in a phased manner, the civil aviation minister added.

Meanwhile, civil aviation ministry officials said they were working on initiating flights from Bareilly and Saharanpur while formalities will be completed for Meerut and Hindon flight operation once relevant clearances are received. Lucknow and Varanasi airport development will take place according to the processes, they said.

The district magistrates of Ayodhya, Chitrakoot and Sonbhadra also attended the meeting via video conferencing. Others who attended the meeting included UP civil aviation minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, additional chief secretary (home) Avanish Kumar Awasthi, additional chief secretary (civil aviation) SP Goel, additional chief secretary (revenue) Renuka Kumar.

Additional chief secretary (PWD) Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, principal secretary (urban development) Deepak Kumar, principal secretary (forest) Sudhir Garg, director information Shishir, chairman of Aiport Authority of India and several other officers from the civil aviation department were also present during the meeting on Thursday.
Led by Qi Zhang and Robert McGinty, UNC-Chapel Hill scientists used cryo-electron microscopy technology to produce the first-ever high-resolution structure of the protein cGAS bound to the DNA packaging unit inside human cell nuclei

CHAPEL HILL, NC - September 10, 2020 - UNC-Chapel Hill researchers have, for the first time, determined the high-resolution structure of a key DNA-sensing protein in the innate immune system called cGAS while it is bound to the nucleosome - the all-important unit of DNA packaging inside a cell's nucleus.

This research, published in Science, reveals in detail how the nucleosomes inside our cells block cGAS from unintentionally triggering the body's innate immune response to our own DNA. The work was led by Qi Zhang, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the UNC School of Medicine, and Robert McGinty, MD, PhD, assistant professor of chemical biology and medicinal chemistry at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.

"Detecting and responding to foreign DNA from bacterial and viral pathogens is one of the most fundamental mechanisms for host defense," said Zhang, co-senior author. "A deeper understanding of functions and regulations of this important DNA sensor will have profound impacts on both basic research and translational development of cGAS-targeted therapeutics crucial to the betterment of human health."

McGinty, co-senior author, said, "This work was enabled by recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy technology that allows scientists, like those on our team, to observe the protein machines inside our cells with unprecedented clarity. By seeing how these proteins function normally, we can gain insights into how to manipulate their functions to treat diseases."

In the mammalian innate immune system, the protein cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) detects foreign or damaged "self" DNAs. Upon DNA detection, cGAS synthesizes cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), the second messenger molecule that activates the cGAS-STING signaling pathway to fight infections, inflammatory diseases, and cancers.

Because cGAS is a "universal" DNA sensor, it must be regulated to differentiate pathogenic DNA from the body's own healthy DNA to avoid any unintended immune responses. Previous research has shown that cGAS is enriched inside the nucleus where our genomic DNA is stored, but it remains a mystery as how cGAS ignores our own healthy DNA.

Using the UNC School of Medicine state-of-the-art Cryo-Electron Microscopy Core Facility, which was established in 2019, the Zhang and McGinty labs determined a 3.3A-resolution cryo-EM structure of cGAS in complex with the nucleosome. The structure shows that cGAS employs two conserved amino acids to anchor to a negatively charged patch on the nucleosome surface. These protein-protein interactions allow the nucleosome to occupy a critical DNA sensing surface on cGAS and prevent cGAS from entering its functionally active DNA-bound state. Together with mutagenesis and functional assays, this study provides a near-atomic resolution depiction of how cGAS maintains the resting, inhibited state in the nucleus.

"These findings reshape the current paradigm of cGAS regulation and exemplify the role of the nucleosome in regulating diverse protein functions," said McGinty, who holds a joint faculty appointment at the UNC School of Medicine.

Zhang added, "Biomedical scientists will be able to apply our research to fields such as immunology, cancer biology, and gene regulation, as well as to drug discovery for infections, inflammatory diseases, and cancers."

###

This paper is published online by the journal Science on Thursday, 10 September, 2020. DOI information for this paper published via First Release is as follows: 10.1126/science.abd0609

Zhang and McGinty are members of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

First authors of the Science paper are Joshua Boyer, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Zhang lab; Cathy Spangler, a graduate student in the McGinty lab; and Joshua Straus, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry and biophysics and director of the CryoEM Core Facility at UNC-Chapel Hill. Other authors are Andrew Cesmat, a former technician at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy who is currently a medical student at UNC, and Pengda Liu, PhD, assistant professor in the UNC Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.

Funding for this research was provided through grants from the National Institutes of Health, a UNC School of Medicine Jefferson Pilot Fellowship to Qi Zhang, and Searle Scholars and Pew-Stewart Scholars awards to Robert McGinty. The Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility, which is partially supported by the NIH, is part of the Molecular Microscopy Consortium of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Media contact: Mark Derewicz, 919-923-0959
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: As by-elections to Balasore Sadar and Tirtol Assembly seats will be completed by November 29 amid Covid-19 pandemic scare, special arrangements will be made for voters affected by the virus to exercise their franchise.Covid affected voters will be allowed to cast their votes at the last hour of poll in isolation centres, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Kumar Lohani.

After a review meeting with the Collectors and Superintendents of Police of Balasore and Jagatsinghpur through a video conferencing, Lohani said top priority will be given to Covid protocol during the electioneering. Extensive awareness drive on mask wearing, hand sanitising, social distancing and thermal screening of voters as well as polling personnel, and appointment of nodal heath officer at district and constituency level during by-elections would be given top priority, the CEO said.

As a measure of compliance to Covid guidelines for observing social distancing during voting, the number of electors per booth has been limited to 1,000 maximum.Accordingly, polling stations where the number of voters was more than 1000 has been bifurcated and auxiliary stations have been created by both the District Election Officers in consultation with the political party representatives.

All persons associated with the bye-elections must abide by the Covid-19 guidelines while coming to vote and follow the norms for hand sanitisation and social distancing in the polling stations.He directed the Collectors-cum-District Election Officers to ensure strict observation of Covid guidelines while making arrangements for the bye-poll.

The Election Commission on September 4 had decided to complete the by-polls to 64 Assemblies seats in the country along with the general elections to Bihar Assembly by November 29.It is expected that the Election Commission may announce the by-election any time during October-November. The by-polls were necessitated following the death of BJP MLA of Balasore Madan Mohan Dutta on June 17 and the demise of BJD MLA of Tirtol Bishnu Das on July 6.
And in scenes to set to air on Friday night's Graham Norton, the actress admits: '30,000 people went for the role, and I had nine auditions - no job is worth that but this one was!'


Scientists are reporting that ice cover in the Bering Sea decreased during the winters of 2018 and 2019 to levels not seen in thousands of years. Reuters news agency says the new report adds to concerns about the effect of climate change in the Arctic.

The Bering Sea is in the northern Pacific Ocean, between Russia and the American state of Alaska.

The scientists said satellite images and records provide a clear picture of how the sea ice has changed over the past 40 years. Before that, the only ice records available were from those found in ship records and other observations.

So, scientists turned to peat land on Saint Matthew Island, off the coast of Alaska. Peat is plant tissue that breaks down in wet conditions. It can hold organic substances from plants that lived thousands of years ago.

The researchers studied different forms of oxygen molecules trapped in the peat land. With this information, they were able to estimate atmospheric and ocean conditions that would have affected rainfall and sea ice over a period of 5,500 years.

The researchers reported their findings in Science Advances, a publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.



St. Matthew island in itself has acted as its own weather station, said Matthew Wooller, one of the researchers. He likened the levels of soil in the peat to a book going back in time.

Wooler is director of the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Many studies have shown that the Arctic has warmed in recent years. Sea ice levels in the area around the North Pole have decreased. This year, the summertime Arctic sea ice reached its lowest level for the month of July in 40 years of record keeping.

Sea ice builds up again each year during the winter. But the new study suggests that, in the Bering Sea, sea ice may also be decreasing during cold weather.

The loss of sea ice is already hurting Arctic wildlife, such as walruses, polar bears, and seals. The loss of sea ice also affects indigenous communities that depend on hunting for food and clothing.

Shrinking sea ice intensifies warming in the Arctic. That is because areas of dark water take the place of the sea ice. The dark water absorbs, or takes in, solar radiation instead of reflecting it back into the atmosphere.

If we lose the sea ice you are completely changing the temperatures of the Arctic, noted Julienne Stroeve, who was not involved in the study. She is a climatologist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Boulder Colorado.

The study suggests that changes in the flow of ocean waters and atmospheric conditions linked to climate change have had a big effect. So says Miriam Jones, the lead writer of the study. She is a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Theres a lot more going on than simply warming temperatures, Jones said. Were seeing a shift in circulation patterns both in the ocean and the atmosphere, she added.

In addition, the study suggests that changes in sea ice take place at least 20 or more years after changes in carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases.

Stroeve suggested that the study could have been strengthened with more comparisons to information gathered by ships and whaling expeditions dating back to the 1800s.

Im Mario Ritter Jr.

Matthew Green reported this story for Reuters. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_________________________________________

Words in This Story

indigenous  adj. produced, living or existing naturally in an area

reflecting  v. to strike a surface and go back in the opposite direction

circulation  n. the movement of air or water through an area

expedition  n. a trip undertaken by a group of people for a purpose

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Batelco, a leading telecom provider in Bahrain, said that its Manama-IX (MN-IX) has been registering strong growth in traffic and data exchange, supporting its strategic agenda of becoming a leading internet hub for the Mena region.



The ongoing growth in traffic volume underscores the efforts of MN-IX to become a leading and highly reputable internet exchange as well as being internationally recognized as a digital gateway from the Middle East to the rest of the world, Batelco said.



The vision behind MN-IX is to contribute toward the development of internet services across the region including interconnecting regional Internet exchanges, cloud service providers, content delivery networks (CDNs) and retaining regional traffic, leading to ultimately enhancing user experience. The platform has succeeded in attracting an elite group of regional and international players including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Zain Bahrain, Neutel Communications, Ooredoo Qatar and Mobily.



A number of other major international players are also in the provisioning process and the names will be publicized on Peering DB in due course.



The MN-IX IP port capacity between the different networks is continually growing, allowing more traffic to be exchanged across the platform, and this will enable it to continue attracting new networks to its platform, manage capacity growth and expand its global footprint.



Adel Al-Daylami, Chief Global Business Officer at Batelco said: It gives us great pleasure to witness such an increase in traffic and data exchange, which forms a key milestone for the MN-IX platform. This highlights the platform's capability to meet the capacity requirements of Internet and Content providers, as we have witnessed them expanding their services across multiple geographic locations, seeking to bring their data traffic closer to the end users. Through our platform, we are able to improve user experience and reduce latency for customers. Our goal is to develop MN-IX into a thriving interconnection platform and continue to support Bahrains vision for the Kingdom as a key digital hub.



Since its launch, MN-IX has been witnessing an increasing level of demand for bandwidth, which is clearly demonstrated by the increase in internet traffic volume and recently achieved peaks. Batelcos cable infrastructure enables members of MN-IX to peer with others, to exchange data in a cost-effective manner, and to retain data locally, creating an optimized experience for their end users.



Batelco Global is keen to offer a comprehensive portfolio of services enabling carriers, ISPs, content and service providers to quickly and easily increase their network footprint and achieve their digital growth goals, Al-Daylami added.



MN-IX plays an essential role in developing and enhancing the infrastructure of internet services, both in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the region. This stems from Batelco's efforts to provide the best technologies and solutions to ensure that users are provided with an optimal experience and a seamless data exchange and is in line with Batelcos commitment to support Bahrains vision to be a key digital hub in the region.  TradeArabia News Service


Rumours of a relationship between actress Tara Sutaria and actor Aadar Jain have often surfaced. Although photos of them enjoying together sometimes crop up on social media, they never revealed anything about their bond. Recently, in an interview with Pinkvilla, the actress opened up about her relationship with Aadar.

Tara asserted that she had not divulged anything about her relationship because she believed that its very private and sacred. Also, in our line of work, very few things are left to someones imagination. I understand why people tend to keep it to themselves and not share it with people, said the actress.

But, she also said that if something is wonderful, magical and beautiful, then there is no need to hide it at all. The actress told Pinkvilla that she is a private person and thats why she had not spoken anything about her relationship. Im a really private person and I hadnt spoken about it earlier so people can think what they want to think," she said.

Tara revealed that she is a Scorpio and they are passionate about everything in general. Most of my friends and family say that Im all about love. Im someone who would say okay, youre single? Hes single? Dont worry Ill help you guys get together and you all should just get married," she said.

The actress called love amazing, saying that everyone should find it.

Last month on the occasion of Aadars birthday, Tara shared an adorable picture with him. She also wrote a beautiful caption for him.

Ever thine, ever mine, ever ours! Happy Birthday to my favourite person," the caption of the post read.

In the picture, they can be seen white outfits with bright smiles on their faces. Her caption is said to have given hints to their followers of their relationship.

Tara made her debut in Bollywood with Student of the Year 2. Apart from her, the movie featured Tiger Shroff and Ananya Panday.
Dame Diana Rigg, who has died at the age of 82, might have been the only Bond girl to get 007 to the altar - but she didnt get on well with her co-star George Lazenby.

The late actor starred in On Her Majestys Secret Service as Countess Teresa di Vicenzo opposite Lazenbys spy. Their characters got married, but the romance was short-lived as her character was shot dead soon after the wedding.

Ever since the film came out, there have been reports of tensions between Rigg and Lazenby on set, including a rumour that Rigg deliberately ate lots of garlic before her love scenes with Lazenby in order to throw him off.

According to Lazenby, this story was blown out of proportion. In a 1981 interview with 007 Magazine, he said: That was another press thing that blew up in Pinewood. We were having lunch just before the love scene, and there were a lot of press around because they were invited that day.

Diana Rigg was having lunch about four or five tables away and she yelled quite loudly, I'm having garlic today George, I hope you are. You know, it was just a joke. They took it down as if she ate garlic so she could put me off, but I don't quite remember smelling garlic on her, and it was quite a lot of fun with her and she's another bright lady.

Diana Rigg (Rex Features)

It appears, however, that Lazenby was the one who had fuelled the rumour originally, as Rigg wrote an open letter to Daily Sketch in 1970 condemning the stories he allegedly told about her.

Im tired of reading those paranoid statements to the press wherein you were solely surrounded by hostile people, she wrote. I agree that by the end of the film most of the crew were hostile, but only because of your extreme behaviour. Why else would your dresser threaten to hand in his notice? Why else would three chauffeurs leave you within a week? Why else was one member of the unit restrained from striking you after one inexcusable and crude outburst against one of the girls in the film?

She continued: No, George, I did not eat garlic on purpose. No, George, I was not, as you said, guzzling champagne in some warm bar when we had the row. Lazenby had implied that Rigg could often be found downing alcohol between takes.

Rigg also accused Lazenby of constantly storming off the set, turning up late and sulking". She added: As far as money is concerned, George, lets face it: 22,000 for your first film  with perks thrown in  cannot be a hardship." She added she was not surprised that producers struggled with his demands for more money, bigger chauffeur-driven cars, grander apartments, etc.

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The day after Riggs letter was published, Lazenby retaliated with a letter in the same paper, writing: My grievances and my paranoid statements to the press, as you put it, are all part of somebody trying desperately to co-operate and become a good actor. I am, as you know, a raw recruit to show business.

Lazenby quit the iconic role after On Her Majestys Secret Service, his one and only Bond film. Although his performance was panned, Rigg is considered to be one of the best Bond girls, and the film has since been championed by the likes of Christopher Nolan.
Prosecutors in Hong Kong recently denied bail to an opposition activist arrested for "sedition" under a draconian national security law after he used slogans from the city's protest movement, amid a widening crackdown on freedom of expression under a draconian national security law imposed by Beijing.



Tam Tak-chi, vice chairman of the opposition party People Power, is accused of using the commonly heard protest slogans "Free Hong Kong, revolution now!" and "Five demands, not one less!" while giving speeches on the streets of Kowloon between March and July.



Tam is also accused of shouting: "Dirty cops, hope your family members all die!" and of making complaints relating to police inaction during a July 21, 2019 mob attack on train passengers in Yuen Long, and to riot police attacks on passengers in Prince Edward MTR station on Aug. 31, 2019.



Prosecutors are arguing that the intention of the slogans was to sow hatred or contempt for the authorities, and to increase feelings of discontent or disaffection among Hongkongers, a category of speech that has been criminalized since July 1, when the ruling Chinese Communist Party imposed a national security law on Hong Kong.



Tam's case has highlighted the growing criminalization of speech and peaceful dissent in Hong Kong, as opposition activists report that they have been followed and filmed daily by unidentified personnel since the law took effect.



Protesters still routinely use protest slogans in the streets and on social media, leading to fears that a crackdown on "banned keywords," similar to the censorship system used in mainland China, may now be on the cards for Hong Kong.



Executive Councillor Ronny Tong appeared to give scant reassurance when he spoke to RFA in an interview on Tuesday.



He said any speech deemed "quite likely" to cause people to feel hatred or hostility towards the government could result in prosecution under the law.



"[We are talking about] extreme and offensive comments, including false statements, that create unfounded hostility towards the government," Tong told RFA's Cantonese Service. "It is unlikely that the expression of political demands in themselves will cause people to hate the government."



Tong said people expressing hatred of Hong Kong's police force, who rights groups and foreign politicians have criticized for engaging in widespread and disproportionate violence since the protest movement erupted in June 2019, could also face prosecution.



"Yes, that is likely, because we are talking about hatred for a specific group of people," Tong said.



'Hateful to accuse'



Hong Kong police commissioner Chris Tang has also warned that suggesting that someone died during the riot police raid on Prince Edward MTR station could also result in prosecution under the law.



Tong seemed to agree with this view.



"If there haven't been any deaths, then it's hateful to accuse someone of committing murder, right?" he said.



But legal scholar Benny Tai, who lost his job at the University of Hong Kong after being jailed for "inciting" the 2014 Occupy Central pro-democracy movement, said slogans such as "Free Hong Kong, revolution now!" and "Resist!" couldn't be interpreted as inciting hatred towards anyone.



"It's hard to see how 'Five demands, not one less!' 'Free Hong Kong, revolution now!' and 'Resist!' would fit under the [relevant clauses]," Tai told RFA.



"These interpretations should be as narrow as possible, so that the impact on the freedom of speech is as small as possible, which is in the fundamental spirit of common law," he said.



Crackdown on public speech



Hong Kong University law lecturer Eric Cheung said the sweeping powers granted to Hong Kong's own national security police, and also to mainland state security police operating in the city to enforce the law, make a crackdown on public speech much more likely.



He said the widespread uncertainty over what constitutes banned speech under the new law is deliberate.



"The authorities are using vague wording to create a chilling effect that will undermine the rule of law in Hong Kong," Cheung told RFA. "We actually don't know where the lines are drawn."



"One very important element of the rule of law is that the law must be clear enough for people to know exactly when the line is being crossed," hes aid. "But we have gotten to the point where even a lawyer can't tell us exactly what we can and can't do, and the regime will only tell you what not to do."



"They want you to know that you need to back off if you don't want to [inadvertently] cross the line."



He said nobody had yet been targeted for inciting hatred against protesters, for example, among pro-China and pro-police demonstrations that sometimes show up at protests and pro-democracy events.



"Selective enforcement of the law and a lack of clarity in the law both affect freedom of speech," Cheung said.



State exercise of power



Cheung said China's main concern is that nobody should impede or hinder the state's exercise of its power.



"Hindering the government ... is always an offense in China's concept of governance," he said. "They have made it clear that this is a new situation and a new mission [in Hong Kong]."



Cheung said he also worries that Beijing is laying the groundwork for changes to Hong Kong's judicial system, given a slew of recent official comments to the effect that there is no separation of powers in the city under Chinese rule.



"The government has been paving the way for a new system to be put in place," he said. "This hasn't yet been invoked, but it will be sooner or later."



He said Beijing could order the chief executive to exercise more direct powers under Article 48 of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, which require the incumbent to "implement the directives of the Central People's Government."



"It is precisely because of the National Security Law for Hong Kong that the government has more powers, especially the national security police, who have far greater powers than the average police officer," Cheung said.



"They can search houses, check phones, and obtain information online," he said. "It's basically the same modus operandi that they use in mainland China."



Reported by Gigi Lee for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Thursday held talks in Moscow on the four-month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh amid rising tensions, in the second highest level bilateral political contact in less than a week.

The first face-to-face meeting between the two foreign ministers since the standoff erupted in early May took place in the backdrop of a massive spike in border tensions triggered by a fresh confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

Jaishankar and Wang earlier spoke on the phone on June 17, two days after the deadly clashes in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

The outcome of the meeting that was expected to discuss ways to reduce tensions along the LAC in eastern Ladakh was not immediately known.

Jaishankar and Wang are in Moscow to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his Chinese counterpart Gen. Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meet in Moscow last Friday, but apparently the meeting did not yield any tangible outcome.

Following fresh confrontation around the southern bank of Pangong lake, India has further strengthened its military presence in the region by sending additional troops, battle tanks and other weaponry. The Chinese People's Liberation Army has also beefed up its presence in the area where the situation remained very tense.

"The external affairs minister will be meeting the Chinese foreign minister shortly where he will be discussing this issue," ministry of external affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a virtual media briefing in the evening when asked whether the border faceoff will be raised by Jaishankar at the talks.

Srivastava reiterated India's position that it is committed to resolve the current situation through peaceful negotiations.

"Both India and China are in regular touch through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the situation. This was the consensus when the two defence ministers met," he said.

The Indian Army on Tuesday said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake the previous evening and fired shots in the air, a first such instance of bullets being used along the LAC after a gap of 45 years.

The Army said this in a statement after the PLA late on Monday night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and "outrageously fired" warning shots near the Pangong lake.
Changes in the location of courts, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors within the administrative and territorial reform should take place in a coordinated and synchronous manner in order to avoid problems with access to justice, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Justice Andriy Ovsiyenko said.

In an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine, he said that the network of courts in Ukraine should be brought in line with the administrative and territorial structure, which is enshrined in the Verkhovna Rada's decree.

"This issue requires a balanced approach, so that we, while reforming the courts, do not get an even greater problem with access to justice," he said.

Under the administrative and territorial reform, according to Ovsiyenko, it is necessary to reformat the location of the law enforcement agencies and the prosecutor's office.

"If the judicial system determines for itself where the courts will be, and the prosecutor's office and other law enforcement agencies, for their part, independently determine the location of their institutions, then a problem may arise: it will be unclear which court will consider the materials of criminal proceedings, the prosecutor's petitions," he said.

The chairman of the Supreme Council of Justice said: "Everything should be agreed, take place synchronously, taking into account amendments in the Criminal Procedure and other procedural codes. Today, such work is underway, we are at the stage of discussing a concept, a model that will ensure the most efficient placement and number of courts, that function in the state."

"This issue should not be resolved quickly, but it should not be postponed," Ovsiyenko said.
Appointment

10 September 2020

Boasting 20 years of experience in hospitality, Nathalie is seasoned veteran with a proven track record in sales and marketing, specializing in the luxury sector. Most recently, Nathalie served for five years as Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing for the St. Regis Bora Bora and Le Meridien Bora Bora. Prior, Nathalie served as the Regional Director of Leisure Sales West Coast for the Leading Hotels of the World, accounting for the overall management of both the west coast travel industry sales and the regional sales office. Born in France, Nathalie is now based in Santa Monica where she has spent the last 12 years.

Now that French Polynesia has reopened, with strict guidelines for travelers including proof of a negative COVID test within 3 days of flying and a mandatory self-test upon arrival, Conrad Bora Bora Nui is readily welcoming visitors! Located in a private cove on the island of Motu To'opua on the longest stretch of white sand beach in Bora Bora, Conrad Bora Bora Nui is home to some of the destination's only two-story overwater bungalows and the only unobstructed sunset views in Bora Bora. Since re-branding in 2017, the resort has continuously raised the bar on their promise to guests: quality of service, relaxation, unparalleled views and inspired stays.
The lack of consistent policies harms Vietnams automobile industry in the eyes of overseas players, Photo: Duc Thanh

Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) has told VIR of its wide range of new policies to boost sales and increase exports to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. Its strategy is centred on producing spare parts and exporting completely-built units while using the domestic market as a base for exports.

THACO has consistently maintained its leading position in the automobile market since the beginning of 2020. In July, THACO accounted for 31.1 per cent of the automobile market share, said the carmakers general director Pham Van Tai.

As of last month, THACO has exported 200 Kia Grand Carnival cars (known as Kia Sedona in Vietnam) to Thailand, 280 Kia Cerato and Soluto vehicles to Myanmar, and 69 semi-trailers to the United States. By the end of 2020, THACO will export more than 1,400 cars of all kinds, while expanding its reach to other markets, Tai said.

THACO is now diversifying its strategy to seek growth in new landscapes  something Vietnams entire automobile industry is working on.

In particular, Vietnam aims to develop the automobile industry and become a regional hub. However, it is difficult for foreign investors to develop large-scale projects in Vietnam as the scale of the domestic market is about one-tenth of Thailand and one-fifth of Indonesia, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

With over 20 companies and 40 car brands, Vietnams automobile industry remains limited with an annual capacity of 500,000 vehicles, 47 per cent of which are built by foreign companies. The domestic automobile industry has about 170 manufacturing and assembling companies, mostly of small and medium size.

According to the MoIT, trucks and special-use vehicles have the highest localisation rate of 50 per cent. At present, THACO has achieved a rate of 40-45 per cent for trucks and 60 per cent for buses, meeting the Ministry of Science and Technology regulations for Made-in-Vietnam products.

Vietnam aimed to achieve 60 per cent localisation ratio for cars with less than nine seats in 2010. However, as of present, the ratio is just around 10 per cent, except for THACO with 15-20 per cent and 37 per cent for Toyota Vietnams Innova model.

Cars assembled and produced in Vietnam generally cost 20 per cent more than in Thailand and Indonesia because a large number of parts have to be imported. It is estimated that production costs for a B-segment compact car in Vietnam is $6,000 higher than in Malaysia.

Also, passenger cars manufactured in Vietnam have yet to reach the localisation rate of 40 per cent to enjoy a zero per cent preferential import tax under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).

Development plan of Vietnams automobile industry with vision to 2030 - Estimated proportion of the number of vehicles assembled or manufactured locally compared with total domestic demand: 18 per cent of special-use vehicles, 78 per cent of trucks, and 92 per cent of cars with more than 10 seats by 2025. In 2030, the proportions will be 20, 80, and 92 per cent, respectively. - Expected output of cars with up to nine seats, cars with more than 10 seats, and trucks and special-use vehicles is 237,000; 29,102; 197,017; and 2,356 units by the end of 2020. - By the end of 2020, the supporting industry for automobile manufacturing was aimed to be established. Vietnam will strive to meet 30-40 per cent of the value of spare parts and components needed for domestic manufacturing and assembly of automobiles, fabrication of important parts of actuators, gearboxes, and engines (especially for passenger cars and light trucks), and the country will gradually be involved in the global supply chain of components and spare parts. - In the 2026-2030 period, the supporting industry shall develop both in scale of output and number of product categories, ensuring the supply of more than 50 per cent of the value of spare parts and components needed for domestic manufacturing and assembly of automobiles. Vietnam will strive to become an important supplier of a number of components and spare parts for the regional and global automobile industry.

Switching import sources

A report from the Vietnam Business Forum stated that domestic carmakers are facing challenges due to the small scale and limited supporting industry, having to import components for assembly.

Meanwhile, localised parts are mostly of low-tech products such as tyres, seats, mirrors, glass, cable harnesses, batteries, and plastic products. About 80-90 per cent of the main raw materials used to manufacture components are still imported. As a result, this incurs higher expenses for shipping, packaging, and import duties.

The Vietnamese automobile market exceeded a record 400,000 new vehicles  302,000 passenger cars and 80,000 commercial vehicles  in 2019. Of these, 70 per cent were completely knocked-down (CKD) units and 30 per cent of completely built-up (CBU) cars. Imports from Thailand and Indonesia accounted for 90 per cent.

Since 2018, local assemblers of CKD vehicles have been switching to importing CBUs from ASEAN to avail of the benefits of the ATIGA. Vietnams automobile sector is less attractive for foreign investors than regional peers due to inconsistent policies as well as a lack of incentives and local suppliers.

Vietnam remains a major import market for European car brands in ASEAN. However, recent local regulations prevent foreign-owned carmakers from proceeding to import for export or transshipment, specifically Decree No.69/2018/ND-CP, which restricts them from proceeding with trans-shipments from the same customs checkpoint.

Decree No.74/2018/ND-CP, meanwhile, further complicates trade by requesting vehicle imports for exportation to proceed in Vietnam to basic homologation without local tests even though those vehicles are not intended for use in Vietnam. Vehicle importers with a valid business licence already including transshipment can only proceed until the expiration of their business licences as per Decree 69. However, transshipments of vehicles must now take place within 30 days.

In fact, among 19 European auto brands in Vietnam, one importer has completely stopped operations while other brands have changed official importers. The proportion of CBU vehicles imported from the EU dropped from 10 to 4 per cent between 2017 and 2019.

However, it is worth noting that CBU vehicles from the EU will have 3-3.7 times higher tax contribution compared with imports from ASEAN of the same value which have been exempted from import tariffs.

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam imported nearly 53,000 CBU vehicles worth over $1.2 billion in the first eight months, down 44.3 per cent in volume and 43.7 per cent in value. This is the second consecutive month that the country saw increasing CBU imports. In July, Vietnam spent $104 million on importing 4,000 CBU units, up 12.6 per cent in volume and 6.3 per cent in value compared to June.

Making positive advances

Vietnam is committed to the facilitation and effective control of transhipment operations and transit movements through its territory, according to Article 4.6 on Transit and Transshipment of Chapter 4 of the EU Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) on Customs and Trade Facilitation.

According to the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, foreign-invested companies in the automobile sector should be allowed to undertake transshipment without restrictions. Transshipment should continue to be allowed from the customs entry point so that vehicles arriving to Vietnam by boat should be allowed to transship by truck or boat to their final destination. Multimodal transport to transship or export to landlocked Laos or Cambodia by truck or boat should also be allowed with no restriction.

Although Vietnams market scale is not large enough to join the regional supply chain, the local supporting industry has made some strides. As of present, car companies under An Phat Holdings have landed many orders to supply components worth millions of US dollars.

Man Chi Trung, deputy director of Hanoi Plastics JSC and general director of VinFast-An Phat Plastic Auto Part Co., Ltd. (VAPA) said that Hanoi Plastics has been a subsidiary of An Phat Holdings since 2013. The company has signed contracts to provide three plastic parts for the body and doors of Toyota and Honda Vietnam vehicles. The partnership has been blossoming recently as Hanoi Plastics now provides 45 plastic parts for the latest models of Toyota Vietnam and 11 plastics parts for Honda Vietnam.

An Phat Holdings also teamed up with Vietnamese automaker VinFast to develop the 50:50 joint venture VAPA to provide components for VinFast vehicles.
Penguin caught in the crosshairs: advanced persistent threat groups actively target Linux-based workstations and servers

September 2020 by Kaspersky

Many organisations choose Linux for strategically important servers and systems, not least because this operating system is thought to be safer and less prone to cyberthreats than the far more popular Windows operating system. While this is the case for mass malware attacks, it is not so clear cut when it comes to advanced persistent threats (APTs). Furthermore, Kaspersky researchers have identified a trend where more and more threat actors are executing targeted attacks against Linux-based devices while developing more Linux-focused tools.

Over the past eight years, over a dozen APT actors have been observed to use Linux malware or some Linux-based modules. These include such infamous threat groups as Barium, Sofacy, the Lamberts, and Equation, as well as more recent campaigns such as, LightSpy by TwoSail Junk and WellMess. Diversification of their arsenal with Linux tools enables threat actors to conduct operations more effectively and with wider reach.

There is a significant trend in many countries towards using Linux as a desktop environment by big enterprise companies, as well as in governmental entities, that pushes threat actors to develop malware for this platform. The myth that Linux, being a less popular operating system, is unlikely to be targeted by malware, invites additional cybersecurity risks. While targeted attacks on Linux-based systems are still uncommon, there is certainly malware designed for them  including webshells, backdoors, rootkits and even custom-made exploits. Moreover, the small number of attacks is misleading as the successful compromise of a server running Linux often leads to significant consequences. These include attackers not only being able to access the infected device, but also endpoints running Windows or macOS, thus providing wider access for attackers which might go unnoticed.

For instance, Turla  a prolific Russian-speaking group known for its covert exfiltration tactics - has significantly changed its toolset over the years, including the use of Linux backdoors. A new modification of the Penguin_x64 Linux backdoor, reported earlier in 2020, has according to our telemetry, infected dozens of servers in Europe and the US, as recently as July 2020.

Another example is Lazarus, a Korean-speaking APT group, which continues to diversify its toolset and develop non-Windows malware. Kaspersky recently reported on the multi-platform framework called MATA and in June 2020, researchers analysed new samples linked to the Lazarus Operation AppleJeus and TangoDaiwbo campaigns, used in financial and espionage attacks. The samples studied included Linux malware.

The trend of enhancing APT toolsets was identified by our experts many times in the past, and Linux-focused tools are no exception. Aiming to secure their systems, IT and security departments are using Linux more often than before. Threat actors are responding to this with the creation of sophisticated tools that are able to penetrate such systems. We advise cybersecurity experts to take this trend into account and implement additional measures to protect their servers and workstations,  comments Yury Namestnikov, head of Kasperskys Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) in Russia.

In order to avoid falling victim to a targeted attack on Linux by a known or unknown threat actor, Kaspersky researchers recommend implementing the following measures:

Maintain a list of trusted software sources and avoid using unencrypted update channels

Do not run binaries and scripts from untrusted sources. Widely advertised ways to install programs with commands like curl https://install-url | sudo bash pose a security nightmare

Make sure your update procedure is effective and set up automatic security updates

Spend time to set up your firewall properly: make sure it logs network activity, block all ports you dont use, and minimise your network footprint

Use key-based SSH authentication and protect keys with passwords

Use 2FA (two-factor authentication) and store sensitive keys on external token devices (e.g. Yubikey)

Use an out-of-band network tap to independently monitor and analyse network communications of your Linux systems

Maintain system executable file integrity and review configuration file changes regularly

Be prepared for insider/physical attacks: use full disk encryption, trusted/safe boots and put tamper-evident security tape on your critical hardware

Audit the system and check logs for indicators of attack

Run penetration tests on your Linux setup

Use a dedicated security solution with Linux protection such as Integrated Endpoint Security. This provides web and network protection to detect phishing, malicious web sites and network attacks as well as device control, allowing users to define rules for transferring data to other devices

Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security allows protection for DevOps, enabling integration of security into CI/CD platforms and containers, and the scanning of images against supply-chain attacks

Read the full overview of Linux APT attacks and a deeper explanation of the security recommendations onSecurelist.com.
C Shivakumar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Indian Coast Guard along with the Sri Lankan and Indian Navy has successfully averted a major ecological disaster in the Indian Ocean after battling a fire for over a week on the Panamanian tanker MT New Diamond, which was carrying 270,000 tonnes of crude oil from Kuwait to the Indian port of Paradip.

K Natarajan, Director General Indian Coast Guard, said that the first phase of the mission, which was to extinguish the fire, is over and the Coast Guard is prepared for the next phase which is to contain an oil spill if any. "However, there would be no such requirement for this mission as the oil cargo is intact," he said.

Natarajan said that seven Indian Coast Guard ships were involved in dousing the fire with foam and water. The fire, which reignited, was brought under control on September 8.

He said the vessel condition was stable on Wednesday. "The hull has been damaged. The cargo of nearly 270,000 tonnes of crude oil in five tanks of the ship is intact. There is no breach of the tank as of now. The oil sheen wass due to diesel oozing out following an explosion on Sunday evening on the starboard side oil tank. The blaze was doused. But a small amount of diesel oozed out. There is not much threat to the environment. The Indian Coast Guard Dornier from Matalla airbase sprayed 300 litres of oil spill dispersant to disintegrate the sheen. Ships were used to churn the waters to accelerate the process," said Natarajan.

The director general said that the biggest challenge before the Coast Guard whose help was sought by Sri Lankan authorities, was to control the fire. "When the fire goes out of control, it is difficult to tackle," he said. The vessels involved in fighting the blaze were within 10 to 15 metres of the oil tanker. There was the threat of an explosion on the tanker. Even the firefighting was a challenge as ships have been spraying foam and water from all sides," said Natarajan.

Meanwhile, a Coast Guard spokesman said that operations will continue till the ship is removed from the area for final disposal. On whether the cargo will be shifted, he said that will be decided by the owners and Sri Lankan authorities.
Julian Assanges extradition hearing has been paused over fears that a lawyer may have been exposed to coronavirus.

The WikiLeaks founder is battling against attempts to send him to the US for trial for allegedly conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law over the release of confidential cables in 2010 and 2011.

Judge Vanessa Baraitser adjourned the case until Monday after being told one of the lawyers involved had been exposed to the virus.

She told Londons Old Bailey that the lawyer was being tested on Thursday, with the result due on Friday.

At the moment we would respectfully submit we have to go ahead on the assumption that she has Covid, Edward Fitzgerald, Mr Assange's lawyer said.

If that is the correct assumption ... we shouldnt really be here. Covid would be here in the courtroom and it's not possible to tell how far it's extended.

It comes amid safety concerns over the resumption of criminal trials and in-person hearings in many courts across England and Wales.

Birmingham Crown Court was evacuated on Tuesday and closed temporarily for a deep clean, aftera member of staff developed coronavirus symptoms.

In August, Manchester Crown Court was shut after a Covid-19 outbreak among staff.

The Ministry of Justice has been attempting to increase the number of hearings after the backlog of criminal cases passed 500,000 in England and Wales.

Delays have resulted in a controversial law change to allow suspects to be held in custody longer before trial.

Mr Assange has been held on remand at HMP Belmarsh for a year after serving a 50-week jail sentence for breaching bail conditions by fleeing to Londons Ecuadorian embassy in 2012.

His current extradition hearing, which was previously delayed by the coronavirus outbreak, is expected to last for around a month.

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange protest outside the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court, ahead of a hearing to decide whether Assange should be extradited to the United States, in London, 9 September 2020 (Reuters)

Mr Assange is fighting extradition to the US on an 18-count indictment, which alleges he plotted to hack computers and conspired to obtain and disclose national defence information.

If convicted, he faces a maximum possible penalty of 175 years in jail.

Mr Assanges lawyers have argued that he should be granted bail because of the pandemic, as he has suffered from respiratory infections and heart problems.

A judge has ordered him to be kept in prison because he is considered a flight risk.

Wednesdays hearing was told that the Australians political opinions put him in the crosshairs of the Donald Trump administration.

Professor Paul Rogers told the Old Bailey that WikiLeaks revelations were significant in showing how the US coalition's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were going wrong despite public claims of their success.

 Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy  a timeline

The emeritus professor of peace studies at Bradford University said leaked documents published by WikiLeaks exposed details of an extra 15,000 civilians killed in Iraq.

Asked by Mr Fitzgerald QC if he believed the charges against Mr Assange are motivated by criminal justice concerns or political considerations, Prof Rogers said: I have to say it appears to be the latter. This does appear to be a political trial.

The defence witness said the fact president Barack Obama's administration did not prosecute Assange was also a factor in the Trump administration's decision making.

Trevor Timm, co-founder and executive director of the San Francisco-based Freedom of the Press Foundation, said his organisation had contributed around $100,000 to Mr Assanges legal costs.

He described the case as a dire threat to press freedoms in the US and agreed that it was the thin end of the wedge to prosecute journalists.

Additional reporting by agencies
More than 200 schools and colleges have had problems getting access to Covid-19 tests for staff and pupils, a headteachers' union has said.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), warned the work of educational institutions reopening to all students is being undermined by testing delays.

Within hours of inviting feedback on the issue in an email to union members on Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of school and college leaders in England reported problems with the test and trace system.

More than 200 schools and colleges have experienced problems with the test and trace system, according to the Association of School and College Leaders (file photo)

Mr Barton said: 'Having spent the summer working extremely hard to put in place safety measures, school and college leaders feel utterly let down by the fact that within days of term starting it is immediately apparent that there are significant problems in accessing Covid tests.'

He added: 'Staff and pupils must be able to obtain tests immediately and easily, so that if they are clear of the virus they can return to school as soon as possible, and if they are positive then the appropriate action can be taken to contact and isolate close contacts.

'If this does not happen the system will come under increasing strain and the health risks will grow.'

The comments follow Professor Chris Witty saying yesterday the Government's policy on schools may be 'looked at again' if the coronavirus crisis deepens.

ASCL's Geoff Barton warned the work of reopening schools and colleges is being 'undermined' by testing delays

It comes after at least three schools closed due to Covid-19 outbreaks this week, while dozens more reported cases.

Hundreds of pupils are being forced to isolate while some schools have sent home large groups of students or delayed reopening.

Professor Whitty was answering a question from a member of the public at the Downing Street press conference, adding that coronavirus rates are 'still very low'.

But he said if there were to be a change, 'there were to be a much broader increase in rates including of school age children', adding: 'I think the current policies would have to be looked at again'.

This is despite experts suggesting the virus could be viewed as a 'disease of old age' as the risk of under-55s dying is so small.

One study by Cambridge University found just one in every 2.4million schoolchildren died from coronavirus at the peak of the epidemic, compared to one in every 50 people in their 90's.

Professor Chris Witty (pictured left) said during a press conference yesterday that the Government's policy on schools may be 'looked at again' if the coronavirus crisis deepens

Researchers calculated that 80-year-olds are 1,000 times more likely to die if they get Covid-19 than 20-year-olds.

They said the extent to which old people were disproportionately affected was 'staggering' and unlike any other known infectious disease.

The death rate among working-age adults is extremely low, which experts said highlights how the damage from lockdown was worse than the disease for most adults.

The analysis, published in the British Medical Journal, looked at the 49,607 coronavirus deaths in the UK over a 16-week period at the height of the epidemic.
On September 7, 2020, Vodafone Idea, that had merged around two years ago, finally introduced their new brand identity as Vi (pronounced as We). The announcement was made at a virtual conference. Touted as one of the biggest telecom integrations in the world, the new identity has been crafted by Wolff Olins, a brand consultancy based in London, New York City and San Francisco.

The new brand identity is pegged as future-ready. According to the brand, Vi is built to be strong, ever-dependable, agile, intuitive, and a brand in tune with the needs of the customers, in these ever-changing times. It is designed to help customers move ahead in life, for a better today and a brighter tomorrow.

Announcing the new brand identity of the merged entity, Ravinder Takkar, MD & CEO, Vodafone Idea Ltd, had said, Vodafone Idea came together as a merged entity two years ago. We have, since then, focussed on integrating two large networks, our people and processes. And today, I am delighted to present Vi, a brand that will bring important meaning to lives of our customers. Indians are optimistic and want to get ahead in life. They would love a credible partner to help them on this journey. Vis positioning is built around this promise and will focus on meeting the customer needs to help them thrive.

Also read:

Vodafone and Idea Brands are now 'Vi'

While a new brand identity was in the offing, there have been mixed industry reactions to Vi  while some felt that the identity was apt, others have raised questions as to whether it dilutes the brand identities of both Vodafone and Idea.

Harish Bijoor, Brand Guru & Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, remarked, With the new brand and brand identity in place, the two old brands are dead in their old forms. Vi is the daughter of Vodafone and Idea  to that extent, in the DNA of the new brand, Vi, resides the collective brand equity built by both brands assiduously over the years. I am sure we will see Vi recalling some of those fond memories in its advertising ahead.

According to Bijoor, the new identity is one that will take time to settle down. As for the new logo, I like the way it sounds more than the way it looks. Vi or we, as pronounced, is an inclusive brand name. I like that it is "Vi" and not "Mi" or "I" as a Xiaomi or an Apple that represents their brands!

On the other hand, Ashwini Deshpande, Co-Founder & Director, Elephant Design, felt disappointed as a user and as a designer. She said, Vi reads like a Roman 6, would most likely be pronounced as why and the dropping yellow penny makes it rather unstable. The identity seems like a missed opportunity to do something new, break away from the old name, old colours and old way of doing visual identities. When AT&T-Tata Birla combine identity exercise happened, they came up with a fresh name  idea! Orange Hutch or Vodafone are some really smart names. Somehow Vi isnt doing that. On my screen, I am seeing Vi is here and not V! are here and thats not aligned to the intent either.

Arnab Ray, Creative Director, Landor, commented, I think both brands had built a fair bit of equity in their own way. Vodafone, of course, more iconic from an identity point of view. All the communications work gone in for both brands made it resonate well with their respective audiences over time. Also, both had very different sensibilities  one being more mass/ theatre and the other more multiplex/ bordering upper middle class. Anything built over time is hard to let go off. Having said that, yes, the new brand identity does dilute individual equities, but I guess that is the strategic purpose of this. If the collaboration needs to succeed, then its best to start with lesser past baggage.

He further said, I have a personal affinity towards the Vodafone identity as a designer, as it is iconic by itself. The brand expressions have been awesome as well over time. I am a Vodafone user since the beginning and the brand and its communication have appealed to me always. But what the new identity has done in my mind has a lot to do with the way it is called  Vi for we  and has added a new meaning altogether. The launch commercial helped too in a way. Guess that was the point of it. To hammer in the name. And I am being able to see it in a new light, leaving behind my immediate associations with Vodafone. Long term ones will take time. So yes, I do feel it is impactful in that sense. Change is never easy and people will always compare, but then to be fair, Vi has to be viewed as a new brand and not compared.

As far as the logo is concerned, Ray believed that it told the story, was bold with a majority of red (Vodafone), which he felt was more of an aesthetic call than a business one and was digital friendly. However, he was not sure if it was iconic or fresh in nature. The I turned upside down to form ! is not new. (Incredible India came way back) I am yet to see the full expanse of the visual system, but from what little I have seen, there seems to be a lack of cohesiveness  if you see the last two frames of the ad, the flowy graphics versus the sharp logo formation in the end tell two different stories. From a messaging point of view  Together is a premise which has been visited a million times, but then I guess it comes together well for this particular purpose and is summed up well when we see  togetherness is a wonderful thing. It will be great to see how Together for Tomorrow will play out in the future. Look forward to more from the brand.

Rajiv Rao, Director, Nirvana Films, too, felt that Vi represented both the brands very well with the V from Vodafone and I from Idea. Even the colours of red and yellow are well represented. The logo is also quite flexible and has the potential to be played around with for more variations. Since the new identity is completely different from the previous brands, people will take their time to settle down with it, but Im sure it will be accepted soon as long as the new identity showcases the persona of both Vodafone and Idea, he added.

For Vikram Gaikwad, Co-Founder & CCO, Underdog, the simplicity of the identity was its very strength and would most definitely resonate with the audience too, which as we all understand is a massive universe of people cutting across SECs. He further said, There is an understated beauty about the no-nonsense V and i placed side by side, which in spoken terms also translates into 'we'. This is, therefore, a rather inspired choice and sticky enough to remember without too much investment in terms of brand recall. Between the two, it is slightly more reflective of Vodafones than Ideas identity, but the inverted exclamation mark that reminds us of Idea is also a great touch.

The reveal of the new identity is supported by a brand campaign, conceptualised by Ogilvy India.

Watch the ad film:

On the day the campaign broke, Vi did a roadblock on ZEE network channels. Elaborating on the idea behind the communication, Hirol Gandhi, President And Integrated Brand Team Leader, Ogilvy India, told Adgully, There were two key tasks for the launch communication:

Establish awareness and recall for the new brand and also pronounce it correctly Tell the whole world about the transition: Vodafone and Idea are now Vi

The coming together of Vodafone and Idea is wonderful, as it unlocks great value for customers. The launch communication showcases people from all walks of life coming together to welcome this new brand and herald a better, brighter tomorrow.

However, netizens think otherwise and have voiced their opinions and reactions to the Vi launch campaign on social media. Heres what Twitteratis had to say:

Jio: We are the best



Airtel: No. We are the best



Vodafone Idea: Vi Vi Vi Vi Vi Vi  Sagar (@sagarcasm) September 8, 2020

After watching Vodafone-Idea ad VVVVVVVVVV whole day

Le*me(dimag ka bharosa hua ) pic.twitter.com/YL5DlUd8sM  Chirag Soni (@_chiraxx_) September 8, 2020

People after seeing Vodafone Idea VI ad #vodafoneidea pic.twitter.com/jSJSyUHQo6    (@the_hrkjais) September 7, 2020

Vodafone and idea: *collaborate*

Vodafone: So what are we gonna name our new company?

Idea: pic.twitter.com/7FROcOSd20  ismart pillagadu (@vanamaliacharya) September 8, 2020

Dear @VodafoneIN @Idea



Totally agree Rebranding is necessary and marketing too.



But it should not be so irritating that people will start switching to another Network jus watching and getting irritated due to #VI long Advertisement pic.twitter.com/uRqaJukLYw  Y U V R A J (@yuvrajkandekar) September 7, 2020
Srinagar, Sep 10 : Two Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were arrested in a joint operation by the security forces in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

Police sources said that acting on a tip off, security forces jointly carried out an operation in the border Kupwara district during which two JeM militants were arrested.

"One AK-47 rifle, one AK magazine, two grenades, 30 AK rounds and cash worth Rs 7 lakh were recovered from their possessions.

"Further investigation is on", police sources added.
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Bank of China Malaysia (BOCM) signed an agreement with the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) on Wednesday to cooperate on the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held in November.

Zhang Min, Chief Executive Officer of BOCM, said in his speech that cooperation is the key word for getting out of the current global economic difficulties. At the forthcoming CIIE, the BOCM and ACCCIM will join force to promote economic and trade exchanges between China and Malaysia through the Internet and other technologies means.

President of ACCCIM Ter Leong Yip said the upcoming CIIE would provide opportunity for Malaysia's enterprises to enter China. He also expects that Malaysia companies can achieve fruitful results with the help of the cooperation with Bank of China at the upcoming expo.

According to the MOU, BOCM will work hand in hand with ACCCIM, through the CIIE Trade and Investment Business Matching Platform hosted by Bank of China. Both online and offline methods will provide Malaysian enterprises with cross-border investment and trade matching services.

The CIIE is the first dedicated import exhibition in the world and has seen fruitful outcomes in the past two expos. The third CIIE will take place in Shanghai on Nov. 5-10.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 08:41 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43e9d10 4 National Rohingya,Rohingya-Muslims,Rohingya-people,aceh,Amnesty-International-Indonesia,refugees,refugee-crisis,respiratory-infections,lhokseumawe Free

Midshalimah, 21, a Rohingya refugee who was among hundreds who arrived in Aceh early on Monday, has reportedly died from some form of respiratory illness.

Lhokseumawe city public relations head Marzuki said on Wednesday that Midshalimah had complained of shortness of breath upon landing at Ujong Blang Beach in Lhokseumawe just after midnight.

She and the others were taken to a temporary shelter at the vocational training center (BLK) in Mee village, Muara Dua district, North Aceh.

She was given medical treatment there, before being admitted to Cut Meutia General Hospital in North Aceh by ambulance. She died in the hospital, Marzuki said as quoted by kompas.com.

Midshalimah was buried at the Kuta Blang public cemetery in Lhokseumawe, he added.

Midshalimah and 296 other Rohingya refugees had reportedly been at sea for six months before arriving in Aceh on Monday. They were spotted by local fishermen several kilometers off the coast of Lhokseumawe.

Read also: Almost 300 Rohingya refugees arrive in Indonesia's Aceh province

A 13-year-old was also reportedly sick that day and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Their arrival on Monday came following that of more than 100 Rohingya refugees rescued by Acehnese fishermen in late June, after Indonesian authorities had initially threatened to push them back.

Fleeing persecution in Myanmar and refugee camps in Bangladesh, Rohingya refugees have for years boarded boats in an attempt to seek refuge in other Southeast Asian nations.

Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid has urged the government to ensure that the refugees get sufficient food, shelter and essential health services, as well as protection from COVID-19 infection.

Rohingya refugees are still willing to risk everything in search of safety. Their testimonies, once again, show how perilous these boat journeys can be. Survivors said dozens among the group had died, Usman said on Monday.

It is appalling that the Indonesian authorities are waiting for local fishermen to take the initiative in carrying out these rescues. The government, not private individuals, should have saved these lives. (syk)
September 08, 2020





The COVID-19 situation has brought an abrupt halt to the travel and tourism industry. The virus scare has stirred global lockdowns and led to bans on international travel. It has dried up the hospitality sector and resulted in the cancellation of large scale global events.







The industry has witnessed some major setbacks but always bounced back. This pandemic will require travel brands to implement changes to ensure convenience and safety. It will take some time to normalize travel even after the pandemic is over. There is no clear insight on how long the pandemic will prevail. However, travel brands should still prepare strategies to succeed post-COVID-19 crisis.

Here are some points travel companies should keep in mind while devising their strategies:

1. An Active and Upfront Customer Engagement

The travel domain has seen a massive upheaval due to the coronavirus. As tourism slowly opens, customers will be more apprehensive about their travel plans. Every travel brand should engage with customers through informative videos detailing relevant information. The use of video editing software can help create engaging videos. Strategic customer management and contact centres should be streamlined for better customer service.

As a travel brand, companies should be prepared for a spike in doubts and queries by customers. Contact centres must be adequately staffed to reduce the waiting time. The whole process can be streamlined by the incorporation of digital channels for queries and resolutions. This will help in building trust and better customer engagement.

2. Interesting Campaigns and Marketing

Most people want to break free at this point and travel. Thus, it is the best time for travel brands to market their brands and connect with potential customers. Travel brands should market their services and products through positive campaigns. As a responsible travel brand, it is essential to engage in the welfare of local people. For example, some hotels are offering their rooms as a quarantine centre for health workers. Brands should provide medical provisions and kits to extend their help in fighting the pandemic.

The best way to build a positive image as a travel brand is to contribute to extending help through the crisis. Travel brands can help by spreading more awareness. Campaigns driving more engagement through online platforms and social media can help in recognizing the brand more after the COVID-19 situation. A travel brand can advertise and market their services through contests and competitions for a free trip valid post COVID19 or winning travel merchandise. The brands working for a social cause will see a rise in demand by the customers post COVID19.

3. Roping in Digitalization and Contactless Service

Most people will be extra careful while travelling post the COVID19 situation. Even after the vaccinations and easing of restrictions, people would most likely keep their distance. It is expected that tourists and travellers would not compromise on their safety and well-being. They will continue to follow social distancing, at least for a while. The use of digital tools and touchless contact will see a growing demand. Hence, travel brands must expand their operations through contactless technology.

There has been a drastic increase in digital and contactless payments during the pandemic. This demand will further increase. Hence, all travel brands need to adopt contactless payment options. One of the best travel marketing tips is digitalization. Use of e-boarding passes, keyless hotel entry, digital check-in and check-out at hotels will increase post-COVID-19.

Travel brands must invest more in the integration of contactless technology to ensure customer safety and convenience. Several types of technology can be used like biometrics, automated digital interactions, and gesture controls. Kiosks for printing boarding passes can also be utilised. Travel post-COVID-19 is likely to see massive growth in the use of artificial intelligence and advanced technology.

4. Change the Market and Segment Dynamics

Travel brands that cater massively to international customer segments will continue to see setbacks and standstills. It will take a longer time to eliminate international travel restrictions. Also, people might be discouraged from taking international leisure trips. Hence, companies must change their target landscape to maintain profit fluidity. It is more likely that domestic travel will see a significant hike as compared to international travel post-COVID-19.

Travel brands should reevaluate their audience and market segments they specifically cater to. The post-recovery dynamics will be different. Therefore, brands should develop services and products that cater to the domestic tourist segment. This will help travel brands recover. If not wholly, companies can compensate for at least the loss incurred during the pandemic crisis.

This crisis is the best opportunity for travel brands to invest in a new market. They should design services and products for the targeted audience and offer new services and products. The new services and products will help in attracting new customers and assist in financial recovery. This is the best time to analyze market and customer behaviour. Companies can then develop strategies for gaining a new audience.

Conclusion

The whole travel landscape will see a massive change post-COVID-19. It is crucial for travel brands to know these strategies and streamline them to revolutionize the travel industry post-pandemic. This will not only help them to build trust with existing customers but help in amassing new customers. Companies need to invest more in digital technology for strengthening the backbone of contactless interactions and transactions. This will help travel brands to ensure safety for the guests and build positive responses.


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Disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes may argue that she was suffering from a 'mental disease' when she allegedly defrauded investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars with her fake blood testing technology.

The tentative plan for a so-called insanity defense was revealed on Wednesday when the US District Court in San Diego ruled that experts selected by the prosecution could examine Holmes.

Judge Edward Davila authorized the examinations after Holmes' lawyers said they intended to introduce expert evidence from a clinical psychologist 'relating to a mental disease or defect or any other mental condition of the defendant bearing on the issue of guilt'.

Such evidence could be used to challenge the requirement that prosecutors prove Holmes' intent to do something wrong or illegal.

Disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes may argue that she was suffering from a 'mental disease' when she allegedly defrauded investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars with her fake blood testing technology, a court filing has revealed

Davila's ruling rejected the argument by Holmes' lawyers that she shouldn't have to submit to a psychological examination by government experts.

The judge said that the examination is necessary for the prosecution to craft an 'effective rebuttal' as the defense is providing testimony from its own expert - Mindy Mechanic.

Mechanic is a California State University at Fullerton professor who specializes in psychosocial consequences of violence, trauma and victimization, including violence against women, and often testifies in cases involving interpersonal violence, according to her university biography.

Under Davila's ruling, a psychologist and psychiatrist chosen by the government will examine for 14 hours over two days.

The examinations will be recorded on video - after Davila overruled the defense's objections on that point as well. Holmes' lawyers had said that recording would 'negatively affect the tenor or the interview'.

Wednesday's decision was partially redacted. Holmes' mental state had been previously discussed in sealed court documents and a closed July 8 hearing.

The tentative plan for a mental disease defense was revealed on Wednesday when the US District Court in San Diego ruled that experts selected by the prosecution could examine Holmes (pictured above in a Theranos lab)

Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at the University of Michigan law school, told Bloomberg that the 'mental disease' defense would be a challenge as it requires a high standard of proof.

'Contrary to what you may see in the movies, an insanity defense in federal cases is rare and hard to fake,' McQuade told the outlet.

She said that Holmes will have to show that a severe mental defect made her 'unable to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of [her] acts' at the time of the alleged offenses.

Former Theranos President Ramesh 'Sunny' Balwani (pictured) is also facing fraud charges

Holmes and former Theranos President Ramesh 'Sunny' Balwani are accused of deliberately misleading investors, policymakers and the public about the accuracy of Theranos' blood-testing technologies from 2003 to 2015.

The now-defunct company falsely claimed that it could revolutionize medical lab testing with technology that could enable a wide array of tests with a few drops of blood.

Both Holmes and Balwani - who dated during their time at the company - pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and have maintained their innocence.

Before its unraveling, Theranos had been valued at $9billion and made Holmes, a Stanford University dropout who founded the company in 2003 at age 19, a Silicon Valley star.

Holmes' trial is scheduled for March 2021.

She and Balwani were originally indicted in June 2018. Balwani's case is being handled separately.
T he European Union has called on the Government to withdraw measures from a Bill that overrides Boris Johnsons Brexit deal by the end of the month.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said violating the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law and jeopardise trade deal talks, according to an EU statement.

He told Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove in no uncertain terms that the timely and full implementation of the divorce deal is a legal obligation.

Violating the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law, undermine trust and put at risk the ongoing future relationship negotiations, the statement said.

Britain's Attorney General Suella Braverman has published the UK's legal position / Getty images

The EU did not accept the argument that the UK Internal Market Bill was needed to protect the Good Friday Agreement.

In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite, the statement said.

Vice-president Maros Sefcovic called on the UK Government to withdraw these measures from the draft Bill in the shortest time possible and in any case by the end of the month.

He stated that by putting forward this Bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK. It is now up to the UK Government to re-establish that trust.

The statement even goes as far as to raise the spectre of sanctions if the UK does not comply.

It continues: "He reminded the UK government that the Withdrawal Agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text  which the European Union will not be shy in using."

Michael Gove met with the EU on Thursday / Reuters

Meanwhile, a leaked legal opinion from the EU's lawyers claims that the UK is already in breach of the Withdrawal Agreement, and could be met with sanctions, The Guardian reports.

According to the opinion, the UK has breached the good faith obligations of the agreement by tabling a bill that negates key parts of it.

However, the government has also set out its legal position, arguing that parliament would not be acting unconstitutionally in enacting the UK Internal Market Bill.

A statement published by the Government about the controversial legislation maintained that Parliament is sovereign over domestic law and can pass legislation that is in breach of the UK's treaty obligations.

The statement said: The legislation which implements the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Northern Ireland Protocol, is expressly subject to the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.

Loading....

Parliaments ability to pass provisions that would take precedence over the Withdrawal Agreement was expressly confirmed in section 38 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, with specific reference to the EU law concept of direct effect.

However, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove  who co-chairs a joint committee on the Withdrawal Agreement with Mr Sefcovic  ruled out a U-turn on the bill, saying the Government was not prepared to back down.

I explained to vice president Sefcovic that we could not and would not do that, he told reporters following the meeting.

I made it perfectly clear to vice president Sefcovic that we would not be withdrawing this legislation. He understood that. Of course he regretted it.


Pompeo tells Southeast Asia to stand up to China, shun its firms FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo meets Kosovo's Prime Minister Hoti in Washington

By Phuong Nguyen

HANOI (Reuters) - The United States' top diplomat on Thursday urged Southeast Asian countries to stand up to maritime bullying by China and to reassess business deals with its state firms, adding to heated exchanges between two powers jostling for influence.

Speaking remotely to foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the region should be confident in the United States and know it can bank on its support.

"Today, I say keep going. Don't just speak up but act," Pompeo said. "Reconsider business dealings with the very state-owned enterprises that bully ASEAN coastal states in the South China Sea. Don't let the Chinese Communist Party walk over us and our people."

ASEAN has said it does not want to take sides amid friction over a recent spike in military activities by both powers in the South China Sea and ahead of a November election in which U.S. President Donald Trump will trumpet his tough stand against China.

Asked about China-U.S. tensions on Tuesday in an interview with Reuters, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said: "We don't want to get trapped by this rivalry."

China's State Councillor Wang Yi on Wednesday told the ASEAN ministers that the United States was interfering in the South China Sea and was driving its militarisation.

China says it has historical sovereignty over most of the waterway, but its neighbours and the United States say that claim has no basis in international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which China is a signatory.

In a joint statement released late on Thursday, ASEAN member states said progress had been made in negotiations to draft a code of conduct in the South China Sea that was consistent with international law, including UNCLOS.

"Concerns were expressed by some Ministers on the land reclamations, activities, and serious incidents in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions, and may undermine peace, security, and stability in the region," the statement said.

Story continues

Pompeo's swipe at Chinese firms follows Washington's recent announcement of sanctions on 24 Chinese entities involved in building artificial islands in disputed waters and installing missile systems on them.

U.S. ally the Philippines is among countries where blacklisted firms have secured lucrative contracts. Its president says those will go ahead.

ASEAN ministers also held remote meetings on Thursday with Japan and Australia.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia was committed to a peaceful Indo-Pacific "free from coercion and with sovereignty, international law and the rights of all states respected and upheld."

Vietnam Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in a statement welcomed the U.S. role in supporting ASEAN's hope for peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation.

(Additional reporting by Khanh Vu and James Pearson; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Peter Graff)
MADISON, Wis. - The conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a halt in the mailing of absentee ballots until it gives the go-ahead or makes any future ruling about who should be on the ballot in the critical battleground state.

The order injects confusion into voting in Wisconsin a week before a states deadline for absentee ballots to be mailed to those with requests on file and less than two months before the Nov. 3 presidential election. Polls show a tight race in the state between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.

Local election clerks sounded the alarm about what even a temporary delay in the process would mean.

This is potentially a huge disaster, said Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell. Just the delay of a decision is deeply irresponsible and jeopardizes the integrity of our election.

In Madison alone, there were 100,000 requests for absentee ballots on file and election staff planned to work all weekend on mailing them out, he said. If the court would order changes to the ballot, Dane County would have to print, package, sort and deliver 500,000 new ballots.

The ruling came in a lawsuit by Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins, who asked the states highest court to take up his challenge of a Wisconsin Elections Commission decision keeping him off the ballot. The commission deadlocked in August on whether Hawkins had submitted the proper paperwork.

Rapper Kanye West, in a separate case, is also trying to get on the ballot after the commission voted 5-1 that his nomination papers were too late. West argues that his papers, which were accepted minutes after the 5 p.m. deadline, meet the requirements to put him on the ballot. A Brown County judge said he hoped to rule within days on Wests lawsuit, which could cause further delays in the mailing of ballots.

Whether West and Hawkins are allowed on the ballot could have a significant impact in razor-close Wisconsin. The Green Partys 2016 presidential candidate, Jill Stein, won 31,006 votes in the state, which was more than Trumps 22,177-vote margin over Hillary Clinton.

The state Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision split along ideological lines, said no ballots can be sent for now. Municipal election clerks face a Sept. 17 deadline to mail absentee ballots to anyone who had requested one. There is also a Sept. 19 federal deadline to mail ballots to voters overseas and in the military. As of Thursday, nearly 1 million absentee ballots had been requested in Wisconsin.

While Sept. 17 is the deadline for clerks to mail absentee ballots to those who already have a request on file, anyone who makes a request later will still be mailed a ballot. Oct. 29 is the deadline for most voters to request a ballot by mail. Returned ballots must be received by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Wisconsin Elections Commissioner Meagan Wolfe said Thursday, just prior to the courts order, that some clerks may have already mailed ballots without Wests and Hawkins names on them. If West or Hawkins ends up getting on the ballot, the clerks would likely send voters a new ballot, Wolfe said. Voters would also likely receive instructions telling them that their first ballot would still count unless they mailed in the second one, she said.

That scenario is incredibly problematic, Wolfe said.

The high court asked the elections commission to provide detailed information by 5 p.m. Thursday on who had requested an absentee ballot, whether any had been sent, to whom they were mailed, when they were mailed and to what address.

Wolfes filing at the deadline showed local clerks have marked about 380,000 ballots as sent. She said she couldnt personally vouch that the information was accurate, however.

For example, the spreadsheet shows the city of Madison marked about 77,000 ballots as sent. City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl said the city has everything ready to go but froze things after the court ruling, and hasnt yet put anything in the mail.

Commission spokesman Reid Magney said the city marked that many ballots as sent in the statewide voter registration system and the commission cant differentiate between whats marked sent and what actually goes out. He said Madison officials may have decided to mark a ballot as sent on the date they generated the mailing labels.

Wolfe said the commission got responses from 63 of 72 counties, but only 25 municipalities. She gave the court the names and addresses of about 100 voters who had requested ballots.

The courts three liberal justices dissented, saying given the breadth of the information requested and the minimal time allotted to obtain it (the court) is asking the impossible of our approximately 1,850 municipal clerks throughout the state.

Gillian Drummond, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Justice, which was representing the elections commission, declined to comment. Hawkins attorney did not immediately return a message.

Elections officials have been urging voters to return their ballots as soon as possible because of concerns with slower mail delivery and the expected unprecedented number of absentee ballots. State elections officials have estimated that more than 2 million of the states roughly 3 million eligible voters will cast absentee ballots, largely due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

There are more than 170 lawsuits nationally over election procedures, often filed by the two major parties or their allies, that have injected a new level of uncertainty into a contest already disrupted by the pandemic. There has also been litigation over attempts by third parties like the Greens or candidates like West to get on the ballot in other states such as Arizona, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

___ Associated Press writer Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Wolfe said the first ballot would count unless voters returned the second ballot.
Freedom of movement within museums will also vary, with the size and setup of each institution dictating how much latitude patrons will have to wander. Were creating pathways that will allow you to enjoy the shows but not be colliding with other visitors, explained Colin Bailey, the director of the Morgan Library & Museum. Were trying to keep the curatorial integrity of the layouts but also we want people to walk in certain directions. Physically larger institutions like the Brooklyn Museum will be able to be less prescriptive.

As the coronavirus situation remains unresolved, many museums are choosing to proceed cautiously even once they have reopened. For the time being, visitors should expect limited schedules and some continued gallery closures. Patrick Charpenel, the executive director of El Museo del Barrio  which at first will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays  is hopeful that these restrictions will be temporary and that his museum will quickly be able to safely increase its hours. As soon as we see that were OK, we will begin expanding until were exactly as we were before Covid, he said.

While the visitor experience at newly reopened New York museums will be somewhat different this fall, the quality of the art on offer remains world class. Curators and directors have worked hard to ensure that patrons have the opportunity to view exhibitions that were cut short or postponed because of the shutdown. Below youll find a partial listing of museums that are set to reopen soon, with input from our critics on shows they were able to catch before the pandemic struck. PETER LIBBEY
Alex Mann wasnt even born in 1975. The 37-year-old investigative journalist for ABC Radio Nationals Background Briefing admits that he had a loose understanding of the politics that were put into play when Governor-General John Kerr dismissed Gough Whitlams government on November 11 that year. His main impression was the famous footage of the Prime Minister on the steps of Parliament House uttering the immortal words, Well may we say God save the Queen, because nothing will save the Governor-General.

He ended up learning a whole lot more about that day and the lead-up to it by spending an intense six months delving into the dismissal for the ABC podcast The Eleventh.

Gough Whitlam on the day of the dismissal, November 11 1975 Credit:Fairfax Media

By this point in time, the story of Australias greatest political and constitutional crisis is what many would consider in journalistic parlance as scorched earth. In 1983 there was a TV miniseries and a door-stopper of a book by political journalist Paul Kelly, and in 2017 Whitlam biographer Jenny Hocking published The Dismissal Dossier, sub-titled Everything You Were Never Meant to Know About November 1975. Why did Mann think there was more to be told in a podcast?

On one level I thought this might be the last opportunity to interview the people who lived through this, says Mann. Forty-five years is a long time and if you were a player at that time youre now in your senior years.
New Delhi: United Airlines on Thursday said it will operate daily flights on the Delhi-Chicago route from December this year and the Bengaluru-San Francisco route from spring next year.

"Together with the airline's existing services from New Delhi and Mumbai to New York/Newark and New Delhi to San Francisco, United will offer more nonstop services from India than any other U.S carrier," the airline said in a press release.

United said it will operate flights on the Delhi-Chicago route and the Bengaluru-San Francisco route using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

Marcel Fuchs, United's Managing Director International Sales, said, By introducing the first-ever nonstop service between the two international technology hubs, Bengaluru and San Francisco, we are proud to open up new opportunities for both business and leisure travellers."

Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, special international passenger flights have been operating in India under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Two women have been indicted on hate crimes after they stole a seven-year-old boys Make America Great Again hat outside the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Delaware.

Delaware Police arrested Camryn Amy, 21, and Olivia Winslow, 21, on charges of robbery, conspiracy, endangering the welfare of a child. Amy also received two counts of offensive touching.

The women are accused of committing the crimes for the purpose of interfering with the victims free exercise or enjoyment of any right, privilege or immunity protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, or committed said crime because the victim had exercised or enjoyed said right or rights, according to the indictment.

Violence in any form is unacceptable, but harming another person  let alone a child  because of the expression of their views betrays the principles on which our country was founded, Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings, a Democrat, said in a statement.

Free speech, free assembly, and free expression are sacred, no matter whether we agree with the opinions expressed, and especially when we dont, she added.

The incident, which was captured in a now-viral video, happened in Wilmington, Delaware, outside a restaurant just steps away from where Joe Biden made his DNC acceptance speech as the partys candidate for president.

The footage showed the two women damaging pro-Donald Trump signs and a red Make America Great Again hat outside the venue, as people gathered to show support for the sitting president.

A young boy in the video can be heard saying, "That's somebody else's hat," after Winslow picked it up off the ground.

Mom, call 911, the boy said as the two women walked away with the hat.

Later in the video, a man attempted to grab the hat from Amy, who then appears to punch him in the face. She then threw the hat over a fence.

Wilmington police identified Amy and Winslow after the video footage circulated of the incident.
We wanted to make a statement of support that would last beyond May and summer and more than just words, said Cameron Compton, founder of Midwest Coast Brewing, in West Town. The craft beer scene isnt the most diverse, and we felt we needed to do our part in trying to change that and at the very least, making sure folks felt comfortable visiting our taproom and being part of the community.
Ghaziabad: BJP MLA from Loni Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh Nand Kishore Gurjar has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging that he has been receiving death threats from underworld don and India`s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and his D-Company.

I have been getting regular death threat calls from international numbers from the past one and half months, and I believe Dawood Ibrahim and his D-Company is behind this," Gurjar said in his letter to Shah.

In his letter to the Home Minister, Gurjar also expressed fears that Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who is in the eye of a political storm due to her comments likening Mumbai to PoK, might be killed by her adversaries.

The Loni BJP MLA said that he had earlier requested the Central government to ban the web series `Paatal Lok` because its makers unlawfully used his picture in the show and showed him in a bad light.

"In the web series `Paatal Lok`, its makers used a poster with my picture and associated me with a corrupt character in the show. They also portrayed the `Sanatan Dharma` in a bad light and questioned the credibility of CBI. I had written to the government demanding the ban of the series and said D-Company was behind the making of the series," he said.

"The threats became regular after one of my comments on some issue in Kashmir. I believe the controversies of Kashmir and Paatal Lok are the reason behind the calls. I am not afraid of the threats and have registered an FIR with all the proof at the Loni police station," he said.

The MLA added that the investigation in the case is underway and he hopes that the culprits will be behind bars soon.

Referring to the controversy involving Kangana Ranaut, the MLA said the actress must be given a Z Category security instead of Y category.

He also made serious allegations against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and said that the Shiv Sena government is ''hand in gloves'' with the D Company.

The BJP legislator demanded that the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra should be sacked and President's Rule be imposed in the state. He alleged that the government of Maharashtra is being controlled by Dawood's D Company.

He demanded that the NIA should investigate the controversy involving Kangana Ranaut. The Loni MLA also dared the Mumbai civic body  BMC  to demolish the illegal buildings belonging to Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, fugitive Islamic scholar Zakir Naik.

He alleged that Uddhav Thackeray is working as a dummy chief minister and wants to settle scores with Kangana Ranaut and all those who oppose him.
Originally slated for January 31 at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown L.A.  formerly the Staples Center - the 64th Annual Grammy Awards have been rescheduled and will now broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas ...
Phuket tsunami-evacuation drill reveals warning tower needs repairs

PHUKET: The tsunami-evacuation drill conducted in Kamala yesterday morning (Sept 9) revealed that the speakers on one of the warning towers in the beach resort town needs repairs after failing to adequately sound the alarm during the simulation exercise.

disastersSafety

By The Phuket News

Thursday 10 September 2020, 10:31AM

At a review meeting held after the the drill, which started at 10am with the sirens sounding the alarm at four locations in Kamala, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket office Chief Sophon Thongsai explained that the main purpose of the drill was to check the readiness of the warning sirens as well as the readiness of local people in responding to alarm.

The simulation itself involved officers being notified of an 8.5-Magnitude underwater earthquake striking some 10 kilometers deep northeast of Great Nicobar Island, an island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands archipelago located some 200km west of Phuket.

Phuket Vice Governor Wongsakorn Nunchukan has praised the exercise generally as a success.

However, while V/Gov Wongsakorn noted that the warning tower behind Kamala Police Station sounded the warning loudly, he also pointed out that the speakers in the tower near Samnaksong Charoentham* were not loud and needed repair.

Mr Sopohon pointed out that the towers and their equipment had been in use for quite some time.

We will inform the DDPM headquarters [in Bangkok] about the broken speakers and other equipment so they can be repaired, he said.



V/Gov Wongsakorn said, The overall result of the drill was good, due to the participation from teachers, students, officers and local people. They were ready and followed the plan we made very well.

It is good that people in risk areas are aware and know what to do when a disaster happens, in order to prevent losing loved ones.







* A samnaksong is a probationary Buddhist temple compound, usually of less than two rai in area. It is a place of Buddhist worship, but not a designated as a wat.
After a few months' delay, the acquisition by Africa Data Centres (ADC) of Standard Banks Samrand data centre in South Africa seems to be going ahead.

Standard Bank's South Africa Data Centre is described as a 65,000 square metre site, built to Tier IV standards. It is located near Johannesburg.

The two buildings on the site, which allow for up to eight data centre modules of 1,500 square metres, are no longer needed by Standard Bank, which has decided to migrate over to AWS and Azure.

The site cost $87 million when it was built in 2010. It is not clear how much it is being sold for. In any case, although the sale was agreed in April and approved by South Africas Competition Tribunal soon afterwards, finding the funds proved difficult.

Strive Masiyiwa, the Zimbabwean owner of Liquid Telecom, of which ADC is a subsidiary, had to play a part in the purchase by working with his team to convince investors to help ADC to gather the funds needed to complete the takeover. Apparently the financing involved a combination of equity and sold shares to existing shareholders, as well as debt.

Africa Data Centres, which describes itself as Africas first network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities, has said it will offer the facility to the market on an open-access basis.

Tricky though this process has been this is undoubtedly a positive outcome for the founder of Econet  especially considering Masiyiwas recent problems trying to find buyers for a stake of 20 to 34 percent of Liquid Telecom.

As we reported in August, the expected $600 million deal stalled in March as Covid-19 spread and potential buyers decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach.
This former child star long ago established herself as a Hollywood fashionista.

And Elle Fanning demonstrated her winning street style again when she was spotted on a grocery run in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil actress slipped into a frilly pastel dress with puffed-out sleeves and a hemline cut at around mid-thigh.

Errands: Elle Fanning demonstrated her winning street style when she was spotted on a grocery run in Los Angeles this week

She accessorized her throwback chic ensemble with a pair of shades and made sure to take the precaution of wearing a mask.

Her latest outing comes after she covered the 15th anniversary issue of C and said of her childhood dress sense: 'When I was young, I was allowed to be eccentric.'

The sister of Dakota Fanning shared: 'My mom would let me put on crazy outfits and go to school. I think I had an appetite for it more than Dakota did.'

Elle dished: 'There are things that I would wear, and she would say: "That looks insane." Kids definitely made fun of me, but I didnt care.'

Throwback chic: The 22-year-old actress slipped into a frilly pastel dress with puffed-out sleeves and a hemline cut at around mid-thigh

A good shopping experience: The Maleficent star had two bags in her hand as she entered the white car

As for her current style: 'Im not usually the T-shirt and jeans type of girl. But I have a Gucci sweater that I can wear over it and Chanel loafers, so thats OK.'

Her clothing hit the headlines last year when she fainted at Cannes and revealed it was because of her 'time of the month' along with how tight her Prada dress was.

She can also be seen in a string of extravagant ensembles on her new darkly comic Hulu show The Great which she leads as Russian Empress Catherine II.

Elle and Dakota are starring in an upcoming movie called The Nightingale in which they will play estranged sisters navigating the dangers of life in Vichy France.

Looking fab: Covering the 15th anniversary issue of C magazine she dished about her childhood dress sense: 'When I was young, I was allowed to be eccentric'

Throwback: Elle revealed she was 'made fun of' as a schoolgirl for her 'crazy outfits' and 'eccentric' style 'but I didn't care'; pictured at a premiere in 2003 aged five

Although it was originally slated for release this year the coronavirus pandemic has caused it to be bumped to December 2021.

The director is French film star Melanie Laurent, who starred in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 movie Inglourious Basterds also about the Nazi occupation of her country.

This is also not the first time Elle has worked with her sister - she made her film debut as a younger version of Dakota's character in the 2001 drama I Am Sam.

The Great is available on Stan in Australia
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a revised SOP (standard operating procedure) on preventive measures to be taken while conducting exams in the wake of COVID-19 crisis in India. A ministry statement issued on Thursday said it's important to plan exams in a way that ensures all preventive measures since a large number of students, parents and staff visit schools during exams. The Centre had allowed partial reopening of schools for students of Classes 9 to 12 from September 21 as the process to ease lockdown restrictions continue across the country.

Advisory for schools

As per the ministry, everyone, including staff, students and parents, will have to follow the general guidelines at school premises.

Physical distancing of at least 6 feet (as far as feasible)

Use of mandatory face covers/masks

Frequent handwashing with soap for at least 40-60 seconds even when hands are not visibly dirty

Use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers

Respiratory etiquette to be strictly followed i.e. covering of one's mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing with a tissue or handkerchief/flexed elbow and disposing off used tissues properly

Self-monitoring of health by all and reporting any illness at the earliest.

Spitting will be strictly prohibited

Installation and use of Aarogya Setu App will be advised to all

Also read: Unlock 4.0: Schools allowed to reopen for Class 9 to 12 students on voluntary basis

Advisory for universities/educational institutions

Only exam centres outside the containment zone should be allowed to function. Staff or examinees from containment zones should not be permitted

Regarding students coming from containment zones, universities or institutions may consider appropriate measures

Exam schedule should be planned in a staggered manner to avoid overcrowding

Institutions should have adequate room capacity to ensure proper seating arrangement

Appropriate arrangements for face covers/masks and other logistics should be made available by universities or exam conducting authorities

Examinees may also submit self-declaration about health status

Students should also be given prior information on what they should carry

Adequate manpower should be deployed for maintaining discipline

Invigilators and supervisory staff need to be briefed on the code of conduct in the context of COVID

Provisions must be made for display of posters/standees/AV media on preventive measures

The exam centre should have a designated isolation room for isolating anyone who is found symptomatic

Ensure proper sanitisation of buses/other transport vehicles in case transportation is provided to students

Staff that is at high risk (older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions) shall not be deployed for invigilation.

Such staff should preferably be deployed in tasks not requiring direct contact with the students

For pen and paper-based tests, the invigilator will sanitise his hands prior to distribution of question papers/answer sheets

Use of spit/saliva for counting/distributing sheets shall not be allowed

Sharing of personal belongings/stationery shall not be allowed

Air conditioning devices should be in the range of 24-30 Degree C, (ii) relative humidity should be in the range of 40- 70%, (iii) re-circulation of air should be avoided, (iv) ensure intake of fresh air and (v) cross ventilation should be adequate.

Schools were closed across the country as intial coronavirus cases appeared in February and March. While the Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed several parts of the economy to reopen after months of lockdown, schools and educational institutions had found no mention in the guidelines for past Unlock phases. Even the board examinations for Class 10 and 12 were affected due to the lockdown.
Taiwan on Thursday warned China for flying fighter jets into its airspace asking Beijing to not cross the line, the second time in two days. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Taiwan Vice President Lai Ching-te said that Chinese jets 'again' flew into Taiwans air defence identification zone on Thursday. He also stated 'make no mistake, Taiwan wants peace but we will defend our people'.

"Dont cross the line. China again flew fighter jets into Taiwans Air Defense Identification Zone today. Make no mistake, Taiwan wants peace but we will defend our people," tweeted Lai Ching-te.

Earlier Taiwan Defence Ministry had said that Chinese fighter jets entered Taiwans southwestern region for two consecutive days. It added that Taiwan responded accordingly and urge PLA to practice restraint.

Dont cross the line. China again flew fighter jets into Taiwans Air Defense Identification Zone today. Make no mistake, Taiwan wants peace but we will defend our people.  Lai Ching-te (@ChingteLai) September 10, 2020

Do not underestimate our determination and capacity to #protectourcountry. PLA conducted military exercise in #Taiwan southwestern ADIZ during these two days, threatening regional peace and aviation #safety. Beijing should restrain PLA activities and maintain regional stability. pic.twitter.com/zMdNHfxrdv   Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. (@MoNDefense) September 10, 2020

Chinese fighter jets entered #Taiwans southwestern ADIZ for two consecutive days. #ROCAF responded accordingly and will continue to surveil the region. We urge both PLA to practise restraint and PRC to be a peacemaker and maintain regional stability.   Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. (@MoNDefense) September 10, 2020

"Chinese fighter jets entered Taiwans southwestern ADIZ for two consecutive days. ROCAF responded accordingly and will continue to surveil the region. We urge both PLA to practise restraint and PRC to be a peacemaker and maintain regional stability," the Taiwan Defence Ministry tweeted.

"Do not underestimate our determination and capacity to protect our country. PLA conducted military exercise in Taiwan southwestern ADIZ during these two days, threatening regional peace and aviation safety. Beijing should restrain PLA activities and maintain regional stability," it further added.

China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own, has stepped up military exercises near the island, in what Taipei views as intimidation to force it to accept Chinese rule. According to Reuters, Yeh Kuo-hui, from Taiwan`s defence ministry`s operations and planning department, told a hastily-arranged news conference that China`s intentions could not be predicted.

"We must make all preparations for war readiness," Yeh said, following a news briefing from senior officers describing the Chinese activities over the last two days, and showing a map of Chinese movements.

The drills took place in Taiwan`s air defence identification zone, between mainland Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands, the ministry said. Taiwan says China sent advanced Su-30 and J-10 fighters to participate as per Reuters.

Taiwan Deputy Defence Minister Chang Che-ping said the drills threatened regional stability and endangered international aviation, he said. "We once again say, do not underestimate the military`s determination to defend our home. We are confident and capable of defending the country," Chang told Reuters.

Taiwan`s Foreign Ministry said the government had shared "information related to China`s threat to key friendly nations", a likely reference to the United States, Taiwan`s main arms supplier and most important international backer. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has warned of a rising risk of accidental conflict, saying communication must be maintained to cut the risk of miscalculation.
Sweden has just 13 patients in intensive care and has suffered an average of a single death per day for the last 10 despite avoiding lockdown.

Stockholm's strategy of 'herd immunity' - once backed by Downing Street - to allow the disease to spread through the population, was criticised as reckless but the data increasingly vindicates the decision.

Sweden (population 10 million) has 13 patients in intensive care, by comparison the United Kingdom (population 66 million) has 843 patients in hospital, 80 of them on ventilators.

Furthermore, Sweden has had an average of just one death per day for the last 10, compared to 9.3 fatalities each day in the UK over the same period.

Anders Tegnell, the brains behind Sweden's coronavirus strategy, is considered controversial by many of his academic peers in Europe but is regarded as a hero in Sweden

The nation has recorded 5,838 deaths due to Covid-19 - the fifth-highest rate per capita in Europe - but new infection numbers have been plummeting since June.

On Wednesday, Sweden logged fewer deaths per million people - 0.06 - than in the UK, where the figure was 0.17 ahead of Boris Johnson's reversal of lockdown easing.

Epidemiologist Johan Carlson, who is also director of the Swedish public health agency, told the Times: 'Our strategy was consistent and sustainable.

'We probably have a lower risk of [the virus] spreading than other countries.'

Officials in Stockholm argued at the start of the pandemic that the virus would present a long-term challenge and that it would be more beneficial for people to continue going about their daily business and develop immunity to it.

The public were urged to work from home where possible but schools, bars and restaurants largely remained open throughout, and while people are urged to keep 1.5m away from each other, Sweden has not demanded masks be worn in shops or on transport.

Initially, scientists described the approach as reckless, with some predicting as many as 180,000 people from a population of 10.2 million could die as a result.

While only Belgium, the UK, Spain and Italy have recorded more deaths than Sweden, its total of 5,838 shows how overblown such estimates were, particularly given the downward trajectory since the summer.

Swedes queuing up for a boat ride in Stockholm in July, just one person can be seen wearing a mask

A graph shows how the number of new coronavirus deaths per million people has changed in Sweden and the UK

Indeed, this week, only seven people have died as a result of coronavirus.

Its progress can be highlighted further by comparing it to Norway, one of the first on the continent to introduce a lockdown, in that it now has fewer cases per capita than its neighbour.

Likewise, Denmark, which also imposed tight restrictions, has seen its infection rate rise higher than that witnessed in Sweden, despite initially seeming to have curbed the worst of the virus.

A graph shows how the number of cases per million people compares in Norway, Denmark and Sweden

The other Scandinavian countries have largely reopened borders with Sweden but rising cases in Norway mean some quarantine measures have been restored.

As Boris Johnson eyes his own 'moonshot' mass testing regime in the UK, the Swedish government has invested many more resources in testing, having previously restricted it to those more at risk and those working on the front line.

As a result, it now carries out triple the amount of daily tests it did three months ago, offering them to anyone with apparent symptoms, while a system to track down and test the contacts of each infected person also appears to be working.
By Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net

Srinagar: Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Muharram processions in Kashmir this year became sites of protests in which over 200 people were injured in police action.

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On 28 August as many as 200 Shia mourners were reportedly injured when the police fired teargas canisters and pellet shotguns to disperse a Muharram procession in Bemina and Zadibal area of Srinagar city.

According to reports, over 100 youths were hit with metallic pellets while 10 received grievous injuries in eyes and may not be able to see for the rest of their lives.

The administration in Kashmir had earlier announced a complete ban on holding of such rallies given the spike in COVID-19 deaths and positive cases in the Valley. The admin had urged the heads of religious organizations to use their influence and make people aware of the importance of following COVID-19 SOPs including social distancing protocol and use of face masks while commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS).

However, in some areas the Shia mourners took out rallies asserting that they were following the SOPs, resulting in clashes.

The prominent Shia leaders maintain that this is not the first time that Shia mourners have been met with force.

They argue that Shia mourners are attacked during rallies since the inception of militancy in the Valley.

It may be noted that in Kashmir Valley, an official ban remains in force on organizing mourning rallies and processions along select traditional routes on the 8th and 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.

Only small mourning rallies and processions with certain restrictions would be permitted in the areas having sizable Shia populations.

However, this year, the authorities decided to impose a blanket ban on such rallies and processions in view of COVID-19.

Since August 5 2019, when the disputed Himalayan region was stripped of its partial autonomy and put under a crippling lockdown, padlocks have been hanging from the doors of the famous mosques and shrines across Kashmir valley.

Although the restrictions were lifted a year later on 17 August 2020, local people were not allowed to open major mosques and shrines in the Valley.

For 49-year old Mohammad Shaban, a resident of Nowhatta area of Srinagar, where Kashmirs oldest mosque Jamia Masjid, the situation has changed post abrogation of Article 370.

Shaban sees more restrictions on the right to practice ones religion ever since the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked.

For more than a year the Jamia Masjid was closed and now its difficult to pray there due to fear of contracting COVID-19,  Shaban told TwoCircles.net, adding that security forces remain encircled around the mosque usually.

Locals maintain that for over a year now, on festivals like Eid people have been prevented from exercising their religious rights and disallowed from congregating.

Senior Shia leader and President of Ittehadul Muslimeen (JKIM) Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari said that although the restrictions on Shia mourning processions has existed for nearly three decades now, the latest pellet terror was unusual.

It was for the first time when mourners were showered with pellets and teargas. Unfortunately, you dont have a right to practise religion in Kashmir, Ansari told TwoCircles.net.

Ansari maintained that freedom of religion was never allowed in Kashmir, however, post-August 5 2019 the situation has gone from bad to worse.

The mourners were booked under anti-terrorism law (UAPA). You can imagine how much religious freedom we have, Ansari added.

As per reports, seven individuals have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for their alleged involvement in raising anti-India and pro-Azaadi slogans at a Muharram procession in Srinagar.

Post abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019, scores of Muslim religious leaders were among more than 5,000 people arrested by the government.

In Kashmir, the Friday sermons at the mosques would often refer to the Kashmir conflict. However, post-August 5 2019, most of the imams were reportedly summoned and told not to talk about the issue which is against the Indian constitution.

Authorities have banned prayers at the main mosques for extended periods during civil unrest in 2008, 2010 and 2016.

Besides Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, the authorities placed unprecedented restrictions on congregations at Dargah Hazratbal. Last year, during the yearly celebration of the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), authorities blocked all roads leading to Dargah Hazratbal, the regions most revered Muslim shrine. Only a few hundred devotees were allowed to pray there  far fewer than the tens of thousands the event is known to draw.

The declining religious freedom in Kashmir and other places in India has been criticized by local and international human rights bodies alike.

In June, the U.S. State Department said in a report that religious freedom in India continued a downward trend in the year 2018.

In August, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) raised concerns about Indias lockdown in Kashmir and called for authorities to ensure that Kashmiri Muslims could exercise their religious rights.
TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toka, the cyber capacity-building company trusted by government, law enforcement, and security agencies, has been selected for an assignment under a World Bank-financed project to identify public sector cybersecurity gaps in Moldova and recommend a strategy to improve readiness.



An economy cannot function effectively without critical cyber defense infrastructure, which is why we support the Government of Moldovas efforts to modernize service delivery, improve responsiveness to civil society, and increase efficiency, said Sandra Sargent, senior digital specialist at World Bank. Moldova has already made significant progress in modernizing information and communication technology, and this project will build on those reforms to advance EU progress requirements.

Within the last decade, the Government of Moldova launched a public sector digital transformation and modernization of public services initiative to re-engineer and digitize services in order to improve their efficiency, quality, and accessibility. As these reforms are being implemented, mobile device and data transfer security for public-sector officials has become an urgent priority. Over the next nine months, Toka will define a strategy for the secure management of government information and data on mobile devices. The framework will strengthen cybersecurity for civic officials who use personally-owned devices to conduct government operations.

The coronavirus pandemic and the necessity for people to work from home and be able to access government services from home make it even more important to have a secure way to run and deliver these services via mobile devices, said Yaron Rosen, President and co-founder of Toka. We are proud to partner with the Government of Moldova and World Bank to bring this essential service.

This arrangement with the Government of Moldova under the World Bank-financed project is the third such contract won by Toka; previously, the company received World Bank funding to assist the Governments of Nigeria and Ghana. In addition, Toka received Inter-American Development Bank funding to provide a cyber design strategy for the Government of Chile.

This project will be led by Tokas Vice President of Strategic Projects, Nir Peleg, who previously served as the Head of the R&D Division in the Israeli National Cyber Directorate where, among other things, he led the design and implementation of the national CERT-IL.

Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, Toka was founded by leaders with unparalleled experience in the government, military, and corporate worlds. The Toka team includes members who have worked at the highest levels of Israels national cybersecurity ecosystem, spearheading the development of Israels National Cyber Agency, the first of its kind in the world. Its founding team includes: retired Brig. Gen. Yaron Rosen, former Chief of Israel Defense Forces Cyber Staff; Alon Kantor, former Vice President of Business Development for CheckPoint; and Kfir Waldman, former CEO of cyber and mobile companies Kayhut and Go Arc.

About Toka

Toka helps trusted government, law enforcement, and security agencies keep citizens safe and defend against terror and crime by developing cutting-edge and lawful intelligence-gathering tools and advising governments on building an integrated cyber defense. Tokas software platforms are simple to use, scale quickly, and offer complete operational control to enable smarter, faster, and efficient investigations and operations. By empowering agencies with these intelligence capabilities, Toka helps governments maintain a technological edge to enhance their operational effectiveness and save lives. Founded by leaders with unparalleled experience in the strategic, defense, and corporate worlds, Toka is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, and backed by investors such as: Andreessen Horowitz, Eclipse Ventures, Entree Capital, and Dell Technologies Capital. For more information, visit tokagroup.com.

Contact:

Toka@crosscutstrategies.com




Wildfires continue to plague the West Coast region, with one small Oregon town nearly erased from the map.

Officials of Talent, Oregon told its residents to stay outside of city limits as there's scant electricity and it is not safe.

The City Hall, the police department, and government buildings survived. However, neighborhoods and businesses were entirely affected by wildfires.

Talent Mayor Darby Ayers-Flood said that the fire attacked the main core of the town.

"Where it burned, it burned completely and totally. I'm exhausted and shocked by it," Ayers-Flood was quoted in a report.

Talent officials were hoping that the fast evacuation of its residents would keep deaths at zero.

Talent mayor said that they believe that almost everyone is safe, and the situation could have been far worse.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued a fire conflagration act for the first time in state history. This is due to at least 35 fires ravaging more than 300,000 acres of land in Oregon.

Brown said through Twitter that their number one priority right now is saving lives.

She added that the event could be the most significant loss of human lives and property due to wildfires.

Brown also said during a press conference on Wednesday that several towns in Marion, Lane, and Jackson counties have been "substantially destroyed,"

On the other hand, residents in the southern part of the city were ordered to evacuate on Wednesday as Almeda Fire made its way north.

Jackson County Emergency Management issued more evacuation orders as another wildfire named the Obenchain Fire was gaining strength north of Medford.

Rudy Owens, the spokesman for the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, said that the evacuation order is at level three, which is as serious as it gets.

Earlier reports said that the West Coast wildfires are making its way further east into central Canada and beyond.

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 acres of land since Saturday morning has been affected by the wildfires ravaging the West Coast region.

The fire intensified with the weekend temperatures that rose above 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is one of the 25 major blazes that firefighters are currently facing across California.

This year, more than 2.2 million acres have been burned by wildfires in the state, a record-breaking figure with another four months left in fire season.

Thom Porter, chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said that they have fires burning in the north part of the state down to the Mexican border, about 800 miles between the furthest distant fires.

Porter added that they were stretched across the landscape.

He said they have 150 million trees that died in the southern Sierra several years ago, fueling the Creek Fire.

Porter said that the Creek Fire is the biggest and most concerning fire to them right now.

Chris Barth of the Bureau of Land Management said that three firefighters were hurt, one critical. This happened while fighting the Dolan Fire in California's central coast.

Barth added that they suffered burns and smoke inhalation and were brought to a Fresno hospital.

Check these out:

California's Air Quality Worse Than India as Wildfires Ravage the State, Report Says

Northern California Wildfires Killed at Least 5 People

Clayton Fire 2016 Maps & Updates: Wildfire in Northern California Destroys Four Homes, Continues to Rage; Cause Unknown [VIDEO]
The use of SeptiCyte RAPID can help physicians reach a sepsis diagnosis by delivering results in about one hour.

Growing clinical evidence from hospitalized coronavirus patients worldwide indicates that COVID-19 can quickly progress to viral sepsis or bacterial sepsis, the most common complication of COVID-19 and a leading risk factor for mortality. The use of SeptiCyte RAPID can help physicians reach a sepsis diagnosis by delivering results in about one hour, compared with the 12 to 24 hours required by a traditional lab test for sepsis. By determining if a patient has sepsis, clinicians can more quickly triage COVID-19 patients to urgent care and initiate the most appropriate treatment as soon as possible.

Developed by Immunexpress, SeptiCyte RAPID works by testing blood biomarkers from the patients immune system to measure host response signals that serve as sepsis indicators. Highly accurate test results are delivered with a SeptiSCORE that rates the likelihood of sepsis on a scale of zero to 15. The test results also differentiate infectious from non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in critically ill patients. In contrast, the traditional lab test for sepsis for identification of pathogens often yields inconclusive results.

We developed SeptiCyte RAPID because sepsis is a leading cause of death among hospitalized patients with a wide range of critical diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need for rapid identification and triage of all patients at risk of sepsis, said Rolland D. Carlson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Immunexpress. The sooner that physicians can identify patients at the highest risk and make an informed sepsis diagnosis, the faster they can administer the most effective treatments.

About SeptiCyte RAPID

SeptiCyte RAPID uses a small vial of whole blood to test RNA rather than DNA genetic markers to rank the likelihood of a sepsis infection, enabling physicians to better interpret positive and negative pathogen results and make a faster sepsis diagnosis. As explained at septicyte.com, SeptiCyte technology assesses a patient's dysregulated immune response by quantifying and analyzing gene expression, providing actionable results in about an hour. Physicians evaluate SeptiCyte RAPID results in conjunction with other clinical assessments, vital signs and laboratory findings to diagnose bacterial sepsis, viral sepsis, or fungal infections, to differentiate infection-positive (sepsis) from infection-negative systemic inflammation, and to optimize patient management decisions.

About Immunexpress

Immunexpress is a groundbreaking molecular diagnostic company committed to improving outcomes for patients suspected of sepsis. Immunexpress developed SeptiCyte to be incorporated easily into hospital labs and critical care triage and takes only an hour to run on tabletop equipment. The highly accurate results can help physicians make more informed patient management decisions, improve clinical outcomes and antibiotic stewardship, and lower healthcare costs related to sepsis. Founded in Australia and based in Seattle, Washington, Immunexpress is rolling out its SeptiCyte technology worldwide. In March 2020, Immunexpress received CE Marking of SeptiCyte RAPID and announced a long-term commercialization partnership with Biocartis in Europe.
Now, everyone is excited about the third instalment of the Tiger franchise which along with Salman, also stars Katrina Kaif. The first two projects scored big at the ticket windows and with the third instalment, it looks like theyre ready to take things a notch higher. A source close to the project got in touch with a leading daily and revealed, The cost of production of Tiger 3 is going to be in the range of Rs. 200 to 225 crores, which is the biggest for a Hindi film till date. There will also be the usual additional burden of print and publicity of approximately Rs. 20 to 25 crores. In all his association with YRF, Salman has taken away around Rs. 100 crores as acting fees, depending on the magnitude of profits and Tiger 3 will be no different. But they are not worried about the returns. The idea is to breach the Rs. 400 crore club this time around, as the Tiger Zinda Hai created havoc by earning Rs. 339.16 crores in India.

Prepare to be blown away by this one.

Salman Khan is one of the biggest stars currently in the film industry. The actor shatters box-office figures with each release as his fan base just keeps growing further and further.
HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / NOVA LEAP HEALTH CORP. (TSXV:NLH) ("Nova Leap" or "the Company"), a 2019 TSX Venture 50 ranked company focused on the home health care industry, is pleased to announce that it has been selected to present at the fifth annual MicroCap Leadership Summit on Friday, September 25, 2020. The MicroCap Leadership Summit is a virtual event hosted by MicroCapClub.

The presentation will be made by Chris Dobbin, President & CEO of Nova Leap. The MicroCap Leadership Summit utilizes a small group format whereby the Company will present to approximately 50 retail and institutional microcap investors throughout the day. The Company's investor presentation will be accessible on the "Investors" page of the Nova Leap website located at:

https://novaleaphealth.com/corporate-presentation/

For more information about the MicroCap Leadership Summit, please visit:

http://microcapclub.com/summit/

About Nova Leap

Nova Leap is an acquisitive home health care services company operating in one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. & Canada. The Company performs a vital role within the continuum of care with an individual and family centred focus, particularly those requiring dementia care. Nova Leap achieved the #10 Ranking in the 2019 TSX Venture 50 in the Clean Technology & Life Sciences sector. The Company is geographically diversified with operations in 6 different U.S. states: Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Oklahoma and Ohio as well as Nova Scotia, Canada.

About MicroCapClub

MicroCapClub is an exclusive forum for experienced microcap investors focused on microcap companies (sub $300m market cap) trading on United States, Canadian, European, and Australian equity marketplaces. MicroCapClub was created to be a platform for experienced microcap investors to share and discuss stock ideas. Investors can join our community by applying to become a member or subscribing to gain instant view only access. MicroCapClub's mission is to foster the highest quality microcap investor Community, produce Educational content for investors, and promote better Leadership in the microcap arena. For more information, visit http://microcapclub.com.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION:

Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding future expansions and cost savings, the Company's expected annualized recurring revenue run rate and plans regarding future acquisitions and financings. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions, including assumptions concerning general economic and market conditions, availability of working capital necessary for conducting Nova Leap's operations, and Nova Leap's ability to integrate its acquired businesses and maintain previously achieved service hour and revenue levels, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Risks that could cause results to differ from those stated in the forward-looking statements in this release include the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or any recurrence, including government regulations or voluntary measures limiting the Company's ability to provide care to clients (such as shelter-in-place orders, isolation or quarantine orders, distancing requirements, or closures or restricted access procedures at facilities where clients reside), increased costs associated with personal protective equipment and sanitization supplies, staff and supply shortages; regulatory changes affecting the home care industry, other unexpected increases in operating costs and competition from other service providers. All forward-looking statements, including any financial outlook or future-oriented financial information, contained in this press release are made as of the date of this release and included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

For further information:

Chris Dobbin, CPA, CA

Director, President and CEO Nova Leap Health Corp.

T: 902 401 9480 F: 902 482 5177

E: cdobbin@novaleaphealth.com

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Nova Leap Health Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605422/Nova-Leap-Health-Corp-to-Present-at-the-Virtual-MicroCap-Leadership-Summit
The outbreak of fire at Moria camp, Greece's largest and most notorious migrant facility, sent thousands fleeing for safety into nearby olive groves

Greek authorities on Thursday were racing to shelter thousands of asylum seekers left homeless on Lesbos after the island's main migrant camp was gutted by back-to-back fires.

The migration ministry on Thursday said a ferry had been sent to temporarily accommodate hundreds of people, ahead of the expected arrival of European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas to inspect conditions on the island.

The first fire late Tuesday at Moria camp, Greece's largest and most notorious migrant facility, sent thousands fleeing for safety into surrounding olive groves.

Nobody was seriously hurt, but the blaze initially destroyed the official part of the camp, which housed 4,000 people, ministers said. Another 8,000 lived in tents and makeshift shacks around the perimeter and many were badly damaged.

A second fire late Wednesday destroyed most of the remaining camp, the ministry said in a statement.

"Today all necessary actions will be taken to immediately shelter families and vulnerable persons to begin with," the ministry said.

Two Greek navy vessels will provide additional sleeping berths, the ministry said.

Migration minister Notis Mitarachi on Wednesday said asylum-seekers had started the fire because of quarantine measures imposed after 35 people at the camp tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Officials have declared a four-month emergency on Lesbos and flown in additional riot police.

European countries from Germany to Norway -- along with EU chiefs -- have responded with offers of help, amid calls for urgent reform of the bloc's asylum system.

Since becoming one of the main gateways into Europe for migrants and asylum-seekers in 2015, Greece has built dozens of detention centres around the country.

But with European nations accepting only a small trickle of refugees, thousands remain trapped in the Greek camps indefinitely, in usually dismal health conditions.

Greece's conservative government has also toughened its asylum restrictions, slashing cash benefits and accommodation provisions to discourage further migration.

mr-jph/bp
Hon. Isaac Adongo

10.09.2020 LISTEN

A video circulating on social media has shown President Akufo-Addo in a very agitated mood talking down to some Catholic Bishops and instructing them to condemn President John Dramani Mahama for sharing a tweet on twitter.

The tweet said to have been originated by Bolgatanga Central Member of Parliament, the Honourable Isaac Adongo was said to have tagged some operatives of the Akufo-Addo government as "Sakawa Boys" and called them "Akyem Sakawa Boys" in relation to the Akufo-Addo government's incorporation of a state-owned company called Agyapa Royalties, domiciled in the British protectorate of Jersey island in the British Channel Islands.

The island of Jersey is a tax haven and has stringent laws and regulations that seek to protect businessmen and companies which have their businesses there to hide their company information and dirty money from scrutiny by the public. Jersey is a place for crooked businessmen and companies with murky business dealings to hide their ill-made money. It is virtually impossible to obtain any information on a company incorporated in Jersey if you are not an executive of the company.

The incorporation in Jersey of Agyapa Royalties said to be owned a hundred percent(100%) by the Ghanaian state has evoked a lot of emotional sentiments among large sections of Ghanaians, home and abroad.

Why?

The answer is simple.

The company, Agyapa, is a special purpose company which is to take over the management of all of Ghana's gold royalties and equity holdings in producing gold mines from now until thy kingdom come, because the agreement has no expiry date. The project to monetise Ghana's equity holdings and royalties from operating gold mines is termed as the "Kingdom Project", by the promoters of the plan including the white attire wearing Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister.

So, for such a company belonging to the people of Ghana, to take over the country's shares and royalties accruing from gold mining operations to be incorporated in Jersey a foreign country, where Ghanaians will not have the opportunity to freely obtain information about its operations, does not sit well with most Ghanaians, particularly the National Democratic Congress and its minority in Parliament.

Ghanaians are a fiercely nationalistic people who would not hesitate to protect their heritage and not allow it to be sold for a pittance or allow themselves to be blatantly cheated out of their common heritage.

Unfortunately for President Akufo-Addo, those at the forefront of getting the company Agyapa incorporated in the secret tax haven of Jersey are all his very close relatives in his government. Foremost among them is Mr Kenneth Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister and a direct cousin of President Akufo-Addo. Then there is Gabriel(Gabby) Otchere-Darko, said to be an Accra based Lawyer, whose law firm, African Legal Associates is one of the Transaction Advisers for the project in collaboration with the British law firm Chase and White. Now Gabby Otchere-Darko like Kenneth Ofori-Atta is a Cousin of President Akufo-Addo. President Akufo-Addo and his cousins are from the ancient Eastern Region town of Kyebi and their ethnic group is the Akyem Abuakwa.

So now you can understand why and how Honourable Isaac Adongo's tweet would zero in on Akyem. "Sakawa" is a Ghanaian term for underhand business dealings by young people, who are sometimes called "mafia" by their peers.

The nature, location and modus operandi of businesses on the Island of Jersey evokes business dealings like "sakawa"

"Sakawa" is certainly not a complimentary accolade for anyone and no one in Ghana likes being tagged with it. That is why President Akufo-Addo is angry at President Mahama who retweeted Hon. Adongo's message.

But why should President Akufo-Addo be angry this time because "Sakawa" has been associated with some members of his family and ethnic group?

This question is pertinent, because, in the most recent past when members of President Akufo-Addo's party, the New Patriotic Party made similar ethnically sensitive or derogatory statements, he did not seem to care to just condemn them.

The case of Ms. Ursula Owusu is very clear in the minds of Ghanaians. Soon after the 2012 elections which Akufo-Addo lost but refused to accept, Ursula Owusu now Akufo-Addo's Minister of Communications mounted a political platform and called President John Mahama a THIEF; "Dzulor" in the Ga language at a party rally at Taifa a suburb of Accra. Mr Akufo-Addo then an opposition leader of the largest opposition party did not find it prudent enough to reprimand his darling girl Ursula.

The worst of it was Mr Akufo-Addo himself calling President John Evans Atta Mills "Professor Do Little" in a speech he delivered on May 20, 2009 in Accra. He did not stop there. On another occasion he called President John Mahama "Simpa Panyin." The term "Simpa Panyin" is a derogatory Akan phrase meaning a useless old (elderly) man. He did not find time to reflect and to correct himself by way of apology for that unwarranted tagging of a sitting President.

At another time, Ursula Owusu said of President Mahama and educated persons of northern ethnicity that they are fit for being only goat and cattle herders save because they were lucky to have had free education from President Nkrumah. Mr Akufo-Addo did not find this insulting enough to speak against.

There was occasion when Mr Osafo Maafo Akufo-Addo's Senior Minister told Ghanaians at a NPP seminar at Koforidua that only persons from five resource-rich regions of Eastern, Ashanti, Western, Central and Brong Ahafo deserve to be President of Ghana. Meaning that the rest of us including President John Dramani Mahama who are from the other regions which they regard as resourceless, Do NOT deserve to go near the presidency of Ghana. When a Journalist confronted Mr Akufo-Addo with the tape recording of what Osafo Maafo said, he replied that he was in tacit agreement with Osafo Maafo because what he said made sense.

The most disheartening was that the Catholic Bishop of Asante Mampong, Bishop Osei Bonsu publicly insulted the intelligence of President John Mahama when he said that President Mahama lacked common sense in granting asylum to the "Guantanamo Two". These were two innocent Yemeni nationals wrongly detained at the Guantanamo Maximum detention camp by the Bush government for whom the Obama government had sought Ghana's help to free them.

No President in Ghana's history has suffered such abuse as President John Mahama. Yet he kept his cool and never went acomplaining to anybody.

We have not forgotten the subtle insult of Professor Martey the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana when he cried in church one Sunday, "Nyansafuor eeeeeiiiiii mo wor hen?" Meaning where are the wise men? Insinuating that President Mahama and his government are unwise or fools ruling this country.

It is pathetic, the level of insults Mahama endured at the hands of the NPP and supporters and sympathizers of Akufo-Addo. He carried his cross like Christ.

Constantly, President Akufo-Addo has proven to be a very disingenuous person who does not seem to realize that he is the President of the whole of Ghana and of Ghanaians. He has proven that he is a President for himself, for his family, friends, cronies and even for former concubines. It is his own interests first and foremost that are of paramount concern to him, followed by those of his family, friends and cronies.

Why is this so?

Increasingly so, Akufo-Addo has come through as a very cynical person. In the recently concluded voters' re-registration exercise, a lot of violence, both his government-sponsored and NPP party sponsored in many places were targeted at Ewes and people of Northern descent across the country. President Akufo-Addo has pretended he has not heard of a single incident of violence in this country. When he was confronted in Kumasi of the firing of a gun by his Minister for Special initiatives, Hawa Koomson into a crowd of registrants in Kasoa just a stone throw from Accra, President Akufo-Addo said he had not heard. What a President.

Then he ordered soldiers and other security operatives into the Volta and other Eastern border regions to intimidate Ghanaian citizens from registering to vote in the December elections. Now he is going into those same regions asking the people his government has so shabbily treated to vote for him. How disrespectful of him. When his bosom friend K. T. Hammond said that Ewes are Togolese and not Ghanaians, Akufo-Addo says he has not heard. When a student of Wenchi Methodist College of Education was brutally murdered by the brother of the Akufo-Addo appointed District Chief Executive and the NPP Parliamentary candidate for the Banda constituency, as a result of the violence which attended the re-registration of already registered voters President Akufo-Addo turned death ears and blind eyes to the sordid deed. The President of the whole country did not even send a simple message of sympathy to the bereaved family for the loss of a young man in his prime in such a tragic manner because of a needless reregistration of voters.

With all the above happenings which Mr Akufo-Addo told the whole country he had not heard, how come he has heard a quietly posted comment on Facebook or twitter by his opponent John Dramani Mahama?

If Akufo-Addo's behaviours do not smack of disingenuity and disrespect of other ethnic groups in the country except his own, then what are they?

Increasingly, Ghana is being split apart by the misrule of Akufo-Addo. Past Presidents fought very hard to keep Ghana together as one united country. Ours is an ethnically diverse nation that needs tact and tolerance to keep together and it is sad that no other person than the President of the Republic who is leading the charge to split us apart and has set us against each other. "We are a multicultural, multiethnic pluralistic society where people's sensibilities must be respected" "Democracy does not mean only a few are liked and recognized in plural societies!" - a couple of quotes for your digestion Mr. President.

The dangers Akufo-Addo's tribalistic misrule portend for us are no joke and we must rise up to the occasion on 7th December, just three months away, to rid ourselves of Akufo-Addo and his nepotistic, corrupt self-seeking government.

That chance beckons us now. Let's rise to the occasion and take our chance when this tide serves on December 7th, or we lose our live's ventures.

God be our helper.

Eric Ametor-Quarmyne

Communications Consultant
Indian Air Force today inducted the Dassault-Made 4.5-gen multi-role fighter jet Rafale in presence of Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly and Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh. The first five units of Rafale arrived at the Indian Air Forces Ambala Airbase where the first Rafale squadron Golden Arrows 17 is established.

The induction is seen as a major boost to the Indias air power and strategic edge over our two neighbouring countries on eastern and western borders. The Ambala airbase is well within the reach of both the borders.

We answer all your queries in our FAQ series about the history, specifications and importance of the Dassault Rafale to understand the Fighter Jet better-

Why is Rafale important for India?

Last year in 2019, Indian Air Force struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot, following which there was attempt by Pakistan to cross Indian border using their F-16 Falcon jets. While our forces averted any misadventure by Pakistani side, we lost one Mig-21 Bison in the process. Prime Minister Modi said, Rafale fighters could have delivered even better results". Since India has just received Rafale, the Indian Air Force deployed a dozen Mirage-2000 aircraft, made by the same company to hit the targets.

Rafale is a Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) that willboost Indias air dominance exponentially, currently safeguarded by fighter jets like Russia made Sukhoi Su-30MKI and MiG 29, along with French Mirage-2000 and indigenously built HAL Tejas.

Whats the history of IAF and Rafale jets?

The idea to induct additional fighter jets in the IAF has been since 2001, the actual process began in 2007. The Defence Acquisition Council, headed by then Defence Minister AK Antony, approved the Request For Proposal to buy 126 aircraft in August 2007. This kick-started the bidding process. The plan included acquiring 126 aircraft, 18 of them in fly-away condition and the rest to be made in India at the Hindustan Aeronautics facility under transfer of technology.

However, it was later decided that India will acquire only 36 jets from Dassault, all in fly-away condition. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the first of 36 Rafale fighter jets and flew a sortie in the MMRCA fighter jet from a French airbase in Paris to gain first-hand experience of the aircraft. Rafale is handed over to Singh on the foundation day of the Indian Air Force. The first Rafale bears a tail number RB 01, where RB stands for Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria, who played an important role in negotiations for procuring 36 Rafale jets in the flyaway condition.

Tell us more about Rafales history?

Rafale is a French word meaning gust of wind" and is a French-origin Delta winged, twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured and designed by Dassault Aviation. In early 1980s Dassault formally announced to build aircraft for the French government and the testing started in 1991. The production of the first aircraft series started in late 1992 but was suspended in 1995 due to political and economic uncertainty.

The production was restarted in 1997 after an initial order of 48 aircraft was placed by the Ministry of Defence followed by further order of 59 Rafale in 2004 and 60 aircrafts in 2009. The French Air Force first operational Rafale squadron, EC 1/7 Provence, was stationed at Saint-Dizier airbase in 2006.

Which are more deadlier fighter jets than Rafale?

Dassaults Rafale was not Indias only choice as several international aviation manufacturers expressed interest upon knowing the Indian governments mammoth plan to revamp its air force fleet by introducing MMRCAs. Six renowned aircraft manufacturers competed to bag the contract of 126 fighter jets, which was touted to be the largest-ever defence procurement deal of India. The initial bidders were Lockheed Martins F-16s, Boeings F/A-18s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russias MiG-35, Swedens Saabs Gripen and Dassaults Rafale. All aircraft were tested by the IAF and after careful analysis on the bids, two of them  Eurofighter and Rafale  were shortlisted.

While Rafale is a 4.5-gen multi role fighter jet, there are a handful of 5th gen fighter jets that are more advanced and lethal. However only America, China and Russia are currently making such planes and there are only four of them in service as of now.

How lethal is Rafale fighter jet?

The Rafale is a modern fighter jet known for its agility, speed, weapon holding capacity and attack capability. The Dassault Rafale has a delta wing design and is capable of g-forces as high as 11g (in case of emergency).

The Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines, each capable of providing up to 50 kilonewtons (11,000 pounds-force) of dry thrust and 75 kN (17,000 pounds-force) with afterburners. The engines push the Rafale to attain a high speed of 1.8 Mach (1912 kmph) and a range of more than 3700 km with 3 drop tanks.

The Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra red search and tracking systems among others.

Where is the Rafale jet based out of and why?

The Dassault-Made 4.5-gen multi-role fighter jet Rafale has been formally inducted in the Indian Air Force at the Ambala Airbase. The first squadron Golden Arrows 17 will operate these fighter jets, five of which have already been inducted. Few others are in France utilized to train the IAF pilots. India is constantly facing aggression from both the eastern and western borders and Ambala is strategically located to reach any of these borders in a flash. On the east is China constantly nudging India in Leh and Arunachal and on the west is Pakistan carrying its agenda from J&K and Punjab borders. Ambala is geographically located close to these locations
"We just had 30,000 UA students return to the area, bars that sell food are back open, and COVID is now a known hot spot around campus," Kozachik said. "Allowing scooters to continue operating while we're so concerned about community spread that we're not even opening outdoor swimming pools makes no sense. The mayor and council should have shown some consistency and at least put a hold on this pilot program until COVID calms down."

As of Wednesday, the UA is reporting 709 positive cases among students, faculty and staff, which does not include a large number of off-campus students who are not required by the university to test.

Officials at Tucson's Department of Transportation and Mobility, however, hope the program extension will allow them to continue to assess the value of the program for the community.

While scooter trips were down over the past 5 months, Tucson experienced steady ridership, leading us to believe that scooters are being used for trips that support peoples daily lives, such as access to grocery stores, jobs, pharmacies, and other vital services, Assistant City Manager Albert Elias wrote in a September 9 memo.

The City has collected over $77,000 in application fees since the program began last September. The Department of Transportation and Mobility recommended that the revenue be applied to installing preferred parking locations and improving infrastructure to create safer places for people to ride.

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(Natural News) In memoriam to his life as an Antifa domestic terrorist, VICE News writer Donovan Farley of Portland has written an article praising the now-deceased Michael Forest Reinoehl, also of Portland, as if he was some kind of national hero worthy of Americans respect.

Farley recently tweeted about how the piece he dropp[ed] on Sept. 3 aims to help Antifa at large gain more mainstream acceptance throughout the country. It also alleges that Reinoehl was a victim of terrorism himself by the Feds, which Farley says lie[d] about their identities, (and) beat detained protester and shoot (sic) her up with Ketamine, all after independent journalist Andy Ngo doxed her, putting her on the feds radar.

Hailley Nolan, the detained protester in question, went on a tweet storm following her encounter with the Feds in Portland. She made all kinds of claims that Farley, an outspoken supporter of Antifa, took at face value in writing his piece blasting the federal government and honoring Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM) for protesting the fascists.

As to be expected, Farley received all kinds of backlash on Twitter, to which he responded in the affirmative that he does, in fact, support Antifa. He further suggested that he is closely allied with and connected to its members, having threatened one user with an Antifa welcome committee.

Since Richard Spencer thinks he & his cowards could kill the antifa with our bare hands Id like to invite him to PDX w/o a cop escort, Farley proudly tweeted. I can totally arrange a welcome committee to test his theories.

By the way, Farleys continued agitation is part of the Democrat plan to create chaos in the leadup to the Nov. election. Listen below to The Health Ranger Report with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, to learn more:

Donovan Farley is also a racist

Beyond the violence, fighting fascism, at least to Donovan Farley, also includes expressing overtly racist sentiments. That is exactly what this bearded white guy did to Andy Ngo after the independent journalist exposed Antifas on-the-ground activities in Portland.

Andy. We get it. You wish you were white, Farley, a white person, tweeted with pride.

Youll do anything to loved (sic) by the whitest whites in Whiteville, he added in the now-deleted tweet. You wish you were a real journalist with real bylines. You are neither though  youre just pathetic.

The truth is that Donovan Farley wishes he was not white. He also apparently wishes he was a real-life anti-fascist rather than a far-left anarcho-fascist and unabashed racist who the minute he does not like what someone has to say  in this case Ngo  immediately starts spewing his venomous racism.

The fact of the matter is that the world is slightly better off now that Reinoehl is no longer in it. And Farley is simply heartbroken that one of his comrades met what he believes to have been an unjust fate, even though most of the rest of the world is breathing a sigh of relief that one more Antifa terrorist is off the streets.

Donovan may well likely be facing #sedition charges at some point being a part of #MockingbirdMedia. So, theres that, wrote Twitter user @JillyBeanTukee (RELATED: You can learn more about Operation Mockingbird and how it impacts the medias news coverage by checking out an earlier report).

This is the same way they treat black conservatives, wrote another about Farleys lashing out against Ngo for being Asian, which is basically the equivalent of Farley calling a black conservative the N word.

More of the latest news about Antifa and its left-wing media supporters can be found at Treason.news.

Sources for this article include:

Twitter.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
By Jang Sung-min





In the North Korean system, the party is the core of state power. The ruling party in North Korea is the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPNK). However, unlike other socialist countries, North Korea has another feature: a system of absolute power centered on the "Suryong" (, supreme leader). Thus the North Korean system is a Suryong system in which "Juche" (self-reliance) is the governing ideology.
Rapid coronavirus tests that use saliva, work in minutes and cost less than 30 a time could be used to try and hit Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ambition of 10million tests a day in his 'Operation Moonshot'.

The PM yesterday announced plans for mass testing of people in the UK to allow people to return to normal, but ministers and chief scientists have admitted the technology to do this doesn't yet exist.

There are, however, trials being done all over Britain of innovative swab tests that could see people given a diagnosis or all-clear in minutes, instead of the current days-long waiting time.

Government pilots involving 'lab in a van' tests by the companies Oxford Nanopore (LamPORE technology), Optigene and DNANudge are already underway, but others are being developed and tested all the time.

These are some of the tests that could be involved in Operation Moonshot:

HALO - 'Game-changing' saliva test

HALO saliva test kit: Clients can take the test at home by spitting into a tube (top right, the tube, bottom right, the funnel), and sending the sample off for processing

Sample type: Saliva

Turnaround time: As little as seven hours

Tests per day: 'Over 250,000 tests per week'

Accuracy: 100% specificity ( claimed

Price: Unknown, but thought to be lower than 25 per kit. The website says: 'The cost is around the same as average private health insurance, and less than half that of the cheapest swab-based test.'

British biotech company Halo has unveiled a saliva test which it says provides results in under seven hours, delivered through a phone app.

Clients can take the test at home by spitting into a tube, and sending the sample off for processing at the company's lab at Imperial College London.

It is not yet clear how many tests could be processed a day at this lab alone or whether the test could be scaled up for mass use.

But Halo's website says: 'Each testing module is capable of over 250,000 tests per week. Although we have short term limits imposed by equipment, consumables and space, we can rapidly scale up our number of labs to meet any demand.'

Halo's test works similarly to a PCR test used globally for testing people for the coronavirus using a swab.

It purifies the genetic material from saliva and uses polymerase chain reaction to detect the virus in a lab.

The company claims it is '100 per cent specific' to SARS-CoV-2, meaning a person should never get a 'false positive' result if they don't have the virus.

It is 'ten times more sensitive than the PCR test', The Telegraph reported.

Internal tests correctly identified the virus in 100 per cent of tested samples when the viral load was 1,000 times lower than amounts typically found in patient saliva, the company claims, meaning it is able to spot the virus even when it is in low levels.

Jonathan Biles, Halo's chief executive, said: 'Our tests are very, very sensitive. We think we've got something that's game-changing,' The Financial Times reported.

'Saliva is much less intrusive, has a lower impact on the environment and is less labour intensive than other tests.'

Saliva test kits from HALO are sent out to people's homes in an envelope, arranged via an app.

The group's first customer is Exeter University which has bought tens of thousands of tests to conduct on students who display symptoms in a bid to avoid major disruptions from potential Covid-19 outbreaks.

Student's won't even need to leave their accomodation to get a test. They will be sent on through the post.

University of Exeter said: 'Those participants who take tests in the morning will receive same day results, participants in the afternoon will receive results the next day. The test results will then be fed into the national Test and Trace system.

HALO, a team led by Dr Craig Rochford, inventor of the life-saving Epipen, is supported by top medics such as Sir Walter Bodmer and Professor Karol Sikora.

The firm is now in talks with a global airline, a medical research facility, City firms and other businesses, to see how the test can fit in.

'It is designed for large British organisations to test their people conveniently and painlessly and get them back to work safely and cost-effectively,' the company said.

LamPORE  saliva sample testing in 90 minutes

Sample type: Saliva or nasal swab

Turnaround time: 90 minutes

Tests per day: 2,000 (small); 15,000 (large)

Accuracy: 99% ( claimed

Price: Unknown (UK has bought at least 450,000)

Biotech company Oxford Nanopore has developed portable swab-recording devices which use the firm's LamPORE tests

WHAT IS 'OPERATION MOONSHOT'? How will it work? Ministers and health officials are banking on a test that does not need to be processed in a lab to be developed, so that users get their results in a matter of minutes rather than days. Similar to a pregnancy test, the saliva test would eliminate the need for people to travel  sometimes long distances  to testing centres before returning home to wait for the result. The tests may need to be sent to a laboratory. How much will it cost? Operation Moonshot will have a price tag of almost as much as NHS England's 114billion budget in 2018/19, as set out in documents seen by the British Medical Journal. Last week the Government pledged 500million for a new community-wide repeat testing trial in Salford, Greater Manchester, as part of pilot scheme for a no-swab saliva test. A number of residents will be invited for a weekly test, with up to 250 carried out each day, while existing trials of tests in Southampton and other parts of Hampshire will also be expanded. What is the Government hoping for? The aim of the tests is to start fully reopening society and getting the economy up and running even before a vaccine has been developed. After imposing stricter social distancing measures limiting groups meeting indoors or outdoors to just six people, with the threat of a fine for non-compliance, the Government is in dire need of some good news. Previewing the plans, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the programme would allow Covid-negative people to 'behave in a more normal way in the knowledge they can't infect anyone else with the virus'. What are the problems with the current testing programme? There have been numerous reports of people being asked to travel long distances to their nearest testing centre, only to discover that they do not have an appointment. One man, from Maidstone, Kent, who asked not to be named, revealed to the PA news agency that he was asked to make a 400-mile round trip for a test, only for his results to then be lost. On Wednesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also blamed the shortage of testing slots on symptom-free people attending for a test, despite the fact people can be symptom-free and still spread the virus. Advertisement

1) Biotech company Oxford Nanopore has developed portable swab-recording devices which use the firm's LamPORE tests and can determine whether a user has Covid in the space of an hour-and-a-half.

The machines take 90 minutes to give a result and can process up to 15,000 samples a day.

It involves taking a sample of saliva, unlike existing methods which require invasive and difficult nose and throat swabs.

The LamPORE device, which also comes in a desktop version which is about the size of a printer, uses electronic means to record and analyse the samples.

Each test is given a barcode which is individually assessed before returning back with the result. This must be done in a laboratory but the labs can be mobile and put into vans or pop-up test sites.

The portable version of the LamPORE device is the same size as a CD player.

Ministers have ordered 450,000 of the tests, which are now being trialled in Salford and Southampton. Millions more are due to be rolled out later in the year if they prove to be effective.

The Salford trial will invite people in the community to come for weekly tests using a new saliva Covid-19 test that produces results in under an hour and a half.

The pilot will begin with a select number of participants and up to 250 tests a day, to be scaled to the whole area.

Initially, the pilot will focus on specific high footfall locations in the city, which includes retail, public services, transport and faith spaces.

Phase two of the no-swab saliva test pilot in Southampton will also start this week.

The second phase of the pilot will trial the weekly testing model in educational settings, with participation from staff and students at the University of Southampton and four Southampton schools.

Over 2,100 pupils and staff across four schools will be invited to have a test as part of the pilot, which is led by a partnership of the University of Southampton, Southampton City Council and the NHS.

The makers of the test have not revealed how accurate it is, and the Government has refused to divulge that information, too.

Mr Hancock said of the tests: 'Oxford Nanopore's new rapid LamPORE tests will benefit thousands of people with fast and accurate test results, removing uncertainty and breaking chains of transmission quickly and safely.

'I am hugely grateful for the fantastic work Oxford Nanopore have done to push forward this important innovation in coronavirus testing.'

OptiGene  swab results in 20 minutes

Sussex-based biomedical company OptiGene has created a nasal and throat swab test that takes just 20 minutes to diagnose people

Sample type: Nasal & throat swab, or saliva

Turnaround time: 20 minutes

Tests per day: 300 per hour

Accuracy: 97%

Price: Unknown

Sussex-based biomedical company OptiGene has created a nasal and throat swab test that takes just 20 minutes to diagnose people.

Once swabs have been collected from patients, the samples are loaded into the devices, known as the Genie HT, which look for tiny traces of the virus in their DNA.

The machines amplify the DNA billions of times chemically so they can detect the virus with extreme sensitivity. They can also be used with saliva samples.

The device has proven to be just as accurate as PCR swabs, which take days to give results, in clinical trials by Public Health England.

In contrast to the widely used PCR tests, which need be processed at different temperatures, the Genie HT does not require a change in temperature to detect results.

It is currently being trialled by the Government on thousands in A&E departments, GP coronavirus testing hubs and care homes across Hampshire, and will be rolled out in the new testing programmes in Salford and Southampton.

Four thousand people of all ages have been involved in the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust trial.

A study done during that trial Hampshire have found the test to be 97 per cent sensitive, meaning it can find 97 out of 100 positive cases, and 99 per cent specific, meaning only one in 100 people would get a false positive result.

DNANudge  75 minutes to a result from a nostril swab

Sample type: Nostril

Turnaround time: 75 minutes

Tests per day: 15

Accuracy: 98%

Price: 28 each on average (UK paid 161million for 5.8m tests including 5,000 machines)

The DNANudge test can detect the virus from just a nostril sample - much less invasive than some throat swabs.

Once a swab is taken, it's inserted into a handheld reader that provides results within just 75 minutes.

The DnaNudge has a sensitivity of over 98 per cent - meaning it can pick up on mild and asymptomatic cases - and specificity of 100 per cent.

The 100 per cent specificity means it can tell the difference between a person who doesn't have the disease at all and a sample which wasn't taken properly, meaning there aren't any false negatives.

After successful trials on 500 patients in London hospitals, the 'lab in a cartridge' device was approved for clinical use by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) at the end of April.

One of the new test kits, made by London-based DNANudge, scours DNA in nose swabs and takes just 75 minute

The Government has purchased at least 5,000 of the DNANudge machines, which can process up to 15 tests a day, to provide six million tests in the coming months.

The test, developed by Imperial College London's Chris Toumazou, is based on the design of a DNA test and can give a result in just over an hour, significantly cutting down on the 48-hour wait for a laboratory diagnosis.

Matt Hancock has previously said about the machines: 'By quickly detecting whether the virus is present in an individual, this new test is an important step forward in point of care testing which means that positive cases can be identified and contained quickly and safely.

'I am hugely grateful to DnaNudge and their incredible work to innovate coronavirus testing, which will mean we can test millions more people in the coming months.'

PCR tests - set to be increased to 500,000 per day

Sample type: Nose and throat swab

Turnaround time: At least 24 hours

Tests per day: Currently 65,000

Accuracy: 87-92%

Price: Some 25 per test

PCR tests are the now-infamous nose and throat swabs which currently make up all of the Government's diagnostic testing programme.

Under 'Operation Moonshot', the Prime Minister said officials are 'working hard to increase our testing capacity to 500,000 tests a day by the end of October'.

Currently, between 150,000 and 200,000 tests are processed each day, but this includes surveillance studies that use antibody tests.

According to the most recent NHS Test and Trace data, 452,679 people were given a swab test under Pillar 1 (hospitals) and Pillar 2 (community) in the week August 20 to 26 - less than 65,000 people per day.

PHE provides instructions for people who are sent home kits every day in the UK (pictured). The accuracy of viral RNA swabs depends almost entirely on the quality of sampling

The swab test used worldwide is the so-called 'PCR test' that looks for active infection. It usually takes at least 24 hours to get a result back.

The sample is then sent to a lab, where it will be tested to determine if the patient's cells, swabbed from their throat and nose, are infected with the virus.

The coronavirus is a RNA virus, which means it uses ribonucleic acid as its genetic material. A process called reverse transcription is needed to transcribe the RNA into readable DNA.

A swab sample doesn't collect much RNA in one go, therefore a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to rapidly make billions of copies so it can be analysed.

WHICH TESTS ARE THE GOVERNMENT USING IN THE NEW TRIALS? Optigene: The Optigene testing kit, which can use nasal swabs or saliva samples, is being used in pilots in Southampton and Salford, Greater Manchester. A study done during a trial in a Hampshire hospital trust found the tests to be 97% accurate. LamPORE: The LamPORE technology has been bought in a batch of 450,000 kits by the UK Government and they will be used in the Salford and Southampton trials, and on 2,100 people in schools in the port city. DNANudge: Officials have bought 5.8million DNANudge tests to be used in 5,000 machines, at a cost of 161million. They will be used in NHS hospitals to analyse nose swabs at speed. Advertisement

The DNA is dyed a fluorescent colour, which glows if the coronavirus is present, confirming a diagnosis. It gives a yes or no answer, but not how much virus the person is infected with.

There are some drawbacks to the PCR test, including that a swab taken from someone who has very recently been infected by the coronavirus will not yet contain any virus.

The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) says between two and three people who have Covid-19 may test negative.

This is dangerous because it means the patients may go outside and spread the virus to others, under the belief they are free of the infection.

The accuracy of viral RNA swabs depends almost entirely on the quality of sampling and when the sample is taken in the course of disease, which will vary greatly, experts say.

Public Health England (PHE) has never disclosed how accurate its antigen testing is, despite publishing public papers on the accuracy of antibody tests.

Meanwhile, it has recently come to light that the PCR test may be 'too sensitive'.

Up to 90 per cent of Covid-19 patients in Massachusetts, New York and Nevada in July carried barely any traces of the virus.

PCR tests analyse genetic matter from the virus in cycles and today's tests typically take 37 or 40 cycles, but experts say this is too high because it detects very small amounts of the virus that don't pose a risk.

The test's threshold is so high it detects people with the live virus and those with few genetic fragments that are leftovers from infection and no longer pose risk, Dr Michael Mina, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said.

SAMBA II  30-a-go swab analyser is 99% accurate

The SAMBA II was created by University of Cambridge spin-off company Diagnostics for the Real World

Sample type: Nose and throat swab

Turnaround time: 90 minutes

Tests per day: 15

Accuracy: 99%

Price: 30 per test

The SAMBA II has shown to be almost 99 per cent accurate at analysing swabs and can give a result in just 90 minutes.

The portable machine can diagnose Covid-19 in less than 90 minutes, but only has the capacity to process 15 tests a day.

It was developed by University of Cambridge spin-off company Diagnostics for the Real World.

It scours DNA in throat and nose swabs to detect the virus.

Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge has been trialling the device since April.

They have shown to be so effective that the hospital switched nearly all of its coronavirus testing from standard lab tests to the Samba machines in May.

A Samba test, costing approximately 30 per sample, would outweigh the cost of each additional bed day at around 200 'many times over', the team said.

The tests have been validated at the Public Health England, Cambridge in 102 patient samples and shown to have 98.7 per cent sensitivity and 100 per cent specificity.

The machines are already used to diagnose other blood-borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis C.

Virolens - a 20-second test used at Heathrow

Sample type: Saliva

Turnaround time: 20 seconds

Tests per day: 'Hundreds' from one screening device

Accuracy: 97%+

Price: Unknown

Virolens is a screening device that uses a digital camera attached to a microscope to analyse saliva samples, giving results in 20 seconds

Virolens is a screening device that uses a digital camera attached to a microscope to analyse saliva samples, giving results in 20 seconds.

It's developed by British startup iAbra, with design and manufacturing expertise from TT Electronics and technology powered by Intel, and is about to embark on clinical trials which is necessary for it to be certified for medical use.

Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye is urging the Government to fast track the test following a successful three-week trial at Heathrow Airport as part of the Government's Condor programme.

He said today: 'Testing for Covid-19 is the lifeline that the UK economy needs to get back on its feet.

'I have experienced iAbra's test myself, alongside the PCR test - it is quicker and cheaper, and potentially more accurate.'

People swab saliva from their cheek and tongue before placing the sample in a cartridge that is analysed by the device, cutting the need for a laboratory.

The Virolens system reportedly has a 99.8 per cent sensitivity, which means almost every single person who tests positive is truly infected, and there are no 'false negatives' - when someone is wrongly told they do not have the coronavirus.

And the test has 96.7 per cent specificity, based on the results of a study at the University of Bristol, meaning just over three in every 100 people will get a 'false positive' result  when people are incorrectly led to believe they have virus.

The company said the test does not need to be carried out by a healthcare professional, making it useful for airports, stadium and music venues.

Each screening device is capable of carrying out hundreds of tests per day. The Telegraph reports each unit can test some 1,650 people per day, and 15,000 units are in the pipeline for production.

The Government is reportedly in talks with epigenetics company Chronomics about its saliva test for coronavirus (pictured)

Chronomics - one-hour results from a spit test

Sample type: Saliva

Turnaround time: 1 hour

Tests per day: Unknown

Accuracy: 'Super accurate' ( claimed

Price: Unknown

London-based company Chronomics has developed an easy coronavirus spit test that has reportedly gained Government attention.

In June, The Telegraph reported that the Government was in talks with the British firm, founded by scientists at Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and University College London.

RAPID TESTS 'DON'T EXIST YET' Experts are cautious about the ability to deliver 'Operation Moonshot' because the rapid tests don't actually exist yet. Minutes after the plans were unveiled by Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the Downing Street press briefing, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said the technology was not yet available, warning he should not put a date on when it would be because 'that's not how science works'. And Chief Scientific Advisor Patrick Vallance said: 'There are prototypes which look as though they have some effect, but they've got to be tested properly. 'We would be completely wrong to assume this is a slam dunk that can definitely happen.' On Thursday morning, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps declined to give a timeframe for when the tests would be read. He was realistic about the fact that it could be a long time, telling Sky News: 'This is technology that, to be perfectly blunt, requires further development  there isn't a certified test in the world that does this but there are people that are working on prototypes.' Dr Chaand Nagpaul, council chairman of the British Medical Association, said it was unclear how the so-called Operation Moonshot would work - given the 'huge problems' currently seen with lab capacity. Although the idea is to roll out 'on the spot tests', some need to be read in a laboratory, and currently the testing system is creaking with 200,000 swab tests being carried out a day. This is set to increase to 500,000 by the end of October, the PM said. According to the most recent NHS Test and Trace data, 452,679 people were given a swab test under Pillar 1 (hospitals) and Pillar 2 (community) in the week August 20 to 26 - less than 65,000 people per day. Advertisement

One expert involved with the project said the firm was aiming to produce test results within one hour of the samples arriving at labs.

Philip Beales, a professor at the University College London Institute of Child Health, who has been helping to coordinate the efforts of smaller firms, said: 'Our guys are working on a one hour turnaround time from receipt of the sample in the lab, to getting the actual result back.'

The kit, which requires someone to spit into a tube, is easier and less painful than swabs currently used at hospitals, drive-in test facilities and in home packs.

The collection of the sample can be done anywhere - at home, work or in hospital - by the patient themselves, and the person does not need to have symptoms.

It involves the individual spitting sputum - a mixture of saliva and phlegm - into a tube and then sending it to a lab, where technicians read it for RNA - the viruses genetic information.

Professor Beale said: 'The saliva test has this inactivation buffer in the bottom, which inactivates the virus, preserves the RNA and then in thousands of [labs] in the country, you can just do a straightforward RNA extraction.'

Chronomics says it has the ability to significantly increase how many tests are conducted and is the 'solution to mass scale testing'.

And it claims the saliva test is 'super accurate'. The website says: 'Even small errors at high numbers can have dangerous consequences in the context of an infectious disease.

'Our test... is incredibly sensitive (in a controlled lab environment it can detect a single copy of the virus), it is highly specific to SARS-CoV-2 (and won't be confounded by other human viruses) and it will detect all strains of the virus that have evolved to date.'

Randox  portable swab tester saves on lab time

Randox's portable antigen test, called the Vivalytic, can process five swabs an hour

Sample type: Nose and throat swab

Turnaround time: 12 minutes

Tests per day: Five per hour

Accuracy: Unknown

Price: Unknown

The Government partnered with Northern Irish firm Randox in April to ramp up testing in the nation.

Randox's portable antigen test, called the Vivalytic, can process five swabs an hour. These are likely to be the same type of swabs currently used  that go in the nose and mouth  but processed at speed.

It has been scaled up across multiple hospitals in Northern Ireland.

The device is also used at the point of care and operated by a healthcare professional.

Randox says its device works by 'identifying SARS-CoV-2 and differentiating it from nine other respiratory infections with similar symptoms, including influenza and all known coronaviruses'.

The devices are still being trialled.

In July, 750,000 swabs were recalled after they failed to meet the required safety standards. Randox said the issue was with one of its suppliers of its swabs.

The machines which process the swabs have not been deemed unsafe.

Pregnancy test-style kits  home tests for 5 being checked by PHE

Sir John Bell, an Oxford University scientist and key Government adviser, said cheap pregnancy-style tests devices were currently being assessed by scientists at Public Health England

Rapid tests for Covid-19 which give a diagnosis in minutes could be approved within weeks, according to a leading scientist.

Sir John Bell, an Oxford University scientist and key Government adviser, said the cheap devices were currently being assessed by scientists at Public Health England.

He did not reveal which tests have been selected for inspection by officials, but mentioned a 'lovely test from the US' being brought in.

He claimed they could be sold on Amazon or Boots for as little as 5 if they are proven to be over 90 per cent accurate.

Professor Bell said the devices, that are 'no larger than a teacup', plug into a socket in the wall and process swabs within an hour.

One from the US which is currently under review is able to process a sample in the time it would take for a person to have a shower or eat their breakfast, he claimed.

Sir John said scientists at Porton Down - government run laboratories in Salisbury, Wiltshire, are currently assessing rapid antigen tests.

Intelligent Fingerprinting  experimental kit that uses sweat

The rapid test scours sweat for the virus and takes just 10 minutes

This sweat-testing kit is not a confirmed part of the UK Government's considerations but has potential as a simple alternative to swab testing.

British diagnostics firm Intelligent Fingerprinting and Imperial College London joined forces to develop a rapid test that scours sweat for the virus.

The test is said to take just 10 minutes to produce a diagnosis. It works by collecting fingerprint sweat onto a small test cartridge for analysis. The sample is then analysed by a portable DSR-Plus analysis unit.

The machine uses sensitive lateral flow technology and fluorescence measurement methods.

Its makes say the test is more hygienic and has less chance of being done wrong because it utilises sweat samples rather than a throat or mouth swab.

It's unclear how accurate the test is or whether UK ministers are looking into it.

Nonacus - a spit test in development backed by Government funding

Birmingham-based Nonacus, who have developed a Covid-19 spit test, received the share of a 40million Government grant to speed up work.

The test involves spitting sputum into a tube - couriered or sent to a person's own home - which is then sealed and sent to the laboratory.

Nonacus said the samples obtained could be examined by a significantly higher and broader number of labs than those processing existing swabs, The Telegraph reported, because a solution in the bottom of the tube inactivates the coronavirus.

Under government rules, live samples, like those on swabs, can only be examined by labs with highly specialised equipment to avoid contamination or spread of the coronavirus.

In May, Nonacus revealed it was one of 800 companies that had been given a portion of 40million from Innovate UK, part of the 1.25billion coronavirus package first announced by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak to help UK businesses driving innovation and development during Covid-19.

It will use this validate rapid surveillance testing for Covid-19 and other respiratory viruses.

Chris Sale, CEO and co-founder of Nonacus, said: 'It will allow us to extend the technology to include SARS-CoV-2 as part of a comprehensive respiratory viral surveillance product so, if your cough is not due to COVID-19, we will be able to tell you what is causing it.'

The website said: 'Nonacus expect the product to become commercially available later this year.

'In order to support the governments back-to-work strategy and avoid a second spike of cases, accurate, real-time monitoring of the coronavirus and its spread is critical.

'This requires advanced testing methods which can be rapidly deployed across many laboratories, globally, to allow for the surveillance and monitoring of the virus within and between populations by public health institutions.'
A view from Clwyd Souths Member of Parliament

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 10th, 2020

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South constituency Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in Parliament and the Senedd, and closer to home. (You can view an archive here).

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes writes

Since my last monthly column, Ive continued to provide advice and support to Clwyd South residents dealing with the pandemic. Ive also continued to visit re-opened businesses and organisations in Clwyd South, all of which have adopted new social distancing and hygiene rules to keep local people safe, meaning big changes to the way they operate.

And since the start of September, MPs have returned to Westminster following a busy Summer Recess, meaning were now able to meet again with Ministers face-to-face, albeit from a safe distance, to raise issues that matter to our constituents.

In the House of Commons, I was pleased to speak about the need to upgrade the Doctors Surgery in Hanmer, following a visit I made there on Wednesday 26 August where I met Dr Redman, County Cllr John McCusker and representatives of the Hanmer Surgery Patients Action Group. I hope very much that the new Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board CEO, Jo Whitehead, makes this vital project a top priority.

For this same reason Ive also joined the Levelling Up Taskforce of MPs in Parliament  a group of more than 40 Conservative MPs who are pressing the Government to ensure areas like Clwyd South which are in need of additional investment are at the top of the agenda.

I have continued to visit and speak to local hospitality business people, such as those at the Telford Inn at the Trevor Basin where Sarah Kinton-Chittenden and her team are doing a fantastic job of safely welcoming visitors to enjoy a drink and a meal by the Llangollen Canal.

And the team at the Sun Trevor near Llangollen, who used time during lockdown to refurbish their premises, including the kitchen and toilets, which now have full disabled facilities. Ive also organised a series of virtual meetings with key members of the Clwyd South wedding industry to see how we can help them recover from the impact of Coronavirus.

On Wednesday 12 August, I made a socially distanced visit to The Pharmacy Coedpoeth to learn more about how theyve been at the forefront of introducing new medical services.

And on Wednesday 26 August, I met with Rhos Rugby Club officers and volunteers to hear about how theyve supported Rhos, Ponciau, Penycae and the wider area during the Covid-19 pandemic and to thank them for all their hard work in the community. I also held a residents meeting in the car park of the Hanmer Arms in relation to dog thefts, although fortunately in Clwyd South this is a rare occurrence.

I also made a socially distanced visit, along with Canal River Trust Wales / Glandwr Cymru representatives and County Cllr Rondo Roberts, to the Trevor Basin Visitor Centre where from Wednesday 9 September they will be moving from part-time to full-time daily opening from 10am to 4pm. And later on that day, I met with local County Cllr Paul Rogers and Nick Amyes from Brymbo Heritage Trust to discuss their ongoing work to conserve and celebrate Brymbos industrial heritage. Across Clwyd South, I continue to work with local residents on improving broadband and have had meetings recently in the Ceiriog Valley and Higher Wych.

Back in Parliament, I attended a meeting with the Chancellor at No11 Downing Street to discuss Airbus and the UK Governments ongoing support for the industry. I also attended an evidence session of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee where I quizzed experts on Brexit and trade in Wales. Finally, I attended a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Woods and Trees and the APPG for Wales in the World, the latter of which I was elected Treasurer.

As your Member of Parliament, my team and I are always here to provide advice and support. If youre a Clwyd South constituent, you can contact me at any time by email on simon.baynes.mp@parliament.uk.

Please dont hesitate to get in touch if theres anything I can do to help you.



Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South constituency Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in Parliament and the Senedd, and closer to home. (You can view an archive here).
Kylie Jenner kept a very low profile in her first sighting since the shock cancellation of her family's reality show.

The youngest member of the Kardashian/Jenner clan seemed to be feeling camera shy as she covered her face while attending a TIK TOK party at 40 Love in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The lip kit mogul, 23, also changed up her style for the party, sheathing her famous curves in a baggy top and jeans.

Camera shy? Kylie Jenner kept a very low profile in her first sighting since the shock cancellation of her family's reality show

Hiding her ample assets and tiny waist, the mother-of-one slipped into a khaki slogan T-shirt that she teamed with bleached bootleg jeans.

Injecting some glamour with her accessories, Kylie toted a cream Dior saddle bag and sported a myriad of silver bangles and rings.

She completed the look with a nude coloured face mask and sported a glossy chestnut wig that cascaded past her shoulders.

Not like her: The youngest member of the Kardashian/Jenner clan seemed to be feeling camera shy as she covered her face while attending a TIK TOK party at 40 Love in LA on Wednesday

Two's company: Kylie was joined by her friend Zack Pia at the bash, who also opted for a casual ensemble in a tracksuit and T-shirt

Stepping out: This marked Kylie's first sighting since the shock news Keeping Up With The Kardashians will be coming to an end next year. She is yet to comment publicly on the matter

Low-key: Hiding her ample assets and tiny waist, the mother-of-one slipped into a khaki slogan T-shirt that she teamed with bleached bootleg jeans

All about the accessories: Injecting some glamour with her accessories, Kylie toted a cream Dior saddle bag and sported a myriad of silver bangles and rings

Kylie's outing came after it was revealed that Keeping Up With The Kardashians will be coming to an end next year.

The series, which made the family household names, will conclude with its 20th season after 14 years on the air.

Kim Kardashian was the first member of the family to break the news, with a statement on Instagram, with the rest of her sisters following suit.

Brunette beauty: She completed the look with a nude coloured face mask and sported a glossy chestnut wig that cascaded past her shoulders

Two of a kind: Kylie left the bash hot on the heels of her pal Zack as they made their way through the crowds to head home

Leading the way: Kylie certainly attracted plenty of attention as she left the party but security were on hand to create a pathway for her

Here come the boys! As well as her friend Zack, Kylie was joined at the party by her sister Kourtney's former flame Luka Sabbat

The shocking announcement did not give a specific reason for pulling the plug of the reality show, but the Kardashian clan did take the time to thank their devout following for their support over the years.

Speculation has been rife over the reason for the shock cancellation, with the reports circulating it was due to the show's dwindling ratings but also as the family have been hit by personal struggles.

Kim's husband Kanye West, 43, suffered a very public breakdown and Kim reportedly refused to reference Kanye's episode on the show.

Kourtney also decided to take a step back to focus on motherhood.

It's over! Keeping Up With The Kardashians will wrap next year. The series, which made the family household names, will conclude with its 20th season after 14 years on the air

Nothing to say? Kylie - who had her own spin-off show off the back of the series - has yet to acknowledge the news on social media

Keeping mum: Kylie is the only member of the clan who has yet to break her silence on the news of the shock cancellation

Keeping busy: Instead the star seemed to be keeping herself busy attending parties

Kylie - who had her own spin-off show off the back of the series - has yet to acknowledge the news on social media.

Instead, the reality star spent the night on a fun family get-together as she tried to take a family photo with her squirmy two-year-old daughter Stormi and her ex Travis Scott, 28.

'pics with 2 year olds,' captioned Kylie, who had on a stunning all black ensemble as Travis smiled next to her.

Later, they joined her mother Kris Jenner, 64, for a movie in an IMAX theater that they appeared to have rented to themselves.
The government has



given instructions to local administrations to rope in data entry operators at gram panchayats to Primary and Community Healthcare Centres, whose smooth functioning has been affected due to shortage of staff, to assist in fight against the pandemic.

The circular signed by Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar dated Wednesday, has given certain instructions in this regard that need to be followed until the health department makes arrangements for staff at these centres.

"At Taluk Primary Health Centres and at Community Health Centres, there is shortage of staff and is affecting normal functioning. There is a shortage of staff for COVID-19 control work and to register patients under various programmes of the Health Department, so it is essential to provide data entry operators," the circular said.

According to it, data entry operators working at the gram panchayats can be utilised one hour daily for the work at the primary and community health centre that come under the panchayat limits.

The operators' work at the panchayat will be shortened by an hour for this purpose, it said adding, in case there are no panchayats where health centres are located, data entry operators from neighbouring panchayats can be hired for the work.

Asking Zilla Panchayat CEOs to issue orders assigning duties, the circular said taluk health officers will train these additional data entry operators.

The circus comes amid concerns over documenting COVID cases and their contacts, with the spike in cases coupled with man power limitations in several parts of other than Bengaluru Urban.

As of September 9 evening, cumulatively 4,21,730 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 6,808 deaths and 3,15,433 discharges.

Out of 9,540 fresh cases reported on Wednesday, 3,419 cases were from Bengaluru urban and remaining were all from other districts including rural areas.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two waves of outrage greeted the news on Wednesday of Bob Woodward's latest White House chronicle, a book entitled "Rage."

The first was President Donald Trump's disclosure to Woodward that he knew as early as February - even as he was dismissing the coronavirus publicly - that the looming pandemic was far deadlier than the flu.

The second was that Woodward, long associated with The Washington Post, didn't reveal this to the public sooner.

The fact that this second outrage mostly circulated among journalists talking to each other made it no less furious: If the famous Watergate reporter knew that Trump was lying to the public about a matter of life and death, why didn't he reveal it immediately?

Woodward is hardly the first journalist to save juicy information for a book. But "is this traditional practice still ethical?" tweeted David Boardman, dean of the Temple University journalism school and the longtime editor of the Seattle Times.

Other critics were less circumspect: "This is really troubling. As journalists we're supposed to work in the public interest. I think there's been a failure here," wrote Scott Nover, a reporter for the industry journal Adweek.

In fairness, it wasn't just journalists raising concerns. A reader wrote to me arguing that Woodward's revelation "could have been helpful in the spring, both explaining the seriousness of the disease to the public, showing the Trump administration's bungled and inept response, and pushing the Trump administration to do more." He added with a touch of cynicism, that he hoped the author's advance fee made the delay worthwhile.

The questions are valid - and as Boardman notes, far from new. They surface almost every time a journalist writes a book that contains newsy information, especially about matters of national security or public well-being: Why are we only reading about this now?

As recently as last week, New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt was criticized for withholding some meaty revelations for his book about the investigation into Trump's ties to Russia and the Robert Mueller investigation. "It is not immediately entirely clear why these reports, many dating back as far as three years, made it into the pages of Schmidt's book rather than the subscription-based newspaper that employs him," wrote Roger Sollenberger in Salon.

I took the questions and complaints to Woodward, who initially was reluctant to speak on the record until after a "60 Minutes" segment airs on Sunday because he had promised the publisher and CBS not to give any interviews until then. But because my questions were about process, rather than the content of the book, he agreed to address the ethical issues.

Woodward told me that - contrary to speculation - he did not have any signed agreement or formal embargo arrangement with Trump or the White House to hold back their conversations until the book published.

"I told him it was for the book," he said - but as far as promising not to publish in real time, or signing such an agreement, "I don't do that."

Woodward said his aim was to provide a fuller context than could occur in a news story: "I knew I could tell the second draft of history, and I knew I could tell it before the election." (Former Washington Post publisher Phil Graham famously called journalism "the first rough draft of history.")

What's more, he said, there were at least two problems with what he heard from Trump in February that kept him from putting it in the newspaper at the time:

First, he didn't know what the source of Trump's information was. It wasn't until months later - in May - that Woodward learned it came from a high-level intelligence briefing in January that was also described in Wednesday's reporting about the book.

In February, what Trump told Woodward seemed hard to make sense of, the author told me, - back then, Woodward said, there was no panic over the virus; even toward the final days of that month, Anthony Fauci was publicly assuring Americans there was no need to change their daily habits.

Secondly, Woodward said, "the biggest problem I had, which is always a problem with Trump, is I didn't know if it was true."

Trump spoke with Woodward on more than a dozen occasions, and in some cases, "he started calling me at night." It took months, Woodward told me, to do the reporting that put it all in context, which is what he believes his mission as an author is: "My job is to understand it, and to hold him accountable, and to hold myself accountable." He added: "I did the best I could" toward those ends.

But why not then write such a story later in the spring, once it was clear that the virus was extraordinarily destructive and that Trump's early downplaying had almost certainly cost lives?

Again, Woodward said he believes his highest purpose isn't to write daily stories but to give his readers the big picture - one that may have a greater effect, especially with a consequential election looming.

Woodward's effort, he said, was to deliver in book form "the best obtainable version of the truth," not to rush individual revelations into publication.

And always with a particular deadline in mind, so that people could read, absorb and make their judgments well before Nov. 3. "The demarcation is the election."

Woodward, despite his longtime association with The Post, is no longer a Post employee, though he maintains an affiliation and the honorific title of associate editor. He's no longer in the daily journalism business.

The Post, like CNN, received the book galleys only recently, so that it could ready today's article based on the book.

I don't know if putting the book's newsiest revelations out there in something closer to real time would have made a difference. They might very well have been denied and soon forgotten in the constant rush of new scandals and lies.

Still, the chance - even if it's a slim chance - that those revelations could have saved lives is a powerful argument against waiting this long.
Actor Anil Kapoor is likely to play the antagonist in Mahesh Babus upcoming Telugu film Sarkaru Vaari Paata, as per an India Today report. The project, due to go on the floors very soon, marks the maiden collaboration of filmmaker Parasuram and Mahesh Babu.

As per the report, Anil Kapoor has been approached to play the antagonist in the film. Director Parasuram has narrated the script to Anil Kapoor over a phone call and he was quite impressed with his character. However, nothing has been finalized yet.

Its worth mentioning that the makers had initially held talks with Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep for the same role. However, he couldnt set aside dates due to his current acting assignments.

The project is expected to go on the floors post Dussehra and the makers are planning to shoot the first schedule in the US. Apparently, a month-long schedule is planned in Washington DC and the makers have already begun the visa formalities. The team will travel post Dussehra, provided the current situation doesnt get worse.

Keerthy Suresh has been roped in as the leading lady. She will be sharing the screen space with Mahesh for the first time.

Also read: Mahesh Babu looks dapper in new viral picture, says Good to be back

Maheshs last on screen appearance was in Sarileru Neekevvaru, which was a box-office blockbuster. The film, directed by Anil Ravipudi, raked in over Rs. 200 crore at the box-office. In the film, Mahesh Babu played a soldier who comes to a small town and saves a family from the clutches of a rowdy politician.

Mahesh returned to a set since the lockdown on Wednesday to shoot for an advertisement in Hyderabad. In a picture from the set that has surfaced online, hes seen sporting slightly longer hair which could be for his upcoming project.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
A short drive from Chattanooga along I-24 W to exit 72 (South Pittsburg) towards Bridgeport, Alabama leads a traveler to Russell Cave National Monument on the left.

It is an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric culture of a group of people in the Southeast.

The monuments location in northeastern Alabama is closest to the former railroad town of Bridgeport.

The National Geographical Society donated 310 acres to the American people which encompasses the area of the cave. The Society had previously purchased the site in 1956 from Oscar Ridley. With said donation the monument is now administered and maintained by the National Park Service.

The original owner of the property was Major James Dorian who was the brother-in-law of Colonel Thomas Russell who was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War from North Carolina and for whom the cave is named.

Starting in 1953, the Chattanooga chapter of the Tennessee Archaeological Society first recognized Russell Cave as an archaeological site.

The National Geographical Society, as well as the Smithsonian Institute, conducted additional excavations along with the National Park Service.

After the property had been donated to the United States government in 1961, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed Russell Cave a National Monument on May 11 of that year.

The excavation work is ongoing and to date the teams have dug down more than 30 feet into the cave floor.

Using carbon-14 testing to determine the ages of ancient campfire residue found, the teams have been able to surmise the age of the artifacts as being about 6500 years ago. However the ages of human remains also found suggest a much older date of occupation of possibly 10,000 years.

The cave is believed to have primarily been used as a seasonal winter shelter based on the ability of the settlers to rely on the surrounding forest to grow produce and to hunt for game and fish in surrounding water sources of the Tennessee River.

Russell Cave is the third-longest mapped cave in the State of Alabama and is ranked 90th on the United States Long Cave list and 314 on the World Long Cave List.

Russell Cave continues to be an extremely important archaeological research site but has also become a popular tourist destination.

The visitor center, which was dedicated in 1967, contains museum exhibits and documentary films about the lifestyles of prehistoric peoples. It was named after Gilbert H. Grosvenor who was the editor of the National Geographic Society Magazine from 1903 to 1954 and president of the National Geographical Society from 1920-1954.

Recreational caving is no longer available but tours led by Park Rangers are free and there are two walking trails.

Russell Cave is one of the most extensive cave systems in Alabama with more than seven miles of mapped passageways. It also contains five separate entrances into the cave.

A rare specimen of a scorpion that has not been found anywhere else in the world has been found in the cave and is protected.

Each year during the first weekend in May the Russell Cave National Monument has hosted a Native American Festival. The event includes Indian performances and the reenactment of a Cherokee encampment is conducted. A variety of demonstrations are held in wood carving, and pottery hand building.

Easily located at 3729 County Road 98 outside Bridgeport, the cave site is open year around and admission is free to enter the park or tour the cave.

A call to the monument office at (256)-495-2672 will connect you with courteous staff members who can provide you with up-to-date information about the site.

If you want to make it an all day trip you can also continue up 98 until you see a sign on the right that will direct you to the abandoned railroad depot in the former mining town of Orme, Tennessee that is in Marion County, Tennessee.

* * *

Jerry Summers



(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 21:42:26|Editor: huaxia

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Teacher Huang Lizhu guides Xu Jiayi, the only student in Libing Primary School, practise calligraphy in Hongxing Township of Yongtai County, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 8, 2020. Libing, Danyang and Rongxin, scattered 20 kilometers away from downtown Yongtai County, are three micro-sized primary schools. In Libing Primary School, first grader Xu Jiayi is the only student. She chose to study at the school near her home. To fulfill Xu's dream of study, local authority kept the school and assigned Huang Lizhu, who graduated from Minnan Normal University, here to teach Xu courses including Chinese, mathematics, music and P.E. Danyang is a primary school with three students and two teachers. Second grader Liu Zhixin will go to a bigger school next year. "I choose to teach here as long as my student needs me", the 58 year-old teacher Liu Xisheng said. In Rongxin Primary School, all 10 students are left-behind children. Headmaster of the central primary school in Pangu Township Zhuo Xiaoyong said more and more students go to larger schools to obtain better educational resources, yet some micro-sized schools are kept for students who choose to study near home. "Students may drop out if the micro-sized schools are shut down," he said. According to statistics, there are eight micro-sized schools among 28 primary schools in remote areas of Yongtai County by 2019. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)
Earlier this year, in an effort to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and support frontline workers, Mary Kay Inc. announced it would donate nearly $10 million in monetary and distribution support in the communities where it operates around the globe. As the world continues to battle the virus, Mary Kay has expanded that commitment to over $10 million while also broadening its partnerships with support organizations and targeting those populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005162/en/

Mary Kay has donated nearly 75,000 units of hand sanitizer to the Indian Health Service (IHS), an operating division within the US Department of Health and Human Services. (Photo: Mary Kay Inc.)

One such population is the Navajo Nation, which is experiencing some of the most COVID-19 cases per capita in the United States. Stretching 25,000 square miles of land across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, approximately 244,000 people call Navajo Nation home. The community has an infection rate higher than most communities and nearly 10,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Big, sweeping efforts to help fight this virus are importantand impactfulbut we also must focus in on our most vulnerable communities, said David Holl, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mary Kay Inc. The countless stories of families affected in our countrys great Native American population are devastating. Its our hope that organizations continue to support the Indian Health Service so frontline workers can safely stop the spread and provide care for those already affected by the virus.

Mary Kay has donated nearly 75,000 units of hand sanitizer to the Indian Health Service (IHS), an operating division within the US Department of Health and Human Services. IHS is responsible for providing direct medical and public health services to members of federally recognized Native American tribes and Alaska Native people. The network is the principal federal health care provider and health advocate for Indian people, providing a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 574 federally recognized tribes in 37 states. The donated hand sanitizer units were used to stock 26 hospitals, 59 health centers, and 32 health stations within the nationwide IHS network.

The company also supplied hand sanitizer units to the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) to help support their efforts to create home hygiene care kits and promote health through educational materials. The GIMC Community Response team is standardizing the distribution of health promotion and hygiene materials at patient access points such as drive-through testing sites. Health promotion will be provided via in-person conversations with medical professionals and distribution of written information available in English and Navajo.

"The Indian Health Service, along with our tribal and urban Indian organization partners, are delivering crucial services under extraordinary circumstances," said IHS Director Rear Adm. Michael D. Weahkee. "Hand sanitizer is an important resource for stopping the spread of COVID-19. We are grateful for this donation and for all the donations that we are receiving from different sources. They make a real difference in our ability to better serve our communities and fulfill the IHS mission of raising the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives during this pandemic."

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company more than 56 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ashs original vision continues to shineone lipstick at a time. Learn more at MaryKay.com.

About the Indian Health Service

The IHS, an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 574 federally recognized tribes in 37 states. Follow the agency via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005162/en/
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 01:35:02|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Military leaders from Morocco on Thursday discussed with visiting French Chief of Defense Staff General Francois Lecointre about military cooperation.

The talks focused on strengthening military cooperation between the Armed Forces of the two countries, said a statement by the General Staff of Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR).

Francois Lecointre was received by Inspector General of FAR Abdelfattah Louarak, Minister-Delegate for National Defense Abdellatif Loudiyi, and the Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita.

The two parties expressed their satisfaction of the excellent cooperation between the two armies, and pledged to further strengthen it, the statement said.

The French chief of Defense Staff is leading a large military delegation on a working visit to Morocco between September 9-13. Enditem
Two Christian colleges in Texas have filed a lawsuit against a charitable organization, claiming that its board and the millions of dollars overseen by it have been hijacked in a secret coup orchestrated by ex-Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson and his longtime associates.

In a Tuesday filing in Tarrant County, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Baylor University allege that they were not notified about changes to the bylaws and charitable purpose of the Harold E. Riley Foundation. The changes came days after Pattersons 2018 ouster as president of Southwestern over his handling of students sexual abuse reports.

The foundation was established in 2002 by Riley, a successful businessman, to support both schools. Recent tax filings show it holds more than $15 million in assets, mostly via shares in Citizens Inc., an Austin-based insurance company founded by Riley, who died in 2017.

More from Robert Downen You can soon fly to Vegas from Houston's Hobby Airport for $59

According to the suit, the foundations new leadership already has sold off $4 million in shares while significantly curtailing its donations to both institutions  a direct violation of the foundations stated purpose.

The suit also accuses the foundation of using funds to purchase a car and to hire high-priced law firms to engineer the secret coup and of improperly appointing associates to salaried positions within the foundation.

Patterson is not named as a defendant in the suit, but he is mentioned numerous times. The foundations current president, Mike Hughes  who served as Southwesterns vice president for advancement under Patterson  is listed as a defendant.

And in a separate lawsuit filed last week in Colorado, the new board of the Riley foundation notes recent attempts to install Patterson and Augie Boto, the former attorney for the Southern Baptist Conventions executive committee, as directors for Citizens Inc.

A spokesperson for Citizens said it was monitoring the lawsuit. Pattersons longtime attorney, J. Shelby Sharpe of Fort Worth, declined comment, saying he had not yet seen the lawsuit. Boto could not be reached for comment.

In a statement, a Baylor official said it is frankly disheartening to have discovered that Mr. Rileys legacy and the educational funding for future generations of Christian leaders appear to have been misused.

A Southwestern official called the changes an attempt to siphon off (Rileys) generous testamentary gift that was specifically designed to benefit the two schools.

This is but the latest in a two-year pattern of attempts to divert support away from the seminary to other causes, Colby Adams, Southwesterns vice president for strategic initiatives, said in a statement. We have sought relief with heavy hearts but firm resolve to expose and stop ongoing efforts to cause harm to our students and generous ministry partners.

The new accusations follow years of fights in public and in private between Patterson, who was a two-term president of the SBC, and Southwestern since he was removed as president amid reports that he had attempted to conceal students sexual abuse reports.

In one email, Patterson allegedly said he wanted to meet with a student who said she was raped so he could break her down. His attorney has since said those remarks were taken out of context.

That student filed suit last year, accusing Patterson of threatening, humiliating and shaming her after she reported being repeatedly raped at gunpoint by another student.

Her lawsuit came as the SBC continued to grapple with Abuse of Faith, a Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News investigation that found that roughly 400 SBC church leaders and volunteers had been credibly accused or convicted of sex crimes in the last two decades.

Then, last October, Patterson was accused of trying to siphon donations to the school by denigrating female faculty members there, a charge he denied at the time. Southwesterns leaders eventually passed a resolution defending the faculty members.

robert.downen@chron.com
Eight years before Daniel Prude  a Black man experiencing a mental health crisis  died after being detained by police in Rochester, Hawa Bah watched a similar situation play out with her own son, Mohamed, in New York City. In 2012, Hawa Bah, a Guinean immigrant, called 911 for an ambulance to help her son, who had been acting erratically. New York City Police Department officers arrived at his apartment and eventually shot Mohamed Bah eight times, killing him. Police said Mohamed Bah lunged at one officer with a knife. To this day, Hawa Bah questions why police were dispatched to respond to her call for help for her son.

The NYPD should not be the first response to mental health crises, Hawa Bah told City & State this week. Following a long court battle, she was awarded nearly $2 million after the city was found liable in the wrongful death of her son. We dont want to see another Black or brown child die like the way they killed Mohamed  eight times (shot) in his own home for no reason, she said.

People with an untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter than other people stopped or approached by police, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center, a mental health nonprofit. That risk is compounded for people of color, with Black and brown men being 2 1/2 times more likely to die in a police encounter than white men, and Black adults being more likely to report persistent signs of emotional distress than white adults. Today, as Rochester grapples with efforts to overhaul its approach to policing  including calls to reform its mental health crisis response  Bah and other advocates for police reform continue to make those same calls in New York City.

For years, mental health and police reform advocates have questioned the role that police play in responding to individuals experiencing mental health crises. Recent cases of individuals in crisis dying during a police encounter include not just Bah and Prude, but Saheed Vassell, Deborah Danner and others. And while some cities have made efforts to adjust their responses to mental health crises, some critics said the only way to really help people in crisis was to remove police from the equation as much as possible. Now, advocates for police reform are making those calls again  both in Rochester and New York City. Having a police officer to help de-escalate a crisis when someones having a mental health concern is like having a plumber do open heart surgery, said Carla Rabinowitz, advocacy coordinator at the mental health nonprofit Community Access.

In the past week, as Rochesters police department saw a massive upheaval with the resignation of its top brass, advocates for police reform and some local legislators put the reimagining of mental health crisis response on their agenda. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren promised to move the citys crisis intervention team from the police department to the city Department of Recreation and Youth Services, double the availability of mental health professionals to respond to those crises and work with the city Commission on Racial and Structural Equity to reenvision how police respond to mental health crises.

Monroe County legislators proposed expanding the countys Forensic Intervention Team, which pairs mental health clinicians with law enforcement to respond to mental health behavioral calls. Meanwhile, some police reform advocates have been pushing for the passage of Daniels Law, which would create a task force with trained medical personnel to focus on de-escalating mental health crises.

While the details of reenvisioning mental health crisis response in Rochester take shape, its worth looking at similar efforts that have been made in New York City  efforts that some said fail to adequately remove law enforcement from responding to mental health crises.

In response to similar cases of people experiencing a mental health crisis being killed by police in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasios administration proposed or undertook measures to incorporate trained mental health professionals in responding to these calls. In New York City, a person who is experiencing a mental health crisis  or someone who seeks help for another person experiencing such a crisis  might call either 911 for assistance or NYC Well, the citys mental health crisis hotline. On NYC Wells website, a know who to call page directs people to call 911 in the case of an emergency.

But despite the creation of NYC Well as a 24/7 resource, calls to 911 reporting people in emotional distress have only continued to rise in recent years. In 2015, New York City undertook a new effort to train police in crisis intervention  a four-day course aimed at providing de-escalation skills and other mental health training. By the end of 2019, nearly 16,000 of the departments roughly 36,000 uniformed officers had received the training, according to the city.

Critics said that training isnt an adequate solution. What we know for a fact is that police have no business responding to people in emotional distress, said Joo-Hyun Kang, executive director of the advocacy coalition Communities United for Police Reform. Its not about whether individual police officers can be trained, its about the purpose of policing (being) completely at odds with the broader public health issue and the reality that someone who might be in crisis is going to need either care in the moment or just need somebody to talk to.

In 2018, the mayor convened a task force on crisis prevention and response to recommend better approaches for responding to individuals in crisis  and preventing those situations altogether. The next year, the city announced a series of new investments, including expanding the number of mental health responders and mobile crisis teams  groups of trained mental health counselors, clinicians and peers that can respond to calls to NYC Well within 48 hours. The investments also included adding new co-response teams to two high-need precincts in Harlem and the Bronx. The teams pair two police officers with a mental health clinician to respond to emergency 911 mental health calls.

Representatives for de Blasio did not respond to a request for comment on this story before publication time.

And while the idea of co-response teams got closer to what police reform and mental health advocates had been asking for, some said it didnt go far enough because it would still dispatch police officers to the scene. Rabinowitz and Community Access are a part of the Correct Crisis Intervention Today NYC coalition, which is advocating for the creation of mental health teams that can respond to emergency calls. The proposal would pilot dispatching teams entirely composed of nonpolice professionals  a peer trained as a crisis counselor and one emergency medical technician  to respond to emergency mental health crisis calls. The pilot would be in two police precincts with high numbers of emotional health crisis calls in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and would create a new non-911 emergency number for mental health crisis calls in particular. Altogether, a five-year pilot was estimated to cost between $3.5 million and $4 million annually.

Rabinowitz said that this peer-driven model was crucial because it allowed someone with a lived experience to relate to the person. What the peer de-escalator can do is say, Hey man, I see youre watching a show, what show are you watching? Hey man, I heard your landlord called, what kind of relationship do you have? Maam, do you want a sandwich, do you want a bottle of water? Listen, Ive been there, Rabinowitz said, offering up numerous hypothetical interactions between a peer counselor and an individual experiencing a crisis. The peer kneels down. There are de-escalations that can happen, and we dont believe the police can do that.

This proposal was not unlike a program in the roughly 170,000-person city of Eugene, Oregon, which many pointed to as the unofficial gold standard of mental health crisis response. Known as Cahoots (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets), this program dispatches a mental health crisis worker and an emergency medical technician to respond to mental health crisis calls.

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams expressed interest in using a similar approach in the city. In a 2019 report, Williams suggested measures to change how the city responds to these calls. Recommendations included increasing funding for NYC Wells mobile crisis teams, creating a nonpolice number for individuals in crisis to receive urgent mental health care and researching models for responding to mental health crises that dont involve the police.

Williams said this week that the city should look to an approach that would remove police from responding to these situations  at least as the initial response. For a long time, theres just been utter resistance on the administrations thinking on that, he told City & State. So there are hybrid models, or maybe we try something thats in addition to police. There is a refusal to adopt the notion that at least at initial contact, police shouldnt be the ones responding.

Asked about the nonpolice response model earlier this year, a spokesperson for the Mayors Office of ThriveNYC told Gothamist that they were always open to hearing additional ideas from advocates.

For these kinds of alternative models to work, however, mental health advocates said that New York City needs not just a change in who responds to mental health calls, but an expansion of resources made available to those experiencing mental health issues. Responding to individuals in mental health crisis by hospitalizing them can not only be traumatizing and needlessly expensive, but the wrong treatment option in some cases, some said. Williams report addresses this problem too, calling for the city to fund more short-term care centers, mental health urgent care centers, and drop-in centers and safe havens for those with mental health concerns.

Ayesha Delany-Brumsey, director of behavioral health at The Council of State Governments Justice Center and former director of behavioral health research and programming at the New York City Mayors Office of Criminal Justice, said the solution was likely not going to be a one-size-fits-all approach. Like most complex issues, youre going to need different responses in different situations, she said. I do think that the majority of crises can be handled by a health professional  whether thats a social worker or a peer counselor or crisis counselor.

With both the city and state governments grappling with major budget crises  not to mention the coronavirus pandemic itself  any major efforts to reimagine police involvement in mental health crisis response may not come anytime soon. But some are hopeful the movement will gain ground, especially after a summer of substantial police reforms were passed by the city and state.

Ira Burnim, legal director for the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, a legal advocacy organization on behalf of people with mental disabilities, suggested that as communities reconsider the role that police play in our society, mental health crisis response should be a part of that consideration. If youre looking at (an) overreliance on the police, this is definitely part of the puzzle, he said.
A mansion with a starring role is now on the market.

"Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice is selling her custom-built Montville Township, NJ, home for just under $2.5 million, the New York Post reported.

With her marriage to Joe Giudice over, the reality TV star is also moving on from their shared home.

Exterior realtor.com

The spread covers almost 10,000 square feet and sits on roughly 4 acres.

The massive mansion was completed in 2008. From the front entrance, with its black marble floors, and a double staircase with swirling railing designs, it's evident that the luxury abode is an opulent and ornate showpiece.

Entrance realtor.com

Upstairs realtor.com

Inside the walls of the 16-room house, plenty of drama has gone down.

Giudice has been a part of the "RHONJ" cast since the first season debuted in May 2009.

She is known for her hot temper, and is most notorious for flipping over a table at a restaurant during an argument on the first season of the show.

Teresa and Joe raised their four daughters in this house.

Great room realtor.com

Dining room realtor.com

Both Joe and Teresa spent time away from their home, and behind bars, after pleading guilty to fraud in March 2014. Teresa served 11 months of a 15-month sentence and was released in December 2015.

Joe served his prison term after Teresa, and got out in March 2019. Because Joe is not an American citizen, he was deported to Italy, where he's now living.

After 20 years of marriage, the couple separated, and their divorce was finalized earlier this month.

Gate realtor.com

Driveway realtor.com

The couple bought the land for the house in 2001 for $530,000 and began building their dream house.

After driving through the private gate, the home stands out with its red roof and red gravel driveway with a huge planter. An attached three-car garage plus a detached two-car garage allow room for five cars.

Kitchen realtor.com

Kitchen dining area realtor.com

Inside, there's plenty of room, with a huge two-story great room, a large dining room, and an eat-in kitchen that was the backdrop of numerous scenes of "RHONJ."

Granite counters, stainless-steel appliances, and carved wood cabinets are standout details. Many a "Housewives" scene unfurled in the kitchen, where Teresa and other family members cooked up Italian feasts while also dishing.

Near the kitchen are a private wine cellar and butlers pantry.

Master bedroom realtor.com

The home has six bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms. Four of the bedrooms, including the master, are on the second floor.

The master bedroom is enormous, measuring 36 by 22 feet, and includes a fireplace. Both the hardwood floors and high ceilings have decorative details.

The master bathroom is gilded with gold with and includes double sinks, a vanity, shower, and columned soaking tub. There are three walk-in closets and a dressing area.

Office realtor.com

Den realtor.com

Game room realtor.com

On the lower level of the house, an office, game room, and den can access the outdoor space, including a new pool.

Teresa hired a former boyfriend to build the pool, which was completed last year. During one episode of the show, Teresa said her family had been wanting a pool for many years, but that she couldnt afford one because she was paying restitution.

Finally finished, the pool is outfitted with six fountains for a cool spray, and a shallow end for lounge chairs. Teresa has been posting to her Instagram feed from the pool all summer.

Pool realtor.com

The pool was just one of the recent updates to the property. Interior designer Jimmy DeLaurentis posted to his Instagram feed that he had helped make over the home to bring in light.

The listing agent is Michelle Pais, who owns Signature Realty NJ. Page Six reports she will appear on the next season of "RHONJ," possibly as a new housewife.

The post 'Real Housewives' Star Teresa Giudice Lists Custom NJ Mansion for $2.5M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
FREELAND, Mich. - Reeling from another crisis of his own making, President Donald Trump tried to refocus attention on his Democratic rival at a rally in battleground Michigan Thursday as he pushed to move past revelations that he purposefully played down the danger of the coronavirus last winter.

But the virus controversy followed him as he faced new pushback from local officials worried about the growing size of his rallies and his campaigns repeated flouting of public health guidelines intended to halt the COVID-19 spread. That includes Michigans Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who raised alarms about Thursdays event, warning it would make recovery harder.

Trump, however, reveled in the crowd of several thousand, packed shoulder-to-shoulder in a cavernous airport hangar, mostly without masks  with Air Force One on display as his backdrop.

This is not the crowd of a person who comes in second place, Trump declared to cheers as he railed against Whitmer for current state restrictions.

Tell your governor to open up your state! he demanded, saying Michigan would be better if it had a governor who knew what the hell she was doing.

Before departing the White House, Trump denied he had lied to the nation as he continued to grapple with fallout from a new book by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward. In a series of interviews with Woodward, the president spoke frankly about the dangers posed by the virus  even as he downplayed them publicly  and admitted he had tried to mislead the public.

Donald Trump knew all along just how deadly this virus is, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said in a virtual fundraiser. He knew and purposefully played it down because all he was concerned about was his reelection, didnt want to affect economic growth.

Trump, answering questions at the White House, insisted there was no lie in his often dismissive public comments and said he was only tying to project calm. He offered a similar explanation to his Michigan supporters while taking a potshot at Woodward and even comparing himself to Prime Minister Winston Churchill leading the British through Nazi bombings in World War II.

This wack job that wrote the book, he said, well Trump knew a little bit, Trump told the crowd. They wanted me to come out and scream, people are dying, were dying. No, no. We did it just the right way. We have to be calm. We dont want to be crazed lunatics.

But Trump seemed to have no issue leaning into fear at the rally. He lobbed several unsubstantiated accusations at Biden and Democrats, including charging that they want to shut down auto plants  despite the Obama administrations work to save the industry  and delay the production of a coronavirus vaccine. Biden, he claimed, would terminate travel bans Trump has implemented, overwhelming the state with poorly vetted migrants from jihadist regions and refugees from terrorist hot spots around the world.

And he continued his racially charged appeal to suburban voters who turned to Democrats during the 2018 midterms, warning that under a Biden administration, far left lunatics would be placed in charge of the federal government and courts and American suburbs would be destroyed.

Does anyone want to have a member of antifa as a resident of your suburb? I dont think so, Trump declared, telling his supporters, Your vote will save America.

Trump has resumed an aggressive campaign schedule, despite the ongoing pandemic and amid growing resistance from local leaders who have expressed alarm at his insistence on holding large-scale rallies as Americans continue to get sick and die.

While the rallies so far have been held in open-air airport hangars, they have been drawing thousands of supporters despite local restrictions. And the majority of attendees, including in Michigan, have refused to wear masks, even when mandates are in place. Trump has characterized the rallies as peaceful protests.

This week, the state of Nevada became the first to scuttle his plans for rallies initially set for Las Vegas and Reno, after the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority warned a company that planned to host 5,000 people at a private hangar it would be in violation of the governors restrictions banning gatherings of more than 50 people and the terms of the companys lease for the hangar.

Outrageous! tweeted Adam Laxalt, Trumps Nevada campaign co-chair, in response.

In Michigan, Gov. Whitmer did not try to stop the rally, but warned that such events threaten all that sacrifice that weve made.

If the rallies are like those hes held in recent days in other states, with lots of people close together without masks on projecting their voices, Im concerned about it, she said Thursday morning.

Michigan currently caps outdoor events at 100 people and mandates that attendees wear masks if they cannot consistently stay 6 feet away from people who are not part of their households. There is an exception, though, for outdoor expressive activities protected by the First Amendment. The governors office said people still must maintain distance.

Michigan is a vital Electoral College battleground, which Trump won by only 10,704 votes in 2016, helping him breach the Democrats blue wall. While Trump aides had all but written off the state earlier this summer, they now say they have seen a tightening. Democrats see optimism, too, having made major gains there in the 2018 midterms, winning every major statewide office and a handful of congressional seats as well.

Both candidates have been paying frequent visits, with Biden travelling to suburban Detroit on Wednesday to make a direct appeal to blue-collar workers who might have voted Republican four years ago but now regret it.

Trump on Thursday pushed back, accusing Biden of supporting trade deals and policies that led to U.S. job losses.

Joe Biden devoted his career to offshoring Michigans jobs, Trump said, drawing boos from the crowd. Biden supported every disastrous globalist sellout for over a half a century.

Michigans unemployment rate spiked at 24% in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It has since recovered to 8.7%, but Michigan has nearly 414,500 fewer jobs than it did when Trump was inaugurated.

___

Associated Press writers David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan, Brian Slodysko in Washington, Bill Barrow in Atlanta, and Jonathan Lemire in New York contributed to this report.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was urged by scientists and experts to think very carefully before imposing another lockdown in response to the continuous spike in coronavirus cases.

Business leaders, scientists, and MPs told Prime Minister Johnson to consider other options first, warning that a second lockdown would be catastrophic.

Saving the economy

On September 6, there had been 2,988 new infections in the previous 24 hours, which was the highest daily rate since May 22.

On September 7, the numbers were at a similar level, with 2,948 new cases. The latest death toll of 30 was the highest number in 6 weeks, according to BBC.

However, Christopher Snowdon of the Institute of Economic Affairs said that the UK case numbers are at a fraction of where the country was back in March, and a second lockdown would be catastrophic and should be avoided.

Also Read: New Cluster of COVID-19 Cases Linked to Fraternity Party at State University

Snowdon added that countries like Sweden had shown a more sensible way to balance risk, liberty, and the economy.

The Government's justification for the nationwide lockdown in March was to protect the NHS and that after six months of preparation, it is unlikely that the NHS will be overwhelmed by the second wave, according to The Telegraph.

Experts weigh in

Mike Cherry of the Federation of Small Businesses said that the first lockdown in the country was damaging and that if it is possible to avoid a second one through the utilization of alternative measures to contain the virus, that will give hope to a lot of small businesses as they try to reopen.

Tej Parikh of the Institute of Directors said that business leaders would be flinching at the prospect of a return to lockdown. He said that it's paramount that whatever measures have to be taken, the support for businesses matches them.

Shaun Fitzgerald, a Cambridge professor and government adviser on social distancing, urged the public to take more precautionary measures. He said that people should do something to help like social distancing and washing hands frequently. Wearing of masks should also be taken seriously.

Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith responded to the Government announced last night, stating that social gatherings of more than six people will be banned starting September 14. Smith said that the decision is mad and ludicrous, as reported by Bustle.

Smith added that the new rule would be a "hammer blow" to the economy just as the country is starting to get things on track. He also frustratingly added that the approach is a "push me pull you" type that could also damage the public who are already starting to get back on their feet.

Theresa Villiers, former environment secretary, said that going back into lockdown would be huge setback for the economy. She hopes that the government will exhaust all the other possible options before they consider the drastic step of closing down the economy again.

Steve Baker, Tory MP, and a former Brexit minister said that a new national lockdown would spell economic, educational, civic, social, and non-COVID health doom. He added that a second lockdown must not be allowed to happen.

On September 8, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that he would not shy away from taking targeted local action, such as that imposed in Bolton.

Related Article: Beauty Salon Under Fire for Poster Stating COVID-19 is Not Real, Tells Customers Masks Not Needed

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In her new capacity, Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew will work with leaders across AHN to shape an inclusive workplace culture at the health system, further advancing its commitment to workforce diversity, cultural competency, and equitable health care delivery and outcomes for all patients and communities served. Her experiences as a nurse, a distinguished professor, a Naval officer, a global health strategist and an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in global health issues bring a unique perspective to the important role she will play at AHN and in the greater Western Pennsylvania region.

"At AHN, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive, diverse workforce at every level of our organization, and we could not have found a better champion for that cause than Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew," said Cynthia Hundorfean, AHN Chief Executive Officer. "As one of the nation's most respected voices and authorities on the value of cultural diversity in healthcare, she shares our belief that one of the best ways to eliminate disparities in medicine is to promote diversity within the ranks of those who lead and staff our clinical and academic programs."

During her time at University Hospitals, Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew worked to improve the health of underserved women across Northeast Ohio, especially those living with HIV, LGBQTIA+ populations and those experiencing food insecurity. She founded and served as CEO of University Hospitals' WONDOOR (Women and Neonates, Diversity, Outreach, Opportunity, Research) global health program; and in 2014, she was named the University's Chair of Clinical Excellence and Diversity, an endowed position established to promote diversity of academic faculty.

"From her early days working at refugee camps in Ghana and Swaziland, to her experiences as a critical care nurse and her ongoing advocacy for marginalized groups of women, Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew has been on the front lines, witnessing and treating immense health disparities," said Lonie Haynes, Ph.D., Highmark Health Chief Diversity Officer. "She has made it her life's mission to improve health outcomes of her patients, particularly those who are at-risk. We are confident her work, along with our collaborative efforts across Highmark Health, will have a profound and lasting impact on our organization and those we serve."

Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew earned a bachelor's degree in nursing at the University of Pittsburgh, a master's degree in education from California State University and her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She served in the U.S. Navy for 16 years, achieving the rank of lieutenant commander and completing an OBGYN internship at Portsmouth Naval Hospital. She returned to Pittsburgh for a residency at Magee Women's Hospital, and practiced at UPMC for the next 15 years, while also serving as Magee's Director of Global Health Programs. Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew joined University Hospitals in 2010 after receiving a master's degree in public policy from the University of Pittsburgh.

She holds numerous national and international professional appointments, including the American Association of Medical Colleges Group on Diversity and Inclusion; the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Global Health Task Force; Fellow, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Board of Trustees, Centering HealthCare Institute; Leader, First Year Cleveland; President, Cleveland American Hospital Association Board of Trustees; Co-lead, Committee on Economic Inclusion of Greater Cleveland Partnerships; Vice Chair Elect and Board of Directors, Three Rivers Youth Foundation; and Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Women's Leadership Advisory Board, Robert Morris University, among many others.

About the Allegheny Health Network

Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org), a Highmark Health company, is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 12 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, multiple employed physician organizations, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

SOURCE Allegheny Health Network
Exhibition: MAC Curator Hugh Mulholland and Louise OBoyle, acting head of Belfast School of Art, at the show of work by Fine Art graduates from Belfast School of Art at the MAC

Northern Ireland faces becoming a cultural wasteland if a vital 33m support package announced in July to combat the Covid-19 crisis is not allocated immediately, the arts community has warned.

Leading venues - including The MAC, Crescent Arts Centre, The Lyric Theatre and the Millennium Forum in Londonderry - issued the plea in a letter to MLAs and said the industry is "on the brink of devastation" as they are still waiting for the funding to be released.

The letter, delivered to MLAs on Tuesday, said the financial crisis means the impact of Covid-19 could mean the end of the arts in Northern Ireland, and despite the urgency, the matter is only due before the Executive later next week.

"We understand that the Covid crisis has impacted across Northern Ireland and many thousands of people face an uncertain future as we hopefully move out of the lockdown in a careful and managed way," they said.

"The arts and culture sector is facing very real pressure and without urgent and significant financial intervention many venues and organisations will close, jobs will be lost, career paths blocked for young people and the impact will be the end of the arts in Northern Ireland.

"Our arts venues and organisations have been closed since March with the subsequent loss of revenue. Staff have been furloughed and many of our freelancers have fallen through the gaps in support provided through the support schemes.

"The resulting loss of creative and cultural activities as a regular part of people's lives is deeply worrying. Our sector is teetering on the brink of devastation.

"The arts and culture sector plays an important role in driving our economy; attracting global tourists; protecting and enhancing the mental wellbeing of our citizens, underpinning involvement for our disabled and deaf community and bringing communities together.

"As we emerge from Covid-19, the arts sector can help Northern Ireland thrive, but only if we survive."

The venues said they now want to work with Minister Caral NI Chuilin and the Executive to help secure the full financial package of 33m which was allocated to Northern Ireland as a result of a UK-wide investment in the sector announced in July.

"This potential investment is vital if we are to avoid the collapse of our industry and support the recovery of the broader arts, cultural and creative industries. We need the full allocation of 33m to be spent as intended in full, and very soon," they said.

"The initial UK allocation was made two months ago and the urgency and gravity of our situation has deepened.

"We need funds allocated in the coming weeks as this is all the time we have left to ensure that we do not become a cultural wasteland."

The Department for Communities has been contacted for comment.
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The Fort Hood soldier accused of killing Vanessa Guillen escaped a guard when he read news reports that her remains were found, got a gun, and killed himself in a police chase, it has been revealed.

The embattled Killeen, Texas Army base fell into the national spotlight in April with the disappearance of 20-year-old Guillen, who told her family she was being sexually assaulted at the base by a superior.

She was allegedly killed in an arms room by fellow soldier Spc. Aaron Robinson on April 22, who was ranked above her at the time.

He allegedly killed Guillen with a hammer, picked up his girlfriend Cecily Aguilar and they dismembered and buried her remains near the Leon River in Belton.

Officials say news coverage of the discovery of Guillens remains 'tipped' Robinson off to flee as he read the updates on his phone.

Vanessa Guillen's (right) accused killer Spc. Aaron Robinson, 20, (left) escaped a guard when he read news reports that her remains were found, got a gun, and killed himself in a police chase, Army officials reveal

The drawn-out investigation into Guillen took so long because Robinson, at first, had an alibi.

Though he was the last person to see her alive, three soldiers saw Guillen when they smoked outside the arms room by a nearby tree the day she vanished.

The testimony of those three soldiers threw off the investigation for an entire month, Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, the Armys provost marshal, who leads the Armys Criminal Investigation Command, said to ABC's 20/20 in a new special that will air Friday.

They said they saw her leave at 'a time that wouldve indicated she had left Spc. Robinsons arms room.'

There were no cameras near the parking lot of the arms room and the investigation centered around the parking lot.

'They filled out affidavits that said they had seen Vanessa at a different time from when she had actually departed the other arms room,' Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said to the show.

'So that gave  essentially an instant alibi for Spc. Robinson, even though they had not really known the correct time of when she had actually departed and headed to the parking lot,' McCarthy said..

'The trail went cold for about a month,' he added.

Robinson spoke with investigators several times and they found he had called his girlfriend Aguilar multiple times the night Guillen disappeared.

This raised suspicion because he initially told investigators he had been with Aguilar all night.

Aguilar also changed her story, claiming she and Robinson went on a drive to look at the stars that night, according to court documents.

On June 30 investigators found remains near the Leon River that were later identified as Guillen.

That same day Robinson was placed in a room under the watch of an unarmed escort, as investigators grew suspicious of his involvement in Guillens death.

His phone pinged late at night in the same area as Guillens remains and his alibi unraveled.

'The media broadcast was really kind of what we believe to be the tipping point for Spc. Robinson to flee,' Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, the Armys provost marshal, who leads the Armys Criminal Investigation Command, said. She added an investigation found Robinson did not sexually harass Guillen

Army Secretary McCarthy says he doesn't know if there will ever be justice for Guillen, but 'it's clear' the Army let Guillen's family down. 'We have to find answers and we will hold people accountable,' he said to 20/20

He wasnt officially detained but was under the watch of a guard, Army officials say, and was able to get away.

'He was not in police custody because of [how] the legal process works,' Martin explained.

He managed to escape and his escort chased him as he ran from the base.

'He gets in a vehicle and he flees and he leaves Fort Hood,' Martin said, though its not clear how he was able to access a car.

Local law enforcement chased Robinson and stopped his car.

As they closed in he shot himself.

Army officials are not revealing when or where he got the gun but Martin said the 'firearm, I can tell you, was not a government weapon. So he did not get it from his arms room.'

Martin blamed his escape on news coverage of Guillens remains for 'tipping' him off, as he read about the investigation's developments on his phone.

'All of this is unfolding at the same exact time What we didn't maybe expect was the media broadcast,' Martin said.

'The media broadcast was really kind of what we believe to be the tipping point for Spc. Robinson to flee,' she added.

Vanessa Guillen, a Houston, Texas native, disappeared from Fort Hood on April 22. Her remains were found on June 30

The base in Killeen, Texas has reported 28 soldier deaths this year alone

Guillen reported that she was sexually harassed at the base by a superior, but didnt say who was behind it.

Robinson, a 20-year-old soldier from Calumet City, Illinois who was deployed to Iraq for seven months in 2018, was a specialist ranked above Guillen, a private first class, at the time.

'My daughter didnt give me a name. But I begged Vanessas friend so muchand she said, "Yes, yes, there is a man: Robinson,"' Gloria Guillen, Guillens mother, said to 20/20.

'I was told that he followed her into a shower. And there was another person that also harassed her, used vulgar words,' Natalie Khawam, the Guillens family attorney said.

However, Martin says that theres no proof Robinson harassed Guillen.

'In our criminal investigation, we found no evidence of sexual harassment between Vanessa and Spc. RobinsonThat was ruled out very early,' she said.

'My daughter didnt give me a name. But I begged Vanessas friend so muchand she said, "Yes, yes, there is a man: Robinson,"' Gloria Guillen, Guillens mother, said to 20/20. Gloria pictured center at her daughter's memorial service on August 14 in her hometown of Houston, Texas

She believes the shower incident was a misunderstanding with a completely separate soldier rather than Robinson.

Martin said during field exercises soldiers use baby wipes to clean themselves and referred to it as a 'hygiene shower'.

'She was actually behind a bush and she was conducting field sanitation,' Martin said.

'Her platoon sergeant may have walked by and heard some noise He called out and said, "Is there someone there?" She identified herself. And he said, "What are you doing?" And she says, "I'm conducting personal hygiene." And that was the encounter, Martin explained.

Army Secretary McCarthy says he doesn't know if there will ever be justice for Guillen, but 'it's clear' the Army let Guillen's family down.

'We have to find answers and we will hold people accountable,' he said to 20/20.

But Fort Hood's scandals are far from over.

The base has reported 28 soldier deaths this year alone, at least five of them deemed suspicious.

On Tuesday it was announced Congress will investigate the sexual assault, disappearances and deaths at the base.

20/20 airs on Friday, September 11 at 9pm - 11pm EST on ABC
Gurugram, Sep 10 : An 18-year-old student of a private university has alleged that she was repeatedly raped by a resident of Gurugram's Sarhaul village on the pretext of marriage, police said on Thursday.

According to the victim's statement, she came in contact with the youth around two years ago. The accused met her at several locations here.

The girl hails from Delhi and is a student of BA first year in a private university.

"Our friendship soon turned into an affair and we started meeting frequently. In July 2020, he took me to a hotel located on MG road, where he established a physical relationship with me and repeated the act on multiple occasions," the victim alleged in her complaint.

The girl claimed that the youth promised to marry her and had even taken money from her on that pretext.

However, feeling that the youth was in no mood to keep his promise, the girl approached the Gurugram police on Wednesday and filed a complaint of rape against him.

The girl's statement was recorded by the police and she was sent for a medical test to confirm sexual assault.

"A case of rape under relevant section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including Pocso Act has been registered at Sector-29 police station. Further probe into the matter is underway. We are ascertaining more information about the accused," said, Subhash Boken spokesman of the Gurugram police.
11-Year-Old Girl Shot in Face After Opening Door in Pennsylvania: Police

Police are looking for a suspect who shot an 11-year-old girl in the face in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, according to a news release.

According to the release from the Bethlehem Police Department, the girl answered a knock at the door of her home at around midnight. When she opened the door, she was shot in the face, police said.

The child victim is expected to recover from her injuries although she sustained significant facial trauma and is still undergoing treatment, the office said. We do not believe this to be a random act, although the victim was likely not the intended target.

Officials are calling on residents to be extra vigilant and report any suspicious persons.

However, the department stressed: We do not believe there is any increased danger to the public at large.

The suspect is described as a possible male wearing a face covering.

Other details about the case, possible suspect, or motive are not clear.

Neighbors told WFMZ that they were woken up by several rapid-fire shots.

Another neighbor, Marcie Lightwood, called 911 and said that police arrived quickly. They stayed there until Thursday morning, according to Lehigh Valley Live.

Lightwood said that the neighborhood is typically quiet.

Anyone with information about the crime or the identity of the suspect can contact Det. Ruvolo at 610 997-7676 or the police departments tip line at 610 691-6660. Callers may remain anonymous.
Were proud to pair these new contact tracing capabilities with our two-way communication platform to ensure that the families are informed and students are safe and comfortable in their learning environment," said Russ Davis, CEO of SchoolStatus.

As schools evaluate safely reopening this fall, SchoolStatus, the district-wide communication and student data platform, announces the availability of contact tracing reports and tracking. The new compliance feature adheres to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to help schools efficiently communicate if a student or faculty member tests positive for COVID-19 and monitor quarantine start and end dates.

We understand that schools will need to frequently communicate with the school community this Fall. This communication needs to be more than a general mass message because guardians will have questions and need quick answers, said Russ Davis, CEO of SchoolStatus. Were proud to pair these new contact tracing capabilities with our two-way communication platform to ensure that the families are informed and students are safe and comfortable in their learning environment.

In such a circumstance, school or district leaders can use SchoolStatus contact tracing report feature to generate a list that includes the infected students current schedule, names of teachers for each course in the section and names and ID numbers of all students who are also in the same sections. Adhering to CDC guidance, administrators can then communicate to those on the contact tracing report to take precautionary measures.

With SchoolStatus, administrators can:



Obtain critical data: Administrators must find and isolate the school community who may have come in contact with someone infected or symptomatic with COVID-19. SchoolStatus pulls this data and identifies which students share the same classes or schedules. SchoolStatus also monitors individuals quarantine start and end dates to determine when they could potentially return to school.

Communicate efficiently: Using SchoolStatus communication tools, administrators can quickly send group communications specifically to those in the contact tracing report to alert them of potential exposure, inform best practices and outline next steps in an effort to contain a potential outbreak.

Maintain privacy: The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Acts require confidentiality of students or staff members. Communications deployed through SchoolStatus are received as a one to one communication which enables families to reply directly and privately with questions and concerns.

Demonstrate compliance: Communications are logged and recorded within SchoolStatus to demonstrate appropriate school and CDC compliance.

Having a single place to generate contract tracing reports and track students COVID-19 quarantine data is critical for our district. During these tough times, every minute of every day counts, said Dr. Michelle Bivens, Superintendent, Pontotoc City School District.

SchoolStatus contact tracing feature pairs its data and communication tools to support districts in meeting CDC compliance and ensuring safe and healthy learning environments for students. To support districts communication efforts, SchoolStatus has prepared a Contact Tracing Toolkit which includes communication resources like contact tracing announcement templates, positive case checklist, CDC resources and more.

For more information about SchoolStatus new contact tracing feature, please visit https://www.schoolstatus.com/covid19.

About SchoolStatus

SchoolStatus is the district-wide communication tool that integrates key student data in order to increase communication among educators, district administrators and student families. The companys solution aggregates individual student data, such as state assessments, attendance and grades in an easy-to-visualize format and offers the option to communicate with student families via call, text or email. Through SchoolStatus, millions of communications have occurred on the classroom, campus and district level. For more information about SchoolStatus, visit http://www.schoolstatus.com.
An Army paratrooper has died while conducting training operations at Fort Stewart, Georgia, the Army announced Thursday.

The accident took place around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Lt. Col. Mike Burns, spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, told Military.com. The paratrooper, who has not been identified, was assigned to the 82nd's 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

Read Next: The First Members of Space Force Just Deployed to the Middle East

Burns did not immediately have additional information on the circumstances of the accident or the status of training. The incident is currently under investigation.

In July, six U.S. paratroopers from Fort Bragg were hurt during training in Grafenwoehr, Germany after drifting off-course during a jump. Three were hospitalized, although all were expected to recover.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Related: US Paratroopers Injured in German Training Accident
BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at a meeting to commend role models in China's fight against COVID-19 has inspired and encouraged some Chinese people working overseas.

Du Jia, commander of the 19th contingent of the Chinese peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, said that Chinese military personnel have been fighting side by side with health workers in the war against the invisible enemy and they are among the role models.

Du said the peacekeepers will live up to the trust of the motherland and the people, fulfill every task with high standards, make contributions to peace and stability in the mission area, and demonstrate with their concrete actions that China is a responsible country.

Head of the Confucius Institute in Islamabad Zhang Daojian agreed with Xi's remarks that the great virus-fighting spirit vividly demonstrates the Chinese spirit.

The great virus-fighting spirit can be traced to the Chinese nation's long-established characteristics and cultural gene, which highly value nation, people and life, Zhang said, adding that the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have safeguarded people's lives and health at all costs.

Tang Hong, deputy chief engineer of China Railway Sixth Group, said that China's anti-epidemic fight shows a ruling party which governs for the people and puts people's lives first.

The fight embodies the spirit of patriotism, collectivism and socialism, as well as the national spirit, said Tang, also project manager of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway in Vietnam.

Guo Yadong, head of the 35th Chinese medical team in Sudan, said that Xi's speech is inspiring.

Guo said his team will carry forward the spirit of fighting the epidemic and work on the frontline of medical assistance with firmer faith and more enthusiasm, so as to consolidate the friendship between the Chinese and Sudanese people and make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Disclosure at this time would reveal and impair the effectiveness of investigatory records and techniques compiled for law enforcement purposes, the July 29 letter stated. The response also said that any information the FBI possesses that was obtained via a grand jury would present an obstacle in complying" with the subpoena since such matters are typically kept secret.
A self-described 'Incel' has been arrested after the FBI said he sent a flurry of online rape and death threats to a Long Island couple using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

David Kaufman, of Westchester County, is charged with stalking and sending threatening interstate communications, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday in New York.

According to the indictment, Kaufman, who also goes by the online aliases 'David Khalifa,' 'John Morray,' and 'Big Man,' is an 'Incel', or involuntary celibate, a sick subculture of men who blame women for refusing to have sex with them, and believe in responding with rape and violence.

The case was investigated by a member of the FBI's New York-based Joint Terrorism Task Force, suggesting that the elite anti-terror squad is turning more of its attention to the online subculture of Incels.

The FBI's New York-based Joint Terrorism Task Force brought the case against David Kaufman, an incel charged with stalking and harassment (file photo)

Kaufman's federal defender did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Thursday. The charges were first reported by the Daily Beast.

According to the indictment, Kaufman met the two primary victims, a male and female couple, while all three were college students on Long Island in September 2012.

What are Incels? 'Incel' is an abbreviation of 'involuntarily celibate,' an online subculture of men who blame women for refusing to have sex with them, and believe in responding with rape and violence. Incels have an active online community, in which they discuss their hatred of women, their hatred of feminism, how to get away with rape, and specific women to target. In 2014, self-proclaimed Incel Elliot Rodger declared a 'War on Women' and went on a killing spree near the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Rodger killed six people before taking his own life, and is revered in the Incel community as the 'supreme gentleman,' a reference to a line in his manifesto. Since then, Incels have been linked to a number of violent attacks, and are increasingly described as a terrorism threat. In February 2020, a machete attack in a Toronto massage parlor became the first incident of alleged Incel violence to be prosecuted as an act of terrorism. Advertisement

The FBI says that Kaufman perpetuated a campaign of online harassment and intimidation against the couple from October 2019 until last month -- persisting even after he was arrested on state charges.

In October, Kaufman began his vicious harassment by commenting on a Facebook post made by the female victim, disparaging her boyfriend, according to the indictment.

'It goes to show that Chads like [male victim] can literally say ANYTHING and have everyone love them no matter what. While incels are F***ED and have no one give a s**t about them no matter how good their confidence or personality is,' Kaufman allegedly wrote.

'Chad' is the Incel slang term for stereotypical 'alpha males' who have romantic success with women. Their female counterparts are known disparagingly as 'Stacy'.

Kaufman continued, according to the indictment: 'And yes you don't 'Love [male victim] You're helplessly sexually attracted to his Chad face. And you can't bring yourself to admit that.'

After the woman blocked him on Facebook, Kaufman allegedly messaged her on YouTube, saying she had 'a weak boyfriend' and that if he was an incel 'he would have already killed himself.'

The FBI says that Kaufman then escalated the campaign of online harassment, including by messaging the woman's boyfriend and other friends, and by creating Twitter accounts impersonating her and using them to send crass and profane messages.

On Twitter, Kaufman allegedly used one account to send a message to the woman, saying 'Hey wanna hear a joke? What's worse than 10 Stacy's nailed to one tree? One Stacy nailed to ten trees [laughing crying face emoji]'.

In a text message to the boyfriend on June 29, Kaufman sent a graphic crime scene photo of a woman who was killed by Elliot Rodger in 2014, according to the indictment.

Rodger, who killed six people in California on a stabbing and shooting spree after penning a manifesto expressing hatred of women, is revered among incels, who refer to him as the 'supreme gentleman' in reference to a line from his manifesto.

'This is what happened when a woman said 'no' to Eilliot Rodger...hopefully [female victim] never said no to someone just like Elliot Rodger,' Kaufman wrote in reference to the graphic murder photo, according to the indictment.

Kaufman allegedly had this online exchange with a female friend of the woman he targeted

One Twitter account created by Kaufman used the screen name '[boyfriend] beats [female victim]' according to the FBI.

Using that account, the indictment says Kaufman posted on July 11: : 'Women have done nothing but spit in my face. Soon I'll be getting a gun.'

Kaufman is also accused of sending various harassing messages to friends of the couple, including one to a woman stating 'Can I pinch your nose while having u s**k on my c**k so u can't breathe?'

According to the indictment, Kaufman persisted in his campaign of harassment even after being charged in Cortlandt with three misdemeanors: two counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree, and one count of third-degree identity theft.

Kaufman allegedly told federal investigators that he was an incel and identified with Rodgers' manifesto, and admitted to creating impersonating accounts and sending harassing messages.

Kaufman was arrested on the federal charges on Friday and made an initial court appearance the same day.

He is being held without bail and is next due to appear in court on September 30.
byteCares Partners with LA Promise Fund to Support Oral Care for Students, Families and Faculty in South Los Angeles

Kerry Washington and Dr. Jon Marashi Speak at Virtual ByteDay Kick-Off

byte, the worlds fastest growing doctor-driven direct-to-consumer invisible aligner company, has announced a partnership with the LA Promise Fund through its byteCares program, benefiting schools in South Los Angeles. Byte kicked off the program at its first-ever virtual ByteDay on September 4, featuring byte Dental Officer, Dr. Jon Marashi as well as byte Investor and Creative Advisor Kerry Washington.

At byte, increasing access to care is the driving force behind everything we do, said Neeraj Gunsagar, President of byte. Were proud to be able to support the students, parents and teachers of schools in South LA who might not otherwise have proper access to oral healthcare. This is why we do what we do.

During the virtual ByteDay, Marashi introduced the program and educated on the importance of oral healthcare, while Washington shared a message of confidence and hope, inspiring the community. LA Promise Fund provided access to additional resources to further support the South LA community.

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Weve been working with students in South LA for many years to help prepare them for success, said Veronica Melvin, CEO/President with the LA Promise Fund. Oral healthcare is a huge need in this community. Were excited to be able to address it directly and are grateful for the support byteCares and Kerry Washington are offering to make that happen.

byteCares aims to build confidence throughout communities, one smile at a time by providing free access to teledentistry, Byte products, hygiene education and helping empower those who would not otherwise be able to afford it. The organization seeks to improve 10,000 smiles by 2022. Other recent byteCares efforts include partnering with the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce as well as other non profits such as Midnight Mission, Learning Lab Ventures, the City of Carson for greater teledentistry access, and supporting frontline healthcare workers across the nation by manufacturing face shields and ventilator parts during COVID-19.
The Spanish Health Ministry reported on Wednesday 8,866 new coronavirus infections. This is up from last Wednesdays figure of 8,581 and the 7,297 cases recorded the previous Wednesday. But while the number of cases continues to rise, the spread is slowing.

The 14-day and seven-day cumulative incidence of the virus fell slightly on Wednesday with respect to Tuesdays figure. This does not indicate a downward trend, but rather a momentary relief in the number of cases. The cumulative incidence in Madrid fell from 543 cases per 100,000 people to 528.6 on Wednesday, while in La Rioja it dropped from 392.7 cases to 373.4. La Rioja had the second-highest rate of Covid-19 on Tuesday, but on Wednesday the region was overtaken by the Basque Country (378.5) and Navarre (376.5).

It is too soon to say whether this drop is a result of the coronavirus restrictions introduced in the regions with the most cases. In the northeastern region of Aragon, which had the highest incidence rate in July, coronavirus transmission did not fall until weeks after confinement measures and other restrictions were introduced.

The success of the coronavirus restrictions will determine whether Spain is able to contain the pandemic and prevent its hospitals from becoming overwhelmed

Different strategies have been implemented by the regions in a bid to reduce contagion. In the Madrid region, the regional government has limited social gatherings to 10 people and restricted capacity at funerals, religious ceremonies and bar counters. But a growing number of regional authorities have introduced confinement measures, with at least seven municipalities in quarantine across Spain.

On Thursday, the regional health department in Aragon announced that the municipality of Andorra would be confined after 65 cases were detected in the area. Entry to and from Andorra will be restricted from Friday, with residents only allowed to leave the municipality if they have a justified reason. In addition to the confinement order, the regional government also recommended that residents avoid non-essential trips and activities.

On Wednesday, the Balearic government announced it would confine four neighborhoods in Palma, on the Spanish island of Mallorca, due to high coronavirus transmission rates in the city. The areas of Son Gotleu, Can Capes, La Soledat Nord and part of Son Canals, which are home to nearly 23,000 people, will be closed off for at least 15 days beginning on Friday at 10pm. Residents will only be allowed in and out for essential business such as work, school and visits to the doctor.

The Castilla y Leon government has also introduced tough restrictions, in the cities of Salamanca and Valladolid. These measures, which are similar to those introduced under Phase 1 of the governments deescalation plan, but without limits on movement, were extended Wednesday for seven days until September 17.

The success of these restrictions will determine whether Spain is able to contain the pandemic and prevent its hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. Hospitals in the Madrid region are already beginning to feel the strain, with the rising number of Covid-19 cases forcing some centers to suspend non-essential surgery and transfer patients. According to the Health Ministry report released on Wednesday, 17% of hospital beds in Madrid are occupied by coronavirus patients, compared to the national average of 7.3%. In total, 8,398 people are hospitalized with the disease, of whom 1,131 are in intensive care.

The latest figures reported 34 new coronavirus fatalities and 246 deaths that were reported last week. The official death toll has risen to 29,628, but the real figure is likely to be much higher given many people died without being diagnosed, meaning they were not included in the official count.

Community transmission in Costa del Sol hidden for weeks

For more than two weeks, the Andalusian regional government hid the active community transmission of Covid-19 in the Costa del Sol healthcare district, which is home to nearly half a million people and receives large numbers of tourists in the summer.

A group of people in Puerto Banus in Marbella in August. Garcia-Santos (El Pais)

An internal document from the regional health department, dated August 24, warned of community transmission in a note to several senior residences in the Costa del Sol healthcare area. But the chief of public administration, Elias Bendodo did not publicly admit to the worrying situation until September 8.

According to the document sent out to senior homes, on August 24 the 14-day cumulative incidence of Covid-19 in Costa del Sol was 163 cases per 100,000 people. This is five times higher than the level recommended by the Andalusian health department, which is 30 cases.

Sources from the Andalusian government denied this information was concealed, arguing the administration has been totally transparent despite the delay in making the situation public.

Five arrested for stealing 900,000 face masks

Five men have been arrested for stealing 900,000 face masks and 2,4 million pairs of gloves from a warehouse in the Madrid neighborhood of Leganes in mid-August. The Madrid police department announced on Wednesday that the five individuals had tried to sell the material, valued at 700,000, on the black market. According to police, the five detainees are Spanish nationals, aged between 35 and 52, and have a criminal record for similar crimes. The investigation remains open and could lead to more arrests.

English version by Melissa Kitson.
Yesterday (September 9), Shivarajkumar, Rockline Venkatesh, Yash, Duniya Vijay and others met Chief Minister of Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa to discuss the issues that Sandalwood industry has faced due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Shivarajkumar represented the actors and also met Deputy CM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan. After the meeting, Shivarajkumar interacted with media and said that they are hopeful of positive results.

Shivarajkumar and his panel which included producers, directors, exhibitors, etc. presented the issues faced by the Sandalwood industry in detail. Since the theatres are closed in the state, the panel proposed the government to help them cope up with aspects such as tax, GST and so on. Shivarajkumar revealed that CM has assured them that he would discuss their relief requests with relevant departments' heads. "Overall, it was a good meeting," said the actor.

While speaking about the meeting with Deputy CM, Shivarajkumar revealed that Ashwath Narayan assured that government would do its best to help the industry. Well, Sandalwood stars are expecting a good decision from the Karnataka government.

Amidst all, Sandalwood celebs have recently come under the radar of CCB, after the drug racket was busted in Bangalore. The crime branch has already arrested Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjanaa Galrani and 12 others in connection with drug scandal. When asked about the same, Shivarajkumar refused to comment on Ragini and Sanjjanaa's arrest.

Also Read : Yash And Shivarajkumar React To Sandalwood Drug Racket

Meanwhile, Sandalwood celebs, as well as fans, are waiting for Karnataka government's decision over the issues spoken about in the meeting.

Also Read : Shivarajkumar Is All Set To Resume Bhajarangi 2 Shoot From August 10, Confirms Director Harsha!
Zimbabwes government has banned mining in its national parks. However, the environmental group that had taken action to stop the development of a coal mine in an elephant-rich park that it will insist on more than just words, suggested reports by AP. Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced that the government will not allow mining in national parks after various environmental and wildlife groups urged the government to take this decision. Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association had applied to the High court after reports surfaced about a Chinese that had started exploratory work to mine coal within Hwange National Park. Shamiso Mtisi, the associations deputy director, said, The important thing for us is to get an interdict which is legally binding.

Mining banned in national parks

As quoted by AP, the Center for Natural Resource Governance said, We pray that all these mining titles (in Hwange) and others which are unknown to the public will indeed be cancelled. It described the prioritization of mining over a more stable and eco-friendly sector such as tourism as self-defeating. Mitsi said, There is gold and diamond mining going on in several national parks across the country, its not just in Hwange. Thats a major threat to biodiversity and to tourism. Its an economic issue, you cannot just rely on mining, you need to leverage on other sectors such as tourism." Reports by AP suggest that more than 45,000 elephants live in Hwange park along with more than 100 mammal and 400 bird species, including buffalos, leopards, and lions. These animals are already struggling for food and water due to a prolonged drought.

Read: Zimbabwe's Elephant Death Toll Climbs To 22, More Expected As Probe Continues

In a separate incident a few days back, Zimbabwe's National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson has informed that the toll of mysterious elephant deaths in the western region of the country climbed to 22. Tinashe Farawo, the country's parks agency spokesperson, is reported to have said that most of the elephants who died in the Pandamasue Forest were young and weak. The region is located between the vast Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls and faces a scarcity of food. Farawo added that the younger elephants fail to reach higher tree branches and could have eaten anything within the reach leading to suspected poisoning.

Read: Zimbabwe Probes Mysterious Death Of 11 Elephants A Month After Botswana Saw 275 Carcasses

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe authorities are carrying on an investigation on the suspicious deaths and have ruled out cyanide poisoning and poaching as the probable cause. According to the reports, the blood samples have been sent to the laboratory for further analysis to determine the cause of their deaths. Farawo said that they can only ascertain the cause of death after a proper investigation. The probe will also try to establish if there is a link between the recent elephant deaths reported in neighboring Botswana.

Read: Jumbo Dies After Being Injured In Fight With Other Elephants

Also Read: Zimbabwe Investigates Mysterious Deaths Of 11 Elephants

(Image/Input Credits: AP)
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Linkedin Nina Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 07:48 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43e4f75 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,virus-corona,Merah-Putih-vaccine,COVID-19-vaccine,Research-and-Technology-Ministry,bambang-brodjonegoro Free

The government claims that the development of a local COVID-19 candidate vaccine has reached 50 percent and will be ready for human clinical trials early next year.

A national consortium led by the Research and Technology Ministry is currently developing the Merah Putih vaccine, named after the nations iconic red-and-white flag.

We aim to finish the animal testing process by the end of this year, Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said during an online press briefing on Wednesday.

He added that the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, which had been appointed to spearhead the vaccine development, sought to hand over the finished vaccine seed to state pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma for clinical trials starting January next year.

After the clinical trials are finished and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency [BPOM] declares it safe, PT Bio Farma will start the mass production at the end of 2021, the minister went on to say.

Read also: Vaccines won't bring back normal life at once: Experts

Bambang said the country would need at least 540 million doses of vaccine for 270 million Indonesian citizens. Initial studies showed that each person would need at least two shots of the vaccine to be immune to the coronavirus.

The national consortium has opened opportunities for at least three private pharmaceutical companies to manufacture the vaccine in order to secure supply.

However, they still need to obtain permits from the BPOM and prepare lines of production specifically designated for the Merah Putih vaccine, said Bambang

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo established a national team to accelerate the development of the vaccine as well as to improve the countrys resilience in responding to the outbreak.

While Jokowi is set to oversee the team, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto has been appointed to chair the team's steering committee. Meanwhile, Bambang was placed in charge of the development of a potential vaccine, with the assistance of Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir.
Boats travel in front of Mama's restaurant in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Newport Beach Restaurant Month Aims to Aid Ailing Eateries

In an effort to provide a lifeline to its citys ailing restaurants, the city of Newport Beach, California, has created a new Restaurant Month promotion to generate foot traffic as Orange County reopens amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 70 local restaurants have banded together as part of the food-centered experience, created as part of a team effort by Dine Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Restaurant Association. The month-long event, which began Sept. 1, allows participants to download a free digital Dine Pass that can be used at any of the participating restaurants for discounts, deals, and prizes.

The promotion corresponds with a Sept. 8 easing of restrictions after the county was upgraded to the red tier on the states COVID-19 monitoring list, allowing restaurants to reopen for indoor dining at 25 percent capacity.

The Newport Beach City Council voted the same day to relax enforcement of an emergency ordinance that mandated social distancing and employee mask wearing at local restaurants.

Grace Hong, communications manager for Newport Beach & Co., the citys marketing organization, told The Epoch Times that the goal of the campaign is to help restaurants make up for lost business due to the pandemic.

Summer is our busiest season, and obviously due to the pandemic that was heavily impacted, Hong said.

Hopefully this Dine Pass will attract locals and visitors to dine at Newport Beach restaurants and to redeem offers and stuff as an incentive.

Hong said benefits include free appetizers, 10 percent off the entire bill, and incentives for coming back a second time to the same establishment.

Each check is also an entry to win daily giveaways and weekly grand prize getaways, she said. The getaways include weekend stays at luxurious Newport Beach hotels, whale watching passes, and $50 Nordstrom gift cards.

Diners enjoy the relaxing atmosphere at Buddhas Favorite restaurant in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Gary Sherwin, president and CEO of Newport Beach & Co., told The Epoch Times he has high hopes for the promotions success in helping out local restaurants, based on reservations tracked during previous Restaurant Week promotions.

He said the city has hired an independent research company to monitor all reservations to track the promotions success.

In past Restaurant Weeks, we have tracked reservations.  This has allowed us to not only measure how many reservations were made but also the spend associated with it, Sherwin said via email.

In January, which was a two week event, over $3.5 million was generated for local restaurants that would have not been earned without the promotion.

Sherwin said more than 2,000 people downloaded the Dine Pass during the first week of the event.

Overall, he estimated there are around 420 restaurants located in Newport Beach. Though his organization doesnt have an official figure for yearly gross revenue, he estimated the restaurants together bring in around $100 million each year.

A waiter wearing protective face gear balances plates of food on his arms as he carries them to diners at Farmhouse restaurant in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 9, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

A restaurant worker prepares a beverage at Tavern House Kitchen and Bar in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 9, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Customers enjoy dining outside at the Red O restaurant in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 9, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Mayor Will ONeill told The Epoch Times that Newport Beach restaurants have faced severe restrictions due to the pandemic, but that the city has done all it can to help.

Restaurants have faced difficult opening and closing orders with significant and expensive modifications required, ONeill said via email.

Newport Beach quickly assisted our restaurants when their indoor dining was shut down by passing an emergency ordinance allowing for outdoor dining. Outdoor dining has been a real hit, but is not a perfect solution.

ONeill added, We have seen some restaurant closures, but not as many as other cities in the area.

The City of Newport Beach partnered with the Small Business Development Center in August to create a grant program designed to aid small businesses in their fight to survive the ongoing pandemic and statewide restrictions.

According to the citys website, small businesses with less than 30 employees are eligible to receive grants of up to $10,000 that can be used for job retention and operating expenses.

The city also used CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act money for business grants to help our small storefront businesses with COVID-related expenses, ONeill said.

Anecdotally, we hear that businesses across our city have faced very different circumstances. Many restaurants have flourished while some have failed.

With people spending more time home and not traveling, they have purchased a lot more electric bikes and Duffy [electric] boats.

Signing up for the Dine Pass can be done through the Visit Newport Beach website. The pass is instantly delivered via text and email.

After clicking the link, the user can add the pass to their phones home screen for easy access. Then, after browsing available restaurants and special offers, guests simply click Check In after arriving to redeem their offers.
No date set yet for IMF review mission's visit

23:15, 10.09.20 743

The mission is supposed to assess the implementation of requirements envisaged in the latest Stand-By Arrangement.
Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc., gestures while speaking during a discussion on artificial intelligence at the Bruegel European economic think tank in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. Pichai urged the U.S. and European Union to coordinate regulatory approaches on artificial intelligence, calling their alignment critical.

Google said Thursday that it will remove search autocomplete predictions that "could be interpreted as claims for or against any candidate or political party." It'll also remove statements about voting methods and the status of voting locations as well as the legitimacy of elections including security of the election.

Google autocomplete recommends searches based on what a user is typing into the search box in a Chrome browser or on Google.com.

"We want to be very careful about those sorts of predictions," David Graff, Google's senior director of trust and safety, told reporters on a press call ahead of the announcement Thursday. "This election, people will have strong opinions, and given the backdrop of Covid-19, the change with elections is to be more conservative in terms of queries."

The policy update comes as Google, among other firms like Facebook and Twitter which are trying to cut down on misinformation, prepares for a heated presidential election.

The company gave examples of phrases it'll block such as a prediction that says "donate to" any party or candidate, or predictions like "you can vote by phone" as well as "you can't vote by phone."

"It's been fairly unprecedented  the scale of information challenges particularly with Covid," said Cathy Edwards, vice president of engineering at Google. "We don't want to have policy changes on Election Day," she added. "That's a goal for us, certainly."

The company said it has an "Intelligence Desk," which is a global team of analysts monitoring news events 24 hours a day. The same desk has been monitoring claims about Covid treatments. The group will keep a close eye on Election Day to prevent too early election outcomes from appearing in search, Google said.
Online Learning

Emerson College Expands 2U Partnership with New Data Analytics Boot Camp

Photo: PRNewsfoto/2U, Inc.

Emerson College has launched an online Data Analytics Boot Camp geared toward adult learners and working professionals. The 24-week part-time program, created in partnership with 2U, will "teach the analytical, technical and teamwork skills necessary to become a proficient data professional," according to a news announcement.

The program's online format will comprise live instruction with industry professionals, webinars with employers and asynchronous coursework, along with access to tutoring, career services and networking opportunities. Emerson worked with 2U's Trilogy Education to develop the curriculum, which will cover data analytics topics such as data programming and data storytelling, as well as technology skills in Excel, Tableau, Python, Pandas, SQL, MongoDB, JavaScript, machine learning and more.

As they move through the program, students will build a project portfolio to "showcase their abilities and hone their competitive edge in the employment market." Upon completion, they will receive a non-credit Certificate of Completion in Data Analytics from the college.

Emerson has worked with 2U on a number of other programs, including an online Master of Science in Communication Disorders, [email protected], and an online Master of Arts in digital marketing and data analytics.

"In an increasingly data-driven economy, this program builds on Emerson's reputation for education that prepares students for the demands of the current job market," said Jan Roberts-Breslin, dean of Graduate and Professional Studies for Emerson College, in a statement. "In Massachusetts alone, more than one million people have filed for unemployment since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. By expanding our partnership with 2U, we can offer a rigorous, high-quality, and engaging online program that's ideal for professionals looking to develop the technical skills necessary to re-enter the workforce."

For more information, visit the Emerson site.
LONDON If fund managers are serious about clean investments, they need to get their hands dirty.

Thats the view of Sasja Beslik, head of sustainable finance at Swiss bank J. Safra Sarasin, as demand surges for companies that perform well on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

He himself has turned ESG detective in the past, flying to southern India after reading studies that found high water pollution levels around some factories mass-producing medicines.

Accompanied by a cameraman, Beslik spent 10 days meeting villagers and taking samples from streams close to the plants supplying companies that his then-firm had invested in.

He said his samples were confiscated by airport authorities, but that he sent his video evidence of foaming scum in streams to 27 international and local companies with operations there.

We got a response in a week from all of them, he said, adding that most were keen to fix the problem. Returning to India a year later, he found many of the factories had improved the capacity of the water-treatment plants.

Its now more important than ever to probe ESG credentials, rather than relying on ratings assigned by data providers that are often based on self-reporting by companies.

Besliks visits were in late 2017 and 2018, but he says its now more important than ever to probe ESG credentials, rather than relying on ratings assigned by data providers that are often based on self-reporting by companies.

Investor demand for companies deemed to have high ESG standards has never been higher. ESG-focused funds manage $1.1 trillion, more than double 2016 levels, according to industry tracker Morningstar.

As much as anything, such investments are a way to mitigate risk; Bank of America estimates more than $600 billion of S&P 500 company market capitalisation alone was lost to ESG controversies in the last seven years.

Recent high-profile examples include German payments firm Wirecard and British fashion retailer Boohoo, where allegations of accounting fraud and factory labor abuses, respectively, erased years  and in Boohoos case, months  of returns in a matter of days.

Wirecard collapsed into insolvency in June after disclosing a 1.9-billion-euro hole in its accounts. Boohoo launched an independent review of its supply chain in July and defended its business practices https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-boohoo-group-leice/boohoo-defends-supply-chain-practices-after-leicester-report-idUKKBN2430Y2, following newspaper allegations about low pay and poor conditions at suppliers factories in the city of Leicester.

Beslik, who heads a team of eight ESG specialists at J. Safra Sarasin, is now focusing on Democratic Republic of Congo to assess mining of cobalt, a key component of batteries used by tech firms and carmakers. The cobalt industry has been dogged by allegations of child labor and environmental damage.

He is by no means the only player turning ESG sleuth, reflecting the shifting demands of the investment industry.

Vontobel Asset Managements head of ESG, Sudhir Roc-Sennet, employs three ex-investigative journalists to bolster his traditional team of analysts. A central element of their job is kicking the tires on ESG scores.

One example concerned Nestle. Despite the firms AA ESG score from one provider, Vontobel became concerned in 2018 about media and NGO reports of excessive water use at Nestles U.S. bottled water subsidiary.

Roc-Sennet remains invested in Nestle, praising its overall environmental track record. But after consulting water rights lawyers, hydrogeologists, and environmental inspectors, Vontobel pushed Nestle to reduce water intensity  the amount of freshwater used per million dollars of sales.

Its unclear whether Vontobels efforts led to Nestle reducing its water intensity, which had been falling for years across its businesses.

Nestle said the amount of freshwater used per bottle at the U.S. subsidiary was one of the lowest among beverages and its team of engineers, hydrologists, biologists and geologists consistently monitors and cares for the springs and local environment in California.

Headline ESG scores can miss such issues, Roc-Sennet said.

The water division is small and Nestles other business is sustainable, he said.

When data isnt available, basic detective work is the answer, he says.

There is a huge gap in the world of ESG investing. A gap between what ESG investments stipulate that they do and what is really going on on the ground. One day it will boomerang back and it will hurt the entire industry.

To assess diversity among senior management at companies, for example, he has scoured the web to check thousands of photos and names, doing Google and LinkedIn searches on peoples backgrounds.

IN THE FIRST INNINGS

Providers of ESG scores, including Sustainalytics, MSCI and Refinitiv, which is part-owned by Reuters News parent company, say that alongside company disclosures they use external sources including media and NGO reports. Some, like Truvalue Labs, say they eschew company data altogether.

But the system has flaws.

Small companies with limited disclosure can earn lower scores than multinationals, meaning relatively new renewable energy outfits might rank below tobacco giants.

Scores can also vary wildly across providers. In contrast to credit-ratings agencies, whose assessments vary significantly in just 0.1% of cases, one in four ESG ratings differ between providers, according to Nathan Cockrell, Lazard Asset Managements co-director of global research.

Take Tesla  its environmental scores range from 10% to 65%, where 100% is the best possible score, according to a 2019 study by Anthony Renshaw at financial intelligence firm Qontigo. Tesla can rank both above and below rivals Ford and General Motors.

Another example is Saudi oil firm Aramco. It is rated an average BB by MSCI but carries an ESG risk rating of severe from Sustainalytics.

Boohoo scored highly across some providers when the newspaper investigation lopped nearly 50% off its share price in three days. That was despite long-standing media allegations of issues in its supply chain.

Simon MacMahon, head of research at Sustainalytics, acknowledged ESG scoring relied on information that was quite incomplete, sometimes inconsistent and sometimes of low quality, but said methodology had improved.

ESG as an industry is still maturing  We are in the first innings of a nine-innings game, he said.

An MSCI spokesperson said ESG ratings should be one of many factors investors use while conducting due diligence, and are not investment recommendations.

Many managers subscribe not just for headline scores but to access underlying research and data, ESG data providers say.

CHALLENGING ASSUMPTIONS

But gaps and inconsistencies are spurring some fund managers to determine ESG credentials for themselves. This may involve investigating basic assumptions.

Railways usually rank highly on ESG metrics because of low carbon emissions, but Hans Stegemann at Triodos Investment Management found out his fund was invested in a Canadian rail firm that transported shale gas and oil.

They sold their stake, Stegeman said, adding: There was no positive (ESG) impact.

A companys culture can be crucial, yet is difficult for scoring systems to evaluate.

Sharon Bentley-Hamlyn, investment director at Aubrey Capital Management, said a little digging can help verify management claims. Impressed by British concrete paving firm Marshalls , Aubrey visited their quarry in the Scottish town of Falkirk.

We found great attention to detail, talked to employees and found them very proud to be working for the company. They had invested heavily in systems for health-and-safety training, she said.

Yet ESG screening can, in the short-run at least, conflict with maximizing returns  Boohoo shares are still up 120% from 2017. Managers who ditched tech stocks after 2015 on concerns about data privacy and cobalt supplies missed a huge rally.

Beslik of J. Safra Sarasin said inconsistencies between ESG scores and reality could ultimately leave investors exposed.

There is a huge gap in the world of ESG investing, he added. A gap between what ESG investments stipulate that they do and what is really going on on the ground. One day it will boomerang back and it will hurt the entire industry.

(Reporting by Tommy Wilkes, Sujata Rao and Simon Jessop; Editing by Pravin Char)

Topics Trends Pollution
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:21:18|Editor: huaxia

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CHENGDU, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Sichuan Province has made significant progress in poverty alleviation over the past six years, with over 6 million people escaping poverty by the end of 2019, a local official said at a press conference on Wednesday.

By relocating impoverished residents to more habitable locations through government subsidies, and by assisting poverty-stricken students from pre-school to higher education, Sichuan has won a decisive victory in poverty alleviation, said Peng Qinghua, secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.

China aims to achieve the goal of eradicating absolute poverty by 2020. Sichuan is one of the six provinces with the heaviest poverty alleviation burdens in China.

The province was home to 88 impoverished counties at the end of 2013, and 81 had moved out of poverty by the end of last year. The poverty rate in Sichuan fell from 9.6 percent in 2013 to 0.3 percent in 2019.

Local authorities are determined to see to the remaining seven counties lifted out of poverty on schedule, Peng said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:47:57|Editor: huaxia

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Students attend the opening ceremony for undergraduate students class of 2020 in a stadium at Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2020. China's Tsinghua University held the online and offline opening ceremony for undergraduate students class of 2020 on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
As election day neared, Donald Trump was caught on tape making damning statements that had pundits and even some Republicans writing off his candidacy. The chair of the Republican Party thought there was no way Trump could recover and suggested he quit the race.

That Access Hollywood tape in which Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women was leaked almost exactly four years ago, and Trump did recover from it. On Wednesday, another late-campaign bombshell dropped featuring Trump on tape, this time admitting that at the beginning of the year, he intentionally minimized the scope of the pandemic that has killed nearly 200,000 Americans.

Longtime journalist Bob Woodwards new book, Rage, quotes Trump as acknowledging in February that the coronavirus was deadly stuff that was more deadly than even your strenuous flus, even as he was telling the American people that there was nothing to worry about.

I wanted to always play it down, Trump told Woodward in March. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

But unlike the Access Hollywood story, most voters in battleground states didnt need to hear Trumps duplicity  on tape  to make up their minds about his handling of the pandemic. They made up their minds months ago  and thats why Trump trails in most battleground states.

They dont need a tape to confirm that, said Kelly Dittmar, a professor of political science at Rutgers University and director of research for the Center for American Women and Politics. If you already thought he wasnt doing a good job in leading the response to COVID, this tape reaffirms it.

Look at what has been going on in Wisconsin, a battleground state that Trump narrowly won in 2016. In March, 51% of likely voters approved of the way the president was handling the coronavirus, while 46% disapproved, according to a Marquette University Law School Poll.

On Wednesday, a new Marquette survey showed that 41% of voters approve of Trumps handling of the pandemic, while 56% disapprove. Thats a big part of why Trump trails Democratic nominee Joe Biden among Wisconsin voters, 47% to 43%, according to Marquette.

On Tuesday, a Detroit News/WDIV-TV poll showed Biden with a similar lead in Michigan, another battleground state that Trump won four years ago. Much like in Wisconsin, a majority of Michigan voters thought Trump was handling the economy well, but only 39% thought he could do a better job than Biden on the pandemic.

The similarities between the Access Hollywood tape and Trumps revelations about what he knew about the pandemic and when he knew it have their limits. Admitting he knew early on how deadly the coronavirus could be potentially hangs the responsibility for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans and millions of lost jobs on Trump.

But even some Democrats said Wednesday that they doubted it would fundamentally alter the race, partly because Trumps failures on the pandemic were already obvious to those who dislike him, and those who like him will accept the presidents explanation. There are few voters in between.

As with everything with him, everyone goes to their partisan corners, said Katie Merrill, a California Democratic strategist. If youre a Trump supporter, youre going to say hes doing the right thing by not trying to panic people. If youre a Democrat, youre going to say this is just another thing that hes done to make the pandemic worse.

And if youre the 2% to 3% of people who are still undecided, said Merrill, who has conducted polling in battleground states recently, there is not going to be one smoking gun that will move you either way.

Part of the reason for that intransigence, Merrill said, is that everything that comes out of Trumps mouth is a word salad. So (his comments) are open to interpretation, depending on what your bias is. He can kind of get away with saying anything because its never really clear what he is saying.

Dittmar said Trumps coronavirus comments may be politically easier for his supporters to defend than the Access Hollywood tape because they can say, He wasnt trying to make people panic. He was trying to be a good leader.

But he didnt really have a good reason to grab a woman, she said.

It will be hard for undecided voters to contextualize what he is saying here, said Russell Riley, a presidential historian at the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.

Some of this will require contextualizing, Riley said. And what you hear depends on whether you are getting your context from MSNBC or ... from (Fox News commentator) Sean Hannity.

Trump didnt deny making the remarks Wednesday. In response to a question from a reporter who asked if he downplayed the pandemic to reduce panic, Trump said, Well, I think if you said in order to reduce panic, perhaps thats so.

The fact is, Im a cheerleader for this country, I love our country, and I dont want people to be frightened, Trump said. I dont want to create panic, as you say. And certainly, Im not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy.

One immediate downside for Trump from Wednesdays revelations is that they derail his efforts to steer the national media narrative away from his handling of the coronavirus. He has spent the past few weeks exaggerating the violence in Democrat-run cities and trying to stoke racist fears among white voters by claiming Biden would allow low-income housing to destroy the suburbs.

Despite Trumps efforts, impressions of the Black Lives Matter movement and of racial justice demonstrations havent changed among Wisconsin voters over the month, according to Wednesdays Marquette poll, even though state residents saw recent protests in Kenosha up close.

It may be a sign that what has been a very stable, if very partisan, campaign is incapable of being fundamentally transformed. Ironically, that may be the worst news of all for Trump, who needs a fundamental transformation before November.

If underplaying a deadly pandemic isnt going to move voters, can Trump do anything at this point that would change peoples minds?

Maybe, Riley said, repurposing Trumps description of his indelible support among his core followers, if Donald Trump goes out on Fifth Avenue and shoots somebody.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
A 32-year-old Toronto man has been arrested after he was seen slipping an unknown substance into a young womans drink at a downtown bar last week, according to police.

Police say on Sept. 6th, the 24-year-old woman met with a man from a dating app after they agreed to meet at a bar in the area of Adelaide and John streets.

At one point in the evening, the woman left to use the washroom and Shakeri was seen slipping an unknown substance into her drink, the police state.

When she returned, the woman was urged by other bar patrons not to consume her drink and police were contacted.

On Sept. 9th, the suspect surrendered to police. Niki Shakeri is scheduled to appear in court at Old City Hall on Oct. 15.

Breanna Xavier-Carter is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: bxavier@thestar.ca
Talks to steer Malis transition to civilian rule kick off on Thursday amid intense pressure on the countrys military leaders to hand over power quickly. But a former minister has said a rushed transition will create further instability.

Hours before Malis new military leaders were due to hold national talks on Thursday to map out the countrys transition, hundreds of Malians took to the streets of Bamako to pledge their support to the junta, many appealing to them to stay in power for as long as it takes.

"Why not for three years, until the end of former president IBKs mandate," a shop owner named Hamza Sangare told AFP, in reference to Malis ousted leader.

The timeline for Malis transition to civilian rule has become a bone of contention between the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), as the junta is known, and the heads of state of neighbouring countries.

On Monday, West African regional bloc Ecowas gave the coup leaders a 15 September deadline to appoint a civilian to head a transition government.

The 15-nation body, which slapped sanctions on Mali following the 18 August coup, has called for elections within 12 months.

Give us time

That may be too soon.

"Should we not allow ourselves time to start over properly ?" asks Hamed Sow, Malis former minister of energy and mines.

A lengthy transition however is a luxury that former colonial power France can afford, as Paris still reels from the killing of two French soldiers in northern Mali.

"I recall that in 2013, the government of President Francois Hollande wanted to hold elections in July," Sow, who was in office from 2007-2009, told RFI on the line from Bamako.

"That left little time for new parties to get organised and the traditional players were the ones who came up on top."

The 2013 election brought the now ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to power, sowing the seeds for todays coup detat, according to Sow.

Story continues

Before new elections, the former minister says Malis problems must first be fixed, starting with the countrys electoral register.

Fragile peace

"If you look at the security situation, large parts of the country are no longer under government control, while schools and hospitals remain closed," he says.

Despite a 2015 peace deal between the government and rebel groups in the north, many of its provisions, such as integrating former armed group members in the national army and carrying out a decentralization process, have not been implemented.

"Mali signed these accords under immense pressure from the international community and few Malians actually support it," explains Sow, who wants the deal to be reviewed.

He also wants audits to be carried out on government procurement contracts and public services to stamp out corruption.

"If we dont carry out these reforms, the same problems will come back to bite us."

Last chance

What is Sow expecting from Thursdays national transition talks between the junta and opposition groups ?

"We must be clear about our objectives and the kind of state we want to return," he says.

On that score, there is no time to lose.

"All Malians either at home or abroad are galvanized," he comments.

"Everyone has said this is our final chance."

Mali has experienced four coups since its independence 60 years ago. Few can tolerate further instability.

"If we get the transition wrong, we risk seeing the Somalisation of Mali," warns Sow, depicting a country with a failed state and multiple factions.

"The international community must support us, but at the same time allow Malians room to find their own way out."
Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated that the US Congress would block any potential US trade deal with the UK if Boris Johnson unilaterally violates the Good Friday Agreement that allows an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

How do you walk away from an international agreement? Ms Pelosi said of the prime ministers potential move.

"How do you trust [negotiating with] that?" she asked rhetorically at a press conference on Thursday.

The speaker echoed comments from other House Democrats this week that the UK is of course free to chart its own course in terms of pulling back from the European Union. But if the country goes about that process in a way that upsets existing agreements involving the US, which is a guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, that would have ramifications beyond the UKs control.

Their self determination is up to them. Our trade relations are up to us, Ms Pelosi said.

"The people of the UK have determined their course of action. That's up to them. But it is not up to them to think that they will be rewarded [with a new US-UK trade deal] if they mess with the Good Friday accords," she said.

Ms Pelosi said she has made her position on the matter very clear for a year now.

"It's a very simple message. They know it. They've heard it ... This is not anything we've hidden under a bush: There will be no bilateral US-UK agreement if ... the Good Friday accords with regard to the border are changed."

On Wednesday, as Mr Johnsons government continued hashing out an agreement with the EU over the UKs departure from the union, it released an Internal Market Bill that would effectively subject the Northern Ireland-Ireland border to regular customs checks, a break from the recent tradition of the free flow of commerce between the UK province and the independent republic.

Politicians in the UK and abroad who are against the move fear that closing the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would incite a return to Republican and Loyalist violence that ended in the late-1990s.

Such a scenario could lead to the remilitarisation of that border and chaos with regard to the political future of Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said the Johnson governments move would be "a treacherous betrayal" inflicting "irreversible harm."
Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, sends personal letters to the President asking for Trump pardon.

It was revealed that personal letters were sent from Joe Exotic to President Trump after the star requested for Trump pardon, as per Fox News. Exotic is serving a 22-year prison term after being guilty of participating in a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin, his rival.

This week, Maldonado-Passage reported that with his attorneys, he formally requested a pardon from the White House. Yahoo! News has obtained some of the submitted documents, letters addressing the President written by the reality star.

Maldonado-Passage writes in the first two letters, "If I have ever looked up to anyone, it would be you (President Trump). Not because I need you to save my life, rather because you stand for what you believe no matter what anyone thinks." The star continues by giving praise for the President and stating Trump's passion in politics, which inspired him to run in the 2016 election as an independent candidate. Maldonado-Passage admitted to voting for Trump in the end anyway.

According to Joe Exotic, 57, his parents and his life was stolen by criminals who got everything and left them for nothing. The former zoo owner noted that his mother died and his father is "God knows where locked in a nursing home."

Maldonado-Passage says that after his trial, he is "ashamed of America." The star claims that he has seen different federal employees that "know their witnesses were lying under oath and even helped them." Exotic also said that millions know the truth and begged for President Trump to listen to them.

"I ask you to listen to your son, Donald Jr., and make this right and grant me a miracle, 'a pardon,' and let me put this behind me and go save my dad, and go live my life with my husband' Dillon.'" Exotic urges to return to help the sick children and the homeless.

In the letter, Exotic asks President Trump to allow him to make the President proud as well as America. "To make the Lord proud. Be my hero, please."

Meanwhile, the second letter was written to Donald Trump, Jr. The animal enthusiast revealed that he had been "sexually assaulted by jail staff, tied to a chair to the pint the skin came off his arms and beat him up."

Maldonado-Passage added, "Dying could not be as bad as what this system has done to me. You see the outcry from people around the world asking you and our President to make this right and grant me a miracle and ask your father; the best President America has ever had to sign my pardon as soon as it gets to him." Exotic finished the letter with "#TrumpJr2024."

With OK! Magazine, Maldonado-Passage, also shared a photo of one of his injuries. The image shows wounds on his wrist.

The former zoo owner elaborated on his claims of abuse to the source. He claims that while naked, he was locked in a room for eight days. He claims that he slept on a cold metal shelf on the floor with dried sperm and feces on it from so many others before him.

The representatives for Grady jail in Oklahoma where Maldonado- Passage allegedly assaulted, and Federal Medical Center Fort Worth, Texas lockup where he is being held couldn't be reached immediately.

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The radio play might just be the perfect artform for the COVID era  intimate yet distant, staged but only for the ear.

"Everyone loves a radio play  there's a touch of nostalgia, of a more innocent time," says Brian Nankervis, who has produced a six-parter called Collie & Cass for the Friday Revue segment he has co-hosted on ABC Melbourne since 2015, first with Richelle Hunt and since the beginning of this year with old pal Jacinta Parsons (part of "the RocKwiz brains trust", he says).

Noeline Brown as Collie and Julia Zemiro as Cass, as sketched by Archibald Prize-winning artist Lewis Miller. Credit:Lewis Miller

It isn't Nankervis' first foray into the serialised drama format, which was a staple of Australian radio until the 1970s and is now enjoying a minor renaissance thanks to streaming platforms such as Spotify (where you'll find a few Australian classics such as Dad and Dave) and Apple podcasts (a repository of classics from America and the UK, as well as some new entries from intrepid producers around the world).

About three years ago, Nankervis produced a radio play called The Ballad of the Mudgee Budgee for the Friday Revue, and the spark for the new show came when Ward, another RocKwiz alum, recorded a spot on his favourite gig  The Dandy Warhols at St Kilda's Prince of Wales in 1998  for the show.
Actor Raveena Tandon has expressed her anger at latest developments amid the ongoing investigations into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and asked if two women are being used as mere pawns for political vendetta. While Rhea Chakraborty was arrested on Tuesday afternoon for procurement of drugs in relation with the probe being conducted by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), portions of Kangana Ranauts Mumbai office were demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday morning.

Raveena tweeted Wednesday afternoon, Crushing,Demolishing,Mayhem.Sad Sad.All thats happening.Two women,Two sides,are they being used as pawns to vent out dirty political vendettas?Murder, Nepotism, Suicide, Family, Grief, Mental Health, Mafia, Vendetta, Cops, Journalism, Politics, Drugs, Films .#JusticeForSSR shouldnt be diluted.

Crushing,Demolishing,Mayhem.Sad Sad.All thats happening.Two women,Two sides,are they being used as pawns to vent out dirty political vendettas?Murder,Nepotism,Suicide,Family Grief,MentalHealth,Mafia,Vendetta,Cops,Journalism,Politics,Drugs,Films.#JusticeForSSR shouldnt be diluted  Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) September 9, 2020

Kangana had called the partial demolition of her office an act of fascism and the death of democracy, claiming that she was targeted for speaking against the Maharashtra government. Kangana warned Uddhav in a video message that his pride will crumble soon and compared her situation to the Kashmiri Pandit exodus of 1990. Uddhav Thackeray, did you think that you took revenge on me by colluding with the film mafia and demolishing my house? My house has been demolished today but your pride will crumble tomorrow. Time will change, she said.

Kangana has been involved in a war of words with the ruling Maharashtra government after she likened Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and criticised the Mumbai Police.

Also read: Kangana Ranauts message to Uddhav Thackeray, Karan Johar: Whether I live or die I will expose you

Rhea was arrested by the NCB in the drug angle linked to the death of Sushant. The arrest, made under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, came three days after her younger brother Showik Chakrabortys arrest by the NCB. Her bail was rejected on Tuesday and she was brought to the Byculla jail on Wednesday morning.

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The Ob, Yenisei, and Lena rivers flow into the Kara and Laptev seas and account for about half of the total freshwater runoff to the Arctic Ocean. The transport and transformation of freshwater discharge in these seas have a large impact on ice formation, biological productivity, and many other processes in the Arctic. Researchers from Shirshov Institute of Oceanology and MIPT have investigated the spreading of large river plumes -- that is, freshened water masses formed as a result of river runoff mixing with ambient saltwater -- in the Russian Arctic seas. The findings were published in Scientific Reports.

The Ob, Yenisei, and Lena rivers provide a huge volume of freshwater discharge to the Kara and Laptev seas. The total annual runoff from these three rivers is estimated at 2,300 cubic kilometers. The majority of this volume is discharged into the sea during the ice-free season, forming the Ob-Yenisei plume and the Lena plume, which are the largest in the Arctic and among the largest in the world ocean.

"River plumes are freshened water masses that form near river mouths and spread at sea as a relatively thin surface layer. River plume dynamics are mostly determined by wind forcing and river discharge rate," explained Alexander Osadchiev, a co-author of the study and a senior researcher at Shirshov Institute of Oceanology.

Previous studies revealed that in the absence of strong wind, the Coriolis force and the density gradient between the plume and the ambient seawater cause alongshore spreading of river plumes. That process induces a large-scale eastward freshwater transport that is observed in the Arctic Ocean along large segments of the Eurasian and North American shores. This feature strongly affects ice conditions in the region.

The study described in this article revealed how the Ob-Yenisei plume spreads from the Kara Sea to the Laptev Sea through the Vilkitsky Strait, which is located between the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago and the Taymyr Peninsula. The paper also addresses the Lena plume and its spreading from the Laptev Sea into the East Siberian Sea through the Laptev and Sannikov straits.

The authors demonstrated that continental runoff from the Ob and Yenisei mostly accumulates in the Kara Sea during the ice-free season. Topographic barriers -- namely, the western coast of the Taymyr Peninsula and the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago -- generally hinder eastward spreading of the Ob-Yenisei plume to the Laptev Sea. This process occurs only as a result of very specific wind forcing conditions.

On the contrary, the Lena plume is almost constantly spreading to the western part of the East Siberean Sea as a large-scale water mass, forming a narrow freshened coastal current in the eastern part of this sea. Known as the Siberian Coastal Current, it is intensified by freshwater runoff from the large Indigirka and Kolyma rivers and flows farther eastward to the Chukchi Sea.

"Freshwater from the rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean very slowly mixes with seawater, therefore the large river plumes are very stable. As we revealed, freshwater can spread eastward across hundreds of kilometers, forced by local winds. The recent findings enable us to assess freshwater transport between the Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian seas during the ice-free season," added Associate Professor Sergey Shchuka, deputy chair of ocean thermohydromechanics at MIPT.

The new data are crucial for understanding ice formation, biological productivity, and many other processes in the Arctic affected by continental runoff.

###

The study also featured researchers from Tomsk Polytechnic University and Ilyichov Pacific Oceanological Institute. This research was supported by the Russian Ministry for Higher Education and Science, the Russian Government, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the Russian Science Foundation, the Russian Presidential Grant, and Tomsk Polytechnic University.
Signs of immunity vanish quickly from seriously-ill coronavirus patients in less than a month after they are discharged from hospital, a study has found.

Researchers looking at antibodies  substances in the blood that develop immunity against the virus  have found they drop off sharply once a patient as recovered.

The finding is worrying news for hopes that people will become immune to Covid-19 after having it for the first time.

Most people who were sent home from hospital after having the disease did show signs of antibodies  suggesting their bodies had learned to protect themselves from the virus  but they were not strong.

Some 81 per cent of patients had the antibodies, the Chinese study found, but only a 'small portion' of them had any with the ability to neutralise  or kill  the virus.

Whether people become immune to Covid-19 after having it remains a mystery.

There are signs that the body learns to fend it off but also growing numbers of 'credible' cases where people get reinfected.

If the body cannot retain antibodies over the long-term it could mean that a vaccine may not offer permanent protection, as scientists and politicans around the world are hoping one will.

Scientists monitored 19 non-severe and seven severe Covid-19 patients for a month and three weeks to determine how their bodies produced antibodies (stock image)

Scientists at Nanjing University Medical School in China monitored 19 non-severe and seven severely ill Covid-19 patients for a month and three weeks to determine the progression of their antibody response.

They found that the patients had a varying level of antibody responses, with only a 'small portion' developing a potent level of neutralisation activity. The scientists did not say exactly how many people had this.

The study indicates that three to four weeks after hospital discharge, the neutralising activity of antibodies from recovered patients declined significantly.

The authors wrote: 'The world is facing an unprecedented challenge with communities and economies affected by the growing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)...

'The development of antibody response to Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, started to be reported but remained largely elusive.

'Understanding the adaptive responses where the body makes antibodies that specifically bind to the Sars-CoV-2 among Covid-19 patients provides fundamental information for developing effective treatment and preventive vaccine.'

Past studies have found the opposite to this one  that antibodies can last for months after someone is sick with the disease  while others have noted that people barely build up immunity at all.

WHAT ARE ANTIBODIES? Antibodies are substances produced by the immune system which store memories of how to fight off a specific virus. They come in different forms and may attack viruses and destroy them themselves, or may force the body to produce other kinds of immune cells and white blood cells to do the dirty work for them. They can only be created if the body is exposed to the virus by getting infected for real, or through a vaccine or other type of specialist immune therapy. Once antibodies have been created once  the body essentially moulds them around a virus when it encounters one in the blood  the body usually retains a memory of how to make them and which ones go with which virus. Generally speaking, antibodies produce immunity to a virus because they are redeployed if it enters the body for a second time, defeating the bug faster than it can take hold and cause an illness. Advertisement

There is also some debate about whether the severity of illness plays a factor.

People who get seriously ill and hospitalised tend to have a stronger immune reaction and therefore are more likely to be protected in future.

While those who have only mild or even unnoticeable symptoms may not develop immunity at all.

There is no guarantee that people's bodies do protect themselves, and scientists will only be able to confirm this with time.

Earlier this week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there were now 'credible' reports emerging of people getting the illness more than once  something that had been considered unlikely during the peak of the outbreak.

He told Parliament's Health and Social Care Committee that the first 'credible' cases of coronavirus reinfection were starting to be seen.

'We have also just started to see the first credible cases of reinfection and, through genomic analysis, you can see it is a different disease to the one the person got the first time around.

'But in all the cases that I have seen it has been an asymptomatic second infection that has been picked up through asymptomatic testing.'

Mr Hancock's latter point suggests that people do not become noticeably ill the second time around and do not get symptoms.

Commenting on the recent study, Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, and British Society for Immunology spokesman, said: 'After the initial publications about Sars-CoV-2 antibody assays and levels, important papers are starting to emerge which look at specificity and durability of the response in more detail.

'Studies like this are a vital part of the 'work-in-progress' to make sense of who has immunity and how long for.

'This paper makes a number of points: the gold-standard in assessing the antibody response to a virus is measuring ability to neutralise the entry of virus into cells, although this is not one of the routinely available tests.

'Most convalescent patients show this response, though, importantly, 20% do not. Also, this antibody level declines in most people by the time of their follow-up appointment a month later.

'Once again, evidence shows that the half-life of these antibodies in the blood is not particularly sustained.

'We don't know to what extent this is bad news unless we know the extent to which the white blood cells that make the antibody (B cells) are up and ready to defend against any repeat attack.'

The study was published in the scientific journal PLOS Pathogens.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Police carried out searches on Wednesday at the Moscow office of the Open Russia opposition group and the homes of several activists running in local elections this weekend, prompting allegations of intimidation.

Open Russia, financed by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, said the searches were taking place as part of an old criminal investigation into Yukos, a defunct oil giant once owned by Khodorkovsky.

A grouping called the United Democrats is backing hundreds of opposition activists running in local elections this Sunday, hoping to get a toehold in regional politics - dominated by the ruling United Russia party.

More than 20 searches were carried out in the regions of Vladimir, Ivanovo, Tatarstan and Novgorod at the group's offices as well at the homes of activists running in the elections, campaign staff and election monitors, Open Russia said.

Police also confiscated equipment and opposition newspapers from Open Russia's office in Moscow, and searched the Moscow editorial office of MBKh, a media outlet financed by Khodorkovsky, the group said.

"It's obvious the independent candidates and United Democrats' offices are not linked to Yukos; this is an act of pressure and lawlessness from the state in the interests of United Russia...," said Anastasiya Burakova, an Open Russia activist.

On Tuesday, an ally of leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny running for the city council in Novosibirsk said an assailant had burst into his group's campaign office and smashed a bottle on the floor containing a caustic and foul-smelling substance.

Russia's treatment of President Vladimir Putin's political opponents has come under international scrutiny since Navalny was airlifted to Germany last month to be treated for what German medics say was poisoning with a rare, military-grade nerve agent. Russia has said it has seen no solid evidence that he was poisoned.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Peter Graff and Kevin Liffey)
LONDON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- It is possible to become a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica without having any previous connection to the country through the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. However, the island is strict about a prospective candidate's integrity. Ambassador Emmanuel Nanthan, the Head of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CBIU) in Dominica, explained why it suits families in a webinar with Gulf News and CS Global Partners last week.

Established in 1993, Dominica's CBI Programme allows vetted individuals and families to obtain second citizenship in exchange for an economic contribution. Applicants can choose between either making a one-off government fund contribution of at least US$100,000 or investment in pre-approved real estate from US$200,000. Ambassador Nanthan said that Dominica, who ranks first as the best country for CBI, has a straightforward three-month process, honed over time and balanced by strong due diligence.

"Longevity of our Programme demonstrates clearly that we have a Programme that is successful. [...] We have seen people becoming citizens, their children become citizens, their grandchildren, their children's children's children, and it goes on and on and on. [...] We have proven and stood the test of time - our investors know that, our agents know that, and that I believe is paramount to the success of our Programme as well."

Generations of the same families have been able to benefit from becoming economic citizens of Dominica. This summer, the CBIU adjusted its CBI Programme to encourage more family integration. More members of the main applicant's family or their spouse's can now qualify as dependants eligible for citizenship by investment. Dominica also adjusted its fund requirement threshold from US$200,000 to US$175,000 for a family of four, excluding siblings.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit commented during the same webinar: "The issue of family is very important to us, and it is for this reason that we have also brought this onboard in our CBI Programme. Recognising that, in many parts of the world, especially in the Middle East and in some parts of Asia, you have the same family structures. People look out for each other. People take care of their family, the parents and grandparents, in a very admirable manner."

To apply for citizenship from Dominica, an investor must enlist an authorised agent. After filing the necessary documentation - which agents can still submit online due to Covid-19 prevention measures - the due diligence checks start. Once 'approved in principle', the applicant makes their qualifying investment and subsequently receives their citizenship. This lasts for life and future generations.

[email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
A day after details of the extraordinary relationship between president Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un were revealed in extracts of Bob Woodwards upcoming book, the president again voiced support for the North Korean dictator.

Among the revelations in the veteran journalists book, Rage, were that Trump told him that Kim Jong-un tells me everything and that he gave the president a graphic account of how he had his own uncle assassinated.

On Thursday morning Trump tweeted: Kim Jong Un is in good health. Never underestimate him!

Woodward wrote that the president was impressed by Mr Kim when he first met him in Singapore in 2018, according to reports in The Washington Post on Wednesday.

Mr Kim ordered the execution of his uncle and senior government official Jang Song Thaek in 2013, reportedly for suspected disloyalty to the current regime.

It is unclear why the president felt the need to tweet about the health of the North Korean dictator, but rumours about Mr Kims health have persisted throughout the summer.

At one point it was even suggested he was in a coma and some powers had been delegated to his sister.

Mr Kim did appear at a party meeting in late August, putting an end to many of the rumours. He warned about the dangers of an upcoming typhoon and the ever-present threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

Officially, North Korea has not recorded any cases of Covid-19, but this is believed to be highly unlikely by outside observers. A large outbreak could devastate the country of 25 million people, which frequently slips into famine and is heavily reliant on China.

In his meetings with North Korea, president Trump dismissed intelligence officials assessments that the reclusive country would never give up its nuclear weapons when he decided to engage with the North Korean leader in nuclear arms talks.

He told Mr Woodward that the CIA has no idea how to handle Pyongyang and also dismissed criticism about his three meetings with Mr Kim, cleaning the summits were no big deal.

It takes me two days. I met. I gave up nothing, he said, likening North Koreas attachment to its nuclear arsenal to somebody who is in love with a house and they just cant sell it.

Mr Woodward also gained access to 25 letters exchanged between Mr Trump and Mr Kim, which were described by the president as love letters.

According to CNN, which reported it obtained transcripts of two of the letters, Mr Kim addresses Mr Trump as Your Excellency and is liberal in his use of flowery language when describing his relationship with the president.

Following their first meeting in Singapore, Mr Kim wrote: Even now I cannot forget that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellencys hand at the beautiful and sacred location as the whole world watched with great interest and hope to relive the honour of that day.

The two leaders met a total of three times, in Singapore, Vietnam and the Demilitarised Zone dividing North and South Korea, marking one of the Trump administrations most notable foreign policy legacies.

The meetings took place following an escalation in provocation by North Korea with its missile tests in 2017 and Mr Trump responding by taunting Mr Kim as a Little Rocket Man on Twitter. In a now-famous tweet, Mr Trump threatened to respond to Pyongyang with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Mr Trump told Mr Woodward in December 2019 that his decision to meet with Mr Kim averted the war, and America wouldve been in a major war if he was not the president.

But then-defence Secretary James Mattis called Mr Trumps initial taunting of Mr Kim unproductive, childish and dangerous, wrote Mr Woodward.

Mr Woodwards book is based on 18 interviews the associate editor at The Washington Post conducted with Mr Trump between December 2019 and July 2020.
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has made further progress in his recovery from poisoning with a Novichok nerve agent and is now able to speak again, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Thursday.

The Kremlin critic is being treated in Berlins Charite hospital after being taken seriously ill on a Russian domestic flight last month. Germany has demanded Russia explain the affair, though Russia denies any involvement.

The magazine said that Navalnys police protection had been stepped up in the expectation that he would be receiving more visitors as his condition improved.

Der Spiegel and Bellingcat understand that Navalny can speak again and can likely remember details about his collapse, the magazine wrote, crediting its investigative website partner. His statements could be dangerous for people behind the attack.
By Jun Ji-hye



Andaz Seoul Gangnam presents Chuseok gift sets







Andaz Seoul Gangnam, a luxury lifestyle hotel brand of Hyatt International, is presenting four kinds of Chuseok gift sets composed of signature hotel goods and high-quality fresh food products selected by the hotel chef.



Of the four gift sets, two are comprised of hanwoo (Korean beef) that come in 350- and 500-gram portions.



The two hanwoo sets are composed of various cuts of beef from a special species, called "Moonkyung Yakdol Hanwoo." It is registered in the Korean Association for the Improvement of Species as its pedigree has been enhanced.



Cattle of this type are raised on a mixture of feed with fodder and stone powder (yakdol) and they are castrated within six to seven months. This species features high-quality protein containing an abundant amount of amino acid essentials, and the meat is juicy and soft.



There is also a wine and dessert set featuring a combination of 2017 Bernard Vallette Beaujolais Blanc wine, a homemade pound cake and butter-flavored cookies.



Finally, the Andaz set is composed of NV Piccini Memoro red wine from Tuscany, Italy, signature dark roasted and blended coffee beans, Ronnefeldt tea bags, Andaz butter cookies and chocolates and an Andaz unicorn doll that is good for a family gift.



Four Points by Sheraton Seoul Namsan changes name to increase competitiveness



Four Points by Sheraton Seoul Namsan, a business hotel run by Shinsegae Chosun Hotel, announced that the property name has been changed to Four Points by Sheraton Seoul Station.





Having secured a steady number of business travelers, and maintained operations since May 2015, when it first opened, the hotel now intends to highlight its geographic convenience as it is the only hotel connected to Seoul Station via the hotel's underground passage.



The main entrance of the hotel is connected to Seoul Station exit 12 through an underground passage, which provides an easy connection to the Airport Railroad, KTX and subway lines 1 and 4.



The hotel said it will enhance competitiveness by renaming the property in a more intuitive way.



General Manager Yang Bong-cheol said, "Upon the renewal of our property name, we are going to satisfy the needs of potential customers and rise as the best business hotel in Gangbuk District by strengthening its position as the sole hotel connected to Seoul Station."



Park Hyatt Seoul greets new season with 'Autumn at the Park package



Park Hyatt Seoul is celebrating seasonal romance with its "Autumn at the Park" package.



The package includes breakfast sets for two, served daily at the second-floor Italian restaurant Cornerstone and offering a choice of four styles including Western, Korean and healthy.



All in-house guests can enjoy the complimentary use of Park Hyatt Seoul's indoor swimming pool and fitness studio, while guests choosing suites are additionally offered sauna privileges for two and a bottle of red wine.



Located on the hotel's uppermost 24th floor, the hotel's swimming pool offers captivating views, with an infinity pool design that creates the ethereal impression of water cascading over the invisible edge and down into the city below.



In addition, a uniquely luxurious spa experience awaits package guests in the comfort of their own private bathtub, with a bath ball by Israeli lifestyle brand Sabon.



When dissolved in hot water, each bath ball releases Dead Sea salts and minerals to leave the bather's skin moisturized and radiant. Combined with inspiring city views through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the bathroom, bath time is elevated into a healing experience in a private urban oasis.




In a first, the Delhi government has posted four officials of the Delhi Administration Subordinate Service cadre as motor licensing officers in its regional transport offices (RTOs).

The move comes after chief secretary Vijay Dev on September 2 suspended three MLOs from the RTOs of Suraj Mal Vihar, New Delhi and Vasant Vihar, after raids conducted by the transport department found irregularities in issuance of driving licenses.

The four newly appointed MLOs earlier served as section officers of DASS cadre. This is the first time that the government has posted DASS cadre officers as MLOs, in a move to bring more transparency in public services. The four officers were transferred from different departments to the transport department by an order of the services department on September 7, said a senior government officer .

In the suspension case, apart from collusion with touts, it was found that over 1,000 DLs were issued from the three RTOs over the past two months without conducting the mandatory video recording of the driving test given by the motorists. These three RTO are among the five RTOs in Delhi which do not have an automated driving test track for testing motorists seeking a permanent DL.

RTOs in Sarai Kale Khan, Burari, Mayur Vihar, Wazirpur and Vishwas Nagar have automated test tracks which make the entire process of issuing DLs more comprehensive and stringent as it reduces manual intervention. Dahiya said the remaining five RTOs will have automated test tracks by the end of this year and no manual driving tests shall be allowed thereafter.

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Fort Bend County officials and faith-based organizations teamed up with the American Red Cross to provide relief and resources to Hurricane Laura survivors. Donations from area residents, collected over the past week, were loaded onto Fort Bend transit vehicles ready to be shipped off to East Texas and Louisiana.

Our Interfaith Council set up collection centers, we are using our transit authoritys vehicles to take it to Red Cross who are going to be our distribution channel, said County Judge KP George.
Rise in demand for faster transportation mode has majorly driven the demand for hyperloop technology. Furthermore, low cost of the transportation technology as compared to other transportation modes and energy-efficient & environment-friendly nature fuel the growth of the market. However, the possibility of technical glitches and shortage of power act as the considerable restraints of the market. Conversely, decongestion of traffic is anticipated to provide potential opportunities for market expansion.

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Requirement of less land area to construct a Hyperloop network than other transportation modes and resistance to earthquakes and other natural calamities across globe is trending the overall Hyperloop Technology market. However, Safety & security concerns will restrain the market growth. The estimated highest revenue generating region will be Europe in 2022; followed by North America and APAC.

Europe is estimated to grow at one of the highest rate during 20222026. In Europe region Slovakia and Czech Republic have high income economies with exports to the European Union being their major source of income. Hyperloop technology will fulfill the need of improvement in accessibility between the two countries for different reasons such as passenger, cargo transport, business travels, and others. This technology is expected to prove as a strong opportunity to extend their business relations between all European countries. However in Asia-Pacific region China is expected to register the highest growth.

AECOM, Dinclix Ground Works, Hyperloop India, Hyperloop One, Inc., Hyperloop Transportation Technology, Space Exploration Technologies Crop., Tesla, Inc., TransPod Inc., Uwashington Hyperloop, and VicHyper are some of the key players operating in the global hyperloop technology market.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies

Hyperloop One

Transpod Inc.

Dgwhyperloop

Spacex

Aecom

Ascend popular for speedier transportation mode has significantly determined the interest for hyperloop innovation. Moreover, minimal effort of the transportation innovation when contrasted with other transportation modes and vitality productive and condition amicable nature fuel the development of the market. Be that as it may, the likelihood of specialized glitches and lack of energy go about as the impressive limitations of the market. On the other hand, decongestion of movement is foreseen to give potential chances to advertise development.

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Necessity of less land region to develop a Hyperloop organize than other transportation modes and protection from quakes and other regular catastrophes crosswise over globe is drifting the general Hyperloop Technology advertise. Be that as it may, Safety and security concerns will limit the market development. The assessed most elevated income creating area will be Europe in 2022; trailed by North America and APAC. Europe is evaluated to develop at one of the most noteworthy rate amid 2022 2026. In Europe locale Slovakia and Czech Republic have high wage economies with fares to the European Union being their significant wellspring of salary. Hyperloop innovation will satisfy the need of change in availability between the two nations for various reasons, for example, traveler, payload transport, business ventures, and others. This innovation is relied upon to demonstrate as a solid chance to expand their business relations between every single European nation. However in Asia-Pacific district China is relied upon to enlist the most elevated development.

Ascend popular for speedier transportation mode has significantly determined the interest for hyperloop innovation. Moreover, minimal effort of the transportation innovation when contrasted with other transportation modes and vitality productive and condition amicable nature fuel the development of the market. Be that as it may, the likelihood of specialized glitches and lack of energy go about as the impressive limitations of the market. On the other hand, decongestion of movement is foreseen to give potential chances to advertise development. Hyperloop Technology  Global Market Outlook and Analysis 2015-2023 report includes different applications such as Capsule (Total Cost of the Hyperloop Passenger Transportation System and Total Cost of the Hyperloop Passenger Plus Freight Transportation System), Tube, Propulsion System, Route, and others.

This report aims to estimate the Hyperloop Technology  Global Market Outlook and Analysis for 2016 and to project the expected demand of the same by 2023. This market research study provides a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Hyperloop Technology  Global Market Outlook and Analysis 2016 -2023. It provides a comprehensive review of major drivers and restraints of the market. Major companies such as Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Hyperloop One, Transpod Inc, Dgwhyperloop, Spacex, etc. are profiled in this report. Hyperloop Technology  Global Market Outlook and Analysis 2016-2023 is also segmented into major transport systems and geographies.

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Various secondary sources, such as annual reports, directories, and databases to identify and collect information useful for this extensive commercial study of Hyperloop Technology  Global Market Outlook and Analysis 2016-2023 have been used. The primary sources, experts from related industries and suppliers, have been interviewed to obtain and verify critical information as well as to assess the future prospects of Hyperloop Technology  Global Market Outlook and Analysis 2015-2023.
When Wendy Wood and her family left their comfortable life in Burlington to travel the continent in an RV nearly four years ago, they were hoping to find freedom on the open road. But that road is feeling less free these days, thanks to COVID-19.

Like many other Canadian full-time RVers who live in their recreational vehicles year-round, Wood, her husband, and their three kids usually drive south to the U.S. after Thanksgiving when temperatures plunge and campsites in Canada close for the winter. But thats not possible in 2020 because of the pandemic-enforced closure of the land border with the U.S., and now thousands of RV-dwelling snowbirds are trapped in Canada and struggling to make alternate plans.

Wood said not being able to get to get to favourite destinations like Sedona, Ariz., to meet up with fellow mobile families has been a difficult adjustment, particularly for their kids, all of whom are under 11.

We dont live this lifestyle because we want to live in a trailer. We live this lifestyle so we can be free to live and explore, and constantly stay above 20 degrees, Wood said with a laugh in a phone interview from Nelson, B.C.

We have a big community (in the U.S.) and thats been really hard for us to be separated from.

The RVers annual migration south is about more than sun-seeking  toughing out the Canadian cold in a mobile home or trailer can be unsafe. On-board water and sewage systems are at risk of freezing if they are not winterized, and most recreational vehicles arent warm enough to live in during sub-zero temperatures.

Woods family are among the lucky ones, however. Early in the pandemic, they realized their U.S. travel plans could be scuttled so months ago they booked a spot at an RV resort in Nanaimo, B.C. where they plan to see out the winter. Unlike campgrounds in most of Canada, the milder weather out west allows some sites on Vancouver Island and other parts of B.C. to stay open year-round.

Although the Camping and RVing British Columbia Coalition website lists more than 150 winter camping facilities in the province, many dont offer full services after Sept. 30 and Wood said chatter on Canadian RV social media groups indicates theyre filling up fast. The resort where her family is staying is fully booked.

Its like a mass exodus of Canadians that are all driving across Canada to go to Vancouver Island, she said. There are a lot of people who did not make reservations, and they are scrambling.

The Canada-U.S. land border was closed to non-essential travel in March, and the shutdown has been extended every month since. Its currently set to expire on Sept. 21, but its likely to be extended again as the U.S. struggles to get the pandemic under control. As of this week, more than six million Americans have been infected and 190,000 have died  far more than in Canada, even adjusting for population.

Shane Devenish, executive director of the Canadian Camping and RV Council, said there are at least 50,000 Canadian full-time RVers who usually spend the winter in the U.S. and are now facing winter north of the border, many of them older retirees who could be especially vulnerable.

Devenish said he worries those who arent able to get to a warmer climate will resort to unsafe methods to fight the cold, like setting up floor heaters or even open fires in their vehicles. He said the CCRC is working with the Hotel Association of Canada to provide discounted accommodations to stranded RVers.

It helps them out too because their hotel rooms generally are probably going to stay empty (during COVID-19). So theyre very receptive to helping us out because its a win-win, he said.

Trudy Higgins and her husband Sean are also heading to B.C. this winter. The pair, both in their mid-40s, sold their condo in Mississauga in November after Trudy had to retire from her job at a hospital for health reasons. Shes hoping to pack in as much travelling and hiking as possible while shes still able, and she said not being able to spend the winter travelling the U.S. has been a blow.

The couple will have to break their reservation at the Kitchener campground theyre living in now a month sooner than planned and forfeit hundreds of dollars in fees in order to give themselves enough time to make the cross-country drive before bad weather sets in.

Higgins said the silver lining is that the trip will give them a chance to see parts of Canada theyve never visited, but shes anxious.

Im worried about driving through the mountains this time of year, she said. Its not what we signed up for. We wanted sun.

Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation for the Star. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr

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After several actors and celebrities came out in actor Kangana Ranauts support, Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association has also issued a statement condemning the partial demolition of her Mumbai office by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The organisation, however, distanced itself from the actors recent comments on the film industry.

IMPPA president TP Aggarwal said in a press release, All these things are neither good for the government nor good for Kangana Ranaut. The action taken by the Maharashtra government or BMC is absolutely wrong and should be condemned. Although the court has stayed the demolition, but BMC has already done what they had to do. At least they should have given time before demolition. You ask her what is wrong construction and if she had given the answer, they would have broken it if it was wrong. It never happens that you demolish a property on such short notice of one day.

Insisting he does not support all of Kanganas recent statements, he said, I feel she should not have said some things and one of them is on nepotism. I believe that nepotism is everywhere. There is not much of nepotism in the film industry. If nepotism had been prevalent in the society then Kangana would not have been such a big star. She said that the entire industry is involved in drugs. If. many people take drugs, in an industry like this, then the drug mafia in Mumbai should have their share in the film industry.

As far as I believe there will be 5-7 per cent of people who take drugs and they are in every field. By calling the film industry a drug addict, you are stopping the funds coming into the industry. Kangana has also spoken wrongly and the people of Shiv Sena have also spoken wrong about her. We should not swear words for a lady, he added.

The IMPPA president also said that Kanganas office must be demolished if there is an illegal construction, adding that there are so many other unauthorised constructions throughout Mumbai and those should be brought down as well.

After the partial demolition, Kanganas lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui moved the High Court against the demolition of what the BMC termed as illegal alterations at her office. The Bombay High Court had stayed the demolition drive and asked the BMC to file a reply on her petition in the matter.

The BMC will file their reply to the stop-work notice issued by the Bombay High Court on Thursday in connection to the demolitions done to the alterations made to actors bungalow in Bandra.

Also read: Gulshan Devaiah shares Baba Sehgals Hindi cover of I Want It That Way, jokes Backstreet Boys to sue themselves for copying singer

Ever since the videos and news of her office demolition surfaced online, Bollywood celebs voiced their support for Kangana. Kubbra Sait, Swara Bhasker, Onir, Dia Mirza,Rashami Desai, Devoleena Bhattacharya and filmmaker Hansal Mehta were among the first ones to condemn the act.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Xi says China willing to import more agricultural products from Uruguay

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China is willing to import more high-quality agricultural products and high value-added products from Uruguay that meet market demands and actively foster new growth areas of bilateral cooperation such as e-commerce and trade in services.

In a telephone conversation with Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou, Xi added that China welcomes Uruguay to the upcoming third China International Import Expo.

Uruguay is one of the first Latin American countries that voiced support for and offered assistance to China's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, Xi said.

Noting that China has always been deeply attached to the epidemic fight of the Uruguayan people, Xi said the Chinese government, relevant provinces and all sectors of the Chinese society have delivered anti-epidemic supplies to and shared epidemic control experience with Uruguay.

As the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, solidarity and cooperation should be pursued in the spirit of building a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

He said that the Chinese side will continue to work together with Uruguay to promote anti-epidemic cooperation, firmly support the World Health Organization in playing a leading role, join hands to win the anti-epidemic battle as soon as possible, and jointly push forward the building of a global community of health for all.

Uruguay is a good and trust-worthy friend of China in Latin America, Xi said, adding that the two countries have always understood and supported each other.

Since the establishment of the China-Uruguay strategic partnership in 2016, political mutual trust between the two sides has been continuously deepened and bilateral cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results, Xi said.

China will open itself even wider to the world in an all-round way, and foster a new development pattern in which domestic and foreign markets boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay, Xi said, adding that it will provide wider markets and development opportunities for countries around the world, including Uruguay.

The two countries should advance high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation in such areas as culture, education and sports, and consolidate public support for the China-Uruguay friendship, Xi said.

Both sides should also take the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations to firmly support the democratization of international relations and economic globalization, he said.

Xi also said he hopes that the Uruguayan side would play an active role in promoting the free trade cooperation between China and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), the development of China-Latin America relations, as well as the overall cooperation between China and Latin America.

For his part, Lacalle Pou said he agrees with Xi's remarks on the current international situation, and admires the great achievements China has made in its anti-epidemic battle, adding that under the current circumstances, only by remaining open to the outside world and strengthening solidarity and cooperation can the common interests of all countries be better safeguarded.

Noting that Uruguay and China are good partners, Lacalle Pou said long distance has never hindered the development of friendly relations between the two countries.

He said the Uruguayan side hopes that the economic complementarity between the two countries can be fully exploited, bilateral relations be further deepened, and cooperation in such areas as agricultural products, infrastructure and innovation be advanced.

Uruguay is willing to work with China to safeguard free trade and push for stronger cooperation between Mercosur and China, he added.
On August 11, the Supreme Court (SC) of India ruled that a daughter has the same rights as a son in an ancestral property under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005, regardless of when the father may have died, which the principle law  the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 (HSA)  originally did not grant. The 2005 amendment and the subsequent SC ruling are significant steps towards removing gender-based discrimination in HSA. However, the provisions of HSA which govern the devolution of property of a deceased woman are still firmly rooted in outdated assumptions.

These provisions treat the Hindu joint family, traditionally led by a patriarch and lineage traced through exclusive male relations, as central to all matters of inheritance. Therefore, HSA tries to retain property within the husbands family as far as possible when a woman dies childless. This results in unfair discrimination against the womans natal family. Even when the woman has acquired the property through her skills and efforts, the husbands natal family has a stronger claim over it than her parents. However, there is no reciprocal provision for the property belonging to the husband.

The notion that the law should preserve property in a Hindu joint family is based on two outdated assumptions. First, that the joint family is the most relevant and important unit of societal organisation among Hindus. Second, that women do not have the wherewithal to acquire and manage their property. Both these assumptions are out of touch with todays reality.

The joint family is becoming increasingly irrelevant as an institution. According to the Census, the average family size of Hindu households reduced from 5.16 persons per household in 2001 to 4.9 persons per household in 2011. According to the Census, the median family size in urban areas has dropped below four. This is part of a larger trend of reduction in family size over the years and shows just how irrelevant joint families have become. Even the Hindu Code Bills committee expressed the same opinion in its 1944 report. BN Rau, the chair of the committee (and who would later play a pivotal role in drafting the Constitution of India), noted that the institution of a Hindu joint family is outdated and should be abolished.

The assumption that women do not have the capacity to acquire, hold, and manage their property is refuted by examining the socio-economic status of women today. The Hindu Code Bills committee, however, called this argument specious in its report. Proponents of this argument pointed to the low literacy rate among women as a justification. But the Committee refuted it by pointing out that the literacy rates among men were not significantly higher either. Regardless, HSA, as passed by the Parliament, included the problematic provision.

Today, far more women are employed than they were at the time when HSA was enacted. The workforce participation rates for women have increased from 12% in 1971 to 25% in 2011, according to Census figures. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16 reports that 28% of women (between the age of 15-49) own land  either jointly or by themselves  and 37% own a house (jointly or by themselves), 53% of women have savings accounts in banks. They own 21.5% of all proprietary establishments in the country, according to the Union ministry of statistics and programme implementation. Their literacy rate has increased from 9% in 1951 to 65% in 2011. They now represent 46% of the total annual enrolments in higher education, and are 53% of the total post-graduate degrees awarded every year.

This change in the status of women demands a fundamental change in the treatment of their property under the law. While some would argue that this provision only kicks in after their death, the lack of ability to provide for their natal family even after their death vis-a-vis a mans ability to do the same impacts how womens overall role is perceived in society.

Further, there are three demographic trends that add to the urgency of this reform. First, according to the Census 2011, there were 49.5 million women in India who were or had been married, and had no surviving children, up from 24 million in 1981. Second, Indias total fertility rate declined from 5.91 in 1960 to 2.51 in 2017, which means that women have fewer children today than they used to in the past. Third, the number of widowed women in India increased from 24 million in 1961 to 43 million in 2011. The increase in the number of widowed women far outstrips the increase in the number of widowed men. This is likely in part because the average life expectancy for women is higher compared to men, and the rates of remarriage for women are far lower. Put together, this means that the pool of women who are widowed and do not have children will likely be higher in the future than it is today. It is this growing pool of women who are, and will continue to be, affected by HSAs discriminatory provisions.

The assumptions in HSA that govern the devolution of womens property are no longer valid. We must acknowledge the reality of society and treat women on par with men in all spheres of life, including in matters of property devolution.

Devendra Damle is a researcher with NIPFP

The views expressed are personal
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  Theres no question that the US government wanted American Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton released at the soonest possible time after being convicted of killing Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude, a top Philippine diplomat said.

They were just concerned how long Private Pemberton will be under custody, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Babe Romualdez said in an interview with CNN Philippines. "They were not pushing at all."

He said that about two years ago, then US Pacific Command head Admiral Harry Harris dropped by the Philippine Embassy in Washington and asked him what was the possibility of Private Pemberton being released. By that time, Pemberton had spent around four years under solitary confinement at Camp Aguinaldo, the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, under the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries.

Romualdez recalled telling Harris an appeal could probably be filed.

US gov't 'very appreciative' of Pemberton pardon

News of the absolute pardon granted by President Rodrigo Duterte to Pemberton took US officials by surprise, Romualdez said, followed by calls of gratitude. He said officials from Pentagon and the US Department of State reached out to him to thank Duterte.

When asked if the pardon would improve the Philippines relations with the US, Romualdez said, Maski na papaano, syempre, malaking bagay na pinardon ng Presidente mismo yung sundalo nila and theyre very appreciative of that.

[Translation: Somehow, of course, its a big thing that the President himself pardoned their soldier and theyre very appreciative of that.]

Romualdez said its a good move, noting that there are also overseas Filipino workers who are behind bars abroad.

In exchange for vaccine?

Pembertons impending release once again raised emotions in the country from members and supporters of the LGBTQI community and from groups that criticize the perceived special treatment extended to American servicemen.

READ: CHR deplores Pemberton pardon: 'President must be sensitive to victims plights'

Laude was found dead in an Olongapo City motel room after a night out with then 19-year-old Pemberton in October 2014. Laude's neck was blackened with strangulation marks and her head slumped in a toilet bowl, after Pemberton learned that she was a transgender.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who previously served as lawyer for the Laude family, believes Duterte pardoned Pemberton so the Philippines would be prioritized once a COVID-19 vaccine is developed by the US. He said the President was probably thinking of national interest.

But Romualdez refutes this theory, saying the US had committed to help the Philippines pandemic response and make the vaccine available to any country in need.

Deportation awaits Pemberton

Pemberton is just days from flying back home to the US as the Bureau of Immigration said he will be deported as soon as he is released from jail. Immigration spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said the bureau is just waiting for documents needed to process the deportation, including the signed copy of the pardon and Pembertons travel documents.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, for one, expects Pemberton to be able to leave the country this weekend.

Duterte pardoned Pemberton even after appeals filed in court by the Laude camp and even the Philippines' own Department of Justice to block the American soldier's early release on the basis of good conduct. Guevarra explained that while his department questions the four years' worth of good conduct time allowance credited to Pemberton, he sees nothing "really very objectionable" with the pardon, since it is an exclusive prerogative of the President.

The Court of Appeals initially sentenced Pemberton up to 12 years of imprisonment, but it was later reduced to a maximum of 10 years. Hes now walking free after less than six years in jail. His lawyer, Rowena Garcia-Flores, said Pemberton will return to the United States to complete his tertiary studies.

READ: Pemberton hopes to apologize to Laude family, bares plans after Dutertes pardon

Romualdez said Pemberton can even go back to the US Armed Forces if he wanted to, but he'll most likely spend time with his family first.

"Since he served his sentence... I dont think hes going to be discharged forcefully," Romualdez said. "But very likely, he will probably just be reunited with his family; his family is of course very grateful to the President."
FOX NEWS WANTED

I have a question that I dont know will ever make the paper because its not political. Its not about religion. Its not about the coronavirus but its something I would like to have an answer to if someone out there would know what it is. I live in Aston. I have a fenced-in backyard, a wooden fence on the one side and a cyclone fence on the other side. I also have a red fox that is roaming around the neighborhood and Ive seen it several times. And I also had a dog that I let out in my yard. My question is, if I let my dog out in the yard at night and this fox is in the back yard where I cant see it, its not lit up, will this fox attack my dog, or will it be afraid of my dog? I really want to keep my dog safe. So thats my question. Does anyone know if a wild running fox will attract of a pet dog?

HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE

How in the world is it possible this man is still the commander-in-chief of the Army that he shows complete contempt for? He knew this virus was very dangerous in February and still he lied to the American public, saying it was going to go away like a miracle. He is totally despicable and should be held responsible for 190,000 deaths and 6,354,869 cases. Everyone that makes excuses for him is just as responsible.

ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT?

Comment in todays Sound Off state negative comments attributed to the president have been corroborated. As far as I know the comments were anonymous.

ANDY FROM HAVERTOWN

LOCK HER UP

I just want to say Im a Black man and in 2016 I could never imagine Donald J. Trump being president of the United States. But I take that back. Hes a good man, and he turned out to be a good president. As far as Hillary Clinton is concerned, shes a crook. Shes a criminal and should be in prison.

YOUR THOUGHTS?

Thanks to the Delco Times for continuing to print Today in History section. On Sept. 8 in 1664, the city named New Amsterdam was ceded to the British by the Dutch and it was renamed New York. I didnt know that. Theres a lot to be learned and this section is very informative. I just wish Delco Times would bring back Thought for Today section in lieu of Birthdays. The former is more useful than the latter. Readers: What do you think?

ANOTHER U-TURN

Is everybody happy? Trump reversed his decision to expand offshore drilling from July of 2022 to June 2032. People! Get smart  he will reverse it again if he wins the election. How do I know that? Just look at his record. Hes already overturned regulations already in place that protected our waters, air and lands essential for endangered species. Hes shown a complete disregard for the environment. Hes a pathological liar  and thats how I know that!

GERRIE FROM WALLINGFORD

SPEAK UP

Delco, you should be ashamed of yourself. All of you went crazy over the school board member in Ridley but say nothing about the Darby Township commissioner!

PAUL FROM CLIFTON

ITS A PAYOFF

Just curious, how much money do you think the Democratic party is paying? I find it absolutely hysterical this is coming out two months before the election. The Democrats will go so low to get Joe Biden in and not Trump.

TRUMP 2020

NAME GAME

Lets change the Radnor High School nickname to politically correct zombies.

JOHNNY YUMA

NASTY MAN

So Donald Trump was accused of raping a woman in a dressing room about 25 years ago. He, of course, responded with a derisive comment about her and she is suing him for defamation. Now, our Justice Department is representing him in the lawsuit. We pay the Justice Department with our tax dollars. Why are we paying to defend Trump for his nasty remarks about this woman?

ARC FROM WALLINGFORD
Vaughan, Ontario, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) has launched a campaign to bring employers, unions and government together to combat and address racism in the industry.

We have always taken a leadership role in fighting racism and discrimination in the construction industry, says RESCON president Richard Lyall. We are very proud of the fact that we have a multi-racial, multi-cultural and incredibly diverse workforce in Ontarios construction industry and racist behaviour of any kind or in any form will not be tolerated by any of our employers.

Today, RESCON held a webinar that featured a legal discussion on employers obligations when dealing with racism and discrimination incidents and a separate panel discussion on anti-racism and diversity efforts undertaken by builders and labour. Lawyer Diane Laranja of Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP provided the legal commentary. Danielle Feidler, senior vice president, brand experience at Tridel, Fatima Saya, manager, community partnerships at The Daniels Corporation, and Jason Ottey, director, government relations and communications at LiUNA Local 183, participated on the panel.

Our industry responded quickly and was the first to condemn racist acts that occurred recently on Toronto construction sites, says Lyall. The webinar brought together employer, union and government voices needed to make meaningful change.

Additionally, RESCON kicked-off a Construction Against Racism Everywhere (CARE) campaign, with the hashtag #RESCONCare. Stickers are being distributed to construction employers and the industry for workers to post on their hard hats and around construction sites. Meanwhile, RESCON and its board of directors are also spearheading formation of a coalition of employers, unions and sub-trades from all sectors of the industry.

The group will come up with ideas on how to deal with racism and change the culture of the industry. Members will also figure out a strategy to educate workers and engage construction stakeholders through conversations and meetings with the Ontario Residential Council of Construction Associations, Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, Construction Employers Coalition and Construction and Design Alliance of Ontario.

Story continues

RESCON members were appalled when nooses were discovered at construction sites over the summer. Such disturbing incidents are acts of cowardice and racism that have no place in the industry nor society. The best way forward is to bring stakeholders together to discuss the issues around racism and get the industry working together to bring about meaningful changes to deal with the problem.

We intend to work closely with construction employers and unions, the provincial and municipal governments to address racism in all forms, says Bruno Giancola, chair of RESCONs board of directors and senior vice president, project management at Tridel. While the recent incidents in no way exemplify the majority of the 400,000 workers, contractors and builders who work in Ontarios construction industry, RESCON is aware that there is a problem and will continue to do all that we can to learn and educate the workforce.

Last week, RESCON participated in a virtual meeting with Toronto Mayor John Tory to discuss the issue and options for addressing racism. They agreed that action must be taken to educate the industry.

We have decided to launch these new initiatives, says Lyall, and bring together stakeholders from across the industry to discuss how to move forward with a comprehensive anti-racism strategy.

Attachments

CONTACT: Grant Cameron RESCON 905-638-1706 media@rescon.com




The Democrats continue to beclown themselves with each passing and moronic attempt to turn the president's supporters against him. The list of their failed endeavors is by now too long. It began with the Russia collusion hoax that was always ridiculous and continued this week with a couple of new phony attacks.

The Atlantic weighed in with a slew of lies this week, and when the truth was revealed by the people who were there, Trump-haters then grabbed onto Bob Woodward's book as the story that would take the man down. In between, there was the phony impeachment, now revealed to have been instigated by the odious Alexander Vindman and latched onto by the even more detestable and dishonest Adam Schiff.

Trump's detractors in the media and in the Democrat party have taken their Trump-hatred from the absurd to the imbecilic. They will not sway a single Trump-supporter and are likely driving many sane Democrats to the GOP. The president's support among blacks and Hispanics is proof of this trend, much to the credit of Candace Owens and her Blexit movement and Brandon Straka's Walk Away campaign.

Has the Democrat party learned a thing? Nope! Democrats' heads remain buried in the sand, their fingers in their ears. They refuse to acknowledge any legitimacy to voices on the right. So self-righteous is the left that its members truly believe they are the smartest people in any room, on any news outlet, in any publication of which they approve. All other opinions are simply disregarded as nonsense.

This refusal to confer any respect or merit to the many millions of conservatives who voted for the president and continue to support him will be their undoing. As Edmund Burke warned, "whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." The left is in for a crashing on the shoals of the majority of Americans who love their country and do not want to see it transformed into a Venezuela or Cuba.

What ails the left is that leftists believe everything they think, and their thinking is characterized by pomposity and intolerance. One has to look no farther than Twitter to be clobbered by the gross intolerance of Democrats. They are rude, profane, wholly without manners or grace.

There are the vicious rioters in the streets whom the Democrats refuse to condemn, and there are the equally vicious boors who drive the contempt in which social media is drowning. Those often anonymous haters hide behind their not so clever handles like schoolyard bullies who cry for their mothers if their true identities are discovered. That's when they cry "racism," or "white supremacy," or "white privilege," even if, as most of them are, they are white. There is nothing more absurd than watching a young white female carrying a Black Lives Matter sign shouting obscenities in the face of a black policeman to illustrate the depth of the left's vacuity.

Anyone paying attention realizes that the left is floundering, desperate, because leftists know that Biden is an illegitimate and failed candidate. He has failed as a member of the D.C. establishment for forty-seven years. No one can name a single positive accomplishment of Biden's while there are numerous embarrassing incidents  his episodes of plagiarism; his many, many lies about his own family background and resume; his vicious abuse of Clarence Thomas; and his lifelong use of his position to enrich himself and his family.

Biden is not a good man. He is not a man of substance or achievement, nor does he have a shred of actual honor. As for his wife, the (not a medical) Doctor Jill, she should be hoist with her own petard for putting her obviously failing husband through a campaign over which he is clearly unfit to preside or lead. There is a special place in hell for Dr. Jill, an Edith Wilson wannabe.

As for the Democrat party itself and its handmaidens in the media, one may be reminded of the line from the film The Hunt for Red October, when the Russian sub commander, seeking to hunt down and kill the sub commander who has defected to the West, has made an egregious error in judgment: "You arrogant ass! You've killed us." This seems an apt line to describe the mainstream media  CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, even Fox News of late, and of course the remains of the NYT, the WaPo, and the rest of the failing print media who are all dedicated leftists in tone and conviction.

Clearly journalism, as once practiced by those outlets, is dead, dead, dead. Those long-indoctrinated journalism majors who got hired out of J-school are ignorant of history, mind-numbed lackeys of their radical professors who sent them out to do their bidding. Ask one of them about American history before they were born, and you'll get a blank look that suggests they are not aware of any such thing! Their knowledge of the world began the day they entered college so they are easily duped by the false narratives like The 1619 Project without question or jump on board Vicki Osterweil's A Defense of Looting without a qualm.

Those J-school professors who so carefully indoctrinated their students to go out and bring an end to capitalism, for example, did those students a grave disservice; they purposefully never taught them to think critically. All this is a pathetic end to the once liberal, not radical, party of JFK. It has been captured by the socialist/communist left that is authoritarian at its core. Their petty tyrants like Cuomo, DeBlasio, Whitmer, Newsom, Pritzker, Murphy, Wolf, etc. are showing their true colors: essentially, "We have the power and can and will tell you what you can and cannot do." This is the who the left is today.

The economic lockdown should have ended months ago. The curve was flattened. No hospitals were overrun. Trump engineered the production of enough ventilators for the whole world. We now know exactly who were and are most vulnerable to the virus. We know now that hydroxychloroquine, if administered early, can absolutely stem the course of the disease. The left's and Fauci's refusal to get on board with this therapeutic probably cost thousands of lives. Because Trump mentioned its possible usefulness, the left had to refute it, but they were wrong.

When Trump banned flights from China at the end of January, Biden and Pelosi condemned him. Now they blame him for every death. Gov. Cuomo is a disgrace; he personally caused the deaths of countless elderly people and yet has the gall to blame Trump even though the President provided everything Cuomo demanded and then did not make use of  the hospital ship and the field hospitals.

Cuomo, like DeBlasio, is a plague on New York; they have literally killed their state's economy and for what? To defeat Trump. That's their plan in a nutshell. They care not a bit for the people of New York. They only want to defeat the President. From now until Election Day, they will invent a new scandal a day and not one of them will take hold.

The city of Paris has a motto: fluctuat nec mergitur. It means "Beaten by the waves but never sinks. The coat of arms usually includes a ship at sea. It vividly suggests resilience, courage and inner strength.

The phrase accurately describes Donald Trump. Since he announced his candidacy, he was set upon by an hysterical media who incessantly mocked the man. But he won. Despite the media's crusade to destroy him, he has prevailed and will likely be re-elected; success breeds success and he has indeed succeeded in fulfilling most of his pledges to the people. The media and the Democrat party have over these past four years disgraced themselves. They've endlessly beaten and battered this president, but he will not sink.

Graphic credit: Bluebear2 - Derived work from user:SanchoPanzaXXI CC BY-SA 3.0 license
Dont get us wrong. The Aston Martin Rapide is a special car itself. It was the first four-door Aston Martin to make it into production and a declaration of beauty as far as its design went. One particular customer, however, wanted all that and more luggage room  after all, the Rapide only offered 317 liters of trunk volume, which is hatchback territory  and thats how the one-off Rapide Bertone Jet 2+2 was born.

The only one of its kind

Try to ignore the fact that the Aston Martin Rapide had the gear selector deconstructed and spread on the center console, with a big round button for P, R, N, and D. Or that fact that the front and rear windows overlapped when closed to seal off the cabin from the rain. A particular Mr. Barry Weir wanted more from the Rapide, and since Aston Martin wasnt selling a shooting brake version at the time, the only way for such a car to exist was as a one-off.

Easier said than done. Mr. Weir designed the car - on the back of a briefcase, nonetheless  and the rear section alone took three and a half months to be perfected.

On top of that, Aston Martins chief designer Marek Reichman initially rejected the final design because the folks over at Bertone wouldnt use the upgraded Rapide front grille on the one-off car.

In the end, it all came together and the Jet 2+2s body was hand-assembled just in time to debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, where it made a lot of jaws drop. Since it hadnt been teased or hyped whatsoever, the car was a genuine surprise and got a lot of natural attention. Maybe the fact that the original Rapide was inspired by the DB9, a gorgeous car from every angle, contributed to its sleek appearance suited to the shooting brake treatment.

Other than the modified body, the Bertone Jet 2+2 featured the standard Rapide powertrain, aka a 5.9-liter V-12 with 470 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 443 pound-feet of torque at 5000 rpm. In the regular, 4299-pound Rapide, the mill, helped by a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters, could boast 0-60 mph sprints of 5.1 seconds en route to a top speed of 188 mph.

2014 Aston Martin Rapide Jet 2+2 specifications Engine 5.9-liter V-12 Horsepower 470 HP @ 6,000 RPM Torque 443 LB-FT @ 5,000 RPM 0 to 60 mph 5.1 seconds Top Speed 188 mph

The car in question is on sale via Classic Mobilia and it reportedly has just 10,000 miles on the odometer. That and its one-off status might demand a hefty price, easily into six-figure territory. Unfortunately, the ad doesnt mention such details.

Source: Classic Mobilia
By Express News Service

The COVID-19 crisis has been especially hard for senior citizens fraternity who arent living with their children. They are mostly facing difficulties in their day-to-day chores.

Addressing the gap, India Assist, a homegrown, Made in India App has used technology to help the elderly to have a better quality of life.

Its idea is to make the elderly self-dependent and technologically sufficient to live hassle-free lives.

Harish Khatri in a conversation with The New Indian Express lists the reasons to develop such a platform.

COVID-19 lockdowns proved our senior citizens are extremely vulnerable & often face lack of assistance. This made us work actively towards finding a solution to enable technology to become elderly friendly and help improve their quality of life.

We developed a world-class platform to bring SOS assistance, and help, in many forms, including on-ground personnel, via a phone-app. And recently they launched India Assist-Seniors, a service especially for the senior citizens. Based on a simple subscription model, the services can be accessed via a phone app. Khatri gives a lowdown on some of the top features.

There are emergency service such as of medical, theft, loss, altercation, whenever and wherever needed, in addition to a 24x7 helpline service.


Newly appointed West Bengal



president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said on Thursday that his party is ready to forge a poll alliance with the CPI (M)-led Front in the state to put up a "spirited" battle against the TMC and the BJP in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Chowdhury, who is also the Leader of the in the Lok Sabha, further said that the fight was primarily between secularism and communalism.

"Secular ideals of the will ultimately defeat the communal rhetoric of the BJP and the TMC. The Congress, in alliance with the parties, wants to put up a spirited battle against the misrule of the TMC," he said at a press meet, his first after taking over as the Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president.

Chowdhury had earlier served as the WBPCC chief from 2014 to 2018. Under his leadership, the party had joined hands with the Front and fought the 2016 state elections.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, however, the proposed Congress-CPI(M) alliance fell apart after both the parties were unable to reach an agreement on seat sharing.

"Yet again, I have been given the responsibility of the state unit prior to the Assembly elections. We never wanted to lose the political and poll understanding with the CPI(M) and other Left parties, but after the last elections, the CPI(M) might have felt that it did not get the desired results by getting into an alliance with the Congress.

"This could be a reason why the Left decided to go it alone in the subsequent elections after 2016. The Congress, however, never thought so," Chowdhury said.

The senior Congress leader said he would strive hard to strengthen the organisation in the state.

"Once the coronavirus crisis is over, the Congress will resume its fight against the misrule of the TMC government in West Bengal," the five-time Lok Sabha MP said.

He urged defectors, who have joined opposition camps, to return to the party.

"I call up on them (defectors) to return to their grand old party. We will give them their due respect," Chowdhury added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Kangana Ranaut dismissed Sonam Kapoors recent comments about Rhea Chakrabortys arrest, and the partial demolition of Kanganas property. In response to Dia Mirzas tweet condemning the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations action against Kanganas office, Sonam had written, An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

Kangana, sharing a news story about Sonams comment, wrote on Twitter, All of sudden mafia bimbos have started to seek justice for Rhea ji through my house tragedy, my fight is for people dont compare my struggles to a small time druggie who was living off a vulnerable and broken, self made super star, stop this right away. Ever since Sushant Singh Rajputs death, Kangana has been talking about a mafia in Bollywood that ostracises outsiders.

All of sudden mafia bimbos have started to seek justice for Rhea ji through my house tragedy, my fight is for people dont compare my struggles to a small time druggie who was living off a vulnerable and broken, self made super star, stop this right away. https://t.co/OV9ukO04jC  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 10, 2020

Previously, Sonam expressed solidarity with Rhea, who has been arrested on drug-related charges in the ongoing investigation into her boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajputs death. Her arrest is being condemned by certain Bollywood personalities, who feel she received an unfair punishment. Rhea has been charged with procuring and paying for marijuana, which Sushant reportedly smoked.

Sonam in an Instagram post quoting Walter Kirn had written, Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as its someone elses witch being hunted.

Sonam previously angered Kangana when she said at the Vogue We the Women summit in Bengaluru in 2018, I think Kangana wrote something. Kangana is obviously Kangana Ranaut. She says a lot of stuff and sometimes is hard to take her seriously. I love the fact that she has spunk and she says what she believes. I really respect for that. I dont know him, I dont know the situation. If what is written what is written is true, then its disgusting and awful. If its true, then they should be punished for it.

Also read: Farah Khan Ali slams Kangana Ranauts message to Uddhav Thackeray: How dare she say tujhe?

Flanked by security guards provided by the home ministry, Kangana arrived in Mumbai on September 9, hours after the BMC carried out a partial demolition of her property, citing structural irregularities. On Thursday, the actor paid a visit to the property, and surveyed the damage.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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So, in rescuing J.C. Penney, the mall operators have preserved some semblance of near-term stability and normalcy at their centers. Unfortunately, that allows them to kick the can down the road on a harder, but ultimately more important, task: dramatically transforming their brick-and-mortar outposts into places that can thrive long after the pandemic has receded. Having to hunt for a tenant for those cavernous J.C. Penney stores right now would be extremely difficult, but it would also force more creativity. For example, the Wall Street Journal reported last month that Simon was in talks with Amazon.com Inc. about the online shopping behemoth setting up fulfillment centers in spaces once occupied by Sears or J.C. Penney, an unconventional set-up that is absolutely worth trying. Maybe letting J.C. Penney fail would encourage more such innovative approaches.
Members of the Beaumont Police Officers Association teamed up with Top Deck Inc. to provide meals to first responders in Orange County who continue to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Laura where the heaviest damage occurred in Southeast Texas.

Wednesday, they served about 250 responders, including fellow police officers from Orange, West Orange and Bridge City, firefighters, highway patrol and others.

Pans filled with jambalaya were set out for workers who stopped to join in the lunch behind the West Orange Fire Department, with containers available to take back to others in their departments or out working in the field.

BPOA President Robby Campbell said they are trying to help first responders in the heavily impacted Orange County and Southwest Louisiana communities. It is a need they understand firsthand.

When we got hit, people stepped up to help us out. Were just paying it back and taking care of each other, he said.

The BPOA made a similar trip to Sulphur and Lake Charles, Louisiana, last Friday and will head back to the region Thursday, bringing meals and necessities such as toothbrushes and deodorant for fellow responders, many of whom lost their homes in the storm.

Campbell said they will continue to assess the recovery process and ongoing need  in Louisiana, particularly  providing whatever assistance they can for as long as needed.

kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com
Rendering of SprinJene hemp-derived CBD toothpaste The SprinJene team is excited about the partnership with Zelira Therapeutics and we look forward to the impact that our products will have in the oral care market, says Dr. Sayed Ibrahim, CEO of SprinJene. Our collaboration to commercialize the most advanced hemp-derived cannabinoid-based oral c

Zeliras first oral care product will be a proprietary toothpaste formulation, containing cannabinoids including CBD, and developed by SprinJene CEO and Founder Dr. Sayed Ibrahim. The first product is expected to launch by the end of the year, with distribution across retail and other channels across the US. The brand will be Zeliras first over-the-counter cannabinoid product line, and one of five new products the company is on track to launch globally this year.

SprinJene Gluten-Free, Cruelty-Free, Vegan, Kosher, USDA Bio-preferred, and Halal oral care products are currently manufactured by Health and Natural Beauty USA Corp., a New Jersey based GMP contract manufacturing company where the Zelira-SprinJene products will be manufactured. SprinJene products are available nationwide at retailers including Walmart, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, Amazon, and VitaCost.

The SprinJene team is excited about the partnership with Zelira Therapeutics and we look forward to the impact that our products will have in the oral care market, says Dr. Sayed Ibrahim, CEO of SprinJene. Our collaboration to commercialize the most advanced hemp-derived cannabinoid-based oral care products expands our reach into new oral care markets where every person can access the daily benefit of using our products.

Zelira is pleased to partner with Dr. Ibrahim to commercialize these new and advanced oral care cannabinoid-based products, says Dr. Oludare Odumosu, Zeliras CEO & Managing Director (USA). We remain focused on unlocking the benefits of cannabinoid-based applications as we expand our companys reach into new and lucrative markets. 

About Zelira Therapeutics

Zelira Therapeutics Ltd is a leading global therapeutic medical cannabis company with access to the worlds largest and fastest growing cannabis markets. Zelira owns a portfolio of proprietary revenue generating products and a pipeline of candidates undergoing clinical development that are positioned to enter global markets from 2020. The company is focused on developing branded cannabis products for the treatment of a variety of medical conditions including insomnia, autism and chronic non-cancer pain.

Zelira has two proprietary formulations under the HOPE brand that are generating revenues in Pennsylvania and have been licensed in Louisiana with other states in the US expected to follow. Zelira has also developed Zenivol, a leading cannabinoid-based medicine for treatment of chronic insomnia, which has successfully completed the world's first Phase 2a clinical trial for chronic insomnia.

Zelira conducts this work in partnership with world-leading researchers and organizations including Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia; the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth; the University of Western Australia, in Perth; St. Vincents Hospital in Melbourne, Australia; and the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the United States.

About SprinJene

SprinJene is a socially conscious brand dedicated to marrying the benefits of science and nature in the creation of Gluten-Free, Cruelty-Free, Vegan, Kosher and Halal oral care products that are void of harsh chemicals and abrasives. SprinJenes mission is to deliver the most advanced, safe, gentle and natural oral care options for brushers of all lifestyles. The company firmly believes that oral health is the gateway to internal health; thats why every SprinJene toothpaste features its patented formula of cold pressed black seed oil and zinc. There are currently two oral care product lines under the SprinJene umbrella: SprinJene Original and SprinJene Natural. SprinJene continues to source the globe for advanced, healthy ingredients to include in their products in order to improve the oral wellness of brushers everywhere. The staff at SprinJene are dedicated to continually advancing their cGMP processes, products and certifications to provide the best oral care products. https://sprinjene.com/
ANN ARBOR, MI  TJ Waller has been getting up before 5 a.m. the last two days to join the picket line with other graduate student employees at the University of Michigan as they strike for a variety of reasons, including protections from the novel coronavirus.

Waller, a Ph.D. student in the molecular, cellular and developmental biology department, is taking part in the work stoppage as well, meaning he will not teach or conduct thesis research. His legs are sore and he has blisters on his feet, but Waller is proud of his fellow students.

Many graduate students in my department support the strike and what is being demanded. We want a university that truly cares about the health and safety of its community, Waller said.

Graduate employees have been striking since Sept. 8 at UMs Ann Arbor campus, demanding more transparency from the university regarding its plans related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a universal right to work remotely, childcare subsidies and the disarming of the campuss Division of Public Safety and Security.

From COVID testing to cops, University of Michigan graduate students explain why theyre striking

Its the first strike since 1975, and graduate students plan to strike for 12 hours a day through Friday, Sept. 11. So far, Waller and many other UM community members have seen support from many individuals and groups. Waller was at the School of Music, Theatre and Dance this morning, and construction workers stood in solidarity with the graduate students, refusing to cross the picket line to start their shifts.

@geo3550 @UMich @lvandengoor#StrikeForSafeCampus



Day 2: On the picket line for 4.5 hours, starting at 5am.



Construction workers at SMTD refused to cross the line, standing with us.



Our legs are sore and our solidarity is STRONG. pic.twitter.com/cFjHwZDmh6  On Strike at UM | TJ Waller (@TJWaller26) September 9, 2020

Waller also said there is an overwhelming amount of support from undergraduate students.

Its impossible to overemphasize how important that is to striking graduate students, Waller said. ... We need undergrads, staff and faculty joining us to demonstrate that even though grad students started this strike, its something members across the campus community believe in.

Emma Sandberg, a junior at UMs Ford School of Public Policy, skipped all of her classes Tuesday and Wednesday. Some of her classes were canceled and she expects more to be canceled in the coming days. While her professors have continued instruction, they have sent emails to students saying they wont penalize anyone who skips class to show support for GEO.

Sandberg felt the strike was necessary given the universitys problematic COVID-19 plan" and the universitys reaction to the strike.

The university is hardly testing anyone and is being too lenient on social distancing measures, Sandberg said. The safety and well-being of students should be the administrations top priority, but based on their COVID-19 plans, its not.

While she is in favor of the strike, it has left many students unsure about whether they should attend classes or if they will be marked down for missing class. Some are concerned that the administration will fail to meet GEOs demands and are anxious about how long the strike will last.

That said, most students Ive spoken to seem very supportive of this despite the disruption to classes, Sandberg said. Many of us are upset that the administration seems to prioritize money over the health of students and all members of the UM community.

UM Provost Susan Collins sent an email to undergraduate students Wednesday, saying the university is intent on minimizing the consequences of the strike and classes will continue to be offered, although there may be short-term modifications.

Collins also said she affirms the importance of student perspectives and student activism at the university, but as the university said Tuesday, the strike violates Michigan law.

... (In) addition, GEO has agreed by contract not to take actions that interfere with the universitys operations, in this case, your education. Nonetheless, the universitys team will continue to meet with GEO in good faith to resolve remaining issues, Collins' email said.

Ben Gerstein, a senior at UM and former president of Central Student Government, said the strike is simply a culmination of collective frustrations surrounding the universitys pandemic response.

And a pretty clear message from UM that profit is more important to them than the safety and well-being of the student body, staff and faculty, Gerstein said.

One of the core issues, Gerstein said, is the lack of COVID-19 testing and the fact that leadership at UM have contradicted the well-established value of testing. It was also a reason residence hall staff at UM decided to go on strike, following the footsteps of graduate students.

Residence hall staff on strike at University of Michigan, demand more coronavirus protections

The entire response from the administration, Gerstein said, has been cold and out of touch.

The paternalistic speak in messages to GEO and the student community around the strike has, in my mind, shown more of an interest in handling this as a PR incident than genuinely listening and considering the demands of GEO, Gerstein said.

READ MORE:

University of Michigans graduate student union to strike against in-person classes

As classes begin, faculty still pressing University of Michigan to switch to virtual fall semester

University of Michigan ramping up coronavirus testing to 3,000 per week
A group of wildfires in Lincoln County have burned more than 2,400 acres, state fire officials reported, more than doubling in size in the last 24 hours.

A shift to southwesterly winds away from Lincoln City has helped firefighters make progress, officials said, though the fire remains uncontained. The winds have pushed the fire spread back toward areas already burned and away from the denser population center of Lincoln City.

Without the strong push behind the fire today, the firefighters can really focus on fighting it, said Ashley Lertora, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The state Office of Emergency Management reported the fire was caused by human activity, as opposed to lightning or other natural ignition sources. However, the state Forestry Department considers the cause to still be under investigation, Lertora said.

Human causes can include campfires or burn piles that grow out of control, discarded burning debris or downed power lines, among other things.

The three fires now called the Echo Mountain Complex is one of nearly 50 major fires burning across the state. About 100 firefighters were assigned to the response.

At least 12 homes have been destroyed in the fire, according to the Office of Emergency Management. County officials say a complete damage assessment could take as long as five days. A incident management team from Florida was expected to arrive Thursday to help the crews on the ground.

However, the Lincoln City Police Department said there were no structures in the city limits lost to fire. The agency posted photos Thursday of several structures falsely rumored to have burned.

We know that many of our local area residents have a lot of questions and are displaced at this time. We will be working... Posted by Lincoln City Police Department on Thursday, September 10, 2020

The Lincoln County Sheriffs Office was working on reentry plans for evacuated residents. County officials said power must be restored first, particularly to the local hospital.

The Echo Mountain Complex fire was discovered late Monday night near the community of Otis, which was evacuated Tuesday along with rural residences nearby.

A map of the Echo Mountain Complex fire near Lincoln City distributed on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020.Oregon Department of Forestry

On Wednesday, rapid spread to the south and east prompted the immediate evacuation of the northern tip of Lincoln City. Much of the rest of the city is under a Level 2 get set evacuation order, meaning residents might have to leave at a moments notice. The Oregon Department of Transportation has closed Oregon 18 and U.S. 101 in the area.

Evacuation areas were unchanged Thursday morning. The county is posting evacuation areas on its website and on an interactive map.

An evacuation point has been established at the Newport Recreation Center, 225 S.E. Avery St. People can take their livestock to the Livestock County Commons at 633 N.E. 3rd St. in Newport.

Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, in the Level 2 evacuation area, shut down on Wednesday. Officials there made the decision to close and move patients to Newport.

-- Elliot Njus; enjus@oregonian.com; 503-294-5034; @enjus
The coronavirus targets the lungs foremost, but also the kidneys, liver and blood vessels. Still, about half of patients report neurological symptoms, including headaches, confusion and delirium, suggesting the virus may also attack the brain.

A new study offers the first clear evidence that in some people, the coronavirus invades brain cells, hijacking them to make copies of itself. The virus also seems to suck up all of the oxygen nearby, starving neighboring cells to death.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

Its unclear how the virus gets to the brain or how often it sets off this trail of destruction. Infection of the brain is likely to be rare, but some people may be susceptible because of their genetic backgrounds, a high viral load or for other reasons.

If the brain does become infected, it could have a lethal consequence, said Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University who led the work.

The study was posted online Wednesday and has not yet been vetted by experts for publication. But several researchers said it was careful and elegant, showing in multiple ways that the virus can infect brain cells.

Scientists have had to rely on brain imaging and patient symptoms to infer effects on the brain, but we hadnt really seen much evidence that the virus can infect the brain, even though we knew it was a potential possibility, said Dr Michael Zandi, consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Britain. This data just provides a little bit more evidence that it certainly can.

Zandi and his colleagues published research in July showing that some patients with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, develop serious neurological complications, including nerve damage.

In the new study, Iwasaki and her colleagues documented brain infection in three ways: in brain tissue from a person who died of Covid-19, in a mouse model, and in organoids  clusters of brain cells in a lab dish meant to mimic the brains three-dimensional structure.

Other pathogens  including the Zika virus  are known to infect brain cells. Immune cells then flood the damaged sites, trying to cleanse the brain by destroying infected cells.

The coronavirus is much stealthier: It exploits the brain cells machinery to multiply, but doesnt destroy them. Instead, it chokes off oxygen to adjacent cells, causing them to wither and die.

The researchers didnt find any evidence of an immune response to remedy this problem. Its kind of a silent infection, Iwasaki said. This virus has a lot of evasion mechanisms.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

These findings are consistent with other observations in organoids infected with the coronavirus, said Alysson Muotri, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Diego, who has also studied the Zika virus.

The coronavirus seems to rapidly decrease the number of synapses, the connections between neurons.

Days after infection, and we already see a dramatic reduction in the amount of synapses, Muotri said. We dont know yet if that is reversible or not.

The virus infects a cell via a protein on its surface called ACE2. That protein appears throughout the body and especially in the lungs, explaining why they are favored targets of the virus.

Previous studies have suggested, based on a proxy for protein levels, that the brain has very little ACE2 and is likely to be spared. But Iwasaki and her colleagues looked more closely and found that the virus could indeed enter brain cells using this doorway.

Its pretty clear that it is expressed in the neurons and its required for entry, Iwasaki said.

Her team then looked at two sets of mice  one with the ACE2 receptor expressed only in the brain, and the other with the receptor only in the lungs. When they introduced the virus into these mice, the brain-infected mice rapidly lost weight and died within six days. The lung-infected mice did neither.

Despite the caveats attached to mouse studies, the results still suggest that virus infection in the brain may be more lethal than respiratory infection, Iwasaki said.

The virus may get to the brain through the olfactory bulb  which regulates smell  through the eyes or even from the bloodstream. Its unclear which route the pathogen is taking, and whether it does so often enough to explain the symptoms seen in people.

I think this is a case where the scientific data is ahead of the clinical evidence, Muotri said.

Researchers will need to analyze many autopsy samples to estimate how common brain infection is and whether it is present in people with milder disease or in so-called long-haulers, many of whom have a host of neurological symptoms.

Forty percent to 60% of Covid-19 patients experience neurological and psychiatric symptoms, said Dr. Robert Stevens, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins University. But the symptoms may not all stem from the virus invading brain cells. They may be the result of pervasive inflammation throughout the body.

For example, inflammation in the lungs can release molecules that make the blood sticky and clog up blood vessels, leading to strokes. Theres no need for the brain cells themselves to be infected for that to occur, Zandi said.

But in some people, he added, it may be low blood oxygen from infected brain cells that triggers strokes: Different groups of patients may be affected in different ways, he said. Its quite possible that youll see a combination of both.

Some cognitive symptoms, like brain fog and delirium, might be harder to pick up in patients who are sedated and on ventilators. Doctors should plan to dial down sedatives once a day, if possible, in order to assess Covid-19 patients, Stevens said.
Amid record surge in daily coronavirus cases in India, the Union Health Ministry has urged all states and Union Territories to mandatorily re-test all symptomatic coronavirus negative cases of rapid antigen tests through RT-PCR test. The advisory comes as India today saw a record single-day spike of nearly 1 lakh infections.

"Health Ministry urges States/UTs to Mandatorily retest all Symptomatic Negative Cases of Rapid Antigen Tests through RT-PCR," the Union Health Ministry tweeted.

In this regard, the Union Health Ministry and ICMR have jointly written to all the States/UTs and urged them to ensure that the all symptomatic negative cases of RAT are mandatorily retested using the RT-PCR test. This is necessary to ensure that such symptomatic negative cases do not remain untested and do not spread the disease among their contacts. This will also ensure early detection and isolation/hospitalization of such false negatives.

It has also been reiterated in the joint letter that while the RAT is being used to increase access and availability of testing in the field, RT-PCR remains the gold standard of COVID tests.

Meanwhile, India today saw a record single-day spike of 95,735 infections infections and 1,172 fatalities taking India's COVID-19 caseload past 44 lakh and death toll to 75,062, while recoveries surged to 34,71,783 on Thursday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The total cases mounted to 44,65,863, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed. The fatality rate has dropped to 1.68 per cent while the recovery rate was at 77.74 per cent. There are 9,19,018 active cases in the country which comprise 20.58 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

































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The holy war was going badly. The enemies of Christianity had been victorious and all attempts to take back lost ground floundered. The problem, some concluded, was that our warriors were not virtuous enough. Their moral impurity prevented Gods blessing. Thats why they lost. What was needed, so they thought, was a band of pure-hearted Christian soldiers whom God could support. Who could be purer than children? Thus was born the idea of the childrens crusade.





In 1212 a shepherd from Germany, Nicolas, attempted to lead a group of children, and others, to the Holy Land, where the purity of their faith would result in the conversion of the Muslims earlier crusaders  sinful adults  had been trying to kill. He even promised that the Mediterranean Sea would part like Moses Red Sea so they could march all the way to Jerusalem. On the way, two-thirds of the crusaders died. They only got as far as Italy where they found that the sea wouldnt part for them.



Today, Christians are feeling defeated. Their influence continues to wane in the culture. Marriage has been redefined and now the marriage redefiners are trying to work their same magic on biological sexual identity; abortion continues unabated and now, ostensibly because of the pandemic, churches are closed while, curiously, Dollar Generals, Walmarts and Casinos are declared too essential to allow a virus to close them.



Into this culture war, many Christians, like Robert Jeffress, Eric Metaxas, Dr. Michael Brown, John MacArthur, Franklin Graham, and many others have championed Donald Trump as their unlikely crusader. Evangelical support for Trump was greater in 2016 than for any other presidential candidate. Yet, still, there remains a hard core of stridently Never Trump evangelical leaders.



In a July 15, 2020 article, I told my own story of how I had been a Never Trumper but changed my mind as I saw Mr. Trump turn out to be especially supportive of the sanctity of life. Hes nominated consistently pro-life judges, done what he can do to defund Planned Parenthood, and spoken up more loudly on the issue than any president in history, leading his party, last month, to unapologetically take a high-profile stand against abortion. That being the case, why is there, still, that contingent of establishment evangelicals who decry him?



Part of it is the public stand principle. Once one has taken a public stand on any issue, like Trumps unfitness for office, one is unlikely to change. Changing means having to admit being wrong. Getting people to publicly argue for something is a useful way of entrenching them in that opinion. Take teenagers who have no opinions about abortion and make them participate in a debate about it, randomly assigning them the pro-life or pro-abortion side. More than likely, after having stood up and argued for the side assigned to them, they will remain loyal to that side after the debate is over.



Some evangelicals, like Mark Galli at Christianity Today (CT) or David French have planted their flag on the anti-Trump hill and they will not be moved. Despite claiming that he had reserved judgment on Mr. Trump for years now, Mark Gallis headline making appeal to remove Trump from office in the midst of the impeachment proceedings was just the latest expression of anti-Trumpism from him, beginning as early as first stages of the Republican primaries in 2016.



In the article, Galli unreflectively repeats the Democrats impeachment case and calls it unambiguous. Having lived outside the USA for seven years, I dont believe theres anything particularly scandalous about a president asking a foreign government to investigate possible corruption in their country. If that corruption happens to involve a likely opposing candidate, in this case Joe Biden whose son was getting millions from that country, then thats a problem for the opposing candidate, not the president. Why would a reputable magazine like CT call for such drastic action  removing a president  on such a flimsy basis? Maybe because they took their stand in 2016 and didnt want to back down now.

Under Galli, as the 2016 election came into the home stretch, Andy Crouch, CTs executive editor, wrote to warn evangelicals not to fall for the pragmatic arguments to vote for Trump: there is a point at which strategy becomes its own form of idolatry. So, whats the alternative? If strategy is idolatry, then naivete is virtue. Hence, we need, apparently, a childrens crusade.

Perhaps no one embodies the call for evangelicals to abandon strategy in our quest to bring peace and justice to America as does David French. French is one of the rare few evangelical writers to have broken through the religious-secular wall and allowed a place at the table of secular journalism as an unashamed evangelical, writing for National Review, Time and now the editor at The Dispatch. Hes also virulently anti-Trump. French is an establishment evangelical who wants to warn us of the corruption that allying with Trump will bring us.



In Will Somebody Please Hate My Enemies for Me? French argues that Christians support Trump because they want him to hate their enemies for them, that its rooted in fundamental rebellion against Christs command to love our enemies. Therere several things wrong with this appraisal.



First, Im sometimes tempted to tell lay-people dabbling in theology that its harder than it appears. Dont try this at home. But thats too smug. Nevertheless, Frenchs application is simplistic in the extreme. He assumes that blunt talk is unloving, always hateful. But what if giving the truth straight is what is needed to wake people up to the deception they are entangled in? The Bible is replete with blunt talk dished out straight to sinners, including from Jesus Himself. Was He not loving when seven times in Matthew 23 He told the Pharisees woe to you hypocrites? The whole argument that Trump is unfit for office because his rhetoric sometimes isnt polite is an idea more rooted in the country clubs of established gentlemen than in what is really needed in a leader.



Second, while French deplores Trumps sinful past, he makes no allowance that perhaps hes changed with age. There is a gracelessness in Frenchs Puritanical jeremiads against Trump, no insult intended on Puritans.



Third, while castigating Trump for lying, French himself claimed, when the Access Hollywood tape emerged in October 2016, that the tape shows Trump saying that he did exactly what [the accusing] women claimed he did. Thats false. In the infamous 2005 tape, Trump actually boasted that women would let him touch them; he said nothing about sexually assaulting women against their will. While no Christian wants to be seen excusing the kind of gross immorality he was boasting of in the tape, to claim that the tape is proof of sexual assault is to commit another kind of sin: bearing false witness. More recently, French accuses Trump of being responsible for the deaths from the pandemic. Since these accusations are false, thus French himself has been lying in his campaign against Trump. These lies suggests French harbors some other agenda than a pure-hearted quest for virtue in government. He may not be qualified to lead the childrens crusade.



Fourth, French doesnt seem to understand what political leaders exist for. They arent counselors who are to soothe us with their reassuring platitudes. They arent pastors to feed Christs sheep, above reproach. They are terrorists for evil-doers (Romans 13:3). That is, the Bible says that rulers are Gods servants to strike terror into the hearts of criminals, thugs, rioters, punks; hes an avenger who carries out Gods wrath on the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4). So threatening North Korean dictators that his nuclear button is much bigger or sentencing rioters to 10 years in prison is what we should expect of political leaders. French thinks that this is farming out carnal Christians hate toward our enemies when in reality it is exactly what leaders are supposed to do.



Finally, French criticizes Eric Metaxas, and evangelicals generally, for supporting Trump out of fear, not faith. Faith, he implies, would require us to never forgive Trump for past sins and never support him, even if he was the only viable candidate who champions Christian principles, even if partially and imperfectly. Abortion, he suggests, will dwindle on its own if only we, in faith, throw away our votes on fringe presidential candidates, while still supporting the Republican establishment. How will that happen? Just like in the childrens crusade, God will bless pure-heartedness, never mind what works. Instead of trusting the war to the hands of sinful warriors, better, they thought, to send innocent children who would certainly be blessed into the fray. The result was predictable, as will be the result if we follow Frenchs political advice.



I was an athlete in college, a track runner. Once a well-meaning Christian friend advised me that if Im right with God, God will bless me and Ill win more races. I found, instead, that God blesses the talented who train hard. In war, God usually blesses the army with the most, best trained and best equipped troops. In elections, he blesses those who can garner more votes. Thats not pragmatism  i.e. strategy  becoming an idol. Its the way God has created things. So, if we want the socialist train with its nihilistic Antifa brown-shirts terrorizing our cities and their equally nihilistic and destructive journalists, professors and judges stopped, then we need someone who is gifted for that, even if such a man is a bull in a china shop, even if hes likely to over-turn the tables at the cozy tea party of the establishment where even a few evangelicals are allowed a place, as long as they keep their voices down.

Establishmentism  defending the status quo at all costs  is the final reason why those die hard evangelical never-Trumpers cling to their orange-man-bad campaign. After all, even if the establishment is committed to causes they hate  notably abortion  its been good to them. They have well-paying jobs, high profile positions; their articles are published; they get to sit on stage in the panel at big conferences; they get asked to say prayers before the Senate and their names are bandied about as movers and shakers. By draining the swamp, disrupting the status quo, threatening not to recognize fraudulent elections, he disturbs their cozy life.



So, for example, Mark Dever, whom I hate to criticize as he is one of the most mature, healthful and helpful evangelical leaders who never overtly comments on politics, yet he tweeted, on August 18, 2020, While we should work to end both voter fraud and voter suppression, neither voter fraud and voter suppression in this coming Novembers election will de-legitimize the results. Think about that statement. Its pure establishmentism. Put aside, for a moment, that what is called voter suppression  namely expunging the dead from voter rolls and requiring voter ID  is only reasonable actions taken to insure the integrity of the election while what is called voter fraud (such as using mail in voting to vote on behalf of the dead) is actually voter fraud; put that attempt at moral equivalence aside for a moment. Dever is saying that even if there is enough fraud to tip the balance of the election so that official result doesnt actually represent who the real voters selected, we should accept the result. A fraudulent election, he says, is legitimate because, if its not, the establishment could burn along with everything else. If, for example, Bidens people manage to send in enough forged mail-in votes in the state that gives Biden victory in the electoral college, we should patiently concede to it. We should be, apparently, the quiet in the land. You wont get any trouble from us, Mr. Establishment. No. Those of us with less to lose, no place at the establishment table, and more love of both the constitution and the freedoms and justice at stake in this election wont settle for that.

We dont need a childrens crusade. We need someone who will do what a leader is supposed to do and bring justice for those most denied it. Strategy isnt idolatry. Being the quiet in the land who accept whatever injustice is foisted on us isnt Christianity. Its not how we love our neighbors, born and pre-born. We need to be thankful for the opportunity we have now. And we need to vote.

John B. Carpenter, Ph.D., is pastor of Covenant Reformed Baptist Church in Danville, Virginia.


Brent Belote Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York: 2020 is proving to be a trial by fire year for energy traders. Just when it looked like the rebound in oil prices might have legs, oil suppliers are once again booking tankers to store millions of barrels of crude oil and refined fuels at sea. China's post-covid buying binge has slowed and global demand for oil isn't back to pre-pandemic levels. Trading volume also slowed down in July and August as summer vacations took hold. Still, some energy traders see potential for new opportunities heading into the back half of this year. Cayler Capital's flagship Energy Program is up +34.62% year to date through July 31. The fund posted double-digit returns during the volatile March and April period and has continued to outperform as oil prices rebound. Fund AUM topped $30 million in July on the back of strong performance and the fund has attracted interest from institutional investors. "We think the long term picture looks quite strong," says Brent Belote, Portfolio Manager at Cayler. "I believe we are one geopolitical event away from a spike higher in oil. The wild card for me continues to be OPEC+ and the likelihood of a new President come November." With a drop in demand from China, OPEC+ may be forced to cut production even further if it wants to avoid a repeat of the extreme oversupply markets experienced earlier this year. With the global pandemic limiting travel worldwide, it is taking longer than ever before to clear excess inventory. Additionally, a Biden administration is likely to view the drop in oil demand as a net positive given its stated goals on sustainability. Against this backdrop, oil prices are likely to increase, which will benefit energy traders and their investors. Cayler's Energy Program is a fundamental systematic trading strategy that uses a combination of relative value and a directional oil approach. Investors can invest in either sub-strategy or the comingled program depending on their risk profile. The strategy uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to make its trading decisions and builds on the work Belote did as manager of the Oil Product Derivative book for North America at JP Morgan. The Energy Program uses six algorithms that track WTI, Brent, Heating Oil Cracks, RBOB Cracks, WTI/BRT Differential, and WTI volatility. These algorithms generate fundamental data that help craft the trading signals for the program. The strategy avoids other inputs common to energy funds including momentum indicators, moving averages, stochastics, or any other backward looking data. The goal is to understand where energy markets are headed directionally, while also identifying the best value opportunities along the way. The directional component will go long/or short depending on where pricing is headed. Belote's relationships with energy producers also inform the Energy Program's fundamental and technical analysis. The strategy is currently open to outside investors and advisors. Belote will be presenting during Opalesque's upcoming webinar - "Diversification Matters: Outperforming Strategies" on September 22 at 10am ET. Registration is free. Sign up here.
Queen Letizia of Spain has once again proved she is the champion of the high street as she stepped out today in a beautiful floral outfit from Massimo Dutti.

The mother-of-two, 47, wore the stylish dress when attending a meeting in Madrid, with the Spanish Association Against Cancer, of which Letizia is honorary president.

Putting safety first, the royal teamed her shirt frock with a face mask and showcased her slender frame by drawing in her waist with a thin black belt.

Letizia first sported the recycled ensemble - which cost just under 100 - back in July 2019 while attending the UNICEF Spanish Committee Awards.

Queen Letizia of Spain has once again proved she is the champion of the high street today as she stepped out in a stunning floral outfit from Massimo Dutti (pictured)

The mother-of-two (pictured), 47, wore the stylish dress when attending a meeting in Madrid, with the Spanish Association Against Cancer

But instead of pairing her outfit with matching court shoes like last time around, Letizia highlighted her graceful physique with navy high heels.

The monarch perfectly clashed varying shades of navy, with both her choice of shoes and an envelope clutch bag.

The former journalist wore her glossy brunette hair in a relaxed style and completed the look with soft pink eyeshadow.

Putting safety first, the royal (pictured) teamed her shirt frock with a face mask and showcased her slender frame by drawing in her waist with a thin black belt

Letizia (pictured today) first sported the recycled ensemble - which cost just under 100 - back in July 2019 while attending the UNICEF Spanish Committee Awards.

The former journalist wore her glossy brunette hair in a relaxed style and completed the look with soft pink eyeshadow (pictured)

She kept the look formal with minimal jewellery, aside from a pair of dazzling and dainty silver earrings.

Yesterday, Letizia once again showcased her love for a high street bargain, with the royal sporting a recycled 70 tweed dress from Zara.

The mother-of-two opted for the trendy checked number at an event to mark the nation's Cooperative's Day at Madrid's Palacio de Viana, alongside her husband King Felipe.

The Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) is Letizia's first permanent honorary presidency, and she actively participates in the work of the association.

Letizia perfectly clashed varying shades of navy, with both her choice of shoes and an envelope clutch bag

Letizia (pictured heading into the meeting this morning) highlighted her graceful physique with navy high heels

The royal (pictured) kept the look formal with minimal jewellery, aside from a pair of dazzling and dainty silver earrings

She has proven herself to be committed to the fight against cancer and has led the efforts to reduce the impact caused by the disease on people's lives in Spain.

The Spanish Association Against Cancer funds research projects and supports patients and their families.

Letizia married King Felipe of Spain in 2004 at Cathedral Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena in Madrid.

The relationship began in November 2002 and in 2003, just months after she had been promoted to the position of anchor on the national news channel, she quit her job and days later the royal engagement was announced.
She announced last month she would be making a return to television on the long-running drama series, Home and Away

And now former McLeod's Daughter star Bridie Carter has shared the first picture from the set of the Channel Seven series.

Reposting an image taken by her co-star Emily Symons, the 49-year-old praised the cast and crew for making her feel 'welcome'.

First picture! McLeod's Daughter star Bridie Carter (right) has shared her first picture from the set of Home and Away. Pictured with co-star Emily Symons (left)

'Great scene we finished the day off with today - so interesting the subtext that sits between women - look forward to watching this one back,' she captioned the snap.

'Thank you for making me so welcome!'

In the photo, the two co-stars were all smiles as they posed together for a selfie.

Excited! The 49-year-old praised the cast and crew for making her feel 'welcome'

Bridie looked chic in a green coat, wore her long blonde locks loose and stunned in simple makeup.

Meanwhile, Emily was sporting a floral dress and had her hair pulled back into an updo.

She was glamorous with a full face of makeup, including foundation, eyeliner, mascara and pink lipstick.

Bridie excitedly announced she was joining the show's cast last month.

From Drover's Run to Summer Bay! Bridie announced she was joining the show's cast in a post on Instagram last month

'Very happy to be join [sic] the team/family on one of Australia's longest running shows - @homeandaway,' she captioned, an animated photo of herself in Sydney's Centennial Park.

'Very, very grateful in these strange times to be invited into the family fold.'

The popular star, who is married to clothing designer Michael Wilson, will play a real estate agent named Susie McCallister.

Bridie is best known for her role as Tess Silverman McLeod on McLeod's Daughters, which ran from 2001 until 2009 on the Nine network.

McLeod's Daughters is available on Stan in Australia
The key mechanism used by Facebook to transfer data from the European Union to the United States cannot in practice be used for such transfers, according to Irelands Data Protection Commission, Facebook said on Wednesday.

The U.S. social media giant said in a blog post that it believed the mechanism, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), had been deemed valid by the Court of Justice of the European Union in July, adding: We will continue to transfer data in compliance with the recent CJEU ruling and until we receive further guidance.

Facebook said the Irish Data Protection Commission, Facebooks lead regulator in the EU, had commenced an inquiry into Facebook controlled EU-US data transfers, and has suggested that SCCs cannot in practice be used for EU-US data transfers.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Commission had sent Facebook a preliminary order to suspend transfers to the United States of data about users in the European Union.

Firms Need Immediate Rethink on U.S. Data Transfers, Says EU Privacy Watchdog European Union Court Invalidates Special Data Privacy Shield Granted U.S. Firms

A spokesman for the Commission declined to comment on the report.

The transatlantic argument stems from EU concerns that the surveillance regime in the United States may not respect the privacy rights of EU citizens when their personal data is sent to the United States for commercial use.

Facebook said that, while the Commissions approach was subject to further process, if followed, it could have a far reaching effect on businesses that rely on SCCs and on the online services many people and businesses rely on.

Swiss Join in Questioning of U.S. Privacy Protections Swiss privacy officials have come out in agreement with their counterparts in the European Union that the U.S. does not satisfy the standards required to protect Swiss citizens when transferring their data. The officials cited concerns over U.S. surveillance activities. In a policy position paper, Switzerlands Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) said it reassessed the data protection policy following recent rulings by the EU court and concluded that although it guarantees special protection rights for persons in Switzerland, it does not provide an adequate level of protection for data transfer from Switzerland to the U.S. pursuant to Swiss law. Switzerland is not a member of the EU. However, its decision tracked closely with the EUs court opinion. The FDPIC said that while it does not have authority to void the U.S. pact, it has deleted the reference to adequate data protection under certain conditions for the U.S. in the FDPICs list of countries. The FDPIC advised Swiss companies transferring data to countries where there is not adequate protection to redo their contracts to address the laws of the receiving country and consider technical measures that effectively prevent the authorities in the destination country from accessing the transferred personal data. InsuranceJournal.com

PRIVACY SHIELD

Europes highest court in July ruled that the main transatlantic data transfer deal hammered out between Brussels and Washington  Privacy Shield  was invalid because of concerns about U.S. surveillance.

But the judges upheld the validity of the transfer mechanism known as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).

These are used by thousands of companies to transfer Europeans data around the world for services ranging from cloud infrastructure, data hosting, payroll and finance to marketing.

However, the court stressed that under SCCs, privacy watchdogs must suspend or prohibit transfers outside the EU if data protection in other countries cannot be assured.

Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems, who brought the legal proceedings, said at the time that this meant companies that fall under U.S. surveillance laws, such as Facebook, could not use the clauses to shift data to the United States.

In its post, Facebook said that the rationale in invalidating Privacy Shield has nonetheless created significant uncertainty  not just for US tech companies.

It said it was setting out its position on how to proceed with international data transfers in a European Data Protection Board taskforce considering how to apply the CJEU ruling.

It said it was also putting robust safeguards in place to protect user data, such as industry standard encryption and security measures, and comprehensive policies governing how we respond to legal requests for data.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries in Dublih and Neha Malara in Bengaluru; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Topics USA Europe
One of the drug companies racing to develop a Covid vaccine, AstraZeneca, just paused its own drug trial after a one of the trial subjects developed serious illness. Its a setback, granted. But its encouraging to know that the company is acting responsibly.

It is reasonable to fear that President Trump will try to push for approval of a vaccine before the election, for purely political reasons. As Kamala Harris pointed out this week, hes corrupted the process over and over, and cannot be trusted to protect us, as 185,000 American corpses can testify.

But Harris went overboard by suggesting any vaccine released under Trump could be dangerous. Shes right about him. But there are safeguards in place, as she conceded. And by casting these doubts, she could discourage people from taking a good vaccine and undermine the effort to get past this.

Thats because there are rules and laws to restrain reckless presidents, and there are decent people in the government and industry that would never go along with something so monstrous as to release an unproven vaccine that could be dangerous.

But conservatives who are criticizing Harris seem to be forgetting the facts. Trump has interfered as best he can, over and over. His meddling led to the Food and Drug Administrations overly hasty and regrettable approval of hydroxychloroquine, which is associated with serious heart problems. When the Centers for Disease Control published sturdy guidelines for reopening schools, the administration forced the agency to rewrite them with lower safeguards.

More recently, the CDC followed Trumps public call to tamp down testing by changing its guidelines to say that asymptomatic people dont need to be tested for COVID, a decision on a day when Dr. Anthony Fauci was under general anesthesia in surgery.

Four former chiefs of the CDC have condemned his bullying of their agency, saying it puts lives at risk.

The question now is, will the American regulatory system going to be able to do its thing, despite this shameless president?

The first obvious safeguards are the drug companies themselves. The chief executives of nine drug makers said they will not release a vaccine before its time, no matter what the administration says. If one company accepts a bogus approval from the Trump administration, the other eight are likely to scream about it.

Weve also got Fauci, who would likely call out Trumps mischief. When pressed on her skepticism, Harris said, I trust Dr. Fauci. And hope is sprinkled throughout the so-called Deep State  where many decent people and career professionals will refuse to stand by quietly if they see something that might harm a lot of Americans.

If Trump objects to the skepticism of critics like Harris, he has himself to blame. He lies as a reflex, from small stuff like the size of his inaugural crowd to the big stuff, like his latest claim that Joe Biden wants to defund the police. Biden actually wants to increase federal aid to police departments to help with reform. I think they need more help, he says.

Now we have tapes of Trump openly admitting to journalist Bob Woodward that he knew this virus was deadly stuff, but deliberately concealed the risks  I wanted to always play it down, Trump said in March.

So, yes, we should be wary when it comes to the race for a vaccine, because we cant trust Trump; but at the same time, not get carried away by conspiracy theories.

Thats where Harris landed. She would trust the word of public health experts and scientists, she said, but not Donald Trump.

A statement that is solidly backed by evidence.

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SINGAPORE  South Korea's Kakao Games surged in their Thursday market debut on the Kosdaq, more than doubling from their listing price shortly after trading began.

Kakao Games' shares started trading at 48,000 Korean won (about $40.48) apiece, twice the issue price of 24,000 won. ($20.24) They briefly surged to hit the daily permissible limit of 30%, finishing the trading day at 62,400 won ($52.63) per share.

Meanwhile, parent company Kakao Corp. also saw its stock get a slight boost as it advanced 0.39% on Thursday.

The initial public offering (IPO) brought in about 384 billion Korean won (approx. $323.7 million) for Kakao Games, according to local news agency Yonhap. Prior to its market debut, Kakao Games reportedly set a new record for the country's IPO subscription rate.

EY's Ringo Choi told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" that the coronavirus pandemic, which has "really changed the economy," could be a factor behind enthusiasm for Kakao Games.

"A lot of people are staying at home and, also, they sometimes will play games," said Choi, who is Asia-Pacific IPO leader at EY.

Coupled with "more confidence" in the video game sector and South Korea being one of the largest markets in the space, Choi said it was "reasonable" for Kakao Games to be "so hot at the moment."
In a setback to Bihar's main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal ahead of the state assembly polls, its national vice president and former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigned from the party on Thursday, sources close to him said, but party supremo Lalu Prasad rejected it, insisting he was not going "anywhere".

In a letter to jailed RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, the veteran leader wrote he was quitting the party.

"Since the death of Jannayak Karpoori Thakur, I stood behind you for 32 years, but not now," he said in his brief one-line resignation letter, written from his hospital bed on a ruled noteboook page, to Prasad, who is serving sentences in four fodder scam cases in Ranchi.

In the footnote, the once staunch Lalu loyalist, added," I got the affection of party leaders and workers, besides common people. Please forgive me."

Thakur was a prominent socialist leader and former state chief minister.

Hours later, Prasad sought rapprochement.

"I don't believe....a letter purportedly written by you is on social media. I, my family, and the RJD family that have nursed the party want you to get well soon and be amongst us," Prasad wrote back.

The RJD supremo's letter to Singh was posted on the party's media accounts.

"For four decades, we have together discussed political, social and even family matters. You get well soon and we will discuss again. You are not going anywhere, you understand," Prasad wrote in a handwritten letter that had the stamp of the prison authority.

Singh, admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi, because of post-COVID complications, had earlier announced his resignation as the party vice president on June 23 but was persuaded by Prasad to stay back.

Singh, a five-time former MP from Vaishali who held several portfolios in the Manmohan Singh government, including that of rural development, was reportedly unhappy over the proposed induction of alleged mafia don and former Lok Janshakti Party MP from Vaishali Rama Singh into the RJD.

Rama Singh had defeated the RJD leader in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, breaking his winning streak since he was first elected from there in 1996.

He was also not happy with the style of functioning of Prasad's heir apparent and leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav, party sources said.

The National Democratic Alliance parties hailed Singh's move.

"Raghuvansh babu commands respect of all. Why was he forced to quit the party he nursed with his blood and sweat?" Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.

Anand said Singh was "humiliated" by RJD supremo's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav after he announced his resignation from the post of party vice president.

"What difference will it make if a pot of water is taken out of the sea?" Tej Pratap had said, belittling Singh over his resignation and the impact it could have on the RJD.

"Singh's resignation will prove to be the last nail in RJDs coffin. This was the natural consequence of the suffocating atmosphere in which he had been living for quite a long time. Finally, he decided to come out of daldal (morass) which is worth welcoming, Janata Dal-United spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said.

The JD-U had said last week it will welcome Singh into the party if he so decides.

Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha said Singh's resignation showed even important people have to face insult in the RJD.

"I will request Raghuvansh babu to join Nitish Kumar (Bihar chief minister and JD-U president) and strengthen his hands for the development of the state. Nitish Kumar is the only option. Come, join us, we welcome you," said Danish Rizwan, the spokesman for HAM-S.
Five were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Odisha's Kalahandi district on Wednesday, a senior officer said.

The exchange of fire, in which a jawan of the Police's Special Operations Group (SOG) was also injured, took place in the Bhandarangi Sirki forest area on the Kalahandi- Kandhamal border, he said.

While four bodies were found from the forest after the gunfight, the body of another Maoist, a female, was recovered during the combing operation, Kalahandi's Superintendent of Police B Gangadhar told PTI.

A jawan of the SOG also sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital, he said.

Six weapons were recovered from the site and reports of more recoveries are expected as the teams are yet to return to the base camp, he said.

"The combining and search operation in the forest is getting hampered because of the heavy rain in the area," the officer said.

Acting on an intelligence input, the SOG along with the Kalahandi District Voluntary Force (DVF) launched the operation on Tuesday, another official said.

Two composite teams of the SOG and DVF were part of the operation, he said.

The exchange of fire started around 11 am on Wednesday and lasted for about half an hour, he added.

More teams of SOG, DVF and CRPF were sent to the area later for combing and search operations, he said.

Five Maoists, including two women, were gunned down by the security forces in the Sirla Reserve Forest area in Kandhamal district on July 5. Two more rebels were killed in the same area on July 23, police said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Natural News) Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton slammed the criminal probe of how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) examined alleged ties between President Donald Trump and Russia, which was led by U.S. Attorney John Durham. In a Lou Dobbs Tonight interview on Fox Business, Fitton lamented at how Attorney Durham and Attorney General William Barr are making no progress on investigating the roots of the Russian collusion probe aimed at the U.S. president.

The founder of Judicial Watch expressed concern as to why the U.S. attorney is only questioning former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan now, despite Attorney Durhams appointment more than a year ago. With no grand juries, witnesses or lawyers complaining about their clients being summoned  Fitton was inclined to believe that Brennan is definitely not a target of the investigation.

Furthermore, Fitton compared the earlier criminal investigation spearheaded by Special Counsel Robert Mueller with the Durham-led investigation. According to him, the government pressure on witnesses and subjects present in the Mueller probe was absent in the Durham one. Fitton added that Attorney Durham is not doing the work required to hold deep state criminals accountable. (Related: Durham inquiry into spying on Trump campaign could drop bombshells by end of summer.)

The earlier investigation by Mueller, which wrapped up in March 2019, did not find evidence that the president colluded with Russia in 2016.

In addition, there was also a clear contrast and comparison in how the two investigations handled suspects. Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty in August for falsifying a surveillance-related document, was free as a bird under the Durham investigation according to Dobbs. Meanwhile, Fitton remarked that the FBI managed to arrest a number of individuals under the Mueller probe  which included former White House Chief Strategist Steven Bannon.

Dobbs, in turn, characterized the Durham investigation as a sham with its lack of serious pressure. The interview host also noted that the FBIs slow pace will take them decades to deal with anything of real complexity.

Is U.S. Attorney John Durham aiming to prosecute or protect the Deep State?

Attorney General William Barr assigned U.S. Attorney John Durham in May 2019 to investigate the origins of the Russia collusion probe, two months after the inquiry by Mueller wrapped up.

The U.S. Attorney for Connecticut has extensive experience of investigating potential wrongdoing by the FBI and CIA under four presidents. Investigations handled by Attorney Durham included the FBIs ties with Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger, the CIAs destruction of interrogation tapes and the alleged mistreatment of terror suspects by both the CIA and government contractors.

Some of Attorney Durhams past colleagues agreed that he was the best candidate to lead the criminal inquiry on the FBIs misconduct.

Stanley Twardy, a former U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, said that Attorney Durham does not care if public condemning him for his work. Twardy added that Attorney Durham wouldnt hesitate to speak out if the results of his probe were mischaracterized.

Former FBI agent Kenneth Gray cited Attorney Durhams long history leading difficult and sensitive government probes as a reason for his eligibility to lead the inquiry. Gray also mentioned that Attorney Durham was detail oriented, very good at getting to the bottom of things and very dogged about getting what he needs to get the answers  qualities necessary to get to the root of things.

As seen in the Russia collusion probe, the deep state has been trying to undermine President Trump despite winning the election in 2016. Its agents are trying to do so once more  in time for the November election.

Draining the swamp and holding its denizens accountable for their crimes requires quick action from people such as Durham, but just like Friedrich Nietzsche warned: Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become one. For when you gaze long into the abyss, it gazes also into you.

Find out more about the Deep State and its efforts to undermine President Donald Trump at DeepState.news.

Sources include:

BigLeaguePolitics.com

PBS.org

USAToday.com

NYTimes.com

DailySignal.com

APNews.com
Dave Poms, president of Poms & Associates

Poms & Associates, an independent, full-service insurance brokerage and risk management firm, announced today that its founder and president Dave Poms has been awarded a Gold 2020 International Stevie Award in the "Entrepreneur of the Year: Insurance category at The 17th Annual International Business Awards (IBA). Poms win of the global awards programs top prize recognizes his entrepreneurship and industry leadership in risk management and loss control and his community advocacy of child welfare and school safety.

Its a great honor to receive this recognition from the International Business Awards, said Dave Poms, president of Poms & Associates. This award is a testament to the fact that inspiration can strike in the most unlikely places  where frustration with the status quo or dealing with complex problems when conventional solutions have failed  and it is these kinds of challenges that make you think outside-the-box. With enough persistence, ingenuity, resourcefulness and compassion, we can all find solutions and make real progress on the issues that matter most.

Poms founded Poms & Associates in 1991 based on the premise that knowledge is the best insurance  that the best way to help businesses and organizations is to serve not only as an insurance broker but also as an educator about best practices in how to reduce risk and prevent loss before an incident occurs. With a company-wide emphasis on education, Poms & Associates today is among the top 50 privately held brokerage firms in the U.S. with six branch offices in three states. The company has been repeatedly recognized as one of the Top Insurance Workplaces by Insurance Business America magazine.

Over his career, Poms has been a driving force behind the creation of many public entity pools in the western U.S., including the New Mexico Public Schools Insurance Authority (NMPSIA), which helps New Mexicos school system provide unique coverages that are not commercially available in the insurance market.

Within the past year  and under Poms leadership  Poms & Associates achieved a number of major accomplishments, including implementing an innovative risk management program in New Mexico schools that provided active shooter training and the tools for school administrators to make safe decisions and quickly report incidents to authorities. This training led directly to lives saved in shooting incidents in both Roswell and Aztec, N.M. Poms also helped write two school safety legislative bills that define and limit who can be armed in New Mexicos public schools by requiring certain qualifications before an individual can become an armed security employee.

As the issue of sexual abuse continues to present a serious challenge for the insurance industry, Poms is a vocal advocate for the need for a major cultural change within companies and institutions  one where processes and tools are put in place to improve the safety of young people, and training and education are made central to enabling quick action that protects them when potential issues arise. In 2019, Poms successfully built bipartisan political support in New Mexico for legislation that created a task force to address the issue of child predators in the states public schools. The task force serves as a national model for schools in other states.

Poms is an advocate of the international Olympic Movement and has served on the board of directors for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation for the past eight years. He also supports the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a federally authorized nonprofit organization that is working to end all forms of abuse in sports.

The International Business Awards are the worlds premier business awards program. The 2020 IBAs received more than 3,800 entries from organizations in 63 nations and territories.

Despite the unprecedented impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on organizations and working people worldwide, the number and quality of nominations we received in this years International Business Awards attests to the continued outstanding performance of many organizations. The commitment weve seen through these nominations to maintaining the success, health, and safety of employees, customers, and communities is truly impressive, said Stevie Awards president Maggie Gallagher.

For more information about Poms & Associates, visit https://pomsassoc.com/.

About Poms & Associates

Poms & Associates is a leading independent, full-service insurance brokerage and risk management firm with a proven track record of providing innovative and customized solutions to businesses in high-risk industries. Founded in 1991, the company was built on the premise that knowledge is the best insurance  that is, the best way to help businesses and organizations is to serve not only as an insurance broker but also as an educator about best practices in how to reduce risk and prevent loss before an incident occurs. Poms & Associates today offers a wide range of products and services, including property and casualty insurance for commercial organizations and public entities, risk control, human resources and employee benefits and private services for high net-worth individuals. Among the top 50 independent brokerage firms in the U.S., Poms & Associates is headquartered in Woodland Hills, Calf. It maintains branch offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Calif., the San Francisco Bay Area, Albuquerque, N.M. and Dayton, Ohio. For more information, visit https://pomsassoc.com/.
(Natural News) People tend to think of space as just an empty void in between galaxies, stars, planets and other celestial bodies. This void, however, actually contains more matter than the galaxies themselves.

In between galaxies exists a matter called the intergalactic medium (IGM). This matter  composed mostly of hot, ionized hydrogen, with bits of heavier elements such as carbon, oxygen and silicon thrown in  seemingly exists in only trace amounts in outer space, but when added up actually represents a significant amount of the matter in space.

The matter in between galaxies

IGM was discovered in the 1960s when astronomers noticed that light from quasars  incredibly bright and active galaxies in the distant universe  had missing pieces. The scientists surmised that these missing pieces had been absorbed by something between the quasars and the scientists telescopes. This matter that was absorbing the light was the IGM.

Following the discovery of IGM, astronomers have since discovered vast webs and filaments of gas and heavy elements that, when put together, contain more matter than all the galaxies combined.

If you took a cubic meter, there would be less than one atom in it, said Michael Shull, an astronomer at the University of Colorado Boulder, in an interview with Live Science. But when you add it all up, its somewhere between 50 and 80 percent of all the ordinary matter out there.

Scientists believe that most of the gas that comprises the IGM was likely left behind from the Big Bang. The heavier elements in it, however, hint that at least some of it comes from old stardust, spewed out by galaxies.

As the universe continues to expand, the IGM in the most remote regions will be eternally isolated from neighboring galaxies; however, the IGM thats closer to galaxies plays an important role in the lives of these galaxies.

IGM under the influence of a galaxies gravitational pull slowly gets pulled into the galaxy at the rate of about one solar mass  equivalent to the mass of our sun  per year. This matches the rate of star formation in the disk of our own Milky Way galaxy.

IGM is the gas that feeds star formation in galaxies, explained Shull. If we didnt still have gas falling in, being pulled in by gravity, star formation would slowly grind to a halt as the gas [in the galaxy] gets used up. (Related: Interstellar space is filled with toxic grease that would make future space travel very difficult, say researchers.)

Studying the space between galaxies

With the role that the IGM plays in star formation, scientists are looking to learn more about it. To do this, astronomers are once again turning to distant galaxies. This time, theyre looking at fast radio bursts from these galaxies as on top of light from quasars to study the characteristics of IGM and determine its varying temperatures and densities.

By measuring the temperature of the gas, you can get a clue as to its origins, said Shull. It allows us to know how it got heated and how it got there.

In the meantime, IGM isnt the only thing that scientists have found that exists in the space between galaxies. Astronomers have also discovered stars in this void.

Called intergalactic or rogue stars, these stars are thought to have been ejected from their birth galaxies, either by black holes or collisions with other galaxies.

While initially thought to be quite rare, some scientists are now starting to think that these intergalactic stars are much more common than previously thought.

A recent study, published in the journal Science postulated that much of the starlight that we receive actually comes from outside galaxies.

Our results with the Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment suggest that as much as half of the light from stars is sourced by stars outside of galaxies, stated lead author Michael Zemcov, an astronomer at the Rochester Institute of Technology. But I would say thats not currently a widely accepted view.

Still, other studies are showing that there are more intergalactic stars than previously thought. An earlier, 2012 study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, reported that there were around 650 of these stars at the edge of the Milky Way. The same study also estimated that there could be trillions more of these stars out there.

Visit Space.news for more on discoveries that are changing our view of the space between galaxies.

Sources include:

LiveScience.com

ArXiv.org [PDF]

Science.ScienceMag.com

IOPScience.IOP.org [PDF]
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China will work with Saudi Arabia within the framework of the G20 to make COVID-19 vaccines affordable and available to all countries and all people.

In a telephone conversation with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Xi said that China will continue to work with Saudi Arabia on the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines, and the two sides should intensify communication and coordination to promote cooperation within the G20 and help make COVID-19 vaccines a global public good.

Xi said that since the establishment of China-Saudi Arabia diplomatic ties 30 years ago, bilateral relations have made great progress and practical cooperation in various fields between the two sides has seen steady progress.

At present, China-Saudi Arabia relations have entered a mature period of rapid development and are facing new development opportunities, he said, adding that the Chinese side is willing to take the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust and continue to support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns.

The Chinese side is also ready to work with Saudi Arabia to strengthen the docking of the Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, push forward cooperation in all fields, and promote even greater development of the China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership, said Xi, adding that the Chinese side is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to take the China-Arab strategic partnership to a higher level.

Xi also said that in the face of the sudden strike of the COVID-19 outbreak, Saudi Arabia has supported China's fight against the epidemic, and that China has actively provided material assistance to Saudi Arabia while overcoming difficulties, adding that the epidemic is the common enemy of the human race, and only through unity and cooperation can all countries beat the virus.

Xi said that as the outbreak is still spreading around the globe, China will continue to fully support Saudi Arabia's efforts against COVID-19, carry out cooperation in vaccine research and development, and help Saudi Arabia resume work and production.

He also stressed that China appreciates Saudi Arabia's tremendous efforts to promote cooperation within the G20 since it took over the rotating presidency, and stands ready to closely communicate and coordinate with Saudi Arabia to bolster G20 cooperation, help make COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and make them affordable and available to all countries and all people.

China, he added, is ready to work with G20 members, including Saudi Arabia, to increase assistance to developing countries, build an open world economy, maintain stability of global industrial and supply chains, facilitate orderly personnel flow, guide digital economy cooperation, and foster an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory digital economy environment.

For his part, Salman said that bilateral relations have seen sound development and the friendship between the two peoples has been continuously strengthened.

Saudi Arabia, he added, attaches great importance to the development of its comprehensive strategic partnership with China and hopes to strengthen bilateral cooperation in battling the pandemic, especially in vaccine research and development, better synergize its Vision 2030 and China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and deepen practical cooperation in various fields.

Saudi Arabia appreciates China's support and assistance for its work as the G20 presidency, the king said, adding that his country hopes to maintain close communication and coordination with China to promote solidarity and cooperation among the G20 members, and make due contributions to prevailing over the pandemic and restoring economic growth and stability in the world.
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Linkedin Supplement Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10 2020

Wings Group Indonesia, one of the countrys leading FMCG companies, recently launched a new UHT milk brand, Milku, under the Wings Food line.

The milk brand, which comes in 200 ml PET bottles with chocolate and strawberry flavors, adds up to ready to drink (RTD) beverages portfolio that Wings Food previously have, namely RTD tea, juice, flavored water, coffee, jelly drink and energy drink.

Preeti Chopra Bhatnagar, marketing manager of Milku, said that the launch of this nutritious beverage aims at offering an easy and delicious way for parents to provide their children with additional nutrition.

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The Justice Department claims Yale has discriminated against white and Asian-American applicants in its affirmative action program. Perhaps it has. But it has done nothing illegal.

Discrimination would be illegal if it violates either the Constitution's equal protection clause or valid legislation enacted by Congress.

The equal protection clause, however, only limits state action, and Yale is private. But even if Yale were a public institution, discrimination in its capacity as a party to a voluntary association wouldn't violate a properly interpreted equal protection clause.

No state can deny "to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Equal protection means that sanctions (deprivations of life, liberty or property) can only be imposed for violating general rules of action. The same rules must apply equally to everybody.

So called "Jim Crow laws"  threatening sanctions only against minorities or mandating segregation  clearly didn't pass this critical test. I don't concede that Jim Crow rules even rose to the dignity of "bad law." Rather, I call them pseudolaws. Phonies!

The relationship between a university  public or private  and its students has nothing to do with sanctions. It is a voluntary association, created by mutual consent of the parties to the exchange or transfer of inducements.

Rejecting an application denies an inducement rather than imposing a sanction. Rejection doesn't deprive the applicant of life. It doesn't reduce the applicant's liberty to enter voluntary associations with anybody willing to agree to associate. It doesn't take away the applicant's property.

Therefore the equal protection clause wouldn't apply to the alleged racial discrimination by Yale even if it were a public school.

Yale, however, is accused of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which clearly does ban discriminatory private sector decisions.

But when the Civil Rights Act goes beyond requiring equal access to places of public accommodation (hotels, restaurants, etc.) it should be considered unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable.

Universities aren't places of public accommodation. They obviously cannot accept all applicants, first come first served, like a hotel. Yale typically rejects more than 32,000 of its 35,000 annual applicants, yet no one claims it has acted illegally 32,000 times.

My research indicates that laws must be rules of action, but discrimination isn't an action. Rather, it is a reason or motive for action. Rejections are deemed to violate the Civil Rights Act only only when the reasons for denying admission were bad ones. Rejection of student X can therefore be either legal or illegal, depending on the motives attributed to the university.

Since any action might be badly motivated, antidiscrimination rules destroy our power to protect ourselves from sanctions because we can't tell what actions are illegal. In effect they authorize government officials to impose sanctions arbitrarily on people and organizations.

Congress is only authorized to enact laws. The part of the Civil Rights Act which Yale's alleged discrimination violates should be considered unconstitutional because it is a rule of motivation rather than a rule of action, which means that it isn't law at all.

Public primary and secondary schools are different. Students aren't in a voluntary association with such schools, since parents have a legal duty to send them there (or to a suitable private school). Public schools are operated by government-as-trustee for children, a role in which it owes an equal duty to all beneficiaries of the trust. Discriminating between children would be an abuse of trust, which cannot be deemed authorized by the Constitution.

But Yale, like all other private and public universities, should be legally free to admit students on whatever basis  including affirmative action programs  it deems appropriate.

The wisdom of affirmative action programs is an entirely separate issue. There are excellent arguments on both sides of this question, and each university should remain free to make its own decisions here.

Paul F. deLespinasse of Corvallis is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Computer Science at Adrian College. His most recent book is "Beyond Capitalism: A Classless Society With (Mostly) Free Markets." His columns have appeared in newspapers in Michigan, Oregon, and a number of other states. This column originally appeared in NewsMax.

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A toddler who was born with a cleft lip has welcomed a furry family member who was also born with a cleft lip.

Brandon Boyers, father of Bentley Boyers, walked into Jackson County Animal Shelter in Jackson County, Michigan, to adopt some chickens on Sept. 3. When he saw one of the puppies at the shelter had a cleft lip like his son, he immediately called his wife.

"I said, 'I want her for the sake of Bentley,'" mom Ashley Boyers told "Good Morning America." "They're the best of friends. If Bentley is playing on the playground she's next to the slide waiting for him to come down. They do everything together."

PHOTO: Bentley Boyers, 2, is seen kissing his newly adopted rescue puppy, Lacey, on Sept. 4, 2020 at Jackson County Animal Shelter in Jackson County, Michigan. Both Bentley and Lacey were born with a cleft lip. (Lydia Sattler/Jackson County Animal Shelter)

MORE: Is Augie, the 20-year-old golden retriever, actually the oldest living dog in her breed?

Boyers said she learned during her 20-week ultrasound that Bentley would be born with a cleft lip. The 2-year-old has had two surgeries, including one to fully close the lip.

MORE: 1st grader sets up impressive remote learning station

PHOTO: Bentley Boyers, 2, is seen with his puppy Lacey and English Mastiff, Remi. Both Bentley and Lacey were born with a cleft lip. (Ashley Boyers)

"When he was first born he struggled eating, he was in the NICU but ever since his surgery he's completely fine," Boyers said. "He is the best kid ever. If you go outside to do chores, he gets upset if you don't ask for his help."

The Boyers brought the puppy home Sept. 4 and named her Lacey. Lacey and Bentley have been inseparable ever since.

"When Bentley came in to meet the puppy, we had tears in our eyes," said Lydia Sattler, animal services director of Jackson County Animal Shelter. "He was loving her and she was just eating it up. They were a perfect match for many reasons."

PHOTO: Bentley Boyers, 2, is seen holding his newly adopted rescue puppy, Lacey, on Sept. 4, 2020 at Jackson County Animal Shelter in Jackson County, Michigan. Both Bentley and Lacey were born with a cleft lip. (Lydia Sattler/Jackson County Animal Shelter)

Sattler said Lacey came from a shelter in Mississippi. She is estimated to be about 10 weeks old and although it's difficult to say for sure, Sattler suspects the pup may be a Lab mix.

The Boyers also have a 9-month-old English Mastiff named Remi, and a sibling for Bentley who's due to arrive this December.

2-year-old born with cleft lip adopts puppy with cleft lip originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators.

Chatham High School has switched to remote learning two days into what was supposed to be a hybrid school year, after a student tested positive for the coronavirus, possibly after attending a weekend gathering, school officials said.

In an email sent to parents late Wednesday night, Chatham Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa said all high school students will be virtual on Thursday and Friday, with more guidance to follow.

This case may be linked to a non-school event that took place over the holiday weekend and about which we communicated with our local public health officials yesterday and earlier today, LaSusa said.

The School District of the Chathams, which serves students from Chatham Borough and Township, opened schools for a hybrid learning on Tuesday. The elementary and middle schools will continue to attend school in person.

Chatham Township has seen six new positives cases since Aug. 31, while Chatham Borough has seen two, a county dashboard shows. Its not clear how many of those cases stemmed from a possible party. A county spokesperson did not immediately have information on the recent cases. Local officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Although a single positive case is not enough to force the closure of the school to in-person classes under state guidelines, LaSusa said he was unable to contact health officials late at night.

Students in the middle and high school are divided into two cohorts, which attend half days of in-person school on alternating days. There are an average of 335 students in each of the upper grades in Chatham.

Keep up with the latest in N.J. schools coverage. Sign up your email here:



Chatham is not the only school district to shift to virtual learning during the first week back. Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools' East Brunswick campus will be virtual for the next two weeks after a freshman tested positive.

A student at Markham Place School in Little Silver tested positive on the second day of school; students in the same cohort as the affected student will remote learn until further notice, school officials said.

The New Jersey Department of Health issued several matrices to help schools decide if and when they should ask students to quarantine or shut down school buildings if someone tests positive for COVID-19.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.




It will all be over in April like a miracle. This statement should not be taken as one of the 12,000+ lies made by the President of the United States of America; Trump was only trying to protect us from our human frailties.

President Donald Trump told journalist Bob Woodward that he intentionally downplayed the severity of the coronavirus in public comments to avoid triggering a panic.

Had President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took the approach of keeping the attack on Pearl Harbor quiet so as not to panic the American people on December 7, 1941, its conceivable the United States and its allies might not have won World War II.

If President John F. Kennedy had concealed the deployment of nuclear weapons in Cuba in 1962, its conceivable that the Soviet Union would have won the cold war.

President Trumps argument that he kept the severity of the coronavirus secret somehow prevented panic on Main Street and Wall Street served the interest of our country amounts to a pile of horse manure. His decision to pretend for months that they coronavirus would go away magically may have cost between 30,000 to 50,000 American lives. His response to the press is BELIEVES MILLIONS of people would have died.

President Trump claims he downplayed the coronavirus to keep medical supply prices low...a reporter points out that he didnt even start buying the supplies until a month later.

Trump also doesnt seem to understand that the coronavirus came through Europe to the United States. He leaves that out when he brags about shutting down travel to and from China.

BUSTED: Trump Caught in Lie AS IT HAPPENS








At the southernmost tip of South America, beyond the Andes, lies the beautiful and colorful city of Ushuaia, regarded by some as the southernmost city of the world. And just beyond the citys outskirts run a small steam railway originally built to serve the penal colony of Ushuaia. Today, the Southern Fuegian Railway takes tourists along the picturesque Pico Valley, through the thickly-forested Toro gorge and into the stunning national park.

Photo: Deensel/Flickr

Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, the island where Ushuaia is situated, was one of the last regions in the Americas to get colonized. It was first discovered by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520, and it was he who named the islands Tierra del Fuego, meaning Land of Fire, from all the fires and smokes he saw rising from the native settlements on the islands. Few Europeans attempted to land, and when they, did they almost wiped the indigenous population off with diseases such as smallpox and measles, against which the natives had no immunity. It wasn't until the second half of the 19th century that the first settlers and missionaries arrived, and the city, as we know it today, began to take shape.

In the late 19th century, Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego was turned into a penal colony by the Argentine government to house dangerous criminals. The prison was designed in the panopticon style with the wings radiating out like spokes from a wheel and a central tower from which the wardens observed the inmates. Because of its isolation, escape from the island was nearly impossible and as the years rolled by the poisoners became the unwilling colonist of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. They build the town with timber from the forest around the prison. They also built the railway to server the settlement and transport building materials.

Photo: Colm Linehan/Flickr

The original railway was built with wooden rails over which oxen pulled wagons. In 1909, prison officials upgraded the line to narrow gauge with steel rails and a steam locomotive. The line ran along the shore from the prison to the forestry camp, so that prisoners could bring firewood for heating and cooking as well as timber for building. The train became known as Tren de los Presos, or Train of the Prisoners.

The railway was gradually extended further into the forest into more remote areas as wood was exhausted. It followed the valley of the Pipo River into the higher terrain. Constant building allowed expansion of the prison and of the town, with prisoners providing many services and goods.

Photo: www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk

Photo: www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk

Photo: www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk

The prison closed in 1947 and in 1950 a naval base was established in Ushuaia. The city remained cut off from the rest of the world until after the end of the Falkland War in 1982 and the re-establishment of democracy in Argentina. The long-forgotten railway was rebuilt in 500 mm gauge and re-launched as a tourist railway. It was renamed the Southern Fuegian Railway or Tren del Fin del Mundo (the Train of the End of the World). It is the southernmost functioning railway in the world.

Tren del Fin del Mundo takes passengers through the stunning landscape of the Tierra del Fuego national park, past green fields, through thick forest and past rivers. Passengers get the chance to visit the old prison, now housing the main station of the railway, then ride along the old route originally built by prisoners.

Photo: Ksenia Ragozina/Shutterstock.com

Photo: Deensel/Flickr

Photo: Ceferino Mazzoleni/Flickr

References:

# http://www.dark-tourism.com/index.php/argentina/15-countries/individual-chapters/891-ushuaia

# Shafik Meghji, Exploring an eerie old penal colony in Argentina, https://www.roughguides.com/article/exploring-an-eerie-old-penal-colony-in-argentina/

# Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Fuegian_Railway
Following the arrest of Mahmoud Ezzat on 28 August several news sources have reported that the Muslim Brotherhood has appointed Ibrahim Mounir as acting supreme guide.

While the Muslim Brotherhood has yet to confirm this officially a number of Brotherhood affiliated websites have issued appeals to members to rally behind Mounir as the Brotherhoods acting chief and a leaked document, attributed to the Muslim Brotherhood leadership, urged the groups officials in Egypt to explain to younger members the circumstances surrounding the selection of Mounir as acting supreme guide.

The reports and leaks raise many questions. Is the information they contain reliable? Is it true that Mounir is now acting supreme guide? To what extent does the leaked document reflect a brewing organisational crisis now being manifested in widespread opposition to the choice of Mounir as leader?

It is likely that the selection of Mounir was less the product of a decision-making process than a result of the fact he was nominated first deputy supreme guide by Ezzat, leads the Brotherhoods London Bureau, and controls a goodly portion of the groups finances.

Mounir is a key leader of the groups old guard. He is a supporter of the Mustafa Mashhour trend, named after the Brotherhoods fifth supreme guide, the founder of the groups international wing. Mounir worked in the Brotherhoods paramilitary wing and in 1965 was defendant number 30 in the case brought against Sayed Qotb and other Brotherhood members for conspiring against the state.

Though handed a death sentences in the case it was commuted to life imprisonment and he was eventually released in 1975. In 2009, in a separate case, he was tried and sentenced to five years, only to be released in August 2012 under an amnesty issued by Mohamed Morsi.

Mounir served as third deputy supreme guide under Mahdi Akef, the groups seventh supreme guide, and now that Ezzat has joined Khairat Al-Shater in prison he is the only deputy supreme guide not behind bars. This suggests the reports he has now been chosen to fill the top job are indeed true, regardless of the groups bylaw that states the supreme guide must be resident in Egypt.

It is likely to be a contentious choice within the group. Together with the Muslim Brotherhoods secretary-general Mahmoud Hussein, Mounir has been accused of corruption. In a leaked recording of a meeting of Brotherhood leaders who fled to Turkey, Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council member Amir Bassam accused both Mounir and Hussein of embezzling donations and other Brotherhood funds.

Mounirs elevation to acting supreme guide is likely to exacerbate the generational divides that are already fracturing the group. He has little support among younger Brothers, and was named in a document of ideological retractions produced by imprisoned younger members of the group that openly blamed the Brotherhoods old guard for the plight of the organisation. Mounir responded in a televised interview in which he said no one had forced the old guards critics to join the organisation, that it was not the Brotherhood that had put the young members in prison, and roundly rejected the reconciliation initiatives and other overtures the young Brothers were making to the Egyptian government.

His response served only to inflame the generational divides within the Brotherhood. Amr Darrag commented, the guys in his 80s and making idiotic statements, and demanded Mounir either explain his remarks or issue an apology.

There are any number of signs that tensions between Mounir and the Brotherhoods middle tier leaders and younger members have sharpened since this bad-tempered exchange. It is telling that accompanying reports of Mounirs rise a notice to the Brotherhoods administrative branches was leaked instructing them to contain the anger of young Brothers and remind them of the organisations code of obedience.

Equally telling is the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood has not yet officially announced Mounirs promotion through its official spokesman or on its Facebook page. The delay is probably an attempt to buy time to quash the anger that surfaced as soon as Mounirs name was mooted as Ezzats successor or, if containment failed, to allow for an alternative to be selected from the Brotherhoods Shura Council. Mahmoud Al-Beheiri and Ibrahim Al-Zayat are among the possible candidates.

In short, the Muslim Brotherhood is on the threshold of a crisis more profound than the clampdowns in the 1960s and the collapse of Muslim Brotherhood rule on 3 July 2013. The arrest of Ezzat and the succession question is bringing to a head seething tensions in the organisations hierarchy as well as regional divides between the Brotherhoods chapters in the Arab and Islamic world. The organisation is poised on the brink of violent schisms that could well herald its disintegration and collapse.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The HSE has defended putting the Covid-19 testing of meat plant workers on hold after getting a surge of people referred for virus checks from GPs.

HSE chief Paul Reid said on Monday this week 13,000 symptomatic people with tested  more than double a normal day.

On Tuesday another 8,000 tests were carried out.

Read More

He was speaking after it was announced the serial testing of meat plant workers  which is to be regularly carried out to pick up asymptomatic cases  has been rescheduled to next week.

It comes amid concerns about the surge in cases in Dublin in particular which are growing by 5pc a day and could double every fortnight.

He revealed that 21,000 referrals for testing were received within two days - including a high number of school children and people in north Dublin.

We have to take the public health approach to prioritising our capacity on a daily basis towards testing symptomatic people, he said.

Extra swabbing centres are being opened including pop up centres.

He said tests on school children suspected of having the virus, and close contacts, are being fast tracked and results returned to parents within twenty four hours in some cases.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue had said on radio that meat plant surveillance was ongoing on the very day that tests in the factories were abruptly cancelled.

But Tanaiste Leo Varadkar explained that the abrupt halt at meat plants was a temporary measure to address a surge in tests being sought by members of the general population.

He said there were 13,000 test requests from members of the public last Monday, along with 3,000 from hospitals that day, for a total of 16,000.

The national test capacity was 15,000, meaning the meat plant tests could not go ahead, he said, But testing in meat plants was due to resume next week, he added.

Pearse Doherty of Sinn Fein said the cancellations were reckless, short-sighted and need to be rectified.

Meat plants were hotspots for Covid-19 because of the poor working conditions and status of employees, he said, leading to increased transmission in communities.

There were four existing meat and food plant outbreaks in the State, he added, Workers at one plant in Tipperary had received text messages saying testing was ceasing with immediate effect.

Mr Doherty said the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, had not mentioned the move, despite being specifically asked about meat plants in the Dail on Wednesday.

Replying, Mr Varadkar said it was right that people with ant symptoms would be prioritised. But Mr Doherty said the highest rate of tests, 70,000 a week, had been achieved last week  whereas there was a claimed capacity of 100,000 tests a week.

He asked whether the remaining 30,000 test capacity was, if it existed at all. Mr Varadkar agreed that the highest rate of tests so far had been 70,000 a week, but said Ireland was testing far more per capita than many other countries.

While trailing the numbers set per head of population by Singapore and Luxembourg, Ireland was still more agile in testing than New Zealand, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands, he said.

Labour Party leader Alan Kelly warned the Tanaiste that with the imminent launch of a new national plan for living with Covid next week, the public needed a comprehensive testing regime in which it could have confidence.

He said the plan should be considered a watershed moment when all the political messing and mixed messages would stop.

Some ministers are giving a running commentary, he said, telling the Tanaiste: you are not shy yourself, and that it must be annoying for the Taoiseach.

Simon Harris still considered himself emeritus Minister for Health, he added, while the real Minister, Stephen Donnelly, appeared to be a spectator at events, while the Minister for Agriculture didnt even know that testing had stopped at meat factories.

Meanwhile, the HSE has advertised for 700 swabbing jobs and 500 people to be contact tracers.

There were 50 patients with Covid-19 in hospital today, up from 40 last week but the numbers in intensive care are stable with six patients critically ill.

At today's briefing, HSE Director-General Paul Reid said the average number of new Covid-19 cases over the last seven days is 151, up from 120 last week.

Dr Colm Henry, HSE clinical director, said there were no outbreaks of Covid-19 in schools and around 54 pupils had tested positive after catching it in the community. In only one school were two pupils positive for the virus.

He expressed concern about the impact of lockdown measures on older people in terms of isolation and sense of despair and marginalisation

Hospitals are seeing people with poor nutrition and mobility and they may have been avoiding seeing health care they needed.

They are presenting at a later stage of illness and that is a huge concern.

"The care of older people cannot just be left to the HSE it is up to us to mind older people."
TRENTON  McCarthyism is on the way to the capital city.

Mayor Reed Gusciora slammed members of the legislative body for an alleged witch hunt he says leads nowhere.

This is an outrageous and reckless act by council to harass staff and cause disharmony at City Hall. They should be ashamed of themselves. Evidently, they want a redo of the McCarthy hearings, Gusciora said, conjuring up Cold War-era ghosts of then-Sen. Joseph McCarthys suspicions of communist infiltration in the U.S. They have no decency!

Gusciora was responding to a flurry of Rice disciplinary notices that were being sent en masse to city employees at councils behest.

Members of the council hope to uncover some conspiracy behind an alleged information breach that resulted in a memo on firefighter candidates being included in councils legislative packets.

The memo was inadvertently attached to councilman Joe Harrisons resolution calling for the renaming of Columbus Park.

Then West Ward councilwoman Robin Vaughn disseminated the agenda packet to constituents.

According to audio obtained by The Trentonian, she explained during a closed-door hearing last week that a constituent notified her the memo was included in the packet of ordinances and resolutions that is normally public.

One of my constituents called me and told me, Ms. Vaughn, I think I have some information that I shouldnt have,' Vaughn said during the closed-door session, calling the alleged breach very concerning.

I know the law around data privacy and personal information and background checks, she added. And I know employers take that very seriously otherwise all of our information would be out in the stratosphere.

The council has launched a full-fledged inquisition into what it believed may have been a purposeful leak, voting illegally 4-3 in executive session to issue Rice disciplinary notices to dozens of city employees to try to get to the bottom of what happened.

The council actions should be meaningless because state law precludes government bodies from taking formal action in executive session, but the council, which once remarked that it was the law, blew off requirements mandated by the Open Public Meetings Act, audio shows.

Making matters worse, the council never notified the public of the vote on the Rice notices when it reconvened in open session, audio shows.

City Clerk Matthew Conlon on Wednesday refused to say how many Rice notices were sent to Trenton employees, notifying them their employment may be discussed behind closed doors at the next council meeting.

As this is executive material not subject to OPRA, I cannot, Conlon wrote in an email to The Trentonian.

Employees who receive Rice notices can opt for discussion about them to be held publicly.

The Rice notices move came the same day that council president Kathy McBride asked AG Gurbir Grewal and MCPO Prosecutor Angelo Onofri to investigate alleged leaks of confidential and privileged information to The Trentonian.

Morelli sent the Aug. 6 memo to fire director Derrick Sawyer, containing a list of disqualified firefighter candidates.

Sawyer did not respond to a phone call seeking comment.

The memo contained information about the candidates criminal, driving and credit histories and residency, along with recommendations on whether the candidates backgrounds made them qualified or disqualified from seeking employment with Trenton Fire.

The document, a copy of which was obtained by The Trentonian, did not include sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers of any of the candidates.

Much of the information in the firefighter memo is publicly available.

For example, criminal histories and financial judgements can be found through New Jersey courts databases. Driving abstracts can be obtained through the Open Public Records Act.

Morelli  who council president Kathy McBride wanted excluded from the executive session until the body voted that down  told the legislative body it was making much to do about nothing.

It was a clerical error by an employee in the law department, he said. We have already notified all involved, which were required to do.

McBride took issue with some of Morellis comments during the secret session.

We didnt blame anyone here, she said. This is not the first time information has gotten out on the opposite side of the paper.  We cant point the finger at anyone until we get the information.

Going forward, Conlon planned to send out two packets to council: one with the agenda and docket for public dissemination and another with backup attachments marked confidential for councils eyes only.

Im going to do something to correct that, Conlon said.
A 31-year-old man who penned a moving blog about the prospect of dying in the final weeks of his life has passed away, just days after the piece was published.

Elliot Dallen, of London, posted a 'call to arms' on his blog, The Cortisol Diaries, to raise money for one of his favourite charities, Trekstock, which supports young people with cancer.

The former Barclays employee was diagnosed with adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare and aggressive cancer, after a 'massive' tumour was found on his adrenal gland two years ago - after months of symptoms including a bloated face, problems sleeping and bladder issues.

In the heart-wrenching post, entitled The Switch and Call to Arms, he discussed how he's pondered during lockdown the life that he might have had, including getting married and having children.

The stirring piece captured hearts around the world, with readers moved to tears as Mr Dallen spoke honestly and encouraged his reader to enjoy every moment of life.

His sister Annabel confirmed the 31-year-old passed away on Monday, the same day that his piece was published in the Guardian and just days after it appeared on his blog.

She told the newspaper: 'Because of the timing of things, it meant that people from across the world were wishing Elliot well as he was going, which is a quite a nice thing to think.'

She said her brother was not able to read the article, but was aware of the response it generated.

'He definitely smiled and while he didn't have the energy that he had when the first article appeared, which really gave him a special buzz and excitement, you could tell there was a sparkle in his eye.'

Scroll down for video

Elliot Dallen, 31, of London, was diagnosed with a rare adrenal cancer in 2018. In his latest post on his blog The Cortisol Diaries, he reflected on the life he might have had and talked frankly about the prospect of dying

Elliot was brutally honest about how his body has failed him in recent months and how hopes that a drug trial might keep his cancer at bay were crushingly dashed.

In the original blog post, published on August 28, Elliot says he had planned 'more of the same' for his 30s 'and possibly some settling down for the usually hectic 40s and 50s with kids, mortgage etc.'

He described in harrowing detail - and often with humour - his dramatic weight-loss in recent weeks and how he realised 'life is for living' after much-awaited access to a drugs trial left him 'a shell of who I was'.

Elliot, who studied at Exeter University and has travelled extensively, wrote: 'After pinning my hopes on this idea for so long, it took just 10 days for it to batter me.

'My days involved moving from my room to the sofa, feeling like I had flu and the mental fog that so often accompanies chemotherapy.

'And almost immediately I realised I just couldn't do it. Life for me is about living, not just clocking up the years.'

Elliot pictured with his sister; the 31-year-old urges people to do something for others in his emotional post

Elliot also left readers with five things that he thinks have been important to him; the importance of positivity and gratitude; being vulnerable and connecting to others, doing something for others and protecting the planet.

He also said that 'a life, if well lived, is long enough' and asks readers to appreciate their wellness, saying: 'The human body is a wonderful thing. You only appreciate this when it starts to fail you and physically completing your waking hours becomes a 12-hour long struggle.'

Those who've read Elliot's latest post have responded with praise.

One wrote: 'I don't know what to say but I just want you to know that you've made an impact on my life, you write so openly and honestly about your situation.'

Another added: 'Thank you for allowing us to get to know you; you are one incredible person. I have learned a lot from you. Thank you too for your candor. Wishing you nothing but warmth and peace.'

He ends the post by saying what would make him happy, writing: 'Apart from the obvious - looking after each other during the period after I've gone and helping with the grieving - I'm gonna push for people to really give to charity.'

So far, Elliot has raised more than 12,000 for Trekstock. The Elliot Dallen Trust has been set up in his memory.


The Grade 7 student who attended Churchill High School earlier this week before receiving a positive COVID-19 test did everything that they were supposed to do, the provinces top doctor said Thursday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Grade 7 student who attended Churchill High School earlier this week before receiving a positive COVID-19 test did "everything that they were supposed to do," the provinces top doctor said Thursday.

During a news conference Thursday, Dr. Brent Roussin confirmed the student  who is now self-isolating  left school midday Tuesday after being contacted about her test result.

The female student in Room 20 was asymptomatic aboard a Winnipeg Transit bus and during a "limited time" inside the building on Tuesday, the first day of school. Manitoba Public Health first issued an alert about the case Wednesday afternoon, after contacting the student and school administration.

It remains unclear when and why the asymptomatic student was tested and how she contracted COVID-19. Asymptomatic individuals waiting for test results are not required to self-isolate.

Citing personal health matters and privacy, Roussin disclosed few details Thursday. He did confirm the student was not a close contact of another case and was not advised by Public Health to get tested or self-isolate.

"The more we scrutinize this situation or try to identify an individual, the less likely it is the next individual who might have mild symptoms will go for testing, so we need to remember that were all in this together," Roussin said.

He pleaded with members of the public to not stigmatize the student and urged anyone experiencing even mild symptoms to get tested.

"No one blames you for having COVID-19," Roussin said.

The case connected to Churchill  which officials say was not acquired at school  has been deemed low risk because the student wore a mask both during the commute and in the school building. Following fogging and cleaning overnight, classes resumed Thursday.

After the school day, one of the upwards of 700 students at the Riverview-area school said attendance in Room 20 dropped Thursday, with only six of the 15 pupils in class. "I think the parents of all the other kids must have panicked," he said.

Churchill principal Ryan Hughes says the measures the school has in place helped to contain the situation. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Officials have asked anyone who attended the site this week to self-monitor for symptoms.

"The process has been quite consistent in what we thought would happen. We feel our plan has been pretty solid and the measures that we have in place really helped to contain the situation," said principal Ryan Hughes, who credited the Grade 7 student with following the schools public health protocols.

Hughes told the Free Press the student passed a screening test before entering the school Tuesday. He said public health notified the school about the positive case Wednesday afternoon and administrators then contacted families of both Churchill and College Churchill, the adjacent French-immersion school located in the same building at 510 Hay St.

Uneasy students clad in face coverings arrived at Churchill early Thursday to resume class, only hours after learning one of their peers had tested positive.

Among them, Grade 8 student Riley McKeever, who arrived sporting a fabric mask with a Canada flag printed on it. The 12 year old said she plans to keep her mask on "outside, inside and everywhere possible" at school for the foreseeable future, given the latest virus update.

Grade 8 student Riley McKeever said she plans to keep her mask on everywhere at school. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

"I expected it was going to happen at some point, just not that early," said Jakeb Taylor, a Grade 8 student at Churchill.

While noting grades 7 and 8 students share a hallway, Taylor said he plans to calm his nerves by keeping his distance from students outside of his tight-knit social circle.

"We feel at Churchill that we are safe to continue today; the staff is feeling confident to continue to help the students with their education and to continue to get things back on track within the school," Hughes said.

During drop-off Thursday, mother Kyla Stewart said she felt confident sending her Grade 9 daughter to College after the update.

"Theyre wearing masks, theyre being socially distanced, theyre washing their hands  so I feel very confident in sending her and Im just super thankful that the teachers and administration are doing what they can," said Stewart, noting her daughter is in a different wing of the building.

Stewart welcomed the detailed release from public health and school officials Wednesday.

"Knowledge is power," she said. At the same time, Stewart said she felt sad for the student and their family since peers will likely be able to determine their identity.

Grade 8 student Jakeb Taylor said he expected a student to get COVID-19, just not so early. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Roussin said the province plans to continue providing detailed updates about COVID-19 cases connected to schools. If any community transmission is found within a school, Roussin said the province will deem it an outbreak.

Churchill has not been added to the province's pandemic response system.

Premier Brian Pallister had some advice for Manitobans concerned about the first school COVID-19 case.

"Be steadfast and determined and know that tremendous preparatory work has been done to continue to protect our students and to assist those when those cases come forward," Pallister said at an event Thursday at Oak Hammock Marsh.

"With the cohort structure thats been developed, we'll be able to continue to educate the balance of non-affected students and protect the staff in the schools as well," said the premier, a former teacher.

Churchill High School, where the first COVID-19 case of the school year was confirmed in a Winnipeg school. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Pallister was asked how hed feel if he were a classroom teacher right now.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"The students are looking for leadership and theyre looking for determination, so recognize the disease is contagious and attitudes are, too," Pallister said. "So, remember to stand by the structures that have been developed by educational leaders."

The province announced 13 new cases Thursday, bringing Manitoba's total tally to 1,378. The current five-day test positivity rate is 1.2 per cent.

At present, the province has no plans to fast-track student or school staff COVID-19 tests or change its policy on asymptomatic testing. Roussin added Thursday the province is still not encouraging asymptomatic individuals to get tested, since the majority of cases in Manitoba involve symptomatic individuals.

 with files from Carol Sanders

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
They became parents for the first time when they welcomed baby son Sonny last month.

And Coronation Street star Sam Aston's wife Briony introduced their newborn to the world of yoga early on as she performed a pose with him strapped to her chest in a heart-warming social media post on Thursday.

The yoga instructor, 25, wore maroon linen drawstring trousers and a khaki vest as she nailed the Utkata Konasana pose.

Namaste: Coronation Street star Sam Aston's wife Briony introduced their newborn to the world of yoga on as she performed a pose with him strapped to her chest on Thursday

Sonny rested peacefully on her chest in a white polka-dot wrap and is already rocking a full head of ginger hair, just like his father, 27.

Two weeks after giving birth, Briony brought her newborn onto the yoga mat and hopes he will practice the discipline in the future.

In a social media post, she said: '2 weeks postpartum and it's someone's first time on the mat ever. Yogi baby pending,' accompanied by a love heart.

New family member: The yoga instructor is the wife of Sam Aston (pictured) who plays Chesney Brown on Coronation Street and they welcomed their first child, Sonny, in August

The blonde beauty, revealed that the birth of their son was 'calm' despite him being born six weeks premature.

The couple had only been trying for a baby for little over a month before getting the positive result and Briony revealed that nothing could have prepared her for the joys of parenthood.

She said to her social media followers in August: 'Nothing could have truly prepared me for your entrance into this world; a journey of complete surrender and the most intense surges of energy I have ever felt in my life.

'But I understand now that it had to be this way. How else could my heart come to live outside of my body?'

Sam, whose Coronation Street character Chesney is parenting quads on the popular ITV soap, said he and Briony would love a big family but admitted they were glad they were just expecting the one child.

Sam and Briony tied the knot last year, two years after the couple announced their engagement.
The Portland City Council unanimously approved bans on city and private use of facial recognition technology Wednesday  the strictest such restriction in the country.

The private ban, which includes by businesses in the city, would go into effect Jan. 1. The ban on use by city departments goes into effect immediately. The state of Oregon already bans police from using body cameras with facial recognition technology.

The ban wouldnt apply to private individual uses, such as the Face ID feature on iPhones.

But it prohibits businesses from collecting, using or storing peoples facial or biometric information gathered in spaces open to the public, such as parks or grocery stores.

Portland officials point to concerns over residents' civil rights and privacy as reasons for the bans. They also cite studies that show the technology is marred by racial and gender bias.

San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley are among those that have banned use of facial recognition by police departments and other local government agencies.

The Portland ordinances were introduced by Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, who has said the issue comes down to racial justice and the communitys right to privacy.

Before voting the approve the bans, Hardesty said she believed it will be model legislation that the rest of the country will be looking to replicate.

We own our privacy and its our obligation to make sure that were not allowing people to gather it up secretly and then sell it off for either profit or for fear-based activities, she said.

The city has at least one business that uses facial recognition technology. Jacksons Food Store has at least three locations where customers' faces are scanned to open the front door.

The company told The Oregonian/OregonLive pictures of customers' faces are temporarily stored and access to the business could be denied to anyone who threatens employees or shoplifts.

 Everton Bailey Jr.
(Photo : REUTERS/Rafael Marchante) Edward Snowden gestures as he speaks via livestream at Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, November 4, 2019. (Photo : REUTERS/Abhishek N. Chinnappa) The logo of Amazon is pictured inside the company's office in Bengaluru, India, April 20, 2018.

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Amazon hired the former chief of the National Security Agency (NSA), General Keith Alexander, as the board member of Amazon's audit committee. Then, ex-CIA member and known whistleblower Edward Snowden tweets about his disapproval about this decision. But why?

Amazon hires ex-NSA chief as board

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Amazon announced a new board officers for its audit committee.

The Verge reported that ex-NSA chief General Keith Alexander would be the one filling in the position. But the masses seemed to be shocked with this decision.

After all, this same man was the face behind the issue of 'Snowden leaks' in 2013. Alexander was once the head of NSA starting from the year 2005 up to 2014.

His name was dragged with the issue of broad data collection for the government agency. Those systems include the popular PRISM, that held info from widely-used online sites like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Facebook.

Edward Snowden, a former CIA sub-contractor, was the man that leaked all this info to the press and to the world. This expose did a global outrage from the US agency.

Of course, Alexander denied all these claims and even called Snowden as a Russian spy in 2013.

The media wasn't exactly friends with Alexander after he recommended the press to be left out with all the evidence presented by the whistleblower.

"I think it's wrong that that newspaper reporters have all these documents, the 50,000-whatever they have and are selling them and giving them out as if these - you know it just doesn't make sense," Alexander in an interview in 2013. "We ought to come up with a way of stopping it. I don't know how to do that. That's more of the courts and the policymakers but, from my perspective, it's wrong to allow this to go on."

Snowden speaks out: "Hey Alexa" vs. "Hey Keith Alexander"

It turns out "Hey Alexa" is short for "Hey Keith Alexander." Yes, the Keith Alexander personally responsible for the unlawful mass surveillance programs that caused a global scandal. And Amazon Web Services (AWS) host ~6% of all websites. https://t.co/6hkzsHjxh9  Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 9, 2020

In the height of the issue of Amazon's newly-appointed official, Snowden himself tweeted about his side on the matter.



Snowder was not happy with the online retail store's decision to appoint him, especially with his last issues of breaking user privacy.



Snowden even compared common Amazon's phrase "Hey Alexa," as short to "Hey Keith Alexander."



Amazon has not yet commented on the matter, until now.

ALSO READ: NSA's Phone Surveillance Is Deemed Unlawful by Appeals Court; Mass Data Collection Leak Involves Higher-ups in Huge Scandal

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Jamie Pancho

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Yes, we talked Xbox earlier this week, but that was before Microsoft revealed when you can pre-order the Series X (on September 22nd), the fact that it's adding EA Play (home of Need for Speed Heat and the FIFA series) to Xbox Game Pass and what extra storage options there are for the entry-level Series S console.

There was a whole bunch of announcements. Presumably, yesterday was when the company wanted to reveal all the Xbox goodness, only to be spoiled by leaks on Monday. The bottom line for a lot of us: Xbox Series S offers incredible value for next-gen gamers.

Devindra, who wrote that story, has a point. I had zero interest in the Microsoft console, but $300 and a gamer pass subscription is a compelling argument, even alongside my new PS5, which Ill buy regardless of the price. I have feelings on consoles: Im going to fight it out with Devindra on the Engadget podcast later today.

 Mat

Motorola's 5G Razr is better than the original in almost every way

It wasnt a high bar to clear.

We didnt get the perfect foldable from Motorola the first time around, so heres the brand new Razr, with a modified design, 5G and fixes for at least some of the issues the first model was notorious for. Chris Velazco says it's still not a flagship phone, and at $1,400, hes not sure it's a great deal either. But for people who want an extremely pocket-friendly foldable that's also usable while closed, Motorola just might be on the right track. Continue reading.

Googles latest app lets influencers make money hosting online events

It's available now in the US and Canada.

Fundo, Googles new app, allows YouTubers and other social media goliaths to set up internet meet and greets and workshops with their fans. It gives hosts full control over how much it costs to attend an event, allowing them to offer free tickets if they so choose.

The software takes care of most of the logistics  including ticketing and livestreaming  so those influencers dont have to use multiple apps just to get their fans on the same video call. While it all might seem like a response to the coronavirus pandemic, Area 120s work on the software actually predates the current situation by a couple of years. Continue reading.

We reviewed a $70 fitness watch

How bad could it be?

Dana Wollman, Engadget Editor-in-Chief, runner and Apple Watch reviewer, tests out the Bop S, a $70 running watch with compromises. Fortunately, it excels in the areas that matter most  namely, accurate GPS tracking, heart-rate monitoring and long battery life. Continue reading.

Yubico's latest security key uses NFC and USB-C for authentication

That helps it prevent hacking on nearly all PCs and mobile devices.

Yubico, the company that wants you to drop passwords and use a physical hardware key instead, has unveiled a new product that works with just about any device and authentication protocol. The YubiKey 5C NFC uses both USB-C and NFC, so it supports Windows, macOS and Linux PCs, along with Android and iOS smartphones or tablets.



The company said it can prevent phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks because it stores a strong, single-use key that users must have in their physical possession. The new key costs $55. Continue reading.

But wait, theres more...

Here are the Xbox Series S and X games you can play at launch

Apple will stop letting Epic Games use Sign in with Apple on September 11th

'Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War' multiplayer is smooth and slightly neon

Tile's new service will offer up to $1,000 if it can't find your stuff

The Xbox Series X vs. the Xbox Series S: What's the difference?
A recent peer-reviewed study, done by a Bihar youth, claiming presence of anti-breast cancer properties in red sandalwood seeds has been published in a US journal. The success of the study, conducted on rats, using sandalwood seeds is said to be significant for its potential use in cancer treatment without harming the endangered tree.

The study, done by 29 year old Vivek Akhouri, who did his masters in biotechnology from Magadh University in Gaya, was published last month by the SAGE Publishing, a US journal with publications on science, medicine, humanities and other nonfiction topics. The study with headline--Antitumour property of Pterocarpus santalinus seeds against DMBA-induced breast cancer in ratswas published in its journal of Breast Cancer: Basic and Clinical Research.

Researches in the past have found sandalwood trees heartwood (the wood at the centre of the trunk) to possess anti-cancer property but Akhouris study claims that even the seeds of red sandalwood have anti-cancer properties, a significant finding since unlike heartwood, using seeds of red sandalwood do not damage the tree, classified as endangered species.

We found 49.5% regression in tumour size after inducing cancer cells in rats using dimethyl benzo anthracene, a chemical carcinogen, and orally inducing them daily for five weeks a single dose of red sandalwood seeds, collected from Simri village in Buxar district, said Akhouri.

The other set of rats, which was given carcinogen and not administered the formulation, began to die after five weeks, he said in response to a peer reviewers query why he did not continue the dose beyond five weeks to see if the cancer cells were completely decimated, before SAGE published the findings.

The potency of seeds, their requirement for cancer treatment and side-effects, if any, are still a subject of research and pharmacological study, which pharmaceutical firms have to undertake as part of pre-clinical and clinical trials before launch of any drug, said Akhouri.

Akhouri is now researching the pulp of Aegle marmelos (bel in common parlance), a fruit found throughout Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Thailand, to establish it has better properties to reduce cancer tumour size.

The study is co-authored by Manorma Kumari, professor, department of botany, Anugrah Narayan College, Patna, and Arun Kumar of the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan and Research Centre, Patna, where the research was undertaken.

We will isolate the active molecule from the seeds and go for patenting before approaching pharmaceutical firms for pre-clinical and clinical trials, said Kumar.

He added that their study was inspired by an earlier research on heartwood of red sandalwood trees by Li and colleagues of China in 2018.

The Chinese research had shown that the trees heartwood contains some compounds (sesquiterpenes of canusesnol K [1], canusesnol L [2] and 12, 15-dihydroxycurcumene [3], along with five others) which help in retarding the growth of cancer cells grown under in vitro condition by up to 35.07% in case of liver cancer, breast cancer and cervical carcinoma, said Kumar.

Another study by Wu and colleagues of Taiwan in 2011 reported that the heartwood contains compounds (pterolinus B, pterolinus D, pterolinus Ha, pterolinus Hb and melanoxoin) that also inhibit the growth of liver and breast cancer cell grown under controlled conditions, he said.

Since earlier studies were in vitro (within laboratory) research, their findings cannot be compared with ours on Charles Foster rats, added Kumar.

Ashok Sharma, associate professor, department of biochemistry (laboratory of Chromatin & Cancer Epigenetics), AIIMS Delhi, termed the research a progressive step to establish Ayurvedic medicines worldwide.

Generally, plant-based molecules have less chance of side-effects as compared to allopathic drugs. However, we need to do pharmacological study to establish this fact before using red sandalwood seeds for their anti-cancer property, Sharma said.

He added that the scientific evidence of medical benefits of natural resources existed but the need was to publish it. The government of India was now promoting research and boosting the use of Ayurvedic medicines, as in management of coronavirus disease, he added.

MM Singh, a former emeritus medical scientist of ICMR and ex-chief scientist and head, endocrinology division of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow, praised the findings.

The good thing about this research is that anti-cancer property has been found from natural resources without damaging the tree. The challenge, however, will be to source a large amount of seeds, given the increasing disease burden and the long-term therapy involved in cancer, he said.

We need to increase the cultivation of red sandalwood trees and identify its active compound, which can then be synthesised in a laboratory, added Singh.

Also Read: With a recovery rate of 88.98%, Bihar ahead of other states on Covid-19 parameters

The Bihar government, however, has no plan to propagate the cultivation of red sandalwood.

Red sandalwood, common in south Indian states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, is not found in natural forests of Bihar. We do not have any immediate plan to propagate its cultivation. The best of red and white sandalwood require laterite soil (Bihar has Gangetic alluvial soil). However, some nurseries may have brought seeds of red sandalwood tree and sowed them for specific purposes, said AK Pandey, principal chief conservator of forest, Bihar.

Also Read: Beginning today, itll be raining projects for Bihar

According to GLOBOCAN 2018, an online database providing estimates of incidence and mortality of cancer in 185 countries, breast cancer was the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women in India, with an estimated 27.7% (1,62,468) of all new cancer cases among women and 23.45% (87,090) of cancer-related deaths in 2018.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has already projected the disease burden to increase by 12% in the next couple of years.

The incidence of breast cancer has been rising in Bihar by almost 23.5% annually among females in the last five years, said Dr Rita Rani, senior consultant oncologist and principal investigator for hospital-based cancer registry, Mahavir Cancer Sansthan project under the ICMR.
Bengaluru, Sep 10 : A special team from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has landed here on Thursday to probe the alleged drug dealing case involving Sandalwood stars.

Speaking to IANS, a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity that the special team has gathered information about the seizures made by the Central Crime Bureau (CCB) of the police in this connection so far.

The CCB too suspects that high-profile party organiser Viren Khanna, who has been arrested in this case, may have an international drug mafia link as he used to host parties across the globe.

"A preliminary investigation has revealed that he has established a maze of connections. There are several layers of connections in his dealings, be it in the country or elsewhere. To dig deep into this maze of transactions and dealings, the ED might step in," an officer disclosed.

The police, who are also on the lookout for another accused Aditya Alva, who is the son of late minister Jeevraj Alva and brother-in-law of Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi, claims that they need to investigate his role too.

Meanwhile, when reporters quizzed the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant about the ED team's arrival, he replied that there was nothing new in investigation agencies meeting and exchanging information.

"I am just curious to know why the media always becomes obsessed with one or two cases? Do not link it (ED) to anything as of now. We must remember one thing that during investigations, one plus one cannot always be two," he said.
She was planning on charging her followers to see photos of her baby bump on OnlyFans.

But on Thursday, Instagram London Goheen gave her followers a peek at her pregnancy for free by sharing a photo of herself at the gym with fiance Reece Hawkins.

In the image, the 22-year-old's baby bump was visible in a pair of tight high-waisted leggings.

No charge! On Thursday, London Goheen gave her followers a peek at her pregnancy for free by sharing a photo of herself at the gym with fiance Reece Hawkins

She then posted a video of Reece lifting dumbbells in the gym, but she didn't share any footage of herself.

London, who boasts 524,000 Instagram followers, copped backlash after revealing that she's going to be charging fans $14.99 per month on the subscription service.

'She's literally charging people for her OnlyFans to view pics of her bump? What the f**k,' one follower commented on London's pregnancy announcement on Instagram.

Another wrote: 'Wow sis is really charging $9.99 per month to see her pregnancy photos lol.'

Backlash: London was SLAMMED last week for asking fans to pay $15 per month to see her baby bump on OnlyFans

One fan said that while she's happy for influencer Reece, 25, and London, they just can't comprehend coughing up the cash for the images.

'Congratulations. I would love to keep track of everything for your pregnancy. Just like with your relationship to watch you guys grow together... But I don't want to pay for an OnlyFans...'

However, another follower said that posting to OnlyFans is a good idea, saying it's 'so much safer and more secure!!'

More secure: She said she made the decision to post on OnlyFans because over the years she and Reece have been 'harassed to the point where we've had to seek legal action'

'What the f**k': The 22-year-old, who boasts 524,000 followers, copped backlash after revealing she's going to be charging fans $14.99 per month on the subscription service

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia last week, London defended her decision to show off her baby bump on OnlyFans.

'I have chosen to show detailed parts of my pregnancy on that platform because I've had to experience harassment and bullying for the last two years over my relationship with Reece,' she explained.

'I have 100 per cent control of my profile and what people have access to and comment on.

'I never said it was compulsory. People can choose if they wish to subscribe or not. If people don't like the idea of it or disagree with my decision then they don't have to be involved...

'We're just doing this to ensure a HAPPY POSITIVE FRUITFUL PREGNANCY.'
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Gaia Metals Corp. (the "Company") (TSXV:GMC)(OTCQB:RGDCF)(FSE:R9G) is pleased to announce the first batch of analytical results for samples collected during the recently completed Phase I surface program at the Company's wholly owned Freeman Creek Gold Property in Idaho, USA. The Property is located approximately 15 km northeast of Salmon, ID, and hosts excellent access via paved highway and a network of gravel roads and trails.

The initial batch of rock sample assays has been received from the Company's inaugural exploration of the Property and confirms significant gold-silver (+/- copper-lead-zinc) mineralisation at both the Gold Dyke and Carmen Creek prospects. Highlights include:

Strong gold, silver, and copper mineralization at the Gold Dyke Prospect including: 10.9 g/t Au, 80.1 g/t Ag, 0.72% Cu, 1.97% Pb, and 7.90% Zn in talus 4.32 g/t Au and 292 g/t Ag in outcrop

Strong gold, silver, and copper mineralization at the Carmen Creek Prospect including: 15.3 g/t Au, 41.0 g/t Ag, and 0.78% Cu in outcrop 4.98 g/t Au, 148 g/t Ag, and 32.0% Cu in talus

Mineralized strike length at Carmen Creek of at least 350 m has been delineated based on first batch of sample assays. Analysis pending for approximately an additional 500+ m of sampled strike length

Discovery of parallel trending structure to main Carmen Creek Zone with similar rock types and mineralogy - assays pending

The Phase I program at Freeman Creek was completed by Dahrouge Geological Consulting USA Ltd. of Centennial, Colorado, over fourteen (14) days in August and consisted of property-wide prospecting and rock sampling to verify historical surface data, soil sampling, and a ground magnetic survey (see news released dated August 31st, 2020). To date, assays have been received for 42 of 224 surface rock samples collected throughout the Property. Assay highlights from this first batch of 42 samples are presented in Table 1.

Story continues

Table 1: Select Rock Sample Assays from First Batch of Samples Analyzed at Freeman Creek

Sample ID Area Source Au

g/t Ag

g/t Cu

% Pb

% Zn

% 147012 Gold Dyke Talus 10.9 80.1 0.72 1.97 7.90 147022 Gold Dyke Outcrop 4.32 292 0.03 0.28 0.03 147009 Gold Dyke Outcrop 1.58 17.6 0.15 0.27 0.45 147010 Gold Dyke Outcrop 1.07 19.5 0.01 0.64 0.04 147011 Gold Dyke Talus 0.96 13.9 0.15 0.60 0.65 147028 Gold Dyke Outcrop 0.66 48.9 0.01 0.18 0.04 147058 Carmen Creek Outcrop 15.3 41.0 0.78 0.00 0.00 147055 Carmen Creek Outcrop 11.8 36.9 0.76 0.01 0.00 147054 Carmen Creek Talus 5.57 35.4 0.78 0.00 0.00 147128 Carmen Creek Talus 4.98 148 32.0 0.01 0.00 147096 Carmen Creek Outcrop 4.74 40.9 0.65 0.00 0.00 147043 Carmen Creek Talus 3.96 28.2 0.72 0.00 0.00



Gold Dyke Prospect

Assays results for 20, out of approximately 140, samples collected throughout the Gold Dyke area, have been received. The samples analyzed confirm the potential of the prospect with assays including 10.9 g/t Au, 80.1 g/t Ag, 0.72% Cu, 1.97% Pb, and 7.90% Zn in talus (angular, proximal to source) and 4.32 g/t Au and 292 g/t Ag in outcrop (Photo 1, 2). These samples were collected from an area within 200 m of the main road crossing through the Property and are therefore easily accessible for further exploration and drill testing (Figure 1). Mineralization at Gold Dyke is hosted by strongly silicified meta-sediments with quartz veining and minor sulphides (pyrite, chalcopyrite).

The Gold Dyke Prospect is the most advanced prospect on the Property, having been the subject of some initial drill testing in the past, with encouraging results. This includes two mineralized intercepts, from rotary drilling completed in the 1980s by St. Joe American Corp., that remain to be followed-up on: 1.5 g/t Au and 12.1 g/t Ag over 44.2 m (RDH-8) and 1.7 g/t Au and 17.1 g/t Ag over 21.3 m (RDH-10). The mineralization in drill hole starts from surface and extends to at least 50 m depth and remains to be followed-up with additional drilling. Based on topographical relief, the mineralization at Gold Dyke has been traced over a vertical extent of at least 105 m (350 ft), suggesting additional depth potential, thus also demonstrating potential for large tonnage to be present.

Carmen Creek Prospect

The 2020 surface exploration at Carmen Creek successfully verified historical data with rock assays including 15.3 g/t Au, 41.0 g/t Ag, and 0.78% Cu in outcrop (sample 147058) and 4.98 g/t Au, 148 g/t Ag, and 32.0% Cu in talus (angular, proximal to source). Sample 147058 was collected atop a large cliff face (Photo 3, 4), proximal to the site of a historical mill that operated circa 1910 at the prospect.

The recent sampling has outlined a more significant length of mineralization than previously known. Historical exploration from this area (circa 1910s) is poorly documented with the 2020 prospecting discovering past activity, including adits and blast pits/trenches, over a strike length of at least 900 m and remains open (Figure 2). Sample analysis has been received for approximately 350 m of this trend, with analysis pending over the additional strike length. The mineralization at Carmen Creek is characterized by chlorite mica-schists with quartz veining, magnetite, and common malachite and sulphides (bornite, chalcopyrite, pyrite). Initial field prospecting outlines a central mineralized zone, oriented ~135/65, of at least 1-2 m with vein stockworks extending out 5 to 10 m into the adjacent host rock.

Further, the 2020 prospecting has discovered a sub-parallel zone/structure approximately 80 m northeast of the main zone that has not been historically documented to the Company's knowledge. The structure is characterized by a 1-2 m wide quartz vein with common magnetite, malachite, and local chlorite. The zone was traced and sampled by the field crew for at least 400 m and a potential extension encountered in outcrop a further 600+ m along strike during magnetic surveying. The discovery of a second potentially mineralized structure at Carmen Creek is significant and highlights potential for additional mineralized structures to be present in the area. A significant portion of the Carmen Creek area remains to be prospected. Collectively, the Carmen Creek core area of interest exceeds 1 km in strike length, with high-grade gold-silver-copper mineralization traced over a strike length of approximately 350 m, with assays pending on sampling for another 500+ metres along strike.

Drill Permitting

The Company expects to receive drill permits for the Gold Dyke Prospect within the next two weeks and intends to immediately carry-out a 5-6-hole (~1,000 m) diamond drill program to collect drill core for assay. The drill testing will twin the historical rotary drill holes RDH 8 and 10, and as well as other targets in the area developed from the recent surface exploration.

The Carmen Creek Prospect has never been drill tested and therefore its extent at depth is not known. However, based on topographical relief, the mineralization at Carmen Creek has been traced over a vertical extent of at least 230 m (750 ft), suggesting the zone has strong depth potential. With initial results from the Phase I surface program successful in locating and assessing the orientation of the primary mineralized zone, the Company is actively permitting an initial phase of drill holes. In addition, the Company is planning to initiate a follow-up surface program before snowfall, to run in parallel with the pending drill program at Gold Dyke, which will focus on further surface delineation of the known zone(s) as well as discovery of additional parallel zones.

Figure 1: Gold Dyke Prospect

Photo 1: Vuggy, silicified meta-sediment outcrop; 4.3 g/t Au and 292 g/t Ag (Sample 147022) - Gold Dyke Prospect

Photo 2: 10.9 g/t Au, 80.1 g/t Ag, 0.72% Cu, 1.97% Pb, and 7.90% Zn (sample 147012) - Gold Dyke Prospect

Figure 2: Carmen Creek Prospect

Photo 3: Western end of sampling of the Carmen Creek Prospect (looking east-southeast). Near base of ridge, rock assay of 3.96 g/t Au, 28.2 g/t Ag, and 0.72% Cu (sample 147043); at top of ridge, rock sample assays of 15.3 g/t Au, 41.0 g/t Ag, and 0.78% Cu (sample 147058), and 11.8 g/t Au, 36.9 g/t Ag, and 0.75% Cu (sample 147055)

Photo 4: Outcrop sample assaying 15.3 g/t Au, 41.0 g/t Ag, and 0.78% Cu (sample 147058) - Carmen Creek Prospect

QAQC

All rock samples collected (grab), as well as quartz blanks and certified reference materials, were shipped by ground to Activation Laboratories Ltd. in Kamloops, BC for multi-element analysis (including Ag) by aqua regia digestion with ICP-OES finish (code 1E3) and Au analysis by fire assay with AA finish (package 1A2B-50). Over limits for Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, and Zn were determined by the relevant analytical package.

Management cautions that prospecting surface rock sample assays, as presented herein, are selective by nature and represent a point location, and therefore may not necessarily be fully representative of the mineralized horizon sampled.

NI 43-101 Disclosure

Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration for the Company and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.

About Gaia Metals Corp.

Gaia Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of mineral projects containing base and precious metals, including platinum group elements, and lithium.

The Company's flagship asset is the Freeman Creek Gold Property, located in Idaho, USA. The Property hosts two major advanced targets; the Gold Dyke Prospect, with an historical drill intercept of 1.5 g/t Au and 12.1 g/t Ag over 44.2 m (RDH 8), and the Carmen Creek Mine Prospect, with an historical outcrop sample assay of 14.15 g/t Au, 63 g/t Ag, and 1.2% Cu.

Additional assets include the wholly owned Corvette Property, and the FCI Property (held under Option from O3 Mining Inc.) located in the James Bay Region of Quebec. The properties are contiguous and host significant gold-silver-copper-PGE-lithium potential highlighted by the Golden Gap Prospect with grab samples of 3.1 to 108.9 g/t Au from outcrop and 10.5 g/t Au over 7 m in drill hole, the Elsass and Lorraine prospects with 8.15% Cu, 1.33 g/t Au, and 171 g/t Ag in outcrop, and the CV1 Pegmatite Prospect with 2.28% Li2O over 6 m in channel.

In addition, the Company holds the Pontax Lithium-Gold Property, QC; the Golden Silica Property, BC; and the Hidden Lake Lithium Property, NWT, where the Company maintains a 40% interest, as well as several other assets in Canada.

For further information, please contact Adrian Lamoureux, President & CEO at Tel: 778-945-2950, E-mail: adrian@gaiametalscorp.com or visit www.gaiametalscorp.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

"ADRIAN LAMOUREUX"

Adrian Lamoureux, President & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward Looking Statements:

Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Gaia Metals Corp.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/605430/Gaia-Metals-Corp-Samples-109-gt-Au-801-gt-Ag-and-072-Cu-at-Gold-Dyke-and-153-gt-Au-410-gt-Ag-and-078-at-Carmen-Creek-Freeman-Creek-Property-Idaho-USA




Members of the Irish Defence forces at a Covid-19 testing facility at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

Demand for Covid-19 tests trebled this week, forcing the HSE to suspend testing in meat and food plants over laboratory capacity concerns.

Serial testing in meat plants was due to begin on Monday, however the plans were delayed following requests for 13,000 community tests and 3,000 hospital tests in one day.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said the HSE has rescheduled the testing of all factory workers to next week.

At times of high demand, when there are a lot of patients with symptoms that need to be tested, those people have to be prioritised and that's what happened in the last couple of days Leo Varadkar

At times of high demand, when there are a lot of patients with symptoms that need to be tested, those people have to be prioritised and thats what happened in the last couple of days, he told the Dail.

There was a surge in demand for tests from people with symptoms.

He said the capacity for testing is about 15,000 in one day.

While demand has fallen back since Monday it remains quite high, Mr Varadkar added.

There were another 196 Covid-19 cases recorded across Ireland on Thursday, 107 of which were in Dublin. There were no further deaths announced.

The decision to postpone widespread testing in meat and food plants was criticised by Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty, who said the move was incredibly reckless.

I think it is an incredibly shortsighted move and its one that needs to be rectified, he told Mr Varadkar.

Everyone should be aware of the risk factors for getting #COVID19.



Distance - 2m is best

Activity - avoid close contact

Time - keep time low as possible

Environment - move it outdoors, keep windows open

Symptoms - isolate and contact your GP ASAP#DATES #HoldFirm pic.twitter.com/SvfjCup1Wx  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) July 30, 2020

Meat factories have been the site of numerous clusters and were one of the main reasons of regional lockdowns, and we all know the difficulties that caused for businesses and communities.

There are currently at least four clusters associated with meat factories around the state.

Meat factory workers are particularly vulnerable because of the poor working conditions. Outbreaks in factories lead to increased transmission and increased risk where these factories are located and where these workers live.

The first round of serial testing in meat plants took place on August 21.

A total of 13,000 tests were carried out, and 34 positive cases were detected.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Alan Kelly has called for the Governments plan for living with Covid-19 to be a watershed.

We need to ensure that in the long-term plan for living with Covid that we particularly focus in on our elderly. We need a plan that is proofed for our older people. They need to be able to live their lives safely. @alankellylabour pic.twitter.com/yciI8DEdHZ  The Labour Party (@labour) September 10, 2020

He said the public is living on every word of the Government.

A roadmap for living with Covid-19 is due to be published in the next week.

We need to have a watershed next week whereby all the confusion and all the messing and internal rivalry in government ends, he added.

I want you to cover some things that I think are essential; we need a plan that is elderly-proofed. We are heading into six months of winter and we need to make sure they can live their lives.

We need to make sure that people with disabilities are looked after. Im asking that the plan reflects this.

Any close contacts of a positive case of #COVID19 will be contacted by our contact tracers & referred for a test. We strongly advise everybody contacted to come forward to help protect yourself, your family, the wider public and to help slow the the spread of #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/udKEBZQor9  HSE Ireland (@HSELive) September 10, 2020

Mr Kelly also called for a plan in relation to tourism and travel.

Mr Varadkar said that the second chapter in dealing with the virus is a lot more difficult as it is about suppressing Covid-19 while keeping the country open.

Mr Kelly also called for the introduction of self-referral for Covid-19 testing.

I dont think GPs can continue on, working they way they are. I think we are going to have to move to a process of self-referral for Covid testing, Mr Kelly added.
Written by ACM

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- After the Latest CoE's Committee of Ministers' Session on ECHR Judgements' Implementation, this week in Strasbourg (1-3/9/2020), it became Clear that Turkey not only did Not Find, neither Punished Anyone for the Enforced Disappearances of Many People in Cyprus, Despite Many Years since ECHR Condemned Ankara's Government for that, But, Moveover, it Still Refuses to even Indemnify the Victims' Families at all, Contrary to Euro-Judges' verdict.

- The move comes Shortly After CoE's PanEuropean Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, (an Experienced former OSCE's Representative for Free Speech : comp. her relevant Statements to "Eurofora", f.ex. at ... + ... + ..., etc), Strongly Denounced "the Lack of Truth and Justice for thousands of Missing Persons" as "a Serious Human Rights Issue" that still "remains in Europe", and "Call(ed)" on all CoE's Member States "concerned by this Problem", as a matter of Principle, to "Search for Missing persons with more Resolve, Investigate What Happened to them, Punish those Responsible, Acknowledge the Suffering of Relatives of victims of enforced disappearances and of missing persons, and Cater to their Needs".

Cyprus faces the Oldest such CoE's Problem attested by the ECHR, Since the 1974 Turkey's Foreign Military Invasion and Occupation, still on-going at the Northern Territories of the Island, (so that Ankara could Not ever pretend that it might not have had Enough Time to Investigate that Issue, as it should, according to the ECHR's Treaty, which had entered into force already since 1953), when 1.619 Greek Cypriots were proven to have gone "Missing". Since then, it's just a Few Dozens among them, for whom ...Only some parts of their Bones are estimated to have been Found by a Controversial RedCross-sponsored grouplet, (Sometimes with Tragic "Errors", as proved several Scandalous Cases of Bones, in fact, belonging to Other Persons !), while still Remain More than + 1.510 (Others speak of 1.532) Missing People for whom their real Fate stays UnKnown, even until Nowadays (2020)...

=> So that, mutatis-mutandis, the main Developments on this Pioneer Cyprus' "Missing" People Issue, inevitably Affect, in one way or another, Also Various Similar Cases of Other Missing persons accross an Important Number of more CoE's Member States, which faced Different kinds of such Problems (Even withOut Foreign Military Invasion/Occupation) Later-on, "including in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina", Serbia "and Other Countries in the Balkans, ... Georgia, Northern Ireland in the UK, the Russian Federation, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine", etc., as the PanEuropean Human Rights' Commissioner Mijatovic noted in Strasbourg just a few Days ago, (Comp. Supra).

+ Moreover, this naturaly interacts, at least on certain Key-points concerning some Basic Principles, compared with UNO's and/or other, more or less Similar Cases of "Missing" People accross the World, (Even if withOut Foreign Military Invasion/Occupation, as in Cyprus by Turkey's Army), and Particularly in Latin America, where, in Addition to the Nearby Geneva-Based UNO's Human Rights' Committee (strengthened by a 2005 UN Reform : Comp., f.ex., "Eurofora" co-Founder's NewsReports from UNO's New York Headquarters during an Exceptional Heads of State/Government World Summit, published then at "Cyprus Weekly", etc.), and Mainly according to Landmark Case-Law developments, in this area, by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as well as Inside certain Latin-American Countries, (as, f.ex., Chile, Argentina, etc), where, Notoriously, several among those Responsible for similar Crimes related to "Enforced Disappearances", (Since the Middle of the 1970ies, as in Cyprus), had recently Started to be Found and Punished.

Even the New, Landmark UNO's "International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance", a Legal Tool insisting on Finding All the Truth and Punishing those Responsible for relevant Crimes, (that Mijatovic has just found "Crucial" for more "CoE's Member States" to "Ratify it" on 2020), which had been Signed at a much Publicized Event in Paris, sponsored by Historic former French President Jacques Chirac, and actively Supported by Vatican-related, Experienced Diplomats, etc., Despite the Fact that, Officialy, it couldn't settle but Only "New" Cases, Nevertheless, as some Key UNO's Top Legal Experts told "Eurofora", in Real Practice, it Can and already Started to be Used, in an adequate way, Also in order to Monitor relevant Developments linked to Pre-existing "Missing" People Issues, (f.ex. in cases concerning Spain, etc).

- "So many Families of Missing persons ...have been Demanding to Know the Whereabouts of their Loved ones for Years, sometimes even Decades", the PanEuropean Commissioner for Human Rights obserbed. At least, "Establishing the Truth, is a matter of Justice. States Must No Longer Procrastinate on this Legal and Moral Duty", she Urged Nowadays.

Many and Horrible Abuses against Several Basic Human Rights Can, notoriously, be Hidden Behind "Missing" Persons' Tragedies : F.ex., inter alia, Deprivation of Liberty, Slavery, Robery, Heavy Sanctions withOut Any Fair Trial at all, Muzzling, Violations of Private/Family life, Inhuman/Degrading Treatments and/or Torture, Brutal Killings, etc...

__________________





In the Cases of Greek-Cypriot "Missing" Persons, during Recent Years, Searches Found, f.ex., Prisoners of War, intact and apparently Healthy when they were Cought by Turkey's Foreign Invasion/Occupation Army, (according to Crystal-clear Photographs, Witnesses, etc), But whose ...Bones, were, Afterwards, Discovered thrown and Hidden Deep inside a Well (sic !), Kidnapped People Transfered to Mainland Turkey's Prisons But Never Returned Back to Cyprus, Or Even various Civilians, as a Bank's clerk, apparently Killed after an Armed Gang stole the Keys and/or the Code giving access to a Safe with Money, a Young Mother, a Child, (etc)... Moreover, probably in order to Hide any Trace of Horrible Crimes, more and more Cases were Found where Mass Graves had been "ReMoved" from one Location to anOther, Often with the Bones broken into Smaller Pieces, eventualy Mixed up and/or Dispersed around, so as to Hide the Identity of the Victims, and/or the Location, the Circumstances of What Really Happened to them, as the Government of Cyprus Denounced several Times at the CoE. (To the Point that Find an Entire Skeleton started to Become Rare, while some Victims' Families were given just a Bone to Burry, which, Later-on, proved to belong to anOther, Different Person, while the Fate of their Beloved one Remained still UnKnown !)...

Inter alia, f.ex., the Latest Official News (of this Summer 2020) from the Inter-Communal Body, under IRC auspices, which has undertaken the Task to Search (Since a 1981 initial Compromise between the 2 Sides, Using All Kinds of Evidence, i.e. Photos, Notes, Archives, Witnesses, Enquiries, Remains, etc), and Also Unearth any Remains (Since a Controversial 2007 Plan, mainly Based on Genetic Bio-Tech.) from Cyprus' "Missing" People (CMP), says that its "Scientists ...are currently analyzing the remains of 162 individuals", among whom, almost the Half (50%), are "remains of 74 individuals (that) have been assessed as Complex", Because "they are either InComplete or Fragmented". In Consequence, they "Necessitate more Advanced and Specialised Genetic Analyses", as "in some Cases, the Initial DNA Analysis does Not provide successful Results, and New Analysis is Necessary, that is Time Consuming", so that "the Identification of these Complex Cases may take Several Years" More, as "Specialised DNA Tests" are "Only Possible When Progress in DNA Technology occurs", (sic !)...



Both experienced CoE and UNO Experts had Warned "Eurofora"'s co-Founder, Already from the Start and in the Middle of such a Controversial Method of Searching, as that which was Imposed via the Also Controversial "CMP", mainly via the UnPopular former UK "New Labour" Prime Minister Tony Bliar since 2006/2007, (where Nothing can be done, not even said, if Turkey Disagrees, and which is Limited Only in the Identification and Fate of "Missing" People, i.e. Dead or Alive, But Excludes Seeking the Truth on What was Done to them, Neither Who was Responsible, and Even Less How to Bring Criminals to Justice, with Sanctions they deserve, as, on the Contrary, ECHR's case-law asks), Risked Also to "Destroy Evidence of Crimes", By Not Using a "Forensic Method" of Careful Research, which Seeks to Find the Historic Truth on the Circonstances in which People "Disappeared", and Not Only their ...Bones ! (F.ex., inter alia, in a Case inside Turkey, ECHR Found that a Dissident had been Murdered by a GunShot Fired at very Close Distance, and Not just Killed during a Fight by Opposite Armed Groups separated by a notable Distance, as Ankara's Security Forces Claimed, ...Simply by Tracing GunPowder chemical residues at his Shirt. But, if that Victim's Shirt had been Mishandled or Washed, etc., then, the Truth on a Deadly Crime would have been Lost for Ever...) .

("Eurofora" Screenshots from a "CMP" Video on "Exhumations")...





That Blair-sponsored 2006/2007+ Controversial Method, in addition to Focusing at the even More Controversial "CMP" with its Limits, (Comp. Supra), was Also Tightly Linked with "Genetic" Technology, Narrowing the Scopus of "Missing" Persons' Search, practicaly Down to ...Collecting Bones of Dead or Killed People, and Merely Identifying the Persons concerned via DNA Tests, (Ibid). On the Contrary, Both a Vatican-backed Priest with Large Experience in Finding even Hidden "Mass Graves" at Many Countries accross Europe and the World, as well as an Expert of the Wester Balkan Conflicts, added to a "HRW" International NGO Top Activist, participating in CoE's Conferences in Strasbourg, etc., have Clearly Confimed to "Eurofora" that "Forensic Methods" are Indispensable, right from the Start of any real Enquiry on "Missing" People, as well as, that They Used a Lot of Various Investigation Tools, Combined All Together, (and Not Only "Gene-Tech" Alone, which, for them, had just a Marginal role), in order to Identify the Victims of any Remains, and Find What had Happened to them, How, and Who was Responsible. Symbolicaly, this Evoked World-Famous and Nobel Prize Winner ...Gabrial Garcia Marquez's landmark Book "100 Years of Solitude", where, inter alia, he Pictures also the Story of a Whole Village with its Population Massively Killed, during a Socio-Economic Conflict, by Armed Gangs send by a Money-Thirsty Foreign Multinational Company, so that Nobody Believes the 1 and Only Surviving EyeWitness of such a Horrible Massacre, soon Hidden by an all-invading Jungle, to the point that the Tragic Historic Truth was Marked (and Potentialy Saved from Oblivion) just by an Unusual bunch of ...Yellow Butterflies who Surprisingly insisted to Fly Around that Hotspot even After it had its Surface entirely Covered by Huge Plants : An obviously "Magic Realism" Artistic Method, But which can Inspire, at least, a Credo that, Despite Everything, in Fact, an Historic Truth Important for the People, can Never be entirely "Burried" by petty Criminals...

-------------------------



>>> When, nevertheless, clear Evidence of Serious Crimes has been Discovered, in one way or another, at certain Cases of Greek-Cypriot "Missing" People, did, at least, the Turkish Government fullfil, then, its Duty to Find and Punish the Criminals Responsible for that ?



When, nevertheless, clear Evidence of Serious Crimes has been Discovered in certain Cases of Greek-Cypriot "Missing" People, did, at least, the Turkish Government fullfil its Duty to Find and Punish the Criminals Responsible for that ?

ECHR has clearly Condemned Turkey for Not having done so, in general, with a landmark Judgement on the Inter-Governemental case "Cyprus v. Turkey", of May 2001, (Later Followed Also by Other such Judgements, on Individual Cases, after Applications by Victims' Families), and, Since then, More than 19 Years have passed (5/2001-9/2020)...



- According to the Latest CoE's Official Data, made Public this Week (1-3/9/2020), citting, f.ex., Turkey's Documents of 2019, etc., in 4 Tragic Cases, where CoE's Highest Political Body, its Committee of Ministers, had explicitly Asked the Turkish Authorities to Investigate, Ankara merely Replied, Later-on, that "in the light of the Results (sic !) of the (so-called) Investigation..., ....the available Evidence was Not Sufficient (re-sic !!) to initiate a Prosecution", and it went on to ..."Close" that File !!!

=> Such obviously Scandalous Facts, among Many Others, showing Turkey's Blatant DisRegard of its elementary Obligation to Find and Punish those Responsible for Serious Crimes, particularly After ECHR Condemned Ankara in Cases of Greek-Cypriot "Missing" People, as on 2001, 2010, etc., and Following, Moreover, various, more Recent, concrete Findings in several Tragic Cases of "Missing" People in Cyprus, are due to be Examined, by CoE's Committee of Ministers at the Beginning of December 2020, (i.e. under Hungary's rotating Vice-Chairmanship for Human Rights issues, while Germany will hold the Main Political Chairmanship) in Strasbourg.

- Meanwhile, CoE's Committtee of Ministers has Repeatedly "Called on the Turkish Authorities to Ensure the Effectiveness of the ... Investigations", as well as "their Rapid Finalisation", as it reiterated at the End of 2019, ("including", inter alia, also by Access to "Information in Military Archives", etc).

+ Instead of "Rapidly" Finding and Punishing those Responsible for Serious Crimes on "Missing" People, Discovered Recently by a UN-sponsored Program of Exhumations throughout the Island, on the Contrary, Even those Exhumations, which had Helped Reveal several Crimes, have, progressively, Diminished in Number, giving Less and Less Results during the Recent Years : F.ex., from "106 Individuals Exhumed on 2016", their Number Fell Down to Only "41 on 2017", and Even Lower on 2018 and 2019 (13 and 26). However, More than 1.510 Cases of "Missing" Greek-Cypriots still aWait, Nowadays, to make Any Finding on their Fate...

------------

But, independently of that, Did, at least, Turkey pay all or part of the "just satisfaction" awarded by ECHR, since 2014, to the Victims' Families ?

-- The Answer, here too, is Negative : NO ! NOTHING ! As Turkey, apparently, doesN't Give a Damn for Finding and Punishing those Responsible for Serious Crimes in Many Cases of Greek-Cypriot "Missing" People, (Comp. Supra), it Also did Not Pay not even a Penny as part of Indemnisation for those Victims' Families, be it Widows or Orphelins, Old People or Children, etc...

- Indeed, Despite various Numerous, Repeated, Explicit "Calls" upon Ankara by CoE's Highest Body, that of its Committee of Ministers, "Since 2015", to Abide by ECHR's Judgements Condemning Turkey on the cases of "Missing" People in Cyprus, at least by paying a financial Compensation to the Victims' Families, nevertheless, the Turkish Authorities have peristently Refused to do so, blatantly Ignoring All such CoE's Decisions during more than 6 consecutive Years now (2014-2020), and this has just happened again this week (1-3/9/2020) anew !

=> - "To date, No information has been submitted (by Turkey)on the payment of the just satisfaction awarded in this case, despite the fact that in each of its decisions since June 2015 the Committee (of Ministers) has recalled that the obligation to pay the just satisfaction awarded by the Court is unconditional, and called upon the Turkish authorities to pay the sums awarded by the Court without further delay", soberly attests a relevant CoE's Note.

>>> So, once "Again", the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights' Highest Political Body, its Committee of Ministers, officially "Recalled", this week in Strasboug, "that the just satisfaction Judgment of the Court in this case concerned non-pecuniary damage Suffered by the Relatives of Missing persons" in Cyprus, and clearly "Insisted ... Firmly on the UnConditional Obligation of Turkey to Pay the Just Satisfaction Awarded by the European Court in the Judgment Cyprus v. Turkey of 12 May 2014, withOut Further Delay".

- For that purpose, CoE "Decided" to "Resume Consideration of this Issue" at its Forthcoming "Meeting" on ECHR Judgements' Execution, of "1-3 December 2020", i.e. in 2,5 Months' Time, When its Committee of Ministers is due, Also, to Examine the Substantial Aspects of Cyprus' "Missing" People ECHR case-law, related to Turkey's Obligation to Find and Punish all those Responsible for such Enforced Disappearances and the Crimes committed in these Horrible affairs, (Comp. Supra). A Move which, Obviously, Facilitates an Overall View on Ankara's Blatant Disregard vis a vis ECHR's Judgements on particularly Serious Human Rights Violations, and, Hopefully, at last, some Long OverDue Sanctions... *

Otherwise, the Credibility of the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights and Rule of Law, will Obviously be gravely Compromised, (See, inter alia, f.ex.: ..., etc), in front of its 47 Member States and All the World, - considering, particularly, the Wide-Spread Problems about "Missing" People, even Recently, f.ex. in Mexico, etc., and While "Enforced Disappearances are Still happening at This Moment on Our (European) Continent, as Warned a few Days Ago, CoE's Commissioner Mijatovic, precisely on the "International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances", (Comp. Supra).

+ Exceptionaly, this Week's CoE's Top Collective Meeting in Strasbourg on such and other Important ECHR Judgments' Execution (1-3/9/2020) took place While the New President of the PanEuropean Court of Human Rights, Judge Robert Spano, was making a 4 Days-Long Official Visit to ...Turkey, including several Top Political and Legal Encounters with the Current Leadership of that Notoriously Problematic Country, reportedly in order to Help Boost the cause for Human Rights. It closely Followed the Tragic Death of Woman Lawyer Emru Timtik after 238 Days of Huger Strike in Prison, asking for a New, Fair Trial, to overun her previous Condemnation under doubtful Accusations for so-called "Terrorism" Links, sending ShockWaves throughout CoE and EU Human Rights Top Officials, etc., while Also a 2nd Lawyer facing Similar Problems, was Following her Long and Tragic Hunger Strike path. But, Even when Human Rights' Activist and Businesman Osman Kavala repeatedly Won several Turkish Court's Judgements against Turkish Government's Accusations for alleged Complicity to the so-called 6-Hours Long "Coup" Attempt of 2016, Keeping him in Prison, then, Ankara's Authorities, again and again, Added More Accusations Prolonging his Detention, and Also Refused, until now, to Implement an ECHR Judgement favorable to his Liberation, so that CoE's Committee of Ministers was Obliged, this week, to Ask Turkey to let him Free...

=> Was this Spano's visit to Turkey, (Criticized by some Turkish and International Human Rights' Activists, mainly for alleged Lack of any meeting with Dissidents), made in Vain ?

+ And Will EU Authorities Persist to still Pay to Turkey several Billions  each Year, in Full Grants, from EU TaxPayers' Money, (including Even from Poor EU Citizens, who are the Only ones to be, in real practice, Taxed by VAT on All their Meager "Income"), since Ankara's blatant Blackmail of 2015/2016+, with that Sudden Big "Tsunami" of Mass Asylum Seekers and/or Irregular Migrants (Together with several Deadly Islamist Terrorists afterwards cowardly Targetting innocent Civilian People, in Paris' Bloody Attentats and others), Tresspassing inside Europe from Turkey's Sea-Coasts facing EU Member Greece, (Under Pretext to Fund the "Cost" mainly of some Horrible "Camps" where Turkish Authorities had Closed Refugees from Syria, hardly Hit by ISIL's and Other Islamist Deadly Terrorists Notoriously Backed by Ankara, While the Turkish Private Sector was, at the Same Time, Scandalously Over-Exploiting those Defenseless Refugees, Obliged to very Harsh "Jobs" often in Sub-Human Conditions, as, f.ex., among others, it was Revealed to the Brittish Press by the unfortunate Father of that Small Syrian-Kurdish Child, whose Corpse's Photo became World-Famous when it was Drown and Killed at the Aegean Sea, after a Turkish Smuggler opened a Hole into the makeshift, Plastic "Boat" which Transported Poor Refugees towards Greece, Rapidly Escaping Himself Away with a Fast-Moving Motor-Boat, as Most such Smugglers used to do, Killing Also that Child's Mother and Sister, who didN't know how to swim) ?...

Hard Facts which Obviously Show that in this kind of Turkey, When the Tragedy is Not about "Missing People", it's Always about "Missing Justice" !

But What has all this to do with Our Europe ?

(../..)

("Draft-News")
Hong Kong: Govt hails teachers

The Education Bureau (EDB) today expressed wholehearted respect to all teachers on the annual Teachers' Day.

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Teacher Tribute 2020 - Teacher Respect Day Celebration & Commendation Ceremony has been postponed to November 4.

The EDB appealed to students, parents and all sectors of the community to pay tribute to teachers and thank them for their selfless dedication, especially their outstanding efforts and hard work in facilitating students to achieve the goal of suspending classes without suspending learning for more than half a year.

It said that due to the disease's evolving situation, face-to-face classes have been suspended except for the short period of class resumption from the end of May to early July.

Teachers have adopted various means to help students learn at home, including the use of electronic platforms. The new learning and teaching mode has brought challenges and may have increased their workload.

Nevertheless, teachers have overcome many difficulties for the sake of students, demonstrating creativity while exploring beyond their limits, leading to fruitful learning and teaching experiences.

Noting that different extents of e-learning, mixed with other modes for home learning, may become the new normal in teaching, the EDB encouraged schools to continue to make use of teaching resources provided by the Government to develop comprehensive learning and teaching strategies to meet students' learning needs.

It will also review all available resources, including the Quality Education Fund, to give further support to schools and teachers for the implementation of e-learning, especially providing assistance to students with financial needs.

Regarding the enhancement of teachers' professional development, the Task Force on Professional Development of Teachers submitted a report to the EDB last year. All recommendations were accepted and have been taken forward from the 2019-20 school year.

For the task force's recommendations on rationalisation of the salaries for school heads and deputy heads and the improvement of manpower at the middle management level in public sector primary schools, the Government will submit them to the Legislative Council's Finance Committee very soon.

It hopes that these measures will be implemented as soon as possible to enhance the quality of primary school management and retain and attract talents to achieve quality education.

Meanwhile, the EDB has taken steps to establish the Professional Ladder for teachers to enhance their professional growth by providing core training, training programmes and resources for newly joined teachers and in-service teachers, and enhance training for teacher promotion starting in the 2020-21 school year.

The EDB said it hopes to continue to join hands with the education sector to create more room for teachers and students to thrive to enhance the quality of education.

This story has been published on: 2020-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 16:55:32|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- A hornbill bird expert was mauled and injured by a wild gaur while he and his team were surveying the route for the production of a television documentary on rare bird species in Khao Yai national park, Thailand's third largest national park in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, said Pokklong Thongnuakheng, assistant chief of the park.

Pitthaya Chueylua, the hornbill expert and seven other work mates were trekking along a jungle route in the Khao Yai National Park when suddenly a gaur jumped out of a bush and attacked Pitthaya's legs.

"We immediately called for help and a helicopter arrived and picked the injured man up and rushed to hospital," said Pokklong.

Pokklong quoted the hospital as saying that the injured man suffered an open wound and a broken leg, but his condition is alright.

Thailand's Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation has repeatedly warned patrons of wild animals not to roam in the Khao Yai National Park as the latter is a sanctuary purposed to house many of Thailand's native animals. Enditem
Officials enforcing Queensland's COVID-19 border policies have rejected dozens of medical emergency requests from families desperate to be reunited with their dying loved ones.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk came under national scrutiny on Thursday after Queensland health officials refused to allow Canberra woman Sarah Caisip, 26, out of hotel quarantine to attend her father's funeral in Brisbane.

Ms Palaszczuk's government would only allow the nursing graduate to see her father's body in private after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the under-fire premier to ask her to make an exception in the young woman's case.

Taking to the floor of Queensland's state parliament later in the day, Ms Palaszczuk then sensationally accused Mr Morrison of bullying and intimidating her.

Mr Morrison said late on Thursday evening he had raised more than 40 different compassionate grounds exemptions with the Queensland government.

One case highlighted by federal authorities involved a mother and father who failed to get an application to enter Queensland resolved in time to be with their son before his life support machine was switched off after a series of strokes.

He earlier strongly rejected any accusation of bullying - saying he just wanted Ms Caisip with be reunited with her sister and mother at the Mount Gravatt service.

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Sarah Caisip is pictured with her father Bernard Prendergast, 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and mother Myrna Prendergast. The 26-year-old was denied a quarantine exemption from the Queensland government to attend her father's funeral in Brisbane on Thursday

Ms Caisip (in yellow) was only allowed to have a private viewing of her father's body, dressed in PPE and with security guards minding her. She was not allowed to greet her family

'I'm glad she got to say one last farewell to her father, Bernard,' Mr Morrison told Sky News' Peta Credlin.

'I'm pleased she was able to do that, but I wish she was able to give her mum and her sister a hug.'

Mr Morrison denied he had wanted to make public his call to Ms Palaszczuk to score political points.

'I've raised many cases with the premier,' he said.

'Ive probably raised more than 40 cases I think by correspondence and I haven't made those a matter of the public record.

'I think that's what people expect of us to do, to pick up the phone to each other in these cases and to raise these issues - and that's what I sought to do this morning.'

Dozens of the appeals on compassionate grounds raised by the federal government to Ms Palaszczuk were unsuccessful, The Australian reported.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he had sent dozens of requests to intervene in border cases to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

Mark Keans - who has terminal cancer - is pictured with his children (L-R) Noah 13, Caitlyn 11, Caleb 11, and Isaac, 7. His family have been quoted $16,000 in quarantine fees to travel to Queensland to say goodbye to him

In another heartbreaking case of a family desperate to see their dying loved one, the children of Brisbane father Mark Keans were quoted $16,000 in hotel quarantine fees to say their final goodbyes to him.

Health authorities had earlier said only one of Mr Keans' four Sydney-based children - all of whom are under the age of 13 - could cross the border to see him one last time as he battles terminal cancer in his brain and lungs.

Queensland Health did not at first respond to multiple requests for an exemption from the truck driver's family, but have now told them they can drive into the state and pay for two weeks quarantine in a Brisbane hotel.

But the 11 close family members of Mr Keans, 39, will first have to pay the eye-watering fees to ensure they do not have COVID-19 before entering the Queensland community.

The state's standard quarantine fees are $4,620 for two adults and two children.

His family's desperation has prompted a wave of donations to a GoFundMe page set up to support their bid to get across the border - with $205,000 raised in four hours by Friday morning despite them setting a fundraising goal of just $30,000.

Costs will also include taxi transfer to visit the father at his home - where his family will be escorted by government staff and have to wear full personal protective equipment.

'My wife told the Queensland Health person "this is ridiculous - its going to cost more to quarantine than it will to bury my son",' Mr Keans' father Bruce Langborne told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Keans was diagnosed a month ago with an inoperable cancer and is not expected to live until Christmas. Earlier, his family were told only one of his children would be given permission to cross into Queensland to see him in his final moments

'At least they spoke to us but we didn't get anywhere - this is only a suggestion as well and nothing has been confirmed yet.'

Mr Langborne said his local member of parliament had been far more supportive of their situation - even offering to fly his son to New South Wales by air ambulance so he could be with his family.

'We understand and sympathise that this is a very difficult time and there are challenges,' a Queensland Health spokeswoman said.

'We are in the midst of a global pandemic and we need to protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable members of the community.

'We understand the health directions in place are strict, but they are designed to protect Queenslanders from COVID-19.'

A heavily pregnant mother was also forced to wait 16 hours for emergency surgery in Sydney after being turned away at the Queensland border, before losing one of her unborn twin babies.

A heavily pregnant mother was forced to wait 16 hours for emergency surgery in Sydney after being turned away at the Queensland border, before losing one of her unborn twin babies

The mother, from Ballina in New South Wales, which is just 88km from the Queensland border, had twins who were just 24 weeks along and needed urgent care.

She wasn't initially granted an exemption to cross the border for surgery at the Gold Coast University Hospital 125km away and instead had to wait for 16 hours in Lismore for a flight to Sydney.

The woman's father Allan Watt said one of the twins became anaemic during surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.

Jayne Brown, 60, spent two weeks confined to a tiny hotel room in Brisbane following the surgery by renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo - who removed two large tumours on her brain.

Jayne Brown (pictured) was denided an exemption to self-isolate at her Sunshine Coast home

The grandmother-of-seven requested an exemption from hotel quarantine to self-isolate at home on the Sunshine Coast, but was rejected twice.

She blasted the Queensland premier, who allowed 400 AFL players and officials from coronavirus-riddled Victoria to enter the state last Tuesday night.

'I don't understand it, mind-blowing,' Ms Brown told Nine News last week.

Meanwhile, a young mother with a newborn baby has been left in limbo over when she will next be reunited with her mine worker husband due to Queensland's strict border restrictions.
The Supreme Court on Thursday requested attorney general (AG) KK Venugopal to assist the court as Amicus Curiae in the 2009 criminal contempt of court case against lawyer Prashant Bhushan for his remarks to a magazine that past Chief Justices of India (CJIs) had been corrupt. The request was made after this was suggested by Bhushans lawyer.

Amicus Curiae, which literally translates as friend of the court, is a neutral lawyer appointed by the court to assist it in cases which require specific expertise.

Bhushans lawyer Rajiv Dhavan told the court on Thursday that AG Venugopal should be heard as the Amicus Curiae in the case considering the fact that it involves pertinent legal issues relating to whether or not allegations regarding conduct of a judge can be made in the public or not.

In a different contempt case concerning Bhushan, Venugopal, on August 25, told the court that several former SC judges have referred to corruption in the judiciary and asked the bench, which had already found Bhushan guilty of contempt in its August 14 judgement, to let him off with a warning. Earlier, on August 20, the AG mentioned a 1987 speech he delivered on the judiciary, where he referred to rumours of corruption and nepotism in the judiciary before the court in the same case, before he was cut short by the bench.

On Thursday, a three-judge bench headed by justice AM Khanwilkar asked the court registry to furnish a copy of the records of the case to the AGs office and posted the case for further consideration in October.

The case against Bhushan has its genesis in an interview given by the activist lawyer to Tehelka magazine in which he claimed half of the previous 16 CJIs were corrupt. Senior advocate Harish Salve brought this statement to the attention of the court, based on which contempt action was initiated against Bhushan in November 2009.

The case was listed by the top court before a bench headed by justice Arun Mishra on July 24, 2020, more than eight years after it was last heard.

Bhushan refused to apologise for his statement, but offered an explanation to the court on his controversial remark. The apex court, on August 10, rejected Bhushans explanation and decided to proceed with the case and hear it in detail.

When the case was heard on August 17, the court said that certain larger legal issues need to be settled, including whether allegations of corruption against judges can be made by way of public statements and the procedure to be adopted when such allegations are raised against the conduct of a sitting judge.

On August 25, Bhushans counsel requested that the case should be placed before a Constitution bench since it involves substantial legal issues.

The three-judge bench, which also comprised justices BR Gavai and Krishna Murari could not, however, take the case to finality because justice Mishra retired from office on September 2.

The matter, thereafter, came to be listed before a new bench, which besides justice Khanwilkar also comprised justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna.

When the case came up before the new bench on Thursday, senior counsel Dhavan appeared on behalf of Bhushan and submitted that AG Venugopal had earlier expressed his willingness to assist the court.

The top court , on August 31, imposed a fine of Rs. 1 on Bhushan in the other contempt of court case initiated against him for tweets criticizing the Supreme Court and current CJI, SA Bobde. Bhushan refused to tender an apology in that case too despite opportunities offered by the court.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 14:12:14|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed, and several others went missing when a boat carrying at least 25 people displaced by floods, capsized in the Indus River in Pakistan's south Sindh province on Thursday, local media reported.

The affected people were moving to a safer place after their village was submerged by heavy downpours and the subsequent flooding, in Khairpur district of the province, Samaa News reported.

About 12 people, including women and kids have been rescued while local volunteers and rescue teams are searching for those who went missing in the roaring waters.

According to a report released by the Sindh government, the recent floods have destroyed about 7,000 houses in the province, leaving thousands homeless.

Khairpur is among the badly affected district where floods have affected 380 villages, with the population of 157,490, the official report said.

Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in Pakistan with rains breaking years-long records in several parts of the country.

The National Disaster Management Authority of the country said on Wednesday that a total of 301 people were killed and 233 others were injured in separate rain-triggered incidents since June 15. Enditem
What do vapers, smokers, and non-smokers with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes have in common? They all are at higher risk for COVID-19.

The scientific explanation behind this is complex and not yet certain -- but it may boil down to an enzyme known as ACE2, that lives on the surface of many cells in the lungs and serves as the entry point for the coronavirus.

Evidence shows that people with chronic inflammatory illnesses, vulnerable older adults, and those who smoke or vape, all have an abundance of ACE2 receptor proteins to serve as a gateway to the deadly virus.

A research team at the University of Rochester Medical Center, led by Irfan Rahman, Ph.D., published a series of studies during the pandemic that focus on the vital role of ACE2 -- which is already at the center of many other scientific investigations -- to shape a clearer picture of the critical cellular mechanisms that regulate the deadly virus and its link to vaping.

While Rochester investigators are working in lock step with scientists around the world, Rahman's special interest is on the growing problem of young people who test positive and may be spreading coronavirus at alarming rates. Even some older children and teens who have higher levels of the ACE2 receptor seem to be more vulnerable to the virus.

Our next step is to investigate whether ACE2 is normally low in young people, hence their relatively low infection and mortality rates from COVID-19, but to find out if ACE2 is increased by smoking or vaping rendering them more susceptible to the virus." Irfan Rahman, Dean's Professor, Environmental Medicine , Medicine (Pulmonary), and Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center

"This would be in contrast to older people with lung diseases such as COPD and pulmonary fibrosis, who we already know are at higher risk for severe viral illnesses and death."

A post-doctoral scientist in Rahman's lab, Gangandeep Kaur, Ph.D., had prior experience investigating tuberculosis and thus led the new effort to study ties between vaping and coronavirus. The team has published several key peer-reviewed articles relevant to the issue:

Smoking, combined with aging, alters more than 20 genes involved in lung cell function and results in a spike in ACE2 receptors and three other proteins associated with the coronavirus, according to a Rahman study in Frontiers in Pharmacology. This strengthens the observations of other researchers, that smokers and people with chronic lung diseases such as COPD are more prone to coronavirus infection.

Because vaping and smoking tend to be long-term habits, URMC researchers investigated the chronic effects of nicotine exposure on lung tissue in mice, keeping an eye open for links to known COVID-19 proteins. They discovered other receptors with a direct relationship to ACE2, which also have a significant role in regulating the inflammatory response in the lungs and cause a higher expression of ACE2. This was reported in the Respiratory Research journal and may provide a gene target for the treatment of lung inflammation caused by smoking or vaping.

In a June review article written by Rahman and Guiseppe Lungarella, M.D., of the University of Siena, Italy, where COVID-19 swept through the country earlier than in the U.S., they draw additional connections between ACE2 receptors, smokers, and coronavirus. For example, their analysis shows: In Wuhan, China, patients who smoked did worse; fatality rates were higher for men, who have more ACE2 receptors, than in women; and that ACE2 is linked to known nicotine receptors. Kaur, the postdoctoral fellow, is also a co-author.

The review suggests that health care providers should ask patients about their smoking and vaping history, to better identify people who could be at higher risk for coronavirus complications, according to the Journal of Inflammation article.

Currently, the Rahman lab is examining blood and saliva samples of young people who have been infected with COVID-19 to evaluate ACE2 levels and see if the ACE2 protein can be a biomarker for a rapid coronavirus test.

In other recent studies, Rahman and URMC scientists disclosed the 40 chemicals used in flavoring e-liquids and vaping pods, detailing their harmful effects on lung tissue; and demonstrated that vaping is associated with wheezing, which is often a precursor to emphysema, reflux disease, heart disease, lung cancer and sleep apnea.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting held online within the framework of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM 53) and related meetings on September 9.

He also co-chaired the 21st ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers Meeting and the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting, and attended the ASEAN-RoK Ministerial Meeting.

At the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting, the ministers shared the view that the strategic partnership between ASEAN and China has brought about practical interests to both sides.

ASEAN applauded Chinas cooperation and support in the fight against COVID-19, and suggested the country actively participate in the groupings initiatives like the COVID-19 response fund, regional reserves of medical supplies and recovery framework.

The two sides agreed to step up cooperation in such priority areas as digital economic development, cyber security, natural disaster response, people-to-people exchange and maritime collaboration, while pushing ahead with the building of the ASEAN-China action plan for 2021-2025.

At the 21st ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers Meeting, Minh said this is time for the ASEAN+3 mechanism to prove its value and capacity in the pandemic combat, and suggested China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) continue their coordination with ASEAN in this regard, towards sustainable regional recovery.

The ministers consented to continue implementing the resolutions adopted by leaders at the Special ASEAN+3 Summit on COVID-19, and committed to enhancing cooperation in food security via the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), digital transformation, regional financial and economic stability through the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) Agreement, and health care.

They were also resolved to soon conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.

At the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting, Minh called on Japan to continue its support to and engagement in ASEANs initiatives relating to COVID-19 and soon help with the establishment of the ASEAN centre for public health emergencies and emerging diseases in 2020.

He also suggested the two sides make the best use of the ASEAN-Japan Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Meanwhile, during the ASEAN-RoK Ministerial Meeting, the two sides affirmed their resolve to enhance cooperation to consolidate the strategic partnership.

ASEAN lauded the RoK for its support in the pandemic combat and called on the country to assist the grouping in digital transformation, the application of new technologies and optimising opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The ministers approved the action plan between ASEAN and the RoK for 2021-2025.

In the discussions, the ministers of China, Japan and RoK expressed their desire for strengthening the cooperation among the sides, their high valuation of the ASEANs effective response to the COVID-19, and readiness to support ASEANs initiatives in the pandemic fight.

On regional and international situation, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and partner countries exchanged ideas on issue of common concern like the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Rakhine state and the East Sea. They stressed the need for close coordination, strengthened dialogues and cooperation on the basis of upholding the rule of the law and common standards. They shared a joint viewpoint on maintaining peace, stability, safety and security, freedom of navigation and aviation in the region, including the East Sea; and stressed the importance of settling the disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of international law.

Speaking at the meetings, Minh affirmed that as the Chair of the ASEAN 2020, Vietnam will, together with other ASEAN members, actively work out measures and policies to further deepen the relations of strategic cooperation with the partners. He asked the partner countries to continue supporting ASEAN in the building of the Community, and proposed to intensify the cooperation among the sides in the research and production of vaccines and medicines against COVID-19.

On international and regional situation, Minh expressed his concerns on the complicated development in the East Sea while states are focusing their efforts against the pandemic. Legitimate rights and interests of the sides must be ensured, and differences and disputes settled on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, he stressed.

The official asked the sides to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of the Sides in the East Sea (DOC) and to soon resume the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)

Repeating ASEANs stance on the East Sea at the 36th ASEAN Summit in June 2020, Minh called on the sides to intensify the building of trust and mutual trust, and to prevent the acts that complicate the situation and affect peace and stability.

There must be no militarisation while the disputes must be settled through peaceful measures with respect to international law, he stressed.
New Delhi:

In what appears to be somewhat a miraculous incident, a statue of the Virgin Mary is reported to have shed tears in front of its owner in Acapulco, in the state of Guerrero in south-western Mexico.

The bizarre incident has come in the scrutiny of the investigators and is being carefully probed by Catholic Church miracle investigators.

As per a report in British newspaper Daily Mail, the plaster statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe began to weep in front of its owner after she had finished her prayers at her home in Acapulco.

Nicknamed la Morenita, the saint is a Mexican version of the Virgin Mary. Her shrine became one of the Catholic Church's most worshipped sites after she appeared to a peasant in Mexico City nearly 500 years ago.

Church leaders are investigating claims made by Guadalupe Hernandez, whose statue of the virgin apparently sheds real tears.

Images and videos of the statue with tears seemingly rolling down its cheeks have astonished devout followers who have flocked to Acapulco to worship it.

Speaking on the incident, owner Guadalupe told British newspaper Daily Mail that, 'It was midday and I stood in front of her and I spoke to her. I finished my prayer and looked at La Morenita and I saw her crying.'She added: 'It is a gift from God, I do not know why and I do not know what is behind it, but, well, we will wait.'

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TORONTO - Renting out properties for short-term stays is about to get more complicated in Canada's largest city.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This Feb. 22, 2018, file photo shows an Airbnb logo during an event in San Francisco. Renting out properties for short-term stays is about to get more complicated in Canada's largest city. Starting Thursday, Toronto homeowners must register with the city if they want to fill their units for any period less than 28 days. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Eric Risberg, File

TORONTO - Renting out properties for short-term stays is about to get more complicated in Canada's largest city.

Starting Thursday, Toronto homeowners must register with the city if they want to fill their units for any period less than 28 days.

The new registration process  for listings on short-term rental sites such as Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, Expedia, and Booking.com  is one of a slew of rules that may potentially tamp down the short-term rental market in the city at a time when it is already under pressure.

Other changes restrict listings to someone's principal residence and set a max of 180 rental nights per year.

Ana Bailao, chairwoman of the city's planning and housing committee, said on social media in late August that the regulations "protect long-term rental stock."

A study published in the Canadian Journal of Urban Research last year suggested that pre-pandemic almost half of 2018 Airbnb revenue in Canada was generated by commercial operators who managed multiple listings. The McGill University researchers indicated that 31,000 entire homes were rented frequently enough in 2018 that they are unlikely to house a permanent resident.

The scrutiny of short-term rental operators comes as the industry is facing upheaval due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky said in May that, amid travel bans due to the pandemic, the company is expecting 2020 revenue to be less than half of sales in 2019.

Condo owners in downtown Toronto who did rent their apartments on short-term rental platforms have felt the impact in the pocketbooks, according to a Statistics Canada analysis.

"Prior to the pandemic, there was a rise of short-term rentals as an influx of investors were purchasing properties to rent on short-term rental platforms. However, with travel restrictions in place, many short-term rental owners are now having a harder time finding clients," Statistics Canada said in a July housing price outlook.

"There is already evidence of this happening in Toronto, where the average rental prices have already (begun) decreasing as new landlords are trying to attract clients from a diminished pool of potential renters. This has potential to further translate into falling prices for condominiums in the largest Canadian cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal."

Julia Metus, a saleswoman at Realty Executives Plus Limited Brokerage, said she has seen the decline in condo prices and rental rates.

"Prices have softened a little bit in some condos. The obvious hot ones  the buildings that people are always trying to get into  a good agent is going to price it well. But in some buildings there are a lot for sale. Is there a lot for sale because a lot of them used to be rental units? Id say so, yeah," Metus said.

In addition to the new rules in the city, she said that many condo boards began restricting furnished rentals of less than one year when COVID-19 restrictions rolled out in March. Metus said there are so few short-term leases downtown that she has had to call in search of six-month stays for clients who are awaiting a visa or move.

"Perhaps a new model will come out that will fill the gap. I've talked to a company  they would give you a full two-year lease, and then they will change the people living in it. But the lease was in the name of the company. I bet you'll see a lot of that happening," Metus said.

Airbnb has noted shifts in its customer base.

In July, Airbnb's policy head for Canada said recent bookings in Canada have been mostly rural, given restrictions on international tourism.

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Treat Hull, who runs his own brokerage in Prince Edward County, Ont., said that as Toronto's short-term rental market fades, he is seeing the opposite effect.

"The short-term rentals here in Prince Edward County certainly have bounced back with a vengeance," Hull said.

While many owners have kept their listings off the market due to COVID-19 concerns, prices and demand have increased for the remaining listings. Hull estimates that between 2017 and 2019, the number of Airbnb rental properties grew from about 200 to 1,200, or 10 per cent of the total housing stock.

"Of course, it's had a negative effect on housing availability and affordability for the people who live and work here," Hull said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2020.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version had an incorrect date for comments made by Ana Bailao.
AuditComply Enterprise Risk Management platform We are excited to be entering into this partnership with AuditComply to deliver a web based reporting platform which is a key part of our overall strategy to digitise our assessment services, enabling the use of data to further enhance the value we provide to customers and stakeholders.

UKAS announced today that it has chosen AuditComply, an innovative and highly configurable Risk and Audit Management platform, as part of an initiative to automate and digitise their assessment reporting. By introducing AuditComply, the globally recognised accreditation body will provide an enhanced customer experience, improving communication, turnaround times and transparency of the process. As a result, UKAS can optimise the use of assessment data to increase the value of accreditation to its customers and stakeholders.

UKAS is the sole national accreditation body recognised by the British Government to assess the competence of organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, AuditComply can be easily and widely adopted across the organisation. The objective is to improve overall service delivery by optimising assessment planning and fieldwork while simplifying evidence collection and automating all reporting and analysis in real-time.

Since its launch in 2014, AuditComply has strived to transform how global organisations manage their Risk, Audit & Regulatory Compliance processes. With a portfolio of fortune 500 customers, AuditComply offers a fully-integrated Risk & Audit management platform to organisations operating in highly regulated industries. Ultimately, AuditComply will allow UKAS to enhance their assessment capabilities with enterprise-wide efficiency and a rapid return on investment across their service portfolio. This will free up valuable resources while reducing the costs and administrative burdens typically associated with the assessment process.

Susan Fitzsimmons, Chief Customer Officer at AuditComply commented:

We are incredibly proud to be one of the trusted organisations selected by UKAS to help optimise current operations and enhance service delivery. The opportunity to work with like-minded individuals operating in highly regulated environments will deliver tremendous results for both our organisations. We are confident that AuditComply will increase UKAS ability to check the checkers and we look forward to delivering further confidence for all of their customers.

Jeff Ruddle, Strategic Development Director at UKAS commented:

We are excited to be entering into this partnership with AuditComply to deliver a web based reporting platform which is a key part of our overall strategy to digitise our assessment services, enabling the use of data to further enhance the value we provide to customers and stakeholders. AuditComply, a British tech company, are at the forefront of technology development in the assessment and audit sector and we are confident that this partnership will further improve our services.

To find out more about this press release please contact susan.fitzsimmons@auditcomply.com or jeff.ruddle@ukas.com

About AuditComply: As a fully-integrated risk management platform, AuditComply transforms the way enterprises assess, automate, manage & report on Risk, Audit & Regulatory Compliance processes in real-time. A template-based system with an asset management framework allows users to build assessments, optimise audit planning & fieldwork, automate issue management & identify/mitigate business risk.

AuditComply operates in highly regulated industries such as Automotive, Aviation, Food & Beverage, Oil & Gas, Finance, and Manufacturing with key fortune 500 clients situated throughout the UK, EU, US, Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. Their diverse and varied customer base includes Shell, BMW, Sysco, Autoliv, Cooke Aquaculture, Bushmills and McCloskey International.

Find out more: info@auditcomply.com

About UKAS: UKAS is the UKs National Accreditation Body, responsible for determining, in the public interest, the technical competence and integrity of organisations such as those offering testing, calibration, inspection and certification services. UKAS accredited organisations have been assessed against internationally recognised standards to demonstrate their competence, impartiality and performance capability.

Find out more: info@ukas.com

Press Contact:

Richard Wilson

marketing@auditcomply.com
Pro-life groups praise Trump's 20 additions to Supreme Court list

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Pro-life organizations have expressed their support for President Donald Trumps recently released short list of candidates for the United States Supreme Court should a vacancy emerge.

Trump announced the additions to his list on Wednesday, with names including Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and Josh Hawley of Missouri, along with District Court Judge Sarah Pitlyk, Florida Supreme Court Justice Carlos Muniz, and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, among others.

The Susan B. Anthony List, which launched a $52 million campaign to reelect Trump, also approved of the list of potential Supreme Court nominees.

SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who co-chairs the group Pro-Life Voices for Trump, said in a statement released Wednesday that the list was filled with all-stars.

The list reflects the presidents firm and proven commitment to only nominating Supreme Court justices who will respect the Constitution and the inalienable right to life, stated Dannenfelser.

We are confident that if a Supreme Court vacancy occurs in 2020 that President Trump and our pro-life Senate majority led by Leader McConnell and Judiciary Chairman Graham will move swiftly to fill it.

Dannenfelser went on to say that she believed the future makeup of the Supreme Court continues to highly motivate our base and persuade targeted voters.

It is a central issue in emphasizing that the 2020 election is the most important of our lifetimes and is why SBA List is committed to educating 7 million voters across key presidential and Senate battlegrounds, she continued.

Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, reportedly the largest pro-life group in the U.S., also released a statement in support of Trump's list.

Trumps expanded list of potential Supreme Court justices is laden with an impressive assembly of well-qualified men and women who would make outstanding additions to the Supreme Court, and who have demonstrated a commitment to defending the text and history of the Constitution and the principles of judicial restraint, stated Tobias.

President Trumps list stands in stark contrast with the judicial-legislation activists who would be nominated by Joe Biden.

The subject of nominees to the Supreme Court has been a major political topic in both the 2016 presidential election and the current cycle, as many expect more justices to retire soon.

During his first term, Trump successfully nominated two Supreme Court Justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, giving the high court what some believe to be a more conservative slant following a long period of a leftist majority.

Although former Vice President Biden has yet to release a list of potential nominees to the Supreme Court, in the past he has vowed to appoint an African American woman.

We are putting together a list of a group of African American women who are qualified and have the experience to be on the court, Politico reported him saying back in June.

On Thursday, Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, told "Fox & Friends" in an interview that she doesn't think Biden will be releasing his list because it would be "so radical the American people would be frightened."
Los Angeles County Health Department Disclosed Trends Indicating Significant Decrease in Community Transmission

Los Angeles public officials disclosed new information surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. County leadership acknowledged the progress in bending the curve, but they have a steadfast caution for any relapse. Los Angeles County Health Department disclosed the latest numbers surrounding coronavirus, metrics are revealing the fluctuation and stability within key roles that determine the spread of the virus. The current numbers reflect a steady decline in community transmission, public officials continue to monitor and deliberate on future steps to recovery.

There is currently wide availability to get tested for COVID-19, Supervisor Hilda Solis advised the best way to combat coronavirus is to get tested, know when to isolate, and avoid large groups. At this stage, Los Angeles is reflecting signs of stability and the curve is flattening.

The County has been measuring the severity within hospitalization, positive cases, and mortality rate. Los Angeles County Director of Public Health Dr. Barbara Ferrer shared the current status of each vital benchmark that measures the growth and decline of the virus. In the charts displayed, the data reflected a major decrease in daily reports in positive tests for coronavirus. In early part of July, there were over 2,000 daily cases, compared to the current case count of 1,000.

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The new data provided on Wednesday reflects 61 deaths, 22 of these individuals were over the age of 80, 15 of them had underlining health conditions. 13 people who died were between the ages of 65-79, 10 victims had preexisting health concerns. 23 individuals were between the ages of 50-64, and 19 of them had underlining health problems. Three people who passed were between the ages of 30-49, and two of them had previous medical issues. This brings the total COVID-19 related deaths in L.A. County to 6,090.

There were 671 new COVID-19 reports. In summary, there is a total amount of 249,859 coronavirus cases in the Los Angeles region. 10,957 incidents were reported in the city of Long Beach and 2,443 cases in the city of Pasadena. Amid the unsheltered, there were 1,656 positive cases.

The relationship between COVID-19 infection and ethnicity were provided. The racial background collected from 5,728 fatal cases showed 10% were African American, 15% were Asian, slightly less than 1% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 51% were LatinX, 23% were White, and 1% identified as a different race or ethnicity. 92% of those who died due to COVID-19 had preexisting health concerns.

Other benchmarks that were studied included the daily rate of tests coming back positive, hospitalization, and mortality rate. The graphs revealed a decrease within the month of September. Ferrer stated, Our collective actions do have a life and death consequence. Celebrations, gatherings, being in large crowds, theyre never intended to harm other people, but they sometimes do result in the transmission of COVID-19.

Ferrer explained that large groups and events that do not follow physical distancing can lead to transmission of the virus once people return to their homes. Trends are showcasing the understanding of social distancing as a collective community.
WASHINGTON - Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, saying it neglected to enforce a decade-old agreement aimed at cutting pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

The lawsuit follows months of back-and-forth between the region's attorneys general and the EPA after New York and Pennsylvania were predicted to not meet pollution-reduction goals, which were outlined in 2010 and codified under the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement in 2014. As part of the agreement, which was signed by six states in the bay watershed, the EPA pledged to take federal action if states did not demonstrate that they would meet the 2025 deadline.

According to the recent lawsuit, the EPA took "no further action" after identifying in August 2019 that New York and Pennsylvania were each on track to fall short of their 2025 targets by at least 25%.

"EPA has walked away from its responsibility to regulate and manage the efforts of the Bay states," Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, a Democrat, said in a statement. "Today, we are asking the court to force EPA to do its job."

Representatives of the EPA responded to Thursday's lawsuit by highlighting the agency's financial and technical investments in watershed restoration activities. In May, just as D.C., Maryland and Virginia notified the agency of their intent to sue, the EPA announced a $6 million pledge to reduce agricultural runoff in the bay states.

"We have taken and will continue to take appropriate actions under our Clean Water Act authorities to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality," EPA spokesman Roy Seneca said in a statement. "EPA's focus is on continuing to make unprecedented progress to restore the Chesapeake Bay and local waters."

Ever since the 2010 agreement, the bay's water quality has gradually improved, even stimulating a resurgence of the natural reproduction of oysters in Virginia. But for its progress to continue, regional leaders and environmentalists say, all states must meet the goals outlined in their pollution-reduction plans.

"The bay is healthier than it has been in decades. But we cannot let the progress stagnate or worse, backslide," Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said Thursday during a video news conference.

Will Baker, president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, expressed concern over growing algal blooms in Virginia's waters, which tend to degrade water quality as they decompose.

"We saw the state of the bay begin to slip and that is what gives us such concern," he said at the news conference.

According to the recent lawsuit, Pennsylvania has expected to achieve 64% of its nitrogen-reduction target. New York is expected to hit no more than 61% of its same goal.

A spokesperson for New York's attorney general declined to comment. The office of the attorney general in Pennsylvania did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"We filed this lawsuit to force the EPA to do its job, protect decades of environmental work and billions of dollars invested, and ensure all the watershed states work together meet pollution reduction goals," D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, a Democrat, said in a statement.

The levels of pollution in New York and Pennsylvania are particularly frustrating to leaders in the Washington region, who have allocated millions of dollars in cleaning up the bay. Without full cooperation from the states upstream, the bay's water quality will remain substandard, the lawsuit asserts. Over time, they said, that could further damage the environmental and financial health of the region, which depends on the bay for tourism, real estate, fishing and recreational revenue.

"Years ago, the EPA, the states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and the District of Columbia agreed to a common strategy to restore America's most beautiful estuary," said Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat who chairs the Chesapeake Executive Council and commended the attorneys general for filing the suit. "But not all states are living up to that commitment, and the EPA is just standing by."




H1 2020 net revenue 1 of 2.4 million and cash position of 45.4 million including 5 million from the divestment of the VISUfarma shareholding received in July

NCX 470 Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial initiated on schedule and on track for adaptive dose selection in Q4 2020

Dose selection will enable the start of the second part of the Mont Blanc trial and the initiation of the second Phase 3 trial, Denali

Post-first half closing 2 million loan facility guaranteed by the French state secured, bringing non-dilutive financing to date in 2020 to 22 million September 10, 2020 - release at 7:30 am CET

Sophia Antipolis, France



Nicox SA (Euronext Paris: FR0013018124, COX), an international ophthalmology company, today reported the financial results for Nicox and its subsidiaries (the "Nicox Group") for the six months ending June 30, 2020 and provided an update on its activities as well as key upcoming milestones.



Michele Garufi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nicox, said: "We are very pleased with the excellent progress in the Mont Blanc trial recruitment and the preparation for initiation of the Denali trial, together with our Chinese partner Ocumension, in Q4 2020. Additional support for these activities has come from the non-dilutive financing strategy we have implemented since March which includes the expansion of our collaboration with Ocumension, as well as the divestment of our VISUfarma shareholding in July. As one of the few European R&D companies having two products commercialized in the United States, with expansion in many other markets ongoing, we also expect to see recurrent royalty revenue steadily increasing in the years ahead and contributing to the future growth of the company. With this revenue, and the non-dilutive financing, we believe that the company is now financed to complete the NCX 4251 Phase 2b trial planned to start later this year and beyond the top-line results from the Mont Blanc trial."



Key Expected Upcoming Milestones



NCX 470 Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial: The first Phase 3 trial of NCX 470 for lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension has an initial adaptive design portion designed to select the optimal dose of NCX 470 which will then continue into a subsequent head-to-head 3-month safety and efficacy evaluation vs. latanoprost. With the recently announced completion of enrolment of the adaptive cohort, the trial is on track for that selection of optimal NCX 470 dose in the coming weeks. The completion of the adaptive design portion will also enable the start of the second Phase 3 trial, or the Denali trial, before the end of 2020.



NCX 470 Denali Phase 3 clinical trial: The second Phase 3 glaucoma clinical trial, Denali, which is jointly managed and funded equally by Nicox and Ocumension, is currently expected to start in Q4 2020. The Denali trial will include clinical sites in both the U.S. and China, with the majority of the patients being in the U.S. The Denali trial was designed to fulfill the regulatory requirements to support NDA filings in the U.S. and China.

The second Phase 3 glaucoma clinical trial, Denali, which is jointly managed and funded equally by Nicox and Ocumension, is currently expected to start in Q4 2020. The Denali trial will include clinical sites in both the U.S. and China, with the majority of the patients being in the U.S. The Denali trial was designed to fulfill the regulatory requirements to support NDA filings in the U.S. and China. NCX 4251 Phase 2b clinical trial: This Phase 2b trial, Mississippi, will include both blepharitis and dry eye endpoints with the option of declaring either the blepharitis or dry eye endpoints as the primary efficacy outcome of the trial. The trial is planned to be initiated before the end of 2020.

This Phase 2b trial, Mississippi, will include both blepharitis and dry eye endpoints with the option of declaring either the blepharitis or dry eye endpoints as the primary efficacy outcome of the trial. The trial is planned to be initiated before the end of 2020. ZERVIATETM China: A Phase 3 clinical trial intended to support an application for regulatory approval in China, to be conducted and financed by our partner Ocumension, is currently expected to start by the end of 2020. Nitric oxide (NO)-donating phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors for IOP lowering: IND-track candidate expected to be announced by the end of 2020.



We continue to closely watch the spread of COVID-19 and its impact. We do not currently anticipate delays to our clinical timelines but we are monitoring the situation and will provide updates if there is an impact on our development projects and timelines.



Nicox Secures 2 Million in a Non-Dilutive Loan Facility Guaranteed by the French State



In the third quarter 2020 we entered into a 2 million credit agreement, granted by Societe Generale and LCL and guaranteed by the French State, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This non-dilutive financing contributes to strengthening the Company's cash position. This loan is not secured against any of the Company's assets. Up to 90% of the loan is guaranteed by the French State. It has an initial maturity of 12 months with the option for Nicox to take a 1 to 5-year repayment period after that.



Strengthening Development Management



We appointed Sushanta Mallick, Ph.D., to a position of Vice President of External Development, effective August 1, 2020. In this position, Dr. Mallick will be the development lead for our key collaborations and will also oversee a subset of clinical development activities. He brings over 25 years of ophthalmology development experience including senior roles with Alcon, QLT, Aerie and Shire, and will report to Tomas Navratil, Ph.D., EVP & Head of R&D of the Nicox Group and General Manager of Nicox Ophthalmics, Inc.



First Half 2020 Financial Highlights



Net revenue1 for the first half of 2020 was 2.4 million (including 1.0 million in milestone revenue) versus 5.6 million (including 4.7 million in upfront and milestone revenue) for the first half of 2019. Operating expenses for the first half of 2020 were 10.2 million compared to 11.4 million for the first half of 2019.



The Nicox Group recorded a net loss of 14.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to a net loss of 0.8 million for the same period in 2019. This difference is mainly explained by the fact that, pursuant to accounting principles, 14 million of the 15 million upfront received from Ocumension in H1 2020 are not taken into consideration as they are recorded as deferred revenues (included in "contract liabilities" in the statement of financial position) and further by a non-cash value adjustment of 6.9 million on VISUfarma assets successfully divested in July to strengthen Nicox's cash position. Moreover, the net loss in the first half of 2019 was reduced thanks as well to the recognition of a non-cash income of 3.8 million for deferred tax assets recognized by our U.S. subsidiary.

As of June 30, 2020, the Nicox Group had cash and cash equivalents of 40.4 million, adjusted on a pro forma basis to 45.4 million including the 5 million received in July from the sale of our shareholding in VISUfarma, as compared with 45.2 million at March 31, 2020 and 28.1 million at December 31, 2019.

As of June 30, 2020, the Nicox Group had financial debt of 17.7 million in the form of a bond financing agreement with Kreos Capital signed in January 2019. Full details of the bond financing agreement can be found in the Press Release of January 25, 2019 - http://www.nicox.com/assets/files/EN-_Kreos-PR_201901.pdf (http://www.nicox.com/assets/files/EN-_Kreos-PR_201901.pdf). Only figures at December 31, 2019 are audited, all other figures of this press release are non-audited.



Notes

1.Net revenue consists of revenue from collaborations less royalty payments which we refer to as net profit from collaborations in the condensed consolidated statements of profit or loss for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020.
Rebecca Dunavant has never been a big camping fan, but that was before COVID-19.

The Denver mom of three active boys aged 12, 8, and 5 and her husband, Chad, figured there was no better time to embark on an epic road trip  nine weeks and 10,000 miles in a gargantuan 30-foot RV they bought to explore the country and visit family  from Denver to Seattle to Ohio and Maine, working remotely.

Certainly, Dunavant says to those considering an RV trip for the first time, there was a big learning curve. For one thing, its like driving a truck, she said.

And there were plenty of missteps  like the time early in the trip when the floor flooded, they ran into bad weather and endured too-long drives. Its 75 percent awesome and 25 percent yelling at everyone, she said laughing when I met the family hiking in Glacier National Park.

The boys, she acknowledged, as adorable as they are, can drive me nuts. But now looking back, Dunavant says, It was a really great trip and having the RV made the camping delightful  unplugging for the most part, being together and seeing things we wouldnt normally see.

For these reasons, plus the desire to get outside safely with your own bathroom and kitchen, many Americans are turning to RVing. Forty-six million Americans will go RV camping this year, up from 22 million in 2018, reports the RV Industry Association, including a growing number of young families.

The RV rental site Outdoorsy reports rentals are up 300 percent while a third of leisure travelers who have never camped want to try RVing, a Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Covid-19 survey reported.

Now, with more than half of the countrys children starting school remotely and parents continuing to work from home, families are looking to take RV trips this fall  a time traditionally when seniors and empty-nesters took to the road. The Dunavants, for their part, are considering a fall trip, perhaps to Yellowstone.

RVshare, the first and largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace, predicts high demand for RVs through the fall as a result. Three out of four surveyed (74 percent) said they want to avoid public restrooms and 62 percent want to avoid restaurants when traveling, while more than half said they even would consider renting an RV to spend time close to their family while social distancing.

We met many first-time RVers on our 2,800-mile road trip through four western states earlier this summer and on an RV trip last fall. One of the families drove their rental RV from the East Coast to Montana and parked it for a week while they stayed at Flathead Lake Ranch with friends.

The kids we met certainly were fans. Almost every night we would eat smores with peanut butter cups as the chocolate part!, said Nate Dunavant, 12.

We saw tons of animals. One night an elk and bison came into our camp in Yellowstone, said Branden Greathouse, 10, RVing for the first time with his family from Northern California to Yellowstone. And every chance we could, we got to jump on our bikes, because we could bring them along.

Scooters, too, said Cam Feirabend, 13, who is from Minnesota and every summer takes a long trip with his family pulling their 23-foot trailer.

The best part is being outdoors with no responsibilities, said Pearl Olson, 12, from Wyoming. Thats the best treat, she added  better than homemade pie or ice cream.

And you are surrounded by nature! said Ella Wilson, 12, a Coloradan.

Another plus: Bringing your pet.  We take our cat with us, said Brittaney Clay, from Little Rock, whose family are fans of KOA campgrounds. She loves riding on the motorhome dash. You should see the looks we get from other cars!

Some RVing kids point out that fall is a great time for a trip because it is cooler and pesky bugs are gone. Its pretty in the fall, with leaves changing color, added Maggie Wilson, 12, who also lives in Northern Colorado where the foliage is spectacular.

If you are thinking about an RV trip this year, RVers and those in the travel industry suggest, make reservations. As with so many more RVers, it can be harder to get an RV reservation than one in a hotel.

Make sure you know how everything works  our first night out it was literally freezing and we couldnt get the heat to turn on. (A good resource is the KOA blog with camping and RVing hacks.) Most important, experienced RVers suggest, be mindful of the tight space (half-size fridge) when packing food and gear. Remember there will be grocery stores where you are going! said Luke Feirabend, a teacher from Minnesota. Speaking of food, families say, opt for whats easy. Spaghetti is always my favorite, said Olivia, 10, from Nevada, who camps with her extended family in their campers near Grand Teton National Park every summer.

For those who just want to enjoy the outdoors without driving, Outdoorsy may be able to deliver an RV  and hook it up  to a campground for you (for a fee). Blacksford is a new recreational vehicle rental business offering fully-stocked Mercedes-Benz Sprinter overland adventure vehicles from Winnebago with an all-inclusive pricing model that includes unlimited miles, no generator fees, bedding, bath, and kitchen supplies, free Wi-Fi, a free annual pass to national parks, and 24-hour roadside assistance now available at airports in Las Vegas and Bozeman, Montana, starting at $199. (The company also connects travelers with vetted campsites, guides, and other attractions.)

The Dunavants, for their part, decided it made more economic sense to buy an RV for such a long trip. Originally, they thought they would sell it when they got home. But now, says Rebecca Dunavant, Were in no hurry.

(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The Kids Guide to Philadelphia, the 13th in the kids guide series, was published in 2020, with The Kids Guide to Camping coming in 2021.)
(Newser)  Elizabeth Holmes is facing serious prison time over the fraud scandal that brought down her health startup Theranos. Now Bloomberg reports that the 36-year-old might make the surprise move of using what amounts to an insanity defense at her March trial. Her lawyers plan to introduce evidence to show that "mental disease or defect" played a role in the scandal, in which Theranos promised to revolutionize the blood-testing industry without having the tech to back it up. One hint of the strategy: Holmes plans to have testimony from a clinical psychologist at Cal State-Fullerton who's an expert on trauma, particularly trauma that results from violence against women, according to Bloomberg. Not much is known beyond that.

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"Contrary to what you may see in the movies, an insanity defense in federal cases is rare and hard to fake," University of Michigan law prof Barbara McQuade tells the outlet. Holmes must prove that some kind of mental defect made her "unable to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of (her) acts." Holmes' legal team has been busy of late trying to get several of the charges against her dismissed for other reasons, reports the San Jose Mercury News, which runs through the details. Holmes, accused of bilking investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars, faces up to 20 years in prison and a multimillion-dollar fine if convicted. She also might have to pay restitution to those who lost money. (Holmes still has people defending her actions.)
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Linkedin Sharon Bernstein and Andrew Hay (Reuters)  Thu, September 10, 2020 08:56 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43ea304 2 World oregon,wildfire Free

Unprecedented wildfires in Oregon have all but destroyed five small towns and a record number of deaths is feared, Governor Kate Brown said on Wednesday.

Oregon was the hardest hit state in the US West, where nearly 100 extreme wildfires were stoked by high winds and temperatures.

In central Oregon, rescuers saved people's lives by pulling them from the Santiam River where they had taken refuge from flames that destroyed scores of riverside homes, officials said.

The Santiam Valley town of Detroit, as well as Blue River and Vida in coastal Lane County and Phoenix and Talent in southern Oregon were substantially destroyed, Brown told a news conference.

"This could be the greatest loss in human lives and property due to wildfire in our states history," Brown said.

The governor gave no indication of how many people may have died, but one of Oregon's most deadly blazes was in 1936 when a fire destroyed the city of Brandon and killed 13 people.

Firefighters in Oregon, California and Washington retreated from uncontrolled blazes that forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes and hundreds of thousands to lose power.

"It was like driving through hell," Jody Evans told local television station NewsChannel21 after a midnight evacuation from Detroit, about 50 miles (80 km) west of Salem.

Evans fled the largest blaze in Oregon, known as the Beachie Fire, which threatened to join up with another wildfire to the west known as the Lionshead Fire.

To the south, parts of Medford, Oregon, a popular retirement location with over 80,000 residents, were under evacuation orders or warnings as a growing wildfire closed a section of Interstate 5, the primary north-south highway in the West.

As the fire moved north to Medford it heavily damaged Talent with about 6,000 residents and Phoenix, with around 5,000, according to local police.

Brown saw no respite in the near term. Winds continue to feed these fires and push them into our towns and cities," she said, adding that thousands more Oregonians will need to evacuate over the next several hours.

Climate scientists have blamed global warming for extreme wet and dry seasons in the US West that have caused grasses and scrub to flourish then dry out, leaving fuel that supercharges wildfires.

In California, all 18 National Forests were closed due to what the US Forest Service called unprecedented and historic fire conditions.

The Creek Fire about 35 miles (56 km) north of Fresno tore through the Sierra National Forest, susceptible due to drought and bark beetle damage, destroying over 360 homes and structures.

This fire is just burning at an explosive rate," said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for California's state fire authority. You add the winds, the dry conditions, the hot temperatures, its the perfect recipe.

Across the United States wildfires have burned nearly 4.7 million acres in 2020, the highest year-to-date area since 2018, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Most of the fires are in western states, where 17 new large blazes were reported on Wednesday, bringing the total to 96 that have burned more than 3.4 million acres - an area nearly the size of the US state of Connecticut.

Home construction has encroached on forests in recent decades, and owners watched houses burn as firefighters are unable to save property.

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The Western Union Foundation has announced a commitment of USD $250,000 to provide aid for international students struggling to fund tuition and basic needs such as healthcare, wellness, food, and housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Western Union Foundation's grant will deliver support to up to 25 students in need, who will each receive USD $10,000. Priority will be given to refugees and migrants in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom, some of the world's leading host countries of international students.

The Foundation will work with the Institute of International Education (IIE) to deliver the grants. IIEs recent research on the impacts of COVID found that while colleges and universities are prioritizing the health and wellbeing of their international students, travel restrictions and fewer options for jobs have left some of the most vulnerable international students with a significant financial need.

More than five million international students pursuing higher education contributed to an estimated global economic impact of $300 billion in 2016, driven largely by students from lower-income countries in search of better education, careers, and life, according to StudyPortals.

"COVID-19 has upended the entire world, including the plans and wellbeing of international students. Behind every international student statistic, there is a story of a young person who made the brave decision to leave their home and travel abroad, and often their families have made real sacrifices to make that possible, said Elizabeth Roscoe, Global Head, Corporate Brand and Purpose for Western Union and Executive Director of the Western Union Foundation.

"The Western Union Foundation believes that international students are an integral part of a growing community of global citizens. They are international ambassadors leading academic excellence, research, and cultural experiences. They contribute to an inclusive, innovative, and interconnected society and workforce, both globally and locally," Roscoe continued.

This initiative builds upon the success of the Foundation's WU Scholars Program, which over the past three years, has helped more than 500 students with their international studies in 100 countries at more than 150 colleges and universities.

"We are proud to partner with the Western Union Foundation to provide this significant funding to students in need of assistance to continue their education," said Dr. Allan Goodman, President, and CEO, Institute of International Education (IIE). "The COVID-19 pandemic has created chaos, and we have heard directly from thousands of students that their financial needs are greater than ever and that many are at risk of not completing their degrees."

IIE is accepting nominations for the WU Scholars grants through September 30, 2020. Students can be nominated by their universities or other higher education institutions, as well as IIE's partner institution network. Eligibility requirements include:

Must be an international student already enrolled in the 2020 academic year and already residing in the country of study.

Must be able to demonstrate a severe disruption to their ability to pay for expenses (tuition & fees, health insurance, housing).

Western Union and the Western Union Foundation have supported COVID-19 relief from the earliest days of the pandemic, kicking off a USD $1M matching appeal in February. To date, their relief efforts have supported global healthcare systems, domestic hunger-relief, and education for vulnerable populations, including refugees and migrants, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Western Union Foundation invites the world community, including corporations and foundations, to come together to support the most vulnerable populations seeking to better themselves through education and job skills training by donating through its website, rounding up on the Western Union mobile app or by reaching out via email at [email protected].

WU-G

About the Western Union Foundation

The Western Union Foundation believes that education is the surest pathway to economic opportunity. After nearly 20 years of impact, we are continuing to deliver against our mission with our Opportunity Beyond Borders commitment, with a focus on empowering forcibly displaced and marginalized youth with the training and education needed to succeed in today's technology-driven global economy. The Foundation also provides funding to communities in crisis through disaster relief and other humanitarian efforts, a key reason for forced migration. To date, more than $126 million granted to fund projects and scholarships in 174 countries across the globe. The Western Union Foundation is a separate charitable corporation that is tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code and receives support from The Western Union Company, its employees, agents, and business partners. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible for US income tax purposes. To learn more, visit wu.com/foundation or follow us on Twitter @TheWUFoundation.

About IIE

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in providing international education strategies and program services. We work with policymakers, educators and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that protect students, scholars, and artists in danger, expand teaching and learning across cultures, and provide opportunities to underserved populations. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 18 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,300 member institutions.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005156/en/
Fire burns at the Moria camp for refugees and migrants on the island of Lesbos

Refugees and migrants carry their belongings as they flee from a fire burning at the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos, Greece, on Sept. 9, 2020. Credit - Elias MarcouReuters

12,000 migrants and refugees were left without shelter or access to basic services after fires over the past two days spread throughout Greeces largest refugee camp, Moria, on the island of Lesbos.

The fires come amid escalating tension on the island of Lesbos, within Greece and the wider European Union over the issue of migrants. The residents, most of whom are fleeing from Afghanistan and Syria, have faced overcrowded and dangerous living circumstances since the camp was founded in 2015. Then last week the camp had its first outbreak of COVID-19, leading to a two-week quarantine that severely restricted residents movements.

The first fire broke out on Tuesday evening, destroying the majority of the camp. The next night, a second fire broke out at an informal settlement in a nearby olive grove, turning the last intact section of the camp into ash.

Although it remains unclear how exactly the fires began, authorities say the fires were started by refugees protesting new COVID-19 policies. Others blamed far-right Greek locals for starting the fire, amid rising anti-migrant sentiment on the island.

While neither accounts have been verified, the rumours circulating about who started the fires are illustrative of larger tensions on the island whereby migrants are fed up of their poor living circumstances and local residents are increasingly resentful of the lack of national, regional and international support for managing the influx of migrants and refugees on the island.

It also comes at a time where many migrants feel Europe is turning its back on them, becoming less tolerant and less willing to help, with countries like France taking tougher measures on immigration.

Weve been saying that Moria is a ticking time bomb, says Eva Cosse, a researcher at Human Rights Watch who says she and many other experts predicted a crisis like this would unfold. Its not surprising at all but it is incredibly sad. It shows how badly the European Union and Greece have managed this situation.

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Now, with most of the camp destroyed, the future of migrants and refugees living in Moria remain unknown.

Heres what to know.

What is the Moria refugee camp?

The Moria refugee camp is the largest refugee camp in Greece located on the island of Lesbos. Initially built for 2,200 people, the camp has hosted almost ten times the amount of people it was originally meant for. At the time of the fire it was housing 12,000. Since 2015, over a million migrants have arrived at Moria, with the majority coming from Afghanistan and Syria by sea. 85% of people living in the camp are refugees; the others are classified as migrants. A third of the camps population are children under the age of 12, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

For years, human rights advocates have spoken out against the conditions of the camp which remain dangerous and inadequate. Overcrowding has forced people to seek shelter in nearby olive groves. The camp is particularly dangerous for girls and women who are vulnerable to sexual violence. As a result, many fear using toilets, showers or lining up for food in distribution lines, Human Rights Watch reports.

An aerial view of destroyed shelters following a fire at the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece. Alkis KonstantinidisReuters

The conditions are so dire that on Feb. 7, the United Nations called on the Greek government to implement emergency measures and expedite its plans to transfer a greater number of asylum-seekers to appropriate accommodation on the mainland, amid rising concerns about disease outbreaks in the camp. Few actions, however, were taken.

How has COVID impacted the camp?

Last week, a 40 year-old man became the first person to test positive for COVID-19 in Moria. Since then, at least 35 more people tested positive for the virus. The camp has since been put under a strict two-week quarantine, and residents movements are severely limited.

Human rights advocates worry that the Greek government is using this outbreak as an opportunity to further constrain the freedoms of people living in the camp. Notis Mitarachi, the Greek minister for migration, has already said the coronavirus case illustrates a need for closed and controlled structures for refugees.

Although Moria camp has seen far fewer cases than the rest of Greece, its residents have faced more restrictions. The rest of the country began enjoying looser restrictions in May, welcoming international tourists, but the camp has remained under lockdown since March 23.

People walk in the burnt camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos after a major fire broke out, on Sept. 9, 2020. Angelos TzortzinisAFP/Getty Images

While refugees and aid workers alike have worried about a potential COVID-19 outbreak in the Moria campwhere overcrowding makes social distancing impossible and there is a drastic lack of medical caremany do not think a strict lockdown is the answer.

Lockdown exacerbates a situation where so many people already live in undignified circumstances that bring violence and misery, says Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, the International Rescue Committees Greece Director. It is time that European Union countries work with the Greek government to urgently find better solutions.

How did the fires start?

Three fires started Tuesday evening on the outskirts of the camp and moved inwards. Twenty-five firefighters were called in and extinguished most of the fire on Wednesday morning. The cause remains unknown.

Activists, aid workers and local media, however, have suggested the fires may have been started deliberately by people in the camp to express their anger about the latest lockdown restrictions. No water, no social distancing measures has created a lot of tensions, says Cosse. When you also have the insecurity of COVID, this can very easily lead to tensions and fires.

Poor conditions in the camp have also forced people to use makeshift heating devices to warm themselves and to cook. Many people live in summer tents or cardboard boxes in close proximity to one another, creating a fire hazard.

Other rumors have circulated that far-right Greeks are responsible. While UNHCR says there is not enough evidence to back up this claim, Stella Nanou, a UNHCR spokesperson in Greece says that tensions have been increasing over the past month. There has been compassion on the part of many local inhabitants of the islands, she says. But Im afraid problems have been left unattended for a very long time and people feel they have been left alone to shoulder all the burden of this crisis therefore leading to more tension, more xenophobic rhetoric, more hostility being demonstrated by the local community against refugees.

A migrant looks at the burned Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesbos, Greece, on Sept. 9, 2020. Petros GiannakourisAP

While it still remains unclear who started the fires and how, many experts are not surprised that fires broke out.

What we are seeing is unfortunate but it is not the first time tragic events have happened in Moria, says Kalogeropoulou. In March, a fire claimed the life of a six-year-old child and last September a fire killed a woman and her child.

How much damage have the fires caused?

The fires have destroyed the vast majority of the camp, leaving 12,000 people living on the streets. So far, no fatalities have been reported.

Local police have blocked roads to the camp to prevent the thousands of migrants fleeing to nearby towns. Migrants do not have access to shelter or medical assistance.

The fires also burnt the reception centers as well as the European Asylum Office, raising concerns about refugee and migrant case files.

A big question is what will happen with peoples documents and asylum case files, says Cosse, who noted that peoples unique documents proving they need asylum were burnt in the fire.

What happens next?

The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called an emergency meeting about the fires on Wednesday morning. Several ministers were headed to Lesbos to manage the crisis.

The European Union has also offered to help. Margaritis Schinas, the European Commission vice-president said they were ready to assist Greece directly at all levels during these difficult times. Ylva Johansson, the European Union home affairs commissioner, also agreed to pay for the transfer of 4,000 unaccompanied minors to the mainland and yesterday, 400 were transferred. The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has also said it is willing to take in 1,000 refugees displaced by the fires.

Experts say that the solution to the firesand to the problems in the camp more generallyis relocation.

What is important to say is that there is an urgent need for European Union solidarity to finally relocate people from the island, says Cosse. Thats the most important thing to do.
Two Manitoba First Nations are in mourning after three men were killed, and another severely injured, when their van was hit by a train east of Strathclair, in western Manitoba, on Tuesday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/9/2020 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two Manitoba First Nations are in mourning after three men were killed, and another severely injured, when their van was hit by a train east of Strathclair, in western Manitoba, on Tuesday.

The four men were employed by Russell Redi-Mix Concrete.

FACEBOOK Trevor Bone was one of the three men killed when their van was hit by a train east of Strathclair, in western Manitoba, on Tuesday. Bone was employed by Russell Redi-Mix Concrete.

Waywayseecappo First Nation Chief Murray Clearsky said his community is grieving the loss of 25-year-old Trevor Bone, whom he described as a hard-working father of three young children.

"Everybody knew him here," Clearsky said. "People that know him, along with us here, are grieving about it.

"Its just too bad," he said. "There was three of them that got killed in that accident and my condolences go out to their families as well."

Rail crossing not a trouble spot: mayor Click to Expand A vehicle with four occupants was struck by a train that consisted of two locomotive units around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the CP Rail crossing one kilometre east of Strathclair. (The Brandon Sun files) Posted: 4:56 PM Sep. 9, 2020 There's relatively little rural governments can do to prevent tragedies such as Tuesday's vehicle-train crash in western Manitoba that claimed three lives, beyond continuing to promote safe, attentive driving. A van with four men inside was heading north on Road 126 West, one kilometre east of Strathclair, at about 11:30 a.m. when it collided with the train. Three of the occupants died at the scene, while the driver remains in hospital with serious injuries. Read Full Story

Many in Waywayseecappo, about 30 kilometres east of Russell, have connections to Russell Redi-Mix Concrete and its parent company, Coco Group Inc., as the company often hires its members, Clearsky said. The tragic loss is resonating in the community he said, and added the company has reached out to offer support.

On social media, friends and family members identified one of the victims as Phil Houle Jr.

Sandy Bay First Nation Chief Lance Roulette said the community on the western shore of Lake Manitoba is stricken by grief and in shock over the passing of a "good friend" and community member.

Manitoba RCMP say officers with the Yellowhead detachment and Canadian Pacific Police responded to a collision between a train and a passenger van at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 8, at Road 126 West, a kilometre east of Strathclair, which is about 250 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

FACEBOOK Phil Houle was one of three men killed when their van was hit by a train east of Strathclair, in western Manitoba, on Tuesday.

The investigation has determined a 27-year-old from Dauphin was driving the van northbound on Road 126W, a gravel road that intersects both the CP rail line and the Yellowhead Highway. Bone and his co-workers, a 45-year-old from Sandy Bay First Nation, and a 19-year-old from Dauphin, were passengers.

Police believe a westbound Canadian Pacific train consisting of two engines struck the van at the at-grade rail crossing, about 30 metres from the highway.

The driver was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and later airlifted by STARS Air Ambulance from Minnedosa Hospital to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg in stable condition. RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchaine said as of noon Wednesday the driver was in stable condition and was expected to make a full recovery.

The passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Officers from the Yellowhead detachment along with a forensic collision reconstructionist continue to assist CP Police in the investigation.

Anthony Rossi, director of land development and government relations with Coco Group, confirmed the four men were employed by Russell Redi-Mix Concrete, a division of the company that's doing roadwork on Highway 16 from Highway 21 to Provincial Road 250.

"Our thoughts and prayers are 100 per cent with the family and friends, and all the employees from the crew who worked with them, anybody who has been impacted by this tragic accident," Rossi said Wednesday. "Really, it was a difficult scene, I understand, and difficult for everyone involved."

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TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN A passenger van sits next to the CP tracks east of Strathclair after a fatal collision with a train on Tuesday afternoon.

With a police investigation ongoing, Rossi said he couldnt comment on whether the men were working at the time of the crash or if they were in a company vehicle.

"Were fully co-operating with any investigations that are required," he said.

A spokesman for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said the crash has been reported to the independent agency, which investigates rail transportation accidents, and it is "gathering information and assessing the occurrence."

Last year, five fatalities were associated with collisions at rail crossings in Manitoba.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
Diane Krulac is branching out with a sweet, new venture.

The founder of Brittle Bark in Mechanicsburg is opening Cocoa Creek Chocolates on Sept. 12 at 18 S. 18th St. in Camp Hill. The shop will showcase Krulacs latest line of truffles, bars and caramels.

We really hope and expect people will say, Wow, Ive never seen anything like this in central Pennsylvania,' she said.

Krulac makes the chocolates in micro-batches and focuses on curated collections, clean ingredients, and a stylish, playful visual appeal.

A grand opening celebration will be held at the shop over several days starting 12:30 p.m. Sept. 14 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and sneak peek shopping event. The shop also will be open Sept. 12 for Camp Hills Harvest Hop.

Krulac ventured into the candy business by accident after making peanut brittle for a preschool bake sale. She invested $2,000 into the company (and more along the way) first selling wholesale from her home to local stores.

Her big break came when television host Rachael Ray made Poppin' Time, a mixture of popcorn, pretzels, peanut Brittle Bark and chocolate, the shows snack of the day. Suddenly local people came knocking  literally  on the door of Brittle Barks kitchens in Mechanicsburg.

She opened the retail store in Mechanicsburg, where customers still shop for fudge, chocolate covered pretzels, packaged candies and the signature brittle bark.

A decade ago, she sold Brittle Barks wholesale operations to Fry Communications. Left with time and a desire to transition from bark to chocolate, she developed her latest pursuit, Cocoa Creek. Its designed to showcase flavors from around the world.

Like grapes, cacao beans take on the flavor and character of their source, and the cocoa that is made from those beans also tastes distinctively of the region where it was roasted, blended and produced, Krulac said.

She sources chocolate from about 18 different countries, some from small craft bean-to-bar companies who have relationships with plantation owners in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and other countries.

READ MORE: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen opens new restaurant in Dauphin County

Among Cocoa Creeks featured confections are truffles such as strawberry balsamic black pepper, coconut cream pie, passion fruit, raspberry and limoncello basil. Customers can choose custom boxes or pre-set collections such as a four-piece Black Beauty with 70% dark chocolate truffles from France, Italy, Belgium and the United States.

Cocoa Creek also will have monthly limited-edition truffle collections such as an upcoming Halloween theme in October.

The line extends to Luthers Trek bars, named after Krulacs Jack Russell Terrier in flavors like ginger-apricot, lemon-wild blueberry and Ultra Violet with dried raspberries, pistachios and sugared violets. The caramels sell in salted and spirited varieties such as almond sea salt, hazelnut caramel coffee, bourbon and spiced rum.

For Krulac, Cocoa Creek keeps her from boredom.

I dont have any big plans to retire, but I love what Im doing. This has legs. It will have a life. Its something fun," she said.

Coca Creeks chocolates are available online. The shops hours for opening week are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 15), Wednesday (Sept. 16) and Friday (Sept. 18.), noon-6 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 17) and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 19).
CONCORD  When voters look for ballot boxes to submit their mail-in ballots for the upcoming General Election, the Concord Township building wont be one place where thats possible.

In the summer, Delaware County Council approved spending $152,000 funds from the Center for Tech and Civic Life to purchase 50 drop boxes to be placed in each of the 49 municipalities and one at the county Government Center in Media. In the June primary, applications for mail-in ballots were backed up so county officials permitted voters who had received their ballot but were concerned there wasnt enough time for the postal service to deliver it to drop off their ballots at polling places so that these votes would be counted.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused some to have concern about voting at a setting with potentially large amounts of people. In addition, Act 77, passed in Pennsylvania last year, allowed for no-excuse mail-in voting.

In Concord, there is some disconnect between what county and township officials want. Concord is ruled by an all-Republican board of supervisors, and Delaware County Council is comprised of all Democrats.

Township Manager Amanda Serock issued a statement explaining that on Aug. 25, the Delaware County Board of Elections presented Concord with a request and license agreement for the placement of a ballot box on township property for mail-in and absentee ballots. The statement said the agreement listed a period of five years for such placement, as well as other conditions that werent specified.

It added that the Interim Director of Elections Marianne Jackson asked that the agreement be returned by Sept. 9. Concord Township Council held its regularly scheduled meeting Sept. 1 and the matter was not addressed.

The Delaware County Board of Elections was informed on Sept. 2 that the township would not participate in this program and installation of a ballot box as no action had been taken on the license agreement at the public meeting, the statement read. No executive session was held to discuss this matter.

Township Councilman John Gillespie said, The township manager wrote a letter. I know nothing about it. I was not asked my opinion.

He added he didnt have a copy of the letter.

When asked who authorized the manager to write the letter, Gillespie added, I have no idea.

He declined to comment on his thoughts about a ballot drop box not being in the township building for the General Election; however, the statement issued by Serock said nothing foul was at play.

Concord Township is proud of its history of assisting the county Election Board in the election process, the Concord Township statement continued. Over the years, the township has taken on the task of performing and paying for the required studies to allow for an increase in the number of voting precincts from four to 11 as well as assisting in finding locations for those precincts, along with setup and other services. Any implication that township council is subverting the election process is untrue and unfounded.

The statement explained that registered voters will be able to vote at the polls on Election Day.

In addition, it continued, it said the Delaware County Board of Elections is anticipated to send out requested ballots in early October through the U.S. Postal Service to those who have applied for one. It directed those with more questions on that process to visit the county website at http://www.delcopa.gov/electionsbureau/absenteevoting.html.

The township statement concluded, We urge our citizens to exercise their right to vote, either in person, at the polls on Election Day or by mail-in ballot via the U.S. Postal Service.

Joe Campisano, chair of the Concord-Bethel Democratic Committee, expressed concern for elderly voters and spoke to the difficulties they may have in getting to Media and finding parking there.

We have a lot of older residents in Concord Township, he said. Many people just dont want to travel.

A drop box in the township building would allow for the ballot to be picked up that day and taken to Media, Campisano said, adding, It would be in the Bureau of Elections way before the time it was for them to count.

He took issue that the issue was not done behind closed doors.

It was done in an executive session Campisano said, it didnt need to be. There was no input, there was no explanation made to the public why they made that decision.

He said the absence of a ballot drop box at the township building is an example of voter suppression.

It absolutely would be, Campisano said. Was it intended to be that? I dont know.

Such a move would require voters in Concord who received their ballot late to take it to Media or to another municipal building.

It just doesnt make any sense, Campisano said.
On Wednesday (Sept. 9), the United States Trotting Association issued a statement defending their opposition to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020, which is currently being discussed in the United States Congress.

The statement in its entirety appears below.

The newly introduced Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 (HISA) is, like its predecessors, a Thoroughbred bill written by elite Thoroughbred interests in an attempt to address elite Thoroughbred problems. Indeed, Senate Majority Leader McConnells bill did not include Standardbreds or other breeds, and the press release that announced the bill repeatedly cited only Thoroughbred racing and its interests.

The bill has since been bastardized by an array of outside interests, and harness racing again has been pulled into the mix. A review of the revised language reveals that the bill now is a virtual clone of H.R. 1754 (Horseracing Integrity Act of 2019), and will harm, not help, Standardbred horses and the harness racing industry.

While the United States Trotting Association (USTA) strongly supports state-regulated, breed-specific, uniform medication rules for horse racing, the USTA strongly opposes the HISA for a number of reasons and sees several areas of significant concern to the Standardbred racing industry.

Lasix (Furosemide)

The legislation seeks to ban the race-day use of Lasix, a universally-accepted therapeutic medication. Veterinarians endorse Lasix as the only known treatment for Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH), a condition that causes varying amounts of bleeding in the lungs of racehorses as well as horses in the wild. Both the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians support the use of Lasix and oppose this legislation.

Proponents of the ban on the use of Lasix have purposely disseminated misleading information on the percentage of horses that suffer EIPH when they say that only 5 per cent of horses bleed during racing. That statistic is the percentage of horses that suffer epistaxis, the most severe form of EIPH involving patent hemorrhaging from the nose. In fact, about 90 per cent of horses bleed into their lungs during racing, with each bout of EIPH causing irreparable damage to lung tissue.

Lasix is not performance-enhancing and, due to the very sensitive capabilities of testing, it cannot be used to mask illegal medications.

Unspecified Funding Mechanism with Extremely Inequitable Costs to Harness Racing

Various proponents of this legislation have indicated that a newly created, private Horse Racing Anti-Doping and Medication Control Authority would be funded by a surcharge to the owners and trainers of every horse in every race.

Standardbreds are a different breed with a significantly different racing performance model than Thoroughbreds. Since the average Standardbred races 19 times per year while the average Thoroughbred only six, that fee structure would result in three times the cost to Standardbreds compared to Thoroughbreds.

This newly created regulatory body will have to impose additional fees and costs on the industry with no oversight mechanism in place. Harness racing horsemen will be hit particularly hard because most of them are working-class people. It will drive many of them out of the business.

Testing and Oversight

The bill mandates a drug-testing authority that has no background in animal testing. The testing authority will be done by a private business  USADA  which tests certain human athletes.

Nowhere in the bill is there mandated any consultation requirement with the National Veterinary Service Labs for drug testing or the USDA Veterinary Services.

The bill snatches legitimate authority away from the states, forcing them to cooperate, and illegally delegates Congressional authority to a private company that is accountable to no elected official.

The USTA promotes and insists upon the humane and ethical treatment of its horses. Despite its inaccurate title indicating that it will make horses safer, this bill does the opposite. Whether it is right for Thoroughbred racing  its intended target  is not our concern. It most certainly is wrong for harness racing, will harm our industry, and put our horses and participants at risk.

On the same day that United States Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in the Senate, the Energy and Commerce Committee marked up the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representative Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to the Horseracing Integrity Act (H.R. 1754) to mirror the bill introduced by Senator McConnell. The markup sparked fierce debate among the members of the committee.

During debate, Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), a veterinarian and co-chair of the House Veterinary Caucus, railed against the lack of any equine medical input on a bill that purports to promote the health and welfare of horses, the lack of veterinary expertise on the Authority that the bill creates, and the lack of any basis in veterinary science for banning race-day Lasix.

In response, the United States Trotting Association (USTA) issued the following statement in support of Representative Schraders comments.

Certain Thoroughbred interests have made race-day Lasix a red herring to distract the public from the fact that Thoroughbred racing itself causes many of the deplorable, catastrophic breakdowns in the Thoroughbred breed. Race-day Lasix is the humane therapy for horses being asked to stress their pulmonary systems to the utmost on a single day. Lasix is not performance-enhancing, it is not doping, and it does not mask illegal substances. Banning Lasix before it is scientifically studied, to echo Representative Schrader, is putting the cart before the horse. As Rep. Schrader explained, this bill is not ready for prime time, said USTA President Russell Williams.

(USTA)
The Delhi government has revoked the fee-hike permission granted to a top private school in Chanakyapuri, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday. "The fee hike permitted to the school is being revoked. It was found that certain facts were ignored while granting the permission," Sisodia told a press conference.

Earlier in the day, a group of parents of the students of the school met Sisodia, who is also the education minister of Delhi. The deputy chief minister reiterated that no school is allowed to hike fees during the COVID-19 pandemic and that action will be taken against the defaulters.

"We have already made it clear that no school is allowed to hike fees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools are only allowed to charge tuition fees and no extra fees will be allowed to be levied till the schools reopen completely. Strict action will be taken against the defaulters," he said.
Campuses are cracking down on partying post-secondary students.

Even though a fraction of students have now returned to school in person  Queens University estimates about 6,600 of the usual 24,000 will be on campus on a regular basis  officials say they still need to limit their social contacts to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks.

South of the border, some schools have had to shut down and at least one U.S. university  Northeastern, in Boston  kicked 11 students out of school for hanging out together in a hotel room and is refusing to refund their fall tuition.

In Nova Scotia, the RCMP fined four students $1,000 each over the Labour Day weekend for failing to self-isolate after arriving on campus.

News of the large gatherings of students come as polling for the Toronto Star by Campaign Research shows Ontarians are deeply divided over campuses reopening.

Some universities have said they will offer online courses all year long, with in-person courses for students in programs like nursing or graduate students who need access to labs. Others are holding smaller classes on campus and larger ones online.

Among those surveyed by Campaign Research, 39 per cent said schools could reopen safely while offering in-person classes, with 35 per cent saying they could not, and 26 per cent felt unsure.

Just 31 per cent of respondents believe it is safe to reopen residences, with 42 per cent saying its not.

The public is split on it, said Campaign Research principal Nick Kouvalis, adding there are concerns about safety but when certain protocols are in place  such as limiting dorm rooms to one student  Ontarians feel much more comfortable.

On Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford urged no more parties for college and university students.

I always brag we have the brightest students anywhere in the world in university and college, he said. Prove it. Dont go to these big parties ... I just cant stress it enough.

I dont want to sound like, you know, some dad lecturing you. Im just talking to you as a friend, as a premier.

In Nova Scotia, the four out-of-province university students who were fined were supposed to have self-isolated for 14 days after arriving.

But despite RCMP assurances that it has been working in co-operation with the schools involved, both of the universities  Acadia and St. Francis Xavier  said they had not been contacted by the police.

One of those schools is still unsure if the student charged in its town is part of its student body.

The influx of students from outside the Atlantic bubble  the four Atlantic Provinces where coronavirus infection rates are low  has become a major cause for concern. St. Francis Xavier in Antigonish and Acadia in Wolfville have populations that rival those of the towns in which they are located.

Its akin to dropping a cruise ship into the middle of the town, in terms of this influx of students from outside of the area, said epidemiologist Ashleigh Tuite of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

It appears the four students will also face further disciplinary sanctions from their school.

Ford also mentioned Kingston, which closed its waterfront pier after scores of newly arrived students gathered there.

One Queens professor released an open letter saying his campus neighbourhood was strewn with litter after numerous groups of drunken students were partying noisily all weekend, expressing his worries for the city, which has just one active case.

As you know, hundreds of my Queens University colleagues have spent the last six months in lockdown ... generally suspending our lives and careers in order to do our part for the community and for the university, to ensure a safe environment for our children and our students, wrote kinesiology and health studies professor Jeff Masuda.

Yet, all of these efforts are now effectively moot ... (students) have, epidemiologically speaking, turned the entire university district into some kind of pandemic outbreak incubator. None of this had to happen.

In London, a fraternity cancelled its frosh-week plans at the urging of Western University, and the public health unit has also warned students to stay away from house parties.

Campaign Research surveyed 1,129 people across Ontario last Wednesday and Thursday using Maru Blues online panel. For comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
From Andrew Carnegie to Henry Ford to Bill Gates, what is a salesman at heart like? Hard-working, driven, passionate, and above all, someone with an undying love for entrepreneurship.

Now, that may not be everyones understanding of being a salesman, but for the founder of LVE Group, Mike Luzio, thats the gospel truth. Mike has played an active role in taking the American entrepreneurial spirit up a notch. With LVE Group, he aims to help honest and hard-working entrepreneurs who dont believe in smoothing lifes rough edges but living life on the edge. His strategies are out-of-the-box, and his passion is infectious. As he speaks to Insider Monkey, this acclaimed motivational speaker shares that he is poised for a future where everyone grows together.

Mike Luzio

IM: Thanks for joining us today, Mike! Please tell us what lead you to LVE Group?

Mike: I founded the LVE Group in 2016 when I wanted to figure out a way that I can still work and have fun. That perhaps is the best way to sum up LVEs living philosophy. The LVE Group offers consulting, speaking engagements, agency consulting, and angel investing and aims to invests in businesses in various industries and help them grow from idea to exit.

IM: What is your most profound passion?

Mike: It has to be to empower people with a vision and drive to build their own business. To do this, I decided not to define entrepreneurship but experience it and let it define itself. My approach led me to the nooks and crannies of America. And it was in these lesser-known alleys that I found passion sizzling like steak, dreams surfing fearlessly, the courage that cant be bulldozed, and more. In the trials and tribulations of these businesses, I found the secret sauce of entrepreneurship.

IM: How did you arrive at a stellar strategy to help other businesses?

Mike: LVE Groups technical expertise and in-depth understanding of how new business works has been made possible because we take the time to understand our partners needs. We look under the hood to figure out what makes them tick. We strategically pair them with services that fit their milestones. Apart from this, Ive always searched for the next big entrepreneurial story that has survived its heros journey. These stories have inspired many entrepreneurs to learn from each other instead of just competing for market space and customer eyeballs.

For Mike, success and excellence are never-ending parallels that feed into each other. Every day an impossible is transformed into a possibility and a trial into success. This means theres room for everyone to succeed and everyone to learn.

Mikes LVE Group is a haven for entrepreneurs. His infectious enthusiasm brings people to his doorstep, discovering or rediscovering their passion for what they do.
The first wedding to ever happen live on TODAY celebrated a love that was built to last.

Peter and Melanie Ginsberg, who were selected from nearly a thousand couples in 2000 for a "TODAY Ties the Knot" special, celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on Sunday.

Peter and Melanie Ginsberg celebrated their 20th anniversary on Sept. 6 after becoming the first couple to ever get married live on TODAY in 2000. (Courtesy Peter Ginsberg)

"We're one of the lucky ones that seem to have a really amazing life together," Peter Ginsberg told TODAY. "It was a great way to start the journey that day."

"It does grow sweeter with time," Melanie told TODAY.

Peter made a special montage of the footage for Melanie to celebrate their 20th anniversary, which he also marked with a sweet message to his wife on Facebook.

"The start of our 'official' great adventure with my best friend and with the best person I know," he wrote. "You stole my heart and helped me to be the best version of myself. I am forever grateful to you for sharing your life with me."

Since that 15-minute wedding ceremony on Rockefeller Plaza, Peter, 48, and Melanie, 47, have raised a family together. The couple from Bayville, New York, has two children, Jack, 17, and Emma, 15, who have enjoyed hearing how mom and dad got married.

"You know we're old because the video we have of it is on a VCR tape," Peter joked. "I think the kids are amazed by it. They've been hearing a lot about it throughout their life, and they think it's cool. They can't believe how young we were."

Being selected to have their wedding in front of hundreds of spectators and family as well as 6 million people watching at home seemingly came at the perfect time for the couple.

Peter's father had died from cancer at 60 a few months before Peter saw the callout on TODAY for couples looking to be selected. He and Melanie were engaged but were overwhelmed at the time between not having much money to pay for a wedding and not wanting to ask their parents to foot the bill following his father's death.

Story continues

"It was one of those things that very quickly in the process, we were disheartened by the sheer cost and the planning," Peter said. "We never expected or anticipated we would've gotten that far (in the TODAY selection process), and to win  that was never something we actually expected.

The Ginsbergs were selected from nearly a thousand couples to have their wedding on TODAY. (Courtesy Peter Ginsberg)

"We were overjoyed. I felt like my father was looking down on me and helping me out."

Not only did TODAY handle the wedding, the show tried something new for that time: online voting.

Viewers voted on TODAY's website for things like which gown Melanie would wear (Carolina Herrera), what type of wedding rings the couple would get (Tiffany), and where they would go on their honeymoon (Hawaii).

"A lot of people thought, 'How could you give them the power to pick all that stuff?'" Melanie said. "But it was so beyond whatever we were able to do on our own, there were no bad choices.

The happy couple still lives in New York and has two children, son Jack, 17, and daughter, Emma, 15. (Courtesy Peter Ginsberg)

"Our kids dont have as much of a lens for this because so much now is online voting, but this was like the first time anyone had any interactive voting like this."

The Ginsbergs say their 15 minutes of fame

Peter, who is a lawyer, and Melanie, who is director of people services at Schechter School of Long Island, are now used to people doing double takes when they tell them about their wedding.

"Most people are shocked," Peter said. "They're intrigued by the whole process."

Live weddings on TODAY have become a staple since the Ginsbergs tied the knot all those years ago.

"It seems like the love stories and the backgrounds behind the couples have gotten more incredible over the years," Peter said. "Mel and I had our 15 minutes of fame, and it was all positive. That's a rare thing these days."
Things can "only get better" for Ferrari, according to the famous and crisis-struck Italian team's boss Mattia Binotto.

Mugello this weekend is an important weekend for the Maranello marque, as it is taking place at a Ferrari-owned circuit to mark the team's 1000th race.

Also to mark the occasion, Ferrari will race a special livery with a deeper shade of red, while even the sport's official safety car has turned red for the weekend.

However, it is happening just a week after Monza, where the team's embarrassing 2020 slump hit a new low with shockingly poor pace, a brake failure for Sebastian Vettel, and a big crash for Charles Leclerc.

Vettel told Speed Week that simply finishing the race at Mugello would be an improvement.

"That would be a good start, at least for me," said the quadruple world champion.

"But there are no shortcuts in life. We are in this situation because we probably deserve it.

"It's hard, but I'm not the only one who suffers. The whole team does. And I always see myself as part of the team," added Vettel, who is leaving Ferrari at the end of the year and expected to sign for Aston Martin.

"In the last races we had problems getting the car to work 100 percent," he said. "Maybe things are looking a little better for Mugello. But that doesn't mean that we will be on the podium.

"Expectations are very low," Vettel added.

Team boss Binotto denies that Ferrari is in crisis, but at the same time he doesn't take issue with Vettel's assessment.

"After Monza, Sebastian said that it couldn't get any worse, and he was right," he told Rai 3 television.

"But we are working to improve the situation and it can only get better from here."

Explaining the core problem, Binotto admits Ferrari's engine power took a hit for 2020.

"We developed a car based on an advantage that we no longer have today," he admitted.

The Italian says he takes some of the blame for that.

"As head of the team, if I had to make a mea culpa I would say that I didn't understand the difficulties of this car soon enough," said Binotto.

He admits that Mugello will be another difficult weekend, which could be disappointing for the 3000 Italian spectators in attendance.

"I hope they understand what kind of situation we are in," he said of the spectators.

As for Charles Leclerc, Binotto says the team's top driver has time to develop with Ferrari.

"I believe that Charles must not only face the situation, but he must help the team to get out of it. He is still only 22, so he must still grow as a person and as a leader."

(GMM)
Life on the ground at the notorious Calais jungle refugee camp has never been more bleak, and the situation looks set to worsen.

The desolate car park of the BP gas station on the outskirts of Calais is almost unrecognisable. What once was a place for refugees to gather to avail of the NGO services operating in the area has, overnight and thanks to the latest police eviction, become a new refugee settlement; yet another fragmented spin-off of the notorious Calais jungle.

As we unload phone charging units and urns of hot water from our volunteer van, we estimate that roughly 100 men must be sleeping here, out in the open and unprotected from the elements on patches of tarmac, parched grass and soil cracked from the summer heat. Sleeping bags or blankets are a luxury; tents are non-existent.

The luckiest among them hang tarps from the chain-linked fence, creating an improvised tunnel of shelter on the kerb that is no more than a metre in length.

These are little more than awnings, with both ends exposed and open to the torrential rain and gale-force winds that have lambasted Northern France in the past weeks.

Washing hangs from the top of the fence.

The scene is depressing, desperate but unremarkable for anyone acquainted with the grim landscape of Calais.

It is the reality  visceral and worsening  of the 1,200-1,500 refugees estimated to be living on the margins of industrial estates, in the hedgerows of dual carriageways, and underneath railway bridges.

Five kilometres away, the rest of the men evicted have congregated in copses near the hospital, turning what was a small settlement of approximately 80 Afghans into a volatile melting pot of 500 people.

These numbers are, of course, estimates. It is impossible to know just how many people pass through this strange holiday town on Frances Northern Coast: some are here for a matter of weeks before making it to the UK; some have been here for years.

It has been two months since I began volunteering with UK-based charity Care4Calais, an organisation established to deliver essential services and advocate for the safe arrival and welcoming of refugees to the UK.

Requests for shoes, reading glasses, and underwear for the children who all speak half a dozen European languages; for the heavily pregnant women living in bushes; for new fathers whose wives have just given birth and have nothing to clothe their newborn with are the unrelenting soundtrack of these distributions. They echo around the walls of my AirBnB each evening.

Since my arrival, I have witnessed a consistent increase in evacuations by Frances riot police, the CRS, here in Calais and Dunkirk, turning our work into an almost constant emergency response.

Every 48 hours, CRS descend on communities armed with tear gas, batons and buses that bundle men, young families and unaccompanied minors off to centres dispersed throughout France.

Attempts to reach the UK by boat have risen in tandem with these evictions, with numbers crossing thus far in 2020 already exceeding the whole of 2019.

On surfboards, in inflatable boats and ill-equipped dinghies, and using paddles or even shovels as oars, people are taking to the worlds busiest seaway with the reckless desperation of the choiceless. The name Abdulfatah Hamdallah is the only reference needed to know how too many of these odysseys end.

Holly prepares food packs, filled with tinned and fresh food, in the Care4Calais warehouse.

According to the prefecture, "the aim of these operations is to put an end to illegal occupations and to avoid the reconstitution of lawless areas and unhealthy camps."

In truth, these evacuations seem designed not to eradicate lawlessness but to further eradicate any trace of the lives international law has abandoned and to extinguish, down to the last tent pole, any remaining shred of hope.

I often hear of the psychological warfare of these operations: a friend living in a Dunkirk camp tells me of police taking only one shoe from men to augment their indignity; another speaks of boats circling refugee dinghies with floodlights to disorient the drivers so that they no longer know where theyre going and sail blindly in circles, until they run out of fuel and are forced to call for help.

Hamada, a 19-year-old Eritrean who lived in the Calais jungle as a teenager before safely making it to the UK, is proof that this psychological abuse leaves an indelible scar.

Walking with friends one night in London, safe and far from the trauma of Calais, a police car slowed down beside them. Without thinking, he began sprinting, believing himself back in France and once more at the mercy of police brutality.

Hamada, a beacon of hope and joyful antidote to every argument for securitisation, has returned to Calais as a volunteer. To the refugees who feel empty, like dead bodies walking, his presence here, his story, renew their fortitude: he made it, he is happy, he is due to start university this month.

To me, he is a reminder of the humanity, generosity, and boundless warmth of the kaleidoscopic people whose ebullient thank yous for the tea and coffee I serve show our shared belief that manners matter.

Who, despite being lost to reductive headlines or political hyperbole that seek to only vilify or victimise, are individuals exactly like you and I, with decided preferences on how much sugar they like in their coffee (a lot) and exactly how skinny they want their jeans (the answer is almost always VERY skinny). All that separates us is circumstanceand the peril of an inflatable boat.
Another of the documents presented in the report shows top military leaders holding key executive posts in MEHL. Currently, the companys website shows Lt. Gen. Hsan Ou as its chairman and Major Gen. Khin Maung Than, who also heads the directorate for military procurement, as its managing director. The people holding most of the other top posts are not identified by their current or former ranks, but some are retired top military brass.




LOBAMBA  It was a day they will want to quickly forget.

The Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) came under fire in Parliament yesterday when they made their appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to give answers on the recommendations that were made by the committee on the findings of the Auditor General (AG).

Led by Principal Secretary Maxwell Masuku, the ministry representatives were slammed for failing to give conclusive responses when members of the PAC demanded answers on the recommendations they made on the AGs report on government accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 2018.

Responses

In fact, the ministry was ordered by the PAC to leave Parliament and go prepare irrefutable responses as their submissions were not convincing and they spoke volumes about laxity and disorganisation at the ministry.

One of the recommendations was that the controlling officer at the ministry was urged to quarterly update the committee on the progress of the investigations after the AG reported that 20 executive desks, amounting to E219 600 were purchased from PSD Investments for the Manzini Library.

However, during a physical verification, it was discovered that only four desks were delivered at the Manzini Library instead of 20. He further noted that the delivery note was signed to acknowledge the delivery yet the furniture was partly delivered resulting in furniture amounting to E95 680 missing and untraceable. This transpired back in 2014.

When ordered to give a response on the issue, National Library Director Jabu Hlophe said the matter had gone to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for investigation and their feedback was that there should be internal investigations because they (ACC) could not trace the original batch nor could they prove that signatures were forged in the transaction document as speculated. This was communicated in a letter from the ACC which revealed that the matter was recommended for closure as further investigations were required.

The PAC Chairman, Phila Buthelezi, who is also Matsanjeni North Member of Parliament (MP) asked Hlophe if the directors of the company delivering the desks acknowledged that they made an undersupply. She said she could not respond to that because when she arrived as director of National Libraries, the matter was already pending and there was a high possibility that it would make the list when the ministry makes another PAC appearance.

Masuku, who serves as the Controlling Officer, was accused by the PAC of doing nothing on the matter after he failed to give an account of what he has done on the ACC recommendation that there should be an internal investigation on the matter.

Recovering

Another PAC recommendation that formed part of the discussion was that the controlling officer was urged to continue recovering the funds and quarterly update the committee and also improve reconciliation after the AG noted an amount of E274 781 was reflected by the ministry as outstanding revenue for advertising fees yet Treasury records reflected that the outstanding fees were E1 197 355.

Also, among the payments made, fees amounting to E588 765 were reflected as paid through the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) system but there was no proof that these funds were deposited into governments account.

The controlling officer reported that his ministry was actively recovering the outstanding revenue and a balance of E60 954 was currently outstanding from the initial amount of E274 781.

This is money owed by a South African media company for advertising purposes. Acting Principal Accountant in the ministry Mkhululi Makhubu said they contacted the company telephonically seeking for proof of payment to clear the debt which the company said they would do but there hasnt been any feedback. He said they would write a letter to remind them of their assurance and if they dont get feedback, they would take further action on the matter.

Mtfongwaneni MP Roy Fanourokis said it was clear that the ministry was not interested in recovering governments money yet the latter had obvious financial challenges. It takes you a whole year to write a letter demanding the money when government is going through financial challenges. Maybe you should pay back the money through your salaries because obviously you are not interested in recovering the government money, he said.

It was suggested that the ministry should come back on Saturday with conclusive responses not the sluggishness they displayed yesterday.
Amid a bitter face-off with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has received support from the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) the apex decision-making body of the 13 recognised Hindu monastic orders of the country.

Describing Kangana as a brave and courageous daughter of the country, Akhara Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri said the actor was being attacked by a government in fear.

The fearless voice of the actor against nepotism and domination of a particular community in Bollywood besides the nexus existing between the film industry and the drug Mafia has caused ripples. The mafia and state government are both in fear and simply hitting out at her, said Giri.

Lending support, Giri further said all saints and the countrymen are with Kangana in this battle of hers. He also thanked Himachal Pradesh and the Central government for giving security cover to Kangana.

The attack on her office - the Mumbai civic body partially demolished her office in Pali Hills for what it said was unauthorised alterations, said Giri was an act of simple retaliation aimed at suppressing her voice.

Ranaut has crossed swords with the Shiv Sena, which rules in Maharashtra as well as controls the BMC, with her remark comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

The 33-year-old actor, who returned to Mumbai on Wednesday from her home state Himachal Pradesh, has alleged that the Maharashtra government was targeting her because of her clash with the Shiv Sena.

However, the Maharashtra High Court has given a huge relief to Kangana by granting a stay on the demolition operations. The bravery with which she has faced drug and Bollywood mafia in Sushant Singh murder case has made many people angry and she is being targeted at their behest, he added.

He went on to allege that the law and order situation in Maharashtra was very bad.

Even in the case of mob lynching of the two saints in Palghar, the Maharashtra government has not taken any action. The Akhada parishad has demanded a CBI inquiry in the Palghar case but the state government has failed to act, he added.

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Trials of Oxford University's coronavirus vaccine could be allowed to restart just days after a British volunteer was rushed to hospital with suspected swelling in their spinal cord.

UK drug giant AstraZeneca, which owns the rights to the vaccine, announced that all studies of the jab had been paused indefinitely while it investigates whether the patient's side-effect is connected to the vaccine.

It is understood the female volunteer showed symptoms of transverse myelitis (TM), a rare inflammatory condition that affects the spinal cord.

This means no one else will be given the vaccine until the investigation has been completed.

However, health industry website Stat reported that a woman was suspected to have TM but the diagnosis was not confirmed, and she was on course to be discharged from hospital as early as last night.

Astrazeneca boss Pascal Soriot said the stop on trials was a 'temporary pause' and said that an independent committee of experts would investigate.

Trials of Oxford University's coronavirus vaccine could be allowed to restart within days after a British volunteer was rushed to hospital with suspected swelling in their spinal cord. Pictured: Jacob Serrano, 23, who lost seven relatives to Covid-19, was the first American to take part in the trial

'This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials . . . in large clinical trials, illnesses will happen by chance and must be independently reviewed,' a spokesman told The Times.

TM can be caused by viral infections, leading to pain, muscle weakness and numbness.

Ian Jones, professor of virology at the University of Reading, said: 'Its inflammation of nervous tissue which can be caused by a number of agents, one of which is viruses.

'The stoppage might be because the symptoms are plausibly linked to the vaccine, although it could be something else.'

Trials for AstraZeneca's shot are underway in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil (pictured) and other nations. Phase 3 testing will now be paused while safety data is reviewed

The condition is treatable with steroids, and patients usually recover from TM within weeks of first symptoms.

The development is a worrying blow to worldwide hopes for a jab being ready by Christmas because the Oxford vaccine was considered by many - including the World Health Organization - to be the frontrunner.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the pause to the Oxford vaccine trial is not necessarily a setback and that trials of the jab were put on hold over summer when a patient fell ill.

He told Sky News: 'It is obviously a challenge to this particular vaccine. It's not actually the first time it has happened to the Oxford vaccine and it's a standard process in clinical trials.'

Asked if it will push back the roll-out of the vaccine, Mr Hancock said: 'Not necessarily - it depends on what they find when they do the investigation. There was a pause earlier in the summer and that was resolved without a problem.'

AstraZeneca's candidate vaccine, known as AZD1222, is in phase 3 trials - the final stage before safety and efficacy data can be submitted to regulators. Pictured: A Brazilian volunteer receiving the Oxford vaccine, July 24

Professor Terry Nolan from the University of Melbourne, said it was entirely plausible the volunteer had suffered transverse myelitis (TM) as a direct result of the vaccine.

The exact cause of TM is unknown, but it has been reported to occur after infections and vaccinations.

WHAT IS TRANSVERSE MYELITIS? HOW DISORDER CAUSES INFLAMMATION OF THE SPINAL CORD AND CAN LEAD TO PARALYSIS The term myelitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord, transverse refers to the pattern of changes in sensation. Transverse myelitis is the broad name of the disease, and there are various sub-types. Causes of the condition include infections, sometimes caused by bacteria in raw foods, immune system disorders, and other disorders that may damage or destroy myelin, the fatty white insulating substance that covers nerve cell fibers. Inflammation within the spinal cord interrupts communications between nerve fibers in the spinal cord and the rest of the body, affecting sensation and nerve signaling below the injury. That can lead to paralysis. Condition can affect people of any age, gender, or race. It does not appear to be genetic or run in families. Some people recover from transverse myelitis with minor or no long-term problems, but most suffer permanent impairments that affect their ability to perform ordinary tasks of daily living. There is no cure for the disease. Advertisement

Medical news site Stat first reported the pause in the study and said the possible side-effect occurred in a testing volunteer in Britain, who was expected to recover.

The vaccine, developed by Oxford University, is being tested in thousands of people in Britain and the US, and in smaller study groups in Brazil and South America.

Jacob Serrano, 23, who lost seven relatives to Covid-19, was the first American to take part in the trial.

He said: 'Id rather have us one step closer, no matter what it takes.'

An AstraZeneca spokeswoman said the pause is part of a standard review process which occurs in trial if there is a 'potentially unexplained illness' reported in any trial subject, and that the subject's illness could also be coincidental.

'As part of the ongoing randomised, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee,' the spokeswoman said in a statement.

'This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials.

'In large trials illnesses will happen by chance but must be independently reviewed to check this carefully.

'We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimise any potential impact on the trial timeline. We are committed to the safety of our participants and the highest standards of conduct in our trials.'

No details about the patient suffering the potential side-effect, or the nature of the reaction, were given.

Temporary holds of large medical studies are not uncommon, and looking into any unexpected reactions is a mandatory part of safety testing. It was not immediately clear how long AstraZeneca's pause would last.

Two other vaccines are in huge, final-stage tests in the United States, one made by Moderna Inc and the other by Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech.

Stats reported a total of nine vaccine candidates in late stage, or phase 3, trials, with AstraZeneca's the first trial known to have been put on hold.

Despite some figures, such as US President Donald Trump, insisting a vaccine will be ready in a matter of months, Oxford University has said a vaccine might not be ready before 2022.

The university stressed that clinical trials have to be conducted with the utmost care.

'It takes time to develop safe and effective vaccines - usually five to 10 years on average. Despite promising reports about potential coronavirus vaccines being developed worldwide, it could still take an estimated 12-18 months to develop one,' a document on the university's website, dated August 25, reads.

WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE ORDERED OXFORD'S VACCINE ALREADY? UK The UK is the host of research and development efforts of the vaccine, which has been developed by researchers in Oxford and will be manufactured by AstraZeneca, a company based in Cambridge. The British Government has ordered 100million doses of the jab and has already started manufacturing them so they're ready to go if and when clinical trials are successful. The price paid has not been disclosed. US The US Government has ordered 100million doses of the vaccine and contributed $1.2billion (910m) to the research and development of the jab. European Union (EU) The European Commission has agreed a deal for 300million doses of the vaccine if its clinical trials work, with the option to buy a further 100million. The deal has been made on behalf of countries in the EU. The amount of money spent is unknown. Australia Australia has confirmed it ordered enough doses of the vaccine to give one to its entire population of 25million people. It is not clear how many doses the nation has ordered. The UK - with a population of 66m but an order of 100m - ordered more than it needs. China One company in China has agreed a deal with AstraZeneca to make at least 100million doses of the vaccine. Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products, based in the city of Shenzhen, will increase capacity to 200m per year by the end of 2021. Russia A Russian company, R-Pharm, also has a deal to produce and distribute the vaccine, but it is unclear how many it will make or what it will pay to AstraZeneca. Brazil Brazilian officials have set aside $360million (274m) for at least 100million doses of the vaccine. Brazil is currently in one of the worst Covid-19 crises in the world with more than 3.6million official cases so far and 114,000 deaths. Advertisement

'It is essential that clinical trials are conducted with great care to ensure the safety of the participants and to fully establish the safety profile of the new products.

'Safety is overseen closely during the trials both by the national regulator with a requirement of safety reporting placed on investigators throughout the trial, and inspections of the trial processes and procedures by the regulator, and an independent safety monitoring committee who reviews safety actively during the conduct of the clinical trial.

'When an application for use of the vaccine is made to a regulator, they will fully assess the safety and efficacy data from the trials and use that to inform on their decision about potential use.'

Development of the AstraZeneca vaccine and eight others in phase 3 trials is being closely watched in the hopes they can stem the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 894,000 people worldwide, including nearly 190,000 Americans, and cost tens of millions their jobs.

It comes after vaccine developers - including AstraZeneca - pledged not to cut corners on safety and efficacy testing, despite US President Trump's urgent push for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give emergency approval to a vaccine ahead of the November 3 election.

'As part of the ongoing randomised, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee,' an AstraZeneca spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

'This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials.

'In large trials, illnesses will happen by chance but must be independently reviewed to check this carefully. We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimise any potential impact on the trial timeline. We are committed to the safety of our participants and the highest standards of conduct in our trials.'

AstraZeneca's candidate vaccine, known as AZD1222, is in phase 3 trials - the final stage before safety and efficacy data can be submitted to regulators for approval - at dozens of sites across the US, and around the world.

Along with Pfizer, and Moderna, AstraZeneca and its partner Oxford University had hoped to know whether the shot worked and was safe by year-end.

Mr Hancock said on Monday the UK's 'best-case scenario' was to get the vaccine to the most-vulnerable patients within months, a timeframe that now appears less likely to be met.

'We have got 30 million doses already contracted with AstraZeneca,' he said on UK radio station LBC.

'In fact they are starting to manufacture those doses already, ahead of approval, so that should approval come through - and it's still not certain but it is looking up - should that approval come through then we are ready to roll out.

'The best-case scenario is that happens this year. I think more likely is the early part of next year - in the first few months of next year is the most likely.

'But we've also bought vaccine ahead of it getting approved from a whole different series of international vaccines as well.'

More than 50,000 people worldwide had been taking part in 'phase 3' studies to see whether the Oxford jab can actually prevent people getting infected with Covid-19.

In these tests the vaccine is being given to tens of thousands of people in real-world environments to see if it stops them from catching Covid-19 in the community.

While trial holds to review safety data are not necessarily damning, the pause on AstraZeneca's trial may very well delay the highly-anticipated results and completion of one of the fastest vaccine development pipelines in human history.

The jab was expected at the end of 2020 but its creators have had to temper expectations after community transmission began to fizzle out in Britain and stall crucial trials needed to seal its approval. It was called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 before Oxford teamed up with AstraZeneca to manufacture it

Shares for AstraZeneca plummeted by eight percent in after-hours trading

Market confidence in the pharmaceutical giant took a hit as soon as reports of the trial hold emerged.

Shares for AstraZeneca plummeted by eight percent in after-hours trading.

President Donald Trump has hinted that he thinks a vaccine could be ready before a 'special date' - likely the November 3 election

The company is in now in mitigation mode to try to stay as close to its trial completion date as possible.

AstraZeneca is 'working to expedite the review of the single event to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline,' the spokesperson told Stat News.

Disconcerting though any signs that could suggest potential flaws in a leading vaccine for the disease that's killed nearly 190,000 Americans is, the move to pause a trial over safety concerns may be reassuring to some.

Hours before the trial was temporarily halted, AstraZeneca and eight other companies working on COVID-19 vaccines signed a pledge to prioritize safety of their shots over speedy development.

They promised to 'uphold the integrity of the scientific process as they work towards potential global regulatory filings and approvals of the first COVID-19 vaccine.'

The pledge was made in response to growing concerns that governments would press firms and research institutions to rush a vaccine through trials and approval processes in an effort to bolster political capital and restore normalcy amid the pandemic.

Last week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent instructions to state health departments to prepare for the potential arrival of one of two coronavirus vaccines by the end of October.

Subsequently, President Trump hinted at the hopeful possibility that a vaccine could be ready before a 'special date,' prompting speculation that he was referring to the November 3 presidential election - just days after the end-of-October potential finish line in the CDC guidance.

Health officials like infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci, US Surgeon General Dr Jerome Adams and Trump's own vaccine czar Dr Moncef Slaoui were all quick to assure the American public that it was possible, but unlikely, that a shot would be ready by then, and that the FDA would pay no mind to the date, but only the data, to determine when a vaccine is ready for distribution.

Pfizer, however, confirmed that it hoped to have sufficient trial data to know whether its shot was safe and effective by late October, and would submit for FDA approval 'immediately' afterwards.

Most experts and observers speculate that the two unnamed shots referenced in the CDC guidance were Moderna's and Pfizer's, not AstraZeneca.

The trial hold casts even further doubt over the possibility that the firm's vaccine will be the first ready for the US market.

Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration's effort to speed vaccine development, primarily by contributing funding to private companies working on shots, announced that AstraZeneca would be awarded up to $1.2 billion in funding for its vaccine development in May.

The US has inked a deal with AstraZeneca for 300 million doses of its shot - if the vaccine is greenlit as safe and effective by the FDA - and had set its sights on an approval date as early as October, which seems increasingly improbable.
Noida:

In the wake of prevalent cold waves engulfing the entire North Indian region, the Noida District Magistrate ordered on Thursday that all schools in the city will remain shut till Jnauary 15.

Cold wave condition intensified over north India after heavy snowfall in neighbouring Uttarakhand and icy winds blew through many places in Uttar Pradesh. On Thursday, morning temperate plummeted to 2 degree celsius.

The relative humidity level oscillated between 54 and 100 per cent.

The maximum and minimum temperatures on Friday are likely to hover around 17 and 3 degrees Celsius, respectively, the weatherman said.

Also Video: Delhi experiences coldest night of season as mercury dips to 2 deg C

Also Read: Northern India, Mumbai reel under cold wave, sub-zero temperatures recorded in Haryana


Belfast Harbour is playing down fears that its City Quays 3 development will fail to attract tenants as companies contemplate having more staff working from home in the long term.

The huge development of 250,000 square feet of office space is due to be completed next year, but there has been no announcement of any companies signing deals to move into the building.

"We believe that prospective tenants will continue to see the value in having high-quality office accommodation in which their people can collaborate, share ideas and interact safely," a spokesperson for Belfast Harbour said.

But the spokesperson added that Belfast Harbour, for commercial reasons, could not reveal whether any deals had been signed or if there were any ongoing discussions.

No public announcement of any deals have been made.

Concern over space is growing, particularly after it emerged that only 5% of workers have returned to their offices in Belfast, according to a survey by business representatives, and reports from Dublin that Google is pulling out of plans to rent more space in the city.

The tech giant was planning to move in to 202,000 square feet of space close to the city's quays to accommodate approximately 2,000 people but has confirmed that this will not happen, according to a report in the Irish Times.

One source told the newspaper that it was not a good time for companies to invest in commercial office space "while they are looking at what the future of work looks like".

But Belfast Harbour, which manages several office developments, said that City Quays 3 was on schedule for completion next year".

"Many of the current City Quays tenants already work a hybrid workspace model (a mix of office and home working) which will still have an office at its core supported by varying levels of home working, and we understand that this will be different for each individual occupiers' business needs," a spokesperson added.

City Quays "will be one of the largest Grade A office developments to be built in Northern Ireland supporting demand from international investors", according to the official documentation. It is estimated the cost of construction will be 50 million, with the building designed to accommodate 2,500 workers.

But latest reports reveal a sharp drop in the take-up of office space in Belfast. Lambert Smith Hampton said only 86,216 square feet were picked up in the first quarter of the year and only 25,000 in the second.

This was the lowest on record and a drop of 53% on last year, the property consultants reported.

A survey by Belfast Chamber recently reported that just 5% of office workers in the city centre were back in their offices. If this continues into the long term, economist Dr Esmond Birnie warned businesses could lose as much as 200 million a year.

The chamber is urging the Executive to work with businesses to return workers safely to their offices.
Tom Hanks on Friday, November 22, 2019 (Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Tom Hanks is in quarantine after landing in Queensland to resume filming on Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic.

The actor, whos playing Colonel Tom Parker in the film, landed in a private jet on Tuesday night.

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was questioned in parliament about whether Hanks had been forced to complete quarantine in a hotel and did not deny that he had been granted an exemption.

The industry plan for COVID in relation to the screen industry is a plan that has been approved, just like there is for the resources industry, just like there is for the agriculture industry, she said.

Under that plan, they have to stay in the place for two weeks, just like everybody else. They will have random checks, as is my understanding, by police.

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"I've had discussion with Mayor Tom Tate to find out how we can have more production on the Gold Coast because other countries are shut down because of COVID."

However, despite Hanks exemption from the hotel rules, the actor has been confirmed to be isolating in a hotel ahead of the resumption of production.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks at a press conference as she gives an update on Queensland COVID-19 Border Controls on June 30, 2020. (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Ms Palaszczuk said the film will bring more than $100 million and 900 jobs to the Gold Coast economy. Austin Butler is playing the King of Rock and Roll in the biopic.

Hanks and wife Rita Wilson were amongst the first high profile people to contract coronavirus in mid-March, after falling ill in Australia. The production on Lurhmanns film was halted immediately as the couple went into isolation in hospital.

The Queensland premier has also been slammed after allowing 400 AFL players and officials into the state last Tuesday from coronavirus-riddled Victoria.

Due to stricter border measures, Queensland residents returning from a declared COVID-19 hotspot or overseas are required to complete two weeks in hotel quarantine.

Elvis PRESLEY, with manager Colonel Tom Parker - posed, c.1956/1967. (GAB Archive/Redferns)

However, some people are clearly being granted exemptions.

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In July, Dannii Minogue was allowed to quarantine in a private Gold Coast residence for 14 days.

According to 7News, at the time Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said, "She has a COVID-safe plan which is being managed by an independent third party. Thats the reason that she got that exemption."

There are a number of people who have come under that category Ive given an exemption to because they have third party arrangements in place, that Im confident they meet all the requirements that we have in place for hotel quarantine.

Editors note: This story has been edited to reflect Hanks decision to quarantine in a private hotel.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Moscow on September 10 amid hopes of a possible breakthrough in reducing tensions along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

The talks between the two foreign ministers are taking place in the backdrop of a massive spike in border tensions in eastern Ladakh triggered by fresh face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

Following fresh confrontation around the southern bank of Pangong lake, India has further strengthened its military presence in the region by sending additional troops, battle tanks and other weaponry.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) has also beefed up its presence in the area where the situation remained very tense.

"The external affairs minister will be meeting the Chinese foreign minister shortly where he will be discussing this issue," Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a virtual media briefing in the evening when asked whether the four-month-long border faceoff will be raised by Jaishankar at the talks. Jaishankar and Wang are in Moscow to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting.

Srivastava reiterated India's position that it is committed to resolve the current situation through peaceful negotiations. "Both India and China are in regular touch through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the situation. This was the consensus when the two defence ministers met," he said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his Chinese counterpart Gen. Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meet in Moscow last Friday, but apparently the meeting did not yield any tangible outcome.

The Indian Army on Tuesday said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake the previous evening and fired shots in the air, a first such instance of bullets being used along the LAC after a gap of 45 years.

The Army said this in a statement after the PLA late on Monday night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and "outrageously fired" warning shots near the Pangong lake.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 17:25:28|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday reiterated that he will not use force against Thai student protesters who plan a major anti-government rally on Sept. 19.

"I already gave my word at Parliament yesterday," said Prayut. "I regard these students like my own children."

Prayut said he had already instructed police to be cautious and lenient in dealing with the young protesters.

The student protest rallies have been an ongoing event amid the pandemic fear and the enforcement of the State of Emergency.

However, the Thai law enforcers have practiced tolerance on the students, with academic institutions allowing protests to be held in university campuses.

Thai universities and government leaders have said repeatedly that student protests are allowed to be organized, as long as protests are held within the framework of the law. Enditem
Oil jumped the most since June alongside a rally in broader equities markets, boosted by expectations of U.S. crude stockpiles extending their streak of declines.

Futures in New York surged 3.5% Wednesday, though still fell short of recouping all the losses from the previous sessions settle at a three-month low. Moving in tandem with stronger equities, Brent regained its technical footing, sharply rising above the 100-day moving average. The 14-day Relative Strength Index for futures in London and New York was below 30 on Tuesday for the first time since April, signaling the two benchmarks were oversold.

West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 3.5% to $38.06 a barrel.

Oil is recovering from an oversell yesterday, said Gary Cunningham, director of market research at Tradition Energy. The rebound in equities signals the economy isnt in as bad a shape as thought, he said. Additionally, the market expects a strong decline in crude stockpile. So thats also helping us recover from some of the losses yesterday.

American crude stockpiles are expected to have declined last week for a seventh week in a row. The industry-funded American Petroleum Institute will release its storage numbers later on Wednesday ahead of a U.S. government report. Meanwhile, EOG Resources Inc., Americas biggest independent shale oil producer, forecast a tighter supply picture, saying U.S. oil will likely suffer years of declines and may never regain the peak achieved earlier this year.

U.S. oil production is going to be under a lot of pressure for the foreseeable future because a lot of these companies have gone bankrupt, theyve been under financial duress for a while now, said Josh Graves, senior market strategist at RJ OBrien & Associates LLC. Thats going to take away from the supply side. But is it going to be enough to outweigh the lack of demand? Thats a question that is yet to be answered.

PREVIOUSLY: Brent tumbles below $40 in wake of souring demand outlook

In physical markets, Bakken crude for delivery at Clearbrook, Minnesota, rose to its narrowest discount to WTI futures in roughly a week. On the Gulf Coast, Light Louisiana Sweet crude is trading at its widest premium since late August.

Still, futures are heading lower for the week, and there are concerns oils break below its recent trading range could resume toward the downside. Faltering demand recovery in parts of the world and the onset of refinery maintenance season is weighing on the outlook for consumption already devastated by the pandemic. Meanwhile, in the latest signal of a gloomy outlook for U.S. oil production and weaker demand, Enterprise Products Partners LP canceled the expansion of its 450,000 barrel a day Midland-to-Echo crude oil pipeline system that connects the Permian Basin with the Gulf Coast.

The picture doesnt look much better on the refining side. Refinery utilization may stay around 75% of capacity until early 2021, if refineries have to clear the ongoing surplus in oil products inventories, Citigroup Inc. analysts wrote in a report. Thats as refining margins continue to be dismal, with the crack in the U.S. for combined gasoline and diesel below $10 a barrel at its lowest seasonal level in nearly 10 years.

This is really a demand concern now, and thats whats going to lead into the end of the year amid uncertainty over a vaccine and a potential return of lockdown restrictions due to the pandemic, said Tariq Zahir, managing member of the global macro program at Tyche Capital Advisors LLC. Sure, you can inch up a little bit higher here again, but I think the risk is downward.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
The Los Angeles Times editorial board endorses the Democratic ticket: Joe Biden for president and Kamala Harris for vice president. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

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This years presidential election confronts voters with the most consequential choice they have faced in decades, and for many, their lifetimes: between a divisive, authoritarian-leaning incumbent and a seasoned patriot who brings not only five decades of experience, ability and commitment to American values, but also bold ideas at a time of national crisis. Nothing less than the health of our constitutional democracy is at stake.

So stark is the contrast between Donald Trump and Joe Biden that we feel compelled to announce our endorsement of the Democratic nominee and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, now, at what is traditionally the beginning of the fall campaign and before the candidates take part in televised debates. We will watch those exchanges with interest, but its inconceivable that anything that will be said on the debate stage will close the cavernous fitness gap between the two candidates.

Regular readers of this editorial page won't be surprised that we believe that the reelection of this president would be a calamity. Trumps trafficking in falsehoods; his stoking of racial divisions; his inability to distinguish between the national interest and his personal interests; his attempt to ride a false and dangerous narrative about "anarchy and mayhem" to reelection  all require repudiation by the voters. He has pursued policies at home and abroad that have harmed working Americans, exacerbated inequality, weakened the United States and strained Americas alliances. Even actions that can be defended  such as his support for modest criminal-justice reform or his attempt to negotiate an agreement with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program  have been marred by exaggerated claims or amateurish execution.

Trumps record easily justifies a position of Anybody but Trump. But Biden isnt just preferable to Trump; in many respects he is Trump's antithesis.

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Biden has a record of seeking expert advice and listening to it. Progressives may take issue with his choice of advisers, many of whom are establishment figures he's known for years. But he clearly has a level of respect for data, science and research that the incumbent does not. As 81 U.S. Nobel Prize winners in chemistry, physics and medicine wrote in an open letter endorsing Biden, "At no time in our nations history has there been a greater need for our leaders to appreciate the value of science in formulating public policy."

Temperamentally, too, Biden seems like an ideal fit for our polarized time. A famously empathetic figure  he lost his wife and daughter in a car accident shortly after Delaware first elected him to the Senate in 1972  he practices civility, champions compromise and seeks unity in a country Trump has divided with a cacophony of culture-war distractions. The contrast between Biden's speech accepting the Democratic nomination for the presidency, which was a call for Americans to come together, and Trump's speech accepting the Republican nomination, which promoted fear and loathing within the country, couldn't have been more pronounced.

Listening to the science validating climate change, repairing infrastructure, overhauling immigration policy, reforming campaign finance  these are all urgent tasks for the federal government, yet the current administration has ignored them. Biden would make climate change and clean energy central features of his approach to improving the economy, acknowledging the existential threat posed by the fossil-fuel industry.

Biden also has promised to provide leadership in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis Trump has badly mismanaged, costing hundreds of thousands of American lives. The former vice president recognizes that we need international cooperation and national direction because the coronavirus recognizes no boundaries. Trump has put his reelection first, instructing federal agencies to bend their policies to his politics; Biden promises to put science first. And rather than pretending that the economy is roaring back as the country digs itself out of a record-setting hole, Biden has pledged to continue sending federal dollars to small businesses, idled workers and others hit by the downturn.

Undoing the damage done by Trump will be essential, but its not sufficient. The pandemic has thrown into depressing relief racial and economic inequities that long have festered. Meanwhile, the protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in police custody and other examples of police brutality have inspired a national reckoning about race that calls for dramatic action by the next president and Congress.

Biden, despite his record as a centrist, seems to realize that we must embrace bold initiatives to narrow racial and economic disparities that have long stood unaddressed. He has promised to promote racial equality across a range of programs, from housing to federal procurement to job training to agriculture. He didn't call for reparations for African Americans in his racial equity proposal, but he is open to a study of the idea.

If it wasnt obvious before the pandemic that the American healthcare system was built on a fragile foundation, its devastatingly clear now. Biden recognizes that. Although he hasnt embraced the Medicare for all approach championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders  who won California's Democratic primary  Biden offers a path forward on health policy that is a sharp break from the past four years, while still permitting continuity for the more than 150 million Americans who have employer-sponsored health insurance.

Bidens plan would extend affordable and comprehensive coverage to millions more people by making a public insurance plan like Medicare available to the uninsured, with subsidies for those with low and moderate incomes. Just about every action Trump has taken on this issue has raised the cost of comprehensive coverage, weakened protections for people with preexisting conditions and exposed people to more risk in pursuit of lower costs.

Likewise on tax and economic policy, Biden has promised to seek the repeal of most tax cuts enacted during the Trump administration and to pursue an increase in the corporate tax rate to 28%. We hope that if elected he will advocate even more ambitious measures to narrow the yawning disparities of wealth and income in this society, some of them a direct consequence of entrenched racism, others the result of blind faith in the virtues of untrammeled capitalism.

On the international scene, Biden has expressed support for enhancing the NATO alliance for which Trump has shown such contempt, rejoining the international agreement that placed limits on Irans nuclear program if that nation returned to compliance, and returning to the Paris climate change accord, while leading an effort to persuade every nation to accelerate its efforts to meet that challenge.

In dealing with Russia, Biden will not be blinkered by the blind spot that has prevented Trump from confronting Vladimir Putin over Russian meddling in the last U. S. election and other hostile acts. And while Biden, like Trump, has been critical of China, he believes he can counter Beijings aggressiveness and its violations of human rights without provoking a cold war. Finally, while Biden has praised warmer relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates  an entente encouraged by the Trump administration  a Biden administration would be far more likely to press for an agreement in which a Palestinian state would coexist with Israel, a prerequisite for lasting peace in the region.

Notably, dozens of Republican national security officials have endorsed Biden, putting nation above party and declaring that the former vice president "will restore the dignity of the presidency, bring Americans together, reassert Americas role as a global leader, and inspire our nation to live up to its ideals."

Trump and his allies would have you believe that Biden is too diminished by age to handle the demands of the presidency. They seize on his frequent verbal gaffes and stumbles as symptoms of decline, as if the incumbent weren't the least articulate president in modern memory. Biden's problem is what he says when he flubs a line; Trump's problem is what he says when he speaks his mind.

If Biden is elected, he will face challenges unlike any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. He will need bold policy ideas and the support of allies in Congress to push through a legislative agenda. Biden will need to take on a job greater than any one person, or any one generation: restoring trust and confidence in American institutions. Such trust has been steadily eroding since the 1970s, and reversing it will be essential to renewing American democracy and resisting the slide toward authoritarianism that imperils so many democracies around the world today.

In this deeply divided age, we make this endorsement with humility, recognizing that hyperpolarization has made landslide victories, like those of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson and Ronald Reagan, all but unthinkable.

Trump has fanned racial tensions, told an endless stream of lies, run a campaign based on grievance and resentment, and cast himself as a defender of white Christian America. Many of those who support him inhabit an information silo consisting of Fox News and far-right talk radio and manipulated by social-media algorithms.

Others may simply be eager to lower taxes and cut regulations. Perhaps they fear American decline; feel that society is changing too rapidly; believe that the establishment has been too accommodating toward China; or work in an industry Trump has favored, such as energy exploration. They may be afraid that the markets will begin another downturn, or that pre-COVID levels of employment will not come back. Biden will need to reach across the aisle  especially in hotly contested debates regarding the climate, trade and immigration  if he is to move the country forward.

We are confident he can do so. To the surprise of supporters and detractors alike, Biden, a 77-year-old centrist, first elected to federal office 48 years ago, has mounted a disciplined campaign. He is poised not only to wrest the White House from an unfit incumbent but also to take the nation in a progressive direction. We enthusiastically endorse his election.
A cup of beer is placed on the table, overlooking Chicago skyline. / Courtesy of Brand USA



By Jun Ji-hye



The so-called "drinking at home" trend has been on the rise as an increasing number of people tend to avoid crowded places amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.



As many people want to enjoy drinking at home to avoid potential infections, the country's major supermarkets including E-mart and Lotte Mart, as well as convenience stores, have seen their liquor sales grow year-on-year in recent months.



Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, introduced signature U.S. liquors that are sold in Korea, to offer drinkers wider selections and allow them to vicariously travel to America in a time when they have been unable to travel overseas due to the pandemic.



Bourbon



Whiskey that is produced in the Bourbon region of Northeast Kentucky carries the same name.



With the sweetness coming from using corn as its main ingredient, Bourbon also has vanilla flavors unlike other whiskeys, as it is aged in new oak barrels charred inside every year.



It is said that the number of aged barrels in Kentucky outnumbers the number of residents in the state, making it the state's signature liquor.





Kentucky whiskey barrels / Courtesy of Brand USA



World-famous bourbon brands from Kentucky that can be readily bought in Korea include Jim Beam, Maker's Mark and Woodford Reserve.



When traveling in Kentucky, people can enjoy the Kentucky Bourbon Trail where they can visit these distilleries and taste various types of whiskeys.



Specifically, September is National Bourbon Heritage Month, so tourists can enjoy an authentic Bourbon experience at the Bourbon Festival held in Bardstown, known as "the Bourbon capital of the world."



In addition, travelers can enjoy the state's vast natural beauty as it boasts the Mammoth Cave National Park, the longest known cave system in the world, as well as Kentucky and Barkley Lakes, two of the largest man-made lakes in the country.



On another note, Virginia, which Kentucky used to be a part of before the state split in 1792, is the birthplace of American Spirits.



The first batch of whiskey was distilled in Virginia in 1620, and the state celebrates Virginia Spirits Month every September.



Wine



Most visitors think of California as the country's top wine-producing region, as the state accounts for approximately 80 percent of total U.S. wine production in 2019, according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.



However, other states such as Washington, Oregon and Virginia also produce wines of excellent quality.



In particular, the wine industry in Washington has grown rapidly recently, making it the second largest wine producer in the U.S. after California.





Vineyard in Washington State / Courtesy of Brand USA
Reports suggest that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is now increasing its troops in the northern region after suffering defeat at the hands of Indian soldiers in the southern area of Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh. New construction is also underway and means of transportation are being collected.

The northern part of Pangong is divided into eight different finger areas. Chinese soldiers are registering presence around Finger 4 and constructions are underway between Finger Five and Finger Eight.

The deployment of Indian troops is currently focused at critical heights (elevations) in the Finger area on the northern side of Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh. Chinese soldiers are stationed there on the peak of Finger-4. According to sources, the Indian Army has currently occupied a position there which is higher than Finger-4. A senior security officer told The Daily Guardian, We are now stationed in our own area at such heights that also dominate Finger-4.

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The Indian Army has deployed wire optical in its area on the heights on which Indian soldiers are stationed in the south bank of Pangong Lake. India has given strict warning to the Chinese soldiers not to try to cross this barricade.

Chinese soldiers came close to it on Monday evening and tried to remove the barricades, after which the Indian soldiers issued a strict warning and said that if the Chinese troops dont go back, there will be serious consequences. The Chinese were warned that the Indian Army could take any action, after which Chinese troops fired in the air and tried to pressurise the Indian soldiers. But after a stern warning from Indian soldiers, the soldiers were forced to retreat.

China is trying to put pressure on India by deploying tanks. China has deployed around 15-20 tanks near the Spangur Gap on the south side of Pangong Lake. The officer said that China is acting in this manner and assuming that this will put pressure on the Indian soldiers. But the Indian Army is fully prepared to deal with every situation.

Talking to The Daily Guardian, a senior security official said that China has deployed around 5,000- 7,000 soldiers in its Moldo area opposite the Chushul sector. They are constantly conducting a build up there.

Keeping in mind the same, the Indian Army has prepared as much as them and we are not lacking in anything. The Chinese build-up is visible from the heights where the Indian Army is stationed there and every action of China can be monitored.

According to sources, the PLA is gathering troops from across the country on the border. This includes air defence personnel, bombers, special forces personnel, armoured vehicles, artillery, paratroopers, infantry units, etc. According to the Chinese government mouthpiece Global Times, analysts in the neighbouring country said the move shows the PLAs ability and determination to protect the countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity. H-6 bombers and Y-20 large transport aircraft attached to the PLA Central Theatre Command Air Force have been deployed in the plateau area for training missions.

Indian Army sources told that India and China on Wednesday held Brigade Commander level talks in Chushul from 11 am to 3 pm.

The two sides have also broadly agreed on holding Corps Commander level talks for which the date, modalities and agenda are yet to be finalised. But as far as India is concerned, this time the country is fully deployed on the LAC and the Indian Army is given the complete command to act as per the requirement.

Also read: Covid-19 Vaccine: AstraZeneca says trial paused due to unexplained sickness of participant
Beloved pastor, father of 4 killed in crash while on his way to help Hurricane Laura victims

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Worshipers from the Northside Assembly of God in Bonifay, Florida, are mourning the loss of their pastor, Rev. Chuck Glass, after he was killed in a crash while traveling to Louisiana to help Hurricane Laura victims on Labor Day.

We are deeply saddened and grieving for one of our West Florida Churches.

Please help us lift up the family, friends, and congregation of Rev. Chuck Glass of Northside Assembly of God, Bonifay, FL, the West Florida District Assemblies of God announced on Facebook Monday.

Pastor Chuck suddenly passed away from an accident while heading to Louisiana to help those affected by Hurricane Laura. We are broken over this loss, and our prayers will be with his family and Northside, the statement continued, noting that Glass was a servant-hearted pastor and faithful husband.

In a statement from Northside Assembly, the church said it was comforted to know that the late pastor, who leaves behind a wife and four children, did not suffer.

As many of you probably know, Pastor Chuck passed away this morning. The doctors said that he was unconscious immediately after the accident and never felt pain. God showed him mercy, the statement published on Facebook said.

The congregation remembered him as a leader who was always smiling and enjoyed making others do the same.

When we went back to see him after he had passed, we saw that he had a grin on his face. Thats the thing about him, he was always smiling. Pastor Chuck influenced so many people, and so many stories are being told about him now. Stories about him when he does something crazy just to make people smile, stories about him giving advice when you didnt know what to do, and stories about how he was there for you when no one else was, the church said. He was an amazing human, and we are all saddened by his sudden loss.

Across social media, many related churches and individuals also shared warm messages to remember Glass.

Just picture the walls of Jasper, the streets of pure Gold, Garments whiter than anything on earth...And picture Jesus with his arms around him! Our hearts are saddened and grieving for our friend, Rev. Chuck Glass of Northside Assembly of God, Bonifay, FL, Live Out Loud Church said.

Our heart is broken for the loss of fellow pastor, friend, and soldier, Rev. Chuck Glass. We will miss his infectious smile and kindness. Our church will lift up the Glass and Bell families as well as Northside Assembly, Grace Assembly at Chipley in Florida added.

Like Glass and his congregation, many churches have been working to help with recovery efforts in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Laura that has killed 25 people. Last Thursday, Gov. John Bel Edwards urged people sheltering in hotels in Texas to stay there if possible as Louisiana was having difficulty finding available hotel rooms for more evacuees, the Associated Press reported.

More than 92,000 people had registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and nearly 12,000 people were being sheltered by the state, mainly in hotels.

We dont think we would be able to quickly absorb another 2, 3, 4,000 people into our hotels, the governor said.
MOGADISHU  The new Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Lt Gen Diomede Ndegeya has made his maiden visit to Sector One, which is manned by Ugandan troops in Somalia.

The Force Commander is on a familiarization tour of all AMISOM sectors in Somalia, starting with Sector One.

General Ndegeya was received by the Deputy Sector One Commander who is also the Deputy Commander of Ugandas Contingent, Col John Winston Mugarura.

Col Mugarura and his team briefed the Force Commander on the security operations in the sector.

The Force Commander lauded Ugandan AMISOM forces for their recent capture of key towns of Sabiid-Anole, Bariire, Awdheegle, Ceel Salini and Jannale, under the stewardship of Brig Gen Richard Otto.

The General observed that the captured towns were very strategic to Al-Shabaab.

He noted that the towns provide a significant military advantage of accessibility and linkage and, hence, their capture is a solid contribution to peace in not only Somalia, but the entire region.

General Ndegeya paid tribute to the fallen soldiers while on duty in Somalia.

Please remember that the ultimate sacrifice of their lives was not in vain. Surely, we would not be sitting here comfortably today if it was not for their bravery in bringing peace to Somalia. We will never forget them and we will fight to the end until when there will be no more Al-Shabaab in Somalia, until we finish what they started, the Force Commander said.

The General also saluted efforts of His Excellency the President of Uganda and Commander-In-Chief of the UPDF Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the UPDF Chief of Defence Forces Gen David Muhoozi and Ugandan citizens for their commitment in bringing peace in Somalia.

Col Winston Mugarura pledged sector ones continued support towards the successful execution of AMISOM mandate.

Present were AMISOM Chief of Staff Brig Gen Domitien Kabisa, Sector One Chief Administrative Officer Col Elvis Byamukama and other Officers from both AMISOM Force Headquarters and Sector One.

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For many restaurants and bars, patio season has been a chance to slowly recover from the devastating economic impact of the spring shutdown due to COVID-19. Patios have been extended onto sidewalks and streets, as businesses look to squeeze in as much traffic as is safe to try to recoup losses.

But patio season wont last forever, and industry leaders say that when cold weather hits, Canada could see another wave of permanent closures in the food service industry, a sector already hit hard by the pandemic.

According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, an analysis of Statistics Canada data shows that 29 per cent of hospitality businesses wont be able to operate at all with physical distancing measures in place. Another 31 per cent can only last for three months with distancing measures. In other words, 60 per cent of accommodation and food service businesses could be permanently closed by the end of November.

By April, one in 10 restaurants in Canada had already permanently closed, according to survey data from Restaurants Canada.

Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said restaurants have been among the pandemics hardest-hit sectors. He expects they will recover more slowly than many other industries, and that the governments one size fits all approach wont be enough to keep the sector alive.

In the short term, its abundantly clear that the sector is going to be under enormous pressure, Beatty said.

Though extended patios have been a lifeline for many restaurants and bars, Beatty said the chamber expects a second wave of permanent closures due to a perfect storm of factors. As weather begins to cool down and people turn away from patios, government programs like the wage subsidy and rent relief will also be scaled back and winding down, he said. Then theres the ever-looming possibility of a second wave of the virus.

The impact will be not just economic  the loss of thousands of jobs  but also social and cultural. Hardest hit will be small businesses, Beatty said, and with them many young employees.

David Lefebvre, vice-president of Restaurants Canada, said theres a lot of nervousness in the food service sector as fall and winter approach.

The problem is that it seems like the patios will close before provincial government(s) extend the inside capacity of restaurants.

He said businesses in downtown cores will be especially impacted as fewer people will be working in office towers, grabbing quick lunches or after-work drinks. And if theres a second wave of cases? Its going to be an absolute nightmare.

The closure of patios will hurt many businesses, Lefebvre said, and he knows some of the organizations members will close for good. Whats available now in terms of benefits isnt enough to get the industry through the winter, he said, adding that he hopes the wage subsidy is extended until the spring.

Larry Isaacs, president of the Firkin Group of Pubs, said patio season has been absolutely critical to the survival of the restaurant industry.

Though uptake was slow at first, the extended patios offered in many areas helped to offset the lowered capacity, Isaacs said.

Margins are already low in the restaurant industry, he said, and with office towers emptying and Christmas parties likely not happening, the winter period is looming darkly over the sector.

We are desperately advocating across the board for the governments  to step in and make sure that the payroll program goes all the way through till May, that the rent program goes all the way through till May, he said.

Isaacs said more than two thirds of employees in the sector are women, and that since jobs in the sector are generally low-paying, many people are at financial risk if they get laid off as winter approaches.

Its absolutely critical that the industry survives through the winter, he said. Its going to need government funding to help us until they say its 100 per cent safe to go back out.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is asking for support from all three levels of government thats tailored to the industrys needs, said Beatty. This could include wage and rent subsidy programs, the continued deferral of taxes and the continuation of regulations that have allowed restaurants to offer takeout alcohol, among other temporary changes.

We could substantially reduce the number of those closures, with a tailored response, he said.

John Sinopoli, co-founder and executive chef of Ascari Hospitality Group and co-founder of SaveHospitalityCA, said the company was able to open patios at three of its restaurants, including extended patios thanks to the citys temporary regulations.

He said keeping the patios open all summer was crucial not just to the survival of the restaurants, but also to keeping the companys suppliers going. As well, being able to offer takeout alcohol was extremely helpful, he said, and hes been lobbying for this to be extended. Hes also hoping Ontario can take a page out of British Columbias book and offer restaurants and bars a discount on alcohol.

But when he looks to the next six months, Sinopoli sees things getting much more difficult, especially where the wage subsidy program is concerned.

Its really unfortunate that the wage subsidy is being wound down just as restaurants will need it the most, he said.

Sinopoli said he knows the government is working on a replacement for the rent relief program, which winds up at the end of September. Hes hoping for a sliding scale that allows more businesses to participate, and for a road map of at least six months so businesses can plan ahead.

He agrees that the restaurant industry requires a tailored approach to help it survive until patios can reopen next year.

Weve been asking for sector-specific relief since March.

Its not just that dine-in restaurants will have less capacity, said Sinopoli  they may also have significantly less interest. From talking to his customers, he knows that while many people are comfortable eating at a restaurant outdoors, they may not be willing to dine indoors just yet.

Jason Ching, co-owner of Omai Restaurant in Toronto, said his restaurant will likely start offering indoor dining this week as the weather cools.

So far they have only been offering patio space, where they can usually seat around 12 people. Inside, they can fit another eight at two four-person tables, Ching said, and he has ordered some panels to be able to accommodate another six people. Thats a maximum of 14 indoors compared to the restaurants usual 22-person capacity.

Theres not much else that we can do, said Ching, who thinks the restaurant will be able to survive as long as takeout remains popular.

Hes hopeful that the wage subsidy will continue into the new year, and that the rent relief program will be reformed so that more businesses can access it. But right now, he feels much like he did when he first opened Omai: unsure of what the future holds.

Theres a huge amount of uncertainty, he said.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For those in the industry, news of a 25% capacity allotment for indoor dining came as bittersweet news. Even with outdoor dining permitted until Oct. 31, it might not be enough for sit-down eateries to make a proper go of business this fall, say polled proprietors.

Maurizio Asperti of Basilio Inn in South Beach has his outdoor sections if the weather cooperates plus several additional seats inside this historic building after Sept. 30.
Alabama will spend at least $300 million of its $1.8 billion in federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act) to replenish the states unemployment insurance trust fund, which has been hit hard by the job losses caused by the pandemic.

House of Representatives General Fund budget chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, said a committee of six lawmakers approved Gov. Kay Iveys request to allocate the money during a conference call on Tuesday.

The decision comes after weeks of speculation that the unemployment trust fund was a likely destination for some of the money.

The trust fund had a balance of about $750 million before the pandemic but has dropped to a little more than $100 million, Clouse said.

Ivey announced the decision in a press release today. The governor said the depletion of the trust fund during the pandemic would trigger an increase in the shared costs paid by employers through an unemployment insurance tax. The $300 million infusion of CARES Act money will offset part of that tax increase.

Without the CARES Act money, the rate would have increased from 0.65% to 3.95%, based on preliminary calculations, an increase of 508%. By adding the $300 million, the rate goes up to 1.95%, a 200% increase.

Since the $1.9 billion in CARES Act funds were allocated to Alabama, I have worked to get those funds into the hands of those Alabamians who need it, Ivey said in a press release. My Administration anticipated shifting in the allocation of this money, and we will continue evaluating our options as we move forward. As we are nearing a place where we must devote these funds to ensure that we protect our businesses, especially our small businesses, we acted on this so as to not create a burden for our employers that could result in business closures and layoffs of hard-working Alabamians.

The CARES Act sent a total of $1.9 billion to Alabama, including $115 million that went directly to Jefferson County. The law sets restrictions on how the money can be spent and says that it must be spent by December 30.

In May, the Legislature approved a plan proposed by Ivey to allocate the money into 10 categories, such as reimbursements to state and local governments for coronavirus expenses, delivery of health care and related services to citizens, and support for citizens, businesses, non-profit and faith-based organizations directly affected by the pandemic, as well as for education costs resulting from the pandemic.

Any reallocation of the money requires approval by a committee made up of the House speaker, president pro tempore of the Senate, and the chairs of the Legislatures four budget committees. Thats the committee that met Tuesday by conference call and approved the $300 million for unemployment.

The governors office maintains a public dashboard showing how the money has been allocated and how much has been spent.

Officials have expressed concern that the state might not be able to spend all the $1.8 billion before the December 30 deadline because of restrictions on how it can be used.

Clouse said there is a possibility that an additional $300 million could be allocated to the unemployment trust fund before the end of the year, which would mean one-third of the CARES Act money went for that purpose.

The CARES Act allows us to put money in the unemployment trust fund up to what was taken out because of COVID unemployment, Clouse said. So thats around $600 million. Se we could potentially put another $300 million in there by the end of the year if we needed to.

This story was updated at 5:26 p.m. to add information from Gov. Kay Ivey.
A one-year-old boy was killed and his parents were severely burned as they fled from a wildfire in Washington state.

Jake and Jamie Hyland and their infant son Uriel were evacuating their property in rural Okanogan at around midnight on Sunday when they got trapped by the Cold Springs Fire, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up by loved ones.

The family's scorched truck was found abandoned on the side of a road on Tuesday afternoon, before search and rescue teams discovered Jake and Jamie, who is pregnant, gravely injured on the banks of the Columbia River.

Baby Uri was already dead, bringing the death toll from fires raging up and down the West Coast to seven.

Jake and Jamie Hyland were severely burned and their one-year-old son Uriel was killed as the family fled from a wildfire in Okanogan County, Washington, on Sunday night

The parents were transported to Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster before being airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Jamie, 26, suffered burns covering 40 to 50 percent of her body and underwent surgery on her arms, a relative wrote in the GoFundMe page.

Jake, 31, was burned on 25 percent of his body and was preparing for surgery on his arms as well.

Doctors are still working to clean the wounds on both parents to determine the extent of their internal injuries.

'They are both still critical at this point, but Jamie is more so than Jake,' the relative wrote.

'They have significant injuries and a long road ahead of them. Please keep them in your prayers.'

The Hyland family, who live outside Portland in Renton, had been visiting their house in Okanogan for Labor Day weekend.

The relative said the remote property doesn't have cell service, so it's possible the family didn't receive alerts about the fire blazing toward them until it was too late to evacuate safely.

Okanogan County Sheriff Tony Hawley said his office was notified that the Hylands were missing on Tuesday and located them hours later.

Investigators believe the family were forced to abandon their truck as they tried to escape the Cold Springs Fire.

The fire erupted near Omak on Sunday night and has already torched more than 163,000 acres. It was 10 percent contained as of Wednesday night.

The Cold Springs Fire (pictured on Monday) has torched 163,000 acres since it erupted in Okanogan County on Sunday night

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but Hawley said Uri's death will be labeled a homicide if it turns out to be an arson.

'It would be treated as a homicide, if it were to be determined to be a human-caused, criminal fire,' the sheriff said. 'That's the way we're investigating this at this point, because if we don't collect everything at this point, we can't go back and do that.'

Hawley said Uri's was one of the most tragic wildfire-related deaths he's seen in his 25 years with the sheriff's department.

'The death of a one-year-old doesn't even compare to when we reach our adulthood and we have choices to be places,' he said.

'To even be talking about the death of a one-year-old is just devastating.'

Hawley praised the efforts of firefighters battling blazes around his community but expressed frustration with a lack of resources.

He attributed aid delays to the fact that dozens of wildfires are currently burning across the state of Washington and around the western US.

'We're competing for resources just like everyone across the nation,' he said.

Ninety major fires in 13 states have torched more than 3.4 million acres over the past week - decimating entire towns in Washington, Oregon and California.

In Oregon, a twelve-year-old boy named Wyatt Tofte and his grandmother Peggy Mosso were killed in a wildfire in the Santiam Valley.

The fire also was suspected of causing at least one death outside of Ashland, Oregon, while another three were feared dead in the California Bear Fire that swept through Butte County on Tuesday night.
Support for Students to Continue Through Advising and Capacity Building of Supporting Organizations

Phoenix, AZ, Sept. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- College Success Arizona and Helios Education Foundation announced today that the Arizona Postsecondary Student Resiliency Fund has completed distribution of the full $500,000 fund amount. The Fund provided grants to 1,156 low-income and first-generation college students to help them continue their education despite the economic hardships caused by the pandemic.

The pandemic has had a severe impact on students economic security, physical and mental health, academics, and access to support services. In order to help students either graduate or continue their education into the fall semester, these funds assisted with educational expenses, housing expenses, technology expenses, as well as other immediate needs.

Students told us stories about losing jobs and housing. Stories about how their parents and families were under financial strain due to sudden unemployment. Many were struggling to pay for rent, groceries, or medical expenses. Many wondered how they would continue paying for tuition or books, and many needed to purchase new technology to stay connected to their classes. Grants to these students were a lifeline to help them continue their education despite these setbacks, said Rich Nickel, President and CEO of College Success Arizona.

Many of the students who received grants through the Fund are from backgrounds and communities that are traditionally underserved and underrepresented in higher education. Grant recipients include students from 14 different tribal affiliations, DACA students, migrant students in the CAMP program, and adult students.

In addition to the $500,000 in student grants, College Success Arizona provided $25,000 in capacity-building funds to increase the ability of partner organizations to support students virtually. College Success Arizona has also secured funding to provide ongoing virtual advising services to support students who received funds. These services will support students through their next academic year to ensure that they have the support they need to persist in their studies and complete their degrees.

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This fund has helped so many students throughout Arizona meet their needs and continue their education during one of the most perilous situations weve faced as a state, nation and global community, said Paul Luna, President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. The relief that the Arizona Postsecondary Student Resiliency Fund has provided is just the beginning of the support that Arizonas students will need to complete their education. We will continue to focus on ways to support students and their pursuit of a postsecondary degree.

About Helios Education Foundation

Helios Education Foundation invests resources all along the education continuum to ensure more students in Arizona and Florida connect potential to opportunity by completing a postsecondary degree. Committed to the principles of Community, Equity, Investment, and Partnership, Helios and our partners improve educational outcomes for minority, first-generation, and underrepresented students, throughout Arizona, and in Floridas metropolitan regions of Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Miami. Focused on the limitless opportunities provided by an equitable education system, Helios and our partners seek to change lives, strengthen communities, and close achievement gaps. Since 2004 Helios has invested more than $240 million in partnerships and initiatives focused on improving education outcomes in the two states we serve. Learn more about Helios Education Foundation at www.helios.org.

About College Success Arizona

College Success Arizona works to significantly increase the college attainment rate of students in Arizona, particularly for those who otherwise would not be able to attend or graduate, such as low-income, first generation, and Latino students. We advocate for long-term, sustainable policy solutions that address key challenges in Arizona. Our priorities include closing information gaps that limit college-going culture, working to improve college affordability and increase state financial aid, and advocating for increased attainment statewide to drive economic growth. Learn more at www.collegesuccessarizona.org

CONTACT: Rebecca Lindgren Helios Education Foundation 602.828.7061 rlindgren@helios.org Maura Keaney College Success Arizona 415.250.1875 keaney@collaborativecommunications.com




Hyderabad: The government of Telangana on Wednesday introduced four Bills in the Assembly that are meant to pave the way for digitisation of land records and transactions.

The Telangana Rights in Land and Pattadar Passbooks Bill 2020 and the Telangana Abolition of the Post of Village Revenue Officers Bill 2020 were tabled by chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao said. These will empower citizens to transfer agricultural and non-agricultural properties at the click of a button through the upcoming Dharani portal.

Municipal administration minister K T Rama Rao introduced the Telangana Municipal Laws Amendment Bill 2020 and panchayat raj minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao introduced the Telangana Panchayat Raj Amendment Bill 2020.

Chandrashekar Rao also announced a comprehensive land survey to categorise agriculture and non-agriculture lands. He said each inch of land would be surveyed and the survey numbers tagged with geographic coordinates so that there will not be any scope for disputes.

The chief minister told the House that the bills are meant to bring about transparency in land administration and simplify the registration process, minimising human interference. The much-awaited Dharani website would be activated soon for the public to access data pertaining to land records of the entire state.

He explained that under the new law, the lands will be categorised as agriculture and non-agriculture lands; non-agriculture land transactions will be dealt with by sub-registrars and agriculture land transactions by tahsildars.

Stating that Section 7 of the Registration Act 1908 gives discretionary powers to the state government to authorise any person to carry out registrations, he declared that using that discretion, the state government was empowering 590 tahsildars across the state as joint registrars.

Chandrashekar Rao said the entire registration process would be so streamlined so as to require just one visit to the office of a sub-registrar or mandal revenue officer. Land records would be updated in real-time.

He said, Over 89.47 lakh properties in local bodies have already been digitised. All land or property data will be available online and thus unauthorised or illegal transactions will be prevented.

The chief minister assured the House that for safety and security of the database, the state government will install multiple servers at multiple places in the state as well as other states as part of a backup mechanism.

The chief minister announced that under the new bill all revenue courts at the tahsildar, RDO and joint collector level stand abolished. The power of issuing caste certificates would be delegated to gram panchayats and municipalities.

In view of the abolishion of village revenue officer posts, the chief minister said the 5,480 VROs will be accommodated in different government departments.

He said there are more than 20,000 village revenue assistants (VRAs) in the state with a consolidated pay of Rs 10,000 per month. As the post too will be abolished, they will be given postings as pay scale employees depending on their qualifications.

He said the state government took the decision to ensure their job safety despite an additional burden of Rs 260 crore per annum on the state exchequer.

He said at present landowners are being asked to produce pattadar pass books and title deeds for transactions related to land and also to secure loans from any credit agency under section 6-B and section 6-C of the Telangana Rights in Land and Pattadar Passbooks Act, 1971. He said several instances have come to the notice of the government that the farmers are experiencing difficulties getting mutation on their lands after transfer and obtaining agricultural loans from the lending agency by producing the passbook and title deed physically.

He said, Since all land-related data will be computerized and maintained in the Dharani portal, the government has decided to bring in the new Telangana Rights in Lands and Pattadar Passbooks Act, 2020 in place of the existing one.
NEW HAVEN  Like all festivals just about everywhere, the Connecticut Folk Festival wont gather in person this year. But CT Folk has put together a livestreamed Virtual CT Folk Fest & Green Expo that will take place over the next four days and will at least give you plenty of the music you might hope to see.

Like the physical festival, its a free event  beginning this Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and running through Saturday night  with a suggested donation of $10 per day.

Unlike the physical festival, it will be beamed directly into your living room. Or bedroom. You can watch it while you cook  or out on the porch.

Folk music fans are asked to visit CT Folks website, http://CTFolk.org, to register for CT Folk Fest and upcoming virtual concerts. More information, including the complete schedule, also is available on its Facebook page (@CTFolk) and Instagram site (@CT_Folk).

You can register in advance directly at http://CTFolkFest.eventbrite.com or make donations directly to the festival via Venmo: @CTFolk or PayPal: PayPal.me/CTFolk.

We thank our growing community for its continued support of CT Folk, and for tuning in to our virtual programming, including the CT Folk at Home concert series, CT Folk said in a release announcing the virtual festival.

Our goal is to continue bringing music to our Connecticut audience through an online platform; but this virtual shift also allows us to reach out beyond our current fanbase and listenership geographically and demographically, said Festival Director Nicole Heriot-Mikula.

We ask our listeners to share news of this years virtual festival  which also includes a half-day Virtual Green Expo  with their friends and family, whether near or far, Heriot-Mikula said in the release.

The virtual festivals lineup includes Keller Williams, Ruthie Foster, special musical guest Dom Flemons, Buffalo Rose, Among the Acres, Phat A$tronaut, Bumper Jacksons, John John Brown, Monica Rizzio, Diana Alvarez, Golden Oak and the annual Grassy Hill Songwriting Competition, among other things.

Wednesday nights Day 1 lineup includes Crys Matthews, Bumper Jacksons and special guest Reggie Harris.

Thursday nights Day 2 lineup, also beginning at 7:30 p.m., includes the 2020 Grassy Hill Songwriting Competition Winners: Randy Emmons, The Promise is Hope, Peter Lehndorff, Kim Moberg and Louise Mosrie.

Friday nights Day 3 lineup, also beginning at 7:30 p.m., will feature John John Brown, Diana Alvarez, GoldenOak, Monica Rizzio and special guest Lilo & Anina Gonzalez.

Saturday will begin with a virual CT Folk Fest Green Expo at 11 a.m. For today, we brought some of our favorite community partners directly to you: Cyril the Sorceror, Massaro Community Farm, Full of Joy Yoga, BringtheHoopla, Infinite Roots Drumming, New Britain Roots & with special guest Thabisa! the release said.

Saturdays Day 4 music lineup, beginning at 3 p.m., will feature Phat A$tronaut, Among the Acres, Buffalo Rose, Ruthie Foster, headliner Keller Williams and special guest Dom Flemons.

CT Folk board President Lisa Kaston said that this year has presented arts organizations such as CT Folk with the opportunity to re-examine their core values, and the ways in which they can reach out to larger and more diverse audiences.

CT Folk relies on the folk tradition of building community, and looks to continually expand that community, Kaston said. And these times call for creative and collaborative ways to support the artists who provide us with great music  but who have also been hard hit by this shifting landscape.

While we will miss the camaraderie and spontaneity of a live festival, we have already seen that virtual musical events have a great ability to spread joy, while helping to showcase and support an increasingly more eclectic group of performing artists, she said.

CT Folk is dedicated to the furtherance of social justice and environmental initiatives that impact our local, as well as global community, and to the advancement of music in all of its varied forms, it said in the release.

We note that CT Folk embraces an evolving and more expansive definition of the term folk, to better reflect, nurture and celebrate a culturally rich listening and artist community, it said.
BRUSSELS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday she is "very concerned" about the United Kingdom's intention to breach the Brexit agreement.

"Very concerned about announcements from the British government on its intentions to breach the Withdrawal Agreement. This would break international law and undermines trust. Pacta sunt servanda (Latin words, meaning "Agreements are to be kept") = the foundation of prosperous future relations," she tweeted.

European Council President Charles Michel echoed: "The Withdrawal agreement was concluded and ratified by both sides, it has to be applied in full."

The two leaders of the European Union (EU) made the remarks after the British government announced earlier Wednesday to bring to the UK parliament a new bill that could partially breach the Brexit deal reached with Brussels.

The Internal Market Bill is supposed to protect jobs and trade across the whole of Britain after the Transition Period ends, according to the UK government. But a BBC report said it could override parts of the Withdrawal Agreement that secured the UK's exit from the EU, in breach of international law.

The Withdrawal Agreement was signed between the EU and the UK on Jan. 24 of 2020, setting the terms of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. Britain ended its EU membership on Jan. 31 and at that moment the Withdrawal Agreement entered into force.

But the UK is still following EU rules during the transition period until Dec. 31 of 2020 to allow both sides to bridge differences on the post-Brexit relationship, and forge a permanent future trade deal.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- The county has picked a police officer for the city of Davison and Bishop Airport to lead its Animal Control Department.

The county Board of Commissioners voted 7-2 Wednesday, Sept. 9, to appoint Jay Parker as the director of the department, replacing Paul Wallace, who is retiring Sept. 15.

He was by far the best (candidate), Commissioner Bryant Nolden said of Parker, He has knowledge of the laws related to Animal Control, is an avid dog and cat lover. Hes fostered about 15 dogs from Animal Control and I know he has three cats (of his own).

Parker retired from the Flint Police Department before beginning his work in Davison and at Bishop, according to his application to the county. He will earn more than $63,000 annually to start and more than $76,000 after five years on the job.

The chief animal control officer is appointed by commissioners under state law and is charged with enforcing animal control laws in the county, including protection of the public, rabies control and impounding stray and unwanted animals. The chief officer is directly responsible to commissioners and administers the county shelter on Pasadena Avenue.

Commissioners Mark Young, D-Grand Blanc, D-Grand Blanc, and Brenda Clack, D-Flint, voted against the appointment.

I just dont feel this was done in an open and transparent process ..., Young said. Ive heard of Mr. Parker being an outstanding officer with the city of Flint and the city of Davison ... but I cannot support this.

Clack said she voted against the appointment because it appears the assistant director was somewhat ... passed over. This person has proven (herself). I feel this should have been the selected person.

Commissioners required candidates to be certified police officers, which Wallace, a former commander with the Genesee County Sheriffs Department, was. His deputy director would not have met that minimum requirement, county officials said.

Wallace had served in the position since 2015.

Genesee Animal Control will close for 8 days as staff, animals move to new building

Flint area animal lover leaves part of her estate to Genesee County shelter

Parvovirus shuts down Genesee County animal shelter until further notice
Students have been warned about spreading coronavirus in their bedrooms and facing 'serious police action' if they hold mass gatherings during Freshers' Week.

Ministers have been discouraging young people preparing for university from attending Freshers' events today, ahead of new restrictions outlawing social gatherings of more than six in England coming into force on Monday.

Health Minister Lord Bethell urged freshers and returning university students to resist going to mass social gatherings 'in pubs, clubs and bedrooms'.

Meanwhile, Universities Minister Michelle Donelan furiously warned large event organisers that police will take 'serious action' against them, following reports that some companies have been advertising mass social Freshers' events.

And Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, pleaded with students to 'follow the rules' for 'the sake of your education and your parents' and grandparents' health'.

It comes as 510,000 young people prepare to start university this autumn, with Freshers' Weeks due to begin in England from next Monday.

Students have been threatened with 'serious police action' by the Government if they hold mass Freshers' events as 510,000 prepare to start university next month (stock)

Boris Johnson said yesterday: 'My message to students is simple. Please, for the sake of your education, for your parents' and your grandparents' health, wash your hands, cover your face, make space, and don't socially gather in groups of more than six now and when term starts'

New DfE guidance for universities reopening Students should socialise in Covid-secure environments, for example campus bars, student unions or specific 'creative spaces' which could include protective screens or markings for social distancing; Arrivals at university may be staggered and institutions should identify the 'appropriate' mix of online and face-to-face teaching for each subject, reflecting what will maximise learning and minimise transmission risk; Face coverings are 'likely to be appropriate' in many social settings, including any events hosted by student clubs and societies; Students living in halls of residence or in houses in multiple occupation who develop Covid symptoms should self-isolate in their current accommodation, rather than go home. All residents in that household must also isolate; Universities should ensure students are safe and well looked-after during their self-isolation period; They should not allow students to have private gatherings in halls of residence breaking the 'Rule Of Six'; Staff and other students can watch rehearsals and performances but they should avoid cheering; Universities should draw up plans to deal with an outbreak on their site; More mental health support may be needed due to the disruption to study and working practices and uncertainty caused by Covid-19 Advertisement

Health Minister Lord Bethell said: 'We are deeply concerned about the spread among students. Some of that spread will take place in universities, and I pay tribute to the efforts of vice-chancellors to put in place social distancing arrangements in universities; we hope that they will have an impact.

'However, some of the effect is in their social life - in pubs, clubs and bedrooms up and down the country.

'That is the responsibility of the students themselves, and we are looking at measures to enhance and enforce the social-distancing measures that will stop the spread of this disease.'

Ms Donelan warned students: 'As a Government, we have clearly set out the consequences for anyone who risks spreading the virus, whether that's through illicit social gatherings or organising large events.

'The police and local authorities will take serious action where it is necessary. Health advice only works if we all follow it. I urge students, just like the wider public, to do their bit and act responsibly to ensure campuses can remain open for them to use and enjoy.'

The Universities of Greenwich, Leeds Trinity, Coventry and Queen Mary in London are all due to open their campuses to freshers from next Monday.

LSE, Birmingham City, and the Universities of Nottingham and the West of England are expected to hold their Freshers' Week from September 21.

Leicester de de Montfort, the University of Bristol, the University of Durham and University College London will host Freshers' Week from September 28.

Meanwhile, Cambridge and Oxford, Birkbeck and Essex are among the last to host Freshers' Week for new students from October 5.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock today pleaded with university students to 'follow the rules', telling MPs: 'If you are a student who is about to return to university or go to university for the first time then please, for the sake of your education and your parents' and grandparents' health, follow the rules and don't gather in groups of more than six.'

At a Downing Street press conference yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 'My message to students is simple. Please, for the sake of your education, for your parents' and your grandparents' health, wash your hands, cover your face, make space, and don't socially gather in groups of more than six now and when term starts.'

The warnings come after Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester and chair of the prestigious Russell Group, said students could face exclusions if they do not follow rules on social distancing.

Addressing the Science and Technology Committee of MPs yesterday, Dame Nancy said 'we're strongly stressing to students that they must behave differently'.

When pushed to state what the sanctions would be, she said: 'Initially a warning of course, potentially something more significant, and ultimately - and I hope it doesn't come to this - it will be exclusion from the university'.

New guidance published by the Department for Education (DfE) today states that universities should only offer face-to-face lessons for priority courses and students must not return to their family home if stricter measures become necessary.

Lord Bethell (right) urged young people preparing for university to resist attending social gatherings 'in pubs, clubs and bedrooms'. Meanwhile, Michelle Donelan (left) furiously warned large event organisers that police will take 'serious action' against them, following reports that some companies have been advertising mass social Freshers' events

Cambridge says it will offer all students living in college accommodation a weekly coronavirus test after term begins on October 8

Exeter University has announced it is teaming up with commercial test provider Halo to ensure same-day testing at its campuses in Exeter and Cornwall

Could university 'households' contain as many as 30 students? New guidance published by DfE today states that universities should seek to identify 'households' within student accommodation (halls of residence). The idea is that routine contact can be safely managed with a smaller number of people, while 'households' will form the units by which universities will manage any response to a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus. Universities can decide for themselves what constitutes a 'household' - though it would generally be considered to be those students living on the same floor, or sharing a communal bathroom or kitchen. That could be as many as 30 students in a halls of residence 'household'. Advertisement

Institutions must have a plan in place that 'assumes there is likely to be an increase in the number of cases, or an outbreak associated with their setting'.

The updated guidance - published early today - says universities should support students to socialise in Covid-secure environments, like campus bars and students' unions, and they should identify 'safer social activities' for them, the guidance says.

Ahead of Freshers' Week, which starts at different times at different campuses, universities have been told not to allow students to have 'private gatherings' in halls of residence which exceed the limits for gatherings in private households.

In student accommodation, universities are expected to identify 'households' to manage routine contact as safely as possible.

These households in halls of residence would be students living in the same flat or on the same floor who share a kitchen or bathroom.

The guidance adds: 'The reopening of campuses for academic year 2020 to 2021 will bring about a mass movement of students from across the UK and overseas, with the vast majority moving from other regions into student accommodation in the region in which their HE provider is located.

'The creation of many new households brings with it a degree of risk, and we expect providers to take all reasonable actions to minimise this risk.'

But the advice also calls on institutions to 'consider students' desire to interact socially and creatively' with peers as part of their experience.

It says: 'You could look to designate specific areas ('creative spaces') for students to socially and creatively interact beyond the usual teaching environment. These areas could include markings to allow for social distancing or the use of screens.'

The advice adds that universities should base their plans for local outbreaks on a four-tier system of restrictions.

Blended learning - a mix of face-to-face tuition and online lessons - has been recommended as the 'default position'.

Data from the Covid Symptom Tracker app, run by King's College London, shows there were days in March and April when more than 100,000 cases of coronavirus were estimated to have been caught in the UK. But testing figures were showing fewer than 6,500, meaning that the numbers of cases now cannot be compared like for like, because the currently estimated number of new cases is around 3,200 and many of them are now being picked up by tests, whereas only a vanishingly small number were at the start

Health Secretary Matt Hancock today pleaded with university students to 'follow the rules'

It says face coverings should be worn 'where social distancing is difficult to maintain outside of teaching situations' - like corridors and communal areas.

Tier two - described as the 'fallback' position - advises that universities should move to an increased level of online learning where possible.

Tier three calls for institutions only to retain face-to-face provision for priority courses and 'in as limited number of situations as possible'.

At this stage, it says students should not return to their family home to 'reduce the risk of transmitting the virus through travel'.

The last resort would be for university buildings to close to everyone except key workers and for the majority of provision to shift online.

Responding to the DfE guidance, Universities UK chief executive Alistair Jarvis told MailOnline: 'The safety of students, staff and the wider community remains the priority for universities and we welcome this additional guidance to support the significant safety measures universities have already introduced and the detailed planning undertaken across the higher education sector.

'Throughout the coronavirus pandemic universities have followed - at a minimum - official government and public health advice and today's government update provides a framework for universities to operate in a way that meets the needs and circumstances of their communities.

Elite universities reveal covid testing plans as Exeter signs contract with private company to offer same-day results and Cambridge promises weekly tests for all students Some of Britain's elite universities have revealed their Covid-19 testing plans as Prime Minister Boris Johnson urges them to push on with their academic year despite the coronavirus threat. With Mr Johnson telling universities not to send students home in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak, at least two prominent institutions have announced testing plans aimed at avoiding major disruptions. Cambridge says it will offer all students living in college accommodation a weekly coronavirus test after term begins on October 8. And Exeter University has announced it is teaming up with commercial test provider Halo to ensure same-day testing at its campuses in Exeter and Cornwall. Cambridge said it would go beyond Government guidance and offer testing to students even if they show no symptoms. Sample swabs, from the nose and throat, will be pooled by college household, allowing the university to reduce the number of tests required to some 2,000 per week. If a pooled household test is positive, students in the household will be offered individual tests. 'We look forward to welcoming our students back to Cambridge and want to reassure them - and the wider local community - that we are doing everything we can to make sure they feel safe and supported while they are here,' Cambridge vice-chancellor Stephen J Toope said in a statement. 'This screening programme is just one of a number of measures that we are putting in place to keep our University and city safe.' The University of Exeter said it would work with Halo, the UK's first commercial provider of saliva-based Covid tests, to offer a simple and fast means of both finding cases and reassuring students who fall ill but are not infected. Advertisement

'Universities have been working hard over many months, drawing on expertise from within the sector, external advice, working with government and local partners, and in consultation with student and staff groups, to do everything possible to put in place Covid-secure safety measures for this academic year.

'While the wider situation with the virus across the country clearly remains uncertain and fast-moving, universities will continue to work closely with national and local health bodies to ensure robust and adaptable measures for the new term and beyond.

'Life across all of society will be different this autumn, with university life no exception, with differences to previous years. However, students can look forward to a high-quality, rewarding and enjoyable experience at university this academic year.'

It comes after Government scientific advisers warned that significant outbreaks of coronavirus linked to universities are 'highly likely' and they risk amplifying the transmission of the disease across the country.

A paper by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), published on Friday, warned such outbreaks could coincide with Christmas and pose 'a significant risk' to extended families.

Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said: 'The safety and wellbeing of university staff and students is our priority.

'Universities have been making a mammoth effort to safely open campuses and buildings to students this autumn, and the Government has worked closely with them to ensure they are well prepared for the return of students.

'The updated guidance includes the recent Sage advice and will help university leaders access the information they need, and assist their existing plans to keep students and staff as safe as possible.'

Yesterday committee member Aaron Bell, Tory MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, asked vice-chancellors whether there is guidance on how Covid-secure socialising can take place on campus.

He said: 'Is there a danger that if we are too draconian about what happens on campuses themselves we push more students off campus?'

Professor Julia Buckingham, president and chair of Universities UK (UUK) and vice-chancellor of Brunel University, responded: 'I think universities want to be proportionate in their approach.

'So while yes we will deal firmly with students, as Nancy indicated we will probably start with a firm warning and if they are repeat offenders then of course we will deal with it much, much more firmly.'

University leaders said they did not believe coronavirus outbreaks would occur as a result of academic lessons restarting this term - but they expressed concerns about student activity off campus.

Dame Nancy said: 'I'm very confident that there will not be any spread of infections through teaching in our universities. We've taken every measure imaginable.

'Of course one concern for all of us is off-campus behaviour.

'And I think we're all imposing quite strict codes of practice with sanctions if students do not adhere to those.

'Because it's not just the safety of the students and the staff, we're also concerned to protect the safety of our local residents and our communities.'

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Glasgow, added that he had 'little concern' about the potential spread of coronavirus on campus.

'We are minimising the amount of face-to-face contact,' he said, 'but as colleagues have also stressed, we're working very hard to ensure that we stress to our students that their conduct off campus is what they need to be mindful of.'

Professor Buckingham said university leaders are concerned that students will have to 'travel some distance' in order to get tested.

She said: 'We are all looking at ways in which we can improve testing on campus because that is a major issue for all of us.'

Matt Hancock told LBC yesterday the Government's new limitations on social gatherings would apply to students returning for freshers' week 'otherwise we know the spread of the disease is going to keep going up and up'.
The Global Digital Advertising Services Industry is poised to experience spend growth of more than USD 236 billion between 2020-2024 at a CAGR of over 12.34%. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Request free sample pages

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005558/en/

SpendEdge has announced the release of its Global Digital Advertising Services Market Procurement Intelligence Report (Graphic: Business Wire)

Read the 120-page research report with TOC and LOE on "Global Digital Advertising Services Industry Procurement Intelligence Report, Pricing Outlook in Geographies that include APAC, North America, South America, and MEA, and insights into best practices to optimize procurement spend."

SpendEdge's reports now include an in-depth complimentary analysis of the COVID-19 impact on procurement and the latest market data to help your company overcome sourcing challenges. Our Digital Advertising Services Industry procurement intelligence report offers actionable procurement intelligence insights, sourcing strategies, and action plans to mitigate risks arising out of the current pandemic situation. The insights offered by our reports will help procurement professionals streamline supply chain operations and gain insights into the best procurement practices to mitigate losses.

Information on Latest Trends and Supply Chain Market Information Knowledge center on COVID-19 impact assessment

Insights into the Market Price Trends

Suppliers in this market have moderate bargaining power owing to moderate pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants.

Buyers can benchmark their preferred pricing models for Digital Advertising Services with the wider industry and identify the cost-saving potential.

Insights to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their Digital Advertising Services Industry requirements. This procurement report answers the following questions:

Am I engaging with the right suppliers?

Which KPIs should I use to evaluate my incumbent suppliers?

Which supplier selection criteria are relevant for?

What are the Digital Advertising Services Industry category essentials in terms of SLAs and RFx?

To get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment, Subscribe Now for Free

Insights into strategies that will help buyers optimize their category management practices. The report answers the following questions:

What should be my strategic procurement objectives, activities, and enablers for the Digital Advertising Services Industry category?

What negotiation levers can I pull for cost-saving?

What are Digital Advertising Services Industry procurement best practices I should be promoting in my supply chain?

Some of the top Digital Advertising Services Industry suppliers enlisted in this report

This Digital Advertising Services Industry procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

Accenture Plc

International Business Machines Corp.

DENTSU GROUP INC.

PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd.

WPP Plc

Omnicom Group Inc.

Publicis Groupe

IPG

BlueFocus

WebFX

Get access to regular sourcing and procurement insights to our digital procurement platform- Contact Us

Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005558/en/

Contacts:

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 630 984 7340

UK: +44 148 459 9299

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us
BANGKOK: Hospitals and companies in Thailand were hit by hackers who held their computer systems and data ransom, demanding payment to restore information, police said on Thursday.

Government hospitals and companies were hacked in the same manner as Saraburi Hospital," Major General Phanthana Nutchanart, said, referring to a cyber attack earlier this month.

Saraburi Hospital could not access its data on Sept. 5, slowing operations relying on manual functions, but the hospital did not receive a demand for payment.

Some organisations that received ransom demands have already paid to retrieve data, in sums not exceeding 1 million baht ($32,000), he said, adding that the total number of organizations affected was still being investigated.

Hackers attacked organisations with a ransomware" code, which locks up the files on a computer and encrypts them, blocking access until the ransom is paid, usually in cryptocurrency like bitcoin.

In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack disrupted hospitals and businesses across the world.

Thai police believe that the virus originated in Europe.

($1 = 31.3100 baht)
Subscriber content preview

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  Six states in the U.S. West that rely on the Colorado River to sustain cities and farms rebuked a plan to build an underground pipeline that would transport billions of gallons of water through the desert to southwest Utah.

In a joint letter Tuesday, water officials from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming urged the U.S. government to halt the approval process for the project, which would bring water 140 miles from Lake Powell in northern Arizona to the growing area surrounding St. George, Utah.





. . .
GLENVIEW, IL  Last week, Historic Wagner Farm staff members Jonathan Kuester, Blake Lanphier and Stacey Christensen visited the Northfield Township Food Pantry to drop off another weekly donation of farm-fresh eggs and produce. So far this summer, the farm has donated over 500 dozen eggs, 600 pounds of produce and 1,400 pounds of lamb, pork and beef to the Northfield Township Food Pantry.

In addition to this, the farm has delivered more than 300 baskets of produce to CSA customers and produced 1,000 pounds of chicken and 2,600 pounds of lamb, pork and beef for sale to Glenview residents, according to the Glenview Park District.

The farm will continue to deliver CSA baskets through the end of September and will have turkeys for sale after October 17th. Friends of Wagner Farm, a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization which supports the farm's efforts, has also donated $2,000 and the egg cartons that are being sent to the food bank to support our efforts to ensure food security in Glenview.

Historic Wagner Farm (Glenview Park District)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, things are a little different these days at 1510 Wagner Road as the operators opted to return to the farm's roots. Earlier this summer, the property began working as a full-time working farm with the new Feeding Glenview initiative kicking off. This move shifted the focus from public programming to food production.

Historic Wagner Farm Returns To Roots During Pandemic



Since then, the popular farmers market returned in June. It will continue to run from 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays through Oct. 10.



This year's market focuses on produce, cheese and meat vendors only. There is no ready-to-eat food or community event tables.



Vendors include:

Barry's Berries  seasonal berries

Finn's Ranch  Pasture-raised meats, free-range chickens, duck eggs and locally-grown products

First Orchards  Seasonal produce, potted plants and flowers, apple cider

Geneva Lakes Produce  Seasonal produce

Gourmet Sea Salts & Grinders  Gourmet seas salts, peppercorns, thumb grinders

Story continues

R&B Miller Farms, Inc.  Seasonal fruit, honey, jams and cider

Zeldenrust Farm  Seasonal produce, potted plants/flowers

Patch News Partner/Shutterstock

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

This article originally appeared on the Glenview Patch
Two sisters, ages 24 and 19, warned people against using sunbeds after they were both diagnosed with skin cancer at the same time.

The sisters, Sarah Burnside and Rhianne Smith, use sunbeds often both before and after their annual summer holidays.

However, the two sisters from Darlington in County Durham, said that they did not realize just how dangerous using sunbeds can be even if you do it once.

Deadly skin cancer

Sarah, a mother of two, said that after she found two suspicious-looking moles on her foot and leg, she went to her GP and was told that she had a deadly form of skin cancer.

After learning of her sister's diagnosis, Rhianne decided to get the mole on her face checked too, and unfortunately, she was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer., as reported by The Sun.

Also Read: Skin Cancer Detection: Bananas Help Scientists Detect Skin Cancer

Sarah said that she was scared when she heard that she has cancer. She felt relieved and lucky that she found out about it early because if she had not, she would not know what would have happened.

The mother of two was diagnosed with skin cancer on her foot in June after insisting that the doctors also remove a chunk from her leg to get rid of another mole. In July, she was diagnosed with skin cancer for a second time.

Sarah said that if she had not been diagnosed with skin cancer twice, her sister would never have gone to the doctor and have the mole on her face checked, as reported by Mirror.Co.

Rhianne rushed to see a doctor after hearing about her sister's diagnosis. She was worried because she uses the sunbed more than her sister. In August, she was diagnosed with skin cancer on her face.

Psychology and counseling student Rhianne said that when she heard the news, she tried to distract herself, but days after, it hit her that she's only 19, and she already has cancer.

Rhianne added that their mother blames herself even though it is not her fault, as their mother is devastated that both her daughters have cancer.

Sarah would have 40 minutes' worth of sunbed sessions over the space of two weeks before a summer holiday because she believed that it would protect her skin from the heat when shew as abroad. She also had two 9-minute sessions a week when she got back to top up her tan.

Rhianne, on the other hand, uses the sunbed twice a week a few weeks before a holiday. They said that they learned since that even just one sunbed session can increase the risk of skin cancer.

Dangers of sunbeds

Sunbeds give out ultraviolet rays or UV rays that increase your risk of developing skin cancer, both melanoma, and non-melanoma. Many sunbeds give out greater doses of UV rays than the midday tropical sun.

According to the NHS, evidence shows that the risks are greater for young people and people who are frequently exposed to UV rays before the age of 25 are at greater risk of developing skin cancer later in life.

Sunburn in childhood can also increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.

Related Article: Frequent Exposure to UV Lamps in Nail Salons Increases Skin Cancer Risk By Small Margin

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Jocelynn James, a woman in Alabama donated her kidney to the former police officer who put her in jail.

The retired officer known as Terrell Potter and he is instrumental in straighening the life of Jocelynn who struggled through a serious addiction. Throughout the darkness, she thanks the officer his contribution to her life.

Fox News reported, Jocelynn was able to find out Potter needed a kidney as she was looking through Facebook.

Jocelynn immediately thought to herself that the Holy Spirit was talking to her, letting her know her other kidney belongs to Potter. According to the station, Jocelynn's kidney was a perfect match for Potter. "His kidney failed. Doctors told him he faced a seven or eight-year wait for a new one. I just threw my phone down and the Holy Spirit told me right then that I had that man's kidney."

Potter was overflowing thanks towards Jocelyn for helping him to extend his life. He stated with confusion, "if you asked me 100 names of who may give me a kidney, her name would have not been on the list. It is just unbelievable that she was willing to do that. "

Currently both Jocelynn and Potter are doing well. Jocelynn thanks God for her past and states it is not a coincidence that she was able to meet Potter throughout the period of her addiction. Potter stated, "It is very humbling to have somebody willing to give you a part of their body to extend your life. Without God, there is no other way."

Both realize God works in miraculous ways where no one could predict what will happen to the future. Till the end, Jocelynn is grateful and states that it was 'God's calling.'
A selfie that Rodin Saouan took with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sept. 10, 2015. (Rodin Saouan)

The selfie that changed both his life and Angela Merkels was snapped soon after Rodin Saouan arrived in Berlin in 2015. Hed spent more than a year trying to reach Germany from war-ravaged Syria, traveling on foot, by car, bus, truck and tractor and aboard an unseaworthy rubber dinghy packed with 44 refugees making the perilous crossing from Turkey to Greece.

Exactly five years ago Thursday, Saouan suddenly found himself standing just a few feet from Merkel, who had dropped by a refugee center in Berlin on an unannounced visit. With a smartphone in his hand and a smile on his face, Saouan, then 25, approached Germanys chancellor, signaling hopefully that he wanted a picture together.

My German wasnt very good at the time, so all I could say was Guten tag, Saouan recalled in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. She was just standing there with several bodyguards and staff workers and looking a little bit nervous. But she smiled at me and let me take the selfie.

I was a little surprised it was possible. She then asked me where I came from, and I told her from Syria.

Photos of the two posing together were featured on newscasts and in newspapers around the world. For Saouan, the improbable encounter inaugurated his new life in a foreign but peaceful land far from his original home. For Merkel, it became a symbol of her surprising decision, just a few days earlier, to abandon her usual caution and put out the welcome mat for what eventually became an influx of 1.1 million migrants and asylum seekers in Germany that year.

The move was initially hailed as a moral triumph for a country burdened with a dreadful history of fascism and genocide. Then came the backlash, against Merkel, her party and some of the new arrivals themselves, as the practical challenges of sheltering and integrating so many people grew apparent. U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump accused Merkel of ruining Germany, her popularity plunged, allies of her conservative party lost elections and right-wing dissent  some of it violent  surged.

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But five years later, the situation has settled to a significant degree as Germans set about absorbing the newcomers with their trademark pragmatism. Though there have been missteps and continued criticism that Germany has been overwhelmed by the new arrivals, and though far-right sentiment lingers, Merkels approval ratings have hit new heights, in part because of her able management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and tensions over the great in-migration of 2015 have largely eased, analysts say.

What is striking is the perception in Germany and that the public has settled on a surprisingly positive narrative, said Gerald Knaus, director of the European Stability Initiative think tank in Berlin and an advisor to Merkel on refugee issues. The consensus two years ago looked more controversial. But now two years on, the mainstream opinion is that it all worked surprisingly well.

Most Germans are content and proud of what theyve done, Knaus added. And thats a very important signal for democracies.

In a poll last month, a majority of Germans said their country had accepted the right number of refugees or should have taken in even more. Overall, Germany welcomed more asylum seekers and migrants in 2015  during Europe's biggest migration crisis since World War II  than the rest of the 27 European Union member states combined.

Saouan, now 30, cant understand the heat that Merkel took, including over his famous selfie with her, which critics said only encouraged more people to strike out for Germany from such countries as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

She was only helping people in a tough situation who needed help, Saouan said. Whats wrong with that?

An undated photo of Rodin Saouan, who immigrated to Germany in 2015. (Rodin Saouan)

His adjustment to life in Germany hasnt been without difficulty. After the relief of making it safely to what seemed the promised land, he and other migrants found themselves navigating a country with a tough language to learn and with such a bewildering abundance of rules and regulations that even applicants for work as a waiter or dishwasher need certificates documenting their training or skills.

Saouan now speaks German reasonably well, and tries to improve by watching lessons on YouTube. Although he has passed a series of proficiency tests that qualify him for various jobs, hes bounced through a series of low-paying, part-time positions in pubs, restaurants and warehouses as well as undergone some bouts of unemployment.

I had a part-time job as a barman and cook in a restaurant until March 1, but then the coronavirus came, and so I havent had much work since, said Saouan, who lives in a small studio apartment that costs $500 a month.

Im hoping to find a good job with good pay and a real employment contract. The jobs Ive been doing just dont pay enough for the rent and everything else. I want to earn enough to take care of myself, but its a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.

Then theres the bass note of homesickness that never quite fades. As an able-bodied young man, Saouan fled Syria out of fear of being recalled to the army to fight in the countrys brutal civil war, which went against everything inside me. His four brothers and sisters remain in their farming village near Damascus.

I didnt have a future in Syria, he said. But maybe I dont have one in Germany either. Dont get me wrong  Im happy and glad to be here, away from the war. Germany has been very kind to me, but I dont have any family here.  Id like to find a woman I could marry and have children with. Id like to meet someone with the same culture and religion. Thats important to me.

Opponents of Merkels policies bemoan what they say is a lack of assimilation, as well as the competition that newcomers pose in Germanys economy  which remains Europes biggest despite the pandemic.

Millions of refugees have arrived in Germany but without any kind of integration into the labor market. One-quarter of the Syrians living here are on welfare, Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany, said in parliament last week. The heightened competition for housing and jobs among low-skilled workers has become a major burden, as have the added burdens on our social welfare system.

Critics also accuse Merkel of recklessly endangering Germans safety. They point to several high-profile crimes committed by migrants, including a large number of sexual assaults in Cologne during outdoor New Years Eve celebrations in 2015, several grisly murders and a handful of terror attacks.

Anger fueled by such incidents resulted in a series of losses for Merkels party in regional elections from 2016 to 2018. Under growing pressure, Merkel herself  who has governed Germany since 2005  announced in late 2018 that she would not seek a fifth term as chancellor in next years election and gave up her post as chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union party.

Hostility toward asylum seekers has at times found violent expression. Some refugee centers were torched, and xenophobic hooligans beat up people who appeared to be foreigners. Anti-immigrant protests still crop up, often in eastern Germany, such as the city of Dresden. A number of refugees, weary of the resentment or of the stresses of living in such an unfamiliar environment, have gone on to other countries or returned to their homelands.

Here in more cosmopolitan Berlin, Saouan said he has not been subjected to any overt racism or resentment. The same goes for Mohamed Rachid, whose family, from the devastated Syrian city of Aleppo, spent more than a year in a refugee camp in Turkey before being taken by smugglers, at dawn, on a treacherous five-hour boat ride to Greece in August 2015.

Mohamed Rachid, who immigrated to Germany in 2015, outside the Berlin barbershop where he is a trainee. (Erik Kirschbaum / For The Times)

Rachid arrived in Germany as a 16-year-old with his parents and four siblings  and little knowledge of his new host country. Now 21, he speaks German fluently, is a hard-working and well-liked trainee at a busy Berlin barbershop and evinces a confidence, optimism and determination that not many native Germans his age seem to possess.

My dream is to open my own shop in a couple of years, Rachid said. Ive got another 11 months to go as an intern here, and then Ill work in a hair salon for two or three years to save up as much as I can, and then hopefully I can open up my own shop. Im sure its all going to work out well.

Knaus, the think tank director, said stories like Rachids are more typical among younger migrants with strong family networks around them. He said that 50% of Germanys refugees have either found a job or enrolled in school or a vocational training program.

Rachid and his two sisters, who have internships of their own at a postal delivery company and at a supermarket chain, were recently given their own apartment to share, costing $500 per month. His siblings, Rachid said, are as ambitious as he is.

Ive learned a lot during the internship and am confident I can make it work with my own shop, he said. Its only going to be a small shop.  But its going to be great.

Two weeks ago, as the fifth anniversary of her momentous decision on migration neared, Merkel was asked yet again whether she regretted throwing open her country to the hundreds of thousands of people streaming in from the east, through Hungary and Austria, to Germanys doorstep in the hope of finding a better life.

I would make essentially the same decisions again, Merkel said of a bold and controversial move that will inevitably be seen as part of her legacy as chancellor, for good or ill. I am for the most part satisfied with the way it all went, even if there has been some hardship.

When people are standing at the German-Austrian border or the Hungarian-Austrian border, they have to be treated like human beings.

Kirschbaum is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Henry Chu contributed to this report.
MANZINI  University of Eswatini (UNESWA) employees have engaged in a picket demanding a three per cent cost-of-living adjustment, among other demands.

The picket was held at the institutions Kwaluseni campus yesterday.

The UNESWA employees from Luyengo, Mbabane and Kwaluseni campuses converged at the institutions administration block during their lunch hour, where they submitted a list of demands for the administration to consider. Some of the main demands included the deduction of monies from their salaries which were allegedly not remitted to the intended financial services providers.

The UNESWA employees claimed that the university was deducting money from their salaries with an intention to service their personal loans and policies. However, they alleged that the money was never remitted to the relevant financial organisations.

Gripe

The employees, who are members of the National Workers Union of Swaziland Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI), highlighted that their gripe was that they were promised a salary review in 2016 by the then Minister of Education and Training Dr Phineas Magagula. However, they have not yet received a cost-of-living adjustment since then.

During an interview with NAWUSHI Acting General Secretary Lee Madzinane, he disclosed that one of the biggest issues the institution and the employees faced was governments failure to pay the subvention in full. He noted that in the first quarter alone, government was expected to pay a subvention of E97 million.

However, he said government ended up paying that amount in installments of E17 million. This he said resulted in the institutions failure to sustain the payment of salaries on a monthly basis.

The institution had to meet the net salaries of each employee, with some employees seeing salary cuts. We have experienced the deduction of monies from our salaries, however, they have not been remitted to the intended financial service providers, he said.

Madzinane explained that there were several workers who approached various financial service providers but were turned back as the institution had failed to pay them for a period of 12-14 months. He added that engagements with other financial service providers had proved futile, as word had spread that the institution failed to remit their monies.

Meanwhile, while addressing the employees, NAWUSHI President Samuel Shongwe said the employees were committing themselves to picket every Wednesdays, until their demands were met by the institutions administration. He revealed that earlier this year, Parliament awarded the employees a cost-of-living adjustment of three per cent; however, they had not received it to date.

Increment

What we are fighting for is not a salary increment; we are pleading for a cost-of-living adjustment, which will allow employees to have buying power, especially during these tough economic times, he remarked.

Shongwe further revealed that if their demands were not addressed timeously, the union would be forced to table them in Parliament, where they hoped would be better received.

On the other hand, when engaged on the time period the employees demands would be addressed, UNESWA Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane said the institution could not commit to a time frame for the employees issues to be addressed.

However, we received the list of demands and we are aware of the picketing that took place, he said.
A worthy project that brings bicycles to school children in Africa will now be able to help many more thanks to a grant of 10,000 towards the work.

For the past 5 years Rotary Ireland have been collecting unwanted bikes from households around Ireland and sending them to Loughan House Open Prison for repair before shipping them to school children in Gambia to help them get to education facilities. This has worked well but has proved too costly for Rotary (being non-commercial) to continue without a partner and a sustainable funding model.

Working closely with Leitrim County Council, Rotary Club of Sligo launched its Bikes to Africa Campaign in Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is delighted to be in a position to support the project under the Anti-Dumping Initiative2020. Sinead Ni Thiarnain, Environmental Awareness Officer with Leitrim County Council said: The Council is very pleased to be involved in this worthy project with Rotary Ireland. As a result of this partnership, the Council applied and was approved for funding under the Anti-Dumping Initiative 2020 to cover the cost of approximately 600 bikes to be repaired and shipped to the Gambia. It is also helping our Environment by repairing and re-using, whilst also promoting sustainable transport.

Jimmy Waters of Rotary Club of Sligo said: The Rotary Club of Sligo is very happy to assist Leitrim County Council in progressing this project.

People in and around the Leitrim area are encouraged to drop off their unwanted bicycles to Manorhamilton Civic Amenity Site, Sligo Road, Manorhamilton and also to Mohill Civic Amenity Site, Tullybarden, Mohill. Please ensure that they are sturdy bikes, not road race bikes and are in fairly good condition. They can be dropped at Manorhamilton and Mohill Civic Amenity Sites, Free of Charge, on Fridays from 11am  2pm & 3pm  6pm and on Saturdays from 9am  1pm and from 2pm  5pm.

They will be stored at these locations until collected by local prison services and then delivered to a prison bike workshop at Loughan House Prison in County Cavan. There, the bikes are refurbished before their onward journey to Gambia, where children use them to shorten their journeys to school every day.

School Bikes for Africa forwards the refurbished bikes to people, for who this simple mode of transport can transform their daily lives. So please dust off those unloved bikes and drop them to your nearest Civic Amenity Site in Leitrim free of charge Now!. Further details by contacting 071-962005 or email environment@leitrimcoco.ie.

Also read: Three leitrim churches fit for cash
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Wind power electricity generation arrived on the Indiana landscape in 2008. Early projects were concentrated in areas with favorable wind conditions. But a recent study by Purdue researchers revealed that subsequent innovations in wind power technologies, such as taller turbines with larger capacities, have made it economically viable for other Indiana areas to host utility-scale wind farms.

The study also found that Indiana county governments that allowed the development of utility-scale wind farms have benefited financially from the decision. For example, in 2019, Benton County received $4.3 million in property tax revenue from wind turbines ($492 per citizen), while White County received $2.3 million ($94 per citizen). Additionally, much of the increased revenue from wind industry property taxes was used to reduce the property tax burden on land in the same townships as the turbines themselves.

Weve seen vast improvements in wind-generated technology, and that has opened the door in areas that couldnt normally adopt this type of technology, said Michael Wilcox, assistant director of Purdue Extension Community Development and principal investigator on the project. Whats most important is that people in these areas understand that the technology is available and be able to make an informed decision on whether or not to invest in wind energy.

The multidisciplinary team from Purdue Extension Community Development, Purdue Center for Regional Development and Purdue Department of Agricultural Economics analyzed areas where wind farm projects have and have not been located and examined socio-economic conditions that have resulted since the wind farms were (or were not) installed and made operational. Researchers ultimately wanted to understand the dynamics within counties that lead to a decision to support or oppose utility-scale wind generation. The full study is available at https://cdext.purdue.edu/collaborative-projects/wind-energy/.

Writer: Kami Goodwin, kami@purdue.edu

Sources: Michael Wilcox, wilcox16@purdue.edu, Zuzana Bednarikova, zbednari@purdue.edu, Russell Hillberry, rhillber@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page
Netflix has elevated Bela Bajaria to head its international TV operations as Vice President for Global Television. Bajaria will oversee all original programming, scripted and non-scripted in both the English and non-English languages.

Previously, the vice president in charge of local language originals, Bajaria was behind the popular Netflix reality show 'Indian Matchmaking', the drama series 'Sacred Games' and the comedy serial 'Never Have I Ever'.

Prior to joining Netflix, Bajaria served as president of Universal Television, overseeing creative programming for the studio and producing such hit series as Master of None and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for Netflix; Brooklyn Nine-Nine for Fox; The Mindy Project for Fox and Hulu; Superstore for NBC, and Bates Motel for A&E, among others. She developed Gypsy, starring Naomi Watts, for Netflix which premiered in 2017, as well as Pure Genius for CBS and The Good Place for NBC.

Bajaria has served as president of the industry organization Hollywood Radio and Television Society. Several distinguished groups have honored Bajaria, including: The March of Dimes which honored her with the Woman of the Year Award, and the I Have a Dream Foundation of Los Angeles, which awarded her the Dream Keeper Award.
Donald Trumps presidency defies the laws of political gravity in every way, just as the campaign before it did. We heard him say, Grab em by the pussy; we heard him say, I like people who dont get captured in reference to John McCain, who was tortured for more than five years as a prisoner of war; we heard him say very good people on both sides about a racist and anti-Semitic rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

President Donald Trump talks to reporters at Andrews Air Force Base after attending a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Credit:Evan Vucci, AP

And yet he paid no political price.

So we should not be surprised that the spectacle has continued during his presidency. But this past week, even by Trump standards, was a political debacle of some proportion. The Atlantic magazine published a story detailing the Presidents contempt for those serving in the US military; it was so shocking that other news outlets rushed to investigate  and most of its particulars were confirmed, even at the Presidents own favoured outlet, Fox News. Such attitudes must have been dismaying even to the most loyal MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporter of the President.
RICHMOND, Va. - State Del. Glenn Davis, who cut a quirky and upbeat figure on the 2017 campaign trail for lieutenant governor when he lived in an RV to spread his message, will make a second run for lieutenant governor next year, he announced Thursday.

The Virginia Beach Republican lost a three-way race for the GOP nomination three years ago. He had lived in a 27-foot Winnebago and focused on a pro-business message while his two Republican rivals engaged in a highly personal feud.

The RV allowed Davis to visit far-flung corners of the commonwealth even when the General Assembly was in session. He'd snatch a few hours of sleep each night on the way back to Richmond and shower in a local gym before returning to work at the Capitol.

This time, Davis, 46, still plans to travel the state, but on a more limited basis, given restrictions on in-person campaigning due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"With covid, this is a totally different year," he said in an interview Thursday, referring to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. "The outreach is going to be different."

A former Virginia Beach city councilman, Davis has served in the House of Delegates since 2014. He owns On Call Telecom, a telecommunications management firm that at one point included Geeks On Call, a mobile tech-support chain.

In the 2017 nomination contest, Davis came in a distant third behind state Sens. Jill Vogel of Fauquier and Bryce Reeves of Spotsylvania. Vogel, who won the nod, lost the general election to Justin Fairfax, a Democrat who on Thursday announced that he was filing to run for governor next year.

"This isn't the time for pointless politics," Davis said in a written statement released by his campaign. "COVID-19 has delivered a heavy blow that is affecting all of us. We must protect our health and safety, replace lost jobs, and ensure all children across Virginia receive the education they need. I am running for Lieutenant Governor because it is time to put Virginians first and get results. I will lead to unite Virginians, provide serious, common-sense leadership, and get Virginia back on track."

A statement issued by Davis's campaign said he is "focused on restoring civility and respect to the political process."

Virginia's lieutenant governorship is a part-time position that pays $36,000 a year and comes with limited powers, but it is highly sought after as a potential path to the Executive Mansion.

Under the state constitution, the lieutenant governor has two duties: to take over if the governor leaves office before the term expires, and to preside over the state Senate. Over the past eight years - with the partisan makeup of the Senate closely divided and, at times, split straight down the middle - the lieutenant governor's role has become more prominent, since he can break most tie votes.

Davis is the first Republican to announce plans to run for the office. Former delegate Timothy Hugo, R-Fairfax, has said he is "seriously considering" a run.

On the Democratic side, Del. Hala Ayala, D-Prince William, and Paul Goldman, former chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, have announced that they are running for the office. Del. Elizabeth Guzman, D-Prince William, has said she is considering a run.
Donald Trump

Supporters cheer for Donald Trump at a rally, August 4, 2018. Getty/Scott Olson

The QAnon conspiracy cult enjoyed a major victory when, on August 11, far-right extremist Marjorie Taylor Greene won a GOP congressional primary in Georgia  and given how overwhelmingly Republican her district is, Greene is likely to win the general election in November and be sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2021. QAnon, known for their outrageous conspiracy theories, believe that the U.S. government has been infiltrated by an international ring of pedophiles and Satanists and that President Donald Trump was put in power to battle them. And Gregory Stanton, president of Genocide Watch and an expert on the history of anti-Semitism, believes that there are parallels between QAnon's outrageous views and the views that Nazis promoted in Germany during the 1930s.

Describing QAnon's views in an article published by Just Security on September 9, Stanton writes, "A secret cabal is taking over the world. They kidnap children, slaughter and eat them to gain power from their blood. They control high positions in government, banks, international finance, the news media and the church. They want to disarm the police. They promote homosexuality and pedophilia. They plan to mongrelize the white race so it will lose its essential power. Does this conspiracy theory sound familiar? It is. The same narrative has been repackaged by QAnon."

According to Stanton, there are countless parallels between QAnon's conspiracy theories and the anti-Semitism that Adolf Hitler and his Nazis promoted in Germany before and during World War II.

"The Nazis worshiped Adolf Hitler as the leader who would rescue the white race from this secret Jewish plot," Stanton explains. "Nazi 'stormtroopers'  storm detachment, Sturmabteilung  helped bring Hitler to power. Nazi Germany went on to conquer Europe and murder 6 million Jews and millions of Roma, Slavs, LGBTQ and other people."

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Central to Nazi ideology, Stanton notes, was the anti-Semitic 1902 pamphlet, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," and Stanton stresses that QAnon's ideology is a "rebranded version" of that pamphlet.

"QAnon purveys the fantasy that a secret Satan-worshiping cabal is taking over the world," Stanton observes. "Its members kidnap white children, keep them in secret prisons run by pedophiles, slaughter and eat them to gain power from the essence in their blood. The cabal held the American presidency under the Clintons and (former President Barack) Obama, nearly took power again in 2016, and lurks in a 'Deep State' financed by Jews, including George Soros  and in Jews who control the media. They want to disarm citizens and defund the police. They promote abortion, transgender rights and homosexuality. They want open borders so brown illegal aliens can invade America and mongrelize the white race."

Stanton continues, "QAnon true believers think Donald Trump will rescue America from this Satanic cabal. At the time of 'The Storm,' supporters of the cabal will be rounded up and executed. The QAnon conspiracy theory has now spread to neo-Nazis in Germany, where over 200,000 German QAnon accounts infest the internet."

Stanton goes on to write that QAnon's critics "are perplexed at how any rational person could fall for such an irrational conspiracy theory." But when people are suffering hardships, Stanton explains, they "respond to fear and terror" and "blame their misfortunes on scapegoats"  which is what happened in Germany during the 1930s.

"In the 1930s," Stanton recalls, "millions of Europeans were unemployed. Violent battles between Nazis and communists raged in city streets. Democratic governments were powerless. Fascist dictators ruled Spain and Italy. Hitler took power in Germany and conquered Western Europe. Stalin's communists conquered the East. The Hitler-Stalin Pact sealed totalitarian rule over most of Europe. It took World War II and the deaths of millions to defeat the Nazis' genocidal tyranny, and another 50 years to free the gulags of the Soviet Union."

Stanton adds that in 2020, it is obvious that QAnon's influence is growing when a QAnon supporter like Greene is "likely" on her way to Congress and President Donald Trump praises her as a "future Republican star."

"The world has seen QAnon before," Stanton warns. "It was called Nazism. In QAnon, Nazism wants a comeback."

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NEW MILFORD  The towns five schools will close for two days beginning Thursday after a member of the school community tested positive for COVID-19 just days after students returned.

The New Milford school district announced students will return to distance learning from home, and teachers will teach from home as well. New Milford schools held their first day of classes on Tuesday.

School officials said the decision was made after an investigation and speaking with the person who became infected.

They did not specify whether the person who became sick was a student or a teacher.

The individual was asymptomatic, and sought COVID testing based on other family members positive test result. We have not received any other reports of staff or students who have experienced symptoms or signs of illness, Superintendent of Schools Paul Smotas said Wednesday in a notice that was emailed to staff and posted on the districts website.

The towns health department will conduct contact-tracing as part of the districts protocol.

School and health department officials will reach out to any staff and the parents/guardians of children who may have had the potential for close contact, the notice said.

The letter was co-signed by Assistant Superintendent of Schools Alisha DiCorpo.

Our priority is the health and safety of all members of our school community, the superindendents message said, before reminding parents to continue to do daily health screenings before their children go to school.

New Milfords announcment comes as several other districts around the state this week said they would also close amid cases of COVID-19.

Somers Elementary School in north central Connecticut announced Tuesday it would close for two days  Wednesday and Thursday  after a staff member tested positive for the virus.

Naugatuck High School in New Haven County said it would dismiss early at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning after a senior there tested positive.

Newtown said schools would not close after one person tested positive.
Treating coronavirus patients with high doses of vitamin D supplements could help keep them out of intensive care, a study has suggested.

Researchers gave high doses of calcifediol  a type of vitamin D supplement  to 50 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 in Spain.

They were given 100 micrograms of the supplement over the course of a week, with 55mcg on the first day and then two booster doses of 27mcg on days three and seven. The dose was higher than the 70mcg weekly limit recommended by the NHS.

Scientists compared the participants' health with 26 volunteers in a control group who were not given the tablets, which are normally prescribed to patients with thyroid or kidney problems.

Just one patient given calcifediol fell ill enough to be admitted to intensive care, whereas half of the participants in the control group were taken to ICU and two died.

There were no deaths among volunteers receiving the vitamin and all 50 patients were eventually discharged by the end of the study.

Experts now believe Covid-19 causes a catastrophic build-up of a chemical called bradykinin, which makes blood vessels leaky and drives up the risk of inflammation.

Calcifediol is one of the few hormones which regulates the bradykinin and it can also prevent the immune system from going into overdrive.

Researchers have been divided over whether a vitamin D deficiency, which is vital to the immune system, can raise the risk of dying of Covid-19. Some scientists suggested that it may be one of the reasons black people face a higher risk of dying from the illness, because they do not produce as much of the vitamin naturally.

Taking too much vitamin D can cause bone and organ damage over time, however, and scientists discouraged people from trying to self-medicate.

Calcifediol  a type of vitamin D supplementation  appeared to slash the risk of a Covid-19 patient needing intensive care when it was given in huge doses, a study in Spain found (stock image of the drug)

For the study, researchers from the University of Cordoba in Spain and research university KU Leuven in Belgium monitored 76 hospital patients with Covid-19.

Fifty of the patients were randomly assigned to have calcifediol tablets, along with normal care.

Twenty-six volunteers were put in a control group who only received standard care, to compare the treatment to.

Because the study was conducted several months ago, the standard care for coronavirus in Spain was hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. These two drugs have since been proven ineffective at treating the virus.

Calcifediol was given in high doses at 50 micrograms on the first day then 26 micrograms on the third and seventh day. These patients were then given the drug at this dose weekly until they were discharged.

The NHS recommends people do not take more than 70 micrograms of vitamin D a week, because it warns it can cause bone and organ damage over time.

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY 'COULD RAISE COVID-19 DEATH RISK' FOR BAME PEOPLE BAME people may face a higher risk of dying from the coronavirus because they are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency, scientists claim. The pandemic is seeing higher rates of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds dying if they catch the coronavirus. The reasons are still unknown and will likely be numerous and complicated. But some experts think a lack of vitamin D may play a role. People with darker skin need to spend more time in sunlight in order to get the same amount of vitamin D as a person with lighter skin. For this reason, the NHS suggests people with an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background could benefit from take a daily supplement throughout the year. Vitamin D may have a protective effect against severe coronavirus by regulating the immune system, and deficiencies of it have been linked to other respiratory viruses. However, the largest study to investigate the link between BAME, Covid-19 and vitamin D in a UK population found no proof. William Henley, a professor of medical statistics at University of Exeter, told MailOnline the link is worth exploring. He said: 'Preliminary research suggests vitamin D levels may also impact on the risk of people suffering from severe COVID-19 infections. 'In the UK and northern European latitudes, vitamin D deficiency is a public health concern because ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation is of insufficient intensity for vitamin D synthesis during winter months. 'This is a particular concern for people with dark skin, such as those of African, African-Caribbean or south Asian origin, who will need to spend longer in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D as someone with lighter skin.' Advertisement

Calcifediol is hormone produced in the liver in reaction to vitamin D being absorbed by the body. Directly giving people calcifediol skips the process where the body converts the vitamin into the hormone.

Scientists behind the paper, published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, are now calling for calcifediol to be prescribed to all Covid-19 patients with lung damage.

Professor Jose Manuel Quesada Gomez, one of the authors of the study, told ThePrint: 'Vitamin D3 is converted by the liver into calcifediol. However, by directly administering calcifediol instead of vitamin D3, levels of the hormone in the blood are rapidly restored.

'It also has a more reliable intestinal absorption. This means the calcifediol is more likely to be absorbed by the body than vitamin D3.'

However, critics said the results were not definitive, despite being 'interesting'.

Dr Satyajit Rath, from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune, said: 'It is an extremely small group of patients. It does not identify the degree of severity of Covid-19 in the patients at admission, and does not provide any details of their clinical progress other than ICU admission and death.

He also picked holes in the methodology, pointing out that the study did not specify the co-morbidities that the trial patients were suffering from.

The researchers instead chose to lump all comorbidities together, giving them an equal risk factor for Covid.

This, we know, is not the case with the virus. For instance, an obese patient is more likely to succumb to the infection than someone with a psychiatric disorder.

The study also does not identify what comorbidities, if any, the patients admitted to the ICU had, Rath said.

'In such a small group, the small differences between the two groups could be enough to skew the results,' he added.

Professor SP Kalantri, director of medicine at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Maharashtra, India, pointed out other flaws in the study findings.

He noted that researchers did not measure vitamin D levels before or after administering the drug.

The professor also claimed that ICU admission was not a good scientific measure of disease severity, because the threshold for admission varies wildly between countries, hospitals and doctors.

'What matters is progression of disease, measured in most clinical trials by an ordinal scale that asks if the patients required oxygen, high flow nasal oxygen, mechanical ventilation or died,' he said.

The researchers behind the Spanish study said they were putting together larger clinical trials to test calcifediol in more stringent studies.

Vitamin D is thought to stop Covid-19's nasty symptoms by stopping the build-up of a chemical called bradykinin, which helps regulate blood pressure.

This leads to a catastrophic accumulation of the chemical, causing a 'bradykinin storm' which makes blood vessels leaky and drives up the risk of inflammation, blood clots, strokes and brain damage - deadly symptoms observed in the sickest of patients.

As bradykinin accumulates in the body, it makes the protective walls around blood vessels less waterproof and more likely to leak.

This causes immune cells to leak into vital organs like the lungs, causing deadly inflammation  a useful recovery process when well controlled  that makes it hard to breathe.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 04:51:37|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie confirmed on Wednesday that the United States would withdraw thousands of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by November, U.S. media reported on Wednesday.

The Politico reported that McKenzie, during a ceremony for Operation Inherent Resolve with the Iraqi minister of defense, said that U.S. troop presence in Iraq would be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September.

The force reduction is due to "the great progress the Iraqi forces have made and in consultation and coordination with the Government of Iraq and our coalition partners," he said.

Currently, there are over 5,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against remnants of the Islamic State (IS), mainly for training and advisory purposes.

McKenzie noted that the reduced size of U.S. military presence in Iraq would still be able to advise and assist Iraqi forces in rooting out the IS remnants in Iraq.

The top U.S. general in the Middle East told several media outlets later in the day that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be decreased to about 4,500 level by early November.

The Pentagon said in mid-July that the United States maintained its force level in Afghanistan at mid-8,000s, meeting the conditions of the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in late February.

The agreement also called for a full withdrawal of the U.S. military forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups.

The numbers and time frame of the troop reduction plan that McKenzie disclosed on Wednesday were mainly in line with previous reports and discussions.

The Wall Street Journal wrote in a late August piece that the Pentagon would reduce military presence in Iraq by roughly one-third over the next two or three months, bringing U.S. troop numbers down to 3,500.

Pentagon chief Mark Esper also confirmed last month that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be lowered to less than 5,000 by the end of November.

As the presidential election looms, President Donald Trump has doubled down efforts to seek to fulfill his campaign promise to bring troops home and to pull his country out of "endless wars."

During his meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi last month, Trump reiterated his intention to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Trump also has sought a full withdrawal from Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 U.S. military deaths, is the longest one in U.S. history.

The troop reduction announcement came amid the development of a delicate relationship between Trump and the military.

In Monday's White House briefing, Trump claimed senior leaders in the Pentagon probably didn't like him "because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy."

Army Chief of Staff James McConville on Tuesday defended military leaders to media outlet Defense One, saying "the senior leaders would only recommend sending our troops to combat when it is required in national security and a last resort."

The news also came days after an article published in The Atlantic, quoting anonymous sources, saying that Trump disparaged slain U.S. service members by referring to them as "losers" and "suckers." Trump and White House officials have vehemently denied the report. Enditem
SPRINGFIELD  Republicans in the Illinois House on Thursday unveiled a single charge they hope to bring against Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, accusing him of conduct unbecoming to a legislator or which constitutes a breach of public trust.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, introduced that charge during the first day of hearings of a Special investigative Committee that is looking into Madigans role in a bribery and extortion scheme involving utility giant Commonwealth Edison.

As was stated earlier, this is a unique proceeding. It has only been invoked once and that was back in 2012, Durkin said, referring to hearings that led to the expulsion of former Rep. Derrick Smith, who was then under federal indictment for accepting a $7,000 bribe from a confidential informant in exchange for legislative favors.

But unlike the Smith case, Madigan so far has not been charged with any crime and he has strenuously denied engaging in any wrongdoing, a fact that Democrats on the six-member panel pointed out repeatedly.

This case is unique to previous special investigating committees, in that the member that is subject of the petition has not been accused by federal prosecutors of any criminal activity, committee Chairman Emanuel Chris Welch, D-Hillside, said at the outset of the hearing.

Madigan was implicated in the scheme when officials at ComEd entered a deferred prosecution agreement in July with the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District in Chicago. In that agreement, the company admitted that over a period of years, it awarded lobbying jobs and contracts to close associates of Madigan in an effort to win his favor for legislation that benefited the company.

Although Madigan has not been charged with a crime, U.S. Attorney John Lausch has said there is an ongoing investigation into the matter and his office has issued a subpoena to Madigans office for documents and records of communication related to efforts to secure jobs at ComEd or its parent company Exelon for several named individuals.

So the charge is based on criminal activity, criminal activity that has not been charged, Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, said about the charge being considered by the committee.

But Ron Safer, an attorney and former federal prosecutors who is working with the House Republicans, said the deferred prosecution agreement contains evidence that is stronger than a criminal charge.

The deferred prosecution agreement contains actual evidence, actual admissions by Commonwealth Edison, agreed to by the United States of America, he said. That is quite different and more substantial than a mere charge.

Safer also noted that the committees job is not to determine whether Madigan committed a crime, but rather whether he engaged in conduct unbecoming to a legislator of which constitutes a breach of public trust.

Welch noted the same thing in his opening remarks.

This is a political process, not a legal proceeding. We are not a court of law, he said. As such, this committee is not bound by traditional rules of evidence. However, we are bound to adhere to the rules of decorum.

In addition to the formal charge, Republicans also said they are seeking voluntary witnesses to testify and produce documents. Those include Madigan himself and several people mentioned in the U.S. Attorneys subpoena.

Among those are Michael McClain, a ComEd lobbyist who has been a close confident of Madigan, as well as Fidel Marquez, a former high-ranking ComEd official who was charged last week with conspiracy to commit bribery, and former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore.

The committee adjourned without setting a date for its next meeting. Welch said that he and the ranking Republican member, Rep. Tom Demmer, of Dixon, first need to consult with the U.S. Attorneys office in order to avoid interfering with the ongoing federal investigation.

Before we take any substantive action, we must consult with the US Attorney for the Northern District, Welch said. This committee must avoid taking any action that can be an interference with an ongoing federal investigation or investigations.

Durkin noted that was the same process used in the case of former Rep. Smith in 2012 as well as the impeachment proceedings against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2009.
New pylon tower used in power distribution line coming from hydro power plant runs through Pak Se district in Champasak province on July 25, 2018. Mountainous and landlocked Laos, known as the "Battery of Asia", is building dozens of dams at breakneck speed so it can sell energy to power-hungry neighbors as a fast track out of poverty.

Laos state-run electricity corporation this month entered into a power grid sharing agreement with a Chinese state-run firm, ceding majority control in a tie-up the government says was necessary to save the debt-ridden domestic firm, but that critics say cedes too much power to a foreign government concern.

In the Sept. 1 agreement, Electricite du Laos (EDL) and the China Southern Power Grid Company established a new corporate entity called Electricite du Laos Transmission Company Ltd. (EDLT), which has control of Laos power grid, as well as the rights to purchase and sell power in Laos.

China Southern will take a majority equity share in the new company, according to an EDL official, who declined to disclose the detailed ownership structure.

Laos is struggling economically from the COVID-19 driven shutdown of tourism, trade and labor exports, but its biggest problem -- government debt -- predates the global pandemic.

Fitch Ratings warned in May 2020 that Laos public debt would rise to $12.6 billion or 65 percent of its GDP by the end of this year. The EDLs portion of that debt is higher than $8 billion mostly to China and Thailand. Moodys shared the negative outlook on Laos, downgrading the countrys Laos credit ranking from B3 to Caa2 in mid-August.

The World Bank predicts that Laos debt will rise from 59 percent of GDP to between 65 and 68 percent this year. Laos debt servicing payments will also likely rise to $1.1 billion this year, exceeding the countrys foreign reserves, which stood at $864 million in June.

A Lao Finance Ministry official told RFAs Lao Service that the country had built up debt building dams and other big-ticket infrastructure projects.

Our national debt has been accumulating over the years because we have many development projects. Right now, were trying to pay back our debts step by step and in many different ways, the official said.

According to the Lao government, the partnership with China Southern is necessary to continue to fund its ongoing projects.

The new company will connect the [EDL and China Southern] power grids together. Its all about capital. It is necessary to join the two grids, a Lao Energy and Mines Ministry official told RFAs Lao Service.

We dont have money for all of these projects, so we have to rely on the Chinese, the official added.

The official declined to provide more details when questioned further.

It appears that the COVID crisis has accelerated Laos financial crunch, Keith Barney of the Australian National Universitys Crawford School of Public Policy told RFA.

Barney said the partnership could help Laos complete a centralized domestic power grid, but questioned why EDL was allowed to incur roughly two-thirds of Laos public debt, and whether Chinese financing for EDL-backed dam projects on the Mekong River and its tributaries had inflated construction costs.

Needless to say that there are certain sovereignty concerns involved when a state-linked investor from China holds a controlling financial stake in Laos national electricity grid, he said.

An EDL official, who declined to be identified, shared details of the agreement to RFA this week.

This is an agreement to link and build power lines in the entire country into one single system. The new company will also be responsible for the purchase and export of electricity.

The official acknowledged that the Lao government would at first be a minority partner in the new enterprise but tried to assuage concerns that Laos would be losing control of its electrical grid.

According to the official, the EDLT will operate under Lao government control, but at first the Chinese firm would hold a majority of shares. Laos would later gradually buy those shares back under the plan.

But the EDL official noted that prior to the buybacks, China Southern would be in control of all EDL businesses including power production, dam construction, operation of the power grid, pricing, and installation of digital power meters.

The Chinese are coming. The EDL manager has given them permission. They will monopolize the business and they can do whatever they want, the official said.

Lao citizens who spoke to RFA were wary of the new partnership, which comes after months of consumer complaints of arbitrarily high electricity bills at a time when many people have little or no income. Many blamed the Lao government.

Nowadays, something is wrong with our governments management of finances. Revenue collection is below target and our financial management has collapsed, a resident of the capital Vientiane, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told RFA.

This is why they have to transfer ownership to the Chinese. If they didnt do that, we would fall into a deeper financial crisis, the source said.

I dont agree with the deal under which the government will sell our national property to foreign investors. another Vientiane resident told RFA.

As for linking the two power grids, I dont understand why the government has the ability to build so many dams, but cant afford to build power lines, the second Vientiane resident said.

Laos has built dozens of hydropower dams on the Mekong and its tributaries, with ultimate plans to build scores more to become the Battery of Southeast Asia by exporting the electricity they generate to other countries in the region.

Currently two Lao large-scale Mekong mainstream dams are in operation, adding to the 11 in Chinas part of the river. Both countries are building, or have plans to build several more mainstream dams.

The projects are controversial because of their environmental impact, displacement of villagers without adequate compensation, corruption, and questionable financial and power demand calculations.

Witoon Permpongsacharoen, chairman of the Thailand-based Mekong Energy Ecology Network NGO, told RFA that the Lao governments electric power projects are making Laos economy worse.

The default on debts indicates that investment in electricity generation cannot reduce poverty as the government has dreamed. Instead it causes more and more debt, he said.

The government faces debt defaults, but the investors do not. That means the investors are secured for risks, but the government risks itself, he added.

The power grid merger took place against a backdrop of concern among many Laos about growing Chinese influence as a result of its massive investment in hydropower dams and other infrastructure projects under Beijing's $1.3 trillion Belt and Road Initiative. China is Laos largest foreign investor and aid provider, and its second-largest trade partner, after Thailand.

Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh and Kayasith Soulisak. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
The international trade regime we have, expressed in the rules of the World Trade Organization and other agreements, is not of this world. It was designed for a world of cars, steel and textiles, not one of data, software and artificial intelligence. Already under pressure from Chinas rise and the backlash against hyper-globalization, it is utterly inadequate to face the three main challenges these new technologies pose.

First, there is geopolitics and national security. Digital technologies allow foreign powers to hack industrial networks, conduct cyber-espionage, and manipulate social media. Russia has been accused of interfering in elections in the US and other Western countries through fake news sites and the manipulation of social media. The US government has cracked down on the Chinese giant Huawei on fears that its links to the Chinese government make its telecoms equipment a security threat.

Second, there are concerns about individual privacy. Internet platforms are able to collect huge amounts of data on what people do online and off, and some countries have stricter rules than others to regulate what they can do with it. The EU, for example, has enacted fines for companies that fail to protect the EU residents data.

Third, there is economics. New technologies give a competitive edge to large companies that can accumulate enormous global market power. Economies of scale and scope and network effects produce winner-take-all outcomes, while mercantilist policies and other government practices can result in some firms having what looks like an unfair advantage. For example, state surveillance has allowed Chinese firms to accumulate huge amounts of data, which in turn has enabled them to corner the global facial recognition market.

A common response to these challenges is to call for greater international coordination and global rules. Transnational regulatory cooperation and anti-trust policies could produce new standards and enforcement mechanisms. Even where a truly global approach is not possiblebecause authoritarian and democratic countries have deep disagreements about privacy, for exampleit is still possible for democracies to cooperate among themselves and develop joint rules.

The benefits of common rules are clear. In their absence, practices such as data localization, local cloud requirements, and discrimination in favour of national champions create economic inefficiencies insofar as they segment national markets. They reduce the gains from trade and prevent companies from reaping the benefits of scale. And governments face the constant threat that their regulations will be undermined by companies operating from jurisdictions with laxer rules.

But in a world where countries have different preferences, global ruleseven if feasibleare inefficient in a broader sense. Any global order must balance the gains from trade (maximized when regulations are harmonized) against the gains from regulatory diversity (maximized when each national government is entirely free to do what it wants). If hyper-globalization has already proved brittle, it is in part because policymakers prioritized the gains from trade over the benefits of regulatory diversity. This mistake should not be repeated with new technologies.

In fact, the principles that should guide our thinking on new technologies are no different from those for traditional domains. Countries may devise their own regulatory standards and define their own national security requirements. They may do what is required to defend these standards and their national security, including through trade and investment restrictions. But they have no right to internationalize their standards and try to impose their regulations on others.

Consider how these principles would apply to Huawei. The US government has prevented it from acquiring American companies, restricted its operations in the US, launched legal proceedings against its senior management, pressured foreign governments not to work with it, and, most recently, banned US companies from selling chips to Huaweis supply chain anywhere in the world.

There is little evidence that Huawei has engaged in spying on behalf of the Chinese government. But that does not mean that it will not do so in the future. Western technical experts who have examined Huaweis code have been unable to rule out the possibility. The opacity of corporate practices in China could well obscure Huaweis links to the Chinese government. Under these circumstances, there is a plausible national security argument for the USor any other countryto restrict Huaweis operations within its own borders. Other countries are not in a position to second-guess this decision.

The export ban on US companies, however, is harder to justify on national security grounds than the ban on Huaweis US-based operations. If Huaweis operations in third countries pose a security risk to those countries, their governments are in the best position to assess the risks and decide whether a shutdown is appropriate.

Moreover, the US ban confronts other countries with severe economic repercussions. It creates significant adverse effects for national telecoms companies like BT, Deutsche Telekom, Swisscom, and others in no fewer than 170 countries that rely on Huaweis kits and hardware. Perhaps worst hit are poor countries in Africa that are highly dependent on the companys cheaper equipment.

In short, the US is free to close its market to Huawei. But US efforts to internationalize its domestic crackdown lack legitimacy. The Huawei case is a harbinger of a world in which national security, privacy, and economics will interact in complicated ways. Global governance and multilateralism will often fail, for both good and bad reasons. The best we can expect is a regulatory patchwork, based on clear ground rules that help empower countries to pursue their core national interests without exporting their problems to others. Either we design this patchwork ourselves, or we will end up, willy-nilly, with a messy, less efficient and more dangerous version.  2020 Project Syndicate

Dani Rodrik is professor of international political economy at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government.

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It started as a murder mystery, which in turn started after a death on June 14 was declared a suspected suicide. It is now a Mughal invasion with a Pablo Escobar-esque connect that also raises questions under Article 15 of the Indian Constitution.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has said, Rhea is a Bengalee Brahmin lady, justice to actor Sushant Rajput should not be interpreted as a justice to Bihari Justice for all is one of the basic tenets of our constitution. Chowdhurys attempt to invoke Bengalee pride on the lines of Bihar government invoking Bihari pride can be understood as a tit-for-tat strategy, even if it is a little (read: quite) delayed. Blame the delayed tit-for-tat on his delayed appointment as the president of the West Bengal Congress unit.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has said Rhea Chakraborty is a 'Bengalee Brahmin', she too deserves justice. (Photo: Facebook)

Why is Rheas caste important? Because elections in West Bengal are less than a year away. In elections, parties have to talk about caste, religion and colour even as they claim to fight differences based on caste, religion and colour. Fair game because if it didnt exist, what would they fight?

Chowdhury is no ordinary fighter. He kept his flag flying in Bengals Murshidabad district with a Robin Hood Pandey-like image. He was implicated in criminal cases but kept courting people by carrying out development work. In Bengal, thats not enough. In other states, you work, you win votes. In Bengal, you win and lose depending on how well you beat and kill. Also, how much beating you can take.

When Chowdhury joined the Congress after a brief stint in the Maoist movement and dabbling with the Left parties, in 1991 he was fielded from Nabagram. Even as the polling was on, a group of about 300 CPI-M members chased Chowdhury. To take cover, Chowdhury took refuge in a polling booth. He was held hostage along with the presiding officer of the booth at gunpoint. The gun belonged to a security man at the booth. Why carry your weapon when you can snatch one.

Chowdhury now wants to snatch Bengal from Mamata Banerjee with support from the Left parties, whose men once held him hostage. In politics, there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends. Same in life too. But actor Kangana Ranaut has many permanent enemies, from Bullywood to Sonia Sena.

Nobody has named her sena yet, but Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has joined on her side and summoned Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the demolition drive at her Pali Hill office.

Shiv Sena ally and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar today met Thackeray and reportedly told him that ignorance may not be bliss but ignoring Kangana would have been. Pawar is also reported to have advised Thackeray to save what he can save in this war, which he can only do by not escalating the war. Meanwhile, Ranaut visited her demolished office and looks set to have found enough ammunition to demolish her enemies.

Kangana Ranaut takes stock of the damage done to her Mumbai office. (Photo: India Today/Yogen Shah)

So the fight is going on and will go on but Serum Institute of India has halted the trials, which were to begin next week, of Covishield after being served a notice by the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) for not reporting that AstraZeneca had halted the trials of the vaccine in England. So Serum Institute has stopped the trials, which were to begin next week, and will await a clearance from DCGI. If that worries you, listen to what experts have to say. Experts say this is a good sign because it shows all procedures are being followed in the vaccine hunt.

We do not know when the trials will resume but we do know that today too, Rhea would remain in Byculla Jail as Mumbai sessions court has reserved its order in the case. Rhea has reportedly written in her bail application that she was coerced into making self-incriminatory confessions and that the three investigations have taken a severe toll on her mental health and well-being.

Rheas claim about a severe toll on her mental health comes on a day the world marks Suicide Prevention Day. The 10th of all Septembers since 2003 have been recognised as World Suicide Prevention Day. The World Health Organisation says we lose over 8,00,000 people to suicide every year. In India alone, that number is close to 3,00,000. Experts say suicide is preventable. For that we need to know what could drive people to it and read the signs people give out before taking the step.

Experts say suicide is preventable. (Photo: Reuters)

Before the signs, lets discuss the word. Suicide, the Word Of The Day, comes from Latin word suicida, where sui means ones own and cida is one who kills. When someone kills themselves they have died by suicide. Why shouldnt you say someone committed suicide? Because unlike in the past, suicide is not a crime that someone commits. There was a time when suicide was considered a crime and since the law couldnt punish the dead for committing a crime, the dead were refused funeral and burial. Thats no longer the case. And so the c word is not to be used.

Suicides happen because there isnt enough awareness around mental health problems as it is around, say, kidney or liver or skin problems. So people around patients of mental health ailments are not able to help those suffering.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi believes the economy in India is suffering and job losses are happening because the Narendra Modi government is helping only his friends. He urged people to be a part of the Congress's 'Speak Up for Jobs' campaign in his latest video message posted on Twitter.

The policies of Modi Govt have caused the loss of crores of jobs and a historic fall in GDP. It has crushed the future of Indias youth. Lets make the Govt listen to their voice.Join #SpeakUpForJobs from 10am onwards. pic.twitter.com/mRUooQ1yjX  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 10, 2020

Guess who got a new job? Paresh Rawal. Amid all the drama going on in the country, the actor has been appointed the Chief of National School of Drama. Many are outraging that this is a political appointment given Rawals open support for the BJP.

Their outrage reminds us of Bob Woodwards book Rage. According to Woodward, US President Donald Trump told him what North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Trump about the execution of his uncle Jang Song-thaek  in graphic detail.

The graphic visuals coming from Lebanon meanwhile look scary after a massive fire erupted in Beiruts port area. The fire started over a month after about 191 people were killed and thousands were wounded when 2,750 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate exploded, on August 4.

Insane fire at the port, causing a panic all across #Beirut. We just cant catch a break. pic.twitter.com/PtdHehPlz0  Aya Majzoub (@Aya_Majzoub) September 10, 2020

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

But there are also nice and happy visuals of the Rafale jets being inducted into the Indian Air Force.

(Photo: @DefenceMinIndia)

We will leave you with that nice and happy visual for today.

Be back tomorrow.

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Also Read: Justice For Sushant died when a TV studio turned Supreme Court
BRIDGEPORT TWP, MI  More than nine years after a Saginaw County man and his car vanished, the car has turned up in northern Michigan.

Michigan State Police Sgt. Joseph Rowley confirmed that police on Tuesday, Sept. 8, took possession of a bronze 2001 Chevrolet Malibu that was in the possession of Eric L. Franks. Both Franks and the Malibu were last seen on March 21, 2011.

The vehicle was recently recovered from a car lot, Rowley said. It had been purchased in an estate sale and then sold. We do know which car dealership it was recovered from, but we dont want to release that right now.

Chad D. Baus, Franks' brother-in-law of Archbold, Ohio, told MLive the Malibu was located in a curious way thanks to an amateur internet sleuth.

It was the most extraordinary thing, Baus said. It was a person from California, a student who was getting distracted from her schoolwork watching a YouTube video of Erics case. She ran a Carfax report on his car, which had been missing all this time. Im a car dealer by trade myself and I had never thought to run a Carfax report. I was 100 percent convinced, as the police were, that the car had been destroyed, hidden, was at the bottom of a lake, who knows.

The timeliness of the students search was also eerily fortuitous.

The Carfax reports showed the car had a title issued in Saginaw County on Aug. 21, followed by an oil change in Clare on Aug. 31, Baus said.

Had she run it two weeks ago, nothing would have shown up, Baus said. These are all fresh records.

Baus himself years ago had sold the car to Franks' mother, Jo Ann Franks, who then let her son use it, he said. As such, Franks himself could not buy license plates or get the title for the car, Baus said.

Over the Labor Day weekend, Baus and wife Beth Haus were in St. Ignace and decided to stop in Clare on their way home to Ohio.

I was still telling myself, Its probably an error; its probably a typo, Baus said of the Carfax information. The Bauses visited the business where the Malibu had had its oil changed and were connected by staff there with the man who owned it. They then visited the cars current owner, also in Clare.

The guy works at a dealership but had bought the vehicle for himself from a person who had bought it at the estate sale, Baus said. The estate sale was in Saginaw; it had been there this whole time.

The Malibus new owner showed the car to the Bauses.

I cant describe the emotions of walking around the corner and seeing that car, Baus said. It was amazing. There it was. It was amazing to see the car and to see the condition it was in. Its a shiny, 19-year-old car. It doesnt look any different than when it left here.

After confirming it was indeed the same car, Baus called the Michigan State Police detective handling the case, who came directly to the site in Clare. Police loaded the Malibu on a flatbed truck and took it from the scene, Baus said.

The Malibu is now at the Michigan State Police Crime Lab.

Its going to be processed, Sgt. Rowley said. Hopefully, that will unveil some sort of investigation lead for us.

Rowley added that investigators are treating Franks' disappearance as a cold case. They will be working backwards on the case, going over and sifting through old reports to ideally generate new leads.

Franks was 38 when he disappeared. He had moved from Ohio to Saginaw County in 2010 to be closer to his teenage daughter and a former girlfriend. He was residing at Millers Motel in Bridgeport Township, checking out of there on March 21.

Franks' sister and mother reported him missing several months later, making the initial report to their local police agency in Ohio, Baus said.

The ex-girlfriend told police she had seen Franks removing belongings out of his motel room before heading north on Dixie Highway. The motel owner told police he had not seen Franks that day but had seen the ex-girlfriend removing items from Franks' room.

The ex-girlfriend died in Florida in 2016. The following year, the Investigation Discovery true crime show Disappeared featured an episode on the Franks case.

Baus said there were stains on the passenger seat and floorboard of the Malibu that could be blood. He added that the estate sale where the Malibu was sold has a connection to Franks' deceased ex.

Ive prayed for answers for my mother-in-law and for my wife all this time, Baus said. Ive kind of gotten used to the idea that were never going to get answers. Obviously, finding the car, its just a huge piece of the puzzle thats been missing. Im still trying not to get my hopes up that this will lead to ultimate justice this side of heaven.

Anyone with information regarding Franks' disappearance is urged to call police at 989-495-5555.

Read more:

Arrest in Bay City cold case doesnt end mystery of 13-year-olds murder in 1973

Family of missing Bay City man seeking answers 18 years later

Police confirm an arrest was made this year in 1973 slaying of Bay City teen

Click here to read MLives 2012 series on the Jan Rohrer cold case.
President Donald Trump revealed a new nuclear weapons system to Bob Woodward and bragged that he was telling the author something that America's foreign adversaries had no knowledge of.

In an excerpt of his forthcoming book, 'Rage,' Woodward reveals the president told him about the system and noted neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Chinese President Xi Jinping knew about it.

The disclosure was made to Woodward in calls from Trump's private cellphone late at night, as he delivered 18 interviews to the journalist.

It is unclear if any were monitored by White House or national security officials.

'I have built a nuclear  a weapons system that nobody's ever had in this country before. We have stuff that you haven't even seen or heard about. We have stuff that Putin and Xi have never heard about before. There's nobody  what we have is incredible,' Trump said in the excerpt published by The Washington Post.

Although Trump offered no more specifics, one defense expert said he believed the weapon to be a low-yield nuclear weapon suspected to have been deployed on submarines.

President Donald Trump revealed a new nuclear weapons system in interviews with Bob Woodward for new book

President Trump bragged neither Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) nor Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) knew about the new nuclear system

WHAT DONALD TRUMP TOLD BOB WOODWARD Tape recordings and extracts from the veteran Watergate reporter's forthcoming book Rage make a series of bombshell revelations. TRUTH ABOUT CORONAVIRUS Trump told Woodward on February 7 that coronavirus was 'deadly.' 'You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed. And so that's a very tricky one. That's a very delicate one. It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff,' he said - but did not tell the public what he knew COVER-UP On January 28, Robert O'Brien told Trump coronavirus 'will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency,' and said: 'This is going to be the roughest thing you face.' Trump then told Americans it was 'under control' and would 'go away.' And on March 19 Trump said: 'I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.' NORTH KOREA Trump says Kim is 'far beyond smart,' and says that the dictator told him 'everything,' boasting about how he described the brutal execution of his uncle in a power struggle. Woodward reveals Kim Jong-Un's 'love letters' to Trump gushing to 'Your Excellency' about 'holding your hand' and calling their summit 'a fantasy film.' But Woodward also reveals that when Trump was tweeting about 'Little Rocket Man' Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was so concerned about escalation that he slept in his clothes. TRUMP ON THE MILITARY 'My f***ing generals are a bunch of p***ies,' Trump ranted in the Oval Office, and said their backing for NATO and an alliance with South Korea was 'stupid. Costs us $10 billion. We're suckers.' ...AND HIS PREDECESSORS Trump said Woodward made George W Bush 'look like a stupid moron, which he was.' Of Obama he ranted: 'I don't think Obama's smart ... I think he's highly overrated. And I don't think he's a great speaker.' And he added that Kim Jong-Un called Obama 'an a**hol.' WHAT AIDES SAID ABOUT HIM Jim Mattis called him 'dangerous' and 'unfit,' went to pray in Washington National Cathedral, left government because he was 'basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid' in reference to pulling troops from Syria, and suggested 'collective action' after leaving. Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, had 'deep suspicions' that Putin had something on him and 'could not shake them.' Dr. Tony Fauci called his leadership 'rudderless,' his attention span 'like a minus number' and said: 'His sole purpose is to get re-elected.' Jared Kushner - his son-in-law - said Alice In Wonderland is the key to Trump, saying: 'If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there.' RACE RELATIONS Trump described the term 'white privilege' as 'drinking the Kool-Aid' and repeated his claim he had done more for black Americans than Lincoln, adding: 'And, honestly, Im not feeling any love.' NUCLEAR SECRETS Trump used his private cellphone for late-night calls and revealed he had a 'weapons system' which Putin and Xi did not know about. Advertisement

Woodward writes that additional sources later confirmed that the system but they did not give details.

He also reported that people had expressed surprise Trump had disclosed the system.

Although the information was highly classified, Trump as president is the ultimate declassification authority and cannot be punished for sharing state secrets.

Trump gave Woodward his private cell phone number so the two men could talk without aides or other people present, meaning the calls were on an unencrypted line.

Woodward himself could have been bugged or monitored by foreign powers, although there is no suggestion that he has been.

Woodward's book, Rage, which comes out next week, draws from the 18 conversations with Trump between December 2019 and July 2020, that took place in the Oval Office, at Mar-a-Lago and over the phone - occasionally at 9 or 10' o'clock at night.

According to Woodward, sometimes he would get unexpected phone calls after 9pm from the president who was reportedly trying to generate a favorable depiction in the book, unlike in Woodward's 2018 bestseller, Fear.

Woodward called it the president 'unburdening himself.'

The nuclear weapons disclosure so far appears to be the only classified secret Trump shared, although the White House is bracing for more tapes when Woodward is interviewed by CBS' 60 Minutes on Sunday, and more detailed revelations when the book is published.

James Acton, co-director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's nuclear policy program, suggested Wednesday that Trump may have been referring to a new submarine-launched 'low-yield' nuclear warhead.

Its existence is known although the details about it are classified.

'In 2017, the admin announced a plan to reduce the explosive power of some nuclear warheads on submarine-launched missiles. The timing was kept secret.

'My guess is that Trump told Woodward about the first deployment before it was made public,' he wrote on Twitter.

'I don't believe that the US could build an actually new nuclear weapon in secret. Too much money for classified budgets. Too many people involved for it not to leak,' he added.

In February there were reports that the Pentagon deployed a new nuclear warhead requested, designed and produced by the Trump administration aboard a nuclear submarine.

Proponents of the weapon wanted the U.S. to have another low-yield nuclear option in order to counter Russia, which has a variety of nuclear systems.

The low-yield system produces a smaller nuclear blast than other nuclear weapons.

Proponents of such systems say they are more targeted but to critics they increase the likelihood of nuclear weapons being used, and with it the escalation of a war from conventional to nuclear.

Trump has bragged about 'rebuilding' a 'depleted' military although in reality new nuclear weapons systems take years to produce.

For the national security and intelligence community, the possibility of Russia and China learning either from bugging Woodward, or simply from watching the news, about new weapons systems will be deeply concerning - particularly if U.S. agencies had no idea Trump made the disclosure.

The revelation is only part of the disclosures Trump made to Woodward, which saw him reveal he knew coronavirus was 'deadly,' and far more dangerous than flu while telling the public it was like flu, and that he 'liked to play it down.'

Trump is now defending himself claiming he did not want to cause 'panic.'

But Trump has a history of making public what had previously been closely-guarded secrets.

One of the best-known incidents was in August last year when he tweeted an image of damage to an Iranian satellite launch pad caused by a launch rocket exploding during testing.

Public images of the damage already existed but were low-quality and the one tweeted by Trump was exceptionally high resolution.

It became clear within hours that it was taken by the National Reconnaissance Office, one of the member agencies of the intelligence community, and had been shown to Trump at the White House.

Amateurs online worked out precisely which KH-11 satellite took the image.

The only previous release of images from a KH-11 satellite had been in 1984 by a Navy analyst who was jailed for espionage.

There have also been claims of sharing intelligence with other world leaders.

In April 2017, Trump told Rodrigo Duerte, the president of the Philippines, that he had stationed two nuclear submarines off the coast of North Korea.

The locations of the submarines, which can include those carrying nuclear missiles, are always intensely-guarded secrets with much of the Navy's command usually ignorant of where they are, and only captains and some of the crew being precisely certain.

Trump has also faced allegations that he shared Israel's classified information about ISIS in May 2017 with Sergey Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, in an Oval Office meeting where a Russian photographer was also present.

Trump was revealed to have told Lavrov about ISIS' plans to create laptop bombs to attack airliners - enough for Russia to piece together that the information came from an Israeli spy embedded deep in ISIS territory.

Reports in Israel said the Mossad, its spy agency, feared their asset was at risk of being identified.

The White House initially denied Russia had been told anything, but Trump himself defended telling them about 'terrorism' the next day and then the next month telling reporters on a visit to Israel: 'Folks, folks, just so you understand, just so you understand, I never mentioned the word or the name Israel during that conversation.'
Lawmakers in Harrisburg say it's too early to discuss the budget. Read more

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HARRISBURG  Eight years ago, as the state was still recovering from the fallout of a severe economic recession, lawmakers in Harrisburg cut $84 million that counties used to fund programs for people with intellectual disabilities, mental health challenges, and other needs.

At the time, Republican Gov. Tom Corbetts administration said that the state faced a more than $700 million shortfall and that funding for counties was one of the few areas where its hands werent tied by federal mandates.

That money was never restored. And in January, county officials urged lawmakers to provide a $42 million increase for mental health services as a down payment for a sustainable approach, with a 3% annual increase.

Then the coronavirus arrived.

Now, lawmakers are once again facing a huge budget challenge  with a shortfall estimated at nearly $5 billion through June of next year  and county leaders worry they will cut programs that are needed now more than ever.

Its a massive concern, said Brandon Savochka, human services director in Butler County. Its also, you know, really kind of tying our hands at a time when we probably really need to be providing more services.

Funding for the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education makes up the largest share of the budget that lawmakers pass each year. This spring, the coronavirus caused revenues to collapse as businesses temporarily shut down.

Amid the uncertainty, Gov. Tom Wolfs administration and Republicans who lead the legislature agreed to pass a stopgap budget. It provided 12 months of funding for most education line items, as lawmakers said schools needed to be prepared to open for a full school year. But lawmakers funded many other parts of the budget for five months.

Overall, the state needs about $8.3 billion for the remaining seven months to keep even with what was available to spend last fiscal year.

And about $4.8 billion of that falls under the Department of Human Services. A range of programs still needs funding for the full year, including Medicaid programs that cost hundreds of millions of dollars, as well as smaller line items that benefit the homeless and survivors of domestic violence.

Almost every day Im getting calls from providers panicked, said Richard Edley, president and CEO of the Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association, which represents providers of health and human services.

Edley said providers hear unsubstantiated rumors of drastic cuts coming, but he hasnt heard anything specific from lawmakers or the Wolf administration.

I believe the Department of Human Services doesnt want to cut a penny, Edley said. Its just, what will happen when they finally develop the budgets? The billions have got to come from somewhere.

During a call with reporters Monday, Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller referred to past budget battles with lawmakers about spending in the department.

The most significant cost driver we have in our budget are our seniors, and our people with disabilities, and our long-term care system, Miller said. Its also a population I think everybody wants to support.

At least publicly, Republican leaders in the House who put the initial budget bills together arent offering much insight into how theyll fund the Department of Human Services. Calls and messages to Jason Gottesman, a spokesperson for the GOP caucus, werent returned.

Jenn Kocher, a spokesperson for the Senate Republican caucus, said in an email its premature to get into specific discussions on budgeting. She said lawmakers are still waiting for the states fiscal picture to take shape.

Pennsylvania has about $1 billion remaining in federal CARES Act money that lawmakers havent decided how to spend. Right now, they cannot use that money to replace lost revenue. Officials are urging Congress to provide more aid and to allow state and local governments to use the money to help balance budgets.

Theres also uncertainty about just how big the budget gap will be.

The state Independent Fiscal Office in June estimated that Pennsylvania would permanently lose $5 billion in revenue through next summer, but hasnt updated the estimate since. Director Matthew Knittel said revenues have been stronger than expected since then, but state finances could be hurt by the end of an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits.

Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D., Allegheny) said in a statement that his caucus doesnt support human services cuts and that federal lawmakers need to provide more support to states. Bill Patton, a spokesperson for the House Democratic caucus, said maintaining lifesaving human services will be a central concern for House Democrats as work on the budget proceeds.

House Human Services Chairman Tom Murt (R., Montgomery) said human services programs have already been underfunded for many years.

I dont know what they could possibly cut, to be honest with you, Murt said.

Mark Davis, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Advocacy and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disability, said he doesnt think theres any clear way for the state to fully fund human services programs on its own.

I just dont know how they do it without really hurting people more, Davis said.

While federal CARES Act funding has helped the providers, Davis said the coronavirus also increased expenses and made it more challenging to retain workers.

Flat funding and cuts from nearly a decade ago led some counties to reduce crisis services, cut or reduce mental health job training programs, and cut or eliminate drop-in centers, said Edley of the Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association. He said the cuts also made it harder to pay health and human service professionals competitive wages.

Shortly after the 2012 cuts, 44 out of 67 counties responded to a survey put out by the Pennsylvania Association of County Administrators of Mental Health and Developmental Services. The survey found 89% of counties reduced program and service capacity, while 63% eliminated one or more services, according to a summary the group sent to then-Gov. Corbett in January 2013.

More than a third of the counties said they were reducing or eliminating housing or residential options, and 34% reported employee layoffs. In 20 counties, administrators cut social rehabilitation programs, which are operated by people with a mental illness to support others with a mental illness.

In Montgomery County, the county and providers have discontinued 21 mental health programs since 2007, according to Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, chair of the board of commissioners.

That includes four residential housing programs that served about 70 people, a mobile psychiatric rehabilitation program that helped about 35 people with serious mental illness maintain their current living situation or increase skills to live more independently, and a bridge housing program for people moving off the streets or out of a homeless shelter.

Those cuts also include five contracts, which served about 190 people and helped them train for jobs and get hired.

Arkoosh said adequate funding for mental health programs can help keep people from going to jail, becoming homeless, or taking their own life. Before the pandemic began, she was one of the county commissioners urging lawmakers to increase funding for mental health services.

The worst outcome would be if they actually cut the budget, Arkoosh said. The second worst is if they just keep level funding.

Mayme Carter, administrator for several human services programs in Bradford and Sullivan Counties, said workers there continue to feel the pressure from funding cuts and increased requirements for services.

We have sacrificed some important initiatives, Carter said.

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"The Oprah Winfrey Show's" remarkable 25-year run had some of the most iconic moments not merely in talk show history, but television history.

Viewers tuned in daily to watch Oprah Winfrey either dive into a deep subject, make an announcement that every audience member had won a lavish gift, or entertain them with her insane stories.

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" premiered for the first time on the 8th of September in 1986. The daytime talk show won over 45 Daytime Emmy Awards and ran for 25 years.

Oprah aired her last episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2011. There are unforgettable moments to reminisce -- from Tom Cruise jumping on the couch to Oprah assertively confronting writer James Frey or to Dr. Oz talking about the S-shaped, reported Pop Sugar.

During the talk show's influential reign, you would be hard-pressed to think of a topic that the queen of talk failed to tackle. Oprah was a role model for mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and was the definition of a boss.

Hailed as one of the most influential people in the globe, Oprah's words and actions have provided millions of viewers the tools to transform their lives for the better, reported Biography.

Here are moments in episodes that left their mark:

1. Tom Cruise Jumps on Oprah's Couch

Tom Cruise's 2005 guesting on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" was one of the most iconic moments in celebrity culture.

Tom could not contain his elatedness while discussing his personal life. He was so happy regarding his then-new girlfriend Katie Holmes that he quickly jumped out of his seat and on to Oprah's couch.

Also Read: Oprah Names Son: Star Reveals Name Of The Baby She Lost At 14 Years Old

2. Betty Broderick Interview

In 1992, Oprah interviewed Betty Broderick who murdered her former husband and his new wife in their sleep.

Betty was taken into custody for two counts of murder and was sentenced to 32 years of imprisonment. She granted Oprah her first jail interview from the Central California Women's Facility.

3. The Weight Loss Wagon

In 1988, Oprah showed off her 67-pound weight loss. This is wherein she showcased the spirit of "Show, don't tell."

Oprah added a visual aid which was a red wagon containing 67 pounds of fat.

4. The Long Goodbye

Hollywood came to the United Center in Chicago for a blowout celebration that aired over the course of two days.

A-listers paid homage; Beyonce performed ''Run the World (Girls)." Maya Angelou read a piece about Oprah's life while Alicia Keys accompanied, playing an instrumental version of ''Superwoman.'' Stevie Wonder sang a song he said that he initially wrote for his mother but never finished. Aretha Franklin performed a stellar ''Amazing Grace.''

5. Oprah Surprised By Her Fourth-Grade Teacher

Oprah ascribes her childhood teachers for changing her views on life for the better. One of them was her fourth-grade teacher, Mary Duncan. As one of the most iconic moments on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 1989, the show's producers surprised her by guesting Mary.

Oprah told her teacher Ms, Duncan, "I always, because of you, felt I could take on the world. You did exactly what teachers are supposed to do, they create a spark for learning that lives with you from then on. It's why I have a talk show today," reported Biography.

Related Article: Oprah Winfrey Shows Off Weight Loss With Longtime Boyfriend Stedman Graham (PHOTOS)

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Dhaka, Sep 10 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for a concerted global action to ensure a safe and secure environment for students during the ongoing coronavirus crisis as education is one of the sectors deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said this while delivering a video message on the first-ever observance of the "International Day to Protect Education from Attack" on the virtual platform, on Wednesday.

The day is being observed aiming to shed light on the issue of attacks on education and help more marginalised children and youth in conflict-affected countries to have access to quality education opportunities.

In her pre-recorded message, Hasina simultaneously underscored revamping international cooperation to protect education in every situation, saying concerted efforts would surely lead the countries to the desired future.

"On this auspicious occasion, let's commit to revamping international cooperation to protect education in every situation... our concerted efforts would surely lead us to the future we want," she said.

She said her government has heavily invested in the education sector as it attaches the highest importance to the field.

"Our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman prioritized education as an important tool for the country's development. Guided by his vision, we have heavily invested in education," she said.

Hasina also elaborated a host of measures undertaken by the government to improve education and create a safe environment for every student, including children with special needs.

She said the government has been distributing textbooks among students upto secondary level since 2010, while stipends are being provided to more than 20.3 million students upto higher education level.

"Besides, girls' education upto higher secondary level has been made free," she said.

The premier said over 26,193 primary schools and 685 high schools have been nationalised, while 4,361 educational institutions have been brought under Monthly Payment Order (MPO).

Sheikh Hasina said all these measures along with other interventions like gender-sensitive approach, school feeding programme, the establishment of primary schools at almost every village and ward, ICT education have been showing tangible benefits.

"As a result, net enrolment rate rose to 97.74 per cent in 2019 and literacy rate increased to 74 per cent," she said.

Hasina also said her government has taken steps to modernise madrasah education.

At the outset of her speech, Hasina congratulated all on the first-ever observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack and appreciated Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the chairperson of Education Above All Foundation and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocate.

The premier said though the COVID-19 crisis has shown the weakness of the existing education system, Bangladesh has taken various measures to offset the pandemic impact on the education sector.

"We don't remain idle although educational institutions remained closed. We have launched televised and online learning for the students," Hasina mentioned.

She said her government is continuing monetary support for the students, while special measures have been taken so that students are engaged in studies.
Dancing with the Stars judge Tristan MacManus was announced as Sarah Harris' new co-host on Studio 10 last week.

And in a first-look trailer for the revamped morning talk show, the professional dancer's camaraderie with Sarah, 39, is evident.

In the clip, Sarah squeals with delight as she finds out Tristan, 38, has been chosen as her co-host, replacing departing panellists Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Natarsha Belling and Joe Hildebrand.

Taking over TV! In a first-look trailer for the revamped Studio 10, Sarah Harris' camaraderie with her new co-host Tristan MacManus is evident

Without showing his face, the promo teases Tristan getting suited and booted as he makes his way through the halls of Channel 10's headquarters.

An unsuspecting Sarah is seen with the hair and makeup team before Tristan walks up from behind and says: 'Hello, Ms Harris!'

Turning around to see her new colleague, the blonde journalist lets out an excitable scream and rushes to hug him.

Proving they hit it off straight away, the Irish heartthrob shows off his dance moves as he twirls Sarah around.

Happy days: In the clip, Sarah, 39, squeals with delight as she finds out Tristan, 38, has been chosen as co-host, replacing departing panellists Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Natarsha Belling and Joe Hildebrand

Tristan is set to make his hotly anticipated debut on Studio 10 on Monday.

He said of his new role in a statement: 'Although people know me as a dancer, I think my mouth usually works better than my feet do.'

'This opportunity came out of the blue, and I'm really excited to be working with Sarah and learning from her,' the father of two added.

Hitting the dancefloor! Proving they hit it off straight away, the Irish heartthrob shows off his dance moves as he twirls Sarah around

It comes after regular Studio 10 panellists Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Natarsha Belling were axed from the network last month due to budget cuts.

Tristan and Sarah will be joined by newsreader Narelda Jacobs, showbiz reporter Angela Bishop, and contributors Denise Drysdale, Jono Coleman and Craig Bennett.

On Thursday morning, Joe Hildebrand announced his resignation from the show.
Norwegian anti-terror police on Wednesday arrested a suspect linked to a 1982 attack in a Jewish neighbourhood in Paris that left six people dead and 22 injured, police said.

The PST (anti-terror police) arrested a man in the city of Skien on a European arrest warrant issued by the French authorities," spokeswoman Annett Aamodt told AFP.

"A European arrest warrant has been issued by the French authorities, it will be carefully examined to see if the conditions are met," she added.

The man is suspected of being part of a group of Palestinians throwing grenades burst into the Jo Goldenberg deli on Aug. 9, 1982, and sprayed machine-gun fire. Six people, including two Americans, were killed, and 22 injured in the attack.

Abu Nidal group

Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet said it was the second time that France had requested the man arrested.

French authorities announced nearly 33 years after the attack that international arrest warrants had been issued for the suspects, now in their late 50s and early 60s, who are believed to have been members of the Palestinian Abu Nidal Organisation.

Souhaur Mouhamad Hassan Khalil Al-Abbassi was arrested in Jordan in 2015. He is one of three suspects in the attack sought by French authorities. The other two are believed to be in the Palestinian territories and in Norway, according to French authorities.

Asylum seeker

Described as an asylum seeker who arrived in Norway in 1992, the man has denied having been in Paris, the Norwegian daily wrote. In 2015, he was reportedly identified by several witnesses, the daily reported.

It's a real relief for my clients who were starting to doubt the will of France to (find) the truth in this affair, Romain Boulet, counsel for victims in the attack, told French daily Le Parisien.

Deli owner Jo Goldenburg recalled in 2002 that "they fired on everyone who was eating lunch  everyone. The deli, which has since been closed, was a tourist attraction in the famed Marais neighborhood.

Two dozen attacks

The Abu Nidal faction, named after its leader, is considered responsible for nearly two dozen attacks that left at least 275 people dead, including assaults on El Al Israel Airlines ticket counters at the Rome and Vienna airports in 1985 in which 18 people were killed.

The notorious Abu Nidal himself was found dead in his Baghdad apartment in August 2002. Iraqi authorities said Abu Nidal, whose real name is Sabri al-Banna, committed suicide.

Norway recently adopted new pan-European regulations on arrests, leading French prosecutors to seek extradition for a second time.


An aerial view of the Mengwa Flood Diversion Area in Funan county in East China's Anhui province on July 22, 2020. [Photo by Guo Haiyang/provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The Anhui provincial government recently issued an overall emergency plan, which stipulates that local governments or emergency response departments should brief the public through the media within five hours of an emergency situation and they should also hold emergency news conferences within 24 hours. This regulation has won wide public support. In fact, even back in 2017, the local government of Hefei in Anhui required local authorities to respond to emergencies within five hours. In the era of internet, the authorities should be able to share the key information on emergencies with the public in a shorter time, which can help refute rumors that may trigger panic and endanger social stability. People look to the government for reliable information during an emergency. Therefore, it is important for the government to dispel any doubts the public might have during an emergency. Otherwise rumors will overwhelm facts. The best way to stop the spread of misinformation and maintain social order is to respond to social concerns in time. If the public gets to know what has actually transpired from an official channel, the rumors will not strike root. Anhui's new regulation demonstrates a positive transition of the government's work style. Instead of belated responses, they are now actively responding to public concerns in time and upholding the public's right to know. This is a better way of social administration as it can easily win public trust and scotch rumors. More governments should learn from Anhui to be more "open" and win public support through establishing a transparent information disclosure mechanism for emergencies.




WASHINTON  More than two years after the U.S. Navy publicly announced its plan for a new assessment of what its future force should look like, the product of no fewer than three iterations will soon be briefed to the defense secretary, a senior Defense Department official said Thursday.

But the ultimate product will actually be based on three products, and more war gaming and analysis is expected, Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist told a virtual audience at the annual Defense News Conference.

Earlier this year the secretary asked me to lead a future naval forces study, Norquist said. "With participation by the Navy, Marine Corps, Joint Staff, OSD [the Office of the Secretary of Defense] and outside advisers, we built three different future fleets. We examined ships and Marine units we have, and those we might build in 2045. We looked at their cost and analytical capabilities, and we war gamed different combinations of ships and maritime forces against different future missions and challenges.

This morning I received the latest inputs from the study participants, and next week Ill meet with the secretary to go over our findings, which will inform our future investments and exercises and war gaming.

The odyssey of the Navy force structure assessment dates back to at least September 2018, when then-Navy requirements boss Vice Adm. William Merz told the audience at that years' Defense News Conference the service planned to launch a new force structure assessment to update the December 2016 force structure assessment that set the Navys goal of creating a 355-ship fleet.

At that point. the 355-ship force structure assessment had been in effect for less than two years.

In a quest for 355 ships, US Navy leaders are unwilling to accept a hollow force

The Navys previous force structure assessment, released in March 2015, had set the goal at 308 ships and was in effect for about 18 months. As of Sept. 10, 2020, the Navy has 296 deployable ships, according to its website.

Story continues

At the time of Merz' announcement, he said the new force structure assessment would be completed some time in 2019. But with the ascendance of Gen. David Berger to the position of commandant of the Marine Corps, along with his vision of a more closely aligned Navy and Marine Corps, the Navy realized it would need to revise its forthcoming force structure assessment to accommodate that vision.

That gave rise to the integrated naval force structure assessment, which was designed to integrate Marine Corps requirements and Navy requirements.

But by the beginning of this year, Defense Secretary Mark Esper signaled in an interview with Defense News that he wanted to take control of the work being put into the Navys future force needs, saying: DoD will run this.

Esper had told Defense News that the Pentagons Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office as well as the Navy will conduct a series of war games and exercises in the coming months to figure out a way forward.

I think once we go through this process with the future fleet  thatll really be the new foundation, the guiding post, Esper said. Itll give us the general direction we need to go, and I think thatll be a big gamechanger in terms of future fleet, for structure, for the Navy and Marine Corps team.

After reviewing the Navys Integrated Force Structure Assessment, Esper deliberately put it on ice and the related 30-year shipbuilding plan from Congress, according to a June report from USNI News. That plan is required annually by law.

Instead, Esper launched his own study in concert with several offices and the Navy, the Department of Defense told USNI News in a statement.

This review, the Future Naval Force Study, is a collaborative OSD, Joint Staff and Department of the Navy effort to assess future naval force structure options and inform future naval force structure decisions and the 30-year shipbuilding plan, the statement read.




Haiti - Bahamas : The Haitian community is not doing well





Haitians living in the Bahamas have suffered a severe economic blow with the closures and limitations imposed by the health authorities due to the Covid-19 pandemic which made it very difficult to work and provide for the needs of their family explained Reverend Jean Paul Charles, Pastor of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Berean in Nasseau and President of the League of Haitian Pastors.



Continuing, "The Haitian community is not doing too well at the moment because of the pandemic [...] many of them are no longer working and they are not benefiting from the aid program in the Bahamas. It's difficult in the Haitian community... people are asking for help [...] The Haitian community, not just the pastors, but the community as a whole, we share all we can [...]"



Recall that in March, when the first cases of Covid-19 appeared, the Government urged the Haitian community to immediately provide information on symptoms or possible exposure to the coronavirus regardless of the person's migration status. A poor appeal, our compatriots fearing deportation remained in hiding. There is no official data on the number of Covid-19 cases in the Haitian community...



Reverend Jean Paul Charles said the Haitian community, especially in the slums, continues to try to follow social distancing protocols stressing "but at the same time you can't control anyone..." adding that while churches are preparing to reopen, the appropriate requirements and protocols will be implemented to ensure compliance with mask wear, sanitation and social distancing.



Today in the Bahamas the toll is 2,721 confirmed cases and 63 dead, while the Covid-19 remains very active and circulates in the archipelago despite measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.



Out of a population of 390,208 inhabitants living in the archipelago of the Bahamas, the number of Haitians is estimated at 80,000 (+/- 20%) of which more than 50,000 are said to be in an irregular migratory situation. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), considers that Haitians form the major part of the migrant population in the Bahamas.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















UW-Madison is moving all classes online and quarantining students in two of its largest dorms for at least the next two weeks, the most significant step by the university to curb a COVID-19 outbreak that has surpassed 1,000 infections in mere days.

The announcement on Wednesday came as little surprise to the campus community, many of whom expected the university to pivot to all-online in the face of uncontrolled virus spread and criticized administrators for their Smart Restart reopening plan throughout the summer.

The order came on the fifth day of classes, on the heels of a long holiday weekend and after each of the last two days saw a positivity rate of 20% or greater among students. The city-county public health department said there are at least 46 separate outbreaks currently tied to UW-Madison.

I share the disappointment and frustration of students and employees who had hoped we might enjoy these first few weeks of the academic year together, Chancellor Rebecca Blank said. Before we started this semester, we knew that no plan would be risk-free in the current environment.

Emerson Boettcher, a senior studying political science and economics, said the news was predictable but nevertheless disappointing.

I would give up every single night out in college to be in person this year, she said. But thats not what every student would do and theres no way for the university to suss out who is here for school and who is here to party.

The announcement stops short of sending home students who live in the dorms, an action Dane County Executive Joe Parisi urged UW-Madison on Wednesday to take.

UW-Madison said it doesnt believe such a step is warranted at this time and University of Wisconsin System spokesman Mark Pitsch said sending students back home is not a wise solution, considering the quarantine space and other support available on campus.

Public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have said sending students home is one of the worst things to do when a campus faces COVID-19 outbreaks.

Quarantine, other restrictions

While university testing data show more than double the number of cases came from students who live off-campus compared to those in dorms over the past week, Blank said the latest numbers also show a sharp increase in cases at two residence halls.

Thats why she ordered the 2,230 residents living in Sellery Hall and Witte Hall to quarantine for 14 days, starting at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Freshman Nick Larsen, who moved into Witte Hall on Aug. 31, said the news left him kind of shattered but with some hope still.

Its heartbreaking entering into a life that youve been looking forward to for years then having your first semester, and hopefully only semester, torn away from you, he said. I dont feel great about it now, but Im trying to stay hopeful.

He said when the university announced the quarantine to students earlier in the evening Wednesday, there was mention of scheduled food deliveries three times a day to students free of charge and rules prohibiting any congregating or mingling with other students.

As students from the quarantined residence halls stormed nearby stores to stock up on supplies before the Wednesday night deadline, Larsen said he and a few others had the initial reaction to go play catch one more time since even going for a walk outside wont be an option for two weeks now.

We shared a pretty cool moment just playing catch in the rain while everyone was freaking out around us, he said.

While the goal is to bring case numbers down with this quarantine, pausing face-to-face courses would likely not make much of a dent. Blank acknowledged that contact-tracing hasnt revealed evidence of transmission in the classroom. Still, out of an abundance of caution, she ordered an end to in-person classes through at least Sept. 25.

Other restrictions include only carry-out options at dining halls, suspension of in-person study spaces and closure of gyms. These come on top of UW-Madison ordering more than 400 fraternity and sorority members to quarantine and restricting all undergraduates to only essential activities.

Interim System President Tommy Thompson, who consulted on the plan, said pausing in-person instruction is the right approach to take for UW-Madison. Other UW campuses will continue to operate under their own reopening plans.

These tactics have proven effective at other universities, he said in a statement. Our hospitals have not experienced significant surge or strain. Our substantial testing has generated positive tests. This is not a surprise. Chancellor Blank and the Smart Restart team continue to take immediate steps, informed by data, to contain the spread.

Deep concern from county

Parisi sent a letter to Blank and Thompson on Wednesday expressing concern about the universitys spike in COVID-19 cases and its strain on public health resources.

Parisis letter exemplifies the growing tension in relations between universities and their communities as campuses reopen this fall amid objections from many residents.

Colleges across the country, including at UW-Madison, heard concerns from elected local leaders over the summer about the detrimental effect their decision to reopen could have on the health of the community at large. That concern also was communicated to UW officials by Public Health Madison and Dane County director Janel Heinrich.

While UW System and UW-Madison officials said their reopening plans were based on public health guidance, city-county health department spokeswoman Sarah Mattes said Wednesday that the director has had numerous conversations with UW officials expressing concern about the return of students.

Public Health Madison and Dane County reported that at least 74% of the countys new cases since Sept. 1 came from UW-Madison. While the countys daily number of new cases reported on Wednesday, 16, was low because of the way in which results are reported, the weekly average is running at least three times as high as in late August, according to Mattes.

If you live or work in the (Downtown) area, you should assume you were exposed to COVID-19 and monitor yourself for symptoms, the agency said on Wednesday.

The city-county health department initiates a facility investigation and/or intervention when even just a single case emerges at a fraternity, sorority, dorm, school, long-term care facility or daycare, Mattes said. Because this level of action is taken, one case in any of those settings is considered a cluster. Apartment buildings are considered clusters if there are 10 or more cases.

Testing capacity

Blank said she, too, shared the same concern Parisi has about the health and well-being of students and county residents.

That is the primary reason we have instituted a robust testing regime  to ensure we knew about and could take action related to the spread of COVID-19, she said. Its the universitys goal to be a partner with the city and county and not unduly strain limited resources.

But Parisi, in his letter, cited concerns with the universitys testing operations, such as students reporting difficulty securing an appointment because University Health Services is booked up. He requested UW-Madison immediately increase its on-campus testing capacity.

A record number of people showed up for testing at the Alliant Energy Center on Tuesday, and the city-county public health agency projects more than 30% of individuals were UW students, county spokeswoman Ariana Vruwink said.

If that pattern of testing demand continues, Parisi estimated the cost of daily test kits will top $300,000 daily.

Blank disputed reports of students unable to make testing appointments. She said UW-Madison has a significant testing capacity on campus with appointments available every day for members of the campus community. A university spokesperson declined to say whether UW-Madison ends each day with appointments going unfilled, an indication that there are enough spots to meet demand.

Parisi suggested UW-Madison establish more quarantine facilities for students who live off-campus. Currently, UW-Madison does not provide accommodations for students living off-campus who become infected or were in close contact with someone who was.

He also wants UW-Madison to triple the number of contact tracers it has on staff within the next 30 days. The university currently has 42 contact tracers. Dane County will soon have over 100 of its own, but he said the recent surge of positive cases already far overwhelmed capacity the UW had put in place to follow up on cases.

State Journal reporter Shanzeh Ahmad contributed to this report.

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Theres no doubt whatsoever that some individuals suffer as a result of their use of narcotics  just as at least 260,000 people die each year because of alcohol abuse. Yet, prohibition has been proven, repeatedly, to do nothing other than corrupt law enforcement and enrich criminals.

Even the peerless medical intellect of Sir Kailas Chunder Bose, Kaisar-i-Hind, Companion of the Indian Empire, Order of the British Empire, flailed in the face of the strange malady. His patient, a healthy-looking Hindu girl, aged 16, had presented with all the symptoms of hysteria and I prescribed for her accordingly. The girl awoke fine in the morning, just as the great doctor had expected. Inside hours, though, her hysteria was back: At about 1 pm she became very cross and wanted to go to the adjoining room where she had her box containing betel leaves and spices.

The truth could not long be hidden from the great doctor, though: on opening the folded betel leaf, he wrote in the British Medical Journal, cocaine was discovered and then on being questioned the girl made a clean breast of the whole thing and further said that there were three more girls under the same roof who were taking cocaine in pretty large doses.

A hundred and eighteen years have passed since the good Dr Boses shock-horror discovery of drug fiends cosseted inside colonial Calcuttas zenanas. The hysterical tenor of reportage around the underwhelming discovery that the actress Rhea Chakraborty may conceivably have purchased marijuana for one of the 31 million Indians who use it, though, tells us that the Indian culture of self-deception and hypocrisy around narcotics has endured.

The one good thing that could come of the Chakraborty case is that it could bring debate on Indias narcotics culture out of the closet. Each year, the war on drugs Imperial Britain began, and Independent India has ferociously pursued, claims the lives of tens of thousands of young people. Many of those lives, data from around the world teaches us could be saved by decriminalisation.

Ever since 1985, when then-prime minister Rajiv Gandhis government enacted the now-notorious Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, successive governments have sought to break the butterflies inside users minds on the wheels of the criminal justice system. The effort has been gargantuan: In 2018, the last year for which figures have been published, a staggering 63,137 cases were registered under the Act, 38,175 of them involving personal consumption, rather than trafficking. To get a sense of the huge criminal justice resources this effort consumes, there were, 29,017 cases filed for murder, 33,506 for rape and 30,822 for robbery.

Although the Narcotics Control Bureau registered a three-fold increase in volumes of seized narcotics in 2013-2018, one to three percent of Indians are estimated to be addicted to narcotics, compared with 0.1 to 0.2 percent in most European countries. The expert Devendra Dutt has argued that the rising levels of seized drugs are simply a function of supply: Ninety percent, on average, is sold to users, and 10 percent interdicted by authorities.

In 2018, over 67 percent of NDPS trials concluded ended in a conviction  compared with just 27.1 percent of rape cases, or 26.6 percent of murder cases. Legal expert Tripti Tandon has noted many face harsh and disproportionate sentencing, but the tide of incarceration is achieving nothing. In large swathes of the country  most well known among them, Punjab, but also Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh , Rajasthan, Manipur and many others  ever-larger numbers of young people are using proscribed drugs, or misusing prescription medication.

To any sane person, it ought be clear that the coercion-centred war on drugs has failed in its stated purpose, reducing narcotics use and addiction. Across the world, law-enforcement driven efforts have met much the same fate.

Rajiv Gandhis Act was, in no small measure, inspired by the moral panic that drove former US president Ronald Reagans war on drugs. The campaign unleashed in the United States in the 1980s  involving everything from the use of military force against narcotics cartels to aggressive policing  led, by 2015, to a tripling of arrests for possession, to 1.3 million a year. A resident of the United States is now estimated to be arrested every 25 seconds for narcotics possession.

Yet, there has been no positive impact on the narcotics landscape: substance-misuse has grown, as have deaths from overdoses; the supply of synthetic drugs like fentanyl have overwhelmed entire communities. The war on drugs has also fuelled racial tensions: Black Americans are, for example, four times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than Whites, and face longer prison sentences.

Luigi Solvetti, in a report for the Swiss Federal Office for Heath, noted coercive regimes had no impact in retarding drug use in Italy either. Ever since 1912, when drug-use entered the legal lexicon, the country experimented with multiple punishment regimes. Harsh sanctions introduced 1954, Solvetti noted, did not prevent the drug boom of the 1960s. Increased punishment against drug traffickers in 1975 did not retard trafficking; indeed, it grew. And harsh new laws legislated in 1990 had no visible impact at all

The first and most impressive fact that emerges from the Italian history of drug policy, Solvetti noted, is the lack of visible impact of the various legislative actions in this field. What is particularly impressive is the lack of visible impact as regards the  in most cases increasingly  repressive actions

Faced with a similar crisis, Portugal conducted one of the most radical, and successful experiments in drug policy in 2001: The country decriminalised the use and possession of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, LSD and other illicit street drugs. Inside five years, levels of drug-related deaths had dropped radically, along with HIV infections due to needle use, as well as narcotics-linked street crime. Larger numbers of addicts, now no longer fearing the law, began seeking medical help.

Perhaps most important, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organised Crime has recorded, levels of drug use in Portugal are now well below the European average, and their adoption among the most-vulnerable cohort aged 15-24 has declined. There are multiple hypotheses for why this happened  but one plausible proposition is that legalisation reduced drug prices, reducing incentives for street pushers to promote their products.

Even though Portugals model was to lead to a radical reconsideration of drug policies in countries across continental Europe, as well as in Mexico, the United States persists in seeking to swat mosquitoes with a sledgehammer  with predictable results.

The mind-altering properties of drugs have been used for a welter of medicinal and recreational purposes, embedding them in many ancient cultures. The Atharva Veda recorded cannabis as one of five great plants which might deliver us from woe. Even today, Delhi residents have to travel no further than the Shiva Temple near Nigambodh Ghat, or the Nizamuddin Dargah, to see the living form of this drug culture. We can only imagine what might happen if the Uttar Pradesh Police sought to evict marijuana from the Kawariyas yatra.

Like the ladies of the Calcutta zenana, who in fact used cocaine to relieve dysmenorrhea, or menstrual cramps, or the working-class Delhi men who were found by the colonial health administrator AW Overbeck-Wright to using it to delay orgasm in 1920, millions of Indians have participated, and still participate, in a sophisticated  if secret  drug culture.

Following Imperial Britians decision to proscribe cocaine in 1900, the historian James Mill's work teaches us, Indian resistance was sometimes violence. Police who raided a cocaine warehouse in Mumbais Ghati Gully in 1934 were attacked with lathis and glass bottles: The Statesman reported that overwhelmed by numbers, the small excise party were forced to beat a retreat with four of their men injured.

Theres no doubt whatsoever that some individuals suffer as a result of their use of narcotics  just as at least 260,000 people die each year because of alcohol abuse. Yet, prohibition has been proven, repeatedly, to do nothing other than corrupt law enforcement and enrich criminals.

Early in the 19th Century, the philosopher Jeremy Bentham laid down the classical legal test of when punishment does not serve legitimate ends:

1. Where it is groundless: Where there is no mischief for it to prevent.

2. Where it must be inefficacious: Where it cannot act so as to prevent the mischief.

3. Where it is unprofitable, or too expensive: Where the mischief it would produce would be greater than what it prevented.

4. Where it is needless: Where the mischief may be prevented, or cease of itself, without it: that is, at a cheaper rate

Indias drug laws fail all these four conditions.
The government on Thursday constituted a three-member special investigation team to probe into the purchase of health equipment and sanitisers allegedly at higher prices in several districts.

The probe team will submit its report in 10 days, an official statement said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the formation of the SIT as the authorities in Sultanpur, Ghazipur and other districts have been accused of buying pulse oximeters and infrared thermometers at more than the market cost, according to the statement.

Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Renuka Kumar will lead the SIT while Secretary (Medical Education) Amit Gupta and Secretary (Urban development) Vikas Gothalwal will be part of it.

The SIT will probe the entire matter and submit its report to the government within 10 days," the statement issued here said.

"If any anomaly is found at any stage, strict action will be initiated against the guilty, it added.

The state government had on June 23 issued orders for the purchase of pulse oximeters, infrared thermometer and sanitisers for every village panchayat from the funds released by the UP Finance Commission.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of leaders and activists of Bharatiya Janata Party and Jana Sena sat on an 11-hour long hunger strike all over Andhra Pradesh on Thursday in protest against alleged attacks on Hindu temples and the burning of a temple chariot.

The BJP-Jana Sena combine gave a joint call to their respective party workers to take up the fast in the name of Dharma Parirakshan Deeksha (Penance to protect Hindu dharma), demanding that action be taken against those responsible for the burning of chariot at Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple at Antarvedi in East Godavari district on Sunday last.

Jana Sena party chief and popular Tollywood actor Pawan Kalyan took up the deeksha at 10 am at his residence in Hyderabad. He alleged that there have been increased attacks on Hindu temples during the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime in Andhra Pradesh.

He demanded that the state government order a probe by a retired high court judge into the Antarvedi temple chariot fire. If the government does not act seriously, we shall approach the Centre seeking a CBI investigation into the incident, the Jana Sena chief said.

BJP state president Somu Veerraju, who sat on a 11-hour deeksha at his residence in Rajahmundry in East Godavari district, said the agitation would continue till the state government brings the culprits to book. He said he would petition the Governor over the burning of chariot at Antarvedi temple.

Former state BJP president Kanna Lakshminarayana also sat on a 11-hour fast at his residence in Guntur. He alleged that there had been a systematic attack on Hinduism since the Jagan Mohan Reddy government was formed last year.

The burning of chariot at Antarvedi was atrocious and it has hurt the sentiments of Hindus. Similar incidents had taken place at various temples in the past. Had the government acted on time in the past, such incidents would not have recurred, Lakshminarayana said.

K Raghurama Krishnam Raju, rebel YSR Congress Party MP from Narasapuram parliamentary constituency, also announced that he would take up eight-hour long deeksha at his residence in New Delhi on Friday.

He said he would sit on a dharna at his residence from 9 am to 5 pm by following all precautions for Covid-19. He condemned the series of attacks on the Hindu temples in the recent past.

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ROTTERDAM  The sprawling Sears anchor store, covering more than two acres at the former Rotterdam Square mall, will be turned into retail and warehouse space by United Auto Supply, a Syracuse-based wholesale distributor of auto parts and accessories. United's customers include auto parts stores, new car dealers, heavy duty fleets and independent shops.

The Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority announced the deal, which includes a $6 million investment to acquire, renovate and equip the 103,000-square-foot Sears space. Florida-based Via Port USA currently owns the building, part of the mall complex now known as ViaPort Rotterdam.

United Auto Supply is expected to create 50 jobs at the site, which will include a retail and distribution space, as well as an e-commerce operation. The facility will serve customers in northeastern New York and New England. Metroplex said the company eventually hoped to add an additional 100 jobs.

Vacant mall anchor stores have been attracting warehouse tenants including such companies as Amazon that are looking for large climate-controlled spaces with convenient highway access.

Via Port Rotterdam, for example, is just off the interstate.

"Via Port's great location just off I-890 has helped us attract several new tenants in a very challenging environment," said Metroplex Chair Ray Gillen. "We are building on the momentum established when we successfully redeveloped the former Macy's for 700 state jobs.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"This is a major step forward in our efforts to make Via Port a great place to visit, shop and work," Gillen added.

Repurposing unusual spaces is nothing new for United Auto Supply. It previously turned the former P&C warehouse, a one-million-square-foot space in Syracuse, into its headquarters and space for other tenants. It also converted the former Marsellus Casket Company, also in Syracuse, into space for an ambulance company, a tech firm and seven apartments.

United Auto Supply, founded in 1946, now has 30 retail stores and 500 employees.

eanderson@timesunion.com
The MPI conferences outlined four key pillars for localities to build development objectives

For the 2021-2025 period, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has set the overall growth target of 7.6 per cent while aiming for 6.8 per cent right next year, even surpassing its GDP growth of 6.1 per cent between 2016 and 2020. To reach this goal, the province bases its development strategy on the four key pillars of industry, sea trade, tourism, and high technology.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, director of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Department of Planning and Investment, emphasised, For the province to achieve its ambitions, it would need to focus on its infrastructure, particularly on effectively using the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port complex as National Route 51 is already overloaded.

He added that the development of the province would be hampered if Phuoc An Bridge and the Bien Hoa Expressway are not in the focus of the provinces investment strategy for the next period.

Like most other regions in Vietnam, Ba Ria-Vung Tau has been suffering a blow from COVID-19, in addition to a sharp decline in its revenue from crude oil. Without this important commodity, the province would have become one of the 12 provinces experiencing negative growth in the first six months of this year.

The central city of Danang also took a dent since the new outbreak, which forced it to shut down and apply social distancing measures since July 28. Unsurprisingly, with the pandemic, it is difficult to forecast whether Danang can achieve its socioeconomic development targets for this year and for the 2021-2025 period. It is expected that by the end of the year, the city will not reach most of its important targets.

As of August 15, the total value of public investment disbursement reached VND3.7 trillion ($160 million), only about 49 per cent of the plan. With official development assistance, Danang disbursed only VND230.6 billion ($10 million), 17 per cent of its plan.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has also been the reason for the south-central province of Khanh Hoas 11 per cent drop in GRDP, the lowest among the central region. The provinces growth between 2016 and 2020 is expected to only reach 6.1 per cent.

Surprisingly, these numbers do not seem to affect the provinces spirit as it set the GRDP growth target of 7.5 per cent in its development plan during 2021-2025. However, the province also asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) for support to propose three important issues to the prime minister.

As such, Khanh Hoa asks for permission to study and propose several policies specific to Van Phong Economic Zone (EZ). In addition, the province would like to see the EZ among the coastal EZs that are prioritised for focused investment, whereby a part of the revenue could be used to supplement infrastructure and site clearance. Lastly, Khanh Hoa suggested adding a Van Phong-South Phu Yen Expressway connection to facilitate regional economic development.

Nguyen Chi Dung - Minister of Planning and Investment With their new plans, localities need to ensure consistency and follow through on the achievements of the previous period. At the same time, they should continue to innovate their approaches and visions for the 2021-2025 period and work out plans that are suitable with each localitys potentials and advantages. In addition, I urge each province and city to use resources effectively and economically, especially when it comes to land resources and exploitation thereof. Projects that are ineffective and not implemented according to local demand should be withdrawn and their resources should be allocated more efficiently. With regards to public investment planning, localities are asked to clearly define objectives and priorities and to avoid spreading capital too thin right from 2021. Instead, they should balance the capital of the central budget for the entire 2021-2025 period. Priority should also be given to large-scale projects and those that add a driving force and positive spillover effects to the socioeconomic development of the region and the whole country. Lastly, localities should avoid using official development assistance to implement projects that could also be socialised or funded with domestic loans to minimise the countrys debt burden in the future.

Getting prepared

Currently, each of the countrys 63 cities and provinces is building socioeconomic development plans until 2025. According to Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Vietnam has done a great job in both preventing the spread of the disease and implementing solutions to support domestic businesses and production activities. Thanks to that, socioeconomic development has been brought back on the course and the economy can steadily move towards a normal state, the minister added.

Nevertheless, according to the minister, each locality must actively change towards a more holistic top-to-bottom approach while establishing their development plans for the next five years. Localities must set even higher goals than before on a calculated basis while making use of all their resources and abilities to achieve these, the minister urged. For instance, Ba Ria-Vung Tau should aim to effectively promote its essential seaport system for the entire country.

Climate change has already taken its toll on the Mekong Delta, the literal rice bowl of the nation. Together with pollution, it has wreaked havoc on the regions water supply, resulting in a drastic decrease in farmers ability to harvest their crop.

Minister Dung pointed out that for the region to cope, the MPI has already discussed with the Ministry of Transport to complete the North-South Expressway to connect not only Can Tho city but also Ca Mau province in five years. A new vision and a new plan, however, usually go along with a certain investment. We will strive to devote resources and promote private ones in accordance with the Law on Public-Private Partnership Investment, he said.

In addition to the 1,900km-long expressway, the MPI also discussed plans with partners to develop a coastal road surrounding the Mekong Delta, thereby creating a driving force for provinces to flourish.

While approaching these issues, Minister Dung emphasised that the expressway does not just represent a mere road connection but also an economic corridor through which the development of the entire region, including the Mekong Delta, will be boosted. If localities only focus on transportation and do not think further, many opportunities could be lost.

Although the ministrys efforts are considerable, many locations have been meeting certain limitations with public investment. Accordingly, deputy director of Bac Giang Department for Planning and Investment Nguyen Cuong asked the MPI to soon propose the PM a decision on principles and criteria for capital allocation for the 2021-2025 period. Cuong also urged that this will be necessary for localities to follow through and lay the foundation for further completing and assigning investment plans.

Cuong also reminded of the need to publish lists of planned programmes, projects, and specific guidelines so that localities can plan to follow the national plan, especially for 2021. At the same time, he suggested that the MPI should ask the PM to allow Bac Giang, together with other provinces, to continue using residual capital of the Urban Development Project along the Mekong Delta region, and work with the Asian Development Bank for loans and extend the loan agreement to further promote its efficiency.

Mutual cooperation

This year, the MPI is in its fourth year of innovating the way regional socioeconomic development and public investment plans are organised, so that localities can improve coordination and information sharing while strengthening their coordination with the ministry to mutually work on effective solutions for each regions challenges in building and implementing these plans.

MPI Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Phuong commented that the building of development plans has been following the regulations and principles of relevant agencies. However, issues related to the economic impact of COVID-19 will certainly affect the plans for 2021 and the upcoming five-year period, he added.

According to Phuong, localities also need to pay attention to price regulations. Following the Law on Statistics, this year will serve as the basis for calculating plans for the upcoming period. Therefore, I propose additional guidance on calculating the plans for the 2021-2025 period, he concluded.
In an act of tremendous courage, striking graduate student instructors at the University of Michigan voted by more than 700 to 400 to reject a proposal from the university administration and continue their strike to demand the shutdown of in-person learning amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The offer from the university administration failed to meet the strikers main demands. On the demand for a universal right to work remotely, the universitys only offer was that grad students could work remotely during a period of arbitration if they were required to work in-person against their will. On the demand for the demilitarization of the campus, the university agreed only to have two meetings per term to hold further discussions.

Graduate students strike at University of Michigan  September 9, 2020

The university also agreed to disclose the methodology it had adopted for testing, but would not increase its testing capacity.

The struggle at the University of Michigan is part of a broader fight against the reopening of campuses. In an indication of the catastrophic impact of school reopenings throughout the country, the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced Wednesday that it is moving all classes online after a surge of COVID-19 cases, with more than 1,000 infections over the past several days. Similar outbreaks have occurred on other campuses, endangering the lives not only of students, but also the broader community.

The vote Wednesday rejected the position of Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) President Sumeet Patwardhan, who urged that the offer be accepted. In the course of the meeting, many students, including sections of the GEO leadership, spoke passionately against the deal, shifting the sentiment in favor of continuing the struggle.

Faculty show support to strikers

The vote was held in the face of blackmail from the UM Board of Regents, made up of powerful Democrats, including billionaire Little Caesars owner Denise Ilitch and Jordan Acker, the former assistant to Obamas secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

The university threatened to take retaliatory action against striking students if they rejected the deal, saying it was considering all options available, according to the Michigan Daily. The administration also said its offer would explode if it was not immediately accepted, meaning any guarantees against retaliation in it would no longer be on the table.

The strike began Tuesday, a little more than a week after 45,000 students began classes. The walkout immediately garnered popular support, with construction workers honoring picket lines on campus, faculty joining picket lines, and residential advisors in the dorms joining the strike on Wednesday. Professors at outlying UM campuses, including in Dearborn, canceled classes. Solidarity messages were sent by grad students at Columbia University and other campuses.

In interviews on the picket line Wednesday, students expressed a determination to fight. This is exciting, said Ayana. Something has to change. This is the first strike, but it is going to be one of many in the fight for a socialist future and real equality. We have to shake up the world. Those at the top fear this movement and are concerned that they are going to lose their wealth and power. The laws are written for them, not us."

Weve been screwed over by the Democratic Party, Ayana added. They are not committed to actual change. They work within the system, telling us they will be less badbut there wont be real equality. This is a class society. My mother is an Amazon worker who was homeless, and now she is fighting for sanitizer and a safe workplace. This is capitalism, and we have to end it.

Ayana

Since August there have been at least 35,000 new cases of COVID-19 at over 1,000 campuses, with outbreaks in Iowa, North Carolina and other states. Under these conditions, the strike at UM has become a focal point for opposition to the homicidal back-to-school policy, which includes the return of some 50 million students to public schools across the country.

There is no doubt that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the parent organization, exerted pressure on the GEO to shut down the strike before it became a catalyst for an expanding movement against the reckless back-to-school policy, which in Michigan is being spearheaded by the Democratic Party. Seeking to isolate the UM strike, AFT President Randi Weingarten, a leading official in the Democratic Party, did not even bother to issue a tweet about it.

Within the working class, however, there is powerful support for the stand taken by the students. The determination not to betray this support was a major factor in the rejection of the administrations offer.

One striking student told the WSWS, Theres no power for the workers unless theres solidarity among the working class. Already weve seen the University of Michigans Res Life staff go on strike to show their support for our work stoppage!

The issues with higher education extend far beyond the University of Michigan. The entire structure is built on the exploitation of labor under the pretense of offering a more affordable education. However, that pretense wouldnt need to exist if the education weren't commodified so heavily and so predatorily.

Speaking about the rise in social inequality in the US and the role played by the Democratic and Republican parties, he added, Beyond higher education, our country is facing such horrific inequality issues that we have to band together as a working class, or we won't be able to overcome our present moment. I think that the Democratic and Republican parties do not serve the people or the working class in any capacity. They serve the owning class, they serve corporations, and the vast majority of politicians under those banners serve their own interests far before they serve the interests of their constituents.

Tim, a Chinese grad student, said, We have lit a match that could unite a global wave. We need a change.

Striking grad students Wednesday

Alexis, an engineering senior, added, The strike shows there is a growing opposition to the whole setup of society. The pandemic has exacerbated the contradictions of capitalism. In the US especially, it has brought out the inaccessibility of health care, education, making conditions even worse for workers. The pandemic has shown how unprepared the US is and the need for the redistribution of resources.

Ryan, a graduate student instructor, told the WSWS that over the summer the GEO worked with the university. He explained, We tried to follow their bargaining agreements, and they basically did nothing. We would have meetings with the university, and they would say all the right things like we hear you and we are working on it, and they would just throw us to the side. It became apparent that they were not taking any of our demands seriously.

Then they forced members of the union to teach in person with basically no protections. We decided to strike. We understand that our demands are going to apply to more than just us. This is a strike for more than just grad students.

When asked what he would say to other students and teachers around the country who want to fight back, Ryan said, In this current environment, with the police murders, COVID-19, with the way the capitalist system and neoliberal university treat workers, we have to take a stand. There is just so much anger simmering below the surface among all these people. Once we provided the tool for people to speak out, there has been an unprecedented turnaround. It has been so remarkable. This moment we are in, it has the chance to turn the tables. It takes courage.

Strikers will return to picket lines this morning exhilarated by their courage and defiance. But if the struggle is to succeed, it must be broadened to the entire working class. This means turning directly to rank-and-file construction, health care and other workers at the University of Michigan and calling for solidarity action by teachers in Detroit and other cities, workers in the auto industry, at Amazon and other logistics firms, and in retail and service industries.

This strike must become the starting point for the development of a powerful industrial and political counteroffensive by the whole working class against both corporate-controlled parties and the capitalist system they defend.

Today, Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 pm, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality is holding a public meeting to discuss the strike and the way forward. We urge all students, workers and faculty in the Ann Arbor area to register today.
Nicholas Sandmann, the 17-year-old high school student who was filmed standing opposite a Native American man at the Lincoln Memorial last year, has hit back at the American Civil Liberties Union official who criticized Transylvania University for accepting him.

Sandmann slammed Samuel Crankshaw, an ACLU communications associate and an alumnus of Transylvania University in Lexington, in an opinion piece for Fox News saying 'it is wrong for any of us to demean people who hold different beliefs'.

The Trump-supporting teen voiced concerns that right-wing students at colleges across America 'face attacks just for speaking out and exercising their First Amendment rights' and vowed that he 'will not be canceled'.

Sandmann is the Covington Catholic High School student who became a hero among conservative-leaning sympathizers after he was criticized on social media when a video surfaced of his encounter with Native American activist Nathan Phillips.

The January 2019 footage showed Sandmann and Phillips standing very close to each other, with Sandmann staring, and at times smiling, as Phillips sang and pounded on a drum.

Sandmann, who last month spoke at the Republican National Convention, sued several news outlets and publications over their coverage of the incident, reaching undisclosed financial settlements with CNN and The Washington Post earlier this year.

ACLU staffer Crankshaw wrote a Facebook post on Saturday criticizing Transylvania University for admitting Sandmann as a student and branded him as a 'provocateur in training.'

Nicholas Sandmann, the 17-year-old high school student who was filmed standing opposite a Native American man at the Lincoln Memorial last year (the incident above), has hit back at the American Civil Liberties Union official who criticized Transylvania University for accepting him

Sandmann lashed out at Crankshaw and so-called 'cancel culture' in his op-ed, questioning whether the official believes only liberals should have access to college education.

'So should only liberals and those on the far-left be able to get a college education? Should there be an ideological purity test required that bars conservatives and Republicans?' Sandmann asked.

The teen, who said he has 'never met Crankshaw', blasted the idea 'frightening' and against the US Constitution.

'Thats a pretty frightening idea and sounds like something you would expect in a totalitarian state, not a democracy where we are all guaranteed free speech by the First Amendment to the Constitution,' he wrote.

The ACLU is a non-profit that aims to defend and preserve the individual constitutional rights and liberties of every person in America.

Sandmann raged that Crankshaw's comments go against this principle.

'The ACLU claims to support free speech but, at least where Crankshaw seems to be concerned, that only applies if you share his ideas,' the 17-year-old wrote.

'While he works for an organization founded on inclusivity, he is quick to exclude differing opinions.

'If you are a conservative like me, watch out. The intolerant left might come for you, too.'

Crankshaw responded to the backlash over his Facebook post this week saying he had a First Amendment right to express his views on Sandmann.

The ACLU also said that as a 'stalwart defender of the First Amendment, the ACLU of Kentucky respects its employees' freedom to express themselves on their own time'.

Sandmann (left) slammed Samuel Crankshaw (right), an ACLU communications associate and an alumnus of Transylvania University in Lexington, in an opinion piece for Fox News saying 'it is wrong for any of us to demean people who hold different beliefs'

Sandmann, 17, put on his 'Make America Great Again' hat while speaking during the second night of the Republican Convention on August 25. He voiced concerns in the op-ed that right-wing students at colleges across America 'face attacks just for speaking out'

Sandmann claimed starting college amid the pandemic - with many institutions taking learning virtual - was 'difficult enough' without Crankshaw's 'unwarranted attack'.

'Beginning the college year during the coronavirus pandemic is difficult enough for millions of students,' he wrote.

'But the beginning of my freshman year at Transylvania University in Kentucky is being made even more difficult by an unwarranted attack against me by the cancel culture due to my conservative views.'

Sandmann went on to reference Jonathan Turley, the conservative constitutional law professor at George Washington University, who first shared Crankshaw's post.

Turley criticized Crankshaw for his comments saying 'it is far more alarming to see an ACLU official rallying people against a young man whose chief offense appears to be that he is publicly (and unapologetically) conservative and pro-life.'

Sandmann said 'Turley is right' and claimed that Republican students are 'face attacks' at colleges across the nation because of their views.

'Colleges have a reputation of being toxic places for conservative, pro-life ideas like the ones I hold,' he wrote.

'Sadly, Im not the only young Republican being attacked for my political beliefs.

'Conservative students on college campuses across America face attacks just for speaking out and exercising their First Amendment rights.'

Sandmann said such attacks come from both 'left-leaning administrators' and fellow students 'who call on campus leadership to cancel events or shut down student organizations that dare challenge their left-wing view of the world'.

The student reinforced his support for Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell saying they 'are the exact leaders we need at a time when liberal mobs take glee in destroying our lives and erasing our voices'.

He likened himself to his icons saying he had also fought against people 'who wish to silence my opinions', adding: 'I will not be canceled'.

ACLU staffer Crankshaw wrote a Facebook post on Saturday criticizing Transylvania University for admitting Sandmann as a student and branded him as a 'provocateur in training'

Transylvania University is a liberal arts college located in Lexington, Kentucky (above)

Sandmann's opinion piece comes days after Crankshaw's Facebook post questioning the college for accepting the avid Trump supporter into its college.

Does anyone else think its a bit of a stain on Transylvania University for accepting Nick Sandman? Crankshaw wrote.

Im sure its a both sides defense, but its pretty counter to their mission and another instance of there not actually being equal sides to an issue.

I think TU should accept anyone willing to have an open mind and engage in debate, regardless of their views.

Thats how we all learn. Thats Transys mission.

Crankshaw added: But this kid clearly is a provocateur in training with no intention of learning.

He exists only to troll, intimidate and play victim.'

The post was shared by Turley who wrote that it was disturbing given the ACLU's mission in protecting free speech rights of all Americans.

'Sandmann like all college students should feel greater freedom in expressing their views at colleges, not being closely monitored as someone with dangerous thoughts and ideas,' Turley wrote in a blog post.

'That fact that figures in the ACLU and academia would publicly espouse such views of intolerance is a chilling example of how our faith in free speech has eroded in the recent years.'

Turley wrote that an assistant professor and diversity scholar at Transylvania, Dr. Avery Tompkins, responded to Crankshaw by pledging to closely monitor Sandmann on campus.

If he were to cause problems by being disruptive, trolling, or engaging in unethical behavior of any kind, I would immediately document it (just like I would for any student doing the same thing)and he would just be putting himself in a position for me to file a conduct report, Tompkins wrote.

Tompkins later apologized, saying in a statement: I want to apologize for my mistake in singling out a student and any misunderstandings that arose from that.

One of my favorite things about working at a liberal arts institution is that the University community has diverse perspectives.

Sandmann became a hero among conservative-leaning sympathizers after he was criticized on social media when a video surfaced of his encounter with Native American activist Nathan Phillips (above)

Both Sandmann, who was wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' cap, and Phillips (seen above in 2017) later said they were trying to defuse tensions among three separate groups participating in various demonstrations, including Black Hebrew Israelites who had arrived apparently to counter-protest the Native Americans

All students, faculty, and staff are able to engage in civil discourse with those whose views may be different from their own, and to learn about those views in an academic setting.

I value and support these conversations with students, and I know that students value these conversations with their peers as well.

Crankshaw defended his comments telling The National Review he was exercising his constitutional rights.

The views I expressed on my Facebook page are my personal views that I shared on my personal time,' he said.

I have a First Amendment right to express them just as Nick Sandmann has a First Amendment right to express his.

Amber Duke, the deputy director of the ACLU offices in Kentucky, told DailyMail.com: 'These were personal views expressed on personal time on a personal Facebook account.

'The views in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the ACLU of Kentucky.

'As a stalwart defender of the First Amendment, the ACLU of Kentucky respects its employees' freedom to express themselves on their own time.'

The ACLU has long prided itself on advocating for the constitutional rights of Americans regardless of political affiliation, though during the Trump era it has been accused of using its clout to favor liberal causes.

In 1978, the ACLU famously defended the rights of neo-Nazis seeking to march through the Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois, a town with a large population of Holocaust survivors.

Sandmann shot to national attention after the incident with Native American activist Phillips in January 2019.

Phillips went up to the student wearing his new red 'MAGA' hat, and pounded on a drum a few inches from his face.

The teenager was excoriated in the media for a smirk he had during the confrontation.

Both Sandmann and Phillips later said they were trying to defuse tensions among three separate groups participating in various demonstrations, including Black Hebrew Israelites who had arrived apparently to counter-protest the Native Americans.

Sandmann, who last month spoke at the Republican National Convention (pictured), sued several news outlets and publications over their coverage of the incident

Sandmann said in August that his 'awkward smile' was an attempt to hide his thoughts and avoid embarrassing himself or further instigating Phillips.

Sandmann reached financial settlements with CNN and The Washington Post, who he sued for defamation.

The amount was nearly disclosed due to a quirk in court rules, but will now remain confidential after the pandemic delayed scheduled hearings until after his 18th birthday.

Sandmann has also sued the three major television networks - NBC, ABC, and CBS - as well as Rolling Stone magazine, Gannett, and The New York Times.

Earlier this year, Sandmann appeared to hint that Twitter would also be sued, tweeting: Dont hold your breath @jack.

The tweet was directed at Jack Dorsey, Twitters CEO.

Sandmann, who was recently hired to help Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's re-election effort in Kentucky, spoke about the controversial Lincoln Memorial encounter at the Republican National Convention last month.

'My life changed forever in that one moment. The full war machine of the mainstream media revved up into attack mode,' Sandmann claimed during his nationally televised speech on August 25.

'They did so without ever researching the full video of the incident; without ever investigating Mr. Philips' motives; or without ever asking me for my side of the story. And do you know why? Because the truth wasn't important.'

'I learned that what was happening to me had a name. It was called being canceled,' he continued. 'Canceled is what's happening to people around this country who refuse to be silenced by the far left. Many are being fired, humiliated or even threatened. Often, the media is a willing participant.'

Sandmann insisted: 'But I wouldn't be cancelled. I fought back hard to expose the media for what they did to me and won a personal victory.'

'While much more must be done, I look forward to the day that the media returns to providing balanced, responsible and accountable news coverage. I know President Trump hopes for that too,' Sandmann concluded his remarks.

He also claimed Trump is the biggest 'victim of unfair media coverage.'

Sandmann told the convention that he bought the 'MAGA' hat while he was in Washington, DC, on a school trip to participate in the pro-life March for Life annual protest through the capital.

'In January 2019, I attended the March for Life in Washington D.C. where I demonstrated in defense of the unborn,' Sandmann detailed during his pre-recorded speech.

'Later that day, I bought a "Make America Great Again" hat because our president, Donald Trump, has distinguished himself as the most pro-life Presidents in the history of our country and I wanted to express my support for him too.'
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday said that the focus will be on skill development in the second tenure of the AAP government.

Sisodia while visiting ITI schools in Delhi, said, "Delhi has laid a strong foundation for school education. Now, concrete steps are being taken to lift the capital as well as the nation from the economic downturn by encouraging skill development and entrepreneurship." During his visit to ITI schools in Hari Nagar and Tilak Nagar, he inquired about the educational activities, functioning, and requirements of both the institutions.

Delhi government in 2019 had passed the Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) Bill and now DSEU will coordinate with different foreign institutions for various courses and knowledge sharing.

Sisodia has planned to visit all the ITI, polytechnic, and skill development centres in Delhi over the next few weeks to understand their needs and what is required to bring them up to global standards of excellence.

Sisodia said, "The Delhi government has taken significant steps for skill development and soon we will see its results. Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University will set an example not only for our country but for the whole world. It is our endeavour that every child should get vocational education as per his or her interest and ability so that they can achieve great success in their careers." As per Delhi government every student will be fully equipped with an adequate understanding of the modern technology and practical training as per the requirement of the industry.

Due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Delhi is fully committed to providing adequate skills and entrepreneurship needed for the economic upliftment of the country.

"Under this, along with the skills training, apprenticeship opportunities will also be given. The main goal will be to provide better placement and attractive salaries to all trainees while winning the trust of the industrial institutions. Financial assistance and scholarships will be available for the students," added Sisodia.
2020 has been good so far for the semiconductor sector. The SOX (PHLX Semiconductor Index) - the industrys overall barometer - is up by 18%, way in front of the S&P 500s 5% uptick.

One chipmaker that has gotten attention lately is Broadcom (AVGO). A strong showing in the companys latest quarterly statement has just received widespread approval from Street analysts.

Count Rosenblatt analyst Hans Mosesmann among those impressed. Following the earnings report, the 5-star analyst reiterated a Buy rating and raised his price target from $370 to $430. The implication for investors? Upside of 19% from current levels. (To watch Mosesmanns track record, click here)

Mosesmann said, Broadcom delivered a nice beat and raise in an investor environment that has suddenly become skittish on macro, Covid-19, inventories, enterprise, etc. Broadcom is seeing particularly good visibility (including the January quarter) in Networking (cloud and telecom) driven by a significant networking switch cycle (Tomahawk3) that is pulling in adjacent Broadcom network and storage silicon.

Lets take a look at the numbers behind the positive assessment. Quarterly revenue hit $5.82 billion, beating consensus by $60 million and exhibiting year-over-year growth of 5.4%.

FQ3 Non-GAAP EPS came in at $5.40, ahead of the Streets forecast by $0.16. Additionally, free cash flow grew by 33% to a record $3.07 billion, far beyond the $2.23 billion consensus estimate.

Even so, management have said that the company continues to feel some constraints on wafers and substrates, while lead times remain extended.

If not for such tight constraints, Mosesmann said, Broadcom would have been able to ship more products in F3Q,

Looking ahead, the company expects another strong quarter, forecasting FQ4 revenue to come in between $6.25 billion to $6.55 billion, above the Streets call for $6.2 billion. The growth on account of a surge in demand for Networking and the expected ramp of 5G phones in Wireless, although these are expected to be offset by weakness in Storage, Broadband, and Industrial.

Story continues

All in all, the current Street ratings display a lot of confidence in the Broadcom story. 23 Buys and 3 Holds coalesce to a Strong Buy consensus rating. At $405.48, the average price target could provide investors with nearly 13% of upside over the coming months. (See Broadcom stock analysis on TipRanks)

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 analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.
Patrick (Paddy, God) Holden

The death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy, God) Holden of 16 Upper Cottages, Borris who died at St. James' Hospital, Dublin. Sadly missed by the Doyle and Holden families, relatives and close friends.

Rest In Peace

In line with Covid Restrictions a private wake will take place for relatives and close friends at Joyce's Funeral Home, Borris from 5pm to 8pm on Thursday. Funeral to arrive at The Sacred Heart Church, Borris for Requiem Mass at 11 am on Friday followed by burial in Tinnahinch Cemetery.

Due to Covid Restrictions a maximium of 50 people can enter the Church, but people can enter the Churchyard / Graveyard while observing social distancing.

Funeral Mass can be viewed on www.borrisparish.ie webcam.

Liz Knox (nee Phelan)

The death has occurred of Liz Knox (nee Phelan) of Suir Crescent, Mooncoin, Kilkenny on Wednesday, 9th September 2020, peacefully, at home, surrounded by her loving family.

Liz will be sadly missed by her loving husband Christy, daughters Sinead (Walsh), Eithne (Knox) and Aisling (Skerritt), sons-in-law Dick and Austin, grandchildren Shona, Louise, Chloe, Craig and Chad, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours and friends.

Funeral arrangements later.

Pat O'Neill

The death has occurred of Pat O'Neill of Abbey Drive, Abbey Park, Ferrybank, Waterford/Mooncoin, Kilkenny



Pat O'Neill, Abbey Drive, Abbey Park, Ferrybank and late of Chapel St. Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny, who died on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, peacefully, at Mooncoin Residential Care Centre, surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his parents John and Polly, brother Sim, and son-in-law Kevin, Pat will be sadly missed by his loving wife Theresa (nee Murphy), sons John, Patrick, Timmy, daughter Mary (Nolan), daughters-in-law Glenys and Rose, son-in-law John Hearn, grandchildren, great grandchildren, brother-in-law Aidan, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours and friends.

Pat will be reposing in Power's Funeral Home, Ferrybank, on Thursday, 10th September, from 5.30pm to 7pm for family and friends. Removal on Friday, 11th September, to The Sacred Heart Church, Ferrybank, arriving for Requiem Mass at 10am, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

House Private

To view Pat's Mass, please click link below at 9.50am on Friday:

https://ferrybankslieverueparishes.ie/ferrybank-webcam/

Jim Russell

The family of Jim Russell (Park View, Freshford Road, Kilkenny) regretfully announce his death, after a short illness September 7 at St. Luke's Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.

Jim, formerly of Colmanswell, Limerick. Beloved husband of Mary and loving father of Seamus, Nora, Lizzie, Anna and Helen. Predeceased by his daughters Mary and Sarah and his son-in-law Pat.

Jim will be sadly missed by his wife and family, daughter-in-law Julia, sons-in-law Tom, Dan, David and Eamon, grandsons Kieran, Dan, Darragh, Patrick, Ronan, Tadhg and Henry, granddaughters Anna, Roisin, Aideen and Christie, great-grandchildren Grace and James, nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law, extended family and former work friends at Kilkenny Greyhound Track.

May Jim Rest in Peace

May our broken hearts be healed in the knowledge that Jim (Dad), a man of great faith and love for family may rest in peace in the arms of the eternal Father.

Jim's final journey will take place on Thursday (Sept. 10th) after the celebration of 11am Requiem Mass in St. Canice's Church to Foulkstown Cemetery. The family request that the house is strictly private. Family flowers only please, donations if desired to the friends of St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. Due to Covid 19 the number of people allowed inside the church is limited to a maximum of 50 people. Please observe social distancing guidelines.

For those who would have liked to attend but cannot, Jim's Requiem Mass will be live streamed on www.stcanicesparish.ie.

Joan McGee

Peacefully, at Saint Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. Pre-deceased by her parents William and Ellen, and brothers Michael, Paddy and Harry. Joan will be sadly missed by sisters Marion and Nancy, niece Helen, cousin George, nephews and nieces, relatives and friends.

May Joan rest in peace.

Funeral arriving at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Moneenroe, on Thursday evening at 7.30pm. Requiem Mass on Friday at 11am, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. House Private Please.

Joan's Requiem Mass will be live streamed on the Parish webcam: www.cloghparish.ie. In keeping with current government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a maximum of 50 people allowed in the church.

Social distancing protocols remain in place, face coverings should be worn in appropriate circumstances and people should refrain from handshaking and hugging.
At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, more than 40,000 students take tests twice a week for the coronavirus. They cannot enter campus buildings unless an app vouches that their test has come back negative. Everyone has to wear masks.

This is one of the most comprehensive plans by a major college to keep the virus under control. University scientists developed a quick, inexpensive saliva test. Other researchers put together a detailed computer model that suggested these measures would work, and that in-person instruction could go forward this fall.

But the predictive model included an oversight: It assumed that all of the students would do all of the things that they were told to.

Enough students continued to go to parties even after testing positive, showing how even the best thought-out plans to keep college education moving can fail when humans do not heed common sense or the commands from public health officials.
Franchise agreements are important and necessary legal contracts between the franchisor and the person interested in opening a franchise.

According to federal law, these multiyear arrangements must include key provisions, including a fee schedule and the use of a trademark or trade name, to be considered proper franchise agreements.

While franchise agreements are relatively standard, with the right legal advice, you can negotiate terms.

This article is for people who are interested in opening a franchise of an established business.

Whether it's a restaurant, a hardware store or a hair salon, opening a franchise of an existing business cuts out a lot of the groundwork required to successfully launch a new venture. In exchange for a fee, you'll have the rights to use select trademarks of an already-known entity, greatly reducing your efforts to raise brand recognition. You'll also receive marketing material, an operations handbook or both, giving you formulas and processes that have already been proven in the marketplace.

Before you open your doors, though, you'll need a franchise agreement that formalizes your arrangement with the franchisor. Before signing on the dotted line, you should have a clear understanding of what franchise agreements are, what they typically entail and what to look out for before agreeing to anything.

What is a franchise agreement?

A franchise agreement is a binding legal document between a franchisor and a franchisee. This document spells out the expectations, obligations, permissions and restrictions for operating the franchise. A franchise agreement also outlines a fee schedule that the franchisee pays to the franchisor, including amounts or percentages and the frequency of payments.

"Franchise agreements are the Bible of the franchising industry  they are the most vital agreements for governing the relationship between franchisees and franchisors," said Evan Goldman, a partner at the New Jersey-based law firm A.Y. Strauss and chairman of the firm's franchise and hospitality practice group. [Read related article: Ultimate Guide to Business Franchising]

How does a franchise agreement work?

Franchise agreements assign the rights to use a franchisor's intellectual property and resources to a franchisee for a predetermined amount of time. The rights and allowances assigned to a franchisee are very specific and leave little room for expansion or error.

"You are only allowed to use the things you are explicitly given the rights to use," Goldman said. "If your franchise agreement says you can only do three things listed in the agreement, it means you cannot do a fourth thing not mentioned."

These provisions are enforced to ensure brand continuity, and the franchisor's standards are upheld consistently, no matter where in the U.S. or the world the franchise is located, he said.

"You want the franchise to look and feel identical, no matter if you walk into a location in New York, Iowa or Europe," Goldman said.

Key takeaway: Franchise agreements explicitly award franchisees the rights to use certain trademarks, such as logos or slogans, in particular ways. Anything outside those explicit parameters or anything not explicitly mentioned in the agreement are not allowed.

What is a franchise disclosure document?

By law, franchisors must provide franchisees with a franchise disclosure document to review before any money is exchanged. The Federal Trade Commission requires franchisors to disclose 23 points relevant to the franchising opportunity, including the following:

Information about the franchisor.

Financing information, including initial investment estimates.

The items to which a franchisee is entitled.

The territory given to the franchisee.

An outline of what will be contained in the franchise agreement.

Key takeaway: Federal law requires the disclosure of 23 key points about a franchise, which are laid out in a franchise disclosure document, before any money is exchanged.

What is typically included in a franchise agreement?

According to Goldman, three elements must be included in a franchise agreement:

A franchise fee. Some amount of money must be paid by the franchisee to the franchisor.

Some amount of money must be paid by the franchisee to the franchisor. A trademark or trade name. The franchisee must be given permission in the agreement to use the franchisor's intellectual property, such as logos and trade names.

The franchisee must be given permission in the agreement to use the franchisor's intellectual property, such as logos and trade names. A marketing system or a method of operations. The franchisee must be provided with either a system for marketing and advertising, such as posters and promotions, or with proprietary information on how to run the franchise so it looks and feels like others with the same name. Goldman noted that some franchise agreements provide both, depending on the type of franchise. For example, a restaurant may provide a marketing system and a method of operations, while a janitorial service may provide only a method of operations.

If an agreement includes these three elements, federal law automatically regards it as a franchise agreement, no matter what it may be called.

"A franchisor can call itself a membership or a license, but when these three requirements are met, you are entering a franchise agreement," Goldman said, noting that some franchise agreements may attempt to masquerade as licensing agreements. "A pure licensing agreement gives you permission to use the name and logo, and that's it  you don't get the marketing help or method of operations that you would get from a franchise."

Outside of these three main provisions, Goldman said, the remainder of the agreement can vary depending on the franchise type and size, among other factors.

"Every franchisor is slightly different because every brand will want something different from their franchisee," Goldman said.

Key takeaway: If an agreement has a fee structure, allows the use of trademarks and provides a marketing system and/or method of operations, it is automatically considered a franchise agreement. Other specific provisions may be included depending on the parties' negotiation.

How long do franchise agreements last?

According to Goldman, franchise agreements are generally entered into for multiple years. They typically last between five and 25 years, with 10 years being the average length of a franchise agreement. The agreements also often include renewal terms. Some states, including New Jersey and Wisconsin, recognize perpetual franchise agreements. These are franchise agreements that renew every 10 years, sometimes automatically, indefinitely.

While franchisees cannot terminate a franchise agreement ahead of schedule, they can transfer or sell their interest to another party that wants to fulfill the remainder of the contract.

"If you shut down a franchise agreement early, you may get hit with liquidated damages, which is typically two to three years of royalty payments, and there will be a judgment that will require you to pay it back," Goldman said.

Importantly, Goldman noted that many franchisees are personally liable for paying royalty fees, called a personal guaranty, which can make breaking an agreement a costly and risky endeavor.

Key takeaway: Most (but not all) franchise agreements last 10 years. Make sure you know the penalties for breaking an agreement.

Can you negotiate the terms of a franchise agreement?

Not every franchise agreement is set in stone, but depending on the franchise, there may be room to negotiate certain points. Older, more established franchises are less likely to be flexible, while newer franchises may be willing to be more accommodating on certain points.

"The goal is to get the agreement as balanced as humanly possible between franchisor and franchisee," Goldman said.

Here are some items you may be able to negotiate:

Territory : Exclusivity within a certain ZIP code, neighborhood or distance from your location may be requested. This can help with reducing competition and increasing the chances of the success of your franchise's location.

: Exclusivity within a certain ZIP code, neighborhood or distance from your location may be requested. This can help with reducing competition and increasing the chances of the success of your franchise's location. Grand opening assistance : When it comes time for your grand opening, the franchisor may be willing to provide extra help, such as marketing staff or money, to help promote the opening of your new franchise.

: When it comes time for your grand opening, the franchisor may be willing to provide extra help, such as marketing staff or money, to help promote the opening of your new franchise. Transfers: You may be able to negotiate the ability to transfer the franchise to an inheritor as part of your estate.

Goldman cautioned that fees are rarely, if ever, up for discussion, especially with established franchises.

"Unless you're the first or second person ever to franchise a particular business, fees are pretty much set in stone," Goldman said.

Key takeaway: Franchisors and franchisees should aim to reach an agreement that's fair to both parties, although certain elements, particularly fee structures, may not be up for debate.

Franchise agreement best practices

Just like any other agreement, franchise agreements should be reviewed carefully before you sign on the dotted line. Keep these items in mind when you're thinking about entering a franchise agreement:

Get legal advice . According to Goldman, most franchisees don't hire a lawyer when negotiating with a franchisor. Without legal advice, franchisees may end up getting the short end of the stick  a particularly tricky predicament, especially when personal guarantee provisions are involved.

. According to Goldman, most franchisees don't hire a lawyer when negotiating with a franchisor. Without legal advice, franchisees may end up getting the short end of the stick  a particularly tricky predicament, especially when personal guarantee provisions are involved. Know what territory you're being provided . Franchise agreements may or may not offer exclusivity for a certain territory, whether that's a certain block, neighborhood, ZIP code or distance from your location.

. Franchise agreements may or may not offer exclusivity for a certain territory, whether that's a certain block, neighborhood, ZIP code or distance from your location. Understand the difference between "may" and "shall ." Be clear from the get-go as to what the franchisor must provide and what they can, but don't have to, provide. "May" means that the franchisor could provide something but is under no legal obligation to do so, while "shall" means that the item in question must be honored. According to Goldman, the difference can be exponential and can help you properly manage expectations between you and the franchisor.

." Be clear from the get-go as to what the franchisor must provide and what they can, but don't have to, provide. "May" means that the franchisor could provide something but is under no legal obligation to do so, while "shall" means that the item in question must be honored. According to Goldman, the difference can be exponential and can help you properly manage expectations between you and the franchisor. Don't ask to move mountains. While negotiating is part of the franchise agreement process, don't expect drastic changes to your agreement, especially from well-established and globally recognized brands that have been in operation for decades. Seek legal advice for best practices on what you can request to change and what your chances may be for revised provisions.

Key takeaway: Utilize legal help before entering a franchise agreement so you fully understand your obligations, the franchisor's obligations and the rights you're being awarded as a franchisee.
TYSONS, Va., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PenFed Credit Union, the nation's second largest federal credit union, today announced the donation of 500 laptop computers, valued at over $125,000, to support the education of children of military families. The laptops will come with Microsoft office software pre-loaded by PenFed, and will be distributed by the Armed Services YMCA in support of their mission to help junior-enlisted military service members and their families thrive wherever the military sends them.

"During this period of distance learning, we were concerned that the families of some junior military personnel might not have the resources to enable their children to keep up with their classes," said Ed Cody, PenFed Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Our efforts to repurpose PenFed laptops will enable children to be online with their teachers, complete their school work and have a successful academic year. We would like to see other credit unions and industry leaders implement similar programs for their communities."

PenFed has a strong legacy of being a military-friendly company. The credit union donates 2% of its annual net income to charitable organizations, with the majority going to military charities. The PenFed Foundation, a national 501(c)3 founded by PenFed Credit Union, was created in 2001 and, since then, has provided more than $38.5 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members, families and caregivers.

"PenFed is proud to support the Armed Services YMCA and we are honored to positively impact the lives of children of military families across our nation," said PenFed Credit Union President/CEO and PenFed Foundation CEO James Schenck. "As we move forward this school year, I encourage every company with the resources to consider repurposing laptops and technology equipment to provide students with the tools they need to learn virtually."

Earlier this year, PenFed welcomed its 2 millionth member and is celebrating the milestone by donating over $2 million in 2020 to charities supporting the communities it serves and to the PenFed Foundation supporting military families.

"On behalf of the young men and women who serve our country and their families, the Armed Services YMCA extends sincere thanks to PenFed for this generous gift," said Armed Services YMCA CEO and retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. William French. "The donation provides relief for military families as many children are learning virtually and require a laptop, an additional expense that many did not budget for during a year that has brought many changes."

About PenFed Credit Union

Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving over 2.1 million members worldwide with over $26 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services with members' interests always in mind. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org, like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter. Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

About Armed Services YMCA

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves currently serving military members and their families. In 2019, ASYMCA engaged more than 250,000 participants in its programs and delivered more than 1.3 million points of service to junior enlisted Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen and family members at 200 service centers in 18 states. Whether providing respite child care for parents in need, summer camps for kids, or assisting with emergency needs, the Armed Services YMCA is a nonprofit with a mission: Strengthening Our Military Family. Visit www.asymca.org to join us in supporting military families.

SOURCE PenFed Credit Union

Related Links

http://www.PenFed.org


BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

A draft law On the approval of the Agreement on the interaction of customs authorities of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on the protection of intellectual property rights, was submitted for discussion at a meeting of the Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship of Azerbaijans Parliament, Trend reports.

The agreement, signed at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the CIS member states on May 31, 2019 in Ashgabat, has a clause of Azerbaijan.

According to the clause, none of the rights, obligations and provisions set forth in the agreement will be applied by Azerbaijan to Armenia, as well as to activities carried out in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, until their liberation by Armenia and the complete elimination of the consequences of the aggression.

After discussions, the bill was recommended for consideration at the plenary session of the Parliament.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 20:31:54|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Iran rose to 395,488 on Thursday, after an overnight registration of 2,063 new infections, official news agency IRNA reported.

Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said at her daily briefing that 129 people died in the past 24 hours of the novel coronavirus, taking the death toll to 22,798 in the country.

Out of the 2,063 new cases, 1,041 patients required hospitalization, according to the spokeswoman.

Besides, 340,842 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, while 3,728 remain in critical condition in intensive care units.

The number of laboratory tests for COVID-19 carried out in Iran so far is 3,483,727, the spokeswoman said.

The risk of infection is high in 13 Iranian provinces, and 15 others are on alert situation, she added.

Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19.

Iran and China have offered mutual help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China, and donated 3 million masks to China.

In return, China has delivered several shipments of medical supplies to Iran. On Feb. 29, a five-member Chinese medical team visited Iran for a month-long mission to help Iran fight the pandemic. Enditem
Im so proud of our teams ongoing commitment to creativity, innovation and flawless execution that has kept us one of the nations leaders for 14 years.

Meeting Expectations announced today that it has been named to MeetingsNets 2020 CMI 25 list, honoring the largest full-service corporate meeting and incentive travel management companies in the U.S. This is the companys 14th consecutive appearance on the list.

MeetingsNet CMI 25 truly reflects the most skilled and experienced companies in our industry, said Jalene Bermudez, founding partner and president of Meeting Expectations. Im so proud of our teams ongoing commitment to creativity, innovation and flawless execution that has kept us one of the nations leaders for 14 years."

To achieve the 2020 CMI 25, Meeting Expectations planned and executed 182 corporate meetings and 20 incentive travel programs in 2019. The dedicated site selection team booked more than 94,000 hotel room nights for client events such as the annual user conference for Manhattan Associates, franchisee conferences for Arbys and Tropical Smoothie, and an incentive trip for Comfort Keepers franchisees. Additional criteria for the award include the companys full-time staff and percent of business focused solely on event management.

The CMI 25 profiles include statistics on business volume, top customer markets, and company news to give readers a sense of the size and focus of these industry-leading firms.

The annual report is a unique resource for corporations looking for experienced event planning partners, said Sue Hatch, content director for MeetingsNet. While 2020 has been an extraordinarily difficult year for the meetings and incentives industry, the experience and creativity these companies to bring to the table will serve them well as they face the challenges of creating engaging virtual meetings and developing new operating procedures for the return to face-to-face events.

The CMI 25 list is published in the September 2020 issue of the MeetingsNet digital edition (http://www.meetingsnet.com/digital-edition), and on http://www.meetingsnet.com.

About Meeting Expectations

Meeting Expectations is a professional services firm providing full-service meetings and event planning, association management, leadership consulting, and marketing services. Established in 1992, the company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with satellite locations across the U.S., including Denver, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In 2019, the company managed 15 associations and executed more than 200 events and incentive travel programs  touching the lives of more than 300,000 people. For more information, visit https://meetingexpectations.com and follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/meeting-expectations/.
Velodyne Lidar, Inc. today announced the third annual World Safety Summit on Autonomous Technology (WSS) that will address safety and autonomy issues in vehicle transportation. The summit brings together a diverse group of experts and thought leaders from industry, government, journalism and academia to advance understanding about how autonomous technologies can enable safer mobility.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005272/en/

The World Safety Summit on Autonomous Technology, which takes place on October 22, 2020, will address safety and autonomy issues in vehicle transportation. (Graphic: Velodyne Lidar)

The 2020 World Safety Summit takes place on October 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PDT. It is being held as a virtual event. For more information and to register, please go to: 2020 World Safety Summit.

The summits first keynote speaker is Dr. Mark Rosekind, Chief Safety Innovation Officer at Zoox. Summit topics include authentic self-driving programs, advanced driver assistance systems, regulatory practices and the future of autonomy. The event will promote collaboration of a broad range of perspectives and creative solutions, delivering transparency and education to advance the potential of autonomous technologies for improving safety on roadways.

This years summit is joining together with the Western Automotive Journalists Silicon Valley Reinvents the Wheel, an annual automotive technology conference. Charlie Vogelheim, President of Western Automotive Journalists and an expert with over 30 years of automotive industry experience, will be moderator for the summit.

WSS Webinar Miniseries

In advance of the summit, Velodyne is hosting a weekly webinar miniseries to preview topics on the safety and transportation benefits that can be achieved with autonomous technologies. Each webinar will be brief and impactful, sharing compelling knowledge and insights in a 15-minute format.

The weekly miniseries kicks off on September 11 at 10:00 a.m. PDT and runs through October 18, leading up to the World Safety Summit. The first two episodes feature:

September 11: Charlie Vogelheim, President, Western Automotive Journalists

September 18: Tara Andringa, Executive Director, PAVE



To register for the September 11 webinar, please go to: WSS Webinar Miniseries.

The World Safety Summit has a great lineup of expert speakers who will spark engaging dialogue on the safety benefits that can be achieved with autonomous vehicles, said Sally Frykman, Vice President of Communications, Velodyne Lidar. These conversations will not only inform but also be the catalyst for collaboration in making safer mobility a reality.

About Velodyne Lidar

Velodyne provides smart, powerful lidar solutions for autonomy and driver assistance. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Velodyne is known worldwide for its portfolio of breakthrough lidar sensor technologies. Velodynes founder, David Hall, invented real-time surround view lidar systems in 2005 as part of Velodyne Acoustics. Mr. Halls invention revolutionized perception and autonomy for automotive, new mobility, mapping, robotics, and security. Velodynes high-performance product line includes a broad range of sensing solutions, including the cost-effective Puck, the versatile Ultra Puck, the autonomy-advancing Alpha Prime, the ADAS-optimized Velarray, and the groundbreaking software for driver assistance, Vella.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005272/en/
The media endlessly attacked Sarah Palin when she was a much-talked about female vice presidential candidate in 2008, but they treat Kamala Harris with kid gloves.

Most of the questions for her from the press amount to puppets asking Harris to trash President Trump. Rarely do they ask Harris, or Biden for that matter, about their policies or what they have said or done in the past.

Here is a sample of meaningful questions that real journalists could ask Harris:

You have said you want to ban fracking. Biden has gone back and forth saying he would ban fracking and sometimes he wouldnt. Which one is it?

You sought to destroy Kavanaugh with unverified stories of what he did as a teenager, yet you give Biden a pass for a credible accusation of a woman he attacked when he was a senator. Why?

Was it O.K. that Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid to Ukraine if they didnt fire a prosecutor investigating a corrupt company that paid his son Hunter Biden millions for doing nothing?

Isnt it pure corruption when the Bidens and the Clintons get massive kickbacks from foreign parties while sucking off the public trough?

Is it O.K. that sanctuary cities and states pick and choose which federal laws they are going to enforce, or should they follow their oath to enforce the laws on the books?

Was it constitutional for President Obama to dictatorially and unilaterally implement DACA? Is the president allowed to make laws? Is it proper for judges to act like it is the law?

How come you wouldnt prosecute Catholic priests for sexual and child abuse? Where was your empathy?

Bombshell report: Kamala Harris refused to pursue criminal cases against Catholic Priest sex offenders As most people know, prior to her being a Senator, she served as the chief prosecutor for the city of San Francisco. Now, complaints are coming forward that she flat out refused to pursue criminal cases against Catholic priests who allegedly sexually battered children. People who say they were victims of childhood sexual abuse call out Harris for not doing all that she could to prosecute their cases. Joey Piscitelli, who himself is a survivor of sex abuse, says that the DA before Harris, Terence Hallinan, worked hard at getting he and his fellow victims justice. However, after Harris beat Hallinan in the election, the progress they were making to prosecute the cases seemed to stop altogether.

And here is a sample of questions that should be asked of Biden, Harris and all the journalists who are openly campaigning for them:

Which policies are you proposing that would help poor people and people of all races move up the economic ladder vs. making more people dependent on government?

Wont raising the minimum wage to a universal $15 greatly harm the young, the elderly. The poor and the less educated as they lose opportunities? Do you realize how much harm that does to small and medium sized cities and especially rural areas which struggle to provide jobs? Do you realize that most areas of the United States are cheaper than San Francisco, New York, LA and Chicago? So why should there be a uniform wage?

Can you please provide any scientific data to show that oil use has a direct correlation with temperatures, sea levels and storm activity before you intentionally destroy millions of jobs and move the country backwards. Why is it so warm this year and why do we have so much storm activity since oil use is substantially lower? Do you realize that there have been many lengthy warming periods in the Earths history before man and oil could have had anything to do with it?

Why do you believe you should block poor childrens opportunities to attend charter and private schools?

Do you think biological males should be able to compete with women in sports?

Why is it O.K. for the government to require photo IDs to set up a bank account and get medical care but not to vote?

Isnt one of the most idiotic deadly decisions on COVID-19 when Cuomo and other governors forced nursing homes to take in sick people to kill vulnerable elderly residents?

Why were the experts wrong when they predicted a super spread of the virus for in person voting in Wisconsin, the Memorial Day gathering in the Ozarks, Trumps rally in Tulsa, Trumps rally at Mt Rushmore, Trumps July 4th gathering in DC and the huge gathering at Sturgis? Shouldnt the public be told the truth instead of continuing to scare them and keep the economy down?

Shouldnt the public be told that CDC says that only 9% of the deaths were caused by COVID-19 alone and that medical experts say that 90% of the people that tested positive werent really contagious? Doesnt the truth matter more than the agenda of putting radical leftists in power?

What do you think of the souls of people who will let unwanted babies die on a table without providing health care? Where is the empathy for the most vulnerable? Why would we trust people who would withhold health care from newborn babies to provide health care for the rest of us.

Here is a suggestion for Democrat campaign workers posing as journalists. Dont ever ask a politician what they think of someone elses soul. Very few people are experts on other peoples souls. Certainly not journalists or politicians.

Image credit: YouTube screen shot, processed with FotoSketcher.
LONDON, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Plasma Fractionation Market by Product [Immunoglobulins (Intravenous, Subcutaneous), Coagulation Factors, Albumin], Application (Immunology, Hematology, Neurology), and End User (Hospital, Clinical Research Lab, Academic Institutes) - Global Forecast to 2027", published by Meticulous Research, the plasma fractionation market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% from 2020 to reach $41.4 billion by 2027.

Download Free Sample Report Now @ https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5117

Fractionation process is the separation, extraction, and purification of specific components from the plasma. The products extracted from the plasma are used for treating various disorders. Immunoglobulins are useful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and increasing the immune response. Clotting factors are used in the treatment of blood disorders, such as hemophilia and albumins, which are useful in cases of depleted albumin levels or during fluid loss. As the prevalence of diseases, such as hemophilia and autoimmune disease are increasing, the demand for plasma-derived products is also expected to accelerate in the coming years.

COVID-19 Leading to Increased Use of Plasma Products in Clinical Trials

Limited data is available to suggest that convalescent plasma and hyperimmune globulin may have benefits in the COVID-19 illness. This is why the evaluation of these therapies in the context of a clinical trial and expanded access program is vital. Hence, well-controlled clinical trials are conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of plasma treatment. Some of these include:

In February 2020 , the interventional clinical trial was started in China to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with severe 2019- nCoV pneumonia with the enrolment of 80 participants.

, the interventional clinical trial was started in to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with severe 2019- nCoV pneumonia with the enrolment of 80 participants. In April 2020 , the interventional clinical trial was started in France in regard to the early treatment with polyvalent immunoglobulin in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections. One hundred thirty-eight participants were enrolled in the study.

, the interventional clinical trial was started in in regard to the early treatment with polyvalent immunoglobulin in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections. One hundred thirty-eight participants were enrolled in the study. The clinical trial 'The COVID-IG trial: intramuscular (IM) injection of COVID-19-convalescent hyperimmune immunoglobulin (COVID-IG) to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in high-risk persons' was carried out in April 2020 in the U.S.

Speak to our Analysts to Understand the Impact of COVID-19 on Your Business: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/cp_id=5117

The plasma fractionation market study presents historical market data in terms of value (2018 and 2019), estimated current data (2020), and forecasts for 2027 -by product, application, and end user. The study also evaluates industry competitors and analyzes the market at the regional and country level.

On the basis of product type, the immunoglobulins segment expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the rising adoption of immunoglobulins for treating disorders, such as autoimmune, primary & secondary immunodeficiency, and neurological diseases.

On the basis of application, the neurology segment expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to rising prevalence of neurological disorders and the use of plasma-derived products for treating these disorders.

Based on the end user, hospitals and clinics segment is estimated to command the largest share of the overall plasma fractionation market in 2020. Hospitals are widely present in urban as well as in rural areas. The growing need for therapies for immunodeficiency disorders, growing number of hospitals & healthcare expenditure, and consumption of plasma-derived products by hospitals & clinics for therapies compared to others are some of the major factors driving the growth of this segment.

Quick Buy - Plasma Fractionation Market Research Report: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/buy_now.php?pformat=421&vformat=1249

Geographically, North America estimated to dominate the global plasma fractionation market in 2020, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. The growing number of respiratory diseases is expected to increase the adoption of the coagulation factor, which, in turn, will drive the market for plasma fractionation in North America. Also, the surge in consumption of immunoglobulins, increasing plasma collection centers, and presence of key players are some of the major factors driving the North American market. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. Factors such as the rising consumption of plasma-derived products, presence of leading players, and contract fractionation agreements between countries are the drivers for the APAC market.

The report also includes an extensive assessment of the product portfolio, geographic analysis, and key strategic developments adopted by leading market participants in the industry over the past four years (2017-2020). The plasma fractionation market has witnessed a number of new product launches; partnership, agreements, & collaborations; expansions; and acquisitions. For instance, in February 2020, Grifols, S.A (Spain) collaborated with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) for the formation of a network of plasma collection centers and other facilities for the production of plasma medicines, including a plasma fractionation plant and a purification plant in Saudi Arabia. Also, in December 2019, Biotest AG (Germany) opened its fourth plasma collection center in the Czech Republic.

The key players operating in the global plasma fractionation market are CSL Limited (Australia), Grifols, S.A. (Spain), Octopharma AG (Switzerland), Kedrion S.P.A. (Italy), Shire plc (U.K.), Biotest AG (Germany), China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. (China), Bio Products Laboratory Ltd (U.K.), Japan Blood Products Organization (Japan), and Shanghai RAAS Blood Products Co., Ltd. (China) among others.

To gain more insights into the market with a detailed table of content and figures, click here: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/plasma-fractionation-market-5117/

Scope of the Report:

Plasma Fractionation Market, by Product Type

Immunoglobulins

Intravenous Immunoglobulins



Subcutaneous Immunoglobulins



Others

Coagulation Factors

Albumin

Protease Inhibitors

Others

Plasma Fractionation Market, by Application

Immunology

Hematology

Neurology

Critical Care

Hemato-Oncology

Rheumatology

Others

Plasma Fractionation Market, by End User

Hospitals& Clinics

Clinical Research Laboratories

Academic Institutes

Plasma Fractionation Market, by Geography

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

Germany



France



U.K.



Italy



Spain



Rest of Europe (RoE)

(RoE) Asia-Pacific (APAC)

(APAC) China



Japan



India



Rest of APAC (RoAPAC)

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

Download Free Sample Report Now @ https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5117

Amidst this crisis, Meticulous Research is continuously assessing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on various sub-markets and enables global organizations to strategize for the post-COVID-19 world and sustain their growth. Let us know if you would like to assess the impact of COVID-19 on any industry here- https://www.meticulousresearch.com/custom-research.php

Related Reports:

Plasmapheresis Market Size by Product Type (Instruments and Disposables), by Technology (Centrifugation and Membrane Filtration), by Application (Therapeutic Plasmapheresis and Source Plasma Collection), by End User (Biopharmaceutical Companies, Hospitals and Clinics, Others) - Global Forecasts to 2022

https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/plasmapheresis-market-2022/

Vaccines Market by Indication (Influenza, Rotavirus, DTP Vaccines), Route of Administration (Intramuscular, Subcutaneous, Oral), Type/Antigen (Conjugate Vaccine, Live Attenuated Vaccine), Valence (Multivalent, Monovalent Vaccines) - Global Forecast to 2027

https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/vaccines-market-5076/

Research Antibodies and Reagents Market by Product (Reagent [Sample Preparation (Media, Probe, Buffer), Antibody Production Reagent], Antibody [Type, Source, Research Area]), Technology (Western Blot, ELISA), Application, End User - Global Forecast to 2025

https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/research-antibodies-reagents-market-5055/

About Meticulous Research

Meticulous Research was founded in 2010 and incorporated as Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. in 2013 as a private limited company under the Companies Act, 1956. Since its incorporation, the company has become the leading provider of premium market intelligence in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

The name of our company defines our services, strengths, and values. Since the inception, we have only thrived to research, analyze and present the critical market data with great attention to details. With the meticulous primary and secondary research techniques, we have built strong capabilities in data collection, interpretation, and analysis of data including qualitative and quantitative research with the finest team of analysts. We design our meticulously analyzed intelligent and value-driven syndicate market research reports, custom studies, quick turnaround research, and consulting solutions to address business challenges of sustainable growth.

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Mr. Khushal Bombe

Meticulous Research

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Content Source: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/press-release/plasma-fractionation-market-2027/474

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China will work to further expand the availability of public-interest preschool education, whilst also encouraging, supporting and regulating the participation of the private sector, according to a draft of the country's proposed preschool education law.

The draft was unveiled on Sept. 7 to solicit public opinion, following Chinese lawmakers' call for the improvement of preschool education.

The proposed law specifies that governments at all levels shall provide good preschool education resources to children by building public kindergartens or supporting private ones. The education of preschool children from families with financial difficulties or impoverished areas shall be a priority.

A nationwide financial assistance scheme will be established to provide free access to early childhood education to orphans, de facto orphans, children living in difficult financial circumstances, and children with disabilities.

In addition, these development efforts will be included in the country's overall planning of public management and public service facilities in urban and rural areas.

The draft also suggests that other public institutions work to create a favorable social environment for early childhood learning. Public museums, libraries, galleries, and sci-tech museums shall open to preschool children for free or with discounts, it says.

Statistics show that the Chinese central government's fiscal input for preschool education has been rising over the past few years, reaching 15 billion yuan in 2018 and 16.85 billion yuan in 2019.

Cities across China have also been making efforts to make early childhood education resources available to all preschool children. Beijing, for instance, has increased its preschool admission quota by 30,000 this year. Over 80% of kindergartens in Beijing are of the public-interest type; this meets the State Council's 2020 target, set in November 2018.

Shanghai has also established a basic public service system for early childhood education. Currently, 71.5% of preschool children in the city attend public kindergartens.

Likewise, Shenzhen has been increasing its public budget in the sector: it rose from 2.08 billion yuan in early 2018 to 7.21 billion yuan this year, which is annual growth of 86.28%. The city government also issues 1,500 yuan of subsidies to each preschool child, which can be used for health checks, purchases of books and toys, or tuition fee deduction.
BRIDGEPORT  It was a dramatic crash.

On July 3, a tractor-trailer carrying high-end cars tumbled over and over along Interstate 95s southbound lanes, nearly wiping out a half dozen cars before coming to rest, its cargo flattened, against the jersey barrier near Exit 29. Two motorists suffered minor injuries but state police said miraculously no one was killed in the more than 400 feet of destruction.

The impetus that led to this horrific scene, according to police, started with a different car crash the day before.

On Wednesday, 32-year-old Tony Payton Jr. was charged with four counts of first-degree larceny and one count each of second-degree larceny, reckless driving and evading responsibility.

To get to this point, state police said Payton stole a truck in New Haven, stole the car carrier and later tried to steal another one.

The facts of this case are very unique, Senior Assistant States Attorney Kevin Dunn said during Paytons arraignment Wednesday. It ended in an extraordinarily dangerous event. It was a miracle no one was killed.

It certainly is a unique statement of facts, agreed Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton.

She ordered Payton, who stood in his cell smiling, held in lieu of $75,000 bond and continued the case to Nov. 21.

As state police got to the crash scene, they said they were met by the driver of the trailer who had just been dropped off at the scene by a motorist, according to Paytons arrest warrant affidavit

The driver told them he had been ferrying the cars to a dealer in the Bronx when a man driving a small truck pulled up alongside him on I-95 and yelled out the window that the trailer was on fire, state police said.

The driver pulled the rig over and got out of his truck to inspect the trailer when the man, later identified as Payton, suddenly jumped into the tractor and drove off, state police said. The truck driver then flagged down a passing motorist and convinced him to chase after his payload, according to the affidavit.

But state police said what led to the crash actually began a day earlier.

On July 2, Payton was involved in a car crash in Meriden, state police said. He was taken to Midstate Medical Center for his injuries. While there, police said Payton begged the staff to get in touch with local media to publicize his plight as a homeless man.

But police said the staff refused. Instead, they agreed to give him taxi fare to a homeless shelter in New Haven.

When he got to the shelter, it was closed, according to the affidavit.

State police said Payton claimed he found himself stranded and then he noticed a truck parked nearby with its motor running.

Needing to get back home to Bridgeport, I decided I was going to take this truck, Payton told police, according to the affidavit.

State police said Payton was driving on I-95 in the stolen truck when he spotted the the car carrier and allegedly decided he would rather be driving that rig.

But after allegedly stealing the car carrier, police said Payton realized that it was not easy to drive at high speed. They said he panicked when the trailer broke lose and, after speeding off in the tractor, ended up abandoning it on Sheridan Avenue in Bridgeport.

The following day, state police said they got a call of an attempted theft of another car carrier in Darien.

They said they got to the Darien rest area on I-95 as a man identified as Payton was allegedly attempting to drive off with the car carrier. He claimed he got annoyed when the driver sounded his air horn at him, state police said.

Payton was charged with kidnapping, larceny and burglary charges in that incident.
Producer Jeon Byung-jin, left, and director Cho Kyung-hun of horror-thriller animated film "Beauty Water" pose for a picture after an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of SS Animent



By Kwak Yeon-soo



Horror-thriller animated film "Beauty Water," directed by Cho Kyung-hun, is adapted from a popular webcomic "Tales of the Unusual" by cartoonist Oh Seong-dae.



It revolves around a girl named Ye-ji who comes across mysterious water that enables her to lose weight and reshape her appearance. She finds her life is more in danger the more she desires to be beautiful.



While keeping the original webcomic's eccentric world view, the film adds to the story with dynamic movements and vivid drawings.



The work lampoons the absurdity of modern society's obsession with appearance through the protagonist, who is swayed by the beauty standards that end up destroying her.



Making its world premiere at the 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, the film was invited to 12 international film festivals so far, including Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada and Sitges Film Festival in Spain. It also sold distribution rights to five countries/regions already  Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.



Producer Jeon Byung-jin, who oversaw the marketing and distribution of "Beauty Water," explained that it took about six years to complete the project.



"After a series of failed attempts to raise money from local and foreign investors, we received funding from Seoul Business Agency's Seoul Animation Center and the Korean Film Council. It was a difficult process due to a lack of commercially successful local cases," Jeon said during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday. "We've also invested our own money into it."



Despite the difficult working constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeon and Cho said they are thrilled to be presenting their long-awaited film.



Below is an excerpt of The Korea Times interview with producer Jeon and director Cho and on their six-year journey to make "Beauty Water."





A scene from the film ""Beauty Water;" Ye-ji, hurt by other people's negative attitudes about her appearance, comes across "beauty water," which enables her to lose weight and reshape her appearance. / Courtesy of SS Animent



Q. What sparked the initial idea behind "Beauty Water?"

Jeon: The project started in 2013 when Korean contents, including webcomics, were popular among Chinese consumers. Back then, we heard about the rising demand for animations in China and wanted to take advantage of that situation. We noticed that the two most popular genres are sex comedy and horror thriller. We decided to go with the latter one because we thought the horror thriller genre can appeal to subculture fans in other countries as well.



Cho: "Beauty Water" is just one part of Oh Seong-dae's omnibus-style webcomic. We made a contract with cartoonist Oh so that we could choose from 10 different webcomic episodes. When we were in talks about acquiring the webcomic's intellectual property (IP), "Beauty Water" became a hit in China. So we were naturally drawn to that story. However, Korea-China relations turned soured after the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system, and we couldn't get any investments from Chinese companies.



Q. What were the challenges of adapting the webcomic into a movie?

Cho: In the film, the pictures need to be in constant motion. It was difficult to maintain cinematic continuity and intertwine several plots into one main story. While the original webcomic centers on the eccentric concept of "beauty water," the film focuses more on the protagonist's personality and her relationship with other characters. We intentionally added scenes where Ye-ji is savagely mocked for her appearance so that the audience can somehow understand why she becomes obsessed with "beauty water."





A scene from the animated film "Beauty Water;" The instructions on how to use beauty water are simple, according to the film: 1) Pour beauty water and water in the ratio of four to one, 2) Dip your face in the liquid for 20 minutes, 3) Sculpt your face. / Courtesy of SS Animent



Q. What message did you want to convey through the film?

Cho: We wanted to portray how we all want to be loved for who we are. Both in the film and in reality, we tend to judge ourselves based on others' perceptions. I don't think that's a problem, because humans are visual creatures. Looks matter, but there is a dark side to being beautiful too. Even when Ye-ji becomes beautiful, she has to withstand too-long-held glances, which I think is another form of violence. Whether beautiful or not, we cannot escape the vicious cycle of lookism.



Q. What makes Korean animation unique? What are your thoughts on Korean animation's future?

Jeon: I think Korean animation and film fans like realistic settings. Japanese anime, on the other hand, is often times targeted at obsessive anime fans and is far from the popular sentiment. They've lost universal elements of drama. If we pick up that sentiment we'll be able to garner more popularity in the future. Korean webcomic intellectual property is gaining momentum these days, but people still think local animation doesn't sell. Commercially, it may be a bit of an experiment, but I want to give it a shot and make this industry a little more flexible.



Cho: It sounds cliche, but protagonists "struggle" in Korean films. It doesn't matter whether they overcome their hardships or experience a downfall afterwards. What's important is to convey the struggle in a persuasive and humorous way.





A scene from the animated film "Beauty Water;" Ye-ji reshapes her appearance after coming across "beauty water." / Courtesy of SS Animent
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad expressed his concerns about growing personal attacks on judges on social media on Thursday. In an article written in an English daily, the Law Minister questioned this negative trend of making allegations on independence of judiciary.

Filing PILs, unleashing social media campaign as to what kind of judgment should be given by the Court and if the final verdict is not what one wanted then a vicious campaign is launched", Law Minister wrote. Prasad said the Impeachment attempt against Chief Justice of India by Congress and its lawyers was the biggest blot on independence of judiciary in recent time.

This attitude of my way or the highway" is emerging as one of the biggest challenges to the independence of the judiciary in recent times," Prasad added.

Prasad says that the senior BJP leaders in the government including PM Modi had suffered during the General Emergency for restoring the independence of judiciary. Threrefore, the growing assault of judiciary is a matter of grave concern for them.

Those who have been defeated repeatedly by the people of India through a popular mandate cannot and should not control the polity and governance through collusive cases from the corridors of the Supreme Court and other courts. This is unacceptable," Prasad wrote in Indian Express.

Ravi Shankar Prasads concern has come out a week after Supreme Court found senior advocate Prashant Bhushan guilty of Contempt of Court and fined him Rs 1.
Chairman of Ram temple construction committee Nripendra Misra on Wednesday discussed development projects of the temple town with Ayodhya administration officials.

In the meeting, district magistrate of Ayodhya Anuj Jha, vice chairman of Ayodhya Development Authority Vishal Singh and other officials were present.

Misra is on a two-day visit to Ayodhya to review preparations for laying foundation of Ram temple and development projects of the temple town.

The Yogi Adityanath government and the Centre have approved a large number of projects to ensure overall development of Ayodhya.

Along with construction of Ram temple, the Uttar Pradesh government will also roll out these projects to propel Ayodhya towards the list of international religious tourism destinations.

Among the proposed projects is a new township that the Yogi Adityanath government has approved to decongest Ayodhya. This township will come up on 600 acres of land at Shahnawazpur on the Lucknow -Gorakhpur highway. Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad (UP Housing Board), a state government body, will implement the project.

Misra enquired about this project and progress made in acquiring land for the new township.

The Ayodhya divisional commissioner has been made nodal officer of development projects in Ayodhya.

Misra had convened a meeting with members of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust on Tuesday to review the plan for laying temple foundation.

He is expected to leave for New Delhi on Thursday.

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Intl airport

An international airport will also come up in Ayodhya by upgrading the existing airport. It will be named after Lord Ram. The project is expected to be completed by December 2021.

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PROPOSED PROJECTS FOR AYODHYA

Tapping of 15 drains falling into Saryu river, sewer line and 32 mld pumping station: Rs 363.95 crore

165 km sewer line in old Faizabad: Project cost to be estimated

Lighting of Hanuman Garhi, Dashrath Mahal, Kanak Bhawan, Janki Mandir, Digambar Akhara and Rajdwar Mandir: Rs 4.30 crore

Elevated road of 1.90 km from NH 27 bypass (Ayodhya) till Ram Janmabhoomi: Rs 275.25 crore

Widening of 13.3 km Sahadatganj- Nayaghat road: Rs 210 .62 crore

Widening of two kilometre road from NH 27 to Ram Ghat (Digambar Akhara) to Faizabad: Rs 8.60 crore

Around 400 shops will be relocated for widening of road from Naya Ghat to Ayodhya gate.

302 shops near Tedi Bazar: Rs 21.41 crore

Commercial complex: Rs 9.71 crore

Widening of all roads near Ram Janmabhoomi campus: Rs 4.26 crore

Widening of Panchkoshi Parikrama Marg: Rs 25.35 crore

Widening of road from Saryu Ghat up to Ram Janmabhoomi: Rs 6.45 crore

Widening of roads from bus stand, railway station and airport till Ram Janmabhoomi: Rs 23.21 crore

Other projects near Ram Janmabhoomi: Rs 22.68 crore

Embankment at Guptar Ghat: Rs 39.63 crore

PROJECTS UNDERWAY IN AYODHYA

Bhajan Sandhya Sthal

Satsang Bhawan, Yatri Bhawan

Queen Ho Memorial Park

Ram Katha Park

Development work proposed under Ramayan circuit

Renovation of Lakshman Quila Ghat

Renovation of Guptar Ghat

Re-modelling of Ram Ki Paidi on lines of Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar

Press Club

International Ram Leela Centre

Theme Park

Auditorium

Renovation of historic ponds

Extension of existing airport

Rs 80 crore for makeover of Ayodhya railway station (project already underway).
Americans are being encouraged to participate in remembering 9/11

Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit organization best known for placing veterans wreaths on the headstones at Arlington National Cemetery, is asking every American to stand outside and wave a flag on Friday morning for one minute to commemorate the lives lost during the terrorist attack:

8:46 a.m. ET  When American Airlines Flight 11 was flown into the northern facade of the World Trade Center's North Tower

 When American Airlines Flight 11 was flown into the northern facade of the World Trade Center's North Tower 9:03 a.m. ET  When United Airlines Flight 175 struck the southern facade of the South Tower

 When United Airlines Flight 175 struck the southern facade of the South Tower 9:37 a.m. ET  When American Airlines Flight 77 flew into the western side of the Pentagon

 When American Airlines Flight 77 flew into the western side of the Pentagon 10:03 a.m. ET  When United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania

Official ceremonies will be livestreamed

The 19th Anniversary Observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania will begin at 9:45 a.m. ET. It will be closed for the event. It will reopen afterward, when visitors are welcome to pay their respects to the 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93 at the memorial, according to the National Park Service, which is also livestreaming the event.

In New York City, the 9/11 Memorial Museum will begin livestreaming the commemorative ceremony at 8:40 a.m. ET. The museum, which has been closed due to the pandemic, will reopen exclusively for 9/11 family members on Friday. It will reopen to the public, five days a week, starting on September 12. Tickets must be purchased in advance for timed visits that allow for social distancing. Visitors must wear CDC-approved face masks and follow all health and safety guidelines. They will also undergo a temperature screening before being allowed entry, according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

The Pentagon observance ceremony, being conducted by Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, is not open to the public but will be livestreamed. Just prior to the start of the main ceremony, an American flag will be unfurled down the side of the Pentagon at sunrise (6:47 a.m. ET).

The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial remains closed to the public. Families will not be present at the observance ceremony; they will be visiting the memorial in small groups throughout the day, according to the Pentagon.
China's chief justice calls for higher level of judicial cooperation among BRICS nations

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's chief justice on Tuesday called for a higher level of judicial cooperation among BRICS countries to jointly deal with risks and challenges.

Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court, made the remarks while attending the BRICS Chief Justices Forum via video link.

Zhou put forward proposals for the courts of BRICS countries to build extensive consensus, share experience, and improve mechanisms to elevate pragmatic judicial cooperation to a new level.

Multilateral judicial cooperation should be consolidated and deepened to serve as a driving force in building an open world economy and promoting reform of global governance, he said.
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will no longer be invited to events of the European Parliament's human rights prize, which she won in 1990, EU lawmakers said on September 10, a protest over accusations of genocide in her country.

Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner of Myanmar's then ruling military junta in the 1990s who now rules as state counselor, was awarded the parliament's Sakharov Prize in 1990.

As part of that honour, she is also invited to gatherings of prize laureates, EU lawmakers and rights organisations to campaign on rights issues internationally.

EU lawmakers said in a statement that her suspension from Sakharov Prize events was "a response to her failure to act and her acceptance of the ongoing crimes against the Rohingya community in Myanmar".

Suu Kyi, who came to power after a landslide election victory in 2015 that ended half a century of army rule, is accused internationally of failing to denounce a military campaign against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

Her stance on the Rohingyas has seen her stripped of other awards, calls for the Nobel committee to revoke the Nobel Peace Prize that she won in 1991 and criticism from former supporters.

Suu Kyi denies genocide and has defended her country against the charges in the U.N. court in The Hague.

The EU parliament said she was not stripped of the prize or asked to return the 50,000 euro ($59,000) prize money because the award was for her pro-democracy role in opposition at the time, when she was repeatedly imprisoned and placed under house arrest until her release in 2010.
By Kim Guadagno

On Aug. 24, we lost a giant figure from our judiciary. Geoffrey Gaulkin became a Superior Court Judge in 1973. I mention Judge Gaulkin not to highlight his brilliant career but to note the contribution made by his wife, Ellen, and how her actions profoundly affected women in New Jersey who, like me, sought public office while married to a judge.

Under our 1947 Constitution, judges are required to remain completely divorced from involvement in partisan politics in order to insure judicial integrity, which was considered indispensable to maintaining public confidence in the impartiality of our courts. In order to implement this mandate, our Supreme Court felt it necessary to extend a judges disqualification from political involvement to include that of the judges spouse.

This brings us to Ellen Gaulkin, who in 1973 had the audacity to consider running for political office, seeking a seat on the Weehawken Board of Education. Judge Gaulkin fully supported his wifes aspiration and petitioned our Supreme Court for permission for his wife to run. He assured the Court that Ellens candidacy for public office would not involve the typical indicia of political campaigns: she would not be associated with a slate nor would she solicit or accept campaign contributions or endorsements.

In spite of these assurances, our Supreme Court, denied the petition, finding Mrs. Gaulkins candidacy for the Board of Education represented a form of political activity which would, unintentionally but seriously, affect public confidence in the judicial system.

Mrs. Gaulkin agreed to forego her candidacy but fortunately, she didnt give up. Instead, she asked the Court to reconsider its position, expressing the hope that the justices would maintain an open mind on the subject. This time she had a little help. She was joined in her petition by several amicus curiae including the New Jersey State Bar Association; Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics; American Civil Liberties Union; American Association of University Women; National Council of Jewish Women; National Organization for Women; Womens Political Caucus; Womens Group of Rutgers Law School; Womens Rights in Tenafly; Womens Equity Action League and the League of Women Voters of New Jersey. Quite an impressive support group.

The Court agreed to reconsider the Gaulkin petition and agreed to examine the wisdom as well as the constitutionality of the vicarious disqualification of a judges spouse from politics.

The Court held that our system of government is predicated upon the premise that every citizen has the right to engage in political activity, which it called a basic freedom enshrined in the First Amendment. When judges ascend to the bench, they voluntarily relinquish that important constitutionally protected right. The Court went on to question whether the proscription of all political activity on the part of a judge should extend to the non-judicial spouse.

The Court concluded that it no longer saw any justification for extending a judges political prohibition to the non-judicial spouse. The Court doubted that spousal political activity per se would involve the judge in the political stream and found compelling the spouses First Amendment right of political involvement.

My husband was appointed to the bench in 2005. I ran for sheriff of Monmouth County and became the first woman to be elected to that position in 2007. Thirty years ago, I would not have been allowed to run for that office because of my marriage to a judge. Later, I served two terms as the states first lieutenant governor - a statewide elected office.

While we take the occasion of the 100-year anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to honor the efforts of the leaders of the campaign to enfranchise American women like Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone and Ida B. Wells, we should not forget those silent suffragettes who continue the battle for equality for women long after American women exercised the right to vote for the first time on Election Day in 1920. Ellen Gaulkin is one of those women.

Kim Guadagno, former lieutenant governor, has been married to Judge Michael A. Guadagno (ret.) for 30 years. Guadagno is also the CEO of Fulfill, formerly the FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties and a partner at Connell Foley.

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WASHINGTON - Tracy Lincoln doesn't know exactly when she left her native Houston - it's been months, she says - but she knows she wanted to "come and see the world."

She landed at a homeless shelter in the District of Columbia, where she's contemplating her next move. Maybe she will try Utah, she says.

But amid her travels, she needs to vote. She already was registered elsewhere but came to a D.C. center for the homeless to switch her registration to the nation's capital. Although she does not have a preferred candidate - "you don't know what they're like until they get there," she says - not voting is not an option.

"That's how you make changes," she said. "You have to hold people accountable."

While advocates are registering people to vote in an election during a pandemic, they are also registering a population traumatized by, in some cases, years on the streets. It's these barriers to voting that Pathways to Housing DC, which has registered more than 60 voters since launching the voter drive last month, is trying to overcome.

Some are dealing with mental illness and addiction. Others are illiterate or simply might not have a pair of reading glasses they need to fill out a form.

"Our entire mission and model is based on listening to the people we serve. Listening is not always there at the larger societal level," said Christy Respress, the Pathways executive director. "We feel there is no better way to rectify that than to register people to vote - educate them, let them know that their vote is their voice."

Standing outside a homeless center, Lincoln scrutinized D.C.'s voter registration form, painstakingly filling it out as a staffer from Pathways stood nearby. If Lincoln, who's hard of hearing, had questions, the staffer would remove her mask to answer them so Lincoln could read her lips.

Some questions on the form could be intimidating to someone without a place to stay. Lincoln does not have a permanent address, but the form asks for the "address where you live" and the "address where you get your mail." It also asks would-be voters about their citizenship and any felony convictions.

Megan Hustings, managing director of the nonprofit National Coalition for the Homeless, said her organization has worked to register homeless people to vote since the 1990s. The obstacles are immense not just for its clients but for anyone living in poverty, she said.

Some states might require identification such as Social Security cards or driver's licenses - documentation that homeless people may not have, or that may be too expensive for those living on the street to acquire.

If cost or access to identification is not a problem, lifestyle can be. People living outdoors "lose stuff all the time," Hustings said. When a homeless encampment is cleared, she said, officials might dispose of belongings without preserving important documents.

Other barriers are psychological. Homeless people may be embarrassed about their lack of knowledge about the process and might not know their polling place or be familiar with candidates and political parties.

Organizations such as Pathways can provide an address for people to receive mail, but advocates worry the pandemic has compounded voting problems.

"I'm concerned with people losing housing because of the pandemic," Hustings said. "In that crisis, voting is not high on your list of priorities."

It's not clear how many homeless people vote, but census data shows that most people with lower incomes do not.

In the 2018 midterm election, 31% of people nationwide living in a family with income of less than $10,000 a year cast a ballot, compared with 68% of those with a family income above $150,000. Eleven percent of those in the lower-income group said they did not vote because they had transportation problems, compared with 0.3% of those in the higher-income group.

Jessica Bartholow, a policy advocate at the Oakland, Calif.-based Western Center on Law and Poverty, said voting is a "cultural experience" often denied homeless people.

"It's really hard to find a politician to stand beside someone homeless and say, 'This is our neighbor,' " she said. "If we still have in most parties an elitism . . . that excludes people who are homeless, that refuses to back their dignity, their humanity, their rights, why would someone who is homeless choose to participate in that process anyway?"

President Donald Trump's rhetoric on homelessness, which included an offer last year to help California cities clean up homeless camps if they asked "politely," might make Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden seem a clear winner among those at the Downtown Day Center. His political party also dominates in D.C., a city in which Trump earned 4% of the vote in 2016.

But homeless voters are like other voters: unpredictable.

Sam Gilliard, a 50-year-old veteran and D.C. native who registered Friday, said he has been homeless for two years. He lost his job in March when the lumber yard where he was working went out of business. He sleeps in a garage and plans to get his ballot delivered to a friend's house.

Gilliard likes Trump, especially everything the president did "before corona," he said. He likes that Trump is unfiltered - that he's not a smooth talker like former president Barack Obama.

"He's not a politician," Gilliard said. "He shoots from the hip. I like that you're going to get exactly his thoughts."

Other registrants, such as Allen Williams - a chef who lost his job amid the pandemic and was homeless from 2005 until July - favors Biden.

"I'm so fearful of what happens if we don't have a new candidate in office," he said. "I believe Biden has the experience and the knowledge. He's more passionate about the pandemic and the people."

And there were those who walked away without registering. One woman read over the registration form for a few minutes, then shook her head and walked away.

Maria Gusman, a benefits specialist at Pathways who was registering voters on a recent day, said it's easy for some to become discouraged when a voter registration form is in their hand.

"It can be difficult," she said. "People in politics don't believe people experiencing homelessness vote. They don't believe it matters anyway."
Google could have a record of everything you have said around it for years, and you can listen to it yourself.

The company quietly records many of the conversations that people have around its products.

The feature works as a way of letting people search with their voice, and storing those recordings presumably lets Google improve its language recognition tools as well as the results that it gives to people.

Recommended Read more Facebook to introduce encryption but ensure it can still read messages

But it also comes with an easy way of listening to and deleting all of the information that it collects. Thats done through a special page that brings together the information that Google has on you.

Its found by heading to Googles history page and looking at the long list of recordings. The company has a specific audio page and another for activity on the web, which will show you everywhere Google has a record of you being on the internet.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

The new portal was introduced in June 2015 and so has been active for the last year  meaning that it is now probably full of various things you have said, which you thought might have been in private.

 Everyone should cover up their laptop webcams right now, says FBI director James Comey

The recordings can function as a kind of diary, reminding you of the various places and situations that you and your phone have been in. But its also a reminder of just how much information is collected about you, and how intimate that information can be.

You'll see more if you've an Android phone, which can be activated at any time just by saying "OK, Google". But you may well also have recordings on there whatever devices you've interacted with Google using.

On the page, you can listen through all of the recordings. You can also see information about how the sound was recorded  whether it was through the Google app or elsewhere  as well as any transcription of what was said if Google has turned it into text successfully.

But perhaps the most useful  and least cringe-inducing  reason to visit the page is to delete everything from there, should you so wish. That can be done either by selecting specific recordings or deleting everything in one go.

To delete particular files, you can click the check box on the left and then move back to the top of the page and select delete. To get rid of everything, you can press the More button, select Delete options and then Advanced and click through.

The easiest way to stop Google recording everything is to turn off the virtual assistant and never to use voice search. But that solution also gets at the central problem of much privacy and data use today  doing so cuts off one of the most useful things about having an Android phone or using Google search.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Moscow on Thursday amid hopes of a possible breakthrough in reducing tensions along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

The talks between the two foreign ministers are taking place in the backdrop of a massive spike in border tensions in eastern Ladakh triggered by fresh face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

Also read: Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi reaching Moscow to discuss total disengagement in Ladakh with Jaishankar

Following fresh confrontation around the southern bank of Pangong lake, India has further strengthened its military presence in the region by sending additional troops, battle tanks and other weaponry. The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army(PLA) has also beefed up its presence in the area where the situation remained very tense.

The external affairs minister will be meeting the Chinese foreign minister shortly where he will be discussing this issue, Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a virtual media briefing in the evening when asked whether the four-month-long border faceoff will be raised by Jaishankar at the talks.

Jaishankar and Wang are in Moscow to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting.

Srivastava reiterated Indias position that it is committed to resolve the current situation through peaceful negotiations.

Both India and China are in regular touch through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the situation. This was the consensus when the two defence ministers met, he said.

Also read: Before PLA took a step back, a 2-hr long video call between NSA Doval and Chinas Wang Yi

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his Chinese counterpart Gen. Wei Fenghe on the margins of another SCO meet in Moscow last Friday, but apparently the meeting did not yield any tangible outcome.

The Indian Army on Tuesday said Chinese troops attempted to close in on an Indian position near the southern bank of Pangong lake the previous evening and fired shots in the air, a first such instance of bullets being used along the LAC after a gap of 45 years.

The Army said this in a statement after the PLA late on Monday night alleged that Indian troops crossed the LAC and outrageously fired warning shots near the Pangong lake.
Just ahead of his Thursday visit, President Donald Trump rejected Michigans request to fully fund the deployment of National Guardsmen for coronavirus relief.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Thursday the president denied her request to raising the funding level to 100% and provide guard members with federal pay and benefits during the pandemic. Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Doug Hoelscher told the governors chief of staff that Trump would stick to his previous pledge of paying a 75% share for Michigan National Guard funding through the end of the year.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who visited the state a day before Trump on Sept. 9, pointed to the presidents denial of funding in a tweet Thursday evening, shortly before the president was set to take the stage at an aircraft hangar in Saginaw County, saying Michiganders need a pandemic responsenot a pep rally.

Donald Trump is holding a rally in Michigan todaywhile also refusing to fully fund their National Guard," Biden said in his tweet. These are frontline workers against COVID-19, responsible for testing and distributing food and medical supplies.

Related: Donald Trumps Michigan rally draws estimated 5,500 supporters to crowded aircraft hangar

Related: Michigan U.S. Senate candidate John James says GOP is the party of civil rights at Trump rally

More than 5,000 people gathered to support President Trump at the Sept. 10 rally in Freeland. He won Michigan by only 10,704 votes, a narrow margin that makes swing counties critical to the presidents hopes of winning the state again in 2020. Saginaw and Bay counties are among a dozen that Trump flipped in 2016 after previously supporting the Obama-Biden ticket twice.

Whitmer criticized Trumps decision to partially fund the Michigan National Guard in her statement, saying the president is continuing to play political games while American lives and livelihoods are on the line.

The presidents blatantly partisan cuts to funding for National Guard units in all but five states is dangerous and could cost American lives, Whitmer said. Our Guard members have been vital to our COVID-19 response by testing thousands of people in communities across the state during the height of the pandemic, and will be crucial to our recovery efforts moving forward. Its irresponsible and irrational to fully fund National Guard activities in some states but not others.

Donald Trump is holding a rally in Michigan todaywhile also refusing to fully fund their National Guard.



These are frontline workers against COVID-19, responsible for testing and distributing food and medical supplies.



Michiganders need a pandemic responsenot a pep rally. https://t.co/UkEqVv9zXe  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2020

Related: Joe Biden meets with Detroit-area steelworkers during campaign swing through Michigan

Whitmer asked Trump to continue fully fund the Michigan National Guard nearly a month ago. A presidential executive order in August extended the deployment of National Guard troops to help respond to the coronavirus crisis, but took federal funding in all but five states from 100% down to 75%, leaving them to pay the rest from late August through the rest of the year.

Whitmer requested a phone call with Trump in an Aug. 12 letter to discuss the cost share that requires Michigan to chip in 25% at the same time the state is experiencing a budget shortfall as a result of decreased revenues during the pandemic.

We need the president to step up and do the right thing for Michigan families, our front-line workers, and our economy," Whitmer said. "I once again implore President Trump to reconsider his decision and fully fund the Michigan National Guard under Title 32, just like he has in five other states, so our Guardsmen and women can continue to protect us from this deadly virus.

Related: Whitmer repeats call for Trump to fully fund Michigan National Guard

Michigan National Guardsmen have operated testing sites in communities where more testing is needed, distributed personal protection equipment, assisted at food banks and supported public safety during the pandemic.

Michigans congressional delegation has also asked for full funding in an Aug. 10 letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf.

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, click here.

Read more on MLive:

Biden says Trump failed to bring back Michigan jobs and tanked economy with COVID response

Michigan Trump surrogates highlight USMCA at event for farmers and ranchers

Trump and Biden back-to-back visits show Michigan is still a 2020 battleground
A United States veteran who was wounded in action called out people who used his image in social media platforms in what he believes is a political ploy by the Democrats to stain the image of US President Donald Trump.

During an interview, the war veteran who served four tours in Iraq, identified as Bobby Henline, expressed irritation on how his photo was used in the articles. He stated that the stories made it look like the president called him a loser.

Moreover, Henline stated that it is not fair to him that he is being used by a certain group for as props for their political agenda.

Henline's statement came after The Atlantic published a story last week citing anonymous sources who claimed that Trump dubbed fallen soldiers and war veterans as "suckers" and "losers" way back 2018.

Being the only survivor out of the five soldiers during an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Iraq, Henline has not put his time into spreading positivity through speaking out on the issues of being a veteran. It was only until last week that he was informed of how his image was used in memes targeting the president and has been widely shared by social media groups whose political interests are inclined left.

A 'prop' for political propaganda

After knowing this, Henline immediately posted on Instagram and called out those who used him for their political propaganda.



The war veteran has never made any comment on the story published by The Atlantic, nor on the alleged remarks of the president about the veterans. However, he expressed outrage about the fact that he is being used as a tool to help the Democrats ruin the image of Trump just to push for Joe Biden's election.

Read also: 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic Claims He Was Sexually Assaulted in Prison, Asks Trump for Pardon

In an interview with Fox, Henline urged the supporters of the Democratic Party to continue their campaign using facts, emphasizing that the problem begins when there is a need to malign the opponent instead of winning through their own merits.

On the original story that was published by the news outlet, it was stated that four anonymous sources claimed that they had firsthand information on the alleged comments by the president. However, after the publication of the story, several people also stepped forward and claimed that they were present during the said conversation.

One of those who placed himself in the room was John Bolton, the former U.S. National Security Adviser. Bolton stated that the president never made the said remarks disparaging the war veterans.

War Veteran Believes Story was Fabricated

Meanwhile, Henline has also stated that he does not believe that Trump made such remarks. He also pointed out the sources were anonymous, while others who revealed their identities are not necessarily in good terms with Trump. He believes that people simply made up the rumors to discredit the president.

However, despite the skepticism that was expressed by people on the truthfulness of the claims, Henline stated that it has succeeded in turning the war veterans, soldiers, and their families against Trump.



Related article: Trump Calls Out Biden, Harris on Remarks About COVID-19 Vaccine

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 20:34 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c441a6d8 1 City #Jakarta,PSBB,COVID-19,#COVID19,anies-baswedan,#AniesBaswedan,lockdown,#hospital,hospitals Free

The healthcare system in Jakarta is on the brink of collapse as medical workers are dying and hospitals have reported alarming shortages of beds needed to treat COVID-19 patients, prompting Jakarta to once again partially close down the city.

With the worsening COVID-19 situation particularly observed after the gradual easing of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in June, bed occupancy rates -- the number of people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 -- in the city's hospitals are increasing.

The citys isolation bed occupancy rate stood at 77 percent and that of intensive care unit (ICU) beds at 83 percent as of Wednesday. The city currently has 4,053 beds in isolation rooms and 528 beds in ICU rooms.

"If we don't pull the brake [by reimposing the PSBB] or allocate additional beds, our projection shows that we will run out of isolation beds by Sept. 17 and ICU beds by Sept. 15, Anies said on Wednesday evening while announcing his decision, which will take effect on Monday.

"We have no choice, he said. Without strict restrictions, [a collapsed healthcare system] is a disaster waiting to happen.

National COVID-19 task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito recently said that 80 percent bed occupancy was still considered safe, so that hospitals could carefully and promptly treat patients. But, in the case of Jakarta, Wiku said, the current rates were no longer ideal, pointing to the need to bring them down to 60 percent.

The city administration plans to increase the number of isolation beds and ICU beds to 4,807 and 636, respectively, by allocating more beds in 13 city-owned hospitals for COVID-19 patients, adding beds in 67 referral hospitals as well as cooperating with private hospitals for additional referral capacity.

Even with these additional facilities, however, all isolation beds would be occupied by COVID-19 patients in mid-October and ICU beds on Sept. 25 unless the city returned to stricter PSBB, the Jakarta administration projects.

The grim outlook comes amid an increase in deaths of medical workers.

At least 109 doctors across the country have died of COVID-19, including 16 in Jakarta, according to the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI). Nine dentists have also died of COVID-19; five of them were based in the capital. Thousands of medical workers nationwide are infected, according to estimates.

Read also: Patients crowd hospitals as Indonesia loses 183 'priceless' medical workers

Jakarta recently recruited 1,174 additional medical workers, including pulmonologists, internists, anesthetists, pediatricians, nurses, midwives and public health educators, who came from across the country, and Anies is considering recruiting more.

[The question] is not only how to increase the number of beds, but also how to ensure that there are sufficient medical workers, medicines, personal protective equipment, he said.

On Thursday, Jakarta reported 1,450 new cases and 18 deaths -- bringing the tally to 51,287 confirmed cases, 11,696 of which are active ones, with 4,728 patients hospitalized.

Adang Bachtiar of the Indonesian Public Health Experts Association (IAKMI) said reimposing the PSBB would help prevent Jakarta hospitals from becoming overburdened.

"Staffing shortages and increasing fatigue among medical workers might lead to unsafe procedures and expose them to the virus, he said. Adding COVID-19 referral hospitals won't resolve the problem; bed occupancy rates reaching almost 80 percent indicates that preventive measures did not take place.

When the PSBB is in place next week, Jakarta will likely allow only 11 essential sectors to operate with limited capacity, while other businesses and offices will have to reimplement work-from-home policies. Operational hours and the passenger capacity of public transportation will also be reduced.

Anies, who is expected to issue a gubernatorial decree specifying the restrictions in greater detail, said the PSBB basically would require people to "work, study and pray" from home.

The governors move on Wednesday was in line with what health experts have long insisted: Putting public health first through stricter social restrictions is key to curbing the pandemic and to eventually mitigate its economic impacts.

Read also: Jakarta on right track in COVID-19 handling, Anies says, despite rising numbers

President Joko Jokowi Widodo earlier this week also said that health is key to economic recovery.

But economic affairs ministers were quick to raise their concerns about Anies decision, with Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto saying in a meeting with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) on Thursday that the PSBB announcement had caused uncertainty in the stock market.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, meanwhile, said Jakarta's PSBB would affect the industrial performance that had somewhat improved over the past few months.

Epidemiologist Dicky Budiman of Australias Griffith University said Anies decision was bold and based on data, but, like other experts, he said reimposing the PSBB in Jakarta would be pointless if such restrictions were not well implemented in other areas as well, given that mobility across regions remains high.

Other areas in Java must do what is being done in Jakarta, especially those with an immense burden on healthcare [systems] and a high number of deaths, Dicky said.

Read also: Testing disparity looms over Greater Jakartas efforts to break chain of transmission

At least 30 percent of confirmed cases in Jakarta originated from outside the city, according to Jakarta Health Agency head Widyastuti.

Jakarta is among cities across the world that have decided to reimpose stricter curbs as COVID-19 cases flared up again after economic reopening, such as Australias Melbourne, Portugals Lisbon and Indias Bangalore.

-- Budi Sutrisno contributed to this story.
When big street protests broke out in Belarus after a disputed August 9 election, security forces seemingly doubled down with a "crack down first, ask questions later" approach that has left demonstrators with permanent injuries and which is still being employed to this day.



The first week of protests was marked by extreme police brutality as thousands of demonstrators were rounded up, according to rights watchdogs. Detainees told of being subjected to torture at holding centers and jails, and reports of security forces beating protesters and firing rubber and even live bullets at peaceful protesters were common.

Maria Zaytsava was seriously injured on the first night of the protests that began after polls closed in the presidential vote, which followed a wave of rallies nationwide in support of opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya.



The 19-year-old -- who had traveled from Homel to Minsk and joined the mass of demonstrators who gathered as it became clear that long-ruling President Alyaksandr Lukashenka would claim a landslide win -- suffered a broken eardrum from her close encounter with a stun grenade and sustained multiple wounds from rubber bullets, including one that left a hole where her temple used to be.

Zaytsava has been hospitalized ever since, and said that while her head wound was "stitched up pretty well and almost completely healed," she was still dealing with stubborn shooting injuries to her thigh.



"I had two surgeries to remove dead tissue because rubber bullets cause necrosis," Zaytsava told Current Time, a Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, on September 9. "This is not only true for me; many victims of the rallies had such problems."



Firsthand accounts from victims of police violence support Zaytsava's claims. And fresh accusations against the police by a leader of the protests suggest that no one in opposition to Lukashenka is safe from the continued use of heavy-handed tactics.



Maryya Kalesnikava, an opposition leader who was abducted by masked men on the streets of Minsk on September 8, has said in a court filing that security officers subsequently placed a bag over her head and threatened her life as they tried to force her to leave Belarus.

The 38-year-old Kalesnikava thwarted the attempt at the Ukraine border by reportedly ripping her passport up into little pieces. Kalesnikava's lawyer, Lyudmila Kazak, announced on September 10 that her client was seeking legal action against the Belarusian authorities over her treatment, while a group of rights organizations have decried her continued detention as illegal and "politically motivated."



Sixteen-year-old Mikita Sidarovich, who was detained along with a group of friends in the Western city of Hrodna on August 12, told RFE/RL's Belarus Service on September 9 that they were beaten and mocked by police, who marked their faces with green paint.

Police only recently came for Nastya Dudina, nearly a month after the university student was hospitalized for injuries inflicted on her by riot police in Minsk on August 9.



Her mother told RFE/RL's Belarus Service on September 9 that Nastya's leg was hit by shrapnel from a device thrown by police.



"The riot policeman kicked her in the back and ordered her to lie down. Then somehow grabbed her skin, and scolded and pushed her," Nina Dudina said. "Nastya's leg was covered with blood, people helped her leave. Afterward we called an ambulance and took my daughter to a military hospital."

Nastya spent three days in the hospital, and was unable to recall the incident to a visiting investigator due to the effects of anesthesia.



But in the early morning of September 7, Nina Dudina said, the investigator and two other individuals in plain clothes came calling.



They took Nastya in for questioning and shortly after noon, more investigators came to search the family home. Clothes worn by Nastya on August 9 were seized, and later investigators called to say that she had been transferred to a detention center.



"My daughter was a victim and a witness, and is now a criminal," Nina Dudina said. "There will still be a trial. Maybe shell be sentenced to one day [in jail], maybe something else. I don't know. "

'A Duel Between Good And Evil'



Looking back at the beginning of the protests, prominent rights activist Ales Byalyatski told the news site Palitviazni.info that "there was an order for violence and torture."



"We can say that today in Belarus there is a duel between Good and Evil," Byalyatski, who heads the human rights group Vyasna, said on September 9.



"It should be noted that Evil is well-armed and possesses the mechanisms of the state. They have weapons, courts, and law enforcement agencies," he added. "And on the part of Good -- only peaceful protests that gather hundreds of thousands of people, which is unprecedented in the country. And this struggle continues."



As August wound down but protests continued, Amnesty International (AI) provided a dire assessment of the Belarusian authorities' harsh response to demonstrations against the official results that gave Lukashenka more than 80 percent of the vote in an election that protesters say was rigged in the authoritarian ruler's favor.



"The Belarusian authorities have to date refused to engage in a dialogue with the protesters, nor, apparently, have they taken steps to investigate the massive human rights violations committed by the police during the first few days of the post-election protests," AI's director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Marie Struthers, said in an August 31 statement demanding that the Belarusian police be held accountable for their actions.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Belarus Service and Current Time
This article, Why wildfires are turning skies a sinister orange, originally appeared on CNET.com.

Blue skies. Gray skies. Those are the colors we most commonly associate with our atmosphere. On Wednesday, things went wonky for the San Francisco Bay Area when the skies turned a freaky, disorienting shade of orange that made morning and afternoon seem like night.

The disturbing color shift was due to a plague of ongoing wildfires in California. Residents have been sharing photos on social media that look like they could have been taken on the set of Blade Runner 2049.

While it looked like the apocalypse had arrived, the National Weather Service offered a scientific explanation for the phenomenon. The NWS Bay Area office tweeted a satellite image of a thick layer of smoke over California and wrote, "This smoke is filtering the incoming energy from the sun, causing much cooler temperatures and dark, dreary red-shifted skies across many areas."

11AM GOES17 geocolor imagery shows a very thick multilevel smoke deck over much of California.



This smoke is filtering the incoming energy from the sun, causing much cooler temperatures and dark dreary red-shifted skies across many areas.#cawx pic.twitter.com/5hmZZtdNDo  NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) September 9, 2020

NASA went into more detail on this type of occurrence while explaining red-tinted sunsets triggered by Siberian fires back in 2015. "The smoke particles from the fires allow sunlight's longer wavelength colors like red and orange to get through while blocking the shorter wavelengths of yellow, blue and green," the space agency said.

Andrew Morse/CNET

The San Francisco International Airport shared an eerie view of its control tower, but said the air quality was not affecting air traffic as of Wednesday morning.

Orange, glowing skies this morning at #SFO due to the nearby California wildfires. At this time, the air quality is currently NOT affecting air traffic at the Airport. pic.twitter.com/nh2sd6LLv6  San Francisco International Airport (SFO)  (@flySFO) September 9, 2020

San Francisco branding consultant David Gartner suggested a new Pantone color of the year: End of Days Orange.

The smoke was so thick, it blotted out the sun, and some residents reported a layer of ash on outside objects. The Bay Area Air District air quality agency also called out strong winds that have been transporting ash from Northern California fires toward the state's coast.

The orange skies this morning are a result of wildfire smoke in the air. Strong winds over the past few days transported ash from fires in northern California and the Sierra Nevada into the region. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/IGFVDgGLpC  Bay Area Air Quality (@AirDistrict) September 9, 2020

"If smoke becomes too thick in a certain area, most of the light will be scattered and absorbed before reaching the surface, which may cause dark skies," Bay Area Air District tweeted.

NASA and NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite has been tracking the spread of smoke from western wildfires and spotted aerosols reaching far across the US to the east.

Relief may not arrive for some time. Cal Fire, the California's wildfire response agency, reported on Wednesday that 14,000 firefighters were battling 28 major fires statewide.

In a time of pandemic and natural disasters, orange skies are just one more sign 2020 is a year to be reckoned with.
An Emirati official stands near the El Al aircraft which carried a US-Israeli delegation to the UAE on the first ever direct commercial flight following their normalisation accord

Israel and the UAE made history on Monday when an El Al jet flew from the Jewish state to Abu Dhabi, the first time an Israeli commercial flight made the journey.

Here is a pick of quotes from the key players following the trip which came after the surprise announcement of the US-brokered deal which normalised ties between Israel and the UAE.

- 'Truly historic' -

White House adviser Jared Kushner led the joint Israeli-US delegation that flew on the landmark service between Israel and United Arab Emirates, describing it as "truly historic".

"I ask everyone today to join us in celebrating this peace, and to help us expand it throughout the region," he said as Washington publicly holds out hope its other allies in the region might follow the UAE and do a deal with Israel.

No such breakthrough has been forthcoming despite vigorous US diplomacy.

- Fly faster... over Saudi -

Kushner said the delegation had asked the El Al pilots, who are typically recruited from the ranks of Israel's airforce, to "fly faster because there is great urgency (for) the people of both countries to break down barriers".

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, who is also his Middle East fixer, said the flight had crossed Saudi Arabia -- a first for an Israeli commercial jet.

The El Al pilot used an inflight announcement to point out that the green light from the kingdom cut the journey from more than seven hours to just over three hours.

"We are all excited and look forward to more historic flights that will take us to other capital cities in the region," he said to applause, in an on-board video featuring a beaming Kushner that was posted by his wife Ivanka.

"History Made!" she said in the tweet.

- 'No limits' -

Much has been made by Washington of the potential for trade and exchange between the two highly developed Middle East economies.

"There are no limits to cooperation... in the fields of education, innovation, health, aviation, agriculture, energy and many other fields," said Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat, who spoke Arabic standing beside Kushner on the tarmac shortly after arrival.

Story continues

- First Pope, now Israel -

Kushner was fulsome in his praise for Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

"Last year he celebrated the year of tolerance and welcomed Pope Francis to the Gulf -- and this year he welcomes Israel," he said.

He went on to describe Sheikh Mohamed, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "three great leaders (who) came together and... started writing the script for a new Middle East".

- The Palestinians -

The festivities on the tarmac of Abu Dhabi airport were staged in front of an aircraft adorned with the word "peace" in English, Hebrew and Arabic.

But Palestinians have protested the UAE deal, seeing it as a betrayal by a major player in the Arab world, which has largely held that normalisation with Israel is workable only once the Palestinian question resolved.

Kushner told the Palestinian leadership not to be "stuck in the past".

"They have to come to the table, they have to figure out how do we do something that benefits everybody and allow everyone to move forward," he said.

He had stern words for unspecified figures who have rejected the deal, accusing them of "trapping their own people in misery and poverty".

- 'Israeli delegation' -

In line with coronavirus protocols in the UAE, American embassy staff at the Abu Dhabi arrival ceremony wore white masks emblazoned with the three flags of the participating countries.

Amid the festive mood, two women took selfies with the El Al Boeing 737, which stood out with its Star of David insignia, as a backdrop on the tarmac in Abu Dhabi.

When asked by an AFP correspondent where they were from, they replied simply "Israeli delegation" before quickly moving away.

burs-gw/sls/fz
In a normal world, students would be already be settling into their new classrooms, hitting the books and trying to remember the combination to their lockers.

But 2020 is far different from a new school year in the area thanks to COVID-19, with Kawartha Pine Ridge District, Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District and Trillium Lakelands District school boards creating staggered starts for students.

Galen Eagle, communications manager for the Catholic board, said the board is hiring new teachers and using reserve funding to try to keep class sizes as small as possible and limit the collapsing of classes within its available funding.

Catholic elementary students start school based on their last names with those falling between A to K, attending Sept. 10 and Sept. 14 and L to Z, attending Sept. 11 and 15. Grade 9 students will attend Sept. 10, Grade 10, Sept. 11 and Grade 11 and 12, on Sept. 14; with everyone attending Sept. 15. Everyone is expected to attend Sept. 16.

St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Lindsay will serve as the boards Virtual School hub and like the other boards, have its own principal, vice-principal, support staff and teachers.

Teachers within our Virtual School who have requested medical accommodations will teach students from their own home. Other teachers will use their own classroom space at their designated school to teach virtually, explained Eagle.

Students and parents  both elementary and high school  wishing to move from in-person attendance to online learning or vice versa, can do so at one of the three re-entry points; Nov. 12, Feb. 2 or April 22.

All Kawartha Pine Ridge schools remain closed until Sept. 14, after which student and class groups will attend on different days to become familiar with new routines, with everyone attending, full-time as of Sept. 18.

The public board will also offer a virtual high school, which already has 1,500 students enrolled. It will have its own dedicated principal, vice-principal and teachers.

Board chair Diane Lloyd said the board is tapping into $5.5 million in reserves to hire 40 new teachers to keep class sizes small and to staff the boards online system.

Weve worked collaboratively with all our unions to develop plans that will work the best for everyone, said Lloyd. At the end of the day, were all trying to create the safest space possible for our staff and our students.

Kawartha Pine Ridge schools require masks for staff and students in Grades 4 and up, with strong encouragement of masks for kindergarten to Grade 3 students.

For City of Kawartha Lakes public schools with the Trillium Lakelands board, kindergarten to Grade 8 students attend one day between Sept. 8 to 11, then three days between Sept. 14 to 18. Grade 9 students start, full-time, Sept. 14 with everyone else following on Sept. 15.

Online classes begin the same dates.

According to communications officer Sinead Fagan, classes have been consolidated based on enrolment numbers of returning students. Teachers not needed in physical bricks and mortar schools will be working within the Learning@Home school where they have the choice of either teaching from their home or teaching from their home school.

Students opting for at home remote learning will take part in teacher-led orientation between Sept. 8 and 11, with formal sessions starting between Sept. 14 and 17.

When it comes to timetables, all three boards will do their best to distribute these to secondary students prior to their school start dates.

Other measure in place in schools include increased cleaning, spacing between desks, keeping classes together with one teacher, staggered lunch breaks and supplies of hand sanitizer.

Schools will have strict health protocols for students or staff who become ill.
A day after Mumbai's civic authorities demolished portions of her office, actor on Thursday again took on the government by castigating Chief Minister for misusing power and declaring that her voice won't be suppressed.

Ranaut, who found support from a section of the film fraternity and also some opprobrium, posted a series of tweets comparing the Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to goons, terming the state government a milavat sarkar and recalling Marathi culture and pride.

On Wednesday, the day the actor returned to Mumbai from her home state Himachal Pradesh, the BMC demolished illegal alterations of her bungalow. The Bombay High Court stayed the demolition process and sought to know why the BMC entered the property when the owner was not present.

The "Queen" star, whose comment likening Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir triggered a spat with the Shiv Sena, took a jibe at the NCP-Shiv Sena-Congress state government and said the ideology of the Shiv Sena had been compromised.

"The ideology on which Shri Bala Saheb Thackeray built Shiv Sena, today they have sold the ideology for power, becoming Sonia Sena from Shiv Sena. The goons who broke my house behind my back, do not call them a civic body. Don't insult the constitution."



Ranaut described Thackeray as a prime example of nepotism who is misusing power to suppress her voice.

"Your father's good deeds can give you wealth, but you have to earn respect, you will shut my mouth, but my voice will echo in a hundred millions after me, how many mouths will you shut?



"How many voices will you suppress? Till when you will run away from the truth, you are nothing but an example of dynasty," the 33-year-old actor wrote on Twitter.

The actor said the Shiv Sena made a milavat sarkar (mixed government) after the election and turned it into a Sonia Sena, alluding to the party's alliance with the Congress.

Ranaut said she was touched to receive overwhelming support from her well-wishers from Maharashtra, who "condemned the hooliganism done by the government".

The actor said her fans across the world, including her home state Himachal Pradesh, were pained by the incident. She added that she also wants to assure them that she gets "love and respect" in the state.

"Many of my Marathi friends cried on the phone yesterday, some gave me many contacts for help, some were sending food to the house which I could not accept due to security protocols.

"Marathi culture and pride should not be hurt by government's shameful act," she added.

A complaint has been filed against the actor who had also posted a video against Thackeray on Wednesday - for allegedly using foul language against the chief minister, an official said on Thursday.

Based on the complaint filed by a city-based advocate, a non-cognisable offence was registered at the Vikhroli police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone VII, Prashant Kadam said, "After registering an NC, we asked the complainant to approach court. No FIR was registered."



Many from the fraternity criticised the action of the BMC.

Actor Dia Mirza said she condemns the demolition of Ranaut's office as well as the "harassment and abuse" that actor Rhea Chakraborty has been subjected to over the death of Sushant Singh Rajput.

"This is not about taking sides. This is about calling out what is unjust. Remember this could happen to you," Mirza said.

Chakraborty, who has been accused of abetting Rajput's suicide by his family and subjected to intense media scrutiny, was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on September 8.

"I condemn the demolition of Kangana's office and I condemn the hounding and harassment of Rhea. Yes I can be against both these things," filmmaker Reema Kagti tweeted.

Actor RenukaShahane, too, came out in support of Ranaut. Though she didn't like the "Manikarnika" actor's comment comparing Mumbai to PoK, she was "appalled"by the "revenge demolition" by BMC, she said.

"You do not have to stoop so low. @CMOMaharashtra please intervene. There is a pandemic we are dealing with. Do we need this unnecessary drama?" Shahane wrote.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit backed Ranaut for her decision to make a film on Kashmiri Pandits.

"She has expressed a desire to make a film on this huge tragedy and we are with her in this. I am sure this film will show the correct picture of our tragedy when it releases. This will be a slap on filmmakers who have mocked our tragedy. Thank you Kangana ji, he said.

The Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) condemned the demolition but also reprimanded the actor.

IMPPA president T P Aggarwal said the action was neither "good for the government" nor for the "Queen" star.

"The action taken by the government or BMC is absolutely wrong and should be condemned," Aggarwal said in a statement.

He criticised the actor for calling the film industry a place for drug addicts, saying this will stop funds from coming to the industry.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 18:09:53|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's North-Eastern Provincial Governor Somsak Jangtrukul on Thursday ordered the hunt for two to three black bears suspected of attacking at least five villagers in the province.

The black bears must have been very hungry, said the governor, emphasizing to national park officials not to kill the bears and "capture them alive," so they can be released into the wild.

Somsak said they can not kill the bears which are listed as endangered species, telling villagers where the bears frequented to stay indoor

The governor said none of the villagers were seriously injured, including a pregnant woman.

Villagers also showed Thai TV camera crews the different sizes of foot prints left by the visiting black bears.

Meanwhile, the Protected Areas Regional Office 8 (Khon Kaen) under the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, had dispatched around 100 officials and forest rangers out to search for the hungry bears.

The forest rangers have brought with them firecrackers to scare the bears off to ensure they won't return to attack anyone.

After the animals were captured, officers would determine if they are wild bears or illegally raised in captivity, the governor said. Enditem
Election 2020 Rakhine Parties Slam COVID-19 Campaign Restrictions Ahead of Myanmars Election

The Arakan Front Party headquarters in Sittwe. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

Sittwe, Rakhine State  The campaign season for the Nov. 8 election started on Tuesday but COVID-19 restrictions in Rakhine State are preventing political parties from engaging with voters.

The government has issued stay-at-home orders in all the 17 townships in the state, which has seen 652 COVID-19 positive patients since Aug. 16, the second-highest number after Yangon Region. As of Thursday morning, Myanmar has reported 2,009 confirmed cases with 14 deaths. The Union Election Commission (UEC) bars parties from campaigning in coronavirus hotspots where stay-at-home orders are in effect.

A total of 380 candidates  from 18 political parties and independent candidates  are registered to contest the election, according to Rakhine State Election Sub-Commission.

The restrictions are strict and this means we are not allowed to campaign. We can only operate online but 2G internet stops us from doing anything. We can only set up hoardings, vice-chairman of the Arakan Front Party U Kyaw Zaw Oo told The Irrawaddy.

General secretary of Arakan League for Democracy U Myo Kyaw said: What can we do? We can do nothing as they do not allow us to do anything. If there is internet access, we may campaign online. But internet access is cut off in most of the townships in Rakhine State. It is a crisis.

In June 2019, the government cut off internet access in Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Myebon, Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships in northern Rakhine and Paletwa Township in Chin State, citing security concerns over the fighting between Myanmars military and the Arakan Army (AA).

Mobile internet services resumed in those townships in early August but residents say they only have a 2G service.

We understand that we cant conduct campaigning because stay-at-home orders are in effect in Rakhine State, said U Tun Aung Kyaw, a steering committee member of the Arakan National Party (ANP).

But can we campaign at all before the election? We will meet the district election sub-commission and state sub-commission to ask about alternatives, he added.

Rakhine State Election Sub-Commission secretary U Thurein Htut said the state commission cannot intervene as instructions come directly from the Union-level authorities.

We told the ANP that if they have any campaign plan, present it to us and we will put it forward to the UEC, said U Thurein Htut.

National League for Democracys Lower House lawmaker Daw Ni Ni May Myint in Taungup, who is seeking re-election, said she hoped the UEC can relax some regulations.

Following the instructions of the election commission and health ministry, we went out on the campaign trail with three or four campaigners in a car. At around noon, the township commission told us to stop and to follow stay-at-home orders. They said they would inform me if anything changes, Daw Ni Ni May Myint told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.

As the instructions affect all the parties, I hope the commission will relax them a bit. We can do nothing under these restrictions. It seems we can only campaign on Facebook, she added.

Meanwhile, armed clashes between government troops and the AA have forced more than 200,000 people from their homes in Rakhine, severely reducing interest in the election.

Ma Moe Moe, a Kyauktan villager who is sheltering at a camp in Rathedaung, told The Irrawaddy: We dont know where the voter lists were displayed and where to cast votes. We are struggling to find three meals a day. We cannot farm and we lost all our belongings. We can think of nothing except our survival.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Election Commission Says No Campaigning, No Polls Near Military Barracks

Suu Kyi Urges COVID-19 Suspects from Myanmars Rakhine to Come Forward as Cases Soar

Myanmars Ruling Party Vows to Reform Military in Election Manifesto
A 22-year old Uttar Pradesh youth from Azamgarh was tied to a post and beaten up before hot water was poured on him, allegedly by kin of his girlfriend in Chewata village under Kaptanganj police station area of the district early Wednesday morning. He succumbed to the injuries on the way to a hospital after being rescued, said police.

The incident took place when the youth went to the girls house during wee hours on Wednesday to see her.

Five persons, including the girl, her two brothers and two others have been arrested in the case.

Manish Ram was in love with the 19 year old girl, who lives in his neighborhood, for the last one year. Both their families were against the relationship which led to Manish being sent away to Ghaziabad by his family around a year ago, according to a police officer.

The officer said that Manish had returned to the village around a month ago and on Wednesday, slipped into his girlfriends house in the wee hours to meet her.

Also Read: Couple in love garlanded with shoes, paraded in UP village: Cops

The family members of the girl woke up after hearing him chat with the girl and caught Manish. Later, they tied him to a peg and thrashed him. They also poured hot water on him. Once his condition deteriorated, they called up police claiming they had caught a thief who had slipped into their house, said police.

Also Read: Urdu poet Munawwar Ranas daughter placed under house arrest in Lucknow

Police team freed the youth after reaching the spot and rushed him to the district hospital where doctors declared him dead. His body has been sent for post- mortem.

Kaptanganj police station officer inspector Anand Kumar Singh said that five persons have been arrested after a case was registered under the relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) following a complaint by the deceaseds brother, Anil Kumar. Further investigation is on.
DJ Fat Tony has insisted he wants to perform at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz's forthcoming wedding ceremony.

The musician spoke candidly about his intentions on Fubar Radio's Access All Areas show on Thursday, and also gushed about his friendship with the family.

Chatting with Bobby Norris and Stephen Leng, Tony said of potentially hitting the decks at the wedding: 'Who knows about that. If I'm not there's going to be bloody trouble, let's just say that!'

'If I'm not there's going to be trouble!': DJ Fat Tony made a bid to perform at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz's wedding on Thursday, after hitting the decks at his 21st birthday bash

Going on to talk about his close relationship with the Beckham family, he went on: 'I love Victoria and I love David and love all the kids. They get a raw deal man sometimes and all they do is good things.

'They are an incredible family and those kids are the most charming kids you'll ever want to meet, so polite.

'And there's no like, I'm Romeo Beckham, there's none of that stuff whatsoever. It's incredible, it really is.'

Honest: Tony said of potentially DJing Brooklyn's forthcoming nuptials: 'Who knows about that. If I'm not there's going to be bloody trouble, let's just say that!'

Fat Tony DJ'ed Brooklyn's 21st birthday, which took place at the family's 6 million Cotswolds home, and was reported to have cost 100,000 at the time.

The son of David and Victoria was also treated to a concert by rapper Stormzy and monogrammed drinks as he let his hair down until 6am with his nearest and dearest.

While, for her birthday in April, Victoria hosted a 'virtual party' with the DJ on Instagram Live, and he played a medley of her favourite tracks so her fans could 'turn the music up and have a dance.'

Pals: Fat Tony DJ'ed Brooklyn's 21st birthday (pictured), which took place at the family's 6 million Cotswolds home, and was reported to have cost 100,000 at the time

Birthday bash: The son of David and Victoria was also treated to a concert by rapper Stormzy and monogrammed drinks as he let his hair down until 6am with his nearest and dearest

Brooklyn recently referred to Nicola as 'my wife' in a sweet Instagram post last month, appearing to confirm speculation they have already married in secret.

The photographer set tongues wagging when he showed off a gold band on his wedding finger, with his followers asking if the pair had already married in secret.

Appearing to confirm the union, the son of David and Victoria Beckham, commented 'my wife' on a smitten snap of the pair - which Nicola had captioned 'My forever'.

Couple: Brooklyn recently referred to Nicola as 'my wife' in a sweet Instagram post last month, appearing to confirm speculation they have already married in secret

Wedding speculation started last month when Nicola shared a cryptic snap of a gold ring on Brooklyn's finger.

The image shared to Nicola's Instagram Stories showed the couple clutching a label, with Brooklyn sporting a gold band on his left hand.

Brooklyn's mother Victoria then uploaded a snap of her son alongside his younger brother Cruz, 15, with a gold ring visible on his wedding finger.

Wedding bells? Wedding speculation started last month when Nicola shared a cryptic snap of a gold ring on Brooklyn's finger

Brooklyn took to Instagram in July to announce his engagement to Nicola following reports he had popped the question to his 'soulmate' after just eight months of dating.

Sharing a stunning snap of the couple, he wrote: 'Two weeks ago I asked my soulmate to marry me and she said yes xx

'I am the luckiest man in the world. I promise to be the best husband and the best daddy one day. I love you baby xx.'
A farmer has died of his injuries following an incident involving a bull in Aberdeenshire.

The tragedy happened on farmland in Memsie, near Fraserburgh, on 19 August.

Emergency services arrived on the scene around 10.30am, where the farmer was pronounced dead by paramedics.

Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have started an investigation into the death.

Detective Sergeant Gavin Fleming, of Ellon CID, said: Police and emergency services were called to a farm following a report of a man being serious injured by an accident involving livestock.

A 61-year-old man was sadly pronounced dead at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

"There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

Livestock handling is one of the biggest causes of death and injury on farms, HSE explains.

The safety watchdog advises all farms with cattle to have proper handling facilities, kept in good working order.

Last year, 21 people in Britain were killed in agriculture last year, consisting of 20 workers and 1 member of the public - a four year old child.

Workers over the age of 55 were disproportionately at risk of death following an incident, HSE's report says.

How can I increase livestock safety measures?

To reduce the risk of injury when handling cattle, the HSE urges farmers to have:

 Proper handling facilities, which you keep in good working order;

 A race and a crush suitable for the animals you handle;

 Trained and competent workers; and

 A rigorous culling policy for temperamental animals
The ruling government says it is not threatened by the manifesto pledge of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to legalise the activities of commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada.

This is according to the Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah.

According to the Minister, a process to engage relevant stakeholders on safety concerns with Okada started in 2019 in a bid to shape policy.

He added that the governing New Patriotic Party is not frightened about Mahamas promise.

The Minister made this known when he spoke to journalists after a Public Accounts Committee hearing on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.

We are not frightened about it. We are supposed to govern this country to the best of our ability with what will be in the interest of this country. There are certain things that if you are doing you must get the buy-in of the people and in introducing such a policy, the law says that you must do a stakeholder consultation with persons with interest in it. We have already started consultations with the people since 2019 but coming up with such a policy, its not about speed but accuracy and getting the right people.

When we are done engaging the experts and others, it will enable us to come up with a good policy. So let us not compare these issues and say somebody has made a campaign promise, so we should come and respond to it. The law was passed in 2012 by the erstwhile NDC administration, but we as a government know that this is a matter we need to take our time to consult the people involved and come up with what is best for the nation.

---citinewsroom
Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja and Karol Vail The huge success that the Minds Eye program is having, also thanks to our donations, fills us with pride, especially when we observe how the same model can extend to other Guggenheim museums, and to other art institutions in the rest of the world.  Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, Ornellaia CEO

Yesterday evening, Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi, President of the prestigious Bolgheri winery Ornellaia, and Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, CEO, personally handed a check for $315,000 to Karole Vail, Director of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, part of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. The donation was possible thanks to the Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista 2017 Solare edition and sales of the prized limited-edition bottles designed by the artist Tomas Saraceno.

For the last twelve years, Ornellaia has been furthering the Vendemmia dArtista project, which supports foundations and museums around the world through the union of art and wine. Since last year, thanks to a collaboration with the Guggenheim, it has raised funds to support an equally innovative initiative: The Minds Eye program at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The Minds Eye program was created by the Guggenheims Education Department to gift the joy of art to visitors who are blind or have low vision. The appreciation of art, like wine, involves all the senses. This was the idea that inspired Ornellaia to donate the profits from the annual Vendemmia dArtista auction to this program.

Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, CEO of Ornellaia, commented, The huge success that the Minds Eye program is having, also thanks to our donations, fills us with pride, especially when we observe how the same model can extend not only to other museums belonging to the Guggenheim Foundation, but also to other art institutions in the rest of the world, ensuring that this excellence continues to guide museum programming for the blind and persons with low vision, and to all people across the world.

At the end of the auction, which was held online by Sothebys from the 1st to the 9th of September, Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, said, "Through the continued support of Ornellaia, the Guggenheim has been able to offer greater access to our programming and to deepen audience engagement. We extend our gratitude to Ornellaia for recognizing the importance of programs such as Minds Eye and for their generosity.

Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista 2017 Solare

The Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista project celebrates and describes the character of every new vintage of Ornellaia. Every year, starting with the release of Ornellaia 2006, a contemporary artist crafts a site-specific artwork and a set of limited-edition labels, inspired by a word chosen by the Estate Director, Axel Heinz, to describe the vintage.

Solare (radiant in English) is the epithet chosen by Heinz to describe the 2017 vintage of this wine: It was a year of extremes, in which sun and heat played a decisive role. By adapting to the conditions with more precise and flexible practices, we succeeded in voicing the bold personality of this vintage.

Based on the descriptor, Tomas Saraceno gave his interpretation of Ornellaia 2017 Solare. The artist sought inspiration in the alliance between the sun and populated systems of life, inviting greater care and attention to the most important source of our planets energy; the sun, which is depicted in the evolution of an eclipse. The issue of sustainability is explored through floating spheres such as PNEUMA 4.21x105, the sculpture that tops the Salmanazar, and the special thermodynamic labels, which like the ecosystems in which we live, are heat sensitive.

About Ornellaia - http://www.ornellaia.com

Ornellaias philosophy considers the birth of the wines to be the truest expression of their terroir. The grapes for Ornellaia are selected by hand, and picked in the estate's vineyards in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast. The varying natures of the estate's terroirs, marine, alluvial and volcanic, are ideal for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The Estate extends over 115 hectares along the Tuscan coast, just a short distance from the medieval hamlet of Bolgheri and the famed cypress-lined avenue Viale dei Cipressi. The constant work of the Ornellaia team and the ideal microclimatic and geological characteristics have brought the wines great international success since the first vintage of Ornellaia in 1985. In 2001, the 1998 Ornellaia was declared Wine of the Year by the American journal Wine Spectator. In 2011 the German publication Der Feinschmecker awarded Ornellaia its most sought-after award, the Weinlegende. Ornellaia has received considerable recognition in the national and international press, and is consistently ranked among the top estates by Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, James Suckling, Antonio Galloni, Bruce Sanderson and the Italian Wine Guides: Gambero Rosso, Espresso, and Veronelli

About Vendemmia dArtista

The Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista project celebrates the exclusive character of every new vintage of Ornellaia. Every year, starting with the release of Ornellaia 2006 in May 2009, a contemporary artist crafts a site-specific artwork and a set of limited-edition labels, inspired by a word chosen by the Estate Director, Axel Heinz, to describe the personality of the new vintage.

A label styled by the artist features on one of the six 750ml bottles in every case of Ornellaia. As in previous years, the project includes a limited edition of 111 large-format bottles (100 Jeroboams - 3 liters, 10 Imperials - 6 liters and 1 Salmanazar - 9 liters) which are numbered and signed personally by the artist. Every year, a selection of these bottles is auctioned by Sothebys and the profits go to support the Minds Eye program at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.

About the Minds Eye program

The Minds Eye program, created by Guggenheims Education Department, assists visitors who are blind or have low vision in experiencing art by using all the senses. This approach promotes the development of creative impressions, emotional connections and memories, whose perception endures over time. As in art, the appreciation of fine wine requires the involvement of all the senses. It was this shared idea that resulted in Ornellaia lending its support to develop this particular program. Donations collected through Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista project enable the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation to further the activities of the Minds Eye program aimed at distributing the model in other art institutions, ensuring that its excellence continues to guide the museum programming for the benefit of the blind and persons with low vision all over the world.
Performers rehearse a new ballet piece, Like Flowers, which will premiere on Sept 11 at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. Ethnic Miao folk dances and costumes are infused with ballet in the performance. [For China Daily/Jiang Dong]

The National Ballet of China will debut a piece that infuses such dimensions of Miao culture as traditional ethnic dances.

The National Ballet of China has announced its latest original piece, Like Flowers, will premiere on Sept 11 at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing and will run at the venue until Sept 13.

The production choreographed by Fei Bo and Zhang Zhenxin follows the story of volunteer He Lin, who travels to a remote mountainous area inhabited by ethnic Miao people and devotes himself to China's poverty alleviation campaign. Miao folk dances and costumes are infused with ballet in the performance.

"I've been traveling to Guizhou Province and Hunan Province's Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, where Miao people live," says Zhang, the choreographer who graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy in 2007 and joined the National Ballet of China the same year.

Performers rehearse a new ballet piece, Like Flowers, which will premiere on Sept 11 at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. Ethnic Miao folk dances and costumes are infused with ballet in the performance. [For China Daily/Jiang Dong]

"It has long been a wish of mine to combine ethnic Miao dance with ballet."

The company planned to create Like Flowers since the end of last year. But COVID-19 disrupted the plan.

The two choreographers started to work on the new piece in early February, after the dancers had resumed their daily training from their homes across the country.

"Usually, we'd prepare for a new piece together in a rehearsal room," says Fei, a veteran dancer-choreographer with the company, who's known for choreographing such pieces as Dunhuang and The Peony Pavilion.

"It was a big challenge for all of us because we had to create a new piece starting from zero without seeing one another. I was in Beijing, and Zhang Zhenxin lived in Ningbo (Zhejiang Province), some 1,300 kilometers away. We made lots of phone calls to discuss the piece."

The company's ballet dancers, including Ma Xiaodong, Qiu Yunting and Wang Ye, will play major roles. And the company's symphony orchestra will play under the baton of chief conductor Zhang Yi.

With the help of folk-dance experts, such as the China Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble's former director Ding Wei, and composer Wang Danhong, who also works with the ensemble, National Ballet of China dancers learned the movements of Miao folk dances from their homes through online courses and videos.

Performers rehearse a new ballet piece, Like Flowers, which will premiere on Sept 11 at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. Ethnic Miao folk dances and costumes are infused with ballet in the performance. [For China Daily/Jiang Dong]

"Ballet and Miao dances are totally different dance languages, in terms of techniques and poses. Dancers have to make changes during their performances, which isn't easy," says Fei.

For example, in several scenes, bamboo dancing, a traditional activity to mark Miao celebrations, is performed by ballet dancers, who jump while dancing on their pointe shoes.

The performance also incorporates intangible cultural heritage in the form of Miao embroidery, which is used in products sold to lift people out of poverty.

National Ballet of China's president Feng Ying says poverty alleviation not only means helping people to enjoy better living conditions but also is about living lives full of hope and passion.

"We've performed in remote villages throughout China, and we've seen how people work hard to change their situations. The country will achieve xiaokang, or a moderately prosperous society in all respects, by the end of 2020. The new piece comes at the right time," she says.

"We've been trying to create original ballet pieces that are fused with Chinese stories and traditions, such as The Red Detachment of Women, Raise the Red Lantern and Dunhuang. This is the first time that the company has debuted a work centered on the Miao ethnic group, which is exciting."

(Source: China Daily)
MTN has donated 3000 face masks to the staff of Kumasi South Hospital in the Ashanti regional capital. The donation is in furtherance of what they say is their major role to play in the fight against COVID-19.

Presenting the items to the hospital, the Acting General Manager, Northern Business District, Mr. Simon Amoh notes that MTN has no intention of relenting on their oars in the fight against Covid-19.

According to him, health is one of the three main pillars of MTN hence their dedicated assistance to health care providers across the country before and during Covid-19.

The Telecoms Giant has made several interventions across the country during the pandemic.

Key among their support is the over 44,000 Personal Protection Equipments (PPE) and PCR machines which they presented to the National COVID Trust Fund and the presentation of some essential equipment to the Noguchi Memorial Institute to enhance Medical research and also promote rapid testing and data processing.

Todays donation forms part of yet another phase of their assistance to the nation as a total of 88,500 face masks have been donated in 30 other hospitals in all 16 regions.

Clinical Care Coordinator at the Kumasi South Hospital Dr. Angela Durowaah Frimpong who received the items on behalf of her colleagues expressed their gratitude to MTN for the continued support.

She assured MTN of putting the masks to judicious use since PPE has been in short supply the world over.

Government alone cannot supply all the consumables we need so we really appreciate MTN and all the other organizations who have supported us through this period, she said.
10.09.2020 LISTEN

It has now come to light that as far back as 7th February this year, the Chinese Premier Xi actually told Donald Trump about the outbreak of Covid-19 and even went further to warn that the virus is 5-times deadlier than the common seasonal flu.

In America alone, atleast 60,000 people die of seasonal flu annually. So with the outbreak of Covid-19, it technically makes the increases the number of annual US flu fatalities to (60,0005) possible Covid-19 fatalities plus 60,000 annual seasonal flu deaths which gives you a total figure of 360, 000!!!

Indeed, this figure of 360,000 fatalities due to Covid-19, has actually been forecasted by experts, should current infection rates and confused signals being sent by Trump continue.

Now, America has just about 4% of total global population, yet, it has 20% of the world's total Covid-19 infections and fatalities.

Donald Trump knew from the very onset, the deadliness of Covid-19 but he keeps claiming China kept the information of the outbreak secret and continues blaming China for the ravaging Covid-19 deaths in America.

He also blamed the World Health Organization for it's failure to declare Covid-19 a pandemic to have alerted countries to have taken the needed measures to stem the spread. Meanwhile, he was informed by the Chinese even before the WHO got the wind.

He accused WHO of colluding with China to hide information about the outbreak and therefore suspended America's financial commitments to the world body and actually went further to cut all links.

He put together a team of exceptionally accomplished medical experts led by Anthony Fauci, a great infectious disease expert with over 40years experience, to spearhead America's fight against covid-19.

But along the line, he realised the team had become so popular and credible with Americans through their regular White House pressbriefings. And not to be outstaged, he took over the pressbriefings, turned them into campaign platform and regular bitter altercations with journalists.

As he hijacked the pressbriefings, he kept contradicting his very medical experts with weird solutions and conspiracy theories to fighting Covid-19. In the end, the team got dissolved and the briefings curtailed.

At home, he continued telling Americans that the virus was nothing to worry about, and that, it was going to disappear like a miracle. At a point, he advised Americans to inject themselves with insecticides as means to curing the virus.

He is very much aware, per what the Chinese President told him on 7th February, 2020, that, the virus is transmitted through air but he goes about disregarding wearing of nose mask and social distancing protocols; and encourages his ardent followers to do same.

As at now, nearly 191,000 Americans have succumbed to the the deadly Covid-19, but the man still disregards wearing of nose mask and actually mocks his opponent Joe Biden, for wearing nose mask.

According to available projections by experts, had the decision to stop inbound flights to America been put in place 2weeks earlier than it was done, over 30,000 out of current 191,000 Covid-19 fatalities would have been prevented.

But the man still goes about blaming such a terrible handling of the crisis on China, WHO, his political opponents at home, and other weird conspiracy theories.

Conventionally, America, with it's status as the sole global hegemonic superpower exhibited through unparrel Statecraft of both economic and military power, should have been leading global efforts in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

But rather paradoxically, America is on it's knees while less endowed nation's have done fantastic job to contain the pandemic within their borders.

IS TRUMP REALLY FOR THE AMERICAN PROJECT OF EXCEPTIONALISM, SINCERITY, LOVE, UNITY, EQUALITY AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP?

Newton-Offei Justice Abeeku

email: [email protected]


By Anna J. Park



In line with major financial groups' plans to invest tens of trillions of won over the next five years in the government-led Korean New Deal initiatives, the firms' close cooperation with startup businesses is becoming ever more prevalent.



The major financial groups each have their own programs for supporting burgeoning startups, yet such moves will now be an integral part of their business strategy in this full-on digital transformation period accelerated by the global pandemic.



Their cooperation with startups mostly occur in one of two ways  applying innovative interfaces and platforms developed by fintech firms or jointly developing new services for customers.



Woori Financial Group's DINNO LAB



Under the banner of "DINNO LAB," Woori Financial Group selected 15 startup companies earlier this year out of 187 contestants to support the their efforts for digital innovation. The financial group aims to not only support the venture firms, but also adopt bright innovative ideas from young entrepreneurs that will help with the financial group's management.



That's why Woori Financial Group launched an integrated center for the selected startups for the DINNO LAB projects in June, and five of the financial group's affiliates were each matched to some of the venture firms create a synergy effect in business operations.



Specifically, Woori Bank joined hands with one of DINNO LAB's fintech startups, Fin2B, in its overseas business in Vietnam starting this July. The system developed by the fintech firm is currently used by small and medium-sized companies when they raise money through trade accounts. The bank is also cooperating with real-estate fintech firm Asil, planning to launch contactless mortgage loans using the fintech platform.



Shinhan Financial Group's Future's Lab



Shinhan Financial Group has been operating Future's Lab as the group's startup accelerator program for the past five years. The financial group provides more systemic support for the startups that are largely from newly growing sectors like AI and big data, digital marketing or blockchain industries.



The financial group used to select dozens of startup companies once a year, yet starting this year, it has started to choose promising firms twice a year. During the first half of this year, 36 startups were selected for the Future's Lab project, while another 19 firms were additionally picked last month. Some of the selected firms' ideas and business models are adapted into Shinhan affiliates' services through cooperation deals.



Earlier this year, Shinhan Card launched a device for the iPhone, together with cooperation with Dansol Plus  one of Shinhan Future's Lab startups  which would allow iPhone users to make payments with a simple touch.



Shinhan Bank also co-developed a deposit trusteeship system with Honest Fund  a former Shinhan Future's Lab startup selected in 2015.



"The Future's Lab program is not just about simple support for venture firms; Shinhan partners with some of these startups when their technologies or business models are directly linked with the group's strategies," an official from Shinhan Financial Group explained.



KB Financial Group's KB Innovation HUB



Since KB Financial Group first launched its Innovation HUB back in 2015, the financial group has also been strengthening its ties with innovative startup businesses.



So far, the financial group has selected startups with the help of outside expert agencies, yet it received applications directly for the first time through the group's Innovation HUB website last month. The financial group also relocated its office space for Innovation HUB startups into a more spacious place located in Seoul's posh Gangnam area.



While over 90 startups were selected by the program, they have also jointly partnered with some of KB's actual businesses. One such case is FlyHigh  a fintech firm specializing in mobile authentication. Most affiliates of KB Financial Group are cooperating with the venture firm's technology in receiving new customers for their financial products.



Hana Financial Group's 1Q Agile Lab



KEB Hana Bank is one of the first financial companies in Korea to have launched a startup support program, with its 1Q Agile Lab five years ago. The initiative is not only continuing to the present, but also has strengthened through various programs.



The bank recently launched the nation's first joint employee exchange training program with some of the startups from the lab. The bank's selected employees will spend six months at one of the fintech firms  Minds Lab, Data Marketing Korea, Jaranda, and Finda  which were all supported by Hana's 1Q Agile Lab in the past.



The financial group also partnered with Qraft Technologies and Minds Lab  AI-based asset management firms  to enhance the group's robo-adviser programs.


Conservation efforts have saved at least 28 bird and mammal species from becoming extinct since the year 1993, a study has concluded.

Researchers from the UK analysed 73 of the world's most threatened species and predicted how many would have gone extinct were it not for conservation efforts.

Among those species pulled back from the brink are the Puerto Rican parrot, Mongolian wild horse, Iberian Lynx and the Black Stilt  a New Zealand wading bird.

These animals have been threatened by such factors as human-driven destruction of their habitats, invasive predators, disease, hunting and climate change.

Successful conservation strategies in these cases included controlling invasive species, introduction of protected sites and the efforts of zoos and collections.

The findings follow a WWF report released yesterday warming that global wildlife populations have fallen by more than two-thirds since the seventies.

Conservation efforts have saved at least 28 bird and mammal species from becoming extinct since the year 1993, a study has concluded. Pictured, an Iberian Lynx, one of the saved species

The researchers determined that  without conservation efforts  the rate of extinction would have been around 34 times higher, with an estimated 2132 bird and 716 mammals species have been saved from vanishing since 1993. Pictured, the researchers estimates of whether conservation efforts had saved some of the species analysed in the study

CASE STUDY: PUERTO RICAN PARROT Amazona vittata, the Puerto Rican parrot, numbered only 13 individuals out in the wild 1975. In 2017, this original population was wiped out by hurricanes. However, conservation efforts that began in 2006 had reintroduced another group of the parrots into the Rio Abajo State Park that survived. Without this programme, the parrots would have gone extinct in the wild. Advertisement

'It is encouraging that some of the species we studied have recovered very well,' said paper author and biodiversity expert Rike Bolam of Newcastle University.

'Our analyses therefore provide a strikingly positive message that conservation has substantially reduced extinction rates for birds and mammals,' she added.

'While extinctions have also occurred over the same time period, our work shows that it is possible to prevent extinctions.'

In their study, Dr Bolam and colleagues compiled observations from 137 experts on 73 of the world's most at-risk species (48 birds and 25 mammals), as identified by the so-called 'Red List' of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Each of the species had population totals that had fallen below 250 at any point since 1993, faced ongoing threats and had been targeted for conservation.

They collected such data as each species' population sizes and trends, the threats they face and the actions that have been taken to protect them.

From this information, they set about to calculate the likelihood that each species would have gone extinct if conservationists had not intervened.

The researchers determined that  without conservation efforts  the rate of extinction would have been around 34 times higher, with an estimated 2132 bird and 716 mammals species have been saved from vanishing since 1993.

The ranges in these values, the researchers explained, represent the inherent uncertainty in trying to predict the outcomes of such hypothetical circumstances.

Of the conserved animals, 21 bird species benefited from invasive species control, 20 species from the efforts of zoos and collections, and 19 species from the introduction of site-based protections.

Meanwhile, 14 mammal species were saved with the help of protective legislation and nine from a combination of conservation and re-wilding efforts by zoos and collections, the researchers explained.

Researchers from the UK analysed some of the world's most threatened species and predicted how many would have gone extinct were it not for conservation efforts. Pictured, a mating pair of Puerto Rican Amazons (or 'Amazona vittata') which have been saved by protection activities

Among those species pulled back from the brink are the Puerto Rican parrot, Mongolian wild horse (or 'Equus ferus', pictured), Iberian Lynx and the Black Stilt  a New Zealand wader

'This is a glimmer of hope  that if we take action we can prevent the irreversible loss of the last individuals of a species,' said paper author and Newcastle University biologist Phil McGowan, who leads the IUCN's Species Survival Commission.

However, he added, 'we mustn't forget that in the same period, 15 bird and mammal species went extinct or are strongly suspected to have gone extinct.'

In some cases, conservation efforts simply are not enough, the team noted. For example, the Gulf of California's Vaquita, or 'Phocoena sinus', is a porpoise species whose numbers continue to fall despite efforts to minimise the damage of fishing.

'We usually hear bad stories about the biodiversity crisis and there is no doubt that we are facing an unprecedented loss in biodiversity through human activity,' Professor McGowan added.

'The loss of entire species can be stopped if there is sufficient will to do so. This is a call to action: showing the scale of the issue and what we can achieve if we act now to support conservation and prevent extinction.'

Some of the species saved now only exist in captivity  although there is always the hope that they might be re-introduced into the wild in the future.

Case in point: Mongolian wild horse  also known as 'Przewalski's horse' and 'Equus ferus'  went extinct in the wild in the sixties, but was restored by a rewilding programme which began in the nineties.

The species first new wild foal was then born in 1996  and the Mongolian steps today plays host to a population of 760 of the horses.

'It is encouraging that some of the species we studied have recovered very well,' said paper author and biodiversity expert Rike Bolam of Newcastle University. 'Our analyses therefore provide a strikingly positive message that conservation has substantially reduced extinction rates for birds and mammals,' she added. Pictured, a Black Stilt, a New Zealand wading bird

'Despite the overall failure to meet the targets for conserving nature set through the UN a decade ago, significant success in preventing extinctions was achieved,' said paper author and zoologist Stuart Butchart of BirdLife International.

'This should encourage governments to reaffirm their commitment to halt extinctions and recover populations of threatened species in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework currently being negotiated.'

'Such a commitment is both achievable and essential to sustain a healthy planet.'

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Conservation Letters.
A tiger spotted on the loose in an industrial park in East Tennessee has sparked a massive search, with authorities laying a huge trap for the 200lb animal.

A deputy first encountered the animal Wednesday night at the Forks of the River Industrial Park on the east side of Knox County, according to Knox County Sheriff's Office.

Police then received multiple reports of sightings of the tiger overnight around John Sevier Highway and another sighting around 7 a.m. Thursday morning near Thorngrove Pike, reported WVLT.

A tiger spotted on the loose in an industrial park in East Tennessee sparked a massive search

Authorities are searching for the big cat, laying a huge trap for the 200lb animal

Crews continued their search for the big cat Thursday, which is being led by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Sheriff's patrol units, AirWatch, Knoxville Police Department's Animal Control and Tiger Haven have all been drafted in to help in the hunt for the animal.

A large humane trap using chickens as bait has been set in the area where the cat was last seen.

Officials plan to transport the tiger to Tiger Haven, a big cat rescue in Kingston, Tennessee, when caught.

It is not clear where the tiger has come from.

A deputy first encountered the animal Wednesday night at the Forks of the River Industrial Park on the east side of Knox County

A deputy first encountered the animal Wednesday night at the Forks of the River Industrial Park on the east side of Knox County. Police then received multiple reports of sightings of the tiger overnight around John Sevier Highway (pictured)

Zoo Knoxville, Tiger Haven and Little Ponderosa Zoo, which all house big cats, each said all of their tigers are accounted for.

'We want to reassure everyone that our Zoo Knoxville Malayan tigers Arya, Bashir and Tanvir are all safely accounted for. Our team is standing by to assist if needed,' Zoo Knoxville said in Facebook post.

The Sheriff's Office is urging residents to contact them if they see the tiger or have any information about its whereabouts.
In a move that demonstrated the enduring influence of the building trade unions on Philadelphia politics even as more diverse, lower-wage workers gain a foothold in City Hall, City Council approved a bill Thursday that would require more stringent certification for workers who inspect building sprinkler systems.

Councils approval frustrated the bills opponents, who said it was blatantly designed to funnel work to the Sprinkler Fitters union.

The vote was 16-1, with Councilmember Maria D. Quinones-Sanchez opposing the bill. The trade unions' poor track record of recruiting people of color, she said, would effectively shut out Black and brown workers from this kind of fire protection inspection work, required annually of all property owners by city law.

Joseph Dunlap, a Black nonunion sprinkler fitter at BM Consulting Services, testified at Thursdays Council meeting that he had tried to join the union but was turned away.

I dont see a lot of minorities in the sprinkler fitters, he said.

The bill, introduced by Councilmember Bobby Henon in June, was framed as a public safety measure. At a June 23 committee hearing, he said the legislation was about making sure we are safe."

Wayne Miller, business manager of Sprinkler Fitters Local 692, pointed to deadly fires like the one at a West Chester nursing home that killed four in 2018. Independent fire experts said the fire suppression system at the Barclay Friends home was faulty.

Inspections are not being done properly," Miller said.

 READ MORE: New Pa. law requiring immigration checks on construction workers shows labors identity crisis

And the newly required American Society of Sanitary Engineers (ASSE) certification has a hands-on training component that is superior to other certifications, said Sarah Adamo, legislative affairs manager for the citys Licenses & Inspections Department.

But opponents of the bill, namely building contractors, pointed to a problem: The only places in the region to get the required certification are the Sprinkler Fitters unions training centers, to which only union members have access.

It gives a monopoly to the Sprinkler Fitters, said John Morley, who runs a fire protection company. Thats all it does.

Morley, whos been in the fire protection business since the 70s, said it would drive up costs for consumers. Union sprinkler fitters make about $60 an hour, Miller said, while non-union contractors pay their workers far less.

The building trade unions, which are major donors to local and state politicians and historically influential in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania politics, have a long track record of lobbying for legislation that will bring more work to their members. They often describe the bills as public safety measures that guarantee high-quality work and ensure that workers are well-paid and protected on the job  a pressing issue as shoddy work has led to deadly building collapses and other accidents, and contractors who illegally misclassify their workers run rampant.

In Philadelphia, workers who are misclassified as independent contractors  and thus face greater risks with little protection  make up between 15% and 25% of the construction industry, according to estimates in a 2018 report from the Office of the City Controller. A 2018 report by the Keystone Research Center, commissioned by the trades, said labor laws and standards were routinely violated by contractors in the Philadelphia area.

 READ MORE: How slow-to-act Philadelphia came to pass some of the most cutting-edge worker laws in the nation

Last year, Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 successfully fought for a bill that would require proof of fire and smoke damper inspections, which critics slammed as an unnecessary measure designed to create jobs for union workers. The statewide building trades won a major victory last year when the legislature required all construction companies to run immigration checks on workers through the federal E-verify database. And the Philadelphia Building Trades Council, where Miller holds a leadership position, has advocated for project labor agreements, which require union labor on public works projects.

Only two training centers in the region can certify workers in the ASSE certification newly required by the city  one is in Philadelphia and the other in South Jersey, and both are run by Sprinkler Fitters locals.

Two nonunion centers in the area are applying to become recognized ASSE training facilities, said Lauren Atwell, a spokesperson for Henon. It could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to become a recognized facility, said ASSE executive director Tom Palkon. The bill is slated go into effect 18 months after it passes to provide time for facilities to become certified training centers.

There are 500 members of Local 692. About 80 are ASSE-certified, Miller said, and he expects that about half will eventually get certified.

The union accepts new apprentices based on the amount of work available, Miller said. In the last year, the union took on about 20 new apprentices.

Staff writer Joseph N. DiStefano contributed to this article.
The U.S. military is reducing troops in Afghanistan from 8,600 to about 4,500 by early November, the head of U.S Central Command said Wednesday, hours after he announced the withdrawal of more service members from Iraq this month.

"At 4,500 we're still going to be able to accomplish the core task that we want to accomplish, and we've shown more than ample goodwill in our willingness to demonstrate that we don't want to be an occupying force in this country, but we do have strategic interests, vital interests, that compel us to be certain that these entities such as al-Qaeda and ISIS can't be guests there to attack the United States," Marine Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie told VOA and two other media outlets in an interview.

In July, the CENTCOM commander told VOA that inter-Afghan dialogue would need to begin and the U.S. would need to be confident that the Taliban would not host Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaeda terrorist groups before U.S. troops could be greatly reduced in Afghanistan.

When asked what has changed, McKenzie on Wednesday acknowledged the Taliban "has still not shown conclusively that they are going to break with al-Qaeda" and have "continued to go after the Afghan security forces."

Afghanistan's warring factions were expected this week to begin their first direct peace talks in Qatar amid U.S.-led international calls for them to seize the "historic opportunity" to end the country's long war. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told Fox News last month that the U.S. planned to go down to fewer than 5,000 troops in Afghanistan by the end of November.


Following a recent virtual dogfight between an artificial intelligence program and an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, the Pentagon is raising the stakes and will pit an AI-controlled jet against a fighter pilot in a real aerial battle, according to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

Speaking during the Defense Department's AI Symposium 2020 on Wednesday, Esper championed the "tectonic impact of machine learning on the future of warfighting" after the AI algorithm beat the human pilot during a simulated dogfight hosted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency last month.

Read Next: Fort Bragg Paratrooper Dies During Airborne Training

"The AI agent's resounding victory demonstrated the ability of advanced algorithms to outperform humans in virtual dogfights," he said, per prepared remarks. "These simulations will culminate in a real-world competition involving full-scale tactical aircraft in 2024."

During last month's AlphaDogfight challenge, Maryland-based Heron Systems came in first place among eight companies who pitted their simulated aircraft against one another over two days. On the third day, Heron's system beat an F-16 pilot "in five straight simulated dogfights in the man-vs-machine finale," DARPA said following the finals.

The AI aircraft used confrontational moves during the simulation, officials said, such as flying directly at the other jet without letting up until the last possible second -- a high-stakes game of chicken. But such maneuvers go beyond the scope of how human pilots train to face off at the elite Air Force Weapons School -- the service's version of Top Gun -- at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, according to Col. Dan "Animal" Javorsek, DARPA program manager for the event and a former F-16 pilot.

While Esper provided no additional details on the upcoming face-off, he reassured troops that AI is meant to be an additive for warfighting, not a replacement.

"We see AI as a tool to free up resources, time and manpower so our people can focus on higher-priority tasks and arrive at the decision point, whether in a lab or on the battlefield, faster and more precise than the competition," he said.

Pentagon officials note that China is a primary competitor in the AI field. It has made massive investments in artificial intelligence technologies over the last five years, harnessing several "smart cities" in a military-civilian partnership to understand how AI can be propagated for everyday use.

On Wednesday, Esper referenced China's ambition to become the global leader in AI and to prevail as a "digital police state -- unencumbered by privacy laws or ethical governing principles."

"As China scales this technology, we fully expect it to sell these capabilities abroad, enabling other autocratic governments to move toward a new era of digital authoritarianism," he said.

By contrast, earlier this year, the Pentagon vowed that, if it cannot use artificial intelligence on the battlefield in an ethical or responsible way, it will simply not field it.

In February, Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, then director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), unveiled the Defense Department's new AI guidelines, including five main pillars for its principled use: to be responsible, equitable, traceable, reliable and governable.

"We will not field an algorithm until we are convinced it meets our level of performance and our standard, and if we don't believe it can be used in a safe and ethical manner, we won't field it," Shanahan told reporters during a briefing at the time. He retired in August.

The guidelines will govern AI in both combat and noncombat functions. The recommendations came after 15 months of consultation with commercial, academic and government AI experts, as well as the Defense Innovation Board and the JAIC. The DIB, which is chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, made the recommendations last October.

While Shanahan stressed that the U.S. should be aggressive in its efforts to harness accurate data to stay ahead, he said it will not go down the same path of China and Russia as they neglect the principles that dictate how AI should be used.

Instead, the steps put in place by the Pentagon can hold someone accountable for a bad action, he said.

"What I worry about with both countries is they move so fast that they're not adhering to what we would say are mandatory principles of AI adoption and integration," Shanahan said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Related: Rise of the Machines: AI Algorithm Beats F-16 Pilot in Dogfight
TDT | Manama

Interior Minister and Civil Defence Council chairman General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa held a meeting yesterday with Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf and Housing Minister Bassim Yacoub Al Hamer in the presence of the Public Security chief.

The Interior Minister highlighted the importance of reviewing all preparations and reinforcing preparedness to promote general safety. He also noted the updating of the national strategy to deal with emergencies and setting up proactive plans and scenarios, as part of efforts to protect citizens and secure establishments.

The meeting reviewed methods to secure shelters and set their specifications, in addition to the safety procedures of citizens and residents, along with steps to be taken during crises and disasters. The Public Security chief, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee head, was assigned to study requirements and conditions and refer them to the councils next meeting
Amid COVID-19 pandemic, actress Kangana Ranaut arrived in Mumbai from her hometown Shimla where she was homebound during lockdown. A Brihan Mumbai Corportation (BMC) official told PTI that the actress has been exempted from the 14-day home quarantine rule for those arriving from outside the state.

A senior BMC official further told the news agency that Kangana had made an online application for the exemption from home quarantine as she was on a short visit.

The officer was quoted as saying by PTI, "Since she is staying here for less than a week, she was exempted under the "short-term visitor category," the officer told PTI. Kangana is scheduled to leave Mumbai on September 14.

Meanwhile, Kangana Ranaut is currently at loggerheads with BMC and the Maharashtra government over the demolition of her office in Mumbai. On Wednesday morning, a BMC team reached Kangana's office and demolished 'illegal allerations' there, hours before she landed in Mumbai. Later, the Bombay High Court directed the BMC to stay the process of demolition of Kangana's property.

The demolition drive received a sharp response from netizens including Bollywood celebrities like Renuka Shahane, Raveena Tandon, Ranvir Shorey and others.

Kangana Ranaut is currently in news because of the controversy over her remark comparing Mumbai to Pok, and criticizing the Mumbai Police over the handling of Sushant Singh Rajput's death case.

ALSO READ: Sushant's Sister Shocked Over Demolition Of Kangana's Office; Says 'What Kind Of Gunda Raj Is This'

ALSO READ: Dia Mirza, Hansal Mehta, Renuka Shahane & Others Condemn Demolition Of Kangana Ranaut's Property
He offered to 'double' reward to those who didn't give location and tagged police

An on-the-run drugs suspect has offered to double a 1,000 reward for his arrest if witnesses keep schtum, as he taunted police on Facebook.

Aaron Stephenson from Newbiggin is wanted as part of an investigation into drug supply. Crimestoppers offered the reward for his capture on Tuesday.

But on Facebook, the brazen 27-year-old said he would 'double it' for anyone who didn't disclose his whereabouts and even tagged Northumbria Police in the post.

Female social media users jokingly offered to harbour the suspect, with one posting in response: 'Think half the lasses on here would offer you somewhere to hide'.

Aaron Stephenson (pictured above and right, in the picture posted by police to Facebook), 27, from Newbiggin, Northumbria, is wanted as part of an investigation into drug supply

Another commented: 'Al hand cuff if a see him... strait (sic) to my bed'.

A third added: 'Phwaaaarrr will hide you in me cupboard bonny lad'.

The force said Stephenson is wanted in connection with 'a number of serious offences'. He is also subject to a crown court warrant.

Multiple addresses have been searched without success, promoting the charity to offer the reward for any tip-off that leads to his arrest and charge.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Brooks, of Northumbria Police, said: 'We have made extensive enquiries in a bid to trace Aaron Stephenson and our efforts will continue until he is brought into custody.

'He is wanted in connection with a number of serious offences and we are asking members of the community who may know his whereabouts or who have recently seen him to come forward.

'Someone out there will know something and that may be the small detail that helps lead to an arrest.

'I would also appeal directly to Aaron to come forward and hand himself in and do the right thing.'

Stephenson posted online: 'All the money use have took n ya offering a GRAND times the c*** by 20 n al walk in me self.'

The suspect is described as white, around 5ft 10ins tall, with short brown hair and of medium build.

Ruth McNee, regional manager at Crimestoppers, said: 'If anyone has information on Aaron's whereabouts please remember that you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by calling our charity or by using our simple and secure anonymous online form.

'No one will ever know you contacted us.'

Stephenson, or anyone who believes they may have seen him, is asked to contact Crimestoppers or police.
To the editor:

When a virus driven disease outbreak is first suspected, governments around the world are supposed to take notice. Health experts like those in our Center for Disease Control or National Institute of Health take note and their job is to alert the leaders in their country about any outbreak so that steps can be taken to prevent an epidemic from spreading.

We elect leaders in government at all levels to serve the public good. Among other things, this includes keeping us safe. It is clear from the history of this Covid-19 pandemic that our national leaders did not keep us safe. We have a president who we have learned is incapable of understanding complex matters and wants details condensed down to talking points. This president and many of the aides, appointees, and officials under him dropped the ball. Instead, they passed the problem down to the states and did nothing but offer blame and denial. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 disease was infecting millions around the country to the point where hospitals had no place to treat patients.

The fine art of total denial seems to have propagated down the food chain of elected officials who call themselves Republicans. By the time the US was in its fourth and fifth month of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, our country should have gotten its act together and dealt with this crisis in a sane and scientific manner. States and counties have health departments that keep an eye out for health problems. Governors are supposed to listen to those experts for guidance. The notion that a legislature can vote to override or otherwise negate the emergency powers of such an executive during a public health crisis is totally ridiculous. Governors who do not listen to health experts and presidents who fail to listen to our countrys major health experts should not be reelected.

At our local level, I am appalled at the lack of seriousness that our state representatives and state senator have taken towards steps that can slow the spread of this bug. When Gov. Evers finally issued a statewide mask order, an action that was already done in 31 other states, the Republican leadership in our State Legislature claimed the governor exceed his authority. It is clear that these elected officials do not want to heed health department guidelines and would rather see business continue as usual; letting everyone do as they please in a pandemic. Maybe its time to elect new state representatives.

For reasons I still fail to understand, the issue of following health department recommendations or a state order to help control this pandemic has become a political flash point. We dont elect local officials so that they can make medical decisions. In the 1918-1920 Spanish Flu pandemic, officials in infected areas issued an ultimatum; wear a mask or get fined and sent to a factory to help make more masks.

David G. Yost,

Williams Bay
Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation, The Peoples Lobby, National Nurses United, Shriver Center on Poverty Law and the Chicago Community Bond Fund are behind the campaign for the suggested budget. Their blueprint comes about a month after the Board of Commissioners overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution that supports reallocating money from policing and incarceration, a nod to the thousands who took to Chicagos streets this summer to rally and march for reimagining the role of law enforcement in response to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
Whitney Port stepped out in Los Angeles on Wednesday in search of some new furnishings to refresh her home's look.

The 35-year-old star of The Hills: New Beginnings opted for a casual and comfortable ensemble while in search of a vintage chandelier to restore.

The reality star broadcast a call for civic engagement thanks to her white crop top which read 'Vote' in block letters and a red-lipped mouth.

Stocking up: Whitney Port, 35, looked sporty and casual in a white 'Vote' T-shirt while going shopping Wednesday in Los Angeles' Studio City neighborhood

Whitney showed off a bit of her toned tummy under the shirt and matched it with a set of white cut-off jeans.

The 5ft10in star of The City kept her look low-key with checker print Vans slip-on sneakers, and she kept her blonde tresses styled straight and cascading down her shoulders.

She covered her face with a gray and white striped cloth masks to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Whitney was seen carrying her large black Fendi monogrammed handbag and multiple paper shopping bags out to her SUV, as well as a black and white patterned jug.

No fuss: Whitney showed off a bit of her toned tummy under the shirt and matched it with a set of white cut-off jeans and classic checker print Vans slip-on sneakers

In her Instagram Stories, she showed off some of her finds, including a gray metal chandelier.

Later, she posted another weathered fixture that matched one her mother owned that she planned to restore.

Whitney included a photo from inside the store, Studio City's Little Moon Society.

'Had to run some errands. Felt so nice to be inside this cute store,' she captioned it.

Elegant: In her Instagram Stories, she showed off some of her finds, including a gray metal chandelier

Cozy: Whitney included a photo from inside the store, Studio City's Little Moon Society.

Cute: Joining Whitney on her errand run was her three-year-old son Sonny, who wore a T-shirt with a wolf on the front, orange shorts and a red and blue gingham mask

Joining Whitney on her errand run was her three-year-old son Sonny, who looked cute in a T-shirt with a wolf on the front, orange shorts and a red and blue gingham mask.

The TV fixture shares him with her husband Tim Rosenman, whom she met when he was a producer on The City.

The couple began dating in 2012, two years after the two-season show was canceled, and they married in November 2015, before they welcomed Sonny in 2017.

Although Whitney and Tim have considered having a second child, she revealed earlier this month on the With Whit podcast that she was interested in a second child but was holding off until she felt more 'mentally stable.'

Growing family: The TV fixture shares him with her husband Tim Rosenman, whom she met when he was a producer on The City

'I know deep down I would like to have another baby. I want Sonny to have another sibling. I feel it would complete our family,' she began.

'Our family feels complete, but it doesn't feel fully to the extent complete, like the ultimate level of greatness, that I think our family could be,' she explained.

Whitney also admitted she has 'some work' to do on herself, before feeling 'ready to take on this next layer of responsibility.'

While she talked about previously 'leaving it all up to fate' and 'going off' her birth control, Port has recently begun focusing on getting her 'emotions straight.'

'I really don't feel in a mentally stable place to get pregnant right now,' she confessed.

Family of three, for now: The reality star revealed this month on the With Whit podcast that she and Rosenman both want another baby, but she wants to wait until she feels more 'mentally stable'

Caffeine pick-me-up: Later on Wednesday, Whitney was spotted out in LA grabbing coffees while with her husband and son

No fuss: The Hills star had changed into a plain white T-shirt with gray sweatpants
Ranchi, Sep 10 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav has written a letter to Raghuvansh Prasad Singh trying to pacify him after he sent a handwritten resignation to him.

In his letter to Singh, Lalu said, "Dear Raghuvansh Babu, a letter said to be yours is circulating in the media. I cannot believe it. My family and the RJD family wants to see you back soonest after recovery. For four decades, we have taken every political, social and even family decisions together. First you get better, then we will sit and talk. You are not going anywhere." Lalu Yadav is serving a prison term after being convicted in a multi-million fodder scam.

Earlier on Thursday, senior leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh sent his handwritten resignation to Lalu Prasad Yadav saying that "After (former Chief Minister and socialist icon) Karpuri Thakur's death, I stood by you for 32 years, but no more." At present, Singh is admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi following some health issues.

RJD leaders are silent over Singh's resignation but the BJP and JDU said that his decision is correct.

RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said, "I got to know about his resignation from the media. I have not received any official information." "I'll only give any statement after official information is received," he added.

Angry over former MP Rama Singh's reported entry into the RJD, Singh had earlier resigned from all party posts. However, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had met him in the hospital and tried to convince him but the efforts were futile.
Among the explosive revelations from journalist Bob Woodwards new book on Donald Trump is that the president claimed to have developed a secret new weapons system  possibly a nuclear one.

In one of the many interviews he gave Mr Woodward for the upcoming book, Rage, Mr Trump  who has pulled the US out of several arms control treaties  discussed the threat from North Korea in the first year of his term and the extent to which the US was braced for a nuclear confrontation. According to the Washington Post, this is where he boasted of the new development.

I have built a nuclear  a weapons system that nobodys ever had in this country before, Mr Woodward quotes the president telling him. "We have stuff that you havent even seen or heard about. We have stuff that Putin and Xi have never heard about before. Theres nobody  what we have is incredible.

It is unclear from the quoted excerpt whether Mr Trump specifically meant a new nuclear system, but Mr Woodward apparently did independently confirm that a new weapons system exists.

In the absence of any further detail, the reaction from weapons control experts has been mixed. Many have pointed out that given Mr Trumps tendency toward hyperbole, it is quite possible he was alluding to either a minor development to an existing technology.

Recommended US tells Russia that China has secret and rapidly expanding nuclear warhead arsenal

James Action, co-director of the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Programme, speculated that given the timing of the discussion Mr Woodward describes, Mr Trump might have been referring to the new lower-yield warheads fitted to Trident D5 missiles that were announced in 2018 and first deployed at the end of 2019  the timing of the first deployment having been classified.

I don't believe that the US could build an actually new nuclear weapon in secret, he wrote. Too much money for classified budgets. Too many people involved for it not to leak.Andrew Facini, a nuclear weapons expert at the Harvard Extension School, ran through a list of possible candidates for Mr Trumps secret new system in a Twitter thread, concluding that given Mr Woodward had confirmed that whatever Mr Trump referred to did in fact exist, it was probably either something mundane they told Trump was awesome in order to sell it or something truly new we still don't know about and he shouldn't have blabbed.

Aside from the tantalising line about the new system, Mr Woodward also relates discussions with Mr Trump and others in which they conveyed just how close the US came to a conflict with North Korea, as well as the extent to which senior members of the administration struggled with their consciences while working for the president.

General James Mattis, Mr Trumps first secretary of defence, apparently went to the Washington National Cathedral to pray for the nations safety under Mr Trump.

He also reportedly told then-director of national intelligence Dan Coats that the president is dangerous and unfit, and that there may come a time when we have to take collective action  presumably a reference to the 25th amendment, under which a majority of cabinet secretaries can vote to remove the president from power.
Authorities in Knoxville, Tenn., are conducting a massive search for a tiger that was spotted on Wednesday night in an industrial park, according to CNN.

Authorities issue BOLO after tiger reportedly spotted near industrial park in Tennessee https://t.co/KKbGPQZMYs  fox8news (@fox8news) September 10, 2020

Knox County Sheriffs Office patrol units, AirWatch, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and Knoxville Police Departments Animal Control are all searching for the tiger, along with representatives from Tiger Haven, a no-kill tiger sanctuary in Kingston, located 50 miles southwest of where the tiger was spotted.

In addition to residents' spotting the tiger, a Sheriffs Office deputy saw the animal at the Forks of the River Industrial Park on the east side of the city, according to a news release. The industrial park is a complex of more than 1,400 acres that is across the Tennessee River from a wildlife management area.

CNN affiliate WVLT reports that Knoxville police dispatch received several calls overnight from people who thought they saw the tiger.

According to WATE on Fox8, officials have set a trap for the tiger enticing it with a store-bought chicken. If captured, it will be taken to Tiger Haven.

TIGER TALK: The trap for the Tiger spotted in #Knoxville is a humane bear trap and hanging inside is a grocery store chicken



This area where it was spotted is dense with foliage, but there is a water source near it  which is helpful for the Tiger, if youre curious. @6News  Madisen Keavy (@madisenkeavy) September 10, 2020

Its not known where the tiger came from. Both Tiger Haven and Zoo Knoxville stated that it wasnt one of their big cats.

We want to reassure everyone that our Zoo Knoxville Malayan tigers Arya, Bashir and Tanvir are all safely accounted for. Our team is standing by to assist if needed, the zoo wrote on Facebook.

We want to reassure everyone that our Zoo Knoxville Malayan tigers Arya, Bashir and Tanvir are all safely accounted for.... Posted by Zoo Knoxville on Thursday, September 10, 2020

Read more:
Local forensic labs in Harris County can now determine whether a leafy green is hemp or marijuana following a state policy that legalized some uses of the cannabis plant.

The Houston Forensic Science Center and the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences will use the test on samples that could contain illegal amounts of THC, the results of which could be used to prosecute criminal cases. THC is the main active ingredient in cannabis. Last year in June, state lawmakers followed suit with federal guidance to legalize hemp  often used in textiles and fuel  by defining it as a cannabis product that contains 0.3 percent or less of the controlled substance. Anything higher than 1 percent would be classified as the controlled substance.

The gesture, while aimed at helping hemp farmers, created an unintentional prosecution problem. Previously, authorities only had to show that THC existed in a sample. The policy forced law enforcement to specify how much of the chemical was present and whether it was an illegal amount.

In Harris County, the District Attorneys Office requires positive lab results in order to accept criminal charges. But no labs in southeast Texas were accredited or had the equipment to test the difference between hemp and marijuana in seized samples.

Private labs in Dallas and Pennsylvania could  but at a cost to the forensic agencies. Samples from just one felony case could cost up to $30,000 to be tested, said Dr. Peter Stout, president of the Houston Forensic Science Center.

The test, Stout said, adds a level of confidence to prosecuting some marijuana cases.

Law enforcement put themselves at risk trying to do these arrests and seizures, and if they dont have any confidence in what the outcome would be, Id be hesitant, Stout said. There still is a law that everybody has to attempt to enforce. Our objective is to provide scientific results.

The road to reach that confidence was not easy.

Over the past 15 months, two forensic lab employees have worked on nothing but adapting a marijuana test based on a method from the Drug Enforcement Administration that could differentiate hemp from marijuana. Because the new policy did not earmark funds for labs to purchase new equipment, forensics officials had to make do with what staffing and equipment they had, Stout said.

During that time, Houston Police Department investigators and prosecutors flagged at least 15 new felony marijuana cases as a priority for testing. Those samples should be analyzed in the coming weeks, he continued, and charges could follow if the material tests positive as marijuana.

Harris County Institute of Forensic Science spokeswoman Michele Arnold said they started using the same test Aug. 31 but did not have a backlog in samples from county law enforcement agencies.

The new test  which both agencies are using  has two caveats.

It only works on plant material. Testing locally for marijuana in an edible, such as a pot-laced brownie, cookie or gummy, or the oil sometimes found in a vape pen is impossible, Stout explained. If authorities want to pursue a case involving edibles, those samples will still need to be sent to an outside lab.

And theres an intentional gray area  defined as the percentage gap between the 0.3 percent or lower for hemp and 1 percent or higher for marijuana  where there could be illegal traces of THC in a sample but the risk of a false positive is too high to be used in court, according to officials. A more sensitive test would  again  have to be outsourced.

Marijuana is, analytically, a pain in the butt, Stout said, explaining that the cannabis plant contains multiple, but similar cannabinoids acids. Some of those compounds do not result in a high.

Ramit Plushnick-Masti, spokeswoman for the Houston Forensic Science Center, said law enforcement, prosecutors and defense attorneys must acknowledge the limitations of the test in an end-user agreement.

Most misdemeanor amounts of marijuana  4 ounces or less  are not tested, forensic officials said. In response to last years new state law, District Attorney Kim Ogg had roughly two dozen pending low-level pot cases be dismissed and ordered that future cases involving 4 ounces or less not be prosecuted unless police request a lab test and it comes back positive. Offenders are instead referred to a marijuana diversion program.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
OSLO, Norway, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With 2020's developments have come several changes in gambling legislation across the board in Europe, especially in Scandinavia. Norway has been going through its own period of unrest and controversy, as reported by industry players in the Norwegian market such as Casinospesialisten. However, even more so than Norway, it is Sweden that has seen the greatest level of upheaval.

As customers stayed inside, legislators sought to combat problem gambling and to ensure that players could have a responsible gaming experience when accessing online casino websites. Their measures, however, have come under fire from Spelinspektionen and others for being unenforceable - but what are the regulations that are being criticised, and why?

Casino restrictions

The key to restricting problem gambling, for the Swedish Government, is imposing a deposit limit for players so that they may not exceed SEK5000 in deposits a week, bonuses cannot be offered at any amount higher than SEK100, and players are obliged to set limits on their time in the casino.

These came into force on the 2nd of July, and are due to continue until the end of 2020 - at least as long as the current pandemic continues to affect the possibility of people going outdoors and socialising as normal.

Although generally considered as very harsh measures to be applied across a whole industry, the government has continued with these plans, aiming to implement them in a very short amount of time.

Criticism from the industry

From the beginning when these measures were announced, industry players spoke out against them. Although measures against problem gambling have been implemented across the board in order to meet regulatory requirements, complaints about the restrictions ranged from the damage to the industry and the revenue of gambling companies.

Casino operators were not the only ones with reservations - Spelinspektionen itself has stated that the enforcement of these regulations would be extremely difficult if not impossible. The reason for this is that the limits are imposed upon licences and not on players. So if a player registers with one casino, deposits SEK5000, and wants to bet more, there is nothing stopping them registering with another licenced casino and doing just the same. This, obviously, is a huge problem when trying to prevent problem gambling, and some fear that it may even drive players to black market casinos.

The dealbreaker

With these issues pointed out, it became obvious that further action needed to be taken - and here the Jamlikhetskommissionen enters the scene. Aiming to avoid players registering for multiple websites to circumvent restrictions, they suggest a central register of players, containing information for operators and the Gaming Inspectorate to see how much a player has deposited in different accounts. Although a good idea in theory, it also comes to a head with another serious concern - privacy and personal data.

A centralised log contains detailed and sensitive private information on players, and as a result the Gaming Inspectorate has not been in favour of the measure. This database would potentially violate both national Swedish law as well as European data privacy laws. As it would involve the government, a public entity, monitoring the individual activity of a user online, this could be against laws on internet freedom.

What's to come?

Whether Sweden's government decides to try something else to counteract players who could avoid the law remains to be seen. There is not widespread support for the user database, and pushback from industry leaders as well as a lack of support stemming from the country's own regulatory body might be enough to quash further development. In fact, when attempting to enforce these regulations, the Gaming Inspectorate found resistance from the financial institutions themselves, as they cannot give out confidential information on their customers. Whether these hiccups will be pushed through at the legislative level still remains to be seen, but it's clear that there will be a fair amount of pushback no matter which direction these changes take.

CONTACT:

Ronny Evensen

ronny.evensen@casinospesialisten.net

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/casinospesialisten-net/r/swedish-regulations-limits-deposit-database,c3192420
I think youre going to see the wave of bankruptcies in September for reasons totally separate from the PPP loan, Salerno said. Youre going to see it because theyve got to right-size their balance sheet anyway. Theyve got to renegotiate their leases. Theyre going to want to take whatever long-term debt they have and dig themselves out of this hole.
Some of those cases werent added as recoveries, and so that became an issue, Craine said. They were still marked as active.

Also, if a McLennan County resident tests positive for COVID-19 while outside the county, there can be significant delays in local officials receiving that information. In some such instances, positives should have been listed as recovered by the time the county received them, but they instead remained listed as active.

The out-of-county reporting delays resulted in fewer errors than the cases traced by the state, but both sources of errors have been correct, health district officials said.

Not real news roundup: Debunking myths about vaccines, monument removals and more No one is calling for the Washington Monument to be removed, and mRNA vaccines do not alter your DNA, according to experts. Here are the facts.

In most cases, a person who tests positive for COVID-19 will be listed as recovered 10 days after their onset of symptoms, assuming they have gone 24 hours without a fever and other symptoms are improving. The situation may differ for people who become severely ill.

Craine said the county's lower active case count, in addition to a lower count of new cases each day, is a cause for celebration, but everyone needs to remain vigilant about hand washing, masks and social distancing.
There are stories that are disturbing and unpleasant to hear. The news of a terrorist attack on the nations capital is one of such news. As the nations seat of power, the security of Abuja should be the primary concern of every citizen and government in power in Nigeria.

Nothing is more pleasant to the ears than hearing the news debunking the fallacy, over the weekend, of news of a letter in circulation purportedly by the authorities of Nigerian Customs Service-revealing the existence of Boko Haram terrorists camps (BHTs) in and around the Federal Capital Territory. The purported but scary memo has exposed the plan of terrorists to launch a deadly attack on some selected targets within the territory.

It listed 5 camps set up by the terror group in strategic enclaves of Abuja: the Kunyam bush (along airport road), Robuchi (Gwagwalada forest), Kwakwu forest (Kuje) Unaisha forest ( Toto LG of Nasaraw state) and Gegu forest (Kogi state).

It is good news that the Nigerian Custom Service (NCS) has denied issuing a red alert about terrorists regrouping around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Despite denying the memo which reportedly emanated from the Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigerian government should be proactive and be on the alert about the uncertain security situation in the country. The security agencies and their personnel should not go to sleep on hearing the soothing news that NCS did not release any warnings of attack. There is work to do. There is need to do a thorough investigation to find out the source of the alarming threat? Not only that, the culprit must be punished for causing unnecessary public fears and emboldening the determination of terrorists to attack the capital of our nation.

If the truth is to be told, the security situation in Abuja is precarious and not different from other places under the imminent deadly assault by terrorists. The pockets of coordinated offensives by daredevil terrorists in all the states that have common border with FCT is a good food for thought. Based on the reality of the situation on ground, residents of the FCT do not need warning of a possible attack. The signs are as clear as daylight. The FCT Administration, Abuja residents and the security agencies should look into their hearts, be open to truth and accept the reality that security of lives and property is a collective responsibility. It is high time we focused our attention and fight our common enemy and stop the apportioning of blame mentality.

With the recent discovery of terrorists camps in Nasarawa and Niger states, and a couple of intermittent and violent attacks in Kaduna and kogi states, inhabitants of Abuja city should not live in the delusion that they are not vulnerable to terrorist incursion. The report by Council on Foreign Relations about Abubakar Shekaus blood thirsty jihadist faction establishing bases in north central Nigeria, particularly Niger State is frightening. Not long ago, Boko Haram released a video of its members celebrating Sallah eid el-fitr in a camp in Niger state.

In a related development, the Nigerian military discovered bomb factory and destroyed camp of a new terrorist group Darul Salam in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.

The major target of terrorists attack in central Nigeria is the Federal capital Territory. What we are witnessing today is the attempt by terrorist cells to regroup and launch an offensive on the heart of the nation. The government has built a fortress around Abuja. There have been escalation of minor crimes in the city. The security architecture of Abuja has proven to be impregnable so far. That notwithstanding, we cannot afford to be complacent. Sporadic attacks in the neighboring states of Abuja are a source of concern. Government should do whatever is humanly possible to forestall terrorist incursion into the city. An attack on Abuja is an attack on the entire nation.

According to World Economic Forum (WEF),cities are the new frontline of terrorism. It says: The goal of todays terrorist is not only to target civilians and spread fear but also to turn city residents against each other. That terrorists target cities makes sense. Cities like Abuja May be potential targets of assault precisely because they are centres of political, economic and cultural power.

We are dealing with monsters who kill fellow human beings for amusement. Even wild beasts hunt and kill for food. They do not maim, destroy habitat or kill for pleasure. It is amazing that animals are more compassionate than terrorists. While we are sleeping, they are busy recruiting boys in north western Nigeria. Because of the failure to take a decisive action against this dangerous trend, we are indirectly emboldening the terrorists to regroup in our midst. This is how it started in Maiduguri. The terrorists are wild beasts in the garb of human beings. Their heart is hardened, and it is devoid of mercy. They take delight in causing extensive damage and inflicting maximum injury to their innocent and helpless victims.

Abuja is a microcosm of Nigeria. It is the Metropole of our country. It is our pride. A devastating blow to the city is a blow to Nigeria. We should therefore take the security of Abuja and all our cities seriously. We must not give terrorists the liberty to unleash terror on Nigerias seat of government. If you think you are safe because you are shielded by security escort from the onslaught of terrorists, you are wrong. Nobody is safe. We are all victims of terrorism. We must fight it together.

Saleh Bature is Abuja based journalist, social commentator and advocate of dialogue. You can reach him via email at [email protected]
The Shiv Sena, which is heading the MVA government, and the actress have engaged in a war of words after the latter likened Mumbai to PoK

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that Bollywood actress Kangana Ranauts office was demolished on Wednesday owing to her dissent against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) razed illegal alterations at the Bandra bungalow of Ranaut, BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis the state of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has not seen such a timid and anti-democracy government till now.

The Shiv Sena, which is heading the MVA government, and the actress have engaged in a war of words after the latter likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Ranaut had said she feared Mumbai police more than the movie mafias. On Wednesday, the BMC team reached the Kanganas bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra with bulldozers and excavators and demolished

alterations carried out in the premises.

The way a remark (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) which insults Maharashtra or Mumbai Police cannot be defended, similarly the governments such action (demolition) too cannot be defended. Maharashtra is being defamed due to such actions in the country, Mr Fadnavis said in a video message.

He said the razed structure stood at the spot for quite some time, but no action was taken earlier. The action was taken only after the actress made the remarks, the former chief minister said.

Such action taken out of the sentiment of revenge does not suit Maharashtra and its rulers. In a way, there is a government-sponsored terror in Maharashtra, Mr Fadnavis charged.

Meanwhile, without taking Ranauts name, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said undue importance was given to those making such statements. We will have to see what influence such statements have on the people at large. In my opinion, people do not take seriously (such statements), said the NCP chief.
Watch: Bond, Avengers and Game of Thrones star dies at aged 82

British acting legend Dame Diana Rigg has passed away at the age of 82, sparking tributes from across the film and TV industry.

The formidable star had a career on the big and small screens spanning from 1959 through to the as-yet-unreleased Edgar Wright horror movie Last Night in Soho, which will arrive in 2021. Thats more than 60 years of Rigg dominating screens with her unique gravitas and ability.

Over the course of her glittering career, she appeared in some of the most memorable franchises in film and television, working right up until her final months. Heres the pick of Riggs most influential work over the years.

The Avengers (1965-1968)

Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee are Emma Peel and John Steed in 'The Avengers'. (Photo by ABC Weekend Television/Associated British Corporation/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

Rigg joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the late 1950s and made her TV debut in a 1959 adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream. Her breakout role, however, was as Emma Peel in the beloved espionage series The Avengers. She joined the show in 1965, filling the shoes left empty by Honor Blackman, and promptly won fans with her characters portrayal as a martial arts expert who was rarely bested in a fight.

She was initially unhappy with her treatment on the show, demanding an increase to her pay when she learned she was earning less than the cameraman  an increase she duly got. Just as Blackman had done, Rigg ultimately stepped aside in order to join the James Bond franchise.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1968)

Helen Mirren and Diana Rigg in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. (Credit: Eagle)

Having crafted a widely adored character on the small screen, Rigg made the jump to the cinema with the star-studded 1968 adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream. She portrayed Helena  one of the four young lovers in the story, sharing many scenes with Helen Mirrens Hermia. Sadly, the film was not positively received by critics.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Diana Rigg and George Lazenby on the set of 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

For many, Riggs best known role is as Tracy di Vicenzo in James Bond adventure On Her Majestys Secret Service. Far more than a Bond girl, Tracy is the only woman who has ever been able to convince 007 to set aside his womanising ways and tie the knot. Brutally killed by Blofeld and henchwoman Irma Bunt just after their wedding, Riggs Tracy features in arguably the most devastating Bond finale of all time.

Story continues

Read more: George Lazenby pays tribute to Sean Connery

Rubbished by many at the time  largely as a result of George Lazenbys unconvincing turn as Bond  On Her Majestys Secret Service is increasingly being reappraised as one of the best 007 stories ever brought to the big screen. Riggs work has a lot to do with that.

The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Lady Holiday, played by Diana Rigg, gives instructions to her secretary, Miss Piggy, in Jim Henson's 'The Great Muppet Caper'. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Human leads in Muppets movies are often the ideal vehicle for beloved actors to deliver some of their most interesting performances. Just as many hold up Michael Caines work in The Muppet Christmas Carol as some of his best, Diana Rigg is wonderful as Lady Holiday in 1981s The Great Muppet Caper. She portrays a fashion designer who has been the victim of a jewel theft, which is investigated by a team of reporters, including twins Kermit and Fozzie Bear.

Evil Under the Sun (1982)

Diana Rigg in 'Evil Under the Sun'. (Credit: Universal/Associated Film Distribution)

In Bond regular Guy Hamiltons adaptation of Agatha Christies 1941 novel, Rigg plays Arlena Stuart Marshall  mistress of a millionaire industrialist. Arlena makes a great deal of enemies in the early part of the movie and then turns up dead, presenting Hercule Poirot with his usual revolving door of potential suspects. Unfolding on an idyllic Adriatic island, its a big and glamorous whodunnit featuring some terrific costumes.

Mother Love (1989)

David McCallum and Diana Rigg at a photocall for the BBC TV series 'Mother Love'. 17th October 1989. (Photo by Julian Brown/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

Rigg won her only BAFTA for playing the lead role in this BBC miniseries, which aired in 1989. Shes the obsessive mother of Kit (James Wilby), who is exceedingly angry with his concert musician father (David McCallum). The dysfunctional family setup gives way to secrets emerging from the past and, eventually, darkness and violence. Surprisingly, given its award-winning credentials, the series is pretty difficult to find nowadays.

Rebecca (1997)

Diana Rigg, Emilia Fox and Charles Dance in the 1997 miniseries adaptation of 'Rebecca'. (Credit: ITV/PBS)

Alfred Hitchcocks take won the Oscar for Best Picture and Ben Wheatley is having a go for Netflix this year, but Diana Rigg also spent some time in the world of Daphne du Mauriers classic, gothic tale. She won an Emmy for playing the supporting role of Mrs Danvers, alongside Charles Dance as Maxim de Winter and Emilia Fox as his second wife. It aired in the UK on ITV and via the PBS network in the United States.

Read more: Lily James and Armie Hammer star in Rebecca trailer

Doctor Who (2013)

Diana Rigg with Jenna Coleman and Matt Smith in 'Doctor Who' episode 'The Crimson Horror'. (Credit: BBC)

The Crimson Horror, from the seventh series of Doctor Who, was written specifically for Rigg, who wanted the chance to perform alongside her daughter, Rachael Stirling. Rigg plays Mrs Gillyflower, who runs the utopian community of Sweetville and is harbouring a dark secret linked to the fact bodies are being dumped in canals with bright red skin.

Read more: BBC insists future of Doctor Who is safe

Writer Mark Gatiss said that he aimed to pen a uniquely Northern episode of Doctor Who with the legendary actor in mind and claims this was the first time Rigg was able to use her own Doncaster accent while acting.

Game of Thrones (2013-2017)

Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell in 'Game of Thrones'. (Credit: HBO)

Theres little doubt that the role most intimately connected with Rigg for modern audiences is her simply delicious turn as Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones. The devious matriarch joined the show in season three as her granddaughter, Margaery, was betrothed to King Joffrey. By the beginning of the fourth season, she was proving adept with poison and masterminding the evil rulers death  although she wouldnt reveal this secret to the Lannister clan until her sensational exit in seventh season.

Read more: Lena Headey was gutted by Cerseis death

Olenna proved to be one of the highlights of Thrones during some of its strongest seasons and clearly had a terrific time with such a meaty role. In 2013, she said she couldnt ask for better lines than she was served by the scripts. Amen to that.

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Teaser poster for 'Last Night in Soho'. (Credit: Focus Features/Universal)

Riggs final performance was in Edgar Wrights psychological horror Last Night in Soho. The film finished shooting last summer  but for some additional filming in August this year  and had been due to arrive this autumn, only to be shunted into 2021 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Rigg is playing the character of Miss Collins, which is all we know about her at this point.

Wright was among those who paid tribute to Rigg on Twitter today, describing her as blazingly talented, fiery and funny. It will be interesting to see which side of her acting mastery she showcases in this particular outing, which will serve as her big screen swansong.
One half of Rage reads like that original project, a typical Woodwardian narrative of very serious men soberly doing their duty, trying their darnedest to keep the president focused and on message. Woodward is predictably coy about his sources, saying only that he drew from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand participants and witnesses to these events, nearly all of whom spoke to him on deep background.

Image Bob Woodward at Trump Tower in New York City, in 2017. Credit... Andrew Harnik/Associated Press

Still, its not hard to guess who some of the principal sources might be based on how closely the book seems to hew to their preferred versions of events. The former defense secretary Jim Mattis has a stoic Marine exterior and attention-getting ramrod posture, but his bright, open and inviting smile softened his presence. The former director of national intelligence Dan Coats is soft on the outside but with a spine of steel on the inside. (A sign of someones unassailable decency to Woodward seems to be this combination of hard and soft.) Along with former secretary of state Rex Tillerson (a Texan with a smooth voice and an easy laugh), Woodward deems them all conservatives or apolitical people who wanted to help him and the country, singling them out in his epilogue for their impeccable intentions. Imperfect men who answered the call to public service.

So far, so tedious. Enter Trump, who in his first interview with Woodward dropped hints about a secret new weapons system, and confirmed what Woodward calls a hard question about the United States coming really close to war with North Korea. Woodward makes much ado about obtaining 25 previously unreported letters between Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, relating the contents of a number of them in minute detail. But even he seems hard-pressed to explain their lasting significance, strenuously depicting them as declarations of personal fealty that might be uttered by the Knights of the Round Table. Despite all this, North Korea continues to develop both nuclear and conventional weapons.

For the most part, Trump turned the 17 interviews into opportunities for his rambling monologues, using Woodward as an audience, inevitably steering the conversations back to his favorite talking points: fake news, James Comey, the Mueller report. Woodward tried to get Trump to talk about policy and governing  This is all for the serious history, Mr. President, he coaxed  but Trump would have none of it. In April, as the pandemic raged, Woodward went to Trump with a prepared list of 14 critical areas where my sources said major action was needed to stop the mass death; whats puzzling isnt so much Trumps refusal to engage with this earnest list as Woodwards expectation that he would. We were speaking past each other, a plaintive Woodward writes, almost from different universes.

The universe that Woodward comes from is where the old-school establishment is still venerated, and where Woodward thinks he can ask a president windy, high-minded questions like What are your priorities? and Whats in your heart? in the hopes that hell get some profound material for his book.
It is claimed the numbers contracting Covid-19 in the capital could double every two weeks if the current trends continue.

The acting chief medical officer has urged people to limit their social contacts, and to stop family gatherings such as communions and christenings in private households.

Dr Ronan Glynn says the current rise nationally as well as in Dublin will be on the agenda for today's meeting:

"There are measures in place nationally because we are not happy with where the disease is at nationally. They have stabilised things, with the exception of Dublin and Limerick.

"There is a message here and it goes back to a common message over the past few weeks and months. We want people to be able to go out and socialise and we want people to go outdoors and play sport."

Incidence rate

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Yesterday evening three deaths and 84 new cases were confirmed.

51 of the cases were located in Dublin, six in Offaly, five in Kildare and 22 were spread across Cork, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Meath, Roscommon, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wicklow.

No specific decisions have been made in relation to those counties and NPHET [National Public Health Emergency Team] "will continue to monitor the situation, he told reporters at a press briefing at Government Buildings.

The message to people in Dublin and Limerick was to remain very vigilant, socially distance, reduce your social contacts, he said.

In terms of the incidence rate per 100,000, both counties are among the highest in the country, standing at 70.8 cases per 100,000 people in Dublin and 66.2 cases per 100,000 in Limerick.
The US revoked the visas of more than a thousand Chinese students and researchers for national security reasons, in the latest escalation of tensions between the worlds two biggest economies.

The visas were revoked under a measure intended to limit Chinas ability to use graduate students and researchers to steal US technologies, intellectual property and information to develop advanced military capabilities, a spokesman for the US embassy said in an emailed statement Thursday.

The people who had their visas revoked represent a small subset of students and scholars going to the US, according to the statement, which said that the US continues to welcome legitimate students and researchers.

The news was earlier reported by Reuters.

The visas were canceled under a May presidential proclamation which targets Chinese citizens with ties to the Peoples Liberation Army, the statement said. No information was provided about the individuals whose visas were canceled.

People on Chinese social media speculated that the students were likely connected with or graduates of seven Chinese universities and their affiliated schools which are connected with national defense.

The cancellations are likely to add to the uncertainty Chinese students face about studying or working in America. The Trump administration earlier vowed to deport all foreign national students if they didnt take in-person classes during the pandemic, only to withdraw that rule days later, leaving students perplexed and worried about their legal status in the States.

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Chinese internet giant ByteDance is in talks with the US about ways it might avoid having to sell its TikTok operations here, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

TikTok has been at the center of a diplomatic storm between Washington and Beijing, and President Donald Trump gave Americans a deadline to stop doing business with TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance -- effectively compelling a sale of the app to a US company.

Walmart has joined forces with Microsoft in negotiations to buy TikTok. Oracle is also reported to be interested in TikTok.

TikTok -- which has been downloaded 175 million times in the US and more than a billion times around the world -- has filed a lawsuit challenging the crackdown by the US government.

The suit contends that Trump's order was a misuse of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act because the platform is not "an unusual and extraordinary threat."

Trump claims that TikTok could be used by China to track the locations of federal employees, build dossiers on people for blackmail and conduct corporate espionage.

TikTok -- used by as many as a billion people worldwide to make quirky, short-form videos on their cellphones -- has repeatedly denied sharing data with Beijing.

Talks between ByteDance and the US have been taking place for months but have grown more urgent as the deadline set by Trump nears, according to the Journal report.

At least one of TikTok's major investors was part of a group that met recently with representatives from the Central Intelligence Agency to discuss data security, the Journal reported, citing someone familiar with the matter.

Trump last week repeated his demand for a piece of the action from any sale of TikTok's US operations for forcing such a deal.

"Well, I told them that they have until September 15th to make a deal; after that, we close it up in this country," Trump told journalists.

"And I said that the United States has to be compensated -- well compensated -- because we are the ones that are making it possible, and so we should be compensated."

Critics have slammed Trump's call for the US government to get a cut of the deal, contending that it appears unconstitutional and akin to extortion.

Meanwhile, ByteDance has vowed to "strictly abide" by new export rules in China which could potentially complicate a sale of the business as demanded by Trump.

China's commerce ministry added "civilian use" to a list of technologies that are restricted for export.

The new regulations could make it more difficult for ByteDance to sell the wildly popular video app, which features clips of everything from dance routines and hair-dye tutorials to jokes about daily life and politics.





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The widely used and well-tolerated drug commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease may help significantly reduce the need for more costly, more invasive treatments, report investigators in The American Journal of Medicine

Philadelphia, September 10, 2020 - Investigators have determined that treating patients with an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with levodopa, a safe and readily available drug commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease, stabilized and improved their vision. It reduced the number of treatments necessary to maintain vision, and as such, will potentially reduce the burden of treating the disease, financially and otherwise. Their findings appear in the American Journal of Medicine, published by Elsevier.

More than 15 percent of the US population over the age of 70 has AMD, a common cause of blindness in developed nations. Neovascular AMD (nAMD) is characterized by the abnormal growth of new blood vessels, triggered by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which can cause fluid and blood to leak in the subretinal space of the eye. While nAMD represents only 10-15 percent of all AMD cases, it is responsible for 90 percent of the vision loss attributed to the disease. The standard treatment requires frequent injections of agents to block VEGF. While effective, the injections are expensive and painful.

Earlier research found that patients being treated with levodopa for movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease were significantly less likely to develop any type of AMD. Lead investigator Robert W. Snyder, MD, PhD, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, and Snyder Biomedical Corporation, Tucson, AZ, USA, explained, "Levodopa has a receptor (GPR143) selectively expressed on pigmented cells. This receptor can be supportive of retinal health and survival, which led to the development of our hypothesis that it may prevent or treat AMD."

The investigators developed two proof-of-concept studies to test whether levodopa improves visual acuity and the anatomical changes caused by nAMD. They also evaluated the safety and tolerability of the drug in treating nAMD and whether treatment reduced or delayed the need for anti-VEGF therapy.

In the first study, 20 patients newly diagnosed with nAMD who had never had VEGF treatment were given a small daily dose of levodopa for one month and were evaluated weekly by their referring retina specialist, who determined whether anti-VEGF treatment was needed. In the second part of the study, the patients who completed the first study and a second group of 14 patients who had received anti-VEGF treatment for at least three months before the study received escalating doses of levodopa to test the tolerance and efficacy of the drug. The patients continued to be evaluated monthly by their referring retina specialist.

This trial demonstrated for the first time that levodopa is safe, well-tolerated, and delayed anti-VEGF injection therapy while improving visual outcomes. In the first month, retinal fluid decreased by 29 percent. After six months the decrease in retinal fluid was sustained and mean visual acuity improved enabling patients in the first and second group to read an additional line on the eye chart. This is the equivalent of improvement from 20/40 to 20/32. Side effects were limited.

The investigators noted that levodopa may be unlikely as a standalone treatment in patients with newly diagnosed nAMD since 11 of the patients did require anti-VEGF injections. However, they required fewer than the standard monthly treatments, and in the second group, monthly injections of anti-VEGF decreased by 52 percent.

According to Dr. Snyder, although this limited proof-of-concept study included a small sample size and limited patient diversity, its findings suggest efficacy and support the targeting of the GPR13 receptor with levodopa for the treatment of nAMD in future studies.

The concept had its genesis 20 years ago when Dr. Snyder began working with co-investigator Brian S. McKay, who had developed techniques to culture and examine retinal endothelial pigment cells. "We had a strong desire to make an impact in AMD, and I had a strong hunch that Dr. McKay could make a significant contribution," Dr. Snyder said. "Although this is nowhere near completed, I am happy to say, 20 years later, we have all persevered, and I believe the GPR143/levodopa story will make a significant impact on our treatment and prevention of AMD."

###
Changes at former local partnership Zoom/Boyden make way for new entity, Boyden Russia, as new leader Akimova strengthens international commitment to clients

Boyden, a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 65 offices in over 40 countries, today announced that Dina Akimova has returned to Boyden to lead the firm's fully integrated brand, Boyden Russia.

A distinguished expert in C-level executive search, Managing Partner Dina Akimova first worked with Boyden in 2016, and returns to lead the business with a team of seven, including a number of former Boyden colleagues. Fluent in Russian, English and Italian, Akimova offers broad industry experience, with particular expertise in industry and financial services. The new Boyden Russian team has produced a video announcing their arrival in the marketplace.

Trina Gordon, President and CEO, commented, "We are delighted to welcome back Dina and her team to Boyden. Dina's outstanding commitment to client service puts Boyden at the forefront of delivering senior leadership and talent advisory services in Russia. The team's professionalism and focus on the highest standards of delivery are seamlessly aligned with Boyden's global values."

"I am thrilled to be back at the heart of Boyden, leading and directing the business with such a knowledgeable, professional team," said Akimova, Managing Partner of Boyden Russia. "In a challenging market, Boyden Russia is a strong platform to help clients develop internationally, sourcing leaders and senior executives with strong track records, particularly for today's online environment."

From their office in Moscow, the Boyden team will work with clients in privately owned and publicly listed companies, as well as family offices and investment companies. They will work with colleagues across Boyden's global practices: CEO Board services, human resources, private equity venture capital, professional services, consumer retail, financial services, healthcare life sciences, industrial, social impact and technology.

About Boyden

Boyden is a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 65 offices in over 40 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 has worked with clients in Russia since 1995.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005148/en/

Contacts:

Chris Swee

Global Head of Marketing

T: +1 914 747 0172

E: cswee@boyden.com

Dina Akimova

Managing Partner, Russia

T: +1 495 748 9400

E: dakimova@boyden.com
The Congresss Bengal appointment could resonate in Parliament which begins next week after the first setback to opposition unity came with a no-show by them for the deputy chairman election in Rajya Sabha.

But now, all eyes are on the post of deputy speaker in Lok Sabha as both Trinamool Congress and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have made it clear that the post needs to be filled. However, there could be another embarrassment or roadblock for the Opposition here too, the genesis being the bad blood between the Bengal units of both the parties.

Just after the stormy CWC meeting, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had initiated a meeting of chief ministers on the issue of economy, GST, NEET and JEE. The bonhomie between Sonia Gandhi and Banerjee was apparent but it doesnt seem to be lasting long because of the announcement of Chowdhury as Pradesh chief ahead of Bengal polls.

The post fell vacant after his predecessor Somen Mitra died recently. Chowdhury is known to be stridently against the TMC and in fact, it was his suggestion to Rahul Gandhi to tie up with the Left for the state polls the last time. The results were a disaster for the Left-Congress combine and Trinamool, and especially Banerjee, has never forgiven this.

Its also well known that unlike with Sonia, Banerjee doesnt share a good equation with Rahul Gandhi. In fact, she has gone on record to say that Rahul Gandhi would need some more time and she is more comfortable doing business with Sonia Gandhi. There have been occasions when Banerjee has attended all party meetings called by Sonia Gandhi but has given a skip when it was not attended by her.

This apart, Rahul Gandhis fondness for Left leader Sitaram Yechury has also irked Banerjee and TMC. Its also known that Congress was disappointed that Yechury could not get support for re-election to Rajya Sabha as his own party did not support him. Rahul Gandhi baiters in the Congress are upset with the fact that he considers Yechury to be his guru and seeks his advice more than from his party colleagues.

Things seem tough now as Chowdhury is also leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, which means he needs to reach out to other parties in the opposition. But as PCC chief, this brings him in direct conflict. Sources say Chowdhurys supporters feel that the argument that he cannot be both PCC chief and leader in Lok Sabha is fallacious as Pranab Mukherjee has earlier held both posts.

But Chowdhurys critics are quick to point out that there is a vast difference between the two leaders. The message with the appointment of Chowdhury as PCC chief is clear to the Trinamool. But this is bound to spill beyond the state. Congress hopes that with the maximum number of MPs it has among opposition parties, it could and should have its say and choice in the deputy speaker post.

However, the Trinamool is unlikely to allow this, given the fact that a Banerjee-hater has been made PCC chief. Also, most parties in the opposition like YSR Congress, SP, and even the DMK are not happy with the Congress style and could ensure that a Congress choice is scuttled.

As a senior TMC leader said, The choice of Chowdhury shows that Congress doesnt want to show the same softening towards the TMC as Mamata showed towards them recently."

In politics, for a long term plan, it pays sometimes to give up on immediate and short-term ambitions. The Congress, it seems, is yet to learn this game.
Firefighters are stretched as fires tear through California, Oregon and Washington.

Wildfires were spreading with explosive force up and down the West Coast on Thursday, having devoured whole neighborhoods, forced mass evacuations and left the authorities facing harrowing decisions on where to send fire and rescue teams as disasters hemmed them in.

While firefighters struggled to contain the blazes, rescue workers made early forays into towns that had been blackened and hollowed out by fires. By Thursday, they had discovered at least seven bodies. Officials said hundreds of homes had been consumed by flames, and aerial images of towns like Talent and Medford, Oregon, showed streets lined with homes that were charred if not outright destroyed.

Authorities, facing fires that have burned a record 2.5 million acres in California and hundreds of thousands more in Oregon and Washington state, pleaded for federal help and the publics cooperation in stark terms. Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon on Wednesday requested a federal emergency declaration, asked residents not to call 911 about smoke  the system was inundated with calls  and warned of what emergency crews expected to find in the debris.

We expect to see a great deal of loss, both in structures and in human lives, Brown said. This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our states history.

To the north, more than 480,000 acres have burned in Washington this week, with some communities essentially destroyed, officials said.

Every firefighting entity in Washington state would like to have more resources right now, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a news conference late Wednesday. He linked the devastating fire season to climate change, noting the West Coasts intense heat waves, and invited skeptics to visit a string of badly burned towns: Bonney Lake, Graham, Malden, Okanogan.

In an ominous sign for firefighters, no rain was expected in Northern California or in Oregon or eastern Washington.

The low humidity, the high temperatures, the winds have all combined to stymie some of the most aggressive firefighting activities, Inslee said.

California, Oregon, Washington  we are all in the same soup of cataclysmic fire, he added.

In California, the fast-moving Bear Fire grew unabated as one of hundreds of wildfires across the state. The Bear Fire, burning near Chico, destroyed dozens of homes in Butte County, where three people were found dead, and the community of Berry Creek was hit especially hard.

It also cast ash over the Bay Area, turning the sky into a thick, orange mix of fog and smoke. The National Weather Service said smoky and hazy conditions would likely continue in the Bay Area for the remainder of the week.

The Creek Fire near Fresno, in Central California, remained completely uncontained, growing to more than 175,000 acres by Thursday morning. Thousands of people evacuated their homes; emergency teams searched for injured survivors; and the U.S. Forest Service closed all 18 national forests in California, fearing that people could become trapped in the parks.

In addition to the three people found dead in Butte County, a 1-year-old boy was killed in the Cold Springs Fire in northern Washington; one person was killed near Ashland, Oregon; and two victims were discovered in a vehicle east of Salem, Oregon, according to the county sheriffs offices.

Towns were wiped out in Oregon, and some Portland suburbs are now under threat.

Extreme fire weather conditions are expected west of the Cascades in Oregon through Thursday, officials said, driving forward blazes that have already destroyed hundreds of homes in the state.

Evacuations expanded in the southern suburbs of Portland overnight, with all of the 418,000 residents of Clackamas County now under some level of evacuation warning and at least half of the county under a mandatory evacuation order.

Six homes and six other structures have already been lost to the flames, the county said, and 400 more structures remained threatened by the fires.

The Almeda Fire, which ripped through the communities of Phoenix and Talent in southern Oregon earlier this week, forced new evacuations Wednesday in the city of Medford, the states eighth-largest city with about 80,000 residents.

In Phoenix, the mayor estimated that 1,000 homes had been wiped out by the blazes. In Talent, just a few miles south, hundreds more homes were destroyed. Everything is completely gone, said Sandra Spelliscy, Talents city manager.

The Bear Fire raced through mountain communities in California.

Propelled by winds as strong as 45 mph, the Bear Fire northeast of Oroville, California, has grown at explosive rates this week, causing three deaths as it ripped through mountain communities and forced thousands of people to evacuate.

The fire is still growing, but residents were already beginning on Thursday to learn of the damage across the 252,000 acres it has burned so far. Many will not have a home to return to.

Berry Creek, a community of about 1,200 people, is largely destroyed. On Wednesday afternoon, only a handful of houses were still standing. The towns fire station and its fire truck, parked beside it, were burned. Across the street, the elementary school was destroyed.

The Bear Fire, which is part of the North Complex, is still almost completely uncontained on its western flank, but calmer winds have slowed its growth, giving officials some hope.

Winds have decreased dramatically, and hopefully that will remain over the next few days, said Scott McLean, a spokesman for Cal Fire, the state firefighting agency.

Most Berry Creek residents evacuated the town in a panic early in the week as the fire charged toward them, with a narrow country road the only route to safety. More than 100 people had to be rescued Tuesday evening.

At least 200 structures in the town have been damaged, officials said, adding that they do not know the full extent of the destruction yet and probably will not for several days.

Many other small mountain communities were also affected by the fire, McLean said.

Mayor Chuck Reynolds of Oroville told The Sacramento Bee on Wednesday that his city of roughly 20,000 people, which had been under an evacuation warning, had largely been spared by the fire.

No more Martian orange: The sky in San Francisco reverts to a more normal-looking gray.

Bay Area residents awoke to smoky gray skies Thursday morning and not the otherworldly orange murk that unnerved the region Wednesday, when soot particles billowing high in the atmosphere filtered the suns rays into an eerie daylong twilight.

The National Weather Service said smoky and hazy conditions would probably continue in the Bay Area for the rest of the week, with no rain expected in the wildfire zones of Northern California, Oregon or Washington.

On the plus side, the winds had lightened considerably, making it easier to fight the flames, according to David Lawrence, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Without strong winds to disperse it, the smoke will linger through the weekend, Lawrence said. Most of the western halves of Washington, Oregon and California will be covered by smoke through the next couple of days, he said. Overall, it looks pretty hazy.

Temperatures were expected to be cooler in San Francisco, a break from the searing heat that helped set the stage for states worst wildfire season on record.

San Francisco is known for its fog, especially in the summer, but the haze that settled on citys skyline Thursday was no ordinary sea fog. Air quality in the region remained poor because of the wildfire smoke, and health officials in the city warned people to stay indoors at least through Friday.

The rain the region is craving may finally fall early next week, though it remains unclear how much, Lawrence said.

Most areas would take any precipitation, he said. We need the weather pattern to change.

A fire that began last month is now the largest in Californias recorded history.

The August Complex fire that raged in Northern California last month is now the biggest in the states recorded history, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The fire was sparked by lightning in Mendocino National Forest, midway between Sacramento and the Oregon border, and has consumed at least 471,000 acres. That is 12,000 more than the 459,000 acres that burned in the Mendocino Complex wildfire in 2018.

The August Complex, which started on Aug. 17 as a cluster of 37 different fires, killed a firefighter and destroyed 26 structures, according to forest officials.

The five largest wildfires in California history have all occurred in the last three years. Three of them, including the August Complex, started last month.

All three are still burning. The LNU Lightning Complex, which consumed more than 363,000 across five counties, including Napa and Sonoma, killed five people. The SCU Lightning Complex has destroyed nearly 397,000 acres across five counties.

Both have been largely contained but the August Complex is only 24% contained, according to the Mendocino National Forest.

Police are working to dispel social media rumors about activists setting the fires.

Officials dealing with mass fires on the West Coast have been forced to counter social media rumors that the blazes were set by activists.

In Medford, Oregon, which saw a blaze that devastated the nearby communities of Phoenix and Talent, the Police Department reported hearing throughout Wednesday rumors that officers had arrested either leftist antifa or right-wing Proud Boys activists for arson. The department made its own Facebook post to say that neither story was true, nor was a fake graphic associated with the rumors, nor were reports of gatherings of antifa.

Still, with no evidence, other social media posts repeatedly pointed suspicion toward antifa  a loosely coordinated group of activists involved in protests in places like Portland.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office said Thursday that 911 dispatchers were being overrun with requests for information about an untrue rumor that antifa members were arrested for setting fires. The office said the rumors are making a difficult situation even harder. Do your part, STOP. SPREADING. RUMORS! the office said in a Facebook post.

In Oregon, which has suffered catastrophic fires in the last few days, officials havent seen any evidence of such a campaign at the state or local level, said Joy Krawczyk, a spokeswoman with the Oregon Department of Forestry. She said many fires remain under investigation.

Were not seeing any indications of a mass politically influenced arson campaign, Krawczyk said.

Officials have previously said that one of the most devastating fires, the Santiam Canyon blaze east of Salem, was started by falling trees that knocked down power lines.

Officials in Washington state reported one case they believe was arson, arresting a man they say was in a highway median setting a fire. That fire was soon extinguished.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
 Flash

U.S. COVID-19 deaths surpassed 190,000 on Wednesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

With the national caseload topping 6.3 million, the death toll across the United States rose to 190,478 as of 4:28 p.m. local time (2028 GMT), according to the CSSE.

New York State reported 33,013 fatalities, the highest at the state level. New Jersey recorded 16,008 deaths, ranking the second in the death toll list. The states of California, Texas and Florida all confirmed more than 12,000 deaths, the tally showed.

States with more than 7,000 fatalities also include Massachusetts, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The United States remains at the top of the global chart in terms of the caseload and death toll, accounting for more than one fifth of the world's deaths.

The start of the fall semester has sparked a lot of concern in the United States over the spread of the virus among students on campus. Fifty U.S. states have now reported surging cases at colleges and universities.

In addition, more than half a million U.S. children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, according to a new report jointly released by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association.

More than 70,000 new child cases were reported from Aug. 20 to Sept. 3, an increase of 16 percent in child cases over two weeks, the report showed.
The United States is blocking visas for some Chinese graduate students and halting imports of the country's "goods produced from slave labour" as part of Washington's efforts to counter suspected espionage activity and human rights violations, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

Chad Wolf, acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security, said in a speech full of praise for US President Donald Trump's policies that the moves were needed for specific objectives like stopping the theft of Covid-19 research and trade secrets and countering Beijing's "commitment to remake the world order in its own authoritarian image".

"We are blocking visas for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China's military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research," Wolf said, adding that the US was also "preventing goods produced from slave labour from entering our markets, demanding that China respect the inherent dignity of each human being".

Wolf's comments follow a recent string of US Justice Department indictments of Chinese researchers in America accused of hiding their status as active duty members of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). Some of those charged were allegedly caught trying to leave the country with research.

While Wolf did not refer to China's internment of Uygurs and other ethnic Muslims in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) when he mentioned blocking goods produced by slave labour, his comments come amid expectations that the Trump administration will announce restrictions on imports of Chinese-made textile and apparel products.

The expected mandate, known as a Withhold Release Order (WRO), would not be an actual import ban, but goods subject to a WRO would have to be re-exported or destroyed if US Customs and Border Protection determined that they were made with forced labour.

Story continues

Against a backdrop of rising concerns over the transfer of US technology to China's military, Washington had been signalling for months that restrictions were in store for Chinese students.

Trump announced in May that allowing the entry of mainland graduate students and researchers associated with the PLA "would be detrimental to the interests of the United States" and "should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations and exceptions".

Reuters reported on Wednesday that some Chinese students enrolled in US universities said they had received notice from the US embassy in Beijing or US consulates in China that their visas had been cancelled.

Nearly 50 of them, including postgraduates and undergraduates, said in a WeChat discussion room that the notices said they would have to apply for new visas, according to Reuters.

Since Trump's proclamation in May, more than a dozen people, many of them mainland Chinese researchers, in the US have been indicted on federal charges of hiding their PLA affiliation.

Some of the cases tie the defendants to China's National University of Defence Technology, including that of Guan Lei, a University of California, Los Angeles researcher alleged to have concealed digital storage drives from the FBI.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
In a setback to Bihar's main opposition ahead of the state assembly polls, its national vice president and former Union Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigned from the party on Thursday, sources close to him said.

In a letter to jailed supremo Lalu Prasad, the veteran leader wrote he was quitting the party.

"Since the death of Jannayak Karpoori Thakur, I stood behind you for 32 years, but not now," he wrote in his brief one-line resignation letter to Prasad, who is serving sentences in four fodder scam cases in Ranchi.

In the footnote, he added," I got the affection of party leaders and workers, besides common people. Please forgive me."



Thakur was a prominent socialist leader and former state chief minister.

Singh, admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi, because of post- COVID complications, had earlier announced his resignation in June but was persuaded by Prasad to stay back.

Singh, who held several portfolios in the Manmohan Singh government, including that of rural development, was reportedly unhappy over the proposed induction of alleged mafia don and former Lok Janshakti Party MP from Vaishali Rama Singh into the

He was also not happy with the style of functioning of Prasad's heir apparent and leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav, party sources said.
The Samsung Galaxy M51 announced at the start of last week has arrived in India. It comes in two memory configurations - 6GB/128GB priced at INR24,999 ($340/290) and 8GB/128GB priced at INR26,999 ($370/310).

You can buy one in Celestial Black or Electric Blue colors starting September 18 from Amazon.in and Samsung's local online store.

The Galaxy M51 has the Snapdragon 730G SoC at the helm and runs Android 10 out of the box. It's built around a 6.7" Infinity-O Super AMOLED Plus display of FullHD+ resolution, that has a punch hole up top in the center for the 32MP selfie camera.

Around the back, you get a 64MP Sony IMX682 camera that's joined by a 12MP ultrawide (123 FOV), 5MP macro and 5MP depth sensor modules.

The rest of the features of the Galaxy M51 include a side-mounted fingerprint reader, USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion by up to 512GB, and Dolby Atmos audio enhancements.

Fueling the entire package is a massive 7,000 mAh battery, which Samsung claims can go from flat to 100% in 115 minutes with the bundled 25W fast charger. And there's reverse wired charging as well, meaning you can use the Galaxy M51 as a powerbank to juice up other devices with the Type-C to Type-C cable that comes in the box.



Samsung Galaxy M51 features wired reverse charging

Source
An elementary school within Ludlow Public Schools is undergoing deep cleaning after a staffer tested positive for COVID-19.

Superintendent Todd H. Gazda informed the school community Wednesday that a staff member at East Street Elementary School tested positive for the virus.

Immediately upon being informed of the positive test result, school officials began the process of contact tracing in coordination with the Ludlow Board of Health.

The employee was a member of the schools support staff, Gazda told MassLive.

District officials have asked four people who came into contact with the employee to get tested and stay home until their results are available or have quarantined. The employee was last in the building on Friday, Sept. 4.

East Street Elementary was closed Wednesday afternoon to undergo additional cleaning and was reopened Thursday.

This is an excellent example of the need for constant vigilance and adherence to proper safety measures such as wearing masks and social distancing both at work and out in the community, Gazda said. While unfortunate, such an occurrence is not unexpected and the protocols weve established are designed to help mitigate the impact of these incidents.

Ludlow will bring students back for in-person learning through a phased approach.

All students will start the school year with remote learning on Tuesday, Sept. 15. During the first week, prekindergarten and kindergarten screenings will be held as well as high-needs students visiting classrooms.

During the second week, high-needs students and prekindergarten students will begin in-person learning while the majority of students continue with all-remote.

By week three, half of the student body will begin hybrid learning, with kindergarten, first, second, fourth, sixth and ninth grade students starting their first days of in-person learning for the school year.

During week four, students in grades three, five, seven and 10 will begin hybrid learning. The following week, all students who opted into the hybrid learning system will be enrolled in a mix of in-person and remote classes.

The majority of Massachusetts public schools will begin the 2020-2021 school year with a mix of in-person and remote schooling. Just under a third of all Massachusetts school districts - including its largest three in the state: Boston, Springfield and Worcester - will start the school year fully remote.

Few districts will return to the classroom for full-time, in-person learning.
Update:

An elderly man was arrested hours after his wife was found shot to death in a Southeast Side home on Thursday morning, police said.

George Lee Holland, 89, is charged with murder, San Antonio police said.

Officer Doug Greene, a San Antonio police spokesman, said a neighbor who went to check on an elderly couple at a home in the 100 block of Mendoza discovered the body of 82-year-old Janice Holland.

The cause and manner of Janice Hollands death were pending as of Thursday evening.

Greene said the wound was not self-inflicted and a handgun was found inside the house.

George Lee Holland, who police said was in the house, was taken to police headquarters for questioning.

Greene said it was not known when Janice Holland was shot or how long her body had been in the house.

Original:

An elderly woman was found shot to death Thursday in her Southeast Side home.

Police were called to the 100 block of Mendoza after a neighbor had gone to check on the elderly couple that lived there and discovered the woman in her 80s dead from a gunshot wound, said SAPD spokesman Doug Greene.

Greene said the wound was not self-inflicted and a handgun was found inside the house.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

The womans husband was also in the house and has been taken to police headquarters for questioning, police said.

Police dont know when the woman was shot or how long she had been there before the neighbor checked on the couple, Greene said.

Nearly two hours after the call came in, neighbors stood outside the police tape watching as officers waited for a search warrant to finish their investigation.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
Blazes destroy hundreds of homes and some entire communities as thousands are displaced.

Dozens of extreme wind-driven wildfires swept across western US states on Thursday, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least seven people, authorities have said.

In 48 hours, three people died from a lightning-sparked fire in northern California, while three were reported dead in Oregon and a one-year-old boy died in Washington state, police said.

Oregon bore the brunt of nearly 100 major wildfires ripping across the West Coast states, with nearly 3,000 firefighters battling more than two dozen wildfires.

The blazes tore through at least five communities in Oregons Cascade mountain range as well as areas of coastal rainforest normally spared from wildfires.

East of Salem, Oregon, search and rescue teams entered destroyed communities like Detroit, where firefighters abandoned equipment and led residents on a dramatic mountain escape after military helicopters were unable to evacuate the town.

A 12-year-old boy was found dead with his dog inside a burned car and his grandmother feared dead after flames engulfed an area near Lyons, Oregon, about 50 miles (80km) south of Portland, the Marion County Sheriffs Office said.

Fires burned across many regions of Oregon state, leaving communities destroyed [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

Evacuations across Oregon

Oregon Governor Kate Brown said the state was facing perhaps its greatest ever loss in lives from wildfires, with the communities of Blue River and Vida in Lane County and Phoenix and Talent in southern Oregon largely destroyed.

Climate scientists say global warming has contributed to greater extremes in wet and dry seasons across the US West, causing vegetation to flourish then dry out, leaving more abundant, volatile fuel for fires.

Evacuations were occurring in areas scattered across all of Oregon, an area about the size of the United Kingdom, as fires burned in virtually every region.

In southern Oregons Jackson County, most of the city of Medford, with 82,000 residents, was told to evacuate or prepare to evacuate as fires burned around the city.

California and Washington fires

In California, officials said some 64,000 people were under evacuation orders on Wednesday while crews battled 28 major fires across portions of the most populous US state.

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About a third of those evacuees were displaced in Butte County alone, north of the capital Sacramento, where a wildfire has scorched more than 200,000 acres (80,900 hectares) since it was ignited on August 17.

Almost half of that landscape was consumed since Tuesday, as a newly ferocious flank of that blaze dubbed the Bear Fire spread largely unchecked over some 97,000 acres (39,250 hectares).

The remains of three victims were found in two separate locations of that fire zone, according to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, bringing the total death toll from this summers devastating spate of California wildfires to at least 11.

A wildfire has scorched more than 200,000 acres in Butte County since it was ignited on August 17 [Josh Edelson/AFP]

Brothers Ed and Jerry Murie told the San Francisco Chronicle they did not want to leave their homes in Berry Creek, but were forced to evacuate when the power was shut off as the Bear Fire spread towards the town.

Ed Murie, 58, described seeing a wall of flames 50 feet (15 metres) high when they fled late on Tuesday and hearing explosions from propane tanks.

My brother and I barely made it out, he said. It was raining fire. Were pretty sure we lost everything.

The Bear Fire raged near the outskirts of Paradise, a town largely reduced to ash in 2018, with 85 lives lost, in a firestorm that still ranks as the deadliest in California history.

In eastern Washington, a man and a woman were in critical condition with burns after their one-year-old son died as they tried to escape the states largest wildfire, the Okanogan County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), left, at a press conference on Capitol Hill on, Dec. 19, 2019 and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at a media availability on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 7, 2018. (Saul Loeb and Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

McConnell: Senate Will Vote on Slimmed-Down Pandemic Bill Thursday

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced the Senate will hold a vote on a slimmed-down $500 billion pandemic relief bill on Thursday, although it will likely not garner enough support to overcome a 60-vote filibuster from Democrats.

Were not going to let Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leader kill and bury coronavirus relief behind closed doors without putting every senator on the record, McConnell said Wednesday, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

If the vote clears the Senate, the bill also may not receive the support from the House, which is controlled by the Democrats.

It will be a procedural vote. Its not a vote to pass our bill tomorrow precisely as written. Its a vote for senators to say whether they want to move forward toward huge amounts of relief for kids, for jobs, for health care, or whether they are happier doing absolutely nothing, McConnell said Wednesday.

McConnells proposed bill will provide $300 per week in federal unemployment benefits, an extension of the Payment Protection Program (PPP), and liability protections. It does not include nearly $1 trillion in funds to state and local jurisdictions, which Democrats sought in their $3.4 trillion HEROES Act, passed in May. Also absent are the $1,200 stimulus payments and checks.

Congress already passed legislation worth more than $2 trillion with the CARES Act in March. That bill was designed to offset economic damages incurred by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus that emerged in 2019 in China.

Pelosi and Schumer have said in recent weeks that they are willing to cut about $1 trillion from the bill, although Pelosi said they will not pass a bill that is worth less than $2.2 trillion. They made the remarks after talks stalled between the White House and Democrats over the bill.

Senate Republicans appear dead-set on another bill which doesnt come close to addressing the problems and is headed nowhere, Pelosi and Schumer said in a statement earlier this week.

And last week, McConnell told reporters that he is not optimistic about another pandemic relief bill being passed before the November election.

I dont know if there will be another package in the next few weeks or not, he said in Kentucky. The cooperative spirit we had in March and April has dissipated as weve moved closer and closer to the election.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Two unidentified bodies have been found in separate graves during the ongoing search for missing persons in Tarhouna, south of Tripoli, a team of the Public Authority for the Search and Identification of Missing Persons in Libya has announced
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 13:25:57|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly Thursday arrived in Indian capital New Delhi to attend the formal induction ceremony of the first five Rafale fighter jets in Indian Air Force, officials said.

On arrival Parly held a meeting with India's federal defense minister Rajnath Singh at Palam Air Force station.

Parly will be the chief guest for the Rafale induction ceremony at Air Force Station in Ambala of Haryana state.

"Defense minister Rajnath Singh will attend the Rafale induction ceremony in Ambala today. He will be accompanied by the Ministre des Armees (Minister for the Armed Forces) of France Florence Parly, who is on a bilateral visit to India," a ministry spokesman said.

Officials said after the meeting both ministers left for Ambala to attend the ceremony.

The first five Rafale jets arrived at Air Force Station, Ambala from France in July this year.

India in 2016 signed a deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets. Enditem
KAMPALA  Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority (UMRA) have this morning signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will create a closer and collaborative working relationship amongst the two institutions.

The partnership is aimed at enhancing the sharing of business registration information and creation of awareness on the usage and importance of the Security Interest in Movable Property Registry System (SIMPO). The MoU will also enable improved clients experience while accessing services of both entities.

The signing of this MoU indicates commitment by URSB and UMRA to integrate available microfinance data and provide timely information through secure channels that will benefit prospective borrowers and lenders. UMRA has been identified as a strategic stakeholder in the successful establishment of the Chattels Registry that is run by URSB.

The purpose of the MoU is to establish a working relationship between UMRA, the Microfinance regulator and URSB in the area of financial data verification, easy sharing of business registration information, facilitating sharing of the licensed business entities under UMRA, and engaging in joint sensitization of the public on the benefits of the SIMPO.

To facilitate easy management of the partnership, UMRA shall designate staff to work with URSB to enroll and certify registration of money lenders onto the SIMPO registry. UMRA will also ensure usage of the URSB run SIMPO platform by ensuring that all licensees under UMRA are trained and sensitised on the usage and importance of the SIMPO

Speaking at the MoU signing, Bemanya Twebaze, the Registrar General, on behalf of URSB welcomed UMRA and noted that collaborations of this nature help government agencies promote service delivery with ease through such collaborations.

He said At URSB, we are not just looking at strategic and innovative ways to add value to our service offering for our clients, but also to create strong partnerships with valuable stakeholders who will enable us deliver on our mandate better. I welcome UMRA onboard and assure you and your team of our commitment to this understanding. We also believe, this working partnership help us promote the usage of our SIMPO registry while enabling access to credit for business and personal growth through safer lending and easier borrowing.

Speaking at the MoU signing, Edith Namugga Tusuubira, UMRAs ED said the partnership with URSB will go a long way into improving accuracy of information for their joint clients.

She added We thank the leadership of URSB for facilitating, supporting and enabling the signing of this unique agency-agency collaboration which should become a model for enhancing financial information needed by MSMEs to access credit with much ease. UMRA re-states its support to URSB towards the achievement of mutual goals.

The MoU signing happens at such a time when URSB is exploring and implementing a number of digital solutions that will improve the clients interaction with their services and is aligned with their ICT mantra of All Digital All Online by 2020.

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Tune into the 'Neon Nights' event if you want to catch some GRIMES-themed items, plus marvel at some Golden Moons.
A conservative friend of mine called me in some distress. Her elderly parents, who are politically conservative, are voting for Biden because they think Trump mishandled the Wuhan virus. Democrats are targeting this demographic  aged people who still reasonably fear getting infected  which is why they're trumpeting Bob Woodward's claim that Trump lied about the virus and that people therefore died unnecessarily. The allegation is false and needs to be debunked hard and fast.

The Democrats' current problem is that the Wuhan virus is receding, which decreases people's sense of panic, an emotion that Democrats have been using to help position Biden as the "safe" choice. Although people are still getting infected, they're younger, so the mortality rate has plummeted.

When it comes to the elderly, who are the most vulnerable, states such as New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania have already killed them thanks to the policy of forcibly introducing infected patients into nursing homes. Other states protected their elderly and are steadily getting better at treating them, limiting their chances of dying.

The people who are getting infected now are younger people who have almost no chance of dying from the Wuhan virus  and for those unfortunate enough to get seriously ill, again, we know better how to treat them. Additionally, it appears that the body will repair the damage that the virus causes to people's hearts and lungs.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is hoping people have short memories and has decided to blame Trump for the extraordinarily high virus death rate in his state:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo: "Donald Trump caused the COVID outbreak in New York. Donald Trump caused the COVID outbreak in New York." pic.twitter.com/KVoz89xYQW  The Hill (@thehill) September 8, 2020

Hot Air offers facts showing that, as the virus drama unfolded, Trump acted quickly, even as New York, from Cuomo on down, did nothing at all. And when finally Cuomo acted, as noted above, one of his primary acts was to turn nursing homes into plague houses. (I have no proof, but I can never escape the feeling that Cuomo, in keeping with all supporters of socialized medicine, was weeding out the elderly, who draw on the system but no longer pay into it.)

It's to be hoped that most people, other than hardcore leftists, will remember Cuomo's actions and his total control over New York State's Wuhan virus policies. However, the media are always willing to try the Big Lie  and it's clearly swaying some people.

The newest line of attack is Bob Woodward's book, which purports to break the shattering news that Trump engaged in a virus cover-up. The only problem is that this isn't new; it's old news.

The Woodward tapes are from March, when information about the virus was still spotty and confusing. It was in this context that Trump was talking about not wanting to cause a panic  which is an entirely reasonable position for a national leader to take. Moreover, Trump had already started taking the virus quite seriously, even as every leftist politician and media outlet in America was claiming he was a hysterical xenophobe:

Astute thinkers who noticed that Woodward has been sitting on the tapes since March pointed out another significant problem with his sudden denunciation of Trump:

And THIS.



If this is true...Woodward let people die for book profits...right?https://t.co/ZFc2XhW40j  Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) September 9, 2020

Theres one more yuuuge problem with the "Trump lied, people died" narrative that the Democrats are trying to kick-start today. Dr. Fauci said Trump fairly accurately repeated what he was hearing from his science team, led by...Dr. Fauci (h/t Twitchy):

Fauci on Fox responding to the Woodward book: "He didn't really say anything different than he discussed when we were with him."  Jake Lahut (@JakeLahut) September 9, 2020

Fauci on Fox: "Often he would want to, you know, make sure that the country doesn't get down and out about things, but I don't recall anything that was any gross distortion in things that I spoke to him about."  Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) September 9, 2020

Dr. Fauci on Fox right now providing some good answers to this Woodward news boomlet.



Fauci also suggests Woodward's account that he (Fauci) criticized the President are false, points out that Woodward got quotes attributed to Fauci second- or third-hand.  Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 9, 2020

QUESTION: Did you get any sense that President Trump was downplaying the coronavirus.



"No, no, I didnt. I didnt get any sense that he was distorting anything." - Dr. Anthony Fauci pic.twitter.com/LXANZOY8P2  Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) September 9, 2020

If you've got elderly relatives who are abandoning Trump solely because of the Wuhan virus, take the time to tell them the facts. Also, you might want to show them this chart, which suggests state-specific problems, not national ones:

If the US had the death rate of NY/NJ wed be at half a million. Instead the rest of the US looks like this https://t.co/qC7HFNvSNI pic.twitter.com/2DsImBBw5A  Eric (@IAmTheActualET) September 7, 2020

In the upcoming election, every vote counts with an urgency we've never had before. To have a significant cohort of voters walk away because of lies would be a tragedy.

Image: Bob Woodward (altered in Pixlr), LBJ Library, public domain.
The project will be a new addition to the chain of ports extending on the Egyptian northern coast

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Wednesday with Director-General of the Belgian Dredging, Environmental and Marine Engineering (DEME) Group Lucas Bols a comprehensive project for expanding and developing Alexandrias Abu Qir Port, the presidency said.

The meeting was attended by the Commander of the Naval Forces Lieutenant General Ahmed Khaled and a number of senior officials from the Belgian company.

DEME will carry out the dredging works in the Mediterranean port, the presidential statement added.

DEME is a world leader in the highly specialised fields of dredging and land reclamation, solutions for the offshore energy market, environmental and infra-marine works, with more than 140 years of experience and 5,200 highly skilled professionals.

El-Sisi praised the professional reputation of the Belgian company, stressing the value of this vital national project, which is part of Egypts plans to build a modern state.

The statement added that the president emphasised the importance of completing the project according to the latest technological systems and the highest international standards for the development and operation of ports, to represent a new addition to the chain of ports extending on the Egyptian northern coast, and to make Abu Qir Port the largest in the Mediterranean, in addition to raising the global classification of Egyptian ports to the first level.

The agreement with DEME comes in tandem with the recent deal with the Chinese company Hutchison to construct the largest container handling terminal in the region at Abu Qir Port, the statement said.

Bols hailed the promising investment opportunities in Egypt, especially those in port infrastructure renovation fields in order to benefit from the improvement in the economic climate and the efforts to develop the infrastructure that the Egyptian government has undertaken in recent years.

In August 2019, the Egyptian Naval Forces and Hutchison Ports signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a container handling terminal at Abu Qir Port with an annual handling capacity of two million containers.

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10 September 2020

OYO Hotels, one of the world's leading hotel chains, today announced that Kasra Moshkani has been named as its head of business in the United States. Moshkani, who has overseen OYO's Eastern US business as Region Head since October 2019, will lead the US business, with support from Abhinav Sinha, who will focus more on his role as Global COO of OYO Hotels & Homes. Kasra took on this new role starting September 1, 2020.

An entrepreneur at heart, Kasra holds over 15 years of experience in building companies centered around innovative ideas and has market expertise in general management, operations, strategic planning, corporate finance, and investing. He has an analytical approach toward problem-solving which is also embedded in OYO's DNA as the company offers tech-driven solutions to transform the global hospitality space. His past tenures include Uber Technologies, Grail Partners & Advisors, and MyClean. He also co-founded HireBrite, an HR-tech startup. A native of Miami, Kasra is an alumnus of Harvard University and The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Growing Mariners Church Opening New Campus in Orange County

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The multi-site nondenominational Mariners Church will be opening its newest location in California in September.

Mariners Church's Huntington Beach campus, which meets weekly at the Huntington Beach Central Library Theater, will be moving to a former movie theater next month.

To construct the new site for the Huntington Beach campus, the Mariners Church was able to raise approximately $1.5 million from nearly 300 families.

"We love this community! Together we will step into our new home off of Beach and Warner," reads a post on the Huntington Beach's Facebook page.

The church will hold a grand opening on Sunday, Sept. 10 at the former Regency Charter Center Theaters on Warner Avenue.

On a website centered on updating people about the new building, the campus noted that a major reason for the move was the proximity to a busy part of the city.

"Did you know that Beach and Warner is the second busiest intersection in Orange County? With over 100,000 cars passing our new location each day, just think about the potential to offer grace, truth, hope, and love to so many," the site noted.

"This new ministry space will allow us to do much more for our people and for the people God will bring in the future  your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors."

According to cinematreasures.org, the Warner Avenue facility opened in 1986 as Edwards Cinemas. Later, Regency Theatres took over the building. It was closed in January.

Founded in 1965 with its first service held at a Newport Beach home with 30 attendees, Mariners Church has campuses in Irvine, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, and Ocean Hills.

The Christian Post reached out to Mariners Church Huntington Beach but a comment was not immediately available.

On the "About Us" section of the church's website, Mariners describes itself as "a community of ordinary people from all walks of life courageously trusting Him to do the extraordinary."

"Simply put, we're trusting Him to do what we can't  heal, transform, renew, forgive, provide and sustain. Through our stories, He is glorified, lives are changed and our communities are impacted," noted the website.

"We encourage you to check out a weekend experience at one of our churches. Each experience is a unique expression of the mission and values of Mariners. God is moving in our church community, creating dreams and calling people into action."
According to a new analysis of the social media audiences of all 50 U.S. governors, the audiences for Republican governors demonstrate significantly less worry and isolation compared to their Democratic counterparts. StatSocial, the leader in earned media and influencer data and insights, recently analyzed the U.S. governors according to their social media audiences and found that the audiences Republican governors showed lower levels of stress, anxiety and isolation as the result of the pandemic than their Democratic counterparts. Among the findings:

Of the five governors whose social audiences showed the lowest levels of anxiety, stress and worry, three were Republicans: Mark Gordon (WY - 1.85%), Bill Lee (TN - 2.74%), and Gary Herbert (UT - 2.54%). Only two audiences for Democratic governors ranked in the lowest on measures of anxiety, stress and worry: David Ige of Hawaii (2.45%) and Tim Walz of Minnesota (2.99%).

Of the five governors whose audiences showed the highest levels of anxiety, stress and worry, only one was a Republican: Kristi Noem (SD - 5.23%). The other four were democrats: Gretchen Whitmer (D, MI - 5.24%), Andy Beshar (D, KY - 5.15%). J.B. Pritzker (D, IL - 5.05%), Kate Brown (D, OR - 5.20%).

The five governors whose audiences were least concerned about social isolation were also all Republicans: Ron DeSantis (FL - 3.71%), Kevin Stitt (OK - 4.07%), Kristi Noem (SD - 4.81%), Eric Holcomb (IN - 4.55%), and Bill Lee (TN - 4.57%).

The governors whose audiences showed the most concern about social isolation were David Ige (D, HI - 12.30%), Charlie Barker (R, Mass - 9.09%), Brad Little (R, ID - 10.29%), Mark Gordon (R, WY - 10.74%), Phil Scott (R, VT - 9.84%)

StatSocial analyzed the audiences of the 50 U.S. governors in late July using the companys Silhouette audience intelligence platform, which analyzes more than 1.2 billion social accounts, to understand influencer and trending topic audiences across more than 85 thousand segments. With information bubbles becoming entrenched amongst different audiences in the run-up to the 2020 election, StatSocial anticipates that targeted social media messaging will play an essential role in the outcomes.

America is going through a fractious, traumatic time right now, and we see that reflected all over the political and social spectrum through social media engagement, said Michael Hussey, President & Founder of StatSocial. These sorts of targeted insights paint a detailed picture of the national experience, and theyll likely play a significant role in the upcoming election.

About StatSocial

StatSocial enables brands and agencies to gain extensive insights on consumer and market trends while being able to identify their best consumer prospects. Silhouette, the companys earned media data platform, is built on a taxonomy of over 85,000 attributes (demographics, brand affinities, interests, media, influencers, and IBM Watson Personality Insights), linked to consumers covering 1.2 billion social profiles across 70% of US households. Clients can access insights and data through Silhouettes proprietary reporting interface or across most marketing technology platforms.

Media Contact

Hugh S. Moore

Broadsheet Communications for StatSocial

ben@broadsheetcomms.com

Findings are available here: https://bit.ly/2GAFy7L
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, today announced that the fourth meeting of the Beef Taskforce which will take place in late September by video conference.

Minister McConalogue commented, I have had constructive engagements with both beef farming and industry stakeholders since taking office, and I am well aware of the crucial role that the beef sector plays in the rural economy. The Taskforce, chaired by Michael Dowling, provides a forum for detailed engagement on key issues facing the beef sector, and Is particularly important in progressing the commitments made by all stakeholders in the Beef Sector Agreement a year ago.













Key points for discussion at the meeting will include the draft application for PGI status for Irish grass-fed beef; and progress on the market transparency studies being conducted by Grant Thornton.
One of the largest grind schools in the country is urging the Government to broaden the grounds for appealing this years Leaving Cert results, claiming the calculated grades system has serious flaws.

The Institute of Education in Dublin, which had over 800 students doing the Leaving Cert this year, said nearly all of its pupils (96pc) had a grade reduced.

Overall, 44pc of the grades awarded by the Institutes teachers were cut.

Principal Yvonne OToole said the school hired expert data analysis from Krisolis, a leading analytics company, which found that the methodology used by the Department of Education had serious flaws.

It has been widely reported that 17pc of grades nationally were changed. We have calculated that had the change to our student grades been limited to 17pc then the resulting average decrease in points would have been 11 points, but in fact our students have seen on average a 30 points drop, with some as high as a 77 points drop, Ms OToole said.

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The current appeals process only allows a student to appeal a clerical error, not the grades awarded.

Students also cant appeal the marks awarded by teachers.

The appeals process will only examine the accuracy of the data transfer of results from a school through the various stages of the process.

Our student body has been significantly penalised by the calculated grades process, Ms OToole said.

As a school, we have written to the Taoiseach and his relevant ministers asking them for an appeals system that allows the calculated grades given to be challenged. The current appeals process is meaningless.

In a strongly-worded statement, she said students should not be penalised in the CAO process because no redress system is in place to take account of the flaws in the State methodology.

Pending the outcome of appeals, students should not lose out on CAO places that they would have been offered if they had been treated fairly.To do anything less than putting a redress system in place would be robbing these young people of the opportunities for which they have worked so hard.

In response, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said: "As noted previously, the Calculated Grades model is blind to type of school or education centre by which estimated grades were provided for students.

"Overall, the grades achieved in this years Leaving Certificate results are stronger by about 4.4 percentage points. This improvement in performance is present across all types of schools.

"The Calculated Grades model asked schools to estimate the marks students would have achieved if they had sat the exam in normal circumstances.



"International evidence suggests that in doing this, teachers overestimate students marks.



"It is clear when looking at the overall data of school estimated marks that there was a very significant rise in estimated grades against what would normally be achieved nationally.



"Based on the school' estimates nationally, there was strong evidence that there was overestimation of outcomes at all grade points and that it was more pronounced at the upper end.



"Through the Calculated Grades process, schools submitted estimates of expected performance in the examinations.



"We know that school estimates in some cases awarded unrealistically high grades.



"Aggregated across all subjects, the percentage of grade 1s at Higher Level in 2019 was 5.8pc in 2019. The estimates provided by the schools would have increased the percentage of students awarded a H1 to 13.4pc.



"For example, the percentage of H1s in school estimates more than doubled in some subjects, even tripling in other subjects, compared to the 2019 results.



"This would not have been a credible result for Leaving Certificate 2020 and would have given rise to excessive grade inflation, in turn creating considerable difficulty in terms of third level entry and the integrity of the overall Leaving Certificate.



"The average estimated mark provided by schools and other settings in the other category is 72pc, which means that the impact of standardisation was to reduce the grades, based on school estimates, by 1.4% while still leaving them well ahead of what would be expected in a normal year.



"Therefore, schools and others in this category have considerably higher results than last year. It is possible that any concerns being expressed are based on what schools and others estimated this year rather than on what their experience is compared to other years."
Doug Ford may be working hard at fighting COVID-19, but meanwhile he and his government are also busy wrecking environmental protection in Ontario.

The destruction by Ford and his Progressive Conservative government has been relentless. It started before COVID-19 and continues right through the pandemic.

Systematically, the Ford government has been taking apart and destroying the laws, regulations, policies and programs that have been doing their part  usually not enough  to fight polluters, protect endangered species, forests and wildlands and take action against climate change.

Its fair to give Ford credit for his presence and leadership during the COVID crisis. Hes out there every day, and he seems to be listening a lot to scientists and experts.

But its also fair to note that when it comes to the environment, its the opposite. And for the environment, its trouble.

Most recently, Fords PCs pushed through a new law, Bill 197, that effectively guts the rules requiring environmental assessment before a construction or industrial project, such as a gas plant, road or sewage plant, can be built.

Ostensibly, the law, called the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, is supposed to streamline the process, for example, by moving the procedures online. Certainly, it does that, and there is room for streamlining and speeding up decisions.

But there is a difference between streamlining and obliterating  and for the most part, thats exactly what the new law does to environmental review.

Now cabinet will decide if a project merits a full environmental review  protection is more or less being dialed back to what it was like before the environmental movement got rolling 50 years ago.

How will we know what input went into a cabinet decision to OK a smokestack next door? Oh, theyll have some consultations according to the new law.

By the way, the Ford government waived the usual 30-day time for consulting the public before passing this legislation.

Do you trust Ford and his cabinet to decide whether that new factory on your street is environmentally safe? It would be nice if we could; the problem is that there is a long, consistent pattern of anti-environment moves Ford has made that started long before he got serious about COVID-19.

Last year, the Ford government gutted the provinces endangered species protection laws, to make it easier for developers to destroy species at risk if the critters or plants get in the way.

Ford also repealed the Toxics Reduction Act, which required companies to track and report on the toxic chemicals they create or use in their industries. He also loosened or eliminated environmental safeguards that govern aggregate extraction  gravel pits.

Before that, the Ford government cancelled 758 clean energy projects, including solar electricity for schools, hospitals and arenas and projects that would take manure from farms and turn it into fertilizer.

The office of Ontarios environmental commissioner, which was set up in the 1990s to review and oversee protection in the province, was also closed by the Ford government.

What is the Ford governments environmental protection plan? What is its climate change plan? Its hard to say.

For example, if youre looking for support from the Ford government to buy a clean electric car, forget it. One of the first moves Ford made was to cancel the programs that support trading in your gas guzzler for a zero-emission vehicle.

Ford also cut funding for conservation authority flood control, not exactly forward-thinking in the era of climate change.

And speaking of climate change, the Ford government cancelled Ontarios program to plant 50 million trees  compelling the federal government to pick up sticks and restore the program using funds from the tiny national carbon tax.

Thats the same carbon tax that the Ford government has committed up to $30 million of Ontario taxpayers money to fight in court  money that could be spent on fighting climate change and caring for the environment. Ontario has been losing this case so far, by the way.

Its also the same carbon program that led Fords government to force gas stations to put those misleading anti-carbon tax stickers on gas pumps  stickers that Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan has ruled are unconstitutional and violate business owners freedom of expression.

None of this is to suggest that Ford or his colleagues are bad people. Indeed, he has shown us that he cares a lot about fighting COVID-19.

But so far, the Ford government is bad for the environment. Lets hope it can step up and change.

David Israelson is a former Toronto Star environment reporter and is a writer and communications consultant based in Toronto and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

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I think we do a lot of things better than in Washington. We actually work together a lot more. We have stand-alone bills, with more opportunities to work together, said Sen. David R. Suetterlein (R-Roanoke). I find myself again today with a bill that [has] many things Id like to support, but theyve all been wrapped up together. I fear every year we get closer to embracing this omnibus approach.
If you have a green thumb and love coffee, this might be the place for you.

New York City-based florist and cafe PlantShed has opened a retail spot in Englewood at 47 E. Palisade Ave, where you can purchase flowers while grabbing a quick bite to eat or cup of coffee.

It is PlantSheds first New Jersey store. There are three spots scattered throughout the Big Apple: Two cafes, which launched in 2018, and a florist shop founded in 1971.

The business describes the greenhouse-inspired space as a unique lush oasis" with tropical foliage, cacti, succulents and premium flowers sourced from all over the world.

The flowers at the Englewood spot are provided by Englewood Florist, where the cafe is housed. The families running the two businesses are related.

The cafe menu incorporates popular pastries such as croissants and danishes, along with unique beverages like rose matcha lattes and espresso lattes featuring teddy bear art.

Other small businesses that have recently opened in New Jersey are Fresh Coast in Metuchen and River Street Sweets: Savannahs Candy Kitchen in Asbury Park.

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Nicolette Accardi can be reached at naccardi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter: @N_Accardi. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
No new COVID-19 cases recorded on September 10 morning

Vietnam recorded no new COVID-19 infections over the past 12 hours, keeping the total cases at 1,059 as of 6:00am of September 10, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

A doctor in a qurantine facility in Khanh Hoa is giving health check-up to people who are under quarantine (Photo: VNA)

So far, Vietnam has 691 locally-transmitted cases, 551 of whom are related to Da Nang since the pandemic broke in the central city on July 25.

As many as 890 patients have been fully recovered. Meanwhile, 169 patients are receiving treatment in health care facilities, 16 of them have been tested negative with the virus once and 13 twice and 21 others thrice.

Seven COVID-19 patients are on critical conditions with high risk of death.

The country has so far reported 35 COVID-19 related deaths, the majority of the cases were the elderly with severe disease such as end-stage chronic kidney failure, cancer, sepsis and diabetes.

As many as 36,126 people nationwide who had close contact with patients or entered from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine, 621 of them are in hospitals, 15,874 in other establishments and 19,631 at homes.

The Health Ministry has advised the community to safely adapt with the pandemic by applying preventive measures.

The ministry also urged each Vietnamese citizen to download Bluezone app at https://www.bluezone.gov.vn to receive infection risk warnings.

HCM City starts testing people coming from Da Nang

People arriving in HCM City from a Nang, the COVID-19 hotspot during the second wave, will be tested, according to the citys Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention.

The news came after the Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam and other relevant agencies permitted passenger transport companies to resume services to and from a Nang, starting on Monday (September 7).

Following that, airlines resumed services to the city after a month.

At Tan Son Nhat International Airport, medical workers began to take samples for testing on Tuesday.

People coming from a Nang by other means of transport have to make health declarations and are taken for testing at health centres.

They can register for an appointment for testing through the CDCs website or telephone, with the latter being available from next week.

According to the transport ministry, there was much public demand for resuming transportation and the situation has improved enough to permit it.

a Nang has not had any new cases of COVID-19 for 10 days as of Tuesday.

The chairman of its Peoples Committee, Huynh uc Tho, instructed the Department of Health to take up with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control the huge differences in preventive measures taken by various provinces and cities.

City authorities are taking up the issue since it has become hard for locals to travel to other places around the country without being sure of restrictions related to quarantine and others.

They have pleased with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to have uniform measures nation-wide against COVID-19 for people coming from a Nang.

Some provinces and cities quarantine people coming from a Nang for 14 days, some allow them to self-isolate at home, others only allow them to stay for three days without paying for testing or for one day without being quarantined.

Some require drivers of vehicles coming from a Nang to make medical declarations while others simply prohibit entry.

COVID-19 figures in Viet Nam

Viet Nam logged zero new COVID-19 cases within the past 12 hours as of 6am of Wednesday, according to the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control.

The country has documented 1,054 coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infections so far.

Of the total, 691 were infected with the virus domestically, including 551 linked with a Nang City since the latest coronavirus wave began there on July 25.

As many as 868 patients have recovered while 35 have died from complications related to the disease. Most of the fatalities were the elderly with serious underlying health conditions.

Among 186 still under treatment, 13 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 21 others twice and 35 thrice. Currently, six patients are in critical conditions.

COVID-19: Vietnam works to ensure safety in anticipation of resumption of int'l flights

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on September 9 discussed how to ensure safety as the country is about to resume certain international flights as from September 15.

Some proposed conducting tests at airports and expand the testing at hospitals and in crowded events.

Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long lauded the efforts by medical bio-product manufacturers over the past time, saying the locally-made test products have contributed to the initial successes Vietnam has gained in the pandemic combat.

The ministry will facilitate the research and production of test products to better serve the fight against the pandemic in the new situation, he pledged.

Over 340 citizens brought home from Russia

Vietnamese agencies, the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia and national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines coordinated with the Russian sides to bring more than 340 citizens home on September 9-10.

The citizens are mainly graduates without accommodations.

The Vietnamese Embassy sent officials to help them at airport.

All passengers underwent medical examinations, and were quarantined upon landing at Cam Ranh International Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa.

In the coming time, Vietnamese authorities and overseas missions plan to arrange flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home, depending on their desire to return and quarantine capacity at home.

Indonesia, Malaysia record new COVID-19 cases

Indonesia and Malaysia reported new cases of COVID-19 on September 9.

In Indonesia, the increase was 3,307, bringing up the total national tally to 203,342.

The death toll also climbed to 8,336 with the addition of 106 deaths on the day, said the countrys Health Ministry, adding the number of recoveries was 145,200.

The novel coronavirus has so far spread across 34 Indonesian provinces and cities.

Meanwhile, Malaysia reported 24 new COVID-19 cases, including six imported infections. The number of cases in the nation amounted to 9,583, including 128 deaths, 9,143 recoveries, and 312 others under treatment.

The same day, Cambodia, which recorded a total of 274 confirmed COVID-19 cases with no death and 273 recoveries, released a list of eight disease-prevention tips for foreign tourists to the kingdom.

The tips, translated into several languages including English and Chinese, advised visitors to abide by the measures undertaken by the Cambodian government.

The number of foreign arrivals to Cambodia was 1.18 million during the first half of 2020, down 64 percent year-on-year.

230 Vietnamese citizens flown home

As many as 230 Vietnamese citizens from Taiwan (China) were flown home on September 9.

The flight was arranged by the Vietnamese authorities, the Vietnam Economic-Cultural Office in Taipei, budget Vietjet Air and Taiwanese authorities.

Passengers are mostly the elderly, pregnant women, workers with expired labour contracts, those suffering from underlying diseases and labour injuries, students who concluded their curricula, travellers and other especially disadvantaged cases.

After landing at Can Tho international airport, they were put under quarantine in line with regulations.

In the near future, similar flights will be arranged, considering domestic pandemic situation and quarantine capacity.

Vietnam confirms five imported COVID-19 cases

Vietnam confirmed five new imported COVID-19 cases on September 9 evening, according to the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

After arriving at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Flight VN28 from Ukraine on September 1, they were put under quarantine in the southern province of Ba Ria  Vung Tau.

They tested negative to SARS-CoV-2 for the first time on September 3 and positive the second time on September 9.

Vietnam has so far recorded 1059 infection cases, 691 of them are locally-transmitted.

Also on September 9, 21 patients were given the all-clear from the virus, including 10 in Da Nang, four in Hanoi, four in Quang Nam, two in Bac Lieu and one in Dak Lak.

Among patients under treatment at medical establishments, 16 tested negative once, 13 twice and 21 others thrice.

The country also recorded 35 fatalities related to COVID-19, most of them suffered serious underlying diseases.

As many as 37,474 people nationwide who had close contact with patients or entered from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine, 834 of them are in hospitals, 13,365 in other establishments and 23,274 at homes.

The Health Ministry has urged each Vietnamese citizen to download Bluezone app at https://www.bluezone.gov.vn to receive infection risk warnings.
Exposed to both drought and flash floods, Makueni was one of the first counties in Kenya to set up its own fund to help small-scale farmers cope with worsening climate change impacts, and dedicate local resources to tackling the problem.

Inhabitants of this water-scarce region southeast of Nairobi have often faced hunger during long dry periods, while heavy rains inundate its low-lying savannah with little notice.

Sometimes the two extremes hit the county at the same time.

We had to think of a quick, locally-led solution for our people, said Mary Mbenge, Makuenis chief officer for natural resources, environment and climate change.

That led to the establishment of the Makueni County Climate Change Fund in 2015, with Makueni among the first five Kenyan counties to pass the legislation needed to create such a fund.

Those five are now up and running, and the model is being scaled up to seven other agricultural counties, including Kisumu, Nandi, Kisii, Kakamega and Narok.

Some, including Makueni, are seeking to work with national and international agencies to tap into global sources of climate finance, such as the Green Climate Fund, to expand local projects.

Mbenge stressed that donors would only be interested if you have already shown some initiative in utilising climate change money to implement some investments on the ground.

About 1 per cent of Makueni County's development budget is earmarked for measures to tackle the effects of a warming climate. That spending is channelled through the local climate fund, averaging about 60 million Kenyan shillings ($554,000) a year.

The fund has a strong focus on community-run projects to improve water supplies for arable and livestock farmers, boosting their incomes and making them more resilient to an increasingly harsh climate.

Some, for example, are breeding fish in earth dams built to capture and store rainfall in the barren landscape.

Read: World wildlife plummets more than two-thirds in 50 years

Natural Solutions

Other activities include providing climate information and advice on how to plant suitable crops and fruit trees, as well as giving warning of anticipated flooding.

More than 95 per cent of farmers working with the fund have planted trees such as mango, orange and avocado, which encouraged a fruit-juice factory to move into the area.

Our young people are making good use of this water by way of starting tree seedling projects, which earn some cash for them, said Robert Ndetu, youth coordinator for the climate funds planning committee.

Decisions about which projects to submit to the fund are made by ward-level committees, made up of representatives from each village, including women, young people, those with disabilities and administrators.

Daniel Muoki, a representative of the Mbitini Ward Climate Change Committee, said it brainstorms ideas for projects and then drafts proposals based on feedback from communities.

After vetting, the proposals are presented to the climate change funds board for final approval.

Local people are involved at all stages, including monitoring and running the projects, Muoki added.

Makueni took a similar participatory approach with its County Integrated Development Plan for 2018-2022, which was crafted with input from more than 3,600 villages in 30 wards.

Under a Kamba language slogan which translates as an opportunity for every household, one of the development plans key aims is to ease Makuenis water deficit, partly by helping communities harvest more rainwater.

According to the Makueni government website, natural water sources on its arid and semi-arid land can only meet about 45 per cent of the county's water needs.

Just 36 per cent of Makueni's population has access to improved water sources, while about 18 per cent of households have piped water. Women and girls can trek for up to 8 km (5 miles) per day to fetch water.

For live updates on the coronavirus outbreak, click here

Covid-19 Blow

Makueni County's commitment to deploy its own finances to tackle climate change problems has encouraged others to chip in, after Britain earlier provided 50 million shillings in aid for a pilot project paving the way for the fund.

The Swedish and UK development agencies then injected 8 million Kenyan shillings into the Makueni climate fund, which the county matched with a similar amount from its own coffers.

That money was used mainly to support water harvesting projects implemented by Anglican Development Services Eastern, a Christian organisation that promotes sustainable livelihoods.

Yet, despite the funds success, there are concerns the Covid-19 pandemic could reduce its financial resources and curb community involvement.

The county set aside 6 million Kenyan shillings to buy water tanks at the start of 2020 and had used about two-thirds for that by the time coronavirus hit - but the remaining 2 million shillings has been reallocated to address the coronavirus situation, said Mbenge.

If Covid-19 continues to spread, the budget allocated to the climate fund will decrease because we cannot fund climate change projects when we have the pandemic, she noted.

In addition, movement restrictions imposed by the government, which have now been partially eased, meant contractors due to come in from outside the county were unable to implement or complete various projects.

And getting information to local communities has also become more difficult due to the closure of public facilities such as churches, Mbenge said.

Using radio is the next best communication tool but it does not yield reliable data, because it is hard to calculate how many people have been reached, she added.

Once it can operate normally again, the Makueni County Climate Change Fund hopes to expand its projects to more areas and support efforts to conserve land and soil, such as terracing.

It also hopes to share lessons from its experience across Kenya and with other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Africa will therefore be in a position to show the world that combating climate change can start with village action for global impact, said Mbenge.
Three airmen were killed in a plane crash in Tennessee on Tuesday, the Air National Guard said.

The crash happened in McMinnville, Tennessee, about 75 miles southeast of Nashville.

The guard identified the victims as Lt. Col. Shelli Huether; Capt. Jessica Wright; and Senior Master Sgt. Scott Bumpus. All three were members of the Tennessee Air National Guards 118th Wing.

Image: Capt. Jessica Wright, Lt. Col. Shelli Huether., Senior Master Sgt. Scott Bumpus (Tennessee Air National Guard)

The Air National Guard did not provide details of what caused the accident. A witness reported seeing the plane try to return to the airport before the crash, according to NBC Nashville affiliate WSMV. The three airmen were flying a Piper PA 28, licensed to the Lebanon Flying Club that left from the McMinnville airport, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

"Words cannot begin to explain the shock, grief, pain and dismay we feel having lost three remarkable members of our Guard family," Col. Todd Wiles, commander of the 118th Wing, said Wednesday in a press release. "All three were dedicated to the service of our nation. Their families are in our hearts and our prayers."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee tweeted his condolences, saying Wednesday that he was "incredibly saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of three Airmen in yesterday's accident."
Can manga spread awareness of the plight of Uyghurs in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) to audiences beyond the reach of traditional activism and reporting?

Japanese writer and cartoonist Tomomi Shimizu believes soenough to have published six manga books detailing the persecution Uyghurs face in the XUAR, from everyday repression to confinement in the regions internment camps.

And Uyghur businesswoman Gulbahar Jelilova, whose detention for 17 months was the subject of Shimizus second book, says the manga treatment of her internment camp experience has drawn young people to join protests in support of Uyghurs.

Shimizu has used her writing format with particular effect to highlight the testimonies of former detainees in the XUARs vast network of internment camps, where authorities are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities since April 2017.

The 50-year-old mangakas second illustrated book on the Uyghur crisis, entitled What Happened to Me: One Uyghur Womans Testimony, attempts to describe what women experience in the camps through the testimony of Gulbahar Jelilova, a Uyghur businesswoman from Kazakhstan who was detained in the XUAR capital Urumqi for 15 months beginning in 2017.

The book, which was originally written in Japanese and translated into English, was released in Turkish on Aug. 30. It drew praise from the media in Turkey, where Jelilova now lives, part of a Uyghur exile community estimated to be 50,000 strong.

Through her artwork in the book, Shimizu pays careful attention to small details, from the expressions on the faces of Jelilova and the camp guards to closed circuit cameras mounted on cell walls. Shimizu also uses dialogue and narration to describe specific experiences of detainees, down to the tiny amount of toilet paper they were provided each day and how Jelilovawho was educated in Russian in Kazakhstanwas forced to memorize Chinese-language political songs and recite them under close scrutiny by camp security and officials. She includes a list of some 200 women who were held alongside Jelilova in various cells, based on the former detainees accounts.

The book also highlights the way that writers, lawyers, professors, and artists were all locked up together, despite claims by Beijing that the camps are voluntary vocational training centers, and includes one particularly moving story of a woman who was brought into Jelilovas camp shortly after giving birth in a hospital, her breastmilk leaking through the clothes she was made to wear in detention.

Shimizu, who makes no profit from the books she writes about the Uyghurs, recently told RFAs Uyghur Service through Japan-based Uyghur intellectual Gulistan, that she is pleased to know the situation in the XUAR is receiving more attention because of her manga.

In autumn 2019, I was shocked after watching a video of Gulbahar Jelilova, who was in Turkey [at the time], speaking about [having had her hair shaved off in the camp], she said, discussing what had drawn her to Jelilovas story.

I understood that not many people can get out [of the camps], that not many people can testify about them, and so I decided to use my drawings to raise international awareness about her story.

Shimizu noted that China has been pushing the narrative that Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities are living happy lives in the XUAR.

But by drawing whats really happening, I am giving readers the chance to make their own judgment, to see that China is lying, she said. Thats why I drew this.

Shimizu has another manga about the experiences of Uyghur former camp detainees slated for publication in Japan in late October and said she plans to continue working on books about the situation in the XUAR.

She said that the issue is not one for Uyghurs to address alone and expressed gratitude to the many people around the world who have volunteered their time to translate her work into languages that include English, Uyghur, Turkish, French, and Italian in recent years.

Gulbahar Jelilova in Tomomi Shimizu's manga and in an undated photo. Tomomi Shimizu and Gulbahar Jelilova Important role

RFA also spoke with Gulistan about the process Shimizu used to create her manga, which she said was a deliberate choice because of its familiarity to the Japanese audience.

She first sketched everything out on the information she was able to gather, on what she knew about the situation, and then she showed her first sketches to camp survivor Gulbahar Jelilova and asked for feedbackwhether there were things that were missing or things that Gulbahar wanted to add, Gulistan said.

As I see it, shes playing an important role in introducing the Uyghur issue to readers who like the Japanese manga form, and especially in getting the attention of young readers  A lot of people are showing up at demonstrations saying they came after reading one of her works, so I think that her publicity has been very good.

Gulistan said Shimizus work had received praise because she used a form that can directly convey and describe the situation to her readers.

Her dream is to draw and publish works that are helpful in protecting human rights, in exposing the hidden, secretive things that are happening [to Uyghurs], things that are being misunderstood [thanks to disinformation], to wide audiences so that people will know and understand the situation, she said.

Expressing gratitude

Jelilova told RFA that while it was difficult for her to recount what happened to her, she was very moved by Shimizus dedication to the project and was glad to have worked with the author.

Tomomi, I want to express many thanks to you, she said, adding that the manga did an excellent job of capturing her experiences in the camp.

She expressed hope for more publications and projects such as Shimizus manga to help draw attention to rights abuses in the XUAR.

Ive been testifying for two years, but I dont even know whether [my cellmates are] alive, or whether the Chinese authorities have killed them, she said.

For two years I have been speaking nonstop about these girls.

Reported by Gulchehra Hoja for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Elise Anderson. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
 

1
COLLINSVILLE  The 2020 Farm to Table To-Go Culinary Event presented by MRHFM Law Firm on Aug. 27 was a pivot for the organization where creativity and determination paid off, raising more than $50,000.

More importantly, money raised will go to the American Cancer Societys mission priorities of supporting critical cancer research during these uncertain times. In Illinois, more than 70,000 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2020, so the need for answers is urgent.
Indian now has tactical advantage on both the north and south banks of Pangong Tso

A banner erected by the Indian Army stands on a ridge around the Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. India and China are engaged in a standoff around the lake in Ladakh. (AP)

New Delhi: The Indian Army has reportedly occupied heights on the north bank of Pangong Tso which overlook Chinese positions on the ridge lines in the Finger 4 area. This means that the Indian Army now has a tactical advantage on both the north and south banks of the Pangong Tso.

Mountain warfare is all about dominating the heights, and since they have come under the Indian Armys control, there are reports that China has started building up its forces on the north bank of the Pangong Tso and is trying to come closer to the Indian position at Finger 4.

The whole Pangong Tso area in the Ladakh sector is on edge with expectation of some kind of action from the Chinese Army to regain lost ground on the south of the lake where India had in a pre-emptive move occupied two dozen strategic heights.

What has added to the tension is the fact that now all the action in the Pangong Tso area is being controlled directly by commanders in Beijing and its no longer in the hands of local PLA officers.

To put pressure on India, China had also brought forward its 15-20 tanks near Spanggur Gap, a mountain pass on the LAC, between China and India. India too has deployed its battle tanks.

In its Moldo garrison, China has now deployed 5,000-7,000 soldiers and India has a similar number in the area.

Chinese troops are on a daily basis trying to threaten Indians positions. India has built defences and put barbed wire around its positions and has warned the Chinese that crossing these wires will attract strong reaction from the Indian Army.

On Monday night the Chinese Army tried to remove the barbed wire but were warned to go back. Chinese troops then fired in the air to intimidate Indian soldiers. PLA troops were carrying what looked like traditional Guandao weapons (a single-edge sword-like blade on the end of a pole) and had automatic rifles.

In May, the Chinese Army had crossed the LAC on the north bank of Pangong Tso and occupied 8 km between Finger 4 and Finger 8 areas. In all diplomatic and military talks between the two countries since, China has bluntly refused to vacate the occupied area.

The Finger Area refers to a set of eight cliffs jutting out of the Sirijap range overlooking Pangong lake (tso). Before the PLA grabbed positions on Finger 4 overlooking Indian deployments, the Army would patrol right up to Finger 8 that New Delhi considers within Indian territory.
Sunflowers at Thompson Strawberry Farm in Bristol, Wisconsin.

A Wisconsin farmer knows people need a reason to smile this year  and he hopes 2 million sunflowers will do it.

Scott Thompson, a fourth generation berry farmer, said it was his wife's idea to bring blossoms of sunshine into the mix this year.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, they knew they wanted to help people, especially those in nearby urban areas, with an escape "to get away from their reality for a little bit," Thompson told USA TODAY.

So, over five weeks, Thompson progressively planted sunflower seeds across 22 acres. The grand number of 2 million wasn't originally in his head  but the result allowed visitors to experience (and Instagram) a 6-8 week bloom instead of a typical 10 to 14-day stint.

Sunflowers at Thompson Strawberry Farm in Bristol, Wisconsin.

It just keeps going and going  and I think thats really captured the hearts of people," Thompson said.

Every single day has just become busier and busier."

Thompson Strawberry Farm is about an hour from Chicago and a 35-minute drive to downtown Milwaukee. The establishment offers "Pick-Your-Own" strawberries, raspberries, pumpkins, and now sunflowers.

"You get to walk through these beautiful fields," said Thompson.

The final (and biggest) field of sunflowers has yet to bloom. According to Thompson, 750,000 blossoms are 7 to 10 days away. Depending on weather, he thinks this year's sunflowers will last until the end of September  or another 3 weeks.

Its just a naturally, socially-distant activity, he said. "[People want] an hour...to be outside, and just kind of feel a little sense of normalcy in our lives  so its had a lot of positive impact.

And whether we made a dime or not, weve sure had a lot of fun doing it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Happy news for 2020: Wisconsin farmer plants 2 million sunflowers
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The Department of Justice will once again look into the complaint of breach in quarantine protocol filed against Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III after receiving a report from the hospital the lawmaker visited in March while awaiting his COVID-19 test result.

DOJ on Wednesday said it will reopen the criminal investigation after the National Bureau of Investigation received a copy of the incident report from Makati Medical Center Medical Director Dr. Saturnino Javier. It was not clear why the hospital's report came months after the incident.

"In view of the foregoing and in line with the policy of admitting all evidence that could assist in the judicious resolution of complaint, the preliminary investigation of this case is hereby reopened," Assistant State Prosecutor Wendell Bendoval wrote.

Pimentel visited the hospital in March to accompany his pregnant wife even though he was already showing symptoms of COVID-19. He later tested positive for the highly-contagious virus, drawing outrage from the public for endangering patients and hospital personnel during his visit.

The hospital management castigated Pimentel for violating home quarantine rules, calling his action "reckless and unacceptable."

Pimentel and the complainant, former dean of the University of Makati Rico Quicho, were asked to submit their replies on MMC's report by September 21.

Legal experts previously said the senator may be fined up to 50,000 or face a jail term of one to six months for failing to disclose that he was suspected of having COVID-19 at the time. For violating the enhanced community quarantine, he can be fined between 10,000 and 50,000 or jailed for up to a year.

Pimentel earlier apologized for accompanying his wife to the hospital, but said the trip was "essential" as she was about to give birth. He also said he only learned about his positive COVID-19 test when he was already in the hospital.
Russian Justice Ministry strives to protect prisoners housing accommodations

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

16:19 10/09/2020

MOSCOW, September 10 (RAPSI)  The Justice Ministry of Russia has drafted a bill on protection of housing of imprisoned convicts.

Amendments are proposed to the Criminal Procedure Code, the Ministrys press service told RAPSI on Thursday.

The initiative says if jailed convicts cannot by themselves keep their property or dwelling safe when they serve prison sentence, courts may deliver a ruling on measures to ensure the safekeeping of the property. Moreover, under the draft law, courts in order to protect accommodation may ban citizens registration in it, state registration of the transfer of rights as well as limits on rights and encumbrance on the relevant property.

The bill is aimed to protect and save unsupervised places of residence belonging to inmates, the statement reads.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Dec. 18, 2019. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

90 GOP Members of Congress Sign Pledge to Oppose Defunding Police

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and 11 of his Senate colleagues have signed a Back the Blue pledge circulated by Heritage Action for America promising to oppose congressional proposals to defund the police.

Other senators signing the pledge include Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue (R-Ga.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

On the House side, 78 Republican representatives have signed the pledge, led by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Other notable House signers include House Republican Conference Chairman Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), and House Republican Study Committee Chairman Mike Johnson (R-La.).

No Democrat members of Congress signed the pledge.

The pledge reads:

A lawful society  free from mob rule and violent insurrection  is not possible without Law Enforcement.

Police officers have chosen a noble profession. They dedicate their lives to upholding the law and protecting the sacred rights of their fellow citizens. As a profession, they deserve support and respect.

I stand with Americas Police and pledge to oppose any bill, resolution or movement to Defund the Police.

Heritage Action announced the pledge on Aug. 13 in a law enforcement town hall event headlined by Vice President Mike Pence, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and Ernst. Heritage Action is a legislative advocacy group associated with the Heritage Foundation, the nations largest conservative think tank.

The pledge came in response to a continuing wave of riots, protests, and demands for defunding law enforcement in reaction to the May 25 death of George Floyd while in custody of four members of the Minneapolis Police Department.

Radical left-wing activists with Antifa and Black Lives Matter used the protests as occasions to foment the violence. Dozens of people were injured and hundreds of businesses were damaged or destroyed in the riots that followed in Minneapolis, as well as Seattle, Portland, Oakland, and other major cities.

Also released in connection with the pledge were survey results in four battleground states that found widespread opposition to proposals for defunding law enforcement officials and agencies (pdf).

Eighty-two percent of Arizonans interviewed opposed defunding the police, as did 80 percent of Floridians, 76 percent of Pennsylvanians, and 78 percent of Wisconsinites.

Overall, 79 percent were opposed, including 69 percent who said they are strongly opposed, compared to 16 percent who favored such action. Opposition to defunding the police spanned all age groups, both genders, and the three major ethnicities, including 60 percent among blacks.

Spokesmen for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) didnt immediately respond to The Epoch Times requests for comment.

Heritage Action Executive Director Jessica Anderson told The Epoch Times she was disappointed by the failure of congressional Democrats to support the pledge.

The American people overwhelmingly support the police, so its disappointing that not a single Democrat has signed our pledge to support law enforcement and oppose defunding the police, Anderson said.

It shows just how extreme the lefts agenda has becomenot a single official or candidate on the left has stood up for safe communities and a lawful society. The brave men and women in uniform deserve our respect and support. Any elected official who cant offer that support should be held accountable for abandoning the public servants who keep us all safe.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is opposing President Donald Trump in the November election, has expressed sometimes conflicting views on the issue of defunding the police. He said in July he supports redirecting some funding but in June, a Biden campaign spokesman said the candidate opposes defunding.

Other notable Republican signers of the pledge include former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who said in a statement accompanying announcement of her signature: Violence and calls to defund the police do nothing to solve the challenges we face in our country. Its time for our leaders to stand up to looting and rioting and work with law enforcement, not against them.

Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.), 139 state and local officials, and more than 60,000 private citizens have signed the petition since it was announced.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc
Us 55 Years of Unbudging Blackness: Africa As Our Moral Ideal

Part 1. Since I first conceived Us as a vanguard organization and called its founding meeting in the wake of the August Revolt and the martyrdom of Min. Malcolm X, we have been committed to three overarching and interrelated goals: cultural revolution, Black liberation and the radical reconception and reconstruction of American society. I proposed Kawaida as our grounding philosophy and the Nguzo Saba as the Black value system we need as a people to orient ourselves, rescue and reconstruct our lives, wage our liberation struggle, and build a new society and world. We said world because we were pan-Africanists and identified with the world African community. And we also saw ourselves with Min. Malcolm in world-encompassing ways because we defined ourselves as a part of the Dark World, the Third World, the Third Way forward to the future  neither capitalist nor communist  rather righteous, radical and revolutionary, part of the rising tide of human history. Indeed, we saw ourselves and our primary identity as African; everything else was a secondary identity.

I taught that we had no need to argue our humanity. It was a given and we could only trivialize it by arguing with our morally savage and radically evil oppressors. Our response to them could only be righteous and relentless resistance. And we also argued we must ground ourselves in our own culture as Seba Malcolm, Sekou Toure and Amilcar Cabral taught.

Certainly, there are all kinds of lessons for people who wish and want to read from the long 55-year struggle of our organization Us. For there are lessons of life, work and struggle from an organization that has undergone such severe suppression, political imprisonment of its leaders and members, and were forced underground and in exile by all kinds of state-sanctioned violence and efforts, including the Cointelpro, but did not break and will not break. There are also lessons to learn about continuing on for 55 years in spite of vicious and continuing character assassination, vindictive exclusion from our rightful place in the history of the Black Freedom Movement and its Black Power period, and remain unembittered, unbowed, undaunted and undeterred.

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And there is much to learn also from our two anchoring principles: unbudging Blackness and Africa as our moral and spiritual ideal. To talk of and practice unbudging Blackness requires a deep rootedness in Black culture. For it is a certain practice that proves our consciousness and commitment in ways worthy of the name and history African. We said early that Black is more than color. It is also culture and consciousness. Afterall, we reasoned there are dark Whites who can deceive with attitude and appearance as was recently demonstrated. And there are extremely light Blacks whose Black practice reflects their identity in ways lightness and darkness as simple colors dont.

We said color is phenotype, appearance and genotype, genetic root. But culture is views and values and practices that come from and shape those views and values. Thus, the practice is not only informed by those views and values, but also informs them in mutually interactive and expansive ways. By consciousness, we meant not simply awareness, but rather an active knowledge, a knowledge that translated into liberating practice and liberating struggle. Blackness was never a static fact, but an ongoing claim based on our daily demonstration of our commitment to our people, our culture and our liberation struggle. And culture was never simply art, literature, music, dance and symbol, but a comprehensive concept involving every level of life, especially in the areas of history, religion (spirituality and ethics), social organization, economic organization, political organization, creative production (art, music, literature, dance, etc.) and ethos, the collective psychology that develops as a result of activity in the other six areas.

We mark September 7, 1965, (6260) as the day of our founding which we call Siku ya Kuanzisha or just Kuanzisha. And we look back pleased at our 55-year history of work, struggle, service and institution-building. When we stood up, we called ourselves both nationalists and revolutionaries; nationalists, committed first and foremost to our people, and revolutionaries committed to the liberation struggle to free our people. In The Quotable Karenga, we said, We are revolutionaries. We believe in change. We believe in being realistic. But as for reality we have come to change it. Inspired by Min. Malcolm, we also said in The Quotable, We are the last revolutionaries in America. And if we fail to leave a legacy of revolution to our children, we have failed our mission and should be dismissed as unimportant.

Given such a commitment, how could we rest with an unfinished revolution, both the cultural revolution and the political one? Thus, each year and every five years we mark our anniversary. It is, of necessity, a time to rightly celebrate our resilience, resourcefulness, endurance and achievement, but also our unbudging Blackness and profound commitment we have to Africa as our moral ideal. And we rightly pay homage to all those who helped bring us to this point, those in our organization, living and having made transition, those in our families and communities that have supported us, and during the crisis sheltered us and aided us in going underground and in exile. And, of course, praise is due to our people who gave us the color, culture and consciousness, and taught us dignity-affirming, life-enhancing and world-preserving ways to live our lives, do our work and wage our struggle.

Indeed, its from our people and to our people that our lives belong, that our struggle has meaning and ultimate value. For its about our very lives, our freedom, our right to be ourselves in the sacred and social ways we love, live, work, struggle and create good out of the beauty of ourselves. We strive here and always to be ourselves and free ourselves and to measure ourselves in the mirror of the best of our culture and ask what is our weight and worth in the scales of our history, culture and struggle? And this again means we of Us embrace and engage Africa as our moral ideal by which we understand, measure, mold and assert ourselves in the world.

When we say Africa is our moral ideal, we mean the source and expression of our highest views and values, our best practices and our most moral concepts of right relations with the Transcendent and Divine, with nature and other human beings. We speak here, then, not of present-day Africa with its colonial-left legacy and imperial impositions of dictators, mercenaries, religious and resource-driven wars, outright resource theft, and various other forms of oppression of our people. Rather, we speak of the moral ideal of the sacred texts and teachings of ancient Africa, the best ideas and practices of our people throughout the world African community in ancient, modern and current times. For we sacralized our people, our history and our culture. And we maintain firmly and without hesitation or hemming and hawing: There is no people more chosen, elect or divinely treasured, no lives more sacred or worthy of respect, and no history and culture more worthy of study, more instructive or richer in resources, internal creative capacity, and reaffirmations for life, work and struggle than our own.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Port53 Technologies, an industry leader in customer-centric cloud security, today announced its support as a sponsor of America's SBDC North Star CMM effort to illuminate U.S.-based small businesses about the importance of maintaining a robust cybersecurity posture to protect confidential information.

America's SBDC acts as an umbrella representative for Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) operating within the United States and its territories. America's SBDC, located in universities, colleges, and the premises of state economic development agencies across the nation, is funded in part by the United States Congress, through a partnership with the nation's Small Business Administration (SBA). Some 1,000 local centers provide free consulting and low-cost training to fledgling businesses.

Port53 will help interested businesses upskilling their leadership teams on how CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)  a standard originally created for Department of Defense contractors  can be easily adapted for use by SMEs in protecting themselves against an increasingly devious threat landscape.

"Many small businesses that are attacked never recover," said Charlie Tupitza, Cybersecurity and Data Protection Lead, America's SBDC. "Our purpose in the cyber and data protection arena is to make sure that entrepreneurs and business owners know what their obligations are and how they can meet them in the most comprehensive and cost-effective way. Port53 is the ideal sponsor in this regard because they have worked with thousands of small businesses across the nation in deploying enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions, making these technologies accessible to all by delivering the solutions in a subscription-based model."

"Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT and technology issue, but rather an Executive and Board-level concern. Therefore, it is absolutely critical for organizations to move away from an ad-hoc, point solution approach to their implementation of their cybersecurity posture, and move towards a holistic, risk-based management approach," states Omar Zarabi, President and CEO of Port53. "For too long, SMB organizations have relied on a best of breed approach to implementing security checks. This has led to cybersecurity stacks that are incongruent and siloed, leaving an organization vulnerable to advanced attacks that are targeting SMB organizations at a much higher rate than ever before."

Small businesses have more frequently found themselves in the crosshairs of bad actors since the proliferation of online data and the emergence of attacks such as ransomware. America's SBDC has observed incidents that include data-breach attacks by nation-states and criminals "stealing intellectual capital, personal and business information, and creating havoc in business environments."

"If you are a small business that falls prey to cyber-criminals, your brand is tarnished before you ever get a chance to prove yourself in the market," Tupitza said.

The emergence of COVID-19 and the subsequent need for remote workforces have accelerated cloud adoption, propelling feasibility studies to become production environments in mere weeks. The protection of identities and connections has now become more urgent.

"A more rigorous and more integrated security stack is essential to guarantee your business continuity," Zarabi added. "By leveraging the cloud as a delivery mechanism, assessing your security posture, understanding the individual needs of businesses of all scales, and determining your security stack, we allow businesses to operate and thrive without cyber worries."

About Port53

Port53 Technologies is focused on delivering enterprise-grade, cloud-delivered security solutions that are easy to deploy, simple to manage and extremely effective, helping customers not only get a big-data and predictive approach to security, but also a more integrated and automated approach. Port53 works closely with Cisco's leading security offerings. Learn more at www.port53.com.

About America's SBDC

America's SBDC represents Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) operating within the United States and its territories. Hosted by universities, colleges, and state economic development agencies, SBDCs are funded in part by the United States Congress, through a partnership with the nation's Small Business Administration.

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Madison Yeack

[email protected]

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 06:37:52|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday rejected accusations by a U.S. representative against China at a Security Council meeting, and asked the United States to stop shifting blames.

At the Security Council meeting on the implementation of Resolution 2532 on COVID-19, Rodney Hunter, the U.S. representative, accused China of lack of transparency and mishandling and indicated that China is responsible for the spread of the virus across the world.

Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, asked to intervene and rejected the U.S. accusations.

Geng said the U.S. representative was abusing the Security Council platform and abusing Wednesday's meeting. "They are spreading political virus. What they are doing here is simply to serve their domestic politics."

The purpose of the meeting was to review the implementation of Resolution 2532. It was not about finger-pointing, nor about blame-shifting. The tone of the meeting should be unity and solidarity. It was not about politicization and stigmatization, he said.

The U.S. representative's remarks were full of evil intention and irresponsible attacks and smear against China. China categorically rejects that and strongly opposes that, Geng said.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, China has taken effective and comprehensive measures to control the spread of the pandemic in a timely, open, transparent, and responsible manner. China controlled the spread of the pandemic in a short time, he said.

China informed the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries, including the United States, in a timely manner, and it published the genome sequence of the virus as soon as it was available, he said.

"We made great contribution to the global fight against the pandemic, which has been well recognized and well acknowledged by the UN, by the WHO, by the international community. And I believe that the majority of the Security Council members also commend China's effort and contribution," Geng said.

Although the United States is a country that possesses the most advanced medical technology and facilities, it has the most reported confirmed cases. The administration in this country is not focusing on fighting the pandemic, but is trying its best to shift attention and blaming others, he said. "It's a shame."

The practices of politicization, labeling, stigmatization, selfishness, calling white black and blame-shifting will backfire. They cannot save lives. Nor can they contain the pandemic. They can only create more troubles, he said.

"We urge the administration of this country to take up its responsibility, make real efforts to save lives, to really care about the health and the livelihood of the American people. As diplomats living in this country, we show our sympathy to the American people for their sufferings, and they are the victims of the political maneuvering of this administration. We hope the American people can defeat the pandemic and (go) back to normal life as soon as possible."

The U.S. representative not only attacked China, but also the WHO. The attack ran against the common views of the international community, he said. "On this particular issue, the U.S. is absolutely isolated."

The virus is the common enemy of peoples around the world, Geng said. "We are all victims. In front of the virus, in front of the pandemic, we should be united and fight together, not fight against each other." Enditem
The Victorian Labor Party has moved to break the business model of internal branch stackers by overhauling its membership and financial rules.

Cash payments for memberships and renewals will be banned as the state branch of the ALP undergoes sweeping reform to stamp out the scourge of branch stacking.

Party elder, and former Premier, Steve Bracks is leading a review into the Victorian branch of the ALP with Jenny Macklin. Credit:Joe Armao

Party elders Jenny Macklin and Steve Bracks have been leading a probe into the Victorian branch following an Age and 60 Minutes investigation that revealed industrial-scale branch stacking, and claimed the scalps of three cabinet ministers.

The revelations prompted administrators to take over the Victorian branch of the ALP for the first time in half a century.
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, named after Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, has released some iconic cosmic images of galaxies, stars, planetary nebulas and supernova remnants. Over the years, the telescope has been made some incredible astronomical discoveries, including the first light image of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A.

Read: NASA Creates Fifth State Of Matter Aboard The International Space Station

NASA reveals spectacular images

Out of newly released images, one belongs to M82 or Messier 82. According to NASA, it is a galaxy that is "oriented edge-on to Earth" and shows the burst of star formations. Another image captures the galaxy cluster Abell 2744. This image of the Abell 2744 galaxy cluster combines X-rays from Chandra with optical light data from Hubble.

In another discovery, there is Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A). On February 24, 1987, observers in the southern hemisphere saw a new object in a nearby galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud. This was one of the brightest supernova explosions in centuries and soon became known as Supernova 1987A (SN 87A). The Chandra data (blue) show the location of the supernova's shock wave  similar to the sonic boom from a supersonic plane  interacting with the surrounding material about four light-years from the original explosion point.

Read: NASA's Hubble Telescope Snaps Picture Of A Mysterious Titled Galaxy

Telescopes around the globe and a fleet of observatories in space lend humans an 'eye' that can detect all different types of light. From radio waves to gamma rays, this "multiwavelength" approach to astronomy is crucial to getting a complete understanding of objects in space. Similarly, these images give a glimpse of different missions at different times.

In a separate development, a few days back, NASA posted the breathtaking picture of this newfound and bizarre-looking galaxy on its official website. The splendid picture was captured by the Hubble space telescope. The telescope is one of the space agencys most cherished and fruitful creations since it was first established in 1958.

Read: NASA Citizen Scientists Project Discovers New Cosmic Neighbors Outside Solar System

Also Read: Mesmerizing Images Of Corn Moon Flood Twitter, NASA Reveals Story Behind Its Name

(Image Credits: Nasa.gov)
The two countries held online the 13th round of negotiations regarding the seas beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and the 10th round of consultation on cooperation for mutual benefit at sea on Wednesday, according to a Thursday press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

They agreed to boost negotiations on the delimitation of sea areas beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin as planned, and to discuss cooperation and mutual development in the East Sea to proceed as per international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both are signatories.

The two sides also discussed recent situations in the East Sea and agreed on abiding by the "Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea issues," restraining from activities that would complicate the situation and maintaining peace and stability in the region.

The next rounds of negotiations regarding the seas beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and consultations on cooperation for mutual development at sea will be held at an appropriate time, both sides agreed.

Vietnam and China had finished negotiations on the delimitation of areas within the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and signed a maritime delimitation agreement in 2000.

Experts said the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Tonkin Gulf and the Tonkin Gulf Fishery Cooperation Agreement between the two countries have determined clear boundaries and created convenient international legal framework for each to protect, manage, utilize and develop economies in their sea areas and continental shelves within the Gulf of Tonkin.

Vietnam and China began negotiations for the delimitation of sea areas beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin in 2012. They have agreed to continue the discussions twice a year.

The two sides have agreed to negotiate step-by-step, quickly perform joint surveillance, create a basis for the promotion of delimitation negotiations for sea areas beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and cooperate to mutually develop in the area.

The East Sea is known internationally as the South China Sea.
Ontarians will soon be able to track any cases of COVID-19 in schools.

With millions of students already returning to classrooms for the first time in six months, Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservative government is set to unveil a new online tool to monitor coronavirus cases.

Similar to the tracking used in long-term-care homes since early in the pandemic, the forthcoming dashboard on the Ministry of Education website will give the public information about cases in schools.

It will disclose which schools have COVID-19 cases and whether students, teachers or support staff are infected.

We will be reporting moving forward, Ford told reporters Wednesday after a Mississauga meeting with Quebec Premier Francois Legault.

This is our second day now going back to school. Theyre rolling this out over the next week or two. But well be reporting it, he said.

Its so important that we report every single case as we did with long-term care. Well do the same in schools.

Ford stressed he believes in being transparent with Ontarians.

Ive said from day one, what I know, youll know, the premier emphasized.

Even before school opened, I was reporting on how many kids under 19 (were infected). That was concerning when I saw numbers of 20, 21, 25 the other day for kids under the age of 19.

But Ford said the government has no plans to identify private workplaces that may have COVID-19 cases unlike some other provinces.

We release the numbers every single day, and weve never had a request for the exact locations. If youre saying should I target certain companies, if theres an outbreak in a company? I dont believe in targeting companies if there is one case or two cases, he said.

If there is a massive outbreak, I think the media will cover that. But were there to support the companies.

On Thursday, Ontario reported 170 new cases of COVID-19, up from 149 Wednesday, but down from 185 Tuesday and 190 on Monday. There was one death reported, the first since Sunday.

Locally, 28 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 14 reporting no new cases, Health Minister Christine Elliott said on Twitter.

There are 55 cases in Toronto today, with 28 in York, 22 in Peel and 12 in Ottawa, said Elliott.

Across the province, 24,669 coronavirus tests were conducted Wednesday, the most since Sunday.

Queens Park says 2,814 people have died from the virus since the outbreak struck in March, but the Star has determined there have been at least 2,856 COVID-19 deaths in Ontario.

The difference of at least 42 deaths is because some were not included in official tallies early in the pandemic.

There are 54 COVID-19 patients in Ontario hospitals, 15 in intensive care units. Of those, nine are on ventilators.

Even with the recent uptick, the rate of infection remains well below the worst of the pandemic.

At its height in April, Ontario was averaging nearly 600 cases daily.

The vast majority of the provinces COVID-19 patients have since recovered, and the recent rise in cases has not yet resulted in a significant jump in hospitalizations or deaths.

There are now 1,567 active cases of the virus, a number that has been rising in recent weeks and the most since July 28.

The Stars count includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.
Her most famous character was iconically in love with footwear.

And now that Sarah Jessica Parker owns a shoe store all her own, she has no problem getting a step ahead.

The Sex And The City star, 55, looked chic in a flowy, dark ensemble as she arrived at her flagship SJP boutique in Midtown Manhattan in New York City on Wednesday.

She loves shoes: Sarah Jessica Parker was seen making her way to her flagship SJP boutique in Midtown Manhattan in New York City on Wednesday

While there SJP also posed in front of the shop on West 54th Street with her business partner George D. Malkemus, who happens is the former president of Manolo Blahnik USA - the brand her character Carrie Bradshaw coveted above all else.

Interestingly, the site of Parker's boutique is on the site of the NYC Manolo Blahnik boutique.

Sarah looked lovely as she made her way to the site, in a pleated flowy black skirt and matching top.

True to form, the Hocus Pocus star had on sweet footwear, as well  sparkly dark Mary Janes.

Parker also wore a protective black face mask as protection against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Fashionable pair: The Sex And The City star also posed in front of the shop on West 54th Street with her business partner George D. Malkemus, in a pleated flowy black skirt and matching top

The wife of Matthew Broderick also carried a thin leather purse, which she wore cross-body style with the help of a hot pink shoulder strap.

The actress most known for playing Carrie Bradshaw toted shopping bags from her store, decorated in a fun pattern featuring multicolored heeled pumps.

Once she arrived at the store, Parker tried on several other pairs of shoes, including hot pink pumps, black pumps, and heeled silvery Mary Janes.

Inside the store: Parker tried on several other pairs of shoes, including hot pink pumps and heeled silvery Mary Janes

Classic: She also at one point donned classic black pumps with pointed toes

For a photo op out front, the Miami Rhapsody actress opted for black heels decorated with silver bows as she stood next to the formally dressed executive Malkemus.

Sarah also switched out her face covering while at the boutique, for a lovely grey mask adorned with a black floral pattern.

The TV and film star relaunched her eponymous SJP line with the first flagship store this past April, with other locations including one in the South Street Seaport area.

Peas in a pod: The TV and film star relaunched her eponymous SJP line with the first flagship store this past April

Happy entrepreneur: She has other locations including one in the South Street Seaport area

Cute Carrie: Sarah looked lovely as she made her way to the site, donning sparkly dark Mary Janes with kitten heels

Malkemus, meanwhile, ended his partnership with Manolo Blahnik in early 2019, after being associated for 37 years.

Sarah and husband Matthew, who are parents to three children, have been splitting their time this summer between NYC and The Hamptons out in Long Island.

The acting pair were slated to perform together in the Neil Simon farce Plaza Suite on Broadway this year, but that was of course delayed until at least next year due to the pandemic.

Protected: Parker also wore a protective black face mask as protection against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Her ride is here: The wife of Matthew Broderick also carried a thin leather purse, which she wore cross-body style with the help of a hot pink shoulder strap
Power star Naturi Naughton shares that her new album will address her girl group past

Naturi Naughton says her new album will address the fallout with her former group 3LW.

Read More: FIRST LOOK: Dayo Okeniyi and Naturi Naughton in Emperor (Exclusive)

During an interview with People, the actress opens up about her return to music. The 36-year-old tells the entertainment outlet she will sing about some of the feelings I had after being ousted from the girl group.

The pop/R&B trio had a run in the early 2000s. Naturi sang alongside Kiely Williams and Adrienne Bailon. Since then, the members have shared their stories of the traumatizing breakup. Naughton left the group in 2002 and said in an interview with MTV News that a food fight led to her departure.

3LW arrive for the Seventeen Magazine concert and party October 26, 2001 at Roseland Ballroom in New York City. (Photo by George De Sota/Getty Images)

Kiely and Adrienne are cursing me out, and before I know it, Kiely throws her plate of food all in my face  mashed potatoes, macaroni all in my hair, down my clothes, messing up my [hair]do! she said.

Nobody has the right to hit me. Thats not what Im here for  to be physically abused. So I said, Get me a flight back to Newark, New Jersey, and they wouldnt even help me get a ticket.

Despite the challenging times in the music industry, the Power star went on to other things and the rest of 3LW did as well. Bailon is now a co-host of The Real and she apologized to Naughton when she was a guest on the show.

Naughton tells People that she is not currently in contact with her former groupmates but does share some good memories with them.

It was a tumultuous breakup. However, I do look back and remember, Oh, I was on the TRL tour, opening up for Destinys Child, Naughton remarked.

I think a lot of people that know me now, who even watch Power, dont realize how long my journey has been. This has been since I was 15 and Ive been in the business for 20 years. I look back at that experience of being in a girl group, although it had some learning experiences that were growing pains, it just showed me what it takes to make it in this industry.

Story continues

The cast of Power Book II: Ghost

Naughton is still holding it down as Tasha St. Patrick on the first of the Power spinoffs, Power Book II: Ghost, but she is ready to get back to music. She says her upcoming album will explore different musical styles, describing R&B fused with a little bit of that hip hop.

Read More: VIDEO: I want Tasha to be the female Ghost: Naturi Naughton on the future of Power

She will also channel the feelings from the 3LW fallout through her art.

I want to bring back that 90s era vibe with people really singing. Im excited to just tell my story through song because a lot the songs I do talk about feelings I had after being ousted from 3LW, Naughton said.

According to People, Naughton is working with Grammy-award winning producer Troy Taylor but does not yet have a release date for the project.

Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Naturi Naughton addresses tumultuous 3LW breakup on new album appeared first on TheGrio.
ENOCH, ALTA.Six Alberta First Nations are investing $93 million for an equity stake in a new natural gas power plant.

Their participation in the Cascade Power Project near Edson, west of Edmonton, is being backed by a loan guarantee from the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corp., or AIOC.

The Crown corporation was set up by the Alberta government to help Indigenous groups invest in natural resource projects.

The loan guarantee for the Cascades plant is the first one the corporation has provided since its inception last November.

The investment is being made through a holding company owned by the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, OChiese First Nation, Paul First Nation and Whitefish Lake First Nation.

Cascade is being developed and will be operated by Calgary-based Kineticor Resource Corp. at a cost of $1.5-billion.

The company says it will supply eight per cent of Albertas electricity needs once it starts up in 2023.

It is one of the most exciting social and economic developments of our time and it points not just to a better future of coming generations of Indigenous people, but to a fairer, a more equitable and a more united province and a better future for all of us, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney told a news conference Wednesday.

Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation Chief Tony Alexis said the deal is transformational for the First Nations involved and creates the national blueprint for Indigenous communities to acquire ownership in major energy and infrastructure projects.

Opposition NDP leader Rachel Notley said the Cascades investment is good news, but problems with the AIOC remain.

Only certain First Nations can qualify for the loan guarantees offered by the AIOC and the scope of economic development included is far too limited, she said.

True economic reconciliation would ensure greater self-determination by Indigenous groups of the types of projects they would like to support as they move forward. I would encourage the premier to work with Indigenous partners to improve the AIOC.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 07:36:13|Editor: huaxia

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A student and his father arrive at a school in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Sept. 9, 2020. Some schools in Ontario reopened on Wednesday, offering a mix of in-person classes and online learning for students. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Anunt de selectare a participantilor si participantelor la cel de-al doilea curs de instruire din cadrul Programului educational pentru dezvoltarea competentelor lucratorilor de tineret
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will conduct a webcast on Monday, September 21, 2020 to discuss the company's presentations at the 2020 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress. The webcast will begin at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Investors, media and the general public can access a live webcast of the conference call through a link that will be posted on Lilly's website at https://investor.lilly.com/webcasts-and-presentations. A replay will also be available on the website following the conference call.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com. F-LLY

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Hard Seltzer Market Growth & Trends

The global hard seltzer market size is expected to reach USD 14.5 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 16.2%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to experience substantial growth during the forecast period owing to the growing popularity of low content alcoholic beverages among the millennials in the developed economies including the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Furthermore, strong marketing campaigns by alcoholic drinks companies on such products is expected to have a positive impact on the industry.

Products launched have played a crucial role in the growing penetration of hard seltzer. In June 2020, Tesco announced to launch dedicated hard seltzer. It will be distributed by Mark Anthony Brands. The launch makes a significant milestone for the category in the U.K. that has been turning into a hotspot for hard seltzer manufacturers. In November 2019, AB InBevs launched Mikes Hard Sparkling Water in the U.K. The increasing demand for the product in the country is attributed to the increasing demand for healthier products with low calorie and sugar and clean labels which are still luxurious.

Similarly, in June 2020, Smirnoff Seltzer also entered the U.K. through various off-trade channels. The product is available in two flavors in the country including Smirnoff Seltzer Orange and Grapefruit, and Smirnoff Seltzer Raspberry and Rhubarb. The product is available in 250ml cans with ABV content of 4.7% and is priced at GBP 1.8 per can.

Australia has been evolving as another major center for the industry. Along with White Claw, Carlton and United Breweries launched Actual Vodka Seltzer in the country in May 2020, in two flavors including pure and lime. The drink contains 4.2% ABV and 100.0% natural ingredients.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: Hard Seltzer Market Report

Hard Seltzer Market Report Highlights

Hard seltzer with 1.0% to 4.9% ABV content is expected to register the fastest growth during the forecast years with a CAGR of 16.6% from 2020 to 2027. Low ABV content of such products is expected to attract health-conscious consumers over the next few years

On-trade is expected to register the fastest growth during forecast years with a CAGR of 16.5% from 2020 to 2027. An increasing number of consumers drinking hard seltzers in bars and restaurants is creating the rising opportunity

Asia Pacific is expected to register the fastest growth during forecast years with a CAGR of 17.0% from 2020 to 2027. A large number of manufacturers focusing on the Australian market is playing a crucial role in the growth of the market

North America dominated the market by contributing over 70.0% in the global revenue in 2019. The wide penetration of the product in the U.S., Canada, and Brazil is acting as a catalyst in creating dominance.

Hard Seltzer Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global hard seltzer market on the basis of ABV content, distribution channel, and region:

Hard Seltzer ABV Content Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

0% to 4.9%

0% to 6.9%

Others

Hard Seltzer Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

On-trade

Off-trade

Hard Seltzer Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Americas The U.S. Canada Brazil

Europe, Middle East & Africa The U.K.

Asia Pacific China Australia South Korea



List of Key Players of Hard Seltzer Market

Anheuser-Busch InBev

Barefoot Cellars

Blue Marble

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The northeastern Aegean island of Lesvos was declared on Wednesday a state of emergency for four days as the Greek government rushed to provide shelter to thousands of people, after Moria, the country's largest refugee, migrant camp, was heavily damaged in a big fire.

"It seems that the blaze broke out on several fronts (late Tuesday and early Wednesday) as a result of the dismay of a few residents at Moria's reception center over the necessary quarantine imposed, since 35 cases of COVID-19 were traced after 1,900 tests were carried out in recent days," Alternate Minister of Migration and Asylum George Koumoutsakos told a press briefing in Athens.

The first confirmed infection of the novel coronavirus at Moria was diagnosed a week ago.

The fire swept throughout the overflowing camp which, according to government data, accommodated some 13,000 persons, well above its capacity for 2,757, sending panic-stricken people out on the streets or to the nearby mountains in the middle of the night, local officials said.

No injuries were reported, but Wednesday morning found Greek officials in a frenzy of meetings and telephone contacts with European partners to address a major humanitarian crisis, as Koumoutsakos stressed.

"I am deeply saddened by yesterday's events in Moria. I fully understand the difficult conditions at the camp there. However, there can be no alibi for the violent reactions to strict health protocols and checks due to COVID-19. Especially, when we are talking about reactions to the extent we witnessed last night. What happened there cannot go on any longer, as it is also a matter of public health, humanitarian, and national security," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised message broadcast on Greek national broadcaster ERT after an extraordinary cabinet meeting.

"All national resources have been mobilized. Everybody on-site will be accommodated in appropriate living conditions. Those who have tested positive for COVID-19 will receive full medical attention," he said, adding that all unaccompanied minors (408, according to the ministry data) are already being relocated to hotels on the mainland.

A Greek shipping company has also offered a vessel for the accommodation of refugees and migrants as of Wednesday evening, while two Greek Navy ships will sail to the island on Thursday to temporarily shelter more people, other ministers told another press conference on Lesvos.

Approximately 3,500 refugees and migrants were left homeless due to the damages to part of the camp, said Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi.

"As soon as the damages are fully assessed, and in full coordination with the European Commission, we will undertake concrete initiatives. Our priority remains the health and safety of the island's residents, as well as all the migrants and refugees," the prime minister stressed, noting that Margaritis Schinas, vice president of the European Commission, will be on the island on Thursday and in Athens for talks on Friday.

"The European Commission has offered full support and has declared its readiness to provide any aid our country needs. We are doing anything possible to address this very difficult situation," Koumoutsakos said.

Greek officials repeated on Wednesday Greece's message in the past five years that the refugee, migrant flows (mainly from Turkey via the Aegean in the Greek case) do not concern only countries at the frontline, but Europe as a whole, requesting more assistance to deal with the challenge.

"Greece has already shouldered a much heavier burden than its fair share," Mitsotakis said, adding that Greece will "continue to control our maritime borders, which are also European borders."

Currently, Greece hosts about 100,000 asylum seekers. Since 2015 more than one million refugees and migrants reached the country and most continued their journey to other countries in Europe before borders closed along the Balkan route in 2016.

The Greek government recognizes the dire conditions in overcrowded facilities like Moria, arguing that on its part it has made significant steps to improve the situation since the current government assumed office in the summer of 2019, as Mitarachi told ERT on Tuesday before the fire occurred.

Refugee camps have been decongested by 38 percent compared with in January 2020, flows have been reduced by 90 percent, a few migrants have been deported or left voluntarily and talks are no longer about creating new hosting facilities, but about closing some of the existing camps, he said, stressing that Greece cannot support all incoming migrants.

On the other hand, opposition parties and media commentators argue that Moria has been for five years a time bomb ready to explode, and that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated tensions and much more should have been done already by Greece and Europeans to tackle the challenge.

The main opposition Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) and the center-left Movement for Change (KINAL), for example, said that the government should have pressed more for a comprehensive EU initiative.

"It was inevitable. Moria is a disgrace for the EU. All Europeans should hang their heads in shame at what has been happening in Moria," read a press release issued by the left-wing MeRa25 party.

"Moria has been a constant insult to human dignity. For many years now Moria represents the deep crisis of the European Union," read an article published in local news site in.gr.

"Moria was burnt down, but the failures which created Moria are still here," Sotiris Roussos, associate professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of Peloponnese, commented on social media, pointing to the failure to effectively manage refugee flows and the EU's failure to agree on a common policy on the issue.
A lawyer and father-of-two has died in police custody in Colombia, shortly after he was filmed begging for mercy as two officers repeatedly shot him with a Taser.

Javier Ordonez, 46, was arrested in the capital of Bogota early on Wednesday after police accused him of breaking social distancing rules to drink in the street with some friends.

Distressing video shows two armoured officers kneeling on Ordonez as he lays in the road, while being repeatedly shot with a stun gun.

In the footage, Ordonez can be heard screaming 'por favor, no mas (please, no more)' as the two cops continue to electrocute him.

Javier Ordonez, 46, a lawyer and father-of-two from Colombia, has died in police custody shortly after he was filmed being repeatedly electrocuted by officers as he was arrested

Police say Ordonez was drinking in the street in violation of social distancing rules when he was stopped by two officers, who accused members of his group of 'being aggressive'

At one point, a witness can be heard saying: 'They're going to kill him'.

Ordonez was subsequently taken to a police station where his friends and family allege he was subjected to more abuse.

From there he was taken to hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Colonel Guillen Alexander Amaya Olmos, head of the local police force, said officers were called to reports of a fight in the street by concerned neighbours.

Olmos said that officers arrived to find eight 'intoxicated' people in the street, and that when they tried to break up the fight, some of the people became aggressive.

'It was necessary for the police to restrain them,' he said, according to Semana.

He added that a number of people were taken to the local police station, where one suffered health problems and was taken to hospital.

Olmos said the person was pronounced dead on arrival.

But those who were with Ordonez have disputed the police account - saying there was no fight, and they encountered the officers while going to buy more drinks.

The two officers involved in the arrest have since been suspended, and an investigation launched by the prosecutor's office.

The death sparked protests in several Colombian cities, with demonstrators in Bogota using rocks, bins and sticks to attack the police building with Ordonez was held

Demonstrators clash with police outside the station where Ordonez was taken shortly before he died in Bogota, Colombia

A police officer fires tear gas at demonstrators in Bogota amid violence following the death of 46-year-old Javier Ordonez

A woman holds a sign which reads 'when tyranny is law, disobedience is order' amid violent demonstrations over the death of Javier Ordonez in Colmbia

Bogota's mayor Claudia Lopez quickly condemned the death as an example of 'unacceptable police brutality' in a Twitter message.

She pledged a full investigation, and an 'exemplary sentence' for anyone found guilty.

'This is not just bad apples. Life is sacred,' she added.

Ordonez' death comes in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, an American man who also died while being arrested by police.

His death sparked a wave of Black Lives Matter protests around the world, as people called for an end to racial discrimination and the defunding of police services.

Hundreds of protesters also gathered in Colombia after Ordonez' death - attacking the police station where he was held, with some using bins, rocks and sticks to batter the windows.

The station and a police vehicle were graffitied and a motorcycle burned.

Demonstrators wheel a large bin into the police building where a lawyer and father-of-two died after being arrested in Colombia

Two demonstrators kick a police officer riding a motorcycle during protests in Bogota

A man uses a slingshot to hurl rocks at police during demonstrations in Bogota

Two police stations were set on fire and three others attacked in different areas of Bogota, the national police said, along with violent protests in other cities including Medellin, Ibague and Pereira.

'We'll offer Javier's family legal assistance so there is a conviction not only of those directly responsible, but also to see structural reform that prevents and punishes police brutality,' Lopez, the mayor, said on Twitter.

'There can be no tolerance for abuse of uniform or of authority,' President Ivan Duque said during an event, adding that 'objective' penalties should be applied.

Police involvement in civilian deaths in Colombia is infrequent but not unheard of.

Teenager Dilan Cruz died last November during mass protests after being hit by a police projectile and members of the trans community regularly accuse police of violence.
The schools Department of History had called for Jessica Krug, their audaciously deceptive associate-professor colleague, to resign.

Jessica Krug shocked social media when she released a Medium essay that she, a white, Jewish lady from Kansas City, had been masquerading as a several other ethnicities: North African, an African American woman, someone who also had Caribbean-rooted Bronx Blackness.

Krug was, at the time, an associate history professor at George Washington University specializing in Africa and Latin America. On Wednesday, she left her tenured position.

George Washington Universitys Department of History, in a statement released Sept. 4, had called for Jessica Krug, their audaciously deceptive colleague, to resign.

In a statement obtained by CNN, GW University officials said, Dr. Krug has resigned her position, effective immediately. Her classes for this semester will be taught by other faculty members, and students in those courses will receive additional information this week.

It continued: We hope that with this update our community can begin to heal and move forward.

The schools Department of History, in the wake of her admission, had called for Krug to quit.

Read More: Arizona officer holds Black man at gunpoint while looking for white suspect

With what she has termed her audaciously deceptive appropriation of an Afro-Caribbean identity, she has betrayed the trust of countless current and former students, fellow scholars of Africana Studies, colleagues in our department and throughout the historical discipline, as well as community activists in New York City and beyond, their Sept. 4 statement read. The discipline of history is concerned with truth telling about the past. With her conduct, Dr. Krug has raised questions about the veracity of her own research and teaching.

In her Medium essay, The Truth, and the Anti-Black Violence of My Lies, Krug apologized for her continued appropriation of Black Caribbean identity. She asserted that she is not a culture vulture. She wrote: I am a culture leech.

Story continues

Read More: Trump says he doesnt feel the need to understand Black pain at all

Krugs essay garnered extensive backlash from the Black community. Digital trainer and strategist Leslie Mac opined on Twitter that Krug wrote that whole article and included LITERALLY ZERO plans to repair the harm she caused  so what was the purpose of the article? Attention & access  just like her pretending to be a Black Woman was.

In her essay, Krug acknowledged that her deceit was unethical, immoral, anti-Black, colonial. She admitted she engaged in gaslighting those closest to her, many of whom were of African and Black descent. She claims mental illness spurred some of her behavior.

Read More: Dallas first Black female police chief steps down after protest backlash

Ironically, Krug was once an active figure on Black Twitter, where she frequently critiqued African Americans, particularly Black women.

In her apology, she wrote: I was audaciously deceptive. I have a very clear, loud conscience, but I have acted as if I had none.

Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now!

The post GWU professor steps down after lying about being Black appeared first on TheGrio.
KABUL: Six prisoners sought by the Taliban left Kabul on a flight to Doha on Thursday evening, two government sources told Reuters, as the insurgents confirmed they would start long-awaited peace talks on Saturday.

The prisoners, who are accused of insider attacks on Afghan forces and whose release was objected to by some Western powers, are to be kept under supervision in Qatars capital where United States-brokered peace talks will also initially take place.

The six will remain in Qatar until the end of November and could be transferred back to Kabul," one of the sources told Reuters.

Taliban political office spokesman Muhammad Naeem said in a statement the group would take part in talks from September 12, beginning with an inauguration ceremony.

The Afghan government negotiating team were scheduled to fly to Doha on Friday for peace talks, according to a Presidential Palace statement. Three government and one diplomatic source confirmed talks were expected to begin this weekend after months of delays.

The United States and other international players have been trying to usher the insurgent Taliban and the Afghan government to the negotiating table to bring an end to 19 years of war.

However, there have been deadlocks and delays since Washington signed its troop withdrawal pact with the insurgent group in February that stated up to" 5,000 Taliban prisoners and 1,000 government prisoners would be released before talks.

The militant group have insisted that its own list of 5,000 be released, including six objected to by Western governments such as France and Australia for insider attacks on their forces.

The government source told Reuters the opening ceremony for negotiations was planned for Saturday followed by technical discussions on the agenda for talks.

Diplomats and analysts have cautioned in recent weeks that among the first challenging steps would be to agree to a ceasefire after violence in the war-torn nation has grown sharply in recent months, leading to deepening mistrust between the two sides.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
Gal Gadot gave her 41.5 million Instagram followers an intimate look at her new film Red Notice's coronavirus safety measures on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Wonder Woman star shared a photo of herself getting tested for the novel coronavirus via a nasal swab in a series of photos.

The safety measure was a necessary precaution before she could return to the set of her upcoming Netflix action comedy Red Notice, which also stars Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Ryan Reynolds.

Safety first: Gal Gadot, 35, showed off the coronavirus safety measures on her upcoming film Red Notice with an Instagram post on Tuesday of her getting a nasal swab test

Gal was decked out in a white graphic T-shirt from Sol Angeles, which reads, 'Apres Corona,' which is French for 'After Corona.'

'cannot wait for this s**t to end,' read the humorous text below it.

Sales of the shirt will help to raise money for the World Health Organization, with the brand donating a portion of its proceeds towards relief efforts amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

She also had on a pair of muted gray shorts and wore her raven tresses back in a bun while showing off her makeup-free face.

'Getting ready to head back to the Red Notice set but prep looks a little different now..,' she wrote, adding the hashtag '#staysafe.'

Sick and tired of it: The Wonder Woman star wore a Sol Angeles shirt that read, 'Apres Corona: cannot wait for this s**t to end.' She was getting tested before being allowed back on set

Gal's film Red Notice will pack plenty of star power, thanks to her costars Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds.

In an Instagram photo announcing the beginning of shooting back in January, Dwayne described his character as 'the world's greatest tracker' who works for INTERPOL, while gal's character is 'the world's greatest art thief' and Ryan's character is 'the world's greatest conman.'

'In the world of international crime, an Interpol issued RED NOTICE is a global alert to hunt down and capture the worlds most wanted,' he wrote to summarize the film.

Production was halted as the coronavirus began to spread around the world in March, though it has now resumed with new safety measures to limit transmission.

The film was originally to be distributed by Universal Pictures, but the studio balked at the large $125150 million budget.

Netflix, which was a runner-up in the initial bidding war, stepped in to distribute the film in Universal's place.

Coming soon: She's starring in the Netflix action comedy Red Notice, which stars Dwayne Johnson as an INTERPOL tracker and Ryan Reynolds as 'the world's greatest conman,' while she's 'the world's greatest art thief'

First day: Johnson shared a photo from set when filming began in January. The Netflix film, which originated with Universal Pictures, went on hiatus due to the coronavirus

Gal will also be starring in the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984, which is currently set for an October 2 release date after multiple postponements.

The film was completed months before its initial December 2019 release date before being delayed until June 2020.

Once the pandemic was in full swing, it was delayed again until August 2020, before being pushed back to October.

The actress will reprise her role as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince, and she'll be reunited with her costar Chris Pine, whose character Steve Trevor appeared to perish in a plane crash during the First World War in the previous film.

Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig will round out the cast as the film's villains, Maxwell Lord and Cheetah.

In theaters: Gal will be reunited with her costar Chris Pine in the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984, which is set to be released on October 2
Many royal watchers may not know it, but Prince Charles was once recorded getting brutally honest about the time he has been spending as the heir to the British throne.

Queen Elizabeth II set a new feat when she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. In 2015, she officially became the longest-reigning British monarch.

However, each year that she adds on her record makes Prince Charles' waiting even longer -- and he is already getting impatient.

In a report published by The Express, the Prince of Wales reportedly said that he is already running out of time to take over the throne.

When Prince Charles was being recorded for a film for the Clarence House website, the heir to the throne blurted out a series of candid comments about his life as the future King.

One even saw him joke about his reputation for launching projects with such notorious vigor. However, he also said something saddening about his mortality.

"Impatient? Me? What a thing to suggest! Yes of course I am," Prince Charles reportedly admitted. "I'll run out of time soon. I shall have snuffed it if I'm not careful."

During that time, Prince Charles was 64 years old.

Now that he is 71 and his mother is 94, he remains an heir to the throne.

Due to his past comments, many other commentators have expressed their belief that the Prince of Wales feels frustrated that his time has not yet started.

Prince Charles, the Impatient Future King?

Over the past years, Prince Charles has shown hints that he's feeling snappy about waiting.

In 1993, on the night of the Queen's 40th anniversary as the monarch, he attended the funeral of his father-in-law, the 8th Earl Spencer.

Prince Charles is believed to have told Charles Spencer, his then brother-in-law, about his frustrations as the heir to the U.K. monarchy.

"You are fortunate enough to have succeeded to the title when still young," Prince Charles reportedly said, according to The Daily Telegraph.

In a conversation with a Guards officer at Wellington Barracks during his 56th birthday in 2004, the Prince also allegedly said: "I'm now at the age at which my grandfather died."

"He is impatient, but when he becomes king, his activities and all the projects he most enjoys where he can make a difference, will be seriously curtailed," Penny Junor, a royal biographer, said. "He has spent an awful lot of his life searching for a role, but I think he does now feel fulfilled pursuing his various interests."

However, losing Queen Elizabeth could lead to the monarchy losing its supporters. Junor also pointed out that the coronation of Prince Charles will not be something to be celebrated about.

"Coming to the throne, of course, it's what he's been preparing for his whole life, but it will also be tinged with huge sadness. Because it will mean that his mother is dead," Junor explained in the Channel 5 documentary "The Queen and Charles - Mother and Son."

READ MORE: Royal Pain: Queen Elizabeth II Choosing Prince William Over Prince Charles as King?
It was a clear morning, the sky aflame with crystal-blue clarity.

Tall and majestic, two buildings rose like spires from the streets below. The scene was comforting, the urban landscape as beautiful, in its way, as anything nature could offer. And then, within seconds, it all changed. Two planes appeared, planes transformed into missiles.

The first plane hit one tower, the second the other. Both planes disappeared into the structures. They looked like knives slicing into wedding cakes.

Both towers burst into flames. The buildings collapsed, the steel they were made of, once so permanent and indestructible, now melting, flowing like lava onto the streets below.

It was 2001, and we have come to know the day by its calendar assignation. 9/11. We will never forget it.

Two planes hit the World Trade Center in New York, while another hit the Pentagon and still another crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pa. It was the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Almost 2,800 died in the three attacks.

We remember, above all else, the heroism. It was one of the biggest crises in our history, exceeded only by the Civil War and two world wars. The country united, Black and white, young and old, Republican and Democrat  a sense of common purpose that seems almost quaint in this age of bitter polarization.

The death toll included 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers. Their courage would presage what we now see with the novel coronavirus  the selflessness of front-line workers who risk their own lives to save the lives of others. We see nobility in the midst of darkness.

President George W. Bush would be criticized later for launching a war against a nation that had nothing to do with the terrorist attack  Iraq. It was a move that contrasted with his words and actions immediately following the attack. In the aftermath of 9/11, Bush was at his finest, a model of grace and wisdom we should never forget, whatever our party affiliation.

I want you all to know that America today is on bended knee, in prayer for the people whose lives were lost here, for the families who mourn, he said, using a bullhorn as he stood atop the rubble three days after the attack. The nation stands with the good people of New York City and New Jersey and Connecticut as we mourn the loss of our citizens.

During a speech a week later at the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., the president went further.

The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam, he said. Thats not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists dont represent peace. They represent evil and war.  America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country  and they need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect.

It was a simple but powerful message, one of the most transcendent moments in the eight years of a turbulent presidency. Bush expressed the decency at his core  and the decency at the core of the nation he loved. This was leadership.

As the World Trade Center collapsed, dust arose from the streets, a wall of soot and dirt and ash that stretched for blocks. It was so dark, so impenetrable, that day turned into night. It was a living thing, this darkness  huge and organic and deadly.

Thousands were entombed in the buildings that once provided their livelihoods. An inky blackness pervaded the scene, the area turned into an urban graveyard. They would call it the pile, as if the iconic building had turned into a mountain of rubbish.

We have been guilty of forgetting our heroes before. Congress passed a compensation bill last year, providing billions in health care and compensation for the first responders, but it was long overdue. It took an impassioned speech by comedian Jon Stewart to spur the legislators.

Nineteen years later, we remember the horror, but we must also remember the courage following the horror. The first responders were noble, caring and compassionate. It is what they were  and what their descendants continue to be.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health logged zero local COVID-19 infections for the eighth successive day on Thursday, alongside three recoveries.

Vietnams domestic cases since January 23, when the novel coronavirus first hit the country, remains at 691, the health ministry said.

Three recovered patients were recorded on Thursday, including two in Da Nang and one in Hanoi, it added.

Vietnam has documented 1,059 coronavirus cases, with 893 recoveries and 35 deaths as of Thursday night.

The country started dealing with a new wave of infections on July 25, when coastal Da Nang detected the first local case after 99 days of zero community-based transmissions nationwide.

A total of 551 domestic infections, most linked to the beach city, have been confirmed across the nation ever since.

The virus is now under control after the Vietnamese government spent over a month conducting aggressive contact tracing.

Da Nang authorities have eased social distancing restrictions, resuming inter-city transportation and certain services.

Vietnam is quarantining 36,126 people who had close contact with infected patients or entered the Southeast Asian country from outbreak-hit regions.

Ho Chi Minh City authorities have said those coming to the city from Da Nang from September 5 will have to declare their health status, monitor their health for 14 days, and undergo a COVID-19 test.

The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control already began testing arrivals from Da Nang at Tan Son Nhat airport on Tuesday.

People who come to the city by other means of transportation will be required to declare their health conditions and to have their samples taken at places designated by local medical centers.

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Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono said he expects a general election in October, contradicting comments from the man expected to become the next prime minister, who indicated the poll would come later.

Kono, tipped as a future Japanese leader, made the comments Wednesday in an online forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Speculation over an early election was fueled by a leap in support for ailing Prime Minister Shinzo Abes cabinet in polls released in the past week, just as Yoshihide Suga emerged as the favorite to succeed him.

Suga, widely expected to be selected as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party next week as Abe steps down for health reasons, said Tuesday the country was not in a situation for a general election, given the virus outbreak. The LDP is expected to use its majority in parliament to elect Suga, the right-hand man to Abe, as prime minister on Sept. 16.

Election timing is the prerogative of the prime minister and none need be held for about another year. Polls have shown most people oppose the idea of a vote before the end of 2020.

The LDPs junior coalition partner, Komeito, has expressed caution over the idea of an early election. Party leader Natsuo Yamaguchi said earlier this week that dealing with the coronavirus should be the priority, national broadcaster NHK reported.

A newly unified opposition party is set to elect a leader Thursday in a bid to offer a more compelling alternative. But the LDP, which has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955, is virtually guaranteed to keep its majority in the next election due to a huge slate of incumbents, strong funding and a public support rate well ahead of the oppositions.

Japans second wave of virus cases has been tailing off in recent weeks, with about 500 new infections reported Sept. 9, about a third of levels seen a month earlier. The economic effects have been dire, with the country experiencing its worst contraction on record in the April-June quarter.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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Iran and Turkey are exploring prospects for boosting bilateral trade to $30 billion, as well as joint efforts to ensure regional security, Caspian News writes in the article Iran, Turkey Target $30B in Bilateral Trade. The Iranian and Turkish presidents discussed ways to materialize targeting $30 billion volume of trade exchanges which had earlier been agreed by both sides, the deputy head of the Iranian president's office for communications Alireza Moezi was quoted by state-run news agency IRNA as saying on September 8.

Developing cooperation in energy, transportation and tourism were among other topics addressed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the Sixth Meeting of the High-Level Cooperation Council between the two countries held via the video conference. Rouhani said at the meeting that "Iran-Turkey agreements in various fields including cooperation in energy and petrochemicals, transportation and investment in the fields of tourism, oil and gas should be accelerated and expanded by the joint commission of the two countries." For his part, Erdogan said "the trade and economic capacities of the two countries require the volume of relations to be much better than this level and in this regard, Turkey is always ready to invest in Iran in various fields of energy, transportation and tourism, and close customs cooperation is among the goals of Iran-Turkey relations."

Irans trade with Turkey totaled $1.07 billion between January and June this year, registering a decrease of 72.54% compared with the same period of 2019. Iran exported goods worth $417.5 million to Turkey in this period which is 84.64% less than year-on-year, while imports stood at $652.19 million, down 44.63%. Iran was Turkeys 33rd biggest trading partner during the period, according to data by the Turkish Statistical Institute.

Other regional issues on the presidents' agenda included establishing peace and stability in Syria, the continuation of Astana talks and making agreements operational. They also discussed the Palestinian issue and the joint efforts to fight terrorism in the region. "One of the important fields of cooperation between Ankara and Tehran is cooperation within the framework of the Astana process to establish stability and peace in Syria, by which we have been able to reach good agreements in the fight against terrorism with the cooperation of the friendly country of Russia, which we hope will be better implemented," the Iranian President said during the meeting.

Underlining their strong commitment to Syrias sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity in line with all agreements in the framework of the Astana format, both sides reaffirmed their conviction that the Syrian conflict could be resolved through a political process in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The two sides agreed to take steps, including joint operations against the Kurdish rebel groups, including the PKK terrorist organization and its Iranian-based offshoot Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), and other terrorist organizations. Bearing in mind that PKK/PJAK and all terrorist organizations in the region pose a common threat against the security of both Turkey and Iran, both sides emphasized that it is incumbent upon both countries to fully utilize the existing cooperation mechanisms against the activities of PKK/PJAK elements and the other terrorist organizations along the common borders and to take coordinated steps for result-oriented cooperation, including joint operations, in countering terrorism and organized crime, said the 19-paragraph declaration issued at the end of the meeting.

In recent years, the two neighboring countries have repeatedly expressed concern over the activities of Kurdish rebel groups along the borders of the two countries. Iran mainly accuses PJAK of carrying out acts of sabotage and attacks on frontiers in the western and northwestern provinces of West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan and Kermanshah.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed three laws on Wednesday intended to boost struggling small businesses in the state.

The move was intended to make California small businesses encouraged to hire more workers.

Each law received bipartisan support with only light scrutiny by the California legislature before it adjourned last week, said a Los Angeles Times report.

"Small businesses are feeling vulnerable to the pressures of this pandemic," Newsom noted. He said the pressure is so high for them that many owners believe they will close in the "not too distant future."

He cited a survey that found 44% of businesses are considering closing down. "That is a jaw-dropping percentage of small businesses that are looking at the prospect of a financial cliff," he said.

What do the laws entail?

Newsom detailed each bill. The first one ensures that coronavirus loan funds are not treated as taxable income.

Small businesses will get reduced state taxes if they have more working employees between July 1 and December 1 than they did between the months prior.

The loan forgiveness plan was put to protect business owners against any tax increase. This could be caused by the use of federal Paycheck Protection Program funds.

For the second bill it will accelerate the use of various bond funds as part of the state budget. But it will include various proposals that are not related to helping businesses.

The third bill will give businesses with 100 workers or less will get a $1,000 credit for the net increase of each new worker, reported Associated Press.

The laws will only apply to businesses that lost at least half of their usual profits from April to June this year. In a Sacramento Bee article, Newsom said this component was needed to make sure that the money goes to businesses that are actually struggling. It will also only apply to those that hire workers, not contractors.

The credit is priced at a $100 million cap statewide or $100,000 per business. All of the credit is only usable for five years and can apply it to any taxes owed, like sales and use taxes.

Small businesses under large ones will not be qualified for the tax breaks.

All bills were easy for Newsom to embrace. He has to sign or veto about 400 bills by the end of the month.

Sen. Anna Caballero, a co-author of the tax credit bill said small businesses are "looking for hope."

"They're looking for leadership, and they're looking for the opportunity to be able to access resources to make them successful," she added.

Exact Cost of Tax Cut Bills

The exact cost of the bill and, whether or not it will work is still unclear. Jay Chamberlain of the California Department of Finance said in a committee hearing that uncertainty was one of the reasons for the $100 million cap.

Chamberlin is the chief of the financial research unit of the California Department of Finance.

"We don't really have real good data on how many businesses are going to meet the criteria for this credit," he said.

The program could however benefit as much as 1,000 California companies.

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At least one farmer was killed and her husband was seriously wounded following a clash between farmers and National Guard troops at a dam in the northern Mexico state of Chihuahua.

The tragic incident Tuesday night was the latest flashpoint in a months-long conflict over the Mexican government's attempts to pay off its water debt with the United States over objections of local farmers.

Several thousand farmers confronted the National Guard and violently pushed them out of La Boquilla dam in San Francisco Conchos municipality.

A Reuters witness said groups of residents in towns surrounding the La Boquilla dam clashed with the National Guard after they refused to turn off the dam floodgates.

The residents lobbed Molotov cocktails, rocks and sticks at the security forces, who were clad in riot gear and retaliated with tear gas, the witness said and images show. Eventually, the protesters stormed the dam premises and shut the floodgates themselves.

Yesica Silva was shot dead Tuesday night when she was caught in the middle of a shootout between Mexico National Guard troops and farmers in the northern state of Chihuahua, who vehemently opposed a 1944 treaty that calls for the release of water from La Boquilla dam

Jaime Torres (right) was seriously wounded and is currently hospitalized after he and his wife Yesica Silva (rear) were shot at a gas station during a shootout between local farmers and the Mexican National Guard. Silva was declared dead at the scene

Farmers clash with members of the Mexican National Guard during a protest Tuesday against the decision of the Mexican government to divert water from La Boquilla dam to the U.S., as part of a 1944 bilateral water treaty between the two countries

The remains of burnt structures are seen at La Boquilla dam on Wednesday, a day after farmers wrested control from National Guard troops in order to close the dam's valves and reduce the flow of water toward the United States

The National Guard, which is largely made up of military police and soldiers, said it had arrested three people with tear gas projectiles and a gun magazine.

It said that when guardsmen tried to transport the three to the town of Delicias they were intercepted and fired on from several vehicles. The troops returned fire, and later found Yesica Silva dead and her husband Jaime Torres wounded.

At least 17 National Guard troops are being investigated by the Chihuahua state prosecutor's role in the shooting,

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday he would ask the Attorney General's Office to investigate the clash.

Javier Corral, the governor of Chihuahua state, said in a statement that the Guard was to blame and had 'attacked' the couple, a man and a woman, who had participated in the protests earlier Tuesday.

'On their way back [from the protests] they were attacked by the National Guard, according to several witness accounts,' Corral said. 'We energetically condemn these acts, as we condemn the use of violence,' said Corral, adding 'this act will not go unpunished,' and calling on federal prosecutors to investigate.

Farmers stand at La Boquilla Dam, where they took control on Tuesday from National Guard troops in order to close the valves and reduce the flow of water toward the United States

A farmer scuffles with a member of Mexico's National Guard during Tuesday's protest

Farmers hold a wooden trunk as they try to open a door to enter La Boquilla dam

Video from the clash Tuesday showed stick- and rock-wielding protesters skirmishing with guardsmen in riot gear amid a cloud of tear gas. The guardsmen eventually pulled back and the protesters succeeded in closing the valves in the Boquilla dam to keep water from escaping the reservoir.

Assistant Public Safety Secretary Ricardo Mejia said the protesters had been passing out wooden sticks and gasoline bombs in soft drink bottles. He did not comment on the governor's accusations.

'It's very unfortunate what happened [Tuesday],' Lopez Obrador said at his morning news conference. 'The National Guard prudently left to avoid a confrontation.'

A demonstrator throws a Molotov cocktail at members of the Mexican National Guard during a protest against the Mexican government's decision to divert water from the La Boquilla dam to the United States as part of a 1944 treaty

Members of the Mexican National Guard patrol leave after a protest organized by farmers

A bandaged arm of a member of the Mexican National Guard patrol is seen after a clash with farmers in a protest Tuesday in the northern state of Chihuahua

Mexico has fallen behind in the amount of water it must send north from its dams under a 1944 treaty, and time is running out to make up the shortfall by the October 24 deadline.

In late July, demonstrators in Chihuahua burned several government vehicles, blocked railway tracks and set afire a government office and highway tollbooths to protest the release of water from local dams to pay the U.S.

Lopez Obrador has advocated paying the debt, noting that Mexico receives four times more water under the treaty from the Colorado River than it contributes in the Rio Grande area. The United States generally pays its water contributions regularly on an annual basis. Lopez Obrador claims Mexico has enough water in dams to supply local farmers and repay its debt, which built up over a number of years.

The issue is a difficult one for the president, who said he fears the U.S. government could impose tariffs on Mexican products or close border crossings in retaliation. Mejia said that 'it would be very serious to have to renegotiate a treaty that is so favorable for our country.'

Yesica Silva is a farmer from the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua who was killed Tuesday after she was caught in the middle of a shootout between the National Guard and other farmers who oppose the release of water from a dam that is part of a 1944 treaty between Mexico and the United States. Mexico has fallen behind in the amount of water it must send

A farmer and the Mexican National Guard convene in the middle of a street in Chihuahua during Tuesday's protest against a 1944 bilateral water treaty between Mexico and the United States that calls for the release of 318,498 acre-feet [392.6 million cubic meters] of water from La Boquilla dam to the United States that must be paid by October 24

Farmers (photographed Wednesday) walk at La Boquilla Dam, where they wrested control on Tuesday from National Guard troops in order to close the valves and reduce the flow of water toward the United States

Lopez Obrador has said the protests are being fanned by opposition politicians for their own motives. The conservative opposition National Action Party has been involved in encouraging the protests, but Mejia said instigators also came from at least two other parties.

The expansion of water-hungry crops has meant that Mexico has used 71 percent of the northward-flowing Conchos River, while under the treaty it should use only 62 percent of the water, letting the rest flow into the Rio Bravo, also known as the Rio Grande, on the border. The amounts are determined over five-year cycles; the current cycle ends in October.

In the past, Mexico has delayed payments, hoping that periodic tropical storms from the Gulf of Mexico would create occasional windfalls of water. But while Hurricane Hanna made landfall in Texas in July, the storm's rains did not reach far enough inland to fill dams in Chihuahua.

The U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, which oversees compliance with the treaty, said in a statement that 'what happened at Boquilla Dam is unfortunate for everyone involved.'

According to its accounting, Mexico still owes 318,498 acre-feet [392.6 million cubic meters] to the United States that must be paid by October 24. That leaves almost an entire year's normal water contribution to be paid in about a month and a half.

The water commission said that 'at this point, it would be premature to say what would happen if Mexico ends the current cycle with a shortfall.'

Blanca Jimenez, the director of Mexico's National Water Commission, said, 'We are currently negotiating with the United States ... a strategy to end the cycle correctly.'

Lopez Obrador has said he would personally appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump for 'understanding' if it proved impossible to pay the debt.
" " Luis Castaneda Inc./Riser/Getty Images

Say you're in the swamp and a menacing, hungry reptile heads your way -- your dying wish is to know the particular species of said attacker. One way you could tell whether you're about to be eaten by an alligator or a crocodile doesn't even require you to look the approaching killer in the face.

Since alligators and crocodiles generally don't live in the same region, a good clue to their identities is their location. Whereas gators live mainly in freshwater swamps, lakes and slow-moving streams in the southeastern United States, South America and China, crocodiles have a wider range. Along with swamps and slow-moving rivers, crocs also tolerate saltier waters like mangroves and estuaries in Africa, North America, South America and Asia. The only place you'll find both species is the southern tip of Florida.

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" " Raphael Van Butsele /The Image Bank/Getty Images



The main reason for this geographical separation has to do with biology. Crocodiles have well-developed salt glands on their tongue that expel large amounts of salt, enabling them to live in more saline waters. Alligators' salt glands don't function as well, leading them to stick to freshwater habitats.

Another way to identify your stalker is to take a good look at the shape of its jaw. Crocodiles have long, pointed snouts, shaped like a 'V,' whereas alligators have more rounded snouts, like the letter 'U' [source: San Diego Zoo]. The broader alligator jaw is stronger -- designed to withstand the pressure of cracking down on hard-shelled prey like turtles that are abundant in its particular habitat. The narrower crocodile jaw, while still capable of exerting a powerful punch, is ideal for a wider variety of prey.

While your eyes are focused on the jaw, go ahead and get a long look at the teeth too -- another good identifier. Because an alligator's lower jaw is slightly smaller than its upper jaw, its lower teeth are hidden when it closes its mouth. When an alligator flashes a closed-mouth smile, all you can see are its downward-pointing top teeth.

Crocodiles have toothier smiles: Since both jaws are roughly the same sizes, their upper and lower teeth interlock when they shut their mouths, giving you an eyeful of both upper and lower teeth. If you happen to see a prominent, fourth tooth protruding from its bottom jaw (which isn't visible with an alligator's grin), you'll know exactly which type of crocodilian is about to make you into a meal. Though their teeth look different, both species of crocodilians have a limitless number of pearly whites [source: Goodisman]. Unlike mammals that get one shot to replace their teeth, crocodilians can grow a lifetime supply of these dangerous little daggers.

Another way to differentiate between the two animals is by checking out their skin (or taking a closer look at your leather wallet or handbag). Both crocodiles and alligators have small pits called integumentary sense organs or dermal pressure receptors, which enable them to locate prey by recognizing the small pressure changes in water made by other animals. The pits, which look like small dots, cover almost every inch of a crocodile's body, but only the jaws of an alligator. Thus, it's easy to spot the differences between crocodile and alligator skin simply by looking for the tell-tale dots.

So whatever crocodilian is after you (actually an uncommon occurrence as the roles are usually reversed), you'll be confident in knowing exactly what toothy creature you're dealing with.



No Fault Clause Keep in mind that since there are 23 species in the order Crocodylia, there are bound to be exceptions to the differences we've mentioned. The broad snout of the Indian mugger crocodile, for instance, defies the convention that crocs have narrower jaws. In fact, not all taxonomists can agree on the classification of every crocodilian species.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - National Grid plc (NG.L, NGG), an energy transmission and distribution company, Thursday announced the appointment of Paula Rosput Reynolds to succeed Peter Gershon as Chair. Reynolds will join the Board on January 1, 2021 as Non-executive Director and Chair Designate. She will assume the role of Chair after a transitionary period and no later than the conclusion of the 2021 Annual General Meeting. Gershon will remain as Chair until this time. Earlier, on January 30, Gershon had informed the Board of his intention to step down from the role. Reynolds is currently Non-executive Director at General Electric Co. in the US and Senior Independent Director of BP plc where she also chairs the Remuneration Committee. She is currently also a Non-executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of BAE Systems plc but will step down from BAE prior to January 1, 2021. Mark Williamson, Senior Independent Director of National Grid, who led the search, said, 'Paula has a highly successful track record as a chief executive across the energy and insurance industries and has over 20 years' experience as a non-executive director in both the UK and US across multiple sectors and businesses.' 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.
Shireen Mazari, the country's human rights minister, said that she had taken up the issue of the 'unacceptable' police comments - Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

The gang rape of a stranded woman motorist in front of her children has caused outcry in Pakistan with calls for the public hanging of the culprits.

Anger over the attack on a woman who had broken down on a motorway outside Lahore was then increased after a senior police officer appeared to blame the victim for her choice of route.

Police on Thursday said they had arrested 12 suspects for questioning during an extensive manhunt.

The woman with her two children was driving to Gujranwala when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway after her car ran out of fuel at around 1:30am.

She called relatives for help, but before they could arrive, two robbers approached the car, smashed the windows and dragged her and her children from the vehicle.

The attackers also took jewellery, bank cards and 466 in cash.

A senior Lahore police officer later provoked further condemnation when he appeared to blame the victim. Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Sheikh questioned why the woman had taken that route and why she had not checked her fuel tank.

His comments were condemned by Shireen Mazari, the human rights minister.

For an officer to effectively blame a woman for being gang raped by saying she should have taken the Grand Trunk Road, or question as to why she went out in the night with her children is unacceptable and I have taken up this issue, she said. Nothing can ever rationalise the crime of rape. That's it.

Inspector-General of Punjab Police Inam Ghani claimed that by Thursday night officers had identified the culprits' village.

Opposition leaders quickly attacked what they said was the government's breakdown in law and order.

This is a matter of national embarrassment and evidence of a completely broken down legal system, said Shehbaz Sharif, opposition leader in the national assembly.

Gang rape is rare in Pakistan, although sexual harassment and violence against women is not uncommon. Nearly 1,000 women are killed in Pakistan each year in so-called "honour killings" for allegedly violating conservative norms on love and marriage.

Related: Pakistan's doctors concerned over early lifting of lockdown
A guard watchtower rises along a perimeter fence of what is officially known as a 'vocational center' in Urumqi's Dabancheng district, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Sept. 4, 2018.

Three internment camps in one county in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regions (XUAR) Aksu (in Chinese, Akesu) prefecture may be holding nearly 10 percent of the countys Uyghur residents, according to local authorities, despite recent claims by Chinese officials that such facilities have all been shuttered.

Authorities in the XUAR are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a vast network of camps since April 2017.

Beginning in October 2018, Beijing acknowledged the existence of the camps, but described them as voluntary vocational centers, despite reporting by RFAs Uyghur Service which has found that detainees are mostly held against their will in poor conditions, where they are forced to endure inhumane treatment and political indoctrination.

In a July 2019 press conference, XUAR Chairman Shohret Zakir told reporters that more than 90 percent of internees from so-called vocational training centers had graduated from their studies and been placed into jobs. In later statements, the Chinese authorities claimed that all centers had been closed.

Last week in Paris, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi repeated the claim that all those sent to the camps have been released and placed in employment.

The rights of all trainees in the education and training program, though their minds have been encroached by terrorism and extremism, have been fully guaranteed, he said during a conference at the French Institute of International Relations. Now all of them have graduated, there is no one in the education and training center now. They all have found jobs.

However, RFA recently spoke with police officers from Aksus Uchturpan (Wushi) county who directly contradicted the claims, not only confirming that at least three camps are still in operation in the county but estimating that together they are likely to hold more than 20,000 detainees.

Uchturpan is a county consisting of six townships and three bazaars, or market centers, and has an official population of around 235,000more than 90 percent of which is ethnic Uyghur. If the estimates are correct, the number of detainees in the three camps would account for nearly 10 percent of the countys Uyghur residents.

According to one Uyghur village police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal, the largest of Uchturpans three operational camps is in a place known as Kongtai, located at the base of a mountainous area of the county.

I think they call the No. 1 center Kongtai  Yes, the largest internment camp [in the county] is this one, he said, adding that there are more than 10,000 people held there.

A map shows Uchturpan county in the XUAR's Aksu prefecture. RFA More than 20,000

The second camp is where the old prison at Toqquzbulaq used to be, the officer said. The camp is located around 1.5 kilometers (slightly less than a mile) from the county seat, he said, and around 5,000 people are being held there.

The third camp is in a vocational [high] school that was converted into a [detention] center  directly across the street from the Bureau of Public Security, he added, although he said he was unsure of how many people are being held there.

The school, which boarded students from throughout Uchturpan county, is also located catty-corner from office of the Uchturpan county government, he said.

According to the officer, a fourth camp at a former police station in Uchturpans Imamlirim townshiplocated near a veterinary hospital and a livestock bazaaris no longer in operation.

They had people there before, initially, for something like two months, but then they moved them to Uchturpan, he said, referring to the county seat.

The officer said that he had never taken anyone from his jurisdiction to any of the three operational camps or been present at one of the camps when the family members of detainees were visiting.

When asked how many people are held in the three operational camps in total, the officer said he was unsure, but I would estimate that its more than 20,000.

RFA also spoke with a police officer in the seat of Uchturpan who said he was unsure of how many camps remain operational in the county but claimed that the second camp in Toqquzbulaq held approximately 5,000-6,000 detainees.

The confirmations of operational camps in Uchturpan align with information RFA has received from anonymous sources who said there were formerly six camps in the county but that detainees from three of them were moved to the facilities at Kongtai and the former prison at Toqquzbulaq after the two complexes were expanded in recent years.

In addition to Imamlirim, the two other camps that have been closed were located near the Uchturpan County Party School and the Uchturpan No. 5 Elementary School.

Former resident

A Uyghur who is originally from Uchturpan, but currently lives in Kazakhstan, told RFA that Kongtai is a very wide-open valley located eight villages away from Aksu city.

In the past they would send people whod been given the death penalty there, said the Uyghur, who also declined to be named. The camp called Kongtai is in the same place.

They also confirmed that the second camp was located Toqquzbulaq at the site of an old prison outside of the county seat.

There was a prison there before, from the time I was very small, they said.

It wasnt all that big in the past, though theyve expanded it in the current situation.

The third camp, at the former vocational high school, is located at Dongkowruk bazaar, they said.

It was called the Gucheng High School  They turned [Gucheng] into a boarding school where they would bring students from all the villages into the county to study, the source said, noting it had been a very large school.

The Uyghur source said they believe that the Uyghur population of Uchturpan is much larger than statistics show and suggested that more than 35,000 members of the ethnic group are being held in various forms of detention in the county, including in camps, factories, and prisons.

Reports of the continued operations of the camps in Uchturpan come a week after Buzzfeed said it had used satellite imagery to identify 268 structures built in the XUAR since 2017 bearing the hallmarks of fortified detention compounds, noting that there was at least one in nearly every county in the region.

Amid international condemnation and U.S. sanctions, experts believe that China has begun sentencing Uyghurs held in internment camps to prison, providing legal cover to the detentions.

Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Elise Anderson Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden will be in the same place, sharing the same stage, on Friday.

The Democratic presidential nominee will get a chance to look the man who has accused him of slipping into senility at best and full-blown dementia at worst directly in the eyes. And a president who has been called unfit for his office and charged with a dereliction of duty over his now-public comments about the coronavirus to Bob Woodward versus his very different public tone will have the same opportunity with his accuser.

The political drama will be high for sure. But the odds of major fireworks between the two rivals is highly doubtful.

Thats because the two White House contenders wont be in Shanksville for dueling campaign rallies. Biden wont be speaking before a socially distanced and masked crowd of union-backed electrical workers. And the president wont be leading a crowd of not-at-all distanced and unmasked supporters in a lock her up! chant.

They will be attending a 9/11 anniversary service in the tiny rural community to commemorate the terrorist attacks at the United Flight 93 memorial there. The day, like all the rest, comes around once a year. America has other solemn commemorations: December 7th marks the day Japanese planes attacked US Navy ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, helping draw the States into the Second World War. On May 8th, some reflect on Victory in Europe Day, when the Allies formally defeated the Nazi-led Axis powers. Later that month, on its final day, Americans celebrate Memorial Day to honor their hundreds of thousands of fallen troops.

But September 11th is different. The memories of that terrible morning remain fresh in most Americans minds. We remember where we were when we learned New York Citys iconic World Trade Towers were on fire. Something about planes crashing into them. We know exactly when and how we first saw the images of the smoking buildings, then watched in horror as they tumbled, killing thousands.

We gasped when television news reporters interrupted their stunned anchors to tell of panicked government sources warning another hijacked airliner had turned toward Washington, DC, and was racing towards the nations capital. The Pentagon across the Potomac River already had been hit by something. Was the White House or Capitol next?

It was United Flight 93. Newark to San Francisco. Then a U-turn. Then a scuffle onboard. Then a crash in Shanksville. The 9/11 Commission concluded the passengers heard about the calamity in New York and Washington, and confronted the hijackers. Everyone died. But not without a fight, according to the bipartisan commission.

Dont expect any Chopper Talk on Friday morning as the president and First Lady Melania Trump depart the White House for the somber trip. Not even the bombastic former reality show host puts himself and his own political interests ahead of what Todd Beamer and co. did on that plane, likely sparing another iconic American building  and perhaps hundreds or thousands of more lives on the ground.

Perhaps Trump and Biden will manage a handshake or a gentlemanly nod in front of the cameras. The country could use a breather from this latest wild week of Trump-induced chaos and the first full one of the final stretch of the presidential race. It should get just that on Friday.

But it is unlikely to get more than a one-day respite. The countrys politics have become too acidic, too divided for that.

And that division can be traced back to that terrible morning when Flight 93 crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside.

Osama bin Laden, the late al-Qaeda founder and 9/11 plan mastermind, sent the hijackers. He wanted to weaken America on the global stage and cause internal stability that would distract the worlds lone superpower, upon which he and his followers blamed many of the problems in the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

Nineteen years later, the United States has waged two wars in that region that delivered few strategic goals. Its cost us billions in treasure and thousands of lives  with thousands more military troops permanently maimed as a result of their combat service. And our citizens are divided on just about every issue of the day, from whether Biden knows his own name to whether covering ones mouth and nostrils can help prevent the spread of an airborne disease.

We take assault rifles to protests, and throw restaurant patio chairs onto the dinner plates of our fellow citizens if they are not participating. We skewer one another on social media, friendships and family relationships forever ended or altered if someone dares express a political or social view contrary to our own. Our elected officials cannot agree on how to help those most affected by a pandemic, and remain in a state of heated inaction.

Sadly, bin Laden continues to be the victor, even as his remains rest somewhere amid the depths of the Indian Ocean. No matter who wins in November, thats not likely to change.

Politics is now a bloodsport, one funded by wealthy donors on the far fringes of both parties, influenced by cable news hucksters on one side and starry-eyed activists on the other. The middle never had much of a chance to hold, but a major event was needed to shatter it. Bin Laden sensed that. And we fell for it.

We can still defeat the evil al-Qaeda leader. Turning the tide could start tomorrow in that Shanksville field.

But only if the wealthy Hollywood donors and the Fox News primetime hosts let us.
Seniors turning 65 this year across Alabama cities are being urged to compare Medicare insurance policies in order to save money. Medigap insurance premiums, associated fees and available discounts across Alabama vary according to new data reported by the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance (AAMSI).

"In Birmingham a 65-year-old man could pay as little as $124 monthly or he could pay as much as $256 for Medicare Supplement coverage," shares Jesse Slome, director of the national organization. "The coverage would be essentially identical but over time the cost difference adds. That's why we analyze Medicare insurance costs and strongly advocate consumers do some comparison shopping."

The Medicare insurance expert notes other benefits that benefit seniors who compare policy options and costs. "Some insurance companies add policy fees. Others offer discounts for two-person households. The household discounts vary from zero to as high as 14 percent in Alabama," AAMSI reports.

The latest Price Index reports both the lowest and highest insurance rates for Plan G. "Medicare Plan G is the most popular choice among seniors turning 65," Slome explains.

Alabama Medicare 2020 Monthly Premium - Medigap Plan G

BIRMINGHAM, AL (Zip 35242)



FEMALE age 65, Plan G



Lowest: $109.93



Highest: $222.38

MALE age 65, Plan G



Lowest: $124.27



Highest: $255.67

HUNTSVILLE, AL (Zip 35810)



FEMALE age 65, Plan G



Lowest: $102.81



Highest: $200.14

MALE age 65, Plan G



Lowest: $118.24



Highest: $230.11

MONTGOMERY, AL (Zip 36117)



FEMALE age 65, Plan G



Lowest: $102.81



Highest: $200.14

MALE age 65, Plan G



Lowest: $118.24



Highest: $230.11

Find Alabama Medicare insurance agents who are listed on the Association's online directory of local Medicare agents. "The national Zip Code-based listing shows nearly 1,000 area Medicare insurance advisors," the head of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance adds. "Access is free to use and completely private for seniors."
An analysis of patients who came to UCLA clinics and hospitals this past winter to be treated for coughs suggests the novel coronavirus may have reached Los Angeles by Christmas. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Was the novel coronavirus on the loose in Los Angeles way back in December, before the World Health Organization was even aware of an unusual cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China?

A new analysis of medical records from UCLA hospitals and clinics suggests the answer might be yes.

Researchers from UCLA and their colleagues at the University of Washington documented an unmistakable uptick in patients seeking treatment for coughs. The increase began the week of Dec. 22, 2019, and persisted through the end of February.

Some of those patients were treated in outpatient centers. Others came to emergency rooms, and some were ultimately admitted to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center or other hospitals operated by UCLA.

Officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first recognized that the coronavirus had reached American shores in mid-January, when a man in Washington state who had traveled to the area around Wuhan tested positive for an infection. By then, UCLA doctors may have treated dozens of COVID-19 patients without realizing it, the study authors wrote. (Indeed, it would take another three weeks for COVID-19 to get its official name.)

The researchers didnt conduct any diagnostic tests, so they cant say with certainty when doctors first encountered anyone infected with the virus that came to be known as SARS-CoV-2. But if the coronavirus had indeed been spreading under the radar since around Christmas, the pattern of patient visits to UCLA facilities would have looked a lot like what actually happened, they wrote in a study published Thursday in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

A significantly higher number of patients with respiratory complaints and diseases starting in late December 2019 and continuing through February 2020 suggests community spread of SARS-CoV-2 prior to established clinical awareness and testing capabilities, wrote the team led by Dr. Joann Elmore, who is both an internist and professor of health policy and management at UCLA.

Story continues

To look for signs of early COVID-19 patients, Elmore and her colleagues searched through more than 9.5 million outpatient visits, nearly 575,000 emergency room visits and almost 250,000 hospital admissions going back more than five years. Medical records that said a patient complained of a cough were included in the analysis.

The researchers counted a total of 2,938 patients who went to a clinic seeking help for a cough in the 13 weeks between Dec. 1, 2019, and Feb. 29, 2020. That was about 1,047 more than the average number of cough patients seen during the same three-month period in the previous five years. It was also about 739 more than the number of patients seen in the winter of 2016-17, which until this year had been the busiest cough season for clinics since 2014.

In emergency rooms, the researchers tallied 1,708 cough patients this past December, January and February. That was about 514 more than the average for the previous five winters, and about 229 more than in 2018-19, the busiest of the five prior winters, the researchers estimated.

Finally, the search of medical records turned up 1,138 patients who were hospitalized in December, January or February and treated for acute respiratory failure. That was about 387 more than the average number of acute respiratory failure patients admitted over the previous five winters, and about 210 more than the number admitted in the winter of 2018-19, the worst of the five earlier winters.

It is possible that some of this excess represents early COVID-19 disease before clinical recognition and testing, Elmore and her colleagues wrote.

Breaking things down week by week, the study authors found that the number of cough patients coming to clinics this past winter was higher by a statistically significant margin in 10 out of the 13 weeks analyzed. That was also true for cough patients in ERs in six of the 13 weeks. And inside hospitals, the number of patients with acute respiratory distress was significantly higher in seven out of the 13 weeks.

Even if only some of these excess visits were from patients with COVID-19, it could still be a sign that the novel coronavirus was silently spreading in and around Los Angeles, the researchers wrote. As became clear later in the pandemic, about 40% of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 never develop any symptoms of illness, and those with minor symptoms might not bother seeking medical treatment. That means the patients who did go to a clinic or hospital probably represent just the tip of the iceberg, the study authors explained.

To be sure, some of these extra cough patients probably had the regular seasonal flu, especially since flu cases peaked earlier than usual this winter, the researchers wrote. Its also possible that the 2019 outbreak of a vaping-related respiratory illness contributed to the excess, they added.

But the idea that the coronavirus was circulating in California even before Dec. 31, when the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission first announced its cluster of unexplained pneumonia cases, might not be far-fetched.

We now know that seven patients treated at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in mid-March for a flu-like illness actually had COVID-19. The fact that they all felt well enough to leave their homes and had no clear ties to anyone who had recently visited a COVID-19 hotspot suggests they became infected through sustained community transmission, another group of researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.

Similar cases seen in Santa Clara County around the same time suggest the virus was at large in the Bay Area by then as well, according to a study in the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

We may never know for sure exactly when the coronavirus arrived in Los Angeles  or anywhere else in the United States. Still, the results of the new study show that data gleaned from clinic medical records can provide an early warning to emergency departments and hospital intensive care units of what is to come, the UCLA team wrote.

Lessons learned from this pandemic will hopefully lead to better preparation and the ability to quickly provide warnings and track the next pandemic, they added.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
An international team of researchers has unearthed a 13-million-year-old fossil of a newly discovered ape species in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur District, which is the earliest known ancestor of the modern-day gibbon.

The finding, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, fills a major void in the ape fossil record and provides important new evidence about when the ancestors of todays gibbon migrated to Asia from Africa.

The fossil, a complete lower molar, belongs to a previously unknown genus and species (Kapi ramnagarensis), and represents the first new fossil ape species discovered at the famous fossil site of Ramnagar in nearly a century.

The researchers, including those from Arizona State University in the US and Panjab University in Chandigarh, were climbing a small hill in an area where a fossil primate jaw had been found the year before.

While pausing for a short rest, the team spotted something shiny in a small pile of dirt on the ground.

We knew immediately it was a primate tooth, but it did not look like the tooth of any of the primates previously found in the area, said Christopher C. Gilbert, from City University of New York in the US.

From the shape and size of the molar, our initial guess was that it might be from a gibbon ancestor, but that seemed too good to be true, given that the fossil record of lesser apes is virtually nonexistent, Gilbert noted.

He explained that there are other primate species known during that time, and no gibbon fossils have previously been found anywhere near Ramnagar.

Since the fossils discovery in 2015, years of study, analysis, and comparison were conducted to verify that the tooth belongs to a new species, as well as to accurately determine its place in the ape family tree, the researchers said.

The molar was photographed and CT-scanned, and comparative samples of living and extinct ape teeth were examined to highlight important similarities and differences in dental anatomy, they said.

What we found was quite compelling and undeniably pointed to the close affinities of the 13-million-year-old tooth with gibbons, said Alejandra Ortiz, from Arizona State University, who is part of the research team.

Even if, for now, we only have one tooth, and thus, we need to be cautious, this is a unique discovery.

It pushes back the oldest known fossil record of gibbons by at least five million years, providing a much-needed glimpse into the early stages of their evolutionary history, said Ortiz.

The researchers noted that the age of the fossil, around 13 million years old, is contemporaneous with well-known great ape fossils.

This provides evidence that the migration of great apes, including orangutan ancestors, and lesser apes from Africa to Asia happened around the same time and through the same places, they said.

I found the biogeographic component to be really interesting, said Chris Campisano from Arizona State University.

Today, gibbons and orangutans can both be found in Sumatra and Borneo in Southeast Asia, and the oldest fossil apes are from Africa.

Knowing that gibbon and orangutan ancestors existed in the same spot together in northern India 13 million years ago, and may have a similar migration history across Asia, is pretty cool, Campisano added.

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The global dewatering pumps market size is expected to reach $10,133.4 million in 2026 from $6,374.1 million in 2018, growing at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2019 to 2026.

Dewatering is a process that helps to eradicate water from solid material or soil through centrifugation, filtration, wet classification, or alike solid-liquid separation methods. A dewatering pump is specially designed to handle sediment-laden water from a construction site, sediment basin, or an excavated area.

Several benefits offered by dewatering pumps such as abrasion resistance & enhanced operational proficiency and implementation of stringent energy-saving government regulations to monitor the manufacture of pumps are the key factors that propel the growth of the global dewatering pumps market. In addition, rise in construction activities globally is projected to fuel the development of the industry. Moreover, worldwide increase in consumption of oil & gas products is expected to boost the market growth

Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/1323

. However, uneven prices of raw materials is the major challenge faced by the vendors operating in the dewatering pump industry, thereby hampering the market growth. On the contrary, upsurge in demand for water & wastewater management is anticipated to offer lucrative opportunities for the players in the dewatering pumps industry.

The global dewatering pumps market is segmented based on type, application, and region. On the basis of type, the market is categorized into the submersible dewatering pump and non-submersible dewatering pumps. The submersible dewatering pump segment is anticipated to dominate the global dewatering pumps market in the upcoming years. By application, the market is segregated into construction & agriculture, oil & gas, municipal, mineral & mining, and others. The construction & agriculture segment is projected to dominate the global dewatering pumps market throughout the study period.

The global dewatering pumps market is analyzed across four geographical regions, which includes North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, Australia, India, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Latin America, Middle East, and Africa). Asia-Pacific is expected to hold the largest market share throughout the study period, however, LAMEA region is expected to grow at the fastest rate.

COMPETITION ANALYSIS

The key market players profiled in the report of dewatering pumps market include Atlas Copco, EBARA Corporation, Flowserve Corporation, Grundfos, Gorman-Rupp, ITT INC., KSB SE & Co., Sulzer Ltd., The Weir Group PLC, and Xylem. Other companies operating in the market are Honda Power Equipment, BBA Pumps, Designed & Engineered Pumps, Ruhrpumpen, Atlantic Pumps Ltd, Tsurumi Pump, Veer Pump, Wacker Neuson, Mersino Dewatering, Kirloskar Pumps, and Zoeller Pumps.

Many competitors in the dewatering pumps market adopted product launch as their key developmental strategy to improve their product portfolio and sustain the intense competition. For instance, in January 2018, Gorman-Rupp introduced an innovative ValuPrime Line, which is an economical priming-assisted submersible dewatering pump.

KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS

 The report provides an extensive analysis of the current and emerging dewatering pumps market trends and dynamics.

 In-depth market analysis is conducted by constructing market estimations for the key market segments between 2018 and 2026.

Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/13234

 Extensive analysis of the market is conducted by following key product positioning and monitoring of the top competitors within the market framework.

 A comprehensive analysis of all the regions is provided to determine the prevailing opportunities.

 Key market players within dewatering pumps market are profiled in this report, and their strategies are analyzed thoroughly, which help to understand the competitive outlook of the air filtration media industry.

GLOBAL DEWATERING PUMPS MARKET SEGMENTS

BY TYPE

Submersible Dewatering Pumps

 Non-submersible Dewatering Pumps

BY APPLICATION

 Construction & Agriculture

 Oil & Gas

 Municipal

 Mineral & Mining

 Others

BY REGION

 North America

o U.S.

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o France

o UK

o Russia

o Rest of Europe

 Asia-Pacific

o Japan

o China

o Australia

o India

o Rest of Asia-Pacific

 LAMEA

o Latin America

o Middle East

o Afric

KEY PLAYERS

 Atlas Copco

 Ebara Corporation

 Flowserve Corporation

 Grundfos

 Gorman-Rupp

 ITT INC.

 KSB SE & Co.

 Sulzer Ltd.

 The Weir Group PLC

 Xylem

More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/13234
Pompeo urges Southeast Asia to shun South China Sea firms Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's comments came at a regional Asian summit overshadowed by the US-China rivalry over a range of issues, from trade to the coronavirus

Washington's top diplomat urged Southeast Asia on Thursday to cut ties with Chinese companies helping build islands in the South China Sea, weeks after the US blacklisted two dozen firms working in the disputed waters.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's comments came at a regional Asian summit overshadowed by the US-China rivalry over a range of issues, from trade to the coronavirus.

Tensions are also simmering over the South China Sea, with the US last month sanctioning 24 Chinese state-owned companies it said had helped Beijing's military buildup in the resource-rich waterway.

Pompeo said it was time for Southeast Asian governments to reconsider their own relationship with firms working in the sea.

"Don't just speak up, but act," he told the 10 foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during an online summit.

"Reconsider business dealings with the very state-owned companies that bully ASEAN coastal states in the South China Sea.

"Don't let the Chinese Communist party walk over us and our people."

This year's ASEAN summit comes days after Beijing launched ballistic missiles in the South China Sea as part of live-fire exercises.

Vietnam, which is chairing the summit, expressed "serious concern" about recent militarisation of the sea.

"This has eroded trust and confidence, increased tension and undermined peace, security and rule of law in the region," said Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

But the Philippines already said last week it would not follow the US lead because it needed Chinese investment, even as a fresh dispute between the two nations over Scarborough Shoal -- one of the region's richest fishing grounds -- hangs over the talks.

And Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi laid blame on the United States for tensions, claiming Washington was "becoming the biggest driver" of the waterway's militarisation.

- Contested waters -

Story continues

China claims the majority of the South China Sea, invoking its so-called nine-dash line to justify what it says are historic rights to the key trade waterway.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all contest parts of China's declared territory in the sea.

Tensions between the US and China have also been exacerbated by concerns over Hong Kong, where Beijing recently imposed a draconian national security law in response to months of civil unrest last year.

Pompeo "joined several countries in raising concerns over... the arrests of pro-democracy students, the year-long postponement of elections, and disqualification of pro-democracy electoral candidates," according to spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus.

burs-aph/gle
There has been a huge push recently to get the younger generation interested in skilled trades after high school and I am eager to do my part to help, Jason Sparks said. There is an abundance of job opportunities for incoming prospects in skilled trades and mold making and machining."

Kalamazoo Valley Community College Hosts October 1 Virtual Skilled Expo

As a part of its celebration of National Manufacturing Week, Kalamazoo Valley Community College will stage a virtual Skilled Trades Expo on Thursday, Oct. 1 at http://www.kvcc.edu/skilledtradesexpo.

Prospective students, families, employers and the general public will be directed to the website to view and participate in a variety of educational and interactive videos and activities which will include:



Information about training at Kalamazoo Valley for high-paying jobs in these pathways:

Automotive Technology

Electrical Technology

HVAC Technology

Engineering/Design/Manufacturing Technology

Welding Technology

Computer Information Systems



Interviews with Kalamazoo Valley faculty members

Q and A sessions with employers, faculty and others

Although virtual, this event is patterned after a similar on-campus activity held during 2019, when more than 800 people visited the colleges Texas Township Campus to learn about these careers. This years event will allow information seekers to access the webpage beginning on Oct. 1 to learn more about rewarding careers in the skilled and professional trades.

Sponsors of the event include Concept Molds, Humphrey Products, Landscape Forms and Stryker Corporation.

Kalamazoo Valley alumni Jason Sparks, general manager at Concept Molds, completed an apprenticeship while he was a student at Valley. The apprenticeship training that I received both in the classroom at Valley and hands-on at the shop gave me the background and the technical understanding of mold making, Sparks said. The Schoolcraft-based company opened in 1992 and employs 25 people, building plastic injection molds for the medical device market, as well as for the automotive, industrial, and consumer products markets, specializing in precision injection mold design, engineering, construction, management, and design support.

There has been a huge push recently to get the younger generation interested in skilled trades after high school and I am eager to do my part to help, Sparks said. There is an abundance of job opportunities for incoming prospects in skilled trades and mold making and machining. Many of these opportunities in mold making can lead to growth and advancement within the trade and plastics manufacturing industry and most mold shops are very safe, clean, bright and climate controlled.

To access the Skilled Trades Expo, go to http://www.kvcc.edu/skilledtradesexpo beginning on Oct. 1. Content will remain available for the entire month.

Media Contact

Linda Depta, Executive Director

KVCC Foundation and Director of Fund Development

269.488.4821 or ldepta@kvcc.edu
Nomad Foods Limited (NYSE: NOMD),announced todaythe preliminary results of its "modified Dutch auction" tender offer for up to $500 million of its ordinary shares which expired at 5:00 pm, New York City time, on September 9, 2020.

Based on the preliminary count by the depositary for the tender offer, a total of 18,938,159 ordinary shares were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or below the price of $25.50 per share, including 7,921,070 shares that were tendered through notice of guaranteed delivery.

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the tender offer and based on the preliminary count by the depositary, the Company expects to repurchase a total of 18,938,159 ordinary shares through the tender offer at a price of $25.50 per share, for a total cost of $482,923,055, excluding fees and expenses. The total of 18,938,159 shares that the Company expects to accept for repurchase represents approximately 9.6% of the Company's total outstanding ordinary shares as of September 8, 2020.

The number of shares expected to be purchased in the tender offer and the purchase price per share are preliminary and subject to change. The preliminary information contained in this press release is subject to confirmation by the depositary and is based on the assumption that all shares tendered through notice of guaranteed delivery will be delivered within the required two business day period. The final number of shares to be purchased in the tender offer and the final purchase price per share will be announced following the expiration of the guaranteed delivery period and the completion by the depositary of the confirmation process. Payment for the shares accepted for purchase pursuant to the tender offer, and the return of all other shares tendered and not purchased, will occur promptly following the completion of the confirmation process. The Company expects to fund the purchase of shares in the tender offer, together with all related fees and expenses, with cash and cash equivalents.

The dealer manager for the tender offer is Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC. Georgeson LLC is serving as information agent for the tender offer and Computershare is serving as the depositary for the tender offer.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements which are based on the Company's expectations, intentions and projections regarding its future performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters that are not historical facts, including expectations regarding the Company's proposed purchase of shares in the tender offer, the source of funding for those purchases, the amount of shares to be purchased (including the amount of shares tendered through notice of guaranteed delivery) and the purchase price per share. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including: (i) the price per share at which the Company ultimately purchases shares in the tender offer and the number of shares purchased, each of which may differ from the preliminary results indicated in this release, including to the extent that shares tendered through notice of guaranteed delivery are not delivered within the required two business day period; (ii) the delivery within the required two business day period of shares tendered through notice of guaranteed delivery; (iii) the Company's ability to achieve the benefits contemplated by the tender offer; (iv) any adverse impact that the tender offer may have on the Company and the trading market for the Company's ordinary shares; (v) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's business, suppliers, co-manufacturers, distributors, transportation or logistics providers, customers, consumers and employees; (vi) tapering or reduction of consumer demand for frozen foods as pandemic-related restrictions are lifted or conditions improve; (vii) the Company's ability to meet elevated demand; (viii) the success of the Company's strategic investments and capital allocation strategy (ix) disruptions or inefficiencies in the Company's operations, supply chain or distribution channels, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Company's ability to maintain the health and safety of its workforce; (x) the duration, spread and intensity of the pandemic and related government restrictions and other government responses; (xi) the Company's ability to successfully identify suitable acquisition targets and adequately evaluate the potential performance of such acquisition targets; (xii) the Company's ability to successfully implement its strategies (including its M&A strategy) and strategic initiatives and to recognize the anticipated benefits of such strategic initiatives; (xiii) the Company's ability to accurately predict the performance of its Green Cuisine brand and its impact on the Company's growth; (xiv) the Company's ability to effectively compete in its markets, including the ability of Green Cuisine to effectively compete in Continental Europe; (xv) changes in consumer preferences, such as meat substitutes, and the Company's failure to anticipate and respond to such changes or to successfully develop and renovate products; (xvi) the effects of reputational damage from unsafe or poor quality food products; (xvii) the risk that securities markets will react negatively to actions by the Company; (xviii) the adequacy of the Company's cash resources to achieve its anticipated growth agenda; (xix) increases in operating costs, including labor costs, and the Company's ability to manage its cost structure; (xx) fluctuations in the availability of food ingredients and packaging materials that the Company uses in its products; (xxi) the Company's ability to effectively mitigate factors that negatively impact its supply of raw materials; (xxii) the Company's ability to protect its brand names and trademarks; (xxiii) uncertainty about the terms of any trade agreement between the UK and the EU associated with Brexit, as well as the potential adverse impact of Brexit on currency exchange rates, global economic conditions and cross-border agreements that affect the Company's business; (xxiv) loss of the Company's financial arrangements with respect to receivables factoring; (xxv) the loss of any of the Company's major customers or a decrease in demand for its products; (xxvi) economic conditions that may affect the Company's future performance including exchange rate fluctuations; (xxvii) the Company's ability to successfully interpret and respond to key industry trends and to realize the expected benefits of its responsive actions; (xxviii) the Company's failure to comply with, and liabilities related to, environmental, health and safety laws and regulations; (xxix) changes in applicable laws or regulations; and (xxx) the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's public filings and any other public disclosures by the Company. Given these risks and uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of such statements and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Nomad Foods

Nomad Foods (NYSE: NOMD) is a leading frozen foods company building a global portfolio of best-in-class food companies and brands within the frozen category and across the broader food sector. The company's portfolio of iconic brands, which includes Birds Eye, Findus, Iglo, Aunt Bessie's and Goodfella's, have been a part of consumers' meals for generations, standing for great tasting food that is convenient, high quality and nutritious. Nomad Foods is headquartered in the United Kingdom. Additional information may be found at www.nomadfoods.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005291/en/

Contacts:

Nomad Foods

Investor Relations

Taposh Bari, CFA

Nomad Foods Limited

+1-718-290-7950

John Mills

ICR, Partner

+1-646-277-1254

Media

Felipe Ucros

Gladstone Place Partners

+1-212-230-5930
Lifestyle BGR

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, up to and including the present day, shoppers have encountered the effects of everything from supply chain disruptions to pandemic-related labor constraints which have unfortunately led to grocery store shortages. Just as the effects of the pandemic are not evenly distributed around the country, though, neither are these kinds of products  The post 5 popular grocery shortages that are making shoppers so angry right now appeared first on BGR.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie confirmed on Wednesday that the United States would withdraw thousands of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by November, U.S. media reported on Wednesday.

The Politico reported that McKenzie, during a ceremony for Operation Inherent Resolve with the Iraqi minister of defense, said that U.S. troop presence in Iraq would be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September.

The force reduction is due to "the great progress the Iraqi forces have made and in consultation and coordination with the Government of Iraq and our coalition partners," he said.

Currently, there are over 5,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against remnants of the Islamic State (IS), mainly for training and advisory purposes.

McKenzie noted that the reduced size of U.S. military presence in Iraq would still be able to advise and assist Iraqi forces in rooting out the IS remnants in Iraq.

The top U.S. general in the Middle East told several media outlets later in the day that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be decreased to about 4,500 level by early November.

The Pentagon said in mid-July that the United States maintained its force level in Afghanistan at mid-8,000s, meeting the conditions of the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in late February.

The agreement also called for a full withdrawal of the U.S. military forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups.

The numbers and time frame of the troop reduction plan that McKenzie disclosed on Wednesday were mainly in line with previous reports and discussions.

The Wall Street Journal wrote in a late August piece that the Pentagon would reduce military presence in Iraq by roughly one-third over the next two or three months, bringing U.S. troop numbers down to 3,500.

Pentagon chief Mark Esper also confirmed last month that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be lowered to less than 5,000 by the end of November.

As the presidential election looms, President Donald Trump has doubled down efforts to seek to fulfill his campaign promise to bring troops home and to pull his country out of "endless wars."

During his meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi last month, Trump reiterated his intention to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Trump also has sought a full withdrawal from Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 U.S. military deaths, is the longest one in U.S. history.

The troop reduction announcement came amid the development of a delicate relationship between Trump and the military.

In Monday's White House briefing, Trump claimed senior leaders in the Pentagon probably didn't like him "because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy."

Army Chief of Staff James McConville on Tuesday defended military leaders to media outlet Defense One, saying "the senior leaders would only recommend sending our troops to combat when it is required in national security and a last resort."

The news also came days after an article published in The Atlantic, quoting anonymous sources, saying that Trump disparaged slain U.S. service members by referring to them as "losers" and "suckers." Trump and White House officials have vehemently denied the report.
A person walks across the 1st Street Bridge in downtown Los Angeles as a layer of smoke from nearby fires hovers in the sky on Wednesday. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Southern California should prepare for another miserable air day.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is warning that smoke and ash are likely to hit much of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties Thursday due to two major fires locally and smoke flowing in from Northern California blazes.

The air districts smoke advisory said that most of the Southern California region will be affected by smoke, with the highest readings of fine-particle pollution, tiny lung-damaging particles known as PM2.5, in areas closest to the Bobcat and El Dorado fires.

Smoke blowing in from Northern California may also contribute to widespread elevated PM2.5 concentrations, the air district said, but due to shifting winds, the effects of the smoke will be highly variable in both space and time. The air district said to expect noticeable smoke and ash impacts in southwest Los Angeles County, Orange County and southwest Riverside County.

The Bobcat fire has been producing substantial amounts of smoke generating unhealthy air in Azusa, Glendora and other San Gabriel Valley communities while sending falling ash over much of the L.A. Basin. The smoke plume from the El Dorado fire, in San Bernardino County, is much smaller but is pushing air quality to unhealthy levels in the Redlands and Yucaipa areas.

The bad air is being generated by fires raging in California, Oregon and Washington that are lofting smoke into the air in a massive plume that is blanketing the entire West Coast and extends far out over the Pacific Ocean.

In Southern California, much of that smoke has remained aloft. At ground level, air quality remained in the good to moderate range Thursday morning across most of the region, except for areas in near the Bobcat and El Dorado fires, where readings showed air quality in the unhealthy range.

Air quality has been significantly worse in Northern California, where raging fires this week have choked the air with smoke and ash and snuffed out the sunlight, casting a gloomy, orange pall over San Francisco and other areas. Air-monitoring data on Thursday morning showed unhealthy pollution levels in much of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Story continues

In the Bay Area on Wednesday, a marine layer from the Pacific protected lower elevations from the oppressive, sun-smothering smoke, leaving the air tolerably breathable. But there were no views of the mountains from Mountain View. The skies darkened to a twilight-like dimness.

Street lamps along the peninsulas El Camino Real illuminated the road for noontime traffic, while hotels and restaurants in Palo Alto and Mountain View kept their marquee lights and entrance displays on  lending a dinner-like atmosphere to their lunchtime patrons.

From Sacramento to the Bay Area to Monterey, motorists turned on their headlights to navigate the gloomy streets.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
There are few shows as iconic as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The series, starring Will Smith as a lightly fictionalised version of himself, continues to consistently rank at the top of lists of the best sitcoms of the Nineties.

The Fresh Prince was a massive success. The series ran for six seasons on NBC and was feted with two Golden Globe awards  but even more remarkable is how the sitcom has lost none of its appeal in the years since it finished in 1996.

A nostalgic audience hungry for simpler times still regularly tune into beloved reruns on television and tuck into well-worn box sets for optimal comfort viewing.

You need only to say the first five words of its theme song ("In West Philadelphia, born and raised") for everyone in the room to know exactly what youre referencing. And with a reboot in the works, chances are we wont be forgetting the show  or its legacy  anytime soon.

While Smith won over fans as the cheeky but lovable protagonist, the show wouldnt have been half as good without an equally talented ensemble cast. From Carltons dance to Hilarys biting snipes, the success of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was truly a group effort.

Smith may be a mainstay on the red carpet, but the fates of the shows other stars are less known. Here is where the series cast are now, 30 years after its initial US release.

Will Smith (Will Smith)

Smith went on to make his mark in action movies including Bad Boys and Independence Day' (Rex)

Will Smith was truly Fresh Princes breakout star. After the series came to an end, Smith went on to make his mark in action films including Bad Boys (1995), Independence Day (1996) and Men in Black (1997). Since then, Smith has proven his range with critically acclaimed performances in hard-hitting dramas including The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) and Concussion (2015). This year, the actor reprised his role as Detective Mike Lowrey in action-comedy Bad Boys For Life (2020) which fared well among the franchises fans.

Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton Banks)

Ribeiro performed his famous Carlton Dance in the jungle when he appeared on Im a Celeb... in 2013 (Rex)

After six seasons portraying Smiths preppy and uptight cousin Carlton, Ribeiro has mostly made a name for himself on reality television. In 2013, the Bronx-born actor appeared on UK screens in Im A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! He went on to win Dancing With the Stars in 2014 and then served as a guest judge on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 and 2019. Today, he is the host of Americas Funniest Home Videos.

James Avery (Uncle Phil)

Tributes for the actor poured in following his death in 2013 (Rex)

Outside of Bel-Air, Avery is best known as a voice actor, lending his deep vocals to shows such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the animated series Iron Man. The late actor also appeared as Officer Kennedy in a few episodes of That 70s Show and made a cameo in Doctor DoLittle 2 (2001). In 2013, Avery died due to complications following heart surgery.

Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks)

Parsons portrayed Hilary Banks, Carltons older sister and Smiths cousin (Rex)

Karyn Parsons raised the bar for the snobby brat stereotype with her performance as Hilary Banks. Since then, the actor has since mostly stuck to television. Parsons created, wrote and starred in the Fox sitcom Lush Life in 1996, which ran for just four episodes before the series was cancelled. The actor did, however, go on to feature in the critically acclaimed but short-lived television series The Job with Denis Leary in 2001. She also made appearances on Melrose Place and Lincs.

Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey Butler)

Marcell was raised in Peckham, London (Rex)

Marcells sardonic butler  creatively named Geoffrey Butler  was a beloved addition to the Banks family. Following the end of the series, Marcell, who was raised in Peckham, London, returned to the UK  but not before a brief stint on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The classically trained actor has since starred in British cult favourites including Doctor Who, The Bill, Holby City, and A Touch of Frost. Most notably he starred in EastEnders as Patrick Trumans enemy, Aubrey Valentine. Marcell also found fame on the stage in productions of Shakespeares King Lear. Look out for him as a patient undergoing a particularly brutal procedure in a psychiatric hospital in Ryan Murphys forthcoming Netflix drama Ratched, too.

Tatyana Ali (Ashley Banks)

Ali graduated from Harvard University in African-American Studies and Government (Rex)

Ali stayed busy after leaving Bel-Air. The actor had a recurring role in The Young and the Restless and scored a few feature film credits for Jawbreaker (1999), and Glory Road (2000). The actor also achieved some success in her music career. Her single Daydreamin reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. Ali made a sharp turn to academics and went on to graduate from Harvard University in African-American Studies and Government.

Janet Hubert (Aunt Vivian #1)

Hubert claimed she was ousted from the show by producers following a feud with Smith and Ribeiro (Rex)

Rumours circulated after Hubert unexpectedly exited the show after its third season. Speculation arose that the actor was ousted after falling out with Smith and Ribeiro. The actor went on to appear as Chandlers boss in Friends, and as Michel Gerards mother on Gilmore Girls. Hubert currently stars in the daytime soap opera General Hospital. Earlier this year, the actor received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her performance as Mignon in the digital series King Ester.

Daphne Maxwell Reid (Aunt Vivian #2)

Reid appeared in last years critically acclaimed biopic about Harriet Tubman, Harriet' (Rex)

Reid shook things up when she entered season four as Aunt Viv. The cast change was briefly acknowledged in its first episode, with Jazz joking that theres something different about her since having a baby, to which Will gives a knowing nod to the camera. After the series wrapped, the model-turned-actor appeared in sitcoms Eve (2003) and Lets Stay Together (2011). Reid, 72, is now a published author and photographer. Most recently she starred in last years critically acclaimed biopic about Harriet Tubman, Harriet, as Miz Lucy.

Jeffrey A Townes (Jazz)

Prior to the show, Townes and Smith performed together as rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince (Rex)

Prior to the Fresh Prince, Townes and Smith performed together as rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. The hip-hop pair won two Grammys in their time together, once in 1989 and then another in 1992. Their backstory formed the basis of Smiths character on the series, and Townes went on to play Smiths troublemaking best friend in Bel-Air. Sticking with music, Townes is now a DJ and producer, having worked with high profile artists including Eminem, Jewel and The Roots. Smith and Townes still collaborate on projects semi-regularly. In 2017, the duo performed at Europe: MTV Summerblast Music Festival and Livewire Festival. Most recently, Townes and Smith hosted a Break the Monotony Block Party on Instagram when pandemic-related lockdown measures were being enforced in May this year.
Academy Award-winning actor Kate Winslet has made many good choices in her career, as exhibited by her numerous nominations, as well as her wins at other award shows like the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes. But that doesnt mean she doesnt have regrets. Discover what shes saying in 2020 about working with Roman Polanski and Woody Allen in the past.

Kate Winslet is known for her many films roles

Kate Winslet as Rose and Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack in Titanic | CBS via Getty Images

Winslet broke out as a dramatic actor in the late 90s. After starring in Sense and Sensibility and Hamlet, she became famous for her role as Rose in the blockbuster hit Titanic. The 00s saw her find more success with films such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Revolutionary Road.

In more recent years, shes earned more acclaim with such memorable roles as Joanna in Steve Jobs. Winslet has received an impressive six Academy Award nominations. Shes set to star in the upcoming Avatar sequel and the HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown.

She starred in Polanskis film Carnage

Following her Oscar win for The Reader, Winslets next role was in Polanskis 2011 black comedy Carnage. Ive never come across such energy in a man, maybe ever, she told Reuters at the time of the director. He has such incredible charisma  and the naughtiest, cheekiest energy.

Polanski has been the subject of Hollywood discourse since the late 1970s, when he was charged with crimes against a minor, including rape. The writer-director famously fled to France, where he has mostly remained since. Polanski was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018.

Winslet worked with Allen in Wonder Wheel

RELATED: Kate Winslet Dodges Question About Working With Woody Allen Despite Allegations

Following a shift to more mainstream work (like the Divergent franchise) and a couple of critical misfires (such as action-thriller Triple 9), Winslet starred in Allens Wonder Wheel. Woody Allen is an incredible director, she told the Independent in 2017. So is Roman Polanski. I had an extraordinary working experience with both of those men.

In the interview, Winslet acknowledged she was aware of the allegations against Allen. The writer-director became the subject of an investigation in 1992 amid the allegation that he sexually assaulted his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. The allegation has resurfaced over the years, with Allen denying it each time.

How she feels about working with them now

Kate Winslet and Roman Polanski attend the premiere of Carnage on November 20, 2011 in Paris, France. | Francois G. Durand/WireImage

Years later, Winslet feels differently. What the f*ck was I doing working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski? she said in a 2020 Vanity Fair profile. Its unbelievable to me now how those men were held in such high regard, so widely in the film industry and for as long as they were. Its f*cking disgraceful.

Winslet continued, saying, I have to take responsibility for the fact that I worked with them both. I cant turn back the clock. Im grappling with those regrets but what do we have if we arent able to just be f*cking truthful about all of it?
Turkey says Macron putting EU interests at risk 'Arrogant and colonial, has a nationalist attitude'

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 10 - The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Thursday, the day of the MED7 Summit for European countries in the Mediterranean, criticising French President Emmanuel Macron, who is in Corsica to host the summit focusing on the crisis between Greece and Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.



The statement said Macron showed himself to be "arrogant once again with his old colonial reflections" in his statements on Turkey, and "he feeds tensions and puts the interests of the EU at risk with his personalistic and nationalist attitude".



"Macron's statements were in reality a manifestation of his incapacity and desperation," the statement said, claiming to have foiled "all the insidious plans of foreign policy" and "Macron's dirty games" in the Mediterranean.



"It's not Macron's job to determine the maritime sovereignty of a country in the Mediterranean or any other geographic area," it said, accusing Elysee Palace of having taken the EU "hostage".



Before the MED7 Summit on Thursday, Macron said Europe "must have a more united and clearer voice" regarding the behavior of the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Eastern Mediterranean, where he is conducting controversial energy exploration considered illegal by Greece and Cyprus, as well as by Brussels. (ANSAmed).




WASHINGTON  Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package on Thursday as the parties argued to a standstill over the size and scope of the aid, likely ending hopes for coronavirus relief before the November election.

The mostly party-line vote capped weeks of wrangling that gave way to election-season political combat and name-calling over a fifth relief bill that all sides say they want but are unable to deliver. The bipartisan spirit that powered earlier aid measures is all but gone.

Democrats said the measure shortchanged too many pressing needs. Republicans argued it was targeted to areas of widespread agreement, but the 52-47 vote fell well short of what was needed to overcome a filibuster. All the present Democrats opposed it, while conservative Rand Paul, R-Ky., cast the only GOP nay vote. The Democratic vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, was campaigning in Miami and missed the vote.

Its a sort of a dead end street, and very unfortunate, said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. But it is what it is.

The $650 billion measure is significantly smaller than legislation promoted by Republican leaders this summer. But that version was too big for most conservatives, so the GOP bill was instead stripped back to focus on school aid, jobless benefits and help for small businesses. That maximized Republican support even as it alienated Democrats, who say such a piecemeal approach would leave out far too many vulnerable people.

The result was a predictable impasse and partisan tit-for tat as the congressional session limps to its pre-election close. The panicked atmosphere that drove passage of the $2 trillion landmark CARES Act in March has dissipated as the nation powers through the pandemic with partial reopenings of businesses and schools, though the economy lags and the virus continues to badly disrupt life in the U.S.

Its becoming plain that all Congress will do before the Nov. 3 election is pass legislation to avert a government shutdown. The outcome of the election promises to have an outsize impact on what might be possible in a postelection lame-duck session, with Democrats sure to press for a better deal if Democrat Joe Biden unseats President Donald Trump.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., predicted that Thursdays GOP defeat would prompt Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., back to the negotiating table, as an earlier filibuster in March helped make the $2 trillion rescue bill more generous.

But (Thursdays) bill is not going to happen because it is so emaciated, so filled with poison pills, so partisanly designed, Schumer said.

McConnell crafted the measure to permit his GOP colleagues to go on record in favor of popular provisions such as another round of paycheck protection help for smaller businesses, help for schools to reopen and supplemental jobless benefits. He again blasted Democrats on Thursday, saying they are still pushing a liberal wish list and are willing to scuttle provisions with widespread backing to deny Trump a victory.

Today every senator will either say they want to send families the relief we can agree to or they can send families nothing, McConnell said.

Theres no indication yet that bipartisan talks that crumbled last month will restart. Top lawmakers and aides offered glum assessments both publicly and privately.

Veteran Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley said its sad there will be no virus aid deal, though he also said the outlook for the economy may not be as bleak as he once thought.

If youd asked me, two or three weeks ago Id say very, very negative, Grassley said. But with the job market improving and the whole world kind of getting out of this pandemic, depression, were in Grassley said, theres a lot less of an impact than I would have thought two weeks ago.

The stalemate is politically risky for all sides heading into the fall election, and both sides accused the other of acting primarily with political calculations in mind. Democrats said GOP senators need to check a box and vote on any kind of relief bill before exiting Washington to campaign while Republicans said Democrats were intent on denying Republicans a political win.

What is of overwhelming importance to Democrats is keeping coronavirus alive as a political issue, said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. Theyd rather have no bill, zero funding and a political weapon than have a bill and allow Republicans to say that we helped Americans.

All thats left  barring a breakthrough that looks unlikely now  is to pass a government-wide short-term spending measure that would avert a shutdown at months end and set up a postelection lame-duck session to deal with any unfinished Capitol Hill legislation, which could include coronavirus relief.

The scaled-back GOP virus plan is roughly one-seventh the size of a whopping Democratic package that passed the house in May and about one-fourth of the $2.2 trillion set by Pelosi last month. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin mentioned a $1.5 trillion figure in testimony last week.

The failed measure would have provide $105 billion to help schools reopen, created a scaled-back $300-per-week supplemental jobless benefit, and devoted $258 billion for a second round of paycheck protection subsidies for smaller businesses. Lesser amounts would have furthered vaccine research and development and funded the Postal Service, farmers, and child care.

It did not contain a new round of $1,200 direct payments to Americans, and the new $300 weekly jobless benefit would expire just after Christmas, on Dec. 27. The GOP bill also lacked money for election costs that lawmakers from both parties have supported to accommodate a huge influx of mail-in ballots.

Official estimates of the measures cost were unavailable, but a GOP legislative aide said the cost is about $650 billion, with about half of the price tag offset by repurposing prior COVID funds.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has strongly suggested that pubs in Dublin will not reopen on September 21 because of rising Covid cases.

Mr Varadkar has also said the Government will also be looking at restricting gatherings in homes in the capital similar to measures that have been taken in Glasgow.

He said the Government is now considering rapid testing in airports to allow for more international travel, but is also considering a European map of green, amber and red zones.

This travel map would allow unrestricted travel between the green zones and then either testing or quarantine for the orange and red zones.

There were 307 cases of the virus recorded yesterday with 182 of these in Dublin.

While the Cabinet agreed that all so-called 'wet pubs' should be allowed to reopen on September 21, Mr Varadkar said: "I think based on the numbers you'd be more confident about seeing the pubs rural Ireland open on the 21st of September, rather than in Dublin.

If we do have to act we will act and we will act in a way that protects public health and human life.

Asked about the possibility of clamping down on home visits, Mr Varadkar said: "The restriction on home visits is what they're doing in Glasgow at the moment.

"I don't know how effective that has been actually, they took a decision, rather than closing schools again or closing childcare again and closing businesses again that they would go really hard on gathering within the home, that is an option that I think we'll have to consider if the numbers keep going in that direction."

But he said he would have "real concerns" for businesses and jobs if there is a second lockdown.

"What's undeniable is that the trajectory is going in the wrong direction. We're still doing relatively well.

"But I am getting more worried by the day because we are seeing case numbers rise and positivity rise and hospitalisation rise." Mr Varadkar told Newstalk Breakfast.
BRIGHTON, England, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A 100 million water management scheme built by Nationwater (Formerly known as Global Flood Defence Consultants) could be started alongside a new relief road to prevent "Many thousands" of homes being hit by predicted future flooding.

Various councils up and down the UK have been urged to support measures amid fears over rising river levels.

Proposals submitted by your likes of Nationwater (Formerly known as Global Flood Defence Consultants) include the 100 Million scheme to feature an embankment in the north-west relief road plans.

Hundreds of homes across Shropshire were hit by storms in February, our media channels have been quick to point out the front runners as Nationwater (Formerly known as Global Flood Defence Consultants) for the project, but it's been reported that the company will need to raise funding via private investors in order to complete the necessary works.

The project has already secured more than 70 Million in funding and could see a "Water-retaining" embankment included in the plans for the relief road.

An Alternative proposal also being considered would see a dam built further upstream, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A spokesman for Nationwater (Formerly known as Global Flood Defence Consultants) declined to comment when asked if their bid lodged with the Shropshire council had been approved.

For further updates relating to this bid, we advise our readers to check the Nationwater (Formerly known as Global Flood Defence Consultants) Website.
Deputy Chief of Romania's Defence Staff Vasile Toader on Thursday closed the "Blonde Avalanche 20" multinational exercise at the Varsatura shooting range, Braila County, for the first time held under the rigours of physical distancing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his speech to the event, Toader expressed his gratitude to the military and civilians involved in the exercise who lived up to their missions even amidst a pandemic."Coordination between civilian and military actors is essential in carrying out these types of activities, and today we proved that we have a close cooperation with various respondents in Romania. I have to add here the Braila Emergency Management Inspectorate, the Gendarmerie, the Border Police and the Red Cross," said Toader.He also underlined the support that the exercise received from the National Guard of the State of Alabama, the United States of America, and mentioned that the joint military exercise also had an online component, videoconferences with army leaders from Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine."I am confident that the further conduct of this type of exercise will contribute to increasing security and stability in this area, achieving the objectives of close co-operation between the armed forces in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine, a co-operation that is grounded in mutual respect and solidarity," said Toader.The closing of the multinational exercise included the promotion in rank of some Romanian soldiers, and also a Distinguished Visitor Day event, which involved a demonstration exercise, as well as an exhibition of military equipment.The "Blonde Avalanche" exercise is a regional initiative designed to jointly train the staff of the Tisa Multinational Engineer Battalion, which includes soldiers from partner countries - Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary - in order to maintain and improve skills in organising, planning and carrying out specific missions to contain and eliminate consequences of natural disasters."Blonde Avalanche 20" is attended by about 200 soldiers from the national ground forces (engineering, logistics and EOD), air forces and the navy and partners from Slovakia, Ukraine and Hungary in a virtual participation.The exercise takes place annually, by rotation, on the soil of the signatory countries of an agreement among the national governments of Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Ukraine, with Romanian Army's engineer troops having participating in all the exercises carried out since 2002.The 2020 edition takes place September 6 - 11, in a restricted format, in compliance with all the measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 06:04:18|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper (L) and his Iraqi counterpart Najah al-Shammari stand for the national anthems of Iraq and the United States in Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 23, 2019. (Xinhua)

U.S. troop presence in Iraq is scheduled to be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September, and that in Afghanistan will be decreased to about 4,500 level by early November, according to Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie confirmed on Wednesday that the United States would withdraw thousands of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by November, U.S. media reported on Wednesday.

The Politico reported that McKenzie, during a ceremony for Operation Inherent Resolve with the Iraqi minister of defense, said that U.S. troop presence in Iraq would be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September.

The force reduction is due to "the great progress the Iraqi forces have made and in consultation and coordination with the Government of Iraq and our coalition partners," he said.

Currently, there are over 5,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against remnants of the Islamic State (IS), mainly for training and advisory purposes.

McKenzie noted that the reduced size of U.S. military presence in Iraq would still be able to advise and assist Iraqi forces in rooting out the IS remnants in Iraq.

The top U.S. general in the Middle East told several media outlets later in the day that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be decreased to about 4,500 level by early November.

An Afghan border forces soldier stands guard at a U.S. forces base which has been handed over to Afghan border forces in Dih Bala district of Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan, July 20, 2020. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

The Pentagon said in mid-July that the United States maintained its force level in Afghanistan at mid-8,000s, meeting the conditions of the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in late February.

The agreement also called for a full withdrawal of the U.S. military forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups.

The numbers and time frame of the troop reduction plan that McKenzie disclosed on Wednesday were mainly in line with previous reports and discussions.

The Wall Street Journal wrote in a late August piece that the Pentagon would reduce military presence in Iraq by roughly one-third over the next two or three months, bringing U.S. troop numbers down to 3,500.

Pentagon chief Mark Esper also confirmed last month that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be lowered to less than 5,000 by the end of November.

As the presidential election looms, President Donald Trump has doubled down efforts to seek to fulfill his campaign promise to bring troops home and to pull his country out of "endless wars."

An Afghan border forces soldier stands guard at a U.S. forces base which has been handed over to Afghan border forces in Dih Bala district of Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan, July 20, 2020. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

During his meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi last month, Trump reiterated his intention to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Trump also has sought a full withdrawal from Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 U.S. military deaths, is the longest one in U.S. history.

The troop reduction announcement came amid the development of a delicate relationship between Trump and the military.

In Monday's White House briefing, Trump claimed senior leaders in the Pentagon probably didn't like him "because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy."

Army Chief of Staff James McConville on Tuesday defended military leaders to media outlet Defense One, saying "the senior leaders would only recommend sending our troops to combat when it is required in national security and a last resort."

The news also came days after an article published in The Atlantic, quoting anonymous sources, saying that Trump disparaged slain U.S. service members by referring to them as "losers" and "suckers." Trump and White House officials have vehemently denied the report. 
Lisa Snowdon has hit out at 'savage' fashion designers who once humiliated her into stripping in a toilet then telling her she was too fat for the catwalk.

The 48-year-old model recalled being left 'embarrassed' when she turned up for an extravagant fashion show in Milan, Italy, but couldn't squeeze into any of the flimsy clothes at age 19.

Admitting she used to be 'tiny', industry moguls cancelled her bookings after she refused to cower to their demands to lose weight.

Ludicrous! Lisa Snowdon has hit out at 'savage' fashion designers who once humiliated her into stripping in a toilet then telling her she was too fat for the catwalk [pictured in 1994, age 22]

Speaking on Vicky Pattinson's The Secret To podcast, the radio presenter said: 'I'd gone to Milan and they told me I was too fat basically, and when I look back, I was like a little stick right.

'I was tiny, the only thing that were big on me were my boobs. I wasn't that curvaceous, I'm more curvaceous now, back then I just had a pair of boobs. I wasn't that super curvy or voluptuous.

'I'd get booked to do fashion shows and I'd turn up and look at my rail and there'd be something and they'd be "put this on".

'It was like a wisp of a hair band and I was like "that's not even gonna go over my f**king wrist let alone my whole body, that's not gonna work!"'

Still got it! The model recalled being left 'embarrassed' when she turned up for an extravagant fashion show in Milan, Italy, but couldn't squeeze into any of the flimsy clothes at age 19 [pictured in March, age 48]

Starting out: Admitting she used to be 'tiny', industry moguls cancelled her bookings after she refused to cower to their demands to lose weight [pictured in 1994]

Lisa went on: 'So then they'd cancel me and go "go home, go home". It was savage but high pressure - they're about to put on a fashion show, a model turns up and she doesn't fit any of the clothes - so I got cancelled.

'In Milan they were like "we need to see you", so I took my clothes off in the toilet, which is really embarrassing, and stripped down.

'And they were like "you need to lose weight on here" and I was like "how do I do that?

'Like what, I starve myself and then you can dictate where the fat falls off? That's not gonna happen!"'

Radio presenter Lisa said: 'I'd gone to Milan and they told me I was too fat basically, and when I look back, I was like a little stick right. I was tiny, the only thing that were big on me were my boobs' [pictured in 1995]

She mused: 'Even then, at 19, I had a really good head on my shoulders to say "no that's not going to work for me". So I came home and called my agent and said "it's not working!"'

Lisa ended up forging a successful career as a fashion model, regardless of this knock-back.

She got her big break at age 22, modelling The Ultrabra by Gossard in 1994, and swiftly got snapped up by various swimwear brands.

Lose weight where? 'And they were like "you need to lose weight on here" and I was like "how do I do that? Like what, I starve myself and then you can dictate where the fat falls off? That's not gonna happen!"' she said [pictured in 2003]

She retained a successful career throughout the 1990s and 2000s, eventually being made the face of Britain's Next Top Model in 2006 as the UK's counterpart to supermodel Tyra Banks.

Lisa typically acts as a fashion presenter these days, but still models too.

She's a regular fixture on the This Morning presenting team, hosting segments about fashion.
Amid rising cases of coronavirus in Madhya Pradeshs commercial capital Indore, trader bodies have exhibited exemplary restraint by closing down several markets on their own and altering timings of several popular hang-out places so as to avoid crowding. This move comes despite the administration has lifted all kinds of curbs.

The district administration has recently lifted most of the Covid-19 related curbs and had last week done away with Sunday weekly lockdown as well. This resulted in the public coming out in swarms to markets, risking a surge in infections.

However, the different traders bodies have decided to keep the establishments closed for some days amid the rise in Covid-19. District collector Manish Singh has lauded the initiatives and said the traders bodies could decide on their own to introduce safety norms.

Chhappan Dukan, a famed food joint known for mouth-watering delicacies in the heart of the city has decided to alter timings on weekends to avoid massive rush of customers.

The shops will be closed by 5pm on Saturday and 6pm on Sunday. The cramped market has scores of food joints based in narrow by-lanes which do not have space to ensure adequate social distancing.

Similarly, several traders have decided to keep establishments closed for a week in Loha Mandi and Cloth Market in the city. Ajit Singh Narang, the president of Malwa Chamber of Commerce has said that the association has urged the traders to keep their shops closed.

Ramesh Khandelwal, the president of Ahilya Chamber of Commerce said that the association has asked the traders to keep restraint while doing business and observe safety norms. Association general secretary Sushil Sureka said that the traders body could take any important step in next few days to run businesses amid massive outbreak of this fatal virus..

The members of Sindhi community have also come forward with an initiative and have decided to keep Swami Pritamdas auditorium and Jacobabad Bhawan in the city closed from September 12 onwards. These auditoriums host several gatherings for the community.

Several leading personalities of the city have alleged that the administration has eased Covid-19 curbs under pressure from politicians and traders despite cases of infection rising each day.

On Wednesday, the city reported 312 fresh cases including five deaths and total number of cases crossed 15700. A total of 34 hospitals, including government and private sector, are treating Covid-19 patients in the city. In last nine days, 39 persons have died due to the virus in Indore.

Most of the private hospitals treating Covid-19 patients are packed to capacity and patients are finding it hard to find beds in the High Dependence Unit and Intensive Care Unit.

On Wednesday, the Bhopal district reported 215 fresh cases of infection and the total numbers of cases have already crossed the 12,000 mark in the district. Madhya Pradesh is nearing the 80,000 mark in total number of cases.
A Central Criminal Court jury has found a 43-year-old Limerick man guilty of murdering his friend, whom he stabbed to death in a bar during a row over payment for cocaine.

The 11 men and one woman rejected Mark Crawford's defence that he was acting in self-defence out of fear that he was going to be attacked by the deceased as he was not from that part of Limerick city.

It was the defence case that if they were in doubt in relation to the accused's intention on the night or if he had mistakenly believed he was under threat and had used too much force, then the jury must find him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Instead the jury accepted the State's case that the defendant had intended to cause at least serious injury to Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor when he stabbed him six times and inflicted two fatal wounds to the heart and jugular vein.

It was the prosecution's contention that there was nothing to justify the accused's decision to use force against his friend in the bar following the row over payment for cocaine "let alone the horrific level of force used".

During the trial, evidence was heard that the accused man and the deceased had been taking cocaine together in the bar on the north-side of Limerick city and Mr O'Connor became aggrieved that he was "after getting burnt for 100 for cocaine".

Crawford, who has an address at Quarry Road, Thomondgate, Limerick had pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr O'Connor (24) at Fitzgerald's Bar, Sexton Street between July 7 and July 8, 2018.

In his closing speech, prosecution counsel John Fitzgerald SC stressed that if one puts a knife into the neck, heart, back and arm of another person then it is a natural and probable consequence that one is going to cause death or serious injury to that individual.

"If you agree with me then you can safely infer that Mr Crawford intended to kill Mr O'Connor and no amount of remorse or tears alters that," he submitted. He disputed that there was "a standoff" between the pair and highlighted that a "horrific level" of force had been used by the accused man on the night.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that she conducted a post mortem on Mr O'Connor and found six stab wounds on his body, including those to his heart, jugular vein, neck and arm.

The expert witness said the deceased's cause of death was haemorrhage or bleeding shock due to stab wounds to the thorax and neck.

The 12 jurors found Crawford guilty of murder by unanimous verdict this Thursday evening. They had deliberated for four hours and 35 minutes over two days.

Following todays verdict, Ms Justice Tara Burns thanked the jury for the attention and diligence they had given to the case. "It is obviously a very difficult time for the country in terms of the Covid problem and I'm very grateful for you coming in each day and giving us your service," she said.

The judge pointed out that this was a very difficult case which raised difficult issues. She exempted them from jury service for 15 years and wished them well in the coming weeks with regards to the pandemic.

Ms Justice Burns will hand down the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on October 2 and remanded Crawford in custody until that date.

She adjourned sentencing after counsel for the prosecution, John Fitzgerald SC, asked for time for reports to be submitted to the court. Crawford made no reaction when the verdict was delivered.

Ms Justice Burns said she wanted to commend both families for their conduct during the trial.

The O'Connor family obviously had to listen to very difficult evidence and conducted themselves in a very up-standing manner, she said, and she expressed her sympathy to them in relation to the loss they had suffered. "It must have been very difficult to watch CCTV footage [of] the moments before he was murdered," she added.

Barman Cyril O'Connor gave evidence in the trial that he saw Crawford "strike" the deceased in the neck but it was not until after the defendant left the pub that he saw the "horror" done. He also told the jury that blood was "flowing away" from the deceased man as he lay on his side in the Limerick bar.

Crawford told gardai in his interviews that he stabbed his friend in the pub after the deceased man insisted that he was owed 100, or a "oner", for cocaine.

The defendant said a flick-knife was given to him by another person in the Limerick bar over not "being from that side" of the city and said the "worst thing" he did was take the weapon.

Crawford told detectives that he did not know how many times he had stabbed the deceased. "He said I owed him a oner. I said I didn't have it. Before I knew it I had stabbed him," he explained.

For more Limerick news click here
The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 900,000 since the respiratory disease first appeared in China last year, according to an AFP tally.

As the fatalities climbed, US President Donald Trump admitted he had tried to minimise the seriousness of the Covid-19 threat at the start of the pandemic, in audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews with veteran journalist Bob Woodward.

Graphic charting the findings of a report on hospitalised young adults with Covid-19. By John SAEKI (AFP)

"I wanted to always play it down," Trump told Woodward on March 19, according to a CNN preview of the book "Rage", due to be published this month.

"I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," he said in the recorded conversation with Woodward.

There have been more than 27.7 million confirmed virus cases worldwide, according to an AFP count based on official statistics, with the worst-hit region Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by Europe.

US President Donald Trump admitted he had tried to minimise the seriousness of the Covid-19 threat at the start of the pandemic, in audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews with veteran journalist Bob Woodward. By POOL (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP)

The country with the most coronavirus deaths is the United States with over 190,000 fatalities, followed by Brazil.

With billions of people around the world still suffering from the fallout of the crisis, a worldwide race for a vaccine is underway, with nine companies already in late-stage Phase 3 trials.

However clinical trials on one of the most advanced experimental Covid-19 vaccines, which is being developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University, were "paused" this week after a volunteer developed an unexplained illness.

Russian trials 'too small'

Russia has already approved a vaccine and on Wednesday began inoculating volunteers in Moscow, the capital's deputy mayor said.

Russia announced last month that its vaccine, named "Sputnik V" -- after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957 -- had received approval.

China celebrated all but banishing the virus through lockdowns and travel restrictions that have officials touting a coronavirus success story. By NICOLAS ASFOURI (AFP)

Research published in The Lancet medical journal last week said patients involved in early tests in Russia developed antibodies with "no serious adverse events", although scientists cautioned the trials were too small.

High-profile Russians have already been vaccinated, including President Vladimir Putin's daughter, Moscow's mayor, and nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

Clinical trials of a Chinese-made vaccine in Brazil have shown "extremely positive" results, and a widespread vaccination campaign could begin as early as December, the governor of Sao Paulo state said.

AstraZeneca said it had "voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data", adding that in large-scale trials, illnesses will sometimes happen by chance, but must be reviewed independently.

India's top tourist attraction the Taj Mahal is set to reopen on September 21, officials said, more than six months after it was shut. By Pawan SHARMA (AFP)

David Lo, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of California, Riverside, told AFP the company's decision is not necessarily a setback.

"Probably right now it's just being cautious -- it's a pause, it's not the same thing as saying, 'We can't move forward'," said Lo.

"In some ways I'm quite relieved, it means they're really paying attention."

The volunteer may have experienced an adverse reaction already seen in earlier patients such as fever and soreness, but in a more severe form, Lo added.

'Standard process'

Britain's health minister Matt Hancock said it was not the first pause in the trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

"It's a standard process in clinical trials. There was a pause earlier in the summer and that was resolved without a problem," he told Sky News.

The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 900,000 since the respiratory disease first appeared in China last year. By ADITYA AJI (AFP/File)

China, meanwhile, put its homegrown vaccines on display for the first time at a Beijing trade fair this week, and authorities hope one will be approved for use by the end of the year.

The economic impact of the virus continues to wreak havoc on economies around the world, with governments desperate to get back to normality.

South Africa announced its economy had shrunk by more than half in the second quarter, as the epidemic took its toll on Africa's most industrialised state.

Latin America and the Caribbean surpassed 300,000 virus deaths. Argentina's caseload surpassed the half-million mark, while in Peru, which has the highest per capita coronavirus death rate in the world, fatalities climbed beyond 30,000.

burs-jxb-bfm/to/pvh/kaf
By Donald Kirk





NORFOLK, Va.  President Donald Trump is noted for his outrageous remarks, none more absurd than his claim to have averted another Korean War by meeting Kim Jong-un three times for nothing more than a bonanza of breathless media coverage.



But wait. Now he's gone a step further  one that may escape notice amid a wash of other news, including a report that he labelled thousands of Americans killed in war in Europe as "losers," even "suckers."



Actually, the Trumpster has denied repeatedly having made any such remark during a visit to France nearly two years ago in which bad weather purportedly forced the cancellation of a visit to a cemetery with the graves of 1,800 marines who died in the Battle of Belleau Wood in 1918. A lot of people, including the former national security adviser, John Bolton, who doesn't have much good to say about his ex-boss, were with him and agree with his impassioned denials of ever more "lies" about him.
A complaint has been filed against actor Kangana Ranaut for allegedly using foul language against Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, an official said on Thursday.

A non-cognisable offence has been registered against the 33-year-old actor at Vikhroli police station based on the complaint filed by Nitin Mane, a city-based advocate, the official said.

...we asked the complainant to approach court. No FIR was registered, Prashant Kadam, deputy commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone VII, said.

Ranauts recent remarks that she felt unsafe in Mumbai after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and a September 3 tweet likening Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have drawn sharp condemnation by ruling Shiv Sena leaders, who allege she insulted the city and its police force.

Also read: Kangana Ranaut takes a dig at Sonam Kapoor: Mafia bimbos have started to seek justice for Rhea Chakraborty

After the Mumbai civic body demolished parts of an office she owns, Ranaut criticised CM Uddhav Thackeray, a Sena leader. In a scathing video message posted on social media on Wednesday, she told the CM that the wheels of time will turn.

As a row raged, the Sena said the Kangana episode is a closed chapter. Sena leader and its chief spokesperson, Sanjay Raut, met party chief and CM Thackeray, but Raut denied that the meeting had anything to do with the controversy. What is left to discuss? The [Kangana] episode is over and we have forgotten about it already. We are back to our daily political, social and administrative work, Raut told reporters.

The Sena leadership, according to party insiders who did not want to be named, has directed its leaders and spokespersons not to engage in any verbal spat with the actor.

The action at Ranauts office was carried out by BMC. It has no connection with the Shiv Sena. BMC has their legal department. You can talk to the mayor or BMC commissioner about it, Raut said.

He dismissed reports that Congress president Sonia Gandhi called Thackeray over the issue. Do not spread such rumours. No such thing happened, he said.

Also read: In Sena Vs Kangana Ranaut, Ayodhya seers message for Uddhav Thackeray

The Nationalist Congress Partys Sharad Pawar  an ally of the Sena publicly questioned the timing of the BMC action on Wednesday even as he said the actors statements should not be given much importance.

Raut, however, downplayed Pawars statements and said, Whether it is Pawar saheb or Sonia ji, nobody has made any statement expressing disappointment [over the issue].

Meanwhile, Ranaut continued with her attack on the Sena, accusing it of diluting its ideology. ...after losing elections ShivSena shamelessly made milavat sarkar and turned in to Sonia Sena, she tweeted, referring to the Congress president and the Senas tie-up with the Congress.

How many voices will you suppress? Till when you will run away from the truth, you are nothing but an example of dynasty, she said in another tweet, apparently referring to Thackeray.

Raut chose not to respond to the posts but said: I dont know what she tweets. I have not seen them. We do not read them, we only read Saamana.

Sena mouthpiece Saamana, which is edited by Raut, carried a page one story with headline ukhaad lia (demolished it)  a reference to the action by BMC, which is controlled by the party.

NOTICE TO MALHOTRA

Ranauts neighbour and fashion designer, Manish Malhotra, meanwhile, was issued a show-cause notice on Monday over alleged illegal construction in his Pali Hill bungalow. He was given seven days to reply. At the time of going to press, Malhotra had not responded to HTs calls and messages. The notice, a copy of which is with HT, mentions four alleged violations. It asked Malhotra to show sufficient evidence explaining why the unauthorised construction should not be pulled down in seven days.
Proceedings at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting in Parliament have exposed poor accounting and weak control systems in some state institutions, leading to loss of state funds.



When some institutions under the ministries of Transport and Aviation appeared before PAC yesterday to respond to queries in the Auditor-Generals report of 2017, it was established that poor financial management and improper record-keeping remained a hurdle to be cleared to ensure the judicious use of public resources.



The institutions that appeared before the PAC were the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), the Government Technical Training Centre (GTTC), the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL).



While some of the institutions failed to ensure best corporate practices to prevent waste, weak accounting systems in others paved the way for some officials to misappropriate funds.



Misappropriation at GTTC



For instance, when the GTTC took its turn in the hot seat, it came to light that two of its officials had misappropriated GH65,368 between 2011 and 2016.



Although the Auditor-General's report asked the GTTC to recover the misappropriated amount with interest, it had been able to retrieve only GH30,100, leaving a balance of GH35,268.



The Principal of GTTC, Mr. Emmanuel Kwafo Offei, explained to the committee that further probe into the issue had revealed that the two officials, identified as Messrs Yorke and Anim, were responsible for misappropriating GH30,100 and it had been retrieved from them.



He added that other officials before them had contributed to the mystery behind the remaining GH35,268.



The principal, however, said after those other officials had been contacted after the query by the Auditor-General, some receipts covering the remaining GH35,268 had been found.



After a period of back and forth between GTTC officials and PAC members, the Chairman of the committee, Mr. James Klutse Avedzi, directed that the Ghana Audit Service should vet the receipts to ascertain their veracity and report to the committee.



Other infractions



The GTTC was also cited for printing receipt books without authorisation and using them to transact business.



Additionally, the centre was cited for not recording receipt books in the stock register.



Moreover, it was found to have charged unapproved fees.



Mr. Offei admitted those lapses and said the centre had taken steps to address the weaknesses, as recommended by the Auditor-General.



GPHA



For its part, the GPHA was found to have used over GH1.3 million to purchase clothes for its staff without a proper report on the transaction.

The authority was also queried for receiving inventory items for more than six months without accounting for them.



The GPHA officials, led by its Director-General, Mr. Michael Luguje, explained that there was an arrangement between the management of the authority and the staff to pre-fund the cost of the fabrics.



He said there was a delay in accounting for the transaction before the audit exercise was conducted, noting that the amount had subsequently been retrieved from the staff in full.



Keta Port



The Minister of Transport, Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, who was at the PAC to support the transport sector agencies, gave an assurance that the government was on course to seeing to the construction of the Keta Port.



He said a consortium of consultants, led by a German firm, was currently carrying out feasibility studies on the project.



"Per the discussions we had with them, they are supposed to present the report to us from the last quarter of this year to the first quarter of 2021 and we hope that by December this year we will get the final feasibility study which will determine the infrastructure needs of the place and go to the market for them," he said.



Mr. Asiamah made this known when the Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta, Mr. Richard Quashigah, asked a question on what the government was doing about the project.



The minister stressed that the government was committed to ensuring that the project was completed, but said due diligence and quality would not be compromised in the haste to do it.



"For now, we are on feasibility studies, and in some jurisdictions this can take between two and four years; you do not segregate this stage from putting up the infrastructure," he said.



Explaining further, he said the government was looking forward to executing the project on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis to allow for a would-be investor to put up the place.



Due diligence



When Mr. Quashigah drew the ministers attention to a feasibility project that was conducted on the Keta Port project in 2015, the minister made the case that the study was done by a private entity and the government could not rely on that to put up the port.



He said the feasibility studies being conducted by the consultants was not to determine whether the area was fit for a port or not, as the GPHA had already done some work in that regard.



"We contracted the consultants to determine the level of infrastructure that can be put there and not whether the place is suitable for a port or not, he said.



Mr. Asiamah defended the decision by the government to appoint a Director for the Keta Port, saying that it was a prudent move that would facilitate work on the project.



Asked if the director had an operational office, he said he (director) shuttled between the Transport Ministry and the GPHA and also went to the Keta Municipal Assembly when there was work to do there.

Source: Graphiconline.com









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A North Carolina teen pleads guilty to stabbing his older sister. The 17-year-old Claude Henderson II is now sentenced to prison for charges of second-degree murder.

The North Carolina teen will serve 16-25 years in the Department of Adult Corrections.

The older sister, Kayla Dezaray Hensley, was killed by his younger brother in 2017.

READ ALSO: Florida Dad Kills 11-Year-Old Daughter Who Was Terminally Ill, Then Commits Suicide





The death of the older sister

Last November 11, 2017, the older sister's body was found close to a dumpster in Buncombe Country. The body was near a mobile park home.

When Kayla's body was found, there were lacerations to her neck. She was believed to be killed by the perpetrator inside their family home.

Reports about the crime also disclosed that authorities recovered pocket knives and a box cutter in the Hensley's residence. These items were filed as evidence, along with a canvas belt found around the older sister's neck.

When the authorities interviewed Kayla's younger brother, he confessed that he was the one who killed his older sister.

The North Carolina teen was only fourteen years old during that time.

READ ALSO: Suspect to Horrible Shooting of Four Cousins in Michigan Now in Police Custody





The charges against the North Carolina teen

After his admission of guilt to authorities, Kayla's younger brother was immediately charged with first-degree murder.

Despite this, a forensic psychiatric evaluation, which the defense initiated, questioned the North Carolina teen's intent to kill his older sister. The question was whether the younger brother has a specific goal to plot and plan before the murder. His immaturity, youth, and other diagnostic factors were also taken into account.

Because of these matters, the charge of first-degree murder was changed to second-degree murder. That is because, unlike a first-degree murder that requires a particular intent to commit a crime, second-degree murder does not need proof of intention and planning.

READ ALSO: Family of Chicago Man Shot by Police Looks for Answers and Bodycam Footage





The slain daughter was her mother's hero.

In 2017, when the older sister was killed, her mother, Susan Maltry, shared how much she loves her 18-year-old daughter. She even said that she considers Kayla as her hero.

In the statement that Maltry shared with WLOS, she said that Kayla was sunshine to many people.

The mom also shared that her daughter has been through a lot since she was born. The 18-year-old daughter was born with CP, and Susan was initially informed that Kayla could never walk. However, Kayla was able to walk.

The older sister also had hearing problems; she was born deaf but had the chance to hear when she had her cochlear implants.

The mom said in her statement, "She was an amazing girl! There's nothing I could say to make people see how truly blessed I was to have her in my life."

READ ALSO: Pregnant woman shot to death while pushing 1-year-old daughter in a stroller
Last Wednesday, students and staff at the University of Iowa staged a sickoutin which hundreds of instructors and students called in sickto demonstrate against the universitys homicidal policy of continuing in-person education. Over 900 instructors and students signed a pledge to call in sick in support of the protest. Despite limited organization, the sickout represented a genuine and brave stand of opposition by students and teachers against the universitys deadly reopening plans.

The sickout was publicized just four days in advance, over the anonymous Twitter and Instagram pages @uiowasickout. The sole demand was for the school to transition to 100 percent online classes.

The protests come on the heels of a massive increase in cases on the campus, as well as the state of Iowa more broadly. On Tuesday the University of Iowa released updated COVID-19 statistics, revealing that an additional 220 students and three employees had self-reported positive tests. After only two weeks of class, the total number of infections is 1,589. Similarly, at Iowa State University there have been 1,475 confirmed positive cases since August 1.

The seven-day average of new cases for the state of Iowa is now 259 per 100,000 residents, the nation's second-highest. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported a 28.8 percent positive rate in testing for COVID-19. On Tuesday, 588 individuals tested positive, bringing the state total to over 70,000 positive cases. To date, 1,180 residents of Iowa have died from COVID-19.

There are currently 78 University of Iowa students with the virus who are self-isolating on campus; an additional 24 students are in quarantine. The University of Iowa has more than 30,000 students and 30,000 employees, meaning tens of thousands of workers and students are at risk of contracting the deadly respiratory virus. Johnson County, Iowa, where the university is located, reported Monday a 14-day average positivity rate of 22.8 percent.

Despite the startling growth in cases after only one week of classes and the opposition by teachers and students manifested in the sickout, the University of Iowa administration remains determined to continue holding face-to-face classes. Currently, as many as 25 percent of credit hours are still in-person.

According to the University of Iowa faculty, the administration sent out two threatening emails last Tuesday evening in an attempt to stop the sickout. The first was to COGS, the graduate student union, reminding them of their obligation to the university to be in the classroom. The second email was to faculty.

The latter email admonished faculty and students for demonstrating against the intransigent administration and threatened faculty with reprisal. The statement claimed that teachers withholding labor over deadly workplace conditions constitutes violating contractual obligations.

The email, signed by the university provost, Kevin Kregel, reads: While the university acknowledges individuals concerns about in-person instruction, I strongly disagree with the planned manner of expressing those concerns. I respectfully remind you that as role models, you have an obligation to deliver instruction as assigned, and to provide appropriate notice of absences due to illness. The email continued by outlining the universitys plan for a safe reopening, a plan, which should be noted, has led to one of the worst campus COVID-19 outbreaks in the world.

The administration has done everything in its power to ensure in-person learning and large lectures continue. The enormous response from students and faculty to the revelations of the virus outbreaks has demonstrated in no uncertain terms how they regard the administrations homicidal policies.

Students and faculty responded with strong support for the sickout, while there was widespread feeling that a one-day sickout was inadequate to bring about the demand for 100 percent online instruction. Many of those who spoke to the World Socialist Web Site called for a broader struggle.

One instructor told our reporters: Im proud of the students and faculty for standing up to the blatant intimidation tactics of the university, and for calling out the administrations hypocrisy in stating theyre continuing in-person classes. This was a one-day targeted action and it needs to be repeated in every school and workplace being forced back to work, not just as a sickout but as a general strike to protect our lives from the out-of-control virus.

On Facebook, a parent shared the experience of a daughter who is a student and works in one of the universitys science labs: She works in the lab prepping and ensuring safety rules are followed. She went to work/lab today and was sent home because her lab co-worker tested positive and my child is with her a lot. They wear all the safety gear plus the cloth masks so it is doubtful my daughter got it from her. As bad as Iowa City is, I know it is just a matter of time until she gets it.

Cole, a sophomore at University of Iowa, told the WSWS, I did receive emails from some of the professors talking about the sickout. I think this is a good idea to bring attention to the issue. If my in-person class was that day I would not have attended.

He continued, My in-person class is not that large but still I feel like its too much of a risk, but I dont want to fall behind so I just attend. I support what was done. They are acting like the professors and students can manage this global pandemic that has killed so many by being mindful. If one student dies from this its going to blow up in their faces.

Sarah, a senior, stated, It is ridiculous we have about 3.5 percent of the entire student population having been tested positive since school began a week and a half ago. How is this not enough to go fully online? I keep being surprised by the way that the smart guys in the room continue to come up with dumb policies. I think we have to do something more than just a one-day sickout.

Kathleen, a University of Iowa graduate worker, shared through Facebook that she was only allowed to move her classes online after struggling to fill out tons of paperwork and disclosing personal health information. My concerns are not for my personal situation, she said. Im concerned for my colleagues, and graduate students having to go into classes where there really isnt enough space and the conditions arent really appropriate.

In response to the original report on the University of Iowa sickout published by the World Socialist Web Site, John Jepsen, the president of the Graduate Student Union COGS/UE Local 896, wrote to the WSWS alleging that our report on COGSs refusal to endorse the sickout was a misrepresentation.

COGS had written in a letter to the university administration that UE Local 896 COGS thanks you for informing us and our bargaining unit about an alleged plan for people to call in sick on Wednesday. We want to assure you that UE Local 896 COGS did not plan and will not sanction this event.

Jepsens letter to the WSWS only underscores this position, making the case that COGS cannot endorse the sickout or else risk the organization being immediately decertified as the bargaining representative of Graduate Workers at the University of Iowa. Rather than excuse COGS/EU for their actions, this only clarifies the role of the union in suppressing the struggles of workers and being wholly incapable of defending their most basic rights.

Students and teachers at the University of Iowa are being forced to work in the middle of a deadly pandemic at the center of one of the worst outbreaks in the country. If COGS cannot call for a strike under these conditions, where graduate students could very well die, then what good are they to the workers they ostensibly represent? What do graduate student workers gain by paying dues to an organization that is complicit in sending them to catch a deadly pathogen?

While COGS has issued statements calling for classes to be moved online, it stops short at any mobilization of students and workers which could actually achieve those ends. This is not for lack of will and determination among the rank-and-file graduate students, many of whom participated in the sickout.

Graduate workers will find no way forward through COGS and the trade unions to which it is affiliated. This is literally a life-and-death question. Graduate students, together with undergraduates, full-time faculty, Iowa public school teachers, and the broader working class must form rank-and-file committees to demand that in-person classes and other non-essential workplaces remain closed until a return to work has been determined by scientific evidence to be safe.

Only by a complete break with the Republicans, Democrats and trade unions can workers assert their rights and interests. Educators and students in Iowa should follow the example of teachers in Detroit, Florida, Texas and other states who have formed rank-and-file safety committees to demand schools stay closed.

Following the sickout at the University of Iowa, graduate student opposition to the reopening of campuses has already spread. Over 1,000 graduate students at the University of Michigan have gone on strike in opposition to the unsafe return for in-person learning. These struggles must be deepened and expanded to all sections of the working class, including meatpackers, auto workers, and immigrant workers in preparation for a nationwide general strike.

The Socialist Equality Party and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality call on all Iowa teachers, students, and workers to contact us and join the Educators Rank and File Safety Committee today.
New Delhi:

Following a stern message by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj over sale of doormats depicting the tricolour, Amazon on Thursday expressed regret for offending Indian sentiments and informed her about removal of the product from its Canadian website.

In a letter to Swaraj, Vice President and Country Manager of Amazon India Amit Agarwal said, I am writing in connection with the products that carried the Indian flag, as referred to in your tweet...

Amazon India is committed to respecting Indian laws and customs. To the extent that these items offered by a third-party seller in Canada offended Indian sensibilities, Amazon regrets the same. At no time did we intend or mean to offend Indian sentiments.

He also said Amazon remains steadfastly committed to India, as evident by CEO Jeff Bezos announcement last year of companys plans to invest USD five billion in India.

We value immensely our relationship with the Indian government, the countrys entrepreneurs and innovators, an most importantly our Indian customers and employees, Agarwal said.

Yesterday, after she received a complaint about Amazon Canada selling doormats depicting Indian flag on its site, Swaraj reacted sharply and asked the e-retailer to withdraw the products and tender an unconditional apology, failing which no official of Amazon will be granted Indian visa and the ones issued earlier will also be rescinded.

The minister had also asked the Indian Embassy to take up the matter with Amazon Canada.

After the strong protests, the e-retail giant on Thurday removed the offensive article from its Canadian website.

In a series of tweets, Swaraj had expressed her anger at the sale of such an offensive doormat by Amazon, which is seeking a big presence in India.

Amazon must tender unconditional apology. They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately.

If this is not done forthwith, we will not grant Indian Visa to any Amazon official. We will also rescind the Visas issued earlier, Swaraj had said in her tweets.

Tweeting Agarwals response to Swaraj, the MEA Spokesperson said, In response to EAM @SushmaSwarajs tweet, @amazon writes to her, expresses regret at hurting Indian sensibilities, pulls offending item.

Also read: Amazon Canada removes doormats with tricolour after Sushma's warning, but British flag doormats available on Amazon India

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
A unidentified man walks out from under the Kensington Avenue bridge as police evict people living on the street in Philadelphia on May 30, 2018. Read more

On Wednesday, Philadelphia Municipal Court President Judge Patrick Dugan gave renters who were about to be evicted out of their homes a two-week delay. His order, like the one issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week, hours after Gov. Tom Wolfs moratorium expired, is good news. But the endless loop of moratoriums and expirations is a piecemeal approach to a serious problem with the potential to undermine all the progress Philadelphia achieved in reducing COVID-19 infection.

The court order instructs the landlord tenant officer, the court-appointed officer who delivers final notice and execute evictions, to delay any lockouts until Sept. 23. It also limits the number of final notices that can be served on those two weeks. With the final notice, tenants will receive information on the CDC order that requires them to complete a formal declaration in order to have the eviction process halted.

According to a University of Pennsylvania epidemiological simulation, every 70 evicted households would correspond with at least one extra COVID-19 death. By delaying all lockouts, Judge Dugan contributed to the efforts to suppress the pandemics hold on the city.

But what happens when that two-week delay expires? The court should take some critical steps to reduce uncertainty and ensure that tenants arent falling between the cracks.

The more than 300 households that received final notice already before the court closed in March, and hence can be locked out starting on the 23rd, might not be aware of the new timeline. The last communication they received from the court was months ago about an earlier moratorium. The court should make concentrated outreach to these tenants  and keep in mind that mail is currently experiencing significant delays and does not ensure receipt.

 READ MORE: Evicted without warning: How Phillys troubled system leaves some tenants blindsided and locked out of their homes.

Including information on the CDC moratorium with the final notice is good, as long as it gets to tenants. In July, this board exposed concerns that tenants dont receive the crucial final notice. The delivery of the notice is the only step of the process that is not memorialized in the public docket. The court claims that receipts of service exist, so uploading them should be an easy step to increase transparency. (On Thursday, Councilmember Helen Gym introduced a resolution calling on City Council to hold a hearing on this matter.)

The court should also translate all materials about the CDC eviction moratorium to multiple languages. Currently, the only declaration that is available on the courts website is in English.

Finally, the court should take an active role in promoting Philadelphias Eviction Diversion Program that can resolve landlord-tenant disputes outside the court. City law requires that landlords attempt mediation through the program before filing an eviction. To ensure compliance, the court could require landlords to sign an affidavit that they attempted diversion before filing.

 READ MORE: CDCs eviction moratorium is critical relief, but it doesnt let states off the hook | Editorial

Rent relief, not technicalities, will actually prevent the eviction avalanche that is heading our way  and making sure that relief gets to all those who need it is the responsibility of state lawmakers. Keeping communities stable during a pandemic benefits tenants, landlords, and Philadelphia as a whole  and Municipal Court should be an active partner in this effort.
The University of Southern Californias Marshall School of Business dean is on the defensive after receiving widespread backlash for his handling of an incident in which a communications professor at the school used a Chinese word that sounded like a slur in English, a new email obtained by National Review shows.

Professor Greg Patton was giving a lecture about the use of filler words in speech during a recent online class when he used the word in question, saying, If you have a lot of ums and errs, this is culturally specific, so based on your native language. Like in China, the common word is that, that, that. So in China it might be nei ge, nei ge, nei ge.

A group of students who identified themselves as Black MBA Candidates c/o 2022 complained to university administration in an email, accusing the professor of pronouncing the Chinese word in a way that resembled the N-word approximately five times during the lesson in each of his three communication classes and said he offended all of the Black members of our Class.

The incident led the university to assign another instructor to Pattons class while he agreed to take a short term pause while we are reviewing to better understand the situation and to take any appropriate next steps, according to a statement from USC to Campus Reform.

After an online petition to Re-instate USC Marshall Professor Greg Patton collected more than 11,000 signatures and a group of more than 100 global alumni signed a letter criticizing the universitys treatment of Patton, dean Geoff Garrett sent an email to Marshall staff on Wednesday saying that he wanted to offer some clarification about the situation, because some of the reporting about the situation has been inaccurate.

The email had two attached letters  one from the dean and another from provost Charles Zukoski on behalf of the dean and the president.

In Garretts letter, dated September 6, he claimed It was absolutely not my intention to cast any aspersions on specific Mandarin words or on Mandarin generally.

Story continues

The student complaints we received had nothing to do with the Mandarin language but focused on the use of a polarizing example Professor Patton used when trying to make a reasonable and important point about communication, he continued. In his apology to students, he noted he could have chosen a better example to illustrate his point.

Patton had apologized in an email last month, saying he had received positive feedback on the lesson in years past but accepted blame for failing to realize all the many different additional ways that a particular example may be heard across audiences members based on their own lived experiences.

Garrett went on to say that Patton agreed to not finish out the accelerated course that ended last week and that administration is following standard university procedures to explore the complaints students have raised.

The provosts letter echoed Garretts: the course was scheduled to run for three weeks and, after student complaints were lodged, the professor volunteered to step away for the final two weeks. He was not dismissed nor suspended nor was his status changed. We are required to investigate all complaints and have a thorough process for doing so which we began immediately.

The complaints occurred in a course in communication across cultural lines, the provost continued. Its purpose is to prepare students to be successful in business around the world. There is no intent to impose U.S. cultural norms on communications in other languages and cultures.

Zukoski finished by assuring that the universitys internal procedures are fair and appropriate.

However, in an initial August 24 email, the dean had apologized for Pattons use of a Chinese word that sounds very similar to a vile racial slur in English, saying understandably, this caused great pain and upset among students.

It is simply unacceptable for faculty to use words in class that can marginalize, hurt and harm the psychological safety of our students, he wrote. We must and we will do better.

He added that he was deeply saddened by this disturbing episode that has caused such anguish and trauma.

The deans initial apology was in response to the group of students alleging that Patton had purposely mispronounced the word and that the phrase should always be identified as a phonetic homonym and a racial derogatory term, and should be carefully used.

Our mental health has been affected, the group wrote. It is an uneasy feeling allowing him to have the power over our grades. We would rather not take his course than to endure the emotional exhaustion of carrying on with an instructor that disregards cultural diversity and sensitivities and by extension creates an unwelcome environment for us Black students.

The dean announced his reconsidered stance only after alumni of more than a dozen nationalities and ethnicities sent a letter standing behind Patton.

Most of us are Chinese, some ethnically, some by nationality, and many others have spent extensive time in China, the letter reads. Most of us live in China. We unanimously recognize Prof Pattons use of nei ge as an accurate rendition of common Chinese use, and an entirely appropriate and quite effective illustration of the use of pauses. Prof Patton used this example and hundreds of others in our classes over the years, providing richness, relevance and real world impact.

The group continued: We are also deeply disappointed that the spurious charge has the additional feature of casting insult toward the Chinese language, the most spoken in the world, and characterized it and its usage as vile. We feel Marshall should be open to diversity in all areas  not only those areas convenient for the moment. We further suggest that any attempt to degrade this matter and suggest that a Chinese word different in sound, tone, accent, context and language itself is exactly like an offensive US term would be naive, a disgusting and intentional stretch and would further degrade important societal discussion.

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The British pound calmed on Thursday after whipsawing the day before as investors tried to understand whether a British bill to undercut the Brexit divorce deal would cause the European Union to leave the negotiating table.

Britain and the EU will hold emergency talks at 1200 GMT, in addition to ongoing negotiations this week.

After Britain stated that by passing the Internal Market Bill it would act outside international law by breaching the divorce treaty, EU negotiators are trying to gauge how to deal with London.

Goldman Sachs analysts think the UK government's moves are intended to extract "concessions on the UKs ability to diverge from EU regulatory standards while still enjoying zero-tariff/zero-quota access to EU markets" after the transition period ends this year.

Britain left the EU in January, but is now in a transition period during which it has access to EU markets. It was given a year to agree a new trade deal with the EU.

Goldman Sachs expects "the perceived probability of a breakdown in negotiations to escalate over the coming weeks," but its base case remains a "thin" free trade agreement that steers both sides back from the brink.

The bloc could take legal action under the treaty with Britain if emergency talks on Thursday do not reassure Brussels sufficiently that a proposed new British law will not break agreed commitments.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday any potential U.S.-UK trade deal would not pass the U.S. Congress if Britain undermines the Good Friday Agreement as it exits the EU.

The Good Friday Agreement - which ended conflict in Northern Ireland - lies at the heart of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, which if undercut would cause tensions at the Irish border.

Britain hopes to forge trade deals with the United States and China after its departure from the bloc. Signing agreements with other countries alone was one of the reasons Britain said it wanted out of the EU.

Overnight sterling implied volatility rose to 13% , its highest since March 26, when markets were in turmoil because of the coronavirus pandemic. Higher implied vols suggests traders are adding options contracts to protect against unexpected moves in the currency.

Implied volatility gauges for other maturities were also elevated, including the six-month options contracts - comprising the end of the transition period - which stood close to its highest since mid-May.

The pound was last up 0.2% at $1.3027 on a weaker U.S. dollar, having fallen on Wednesday to a six-week low of $1.2885. Versus the euro, sterling traded flat at 90.84 pence .

"Despite the recent sterling fall and given the prior market complacency, we estimate that only a limited degree of risk premium is priced into the currency, allowing for further sterling downside," said ING analysts in a note to clients.

ING forecasts that euro/sterling will break the multi-month high of 91.76 pence in coming days, it said.

Latest data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed that hedge funds were slightly long the British currency, which could open the door to more declines if those longs were to be unwound. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The Bachelor #24 alum Victoria Fuller announced Wednesday that she ended her five-month romance with The Bachelor #19 Chris Soules, who apparently wanted her to move to his native Iowa.

'I'm not moving to Iowa anytime soon,' the Virginia-born 26-year-old told The Viall Files.

'He is an amazing man and he deserves somebody super awesome who's willing to go to Iowa and live in Iowa and right now, I'm not there yet. Maybe I will be in a couple [of] years.'

'I'm not moving to Iowa anytime soon': The Bachelor #24 alum Victoria Fuller (R) announced Wednesday that she ended her five-month romance with The Bachelor #19 Chris Soules (L), who apparently wanted her to move to his native Iowa (pictured June 20)

The Virginia-born 26-year-old told The Viall Files: 'He is an amazing man and he deserves somebody super awesome who's willing to go to Iowa and live in Iowa and right now, I'm not there yet. Maybe I will be in a couple [of] years'

Victoria said she still talks to the 38-year-old fourth-generation farmer 'all the time' but she's 'in a different place than he is' at the moment.

'I just want to focus on myself right now,' Fuller explained. 'I'm not a farmer, but I know a lot about f***ing corn now.'

The medical sales rep began quarantining with Chris in April three weeks after being connected by his former prospective bride, Kelsey Weier.

'[Kelsey] basically just, like, set it up and he ended up texting me within like five minutes of her giving him my number,' Victoria recalled.

Victoria said she still talks to the 38-year-old fourth-generation farmer 'all the time' but she's 'in a different place than he is' at the moment

Fuller explained: 'I just want to focus on myself right now. I'm not a farmer, but I know a lot about f***ing corn now'

'He ended up texting me within like five minutes of her giving him my number': The medical sales rep began quarantining with Chris in April three weeks after being connected by his former prospective bride, Kelsey Weier (pictured August 29)

Host: Victoria technically taped her 75-minute interview with The Bachelor #21 Nick Viall (L) a week ago, and afterwards they had an al fresco lunch date together at Joan's On Third

'I was like that's so sweet. So he immediately texted me and then we FaceTimed and we talked to each other on the phone and through text and then three weeks later I was in Iowa.'

Fuller technically taped her 75-minute interview with The Bachelor #21 Nick Viall a week ago, and afterwards they had an al fresco lunch date together at Joan's On Third.

The M.A. Econ student said she was so 'alike' to Soules, and the ex-couple both managed to avoid serving prison time for their respective brushes with the law back in 2017.

Victoria got one-year supervised probation and paid $461 in various fines and court fees after pleading guilty to a DUI in 2017.

His and her mugshots: Fuller said she was so 'alike' to Soules (R), and the ex-couple both managed to avoid serving prison time for their respective brushes with the law back in 2017

White Lives Matter: The M.A. Econ student previously made headlines in February apologizing for modeling for George Lamplugh's now-defunct WLM Apparel Clothing

Chris received two years probation for a hit and run killing a 66-year-old Iowa man, and his parents helped pay a $2.5M settlement to the victim's family.

Fuller also previously made headlines in February apologizing for modeling for George Lamplugh's now-defunct WLM (White Lives Matter) Apparel Clothing.

The Bachelor Nation baddie first found fame scoring third place on ABC dating competition to win the heart of pilot Peter Weber in the 24th season of The Bachelor.
Oregon is being swept by likely the most deadly and destructive fires in its history, Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday.

"I want to be upfront with Oregonians," Brown said. "This could be the greatest loss of life and structures due to wildfire in state history."

As of noon Wednesday, 47 active fires covering 374,522 acres were burning in Oregon, according to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

Early reports indicate that the towns of Detroit in Marion County, Blue River and Vida in Lane County, and Phoenix and Talent in Southern Oregon, are substantially destroyed, the governor said.

State officials said they had no number yet on casualties, but they were expected. Mortuary units from the Oregon National Guard are being activated.

The fires continue to burn largely unchallenged as firefighters concentrate on evacuating people to safety.

"We are having limited success," said Doug Grafe, with the Department of Forestry. "Most I would put at zero percent containment."

Brown said that towns along the western facing valleys of the Santiam River, McKenzie River and Rogue River had been destroyed.

The largest blaze is the Santiam/Beachie Creek Fire, at 132,450 acres burned east of Salem. It is zero percent contained. The Lionshead Fire has burned 109,222 acres. Fire officials said they expected the fires in the Santiam River area to combine into one large blaze.

About 3,000 firefighters are deployed.

"I would expect that to scale up over next 24 hours as we get on the offense on these fires," Grafe said.

But reinforcements are not plentiful because fires across the western United States are breaking out at the same time.

"The national system is absolutely strained," Grafe said. "We have to work with what we have."

Much of eastern Lane County has been under evacuation orders because of the Holiday Farm Fire. Residents in Leaburg, Walterville, Camp Creek and portions of the Mohawk Valley were ordered to leave. In Marion County, Scotts Mills and Stayton remain under Level 3 "go now" evacuations. Sublimity, Aumsville and Silverton are at Level 2 "be ready."

The Almeda Street Fire reportedly began as a small blaze in grass adjacent to Interstate 5 south of Medford. It burned north, destroying homes and other structures in Phoenix and Talent. All residents of Jackson County are currently under a Level 1 "get ready" evacuation order. A second, smaller fire, was reported in Eagle Point.

Brown pointed to the unpredictability of the blazes as a warning for residents across the state to be ready if evacuation orders are given.

"Fire can be very fickle," she said, adding that if ordered to evacuate, "please leave  you may not get another chance."

The Devil, Slater and Bailey fires were burning just across the California state line. The Auburn, Woodhead and Mann fires are burning in Idaho near the Oregon border.

At least seven active fires were burning on the Washington side of the Columbia River, between Long Beach in the west and Paterson in the east.

Fires are also burning on the west side of the coastal range, with evacuations ordered in parts of Lincoln County, including parts of Lincoln City.

The National Guard has been operating seven aircraft to support the firefighting. These include HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. Two are doing medical evacuation, the rest are firefighting.

Six CH-47 Chinook helicopters with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment had been sent to Afghanistan to support military operations. The Chinooks are normally the largest firefighting helicopter.

Grafe said the state had enough aircraft to meet its needs and that the high winds and dense smoke were keeping many on the ground for now.

Evacuations will continue to be the main focus until at least Thursday.

Life safety is our number one priority, said Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps.

Delaying as fire races toward a community is not an option.

"Once that Level 3 evacuation order comes, you have to get out, there is no time left," Phelps said.

Red Cross evacuation centers have been set up at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Taft High School in Lincoln City, Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, Thurston High School in Eugene, Douglas County Fairgrounds in Roseburg and Clackamas Community College in Oregon City.

Brown said state and local officials are working to disperse evacuees and not have them congregate in one spot, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Red Cross centers are the staging area for relief efforts and evacuees are being urged to register with the Red Cross so that they can be found by friends and family.

Seventeen new large fires started Tuesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Nationwide, 96 large fires have burned more than 3.4 million acres. Just under 2 million acres are burning in California alone.

There is currently an Air Quality Alert for the Oregon Coast, Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon. Hazardous Air Quality is also reported in Florence, Corvallis and Silverton.

Good air quality is reported in Bend, while Moderate Air Quality is reported in Sisters and Madras. Air quality was moderate in locations in Eastern Oregon along the I-84 corridor.

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A Canadian news anchor has hit back at a viewer who criticized her for showing 'too much cleavage' and warned that 'this generation of women doesn't stand for harassment of any kind'.

Kori Sidaway, a journalist for CHEK News in Victoria, took to Twitter to share the scathing email she received from a critic asking her to 'dress appropriately' on air.

She said she refused to bow down to the 'body shaming' and instead was 'taking her power back' by sharing the message.

Twitter users rushed to support the journalist and reassure her that she looked 'beautiful' and professional while on their screens.

Canadian news anchor Kori Sidaway has hit back at a viewer who criticized her for showing 'too much cleavage' while broadcasting in this outfit

Kori, a journalist for CHEK News in Victoria, shared the scathing message she received from a critic asking her to 'dress appropriately' on Twitter this week, with the above caption

'This screenshot was sent to me and pretty much all my colleagues in my newsroom in an attempt to strategically shame and police my body,' Kori wrote on her social media accounts, while sharing a screengrab of the email and the image that her critic sent.

'Unfortunately this happens quite often with women working in the public eye, but this was one of the worst.

'To the nameless keyboard warrior(s) who try to reduce women in media, in politics, in whatever workplace, in public or at home  into an outfit or a body part  just a warning, this generation of women doesn't stand for harassment of any kind.'

She revealed that the email was sent with two attachments: the first was a photo of Kori during a news segment in which she wore a white V-neck blouse with a colorful necklace.

The email (left) was sent with an image of Kori on the show, and a photo of a woman in a much more revealing garment (right) - with the sender suggesting that is how Kori looked on-screen

Kori, who is a weekend reporter for CHEK news and has been on TV screens in Canada for two years, shared the post on Tuesday and it has already received more than 4,500 likes

The second image showed a woman's cleavage in a much more revealing garment, with the sender suggesting the audience at home perceived Kori's look in this way.

'Breaking news. Too much cleavage can break your news story. Don't let it happen to you. Episode: Sunday September 6, 5-7pm,' the unnamed person wrote.

'Attached are two photos. What you think we see and what we actually see. Dress appropriately, it was hard work to get there. Thanks, Vancouver Island Cleavage Patrol.'

Kori, a weekend reporter for CHEK news who has been on TV screens in Canada for two years, shared the post on Tuesday and it has already received more than 4,500 likes.

Social media users (above) offered their support for the journalist, with some fellow TV reporters even revealing their own instances of body shaming

Kori thanked her followers for making her 'feel so much less alone, so supported and so much more empowered' (pictured)

Social media users offered their support for the journalist, with some fellow TV reporters even revealing their own instances of body shaming.

'Back when I was anchoring - like back in the 90's (the olden days), I was told to always wear long sleeves because my bare arms were too provocative. My. Bare. Arms!' wrote one person.

Another Twitter user said: 'Strange message Kori, perhaps it was terrible attempt at humour. Nevertheless it was in poor taste. I enjoy your newscasts and hope that you dont let this negativity spoil your day.'

A third added: The top is beautiful and there was nothing wrong with it. The keyboard critics need to shut up because no one cares about their antiquated ideas or sexist opinions. Women journalists arent there to be ogled, were there to do our job. Full stop.'

Kori thanked her followers for making her 'feel so much less alone, so supported and so much more empowered'. 'You helped take my lemon and made lemonade,' she added.
MOGADISHU  The Deputy Sector One Commander who doubles as Deputy Uganda Contingent Commander in Somalia, Col John Winston Mugarura, has commissioned a brick making machine at the marine workshop in Basecamp, from where it was fabricated by a UPDF Officer in conjunction with three other colleagues.

A Uganda Peoples Defence Forces  Airforce (UPDF -AF) officer serving under Battle Group Twenty-Eight as a Raven Commander, Lt Chris Collins, conceived the idea to make the machine.

The machine was made in a period of five weeks from 12 May 2020, a time around which COVID-19 lockdown started at the Base Camp.

While narrating the genesis of his idea, Lt Collins said that the desire to construct his own house in Uganda compelled him to seek for a way to minimize the cost of making bricks. Collins shared the idea with the Marine maintenance officer, Capt. Gideon Kyeyune and with further research on the internet, they jointly fabricated the machine with the help of two other soldiers.

The manually operated machine can produce three types of bricks with each requiring its own mold set.

The bricks include interlocking stabilized soil bricks, pavers of different shapes and plain stabilized soil bricks. While the machine can produce two bricks per cycle and is operated by two to three people, all the said bricks are made by setting the machine to the respective mold.

Collins further explains that in a bag of cement, one is able to mix 7 to 8 wheelbarrows of subsoil, with which they will be able to make 130 to 150 bricks.

Lt Collins says he intends to take the machine to Uganda and use it to make different bricks as well as help soldiers who would want to construct their houses with the said bricks. The bricks will be made at their construction site, since the machine can be transported there.

We got a chance to create this during the covid-19 lockdown, so since we were not moving out, we thought it wise that we could utilize that time to do something. explained the junior officer.

The bricks which the machine makes are not burnt because he uses cement as the stabilizer, a process he called curing the bricks.

According to Lt Collins, a number of reasons for which he developed interest in making the aforesaid bricks include; There is no need of cutting down trees to burn the bricks, and thus environmental protection, one uses less mortar since the bricks interlock, one does not need to do plastering of the brick since the latter makes a smooth and fine surface, using them to construct a house takes a short time since the bricks are interlocked and that there is reduction in cost of transport since the bricks can be made on site by transporting the machine there.

While commissioning the machine, Col Winston Mugarura said that the pandemic came along with good and bad effects. He hailed those who used the lockdown period to think outside the box and do meaningful works.

The lockdown gave many people the opportunity to look outside the box, he said.

The Colonel congratulated the Ugandan soldiers for having translated their idea into a visible and tangible product, and further implored them to continue doing more. I congratulate you upon this innovation and please keep thinking more, said Col Mugarura and reiterated UPDF leaderships support towards innovation.

The Deputy Sector One Commander was accompanied by Contingent Anti-Aircraft Asset Commander Col Ismail Sendagire, Senior and junior officers from the contingent headquarter, among others.

Related
A barrister specialising in data protection predicts the Department of Education will be footing substantial legal bills as a result of the calculated grades system.

John Temple BL expects the courts to see an influx in applications due to a "myriad of issues" stemming from this year's Leaving Cert.

More than 60,000 students received their results on Monday and overall they were the strongest on record. But while many were happy, there is a cohort of students from private schools who are set to appeal their results, particularly focusing on the standardisation process applied.

"People are going to want to get access to their files to find out how the standardisation applied to their results," Mr Temple said. "The main issue will be with the appeals process and where a student goes from here. The High Court is very daunting to most people, but in this case it's a student's life. The department will have to provide how they reached the grade and the data relied upon in reaching that grade.

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"I've had some solicitors contacting me directly with enquiries and it seems to be more private students [that] have been impacted. They see themselves as victims of standardisation."

While these issues may only concern a minority, Mr Temple believes it has the potential to "affect them greatly and cause an injustice".

"When you look at the private German school in Dublin where only a small number of students achieved a H1 in the language and many were downgraded, it is rather bizarre," he said.

"It is inevitable that legal challenges will land on the steps of the courts and the department will end up having to foot the bill."

Teachers and schools are indemnified from any legal cases resulting from the decision to introduce calculated grades this year. The Department of Education this week clarified that schools were not instructed to destroy official documents relating to the calculated grades process.

Schools are being asked to return the forms they used to document the evidence they based their estimated marks on. This includes project work, previous exam results and class tests.

This form will be necessary for the appeals process, although one cannot appeal the marks awarded by teachers. The appeals process will only examine the accuracy of the data transfer of results from a school through the various stages of the process.

"All materials relied upon now form part of the student's personal data and must be regarded as such, and therefore they should be able to access this," Mr Temple said.

The Department of Education said it would retain any calculated grades results data processed for 100 years, as students may require a copy of their official State certificate of calculated grades at any stage.

Meanwhile, any data received from schools and tutors, including the estimated percentage mark and class rank order used to produce calculated grades, will also be retained until the conclusion of the process including "any potential litigation".
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at a meeting of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Commonwealth of Independent States and Collective Security Treaty Organization Member States in Moscow, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/AP Photo)

Russia Says West Trying to Victimize Moscow Over Navalny

MOSCOWRussias top diplomat on Thursday accused the West of leveling accusations of poisoning top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny without providing evidence, staunchly denying any official involvement.

Navalny, the most visible opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was flown to Germany two days after falling ill on Aug. 20 on a domestic flight in Russia. German chemical weapons experts have determined that the 44-year-old was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent, prompting Berlin to demand that Russia investigate the case.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny speaks during a rally to support political prisoners in Moscow on Sept. 29, 2019. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo)

The German hospital treating him said Monday that Navalnys condition has improved, allowing doctors to take him out of an induced coma.

Russian authorities have prodded Germany to share the evidence that led them to conclude without doubt that Navalny was poisoned with a military nerve agent from the Novichok group, the same class of Soviet-era agent that British authorities said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018. Russian doctors said they had found no trace of poison in Navalnys system.

Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov charged that Germany, the United States, and other Western allies who urge Russia to conduct a probe into Navalnys poisoning squarely expect Russia to accept blame for something it hasnt done.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands during a break in the hearing on his appeal in a court in Moscow on Sept. 5, 2018. (Pavel Golovkin/AP Photo)

Were accustomed to unfounded accusations, Lavrov said. When the official representative of the German government says that the request from the Russian Prosecutor Generals Office has been directed to independent judiciary agencies and so the German government can do nothing about it while demanding that we conduct an investigation, it resembles the precedent created by our Western colleagues following the Salisbury poisoning incident.

If such logic prevails, that would only mean that they put themselves above the law, above everyone else, he added.

Germanys Defense Ministry has said the data about Navalny had been provided to the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

A rescue vehicle drives in front of the central building of the Charite hospital where the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is being treated, in Berlin, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Markus Schreiber/AP Photo)

Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Thursday that Russia is still unaware whether Germany has handed over any information to the OPCW. He underlined that it would like to receive the information firsthand to help investigate the case.

We dont know what they have given to the OPCW, he said during a conference call with reporters. We naturally prefer that they hand over those analyses directly to us.

Peskov noted that Russian authorities had launched a preliminary check into what happened to Navalny, but emphasized that they need proof of his poisoning to conduct a full-fledged criminal inquiry.

We have been left puzzling over what kind of difficulties could have prevented them from sharing their findings with us, he said.

Earlier this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkels office indicated that she might be willing to rethink the fate of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will bring Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Seaa sign of Berlins growing frustration over Moscows stonewalling about the Navalny case.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told conservative radio host Ben Shapiro that when people around the world see the effort to poison a dissident, and they recognize that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people.

I think the world has matured and come to an understanding that this is not how normal countries operate, and this will prove costly for the Russians, Pompeo said.

By Vladimir Isachenkov
Indeed, the "property business" is invariably referred to as a "people business," so developing our "soft-skills" and our "emotional intelligence" (EI) is vital, if we are to maximise our potential. (stock image)

You spent years studying for your professional qualification and you still have ongoing continuing professional development requirements to meet. But what if I told you that all that work is only about half of your value to the business? Whilst your qualification as a surveyor, architect or engineer is hard-won, relying on your technical skills alone will only ever see you earn the quotidian rate of pay for that skill.

To paraphrase Dale Carnegie from ninety years ago: I will pay the routine fee for any technical skill, but I will pay the earth for a man who can enthuse others, for that skill is gold dust.

Over thirty years' experience in the property business tells me that those words are as true as ever. Indeed, the "property business" is invariably referred to as a "people business," so developing our "soft-skills" and our "emotional intelligence" (EI) is vital, if we are to maximise our potential.

Every single contact with a client or a potential purchaser is an opportunity to sell yourself and your firm. And whether you realise it or not, the other person is forming a view as to whether you are "average" or so impressive that they want to give you more of their work. But they don't even think about your professional qualification. That's a given.

Those with the best "people skills" generally rise to the top of organisations. They will become leaders of departments and eventually firms and the top-earners. That is because of their ability to enthuse others and to deal brilliantly with people in any situation.

When I was studying for my chartered surveying qualification there was no mention of "soft skills" and I learned by observing what went on in a busy commercial agency.

But the good news is that there is a fast growing awareness of the importance of these skills, and Technological University Dublin (TUD) has been increasing the "soft-skills" content of it's courses in the College of Engineering and Built Environment.

I spoke with Ms Sonya Meekel, a lecturer at TUD and she told me that this increased focus is bolstered by demand from both industry and students. "The feedback from building contractors, for example," she told me "is that they can develop the graduates technical skills, but that they would like to see graduates having more competence on the EI side, for example on bedding into teams." She added that students are looking for more soft skills training too, as "they know they need it".

Ms Meekel is ideally placed to provide this education. She has worked as an engineer and project manager and recently completed an MBA on the "Strategic Imperatives of Soft Skills Training" which she has embedded into her role as a lecturer at TUD.

She believes that people can be taught to be great communicators "but that a lot of hard work goes into making it look easy." Key skills, she says, are to portray a passion for your topic as well as developing "self-awareness." A challenge, she told me, is having to think harder about communications in this age of falling attention spans and online interaction. The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland is running a series of her workshops over the coming months, which I recommend.
Hyderabad: Like the JEE (mains), social distancing and other safety norms were thrown out of the window yet again on the first day of the TS-EAMCET 2020 for engineering candidates on Wednesday.

Outside the iON Digital Zone, Old Alwal, scenes were miserable as parents who accompanied their children to write the exam crowded outside the exam centre even as temperatures rose.

The safety arrangements were such that students were forced to enter and exit the exam centre through the entra-nce of the adjoining eatery.

Inside the exam centre, students who wished to remain anonymous told Deccan Chronicle that no seat gap between students was maintained and no measures were taken after the exam for students to exit the exam centre while maintaining physical distance.

Several students also complained that no masks or gloves were provided outside the centre and some candidates

didnt even wear masks because they thought they would be provided with one.

There were also complaints that invigilators were not wearing masks properly even as they went from student to student for signatures on the attendance sheet.

Several students on Twitter said that they are wary of what will happen in the next few days of the exam.

Some even raised concerns about the upcoming NEET examination on September 13 that will see 55800 students appearing for the exam in Telangana at 112 centres, whereas in Andhra Pradesh, 61,892 students will take the exam at 151 centres.

Telangana Eamcet candidates say that if this situation persists, more students will be exposed to the virus.
Washington

The United States is cutting troop levels in Iraq nearly in half, to 3,000 forces, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East said Wednesday, in a long-expected move that will help fulfill President Donald Trump's goal of reducing the Pentagon's overseas deployments.

The decision to reduce the 5,200 troops now in Iraq comes three weeks after Trump met in Washington with Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the Iraqi prime minister, in part to complete details of the drawdown, which will happen this month.

"This reduced footprint allows us to continue advising and assisting our Iraqi partners in rooting out the final remnants of ISIS in Iraq and ensuring its enduring defeat," Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of the military's Central Command, said in remarks in Iraq on Wednesday, using an alternative name for the Islamic State group.

McKenzie, who last month signaled the impending troop cuts, said improvements in the Iraqi military's campaign against the Islamic State enabled the Pentagon to make the additional resuctions.

"This decision is due to our confidence in the Iraqi security forces' increased ability to operate independently," McKenzie said.

The move comes eight weeks before the November presidential election and allows Trump to tell voters he is fulfilling a campaign promise to bring home the troops.

The cuts pale in comparison to the much larger reductions from when U.S. force levels in the country peaked at more than 150,000 service members at the height of the Iraq War.
A new study posted online on Wednesday showed that COVID-19 might also attack the brain. Several researchers also supported the study on COVID-19 brain infection.

It has been established that COVID-19 targets the lungs, kidneys, liver, and blood vessels. However, there are only limited studies on how the coronavirus attacks the brain even though half of those who tested positive for the virus reported neurological symptoms like headaches, confusion, and delirium.

A new study offered a clear evidence that COVID-19 invades brain cells in some people. It was found that the virus is able to replicate inside the brain, and the virus seems to suck up all of the oxygen nearby, starving the neighboring cells to death.

But the prevalence of this or how the virus gets to the brain is not yet clear. COVID-19 brain infection is likely to be rare, but some people are susceptible to this condition because of their genetic backgrounds, high viral load, or other reasons.

Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University and the lead author of the study, said that it could have lethal consequences if the brain is infected.

Several scientists, including Dr. Michael Zandi, consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Britain, said that even though they knew that the virus could infect the brain, they had not seen much evidence about the brain infection.

In July, Zandi and his team published a study titled, "The emerging spectrum of COVID-19 neurology: clinical, radiological and laboratory findings," which showed that some of the patients develop a serious neurological problem that includes nerve damage.

In the new study, Iwasaki and his team said they did not find any evidence of an immune response that gives remedy to the infection.

Iwasaki has described the infection as a silent one, adding that the virus has a lot of evasion mechanisms.

Alysson Muotri, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Diego, who has also studied the Zika virus, supported Iwasaki's study. She confirmed that the study's findings are consistent with other observations in organoids infected with the virus.

She noted that the coronavirus seems to rapidly decrease the number of synapses, the connections between neurons.

"Days after infection, and we already see a dramatic reduction in the amount of synapses. We don't know yet if that is reversible or not," Muotri said.

Even though there are some gaps in the study, Iwasaki and her team said that COVID-19 brain infection is more lethal than respiratory infection.

But some experts suggested that researchers would still need to analyze many autopsy samples to estimate how common brain infection is and whether it is present in people with milder disease or in so-called long-haulers, many of whom have neurological symptoms.

Dr. Robert Stevens, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins University, noted that around 40 to 60 percent of those who tested positive for the coronavirus experienced neurological and psychiatric symptoms. However, he said that not all symptoms should be linked to coronavirus brain infection.
Telemundo conducted the landmark study as part of its company-wide initiative "Decision 2020," a nonpartisan multiplatform news and civic engagement effort to provide Latinos with comprehensive information and resources on the issues and the candidates running in the 2020 election. The initiative features expanded news coverage, virtual town halls and hyper-local online voter registration drives with national and local partner organizations to support Latinos during this year's election cycle. Under Decision 2020, Telemundo has launched new digital shows in English and Spanish, offering important election information to young Hispanic voters seeking Latino perspectives in bilingual formats.

"This new research shows that young Latinos, the majority of which are U.S. born and politically engaged, intend to go to the polls in November at unprecedented levels," said Monica Gil, executive vice president and chief administrative and marketing officer at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. "With one million young Latino voters becoming eligible to vote each year over the next decade, this energized and hardworking 'Generation of Change' is driven by their conviction to secure a place as central actors in our nation's future. This report highlights that there is a clear opportunity for candidates and leaders of all political parties to engage and tap into this vibrant group of voters with plans and solutions that acknowledge and speak directly to the issues that matter most to them."

The research paper's findings offer insight into a critical demographic which, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, turned out to vote in the 2018 midterm elections at nearly twice the rate of previous midterm election cycles. With 91% of young Latinos born in the U.S., since the 2016 presidential election some 3.6 million Latinos will have turned 18 in time to vote in November. Overall this year, a record 32 million Latinos will be eligible to vote, making them the largest share of minority voters for the first time. Solid gains in buying power, college attainment, steady earnings and civic participation over the past several years give young Hispanics growing clout and political influence.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Telemundo, a vital news organization, to get a better understanding of a rapidly expanding and consequential portion of the electorate," said Matt Berman, politics editor at BuzzFeed News. "This research gives a great sense of what actually matters to young Latinos, and how they're engaging with and shaping American politics."

Key insights from the "Young Latinos: A Generation of Change" study include:

Motivated to Vote: Among the young Latinos surveyed, 64% said they "definitely" planned to vote in November and 57% said they were feeling "fired up" about the presidential race. Some 82% cited the recent Black Lives Matter protests as motivating them to vote. Seventy-one percent said the coronavirus crisis was a motivating factor, with 83% saying the pandemic had affected their health or finances. Almost half (48%) said they had suffered financially because of job losses or pay cuts. Three-quarters of voters described the 2020 presidential election as more important than the 2016 vote.

Among the young Latinos surveyed, 64% said they "definitely" planned to vote in November and 57% said they were feeling "fired up" about the presidential race. Some 82% cited the recent Black Lives Matter protests as motivating them to vote. Seventy-one percent said the coronavirus crisis was a motivating factor, with 83% saying the pandemic had affected their health or finances. Almost half (48%) said they had suffered financially because of job losses or pay cuts. Three-quarters of voters described the 2020 presidential election as more important than the 2016 vote. Undecided in Their Political Allegiance: Over one-third (37%) of young Latinos describe themselves as independent or undecided about their political party affiliation. Half described themselves as Democrat and 13% said they are Republican. Asked to name a politician who had "shown up" for the Latino community, a third responded "nobody." Among those who did name a political figure who supports Hispanics, Bernie Sanders , Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Joe Biden were mentioned by 6% of young Latinos followed by Trump with 3%.

Over one-third (37%) of young Latinos describe themselves as independent or undecided about their political party affiliation. Half described themselves as Democrat and 13% said they are Republican. Asked to name a politician who had "shown up" for the Latino community, a third responded "nobody." Among those who did name a political figure who supports Hispanics, , and were mentioned by 6% of young Latinos followed by Trump with 3%. Focused on Inequality: Over eight in 10 young Latinos (85%) say issues that address racial inequality and systemic barriers are most likely to motivate them to vote. Almost three-quarters (73%) of young Latinos said either they, their family or friends have been the target of racism over the past two years. Almost two-thirds (63%) said they had been called offensive names, 45% were told to stop speaking Spanish in public and 45% were told to go back to their country even though the large majority are U.S. born.

Over eight in 10 young Latinos (85%) say issues that address racial inequality and systemic barriers are most likely to motivate them to vote. Almost three-quarters (73%) of young Latinos said either they, their family or friends have been the target of racism over the past two years. Almost two-thirds (63%) said they had been called offensive names, 45% were told to stop speaking Spanish in public and 45% were told to go back to their country even though the large majority are U.S. born. 2020 Voting Insights: Sixty percent of young Latinos said they would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden if the election was held tomorrow, and 19% would choose President Donald Trump . When asked if they personally identify with either of the candidates, 37% say they identify with Biden and 17% with Trump. Asked who they expected to win the election, 53% said Biden would win and 52% said Trump would be re-elected.

Sixty percent of young Latinos said they would vote for former Vice President if the election was held tomorrow, and 19% would choose President . When asked if they personally identify with either of the candidates, 37% say they identify with Biden and 17% with Trump. Asked who they expected to win the election, 53% said Biden would win and 52% said Trump would be re-elected. Making Their Mark: When they compare themselves to their parents, young Latinos said they are more informed, vocal, actively involved in social-political issues, and more likely to vote, showing a resolve that is unique to this generation of young Latino voters. Half (51%) said they share the same political affiliation as their parents.

When they compare themselves to their parents, young Latinos said they are more informed, vocal, actively involved in social-political issues, and more likely to vote, showing a resolve that is unique to this generation of young Latino voters. Half (51%) said they share the same political affiliation as their parents. Police Brutality, Healthcare Among Other Issues: Fifty-seven percent of young Latino voters said that reducing police brutality motivates them to vote while 51% said affordable healthcare for all and equal rights and fair pay for women were motivating factors. Almost half (45%) rated mental health awareness, protecting the environment, reducing gun violence and legalizing marijuana as top issues. Close to a third (29%) said several conservative issues motivate them to vote, including religious rights, gun ownership and respect for law enforcement.

Telemundo's dedicated landing page for DECISION 2020 election resources and voter registration information can be found at Telemundo.com/decision2020.

For more information about DECISION 2020 visit the enhanced noticiastelemundo.com. Download the Noticias Telemundo app and follow the Network's on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow El Poder en Ti, Telemundo's award-winning corporate social responsibility platform on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a world-class media company leading the industry in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. This fast-growing multiplatform portfolio is comprised of the Telemundo Network and Station Group, Telemundo Deportes, Telemundo Global Studios, Universo, and a Revenue Strategy & Innovation unit. Telemundo Network features original Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 94% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 local stations, 50 affiliates, and its national feed. Telemundo also owns WKAQ, a television station that serves viewers in Puerto Rico. Telemundo Deportes is the designated Spanish-language home of two of the world's most popular sporting events: FIFA World Cup through 2026 and the Summer Olympic Games through 2032. Telemundo Global Studios is the company's domestic and international scripted production unit, including Telemundo Studios, Telemundo International Studios, Telemundo International, Underground Producciones, an internationally renowned production boutique based in Argentina as well as all of the company's co-production partnerships. As the #1 media company reaching Hispanics and millennials online, the Revenue Strategy & Innovation unit distributes original content across multiple platforms, maximizing its exclusive partnerships with properties such as BuzzFeed, Vox, and Snapchat. Through Telemundo Internacional, the largest U.S.-based distributor of Spanish-language content in the world; and Universo, the company reflects the diverse lifestyle, cultural experience, and language of its expanding audience. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

SOURCE NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises
The sky is indeed the limit for South Africa's bold and innovative entrepreneurs, as TikTok in partnership with The Gritti Fund, the world's first purpose-driven and happiness-focused investment fund, launch the innovative and daring Pitch Up in The Sky.

Image supplied

Through this event, we aim to support our local community of budding entrepreneurs by providing them with the opportunity to creatively express their ideas with the possibility that those ideas may materialise.

Pitch Up in The Sky is the ultimate elevator pitch for daring entrepreneurs who can overcome their fears and stay cool under pressure. The funding initiative will provide African entrepreneurs with the opportunity to compete for a $10,000 investment and one-year mentorship from The Gritti Fund. In addition, three finalists will be awarded the once in a lifetime chance to skydive in Dubai, while simultaneously completing their winning elevator pitches.An expert panel will judge entries and give exclusive personal interviews throughout the event about the challenges that lead to their success. It will feature world-famous entrepreneurs and venture capitalists including Mitch Lowe, founding executive of Netflix; Bill Tai, the first investor in Zoom and Lars Rasmussen, inventor of Google Maps.The spectacular finale on 17 October aims to be the most live-streamed startup pitch event in history, and will enable millions of TikTok viewers to discover who has what it takes to reach the top.Now open to all founders of early-stage startups in Africa and the Middle East until 24 September 2020, entrepreneurs can apply to www.pitchupinthesky.com by submitting an innovative one-minute TikTok video pitch that will inform and impress the global panel of expert judges, using the platforms easy-to-use video editing tools and tagging #PitchUpInTheSky.Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok Content Operations Manager, Africa says that it has always been TikToks mission to inspire creativity and bring joy to its users and the launch of such a unique event is testament to that.Marcel Muenster, serial entrepreneur and founder of The Gritti Fund, adds that the partnership with TikTok not only provides locals with access to a network of experienced entrepreneurs but also a global platform on which they can share their ideas. Growing your network is one thing, but TikTok does something more valuable  it gives entrepreneurs an unprecedented amount of visibility which is crucial at an early stage of the company building process.As part of the initiative, local TikTok users will be able to view the pitches tagged #PitchUpInTheSky as well as interviews with the judging panel of world-famous entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, giving entrants and TikTok users insight on their personal challenges and successes.For more information on #PitchUpInTheSkye and how to apply, go to https://www.pitchupinthesky.com/]].
We are 100% invested in the success of our merchant partners and regularly look to fill gaps we believe exist in the print-on-demand industry to deliver quality service to online merchants, said Gooten Chief Executive Officer Brian Rainey.

Gooten, an E-commerce technology company that combines print-on-demand manufacturing with a robust logistics platform to fulfill and deliver orders on time, today announced a first-of-its-kind loyalty program in the PoD industry.

The Very Important Merchant (VIM) program provides a suite of benefits to reward, support and educate merchants as they grow their online stores. The VIM initiative, launched in time to help merchants prepare for the busy holiday season, furthers Gootens commitment to providing increased value to its customers and raising industry standards through innovation.

The VIM programs benefits, available beginning October 1st, go beyond rewarding customers with discounts and perks and address some of the PoD industrys challenges. Benefits include those aimed at increasing transparency, raising the bar on customer service, and providing industry and business intelligence to educate merchants and help them grow their online stores.

"We are 100% invested in the success of our merchant partners and regularly look to fill gaps we believe exist in the print-on-demand industry to deliver quality service to online merchants, said Gooten Chief Executive Officer Brian Rainey. As we launch a first-of-its-kind loyalty program for the PoD industry, we continue to commit to our merchant partners by delivering a premier manufacturing and shipping experience, increasing transparency, and surpassing service expectations. Our VIM program allows us to build on the range of merchant benefits we provide to our partners over time.

The VIM program confers one of four levels of status, based on the volume of a merchants business with Gooten. Each VIM status addresses merchant needs in the three primary areas of customer service, transparent operations, and business intelligence.

Key benefits include:



Early access to new Gooten platform features.

Assigned partnership managers to help your business grow.

Escalation communication channels for timely customer support.

Personalized status reports and updates on production and delivery times.

Office hours with Gooten executives to offer advice to merchants and respond to their manufacturing, shipping, - operations and marketing questions.

Business intelligence insights, webinars featuring Gooten leaders and industry experts, sample credits, and campaign planning support.

Exclusive discounts on products, services, and industry events to grow your business from Gooten partners including Hawke Media, Privy, Wevo, Avalara, and Shirt Lab.

Existing Gooten customers will be notified of their VIM status and can begin accessing benefits on October 1, 2020, as well as start tracking their spending toward additional rewards.

Find more information about the VIM program here.

About Gooten

Gooten is a globally distributed production and logistics company transforming how fast-growing online brands manufacture and fulfill orders. It combines proprietary technology and operations expertise with a network of best-in-class manufacturing partners to fulfill orders more efficiently and at lower cost. Gootens print-on-demand model allows eCommerce stores to sell high-quality products without holding inventory. Named one of Americas fastest-growing companies in 2020 by Inc., Gooten was founded in 2015 and is based in New York City. For more information, please visit http://www.gooten.com.
Insurance market giant Lloyd's of London is bracing itself for 5billion in payouts on claims arising from the pandemic.

The payouts look set to exceed those of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and three hurricanes in 2017, which prompted Lloyd's to shell out 3.6billion and 3.7billion respectively.

The colossal predicted payouts for Covid-19 are higher than Lloyd's initially expected and will push it to a loss for the first half of the year, it admitted today.

Colossal: Insurance market giant Lloyd's of London is bracing itself for a 5billion payout on claims arising from the pandemic

Lloyd's said it lost around 400million in the first six months of the year after taking a 2.4billion hit from the pandemic.

Even though Covid-19 payouts could top 5billion, Lloyd's reinsurance covers 2billion of that total.

Excluding the pandemic, Lloyd's said it would have delivered an underwriting profit of 1billion.

Chief executive John Neal, said: 'The first half of 2020 has been an exceptionally challenging period for our people, our customers, and for economies around the world.

'The pandemic has inflicted catastrophic societal and economic damage calling for unparalleled measures to stifle the spread of the virus, and to get businesses and economies back on their feet.

'Our half-year results demonstrate that our robust approach to performance management and remediation has begun to take effect, evidenced by a significant turnaround in the underlying performance metrics, which give the truest indication of our market's profitability.'

As a result of the pandemic, insurers all around the world have found themselves having to fork out huge sums on claims relating to business interruption, cancelled events, axed travel plans and trade credit.

But, on the other side of the fence, many businesses and individuals maintain that they are facing an uphill struggle trying to successfully claim under their insurance policies at present.

In July, the Financial Conduct Authority launched a court case to determine whether a significant number of businesses will be entitled to receive insurance payouts for damage caused to them during the pandemic.

According to the FCA, the outcome of the eight-day trial in July will be revealed on 15 September at 10:30am.

Speaking on the BBC's Today programme today, Lloyd's boss Mr O'Neill said the 5billion predicted Covid-19 payout was not as big as it could be considering the scale of the pandemic.

'Global pandemics are by their nature very rare, unlike for natural disasters like bad weather, such as storms and floods, which are usually insured against,', a spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers said.
Minister of the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly receives a ceremonial Guard of Honour

Rafale given water cannon salute at induction ceremony in Ambala after stunning air maneuvers

Rafale induction could not have happened at a more opportune time: IAF Chief

Rafale induction represents strong ties between India and France, says Rajnath Singh

Rafale induction crucial considering the kind of atmosphere at our borders: Rajnath Singh

'Proud to share our knowhow with you': French minister Parly at Rafale induction

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday formally inducted the five Rafale fighter jets, which arrived in India on July 29, in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The induction ceremony took place at the Ambala Air Force base, where IAFs 17 Squadron, also called Golden Arrows, is based. Indias first five Rafale fighters will be a part of the Golden Arrows squadron.

The Rafale jets were given a water cannon salute at the induction ceremony after stunning air maneuvers were performed by the Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguars.

Earlier, Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Florence Parly witnessed the 'Sarva Dharma Puja' at the Ambala airbase.

Besides the defence minister, his French counterpart Florence Parly was the chief guest of the event. IAF chief RKS Bhadauria, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, were also a part of the ceremony.

In September 2016, India and France had signed a deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets. At 60,000 crore it is the largest-ever defence deal signed by India. Manohar Parrikar, who passed away last year, was the defence minister at the time the deal was signed.

Follow all the highlights here:
MADISON  Gov. Tony Evers said Wednesday that he has no regrets about how the state responded to protests that broke out in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Blake, who is Black, was shot as many as seven times in the back by white Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey on Aug. 23, sparking several night nights of protests and unrest that culminated with the shootings of three demonstrators (two of whom died) by an armed civilian preceding visits from both major parties nominees for president: Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.

Evers called out the Wisconsin National Guard early the morning of Aug. 24. The Democratic governor turned down an offer made Aug. 25 from the White House to send federal U.S. Department of Homeland Security troops, although other federal law enforcement agents  from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and other organizations  were already in the city.

Trump criticized Evers response, urging him to activate the National Guard after he had already done so.

He made a pitch about, you know, We have to get the National Guard on the ground, Evers said. I said, They already are. Weve met every request.

A day later, after the shootings of three demonstrators, Evers again spoke with Trump; the governor said they agreed to have the White House send other federal assistance, including officers from the FBI and U.S. Marshals. Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old Trump supporter from Illinois, is charged with shooting the demonstrators.

To say that we could have done anything different as it relates to working with the White House, I have no regrets because the only thing I said no to was Homeland Security and I knew that would not work out because of what I saw in Portland, Evers said, referring to ongoing unrest in that Oregon city between protesters and federal troops that has surpassed 100 days of continuous demonstrations.

His appearance came as Marquette University Law School released its first poll since the shooting of Blake, which left the 29-year-old paralyzed.

The poll of Wisconsin registered voters showed that 47% of respondents approve of protests against police shootings, on par with 48% seen in early August and down from 61% in June. Attitudes about the Black Lives Matter movement were unchanged from August, with 49% having a favorable view and 37% unfavorable.

The governor also called on Republicans who control the Legislature to step up and take action on criminal justice reform. Evers called a special session last week on nine policing bills, but Republicans took no action.

Both Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden came to Kenosha last week. The Marquette poll showed that the publics view of Trumps handling of protests increased from 32% in August to 36% in September, but a majority  54%  still disapproved.

Trumps overall approval rating was 44%, unchanged from the month before.

The poll also showed little movement in the presidential race, with Biden having 47% support of likely voters and Trump with 43%. That mirrors many other recent polls.

The poll of 802 registered voters was conducted between Aug. 30 and Monday. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.(tncms-asset)1ad4eada-ed4e-11ea-945f-00163ec2aa77[2](/tncms-asset)

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At a time when a new National Education Policy proposes to make education well-rounded, useful, and fulfilling to the learner, administrators of Indias top Central universities only want to tame their students

On Tuesday, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University hosted a webinar titled Discipline in Universities: Issues and Challenges with representatives from five other central universities  Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Delhi Universitys Department of Social Welfare (DSW), and Haryana University.

Also present in the meeting as speakers, were Delhi Joint Commissioner of Police, Devesh Srivastava, and another Deputy Commissioner of Police in the city, MI Haider.

The online conference produced some very shocking discourses on disciplining university students and keeping a check on their behaviour, as this report by The Indian Express suggests. In fact, the press release put out by JMI before the conference and the discussion reported read like some kind of Foucauldian handouts on social control, discipline and surveillance.

As per the JMI press release, the conference was premised on the understanding that universities are mandated to undertake not just teaching learning activities, but also the highly valued task of character formation for the generations to come.

For long, regulation of students character has been the bedrock of Indias primary and secondary educational regimes. Schools, through their self-imposed disciplinary norms and moral education routines, have attempted to domesticate its students and rectify their behaviour. The French philosopher, Michel Foucault, calls it governance of the self.

Here too, the idea is to schoolify universities and institutionalise its student communities. But it is also something more than that.

The press release talks about exploring the pitfall when the focus on knowledge gathering shifts to participation in activities that are non or counterproductive and carried out at the very cost of learning. Such activities, according to the organisers, contribute to deviating from the premise with which the student actually entered the temple of learning  the university in the first place.

With temples, come rituals. And that is precisely the attempt here  to ritualise the university space into a site of mechanical, depoliticised learning. By non or counterproductive activities, the JMI administrators and their compatriots mean what they mean  political or ideological activities, such as protests. In the current political context, that denotes anti-BJP campus politics.

Thus, what really lies at the heart of this is an attempt to completely depoliticise the university space and put in place a bureaucratic, socially-reclusive and docile regime of learning. Such a system of education aims to cut off student communities from social and political realities of the world around them, and turn them into mere rote-learners.

The JNU chief proctor, Dhananjay Singh, makes this hidden agenda a little more blatant during his remarks. According to him, JNU is becoming a space to initiate and launch political agendas and that is a serious challenge.

The subtext of this is a no-brainer. The ruling party and its like-minded administrators in JNU detest the universitys dominant Left-liberal student culture (and vice-versa). So the motive here is to neutralise this source of resistance once and for all by criminalising dissenting students, even if they protest peacefully.

Terms like rowdy elements, deviant behaviour, problem creators  which the webinar participants used in copious amounts  become instruments for what Foucault calls normalising judgment. First, a certain gold standard of ideal social behaviour is set and then, the deviants are weeded out. Eerily, Singh even directly speaks to this idea by proposing that such individuals be marginalised, segregated and kept out of the campus at any cost.

What is even more concerning is Singhs proposition for university administrators to work closely with the police. In fact, the presence of two senior police officers in the meeting itself suggests the central role that hard policing will play in this new disciplinary regime.

No university campus would like the police to intervene and take over. But we are not capable, as teachers and administrators, to deal with serious law and order situations. So its important to have more interactions with the police, Singh said during the webinar.

This comes nearly eight months after masked goons, reportedly affiliated to right-wing organisations, went on a rampage in JNU, injuring 36 people. The police, at that time, was widely accused of failing to stop the attacks despite being present in the campus.

It was also accused of doing the ruling partys bidding and going after Left student parties, despite overwhelming evidence of right-wing organisations, like the RSS-linked Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), being involved in the attacks.

So the key issue here isnt law and order in university campuses, but the politicisation of the police force. When the JNU chief proctor, who is a part of the Central governments administrative apparatus in JNU, talks about having more interactions with the police, one wonders if he means creating a safer and more democratic campus for common students or tighter clampdowns on student critics of the ruling party.

In other words, he seems to propose a greater militarisation of the campus to deter political resistance. But this isnt all.

What the JMI vice-chancellor, Najma Akhtar, said about the polices role during the webinar is even more startling. While praising the police, Akhtar said that she is happy to see the role of police has changed drastically in recent years.

According to her, before, or after the problem, they are friends of the students and they know how to handle (the problem) in a more humanistic way. Akhtar further said that the police is no longer feared by students and are softer than before.

There cannot be a more stinging insult to the Jamia students community than this. The V-Cs sunny remarks come nine months after Delhi Police barged into the universitys library and brutally assaulted students during an anti-CAA protest.

CCTV footage from the library showed cops in riot gear baton-charging students at random, many of whom appeared to be simply studying, and smashing security cameras before assaulting students. One fact-finding report by PUDR also claimed that the police barred injured students from seeking medical attention. Later that day, Aligarh police launched a similar attack on protesting AMU students, causing grievous injuries.

Thus, for the Jamia V-C to claim that the police are softer than before is simply preposterous. It is far detached from the hard reality of growing police violence in Indias universities at the moment.

Notably, one day after the police action in JMI, Akhtar had said that the police entered the campus without her permission and caused a lot of damage, including psychological damage. She said this was not acceptable. Sadly, Akhtar seems to have forgotten her own words within less than a year.

What is also gravely worrying is a certain proposition in the JMI press release to extend university disciplinary policies to off campus activities and explore the need of reformative mechanism or process for errant students.

Not unlike Jeremy Benthams vision of a circular prison or Panopticon, which Foucault uses in abundance in his own work on surveillance and society, the university administrators seem to be proposing an all-encompassing, non-negotiable and deeply pervasive system of surveillance to keep close watch over dissident student communities.

For a country where universities have served as vibrant sites of debate, discussions and political dissent, this is a terrifying and squarely anti-democratic proposal. The fact that todays university administrators show such a strong desire to control the lives and thoughts of educated young adults should worry us all.

One of the speakers, BHU chief proctor, OP Rai, went as far as to say that the new youth is less exposed to scolding and beating and, hence, there was a problem in how to handle them.

His nostalgic liking for corporal punishment is hardly surprising when one looks at Indias schooling system. Teachers thrashing and verbally abusing students is far from uncommon in Indian schools.

With a sharp rise in political authoritarianism backed by violent forces, it is only natural that the impulse to discipline students using force is revived or rejigged in some other form. In fact, the government ordering the police to lathi-charge protesting students must also be seen in this context.

Tuesdays JMI-organised webinar should be seen as a forewarning of darker things to come. It is a pointed indication of where Indian universities are heading under the ruling regime  to a point where they begin to look like schools with students immersed in their books, without as much a worry about the world around them.

At a time when a new National Education Policy proposes to make education well-rounded, useful, and fulfilling to the learner, administrators of Indias top Central universities only want to tame their students.

The contradiction isnt lost on anyone.
MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Employers have a growing list of concerns lately, including losing their top performers, new research from global staffing firm Robert Half shows. A large majority of senior managers surveyed (88%) said they are worried about their company's ability to retain valued staff, with 47% being very worried. Of those who said they are worried, 39% attribute their concern to salary reductions or planned salary freezes for the near future.

New research from Robert Half reveals salary-related concerns among employers amid the pandemic.

The research comes in conjunction with the release of the Robert Half 2021 Salary Guides, which provide starting salary ranges for more than 470 positions in the accounting, finance, technology, creative, legal and administrative support fields.

View an infographic of the research highlights.

Among the 28 U.S. cities in the survey, Minneapolis (52%), Tampa (50%) and Portland (49%) have the highest percentages of senior managers who said they are concerned about retention because salaries have been slashed or raises are off the table for the time being.

"Employees have been stretched to the limit during the pandemic, putting in longer hours and taking on additional responsibilities," said Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half. "While many companies have supported staff by providing more nonmonetary benefits, like flexible scheduling and enhanced wellness resources, they may have had to impose pay freezes or cuts in order to preserve jobs."

The Current State of Salaries for New Hires

Even in a time of high unemployment, the research shows a majority of companies are offering new recruits pay that meets or exceeds pre-pandemic numbers. More than 4 in 10 senior managers surveyed (44%) said starting salaries for new hires have held steady since the spread of COVID-19 began, and nearly 3 in 10 respondents (28%) noted an increase in base compensation.

"Companies struggle to find the talent they need to support new business priorities sparked by the pandemic. Professionals with in-demand skills know they still have options, and employers realize they need to offer competitive salaries to attract and secure top candidates," McDonald explained.

Willingness to Negotiate Pay With Candidates

More than 8 in 10 senior managers (86%) noted they are as likely to negotiate salary with new hires today than a year ago. Of those, 36% said they are more open to discussing starting pay with candidates now, compared to 12 months ago.

Austin (51%), Raleigh (48%) and Charlotte (45%) have the highest percentages of employers who are more willing to discuss pay with potential hires than they were a year ago. In addition, managers at midsize companies (500 to 999 employees) are more likely to negotiate salary today versus 12 months ago (44%), while those at small firms (20 to 99 employees) are least likely to engage in back-and-forth about compensation (28%).

"Professionals are savvier about salary trends than ever before, and many candidates are comfortable talking about pay early in the interview process," McDonald noted. "Employers should research compensation trends regularly and be prepared to move quickly and negotiate as soon as they come across promising talent."

Visit the Robert Half Salary Calculator to see starting salary ranges for hundreds of positions adjusted for local markets.

About the Research

The online survey was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm from July 10 to August 9, 2020. It includes responses from more than 2,800 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in 28 major U.S. cities.

About the Salary Guides

Robert Half has reported on salaries since 1950. Information in the Salary Guides is based on the thousands of job searches, negotiations and placements managed by Robert Half's staffing and recruiting managers. Continuing or ongoing salaries are not reported because many external factors  such as seniority, work ethic, job performance and training  impact the salaries of full-time professionals as work histories develop.

About Robert Half

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company has more than 300 staffing locations worldwide and offers hiring and job search services at roberthalf.com. For additional management and career advice, visit the Robert Half blog at roberthalf.com/blog.

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Six years ago, when Sumeet Vyas played the role of Mikesh in Permanent Roommates, Indias first-ever web-series, he had us empathising with him. The way he said "cooool" became a part of our lives. The internet's favourite hero earned a widespread adoration. So much so, that even today his fans unanimously greet him with "Baba, you're beautiful! -- a line from TVF Tripling that is as popular as he is.

Weaving the magic of his epic comic timing, Vyas will next be seen in Wakaalat From Home. In an exclusive chat with Indiatimes, he spoke about his journey and experience of working in the show.

Twitter

In an age, when every actor wants to build six-pack abs, catch a couple of bullets and fight off with the bad guys to win the heart of the leading lady, it is reassuring to see Vyas pick up roles that are relatable.

The only problem is six-pack abs, he quips when asked whether he would want to play a cliched Bollywood hero.

bewakoof.com

Vyas might now be known for his comic timing, but before Permanent Roommates happened, he was mostly doing serious roles.

Before Permanent Roommates came out, not many roles that I was doing were comedy. On stage, I was still doing all kinds of roles, but on camera, I was mostly doing serious roles. I enjoyed doing comedy on stage and I was longing to do it on camera as well. That's when Permanent Roommate came my way.

In the web space, Vyas has mostly played roles of a regular guy who showcased our daily struggles so effortlessly. He made us believe that we were not alone in making silly weird choices or not having our lives sorted. However, he is more than just playing the role of a misunderstood millennial.

amazon.com

While most of us remember him as the internet sensation with web-shows like Permanent Roommates, Tripling, Stupid Man Smart Phone and Official CEOgiri among others, we probably have forgotten about Sumeet's impressive TV career. Let's take a look at that!

It was in 2003 that he made debut with on Doordarshan with Woh Hue Na Humare .

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He also featured in Amrapali Dubey and Shoaib Ibrahim starrer Rehna Hai Teri Palkon Ke Chhaon Mein, which aired on NDTV Imagine.

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In magnum opus historical series Chandragupta Maurya, he essayed the role of king of Taxile, Ambik Kumar.

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He was also a part of Laut Aao Trisha, a thriller that aired on Life OK. Not only that, he is also a part of Stories By Rabindranath Tagore by Anurag Basu - a show co-starring Radhika Apte which is available on Netflix and was originally aired on Epic Channel.

Netflix

He has done a quite some movies as well, like Parched, which is a story of women trying to break free of patriarchal shackles.

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Remember Y-Films web-series Bang, Baaja, Baaraat? In this Ali Fazal starrer, he played the roole of goofy dance choreographer Twisty ji.

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In Sridevi starrer English Vinglish, he played the role of a Pakistani cab driver who just kike Shashi is also trying to lean English.

Twitter

Ribbon, Veere Di Wedding and Made in China are some of the other movies he has featured in.

Of all the roles he has played he says Chandan from TVF Tripling was closest to who he is in real life. Mikesh, on the other hand, is far from who he is.

In his upcoming show Wakaalat From Home, he is making a comeback with his 'permanent roommate' Nidhi Singh but this time he is seeking divorce from her.

PrimeVideo

Detailing out his role, he says, He is a bit of a loser, a failed actor who is finding it hard to accept he cannot act. He has done some shady movies to make end meets, but he is having trouble in his marriage. It has reached a point that his wife has filed for a divorce. Now, they are fighting it off online.



The show, also starring Gopal Datt and Kubbra Sait, was shot during the lockdown and Vyas says it wasn't an easy job.



PrimeVideo

There was no cameraman. There was no makeup artist. There was no one who was checking the audio. You had to do everything on your own. I had to denote at least half and hour to an hour to do all the technical stuff before I could begin shooting. Not only that, Sumeet says it was a bit difficult to emote as well. We rehearsed a lot. For every episode, we would do one full take, from beginning to the end. So, that really helped. It was almost like doing a sketch.

Wakalat From Home releases on Amazon Prime Video on Sep 10, 2020.


Support for abortion is dropping in many countries worldwide: survey

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While an overwhelming majority of people in more than two dozen countries worldwide say they approve of women having legal access to abortion in some circumstances, support for terminating pregnancies is declining in many nations, according to a new survey conducted by Ipsos.

The poll, which surveyed more than 17,000 people in 25 countries from May 22 to June 5, found that support for abortion has decreased in most countries surveyed since Ipsos first began tracking the worlds attitudes about abortion in 2014.

Worldwide, support for abortion has dropped from 72% in 2014 to 70% in 2020.

The biggest drop in support for abortion was in Germany, where approval of abortion stood at 76% in 2020, down from 85% in 2014.

Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Hungary and Italy also saw support for abortion decrease since 2014. In all of the aforementioned countries, however, some 70% of respondents still expressed support for abortion.

The largest increase in support for abortion came in South Korea. In 2014, 59% of South Koreans supported abortion. That number rose dramatically to 79% in 2020.

Support for abortion also increased in Belgium, Australia, Canada, and Argentina. In all four of those countries, support for abortion was measured at 70% or higher. While support for abortion also increased dramatically in Russia and Mexico from 2014 to 2020, the level of support remained below 70%.

While support for abortion was measured at 70% or greater in more than half of the countries surveyed, the United States registered a much lower level of support for abortion compared to other developed countries. Abortion received 64% support in the U.S. in 2020, the same level of support it received in 2014.

The only country where abortion received less than 50% support was Malaysia, where only 24% of respondents expressed support for abortion, a 3% decrease from 2014.

While support for abortion remains high, support for unlimited and unrestricted abortion is low. Support for abortion was broken down into two categories: those who believe that abortion SHOULD be permitted whenever a woman decides she wants one and those who believe that abortion SHOULD be permitted in certain circumstances, such as if a woman has been raped.

Worldwide, just 44% of respondents agreed with the former statement while 26% agreed with the latter statement. In nearly every European country surveyed, as well as Canada and Australia, a majority of respondents agreed that women should be able to have an abortion for any reason.

The only outliers were Germany, where there was 49% support for unrestricted abortion, and Poland, where just 27% of respondents supported unrestricted abortion.

In the U.S., only 35% of respondents expressed support for unrestricted abortion while 29% believed that abortion should be legal only in certain cases.

Opponents of abortion were divided into two groups: those who believe that abortion should NOT be permitted under any circumstances, except when the life of the mother is in danger and those who think that abortion should NEVER be permitted, no matter what circumstance exists. Opposition to abortion with exceptions registered at less than 10% support in South Korea (8%), Hungary (7%), Canada (6%), Spain (6%), Australia (6%), Germany (5%), Great Britain (4%), Sweden (4%), Belgium (4%), the Netherlands (4%), and France (3%).

In nearly every country surveyed, less than 10% expressed opposition to abortion in all circumstances. The exceptions were Malaysia (13%), Brazil (13%), Peru (12%), South Africa (11%), and Mexico (10%).

In addition to breaking down the results by country, the poll analyzed the results of the survey by gender, education level, and region. The survey found that support for abortion was slightly higher among females (72%) than males (68%).

Support for abortion increased as education levels increased, with 75% of those with a high education level supporting the procedure in at least some circumstances. Some 69% of respondents with a medium education level expressed support for abortion, while support stood at 66% among those with a lower level of education.

Support for abortion was highest in Europe (80%), followed by North America and the Asia-Pacific (71%), Latin America (62%), and the Middle East and Africa (60%).

While abortion remains a hot-button topic in the U.S. and around the world, a sizable proportion of respondents chose dont know/prefer not to say when asked about their position on the issue. Worldwide, 12% of those surveyed did not have a clear position on the legalization of abortion.

The Ipsos polls release comes just months before the U.S. presidential election, where abortion has become a top campaign issue. The Democrats have promised to work to repeal the Hyde Amendment, which bans taxpayer funding of abortions, should they take complete control of government in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has sent a letter to pro-life groups promising that he will continue to govern as the most pro-life president in our nations history.
MILFORD - Students have felt excited, anxious and hopeful on the first day of school since the first bell ever rang.

You can now add Superintendent of School Anna Cutaia to that list.

All the anxietys, all the worries, were quickly set aside, Cutaia said at a press conference Thursday to talk about the reopening of 14 schools to the districts 5,500 students.

I did car duty here at Pumpkin Delight and the kids were bouncing out of their cars, she said. They couldnt wait to come back to school, I heard shrieks and oohs and aahs. If we could have, there would have been a festival of hugs.

Cutaia noted is has not been an easy six months since the closing of schools because of COVID-19, as we miss our kiddos; we miss our staff.

To see them gather again, those (tough) times were washed away. It was a brilliant reunion, she said. We are a school community and I feel confident that we have taken the right protocols to keep us safe.

Milford had five components in place on how to reopen: the decision of students coming back in person (82 percent), the number of staff members coming back for in-person teaching (99 percent), the social and emotional decision-making of what is best for students and staff, and academic priorities.

Being back in school is the right thing as long as we can all be safe and we are doing everything we can to do that, Cutaia said. We know we are still in a pandemic crisis. It is still here and any time it can happen anywhere. We are going to respond as safely as possible.

The school system took things case-by-case regarding teachers who wanted to opt out of in-person teaching.

We had some requests, Cutaia said. There are different types of leaves a teacher can take if they arent comfortable coming in and there wasnt a distance learning opportunity for them based on the districts need. We do not have any full-time remote distance learning teachers. Any remote learning going on is being conducted by teachers who are inside our schools. That may change if there is a positive case.

Milford Public Schools believe a key to holding COVID-19 at bay is having a cohort, which means keeping the same group of students together as much as possible throughout the day. Elementary and middle school classes have 16 to 18 students, with high school (in a larger space) potentially 25 to 30 students.

All desks are socially distanced six feet apart. Elementary schools will be in cohorts 100 percent of the time and middle schools close to 100 percent. At the high schools, freshmen and sophomores will cohort as much as possible. Because of elective and specialized courses, a cohort for juniors and seniors is difficult.

Milford staff also believe the district it is ready for the possibility of illness, officials said.

Closing one of our schools if someone is infected, that decision is made with the Milford Health Department, Cutaia said. How we respond will come from understanding what degree that individual had contact with others. That will inform us whether we must shut down a classroom, a wing of a building or the entire school. It doesnt mean we would close indefinitely. It would be up to the Health Department to determine when we could come back safely.

For example, she said, If it is a junior who is ill, it would impact every adult and young person that junior had contact with.

If that junior contacts 10 teachers that day, and it is determined that those 10 teachers must be quarantined, then the junior class might go to all-online learning, Cutaia said. I dont have 10 teachers in the building to replace those sent home. We are writing the playbook as we plan.

Changes

Day 1 in 2020 was different than the past, from getting on and off buses to walking the halls and breaking for lunch. Buses have color-coded seating for riders to take each day so in case of illness it can be traced. There are one-way and two-way signs in the halls. Physical education and music teachers travel with carts to students.

Cutaia said about lunch: It is not the days when we could all pile into the cafeteria and there was loud noise and kids are talking more than they are eating. We dont have that scene anymore. There are no large gatherings, rather for elementary we deliver lunch on a cart. For middle and high school, students pick up a lunch at grab-and-go and take it back to a classroom and eat with a teacher monitoring.

There are new ways to teach. In middle school and high school, a teacher can be teaching two groups of students: one face-to-face in a group of 16 while the lesson is being livestreamed to another classroom either next door or down the hallway, with another adult monitoring those students.

Cutaia praised teachers for their creativity.

The first few weeks is always about routine and protocols, she said. You know, on the first day you see the younger kids in the hallway lining up. Well, I saw them being taught to stand against the wall and then make wall angels. They found that if you are touching someone at your side then you are too close.

This year if a student is learning from home, they are livestreaming into a classroom where a teacher is giving the lesson. In many cases, those students are being buddied-up with in-person students to work together digitally.

Pandemic costly

Overtime costs, hiring more staff, buying PPE (personal protective equipment), additional cleaning supplies, and desks all are making an impact on the budget.

In elementary school, we had moved to a model where students sat together at the same table, Cutaia said. Over the years, we removed all antiquated student desks. We had some in storage, but not enough. So, we ordered 800 student desks because each child needs their own space.

Signs in the hallways and individual supplies for each student are added expenses. Every student also must have their own individual supplies and materials.

On Wednesday, when students have a full day learning remotely, all schools are thoroughly sanitized and disinfected, Cutaia said. Staff comes in to clean on weekends, and when students leave our building we sanitize and disinfect. We had to increase our salary line in that area.

Weve had to bring in more teachers, she noted. When you take your average class size from almost 21 elementary and 23 at middle and high school and you are reducing that to 16, now you have to add more adults and deploy them to young people in their cohorts.

Substitute teachers in the past could be hired to work in more than one school as needed for $100 per day. With cohorts in place, teachers are being hired to work in only one building.

Hiccups

Because of the social distancing it is taking a little longer to get students into our buildings and to go home to their cars and buses, Cutaia said. Our ridership is down (55 percent to 60 percent) with more parents dropping the kids off. We thank the parents for their patience because pickup in the afternoon does take a little bit longer.

william.bloxsom@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @blox354
The Centre on Wednesday assured the Supreme Court that there is no catch" in its proposal in connection with the refund of air tickets booked for travel during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said there is no catch in the refund proposal and if tickets were booked on March 15, before the lockdown period, then also there will be a full refund.

As senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for a petitioner, raised doubts whether the air ticket refund proposal of the Civil Aviation Ministry is confined to tickets booked during the lockdown or before the lockdown, Mehta reiterated the proposal covers all.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R.S. Reddy and M.R. Shah, referring to the recent affidavit filed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) saying tickets for travel during lockdown will be refunded, said the Centre should clarify on this crucial aspect of refund.

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Mehta replied that he would file an additional affidavit clarifying the position in the matter. He also clarified that if a ticket was booked for travel from overseas to another foreign country, then the matter is not in the domain of the refund proposal.

Submitting that the proposal for ticket refund would have to be approved by the apex court, Mehta insisted that the government decided to refund the amount for the tickets and also tried to ensure that airlines dont suffer.

Advocate Jose Abraham, representing petitioner Pravasi Legal Cell, said the affidavit filed by the Centre is fine, except to the fact that it is not clear as to whether the passengers who booked tickets prior to the lockdown are entitled to a full refund.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing SpiceJet, contended that his client agrees with the stand of the government. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Indigo, said though his client agrees with Centres proposal, yet there are few issues for which two-three days be given. The bench asked counsel to file its response to the affidavit.

Advocate Neela Gokhale, appearing for a travel agents association, said their funds are stuck as no refunds were given by the airlines, but Mehta said that they have consulted ticket agents before finalising the proposal.

The bench then asked Mehta to file an additional affidavit, and slated the matter for further hearing on September 23.

Senior advocate C.A. Sundaram, representing a passengers association, told the bench that there should be full refund of the ticket.

The Centre has proposed that a full refund should be given by the airlines within 15 days for tickets booked during the lockdown, and if any airline is in financial distress, then a credit shell should be provided up to March 31, 2021 on any route of the passengers choice. The full refund has been proposed for tickets booked during the lockdown on domestic, international and foreign airlines.

In an affidavit in the court, O.K. Gupta, Director, DGCA, said for the domestic airlines, if the tickets were booked directly with the airline or through an agent during the first lockdown period (March 25-April 14) for the journeys to be undertaken in both first and second lockdown period (March 25-May 3), then in all such cases, full refund shall be given by the airlines immediately.
India's main opposition Congress party on September 10 launched an online campaign to attack the Narendra Modi-led BJP government over rising unemployment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senior party leaders including former president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, tweeted with the hashtag #SpeakUpForJobs asking people to speak for the countrys future.

The policies of Modi Govt have caused the loss of crores of jobs and a historic fall in GDP. It has crushed the future of Indias youth. Lets make the Govt listen to their voice, Rahul Gandhi said in his tweet that has a video message attached with it urging people to be part of the campaign being run on September 10

Following Gandhis tweet, the Congress party's twitter handle also shared the message.

Lakhs of Indians are losing jobs every day, whether it was in locked down India or unlocked India. All BJP does is silently watch on. The Nation will not stay silent, the Nation will #SpeakUpForJobs, the party handle posted in one of the tweets.

The campaign comes at a time when India saw its economy contract by 23.9 percent in the June quarter - the steepest fall in four decades. The pandemic-induced lockdown severely crimped economic activity across the country and the government has come in for criticism from opposition parties for its handling of the crisis.

Jobs are under stress because of privatisation, reduced government expenses and bad economic policies of the BJP government. The government has also stopped recruiting for existing vacancies. We need to speak up for the future of the country. I am speaking, You do, too, Congress general secretary and Rahul Gandhi's sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, tweeted in Hindi.

Of late, Opposition parties, including the Congress, have stepped up their attacks against the government over the economic crisis, rise of unemployment and dismal GDP figures. With a labour force of 42.8 crore, including 3.6 crore unemployed, across the country, the government's top priority should be jobs creation, the Congress said.

On September 9, two Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh  the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) -- launched a campaign urging people to switch off lights and light candles to highlight rising unemployment and other issues facing the country.

The promise was of providing two crore jobs every year. Instead of providing 12 crore jobs in six years, 14 crore jobs have been snatched away, said Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been vociferous in his condemnation of the government and has consistently targeted Prime Minister Modi over issues such as demonetisation, the flawed implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the ongoing border dispute with China.
Theres an election coming up in November. Kind of a big deal. Perhaps youve heard about it.

But do you know your voter registration status? Have you decided if you want to vote by mail, or know the deadline for that decision? If youre going to vote in person, do you know where to go?

These are important questions that need to be answered ahead of Election Day 2020 (which is Nov. 3, by the way). And they may be especially important in Northampton County, a swing county in the potentially crucial swing state of Pennsylvania.

This is the first general election where any Pennsylvanian can apply for a mail-in ballot, thanks to a state law passed last fall. The measure has been useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost 1.5 million mail-in or absentee ballots were cast in the June primary, and an August poll by Franklin & Marshall College says about one-third of Pennsylvania voters plan to use mail-ins in November.

Northampton County anticipates about 100,000 voters will use the mail-in option. Nearly 48,500 applications had been processed by Sept. 2.

Given the importance of the election and some confusion around how to vote this year, lehighvalleylive.com has compiled this early voting guide with key deadlines and useful links from Northampton County officials and Pennsylvanias official election website VotesPA.com.

Most of the information here applies statewide. Well update it if and when anything changes.

ELECTION DEADLINES

Voter registration must be completed by Oct. 19.

Application for mail-in ballots are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 27.

Completed mail-in and civilian absentee ballots must be sent by 8 p.m. Nov. 3, when the polls close on Election Day. (Per the state Supreme Court, ballots received within three days after Election Day can still be counted, as long as they were not clearly sent after the deadline.)

Military and overseas absentee ballots must be submitted for delivery by 11:59 p.m. Nov. 2 and received by Nov. 10.

VOTER REGISTRATION

NOTE: Pennsylvanias voter registration deadline was Oct. 19.

There are three ways for voters to register in Pa.: online at register.votesPA.com; by printing and mailing a downloadable form; or by going to certain government agencies, like a PennDOT drivers license center.

Not sure if youre registered or if your information is up to date? Check online first by using the Pennsylvania Department of State website either by name or photo ID number. The system will also confirm your party affiliation (if any), your Congressional and state voting districts and your polling place.

Voters should update their registration if they have changed their name, address or political party.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE

If you just need to find your polling place, another state department website search tool can help you at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov. Once located, the system also offers directions to your voting location if needed.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A MAIL-IN BALLOT

Registered Pennsylvania voters can apply for mail-in ballots. The application for a mail-in ballot can be done online, by mail or in person at your local county election office.

Those who sign up online will get an email about the status of their application. Others can track the status of their application and ballot at votespa.com.

Did your mail-in ballot application get declined? A Northampton County election FAQ suggests you may have already submitted one  voters could request a general election mail-in ballot when they applied for the June primary. Also, the county says some local groups have sent out unsolicited applications, which may have confused some voters into applying more than once.

Ballots will be mailed out by the end of September.

A rally Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020, outside the Post Office at 131 W. Fourth St. in Bethlehem calls for funding and protection for the U.S. Postal Service and the resignation of President Donald Trump's postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, amid cost-cutting measures ahead of the 2020 presidential election.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

HOW TO RETURN MAIL-IN BALLOTS

The obvious way to cast your mail-in ballot is by, well  mailing it in. You dont even have to buy a stamp. Return envelopes sent with the ballots already include first-class postage. Just make sure you sign the appropriate place so your ballot counts.

But  and this could be significant  there has been public concern from elections officials and the U.S. Postal Service about the postal services ability to handle a rush of mailed ballots in dozens of states, leading to calls to extend the deadline for mail-in ballots to be received (which so far has not changed).

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled to allow mail-ins to be counted up to three days after Election Day as long as they were sent by the Nov. 3 deadline. But for those who choose to vote by mail, its probably best not to wait too long on applying or returning it.

When you receive your ballot, complete it and mail it back as soon as you can so your county gets it in plenty of time, Gov. Tom Wolf said in a late-summer news release.

Voters with mail-in ballots have other options, too:

In-person delivery. You can deliver your ballot directly to your county elections office. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that you must deliver your own ballot. You cannot have another person deliver your ballot unless you fall under an existing exception.

Use a drop box. Several have been or will be set up in municipal and county offices around the Lehigh Valley.

(Cant see the map above? Click here.)

Remember to follow the instructions with the mail-in ballot and to return your vote in the secrecy envelope that comes with the ballot. Election officials have been instructed to reject any naked ballots, though there have been calls to challenge that provision.

And you can track the status of your ballot at votespa.com.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

An absentee ballot is a little different from a mail-in ballot. Absentee ballots require a reason, like being out of town on Election Day or having an illness or disability that would otherwise prevent you from voting. This applies to college students and the military.

Registered voters can apply for an absentee ballot online, by mail or in person at your local county election office.

A voter steps from the voting booth after casting her ballot in the Pennsylvania primary in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)AP

VOTING ON ELECTION DAY

For those who choose to vote in person, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 3.

In Northampton County, all regular 154 voting precincts will be staffed and use 315 total voting machines. All poll workers are required to wear masks, and the county requests that voters do the same.

The county has recalibrated its voting machines, which caused problems last November but did very well in the June primary, Northampton County spokesperson Becky Bartlett told lehighvalleylive.com. The machines will be tested prior to Nov. 3.

Any Election Day problems should be brought to the attention of state and local officials. The Pa. attorney generals website has resources for voters rights. Election complaints can be reported to the state department via their online form or 877-VOTESPA hotline. Locally, the Northampton County elections office can be reached at 610-829-6260 or election@northamptoncounty.org.

Anyone interested in becoming a Northampton County poll worker can find more information on the county website or email the address above.

WHEN WILL ELECTION RESULTS BE KNOWN?

Its possible that accurate national results may not be known for days. Current election law prevents mail-in ballots from being counted before polls open at 7 a.m. on Election Day.

Early in September, Bartlett said Northampton County expects to have results by the end of Election Day, though it is possible counting could continue another day or two. In early October, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said that a deluge of mail-in ballots said a statewide tally could take days and urged lawmakers to allow counting to begin early.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com.
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Hackers are at it more than ever. Major companies, governments, and organizations all over the world are hit by thieves looking for a big payday. It's not enough to have real-world thieves to READ THE REST
A Texas fugitive who fled into the woods in Georgia after shooting at a deputy who pulled him over has been captured following a nearly three-day manhunt.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation tweeted that Dalton Potter was in custody after authorities surrounded him late Wednesday following another shooting outside the town of Resaca. In that shooting, authorities said Potter opened fire on a man on his property and the man fired back.

Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood had told reporters Wednesday that investigators had surrounded Potter, 29, northwest of the town.

'We probably have over 100 officers, weve set up a strong perimeter, we still have the [Georgia State Patrol] helicopter in the air, we've got K-9s on the ground tracking in the woods,' Chitwood said, noting that it was getting dark outside.

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Caught: Texas fugitive Dalton Potter, 29 (left), wanted for the shooting of Whitfield County Sheriff's Deputy Darrell Hackney (right), was captured on Wednesday evening

Chitwood said the civilian who was shot was hospitalized in stable condition.

Noah Cloer identified his father, Eddie Cloer, as the victim. He was feeding animals in his yard in Gordon County in the afternoon when Potter attacked, shooting him in the arm and grazing his head, Noah Cloer told WTVC. Eddie Cloer was able to fire back and Potter fled, his son said.

Several hours later, Sheriff Chitwood said that officers came upon Potter on a road inside Gordon County and jumped him, reported WDEF.

Prior to his captures, officials say Potter exchanged fire with homeowner Eddie Cloer (pictured), who suffered injuries to his arm and head

The Senior Inspector of the US Marshals Office who made the arrest said Potter was about 250 yards into the woods, sitting under a tree behind a home and nursing a head injury.

Resaca, where Cloer was shot, is about 16 miles from the city of Dalton, where investigators said Potter fired multiple shots at Whitfield County Sheriff's Deputy Darrell Hackney around midnight Monday morning during a traffic stop.

Hackney was struck, but his ballistic vest saved him, the GBI said. Hackney and another deputy returned fire, but Potter drove away south on Interstate 75. He wrecked the truck and escaped into the woods on foot, the GBI said.

The GBI also revealed Wednesday that Potter was hauling explosives in a stolen trailer that was found along the southbound lanes of I-75, near the Whitfield-Gordon county line. The GBI's bomb disposal unit will get rid of the explosives, the agency said.

Potter, from Leakey, Texas, was wanted in Georgia on five counts of aggravated assault, and on Texas charges of larceny and theft of more than $2,500.

Authorities in Georgia released bodycam footage from a traffic stop on the southbound Interstate 75 highway before dawn on Monday

When a Whitfield County Sheriff's deputy approached the driver's side window, he asked the driver, who has been identified as Dalton Lee Potter, 29, for his identification

Potter is then seen flashing a gun. The sheriff's deputy is knocked backward and the video footage is cut off

A second Texas man, Jonathan Hosmer, 47, was arrested at 5am on Tuesday at a location given to law enforcement by an anonymous tipster, after surveillance video recorded him leaving the truck crash.

Also wanted in Texas on larceny and theft charges, he's charged in Georgia with possession of methamphetamine, bringing stolen property into the state, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Body camera footage released by Georgia authorities on Tuesday showed the terrifying moment Potter allegedly fired on the deputy before dawn on Monday morning.

In the video, a sheriffs deputy carrying a flashlight approaches a pickup truck that has a trailer attached to its rear.

When he approaches the drivers side window, he finds a man wearing glasses and a purple tank top.

The sheriffs deputy asks the man for ID. Immediately afterward, the man flashes a gun, and the deputy appears to duck. The video ends at this point.

Sheriff Chitwood said the deputy was treated at a hospital and is now at home.

'Thank goodness that his vest protected it,' said Chitwood.

'He was treated and released at the hospital last night. Had a burning sensation, little abrasion, but overall fine, right below the rib cage.'

Investigators told WGXA-TV that Potter is a 'survivalist' who is skilled at surviving in the woods over the course of a long period of time.

According to law enforcement officials, Potter was hauling explosives in the stolen trailer seen in the bodycam video.

Potter, from Leakey, Texas, was driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe with a stolen trailer behind

On Monday morning Georgia sheriffs issued an alert for Potter, following the shooting

A second wanted Texas fugitive, Jonathan Hosmer, 47, was later identified by the wreck

Hosmer, also from Leakey, Texas, was wanted for burglary of a building. He was taken into custody on Tuesday

Local residents were assisting police, WRCBtv reported.

Chitwood said eyewitness reports have helped them narrow their search, which was filmed by Fox5 Atlanta.

'One of the neighbors gave the description, we felt like it was legitimate, we focused on that area.

'But we've come up with nothing at this point. We did come up with a pack of fresh cigarettes we felt like possibly could be his,' Chitwood added.

It's unclear why Potter came to Georgia.

Helicopters are pictured searching for the two fugitives in Georgia
The lifeless body of the three-year-old, autistic Noble was recovered from a swimming pool that had already been searched, officials said.

The body of a toddler in Toledo, Ohio who had been missing since Friday has been recovered from a swimming pool of an apartment complex.

Braylen Noble is the three-year-old boy reported missing by his mother after she discovered a window screen of their third-floor apartment had been pushed out.

The body of three-year-old Braylen Noble, a toddler who had been missing since Friday, has been recovered from a swimming pool of an apartment complex.

The Toledo Police tweeted the tragic update five days later: The body of a small child has been found in the pool at Gibralter Heights. Official ID will be made by the Coroners Office. The investigation has now turned from a Missing Person to a Death Investigation. Info will be released as it becomes available.

The disappearance of young Noble, who was autistic and nonverbal, galvanized his community.

Read More: 12-year-old called Hero after taking a bullet for baby niece

Hundreds of people turned out for a vigil for the child after his lifeless body was found on Wednesday at the Hunters Ridge Apartments in South Toledo.

Divers had previously searched the pool, but nothing was found.

Its common practice in police investigations, once an area is searched, if nothing is found, to go back and revisit that search area and see if anything was missed, said Lt. Kellie Lenhardt. But we do want to reiterate that the area was searched numerous times by Toledo Fire and Rescue, the FBI, private search groups, and both live and cadaver dogs.

The family of the toddler gathered for a prayer service on Sunday as the search continued.

Read More: Teyana Taylor gives birth to second child in her home bathroom

Police had to protect Dajane Cox, Nobles mother, who was verbally assaulted Wednesday by a crowd outside of her apartment building, hordes who chanted, Justice for Braylen and baby killer, according to reports.

On Monday, Cox had exclusively shared an emotional plea with NBC24 for her son to be returned home.

Story continues

I just want whoever (has) him, please take him somewhere safe, she said. I know hes scared, and I know hes crying, and he has stomach pains, and hes not eating. Hes a picky eater. So if you want to just drop him off somewhere, please drop him off to the police station. You can drop him off here. Call my phone.

A GoFundMe for the boys funeral expenses, aiming for $2,000, was created by his aunt, Raynesha Noble, yesterday.

Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now!

The post Missing toddler Braylen Nobles body found in Ohio pool appeared first on TheGrio.
Representative image

The Supreme Court (SC) on September 10 heard a batch of petitions seeking interest waiver during the loan moratorium period.

A bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan hearing pleas seeking extension of the loan moratorium and waiver of accruing interest.

The apex court will resume hearing the petitions on September 28. The SC order asking banks not to declare accounts as non-performing assets (NPAs) until further orders will continue.

Also read: RBI's annual report | Moratorium, loan restructuring may impact banks health

SC observations:

> With regard to interest we have yet to take a decision but on the aspect of debiting of interest on interest, we are inclined to pass an order that it may not be debited. (Inputs from LiveLaw)

> Will allow time to government, government needs to take a planned, holistic approach. (Inputs from CNBC-TV18)

> Banks, Centre cannot call borrowers hoping for relief as adversarial.

> Government needs to respond to concerns over interest costs being debited, downgrade of accounts.

> Allowing two weeks to file appropriate documents, decisions. Mechanism of extending benefits to different sectors also to be clarified.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to SC:

> On concerns expressed on the last date, two or three rounds of meeting have taken place and it has been examined. Considered decisions have to be taken. In consultation with banks as banks will play a vital role. Kindly defer for two weeks. (Inputs from LiveLaw)

> Can assure that the discussion is being carried out at levels much higher than the RBI. (Inputs from CNBC-TV18)

Senior Advocate Harish Salve for IBA to SC:

> Restructuring norms yet to be worked out. Discretion won't be left with the banks. (Inputs from CNBC-TV18)

> How can we not downgrade accounts of certain borrowers despite COVID impact? Downgrade represents borrowing capacity.

> Downgrading is based on many factors. Companies will suffer. Had they told us this earlier, we would have taken instructions. Please do not pass orders today. (Inputs from LiveLaw)

> Litigation has now turned adversarial. Realty, power sectors are pushing for undue reliefs. (Inputs from CNBC-TV18)

CREDAI to SC:

> State Bank of India (SBI) admitted, as per present conditions only 5 percent of the loans can Be restructured. (Inputs from CNBC-TV18).

> SC should also protect against credit ratings downgrade. Banks have started debiting the last six months' interest to accounts of borrowers.

> Accounts of member companies are being progressively downgraded from SMA 0 to SMA 1 & to SMA 2. RBI circular also prevents banks from downgrading.

Also read: Interest waiver on moratorium loans | Waiver or not, someone is bound to get hurt

Senior Advocate Rajiv Dutta, appearing for petitioners, to SC:

> Happy that they are trying to restructure corporate loans. However, important to remember that people are suffering. Imperative to make a statement for the Centre on non-charging of interest on interest. (Inputs from LiveLaw)

> We have got letters from banks saying that interest on interest will be charged.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi for SBI to SC:

> Borrowers seeing broad based reliefs. There cannot be a one size fits all approach. Lakhs of crores are due to me as the largest lender. Fraudulent elements will also seek benefits under any relief allowed by SC.

Here's a quick recap of what happened previously:

On September 3, the SC said banks should not declare accounts as non-performing assets (NPAs) for two months and banks must not take coercive action against borrowers.

The RBI had in March announced a moratorium on repayment of term deposits for three months, which was later extended till August 31. The move was intended to provide borrowers relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SC has previously said there is "no merit in charging interest on interest".

The RBI had on June 4 said lenders will lose Rs 2 lakh crore if interest is waived during the moratorium period.

Senior Advocate Rajiv Dutta, who appeared for a petitioner, on September 2 said "interest on interest is absolutely and prima facie wrong and they cannot charge it".
The UK government on Thursday tabled its new points-based Student Route for visas in Parliament, which it says simplifies the previous student visa application requirements for international students applying to study in Britain. The route, to apply to all overseas students including Indians from October 5, will mean students require a total of 70 points to be granted a visa to study at a UK university. They will achieve the required points if they can demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, speak English and are able to support themselves during their studies in the UK. The UK Home Office said the new route treats all students equally, including students from Europe coming to study after the Brexit transition period ends at the end of the year.

The new Student Route is a welcome announcement for thousands of Indian students who opt for a UK education every year to gain international exposure. It offers greater flexibility and ease of immigration for applicants, said Barbara Wickham, Director British Council India. With the post-study work benefits of the Graduate Immigration Route and the launch of the Student Route, the UK has further solidified its commitment towards international students, and enabling more than ever, their dreams of pursuing a world-class education, she said. British Council highlighted that the change would have a further positive impact on the number of Indian students choosing the UK as a higher education destination, which has been on the rise in the past few years.

Now we have left the EU, we are free to unleash this country's full potential and implement the changes we need to restore trust in the immigration system and attract talent to drive our economy forward, said UK Minister for Future Borders and Immigration Kevin Foster. Launching the Student Route early sends a clear message to the world we want the best and brightest to come to the UK to study at our globally renowned education institutions, he said.

As a result of the coronavirus, some overseas students are choosing to defer their entry onto courses in the UK until the Spring semester of early next year. Therefore, the government chose to introduce the new route now so that students would be able to benefit from the new streamlined process whilst still giving sponsors time to adapt after their Autumn intake this month. The route treats all students equally, with international students, including those from Europe coming to study after the transition period ends, using the same, simplified route when it opens for applications, the Home Office said.

The new Student Route improves on the previous Tier 4 route by making it more streamlined for sponsoring institutions and their students, creating clearer pathways for students, and ensuring the UK remains competitive in a changing global education market. It also reiterated that there would be no limit on the number of international students who can come to the UK under the route. This is aimed at increasing the total number of international students choosing to study in the UK higher education system each year to 600,000 by 2030, as set out in the International Education Strategy published in March last year. The UK is a global leader in higher education, research and innovation. As we look to the UK's future place in the world, we want to protect our hard-won status and the opportunities it provides to help with the economic recovery of towns and cities across Britain - as well as finding solutions to the wider challenges that face our society, said Dr Tim Bradshaw, Chief Executive of the Russell Group of leading universities.

We welcome these changes to the immigration rules, which will help to ensure the UK remains an internationally attractive place for the best and brightest students to study. We will continue to work with the government to ensure our visa system remains flexible and responsive to developing issues, such as those emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, he said. Besides the Student Route, the Child Student Route for younger international students will also open from October 5.

The changes form part of the Boris Johnson led government's new post-Brexit points-based immigration, which comes into force as a result of Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) and an end to the EU's free movement of people rules at the end of December.
The nomination also cites his part in creating new dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute

US President Donald Trump.Trump has been nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize following his efforts to broker peace between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). (AFP)

Washington: US President Donald Trump has been nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize following his efforts to broker peace between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The nomination was submitted by Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament. He nominated Trump citing his "key role in... creating new dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute between India and Pakistan".

In an exclusive interview to Fox News, Tybring-Gjedde praised Trump for his efforts towards resolving protracted conflicts worldwide.

"For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees," Tybring-Gjedde, a four-term member of Parliament who also serves as chairman of the Norwegian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, told Fox News in an exclusive interview.

In his nomination letter to the Nobel committee, Tybring-Gjedde said that the Trump administration has played a key role in the establishment of relations between Israel and the UAE. "As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE, this agreement could be a game-changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity," he wrote.

Also cited in the letter was the president's "key role in facilitating contact between conflicting parties and ... creating new dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute between India and Pakistan, and the conflict between North and South Korea, as well as dealing with the nuclear capabilities of North Korea."

Tybring-Gjedde, further, praised Trump for withdrawing a large number of troops from the Middle East. "Indeed, Trump has broken a 39-year-old streak of American Presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict. The last president to avoid doing so was Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter," he wrote.

On Tuesday, a White House official announced Trump will hold a signing ceremony on September 15 for a groundbreaking Middle East agreement normalising relations between Israel and the UAE.

In a deal brokered by the US, Israel and the UAE last month had agreed to normalise their relations, and an agreement on the mutual establishment of embassies is expected to follow in the coming three weeks. In exchange, Israel said it would halt its plans to formally annex parts of the West Bank.

There were 318 candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020. Out of that 211 were individuals and 107 are organisations.

Those eligible to nominate someone for the Nobel Peace Prize are public figures, including national politicians, professors and former prize winners.

In February and March each year, nominations are shortlisted. The winners are announced in October.
On 9/11 Anniversary, Focus on Iran

Commentary

One of the significant, mostly untold stories about the 9/11 attacks is the involvement of the Iranian government in assisting the al Qaeda terrorists who killed so many innocent people 19 years ago.

Its a story that, at times, has invited derision, as when The New York Times blasted Vice President Mike Pence in January for a series of tweets that described the terror-drenched record of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, just days after a U.S. drone ended his career near the Baghdad airport.

Part of that record, Pence wrote, was Soleimanis role in assisting the clandestine travel to Afghanistan of the muscle hijackers who carried out the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Pence was referring to a passage from page 240 of the 2004 final report from the 9/11 Commission, which said, We now have evidence suggesting that 8 to 10 of the 14 Saudi muscle operatives traveled into or out of Iran between October 2000 and February 2001.

At the time the 9/11 Commission report was published, hardly anyone paid attention to this passage (except, ironically, a lone reporter from The New York Times). From my interviews with 9/11 commissioners and key staff members, I discovered that our intelligence community knew much more than the two pages that made it into the published report, and was eager to keep that information from becoming public, because it revealed their failures.

A six-page report from the National Security Agency quoted 75 separate communication intercepts tracking the travel of the muscle hijackers to Iran, where Quds Force operatives then escorted them across the border into Afghanistan, all without visa stamps.

Why was this so important? Because the hijackers had clean Saudi passports, and had already acquired fresh U.S. entry visas or were about to get them. If they had traveled to Afghanistan through Pakistan and then tried to enter the United States, they knew there was a high probability they would be denied entry. Thats precisely what happened to the so-called 20th hijacker, Mohammad al-Qahtani, a Saudi citizen who was refused entry by an alert U.S. Customs officer at the Orlando International Airport in August 2001.

His failure to join the hijackers meant that only three muscle hijackers boarded United Flight 93, giving an opportunity to Todd Beamer and other passengers to overpower them and prevent them from crashing into the White House or another high-profile target.

After the 9/11 attacks, I reached out to my Iranian sources and eventually tracked down a series of defectors from Iranian intelligence organizations who claimed firsthand knowledge of Irans involvement in the attacks.

One had learned of the hijacking plot years earlier, as well as its secret code name. The CIA and the State Department brushed off his efforts to warn the United States of the impending attacks in August and early September 2001.

Another was a member of an analytical unit working for the supreme leader who summarized after-action reports from the Quds Force liaison to the al Qaeda plotters, a Hezbollah thug named Imad Fayez Mughniyeh. The CIA called him a fabricator.

A third had served on the security detail that escorted Bin Ladens oldest son, Saad bin Laden, and his successor, Mohammad al-Zawahri, to meetings with Irans supreme leader where they discussed the upcoming attacks on the United States and where the Iranians pledged their support. The CIA brushed him off in July 2001 after meeting him in Baku, Azerbaijan. Today this defector, Ali Reza Soleimane-pak, languishes in solitary confinement in Tbilisi, Georgia, on criminal charges fabricated out of whole cloth by the Iranian ambassador to that country, after he refused to recant his testimony in our case.

I reported their information in Countdown to Crisis: the Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran, along with details about what the United States knew at the time and what was later learned about Irans involvement in the 9/11 plot. It was a massive intelligence failure, mainly attributable to the CIAs groupthink mentality that Sunni Muslim extremists (al Qaeda) would not cooperate with Shiite Muslim terrorists (Iran).

My reporting attracted the attention of lawyers who represented families of 9/11 victims. After years of investigation, including multiple trips to Europe and the Middle East at considerable personal risk, the attorneys locked in the testimony of the Iranian defectors, corroborated it through multiple outside sources, and presented it to a U.S. District Court, where they won an initial judgment worth more than $6 billion. Throughout this effort, CIA operatives went to great lengths to discredit the defectors and to suborn their perjury.

Fast forward to the second 9/11 attack, in 2012. This time Iranian Quds Force operatives murdered Americans in Benghazi, killing U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, information management officer Sean Smith, and former U.S. Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

Just as in 2001, the U.S. intelligence community refused to acknowledge the Iranian involvement, which I learned of from U.S. private military contractors on the ground in Benghazi, the head of Stevenss security detail, U.S. government security personnel, and once again, Iranian defectors.

Thanks to a FOIA request by Judicial Watch, I uncovered a key intelligence memorandum addressed to then-Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn that spelled out what his agency knew about the involvement of al Qaeda and the Quds Force in the Benghazi attacks. And it was damning.

My investigation determined that the intelligence community covered up Irans involvement in Benghazi to protect President Barack Obamas reelection bid and his ongoing negotiations with the Iranian regime. Obama wasnt seeking an end to the regimes terror spree but a mere pause in their nuclear program, in exchange for unfreezing $150 billion in Iranian assets. The ObamaBiden White House was also desperate to cover up the U.S. involvement in funneling weapons to al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in Syria.

Americans dont normally draw the connections between 9/11 and Benghazi. Both attacks were carried out by an Iranian regime that still chants death to America, has killed hundreds of U.S. soldiers using special improvised explosive devices in Iraq, and offers rewards to Taliban fighters to kill Americans in Afghanistan.

The ObamaBiden administration sought to appease Iran. The Trump administration has worked to restrict its reign of terror, including a crackdown on Iranian cyber criminals.

Just like the communist overlords in Beijing, Irans clerical elite and the Revolutionary Guards Corps terror-masters are voting for Biden, as their U.S.-based surrogates have announced.

Kenneth R. Timmerman is a best-selling author, including ISIS Begins and the recently released The Election Heist. He was a member of the national security and foreign policy advisory board of Trump for President and was co-nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 with Ambassador John Bolton for his work on Iran.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
WILMINGTON, N.C., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Untappd , the leading social media app for beer and breweries, today announced it is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and continued growth. To commemorate the occasion, Untappd has partnered with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery to provide a one of a kind virtual celebration and a special anniversary beer to pair with it.

With Untappd's 10th anniversary falling in unprecedented times, the anniversary beer is a way to support the entire craft beer ecosystem - from farmers growing ingredients, to artisans brewing beer, to favorite local bartenders offering the perfect pour, to Untappd users checking-in a new beer for the first time. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery will produce a sour beer recipe, called I Remember My First Check-In, to honor Untappd while supporting the craft beer industry. The base recipe will be made available to breweries and homebrewers that want to participate in the initiative, giving them the opportunity to create their own version of the beer. Participating breweries are expected to source at least one ingredient at market value directly from a grower or supplier within 100 miles of their brewery.

"Untappd has been a catalyst for connecting members of the global craft brewing community for ten years. I'm sure most of us remember our first check in on Untappd and that feeling of belonging that comes when you find community. In these tenuous and tumultuous times we all need a sense of community now more than ever," said Sam Calagione, Founder & Brewer at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. "To do our small part in supporting and sustaining the industry ecosystem, we are focusing the creative recipe customization and economics of the project around the connectivity between local farmers, local breweries and beer lovers."

Brewers are encouraged to release their version of the I Remember My First Check-In beer starting October 18th and to utilize the Untappd platform to upload and promote them. The Untappd platform allows users to interact with the breweries by finding new releases of the beers near them, rating and reviewing the beers and "leveling up" through a variety of badges while they try beers.

Direct beneficiaries of the 10th Anniversary celebration and initiative include the Restaurant Strong Fund and the Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling.

In addition to the anniversary beer initiative, Untappd and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery will host a 10th Anniversary Party, a one-day live streamed event on Saturday, October 24th, open to all Untappd users. The party will celebrate Untappd's 10 year history by highlighting and sampling selected beers from breweries that brew their own version of I Remember My First Check-in, reminiscing on some fan-favorite beers over the last decade, interviews with industry favorites and long-time users of the platform, as well as live music. The entire event will be hosted by Greg Avola, Untappd's co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer.

"When I co-founded Untappd over a decade ago, the goal was to bring beer fans together to share reviews, engage socially and support the breweries they love. I never imagined how this community and business would evolve to where it is today," said Greg Avola. "This past year has brought unique challenges, but I am proud of how Untappd has stepped up to overcome and support restaurants, bars and breweries. I am humbled and excited to celebrate these accomplishments with Dogfish Head, which graciously stepped up to produce a recipe that can be shared in support of the industry we hold so close to hearts, while celebrating the occasion with the Untappd community."

Over the past decade in business, the Untappd consumer platform has seen the following growth:

Over 9 million users have checked in 925 million beers across the globe. Untappd currently serves users globally, with virtually every U.S. brewery and nearly 12,500 international breweries maintaining brewery pages on the app.

In addition to the consumer facing product, Untappd for Business currently serves nearly 4,000 breweries globally with menu publishing software and other digital products.

To learn more about the festivities surrounding Untappd's 10th Anniversary and how to participate in the project, see the website here untappd.com/10 .

About Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Dogfish Head has proudly been focused on brewing beers with culinary ingredients outside the Reinheitsgebot since the day it opened as the smallest American craft brewery nearly 25 years ago. Dogfish Head has grown into a top-20 craft brewery and has won numerous awards throughout the years, including Wine Enthusiast's 2015 Brewery of the Year and the James Beard Foundation Award for 2017 Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional. It is a 350+ co-worker brand based in Delaware, with Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, an off-centered brewpub, Chesapeake & Maine, a geographically-enamored seafood restaurant, Dogfish Inn, a beer-themed inn on the harbor, and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and distillery featuring the Tasting Room & Kitchen and Dogfish Head Distilling Co. Dogfish Head supports the Independent Craft Brewing Seal, the definitive icon for American craft breweries to identify themselves to be independently-owned, and carries the torch of transparency, brewing innovation and the freedom of choice originally forged by brewing community pioneers. Dogfish Head currently sells beer in all 50 states and Washington D.C. For more information, visit www.dogfish.com , Facebook: @dogfishheadbeer, Twitter: @dogfishbeer, and Instagram: @dogfishhead.

About Untappd

Founded in 2010, Untappd is the world's largest social beer app, with over 8 million users globally. Individuals can "check-in" and rate beers at bars, restaurants, breweries and a host of other venues as well as view friends' profiles to toast and comment on their beer choices. Additionally, the company provides menu publishing software to over 18,000 business worldwide.

www.untappd.com

SOURCE Untappd

Related Links

www.untappd.com


A new Oxfam report has shown that 32 of the worlds largest companies stand to see their profits jump by $109 billion more in 2020.

The report said that the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare an economic model that delivers profits for the wealthiest on the back of the poorest.

The report published by Oxfam titled Power, Profits and the Pandemic, outlines how COVID-19 has made things even worse by encouraging corporations around the globe to put profits before workers safety, push costs and risks down the supply chain and use their political influence to shape policy responses.

According to the report, The worsening inequality crisis triggered by COVID-19 is fuelled by an economic model that has allowed some of the worlds largest corporations to funnel billions of dollars in profits to shareholders, giving yet another windfall to the worlds top billionaires, a small group of mostly white men.

At the same time, it has left low-wage workers and women to pay the price of the pandemic without social or financial protection. Since the outset of the pandemic, large corporations have put profits before workers safety, pushed costs down the supply chain and used their political influence to shape policy responses.

COVID-19 should be the catalyst for radically reining in corporate power, restructuring business models with purpose and rewarding all those that work with profits, creating an economy for all.

Globally, half a billion people are expected to be pushed into poverty by the economic fallout from the pandemic. 400 million jobs have already been lost and the International Labour Organisation estimates that more than 430 million small enterprises are at risk.

Economic impact

The report also outlined how corporations have worsened the economic impacts of the pandemic by funnelling profits to shareholders instead of investing in better jobs and climate-friendly technology, paying their fair share of taxes, and prioritising profits over people.

The report setout examples including: In the US, an estimated 27,000 meat packing workers have tested positive one in nine employees and more than 90 have died from COVID-19. The countrys largest meat processing company, Tyson Foods, published a letter advocating against closing its factories, despite 8,500 of its employees testing positive for the virus.

Ten of the worlds largest apparel brands paid 74% of their profits (a total of $21 billion) to their shareholders in dividends and stock buybacks in 2019. This year 2.2 million workers in Bangladesh alone were affected when textile orders were cancelled. Factory shutdowns have lowered revenues in the country by an estimated $3 billion.

In India, hundreds of tea plantation workers, many of them women, have gone unpaid as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown. At the same time, some of the largest Indian tea companies have boosted their profits or have been able to maintain profit margins by cutting costs.

Mining operations in Peru have been kept open despite high risks of infection among their employees.

Chevron announced cuts of 10-15% of its 45,000 global work force despite spending more cash on dividends and share buybacks during the first quarter of the year than they generated from core business.

Nigerias largest cement company, Dangote Cement, allegedly fired more than 3,000 staff without prior notice or due process while the company is still expected to pay 136% of its profits to shareholders in 2020.

Reacting to the report, Oxfam International Executive Director, Chema Vera, said: Covid-19 has been tragic for the many but good for a privileged few. The economic crisis we are suffering because of the pandemic has been fuelled by a rigged economic model. The worlds largest corporations are making billions at the expense of low wage workers and funnelling profits to shareholders and billionaires  a small group of largely white men in rich nations.

It is sickening that, in the middle of a pandemic, some corporations are paying-out massive dividends to wealthy shareholders having received government bailouts meant to protect jobs. Scarce resources are being handed to the already super wealthy at a time when hundreds of millions of people are suffering the consequences of this pandemic. Women, racial and ethnic minorities or migrants are being significantly impacted.

Recommendations

Oxfam is calling for a response to the immediate crisis that priorities straight support for workers and small businesses. It includes establishing a Covid-19 Pandemic Profits Tax to ensure shared sacrifice, and the redeployment of resources away from those cashing in on the pandemic and toward those bearing the burden.

Long term, Oxfam is asking policymakers and corporations to re-balance corporate purpose, profits and power away from exclusively benefiting executives and shareholders towards workers, suppliers, consumers and communities. A corporate reform agenda should ensure every worker is paid a living wage, has a safe place to work and a voice in the workplace before a single dividend is paid to shareholders. Corporations must pay their fair share of tax and policy makers must rein in corporate power to stop them from rigging the rules.

Mr Vera said: We are at a critical juncture. We have a choice between returning to business as usual or learning from this moment to design a fairer and more sustainable economy.

Some of the captains of capitalism have jumped on the bandwagon and promised to move away from a shareholder first model. This talk is cheap. The pandemic must be the catalyst for reining in corporate power, restructuring business models with purpose and rewarding all those that work with profits, creating an economy for all.

Unless we change course, economic inequality will increase. Now is the time to shore up small businesses, workers and democratic institutions not an even smaller number of large corporations that are exerting greater economic and political power.
UK brewery donates five thousand lagers to raise funds for Wrexham child battling cancer

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 10th, 2020

A UK brewery has donated five thousand lagers to help raise funds for a Wrexham child battling cancer

West Berkshire Brewery, producers of Good Old Boy & Renegade Lager have launched an Unbeatable Lager to help raise funds and support for the Unbeatable Eva campaign.

Eva is fighting DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma), an incredibly rare form of cancer which affects a small number of children each year.

Five thousand re-labelled Renegade Lager cans have been produced and donated to Evas parents to be sold to help raise funds for Eva to travel to the US for ground-breaking clinical trials.

The cans were supplied free of charge with the help from WBBs suppliers, Thirst Craft who kindly took the Unbeatable Eva logo and applied it to an eye-catching design. Label Express who provided the labels and Ardagh who provided the cans.

Managing Director, Tom Lucas sayid: No-one who has heard of Evas story can be untouched.

Paul contacted me to ask if there was some way we could help. I went straight to our suppliers to see if we could get together to help this fundraising effort.

Everyone agreed without a seconds hesitation, which at the height of lockdown and all the associated issues facing everyone made me incredibly proud to be their business partners. It is my hope that the funds raised will help get Eva over to America for the treatment she needs and raise awareness of this terrible condition, and I would urge everyone to support in any way you can.

Paul Slapa, Evas Dad said: I contacted Tom at WBB with the hope that he may in some way be able to do a profit share of a limited-edition beer.

The brewery instead offered to donate everything, which was completely overwhelming.

The kindness and generosity shown by WBB as well as their suppliers has just been incredible and this will help us get that little bit closer to our target to get Eva treatment overseas.

Evas family are asking for a minimum donation of 10 for a four pack of cans. You can support the fundraiser, here.
SUV

The tuning company made a name for itself with over the top restomod conversions of the fabled Hummer H1 that brought the hulkingback into active duty with a raft of modern improvements. It decided in spring this year it was time for another draft, bringing into the fold the top-selling vehicle in the United States, the ubiquitous Ford F-150 In April, when they first showcased the menacing conversion (if youre on the Light side you can always eschew the stealthy Agate Black for any of the available lighter shades), Mil-Spec's team trained the powertrain to 500 horsepower and to a rock-crawling Baja Performance Suspension Package that included a wider track and a 11 / 12-inch suspension lift (front / rear).Back then, the outlet looked satisfied with their 500-horsepower version of the F-150, but that certainly isnt enough in this day and age. So, they quickly came up with a 675 hp solution. The automotive drill sergeant should be more satisfied now that the specialist seems comfortable enough to increase the stakes.They thus used a social media post to reward us with a few beauty shots of a Ford F-150 Lariat featuring a stealth approach with no visible MSA (Mil-Spec Automotive) markings. More importantly, the comment noted an important novelty: optional 675 hp with 13 inches of ground clearance means there isnt much you cant tackle in a MSA F-150.That certainly sounds like a challenge to all performance trucks out there, be it of the aftermarket (Hennesseys Venom 775 Supercharged quickly springs to mind) or the official variety  the timing is quite important, given the recent 2021 Ram TRX unveiling. Pricing might be the only setback, as the stock version alone kicks off at $89,500...
The proportion of households in America that reported serious financial pain during the pandemic. This financial struggle is also more pronounced in Latino and Black households. ( NPR  September 10, 2020)
The collapse in oil prices earlier in the year, along with cuts in oil production and the world-wide recession following the COVID-19 pandemic, is having a devastating impact on economic and social conditions in the oil-producing countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The repercussions spread far beyond the oil producers borders.

Oil prices, which started the year at around $60 a barrelnearly half that of a decade agofell to $40 in March and plummeted into negative territory before rising again to around $40 a barrel in recent weeks. This year, oil revenues are expected to be around $300 billion, down from $575 billion in 2019 and more than $1 trillion in 2012.

While oil production may just be profitable at $40 a barrel, none of the Arab states except Qatar can balance their budgets at this level. The worst affected, Algeria and Oman, need prices to rise to $157 and $87 a barrel, respectively. Even the largest oil producer, Saudi Arabia, which relies on oil for 70 percent of its budget, needs $80 a barrel to balance its books.

In June, the International Monetary Fund estimated that the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countriesSaudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatarwould shrink by 7.6 percent this year, while Iraqs economy is expected to contract by 7.5 percent and Irans by 6 percent, on top of a 7.6 percent decline in 2019 and 5.4 percent in 2018 due to Washingtons unilateral pull-out from the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Since March, the Arab petro-states have slashed public expenditureincluding the salaries of public sector workers, who form 90 percent of regular, full-time workersraised sales taxes and petrol prices, all of which have fallen hardest on the poor.

Subventions, which for the corporate sector have far exceeded any poverty relief measures, have been borrowed on the international money markets and are eating into foreign currency reserves. Even Saudi Arabia, which faces a budget deficit for 2020 equal to 16 percent of GDP, has only two years reserves left at current spending rates. More tax rises and privatisations are on the agenda, with its giant desalination plant, the worlds largest, up for sale.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, known as Sabic, one of the worlds largest petrochemicals producers, lost $592 million in the second quarter of this year compared to a $570 million profit in the same period last year, and is seeking to raise $1 billion via a bond issue.

The pandemic has also decimated all the sectors earmarked for diversification outside the oil industry: aviationin particular, the airlines Etihad and Emiratestourism, hospitality, real estate and logistics. While the annual Haj and Umrah to Mecca brought in 2.6 million pilgrims last year, this years cancellation of the pilgrimages is expected to result in losses of some $15 billion. Iraqs religious sites have been similarly affected.

Unemployment is expected to rise to 13 percent in Saudi Arabia, where it is estimated that around 20 percent of its 34 million population already live in poverty, as it cuts back its social safety net.

The first and hardest hit have been the Gulfs 30 million migrant workers from South Asia, the Philippines and the MENA region, who outnumber citizens in four of the six Gulf states. As restrictions and curfews made work all but impossible, many found themselves stranded.

Unable to return home due to travel restrictions, and in some cases, notably India, the refusal of their home country to accept them due to fears they would spread the coronavirus, they were left without income, often with months of wages owing. While companies were ordered to provide them with food and accommodation, no action was taken to ensure they complied, forcing migrant workers to depend on charities to survive. Without work, most have lost their health insurance, leaving them without medical care and medication.

Now, as international flights resume, some states have begun deporting foreign workers to their countries of origin. Many are refusing to leave without receiving their unpaid wages and end-of-service gratuity paymentpart of their employment contractthat is usually around one months salary per year of employment.

Not only have migrant workers suffered appalling hardship during the lockdown, but they have also been unable to send home part of their wages in remittances to their families. Remittances constitute as much as 10 percent of GDP in several countries, with some of the worst affected in the Middle East, including the West Bank and Gaza (17 percent), Lebanon (14 percent), Yemen (13.7 percent) and Jordan (10 percent). The loss of remittances means the end of a vital lifeline for many.

As well as starting to deport migrant workers, most of the Gulf states are refusing to issue new work visas, as they implement long-planned labour localisation programmes and cut back on public sector jobs that have been the traditional source of employment for Gulf citizens.

This will have a major impact on neighbouring Arab countries. More than 2.5 million Egyptians, or nearly 3 percent of the total population, 5 percent of Lebanese and Jordanian workers and 9 percent of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, work in the rich oil-producing states. If they can continue to work in the Gulf, it will be at lower rates of pay. If not, they will be back home in countries with some of the highest rates of unemployment and lowest pay in the world, particularly among young graduates. To cite one example, doctors earn $185 a month in Egypt, a fraction of what they earn in the Gulf.

The downturn in the Gulf states economies will mean fewer imports from their neighbours and fewer jobs. About 21 percent of Egypts exports went to the Gulf, 32 percent of Jordans and 38 percent of Lebanons. The pandemic and the recession have also affected regional tourism, which constituted 10 percent of GDP in Egypt and Jordan, and 18 percent in Lebanon in 2018. While most visitors come from Europe, Gulf tourists stay longer and spend more as they seek to avoid the crushing summer heat at home.

Oil revenues enabled the Gulf monarchies to placate sections of the working class at home and shore up suitably subservient ruling elites elsewhere as they suppressed their own working class, via grants and loansparticularly following the Arab Spring in 2011 that saw mass protests across the region against social inequality and hated governments.

For years, Saudi Arabia acted as banker of last resort for Jordan and Lebanon, until their foreign policies diverged from Riyadhs. Together with the UAE, in 2013 it provided $30 billion in aid to Egypts brutal dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (although its largesse evaporated after el-Sisi declined to send troops to fight in Yemen), and $3 billion to the new military-dominated regime in Sudan, while Qatar has provided aid for Hamas in Gaza. That generosity is not set to continue.

Ordinary people will be made to pay for the economic crisis accelerated by the pandemic. Mass unemployment, the gutting of welfare systems, such as they are, and a stepped-up assault on wages and conditions flow inexorably from the government handouts to the regions kleptocrats.

Economic developments in the Middle Easts richest countries testify to the interconnectedness of the world economy and presage a mounting social catastrophe that will provoke a new revolutionary upsurge of workers throughout the region.

In the last year, there has been a fresh wave of working-class struggles across the region, including strikes and mass protests in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, public service workers strikes in Israel and mass teacher strikes in Jordan. These must be elevated into a conscious struggle for socialism that brings together all sections of the working class in each country, across the region, and throughout the world against capitalism for the socialist reorganisation of society.
Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary

PALM BEACH, Fla., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, has become a household name over the past few years and it is gaining popularity at a substantive pace. The purported therapeutic and health benefits of CBD, one of many compounds found in cannabis and hemp plants, has created a growing demand for infused products. CBD oil has entered the marketplace in the form of tinctures, infused edibles, topicals and more. The growth of CBD oil products has been so immense, in fact, that industry analyst BDS Analytics predicts the U.S. CBD market will reach $20 billion in sales by 2024 according to multiple reports. One such report by leading cannabis researchers BDS Analytics and Arcview Market Research, projects that the collective market for CBD sales in the U.S. will surpass $20 billion by 2024. Another report by DBMR analyzed the CBD infused edible market and projected it will grow at a CAGR of 25% in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Active companies in the Cannabis market this week include Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG), MariMed Inc. (OTCQX: MRMD), CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI), Puration, Inc. (OTCPK: PURA), Kona Gold Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: KGKG).



Needless to say, society is growing more open-minded and accepting of CBD. Many individuals are turning to it for pain relief, stress management, better sleep, and more; and many gas stations, restaurants, and local CVS stores now sell it. Some trends the CBD market might experience in 2020 are increased potency of products, more brick-and-mortar CBD shops, more pharmaceutical CBD products, and more access to products online through CBD websites and e-commerce shops. In fact, Loud Cloud Health said that CBD online sales currently account for 60% of the sales channels. The BDS report also stated: "We're witnessing CBD maturing from a cannabis sub-category into a full-blown industry of its own," said Roy Bingham, Co-Founder and CEO of BDS Analytics. "Our growth forecast for the CBD market, across all distribution channels, predicts a compound annual growth rate of 49 percent by 2024."



Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) BREAKING NEWS:Tauriga Sciences Inc. Now Registered Supplier for Kohl's Department Stores - Tauriga Sciences, Inc. ("Tauriga" or the "Company"), a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, with a proprietary line of functional "supplement" chewing gums (Flavors: Pomegranate, Blood Orange, Peach-Lemon, Pear Bellini, Mint, Black Currant) as well as two ongoing Biotechnology initiatives, today announced that it is now a registered supplier for Kohl's Department Stores ("Kohl's"), a national department store retail chain.

The Company's information is now part of the Kohl's Supplier Database and accessible to Buyers.

Management is pleased about this opportunity and views Kohl's as a market-leading retailer with a strong national footprint. This achievement follows previously disclosed supplier certification(s) and registrations approval(s) from a number of other major national retailers for Tauriga, including Walmart, Inc. (WMT), Whole Foods Market, Inc, CVS Health Corp. (CVS), and AHOLD USA (which includes: Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant, Hannaford, and Martin's and Peapod).Get more information about TAUG by visiting: http://www.tauriga.com/

Other recent developments and major influences in the cannabis industry include:

Puration, Inc. (OTCPK: PURA) and UC Asset (UCASU), a real estate investment and redevelopment company, recently announced entering into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI). UC Asset, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Atlanta Landsight LLC, agrees to sell its 72 acre farmland located in Farmersville, TX to PURA for total consideration of $1.3 million.

UC Asset, through its wholly owned subsidiary, acquired that farmland at the price of $805,216, in September, 2016. As of June 30, 2020, the total historical cost occurring to UC Asset in holding this property (including commissions, taxes, consulting fees etc.) is approximately $55,000. Gross rate of return is approximately 55% for the period.

"This property had been a great investment for us in sense that we are now selling it at a reasonable price and can still earn a good return," explains Greg Bankston, managing partner of UC Asset's GP. "The price we paid in 2016 was 4.2% lower than the price this property had been purchased nine years ago." The land was sold last time at approximately $838,000 in 2007.

CV Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI) recently announced the launch of its new corporate website reflecting the Company's refreshed brand positioning, core values and mission. As highlighted on the new website: "CV Sciences has initiated research, conducted clinical trials, published studies, and is the first company to achieve GRAS safety status for hemp-derived CBD. CV, or Curriculum Vitae, is Latin for "course of life", and science is the pursuit of truth. CV Sciences: our name is our mission - improving quality of life through nature and science."

"Since 2012, CV Sciences has been a pioneer in the CBD industry, taking extraordinary efforts to make high-quality, safe, and effective hemp-derived CBD products. We have been a leader in shaping the regulatory pathway for hemp-derived CBD products and continue to build awareness and acceptance around this remarkable plant and what it has to offer," saidJoseph Dowling, Chief Executive Officer of CV Sciences. "The launch of our new website marks an important inflection point for CV Sciences, reflecting our mission and core values as we build our portfolio of CBD products under the PlusCBD and Happy Lane brands and expand our portfolio into new categories with CV Acute, the first of several products to be launched under our new Immunity product line - as well as future product lines under the CV brand. The new corporate website also offers a fully integrated customer friendly shopping experience for all of CV Sciences brands, including PlusCBD, CV Acute and Happy Lane."

Kona Gold Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: KGKG), a holding company focused on product development in the hemp and CBD functional beverage sector, recently announced it has entered into a distribution agreement with Carolina Cannatech. Carolina Cannatech, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a seed-to-sale industrial hemp company that also manufactures and sells its own line of premium CBD products under their Nature's Highway brand.

Nature's Highway is dedicated to introducing consumers to the life changing potential of CBD and its family of other relevant cannabinoids. They pride themselves on providing the purest, highest quality hemp products at the most competitive prices. A promise made possible by keeping every step of production in-house and operating with full transparency. Each CBD wellness product is pharmacist formulated, ensuring the highest quality product from their farm to you and your family. Their hemp is organically grown in Neeses, SC on their 3rd generation family farm, Carolina Fresh Farms, founded in the late 1940's. Nature's Highway founders come from humble beginnings uniquely similar to the founders of Carolina Fresh Farms, the Fogle family.

MariMed, Inc. (OTCQX: MRMD) a leading multi-state cannabis and hemp operator focused on health and wellness, recently announced that Betty's Eddies, one of its proprietary, in-house award-winning cannabis brands has seen its monthly unit sales increase 20X in Massachusetts alone since April 2020. Based upon the success of this brand in Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Nevada, MariMed is anticipating Betty's Eddies to be the top selling edible in Massachusetts. MariMed's strategic plan includes increasing the licensing and distribution of its top brands across strategic and high-growth medical and recreational markets in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

One of the top performing cannabis brands in the United States, and the LeafLink Winner for Best Selling Medical Product in 2019, Betty's Eddies are gluten-free, vegan fruit chews made from organically grown fruits and vegetables. Containing full spectrum cannabis oil, they are available in a variety of flavors, including berry, orange, lemon, lime, grape, and peach mango.

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A 53-member team of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was flagged off for a mountaineering expedition to scale 21,620-ft-high Gangotri-2 peak in Uttarkashi district on Wednesday, said ITBP officials.

The expedition is the first from ITBP in which female officers and jawans are allowed to join an expedition at the frontier level. The 53-member team comprises 11 female officers and jawans, said officials.

Aparna Kumar, deputy inspector general (ITBP), Dehradun, who flagged off the team said, The team which includes both officers and jawans is the first expedition in the pandemic so far. It will scale the Gangotri-2 peak for which they will start their scaling from Friday.

Kumar said, The team was flagged off from ITBPs base of 35th battalion based in Mahidanda area of Uttarkashi. This is the first time that female members are also included in any expedition till frontier level.

The DIG also informed that before leaving for the expedition, the team was given training of 10 days in Uttarkashi based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the need of physical distancing will lead to an increase in private flying and growth in business aviation, according to Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, Founding and Executive Chairman of The Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA).

Discussing the future of business aviation both globally and specifically in the Middle East, Alnaqbi highlighted that there are significant opportunities for development of the sector and advised companies to invest carefully in aircraft type in the future. With smaller, private terminals with fewer staff on board the aircraft that have a limited number of crew serving passengers  business aviation can deal with the impact of Covid-19 more effectively.

Business aviation has always had some degree of natural physical distancing in place and as such it is less difficult for companies within this industry to adapt to the new normal, said Alnaqbi. We expect to see an increase in demand in private flying and we will see opportunities open up. We are witnessing new groups of people who usually used to fly on commercial airlines now choosing to fly privately.

Alnaqbi did, however, highlight that 2020 has been a tough year for business aviation in general. Many companies have gone through difficulties this year, to the point where some of them have been close to shutting down. He added that no one is able to properly predict what is going to happen until the end of this year as it depends on the decisions of governments in different countries and the changes in processes and procedures.

The MEBAA Chairman expects there to be a slow recovery this year and is hoping that we see the end of the pandemic by the end of 2020. He is optimistic about the prospects of business aviation for 2021 and highlighted that ensuring health and safety is the number one priority for the industry. MEBAA has worked closely with members in order to support them, communicate with them and to maintain a level of survival between the companies. He added that if the businesses involved work together to protect each other, the future will be bright and that is a collective view of those involved in the industry he added.

We are lucky that our show will be happening at the end of the year. Everybody is excited to have at least one aviation event in 2020. The MEBAA Show will bring confidence back for business and private aviation. People are looking forward to it as most of the other shows have been postponed until next year. The priority is the safety of our colleagues, attendees, exhibitors and partners and we are monitoring the situation closely. The outlook is positive and if anything happens that forces us to go otherwise, we will put the health and safety of those involved as the overriding priority, added Alnaqbi.

The MEBAA Show, the Middle Easts leading business aviation platform, is set to return to Dubai, taking place from December 8-10 at DWC, Airshow Site. The event will showcase the latest technologies, insights and business opportunities shaping the future of business aviation in the Middle East and across the globe.

By attending The MEBAA Show, organisations will have the chance to meet business aircraft manufacturers, avionics firms, completion centers, charter companies and aircraft resellers who will display their latest products and services, said a statement. - TradeArabia News Service
Lake and Geauga counties on Sept. 10 were moved up from Level 1 (yellow) to Level 2 (orange) in the states novel coronavirus Public Health Advisory System.

Both counties have previously been on Level 2, but have been on Level 1 for several weeks. Geauga County has been on Level 1 since Aug. 6. Lake County has been on Level 1 since Aug. 13.

Among other things, those in Level 2 counties are asked to decrease in-person interactions outside the household; avoid contact with anyone who is high risk; and seek medical care as needed, but limit or avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, nursing homes and residential care facilities to see others as much as possible.

When the advisory system was introduced, officials said that a countys alert level is determined by seven data indicators:

New Cases Per Capita

Sustained Increase in New Cases

Proportion of Cases that Are Not Congregate Cases

Sustained Increase in Emergency Room Visits

Sustained Increase in Outpatient Visits

Sustained Increase in New COVID-19 Hospital Admissions

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Bed Occupancy

Level 2 means that a county met two or three indicators. Level 1, the baseline level, means a county met zero or one indicator.

According to Ohio Department of Health information, Lake County now meets two indicators and Geauga meets three.

Lake County met the New Cases Per Capita indicator and the Proportion of Cases that Are Not Congregate Cases indicators, according to ODH information.

According to ODH, the New Cases Per Capita indicator is flagged if there are greater than 50 cases per 100,000 county population over the last two weeks. According to ODH data, Lake County had 134 new cases over a two-week period in a county of 230,149. Thats 58.22 new cases per 100,000 population.

The Proportion of Cases that Are Not Congregate Cases indicator is met if proportion of cases that are not in a congregate setting goes over 50% in at least one of the last 3 weeks. Its used as an indicator of greater risk of community spread. Congregate settings are defined as as long-term care facilities (including nursing homes) and prisons.

Geauga County also met those two indicators. Geauga had 57 new cases in the past two weeks in a county with a population of 93,649. Thats 60.87 cases per 100,000 population.

The other indicator Geauga met was the Sustained Increase in New Cases. According to ODH, this is flagged if increasing trend of at least 5 consecutive days in overall cases by onset date over the last 3 weeks. Reflects disease spread in the population.

As of 2 p.m. Sept. 10, Lake County has 1,459 total COVID-19 cases. Of that figure, 1,206 are presumed recovered, according to ODH. There have been 164 total hospitalizations in the county and 45 total deaths in the county.

Geauga County has 671 total cases. Of that, 547 are presumed recovered. There have been 105 total hospitalizations and 46 total deaths.

Statewide, there are 134,086 total COVID-19 cases. Of that, 112,140 are presumed recovered. There have been 14,164 total hospitalizations and 4,354 total deaths.

According to ODH, presumed recovered is defined as symptom onset date greater than 21 days prior who are not deceased.
Here are the latest players added to their teams 60-man player pool 

Hurlers Penn Murfee and Ian McKinney are now a part of the Mariners  60-man group, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets. The 26-year-old Murfee had a strong 2019 showing, producing good numbers at the High-A level and then dominating Arizona Fall League hitters. Its possible he could be an option at the MLB level if he shows well at the alternate training site. The same holds true of McKinney, 25, who joined Murfee as a productive member of the Modesto rotation last year. McKinney is a 2013 draftee who joined the Seattle organization as a minor-league free agent in advance of the 2019 season.

and are now a part of the  60-man group, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets. The 26-year-old Murfee had a strong 2019 showing, producing good numbers at the High-A level and then dominating Arizona Fall League hitters. Its possible he could be an option at the MLB level if he shows well at the alternate training site. The same holds true of McKinney, 25, who joined Murfee as a productive member of the Modesto rotation last year. McKinney is a 2013 draftee who joined the Seattle organization as a minor-league free agent in advance of the 2019 season. The Rays brought aboard a pair of youngsters in righty Seth Johnson and infielder Ford Proctor , as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times covers on Twitter. The 40th overall pick of the 2019 draft, Johnson hasnt pitched above the Rookie ball level and is likely being added for developmental purposes. Proctor, 23, is a 2018 third-rounder who has shown strong on-base ability but little power in the low minors. He appeared this year in the Constellation Energy League, knocking out a healthy .346/.500/.679 slash in 28 games.

brought aboard a pair of youngsters in righty and infielder , as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times covers on Twitter. The 40th overall pick of the 2019 draft, Johnson hasnt pitched above the Rookie ball level and is likely being added for developmental purposes. Proctor, 23, is a 2018 third-rounder who has shown strong on-base ability but little power in the low minors. He appeared this year in the Constellation Energy League, knocking out a healthy .346/.500/.679 slash in 28 games. The Padres have added youngster Owen Caissie to their pool at just 18 years of age, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports via Twitter. Its quite the vote of confidence in the recent second-round pick, who obviously wont be expected to make his professional debut this year at the MLB level. The Canadian outfielder will get some excellent experience at the Friars alternate training site before joining an affiliate in 2021.
Oil futures on Wednesday clawed back some of the losses they sustained in the previous session, but a rebound in Covid-19 cases in some countries undermined hopes for a steady recovery in global demand.

Brent crude rose $1.01, or 2.5%, to settle at $40.79 a barrel. The benchmark dropped more than 5% on Tuesday to fall below $40 for the first time since June.

US crude rose $1.29, or 3.5% to settle at $38.05 a barrel, having fallen nearly 8% in the previous session.

That lifted the major benchmarks off Tuesdays levels near three-month lows. Prices fell this week after Saudi Arabias state oil company Aramco cut the October official selling prices for its Arab light oil, a sign of softening demand.

When strong Middle Eastern producers are willing to sell-off in lower prices, it is normal that the global market panics and follows suit, said Paola Rodriguez-Masiu, Rystad Energys senior oil markets analyst.

The global health crisis continues to flare with coronavirus cases rising in India, Britain, Spain and several parts of the United States. The outbreaks are threatening to slow a global economic recovery and reduce demand for fuels from aviation gas to diesel.

Short-term oil market fundamentals look soft: the demand recovery is fragile, inventories and spare capacity are high, and refining margins are low, Morgan Stanley said.

Record supply cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, have helped support prices, but with grim economic figures being reported almost daily, the outlook for demand for oil remains bleak.

The US Energy Information Administration on Wednesday cut its 2020 world oil demand growth forecast by 210,000 barrels per day to 8.32 million bpd.

Chinas factory gate prices fell for a seventh straight month in August although at the slowest annual pace since March, suggesting industries in the worlds second-biggest economy continued their recovery from the coronavirus-induced downturn.

In the United States, crude inventories rose 3 million barrels last week to 504.1 million barrels, industry data from the American Petroleum Institute showed late Wednesday. Analysts had expected a draw of 1.3 million barrels.

US government inventory data is due on Thursday, delayed a day by Mondays Labor Day holiday. [EIA/S]

US crude oil production is expected to fall 870,000 bpd to 11.38 million bpd this year, a less steep decline than previously forecast, the US government said in its latest monthly outlook.

Further oil production cuts are expected in 2021, according to the report.
Ukrainian lawmaker Andriy Derkach attends a news conference titled "Publication of facts of pressure of U.S. Embassy on Ukraine's law enforcement agencies to interfere in electoral process in U.S.", in Kiev, Ukraine October 9, 2019.

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on three Kremlin-linked individuals and a Ukrainian lawmaker Thursday for attempting to meddle in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

In a statement Thursday, Treasury described Andrii Derkach, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, as an "active Russian agent for over a decade" with close connections to Russian intelligence services.

"In the United States, Russia has used a wide range of influence methods and actors to target our electoral process, including targeting U.S. presidential candidates," Treasury said in a statement without naming Biden or Trump. "From at least late 2019 through mid-2020, Derkach waged a covert influence campaign centered on cultivating false and unsubstantiated narratives concerning U.S. officials in the upcoming 2020 presidential election," the statement added.

Derkach has previously worked with Rudy Giuliani to dig up damaging information on President Donald Trump's Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, and his son Hunter. Giuliani has acted as a personal lawyer for Trump, and his efforts to get Ukraine to launch an investigation into the Bidens led to Trump's impeachment after the president withheld military aid to Ukraine while asking for such a probe.
The reopening process for Bay Area elementary schools got off to a slow start, but last week, waiver approvals in some counties started rolling in.

California recently transitioned to a new four-tier, color-coded coronavirus monitoring system, which opens the door for more school reopenings based on a countys risk level. Those in the riskiest purple tier cannot reopen schools unless the health department grants a waiver, for K-6 elementary schools only.

The next tier, red, allows counties to reopen schools if theyve been at that level for at least two weeks, though counties and districts can still impose stricter rules than the state. San Francisco, Napa and Santa Clara are the only three Bay Area counties in the less restrictive red tier.

Classrooms across the Bay Area had been shuttered since mid-March because of the pandemic, and state health officials released guidelines in early August for elementary schools to request waivers to reopen under strict safety protocols. County health officers decide whether to approve waivers, in consultation with the California Department of Public Health.

The state template application form requires schools to submit proof that they have consulted with parents, labor unions and community groups. Each schools reopening plan must be published online, demonstrating how it follows state and local public health guidelines.

Heres where each Bay Area county currently stands:

Alameda County

Last week, the county released its waiver process that first requires interested schools to complete a questionnaire by Friday, Sept. 11. The Alameda County Office of Education screens the questionnaires on a rolling basis and said it would begin sending waiver applications Wednesday. Schools must post their reopening plans, and return the applications to the county health office by Sept. 17.

Contra Costa County

As of Wednesday, the East Bay county had approved 14 school waivers and received 32 total, all from private or charter schools, according to the county health office.

Marin County

Last week, the county announced it had approved waiver applications for 15 schools, cleared to reopen as early as Sept. 8. Twelve other schools submitted applications, and their approvals are pending. Bayside Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy in Sausalito prepared to reopen on Tuesday, but was forced to postpone its plans Monday night after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.

Napa County

The county is currently in the red tier. According to Napa County spokeswoman Janet Upton, schools can choose to reopen as early as Sept. 14. But the countys largest public school district, Napa Valley Unified, said it does not plan to move ahead with reopening at this time, citing the challenge of a state requirement for schools to regularly test a certain percentage of employees.

San Francisco County

Despite being in the red tier and getting the OK from the state to reopen schools, the county is taking a cautious approach and requiring schools to apply for permission to reopen. Approvals will be given on a rolling basis, with elementary schools given first priority in September, followed by middle schools in October and high schools in November. Private schools are expected to apply first, while public schools still need to reach an agreement with the teachers union.

San Mateo County

According to the San Mateo County Department of Education, 20 schools have been approved to reopen, mostly a mix of private, charter and independent schools, and schools for students with special needs.

COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California.

Santa Clara County

The county has approved waivers for 15 elementary schools so far, and is keeping a list of the approvals and applications received on its public health website. The approved schools are a mix of private, public, independent and charter schools, and some can reopen only for students with disabilities and special needs.

Nearly 50 private schools and two charter schools have pending applications. Los Altos School District and Union School District are the only two public schools with applications currently under review. On Tuesday, the county moved from the purple tier to the less restrictive red tier.

Sonoma County

While the county has begun accepting and reviewing waiver applications, they will be approved only if a countys case rate is fewer than 200 per population of 100,000 for the previous two weeks. Sonoma County is currently above that threshold.

Solano County

The county health department says it has received a handful of waiver applications from private and charter schools, and they are currently under review. Officials said there is no time frame for when any schools might reopen.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @KellieHwang
After the Herald last year published a series of articles raising serious questions about Crown Resorts systems for fighting money laundering and criminal activity at its casinos, Crowns high-profile board reacted with indignation.

The board, which includes former Liberal minister and Crown chair Helen Coonan as well as directors John Alexander (a former Herald editor), former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and former top public servant Jane Halton, dismissed the reports in a letter to the ASX and in newspaper ads as unsubstantiated allegations, exaggerations, unsupported connections and outright falsehoods.

Yet an inquiry by the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority has, in recent weeks, confirmed the accuracy of key points in the Heralds reporting and, in at least one case, has shown it was Crown that misled the public.

The ILGA inquiry, under former Supreme Court judge Patricia Bergin, has held six weeks of hearings since a break due to COVID-19. It is looking at whether Crown, which operates casinos in Melbourne and Perth, should keep its licence to operate the Sydney venue due to open at Barangaroo in December.

The hearings have explored evidence put before Herald readers last year that Crown ignored warning signs of potential money laundering and links between organised crime and the junket tour operators that it used to bring so-called high-roller gamblers to Australia.
Chattanooga native Kim White announced her candidacy for the office of mayor of the city of Chattanooga. She made the announcement on Thursday morning at her alma mater, Hixson High School,



"I am deeply humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement as I take this important step into a new era for Chattanooga," said Ms. White. "I am a homegrown leader and product of this city.

Running for mayor is a tremendous opportunity to take my leadership skills, business background and unending commitment to my hometown to create new possibilities for our city.Our future starts today and I look forward to the many conversations that lay ahead as I share my vision and ideas with voters on how best to move Chattanooga forward.

Her campaign said, "With a successful 16-year career with Fortune 500 company, ALLTEL Communications, Ms. White was responsible for recruiting top talent and growing market share in existing and newly acquired markets throughout the southeast. Upon her return to Chattanooga in 2003, she served as president and CEO of the Corker Group, fully leasing and managing over two million square feet of real estate."

For the past 11 years, she has served as the president and CEO of River City Company, a non-profit organization with a 34-year history focusing on the economic growth of downtown Chattanooga.





Her announcement said, "With the influence of her leadership, Chattanooga has seen a renewed focus on downtown housing, strengthened relationships with public and private partners and the development of widely enjoyed public spaces."





"Her campaign will focus on reinvigorating the economy and community through job creation, small to large scale businesses recruitment, affordable housing and expanded services for low-income citizens. With a focus on creating strong public private partnerships including partners in the faith, social, education, media, arts and business sectors, she is also committed to collaborative relationships across the city, county and other local municipalities to make this not only the best city but also the best region of our country. Creating a city thats easy to establish and expand business opportunities, she plans to work to streamline policies and eliminate barriers of doing business with the city. Last, she will also invest in early childhood education, expand programming and maintenance of our citys community centers and make massive infrastructure improvements in all neighborhoods across the city for a more sustainable future."





Ms. White said, "I believe our city is at a crossroads. Civic leadership focused on service and responsibility matters now more than ever. As your mayor, it will be my duty to serve our city and its residents truthfully, transparently and help to create a city that lifts up all Chattanoogans regardless of zip code. From this moment on, I will remain accessible for continuous conversations on the different challenges facing our city to ensure all voices are heard, represented and respected."





The Kim White for Mayor campaign recently named Mary Kilbride treasurer. Alexis Bogo and Mitch Patel will serve as co-chairs of the Finance Committee. The Kim White for Mayor campaign headquarters is now open at 518 Georgia Ave.
Ivanka Trump says she is willing to appear on The View to take a COVID-19 vaccine because she 'trusts the FDA' after the show's co-host Joy Behar vowed not to take it until after the First Daughter does.

Behar on Wednesday had dismissed President Donald Trump's earlier claims that a coronavirus vaccine would be available soon.

The co-host suggested she wouldn't trust a vaccine that had been made so quickly and vowed not to take it until after Trump's daughter did.

'He will push anything to get reelected. Don't fall for it,' Behar said on The View. 'And by the way, I will take the vaccine after Ivanka takes it.'

Ivanka hit back on Thursday and committed to taking a vaccine on the daytime talk show once it's available.

'Deal @JoyVBehar. I would come on your show to do so,' Ivanka tweeted. 'I trust the FDA and so should all Americans. Vanquishing this virus should be our collective top priority.'

Ivanka Trump says she is willing to appear on The View to take a COVID-19 vaccine because she 'trusts the FDA' after the show's co-host Joy Behar vowed not to take it until after the First Daughter does

Ivanka Trump says she is willing to appear on The View to take a COVID-19 vaccine because she 'trusts the FDA' after the show's co-host Joy Behar vowed not to take it until after the First Daughter does

Prior to Ivanka's retaliation, Behar had claimed on the show that it was unlikely that a vaccine could be created by the end of the year.

'As far as the vaccine is concerned, I'd like to inform America, in case we don't know this because I looked all this up for you, the mumps vaccine took four years, the polio vaccine took 20 years and the smallpox vaccine took a few centuries,' Behar said.

'It was developed initially in 1796... and it became useful in the 1950s. OK? It's not a simple thing to do. He will push anything to get reelected. Don't fall for it.'

Behar's comments came after Dr Anthony Fauci said this week he was optimistic there would be a vaccine by the end of the year.

The comments by the top infectious disease doctor in the US came after Trump vowed that his administration would have the COVID-19 vaccine ready by Election Day.

When asked about a timeline for COVID-19 vaccine on CBS This Morning on Wednesday, Fauci said he couldn't rule out one being made available earlier but insisted that the end of the year was a more likely scenario.

'The projection that I've made and I'll stick by it is that we would likely get an answer if this is safe and effective by the end of the year.... The more likely scenario is that we'll know by the end of this calendar year.

Ivanka Trump wore a mask as she toured the North Carolina State Farmers Market in Raleigh, North Carolina on Thursday

Ivanka Trump joined Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdu (second from left) on a visit to the farmers market in North Carolina on Thursday

'Hopefully we'll be able to start vaccinations in earnest as we begin 2021.'

Fauci said initial trial results are likely to become available in November or December but late October remains a possibility.

Three US vaccine candidates are currently in phase three clinical trials but one of those, which is being carried out by AstraZeneca, has now been put on hold after an unexplained illness in a participant.

Fauci said that AstraZeneca's decision to pause the global trials of its experimental vaccine was unfortunate but not an uncommon safety precaution in the development process.

AstraZeneca, of which the US has ordered 100 million doses, said on Tuesday it voluntarily paused trials, including late-stage ones, after an unexplained illness in a participant, to allow an independent committee to review safety data.

It was working to expedite the review to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline.

Fauci said the pause was not uncommon in vaccine development and that he hoped the company could proceed with its trial.

President Trump has repeatedly said a vaccine is possible before the November 3 election

'This particular candidate from the AstraZeneca company had a serious adverse event, which means you put the rest of the enrollment of individual volunteers on hold until you can work out precisely what went on,' Fauci said.

'It's really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials such as this, so it's unfortunate that it happened.

'Hopefully, they'll work it out and be able to proceed along with the remainder of the trial but you don't know. They need to investigate it further.'

The vaccine, which AstraZeneca is developing with the University of Oxford, has been described by the World Health Organization as probably the world's leading candidate and the most advanced in terms of development.

Trump has repeatedly said a vaccine is possible before the November 3 election.

'We're going to have a vaccine very soon. Maybe even before a very special date. You know what date I'm talking about,' Trump said during a news briefing on Monday.

He has accused a 'deep state' within the nation's top health regulator of trying to slow pivotal clinical trials to hamper his chances at a second term.

The US Food and Drug Administration has refuted that claim, saying its decisions will be guided by data alone.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The Trump administrations policy toward Iran seems increasingly guided by the desire to look tough between now and Novembers election, regardless of the long-term harm its maneuvers are doing to U.S. interests. Its latest initiative is to try and force the so-called snapback of international sanctions against Iran  under the terms of an agreement the U.S. earlier chose to abandon. This approach is unlikely to succeed and threatens only to drive yet another wedge between America and its friends.

Last month, President Trump and his team failed to persuade the United Nations Security Council to extend a conventional arms embargo on Iran. Instead, they are seeking to achieve the same end by invoking a provision of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that allows participants to reimpose multilateral sanctions. The pacts other signatories argue the U.S. no longer has any right to do so given its 2018 withdrawal from the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The probable outcome: On Sept. 20, the U.S. will assert that all sanctions are back in place, while much of the world refuses to comply and seeks to thwart Washington using procedural roadblocks at the U.N. In short, the policy is more likely to isolate the U.S. than Iran.

The administrations approach is likely to backfire in other ways as well. Russia and China could easily flout the supposedly reimposed strictures. That would set the template for selective implementation of future U.N. sanctions in other cases, possibly weakening efforts to rein in North Koreas nuclear program, for example. Meantime, Iran gets to shift the focus of international censure to the U.S., and away from its own violations of the JCPOA.

By acting both unilaterally and unintelligently, the U.S. is undercutting its own ability to counter the Iranian threat. History shows that Iran responds best to concerted international pressure. A diplomatically adept U.S. would be looking to unite the global community and divide the leadership in Tehran. The Trump administration has done precisely the opposite  fracturing the international coalition that first brought Iran to the table while unifying factions within the Iranian regime.

Story continues

The JCPOA was deeply flawed, to be sure. Too many of its provisions, including the arms embargo, expire too soon. It failed to curb Irans ballistic-missile program or confront the regimes efforts to destabilize the region. But effectively addressing these challenges requires the international consensus on Iran to be rebuilt.

The snapback initiative militates against that goal. The administration should instead be working quietly with its European allies and regional partners such as Saudi Arabia and Israel to persuade Russia and China to maintain the arms embargo, even if unofficially, for the next several months. The U.S. could use this time to build support among the JCPOAs original signatories for a new joint approach to Iran. Meanwhile, as long as Tehran continues to violate the enrichment limits set in the nuclear deal and sponsor violent proxies across the Middle East, unilateral U.S. sanctions can and should continue.

With its own presidential elections looming next June, Iran is unlikely to offer a deal that addresses all of Washingtons concerns anytime soon. But an interim deal that pauses Irans nuclear progress until a more comprehensive agreement can be reached might be attainable. Getting there would be a whole lot easier with the world on Americas side.

Editorials are written by the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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FREELAND, MI -- U.S. Senate candidate John James said Republicans have forgotten they are the party of emancipation and the civil rights movement during a speech at a rally for President Donald Trump.

James, a Farmington Hills businessman and veteran, is challenging U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, in November. James gave a sprawling speech touching on the importance of recognizing the sacrifices of military members, supporting law enforcement officers and protecting the American Dream.

James, a Black man and descendent of slaves, said he knows what its like to fear police violence but also said police need support. He emphasized with law enforcement officers who leave their families behind to do a dangerous job, drawing a comparison to his service in the Iraq War.

I understand what it feels like to have guns drawn on you because someone perceives you as a threat as youre parked in your car in a parking lot, James said. I understand what it feels like to be pulled over in a nice area of Detroit with my son in the back, and wondering if this is the day my son is going to see me bleed out in the street.

James said both parties have failed Black people, but Republicans are too quick to blame Democrats. Still, James said Peters doesnt put Black lives first.

James laid into Peters throughout his speech, challenging him to release his tax returns and criticizing Peters for missing committee hearings in Congress.

Right now we have the ability and opportunity to put people in power who understand what its like in the real world, who dedicate service before self, not self before service like Gary Peters, James said.

Peters' campaign issued a statement shortly after James spoke at the rally.

Michiganders know that Gary Peters is an effective, bipartisan leader who works across the aisle to deliver results for them," the campaign said. "And tonight, they heard nothing but more attacks, empty rhetoric and zero solutions as John James doubled down on his 2000% support for Trump that includes gutting protections for 1.7 million Michiganders with pre-existing conditions.

James pledged to protect pre-existing conditions during his remarks, though Democrats have said his statements on the campaign trail in 2018 show he would have supported repealing the Affordable Care Act. James has since said he wants to keep parts of the ACA that work doesnt support scrapping the entire law.

James declined to comment when MLive asked where he stands on a lawsuit challenging the ACA in a recent interview. The Trump administration supported the lawsuit, which would repeal the health care law if successful.

Polls of likely Michigan voters have shown the race tightening in the last two months, with Peters holding on to a narrow lead.

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Laura Cox said the race is in a dead heat in a short speech warming up the crowd before Trumps arrival. U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, also encouraged voters to put James in the Senate.

He recalled learning of the 9/11 terrorist attacks as a student at the U.S. Military Academy.

Never forget, James repeated throughout his remarks.

James had made an appearance at several Trump campaign events in Michigan. He spoke before Vice President Mike Pence at a rally in Traverse City last month, met with Pence for lunch during another visit to Michigan in March, joined the president for a conversation at a Ford facility in May and spoke before Trump at a rally in Battle Creek last December.

James praised Trump for rewriting the North American Free Trade Agreement and supporting Israel.

Trumps visit to Freeland brought thousands of supporters from across Michigan and other states. The MBS International Airport serves is named for Saginaw, Midland and Bay counties, all three of which Trump won in 2016.

Trump won Michigan by only 10,704 votes, a narrow margin that makes swing counties critical to the presidents hopes of winning the state again in 2020. Voters in Saginaw and Bay counties are among a dozen that Trump flipped in 2016 after they previously voted for the Obama-Biden ticket twice.

Trump was the first Republican to win Saginaw County since 1984. He increased turnout compared to the previous election, but he benefitted from a larger drop in Democratic votes for Hillary Clinton, winning the county by 1 percentage point.

James lost Saginaw County two years later in his first Senate bid against U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing. Though James lost the election by 6.5 percentage points, his performance was stronger than Republicans expected, leading to his second attempt in 2020.

READ MORE ON MLIVE:

Trump and Biden back-to-back visits show Michigan is still a 2020 battleground

Joe Biden says Trump betrayed Americans by downplaying threat of COVID-19

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Trump fans camp overnight to see president speak in Saginaw County

Michigan Trump surrogates highlight USMCA at event for farmers and ranchers
Cement stocks have outperformed in PSX lately

10 September 2020

An analyst at Intermarket Securities Ltd has reported that cement stocks listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) have recently outperformed and the present bull-run in cement stocks  up 82 per cent since March 2020  has been driven by many factors. That includes good pick-up in local demand led by the private sector, anticipated commencement of Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme and the recent announcement of Karachi Package by the government, and lower input costs amid a decline in international coal and oil prices.



In addition to recovery of the norths cement prices, where the improvement in retention prices was also driven by fewer trade discounts and decrease in federal excise duty by PKR25/bag (US$0.15/bag).



The analyst highlighted that most of the above positives would continue in the medium term. However, they have not yet lifted the profitability of cement producers, as reflected in financial result for 4QFY20.



North and south price and dispatches issues

As per APCMA, local cement dispatches in 2MFY21 grew by 18 per cent YoY to 6.6Mt. The increase was witnessed only in the north, where dispatches rose 23 per cent YoY to 5.9Mt, whereas southern demand ostensibly declined by one per cent YoY to 0.8Mt (12 per cent of total sales).



August 2020 was the 18th consecutive month in which the south did not get its due share in total demand (24 per cent) in line with its installed capacity. Exports from the south comprised 12 per cent of total sales compared to nine per cent in FY19.



The research house sees the above trend as the result of alleged northern producers selling in southern Pakistan. This practice started in 4QFY19, when northern producers began commissioning new capacity. The reason behind this strategy is the wide price disparity between the two regions (nearly PKR150/bag). This way, northern producers raise their utilisation levels (to cover fixed costs) amid inadequate local demand and dried-up exports. Prices in the north are presently hovering in the range of PKR500-515/bag, up from a low of PKR470/bag in April 2020. The increase is not substantial, because highly-leveraged producers will remain in losses at such price levels, according to the research house. Hence, many northern cement producers have resorted to increasing volumes by selling in the south of the country.



Southern prices have recently declined to PKR665/bag from PKR696/bag in May 2020, according to government data, while prices have been rising in the north. Northern producers are selling at as low as PKR570/bag in the south, whereas, southern-based plants are selling in the range of PKR610-650/bag. Southern producers are resorting to more significant exports but at compromised margins.

Published under
Yannick Nezet-Seguin will receive a special tribute at the Global Philadelphia Associations 5th Annual World Heritage City Celebration Thursday.

The Philadelphia Orchestra music director will be honored for helping the orchestra build a diverse repertoire, which has included the complete cycle of Beethovens symphonies juxtaposed with new compositions from emerging artists to mark the composers 250th birthday.

The GPA celebration event will highlight five years of Philadelphias World Heritage City project, which works to preserve Philadelphia cultural and historical landmarks, including Independence Hall and 67 other sites.

Several guests, including classical pianist Lang Lang and the Bacon Brothers, are scheduled to perform. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is slated to speak.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this years GPA event will be held virtually. But organizers are enthusiastic about the performers, special guests, and attendee interest.

For obvious reasons, weve reimagined our celebration this year, and the silver lining has been the generosity and excitement to participate that weve heard from so many of our special guest artists and speakers, Zabeth Teelucksingh, executive director of the Global Philadelphia Association, said in a statement. They understand how significant Philadelphias role is on the world stage, a point that is underscored by the incomparable Yannick Nezet-Seguin.

The broadcast, which will be emceed by NBC10s Vai Sikahema, can be viewed for free on Vimeo at 6 p.m. Thursday by registering on the GPA website.

The event will also raise funds to support regional work toward the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals , which includes creating farmers markets and reducing food waste. Attendees will be able to buy raffle tickets for prizes spanning from a trip to Greece to an exclusive experience with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Our World Heritage City Celebration is about showcasing the diversity of our region, celebrating our differences, and highlighting the importance of our global connections, said Robert J. McNeill, Global Philadelphia board chair and Greater Philadelphia managing partner for Deloitte, in a news release. Maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin embodies that spirit.
Oswego, N.Y.  The coronavirus doesnt have to be scary with a new Halloween event that encourages social distancing.

Oswego Speedway announced Wednesday that it will host a drive-thru trick-or-treating event on Oct. 31, beginning at 1 p.m. Participants can drive onto the speedway from City Line Rd. and circle the track as local businesses and organizations hand out free candy for kids.

The racetrack recently postponed the Budweiser International Classic 200 supermodified race and canceled the rest of its 2020 season due to New York State restrictions on spectators.

Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow says the event, created by the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau, will be a fun and safe alternative for families to enjoy trick-or-treating amid Covid-19 concerns. All attendees must stay in their vehicles.

I appreciate the hard work from the youth bureau staff and the efforts theyve made to design socially distanced events and want to thank the Oswego Speedway and our partners for working together to put this on for our community. Hope to see you there! Barlow wrote on Facebook.

According to Big Frog 104, anyone interested in setting up a table and handing out candy at Oswego Speedway or participants with questions should contact Jennifer Losurdo at 315-349-3451 or jlosurdo@oswegony.org.

We are happy to partner with Oswego City-County Youth Bureau for Drive Thru Trick or Treating on Halloween, October 31,... Posted by Oswego Speedway on Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Photos: Halloween season starts early with haunted corn maze

Lights on the Lake, Fright Night creators to bring new Halloween drive-thru event
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 22:25:11|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The police in Indonesia's province of Central Java seized eight kg of crystal methamphetamine and 5,708 pieces of ecstasy from two traffickers, a police officer said.

"Authorities arrested the two suspects at a hotel in Semarang (Central Java capital). As many as eight kg of crystal methamphetamine and 5,708 pieces of ecstasy were found in a room of the hotel," the Central Java Provincial Police's Chief Inspector General Ahmad Luthfi said here Thursday.

He pointed out that the suspects identified as AM and AMQ who are residents of Indonesia's province of Southeast Sulawesi split the illicit goods into small packages.

Luthfi disclosed that the two suspects went to Semarang from Makassar (South Sulawesi province's capital) by air, while the contrabands were sent by sea.

The police are still hunting down the owner of the illicit drugs, he said, adding that the seizure of the crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy has saved at least 91,000 people from possible drug abuses.

According to the Indonesian drug law, those who are found to be involved in drug abuses could face punishment ranging from a five-year jail term to death penalty. Enditem
EDWARDSVILLE  Authorities Wednesday charged a Benld man with 10 counts of aggravated driving under the influence as a result an of a Feb. 5 accident that seriously injured four children and one adult.

Kyle L.J. Rothe, no age provided, is accused of crossing a center line of a roadway at Fruit Road and Illinois 157, resulting in a head-on collision with a van.

Two of the children are 10, one is 13 and and one is 9. According to court records, one child suffered a broken rib and internal injuries. Another suffered a broken wrist and a skull fracture, causing nerve damage that affects her vision. A third child suffered a laceration to the neck, and the fourth suffered a back sprain and had to be cut from the vehicle.

The injured adult was in a vehicle not part of the head-on collision.

Rothe is charged with one count of aggravated driving under the influence for each of the five injured people. He allegedly was driving a 2019 Dodge Charger and had a blood-alcohol level of more than 0.08 percent, the level needed for a legal presumption of intoxication. An official said his alcohol level was double the limit.

The other five counts, one for each victim, allege Rot he drove under the influence of drugs. The charges allege he was under the influence of hydromorphone, a powerful prescription pain medication, and THC, the active ingredient in marijuana and other drugs.

Authorities waited until lab tests were completed before filing charges. His bail was set at $80,000
Mobilisation of SLR Rig 183 to the Beetaloo Sub-basin



Mobilisation of Drilling Rig

Sydney, Sep 10, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Empire Energy Group Limited ( ASX:EEG ) ( OTCMKTS:EEGUF ) is pleased to announce that Schlumberger Land Rigs 183 rig has commenced mobilisation to the Carpentaria-1 well site in NT permit EP187. Empire expects to commence drilling the Carpentaria-1 well in the second half of September 2020.Civil works are progressing well in preparation for the drilling of Carpentaria-1 including water bore drilling, upgrading the access track, and preparing the well pad. In line with Empire policy, these civil works are being conducted by wholly owned and operated Northern Territory based companies and personnel.The planned 2,900m well, will be drilled, logged, cored, cased and suspended, representing a major step forward in Empire's assessment of the eastern Beetaloo Sub-basin and the further appraisal of the known productive horizons within the thick Kyalla Shale and Velkerri Shale sequences which have been demonstrated to be hydrocarbon productive in Santos Limited and Origin Energy Limited wells to the west. Empire intends to re-enter Carpentaria-1 after the wet season to carry out a vertical fracture stimulation and extended production test.The development of the Beetaloo Sub-basin oil and gas fields has been highlighted by the Northern Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission as central to plans for a strong and prosperous industrial future for the NT.About Empire Energy Group Ltd

Empire Energy (ASX:EEG) (OTCMKTS:EEGUF) holds over 14.5 million acres of highly prospective exploration tenements in the McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, Northern Territory. Work undertaken by the Company since 2010 demonstrates that the Eastern depositional Trough of the McArthur Basin, of which the Company holds 80% has very considerable conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential. The Beetaloo sub-Basin, in which Empire holds a substantial position, has independently assessed world class hydrocarbon volumes in place with a major ramp up in industry activity underway to appraise substantial discoveries already made by major Australian oil and gas operators.

Empire Energy is an experienced conventional oil and gas producer with operations in the Appalachia region (New York and Pennsylvania). Empire has been successfully developing and producing oil and gas since 2006.
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sasol refers its shareholders to the Stock Exchange News Service announcement of 29 July 2020, which informed the market that Sasol South Africa Limited ("SSA"), a major subsidiary of Sasol, had signed an exclusive negotiation agreement with Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa Proprietary Limited ("Air Liquide") for the sale of SSA's sixteen air separations units and associated business located in Secunda.

Sasol is pleased to announce that negotiations with Air Liquide have been concluded and a sale of business agreement (the "Sale Agreement") has been entered into, under which SSA shall dispose of its air separation business located in Secunda, ("the Business") to Air Liquide ("the Transaction") subject to the suspensive conditions outlined below.

Air Liquide is a world leader in gases, technologies and related services, and operates in 80 countries with approximately 67 000 employees. Air Liquide has provided technical and engineering support to Sasol in Secunda since 1979.

Description of the Business

The Business comprises the sixteen air separation units ("ASUs"), and related assets with a combined capacity of up to 42 000 tons of oxygen per day, that provide oxygen for Sasol's fuels and chemical production processes in Secunda. The ASUs produce various other gases utilised at Secunda, and rare gases sold externally. Employees related to the Business will transfer to Air Liquide as part of the arrangement.

Subsequent to the Transaction, Air Liquide will supply various gases to SSA's operations under a long-term gas supply agreement ("Gas Supply Agreement") with an initial term of 15 years. It is anticipated that Air Liquide's expertise would allow, in coordination with Sasol, a targeted reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with oxygen production over time.

In addition to the Sale Agreement and the Gas Supply Agreement, SSA and Air Liquide ("the Parties") have also concluded various ancillary service, lease and like agreements (collectively "the Transaction Documents"). This includes an agreement for Sasol to sell key utilities to Air Liquide, to enable continuous gas production.

Rationale for the Transaction

This Transaction forms part of Sasol's expanded and accelerated divestment programme announced on 17 March 2020. Sasol has identified the operation of the ASUs and associated business by a third-party expert as an opportunity to deliver upfront cash proceeds whilst also contributing to Sasol's objectives of improved efficiency and decarbonisation at the Secunda site.

Air Liquide has significant expertise in operating industrial-scale ASUs worldwide and is expected to utilise this experience to deliver efficiency and reliability benefits for Sasol. Air Liquide will work closely with Sasol to continue to leverage Sasol's broad expertise in site operations and optimally managing the integrated value chain. As Air Liquide already owns the seventeenth ASU on the Secunda site, it is expected that ownership and operations of the full air separation fleet will provide further gains in operational efficiency. Improvements will be driven by a variety of factors including advanced application of technology and technical ability, and potential future capital investments by Air Liquide. It is expected that these improvements will position the ASUs for more efficient operations under a rapidly evolving future environmental landscape. Air Liquide will collaborate with Sasol in the development of our overall sustainability roadmap at the Secunda site. We will provide more details on this roadmap in the coming months.

Air Liquide will take full ownership and overall responsibility for managing the ASUs, including all future capital and operating requirements, to maintain the agreed quantity and quality of gases supplied to Sasol.

Total estimated capital expenditure of R8 to 12 billion would have been spent by Sasol over the next 15 years. The ASUs require significant capital to sustain reliable operations, as well as improved efficiencies to enable decarbonisation. This includes an extensive restoration and sustenance program to ensure the ability to supply the site in the longer term.

Terms of the Transaction

a) Purchase Consideration

In terms of the Sale Agreement, the Parties have agreed that the purchase consideration payable by Air Liquide to SSA for the Business shall be an amount of approximately R8,5 billion (EUR148,75 million (to be settled in US Dollars at the closing of the Transaction), plus ZAR 5,525 billion). The total amount shall be settled in cash by Air Liquide following satisfaction of the suspensive conditions contained in the Sale Agreement.

b) Impact of Gas Supply Agreement (GSA)

The GSA will achieve common objectives of the parties through a long-term supply agreement. The GSA enables the benefits of securing reliable oxygen supply for the Secunda site into the longer term.

It is anticipated that the Transaction will result in additional cash outflow for Sasol of approximately R650 million to R 1,2 billion per annum in real terms, over the term of the agreement. This estimate is largely dependent on the energy efficiency benefits which are achieved over time. Furthermore, potential further upside exists through the joint execution of a GHG reduction roadmap.

c) Other Significant Terms

The Sale Agreement contains warranties and indemnities which are standard for a transaction of this nature as well as a typical material adverse change clause, which allows Air Liquide to terminate the Sale Agreement before closing in the event that certain defined material adverse changes occur before closing.

d) Suspensive conditions to the Transaction

The Disposal is subject, inter alia, to the following key suspensive conditions:

1.1. Approval by the Competition Authorities;

1.2. Provision by Sasol Limited of a guarantee in favour of Air Liquide, as security for SSA's obligations to Air Liquide under the Sale Agreement and selected obligations under the Gas Supply Agreement; and

1.3. to the extent applicable, approval by the South African Reserve Bank of the implementation of the Sale Agreement and the Transaction Documents

(collectively the "Suspensive Conditions").

e) Implementation and Effective Dates of the Transaction

The implementation and effective date of the Transaction shall fall ten business days after the date on which the Suspensive Conditions are fulfilled or waived, as the case may be, but will not be earlier than 1 December 2020.

Application of proceeds

The proceeds, net of associated tax obligations related to the Transaction, will be utilised within the Sasol Group to facilitate repayment of near-term debt obligations. Total tax obligations related to the Transaction are expected to be approximately R2,1 to R2,3 billion. The availability of the net proceeds for repayment of debt obligations will depend on the final tax position of SSA.

Net asset value and profits attributable to the net assets of the Business

The value of the net assets of the Business was R5,6 billion at 30 June 2020. As Sasol currently operates the ASUs internally, the only revenues which were made in relation to the Business, related to external sales of rare gases (less than R100 million revenue per year).

Categorisation of the Transaction

The Transaction is classified as a Category 2 transaction in terms of the Listing Requirements issued by the JSE Limited ("JSE Listings Requirements") and accordingly does not require approval by the shareholders of Sasol.

Cautionary

This announcement does not serve to withdraw the cautionary announcement by the Company on 17 August 2020 and shareholders of Sasol should accordingly continue to exercise caution when dealing in the Company's securities.

For further information, please contact:

Sasol Investor Relations,

Feroza Syed, Chief Investor Relations Officer

Direct telephone: +27 (0) 82 557 7740 |

[email protected]

Disclaimer - Forward-looking statements

Sasol may, in this document, make certain statements that are not historical facts and relate to analyses and other information which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may also relate to our future prospects, expectations, developments and business strategies. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Sasol's business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and statements regarding the effectiveness of any actions taken by Sasol to address or limit any impact of COVID-19 on its business; statements regarding exchange rate fluctuations, changing crude oil prices , volume growth, increases in market share, total shareholder return, executing our growth projects (including LCCP), oil and gas reserves, cost reductions, our climate change strategy and business performance outlook. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "endeavour", "target", "forecast" and "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and there are risks that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. If one or more of these risks materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. You should understand that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors and others are discussed more fully in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed on 24 August 2020 and in other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The list of factors discussed therein is not exhaustive; when relying on forward-looking statements to make investment decisions, you should carefully consider both these factors and other uncertainties and events. Forward-looking statements apply only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Sasol Limited
Kington, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/10/2020 -- QuickBooks versions are built customized to a specific region.



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The QuickBooks UK edition also includes support for Irish and South African VAT. Because the US version of QuickBooks does not handle VAT, data files need to be converted to the UK version to handle VAT filings.



Adapting to the sales tax of the region, operating businesses in more than one country, and an initial set up with a different version, such as having a main office in Canada and a division in the USA with its own QuickBooks file  are some of the main reasons why an international edition conversion may be necessary.



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Photo: The Canadian Press FILE In this Tuesday, March 28, 2017 file photo, George Bizos, anti-apartheid activist, life-long friend and lawyer of the late former President Nelson Mandela, listens to speeches during the memorial service for Ahmed Kathrada, at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Bizos died Wednesday Sept. Sept. 9, 2020, aged 92. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, FILE)

Anti-apartheid campaigner and Nelson Mandela's personal lawyer George Bizos has died at 92, his family said Wednesday.

He died peacefully at his home of natural causes, the family said.

Bizos, who came to South Africa as a 13-year-old fleeing the Nazi occupation of Greece, played a key role in the legal fight to end apartheid, the racist system used to oppress South Africa's Black majority for decades.

This is a very sad moment for our country, President Cyril Ramaphosa said. He contributed immensely, immensely, to the attainment of our democracy and was one of the architects of the post-apartheid constitution. We dip our heads in honour.

The soft-spoken but determined Bizos represented Mandela from his treason trial in 1964 until the former South African president's death in 2013. Bizos is credited with getting Mandela to add the words if needs be to his speech from the dock in which he said he was prepared to die for his ideals. The addition was seen as an escape clause, avoiding any impression that Mandela was goading the court to impose the death penalty.

Another giant of South African history and of global struggles for justice has fallen, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said. It described the friendship between Bizos and Mandela as legendary, and it recalled Mandelas praise: I dont think words can sufficiently express our indebtedness to men and women like George Bizos.

The two met as law students. During Mandelas years in prison, Bizos helped to look after his family, and he played a key role in negotiations for Mandelas release in 1990. In the last years of Mandelas life, they were often to be found together, just catching up, sharing memories, the foundation said.

Bizos represented a wide range of people who defied apartheid, including the families of slain activists such as Steve Biko, and helped write the laws for the newly democratic country after apartheid ended with Mandela's presidency in 1994.

A shining light during the dark days of apartheid and beyond, the Southern Africa Litigation Center said in a statement.

Bizos remained active in human rights work in South Africa well into his 80s with the Legal Resources Center. In 2014 he questioned witnesses during an inquiry into the shooting deaths of several dozen protesters by police during a strike at Lonmins Marikana platinum mine in 2012.

Bizos considered himself Greek and South African to the core. During the struggle against apartheid, he said he drew on his schooling in Greece about democracy and freedom.

He arrived in South Africa as a World War II refugee in 1941. He attended the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was involved in leftist student politics.

As a young lawyer in 1956, he helped defend Mandela and 155 other South Africans of all races who supported the Freedom Charter calling for a non-racial democracy and a socialist-based economy. All were acquitted.

Bizos later was part of the team credited with saving Mandela and others from the death penalty in the famous Rivonia Trial at which Mandela and seven others were convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life in prison.

Bizos's efforts defending ordinary South Africans who ran up against apartheid laws brought home the tragedy of the racist system. In his 2007 memoirs, Odyssey to Freedom, he wrote of teachers and parents trying to supplement the inferior education the white government designed for Black children. Their weekend and afternoon classes, called cultural clubs, were declared illegal.

Despite setbacks in court, Bizos was renowned for standing up to police and other officials who used brutal means to enforce apartheid.

No South African lawyer did more to challenge the abuse of power by the security forces under apartheid, Arthur Chaskalson, himself a respected anti-apartheid lawyer, wrote in 1998.

Bizos wrote in his memoirs of rumours he was the model for Marlon Brandos portrayal of a tough attorney battling the apartheid state in the 1989 film version of Andre Brinks A Dry White Season. Bizos said he was consulted by the filmmakers on the script.

He saw the film's premiere in a New York theatre full of exiled anti-apartheid activists. There were cheers when the character played by Brando revealed in a dramatic courtroom scene that a witness had been beaten by police.

Bizos said one of the activists watching shouted: George! Thats how George does it!

Mandela, who called Bizos a man who combined a sympathetic nature with an incisive mind, trusted him not only to represent him in court but later to carry messages from African National Congress leaders imprisoned on Robben Island to their colleagues in exile.

After Mandelas release, Bizos lent his legal expertise to negotiations that led to South Africas first all-race elections in 1994. Mandela became the countrys first Black president.

After apartheid, Bizos was appointed to a committee that chose judges, and worked to ensure the South African bench was racially representative. He also helped argue successfully for the abolition of the death penalty.

In neighbouring Zimbabwe in 2004, he defended opposition activist Morgan Tsvangirai in treason in a case stemming from an alleged plot to assassinate that countrys longtime, increasingly autocratic President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai was acquitted of treason, which carries the death penalty.

Bizos wrote in his memoirs of learning, by studying American history, about the importance of protecting freedoms once they are gained.

The lofty principles enunciated in a constitution or a bill of rights are no guarantee that these principles will be enforced or respected, he said. Much work and courage is needed to ensure they are maintained despite an ever-changing history.

Bizos is survived by his three sons and seven grandchildren.
Recommending social distancing among participants, National Night Out plans for Texas were launched Thursday at the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office in Conroe.

During a press conference, Sheriff Rand Henderson announced Oct. 6 as the date for the annual event this year.

By getting to know your neighbors, you can help protect each others homes and neighborhoods, Henderson said, adding you can more easily pick out the suspicious person or activity when youre armed with that knowledge.

Henderson was joined by Andrew Samarripa, former president of the nonprofit Texas Crime Prevention Association, which includes crime prevention officers from across the state.

In previous years, residents have joined in large crowds during National Night Out. But with the coronavirus threat still at large, Samarripa urged residents to take a different approach this year.

Block parties and community events are great social interactions, but in this day in age, turning on your porch light says it all, Samarripa said, noting the event started out just as simply in the 1980s.

He also offered up socially distanced gatherings through videoconferencing.

Technology has improved over the years where we can do virtual meetings, whether its through Facebook Live, or whether its through Next Door, or any other social media platform thats out there, Samarripa said. Even though we cant always be together and be in big masses and community functions, wed like to say, Hey, lets do it virtually.

Samarripa made mention of a Texas community planning on doing a virtual celebration during National Night Out. He also pointed to a movie screening in a parking lot planned for the night of the event in the central Texas city of Jarrell.

This is community policing at its core, Henderson said. Essentially, the entire community is responsible for order and law enforcement officers are merely entrusted with this responsibility full time.

Last year, Texas had more than 1,500 registered National Night Out events, according to the National Association of Town Watch as cited in a TCPA press release.

Samarripa encouraged participants to register their night out plans at natw.org/registration.

NATW founded the event in 1984. Kristi Hosea, a National Night Out coordinator for TCPA, said Texas has claimed first place for its event involvement in 23 of the 24 years it has participated.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

twitter.com/jrgzztx
Security officials survey the Bear Lakes Estates neighborhood which was left devastated by the Almeda fire in Phoenix, Oregon, U.S., September 9, 2020. Image taken with a drone. REUTERS/Adrees Latif (Photo : Reuters Connect )

The remains of Berry Creek Elementary school continue to burn after the Bear Fire raged through Berry Creek, California, U.S. September 9, 2020. REUTERS/Fred Greaves (Photo : Reuters Connect )

Wildfires have been raging in the US, fueled by strong winds and rising temperatures, causing unprecedented devastation, particularly in California, Oregon, and Washington.

The fires have damaged scores of homes and establishments and displaced tens of thousands from their homes.

California

The State of California has already reported three deaths. Earlier this week, the National Guard airlifted hundreds of peoples trapped by the Creek Fire in Sierra National Forest.

Extreme wildfire threat also prompted the utility company PG&E to enact a "last resort" shut off across several state areas, leaving more than 170,000 California residents with no electricity.

Meanwhile, firefighting efforts are hampered by gusty winds and searing temperatures ranging to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

More than 14,000 firefighters are racing against time to fight 25 major wildfires across California, depleting its resources.

In Northern California, the Bear Fire filled the Bay Area with smoke and orange glow, forcing thousands of people to evacuate. The Bear fire burned a thousand acres every half hour, spreading across communities surrounding Oroville. The massive plume from a fire from the Sierra Nevada sent big smoke to the atmosphere, blocking the sun. The smoke from Bear fire also added to the smoke, with its massive volume rising to 40,000 feet overnight.

More than 2.5 million acres of land have been consumed by fire this year, nearly 20 times more than they were burned by wildfires last year.

Craig Shoemaker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento, said that the fires are creating their weather

as it formed a vast cloud of ash and ice that resembled thunderstorm clouds.

READ ALSO: Military Chopper Rescues At Least 200 from California Wildfire at Sierra National Forest





Oregon

In Oregon, fires appeared to be more destructive. A wildfire driven by 45-mile-per-hour wind gusts swept through two towns, damaging more than a thousand homes.

According to Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon, "This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history." She reported at a news briefing that some towns like Detroit, in central Oregon; Blue River and Vida, east of Eugene; and Phoenix and Talent, in the state's southwest were "substantially destroyed."

Pheonix Mayor Chris Luz estimates that more than 1,000 homes have been burned, and hundred in Talent. He also reported that the downtown area was devastated, with many businesses lost as the wildfires continued on Wednesday. Residents had little time to evacuate as the fire rushed into town by winds of about 45 miles per hour.

More than 300,000 acres of land have been burned by about 35 wildfires triggered by hot, dry winds.

In Marion County, crews found two people dead in a vehicle from a wildfire. Sheriff Joe Kast fears that they may find more bodies as rescue operation ensues.

READ: Emergency Declared in Marion County as Wildfires Rage Across Oregon





Washington

Gov. Jay Inslee reported that 480,000 acres were burned by the wildfires across Washington this week.

Malden's town was the hardest hit where nearly all homes, municipal buildings, post office, and the fire station were all burned to the ground.

In northern Wahington, a one-year-old boy was killed in the Cold Springs fire, while his parents suffered third-degree burns.

READ NEXT: Amazon Fires in Pantanal Threaten Jaguars and Reserves





Check out more news and information on Wildfires on Nature World News.
A female visitor to a world-famous Paris art museum full of images of naked women reacted with fury after being ordered to cover up her own cleavage before going in.

The humiliating request by an official came as the 22-year-old student, who asked to be identified by her first name of Jeanne, visited the Orsay on Wednesday.

Today I was the victim, in front of a witness, of sexist discrimination based on my physique and my clothes at the entrance of the Orsay National Museum, she said.

A 22-year-old student known only as Jeanne, pictured, was ordered to cover up her cleavage

Jeanne was visiting the world famous Orsay Museum in Paris she was ordered to cover her cleavage

Jeanne said one of the staff members said 'calm down, Madam' when they asked her to cover up. She later wrote on twitter that the entire museum is full of paintings of naked women

Jeanne said male staff surrounded her as she stood in the queue on a sweltering hot day, and all appeared to be staring at her breasts.

One used the words Calm down, Madam!, and it was not until Jeanne put a jacket over her designer dress that she was finally let in.

Inside: paintings of naked women, sculptures of naked women, Jeanne wrote on Twitter.

I am not just my breasts, I am not just a body, your double standards should not be an obstacle to my right of access to culture and knowledge, she explained.

Jeanne had just had lunch at the Meurice, the five-star hotel, where she was pictured wearing the dress.

It was not a problem there, she said, adding: I wore it all summer. I feel good in it and its pretty.

Jeanne and a friend reached the Orsay, which houses art treasures including the largest collection of Impressionist masterpieces in the world, at around 4pm.

Arriving at the entrance of the museum, I do not have time to take out my ticket, as the sight of my breasts and my ragged pageantry shocks an agent in charge of controlling reservations, Jeanne wrote.

The official allegedly said: It can't be, it won't work, as Jeanne realised it was my cleavage that was the problem.

They are staring at my breasts conspicuously, she wrote. I was facing a circle of people who were putting me on trial over my appearance.

Jeanne was particularly angry because her friend was wearing a crop top which showed off her navel, and nobody troubled her.

The security guard told Jeanne: Put on your jacket, so I'll let you in. Inside the museum, you do what you want, take it off if you want. I understand you, but it is the rules.

Jeanne did not believe any such rules existed, but put her jacket on anyway to avoid a fuss.

The Orsay, which is set in an old railways station on the Left Bank of the River Seine, opposite the Louvre, issued a press release on Wednesday saying it deeply regrets this incident.

It apologised to Jeanne and said a receptionist had been spoken to about his behaviour.

Famous paintings of nude women showing off their breasts in the Orsay include Edouard Manets Olympia (1863) and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingress The Source (1856)
ROTTERDAM  Mohonasen Central School District is abruptly shifting to remote learning after an adult at the high school tested positive for coronavirus on the very first day of school Thursday.

District Superintendent Shannon Shine announced the news Thursday afternoon in a letter to parents, faculty and staff. He said learning will be virtual for K-12 students districtwide beginning Monday and until it is safe to return to the mix of in-person, hybrid and remote learning that had originally been planned.

I was elated to see our students enter each of our buildings this morning so I am crestfallen to deliver this news to our families, he said. However, safety will always be our number one priority at Mohonasen and I am committed to having our students return to in-person learning as soon as it is safe to do so.

Shine said a complicating factor is that almost all of the districts administrative team was at lunch with the infected individual prior to school reopening during a professional development day. All administrators except one were fully socially distanced during the lunch, he said.

But the Schenectady County Health Department, after consulting with the state Health Department, determined that the entire group must quarantine for 14 days from the point of contact out of an abundance of caution, he wrote in the letter, which was posted to the district website.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

This will take us through Thursday, September 17th, he said. But it is not yet known what date we may be cleared for reopening.

Additionally, a small number of teachers were also potentially exposed and must also quarantine for up to 14 days from the point of contact, Shine said.

The district will close Friday to allow the Department of Health more time to conduct contact tracing, he said. The district will also complete a deep clean of facilities, but Shine noted that that is current daily practice anyhow.

Our intention is to resume on-site learning, according to our collaboratively-developed Reopening Plan, as soon as it is safe to do so, he wrote. You can expect further communications both from me and from the Building Principals in the near future as we adjust to all remote learning for the time being.
Chad Wolf

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, on February 25, 2020 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony on the Trump administration's proposed budget estimates and justification for FY2021 for the Homeland Security Department. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

A new whistleblower complaint from U.S. Department of Homeland Security employee Brian Murphy released Wednesday provided a slew of provocative and disturbing allegations of criminal behavior and abuse of authority within the Trump administration.

The document was released by the House Intelligence Committee, and it actually summarizes numerous previous complaints that Murphy, the principal deputy under secretary for the department's Office of Intelligence and Analysis, has previously filed with the inspector general. The complaint alleged that he has since faced professional retaliation from his superiors because of his previous allegations, despite the fact that he is protected from such actions by federal law.

While the retaliation is condemnable on its own, most striking are the series of allegations the complaint described. It paints a picture of a department completely warped by the president's distorted priorities and determined to cater to his whims and prejudices, regardless of the facts  sometimes putting the country in danger.

Here are seven key details:

1. Murphy said he was illegally directed to manipulate intelligence assessments to support aggressive border policies.

On or about October 29, 2018, Mr. Glawe informed Mr. Murphy that instructions from Mr. Taylor and Ms. Marquadt had been issued for Mr. Murphy to ensure the intelligence assessments he produced for Secretary Nielsen's review supported the policy argument that large numbers of KSTs were entering the United States through the southwest border. Mr. Murphy declined to censor or manipulate the intelligence information, viewing it as an improper administration of an intelligence program, and stated to Mr. Glawe that doing what was being requested would constitute a felony.

Story continues

2. The complaint makes a compelling case that former DHS Secretary Kirtjen Nielsen repeatedly and deliberately lied to Congress to exaggerate the threat at the border.

Murphy said that the secretary purposely tried to blur the distinction between "Known or Suspected Terrorists" (KSTs) and other categories of migrants, thereby misleadingly suggesting the border posed a greater threat of terrorism than it actually does. Even after he explained these distinctions to Nielsen, Murphy said, she consistently misled Congress about the matter:

Prior to Secretary Nielsen's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on December 20, 2018, Mr. Murphy attended a preparation session that went over the information within the proposed testimony. During that session, Mr. Murphy sought to clarify for Secretary Nielsen the distinction between a KST and a Special Interest Alien ("SIA"). An SIA is a term of art created by U.S. Customs and Border Protection meant to describe a category of migrants who come from countries where there is a significant terrorism threat but regarding whom there is no individualized basis for suspecting the person is themselves a terrorist. An SIA does not constitute a KST. Notwithstanding the clarification provided by Mr. Murphy, he has a good faith belief that the testimony Secretary Nielsen subsequently provided on December 20, 2018, regarding KSTs constituted a knowing and deliberate submission of false material information. This assessment formed the basis of the anonymous OIG complaint Mr. Murphy submitted on November 2, 2018. On January 9, 2019, without consulting with Messrs. Glawe or Murphy, DHS issued a document  apparently crafted by Messrs. Wolf and Taylor, and Ms. Marquadt  entitled "Myth/Fact: Known and Suspected Terrorists/Special Interest Aliens". The document contained erroneous information regarding the number of KSTs and SIAs encountered along the southwest border. On March 5, 2019, Mr. Murphy participated in another preparation session with Secretary Nielsen, this time in advance of her testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security. Messrs. Wolf and Taylor were also present. During the session, Mr. Murphy provided Secretary Nielsen with documentation reflecting that the number of documented KSTs crossing the southwest border only consisted of no more than three individuals, not 3,755 individuals as she had previously attested to in her testimony on December 20, 2018. 3 Mr. Wolf and Mr. Taylor responded by saying Secretary Nielsen should claim the details were classified, state any KST crossing was one too many and deflect away from addressing the significant discrepancy in the data. Mr. Murphy advised Secretary Nielsen that he did not believe that was appropriate, and noted that the few "known" KSTs who were apprehended were derivative contacts, in so much as they merely had a name or phone number of a person who was known to be in contact with a terrorist. At that point, Mr. Murphy was removed from the meeting by Mr. Wolf. He then informed Messrs. Glawe and Hanna what transpired that evening. It is Mr. Murphy's good faith belief that the testimony Secretary Nielsen delivered on March 6, 2019, regarding KSTs again constituted a knowing and deliberate submission of false material information. Mr. Murphy outlined that assessment in his anonymous May 13, 2019, OIG complaint.

3. Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli illegally tried to distort intelligence reports he viewed as too favorable to asylum seekers, claiming they were concocted by the "Deep State," the complaint said.

In December 2019, Mr. Murphy attended a meeting with Messrs. Cuccinelli and Glawe to discuss intelligence reports regarding conditions in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The intelligence reports were designed to help asylum officers render better determinations regarding their legal standards. Mr. Murphy's team at DHS I&A completed the intelligence reports and he presented them to Mr. Cuccinelli in the meeting. Mr. Murphy defended the work in the reports, but Mr. Cuccinelli stated he wanted changes to the information outlining high levels of corruption, violence, and poor economic conditions in the three respective countries. Mr. Cuccinelli expressed frustration with the intelligence reports, and he accused unknown "deep state intelligence analysts" of compiling the intelligence information to undermine President Donald J. Trump's ("President Trump") policy objectives with respect to asylum. Notwithstanding Mr. Murphy's response that the intelligence reports' assessments were consistent with past assessments made for several years, Mr. Cuccinelli ordered Messrs. Murphy and Glawe to identify the names of the "deep state" individuals who compiled the intelligence reports and to either fire or reassign them immediately. After the meeting, Mr. Murphy informed Mr. Glawe that Mr. Cuccinelli's instructions were illegal, as well as constituted an abuse of authority and improper administration of an intelligence program.

4. Under Secretary David Glawe was reportedly almost fired by Trump after he testified about the threat posed by Russian election interference.

In approximately September 2018, Mr. Glawe testified in front of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Mr. Murphy was not present during the testimony. Immediately following that hearing, Mr. Glawe informed Mr. Murphy that he had been "challenged" by Republican members of the Committee regarding Mr. Glawe's confirmation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Mr. Glawe was subsequently summoned to the White House a few days after his testimony. Mr. Glawe informed Mr. Murphy that Secretary Nielsen had warned him that President Trump had demanded Mr. Glawe be fired. However, Secretary Nielsen and White House Chief of Staff, John Kelly, had convinced President Trump to "give Glawe another chance". After that meeting at the White House, Mr. Glawe informed Mr. Murphy that while he (Mr. Glawe) would continue to support him on most matters he (Mr. Murphy) was on his own when it came to election interference assessments.

5. Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told Murphy to stop reporting on Russian interference and to focus on China and Iran, which Murphy believed "would put the country in substantial and specific danger," the complaint said.

In mid-May 2020, Mr. Wolf instructed Mr. Murphy to cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference in the United States, and instead start reporting on interference activities by China and Iran. Mr. Wolf stated that these instructions specifically originated from White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien. Mr. Murphy informed Mr. Wolf he would not comply with these instructions, as doing so would put the country in substantial and specific danger.

6. Officials were concerned that discussing the threats posed by white supremacists and Russian intelligence operations would reflect badly on Trump, and they preferred that Murphy's team work on "violent 'left-wing' groups" like "antifa."

These changes would clearly better match Trump's preferred rhetoric, though not reality.

In March 2020, Mr. Murphy's team at DHS I&A completed a Homeland [Threat] Assessment ("HTA"). Completion of the HTA was a requirement set forth by Acting Secretary Kevin McCleenan prior to his departure from DHS. Mr. Murphy was intimately involved in the editing and crafting of the HTA. Following its completion, the HTA was distributed by Mr. Glawe to Messrs. Wolf, Cuccinelli, and Gountanis. Shortly after the distribution, Mr. Glawe was informed that further distribution of the HTA was prohibited due to concerns raised by Messrs. Wolf and Cuccinelli regarding how the HTA would reflect upon President Trump. Two sections were specifically labeled as concerns: White Supremacy and Russian influence in the United States. Mr. Murphy stated to Mr. Glawe that this constituted an abuse of authority by Messrs. Wolf and Cuccinelli, and Mr. Glawe concurred with that assessment. In May 2020, Mr. Glawe retired, and Mr. Murphy assumed the role of Acting Under Secretary. In May 2020 and June 2020, Mr. Murphy had several meetings with Mr. Cuccinelli regarding the status of the HTA. Mr. Cuccinelli stated that Mr. Murphy needed to specifically modify the section on White Supremacy in a manner that made the threat appear less severe, as well as include information on the prominence of violent "left-wing" groups. Mr. Murphy declined to make the requested modifications, and informed Mr. Cuccinelli that it would constitute censorship of analysis and the improper administration of an intelligence program.  During multiple meetings between the end of May 2020 and July 31, 2020, Mr. Murphy made protected disclosures to Messrs. Wolf and Cuccinelli regarding abuse of authority and improper administration of an intelligence program with respect to intelligence information on ANTIFA and "anarchist" groups operating throughout the United States. On each occasion, Mr. Murphy was instructed by Mr. Wolf and/or Mr. Cuccinelli to modify intelligence assessments to ensure they matched up with the public comments by President Trump on the subject of ANTIFA and "anarchist" groups. Mr. Murphy declined to modify any of the intelligence assessments based upon political rhetoric, and advised both officials he would only report accurate intelligence information as collected by DHS I&A.

7. Classified material

Much of what is concerning about the complaint is what it doesn't mention. At several points, the complaint makes clear it can't repeat the substance of allegations regarding DHS officials because the material involved is classified. This is particularly concerning because other parts of the complaint indicate that officials abused the classification system to cover up embarrassing or inconvenient facts.

Additional point: One interesting point to note is that Murphy tried to push back on some reporting that was critical of DHS because it supposedly implied falsely that DHS was collecting intelligence information on journalists and reporters.

Murphy claims this didn't happen. Putting aside the particulars, this detail in the report may be seen as bolstering Murphy's credibility. Defenders of the administration will likely argue he's a disgruntled employee trying to hurt Trump and DHS, but it's notable that he seems to be willing to defend the department when he thinks the facts have been unfairly reported. This suggests Murphy is someone who cares about getting to the truth, rather someone who is trying to hurt the president and the administration no matter the cost:

To be unequivocally clear, the press reporting was significantly flawed and, in many instances, contained completely erroneous assertions. For example, DHS I&A never knowingly or deliberately collected information on journalists, at least as far as Mr. Murphy is aware or ever authorized. There were, to be sure, efforts to track publicly available media reporting that included information that had been leaked from the U.S. Government, including publicly-accessible posts by journalists on social media, but DHS I&A did not seek authorization to and was not engaging in surveillance of journalists' private data.

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Photo: Contributed

Erin OToole, the new Official Opposition leader, appointed his shadow cabinet this week.



I have been honoured to be named as shadow minister for Environment and Climate Change.



This new role is of great interest to me as it relates to the Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola region.



Those of us living in the Okanagan during the past decade have witnessed first hand the devastating impacts of flooding as our climate changes.



The once in 200 year flood has come and gone twice in recent years.



It is not uncommon to see temperature records being broken on any given day.



The added heat and tinder-dry forests can create wildfires of a size and scope rarely before seen.



These conditions, as we are again experiencing this week, can become so severe that air quality is seriously compromised.



However, we also have other important challenges to be aware of.



We know that in many regions of Canada there are vulnerable species are at risk.



Here in B.C., the mountain caribou is a prime example.



We are also aware that the ongoing threat of aquatic invasive species to our freshwater lakes remains a serious problem. Zebra and quagga mussels are a serious problem particularly in the Okanagan.



All these challenges require federal leadership as well as partnerships with provincial and local governments, including First Nation communities.



I look forward to working with Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of Environment and Climate Change, who is also from British Columbia.



My intent is to focus more on areas where we can agree and to spend less time debating areas of disagreement.



I believe that Canadians expect us to get to work to produce results.



All too often, results in this area get lost in endless debate and lofty promises.



I look forward to this new challenge and working with our great team of talented and hardworking MPs in Ottawa.



My question this week:

What are your top concerns about the environment and climate change?

I can be reached at [email protected] or call toll free 1-800-665-8711.
Chairs are set up for a socially distanced service at the Young Israel of Toco Hills in Atlanta.

(JTA) - Less than two miles away from the Center for Disease Control's campus in Atlanta, where doctors and researchers prepare guidance for the nation's coronavirus response, an Orthodox rabbi is preparing a different set of plans.

Rabbi Adam Starr's task: how to accommodate hundreds of people for in-person services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur during a pandemic.

To keep congregants safe, he's dramatically shortening the services, which can run for most of the day under normal circumstances, to limit the duration of potential virus exposure that any worshipper might encounter.

"First th...
The confirmed cast in the upcoming historical drama, MBC's "Amhaeng-eosa" or "Secret Royal Inspector", are with Kim Myung Soo, Kwon Nara, Lee Yi Kyung, and Lee Tae Hwan!

Kwon Nara in character as Hong Da In, an attractive and active gisaeng who is a damo at the same time (a woman who works for the Joseon government) and working as an undercover. Hong Da In worked with Sung Yi Gyeom (Kim Myung Soo) when he was designated as the secret royal inspector.

Kwon Nara and Kim Myung Soo will give a new variety of romance in the Joseon dynasty. Expectations then grew as Kwon Nara always gave a wide acting performance in the previous role she partakes.

RELATED: Kim Myung Soo Confirmed to Play as a Kingsman in KBS2's "Amhaeng-eosa"

Lee Yi Kyung will play as Park Chon Sam, the secret inspector's servant. He works with loyalty carrying a warmhearted personality, he cries a lot over unexpected matters. This will add spark to the bromance chemistry between Kim Myung Soo and Lee Li Kyung's unique transformation.

Lee Tae Hwan in character as Seong-beom, the half-brother of Sung Yi Gyeom. His family history is quite intriguing, as his father is a yangban (an aristocrat) and his mother was a servant. A situation wherein the two brothers clash due to their status in life. Lee Tae hwan will stir and reveal his presence in the drama with intense acting and charisma.

The new historical drama will tell the heroes of the Joseon dynasty in the modern era. It will show the young generations in transformation as "Kingsman" and how they will give justice to the historic stories.

Kim Myung Soo and Kwon Nara will fight for justice and corruption for the welfare of the people. The production crew will prepare and start filming as the lead roles are confirmed already. The drama is expected to air at the end of 2020.

Are you excited to see these actors in one drama? Share your thoughs with us in the comments!
Drunk History promises to mix and stir great Aussie tales with some favourite TV faces and shake it into a cocktail of comedy, even for those who have sworn off the stuff.

Australian Idol hosts Osher Gunsberg and James Mathison reunite on screen, cheekily cast as explorers Burke & Wills. They will re-enact the colonial expedition -more or less- when it is recounted by comedian Harley Breen.

Based on a US format of the same name, the show requires its narrator to imbibe of the demon liquor in order to embellish the storytelling (and hence the comedy).

James Mathison appears in two episodes, once as Burke, and on another occasion as a sozzled storyteller.

I was a bit skeptical about doing it because I dont drink anymore

As he tells TV Tonight, Mathison had given up drinking several years ago. But the idea intrigued him.

I was a bit skeptical about doing it because I dont drink anymore. When my wife fell pregnant and stopped drinking, I stopped in support and we just never started back up again, he explains.

When they asked me I thought, I havent had a drink in a long time. But if were supported through it, it might be a bit of fun.'

Osher Gunsberg, who plays Wills, also gave up drinking in a decade ago.

I took responsibility for my relationship with alcohol, but it is not on me to tell anybody what they can and cant put in their mouth, he said of the show.

He added, No workplace can legally put anyone in danger. There are going to be health and safety protocols about everything, including this.

Mathison, who recounts his own version of The Dismissal of Gough Whitlam, notes the show juggles a fine line between its title and encouraging humour.

You have find that balance between What am talking about? and being free and loose

Mine should be called Tipsy History. You have to find that balance between What am talking about? and being free and loose at the same time, he recalls.

Theres a playfulness with it and also an understanding that adults can and have been able to consume alcohol responsibly.

But he assured that Eureka Productions also took care when filming.

Youve got First Aid on site and a medic, and a producer whose sole job is to keep an eye on how many drinks youre having. You dont get to pour one yourself. They mark down how much youve had and in what time frame. I think I had to give my height and weight as well, before we started, he continues.

They have a real duty of care to make sure that youre not putting yourself or anyone else at risk.

They take it really seriously, because youre in a work environment. Youre being paid to be there, so youre an employee, and they have a real duty of care to make sure that youre not putting yourself or anyone else at risk. They make sure youre picked up in a car, taken there, and taking directly home. Youre not unleashed onto the world absolutely hammered from a workplace.

After I recounted a story they asked me to act in one of them. But I thought, Im not an actor. When they said they had Osher on board, I was in.

Getting the band back together, this time in period costume, was great fun for the best mates.

..to cast another iconic Australian duo.Im bloody grateful

Burke & Wills are this iconic Australian duo, so to cast another iconic Australian duo theres plenty of them, dont get me wrong. We just happen to be in that category. Im bloody grateful, says Gunsberg.

I dont think they could afford Hamish and Andy so they got us!

Through Breens retelling, Burke and Wills 1860 expedition ran into extraordinary bad luck as they ventured from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Trouble started before they had even left Royal Park, lending itself to plenty of comedy schtick.

James Mathison is without doubt one of the most talented comedic actors I think our countrys ever seen, says Gunsberg.

If he wanted to, he could be the lead in a sitcom tomorrow. Hes that good. So to spend a day just trying not to laugh was the hardest part of this shoot. His deadpan is the best.

And I adore Harley Breen. He is one of the most fabulous human beings this countrys ever made. Hes the greatest dad, incredibly kind-hearted, just a brilliant human.

I dont think weve worked on something together for 10 or 12 years

Mathison concurs it was great getting the Idol band back together.

It was great fun. I dont think weve worked on something together for 10 or 12 years. We see each other all the time.

But it was awesome to get all dressed up and have a good laugh.

The series will also include such names as Anne Edmonds, Susie Youssef, Yvie Jones, Darren McMullen, Wayne Hope, Phil Lloyd, Matt Okine, Peter Phelps, Stephen Curry, Bernard Curry, Joel Creasey and even Costa Georgiadis.

Mathison even goes as far as to say he could be coaxed into imbibing once again.

I wont lie it was fun. I said, If Im going to do it, I want to do it on these specific spirits!' he insists.

The key to drinking. High quality spirits, lots of water afterwards, eat a delicious meal and then go to bed early.

Drink history responsibly.

Drunk History airs 9:40pm Monday on 10.
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador will see its first budget under newly installed Premier Andrew Furey at the end of the month, the province's finance minister announced Thursday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Newfoundland and Labrador Natural Resource Minister Siobhan Coady during a press conference at House of Assembly on Thursday, March 5, 2020. The Newfoundland and Labrador government will table its 2020 budget on Sept. 30. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador will see its first budget under newly installed Premier Andrew Furey at the end of the month, the province's finance minister announced Thursday.

The budget will be delivered midway through the 2020-21 fiscal year on Sept. 30 and comes after an update in July projected a $2.1-billion deficit  the second largest in provincial history and $1.35 billion more than last years shortfall.

"Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been resilient during a tumultuous year," Finance Minister Siobhan Coady said in a news release, adding that her budget should not contain "major surprises."

On Sept. 14, the provincial government will introduce a three-month supply bill to keep government operations running until the budget is passed in the House of Assembly, the release said.

The grim numbers in the July projection were the result of a $720-million jump in spending combined with major setbacks in the offshore oil sector and crashing oil prices, according to Tom Osborne, who was finance minister at the time.

That jump in spending included an increase of $261 million in health care, $90 million of which Osborne said was related to the pandemic.

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As spending increased, the province was grappling with a $631-million drop in offshore oil revenue, caused largely by a $560-million drop in royalties after oil prices plummeted.

Since the pandemic hit, the province's offshore sector has been plagued by delays and suspensions. In mid-March, Equinor and Husky announced an indefinite deferral of the Bay du Nord project, slated to be the province's first deepwater operation.

Drilling on the Hibernia platform was suspended in April, as was a refit for the Terra Nova floating production storage and offloading vessel.

On Wednesday, Husky Energy announced it was reviewing its $2.2-billion West White Rose project, which is already 60 per cent completed. Construction was shut down in March because of the pandemic, and Husky said it will stay that way until they figure out whether they can move forward.

The company is asking for a "direct investment" in the project from the federal and provincial governments.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2020.
Storm: Prime Minister Boris Johnson during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons, yesterday

The DUP has said that Boris Johnson's new Brexit bill is "a step forward for Northern Ireland" but leaves serious issues unaddressed.

However, Sinn Fein said the Government had "a brass neck" and the British cabinet did not care what happened here.

The parties were giving their response to the new UK Internal Market Bill which over-rides key elements of the Brexit deal Mr Johnson signed with Brussels.

The Taoiseach "set out in forthright terms" his concerns to Mr Johnson over the latest developments on Brexit.

Micheal Martin spoke to the Prime Minister for over half an hour on the telephone.

And in the Dail, Mr Martin accused the UK of acting in bad faith.

"Proper negotiations are conducted on a 'no surprise' basis ... and to drag Northern Ireland back into this is extremely divisive - and dangerous," he said.

"This statement undermines trust. There was no 'heads-up' on this, so to speak. It represents a very new departure in terms of international relations."

Read More

And on Wednesday night, US house speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated her warning that there would be dire consequences if the UK's move threatened the Good Friday Agreement.

"The UK must respect the Northern Ireland protocol as signed with the EU to ensure the free flow of goods across the border," she said.

"If the UK violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a US-UK trade agreement passing the Congress."

But DUP MP Sammy Wilson gave a cautious welcome to the proposals.

He said: "This bill is a step forward and a recognition by the Government of the defects of the Northern Ireland protocol and its potential impact on the internal market of the whole of the UK, but more work is required.

"We will take time to fully consider the effects of the bill but there is still more work to be done with regards to state aid and other issues."

Earlier, Arlene Foster said the DUP would be working to try and change the Northern Ireland protocol.

She said it was vital that local businesses had unfettered access to the UK market.

But Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said: "The British Government has a brass neck.

"(Northern Ireland Secretary) Brandon Lewis and the entire British cabinet do not care about what happens to us in the north.

"They have demonstrated that time and time again, they are prepared to use us here in the North as a pawn in the Brexit negotiations."

The Sinn Fein vice-president added: "This is an international agreement which was painstakingly struck after months of negotiations. It contains unique protections in the Irish protocol but now the British Government is saying it is prepared to override it. That is not acceptable."

Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken said: "The publication of this bill doesn't provide much comfort for those of us who consider the EU Withdrawal Agreement an awful document which attacks the foundations of the Belfast Agreement, undermines the integrity of the UK and leaves us in economic limbo."

The European Commission called for urgent talks with London. Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was "very concerned" following the tabling in Parliament of the UK Internal Market Bill, which ministers have admitted will breach international law.

As talks continued in London on a post-Brexit free trade agreement, she said such actions would "undermine trust" and called on the Prime Minister to honour his past commitments.

Ms von der Leyen's warning came as Sir John Major became the latest senior Conservative to denounce Mr Johnson's decision to go back on assurances he had made in an internationally binding treaty.

"For generations, Britain's word - solemnly given - has been accepted by friend and foe. Our signature on any treaty or agreement has been sacrosanct," the former prime minister said in a statement.

"If we lose our reputation for honouring the promises we make, we will have lost something beyond price that may never be regained."

Ministers have argued legislation is necessary to protect the Northern Ireland peace process if the two sides are unable to agree a free trade deal before the current Brexit transition period runs out at the end of the year.

However, European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said he was seeking an urgent meeting of the joint EU-UK committee on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement to enable the British to "elaborate" on their plans.
NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinite Looks, Inc., today announced a seed financing with participation from Johnson & Johnson Innovation  JJDC, Inc. (JJDC) and Ignite Venture Studio. The funds will be used to scale the D2C consumer brand Sunday II Sunday, a luxury hair care product line of Infinite Looks, as well as to expand the product line offering.

Infinite Looks Inc., the start-up that developed and launched the brand Sunday II Sunday, was founded by serial entrepreneur, Keenan Beasley, and was born out of a need for products which address the typical hair care habits of the active Black community which have traditionally been overlooked. Upwards of 40% of Black women are not working out because of their hair. The focus of the Sunday II Sunday product line is to provide care between less frequent washes for the removal of sweat, buildup, and environmental damages, helping to remove barriers from people looking to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

"Sunday II Sunday is a strong example of a brand that is driving exciting innovation at the intersection of health and beauty," said Josh Ghaim, Founder of Ignite Venture Studio. "These innovations are addressing truly unmet consumer needs and have the potential to play a meaningful role in the future of self-care and the beauty industry as a whole."

In addition to Infinite Looks, Beasley also founded the non-profit organization Venture Noire, which provides a variety of resources to Black and minority entrepreneurs, to allow them to test their product or service in the market in order to encourage future investments down the line. As only around 1% of businesses that receive funding of $1 million or more are Black owned, the investment from JJDC and Ignite in Infinite Looks, Inc. serves as an example and a proof point for those in the Venture Noire community.

"Sunday II Sunday represents the combination of two causes that are extremely important to me. One being to provide a solution for the women in my life who live full, active lives and deal with challenges with their hair care," said Beasley, Founder and CEO of Infinite Looks. "The other, is the massive disparity at which Black entrepreneurs receive funding for their businesses. Through this example, and our work at the non-profit, Venture Noire, I hope to be an example and a lifeline for other Black entrepreneurs."

With this investment, Infinite Looks plans to scale the reach and offerings of the Sunday II Sunday product line to meet the needs of those with textured hair. Throughout the remainder of 2020 and beyond, Beasley also plans to focus on acquiring donations to propel Venture Noire to help and accelerate more Black owned businesses in the market.

For more information on Sunday II Sunday, please visit www.mysunday2sunday.com.

SUNDAY II SUNDAY is the leading textured hair care brand developed by Infinite Looks and designed specifically for the active woman. Created to empower women and allow them to look and feel their best without having to compromise their active lifestyle. Born out of the realization that the habits and practices of black consumers or those with more textured hair have been overlooked, SUNDAY II SUNDAY aims to fill that void in the haircare space. For additional information, visit www.mysunday2sunday.com.

SOURCE Sunday II Sunday
Yves here. I have a soft spot for stories that debunk conventional narratives, and we already have quite a few on Covid-19. UserFriendly sent one from Curbed a few days back that we ran in Links: No, the Pandemic Is Not Emptying Out Americas Cities. This story from The City is a variant on that theme: even one of the cities that Curbed singled out as having Covid-19 exodus, New York City, isnt seeing much in rent relief. Of course, that may be yet given the eviction freeze plus how long the process normally takes.

The article does concede that some neighborhoods are seeing higher vacancies, but they are the more affluent ones in Manhattan.which are the places members of the press frequent.

By Rachel Holliday Smith. Originally published at THE CITY on September 10, 2020

People in Corona, Queens, walk along Roosevelt Avenue, Sept. 1, 2020. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

In some parts of the city, rents have dropped since the COVID-19 crisis began. But for neighborhoods that felt the effects of the coronavirus most, listed prices have risen slightly, according to a new analysis.

The annual rental report by the apartment-listings site StreetEasy paints a very different price picture between the neighborhoods with the lowest coronavirus infection rates  primarily wealthier neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn  and the hardest-hit areas, mostly in Queens and The Bronx.

Between February and July of this year, rents fell by 1.9% in the zip codes with the lowest COVID-19 rates in the city, like Battery Park City, Greenwich Village and Tribeca, according to the report, comprised of market-rate listing data.

However, in the neighborhoods with the highest rates of COVID-19, per city health department data  East Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights topped the list  advertised rents have climbed a bit in the same time period, rising 0.3%.

Listed rents have dropped more in NYC ZIP codes with low COVID-19 infection rates



The findings contradict the claim that theres an exodus out of the city, said Nancy Wu, an economist at StreetEasy.

Thats specific to Manhattan, and a lot of these Manhattan-esque neighborhoods, she said. Elsewhere in the city, its a very different picture.

Eviction Fears Loom Large

The StreetEast report released Thursday analyzed six years of rental data in the five boroughs through July of 2020, comparing ZIP codes with the highest tested rates of COVID-19 per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic with those with the lowest.

Each pool of least- and most-affected neighborhoods was defined by StreetEasy by adding up top and bottom ZIP codes with the highest and lowest infection rates until they had 1 million people in each category.

Over that period, listed rents in the most virus-affected neighborhood rose by 22.1% while the least-affected areas saw advertised prices rise only 10% over the same period.

Some of the trend is attributable to the fact that, generally, areas with lower median rents tend to see price growth at rates faster than higher-priced neighborhoods, Wu noted  because theres more demand for affordable properties as other places get more expensive.

But it also points to a confluence of factors and housing stressors that overlap in the communities that have experienced high COVID-19 rates, said Barika Williams, executive director at the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development, a consortium of nonprofit development groups.



An apartment building in Manhattans Chinatown, Sept. 2, 2020. Ben Fractenberg/THE CTY

Among the factors: overcrowding, a high share of families paying a large share of income on rent, and a concentration of essential workers.

What were seeing in the lower-income households and families  especially our immigrant communities, especially our Black and brown community  is that people are really staying put, trying to ride it out [and] having this month-to-month anxiety of, will I or wont I be evicted? Williams said.

The NYU Furman Center, which collaborated with StreetEasy on the report, also found the areas hardest-hit by the coronavirus are home to more immigrants and Black and Hispanic New Yorkers, and amass more evictions filings, than other parts of the city.

Oksana Mironova, a policy analyst at the anti-poverty research and advocacy group Community Service Society, noted that the StreetEasy data is limited.

Thats because its based on market-rate listings and does not include many types of housing such as illegally subdivided apartments, any unit rented by word of mouth, and subsidized apartments, including public housing.

But the report does confirm what Mironova said she has suspected for some time: Those who had few housing options before the pandemic are under even more pressure now.

If you have a bad living situation, if you have an abusive landlord  you end up having to put up with negative living conditions. And I think all of that is probably getting amplified under COVID, she said.

At the same time, higher-income people have more choice within the market, including the option to leave, she added.

Incredibly Frustrating

In the wealthier parts of the city, residents seem to be exercising that option.

New data from real estate giant Douglas Elliman found the Manhattan vacancy rate had climbed to over 5% as of August, a first in the real estate companys report. The median rental price in the borough dropped 3.9% since August 2019.

Williams of ANHD, however, warned against using Manhattan trends as a stand-in for the housing story in the rest of the city. To do so ensures people elsewhere are rendered invisible, she said.

When you see this narrative of everybody is leaving the city, and rents are dropping  and you live in a community where people arent leaving, people are trying to figure out how to make things work day to day, where theres very little affordable housing and you dont have a whole lot of options to go anywhere else if you wanted to  its incredibly frustrating, she said.

What were perpetuating is this narrative of what is happening in predominantly white, wealthy neighborhoods is the story of New York, she added. And thats just not true.

This story was originally published by THE CITY, an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.
As director of Animal Care Services, South Texas largest municipal animal shelter, Heber Lefgren has maintained the shelters mission to save animals lives through partnerships with rescue organizations and the San Antonio community. During his five-year tenure, he has overseen successful efforts to increase spay and neuter services, and to curtail the number of owned dogs roaming the streets.

Hes also held community meetings to allow the public to speak out about troubling issues. Those meetings led to several measures passed by the City Council, such as prohibiting the sale of animals at roadside stops, increasing the number of chickens allowed within city limits and banning chains as a tether for dogs.

Lefgren is proud that the agency has maintained a live-release rate of 90 percent or higher for the past several years, but he said theres still work to do, especially during these times of wearing protective masks and isolating at home.

Recently, he spoke with the Express-News about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected shelter operations. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Now Playing: ACS director Heber Lefgren on how pet adoptions, shelter intake rates and more are faring in the pandemic. Video: San Antonio Express-News

How are pet adoptions, shelter intake rates and San Antonios no-kill status faring during the pandemic?

I have to say that its a lot better than what we initially anticipated. That is due in large part to the compassionate nature that people have, the help that the community provided and, to be honest with you, a fabulous staff.

Im proud to report that our live-release rate is higher than its ever been during this time of year. That is in part due to lower service requests that have come in to our facility from the community, but also as a result of people stepping up during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide assistance and provide help.

For example, we saw over 700 individuals who reached out and assisted us by fostering pets during the last couple of months, and so that alone helped out, not to mention the rescue organizations, but also the pets we were able to adopt out. Animal Care Services never closed during the pandemic. We remain an essential community service because we are caring for some of the most vulnerable populations of San Antonio that need our assistance.

Now, how we did adoptions changed drastically.

Staff spent late nights redesigning and refocusing. We established a protocol for the way that people go into a building and how they go out, and distancing to be able to keep individuals safe while on our campus. Staff worked to create an online portal for people to register and schedule appointments (and) to come in and adopt.

We now provide roadside, curbside service, where instead of them coming in on campus, we bring the pet to them. We realized that while our capacity is large, we still needed to be able to manage the quantity of people on our campus so we can be safe.

My staff has done a thankless job, but I committed to them that I will do everything I can to make sure that working at Animal Care Services is the safest place somebody could be outside of their own home. And so despite being open throughout the entire pandemic, Im proud to report that we have not had a single incident or a single employee where it is suggested or probable or possible that they got COVID-19 while working at ACS. Thats in large part due to a lot of the changes.

Right now, we are estimating that we will end the year with an annual live-release rate of 92 percent. That is higher than the annual rate has ever been before. Our live release rate has been about 3 percentage points higher during the pandemic this year than what it was last year in the same time frame.

What services are ACS officers currently providing?

We are responding to service requests, we are conducting investigations for cruelty, bites and dangerous dogs. We are still doing sweeps, and our community officers are still working on cases that are in targeted ZIP codes.

How do ACS officers who go out in the field handle possible encounters with people who have contracted the coronavirus?

While we had plans to stop providing certain services if it became necessary, at the end of the day, we are providing the same services that we were providing prior to COVID-19 at the same rates. Were still responding to requests that are coming in, but the change is how we are providing those services.

For example, we did some extensive training with our staff to let them know how to interact with people so they can maintain social distancing. And then we equipped them with multiple-protection gear so that as they evaluate the situation they have the resources to be safe. Each of the vehicles is equipped with a full-body suit that theyve been trained how to take on and take off if they ever have to enter a home where there is coronavirus present.

So that is the change. The service is still being provided, but our staff is handling it through the lens of understanding how to keep (themselves) safe while providing that service.

Keep in mind that we had a little bit of an advantage. Disease control has always been one of our focuses. Weve always recognized that the population of people that we are dealing with and population of pets that we work with, well, we dont know their history. We dont know if they are carrying diseases that can transmit from one pet to another pet, so we were practicing social distancing long before it was popular in regard to the care of our pets. So, a lot of those things that we were doing just naturally fell in line with what we needed to do during the pandemic.

What other services specific to the novel coronavirus are being offered to the community?

During the pandemic there have been a couple of cases where we have helped out some owners. There have been cases where individuals with COVID-19 were sent to the hospital and did not have people to take care of their pets. We did go in, take their pets, bring them to our shelter and hold them for a period of time.

Normally, if there are friends or family that can help out, we want that to be first, but there have been some cases where that wasnt an option. Thats where we stepped up and we provided assistance. That was on a case-by-case basis.

How is ACS working with neighborhoods that historically have been a concern?

We know these neighborhoods. In the last couple of budgets, funding has been given for us to be able to create new positions that we assign to certain districts. Those district officers work with the City Council and the community and provide some proactive services to include reaching out to helping the community, and making sure that they are part of the conversations concerning their neighborhoods. Thats what were providing to some of those targeted areas, and focusing a little more in those areas of high need, making sure theres a little more compliance.

Other cities like Austin have mentioned that their shelters arent as full as more people working from home are adopting animals. Is that something thats happening here?

We have seen a decrease in service requests coming from the community. The reason for that could be a wide variety. We do have officers that are also doing proactive service requests where we are going into neighborhoods that have historically been a concern and weve been working with those neighborhoods.But in the end we have seen fewer pets coming in. So, naturally, with fewer pets coming in and with the ability to place them (in foster or permanent homes), that has created times when weve had vacancies or open kennels.

I think there have been two separate occasions where we were able to clear out an entire building, which then allowed us to do some deep cleaning in that building so we can keep everybody safe.

Ive always been a believer that San Antonio does not have a stray dog problem. We have a roaming dog problem. The statistics and the evidence demonstrate that. We have owned pets that are being allowed to roam free. Where one individuals perspective of Hey, its just one pet, my pet is going to be fine, no harm is going to happen may seem correct on its own, when you add that to thousands of other residents making the same decision, that does create a problem.

Youve said there are fewer service requests and fewer animals coming in. Why? Are people encountering roaming dogs less often because they are spending less time outside?

Some of the conversations that Ive heard around the nation are that people actually are coming out more than they were before. Some could even argue that with more people working from home, there are more eyes in the neighborhood and the desire to report would increase.

I think there is some legitimacy to the theory that now that people are at home, they are being more responsible. Im hopeful that now that people are working from home a little more frequently, they are being better pet owners.

Weve always known that a high percentage of the pets we pick up are friendly, have been cared for and likely to have come from a good home, which means that the owners were letting their dogs roam free. I think there is some legitimacy to the argument that now that people are staying at home, their pets are staying closer and staying within the home more frequently.

I hope if that is the case, that as we return back to work (at offices), that this behavior doesnt change and people continue to realize the benefit of keeping their pets on their property.

Are there more adoptions?

There has not been an increase in adoptions during the pandemic. We are dealing with a time during the coronavirus where you have businesses shut down, people afraid to leave their homes.

We set up a system of appointments and only allow five to six groups on our campus at any one time. It does not change the fact that the community stepped up in a big way and felt the need to come and help.

Even though the numbers were down, they did not go down nearly at the rate that everybody thought they would go down when everything was being shut down and everyone was saying stay at home. People were still coming in to adopt and were patient in going through this new system we had of scheduling appointments.

Normally we do around 7,000 adoptions throughout the year. Last year we did 7,500 and we were expecting to do around the same this year. But this year will probably end with 6,300. That decline is consistent with our decline in inventory. I think its still a successful story, where people were still coming in to adopt.

Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Vincent, become a subscriber. vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis
Six days after an autistic three-year-old boy was reported missing from his Ohio home, police recovered his body bearing no obvious signs of trauma in the pool of the apartment complex where his family live.

The Toledo Police Department announced on Wednesday that Braylen Noble was found at the Hunter's Ridge Apartments swimming pool on Gibraltar Heights Drive, which had been searched multiple times by numerous law enforcement officials since the toddler's disappearance on Friday.

'Its common practice in police investigations, once an area is searched, if nothing found, to go back and revisit that search area and see if anything was missed,' said Toledo police Lt. Kellie Lenhardt, according to 13abc. 'But we do want to reiterate that the area was searched numerous times by Toledo Fire and Rescue, the FBI, private search groups, and both live and cadaver dogs.'

The Lucas County Coroner's Office performed an autopsy on Braylen on Thursday and determined that the child had no obvious signs of trauma or disease, and drowning has not been ruled out as a possible cause of death.

Tragic: Braylen Noble is a three-year-old non-verbal autistic boy who vanished from his family's apartment in Toledo, Ohio, on Friday afternoon. His body was recovered from the pool at his family's apartment complex on Wednesday

A view of the pool at Hunter's Ridge Apartment in Toledo, Ohio, prior to the discovery of Braylen's body in the water

Police returned to the pool on Wednesday, taped off the area and covered the fence around the pool with tarps

'The autopsy on Braylen Noble showed no anatomic cause of death and no gross evidence of trauma. Drowning has not yet been ruled out as a cause of death, but further studies and investigation are needed before the final ruling is issued,' wrote Dr Cynthia Beisser.

Results of additional tests, including a toxicology test, are still pending. No determination has been made on the cause and manner of death.

It is unclear whether police were acting on a fresh tip when they returned to the pool area on Wednesday, cordoned it off with yellow crime scene tape and draped the fence around the pool with tarps to obscure the water from view.

Braylen lived at the apartment complex with his mother, Dajnae Cox, and other relatives. His father, Taveon Noble, is currently in prison.

Braylen's mother and grandmother are seen been escorted by police before the discovery of the boy was announced to the public

A large crowd gathered outside, yelling 'baby killer' and 'justice for Braylen' at the boy's mother and grandmother

The toddler was reported missing on Friday afternoon by his grandmother, who told an emergency dispatcher on a 911 call that the child possibly fell or jumped out of a third-floor window.

Braylen's mother and his grandmother were observed being led away by police officers from the scene on Wednesday, reported WTOL11. The women were not in handcuffs, and so far no arrests or charges have been announced.

As NBC24 first reported, a large crowd surrounded the women, yelling out profanities at them and chanting 'justice for Braylen' and 'baby killer.'

More than 100 people gathered outside the pool on Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil, leaving scores of stuffed animals, balloons and flowers in honor of the deceased child.

The pool had been searched multiple times by police, the FBI and volunteers between Friday and Wednesday

The pool is located just steps away from the gazebo where search volunteers had been meeting for six days

'I wanted to support him, I wanted to show my condolences for him,' vigil attendee Marcinni Leal said.

On Monday, dozens of volunteers spent hours scouring a three-mile radius around the Hunter's Ridge apartment complex and handing out fliers about the missing person case.

The volunteers had been gathering at a white gazebo located just feet away from the pool.

Volunteers are seen on Monday searching for Braylen around his family's apartment complex on Gibraltar Heights Drive, just steps away from the pool

Braylen's mother took part in the search effort and tearfully appealed to whoever might have her son to return him to her.

'If you want to just drop him off somewhere, please drop him off to the police station, you can drop him off here. Call my phone,' Cox told NBC24 through sobs. 'I know he's crying, I know you can't get him to stop crying. He's being picky, he's not eating and even if he's scared I won't be mad. Please just drop him off to me. I just want him home. That's it.'

Braylen was reported missing at around 12.30pm on Friday, about half-an-hour after his mother said her son either jumped or fell our of a third-floor window in the family's apartment in the 3400 block of Gibraltar Heights.

In an interview with WTOL11, Cox clarified that she did not witness her son's fall but assumed it had happened because the screen in the window was pushed out.

Braylen's mother, Dajnae Cox, begged for her son's safe return. She asked whoever might have her child to just drop him off at a police station

She said Braylen could not have snuck out the front door of the apartment because both her and the boy's grandmother were home at the time.

When Cox went downstairs to get her son, he was nowhere to be found.

As a newly released 911 call reporting Braylen's disappearance indicates, the adults in the family spent about 30 minutes searching the apartment complex and the surrounding area for the child before contacting the authorities.

'I'm hoping he's OK, but we don't know where he's at,' the caller, Brayklen's grandmother named Bobbie, tells the dispatcher on the call. 'We walked the whole grounds.'

Officers conducted a search for the missing non-verbal boy using drones, K-9 units and dive teams, which scoured Swan Creek that runs behind the apartment complex, but to no avail.

Police also searched the pool downstairs on Friday evening but failed to find anything.

Cox has been interviewed by police but not arrested, despite rumors to the contrary on social media.

Toledo police Lt. Dan Gerken has described Braylen's family as being absolutely cooperative.

On Sunday, as emergency crews continued searching for the missing child, Braylen's grandparents organized a prayer vigil and pleaded for his safe return.

His mother believes that Braylen either fell or jumped from his third-floor window. When she went downstairs to get him, he was nowhere to be found

'Its been stressful. Im emotionally drained. Im physically drained but I keep on pushing on,' Jessie Holloway, Braylens grandmother, told 13ABC.

On Monday, the search for Braylen expanded into neighboring Michigan, where the FBI was said to be checking a trash storage facility.

Braylen was last seen wearing pull-up diapers and a red and white Mickey Mouse shirt.
FaceTec is proud to have built tech that has helped Voice make their authentic social media platform a reality.

No robo-mobs, catfish, or burner accounts allowed!

Voice has begun to carefully roll out a responsible alternative to todays free-for-all social networks. Ensuring that live humans - and only live humans - can open one account each is a core part of their mission. After a comprehensive assessment of dozens of digital identity, onboarding, eKYC and identity proofing technologies that purported to prevent fake accounts and block bots, Voice chose FaceTecs 3D Face Authentication to provide the certainty that one person gets one account.

The new social media platform based on EOS.IO blockchain was created in response to the problems associated with popular social networks, mainly that allowing content generated by bots and fake accounts causes the publics widespread mistrust. Voice has created a community environment that is safe, secure, and rewards responsible behavior. Being a tokenized social media platform, user authenticity and security is a top priority, starting with the establishment of each users unique digital identity.

Voice is building a more transparent and more accountable social media, said Voice CEO, Salah Zalatimo. Were creating an alternative for anyone disappointed that social media today puts ad revenue above authenticity. Using a trusted biometric identity solution that actually delivers is a key part of that. And it was clear FaceTec 3D Face Authentication delivers exactly what we needed.

Were very excited to be working with Voice on such a well-principled project, added Kevin Alan Tussy, FaceTec CEO. Our proven performance for many tens-of-millions of users in high-value applications like banking, transportation, crypto wallets, and national digital ID programs showed Voice that FaceTec could provide the foundation their platform required. FaceTec is proud to have built tech that has helped Voice make their authentic social media platform a reality.

About FaceTec 3D Face Authentication

FaceTecs pioneering 3D Face Authentication is fast becoming the global standard in onboarding, KYC, and ongoing authentication, and stops ID fraud and unauthorized access for millions of users on six continents for many of the worlds leading organizations in IAM-IDV, financial services, mobile payments, border security, connected transportation, blockchain-cryptocurrency, e-voting, and more.

FaceTecs 3D Face Authentication Platform features:



100% software, for all modern smartphones, tablets, and PCs with webcams

World-leading 3D Face Matching rate at 1-in-12.8 million FAR @ less than 1% FRR

Patented UI generates data-rich 3D FaceMaps from standard 2D cameras

$100,000 Spoof Bounty Program, and Levels 1&2 NIST Certified Liveness Detection

Unshareable, unphishable 3D FaceMaps ensure trust without creating a honeypot

IDV dashboard with integrated 1:N de-duplication & fraudulent user lists

World-leading 99.9998% accuracy in 3D FaceMap-to-2D-Photo-ID face matching

Integrated anonymous age estimation and age checks

Fast, intuitive interface with 98-99% first-time-user success rates

Easy to integrate, customize, deploy and manage

Developers can download the FaceTec demo apps directly from http://www.FaceTec.com for iOS, Android and any webcam-enabled browser, and the developer SDKs are available free at https://dev.facetec.com.

About Voice

Voice is a social media platform that empowers communities, champions realness, and respects user data. By requiring identity authentication and limiting one account per person, Voice aims to create a new and trusted social experience, free from bots and fake accounts. Voice is designed to benefit its users above all else. The value created by quality content is returned to the community through the Voice Token, a utility token that fuels content promotion on the platform.

For more information, please visit http://www.Voice.com/learn-more. For media inquiries, please contact erika.alpern@voice.com

About FaceTec

Founded in 2013 with offices in San Diego, CA, Summerlin, NV. Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Singapore, FaceTec is the leading provider of 3D Face Authentication software, and is powering the digital transformation of identity technology. FaceTec's patented, industry-leading AI securely binds the unique live user their mobile account, creating a chain of trust for mobile and web applications with the worlds best Certified Liveness Detection, image matching, document verification, and age estimation

For more information and business inquiries, please visit http://www.FaceTec.com. For media inquiries, please contact John Wojewidka at JohnW@FaceTec.com.

About Liveness.com

Created as an educational resource for biometrics users, vendors, analysts, media and regulators, http://www.Liveness.com provides a comprehensive history of Presentation Attack Detection, Camera Bypasses and Template Tampering, as well as explanations of methods and means for evaluation, certification testing, and bounty programs.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

OLED TVs, as expensive as they can be, are a favorite among display aficionados. Both Sony and LG announced new OLED TVs earlier this year at CES and now theres actually a decent sale on one of them. The Sony 55-inch A8H 4K OLED TV is $400 off right now at a bunch of retailers, which brings its price down to $1,499.

Buy Sony A8H OLED TV at Amazon - $1,499 Buy Sony A8H OLED TV at Best Buy - $1,499 Buy Sony A8H OLED TV at B&H Photo - $1,499

It goes without saying that OLED TVs are worth the money if you care about color quality and getting the blackest blacks possible. Its also an Android TV, so it has built-in Google Cast and support for voice assistants including the Google Assistant and Amazons Alexa.

But since this is a Sony smart TV, it has features that go beyond the standard HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision support. The 4K A8H model has Sony's X-Motion Clarity technology, which should reduce blur and improve the picture quality of fast-moving images, in addition to Ambient Optimization, which fine-tunes the picture and sound to suit your viewing space. Theres also a new Acoustic Audio Calibration feature that is designed to deliver the full sound potential of the TV during the setup process.

All of that is to say youre getting the latest TV tech in this 55-inch TV on top of the inherent quality that OLED brings. The biggest downside to this TV is that it doesnt support HDMI 2.1, so it will not support the FreeSync/G-Sync capabilities than other gaming-friendly TVs do.

This is one of those rare occasions in which a current-gen TV goes on sale for a price thats actually worth considering. While $1,499 is still a lot of money to spend on a TV, this sale actually puts the A8H model in a similar price range as LGs 2020 OLED TVs. Its also a solid deal consider the quality of the panel and all of the new technology that comes built in.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Essential front-line workers soon will be able to complete associates or career certificate programs tuition-free at Wayne County Community College District.

The new Futures for Frontliners program, announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday, offers Michigan residents who worked in essential industries during the April 1 through June 30 period, but do not have a college degree, free tuition to their local community college to pursue an associate degree or a skills certificate on a full-time or part-time basis while they continue to work.

Our mission is to provide pathways to better lives through higher education, WCCCD Chancellor Curtis Ivery said. We are proud to work with the state of Michigan to fulfill our mission and give essential workers who have given so much to all of us during this time an opportunity to reach new career goals. We are champions of big dreams and opportunity. It is an honor to have the chance to serve those who have served us so tirelessly.

Front-line workers without a high school diploma or equivalency will be eligible for services to help them complete their credential and go on to a community college or job training program.

The application period runs through Dec, 31, with enrollment available beginning in January.

Interested workers can apply and learn more about the Future for Frontliners program at michigan.gov/frontliners.
Seventeen commercial sex workers have been arrested by the police for soliciting for immoral activities at Cantonment in Accra in separate operations.



The suspects were apprehended with quantities of condoms at areas such as Togo Embassy and Osu Oxford Street.



The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge disclosed these to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday, stating that they are in custody assisting in investigations.



She said on September 7, between the 11:30am and 1:30 am, the Cantonment Police Command embarked on an operation to clamp down on activities of commercial sex workers indulging in alleged immoral activities within the Cantonment enclave.



DSP Tenge said the activities of the suspects were importuning for immoral purpose contrary to section 275 of Criminal Offence Act 1960, Act 29.



She said seven of the suspects, who were arrested earlier on September 4, 2020, have since been arraigned, adding that the others were being processed for court.



In another development a driver who attempted to sell his employers vehicle has been arrested at the police.

DSP Tenge said on September 5, 2020, at about 3:30p.m, the police upon a tip off proceeded to Agbobloshie and arrested Philip Sam, a 25-year-old taxi driver who had gone to sell a Kia Picanto taxi cab with registration number GG 2511-20 belonging to his employer.



She said police personnel feign interest in the deal and after negotiations were concluded and payment was expected to be made, the driver was arrested.



DSP Tenge said the suspect has been detained assisting in investigations, and vehicle impounded.







Source: The Ghanaian Times









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Manchester United only need two more signings to complete their team according to former player Dimitar Berbatov.

The former Bulgaria international believes the Red Devils need to sign a centre back and a right back despite Ole Gunar Solskjaer's side splashing 130m on centre-half Harry Maguire and right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka last summer.

United have been in hot pursuit of Jadon Sancho and some believe they still need to buy a centre forward but Berbatov disagrees.

Manchester United need two signings to complete their team according to Dimitar Berbatov

'For United I think they only need two, in my opinion: a centre-back and a right-back,' Berbatov told the MEN. 'The priority for me is a centre-back and then the team will be pretty much complete, in my opinion.'

'The striker needs to be really exceptional [if United move for one] but don't go and buy just for the sake of buying. You have enough strike power. Some people can argue they need a more experienced striker around the young strikers at the moment, which is a good point, actually. But who is that going to be?

'Because then you need to keep him happy as well, and at the moment you have Ighalo in that position in that role if you want it like this.'

This is despite Ole Gunar Solskjaer's side splashing 130m on centre-half Harry Maguire

So is there a specific striker suitable for United? 'Yes,' Berbatov replied. 'Myself! Ha ha ha.

'From the top of my head, no, because I really like Rashford and Martial, I really do, and what I saw from Greenwood last season, he deserves his playing time. He's earned it.

'And if they put Sancho in that picture then we'll have a great young line-up of strikers who can develop in the time and become even better.'

United have been in hot pursuit of Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho this summer

United are ready to negotiate a price for Sancho with Borussia Dortmund after reaching a compromise with the player's camp over the terms of a five-year contract.

United ended weeks of stalemate on Wednesday when they made a breakthrough in talks over Sancho's wages and the agents' fees.

Sportsmail understands they are ready to hand Sancho a contract that will run until 2025 with United having the option to extend it by another 12 months.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden talks with journalists before departing the Detroit Metro area in Michigan on Sept. 9, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Biden Agrees With Trumps Decision to Pull Troops From Iraq

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Sept. 9 agreed with President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Asked if he agreed with the presidents move, Biden said: Yes, I do. As long as he has a plan to figure out how hes going to deal with ISIS.

Biden voted to authorize the war in Iraq in 2002. He then admitted in his book Promises to Keep, released during his 2007 presidential bid, that it had been a mistake.

Earlier this year at the tail end of a trip to Michigana key battleground state that he and Trump are vying over ahead of the presidential election in Novemberthe former vice president again said that his vote had been a mistake.

The United States on Sept. 9 announced plans to withdraw 2,200 troops from Iraq before the end of September. The drawdown will take the number of American forces to 3,000.

We are continuing to expand on our partner capacity programs that enable Iraqi forces and allow us to reduce our footprint in Iraq, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said during a visit to the country.

The announcement of the withdrawal came after the president recently renewed his criticism of U.S. involvement in what he calls endless wars. The war in Iraq has cost the United States taxpayers an estimated $2 trillion, with a large portion of the sum benefiting private defense contractors.

Read More Trump Says Pentagon Chiefs Beholden to Weapons Manufacturers

We will hunt down terrorists who threaten our citizens, and we will lead America out of endless, ridiculous foreign wars, Trump told a rally in North Carolina on Sept. 8, referring to his administrations foreign policy.

The United States and Iraq in June affirmed their commitment to the reduction of U.S. troops in the country in the coming months, with no plans by Washington to maintain permanent bases or a permanent military presence there.

In 2016, Trump campaigned on ending Americas endless wars. U.S. troops remain in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, albeit in smaller numbers.

The United States and Iraq began discussing the partial withdrawal of U.S. troops in December 2019. An escalation of tensions with Iran added further points for consideration in January, when the Iraqi Council of Representatives voted for a resolution to expel all foreign troops. Trump initially refused to withdraw troops from Iraq.

By March, the U.S.-led coalition cited developments in the mission to eradicate the ISIS terrorist group and began to transfer bases back to Iraq. Four bases were transferred by early April.

In June, the United States and Iraq began virtual negotiations about the withdrawal, which were expected to continue for months.

U.S. troops withdrew from the Taji Base on Aug. 23. Roughly a week later, a U.S. official said that Washington would draw down troops to 3,500 from 5,200.

Trump told reporters during an Aug. 20 meeting with Iraqs prime minister that, at some point, the United States will be completely withdrawn from Iraq.

We have been taking our troops out of Iraq fairly rapidly, and we look forward to the day when we dont have to be there. And hopefully Iraq can live their own lives and they can defend themselves, which theyve been doing long before we got involved, he said.

Then-Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi asked in January for the United States to prepare to withdraw troops but later said hed leave the decision to his successor.

Trumps meeting was with Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who succeeded Abdul-Mahdi. The new prime minister praised the United States for helping defeat ISIS and in toppling Saddam Husseins regime.

The United States drew down troops from Afghanistan earlier this year to an agreed upon target of 8,600.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
The coronavirus crisis may offer a grim preview of further marginalization for Americans of color in the coming decades, a new Deutsche Bank report concludes.

The big picture: "COVID is a picture of what the world might look like in the future as it gets more digitized," Apjit Walia, a technology strategist with Deutsche Bank, told Axios. His report finds that Black and Hispanic Americans are particularly vulnerable to being left behind as the workforce further digitizes and inequality rises.

By the numbers: 76% of Black people and 62% of Hispanic people in the U.S. could be shut out or underprepared for 86% of jobs in the country by 2045, according to the report. The pandemic has already offered a model for how that divide might play out.

Black people had to venture out of their homes 135% more than white people in April compared to pre-COVID, Deutsche Bank found, per geolocation data gathered in majority Black and majority white neighborhoods in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.

"We believe this is an accurate representation of the state of the racial digital divide in the country," write Walia and report co-author Sai Ravindran. "Clearly, poor access to Tech connectivity & work-from-home jobs rendered minorities with few choices but to venture out of home to make a living, even with peril to their lives."

Black and Hispanic people are a decade behind white people in the U.S. when it comes to levels of broadband access in the home, according to data Deutsche Bank highlights from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

What's next: Big Tech firms could step in to help bridge the digital divide, such as by offering job training and funding connectivity initiatives, Walia said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 17:50:20|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Japan's core private-sector machinery orders increased in July from a month earlier as manufacturers saw demand return in a sign that orders are continuing to recover from heavy losses when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak, the government said in a report on Thursday.

According to the Cabinet Office, the orders, excluding those for ships and utilities because of their volatility, climbed 6.3 percent in July from the previous month.

The orders totaled 751.29 billion yen (7.08 billion U.S. dollars), in the reporting period, the Cabinet Office said, and came on the heels of a 7.6 percent drop in June and a 1.7 percent rise in May.

The Cabinet Office's assessment of the orders is that they are "on a decreasing trend." The previous month the office said orders were "decreasing." The assessments are essentially the same and neither an upgrade or downgrade in the office's view.

The global pandemic in previous months had led to factories shuttering operations on falling demand as supply chains had become increasingly disrupted. Businesses had also rethought their capital investment plans, which saw investments downwardly revised, analysts here said.

They added that in the recording period, while conditions remained strained, manufacturers had seen demand return and supply chain issues resolved or bettered, commensurate with the global recovery from the pandemic.

Orders from manufacturers increased for a second straight month, rising 5.0 percent in the recording period to 313.11 billion yen (2.95 billion U.S. dollars), the Cabinet Office's data showed.

Those from non-manufacturers, excluding those for ships and from power companies, climbed 3.4 percent to 443.03 billion yen (4.17 billion U.S. dollars), after a 10.4 percent slump booked in June.

Orders from overseas, seen as an indicator of future exports, leapt 13.8 percent to 614.19 billion yen (5.79 billion U.S. dollars), marking the first rise in five months, the government's data showed.

Total orders rose 7.0 percent to 1.83 trillion yen (17.25 billion U.S. dollars), marking the first rise in four months, although the orders comprised 208.61 billion yen (1.96 billion U.S. dollars) from the domestic public sector, a drop of 30.4 percent compared to the previous month, marking a second straight month of decline, the office said.

Machinery orders are a key advance indicator for corporate capital spending and the government uses this key data to predict the strength of business spending in a six to nine month period ahead.

A rise in capital expenditure can boost the economy as Japanese companies are producing more machinery to meet rising demands from overseas markets.

A drop in such expenditure can have the opposite effect, however.

Such business investment accounts for roughly 15 percent of Japan's gross domestic product.

Types of machinery included in the monthly government survey comprise engines and turbines, heavy electrical machinery, electronic and communication equipment, industrial machinery, machine tools, railway rolling stock, road vehicles, aircraft, ships, water crafts, as well as sub types in those categories. Enditem
NEW YORK and DENVER, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimmeridge Energy Management Company, LLC ("Kimmeridge" or the "Firm"), a private equity firm focused on upstream energy, today published a white paper entitled, "Charting a Path to Net Zero Emissions for Oil & Gas Production." This is the second white paper published by Kimmeridge focused on reforming the US E&P sector, following the release of "Preparing the E&P Sector for the Energy Transition: A New Business Model" in February.

Climate change represents a long-term threat to society and the Energy sector faces increased scrutiny for its contribution to it. Many have called for divestment from the sector but avoiding the sector does little to improve the environment. The White Paper focuses on what the US E&P industry can do to materially lower the emissions intensity of producing oil and gas, how companies can align their environmental strategy with the Paris Agreement, and the role of corporate governance in effectuating change.

Ben Dell, Founder and Managing Partner of Kimmeridge, said, "As long as the world remains reliant on the energy delivered by fossil fuels, investors have a responsibility to stay engaged and ensure that E&P companies are producing oil and gas as efficiently, safely and as environmentally friendly as possible."

Kimmeridge will continue to advocate for change in the sector through its investments, urging companies to adopt the following five key principles with an eye towards making the E&P sector more sustainable and, once again, investable over the long-term.

Eliminate routine flaring by 2025 Reduce US methane intensity below 0.2% of gas production by 2023 Reduce total upstream GHG intensity by 50% by 2030 Pursue routine monitoring and independent verification of emission levels Align reporting with SASB standards and adopt all 11 TCFD recommended disclosures by 2022

Andrew Baxter of the Environmental Defense Fund, a technical reviewer on the paper, said, "This report contains powerful ideas for E&P companies to pursue a net zero strategy, where a commitment to verifiable data and transparent reporting are keys to success. Investors and operators alike can use this paper as they look to prepare their portfolios and businesses for a low carbon future."

Mark Viviano, Head of Public Equities at Kimmeridge, said, "As the world transitions to a low carbon future, the upstream oil and gas business must evolve and address its own environmental deficiencies. The leading E&P companies of tomorrow will adopt a business model that is aligned with the energy transition through lower reinvestment rates while charting a path towards net zero emissions in their direct operations. With management and boards compensated to maintain the status quo, few will embrace the necessary changes without investor pressure. This only underscores the need for engagement over divestment."

To view more of Kimmeridge's research and thought leadership, please visit http://kimmeridge.com/research-archive/.

About Kimmeridge

Founded in 2012 by Ben Dell, Dr. Neil McMahon and Henry Makansi, Kimmeridge is a private equity firm focused on making direct investments in unconventional oil and gas assets in the U.S. The Firm is differentiated by its direct investment approach, deep technical knowledge, active portfolio management and proprietary research and data gathering. In addition to its New York headquarters, Kimmeridge maintains a fully-staffed, in-house operating and geology team in Denver, with experience across all major upstream functions and disciplines. For additional information on Kimmeridge and its proprietary research, please visit www.kimmeridge.com.

Media Contact:

Daniel Yunger / Simone Leung / Hallie Wolff

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212.521.4800

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Nothing herein is designed to be a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, investment product or vehicle, including any investment products managed or sponsored by Kimmeridge or its affiliates. Investing in any sector or product, including the E&P sector, involves significant risks.

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The Ministers understanding is sharp and realistic. He is convinced that since diplomacy worked to get China to withdraw from Doklam, it can work again





by Ashok K Mehta





Even as China accused Indian troops of intimidatory firing on Monday, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi face to face in Moscow for the first time after the standoff. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers conclave, hot on the heels of Defence Minister Rajnath Singhs conversation with his counterpart, Gen Wei Fenghe, at the same platform. Pessimism surrounds the outcome of the Wang-Jaishankar meeting though Jaishankar has been signalling to Chinese leaders the big picture of India-China relations and Indias terms for a reset. His emphasis on the need for India to be more proactive and take risks are reflected in some recent Indian military, diplomatic and economic activities that connote capabilities and confidence. Diplomacy is the path India has chosen to secure its objective of restoration of status quo ante. Jaishankar, who says he knows Wang for a long time, acknowledges the situation on the LAC is very serious and requires deep conversations at the political level.













India launched a blitzkrieg of events along the LAC prior to Singh meeting his counterpart. CDS Gen Rawat was exceptionally vocal over the military option, including a two-front war if diplomacy failed and the utility of Quad. COAS Gen Naravane, on his third visit to Ladakh, was in Chushul at the scene of recent action. Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Bhaduria, inspected air bases in the east and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla, in his first public address, highlighted the Galwan clash resulting in casualties for the first time in 42 years of peace and tranquility on the border. Indian forces carried out their first proactive military operation on their own side of LAC on the south bank of Pangong Lake by occupying heights that gave them domination in the Chushul area. A battalion of Vikas regiment, comprising exiled Tibetans, was employed in the pre-emptive operation, messaging to China the dormant Tibet issue. A company commander of this special force was killed due to an old mine and his funeral was attended by Ram Madhav, general secretary of the BJP. About the proactive operation, there is confusion over location and control of contested heights at Helmet and Black Top. The Army just said it occupied ground to improve its defences.





After the meeting of Defence Ministers on expected lines, China accused India of crossing LAC at Chushul and demanded Indian troops be withdrawn. India blamed China for multiple intrusions and urged the restoration of status quo ante. But both sides stressed the determination to continue talks. Central to Chinas complaint is Indian violation of Chinese LAC at Galwan and Chushul without admitting it is the original sinner of multiple intrusions by violating border protocols and unilaterally altering status quo. Stung by the banning of 117 more apps (now aggregate of 224 banned apps), for the first time China accused India of colluding with the US against Chinese companies. It formally charged US with meddling in the border dispute.





While US officials have been accusing China of bullying India, President Donald Trump himself has been non-committal by calling the standoff very nasty and wanting to do something to help both countries. He did not think that China was bullying India though he noted that China was certainly going for it. After the partisanship Prime Minister Narendra Modi displayed in endorsing Trump at Houston (and Ahmedabad) for the next President, a video of which is the Trump vote-catcher among Indian Americans, Trumps clean chit to China is problematic.





The use of Tibetan troops in operations, when high altitude Ladakh Scouts regiments are available, is by design Indias belated psy war. It has the potential to reignite Indias Tibet policy, which in 1950 ignored Chinas illegal occupation of Tibet. Indias much-touted abandonment of the One China policy has nothing to do with Tibet but more with Taiwan and Hong Kong. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: We firmly oppose any country providing convenience for the Tibetan secessionist forces separatist activities. The Global Times accused India of playing the Tibet card and noted that Chinas national strength, including its military strength, is much stronger than Indias and that when it comes to ultimate combat capability, the Indian side will lose. Eighteen weeks after the initial intrusions, the Indian Army carried out its maiden proactive operation at Chushul heights and unnerved the PLA. Dominating ground in other sectors should have been taken up much earlier. Many officers are demanding that the military option be utilised to impose costs on China now that the force build-up is being completed. Three additional divisions, tanks and artillery are amassed along LAC with reserves in depth. China has made matching deployment, including locating its J20 frontline fighter, at Hotan. IAF is ideally suited for deterrence by punishment in case military force is used to evict intrusions.





The one intrusion that PLA covets most is Depsang which was not covered by the failed disengagement dialogue. In September 2013, it had occupied the same area and withdrew after talks and Indias counter-intrusion at Chumar. The PLA at Depsang poses a direct challenge to the strategic Daulat Beg Oldie military garrison and air base, which it views as a threat to G 219, the Aksai Chin highway to Lhasa. While a counter-intrusion along the 1,590 km LAC in Ladakh will be feasible and not be escalatory like military action to push back at Depsang or any other intrusion, neither is advisable as long as the door to diplomacy is open. The military option must remain the last resort notwithstanding the last public pronouncement of the former acting US Undersecretary of State for South Asia and Central Asia, Alice Wells : Indias broadening strategic horizons over the past two decades have resulted in a shift away from a passive foreign policy to one that advances its interests more vigorously.





Jaishankar had a long stint at Beijing and then as Foreign Secretary. He enjoys the full confidence of his Prime Minister. His understanding of China under President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party is sharp and realistic. He is convinced that since diplomacy worked to get China to withdraw from Depsang, Chumar and Doklam, it can work again. Given the escalatory firing by PLA and occupation of positions close to Indias creating a new friction point coupled with rash statements by Global Times, the Chinese have raised the stakes for Jaishankar.





(The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander IPKF South, Sri Lanka and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff.)
This article was written by Chris Koens, a member of the Entrepreneur NEXT powered by Assemble content team. Entrepreneur NEXT is our Expert solutions division leading the future of work and skills-based economy. If youre struggling to find, vet, and hire the right Experts for your business, Entrepreneur NEXT is a platform to help you hire the experts you need, exactly when you need them. From business to marketing, sales, design, finance, and technology, we have the top 3 percent of Experts ready to work for you.

Weve been quarantined for months now and some of us have gotten quite comfortable with the work-from-home lifestyle. Business is starting to make the slow-but-vigilant shift toward an augmented version of the pre-pandemic way of day-to-day. However, there are several things employees may begin to miss from their time spent in isolation.

Plenty of people clamoring to return to an old way of working, but employees may quickly realize theyd like to retain some aspects of the ways theyve had to adapt. As a result, business owners and managers may need to start implementing changes in the new business as usual to retain their employees and maintain satisfaction in their team.

Weve bubbled up three mainstays of WFH life that would be relatively easy to implement at most companiesfrom start-ups to an enterprise-level organization, whether youre bringing your team back to the office or youre keeping your workers at home indefinitely. People will work harder and value their job more if you can improve your corporate culture around flexibility, comfort, and customization.

Flexibility: Workdays and scheduling

The 9-to-5 workday may have been 80s cinematic comedy goldand a chart-topper for Dolly Partonbut the status quo may need to be revisited. Week after week, from early spring into the fall of 2020, employees managed to start and end their days at their own pace. And, for the most part, people got their jobs done. And work flexibility isnt necessarily a new trend. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 1991 to 1997, the percent of full-time wage and salary workers with flexible work schedules on their principal job increased from 15.1 percent to 27.6 percent.

While a flexible schedule may not be an option for workplaces that require high levels of customer interaction or face-to-face engagement, many of those same styles of workplaces have found a way to operate even while utilizing displaced workers. And not just function but to thrive. Studies have shown that employees who work remotely are more productive (around 13 percent) and more likely to work additional hours to get things done when necessary even if those hours are not between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

I guarantee some of you are business leaders concerned about out-of-office workers and just thought, but my employees will take breaks to do laundry and dishes or watch television. Yes. Yes, they will. But, they took the same minutes of breaks at the office, sometimes more. Office breaks are often masked as productivitycatching up with co-workers looks like collaboration, and walking to and from the breakroom looks like on-task movement. However, studies have shown that WFH employees take fewer breaks, accomplish more tasks per hour, and call in sick less frequently. Not to mention, that when the WFH employee does take a break or a day off, theyre more willing to make up that time rather than maintain a standardized workweek.

When a traditional employee wants to spend time with their children, attend a sporting event, or participate in a family function, they frequently take time off from work. When a WFH employee performs one of those personal tasks, they simply shift their schedule to work around that event with a focus on completion of tasks and achieving goals.

Lets also contextualize this for today: If you have the opportunity to go to a long lunchat a real brick-and-mortar restaurant with a friendfor the first time since the start of quarantine, wont you be that much happier, energized, and productive after that afternoon? Giving yourself and your employees the opportunity to experience small moments of joy, like a two-hour lunch with an old friend, can lead to a greater sense of happiness and a stronger commitment to the company that offered them that small token of trust.

For those organizations pulling workers back to a centralized campus, consider flexible start and stop times. Do all employees need to show up at 9 a.m.? Do they all need to leave at 5 p.m.? Actually, no. The reason we have fixed workday schedules is because of the British Industrial Revolution. Factories needed their workers on set schedules to work efficiently, and workers pushed for eight-hour workdays instead of the 10-to-16-hour days they were previously working. It has been more than 200 years since the eight-hour workday was implemented in Britain, and nearly 135 years since it was implemented in Americashowing that the standard working hours are more outdated than wearing United Colors of Benetton to a tea party.

Would customers actually find more value in someone picking up their phone call at 7 p.m. because some members of your staff chose an 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. work schedule? Not only does flexibility instill a sense of pride in the level of trust afforded to an employee, it also allows that employee to more easily schedule other life eventsand has significant positive implications toward employee retention.

Comfort: Workwear and wellness

After more than 150 days in quarantine, several of my colleagues have addressed their love of a more comfortable work environment. Its easy to see how people prefer working in casual clothing, sitting in their favorite chair or nook in a room full of windows, views, and natural light. Thanks to quarantine, we have unlocked the secret to being simultaneously cozy and productive.

My network has commented on how theyll miss their comfortable gray yoga- or sweat-pants as their daily groutfit. Before you, or your HR team, reinstitute groutfits of yoregray power suits and a pop-of-color power-tie for personalityas your office standard, maybe it is time to consider the fact youre not leading a reboot of Suits or Mad Men and offer some relaxing of dress code policies.

For as long as I can remember, more offices have been implementing casual Friday into their dress-code policy. Recently, Ive heard of some out-of-the-box workplaces incorporating a donation system into the mix; you can wear denim on Friday if you give a dollar to the charity of the week. Can your workplace be a bit more casual? Should you institute a charitable-giving dress code? Can your more relaxed dress code be more than just Friday based? To be clear, Im not advocating for yoga pants as the continued Monday-Friday wear, but would it be terrible to be inventive with what a comfortable-but-appropriate workplace can look like?

Speaking of yoga, could your office start offering something like post-lunch yoga classes to get people re-motivated for the afternoon? Fashion maven Eileen Fisher is known to start meetings with a time of silence and reflection, she brings in wellness professionals for team events or yoga, she also famously hosted lunchtime meetings, pre-quarantine, at her home to make meetings feel less like work and more like a casual hangout.

A more relaxed dress code and implementation of healthy lifestyle activities may have an underlying effect of encouraging employees to be less sedentary. More frequent breaks that include movement, are shown to increase productivity.

The number one problem shared among entrepreneurs today is finding, vetting, hiring, and retaining expertise.

Customization: Workplace and amenities

Whether your workforce returns to a centralized campus or works from home, giving the employee a budget or stipend to select their own chair and desk configuration can lead to a sense of pride and a feeling of trust and empowerment  plus it lets them make a selection that best fits their needs for comfort and productivity.

If you do have to return to a main building, here are ways you can create a more pleasant work environment for your returning employees:

Hot desks or bookable conference rooms Each employee has a different working style. Give them options for open-air, collaborative spaces, as well as areas where they can work quietly.

Health and safety measures Lets not forget, we are still in a pandemic. Hand sanitizer and soap are a must, and communal areas should have frequent wipe-downs. If possible, check your employees temperatures and practice contact tracing.

Headphones Headphones can help employees focus and cut down noise from phone calls, which means fewer disturbances and more productivity. Gifting a nice pair of headphones to your employees is worth the investment - trust me. Brand the pair with your logo, if you must, for a mini marketing exposure when people wear them out in public

Flex office hours We went through this already, but it bears repeating: knock it off with the antiquated workday!



A place where each employee can enjoy a short time of the week with a more pleasant work environment, even a small improvement can have a big impact on an employees workplace satisfaction. For those staying home, the procurement of a proper desk and chair could be the catalyst for greater productivity and success as well as an increased sense of worth and perception of corporate value.

A quick review and improvement of your workdays, workwear, and workplace standards could significantly improve your teams attitude and productivity pre-quarantineand a happy workplace creates a more productive and profitable workforce.

To hire the Experts you need, exactly when you need them, visit next.entrepreneur.com to schedule a meeting with our Expert solutions team.

Related:

How to Prioritize Your Team's Professional Development, Even Remotely

3 Reasons Empathy is Good for Business

5 Ways To Give Your Employees a Break When They Need It Most



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A family desperate to see their loved one in Queensland after he was given just months to live will be allowed to enter the state to say goodbye - but will need to stump up $16,000 in hotel quarantine fees.

Health authorities had earlier said only one of Brisbane father Mark Keans' four Sydney-based children - all of whom are under the age of 13 - could cross the border to see him one last time as he battles terminal cancer in his brain and lungs.

Queensland Health did not at first respond to multiple requests for an exemption from the truck driver's family, but have now told them they can drive into the state and pay for two weeks quarantine in a Brisbane hotel.

But the 11 close family members of Mr Keans, 39, will first have to pay the eye-watering fees to ensure they do not have COVID-19 before entering the Queensland community.

The state's standard quarantine fees are $4,620 for two adults and two children.

Scroll down for video

Mark Keans - who has terminal cancer - pictured with his children (L-R) Noah 13, Caitlyn 11, Caleb 11, and Isaac, 7. His family have been quoted $16,000 in quarantine fees to travel to Queensland to say goodbye to him

Mr Keans was diagnosed a month ago with an inoperable cancer and is not expected to live until Christmas. Earlier, his family were told only one of his children would be given permission to cross into Queensland to see him in his final moments

His family's desperation has prompted a wave of donations to a GoFundMe page set up to support their bid to get across the border - with $205,000 raised in four hours by Friday morning despite them setting a fundraising goal of just $30,000.

Costs will also include taxi transfer to visit the father at his home - where his family will be escorted by government staff and have to wear full personal protective equipment.

'My wife told the Queensland Health person "this is ridiculous - its going to cost more to quarantine than it will to bury my son",' Mr Keans' father Bruce Langborne told Daily Mail Australia.

'At least they spoke to us but we didn't get anywhere - this is only a suggestion as well and nothing has been confirmed yet.'

Mr Langborne said his local member of parliament had been far more supportive of their situation - even offering to fly his son to New South Wales by air ambulance so he could be with his family.

'We understand and sympathise that this is a very difficult time and there are challenges,' a Queensland Health spokeswoman said.

'We are in the midst of a global pandemic and we need to protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable members of the community.

'We understand the health directions in place are strict, but they are designed to protect Queenslanders from COVID-19.'

New South Wales Health had previously proposed allowing one of his children to see their father for a supervised one-hour visit before going back across the border.

But his sister Tam Langborne told Daily Mail Australia the family were at a loss deciding which of the kids would get to see their father in his final moments.

'The youngest of the children is only seven years old. I think sending him by himself to see his Dad for an hour would do a lot more damage than good,' she said.

'I understand the reasons behind the border closure but what hurts the most is actors and sporting teams get a free ride to go into Queensland because they have a name.

Mr Keans' sister said the family simply could not afford the cost involved in putting up 11 people in a hotel for two weeks

'All we want to do is sit with our brother and say thanks for a good life and for the kids to see him for the last time.'

Their anguish comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk cops fierce criticism for letting 400 AFL officials enter the state ahead of the Grand Final, while repeatedly knocking back everyday Australians with health or family reasons.

US movie star Tom Hanks will not have to undergo hotel quarantine after flying into Queensland from the US - with Ms Palaszczuk saying Hanks was exempt because of the industry's COVID-safe plan.

All of Mr Keans' children are under the age of 13 and are 'desperate' to see him before he dies

Mr Keans' father said officials had even told him his family were being selfish for wanting to get all four of the children across the border as they were putting other cancer patients at risk.

'They [Queensland authorities] said we were being selfish and weren't thinking of the other cancer patients,' Mr Langborne said.

He added the family had no idea how they would choose one child to cross the border.

Pictured: Mr Keans' four children. Queensland's quarantine fees are $4,620 for two adults and two children.

'The only option is one adult and one child,' he said. 'We'd be chaperoned up there and chaperoned back.'

The family's case was raised in Queensland parliament by Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington as New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian hit out at the northern state's border policies.

'Our nation needs to deal with the pandemic... were Australians as well as living in NSW and a lot of families arent able to see each other,' she said.

Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson (pictured) won't be subjected to mandatory hotel quarantine because the film industry has a COVID-safe plan

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard also hit out at Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on the subject of families being separated on either side of the border.

'I can only express my anger, my supreme anger, at the Queensland Premiers decision which in my view broadly across the border currently is nothing more than base, loopy politics,' he said.

'I'm appalled by what's going on up there'.

The Langborne family are not alone, with dozens more falling victim to Palaszczuk's hardline stance on her border.

One Queensland grandmother was forced to recover from brain surgery in a quarantine hotel after the operation in Sydney.

The children's grandfather Bruce Langborne (pictured) said officials had even told him his family were being selfish as bringing all four of them across would put other cancer patients at risk

Jayne Brown, 60, spent two weeks confined to a tiny hotel room in Brisbane following the surgery by renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo - who removed two large tumours on her brain.

Poll Should Tom Hanks have to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine? Yes No Undecided Should Tom Hanks have to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine? Yes 1286 votes

No 156 votes

Undecided 37 votes Now share your opinion





The grandmother-of-seven requested an exemption from hotel quarantine to self-isolate at home on the Sunshine Coast, but was rejected twice.

She blasted the Queensland premier, who allowed 400 AFL players and officials from coronavirus-riddled Victoria to enter the state last Tuesday night.

'I don't understand it, mind-blowing,' Ms Brown told Nine News last week.

Meanwhile, a young mother with a newborn baby has been left in limbo over when she will next be reunited with her mine worker husband due to Queensland's strict border restrictions.

Laura Goff, 29, and Chris Bennett, 27, welcomed their daughter Adalyn at the end of July in Wangi Wangi, Lake Macquarie, NSW.

But six weeks later, Mr Bennett, a fitter in mines at Moranbah in North Queensland, was forced to leave his loved ones behind to return to his week-on-week-off work schedule in North Queensland.

Lake Macquarie couple Laura Goff, 29, and Chris Bennett, 27, welcomed their daughter Adalyn (pictured together) to the world in July

Queensland's mandatory $2,800 two-week hotel quarantine for anyone entering the state from NSW will make it impossible for the young father to return to see his family during his days off.

Ms Goff doesn't even know when she will see her husband again, and is grappling with raising and watching seven-week-old daughter Adalyn meet milestones on her own.

'I try not to get too caught up in the fact that he works away because that's entirely our choice, but it is hard knowing that I don't know when he is going to come back,' she told the Newcastle Herald.

'He usually comes back and we get a full week of family stuff, but we just don't get that at the moment.'

A heavily pregnant mother was also forced to wait 16 hours for emergency surgery in Sydney after being turned away at the Queensland border, before losing one of her unborn twin babies.

A heavily pregnant mother was forced to wait 16 hours for emergency surgery in Sydney after being turned away at the Queensland border, before losing one of her unborn twin babies

Ms Palaszczuk initially did not grant the seriously ill mum-to-be's exemption despite her needing emergency surgery for the unborn twins.

The mother, from Ballina in New South Wales which is 88km from the Queensland border, had twins who were just 24 weeks along and needed urgent care.

She wasn't initially granted an exemption to cross the border for surgery at the Gold Coast University Hospital 125km away and instead had to wait for 16 hours in Lismore for a flight to Sydney.

The woman's father Allan Watt says one of the twins became anaemic during surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.

Mr Watt said the family were very upset about his daughter being denied an exemption.

Jayne Brown (pictured) was denided an exemption to self-isolate at her Sunshine Coast home

Queensland Chief Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the NSW woman's exemption had been approved as soon as her application had been made.

Ms Palaszczuk defended her border restrictions as calls grow for New South Wales and Queensland residents to be able to cross the border freely.

'We would not be in the situation we are today without the advice of the Chief Health Officer, under this government we will continue to accept and abide by her advice,' she said.

Motorists are stopped at a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland - New South Wales border on August 7. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended her state's strict entry restrictions - saying she too can't visit her uncle who had lung cancer

Ms Palaszczuk also said she had sympathy for people unable to visit loved ones in hospital during the hard border lockdown and that she had been unable to visit her uncle when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Queensland briefly reopened the state's southern border in July before shutting again amid a spike in cases in New South Wales.

The Sunshine State recorded eight new coronavirus cases overnight, the state's biggest daily rise in nearly five months while NSW confirmed an additional nine cases.
The calls to defund Hamilton police came roughly 40 times via councillors computer screens.

But city council decided to wait until Chief Eric Girt appears before them later this month to respond amid the push for reform.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger suggested holding off on addressing the issues delegates raised by video on Wednesday until Girts Sept. 23 visit.

I think given the circumstances, I think he understands that theres good reason to clarify a number of issues and also answer any questions that council might have, said Eisenberger, whos also chair of the police board.

Council looks forward to that ongoing dialogue, he added.

A little more than 40 delegates submitted videos or were on hand to address council live during Wednesdays virtual general issues committee.

The message  to reduce the $171-million budget by 20 per cent or about $34 million  was nearly uniform throughout their five-minute appeals for change.

The speakers urged officials to reallocate those dollars to other services  such as affordable housing, mental-health programs, anti-racism initiatives and education  to address crime and improve society.

James Cairns summarized Hamiltons principle problems as high housing costs, systemic racism, precarious employment and environmental degradation.

At best, the police are unable to do anything about these problems, Cairns said, adding there are more effective ways to spend public dollars.

Emily Meilleur-Rivers questioned spending polices $171-million budget in light of an affordable housing crisis and a long wait list for subsidized units.

And the police do not keep us safe, and we are demanding that you reinvest in our community, she said.

Maddie Brockbank lamented the severely and chronically underfunded womens sector  including shelters, counselling services and sexual assault centres  compared to police spending.

Hamilton police need to be defunded because Hamilton has a $3.3-billion infrastructure deficit.

Other speakers drew attention to how Black and Indigenous people are subjected to systemic racism entrenched in police practices.

The calls for reform were largely sparked by the death of George Floyd, a Black man, in Minneapolis in May, after which protests over police brutality and systemic racism swept the globe.

In Hamilton, advocates, citing cases of police-involved deaths and systemic racism in Canada as well, have held rallies in downtown parks and streets.

On Wednesday, many delegates cited a more than 50 per cent spike in police budgets over five years as a cause for concern.

According to a recent presentation Girt delivered, the local police budget was $149 million in 2015, compared to $171 million in 2020. Thats a roughly 15 per cent increase.

In his presentation to the police board last week, the chief said a 20 per cent cut would have a significant impact on front-line officers and reduce response times.

The reduction would equal 279 officers, as salaries and benefits represent more than 90 per cent of the budget, he noted.

That would affect polices ability to handle everything from domestic violence to homicide investigations and mental-health calls, Girt said.

On Wednesday, delegates argued mental-health professionals are best suited to respond to people in crisis.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Unable to find probable cause, a judge has thrown out two felony charges against a former police officer accused in a string of burglaries after a court hearing last month.

Christopher McCasland, 34, was charged with felonies in two counties stemming from burglaries he allegedly committed in Angel Fire while he was an officer in the villages Police Department.

On Aug. 21, McCasland was in Raton Magistrate Court for a preliminary examination on charges of non-residential burglary and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, both fourth-degree felonies. The charges stem from an accusation that McCasland broke into a storage unit at the Angel Fire Resort in November 2015 and stole a snowmobile. McCasland was an officer at the Angel Fire Police Department from 2013 to 2016, court documents say.

Three days after the preliminary examination, Raton Magistrate Judge Warren G. Walton wrote in an order, There is no probable cause to believe that the charged offense was committed and that the defendant committed the offense.

The 8th Judicial District Attorneys Office, based in Taos, did not respond to a request for comment.

McCasland is still facing one felony charge of receiving stolen property in 9th Judicial District Court.

According to court documents, New Mexico State Police agents interviewed McCaslands ex-wife in June during an investigation into a report that McCaslands firearm was missing from the Roosevelt County Sheriffs Office, where McCasland previously worked.

The woman told agents that McCasland burglarized several businesses in Angel Fire while he was an officer there, including a lumber store, a brewery and the ski resort. McCasland took the police report for the burglary at the brewery.

Agents say they searched McCaslands Portales home and seized items that were confirmed to be stolen from the lumber store and the brewery.

McCasland later resigned from the Roosevelt County Sheriffs Office and was arrested.

Three judges in the 9th Judicial District  Matthew Chandler, Donna Mowrer and David Reeb  recused themselves from the Portales case because McCasland had appeared in their courts as a law enforcement officer, court documents say.

McCasland was released on his own recognizance and is allowed to travel to Texas for work and medical purposes. His law enforcement certification was temporarily suspended.
Helsinki: Finlands prime minister will work remotely until further notice, officials announced on Thursday, after the countrys new coronavirus app warned that she may have been exposed.

Sanna Marin, the 34-year-old head of government, will be tested for Covid-19," her office said in a statement.

She is asymptomatic and feeling fine."

Finland launched its coronavirus tracing app on September 1, allowing smartphone users to receive an alert when they have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.

The app has since been downloaded approximately 1.8 million times, equal to one-third of Finlands 5.5 million population.

On Thursday, Marin was holding talks with other EU leaders, and had discussions with cabinet colleagues over relaxing Finlands travel restrictions, which currently ban arrivals from all but a handful of EU countries.

Currently Finland only allows holidaymakers from countries with fewer than ten new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days, under measures previously described by Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo as the toughest in Europe".

Thursdays proposals would see the limit raised to 25 new cases per 100,000, which is more in line with the policies of other EU states.

The government has come under heavy pressure to ease travel restrictions in order to help businesses in Lapland, an area hugely reliant on tourism during the Christmas and winter season.
The move is due to the "efforts to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election."

U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on Andriy Derkach, a Ukrainian parliament member, pursuant to Executive Order 13848.

The restrictions have been introduced over his "efforts to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election," the U.S. State Treasury said in a statement released on September 10.

"Derkach, a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, has been an active Russian agent for over a decade, maintaining close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services," the statement reads.

It says Derkach has "directly or indirectly engaged in, sponsored, concealed, or otherwise been complicit in foreign interference in an attempt to undermine the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election."

The move to introduce sanctions, U.S. officials say, is focused on "exposing Russian malign influence campaigns and protecting our upcoming elections from foreign interference."

Read alsoU.S. considering sanctions if Russia intervenes in Belarus militarily  media"This action is a clear signal to Moscow and its proxies that this activity will not be tolerated. The Administration is working across the U.S. Government, and with state, local, and private sector partners, to make the 2020 election secure," the statement reads.

Along with "other Russian agents, Derkach employs "manipulation and deceit to attempt to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere around the world," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

Derkachs "election influence efforts," as per U.S. Treasury

The U.S. officials say Derkach waged a "covert influence campaign"  from at least late 2019 through mid-2020  centered on cultivating "false and unsubstantiated narratives" concerning U.S. officials in the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

His efforts aimed to spur corruption investigations in both Ukraine and the United States "designed to culminate prior to election day."

The narratives were pushed in Western media through coverage of press conferences and other news events, including interviews and statements, the statement adds.

Between May and July 2020, Derkach released "edited audio tapes and other unsupported information with the intent to discredit U.S. officials." Also, the U.S. Treasury says, he "levied unsubstantiated allegations against U.S. and international political figures."

Derkach "almost certainly targeted" the U.S. voting populace, prominent U.S. citizens, including members of the U.S. government, "based on his reliance on U.S. platforms, English-language documents and videos, and pro-Russian lobbyists in the United States used to propagate his claims."

"Today's designation of Derkach is another example of the Treasury department promoting accountability for Kremlin-linked individuals seeking to undermine confidence in U.S. democratic processes," the statement reads.

"Russia uses a variety of proxies to attempt to sow discord between political parties and drive internal divisions to influence voters as part of Moscows broader efforts to undermine democratic countries and institutions," the U.S. Treasury has noted.

Derkach tapes: background
A Hyundai spokesperson told Automotive News that the company is recalling 52,000 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport crossovers from the 2013-15 model years in Canada.

In the US, 283,803 Kia Optima sedans from the 2013-15 model years, 156,567 Kia Sorento crossovers from 2014-15 and 151,205 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport crossovers  also from the 2013-15 model years  are being recalled.

According to the NHTSA, there have been no known crashes or injuries related to the brake fluid issue.

Kia will start notifying dealers on October 12 and 15 of the recalls. Car owners whose vehicles are affected can send their automobiles back to the dealership, where technicians will inspect the control unit for any leaks, then replace the damaged parts as needed. Hyundais notification for dealers begins on October 23.
The German authorities have updated the list of SARS-CoV-2 epidemic "risk areas" in Romania, and this includes 11 counties plus the city of Bucharest, people coming from these places being forced to isolate themselves for 14 days and fill in a form.

As a result of this update, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) release sent to AGERPRES, Iasi County was introduced in the risk category, and Buzau, Galati and Vrancea counties were removed from the list of "risk areas". Thus, the quoted source states, at this moment, taking into account the latest decisions of the German authorities, together with Bucharest, 11 counties in Romania are on the list of "risk areas": Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Braila, Brasov, Dambovita, Iasi, Ilfov, Prahova, Vaslui, Valcea.According to the information previously sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the counties withdrawn from the list so far are the following: Buzau (on 09.09), Galati (on 09.09), Gorj (on 02.09), Ialomita (on 20.08), Mehedinti (on 20.08), Neamt (on 02.09), Timis (on 20.08) and Vrancea (on 09.09).Persons entering the Federal Republic of Germany from risk areas are required to complete a Public Health Passenger Locator Form, whose Romanian version can be found at the following link: www.rki.de/DE/Content /InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Transport/Aussteigekarten-COVID_RO.pdf?__blob=publicationFile.According to information publicly communicated by the German authorities, all persons, regardless of nationality, who enter the Federal Republic of Germany after being in one of the "risk areas" at any time during the last 14 days before arrival, are obliged to go in self-isolation at home or in other suitable accommodation for a period of 14 days upon arrival.There are two exceptions to this obligation. The first exception applies to persons who have a negative molecular biological test for COVID-19 performed no more than 48 hours before entry into Germany, through a medical certificate translated into German or English which must be kept for at least 14 days after entry. The second exception applies to persons who can take the test within 72 hours of arrival on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, with the obligation to strictly observe self-isolation at home until the communication of the negative test result. The test can be performed free of charge directly at the airport, at the family doctor or at the local health authorities.
By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and Oliver Hirt

ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse will launch a digital banking app in October challenging fintechs like Revolut in the Swiss bank's home market by offering free foreign transactions and fully digital wealth management, the bank said on Thursday.

Credit Suisse's new CSX banking app will offer free online banking from next month, a move it hopes will attract new customers to more lucrative services it will add over coming months, including taking out mortgages, making investments and planning pensions, Switzerland's second-biggest bank said.

"We want to grow with our clients," Swiss head Andre Helfenstein told journalists. "We thought we needed to do more for young people."

Digital competitors like Britain's Revolut and Germany's N26 have amassed millions of customers and billion-dollar valuations by offering cheap, user-friendly alternatives to traditional banking services. Undercutting incumbents on pricing for foreign exchange, stock trading and money transfers, they are particularly popular with younger customers.

Credit Suisse's move makes it the first major bank to roll out a comprehensive digital package in Switzerland, with a fully digital wealth management service to be added to the app in November.

"CSX falls somewhere in the upper mid-level of what's available," said Ingo Rauser, head of business consultancy Capco, adding basic capabilities rivalled those of online-only "neobanks".

"But, in contrast to the neobanks, Credit Suisse can draw from its full range with digital versions of its investment and pension products in a next step."

Credit Suisse aims to cut costs in its Swiss retail business by closing roughly a quarter of its branches, while bringing in new customers --- particularly in the younger client segment, where it says it has catch-up work to do -- by expanding upon other digital solutions in the market.

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That will include "digital bars" where customers can receive advice and connect to specialists via video conference, as well as co-working and event spaces to attract start-ups and entrepreneurs.

Cash withdrawals at ATM machines are not covered by the free version of the app, but clients who do so regularly can reduce costs via a premium version costing 3.95 Swiss francs ($4.34) a month. That undercuts rival UBS's banking package for general Swiss retail customers, priced from 10 francs a month.

($1 = 0.9105 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; Editing by Michael Shields)
The long-standing LSAP politician and member of the State Council was a guest at RTL Radio on Thursday morning.

The beginning of the pandemic demanded quick actions not only by the Chamber of Deputies, but also the State Council, a situation which no longer allowed for the usual amount of rigorous precision in the drafting of adaptive documents.

Nevertheless, Alex Bodry argued that the Council had remained true to its recommended practice throughout the crisis, most notably regarding personal liberties. He notes that the measures taken in March were reasonable and justified at the time, stating that the Grand Duchy's approach to balancing public health and fundamental freedoms had turned out to be successful. He further emphasised that Luxembourg had been more lenient in its measures than France for instance.

Bodry acknowledged that it was however too early to assess whether or not every policy had been necessary or not. He therefore iterated his belief that the administration needs to prioritise a return to normal living conditions. He considers the Covid bills a step into the right direction, as they provide the government with a secure legal basis of operations. Naturally, amendments will be needed in time, Bodry further explained.

When it comes to potential constitutional reforms, Bodry does not see a need to amend the legal text following the release of the Waringo report.



When asked about the recent conversation on a direct inheritance tax, launched by CSV president Frank Engel, Bodry stated that he would not see this measure as a guaranteed solution that would increase social justice. The State Council member explained that he would therefore not support a respective initiative, but would be in favour of reintroducing a wealth tax, the latest one having been abolished "overnight" by Jean-Claude Juncker in 2005.
President Trumps personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani has met at least three times with Derkach since late last year and publicized the Ukrainian lawmakers claims on his podcast and elsewhere, elevating what the Treasury Department has now characterized as a foreign interference campaign by an active Russian agent aimed at influencing the 2020 election. Giuliani met Derkach in Kyiv late last year, just as the House prepared to impeach Trump over a pressure campaign orchestrated by Giuliani to induce the Ukrainian government into announcing probes of Biden. Derkach later visited Giuliani in New York, months before he began releasing the tapes of Biden at news conferences in Kyiv.
The interim police chief in Scottsboro was arrested Saturday on Lake Guntersville on allegations that he was operating a boat while under the influence.

Scottsboro Police Department Maj. Ronald Wayne Latimer, appointed to serve as the citys interim police chief starting June 1, is now on paid administrative leave, according to a statement issued Tuesday by the city and information on the citys social media page.

This past weekend there was an incident involving interim police Chief Latimer on Lake Guntersville. At this time, Chief Latimer will be placed on paid administrative leave pending a review of all facts and information. We will update the public as soon as we can, thank you for your patience, the citys statement reads.

Scottsboro police Capt. Scott Matthews will handle any administrative duties for the time being, city officials said.

Attempts to reach Latimer for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful, and Scottsboro Mayor Robin Shelton did not return a call Wednesday seeking comment. Marshall County Circuit Court officials said Latimer had no attorney on record as of Wednesday afternoon.

Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol Division made the arrest, according to booking information at the Marshall County Sheriffs Office in Guntersville. Latimer was freed Sunday on a $1,500 bond, jail records show.

Alabama state troopers stopped a 2020 Cobalt boat about a half-mile south of Lake Guntersville State Park on Lake Guntersville near Short Creek at 7:40 p.m. CDT Saturday, according to a statement from law enforcement agency spokesperson Amanda Wasden. The stop was for careless operation and failure to display current registration, Wasden said.

The arrest took place well south of the Scottsboro city limits, closer to the city of Guntersville.

Troopers said Latimer was operating a boat owned by a friend.

Latimer was arrested for boating under the influence and careless operation of a vessel, Wasden said, and he received a written warning for failing to wear the vessels emergency shut-off switch lanyard. The vessels owner, who was not named, received a written warning for not having the required personal flotation devices on board, she said.

In a post on Scottsboros website commenting on the statement issued Tuesday, frequent Guntersville Lake user Brandon Parker called for fairness and said Latimers alleged actions were dangerous.

He was arrested for a DUI in a boat. We should expect our officers to be held to a higher standard, Parker wrote in his post Tuesday. "I am on the lake every chance I get, he has put my safety, as well as the safety of many others just like me at risk by his actions.

I hope the consequences of his choices are consistent with the consequences of anyone else who doesnt have a badge, Parker wrote.

Scottsboro resident Shelia Washington, however, defended Latimer.

Ron is a great person, sorry this happen to him, and the media is trying to ruin his ability to be police [chief], Washington wrote. He is not the first nor will he be the last.

Court officials said Latimer has an appearance set for Jan. 8, 2021



2020 the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Visit the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.) at www.timesfreepress.com

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 16:38:40|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese people resumed normal social life with precautions as the country has become the first major economy to return to growth since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the port city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, more than 1.21 million visitors thronged the 2020 Qingdao Beer Festival, the Asian version of Oktoberfest. The number of customers in nearby markets, hotels, and restaurants returned to 92 percent of pre-coronavirus levels.

BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- After staying at home for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang Jian was able to appreciate holding a bottle of iced beer outdoors and chilling with friends at the 2020 Qingdao Beer Festival -- Asia's Oktoberfest.

He was joined by more than 1.21 million visitors to the 17-day gala, over half of them from outside the coastal city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province.

"It was finally time to relax -- a bit -- after stringent social distancing measures. It seems that we could finally be carefree and say goodbye to staying at home," Wang said.

During the festival, held last month, beer buffs were able to sample more than 1,500 beers available onsite and watch fireworks and various shows. Traffic at nearby markets, hotels, and restaurants returned to 92 percent of pre-coronavirus levels.

In Beijing, 520,000 more primary school students went back to school on Monday, marking the return of all students under the 12th grade. Late last week, international flights to the Chinese capital began to resume, carrying passengers from eight countries.

Students take part in a flag-raising ceremony at Beijing No. 2 Experimental Primary School in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

Across the country, many bars and restaurants are again teeming with crowds. Events hosting thousands of people are being resumed.

The return to a normal social life underpins the country's economic recovery.

Addressing a meeting held on Tuesday in Beijing to commend role models in the fight against the epidemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China has become the first major economy to return to growth since the COVID-19 pandemic and has taken the lead globally in both COVID-19 control and economic recovery.

Official statistics show China's retail sales in July were just 1.1 percent lower than the same month in 2019.

Gita Gopinath, chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, tweeted a graph last week showing quarter-on-quarter, non-annualized Q2 GDP growths on a comparable scale. Of all major economies included in the graph, only China showed positive growth.

While the pandemic has dealt a blow to businesses, China has been pushing for further economic opening up. At the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services, which concluded on Wednesday in Beijing, the country vowed to continue easing market access in its services sector by further shortening its negative list for foreign investment.

A growing list of Western financial giants, particularly American ones, are also expanding their presence in China this year.

Photo taken on Sept. 9, 2020 shows a passage to the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have acquired majority shares in their Chinese securities joint ventures. Citi has received a domestic fund custody license. BlackRock has become the first global asset manager to win regulatory approval to establish a mutual fund unit.

Despite the restoration of business and social activities, China has kept its guard up and implemented what it terms "regular COVID-19 prevention and control measures," mandating temperature checks in public venues and mask-wearing on public transport and other indoor spaces.

In recent months, smaller-scale clusters of cases have been discovered at different times in Beijing, Xinjiang, and Dalian respectively. Efforts to tackle a resurgence have proven effective, which include quarantines, disinfection, contact tracing, targeted lockdowns, and citywide mass testing campaigns.

A local resident gives a thumb-up to Ekebar Emet, a volunteer at the frontline of epidemic prevention and control, in Tianshan District of Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aug. 3, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

By the end of Wednesday, the Chinese mainland had reported zero new locally transmitted coronavirus cases for 25 consecutive days, and 94.37 percent of all cases had been cured, far above the global average. Enditem





(Reported by Wang Zichen, Peng Peigen; video reporter: Feng Yuanyuan, Feng Guodong, Zhao Wanwei, Tian Xuchen; video editor: Zhu Cong.)
A massive wildland fire outside of Oregons second largest city has torn through small towns, forced thousands to flee their homes and scorched a scenic wonder beloved by outdoor enthusiasts.

The Holiday Farm fire grew to more than 100,000 acres Wednesday, state officials said, as it pushed west along Oregon 126 and within miles of the Eugene-Springfield area.

Firefighters rescued stranded residents and tried to battle the blaze, which consumed businesses, dwellings and stands of Douglas Fir trees on both sides of the McKenzie River.

The town of Blue River, home to some 800 people, was burned to the ground. Houses and other buildings that dot the stretch of winding river highway were also destroyed.

There is just catastrophic damage, communities completely wiped out, Lane County Commissioner Heather Buch told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The fire began Monday night near Blue River, nestled in the foothills of the Cascades about 50 miles east of Eugene. Its cause remains unknown.

Thrashing winds rolling off the mountain range quickly spread the blaze down the McKenzie River Valley, a mecca for fishing, hiking and whitewater rafting.

You cant even fathom a situation like that, said Mike Caven, a battalion chief with Eugene Springfield Fire. "The sheer volume and velocity of the fire. Knowing what youre up against and that you cant stop it.

Caven said he and a crew of about a dozen other firefighters had responded to the initial fire near Blue River and soon found themselves blocked in by large debris that had fallen across the highway.

As the fire raged, the crew worked to protect buildings and bring stranded residents to the track and field at McKenzie High School.

We saved some of the houses, but the town proper was devastated, he said. It was unbelievably intense conditions.

It wasnt until 2 p.m. the next afternoon that Caven and his crew were able to return to Springfield, he said. The drive back felt completely foreign to him, the landscape unrecognizable.

It was a careers worth of fires and tragedy in about 18 hours, he said.

The fire now stretches more than 30 miles along the highway and encompasses more square miles than the city of Portland.

Only about 190 firefighters have been mobilized against the fire, which remains uncontained. The number is far fewer than the 1,000 needed for a fire its size, state and county officials said.

Theyre just spread so thin across the state, Buch said. Were just making do with what we have."

Evacuation notices crept closer to Springfield on Wednesday to include the Mohawk Valley north of the McKenzie River and east of Marcola Road, including Upper Camp Creek and Camp Creek roads.

Those living off Oregon 126 between Thurston Road at Springfields city limits and the McKenzie Ranger Station, including all roads to the north and south of the highway, have also been told to leave immediately.

That whole valley is evacuated, the whole road system, said Doug Grafe, chief of Fire Protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry.

All told, at least 3,000 people in Lane County are currently displaced, Buch said. County officials also anticipate that others have died, she said.

We dont know how many are missing or gone, Buch said. We cant yet allow people into the fire area to assess all the damage.

But the loss of life, property and natural beauty will be profound, she said.

There are so many people in need right now its just overwhelming, Buch said.

Were experiencing one of those catastrophic California fires weve been watching unfold for years. Now theyre at home here in Oregon.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632

Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
The smoldering remains of a structure destroyed by the Creek fire in Fresno County. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

The driver of the dusty pickup slowed and lowered his window, reached out and cautiously lifted the steel cable that was hovering over the dirt road and connected to a downed power pole on the shoulder, blocking his exit from this burned out Auberry hamlet.

The driver, who declined to give his name because he was in an evacuated area of the massive Creek fire in the Sierra, had two passengers  a local firefighter who used his connections to get them all access into the area and also refused to give his name, and resident Mark Van Aacken. The fire has burned more than 160,000 acres and destroyed hundreds of structures.

Together, the trio were surveying their towns damage along Shaver Springs Road off Tollhouse Road and relaying what they found back to anxious neighbors in limbo since the evacuation, unsure if their life will continue as normal once the roads are opened or if they have to rebuild anew from the ash.

Boats at the Shaver Lake marina sit docked as smoke hangs in the air during the Creek Fire in Shaver Lake, CA. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

Its an act of bittersweet generosity that mountain residents throughout California do for each other every year, when the homegrown intel of backroads and relationships forged over the years with neighbors pays off with access when the official government order is to wait.

We have resources, we know everybody, the driver said.

For Van Aacken, Wednesdays access deepened the pain he felt Tuesday night, when a firefighter showed him a photo of his burned down home.

But still a picture doesnt do it justice apparently, Van Aacken, 40, said. Seeing it firsthand is kind of another situation. Im kind of bummed my wife isnt with me to see it at the moment.

Van Aacken and his wife moved to Auberry almost four years ago from Arizona to be closer to family in the area and to settle down and raise their twin 7-year-old daughters in the great outdoors.

Its been great, 4-wheeling all the time ... just being in the outdoors away from the city life, he said. Its always like camping, its the small town, you know?

The family has kept tabs on the states rash of fires over the last month and knew their area was at risk, so they evacuated as soon as Fresno County sheriffs deputies knocked on their door and told them to leave.

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I feel like weve just gotten away with it every year, Van Aacken said, referring to their annual fire risk. So I feel like we were a little relaxed about the fact that every tiny fire that came up they dropped so [many resources] on it we never thought itd be that big an issue.

He then caught himself, saying granted it always seemed every year like, maybe this year is the year ya know? But 

Just uphill and across a road from Van Aackens home, his fathers was still standing Wednesday. In another area of the forest, his brothers home was lost.

We were just hoping at least one of the homes was still standing, he said.

For the two other men in the truck with Van Aacken, the day was an emotional rollercoaster.

Highs and lows, one victory and then utter devastation, the driver said.

A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along CA-168 as the Creek Fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

The drivers second passenger, the local firefighter, was helping relay information to neighbors.

We came up here because we dont know, the firefighter said. Crews have been guessing on where there have been successess and failures and relaying that information to him but no one has shown photos to prove it, he said.

Im not going to hear anybody elses words, he said. A lot of our neighbors had no idea so we came up here like hey were going to check everybody out, and well tell everyone back in town, Hey man, your house is gone. Yours isnt.

The men had already broken the news two at least two other residents that their homes were gone when they were leaving the area with Van Aacken in the truck.

I already told them because they want to know as soon as you find out, the firefighter said. Obviously theyre super upset but they wanted to know ... its worse waiting.

Thats the worst part, Van Aacken said in agreement. Once you know, you can start to make decisions on what to do next."
The Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that expands the state marriage statute to allow citizens to perform marriages.

Current state laws show that a religious leader, judge or mayor has the ability to marry people.

Senator Larry Farnese sponsored Senate Bill 833 that would allow citizens to perform marriage ceremonies after taking 120 hours of education on planning and performing civil ceremonies. This move is aimed at creating more flexibility for couples amid the COVID-19 pandemic who are having less traditional weddings.

Pennsylvanias marriage statute is extremely limited in who may perform these ceremonies, and there are even fewer options for people who wish to have ceremonies outside traditional institutions, Farnese said. At this time, where outside and scaled-back ceremonies are a necessity, providing this flexibility for couples wishing to marry in Pennsylvania is even more important.

The bill also allows more members within religious institutions to be able to perform these ceremonies.

There was little opposition for the bill and it is slated for full Senate consideration.

The Rev. Dai Morgan, executive director for the Pa. Council of Churches, said hes not opposed to the bill but said it was an indication that we as a society are moving away from religious influence.

This also seems to be an indication of our general culture moving away from faith-based church or religious influence, he said. We are quickly becoming a culture thats forgotten what the faith community is about.
Australians could be spared from having to bail out Victoria financially if its lockdowns continue thanks to a little known tax rule.

Victoria, Australia's second biggest state by population, receives $17.7billion a year from the Commonwealth's GST collections, which is paid for by ordinary people across the country.

That equates to about a quarter of the $69billion raised annually from the ten per cent Goods and Services Tax - added to shopping bills.

The Institute of Public Affairs, a free market think tank, calculated the Stage Four lockdowns in Melbourne were costing the Victorian economy $3.17billion a week.

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Australians could be spared from having to bail out Victoria financially if its lockdowns continue thanks to a little known old tax rule. Victoria, Australia's second biggest state by population, receives $17.7billion a year from the Commonwealth's GST collections

The IPA estimated 696,000 Victorian jobs would be lost between March and November.

What Victoria receives from YOUR GST Victoria has allocated $17.7billion from the Commonwealth Grants Commission in 2019 That equated to 25.7 per cent of the $69billion distributed to the states and territories from GST revenue Victoria received 98.3 cents for every dollar of the GST collected in the state compared with 87 cents for New South Wales and 51.8 cents for Western Australia Queensland received $1.05 compared with $1.47 for South Australia, $1.76 for Tasmania and $1.24 for the Australian Capital Territory - the home of the nation's highest average salaries The Northern Territory received $4.27 for every GST dollar collected there Source: Commonwealth Grants Commission 2019 report Advertisement

Victoria's Labor Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday declared the lockdowns would not be eased until the state recorded fewer than five new daily cases on average a fortnight by late October.

With New South Wales and Queensland even failing to reach that benchmark, the IPA's director of research Daniel Wild wants the federal government to withhold GST funds from Victoria until it scrapped its economically-destructive lockdown.

'All GST payments and grants from the Commonwealth to Victoria should be frozen until the lockdowns in Victoria are lifted,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'The rest of Australia should not pay for the catastrophic ineptitude of Daniel Andrews.'

Australian Taxpayers' Alliance policy director Emilie Dye said the rest of Australia shouldn't be paying for Victoria's use of the police 'to silence the people'.

'The rest of Australia had no vote in electing the Andrews government; they shouldn't have to foot the bill,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'The Victorian people are suffering. They are losing their businesses, their livelihoods, and their relationships.

'It's time the state government felt some of the pain suffered by its citizens.'

Opposing that argument, University of Sydney constitutional law expert Professor Anne Twomey said Victoria had long propped up Australia's smaller states.

'Did it occur to the IPA fellow that Victoria has consistently contributed more GST than it receives?,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'It props up the other states. Does he really think that you could take all the GST money received from Victoria and give none of it back to Victoria, and then tell Victoria to impose an income tax, so that the people of Victoria have to pay both GST and an income tax?'

Since 1942, the federal government has been the chief collector of income taxes instead of state governments after John Curtin's Labor government changed the law during World War II.

The Institute of Public Affairs, a free market think tank, calculated the Stage Four lockdowns in Melbourne were costing the Victorian economy $3.17billion a week. The IPA's director of research Daniel Wild said: 'The rest of Australia should not pay for the catastrophic ineptitude of Daniel Andrews.'

But in 1978, Malcolm Fraser's Coalition government enacted laws allowing the states to once again levy their own income taxes.

The states didn't take up Canberra's offer and Labor prime minister Bob Hawke in 1989 repealed the Fraser government's Income Tax (Arrangements With the States) Act.

Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2016 however flagged the idea of allowing the states to have income taxing powers again.

His successor Scott Morrison supported the idea in March 2016 when he was treasurer in the Turnbull government.

'We want to enter this new chapter and put behind us this process that has gone on for so long where there's finger pointing and there's states coming to the Commonwealth for money,' Mr Morrison told ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales.

Australian Taxpayers' Alliance policy director Emilie Dye said the rest of Australia shouldn't be paying for Victoria's use of the police 'to silence the people'. Pictured are police patrolling a Melbourne city street

'We want to get to the point where states are in more control of their budget, because when states are in more control of their budget, they are better able to make choices and to assign funding to the priorities that they've set and they've put to their own people in their own elections.'

University of New South Wales constitutional law expert Professor George Williams, however, said allowing the states to levy income taxes again was a recipe for complication

Mr Wild wants the Commonwealth to change the law so Victoria can instead levy its own income taxes instead of relying on GST money, distributed by the Commonwealth Grants Commission.

'The Commonwealth should devolve the levying of income taxes from the Commonwealth to state governments,' he said.

'This will make state governments more responsive to the residents of each state, rather than distant bureaucrats.'

University of New South Wales constitutional law expert Professor George Williams, however, said allowing the states to levy income taxes again was a recipe for complication.

'The states could resume collecting income tax, but there is no incentive for them now to do so,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'The Commonwealth could stop allocating GST revenue to the states in favour of the states resuming the collection of income tax.

'It is hard to see though this would be a good idea, and would leave the tax system even more complicated.'
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Genelux Corporation, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the abstract covering data from the VIRO-15 Phase 2 trial (NCT02759588) has been accepted for an Oral Plenary Session at the 2020 xDigital Global Annual Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS). VIRO-15 assessed Olvi-Vec in combination with a platinum-based regimen in platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer (PRROC) patients. These data are being presented on Friday, September 11, 2020.

"We are encouraged by the Phase 2 data in PRROC patients, which show Olvi-Vec is well tolerated and demonstrated remarkable anti-tumor activity with durable responses in combination with a platinum-based regimen, especially in patients with difficult-to-treat platinum-refractory disease," said Robert Holloway, MD, principal investigator for VIRO-15 and Chair of Genelux's Clinical Advisory Board on gynecologic cancers. "Translational analyses results point to Olvi-Vec-mediated immune modulation of the tumor microenvironment and long-term therapeutic effect with cytotoxic platinum-based chemotherapy."

Key findings in 27 heavily pre-treated PRROC patients (median 4 prior lines; 48% platinum-resistant, 52% platinum-refractory) who had documented disease progression from their last line of therapy prior to enrollment are as follows (data of patients eligible for evaluation after initiation of chemotherapy):

Median Progression-free Survival (PFS) is 11.0 months (95% CI: 6.7  13.0) and PFS-6-month is 77%.

Objective Response Rate (ORR) by RECIST1.1 criteria is 54% [95% CI: 33-74%; 2 (8%) complete response (CR), 11 (46%) partial response (PR)]; median Duration of Response is 7.6 months; and 86% of patients achieved tumor shrinkage.

ORR by CA-125 tumor biomarker is 85% [95% CI: 65-96%; 10 (38%) CR, 12 (46%) PR]; and 96% of patients achieved decrease of CA-125.

There are no differences in PFS & ORR between platinum-resistant & -refractory patients.

Most common adverse events: Grades 1&2 ( 20% patients) were pyrexia 59%, nausea 48%, abdominal distension 44%, abdominal pain 44%, chills 37%, fatigue 33% and vomiting 26%; Grade 3 ( 2 patients) were abdominal pain 7% and hypophosphatemia 7%; Grade 4 (none).

Performance status was preserved or improved in 93% of patients while on subsequent platinum-based regimen.

Translational analyses data indicate Olvi-Vec engages the immune system and induces favorable immune response (such as large intraepithelial infiltration of CD4+ & CD8+ T cells into tumors) and gene expression changes to the tumor microenvironment to aid clinical reversal of platinum resistance.

"Genelux is excited about the potential of Olvi-Vec-primed immunochemotherapy to generate meaningful clinical responses and improve the quality of life of PRROC patients who currently lack effective treatment options," said Thomas Zindrick, J.D., President and CEO of Genelux. "A registration trial of Olvi-Vec-primed immunochemotherapy is being planned."

Oral Presentation Session Details

Title: Oncolytic Vaccinia (Olvi-Vec) Primed Immunochemotherapy in Heavily Treated Platinum-Resistant/Refractory Ovarian Cancer

Session Information: Plenary III

Date/Time: Friday, September 11, 2020/ 7:25 a.m. Eastern Time/11:25 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time

Presenter: Robert W. Holloway, MD, Medical Director, Gynecologic Oncology, AdventHealth Cancer Institute, Orlando, FL, USA

Additional information can be found at www.igcs.org

About Olvimulogene Nanivacirepvec

Olvi-Vec is a proprietary, non-pathogenic oncolytic vaccinia virus, modified to increase its safety, tumor selectivity and anti-tumor activity. Virus-mediated oncolysis results in immunogenic cell death and triggers immune activation and memory for long-term immunotherapy against cancer. Clinical results in over 150 subjects treated in Genelux studies have shown Olvi-Vec is well tolerated with documented clinical benefits.

About Genelux Corporation

Headquartered in San Diego, California, Genelux Corporation is a leader in oncolytic immunotherapy, utilizing its potent CHOICE discovery platform to develop a library of proprietary, oncolytic vaccinia virus-based diagnostic and therapeutic candidates. For more information please visit www.genelux.com.

Contacts

Investor Relations

Kim Duffy

[email protected]

(909) 307-9300

Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.

Miriam Miller (Investors)

[email protected]

212-375-2694

Ingrid Mezo (Media)

[email protected]

646-604-5150

SOURCE Genelux Corporation

Related Links

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DECATUR  Time is running out for residents to take part in the U.S. census, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker came to Decatur Wednesday to urge participation, as millions of dollars and congressional representation are at risk. An inaccurate count could have wide-ranging impacts on the region and state, which has already experienced population declines in the past decade.

Just a 1% undercount could result in the state losing over $195 million in federal funds, at a time when we need our full funding the most, Pritzker said during an appearance at the Decatur Public Library.

Census organizers are battling delays because of COVID and complications with door-to-door counts. The crucial head count required by the U.S. Constitution every decade determines the number of U.S. House seats a state has and how $1.5 trillion in federal funding is divided based on population.

Pritzker said Illinois is one of 10 states that get back less than what is paid through taxes.

As of Wednesday, Illinois was tied for the seventh-highest response rate in the U.S. with 70%. Pritzker said Decatur's census response rate is 66%, up 8% from two weeks ago, but lower than the county rate.

Im here because I want to make sure Decatur gets its fair share and that all of you get counted, he said.

Several states, including Illinois, have asked that the Sept. 30 deadline be extended to ensure an accurate count. The timeline is also the subject of an ongoing legal battles.

A temporary restraining order issued late by U.S. District judge in California stops the Census Bureau from winding down operations until a court hearing for a preliminary injunction is held Sept. 17. It was requested by a coalition of cities, counties and civil rights groups that had sued the bureau, demanding it restore a previous plan for finishing the census at the end of October. The lawsuit contends the Census Bureau changed the schedule to accommodate a directive from President Donald Trump to exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used in redrawing congressional districts.

Officials are still operating under the Sept. 30 deadline, and Pritzker and officials on Wednesday said anyone who hasn't been counted needs to take part before the month ends. The survey takes about 10 minutes at 2020census.gov or by phone at (844) 330-2020.

Twenty-one days is not a lot of time, Pritzker said. For Decatur, the stakes could not be higher for you.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe on Wednesday stressed the importance of the census for Decatur. The city's population in the 2010 census was 76,122 and was estimated to be at 70,746 on July 1, 2019.

It is more critical than ever that we count every single person in our community, she said.

Moore Wolfe said volunteers have been encouraging citizens at various locations and events, including at COVID-19 testing spots, Oasis Day Center and in neighborhoods. We want to take the census out to the people, she said. It matters to each and everyone of us.

Just like voting, filling out the census is an act of civic engagement, he said. Its a demand to be fully heard and fully counted.

State Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker, said the tally "will impact this community, or the community in which you live, for a decade to come."

For example, the data compiled during the 2010 census provided information for funding and other responses during COVID-19, he said.

Everything that we do in state government when it comes to the budget, in some way, hits off of data that is provided only if people fill out that form," he said.

The money is used for schools, hospitals, childcare, roads, health care and other government-funded opportunities.

The higher the count, the more of your federal tax money comes back to Illinois, Pritzker said. Instead of going to other states.

Other Macon County response rates are:

Forsyth: 83.8%

Mount Zion: 81.4%

Harristown: 75.4%

Blue Mound: 68.4%

Niantic: 66.8%

Warrensburg: 64.1%

The governors other stops in Central Illinois included Bloomington-Normals Illinois State University Hovey Hall in the morning and First Presbyterian Church in Springfield later in the afternoon, honoring those who have lost their lives to COVID-19 and their families.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photos: Presidential visits to the Decatur area

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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Attorney General William P. Barr said on Wednesday that the White House had asked the Justice Department to intervene in defending the president against a womans accusations that he defamed her.

This was a normal application of the law, Mr. Barr said Wednesday at a news conference in Chicago, making his first comment on the proposed intervention. The law is clear. It is done frequently. And the little tempest that is going on is largely because of the bizarre political environment in which we live.

The Justice Department would use taxpayers money for Mr. Trumps representation in the case, replacing his personal lawyers. The move also could lead to the suits dismissal, under a law called the Westfall Act.

The plaintiff, the author E. Jean Carroll, accused Mr. Trump of having raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. He said she was a liar and that he did not know her, although the two appeared in a photograph of a 1987 party along with her ex-husband. He also said she was not my type. Ms. Carroll sued him in November 2019 for making defamatory statements about her.
A special presentation that was filmed earlier this summer observing quarantine guidelines intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Coastal Elites features five terrific actors, who deliver monologues reflecting their panic, anger and desperation as they attempt to deal with whats going on now. As that title indicates, playwright and screenwriter Paul Rudnick has created characters who tend to embody cliches associated with latte-sipping liberals.

Rudnick hits most of the usual stereotypes, and, as a result, Coastal Elites is less of a satire than it is an example of preaching to the converted. Sharp though some of the writing is, Coastal Elites never challenges the moral superiority of its characters, and so they mostly come off as predictable, making predictable points.

Originally intended as a stage work for New Yorks Public Theater, Coastal Elites evolved at the start of the pandemic, and was shaped to take into account current events. Jay Roach, whose credits include the movie Bombshell and the HBO fact-inspired political drama, Recount, directs.

Bette Midler plays a retired New York public school teacher, who reveres The New York Times (and insists on reading the print edition), carries an NPR totebag, and winds up in a police interrogation room after a conflict with a Donald Trump supporter. Dan Levy (Schitts Creek) is an actor talking to his therapist via video conference, about his hopes of getting a movie role as a gay superhero. Issa Rae is a woman who works with her affluent familys foundation, and has strong feelings about Ivanka Trump. Sarah Paulson hosts Mindful Meditations online, but loses her serenity after a visit with her family in the Midwest.

Most affecting is Kaitlyn Dever, as a young nurse who travels from Wyoming to help care for coronavirus patients in New York City. In this segment, Rudnick abandons any effort at humor, and Dever makes the nurses experience touching and sincere.

Throughout, Rudnick shows off his shrewd command of pop culture references as status markers. But its hard to find much complexity in characters who glibly assume the audience shares their world view, or to sympathize with their efforts not to be a snob when someone praises Trump.

Unfortunately, Coastal Elites will only reinforce already established opinions, which makes it yet another example of the chasms that exist between people.

"Coastal Elites debuts at 8 p.m. Sept. 12 on HBO; stream it on HBO Max.

More of our coverage:

Moments from summer TV 2020: Zoom fatigue, protest images as political football, and a few bright spots

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-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist
International

Afghan government denies holding 100 Taliban inmates

Kabul, Sep 10 (IANS) | Publish Date: 9/10/2020 1:16:20 PM IST

The Afghan government has rejected an allegation made by the Taliban that it was still holding 100 members of the militant group, the media reported The Afghan government has said that all 5,000 prisoners on the list provided by the group have been released, TOLO News reported. Nevertheless, the Taliban have warned that they will not start the intra-Afghan talks unless the government in Kabul releases the alleged 100 prisoners. Currently there are no Taliban prisoners with the Afghan government from the list provided. Our expectation is that the Taliban will prepare for the intra-Afghan talks, said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani. The Afghan government has however, confirmed that the six hardcore and controversial Taliban inmates, whose release was publicly contested by France and Australia, have not been transferred to Doha.

According to reports, Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will attend the opening ceremony of the much-awaited intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha.

Washington is yet to confirm Pompeos participation in the event.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN, Sept 10, 2020 - (Media OutReach) - In the advent of challenges posed by critical issues such as climate change, global pandemics and social justice, what can civilians in the modern era, those without power and resource, do to help? To look into this question, the Tang Prize Foundation, in collaboration with National Taiwan University, present the 2020 Tang Prize Masters' Forum: The Rule of Law, from 10:30 to 13:00 (GMT+8) Taiwan time on September 21.Three non-governmental organizations (NGOs), joint winners of the 2020 Tang Prize in Rule of Law, the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, Dejusticia: the Center for Law, Justice and Society, and The Legal Agenda will speak on the topic, "Exploring the Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Contemporary Civil Society," sharing their experience in mobilizing civil society to facilitate the application of law and to change the world for the better. The awardees are praised for utilizing strategic litigation, education and advocacy to advance legal institutions and protect socially vulnerable populations, in the milieus where the foundations of rule of law are under severe challenge.The Foundation hopes this Forum will be an opportunity for members of modern society who have long been concerned about public issues, including civil servants, experts and social advocate groups, to get together and form a deeper understanding of how these three organizations tap into the potential of civil society, and combine academic research and social activism to further the rule of law.Also taking part in this Forum are leading Rule of Law advocates: Robin J. Winkler, former president of Environmental Jurist Association, Mei-Nu Yu, former chairperson of the Awakening Foundation, Clarence Chou, chairman of Taiwan Association for Human Rights, and Lucas Wang, chair of the International Cooperation Team of the Judicial Reform Foundation. They will be exchanging ideas with the Laureates about the dedicated work in the field they have been conducting over the years.Hosted by Dr. Jiunn-rong Yeh, chair professor of National Taiwan University, this Forum features speakers and panelists of diverse backgrounds and specialties, as well as former Tang Prize Laureates in Rule of Law, including former Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Albie Sachs, and former Special Representative for International Migration for the United Nations, Louise Arbour. Both will offer their insightful observations on the vital functions the NGOs can perform and the problems they are confronted with.Recent stringent restrictions and regulations imposed by the governments to contain the COVID-19 outbreaks have become some of the most imminent challenges the NGOs around the world have to respond to. In addition to defending the fundamental rights of the marginalized groups, the NGOs have to prevent governments from disguising means to expand administrative power as measures against the pandemic, at the expense of individual liberty. At this critical period of time, we cordially invite you to join us in this Forum, to give voice to the people and to the environment we reside in collectively, to examine the "new normal" in the age of COVID-19, and to view different communities with different values and capabilities in the contemporary society from a new perspective.To watch a brief video on this year's Masters' Forums at https://reurl.cc/d5xKr8. For more information on the forum, please visit https://www.tang-prize.org/en/week.php?cat=94.About Tang PrizeDr. Samuel Yin, Chairman of Ruentex Group, founded the Tang Prize in December 2012 as an extension of the supreme value his family placed on education. Harkening back to the golden age of the Tang Dynasty in Chinese history, the Tang Prize seeks to be an inspiring force for people working in all corners of the world. For more information on the Tang Prize and its laureates, please visit www.tang-prize.orgSource: Tang Prize FoundationCopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
The Pentagon is concerned over the declining American power at sea. The Department of Defense (DoD) has been going through war games to shake the military power of China, preventing any disastrous upsets.

The most destabilizing event in the 21st century is going to be when China can achieve conventional parity at a time and place of its choosing, said Maj. Gen. Tracy King of the Marine Corps Director of Expeditionary Warfare, according to Breaking D. These war games are reinforcing that fact. So when they are able to do that, and when they can decide whether or not were going or fight or not, thats going to be extremely destabilizing.

To delay the upset that China can deal with, both the Navy and Pentagon are devising a new force structure plan that is to develop and procure diverse and asymmetrical unmanned ships, small ships, and standoff weapons to hold Chinese vessels at bay.

One concern is the A2/AD defenses that China has installed on its coast and the South China Sea, which is not something to discount. Several ideas are centered on the race between China and the United States, who gets to trump the other one.

King said in the war game, the Chinese have this Assassins Mace, which are aggregate weapon systems made to counter America. Adding that the joint force is not made to counterpunch it. Though, the Chinese have loopholes in their plan.

One of the sore points in A2/AD is the lack of mobility, expensive, too much maintenance, and worse, it is only effective in the area of responsibility.

Also read: US Navy Developing New Attack Weapons Against China in Indo-Pacific

For the Marines and Navy, this is where they will spread out in unconventional ways to penetrate China's defense. The protective bubble has a gap, and that is where the U.S. Forces will get into negating it. Another observation is that if a conflict does happen, there will a good 30 to 45 days of groping. After that stage, forces will employ the devised strategy.

There's an interest in long-range missiles for the marines to place on mobile shore batteries. Next, will be attacking and harassing enemy vessels and keeping carrier strike groups unmolested. Marines will be emphasizing on a mobile force that can give opposing forces something to look out for.

Marine Commandant David Berger has been lobbying for changes to get things moving. The approval of Defense Secretary Mark Esper has a go, and the Berger plan will be implemented in spring, noted Wall Street Journal.

Shifting to a leaner, faster, and precise forces that will be different from the current deployment of forces and equipment seen in today's military. Going for faster mobile forces will be the wave of the future.

King added that marines will be the spearhead and sinking ships in the frontlines. Another idea is stationing some marines to sinking subs as well, not just torpedoes. The logic is keeping the enemy distracted by a seen threat, but underneath is marines in a sub who are ready to sink vessels.

These plans for a smaller and light force is contrary to plans in acquiring more aircraft carriers and bigger ships which for Berger are large and vulnerable to attack, like how marines play to take out enemy assets.

Related article: US Navy Develops Sea Drones to Join Surface Fleet for Joint Attack

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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A farmer who was forced to bury two of his beloved dogs after they died from eating poisoned bait has captured the heartbreaking moment his loyal puppy Ted lay on top of the grave site and refused to move.

Ted, a nine-week-old Maremma puppy, lived on the Green Acres Hobby Farm in Moolboolaman, near Gin Gin, in Queensland with fellow dogs Tippy and Fay.

The fluffy little pup loved the older dogs and followed the pair everywhere they went.

He was left devastated when both died suddenly of suspected 1080 poisoning on August 31.

A farmer has captured the heartbreaking moment his puppy named Ted refused to leave the his best friends grave site after their sudden death

Ted (pictured with Tippy), a nine-week-old Maremma puppy, lived on the Green Acres Hobby Farm in Moolboolaman, near Gin Gin, in Queensland with fellow dogs Tippy and Fay

Ted and Tippy (pictured) would play together all the time, owner Pat Jackson said they were 'best buddies'

Owner Greg Jackson had found Tippy screaming in agony early that morning.

Before he had a chance to even call for help the two-year-old Border collie kelpie cross was dead.

Mr Jackson called his wife Pat moments later in tears to break the news.

'In 47 years of marriage I had never heard my husband sound so distressed, sobbing and crying,' Mrs Jackson said.

Hours later, when Mr Jackson returned home from an appointment, he found seven-year-old Fay laying stiff with her mouth wide open. She had died too.

Their sudden passing shocked the couple.

Mr Jackson chose to bury both loyal working dogs side by side on their property.

The couple got Ted so he could be mentored by Fay, who is a seven-year-old livestock guardian dog

Mr Jackson chose to bury both loyal working dogs side by side on their property

But once the grave was covered tiny Ted refused to leave.

The small pup lay down on the patch of dirt looking downcast.

'Greg had to literally pick him up and put him into the car to take him home,' Mrs Jackson said.

'The pup, we got him so he could be mentored by Fay because she was getting on in years, Fay was not in a playful mood, but him and Tippy just played together all the time. They were great buddies.'

Two weeks on and the family is still struggling with their loss.

'It's tough we're having our moments still,' Mrs Jackson said.

'Ted's going quite well, really happy little dog, you can see he;s probably missing his playmates.'

Two weeks on and the family is still struggling with their loss. 'It's tough we're having our moments still,' Mrs Jackson said (Pictured: Mrs Jackson with Tippy)

Mr Jackson had to pick up tiny ted who refused to leave the grave site of his best friends

The couple suspect the dogs died after eating sodium fluoroacetate, commonly known by its brand name of 1080.

The chemical is a highly toxic pesticide used to kill pests, including feral dogs, foxes, cats, rabbits, pigs, and in some cases, native wildlife.

However, it is easily ingested as it is odourless, tasteless and colourless.

The Jacksons don't know how the chemical got onto their property but believe a bird may have dropped it.

The couple is now calling for 1080 to be banned in Australia.

The chemical is a highly toxic pesticide used to kill pests, including feral dogs, foxes, cats, rabbits, pigs, and in some cases, native wildlife.

However, it is easily ingested as it is odourless, tasteless and colourless.

'Even with the feral dogs it's a cruel and painful death,' Mrs Jackson said.

A petition launched calling for an investigation into the dog's deaths amassed more than 2,000 signatures in less than two days.

Across Australia, people must have a permit to place baits, and there must be notification in the areas where they can be found.
The Russian-occupation forces have opened aimed fire at Ukrainian positions near the village of Shumy in Donetsk region, where a meeting of representatives of the OSCE and the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) was to take place.

"Today, at 14:15, the Russian-occupation troops opened aimed fire from small arms at Ukrainian positions near Shumy. The shelling was directed at the site where a meeting of the JCCC and OSCE representatives was to take place," the JFO press center reported on Facebook.

The JFO Headquarters emphasized that such actions indicate that the enemy deliberately and purposefully violates the agreements and openly provokes the Ukrainian side. Ukraine, according to the headquarters, once again demonstrates its sincere desire to establish peace, but the enemy deliberately thwarts any attempts.

At the same time, according to the command of the Joint Forces, thanks to the efficiency of the Ukrainian intelligence officers, the actions of the armed formations of the Russian Federation were predicted in advance, so they quickly managed to protect both the servicemen of the Joint Forces and the JCCC and OSCE representatives.

As Ukrinform reported, the Trilateral Contact Group at a meeting on September 9 agreed to make a joint visit to the area of Shumy with the participation of an OSCE representative, as well as representatives of certain areas of Donetsk region (ORDO).

On September 10, the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, Leonid Kravchuk, addressed a letter to the OSCE representative in the Trilateral Contact Group with a request to postpone today's meeting near the village of Shumy. The document states that the Russian side and its invited representatives from ORDO put forward new requirements that were not discussed during an extraordinary video conference of the Trilateral Contact Group on September 9.

ish
New Delhi: Hectic preparations are underway for Parliaments upcoming Monsoon Session with several first-time measures being taken because of the coronavirus pandemic.

These new measures include testing of MPs, staggered seating arrangements in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and the use of both chambers and galleries to accommodate the members.

The monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled from September 14 to October 1.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that 257 members will be seated in the Lok Sabha hall, 172 in Lok Sabha gallery, 60 in Rajya Sabha and 51 in the Rajya Sabha gallery due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Live TV

He said attempts are being made to mimise the use of paper and MPs will mark their attendance digitally. Screen LEDs will be put up to conduct the proceedings smoothly.

Chambers will be sanitised and the MPS will have to undergo the RT-PCR test for COVID-19 before the session begins, the Lok Sabha Speaker said.

Amid the Opposition's demand for the election of the Deputy Speaker, the Lok Sabha Speaker said the house and the government have to take a call on it.

Talking about the monsoon session from September 14, Birla said holding the monsoon session this year was a challenge because of the COVID-19 pandemic but it will be "historic".

"Holding the monsoon session was a challenge during the pandemic but we have to fulfill our constitutional responsibilities. We want Parliament to become more accountable and answerable to people," Birla said at a press conference.

"This session will be a historic session as it is being held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our effort is to conduct the session as per the guidelines issued in the wake of the pandemic," he added.

Birla said the Zero Hour will be of half-an-hour duration and there will no Question Hour but written questions could be asked and they will have to be answered.

When asked about opposition leaders asking about the Deputy Speaker election, Birla said he doesn't have to elect, and it is for the house and the government to decide.
The view from Brian Wickman's apartment in San Francisco. Brian Wickman

Hundreds of wildfires are burning in Oregon, California, and Washington, destroying buildings and forcing evacuations in all three states.

Smoke from the fires is filling the atmosphere in many areas along the West Coast, causing skies to turn eerie shades of orange and red.

Photos show what the apocalyptic landscapes look like on the ground.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

"Good morning, hell."

That's what San Francisco resident Brian Wickman wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning in a caption alongside the eerie photo above. Outside his apartment window, the sky was bright orange.

Wickman isn't the only one referencing the end times this week. As hundreds of wildfires tore through Washington, California, and Oregon on Tuesday and Wednesday, their has smoke accumulated in the sky, casting many regions in creepy, apocalyptic shades of orange and red.

"Welcome to Mordor," Blake Stearman tweeted from southern Oregon, alongside images of tangerine skies.

"Skies from Southern Oregon are apocalyptic. Welcome to Mordor," Blake Stearman tweeted on September 8, 2020. Blake Stearman/Twitter

Fueled by dry vegetation and unusually high summer temperatures  both effects of climate change  the fires have destroyed homes and forced evacuations in all three states. A new bout of blazes in Oregon, the Sierras, and other areas erupted this month, just weeks after lightning strikes started hundreds of wildfires in Northern California. Two of those August fires became the second- and third-biggest in state history.

Wildfire smoke causes these striking changes to the sky because sunlight interacts with particles in the atmosphere and scatters differently depending on how it hits them. Nitrogen and oxygen molecules are what that light usually hits, and they're best at scattering light with short wavelengths, like blue light. This phenomenon is called Rayleigh scattering, and it explains why the sky is normally blue.

Particles from smoke, meanwhile  like volatile organic compounds, dust, and soot  are much larger than gas molecules, and they scatter light with longer wavelengths. That's a phenomenon called Mie scattering, and it's why skies turn orange and red due to wildfire smoke (it doesn't have to do with the color of the flames themselves).

Story continues

From Washington to San Francisco, here are nine striking and apocalyptic images of the smoke-discolored skies.

Red skies in Turner, Oregon, illuminated the empty Enchanted Forest theme park, creating a haunting scene.

Images of the Enchanted Forest amusement park in Turner, Oregon. Mary Tofte

About 10 miles north, in Salem City, Oregon, smoke from the 159,000-acre Santiam Fire turned the sky hazy and dark orange.

Red sky and thick smoke in Salem City, Oregon, on September 8, 2020. Zak Stone via Reuters

In addition to the Santiam Fire, fires are burning in southern and coastal Oregon, as well as the state's Clackamas River area and McKenzie River Corridor. All are filling the sky near Salem City with smoke.

Red sky and thick smoke are seen in Salem City, Oregon, on September 8, 2020. Zak Stone via Reuterrs

Bright orange skies contrasted sharply with the the San Francisco International Airport  which was, ironically, lit up green in honor of the city's parks.

Orange skies above the San Francisco International Airport San Francisco International Airport

In downtown San Francisco, the city's famous fog slid in below the smoke to create a thick orange haze.

San Francisco, California, on September 9, 2020. Katie Canales/Business Insider

To the south, in San Jose, California, local photographer Austen Nguyen captured smoke-tinted sepia images of his home.

Images of a home in San Jose, California, tinted sepia by smoke from wildfires on September 9, 2020. Austen Nguyen

Just north of San Francisco, the town of Sausalito was also blanketed in orange.

A man walks his dog along Bridgeway Avenue as smoke from wildfires darken the morning in Sausalito, California, September 9, 2020. Eric Risberg/AP

In the area around the Sumner Grade Fire in Sumner, Washington, a blood-red sky surrounded the setting sun.

The sun is seen against a sky turned reddish-orange with smoke from wildfires as it sets near Sunner, Washington, September 8, 2020. Ted S. Warren/AP

And in Seattle and Mercer Island, Washington, smoke from multiple brushfires turned the sunset over Lake Washington a dull purple.

A smoky sunset over Lake Washington, a lake next to Seattle and Mercer Island, Washington, on September 8, 2020. Washington State Department of Ecology via NWS

Read the original article on Insider
if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi...
BEIRUT - The teenage boys hoisted the white coffin to their shoulders and stepped into the mourning crowd, moving in quiet rhythm as they carried their friend past classmates, teachers and the school where they all had met.

On their last walk together with Elias Khoury, who died of injuries sustained in the massive Aug. 4 explosion in Beirut, the pallbearers seemed to carry the weight of an entire country's sorrow. Video of the funeral procession was viewed worldwide. But it is in private that Elias's closest friends and family are now contending with the trauma they have endured.

"I fear every single day that something like that might happen again, because if it does, I don't think I can take another blow," said his sister, Nour, who was also badly injured in the explosion. She said she jumps at every small sound, overcome by memories of how the blast crushed her home.

Social workers and other specialists working with survivors say many are showing signs of extreme stress, including flashbacks, nightmares and difficulties falling asleep. Half of the respondents in a recent UNICEF survey in Beirut said that the behavior of children in their household had changed or that the children were experiencing symptoms consistent with trauma and stress. One-third said adults in their household were also exhibiting signs of distress.

Beirutis are still astonished by the destruction wrought across much of the capital by the explosion at a warehouse storing ammonium nitrate. Nearly 200 people were killed and thousands wounded. Hundreds of thousands were displaced.

In the weeks since, residents have experienced post-traumatic stress, which is common in the aftermath of unexpected disasters such as earthquakes, said Elie Chedid, a psychiatrist treating victims of the blast.

When a huge new fire erupted Thursday at the Beirut port, it triggered panic across much of the city as many residents, alarmed by the all-too-familiar scene of smoking billowing into the sky, fled the surrounding area with some piling into cars, preparing to abandon the capital. Even the unexpected sound last week of French and Lebanese military aircraft conducting a flyover was enough to cause widespread jitters across Beirut. After the explosion last month, some Beirutis have been experiencing survivor's guilt, and many children are struggling to understand what happened.

"It is the first time that they've seen blood and destroyed buildings and roads and cars, so for them it's something very apocalyptic," he said.

Caregivers have reported a wide range of symptoms in children, including involuntary urination and social withdrawal, said Nisrine Tawily, a child protection specialist at UNICEF. Aid workers have responded by gathering children for community activities, creating safe spaces for them to play in public parks and offering basic psychological care. Some children, as well as adults, will require additional assistance as the city continues to rebuild.

"This is still a very normal reaction to a very abnormal situation," Tawily said.

Strong social support networks and sharing the burden of grief are helping some people carry on. But Chedid said many are discussing leaving the country, which was already suffering through an economic crisis before the explosion. He said he worries that abroad some Lebanese will lose "the spontaneous social support they get here."

- - -

Nour Khoury, 20, was at home with her younger brother, Elias, and their mother, Mireille, on Aug. 4 when they noticed a fire at the port through their windows. Then the force of the explosion threw them to the floor. All three were seriously injured. Nour required surgery on her hand, and Mireille, who hurt her back and ribs, remains in a wheelchair.

For about two weeks, as Elias clung to life in intensive care, the family held on to hope that their shy, clever boy - so determined as a child that he taught himself to swim and ride a bike, each in a single day - would pull through.

His friends, unable to visit him, turned to prayer. His father, Bassam, uttered reassurances by his bedside and played recordings from his mother, who was being treated in another hospital. She hoped the comfort of her voice would be enough to shake her 15-year-old son awake.

"I always had the impression that a miracle would happen," Mireille recalled.

On a recent afternoon, the friends who carried Elias's coffin to his grave and several of their mothers gathered in the apartment his family rents because their home remains damaged. They are learning to cope with their loss, they said, in part by spending time with one another.

The teenagers listened quietly as Elias's parents lamented that they are grieving not only for their son but also for his friends. In an instant, the teenagers were thrust into the troubles of adulthood in a country that is coming apart at the seams, Mireille said.

"A child of his age . . . dying in his own room?" she said. Gesturing toward the group, she added, "They are being usurped from their dreams, their aspirations, their lives."

Elias's friends described him as the peacemaker among them - a kind, popular boy with a musical ear and aspirations to follow in his father's footsteps as an architect. In recent months, as the coronavirus pandemic limited their time together, they met online, where they played Fortnite and Call of Duty, sometimes until 3 a.m. Now, his friends don't want to play. When they log on, they still search for his name.

One said he dreamed he saw Elias at the mall and called out to him to stay away from the windows. In photos that the boys have taken since the blast, arms thrown around each other's shoulders, one always poses with an arm extended in the air, making space for their friend as if he is still beside them.

"Whatever we do in our lives, we will do it for him," said Cyril Hobeika, 16. But their view of life has been shaken. "If it taught us anything, it is that nothing in life is permanent," he said.

- - -

Across Beirut, parents described the aftermath of the explosion as the final unraveling of childhoods already marred by Lebanon's political upheaval and dire economic crisis.

No one in Bechara and Nicole Sacre's immediate family was seriously injured in the explosion. But their home was badly damaged, and their children, Lara, 17, Sarah, 16, and Paul, 9, discovered their grandmother on the floor of her apartment after she'd been knocked down and was crawling toward her door to seek help.

Since then, they have been startled by loud noises and reluctant to play outside, where they were in the moments before the explosion, their parents said. "What makes us sad is to see that this is how they spend what is supposed to be these beautiful days of their lives," said Nicole, 53. The family, like many others here, is encouraging the children to think about pursuing their studies and careers abroad. Aisha Walid Staify's family was sitting down to dinner in their small apartment near the port when the explosion shook the building, sending their plates flying at the wall. The blasts reminded them of the civil war in Syria, which they fled in 2013.

For several nights afterward, her two youngest children couldn't sleep for longer than 30 minutes at a time. The family still jumps at the sound of fireworks and planes.

"I'm always scared something else will happen," Staify said.

For the Khourys, their lack of trust in the Lebanese government's investigation into the cause of the explosion has added to their grief, they said.

Each day feels like a waking nightmare. So Mireille and Bassam search for their son in their dreams.

One night, Bassam fell asleep and caught a glimpse of him walking, but he was just out of reach. "It was too short," he said, choking back tears.

"He's being stingy. Give me a dream!" he begged as though speaking to his son. "At least to see you in my dreams."

- - -

The Washington Post's Nader Durgham in Beirut and Suzan Haidamous in Washington contributed to this report.
COLUMBUS, Ohio and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With a shared commitment to transforming the healthcare experience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center , one of the nations top-ranked academic health centers, and One Medical , a leading national technology-powered primary care organization, will partner to deliver seamless coordinated care in Columbus and the central Ohio region.



The partnership will provide central Ohio residents access to One Medicals modernized primary care model, which supports seamless access to Ohio States network of highly ranked specialists, ambulatory facilities and hospitals. One Medicals membership-based model combines 24/7 on-demand access to telehealth services, paired with convenient in-person care. In addition to a direct-to-consumer membership, more than 7,000 employers have sponsored memberships on behalf of their workforce. Together, the two organizations will aim to achieve greater clinical integration and deliver exceptional value to consumers and employers.

As an academic health center, we are focused on transforming from a health system to a comprehensive health platform that provides innovative care and delivers unparalleled experiences for all those who look to us for care across Ohio and nationally, said Dr. Hal Paz , executive vice president and chancellor for Health Affairs at The Ohio State University and CEO of Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. This partnership is an important next step in continuing to expand Ohio States outpatient care strategy to meet the needs of the communities we serve by building on our exceptional primary care offerings, increasing access to digital healthcare solutions and improving access to services that are essential to better health.

The Columbus, Ohio region is One Medicals 16th planned market entry, following its entry into Atlanta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and Orange County, California this year and in addition to its anticipated entry into Austin, Texas, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and eastern Wisconsin.

"In partnership with the outstanding team at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, we are delighted to help deliver the absolute best in modernized coordinated care, said Amir Dan Rubin, Chair & CEO at One Medical. "Together we are committed to delivering a premier care experience, better health outcomes, and higher levels of value to employers and consumers in central Ohio.

About One Medical

One Medical is a membership-based and technology-powered primary care platform with seamless digital health and inviting in-office care, convenient to where people work, shop, live, and click. Our vision is to delight millions of members with better health and better care while reducing costs. Our mission is to transform health care for all through our human-centered, technology-powered model.

Headquartered in San Francisco, 1Life Healthcare, Inc. is the administrative and managerial services company for the affiliated One Medical physician-owned professional corporations that deliver medical services in-office and virtually. 1Life and the One Medical entities do business under the One Medical brand.

About The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

One of the nations leading academic health centers, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, offers health care services in virtually every specialty and subspecialty in medicine. Thousands of patients come to us each month for treatments and services they cant find anywhere else. Providing access to health care information is central to our research, education and patient care mission. At Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, were dedicated to improving health in Ohio and across the world through innovation in research, education and patient care.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about One Medical and its industry that involve substantial risks and uncertainties and are based on One Medicals beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to One Medical. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding future results of operations, financial condition, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause One Medicals actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements represent One Medicals beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this release. These statements, and related risks, uncertainties, factors and assumptions, include, but are not limited to: timing of office openings and commencement of operations in Columbus and the central Ohio region; One Medicals relationships and collaborations with its health network partners and enterprise clients; One Medicals ability to deliver seamless coordinated care across primary and specialty care settings; One Medicals ability to achieve an exceptional care experience with reduced administrative burdens and costs with its partners; and One Medicals ability to digitally and clinically integrate with its partners. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. Except as required by law, One Medical assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Further information on factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by One Medicals forward-looking statements will be included in the reports One Medical will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. These filings, when available, are available on the investor relations section of One Medicals website at investor.onemedical.com and on the SECs website at www.sec.gov .

Media Contacts:

One Medical

Kristina Skinner, Director of External Communications

press@onemedical.com

650-743-5187
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills Wednesday designed to ease the strain of the coronavirus pandemic on Californias 4.1 million small businesses, including a measure granting a new tax break for hiring workers.

Newsom said a jaw-dropping number of small businesses in California  44%, according to the advocacy group Small Business Majority  are in such bad shape because of the pandemic that their owners say they may have to close.

This is really about the lifeblood of California and its economy, Newsom said at a news conference, adding that businesses owned by women and people of color can be especially vulnerable. Its about a sense of pride and spirit that we all have.

The most high-profile bill, SB1447, by state Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, will provide up to $100 million in tax credits for small businesses that hire employees before Nov. 30.

Struggling small businesses will be eligible for up to $1,000 in state income or sales tax credits for each additional employee they hire, with a maximum credit of $100,000.

Businesses will be eligible if they have suffered at least a 50% decline in gross revenue this year and have 100 or fewer employees.

Caballero stood alongside Newsom as he signed the bill at Solomons Deli in Sacramento, in a landmark building that used to be a Tower Records store. She said the pandemic has placed a heavy burden on many business owners, particularly immigrants in search of the California dream.

Their dreams have been delayed, and in many instances, theyre wondering if theyre going to survive this pandemic economically, Caballero said.

Newsom also signed AB1577 by Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, D-Inglewood (Los Angeles County), which removes state income taxes on loans that businesses receive through federal pandemic-era stimulus programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program.

California businesses received more than $60 billion though the program, and the loans are forgivable in many cases.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
Doris Day, MD is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in laser, cosmetic, surgical and aesthetic dermatology. A medical educator and a highly respected and sought-after media personality, Dr. Day has joined the advisory board at Nufabrx and will be a huge addition and major contributor in determining new products and ingredients.

Day joins the board alongside Dr. Stephen Ronan, Dr. Jason Bloom and Dr. Jack Fisher. Shes had this particular concept in mind throughout her career and is so excited to be a part of the Nufabrx company to bring this idea to life. Dr. Day has an intensive career and has been a regular on The View, Good Morning America, Dr Oz Show, Doctor Radio and more and has been featured in various publications. Dr. Day will bring her years of expertise and creativity to the Nufabrx team to create product opportunities that will improve the well-being and confidence of consumers everywhere. Her compassion for her patients and loyal dedication to their health and overall wellness is a prime example of the principles in which Nufabrx was founded.

We are extremely excited to have Dr. Doris Day joining our advisory Board. She has this revolutionary belief: Every single thing that contacts our skin should leave a positive impact on it. What a better starting point than the clothing that contacts our skin all day says Jordan Schindler, CEO of Nufabrx. Near limitless potential in combining Dr. Days world-renowned experience with Nufabrxs revolutionary drug delivery technology; some earth-shattering innovation is coming.

Dr. Day has recently endorsed the latest development; Soliscia by Nufabrx. It is the first of its kind Reusable Facemask Infused with copper and Shea Butter to moisturize and revive dried out skin. It provides superior filtration properties and relief through active ingredients that are embedded directly into fibers. Soliscia is available for purchase at http://www.Nufabrx.com.

About Nufabrx

Founded in 2011, Nufabrx was created by Founder Jordan Schindler after discovering his pillowcase was contributing to his acne. Teaming up with MIT scientists, Jordan spent seven years developing proprietary technology to embed active ingredients into clothing to make medicinal application easier and more efficient. As a way to help our healthcare workers, reusable and moisturizing copper medical masks were a natural transition. Achieving overall health and wellness is simplified by using any Nufabrx product, as a result of replacing the hassle and cost of using medications, patches or creams. The materials are specifically designed for comfort and breathability, providing a close fit and ease-of-wear, while simultaneously delivering a controlled dose of medicine to the problem area. Developed in tandem with Department of Defense and MIT grant funding, this patented technology allows ingredients like capsaicin, copper, and shea butter to be delivered directly through fabric. The pain relieving products are now available in the pharmacy sections of Walmart. TheraMasks and Soliscia were founded as a division of Nufabrx. For more information visit http://www.Nufabrx.com.

About Doris Day, MD

Doris Day, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in laser, cosmetic, surgical and aesthetic dermatology. She is a medical educator and a highly respected and sought-after media personality. Her patients consistently experience the benefit of her commitment to maintaining both her academic and media influence.

Dr. Day is a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Center. Her success in this role has been recognized with the award for Dedication and Excellence in the Teaching of Dermatology. This honor, along with her continued affiliation with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, demonstrates that Dr. Day is dedicated to lifelong learning. She shares her knowledge by regularly lecturing nationally and internationally, both to her peers and to the public on the latest in aesthetic dermatology techniques.

As the owner of a dermatology clinic, Dr. Day understands that medicine is continually evolving and she is committed to enacting change in the field of aesthetic dermatology. She is a member of many relevant national and international organizations including the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, American Academy of Dermatology, Womens Dermatologic Society, NY State Dermatology Society, New York Facial Plastic Surgery Society, and the American Honors Society of Dental and Facial Aesthetics. She is enthusiastic about teaching other physicians the art and techniques of soft tissue fillers, laser treatments and facial rejuvenation.

Dr. Day is a devoted wife and mother of two adult children. She enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her family. She especially loves sharing her important moments and insights about aesthetic dermatology with others. She is active on Instagram (@drdorisday), where she offers a glimpse into her own day to day experiences, both personal and professional.
As voters in the United States prepare for the presidential election in November, the South China Morning Post is exploring the potential ramifications for China. The sixth part of the series looks at the debate in Washington over its long-standing policy on Taiwan.

Growing calls for a potentially explosive shift in US policy on Taiwan to an explicit commitment to defend the self-ruled island from Chinese attack are threatening to further undermine the already dismal ties between Washington and Beijing.

For decades, Washington has remained studiously vague on exactly what it would do if cross-strait tensions went kinetic, given long-standing threats by Beijing to reassert control over the island, by force if necessary.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

But shifting power politics are leading some to conclude that a reboot in the US policy known as strategic ambiguity is needed. The renewed debate has surfaced before, only to disappear  most notably during the 1995-96 Taiwan Strait Crisis when Beijing landed missiles near the island  and comes amid a hotly contested presidential campaign that could affect any decision.

US aircraft carrier Nimitz on its way to the Taiwan Strait during the 1996 crisis. Photo: Reuters

Among those believed to support a more explicit US stance are White House deputy national security adviser Matthew Pottinger, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, parts of the Pentagon and many in Congress.

Those viewed as supporting the status quo include officials focused on the US-China economic relationship, namely US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. President Donald Trump has not weighed in with his views.

Taiwan has continued to succeed in ways that compel us to want to maintain a good relationship, if not to strengthen it, said Randall Schriver, Project 2049 Institute chairman and former assistant secretary of defence, who helped draft the administrations Indo-Pacific strategy. Given their ability to contain Covid-19, and the increased threats from China, its persuaded a lot of people.

Story continues

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (left) and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer  pictured with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He  are said to favour maintaining the status quo on Taiwan. Photo: AP

Any move towards more unambiguous statements of military support for Taipei would be a direct challenge to Beijing and President Xi Jinping, who views Taiwans integration as a way to cement his legacy, analysts said. Xi has repeatedly said political differences across the Taiwan Strait should not be passed down generation after generation.

But the same analysts added that any such shift in US policy would be less likely under a Joe Biden administration than under a Trump second term.

Thats Trumps inclination, to do more with Taiwan and assume more risk, in part to be tough with China, said Evan Medeiros, a Georgetown University professor and former National Security Council director for China and Taiwan. The question is, does clarifying the nature of the US commitment to Taiwan stabilise the situation or destabilise it.

The complex relations between Washington, Taipei and Beijing are anchored in agreements going back decades. These include the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979  which Biden voted for in the Senate  and the Three Communiques signed by Beijing and Washington between 1972 and 1982, as well as the Six Assurances formalised in 1982 between the US and Taiwan.

These essentially state that Washington recognises a single China but will come to Taiwans defence  without spelling out what that means  and will not pressure Taiwan to settle with Beijing, a policy short-handed as strategic ambiguity.

But in recent weeks more voices have been arguing that the policy is outdated and should be replaced by strategic clarity given Chinas increasingly aggressive stance, seen in its expansion into the contested South China Sea, deadly clashes with India along their shared border and tightening grip over Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet.

These include 16 Republican US House representatives, who co-sponsored a bill introduced in late June to make Washingtons defence commitments to Taiwan unambiguous, a Wall Street Journal editorial urging both presidential candidates to take a stand, and articles by Richard Haass, head of the Council on Foreign Relations, and conservative columnist George Will.

This is a serious debate, said Shirley Kan, an independent analyst formerly with the Congressional Research Service. But because were in a presidential campaign, it could also be tied to politics.

Strategic clarity advocates say China must be checked while it is still possible, given its rapid military build-up, citing Chinas 900 per cent military spending increase between 1990 and 2017 and rapid economic growth.

They add that Chinas crackdown on Hong Kong shows Beijing is happy to ignore international opprobrium on issues it views as existential. Clarity over the long run would bolster deterrence and reduce the risk of war, they say.

Waiting for China to make a move on Taiwan before deciding whether to intervene is a recipe for disaster, Haass and co-author David Sacks wrote in an article for Foreign Affairs. Ambiguity is now unlikely to preserve the status quo.

In an apparent careful nudge towards clarity, Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell said late last month that the US needed to adjust but not fundamentally shift its policy on Taiwan, given rising Chinese aggression. But he also reaffirmed US support for the one-China policy. We must act to restore the balance, he said.

In a news conference in Beijing earlier this month, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying warned Washington not to change its relationship with Taipei, meet with Taiwanese officials or move further down the wrong and dangerous path.

No one should underestimate Chinas firm determination to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she added.

Ambiguity adherents argue that the very lack of clarity has prevented war in this major East Asia flashpoint for 40 years despite numerous provocations by both sides. They add that Beijing could easily view such a publicly announced shift as provocative, back Xi into a corner and draw the three governments into the very conflict it seeks to avoid.

Its a worrisome situation because tension between the US and China is so high, said Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Chinese increasingly believe that US actions on Taiwan suggest weve abandoned the one-China policy and are only paying lip service to it. Thats dangerous.

Analysts add that while Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen has handled cross-strait relations quite gingerly, a US declaration of unequivocal support could encourage adventurism in future Taiwan leaders; that the Pentagon needs to ensure it can back up any such commitment; and that the threat of imminent attack appears overplayed by some in Congress or the military seeking expanded budgets.

James Nolt, an adjunct professor at New York University, said that Chinas navy may have more ships than the US, but its overall technology and anti-ship missiles are behind the Soviet Unions in the 1980s, while its H-6N bomber is a copy of a first-generation Soviet bomber withdrawn in 1993. The Pentagon tends to exaggerate Chinese military power because its the only plausible adversary left since the demise of the Soviet Union that gives them a reason to build a big navy and air force.

There is some evidence that Xi Jinping is impatient to achieve progress on cross-strait issues, echoed Glaser. But I fail to see signs that Xi sees this as urgent, that hes willing to put other interests at risk in a war with the United States, including maintaining good relations with neighbours, promoting China as a responsible global power, and Chinas economic development.

Taiwan is aware that its rising star in Washington could help it carve out more international space and blunt Chinese aggression.

Under the Trump administration, Taipei has hosted its most senior US cabinet member since 1979, signed seven major arms deals worth US$13.3 billion, seen Tsai enjoy a 12-day stopover in the US and had its spirits bolstered by new supportive US laws and partnership agreements.

But Taipei is also aware that the tone could change under a Biden administration, or Trumps shifting whims, and that few things in Washington come without a price tag.

This awareness has seen Taiwan try and shore up weaker parts of the relationship with pledges to reduce its ballooning trade surplus, build a US$12 billion chip factory in Arizona and strengthen its supply chain, 5G capabilities and defence posture in line with US policies.

I dont like tanks, said a senior congressional staffer, referring to Taipeis decision to buy 108 Abrams The Beast tanks in 2019 valued at US$2.2 billion, which some saw more as a sop to the Taiwanese army than sound defence planning. This isnt just a vanity project, this is money for the army that could be spent preserving American lives in the event of a conflict. It makes me so angry.

And, in a seemingly small but significant concession last month, Tsai agreed to end a 15-year impasse over US beef and pork imports involving safety issues, setting the stage for a possible bilateral free trade agreement. Farm issues are vital for Midwestern, largely Republican, members of Congress.

Ive sat in on many US-Taiwan meetings and whether youre talking about F-16 purchases or high-level visits, every time, the first thing out of peoples mouth is pork and beef. I know Tsai gets tired of that, said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council.

What you got from the State Department was greater clarity on US intentions that Monday after Tsai made the call on pork and beef on Friday.

Schriver sees a way forward on US policy with a nod to the past, in a formula cited in 1996 testimony to Congress by then-State Department official Kurt Campbell and now chairman of the Asia Group consultancy: strategic clarity and tactical ambiguity.

According to Schriver, it is increasingly important that the US signals its support for Taiwans 24 million people and the example they set as a vibrant Chinese democracy at a time when the Xi administration is adopting an increasingly antagonist stance. At the same time, Washington needs to recognise the inordinate challenge China would face in mounting a Taiwan invasion.

[Xi] is caught in a cul-de-sac. At every turn he hits the accelerator rather than the brakes, said Schriver, a former military attache at the US embassy in Beijing. But the fact is that 80 nautical miles of water makes it incredibly challenging, even before Taiwan buys a single weapon. They lack strategic lift, amphibious lift, which makes Taiwan a pretty hard target.

Also weighing on China is evidence that it is losing younger generations of islanders with each passing year. A record 67 per cent of the population regarded itself as Taiwanese in a June poll by the National Chengchi University, up 8.5 percentage points in a year, with sharp drops in those who saw themselves as Chinese or Chinese and Taiwanese.

Beijing recognises, but is probably reluctant to say so, that the passage of the national security law in Hong Kong has irrevocably changed Taiwans view of its future, said Medeiros. One country, two systems, thats all but dead. And you have a younger generation of people in Taiwan with fewer ties to the mainland.

You can read the first story in the series here, the second here, the third here, the fourth here and the fifth here.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article Shift to strategic clarity on Taiwan a further risk to US-China relations first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
Seasoned journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has rebuked former President John Dramani Mahama for including in his party's manifesto that his government will probe the murder of J.B Danquah-Adu, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North.



Mr. Mahama, at the launch of NDC manifesto dubbed the "People's Manifesto", vowed to ''commence investigation into the death of Ahmed Hussein-Suale and other unsolved issues including the murder of J.B. Danquah-Adu''.



The late J.B Danquah-Adu was murdered in 2016 in his home while Ahmed Hussein-Suale also met his untimely death when some unknown assailants ambushed him and shot him to his death.



Touching on Mr. Mahama's statements, Kweku Baako said he doesn't see how possible Mahama can do what he seeks to do should he become President again.



According to him, the J.B Danquah-Adu's case is pending in the law court and so the NDC capturing it in their manifesto is inappropriate.



"I find it inappropriate. The case is ongoing . . . If you understand murder trial and they have experienced lawyers and politicians there, so really unless you seek to politicize it, I don't see the basis on which it should be included in a manifesto. You can make that statement politically on any platform and I don't think you will have a problem . . . but to capture it in the manifesto, I have a difficulty," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo'.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A NEW payments systems issue impacted Bank of Ireland customers this morning, but it now says the issue has been resolved.

The problem meant some customers did not receive wages and social welfare payments into their accounts.

The bank would not say how many customers were impacted by the IT outage but it is understood to be thousands.

Read More

In the early afternoon the bank said the issue had been resolved.

The payments delay experienced by some customers earlier this morning has been resolved and the funds have been credited to customer accounts, the bank said.

This is just the latest IT systems failure to impact banks in this country.

In November Bank of Ireland was forced to apologise to its customers after it was hit with an IT outage for a second day in a row, in a development that left customers fuming.

ATMs, the mobile app, online system 365online and Business Online were all out of action.

That month Ulster Bank's Anytime Banking, Bankline and mobile app faced intermittent problems.

Banking experts said IT systems were in need of major investment. This is happening now, but for years there was little spent on the systems in the wake of the financial crash over a decade ago.
Being apart from his seven-week-old son, Oliver, is the hardest part for Jared Stricker, an emergency medical technician from Wheat Ridge, Colo.

But when asked if he would volunteer to come to Billings to help St. Vincent Healthcare cope with staffing constraints amid an increasingly high number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the county, Stricker jumped at the chance.

We get into medicine to help people, Stricker said Wednesday. "It felt like the right thing to do."

Hes one of more than 20 volunteer nurses, respiratory therapists and technicians from three sister hospitals affiliated St. Vincent Healthcare in Colorado, that have been brought on to help relieve tired health care staff.

Both Billings hospitals are coping with a "surge" in COVID-19 hospitalizations. In his first week in the emergency room, Stricker said the hospital has kept busy.

Its a welcome relief, said St. Vincent Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Steve Loveless.

Just a week into September and Yellowstone County is still seeing high numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. More than half of all coronavirus cases in the county happened in August.

St. Vincent Healthcare and Billings Clinic are both struggling to cope with the demand.

On Wednesday, the countys hospital capacity was marked in the yellow status on RiverStone Healths COVID-19 dashboard. Yellow indicates the demand is starting to outpace what the hospitals can provide.

Yellowstone County currently accounts for 40% of Montana cases, despite being about 15% of the state's population. Of 122 state COVID-19 deaths, 50 have been in Yellowstone County.

On Wednesday the county reported nine new cases, for a total of 813 active cases, and announced another death, a man in his 80s.

In Yellowstone County Wednesday a total of 66 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19. That's about 40% of all the COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the state.

Of those people hospitalized Wednesday 18 were in intensive care units and 15 were intubated.

On Monday, the county reached an all-time high number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, when 84 people were hospitalized.

The county has accounted for about half of the states COVID-19 cases throughout the summer, and early September trends dont show signs of stopping.

"It's been a rough few months, and it's still looking rough," Yellowstone County Health Officer John Felton said on Sept. 4 during a review of August cases.

"I'm pretty anxious about September, quite frankly," he said.

Increasing demand

The numbers (of hospitalized patients) seem to be on the rise, said Laurie Smith, chief nursing officer and vice president of hospital operations at Billings Clinic.

The hospital is licensed for 304 beds, including 24 ICU beds and with recent COVID-19 cases it has begun to feel stressed.

To cope with the demand, the Clinic is currently using the hospital capacity unit for overflow, and has other surge options available like opening up the operation rooms, the emergency department and the cardiac observation unit.

Prior to COVID-19, we trained for surges, Smith said.

As of Wednesday the hospital had 34 COVID-19 patients, Smith said. The number of patients have been hovering in the 30s and 40s, she said.

St. Vincent Healthcare is also consistently seeing about 30 or 40 patients regularly hospitalized due to COVID-19, Loveless said.

The hospital is licensed for 286 beds, including 24 ICU beds.

Wednesday there were 30 COVID-19 positive patients in St. Vincent, with eight in intensive care units and seven on ventilators.

Its been very busy, said Loveless.

He said the hospital is nowhere near capacity, and can surge up if cases continue to climb.

Juggling adequate staff and personal protective equipment can be a barrier beyond finding spaces for patients, he said.

Its many, many factors, he said.

Another added stressor is that some elderly patients are in limbo, waiting to be discharged from the hospital but unable to return directly back to their senior care home.

Some care facilities have placed limits on who may reenter the facilities, requiring quarantines or negative COVID-19 tests. That has resulted in some seniors having to stay in the hospitals.

We have had some delays in acceptance of patients back to their originating care environments, Smith said.

Loveless also said St. Vincent Healthcare has seen those complications.

Adding staffers from Colorado will temporarily relieve employees and is one way to ensure the hospital could continue operating smoothly, Loveless said.

The 22 or so health care workers scheduled to come from Colorado will work each for about two to three weeks.

Both hospitals have the option to halt or postpone elective surgeries, as both did in the beginning of the pandemic, which would free up hospital beds. Neither Smith nor Loveless said their hospitals were currently considering that option.

Were not there yet, Loveless said.

Yellowstone County being a regional health care hub has also contributed to added stress on the hospitals, although both hospitals said the large networks of affiliate hospitals has also eased stress.

Many patients currently hospitalized for COVID-19 are from out of the county, something thats not uncommon, Loveless said. On a given day about 50% of the patients in the hospital are not from Yellowstone County.

That's normal for us, and it's part of what we've built to service Eastern Montana, Loveless said.

This article has been updated to reflect the number of licensed beds that the Billings Clinic has to offer.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The Philippines' decision to push through with projects with Chinese companies found to be involved in reclamation activities in the South China Sea sends a bad message for the country, a former Supreme Court justice said Thursday, citing violations of environmental and humanitarian laws in the area.

Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the activities of such Chinese companies particularly dredging and building artificial islands pose risks to the marine environment with the natural resources getting destroyed in the process.

Thats a destruction of the marine environment, thats a crime against humanity, Carpio said in an interview with The Source, citing a violation of the countrys fisheries law.

Here is a Chinese company that violated international law, violated domestic law of the Philippines, and we allow them now to give them a government contract--a juicy government contract to reclaim in Manila Bay? The message there is China can continue seizing, continue encroaching on our Exclusive Economic Zone, destroying our coral reefs. And it will be business as usual for the same Chinese companies that destroy these atoll reefs, he added.

In a previous interview with CNN Philippines, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin, Jr. said that he will recommend terminating contracts with Chinese firms found to be behind incursions in the disputed sea  similar to the move carried out by the US.

The US government earlier imposed sanctions on Beijing's state-run firms as well as visa restrictions on Chinese nationals involved in reclamation and militarization activities in disputed waters.

Malacanang, however, refused to follow suit, saying all deals with Chinese companies will proceed. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian also earlier assured companies involved in local projects will comply with existing Philippine laws and regulations.

In 2016, a ruling by a Hague-based international arbitral tribunal invalidated China's sweeping claims to the South China Sea and likewise recognized the Philippines' sovereign rights in areas within its 200-nautical mile EEZ.

China, however, has continuously refused to acknowledge the landmark decision, which it labeled as illegal and invalid."
KYIV -- Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) has summoned the former chief of the presidential administration, Andriy Bohdan, for questioning after a controversial interview he gave to journalist Dmytro Hordon where he spoke about the sensitive issue of Crimea.



"On September 9, in his interview to a media outlet, the former chief of the presidential office, Andriy Bohdan, made public information about the alleged existence of agreements with Russian officials about the status of [the Russia-annexed Ukrainian peninsula of] Crimea, air communication with Russia, the exchange of prisoners, and a number of other agreements that are not supported by [Ukraine's] laws and regulations, and by other orders of the Supreme Commander of Ukraines Armed Forces," the DBR said in a statement, adding that Bohdan had been summoned for questioning "due to the social significance of the issues raised."



In the interview with Hordon, issued on September 9, Bohdanm who was relieved of his duties in February, said that Ukraine had not implemented promises given to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the normalization of ties between the two countries, made allegations about individuals who can influence Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and suggested possible ways to fix what he called "mistakes" made by Zelenskiy since he took office last year.



Ukrainian-Russian relations have been tense since 2014, the year when Moscow illegally annexed Crimea and threw its support behind pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine's east, where some 13,200 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict.



Bohdan wrote on Facebook on September 9 that he had left Ukraine for Romania after receiving threats following the interview.



Bohdan's appointment to the post of the chief of the presidential office in May last year, after Zelenskiy won a presidential election, sparked controversy as he used to be a lawyer for the powerful tycoon Ihor Kolomoyskiy, who returned to Kyiv days ahead of Zelenskiy's inauguration after two years of self-imposed exile in Geneva and Tel Aviv.



Kolomoyskiy had left Ukraine to avoid criminal charges. Under the previous president, Petro Poroshenko, the government had nationalized PrivatBank, which Kolomoyskiy once co-owned, and accused him of stealing $5.5 billion at a time when the war-torn country was being propped up by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United States, and the European Union.



Some speculated at the time that Kolomoyskiy returned to influence Zelenskiys policies via Bohdan.



Kolomoyskiy's 1+1 television channel aired Zelenskiy's comedy shows when he was an actor and supported his presidential bid with what some saw as favorable wall-to-wall coverage during the campaign.
Walk after dinner for 1 hr of exercise when few people out (lower risk)

Anonymous There are a significant number of persons working in construction that cannot function within the lockdown hours. People leave their homes at 5 am (and earlier) and return home between 6:30 and 8 pm. What quality of life do these people have? The people who have worked all the way through the lockdown, worn a mask, social distanced followed the ever increasing number of restrictions etc and cannot even go home and go for a walk, or even go shopping for essentials because its too late - people cannot go and enjoy time with family because its 'too late'. It is absolutely ridiculous not to give consideration to these situations - myself and many hundreds of others are in the same situation. It has been extremely challenging and mentally exhausting to work with the restrictions, let alone having to go home and do more of the same. My co workers are all challenged and the stress and strain and mental issues are visibly evident.

Rebecca Take my infant child out for a drive to go to sleep -its the only way he will settle.

Anonymous I would do nothing different and continue to follow the stay at home rules. BUT removal of the "curfew" would remove me of a very weighty psychological burden and add just a little hope in what appears to be an almost hopeless situation which those of us who are obeying the instructions can do no more to assist.

Byron Go to the shops and walk my dog after 8:00 once my three children are in bed and my husband is home from work.

Kate

Because I am a vulnerable person, I avoid going to supermarkets as much as possible. So far, I have order most of my groceries online for home delivery but they require a minimum spend of $50 plus a delivery charge. Without a curfew, I could do my own shopping late at night when it is safer.

Ken My Brother often can't get away from the desk by 8pm, meaning no excerise for him or my 11 year old neice, sometimes they can go for a quick 20 minutes around lunchtime, but it's having a very negative impact on them, including the Dog. My sister in law would like to go the supermarket at 10pm, not when it's busy. My neice has developed anxiety that her patents will get arrested if something happens and they're not home by 8pm. So what would I do without Curfew? Stop worrying about the mental health and well being of my family.

Meg Often I will work at my desk from 8am to 8pm. With a curfew in place, it means some days I can't even exercise or go for a walk. One day a few weeks ago I got fewer than 1000 steps because of Dan. I was a veritable mushroom!

Anonymous The dog would get a walk! By the time the working day is finished, the kids are fed and in bed, it's time to walk the dog. That's about 8pm.

Katie

Absolutely nothing. It makes no difference to me - I certainly don't need to exercise in the dark and I can go to the supermarket before 8pm. Work outside of curfew is permitted anyway. This change is not one that would make a difference. Extending the social bubble to everyone being able to nominate a household would be far more beneficial but it would be nigh on possible to police.

Clare Phillips Walk the dog. I have two young children, often the only time I have to myself is once theyre both in bed (by 7.30ish usually). Especially now the weather is getting warmer and its staying lighter later.

Anonymous Go for a walk after a full day or work and having fed my family. And be able to run to the supermarket in the limited time I have in my day.

Val Be able to shop in a less populous time of the day - Once we put our young one to bed we only have a small window of opportunity of about half an hour to shop, which is enough time to pick up what we need without being able to do a longer shop, resulting in more frequent visits to the supermarkets - imagine being able to spread that last minute rush of people over a longer time.

Anonymous I work long days,often finishing work at 7pm, 8pm or even later. On those days I would go for an evening walk or jog if there were no curfew. With the curfew in place I can go several days in a row without exercising. The point is not just about the curfew, it's about the restriction of our civil liberties in a disproportionate way.

Anonymous

After a day of work, assisting kids with school work and managing the house, it would be nice to take my precious hour of exercise when I choose (as is the case in all other democratic societies), not when I am told I should take it. If I need to go to the chemist, the shop or any other place of essential supplies then I could also do that. The curfew is rubbish!

Anonymous I would go running/walking near my home. Before curfew I used to do this roughly between 10pm and midnight. Where I live there is too much traffic during the day and I would definitely come into contact with too many people. I admit I could probably exercise in similar conditions at 5am instead but that would require some major readjustments to my working and sleeping hours. There's also a noticeable rush around 7pm at my local supermarket. I could avoid this if I could shop a bit later.

Anonymous Go for an evening walk- be nice to have it until at least 10pm. Used to grocery shop between 9 and 10 when it was quiet. Pick up takeaway

Anonymous I would be able to do a midnight maccas run

David L

The starting point is that the question is wrong. In a free society we are allowed to do what we wish, essentially as long as we do not interfere with the rights of others. In the pandemic we need to accept that some of our rights will be curtailed, but only those directly relevant and required to reduce the spread of the disease - this is not an opportunity to curtail rights just because it makes the police's job easier. The police's motto is 'Uphold the right' - this does not mean 'uphold the government's right to trample people's freedom'. If the question becomes 'what do we do to make the police's job easier' then there is no need to limit the question to times of pandemic or other emergency situation and soon we all wear tracking devices and we have to explain everything we do to the police. In any case, if there was no curfew, after I finish work and get my children tucked into bed - always after 9pm - I would go for a walk around my block (contently wearing my mask, protecting my rights and the rights of others to be free from illness). It has been the way I finished many a long day and has never done anyone any harm - and won't, even in a pandemic. And, if I haven't be able to do my shopping during the day, I would pick up my milk and bread - and maybe a treat or the paper - from the convenience store and pick up my medicine from the pharmacy.

Anonymous My son has a part-time job at McDonald's. With the curfew, his shifts end at 8:00PM. Without the curfew he and many others would be able to work longer shifts and work more shifts.

Kevin Boon Walk the dogs after dinner

Sam After dinner walk Grocery shopping after dinner, after most WFH have to work 9am - 6pm.

Jam I would move my walks back tonight. I love my late night walks especially in the cold of winter. I love the quiet of the night the fog hovering above the lake and the icy cold fresh air.

Jack

I'd go to the supermarket. I've got a toddler at home and my partner is pregnant, and sick and exhausted from growing a fetus and working. Between 7.30 and 5.00pm I'm working/minding toddler, at 5.00 I take toddler out for a walk, feed her at 5.30 - 6.00. 6.30 bath, 7.15 bed. Then I cook us dinner. No time for the supermarket :/

Liz Could visit my girlfriend on weeknights like I used to. We can only see each other on weekends now.

Anonymous Stay home Coming from another perspective a large number of readers indicated that they would simply stay home if the curfew was lifted but other restrictions were still in place meaning it made no difference to them. Many also expressed support for the policy Currently with community transmissions out there, (I live in Wyndham) I would not be venturing out, even with no curfew. I would not go shopping or to cinemas, restaurants or bars. Staying home restricts person to person transmission so I am happy for the curfew to stay until we have this thing under better control. I suspect my lack of confidence is widely shared so businesses would not get back all their pre-covid customers anyway.

Chris

Exactly what I'm doing now. Not much.

Lucy Basically nothing different. The curfew doesn't affect me while restaurants aren't open and I can't see friends. The curfew is a low cost enforcement measure in my view.

PJ Nothing would have changed so i think curfew must be in place just to deter people from doing the wrong thing and breaching lockdown rules

Anonymous Nothing, I would still STAY HOME. People are dying! What is it about reducing the movement of people...AKA potential virus dont people get?

Anonymous

Nothing would change - it's not like we can go out for dinner, go to the pub for a beer or visit friends.

Steve Nothing. Who needs to be out after 8 pm if youre not working? Fully support continuing it. Why change a winning strategy?

Anonymous I would do nothing differently. Genuinely straining my brain wondering why reporters need to labor the point that does not need to be made. If you're getting a kebab at 3am you deserve to be fined.

Anonymous Stay at home.

Anonymous Absolutely nothing. Everybody has the opportunity to run the required errands between 5am and 8pm. from home or before or after work. If you can't - get organised! Very happy with the curfew as it is - during the pandemic.

Anonymous

Nothing. This is a ridiculous line of questioning

Damien Lifting the curfew would not have changed anything for me. I fully support the curfew as it has the ability to stop people throwing parties at night and congregating. You cant expect the police to check on every single persons movements/activities. I find it appalling why people are so annoyed about nightly curfew when you cant go out for any reason other than the four we know about. I can give an example about Sri Lanka (population of 23 million) the country was in complete lockdown for about two months, not even supermarkets were open, there were food delivery trucks instead, and today they are fully open and theres no community transmission. They too had nightly curfews when they started easing restriction. Not a single protest was seen. Australians should realise how lucky they are to have what they have.

Anonymous Nothing! I would stay at home

Caroline Seriously, where would people go after 8 pm?????

Anonymous

Absolutely nothing. Having a curfew is a tiny sacrifice with big benefits in catching the people doing the wrong thing.

Anonymous Removing curfew would not affect most of us at all, it's more about those youths that want to wonder out for a night life which there ain't any at the moment. I don't like the way Dan handled quite a few issues with this virus, but we SHOULD keep the curfew while we are in stage 4 restriction.

Anonymous Nothing. Theres nowhere to go?

Anonymous Nothing, it literally makes no difference to me. I'm supportive of the curfew.

Anonymous
London, Sep 10 : The UK Home office helmed by Home Secretary Priti Patel has deported a group of 12 Albanian drug dealers and serious criminals back to Albania. The drug peddlers and criminals had been sentenced to a combined 26 years in prison.

The criminals, deported on Wednesday, included Kuinslend Dishi, 25, who was sentenced for 20 months for an assault on an emergency worker, and possessing a knife. He was also sentenced in April this year for sending a threatening message.

Dishi was arrested after police in Kent, South-East England, were called in after reports he had followed a woman and pulled her towards his car. When officers tried to arrest him, Dishi reached into his pocket for a five-inch blade. Police stopped Dishi from pulling the weapon and he ran off, only to be apprehended by a member of the public.

Dishi had messaged the woman the previous day, telling her he had a gun and threatened to kill her, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Other criminals on the deportation flight chartered by the UK Home Office include Armand Gjyriqi, 27, who received an eight-year prison sentence at St Albans Crown Court for dealing in cocaine. Andrea Kopo, 24, was convicted of supplying cocaine, possession of criminal property and possession of false identity documents with intent.

Kopo, who entered the UK illegally, was sent down for five years at Bristol Crown Court in December, 2018. He was part of a six-strong drugs gang who were found by police to have more than A53,000 in cash and cocaine worth A65,000.

According to the latest UK Home Office figures, more than 9,000 foreign nationals are in prison in England and Wales, with Albanians making up the largest group - 11 per cent.

All those deported on Wednesday were categorised as enforced deportations although some were removed through the Home Office's early release scheme.

British Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "The UK is a safer place without these criminals. The message from these deportations is clear. If you come to this country and abuse our hospitality, we will deport you."
Highlights from the 2020 winter drilling program at the La Pointe Extension (located 2 km southwest of the La Pointe deposit are: 1.15 g/t Au over 80.10 m including 4.63 g/t Au over 5.95 m 1.14 g/t Au over 70.30 m including 1.66 g/t Au over 36.90 m 1.45 g/t Au over 35.40 m 1.03 g/t Au over 53.80 m

Results received from winter drilling program further underline gold mineralized system continuity and significant exploration potential to the SW of the La Pointe deposit (see Table 1 for complete results of the program)

Ongoing 7,000 m drilling campaign testing the extension of the new discovery and the new target area identified by the recent IP survey

MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / Quebec Precious Metals Corporation ("QPM" or the "Company") (TSXV:QPM)(OTCQB:CJCFF)(FSE:YXEP) is pleased to report the remaining drill results at the La Pointe Extension discovery and a near surface discovery at Simon area following the winter diamond drilling program on the 100% owned Sakami Project (the "Project") in Quebec's Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory (see the Company's press releases of August 13, June 23, June 18 and April 21, 2020 ). A total of 7,000 m of additional drilling is planned be completed this fall to further extend and define the exploration potential of the La Pointe Extension discovery.

Normand Champigny, CEO of QPM, stated: "The discovery of the La Pointe Extension marks a turning point for the Company and highlights the strong exploration potential of the Sakami Project. We are pleased with the initial results and are excited to test the continuity of the structure identified at the La Pointe Extension and a new target area uncovered by the IP survey. We are also pleased that Windfall Geotek Inc. (TSX-V:WIN) has worked closely with us to validate and identify high priority targets on the Project".

The La Pointe deposit and the new La Pointe Extension discovery are part of a larger 2- kilometre-long mineralized trend on the Project striking SSW-NNE (see the Company's press releases Figures 1 and 2 ). This discovery has potential kilometre-scale extensions that have been subject to very limited surface exploration and no drilling. Two high-grade surface grab samples (23.82 g/t Au, 9.52 g/t Au) located 700 m apart further illustrate the potential of this discovery ( see Figures 1 and 2 ). The ongoing 7,000m diamond drilling campaign will aim to expand the 300 m strike length of the la Pointe Extension identified during the winter campaign.

The drilling results indicate to date that gold-bearing mineralization at the La Pointe Extension discovery and at La Pointe have a similar geological character: hosted within a volcano-sedimentary sequence of the Yasinski Group (La Grande Subprovince) which is metamorphosed to amphibolite facies and strongly deformed by a regional WSW to ENE event. This sequence is in contact with sedimentary rocks of the Laguiche Group (Opinaca Subprovince) to the east. The lithologies are composed mainly of: 1) biotite-rich and silicified paragneiss with intrusions of granodiorite, tonalite and pegmatite, and 2) amphibolite (metamorphosed sedimentary iron formation and mafic volcanic rock). The gold mineralization is accompanied by disseminated arsenopyrite, pyrite and pyrrhotite and cross-cutting quartz-carbonate veinlets.

The Simon area is located 3 km NE of the La Pointe deposit and has a similar geological setting to the La Pointe and La Pointe Extension. Highlights of the drill results include 0.73 g/t Au over

54 m from 54 m depth in hole SI-20-16 including 0,91 g/t Au over 24,5m (see Figure 3 ). The drilling program was designed to test the extension of mineralized zones identified from surface sampling and previous drilling. Gold mineralization is associated with highly deformed iron formations hosted in metavolcanic and paragneiss rocks and at the proximity of a tonalitic intrusive. The results demonstrate the presence of high grade zones and their continuity needs to be better established. The drill results will be evaluated to identify additional drill targets to be tested.

The Project provides the Company with a controlling position over a 23-kilometre-long segment of a favourable geological contact and comprises of 259 claims (131.1 km2). It is located 570 km north of Val d'Or, Quebec, 120 km east of the municipality of Wemindji, 90 km from the Eleonore gold mine and 47 km northeast of the paved James Bay Road. Good infrastructure is present including major access roads, a hydro-powered electric grid and airports. Drilling can be carried out throughout the year.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

The drilling contract was awarded to Forage Val-d'Or Inc. based in Val-d'Or, Quebec. The hole diameter is NQW. Drilling took place from January 15 to March 24, 2020. Quality assurance and quality control procedures have been implemented to ensure best practices in sampling and analysis of the core samples. The drill core was logged and then split, with one-half sent for assay and the other retained in the core box as a witness sample. Duplicates, standards and blanks were inserted regularly into the sample stream. The samples were delivered, in secure tagged bags, directly to the ALS Minerals laboratory facility in Val-d'Or, Quebec. The samples are weighed and identified prior to sample preparation. All samples are analyzed by fire assay with AA finish on a 30 g sample (0.005-10 ppm Au), with a gravimetric finish for assays over 10 ppm Au.

Qualified Persons

Normand Champigny, Eng., Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Tony Brisson, P. Geo., Senior Exploration Manager, both Qualified Persons under NI 43- 101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, have prepared and approved the technical content of this release.

About Quebec Precious Metals Corporation

QPM is a gold explorer with a large land position in the highly-prospective Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory, Quebec, near Newmont Corporation's Eleonore gold mine. QPM's flagship project is the Sakami project with significant grades and well-defined drill-ready targets. QPM's goal is to rapidly explore this project to advance it to the mineral resource estimate stage.

For more information please contact:

Jean-Francois Meilleur

President

Tel.: 514 951-2730

jfmeilleur@qpmcorp.ca

Normand Champigny

Chief Executive Officer

Tel.: 514 979-4746

nchampigny@qpmcorp.ca

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.

Table 1: Sakami Project - Summary of significant gold results, La Pointe deposit and

La Pointe Extension and Simon area - Press release of September 9, 2020.

Notes:

All widths are drill indicated core length. Drilholes are generally planned to intersect mineralization as close to perpendicular to strike as possible. True widths are estimated to range from 75% to 90% of the down-hole length when drillhole inclination and dip of the mineralized horizons are considered. All gold values presented are not capped.



La Pointe Deposit and La Pointe Extension

Hole # UTM E UTM N Length (m) Azimuth

() Dip

() Number

of

samples From

(m) To

(m) Interval

(m) Au

(g/t) La Pointe Deposit PT-20-138 375462 5895042 141 135 -50 94 No significant values PT-20-139 375532 5895041 60 135 -50 59 36.50 40.00 3.50 4.15 PT-20-140 375496 5895077 174 135 -63 149 118.00 119.00 1.00 1.17 173.00 174.00 1.00 1.68 PT-20-141 375536 5895107 132 135 -54 109 54.00 65.00 11.00 1.04 Including 54.00 55.50 1.50 3.41 Including 62.30 65.00 2.70 1.66 79.40 80.50 1.10 1.13 105.00 106.00 1.00 1.23 PT-20-142 375496 5895008 60 135 -50 62 39.00 40.00 1.00 1.31 PT-20-143 375623 5895020 201 0 -50 183 83.00 84.00 1.00 1.99 PT-20-144 375602 5894893 276 330 -50 209 69.00 72.00 3.00 1.68 163.50 164.00 0.50 1.17 193.80 195.00 1.20 1.15 PT-20-145 375650 5894909 216 335 -50 182 22.10 26.10 4.00 1.31 45.30 96.90 51.60 0.60 Including 60.00 63.00 3.00 1.33 Including 72.50 79.00 6.50 2.14 PT-20-146 375695 5894940 270 0 -50 235 60.50 64.70 4.20 1.55 PT-20-147 375812 5894959 276 0 -50 214 22.00 29.00 7.00 2.69 125.90 137.00 11.10 0.31 Including 125.90 127.40 1.50 1.09 171.00 175.50 4.50 1.38 PT-20-152 374632 5894963 729 27 -53 130 700.50 714.00 13.50 0.52 La Pointe Extension PT-20-148 374470 5894276 345 145 -50 316 54.00 55.20 1.20 1.06 241.20 241.60 0.40 5.61 279.00 280.50 1.50 4.06 288.90 296.50 7.60 2.91 PT-20-149 374202 5894096 348 145 -50 280 241.45 242.15 0.70 2.19 252.50 253.20 0.70 5.06 287.00 333.00 46.00 0.25 PT-20-150 374263 5894016 270 143.4 -50.7 210 189.50 221.00 31.50 0.49 PT-20-151 373962 5893849 336 145 -50 300 231.90 312.00 80.10 1.15 Including 269.00 293.95 24.95 2.21 Including 288.00 293.95 5.95 4.63 PT-20-153 374019 5893767 267 145 -50 222 152.10 187.50 35.40 1.45 Including 175.00 179.10 4.10 3.65 PT-20-154 374017 5893857 366 145 -50 296 74.80 81.60 6.80 2.74 Including 80.10 81.60 1.50 11.75 196.40 266.70 70.30 1.14 Including 196.40 233.30 36.90 1.66 PT-20-155 373935 5893799 294 145 -50 244 225.10 278.90 53.80 1.03 PT-20-156 373906 5893749 300 145 -50 278 220.70 248.00 27.30 0.29 PT-20-157 373865 5893720 378 145 -50 340 216.90 258.00 41.10 0.47 333.05 354.00 20.95 0.39 PT-20-158 373917 5893646 264 145 -50 227 151.00 175.50 24.50 0.52 227.30 235.90 8.60 0.46

Simon area

Hole ID UTM E UTM N Length

(m) Azimuth

() Dip

() Number

of

samples From

(m) To

(m) Interval

(m) Au

(g/t) SI-20-06 376176 5897593 165 315 -60 148 7.50 11.50 4.00 0.37 23.60 31.50 7.90 0.30 48.00 105.30 57.30 0.52 including 48.00 66.00 18.00 0.90 including 84.50 105.30 20.80 0.57 SI-20-07 376442 5897352 150 330 -60 121 No significant values SI-20-08 376232 5897427 126 135 -75 39 78.50 80.30 1.80 0.72 SI-20-09 376143 5897503 146.20 315 -50 124 30.50 31.60 1.10 1.31 SI-20-10 376338 5897569 150 315 -50 48 No significant values SI-20-11 376555 5897372 159 315 -50 70 No significant values SI-20-12 376759 5897593 129 315 -75 48 No significant values SI-20-13 377064 5897440 201 315 -75 22 No significant values SI-20-14 377005 5897500 150 315 -50 24 No significant values SI-20-15 376934 5897308 150 315 -50 5 No significant values SI-20-16 376176 5897593 219 315 -72 150 54.00 108.00 54.00 0.73 including 55.00 79.50 24.50 0.91

SOURCE: Quebec Precious Metals Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605520/Quebec-Precious-Metals-extends-the-La-Pointe-Extension-discovery-with-53-m-at-103-gt-Au-and-near-surface-discovery-at-Simon
JSCCIB: Jobless total to worsen without strong measures

BANGKOK: The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) is warning unemployment reached 2.5 million people in the first half this year and will keep growing next year if state stimulus packages are not strong enough to battle economic woes.

COVID-19economics

By Bangkok Post

Thursday 10 September 2020, 05:29PM

Job seekers look at vacant positions at the Labour Ministry on Jan 2, 2020. Photo: Somchai Poomlard / Bangkok Post

The numbers, recorded between January to June this year, include 700,000 workers under labour laws as well as informal labourers and employees suspended from their jobs, reports the Bangkok Post.

The unemployment rate is expected to increase if the governments economic stimulus measures are not strong and many rehabilitation projects are delayed, Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said after a JSCCIB meeting on Wednesday (Sept 9).

Many businesses, particularly in the tourism and export sectors, remain weak, though some have slowly recovered.

We may see the unemployment rate increase in 2021, he said.

This situation will certainly increase the number of non-performing loans (NPLs) because people do not have money to repay what they owe, said Mr Supant without elaborating on NPL figures.

He is also concerned about a second wave of infections in the country as infection rates spike in many Asian countries, including Myanmar, which borders Thailand.

A new outbreak will deal a blow to ongoing efforts to revitalise businesses.

The government must step up with measures to prevent the spread of the virus, said Mr Supant.

If authorities want to go ahead with plans to allow tourists from low-risk countries to visit Thailand, they should carefully check their health and issue specific visas for those eligible to enter the country.

Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said JSCCIB will also ask the government to abandon some unnecessary laws and regulations in order to facilitate business operations.

Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) says up to 191 bills were enacted between 2011 and 2015, bringing the total tally to 900. During the same period, 661 ministerial regulations were announced in the Royal Gazette, increasing their total to nearly 18,000.

More than 620 royal decrees were also issued over the past five years, along with 1,015 announcements.

TDRI estimates many of more than 100,000 laws on the books may pose obstacles to business activities.
Multiple calls for a shooting led police to an East Side motel, where they found a 27-year-old man shot in the neck Thursday.

Around 11 a.m., police received calls for shootings near Gembler Road, Oakwell Farms Parkway and Interstate 35. When police responded to the scenes, they realized it was all for the same incident. A white SUV had been shot at near Gembler Road.

The occupants of the SUV then drove to an America's Best Value Inn, near the 3600 block of Interstate 35, to call for help. When police arrived, they found the 27-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck.

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The victim was in the vehicle with his father when the SUV was shot at by an unknown shooter. Police did not say who was driving the SUV.

The 27-year-old was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said one of the men was staying at the motel, but didnt know why they came returned to that location to call for help.

Police tape sectioned off parts of the motel as police searched through a bullet-ridden SUV sitting in the parking lot.

Police said they dont have much information on the suspect.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
Berlin, Germany, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Mainz entrepreneur Marvin Steinberg has been proposed for the Order of the Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The 32-year-old confirms: Of course, I am delighted that my social commitment is to be honored in this way.

At the same time, Marvin Steinberg emphasizes that his work has never been about honors or awards. He wants to be there for people, be they customers or those looking for help: I see myself as having a close relationship between entrepreneurial and social engagement. Even more: they form both sides of the same coin. That's why I always give full throttle in both areas.



Mask donation in the extreme (respiratory) distress



Marvin Steinberg has already proven that these are not just empty words. More than once. Particularly noticeable in May 2020, in the middle of the Corona crisis.



My brother Aron Steinberg is a curative educator and, when the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, had to experience the intolerable conditions in the social field at first hand, recalls Marvin Steinberg. The worst part was that there were no mouth and nose protective masks in sufficient quantities in the spring of 2020. So my brother asked me for help.



Because word got around in the family that Marvin Steinberg repeatedly proves his qualities as a maker. And that far beyond the country's borders.



Given the acute shortage of masks, his excellent international business relationships have proven to be salvation in need, the Mainz native explains: Thanks to my excellent connections abroad, I was even able to find sources of supply when the market for respiratory masks was generally considered empty in the spring. So I was able to import several million FFP2 and OP masks within a few days. Of course, I complied with all legal requirements. Fair precedence - even in emergencies!



Hospitals, older people's homes, fire departments, and other recipients could be happy - thanks to Marvin Steinberg



Marvin Steinberg made this contingent of face and nose protective masks available to Mainz's city free of charge. This, in turn, distributed these infection control agents to hospitals and older people's homes. A part was also made available to the Croatian twin city Zagreb. With which Marvin Steinberg not only contributed to health care but also rendered a valuable service to international understanding.



Marvin Steinberg did not forget fire brigades, pharmacies, and other mask distribution points during this campaign. These material and financial donations were made possible by entrepreneurial courage: All in all, I imported several million protective masks, explains Marvin Steinberg, to emphasize immediately: And at your own risk. This risk has not only paid off, ideally. Because according to Marvin Steinberg, the German government has also expressed interest in the masks. We were of course very pleased.



Keyword valuable services: Marvin Steinberg has been committed to this motto since he dedicated himself to his passion, entrepreneurship. Since then, he has shown full strength in business life and total commitment to social engagement.



Marvin Steinberg was once one of the youngest managing directors in the field of private electricity consumption optimization. He led his young start-up from a nobody to a global player within a few months in this branch. His work was so successful that Marvin Steinberg could sell this shooting star to a well-known US energy company for a small sum of millions just a few months after it was founded.



Marvin Steinberg: Doers with a solid grip on the ground



With the same expertise and impressive commitment, Marvin Steinberg tackled his next business projects; one of them even made it to pole position in its industry worldwide.

How does Marvin Steinberg explain his unusual success, which has also proven to be unbroken in his other corporate projects Steinberg Marketing and Steinberg Invest?



The model entrepreneur cites confidence, truthfulness, visionary power, and a healthy extra portion of stamina as reasons for showing above-average results in the business and social sectors. To emphasize in the same breath that he has always attached great importance to never losing his grip on the ground and does not want to give up this closeness to the world, the way up is never straight, not even for me. But it is not to see unexpected disturbances as problems in my nature, but to view them strictly as solvable challenges. And above all, to get up again quickly after inevitable defeats, learn from mistakes, and continuously improve.

Follow Marvin on:

Instagram: @marvinsteinberg1

Facebook: @Lebensgesetze

LinkedIn: @marvin-steinberg

Twitter: @MarvinSteinberg





MEDIA CONTACT:

Company Name: Marvin Steinberg, Entrepreneur

Company E-mail: info@marvinsteinberg.de

Company website: https://marvinsteinberg.de





Attachment
As the weather deteriorated, the D.C. fire department established a command center so all water rescue calls could be funneled through one official. Maggiolo said the number of calls for water rescues was too numerous to count, and that didnt include calls for flooded basements and other water-related incidents.
Minsk: Nobel laureate and author Svetlana Alexievich accused the authorities in Belarus of terrorising their own people, as another opposition politician was detained by masked men in plain clothes.

Maxim Znak was the latest figure to be seized in a systematic campaign by the government of President Alexander Lukashenko to round up leaders of a month-long mass protest movement.

Belarusian Svetlana Alexievich, the 2015 Nobel literature laureate. Credit:Tut.by/AP

"What is happening is terror against the people," said Alexievich, who summoned supporters to her home. "We have to unite and not give up our intentions. There is a danger we will lose the country," she said.

In a show of solidarity with Alexievich, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Literature, diplomats from at least seven European countries joined her in her flat. Lithuania said the envoys' aim was partly to protect the author from abuse.
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced today the purchase of 250,000 rapid, point-of-care tests for Covid-19. The tests, which can provide results in minutes rather than days, will go straight to the frontlines across the state, including hospitals and nursing homes. Maryland is a founding member of the bipartisan 10-state compact with The Rockefeller Foundation, the first interstate testing compact of its kind dedicated to procuring and deploying screening tests to quickly detect and help stop outbreaks before they spread  and continue safely reopening their economies.

"This state-of-the-art rapid testing will be critically important to our continued economic recovery and will also help to keep the people of our state safe," said Governor Hogan. "I'm pleased to announce that Maryland will be the first state in the bipartisan interstate testing compact to move forward with an order with Becton Dickinson for the purchase of the first 250,000 of these rapid tests, along with the diagnostic machines used to process the tests onsite."

The BD Veritor tests purchased today are produced by Becton Dickinson. Governor Hogan announced the purchase during a visit to their Baltimore County facility, which employs more than 1,900 people. The announcement represents the latest step in Maryland's long-term testing strategy. So far, more than one in five Maryland residents have gotten a COVID-19 test, and 2 million total tests have been delivered.

Because of the rapid results, which can be ready in 15 minutes, antigen tests are one of the best tools to help essential workers in hospitals and nursing homes, along with schools, workplaces, and other public settings continue to open safely. The rapid antigen tests purchased today will help people protect these workers, along with their friends and family during the time period when they're most at risk, and represent a breakthrough tool in the fight against COVID-19.

"No one should have to choose between doing their job and doing their part to end this pandemic," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "Beating back this pandemic requires a massive scale up of rapid screening testing to 200 million a month. Right now as a country heading into flu season, we aren't even at 25 million a month. That's why the leadership and commitment shown by Governor Hogan  and all 10 governors in the compact  is critical to giving workers, teachers, students, and people at higher risk for adverse Covid-related outcomes the confidence they need to be safe until a vaccine is proven effective and widely available."

As the nation continues to face severe testing shortages and delays, Governor Hogan, who was then in his final days as chair of the National Governors Association, negotiated the compact with The Rockefeller Foundation. Since its launch in early August, it now includes ten statessplit equally between Democratic and Republican governors that are working together to ramp up the use of rapid antigen tests.

In addition to Governor Hogan (R), the compact currently includes:

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R);

Governor (R); Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D);

Governor (D); Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R);

Governor (R); Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D);

Governor (D); North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D);

Governor (D); Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo (D);

Governor (D); Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R);

Governor (R); Utah Governor Gary Herbert (R);

Governor (R); Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D).

They've been meeting regularly to share lessons about rapid screening tests and listen to experts about the latest and most promising testing technologies. Several states are in various stages of signing letters of intents to procure hundreds of thousands of antigen tests from various different manufacturers. All ten are planning joint purchases of millions more. In particular, over the coming weeks, the states will collectively purchase 5 million tests, signaling to manufacturers that there is more than enough demand to produce the supply needed to get ahead of the spread.

Scaling up asymptomatic testing with rapid antigen tests are also a key strategy outlined in The Rockefeller Foundation's National Covid-19 Testing and Tracing Action Plan . The plan includes a goal of administering at least 30 million weekly tests, 25 million rapid-result, screening tests and 5 million diagnostic tests, a target that would help the United States more quickly and safely reopen  and keep open  its economy.

If enough rapid antigen tests are produced and distributed, they can be used on-site at schools and major workplaces. This would allow teachers, students, healthcare workers, frontline workers, and, eventually, anyone to get tested daily with instant resultspreventing outbreaks and allowing schools and workplaces to stay open.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation advances new frontiers of science, data, and innovation to solve global challenges related to health, food, power, and economic mobility. As a science-driven philanthropy focused on building collaborative relationships with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation seeks to inspire and foster large-scale human impact that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the world by identifying and accelerating breakthrough solutions, ideas, and conversations. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.

SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation

Related Links

http://www.rockfound.org


Last month, Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order that requires state agencies to develop plans on how they will improve diversity, equity and inclusion in Colorados workforce. The goal is to create workplaces that ensure that all voices are heard so that a persons future success is not determined by their identity, according to the order.

Last year, Colorado asked its 30,000 state employees if they thought leadership was making diversity, equity and inclusion a priority within their workplace; just over half of the respondents said yes . Polis has focused on improving diversity since he took office in January 2019 and had plans to enact this executive order in March, but it was delayed due to the coronavirus.

State agencies are required to not only develop long-term strategic plans that promote inclusive workplace cultures, but also to report upon the plans progress after implementation. Additionally, it instructs the state to review all buildings, systems, procedures and websites for accessibility and address any inequities that may be posed by contracting barriers. Finally, the executive order mandates that all state workers, including supervisors and executive leaders, receive trainings on equity, diversity and inclusion.

We dont just embrace, we celebrate the idea that no two people are exactly alike , Polis said before signing the executive order. And those differences are a source of strength.

Polis is Colorados first Jewish governor and the U.S.s first openly gay governor, but his administration has struggled with inclusivity. Polis has been criticized for the lack of diversity within his administration.  Were doing okay , says Kara Veitch, executive director of Colorados Department of Personnel and Administration. I think we can do better.

According to Colorados 2018-2019 workforce report , the average salary for a Black, Latino or Native American worker is nearly $10,000 less than that of their white counterparts and the average starting salary is approximately $5,000 less than that of white new hires. The new executive order will begin to address these discrepancies through its plans to build anti-discriminatory workplaces with  equitable hiring, compensation, and retention practices .

While we celebrate and acknowledge todays signing of the executive order, its also important to acknowledge that today is a first step , said Web Brown, the head of Colorados Office of Health Equity. We have a lot of work to do to make Colorado For All a reality.
Indian 2, the highly anticipated project will mark the second collaboration of Kamal Haasan and filmmaker Shankar. The shooting of the big-budget venture is currently put on hold due to the coronavirus threat and lockdown. As per the latest reports, Kamal Haasan and Shankar are now planning to wrap up Indian 2 by January 2021.

As reported earlier, leading man Kamal Haasan is planning to wrap up all his professional commitments by the first quarter of 2021, to concentrate on the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections. So, the actor has requested the banner Lyca Productions and director Shankar to resume the shooting of the project as soon as possible.

In that case, Kamal Haasan and Shankar might resume the shooting of Indian 2, mostly by the end of September 2020. The actor is also planning to simultaneously shoot for the highly publicized show Bigg Boss Tamil Season 4, from October. In that case, Kamal Hasaan might have a very busy schedule ahead for the last quarter of 2020.

According to the sources to Indian 2, about 60 percent shooting of the Kamal Haasan starrer is already finished. If the reports are to be believed, the makers are planning to release the Shankar directorial by the second half of 2021, if the novel coronavirus pandemic comes under the control and world comes back to normalcy.

Kamal Hasan will once again play the much-loved character Senapathi in Indian 2, which is a sequel to the blockbuster movie Indian. Kajal Aggarwal and Rakul Preet Singh appear as the female leads in the movie, which features popular Siddharth in a pivotal role. Anirudh Ravichander has composed the songs and background score, thus marking his first collaboration with both Kamal Haasan and director Shankar.

Also Read:

Bigg Boss Tamil 4: Kamal Haasan Wins The Internet With His Graceful Moves In The New Promo!



Bigg Boss Tamil 4: Making Video Of Promo Featuring Kamal Haasan Goes Viral, Fans Say 'Semma Mass Pa'
San Francisco: People from San Francisco to Seattle woke on Wednesday to hazy clouds of smoke lingering in the air, darkening the sky to an eerie orange glow that kept street lights illuminated into midday, all thanks to dozens of wildfires throughout the West.

It's after 9am and there's still no sign of the sun, the California Highway Patrol's Golden Gate division tweeted, urging drivers to turn on their headlights and slow down.

Social media was filled with photos of the unusual sky and many people complained their mobile phone cameras werent accurately capturing the golden hues.

Smoke hangs over Mount Diablo in Orinda, California. Credit:Bloomberg

Despite the foreboding skies, there was little scent of smoke and the air quality index did not reach unhealthy levels. Thats because fog drifting from the Pacific Ocean was sandwiched between the smoke and surface.
TANAKA Wins Award in Industry of FY2019 FCDIC Honoring System

TOKYO, Sept 10, 2020  TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka) announced today that TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which operates the TANAKA Precious Metals manufacturing business, has won the \Award in Industry\ under the FY2019 FCDIC Honoring System, which is run by the Fuel Cell Development Information Center (FCDIC). The award was given in recognition of the contribution TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo brought over the years to industries in the field of fuel cell catalysts.

A certificate of commendation was presented at the \FY2019 FCDIC Honoring System Awards Ceremony\ held on September 9th at Sola City Conference Center (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo). Tomoyuki Tada, Executive Officer of TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo, attended the awards ceremony, and Koichi Matsutani of the FC Catalyst Development Center, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo, gave a commemorative speech.

The FCDIC Honoring System, which comprises four awards, were established in 2016 to commemorate the company\-\-s 30th year anniversary. The Award in Industry, Award in Science, Incentive Award and Special Achievement Award are presented to organizations and individuals who make marked contributions to promote fuel cell development and manufacturing, and to advance and develop the science and technology related to fuel cells. The aim of the awards is to grant the fuel cell technology development and support the promotion of the fuel cell systems.

[Details of Prize Awarded (FY2019 FCDIC Honoring System  Award in Industry)]

 Award type: Award in Industry

 Awarded for: Contribution to industries in fuel cell catalyst field

 Recipient: TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.

TANAKA in the Development and Manufacture of Fuel Cell Catalysts

As a general precious metal manufacturer, TANAKA determined future potential for fuel cells as a next generation energy and started its research and development of fuel cell catalysts since the 1980s. TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo specializes in customizing products to respond to customers\-\- requests. In coordination with industry and academia, TANAKA has maintained the global top share of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PFEC) in electrode catalysts for nearly 15 years. In 2019, TANAKA expanded its FC Catalyst Development Center, thereby enhanced its production capability.

As the market of fuel cells expands, the demand for lower cost and high-quality products is increasing. TANAKA is continuously engaging in developing technology such as manufacturing process and analytical technique development. Going forward, TANAKA will improve fuel cell performance and develop catalysts with reduced amount of precious metals in order to supply products that contribute to enabling a hydrogen-based society that can aid in environmental conservation.

TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Holding company of TANAKA Precious Metals)

Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO

Founded: 1885

Incorporated: 1918*

Capital: 500 million yen

Employees in consolidated group: 5,138 (FY2019)

Employees: 221 (March 31, 2020)

Net sales of consolidated group: JPY 1,149,604 million (FY2019)

Main businesses of the group: The holding company at the center of TANAKA Precious Metals responsible for strategic and efficient group management and management guidance to group companies.

URL: https://www.tanaka.co.jp/english/

* TANAKA Holdings adopted a holding company structure on April 1, 2010.

TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.

Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO

Founded: 1885

Incorporated: 1918

Capital: 500 million yen

Employees: 2,393 (as of March 31, 2020)

Sales: JPY 992,679,879,000 (FY2019)

Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products.

URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com

About TANAKA Precious Metals

Since its foundation in 1885, TANAKA Precious Metals has built a diversified range of business activities focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volumes of precious metals handled. Over the course of many years, TANAKA has not only manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry but also provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and resources. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies within and outside Japan work together with unified cooperation between manufacturing, sales, and technological aspects to offer products and services. Additionally, to make further progress in globalization, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo welcomed Metalor Technologies International SA as a member of the Group in 2016.

As precious metal professionals, TANAKA Precious Metals will continue to contribute to the development of an enriching and prosperous society.

The five core companies that make up TANAKA Precious Metals are as follows.

 TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (pure holding company)

 TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.

 TANAKA Denshi Kogyo K.K.

 Electroplating Engineers Of Japan, Limited

 TANAKA Kikinzoku Jewerly K.K.

Press release in PDF: http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/2020910.pdf

Press Inquiries

TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.

https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/
Ankita Lokhande has penned a note on Instagram explaining why she called Rhea Chakrabortys arrest and act of karma. She has also shared a message for her haters, claiming that Rhea was at fault behind Sushant Singh Rajputs alleged drug consumption, despite knowing about his mental condition.

She began the note saying, I again clarify, for the reason time and again being asked by the media to me on whether I feel its a murder or suicide? I have never said its a murder or anyone in particular is responsible. I always have encouraged justice for my late friend SSR and stood by the bereaved family and truth should be brought out by the investigating agencies. Being a Maharashtrian and an Indian citizen, I have total faith in the Maharashtra State Govt/Police & Central Government instrumentalities. Though when some lingos like Sautan and widow were used for me, which is in public knowledge. I never responded to it. I only came forward to narrate about SSR and his mental health till 2016.

In her message to the haters, she further wrote, Dear Haters! Let us assume you must have known in and out about your friend and whats going on in her life and relationship. Glad to see you wake up finally, but I wish you would have woken up sooner and advised your friend not to support any kind of drug abuse by SSR if any.

ALSO WATCH | Rhea arrest: Vidya Balan, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, others come out in support

Without naming Rhea Chakraborty, she said, When she very well knew about his mental state by publicly stating that he was in depression. Should she have allowed a depressed man to consume drugs? How is that going to help? His condition would deteriorate to a level that would make a man take the action that SSR has allegedly taken. She was the closest person to him at that time. On one hand, she says she was coordinating with all the doctors for his betterment of health on request of SSR, and on the other hand, she was coordinating drug logistics for him.

She went on to explain why she called the arrest of Rhea as karma and said, Would anyone, who claims to have loved someone so deeply, allow the other person to consume drugs claiming to know his mental state and condition? Would you do that? I dont think anyone would. So how can it not be seen as an act of carelessness and irresponsibility? As per her, she informed his family about his ongoing treatment but did she ever inform them about his drug consumption? I am sure she didnt because maybe she, herself, enjoyed consuming it. And this is why I feel its Karma/Fate.

Sharing a piece of advice for the trolls, she ended saying, Little advice for the unknown.You guard your friend and I am standing by the family. But let us maintain civility by not coming on to each other personally, either directly or indirectly.

Ankita is in relationship with Vicky Jain, who supported her in the comments section. He wrote, You couldnt be more pertinent. Respect. Ankita acknowledged his comment with a heart and hands folded in prayer emoji.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Shweta appalled at demolition of Kangana Ranauts office: What kind of gunda raj is this?

Sushants sister Shweta Singh Kirti picked up one of Ankitas quotes and highlighted it in the comments section. She wrote in her reaction to the post, On one hand, she says she was coordinating with all the doctors for his betterment of health on request of SSR, and on the other hand, she was coordinating drug logistics for him. Bang on. Many other TV and film celebrities including Adhyayan Suman, Nandish Sandhu and Kashmera Shah also showed support for her in comments.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Zelensky, Merkel to discuss recent developments in Donbas on Thursday  source

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will hold a conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, a source in the President's Office of Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine.

"Angela Merkel supports Ukraine's initiatives to advance towards a peaceful settlement in Donbas. They will discuss the recent developments and the decisions taken within the Trilateral Contact Group," the agency's source said.

Zelensky and Merkel will also discuss the state of implementation of the Paris Agreements of the Normandy Format's leaders.
A new Channel 5 TV series will focus on helping struggling farming families diversify and boost their businesses.

The new four-part series, given the working title 'Our Family Farm Rescue', will highlight the need for farmers to become business-minded and creative.

STV Studios, which has been commissioned by Channel 5 to make the series, said many farmers were struggling to make ends meet against the backdrop of rising overheads, changing weather patterns and Covid-19.

The series, set in four locations across the UK, will see a group of farmers given expert advice as they change their farms and set off in a new direction.

Delving deep into the roots of their family farm, each will consider what lessons can be learned from the past, whilst also looking to the future to discover new, innovative ways of sourcing an income.

Barn renovations, farm shops, accommodation pods and glamping retreats are some of the suggestions the shows contributors will consider in their bid to revolutionise their generations-old farms.

Across the four, 60-minute programmes, viewers will get to know the farmers and their families as they follow their journeys into diversification.

Production on Our Family Farm Rescue has already begun. It will be executive produced by Rosy Marshall-McCrae and the Commissioning Editor for Channel 5 is Daniel Pearl.

Craig Hunter, Creative Director of Factual at STV Studios, said the team had been encouraged by the response they've had from farmers.

"Theres certainly no end to the list of opportunities available, which should make for a very compelling series," he said.

Farmers have been diversifying for generations, but it would seem theres even more reason to transform their businesses and change direction now."

Daniel Pearl, Commissioning Editor at Channel 5, said British viewers 'loved' farming shows.

TV viewing figures show that Channel 5's other farming series - Our Yorkshire Farm - topped the ratings charts in August.

"This new series will take a look at modern day farming life focusing on the many challenges they face today.

"Farmers across the UK are transforming their businesses and we hope to help these British family farms thrive again.
3 1 of 3 Hearst Connecticut Media file Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Hearst Connecticut Media file Show More Show Less 3 of 3





WALLINGFORD  The number of employees at a North Main Street restaurant who have tested postive for COVID-19 has increased to five, according to the town health director.

Health Director Stephen Civitelli said despite the increase in the number of The Library Wine Bar and Bistro employees who have tested positive for the virus, he has no reason to believe that any diners have contracted COVID-19 as a result. The restaurant first closed on Sept. 1 and then reopened 48 hours later following a deep cleaning of the eatery  before voluntarily closing again on Sept. 4 for the extended period, according to Civitelli.
And here, I am obligated to note that Trump has forcefully denied these reports. I also note that Kelly, who could easily clear his ex-boss with a simple denial, has maintained an eloquent silence. Meantime, a number of other news organizations, including the Associated Press, the Washington Post and, incredibly, Fox, have confirmed the story, in whole or in part. More to the point, given his very public denigration of Sen. John McCain's wartime service, his attack on Gold Star father Khizr Khan, his oafish condolence call to the widow of army Sgt. La David Johnson ("He knew what he signed up for") and his willingness to use the military as a political prop, is it so hard to believe Trump said those words?
The US is set to block exports from Chinas Xinjiang region over accusations of forced labour.

The administration has prepared orders that would block two of Chinas commodity exports including cotton and tomato products, among five other imports.

Preparations made by US Customs and Border Protection follow increased international pressure over reports of the Chinese governments oppression of the Uighur people in Xinjiang.

China is believed to have detained as many as a million people, mostly Muslim ethnic minorities, in the province of Xinjiang since 2017 in re-education camps.

We have reasonable but not conclusive evidence that there is a risk of forced labour in supply chains related to cotton textiles and tomatoes coming out of Xinjiang, CBP Executive Assistant Commissioner Brenda Smith told Reuters in an interview.

We will continue to work our investigations to fill in those gaps, she added.

China has denied the claims of human rights abuses and has said that the camps are vocational training centres aimed at fighting extremism.

The prepared Withhold Release Orders allow the border agency to detain shipments based on suspicion of forced-labour involvement under long-standing laws used to fight human rights abuses.

An official announcement has not yet been made by the administration regarding the orders and a briefing planned for Tuesday was put off due to scheduling issues, an agency spokesperson said.

Blocks could cover the entire exports for cotton, from yarn to textiles and apparel, as well as tomatoes, tomato paste and other regional exports.

The move would be unprecedented and is likely to put even more strain on the relationship between the two world powers.

Additional reporting by Reuters
OTTAWAA timeline of events that led to WE Charity announcing it was shutting down its Canadian operations.

March 6, 2020: WE Charity staff prepare a concept paper on service learning for public servants at Employment and Social Development Canada.

April 5: Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talk over the phone about how to help students whose summer job and volunteer opportunities were vanishing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finance Department officials are tasked with considering options the next morning.

April 7: Small Business Minister Mary Ng and WE co-founder Craig Kielburger have an introductory phone call in which Ng asks WE to send what it calls a preestablished proposal to help young people launch businesses.

April 7 or 8: Morneaus office contacts the WE organization, among other groups, to get their input on potential programs. Morneau says the call was on April 7, while WE says it was April 8.

April 9: WE Charity sends the unsolicited proposal for a youth business program to Youth Minister Bardish Chagger, Ng, Morneau and Trudeaus office. The price tag is between $6 million and $14 million to provide digital programming and $500 grants, plus incentive funds, for 8,000 students.

April 16: ESDC officials mention WE in the context of the student program in an email discussion with Finance officials.

April 18: Morneaus officials raise the idea of partnering with a non-profit, or for-profit group to administer the program. (ESDC officials suggest the same day that WE might be an option.) Morneau said it was the first time he was involved in any talk about WE and the grant program.

April 19: Wernick contacts Craig Kielburger. WE says the call was to discuss launching a youth service program in the summer and that Wernick asks Kielburger to develop a proposal to fulfil that objective. During the call, Wernick learns of the April 9 proposal for a youth business program and Kielburger agrees to send both proposals.

April 20: Morneaus office contacts WE to ask about its ability to deliver a volunteer program. An officials record of the call notes WE Charity will rework their 10-week summer program proposal to fully meet the policy objective of national service and increase their current placements of 8,000 to double.

April 21: Morneau approves going with an outside organization to run the volunteer program, but no specific group is chosen.

WEs youth entrepreneurship program proposal is included in annex nine of a briefing package about a student aid program that goes to the Prime Ministers Office, chief of staff Katie Telford later tells the finance committee. The proposal is declined.

April 22: Trudeau announces a $9-billion package of student aid, including the outline of a volunteer program paying students up to $5,000 toward education costs, based on the number of hours they volunteer. WE sends Wernick an updated proposal to reflect the announcement. The message is forwarded to Chagger, Ng and Morneau.

April 26: Morneau speaks with WE co-founder Craig Kielburger, but told the finance committee neither of them talked about the Canada Student Service Grant program. Craig Kielburger later tells the committee he only brought up the youth business proposal, not the grant program.

April 27: Volunteer Canada, a charity that promotes volunteering and helps organizations use volunteers well, meets Chagger and raises concerns about paying students hourly rates below minimum wage and calling it volunteering.

May 4: WE sends a third proposal to ESDC, this time with more details and specific to the grant program. Finance official Michelle Kovacevic, who was working on the program, told the finance committee she received it May 7.

May 5: Chagger goes to a special COVID-19 cabinet committee with the recommendation to go with WE for the program. Neither Morneau nor Trudeau is at the meeting.

The same day, a member of the Prime Ministers Office policy team speaks with WE as part of stakeholder consultation, but then directs the organization to ESDC.

WE begins incurring eligible expenses.

May 8: Trudeau finds out that WE is being recommended to run the student-volunteer program hours before a cabinet meeting. He later tells the finance committee that he pulled the item from the agenda and sent it back to the public service for more due diligence because of how the deal could be perceived.

May 21: The public service comes back to Trudeau, he tells the finance committee. The recommendation to go with WE doesnt change.

May 22: Cabinet, including Trudeau and Morneau, approved handing the reins of the program to WE.

May 23: The public service officially begins negotiating a contribution agreement with WE, which would have paid up to $43.5 million in fees to the group.

May 25 to June 3: In a series of meetings with Volunteer Canada, WE suggests the target for placements through the program had gone from 20,000 to 100,000.

June 12: WE co-founder Marc Kielburger says in a video chat with youth leaders that he heard from Trudeaus office about getting involved in the volunteer program the day after it was announced by the prime minister. He later backtracks, saying the contact came the week of April 26 from Wernick, and not the Prime Ministers Office.

June 23: WE Charity Foundation signs a contribution agreement with the federal government. WE signatories include Scott Baker, named as president of the one-year-old foundation and executive director of WE Charity, and chief financial officer Victor Li. Chagger signs for the government.

June 25: Trudeau unveils more details about student aid. A government release notes that WE will administer the student-volunteer program.

June 26: Facing questions about WE, Trudeau says the non-partisan public service made the recommendation, and the government accepted it: As the public service dug into it, they came back with only one organization that was capable of networking and organizing and delivering this program on the scale that we needed it, and that was the WE program.

July 3: Citing the ongoing controversy, WE and the Liberals announce a parting of ways and the federal government takes control of the program. Ethics commissioner Mario Dion tells Conservative and NDP ethics critics in separate letters he will examine Trudeaus role in the awarding of the agreement because of the prime ministers close ties to the group.

July 9: WE says it has paid Trudeaus mother Margaret about $250,000 for 28 speaking appearances at WE-related events between 2016 and 2020. His brother Alexandre was been paid $32,000 for eight events, and Trudeaus wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau received $1,400 in 2012 for a single appearance. The organization says Trudeau himself has never been paid by the charity or its for-profit arm.

July 13: Trudeau apologizes for not recusing himself from discussions about WE over his familys longtime involvement with the organization. Morneau also issues an apology.

July 16: Dion says he will investigate Morneaus actions in the affair. Chagger testifies at the finance committee, saying Trudeaus office didnt direct her to go with WE.

July 21: Ian Shugart, clerk of the Privy Council, tells the Commons finance committee there is no evidence to suggest Trudeau spoke with WE before the organization was awarded the deal to run the student-volunteer program.

July 22: Morneau tells the finance committee he just repaid over $41,000 to WE for travel expenses the organization footed for the minister and his family. The Opposition Conservatives call for Morneau to resign.

Trudeaus office says he and Telford have agreed to testify before the committee with a date and time to be set.

The House of Commons ethics committee also calls on Trudeau to testify, and votes to seek copies of records for Trudeau and his familys speaking appearances dating back years. Six opposition members outvote five Liberals to have that committee start its own investigation.

July 23: Conservatives and New Democrats ask Dion to launch a new probe of Morneau over his travel expenses.

July 27: A copy of the contribution agreement with WE Charity Foundation is filed with the finance committee. It lays out the details of the program, including a provision for a maximum contribution of $543.53 million  $500 million for grants, and $43.53 million to WE.

July 28: Craig and Marc Kielburger testify over four hours of sometimes testy interactions with MPs on the finance committee. The co-founders of WE Charity say their history and experience, not ties to Liberal cabinet ministers, landed the group the deal to run the volunteer program. They add they would have never agreed to take part in the program had they known it could jeopardize the work the WE organization has done over 25 years.

They also say WE estimated the cost of the program to be between $200 million and $300 million.

July 29: The Conservatives call on the federal ethics czar to widen his probe of Trudeau to include travel expenses WE covered in addition to speaking fees for his mother, wife and brother. Dion sends letters to the Tories and NDP saying he is expanding his probe of Morneau to look into the $41,000 in WE-sponsored travel.

July 30: In a rare event, Trudeau testifies before the House of Commons finance committee and lays out when he first learned about WEs involvement in the Canada Student Service Grant program. He says WE Charity didnt receive any preferential treatment in the process. He also says it is now unlikely the grants will be rolled out.

July 31: Speaking to reporters, Trudeau says he believed there was no conflict of interest because his family would not benefit from WE running the student volunteer program.

Aug. 13: WE Charity announces that it is scaling back its operations, making dozens of layoffs in Canada and the United Kingdom, while also looking to sell some of its real estate holdings in Toronto.

The same day, WE Charity registers as a lobbyist of the federal government, disclosing 65 communications with federal officials or ministers in 19 different departments or federal institutions, dating as far back as January 2019.

Aug. 17: Morneau resigns suddenly as Canadas finance minister and as the member of Parliament for Toronto Centre following his role in the WE Charity scandal. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is named finance minister.

Aug. 18: Trudeau prorogues Parliament, disrupting the probes into WE Charity controversy.

Aug. 19: Diversity and Inclusion Minister Bardish Chaggers office had previously undisclosed conversations with WE Charity leadership dating back to March 27, newly released documents reveal.

Sept. 1: An NDP MP calls on Chagger to resign saying she misled Canadians.

Sept. 9: WE Charity announces it is closing its Canadian operations, blaming COVID-19 and the political fallout from the scandal.
The last time women seemed to have only one thing on their minds was 2011, when a certain E.L. James published a book called Fifty Shades Of Grey.

On the Tube, in bars and restaurants, on aeroplanes and at the beach, women simply couldn't stop talking about sex. Exclaiming about it, giggling about it, nodding or shaking their heads about it.

But there was another time I experienced a similar phenomenon, and I was reminded of it yesterday with the news that the renowned (some might still say infamous) sex researcher and feminist Shere Hite had died at the age of 77, after suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

It was both eye-opening and a relief to read the personal sexual revelations of the 3,000 women who responded to Shere Hite's survey about their sexual experiences. Shere Hite is pictured above

In an instant, I was catapulted back 44 years to 1976  the time her ground-breaking survey of women's sexuality, The Hite Report, was published and women all over the world could not stop confessing and comparing sexual notes.

As a 24-year-old features editor at Cosmopolitan Magazine, I was in the privileged position of getting to read all the latest publications before they hit the bookshops.

The moment The Hite Report landed on my desk, hot from the U.S., where it was already garnering controversy, a small gang of Cosmo staffers gathered round.

At 633 pages, this densely packed tome on how women felt about topics ranging from masturbation and orgasms to sexual slavery had us all volunteering to read it first.

For the rest of that day, I barely looked up from the text in front of me. It was both eye-opening and a relief to read the personal sexual revelations of the 3,000 women who responded to Shere Hite's survey about their sexual experiences.

'There was a lot of silence,' Hite (pictured above) told an interviewer in 2006 and that was when the idea for The Hite Report first began for her. Far from being anti-male, as so many of her detractors assumed, it was The Hite Report that led her to thinking about the sexual pressures on men

Eye-opening because women had never spoken so specifically and honestly before about their sex lives.

A relief, because the sexual experience of so many of these women chimed with my own.

Naturally, we snapped up serial rights for the magazine at a time when no newspaper would have been bold enough to publish such controversial material.

Because despite the advent of the Swinging Sixties, there was still a great deal of taboo surrounding the topic of women's sexuality.

The reason for my relief was this: not only wasn't I the only woman not achieving orgasms through sexual intercourse alone, according to this survey I was one of the majority.

The wisdom of Sigmund Freud, who had declared that women who didn't achieve vaginal orgasms were sexually and psychologically immature, was debunked in favour of a whole new understanding of sexuality.

Now the clitoris could take centre stage to a roar of women's approval  and the notion of feeling like a sexual failure, or being physically deformed, because penetration alone didn't do the trick, could finally be disproved.

There was much more to it than this, though. Building on the biological research of Alfred Kinsey and Masters & Johnson, much of which was lab-based and scientifically unfathomable to the average person, Hite's survey could be understood by all.

It wasn't only about the mechanics of sex, but about the emotions, too. With questions like 'Is having orgasms important to you?' 'Would you enjoy sex as much without having them?'

'How well is your partner informed about your sexual desires and your body?' And 'How important are touching and affection to you?', the report made women feel like human beings, not just bodies.

All of this was a red rag to the Christian Right in America, who pronounced her work as an attack on the family, believing her study, with its emphasis on women learning how to enjoy sex, would destroy traditional relationships between men and women.

Curiously, Shere Hite posed a conundrum for feminists, too.

For the radical feminists of the 1970s, many of whom rejected the notion that women should make themselves attractive to men through the artifice of make-up and dressing seductively, the beautiful, creamy-skinned blonde who favoured bright red lipstick caused them to question her admittance to the sisterhood.

As a student embarking on her PhD in social history at Columbia University in New York, Hite had helped finance her studies by modelling. She posed nude for Playboy magazine, which later dubbed The Hite Report 'The Hate Report', for having the temerity to point out that women, should they choose, could actually enjoy an orgasm without the presence of a man.

Hite also modelled for an advertisement to promote Olivetti typewriters. But when it was published with the strapline 'the typewriter is so smart she doesn't have to be', Hite joined a feminist protest against the advert.

This incident encouraged Hite to join the New York branch of the National Organisation of Women (founded by Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique).

When the topic of female orgasm came up for discussion at one of their meetings, the question was asked whether all women experienced them.

'There was a lot of silence,' Hite told an interviewer in 2006 and that was when the idea for The Hite Report first began for her.

Far from being anti-male, as so many of her detractors assumed, it was The Hite Report that led her to thinking about the sexual pressures on men.

Which is how she went on to compile The Hite Report on Male Sexuality, an even larger survey than her first one, this time analysing the responses to her questionnaire of more than 7,000 men.

Although also ground-breaking, encouraging men to speak openly and with feeling about their sexual preferences and practices, their fears and secrets, it never achieved quite the status of her first report, which has sold more than 48 million copies worldwide.

Hite carried out subsequent surveys on Woman And Love (1987), and The Family (1994) and wrote her autobiography in 2000.

A Hite Report produced in 2020, rather than 1976, would certainly have had to address a great many issues in addition to those already focused on back then. To fully understand female sexuality today, the business of the commodification of sex and the demands on women to appear constantly sexy on social media could not be ignored

Over time, the attacks on Shere Hite in the U.S. became more personal and more frightening.

In the days before online trolling existed, she received numerous death threats in the post and on the phone  attacks which 12 prominent fellow feminists of the time, including Gloria Steinem described as a 'conservative backlash . . . not so much directed at a single woman . . . as . . . against the rights of women everywhere'.

Hite moved to Germany and, in 1985, married the German pianist Friedrich Horicke, who was 19 years her junior. She took German citizenship in 1995 but the couple divorced in 1999.

It was in Europe, rather than the U.S., where she felt her work was most warmly received. She subsequently remarried and settled in North London with her second husband, Paul Sullivan.

By making women feel more comfortably able to express their feelings about sex and their sexual experience, Shere Hite paved the way for an openness and rejoicing in female sexuality to which young women today owe a great debt  even if they are unaware of her ground-breaking work.

A Hite Report produced in 2020, rather than 1976, would certainly have had to address a great many issues in addition to those already focused on back then.

To fully understand female sexuality today, the business of the commodification of sex and the demands on women to appear constantly sexy on social media could not be ignored.

Neither could the topic of gender fluidity. And the pressure on young women to see pornography as part of the mainstream would be a crucial subject for discussion.

Whether sex today is both fun and fulfilling, as Shere Hite wanted it to be, or whether in a world of instant hook-ups sex is rather less sexy than it seems, would also need to be debated.

I would contend that a new report on women's sexuality is somewhat overdue. It is our loss that Shere Hite is no longer here to make that happen.
A special court in Mumbai will on Friday pass its order on bail pleas filed by actress Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik, arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in connection with the drugs-related case pertaining to the death of filmstar Sushant Singh Rajput.

IMAGE: Narcotics Control Bureau officers take Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty to Byculla women jail in Mumbai. Photograph: Shashank Parade/PTI Photo

The NCB on Thursday strongly opposed the bail pleas and said although the quantity of banned drugs seized in the case was small, it was still of commercial quantity and worth Rs 1,85,200.

Special Judge G B Gurao, presiding over cases under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, also heard pleas filed by four other arrested accused in the case.

The court said it will pass its order on the bail pleas on Friday.

Special public prosecutor Atul Sarpande said the NCB opposed the pleas of all the accused persons.

Rhea Chakraborty and Showik Chakraborty financed and arranged drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput and at his instructions, the NCB said in its affidavit filed in response to their bail pleas.

It added that as per a statement given by co-accused Dipesh Sawant, he used to procure drugs from other accused in the case on the instruction of Rajput and his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty.

The financial transactions were handled by Rhea and sometimes Rajput. Dipesh Sawant used to procure drugs along with co-accused Samuel Miranda (former house manager of late actor) for Sushant Singh Rajput's consumption, the affidavit said.

The NCB said when summoned for questioning, Rhea Chakraborty (28) gave a statement "accepting" her role in procuring drugs.

Rhea Chakraborty in her bail plea has, however, said she was "coerced" into making incriminating confessions.

In her plea filed through advocate Satish Maneshinde, Rhea Chakraborty said, During the three-day period when she appeared before the NCB, the applicant (Rhea) was coerced into making incriminating confessions.

The plea said the applicant was formally retracting all such incriminating statements being relied upon by the NCB.

The prosecution, however, claimed that Rhea Chakraborty has revealed her involvement in procuring drugs and financial transactions thereof.

It is clear from all the accused persons statements that Rhea Chakraborty and Showik Chakraborty are active members of a drug syndicate, the affidavit said.

The NCB further said that if the accused are released on bail they may tamper with evidence and try to intimidate key witnesses in the case.

All the accused persons are presently in jail under judicial custody.

The NCB began its investigation after the Enforcement Directorate, which was probing money laundering charges, shared social media chats retrieved from Rhea Chakrabortys mobile phone hinting at use of banned drugs.

Rajput was found hanging in his residence in suburban Bandra on June 14.

The CBI is separately probing a case against Rhea Chakraborty and others for allegedly abetting the 34-year-old actor's suicide.
The first urologist in the Mid-Atlantic region to perform the procedure, Dr. Levin was designated a Rezum Center of Excellence in January 2020, the first in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region to achieve this recognition. He has now performed more Rezum cases than nearly any physician on the East Coast, and in the country. Dr. Levin was instrumental in bringing this technology to market, playing a leading role in the evaluation of the treatment as part of the Rezum II clinical study. The FDA approved the Rezum System as a treatment for BPH in September 2015.

About The Rezum System

The Rezum System is based on the Convective Water Vapor Energy (WAVE) technology platform to treat a variety of endourological conditions beginning with BPH. Rezum is a safe and effective office-based treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to create sterile water vapor, or steam, to convectively deliver targeted, precise thermal energy treatments in a simple procedure with minimal discomfort and provides improvements in urine flow and quality of life. The thermal energy in water vapor reduces and removes obstructive tissue surrounding the prostate.

The minimally invasive Rezum procedure provides men with another treatment alternative that minimizes certain unwanted side effects sometimes experienced with medications or other more invasive procedures including erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

More information about The Rezum System - https://www.chesapeakeurology.com/specialties/bph-enlarged-prostate/minimally-invasive-treatments-for-bph/the-rezum-system/

Research Into Applications of Water Vapor Therapy Moves Forward

In addition to utilizing the Rezum System in practice for the treatment of BPH, Dr. Levin is now participating in a new clinical study evaluating water vapor therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer. In July 2020, Dr. Levin enrolled the first patient in Francis Medical, Inc.'s VAPOR 1 clinical study. VAPOR 1 is an early feasibility study assessing the safety and efficacy of Francis Medical's minimally invasive water vapor ablation therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer.

"I am honored to have been chosen to participate in the VAPOR 1 trial for evaluating the use of water vapor to ablate cancerous prostate tissue. The use of water vapor ablation therapy has already been proven to be very efficacious with minimal side effects in treating BPH," said Dr. Levin.

Dr. Richard Levin is available for interviews to discuss the advantages of The Rezum System as a minimally invasive treatment alternative for men living with BPH/enlarged prostate. To schedule an interview please contact:

Patricia Schnably, Sr. Vice President, Marketing & Communications

United Urology Group

25 Crossroads Drive, Suite 306, Owings Mills, MD 21117

443-738-8107  [email protected]

About Chesapeake Urology

Chesapeake Urology, an affiliate of United Urology Group, is a fully-integrated urology practice providing a comprehensive array of urologic services to its patients. The Company operates 24 medical offices and 17 AAAHC-certified ambulatory surgery centers in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Carroll, Montgomery, Prince George's, Wicomico, Worchester counties in Maryland, Baltimore City, and Sussex County, Delaware, and has a staff of more than 900 including 90 physicians, 84 who are urologists. Chesapeake Urology has been named one of the top places to work in healthcare nationally by Modern Healthcare magazine and Becker's ASC Review, and locally by the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore magazine and the Baltimore Business Journal. For additional information, please visit ChesapeakeUrology.com.

About United Urology Group

United Urology Group is a national management services organization whose member groups of urology practices include: Arizona Urology Specialists with locations across the greater Phoenix area; Chesapeake Urology, with offices located throughout Maryland and Delaware; Tennessee Urology, based in Knoxville, TN; and Colorado Urology, located in the greater Denver, Boulder and Front Range areas. United Urology Group members' collective staff today number more than 1,400 employees, including 150 physicians. United Urology's vision is to support the creation of a national network of urology affiliates, which will enable urologists to better meet the needs of their patients and provide the highest level of urological care.

SOURCE Chesapeake Urology
Kangana Ranaut reached her Pali Hill bungalow on Thursday evening to take note of the demolition that was carried out by BMC officers while she was en route Mumbai from Manali.

Kanagana visited the site and was clicked amid the rubble that was left in the wake of destruction carried out on Wednesday. She was snapped with her sister Rangoli Chandel, who reached the spot sometime earlier in the day. Take a look at some pictures from the site as Kangana takes stock of what has been destroyed in the demolition drive carried out by BMC at her office-cum-bungalow in Bandra.

Maharashtra: Actor Kangana Ranaut arrives at her office in Mumbai, where demolition work was carried out by BMC, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/cvOMuI8wXa ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2020

Shortly after BMC started the demolition on Wednesday at Kanganas office, Bombay High Court stayed the operation. The court also asked BMC to file a reply to her petition in the matter. Kangana, through her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui, had moved the High Court against the demolition of what the BMC had termed as illegal alterations" at her office.

In a recent development, a police complaint has also been registered against Kangana for defaming Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. A Bombay High Court lawyer has filed the complaint on the basis of a FB post issued by Kangana, in which she links Shiv Senas state government with movie mafia.

Read: Police Complaint Filed Against Kangana Ranaut for Defaming Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray in FB Post
Samsung and HK Hynix have reportedly requested approval from the US to continue supplying semiconductor chips to Huawei. The two South Korean chipmakers join MediaTek and Qualcomm in making such requests, Korean publication ET News reports.

All these chip companies have been affected by the US governments tightening trade restrictions on Huawei. In the latest development, the US Department of Commerce last month announced a new set of rules that threaten the survival of the Chinese companys smartphone business.

The new rules prevent Huawei access to any US-based technology, product, or components. The company cannot even obtain components from a non-American firm that uses US-origin software or technology. Essentially, these restrictions prevent it from obtaining semiconductor chips from any global company.

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Chipmakers can still apply for a special license thatd allow them to continue trades with Huawei for a limited time. However, theres little chance of the requests receiving approval.

The new rules come into effect on September 15th. Thats when Samsung, HK Hynix, and others will have to cease trades with Huawei if their requests arent approved. The two companies have already announced those measures.

Many multinational semiconductor manufacturers including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix made requests for approval from the US Department of Commerce, said a high-ranking official from the government. Regardless of whether these requests get approved or not, they took necessary measures before the US Government imposes its sanction on September 15.

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Samsung and LGs display manufacturing arms will also stop selling OLED panels to the Chinese company from next week. Huawei primarily sources display panels from domestic suppliers BOE and CSOT, so those measures wont affect the company much. However, with it being unable to receive DRAM chips and NAND flash chips from Samsung and HK Hynix, its smartphone business is facing a life-threatening situation.

Its a win-lose situation for Samsung

If theres a company that could benefit from the current situation of Samsung being unable to supply semiconductor chips and display panels to Huawei, then its Samsung. The two companies compete directly in several industries, including smartphones and telecommunications.

Samsungs network business is already flourishing because of the US sanctions on Huawei. It recently bagged a whopping $6.6 billion equipment contract from Verizon. On the other hand, all major countries are shutting the doors on Huawei.

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Now, troubles for the Chinese companys smartphone business is also a blessing in disguise for Samsung. Its semiconductor and display manufacturing arms may lose some business, but they could look to increase sales to other customers such as Apple, Oppo, and Vivo.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Federal regulators said Thursday they have cited Smithfield Foods for failing to protect employees from exposure to the coronavirus at the companys Sioux Falls plant, an early hot spot for virus infections that hobbled American meatpacking plants.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that employees were working closely together and exposed to the coronavirus. It also found that leading up to the first known infections at the plant on March 23, Smithfield did not do enough to space them out or provide other safety measures like face coverings or physical barriers.

The citation included the latest assessment of the virus impact at the Sioux Falls plant, with four workers killed by COVID-19, at least 1,294 infected and 43 hospitalized. Only two deaths among employees had been previously known.

Smithfield Foods, which is based in Virginia, said it planned to contest the citation and $13,494 fine. Keira Lombardo, a spokeswoman for the company, called the citation wholly without merit in a statement and argued the company had taken extraordinary measures to protect employees from infections.

OSHA conducted an investigation that spanned months as it conducted 60 interviews and reviewed over 20,000 pages of documents, according to Lombardo. She blamed coronavirus infections in Sioux Falls for causing the outbreak at the plant

Employees at the plant have said Smithfield did not do enoug h to prevent inspections in the plant, where workers laboured elbow-to-elbow as they processed nearly 5% of the countrys pork. The union at the plant, the United Food and Commercial Workers, has said that it had been attempting to negotiate for more coronavirus protections leading up to the outbreak. After cases kept accumulating, Smithfield shuttered its plan t for nearly three weeks.

But large outbreaks at meatpacking plants across the nation soon followed. The United Food and Commercial Workers, the largest union representing meatpacking employees, has counted 122 meatpacking worker deaths.

Marc Perrone, the president of United Food and Commercial Workers, argued the fine did not go far enough to punish a company that makes billions of dollars in a year.

This so-called fine is a slap on the wrist for Smithfield, and a slap in the face of the thousands of American meatpacking workers who have been putting their lives on the line to help feed America since the beginning of this pandemic, he said.

Meatpacking companies have aggressively defended their role in providing the nations food supply, warning that if plants closed because of the pandemic, grocery stores shelves would see shortages of meat. After President Donald Trump signed an executive order in Apri l deeming meatpacking plants as critical infrastructure, they mostly stayed open.

The countrys slaughterhouses rebounded, and commercial red meat and pork production for this year has even exceeded last year, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

OSHA began investigating Smithfields Sioux Falls plant on April 20, shortly after a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toured the facility to offer recommendations on how meatpacking plants could operate during the pandemic.

Smithfield CEO Kenneth Sullivan has defended how the company handled the virus outbreak, sending a blistering, 14-page letter to Senate Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker after they inquired into how meatpackers have protected workers. Hundreds of employees signed on to Sullivans response. The company has asked its employees to sign onto a statement saying it took aggressive measures to protect their health.

BJ Motley, the president of the union for Smithfield workers in Sioux Falls, said Smithfield has implemented most of the measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent infections at meatpacking plants. But he said workers still gather closely together in the plant.

But with a rising demand for meat and a shortage of employees after the outbreak, Motley said, They are pressing their workers a lot harder now.
Three members of the Tennessee Air National Guard are dead after the small plane they were in crashed not far from an airport, officials said.

The plane, a four-seat Piper PA-28 civilian aircraft, crashed in McMinnville, Tenn., near Warren County Memorial Airport around 11:40 a.m. on Tuesday, shortly after takeoff, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The Federal Aviation Administration said no one else was on board.

The agency added that a witness reported that the plane appeared to be returning to the airport, about 70 miles southeast of Nashville, when the crash occurred. The N.T.S.B. and F.A.A. are investigating.

The victims, identified by the Tennessee Air National Guard as Lt. Col. Shelli Huether, 45; Capt. Jessica Wright, 38; and Senior Master Sgt. Scott Bumpus, 53, were all members of the 118th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group.
It's been one year since intrepid sailor Bill Norrie set off from Vancouver Island for a year-long solo voyage.

The Calgarian departed in September 2019, setting a course to sail from Port Renfew to the Southern Ocean.

Despite battling severe storms and multiple equipment failures, Norrie managed to conquer perhaps his biggest challenge, sailing Cape Horn  what some call the "Everest of Sailing," at the southern end of South America.

"It was a dream come true, it was spectacular," Norrie said on The Homestretch.

"There's no one best day, there's so much time for just high quality sailing."

Last Week, Norrie's 28-foot Bristol Channel Cutter yacht, nicknamed Pixie, carried him back to Canada and his new home base, Victoria, B.C.

"[It feels] about as good as it gets. Very, very happy," said Norrie.

Norrie says his trip was fraught with challenges, right up until the end.

Cathy Norrie

Due to limp winds, his sailboat Pixie remained stranded just outside the Strait of Juan de Fuca  and had no power so he had to way communicate its location.

The strait is an international transit zone where large freighters can make it a dangerous place for a little boat like Pixie.

Eventually, the wind picked up with gusto and made the last league of Norrie's long sail no less exciting.

"It never tapered down. These last two weeks have been hair-raising and wild right to the very last. I'm just so glad to finally be on land."

Circumnavigating the world was not Norrie's only claim to fame. He managed to be one of the most isolated people in the world during the pandemic, having left for his voyage last September before COVID-19 rose to prominence.

When he landed last week, Norrie got the OK from customs not to isolate, given he had left New Zealand 90 days before arriving in Victoria.

"I'm considered clean at this point, thank you very much," he said.

Cathy Norrie

A year in reflection

Norrie, who is a doctor, estimates he dropped 50 pounds on the trip.

Story continues

"I've lost a lot of fat, and at my age, that's a good thing. It feels good to walk around so lean like this," he jokes.

All that time on the water also gave Norrie the opportunity to consider his humanity. Though no stranger to long voyages, (he and his wife Cathy spent five years voyaging to 22 countries) this time he was unmistakably alone.

"I learned that it's all good, every day is a blessing." - Bill Norrie

"For weeks on end, I realized one wave could have my name on it, this could be my last day. So I better fill this day with good thoughts and I appreciate life," he said.

"I learned that it's all good, every day is a blessing."

Always looking ahead, his next goal is getting to know his new home in Victoria, after his wife moved there from Calgary while he was at sea. He's also looking at getting an arts degree. Oh, and spending quality time with their great Dane, Daisy.

And he's not done sailing, either. He will just keep it a little closer to home now. Norrie wants to learn the ropes of competitive racing in his new locale.

"I'm going to race hard all winter in somebody else's boat as a lackey  learn the ropes, so to speak," said Norrie. "And then maybe we'll get another sailboat and compete locally on the weekends in the winter."
The spokesperson on health for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC's) manifesto committee, Sylvester Mensah says the party intends to fund the primary health care initiative with a percentage of the country's oil revenue should it win the 2020 polls.

Former President and flagbearer of NDC, John Dramani Mahama promised that the next NDC government will implement free primary health care for all Ghanaians under a special arrangement to be managed by the National Health Insurance Authority.

The NDC described this plan as the fulcrum around which its Health Policy will revolve should it win power.

It expects to have the policy up and running before the end of 2021 to cover persons who seek healthcare services nationwide.

The NDC's Deputy Campaign Manager, Alex Segbefia, on August 1, 2020, revealed that the initiative will cost $18 million.

A group called the Concerned Citizens Association Ghana subsequently raised doubts about the feasibility of the policy.

In a statement, the group said the NDC is likely to reintroduce cash and carry at secondary and tertiary levels with its promise to provide free healthcare to Ghanaians with or without NHIS ID cards.

How is he (John Mahama) going to handle referrals of those without NHIS ID cards? How is the NHIS going to provide continuity of the Healthcare of such patients without NHIS ID cards at the secondary and tertiary levels of care?

But Sylvester Mensah explained on Citi FMs Voters Diary that the initiative will be made possible with funding from oil revenue, among other sources.

We are looking at completely eliminating the practice of capping and realignment of statutory funds, so that every single amount collected from NHIA levy is retained. We are also talking about excluding the NHIA levy from VAT exemptions. Again, on the issue of oil revenue, we are saying that under the next NDC government, we are going to ensure that some portion of oil revenue is assigned to the NHIA.

 What we want you to appreciate is that there is no better way of using the oil revenue than to use it on the health of the people. You either have a life or you dont. We want to place a premium on health, he added.

---citinewsroom
The Gold Coast's top cop has delivered an emotional message to the family of a property agent killed by a shark, saying he "was with friends ... who were desperately trying to save him" in his final moments on Greenmount Beach.

Nick Slater, 46, was fatally mauled by a shark about 5pm on Tuesday while surfing at Greenmount Beach in Coolangatta. He leaves behind a teenage son.

Gold Coast District Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said it was "an absolutely tragic situation" but police believed they knew the species of shark that killed him.

"There are no words, really, that can convey our condolences well enough. What I will say to the family is that in Nicks final moments he was with friends, friends who were desperately trying to save him and unfortunately that could not occur," he said.
illustration photo (source: mcmilk.com.vn)

However, challenges are also exerting pressures on the industry. In the first half of 2020, Vietnams dairy enterprises have witnessed many remarkable transformations. Vinamilk  the countrys largest milk provider  now holds 75.3 per cent stake in GTNFood JSC, which controls iconic brand Moc Chau Milk with its 25,000 cows.

Despite the prolonged health crisis, the milk giant reported a stellar performance. Its consolidated second-quarter net revenue reached VND15.5 trillion ($674 million), up 6.1 per cent on-year.

The company has gained an upper hand compared to other rivals thanks to its diverse markets, from a $20 million contract to the Middle East, condensed milk to China, and soy-based nut drink and milk tea products to South Korea. Revenues of its Cambodian subsidiary, Angkor Milk, recorded a growth of over 20 per cent thanks to high demand in this market.

Vinamilks active role on GTN-Foods Mangement Board has boosted the latters management and operational efficiency, which ultimately contributes to Vinamilks advantages.

Moc Chau Milk is one of the most famous dairy brands in the north and central regions of Vietnam, ranking second behind Vinamilk. The current capacity of Moc Chau is 25 liters per cow per day, noted analysts at MB Securities. The factory is currently at 90 per cent of capacity, and is slated to be improved to increase capacity.

Specifically, Moc Chaus gross profit margin improved from 17.7 per cent in the second half of 2019 to 28.9 per cent in the first half of 2020. This result comes from the improvement in the profit margin of the fresh milk segment from 21 per cent in 2019 to 32 per cent in this years first half.

Besides that, Vinamilk is mulling over finding partners to set up joint ventures and distribute products in the Philippines, along with increasing its investment in a Laotian subsidiary to $66.4 million.

In July, Howard Holding PTE, which is backed by VinaCapital, sold 28 per cent stake in International Dairy Products JSC (IDP)  one of Vietnams home-grown dairy products companies  from VinaCapital - to decrease its ownership to 26 per cent.

Meanwhile, Blue Point and Viet Capital Securities (VCSC) completed purchase of nearly 90 per cent of IDP without public bid last month.

Other local dairy brands are also swinging into action to grab a slice of the lucrative segment. For instance, Vitadairy and Nutifood have just launched a new fresh milk line with international quality commitments.

Despite the fact that Vitadairy is not advertised widely on mass media, the company is known as a big player in the field with a passionate and dedicated team rich in experience of nutrition and health.

Last year, Vitadairy inaugurated its second factory in My Phuoc Industrial Zone in the southern province of Binh Duong with the investment of $6 million and annual capacity of up to 5,000 tonnes.

The 15-year-old brand presents a number of well-tailored products, often seen in hospitals. Calcium-fortified nutritional brands target the elderly range in the form of CaloSure, Calosure Gold, Nepro 1, Nepro 2, Gluvita, Gluvita Gold, as well as milk-based supplements like Goatlac and Goatamil BA.

Notably, Vitadairy is the sole partner of the Ministry of Health for the national immunisation programme.

Two years after taking over from Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Nutifood recently introduced NutiMilk Cow Farm, declaring it a high-quality and fresh milk source. With a wide area of over 1,000 hectares, NutiMilk dairy farm located in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai province homes 7,000 cows and calves.

Partnership with foreigners and certification from the US Food and Drug Administration will go a long way towards providing competitive advantages for Nutifood. The companys representatives recently revealed Nutifoods ambition of not only dominating the domestic market, but also embarking on its journey to the EU.

Once the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) sees tariffs begin to fall, there will be huge chances for Vietnamese exporters to grow their market share. Three years after the EVFTAs enforcement, tariffs on dairy items from EU players will fall 5-20 per cent. But some believe foreign groups pale in comparison with local providers in this race.

Tax incentives for milk import from the EU will have negligible competitive pressure on domestic milk as higher logistics cost and limits on distribution network will offset tax incentives from the EVFTA, said Toan Dao, analyst at KIS Securities.

Exports will be more vital to promote growth, especially to China  the second-largest market after the United States.

Tong Xuan Chinh, deputy head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments Department of Livestock Production, expressed his optimism in the vast potential of Vietnams dairy industry, since China has granted export permits to some Vietnamese companies including Vinamilk, TH True Milk, Moc Chau Milk, NutiFood, and Hanoimilk.

Data from Nielsen reveals the domestic demand for dairy products is not heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, with only a 4 per cent reduction in value compared to 7.3 per cent drop in fast-moving consumer goods consumption growth.
New York City will delay laying off as many as 22,000 municipal workers to give labor unions more time to work on increasing the citys long-term borrowing capacity. Previously, agencies were set to receive further details regarding the layoffs on Oct. 1, but now the mayor is evaluating the situation every single day as his administration hopes to encourage labor unions to develop cost-saving plans and garner more support from state lawmakers.

New York City expects to see a budget deficit in excess of $9 billion over the next two years because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Mayor de Blasios calls for help were receiving little support from state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. In June, de Blasio suggested that the city may have to furlough or lay off 7 percent of city workers

Its a massive, painful number , de Blasio said. It resembles the kind of things we had to do decades ago. But the job here is to try and avert if we can.

And now it seems like they can. De Blasio has also lowered his borrowing request to $5 billion , dropping his previous appeal by $2 billion, and several agencies, such as the Municipal Labor Committee and the New York Conference of Mayors, seem to have given their support to the cause.

But some are not so sure of the de Blasio administrations ability to properly get the financial support the city needs. Last month, Greg Floyd, president of a union within the Municipal Labor Committee, was worried that the labor unions are being forced into a situation that may still result in furloughs.

The Municipal Labor Committee is only going along with it because hes threatening layoffs , he said. Floyd explained that the State Financial Control Board could still take over the citys finances and alter the current labor union contracts. The Control Board was created 45 years ago and can legally acquire control of the citys finances in extreme circumstances; increasing the long-term borrowing capacity could cause the board to take charge.

Floyd, and other union representatives, would like to see de Blasio seek other alternatives before jumping to increased borrowing.

One union source said , The mayor asking the state for borrowing power as a first resort is like a family going to a loan shark first instead of cutting their Peloton subscription.

The New York City Councils Committee on Finance is set to vote on the long-term borrowing capabilities on Sept. 10
The 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-53) took place online in Hanoi on September 9.

At the event (Photo: VNA)

This is the first of the series of the annual AMM and between ASEAN and partners, one of the key events in the ASEAN Year 2020.

During the event, ASEAN foreign ministers said ASEAN has been continuously and actively strengthening cooperation, maintaining the community building momentum as well as effectively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid developments and increasing uncertainty in the world situation, including the ravaging pandemic, the risk of economic recession and increased competition among major countries, ASEAN has reaffirmed its strong commitment to maintaining the region of peace, stability, security and neutrality, in which international law is highly respected.

They agreed to continue efforts to implement the initiatives and priorities for the year, promote cooperation in response to the pandemic, and prepare a comprehensive post-pandemic recovery plan.

The FMs adopted the five-year Work Plan (2021-2025) of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the AICHR Priority Programme in 2021.

Regarding external relations, they recommended conducting the ASEAN - Australia Summit annually, granting the development partnership status to Italy and France, while continuing to consider proposals on becoming ASEAN's full dialogue partners of countries. They also approved measures to improve the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) working methods.

Discussing regional and international issues of common concern, the FMs reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea.

They agreed that ASEAN should persistently hold onto its principled position, emphasising self-restraints, peaceful settlement of all disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

Participants also reiterated the importance of fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), striving to build an effective, substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

They agreed that ASEAN needs to continue its efforts to jointly deal with non-traditional security challenges such as terrorism, transnational crime, maritime security and safety, climate change, and epidemics.

ASEAN countries welcomed Vietnam, as the Chair of ASEAN 2020, for proactively putting forth initiatives, maintaining and promoting the coordination in COVID-19 prevention and control as well as building the ASEAN Community and strengthening the blocs centrality.

For his part, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh suggested ASEAN exert more efforts and strengthen cooperation to overcome difficulties and challenges, maintain the community building, and fully implement priorities and initiatives.

The official asked ASEAN to conduct an overall assessment of foreign relations, build and amend the criteria to consider the admission of a new dialogue partner.

Amid regional and global changes and instability, Minh suggested ASEAN strengthen solidarity and cooperation in views and actions on the basis of agreed principles, including those specified in the Declaration on the Importance of Maintaining Peace and Stability in Southeast Asia on August 8, 2020.

He expressed his concern over complicated developments and serious incidents in the East Sea which run contrary to international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, violate legitimate rights and interests of littoral nations, worsen tensions and cause harms to peace and security in the East Sea.

Minh called on ASEAN to maintain solidarity and principled stance, stressing the bloc needs to continue promoting compliance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS.

Later the same day, he chaired a series of related meetings via video, including the Meeting of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Commission, the 27th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Conference, and the Special Session of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting on Sub-regional Development./.

Meeting of Commission for SEANWFZ Treaty held

The meeting of the Commission for the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) was held online on September 9 following the opening ceremony and plenary session of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Hanoi.

Chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, the event reviewed the implementation of the SEANWFZ and discussed ways to further promote the issue in the near future.

Reviewing the implementation of the Action Plan to enhance the treaty during the 2018-2022 period, the meeting took note of activities conducted by specialised agencies in the fields of ensuring nuclear security and safety, use of atomic energy for peaceful purpose, and improvement of capacity to deal with radiation incidents and disaster.

Participants spoke highly of enhanced cooperation between ASEAN and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and suggested ASEAN Secretariat actively work with IAEA to effectively realise cooperation agreement signed in September 2019.

Reiterating commitment to maintain the Southeast Asia free from nuclear and other mass destruction weapons, ASEAN and SEANWFZ member states agreed to continue discussing and tackling barriers so that countries with nuclear weapons could soon sign Protocol of the Treaty.

The meeting reached consensus on measures to uphold the SEANWFZs contributions to global efforts to non-proliferation and disarmament of nuclear weapons and other mass destruction weapons, including popularising the SEANWFZ at the UNs meetings and forums.

ASEAN 2020: Vietnam lauded for leading ASEAN Community through challenges

Foreign delegates lauded Vietnam for her efforts in leading the ASEAN Community through challenges, while attending the 27th ASEAN Coordinating Council as part of the online 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-53) and related meetings that opened on September 9.

The video conference was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

It was joined by ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, ASEAN foreign ministers, ASEAN senior officials of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), among others.

Vietnam has made tremendous efforts in maintaining cooperation and implementing fully, effectively and substantially the ASEAN Year 2020 initiatives, the session heard, stressing those efforts have proved successful.

Participants heard a report of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies (ACCWG-PHE) on ASEAN response to the COVID-19 outbreak, which was delivered by Nguyen Quoc Dung, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, ASEAN SOM head, and Secretary General of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee.

They praised the ACCWG-PHE Groups role in coordinating the COVID-19 response, saying they have contributed to the joint efforts in the COVID-19 fight and overall post-pandemic recovery.

Participants reviewed the reports and proposals made by the group. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh urged the group to actively implement the initiatives and agreements, thus submitting reports to the 37 ASEAN Summit slated for November this year.

AMM 53 is one of the highlights of Vietnams ASEAN Chairmanship this year. The event consists of 20 meetings via video conference, joined by 27 delegations from four continents of different time zones. They include the 21st ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers Meeting, the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting, and the 27th ASEAN Regional Forum.

ASEAN 2020: sub-regional development on table on AMM-53 first working day

Sub-regional development was among the key topics of discussion during the first working day of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-53) and related meetings on September 9.

The special session of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting on Sub-Regional Development was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. This is the first time the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) has held a separate session on the issue.

Addressing the event, President of the Asian Development Bank Masatsugu Asakawa spoke highly of Vietnams initiative on the inclusion of the sub-regional development into the overall development of ASEAN, saying it contributes to the regional efforts for post-COVID-19 recovery.

For his part, President of Economic Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Hidetoshi Nishimura said ASEAN has promoted its central role in connecting and developing sub-regions in the region, such as the Mekong region, the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT).

The Mekong region can be a role model for sub-regional development in ASEAN during the cooperation process for sustainable development and prosperity of the region, he said.

Participants shared ideas on the challenges facing the ASEAN sub-regions, such as development gaps, hunger, food security  water source  energy, environmental pollution, and climate change.

They suggested ASEAN nations focus on different aspects of each sub-region such as boosting regional linkage, human resources development, public-private partnership (PPP), reshaping regional supply chain, and taking advantages of science and technology and digital economic development.

Minh underlined the significance and role of sub-regional cooperation in the region. Through unity, cooperation and the spirit that no one is left behind, ASEAN has been successful. It is now the time for ASEAN to uphold its role, coordinate and support the sub-regional development in the region, he said.

Also on the first working day, participants discussed other ASEAN and international and regional issues of mutual interest, including COVID-19 response and post-pandemic recovery plan.

AMM 53 is one of the highlights of Vietnams ASEAN Chairmanship this year. The event consists of 20 meetings via video conference, joined by 27 delegations from four continents of different time zones. They include the 21st ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers Meeting, the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting, and the 27th ASEAN Regional Forum./.VNA
The number of empty rental apartments in Manhattan has trebled in 12 months as New Yorkers look to flee the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in violent crime.

More than 15,000 rental properties are now on the market, the highest figure on record and a huge jump compared to last August's figure of 5,600.

Prices are down by four per cent since last year after a slump in demand, according to a report by Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel - while realtors in the Hudson Valley have enjoyed a boom in business from New Yorkers desperate to avoid the 'cabin fever' of another lockdown.

Studio apartments in Manhattan have seen a particularly stark collapse, with new leases down by 27 per cent after solo renters were left stuck in cramped apartments at the height of the pandemic.

This chart shows how the number of empty apartments in Manhattan has surged over the last 12 months in a record spike compared to the previous 12 years of data

The median rental price in Manhattan (black line) has fallen sharply during 2020 while there was also a notable decline in the number of new leases earlier in the year (grey bars). The data is from a report by Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel

Manhattan landlords saw just under 5,000 new leases last month, compared to more than 6,500 in August 2019 - a drop of 24 per cent.

The vacancy rate, at 5.1 per cent, has reached a new high for the fourth month running after rising from only 2.0 per cent in the same month last year.

Housing analyst Jonathan Miller said that 'the vacancy rate was unusually high, and the trajectory was steep'.

Brooklyn has also seen a surge in empty apartments, with 3,900 of them currently on the market compared to 1,700 a year ago.

In Northwest Queens, the number has increased from 360 to 642 over the same period while average prices are also down.

Studio apartments have become less attractive in all those parts of the city, with 1,089 of them leased in Manhattan last month compared to 1,496 a year ago.

There was also a large drop in demand for one-bedroom apartments in the borough, with 1,996 leased in August 2020 compared to 2,491 in August 2019.

By contrast, real estate brokers have reported a boom in home sales and rentals in picturesque towns and wooded hills in upstate New York.

A man loads belongings into a removal van in Manhattan last week amid a surge in demand for more spacious homes outside the city

Steven Domber, a Hudson Valley real estate agent, said in June that sales were up by a third in rural stretches of the valley beyond the city's northern suburbs.

'There has been a big uptick from Manhattan people, no doubt about that,' said Domber.

'Number one, it's cabin fever, which is wanting to get out of an apartment and having some land if, God forbid, there's a lockdown again.'

New York City was hit devastatingly hard by the first wave of the pandemic, with 19,098 deaths in total since March - more than many countries.

Moving out of the crowded city has also become more realistic because working from home is now seen as normal.

House hunters say that buses, subways and movie theaters are likely to remain under restrictions for some time, making city life less attractive.

In addition, New York has seen a dramatic 166 per cent rise in shootings over the last 12 months along with a 34 per cent jump in murders - while the city prepares to cut police budgets under pressure from protesters.

Burglaries are also up by 42 per cent compared to last year, while the number of shootings has risen in every borough except Staten Island.

A moving van in the Greenwich Village neighborhood last month, with home hunters keen to avoid the 'cabin fever' of another lockdown

Acknowledging a trend of 'surging violence', the NYPD says it has made more gun arrests and shifted officers to areas that are seeing more shootings.

However, the pandemic has left the city with a $9billion black hole in its budget and Bill de Blasio agreed $1billion of cuts in NYPD funding in June.

Thousands of protesters camped outside City Hall to demand cuts to police funding at the height of the race protests following the death of George Floyd.

The crisis has led to fears of New York City being plunged back into the 1970s and 1980s when it was notorious for crime and racial tension.

A poll published last week found that 42 per cent of New Yorkers say the city is on the wrong track, compared to 46 per cent who think it is on the right track.

Poorer people were most likely to be worried, with 47 per cent of people with an income below $30,000 saying the city was on the wrong track.

By contrast, only 39 per cent of those with incomes above $125,000 were similarly worried, with 54 per cent saying the city was headed in the right direction.

Some 41 per cent said race relations in the city were poor or very poor while only 19 per cent called them good or very good, according to the Manhattan Institute survey.
HYDERABAD: On the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday last week, a wooden chariot belonging to Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Antarvedi town in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh was burned to ashes.

It was initially thought to be an accidental' fire but this chariot fire - the reason of which is still not know - has put the ruling YSRCP government in a tight spot since that day. The issue took a serious religious and fiery political turn since that day.

``We are demanding CBI investigation not only in this case but also in 20 other cases since the YSRCP government took over continuous attacks on religious places and also on priests,'' thundered Chandrababu Naidu, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and opposition leader.

This is not an isolated incident but ever since YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took over as Chief Minister, there have been a series of disturbing incidents that are communally sensitive followed by controversial allegations.

However, the YSR Congress Party says there is a concerted effort to bring disrepute to the state government.

We will crack this particular case within the next few days. We will get to know whether it was done deliberately by someone or was an accident. Our government is very sensitive when it comes to feelings of everyone no matter which religion they follow,'' informs Vellampally Srinivas, endowments minister, Andhra Pradesh.

Special police teams under DIG, Eluru, KV Mohan Rao are working on this case and the state government has already suspended the temple's Executive Officer.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party, its ally Janasena Party and other Hindu religious organisations have been actively keeping this ``chariot burning'' issue alive. There's a heavy police presence, numbering nearly 1000, in and around Antarvedi town to thwart any untoward incident since Sunday.

``We are not allowed to do protests. Our people are being confined to house arrests. We condemn the attitude of the ruling government,'' says Somu Veera Raju, BJP Andhra Pradesh.

Popular film star and president of Jana Sena Party (an ally of BJP) Pavan Kalyan has asked women in Andhra Pradesh to light diyas. ``From 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm tomorrow (Friday), I request all the women in Andhra Pradesh to light diyas in front of their respective homes to highlight religious harmony.''

Coming under severe religious and political pressure, the ruling YSRCP government has also announced that it will make a same chariot at the cost of Rs one crore approximately before February 2021. The old wooden chariot which was nearly 60 years old was made of teak wood and was used in every main festival of the temple.
Dacian Ciolos, leader of the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament, recommends to Minister of Justice Catalin Predoiu to urgently send to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) the number of prosecutors requested by Laura Codruta Kovesi.

The statements were made after, according to Dacian Ciolos, in the 2019 report of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) Romania is on the first place in number of investigations and recommendations received.

"According to OLAF, we are, as a country, first in 2019 in investigations and recommendations received. Just as concerning is the fact that, since 2015 until the end of 2019, we are second in Europe, after Spain, in possible frauds and irregularities regarding structural funds and also second, after Hungary, in what regards investigations that resulted in recommendations. Practically, Hungary and we share equally 35 pct of the cases of grave irregularities with European funds in the European Union. Maybe that way you can understand why the PSD [Social Democratic Party] leaders have always seen a model in Viktor Orban. (...) In these conditions, I recommend as seriously as possible to the Minister of Justice to send urgently to EPPO the number of prosecutors requested by European prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi. Any delay raises serious question marks," wrote Ciolos, on Thursday, on Facebook.

He showed Romania is listed in the report with several examples of fraud in the area of environment protection.

"Extremely unpleasant is also the fact that we are present in the OLAF report with many examples of fraud in the area of environment protection in the past 5 years. From the examples present in the report, Romania is listed for fraud in forest protection, aquaculture and waste management. The subjects presented overlap perfectly with a series of legitimate concerns of the Romanian society," mentioned the PLUS chairman.

Dacian Ciolos maintains that, in our country, the political sphere ignored the demands of the citizens and that "so many good things" could have been accomplished for Romania.

"We have new proof that, when we feel the air is unbreathable in Romania, this is due not to the fact that we are different from other Europeans. The difference is that we allowed thieves to steal more and without fear," Ciolos wrote.
Shropshire councillors are set to debate the removal of a statue of 18th Century profiteer Clive of India.

More than 20,000 people have signed two online petitions calling for the statue in Shrewsbury to be torn down due to Robert Clive's role in establishing British power in India with the East India Company.

One titled 'bring down racist Clive statue in Shrewsbury Square' has 13,970 signatures. Another calling to 'replace' the statue has 9,120.

Although Shropshire Council did previously vote against removing the statue of Baron Clive of Plassey, campaigners will present their case to a scrutiny committee on September 16 where it will be debated.

Shropshire councillors are set to debate whether to take down a statue of 18th Century profiteer Clive of India (pictured in Shrewsbury)

Critics are calling for the removal of a 'racist' statue (left) of 18th Century profiteer Clive of India from Shrewsbury

The divisive imperialist - who was born in Shropshire - is hailed by some for securing 200 years of British rule in India, but his personal enrichment made from plundering the region made him a controversial figure even in his lifetime.

Clive of India: Triumphant over Nawab of Bengal but dubbed 'unstable sociopath' To his fans, Clive of India is the profiteer who secured British rule in the region for two centuries, but his detractors say he was an unstable sociopath. Robert Clive was born on the Styche Hall estate, near Market Drayton, in 1725. He went to school in London before travelling to India with the East India Company in 1743. The Shropshire-born clerk rose to the top of the East India Company despite having no military training. He underwent a series of stunning strategic victories over the Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal. To his fans, Clive of India is the profiteer who secured British rule in the region for two centuries, but his detractors say he was an unstable sociopath His greatest victory came in 1957 at The Battle of Plassey. Facing 50,000 men, Clives 3,000-strong private army was woefully outnumbered, but through tactical cunning and by bribing the Nawabs cavalry commander, he routed the Bengalis, leading directly to British dominance across India. The conflict was a key moment on Britain's path to controlling Bengal and then India for almost two centuries. With Clive as Governor, historian William Dalrymple writes: Bengals wealth rapidly drained into Britain, while its prosperous weavers and artisans were coerced like so many slaves by their new masters, and its markets flooded with British products. A proportion of the loot of Bengal went directly into Clives pocket. The famine of Bengal that lasted between 1769 and 1773 and killed around a third of the region's population was said to have largely been caused by the company's policies. Corruption and looting saw Clive amass a huge amount of wealth and he returned to Britain in 1760, aged 34. He was made Baron Clive of Passey - from the anglicised name for the Bengali village Palashi - and was knighted. Many parents named their children Clive after this point, in Robert Clive's honour. He became Shrewsbury's MP, a position he held until his death. He went back to India in 1765 for two years before returning to Britain where the activities of Clive and the East India Company in India came under sustained attack. Clive defended himself in Parliament, saying 'I stand astonished at my own moderation,' and in 1773 Parliament declared that he did 'render great and meritorious services to his country.' Clive was never accepted by aristocratic circles and was eventually brought up on corruption charges. Despite seeing these off, he took his own life in 1774 and was buried in an unmarked grave. Advertisement

And critics lay the blame for the Bengal Famine that killed ten million in 1770 squarely at Clives door, due to his punishing taxation and land reforms implemented when he was Governor of the region.

The person responsible for the petition is allowed to make a five-minute presentation to the committee because more than 200 signatures have been received. A 15-minute debate between councillors will then follow.

A rival petition calling for the statue to remain has attracted just shy of 10,000 signatures.

Shropshire Council voted against removing the statue in July and council leader Peter Nutting has also been clear that he is not in favour of taking it away.

At the time, campaigner David Parton said: 'We are disappointed by Shropshire Council's tone-deaf decision to retain the statue of the mass-murderer Robert Clive in The Square, Shrewsbury.

'It is vital we learn from our past, but we should not have to live in it.

'Despite more than 20,000 people calling for this statue to be moved to a museum, council members chose to ignore the concerns of minority communities and revel in Clive's murderous legacy.

'This vote was just the start of the movement to remove Clive's statue.

'Like with Colston and Rhodes, Clive will fall. Today's decision has simply delayed the inevitable.'

Speaking in June council leader Nutting said: 'As the leader of Shropshire Council and following careful consideration of arguments for and against its removal, I now believe that the statue of Robert Clive in The Square in Shrewsbury should remain in place.

'Over the last few days I have listened carefully to the arguments for and against its removal and I am well aware of the strength of feeling on both sides of the argument.

'I have also had a large amount of letters and calls from members of the public which mostly support the retention of this important part of our local history.

'In any council debate I will of course listen to all sides of the matter, but at this moment, and having considered all viewpoints and discussed this with colleagues, I do believe the general consensus is that the statue of Clive should remain in place.'

It comes amid growing tensions about Britains colonial past, sparked by global outcry following death of unarmed black man George Floyd.

Floyd was killed when white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite his desperate pleas that he 'can't breathe'. He passed out and later died in Minneapolis on May 25.

His death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage and largely-peaceful protests first across the US before quickly spreading worldwide.

In June, protesters in Bristol pulled down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston.

That same month, governors at Oriel College in Oxford voted to remove the statue of imperialist and mining magnate Cecil Rhodes.

Clive of India's statue in Shrewsbury is not the only controversial depiction of the colonial ruler.

In June, the Foreign Offices most senior diplomat privately admitted a Clive of India statue in Whitehall may have to go.

Permanent Secretary Sir Simon McDonald made the concession in a Zoom call with Whitehall civil servants, The Mail on Sunday revealed.

Taking part in a virtual meeting with Department for Business officials about Covid-19, Sir Simon strayed into a discussion about the controversial monument of Baron Clive of Plassey that stands between the FCO and the Treasury.

Clives statue was erected more than 130 years after his suicide in 1774.

Sir Simon also let slip that after an internal debate, some statues and paintings inside the Foreign Office may be offensive but are unlikely to be removed.

However, the FCO distanced itself from its own Permanent Secretarys comments, insisting there were no plans to take down the statue and pointing out that responsibility for it lies with English Heritage.

Clive of India 's statue in Shrewsbury is not the only controversial depiction of the colonial ruler

In June, protesters in Bristol pulled down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston (pictured)

That same month, governors at Oriel College in Oxford voted to remove the statue of imperialist and mining magnate Cecil Rhodes (pictured)

It added: The FCO is examining the statues and artwork within the department with a view to ensure it is more representative of the UK today, while preserving history.

An FCO source admitted that Sir Simons office had been asked to review who had responsibility for the statue, but no decision had been made.

A wide review is also taking place internally, with the source adding: With such a long history, there are elements that reflect artwork and individuals from a very different era. We are reviewing both what those elements are, and how best to address what they represent.
The formal induction ceremony of the Rafale fighter jets will take place at the Ambala Air Force Station on September 10, Thursday. The five Rafale jets, three single-seat and two twin-seater trainers, landed at the Ambala airbase on July 29 nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

At 10.00 AM tomorrow, #Rafale aircraft will be formally inducted into @IAF_MCC at the Air Force Station in Ambala. The aircraft will be part of 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows. The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in more than two decades.  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 9, 2020

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Defence Minister Florence Parly will attend the induction ceremony. An official source confirmed that the next batch of 4 Rafale jets is expected to arrive in India in October.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Mrs Florence Parly Minister of Armed Forces of France will be Chief Guest for the event. Mrs Florence Parly will be given a ceremonial Guard of Honour on arrival at Delhi: Indian Air Force (File pic) https://t.co/ol0x2WkC8W pic.twitter.com/7rXMM6DEu3  ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2020

READ | IAF Raises Concern Over Safety Of Rafale Jets Due To Birds; Pens Letter To Haryana Govt

Schedule for Rafale induction ceremony

As informed by the official sources, the main entry for the Rafale induction ceremony at IAF Ambala will begin at 8 am. The ceremony will take place at around 10 am to 11:45 am followed by a press brief by Rajnath Singh between 12 pm to 1 pm. The Rafale induction ceremony will be attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy. Senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces will also be present at the induction ceremony.

READ | French Defence Minister Likely To Visit India Next Month To Attend Rafale Induction Ceremony

Here's what you should know about the Rafale Jet

The 5 Rafale fighters are fully operational, with the first 18 jets to be stationed in Ambala and the next 18 fighters to be based in the Hashimara airbase near the Bhutan border once the complement is completed. These Rafales are equipped with programmable signal processors (PSP) and also has the capacity to change signal frequencies in times of conflict.

READ | IAF To Formally Induct Rafale Jet On Sept 10; Rajnath Singh, French Def Min To Be Present

The Rafale jet will be able to use terrain in Tibet to its advantage, destroy enemy air defence and incapacitate the surface-to-air missiles, former IAF Chief BS Dhanoa had said. In case of beyond visual range combat, Rafale is superior to China's much-touted but untested F-35 knockoff J-20 jet, he said adding that the Rafales will play a key role in Tibet for information dominance.

Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines, which helps it attain a range of more than 3,700 km. Having a top speed of 2223 km, it is equipped with laser-guided bombs weighing 900 kg. 2500 rounds per minute can be fired from its internal cannon. Rafale is considered as a 4.5 generation aircraft and will now lead the IAF's fighter jets. Also, Rafale maintenance time per flight hour is 2.25 hours against 6-8 hrs for other fighters.

READ | Centre & IAF Move Delhi HC Against Dharma's Gunjan Saxena Biopic; Court Issues Notice
New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and MSME Nitin Gadkari has said that the government is aiming to create 5 crore additional jobs in the MSME sector which presently employs about 11 crore people.

Speaking at a virtual meet organised to launch Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE Atal New India Challenges by NiTI Ayog Gadkari said that the government aims to enhance MSME contribution to GDP from about 30% to 50%; and in exports from 49 percent to 60 percent.

Gadkari applauded the Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE Atal New India Challenge initiative of Niti Ayog and called for working in encouraging use new technology in finding solutions to the problems being faced in different areas ensuring value addition. He cited the issue of excess rice which can be utilised for producing ethanol there by addressing the problem of storage on the one hand and providing green fuel to the country as import replacement on the other. Delving further on the issue he said risk taking ability in innovations/finding new solutions need to be promoted and those making bonafide mistakes in the process need to be protected.

The Minister stressed that country's growth will be further accelerated when the backward and tribal areas including the 115 aspirational districts are brought on growth trajectory. He pointed out that the Prime Minister has emphasised on the development and growth of these areas which are socially and economically lagging behind.

The Minister further advocated broadbasing support for innovations and entrepreneurship so that bonafide new talent also get chance to grow. This helps in lowering costs as well. He also felt that performance audit of Schemes for agriculture and ST/SCs will help in better targeting the schemes.

The objective of Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE Atal New India Challenges program is to proactively collaborate with ministries and the associated industries to catalyse research, innovation and facilitate innovative solutions to sectoral problems.
AnswerPro to Provide Patient Monitoring Services for COVID-19 Vaccine Trials

In the coming months, the prospect of a vaccine for COVID-19 is seen as a potential end to a global pandemic that has changed life as we know it. Several virus candidates are currently in human trials and being tested on volunteers. The process is heavy on communications: trial candidates are required to stay in touch and report any symptoms, illnesses or side effects. The communications-intensive process relies on hundreds of call center agents who are trained to ask the right questions.

Omaha, Nebraska-based AnswerPro, LLC recently announced that it has been chosen by Current Health as a strategic partner to provide patient monitoring services for one of the U.S.s first COVID-19 vaccine trials.

Current Health, a full-service care management organization, provides healthcare professionals visibility to high-risk patients through remote monitoring and integrated virtual engagement tools. Current Health is a patient monitoring organization that combines vital-sign sensors, device connectivity, and telemedicine capabilities into a single platform. The company, which was founded five years ago, has offices in Edinburgh, London, and San Francisco.

According to AnswerPro, it was chosen because of its extensive healthcare support experience.

"We are uniquely positioned to successfully deliver quality patient monitoring services due to our extensive medical call answering and nurse triage experience, said Jeffrey Zindel, Owner and CEO of AnswerPro, LLC. From concept to fruition, we were able to bring this project to life in less than ten days. Our highly tenured programming and call agent team has been able to pivot effectively, ensuring all monitoring protocols align with the appropriate patient medical teams. We are on-deck to support over 79 U.S. locations as well as additional locations in Chile and Peru."

AnswerPro will provide Current Health with a number of services, including round-the-clock patient monitoring and nurse triage, more than 50 years of medical answering experience, over 20 years average call agent tenure, a staff of registered nurses in all 50 states, and integration with technology developed by Current Health.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
By Ayya Lmahamad

A video conference between members of the Working Group on Gas Systems Diagnostics and representatives of the international consulting company has been held under the chairmanship of Azerbaijan Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov.

During the videoconference, the preliminary report on diagnostic tests carried out by an international consulting company was discussed.

The purpose of the meeting was to develop proposals on reforms in this area in order to improve the efficiency of the country's gas supply system and ensure reliable satisfaction of consumers' needs.

It should be noted that the preparation of proposals for reforms in the gas supply sector in the country was entrusted to the Ministry of Energy by Presidential Decree from May 29, 2019 "On Acceleration of Reforms in the Energy Sector of the Azerbaijan Republic".

The order also contains a provision on preparation of a new draft law "On gas supply" based on the proposals of the Ministry of Energy.

The volume of Azerbaijans natural gas production increased by 10 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2020 and amounted to 22.3 billion cubic meters. In the reporting period, the countrys gas exports also increased by 16.7 percent amounting to 7.7 billion cubic meters.

Moreover, the volume of natural gas reserves in Azerbaijan amounted to 16.2 billion cubic meters in January- June 2020.

Additionally, test shipment of Azerbaijani natural gas from Shah Deniz-2 gas condensate field to Europe via Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline has already started.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Technavio has been monitoring the 3D printing market in education sector and it is poised to grow by USD 1.54 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 19% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005839/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global 3D Printing Market in Education Sector 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. Technavio's in-depth research has all your needs covered as our research reports include all foreseeable market scenarios, including pre- post-COVID-19 analysis. Download a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts

Frequently Asked Questions-

Based on segmentation by product, which is the leading segment in the market?

The 3D printing services and materials are expected to be the leading segment in the global market during the forecast period.

What are the major trends in the market?

Rising adoption of cloud computing in education sector is one of the major trends in the market.

At what rate is the market projected to grow?

Growing at a CAGR of over 19%, the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be USD 1.54 billion.

Who are the top players in the market?

3D Systems Corp., EnvisionTEC Inc., Materialise NV, Robert Bosch GmbH, Robo 3D Inc., Stratasys Ltd., The ExOne Co., Ultimaker BV, voxeljet AG, and XYZprinting Inc. are some of the major market participants.

What are the key market drivers?

Benefits offered by 3D printing in education sector is one of the major factors driving the market.

How big is the North America market?

The North America region will contribute 38% of market growth.

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. 3D Systems Corp., EnvisionTEC Inc., Materialise NV, Robert Bosch GmbH, Robo 3D Inc., Stratasys Ltd., The ExOne Co., Ultimaker BV, voxeljet AG, and XYZprinting Inc. are some of the major market participants. The benefits offered by 3D printing in education sector will offer immense growth opportunities. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free.

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Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations.

3D Printing Market in Education Sector 2020-2024: Segmentation

3D Printing Market in Education Sector is segmented as below:

Product 3D Printing Services and Materials 3D Printers

End-user Higher Education Pre-K-12

Geography APAC Europe MEA North America South America



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40089

3D Printing Market in Education Sector 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The 3D printing market in education sector report covers the following areas:

3D Printing Market in Education Sector Size

3D Printing Market in Education Sector Trends

3D Printing Market in Education Sector Analysis

This study identifies the rising adoption of cloud computing in education sector as one of the prime reasons driving the 3D printing market growth in education sector during the next few years.

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

3D Printing Market in Education Sector 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist 3D printing market growth in education sector during the next five years

Estimation of the 3D printing market size in education sector and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the 3D printing market in education sector

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of 3D printing market vendors in education sector

Table of Contents:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

Preface

Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Value chain analysis

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market outlook

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

Market segmentation by product

Comparison by product

3D printing services and materials Market size and forecast 2019-2024

3D printers Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by product

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER

Market segmentation by end-user

Comparison by end-user

Higher education Market size and forecast 2019-2024

PreK-12 Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by end-user

PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: TRENDS

Continuous development of new products

Increasing number of 3D printing certification programs in education sector

Rising adoption of cloud computing in education sector

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

3D Systems Corp.

EnvisionTEC Inc.

Materialise NV

Robert Bosch GmbH

Robo 3D Inc.

Stratasys Ltd.

The ExOne Co.

Ultimaker BV

voxeljet AG

XYZprinting Inc.

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Rantoul, IL (61866)

Today

Plentiful sunshine. High near 25F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 14F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Wrexham MS offers support to Rossett community hub project

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 10th, 2020

Ambitious plans to create a community hub in the heart of Rossett have been backed by Wrexhams Member of the Senedd.

Lesley Griffiths MS recently met with members of the community group, Hwb Yr Orsedd, to discuss their proposal for the village.

The group of local volunteers are interested in redeveloping the closed toilet block located within the play area off Chester Road into a thriving community hub.

A great deal of work has progressed over the past 18 months and the group are now seeking funding to help turn their vision into reality.

Lesley Griffiths MS is supporting their project and has written to the Welsh Government to ascertain whether there is funding available via the Community Facilities Programme.

It was a pleasure to meet Chris, Helen and Geoff and to hear more about their plans for Rossett, said Ms Griffiths.

The disused block is in a prime location and if Hwb Yr Orsedds vision can be realised, I am sure the hub would become a valuable asset to the local community.

A lot of work has taken place to get to this stage and I will do all I can to assist the project moving forward.

After their meeting in Rossett, Hwb Yr Orsedd Chair, Chris Guest said: We are so pleased to have the support of Lesley Griffiths MS for this exciting project.

Our vision is to develop the site of the old toilet block within Rossett park, to create a shared community space available to groups of different ages and interests to meet, socialise and take part in shared activities.

Somewhere that brings people together and reduces loneliness and isolation.

A great deal of work has taken place following the community consultation 18 months ago.

We are now at a critical stage of the project, with Lesleys support hopefully we will be successful in securing the funding to make our vision and plans a reality.
AKRON, Ohio  The Ohio Department of Transportation announced Wednesday it is planning to add lanes to a 9.2-mile section of Interstate 77, between Ghent Road and the Ohio Turnpike, which local officials say could support economic development in the Greater Akron region.

A spokeswoman for Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro said the additional lanes  in Fairlawn, Bath, Richfield Township and the Village of Richfield  will allow for more traffic on I-77, which is considered an essential route for commerce coming in and out of the county, state and region.

Expanding I-77 will help our communities attract new businesses and encourage existing businesses to stay and consider expanding their operations, Shapiro spokeswoman Greta Johnson told cleveland.com in an email Wednesday. This project will also support a faster and safer commute to the many individuals who drive to, from and through Summit County each day.

The construction project has been broken into two parts, with the stretch from Ghent Road to Everett Road expected to cost $50 million, and the section from Everett Road to the Ohio Turnpike estimated to cost $75 million, ODOT said in a news release.

ODOT plans to add a third lane in each direction to a 9.2-mile section of Interstate 77 between Ghent Road and the Ohio Turnpike in northern Summit County.

ODOT reported it has two engineering firms working on preliminary construction plans, but that it will seek an unspecified amount of additional funding in 2021 to pay for more detailed plans and construction costs.

State Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron said the additional lanes could boost local development, both by connecting the Akron area to the Cleveland area, and the Northeast Ohio region to the rest of the country.

This is creating another opportunity for us to use our highway system, our interstate system, to move people north, and then move people south, Sykes said in a phone interview. You can live in Summit County and you can find good, affordable housing, and have a reasonable commute up to the Cleveland area. Thats beneficial for us and our school districts and our communities - having home ownership and just more residents here - but it also creates some opportunities for this region so that we can be better connected. One of the greatest strengths of Ohio is our connectivity to the entire country, not just our region, and this helps bolster our presence as a connector to the entire country.

Summit Countys economic development website, Summit4Success.com, says that the county is within an eight-hour drive of half of the U.S. population and two-thirds of the Canadian economic base. In addition to being centrally located between Cleveland, Detroit, Columbus and Pittsburgh, metropolitan markets within a 500 miles radius of Summit County include New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Nashville.

Sykes also noted that the ODOT project could boost the local economy by creating construction jobs.

The timeline for construction is still up in the air and depends on various factors, including the availability of funding, but the construction from Ghent Road to Everett Road could begin as early as 2024. Construction for each section is expected to take two years, and will be staggered.

To maintain traffic flow, at least two lanes of traffic in each direction will remain open during construction, ODOT reported.

Interstate 77 was constructed as a four-lane divided highway in 1961, and while it has been widened in some areas, it still has two northbound and two southbound lanes in the section between Ghent Road and the Ohio Turnpike.

ODOT said it has conducted traffic studies and determined that a third travel lane in each direction would improve traffic flow, and that the best course of action would be to build additional lanes in the center median. The project also calls for other improvements, including bridge and pavement repairs, drainage improvements, lighting upgrades, sign replacements and pavement markings, according to ODOT.

The bridges on I-77 between Ghent Road and Everett Road were widened years ago to accommodate a possible third lane of travel, ODOT said, but the bridges from Everett Road to the turnpike will still need to be widened to include the additional lanes.

Richfield Village Mayor Michael Wheeler told cleveland.com he often hears complaints from residents about traffic jams on I-77, especially during rush hour, and said he is excited about the additional lanes.

Itll make travel between Cleveland and Akron much better, Wheeler said. The three lanes each way will improve the traffic flow for folks that need to go from Richfield, for instance, south into Montrose or Akron, and it will also mean some sound barriers for some of our neighborhoods I just think its a great deal.
513,415 children and teens in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus from the time the pandemic arrived in the country through Sept. 3, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Childrens Hospital Association.

By the numbers: 70,630 new cases in minors were reported between Aug. 20 and Sept. 3  a 16% increase over a two-week period. Children and teens represented 9.8% of all reported cases in the country as of Sept. 3.

What they're saying: These numbers are a chilling reminder of why we need to take this virus seriously, said AAP President Sara Goza in a statement.

While much remains unknown about COVID-19, we do know that the spread among children reflects what is happening in the broader communities. A disproportionate number of cases are reported in Black and Hispanic children and in places where there is high poverty. We must work harder to address societal inequities that contribute to these disparities, she said.

The big picture: Surges in southern, western and Midwestern states over the summer account for a portion of total cases.

This rapid rise in positive cases occurred over the summer, and as the weather cools, we know people will spend more time indoors, said Sean OLeary, vice chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases. "The goal is to get children back into schools for in-person learning, but in many communities, this is not possible as the virus spreads unchecked."

Go deeper: Coronavirus tests for kids are limited
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On Wednesday, in the morning, at Gladstone, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC was interviewed, via telephone, by ABC Capricornias Breakfast Presenter, Mr Paul Culliver.

Following, at 4CC Studio, at Gladstone, His Excellency was interviewed, by 4CC Breakfast Presenter, Mr Barry Hammo Hamilton.

Following, at Gladstone, His Excellency was interviewed, via telephone, by ABC Tropical North Breakfast Presenter, Mr Meecham Meech Philpott.

Following, at the Gladstone Ports Corporation, His Excellency received a briefing on the future hydrogen export facilities.

In the afternoon, at Moranbah, His Excellency and Mrs Kaye de Jersey received a briefing from Isaac Regional Council representatives.

Following, at Moranbah, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey visited Moranbah State School, and the Governor addressed students and guests and Mrs de Jersey read a book to students and guests.

Following, at Moranbah, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey visited the Moranbah Miners Memorial, and the Governor addressed guests and laid the first wreath.

Following, at Moranbah Community Hall, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey hosted a community afternoon tea, and the Governor addressed guests.

In the evening, at Gladstone, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey hosted a dinner in support of the 2020 Gladstone Regional Government House communities, and the Governor addressed guests.
A new analysis finds the ranks of Connecticuts unemployed residents are growing  bucking a national trend  but a state labor economist counters thats due to a statistical oddity and not a worsening job market.

A group of 11 states that includes Connecticut appear headed for higher unemployment than the official July figures released in late August, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts, a nationally recognized policy and research group.

Connecticuts July unemployment rate was 10.2 percent, up from 10.1 percent in June and 9.6 percent in May, even as most of the country was headed in the other direction.

And with Congress failing to approve another round of enhanced federal weekly benefits  and President Trumps stop-gap, $300 weekly payment only covering a portion of August, rising unemployment could pose a major threat to Connecticuts economy.

But its really not clear that unemployment is on the rise here.

Technically, the unemployment rate reflects the number of people without a job divided by the entire labor force  or those adults actively seeking work. When jobless residents are not counted as part of the labor force base, for any reason, the unemployment rate tends to shrink. Conversely, as more jobless residents are counted, the unemployment rate increases.

But since the pandemic began in March, state labor officials effectively have not required any residents to demonstrate theyre searching for work to qualify for benefits.

Federal agencies, which conduct the labor surveys used to determine states unemployment rates, initially removed all of these people from their calculations. Jobless residents who had taken a temporary leave from work, or whod suspended their job searches in March or for health safety reasons, were no longer considered part of the labor force.

The result was spring unemployment rates that dramatically understated the job woes in Connecticut.

Over time, though, federal counting rules have evolved. Jobless residents that were excluded from tallies are being included again, pushing the unemployment rate back up  despite Connecticut employers restoring some jobs this summer.

Connecticuts labor force, as calculated by federal agencies, increased by about 100,000 in June alone, said state Department of Labor economist Patrick J. Flaherty, who also is acting director of the departments Office of Research.

They understand that a lot of people were misclassified, Flaherty said. March and April were terrible months but things have started to improve slightly.

Flaherty noted that Connecticut is paying benefits weekly to about 220,000 jobless residents. And while that remains a sizable number, its down considerably from nearly 300,000 benefit recipients this past spring.

There certainly were some statistical anomalies and theres no doubt thats probably the biggest factor behind rising unemployment rates this summer, said Chris DiPentima, president and CEO of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.

But DiPentima noted that many Connecticut businesses, particularly in the restaurant and other hospitality areas, are operating at limited capacity or closed entirely, and that the overall job market remains very fragile.

We really need to nurture our businesses, he said, adding that many companies have exhausted emergency federal loans through the Payroll Protection Program. As those funds go away, employers are going to be faced with tough challenges.

If Congress has not approved an additional round of stimulus aid by the end of September, DiPentima added, Gov. Ned Lamont should explore a second state loan program to help keep Connecticut businesses afloat during the fall and winter.

Lamont launched a $25 million business loan program in late March in response to the pandemic.

Even after doubling the pledged relief to $50 million, the administration closed the program to new applications after two days. The roughly 4,000 applications that poured in during that period represented asks of about $200 million.

DataCore Partners economist Don Klepper-Smith, who was the states chief economic advisor in the late 2000s, also warned that the states job market will remain fragile this fall, even if unemployment doesnt worsen.

Connecticut lost 266,000 jobs in March and April and recovered roughly half of them during the summer. But barring a complete reversal of the economy, the state still is on pace to close the year with the largest annual job decline in half a century, Klepper-Smith said.

That prospect is further complicated because Connecticut never returned during the past decade to the 1.7 million jobs it had prior to the recession of 2007-09.

Were not going back to that any time soon, Klepper-Smith said.
Pence Defends Trump as Critics Say President Downplayed Virus in Early 2020

President Donald Trump was projecting calm when he spoke publicly in February about how the outbreak of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus could quickly come to an end even as he called it deadly stuff in private, Vice President Mike Pence said.

His tone was one of projecting calm and confidence. But I heard him at that podium, I heard him in every setting. We gave the American people the facts, Pence said Thursday during a virtual appearance on Fox News.

Pence praised Trump for suspending travel from China on Jan. 31, noting the unprecedented step was opposed at the time by Democrats, including Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and the World Health Organization.

What I saw, firsthand from the day in January in the Oval Office when President Trump took the unprecedented step of suspending all travel from China, declaring a public health emergency, is that this president put the health of America first from day one, he said.

But he also wanted to reassure the American people all along the way. Theres that old saying from World War II in Great Britain, keep calm and carry on. That was the presidential leadership that I saw.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the White House in Washington on Sept. 9, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

The host played audio showing Trump on Feb. 7 telling journalist Bob Woodward behind closed doors that the virus, which causes a disease called COVID-19, was deadly.

You just breathe the air and thats how its passed. And so thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flus, Trump said. This is deadly stuff.

Joe Biden, Democrats, and even the World Health Organization criticized the presidents decision to suspend all travel from China. That took place a week before the audio clip that you just played, Pence responded.

Biden at the time called the ban xenophobic, but in April his campaign said he supported the ban.

The CCP virus emerged in late 2019 but health experts around the world were unsure about how serious it was, in part because the CCP hid information related to the outbreak and refused to allow outside teams into the country to study the epicenter in Wuhan.

U.S. officials across the country, including Trump, held public events into March, most notably in New York, one of the hardest-hit areas in the world. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in March encouraged people to go out to eat.

Critics say Trump was presenting one set of information to the public while expressing more concern behind closed doors.

Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden waves after delivering remarks in Warren, Mich., Sept. 9, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months, Biden, the former vice president, told a crowd in Warren, Michigan, on Wednesday.

He knew how dangerous it was. Now, while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job on purpose. It was a life and death betrayal of the American people, Biden added.

Biden has pointed a number of times to a non-peer reviewed Columbia University study that estimated tens of thousands of fewer Americans would have died if strict measures later imposed to try to curb the spread of the virus were put into place earlier.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters earlier Wednesday that Trump was keeping in mind that fears over the virus could lead to a market crash as well as a run on food stores.

Our food supply chains were at risk, we could not have mass runs on grocery stores. The markets, also, the economy was in play here, we didnt want there to be a huge crash and panic, she said.

Trump said while announcing additions to his potential Supreme Court nominee list that he doesnt want people to be frightened or create a panic.

We dont want to have to show panic. Were not going to show panic. And thats exactly what I did. And I was very openwhether its to Woodward or anybody else. Its just another political hit job. But whether it was Woodward or anybody else, you cannot show a sense of panic or youre going to have bigger problems than you ever had before, he said.
A customer buys flowers at Kunming Dounan Flower Market in Yunnan Province in August. [For China Daily/Wang Ru]

Wang Xiuhua began planting flowers in Dounan Village, Yunnan Province, in 1989 after she saw other residents grow plants and sell them. Prior to that, she lived by planting vegetables, which was more labor-demanding and could only produce enough profit to feed her family.

Back then, there was no market and she had to transport the flowers to street vendors by bike. Her husband also sold their flowers in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, to boost his income. Later, other villagers followed their example and gradually formed a "flower street" in Dounan Subdistrict of Kunming.

In 1995, to better meet demand of both planters and customers, the local government set up the first flower market, which later evolved into today's Kunming Dounan Flower Market, Asia's largest fresh-cut flower trading market.

Wang's family continued to grow flowers and sell them in the Dounan market. In 2005, 16 years after their start, her family earned enough money to build a six-story house. She gave up planting flowers in 2013 and has been engaged with flower transportation. "Flowers have changed our life. With the development of the flower business in our subdistrict, as long as we keep diligent, we can make a lot of money," says Wang.

In 2001, the Kunming International Floral Auction Trading Center, as part of the Dounan market, was established. This heralded flower auctions entering the Chinese market. Since then bulk trades are conducted in the center. The number of flowers sold can reach 3.5 million each day, and during festivals like Qixi, or Chinese Valentine's Day, the number can reach 7 to 8 million, according to Wang Yang, a manager of KIFA.

Besides bulk trading, flower retailing is in full swing in the Dounan market, which has become a popular tourist attraction in Kunming. Every evening at around 8:40 pm, vendors flock to the market and set up stalls, turning the area into a vibrant night market in just several minutes.

Vendor Wu Yongrun, 34, rents a stall in the market for 600 yuan ($87.9) a month to sell lilies. She buys the flowers from local farmers every morning, then her husband sends flowers to customers with large orders, and she sells the rest in the market at night.

"I sell flowers from 8:40 pm to around 11 pm and can earn 200 to 300 yuan a day on average," says Wu.

Born in Zhaotong City, Yunnan, Wu left home and worked in Kunming in her early 20s, before engaging in the flower business in about 2010 when she found she could earn more.

College student Yu Zhouzhou, 21, from Changsha, Hunan Province, visited the market with her friend when they traveled to Kunming in August.

"Dounan flower market is really famous, and many travel strategies online recommended it, so we visited it," says Yu.

"There are so many types of flowers, and they are very cheap. I bought a floral hoop and a bunch of baby's breath, and only spent 10 yuan. I noticed there was also mail service so that people could buy flowers and send them home by post directly, and that is very convenient."

According to Dong Rui, a chief operating officer at the Dounan Flower Group,"There are altogether 30,000 households engaged in the flower business in the Dounan market up to 2019, and on average their annual income increased 4,500 yuan in 2019."

But although Yunnan's climate is suitable for growing flowers, the flower business can be subject to extreme weather changes. In this year, a 68-year-old flower farmer surnamed Yang says she suffered an 800,000 yuan loss.

"I have been growing flowers for more than a decade, and used to make good money, but this year is quite special.

"On the first day of the Lunar New Year, heavy snow damaged the greenhouse of the flowers, and thus many flowers died. The recent frequent downpours in Kunming also flooded many flower fields. I still remember the first heavy rain lasted for a whole night, and in the morning, only a small part of the top of the greenhouse was visible in the water," says Yang.

Many flowers of farmer Bi Qianqian died in a heavy frost in October, and the pandemic also influenced transportation of flowers earlier this year. Suffering from the loss, she feels disappointed, but still came up with the way of livestreaming to promote the sales.

"I just livestreamed how we labored in flower fields for about one or two hours each day since February. I guess people felt bored staying at home at the time, so many of them watched our livestreaming," says Bi.

"The effect was good. Normally I only receive about 20 orders each day, but through livestreaming I received about 500 a day. In the future, I want to learn more knowledge about flowers and e-commerce, so that I will do better in business."

(Source: China Daily)
So-called NCDs (Non-Communicable Diseases) such as diabetes, hypertension and lung disease are the world's biggest killers, leading to 40 million deaths every year

Food and drink producers are leveraging the coronavirus pandemic to push unhealthy products such as alcohol, sugar-laden soft drinks and fatty fast food on consumers, an international coalition of health charities said Thursday.

Crowd-sourced research conducted by the Non-Communicable Disease Alliance raised concerns that food giants are fuelling increases in chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease -- themselves known Covid-19 risk factors.

Hundreds of examples reported from more than 90 countries included beer companies adapting their logos to suggest improved health, burger companies geo-tracking customers with the promise of free food, and soft drink giants donating cans to struggling communities.

Authors of the report, compiled jointly with the University of Edinburgh, accused food and drink behemoths of knowingly exacerbating the impact of Covid-19 on high-risk constituents, including obese individuals and smokers.

Lucy Westerman, police and campaigns manager with the NCD Alliance, said the survey had thrown up two clear trends.

"The growing epidemiological evidence that people living with NCDs are suffering worse outcomes from Covid-19, and that many producers of unhealthy commodities have rapidly adapted their strategies in an attempt to capitalise on the pandemic and lockdowns," she said.

So-called NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension and lung disease are the world's biggest killers, leading to 40 million deaths every year. More than two billion people are overweight or obese, which carries a higher risk of a host of health complications.

Of more than 750 examples submitted by contributors of what the NCD Alliance called "corporate capture" by food and drink companies, the most were reported in Britain and the United States.

But there were also numerous signs of the alleged influence of corporate lobbying pushing policy-makers to keep the sale of alcohol, tobacco and fast food even during near-total lockdowns.

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In Bangladesh for example, the ministry of industry declared tobacco an essential commodity. Likewise, the government in Kenya included tobacco, alcohol and processed food and beverages in its official lists of essential items.

While countries such as South Africa and Thailand did initially ban the sale of alcohol during lockdown, the researchers reported that both governments relented to industry pressure and repealed the restrictions far sooner than planned.

Katie Dain, CEO of the NCD Alliance, called for tighter regulation on how companies market unhealthy products.

"We see that companies are deploying these tactics... in order to ingratiate themselves with policy-makers while barely concealing cynical attempts to weaken current rules and head off future policies," she said.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 00:13:00|Editor: huaxia

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SANAA, Sep. 10 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi militia on Thursday said they fired a ballistic missile and four drones toward Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

"The multiple attack targeted an important object in Riyadh," the television said, citing a statement by the group's military spokesman Yahya Sarea.

The attack came in response to the Saudi-led coalition escalation, he said without elaborating further details.

Saudi Arabia has made no comment yet on the alleged attack.

It was the fourth attack announced by the Houthi militia in less than a week. All previous attacks had been intercepted, according to the Saudi-led coalition statements.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led military coalition intervened in the Yemen conflict in March 2015 to support Hadi's government. Enditem
Last year, Victoria Sinclaire and her family were the picture of triumph  the first residents in Paradise to move into a newly rebuilt home after the states most destructive wildfire burned theirs down in 2018.

Their move into the house on Forest Lane  with new flooring and a new roof, granite countertops and more space  was widely publicized.

The Town of Paradise posted a photo of them on Facebook; neighbors drove past the site, drawing hope from their success.

But on Wednesday, Sinclaire found herself reliving a nightmare.

Another wildfire threatened Sinclaires community, an explosive blaze that scorched an estimated 230,000 acres in 24 hours and was inching closer to Paradise.

The North Complex Fire had already burned through the small town of Berry Creek, with a vast evacuation zone that had closed in on Oroville, threatening the county seat.

Sinclaire called in sick to her job in the countys social services division to start packing up her black Ford Explorer.

She hoped the destruction of the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 86 people and torched nearly 19,000 structures, wouldnt be repeated.

As she loaded bins of photos and important documents into the vehicle, she said she saw friends pass  evacuating early, though only one zone in town was on evacuation warning.

Its that same feeling of being afraid, Sinclaire said. I cant seem to stop shaking. There is ash everywhere  really big chunks of ash. There are some burned trees that have floated down from, well, I dont even know where. It feels like its happening all over again, except this time I get to take my clothes.

Across town, Manager Lauren Gill  set to retire the next day  sat at her desk in Town Hall, where she had been since 2:30 a.m., when the choking smoke woke her up.

With nothing else to do, she drove into the office early. It had been a tough week, she said temperatures lingered in the triple digits and PG&E had cut power Monday evening. The internet flickered in and out.

I feel a calm resolve, like, Im not going to let this fire win, Gill said. Im not going to let this fire into my town. I feel like Im standing sentry  not that I can do much, Im really quite powerless.

Residents lined up at the three open gas stations to top off their cars or fill up portable fuel cans, said Police Chief Eric Reinbold. Evacuation routes backed up, though only a fraction of the populace has returned to town since the Camp Fire. This was a major problem during that blaze, with some people unable to evacuate safely, and dying as a result.

Some traffic lights were out because of a PG&E outage, and Public Works crews helped direct drivers  many of them pulling travel trailers  downhill, residents said.

Gills assistant, Colette Curtis, who had recently moved across the hall to her own office, recalled telling her two young daughters that there was nothing to be scared of.

From the time I woke up until about 11 a.m., it looked exactly like the Camp Fire, she said. I had to tell my kids, its going to look scary outside, but the fire is far away. They said, Youve said this before, mom. Everyone, all the residents, who went through it is feeling panic. It feels very reminiscent.

And on Wednesday afternoon, as Cal Fire Butte County Unit Chief John Messina drove up Highway 70 toward Quincy, where he planned to talk with the Forest Service about strategies for containing the wildfire, he felt an odd sense of deja vu.

I have to be honest with you, its tough to watch another part of the county be destroyed by fire, Messina said. We know how hard the recovery process is. It hangs over your head  wondering what the future will bring for the next 12 months for those affected.

Around that time, as he continued down Highway 70, Sinclaire finished loading up her Explorer and drove away from her home for the second time. She planned to stay with a relative in Sacramento until, hopefully, she could return home again.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @lizziejohnsonnn
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  The Department of Public Works and Highways has been told to explain some 469 billion worth of projects in its 2021 budget which Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacon found to be unconstitutional.

During Wednesday's budget hearing, the senator questioned 396.5 billion worth of projects lodged at the DPWH Central office, or nearly 60 percent of the agency's total funding, which were said to be lump-sum funds.

The items on the budget were vague, such as "preventive maintenance" for primary, secondary, and tertiary roads; the rehabilitation, reconstruction, upgrading of damaged paved roads; and the rehabilitation of roads with slips and landslide. Line-item provisions in the budget should provide the actual location of the planned construction project.

READ: COVID-19 response, IT upgrades in focus in 4.5T national budget for 2021

He also raised alarm over 2,993 items worth 73.5 billion that were already part of the 2020 budget but which were up for funding again next year. Among those he spotted were projects with the same description and coordinates, but fresh funding was worth about 10 percent of the original budget given this year. Lacson said it was a "pattern," which could be misused down the road for realignments.

"Primarily because of the Constitutional issues involved, I don't think we should allow these when we finally pass the budget measure before yearend," Lacson said.

Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado explained these were projects which were either discontinued or had their original budgets slashed to free up funds for COVID-19 response.

"It's because of the authority granted by the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act," Avisado added, saying the law allows the revival of these projects for funding in succeeding years.

"Just so the projects will be implemented and completed... the balance of what has been released this year was included in the proposed budget for next year. We will sit down with Secretary Mark (Villar) to do what is necessary to correct this," the Cabinet official said.

Sen. Grace Poe also had her own misgivings, as she questioned why the DPWH allocation for the flood control program of over 150 billion is bigger than the entire Department of Health's budget at 131.7 billion.

RELATED: 2021 budget 'anemic' in funding health sector  Hontiveros

"Since COVID-19 is still present, one would assume that including our health facilities would be the priority," Poe said during the committee meeting. She flagged how funds poured into flood control seems to have swelled, noting that these are hard to keep track of.

Avisado said the budget reflects the government's attempt to balance health and economy, thus the sustained investments on construction and big-ticket infrastructure projects which are believed to create jobs for Filipinos.

He added that funds lodged in other agencies will also contribute to state efforts to combat the pandemic.

However, Lacson pointed out that the Bayanihan law cannot go beyond the provisions of the 1987 Constitution, which sets strict rules on realigning funds. He added that the Budget Department should submit revisions or errata to the Senate finance committee to sort out these questionable provisions.
Jussie Smollett maintained his innocence in an impassioned interview ahead of his court appearance later today

The actor, 38, who is accused of staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself calls the case 'frustrating' and said he does not think the case will be finished soon.

Yesterday speaking for the first time since February 2019, in an interview with author and academic Marc Lamont Hill, 41, the former Empire star revealed his lawyers filed a motion against his indictment, which will be reviewed by a judge later today.

'It's been beyond frustrating, and I certainly am not going rogue,' he said about publicly commenting on the case. 'I'm still taking the advice of my attorneys and everything like that, but I don't really see, honestly, what staying quiet has really done, like, where it has gotten me. ... It's so much bigger than me.'

Smollett, an openly gay Black actor, was originally indicted in March 2019 with 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false report claiming two men attacked him on January 29, 2019, while also making racist and homophobic slurs.

He pleaded not guilty to allegations that he lied to police about the incident, which authorities later claimed he had staged with two acquaintances to draw attention to himself.

Jussie Smollett denied faking a race attack in his first sit-down interview since 2019 ahead of appearing in court today

Mr Smollett said his lawyers filed a motion against his indictment, which will be reviewed by a judge later today, but he does not think the city of Chicago will 'let this go'

These were later dropped by the office of Cook County States Attorney.

In February Smollett pleaded not guilty to a six-count indictment which revived the disorderly conduct allegations previously filed and then dropped in the case.

Smollett has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Speaking on Mr Lamont's Instagram, he said: 'I'm going to give it up to God, but if I'm being completely honest, I don't think that... they're not going to let this go.

'There is an example being made and the sad thing is there is an example being made of someone who did not do what they are accused of.

'On one hand, when I step back, I see how [Chicago Police] played the narrative, the way that they served it to the people. That it was intentionally created to make people doubt from the very beginning.

'From the very, very beginning, it was made to seem that I was lying about something or everything. But at the same time, I'm not really living for the people who don't believe.'

The city of Chicago have requested that the FBI hand over records of their own probe into Mr Smollett's case.

Asked how he was feeling, the actor responded saying the question 'baffles' him at the moment.

He said: 'Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I'm so angry. Other times I wake up and if I squint really hard, I can see the silver lining.

'The one thing I always wake up [and think] no matter how I feel is that this is an opportunity to have a real conservation in our own communities about truth.

'The thing that really gets me is the fact that there are black and brown women and men behind bars for things they did not do.

'I am certainly well informed about the plight of us. What happened in these last two years, it has humbled me in a way that nobody could possibly understand.'

Mr Smollett was fired from Fox's hit series Empire as a result of the scandal. He is pictured fourth from right with his co-stars in 2015 - Trai Byers, Taraji P Henson, Terrence Howard and Bryshere Y. Gray

The saga around Jussie Smollett began on January 30, 2019, when it emerged he claimed he had been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack.

At the time, it seemed he had been walking home from Subway in the middle of the night after returning home late on a delayed flight when he was approached.

He told police afterwards his attackers identified him from the show he was on, Empire, and called him both the N-word and 'f****t'.

He said they beat him, poured bleach on him then put a noose around his neck.

Mr Smollett went back to his apartment where his friend, Frank Gaston, was. It was Gaston who insisted they call police.

Jussie Smollett arrives at Cook County courthouse in February with his brother, Jocqui (left), Jojo (far left) and Jake (right) to face six felony counts of lying to police

When officers arrived, the actor refused to hand over his phone. He went to the hospital to be checked over but had no major injuries.

The Chicago Police Department vowed to investigate the incident with all its might, and celebrities around the world rushed to share their support of Smollett.

But as the police investigation progressed, leaks began from within the police department that all may not have been as it seemed.

As the controversy grew, Smollett - determined to make his case - went on Good Morning America in February 2019, where he cried and insisted he was telling the truth.

By then, Chicago PD had released grainy surveillance camera footage of two men walking near the scene of the incident itself which was among the only part of his journey not captured on Chicago's vast network of security cameras that night.

Smollett unequivocally identified the two men in the grainy footage as his attackers. Neither their faces nor skin color could be made out in it.

Unbeknownst to him while he was conducting his GMA interview, the Chicago PD was building a case against him.

JUSSIE SMOLLETT TIMELINE January 29: The alleged 'hoax' attack outside Smollett's apartment in Chicago occurs. January 30: A wave of public sympathy rushes over Smollett, until then a relatively unknown actor February 14: After a series of leaks from the Chicago PD, Smollett goes on Good Morning America to plead his case. Unbeknownst to him, brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo are being interviewed by police after returning from Nigeria. February 20: Smollett is arrested and accused of lying to police. He is bailed out on a $10,000 cash bond. March 7: Grand jury indicted Smollett March 26: Charges dropped April 11: Chicago sues Smollett for $130,000 - the cost of the investigation August: Dan Webb is appointed special prosecutor November: Smollett counter-sues, alleging malicious prosecution February 11, 2020: Reports emerge that Dan Webb has charged Smollett Advertisement

They had identified the people in the video as the Osundairo brothers and had backed-up their belief by tracking the pair's movements in the days and hours both before and after the incident.

Smollett was eventually arrested and charged with suspicion of lying to police. The brothers flew to Nigeria within hours of the January 29 incident and missed the media storm which followed

When they landed back in the US, police investigators were waiting to question them.

After hours of secret interviews, they told cops that Smollett had paid them to carry out the attack as part of an elaborate hoax. Smollett was then arrested.

In an extraordinary press conference afterwards, then police chief Eddie Gallagher accused him of inflaming race relations in Chicago and of wasting police time.

He said that Smollett had tried to leverage the 'attack' to get his bosses at Empire to pay him more.

Despite police outrage, prosecutor Kim Foxx was quiet.

The case then went to a grand jury which returned a stunning, 16-felony indictment that would have put Smollett behind bars for more than 50 years if he had been convicted.

By then, Foxx had informally recused herself from the case.

Her conflict of interest was that in the early days of the police investigation, she intervened at the request of Smollett's family and their friend - Time's Up CEO Tina Tchen - who wanted the FBI to take over the police investigation.

They said they were worried by the number of leaks that had come from the Chicago PD and asked Foxx to help. She said she would try.

After the grand jury indictment, the case stalled for a few weeks.

Then, in March, Foxx's deputy Joseph Magats - who had taken over - announced the decision that the charges against Smollett had been dropped.

Foxx had intervened again, it emerged, and pointed to what they called 'alternative prosecution' whereby Smollett, a first-time offender, was let off with a $10,000 bail forfeiture and community service.

There was outrage and calls for Foxx to be investigated herself for prosecutorial misconduct.

As judges and special prosecutors for that task were tossed around, the city came out swinging in civil court.

In March last year, Foxxs office surprised and angered many in Chicago by dropping charges that accused the former 'Empire' actor of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself

The evidence against Jussie Smollett When Jussie Smollett was arrested last February, prosecutors laid out their case in a lengthy bond proffer which detailed the proof they said they had against him. It included the following pieces of evidence. PHONE RECORDS AND TEXTS Texts between Smollett and Abel Osundairo for weeks before hand regarding personal training and diet. One text, which they say was when Smollett put the plan in motion, read: 'Might need your help on the low. You around to meet up and talk face to face?' Abel had already told him that he was going to Nigeria on January 29 for a trip with his brother. Crucially, there were also records of phone calls between him and Abel on the night of the attack. At 12:49 AM, there was a phone call between Smollett and Abel which lasted three minutes. Prosecutors say it was during this call that he said the attack would take place at 2am. On January 29, 2019 at 7:45 PM, just less than 18 hours following reported attack, Smollett placed a phone call to Abel and the duration of the call was five seconds. Two minutes later, Abel called back Smollett and the call lasted 1 minute and 34 seconds. The brothers then boarded their flight to Nigeria and left the country. On January 30, 2019 at 10:46 AM, Defendant Smollett called Abel, who was in Istanbul Turkey, and the duration of the call lasted 8 minutes and 48 seconds. UBER AND TAXI RECORDS Uber receipts showed that Abel and Ola Osundairo were picked up from their home and driven to the scene of the attack at the time it happened. They were then identified by a taxi driver afterwards who said he drove them home. SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE Footage of the actual attack does not exist - it happened in a blind spot of the cameras. However Abel and Ola Osundairo were pictured buying equipment for it - supposedly with a $100 bill Smollett gave them - the day beforehand. They were seen in a Chicago store buying ski masks, gloves, bandanas, sunglasses and red hats. They were also seen in surveillance footage which Smollett identified as showing his attackers. Advertisement

They sued Smollett, asking him to reimburse them for all the money they said they'd wasted investigating what they believed were bogus claims.

Smollett counter-sued, accusing the city and Eddie Gallagher of malicious prosecution.

He lost his job on Empire and became a pariah in the showbiz world he was allegedly trying to ascend through.

Webb was appointed in August to investigate why Foxx's office had dropped the charges.

He himself faced criticism and claims of another conflict of interest when it emerged he had donated $1,000 to Foxx's re-election campaign once.
Actor Sumeet Vyas had recently taken to social media to condemn the sensationalised media trial of late actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death case. In a recent interview, the actor said that agencies like Central Bureau of Intelligence and Enforcement Directorate are investigating the case but people are also trying to solve it on WhatsApp and Twitter.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Sumeet said, The matter is subjudice and the biggest agencies in the country are investigating it. We shouldnt try to solve the case on WhatsApp or Twitter. It requires expertise and not opinions. I knew Sushant when he came to Mumbai. He is gone now and someone elses life is at stake too. And neither situation is pleasant. Lets not make it a conversation over chai-biscuit. Lets not gossip about the accused or the victim.

He also talked about the claims that Bollywood actors consume drugs. He said that the industry is a soft target. He said that if the film industry is to be blamed for the vices people have, it should also be credited when a good thing happens in the society.

Recently, Sumeet had shared a clip from a news channel and slammed it for dramatising the events of an ongoing investigation. He wrote, An unfortunate and melodramatic representation of an ongoing CBI investigation.

With their narrative it looks like we dont need no judiciary or investigating agencies in India. Between news channels and WhatsApp groups most cases can be resolved. #pathetic."

An unfortunate and melodramatic representation of an ongoing CBI investigation.With their narrative it looks like we dont need no judiciary or investigating agencies in India.Between news channels and WhatsApp groups most cases can be resolved.#pathetic pic.twitter.com/TrnJ5ebreH Sumeet Vyas (@vyas_sumeet) August 30, 2020

Sumeets latest release is Waqalat From Home, a comedy shot during the lockdown starring his Permanent Roommates co-star Nidhi Singh along with Kubbra Sait and Gopal Dutt. The show tells the story about a couple filing for divorce and their lawyers.
A law enforcement officer watches flames launch into the air as fire continues to spread at the Bear fire in Oroville, California on September 9, 2020. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

California's wildfires have already eaten up a record 2.3 million acres across the state, resulting in at least eight deaths and 3,700 destroyed structures.

Three major fire complexes are nearly contained after weeks of effort from firefighters, but a number of other blazes continue to rip through the state unabated.

Striking before and after photos show the areas of California that have been ravaged by the fires  and what they looked like before the flames struck.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Wildfires propelled by fierce winds and dry air have roared across California and Oregon in recent weeks, prompting hundreds of rescues and forcing tens of thousands of evacuations.

The damage caused by the fires has been extensive  Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a press briefing on Tuesday that 7,606 fires have burned 2.3 million acres so far this year, setting a record. By the same time last year, 4,927 fires had burned just 118,000 acres, according to The New York Times.

As of Wednesday, California's fires have resulted in eight deaths and more than 3,700 structures destroyed, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection. The agency said more than 14,000 firefighters were battling 28 major wildfires across the state.

Three major fire complexes  known as LNU, SCU, and CZU  spanned multiple North Bay and East Bay counties, as well as the San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties just south of San Francisco. Those fire complexes consumed a cumulative 850,000 acres, though they're nearly contained.

These before-and-after photos show the extent of the damage.

Satellite images from NOAA show massive swaths of smoke emitting from wildfires dotted across California and Oregon. This composite image shows how the states looked on August 8 compared to September 8.

These satellite images show Oregon and Northern California on August 8, left, and September 8, right. NASA Worldview

The Creek Fire in Sierra National Forest in Fresno County has already burned up more than 163,000 acres and remains 0% contained. These images show the Creek Fire blaze along different parts of the CA-168 on September 7 and September 8.

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The Creek Fire jumped CA-168 on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 in Fresno County, CA. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Shaver Lake was hit particularly hard by the Creek Fire. Hundreds of people in the area were trapped for days awaiting rescue by helicopters that struggled to land through the plumes of smoke.

Shaver Lake, an area where hundreds of people became trapped, is seen surrounded by smoke during the Creek fire at Shaver Lake, California on September 07, 2020. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Imags

Source: Insider

Before and after photos show the lake's normally peaceful banks consumed by flames.

On the left, Shaver Lake's South Shore is covered by winter's snow in 2006. On the right, flames can be seen approaching the Shaver Lake Marina on September 6, 2006. Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

The effects from the wildfires were visible in the skies over the San Francisco Bay Area, which turned an apocalyptic orange on Wednesday.

San Francisco, California, on September 9, 2020. Katie Canales/Business Insider

The Bay Area Air District said the fiery skies were caused by ash transported from the Northern California fires. The agency said the particles scatter blue light and only show yellow, orange, and red light, and that the skies could darken if the smoke grows worse.

Photos taken from the from Kite Hill Open Space in San Francisco in 2014, left, and 2020, right, show how the wildfire smoke has obscured the skyline. Associated Press/Jeff Chiu

Source: Bay Area Air Quality

The damage is tangible  buildings and structures across California have undergone fire damage or burnt to the ground entirely.

The smoldering remains of Cressmans General Store and Gas Station along CA-168, where Creek Fire tore through and jumped CA-168 on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 in Fresno County, CA. Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The image to the right shows Lake Oroville's Bidwell Bar Bridge as the Bear Fire eating up Butte County continued to grow on September 9.

On the right, a boat motors by as the Bidwell Bar Bridge is surrounded by fire in Lake Oroville during the Bear fire in Oroville, California on September 9, 2020. Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images; Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

On September 9, the Bear Fire forced thousands of residents to evacuate from the Lake Oroville area in Butte County roughly 80 miles north of Sacramento.

A home burns during the Bear fire, part of the North Lightning Complex fires in the Berry Creek area of unincorporated Butte County, California on September 9, 2020. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Just three years ago, Lake Oroville struggled to recover from a drought. Now, in 2020, flames from the Bear Fire could be seen licking its shores.

A view of Bidwell Marina at Lake Oroville in 2017, left, and flames surrounding a segment of Lake Oroville, right. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

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In the negotiations between rival Libyan administrations in Morocco, they had agreed "on criteria for appointments to their country's key institutions as Libya's central bank, National Oil Corporation and the Armed Forces

Delegates from rival Libyan administrations on Thursday agreed at talks in Morocco on criteria for appointments to their country's key institutions, a joint statement said.

They also agreed to pause the talks and resume discussions during the last week of September, according to the accord read out by Idris Omran of Libya's eastern parliament.

Initial talks between five members of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and five from Libya's eastern parliament took place from Sunday to Tuesday, yielding a joint statement pointing to "important compromises", but without divulging details.

The negotiations, dubbed the "Libyan Dialogue" in the coastal town of Bouznika, south of Morocco's capital Rabat, resumed behind closed doors on Thursday, the AFP correspondent said.

In the evening Omran read out a joint statement to reporters saying the delegates had agreed "the criteria, transparent mechanisms and objectives" for key posts.

He did not give further details but said the two sides would meet again during the last week of September to finalise mechanisms "that would guarantee the implementation and activation" of the agreement.

The naming of the heads of Libya's central bank, its National Oil Corporation and the armed forces have been the main points of dispute, according to Libyan media.

Parallel to the Morocco talks, "consultations" took place in Montreux, Switzerland this week between Libyan stakeholders and members of UNSMIL, said Stephanie Williams, the UN's interim envoy to Libya.

The meetings held between September 7-9 were a follow-up to a call made by the rival Libyan administrations on August 22 calling for an end to hostilities and nationwide elections.

Held under the auspices of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, the Montreux talks "provide a basis for all responsible Libyan stakeholders to forge the way forward", the UN envoy said.

Williams also welcomed the meetings in Morocco and said the UN's mission in Libya, UNSMIL, would try to prepare the ground to resume broader Libyan political talks.

"We call upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to support this process and to unequivocally respect the Libyan people's sovereign right to determine their future," she said.

Libya has endured almost a decade of violent chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

The crisis worsened last year when military commander Khalifa Haftar, who backs the eastern parliament and is supported by Egypt, the UAE and Russia, launched an offensive to seize Tripoli from the UN-recognised GNA.

Haftar was beaten back earlier this year by Turkish-backed GNA forces and fighting has now stalled around the Mediterranean city of Sirte, the gateway to Libya's eastern oil fields and export terminals.

Morocco hosted talks in 2015 that led to the creation of the GNA.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online

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A 5G mast in West Yorkshire was set on fire in the early hours of this morning as conspiracy theorists claim that the high-speed network is linked to the Covid outbreak.

Police and fire services were called to reports of a burning mast on Otley Road in Bradford at around 3.39am on Thursday.

Firefighters fought hard to extinguish the flames which had engulfed the phone mast.

A 5G phone mast was set on fire on Otley Road in Bradford at around 3.39am today as conspiracy theorists claim that the high-speed network is linked to the Covid outbreak

The mast was destroyed in the fire, which left it burnt and melted near the top, and the structure was toppled using a crane at around 1pm today.

The mast was cut into sections before being removed.

Police are appealing for witnesses and are investigating the incident as a suspected arson attack.

The fire comes following a series of suspected arson attacks on 5G masts across the country.

The incidents are believed to be motivated by conspiracy theories linking the coronavirus pandemic to the deployment of the new high-speed mobile phone network.

Fire services battle the flames which engulfed the mast and police are investigating the incident as a suspected arson attack

The phone mast was destroyed in the fire and the structure was toppled and cut into sections before being removed

Workers prepare to topple the mast (pictured left) before the structure was lowered to the ground using a crane (right) at around 1pm today

At least 90 phone masts in the UK have been damaged or burnt in attacks linked to the claims during lockdown.

Conspiracy theorists claim that the high-speed network is behind the Covid outbreak which has led to some communication masts being vandalised.

The theorists have claimed that the network could damage public health by emitting dangerous levels of radiation.

Experts have repeatedly dismissed links to 5G and the coronavirus as false.

The government recently published a guide on 5G masts in a bid to squash the 'quack' theories that the new technology could harm people's health.

The information pamphlet, 5G Mobile Technology: A Guide, was issued in a bid to dispel misleading theories circulating on social media.
Manx Care Board Chair appointed

The Manx Government has appointed Andrew Foster as the first Chair of Manx Care.



Manx Care has been created as a result of the Manx Governments undertaking to transform the Islands health and social care system.



The Health and Care Transformation Programme is being delivered on the 26 recommendations set out in Sir Jonathan Michaels Independent Review of the Island's Health and Social Care System.



Mr Foster brings with him a wealth of relevant experience working in the UK health and care setting in both non-executive and executive roles.



Mr Foster has taken up the role this week and is keen to learn how the Island has delivered its health and care while working with the Manx Care team to deliver the outcomes as recommended with the independent review, led by Sir Jonathan Michael in 2019.



David Ashford MHK, Minister for Health and Social Care added: I welcome Mr Foster to this new and exciting role. He is joining us as massive changes are underway and will help steer us through uncharted territory that ultimately will benefit the Manx population. I am confident we have chosen someone who will understand our people and environment and help us bring Manx Care to fruition.
OTTAWAWE Charity will shut down its Canadian operations in the wake of a political controversy over the federal governments decision to outsource a multimillion-dollar grant program to the Toronto-based organization with ties to Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus family.

The organization, known to high school students across Canada for its celebrity-endorsed WE Day events, said in a statement online that it will wind down its operations in this country and sell off our assets to create an endowment fund to sustain its humanitarian efforts abroad. This will include the organizations global learning centre headquarters on Queen St. E. in Toronto, the statement said.

All Canadian staff  including co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger  will then leave the organization.

The financial math for the charitys future is clear. Without decisive action, WE Charitys ongoing costs to operate in Canada would exceed revenue and consume savings that are essential to establish the endowment fund, said the statement signed by the Kielburger brothers, who founded the organization as youths 25 years ago.

We calculate that this action preserves as many humanitarian and educational programs as possible, for as long as possible. Putting children first means prioritizing them above the charity, the statement said.

The Prime Ministers Office declined to comment Wednesday on WE Charitys announcement.

The charity was at the centre of a major political firestorm for the Liberal government this summer, after Trudeau and his cabinet outsourced a $544-million student volunteer grant program to the Toronto-based organization.

Following that decision, it was revealed that family members of both Trudeau and then-finance minister Bill Morneau had financial ties to WE Charity; Trudeaus wife, brother and mother were each paid tens of thousands of dollars for expenses and speaking fees by WE, while Morneaus daughter worked for the organization. Morneau also announced in July that he would pay back more than $41,000 to the charity for trips that he and his family took with the organization in 2017.

Trudeau and Morneau nonetheless took part in a cabinet meeting May 22 to approve outsourcing the program, which would have paid WE Charity up to $43.5 million to administer $500 million in grants for student volunteers this year.

The House of Commons ethics commissioner is investigating whether they broke Parliaments conflict-of-interest act, a law that Trudeau has already broken twice as prime minister.

In a phone interview with the Star on Wednesday evening, New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said the closure of WE Charitys Canadian operations shows that it was in economic free fall and desperate when the Trudeau government gave it the now-cancelled contract earlier this year.

Angus, who sat on the Commons finance committee that was investigating the deal, pointed to testimony from the former chair of WE Charitys board of governors, who described her concerns over the organizations finances amid layoffs in March as the pandemic shutdown throttled the Canadian economy.

Documents submitted to the committee, along with testimony from a range of ministers and staff, show how WE Charity started pitching the government on a youth entrepreneurship program in early April. Within weeks, documents show the government was seriously considering outsourcing to WE what would become the ill-fated Canada Student Service Grant.

WE Charity started working on the program May 5, more than two weeks before Trudeaus cabinet approved the contract.

We still have questions to get from the government on this, Angus said. Were not done with this. We need to know how this deal came down.

Conservative MP Michael Barrett said a parliamentary probe should continue into the defunct contract, since the committee conducting the study still wants to see documents from WE Charity that could shed further light on what happened.

Barrett also noted that Trudeau scuttled the committees work when he prorogued Parliament on Aug. 18, with plans to resume with a new speech from the throne on Sept. 23.

Just like the prime minister shutting down Parliament wont end the investigation, shutting down one of the arms of the organization doesnt nullify its obligation to provide answers to Parliament, Barrett said.

In testimony to the Commons finance committee on July 28, WE Charity co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger claimed the political controversy was unfairly killing their charity organization.

We believe that as a Canadian charity, it should not be dragged over the coals for political purposes, Craig Kielburger said at the time.

The brothers insisted their organization had nothing to gain from administering the student grant program  it was designed so government would cover their costs, they said  and that the organization lost about $5 million getting it ready after it agreed to return the $30 million in public money it had received before the initiative was cancelled. According to a tweet sent by WE last week, the $30 million has been paid back.

The ramifications of WE Charitys decision were not immediately clear on Wednesday evening, given their continued operations in countries like the U.S., and the ongoing existence of Me to We, said Allan Moscovitch, a Carleton University professor whose research has focused on social administration.

Its very hard to know how, exactly, all of this is going to work, he said.

He floated several possibilities, including their for-profit affiliate Me to We taking on some of the educational role that WE Charity was previously involved in, given that Me to We already advertises some leadership programs and learning workshops for young people. Alternatively, he said other aid and development organizations might fill the gap in the Canadian charity sphere.

Theres no lack of them, so Im assuming that some of those organizations will pick up some of the donation money that otherwise went to WE, he said. Still, he told the Star it was hard to do more than speculate for now about what tangible impacts will come from the charitys decision.

One clear loss, in his view, was a charity with a particular focus on youth engagement. While in a previous Star report, two former senior employees accused the charity of presenting inflated numbers around its school program participation  something WE countered was not correct  Moscovitch noted the number of schools the charity claimed relationships with was enormous.

In an annual report for 2018, the charity said that during the 2017-18 school year, more than $265 million (U.S.) in social value was created by youth involved in their We Schools program across multiple countries  a measurement they said combined money raised for local and global causes, the estimated value of collected food, and estimated value of hours spent volunteering.

The Toronto District School Board, in a brief statement shared with the Star on Wednesday evening, said it would continue to seek out social justice programs to benefit students and staff, despite no longer working with WE.

The majority of our programs associated with WE were developed within individual schools, wrote spokesperson Shari Schwartz-Maltz.

Correction  Sept. 9, 2020: This article has been updated to clarify that the federal student volunteer contract was worth $544 million.

With files from Victoria Gibson

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OTTAWA - Less than two weeks before Parliament is to resume sitting, no one knows how it is going to function amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/9/2020 (497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Morning light hits the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. Less than two weeks before Parliament is to resume sitting, no one knows how it is going to function amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Less than two weeks before Parliament is to resume sitting, no one knows how it is going to function amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Liberal government has proposed a full resumption of parliamentary business using a hybrid model  a limited number of MPs actually sitting in the House of Commons and the rest participating online, including by voting electronically.

New Democrats are proposing a similar approach but it's unclear whether the Conservatives, who've previously opposed electronic voting, or the Bloc Quebecois, will agree.

And House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota has warned that until the Commons approves a new approach, his hands are tied.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament last month, so the committee that was supposed to propose options for electronic voting has been disbanded.

Parliament is to resume on Sept. 23 with a throne speech laying out the Liberal government's plan for an economic recovery.

Theoretically, all 338 MPs could return to the chamber. It is set to resume all its normal five-days-a-week operations after being largely suspended since mid-March, apart from periodic short sittings to pass emergency aid to help Canadians weather the economic fallout from the pandemic.

But the government is hoping some consensus can be reached in advance to limit the number of MPs in the Commons until a vote can be held on how it should function while the pandemic continues.

"The risks of COVID-19 have not gone away, so it is not wise for all 338 MPs to travel to Ottawa," said Mark Kennedy, spokesman for government House leader Pablo Rodriguez.

Kennedy said Rodriguez has proposed to his opposition counterparts that the House adopt "a full hybrid approach  with some MPs in the House of Commons chamber and the rest participating online through the videoconferencing that worked well this spring.

"We also believe that remote (or) electronic voting is necessary to ensure that all MPs can represent their constituents during this pandemic. We are working with the other parties on the details of how we move ahead on this," he said, adding that the government believes "it should be possible to reach a consensus."

Kennedy would not disclose details of the electronic voting model the government is proposing.

Since the Liberals hold only a minority of seats in the Commons, they will need at least one of the main opposition parties to support their proposed approach.

In principle at least, the NDP is on side.

NDP House leader Peter Julian and NDP whip Rachel Blaney wrote to Speaker Rota late last month, requesting that House of Commons officials undertake the necessary measures, including testing of electronic voting, to ensure a hybrid model Parliament could begin immediately after Sept. 23.

While he expressed confidence in the ability of officials to act in a "timely" manner, Rota replied that he cannot instruct them to do anything until the House of Commons decides how it wants to proceed.

He noted that the special orders passed by the Commons to allow for hybrid sittings last spring and periodically over the summer are no longer in force due to Trudeau's decision to prorogue Parliament.

The procedure and House affairs committee has reported on some options for a more fully functioning hybrid Parliament but Rota noted the committee's reports "have not been debated, let alone adopted. With prorogation, these reports have lapsed and are no longer before the House."

The Conservatives on the committee last spring issued a dissenting report, in which they argued against any form of electronic voting. Gerard Deltell, the Conservatives' new House leader, declined to comment Thursday on the government's proposal, with a spokesperson saying he had just received it and needed time to study it.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The Bloc also declined to comment.

In a statement Thursday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the issue of how Parliament will function should have been settled during a single-day sitting of the Commons that had been scheduled for late August but was cancelled when Trudeau "recklessly shut down Parliament."

"We're glad the Liberals finally responded and are reviewing their proposal, but it shouldn't have taken weeks," he said.

"We could have had this all squared away so we could get to work right away to help people, but instead the Liberals again put their own interests first, instead of putting people first."

Trudeau, meanwhile, will conduct a cabinet retreat Monday and Tuesday in Ottawa, with most ministers expected to participate in person. They are to focus on plans for the economic recovery and the throne speech.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2020.
New Delhi: Twinkle Khanna on Wednesday treated her star husband Akshay Kumar's fans to a glimpse of the "small celebration" of the actor actor in Scotland.

The-actor-turned-writer took to Instagram to share two pictures to summarise the 53rd birthday of her husband.

While the first picture features Twinkle and Akshay posing with a scrumptious chocolate cake amidst a large lush green field, the other picture features two greeting cards prepared by their children Aarav and Nitara Kumar.

"A small celebration for the big boy`s birthday!" she wrote in the caption.

Akshay Kumar reached Scotland earlier last month with the cast of his upcoming film `Bell Bottom` for its shoot.
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2020 , Calif. -- Agragene, Inc., a sustainable agricultural technology company developing eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides, announced today that it has raised an additional $4 million in Series A financing from Ospraie Ag Science (OAS), the venture arm of New York-based Ospraie Management. The additional funding will expand field trials of Knock-Out, their first Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology product, as well as their semiochemical attractant-product Border Patrol.

The announcement of another round of OAS funding comes in advance of the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit September 15-16, where bio-based products will take center stage as global demand soars for more sustainable agri-food solutions.

"We're thrilled by the additional investment and vote of confidence from Ospraie Ag Science," said Agragene CEO Gordon Alton. "They clearly understand the value of our approach to biological crop protection, which displaces insecticides, reduces costs and protects the environment. Our solutions are not only more sustainable, they're more cost effectivea win-win for growers and the environment."

Agragene's Knock-Out product utilizes a CRISPR-based approach to engineer sterile males that mate with female crop pests in the field. The result is "insect birth control" -- unfertilized insect eggs that produce no offspring and naturally control the pest population without chemicals. Applied via drone and more affordable than traditional chemical formulations, Agragene's Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology (pgSIT) is safe for bees, birds and workers.

Border Patrol, the company's innovative attract-and-kill product, uses a proprietary semiochemical formulation on a fiber mat to attract pests. Females lay their eggs on the mat, where their larvae dry out and die. Alton likens the approach to "cherry jam on a triscuit."

"Our formulation is proving highly effective and when compared to similar products on the market, will require far fewer 'traps' per acre for a much lower overall cost," said Alton. "Moreover, we'll be offering it via a service model, with certified Agragene technicians placing and activating mats for customers. This creates a simple, effective and sustainable approach at a lower price."

Knock-Out and Border Patrol are the first two innovations in Agragene's integrated pest management system, which is designed for enhanced sustainability, simplicity and cost-effectiveness. The company has additional products in the pipeline for real-time insect detection and mating disruption.

"Agragene is demonstrating the kind of exciting innovation that will shift the industry toward increasing yield efficiencies naturally," said Jason Mraz, Ospraie Management Co-Founder. "Their Knock-Out and Border Patrol products simultaneously reduce chemicals and costs, so they truly meet our objective of 'helping farmers do more with less.'"

About Agragene

Agragene is the smart choice for organic and conventional biological crop pest control. Using advanced CRISPR-based genome engineering, Agragene creates eco-friendly products that are applicable to thousands of insect pests worldwide. Agragene's initial product targets spotted wing drosophila, a major global crop pest. Founded in 2017 in San Diego, California, the company is pursuing commercial product launch in the United States and an aggressive licensing strategy worldwide. Learn more about the Future of Biocontrol at agragene.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Ospraie Ag Science

Ospraie Ag Science LLC (OAS) identifies solutions to help farmers "Do More With Less." By increasing profitability, improving quality-adjusted yield and reducing environmental impact, our companies not only benefit producers but generate smarter, healthier and more efficient food for consumers globally. Utilizing our extensive network and 25 years of experience investing in agriculture, OAS is positioned to help farmers achieve a sustainable future.

Agragene, Ospraie Management and Ospraie Ag Science (OAS) are either registered trademarks or trademarks in the Unites States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Agragene
American journalist Bob Woodwards book Rage, set to be launched on September 15, has stirred several controversies around the presidency of Donald Trump weeks before US Elections are scheduled to be held in November.

The much anticipated book is based on 18 interviews that Woodward conducted with Trump. The journalist was also granted special access to the top officials inside the White House and the book reveals inner workings of the president and his administration.

Rage is the sequel to his 2018 book Fear: Trump in the White House.

Here are a few interesting takeaways from the book:

Donald Trumps equation with the North Korean leader

According to an article published in The Washington Post (where Woodward is an editor) containing excerpts of the book, Trump said he was impressed with Kim Jong Un when he first met him in Singapore in 2018 and that Kim was far beyond smart.

In engaging with nuclear arms talks with Kim, the US President ignored the Central Intelligence Agencys (CIA) assessments that North Korea would never give up its nuclear weapons.

CIA has no idea how to handle Pyongyang, Trump had reportedly told Kim, and the North Korean reportedly described his relationship with Trump as a fantasy film.

Dismissal of Black Americans pain

When asked if the US President, as a white man, had a responsibility to better understand the anger and pain of Black Americans, he said, No, I dont feel that at all.

According to Trump, the unemployment rate among Black Americans fell right before the coronavirus pandemic and the systemic racism the journalist was trying to highlight was present everywhere. I think probably less here than most places. Or less here than many places, the Trump said.

When asked by Woodward whether racism is in the United States in such a way that it affects peoples lives, Trump replied: I think it is. And its unfortunate. But I think it is.

Downplayed the Covid-19 risk

This is deadly stuff, Trump had told Woodward on February 7. Even as the President told the journalist several times that he was aware of the deadly and highly contagious nature of coronavirus, he repeatedly downplayed its threat in his public rallies and meetings.

Trump revealed that he played it down with regard to the severity of Covid-19 to the American people as he didnt want to create panic. The virus has nothing to do with me. Its not my fault. Its -- China let the damn virus out, CNN quoted Trump in his interaction with the journalist.

The President has recently come under fire for not taking the virus threat seriously. Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a statement said, So much of this pain could have been avoided, but President Trump refused to tell the truth or to act to protect the American people. The horrifying toll of Trumps deadly disinformation and negligence in the lives of grieving families and to our economy is a historic national tragedy.

Dangerous and unfit to be commander in chief

The book also mentions viewpoints of Trumps former top national security officials on his presidency. Former Defense Secretary James Mattis, former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are some of them.

According to James Mattis, Trump is dangerous and unfit to be commander in chief.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US administrations top infectious disease expert, is quoted in the book too. Trumps leadership is rudderless and that his attention span is like a minus number, he reportedly said.

(with agency inputs)
A 13-year-old boy, Omar Farouq, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for blasphemy in Kano State, has appealed the judgement of the Sharia Court that convicted him.

The Foundation for Religious Freedom filed the appeal on behalf of the teenager at the Kano State High Court on Monday.

In the notice of appeal, the rights organisation included the Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the attorney general of the state as respondents.

While the judgement of Allyu Kani of Kano Upper Sharia Court sentenced Farouq to jail, a musician, Sharif-Aminu, was also sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad on August 10.

The duo were convicted based on Section 382 (b) of Kano penal code of 2000 after they were accused of committing blasphemy against the prophet of Islam.

The FRF had earlier appealed the verdict of the court in Mr Sharif-Aminus case.

The state governor had indicated his willingness to quickly sign the death warrant once all legal options had been explored by Mr Sharif-Aminu.

Appeal

The FRF described Farouqs incarceration as a violation of the African Charter of the Rights And Welfare of a Child and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because he is minor in the eyes of the Law.

The Appellant the conviction and sentencing by the Upper Sharia Court of Kano State pursuant to the kano State Penal Code Law 2000 were unconstitutional, null vod, having grossly violated and conflicted with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended and having violated the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights respectively.

The rights group also argued that the offence of blasphemy is no longer an offence in Nigerian constitution.

The constitutional principle of separation between government and religion enshrined at Sections 10 and 38 of the constitution prohibit government from adopting religion or making laws restricting religious freedom and also prohibits government from making laws to advance or promote any religious interest.

The State was quick to charge the accused for blasphemy but failed, neglected and refused to provide him legal representation despite the existing framework for legal aid in Kano State.

The Penal Sharia Code Law 2000 of Kano state or any Penal Sharia Code Law in Nigeria has no constitutional foundation since it is a law with the sole aim of advancing and placating Islamic religious interests and same is apparently opened to political and class manipulations of citizens be they Muslims or non-Muslims.

Several activists and rights groups have demanded the reversal of the judgements against the two individuals.

This is a travesty of justice. There are serious concerns about the fairness of his trial; and the framing of the charges against him based on his music. Furthermore, the imposition of the death penalty following an unfair trial violates the right to life. Yahaya Sharif-Aminu must be released immediately and unconditionally, Amnesty International Nigeria country director, Osai Ojigho, said in a press statement.
Webster said she is glad to see recommendations brought up through the CHANGE Initiative but wants to make sure that there is action taken on the proposals. For example, with the new civilian review board, she hopes the city does not appoint people to the board but instead has it managed directly by community members, or make the positions on the board electable by the public. She also hopes the board has the power to make binding decisions.
Business groups have called for "cool heads" following publication of the controversial Internal Markets Bill - while urging firms to step up 'no-deal' preparations.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the bill will "ensure the integrity of the UK internal market".

But businesses have said it has created more confusion and uncertainty.

A body representing nearly 5,000 accountants said companies should now prepare for a no-deal outcome.

And Tina McKenzie, the Northern Ireland policy chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, called for calm and pragmatism as the end of the transition period nears on December 31. While the Bill had caused a stir, she said it didn't alter the fundamental situation facing businesses.

"We need to focus on arriving at an agreed and sensible implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol which delivers for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Irish Sea," she said.

"While there are some challenging issues regarding the implementation of the Protocol, a 'zero tariff, zero quota' free trade agreement between the UK and the EU would alleviate many of the difficulties.

"That is the prize on which we must continue to focus - something which is ultimately in the mutual interest of all parties to the negotiation."

Read More

Chartered Accountants Ireland said its advice was now to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.

Crona Clohisey, its public policy lead, said a "wait and see" approach could damage firms who are already struggling with Covid-19.

"Pandemic aside, Brexit needs to be top of their agenda for the next few weeks to ensure their survival.

"There are relatively straightforward things that must be done now to start preparations regardless of the outcome of the negotiations. It is hard to believe that it has been over four years since the Brexit vote and with just weeks to go until the end of the transition period, the UK and EU remain without some form of agreement.

"A no-deal Brexit will bring hazardous trading conditions and supply chain disruption for businesses north and south.

"We are calling on negotiators on both sides to provide some sort of assurance to enterprises about the future trading landscape."

Ms Clohisey said that the time remaining until the end of the transition period was simply not sufficient to conclude a comprehensive free trade deal and "the best we can expect is the bare bones of a deal which will likely prioritise avoiding the imposition of tariffs and quotas on goods and is unlikely to extend fully to services".

Regardless of the outcome of talks, she said business could be sure of a trading environment that would vastly differ from the simplicity of the Single Market.
(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 10 - Culture is an essential tool for the restart after the coronavirus and the Dubai Expo in 2021, the first global event after the pandemic broke out, will be the ideal occasion to reconstruct relations between countries and for Italy to re-launch itself on a multilateral platform.

This was the message that emerged during an ANSA Forum dedicated to cultural diplomacy that Italy's Commissioner for Expo Dubai Paolo Glisenti and the Culture Undersecretary with the portfolio for Expo Lorenza Bonaccorsi took part in.

Ida Zilio Grandi, the director of the Italian Culture Institute in Abu Dhabi, took part via video link as did cinema association ANICA President and former culture minister Francesco Rutelli from Venice.

"Italy will be a major player of the culture that will take shape at Expo Dubai," said Glisenti during the debate moderated by ANSA Deputy Editor-in-Chief Stefano Polli.

The over 150 events that Italy will take to the Emirates include a show by ballet star Roberto Bolle and international dancers, the orchestra of the Accademia della Scala, the Piazza Vittorio orchestra and Giovanni Sollima's 100 Cellos.

The double postponement caused by COVID-19 means that the Dubai Expo and the Venice Biennale will be running for the same time for almost two months, with lots of potential interactions.

"Today Italy needs to make more international products, so being in Dubai to present cinema craftsmanship, audiovisual innovation and Italy's great traditions will be an extraordinary way to promote cultural diplomacy and Italian interests in a global, multilateral context," said Rutelli.

Bonaccorsi explained that "we have a great asset that gets us recognised and makes us in demand all over the world.

"2019 was the year in which incoming foreign tourists overtook domestic ones, with 50.3% of the market, and tourism accounted for 13% of our country's GDP.

Bonaccorsi stressed that "cultural diplomacy has a fundamental role in reviving tourism in Italy.

"Tourism has suffered, it is suffering and it will suffer further.

"It is no coincidence that Expo is called 'Connecting Minds': putting relations back into circulation is a fundamental issue for the global recovery and the recovery of tourism".

The director of the Italian Culture Institute in Abu Dhabi explained that "the expectations of Italian culture are extremely high.

"Italian culture is well liked and much is expected in terms of elegance and style, but also in terms of innovation".

In a video-message, Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said that culture "aids dialogue, reciprocal knowledge. It helps to overcome diversity".

United Arab Emirates Culture Minister Noura Mohammed Al Kaabi sent a video message in which she hailed relations between the countries. The Emirates and Italy enjoy strong collaboration in the culture sector, she said.

Italy has been crucial in supporting our vision of openness, tolerance, creativity and social change.

Ten years have passed since the Emirates first took part in the (Venice) Biennale.

In that time our young nation has presented expositions that represent our rich contemporary art and our architecture.

Our mission continues to be the promotion of tolerance and social cohesion via dynamic projects such as our pavilion in Venice and via the Italy pavilion at the Dubai Expo.

Cultural diplomacy is also crucial for traditional diplomacy.

"Today intercultural dialogue is an essential element to reformulate and reinforce classic diplomatic relationships," Glisenti said regarding the role of the Dubai Expo in the process that led to the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. According to the Culture Undersecretary, "Expo gave a key push to the reconstruction of relations between the two countries, above all in recent months, when dialogue was difficult".

(ANSA).


WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said he understands why President Donald Trump sought to downplay the dangers of the coronavirus at the beginning of the crisis, though he believes the president could have done that without withholding information about the virus.

I understand the intention  that he didnt want to panic the American people. Thats not what leaders do, Cornyn said during a phone call with reporters Thursday. In retrospect, I think he might have been able to handle that in a way that both didnt panic the American people but also gave them accurate information.

TED CRUZ ON THE SUPREME COURT? Trump says he would consider nominating the Texas Republican

Cornyns comments come as some other Senate Republicans facing difficult re-election fights have sought to avoid addressing the presidents recorded admission  revealed in an upcoming book by journalist Bob Woodward  that he was playing it down, despite knowing in February that the virus was deadly stuff. Other GOP senators have defended the president, saying he was right to downplay the virus.

Cornyn said he believes the most important thing were the actions the administration and Congress had taken early on to try and defeat this virus, including travel restrictions Trump placed on China.

Earlier on Thursday, MJ Hegar, a former Air Force pilot and Democrat running against Cornyn, had criticized the senator after he was quoted by a CNN reporter saying he didnt have any confidence in the reporting.

Its on tape, John, Hegar tweeted. It looks like you got the memo back in March to downplay the pandemic too. Now nearly 200,000 Americans are dead.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Cornyn also was asked about reporting in The Atlantic that the president made disparaging comments about members of the military, including calling them suckers and losers. Cornyn said he did not know whether to believe it.

I just dont know, Cornyn said. Ive heard The Atlantic, the author of The Atlantic article, say he did. And Ive heard others like (former national security adviser) John Bolton say if the president made statements like that he wouldve written another chapter about it in his book  And certainly John Bolton is no fan of the president.

ben.wermund@chron.com
For most of us, the skies should seem a little different today. Its nothing to do with the weather or the air quality, but a beaming sense of safety the skies have been exuding since this morning.

Why? Because after almost four years since India struck an Inter-Governmental Agreement with France for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets, and over a month since the first batch of the fighter jets arrived in the country, the Rafale jets were formally inducted into the 17 Squadron, aka Golden Arrows, today.

 Twitter PIB_Panaji

Today marked a big day not only for India and our defense strategies, but we also took our ties with France to a new level. Heres how else the Indian Air Force flexed today.



1. The induction ceremony for the five Rafale jets that was hosted at Ambala Air Force Station, was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was accompanied by French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly.

2. Other guests of honour who were in attendance during the ceremony included top executives from Dassault Aviation, Thales Group, Safran, and MBDA, who were there as the representatives of the French defence majors who collaborated with Indian companies to successfully deliver the Rafale deal.

 Twitter KJCHANNEL10

3. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria as well as Defense Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar also took part in the important milestone in the history of the IAF.



4. The presence of French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly along with other Indian military stalwarts is being seen as an official stamp of honour in the Indo-French partnership, right from maritime security ties in the Indo-Pacific, to counter-terrorism cooperation and overall bilateral defence partnership.

 Twitter srilankaglobal

5. The ceremony was kicked off with the ceremonial unveiling of the Rafale aircraft, which was followed by a Sarva Dharma Puja ceremony. The Rafale aircraft was also given the traditional water cannon salute during the event.



6. Since their arrival, pilots and ground crew have undertaken comprehensive training on the fighter aircrafts which includes familiarising themselves with the highly advanced weapons systems of the jets.

7. The icing on the cake during the event was the air display put on by the Rafale jets and Tejas aircraft along with the Sarang Aerobatic Team, which saw the Rafale jets being flanked by SU-30 and Jaguar aircraft in arrow formation.

 Twitter Rajnath Singh

As per latest reports, the Rafale aircrafts are expected to notably amplify the offensive capabilities of the Indian Air Force owing to the jets' advanced weaponry system, high-tech sensors, superior radar for detection and tracking of targets as well as their capability to carry impressive payload.



Now, thats some promising news to learn about amid the border unrest in Ladakh. If it helps to know, rumour also has it the IAF could deploy the Rafale fighters in the region in a bid to further Indias plan to strengthen its military position in Ladakh. That sounds better, doesnt it?
The OSCE has repeatedly confirmed the Ukrainian side in no way violated the terms of the ceasefire in Donbas.

The Office of the President of Ukraine has explained why the so-called "one-time inspection" of Ukrainian positions near the village of Shumy agreed on at a special meeting of the security subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas settlement will not take place.

"As we anticipated, members of illegal armed formations in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions [ORDLO] did not expect that Ukraine's approach would be constructive. Believing in their own propaganda and being out of touch with reality prevents them from adequately assessing the ongoing events," as reported on the president's website.

As of Thursday morning, the Ukrainian side had received a number of demands that contradict each other, as well as distorting the nature of the ceasefire agreements and further humiliating the OSCE as a reliable and objective mediator.

"That is why a 'one-time inspection' visit to exclusively one site agreed on within the TCG's Security Working Group will not take place over continuous change in the Russian side's demands," it said.

Read also"Joint inspection" with Russian proxies in Donbas suspended  sourceThe President's Office also says the OSCE has repeatedly confirmed the Ukrainian side in no way violated the terms of the ceasefire in Donbas. Ukraine has closely adhered to all the conditions for six weeks since July 27.

"We can and want to do this further to move from the 'ceasefire' in Donbas to a lasting peace," the report said.

Members of illegal armed formations demonstrate they have a completely different goal, namely, media hype instead of peace, the President's Office added.

Background
Labor Day weekend may be over, but the sales are still available.

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Here are just a few we see:

Save 20 percent on the Miele Grey Classic C1 Pure Suction Canister Vacuum Cleaner. This powerful but quiet German-engineered bagged canister vacuum has a combination floor head that is ideal for cleaning hard floors. High suction power  1,200 W. Listed now at $239.20.

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Save 78 percent on the Safavieh Madison Collection MAD611B Bohemian Chic Vintage Distressed Area Rug (5 Square). Normally $200, you can get it for $44.99.

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Check out the Columbia Womens Benton Springs Full Zip Fleece Jacket. Usually listed for $60, the jacket is on sale for $39.99.

Here are all the deals Amazon has to offer.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
MND - a French industrial group specialized in ropeway mobility, snowmaking systems, mountain safety, and thrill-making leisure facilities - has unveiled its "Succeed Together 2024" strategic plan. Their ambitious goals rely on a winning synergy between MND teams and their partners, for a robust and efficient organization that serves customers.

"This strategic plan aims to continue delivering the profitable and sustainable growth of the past twenty years by assisting mountain sites in their projects and building on the experience acquired with our historical customers to reach new markets in summer tourism or urban transportation," explains Xavier Gallot-Lavallee, CEO of MND.

To respond to mountain and regional stakeholder expectations, as well as to challenges in terms of climate change, industrial players must now change the way they understand the underlying issues and expect a global, sustainable, and long-term vision from their partners. Today, MND has set its 2024 strategic roadmap aiming to assist their customers and reaffirming their ambition to be the international reference in leisure equipment and ropeway transportation in mountain and urban areas.

To provide clients and partners with facilitated access to its global offer and 4 areas of expertise, the group has come together under one brand - MND - and includes unique sales point of contacts, redeployed in a global manner in each country where the company operates.

A STRATEGIC PLAN BASED ON 4 PILLARS:

Customer Experience: to provide partners with a global offer of reliable, innovative, and sustainable products and services, accessible through a single, local contact to maintain a close relationship with client teams ;

Operational Excellence: to reinforce the group's industrial capabilities and performance to guarantee quality solutions and optimize manufacturing lead times thanks to Made-in-France expertise and production facilities located in the French Alps ;

Employee Engagement: shared success is ensured through the expertise, know-how, and daily commitment of each employee under a common strategic vision within a strengthened and shared governance model ;

Controlled Growth: to build tomorrow's profitable growth thanks to the recent alignment of the group's financial capacity with their long-term needs.

Xavier Gallot-Lavallee, Chief Executive Officer of MND, states:

"I am proud to present our strategic plan 'Succeed Together 2024,' elaborated over the past few months with the group's employees. This strategic plan aims at delivering the profitable and sustainable growth of the past twenty years by assisting mountain sites in their projects and building on the experience acquired with our historical customers to reach new markets in summer tourism and urban transportation.

Committed to a more sustainable mountain environment, we are leveraging these development tools to meet the expectations of industry players and to change the way we commonly approach new investments and infrastructure sustainability. This fully operational and pragmatic plan is looking to bring us closer to our customers and partners, to facilitate their access to our expertise and innovative know-how, and to ensure them operational excellence and a detailed understanding of their local challenges.

Today, we are ready and able to complete all of our ongoing customer orders for 2020, and we are able to increase our performance capacity over the next few years. As the final stage in our global transformation initiated at the end of 2019, this plan will see the extension of our industrial buildings in Savoie starting in 2021, once all of our European production sites are relocated to the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region in France.

Our plan includes strengthening strategic partnerships, the most important of those being with the ropeway manufacturer Bartholet, which confirms our position and ambitions in the ropeway market. Our goal is to offer the most complete range of products possible - combining quality, innovation, and design to meet mobility challenges from the mountains to the urban areas."

A GLOBAL OFFER DRIVEN BY A SINGLE BRAND, CLOSEST TO CLIENTS

To promote the group's 4 core areas of expertise, MND chose clarity through a unique brand - MND - combined with a regional sales force to provide project owners with a single contact person.

The MND brand is based on the solid reputation of its 4 areas of expertise, changing their name:

LST, the ropeway specialists - in a strategic alliance with Bartholet expanding its range - is now MND ROPEWAYS .

. SUFAG - number two worldwide for snowmaking solutions - is now MND SNOW .

. TAS - number one in the world for avalanche safety and risk prevention systems - is now MND SAFETY .

. TECHFUN - specialized in thrill-making leisure facilities with a complete range of summer and winter leisure activities and integrating a Fun Lab, where customized requests are developed - is now MND LEISURE.

To bring more clarity to their offer, MBS - the brand specialized in safety equipment for slopes, playgrounds, and training/competition areas - is now MND's Retail Division with an off- and on-line catalog of solutions. This move reinforces the group's strategic axis of global development.

In one unique brand, MND offers proven and sustainable solutions based on over 20 years of experience in mountain development by combining values of performance, audacity, trust, and enthusiasm with industrial expertise in safety, leisure, and mobility for all.

STRENGTHENING PERFORMANCE AND INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY

The group launched a transformation plan focused on operational excellence to support growth and reinforce how ongoing projects are executed and monitored.

To become a more robust organization, the group strengthened its expertise and project management skills by onboarding internal and external talents - especially in the areas of sales, sales engineering, project and operations management.

In the past few months, MND optimized logistics lead times, improved the quality of service through extended centralized warehouses, and brought together production teams, account managers, and the design office at a single location in France. This centralization will also contribute to the achievement of economies of scale in the current and subsequent financial years. They have also integrated industrial processes and a new ERP system at a group level to optimize operations, inventory, and delivery management.

Construction of a new industrial facility - doubling production capacity and located next to MND's headquarters in St. Helene-du-Lac, France - will start this autumn. It will be delivered and operational end of 2021. The new building will increase assembly areas for the Ropeways and Snow Business Lines, bring together all operations on a single site, accommodate a new production line dedicated to urban transportation projects, and strengthen customer service and training.

These new investments on MND's historical industrial site prove the company's commitment to Made-in-France quality and a long-term establishment at the heart of the region Auvergne- Rhone-Alpes.

Over the last ten years, MND invested nearly 20 million in its production, assembly, innovation, and administrative headquarters, all based in the French Alps.

Based on a commitment to sustainable development, MND production is carried out as close as possible to its traditional markets, with the equipment for ski resorts.

CONTROL GROWTH AND RETURN TO OPERATIONAL PROFITABILITY BY 2020/2021

To finance the company's growth, MND relies on financing from MND's shareholder and financial partner, Cheyne Capital. MND received funding for a total of 55 million over the past year, as well as support from the French government in August 2020 through an 18 million loan that is 50% counter-guaranteed by the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region.

As part of this financing plan, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, Finance and Economic Recovery, stated1, "The French government has chosen to support the industrial group MND by providing 18 million... By making this choice, the French government has shown its attachment to companies who produce in France and successfully export French expertise in tourism development and urban mobility."

This plan is in line with MND's objective of controlled growth and profitability. It targets a return to a normal operating balance (EBITDA) as of the 2020/2021 financial year, which will end on June 30th, 2021, based on strong orders dynamic.

Over the last few months, MND has signed many new orders in its four business lines. These firm orders will be performed during fiscal years 2020 to 2022 and include urban and mountain ropeway projects; snowmaking projects in the Alps, Japan, and China; and ski-area safety projects in Europe, Central Asia, and North America.

DIVERSIFICATION, INNOVATION, AND COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT ARE KEYS TO DEVELOPMENT

The group's recent commercial success in building 4-season thrill-making leisure facilities and urban ropeways demonstrates the relevance of the group's strategic choice of diversification from winter to summer and from mountain to cities. These choices provide the group with new, exciting international markets. The ropeway market alone will more than double, reaching 3.6 billion2 by 2024. In 2024, more than a third of the market will be urban ropeways.

To make sure project owners continue to benefit from the group's latest innovations and to take into account operator and end-user challenges, MND will continue innovations in their existing product ranges.

Because MND pays close attention to key trends in environmental awareness and climate change, the group is working on the energy efficiency and seamless environmental integration of its systems. In these diverse areas of expertise, MND supports its customers and ski area operators in their efforts to reduce ecological footprints, in particular through solutions that optimize installations and equipment.

MND has reaffirmed its ambition to be a responsible, sustainable, and global industrial player with a long-term vision, in order to help its customers meet climate change challenges.

About MND

MND is a French industrial group specializing in ropeways mobility, snowmaking systems, mountain safety, and thrill-making leisure facilities. With more than 20 years of experience in mountain development and over 3,000 customers in 49 countries, MND offers proven and sustainable solutions in safety, leisure, and mobility for all. Based in the French Alps, MND has 300 employees and relies on seven international distribution subsidiaries, as well as 28 distributors around the world. MND is listed on the Euronext Growth market in Paris (FR0011584549 - ALMND).

Contact

Press Relations

Alexandre Berard

+33 (0)6 45 42 95 46 - alex@alternativemedia.fr Financial Press Relations

Serena Boni

+33 (0)4 72 1804 92 - sboni@actus.fr Investor Relations

Mathieu Omnes

+33 (0)1 53 67 36 92 - momnes@actus.fr

1 See August 5, 2020 press release

2 Source: New York-based Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Florence Parly on Thursday held extensive talks during which they vowed to step up cooperation in the Indian Ocean, a region which is witnessing rising Chinese military posturing. It is learnt that Singh also apprised Parly on India's four-month-long border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

Official sources said the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on contemporary regional and global security issues of mutual interest. The two ministers emphasised the need to work closely keeping in view the joint strategic vision of India-France cooperation in the Indian Ocean region, the sources said. The talks took place at Ambala Air Force station after a ceremony marking induction of five Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force. Singh and Parly held a brief conversation at the Air Force station in Palam in Delhi shortly after her arrival on Thursday morning.

The Indian Navy has significantly expanded its deployment in the Indian Ocean Region, stationing a plethora of warships and submarines following the border row in eastern Ladakh to send across a message to Beijing. The maritime space around the Malacca Strait is very critical for China's supply chain through sea routes.

After returning to Delhi in the afternoon, Parly held talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval focusing on ways to further boost bilateral defence and security cooperation, officials said. In her brief address at the ceremony, Parly said France is fully committed to integrate the Indian defence industry with France's global military supply chain, while calling the induction of the Rafale jets into the IAF a new chapter in bilateral defence ties.

"The strategic partnership between France and India is based on common values and friendship forged over several decades," she said. "Since India's independence, our two democracies have been cooperating very closely. France has always stood beside India in good and bad times," she said.

In Delhi, Parly visited the national war memorial and paid tributes to India's fallen heroes.
A listing application by Ant Group, China's largest digital payments provider and digital finance platform by volume, is set for review by regulators on September 18, Shanghai's stock exchange said late on Wednesday.

Ant filed its initial public offering (IPO) papers last month on Shanghai's Star Market, as the Science and Technology Innovation Board is known, formally kicking off the process for what is likely to be the largest fundraising in history.

The fintech unicorn will sell not less than 10 per cent of its total capital post issuance, split between Hong Kong and Shanghai's Star Market. While the size of the IPO is still subject to market conditions, the dual listing is widely expected to surpass the US$29.4 billion listing last December by Saudi Aramco, the current record holder for the world's largest fundraising.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

Ant operates payments provider Alipay. Photo: Getty Images alt=Ant operates payments provider Alipay. Photo: Getty Images

The Star Market listing committee will meet at 9am on September 18 to vet Ant's IPO application, the exchange said. A person familiar with the matter said that the exchange had expedited the listing process to bring Ant more quickly to market. Exchanges around the world are locked in fierce competition to attract fast-growing technology companies.

Ant has already responded to the Shanghai exchange's questions about its ownership structure, competition in digital payments in China and overseas, customers' privacy as well as its listing plan in Hong Kong. A one-third share in Ant Group is held by the South China Morning Post's parent Alibaba Group Holding.

If the listing committee gives the green light to the listing application, the paperwork will pass to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) for registration.

The company has also applied for a listing in Hong Kong, and its application is wending its way through a process laid out by the exchange's listing division. The exchange has scheduled a meeting to vet the application later this month, another person familiar with the matter said.

Story continues

If the CSRC and Hong Kong's exchange both approve the filing, Ant can ramp up marketing its IPO in October, which could raise the company around US$30 billion. Ant will gauge demand for the stock before setting a price range for the offering. At that point, institutional and retail investors will be able to subscribe for the shares. Only thereafter will the stock trade on the two exchanges.

The dual offering could make Ant Group the poster boy for China's plan to attract fast-growing companies to power domestic capital markets, helping its home-grown champions secure funding to support growth and compete with global rivals.

Additional reporting by Daniel Ren

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
She is currently undergoing hotel quarantine in Queensland after relocating with her family for work opportunities.

And on Wednesday, Nikki Osborne revealed the X-rated joke her family played on her.

The comedian, 39, shared a video on Instagram showing that she received a package that read: '1x disposable dildo.'

'They have a good sense of humour!' Comedian Nikki Osborne reveals the X-rated joke package her family dropped off as she undergoes hotel quarantine in Queensland

'My family up here have a good sense of humour,' she said, adding that: 'the police weren't sure if they should deliver this.'

She giggled as she revealed the package contained a banana - and not a sex toy.

'Gotta love family dropping off "care packages" to the hotel,' Nikki wrote in the caption.

'The police weren't sure if they should deliver this': The comedian, 39, shared a video on Instagram showing that she received a package that read: '1x disposable dildo.' She said: 'My family up here have a good sense of humour'

'Gotta love family dropping off "care packages" to the hotel': She giggled as she revealed the package contained a banana - and not a sex toy

Last week, she revealed to The Courier Sun that she and her family would be relocating from Melbourne to Brisbane because the of Stage Four restrictions in Victoria.

Nikki, who was raised in Queensland and has lived in Victoria for 15 years, had her national comedy tour cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

'It's really depressing down here,' she told the publication on Saturday.

Moving up north: Nikki and her family have recently relocated from Melbourne to Brisbane because the Stage Four restrictions in Victoria. 'It's really depressing down here,' she said of life in Victoria ahead of the move

'All our friends' businesses are going bust and all my industry mates can't work... it's depressing watching your kids staring at a screen or a wall,' she told the publication.

'Melbourne has always been the comedy hub. But thats all turned on its head. Now its actually been wonderful for me because I can justify living in Queensland and that be good for employment.'

Nikki, her husband Jamie Starr and their two children are currently a few days into their two weeks in mandatory hotel quarantine, and from there she hopes to secure work on productions in Queensland.
Manitoba Health has confirmed a Grade 7 student at Churchill High School has tested positive for COVID-19.

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Manitoba Health has confirmed a Grade 7 student at Churchill High School has tested positive for COVID-19.

The student, who is in Room 20, went to school Tuesday and used Winnipeg Transit.

The student was one of the 16 new cases in Winnipeg reported Wednesday.

The province said the student attended school for a limited time while asymptomatic. The school and student cohort are being identified and cleaning protocols have been started.

The risk of infection is low because the student maintained social distancing while in school, the province said.

"There are no close contacts connected to the case and public health has not advised anyone to self-isolate," the province said.
After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, his autopsy report revealed that at the young age of 39, he had the heart of a 60-year old.

Doctors concluded that Kings heart had aged due to the stress and pressure endured throughout his 13-year civil rights career.

A 13-year tribulation sounds more fitting. Along with the victories he won through his long career preaching while organizing marches, boycotts, and sit-ins, King also suffered from severe bouts of depression, received multiple threats on his life and the safety of his family, and was repeatedly arrested.

In fact, near the end of his life, as reported in Time magazine, King confronted the uncertainty of his moral vision. He had underestimated how deeply the belief that white people matter more than others was ingrained in the habits of American life.

Theres a reason why novelist and activist James Baldwin said in 1961, To be [Black] in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a state of rage almost all of the time, a rage that weathers our bodies and psyches.

It isnt only whats happening to you, Baldwin explained. Its whats happening all around you and all of the time in the face of the most extraordinary and criminal indifference, indifference of most white people in this country and their ignorance.

As a Black woman and activist, I can say that my rage weathers me, too.

It can feel as subtle as the frustration I feel after receiving an email from a white man accusing me of being a Marxist simply because I supported the Black Lives Matter movement (true story).

Or it can be as anguishing as the pain I feel simply thinking about Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times at point-blank range by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Or the anger I feel about the president of the United States openly fomenting violence in the shootings aftermath, praising the 17-year-old white militia member accused of killing two protesters.

If Dr. King had the heart of a 60-year old when he died, its easy to see how his fight for racial justice might have weathered him. But one might argue that its weathering began the moment he was born in the era of Jim Crow, just 64-years after the formal emancipation of enslaved people.

The all-around weathering of Black America is as big a part of our legacy as slavery, voting rights, and our commitment to freedom. Its a weathering we experience every day, agitated by whats been diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder passed on from generation to generation.

A few years ago, an article published in Teen Vogue explained how it was possible for Black people to inherit PTSD from our ancestors. It highlighted the extensive research into epigenetics and the intergenerational transmission of trauma by Rachel Yehuda, who found that when people experience trauma, it changes their genes in a very specific and noticeable way.

Sociologist Joy DeGruy coined the phrase post-traumatic slave disorder to describe the specific stress suffered by Black descendants of enslaved people, identifying the ways in which racialized trauma has had an emotional, physical, and psychological impact.

More recently, the Huffington Post reported that racial trauma increases the stress hormone cortisol in Black Americans, causing fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Cities throughout the country have even issued declarations that racism is a public health issue.

Theyre right.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, many chronic illnesses are far more prevalent within the Black community. And theres a growing consensus that these illnesses are a byproduct of everyday racism. For Black people in particular, said psychologist Lilian Comas-Diaz, racial stress is something that happens throughout their life course.

Whether its death by weathering, COVID-19, or inhumane policing, evidence shows that Black lives still dont matter.

And thats why so many of us have taken to the streets  our hearts cant take it anymore.

Tracey L. Rogers is an entrepreneur and activist. This column was distributed by OtherWords.org.
Trump plans more troop withdrawal from Iraq

International

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Washington, Sep 10: The Trump administration will announce on Wednesday that it is withdrawing additional troops from Iraq, as President Donald Trump tries to make good on his campaign promise to disentangle the country from endless wars.

A senior administration official discussed the draw-down with reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday night, on condition of anonymity. The official said the administration is also looking to announce the withdrawal of additional troops from Afghanistan in the coming days.

The planned announcements come as the president has been trying to make the case that he has fulfilled the promises he made four years ago as he tries to secure a second term.

Trump says it would be 'insult if Kamala Harris is first woman president

There are more than 5,000 American troops in Iraq now. In July, the top US general for the Middle East said he believed the US will keep a smaller but enduring presence in the country. Marine Gen Frank McKenzie, the commander of US Central Command, said he believes the Iraqis welcome the US and coalition troops, especially in the ongoing fight to keep IS fighters from taking hold of the country again.

Trump told reporters two weeks ago that we look forward to the day when we don't have to be there."

The comments came during an Oval Office meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized at that same meeting that a full withdrawal of US troops would only occur once we can complete the mission.
A rare blue-eyed ginger fur seal pup has been found by scientists off the coast of eastern Russia, but there are fears it may be shunned by its colony.

Experts say the chances of such a partial albino birth are one in 100,000 and there is a risk of rejection by the rookery.

Vladimir Burkanov/MailOnline

The pup has golden fur, blue eyes and pink flippers which give it its unique appearance which makes it stand out from the rest of the colony.

Biologist Vladimir Burkanov says that so far this fur seal on Tyuleny Island - nicknamed The Ugly Duckling - has not become a total outcast, yet there are signs of it being slightly shunned.



Also Read: A Harbor Seal Pup Died A Cruel Death After A Clueless Woman Took It Home In A Grocery Bag!

Marine mammal biologist Vladimir Burkanov who spotted the seal pup during a field trip to the island said, 'The ginger fur seal has not become a total outcast yet, but that there are signs of it being slightly shunned. Other seals dont pay too much attention to it in a somewhat worrying manner, so something is not quite right with it. But it is not getting chased or bitten.'

MailOnline

Mr Burkanov said based on other cases of albino seals, the chances of this one growing and breeding were small.



Also Read: Pics: Shocking Moment When A Whale Flings A Seal As High Up As 40ft In The Air

Experts have decided to monitor the young pup and see if it gets rejected by its own kind. In case that happens, the seal will likely be taken to a Russian dolphinarium.





In a case in 2011, an ostracised ginger fur seal called Nafanya similarly became the centre of attention for its unusual colouring. According to reports, the ostracised ginger fur seal called Nafanya - also from Tyuleniy Island, a breeding ground for the species - had to be rescued and was flown to Sochi Dolphinarium on the Black Sea.



Also Read: US Permits Killing Of Hundreds Of Sea Lions To Protect Endangered Fish Like Salmon
World leaders on Wednesday discussed the status of food systems in Africa and the essence to build tough systems, to sustain agricultural activities in the continent.

The discussion was held during a panel session at the ongoing African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) virtual summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

During a plenary session featuring eminent leaders discussing the status of food systems in Africa U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Ted McKinney, listed a five-point plan about how Europe and the US could help Africa gear up for accelerated international trade.

First, talk with farmers and offer them a hand-up, but let them choose the direction they take. Dont issue a mandate, he said.

Next, go deeper on free-trade agreements. Third, help open up opportunities for Africa that dont tie them or restrict their growth.

Then, allow farmers to develop their own innovative spirit and let them choose whats right for them. Finally, encourage sustainability, he said.

During the opening AGRF Board Chair and former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Dessalegn said agriculture remains the surest path to inclusive economic growth, jobs creation and dealing with the many challenges around climate change, migration and beyond.

He said no region has built a modern economy without first strengthening the agricultural sector.

Also, Agnes Kalibata, President, AGRF, said cities can be used to grow the rural population, although the food systems need modification.

READ ALSO:

We can actually use cities to really grow our rural population, but we wont do that unless we address the challenges we have talked about and rethink our food systems, she said.

In another session which focused on how women are developing innovative solutions to respond and overcome the challenges from COVID-19 Director at AWARD, Kenya, Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, said: there has been the assumption that what happens in the private sphere is not relevant to the public.

Male scientists are now understanding for the first time the importance of care work and its unpaid nature, which is forcing institutions to make better accommodation for all.

We are realizing that the traditionally female roles of care and community are part of building resilience and men are now invited to participate more fully in this.
Chinese video sharing service, TikTok on Wednesday invited African entrepreneurs to join the world-first elevator pitch in the sky event.

Boniswa Sidwaba, content operations manager at TikTok Africa Team, said in a statement that all founders of early-stage start-ups in Africa and the Middle East have until Sept. 24 to submit an innovative one-minute TikTok video pitch that will inform and impress the global panel of expert judges, using the platform's easy-to-use video editing tools.

Sidwaba said that the funding initiative will provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to compete for a 1.08 million shillings (about 10,000 U.S. dollars) investment and one-year mentorship from the Gritti Fund which is the world's first purpose-driven and happiness-focused investment fund.

In addition, three finalists will be awarded the once in a lifetime chance to skydive in United Arab Emirates' Dubai, while simultaneously completing their winning elevator pitches.

Sidwaba noted that it has always been TikTok's mission to inspire creativity and bring joy to its users and the launch of such a unique event is a testament to that.

"Through this event, we aim to support our local community of budding entrepreneurs by providing them with the opportunity to creatively express their ideas with the possibility that those ideas may materialize," she revealed.

Sidwaba noted that an expert panel will judge entries and give exclusive personal interviews throughout the event about the challenges that lead to their success and will feature some of the world-famous entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

She said that the spectacular finale on Oct. 17 aims to be the most live-streamed start-up pitch event in history, and will enable millions of TikTok viewers to discover who has what it takes to reach the top.

According to Sidwaba, as part of the initiative, local TikTok users will be able to view the pitches tagged #PitchUpInTheSky as well as interviews with the judging panel of world-famous entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, giving entrants and TikTok users insight on their personal challenges.
[This article was originally published in 2016]

Researchers at Oregon State have patented a strain of seaweed that tastes like bacon when it's cooked.

The seaweed, a form of red marine algae, looks like translucent red lettuce. It also has twice the nutritional value of kale and grows very quickly. Did we mention it tastes like bacon?

According to Oregon State researcher Chris Langdon, his team started growing the new strain while trying to find a good food source for edible sea snails, or abalone, a very popular food in many parts of Asia. The strain is a new type of red algae that normally grows along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines.

But Langdon realized he had his hands on something with a lot more potential when his colleague Chuck Toombs visited his office and caught a glimpse of the growing seaweed. Toombs said he thought the bacon-seaweed had "the potential for a new industry for Oregon," he told Oregon State in a press release.

Toombs then began working with the university's Food Innovation Center, which created a range of foods with the seaweed as its main ingredient.

Langdon said no US companies grow red algae for people to eat, but the seaweed had been consumed by people in northern Europe for centuries.

"This stuff is pretty amazing," Langdon told OSU. "When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it's a pretty strong bacon flavor."

Though no analysis has been done yet to find out whether commercializing the bacon-seaweed would be practical, the team thinks the vegan and vegetarian markets may be interested. Toombs' MBA students are hard at work on a marketing plan for a new line of specialty foods.

Some red algae is sold in the US now, but it is a different strain from the one harvested at OSU. Langdon says he is growing about 20 to 30 pounds of the stuff a week, but he plans to more than triple the production.
American carrier United Airlines will launch two new non-stop services from India, starting in December.

The airline, which started operations in India in 2005, will start a daily service between New Delhi and Chicago in December. This will be followed by a daily between Bengaluru and San Francisco in Spring 2021, or sometime between March 20 and June 20, 2021.

"Together with the airlines existing services from New Delhi and Mumbai to New York/Newark and New Delhi to San Francisco, United will offer more nonstop services from India than any other U.S carrier," the company said in a statement on September 10.

By introducing the first-ever nonstop service between the two international technology hubs, Bengaluru and San Francisco, we are proud to open up new opportunities for both business and leisure travellers, said Marcel Fuchs, Uniteds Managing Director International Sales.

At present, United operates nonstop flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to New York/Newark and New Delhi to San Francisco.

The new services from New Delhi to Chicago and Bengaluru to San Francisco will be operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

The airline already operates flights under the air travel bubble that the Indian government has established with its counterparts in the US, UK and Germany, among other countries.
Ake Svanstedt liked everything about Southwind Tyrion when he saw the yearling prior to last falls Lexington Selected Sale. After purchasing the trotting colt for $145,000 and getting him home, he was less enthused. At least temporarily.

He was terrible, Svanstedt said with a laugh. Until around May, he was 'pacey' and his front step was just up and down. I think he had growing pains. When he was done with the growing, he started stretching out and was good.

Then the first time he trained at the Meadowlands he was a different horse. And when he qualified, he was amazing.

Southwind Tyrion won his only qualifier in 1:55.2 and has kept on winning through the first four races of his career. On Saturday, the colt will compete in the $535,000 William Wellwood Memorial for two-year-old male trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

He is one of two undefeated colts in the Wellwood, along with Luc Blais-trained Macho Martini. Southwind Tyrion won his Wellwood elimination last week by a nose over On A Streak in 1:54.4 while Macho Martini triumphed by one and three-quarter lengths over Warrawee Whisper in 1:56 for his seventh victory of the campaign.

The winner of the Wellwood receives a spot in the inaugural Mohawk Million, which will be held on September 26.

Southwind Tyrion, this seasons New Jersey Sire Stakes champion, is a son of Muscle Hill out of Taylor Jean. His third dam is Dan Patch Award winner Me Maggie and his extended family includes millionaires Lifetime Pursuit and Whiskey Tax, 2012 Goodtimes Stakes winner Beer Summit, and 2019 Ontario Sires Stakes champ Moon Bridge, who also was trained by Svanstedt.

Hes a real racehorse, Svanstedt said about Southwind Tyrion. He has been more serious since he started racing, at the racetrack and at home. Hes not like a kid anymore. He was like a baby before, but now he is like an old horse. He likes racing. He really likes it.

Everything is good with him. He is a nice horse to handle. He can leave fast and he has never made a break. He can do everything.



Southwind Tyrion, pictured victorious during New Jersey Sire Stakes action at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Southwind Tyrion, pictured victorious during New Jersey Sire Stakes action at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

Svanstedt originally owned Southwind Tyrion with Lennart Agrens S R F Stable. The ownership group has since grown to include Knutsson Trotting Inc. and Brittany Farms and Riverview.

Agren and Svanstedt teamed to win the 2017 Hambletonian with Perfect Spirit. Agren is enjoying the ride now with Southwind Tyrion.

He is a very talented and intelligent horse and he has tremendous speed, Agren said. He is strong, powerful, and knows how to finish.

Agren said he is absolutely hoping for a victory Saturday so Southwind Tyrion can grab the final spot in the 10-horse Mohawk Million. Nine starting slots were purchased earlier this year for $110,000 and those slots can be sold, traded, or leased by their owners. Slot owners do not have to declare a horse for the Mohawk Million until September 22.

Determination, which owns Macho Martini and On A Streak, already possesses a Mohawk Million starting slot. One other slot owner, John Fielding, is among the owners of a Wellwood finalist. He co-owns Nancy Takter-trained Locatelli.

Well see what happens, Svanstedt said. We need luck. But I think Southwind Tyrion is as good as he can be.

Saturdays Mohawk card also includes the $335,000 Peaceful Way Stakes for two-year-old female trotters as well as divisions of the Simcoe, Champlain, and Somebeachsomewhere stakes.

To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(USTA)
The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana.
St. Louis Zoo in Missouri announced a joyous, yet shocking event  a ball python that has not been near a male in 15 years laid several eggs.

The snake is also 50 years old, making the occasion very rare due to the fact this creature does not typically give birth around this age.

Workers note that ball pythons are capable of reproducing both sexually and asexually, as well as store sperm to fertilize eggs at a later time.

The team is conducting genetic testing with two of the seven eggs to determine which was occurred in this case.

St. Louis Zoo in Missouri announced a joyous, yet shocking event  a ball python that has not been near a male in 15 years laid several eggs. The snake is also 50 years old, making the occasion very rare due to the fact this creature does not typically give birth around this age

Mark Wanner, a zoological manager of herpetology at the zoo, told STLToday: Shed definitely be the oldest snake we know of in history.

Altogether the snake laid seven eggs  three are in an incubator, two are being culled for genetic testing and the last two did not survive.

On July 23, something incredible happened at the Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium at the Saint Louis Zoo  a ball python laid eggs, the St. Louise Zoo shared in an announcement Tuesday.

That might not sound too thrilling to some, but to our Herpetarium staff it definitely was. This particular female snake is over 50 years old (the oldest snake documented in a Zoo) and has not been with a male in over 15 years!

Altogether the snake laid seven eggs  three are in an incubator, two are being culled for genetic testing and the last two did not survive

Workers note that ball pythons are capable of reproducing both sexually and asexually, as well as store sperm to fertilize eggs at a later time. The team is conducting genetic testing with two of the seven eggs to determine which was occurred in this case

The female snake does not have an official name, but zoo officials gave her the number 361003.

She came to live at the zoo in 1961 from a private owner and was believed to be about 3 years old at the time.

The new mother is one of two ball pythons at the zoo  the other is a male, but kept in a separate part of the herpetarium.

The female snake does not have an official name, but zoo officials gave her the number 361003. She came to live at the zoo in 1961 from a private owner and was believed to be about 3 years old at the time. Pictured are shots of the eggs recently laid by the snake

Without genetic testing, Zoo staff won't know if this ball python reproduced sexually or asexually, but they intend to find out, reads the statement.

As the keepers continue to incubate the eggs, they will be sending off samples for genetic testing.

Ball pythons are native to western and central Africa, and get their name from its habit of curing into a ball when it feels threatened.

It is also one of the smaller snakes in the species, as it only grows about five feet long  some can reach 23 feet.

Because of its smaller size, the ball python has become a popular animal in the pet trade industry.

They are sometimes referred to as royal python because ancient African rulers, primarily in Egypt, wore them as jewelry.

These rulers chose these snakes over cobras, as ball pythons are easier to handle and are not venomous.
EV

ICE

kWh

Just a few days ago, Volta Trucks have revealed the Volta Zero, a fully electric vehicle designed and aimed at a largely ignored automotive sector, inner-city freight distribution. The team have been working on this project for some time, but now, its official. The Volta Zero will begin trials in 2021 with production scheduled for 2022.To get an idea of what it is Volta Trucks will be doing Rob Fowler, Chief Executive Officer for Volta has this to say: "Commercial vehicles form the lifeblood of commerce and livelihoods in cities, but todays large trucks dangerously impose themselves on our streets and dominate their surroundings. With the launch of the Volta Zero, we are changing the face of road transport. Volta Trucks is redefining the perception of the large commercial vehicle, and how it operates in and integrates with, the zero-emission towns and cities of the future. This is made possible by the three pillars that define both Volta Trucks as a business and the Volta Zero - safety, sustainability, and electrification. Add to that our unique Truck as a Service proposition that reimagines a fleet managers business model. At Volta Trucks, we are directly contributing to societys migration towards an electrified future."So let's have a look at whats in store for next year.Well, I must say, that initially we thought it was an electric bus, it isnt. The front is designed low to the ground and covered in large glass panes to offer visibility on a much larger spectrum than your average delivery truck. 220 degrees of visibility is one of the boasting factors of the Volta.Because this vehicle is a true, the design team needed to rethink the entire freight game. In doing so they not only came up with a new freight vehicle but focused on the incorporation of eco-friendly methods. Just to give an example, the exterior body panels are constructed from Flax plants . A Weave is made from Flax fibers that matches the strength and weight of carbon fiber but using 75 percent less CO2 to produce. Oh, and these panels are biodegradable too.The use of an electric drive system allows the Zero to eliminate a large number of components. The entire system also powers only the rear wheels and is enclosed in something Volta calls an e-Axle. This entire system eliminates 90 percent of mechanical parts compared to existingvehicles.But we all know you need a battery to power something like this, and the Zero is no exception. Unlike other batteries out there, Volta will be utilizing Lithium Iron Phosphates batteries, which eliminate the use of precious metals and can offer anywhere from 160 to 200of power.These two components allow the Zero to reach speeds of 56 mph (90 kph). However, this is a speed that is limited by software, so I'm sure someone will try and mess around with this and get your parcels delivered a day or so early. Now this speed is attained by the 16-ton vehicle with a payload of wait of, for it... 18,960 lbs (8,600 kg).This is probably the main reason why Volta Trucks were able to secure such future standings. Or was it its range of 95-125 miles (150-200 km) on a single charge?Yeah, it's all of the above. But another important factor to consider is that by 2025, The Volta Zero would have eliminated an estimated 180,000 tons of CO2 from our atmosphere.
SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pro-Vigil , a provider of remote video monitoring, management and crime deterrence solutions, today announced its Social Distancing AI Suite, which enables retailers, manufacturers, schools and other organizations to restore stakeholder trust in the safety of their work environments.

Pro-Vigil accomplishes this by using artificial intelligence (AI)-driven video monitoring technology to measure compliance with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 prevention guidelines around social distancing, occupancy limits and face-mask usage. When the system detects unsafe conditions in a workplace, managers can use this information to remediate the problem by redirecting traffic flows, expanding the use of safety signage, altering schedules, etc.

"Organizations across industries are struggling to restore trust with stakeholders in a post-lockdown world," said Jeremy White, founder of Pro-Vigil. "The Pro-Vigil Social Distancing AI Suite is a powerful tool for accomplishing this by automating CDC guideline monitoring and analysis, so our customers can minimize health and safety risks without the need to hire more people or divert staff from their core duties."

Pro-Vigil's remote video surveillance system can analyze digital video data to identify areas where CDC guidelines are not being effectively implemented. This gives users the intelligence they need to adapt processes and policies to reduce opportunities for virus spread. Specifically, Pro-Vigil's cameras can help with three common CDC guidelines:

1. Social distance monitoring  Pro-Vigil's cameras can be programmed to measure the space around individuals to detect when the six-foot rule is violated. This can provide users with information on potential "trouble spots," so they can reevaluate the best way to direct the flow of foot traffic to avoid "clustering."

2. Occupancy management  Pro-Vigil's advanced video technology can automatically count building occupants, which can help maintain occupancy control.

3. Face mask detection  Pro-Vigil's integrated object recognition can detect the use of face masks. This can help leaders identify how strictly mask policies are being followed, so they can determine if they need to post more signs or take other corrective action.

Daily Scorecard of Results

Pro-Vigil's Social Distancing AI Suite makes it easy for organizations to get the information they need, so they can reopen and stay open with confidence. The system delivers CDC compliance information through a daily scorecard, which shows exactly how an organization is doing in regard to following social distancing, occupancy and face-mask guidelines. If a problem area is detected, users can drill down to learn more about the issue  where it's happening, at what time of day and who is involved, for example  allowing them to adapt their safety plans for the best possible results.

"Social Distancing AI Suite users can publish their daily scorecard results to further build trust with stakeholders," said White. "For example, posting signs promoting 99% compliance with mask-wearing, or publicizing how building layout has been optimized for social distancing. The daily scorecard provides an easy and efficient way for organizations to let stakeholders know that they are committed to safety and CDC guidelines are being taken seriously."

Customers of Pro-Vigil's Social Distancing AI Suite will also benefit from the company's industry leading security monitoring and crime deterrence capabilities. Additionally, the Suite can be configured to the specific requirements of any organization  including retailers, academic institutions, manufacturers, industrial sites and warehouses. To learn more, go to: https://pro-vigil.com/secure/backtobusiness/.

About Pro-Vigil

Founded in 2006, Pro-Vigil provides remote video monitoring solutions to organizations across North America. The company provides both on-premise and mobile intelligent video monitoring systems, and 24x7 remote monitoring services. Unlike typical remote video monitoring services that require companies to make large up-front capital investments in equipment and installation, Pro-Vigil is pioneering the concept of Video Monitoring as a Service, where customers simply pay a monthly fee for monitoring services, with no capital investments required. Pro-Vigil is backed by The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm.

Media Contact:

Jackie Gerbus

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-508-479-2786

SOURCE Pro-Vigil, Inc.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday took note of over 149,000 tests that have been conducted in the state on Wednesday. He said more RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and rapid antigen tests should be done. Testing labs should function to their optimum capacity, the chief minister added.

Calling for special attention to the Covid-19 situation in Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Prayagraj, he said an action plan should be worked out to strengthen the medical system in these districts.

Laying stress on increasing the number of beds for Covid-19 patients in Prayagraj, he said the command and control centre set up there for the Kumbh Mela should be used as a Covid command centre now.

The chief minister was reviewing the Unlock-4 situation at a high-level meeting at his Lok Bhawan office in Lucknow on Thursday. He called for consistent effort to make people aware of measures for protection from Covid-19. Surveillance and contact tracing are necessary to check the spread of the Covid-19, he said.

Also read: Top Hindu body of sadhus back Kangana Ranaut in political row with Shiv Sena

CM Adityanath said besides providing treatment to Covid-19 patients, the focus should be on effective contact-tracing. Admission of seriously ill Covid-19 patients should be ensured to hospitals without any problem, he added. He also asked officials to increase manpower in hospitals as per the need, adding that specialists should be deployed in L-2 Covid hospitals.

Adityanath said that the system of issuing entry passes to the secretariat should be made stricter, and called for action against those not following these directives. Asserting that there should not be any complaint about the availability and supply of fertilizers, the CM asked various district magistrates to monitor the situation regularly. He also said a drive to remove illegal possessions and encroachments should be launched.

The chief minister also emphasises the importance of providing more jobs in every field. He said a meeting of Udyog Bandhu should be convened at the earliest through video conferencing.
(Natural News) America seems to be in a damned if it does, damned if it does not, type of situation where no matter the election outcome, leftists are ready to burn this place to the ground.

This is the scheme being devised by a domestic terrorist group known as Fight Back Table, or FBT, which is secretly plotting to unleash hell all across America in the event that Joe Biden loses the election  and even if he wins but only by a hair.

Anything other than a total landslide for Biden will lead to a political apocalypse, this group is threatening, meaning violence, chaos, rioting, looting and possibly even open murder in the streets.

During a recent Zoom meeting that FBT apparently thought was private, comrades were heard discussing how the plan is to occupy s***, hold space, and shut things down, not just on Election Day but for weeks. This plot has apparently been dubbed the Democracy Defense Nerve Center.

The two-hour digital gathering included a series of questions and discussions about how leftists should respond to Biden losing or not winning by very much. Every response presented involved some degree of mass public unrest, depending on the outcome.

Over the course of two hours, participants broached the question of what the progressive political ecosystem can functionally do in a series of election scenarios, one report explains.

They began charting out what it would take to stand up a multi-state communications arm to fight disinformation, a training program for nonviolent civil disobedience, and the underpinnings of what one official described as mass public unrest.'

Will leftist violence continue after the election?

When confronted with the reality of what its voter base is planning to do in protest of an undesirable election outcome, the Biden campaign reportedly confirmed that it is fully aware of the concerns being expressed by the likes of FBT, and is actively planning for all contingencies and scenarios.

Followers of FBT have already convinced themselves that anything other than a landslide win for Biden will be illegitimate, hence the need for more protests. It is clear, they claim, that the vast majority of Americans want Trump out of office, and this belief should be reflected in the election outcome.

If it is not, or if we have a repeat of 2016 with the Democrat ticket winning the popular vote but losing the Electoral College, then FBT and other radical leftist groups are planning to respond in kind.

One of the non-violent solutions to such a scenario would be for Biden to push states like California and Oregon to secede from the Union. Another would be to abolish the Electoral College and install Biden as president, defying the Constitutional precedent for electing a president.

No matter what happens on Nov. 3, the far-left is planning for chaos and violence, as admitted by its own members. An unnamed source within the FBT has said that the consensus is that both sides are going to fight this until the very end, which seems like a strong possibility based on current circumstances.

A far-left group known as the Transition Integrity Project (TIP), which was promoted by The Washington Post, has likewise indicated that the post-election outcome will be catastrophe in the event that Biden does not win in a landslide.

Such a catastrophe will include things like violence in the streets and a constitutional impasse, according to Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown University law professor and co-founder of TIP, as explained in an editorial she wrote for WaPo.

For more related news about the threat of far-left violence and chaos, be sure to check out Chaos.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
Emorys Atlanta and Oxford campus spiritual life offices are offering a new way for members of the Emory community to share about grief, loss and other changes experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Black violence, immigration concerns and other events of recent months.

Healing Through Art is a virtual gallery on a dedicated Instagram account: @emory_hta. Submissions will be accepted beginning Monday, Sept. 14.

Your choice of expression can come in various forms. You could post a photograph, a drawing, a collage, a painting, a poem, a song, project organizers explain online. The important thing to remember is that its not about perfection, its about the emotion. Art communicates emotion. While this is an art project, we defined art broadly to hopefully capture the sheer breadth of different styles, depictions and forms.

A first rendition of the project idea emerged in June when student Rohini Guin spoke with the Rev. Lisa Garvin, associate dean of the Chapel and Religious Life, about ways the Emory community could gather for a vigil even with physical distancing measures. That led to the idea of providing drawings of candles  representing hope and light  to residence halls for students to color and piece together as a unified visual collection.

The concept shifted to a digital platform when the universitys fall semester plans transitioned to include fewer students on the Oxford and Atlanta campuses.

We reevaluated the idea and decided a digital platform would be more effective at connecting students from distant places around the globe, says Guin, a senior from Boston majoring in biology and chemistry. We expanded the forms of artistic medium we would accept to ensure more people would be comfortable participating in the art initiative.

The Rev. Greg McGonigle, dean of religious life at Emory, and the Rev. Lyn Pace, Oxford College chaplain, hope the project will serve as a beginning point for additional conversations.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, weve been aware of the spiritual needs of the community related to the many profound changes this time has brought to peoples lives, McGonigle says. We thought that encouraging this community art project would allow people to share and process some of what we are all carrying right now  and perhaps where we are finding signs of hope.

The last seven months have wrought much change in our lives, Pace says. Change is often accompanied by loss and grief and we know many of us in the Emory community have felt this deeply. Our goal, especially through the leadership of students and in consultation with our partners in Counseling on both campuses, is to offer an outlet for that grief through the arts. We hope an ongoing dialogue will ensue from this initial event.

Emory students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to share their work with Healing Through Art. For more details on the initiative, visit the Office of Spiritual and Religious Lifes information page.

In addition to the online exhibit, campus spiritual and other communities are encouraged to create opportunities for people to share about their art and what is going on in their lives. One example is a project by Oxford student Hannah Kreuziger called the Letters to Dad Project.

Grief and loss are difficult to process individually, Guin says. We hope this online space will help people feel more connected and able to name and acknowledge their grief or share what brings them hope in these times.
Photo: The Canadian Press Dr. Brian Day

UPDATE 3:15 p.m.

B.C. Supreme Court has upheld restrictions on public and private practice by doctors and private health insurance, handing a win to the B.C. government.

Vancouver orthopaedic surgeon Brian Day and his Cambie Surgery Centre championed the constitutional challenge against B.C.s Medicare Protection Act, leading to the Sept. 10 decision after years of court cases.

What Justice John Steeves ruled, however, further validates Canadas universal public health care system.

B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix described that system as a cornerstone of our identity in B.C., a cornerstone of our identity in all of Canada.

Day and other plaintiffs asserted the Medicare Protection Act violated their Charter of Rights and Freedom rights regarding equality and life, liberty and security of the person.

The plaintiffs said its unconstitutional to prevent patients from accessing private medically necessary healthcare, including private surgeries, when unable to access timely care in the public system.

Steeves said the section targeted in the complaint exists to preserve and ensure the sustainability of a universal public healthcare system that ensures access to necessary medical care is based on need and not on an individuals ability to pay.

He said in his 880-page ruling that the act serves to suppress and discourage the emergence of a parallel duplicative private healthcare system for the financing and provision of necessary medical services to MSP beneficiaries.

Steeves said MPA provisions prevent duplication of health care in B.C. through the emergence of a private healthcare system by restricting prices physicians can charge patients and the scope of private funding for healthcare.

The judge said the MPA prohibits some physicians and healthcare facilities providing necessary services covered by the public plan from charging user fees and billing MSP beyond the MSP schedule. The act prohibits the sale of private health insurance to MSP beneficiaries for medically necessary services covered by the public plan, he said.

This is a very good day for public health care and for people in B.C. who want access to care, Dix said.

We're obviously extremely pleased with Mr. Justice Steeves' decision today. Our defence in the case was successful in its entirety, Dix said.

Steeves did, though, conclude that situations B.C. patients facing waiting times affecting their health violates their right to security of the person.

Dix said private surgeries have played a role in reducing wait times, a situation the provincial government continues to work on.

We've talked about some of the methods that we're putting in place in our surgical plan and we're detailing them monthly in our surgical plan, but they include extending the hours of operating rooms by an hour every day, which will add, as you can imagine, a significant amount of capacity to the system, Dix said.

That includes new operating rooms and re-opening old ones, he said.

ORIGINAL 1 p.m.

A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has ruled against a surgeon advocating for the right of patients to access private care in violation of a provincial law banning extra billing and private insurance.

Justice John Steeves says in a written ruling after a four-year trial that Dr. Brian Day and other plaintiffs have failed to show patients' constitutional rights are being infringed by the Medicare Protection Act, which focuses on medically necessary care, not ability to pay.

Day, CEO of Cambie Surgeries Corp., had argued patients have a constitutional right to pay for private care when wait times in the public system are too long.

Opponents have said a two-tier system would favour patients who are wealthy enough to pay for "queue-jumping" private insurance as well as doctors who could bill both the public and private systems.

Lawyers for both the B.C. and federal governments have argued such a system would erode Canada's universal health-care system and negatively impact patients with complex chronic conditions and the elderly.

More to come..
With Bob Woodward's anti-Trump book about to be published, the media are focusing entirely on the easily debunked claim that Trump mishandled the Wuhan virus by "lying" to the American people. What the media are ignoring, however, is a much more serious claim, which is that former secretary of defense General James Mattis plotted to overthrow Trump and his administration. This fact, if true, supports my longtime fear about the damage Obama inflicted on the upper echelons of the Pentagon.

The Conservative Treehouse caught the Mattis item:

According to a pre-release excerpt from the Washington Post Bob Woodward writes about a discussion between General James Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats about a plot to overthrow the elected government of the United States. [snip] What do you call a conversation between the Defense Secretary and the head of the U.S. intelligence apparatus where they are talking about taking "collective action" to remove an elected President? That's called sedition[.] ... A seditious conspiracy.

It began to be clear last October that the Obama administration (with some help from Bill Clinton's presidency) had seeded the Pentagon with leftist generals whose allegiance was to the Deep State, to cultural leftism, and to the infamous and profitable "military industrial complex" that Eisenhower warned about in 1961. In only five years, Obama had conducted a major Pentagon purge, firing almost 200 senior officers who held the old-fashioned belief that the military exists to protect America and should not be a social justice institution with limited firepower.

The upper-level officers who remained were hardcore Democrats. While still in the military, Admiral McRaven gave bin Laden a respectful, private burial. Once out of the military, he wrote an editorial for the New York Times, strongly suggesting a military coup against Trump. Barry McCaffrey, a Clinton White House officer, likened Trump to Mussolini because he canceled the White House's newspaper subscriptions. And Obama's Joint Chiefs vice chair, James Winnefeld, was deeply offended on behalf of ISIS terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi because Trump did the psychologically smart thing of telling al-Baghdadi's followers that he died like a coward.

In November, Sundance, at The Conservative Treehouse, pointed out that, even though Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman used back channels to counteract his commander-in-chief's foreign policy solely because Vindman disagreed with the policy, the Defense Department invited him right back to the NSC. To Sundance, there was only one takeaway: "The United States Military is collaborating with the CIA to remove a U.S. President from office."

All of the above says there is something rotten happening in the Pentagon. The implications aren't just in the past. They're also in the future. Michael Anton has written the best article spelling out the fact that the Democrats are openly planning a coup if Biden doesn't win. One of the crucial points about this planned coup is that the Democrats have been explicit about military involvement.

Their plan in the event Trump wins in a given state is to send their Democrat electors to the Electoral College along with (or even in lieu of) the Republican electors. In the chaos that results, which will spill onto the streets, Democrats trust "that the military would take care of the rest."

Anton also says retired military officers, such as the ones I discussed above (and I'm willing to bet that includes Mattis and McRaven), have already said that they will support a coup. I'll add that it's likely that they have allies still within the Pentagon, people who benefit from the perpetual wars that Obama, a supposed anti-war president, nevertheless fought and instigated, and who also benefit from the pipeline flowing from the Pentagon to that profitable military industrial complex.

The laughable Atlantic article about Trump disrespecting the military was intended not just to get military votes on November 3, but to get military coup participants after November 3. Critical Race Theory training and eight years of Obama's social justice policies have shifted many of the enlisted ranks from strong conservatives to equally strong Democrats.

The only way to put the kibosh on all of this is for an overwhelming Trump turnout on November 3, one that reminds Democrats no matter where they are  the media, Hollywood, the military, the defense contractors, your neighborhood  that the people are behind Trump.

As I heard someone say, the Democrats have ensured that, after the election, unless a bizarre miracle happens and Biden wins overwhelmingly on (not after) November 3, there will be upheaval. However, we know from the street battles in Democrat-run cities that, if Biden does win, the disruptions will spread. If Trump wins, the upheavals will meet the full force of the law (and due process), and America can once again get down to the business of being the best, freest nation on Earth.

Image: U.S. Military, from Pixabay.
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Linkedin Gwladys Fouche (Reuters) Oslo, Norway  Thu, September 10, 2020 10:17 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f2edd 2 World Norway,Donald-Trump,Nobel-Peace-Prize Free

A Norwegian lawmaker has nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 for helping broker a deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, the second time he has put forward the US president for the honor.

Thousands of people are eligible to nominate candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize, including members of parliaments and governments, university professors and past laureates.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which decides on the award, declined to comment.

"It is for his contribution for peace between Israel and the UAE. It is a unique deal," Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of parliament for the right-wing Progress Party, told Reuters.

Tybring-Gjedde, who nominated Trump for the 2019 award for his diplomatic efforts with North Korea, said he also nominated him this year because of the US troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Last year Trump said he deserved to be awarded the Peace Prize for his work on North Korea and Syria, but he complained he probably would never get the honor. Former President Barack Obama, a nemesis of Trump, won the prize in 2009 just months into his first term in office.

Nominations for this year's award closed on Jan. 31 and the winner will be announced on Oct. 9 in Oslo.
India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt

We will continue to deal with Chinese PLA in firm, resolute manner: Army chief

As tensions soar all eyes on Jaishankar-Wang Yi meet today

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 10: All eyes would be on the meeting between External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow.

The meeting which takes place in the midst of the tensions between the two countries is scheduled for 5.30 pm today.

The meeting will be held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The meeting is an extremely crucial one as tensions have escalated along the Line of Control between India and China. Jaishankar would tell Yi to honour all bi-lateral agreements signed between the two countries since 1993.

Chinese PLA wanted a repeat of Galwan Valley: Shots fired at LAC first time in 45 years

Diplomats on both sides are talking after Monday's incident in which the Chinese PLA fired shots, a first in 45 years. Both sides are talking to dial down the tensions and a meeting of the Special Representatives is also likely this week.

Sources tell OneIndia that following the incident, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was briefed about the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Indian Army Chief on the other hand briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after China said that India had fired warning shots, a claim that India has strongly denied. PM Modi was briefed by National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.

Top sources confirmed that several meetings are on the anvil today to take stock of the situation along the LAC.

After China claimed that Indian forces had fired shots, an official statement from India said that it is committed to disengagement and de-escalating the situation along the Line of Action Control. However, China continues to undertake provocative activities to escalate.

At no stage has the Indian Army transgressed across the LAC or resorted to any aggressive means, including firing.

It is the PLA that has been blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres while engagement at the military, diplomatic level is in progress.

In the instant case on September 7, 2020, it was the PLA which was attempting to close in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops., PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate the Indian troops.

Take decisions on the spot, dont give PLA reaction time, Indian ground commanders told

However despite grave provocation, the Indian troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner.

The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility. However, India is also determined to protect national integrity and sovereignty at all costs. The statement by the Western Command is an attempt to mislead their domestic and international audience, India also said.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global luxury hair care market size is anticipated to reach USD 31.50 billion by 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2020 to 2027. Increasing e-commerce sales and growth of the male wellness sector are some of the major factors contributing to the rising demand for the product worldwide.

Luxury haircare brands are expected to focus more on the packaging design of products to appeal to an expanding 'influencer generation' in the country who keep on sharing their haircare moments with their friends or/and followers on social media. OUAI, a Los Angeles-based disruptive luxury haircare brand, studied consumer trends extensively on social media to power a product strategy.

Key suggestions from the report:

In terms of product, the shampoos segment led the market and accounted for 31.4% share of the overall revenue in 2019

Asia Pacific held the largest share of 39.3% in 2019

Acquisitions emerged as the key strategy deployed by market players to stay abreast of the competition.

Read 80 page research report with ToC on "Luxury Hair Care Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Shampoos, Hair Coloring Products), By Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, E-commerce), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/luxury-hair-care-market

Asian consumers, most notably Chinese, Japanese, and Indians, see luxury cosmetics (including hair care products) as a form of social capital that marks them apart in society. High-end consumers in the Asian markets increasingly prefer luxury haircare brands that resonate on a cultural level. In the coming years, multinational luxury hair care firms are expected to introduce boutique brands to incorporate local aesthetics to increase product appeal among consumers.

Asia Pacific emerged as the largest regional market for luxury hair care in 2019. This region is forecast to maintain its lead throughout the forecast timeframe, given the increasing popularity of prestige products among an expanding consumer base. In an effort to stem the rapid spread of the coronavirus, countries across the Asia Pacific, most notably India, continue to push for social distancing rules, thereby forcing individuals to stay indoors. Such moves, in turn, are expected to have a negative impact on the growth of the regional market, mainly throughout the remainder of 2020.

The market is characterized by intense competition, with international brands dominating the market. The market is likely to mirror the trends prevalent within the luxury skincare space over the forecast period. In this respect, CBD-based luxury hair care products are expected to gain traction, notably among millennials in the U.S.

Grand View Research has segmented the global luxury hair care market based on the product, distribution channel, and region:

Luxury Hair Care Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Shampoos



Conditioners



Hair Coloring Products



Hair Styling Products



Hair Oils



Others

Luxury Hair Care Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Supermarkets & Hypermarkets



Departmental Stores



Specialty Stores



E-commerce



Others

Luxury Hair Care Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

North America



The U.S.



Europe



The U.K.





France



Asia Pacific



China





India



Central & South America



Brazil



Middle East & Africa

&

UAE

List of Key Players of Luxury Hair Care Market

L'Oreal

Estee Lauder Companies

SEVEN, LLC.

Alcora Corporation

Kao Corporation

KOSE Corporation.

Find more research reports on Beauty & Personal Care Industry, by Grand View Research:

Vegan Cosmetics Market  The global vegan cosmetics market (Hair Care, Skin Care, Makeup) size was estimated at USD 12.9 billion in 2017, Changing perception of consumers towards animal-free products, coupled with growing popularity of environmentally sustainable products, is fueling the demand.

The global vegan cosmetics market (Hair Care, Skin Care, Makeup) size was estimated at in 2017, Changing perception of consumers towards animal-free products, coupled with growing popularity of environmentally sustainable products, is fueling the demand. Natural Cosmetics Market  The global natural cosmetics market size was estimated at USD 34.12 billion in 2018 and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.01% from 2019 to 2025.

The global natural cosmetics market size was estimated at in 2018 and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.01% from 2019 to 2025. Halal Cosmetics Market  The global halal cosmetics market (Hair Care, Skin Care, Makeup) size was estimated at USD 23.03 billion in 2018 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 12.3% over the forecast years.

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

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Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

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Linkedin Cate Cadell and Kirsty Needham (Reuters) Beijing, China/Sydney, Australia  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:48 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f271a 2 World China-Australia,journalists,diplomatic-tension,diplomatic-spat,bilateral-tension Free

The Chinese government accused Australia on Wednesday of "blatant irrational behavior", harassment and violation of the rights of its journalists by searching and seizing items from the homes of four Chinese state media reporters.

Relations between the two major trading partners have become increasingly strained, and Beijing's revelation that Australia had conducted the raids in late June came as a well known Chinese academic confirmed that his Australian visa had been cancelled on security grounds.

A day earlier, two Australian journalists flew home from China with the help of consular officials, having been questioned by China's state security ministry, and initially barred from leaving the country.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Australian officials cited a possible violation of the country's foreign interference laws for their raids in June, but had not provided a "reasonable explanation".

"The Australian government's behavior ... blatantly violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese journalists there and caused severe harm to the physical and mental health of the journalists and their families," Zhao said in a daily briefing. "We ask Australia to immediately stop such blatant irrational behaviors, stop harassing and oppressing Chinese personnel in Australia under whatever pretext."

Zhao said officials seized laptops, cellphones, and a child's toy tablet from the homes of reporters from outlets including state news agency Xinhua and the China News Service.

A spokesman for Australia's Attorney General Christian Porter had earlier declined to comment on "operational matters", in response to a Xinhua report about the raids, but added that authorities "take issues of foreign interference very seriously."

The Australian foreign office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. And the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) also declined to comment.

The Chinese embassy in Canberra said it had provided consular support to journalists targeted by the raids.

Australia's already tense relationship with China worsened this year after Beijing vowed trade reprisals and said it was angered by Australia's call for an international inquiry into the source of the coronavirus pandemic.

The two Australian journalists who arrived home from China on Tuesday had sought shelter in the embassy in Beijing and the consulate in Shanghai after police entered their homes a week ago and told them they were barred from leaving China.

They had been questioned in the case of Cheng Lei, an Australian journalist for Chinese state television who was detained in China three weeks ago. Chinese officials confirmed on Tuesday she was being held on suspicion of illegal activities that endanger China's security.

AFP Probe

The Xinhua report also criticized a search of the home and office of New South Wales state politician Shaoquett Moselmane on June 26, alleging he was targeted after praising China's achievements in fighting the coronavirus and criticizing Australia's China policy.

Documents lodged in Australia's High Court on Aug. 3 show a staff member of Moselmane, John Zhang, is being investigated by the Australian Federal Police for allegedly acting on behalf of the Chinese state in "a private social media chat group" with Moselmane.

Moselmane has said he is not a suspect in the investigation, telling Australian Broadcasting Corp television last month that he participated in "just a social group", including "a couple of journalists, foreign journalists and one John Zhang".

Another member of the chat group, Chinese academic, Chen Hong, said his Australian visa had been cancelled on security grounds based on advice from ASIO.

Chen, a professor of Australian Studies at East China Normal University in Shanghai, said in a statement he had travelled frequently to Australia and believed the cancellation was a "gross mistake".

Chen said he had been friends with Zhang since 2016 and they met up when he was in Sydney or Zhang was in Shanghai.

Zhang has not been charged with any offence and his lawyers are seeking to have the search warrants quashed, according to the court documents.
 Flash

The United States is becoming the biggest driver of militarization of the South China Sea and the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the area, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.

Wang made the remarks while attending the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting via video link.

He said that the United States has directly intervened in territorial and maritime disputes in the region out of its own political needs, constantly flaunting its force and strengthening its military deployment.

"The United States is becoming the biggest driver of militarization of the South China Sea," he said.

The United States has interfered with the efforts of China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to resolve disputes through consultation, as well as provoking confrontation between countries in the region.

"The United States is becoming the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the South China Sea," said Wang.

"Peace and stability are China's greatest strategic interest in the South China Sea," Wang said, adding that it is also the common strategic aspiration of China and ASEAN countries.

"China hopes that countries outside the region, including the United States, will fully respect the wishes and expectations of countries in the region, instead of creating tension and seeking profit from it."

Wang stated three fundamental facts in response to smears made by the U.S. on China's position on the South China Sea issue.

First, China has sufficient historical and legal basis for sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea.

Second, China always adheres to the policy of good-neighborliness and friendship and has been committed to playing a constructive role on the South China Sea issue.

Third, China has always been committed to complying with international laws including the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea.

When talking about the Hong Kong issue, Wang said that it is China's internal affairs, adding that non-interference in internal affairs is the basic norm of international relations and an important provision of the UN Charter. All countries are obliged to abide by it.

"The East Asia Summit is a strategic forum led by leaders of all countries. It has never been a place to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries, let alone an arena for attacking other countries' political systems," Wang said.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the East Asia Summit, Wang said, adding that the most urgent task of the summit is to gather consensus in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, promote the revival of economic cooperation, and maintain the overall situation of regional peace and development.

He called for providing new impetus to the fight against the pandemic, supporting the World Health Organization (WHO), and jointly building a regional "anti-pandemic firewall."

He called for launching new measures for economic recovery and striving to make East Asia a source of stable growth for the world economy in the "post-pandemic era."

He called for promoting the construction of "quick passage" and "green passage" regional networks to ensure the smooth flow of personnel and materials to provide a strong guarantee for regional peace and stability.

China firmly supports ASEAN in playing a leading role in East Asian cooperation, Wang said, adding that the members of the East Asia Summit should comply with the common aspirations of the countries in the region, respect their legitimate demands, adhere to the multilateralism with East Asian characteristics, abide by the basic principles of regional cooperation, and make positive contributions to ensuring the lasting peace, prosperity and development of East Asia.

He also expounded China's position on issues including cross-border water resources cooperation, the Korean Peninsula, and the Rakhine State.

When attending the 21st ASEAN-China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) (10+3) Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the same day via video link, Wang said that all parties should continue to coordinate the anti-pandemic and developing needs, create a new aspect for cooperation in the post-pandemic era and promote 10+3 cooperation to a new level.

He said that China suggested improving the level of public health governance, continuing to support the WHO in playing an important role in the global fight against the pandemic, and jointly opposing the politicization of the pandemic and the stigmatization of other countries.

All parties should improve the level of sustainable development, continue to implement the Cooperation Initiative on Poverty Reduction in East Asia, carry out more pragmatic cooperation in the fields including infrastructure, water resources, and agriculture, and make good use of the Trilateral + X cooperation to inject new impetus into sustainable development.

The foreign ministers of Japan, ROK and ASEAN countries spoke highly of the results of the 10+3 cooperation and looked forward to signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement within this year as planned.

All parties agreed that the 10+3 countries should adhere to cooperation in solidarity, openness and inclusiveness, deepen cooperation in public health, economic and trade investment, digital transformation, food security, tourism and other fields, strengthen interconnection, ensure the smooth flow of the industrial chain and supply chain, facilitate personnel exchanges, and work together for regional stability, development and prosperity.
The Nationals are selecting the contract of outfielder Yadiel Hernandez after placing veteran Howie Kendrick on the injured list yesterday, manager Dave Martinez announced to reporters today (Twitter link via Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post). The teams recent DFA of Wilmer Difo left them with a vacancy on the 40-man roster.

Whenever Hernandez gets into a game, itll mark the MLB debut for the 32-year-old. A high-quality performer for los Cocodrilos de Matnzas in the Cuban National Series from 2009-14, Hernandez defected from Cuba back in 2015 and began the lengthy process of establishing himself as a free agent for Major League clubs. He signed with the Nats for $200K more than a year after leaving Cuba and spent the 2017-19 seasons climbing through their minor league system.

That rise through the Nats farm included a monstrous .324/.406/.604 showing in Triple-A last year (139 wRC+), during which Hernandez slugged 33 homers, 22 doubles and a triple while going 7-for-12 in stolen base attempts. We dont see too many soon-to-be 33-year-old rookies of note, but Hernandez has performed at a high level in Cubas top league and throughout three full minor league seasons, so hell carry a bit more intrigue than the standard journeyman receiving a September cup of coffee.
Malabu Oil and Gas Limited and six other companies charged with fraud in the Oil Prospecting Lease 245 transactions, violated money-laundering laws, Temitope Erinomo, a prosecution witness, told the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday.

Mr Erinomo is the Principal Compliance Officer at the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering in the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investments.

Testifying on Thursday as the first prosecution witness in the money laundering charge brought against Malabu Oil and Aliyu Abubakar, a businessman, he told the court that Malabu was registered as a consultancy firm.

Other defendants in the suit are A-Group Construction Company Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Mega Tech Engineering Limited, Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, imperial Union Limited and Carlin International Nigeria Limited.

The witness, who was led in evidence by Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga, added that the other companies allegedly linked to Mr Abubakar were registered to carry out construction activities.

According to the witness, considering the status of the six firms as construction and consultancy firms, they are designated by the Ministry of Trade and Investments as Designated Non-Financial Institutions (DNFI).

He said that such firms were designated as DNFI in 2013 because of their high tendency of being used for money laundering.

The witness further explained that the DNFI firms were mandated by the Money Laundering Prohibition Act to, among others, be registered with the ministry.

He also said they were to submit statutory reports of their activities and declare qualified transactions to the ministry and the EFCC.

The witness also said that the firms were also required by law to put in place anti-money laundering measures, set up an internal audit to measure the effectiveness of the measures, and appoint a compliance officer from the members of the management staff.

We found out that these companies have not made any declaration to the ministry in compliance with the Act.

We also found out that they do not submit their statutory reports to the ministry and the EFCC and have not made the declaration of their activities to the ministry.

They do not have record of measures they have taken to combat money laundering.

They do not have internal audit unit to measure the effectiveness of the measures they have taken to combat money laundering.

They also do not carry out training for their staff on anti-money laundering measures and we have uncovered several transactions which were not reported to EFCC, he said.

READ ALSO:

While being cross-examined by Mr J.A Achimugu, Mr Erinomo said that he did not visit Malabus office or invite its staff, before arriving at his findings, because he was not mandated to do so.

He also tendered reports of his findings which were admitted in evidence.

The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, adjourned the matter until Oct.27 for the continuation of cross-examination.

Mr Abubakar and the other defendants are standing trial on 67 counts of money laundering involving about 800 million dollars instituted by the EFCC.
ALBANY - County Executive Dan McCoy signed Local Law B on Thursday, which bans the creation of new waste-burning facilities in the county.

The new law would also apply to the LaFarge cement plant in Ravena, which had intended on burning tires as fuel. Proponents said the law would also apply to the Norlite facility in Cohoes.

The legislation would help protect communities not only near plants that burn waste but others in the Capital Region, McCoy said in a brief news conference.

"This Clean Air Act will provide us with more of the tools we need to prevent air pollution and protect our health," he said.

The county legislature passed the legislation 32-7 on Aug. 10.

McCoy said he waited the full 30 days to sign the legislation because the county was doing its due diligence.

"I wanted to hear what everyone has to say," he said. "Our goal at the end of the day was to make sure that we have stuff that we can stand behind."

The legislation specifically excludes landfills, publicly-owned treatment plants, anaerobic digesters and facilities that burn landfill gas or gas produced through anaerobic digestion.

Bethlehem legislator William Reinhardt, one of the legislation's sponsors, said that while most of the attention had been focused on the potential impacts of the law on facilities like Norlite and LaFarge, the real intended point of the legislation was longer term. The idea is to prevent any possible new facilities from being built and to encourage the idea of Albany County embracing green energy solutions.

"We want clean air not only today but for the foreseeable future," he said.

Chairman Andrew Joyce thanked McCoy for supporting the legislature's initiative.

"With the passage of Local Law B, we are ensuring that future businesses are held accountable for their actions while giving residents peace of mind over their familys health,Joyce said in a statement.

In a statement, LaFargeHolcim said it was disappointed in McCoy's decision.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"Lafarge has a global company commitment to reduce our carbon footprint, and using alternative fuels and tire derived fuel in place of fossil fuels to run our kiln is one important way we do this. We're proud of our efforts, and the facts back this up. We will continue our efforts to educate local lawmakers and the community about the true value of tire derived fuel," said Jocelyn Gerst, vice president for marketing and communications in the United States.

Opponents of the legislation have warned of potential job losses or legal action by the company if the county chose to pass the bill.

The plant had previously received permits from state and federal regulatory bodies approving its use of old tires for fuel.

Former Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator Judith Enck praised McCoy's decision. In a statement, she called the legislation the most protective air pollution law passed by any county in New York.

"Dan McCoy chose to stand with the people and not the polluters. I thank him for his wise decision," she said.
An Indian fighter plane flies over a mountain range in Leh, in the Ladakh region, Sept. 9, 2020. Reuters




PLA soldiers seen in the general area of Mukhpari and Rezangla in Ladakh. The Indian Army said PLA soldiers attempted to capture an Indian post armed with machetes, spears and guns.

New Delhi: In a major escalation, the Indian Army said Chinese troops fired shots in the air on Monday to intimidate its soldiers as PLA troops failed to capture an Indian position in the Chushul sector. This is for the first time in 45 years that a shot has been fired at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The whole Ladakh sector is on a knife edge.

The Cabinet Committee on Security headed by prime minister Narendra Modi held a meeting on Tuesday as tension with China is escalating in Ladakh. The committee the aggression shown by the Chinese army.

The September-November period is crucial as some call it the campaign season when climate is ideal for a war before snowfall blocks many of the crucial passes in Ladakh.

The Chinese army has been taken aback by Indias pre-emptive move to occupy some two dozen strategic heights on the southern banks of Pangong Tso on the intervening night of 29-30 August 2020 to dominate the area and keep a watch on a Chinese garrison below.

According to sources, Chinese troops on Monday night armed with primitive weapons, which looked like their traditional Guandao weapon (a single-edge blade on the end of a pole), and guns attempted to dislodge Indian troops from the heights of Mukhpari which is one of the highest peaks in the Chushul sector.

Since Indian soldiers were on the heights they could see Chinese action and they warned the Chinese to move back.

The Indian Army has now changed the rules of engagement after the Galwan Valley clash on June 15 where Chinese used improvised weapons including iron rods studded with nails to attack Indian soldiers. Now Indian armys local commanders are free to use any weapon under their command if they are threatened by Chinese troops.

Still some 30-40 PLA soldiers are involved in a direct face-off with Indian soldiers in the general area in Mukhpari. The situation in the area is tense and even a small incident can trigger a big escalation.

Brigadier level talks were held on Tuesday to try to deescalate the situation.

The Indian Army dismissed Chinese allegations that Indian troops had crossed LAC at Pangong Tso on Monday and had fired shots in the air when approached by a PLA patrol.

Chinese actions came four days after defence minister Rajnath Singh had told Chinese defence minister General Wei Fenghe in a meeting in Moscow on Friday not to try to change the status quo at the LAC.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar, who is expected to meet Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Moscow this week admitted that the situation in eastern Ladakh is "very serious" and called for "very very deep conversation" between the two sides at a political level.

In New Delhi a series of high level meetings were held on the evolving situation in the Ladakh sector.

Meanwhile, China on Tuesday hoped disengagement can be achieved as soon as possible through mutual consultations, flagging approaching harsh winter in the region.

We all hope our troops get back to their camping area and there won't be any more confrontation in the border areas. You know that place has a very bad natural condition and it is above a height of 4,000 metres. In winter this is not good for humans to live. So we hope, through diplomatic and military channels and through consultations on the ground we can achieve disengagement as soon as possible and reach consensus, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

Asked about Indian allegations that it was Chinese troops which took provocative steps first, the Chinese spokesperson read out the statement of the PLA's Western Theater command spokesman on Monday alleging that Indian troops illegally crossed the LAC and outrageously fired warning shots on Chinese border patrol soldiers forcing them to take countermeasures.

I also want to stress in this incident, the Indian side fired shots to the Chinese border troops first. This is the first time since 1975 that the tranquility is interrupted by the shots. And the Chinese side always stresses that both sides should peacefully settle our differences through dialogue and consultations. Confrontation won't benefit either, he said.

The Indian Army on Tuesday in a statement said that at no stage had its soldiers transgressed across the LAC or resorted to use of any aggressive means, including firing. It said it was the PLA that has been blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres, while engagement at military, diplomatic and political level is in progress.

In the instant case on 7 September 2020, it was the PLA troops who were attempting to close in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops, PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate own troops, it said.

However, despite the grave provocation, own troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner, said Indian Army. The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility, however is also determined to protect national integrity and sovereignty at all costs. The statement by the Western Theatre Command is an attempt to mislead their domestic and international audience, added Indian army.
Photo: GoFundMe Jacob, Uriel, and Jamie Hyland.

A one-year-old child died in one of the large wildfires burning just across the border in Northeastern Washington Sunday night.

The Cold Springs fire was sparked Sunday just south of Omak, Wash., and it's since grown to close to 70,000 hectares. The fire is burning abut 65 kilometres south of the Canadian border.

On Wednesday, Okanogan County sheriff Tony Hawley told the KREM news station that a young family from Renton, Wash. were caught in the fire with their one-year-old child Sunday night.

The sheriff's office learned of the missing family on Tuesday. Their burned out truck was found shortly after, but it wasn't until Wednesday morning, three days after they were first caught in the fire, that search and rescue crews found them on the banks of the Columbia River.

As of Thursday morning, 31-year-old Jacob Hyland and 26-year-old Jamie Hyland are being treated in hospital in Seattle, in critical condition, but tragically, their one-year-old son Uriel passed away.

A GoFundMe page set up by family says the couple will both require surgery, with Jamie's body 40-50 per cent covered in burns, and Jacob 25 per cent covered in burns. Jamie is also currently pregnant.

Many homes and buildings were lost throughout the state, but the relief I felt in this tragedy is that we hadn't lost any lives. That tragically and horrifically changed today, said Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands in Washington.

My heart breaks for the family of the child who perished in the Cold Springs fire. I am devastated. The DNR family is devastated. The pain that family is going through is unfathomable.

More than 1,300 people have already donated more than $90,000 to help the family through this tragedy.

Hawley says the death is currently being investigated as a homicide, as there's a possibility the fire was human-caused.

"If it's a human-caused fire, that goes into criminal charges for the death investigation as well, Hawley told KREM. This child would not be dead without this fire beginning," Hawley said.
Commuters in London are heading back to work as the government encourages workers to return to the office. (AFP via Getty Images)

Professor Neil Ferguson, whose modelling led to the decision to impose the coronavirus lockdown in March, has warned workers they should hesitate at the headlong rush to get everybody back into offices.

The Imperial College epidemiologist told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: The case number increases weve seen in the last two weeks do not yet account for the reopening of schools, so undoubtedly that may increase transmission still further and there may be a need therefore to reduce contacts in other settings.

Ferguson said he was still working from home, and cautioned: Certainly I think we should hesitate and maybe pause at the headlong rush to get everybody back into offices.

But some people have to work and I completely understand the concerns in many quarters that everybody working at home has an economic impact, particularly on city centres.

However, the professor said he is encouraged that the government is responding to the rise in coronavirus cases in Britain.

Boris Johnson announced tighter lockdown restrictions on Monday. (PA Pool/Getty Images)

His comments come after Boris Johnson announced strict new rules  banning people from meeting in groups of more than six, ordering pubs and restaurants to collect contact details, and tightening quarantine.

The leading epidemiologist said: One of the mistakes made early on in this crisis was being cautious in responding to the epidemic and that led to the UK being later than we would have liked in locking down, and therefore we saw the death toll this country did see.

And I am encouraged that now we are responding in a more timely manner  we have a lot more data available to track the epidemic.

Ferguson said all the analysis suggested there would be an uptick in deaths in the coming weeks, so now is the time to respond.

On Wednesday, coronavirus cases rose by more than 2,000 for fourth day in a row. The recent consistent rise in infections prompted the PM to hold a news conference at Downing Street to announce the new measures.

But Ferguson warned: The measures just announced will take some weeks to have an effect, so we need to wait at this point and see how much it will flatten the curve.

Story continues

And then if that is not sufficient to bring the reproduction number below one, so the epidemic starts shrinking again, then yes, we may need to clamp down in other areas.

The reproduction number refers to the R rate  which represents the number of people each COVID-19 positive person goes on to infect.

The current R rate range for the UK remains as high as 1.1.

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BERRY CREEK, Butte County  The monstrous North Complex fires claimed another seven lives in Butte County, bringing the death toll to 10 on Thursday as search crews looked for 26 people who have not been heard from.

In one case, investigators asked relatives of a missing 16-year-old boy to provide DNA samples, which helped confirm that one of the dead was their loved one, Josiah Williams, of Berry Creek.

We are at a complete loss for words right now, his aunt, Bobbie Zedaker, told The Chronicle late Thursday night.

The wildfires tore into rural Butte County towns, devastating several communities, including Berry Creek and Feather Falls, on Tuesday and continued to burn Thursday.

Butte County sheriffs Capt. Derek Bell reported the additional deaths in a Thursday evening news conference, 24 hours after his boss, Sheriff Kory Honea, announced the first three.

Now Playing: Residents share their thoughts about the orange-red sky looming over the Bay Area. Video: Manjula Varghese / The Chronicle

Were still investigating the circumstances of these deaths, he said. (We) want to make sure that the notification to next of kin is done in the most respectful manner we can do it.

As of Thursday evening the Sheriffs Office had received 124 calls requesting welfare checks of people in the evacuation zone. Some called to say they had not heard from a loved one in those zones.

Bell said investigators located 98 people, leaving 26 unaccounted for. He cautioned, however, that those figures were fluid and rapidly changing as more people were found and others reported missing.

One of those missing had been Williams. His aunt told The Chronicle that Josiahs brother had submitted DNA to test against remains found in the area of Berry Creek.

North Complexs 10 casualties make it the 10th deadliest wildfire in California history, tying with Trinity Countys Iron Alps Complex fires in 2008. The grim distinction comes two years after the Camp Fire, a wind-whipped inferno that killed 85 people and made Butte County home to the deadliest wildfire in state history.

California was already seeing its worst fire season on record when strong winds blew up weeks-old blazes this week, sending them racing toward populated areas and forcing new evacuees to compete for hotel rooms and sleep in cars. The North Complex fires began Aug. 17.

The wildfire has scorched more than 247,300 acres so far and burned more than 2,000 structures. More than 22,000 structures are still threatened, including buildings in Oroville and Paradise.

The North Complex, which is also burning in Yuba and Plumas counties, is one of 29 major blazes burning across California.

More than 3.1 million acres have now burned in California since the start of the year, dramatically increasing the extent to which this fire season has charred more land than any other in the states recorded history.

So far, six fires this year are now on the top 20 list of largest fires ever in the state.

We are hitting the record books in ways that we never would have imagined, said Daniel Berlant, an assistant deputy director at Cal Fire. He added that with months more to go in fire season, that new record of 3.1 million acres will only increase.

The previous record-setting fire season occurred in 2018, when about 1.98 million acres burned.

After burning for weeks and despite being more than a third contained at one point, the North Complex exploded, increasing by 210,000 acres in 24 hours Tuesday to Wednesday.

Residents had started to relax as firefighters appeared to get the upper hand on lightning-sparked blazes.

Teresa Lindemann, 50, a home health aide from Oroville, had been keeping a casual eye on the North Complex for weeks, hoping for the best for those in its path, but not worried that it posed a threat to her family.

That all changed Monday night, as winds picked up and reports indicated that the fire was getting away from containment efforts.

On Tuesday, Lindemann nervously checked the computer for updates all day and loaded supplies and many of her animals onto their RV. When an evacuation warning came that night, they left, not wanting to get caught in traffic at the last minute.

Her home still appears to be safe, for now.

Its kind of an eerie feeling when the heroes we rely on to protect our homes, even they feel like its getting out of control, she said.

While Lindemanns wife and a few of their children went to a hotel, she has been stuck at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds for the past two days with their pets, including a litter of seven puppies not even a month old.

Because of the coronavirus, the evacuation center is a bare-bones operation compared with past years  just an open field with no trees where evacuees can park. There is no prepared food, Lindemann said, and she doesnt have propane to cook, so her family has had to eat out every meal.

Everyone just kind of fends for themselves, she said.

Nearby, Elizabeth Snodgrass  along with three family members and five dogs  are sleeping in their cars.

Snodgrass, 68, left her home in Brownsville Tuesday night.

Though they were offered hotel vouchers, all the rooms nearby were booked and they were wary of driving any farther from home. With limited income from Social Security, Snodgrass worried about getting stranded somewhere expensive like Sacramento while they waited for Brownsville to reopen.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

We dont have a lot of money, so we dont want to spend it on gas. Then we might not be able to get back, she said. At least here the Red Cross is giving us something.

By Thursday afternoon, Berry Creek had been reduced to mile after mile of blackened trees stripped of their leaves, downed power lines and burned-out cars. Very little remained of most homes other than twisted metal and chimneys.

Then every so often, a building appeared to have been left untouched by the fire, including one home halfway through the process of adding on a room and the Berry Creek Community Creek. Next door, the local guild hall was completely burned down to its foundation.

In Monterey County, the Dolan Fire also surged this week, tripling in size in recent days, reaching 110,000 acres as it spread south onto U.S. Army property at Fort Hunter Liggitt.

Winds also whipped up the August Complex fires this week, with nearly 500,000 total acres burned across Mendocino, Trinity, Tehama, Lake and Glenn counties. It was 24% contained Thursday.

The August Complex is now the largest wildfire in state history and the top five have all burned within the past three years.

The Red Cross has 800 volunteers assigned to Californias wildfires and more on the way, said spokesman Justin Kern.

The fires have tested the system, with waves of evacuees needing help in various communities and the pandemic preventing the traditional large shelter settings.

The people on the ground in California are working with local authorities to identify where there is need  like hotel rooms for those with vouchers  or other needs, he said.

We are figuring out these issues, he said. Were going to work as fast as we possibly can to get people what they need.

Experts have blamed the worsening wildfire crisis on a number of factors, including climate change, which is parching the states forests, wooded hills and grasslands and priming them to burn more intensely.

Most of the northern half of the state is in some level of drought after winter brought far below normal amounts of rain and snow. But Californias extensive history of extreme fire suppression in areas where wildfire has long been a natural part of the landscape as well as poor forest management are also causes, fire experts say.

San Francisco Chronicle

staff writer J.D. Morris

contributed to this story.

Alexei Koseff, Jill Tucker and Megan Cassidy are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com, megan.cassidy@sfchronicle. Twitter: @akoseff, @JillTucker, @meganrcassidy
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Linkedin Devjyot Ghoshal (Reuters) New Delhi, india  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:58 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43f2bc9 2 World India-China-conflict,border-clash,border-conflict Free

Indian and Chinese troops were facing off on Wednesday, barely a few hundred meters apart, in a remote Himalayan region where shots were fired for the first time in decades, Indian officials said.

The nuclear-armed neighbors have accused each other of firing in the air during a fresh flare-up in the Ladakh region on Monday, violating long-standing protocols to avoid using firearms along their undemarcated borders.

"The situation is tense," an official in New Delhi said, adding that Indian and Chinese troops were squaring off in close proximity in at least four locations south of the Pangong Tso lake that both lay claim to.

"Both are on their own sides of the LAC," the official said, referring to the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border.

At a forward position near the Rezang La mountain pass, Indian and Chinese troops were only around 200 meters apart, another official in New Delhi said. Both officials declined to be named.

On Monday, the Indian military said Chinese troops fired in the air after attempting to close in on a forward Indian position. But the China military said it was Indian troops who fired the shots, threatening Chinese border guards during a patrol.

In photographs provided by sources in New Delhi from an area south of Pangong Tso taken on Monday, around two dozen Chinese troops with assault rifles hanging off their backs can be seen holding long poles with a curved blade. Reuters could not independently verify the photographs.

A 70-km long patch of desolate snow desert south of Pangong Tso has emerged as the latest flash-point between the Asian giants, with some 3,000 Indian troops strung along strategic ridges and hilltops, the first Indian official said.

The confrontation erupted after New Delhi mobilized soldiers late last month to occupy key heights to deter Chinese troops, whose movements suggested they aimed to occupy a hilltop that falls within territory that India considers its own, according to Indian officials.
Two men who say Kevin Spacey made sexual advances toward them in the 1980s, when they were both 14, are suing the actor in New York.

Anthony Rapp, the Rent and Star Trek actor who was the first to publicly accuse Spacey of sexual misconduct in 2017, is one of the men. The other remains anonymous, The New York Times reports.

While Rapps claims have been known, there are new allegations in the lawsuit, which was filed in New York Supreme Court in Manhattan.

The anonymous man accuses Spacey, 61, of sexual assault. The man, who was a teen acting student of Spaceys in the early 1980s, says the actor invited him to his apartment and engaged in sexual acts with him more than once. The man says he resisted Spacey in their final encounter and said no, but the actor allegedly assaulted him.

Kevin Spacey in 2017, the same year he first publicly answered allegations of sexual misconduct.Getty Images

Both Rapp and the anonymous accuser can seek damages for emotional distress as a result of their alleged encounters with Spacey because of New Yorks Child Victims Act, which removes the statute of limitations on such cases, allowing alleged victims to sue until theyre 55 (they previously had until age 23 to take legal action).

In 2017, Rapp, now 48, told BuzzFeed that he met Spacey when he was performing on Broadway as a teen, and that the actor allegedly made a sexual advance toward him in 1986 at a party in his apartment. He accused Spacey, then 26, of grabbing his behind and laying on top of him. He said he was able to escape.

Spacey, a South Orange native, replied to Rapps allegations in 2017, tweeting that he didnt remember the encounter, but if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.

In the same statement, Spacey came out as gay. The actor drew criticism for both trying to pull focus from the seriousness of Rapps allegations and conflating being gay with sexual assault.

Kevin Spacey at his arraignment for sexual assault charges in Nantucket District Court in Massachusetts on Jan. 7, 2019. Spacey pleaded not guilty and prosecutors later dropped the case.Nicole Harnishfeger | Getty Images

Spaceys lawyer declined comment on the lawsuit.

The Oscar (American Beauty," The Usual Suspects) winners career has been derailed by a series of accusations of sexual assault, misconduct and harassment stretching back decades, starting with Rapps allegations and including others from the Old Vic theater in London, where Spacey was artistic director for more than a decade.

The claims against Spacey emerged in the wake of allegations about Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and the growth of the #MeToo movement. Netflix cut ties with Spacey and he was fired from his lead role in House of Cards," one of the streaming services marquee shows. The actor was also recast at the last minute in the Ridley Scott film All the Money in the World. (Christopher Plummer replaced him.)

Two other sexual abuse cases against Spacey have been dropped.

An 18-year-old employee of a bar in Nantucket, Massachusetts accused the actor of groping him at the bar in 2016. Spacey pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of indecent assault and battery.

Prosecutors dropped the case in 2019 over a dispute about the whereabouts of a cellphone sought in the case. Spaceys lawyer believed the phone could hold evidence that was important to the case, but the accuser invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to keep testifying.

Spacey in one of his Christmas Eve videos.Kevin Spacey/YouTube

An anonymous California massage therapist also sued Spacey, accusing the actor of groping him and forcing him to touch Spaceys genitals during a treatment session. The lawsuit was dropped after the massage therapist died in 2019.

Spacey has made just a handful of public appearances since the allegations began to pile up in 2017. In August 2019, he read a poem in Rome. And on two consecutive Christmas Eves, he has released videos in which he speaks like his House of Cards character, Frank Underwood, using dialogue from the fictional U.S. president in what seemed to be an attempt to address ramifications of the real-life allegations against him.

In May, the actor said he empathizes with people who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic because he knows what its like to lose work, essentially comparing allegations of sexual misconduct to being unemployed in the health crisis.

I can relate to what it feels like to have your world suddenly stop, Spacey said as part of remarks he delivered remotely at a German business conference.

I dont think it will come as a surprise for anyone to say that my world completely changed in the fall of 2017, he said, referring to the allegations of sexual assault and harassment that upended his career. My job, many of my relationships, my standing in my own industry were all gone in just a matter of hours.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a coronavirus tip here.
Founded by Utkarsh Singh and Ayushi Mishra, DronaMaps is a startup that leverages imagery collected through drones to create large-scale 3D maps. Both founders are Forbes 30 under 30 (Asia) alumni as well. The 3D maps are created with aerial photogrammetry where a consumer-grade camera is mounted on a drone and this camera captures multiple images at different angles. DronaMaps bolsters image reconstruction algorithms with strategic sorting of images and merging of small maps, all aided by deep learning algorithms developed in-house. DronaMaps' deep learning algorithms use the high-resolution maps captured by drones and identify 14 geospatial features required for development planning. Some of these geospatial features include the location of trees, plot boundaries, location of roads, utilities such as power lines, etc. The startup also stepped up during the Covid-19 pandemic and increased the types of data inputs their algorithm could accept to include the location of patients, quarantined individuals, hospitals, testing facilities, and others. They also helped develop a central Covid-19 tracking dashboard for India. The founders realised that their technology was capable of providing solutions for emergent needs from contact tracing to healthcare infrastructure management. At present, DronaMaps coronavirus solution has been implemented in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and a few others. DronaMaps was a part of Cohort 7 of the Nexus Incubator program. We spoke to co-founder, DronaMaps, Ayushi Mishra to learn more about the company and the technology.

DronaMaps: Using drone imagery to generate large-scale 3D maps

Digit: What is the process of creating 3D maps using drones? What are some of the applications of 3D mapping?

DronaMaps: 3D maps are created with aerial photogrammetry. The process requires a consumer grade camera mounted on the drone (usually with a gimbal for steadiness), this camera captures images at various angles, with point of interest, while the base map itself has the camera pointing vertically towards the ground (nadir). Photos taken by the camera have both overlap sideways and front overlaps of upward of 60% ( the balance here is resolution with computational capacity ). The reconstruction algorithms are tracking one point over multiple pictures and then assessing the Z axis value or the elevation. In itself, photogrammetry has gotten better but purely visual techniques do have high error on the elevation, so techniques like ground control points with DGPS or RTK equipped drones are also used for data collection. DGPS is cheaper and in line with the existing surveying industry, to complement them drones add larger coverage, smaller operational time, 3D visualization, and high accuracy.

There are several areas of challenges across this whole process, we do the drone image data procurement and ground control point DGPS assessments with existing partners in the industry who specialize in operations for both. As a differentiator, we have made the base algorithms like Poisson Surface reconstruction more efficient with our own pipeline that starts sorting through images removing irrelevant or highly exposed images in the very beginning, then creates chunks of images that form smaller pieces of the map. DronaMaps can create city scale 3D maps by merging several dense maps together and doing so without damaging the elevation accuracy of the overall map. At the end of all this are the deep learning algorithms for analytics. The deep learning algorithms are trained for detecting geospatial features, the same requirement serves across surveying, planning, and tracking industries. Another suite of our analytics serve precision agriculture and the mining industry. However, a majority of our clients are large enterprises or public organizations who need mapping and tracking of physical assets applied towards Smart Cities/ Villages, infrastructure planning and tracking.

Digit: During the COVID-19 pandemic, how is Drona Maps leveraging their drone 3D mapping technology to identify Covid hotspots?

DronaMaps: Our platform is designed to provide geospatial insights targeted towards decision makers. During the Covid 19 pandemic, we increased the type of data inputs it can accept to include location of patients (home base location, along with CDR, app, or VLR data), quarantined individuals, hospitals, testing facilities etc. Both cofounders Utkarsh Singh ( Computer Science) and Ayushi Mishra (MS) studied at Johns Hopkins University, which started the famous Covid tracking dashboard. We realised that not only did we have internal geospatial expertise to create tracking of this sort, we could actually provide a complete solution to state authorities which addressed everything from contact tracing to healthcare infrastructure management. One of the core challenges towards the same is how to localize the understanding of the pandemic such that it is actionable. For instance, disease transmission dynamics tracked by Ro and doubling time need to be assessed for each district, the land use and land cover patterns, demographic data, and population density at the ward level need to be understood for defining containment regions once a positive case is diagnosed in an area. Our expertise in analytics and geospatial intelligence was therefore applied towards creating a command and control center for 7 states in India, almost 130 districts.

Digit: How does the company source UAVs for the mapping process?

DronaMaps: DronaMaps specializes in reconstruction and analysis of images, operationally, we work with over 100 UAV partner companies who use their hardware to map areas requested by the clients. A portion of the per unit area revenue is allotted to data acquisition. On the end of drone partners, the equipment must be compatible with the latest guidelines from DGCA. In order to make our operations more scalable, we have automated algorithms for flight planning which reduce the variability in the data captured and also ones for fast assessment of the data captured to say for certain that the data quality is satisfactory while the operations team is still on the ground. These quality control procedures are devised to standardize our own operational pipeline.

Digit: How does Drona Maps technology help in getting started with precision agriculture? What are the benefits?

DronaMaps: Indian farms are often small ( less than 2 acres) with rampant intercropping, drones are a cost effective way to track the field with centimeter level resolution maps. The map making process is much the same as explained above, except, some drones have added sensors on top like multispectral or hyperspectral cameras to capture data from beyond the visual range. The differences for precision agriculture lie in the analytics suite, starting from elevation assessments of the layout of a farm and recommended crop distribution, and ending with periodic plant count and plant health reports to enable field management. Much like data from rural and urban development, agriculture data from India and other emerging countries present algorithmic and operational challenges. Most out of the box algorithms cant differentiate between multiple crops in the field from weed and hence, the entire field is erroneously marked with weed stress.

In addition, we recognize that Indian agriculture is cost sensitive which means multispectral cameras might not be the solution for every farmer. Hence, we extended our capabilities within the visible spectrum to have indices that can detect new and mature leaves, along with plant classification, identification of biotic and abiotic stresses. The plant count and plant health analytics help in eventual yield estimation while we work with nonprofits who handhold the farmers on our recommended biological and chemical controls. This can potentially increase the yield of small farms by almost 30%.

Digit: Could you share some of the biggest takeaways from your association with the Nexus?

DronaMaps: Our first exposure to innovation and entrepreneurship was at our Alma mater Johns Hopkins, which meant we were aware of the strategies that have worked in the international sphere. However, as we started the company in India with the spirit of contributing to the nation and using our technology to create the maximum impact on the human condition, it took us a while to adjust to the new context from a strategic perspective. Once we had done so successfully and were mature enough as a startup, Nexus helped us regain perspective by guiding us on the operational minutiae, introducing us to a VC network, lawyers to consult on intellectual property etc. It is a very hands on program that helps startups put a structure to their company with incisive insights from Eric Azulay, Vikas Sood, and Sameer Malik, all industry experts with years of experience of working in innovation.

Nexus Incubator is also now accepting applications for its 11th Virtual Cohort. Indian startups that are interested can check out this link.
Denmark will open an embassy in Baghdad this fall. The move comes as the NATO member prepares to assume command of the military alliances training mission in Iraq later this year.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the announcement on Thursday. The opening of the embassy shows Denmarks commitment to a lasting defeat of the Islamic State (IS) so that the group does not threaten Europe in the future, the ministry said.

Denmark is a member of the US-led anti-IS coalition that supports Iraqi security forces. The coalition, officially known as Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, includes other NATO members as well as Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Denmark is part of the European Union.

There are already Danish soldiers in Iraq serving in the coalition, and the country will begin leading NATOs Iraq training mission in December. Denmarks elite Jaeger Corps has also trained part of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Units in the country in the past.

The embassy in Baghdad will add to Denmark's representation in the region. The country already has embassies in neighboring Syria, Turkey and Iran.

Danes have been affected by IS. In 2015, a man who killed two people in the Danish capital Copenhagen reportedly swore allegiance to the group.

The wider conflict involving Islamist groups and the West has also played out in Denmark. In 2006, the Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten printed controversial caricatures of Islams Prophet Muhammad. Many Muslims consider images of the prophet blasphemous, and the incident prompted angry protests throughout the Muslim world. This month, the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, which was attacked by IS in 2015, reprinted the images.
Bexar County intends to create a new level of oversight to increase accountability and supervision of court-appointed lawyers involved in indigent cases, officials announced Wednesday.

The new counsels office, along with other recommendations, was included in a study conducted by the Texas A&M Public Policy Research Institute.

The study reviewed the district and county courts and compared them with the Texas laws, American Bar Association standards, and national best practices in indigent-defense reform.

OnExpressNews.com: Its truly a new age - Bexar County administrative judge plans for virtual jury trials in October; in person in January

The research team analyzed more than 90,000 criminal cases and interviewed judges, county staff, attorneys and almost 200 defendants, officials said.

We were very happy with the work that they did, said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.

Wolff called creation of the new office the major change to increase accountability and supervision of court-appointed counsel. It will be coordinated with the Public Defenders Office.

Among the findings, the institute discovered that in Bexar County, 40 percent of defendants surveyed first met with their attorney in court, said Mike Lozito, whose Office of Criminal Justice oversees pretrial services and 14 specialty courts, among numerous other justice programs.

The group found that attorney-client contacts or general complaints were not logged or tracked. Differences between retained and appointed attorneys showed that attorneys who had been hired had better defendant outcomes and more dismissals, while court-appointed attorneys logged more pleas for their defendants, who also received more jail time.

One of the issues we have with our system is we have an old mainframe (computer) from the 80s, Lozito said. Commissioners Court has funded a new system that would incorporate a lot of the findings that they found in this report that are not being tracked currently that will be in the new system.

He said the new system could be in place by the end of 2021 or early 2022.

The study also found that judicial appointments from the bench occur, but are limited, and some of those appointed were not on an approved list. Administrative Judge Ron Rangel said the judges currently have oversight over those appointments.

He called the new Managed Assigned Counsel system a significant part of criminal justice reform.

This study is the first step in bringing forth the MAC into Bexar County, he said. The next step would be for us to present a written plan, and we pretty much have that in the judiciary.

Rangel added that as a separate entity, the MAC system would not only provide needed oversight, it also would look at maximum caseloads and training for attorneys.

The study also recommended that the county hire a coordinator to assist with appointments.

Michael Young, the countys chief public defender, will oversee the MAC office.

The lack of accountability and tracking are all things that can be done better, he said, adding that he has 24 attorneys in the Public Defenders Office and has implemented most of the reforms in the study.

District Attorney Joe Gonzales lent his support to the study, stating that although the findings show Bexar County has done some positive things, we still have a ways to go.

Creating a better indigent defense system that ensures people do not languish in jail is a good thing, he said. Not only those accused of a crime, but the criminal justice system as a whole.

Wolff said the county will get the office up and running in several months.

Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. To read more from Elizabeth, become a subscriber. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
Vietnam has suggested ASEAN to research safe tourism travel bubbles within the region amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Specifically, Vietnam wants ASEAN to research "travel bubbles" between "green countries" as a preliminary initiative in opening borders and forming safe travel zones, said Nguyen Manh Tien, deputy head of the National Assemblys Foreign Affairs Committee. He made the remarks at a Wednesday meeting of the Committee on Economic Matters of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41).

"Tourism travel bubbles" would include specialized air routes to tourism sites in member countries, Tien explained. It means people traveling from and to different destinations are tested to make sure they are not infected with the novel coronavirus, and that they would visit only those tourism sites before returning, using transport within a closed loop. "Green countries" are defined as those that ensure certain green coverage and use organic products, Tien said.

The Covid-19 pandemic is not only a medical crisis, but a crisis in development when international trade and supply chains are broken, Tien stated. Southeast Asias GDP growth this year is expected to drop to negative 2.7 percent, as opposed to an increase of 4.4 percent last year, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"The Vietnamese delegation wants the ASEAN community to agree on executing a series of breakthroughs and possible solutions, first to enhance information exchange regarding tourism, health and other necessary methods to control the spread of Covid-19," he added.

Also at the meeting, Vietnam suggested hastening the ratification of trade agreements within the region, including completing negotiations and signings of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within 2020. Increasing the capacity and participation of parliamentary oversight regarding the implementation of trade and investment commitments within the regional and international framework was also tabled.

As the coronavirus pandemic ravages the globe, countries and territories have deployed different measures to curb its spread, including international travel restrictions. Vietnam, for example, had already suspended international flights since late March.

As Vietnam began to bring the Covid-19 outbreak under control, talks of resuming international flights took off. Most recently, Vietnamese aviation authorities have prepared detailed plans for resuming commercial flights to Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Cambodia, and Laos starting September 15.

Passengers arriving in Vietnam must have been in these Asian destinations for at least 30 days prior to boarding their flights, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV). Transit passengers will not be allowed in.

Passengers must also furnish a certificate showing they tested negative for the novel coronavirus within three days before departure. On arrival, they would undergo rapid testing for Covid-19 with the costs covered by the airlines. They will have to pay for their quarantine.

Vietnam has recorded 1,059 Covid-19 cases, 131 still active. A total 35 have succumbed to the disease, many being elderly patients suffering underlying conditions like diabetes or kidney failure.

The country has recorded no new local transmissions for a week.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A Dutch university is holding open-air classes in parks, public squares and parking lots to limit the number of lectures taking place online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the foot of a majestic church in the historic centre of the city of Middelburg, science professor Edward Nieuwenhuis demonstrates an experiment on a bench in front of 25 students bundled up in jackets.

With a noisy street-cleaning lorry in the background, and a group of tourists nearby, Nieuwenhuis has to raise his voice so the students from University College Roosevelt can hear.

It's the first time he's given his introduction to life sciences outdoors since the university returned from a shutdown because of the spread of COVID-19. Until now classes have been half in person, and half working from home.

"I think it's really great because you can move around, you can see each other without a screen and digital interfaces, so it's wonderful. I really like it," Nieuwenhuis told AFP.

"It's more relaxed, it feels like you're not in class, you're just learning because you want to."

The Netherlands, which has recorded more than 75,000 coronavirus cases and 6,244 deaths, has lighter restrictions than many other European countries but the government has warned people to be careful after a recent resurgence.

Nowadays in Middelburg, it's not uncommon to see a philosophy professor under a tree discussing Socrates or a history teacher by a car park talking about the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Nieuwenhuis said outdoor learning could be the future.

"I hope that it will stick even when corona disappears. I'm sure that we will give a lot of classes outside," he said.

'Inspiring and fun'

Students at the university, where around 60 percent of students are from countries outside the Netherlands, are also enjoying the fresh air.

"I really like the feeling of being outside. And just knowing that you can keep enough distance, which you just can't do in a classroom," said Anje Boswijk, a 21-year-old Dutch student.

"Whenever I'm following a lesson online, I get more distracted, and I get less motivated to pay attention."

Ediz Klont, 18, a Dutch-Turkish-American student who wants to be a surgeon, said the outdoor classes were "very engaging".

"After many months of quarantine and online classes, this is really inspiring and fun to have classes outside," Klont said.

"Outside, we have more social interaction, so people feel happier, like me, I'm very happy when I see people next to me," he added.

'Bring an extra sweater'

The only hitch in the plan is the Dutch weather. The low-lying country bordering the North Sea has a famously windy and rainy climate that can quickly ruin plans for any outdoor gathering.

But in a country where people love to tell anyone complaining about the rain that "you're not made of sugar", attitudes are practical.

"Today it was a little bit cold to be outside. But if you come prepared for that and just bring an extra sweater. For the next time, I'll be better prepared. But it was really doable," said Anje Boswijk.

"I think that as long as it doesn't rain, it should be ok. Everybody should just bring enough layers. We can all bring umbrellas."

Nieuwenhuis, the teacher, even pictures camp fires and blankets for when winter sets in.

And after months of enduring "eternal problems" with online classes "this is nothing", he adds.

"Compared to the digital misery that we are in, this is really wonderful," said Nieuwenhuis.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
Amid the rising border tensions with China at Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Air Force on Thursday inducted five Rafale jets during a glittering ceremony at the Ambala air base. However, the occasion also turned out to be an opportunity for the Indian political establishment to issue a subtle warning to a rampaging China.

In a clear reference to China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the induction of five French-made multirole Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force is a "big and stern" message to those eyeing India's sovereignty.

"This kind of induction is very important for the kind of atmosphere that has been created on our borders," Singh also said at the ceremony.

Interestingly, Singh's stern message to the neighbouring country came hours ahead of an expected meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave in Moscow.

The much anticipated talks are taking place against the backdrop of a massive spike in tension in eastern Ladakh triggered by fresh face-offs between the two armies along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Earlier in the day, amid traditional 'sarva dharma puja', a ceremonial 'water cannon salute' to the Rafale jets and an aerial display featuring various breathtaking manoeuvres by the aircraft, the five Rafale jets were inducted into the 17 Squadron of the IAF.

The multi-role Rafale jets, built by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation, are known for air-superiority and precision strikes.

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 29, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

Ten Rafale jets have been delivered to India so far and five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. A second batch of four to five Rafale jets are likely to arrive in India by November.
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Perfumes and fragrances are solutions designed to stimulate the olfactory senses. The global perfume & fragrances market report compiled by Market Research Future (MRFR) contains insights and analysis on latest trends, benchmarking of products, and coverage of key regions for the period of 2017 to 2023 (forecast period). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects are analyzed on the market dynamics for the forecast period.

Market Scope

The global perfume & fragrances market is projected to witness a growth rate of 6% during the forecast period. It is predicted to reach a valuation of USD 64,690.27 million by 2023. It was valued at USD 43,112.3 million in 2016. Rapid urbanization is the primary driver of the market. Use of these liquids to be presentable in professional settings will fuel its demand greatly.

Moves by perfume manufacturers to improve their packaging design are expected to assist in sales. Offerings in different flavors and marketing campaigns are likely to drive the market demand. Lifestyle changes and improved living standards are factors expected to fuel market growth. Rising wave of health consciousness is likely to pave the path of natural fragrances and perfumes.

Segmentation

The global perfume & fragrances market has been segmented based on product type, ingredients, category, and distribution channel.

Based on product type, it is segmented into Eau Fraiche, Eau de parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne, and others. The Eau de Parfum segment is expected to dominate during the forecast period and will exhibit 6.33% CAGR till 2023.

The global perfume & fragrances market has been segregated, based on ingredients, into natural and synthetic. Synthetic fragrances accounted for 76% share in 2016, while natural fragrances accounted for 24% market share.

Get a FREE Sample Copy of Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4748

By category, it targets men, women, and unisex. Women accounted for a large market share and will register 5.67% CAGR during the forecast period. However, men can register a larger share during the assessment period due to introduction of new fragrances and perfumes targeted at men.

The global perfume & fragrances market has been divided, by distribution channel, into store-based, and non-store based. Store-based distribution channel has been further segmented into supermarkets & hypermarkets, specialty stores, and others.

Regional Analysis

The global perfume & fragrances market has been analyzed for four key regionsNorth America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South America, Middle East and Africa (MEA).

Europe is expected to dominate the global market due to fragrances and perfumes acting as ideal gifts for celebrations or special occasions. France is expected to dominate the market and kickstart the trend of natural fragrances and perfumes owing to its aversion to synthetic perfumes. Intense promotional campaigns in Germany as well as reduced prices of luxury fragrances can foster market growth.

APAC is projected to be highly lucrative for the global perfume & fragrances market due to its high production and sales in China. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges in terms of the supply of flavors and fragrance ingredients and threatens to upend the perfume & fragrances market in India. However, ease of permissions can help dealers in logistical issues and bolster the domestic demand.

Competition

Abdul Samad Al Qurashi, Chanel S.A., Oriflame Holding AG, PDC Brands, Vivenza, Inter Parfums Holdings, S.A., Rasasi Perfumes Industry LLC, Shiseido Company, Limited, AlQuraishi Fragrances, International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.,Avon Products, Inc., Royal Beauty Group Co., L'Oreal S.A., The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., and Revlon, Inc. are key players of the global perfume fragrance market.

Browse Full Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/perfume-fragrance-market-4748

The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the sales of functional fragrances. Functional fragrances can uplift a persons mood accordingly and offered with various aromas. Whiff, a Singapore company, has decided to capitalize on the trend and launched a range of hand sanitizers with a functional fragrance.

Note: Our team of researchers are studying Covid-19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required will be considering covid19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

About Market Research Future:

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MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

To stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.

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By Ron Bousso, Noah Browning and Dmitry Zhdannikov

LONDON (Reuters) - A stalled global economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is leading to a fresh build-up of global oil supplies, pushing traders including Trafigura to book tankers to store millions of barrels of crude oil and refined fuels at sea again.

The use of so-called floating storage onboard tankers comes as traditional onshore storage remains close to capacity as supplies outpace demand.

Trading house Trafigura has chartered at least five of the largest tankers each capable of storing 2 million barrels of oil, known as very large crude-oil carriers (VLCCs), according to trading sources and shipping data.

A number of the vessels are newly-built and are due to store gasoil and diesel, for which unsold volumes are especially high after a modest recovery mid-summer.

The inventory build-up comes despite major oil producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia sharply cutting back output and refineries slowing operations in recent months in response to an unprecedented drop in consumption.

Graphic: ICE diesel futures six-month spread - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/nmovaqroeva/Pasted%20image%201599655677814.png

Other top traders including Vitol, Litasco and Glencore have also in recent days booked large tankers to store diesel for up to 90 days, according to shipping data and traders.

Graphic: Global oil inventories - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/dgkvllekovb/Pasted%20image%201599655350148.png

Brent crude oil futures are languishing around $40 a barrel after posting their biggest weekly decline since June.

"The market is soft and bearish and floating storage is returning again," a market source said.

The spread between Brent crude for prompt delivery and six-months in the future <Lcoc1-lcoc7> has been declining steadily toward $3 near lows last seen in late May.

"Freight rates are low and the inter-month Brent spreads are now probably wide enough to cover storage costs and cost of cash," one trader selling crude oil said.

Story continues

Graphic: Continuing Contango - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/dgkpllezopb/contango.png

"It is increasingly clear that market fundamentals are not improving as quickly as expected, particularly on the demand side," Morgan Stanley analyst Martijn Rats said in a note.

Global oil inventories remain sharply above average when looking at recent years. Although stocks have drawn at a pace of around 1.6 million barrels per day over the past 30 days, they are still some 600 million barrels above last years levels, according to Morgan Stanley.

Most of the draws were in crude oil inventories, but refined products stocks remained stubbornly high, Rats said.

Compounding the bleak picture are weak margins and signs of an erosion in demand from China, whose record crude purchases in the summer months as it emerged from economic lockdown to scoop up cheap oil, mitigated demand damage globally.

Saudi oil giant Aramco sharply cut its October official selling price (OSP) for its flagship Arab Light crude to Asia by $1.40 a barrel, hoping to salvage buying interest.

But one top Chinese buyer said the outlook appeared grim.

"There are fewer refinery runs in China, teapots (independent refiners) have used up a lot of their import quotas, inventories are still pretty high and crude at current levels are not great for margins."

Sagging crude futures tracked sputtering physical crude prices worldwide, as price differentials for North Sea Brent stood at their lowest since June.

West African oil sales suffered, with Nigeria still seeking buyers for oil planned for export last month, Angolan crude selling at the lowest rates since May and key buyer China reselling unwanted cargoes it received in term allocations.

(Reporting By Noah Browning, Ron Bousso and Dmitry Zhdannikov;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Press Release

Nokia to support Telefonica's 5G deployment across Spain

Nokia continues long-standing relationship into 5G era with Telefonica set to deploy services for both consumer and enterprise customers nationwide

Nokia only vendor to supply 5G to all of Telefonica's European 5G operations

10th September 2020

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced that it is set to support Telefonica in its efforts to deploy 5G services to 75 percent of the Spanish population by the end of the year. The move will mean that Nokia will continue its long-standing partnership with Telefonica as the only vendor to supply 5G radio technology to all of its 5G operations across Europe.

Nokia has supported Telefonica's 5G development strategy since 2018 as part of the 'Technological Cities' project in the historical city of Segovia in central Spain. The project trialed the capabilities of 5G across a range of different use cases in urban areas to enable local citizens and companies to understand the benefits of new 5G-based digital services. In particular, the project looked at the benefits of enhanced data speeds with higher capacity and lower latency.

Nokia currently supplies its flexible AirScale Radio Access portfolio, which delivers ultra-fast data speeds, connectivity and ultra-low latency, and gives Telefonica the flexibility to respond to increasing demand. Nokia is also providing its expertise with rollout and support services. Moreover, Nokia is also supporting Telefonica with the development of its network for the hyperconnected 5G era in different areas, including IP network, optical transport and fiber.

Joaquin Mata, CTIO, Telefonica Spain, said: "We are delighted to work with Nokia on our nationwide 5G deployment across both urban and rural regions of Spain. We anticipate that 5G will have a game-changing impact on both consumer and business segments and Nokia's state-of-the-art 5G equipment will help us to deliver best-in-class experiences to our customers."

Tommi Uitto, President, Mobile Networks, Nokia stated: "We look forward to extending our long-standing relationship with Telefonica into the 5G era and introduce a range of compelling new services across Spain. We will help Telefonica execute its strategy and deliver compelling and transformative experiences, using Nokia's 5G solutions for businesses and consumers."

Nokia is a global leader in 5G with the industry's only end-to-end portfolio that is available globally. With more than 150 commercial engagements underway, Nokia's 5G solutions, software and services allow its customers to take advantage of the promise of this next generation of network technology. Learn more about Nokia 5G .

Resources

Webpage: Nokia AirScale

Webpage: Nokia 5G RAN

About Nokia

We create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.

Our communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia.

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National Association of Resident Doctors says strike was suspended to give government enough time to meet its demands.

Nigerian doctors in state-run hospitals have called off a strike over pay, inadequate facilities and a lack of protective equipment, union leaders said.

The strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which represents some 40 percent of Nigerias doctors, began on Monday. It was the latest in a string of work stoppages to hit the country as it struggles to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

NARD president Aliyu Sokomba told AFP the industrial action was suspended on Thursday to give the government enough time to meet its demands.

The NEC (National Executive Council) of the association has resolved that the strike be suspended because nobody has received a dime anyway. But because we have received commitment from the government, he said.

We always give them time to do what they want. We have asked them what time they want and they say two weeks. We are giving them the two weeks.

Aliyu Sokomba, president of the National Association of Resident Doctors [File: Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters]

Unlike previous strikes, medics treating coronavirus patients were part of the latest action.

On Wednesday, Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire had appealed to the doctors to return to work, describing their action as ill-timed and ill-advised at a time when Nigeria is battling the pandemic.

There are some 42,000 doctors in Nigeria, out of which 16,000 are resident doctors  medical school graduates training as specialists.

Doctors have long complained of a lack of beds and drugs in hospitals as well as inadequate protective kits.

Other demands include life insurance coverage, a pay rise and payment of unsettled wages.

In June, the NARD staged a week-long strike, but doctors treating coronavirus cases remained on the job.

Authorities fear any reduction in capacity could harm the countrys ability to tackle the pandemic as its number of infections continues to rise.

Nigeria  Africas most populous nation with 200 million inhabitants  has recorded 55,632 cases and 1,070 deaths since the first confirmed case of the virus in February.

About 1,000 health workers have been infected with the virus, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Queensland police are appealing for anyone with female children who was at a North Mackay Bunnings on the weekend to come forward, after charging a 25-year-old man over the alleged photographing of a child at the store.

Detective Senior Sergeant Emma Novosel said an eight-year-old girl was in the Bunnings North Mackay store on Saturday, September 5, between 11am and midday, with her family.

They were about to leave when the girl's brother told their father he had seen the man allegedly taking photos of his sister.

"The child's father then approached the man, who denied he even had possession of a phone. The matter was reported to police and an investigation commenced," she said.

"The pictures were of an indecent nature, they were actually what we would call up-skirting. The man got close enough to this young girl to take photos up her skirt."
President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria not to allocate foreign exchange to importers of food and fertiliser.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the president gave a similar directive last year.

Mr Buhari issued his latest directive at a meeting of the National Food Security Council at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

In a statement, Garba Shehu, Mr Buharis spokesperson, said the president ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria not to issue a kobo of the countrys reserves for the importation of food items and fertilizer.

The president argued that doing so would give the food importers an advantage over local farmers and could affect local food and fertiliser production.

Read Mr Shehus full statement below.

As the Federal Government rolls out the Economic Sustainability Plan and sets goal for National Food Security, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria not to issue a kobo of the countrys reserves for the importation of food items and fertilizer.

At a meeting of the National Food Security Council at the State House, Abuja, President Buhari restated his earlier verbal directive to the apex bank, saying he will pass it down in writing that nobody importing food should be given money.

Emphasizing the need to boost local agriculture, the president said:

From only three operating in the country, we have 33 fertilizer blending plants now working. We will not pay a kobo of our foreign reserves to import fertilizer. We will empower local producers.

Furthermore, President Buhari also directed that blenders of fertilizer should convey products directly to state governments so as to skip the cartel of transporters undermining the efforts to successfully deliver the products to users at reasonable costs.

The President advised private businesses bent on food importation to source their foreign exchange independently, saying use your money to compete with our farmers, instead of using foreign reserves to bring in compromised food items to divest the efforts of our farmers.

We have a lot of able-bodied young people willing to work and agriculture is the answer. We have a lot to do to support our farmers, President Buhari said.

The meeting, chaired by the president with other key members of the council in attendance, was briefed on the food security situation prevailing in the country.

Notably, the Vice Chairman of the council and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and a governor from each of the six geo-political zones  Jigawa, Plateau, Taraba, Ebonyi, Lagos and Kebbi, made presentations.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, outlined measures introduced by the administration to tackle the unprecedented challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation as contained in the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP).

Among others, the minister highlighted that the government will facilitate the cultivation of 20,000 to 100,000 hectares of new farmland in every state and support off-take of agro-processing to create millions of direct and indirect job opportunities.

She also listed the creation of 774,000 direct jobs for a minimum of 1,000 young Nigerians in each local government, the construction of 300,000 homes every year to give a boost to jobs through the construction industry, as well as the connection of 25 million new users of electricity with the installation of Solar Home System (SHS) targeting 5 million households.

Mrs Ahmed also briefed on the joint investment with the World Bank to provide intervention fund to states to improve health infrastructure.

She said to ease existing financial hardships among the people, the government is also coming up with low-interest loans for mechanics, tailors, artisans, petty traders and other informal business operators.

The minister added that the Federal Government will equally provide support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to help them keep their employees and boost local manufacturing.

Mrs Ahmed explained that from the recently approved N2.3 trillion stimulus recommended by the NESP, there will be expansion of broadband connectivity to boost job opportunities in the digital economy, a planned expansion of the National Social Investment Programmes including increase in the number of beneficiaries such as the cash transfer beneficiaries, N-Power Volunteers, the Market Moni and Trader Moni schemes.

In his presentation, the Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, told the Council that the nation expects a bumper harvest of food items despite floods in the north and drought in the south.

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He quoted the latest market surveys to show that the recent hike in the price of commodities is being reversed.

On his part, Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, reported the negative impact of the pandemic on the lives and livelihood of citizens, while the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, expressed the hope of an early reopening of the partially closed borders given the progress made with neighbouring States in joint border patrols  one of the key conditions by Nigeria for reopening of the borders.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)
Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson have split after 16 months together, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.

Love Island star Zara, 23, and Made In Chelsea's Sam, 28, called quits on their romance last month, just weeks after enjoying a loved-up holiday in Mykonos.

The end of their relationship comes days after Sam's sister Louise, 30, posted a cryptic tweet about a friend 'cheating' and trust taking 'seconds to break.'

Over: Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson have split after 16-months together, MailOnline can exclusively reveal

A source told MailOnline: 'Zara and Sam split towards the end of last month.

'They had been arguing a lot since moving in together as a result of lockdown and things just built up between them.

'Zara has moved back to her parents' house in Essex where she's taking some time for herself, she really loved Sam so this hasn't been easy for her.

'Sam has gone away to have a break from it all and clear his head away from Zara and social media.'

'Hasn't been easy': Love Island star Zara, 23, and Made In Chelsea's Sam, 28, called quits on their romance last month, just weeks after enjoying a loved up holiday in Mykonos

Protective?: The end of their relationship comes days after Sam's sister Louise, 30, posted a cryptic tweet about a friend 'cheating' and trust taking 'seconds to break'

Louise tweeted last Wednesday: 'Cheaters always want you to be loyal while they're being unfaithful,' which prompted fans to assume she had trouble in her own relationship with fiance Ryan Libbey.

Days later she sparked further speculation by posting: 'Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair' followed by 'I'm proud of my heart. It's been played, stabbed, cheated, burned and broken somehow still works.'

An insider told MailOnline: 'Things between Louise and Ryan are really great. Her tweet last week was actually aimed at a friend.'

Zara and Sam, who regularly post on Instagram and TikTok together, haven't shared any content as a couple since August.

Happy: Louise tweeted: 'Cheaters always want you to be loyal while they're being unfaithful,' which prompted fans to assume she had trouble in her own relationship with Ryan Libbey

About Sam and Zara?: But an insider told MailOnline: 'Things between Louise and Ryan are really great. Her tweet last week was actually aimed at a friend'

The couple went public with their romance in May 2019, four months after Zara's split from Love Island co-star Adam Collard.

Zara joined the cast of E4's Made In Chelsea, where she and Sam have been filmed having numerous arguments over his continued friendship with ex-girlfriend and co-star Tiffany Watson.

Earlier this year, the pair had words over Sam sharing a taxi home with Tiffany after a night out, leaving Zara to doubt the trust in their relationship.

Sam and Tiff split in 2017, which led to her exit from the reality show, before re-joining the cast as a single woman this year.

Trouble in paradise: Zara joined the cast of MIC, where she and Sam have been filmed having numerous arguments over his friendship with ex-girlfriend and co-star Tiffany Watson

Zara moved into Sam's west London home at the start of lockdown, and confessed to MailOnline that living together for the first time had put a strain on their relationship.

Speaking in July, Zara said: 'I have learnt more about Sam in the last couple of months than I have the whole of last year. Sam is quite a weird person.

'He needs his space but also likes attention and it's been hard to know when to give him his boy time and when to be a really attentive girlfriend.

'It hasn't been plain sailing for us like we have argued over the most stupid things. I would think 'Why am I arguing with Sam over who's unloading the dishwasher today?'

'Sometimes I will do the wrong thing and he'll do the wrong thing but it's part of being in a relationship.'

Zara, who launched her singing career on The X Factor: Celebrity last year, told MailOnline she believed her relationship with Sam would be long-lasting and had dreams of the pair marrying.

She said: 'I would not be with someone who I couldn't see myself being with forever. I know him well enough to know the way we work and being able to smile and laugh everyday is not something I've never had before.

'Sam teaches me not to take myself so seriously. He brings out all the good in me and that's all I want in a person.

'His sister Louise is like a sister to me now, we are super close and lockdown has bought us together so much.

'I don't know how we're going to have time apart now. I do love him so much  he's the sweetest thing.'
Warren police on Wednesday revealed a special operation aimed at making the citys streets safer resulted in the confiscation of dozens of firearms, batches of illegal drugs and more than 100 arrests.

The 23-day initiative, dubbed Operation S.N.A.G. (Saving Neighborhoods Against Guns), is a proactive measure to suppress gun violence and related crimes, officials said. It was launched in response to several recent shootings in the city, including a 10-year-old boy who was fatally shot by a teenage relative in July.

Police Commissioner William Dwyer said the programs goals included directing the task force to respond to calls involving weapons and violent acts; take illegal guns out of the hands of violent criminals; and identifying problem areas where violent crimes were happening.

The job is getting done, getting done very well, Dwyer said, adding violent offenders can stay out of Warren.

The operation resulted in:

* The arrest of 129 people charged with felonies and two misdemeanor arrests, ranging from armed robbery to attempted murder to drug dealing

* The seizure of 75 firearms, along with other weapons seized by Warren Police Department officers not assigned to the task force. One weapon already has been tied to a homicide outside of Warren

* A substantial quantity of illegal drugs including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and other various narcotics

* Seizure of $100,600 in cash from drug proceeds

Authorities said the operation took place Aug. 6-Sept. 5 by the task force formed of 22 department members of the uniformed patrol, Special Investigations, Special Operations and Criminal Investigations Divisions.

Dwyer said those arrested range in age from 16 to 58. He said they were from the tri-county area, Detroit, Saginaw, Grand Blanc and Battle Creek, but others were from as far away as North Dakota, Georgia and Oklahoma.

At the same time, road patrol officers kept up with their daily busy pace, responding to 731 calls for service.

The initiative was the latest in a series of efforts executed by Warren police aimed at making local streets and neighborhoods safer.

Operation SNAG is the fifth special program initiated by Warren police in the past year. The others were Operation Crusade in May 2019 that targeted human sex trafficking; Operation Traffic Jam in September 2019, tackling illegal drug activity; Operation Crusade II in December 2019, focusing on human sex trafficking; and Operation Crucial Capture this past January that resulted in the arrest of 50 fugitives.

Dwyer said Operation SNAG was the first phase in an ongoing series of initiatives. He would not comment on future ones.
UVD Robots, the world's leading manufacturer of disinfection robots, introduces the third generation of its autonomous mobile robot that eliminates viruses and bacteria in the air and on surfaces using UV-C light. The new hyper intelligent robot shows users how well it has disinfected, enabling optimization and quality control. The user-friendly robot's footprint is quite small which means the robot can operate in very narrow areas, expanding the environments and market segments where the robot can be deployed.

The Covid-19 pandemic has permanently increased cleanliness and disinfection requirements on a global scale. In more than 60 countries around the world, UVD Robots' distributors are experiencing high demand from hospitals, airports, hotels, shopping malls, food companies, cleaning industries, cruise ships, pharmaceutical companies, office complexes and many others seeking to procure solutions to ensure infection-free environments.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005045/en/

The new robot is based on massive learning and response from the global market over 5 years, including hospitals and other customer groups with high level experience in infection control. This deep insight and knowhow has been digitalized and put in algorithmic form resulting in a wide range of new features and functionalities now launched with the robot and deployed in an early release at many customer sites around the world. (Photo: Business Wire)

The distributors are now able to meet demand with what promises to be a breakthrough for disinfection robots globally; The innovation is the third generation autonomous UV-C disinfection robot from UVD Robots in Denmark, that pioneered the market by introducing the first autonomous disinfection robot in 2015.

The new robot is based on massive learning and response from the global market over 5 years, including hospitals and other customer groups with high level experience in infection control. This deep insight and knowhow have been digitalized and put in algorithmic form and with it a wide range of new features and functionalities have now been launched with the robot and deployed in an early release at many customer sites around the world. This also shows that the future of autonomous UV robots will be much more driven by software and advanced sensors than just hardware alone.

Unpack, hit play and disinfect

"We have designed the world's most advanced UV robot, which is also the world's simplest to use," says Per Juul Nielsen, CEO of UVD Robots. "Anyone can install the robot in a matter of minutes and immediately put it into operation, disinfecting bacteria and viruses from the air and any surface." The third-generation robot from UVD Robots can also navigate and operate in very small and narrow environments, which opens up new market opportunities such as the autonomous disinfection of small hotel rooms. The new robot has a significantly smaller footprint than its predecessor, yet boasts exactly the same disinfection strength. "The more agile robots are, the more useful they can be in automating disinfection," says Nielsen.

Originally, the invention of UVD Robots was developed to fight hospital acquired infections among patients and healthcare professionals. The problem is overwhelming; Millions of patients get a hospital acquired infection each year, and many of these patients die as a direct result. The corona pandemic has further emphasized the need to also combat the spread of infection beyond healthcare environments. Sales have been growing strongly since the beginning and in 2020 sales have accelerated further as the Danish disinfection robots now play a central role in many types of workplaces all over the world.

"The largest share of the robots that UVD Robots delivers are to the healthcare sector; others are supplied to a very wide range of industries that want to use modern technology to effectively protect guests, students, travelers and others that stay in potentially contaminated areas," explains Nielsen. Worldwide, there are more than 30,000 hospitals and studies show that at least 10 percent of those infected with Covid-19 in one of the world's hardest hit countries during the pandemic, the United States, are healthcare professionals. "We are also seeing a large order intake from shopping centers, pharma/life science and commercial airports, among others," says the UVD Robots CEO, adding that there are 17,000 airports worldwide.

A world first in the disinfection market

"Our third generation autonomous mobile UV-C disinfection robot is the world's first of its generation and definitely a game-changer in many ways, that will forever change the future of the use of UV-C robots for disinfection across a range of industries," says chairman of the board of UVD Robots, Claus Risager, and continues, "The robot has an unrivaled safety system that uses four layers of safety, enabling the robot to move around in all kinds of environments even in highly-trafficked areas as it shuts down if people get too close. It has a unique capability to sense, document and show the users how well disinfected an area is, enabling the user to easily and quickly adjust the process and optimize the quality if needed. A feature not found in any other UV-C disinfection robot in the world. All of these unique features are patented."

UVD Robots is a subsidiary of one of the world's leading groups in the development of service robots for professionals, Blue Ocean Robotics. The Group's CEO Claus Risager, who is also Chairman of the Board of UVD Robots, states that professional service robots are now proving their legitimacy.

"With our service robots, we have shown how the world can use robot technologies in the future to create a safer, healthier and more sustainable life on our planet," he says and continues: "We have deployed a large number of UVD Robots in countries such as China, Italy and USA to help them fight the spread of the Covid-19 infection. Our telepresence robots from GoBe Robots are used to enable humans to physically meet and move around virtually despite closed borders, quarantine, hospitalization or other restrictions," states the Blue Ocean Robotics CEO, adding that the company will soon be ready to launch another technological solution to a general challenge in society.

Blue Ocean Robotics is headquartered in Europe's robot capital 'Odense' in Denmark, where the group develops, produces and sells professional service robots primarily in healthcare, hospitality, construction, and agriculture. The robots are developed from problem, idea and design over development, commercialization and all the way to scale up. Each robot is placed in its own subsidiary-venture company, making Blue Ocean Robotics the world's first Robot Venture Factory.

Link to Press Kit

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005045/en/

Contacts:

Company contact:

Merima Cikotic

Blue Ocean Robotics

mc@blue-ocean-robotics.com

+45 71-99-56-06



Media contact:

Mette McCall

McCall Media

mette@mccallmedia.net

+1 415-800-3517
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10

By Elnur Baghishov  Trend:

The development of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran in various areas in recent years is based on mutual agreement and understanding, Iranian political scientist Tavakkol Lotfi told Trend.

The political scientist emphasized that Azerbaijan-Iran relations have been developing at an increasing pace in recent years. Because, these two countries have deep historical, cultural, geographical, economic and other partnerships.

"We can hope that the existing relations between Azerbaijan and Iran will develop stronger," he said.

According to the political scientist, the mutual understanding reflects the political and economic importance of both countries for each other.

After the US imposed sanctions on Iran, it shifted Iran's economic position to neighboring countries. Thus, further strengthening relations with countries that have proved their friendship has become a priority of Iran's foreign policy," he said.

Lotfi noted that as relations between the two countries develop, military and security cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan can reach a high level.

The political scientist stressed that Iran continues to support Azerbaijan's fair position in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

At the same time, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey should attach importance to cooperation and expand ties in various fields, he added.
Authorities are investigating the Almeda fire as an arson after discovering human remains in Ashland, the city police chief said.

The Jackson Countys Major Assault/Death Investigation Unit is investigating the nature of the death of the person found, according to Ashland Police Chief Tighe OMeara.

The unit draws detectives from Ashland Police, Medford, Central Point, Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriffs Office and the Jackson County District Attorneys Office.

One thing I can say is that the rumor it was set by Antifa is 100% false information, the police chief said by email. We have some leads, and none of it points in that direction.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency late Wednesday authorized the use of federal money for firefighting costs for the Almeda Glendower Fire, which started on Tuesday and had burned about 600 homes and more than 3,000 acres of private land at the time of the states request for federal aid.

WILDFIRE TRACKER: See all fires in Oregon and across the nation

Another 35,000 homes were threatened in and around the communities of Ashland, Talent, Phoenix and the city of Medford. The fire also threatened Interstate 5, Oregon 99, schools, a fire station, parks, small businesses and transmission and communication lines in the area.

The Medford Mail Tribune quoted Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler as saying the remains found in Ashland might not be the only fatality from the fire that ravaged Talent and Phoenix and threatened parts of Medford.

An Oregon State Fire Marshal incident management team is assisting with the Almeda fire.

-- Noelle Crombie

ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie
London, Sep 10 : The UK government has published a controversial bill which overrides elements of the Brexit deal with the European Union (EU), despite a senior minister explicitly acknowledging that the plan would "break international law".

The UK Internal Markets Bill, published on Wednesday, is intended to ensure Northern Ireland can continue to enjoy unfettered access to markets in the rest of the UK, reports Xinhua news agency.

The bill was published after the UK brushed aside warnings from the EU that breaching the treaty would prevent any trade deal being struck.

The move came as the UK-EU post-Brexit trade talks entered its second day here.

The UK ended its EU membership on January 31 but is still following EU rules during the transition period until December 31 to enable a permanent future trade deal to be reached.

During this period, the UK would have to pay into EU funds but have no say in laws imposed by Brussels.

The bill gives Ministers the power to decide themselves, rather than in agreement with Europe, about checks on goods as well as on state aid between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

It also says that the provisions in the bill "must be introduced notwithstanding any relevant international or domestic law", meaning that this legislation must be regarded first.

On Tuesday, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told MPs on Tuesday that the legislation would breach international law in a "very specific and limited way".

Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, said that if the UK government went through with the changes to the agreement, which secured the country's departure from the EU in January, it would "lose the moral high ground." Meanwhile, the European Commission has called for urgent talks with the UK.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was "very concerned about announcements from the British government on its intentions to breach the Withdrawal Agreement".

"This would break international law and undermines trust. Pacta sunt servanda = the foundation of prosperous future relations," she tweeted on Wednesday.

For his part, President of the European Council Charles Michel said: "The Withdrawal agreement was concluded and ratified by both sides, it has to be applied in full.

"Breaking international law is not acceptable and does not create the confidence we need to build our future relationship." Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Johnson defended the legislation, saying it provided a "legal safety net" to protect against "extreme or irrational interpretations" of the Northern Ireland provisions of the agreement which could lead to the creation of "a border down the Irish Sea." Seeking to justify the bill, the Downing Street said the Brexit deal was agreed "at pace in the most challenging possible political circumstances".

"The Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol aren't like any other treaty," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.

"It was agreed at pace in the most challenging possible political circumstances to deliver on a clear political decision by the British people with the clear overriding purpose of protecting the special circumstances of Northern Ireland.

"It contains ambiguities and in key areas there is a lack of clarity. It was written on the assumption that subsequent agreements to clarify these aspects could be reached between us and the EU on the details and that may yet be possible," the spokesman said.

Following the publication of the plans, the opposition Labour Party said it was looking at "potential amendments" to the bill amid "serious concerns," a spokesman for leader Keir Starmer said.

"There are obviously serious concerns about the contents of the Bill, the implications on devolution and the implications on the Northern Ireland Protocol." Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "In the General Election it was, according to the PM 'oven ready' -- now, when they want to jettison it in breach of international law, it was 'signed in a rush'... They are trashing the UK's international reputation."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 21:21:51|Editor: huaxia

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by Chen Jin, Lin Huifen

BUCHAREST, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The World Trade Organization (WTO) system is at a crossroad and requires a new, innovative and pragmatic approach supported by a strong political push to reinvigorate the multilateral trade system and achieve results, Tudor Ulianovschi, Moldova's candidate for WTO director-general, has told Xinhua.

To achieve these objectives, the next director-general needs to make efforts to rebuild trust among WTO members and generate the necessary political will to relaunch the negotiation process within the WTO, Ulianovschi said.

"For my role as the future director-general of the WTO, I bring a 3D vision and approach," namely direct access to ministers and political decision-makers, dialogue and discussions with Geneva-based ambassadors and driving the work of the WTO management and Secretariat, said the diplomat, who served as Moldovan foreign minister from 2018 to 2019.

The WTO is a member-driven organization and decisions on rule-making and implementation have to be made by members, he said, adding that a stable forum for negotiations among members is needed.

"On a more conceptual level, we need to think of modernizing the global trade agenda, upgrade it, so it responds better and faster to 21st-century challenges," he said.

Ulianovschi also put forward four priorities at the strategic level, including stopping any deterioration or decline of the multilateral trade system, starting negotiations on main issues within the WTO, focusing on smaller and incremental gains, and bringing together members to develop a long-term vision for the WTO reform.

This pandemic has shown what a world without international cooperation would look like. Disruptions at each step of the trade chain have to be resolved by states, be it bilaterally between neighbours, regionally or multilaterally, he said, also expressing his hope that this lesson has taught the world how valuable international cooperation is for the smooth movement of goods and services around the globe.

Ulianovschi said the world has entered a new post-pandemic era, where effects of the global economic crisis will be felt.

"That is why the WTO's role should be further consolidated and its future director-general should actively engage and identify keys to win-win solutions, regardless of the level of tension or of the difficulty of the issues," he added.

"I am energetic, active, with experience in politics, diplomacy, trade and in the private sector," said the 37-year-old candidate, emphasizing his firm belief that any new crisis creates new paradigms of thought and generates new approaches towards processes that will produce results. Enditem
Hopscotch, an immersive art and technology experience that debuted with a pop-up in Austin last year, will open its long-awaited permanent location on Oct. 2 in the Travis Park Plaza Building downtown.

The spaces debut originally had been planned for last fall, then was pushed into this past spring. The building changed owners, which delayed things, and there were some construction delays as well, said Nicole Jensen, who co-founded Hopscotch with partner Hunter Inman.

This feels like the right time, Jensen said.

I think people are ready for something like this, she said. I always was extremely passionate about it  its my baby  but certainly now were wanting to bring people together, even at 6 feet apart, to have that energy and the joy that art can bring.

Its been hard to tether ourselves to anything carefree. I hope that people can kind of leave their troubles behind for a while and enjoy themselves and not have to think too hard.

The idea behind Hopscotch is to give artists a platform to pursue large-scale projects they might not otherwise be able to tackle, as well as to create an entry point for people who might see contemporary art as intimidating.

On ExpressNews.com: Hopscotch debuts with Austin pop-up

Fourteen installations created by artists from San Antonio, across the country and around the world are slated to be exhibited. Five have been announced, including Walls Within, an indoor street art gallery created by the San Antonio Street Art Initiative and featuring the works of such artists as Ana Hernandez, Scotch Willington and James Supa Medrano.

Other installations are Symbiosis, a piece by Moscow-based interactive digital art studio Kuflex in which light projections make visitors look like alien beings; Rainbow Cave, a cave that Brooklyn-based artist Basia Goszczynska constructed from 40,000 salvaged plastic bags and fishing nets illuminated with LEDs; Infinity Boxes, part of a series by Los Angeles-based artist Matt Elson that creates optical illusions with mirrors, color and light; and Color Therapy, an immersive color and light installation created by Austin-based collective Polis Interactive.

Other installations will be announced in the weeks ahead.

Pandemic precautions are being taken. Face coverings will be required, and patrons temperatures will be screened before admission. No cash will be accepted. Touch points will be sanitized frequently. High touch areas will be sanitized regularly, and an air decontamination system designed to destroy harmful pathogens has been installed.

On ExpressNews.com: DoSeum creates well-choreographed disinfection routine

Admission will be capped at 25 percent of capacity  which translates into 40 people admitted each hour  so advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended.

Its over 20,000 square feet, so youll feel like you have the place to yourself, Jensen said.

Tickets can be purchased at letshopscotch.com.Tickets range from $15 to $23 and are free for children ages 3 and under. The space will be open from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m Fridays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. Free three-hour parking will be available in the Travis Park Plaza Garage.

Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Deborah, become a subscriber. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Supreme's first venture into the beauty industry proved to be a phenomenal success after the streetwear brand's lipstick collaboration with celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath sold out in just eight seconds.

The $38 lipstick, which was released on Supreme's website on Thursday, prompted a frenzy of excitement from beauty lovers and streetwear fans alike, with thousands of people clamoring to lay their hands on the makeup item.

But many were met with bitter disappointment after the lip shade - aptly-named Supreme - which was inspired by the brand's iconic logo, disappeared in mere seconds both in the US and in the UK.

Going, going, gone! Celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath's Supreme lipstick collaboration sold out just eight seconds after being released online on Thursday

Too much hype! The $38 lipstick - which is aptly-named Supreme - was the New York-based streetwear brand's first foray into beauty in its 26-year history

'[The lipstick] went live at 11am ET and sold out in eight seconds flat,' a source told DailyMail.com, adding: 'The UK sold out in 8.2 seconds.'

Supreme's collaboration with Pat's eponymous makeup brand, Pat McGrath Labs, marked the New York-based label's first ever beauty partnership it its 26-year history.

While the lipstick was Supreme's first foray into makeup, it seems to have gone the way of so many of the streetwear brand's previous collaborations, with savvy buyers offering it up on re-sale websites for more than 26 times the original price.

On StockX, the lipstick was being sold by dozens of users, with one asking for a whopping $999 for a single tube. Others offered the product up for anywhere between $100 and $300 - a far cry from its original price of $38.

Twitter users were quick to share their thoughts on the lipstick's sell-out success, with some people taking to the site to express their joy at securing one of the products, while others vented their fury at missing out.

'OK but like I actually would have bought the Pat McGrath Supreme lipstick to wear and some little s**t took his a** straight to StockX with it,' one beauty lover wrote.

Pricey! Within minutes of being released on the Supreme website, the lipstick had been posted on resale website StockX by dozens of savvy buyers - with some asking for hundreds of dollars

Woah! Some people were offering the lipstick for up to $999 - more than 26 times its original $38 price

Upset: Several people took to Twitter to share their sadness at missing out on the product

Another person agreed, tweeting: 'Supreme x Pat McGrath lipstick going for $117 on StockX. Man listen, this is next level tweaking.'

'Supreme turned all these females into Hypebeasts with this Pat McGrath collab,' another commented.

One upset father chimed in: 'Damn you Supreme I only wanted the Pat McGrath lipstick for my daughter... two damn minutes sold out while I was checking out with one in my cart.'

The lipstick collaboration between the streetwear giant and the celebrity beauty guru was first announced last month, with both brands revealing that the product would make its debut as part of Supreme's Fall/Winter 2020 collection.

Described by Pat herself as an 'iconic red', the vibrant hue is an exclusive version of the makeup artist's much-loved MatteTrance Lipstick, a 'high-intensity hydrating pigment' that is designed to pack a serious and long-lasting color punch, without drying out the pout.

Success! A few Twitter users celebrated their purchasing success

Hot item: The Supreme lipstick was housed in Pat McGrath Labs' signature packaging, but with a bold red twist in honor of the brand's iconic logo

Tease: The collaboration was first announced online last month, prompting a frenzy of excitement from beauty lovers and streetwear fans alike

The lipstick is housed in Pat's iconic gilded tube, which features a pair of gold lips where the lid meets the base.

However, the packaging for the Supreme collaboration comes in the streetwear brand's iconic red, and features its white logo along the side.

Unsurprisingly, news of the collaboration between Pat - who counts the likes of Naomi Campbell and Cardi B among her celebrity clientele - and Supreme sparked a firestorm of excitement on social media.

Instagram users were left in a frenzy by the announcement, with many questioning when the product will be released, and how they can ensure they get their hands on it.

'This is going to be MAJOR! Hope I can get my hands on it,' one person wrote, while another added: 'I must have this!'

'Too major to handle!' a third chimed in, while dozens of others simply shared their excitement by flooding Pat's Instagram with heart-eye emojis.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-11 06:14:00|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq would soon be reduced to about 4,000 and 2,000 respectively.

"A lot of progress has been made in Afghanistan, but we will be down to 4,000 soldiers in a very short period of time. Likewise in Iraq, we will be down to about 2,000 soldiers in a very short period of time," Trump said during the White House briefing.

"We're pretty much out of Iraq and we're down to the smallest force that we've had, and we'll be very short late down to that number in Afghanistan," he added.

The troop reduction plan that Trump revealed was a step further than the plan the U.S. military announced a day before.

Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie said Wednesday that U.S. troop presence in Iraq is scheduled to be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September, and that in Afghanistan will be decreased to about 4,500 by early November.

Currently, there are over 5,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against remnants of the Islamic State, mainly for training and advisory purposes.

As the presidential election looms, Trump has made more effort to fulfill his campaign promise to bring troops home and pull his country out of "endless wars."

Trump in the briefing also told reporters that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would head for Qatar for the beginning of intra-Afghan peace negotiations.

The government of Qatar announced on Thursday that a fresh round of Afghanistan peace talks will start in the Qatari capital Doha on Sept. 12, according to the Qatar news agency (QNA).

Trump has sought a full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 U.S. military deaths, is the longest one in U.S. history.

The Pentagon said in mid-July that the United States maintained its force level in Afghanistan at mid-8,000s, meeting the conditions of the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in late February.

The agreement also called for a full withdrawal of the U.S. military forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups. Enditem
KABUL -- Afghanistan's main intelligence agency says it has arrested a key member of the Islamic State (IS) extremist groups affiliate in the country who is said to be a mastermind behind the assassination of two prominent religious scholars in Kabul.



The National Directorate of Security (NDS) announced on September 10 the capture of Obaidullah, also known as Akrama Madani, during a special operation.

He was described as the head of IS operations in northern and northeastern Afghanistan.



The militant group has not yet commented on the arrest.



An NDS official told RFE/RL that the arrest took place in the Afghan capital.



Video footage provided by the agency shows the alleged suspect confessing to being a former Taliban member who later joined the IS group.



In a statement, the NDS said Obaidullah in 2012 joined the militant Haqqani network, which has ties with the Taliban, before turning to IS.



It said he was planning a bombing attack on the Imam Sadiq Mosque in the northern city of Kunduz.



The man was also one of the main masterminds behind the killing of well-known religious scholars Maulvi Mohammad Ayaz Niazi and Maulvi Azizullah Mufleh in two separate attacks in Kabul in June, according to the statement.



Niazi, a prominent pro-government cleric, was killed in early June in a bomb blast at Kabuls Wazir Akbar Mosque, where he was leading Friday Prayers.



Mufleh, another prominent cleric, was killed a week later in a similar attack at the Sher Shah Soori Mosque in Kabul.



The Afghan affiliate of the IS claimed responsibility for both bombings.



The militants have been active in the war-torn country since 2015, fighting the Taliban as well as Afghan and U.S. forces. They have also carried out deadly attacks against pro-government religious leaders, members of religious minorities, government officials, and media workers in Afghanistan.

With reporting by TOLOnews
BEIRUT - A huge fire broke out at Beiruts port Thursday, raising new panic among residents still struggling with the traumatic effects of the catastrophic explosion at the same site last month.

Some sought safety in closed bathrooms or threw open their windows to guard against shattering glass in case of another blast; others piled into cars to flee the capital. No injuries were reported.

Dark smoke and the smell of toxic fumes enveloped Beirut in the evening as army helicopters circled and sprayed water over the orange flames, helping firefighters on the ground.

It was unclear what caused the blaze at the port, which was decimated by the Aug. 4 explosion when nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate blew up, sending out a shock wave that killed nearly 200 people and caused widespread damage.

The Lebanese army said the fire started in the ports duty free zone amid containers of tires, oil and other flammable materials.

Fabrizio Carboni, regional director for the International Red Cross, tweeted that the warehouse on fire is where his organization stores thousands of food parcels and oil, risking the serious disruption of humanitarian operations.

Port director Bassem al-Qaisi told Voice of Lebanon radio that the fire started in a warehouse containing barrels of cooking oil and later spread to where tires were piled. He added it was too early to say if it began as the result of heat or some other mistake.

In a sign of the ever-widening gulf of distrust after the explosion, many Lebanese accused politicians of deliberately trying to destroy evidence at the port that led to the blast. Thursdays fire was the second mysterious blaze there this week, following a small fire on Tuesday that also caused some panic but was quickly extinguished.

Lebanon is gripped by an unprecedented economic crisis and financial collapse, blamed on decades of mismanagement and corruption by an entrenched political class. Last months blast is seen as the culmination of leaders unable to to manage the countrys affairs or protect its people. So far, authorities have been unable to provide answers about the explosion, and there has been no accountability for it.

For Dana Awad, a mother of two girls, the fire brought back memories of the tremor that shook her Beirut neighbourhood before the explosion.

We opened all windows and are in the corridor right now, Awad said as they sought safety in a hallway. I am still feeling the earth shake. Living a flashback.

Jennifer Moorehead, Save the Childrens country director in Lebanon, said the fire will inevitably bring back distressing memories to many Lebanese children who are still trying to recover from last months blast.

Children in Beirut have experienced a terrible shock and they need time to recover; todays fire and panic will only make things worse, she said.

Najat Saliba, a professor specializing in atmospheric chemistry at the American University of Beirut, tweeted warnings for the elderly and children to protect themselves or even to leave the city if possible until the smoke cleared.

The raging fire and column of smoke was eerily similar to the one that preceded the devastating explosion. Back then, curious residents stood on balconies or behind windows in offices and homes to photograph the fire, compounding the injuries from flying glass when the gigantic fireball mushroomed across the city.

On Thursday, panicked residents cracked open windows and called or texted warnings to each other. Local TV stations said companies with offices near the port asked employees to leave the area. Some hid in bathrooms, while others dropped what they were doing and rushed home.

A video on social media showed port employees running from the fire, a chilling reminder of the dozens of workers and 10 firefighters who were killed in the blast. Lebanese troops closed the major road near the port and rerouted traffic.

A highway that runs parallel to the port was blocked with cars, some with terrified-looking women and children trying to flee. Get out of my way! one woman screamed at others blocking her path. A woman sitting in the car next to her covered her ears with her hands, looking traumatized by it all.

The panic was compounded by the fear that more chemicals could be in the wreckage of the port. Earlier this month, the army said it found more than 4 tons of ammonium nitrate in four containers stored near the port that it said were dealt with.

French and Italian chemical experts working in the remains of the port identified more than 20 containers of dangerous chemicals. The army later said these containers were moved away from the port and stored safely.

The Aug. 4 explosion, the single most destructive blast in Lebanons history, killed 191 people, injured about 6,500 and damaged thousands of buildings.

-

Associated Press writers Hussein Malla and Bassem Mroue contributed.
DENVER, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior living community leaders believe engagement technology is more important now than they did last year, according to a new research report released today by iN2L, the leading provider of person-centered digital engagement to the senior living market. The report, Senior Living 2020: The State of Engagement and Technology, examines how community leaders view and value senior engagement technology now versus before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senior living communities had to quickly enforce precautionary isolation measures as a defense against COVID-19 earlier this year. This came with its own set of health concerns, as research demonstrates that loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for chronic conditions including dementia, stroke, and heart disease.1 Leaders have turned to tools like engagement technology to facilitate residents' mental and physical wellness, using engagement technology to connect residents with their loved ones, with each other, and with their unique interests and hobbies to keep them engaged with the world.

To learn how COVID-19 has affected how communities use and value engagement technology solutions, iN2L surveyed 100 senior living community leaders and compared their responses with those from the same survey conducted in 2019.*

Download the full results here.

Key findings include:

More leaders say they're doing a good job engaging residents

Almost two-thirds (63%) reported they do this very or extremely well in 2020, versus around half (53%) in 2019.

Last year, about one in ten (12%) leaders said they were engaging residents slightly well or not well at all, compared to only 5% this year.

Engagement technology is rising in importance

Of the 2020 respondents who use engagement technology, 90% believe it is at least moderately important, compared to 82% of respondents using engagement technology in 2019.

The percentage of leaders who believe engagement technology is extremely important increased by almost 60% year over year.

Leaders agree that technology is a differentiator and has an ROIand they're prioritizing investment

The number of leaders who say engagement technology definitely or probably differentiates their communities increased by 20% year over year.

The percentage of leaders who believe there is definitely a clear ROI for engagement technology doubled, from 24% to 48%.

Respondents who place a medium or higher priority on acquiring engagement technology increased by almost 20% year over year.

"COVID-19 has challenged community leaders in so many ways, and they have risen to the occasion," said Lisa Taylor, iN2L's CEO. "It's heartening to see leaders say, 'we're doing a better job at engagement than we were last year, we're seeing the benefits, this is important to us, and we're ready to invest in it.' We predict that it's going to be the norm to see engagement technology come out of the activity department silo and permeate every aspect of senior livingwe were already seeing this start to happen before the pandemic, but the health crisis has accelerated this shift. It's clear that engagement technology is more important than ever, and it is playing a key role in helping leaders achieve their community engagement goals."

Methodology*

In March 2019, iN2L electronically surveyed 114 senior living community leaders from various functional areas. The same questions were asked in June 2020 of 100 community leaders representing the same functional areas. Respondents in both cohorts represented a range of senior living environments, predominantly continuing care retirement communities and assisted living.

About iN2L

As the market leader in content-driven engagement for seniors, iN2L has been creating possibilities, enjoyment, and connection for older adults since 1999. iN2L's expansive content library promotes wellness, empowerment, and engagement among older adults and is the foundation for activities that facilitate social interaction, cognitive and physical exercise and therapy, education, reminiscing, areas of interest, and memory support engagement. iN2L is a critical part of the resident experience in more than 3,200 nursing homes, assisted and independent living communities, memory care settings, and adult day programs across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.iN2L.com.

1 https://journal.ahima.org/covid-19-and-social-isolation-puts-elderly-at-risk-for-loneliness/

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A Richmond teen charged with making a bomb threat during a Zoom lecture for the University of Houston was released on bond at a very different Zoom gathering before a federal magistrate Thursday.

Seated in a courtroom in an olive green jail uniform, a face mask and handcuffs, Ibraheem Ahmed Al Bayati told FBI officials he was joking when he Zoom bombed a UH geology class last week. Al Bayati is not enrolled at UH, but is rather an honors student at Houston Community College who lives with his parents and works full time at Amazon, his lawyer said.

Al Bayati, 19, is accused of making a threat involving explosives and making a threat through interstate commerce.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon said the conduct hed been charged with was salacious, but the evidence thus far did not indicate Al Bayati was a threat or a flight risk. His $200,000 unsecured bond allows him to continue school and work until his hearing.

The judge, lawyers and an FBI agent made their appearances remotely through the Zoom app. But four of Al Bayatis childhood friends showed up in person to support him; the judge told them to sit several rows behind him in the empty courtroom.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alhamdar Hamdani said Al Bayati posed a danger to the community because he had previously professed to be an ISIS recruiter and had photographs of himself with his friends with guns labeled ISIS gang. The defendants older sister told officials he had been radicalized in support of ISIS in 2015 and 2016, when the Sunni jihadist group was first becoming widely known for a wave of violence in the Middle East, but that his views evolved and became more progressive.

Special Agent Keith Fogg told the court that no evidence of bomb-making materials or guns was found in Al Bayatis room. He said there also was no evidence yet that Al Bayati was a member of ISIS.

We have not identified any steps he had taken to build a bomb or harm anybody, Fogg said.

Fogg testified Al Bayati shaved his beard in the days following the incident, which is often a sign that a terrorist recruit has been made operational.

Al Bayati told authorities he had used a friends login to enter the geology class. The idea of a Zoom bomb where hed speak Arabic was a joke that Al Bayati and the friend cooked up at a local McDonalds, he said.

Instead, according to testimony, he entered the class under a false name, Abu Qital al Jihadi al Mansur, and spoke English, saying What does any of this have to do with the fact that UH is about to get bombed in a few days?

He then said in Arabic, Islamic State will remain, in reference to the foreign terrorist group known as ISIS, repeating the phrase with a raised index finger, a gesture common in ISIS videos, the FBI agent said.

Among several family members vouching for Al Bayati was his uncle, who portrayed him as a peaceful and law abiding young man who likes to make jokes, is not violent and is not going to flee, his lawyer said.

The family came as refugees from Iraq about a dozen years ago, according to David Adler, Al Bayatis attorney. All have U.S. citizenship and are employed full time.

This would not be the first time a young person makes jokes that end up having awful consequences, Adler said. I have concerns that this does not rise to a federal crime.

Jonathan Lewis, a research fellow with George Washington Universitys Program on Extremism which tracks homegrown terrorism cases in the U.S., said it is rare for a defendant to claim that an ISIS threat was just a joke.

Maybe more information will come to light but as it stands now, its hard to square the just kidding with the alleged pro-ISIS material on his phone.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
Dr. Fischer's distinguished career in academics and in the practice of financial policy includes positions at the University of Chicago and MIT, where he undertook groundbreaking research in economic theory. Dr. Fischer also has served in senior positions at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Bank of Israel and the Federal Reserve, where he shaped financial policy that promoted stability and growth.

Deborah J. Lucas, Director of the GCFP, Sloan Distinguished Professor of Finance, and co-head of the distinguished panel of judges for the prize, noted, "Both in theory and practice, Dr. Fischer's career has greatly improved financial policy, bringing both scholarship and compassion to the challenging issues that affect the economy, with impacts that ranged from groundbreaking works in economic theory to teaching and mentoring a generation of scholars and practitioners."

Robert C. Merton, Co-Director of the GCFP and School of Management Distinguished Professor of Finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management, who served as the other co-head of the panel of judges, added, "There could be no better winner for the first Miriam Pozen Prize. I have known Stan since we were in graduate school at MIT, and his accomplishments far exceed the great promise of those days. He is a towering figure in the arena of financial policy, and we are indebted to him for his consequential contributions to the science and practice of the field."

Added Dr. Fischer, "I am honored by this recognition from the Golub Center for Finance and Policy, which has done so much to advance independent and interdisciplinary study of the nexus between governments, financial institutions and the financial system. I thank the Golub Center, the members of the panel of judges who made the decision, and Robert Pozen, for his generosity in providing funding for the prize and fellowship."

The Miriam Pozen Prize is awarded biennially in honor of the late mother of Robert C. Pozen, a senior lecturer at MIT Sloan who has generously funded the prize. In addition to the $200,000 prize, a fellowship that will be awarded to an incoming MIT Sloan MBA student will be named in Dr. Fischer's honor. Dr. Fischer will be honored at MIT Sloan in spring 2021, when he will deliver the inaugural Miriam Pozen Address.

"I am pleased that the judges have chosen Dr. Stanley Fischer as the first recipient of the Miriam Pozen Prize," said Robert Pozen. "Having held senior positions in academia, government and business, Dr. Fischer embodies the kind of engagement in all aspects of financial policy that is needed if we are to continue integrating theory and practice in this field."

Dr. Fischer holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in economics from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D. in economics from MIT. His academic career included serving as an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago and as a Professor in MIT's Department of Economics until 1998. His works ranged from popular economics textbooks to the seminal paper "Long-Term Contracts, Rational Expectations, and the Optimal Money Supply Rule," which demonstrated how monetary policy can mitigate downturns.

Following his academic career, Dr. Fischer held senior positions in government and business. In 1988, he was named Vice President, Development Economics and Chief Economist at the World Bank. From 1994 until 2001, he served as First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. Subsequently, he served from 2002-05 as Vice Chairman of Citigroup, President of Citigroup International and Head of the Public Sector Client Group. From 2005 until 2013, Dr. Fischer served as Governor of the Bank of Israel. From 2014-17, he served as vice chair of the Federal Reserve in the United States.

About the Miriam Pozen Prize

The Miriam Pozen Prize recognizes outstanding research or practice in financial policy by an academic or practitioner. It honors the late mother of Robert C. Pozen, a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a member of the GCFP's Advisory Board who provided funding for the prize as well as a fellowship to be awarded to a student at MIT Sloan.

Pozen, who formerly served as president of Fidelity Investments and executive chairman of MFS Investment Management, has extensive experience in public service. He served as associate general counsel of the SEC in the 1970s, and chairman of the SEC's Advisory Committee on Financial Reporting in 2007-08. He was a member of the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security and also served as Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Affairs under Governor Mitt Romney.

The panel of judges for the prize included the co-chairs, Deborah J. Lucas and Robert C. Merton. Other members of the judging panel include: Mohamed A. El-Erian , Chief Economic Adviser at Allianz, the corporate parent of PIMCO; Kristin J. Forbes , the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Professor of Management and Global Economics at MIT Sloan; Ronald P. O'Hanley , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of State Street Corporation; Henry M. Paulson, Jr. , Chairman of the Paulson Institute; Raghuram R. Rajan , Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business; and Robert Zoellick , senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

About the MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy

The mission of the Golub Center is to serve as a catalyst for innovative, cross-disciplinary and non-partisan research and educational initiatives that address the unique challenges facing governments in their role as financial institutions and as regulators of the financial system. The Center is building a foundation that will support transformative improvements in the development and execution of financial policy today and in the decades to come. It leverages the Institute's reputation of academic excellence and commitment to public service, and the acumen of MIT Sloan. For more information on the GCFP, please visit: gcfp.mit.edu.

About the MIT Sloan School of Management

The MIT Sloan School of Management is where smart, independent leaders come together to solve problems, create new organizations, and improve the world. Learn more at mitsloan.mit.edu .

For further information, contact:



Paul Denning or Patricia Favreau Director of Media Relations

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There were no Ukrainian army casualties.

No violations of the ceasefire in the Joint Forces Operation zone in eastern Ukraine's Donbas were recorded on Wednesday, September 9.

There were no Ukrainian army casualties, the JFO Command said in a morning update on Facebook on Thursday, September 10.

The Ukrainian military continue adhering to the ceasefire and are ready to respond to any attack by the enemy, it said.

Read alsoDonbas war: TCG holds extraordinary meetingThe full and comprehensive ceasefire continued on Thursday.

A landmine clearance operation is under way. Over 10 hectares in the frontline zone have been cleared with 92 landmines and improvised explosive devices sent for disposal.

What is more, Joint Forces personnel are engaged in repairing and rebuilding houses and other facilities of civilian infrastructure. Seventeen facilities were fully repaired in the past 24 hours.

The situation is under full control of the Ukrainian military, the JFO HQ said.

Donbas ceasefire: Background
DERBY  When the coronavirus pandemic forced the Parent Child Resource Center to cease all in-person services with its young clients in March, the staff sprang into action to convert its programs to a virtual space.

To help ensure the conversion to telehealth services continues until face-to-face interactions can resume, PCRC has received a $20,000 grant from the Katharine Matthies Foundation that also will help cover additional operating expenses due to the ongoing pandemic.

We are so grateful for the monies from the Katharine Matthies Foundation, said Sarah Beard, director of childrens services. We are able to continue to respond to the mental health needs of both children and families during this difficult and challenging time.

Beard added that families are dealing with more stressors, especially with many school-age children at home all day doing distance learning and unable to interact with their friends or play sports. Just listening to news about the virus can be frightening for children, she said.

Families have experienced a get deal of stress, fear, anxiety and trauma as a result of the upheaval in their lives, Beard said. Residual effects will linger for a very long time. Children and families will need a great deal of support and help to address those feelings as they attempt to get back to fully active lives, especially children returning to school in very unusual and different ways.

PCRC, based at 30 Elizabeth St., is a state-licensed, nonprofit division of BHcare that provides behavioral health care for children and families throughout the Lower Naugatuck Valley and beyond. For more than 40 years, PCRC has been providing help for children, adolescents and families struggling with emotional and behavioral issues, according to Michael Wynne, community outreach specialist.

Wynne said the pandemic forced PCRC to discontinue face-to-face clinical services on March 23, but conversion to telehealth encounters was quickly put in place. That, however, required an investment in equipment, procedural changes and staff training, he said, but within one week, PCRC had the capacity to provide virtual clinical services to all children and families in need.

Grants like this one from the Katharine Matthies Foundation, as well as fundraising events, go a long way toward helping PCRC continue its services, Wynne said. PCRCs 13th annual walk/bike race in June, A Chance to Shine, which was converted into a virtual event, raised the most money ever at $100,785, according to Wynne.

PCRC also received a $26,900 grant from Valley United Way in July to further help children and families experiencing social isolation, stress and anxiety during the pandemic.

Since 1987, the Katharine Matthies Foundation has been providing financial support to nonprofits throughout the Lower Naugatuck Valley that promote quality educational, human services and health care programming for underserved populations.

jean.sos@snet.net
Discerning truth from satire amid all the "woke-tivity" is getting harder by the day. This is not satire. On Wednesday, the Muhammad Ali Center, a museum in Louisville, Kentucky, announced the opening of a new exhibition called "Truth Be Told: The Policies that Impacted Black Lives." The theme is "an exploration of those policies that are linked to systematic racism in America, from the early 1600s, up to present day." From the press release here:

The exhibition's content will be posted on authentic plywood panels that were used on buildings in the Louisville protests and marches. These panels, originally used as barriers, will be repurposed as the platform on which we are sharing this important history. Truth Be Told also features a spray painted mural created by Louisville artist Braylyn Resko Stewart.

Below is an image from the new exhibit:

The press release names two sponsors, one of them being...NASCAR. (Corporations indulging Critical Race theorists are playing with fire.) The press release includes a quote from NASCAR's "Managing Director, Diversity and Inclusion" as well as this:

Said Donald Lassere, President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center, "It is important for everyone to understand that our frustration, anger and outrage stems not only from the disproportionate unjust killing of black folk, but truth be told, we are frustrated from 400 plus years of policy upon policy that has rooted systemic racism into the fabric of this nation."

Louisville has been especially hard hit and marred by rioting, violence, and vandalism over the past several months. Its downtown looks like a war zone in many sections. The city is bracing for more upheaval, especially considering that it is where Breonna Taylor lived at the time of her death. Oprah Winfrey, via her O Magazine, has put up dozens of billboards around Louisville calling for the officers involved to be arrested and charged.

A recently published investigative report sheds more light on the Taylor incident. In short, police were at the right address with sound reason to execute a search warrant there. Taylor was one of two occupants inside at the time. The other occupant shot at police through a door. Officers returned fire. Taylor, standing inside, was shot multiple times and died from the injuries. No charges have been filed, and, officially, the matter is pending.

Whether the new exhibition entices people, including paying customers, to venture downtown and visit the museum remains to be seen. One has to wonder what The Greatest of All Time would think of it if he were alive. One thing is for sure: to, in effect, celebrate the city's destruction  those "protests and marches"  in such a fashion will rub a lot of people the wrong way.

Image above is from video here.

Featured image: Dutch National Archives via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL.
Director General, Legal and Prosecutions of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Nathan Kofi Boakye, has called on commanders to enforce electoral laws, especially the vigilante law without fear or favour to enhance the nation's democracy.



He said the police had over the years played an important role in the Democratic dispensation of the country and that the citizenry were expecting them to do more in the forthcoming elections.



COP Mr Boakye made the call during a day's capacity building workshop on "Prosecution of Electoral Related Offences" attended by 230 officers and men drawn from six Divisions and three Units in the Western Region.





The workshop is being organised in all the Regions except the Volta region, and would sharpen the skills, knowledge, attitude and efficiency of the police to enable them perform their duties effectively.



It is also to equip them with all the relevant laws, procedures and prosecutorial tools needed in the investigation and prosecution of Electoral related offences that might crop up in the December polls.



COP Mr Boakye charged the personnel to be diligent in handling electoral offences and prosecutions in order not to lose the trust and confidence reposed in them.



He reminded them that their actions or inactions could mar the elections and tasked them to stand for the truth and have full knowledge of the electoral laws.



COP Mr Boakye said due to the fear of victimization, some police officers diverted their attention or shirked their responsibilities and stressed that it was time for the police service to stand for the truth and enforce all the laws without fear or favour.



He said the laws were made for the police to enforce and called on the public to cooperate with the police to effectively enforce all the electoral laws in the country.



"Be bold, truthful and courageous in enforcing the electoral laws to ensure peace and unity before, during and after the elections", he added



In his welcoming address, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Felix Fosu- Agyemang, Western Regional Commander, commended the Inspector General of Police and the Director General /Legal and Prosecutions for coming up with the training workshop which he noted would motivate and boost the competence levels of the personnel.



He explained that the programme would provide officers with the needed skills on how to gather relevant evidence, prepare appropriate charges and ensure the successful prosecution of Electoral related offences.



"A synopsis of Electoral related offences shows that the offences cannot be found in one legal document, they are scattered in various Acts and constitutional instruments, hence the programme will definitely aid you in identifying the specific offences to apply, he stressed.



DCOP Mr Fosu-Agyemang said "Ghana police service has been providing security for elections and prosecuting electoral offences in Ghana, therefore the need for the capacity building programme and its benefits cannot be over emphasized".



He urged the personnel to take the programme seriously by applying themselves to it and learn all the nuances around the prosecution of Electoral related offences.

Source: GNA









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The Syrian regime is discouraging many Syrians from returning from Lebanon by detaining them or forcing them to join the military upon their return, according to SY 24

The Syrian Network for Human Rights documented today 62 cases of arrest and enforced disappearance of Syrians returning from Lebanon by the Syrian regime forces, since the beginning of the year.

The network stated in its report that the Syrian regime is preventing hundreds of Syrian citizens from returning from Lebanon to their homeland, noting that 62 cases of detention and enforced disappearance have been recorded since the beginning of 2020.

The report added that the regime has released 25 people, while 37 remain in detention or enforced disappearance in the regimes detention centers.

According to the report, the regime has re-arrested a number of those who had been released, forcing them to join the military, which commits the worst kinds of violations.

The network also wrote that on March 22 the regime made an arbitrary decision to close land crossings between Lebanon and Syria, which resulted in hundreds of citizens  including women and children  stranded in the border region for weeks on end in March, and again in June, and up until the time of this writing, according to the report.

The arbitrary decision has forced dozens of Syrian citizens to enter Syria through illegal means, specifically via cross-border smuggling operations, which puts their security and lives at risk.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Lithuania will provide political, economic and financial assistance to the Belarusian people and their legitimate representatives, the country's parliament said.

The Lithuanian Sejm has approved the call to recognize opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as a legitimate President of Belarus.

The text of the relevant resolution was posted on Parliament's website on September 10.

The resolution states that Lithuania supports the demands of the elected head of the Belarusian people, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, and the Coordination Council "to hold new and transparent presidential elections in the republic."

From now on, Lithuania has agreed to treat any actions of the "illegitimate head of Belarus" Alexander Lukashenko in domestic and foreign policy, in particular the conclusion of new agreements with Russia, as "crimes against the Belarusian people."

Read also"Belarusian activist" protesting against foreign meddling turns out to be Russian politicianLithuania will provide citizens of Belarus and their legitimate representatives with political, economic, and financial assistance so that democratic elections are held in the country.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya: background

On August 10, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Alexander Lukashenko's rival in the latest, and widely contested, presidential election held on August 9 reported to the Belarusian Central Election Commission the next day along with her lawyer and team members, where she was confronted by security officials. Shortly after their contact, she left the building through another exit, without her lawyer.

On August 11, it was confirmed that Tikhanovskaya hadfled Belarus for Lithuania.

Also on August 11, a video was published where Tikhanovskaya is seen reciting a text, prepared and written down beforehand, urging Belarusian citizens to refrain from taking to the streets in order to avoid violence.

She had earlier taken her children out of the country in the wake of her husband's arrest in late May. He has been government custody ever since.

Other opposition leaders have come to the foreground over the past week, including Maria Kolesnikova, who is being held in the Minsk detention center after what appears to be a botched attempt by local security operatives to make her leave country.

Belarusian elections: reactions
CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global antimicrobial food disinfectant market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 7% during the period 20192025.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

1. The commercial & industrial sectors dominate the antimicrobial food disinfectant market and between 2019 and 2025, the incremental growth is expected to be over $640 million.

2. Currently, the use of disinfectants in residential sector is less compared to various other homemade solutions such as vinegar, lemon, and washing under running water. However, with the increased number of illnesses and diseases due to the consumption of raw meat, poultry, and fruits and vegetables, the demand is expected to increase during the forecast period.

3. Liquid-based food disinfectants hold the major share of over 65% in 2019, with a high CAGR during the period 2019-2025.

4. With a growing concern over foodborne illnesses due to COVID-19 and other microbes, the demand for antimicrobial food disinfectant is expected to increase in commercial, industrial, and residential sectors during the forecast period.

5. The competition is currently stiff in the end-user segment as many companies are looking to gain a first-mover advantage. Also, the market is not facing tough competition from any substitute product.

6. The antibacterial food disinfectant market is in a nascent stage of growth, with many countries around the globe still experimenting with this concept. The growth of the market is expected to be majorly driven by increasing end-user marker demand as there is an elevated risk of foodborne illnesses.

7. In South Asia, Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, developing countries face comparatively heavy pressure. They account for 41% of the world's population, contributing 53% of all foodborne diseases and 75% of all related deaths.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20192025

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by products, application, end-user, and geography

Competitive Landscape  4 key vendors and 13 other vendors

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/antimicrobial-food-disinfectant-market-size-analysis

Antimicrobial Food Disinfectant Market  Segmentation

Liquid-based antimicrobial food disinfectants dominate the market; however, granule and spray-based ones are expected to increase their market shares during the forecast period. APAC, North America , and Europe are likely to be major contributors to the growth of the market.

, and are likely to be major contributors to the growth of the market. The commercial & industrial sector dominates the antimicrobial food disinfectant market. The use of these solutions is expected to grow in commercial places such as restaurants and retail outlets as consumers are highly concerned about food protection and its related illness.

The global demand for meat and poultry disinfectants is expected to grow during the forecast period due to the risk posed by food hazards and avoidance of pest infestation. In the last decade, the global meat industry has observed rapid growth, with production in some regions close to double-digit figures.

Antimicrobial Food Disinfectant Market by Products

Liquid

Granule

Spray

Antimicrobial Food Disinfectant Market by Application

Fruits & Vegetables

Meat & Poultry

Fish & Seafood

Antimicrobial Food Disinfectant Market by End-user

Residential

Commercial

Restaurants



Retail Outlets



Processing Industries

Antimicrobial Food Disinfectant Market  Dynamics

Some antimicrobial food disinfectants are expected to add value by extending shelf life by washing fruits and vegetables with vinegar solution, chlorine dioxide (chlorination) treatment, and other similar methods. Hence, increase in shelf life along with removal of harmful microbes with the help of antimicrobial solutions is expected to create an opportunity for the antimicrobial food disinfectant market. Shelf-life is expected to increase when the fruits and vegetables are minimally treated with chlorine dioxide as it is a good oxidizing and sanitizing agent. Chlorine dioxide also has fast biocidal effectiveness and high penetration capacity. At the same time, it has a drawback of generating toxic by-products such as chloramines and trihalomethanes.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

Government Regulations on Food Safety

Growing Foodborne Illnesses

Consumption of Healthy Food Products

Antimicrobial Food Disinfectant Market  Geography

North America regionally serves as a competitive market for food disinfectant producers and is expected to overtake the global industry by 2025. The reasons for this can be attributed to increasing customer demand for hygienic food and increased spending on packaged food. The consumer's appetite for fine dining in countries such as Japan and China are further increasing restaurants and other catering services' demand for food disinfectants.

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/antimicrobial-food-disinfectant-market-size-analysis

Antimicrobial Food Disinfectant Market by Geography

North America

United States



Canada

Europe

UK



Germany



France



Italy



Spain

APAC

China



Japan



South Korea



Australia



India

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Argentina

Middle East & Africa

South Africa



UAE



Saudi Arabia



Turkey

Prominent Vendors

Ecolab

ITC

Marico

AgroFresh

Other Prominent Vendors

Sanosil

Diversey

Eat Cleaner

Fit Organic

Environne

Biokleen

Nutraneering

Beaumont Products

United Chemical Company

Decco

Xeda International

P&G

Santic

Explore our health & wellness profile to know more about the industry.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

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Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has defended Queensland's stringent quarantine program after intense criticism over the case of a young woman who was in hotel quarantine and unable to attend her father's funeral.

Canberra-based graduate nurse Sarah Caisip, 26, said she had to "fight" for an exemption to fly into Queensland to visit her dad but it was too late to see him before he died last week. She then tried to make arrangements to attend Thursday's funeral with her mother and sister.

Dr Young told reporters on Thursday imposing restrictions on funerals was one of the "hardest things" she had to do throughout the pandemic but funerals were "one of the highest risks" for COVID-19 transmission.

Under an arrangement in place that has been used "a number of times very safely", Ms Caisip was taken by paramedics from her Brisbane hotel to have a private viewing of her father's body on Thursday afternoon.
Less than three weeks after George Floyds death in police custody, fuel was added to the nationwide protests against police brutality when an Atlanta officer fatally shot Rayshard Brooks on June 12 in the parking lot of a Wendys restaurant.

Captured in a widely shared video, the shooting death of yet another Black man by the police touched off a weekend of angry demonstrations in Atlanta that resulted in the burning of the restaurant, the resignation of the citys police chief and a murder charge in Mr. Brookss death.

Who was Rayshard Brooks?

Those who knew him remembered Mr. Brooks, 27, as a caring father and a dancer more distinguished by enthusiasm than ability. His mother-in-law, Rochelle Gooden, said he had loved old rhythm-and-blues songs and liked to barbecue.

He always took me as Mom, and I always took him as Son, she said. I never called him Rayshard, I called him my son.
CAIRO  Egypts National Elections Authority (NEA) announced Aug. 26 that it would refer to prosecutors 54 million people who did not cast their votes in the 2020 Senate elections.

The board of directors of the NEA, headed by Judge Lachin Ibrahim, held a meeting Aug. 26 to discuss the "mechanisms to apply the provisions of the Law on the Regulation of the Exercise of Political Rights on voters who failed to perform their national duty and cast a vote in the first round of Senate elections held Aug. 11-12." The board reviewed the lists of names of eligible voters who failed to exercise this right.

The board said after its meeting that the Egyptian state provided all the capabilities and equipment necessary for voters to exercise their political right and vote in the first round of the elections, and the NEA took all precautionary measures that would protect parties to the electoral process and voters from the coronavirus pandemic.

The public committees, formed by the NEA to follow up on the electoral process throughout the country, had repeatedly stressed the need to take part in the electoral process ahead of election day. Yet still, some failed to fulfill their national role and duty to participate, which led the board of directors of the authority to refer them to the public prosecution to take the necessary action in this regard.

The board referred to the provisions of Article 57 of the amended Law No. 45 of 2014 on the Law on the Regulation of the Exercise of Political Rights, which imposes a fine not exceeding 500 Egyptian pounds (about $31) on voters who did not cast their votes.

Some 14.23% of about 64 million eligible voters cast their votes in the elections of the Senate, the upper house of parliament.

Gamal Gobril, a professor of public law at the Faculty of Law at Helwan University, told Al-Monitor that the commission is merely implementing the Law on the Regulation of the Exercise of Political Rights, which has been in place for years. But this is the first time that the law imposing a fine on voters who do not cast their ballots is being implemented, he explained.

Gobril added that the penal code gives public prosecutors the right to take the appropriate decision in such cases and determine the value of the fine provided it does not exceed 500 Egyptian pounds (about $31). He stressed that voting is a right for every citizen, and they must exercise their right to choose who will represent them.

Judge Abdullah al-Baja, head of the Cairo Court of Appeal, told Al-Monitor that the NEAs decision to refer voters who did not vote in the Senate elections is not new but is instead an implementation of the law that stipulates imposing a penalty on anyone who fails to participate in the electoral process without an excuse. The public prosecution, he said, determines the value of the fine.

Baja believes that the NEAs decision is a legal procedure, adding that a penalty must be imposed on everyone who violates the Law on the Regulation of the Exercise of Political Rights. He believes this will push more people to cast their votes in any upcoming election. He stressed that voting is a national right and duty, and Egyptians must willingly choose their representatives.

On the reasons behind the low turnout, Mohammed Hussein, a professor of political science at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor that the polling stations were located far away from residential areas, making the trip hard for some Egyptians.

Hussein added that the elections are a right and a duty performed by every Egyptian citizen who must cast their vote in order to exercise their constitutional right and pay their duty to the homeland.

Muhammad Sayed Ahmed, a professor of political sociology at El Shorouk Academy, told Al-Monitor that the lack of political participation among Egyptians is not new and has been the case for years. There are a large number of voters who did not participate in the Senate elections due to the economic situation and poverty, he said, adding that Egyptians are busy providing for their families.

Ahmed believes voters felt that their votes were ineffective because of political money controlling the elections, and that was one of the reasons behind their decision not to participate. Also, the expansion of electoral districts  the NEA merged several electoral districts  and the adoption of the absolute list system made it hard for voters to know the candidates, especially considering that there wasnt much time allowed for electoral campaigns and candidates could not present their electoral program to citizens.

Sayed added that the penalty has not been applied and most likely wont. This is the first time it is announced in order to pressure voters to participate in upcoming elections, he said. But I do not think this will change anything as a large number of voters did not participate in the elections and know that the fine is being used as a pressure card, he concluded.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10)  More Filipinos could slip into poverty and joblessness until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Economic and Development Authority said Thursday.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said latest projections showed that the poverty incidence rate will range from 15.5-17.5 percent next year, coming from 16.7 percent or 17.7 million people in 2018.

"There will be some temporary increase in the poverty rate," Chua said during the Senate budget hearing, adding that more people living in the capital region and mega cities will be mostly affected.

"The COVID pandemic, the quarantines are largely affecting the urban areas, we are fortunate to note that in the rural areas, in agriculture, COVID is not threatening their livelihood," he added.

The Duterte administration wanted to pluck 6 million Filipinos out of poverty by 2022. This was achieved two years ago, but was likely reversed by the public health crisis.

RELATED: Pandemic could push an additional 120 million children in South Asia into poverty, says UNICEF

The Philippine Statistics Authority measures poverty incidence every three years, and the government had been aiming to trim the poverty rate to 14 percent or lower by 2022.

Chua admitted that previous gains may be erased by the "unprecedented" COVID-19 crisis.

He added that the number of Filipinos slipping into poverty would have been higher if the government "did nothing." For now, the focus is temporary support as well as the reopening of more sectors, which should let even more workers earn a living again.

"A significant number of jobs came back the moment we relaxed (quarantine rules)," the Cabinet official said, adding that the downtrend in unemployment can be sustained if more sectors are opened and if public transport capacity is raised further.

"The results in just one quarter show that the impact can be big if we loosen up our restrictions as safely as possible," Chua added.

From a peak of 7.3 million unemployed adults in April, the number went down to around 4.6 million in July, which captured two months of eased movement and industry restrictions in most parts of the country.

Senator Risa Hontiveros batted for the appointment of a "trabaho czar" to match the focus given on health response. However, Chua explained that the government's task is not direct job creation  rather, the maintenance of an environment that ushers in business and investment, which will then open new opportunities for workers.

Chua said that the unemployment rate will likely simmer down to between 6-8 percent next year from the current 10 percent level, or about 7 million Filipinos. However, this would still be higher than the 5 percent jobless rate pre-pandemic, or an additional 2 million people unemployed.

Meanwhile, economic think-tank IBON Foundation described as inconceivable the poverty incidence estimates given by NEDA for 2021.

IBON Foundation executive director Sonny Africa noted that despite the massive job cuts and lockdowns brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, NEDA gave lower estimates than the 2018 figures.

Africa also slammed the inaccurate economic figures provided by the government saying they do not reflect the reality on ground.

He cited the economic managers pronouncement of four million jobless Filipinos, which he said is imprecise because they are not counting as "unemployed" those who are looking for work but are hindered by health and mobility challenges brought by the pandemic.

Its not the pandemic keeping people poor," stressed Africa. "It is government inaction.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-10 21:56:59|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Thursday said that the high-level coordination between the Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish regional forces, known as Peshmerga, helped to achieve victory over the terrorist Islamic State (IS) militant group.

Al-Kadhimi's comments came during his visit to Iraq's semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, which aimed at discussing the most prominent challenges in the country, and the unification of positions at the national level, as well as the issue of holding early elections, according to a statement by the prime minister's media office.

Al-Kadhimi was received by the regional President Masrour Barzaniin Erbil in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's northern region of Kurdistan, and met with top officials of the region, including Masoud Barzani, head of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the statement said.

During the meeting, al-Kadhimi highlighted "the high-level coordination between the Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga brought victory over IS militants, asserting that such coordination will protect the land and secure the opportunity for prosperity and development for the country," it said.

The two sides discussed Iraq's urgent need to reform and agreed that there is a need to give priority for the national action to address the current challenges, the statement added.

"The prime minister explained the importance of integration in the positions between the federal government and the regional government, and emphasized that the Kurdistan region is an integral and essential part of Iraq," the statement said.

For his part, Massoud Barzani affirmed that all the parties have intentions to exert efforts in the reform and resolve the outstanding issues between the federal government and the regional government, according to the statement.

Al-Kadhimi's visit is the first to the country's semi-autonomous region since he took office in May. His visit is expected to tackle the main outstanding issues between Baghdad and the region such as the differences over the oil, the region's share in the annual budget, and the control of the country's crossing borders in the northern region. Enditem
FLORENCE, S.C.  Several Pee Dee organizations are set to take part in a caravan protest in Columbia Friday afternoon.

Among the organizations scheduled to participate are the Dogwood Alliance, New Alpha Community Development Corporation, The Whitney M. Slater Foundation, the Kingdom Living Temple, the Pee Dee Sierra Club, Sankofa, The Pamplico Stop The Pipeline Committee, Midlands Sierra Club, Kingdom Living Temple, Healthy Communities Sierra Club, Beyond Coal Sierra Club, Richland County Black Collective, Environmental Action Group, SC Environmental Justice Network, and Carolina For All.

The event is being organized to protest Enviva's request for a permit from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to expand its facility in Greenwood.

Enviva is one of the world's largest producers of wood pellets. Wood pellets are used to produce electricity in Europe and Asia.

A media advisory announcing the protest argues that the permit should be denied, that there is no market for the product in the United States and that the company should be declared non-essential and shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As multiple fires continue to decimate the west coast of the United States, Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a wildfire emergency after two towns were burnt to the ground and thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate. The US Forest Services Pacific Northwest Region stated that at least 20 large wildfires burning across Washington and Oregon have destroyed some 476,027 acres.

In a press conference, Governor Brown called the extreme fire weather conditions a once-in-a-generation event. She told reporters, Almost every year since becoming Governor, Ive witnessed historic fire seasons. Yet this is proving to be an unprecedented and significant fire event for our state. She told residents to brace for what could be the greatest loss of life and structures due to wildfire in state history.

UPS truck in Oregon (Image Credit Reddit u/RavenRosie)

A 12-year-old boy and his grandmother were reportedly killed in the community of Lyons, about 50 miles south of Portland, while a one-year-old boy was killed and his parents severely burned attempting to escape a fire in Okanogan County, in Washington. Fires have also claimed a life, north of Ashland, Oregon, according to officials.

Brown invoked the states Emergency Conflagration Act to fight the three largest fires, including the Beachie Creek, Lionshead and Holiday Farm fires. The Beachie Creek and Lionshead fires have burned more than 200,000 acres each, with the Lionshead fire only 31 percent contained. The Holiday Farm fire has destroyed some 37,000 acres forcing thousands of residents to flee.

Residents of the city of Medford in the southern part of the state have been ordered to evacuate because of a wildfire that has closed a 25-mile portion of Interstate 5. The fire is zero percent contained and nearby communities have been told to evacuate. Fire officials told the media that they could not determine if anyone had died or been hurt but that there were many successful rescue missions.

Residents told local media they had only moments to get out before the fires came. Sabrina Kent told FOX12 she evacuated her parents after a fire started near Salem, and then moved to get her own family out. We drove under a tree that had fallen over and there was burning limbs and it was like urgent and scary to get out, she said. Her family was forced to move a third time, from her brothers house, after the wildfire approached there.

A major evacuation center was set up in Salem at the Oregon State Fairgrounds, one of at least 10 fire evacuation centers set up by the Red Cross. Chad Carter, a spokesman for the Red Cross, told the Associated Press that 600 evacuees had checked into the site by early Tuesday afternoon.

An estimated 1,450 inmates from three prisons were also evacuated because of the fires, according to the Oregon Department of Corrections. Several Oregon school districts were also forced to postpone the first day of school because of power outages and evacuations.

In Washington, more acres were burned by Monday than in the past 12 fire seasons according to Governor Jay Inslee. The town of Malden was 80 percent destroyed, including its fire station, post office, city hall and library. Statewide, the fires have torched more than 330,000 acres.

Red flag warnings remain across western Oregon and Washington as high winds continue throughout the region. The National Weather Service office in Portland tweeted, The worst of the winds are behind us, however, there is still plenty of wind to come Wednesday. Humidity remains low and this combination will challenge firefighting efforts through at least Wednesday evening.

The National Interagency Fire Center reported on Monday that another 15 new large wildfires broke out across the western US, bringing the total to 87 fires, which have burned more than 2.7 million acres. In places where there are no immediate fires in the vicinity, smoke and ash have darkened the daytime sky and affected people with respiratory problems.

The fires in California have already exceeded last years fire season which saw 5,000 fires burn 118,000 acres by September 2019. Already this year, the state recorded more than 7,600 fires which burned more than 2.3 million acres, according to Cal Fire.

Strong winds, droughts, and global warming have dried out vegetation and officials have urged residents to refrain from any activity that can spark a fire. Pacific Gas & Electric has shut off power to prevent downed power lines from triggering wildfires, affecting some 170,000 homes across much of Northern California. The loss of electricity has also prevented residents from pumping water and saving their homes.

The US Forest Service closed all campgrounds in all national forests in California citing extreme fire behavior.

The Creek Fire in the mountains of Madera and Fresno counties has destroyed at least 360 buildings since it began on Friday evening. The fire has been zero percent contained and has already burned 163,000 acres, an area the size of New York Citys Central Park, every 30 minutes for the last several days.

The Bobcat fire, in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles, has burned some 11,400 acres, prompting an evacuation order for parts of Pasadena. In San Bernardino County, the El Dorado fire is 19 percent contained and has burned another 11,479 acres. Officials are concerned about more blazes, since the state has yet to reach the peak of its fire season, spurred on by strong Santa Ana winds.

Nationwide, the number of fires and acres destroyed in 2020 is below the 10-year average for the same period according to the National Interagency Fire Center. So far this year, 41,147 fires have been reported, while the average number of fires reported by this point in September over the last 10 years was 43,915. The total number of acres burned in 2020 so far is already 4.7 million, compared with the 10-year average of 5.7 million acres by this time in the year.

Despite these numbers, experts are alarmed at the severity of the most recent fires along the west coast. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, told the Guardian, The geographic scale and intensity of what is transpiring is truly jarring. Chris Field, the director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, told the paper, Whats remarkable is that theres so many fires. Even as someone whose job is to understand whats happening, its really hard to keep up.

The fact that there are now record-breaking fire seasons every year is proof that capitalism has utterly failed in preventing or even containing these predictable and entirely preventable catastrophes. Given that global warming itself is man-made, such occurrences can no longer even be described solely as natural disasters.
chief on Wednesday appointed as the new president of the Congress, the party said.

Chowdhury is also the leader of in the Lok Sabha.

His appointment was necessitated after the demise of former Committee chief Somen Mitra.

"The Congress president has appointed Shri as the president of Congress Committee with immediate effect," an official communication said late on Wednesday night.

"At this juncture, the party also remembers the services of Late Shri Somen Mitra, a veteran Congressman whose untimely demise has left a void amongst all Congress workers. He will always be remembered for his dedication to the cause," the AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said in the statement.

The appointment comes ahead of next year's assembly elections in West Bengal. Chowdhury is considered a strong critic of Chief Minister and TMC president Mamata Banerjee.

His appointment also triggered speculation on whether he would continue to hold the post of the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, going by the party's principle of giving one post to one person.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In recent weeks envelopes have turned up in mailboxes across the region  sometimes several per home  offering to help residents register to vote, or to vote by mail for the Nov. 3 general election.

For many who were already confused about how mail-in voting works or concerned about the accuracy of that system, the unsolicited letters have added to their uncertainty.

We are aware of it due to people calling with complaints or concerns or questions at the very least about it and  honestly its been frustrating, said Lee Soltysiak, Montgomery Countys chief operating officer.

These groups appear to be trying to help, however it  has created a level of confusion and concern and frustration among voters and our voter services staff at a time when we need much less of that, he continued.

State and county election officials stress that the letters coming from nonprofit groups like the Center for Voter Information and the Voter Participation Center are legal, are not an attempt to steal or nullify their votes, and that their votes cast by mail will still count.

The letters provide application forms, and many of them have the voters information already filled in, so those wishing to register or seeking a mail-in ballot would just need to send the application to their county elections office and wait for approval.

I assume their intentions are good, right? Theyre trying to get more people to vote and to make it [as] easy as possible, but as a practical matter, without the most up-to-date list, and without completely accurate information, and without good communication, it can cause some unintended issues, Soltysiak said.

While some voters may end up sending in multiple applications, which results in duplications, theyll still only be able to vote once.

We were seeing upwards of 50 percent of applications coming in at a point in the last couple weeks that were duplicates, he said.

Soltysiak stressed that protocols are in place to maintain efficiency.

There are checks in place [so that] these people will not receive a second ballot, he said. The system simply wont allow it, but it is a very human process up to that point to enter in the information for each and every application we receive to verify if we already have one on file and if we do its a duplicate and they get a letter saying as much, and if it isnt they get  a ballot.

Mass-mailing questions

This is the first year in Pennsylvania that voters can cast ballots by mail without having to explain why they cant go to the polls, as the states absentee ballot system has long required.

Gov. Tom Wolf has encouraged voters with concerns about catching COVID-19 at their polling location to vote by mail instead.

But problems with some of the mass-mailed applications have raised concerns in states such as Virginia, where some sent by the Center for Voter Information inadvertently had return envelopes addressed to the wrong election office, according to The Associated Press.

So the Pennsylvania Department of State advises anyone using those applications to make sure their personal information and the return addresses are correct.

Soltysiak and Pennsylvania election officials say the best way to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is to request one online through the states votespa.com website.

That way you can track your application to see when its approved and when your ballot is mailed to you and received at the elections office. It also makes it much easier for county elections workers to enter data from each of the ballots returned by regular mail.

The Department of State supports efforts to encourage participation among eligible voters, said Wanda Murren, department spokeswoman. Still, we hope registered voters will consider using the departments online ballot application.

The online application is faster and more secure and accurate. It eliminates mailing time by instantly forwarding the application to the proper county election office.

Soltysiak said the county has approximately 172,000 approved applications for mail-in ballots for this general election as of early morning on Sept. 10.

He urged voters to visit pavoterservices.pa.gov or www.montcopa.org/voterservices for more information and resources to verify a ballot application status.

County election offices are still waiting for state approval on when they can mail ballots and how early they can start processing those that are returned.

Ready to deliver

Postal Service officials say the agency has more than enough capacity to handle election mail volume and that delivering election mail on time is its No. 1 priority.

Even if all Americans were to vote by mail this year, 330 million ballots over the course of the election would be only three-quarters of what the Postal Service delivers in one single day, and all election mail this year is predicted to amount to less than 2 percent of total mail volume from mid-September to Election Day, officials said.

Customers who opt to vote by mail must understand their local jurisdictions requirements for timely submission of absentee ballots, including postmarking requirements, officials said.

Increasing turnout

Center for Voter Information CEO Tom Lopach said the organization has sent more than 3.8 million vote-by-mail ballot applications to registered voters in Pennsylvania, and more than 295,000 Pennsylvania voters have already sent them to local election offices.

The forms his group is mailing are the same official ballot applications as those sent by Pennsylvania election officials, he said.

Since we are nonpartisan, we do not send mailers based on party affiliation, he said.

Most were sent to people of color, young people and unmarried women, whom Lopach said historically have been underrepresented in our democracy.

With COVID-19 impacting elections, we have a responsibility to do all we can to safely increase voter turnout amid this uncertain time, he said. We feel it is vital to keep voters safe and to bring democracy to eligible voters doorsteps.

Safeguards in place

When addressing those with concerns about votes being counted correctly, Soltysiak sought to assure voters in his jurisdiction.

They should have confidence in Montgomery Countys ability to safely and accurately conduct this general election, he said.

After the June 2 primary election, Soltysiak underscored the importance of implementing protocols to handle the general elections anticipated volume with mail-in and in-person voters.

We have taken those lessons and applied them here to the general in the form of a significant increase in staffing and equipment, and a very good understanding of what it takes to safely and accurately essentially two elections here in the county: an in-person election, which is still a very significant event even if fewer people will be showing up at the polls physically, and the mail-in election, he said.

Lastly, Soltysiak urged mail-in voters not to wait until Election Day to send in their ballots to prevent the elections office from getting flooded with returns all at once.

Apply early and return it as soon as possible, Soltysiak said.

The Reporter staff writer Rachel Ravina contributed to this report.
China National Biotec Group Co. said none of the recipients of its two coronavirus shots has reported an obvious adverse reaction or infection, as the Chinese vaccine front-runner presses ahead with testing after AstraZeneca Plc suspended its trial.

Hundreds of thousands of people have received the Covid-19 shots so far, the vaccine developer, a subsidiary of state-owned drugmaker Sinopharm Group Co., said on its official WeChat account. The vaccine is being administered under an emergency-use program that allows experimental shots to be used for frontline workers before they complete final testing.

CNBGs two shots are among a handful of the worlds fastest-moving coronavirus vaccine candidates now in the final stage of testing. AstraZeneca set off alarm bells Tuesday as an illness from a single person cause it to suspend its phase III trial.

The incident was a reality check for high expectations that vaccines would soon help control the coronavirus pandemic even as drugmakers move at unprecedented speed to develop Covid-19 shots.

Putting trials on hold when participants fall sick is routine in clinical trials, and could be evidence of a significant side effect or entirely unrelated to the vaccine. But the development from one of the worlds most promising and high-profile candidates highlights the need for discipline in the rush to get vaccines approved for mass innocolation.

Governments around the world are scrambling to secure supplies of shots that have yet to be proved safe and effective, as they bet on vaccines as the best solution to eradicate rampant infections and salvage crippling economies.

A CNBG spokeswoman said in an interview Thursday the suspension of the AstraZeneca trial has no impact on the final stage of testing for the Chinese companys two shots, which she said has been progressing smoothly. The company will follow relevant guidelines should an adverse event occur during the phase III trials, she added.

The companys shots are made using inactivated coronavirus to stimulate an immune response without causing Covid-19. Thats different from the AstraZeneca candidate, which uses a chimpanzee adenovirus to deliver a component of the coronavirus

CNBGs coronavirus vaccines, which are being tested in countries in the Middle East and South America, may be available to the public as soon as the end of the year, according to the companys WeChat statement. The company said it has invested about 2 billion yuan ($292 million) in the construction of two high-grade production facilities and is studying plans to further expand capacity to produce as many as 1 billion doses a year.

Under Chinas emergency-use program, pregnant and breastfeeding women are currently barred from taking the vaccine. The exclusion is based on a lack of sufficient data for this population group, according to Zhou Song, CNBGs general counsel.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday launched a network of laboratories to reinforce genome sequencing of the virus that causes COVID-19.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said this Cape Town.

12 reference laboratories in various African countries will provide sequencing, data analysis and technical support services to the rest of the continent, the two organisations announced in a joint statement.

As we continue to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa, being able to not only track its evolution, but also assess the possible mutation of the virus is crucial to mounting an effective response, said Ms Moeti.

The laboratory network will also inform the development of vaccines and treatment of COVID-19 in a way tailored to Africans, Ms Moeti said.

So far, 10 lineages of the virus have been identified in Africa, which helps to track the spread of the virus across borders, according to the statement.

For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Africa are experiencing localised transmission.

But there is also the importation of cases into the DRC from Ghana, Morocco and Senegal.

The establishment of the COVID-19 sequencing network will help improve surveillance  With genomic sequencing, we can have a better understanding of the pandemic through more precise identification of transmission clusters, said Africa CDC Director John Nkengasong.

More than 2,000 sequences from 18 countries  Algeria, Benin, Cameroun, DRC, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia  have already been generated, he said.

(dpa/NAN)
David Cohen

The Interactive Advertising Bureau has appointed David Cohen, its current president, chief executive officer, effective Sept. 15. He succeeds Randall Rothenberg, who became CEO of IAB in January 2007. Rothenberg will remain at IAB as executive chair through 2022. In addition to serving as CEO of IAB, Cohen will head IAB Tech Lab, the organizations separate, affiliated, global trade association devoted to the development of industry technical standards. In less than a year as president of IAB, David Cohen has vastly increased the size of our media marketplaces, brought an unprecedented number of industry captains into our leadership councils, transformed the timeliness of our strategic initiatives, and injected new enthusiasm into our already energetic leadership team, Rothenberg said.

Laura Buchanan

Brunswick Group has promoted Laura Buchanan, a partner in its London office, to chief client officer. Buchanan, who began her career as a journalist at the BBC, has been with Brunswick for 17 years. The agency has also named Courtney Chang Dorman, a partner in San Francisco, chief business officer. Dorman joined Brunswick in April 2019 from the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she was global chief operating officer. Both Buchanan and Dorman have also been named to Brunswicks Group Committee, along with global head of inclusion and diversity Nicole Reboe and Chicago office head Jayne Rosefield.

Amy Godfrey

AH&M, which specializes in industrial and technology markets, has named Amy Godfrey chief executive officer, effective immediately. Godfrey has been with AH&M since 2000, most recently serving as managing director. In her new position, she is responsible for developing the strategies and policies required to ensure that the agency meets its financial, performance and growth goals, and for overseeing its overall strategic direction. AH&M co-founder Jim Allison, who has served as the companys president and CEO since its inception in 1988, has assumed the position of chair. AH&Ms strong global reputation as a leading industrial and technology communications firm is due in large part to Amys contributions over the past 20 years, said Allison.
Toronto, ON, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thomson Rogers has issued a class action proceeding claiming $25 million on behalf of residents of Camilla Care Community and their families.

Camilla Care Community ("Camilla Care") is a long-term care home owned by Sienna Senior Living Inc., located in Mississauga, Ontario. At least 68 residents at Camilla Care have died as a result of contracting COVID-19 and related illnesses.

One of the representative plaintiffs is Mehran Divanbeigi. Mehrans mother, Mehri, was a resident at Camilla Care. Mehri contracted COVID-19 while residing in a shared bedroom with three other residents at Camilla Care and died on May 28, 2020. Mehri is survived by her four children and 11 grandchildren.

Mehran Divanbeigi represents family members of the victims who have lost loved ones, without given the opportunity to say good-bye, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak at Camilla Care.

It is alleged that following Ontarios declaration of a State of Emergency on March 17, 2020, Camilla Care failed to implement screening measures of its staff and basic social distancing practices, including the separation of infected and non-infected residents. It is alleged that during this period, there was severe under-staffing at Camilla Care and a failure to provide basic personal protective equipment ("PPE") to Camilla Cares staff.

On May 27, 2020, the Government of Ontario appointed Trillium Health Partners as the interim manager of Camilla Care. In their Initial Report released on June 15, 2020, Trillium Health Partners made the following observations at Camilla Care during the period of April 22, 2020 to June 11, 2020:

- COVID-positive residents and COVID-negative residents sharing the same room;

- Lack of signage and/or inaccurate signage to clearly show which residents were COVID-positive versus negative;

- Staff not consistently/properly using PPE (i.e. masks, gloves, gowns, etc.);

- Staff observed wearing garbage bags over their clothing and on their feet as PPE;

- PPE locked away and not always accessible to staff;

- Cockroaches observed in the building; and,

- Due to significant under-staffing at times, staff reported they did not have the time to provide basic care to residents (toileting, feeding, and dressing), could not complete housekeeping tasks, and/or had difficulty getting meals prepared and delivered to residents.

On June 7, 2020, the Globe and Mail published an article documenting allegations by a member of Trillium Health Partners' team deployed to Camilla Care, who remained anonymous. The allegations included observations of Camilla Care staff abusing residents, including incidents of staff hitting residents, forced feeding and verbal abuse. The Peel Regional Police have since confirmed investigation into these allegations.

This is the fifth action Thomson Rogers has advanced on behalf of residents of a long-term care home in Ontario and the fourth action against a Sienna Senior Living home. The observations of complete neglect and abuse documented by Trillium Health Partners and the anonymous employee at Camilla Care are appalling and unacceptable. Our vulnerable seniors deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and care, said Stephen Birman, a partner involved in the class actions.

Camilla Care is also one of many long-term care homes in Ontario that requires four residents to share a single bedroom. A CBC Marketplace investigation found that a majority of deadly COVID-19 outbreaks occurred in older long-term care homes with four-bed wards that were operating at the outdated 1972 structural safety standard. The investigation included Camilla Care.

The class action alleges that Camilla Cares failure to upgrade and/or renovate its building design, including eliminating four-resident bedrooms, caused and/or contributed to the mass spread of COVID-19 at the home.

Mehran Divanbeigi and her family, as well as other families of the victims and survivors of Camilla Care, seek compensation for their tragic losses. Mehran Divanbeigi hopes that the independent commission into Ontarios long-term care system and the proposed class action will result in meaningful change to ensure that a tragedy like this is never repeated in Ontarios vulnerable long-term care population.

For further information regarding this claim, please contact Stephen Birman at Thomson Rogers at sbirman@thomsonrogers.com (416-868-3137) or Lucy Jackson at ljackson@thomsonrogers.com (416-868-3154).
Nations Top Child Advocacy Organization, The Childrens Defense Fund, Announces Historic Leadership Change

After nearly 50 years leading CDF, Marian Wright Edelman welcomes nationally recognized childrens rights and racial equity champion Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson to carry forward her legacy and lead CDF into a new Civil Rights Movement.

National leaders offer reflections on historic moment for the childrens advocacy organization.

As America finds itself immersed in a new movement to end racial and economic injustice, the Childrens Defense Fund (CDF) today announced the appointment of Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson to be the next President and CEO of the nations leading child advocacy organization.

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Dr. Wilson is a national thought leader in racial justice, community organizing, and movement building. He is a champion for childrens rights and has a longstanding relationship with the Childrens Defense Fund, having led the effort to bring the CDF Freedom Schools literacy and empowerment program to serve children and families in the St. Louis area and serving as a leader of the annual CDF Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry. In the wake of the 2014 shooting of teenager Michael Brown, Dr. Wilson co-chaired the Ferguson Commission, which released the Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity report calling for sweeping changes in policing, the criminal justice system, child well-being and economic mobility.

Im honored to extend the legacy of Marian Wright Edelman and serve young people through the Childrens Defense Fund at this critical time, said Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson. As we wrestle with the politics of the pandemic, protests, and a presidential election, its a little too easy to forget about crafting policy for children who dont get to vote, dont have lobbyists and cant make campaign contributions.

This is the first change in leadership for the Childrens Defense Fund following 47 years of service from founder and civil rights leader Marian Wright Edelman. As the new head of the Childrens Defense Fund, Dr. Wilson has vowed to continue Wright Edelmans legacy and use his own experiences to help guarantee the rights of all children through servant leadership.

Our mission to Leave No Child Behind and ensure that every child has a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage into adulthood has never been more important than it is today during these perilous times for children and for our nation. Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is the right leader at the right time for the Childrens Defense Fund, said Founder and President Emerita Marian Wright Edelman. Ive gotten to know him over the years and I have only grown more impressed. Weve worked closely together on CDF Freedom Schools and he has a longstanding relationship with the CDF Proctor Institute. Dr. Wilson shares our sense of servant leadership and is committed to training the next generation of servant leaders. This is the right step forward for CDF at exactly the right moment.

In 1973, Wright Edelman founded the Childrens Defense Fund to serve as a strong and independent voice for all children facing challenges in America by advocating for solutions to improve their lives. From its inception, the Childrens Defense Fund has challenged the United States to make children a national priority.

Marian Wright Edelman is a legendand one of my heroes. Under her leadership, the Childrens Defense Fund has touched many livesincluding mine. Working alongside Marian decades ago changed the way I saw the world, and I am proud to add my voice to the chorus thanking her for her contributions on behalf of Americas youngest citizens, said Hillary Rodham Clinton. I am excited to cheer on her successor, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, as he leads this vital organization through a moment of reckoning with racial and economic injustice, and puts his experience and dedication to work by fighting on behalf of Americas children.

Since its founding, the organization has led efforts to enact meaningful policy changes, working with numerous organizations and policymakers on both sides of the aisle. Those policy changes have helped millions of children fulfill their potential and escape poverty by ensuring that they receive the health care, child care, familial support, proper nutrition, and quality education that all children need to thrive. Through its national headquarters in Washington, D.C. and six state and regional offices, CDF continues to fight at every level and on behalf of every child in America to give them the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

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As the Childrens Defense Fund enters this new chapter, the CDF Board is confident that Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is the right leader for this moment and for the future. Just as Marian Wright Edelman created the nations premier child advocacy organization on the foundation of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. Wilsons leadership carries CDF on to the foundation being laid by the Black Lives Matter movement, said Board Chair Angela Glover Blackwell. I look forward to working with Dr. Wilson and continuing this critical work under such an inspiring leader.

In recent years, CDF has pursued a bold policy agenda to end child poverty in America, fought aggressively to meet the needs of children and families in the child welfare system, spoken out for children killed by the national gun violence epidemic, and worked to protect health care coverage for millions of children. CDF focuses especially on the needs of poor children, children of color, and those with disabilities.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates, 2020 is the first year in American history where the majority of children in this country are children of color, said Dr. Wilson. Child well-being and racial justice are intimately and forever intertwined. This makes the civil rights legacy and child advocacy vision the Childrens Defense Fund has woven together for nearly fifty years even more vital.

Dr. Wilson is currently the President and CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, a faith-based grant-making organization supporting a movement for child well-being in St. Louis through philanthropy, advocacy and organizing for racial equity and public policy. Deaconess, which Dr. Wilson has led since 2011, has invested nearly $90 million toward improving the lives of children. In response to the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism, Deaconess launched collaborative funds investing in Black-led recovery efforts and racial healing totaling more than $4 million earlier this year. Dr. Wilson also serves as board chair for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), and vice-chair of the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE).

From 2008 through 2018, Dr. Wilson also pastored Saint Johns Church (The Beloved Community), an inter-racial, inner-city congregation related to the United Church of Christ. There he led activism on a myriad of issues while more than quadrupling worship attendance and annual giving. He also established The Beloved Community Conference resourcing social justice ministries and Sojourners Truth: Celebration of Preaching Women. After the police killing of Michael Brown, Jr., with Wilsons leadership, the church hosted the #BlackLivesMatter Freedom Ride to Ferguson and served as the welcome center for the #FergusonOctober.

Dr. Wilson will begin his tenure as President and CEO of the Childrens Defense Fund in December 2020.

Supporters of the Childrens Defense Fund, civil rights activists, thought leaders, and celebrities from across the country offered reflections on the historic announcement:

As a child I attended Head Start in Texas. No way I could have known then that the program where I began my love of learning was part of Marian Wright Edelmans vision to improve the lives of Americas poorest children. For nearly 50 years, under her leadership, the Childrens Defense Fund has demanded that the nation keep its promises to our children, all of them. I am thrilled to see that commitment and tradition pass to Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, said Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation. His stewardship through the turbulence in Ferguson, Mo. and his fight for justice and inclusion make him the right choice to lead the Childrens Defense Fund at this crucial moment in the nations development. The fate of the nation is dependent on what happens to our children. Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is the strong moral, courageous leader that the nation needs now.

It is with great excitement that I share my enthusiasm that Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson has been selected after an exhaustive national search, to become the new President of the Childrens Defense Fund, said Geoffrey Canada, Founder of the Harlem Childrens Zone. As the former Chair of the Board of Trustees of CDF, I knew how impossibly hard it would be to replace Marian Wright Edelman, the foremost childrens advocate in America. Her leadership as a fighter to save poor children is world renown. If I was worried that we wouldnt be able to find someone to fill her impossibly large shoes, that worry ended with the selection of Dr. Wilson. If you are looking for a leader who can tackle the seemingly insurmountable challenges our children face during this historic set of crises, that seem to get worse every week, Dr. Wilson is that person. He not only has the moral authority that is needed today, he has the leadership skills that are needed now more than ever. Our children need someone who is willing to fight powerful institutions, inspire when others have given up and present a clear vision when others try to confuse and obfuscate. CDF has found that leader in Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson and I am thrilled that he was chosen to take the helm of CDF.

For almost 50 years, Marian Wright Edelman and the Childrens Defense Fund have spoken truth to power on behalf of our nations most vulnerable children, said Katie McGrath, former CDF board member, and J.J. Abrams. We have been proud to support CDFs critical work over the last 20 years and are thrilled that Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson has been selected to continue in Marians incomparable footsteps.

Marian Wright Edelman is a Five Star General in her fight as an advocate for the civil rights and protection of our children, especially those who have been marginalized. Filling her shoes is no easy task, but choosing Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is in perfect step with the goals which she has established, said LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson, longtime CDF supporters. We look forward to continuing our relationship with CDF under Dr. Wilsons comprehensive guidance.

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is the leader that the Childrens Defense Fund deserves at this pivotal time in our nation, said Jurnee Smollett, actress and CDF board member. I have no doubt that he will ensure that the most vulnerable amongst us, poor Black and brown children, have a steadfast and just leader who will bring the critical issues they face to the forefront. As my dear friend and mentor, the great Marian Wright Edelman, has always told us If we dont stand up for children, then we dont stand for much. Millions of children have been impacted by the work of Marian Wright Edelman and I have no doubt that Dr. Wilson will do the same. He will stand up for children and amplify their voices as he takes the helm of this critical organization.

Rev. Starsky Wilson and I have stood together in protest, policy, and many places in between, and through it all, I have seen him put people first, said Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Activist, Founder & Principal, Love & Power Works. Whether during our time working together on educational equity, in the Ferguson uprising, or on the Ferguson commission, his values have never wavered, he has always functioned as a true servant-leader, and his determination to protect and uplift the dignity of the most marginalized is unyielding. He is a leader for this time, a leader for this work, and a leader from whom we will all continue to learn a great deal about how to embody justice as we build a more just world. I couldnt be more thrilled to see him succeed Marian Wright Edelmans legendary leadership, and look forward to the lasting change that will come for our children and communities under his guidance.

There is no better person to take over the helm of this historic organization than Rev. Dr. Wilson. His experience as a community leader will be essential in continuing the tireless work of CDF and taking its work to new heights in its next chapter, said Cristina Jimenez, co-founder of United We Dream and United We Dream Action. Their work will be more important than ever as we face a global pandemic, disproportionately impacting black and brown communities, systematic racism, attacks on immigrants, and divestment in social programs necessary for children and their families to thrive. With Rev. Dr. Wilson as President, I know that the experiences and voices of children and families impacted by inequity and injustice will be at the forefront of CDFs work.

Starsky Wilson has been a real leader in St. Louis. He clearly has a heart for children and a dedication to service that have had a significant impact in the community. I have benefitted from his friendship and advice. He will be an asset to the Childrens Defense Fund and I look forward to working with him in his new role, said U.S. Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri.

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is an extraordinary bridge-builder who has spent his ministry being a repairer of the breach. He has organically created meaningful relationships with young Black Lives Matter activists and civil rights icons. This is not happenstance, but a skill nurtured by a deep commitment to community building and his belief in the power of developing organizational efficiency with courageous compassion, said Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. This is the moment in history where leaders of Rev. Wilsons caliber are needed to build bridges, speak prophetically, love fiercely, and organize carefully to create a new world for our children yet to be born. When I received the news CDF will appoint Rev. Wilson as President of this incredible institution I was elated! Forgive me for using scripture to express my emotions, but the only phrase that is appropriate comes from the epistle penned by Paul to the church at Corinth; Eyes have not seen, ears have not yet heard what tomorrow holds for the CDF as it marches into the future under the stellar leadership of a grounded and gifted young servant named Starsky Wilson.

Since the moment I read The Measure of Our Success on my way to college, Marian Wright Edelman has been a guiding light in my life. Her words are powerful but her actions are even more so, said Reese Witherspoon, actress and former CDF board member. I feel extremely honored to have been part of her tireless work on behalf of our nations children at the Childrens Defense Fund. Her passion for childrens rights will always burn bright in my heart.
Dr. Vacques Hines, an associate veterinarian at Thrive Affordable Vet Care in Orlando, received his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Purdue in 2018. In his role as a VetaHuman, Hines goes by the superhero name Megalodon because he attacks tough cases and other difficulties thrown at him like a shark. (Photo provided)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Role models can help children see themselves in a future career, and a new initiative at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine is helping develop veterinary medical role models every child can relate to.

The college has launched a new organization called the League of VetaHumanz, an inclusive veterinary superhero league working with member universities and organizations to diversify the veterinary workforce, which is over 90% white, and provide underserved youth access and support to pursue careers in the veterinary field.

The league will feature role models as superheroes, called VetaHumanz, in academia, practice, research, government and industry, and provide resources for veterinary students to engage with children in their communities after graduation. The league will offer P-12 training opportunities for aspiring veterinarians, including virtual vet lessons, childrens books and an online game. For children without access to in-person role models, resources in a box are in development so they can learn about a veterinary role model and perform a veterinary-related educational activity at home with friends and family.

We have an amazing team of superheroes, including teachers, community leaders, artists, graphic designers, communications experts, evaluators, students, veterinarians and experts in diversity, equity and inclusion who are all thrilled to take our role modeling programs to the next level and inspire future veterinary professionals, said Dr. Sandra San Miguel, founder of the League of VetaHumanz and associate dean for engagement in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Each VetaHuman has a superhero identity, and San Miguel goes by Pink Phoenix.

We can all make the world a better place if we work together and use our powers for good, she said.

There are 18 member institutions and organizations across the U.S., and the league plans to expand the program globally.

The league will be supported for the next five years by a $1.35 million grant from the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

The League of VetaHumanz expands upon an existing SEPA-funded program, This is How We Role, which was designed in 2015 to increase awareness of the role that veterinarians play in keeping people and their animals healthy. This is How We Role has chapters in 20 states. The program received a 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

The impact of the League of VetaHumanz on aspiring veterinarians and role models will be evaluated by the Evaluation and Learning Research Center in the College of Education. The evaluation will explore changes in attitudes toward the veterinary profession, knowledge of veterinary science, self-perceptions of the childs capability to achieve success, and the impact of live and virtual role modeling. The effect on veterinary student role models likelihood to continue community service and their ability to interact effectively with future clients also is evaluated.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University 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 purdue.edu.

Writer: Kelsey Schnieders Lefever

Media contact: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-412-0864, apatterson@purdue.edu

Sources: Sandra San Miguel, amasss@purdue.edu

Kevin Doerr, doerrkr@purdue.edu

Journalists visiting campus : Journalists should follow Protect Purdue protocols and the following guidelines:
KYODO NEWS - Sep 10, 2020 - 14:37 | Sports, All, Coronavirus

The Japan Sumo Association said Thursday that 18 wrestlers from the Tamanoi stable tested positive for the novel coronavirus, resulting in the entire stable sitting out the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament starting this weekend.

Sumo elder Shibatayama, the JSA's director of communications, assured however that the 15-day tournament starting Sunday at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan would go ahead as scheduled in spite of the outbreak.

One wrestler from the Tamanoi stable had already tested positive on Saturday, bringing the tally to 19. The JSA said all 28 members of the stable, including its stablemaster, former ozeki Tochiazuma who also serves as a ringside judge, will skip the Autumn meet to prevent the spread of the virus.

Two of the stable's rikishi were slated to compete in the second-tier juryo division -- No. 7 Azumaryu and No. 14 Fujiazuma, both former maegashira in the top makuuchi division. The stable currently has no wrestlers ranked in the top tier.

Twelve of the infected wrestlers have already been hospitalized with minor illnesses. The other seven plan to visit the hospital but have shown no symptoms. Tamanoi and Azumaryu each tested negative.

The JSA has put in place several infection prevention measures -- such as banning wrestlers from visiting other stables for training -- that had largely been effective throughout the July Grand Sumo Tournament held in Tokyo in front of a limited audience.

"The virus can't be seen. It's unavoidable that this kind of thing happened," Shibatayama said. "The association has to take measures against it."

In April, several members of the Takadagawa stable, including its stablemaster, a former sekiwake known then as Akinoshima, and juryo grappler Hakuyozan, tested positive for the virus.

In May, 28-year-old Shobushi from the fourth-tier sandanme division died due to multiple organ failure caused by the coronavirus. The wrestler was the first sumo wrestler to test positive for the virus in early April.

The JSA decided to hold this year's March grand tournament in Osaka behind closed doors and canceled the May tournament amid a nationwide state of emergency following the coronavirus outbreak.

The association opted to allow up to 2,500 spectators to attend the July Grand Sumo Tournament per day, asking them to wear masks and refrain from cheering.
~Mega Mentorfest takes place online on September 18-19 and focuses on Caribbean based entrepreneurs~

PHILIPSBURG:---- On August 27, 2020, MicroMentor by Mercy Corps and Bacardi along with its local consultants on the islands of Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, and St. Maarten, hosted the first virtual speed mentoring event. Fifteen (15) global experts from Asia, Europe, USA, and the Caribbean did live Q&A sessions with close to 100 entrepreneurs from the islands.

Due to the success of the first virtual speed mentoring event, another two-day event will be hosted on September 18-19, 2020. The improved event, known as Mega MentorFest, is designed to ensure that entrepreneurs have more time to engage with the experts, a bigger variety of business topics, and a more flexible schedule. Due to MicroMentor, Bacardi, and its local consultants and partners on the Bahamas (J.P. Michielsen), St. Maarten (PWR Agency), and US Virgin Islands (Margie Duncan), registration is free.

Entrepreneurs will discover why business owners should never operate without insurance, how to brand your business from a human resource perspective, how to avoid the top 10 mistakes small island entrepreneurs make, tourism and the way forward, finance best practices, brand design for non-designers, how to improve the quality experience of clients with digital tools, and how to use contracts to strengthen your business. Many of these experts are from the islands and entrepreneurs themselves. Thus, they have a thorough understanding of the variety of challenges in starting and growing a business in this context.

On September 18-19, organizers are hopeful that 100 entrepreneurs from St. Maarten will register and attend Mega MentorFest which will include more surprises that will be soon announced to the registered participants. With the current economic challenges, the steep decline in tourism, and increasing levels of uncertainty this affords St. Maarten based entrepreneurs the opportunity to be empowered and get equipped to build a successful business during these times.

All entrepreneurs will be able to experience a live Q&A. This supports them in finding solutions specific to their business. They will also get to connect with other entrepreneurs on other islands. This can lead to more support and potentially more business as has been the feedback from some of the attendees and speakers. Also, ten (10) entrepreneurs will get the opportunity to win $150 free when they register.

Mega MentorFest will be the last event of the two-year project to support entrepreneurs on St. Maarten and in the Caribbean region by MicroMentor. Registration is now open. To register, go to https://tiny.cc/megamentorfest. For more information, entrepreneurs can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or connect in the private group of MicroMentor Caribbean on Facebook for regular updates and to learn more about the experts.
By PTI

CHENNAI: Top Hindi actress Kangana Ranaut's face off with the Maharashtra government has come in for praise from popular Tamil actor Vishal who compared her action to freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and lauded her for staying strong despite the "wrath" of the Government.

The 'Queen' star taking on the (Maharashtra) government will "set an example" for people to speak against the government when something goes wrong, he said in a Twitter statement, tagging Ranaut's handle on the micro-blogging site.

"Dear Kangana, hats off to your guts, you have never thought twice to voice out what is right and what is wrong.

It wasn't your personal issue, but even then facing the wrath of the government, you stayed strong which makes it a very big example," the actor-producer said.

"It's something similar to what Bhagat Singh did in 1920s," he added.

After ruffling the feathers of the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra with her "Mumbai feels like Pakistan Occupied Kashmir" comments, the actress on Wednesday directly took on Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying his "ego will be destroyed" the way her Bandra home was demolished by the city's civic body for "illegal alterations." Vishal further said Ranaut's action will "set an example for people to speak against the govt when something is not right and not necessarily being a celebrity but also as a common man."

"Freedom of speech (Article 19)... kudos to you, I bow to you," Vishal, who tried to contest the December 2017 bypolls to RK Nagar here, added.

His nomination was then rejected.

The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of then chief minister J Jayalalithaa in 2016.
VATICAN CITY - Borders can become windows, Pope Francis told participants in the "Snapshots from the borders" migrant project that sees the Sicilian island of Lampedusa on the front line Thursday.

"Borders, which have always been considered divisive barriers, may on the other hand become 'windows', spaces of mutual knowledge, reciprocal enrichment, and communion in diversity," he told the participants at an audience in the Vatican.

"They may become places in which models are tried to overcome the difficulties that the new arrivals entail for the native communities".

Francis has often spoke out on the need to save as many migrants as possible.

He made a landmark address on Lampedusa on July 8, 2013 after a migrant boat went down drowning scores of people seeking a better life.

It was his first trip outside Rome since his election earlier that year.

During his historic visit, Pope Francis prayed for the numerous people who drowned seeking a better life in Europe.

He mourned the dead by throwing a wreath of flowers into the sea, and celebrated an open-air Mass.

Migrant arrivals to Italy are up this year.

Amid COVID fears, hundreds of them have been moved from Sicilian reception and holding centres to four big quarantine ships off the coast of the Italian island.

Former interior minister Matteo Salvini, of the anti-migrant League party, took credit for lower migrant arrivals last year after operating a closed ports policy for NGO rescue ships, for which he faces prosecution.

Salvini has slammed the government's new migrant policy on the stump for elections in seven Italian regions including Veneto, Liguria, Tuscany, Marche, Campania, Puglia and Val d'Aosta on September 20-21.


United Airlines on Thursday said it will operate daily flights on the Delhi-Chicago route from December this year and the Bengaluru-San Francisco route from spring next year. "Together with the airline's existing services from New Delhi and Mumbai to New York/Newark and New Delhi to San Francisco, United will offer more nonstop services from India than any other U.S carrier," the airline said in a press release.

United said it will operate flights on the Delhi-Chicago route and the Bengaluru-San Francisco route using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Marcel Fuchs, United's Managing Director International Sales, said, By introducing the first-ever nonstop service between the two international technology hubs, Bengaluru and San Francisco, we are proud to open up new opportunities for both business and leisure travellers.

Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, special international passenger flights have been operating in India under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July.

Also read: COVID-19 effect: United Airlines to furlough more than 16,000 employees as pandemic rages

Also read: GoAir repatriates over 37,000 passengers from Saudi Arabia in 200 charter flights

Also read: GoAir offers flight tickets starting Rs 2,358; check routes, details here
VICTORIA, BC, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - IMMUNOPRECISE ANTIBODIES LTD. (the "Company" or "IPA") (TSXV: IPA) (OTCQB: IPATF) (FSE:TQB2), a leader in full-service, therapeutic antibody discovery and development, today announced that it will be presenting at the H.C. Wainwright Annual Global Investment Conference being held virtually on September 14-16, 2020.

Jennifer Bath, CEO of ImmunoPrecise, will provide an overview of the Company's business during the live presentation and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors who are registered to attend the conference.

If you are an institutional investor, and would like to attend the Company's presentation, please click on the following link (www.hcwevents.com) to register for the conference. Once your registration is confirmed, you will be prompted to log into the conference website to request a one-on-one meeting with the Company.

Event: H.C. Wainwright 22nd Annual Global Investment Conference (Virtual Conference)

Date: September 14-16, 2020

Presentation Day & Time: September 15, 12:30 PM (EDT)

Location: https://wsw.com/webcast/hcw7/ipa.v/1665422

H.C. Wainwright is a full-service investment bank dedicated to providing corporate finance, strategic advisory and related services to public and private companies across multiple sectors and regions. H.C. Wainwright & Co. also provides research and sales and trading services to institutional investors. According to Sagient Research Systems, H.C. Wainwright's team is ranked as the #1 Placement Agent in terms of aggregate CMPO (confidentially marketed public offering), RD (registered direct offering) and PIPE (private investment in public equity) executed cumulatively since 1998.

About ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd.

ImmunoPrecise is a global technology platform company with end-to-end solutions empowering companies to discover and develop therapies against any disease. The Company's experience and cutting-edge technologies enable unparalleled support of its partners in their quest to bring innovative treatments to the clinic. ImmunoPrecise's full-service capabilities dramatically reduce the time required for, and the inherent risk associated with, conventional multi-vendor product development. For further information, visit www.immunoprecise.com or contact [email protected].

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains statements that, to the extent they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company uses words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "believe", "intend", "should" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by ImmunoPrecise in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to ImmunoPrecise's expectations and predictions is subject to any number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Many factors could cause ImmunoPrecise's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Such factors include, among other things, actual revenues and earnings for IPA being lower than anticipated, and those risks and uncertainties described in ImmunoPrecise's annual management discussion and analysis for the previous quarter and audited fiscal year ended April 30, 2020, which can be accessed at www.sedar.com. The "forward-looking statements" contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless required by applicable law, ImmunoPrecise undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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 ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd.

Related Links

www.immunoprecise.com


The man suspected of carrying out a murderous knife attack in Birmingham allegedly left the city centre and returned to stab more in a 90-minute rampage that killed a 23-year-old man and wounded seven others, a court has heard.

Birmingham Crown Court heard allegations today that Zephaniah McLeod, 27, did not remain in the city centre throughout the hour-and-a-half period, during which four separate incidents unfolded.

Birmingham-born McLeod, from Selly Oak is accused of stabbing to death 23-year-old Jacob Billington, a Sheffield Hallam University graduate intern and drummer, and attempting to kill seven other people in a series of attacks spanning 90 minutes.

West Midlands Police had previously been criticised for alleged delays in responding to the attacks, which the force's chief constable condemned as 'ill-informed critique'.

Zephaniah McLeod appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today. It is alleged he did not remain in the city centre throughout a 90-minute period on Sunday morning, during which four separate stabbing incidents unfolded

Three people were initially knifed, beginning in Constitution Hill at 12.30am, before attacks were reported in Livery Street and nearby Barwick Street over the next 20 minutes.

Jacob Billington was stabbed while heading back to a hotel after spending a night out with friends

Five other people were then stabbed, including Mr Billington, from Crosby, Merseyside, in attacks in both Irving Street and Hurst Street between about 1.50am and 2am.

Police declared a major incident after Mr Billington, a drummer in a band named The Vedetts, was killed and others wounded, including his old school friend and band-mate Michael Callaghan.

Mr Billington was among a group who were making their way back to their hotel after enjoying a night out while visiting a friend who is studying in the city.

A post-mortem examination concluded he died from a stab wound to the neck.

Mr Billington's devastated family said in a statement: 'Jacob was the light of our life and we have been devastated by his loss.

'He was a funny, caring and wonderful person who was loved by every single person he met.

'He lit up every room with his boundless energy and witty humour and the loss of such a special person will be felt by all who knew him for years to come. We ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time.'

Sheffield Hallam University, his alma mater, paid tribute to him as 'warm and enthusiastic'. A spokesman said: 'As a university community we are deeply saddened to learn that a member of our staff was a victim of the major incident in Birmingham over the weekend.

'Jacob was a Sheffield Hallam graduate and had joined the library as a graduate intern, where his warmth and enthusiasm made him a greatly valued member of our team.

'Our thoughts and condolences are with his family, friends and colleagues at this very difficult time. We are providing support to those in our community who have been affected by this tragic incident.'

Forenics and police carried out a search around a property in Selly Oak, Birmingham, on Monday, following the knife rampage on Sunday morning

NHS worker and engineering graduate Mr Callaghan, also 23, was also stabbed in the neck during the attack in Irving Street and remains in a critical condition.

A 22-year-old woman who was knifed four times in the neck in nearby Hurst Street is described as critical but stable.

Another man, Thomas Glassey, who suffered two stab wounds in Barwick Street, is in a serious condition but understood to be recovering.

McLeod, who spoke only to confirm his name and that he could hear the proceedings during the 25-minute hearing, wore a yellow and green jumpsuit for the court appearance.

At times, he could be seen rubbing his temples with both hands, touching his wrist and screwing his eyes closed.

The Recorder of Birmingham, Judge Melbourne Inman QC, remanded McLeod into custody for a further hearing at Birmingham Crown Court next month and set a three-week provisional trial date for February 22 2021.
23:45

The Central Bureau of Investigation has sought sanction to prosecute former defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma, who later became Comptroller and Auditor General, in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore Agusta Westland VVIP helicopter deal, officials said on Friday.

The agency is likely to file a supplementary charge sheet detailing the role of Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the deal who was deported from the UAE and is currently in judicial custody, they said.

Reacting to the development, Sharma told PTI that he underwent a heart procedure a few days back and now is under rest as advised by his doctors.

"I have a long unblemished service record of over forty years and nobody can blame me for any malafide action or decision. I strongly and firmly deny any such frivolous allegations," he said.

In its supplementary charge sheet, the Central Bureau of Investigation is also likely to give the alleged roles of some former public servants, who were holding key decision- making positions when the deal for the helicopters was being discussed, the officials said.

In order to prosecute the officers whose alleged role surfaced during investigation, the CBI has approached the Defence Ministry seeking its nod to prosecute Sharma and the then Air Vice Marshal Jasbir Singh Panesar, besides others, they said.

The officials said that Sharma was defence secretary between 2011 and 2013, before being appointed CAG.

The agency has also sought sanction to charge sheet three former Indian Air Force (IAF) officers -- deputy chief test pilot S A Kunte, wing commander Thomas Mathew and group captain N Santosh, they said, adding that Kunte and Santosh retired as air commodores.

The officials said that the sanction is pending with the Defence Ministry since March.

It is alleged that bribes were paid to make Agusta Westland eligible for the 12 VVIP chopper deal, they said.

The need for new helicopters to ferry VVIPs -- the president, the prime minister, the vice president and the defence minister -- was felt in 1999 when a proposal was moved to find an alternative to the IAF's Soviet-era Mi8s.
Amid the Epidemic of Police Shootings and Racialized Violence Supervisor Ridley-Thomas Hosts Leadership Dialogue

Discuss Issues of Racism, Policing, the Pandemic and Beyond

In response to an increase in shootings of unarmed Black men and women, including the recent shooting of Dijon Kizzee in South Los Angeles, and subsequent protests against the racialized violence endured at the hands of law enforcement towards communities of color, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, in collaboration with the Institute for Nonviolence in Los Angeles (INLV), led a leadership level virtual dialogue on Racism, Policing, the Pandemic + Beyond. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Days of Dialogue, a nonpartisan organization geared towards bringing diverse communities together to discuss polarizing issues for community change.

The epidemic of police killings of unarmed African Americans is an unrelenting outrage, and we all have every right to the anger and pain felt so deeply right now. But where do we go from here? Carl Segan once said, You have to know the past to understand the present. In order to influence change, we need to identify the root of the issue  and Days of Dialogue is a step in the right direction, said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

For over 25 years, Days of Dialogue has convened civic, business, ecumenical and community leaders to discuss timely social and political issues facing communities. In the midst of rising threats of racial violence as well as its implications for both community well- being and individual endeavors, Days of Dialogue provides a forum for leaders to address tensions. Days of Dialogue has taken place in political town hall forums in large civic auditoriums, to smaller venues such as neighborhood libraries, churches, and today, via a virtual platform.

Attendees to this the invitation-only dialogue, included; Commission Chair of Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and Executive Director of Peace Over Violence, Patti Giggans; Los Angeles Police Chief, Michael Moore; Los Angeles County Public Defender, Ricardo Garcia; Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, Dr. Jonathan Lucas; President of Saint Marys University, Dr. Ann McElaney-Johnson; and Bishop of Faithful Central Bible Church, Kenneth Ulmer.

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Recently, the Board of Supervisors made a historic decision to establish an Antiracist Policy Agenda, but this motion is only the beginning of a process to change Los Angeles County governance, policymaking, and service delivery. Subsequent to this motion, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas moved to ensure greater transparency and accountability within county law enforcement. The recent shooting deaths of murder of Andres Guardado and Dijon Kizzee by law enforcement and the COVID-19 pandemic have created an environment that has made the need for dialogue even more urgent. Underscoring this need, participants spoke about the origins of racism and police violence and reflected on its persistence in the midst of a pandemic.

We cannot let the winds of change die. We are living a movement to push systemic racism to the forefront of Americas consciousness. We must look to the institutions, their values, their history, and their rewards to understand how best to make permanent change. Racism is a plague that infects and seeks to put us against one another. It is self- perpetuating and feeds on lies and fear. Only in solidarity can we defeat racism, said Public Defender, Ricardo Garcia. Honest dialogue, real talk, is the way to look at our institutions and understand what action is required. Thank you, Days of Dialogue, for continuing to encourage community discussion to promote healing, action, and, most importantly, change!

Days of Dialogue has allowed community members to have courageous conversations on very sensitive social topics for decades. These kinds of gatherings are more important as ever as we work to dismantle racist practices and bring communities together, said Commission Chair of Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and Executive Director of Peace Over Violence, Patti Giggans. We are grateful to Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas and Avis Ridley Thomas for creating and continuing these community dialogues.

I have participated in sessions of Days of Dialogue for many years and have always felt it is an excellent opportunity to express your inner feelings and get immediate feedback. It is a very important tool for communicating, said Los Angeles Police Chief, Michel Moore. As an attendee of previous Days of Dialogue, I hope to gain insight based on what is currently happening in Los Angeles and across the Country, with the various demonstrations the people demand for change. Change is needed in Law Enforcement and many other institutions within society.

Dr. Ann McElaney-Johnson, President, Mount Saint Marys University had this to say: Days of Dialogue are crucial for people to share their lived experiences, speak honestly and bravely, and be heard. They invite discovery and develop common values around a shared sense of accountability towards the dismantling of systemic inequities. We must educate ourselves to deepen our understanding, response and commitment to addressing racism and advancing racial equity. I am hopeful todays conversation will spark creative solutions to combat racism, particularly anti-Black racism, and widespread injustice that we see in our neighborhoods and around the country. In doing so, we recognize that racial justice work is a process that requires a systematic approach. Therefore, we stand as an ally in the re-imagination of a just and equitable society. I am grateful the Board of Supervisors is approaching these issues with a collaborative lens.

A past participant in Days of Dialogue, I am proud to partner once again with this critically important forum for our community as we deepen our understanding of racial justice around the COVID-19 pandemic and other pressing issues, said Arthur J. Ochoa, JD, Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer at Cedars-Sinai. I look forward to strengthening relationships with a diverse array of community leaders at a time when unity and compassion are more important than ever.
Rhea Chakraborty, arrested by Narcotics Control Bureau in drug-related case linked to her boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajputs death, moved a bail plea before a sessions court in Mumbai. This is Rheas second attempt to seek release after a magistrate court on Tuesday refused to grant her bail.

A sessions court in Mumbai is scheduled to hear on Thursday the final arguments on the bail plea of actor Rhea Chakraborty in connection with a drug case related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput.The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is probing the drug angle in the case, is set to oppose the bail plea in the Mumbai sessions court today. Rhea, who was arrested and later sent to 14-day judicial custody in the matter, moved a bail application in a local court here claiming she is being falsely implicated in the case.



The bail plea of Rheas brother Showik, who was also arrested in the case, will be heard today.

Rheas bail application said that no drugs or psychotropic substances have been seized from her and the allegations, if any, would pertain strictly to smaller quantities. It said there is nothing on record to suggest that she was in any way involved with the financing of illicit traffic and/or harbouring the offenders in relation to any drugs.



According to the application, NCB in its remand application on September 8 said that the actor allegedly only procured drugs for Rajput. It stated that NCB said Chakraborty is an active member of a drug syndicate only on allegations that she was managing finance for drug procurement with Rajput and procuring drugs for him.There is no evidence of Rhea procuring or financing any drugs outside of the period when she was with Sushant, the bail application said adding that the NCB has not disclosed any connection between Chakraborty and any drug peddler.

During her custody, she was coerced into making incriminatory confessions and that statement was retracted on September 8 itself, it added. Chakraborty stated that she was interrogated by male officers and not even a single female officer was present during her interrogation.



ALSO READ: Bullydozer not bulldozer: Anupam Kher on Kangana Ranauts Mumbai property demolition

The NCB had launched an investigation after it received official communication from Enforcement Directorate (ED), in which there were various chats related to drug consumption, procurement, usage and transportation in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

The ED had on July 31 registered an Enforcement Case Information Report in the late actors death case after a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by Rajputs father KK Singh against Rhea Chakraborty in Bihar on July 28.Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14.

ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty files bail application in Mumbai court, hearing tomorrow
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Some Bengali, Mizo organisations in Tripura have petitioned the states BJP-led government opposing the proposed settlement of 4,900 Bru families (around 34,000 people) in the states Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions.

In a joint memorandum to the Tripura government, the Joint Movement Committee, Nagarik Suraksha Manch and Jampui Mizo Convention expressed apprehension that the settlement of such a large number of the refugees, who originally hail from neighbouring Mizoram, in their areas would cause social imbalance.

We, on behalf of the Bengali and Mizo communities of Kanchanpur sub-division, would like to express our shock and disappointment with the proposed settlement of 4,900 families of Mizoram Bru migrants within Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions. This proposal from the government grossly goes against our proposal that we have submitted to you and discussed with you on 23rd July 2020 during our video-conference meeting with you, the organisations wrote in their petition submitted to Tripura chief secretary.

ALSO READ | Let Bru refugees settle in Tripura: CM Biplab Deb

Re-emphasizing that they are not against the quadripartite Bru settlement agreement, signed on January 16 this year, they insisted on equitable distribution of the families in all districts and sub-divisions to avoid negative social, cultural, political, environmental, and ecological impacts.

We, therefore, maintain our stand that a maximum of 500 families are settled in Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions in the specific places that we have mentioned in our previous proposal, they said.

Over 40,000 Brus had fled their homes in Mizoram in October 1997 in the wake of inter-community riots. Ever since then, they have been living in six relief camps in Tripura. Despite several repatriation processes, only around 5,000 of them returned to Mizoram.

As per the quadripartite agreement, signed among Centre, Bru leaders, and Tripura and Mizoram governments, the displaced people, still lodged in the relief camps, will be resettled in Tripura.

The Tripura government has already identified the places to resettle the refugees. It was Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb who had suggested Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the Brus be resettled in Tripura.
Kosmos EnergyLtd. KOS recently entered into an agreement with one of Royal Dutch Shells RDS.A wholly-owned subsidiaries to sell its certain offshore exploration assets in Africa and South America for up to $200 million.

Per the deal, Shell will acquire Kosmos' existing 45% stake at the PEL0039 block in Nambia; 45% interest at Block NCUD in South Africa and own 33.33% stake at Block 42 in Suriname. Shell will also buy Kosmos share in the following blocks of Sao Tome & Principe, such as 25% in Block 6, 35% in Block 11 and 35% in Blocks 10 and 13.

The contract also comprises contingent payments of $50 million to be made upon each commercial discovery from the first four exploration wells drilled across the companys asset portfolio, set at a maximum limit of $100 million in total. Three of the four well explorations are currently scheduled for next year.

The dual-listed (NYSE & London) Kosmos will utilize one-third of the initial sale proceeds of $100 million for examining two top-class infrastructure-led exploration prospects in the Gulf of Mexico.

Further the company plans to spend the remaining proceeds to lower the borrowings outstanding under its credit facilities. With this sale, Kosmos is looking forward to save nearly $125 million worth capital expenditures over the next two years.

The transaction is estimated to conclude by the end of this year with an effective date of Sep 1, 2020, and is contingent upon customary conditions including government consent.

Price Performance

Kosmos is an oil and gas explorer focused on offshore Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and the US Gulf of Mexico.

A glance at the companys share price trend reflects that the stock has outperformed its industry in the past six months. Shares of Kosmos have declined 2.5% compared with the 10.9% decrease of its industry.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Kosmos currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the energy space are Murphy USA Inc. MUSA and SilverBow Resources Inc. SBOW, each presently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic

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Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for stay at home technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.

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India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt

India-China conflict below threshold of shooting war, but could take any trajectory

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 10: In response to the intimidating military moves by China, India has moved its front-line tanks and infantry combat vehicles to the strategic heights held by its soldiers on the southern bank of Pangong Tso.

The People's Liberation Army is parading it tank squadrons, mechanised infantry squads in addition to thousands of soldiers to threaten the Indian Army. It may be recalled that India had prevented the PLA from grabbing Indian territory on August 29.

A top official told OneIndia that the conflict is below the threshold of a shooting war, but it could take any trajectory. The PLA has deployed around 5,000 soldiers in the area. The official however added that India is fully prepared to deal with any contingency.

China has deployed a sizeable number of military assets in the Eastern Ladakh theatre, which includes 5,000 troops, heavy artillery, missiles, air defence systems and 150 aircraft. India won the other hand is matching every move made by China.

Also Read:

The official cited above said that if China brings in more troops, so will India. Currently, the Indian soldiers are just a few 100 metres away from the Chinese troops at Finger 4.

When asked about the seriousness of the situation, the officer said that there are skirmishes, firing, smaller conflicts. A shooting war has not happened and we have not reached that stage as yet. China does not want to start a war, the official said while adding that we are completely prepared for any contingency.

Meanwhile, the hotlines are working full time a day ahead of the meeting between the two leaders.

Diplomats on both sides are talking after Monday's incident in which the Chinese PLA fired shots, a first in 45 years. Both sides are talking to dial down the tensions and a meeting of the Special Representatives is also likely this week.

Sources tell OneIndia that following the incident, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was briefed about the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Indian Army Chief, on the other hand, briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after China said that India had fired warning shots, a claim that India has strongly denied. PM Modi was briefed by National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval. Top sources confirmed that several meetings are on the anvil today to take stock of the situation along the LAC.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar arrived in Moscow and is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi on September 10. Jaishankar would tell Yi to honour all bi-lateral agreements signed between the two countries since 1993.

After China claimed that Indian forces had fired shots, an official statement from India said that it is committed to disengagement and de-escalating the situation along the Line of Action Control. However, China continues to undertake provocative activities to escalate.

At no stage has the Indian Army transgressed across the LAC or resorted to any aggressive means, including firing.

It is the PLA that has been blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres while engagement at the military, diplomatic level is in progress.

In the instant case on September 7, 2020, it was the PLA which was attempting to close in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops., PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate the Indian troops.

Paresh Rawal appointed chief of NSD by President Kovind | Oneindia News

However despite grave provocation, the Indian troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner.
Brooks Hubbard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes photos from the historic North Broadway Bridge over the Los Angeles River Tuesday morning as smoke and ash from the Bobcat fire cloak the area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

Lung-damaging ozone pollution in Los Angeles reached its highest levels in a generation and set records in other parts of Southern California during the blistering Labor Day weekend heat wave, air quality readings show.

Ozone pollution spiked to 185 parts per billion in downtown Los Angeles at midday Sunday, according to South Coast Air Quality Management District monitoring data. It was the highest hourly reading in Southern California since 2003 and the highest in downtown L.A. in 26 years.

The eight-hour average ozone level in downtown L.A. was 118 ppb, very unhealthy on the Air Quality Index and far above the federal standard of 70 ppb. The last time ozone readings were that high in downtown L.A., by either measure, was in 1994, at a time when emissions were much higher and smog dramatically worse.

In Orange County, the eight-hour average ozone reading in Mission Viejo was 123 ppb, the highest on record since monitoring began at that location in 2000. Compton's eight-hour reading was 115 ppb, its highest since monitoring began there in 2008.

Sundays readings at the downtown L.A. air monitoring station, located on North Main Street in Chinatown, were so far above normal that they triggered a quality control check designed to prevent the release of erroneous data, air quality officials said.

The downtown L.A. readings did not initially appear online and were provided by the South Coast air district in response to questions from The Times about the missing data.

The figures were not reported immediately because the quality control check requires additional, manual validation if pollution readings exceed historic highs, South Coast AQMD spokeswoman Nahal Mogharabi said. If instruments are having problems, they can show erroneously high levels and the quality control check prevents the automated release of high data that could be incorrect.

But it was no glitch.

The value for noon on Sunday has been reviewed and is preliminarily valid at 185 ppb, Mogharabi said.

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Air quality officials said the high pollution readings were a result of intense heat combined with stagnant weather conditions and winds that were too weak to sweep away much pollution. Temperatures in Los Angeles County exceeded 120 degrees Sunday for the first time on record, thanks to a high-pressure system that also trapped dirty air close to the ground and allowed smog levels to build up.

Unusually bad pollution is only the latest extreme to hit California in recent weeks. California recorded its hottest August on record, said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain, who tweeted Thursday that the distinction is "probably not a surprise to anyone who just lived through it." Temperatures spiked during the muggy, long-lasting heat wave that hung over the region in mid-August, and they were followed soon after by a second record-setting heat spell that made for a sweltering Labor Day weekend.

In the big picture, climate change is an underlying cause of the increase in smog, according to air quality experts. Scientific studies have found that rising temperatures are making smog harder to control by speeding up the photochemical reactions that generate ozone gas. And wildfires, which are growing more intense and destructive with the warming climate, only spew more smog-forming pollutants into the air.

"The combination of a major wildfire and extreme heat can really send ozone levels through the roof," said Yifang Zhu, a professor of environmental health sciences at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. "Both are important, and they came together at a very unfortunate time, and that helps explain why we were seeing such extreme levels of ozone last weekend."

"If we dont do more than we are now to combat climate change, its going to happen again and again," Zhu added.

Southern California has long suffered the nations worst levels of ozone. The corrosive gas, which inflames the lungs and triggers asthma attacks and other health problems, is not emitted directly but forms when pollution from cars, trucks, factories and other sources bakes in the heat and sunlight. So it's no coincidence that the highest ozone readings usually happen when the weather is hottest.

In recent years, ozone has been worst in the Inland Empire. But this past weekends heat wave was marked by abnormally high smog levels even in coastal communities that typically enjoy cleaner air. Ozone reached very unhealthy on the Air Quality Index across much of the basin on Sunday, including the Westside, southeast L.A. County, northern Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley.

The spike in ozone comes just months after many rejoiced over the perceived air-cleaning effects of the coronavirus lockdown. Dramatic reductions in traffic emissions certainly contributed to lower smog levels  including a 21-day stretch of good air days that was the L.A. areas longest in decades  but air quality experts believe much of the apparent improvement was, in fact, due to stormy spring weather.

By April 1, the region had logged its first bad air day since stay-at-home-orders took effect, and it racked up a string of additional violations as temperatures climbed into the 90s later that month. By the first week of May, a heat wave had pushed ozone levels into the very unhealthy range again.

Cesunica Ivey, an assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at UC Riverside, said her research into air quality impacts during the COVID-19 shutdown found that in March and April, levels of ozone actually increased slightly in areas of Southern California with typically cleaner air, such as Pasadena, while dropping slightly in smoggier areas such as the Inland Empire.

"Were still investigating the extent to which this overall reduction in commuter activity, along with these extreme heat events, are combining to give us these 1994 levels of ozone," Ivey said.

Mogharabi said the air district also is investigating whether a COVID-related shift in the balance between the two main smog-forming pollutants  combustion gases called nitrogen oxides and chemical vapors and solvents called volatile organic compounds  has contributed to the abnormally high ozone readings.

The awful air quality marks the latest setback in the fight against Southern California smog, which has faltered in recent years despite a long-term decrease in emissions.

Officials with the South Coast air district, which regulates air pollution across a region of 17 million people spanning Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, have blamed hotter weather and stronger, more persistent pollution-trapping inversion layers. They are also studying to what extent climate change is driving recent increases in ozone.

The changing climate, weather extremes and wildfire seasons do play a role, but it is very hard to definitively attribute a few years of extreme weather to longer-term climate change trends, Mogharabi said. However, if these uncontrollable events such as this past weekend, or the ozone event we experienced in the spring, become more frequent or more extreme, it would then negatively impact ozone levels and our ability to meet federal attainment standards.

The unhealthy smog readings occurred during a period in which Gov. Gavin Newsom temporarily suspended air-quality rules on power plants, cargo ships in port and other major pollution sources to ease strain on the power grid during the two recent heat waves. Southern California air quality regulators said they dont know whether higher-than-usual emissions played a role but are gathering information.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USG partners with CampusLogic to make Student Financial Success a Priority "VirtualAdvisor adds to our 'Know More. Borrow Less.' initiative and extends our partnership with CampusLogic by providing students with a comprehensive self-service set of tools to make more informed decisions concerning financial aid.

CampusLogic, the leader in student financial success technology, today announces its partnership with the University System of Georgia (USG) to provide a student-centric platform that streamlines the end-to-end student financial aid journey.

We are thrilled to be able to provide all USG institutions with CampusLogic's VirtualAdvisor, said Dr. Tristan Denley, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer for USG. "VirtualAdvisor adds to our 'Know More. Borrow Less.' initiative and extends our partnership with CampusLogic by providing students with a comprehensive self-service set of tools to make more informed decisions concerning financial aid.

USG is also providing CampusCommunicator to all its schools, ensuring they can deliver dynamic, reliable communications to students. All USG schools have already implemented StudentForms, which automates traditionally paper-based processes and gives students access to simple, mobile options. A growing number of USG schools have also implemented ScholarshipUniverse to streamline scholarship management as they continue to break down barriers in the financial aid processes. Additionally, with USG CampusMetrics, USG can now ensure its institutions will have access to instant data visualization around student, staff, and product performance, allowing for targeted improvement.

This combination of CampusLogic products ensures USGs students can take advantage of personalized multi-media award letters, simplified aid verification, enhanced access to scholarship funds, an integrated multilingual virtual assistant, and intuitive analytics.

USG is composed of 26 higher education institutions including four research universities, four comprehensive universities, nine state universities, and nine state colleges. It also includes the Georgia Public Library Service, which encompasses approximately 389 facilities within the 61 library systems throughout the State of Georgia. Additionally, USG includes the Georgia Archives, which identifies, collects, manages, preserves, and provides access to records and information about Georgia. More than 340,000 students enroll each year at USG institutions.

USG is a leader in higher education investment and innovation, with a focus on driving the financial success of their students, commented CampusLogic COO Chris Chumley. The combination of the Know More. Borrow Less. initiative and VirtualAdvisor will ensure better student comprehension throughout their funding journey.

About CampusLogic

CampusLogic delivers SaaS technology that helps colleges and universities remove barriers in the financial aid process. The company currently helps more than 750 schools increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates with the most comprehensive platform of student financial success products. The CampusLogic student financial success platform includes a net price calculator, complete scholarship management, personalized digital communications, simplified financial aid verification, 24x7 personalized virtual advising, tuition and scholarship crowdfunding, and integrated data visualizations. CampusLogic has received multiple awards, including the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, Inc. 5000, and Education Technology Insights Top 10 Artificial Intelligence Solution Provider.
A new paper by vascular surgeons at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, describes how thrombosis (blood clots in the circulatory system) was an early indication of infection in a COVID-19 patient.

Published online on August 21, the paper details how a 67-year-old man, who had no previous medical history, came to the hospital with severe discoloring in his right arm and pain in his hand and forearm.

Further investigation showed he had clots in arteries of his arm, generating ischemia (loss of blood flow) that threatened the limb. He soon tested positive for coronavirus.

"This patient had an acute problem with his arm, including pain, numbness and weakness," said the vascular surgeon and first author on the paper, Tony Shao, M.D., assistant professor of surgery. "That was the main reason he came to the hospital. We found out pretty quickly he had COVID, though he reported only mild respiratory symptoms."

A first for negative pressure

Dr. Shao and colleagues surgically revascularized the vessels immediately. This was the first time UM vascular surgeons had used the negative pressure surgical suite, which helps prevent viral spread, on a confirmed COVID-positive patient.

However, surgery was just the beginning. Though the patient was not having much trouble breathing, his lungs were in bad shape.

There are COVID patients who clearly look like they're in distress, they're gasping for air. But that wasn't the case here. Looking at his CT scan from when he first came in, you would think he would have a hard time breathing." Naixin Kang, M.D, Senior Corresponding Author and Vascular Surgeon, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami

First seen in April, this patient was an early indication to UM doctors that arterial thrombosis can be the presenting symptoms for coronavirus. Other medical groups around the world have made similar observations, though nobody has yet identified precisely how the virus causes these sometimes-deadly blood clots. Many laboratories are currently looking for this mechanism.

"On autopsy studies in patients who died from coronavirus, doctors have found the virus causes micro-thrombosis, particularly in capillaries of the alveoli (tiny air sacs in the lungs)," Dr. Shao said. However, the blockages described in the study were found in a medium-sized artery.

Though the surgery saved the patient's arm and most of his hand, the coronavirus was not done, and he ended up spending weeks on a ventilator before finally being released from the hospital.

The authors published this case to educate people who see coronavirus purely as a respiratory disease. In particular, clinicians must be alert for COVID-19 infections when patients present with acute limb ischemia and no risk factors.

"People are starting to become aware that COVID does promote hypercoagulability," Dr. Kang said. "We don't know exactly what the mechanism is, but it is now being recognized and studied by different medical societies. While this is certainly a respiratory virus, we need to watch out for excessive clotting."
Pakistan on Thursday continued unprovoked ceasefire violation throughout the day along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani Army fired with small arms and continued shelling with mortars along LoC in many locations.

In the evening, Pakistan targeted Balakote sector and again at about 10 pm initiated ceasefire violation in Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch district. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly to the unprovoked firing. The exchange of fire between the two sides was still on when last reports came in from the area.

Live TV

According to news agency PTI, Pakistan opened heavy fire and shelled forward areas along LoC in five sectors of Poonch district. "The Pakistan army continued unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along LoC in many locations," Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said.

"Around 0530, 1145 and 1215 hours today, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mankote, Degwar and Mendhar sectors," he said.

In the evening, the Pakistan army targeted Balakote sector. Again around 2200 hours, it initiated ceasefire violation in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch, he added.

On September 5, an Indian Army soldier was martyred and two others sustained injuries after Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Nowgam sector in Kupwara. "Pakistan initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation (CFV) along the Line of Control in Nowgam sector of Kupwara in the morning by firing mortars and other weapons," defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia had said.

Col Rajesh Kalia had said a soldier was killed while two others sustained injuries. The injured jawans were evacuated to the 92 Base Hospital and their condition is stable, Col Kalia had added. The Srinagar-based Defence PRO had said that a befitting response was given to Pakistan for its aggression.

The soldier who attained martyrdom was identified as Army Gunner Bhupinder Singh of 17 Brigade, the Army sources had said.

The Pakistani troops fired medium motor shells targeting the Indian forward posts at the LoC, the sources had added. Pakistan had violated the ceasefire by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Shahpur, Kirni and Degwar sectors in Poonch, at about 17.30 hours, the Army sources had said.

Reports from these sectors had said that heavy firing and shelling by both sides was still on. Residents of villages situated in Shahpur, Kirni and Degwar sectors remained huddled inside their homes for the entire day while praying for their lives during the shelling.

Pakistan has been violating the LoC ceasefire with impunity since the beginning of this year. At least 24 civilians have been killed and over 100 injured in more than 2,730 LoC ceasefire violations by Pakistan so far in 2020.

On September 2, one junior commissioned officer of the Indian Army was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC in Keri sector of Rajouri.
Local publicans dont mind what guidelines are in place as long as they can reopen their doors, or at least thats the view of Gerry Lynn of the Sportsman Inn in Edgeworthstown.

Local pubs closed their doors last March due to Covid-19 and have had their reopening postponed several times since the government announced its five phases for reopening the country. They have finally been given the go-ahead to reopen from September 21.

I dont mind what restrictions there are at this stage, I just want to reopen my door. We wouldnt have big crowds in the pub, except maybe on a Saturday night, but wed be able to come up with a plan for that, Mr Lynn told the Longford Leader on Monday.

Were coming into a quiet time and, if they dont open in the next few weeks, a lot of pubs will be in trouble because they cant afford to stay closed for much longer.

You hear the government speaking about rural Ireland but look what theyre doing to local pubs. There are some places in rural Ireland that only have a pub and a church.

The pub is where people in rural Ireland do their lotto, their christenings, the afters of their weddings. If they lose that, were in trouble.

Guidelines released by the government in the past week listed a number of restrictions for wet pubs when opening, including an 11.30pm closing time, a one metre social distancing rule and new glasses for every drink.
Just weeks after an artificial intelligence program defeated an F-16 fighter pilot in a virtual dogfight, the Pentagon is set to raise the stakes by pitting an AI-controlled jet against a pilot in a real-life aerial battle, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced.

Esper unveiled the plans for the battle, slated for 2024, during a speech at the Defense Departments AI Symposium 2020 on Wednesday, as reported by Military.com.

During the address, Esper hailed the tectonic impact of machine learning on the future of warfighting after the AI algorithm annihilated the human pilot in the virtual showdown at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, on August 20.

The AI agent's resounding victory demonstrated the ability of advanced algorithms to outperform humans in virtual dogfights, he said. These simulations will culminate in a real-world competition involving full-scale tactical aircraft in 2024.

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The Pentagon is set to pit an AI-controlled Jet against a pilot in a real-life aerial battle in 2024, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced

Defense Secretary Mark Esper made the announcement during a speech at the Defense Departments AI Symposium 2020 on Wednesday

During last months AlphaDogfight competition, run by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Maryland-based Heron Systems came in first place among eight companies who pitted their simulated aircraft against one another over two days of duels.

On the third day, Herons AI system virtually shot down the human F-16 pilot in five successive rounds of mock air combat, showing the human brain is no match for the technology's aggressive tactics.

The AI-system used a series of maverick maneuvers against the pilot - referenced only by his call name, Bangers - such as flying directly towards the jet without letting up until the last second, in what was referred to as a high-stakes game of chicken.

On the third day, Herons AI system virtually shot down the human F-16 pilot in five rounds of mock air combat, showing the human brain is no match for the technology's aggressive tactics.

During the fight, Bangers was heard raising concerns about the bots confrontational approach.

'The standard things we do as fighter pilots aren't working,' he was heard saying. The bot then fired upon him three times, striking on each occasion.

The US military has a strong track record for airborne battles, with US fighter pilots having shot down 58 enemy planes since the Vietnam War while having been defeated only once.

'No AI currently exists ... that can outduel a human strapped into a fighter jet in a high-speed, high-G dogfight,' DARPA said only last year.

But the defeat at the hands of AI last month seems to have prompted a shift in that line of thinking.

An AI pilot has beaten a US Air Force F16 Top Gun in the first ever simulator dogfight competition run by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to determine if man can beat machine in the sky last month

The AI-system used aggressive moves against the pilot, referenced only by his call name Bangers, such as flying directly towards the jet without letting up at the last second, in what was referred to as a high-stakes game of chicken

While Esper provided no additional details on the slated 2024 face-off, he assured troops that AI will integrated help to enhance US warfighting, not replace pilots entirely.

We see AI as a tool to free up resources, time and manpower so our people can focus on higher-priority tasks and arrive at the decision point, whether in a lab or on the battlefield, faster and more precise than the competition, the Defense Secretary said.

Pentagon officials identified China as the US primary competitor in the AI field.

Beijing has made huge investments in AI-tech over the last five years, even building several digital artificial intelligence cities in a military-civilian partnership to understand how AI will be propagated for everyday use.

On Wednesday, Esper highlighted China's alleged ambition to become the global leader in AI and to prevail as a digital police state - unencumbered by privacy laws or ethical governing principles.

As China scales this technology, we fully expect it to sell these capabilities abroad, enabling other autocratic governments to move toward a new era of digital authoritarianism, he said.

Contrastingly, the Pentagon vowed that if wasnt able to find an ethical way to use artificial intelligence on the battlefield, it simply wouldnt implement it.

While Esper provided no additional details on the slated 2024 face-off, he assured troops that AI will integrated help to enhance US warfighting, not replace pilots entirely (a view of the simulator from last month's battle)

In February, Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, the then-director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), unveiled the Defense Department's new AI guidelines that included five prongs for its principled use, requiring it to be: responsible, equitable, traceable, reliable and governable.

We will not field an algorithm until we are convinced it meets our level of performance and our standard, and if we don't believe it can be used in a safe and ethical manner, we won't field it, Shanahan, who has since retired, said at the time.

The new guidelines will guide AI in both combat and in non-combat functions. They came after more than a year of consultation with commercial, academic and government AI experts, along with the Defense Innovation Board and the JAIC, before being unveiled last October.

Shanahan stressed that the US should be assertive in its efforts to harness accurate data to stay ahead, but warned against following down the same path of China and Russia as they neglect the principles that dictate how AI should be used.

The steps outlined by the Pentagon will help to hold someone accountable for a negative action, he said.

What I worry about with both countries is they move so fast that they're not adhering to what we would say are mandatory principles of AI adoption and integration, Shanahan said.
During the event, the Stortinget (supreme legislature of Norway) and the Parliament of Morocco were conferred a formal status of Observers of AIPA. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan voiced her expectation that the relations of AIPA, AIPA member parliaments and observing parliaments of AIPA would be further deepened.

The Brunei Ambassador to Vietnam receives a hammer  the AIPAs symbol  from AIPA 41 Chair Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (Photo: VNA)

Speaker of the House of Representatives of Morocco Habib El Malki expressed the willingness of the Moroccan legislative body to contribute to and share experiences with AIPA member parliaments.

He said he hopes that the Moroccan parliaments experiences with African, Arabian, Mediterranean, Latin American countries will be useful for AIPA.

President of the Norwegian Storting Tone Wilhelmsen Tren said she felt a deep honour that the Norwegian parliament was selected as an AIPA observer as this year marks the fifth anniversary of ASEAN-Norway partnership.

At the closing ceremony, President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou and First-Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong were presented with awards for excellent contributions to the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

They vowed to make more contributions to the development of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said step ahead for AIPA to implement its guidelines and targets, including promoting solidarity, understanding and close cooperation between ASEAN member countries parliaments and accompanying the governments in building a community for peace, stability and peoples interests.

She underlined traditional and non-traditional security challenges facing the region and the world, saying that AIPA should enhance solidarity and parliamentary diplomacy, adhere to international law, the UN Charter and ASEAN Charter in order to build a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community.

She stressed that sustainable peace and security are foundation for long-term and prosperous development. Therefore, AIPA has always upheld the enhancement of partnership and dialogue with ASSEAN at various levels, she said, adding that AIPA supports ASEAN in signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) this year and welcomes the establishment of an ASEAN fund for responding to COVID-19.

The closing ceremony ended with the transfer of the AIPA chairmanship to Brunei.

On behalf of the Speaker of the Brunei Legislative Council, the Brunei Ambassador to Vietnam received a hammer  the AIPAs symbol  from AIPA 41 Chair Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

After the closing ceremony, a press conference announcing outcomes of AIPA 41 was held under the chair of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also the Chair of AIPA 41./.
The candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, for the Ondo State governorship election, Agboola Ajayi, has vowed to defeat the incumbent,...

The candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, for the Ondo State governorship election, Agboola Ajayi, has vowed to defeat the incumbent, Rotimi Akeredolu and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Eyitayo Jegede.

Ajayi, who is the Deputy Governor State gave reasons he will emerge victorious in the October 10 governorship election.

According to him, his former party, the APC and the governor had failed the people.

He accused the ruling party and the Governor of lacklustre performance, adding that the PDP had no structure to win election in Ondo State.

He stated this when he received former PDP members in Okitipupa Local Government, led by a former governorship aspirant, Mr. Banji Okunomo and an ex-chairman of the local government, Mr. Solomon Bitire, on Wednesday.

The Deputy Governor accused the PDP, a party he joined and was defeated at the primaries of having breached the zoning arrangement and would, therefore, be punished by voters.

According to Ajayi, who dumped the APC following a long battle with the Governor, the achievements of Akeredolu in the last three and a half years fell short of peoples expectations.

The Deputy Governor said the people of Ondo State would punish the incumbent Governor with their votes.
Health Minister Robin Swann has allocated 60,000 of extra funding to allow Derry's Community Crisis Intervention Centre to continue to operate into next year.

Announcing the move on World Suicide Prevention Day, Minister Swann said the move should give reassurance to the local community.

"I have already made it clear that suicide prevention, mental well-being and mental health services are a top priority for me as Minister," he said.

"That is why to further support the excellent work being undertaken by Derry Crisis Intervention Service I am allocating a further 60k to Derry and Strabane District Council to allow the service to continue until the end of March 2020/21.

"This is important to provide stability for the service and reassurance for the local community given the far reaching impacts of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Extern, who operate the centre on behalf of the council, have welcomed the move, with CCIS Manager Joe Thompson describing the funding as 'vital'.

"We are delighted that the Health Minister has recognised the excellent work of the Community Crisis Intervention Service and very much welcome his announcement around this vital funding," he said.

"CCIS has become an impactful and important means of helping reduce suicidal behaviour and deaths by suicide in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.

"Since it began operating over each weekend last year, it has now delivered over 475 time critical and immediate interventions to people in crisis.

"Extern applauds the work being undertaken by the Department to progress the Protect Life 2 Strategy across Northern Ireland, and together with the Council, and the CCIS steering group, we will continue to ensure that we are there for people when they need us most.

Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin has also welcomed the announcement, but said longer-term financial support was needed.

"I very much welcome the funds to keep the service running for the moment," said the SDLP representative.

"However, long-term financial support is needed. Short term ad hoc funding is not a sustainable way for a vital service to operate. The service needs an early commitment to ongoing financial support."
ADRIAN, MI  A week ago, Adrian College announced that 6% of its students and staff had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, with more than 160 active cases on campus at one time.

But Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking said the college is now beginning to flatten the curve.

Although we have had tough times the first couple of weeks with a big spike in cases, we have flattened the curve this week, going from 165 active cases of COVID-19 down to 57, Docking said in a video message to the campus community.

In the past week, 163 students were told they are coronavirus-free, Docking said, adding its expected another 10 students to be released from isolation on Thursday, Sept. 10.

There have been a total of 227 positive cases among students and staff as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, which accounts for more than 10% of the campus population, according to officials. None of those students have gone to the hospital, Docking said, adding students have either been asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

That is to say that these students did not know that they had COVID-19, or they had very mild symptoms and only learned because we did so much testing on campus right from the get-go to find out who had COVID-19, Docking said.

As of Sept. 8, on-campus tests performed by Helix Diagnostics totaled 1,526 with 82 positive and 1,444 negative.

When the outbreak occurred, Docking said the college intended to stay open, noting the majority of cases on campus were asymptomatic or very mild. However, the outbreak led the Lenawee County Health Department to restrict outdoor gatherings to 25 people, which is stronger than the statewide restriction of 100.

There was a 182% increase in confirmed cases among 18 to 24 year olds during August in Lenawee County, compared to a 51% increase among all age groups for the same time period, according to health officials.

Adrian College coronavirus outbreak prompts size limit for outdoor gatherings in parts of Lenawee County

Earlier this month, the college gave professors the option to move their classes online for two weeks in an effort to flatten the curve. Along with allowing online classes, Docking said the college has enacted a few different safety measures, including an all-takeout food service and continuing to limit large gatherings, which is the colleges biggest concern.

The Lenawee County Health Department has asked the college to wait until Sept. 18 to begin face-to-face teaching, Docking said. While a few professors are running face-to-face labs, Docking said the college will honor the health departments request.

Please, stay outside, students, and stay engaged, but stay socially distanced and try to remain in small groups, Docking said. ... We can do it, were a great campus community. Colleges all over the United States are dealing with this, but because you are the kinds of students you are, and because we have the kind of community that we do, we know we can get through it together.

READ MORE:

After spike in coronavirus cases, Adrian College intends to stay open, president says

Passionate feedback, prompts Adrian College president to reverse cuts to humanities departments
EU Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic and EU ambassador to the UK, Joao Vale de Almeida, arrive at EU House (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The EU has expressed serious concerns over Prime Minister Boris Johnsons move to override part of the Brexit divorce deal, ahead of emergency talks with the UK.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said he will listen to what Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has to say during an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, before deciding whether Britain can still be trusted.

The hastily arranged meeting of the UK-EU joint committee in London was arranged after the Government tabled legislation to alter key elements of the Withdrawal Agreement that Mr Johnson signed with Brussels.

The Government infuriated Brussels just as trade deal negotiations reached a crunch week, when ministers admitted they could break international law over the deal.

Mr Sefcovic, arriving at St Pancras, told reporters: I came here to express the serious concerns that the European Union has over the proposed Bill. So that will be the nature of our discussions today.

Asked if he has lost trust in the UK Government, Mr Sefcovic replied: Lets hear what Michael Gove will tell me this afternoon.

Meanwhile, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his counterpart from Downing Street, Lord Frost, will meet for the final day in the eighth round of trade deal negotiations.

Mr Johnson has argued that the UK Internal Markets Bill tabled this week is necessary to preserve unfettered trade within the UK and prevent a border between Britain and Northern Ireland.

But he has dismayed Brussels by threatening to breach international law.

Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin called the Prime Minister to express his concerns, including the breach of an international treaty, the absence of bilateral engagement and the serious implications for Northern Ireland.

The Good Friday Agreement is the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland. If the U.K. violates its international agreements & Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement passing the Congress. https://t.co/n7E4GHTJcI  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) September 9, 2020

The move has also angered some in the US, where Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said there is absolutely no chance of Congress passing a trade deal with the UK if it threatens the Northern Ireland peace process.

Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the stability brought by the invisible and frictionless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, Ms Pelosi said.

If the UK violates that international treaty and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a US-UK trade agreement passing the Congress.

Ministers argue the new proposed legislation is necessary to protect the Northern Ireland peace process if London and Brussels are unable to agree a free trade deal before the current Brexit transition period runs out at the end of the year.

Tory former prime minister Sir John Major reacted angrily to Mr Johnsons stance on international law.

For generations, Britains word, solemnly given, has been accepted by friend and foe. Our signature on any treaty or agreement has been sacrosanct, he said.

Over the last century, as our military strength has dwindled, our word has retained its power. If we lose our reputation for honouring the promises we make, we will have lost something beyond price that may never be regained.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer insisted Mr Johnson needed to secure a deal with the EU.

He said: If you fail to get a deal, Prime Minister, you own that failure.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that the policies of the Centre have caused loss of crores of jobs and appealed to people to make the Modi government listen to their voice". He urged people to be a part of the Congresss Speak Up for Jobs campaign being run on Thursday from 10 AM for 10 hours.

The policies of Modi Govt have caused the loss of crores of jobs and a historic fall in GDP," Gandhi alleged in a tweet. It has crushed the future of Indias youth. Lets make the Govt listen to their voice, the former Congress chief said.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the promise was of providing two crore jobs every year and claimed that instead of providing 12 crore jobs in six years, 14 crore jobs were snatched away. The youth has now woken up and demands an answer, he said.

One devastating policy after another, BJP has snatched away the livelihoods of crores of Indians & pushed our youth into a bleak future.Join our #SpeakUpForJobs campaign & raise your voices against BJPs misadventures. pic.twitter.com/iZYXh4KWPi  Congress (@INCIndia) September 10, 2020

The Congress, on its official Twitter handle, said, One devastating policy after another, BJP has snatched away the livelihoods of crores of Indians & pushed our youth into a bleak future. Join our #SpeakUpForJobs campaign & raise your voices against BJPs misadventures, the party tweeted.
Russian state-backed hackers have been targeting a firm linked to Joe Biden's presidential campaign for the last two months, it emerged last night.

The hackers targeted staff at campaign strategy firm SKDKnickerbocker - which is working with Biden and other leading Democrats - but failed to gain access to the company's networks, sources said.

'They are well-defended, so there has been no breach,' a source said after Microsoft alerted SKDK to the hacking attempt.

US intelligence services have raised alarms about Russian hacking efforts ahead of November's election, after Robert Mueller's inquiry and the Senate Intelligence Committee both found evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 race.

Microsoft Corp recently alerted one of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's main election campaign advisory firms that it had been targeted by suspected Russian state-backed hackers, according to three people briefed on the matter

SKDK managing director Anita Dunn was a White House communications director during the Barack Obama presidency and serves the Biden campaign as a senior advisor.

The attempts to infiltrate SKDK were recently flagged to the campaign firm by Microsoft, which identified cybercriminals tied to the Russian government as the likely culprits.

The attacks included phishing, a hacking method which seeks to trick users into disclosing passwords, as well as other efforts to infiltrate SKDK's network.

The company has worked on six presidential campaigns for the Democrats as well as congressional campaigns and successful 2018 governor's races in Kansas and Connecticut.

Investigations by former special counsel Robert Mueller (pictured) found that Russian affiliates interfered in the 2016 election

It recently criticized Trump for 'telling white Americans they should be afraid of Black and brown Americans' and claiming he 'holds no responsibility for everything happening in this country, even though it is happening under his watch'.

SKDK vice-chair Hilary Rosen declined to comment, while a Biden spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Mueller warned after publishing his report on the 2016 election last year that Russia was already meddling in the current campaign.

Russian accounts were blamed for a wave of misinformation during the 2016 campaign, in particular targeting Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

One Russian troll farm even tried to encourage U.S. 'secessionist movements' in California and Texas, a report said.

Hundreds of fake Facebook accounts, probably run from Russia, spent about $100,000 on ads aimed at stirring up divisive issues, Facebook admitted.

Facebook announced during the 2020 Democratic primary campaign that it had blocked Russian and Iranian accounts trying to boost Bernie Sanders at Biden's expense.

A report said the accounts reused messages from the Internet Research Agency which targeted US audiences in 2016.

Russia has always denied interference.

Democrats accuse the White House of turning a blind eye to the Russian threat, after Donald Trump played down evidence of Russian meddling in 2016.

In 2018, Trump caused an outcry after accepting Vladimir Putin's denials at a summit in Helsinki, before later backtracking.

The hacking attempts targeted staff at Washington-based SKDKnickerbocker (whose office is pictured above), a campaign strategy firm working with Biden and other prominent Democrats

Last month, a widely-criticized statement by the Directorate of National Intelligence claimed that Russia was trying to 'denigrate former Vice President Biden' rather than Trump.

'Some Kremlin-linked actors are also seeking to boost President Trump's candidacy on social media and Russian television,' it claimed.

The statement also highlighted alleged interference efforts by China and Iran to hamper Trump and his hard-line policies.

A whistleblower complaint revealed by the House Intelligence Committee yesterday claimed that an intelligence official was told to focus on China and Iran instead.

Brian Murphy, an an analyst at the Department of Homeland Security, said he was demoted after refusing to censor his reporting on Russia.

Acting DHS chief Chad Wolf told him that the order had come from White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien, Murphy alleged.

A DHS spokesman denied the claims, saying the department was 'working to address all threats to the homeland regardless of ideology'.

Biden said in July that he had started receiving intelligence briefings and was told that Russia was continuing to meddle.

China also was conducting activities 'designed for us to lose confidence in the outcome' of the 2020 election, Biden warned.

He warned that if Russia continued to interfere there would be 'a real price to pay' if he wins the November election.
Located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, Belum Caves are the second largest and longest caves in India. The Belum Caves have large caves with various long passages, galleries, freshwater and water tunnels.

The Belum Caves are also famous for their unique formations such as stalactite and stalagmite formations. It is believed that these caves were formed in millions of years consisting of limestone.

The caves are more than three and a half kilometres long although just a one-kilometre route has been made accessible to tourists. The depth of the Belam Caves goes up to 46 meters; this point is known as Patalganga and at this point flows an underground stream throughout the year.
TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Angkor Resources Corp. (TSXV: ANK and OTC: ANKOF) (Angkor or the Company) is pleased to announce that Messrs. Russ Tynan, Scott W. Smith and Steve Cochrane have agreed to join the Board of Directors of Angkor.



Stephen Burega, Chief Executive Officer of Angkor, states: We are extremely pleased that these three gentlemen, with their extensive background and track record of accomplishments in government, business and mining, have agreed to join the Board of Directors for Angkor. Their combined public and private sector expertise will be an asset as the Company moves forward on its vision to be one of the leading companies in the mining and energy sectors in Cambodia.

Mr. Russ Tynan has 35 years of Executive Leadership experience and is a trusted advisor and business leader as well as an innovative and creative problem solver. Russ has designed operations and logistics, and capitalized on the opportunities for corporations, governments and various volunteer organizations. He has worked with and provided advice through four Olympic Winter Games and served as the Executive Director, Olympic and Paralympics Secretariat for the Government of Alberta.

Noted for his successes in transitioning companies and organizations through new opportunities or difficult challenges including his role as President and CEO of the Alberta Tourism Partnership Corporation. Russ works with executive teams at the strategic stage, and through implementation.

Mr. Steve Cochrane has 36 years of investment industry experience during which he has participated in raising millions of dollars for a variety of small cap public companies in various businesses and industry sectors including mining.

In addition to having been associated with numerous domestic transactions, Mr. Cochrane has also been involved with many international opportunities in Chile, Cambodia and China. Currently, Steve is the CEO of Lithium Chile. His extensive experience both as former Vice President and Investment Advisor at Richardson GMP (and its predecessors) and his successful 18 year career with National Bank Financial will be a great asset as Angkor grows its projects and engages with shareholders.

Mr. Cochrane also brings a unique skill set to Angkor that recognizes the need to balance both the companys opportunities with the expectations of its shareholders.

Mr. Scott W. Smith, P.Geol. has over 30 years of experience in mine production, mine start up, advanced projects and exploration at world class operating mines, brownfields and greenfield situations. Since February 2015, he has been Chief Geologist for Taseko Mines Ltds Gibraltar Mine, the second largest open pit copper mine in Canada.

From 2012 to 2014 he was the Exploration Manager Chile/Argentina for Teck Resources. From 2004 to 2012 he was with Newmont Mining at their Yanacocha Mine in Peru, the largest gold mine in South America, where he held roles of increasing responsibility in both production and exploration including Geology Mine Manager and District Geology Exploration Manager. For 5 years (1999 to 2004) he worked at the Antamina Mine in Peru, one of the largest copper/zinc mines in the world. Prior to working in South America, he worked for over 10 years in Canada on exploration and production on numerous deposit types including porphyry copper and epithermal gold in Canada and Alaska.

His deep geological knowledge and experience will be extremely valuable as Angkor continues to explore for gold deposits in Cambodia.

In connection with these appointments, the Company announces that it will issue the listed Directors 1,200,000 options pursuant to the terms of it option plan. The options shall be exercisable at a price of $0.11 for a period of 5 years.

The Company further wishes to announce the resignation of Mr. Jiancheng Peng from the Board of Directors, and is pleased to announce that he will continue to serve Angkor as a member of its Advisory Committee.

ABOUT ANGKOR RESOURCES CORP.

Angkor Resources Corp. is a public company, listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange, and is a leading mineral explorer in Cambodia with a large land package. In 2019, the company received approval to negotiate Production Sharing Contract (PSC) terms for Block VIII, a 7,300 square kilometre oil and gas license in Cambodia.

CONTACT:

Stephen Burega, CEO

Telephone: +1 (647) 515-3734

Email: sb@angkorgold.ca

Website: http://www.angkorgold.ca or follow us on Twitter @AngkorGold

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

This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Angkor Resources Corps (Angkor or the Company) current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Company and on assumptions it believes are reasonable. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Angkor to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the exploration concessions may not be granted on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the concessions acquired by the Company may not have attributes similar to those of surrounding properties; delay or failure to receive governmental or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation affecting mining; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. Although Angkor 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. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Angkor does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation chief Touraj Dehqani Zanganeh on Wednesday, September 9 informed that the Islamic Republic will be compensating the families of Ukrainian plane crash victims.

As per Iranian News Agency IRNA, Zanganeh said Iran is open to paying "full compensation for what it has done." The Ukrainian passenger plane was mistakenly shot down earlier this year during a heated confrontation between Iran and US forces.

Read: Checkpoint Where Belarusian Opp Members Crossed To Ukraine

Iran accepts its mistake

As per reports, Iran will be starting its new round of talks on October 18 over the payment of damages. Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was downed following an unfortunate set of human errors on the part of Iranian forces.

Initially, Iran blamed the crash on a technical problem. However, later, the Iranian military admitted that they had mistaken the passenger jet for a missile while locked in airstrikes with the United States following the death of major general Qassem Soleimani.

Iran authorities said the misalignment of the air defence units radar system was the key human error that led to the accident which had sparked global outrage.

In January, a United States-led airstrike at Baghdad international airport killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organisation.

Read: Ukraine Border Officials Say Belarusian Opposition Politician Did Not Enter The Country

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had vowed in a televised speech that all those responsible for the downing of the passenger jet will be punished and brought to justice. He further added that for the people of Iran it is very important that whoever is responsible for the negligence at any level must be punished.

However, Iran authorities arrested the person who posted a video online showing missile attacking the Boeing jetliner. The person was taken into custody by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards and will be facing charges related to national security. The Iranian judiciary also announced that they have also made the arrest of several people over the incident.

Read: Ukraine Says Too Soon To Blame Human Error For Downing Of Passenger Plane In Iran

Read: Iran Retrieves Data, Cockpit Talk From Downed Ukraine Plane

(Image Credits: AP)
OTTAWAThe Liberal government has proposed Parliament start up again as a hybrid body with a majority of MPs attending via video conference and voting remotely in a critical fall session.

MPs and committees would have full powers to sit, debate and introduce bills.

But it is not clear whether the Liberals are urging remote electronic or app-based voting, or a visual roll-call of MPs who would then cast a vote in a video conference. It is also unclear if Liberals would still limit the number of MPs in the Commons to 50 as was the case since May.

What is clear is the government faces a high-stakes confidence vote within days of the Sept. 23 throne speech in which it intends to set out an ambitious new agenda, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Liberal House leader Pablo Rodriguez made the new proposal to Opposition parties Thursday but his office declined to reveal specifics that are now the subject of confidential discussions.

We support the return of regular business of the House this fall. But the risks of COVID-19 have not gone away, so it is not wise for all 338 MPs to travel to Ottawa, said Mark Kennedy, a spokesman for Rodriguez.

We support a full hybrid approach  with some MPs in the House of Commons chamber and the rest participating online through the video conferencing that worked well this spring. Its the responsible thing to do.

Conservative House leader Gerard Deltell declined to comment in an interview, saying he would respect the confidential nature of the discussions.

A day earlier he told reporters For sure, we cannot be 338 exactly on the same spot, on the same desk. Obviously, we cannot do that, but there is plenty of other ways.

If you want to have accountability in the government, we need to be in the House directly asking questions in a parliamentary committee, asking questions directly to the ministers and to the government. This is our job.

In a dissenting report this summer, Conservatives recommended votes be conducted by video, and not electronically via an online or smartphone application. Electronic, remote voting has not been implemented in most major comparative, elected legislatures such as Australia, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (except for seven sitting days at the height of its pandemic), both the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, or provincial and territorial legislative assemblies with the exception of B.C., the Conservatives said.

Conservatives also wanted up to 86 MPs to attend in the chamber, plus the Speaker, saying that number would still be able to comply with physical distancing advice.

Read more about:
Authorities are asking for the publics help in finding a missing 55-year-old Birmingham woman.

Melodie Johnson, 55, was last seen Friday, Sept. 4, at her home in the 3300 block of Avenue Q, said Birmingham police Sgt. Rod Mauldin. She left home driving a white Toyota Corolla and has not been seen or heard from since then.

Mauldin said Johnson suffers from a medical condition that may cause her to become delusion. Her family told police she is in dire need of her medication.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Birmingham Police Department at 205-297-8413 or 911. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers 205-254-7777.
Prensa Internacional via ZUMA Jane Fraser

Jane Fraser is making strides for women on Wall Street.

On Thursday, Citigroup announced that Fraser, 53, will officially become their new CEO in February.

The move comes as Citigroup's current CEO, Michael Corbat, prepares to retire after 37 years at the third-largest bank in the country  eight of which were spent at the helm.

With her new title, Fraser becomes the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank, which has $1.96 trillion in assets, and joins an elite group of 31 female CEOs leading the 500 companies on the S&P 500 stock index, The New York Times reported.

Citigroup said Fraser, who is a mother of two, would also be elected to its board of directors, with service beginning immediately.

"I am honored by the Boards decision," Fraser said in a statement. "I will do everything I can to make all of our stakeholders proud of our firm as we continue to build a better bank and improve our returns... I am excited to join with my colleagues in writing the next chapter."

Alamy Jane Fraser

RELATED: Woman Turns 'Broke Black Girl' Finance Facebook Group Into 'Life-Changing' Job and Sisterhood

Hailing from Scotland, Fraser graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1988, before going on to work at Goldman Sachs in the Mergers & Acquisitions department in London and Asesores Bursatiles in Madrid, according to her LinkedIn.

Eventually, she relocated to the U.S., where she attended Harvard Business School and later worked as a partner at McKinsey & Company, her LinkedIn states.

In 2004, she joined Citigroup to work in the Corporate and Investment Banking division. Over the years, she worked her way up the ladder, most recently serving as the President of Citi and the Chief Executive Officer of Global Consumer Banking, according to the bank.

Despite her many accomplishments and constant career progression, Fraser said in a 2018 interview with CNN that she wasn't ready to take on the CEO role at Citigroup, though she anticipated a woman holding the spot one day.

Story continues

"I look forward to seeing a woman being the first CEO of a Wall Street firm whoever that may be," she said. "I've never had the ambition to be the CEO of Citi or any other organization. Things can change over time. But at the moment, I've still got a lot to learn."

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In that same interview, Fraser, who was serving as the CEO of Citigroup Latin America at the time, discussed what it was like holding a leadership position in a male-dominated field and how her husband encouraged her to embrace her femininity.

"When I first was put in charge of Latin America, there was some pretty negative headlines in the press of Mexico about having a female foreigner with responsibility. And this was seen as a bit of an insult in Mexico," she shared with CNN.

"My husband took me out, he said, 'We're going to buy an elegant red dress, slightly higher heels than you're used to, and a new haircut, and you're going to stride on the stage,'" she went on. "He knew that if I could stride out there and be quite comfortable in who I am, and confident around that and transmitting something that was, 'I am who I am,' that that would be a benefit."

Fraser told Poppy Harlow on her podcast Boss Files that she also found success by being upfront with customers and employees, and acknowledging her weaknesses.

"I always imagine myself at the other side of the audience, and [ask], 'How would I like to hear things?'" Fraser told Harlow, according to CNN. "I like straight-talking. I think transparency is important, and authenticity is important. I never like corporate speak. So, I think it's important just to say how things are."

"You have to hire people that are better than you and more knowledgeable than you," she added. "You have to get the team to work together."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the virtual Republican National Convention in a pre-recorded video from Jerusalem, Israel, on Aug. 25, 2020. (Courtesy of the Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images)

Substantial Chance Russian Officials Behind Navalny Poisoning: Pompeo

WASHINGTONU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday there was a substantial chance that the suspected poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was ordered by senior Russian officials.

I think people all around the world see this kind of activity for what it is. And when they see the effort to poison a dissident, and they recognize that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people. I think its not good for Russia, Pompeo told the Ben Shapiro radio program, according to a transcript released by the State Department.

Pompeo said the United States was evaluating how it would respond.

Well do our best to come to a conclusion about who was responsible, he said.

I think people see this and say this is not the way countries that want to be powers, that want to be important and play on the global stage, this is not the way that they should engage in activity.

They ought to instead promote freedom and democracy. I think this  these kind of things put real black marks on countries. And I think thats different than 10 or 15 or 20 years ago. I think the world has matured and come to an understanding that this is not how normal countries operate, and this will prove costly for the Russians.

Well make sure we do our part to do whatever we can to reduce the risk that things like this happen again.

Navalny, who is being treated in a Berlin hospital, was airlifted to Germany after falling ill on a Russian domestic flight last month.

Germany says doctors treating Navalny in Germany found a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent in him and that he was the victim of an attempted murder. Russia has said that doctors examining Navalny in Russia had not detected any Novichok and are demanding that the German authorities share their evidence that Navalny was poisoned.

The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the confirmed poisoning of Navalny.

The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Within weeks of closing the doors to the Holocaust Center because of COVID, we hosted our first virtual event - our Yom HaShoah commemoration for an audience of over 500 people. Professional development programs, including our annual Norman Wall Summer Teachers Institute followed, allowing us to virtually reach teachers, students and so many others well beyond our Central Florida community.

Our world had already been turned upside down by the pandemic when the killing of George Floyd triggered protests around the country and here at home. As an organization dedicated to using the history a...
(Newser)  Two men have filed a lawsuit against Kevin Spacey under New York's Child Victims Act, which extended the state's statute of limitations for child sex abuse. Both plaintiffs accuse the actor of abusing them in the 1980s when they were around 14 years old, the New York Times reports. One plaintiff is anonymous, and the other is Star Trek: Discovery cast member Anthony Rapp, who first aired his allegations against Spacey in 2017. In the lawsuit, Rapp says that after Spacey invited him to a party at his Manhattan home in 1986, the actor grabbed him by the buttocks, lifted him onto a bed, and laid down on top of him.

story continues below

Rapp says he suffered "psychological injuries, severe emotional distress, humiliation, fright, anger, depression and anxiety," reports TMZ. After Rapp, the first of numerous people to accuse Spacey of sexual misconduct, came forward in 2017, Spacey said he didn't remember the incident, but apologized for "what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior." The other plaintiff in the lawsuit said he was a 14-year-old acting student when he met Spacey in the early 1980s. He said he "engaged in sexual acts" with Spacey on several occasions. In the lawsuit, he states that he fled Spacey's apartment after the actor sexually assaulted him despite him resisting and saying "no." (Read more Kevin Spacey stories.)
On 22 September new legislation was introduced in England to help prevent the further spread of coronavirus, including asking office workers to work from home and implementing a 10pm curfew on all pubs and restaurants.

In October, Boris Johnson took things a step further by implementing a new set of lockdown measures, or three tiers of lockdown, including Medium, High and Very High. The rules include the closure of some hospitality venues and a ban on household mixing in the most extreme cases.

The prime minister said the legislation was being introduced to combat the rising number of coronavirus cases and prevent another wholesale national lockdown as the country heads into the winter months.

Every year the UK experiences a surge in flu cases in the winter so the government is concerned that the impact of both flu and Covid-19 on the NHS could overwhelm it.

Many people experience illness at this time of year including colds and sniffles - not least because of the return of children to schools and students to universities across the country.

But this year how will we know whether our symptoms are a sign of a cold or being run-down, flu, or Covid-19? How does coronavirus differ from the regular winter flu and common cold?

What is coronavirus?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

A novel coronavirus (nCoV) like Covid-19 is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

Covid-19 is thought to have originated in a food market in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the outbreak. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and humans.

Like other viruses Covid-19 is passed from person to person through droplets of moisture that leave the body when coughing and sneezing. This is why face masks have become a requirement in many public places.

Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Show all 11 1 /11 Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Ben Gurion International airport, Israel Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Changsha Huanghua International Airport, China Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty

How is coronavirus different from the flu and common cold?

The common cold is caused by a different strain of virus to the Covid-19.

Most coronaviruses, such as the common cold, cause mild infection in the upper respiratory tract and produce relatively minor symptoms such as a stuffy nose, sore head and sore throat.

People who contract Covid-19 suffer from respiratory systems that can cause coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and fever.

The infection can also cause pneumonia, kidney failure and in the most serious cases, death.

Meanwhile, flu is caused by a number of different influenza viruses. Flu is very infectious and easily spreads to other people, and is likely to be passed on to another person with the first five days of infection.

(Boots)

Flu symptoms can be slightly more serious than those associated with the common cold, with some people experiencing a loss of appetite, diarrhoea or tummy pain, feeling sick and being sick.

In the most serious cases, flu can also cause pneumonia.

In most people, common cold symptoms usually peak within the first two to three days of infection, while the effects of Covid-19 appear two to 14 days after exposure.

Why is coronavirus more dangerous than the common cold and flu?

For years, scientists have been studying flu and the common cold, meaning that a number of treatments, such as the flu jab are available to help battle against getting ill.

Because Covid-19 is new, there is no vaccination against it. Medics say it could be as long as a year before a Covid-19 vaccination is produced.

Coronavirus also presents an issue with a longer infectious window and asymptomatic carriers.

If a person has COVID-19, they may be contagious for a longer period of time than if they had flu, says the Centre for Disease Control.

With Covid-19 a person develops symptoms 5 days after being infected, but symptoms can appear as early as 2 days after infection or as late as 14 days after infection, and the time range can vary.
HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, N.L.A driving instructor working for the Newfoundland and Labrador government is facing possible jail time after he was caught taking a bribe in an undercover police operation.

Scott Norman had worked for Service NL for nine years when, on June 12, 2019, he turned to a man he thought was taking a routine driving test in Labrador and asked him if he wanted to pass, according to an agreed statement of facts read out in a Happy Valley-Goose Bay courtroom on Tuesday.

That man was undercover, investigating Norman after the local RCMP got a tip in 2018 that Norman was taking money from new Canadians in exchange for a passing grade on their driving tests. The statement of facts refers to the man as the Operator.

The man said, yes, he wanted to pass. They negotiated a price  Norman asked for $250, but accepted $240  and then, while driving, Norman grabbed the wheel and instructed the man to give him the money. Norman told him to keep his mouth shut, as they were helping each other, the statement says.

Norman also said hed helped other people pass and that hed help the mans friends, too. He handed over a business card with his cell number at the end of the driving test, reminding the man he could help his friends.

At no point was the Operator tested on his parking, the statement reads.

Norman was arrested after the test for breach of trust by RCMP officers who had been waiting near the Service NL building. Officers found bills worth $240 and matching the recorded serial numbers in his wallet.

Norman has pleaded guilty to one count of breaching the publics trust and is to be sentenced Sept. 24. Crown prosecutor Brandon Gillespie is asking for a sentence of three to five months in jail, plus probation.

The defence is recommending a five-month conditional sentence.
Badass Women 50: What Have You Learned While Fighting COVID-19 on the Front Lines?

Frontline health-care workers get the job done despite all odds. As part of InStyle's August Badass Women issue, we celebrate these women state by state not only for their resilience but also for their humanity.

Reebok is honoring the nurses that have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic with their latest campaign for the Reebok x WONDER WOMAN 1984 collection. Nurse practitioners Taylor Meyer and Vilma Pacheco, registered nurses Suki Stiles and Cassie Moy, and emergency room nurses Kathryn D'lnnocenzo and Solange Rosa, all star in a real-life take on the upcoming DC comic film Wonder Woman 1984.

These nurses are on the frontlines fighting the first global pandemic of the century day in and day out by risking their lives to save others, Caroline Machen, VP of Global Marketing said in an email statement. While they might not see themselves as real-life wonder women, we do.

Reebok is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts so the brand cast the nurses from the city's major hospitals.

The collection features eight Wonder Woman themed styles, including gold and cheetah print sneakers in the classic Reebok style, a gold legging and bra set, and a white tracksuit "inspired by the visual of WONDER WOMAN taking flight through the sky."

Courtesy of Rebook

Courtesy of Rebook

RELATED: This Is What Its Like to Be a Registered Nurse During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Courtesy of Reebok

Courtesy of Reebok

In a documentary accompanying the campaign, the nurses discuss what the last six months have been like. Specifically, they open up about how difficult it was to watch patients be alone during some of the most difficult moments.

"You know we watched patients die by themselves, far away from their loved ones," Pacheco said. Later she explained, "Hero means that you sacrifice something for the greater good."

At the end of the moving 6-minute film, they all say together, "I will fight for those who can not fight for themselves."

The Reebok x WONDER WOMAN 1984 collection will be available in unisex, womens, and kids sizes on September 17 on Reebok.com and Amazon.com.
Bank of India (BOI), a leading public sector bank, is likely to release an official BOI Recruitment notification on September 14, 2020, inviting online applications from eligible and interested Indian nationals for filling Two Hundred and Fourteen (214) vacancies to the post of Officers in various scales up to Scale IV through direct recruitment to be posted at BOI Head Office in Mumbai, Maharashtra or at any of its branches in India on a fulltime basis. The online application process towards the same starts from on September 16, 2020 onwards, and closes on September 30, 2020. Know all the details about Bank Of India Recruitment 2020 for Officers post here

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Officers Organisation Bank of India (BOI) Educational Qualification Possess the required academic qualifications and skills Experience Desirable Job Responsibilities null Skills Required Desirable Job Location Mumbai Salary Scale As per the BOI recruitment norms Industry Banking Application Start Date September 16, 2020 Application End Date September 30, 2020

Bank of India Recruitment 2020: Age And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for Officers post through Bank of India Recruitment 2020 must meet the age criteria as per the BOI recruitment norms, with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as specified in the BOI Recruitment notification.

For details regarding application fee for Officers post through Bank of India Recruitment 2020, refer to the official BOI Recruitment notification given at the end of article.

RFCL Recruitment 2020 Notification For Manager, AGM And DGM Posts. Apply Offline Before October 8

Bank of India Recruitment 2020: Educational Criteria

Desirous candidates applying for Officers post through Bank of India Recruitment 2020 must possess the required academic qualifications and skills as detailed in the BOI Recruitment notification.

Bank of India Recruitment 2020: Selection And Pay

The selection of candidates to Officers post through Bank of India Recruitment 2020 will be done through Shortlisting, Written Test/Interview and Merit as per the BOI Recruitment notification.

Candidates selected as Officers through Bank of India Recruitment 2020 will be paid emolument as per the BOI recruitment norms, as mentioned in the BOI Recruitment notification.

PNB SO Recruitment 2020: PNB Recruitment For 535 Manager And Sr. Manager Post, Apply Before Sep 29

Bank of India Recruitment 2020: How To Apply

Candidates applying for Officers post through Bank of India Recruitment 2020 must register online on the official BOI website in the 'careers section' from September 16, 2020 onwards, and submit the applications on or before September 30, 2020 as stated in the BOI Recruitment notification.

Read the Bank of India Recruitment 2020 PDF or BOI Recruitment Notification here
The state of Tennessee is continuing efforts to attract Chinese enterprises despite political and trade disputes between China and the United States.



The North American Chinese Investment Summit, themed "Navigating the New Path of Outbound Investment for Chinese Enterprises in a VUCA World," was held during the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing on Sunday.

The term "VUCA" stands for "volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous," as those attending the event agreed that investing in North America now has risks, especially in political terms. In addition, there are other risks in the areas of asymmetric information, talents, legal affairs, financial matters, and cultural and linguistic barriers.

Bill Lee, governor of Tennessee, sent a video message to the summit, saying: "We just want you to know that here in Tennessee we are open for business. And we understand the value of partnership and relationship, especially with foreign owned companies."

According to the governor, Tennessee has international offices in 13 countries, as well has over a thousand foreign direct investments in the state, and a thousand foreign owned companies in Tennessee which employ 150,000 locals.

"We understand the value of those relationships," he said. "If you're considering locating here in Tennessee, we would love to have you."

Bob Rolfe, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, also spoke via video link, pointing out that Tennessee's friendly business environment which supports growth, low taxes, and loose regulation, is undoubtedly the state's primary advantage in attracting companies. Tennessee has also become known as "the top state for fiscal stability" and ranks first in the U.S. for advanced manufacturing employment growth.



Tennessee will continue to support foreign companies, including Chinese ones, to invest and develop there in a healthy manner, Rolfe explained.

Liu Dianxun, director of the Investment Promotion Agency of China's Ministry of Commerce, said at the summit that the economies of China and the U.S. are deeply integrated and interdependent, and the scale and benefits are very large. He hopes to work with American partners and Chinese companies to promote bilateral investment and explore service enterprises to promote cooperation between China and the U.S., and between China and Tennessee.

Hanes Roberts, a commercial service official at the U.S. Embassy in China, expressed a warm welcome to Chinese companies investing in the United States, especially Tennessee. He also welcomed Chinese companies to sign up to "Invest in America"  the primary U.S. government mechanism to coordinate foreign direct investment promotion.

Jointly hosted by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Investment Promotion Agency of China's Ministry of Commerce, the event was organized by the Tennessee China Development Center.

Guests participating in the event included representatives of Canada's Ontario Government Office in Beijing, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers and other Chinese industry associations, commercial officials from several Chinese provinces, academics from Chinese universities, and managers at JD.com, Haier, Deloitte and other companies.

Representatives from China's local governments and enterprises expressed their strong interest in investing in the U.S., recognizing such benefits as lower costs in land and taxes, significant opportunities and resources, and investment support from some states in America that meet the demands of certain Chinese enterprises. However, they also have to consider the political risks, and recent attempts by the American government to further decouple the world's two largest economies.

One representative spoke about the welcoming attitude from American partners and U.S. state governments during the summit: "Under the shadow of the uncertain era, I feel glad and relieved to see some hope and positive energy."

Besides the summit, many leading American enterprises  including Tesla, Morgan Stanley and Qualcomm  attended this year's CIFTIS, displaying their latest products.
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is in talks to hand over the majority stakes in Nigerias all four refineries, which are all in dire need of an upgrade, NNPCs group managing director Mele Kyari said.

Nigeria has four refineries, two in Port Harcourt, and one each in Warri and Kaduna, but all refineries in Africas largest oil producer are very old and in need of refurbishment. Over the past five years, utilization rates at those refineries hasnt exceeded 30 percent.

Nigeria is in negotiations to come up with a model of operating those refineries with the state oil firm or the Nigerian government holding minority stakes in the refineries, NNPCs Kyari told local Channels TV.

The executive, however, did not specify who would take over the majority stakes or how the transaction would be carried out.

In April this year, NNPCs Kyari said that Nigeria would shut down all its refineries until it secures financing and ways to upgrade the facilities that were built between the 1960s and 1980s.

Speaking to Channels TV this week, Kyari said that the inevitable shutdown was necessitated by difficulties in feeding them with crude oil via the pipelines that have been completely compromised by vandals.

Oil theft and militant activity close to oil infrastructure have been perennial problems for Nigerias oil industry in recent years.

The oil price crash this year hurt the economy. According to the World Banks latest update on Nigeria from June 2020, the collapse in oil prices coupled with the pandemic is expected to plunge the Nigerian economy into the most severe recession in four decadesthe worst since the 1980s.

Nigeria is preparing for an extended period of low oil prices, President Muhammadu Buhari said last month.

Africas top oil producer, which is also the biggest economy on the continent, needs to develop non-oil sectors to diversify its revenues, Buhari said, as quoted by Nigerian media.

Nigerias fiscal breakeven oil price  the price of oil at which Nigeria balances its budget  is very high, at US$133 per barrel, given remarkably low non-oil fiscal intakes, Fitch has estimated.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Linkedin Rizki Fachriansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, September 10, 2020 09:13 498 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c43ed1b0 1 World travel-ban,travel-restriction,PKS,PPP,Golkar,house-of-representatives,DPR,COVID-19,pandemic,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,virus-corona Free

House of Representatives members are calling for an immediate evaluation of the governments COVID-19 mitigation efforts following a travel ban imposed against Indonesia by 59 countries over coronavirus concerns.

United Development Party (PPP) lawmaker Syaifullah Tamliha argued that such a ban could jeopardize the countrys standing in the international community, as it would create a stigma against Indonesia and negatively impact the economy.

The world may perceive us as undisciplined when it comes to implementing health protocols established by the World Health Organization and our own Health Ministry, he said in written statement on Wednesday, adding that a ban could harm international trade and the countrys stock market.

Syaifullah urged President Joko Jokowi Widodo and the House leaders to consider postponing this years regional elections, the voting day for which is slated for Dec. 9. He said the major political event would only exacerbate the current crisis.

The elections may trigger a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia.

Read also: Malaysia bars entry of Indonesian citizens, citing COVID-19 concerns

Jazuli Juwaini of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) echoed Syaifullah, saying the travel ban should serve as a wake-up call for the government to be more focused on saving citizens lives.

We need to respond to [the travel ban] by protecting [citizens] and curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the country, said Jazuli.

Golkar Party lawmaker Christina Aryani said other countries also had a right to protect their own citizens lives, particularly from nations that had recorded a high number of COVID-19 cases.

It should wake us up to the fact that the number of [COVID-19 cases] in Indonesia is still high, with over 200,000 cases. Its not a laughing matter, she said.

Jokowi had vowed that the government would prioritize COVID-19 mitigation, claiming that public health was key to economic recovery.

Indonesia surpassed 200,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, after consistently detecting record numbers of new infections in the past several weeks.

According to government data on Wednesday, the country's overall tally is 203,342 after recording 3,307 new cases. As many as 8,336 people have died of the disease, while 145,200 have recovered.
UPDATED: 7.40pm

A suspicious device discovered in Dublin this morning has been made safe.

At approximately 9.20 am, Gardai responded to a report of a suspect device at the entrance to Rafters Avenue in Crumlin, Dublin 12.

On arrival at the scene, Gardai observed what they believed to be an improvised explosive device and secured the scene, before local housing was evacuated and traffic diversions were implemented.

The Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) attended the scene and conducted a controlled explosion. The device and its contents are now subject to a technical examination.

Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to this incident or who may have been in the vicinity of Rafters Avenue between the hours of 9pm on Wednesday and 9am this morning, who may have noticed any unusual activity, to come forward.

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Similarly, any motorists who were driving in the area during those hours, who may have dash-cam footage is asked to contact Crumlin Garda Station on 01 666 6200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
When the pandemic hit Americas restaurants, it was as if an anvil dropped  on a bubble.

To run a restaurant, any kind of restaurant, is a constant struggle to keep that bubble aloft. Every day is a negotiation: of labor costs, food costs, rent, insurance, health inspections, and the art and craft of creating an experience special enough to keep people coming through the doors. When the pandemic lockdown forced hundreds of thousands of establishments to close, there was no backup plan. No one was prepared for the extent of the fallout.

The restaurant and fast food industry, the second-largest private employer in the United States, collapsed overnight. At least 5.5 million jobs evaporated by the end of April, and the number of people employed in food services is still 2.5 million fewer than in February. Technomic, a consulting firm for the food-service industry, estimates that 20 percent to 25 percent of independently owned restaurants will never reopen. And those restaurants uphold an ecosystem that extends to farms, fishmongers, florists, ceramists, wineries and more. The damage has been so severe that the James Beard Foundation announced in August that it would cancel its restaurant awards this year because of the pandemic and a need to re-examine structural bias.

The most deeply affected were restaurant workers, who were either laid off so that they could file for unemployment or were asked to keep working and risk their health. These are people who often do not have access to health insurance, earn less than a living wage and disproportionately include undocumented workers, immigrants, and Black and brown people  the most marginalized people in this country.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an alliance in name alone. Recent events notwithstanding, the brewing conflict over territorial waters in the Eastern Mediterranean indicates that the military union between mostly Western countries is faltering.

The current Turkish-Greek tension is only one facet of a much larger conflict involving, aside from the two Mediterranean countries, Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, France, Libya and other Mediterranean and European countries. Notably absent from the list are the United States and Russia; the latter, in particular, stands to gain or lose much economic leverage, depending on the outcome of the conflict.

Conflicts of this nature tend to have historic roots  Turkey and Greece fought a brief but consequential war in 1974. Of relevance to the current conflagration is an agreement signed by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and his Greek and Cypriot counterparts, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Nicos Anastasiades, respectively, on January 2. The agreement envisages the establishment of the EastMed pipeline which, once finalized, is projected to flood Europe with Israeli natural gas, pumped mostly from the Leviathan Basin.

Several European countries are keen on being part of, and profiting from, the project. But Europes gain is not just economic but also geostrategic. Cheap Israeli gas will lessen Europes reliance on Russias natural gas which arrives in Europe through two pipelines, Nord Stream and Gazprom, the latter extending through Turkey.

Gazprom alone supplies Europe with an estimated 40% of its natural gas needs, thus giving Russia significant economic and political leverage. Some European countries, especially France, have labored to liberate themselves from what they see as a Russian economic chokehold on their economies.

Indeed, the French and Italian rivalry currently under way in Libya is tantamount to colonial expeditions aimed at balancing out the over-reliance on Russian and Turkish supplies of gas and other sources of energy.

Fully aware of Frances and Italys intentions in Libya, the Russians and Turks are wholly involved in Libyas military showdown between the Government of National Accord (GNA) and forces in the East, loyal to General Khalifa Haftar.

While the conflict in Libya has been underway for years, the Israel-et al EastMed pipeline has added fuel to the fire: infuriating Turkey, which is excluded from the agreement; worrying Russia, whose gas arrives in Europe partially via Turkey, and empowering Israel, which may now cement its economic integration with the European continent.

Anticipating the Israel-led alliance, on November 28, 2019, Turkey and Libya signed a Maritime Boundary Treaty, an agreement that gave Ankara access to Libyas territorial waters. The bold maneuver allows Turkey to claim territorial rights for gas exploration in a massive region that extends from the Turkish southern coast to Libyas north-east coast.

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is unacceptable in Europe because, if it remains in effect, it will cancel out the ambitious EastMed project and fundamentally alter the geopolitics  largely dictated by Europe and guaranteed by NATO  of this region.

However, NATO is no longer the once formidable and unified power. Since its inception in 1949, NATO has been on the rise. NATO members have fought major wars in the name of defending one another and also to protect the West from the Soviet menace.

NATO remained strong and relatively unified even after the dismantlement of the Soviet Union and the abrupt collapse, in 1991, of its Warsaw Pact. NATO managed to sustain a degree of unity, despite its raison detre  defeating the Soviets  being no longer a factor, because Washington wished to maintain its military hegemony, especially in the Middle East.

While the Iraq war of 1991 was the first powerful expression of NATOs new mission, the Iraq war of 2003 was NATOs undoing. After failing to achieve any of its goals in Iraq, the US adopted an exit strategy that foresaw a gradual American retreat from Iraq while, simultaneously, pivoting to Asia in the desperate hope of slowing down Chinas military encroachment in the Pacific.

The best expression of the American decision to divest militarily from the Middle East was NATOs war on Libya in March 2011. Military strategists had to devise a bewildering term, leading from behind, to describe the role of the US in the Libya conflict. For the first time since the establishment of NATO, the US was part of a conflict that was largely controlled by comparatively smaller and weaker NATO members  Italy, France, Britain and others.

While former US President, Barack Obama, insisted on the centrality of NATO in US military strategies, it was evident that the once-powerful alliance had outweighed its usefulness for Washington.

France, in particular, continues to fight for NATO with the same ferocity it fought to keep the European Union intact. It is this French faith in European and Western ideals that has compelled Paris to fill the gap left by the gradual American withdrawal. France is currently playing the role of the military hegemon and political leader in many of the Middle Easts ongoing crises, including the flaring East Mediterranean conflict.

On December 3, 2019, Frances Emmanuel Macron stood up to US President Donald Trump, at the NATO summit in London. Here, Trump chastised NATO for its reliance on American defense and threatened to pull out of the alliance altogether if NATO members did not compensate Washington for its protection.

Its a strange and unprecedented spectacle when countries like Israel, Greece, Egypt, Libya, Turkey, and others lay claims over the Mediterranean, while NATO scrambles to stave off an outright war, among its own members. Even stranger, to see France and Germany taking over the leadership of NATO while the US remains, thus far, almost completely absent.

It is hard to imagine the reinvention of NATO, at least a NATO that caters to Washingtons interests and diktats. Judging by Frances recent behavior, the future may hold irreversible paradigm shifts. In November 2018, Macron made what then seemed as a baffling suggestion, a true, European army. Considering the rapid regional developments and the incremental collapse of NATO, Macron may one day get his army, after all.

Feature photo | A helicopter flies over Turkeys drilling ship, Fatih dispatched towards the eastern Mediterranean, near Cyprus, July 9, 2019. Photo | Turkish Defence Ministry via AP

Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net
Water Safety New Zealand is investing $2.5 million in water safety interventions through its 2020/21 annual funding round.

WSNZ is also very pleased to announce a new major partnership with ACC as the naming partner for its national standard for aquatic education, Water Skills for Life.

WSNZ CEO Jonty Mills says working with ACC on this important aquatic water safety skills programme is significant.

This support from ACC is recognition of the the value of this programme in reducing fatal and non-fatal drownings, and the social and economic costs these place on New Zealand society.

This is a major step towards Water Skills for Life becoming ingrained into the New Zealand way of life. Thanks to ACC for helping to make this happen.

Water Skills for Life is delivered to children in years one to eight in New Zealand primary schools. It is linked into the national education curriculum and gives children the skills and knowledge they need to assess risk and make smart decisions around water.

Drowning is the leading cause of recreational death and the third highest cause of accidental death in New Zealand. In 2019 there were 82 preventable drowning fatalities compared to 66 in 2018.

Through our 2020/21 round we are funding a sustainable group of dedicated and capable organisations ready and able to address water safety risks and keep New Zealanders safe, says Mills.

This is particularly important during the uncertainty created by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Recreation, sport and general physical activity looks likely to play a major part of the recovery in New Zealand."

WSNZs annual contestable Funding Round is primarily funded by the New Zealand Lotteries Grants Board, ACC and corporate partners Protector Aluminium and trusts and foundations.

This year 96 applications from 65 organisations were received for funding totalling $3,823,550.52.

This is a reflection of what we are seeing in aquatic recreation: an increasing population, increasing participation and increasing demand for water safety education..

While we would like to fund everything weve had to make some hard calls and focus on priority areas.

"We would like to thank everyone who applied."

The $2,530,061 in total funding has been allocated based on these areas of focus:

-The ongoing implementation of Water Skills for Life for 5 to 13 year olds

-Maori Drowning Prevention

-Regional Water Safety Strategies in Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty

-High-risk Activities and Target Groups

WSNZ is focused on risk mitigation across a number of activities following analysis of the past 10 years of drowning fatality data.

This identified a series of activities that accounted for just under two-thirds of the preventable fatal drownings, and identified those groups most likely to participate in these activities, says Mills.

For example free diving, snorkelling and scuba diving are the third most common cause of high-risk drowning fatalities after recreational boating and in-water recreation.

WSNZ is grateful for funding from the Lottery Grants Board, ACC, Sport New Zealand and a continuing relationship with Protector Aluminium, the pool fence specialists, which supports water safety around the home and specifically promoting active adult supervision of the under-fives.
- Team Lioness was established by the global nonprofit International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in early 2019

- This was after a Maasai community leader challenged the organisation to employ women from the community as rangers

- The organisation was enthusiastic about the suggestion but men in the community were sceptical that women were up to the job

- Unlike the Kenya Wildlife Service, which patrols the Amboseli National Park, the women are unarmed,

- So they have to rely on skill when dealing with dangerous animals or violent people

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A group of eight Masaai women working as ranger around the Amboseli National Park have been recognised internationally for their efforts to protect wildlife from hungry poachers.

The group of eight who make up Team Lioness - a unit within the Olugului Community Wildlife Rangers (OCWR) - are women who are the first in their families to secure employment.

READ ALSO: US based Ghanaian pastor shoots 27-year-old stunning wife to death

The group of eight who make up Team Lioness. Photo: IFAW

Source: UGC

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The eight women who have dedicated their lives to protect wild animals were featured on Cable News Network (CNN's) documentary CNN Travels published on Wednesday, September 9.

The rangers patrol the Olugului/Olarashi Group Ranch (OOGR), a 580-square-mile horseshoe of community-owned land that almost encircles Amboseli National Park.

Speaking to the cable news, one of the women identified as Purity Lakara said they had not seen their families since Kenya confirmed its first COVID-19 case.

READ ALSO: Nairobi engineer lands multi million project after getting referral from a guard he gave a lift

The women are unarmed so they have to rely on skill when dealing with dangerous animals. Photo: IFAW

Source: UGC

The 23-year-old said she was excited knowing they will be seeing their families again after being in the wild for four months.

"I missed eating together, playing and hanging around with my baby girl, fetching water for my mum and helping my brothers herding cattle," she said.

"I have missed everything that we usually do while I'm at home," added Lakara.

READ ALSO: Meru: Form 4 student develops low cost cooler for storing medicine

The women have not seen their families since Kenya confirmed its first COVID-19 case. Photo: IFAW

Source: UGC

According to the report, when Kenya closed its regional and international borders and the tourism industry on which the community depends disappeared, OCWR cancelled all leave and asked its rangers, including Team Lioness to resume work.

They were supposed to stay at their posts indefinitely to protect wildlife from desperate poachers.

Now that the country is cautiously yet optimistically opening and safari visitors are returning, the rangers were finally able to return to their villages, two by two.

READ ALSO: Kambi ya Fisi Kamiti cell: Where Mama Ngina was imprisoned

Team Lioness was supposed to stay at their posts indefinitely to protect wildlife from poachers. Photo: IFAW.

Source: UGC

When Lakara arrived home on September 29, she was met by neighbours and family members who escorted her to her home, singing and clapping as she cradled her 2-year-old daughter.

"My mother said that she was very happy now because I'm back," said Lakara, who is the sole breadwinner for her 11-member family.

"She says that they have been longing for this day, so they are all here near me, enjoying and celebrating again," she added.

READ ALSO: Tana River: Wedding cancelled after man storms wedding, says he's father to bride and groom

The rangers were finally able to return to their villages after four months. Photo: IFAW.

Source: UGC

Team Lioness was established by the global nonprofit International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in early 2019.

This was after Maasai community leader Kiruyan Katamboi affectionately referred to as Mama Esther, challenged the organization to employ women from the community as rangers.

Because Maasai communities are patriarchal, women are excluded from leadership and decision making and the community ranger unit that patrols the Group Ranch was exclusively male.

Unlike the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which patrols the Amboseli National Park, the OCWR are unarmed, so have to rely on skill when dealing with dangerous animals or violent people.

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In 2009, the Nobel Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama as a way of encouraging him to do something peaceful. As it happened, Obama was an exceptionally un-peaceful president, using drones to kill civilians, starting a war in Libya that turned it into a hellhole, creating a vacuum in the Middle East that ISIS filled, failing to support the Green Revolution in Iran, and passively presiding over the disastrous and deadly "Arab Spring."

In 2021, the Committee will have before it the choice of one man who really does seem to be bringing peace to the world. Donald Trump negotiated the UAE's recognition of Israel, the first significant step toward Middle East peace in almost three decades. No wonder Christian Tybring-Gjedde nominated Trump for his role in negotiating that agreement.

The mainstream media are already doing their best to destroy Trump's chances by making sure everyone knows that Tybring-Gjedde is a "far right" figure.

CBS: "A far-right Norwegian lawmaker said Wednesday that he has nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the Middle East."

MSN/The Guardian: "A Norwegian far-right MP has nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel peace prize for a second time, citing his role in the normalising of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates."

Yahoo/The Week went the extra mile to denigrate the whole idea:

President Trump's Nobel Peace Prize nomination is not as big of a deal as he's making it out to be. On Wednesday, far-right Norwegian politician Christian Tybring-Gjedde announced he was nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his apparent work to "create peace between nations," especially in the Middle East. Trump's biggest supporters and Trump himself quickly started celebrating the nomination, seemingly forgetting that Tybring-Gjedde also put Trump's name on the list in 2018, and that one of hundreds of other nominees will likely actually prevail.

Even though Hitler was a far-left socialist, it's clear that the media are trying to tie Trump to Hitler through Tybring-Gjedde. They don't seem to realize that Hitler would never have brokered a peace deal between Israel and an Arab country, a mutually beneficial agreement that makes the world's only Jewish state a safer place.

The problem for all these leftist outlets is that the Arab countries don't seem to agree with them that the Israel-UAE treaty is a bagatelle without important consequences. On Wednesday, the Arab League refused to side with the Palestinians when the latter tried to denigrate the deal:

The Arab League on Wednesday failed to pass a resolution proposed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) which would have condemned the normalization deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Times of Israel reports. "After a three-hour debate, some Arab countries refused to include [a] statement condemning [the UAE] for abandoning Arab decisions. Additionally, they struck out a clause which discussed the trilateral agreement" between the UAE, the US, and Israel, the PA representative to the Arab League, Muhannad al-Aklouk, was quoted as having told the Ma'an news agency. Senior Arab League official Hussam Zaki said, "Discussion around this point was serious and comprehensive. But it did not lead to agreement over the resolution proposed by the Palestinians." [snip] An Arab League condemnation of the Israel-UAE deal seemed unlikely from the start, since several Arab states such as Egypt and Bahrain have expressed public or tacit support for the deal.

Trump did something more extraordinary than most people realize: He skipped the typical bartering-style negotiation, which has ended up going nowhere for decades. Instead, he marginalized the Palestinians.

Since coming to the White House, every time the Palestinians balked, instead of throwing more on the table, Trump took more off the table. They lost Jerusalem, and they lost the Golan Heights, but the world didn't end, and the Arabs, who like winners (as we all do), looked at the Palestinians, whom they've long despised as troublemakers, and thought, "You're the past; a profitable peace with Israel is the future."

That is how peace happens and why Trump deserves the prize.

Image: Alfred Nobel, public domain.
In an effort to dissuade local governments in Texas from cutting police funding, state leaders have pledged to pursue legislation next year that would freeze property tax revenue for any city or county that cuts its law enforcement budget.

The move came as the Austin City Council approved its $4.2 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which included plans for $21.5 million in immediate cuts to the citys police budget and plans to shift to other city departments another $128 million in spending on civilian functions currently overseen by police.

During an Aug. 18 press conference announcing the property tax proposal, Gov. Greg Abbott warned that now, more than ever, is a dangerous time for the city to cut its police budget.

"A new study showed that Austin, Texas, is the No. 1 city in America in the year-to-year percentage increase in murders, with a percentage increase of more than 64% for the first half of this year," Abbott said. "Austin also has a year-to-year increase in the percent rate of aggravated robberies, increasing by 14%, and robberies increasing by 16%. When crime is on the rise, the last thing that we should do is to defund law enforcement."

Abbotts comments on the percentage increase in homicides caught the most attention and drew pushback from some city leaders who said the statistic lacks important context. Namely, that the number of homicides in Austin is much lower than in other cities, which means any change will result in a large percent increase compared with earlier years.

Abbotts figures came from a Wall Street Journal article examining homicides in major cities during the coronavirus pandemic. The report found "a sharp rise in homicides" in 36 of the 50 biggest cities in the country, including in Austin.

His statement reflected the numbers included in the report for Austin, but they lack important context about crime and homicides in the city.

"Assessing, even generally, the safety of a city just using crime statistics, they dont tell you a lot of the story," said Carsten Andresen, an assistant professor of criminal justice at St. Edward's University. "They dont capture who goes in and out of a city, which parts of a city are safe."

Wall Street Journal data

The Wall Street Journal analysis looked at data from police departments in each of the 15 largest cities in the country and compared the number of homicides recorded for the first six months of 2020 with the number of homicides recorded over the same period last year. The information was shared in a graph that accompanied the article.

The analysis found that, of those cities, Austin recorded the largest percentage change in total homicides, with a 64.3% increase from the first half of 2019. By the end of June, the city had recorded 23 homicides, up from 14 at the same time last year.

For comparison, six months into 2018 there were 18 homicides, in 2017 there were 13 and in 2016 there were 12.

Chicago reportedly had the second largest percentage change in total murders, with an increase of 52.5%. By the end of June, the city had 433 homicides.

Of those 15 cities, Austin had the second lowest count of homicides during the first six months of the year.

Context behind Austins numbers

The numbers included in the Wall Street Journal article are reflected in the June 2020 edition of Austin Police Chief Brian Manleys monthly reports, which are published online.

But the numbers alone dont tell the whole story. Lt. Jeff Greenwalt, who heads the Austin Police Departments Homicide and Aggravated Assault unit, said "the percentage you see is a little more alarming than the actual numbers."

"I think there is an underlying story to the snappy headline," Greenwalt said. "While there is an increase, it is only a handful more because we have low numbers in the first place. The real statistic is going to be at the end of the year, where we compare to years past."

Even then, Andresen said using percentage change in this instance wont accurately represent the situation at hand.

"First of all, homicide is such a small number," he said. "Youre going to have huge percentage changes. Ive always been told: dont use percentages for numbers that are under 50. If youre looking at 30 or 45, dont use a percentage difference because the percentage changes are so big."

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Homicides in particular are tricky to analyze over an extended period of time, as they tend to be isolated incidents and some months may see more than others.

In order to speak to changes in the number of murders within a city, using six months of data is not enough, according to Michelle Richter, an associate professor of criminology at St. Edwards University.

"You should be looking at at least five years worth of data," she said, noting that this kind of analysis should also account for changes in population size.

"I would not be alarmed by (that percentage), and this is the reason why: Austin has, for the most part in terms of long-term trends and patterns, one of the lowest violent crime rates," she said. "You have to look at bigger data."

From 2014 to 2018 (complete 2019 data has not been produced), the number of murders in Austin fluctuated:

2018: 32 murders, or 3.3 murders per 100,000 residents

2017: 25 murders, or 2.6 murders per 100,000 residents

2016: 39 murders, or 4.1 per 100,000 residents

2015: 23 murders, or 2.5 per 100,000 residents

2014: 32 murders, or 3.5 per 100,000 residents

Andresen said an analysis of month-to-month or year-to-year changes, should be focused on "missed opportunities to be able to reduce those homicides in the future."

Greenwalt said his unit is working to investigate any identifiable trends or "anything unusual going on" in murders this year, but so far they have the same underlying causes the department experiences in other years.

"Most of the time, our homicides involve drugs and robberies," he said. "Every once in a while we see family violence or an acquaintance."

He also noted that the department has nearly a "100% solve rate" on homicides this year.

"What hes saying in and of itself is accurate, however there is just a lot more to the story," Greenwalt said of Abbotts remark.

Our ruling

Abbott said crime is on the rise in Austin, which is "the No. 1 city in America in the year-to-year percentage increase in murders, with a percentage increase of more than 64% for the first half of this year."

Abbotts figures are from a Wall Street Journal analysis of homicides in cities across the country, and they are reflected in reports from the Austin Police Department.

But the issue is the conclusion he is drawing from these figures. Experts said crime data of this scale (changes in small numbers over a short time period) does not accurately reflect a crime trend or the safety of a specific area. They also said focusing on the percentage change in discussions of shifts in smaller values can overstate increases or decreases over time.

Abbotts statement is accurate, but leaves out important details and needs more context. We rate it Half True.
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TraceSafe awarded order for 120,000 e-wristbands from Hong Kong government

TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2020 / TraceSafe Inc. ("Tracesafe") (CSE:TSF) a global leader in wearable safety tech including contact tracing and self-quarantine management, is pleased to announce continued purchases through a successful bid towards a competitive open tender issued by the Hong Kong Government. The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) confirmed the award of 120,000 TraceSafe e-wristbands to be used in Hong Kong's Home Quarantine Support System.

TraceSafe's disposable wristbands have been utilized in Hong Kong since the end of March this year to assist the OGCIO in managing and enforcing its quarantine program for foreign visitors and returning citizens. TraceSafe first provided the government of Hong Kong with disposable monitoring wristbands, which were provided by healthcare providers and authorities at airports. The wristbands connect with software that allow the Hong Kong government to enforce quarantine amongst travelers and those who tested positive for COVID-19. These and other measures have been used by the Hong Kong government to fight and control the spread of the virus within its borders.

Executive Quote

"We are pleased with the ongoing deployment of TraceSafe's wristband technology in Hong Kong and our most recent contract is a testament to the utility of the TraceSafe technology. We are very excited to continue working with Hong Kong authorities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19," said Dennis Kwan, CEO of TraceSafe Technologies Inc. "TraceSafe is a significant tool to help not only manage quarantine, but to provide a safer environment through real-time contact tracing in work spaces. We are pleased that TraceSafe is an optimum solution for the Hong Kong OGCIO."

About TraceSafe

TraceSafe is a full suite of real-time location management services and contact tracing solutions enabled through advanced low power bluetooth beacons and enterprise cloud management. TraceSafe's leading cloud management solution ensures both user privacy and comprehensive administrative control. TraceSafe's patented contact tracing bracelet has already been deployed in mission critical quarantine applications around the world in partnership with leading governments. In addition to their government work, TraceSafe is developing leading edge solutions for Enterprise, Healthcare, Education Government and large-scale venue management.

For further information, please contact:

Wayne Lloyd, CEO

+1 604 629-9975

wayne@tracesafe.io

Alan Tam, CFO

+1 604 377-7575

alantamca@gmail.com

John Costigan

+1 604 620-8589

jcostigan@ecmbcapital.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way approved or disapproved the contents of this news release.

Statements in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on TraceSafe's expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates, including with respect to expectations regarding the TraceSafe assets and their application, future business plans and relationships, future developments in respect of COVID-19 and solutions adopted in response to the virus, and the deployment and acceptance of the TraceSafe technology. Although TraceSafe believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict, including the suitability of our products to help businesses and governments reopen, competition, the spread or containment of COVID-19 and government responses thereto and general economic and market conditions. Therefore, outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and TraceSafe undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances unless otherwise required to do so by law.

SOURCE: TraceSafe Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605533/TraceSafe-Secures-New-Order-in-Hong-Kong-for-Quarantine-Management-Wristbands
The transport team moves the body bags of deceased COVID-19 patients from the overflowing morgue of Brooklyn's Wyckoff Heights Medical Center into the improvised morgue set up outside on April 27. Three refrigerated semitrailers, capable of holding more than 150 bodies between them, were brought in as an emergency solution during the height of the pandemic. The transports often occurred at night to avoid upsetting neighbors of the hospital.

The transport team moves the body bags of deceased COVID-19 patients from the overflowing morgue of Brooklyn's Wyckoff Heights Medical Center into the improvised morgue set up outside on April 27. Three refrigerated semitrailers, capable of holding more than 150 bodies between them, were brought in as an emergency solution during the height of the pandemic. The transports often occurred at night to avoid upsetting neighbors of the hospital. Credit - Meridith Kohut for TIME

Forty-five days before the announcement of the first suspected case of what would become known as COVID-19, the Global Health Security Index was published. The projectled by the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Securityassessed 195 countries on their perceived ability to handle a major disease outbreak. The U.S. ranked first.

Its clear the report was wildly overconfident in the U.S., failing to account for social ills that had accumulated in the country over the past few years, rendering it unprepared for what was about to hit. At some point in mid-Septemberperhaps by the time you are reading thisthe number of confirmed coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S. will have passed 200,000, more than in any other country by far.

If, early in the spring, the U.S. had mobilized its ample resources and expertise in a coherent national effort to prepare for the virus, things might have turned out differently. If, in midsummer, the country had doubled down on the measures (masks, social-distancing rules, restricted indoor activities and public gatherings) that seemed to be working, instead of prematurely declaring victory, things might have turned out differently. The tragedy is that if science and common sense solutions were united in a national, coordinated response, the U.S. could have avoided many thousands of more deaths this summer.

Indeed, many other countries in similar situations were able to face this challenge where the U.S. apparently could not. Italy, for example, had a similar per capita case rate as the U.S. in April. By emerging slowly from lockdowns, limiting domestic and foreign travel, and allowing its government response to be largely guided by scientists, Italy has kept COVID-19 almost entirely at bay. In that same time period, U.S. daily cases doubled, before they started to fall in late summer.

Story continues

Among the worlds wealthy nations, only the U.S. has an outbreak that continues to spin out of control. Of the 10 worst-hit countries, the U.S. has the seventh-highest number of deaths per 100,000 population; the other nine countries in the top 10 have an average per capita GDP of $10,195, compared to $65,281 for the U.S. Some countries, like New Zealand, have even come close to eradicating COVID-19 entirely. Vietnam, where officials implemented particularly intense lockdown measures, didnt record a single virus-related death until July 31.

There is nothing auspicious about watching the summer turn to autumn; all the new season brings are more hard choices. At every levelfrom elected officials responsible for the lives of millions to parents responsible for the lives of one or two childrenAmericans will continue to have to make nearly impossible decisions, despite the fact that after months of watching their country fail, many are now profoundly distrustful, uneasy and confused.

Friends and family mourn the death of Conrad Coleman Jr. on July 3 in New Rochelle, N.Y. Coleman, 39, died of COVID-19 on June 20, just over two months after his father also died of the disease John MooreGetty Images

At this point, we can start to see why the U.S. foundered: a failure of leadership at many levels and across parties; a distrust of scientists, the media and expertise in general; and deeply ingrained cultural attitudes about individuality and how we value human lives have all combined to result in a horrifically inadequate pandemic response. COVID-19 has weakened the U.S. and exposed the systemic fractures in the country, and the gulf between what this nation promises its citizens and what it actually delivers.

Although Americas problems were widespread, they start at the top. A complete catalog of President Donald Trumps failures to address the pandemic will be fodder for history books. There were weeks wasted early on stubbornly clinging to a fantastical belief that the virus would simply disappear; testing and contact tracing programs were inadequate; states were encouraged to reopen ahead of his own Administrations guidelines; and statistics were repeatedly cherry-picked to make the U.S. situation look far better than it was, while undermining scientists who said otherwise. I wanted to always play it down, Trump told the journalist Bob Woodward on March 19 in a newly revealed conversation. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic.

Common-sense solutions like face masks were undercut or ignored. Research shows that wearing a facial covering significantly reduces the spread of COVID-19, and a pre-existing culture of mask wearing in East Asia is often cited as one reason countries in that region were able to control their outbreaks. In the U.S., Trump did not wear a mask in public until July 11, more than three months after the CDC recommended facial coverings, transforming what ought to have been a scientific issue into a partisan one. A Pew Research Center survey published on June 25 found that 63% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said masks should always be worn in public, compared with 29% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.

By far the governments most glaring failure was a lack of adequate testing infrastructure from the beginning. Testing is key to a pandemic responsethe more data officials have about an outbreak, the better equipped they are to respond. Rather than call for more testing, Trump has instead suggested that maybe the U.S. should be testing less. He has repeatedly, and incorrectly, blamed increases in new cases on more testing. If we didnt do testing, wed have no cases, the President said in June, later suggesting he was being sarcastic. But less testing only means fewer cases are detected, not that they dont exist. In the U.S. the percentage of tests coming back positive increased from about 4.5% in mid-June to about 5.7% as of early September, evidence the virus was spreading regardless of whether we tested for it. (By comparison, Germanys overall daily positivity rate is under 3% and in Italy its about 2%.)

Testing in the U.S. peaked in July, at about 820,000 new tests administered per day, according to the COVID Tracking Project, but as of this writing has fallen under 700,000. Some Americans now say they are waiting more than two weeks for their test results, a delay that makes the outcome all but worthless, as people can be infected in the window between when they get tested and when they receive their results.

Most experts believe that early on, we did not understand the full scale of the spread of the virus because we were testing only those who got sick. But now we know 30% to 45% of infected people who contract the virus show no symptoms whatsoever and can pass it on. When theres a robust and accessible testing system, even asymptomatic cases can be discovered and isolated. But as soon as testing becomes inaccessible again, were back to where we were before: probably missing many cases.

People sleeping in a parking lot in Las Vegas on March 30 after a homeless shelter shut down because of COVID-19 Tod SeelieThe Guardian

Seven months after the coronavirus was found on American soil, were still suffering hundreds, sometimes more than a thousand, deaths every day. An American Nurses Association survey from late July and early August found that of 21,000 U.S. nurses polled, 42% reported either widespread or intermittent shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, gloves and medical gowns. Schools and colleges are attempting to open for in-person learning only to suffer major outbreaks and send students home; some of them will likely spread the virus in their communities. More than 13 million Americans remain unemployed as of August, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data published Sept. 4.

U.S. leaders have largely eschewed short- and medium-term unflashy solutions in favor of perceived silver bullets, like a vaccinehence the Administrations Operation Warp Speed, an effort to accelerate vaccine development. The logic of focusing so heavily on magic-wand solutions fails to account for the many people who will suffer and die in the meantime even while effective strategies to fight COVID-19 already exist.

Were also struggling because of the U.S. health care system. The country spends nearly 17% of annual GDP on health carefar more than any other nation in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Yet it has one of the lowest life expectancies, at 78.6 years, comparable to those in countries like Estonia and Turkey, which spend only 6.4% and 4.2% of their GDP on health care, respectively. Even the governments decision to cover coronavirus-related treatment costs has ended up in confusion and fear among lower income patients thanks to our dysfunctional medical billing system.

The coronavirus has laid bare the inequalities of American public health. Black Americans are nearly three times as likely as white Americans to get COVID-19, nearly five times as likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to die. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, being Black in the U.S. is a marker of risk for underlying conditions that make COVID-19 more dangerous, including socioeconomic status, access to health care and increased exposure to the virus due to occupation (e.g., frontline, essential and critical infrastructure workers). In other words, COVID-19 is more dangerous for Black Americans because of generations of systemic racism and discrimination. The same is true to a lesser extent for Native American and Latino communities, according to CDC data.

COVID-19, like any virus, is mindless; it doesnt discriminate based on the color of a persons skin or the figure in their checking account. But precisely because it attacks blindly, the virus has given further evidence for the truth that was made clear this summer in response to another of the countrys epidemics, racially motivated police violence: the U.S. has not adequately addressed its legacy of racism.

The line for a drive-through food pantry in Grand Rapids, Mich. Neil BlakeThe Grand Rapids Press/AP

Americans today tend to value the individual over the collective. A 2011 Pew survey found that 58% of Americans said freedom to pursue lifes goals without interference from the state is more important than the state guaranteeing nobody is in need. Its easy to view that trait as a root cause of the countrys struggles with COVID-19; a pandemic requires people to make temporary sacrifices for the benefit of the group, whether its wearing a mask or skipping a visit to their local bar.

Americans have banded together in times of crisis before, but we need to be led there. We take our cues from leaders, says Dr. David Rosner, a professor at Columbia University. Trump and other leaders on the right, including Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi, respectively, have disparaged public-health officials, criticizing their calls for shutting down businesses and other drastic but necessary measures. Many public-health experts, meanwhile, are concerned that the White House is pressuring agencies like the Food and Drug Administration to approve treatments such as convalescent plasma despite a lack of supportive data. Governors, left largely on their own, have been a mixed bag, and even those whove been praised, like New Yorks Andrew Cuomo, could likely have taken more aggressive action to protect public health.

Absent adequate leadership, its been up to everyday Americans to band together in the fight against COVID-19. To some extent, thats been happeningdoctors, nurses, bus drivers and other essential workers have been rightfully celebrated as heroes, and many have paid a price for their bravery. But at least some Americans still refuse to take such a simple step as wearing a mask.

Why? Because were also in the midst of an epistemic crisis. Republicans and Democrats today dont just disagree on issues; they disagree on the basic truths that structure their respective realities. Half the country gets its news from places that parrot whatever the Administration says, true or not; half does not. This politicization manifests in myriad ways, but the most vital is this: in early June (at which point more than 100,000 Americans had already died of COVID-19), fewer than half of Republican voters polled said the outbreak was a major threat to the health of the U.S. population as a whole. Throughout July and August, the White Houses Coronavirus Task Force was sending private messages to states about the severity of the outbreak, while President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence publicly stated that everything was under control.

Some incredulity about the virus and public-health recommendations is understandable given the reality that scientific understanding of the newly emergent virus is evolving in real time. The ever shifting advice from health officials doesnt instill public confidence, especially in those already primed to be skeptical of experts. Because this is a new infectious disease, a new virus, we dont have all the answers scientifically, says Colleen Barry, chair of the department of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. I think that creates an environment that could potentially erode trust even further over time. But the trust fractures on partisan lines. While 43% of Democrats told Pew in 2019 that they had a great deal of trust in scientists, only 27% of Republicans said the same.

Truly worrying are the numbers of Americans who already say they are hesitant to receive an eventual COVID-19 vaccination. Mass vaccination will work only with enough buy-in from the public; the damage the President and others are doing to Americans trust in science could have significant consequences for the countrys ability to get past this pandemic.

Cardboard cutout fans at an L.A. Angels baseball game Jae C. HongAP

Theres another disturbing undercurrent to Americans attitude toward the pandemic thus far: a seeming willingness to accept mass death. As a nation we may have become dull to horrors that come our way as news, from gun violence to the seemingly never-ending incidents of police brutality to the water crises in Flint, Mich., and elsewhere. Americans seem to have already been inured to the idea that other Americans will die regularly, when they do not need to.

It is difficult to quantify apathy. But what else could explain that nearly half a year in, we still havent figured out how to equip the frontline workers who, in trying to save the lives of others, are putting their own lives at risk? What else could explain why 66% of Americansroughly 217.5 million peoplestill arent always wearing masks in public?

Despite all that, it seems the U.S. is finally beginning to make some progress again: daily cases have fallen from a high of 20.5 per capita in July to around 12 in early September. But were still well above the springtime numbersthe curve may be flattening, but its leveling out at a point thats pretty frightening. Furthermore, experts worry that yet another wave could come this winter, exacerbated by the annual flu season.

There are reasons for optimism. Efforts to create a vaccine continue at breakneck speed; its possible at least one will be available by the end of the year. Doctors are getting better at treating severe cases, in part because of new research on treatments like steroids (although some patients are suffering far longer than expected, a phenomenon known as long-haul COVID). As the virus rages, perhaps more Americans will follow public-health measures.

But there is plenty of room for improvement. At the very least, every American should have access to adequate PPEespecially those in health care, education, food service and other high-risk fields. We need a major investment in testing and tracing, as other countries have done. Our leaders need to listen to experts and let policy be driven by science. And for the time being, all of us need to accept that there are certain things we cannot, or should not, do, like go to the movies or host an indoor wedding.

Americans [may] start to say, If everyones not wearing masks, if everyones not social distancing, if people are having family parties inside with lots of people together, if were flouting the public-health recommendations, were going to keep seeing transmission,' says Ann Keller, an associate professor at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.

The U.S. is no longer the epicenter of the global pandemic; that unfortunate torch has been passed to countries like India, Argentina and Brazil. And in the coming months there might yet be a vaccine, or more likely a cadre of vaccines, that finally halts the march of COVID-19 through the country. But even so, some 200,000 Americans have already died, and many more may do so before a vaccine emerges unless America starts to implement and invest in the science-based solutions already available to us. Each one of those lives lost represents an entire world, not only of those individuals but also of their family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. This is humblingand it should be. The only path forward is one of humility, of recognition that if America is exceptional with regard to COVID-19, its in a way most people would not celebrate.

With reporting by Emily Barone and Julia Zorthian/New York
Significant silver mineralization was identified in the Wasamac gold property shear zone during the 2012 drilling and resampling programs.

Silver mineralization is associated with the gold-rich sections. The best silver values included 7.01 g/t Ag over 75.9 metres and 10.72 g/t Ag over 10.2 metres (see Figure).

and (see Figure). The economic analysis (Wasamac Gold 2018 Feasibility Study) did not account for silver credits as silver was not included in either the gold mineral resources or the mining plan.

A strong silver market could increase the economic value of the currently outlined gold deposit.

MONTREAL, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - MONARCH GOLD CORPORATION ("Monarch" or the "Corporation") (TSX: MQR) (OTCQX: MRQRF) (FRANKFURT: MR7) is pleased to announce that it will undertake an internal review of its Wasamac project in Quebec, Canada, with a view to creating value by including the silver content associated with the current gold mineralization, in the light of the recent significant strengthening of the silver market.

"Silver prices are up 44% in the last year and have more than doubled since mid-March of this year," said Jean-Marc Lacoste, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarch. "Although several high-grade silver intersections were identified in previous drilling on the Wasamac property, analysis of the silver potential was limited. Given the current strong precious metals market and rising silver prices, we believe that a thorough review of Wasamac's silver potential is fully warranted and could add value to the property."

The 2018 Wasamac feasibility report stated that metallurgical testwork and drill core assays had shown that all mineralized zones at Wasamac contain variable amounts of silver, but that no credit for silver had been considered in the economic analysis as silver had not been estimated in the mineral resources or incorporated in the mine plan.

The best silver intersections are shown in the following table:

Hole-ID From To Width* Ag Au Zone

(m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t)

WS-10-27 739.0 749.2 10.2 10.72 4.89 Zone 2 WS-10-31 319.0 327.0 8.0 7.91 4.03 Zone 2 WS-10-37 534.23 543.4 9.17 7.29 6.14 Zone 2 WS-10-38 643.42 649 5.58 8.70 3.64 Zone 1 WS-10-38B 651.4 655.5 4.1 11.86 3.92 Zone 1 WS-10-38B 682.75 693.3 10.55 5.68 2.41 Zone 1 WS-10-46 565.4 569.5 4.1 11.36 3.44 Zone 1 WS-11-112 908.18 912.98 4.8 6.23 2.45 Zone 1 WS-11-65 717.0 792.9 75.9 7.01 3.06 Zone 2 WS-11-74A 786.95 809.7 22.75 5.71 2.68 Zone 2 WS-11-66A 508.2 521.0 12.8 6.20 3.14 Main *The width shown is the core length. True width is estimated to be 75-100% of the core length.

The available data indicates that Zones 1 and 2 have a higher proportion of silver to gold.

The review will consist of the identification of intervals for resampling, analysis of the silver grades to determine the distribution of silver within the zones, as recommended in the 2018 feasibility study, and construction of a silver model, in order to better define the silver content of the Wasamac deposit. The Corporation will publish the results of its review as soon as they become available.

Quality assurance and quality control

A limited number of silver analysis were completed in the 2012 drilling program by Richmont Mines. Silver was systematically assayed with gold. Also, additional samples of available mineralized intersections were also re-assayed for silver. The samples were analysed at Expert Laboratory in Rouyn-Noranda. Pulps and rejects from mineralized zones were also sent to Accurassay Laboratory for verification.

Monarch has a quality control program to comply with common industry best practices for sampling and analysis. Samples are collected from drill core from a range of 50 centimetres to 100 centimetres in length. Half-core samples are submitted for analysis. Standards and blanks are inserted every 20 samples. Monarch utilizes high quality laboratory services.

Qualified person statement

The technical and scientific content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo., the Corporation's qualified person under National Instrument 43-101.

ABOUT MONARCH GOLD CORPORATION

Monarch Gold Corporation (TSX: MQR) is an emerging gold mining company focused on becoming a 100,000 to 200,000 ounce per year gold producer through its large portfolio of high-quality projects in the Abitibi mining camp in Quebec, Canada. The Corporation currently owns over 315 km of gold properties (see map), including the Wasamac deposit (measured and indicated resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold, which includes proven and probable reserves of 1.8 million ounces of gold), the Beaufor, Croinor Gold (see video), and McKenzie Break advanced projects, the Camflo and Swanson exploration projects, and the Camflo and Beacon mills. It also offers custom milling services out of its 1,600 tonne-per-day Camflo mill.

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Monarch's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied therein. Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

www.monarquesgold.com

SOURCE Monarch Gold Corporation

Related Links

http://www.monarquesgold.com/en/


The murder of George Floyd brought into focus the pervasive, and often lethal, impacts that racism continues to inflict on communities of color, leading thousands to protest in Philadelphia and across the country. In the wake of this unforeseen reckoning, the mission of the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP)  to connect diverse communities around art, culture, and historical narratives of the Black experience  became all the more urgent. AAMP is critical as Philadelphians grapple with understanding our city and nation.

Founded in 1976 for the citys bicentennial celebration (after significant advocacy for the representation of African Americans), AAMP helped shape a more comprehensive version of American history. It is the only Philadelphia institution uniquely positioned to tell stories from the perspective of African Americans. Funded by the city, AAMP was the first Black history museum in the United States to be fully funded by a major city. Funding has dwindled to 8% to 14% of its overall budget but is critical for salaries and other operating costs, since grants are traditionally restricted to programming expenses. By comparison, the citys appropriation for the Philadelphia Museum of Art is approximately 10% of its operating revenue.

When COVID-19 forced institutions to close in March, AAMP was among the 100+ arts and cultural institutions affected. However, recognizing this historic moment as an opportunity to engage and educate the public, the museum stepped up, committed to serving as a responsive, relevant resource, reflecting the issues that matter to you and our community. Since mid-March, AAMP has produced inimitable virtual programming covering the Black Lives Matter movement, the impact of COVID-19, and other issues disproportionately affecting the Black community.

Yet while AAMP has provided this invaluable resource, the citys revised budget proposed eliminating its $231,000 of support for the museum (while proposing to reduce its appropriation to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to $2 million, about a $500,000 decrease).

Considering the mayors proposal to completely eliminate city funding of AAMP in his revised budget, his reported recommendation to include AAMP in the new waterfront proposal was a pleasant surprise. The museum was not part of the original RFP, and it seems that the 76ers' involvement most likely prompted its inclusion. Then both Hoffman & Associates and the 76ers included a new home for AAMP in their proposals, with the 76ers in direct conversation with the museum.

On Wednesday, the Delaware River Waterfront Corp. selected the Durst Organization to redevelop Penns Landing, in effect ending the 76ers' bid. Still, the idea of relocating AAMP is important to keep alive. Moving to Penns Landing, in a high-density, high-traffic destination, would be a significant win for AAMP and an asset to the implementation of a project like the Central Delaware Master Plan. The museums current location beside police headquarters and across the street from the federal prison has limited its impact in telling stories that were and are fundamental to the growth of both the city and the nation. Its isolation from the rest of the historic district reflects how it is undervalued, and could be seen as a metaphor for the underwhelming reception of its unique historic perspective.

 READ MORE: African American Museum funds slashed in revised city budget

Still, a new museum should neither distract from nor make up for the years of underinvestment in the city-founded institution. Relocation should be only part of the citys effort to support an institution that it created, and whose mission and impact are more relevant than ever.

At a time when its contribution is essential, there should be greater discussion of how Philadelphia can bolster AAMP. The museum is telling the stories of systemic racism and inequity while its lack of funding reflects the latter.

Councilmember Helen Gym challenges the use of tax dollars in the 76ers proposal as Philadelphians struggle with the lasting impact of the coronavirus pandemic on all parts of life. The pandemic has created more urgent issues that need the citys financial support. Support of small businesses, Black-owned businesses, child care, neighborhood corridors, and workforce development all supersede taxpayer subsidies for billionaire developers. And so does a city-founded institution whose mission and perspective are increasingly relevant with every instance of police brutality and every day of protest.

The current state of the country has created a deep need for trusted community information, education, and connection that AAMP was founded to provide. Now more than ever, AAMP is an integral asset to Philadelphia that should receive greater support in the citys solution to create a truly more equitable city.

Lindsay Tucker So was most recently the assistant director of the City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.
Britain stands on the brink of a no-deal Brexit after Boris Johnsons government rejected an ultimatum from Brussels to ditch its plans to break international law.

In a brutal assault on the prime ministers plans to override elements of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Johnsons move had seriously damaged trust and endangered peace in Northern Ireland. He set a 20-day deadline for him to back down or face legal action.

With the latest round of talks on a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and EU ended in London with no sign of progress, chief negotiator Michel Barnier said Brussels was intensifying preparations for a disruptive no-deal outcome when the transition process ends on 31 December.

Talks will resume in Brussels next week, but Mr Barnier said the UK had failed to engage on key issues where significant differences remain between the two sides, such as state aid, fisheries and a level playing field on standards.

Crucially he confirmed that uncertainties about animal health and sanitation standards in Great Britain after the UK stops observing EU rules on 1 January meant Brussels was not in a position to confirm third party status guaranteeing the right to export food products into the European customs area.

Possible withholding of the designation lies at the heart of Mr Johnsons attempt to tear up the supposedly oven-ready deal which he signed and forced through parliament less than a year ago, as ministers fear it could block exports of food from the British mainland to Northern Ireland, which remains under EU customs rules.

Former Tory leader Michael Howard and ex-chancellor Norman Lamont joined a lengthening list of party grandees to condemn Mr Johnsons high-wire gambit, following outrage from Sir John Major, Theresa May and Lord Heseltine over proposals which ministers admit will breach international law.

 Michael Gove says UK will not comply with EU demand to withdraw legislation

Lord Howard told the House of Lords that the UK would forfeit its right to reproach Russia, China or Iran for misconduct if it showed such scant regard for our treaty obligations, while Lord Lamont said: The government are in a terrible mess and in a hole and I dont think it is easy to justify. Crucially, both are firm Eurosceptics who backed the campaign to Leave the EU in 2016.

With Mr Johnsons UK internal market bill facing likely defeat in the Lords, there were growing signs of a Tory backbench rebellion at its second reading in the Commons next week, as the government attempts to force it through in just five days in the hope of making it law by the end of the year.

The bill would allow UK ministers to unilaterally waive export controls and tariffs between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and withhold information on state aid from Brussels in breach of Mr Johnsons withdrawal agreement.

Veteran Tory backbencher Sir Roger Gale vowed to vote against the bill on the basis of the principle that this United Kingdom keeps its word internationally, adding: I would not be surprised if other people do the same thing.

And former minister Sir Bob Neill said he has significant support for an amendment to establish a parliamentary lock on government changes to the withdrawal agreement.

We are not natural rebels. We've all served as ministers, we know that this is a serious job, and we do our best to take the job seriously, he said. So we don't do anything like this lightly. So I hope it's at least an indication as a government that really, you need to think very hard and carefully about going down this route. For heavens sake, try and find some other way.

In an emergency meeting with cabinet minister Michael Gove in London, Mr Sefcovic left no doubt that Brussels would not allow itself to be painted as the villain if talks fail over the issue.

By putting forward this bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK, he said. It is now up to the UK government to re-establish that trust.

He gave Mr Johnson until the end of September to withdraw the offending measures from the legislation, which he said amounted to an extremely serious violation of the terms of the withdrawal agreement which would break international law, undermine trust and put at risk the ongoing future relationship negotiations.

In a statement following the talks, the European Commission said it would not be shy in taking legal action at the European Court of Justice, with potentially significant financial penalties for the UK if Mr Johnson sticks to his guns.

But there was a defiant response from Mr Gove, who said he had made it perfectly clear" to Mr Sefcovic that we would not be withdrawing this legislation.

He brushed off the prospect of rebellion, saying he was looking forward to next weeks debate and urging Labour to back the government.

This legislation is critical to ensuring that there is unfettered access for goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the United Kingdom, said Mr Gove. We're a unionist party, the Labour Party is as well. So therefore, I hope that across the House of Commons, there'll be a recognition that we have an obligation to the people of Northern Ireland in order to make sure that they can continue to have unfettered access."

Mr Sefcovic flatly rejected Londons argument that its proposed changes were necessary as a safety net to prevent ambiguities in the agreement text from inflicting unintended damage on Northern Ireland and putting the peace process at risk.

The EU does not accept the argument that the aim of the draft bill is to protect the Good Friday Agreement. In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite, said the commission in a statement.

At the start of the week, both Mr Johnson and Lord Frost cast the eighth round of negotiations as a critical moment to make a breakthrough in the stalled trade talks, calling on Brussels to show realism to reach a deal by the PMs self-imposed deadline of 15 October.

But following three days of discussions in London, Mr Barnier said: Significant differences remain in areas of essential interest for the EU.

He said the UK continued to refuse indispensable guarantees on fair competition and social, environmental, labour and climate standards in return for access to the European single market.

He also said the British side had not engaged on other major issues, such as credible horizontal dispute settlement mechanisms, essential safeguards for judicial cooperation and law enforcement, fisheries, or level playing field requirements in the areas of transport and energy.

Lord Frost said the exchanges had been useful, but added: A number of challenging areas remain and the divergences on some are still significant.

We have been consistently clear from the start of this process about the basis on which agreement is possible between us. Those fundamentals remain. We have engaged in discussions in all areas. We have consistently made proposals which provide for open and fair competition, on the basis of high standards, in a way which is appropriate to a modern free trade agreement between sovereign and autonomous equals.

We remain committed to working hard to reach agreement by the middle of October, as the prime minister set out earlier this week.

Attorney general Suella Braverman, a staunch Brexiteer, issued a defence of the internal market bill, which she said ensures that the government will be able to deliver its commitments to protect peace in Northern Ireland and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

But her legal position paper was dismissed as utterly risible by a senior legal academic after she argued that that parliament is sovereign in domestic law and can pass legislation which is in breach of the UKs treaty obligations.

Under the bills provisions, UK ministers will be able to take measures notwithstanding any international or domestic law with which they may be incompatible or inconsistent, said Ms Braverman.

The chair of the faculty of law at the University of Cambridge, Professor Mark Elliott, said the attorney generals presentation of the issue was flatly incorrect, stating: The UK may have left the EU, but it has not left the community of nations or the rules-based international order.

Treaty obligations are binding upon the UK, and to suggest that they are not because parliament is sovereign is as embarrassing as it is dangerous.

Ms Bravermans Labour shadow Lord Falconer said: The attorney general offers no justification whatsoever for the UK acting in breach of the Northern Ireland protocol and there is no justification for breaking the terms of that agreement.

This advice does not address the issue of a breach of international law. The attorney general has conspicuously failed in her duty to uphold the rule of law in this country.

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Christine Jardine said: No one can really be surprised that the measures the UK government have brought forward have put the likelihood of a trade deal in jeopardy.

This proposal undermines trust and the UKs standing on the world stage.
A team of researchers from Tel Aviv University and Duke University and an expert from Israel Police has analyzed 18 ancient inscriptions dating back to around 600 BCE from Arad, a well preserved desert fort on the southern frontier of the Biblical Kingdom of Judah, and found that the texts were written by at least 12 authors.

The Hebrew inscriptions from the Arad fort, located in the arid southern frontier of Biblical Judah, are one of a few text collections from the First Temple period.

Dated to 600 BCE, more than 100 ostraca  texts written in ink on clay potsherds  provide a record of distribution of provisions to military units shortly before the destruction of the Kingdom of Judah by the invading Babylonian army.

The texts include administrative records, such as lists of names, probably produced at the fort itself, as well as orders that were dispatched to Arad from higher echelons in the Judahite military system, as well as correspondence with neighboring forts.

One of the inscriptions mentions the King of Judah and another the House of YHWH, probably referring to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Some orders of provisions refer to the Kittiyim, seemingly a Greek mercenary unit/s, which assisted in protecting the Negev desert border from the neighboring Kingdom of Edom.

There is a lively debate among experts as to whether the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings were compiled in the last days of the Kingdom of Judah or after the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians, said Tel Aviv Universitys Dr. Arie Shaus, lead author of the study.

One way to try to get to the bottom of this question is to ask when there was the potential for the writing of such complex historical works.

For the period following the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE, there is very scant archaeological evidence of Hebrew writing in Jerusalem and its surroundings, but an abundance of written documents has been found for the period preceding the destruction of the Temple.

But who wrote these documents? Was this a society with widespread literacy, or was there just a handful of literate people?

In the study, Dr. Shaus and colleagues conducted handwriting analysis of 18 inscriptions with the goal of determining the number of writers represented.

They utilized algorithmic analyses to statistically compare writing styles, while the inscriptions were independently analyzed by a professional forensic document examiner.

We examined the question of literacy empirically, from different directions of image processing and machine learning, said co-author Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin, also from Tel Aviv University.

Among other things, these areas help us today with the identification, recognition, and analysis of handwriting, signatures, and so on.

The big challenge was to adapt modern technologies to 2,600-year-old ostraca.

With a lot of effort, we were able to produce two algorithms that could compare letters and answer the question of whether two given ostraca were written by two different people.

This study was very exciting, perhaps the most exciting in my professional career, said co-author Yana Gerber, a forensic handwriting specialist who served for 27 years in the Questioned Documents Laboratory of the Israel Police Division of Identification and Forensic Science and its International Crime Investigations Unit.

These are ancient Hebrew inscriptions written in ink on shards of pottery, utilizing an alphabet that was previously unfamiliar to me.

I delved into the microscopic details of these inscriptions written by people from the First Temple period, from routine issues such as orders concerning the movement of soldiers and the supply of wine, oil, and flour, through correspondence with neighboring fortresses, to orders that reached the Tel Arad fortress from the high ranks of the Judahite military system.

I had the feeling that time had stood still and there was no gap of 2,600 years between the writers of the ostraca and ourselves.

Handwriting is made up of unconscious habit patterns, she added.

The handwriting identification is based on the principle that these writing patterns are unique to each person and no two people write exactly alike.

It is also assumed that repetitions of the same text or characters by the same writer are not exactly identical and one can define a range of natural handwriting variations specific to each one.

Thus, forensic handwriting analysis aims at tracking features corresponding to specific individuals, and concluding whether a single or rather different authors wrote the given documents.

The examination process is divided into three steps: analysis, comparison, and evaluation, she explained.

The analysis includes a detailed examination of every single inscription, according to various features, such as the spacing between letters, their proportions, slant, etc.

The comparison is based upon the aforementioned features across various handwritings. In addition, consistent patterns, such the same combinations of letters, words, and punctuation, are identified.

Finally, an evaluation of identicalness or distinctiveness of the writers is made.

The examination revealed at least 12 distinct writers, at least 3 of whom were writing at Arad (which is estimated only to have accommodated 20-30 soldiers), and at least 4 of whom were commanders among the regional military.

These results indicate a high literacy rate among the military for the time, notably higher than previous estimates for the Arad inscriptions.

Combined with evidence for high literacy in religious and civic contexts, this suggests the presence of an education system in Judah at the time.

This also has important ramifications for understanding the composition and dissemination of fundamental Biblical texts of the time.

Archaeological evidence suggests that this Hebrew literary activity declined or possibly ceased after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE.

The study presents the first of its kind combined algorithmic and forensic analysis of ancient Hebrew texts from a small military fortress of Arad, dated to the late First Temple period, ca. 600 BCE, Dr. Shaus said.

An identification of at least 12 unique writers within 18 of Arad inscriptions, probably written within a short time span, suggests a significant literacy rate in the Kingdom of Judah, with the ability to compose Biblical texts during this period as a possible by-product.

Whoever wrote the Biblical works did not do so for us, so that we could read them after 2,600 years, said Tel Aviv Universitys Professor Israel Finkelstein, senior author of the study.

There are different opinions regarding the date of the composition of Biblical texts.

Some scholars suggest that many of the historical texts in the Bible, from Joshua to II Kings, were written at the end of the 7th century BCE, very close to the period of the Arad ostraca.

It is important to ask who these texts were written for. According to one view, there were events in which the few people who could read and write stood before the illiterate public and read texts out to them.

A high literacy rate in Judah puts things into a different light.

Until now, the discussion of literacy in the Kingdom of Judah has been based on circular arguments, on what is written within the Bible itself, for example on scribes in the kingdom.

We have shifted the discussion to an empirical perspective.

If in a remote place like Tel Arad there was, over a short period of time, a minimum of 12 authors of 18 inscriptions, out of the population of Judah which is estimated to have been no more than 120,000 people, it means that literacy was not the exclusive domain of a handful of royal scribes in Jerusalem.

The quartermaster from the Tel Arad outpost also had the ability to read and appreciate them.

The study was published online in the journal PLoS ONE.

_____

A. Shaus et al. 2020. Forensic document examination and algorithmic handwriting analysis of Judahite Biblical period inscriptions reveal significant literacy level. PLoS ONE 15 (9): e0237962; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237962
Unsolicited copies of the Klu Klux Klan's quarterly newspaper have been left on the doorsteps of dozens of residents of a Kentucky neighborhood, provoking outrage.

A member of the white supremacist hate group said the motivation behind leaving copies of its Crusader paper in the Pleasure Ridge Park area of Louisville, was to educate our White Christian Brothers and Sisters, the Courier Journal reported.

The KKK member, who was not named, also said the group wanted to let them know in these troubling times of Chaos created by BLM, Antifa, NFAC, Etc. That there is an organization here for them.

Austin Beam, 24, said he was left outraged when he went outside to take out the trash on Tuesday morning to find the KKKs Crusader newspaper outside of his home. He also saw it had been left on the lawns of a number of his neighbors.

Beam said he took a few photos of the self-proclaimed premier voice of the white resistance before throwing it away.

Nothing like that has been distributed in my neighborhood before, and Ive been here two years, Beam told WAVE 3.

Unsolicited copies of the Klu Klux Klan's quarterly newspaper have been left on the doorsteps of dozens of residents of a Kentucky neighborhood

A member of the white supremacist hate group said the motivation behind leaving copies of its Crusader paper in the Pleasure Ridge Park area of Louisville, was to educate our White Christian Brothers and Sisters, the Courier Journal reported

Beam said he believes the racist outfit are attempting to capitalize on the racial tensions in the area, amid weeks of unrest and more than 100 days of protests in Louisville spurred by the death of Breonna Taylor.

The 26-year-old EMT was shot several times by three officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department on March 13, when they actioned a no-knock search warrant on her home during a drugs probe for which she was not involved.

The fatal shooting took place in Springfield Drive, less than three miles away from Pleasure Ridge Park.

Beam said he feels the KKK are trying to warp people's' narratives following BLM protests [by] using fear and racism.

The 24-year-old said he had attended a number of the protests and listened to peoples accounts of racism in Louisville. He said their stories need to be heard.

Articles like the ones that were written in that paper are trying to frame it as something else, trying to frame one incident out of 10 as being, This is how everything is, you should be scared, you should be afraid, and thats not how it is, Beam said.

I hope the beliefs in that paper don't take hold in our neighborhood and stay out of Louisville, he continued.

Much of the paper was about fighting against Globalists, Leftists, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the NFAC, and other similar groups.

Austin Beam (left), 24, said he was left outraged when he went outside to take out the trash on Tuesday morning to find the KKKs Crusader newspaper outside of his home. A copy of the Crusader was also left outside the home of another Pleasure Ridge Park resident, Kristin Kidwell (right)

Much of the paper was about fighting against Globalists, Leftists, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the NFAC, and other similar groups

The KKK is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center

A copy of the Crusader was also left outside the home of another Pleasure Ridge Park resident, Kristin Kidwell, who question the extremist views voiced within its pages.

There was a sentence that said Communism, nowadays Black Lives Matter and Antifa... What? That has nothing to do with any of this, she said.

I really think it is just to generate a stir and reach out to people on the fence not really sure of what to believe, Kidwell added.

In a statement to WAVE, a spokesperson for the KKK said the groups intentions were to educate.

We're not the bad people here. BLM and Antifa are. They are rioting and destroying our communities because they're not getting their way. In the meantime, you have law abiding Christian white Americans that feel unwelcome in their own country.

We want them to know that they're still welcome. This is OUR country. Due to recent violence and destruction by these terrorist groups, Antifa and BLM, we will be more active. Look forward to seeing a lot more of the Honorable Sacred Knights in Louisville and surrounding areas.

The KKK is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The group has attempted to put on a kinder, gentler in recent years, attempting to portray itself as a modern white civil rights organization, according to the center. But beneath that veneer lurks the same bigoted rhetoric.

The Louisville Metro Police Department has not yet issued comment on the newspapers.
Faced with plummeting donations during the COVID-19 pandemic, some charities are calling for changes that would make it easier for them to support themselves through running for-profit businesses.

And while WE Charity came under withering scrutiny this summer for those kinds of business relationships, other non-profits say thats partly because the current rules are unnecessarily rigid.

On Wednesday, WE Charity said it would be shutting down its operations in Canada following months of political scandal and dealing with the pandemics fallout.

Advocates in the charity sector are left wondering how public trust might be impacted by the WE Charity affair, and are struggling with how to move forward in their missions as a new economic reality looms.

The answer, some say, may lie in loosening restrictions around letting charities run for-profit businesses. However, critics warn that relaxing the rules too much could make it easier for people to use the cover of a charity to set up businesses that dont pay taxes.

As it stands, setting up a for-profit entity as a charity can be complicated and expensive. Charities can run businesses if they are related to their stated purpose  although there are strict rules on how to do this  and they can run unrelated businesses as long as they are 90 per cent staffed by volunteers. For example, some non-profits, like museums, are able to run gift shops that contribute revenue to the non-profit side, but that could be considered a related business.

Some in the sector say its time to review these laws and make it easier for a charity to run a business, giving it more opportunities to generate income outside of donations and government funding.

Boyle Street Community Services assists homeless people in Edmonton through drop-in and outreach services. It used the social-enterprise model for Boyle Street Ventures, a for-profit business that it operates separately from the charity while creating opportunities for the homeless: a group that cleans up garbage downtown, a moving company that employs youth, even a bank that makes it easier for them to set up a chequing account.

Social enterprises are for profit in the sense that they make money, said Elliott Tanti, Boyle Streets communications and development manager, but that money goes back into things like paying a living wage. The employees, who sometimes also access the charitys services, get work that considers their individual needs and the community receives benefits like cleaner streets.

But setting up a separate entity can be expensive and cumbersome for smaller charities, he said.

The rules also make it harder to receive donations, he said. If someone wanted to donate $50,000 to help get the moving company off the ground, Tanti said they couldnt give that person a tax receipt, since the donation isnt technically going to the charity.

But that $50,000 donation is going to start a business thats going to help people, he said. Its no less beneficial than our mental health services.

Some of the conversation around the WE Charity scandal this summer involved its structure.

WE Charity is separate from ME to WE, a for-profit social enterprise that sells leadership training and travel experience. The ventures website says it donates 90 per cent of its annual profits to WE Charity.

When co-founders Marc and Craig Kielburger testified before a parliamentary committee in July about the WE Charity controversy, they said restrictions around social enterprises in Canada contributed to WE Charitys overly complex organizational model.

In June, WE Charity was awarded a deal from Ottawa to deliver $544 million in grants to student volunteers as part of a pandemic relief program. The agreement was abandoned when financial ties were revealed between the charity and family members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as ties to Bill Morneau, who resigned as finance minister in the wake of the scandal.

Now, advocates say theres anxiety throughout the sector that the WE Charity scandal could give people pause before donating to any charity, adding to the fears that donations could soon dry up.

Sen. Ratna Omidvar has been calling for a review of the legislation governing non-profits and charities since last summer.

Social enterprise needs to find a way to work with charities and charities need to find a way to work with social enterprise without these convoluted arrangements, she said.

Im not sure they do anything to protect the public interest.

Omidvar helped lead a Senate committee looking at the charitable sector before it put out a report in June 2019. One of the suggestions was for the Canada Revenue Agency to run pilot projects to see if charities that run businesses lose sight of their overall missions.

It seems to me to be completely unfair to strangle the future of charities by not looking at this law again and taking the lid off these restrictions, she said.

Omidvar said there should still be some barriers in place, like not sharing directors between the charity and for-profit side.

But lawyer Mark Blumberg with Blumberg Segal LLP, a firm that advises charities, argues that the rules dont need to be revisited and that giving charities more leeway to set up businesses could actually hurt the sector.

Anything that a charity does as a business is tax free, basically, he said. Do we want certain charities to basically be able to take over whole businesses that right now are paying hundreds of millions in taxes, potentially?

That could mean fewer tax dollars collected to support government services, he noted.

You have to draw a line somewhere, he said.

If the rules were changed to allow charities to run any business they want, Blumberg said he can imagine conversations like this: Oh, you want to set up a business? Now, do you want to pay tax on that business, or not? Just let me know what you want. Oh, you dont want to pay tax? OK, lets set it up as a charity.

As charities deal with the impacts of the pandemic, Blumberg said the government should provide more funding for those that are struggling, not change the rules across the board.

We just dont want to encourage every business person to suddenly setup in the charitable sector because its a great tax-free haven, he said.

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Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) has encouraged Journalists to be critical, and analyse information before them to assert their authority in the reports they present.



He further urged journalists to be strong and pursue credible, firm and trusted professional endeavours in their persuit for public interest.



He said "Politicians will always do things to favour their interest, but we (journalists) must know that we are not appendages of politicians."



Mr Ayeboafoh made the point while presentating on the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and NMC Guidelines on Election Coverage at a forum for journalists in Tamale as part of the GJA and United States Embassy Media Convention 2020 Project.



The day's event, supported by the USA Embassy in Ghana was attended by journalists, representatives of the security agencies and political parties drawn from the Northern, North East, Oti and Upper East Regions, and had as its theme as: "The 2020 Election: Role of the Media in Promoting Civility and Discernment in the Political Discourse".



It was to educate participants on what was expected of them to promote amongst others issue-based campaign to ensure credible elections this year.



He emphasised that journalists must serve the interest of members of the public, and desist from being dictated to by political interests.



The NMC Chairman advised journalists not to report anything because it was said by somebody without analysing such statements, adding that they should report what would inure to the benefit of society.



Madam Stephanie Sullivan, United States Ambassador to Ghana, in a recorded video message, said as Ghana and the United States approached their elections this year, "Both of our nations must be vigilant in maintaining a strong corps of journalists, one that is respected, protected and held accountable for the quality and truthfulness of its reporting".



Ambassador Sullivan added that "As we approach the upcoming elections, we must also be mindful of the media's influential power, especially with the advent and introduction of digital platforms including social media".



She, therefore, cautioned against publication of false information, especially on digital and social media platforms and indicated that it could sow confusion and amplify destructive partisanship, which could not be in the interest of national peace.

Mrs Linda Asante Agyei, Vice President of the GJA reminded journalists of their crucial role in ensuring credible elections and urged them to live up to expectation.



Mr Lucas Yiryel, Acting Northern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, appealed to media houses to help educate the public on the electoral processes such as how to vote, fold the ballot paper amongst others to ensure successful elections.



Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani, Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, who chaired the event, urged journalists to represent the interest of the people and help them to be discerning and work for the growth of the country's democracy.

Source: GNA









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New Delhi, Sep 10 : A long-forgotten collection of never-before-seen modern Indian art, including unpublished artworks by master artists V.S. Gaitonde and Ram Kumar, will go under the hammer for the first time at Sotheby's in London on September 29, the auction house announced on Wednesday.

Assembled by Gunnar Hansen and his wife Inger almost half a century ago, the history of this collection is closely tied to that of one of India's most influential businesses of the 20th century, Larsen & Toubro, for whom Gunnar worked for over 20 years.

While helping to make L&T the company it is today, Hansen also made a life for himself and his family in India. Hansen and his wife, Inger, moved from Denmark to India in 1953, and it was in Bombay they acquired their passion for modern Indian painting. As per Sotheby's, the family were regular visitors to Gallery Chemould and Pundole Art Gallery, where they met the great Indian modernists and amassed their superb collection.

According to Ishrat Kanga, Head of Sotheby's London Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art Sale, the collection is a "true hidden gem".

"All of the paintings offered here have rarely been seen in public, if ever, before. The pieces were acquired by the Hansens in India in the 1960s and 1970s, soon after leaving the artist's studios and have been treasured by the family for some 40 to 50 years. Enthused by the radical art they discovered in post-independence India, the Hansens assembled a visionary collection that today is a perfect time capsule, demonstrating the depth and quality of abstract and non-objective art which was being created in India at this extraordinary moment in time." One of their first purchases was an exquisite red, orange, black and ochre Untitled canvas by V.S. Gaitonde, estimated at A1.5 - 2 million (roughly Rs 14 crore- Rs 19 crore), which Hansen bought after "test driving" it for a few days in his house as a loan in 1969 before making the purchase. Another is a Ram Kumar painting from the same year, hung in their dining room. The painting is accompanied by a personal letter from the artist in which he asks for copies of a greeting card Hansen had produced with the image of the work.

Other important artists represented in the Hansen collection include Krishen Khanna, Mohan Samant and Piraji Sagara, and are offered alongside long-overlooked artists that will be offered in a Sotheby's sale for the first time: Nareen Nath, Triloke Kaul, Homi B. Patel, S.R. Bhusan and Sanat Thaker. The collection includes 18 works in total by 15 different artists and is estimated at A1,799,000 - 2,401,000, where the upper estimate translates to almost Rs 23 crore. The sale also offers a selection of works from the estates of Bhupen Khakhar and Patwant Singh.

The sale will be on public exhibition from September 25-29 at Sotheby's London.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)